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History of Windham County, Connecticut
The interest which one feels in knowing and preserving the record of events connected with his own locality, is both natural and commendable. The good citizen must everywhere learn that the roots of the present are in the past, and that only by studying the past can he know the primal circumstances out of which have grown the conditions by which he is at present surrounded. By this study of cause and effect as seen in his local surroundings he is prepared, as every patriotic citizen wishes to be prepared, to plant more intelligently the roots which shall secure to his local society in the future the richest fruits of prosperity and happiness. As our standard of intelligence advances the interest of the people in their local history increases, and we see a constantly growing desire to preserve the story of local events, local traditions, and the facts connected with the lives of those persons who are or have been conspicuous in the local society, and whose influence has given tone and direction to its life, character and history.
The editor congratulates himself and the people of Windham county on the fact that in this work he has been able to bring together the labors of many earnest, enthusiastic students of local history, crystalized in this compilation, where the sons and daughters of old Windham and of new Windham may refer to them to decide those questions which increasing interest in local surroundings will ever thrust upon their attention. It would afford him pleasure to acknowledge personally, all and singular the favors and encouragement he has received from generous friends while engaged in the preparation of this work. But this pleasure must be foregone, for reasons which are obvious. Besides the draught which by special arrangement with Miss Larned the editor has been permitted to make upon her previously published History of Windham County, he has been ably assisted in this work by Miss Larned herself, who has prepared specially for us a very considerable part of the work. The co-operation in important sections of the subject, of Reverend Francis Williams and Miss Jane Gay Fuller, will also add greatly to the substantial and literary value of the history.
Asking the charitable forbearance of such exacting critics as have never known aught of the difficulties which beset the pathway of the editor and compiler of a work on local history, and expressing the most sincere thanks to all those who have aided him in his labors, the editor closes the work of compilation, trusting that its readers may find it as pleasing to peruse as he has found it exhaustive to prepare.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.
Physical Features. Location. Shape and Area. Subdivisions. Surface. Rivers and Brooks. Agricultural and Manufacturing Advantages. Productions. - Manufactures. Railroads and Transportation. Old Stage and Freight Wagons. Taverns of the Olden Time. The Hilltop Settlements. Romantic Scenery and Historic Associations. Geological Formation and Resources. Elevations of Land 1
CHAPTER II.
THE ABORIGINAL OCCUPANTS.
Algonquin Tribes. The Mohegans. The Nipmucks. The Wabbaquassets. Narragansett Claims. The Quinebaugs. The Pequot Ascendency.- Language and Customs of the Indians. Their Implements and Arts. Superstitions. Indian Allegiance. The Whetstone Country. Intertribal Warfare. Avenging an Insult. Uncas and Owaneoo. Christian Influence and the "Praying Indians. " Visit of Eliot and Gookin. King Philip's War. Its Disastrous Effect upon the "Praying Towns. " Unjust Treatment of the Indians by the English. Indian Shrewdness. Close of King Philip's War 10
CHAPTER III.
SETTLEMENT.
First Attempts at Settlement. The Inter-Colonial Route. Purchase of Land by John Winthrop. Indian Title and Subsequent Confirmation. Dispute as to Colonial Jurisdiction. Indian Claims Revived. Land in the Market. Influx of Speculators. First Lands Laid Out. Boundary Disputes with Massachusetts. Claims of Uncas to the Wabbaquasset Country. Land on the Quinebaug Sold. Owaneco Appoints James Fitch his Attorney or Guardian. Makes over to him Mohegan and Wabbaquasset Lands. Fitch Sells Land to Roxbury. Joshua Bequeaths Land to Sixteen Norwich Gentlemen. Agreement of the Legatees. Windham Settlements Made. Depression of Improvements under Andros. Slow Progress of Settlement. Religious and Social Affairs. Settlement of the Disputed Section in the Southeast Part of the County. Some of the Early Settlers. Early Days of the Quinebaug Country. Settlement in the Whetstone Country and the Volunteers' Land 23
CHAPTER IV.
EARLY EVENTS.
