Windham County

As soon as possible after the restoration of peace, Massachusetts arranged to take possession of the conquered territory. William Stoughton and Joseph Dudley were commissioned by the general court to treat with the Indian claimants and agree with them upon the easiest terms attainable. February 10th, 1682, negotiations were completed by which the whole Nipmuck country, from the northern part of Massachusetts to a point called Nash-a-way, at the junction of the Quinebaug and French rivers, Connecticut-a tract fifty by forty miles in extent was made over to the government of the Bay colony, for the sum of fifty pounds, … Read more

The uprising of the manufacturing interest gave Sterling a fresh impetus in growth and prosperity, Asa Ames, Isaac Pitman and Samuel Dorrance and Dixon Hall, of Sterling, in 1808, as the Sterling Manufacturing Company, buying land “at a ledge of rocks, called the ` Devil’s Den Chimney;’ thence west by and down a small brook to Moosup River.” The Sterling Manufactory was ready for work in 1809. Sterling’s manufacturing facilities were well improved during the early part of the present century. Its first factory, built by Dorrance, Hall and others, was destroyed by fire soon after its completion, but its … Read more

Reverend Mr. Dorrance remained pastor of the town ecclesiastic of Voluntown until March 5th, 1771, when, on account of his great age and infirmity, he was relieved. About 17772 an ecclesiastical society was chartered in the south part of Voluntown, and the same year, as we have already seen, a society `vas also chartered in the north part. The mother church, thus crippled, was unable to settle a pastor, and could with difficulty maintain regular worship. June 30th, 1779, the ancient First Church of Voluntown was reorganized as a Congregational church according to Cambridge Platform, its membership including ten males … Read more

School matters, like most all other public enterprises, suffered delay in the early years of this town, while it was part of Voluntown. In December, 1732, it was voted ” That there shall be a surkelating school kep and a school-master hired at ye town’s charge.” In March, 173.5, it was further ordered, ” That the school be kept in four places, three months in a place, six months in ye north end and six months in ye south end, dividing ye town by a line from Alexander Gordon’s to Ebenezer Dow’s house-and that the master, John Dunlap, should have … Read more

James Bailey came from Wales, settled in West Greenwich, R. I., and had four children. His son Titus, a captain in the revolutionary war, married Mary Fish and settled in Sterling. His son James married Eunice Bailey. They had five children, one of whom was James, who was a soldier in the war of 1812, and married Sabra Swan. They had eight children. The only one in Sterling is Charles H., born in 1832, and married to Ida Gordon. He was a member of the 8th Regiment, Connecticut volunteers. Jerome Cahoone, born in 1838, enlisted in the Eighteenth Regiment, Connecticut … Read more

THE township of Sterling occupies the southeast corner of the county, being bounded on the north by Killingly, east by Rhode Island, south by Voluntown (formerly a town of Windham county, but recently transferred to New London county), and west by Plainfield. The town is nine miles long from north to south, and has an average width of three miles. It is centrally distant -from Hartford 49 miles and from New Haven 73 miles. It contains an area of twenty-seven square miles. Much of the land is hilly or swampy. The town is well drained by the Quanduck and Cedar … Read more

Sterling entered upon its new duties with the usual spirit and energy. Its population was about nine hundred. Though much of its soil was poor, and its shape inconvenient, it had some peculiar advantages. It had fine water privileges, an excellent stone quarry, a great post road running through its center, and sterling men of good Scotch stock to administer public affairs. The lack of a suitable place for holding town meetings was an annoyance and mortification to the leading men of the town, publishing to the world their lamentable destitution of that most essential accommodation-a public meeting, house. Congregationalists … Read more

The factory village of Wauregan is partly within this township at its southeastern corner. Within this town is the Roman Catholic church called Sacred Heart. The building was erected in 1872, and opened for service in June of that year. A cemetery and ground connected with it contains twenty-four acres. This field was a mission of All Hallows church at Moosup until May, 1889, when it was made a distinct parish, and a local pastor, Reverend Arthur O’Keefe, placed in charge of it. A parochial residence is about to be built. The church building has a seating capacity of about … Read more

The Willimantic Cemetery lies in the western suburbs of the borough. It is a pleasant location and contains many handsome monuments and well-kept plats. Its beginning dates back to the early part of the century. On the 15th of June, 1829, the First school society of Windham purchased of Henry and Joseph Brown two acres of land for a burying- plot.. This lot is now nearly in the center of the present cemetery. Four additions have since been made, two on the easterly and two on the westerly side. May 5th, 1858, the town of Windham bought about five and … Read more

Woodstock’s first post office was opened in Bowen’s store in 1811, George Bowen, postmaster. Six offices are now needed, one for each separate village, viz., Woodstock, East, West, North, South Woodstock and Woodstock Valley. Convenient mail carriages convey the mail from Putnam depot to these several stations. These villages, dating back many years, enjoy varying degrees of prosperity. Some have lost by business changes and emigration; others gained by new interests. The summer element has brought new prosperity to Woodstock hill. The erection of ” Roseland Cottage,” by Mr. H. C. Bowen, was soon followed by the opening of Elmwood … Read more