History of Wolcott

I have highlighted the Byington name "in yellow" throughout the document for ease in finding the information. It is as follows:

History of the Town of Wolcott (Connecticut) from 1731 to 1874, with an account of the Centenary Meeting, September 10th and 11th 1873; and with the Genealogies of the Families of the Town

By Rev. Samuel Orcutt

Waterbury, Conn: Press of the American Printing Company, 1874

[under construction, by Robert A. Kraft, September 2003]

PREFACE.

My acquaintance with the Town of Wolcott began in May, 1872. After preaching there a few Sabbaths, with no expectation of continuing in the place, I became interested in the history of the church by discovering that its Centenary would occur in 1873. I soon after accepted an invitation to supply the pulpit for one year. After a few months' labor in the parish, the idea of writing a brief history of the Congregational Church and Society was entertained, and the work was commenced with the expectation that it would not exceed two hundred pages. From that beginning the present volume has grown, and is, therefore, a little different in plan and style from what it would have been if the original design had included so large a field.

The work necessary to the making of this book has been performed with the greatest pleasure, though prosecuted, much of the time, under circumstances of disadvantage and discouragement. Now that it is done, I have no apologies to offer; nor have I any regrets to express, save that the people who form the subject of this volume have not received from my pen as high commendation as they deserve.

The labor has been performed within the space of two years, and has rather aided than hindered parish duties. In the commencement, it was as the Spring-time, full of [[iv]] buds and blossoms of hope; but in the closing it has seemed as Autumn. A shade of sadness has touched my mind as I have taken leave of one and another, individuals and families, when they passed from study and research; for, after so much thought expended upon them, it seemed as if they were friends and neighbors among whom I had spent my days, and I was at last attending their funeral services. The summing up of life, for each one of them, has seemed written in great characters before the mind. in the proverbial expression: "Born, lived, and died." And wherever the mind looks in review of the past, the epitome of history seems recorded in the repetition of this form. Yet in remembering the good of the past (and in fulfilling the responsive feelings of the heart), it is a comfort, if nothing more can be said, to repeat this form, and in it cherish the memory of those who have completed the routine of its
unchangeable decrees: -- "Born, lived, and died."

The style of the work is without ornament, because the times and the character of the persons forming the subject-matter of the history are better represented thus than otherwise. Of the times and circumstances through which the early settlers passed, there can be but one opinion: they were rigorously hard. Although the number who lived to be over three score and ten is large, yet to most of them, life meant hard work with many privations, plain food with scanty allowance at times, little clothing, and that of the plainest kind, restricted to the fashion of two seasons. Of the character of these ancestors, a good summary, in a few words, is given by Dr. Henry Bronson,in his History of Waterbury: "Individually, our Puritan ancestors were very much such men as [[v]] we are; little better, no worse. They were bred in a rigorous age, and were exposed to peculiar hardships, dangers, and temptations. Yet, on the whole, they, like us, were average men" (page 323). In one thing, however, it seems to me they have the pre-eminence, namely, in faithfulness to moral and religious convictions. Modesty, honesty, and integrity in the profession of the Christian religion, might have been written over nearly every man's door, to be read by all the world.

It will be observed that the genealogy of a few families is wanting. The cause of this, in every case, is the want of sufficient information to make a respectable represention of the family. The Blakeslee family was among the first in the parish, but no records could be obtained until it was too late to introduce them in their proper order. I have
hope of including them in the history of another town where their number is larger than in Wolcott. The Ponds and the Baileys were influential and leading families for some years. They are all now gone from the town, and no records have been obtained of them. A few families early in the parish, disappeared so soon that no connected account of them could be obtained. Also, a few came in about 1800, tarried a few years, then joined the grand army which for two or three generations has been steadily marching Westward.

The limited number of subscribers, and hence of copies printed, has compelled the laying aside of all illustrations, after considerable preparation had been made for their publication. This has been to myself and others a source of great regret.

In acknowledging my obligations to the very kind [[vi]] friends who have rendered special aid in this work, it is pleasant to say that all have cheerfully contributed information and encouragement as they were able, and have urged that the book be made as perfect as possible, even though the price of it should be increased. In fulfilling this last desire its publication has been delayed nearly six months. I am specially indebted to Rev. Joseph Anderson, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Waterbury, who has taken much interest in the work from the first, and has rendered very valuable assistance. Also, to Frederick B. Dakin, Esq., of the Waterbury American, a practical book-maker, under whose supervision the volume was printed. The following persons have also rendered special service to the work: Messrs. A. Bronson Alcott, Frank B. Sanborn, and William Ellery Channing, of Concord, Mass.; Judge William E. Curtiss, of New York; Hon. Leman W. Cutler, of Watertown; Hon. Birdsey G. Northrop, of New Haven; E. Bronson Cook, Esq., Editor of the Waterbury American; Hon. Elihu Burritt, of New Britain; Rev. William H. Moore, of Berlin; Rev. Heman R. Timlow, and Messrs. Gad Andrews, Simeon H. Norton, and Isaac Burritt, of Southington; Rev. William R. Eastman, of Plantsville; the late Ralph L. Smith, Esq., of Guilford; Mr. Aaron G. Atkins, of Chenango County, N. Y.; Mr. Lucas C. Hotchkiss, of Meriden; Mrs. Lucina Holmes and Mrs. Lucina Lindsley, of Waterbury.

WATERBURY, November 10th, 1874.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
FIRST SOCIETY IN WOLCOTT.
First Settlers - Formation of the First Society - Assembly Act - Warnings - First Meeting - Adjourned Meetings.

CHAPTER II.
BUILDING A MEETING HOUSE.
Committee to Stick the Stake -- Notification - Order of the Court - The Deed - The House Built - Officers Chosen in 1770, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774

CHAPTER III.
OBTAINING A PASTOR.
Grant of a Tax - First Call, Mr. Jackson - Second Call, Mr. Gillet - Organization of the Church - Declarations - First Members - The Ordination of Mr. Gillet.

CHAPTER IV.
MR. GILLET'S MINISTRY.
Graduate of Yale - His Father - A Library - Church Discipline - Revival - Results, Repairs on Meeting House, Singing, Additions - Mr. Gillet at Home - His Salary - He closes his Labors - Doings of the Council.

CHAPTER V.
MR. WOODWARD'S MINISTRY.
The Call - Letter of Acceptance - Subscription - His Labors - Completion of the Meeting House - Dedication - Mr. Woodward's Salary - Rate Bill - His Death.

CHAPTER VI.
REV. MR. HART'S AND REV. MR. KEYS' MINISTRY.
The Call - His Ordination - The Ball - His Labors - His Death - Mr. [[viii]] Keys - Urgent Invitations - The Council - Dr. Beecher's Sermon - Sunday School - Efficiency of the Church - Mr. Keys' Resignation and Dismissal.

CHAPTER VII.
WITHOUT A PASTOR.
The Meeting House full - Payment of Debts - Improvement in Singing - Deacon Isaac Bronson - His Gratuitous Labors Five Years - Journal of Rev. Erastus Scranton - The Revival - Dr. Wm. A. Alcott - Sunday School - Procuring a Bell - Subscription - Improvement of the Meeting House - Rev. Nathan Shaw - Rev. Seth Sacket - Rev. W. F. Vail - Pew-holders according to Age.

CHAPTER VIII.
MINISTRY OF REVDS. J. D. CHAPMAN AND AARON C. BEACH.
Anti-slavery - Burning of the Meeting House - Second Society Organized - Efforts to Rebuild the Church - A Council Called, its Findings - Mr. Chapman Dismissed - Difficulties Settled - Rev. Zephaniah Swift - Rev. A. C. Beach - His Settlement - His Labors - His Dismissal.

CHAPTER IX.
REVDS. STEPHEN ROGERS, LENT S. HOUGH, W. C. FISKE.
Mr. Rogers' Settlement - His Illness - He Resigns - Rev. Lent S. Hough - Letter of Commendation - A Communion Service - Revised Articles of Faith - Mr. Hough Closes his Labors - Rev. Mr. Fiske - He Resigns after Three Years - Rev. S. Orcutt - The Home Missionary Society.

CHAPTER X.
OFFICERS AND MEMBERS, OF THE CHURCH.
The List of Ministers - List of Deacons - Clerks of the Church - Moderators - Clerks of the Society - Treasurers - Prudential Committees - School Committes - Members of the Church.

PART II.-- THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION OF THE SOCIETY.
Episcopalians Early in Wolcott - Withdrawal from the First Society - Call for the First Meeting - Minutes of the First Meeting - Officers - Building a House of Worship - A Site Given by the Town - The House Built. [[ix]]

CHAPTER II.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
Early Records - A List of Ministers - Clerks - Society Committees - Wardens - Vestry Men.

PART III.- CIVIL HISTORY.

CHAPTER I.
THE TOWN INCORPORATED.
Votes of the Society - A Memorial-Act of the Assembly - The Poor - First Town Meeting - Hills of Wolcott - Streams in Wolcott.

CHAPTER II.
THE FIRST SETTLERS.
Farmington Part - Waterbury, Part - Wolcott Center in 1800 - The Public Green - The Will Place - Atkins' Will - Woodtick - Hotels - Highways.

CHAPTER III.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Districts - Expenses - Will of Addin Lewis - Whipping Post - Law - Small Pox - Burying Grounds - Yankee Peddlers - Taxes.

CHAPTER IV.
ROLL OF HONOR.
List of Freemen - Town Officers - State Officers - Revolutionary Soldiers - Soldiers in the Late War.

---
Part III: CIVIL HISTORY OF WOLCOTT

CHAPTER I. TOWN INCORPORATED.

The Ecclesiastical Society of Farmingbury, at a Society meeting held December 7th, 1787, passed the following votes respecting the privileges of a town: "Voted that we are willing and desirous to be incorporated into a town. The negative was called, and not a hand up. Voted that it is our mind when made a town to be connected to New Haven County. Voted that Deacon Joseph Atkins, Capt. Nathaniel Lewis, Capt. Charles Upson, Deacon Justus Peck, Streat Richards, Mark Harrison, be a committee, or agents, to treat or confer with the towns of Southington and Waterbury respecting our becoming incorporated into a town, and likewise to carry a memorial to the General Assembly in May next. Voted that we prepare a petition to the Hon. General Assembly for privileges of a town, at their session in May next."

At an adjourned meeting on the second Monday of January, 1788, the Society "Voted that we will choose a committee to treat with the Waterbury committee respecting our having town privileges, and that Captain Charles Upson, Daniel Byington, Streat Richards, Simeon Hopkins, Abraham Norton, Amos Seward, and Capt. Samuel Upson be the committee; and said committee are desired to make their report to this meeting as soon as an agreement may be made; and it is understood that the agreement of said committee is not binding on said Society until agreed to by said Society." [[176]]

From Bronson's History of Waterbury we learn the opinion of that town respecting this movement:

In December, 1787, the inhabitants of Farmingbury presented a memorial, in town meeting, giving reasons why they should be incorporated into a distinct town, and asking the consent of the meeting. A committee was appointed to take the matter into consideration, and hear the proposals that might be made "concerning public moneys, bridges, and town's poor," &c., and report make. Josiah Bronson, Stephen Ives, Aaron Benedict, Ezra Bronson, John Welton, and Samuel Lewis were the committee. "It is rather a doubt in our minds," they reported, "of the expediency of granting them their request, on any consideration whatever, but more especially upon the offers and proposals in several articles by them made." (page 282)

On the 14th day of next April the Society "voted to reconsider the vote that was taken to send agents to the General Assembly in May next, to try to obtain priviliges of a town."