Windham County Organized. General Condition of Society.
Valuations of Property and Productions. Public Morals. Their
Houses. Social Conditions. Organization of Courts. - Court
House and Jail. Militia Organization and Training. Woodstock
Annexed to Worcester County. Transferred to Windham County.
Organization of Probate Districts. Emigrations of Inhabitants.
Colonization to Wyoming, N. Y. The Susquehanna and Delaware
Companies. Settlement of Wyoming 40
CHAPTER V.
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
Military Spirit of the People. Expedition against Crown Point.
Fasting and Prayer by the People at Home. Eastern Connecticut
Regiment at Lake George. Distinguished Sons of Windham. Defeat
of Braddook. Earthquake. Popular Alarm. Filling the Ranks
with Recruits. List of Soldiers. Official Honors. Capture of
Fort William Henry by Montcalm. Enlistments and Names of
Recruits. Sufferings of the Soldiers, and of their Families at
Home. First Census of Connecticut in 1756. Population,
Valuation, Churches and Schools. General Progress 53
CHAPTER VI.
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
Spirit of the People. Influence of their Leading Patriots, Dyer, Durkee and Putnam. Indignation at the Stamp Act of 1765. Burning Effigies. Positive Demonstrations. Treatment of Stamp Agents. Sons of Liberty in Windham. Popular Outburst in 1767. Determination of the People against using English Goods. Closing of the Port of Boston . Windham the first to send Relief. Rough Handling of Royal Agents. The " Boycott "applied to an Adherent of the King. "Windham Boys " noted for their Aggressive Patriotism. Fever Heat of the Public Mind. Alarm from Boston, September, 1774, heralded through the Towns, and answered by Putnam and two hundred Volunteers. Convention of Delegates at Norwich. Providing Ammunition. Preparing for War. Organization of Militia. Unity of Sentiment. Answering the Call from Lexington April 9, 1775. Gathering of Troops. Windham County first to send Troops to the Scene of Conflict. One-fourth of the Militia called out. Officers of Windham Troops. Manufacturing Munitions of War. Windham Soldiers at Bunker Hill. Earnest Work of the Men at Home. Energetic Women help on the Cause. Windham Soldiers after Bunker Hill. Encouragement at the Withdrawal of British Troops from Boston in 1776. Manufacture of Powder, Balls and Guns at Home. More Troops wanted. At the Battle of Long Island. Organization of the Troops, 1776. The "Oliver Cromwell " fitted out. Depressing Monotony of the long continued War. Windham County Losses. Raising their Quotas. Massacre by The Indians in the Wyoming Valley. Attempt upon Newport, 1778. Constancy of Windham Patriots. Self-sacrificing Women. The Fallen Heroes. Young Men in the Field.Raising Troops, 1780. Armies en route through Windham County. Cessation of Hostilities. Return of Peace. Dealing with the few Tories. Scanty Pay of the Soldiers. Organization of new Towns. Adopting the new Constitution, 1788. Windham's Representatives in the Convention 60
CHAPTER VI.
WINDHAM COUNTY UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
Progress after the War. Immigration and Commercial Enterprise. The lot of the Farmers. Moral and Religious Declension. Slavery disappearing. Remnants of Indian Tribes. Educational Interests. Teachers. Newspapers. Social Conditions. Domestic Customs. Manufacturing Enterprises begin. The War of 1812. Party Spirit. Revival of the Patriotic Spirit. Recruiting. Organization of Troops. First Summons to Arms, June 21st, 1813. Another Call in September. To Relief of New London, August 9th, 1814. On Guard at Stonington. Peace re- stored, 1815. Appropriate Celebrations of the Event 88
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CIVIL WAR.
Aja Age of Prosperity. Growth of the Union and Anti-Slavery Sentiment. The Strongest Republican County in Connecticut. Outbreak of the Rebellion. County Mass Meeting. Volunteer Companies Formed. The Uprising of the Martial Spirit. Popular Excitement. Raising the Flag. Recruiting. Death of General Nathaniel Lyon. Windham's Interest in General McClellan. Organizations Represented by Windham County Soldiers. Responses to Later Calls. The Eighteenth Regiment. Work of the Sanitary and Christian Commissions at Home. The Martyrs to the Union Cause 99
CHAPTER IX.
