Colonel William L. Jillson and Captain John H. Capen early associated themselves as partners in business, under the firm name of Jillson & Capen, for manufacturing cotton-making machinery. They carried on the business to a large extent, giving employment to a large number of mechanics, and thus adding to the prosperity of the village. In 1845, having purchased at some previous time the premises and water rights where the first cotton mill in Willimantic was built, they, in connection with Austin Dunham, formed the Wells Company, and named this location Wellsville, which was considered an improvement on the former cognomen … Read more

Thompson’s manufacturing interests are of much value and importance, having been the main factor in its continued prosperity and good standing. The opening of Mr. Smith Wilkinson’s cotton spinning factory in 1807, near the southwest corner of Thompson, excited much interest, giving employment to many women and children, and furnishing a nearer market for farm produce. Mr. John Mason, at the extreme south of the town (oldest son of the former merchant, who had then removed to Providence), was the first to propose a similar enterprise in Thompson, and selected the site of the present Grosvenor Dale as the scene … Read more

The town of Windham takes the lead in being the first in the county to send out that great modern educator, the newspaper. The first effort of this kind was made in 1790. During that year John Byrne, of Norwich, set up a printing press in the lower room of the court house in Windham Green, and early in the following year began the publication of The Phenix or Windham Herald. His office was now removed to a location just north of the court house. The first issue was dated Saturday, March 12th, 1791. It was a modest little sheet, … Read more

The town of Killingly lies in the eastern central part of Windham county, on the Rhode Island border. In terri tory, population and business importance it is one of the largest towns of the county. Its territory, which originally em braced the whole northeast corner of Connecticut east of the Quinebaug and north-of Plainfield, has been diminished by the formation of Thompson and Putnam in part from its territory. It is bounded by Putnam on the north, Rhode Island on the east, Sterling and Plainfield on the south, and Brooklyn and Pomfret on the west. Much of its surface is … Read more

Apart from this incident nothing is known of the aboriginal inhabitants of Woodstock, until the Indian converts of John Eliot found their way there. Two of these youths, trained at Natic in a school of virtue and piety, inspired by the teachings and example of the reverend apostle, sought to carry ” good tidings ” to their benighted countrymen at Wabbaquasset. They were sons of Petavit, sachem at Hamannesset (now Grafton), and are described as hopeful, pious and active young men. The younger, Sampson, “an active and ingenius person,” had been before conversion dissolute in conduct, ” lived very uncomfortably … Read more

Thus in ten years the Roxbury colony was comfortably established, but clouds were gathering. The long-continued war between France and England incited their Indian allies to shocking atrocities. New England was exposed to constant alarm and assault from the fierce Mohawks and restless Canadian Indians. An isolated, frontier town like Woodstock was especially exposed, and the insubordination of its own Indian residents added to their uneasiness. These Wabbaquassets were inimical to Massachusetts and her authority, but most fortunately at this epoch they were willing to yield allegiance to Lieutenant John Sabin, half brother of Deacon Sabin, who had established himself … Read more

Nothing worthy of the name of village existed in Thompson during the last century. Four or five houses and a blacksmith shop had been built upon Thompson hill, in the vicinity of the meeting house; the meeting house, as in many hill towns, building up a village instead of the village building the meeting house. But when it was found that two lines of turnpike were to intersect upon the hill, new life sprang up. The Joseph Watson house, Wickham’s store and Keith’s tavern were built before 1800, and soon after that date several houses were erected, especially upon the … Read more

In 1833 the growth of the village seemed to indicate that the condition of things might be improved by incorporation as a borough. A petition to the legislature was accordingly presented, which contained the signatures of the business men of the place. It was sent to the legislature at their session at Hartford, in May, 1833. Stephen Hosmer was one of the representatives of the town, and through his efforts, together with those of other citizens, a charter was obtained, organizing Willimantic into a borough. Mr. Hosmer was authorized to call a meeting of the legal voters residing within the … Read more

Perhaps the most serious inconvenience resulting from the unorganized condition of the future Thompson was inability to provide suitable roads. To make a good road in its hard and rockbound soil was a very difficult enterprise, requiring the authority of selectmen or suitable officers. Lacking such authority, the settlers simply “trod out ” their own ways from house to house, and to such points as enabled them to communicate with the outer world. For public roads there was the “old Connecticut Path,” obliquely crossing from Massachusetts line into Woodstock, below the site of the present New Boston. There was also … Read more