In a Society meeting, held on the 13th day of February, 1792, this subject was again taken up. It was at the same meeting that voted the settlement of Mr. Israel B. Woodward. "Voted that we prepare a petition to the Hon. General Assembly, at their session in May next, for town privileges; and Dr. John Potter, Lieut. Streat Richards, Mark Harrison, Esq., Capt. Charles Upson, Jonathan Carter, Lieut. James Bailey, Daniel Byington, Calvin Cowles, Capt. Nathaniel Lewis, Mr. Amos Seward, were chosen a committee, or agents, to treat with the towns of Southington and Waterbury respecting the above petition to the Assembly." We learn from the Waterbury History that this petition was not presented in the Spring, but in the Autumn session of the Assembly.

On the 8th of October, 1792, Farmingbury applied to the Legislature for the desired act of incorporation. The town of Waterbury "voted that if the memorialists would [[177]] within eight days give up all right to the ministerial and school moneys, pay twenty pounds in consideration of being released from supporting the great bridge on the Woodbury road, bind themselves to take care of their portion, according to the grand list, of the town poor, and to pay their share of the town debts; then, in that case, the town would not oppose the object of the memorial" (page 282). We find no report of the Farmingbury committee.

In the fore part of December, 1793, the Society again voted to present a petition to the General Assembly, and appointed the following committee to attend to this business: Capt. Charles Upson, Mark Harrison, Esq., Lieut. Streat Richards, Dr. John Potter, Capt. Samuel Upson, Lieut. Charles Frisbie, Capt. Walter Beecher, Ensign Jonathan Carter, Simeon Plumb, Joseph Beecher, Jr., Daniel Byington, and Samuel Byington. Of this committee we hear nothing, except that in a Society meeting, on the 5th day of February, 1795, tlle Society voted that "the committee heretofore appointed to prepare a petition to the General Assembly for town privileges, prepare the same." Hence it is probable they had done nothing about it.

On the 25th day of April, 1796, another committee was appointed, and this application was successful. The committee consisted of Mark Harrison, Esq., Captain Charles Upson, Capt. Streat Richards, Mr. Jacob Carter, Mr. Eliakim Welton, and Mr. Elijah Frisbie.

ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

At a General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, holden at Hartford, on the second Thursday of May, 1796:

Upon the petition of the inhabitants of the Society of Farmingbury, in the towns of Waterbury and Southington,\n/ in the counties [[178]] of Hartford and New Haven, showing to this Assembly that some years since said Society was formed by the extreme parts of said towns of Waterbury and Southington, with the dividing line of said towns and counties running from north to south through the centre of said Society, upon which line their Meeting house was erected and stands; that their local situation is such, being obstructed in their travel eastwardly by a mountain, and other natural impediments, that great inconveniencies arise in their attending upon public meetings, and other public services and duties, and various other disadvantages are attached to them under their present circumstances; praying to be incorporated into a distinct town, with usual town privileges, and to be added to the said county of New Haven, as per petition dated May 9th, 1796, on file; and the said towns of Waterbury and Southington having withdrawn all objections against the prayer of said petition,

\n/When Southington was incorporated a town, from Farmington, in October, 1779, the eastern part of Farmingbury was included within the boundaries of Southington, and belonged to that town until the above act took effect.

Resolved, That all the land lying and being in said Society of Farmingbury, and according to the established lines and limits of said Society, be and the same hereby is incorporated into a town by the name of Wolcott,\n/ and that it shall leave and retain, and enjoy all the privileges incident and belonging to any other town in the State; except, only, that said town shall hereafter send but one representative to the General Assembly of this State, and that the said town of Wolcott shall hereafter support their proportion of the present town poor, according to their list in said towns of Waterbury and Southington, on the said 9th day of May; provided that all debts and taxes due on said 9th of May from the inhabitants of said Wolcott shall be paid and discharged, as the same then or now remains due and owing; and that all debts and credits of said petitioners with said towns of Waterbury and Southington (except those appropriated for schooling in said Southington) shall be according to their respective lists of the year 1795. And it is further ordered that the inhabitants of said town of Wolcott shall hold a town meeting on the 13th day of June next, for the purpose of appointing town officers, and the meeting [[179]] shall be warned by a warrant signed by Mark Harrison, Esq., and posted on the public sign-post in said town at least five days before holding said meeting; and Mr. Aaron Harrison shall be moderator of said meeting, and said town shall then and there proceed to appoint a town clerk, and other town officers for said town, who shall continue in office until the second Monday of December next, or until others are chosen in their places and stead.

\*/ The name of the town would have been Farmingbury, but for the fact that Lieutenant Governor Oliver Wolcott, presiding in the Assembly when the bill was voted on, and there being a tie vote, he gave the "casting vote," which made it a town, and in honor of this fact it was called Wolcott.

And it is further Resolved that said town of Wolcott be and the same is hereby annexed to the county of New Haven, and shall be and remain within and part thereof.

A true copy of record.
Examined by SAMUEL WYLLIS, Secretary.

A true entry of the bill in form of the Town of Wolcott.
Test. ISAAC BRONSON, Regr.

The following is the agreement of the towns named concerning the poor:

Know all men by these presents, that whereas the General Assembly, at their session in May last, incorporated the parish of Farmingbury into a distinct town from a part of the towns of Southington and Waterbury, by the name of Wolcott, said Wolcott to support their proportion of the town poor, and the town of Southington having appointed Asa Barnes, Ashbel Cowles, Elizur Andrews, Samuel Hart, and Daniel Langton, jr., and the said town of Wolcott having appointed Jaacob Carter, Nathaniel Lewis, Calvin Cowles, and Mark Harrison, a committee to divide said poor, which dividend is this day concluded and made mutually by us the said committee, viz.: The said town of Wolcott do agree to take Elizabeth Bailey, and Susannnah Bailey and her child, on the 13th day of December next, and Abraham Pierson and wife on or about the first day of said December, into their care as their proportion of the poor of said town of Southington, and said Southington does agree to take into their care as their proportion of the poor of said towns of Southington and Wolcott, viz: Amos Parsons, his wife and child, Rebecca Hitchcock, Amos Nicholson, Mary --, and Eunice Buck; said Wolcott to have no demand, of any name or nature, on said Southington; neither shall said Southington have any demand, of any name or nature, [[180]] on said town of Wolcott, except a note of -- dollars, which note is to be delivered unto the selectmen of Southington as soon as said selectmen of Southington shall execute the said deed unto the said selectmen of Wolcott of the land deeded to said Southington selectmen by Philemon Barnes, now deceased, and each of said towns are hereby forever discharged from any demands on each other up until this date, except the above deed and note.

In testimony of the aforesaid agreement and settlement, we have hereunto set our hands, in Southington, this 25th day of November, A. D., 1796.

Ashbel Cowles, Asa Barnes, Jacob Carter, Nathaniel Lewis, Calvin Cowles, Mark Harrison, Samuel Hart, Daniel Langton, jr., committee.

A true copy. ISAAC BRONSON, Reg'r.

THE FIRST TOWN MEETING.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Wolcott, legally warned and holden according to appointment of the Hon. General Assembly, on the 13th day of June, 1796, Deacon Aaron Harrison, being appointed Moderator, proceeded to choose the following gentlemen to the several offices to which their respective names are annexed, viz:
Town Clerk - Isaac Bronson.
Selectmen - Mark Harrison, Streat Richards, Jacob Carter.
Treasurer - Mark Harrison.
Constables - John Potter, Streat Richards.
Surveyors of Highways - Daniel Dean, John Potter, Elnathan Thrasher, Simeon Plumb, Eliakim Welton, Joel Granniss, Charles Upson, Samuel Upson, jr., Nathaniel Lane, Jeremiah Scarrit, Nathan Barnes, Joseph Twitchell, Ebenezer Johnson, Truman Smith, Dan Tuttle, Streat Richards.
Listers - Daniel Byington, John Potter, Isaac Bronson.
Collector - Samuel Plumb.
Leather Sealer - Farrington Barnes.
Grand Jurors - Mark Barnes, Ashbel Upson, Walter Beecher.
Tything Men -John Frisbie, David Harrison, Solomon Plumb, William Bailey.
Gauger - Isaac Bronson.
Packer - William Bailey. [[181]]
Sealer of Weights and Measures - William Stevens.
Key Keepers - Calvin Cowles, Dan Tuttle, Amos Upson.
Fence Viewers -Silas Hine, David Norton, Samuel Clinton, Amos Brockett.

At the same meeting, it was voted "that Messrs. Samuel Upson, Charles Upson, Streat Richards, Jacob Carter, Mark Harrison, Calvin Cowles, Nathaniel Lewis, and Daniel Byington, be a committee to reckon and settle all accounts, whether by book, note, or bond, that are or may be open with this and the towns of Waterbury and Southington, at or before the 9th day of May last; to divide the town poor (if any be) according to list, and to compromise and settle all claims and demands, that are or may arise between this and said towns of Waterbury and Southington previous to said 9th day of May last, and, if possible, to effect such settlement, and make a true and just report of their doings to this town, at their annual meeting in December next. Voted, that the annual town meeting in this town be holden on the second Monday in December annually, and that the same -- and all other ordinary town meetings -- be warned by notification, set upon the sign-post eight days previous to said meeting, by the selectmen of the town for the time being."

Thus were the people of Farmingbury constituted a distinct town, by the name of Wolcott, after petitioning nine years, and after being an Ecclesiastical Society twenty six years; and the only evil we could wish to Wolcott, when its century of town history shall be completed, is that its prosperity may be much greater than ever before, and that the celebration of that event may wittness a population tenfold more than at any time in its past history.

THE HILLS OF WOLCOTT.
see http://www.wolcotthistory.org/
http://www.tapr.org/~wa1lou/whs/maps.html
http://www.tapr.org/~wa1lou/whs/1868mapA.jpg [can't display download]
http://www.tapr.org/~wa1lou/whs/wlct535556A.jpg [downloaded]

The town of Wolcott is situated on hills, there being only one valley of any extent within its territory, and that the one coming up from Waterbury to within half a [[182]] mile of the centre of the town. The stream of water called Mad River, rising in the extreme northern portion of the town, runs down this valley to Waterbury.
[This stream, near Waterbury, was called in early times Mill River.]

West of Mad River, and in the northwesterly part of the town, is Spindle Hill. [Note that mid-20th century survey maps show Spindle Hill as east of Mad River and of route 69, where the TV tower now stands!!]

