Windham County

Ashford was favored with a post office as early as 1803. David Bolles, Jr., was appointed first postmaster. The usual representatives of the town in assembly about that time were William Walker, Abel Simmons, Jr., Josias Byles and John Palmer. An instance of the natural aversion to anything like corrupt measures in political campaigns, with which the people were imbued is seen in the fact that the election of Mr. Jason Woodward in 1802 was contested on the ground that he had obtained it “by distributing liquor; had treated the selectmen with four bowls of sling, and given to the … Read more

Two dams were built at North Grosvenor Dale, each a hundred feet in length-the second built at an angle with the first, designed to relieve the extreme pressure in time of freshets which were models of strength and mechanical adaptation. They were raised eleven feet, six inches above the previous Fisherville dam. The level of the railroad at this point being nearly parallel with the old dam, it was necessary to construct a dyke or embankment of stone and gravel about half a mile in length above the dam, which was done in the most substantial manner at very heavy … Read more

The borough of Danielsonville was created by an act of assembly in May, 1854. The boundaries given in the charter are as follows, comprising parts of the towns of Killingly and Brooklyn: ” Beginning at a stake and stones southeast of the Kies tavern, so called, thence north 19¢ degrees east, four hundred and twenty-five rods, to a heap of stones on the north side of the road leading east from the house of David Fisher; thence north 67 degrees west, two hundred and four rods to a white oak tree on the north side of the road leading from … Read more

The factory at Fisherville was built in 1828 on land previously owned by Calvin Randall. So rough and rocky was this region, and so apparently absurd to think of utilizing it to any extent, that wits of the day dubbed the infant settlement Mount Hunger, a fitting counterpart to the neighboring Swamp Factory.. John Nichols, Darius Dwight, of Thompson, and William Fisher, of Killingly, formed the first company, but soon admitted Cornelius G. Fenner and Thomas D. Fenner, of Providence, forming what was first styled ” The Thompson Village Company,” which erected dam, factory building and needful dwelling houses, entering … Read more

A space of about two miles intervenes between Elliottville Mill and the next mill on the stream below. This is Sayles’ Hill at Elmville. This is a brick and stone mill of four floors. in size about 40 by 100 feet. It is owned by the Sabin L. Sayles Company, of Dayville, as a branch of their more extensive works at that place. About one-fourth of a mile below the latter is the Hopkins Mill. This is sometimes called the Exeter Mill. It is owned by Mr. T. E. Hopkins, and is employed in the manufacture of fancy cassimeres. It … Read more

Dayville lies in the northwestern part of the town of Killingly, on the Assawaga or Five Mile river. It has a population of about 1,500, and is in general a modern manufacturing village. The Norwich & Worcester railroad has a station here, and by that means this is made the shipping point for several manufacturing villages around, such as Williamsville, Attawaugan, Ballouville, Elmville and Chestnut hill. The railroad station is known as Dayville, but the post office is Killingly. It contains the woolen goods manufactory of the Sabin L. Sayles Company, the principal industrial institution, and two churches. Business was … Read more

The church on Woodstock hill remained without a stated pastor some three years after the deposition of Reverend Abel Stiles, when it harmoniously united with the society in extending a call to Mr. Abiel Leonard, of Plymouth. Faithful to the Old Dominion and Cambridge Platform, eleven Massachusetts churches were invited to carry forward the ordaining exercises, June 23d, 1763, and over ten pounds expended in ” liquors, sugar and lemons.” The eloquence and affability of the young minister soon won the hearts of the congregation, and old grievances were gradually overlooked and forgotten. In 1766 the rupture was so far … Read more

The rival company that cast such disdainful eyes and name upon the future Grosvenor Dale, has a very different record. As the ” Connecticut Manufacturing Company,” securing a most eligible privilege upon the Quinebaug and Boston turnpike, and very near the junction of the Boston and Providence turnpikes, it may have thought its prospects of success and continuance far more favorable. John and Jonathan Nichols, Jr., Daniel Dwight, William Dwight, Jr., Benjamin Arnold and Samuel Perrin, organized as a manufacturing company in 1811. A substantial brick building was soon erected .and made ready for work; substantial workmen came with their … Read more

The First church of Thompson, as already narrated, was organized January 18th, 1730, and Marston Cabot ordained and installed over it as its pastor. He was born in Salem in 1704, graduated from Harvard College in 1724, married, July 22d. 1731, Mary, daughter of Reverend Josiah Dwight. He was a man of learning and sound judgment and a preacher of unusual excellence. The covenant adopted by the church under his guidance shows him to have been of unimpeachable orthodox,, according to the standard of the day, and that the church was in full sympathy with his views, and “ready to … Read more

The religious sentiment of Willimantic is now represented by six churches, viz., Congregational, Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Protestant Episcopal and Spiritualist. These have all been built up here since the year 1827. Up to the close of that year there was no church nearer than Windham Centre, nor any stated meetings except such as were held in a school house or in private houses. In the year mentioned a few persons here applied to the directors of the Connecticut Domestic Missionary Society for a minister. In response, Dennis Platt, who was just completing his theological course at New Haven, was … Read more