WINDHAM COUNTY OF TO-DAY.
Its Towns and their present condition. Their Population at different periods. Conspicuous Citizens. Presidential Candidates. Honored Sons of Windham. State Senators. Presidents pro tem. of the Senate. Speakers of the House. Present Representatives. The Courts. County Officers. Literary Associations. Agricultural Society. Temperance Society. Temperance Movements 105
CHAPTER X.
PUBLIC CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS.
The Towns' Poor. Early Methods of dealing with Dependents. Increase of Burdens by the French War. Meagre Fare and Accommodations. Emigration and Temperance decreases the Burdens. Present Costs and Management of the Poor. Children's Temporary Home. Its Management and present successful Work. The Record of Crime in Windham County. - Capital Punishment. Execution of Criminals. Elizabeth Shaw, Caleb Adams, Samuel Freeman, Oliver Watkins. Other notable Crimes. Jail Buildings. Their Occupants. Removal from Windham to Brooklyn. Official Keepers. Statistics of the present Jail 117
CHAPTER XL
THE BENCH AND BAR OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
Early Attorneys. Elisha Paine. Samuel Huntington. Jabez Fitch. Eliphalet Dyer. Jedidiah Elderkin. Zephaniah Swift. Thomas Stedman. David Bolles. Sylvanus Baekus. Daniel Kies. Other Windham County Lawyers of Former Times. Courts Removed to Brooklyn. The Windham County Bar in 1820. Chauncey F. Cleveland. Glimpses of Many Practicing Attorneys. William Smith Scarborough. Lucius H. Rickard. Elliot B. Sumner. Abiel Converse. Earl Martin. Edward Cundall. John J. Penrose. George W. Melony. Seymour A.Tingier. Benjamin S. Warner. Calvin M. Brooks. Albert McC. Mathewson. Andrew Jackson Bowen. John L. Hunter. George A. Conant. Arthur G. Bill. Gilbert W. Phillips. Randolph H. Chandler. Eric H. Johnson. Charles E. Searls. Samuel H. Seward. Edgar M. Warner. William G. Buteau. Ebenezer Stoddard. Louis B. Cleveland. Thomas E. Graves. G. S. F. Stoddard. John M. Hall. James H. Potter. George Larned. Simon Davis 138
CHAPTER XII.
THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY.
The first Physicians in the different Towns. Their influence on Society. Later Practitioners. Conspicuous Members. Jonathan Huntington. Albigence Waldo. Samuel Lee. Benjamin Hubbard. Elisha Perkins. After the Revolution. Raising the Professional Standard. Glimpses of the Physicians practicing in the early years of the Century. The County Medical Society. Lewis Williams. Justin Hammond. Samuel Hutchins. Charles H. Rogers. Ernest D. Kimball. Frank E. Guild. Chester Hunt. David C. Card. E. D. Card. Eliphalet Huntington. Charles James Fox. Theodore R. Parker. Samuel David. Oliver B. Griggs. Dewitt C. Lathrop. Francis X. Barolet. Gardner L. Miller. Frederic A. Morrell. Omer La Rue. Daniel B. Plimpton. Lowell Holbrook. Ichabod L. Bradley. Louis Oude Morasse. Willam Richardson. Levi A. Bliss. Frederick G. Sawtelle. Seth Rogers. John B. Kent. Elisha K. Robbins. S. P. Ladd. F. S. Burgess. Nathaniel Hibbard Henry L. Hammond. Harvey L. Converse. James F. Mcintosh. Jesse M. Coburn. S. C. Chase. William H. Judson. Grin Witter, Sr. Orin Witter, Jr. Hiram Holt. William Witter. Henry R. Lowe. William A. Lewis Isaac B. Gallup 169
CHAPTER XIII.
ANECDOTE AND LOCAL STORY OP OLD WINDHAM.
The Mystery of Gates. The Battle of the Frogs. Revolutionary
Anecdotes. That Little God Bacchus. The House the Women
Raised. The Black Sheep. A Character. - "Tea-total. "
Doctor Cogswell and Phyllis. An Old Family of Scotland. The
Story of Micah Rood. " No blood relation of mine. " The Fine.
Story of Abijah Fuller. Sabbath Breaking. Strong minded
Women. Tne First Locomotive. Windham Wags. Old Time
Pedagogues 205
CHAPTER XIV.
THE TOWN OF WINDHAM.
Geographical Description. Settlement. Town Charter and Organization. The Early Settlers. Laying out the Land. County Relations. Early Town Officers. Enlargement of Territory. Settlement of the Eastern Quarter. Mechanical and Commercial Trades Introduced. Division of Town and Formation of Mansfield. Various Phases of Public Interest. Growth of the Northeast Section, called Canada Parish. Society Organization. Probate Court Established. Some Prominent Families. Windham made Shiretown. Attempts at Manufacturing. Scotland Society Organized. Town Action. Schools. Early Taverns. Prosperity of the Town. Industries. Under the War Clouds. Removal of the Courts. Reduction of Territory. - Through the Revolution. Material Prosperity. Social Innovations. Roads and Bridges 252
CHAPTER XV.
THE TOWN OF WINDHAM (CONCLUDED).
Employing a Minister. Building a Church. Withdrawal of Mansfield. Successive Pastors. The Separate Movement. Religious Declension. The Father of President Cleveland. Gradual Dissolving of the Town Church into the Windham Centre (local) Church. Schools of the Town. Early Newspaper. Old-time Taverns. Manufacturing Begun. Gunpowder, Silk and Paper. Windham Centre. Cemetery. Congregational, Episcopal and Baptist Churches. - South Windham. Manufacturing Enterprises. Congregational Church. North Windham. Manufactories. Church, Cemetery and School. Biographical Sketches 279
CHAPTER XVI.
WILLIMANTIC.
General Description. Communication with the World. Some Public Features. Retrospect of Half a Century. Early Stages of the Cotton Mill Industries. Starting of the Windham and Smithville Companies. First Steps of the Linen Company's Plant. Early Builders of the Village. The Post Office. Incorporation of the Borough. Fire Companies and Engines. Fire Department. Destructive Fires. Water Works. Public Schools. Libraries. Churches: Congregational, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Episcopal. Spiritualist, Mission Hall, Camp Meeting. Growth of Manufacturing. Windham Company. Smithville Company. Linen Company. Holland Silk Company. Morrison Company. Chaffee & Son. Turner Silk Mill. Natchaug Silk Company. Foundry. - Builders and Other Manufacturers. Board of Trade. Cemeteries. Masonic History. Benefit Societies. Banks. Buildings. Newspapers, Printing and Wood Type. Biographical Sketches 310
CHAPTER XVII.
THE TOWN OF HAMPTON.
Beautiful Scenery. Location and Description. Settlement. A Part of Windham. Organized as Canada Parish. Its Historic Hills. - As Windham Village. Constituted a Town. Facts and Figures. Bridges. Pound. Poor Dependents. Town Business. Heroic Women of the Revolution. Military Matters. Business Activity. Manufacturing Projects. The Railroad. School Matters. The Town Church. Baptists. Abbe-ites. Christians. Roman Catholic Church. Library. Little River Grange. Mills and Manufactories. Biographical Sketches 372
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE TOWN OF SCOTLAND.
Description. Original Connection. First Settler. Early Attractions. Settlers coming in. Church Association. Disquiet in Society Relations. Scotland Society Organized. Minister Employed and a Meeting House Built. Peace and Prosperity. The Separate Movement. Separate Church. The Standing Church and the Schools. Leading Men in Society. Successive Pastors. Period of the Revolution. The Congregational Church in Later Days. Universalism. Business and Industry in the Town. Organization of the Town. Its Size and Growth. Illustrious Citizens. Present Status. Shetuoket Grange. The Green and its Surroundings 383
CHAPTER XIX.
THE TOWN OP CHAPLIN.
General Description. Settlement of the Region. An Ecclesiastical Society Organized. Town Privileges Obtained. General Progress. Manufactures. Paper Mills, Lumber Mills, and Manufactories of Wheelbarrows, Plow-beams, Spools, Woolen Cloth, Boxes and Shingles. Schools and Teachers. The Church of Chewink Plains. A Protestant Methodist Church. Deacon Benjamin Chaplin. The Congregational Church. Its Successive Pastors. Biographical Sketches 411
CHAPTER XX.
THE TOWN OP PLAINFIELD.
Description. Statistics. Settlement and Settlers. The Town Organized. Conflicting Land Claims. The Gospel Ministry. Division of Lands. Indian War. Settlement of Land Disputes. Progress of the Settlement. An Epidemic. The Separate Movement. French Prisoners of War. Town Officers, 1765. Facilities of Commerce. Old Tavern. The Poor and the Oppressed. Emigration. During the Revolution. Revival of Business Enterprises. Increase of Manufacturing. Highways and Bridges. The Ecclesiastical Society and Church. Congregational Church of Plainfleld Street. The "September Gale. " The Separate Church. Quaker Meeting House 488
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TOWN OP PLAINFIELD (CONCLUDED).
Plainfield of To-day. The Methodist Church. Union Baptist Church. Congregational Church, Central Village. Wauregan, Mills, Congregational Church and Village. All Hallows R.C. Church, Moosup. Schools of the Town. Plainfield Academy. Eminent Men of Plainfield. Village - Schools. Manufactures. Wauregan. Moosup. Central Village. Kennedy City. Plainfield Junction. The Freshet of 1886. Fraternal Societies. Prominent Names of a Former Generation. Biographical Sketches. 451.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE TOWN OF CANTEEBURY.
Canterbury Geography. Statistics. Settlement of the Quinebaug
Plantation. Major Fitch. Fitch and Winthrop Conflicting Claims. Town Charter and Organization. Boundary Disputes. First Meeting House. Dividing Line Established. Adjusting Land Titles. Distribution of Common Lands. Ecclesiastical History. Separate Movement. Westminster Church and Society Formed. Restoration of Harmony. - The Methodist Churches. Roads and Bridges . Accident on the Shetucket. Bridges, Dams and Floods. Turnpike Projects and Other Highways. Public Education. Miss Prudence Crandall's School. General Town Progress. Immigration and Enterprise. Westminster Society. Canterbury Manufacturing. Canterbury Separate Church. Baptists and Episcopalians. Packerville Baptist Church. Packerville Growth. Masonic Lodge. Biographical Sketches 481
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE TOWN OF POMREET.
Description. The Wabbaquasset Country. Purchase by Roxbury
Men. The Mashamoquet Tract. Blackwell's Purchase. The
Mortlake Patent. The Mashamoquet Purchase Allotted. Town
Privileges Obtained. Indian War. Settlers and Settlement.
Progress. The Town Fully Organized. Mortlake Management.
Mashamoquet Proprietors. Increasing Population. Prosperity
of the Settlement. Good Health of the People. Slow Progress of
Mortlake. Inhabitants in 1731. Abington Society Erected.
Mortlake Transferred to New Proprietors. Social Character of the
People. Business Fluctuations. Literary Movements.
Libraries. Pomfret Hall. Schools. Roads and Bridges.
Improvements in the Quinebaug. Great Thoroughfares.
Ecclesiastical History. First Society and Church. Disturbing
Controversies. Baptist Church. Christ Church. Quakers.
Methodists. Roman Catholic Church. Pomfret Landing.
Biographical Sketches 517
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE SOCIETY OF ABINGTON.
Organization. Settlers. Schools. Church Progress.
Congregational Church. Church of the Messiah. Second Advent
Church. Libraries. Hall. Manufacturing. Charles Osgood 557
CHAPTER XXV.
THE TOWN OF BROOKLYN.
Facts and Figures. Movement of Settlers. Richard Adams. Isolated Settlers. Division of Vacant Lands. The Stoddard Tract. Heterogeneous Settlement. A Minister Employed. Organization of "The Society taken out of Pomfret, Canterbury and Mortlake. " Becomes Brooklyn Parish. The Town Chartered. List of Inhabitants. Business and Public Questions. The County Seat Moved Here. Brooklyn Newspapers. Putnam and the Wolf. General Putnam . Godfrey Malbone. Roads and Bridges. Manufacturing Enterprises. School Accommodations. Church History, early and late. Banks. Insurance Company. Agricultural Society. Creamery.-Decline of Manufactures. Biographical Sketches 564
CHAPTER XXVJ.
THE TOWN OF STERLING.
Geographical Description. The Volunteers' Land. Settlement as
Voluntown. Division of the Land. Town Privileges.
Presbyterian Church Organized. Lands Laid Out. Sterling Town
Organized. Meeting House Erected.- General Progress. Public
Highways. School Matters The Voluntown and Sterling Church.
Line Meeting House. Sterling Hill Baptist Church. Other
Churches. Manufacturing. Rocks and Quarries. Oneco.
Decline of Manufactures. The Grange. Biographical Sketches 605
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE TOWN OP THOMPSON.
Location, Description, Geology. Pre-historic Occupants. The
Indians of this Region. Early White Settles. Quinnatisset
Hill. Increase of Population. Land Controversies.
Pattaquatic. Highways in the Wilderness. Bridge Building.
Samuel Morris. Early Attempt to secure Town Privileges. Second
or North Society of Killingly. Thompson Parish. Land west of
the Quinebaug annexed. Building the Meeting House. Religious
Worship Established. Military Company. Non-resident
Land-owners. Various Improvements. Schools. Town Affairs.
The French War. The Old Red Tavern. Business and Finance.
The Revolutionary Period. Quadic Shipyard. Petitions for Town
Privileges 624
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE TOWN OF THOMPSON (CONTINUED).
Organization. Affairs of the Body Corporate. Foreign Trade and
Traffic. Highways. Thompson Turnpike. Fourth of July
Celebration. Protection against Small-pox. General Progress.
New Town Scheme. The Civil War. Temperance Sentiment.
Modern Improvements. Town Expenses and Government. The Public
Schools. First Church of Thompson. First Baptist Church.
Baptist Church of Thompson Hill. Methodists at West Thompson.
Fisherville Methodist Church. East Thompson Methodist Church 647
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE TOWN OF THOMPSON (CONCLUDED).
Manufactures. The Swamp Factory. Fisherville Factory. Water Privileges. Grosvenor Dale, Masonville. North Grosvenor Dale. Changes Wrought by the Manufacturing Interests. Catholic Churches. The Swedish Church of Grosvenor Dale. Connecticut Manufacturing Company. The "Brick " Factory. West Thompson. Mechanicsville. Quadic Manufacturing Company. Brandy Hill. The Northeast Section. Wilsonville. New Boston. Thompson Village. A "Boom " to Thompson Hill. Old-Time Taverns. Social Customs. Railroad Opening. Thompson Bank. Fire Engine Company. - Some Prominent People. Summer Inhabitants. The Sons of Thompson. Thompson Grange. Biographical Sketches 683
CHAPTER XXX.
THE TOWN OP PUTNAM.
Incorporation and General Description. Early History. First
Settlers . West of the Quinebaug. The South Neighborhood. Early
Improvement of Water Privileges. Roads and Bridges. The Stone
Mills. Early Homestead Residents. The French War. The
Revolution. After the War. Cargill's Mills. Quinebaug High
Falls. Educational and Religious. Killingly Hill. Beginning
of Cotton Manufacturing. Pomfret Factory. During the War of
1812. Residents and Managers of the Factory. - Rhodesville.
Building up of Additional Factories. Rival and Conflicting
Interests of Three Adjoining Towns. Various Propositions arid
Controversy. Organization of the new Town of Putnam 749
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE TOWN OF PUTNAM (CONCLUDED).
Officers and Statistics. Layout of Roads and Naming Streets.
Establishment of Churches. Baptist Church. Congregational
Church. Methodist Church. Catholic Church. Episcopal
Church. Advent Christian Church. Other Religious Societies.
Schools. Cotton Manufactures. Pomfret Factory Woolen Co.
Silk Manufactures. Shoe Manufacture. Artisans and Mechanics.
Business Men's Association. Village Development. Various
Manufacturing Enterprises. Creamery. Waterworks. Commercial
Houses. Business Blocks. Hotels. Banks. Fire Department.
Fraternal Societies. Celebrations. Temperance Movements.
Library Association. Newspapers. Orchestral Music. Antique
Art Loan Exhibition. Village Cemetery. Other Burial Grounds.
Old Kallingly Hill, now Putnam Heights. East Putnam. Its
Local Institutions. Biographical Sketches 778
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK.
General Description and Geology. Aborigines. Visit of Eliot and Gookin. The Narragansett War. New Roxbury Colony. Incorporation as Woodstock and Subsequent Events. Indian Troubles. Important Changes. Final Division of Roxbury's Half of Woodstock. Second Meeting House. Ministerial Troubles. Indian Alarms. Land Divisions. Worcester County Erected. Early Schools. - Controversy with Colonel Chandler. Settlement of West Woodstock. Precinct Organized. Building of Meeting House. Organization of Church. - Woodstock's Revolt. Contest between Massachusetts and Connecticut. Church Division. Various Town Affairs 831
CHAPTEE XXXIII.
THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK (CONCLUDED).
Early Industries. Manufacturing. Decline of Manufacturing.
Agriculture. - Woodstock Agricultural Society. Senexet Grange.
Theft Detecting Society. Woodstock Academy. Church on Woodstock
Hill. The Second Church. Baptist Churches. East Woodstock
Church. - Methodism. Universalist Church. Advent Christian
Church. Present Condition. Public Celebrations. Biographical
Sketches 876
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE TOWN OF KILLINGLY.
Location and Description. Original Killingly. The Whetstone
Country. First Proprietors. Attempts at Settlement. Bounds
and Claims. Settlers and Settlement. The Town Organized.
Localities. Counterfeiters. General Progress. Taking Care
of the Poor. Highways. Early Manufacturing. Prosperity of
Manufacturing Interests. The Gospel Ministry. Meeting House
Controversy. The Second Society formed. South Killingly Church
921
CHAPTER XXXV.
THE TOWN OF KILLINGLY (CONCLUDED).
Chestnut Hill. Baptist Churches. Cotton Mills. Elliottville
Mills. Elmville Mills. Attawaugan Mills. M. E. Church.
Ballouville. Dayville. Manufactories. Churches. Societies.
Williamsville. The Borough of Danielsonville. Public Works.
Great Freshet. Schools. Churches. Banks. Music Hall.
Manufacturing Establishments. Masonic and other Societies.
Newspapers. Biographical Sketches 948
CHAPTER XXXVI.
THE TOWN OP ASHFORD.
The Wabbaquasset Country. Land Speculators. Settlement of Ashford. . Major Fitch. James Corbin. New Scituate. The Town Established. Titles Confirmed. Common Proprietors. Land Controversies. Civil Disorder. Military Company. Population and Growth. Public Morals and Order. Growth of the Settlement. Early Town Officers. Land Title War. Days of the Revolution. Visit of President Washington. Post Office, Taverns and Probate Court. Honored Sons. Roads and Bridges. Schools. Ecclesiastical History. First Church. The Great Revival and the Separates. Westford Congregational Church. Meeting Houses and Ministers. First Baptist Church. Eminent Men of Westford. Baptist Church of Westford. Manufacturing in Westford. Warrenville Baptist Church. Manufacturing and Business at Warrenville. Eminent Sons of Ashford. Babcock Library and Band. Bio- graphical Sketch 990
CHAPTER XXXVII.
THE TOWN OP EASTFORD.
Location and Description. Organized as an Ecclesiastical
Society. Cotton Mills. Search for Gold. Latham Twine Mill.
Smith Snow. Crystal Lake. Factories of Eastford Village.
Cotton and Woolen, Wagon Wheels, Leather, Boots and Shoes, Axes
and Hatchets, Carriages, Scythes, Plow Handles and Beams,
Bobbins. Town Incorporation. Communication. Honored Sons.
Congregational Church. The Society of North Ashford. The
Methodist Church. Ministers and Teachers. - The "Church of
Bacchus. " Creamery. Biographical Sketch 1027
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Personal Paragraphs 1042
Portaits
Aldrich, David L 468
Aldrich, Edward 720
Arnold, William S 815
Atwood, James S 470
Atwood, William A 982
Babcock, William S 471
Baldwin, Lloyd E 365
Bartholomew, William 550
Bates, Ambrose H 620
Bates, Gustavus D 817
Bates, Jerome E 721
Beebe, William S 722
Bishop, Ebenezer 909
Bowen, Stephen O 104O
Briggs, Lucius 728
Buck, George 816
Bugbee, Edwin H 984
Burgess, Frank S 195
Card, David C 182
Carpenter, Elisha 146
Carpenter, John A 818
Chaffee, J. Dwight 367
Child, Abel 910
Cleveland, Edward Spicer 389
Converse, Abiel 150
Converse, Elisha S 732
Converse, James W 730
Cranska, Floyd 472
Dean, Ezra 912
Elliott, Henry 734
Evans, Thomas J 986
Fox, John 819
Fuller, Lucius H 820
Green, Marquis 913
Greene, Albert C 473
GreensUt, David 390
Griggs, David A 424
Grosvenor, William 736
Haskins, Rufus T 407
Hatch, Jonathan 306
Holt, George W., Jr 822
Hopkins, Timothy E 987
Hutchins, Joseph 474
Jillson, William C 368
Knowlton, Danford 1034
Lamed, Ellen D 714
Lincoln, Edgar S 425
Lyon, William, 4th 914
McClellan, John 915
Manning, James W 834
Mathewson, Rufus S 552
May, Charles H 916
Messenger, Frank M 739
Miller, Gardner L 188
Milner, Edwin 476
Morse, George M 837
Morse, Joseph M 918
Morse, Milton S , 826
Moseley , Samuel S 392
Moulton, George S 307
Murdock, George T 740
Murdock, G. Thurston 741
Nichols, Franklin 743
Osgood, Charles H 554
Paine, Almond M 988
Palmer, William F 408
Parker, Alfred M 828
Penrose, John J 154
Perry, Oliver H 920
Phillips, Gilbert W 158
Phipps, Benjamin F 744
Pike, James 622
Putnam, William H 602
Ross, William 426
Sanger, Marvin H 514
Scarborough, George 604
Searls, Charles E 160
Smith, Guilford 308
Spalding, Chandler A 830
Sprague, Samuel B 410
Stanton, Avery A 628
Stranahan, J.S.T 478
Thayer, Charles D 745
Towne, Marcus F 746
Warner, Alexander 556
Westcott, Henry 989
Williams, Francis 422
Witter, William C 370
Wood, Darius 516
Views, etc.
VIEWS, ETC.
Map of Windham County 1
Residence of George Lothrop Bradley 704
The " Ben-Grosvenor " 710
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Windham County occupies the northeastern corner of the state of Connecticut, bordering Worcester county, Massachusetts, lying on the north, and Providence and Kent counties in Rhode Island on the east. New London county bounds it on the south and Tolland on the west. Its greatest length, from north to south, is twenty-seven miles, and its greatest width, from east to west, is twenty-three miles. Its north, east and south sides are nearly straight lines, while on the west side its territory interchanges offsets with Tolland. The greatest variation in the line made by these offsets, however, does not exceed six miles. This occurs on the northwest corner, where the town of Union makes an advance of about the distance mentioned. We may explain that the longest north and south line would be drawn from the northwest corner of Thompson to the southwest corner of Plainfield, and the longest east and west line would be drawn from the northwest corner of Windham to the Rhode Island line, about the middle of Sterling.
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