A little to the north, on the western boundary of the town, and rising higher than Spindle Hill, is Clinton Hill, for a time called New Canaan. This is the highest point of land in the town, and from it may be seen nearly a dozen church spires, in as many villages, and from it also may be seen Long Island Sound and Long Island. [Clinton Hill Farm appears in the appropriate location on the 1868 map.]

A little east of Clinton Hill is a large and nearly barren rock, called Rattlesnake Rock. A little distance northeast of this rock is Becar Hill, which is nearly as elevated as Clinton Hill, but does not afford so extensive a view as the latter. [See the 1950s maps, between Spindle Hill Road and Mad River, north of the old Alcott/Thompson/Wierd housel.]

South of Spindle Hill is Chestnut Hill, extending south to the valley of Mad River, where the valley is half a mile wide. [OK, on 1950s maps, south of what became the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.]

Between Chestnut Hill and Spindle Hill is Potucco's Ring. [Potucco's Ring, written also Petucker's Ring, derived its name from an Indian who kindled a fire in a circle around the hill in order to shoot deer. Potucco himself, remaining within the ring was burned to death.] [This would place Spindle Hill in the area called Prospect Hill on the 1868 map, between Beach Road and Mad River Road.]

The hill which is now Wolcott centre was known as Benson Hill, until it was called Farmingbury, and contained a settlement of but few families.

A small hill south of the centre was called Hogfields. [It shows on the 1868 map.]

Woodtick [-- So called from a story told of a man who, having laid aside his coat during the day while at work, found it at night in the possession of an innumerable number of insects, called woodticks --] is in the southern part of the town, at the head of the valley that continues westward to the city of Waterbury.

A little south of Woodtick is a hill with which has been connected a legend from which it derives the name of Tame Buck and west of this is Bald Hill, and west of the Woodtick pond is Wolf Hill. [All three show on the 1950s map.]

East of the bound line, and situated near Mr. Shelton T. Hitchcock's present dwelling, is Judd's Hill, probably so called from the fact that Deacon [[183]] Thomas Judd, of Waterbury, father-in-law to Mr. Thomas Upson, was among the first land owners on or near it. [Just west of the south end of Hitchcock Lake?]

The hill extending northwardly from Judd's Hill was sometimes spoken of as a part of Southington Mountain. That part of it, especially, where Captain Nathaniel Lewis and Mr. Thomas Upson resided, was called Southington Mountain by Waterbury people before Wolcott territory was settled. Southington Mountain, so called by Wolcott people, begins at the south-east burying ground, and extends northward about two miles. [Thus along Southington Mountain, north of the Southington Reservoir and Chase Country Club on the 1950s maps.]

The land next to the highest in the town is in the north-east, and was called for many years Pike's Hill, and after that Rose Hill, and still later has been known as the Lindsley Hill. This hill, for some time supposed to be the highest in the town, is lower than Clinton Hill, is also a little lower than East Mountain, near Meriden, and a very little lower than the highest land near Long Island Sound, west of New Haven. [Perhaps what is called "Spindle Hill" on the 1950s maps, the source of "Lindley Brook" (which also shows on the 1868 map)?]

The hills of Wolcott are composed of ledges of gray rock, and in many parts the rock is near the surface, or rising above it; and where the rock is covered to a considerable depth, much of the soil is so filled with stones and small rocks that the cultivation of it is a difficult and laborious work. Some fields now under cultivation show nearly as great an area of stone as of soil, yet there are many acres of arable land. The greater part of the land under cultivation is at present devoted to grazing. If as much money was devoted to fertilizing the soil as in many other parts of the country, the trade of Wolcott would consist of exports more largely than imports. The rule governing most of the farmers at present seems to be, to get as much from the soil as possible and put nothing on it, which rule would bring barrenness to any land on the planet called Earth. One reason why the rule is in good favor, is because of the burdens laid upon the men left in the town, the young and strong men having gone away to engage in manufacturing and mercantile [[184]] enterprises elsewhere, and there is not force sufficient remaining to cultivate the land. Many of those who have emigrated from Wolcott have been remarkably successful, and this success abroad has been an injury, in one respect, for the impression seems to prevail that young men can make money faster and enjoy it more in any place other than in Wolcott.

Those farmers who cultivate the land with energy, by hiring "help" and buying fertilizers, reap harvests as large as the average throughout the eastern portion of the nation. One thing sure to grow if the soil is left to itself is white birch, chestnut, oak, and swamp maple trees. The average yearly export of wood is about four thousand cords, while the amount standing does not appear to be diminished. There are many acres of land now called woodland that were under thorough cultivation from thirty to fifty years ago. Mr. Levi Atkins has land where once he mowed an abundant crop of hay from which he has taken one crop of wood, some of the trees being from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, and the second growth of wood on the same land is now of considerable value. Others have valuable timber land where they mowed large quantities of hay less than twenty-five years ago. Land with a full crop of wood standing is worth two-thirds more than without the wood, and when a farmer removes five or ten acres of wood, he applies to the assessors to lessen, proportionately, the assessment on his farm; so that the amount of the "grand list" is diminishing every year, for the growth of the wood is slow compared with the time required for the removal of it. On the other hand, the increase of the assessment list in proportion to the growth of wood is a very difficult matter, and one against which the people seem to have strong prejudices. The area of woodland is increasing every year, because the trees are springing up on grazing land in many parts with greit rapidity. Without considerable effort to subdue these growing [[185]] bushes they will soon become trees, and the present pastures will become forests. From the fact of this rapid growth of wood on land which had been under cultivation from forty to seventy years, it may be properly concluded that the strength of the soil has not been exhausted, and hence with labor and fertilizers Wolcott soil could be made to produce as abundantly as ever.

STREAMS IN WOLCOTT.

Mad River is the largest stream within the limits of the town. It rises at the northern boundary and flows south and southwest into the Naugatuck River. Several streams flow into Mad River.

One from Spindle Hill, called Stony Brook, enters the river from the west above the Great Falls, or the Mill Place [on the 1868 map this is called "Alcott Brook" and does indeed come from the hill between Beach Road and Mad River Road, south of Alcott Avenue];

another from the east, north of the center, enters below the Great Falls, and is the one on which was situated the tannery of Mr. Ira Hough. [It is unnamed on the 1868 map.]

Another stream from Buck's Hill enters the river in the Big Plains, and is the one on which Mr. Jonathan Bement built a tannery, near Gehula Grilley's residence, where Mr. Isaac Hough now resides. [Probably "Old Tannery Brook" on the 1950s maps, which is "Col. Richards Brook" on the 1868 map.]

A small stream east of Capt. John Alcox's residence was called East Misery Brook. [Maybe just west of the Great Falls on the 1868 map?]

Another from the north-eastern part of the town enters Mad River a little north of Woodtick, [perhaps "Lindley Brook" on the 1950s maps]

while another from the south-east part, called Lily Brook, enters a little below Woodtick. [See the 1950s maps, by the same name.]

Three reservoirs are now constructed in this town in connection with Mad River, to supply the manufactories of Waterbury, -

one in the northern portion of the town, covering Cedar Swamp;

another in the south-eastern, adjoining Judd's Hill [undoubtedly Hitchcock Lake, which is called "Waterbury Reservoir on the 1868 map],

and the other at the north end of Chestnut Hill. The last named, which is not yet completed, has been constructed at a much greater expense than the others;

and all of them have been built by Waterbury manufacturing companies. [Note that the Scovill Reservoir at Woodtick is unmentioned, and the Southington Reservoir #2, north of the south-east burying ground.]

In the north-east part of the town is Roaring Brook, running in a south-eastern [[186]] direction down Southington Mountain, on which is, at present, a saw mill of considerable power. There was another mill on the same stream further up, but nothing remains of it except the dam and the foundation walls. [This river shows on the 1950s maps, flowing to New Britain Reservoir; it is unnamed on the 1868 map.]

CHAPTER II.

THE FIRST SETTLERS.

The land in Wolcott, belonging as it did originally to the towns of Farmington and Waterbury, was "taken up" largely by the inhabitants of those towns some years before any persons made their residence on these lands, and hence the Waterbury part of Wolcott was, much of it, owned by Waterbury people, and was settled largely by the people of that town, while the Farmington part was "taken up" by the people of that place, and many of the early residents were from that town, including Southington, a few coming from Wallingford. The Farmington part was laid into "long lots," being in three tiers, of one mile each. The first tier joined the Waterbury, or the "bound line," the second lay east of the first, and the third east of the second, extending to the foot of Southington Mountain. The whole length of each "long lot" is said (in some of the deeds) to have been three miles. The lots were numbered from north to south, and must have commenced near the northern boundary of Wolcott.

The earliest record of the purchase of land in this part of Wolcott that I have seen, except that of Mr. Thomas Upson, in 1732, is that by Lieutenant Heman Hall, on March 12th, 1750, on the long lot, number fifty-six; but on this farm was then a dwelling house, in which Mr. Joseph Preston was probably residing. This house stood on the "twenty-rod highway" running north and south on Southington Mountain, directly east from [[188]] the present gable-roofed house which he or his son, Captain Heman Hall, afterwards built. Mr. Hall sold this farm to Mr. Preston, of whom he purchased it, and the deeds are dated on the same day. On the 19th of the same month, Mr. Hall purchased another farm on lot fifty-six, of a Mr. Jonathan Mott, fifty acres, "with a dwelling house on it and a road across it," for two hundred and ten pounds. He purchased other land near this in 1754, but was then residing in Wallingford, and did not make his residence here until after this date. In 1753, Mr. James Pike, and his two sons, Samuel and David, were residing on or near Pike's Hill. Mr. Samuel Pike bought eighty-five acres on lot thirty-eight, of Mr. Robert Porter, of Farmington, for two hundred and fifty pounds, in 1753, which land "butted on Waterbury line." Mr. Cogswell purchased of Asa Cowles a part of lot 38, "middle tier," in 1754. Mr. David Pike sold land to Mr. Daniel Mix, in 1753, it being a "part of the lot his father owned." Mr. Benjamin Barnes owned land near that purchased by Lieut. Heman Hall, in 1753, and may have resided on it.

The earliest record I have seen of Mr. John Bronson in Wolcott, is that of 1762, but whether be was then residing here or not I am not able to say, certainly, but think he was. Mr. Justus Peck, afterwards Deacon, was in Wolcott as early as January 18th, 1762. Captain Nathaniel Lewis, probably, made his residence on the farm still known by his name, about 1760 to 1765, and Mr. David Frost near the same time, perhaps a few years later, and the Carters about 1770. The Beechers may have been here before 1765, as also the Brockets, Hortons, and some others who settled in the north-east portion of the town; still, I am of the opinion that they had not been here long when the Society was organized, in 1770.

