Windham County

During the Indian war the family of Captain Sabin were the only white inhabitants of the future Pomfret now known to us, though it is possible that Benjamin Sitton, styling himself of “Mashamoquet, in Nipmug Country,” who purchased of the Danas in 169S “fifty acres of wilderness land at a place called Mashamoquet, bounded west by Windham Rode,” was also a resident. Some land sales were affected during this period. Land in the Quinebaug valley was sold to Sabin by Fitch and Owaneco. Two hundred acres, bounded north on Sabin’s first purchase, the full breadth of the land, were sold … Read more

William Irving Bartholomew William Bartholomew, second generation in America (see record of Bartholomew family), born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1640-41, was united in marriage to Mary Johnson. Their son, Joseph, a native of Branford. Connecticut, where he was born in 1682, married Elizabeth Sanger, of Woodstock. Benjamin`, a son by this union, born in Woodstock June 23d, 1723, married Martha Carpenter, one of whose children was Leonard, born in Woodstock in 1758, and married to Sarah Perrin, of Pomfret. Their three children were William, Margaret and Mary. The birth of William Bartholomew occurred in Woodstock on the 23d of June, … Read more

The town of Pomfret is one of the central towns of Windham county, lying a little north of the geographical center. It is surrounded by its sister towns, Woodstock on the north, Putnam and Killingly on the east, Brooklyn on the south, Hampton on the southwest, and Eastford on the west. Its original territory has been diminished by contributions toward Brooklyn on the south, Hampton on the southwest, and Putnam on the northeast. Its present dimensions are about six miles square, with irregular excesses of a mile in the southeast part, and a mile and a half upon the northwest … Read more

The first public provision for the schools of this town of which we have any record was made in December, 1707, when ” part of the country land was allowed for the encouragement of a school,” and Lieutenant Williams, Joseph Spalding and Deacon Douglas were directed ” to take care that there be one.” A year later the town voted to send to Mr. James Deane to come and be their schoolmaster, and he agreed to undertake the work for what could be made out of it for half a year. At that time the school was supported by its … Read more

During the early years of the present century, manufacturing interests began to develop in Plainfield, and through their influence the town has maintained its position and growth with a healthy degree of progress. About the year 1807 several manufacturing companies embarked in the enterprise of establishing cotton spinning upon the streams of this town. The American Cotton Manufacturing Company was composed of Thomas Rhodes of Providence, Peter B. Remington of Warwick, Messrs. Holden & Lawton of Rehoboth, and Obed Brown, Dyer Ames and others of Sterling. This company secured a privilege near Ransom Perkins’ fulling mill on Quandunk River.” The … Read more

It has already been stated that the town of Plainfield is largely dependent upon its manufacturing enterprises for the degree of prosperity which it enjoys. There are in the town several localities of more or less importance which have been built up by this industry. These are Moosup, Central Village, Wauregan, Kennedy City, Almyville, Gladdingville and Packerville, which last is on the Canterbury line. The water power at the Union Mills was used for many years for a carding machine. The original mill was built about 1505, and was very small; afterward enlarged twice, owned at first by a joint … Read more

Sessions L. Adams, born in 1854 in Canterbury, is a son of Jabez and Jane (Lester) Adams. He came to Plainfield to live with his uncle, “Major” Lester. He was educated at Wauregan district school, then at Danielsonville high school about two years and a half, under L. T. Brown, then at North Glastenbury, Conn., three years. He was selectman in 1882, and in June, 1885, he was appointed to the offices of town clerk and treasurer, to fill a vacancy, and in October following was elected to the same offices, which he has filled since that time. He was … Read more

The Separate movement in Plainfield drew away from the standing church a number of followers, but the breach was not as wide, nor the opposition between the two religious factions as bitter as it was in some towns. The Separatists, who had built a church and were supporting the Gospel themselves, in their own way, objected strongly to paying additional taxes for the support of the standing minister, as the law required them to do. At a town meeting, April 7th, 1760, it was voted to have two distinct societies. A committee was appointed to present the case to the … Read more

We have already seen that the people of this town gave early and earnest attention to establishing a ministry and the worship of God in their midst. November 13th, 1699, thirty-eight persons signed an agreement to pay their proportion toward the support of the ministry. Twenty-six of these men resided east of the Quinebaug, and twelve of them on the west. A meeting house was built, so far as to be ready for occupancy by January, 1703. This house, which was supplied with a temporary floor and seats, was built on the summit of Black hill. In 1704 permanent floor, … Read more

The manufacturing industries have brought to Plainfield a new era. The old interests have faded almost away, and with the coming of the factories and workshops, railroads and a new class of people, a new era is open to her. To the notice of the churches and other institutions that belong to this era of the present day we propose to devote this chapter. Previous to the year 1800, Methodist preachers found their way into this town, preaching in different neighborhoods, and organizing a class and society which in time held services in the old Separate meeting house. But the … Read more