Windham County

The industries of Woodstock during its first half century were restricted to the inevitable farming, and such simple arts and trades as are needful to support existence. The first experiment in wider fields was an attempt to utilize the bog iron deposit in West parish. Benjamin Marcy and other residents established a furnace or forge and carried on the works some years previous to 1764, when Marcy sold his right to Hezekiah Smith. Smith and Asahel Marcy continued the business for a number of years, probably until the emigration of the former, and during the revolutionary period the furnace became … Read more

The eastern part of the town of Killingly is the locality known as Chestnut hill, or East Killingly, the latter being the post office name, and properly comprehending several other localities within its limits. In this section are several mills and two Baptist churches, which will be noticed in detail separately. The organization of the first Baptist church dates May 22d, 1776. At that time the membership numbered thirty-two males and twenty-seven females. But little progress was made. A minister was employed for a short time, but about the year 1790 the ordinances of the church were suspended and the … Read more

The Windham Bank was incorporated August 8th, 1842, being located in the central village of Windham. The following persons were then made directors: John Baldwin, George Spafford, Justin Swift, Stephen Hosmer, Thomas Gray, William C. Dorrance, John Webb, Chauncey F. Cleveland, John A. Rockwell and Abner Hendee. The officers were: John Baldwin, president; Joel W. White, cashier. The salary of the cashier was fixed at $350 a year, to begin when he should give his bonds for $50,000. September 17th Mr. White resigned, and Samuel Bingham was unanimously appointed in his place as cashier, which position he held until March … Read more

One of the beautiful towns of this beautiful rural county is the town of Hampton. The territory covers about four miles in width from east to west and about seven miles in length from north to south… It lies in the southwest central part of the county, with Eastford and Pomfret on the north; Pomfret, Brooklyn and Canterbury on the east; Scotland on the south, and Chaplin on the west. The surface in most parts is hilly, in many places elevations rising in curious, majestic and commanding forms, giving ever changing scenes of quiet rural landscape to entrance the beholder … Read more

William Bennett, born October 17th, 1807, in Hampton, was one of the five children of William and Anna (Fuller) Bennett, and grandson of Isaac, who was first representative to the general assembly from Hampton. He was the son of William, who came to Hampton from Ipswich, Mass., about 1738. William Bennett represented Hampton in the general assembly in 1841 and 1853, and held various town offices. He married November 15th, 1836, and had two children: Edward B., born in April, 1842, is a lawyer at Hartford; and George W., born February 9th, 1851, married Ellen Robinson April 10th, 1878, and … Read more

Windham County occupies the northeastern corner of the state of Connecticut, bordering Worcester county, Massachusetts, tying 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 … Read more

S. D. Bosworth, born in Eastford, is a son of Allen and Sally (Hall) Bosworth, and grandson of Ebenezer Bosworth, a soldier in the revolutionary war, who married Elizabeth Fletcher. Ebenezer was a son of Benjamin who came from Rehoboth, Mass., and settled about one mile west of the church in Eastford. Mr. Bosworth represented the town in the legislature in 1865, and has held various town offices. He married Elizabeth Badger, and has three children. His only son, Henry A., married Margaret Buell, and is a farmer in Eastford. Clarissa, only daughter of Allen Bosworth, married Joseph Dorset, and … Read more

A short distance below are the Valley Mills, a building about 110 by 30 feet, four floors, which has been standing idle for the last year or two. Mr. A. W. Greenslit was superintendent, and the mill was furnished for the manufacture of print cloths, having 174 looms and 6,800 spindles. This locality is known as Elliottville. A fall of some twenty-four feet is obtained here. A short distance below the last mentioned, we come to the Elliottville Mills of James P. Kendall, of which James Dixon is superintendent. It is a handsome stone building, about 40 by 75 feet, … Read more

In 1727 the non-resident land owners in the colony land north of Killingly, together with Samuel Morris, made another earnest attempt to procure town privileges. Desiring “to have each one enjoy his purchase because it is inhabitants that do make a town, and a great part of the remaining land is rough and broken and but little more fit to be inhabited,” they felt that all interests demanded ” that a new town may be made there, so that we may know what town we are in.” But the forcible pleas and representations of Killingly’s foremost citizens-Joseph Leavens and Joseph … Read more

The town of Eastford, lying in the northwest part of Windham county, is about nine miles in length from north to south, and has an average width of about three miles. Its area would thus approximate twenty-seven square miles. It is a well watered town, the Natchaug river running through the length of it, and receiving within its bounds several tributaries, the largest of which are Bigelow river from the west and Bungee brook from the east. It has no railroad track within its borders. Farming and manufacturing are the chief occupations of the people. The town was formerly included … Read more