In Waterbury part, Mr. John Alcox, of New Haven, was the first resident, removing hither in March, 1731. [[189]] In the autumn of the same year Mr. Isaac Hopkins purchased the farm in the valley east of Chestnut Hill, and probably made it his residence the next year, 1732, the year that he was married, and on this farm he resided until his death. Mr. Benjamin Harrison was living on Benson Hill, now Wolcott Center, in 1739, when he purchased land adjoining "his own land," according to the reading of the deeds. He purchased one hundred and eleven acres of land of Stephen Hopkins, jr., of Waterbury, deeded July 2, 1737, which land joined on Isaac Hopkins' land. By the reading of some of Mr. Harrison's deeds it appears that other families had resided or were residing in that portion of the town before he removed there. After Mr. Isaac Hopkins and Mr. Benjamin Harrison, the following families became settlers in the valley southwest of Benson Hill: Elijah Frisbie, Roger Prichard, Eldad Mix, and a few others, before 1760; and Joseph Parker, Joseph Sutliff, Gehulah Grilley and Timothy Scott,\*/ before 1770. On Spindle Hill, Thomas Welton and Eliakim Welton, and Shadrick Benham settled soon after John Alcox. Mr. Amos Seward was residing east [[190]] of Woodtick in 1770, and had been there some years, probably, and south of him were settled at that time several of the sons of Thomas Upson. Wait Hotchkiss came to Wolcott in 1765, and Abel Curtiss, Isaac Twitchell, and Joseph Beach, near the same time; probably a little before. David Norton came about 1760. Josiah Rogers had been here but a short time before 1770, though his father, Deacon Rogers, of North Branford, purchased land here in 1724. Solomon Hotchkiss was an early settler on Spindle Hill, east of Mr. John Alcock's, but very few particulars concerning him and his family have been seen. Joseph Atkins removed here about 1758. In 1770 there were residing at the Center, then called Farmingbury, Aaron Harrison and the family of his brother Benjamin Harrison, Abraham Woster, John Barrett and the family of James Barrett, Joseph Atkins, and Josiah Talmage, and soon after were added Daniel Tuttle, Samuel Byington, and possibly a few others; yet of this I am not certain.

\*/ Inhabitants of Waterbury subject to pay taxes in 1760, residing in East Branch (afterwards Wolcott), three miles or more from the Meeting House, as given in Bronson's History of Waterbury.

WOLCOTT CENTER IN 1800.

The Center, soon after the town was incorporated, was a place of considerable mercantile business and land speculations, the land sales being stimulated by the expectation that a turnpike would be constructed from Torrington to New Haven, and that Wolcott would be an important station on that road. In 1796, Mr. Samuel Byington sold his farm and hotel, west of the Green, and a little southwest of the Meeting house, to Moses Todd, Bani Bishop, of Southington, and Hezekiah Todd, of Cheshire, for four hundred and eighty-four pounds. This farm contained forty-seven acres, the hotel and wheelwright shop, and was bounded on the north by Joseph Atkin's land, on the west by Mad River, on the south by David Norton's land and the highway. In February, 1797, this farm was purchased by Abijah Fenn, of Watertown, who built in the following year, 1798, the store [[191]] near the corner of the lot towards the Meeting house, which he built on contract for Truman Woodward and Amos Baldwin, said to be of Wolcott, but who, probably, came from Watertown, previously: In 1800 Moses Todd purchased this store, and soon after sold it to Benham and Tuttle, who continued the store with great enterprise for a number of years. Mr. Fenn sold his hotel and farm in January, 1799, to, Mark Harrison, Esquire, "for the consideration of eighteen hundred and thirty-three dollars." Mr. Dan Tuttle sold his place, containing ninety-three acres, at the south-west corner of the green, in 1797, to Moses Todd, for seven hundred and fifty pounds. This farm, Mr. Asaph Hotchkiss afterwards purchased, and resided on it some years, and gave some of it, lying west of the old bound line, for a public green. Mr. Asaph Hopkins came from East Haven to Woodtick and then to the Center, and was engaged largely in buying and selling land.

Rev. Mr. Woodward sold the Gillet place, March 4, 1799, to Charles Upson, Esquire, for five hundred and fifty pounds, and on the 26th of the same month he purchased of Mr. Bani Bishop "a certain piece of land about fifteen rods east of the Meeting house, containing about one acre of land, together with a large dwelling thereon standing, and store and horse shed near and adjoining the same," for eleven hundred and thirty dollars. In April following, he purchased of Elijah Birge thirty-five acres, with buildings, lying north of and adjoining the one acre. These buildings, including a dwelling house, stood opposite the burying ground, and was the house where a fatal accident occurred.\*/ Mr. Woodward continued [[192]] to reside in the house east of the Meeting house until his death.

\*/Some military officers came to the house early in the morning to "wake up" their fellow officer, and went into the house; upon which, the resident officer arose quickly and said in a joke, "Go out of my house, or I'll shoot you," he, supposing his gun was not loaded, and suiting his action to his words, fired, and the gun being loaded with a wad, the firing proved fatal in a few hours.

The old dwelling house now standing on the corner opposite the house Rev. Mr. Woodward resided in, was sold by Jabez Harrison, in January, 1799, to Moses Todd and Bani Bishop. Jabez Harrison was the son of Benjamin, the only brother of Deacon Aaron Harrison, and may have resided in this house a number of years. Todd and Bishop sold it to Aaron Harrison, jr., the land containing about half an acre. Mr. Harrison sold the south part, or about a quarter of an acre, to Darius Wiard, and then sold the house and lot in April, 1800, to Hezekiah Todd and Caleb Todd, who sold it in October of the same year to Matthew Wiard. In December 1801, Rev. Mr. Woodward purchased this dwelling, and the boundaries are thus designated: "a certain lot of land lying in said Wolcott, about fifteen rods Southeast of the Meeting house, and is butted North on highway, East on Lucius Tuttle, South on Darius Wiard, and West on said Town's land, containing about twenty-six rods of land, be the same more or less, with a dwelling thereon standing." This dwelling Mr. Woodward sold to Isaac Benham, of Waterbury, and Samuel Benham, of Wolcott, in 1802, the latter residing in it many years.

The house now the residence of Mrs. Johnson Alcott, was built by Darius Wiard, about the year 1800, and was the residence for a number of years afterward of Dr. John Potter. The house at the south-west corner of the Green was the residence of Mr. Daniel Tuttle for several years before 1797, and after that was the residence of Messrs. Asaph Hotchkiss, Isaac Hough, and for the last twenty years of Erastus W. Warner. I am of the opinion that the old cellar wall standing south-west of Mr. Erastus M. Warner's, near a large rock on east side of the present road, marks the place of the residence of Mr. John Barrett, the grave digger at the Center for many years.

The second house on the south side of the road going [[193]] east from the green appears, by a certain deed, to have been built by a Mr. Bishop in the summer of 1800, and it was afterward purchased by Mr. Lucius Tuttle, and possibly enlarged by him. The house next this on the east was built by Mr. Pitman Stowe, and was kept by him as a hotel for a number of years, after which Rev. Mr. Keys resided in it, and it is frequently spoken of at the present day as Mr. Keys' house. By some of the deeds it seems that there must have been a house here before the one Mr. Stowe built.

On the opposite side of the road from Mr. Keys' house, and a little east, was the residence, for some years, of Deacon Aaron Harrison. It was afterward the residence of Deacon Isaac Bronson for a number of years, and then of his son, Irad Bronson. East of the site of this house, and within a quarter of a mile of it, are remaining parts of the foundation walls of three other houses that were probably standing in 1820.

The house of Abraham Woster, in 1770, stood about three rods west of the present Meeting house; the committee who fixed the stake for the site of the first Meeting house said it was placed "a little north of Abraham Woster's house," but it must have been a little east instead of north.

THE PUBLIC GREEN.

The land given to the Ecclesiastical Society was located on the north side of the highway running east and west in front of the Meeting house, and all the Green south of this highway belongs to the town. The east part of this Green was given to the town by Charles Upson, Esq., in 1801, and is described in the deed as "a certain piece of land being and lying in said town of Wolcott, about ten rods southeast of the Meeting house, butting north on highway, east on Matthew Wiard and Darius Wiard, south on William Robinson, west on highway, or the bound line." The west part of this Green was [[194]] given to the town by two individuals; the northwest corner, containing about a quarter of an acre, by Michael Harrison, in 1800, and the remaining part by Asaph Hotchkiss, in 1808.

MILL PLACE.

There was "Laid out to Benjamin Harrison," father of Deacon Aaron Harrison, "December 5, 1748, five acres of land in the Northeast quarter of the bounds at the Great Falls of the Mad River," on which he probably built a saw mill, for he sold the same with a saw mill on it, deeded November 19, 1751, to John Alcox and Abiel Roberts. This property, with a clothing mill then standing below and adjoining the saw mill, was purchased of John, David, and Joseph Alcox, by Abraham Norton, in 1787, and at this place was erected afterwards a grist mill, one hallf of which was deeded on purchase, to John Norton by John Alcox, James Alcox, Daniel and David Alcox, November 1, 1793. John Norton received by gift from his father, Abraham Norton, one fourth part of this mill property in 1791, and in 1793 a dwelling house and one acre of land. Abraham Norton removed to Litchfield, in 1796, at which time his son John purchased sixty-four acres of his land at the mill place. The year following he sold to his son John thirteen acres more, it being, probably, all he owned in that part of the town. This grist mill was owned for many years by John Norton, and known far and near by his name. There is now standing at these Great Falls only a saw mill and cider mill which are owned by Mr. Dennis Pritchard.

ATKINS' MILL.

Joseph Atkins built a grist mill on Mad River, some twenty rods below the Great Falls, about the year 1760, which he continued as the only grist mill in the parish for twenty years or more.

Mr. Atkins died in 1782, and in 1783 his son, Deacon [[195]] Joseph Atkins, sold half of this mill property to Thomas Upson, father of Charles Upson, and afterward Streat Richards owned the whole property for a number of years, deeding it in 1800 to Isaac Upson, with "about one quarter of an acre of land a few rods northeast of said mill, with a dwelling house standing on the same." Some years after this, the mill was removed to Woodtick, where it was operated as a grist mill. There is now a building -- known as the "old carding mill" standing on the site of Atkins' grist mill, but no work is done in it, and the indications are that it will soon go down the river. There are two mills on this river a few rods below the "old carding mill," one a saw mill, now doing yearly a large amount of work. It is said that Seth Thomas made an agreement about the year 1800 or a little after, for some mill property, owned by Daniel Byington at this mill place, proposing to engage in the manufacture of clocks, and that by some peculiar requisitions afterwards made by Mr. Byington, and because of the want of encouragement from the people of the town in constructing a road from the mill place to Cheshire so that he could reach the market conveniently with his merchandise, he gave up the project, and went to Plymouth Hollow, and entered upon the same plan there, and the result has been the establishing of that enterprising village now known as Thomaston, Connecticut.

WOODTICK.

Mr. Judah Frisbie was the first settler in Woodtick, as far as I have learned, and he purchased his first land here in the autumn of 1773, but did not reside on it until some years afterward. His account book shows that he boarded at Mr. Amos Seward's before he was married, and while, probably, he was working on his land and attending to business of various kinds (for he was a busy man). The same book shows that he was engaged in building, probably a house, in 1776. His brother-in-law, Elnathan [[196]] Thrasher, was married in 1778, and probably settled on the farm now owned by Deacon Orrin Hall, the same year, where he resided until about 1800. Judah Frisbie mentions the saw mill as early as 1776, and as he sold lumber at different times and frequently from that time forward until 1790, it is probable that he owned a part or all of the mill. Abraham Norton sold one half of.this saw mill in 1801 to Harvey Upson, the other half being "owned by Capt. Samuel Upson and Samuel Upson, jr." The Atkins grist mill at the mill place was taken down (after 1800) and removed to Woodtick, and used for a grist mill for a time, and then changed into a paper mill, which has been greatly enlarged and improved by machinery, so that, at present, it is producing, yearly, a large amount of paper. It is now owned by Mr. Emerson M. Hotchkiss, late of Southington.

HOTELS.

The first hotel was that of Samuel Byington, on the west side of the Green, where he also had a wheelwright shop. Joseph Twitchell kept the same house after the year 1800, for a short time. Pitman Stowe kept a hotel a few years in the house that Rev. Mr. Keys afterwards occupied. Col. Moses Pond kept a hotel in the house previously occupied (about twenty-five years) by Mr. Lucius Tuttle. Daniel Alcox kept hotel for a time at the Center, probably in a house that stood near the corner of the roads east of the Center; one of the roads going east toward John Bronson's, the other toward Cheshire. Thomas Wiard had a hotel, but in what house I know not.

HIGHWAYS.

One hundred years before Farmingbury parish was organized, the hunters from Farmington followed the Indian trail, or, path, that passed through what is now the towns of Bristol and Wolcott, to the valley of the Naugatuck and to Woodbury. After the settlement of Waterbury, this path became the traveled road between [[197]] Farmington and Waterbury, passing from Bristol over the hills in a direction a little south of west, through what is now the northwest corner of Wolcott, into the valley near the present village of Waterville, thence down the stream to Waterbury. Tradition says this road passed Mr. Levi Atkins' present dwelling, and that the Indian trail at that point passed a little further north, near a large shelving rock called "Jack's Cave."\*/ This road continued to be, as I judge, the principal road between Farmington and Waterbury more than seventy years, until after the settlement of Spindle Hill. In 1750, nineteen years after Mr. John Alcock settled on Spindle Hill, a road was laid out from Mr. Eliakim Welton's running east of north until it reached the road above described, then east to the Farmington line at the Scarritt place (see Waterbury Records), it being a continuance of the road from Waterbury to Buck's Hill. We learn from the records that in 1754 another road was laid out from Waterbury to "Farmington bounds." This came up the Mad River, passing Mr. Isaac Hopkin's dwelling, the Abel Curtiss place, the mill place south of the great falls, thence east through land now inclosed in the Center burying ground, to the bound line, thence north on that line to the Scarritt place. This road was called the East Farmington road, the one passing Mr. Alcox's being the west.

\*/The Indians encamped under this rock nights in passing between Farmington and Woodbury. It was near this cave that the large chestnut tree stood from which Mr. Timothy Bradley said he cut two hundred bullets, which were shot into the tree by the Indians while shooting at a mark.

When Mr. Thomas Upson settled on Southington Mountain there was probably no road from Waterbury to Southington, except a path for persons on foot and on horseback. The old "twenty rod highway" was the first laid out highway near his farm, as far as ascertained, and began south of Mr. Upson's dwelling (I know not how far), going north past Capt. Nathaniel Lewis' and David [[198]] Frost's dwelling, thence east across the brook to the. present burying ground, thence north on the mountain to the northern boundary of present Wolcott, at least, but more probably to New Cambridge, now Bristol. The deeds recorded in Farmington that I have seen mention this twenty rod highway as far north as the "tenth long lot," making it certain that the road continued north as far as the first of the long lots at least. The date when the road was laid out I have not seen, but it was there twenty rods wide in 1750.

A few years after the incorporation of the town, there was considerable effort made by individuals and by the town, in town meetings, to secure a turnpike through the town from Torrington to New Haven. The town appointed committees at different times to meet other committees of the Legislature, to forward this object, and the town did considerable work on the road, but the project did not succeed.

About the time (near 1812-15) the New Haven turnpike was given up, the road on the southern boundary of the town running from Waterbury to Marion was made a turnpike, a large part of the stock being owned by the Upson families of Wolcott.

CHAPTER III. PUBLIC SCHOOLS

As early as 1763 the people of Farmingbury winter parish had their own schools and were exempted from paying tax for schools outside of the Parish, and this privilige was granted them until the parish was organized. At the first Society meeting, in Nov., 1770, a committee of six was appointed to divide the Society into Districts, and that committee made report to the adjourned meeting in the same month, which report was accepted by the Society, but what the report was is not stated in the records, and hence the difficulty of ascertaining how many Districts were established. There are, however indications that from the first, and for several years afterwards, there were nine districts, for they appointed nine men as committeemen, and passed the following vote: "Each school committee shall collect their poll rate, each one in his district." The words "each one in his district," are quite definite information that one man only was appointed to a district. The names of the several committees indicate where these districts were located.
Joseph Sutliff, jr., for the Southwest district;
Joseph Atkins for the one at the Mill place, for which district no name has been seen;
John Alcox for the West district;
Capt. Aaron Harrison at the Center;
Jedediah Minor for the East district, near John Bronson's;
Nathaniel Lewis for the Southeast district;
Amos Seward for the South district
Simeon Plumb for the North district, and
Daniel Finch for the Northeast district.
All these districts are [[200]] mentioned by name as given above except the one at the Mill place, or at Daniel Byington's. It is probable that the schools in some of these districts were kept in private houses, and perhaps most of them at first, but when school houses were erected the Southeast district and the one at the Mill place were discontinued, as we learn of no school-house sites in these parts of the town. The East district continued many years; the schoolhouse standing at the corner of the roads a litle east of Mr. Mark Tuttle's present dwelling house. This was the house in which Mr. David Harrison taught school much of the time for many years. The other districts, six in number, still continue.

EXPENSES OF THE SCHOOLS.

The expenses were paid "by the poll," that is, parents paid for their children, for each in proportion to the whole number of pupils -- and the number of days in attendance. Under this system it was often quite difficult for some parents to pay their school bills, and because of this many children were educated very little. Until the town was organized, the number of months the schools should be kept was decided by parish vote, and usually was voted to be according to law, but sometimes the vote was to "keep eleven months school." Wages were, for a man, from six to ten dollars a month, for a woman one dollar a week, and a school bill of eighty-eight dollars for the year was a great amount to be paid by the district, and was in reality a much greater burden then than any tax for schooling at the present time.

It is a matter of great congratulation to the people of this town that nearly three-fourths of the expenses of the schools are now paid by receipts other than taxes on the property of the town. The fund of $8,500 left to this town by the late Addin Lewis, of New Haven, a native of Wolcott, is of very great value in sustaining the schools. The income from this fund amounts to five hundred [[201]] dollars per year, and with the fidelity continued that has characterized its administration hitherto, it will be hereafter a benefit incalculably great. That part of the will of Mr. Lewis which relates to Wolcott is given.

THE WILL OF ADDIN LEWIS AS IT RELATES TO THE TOWN OF WOLCOTT.

Section 8. If my said daughter shall die without disposing by her will of the estate mentioned in the foregoing article, I do give, devise, and bequeath all said estate (so not disposed of by her) to her lineal descendants who shall be living at the time of her death, in the same manner and proportions as the same would have descended and been distributed to them if she had owned the same as her own proper. estate, and had died intestate and solvent; and if there should be no lineal descendants of my said daughter living at the time of her death, I give, devise, and bequeath ten thousand dollars of said estate to the School Society of the town of Wolcott, in, Connecticut, for the purposes hereinafter expressed; and fifteen thousand dollars of said estate to the School Society of the town of Southington, in Connecticut, for the purposes hereinafter expressed and five thousand dollars of said estate to "The President and Fellows of Yale College, in New Haven," for the purposes hereinafter expressed; and the balance of said estate shall go to increase proportionally the devises and legacies given in the following articles of this will.

And as to the said ten thousand dollars given as aforesaid to the School Society of the town of Wolcott, I direct that said Society shall hold the same as a permanent fund for the encouragement of the district schools in said town, and said Society shall annually pay the net income of said fund to the different school districts in said town in proportion to the number of children as ascertained by law; but every school district shall raise and expend for the support of district schools in such district during the year a sum equal to the sum to be paid to such district from the income of this fund, otherwise such district shall not for such year receive any part of said income, but the proportion of such district shall go to increase proportionally the,sums to be paid for such year to the other districts as aforesaid; and if all the school districts in the said town of Wolcott shall neglect for any year to [[202]] comply with the conditions aforesaid, then the whole of the net income of said fund for such year shall be paid to the different school districts in the town of Southington for the purposes and on the conditions aforesaid; and if all the school districts in the town of SouthiDgton shall neglect for any year to comply with the conditions aforesaid, then the whole of the net income of said fund for such year shall go to increase proportionally the devises and legacies given in the following articles of this will:

And whenever any persons or corporation shall have in their hands money to be invested in execution of any part of this will, I do expressly direct that said money shall in all cases be invested in mortgage security of unencumbered real estate of double the value of the amount of the loan secured thereon; and all loans may be varied from time to time on similar security.

In regard to the Southington Academy, for the erection and maintaining of which Mr. Lewis gave fifteen thousand dollars, he made this provision "And all Pupils from the town of Wolcott, not exceeding ten at any one time, who may wish to receive instruction in said institution, shall receive the same without any charge for tuition."

The income from this Lewis Fund of Wolcott, was five hundred dollars for the year 1873. In the same year were received from the School Fund and State appropriation two hundred and twenty dollars; for the Town Deposit Fund, one hundred and thirty dollars; in all eight hundred and fifty dollars. The actual expenses of all the schools for the same year were about twelve hundred dollars.

THE WHIPPING POST.

The whipping post stood east of the present Meeting house at the Center, near the southeast corner of the present horse sheds. Besides the three persons mentioned below, it is said, there were one man and a colored woman whipped at this post for stealing.

About the year 1815, Dr. George Williams (so he titled [[203]] himself), traveling through Wolcott, stayed over night at the house of Mark Upson, where he stole a shawl, and for which after trial, the court ordered seven lashes on the bare back. His hands were tied to the post a little higher than his head, and Capt. Levi Hall, constable, struck three blows when the lash came off, when some one said to the constable, "I am afraid the old man will not stand the blows quite so hard." The remaining blows were given lighter, the old man trembling greatly under the punishment. He was then taken to the store and his back washed with rum, upon which the old man said: "O my God, that is worse than the stripes; I think I will have a little inside," which was not denied him.

Pond and Granniss were convicted of stealing a cow about the vear 1817, for which, after trial, the court ordered seven lashes each. Their hands were tied as in the case of Williams, and Levi Parker, constable, laid the blows on Granniss with considerable severity, he remaining stubborn and making no complaint. Pond was very penitent, and while they were tying his hands to the post he prayed God to have mercy on him, the tears falling from the eyes of many who witnessed the unpleasant scene. The blows were given lightly, and while putting on his coat, Pond said: "It is just that it was done." It is thought that this was the last whipping done at the whipping post in the town.

LAW IN WOLCOTT.

Besides the above described whipping I have heard of no criminal proceedings in the courts of the town, nor in the county, concerning the inhabitants of Wolcott, of any special importance, except that which was instituted in regard to the burning of the first Meeting house. There were some old "stocks" for fastening the feet of criminals, laid up many years in the horse sheds which stood west of the Meeting house, but no one remembers to have heard of any use to which they were ever put except to [[204]] look at. The real facts I apprehend to have been these: There have existed in natural character and disposition of the people too much musical talent and good nature to allow disturbances of any serious kind to obtain a place of recognition among the people, and therefore they have worked hard, given much time and attention to singing, played the fife and drum, encouraged cheerfulness by pleasant associations, kept out of mischief, out of gaol, and off the gallows, and given as earnest adherence to religion as the average of country towns.

SMALL POX.

This disease was a great terror to the people and had made sad desolation in several families in the town before the year 1800. The following record indicates the conservatism of the people of those days in regard to the introduction of any new practice in medicine.

"At a special Town meeting held in Wolcott on the 27th day of October, 1800, Dr. John Potter prayed for liberty to set up or introduce the small pox by inocculation, into said town under the care, superintendence, and direction of the civil authority and selectmen of said town for the time being, or their successors in office, until said civil authority and selectmen, or the town at large by vote in legal meeting assembled, shall discontinue or suspend said liberty at the same meeting.

Voted to grant the prayer of the above petition, two-thirds of the members [voters] present being in the affirmative."

BURYING GROUNDS - THE CENTER BURYING GROUND.

In the Waterbury town records we learn the following action was taken in a town meeting held on December 10th, 1764: "At the same meeting Capt. George Nichols, and Capt. Stephen Upson, jr., were chosen a committee to go out eastward near Joseph Atkins', to view and purchase half an acre of land, upon the town cost, in that [[205]] neighborhood where they shall think it most convenient for a burying ground."\*/

* Mr. Bronson, in the History of Waterbury, page 229, in a note, makes a mistake in supposing this ground to be the one at East Farms, for it was to be "near Joseph Atkins'," and he never resided at East Farms. Besides, the East Farms ground was laid out since the memory of some persons now living. He says this burying ground, near Atkins', was on Farmington road, which was true; but Farmington road, instead of going direct to Southington, turned up Mad River, and through New Cambridge to Farmington.

The earliest record on monuments is that of Lieut. Heman Hall. bearing date 1769.

In the Wolcott town records are found the following entries:

December 11, 1797. Voted that Messrs. Mark Harrison, Charles Upson, Streat Richards, and Moses Todd, be a committee to confer with William Stevens to investigate and search into the circumstances of the Center Burying Ground, to see if it is the property of said Stevens, as is by him asserted, and also to settle and compromise the matter with said Stevens if it appears to be his property, by exchanging a certain quantum of highway now in the enclosure of said Stevens therefor, and also to draw upon the treasurer for a small sum in order to enlarge said burying ground to three-fourths of an acre; provided they think proper, and cannot obtain it without.

On the 9th day of April next the town meeting appointed another committee "to negotiate with William Stevens concerning the Center Burying Ground, to enlarge the same to three-fourths of an acre, to exchange the highway now enclosed in said Stevens' lot as part payment, etc., and make report of their doings at the annual meeting in December next." At the annual meeting in next December the report of the committee was accepted, and the selectmen were authorized to attend to the execution of the deeds.

The three-quarters of an acre became too small, and about 1870 the ground was again enlarged, so as to include nearly two acres. [[206]]

PIKE'S HILL BURYING GROUND.

This ground was laid out about 1774, by a committee of the Society appointed to "fix a place or places for burying grounds." The ground is located on the north declivity of the hill adjoining the Alcox road, in a most picturesque place. Here but few graves were made, some of which were afterwards removed to the ground east at the foot of the same hill, about fifteen yet remaining. Graves continued to be made in this ground until 1805, when the one east was constructed, and all burying ceased in the old yard, it having been used but thirty years. Some five or six monuments remain having inscriptions on them; the other graves are indicated by small field stones. The inscriptions below are given precisely as they are written on the head stones:

[[2o8]]

The foregoing are all the inscriptions that remain in the old ground.

THE NEW NORTHEAST BURYING GROUND.

At a Town meeting held April 8, 1805, the meeting voted, "That the selectmen be authorized to purchase at the expense of the town such quantity of land and in such place as they in their discretion think proper and best, to be appropriated as a burying ground in the northeast quarter of the town; and that one rod in width be taken from the south side of the highway running east and west by the proposed burying ground the whole length of said ground and appropriated as a part thereof."

This new ground is on a gravel knoll at the foot of the hill east of the old ground, and is the one now in use as the northeast burying ground. [In 2003, this could only be accessed by foot path off the end of Beecher Road, eastward, crossing a powerline enroute.]

THE SOUTHEAST BURYING GROUND.

In March, 1772, the Society appointed a committee to "fix a place or places for burying grounds," and in 1776 it appointed three grave diggers, which indicates the existence of three graveyards, and their location defined by the residence of the three men -- Mr. John Barrett at the Center, where he had filled the same office several previous years; Mr. Zadoc Bronson at the northeast, and Mr. David Frost at the southeast. The earliest inscription on any monument in the Pike's Hill yard is dated May 28, 1776; the earliest date in the southeast yard is January 1, 1782, and is the grave of Archibald Upson, who died with small-pox.

THE SOUTHWEST BURYING GROUND.

At a Town meeting held NOV. 20, 1807, the meeting voted, "That Isaac Bronson, Mark Harrison, and Isaac Upson be a committee to view the circumstances of the southwest part of the town, and if they judge proper, lay out and purchase a burying ground in such place as they judge most convenient, and that the committee be [[209]] authorized to draw on the town treisurr for payment of the, sum which they shall agree to give for said ground, and take a deed thereof to the town." This is the present Woodtick burying ground.

[No mention is made of a cemetery just south of Southington Reservoir #2, which appears on the 1950s maps as "southeast burying ground" -- perhaps the misplaced label for the Woodtick cemetery?]

THE YANKEE PEDDLERS.

The Yankee peddler has been a celebrated character in the Middle and Southern States more than in the Eastern, yet the origin of this kind of merchant was in the New England States, particularly in Connecticut. Wolcott raised from thirty to forty men who engaged at different times quite largely in this business, traveling through all the Middle States, and most of the Southern during the years from 1810 to 1840. Among the first, who went out were Samuel Horton, Timothy Hotchkiss, Lyman Higgins, and Chester Hotchkiss. These sold "tin ware and Yankee notions;" beginning about 1810 and continuing for a number of years in the employment of a firm in Southington, and traveling mostly in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. When Mr. Eli Terry,\n/ then of Plvinouth, completed in the year 1810, the first great contract of four thousand clocks, for a Waterbury company, the Yankee peddler was wanted to sell these clocks, and Wolcott not only furnished an important man, in the person of Seth Thomas to make these clocks, but also men to sell them. Mr. Terry's shop was on Hancock River, at a place known since as Hoadleyville, being about a mile west of the boundary of Wolcott. The cords for these clocks were spun by Wolcott women from flax raised in Wolcott, and much of the inside woodwork of these clocks was made of Wolcott "ivy" or "laurel," of which there is still an abundance. For many years this work occupied the attention of Wolcott people, and furnished them extra work in winter and some additional comforts of life. For [[210]] a few years the clock peddling was confined mostly to the New England and Middle states, and was a different work from the selling of Yankee notions. The clocks were sold on "trial," the agent calling for the money six or more months after the delivery of the clocks, but the regular Yankee peddler sold for cash, if (as we have often heard him announce), he sold "two shillings worth,for a six pence," at which ruinous prices his wife and babies certainly would starve.

\n/See History of "American Clock Making" by Henry Terry, of Waterbury; and also the Biography of Mr. Seth Thomas, in this book.

About 1820 the spirit of enterprise called out a new and more numerous company of young men in the work of selling tin ware and Yankee notions, in the Southern State's. Among these were Ephraim Hall, Seth Horton, Holt Hotchkiss, A. Bronson Alcott, Thomas Alcott, Jason Hotchkiss, Leverette Kenea, William Cowles, Levi Frisbie, and many others. Some went out with a horse and peddler's wagon, selling tin ware, razors, pins, needles, patent medicines, peppermint essence, suspenders, and a large number'of such like things, called "Yankee notions;" others sold dry goods only, carrying them in two large trunks made for that purpose. Some of these men went in this employment one or two winters, while others continued until near the time of the late rebellion. Mr. Thomas Alcott was one of these, but the articles which he sold in later years consisted of carriages of various kinds, which he sold frequently on time, and hence lost considerable money by the war. The effect of this work on the young men, was to introduce them into mercantile life, which many of them continued, in one form or another, in different parts of the country, most of them making their homes and establishing themselves in business elsewhere, rather than in Wolcott.

TAXES.

The grand list was in 1860, $291,827;
in 1865, $297,891;
in 1870, $248,677;
in 1871, $243,640;
in 1872, $236,545;
in 1873, $241,100.
The tax collected in 1872 was eleven [[211]] mills on the dollar, and that for 1873 is ten mills. The decrease of the grand list, as appears above, is mostly in consequence of the decrease of cattle and money at interest, considerable money having been placed in United States bonds, and other untaxable property.

The following is a town rate made on the list of 1789, of two pence half-penny on the pound, on the inhabitants of Farmingbury, in Waterbury.\n/ [The "shilling symbol" has been introduced to clarify the numbers (shillings/pence), although it is not present in the original text.]

s. / d.

Selectmen of Waterbury.

\n/The original copy of this paper is in the possession of Mr. Silas B. Terry, of Waterbury, and was brought to light at the Centenary meeting.

The order of the court to collect was made to Capt. Charles Upson, collector of the town rate in the town of Waterbury, in New Haven county, and signed by "Ezra Bronson, Justice Peace.

CHAPTER IV.

ROLL OF HONOR.

The following lists are believed to be complete, except that of the Revolutionary soldiers, which, probably, contains about two-thirds of those who were engaged in that war:

LIST OF FREEMEN IN THE TOWN OF WOLCOTT.

September, 1800 - Isaac Hopkins, Joseph Beecher, Joseph Smith, Aaron Harrison, David Norton, Joseph Sutliff, Rev. Israel B. Woodward, Ebenezer Johnson, Abel Curtiss, Jeremiah Scarritt, Nathaniel Sutliff, Moses Pond, Streat Richards, Mark Harrison, Charles Upson, Elisha Horton, Jacob Carter, Stephen Carter, Thomas Upson, Walter Beecher, Charles Frisbie, John Potter, David Harrison, Joseph M. Parker, Farrington Barnes, Daniel Johnson, Moses Todd, William Stephens, John Frisbie, Wait Hotchkiss, Preserve Carter, Samuel Upson, jr., Amos Upson, Mark Barnes, Joseph Beecher, jr., John Bronson, Elijah Perkins, Samuel Clinton, James Bailey, Philemon Wilcox, Philo Thomas, Isaac Bronson, Gideon Finch, Titus Sutliff, David Pardee, John Sutliff, Harvey Upson, David Frost, Darins Wiard, Jacob Talmage, Daniel Deane, Richmond Hall, Abner Hotchkiss, Nathaniel Lewis, Justus Peck, Calvin Cowles, Judah Frisbie, Simeon Plumb, Amos Brockett, Joseph Minor, Samuel Horton, Isaac Upson, Abel Beecher, David Wakelee, Joel Hotchkiss, Zephania Parker, Nathaniel Lane, John Norton, Jared Welton, Benoni Gillet, Zuar Brockett, Aaron Wiard, John J. Kenea, Ellakim Welton, Jesse Alcox, Joseph Twitchell, Justus Scott, Nathan Barnes, Bani Bishop, David Alcox, Ashbel Upson, John Hitchcock, Enos Beecher, Luther Atkins, Nathan Scarritt, John Clark, Samuel [[214]] Plumb, Solomon Plumb, Jesse Alcox, jr., Solomon Alcox, Heman Hall, David Talmage, Jesse Pardee, James Scarritt, Moses Byington, Timothy Bradley, Selah Steadman, Washington Upson, Michael Harrison, James Alcox, jr., Seymour Welton, Williams Bailey, Amos Baldwin, Philenor Bronson, Appleton Lewis, Samuel Horton, jr., Reuben Lewis, Levi Johnson, Truman Woodward, Abijah Fenn, Cyrus Clark, Josiah B. Morse, John B. Alcox, Mark Alcox, Joseph C. Alcox, Royce Lewis, Joseph Sutliff, jr., Michael Sutliff, Aaron Harrison, jr., Andrew Jerome, Lee Upson, Elijah Royce.

April, 1801 - Nathan Johnson, Shubael Upson, John Thomas, Luther Hotchkiss, James J. Truesdel, Levi Atkins, Joseph Plumb, Amasa Bradley.

September, 1801 - Elijah Rowe, Nathaniel Sutliff, jr., Lucius Tuttle.

April, 1802 - Joel Alcox, Ebenezer Beecher, John Bronson, jr., Ashbel Atkins, John Dean.

September, 1802 - Gates Upson, Thomas Wiard, Caleb Minor, Joshua Minor, Mark Welton, Gideon Finch, jr., Moses Bradley, Manly Upson, David Alcox, Jr., Obed Alcox.

April, 1803 - Josiah Thomas, Silas Weed, Elijah Lane, Isaac Downes. Ransom Frisbie, Timothy Hotchkiss.

September, 1803 - John Wiard, Stephen Carter, jr., Truman Smith, David Bailey, Rollin Harrison, Ephraim Smith, jr., Eleazer Finch, Marvin Beckwith.

April, 1804 - Jesse Silkriggs, Richard O. Hopkins, Elihu Moulthrop, Josiah Lane, Elias Welton, Gamaliel Plumb, Nathan Sutliff, Miles H. Richards, Leonard Harrison, David Scarritt, Prince Duplex.

September, 1804-Levi Hall, Miles Hotchkiss, Abiathar Sutliff, Joseph Welton, Jesse Dutton, Aaron Wiard.

April, 1805 - Moses Welton, Eldad Alcox.

September, 1805 - Amos Parsons, Adonijah Moulthrop, Archibald Minor, David Frisbie, Amasa Mix, Titus Brockett, Asahel Bradley, Solomon Wiard, Levi Brown, Truman Sandford, James Bartholomew, Harvey Hopkins.

April, 1806 - Silas Hine, Seth Thomas, William Hotchkiss.

September, 1806 - David Churchill, Lester Scarritt, David M. Beach.

April, 1807 - Zephana Potter, Thomas Upson, Loammi Carter, [[215]] Luther A. Richards, Jared Harrison.

September, 1807 - Isaac Curtiss, Sylvester Beecher, Isaac Frisbie, Asahel Brockitt, Joseph Minor, jr.,

April, 1808 - Orrin Rice, Ira Hough, Nathaniel Barnes, Nathaniel G. Lewis, Bildad Hotchkiss, Aaron' Pond, Clark Bronson.

September, 1808 - Eldad Parker, Miles Harrison, Daniel Byington, jr., John Curtiss, Asa Granniss.

April, 1809 - Lyman Higgins.

September, 1809 - Irad Bronson, Aaron Harrison, jr., Justus L. Peck.

April, 1810 - Archibald Barnes.

September, 1810 - William Bartholomew, Samuel Bartholomew, Allen Upson.

April, 1811 - Jairus Alcox.

September, 1811 -- Uri Carter, Elisha M. Pomeroy, David S. Grillee.

April, 1812 - Mark Upson, Alpheus Pond.

September, 1812 -- William Parker, Irad Wakelee, Orrin Plumb, Amon Bradley.

April, 1813 - Orrin Jackson, Ziba Norton, Levi Parker.

September, 1813 - Simeon N. Norton.

April, 1814 - Hezekiah Bradley, Aaron Finch, Thomas Horton.

September, 1814 - Reuben Carter.

April, 1815 - Stephen Harrison.

September, 1815 - Bartholomew Curtiss, Ransel Brockitt.

April, 1816 - Jerry Todd, Streat Todd, David R. Upson, Levi B. Frost, Abel Truesdell, Thomas H. Welton.

September, 1816 - Eben S. Bartholomew, Seth Horton, Marvin Minor, Harpin Hotchkiss, Marcus Minor.

April, 1817 - Rev. John Keys, Sheldon Frisbie, Jeremiah Sperry.

September, 1817 - Alpheus Bradley, Green Perkins, Harvey Norton, Miles Loveland, Willard Plumb.

April, 1818-Asahel Lewis, Irad Harrison.

July, 1818 - Bela Rose, Samuel Merriman, Milo G. Hotchkiss, Luther Roper, Leveret Kinnea, Jedediah G. Alcox.

September, 1818 - Chauncey Royce, Almond Alcox, John Beecher, jr., William Smith, James Frisbie, Joseph P. Sandford, Anson G. Lane, Osmon Norton.

April, 1819 - Luther W. Plumb, Bazilla Bradley, John A. Potter, Salmon Johnson.

April, 1820 - Amos Bradley, Orrin Hall, Samuel W. Upson, William A. Alcox, William P. Tuttle.[[216]]

April, 1821 -Leonard Horton, Marcus H. Upson, Wells Plumb, Leonard Beecher, John S. Atkins, Jesse Barnes.

April, 1822 -Osee Talmage, Robert A. Hickox, Cyrus C. Upson, Albert R. Potter, Shelden Welton, Garry Atkins, Chester Andrews.

April, 1823 - Jonathan Bement, Jerry Upson, William Munson, Almus Wakelee, Fitch A. Higgins, Anson Upson, Timothy Bradley, 2d, Jonas Hickox.

April, 1824- Edward Lewis, Jacob Talmage, jr.

April, 1825 - Amos B. Alcox, Abraham Norton, Asaph Hotchkiss, Lucius Alcox, Ira Frisbie.

April, 1826 - Mark Tuttle, Ansel H. Plumb, William R. Bradley, Marshall Upson, James Bailey, jr.

April, 1827 - Ephraim Hall, John A. Bradley, Lucius Tuttle, jr.

April, 1828 - Ard Welton, George G. Alcox, Luther Bailey.

April, 1829 - Martin Upson, Wyllis Merrils, Prosper Hull, Erastus Nichols, Erastus Atkins.

April, 1830 - George Griswold, Hezekiah T. Upson, David Beecher, Harley Downs, Alben Alcox, Jesse L. Nichols, Albert Boardman, Orrin Byington, Asa Boardman, Alfred Lewis.

April, 1831 - David Bailey, Addison Alcox, Alfred Churchill, Loman Upson, Orestus Welton, Ezra L. Todd, Henry Minor, Marcus Upson, Northrop Jackson, Kneeland S. Hall, Charles H. Upson, Salmon Upson, James Alcox, jr.

April, 1832 - Jarvis B. Bronson, David Scarritt, jr., Russel Lowe, Levi Moulthrop, Shelden Smith, Isaac Alcox, William Blakeslee, Russel Upson.

April, 1833 - Abraham Tuttle, Rollin Tuttle, Lloyd Lewis, Thomas J. Lewis, Anson H. Smith, Joel Alcox, Sylvester Frost, Henry Harrison, Selah Upson, Henry D. Upson.

April, 1834 - Chester Hotchkiss, Stillman Bronson, Matthew Norton, Ives Lewis, Geo. W. Carter, Geo. Mansfield, Edward Welton, Selim Doolittle, Eri Welton, Chauncey Woodbridge.

April, 1835 - Johnson Alcox, Thomas Alcox, Sylvester Bradley, Isaac Hough, Levi Atkins, jr., Simeon H. Norton, Daniel T. Todd, Lucian E. Hickox, Levant D. Johnson, George Plumb, Martin L. Andrews, Thomas Upson, jr., Jeremiah S. Plumb, Henry Beecher, Newel Minor, Dennis Lewis.[[217]]

April, 1836 - Lucien Upson, Sherman Moulthrop, William Johnson, Ezra S. Hough, Seth Wiard, Upson Higgins, David B. Frisbie, Romeo Upson, Timothy N. Upson.

April, 1837 - Lewis Churchill, Ransom S. Todd, Harvey Thomas, Elihu Moulthrop, jr.

April, 1838 - Stiles L. Hotchkiss, Hendrick Norton, Lucius Upson.

April, 1839 - Edward W. Thomas, Rollin Harrison, Levi Frisbie, Lucius B. Welton, James Scarritt.

April, 1840 - Joel Brown, by certificate; Ira H. Hough, Isaac Hotchkiss, Harvey G. Plumb, John Hummiston, Jason Hotchkiss, Moses Pond, Charles Byington, Rufus Norton, Isaac Pardee; Elias Mix, by certificate; Dagget Barnes, by certificate.

November, 1840 - Hezeklah Brown, by certificate; Mahlon Hotchkiss; Miles B. Ford, by certificate; David Warner, by certificate; Lewis Johnson, by certificate; Lynde Preston, by certificate; Merritt Welton, by certificate; Philip A. Cowles, by certificate; Algernon Newcomb, by certificate; Rufus Hotchkiss, by certificate; Sellock J. Nichols, by certificate.

March, 1841 - Charles Rose, Daniel Holt; Lucius Tuttle, by certificate; Harrison Welton.

April, 1841 - Henry G. Hotchkiss, by certificate; Frederick J. Bunnell.

March, 1842 - Samuel Downs, by certificate.

April, 1842 - Augustus Minor, Miles S. Upson, Eli Alcott, Asaph H. Upson; Francis Wood, by certificate; James Seeley, by certificate.

March, 1843 - John Dorman.

April, 1843 - William Wiard, Andrew J. Plumb, Benjamin F. Finch; Julius A. Sandford, by certificate; Ambrose I. Downs, by certificate; Asahel Lane, by certificate.

October, 1843 - Jabez Hard, by certificate.

April, 1844-joel W. Upson, Hezekiah Todd; Willis Upson, by certificate; Charles Kirk, by certificate; William Welton, by certificate; Norris Clark, by certificate; Elias Brooks, by certificate.

October, 1844 - David F. Welton, Robert C. Todd, George C. Nichols, Samuel Nichols, Lucius Tuttle, by certificate; David Nichols, by certificate; Levi Norton, by certificate; Albert W. Hubbard, by certificate.

March, 1845 - Richard Mansfield, Noble Baldwin; Joseph Guernsey, by certificate; Algernon S. Plumb, by certificate; Hermen Woodin, by certificate.[[218]]

April, 1846 - Uriah S. Tompkins, by certificate; Alva Andrews, by certificate; Levi Barnes, by certificate; Isaac Bates, Leroy O. Phillips, John H. Holt, Marshall Minor, Herrick Payne, by certificate; Isaac B. Baxter, by certificate; Cyrus Barnes, by certificate; Heman W. Hall, Cyrus Beach.

March, 1847 - John L. Beach, James M. Scarritt, Samuel Butler, Robert Headley, John Welton, John M. Beecher, Orlando Plumb, Chauncey P. Welton, David A. Sandford.

April, 1847 - Orrin F. Hotchkiss, Luther M. Pond, William B. Barnes; Daniel Lane, by certificate; Edward J. Hall; Charles Dean, by certificate; Linus Barber, by certificate; Bennett Upson, by certificate; Bennett J. Wakelee.

November, 1848 - James L. Kenea, Samuel Brooks, Willis Bunnell; William Henry, by certificate; Nelson Thorp, by certificate.

April, 1849 - Noah H. Byington, Peter Brockett, Jesse Brockett.

April, 1850 - Slierman E. Welton, Asahel Brockett, Henry Todd, Charles A. Welton; Ira H. Smith, by certificate; Joel Johnson, by certificate; David F. Johnson, by certificate; Smith B. Pritchard, by certificate; Friend C. Eggleston.

April, 1851 - Asahel Brockett, by certificate; Stephen L. Norton, by certificate; Amos Brockett, by certificate; George W. Royce, by certificate; Asa Farrel, by certificate; Zadoc B. Bassett, by certificate; Willis Jerome, John L. Bradley.

April, 1852 - Lyman G. Bradley, by certificate; William Peckham, by certificate; George W. Winchell, Richard A. Lane, Charles W. Beach.

October, 1852 - Sheldon B. Welton, Charles Allen, Albert N. Lane, Chester A. Andrews.

November, 1852 - Erastus W. Warner, by certificate; David S. Smith, by certificate; Silas Pardee, by certificate; Merrit Beach, by certificate; Joseph H. Hull, by certificate; William C. Pluymut, by certificate; Bunville A. Bradley, Henry Lum, David H. Frost, Linus Thorp, Martin L. Hine.

April,1853 - Dwight L. Kenea, by certificate; Daniel Riggs, by certificate; John Hurd.

April, 1854 - Andrew J. Slater, Orimel S. Webber, Albert P. Hitchcock, Samuel E. Davis, Erastus Todd, Roswell Pardee, Jeremiah S. Thomas, by certificate; Horace P. Leonard, by [[219]] certificate; Liberty C. Palmer, Luther W. Plumb.

October, 1854 - Samuel M. Tuttle; Hiram Chipman, by certificate.

April, 1855 - Frederick C. Slade, George F. Gates, Moses Bradley, Henry C. Walker, Ezra A. Pierpont, Burritt W. Beecher, Frederick L. Nichols, Samuel N. Sperry, Wallace H. Lee, Abiram S. Atwood, Aaron C. Beach, by certificate; Samuel M. Bailey, by certificate; Benjamin P. Downs, David H. Nichols, by certificate; Luther Higgins, William Walden, by certificate.

April, 1856 - Darius Hummaston, Hiram Welton, William McNeil, by certificate; Shelton T. Hitchcock, by certificate; Wheaton S. Plumb, by certificate.

October, 1856 - George L. Marks.

November, 1856 - James B. Norton, Martin V. B. Hotchkiss, Frederick M. Upson, Lucien S. White, Henry A. Johnson, Horace R. Roberts, by certificate; Edwin Hough, by certificate; John D. Lane, by certificate; Elmon E. Smith, John J. Gaylord, by certificate; Robert Atkins, by certificate.

April, 1857 - Lucien Alcott.

April, 1858 - Henry D. Todd, Theodore Moulthrop, Daniel S. Rowe, James Foley, Patrick Foley, Joseph N. Millard, by certificate; John D. Pritchard, Levi W. Plumb, George S. Marks, Henry Aldrich, Lyman B. Bronson, Ozias S. Webster.

April, 1859 -- Linas Lane, by certificate; Joseph Fairclough, jr., Adna Andrews, Homer F. Bassett, William B. Rase; Nelson Thorp, by certificate; Henry Chatfield, William Sherwood, Rodney F. Norton, Clark Wright, Sidney W. Alcott, by certificate.

April, 1860 - Anios M. Alcott, Theron Minor, George E. Alcott; Edwin Perkins, by certificate; Henry Rose. Andrew A. Norton, Berlin J. Pritchard, Emerson C. Bradley, John P. Butler, James W. Hough, by certificate.

October, 1860 - David E. Downs, Lucius F. Norton; Philo Andrews, by certificate; Hobart Smith, by certificate.

March, 1861 - Newel Moulthrop; Henry L. Lane, by certificate; Henry B. Carter, Leroy Upson.

March, 1862 - Timothy Root; Arthur Byington, by certificate; William Shipley, by certificate; Ezra E. Bassett, by certificate; Edward Johnson, by certificate.

April, 1862 --John E. Wiard; Elmer W. Hitchcock, by certificate.

March, 1863 -- George Atkins, Rufus A. Sandford, Charles A. [[220]] Plumb; Leverette A. Sandford, by certificate; Seldon S. Norton, by certificate.

April, 1863 - Richard Morrow, Theron S. Johnson Leonard Blakeslee, by certificate; George S. Atwood, George E. Todd.

March, 1864 - Eugene Lane; Lyman C. Bradley, by certificate.

November, 1864 - Lent S. Hough, by certificate; Charles S. Galpin, by certificate; James F. Robbins, by certificate; Leander Norton, by certificate; William F. Wiard, by certificate; Theron A. Sandford, by certificate; Charles F. Robbins.

March, 1865 - George N. Dingwell, by certificate.

March, 1866 - Benjamin F. Chipman; Joseph H. Somers, by certificate; Elijah H. Warner, Mark H. Harrison, Lowry S. Richardson; Jesse Gaylord, by certificate; Edwin A. Welton, by certificate; Julius D. Beecher.

March, 1867 - Frederick W. Carter, John R. S. Todd, Elmer L. Andrews, Calvin B. Brockett, John H. Beecher, William McLaughlin, by certificate; J. Henry Garrigus, by certificate; Joseph Porter, by certificate.

March, 1868 - Chauncey F. Chipman, Joseph Fairclough, by certificate; Corald D. Blakeslee, by certificate; Elmer Hotchkiss, Reuben J. Lewis.

April, 1868 -- George W. Walker, James P. Alcott, Huber Birdsey, Oliver J. Norton.

October, 1868 - Horace Garrigus, Benjamin F. Somers, Oliver L. Baldwin, Thomas Slade, Patrick Walsh.

October, 1868 - Philo B. Lewis.

March, 1869 - Gorge Bridgman, Patrick Donovan, Benjamin A. Pratt, George Sellew, Arthur W. Andrews, Edgar S. Moulthrop, Lester A. Hotchkiss.

March, 1871 - Henry Hall, Henry Tompkins, Rufus J. Lyman, Dewitt Todd, James A. Wakelee, Cornelius F. Munson, Benjamin L. Bronson, Charles E. S. Hall, Ransom Strong, Lavallette Upson, Michael Kelly, by certificate; John I. Ambler, by certificate.

March, 1872 - Fordyce D. Loomis, James Burns, Eri L. Lane, F. Albert Helmischkist, Charles E. Somers, Homer L. Atkins, Samuel L. S. Porter, Martin L. Andrews, jr., Bement D. Wakelee, Michael Kelly.

October, 1872 - Elliot Bronson, Alfred M. Northrop, William H. Brown. [[221]]

March, 1873 - Benjamin F. Brooks.

April, 1873 -- William Farrall.

March, 1874 - Anson O. Sanford, William E. Andrews, Emerson M. Hotchkiss, Ransom B. Hall, Alonzo Hart, Overton Jerome, Frank G. Mansfield. Nathan C. Prince, Horatio B. Strong, John M. Stevens, William Glynn, Evelyn M. Upson, Charles G. Yeomans, Samuel Orcutt.

TOWN OFFICERS.

Selectmen -
June 13, 1796: Mark Harrison, Streat Richards, Jacob Carter.
December, 1796: Jacob Carter, Charles Upson, Streat Richards.
December, 11, 1797: Streat Richards, Charles Upson, Amos Brockett.
1798: Streat Richards, Amos Brockett, Elijah Perkins.
1799: Streat Richards, Amos Brockett, Samuel Clinton.
1800: Streat Richards, Amos Brocket, Joseph Minor.[[222]]
1801: Streat Richards, Amos Brockett, Stephen Carter.
1802 Streat Richards, Nathaniel Lewis, Joseph Minor.
1803: Isaac Bronson, Stephen Carter, David Harrison.
1804: Isaac Bronson, Stephen Carter, David Harrison, Eliakim Welton, Joseph Atkins.
1805: Nathaniel Lewis, Streat Richards, Joseph Minor, Titus Hotchkiss, Hezekiah Beecher.
1806: Isaac Bronson, Hezekiah Beecher, Asaph Hotchkiss, John Potter, Isaac Upson.
1807: Nathaniel Lewis, Streat Richards, Joseph Minor.
1808: Streat Richards, Joseph Minor, Isaac Upson.
1809: Streat Richards, David Wakelee, Joseph Minor.
1810: Heman Hall, David Frisbie, Daniel Langdon.
1811: Heman Hall, David Frisbie, Erastus Welton.
1812: Heman Hall, David Frisbie, Erastus Welton.
1813: Heman Hall, David Frisbie, Solomon Plumb.
1814: Heman Hall, David Frisbie, Luther Andrews.
1815: Solomon Piumb, Ambrose Ives, Levi Hall.
1816: Levi Hall, Ambrose Ives, Titus Brockett.
1817: Titus Brockett, Luther Andrews, Archibald Minor.
1818: Titus Brockett, Luther Andrews, Luther Hotchkiss.
1819: Luther Andrews, Luther Hotchkiss, Erastus Welton.
1820: Levi Hall, Jerry Todd, Thomas Upson.
1821: Levi Hall, Jerry Todd, Obed Alcox.
1822: Obed Alcox, David Frisbie, Thomas Upson.
1823: Luther Andrews, David Frisbie, Obed Alcox.
1824: Orrin Plumb, William A. Finch, Gates Upson.
1825: Orrin Plumb, Luther Andrews, Obed Alcox.
1826: Orrin Plumb, David Frisbie, Levi Hall.
1827: Heman Hall. Titus Brockett, Luther Hotchkiss.
1828: Luther Hotchkiss, David Frisbie, Orrin Plumb.
1829: Orrin Plumb, Luther Andrews, