Windham County

Let us now turn for a moment to notice some of the individual members that were swelling. the body corporate. William and Joseph Hall, Joshua and John Allen, Nathaniel Bassett, Benjamin Armstrong, Samuel Gifford and Robert Smith were now settled at the Ponde; the Halls having come from Plymouth, Bassett from Yarmouth, and the others probably from Norwich. Joseph Dingley now occupied the allotment purchased by Captain Standish. William Backus exchanged his house and accommodations at the Hither-place for Ensign Crane’s grist mill. Crane sold the house and lot to Exercise Conant in 1695, and Conant conveyed it to John … Read more

The pioneer cotton spinner of Willimantic was Perez O. Richmond, who came here from Rhode Island some time in the year 1822, and purchased the privilege at the lower end of the borough now known as Willimantic Linen Company’s Mill No. 2. On this site he built a mill of wood, about forty by sixty feet, one and a half stories high, put in machinery and commenced making cotton yarn. He also built a cheap row of tenements, six in number, just north of the mill, for his operatives. Mr. Richmond continued to run this mill until 1827, when it … Read more

The first regular settler in the northwest of Thompson was a man of much character and influence, Samuel Morris, son of Edward Morris, of Woodstock, who purchased fifteen hundred acres of the Dudley land on the Quinebaug in 1714. The ” old Connecticut Path,” long, the chief thoroughfare of travel between Boston and southern colonies, ran past his dwelling house and through a mile of his estate. One of his first achievements was to bridge the turbulent and troublesome Quinebaug, then greatly addicted to freshets. He also built two smaller bridges over tributaries, expended time and labor in clearing out … Read more

As the older men returned to Roxbury, and winter closed in around them, the little colony realized more fully its isolation and exposure. The nearest settlements on the north were Oxford and Worcester, and many miles of savage wilderness lay between them and the far-off towns, Providence, Norwich and Hartford. The future populous counties, Worcester and Windham, were as yet unsurveyed and almost unbroken, inhabited by wild beasts and more ferocious savages. Alone in this vast tract of wintry desolation, they took counsel together around the scattered hearthstones and laid plans for coming years. Scouts were kept up patrolling the … Read more

About the middle of the last century Ashford reached a condition of some prominence and activity. Many new settlers had gained a residence here. Ebenezer Byles, on becoming of age, settled on land which had been purchased by Josiah Byles in 1726, about a mile west of Ashford Green. William Knowlton purchased a farm of four hundred acres in the western part of Ashford. This was in after years divided between his sons Daniel and Thomas, who, after serving brilliantly in the French war, engaged with equal ardor in cultivating their land and discharging the ordinary civil and military duties … Read more

These new inhabitants of Pomfret were mostly men of character and property, and at once identified themselves with the growth of the town. Jehoshaphat Holmes was soon chosen town clerk, Samuel, Gridley served as clerk both for town and proprietors, Abiel heney was licensed as tavern keeper, Sharpe, Holbrook and other new inhabitants were appointed to various public services, and “Father Coy ” opened his house for public meetings. Efforts had long been made to secure better traveling communication with Providence, the most accessible market town for this section. The existing bridle path could not accommodate teams or vehicles. The … Read more

The manufacturing excitement raged with great violence in this town, its numerous rivers offering such convenient facilities that her own citizens were able to embark in such enterprises with less foreign aid than was requisite in other towns. ” Danielson’s Factory,” at the Quinebaug Falls, enjoyed a high place in popular favor, its twenty liberal handed stockholders, mostly town residents, prosecuting its various business affairs with much energy. William Reed served most efficiently for many years as its agent. Its well filled store was managed for many years by the Tiffany Brothers, from Rhode Island. The ” Stone Chapel,” on … Read more

The civil and ecclesiastical association of the people kept pace, each with the other, so uniformly that it is hard to tell definitely which one took the lead. We have endeavored to notice in the-preceding chapter the founding and growth of the town of Windham in its civil capacity. We shall now turn our attention to a brief review of its founding and growth as an ecclesiastical body. Having held its first town meeting June 12th, 1692, the town was not complete until a Gospel minister was settled among the people. This, in fact, was one of the most conspicuous … Read more

In 1742 the Howe mills passed into the hands of Captain Nathaniel Daniels, together with dwelling house, barn, malt house, shop and the whole manufacturing stock of Quinebaug valley, viz.,.” ye conveniences of three coppers, two presses, one iron screw, two pairs shears, two iron bars, a blue pot, paper for pressing and searcloth for malting.” Noah Sabin had succeeded to ‘the mansion house and valley land of his father. Peter Aspinwall had disappeared from public life and was probably sleeping in his own grave yard, though no stone perpetuates his memory. Captain Joseph Cady was succeeded by his son … Read more

The first movement in the direction of establishing the Gospel ministry in Killingly was in 1708, when the court granted liberty to the inhabitants of Killingly to survey and lay out one hundred acres of land within their township for the use and encouragement of a minister to settle there and carry on the worship of God among them.” A hundred acres of land for the first settled minister were also pledged to the town by Captain Chandler, in presence and with concurrence of the selectmen. The first minister was Reverend John Fisk, of Braintree, Mass., a son of Reverend … Read more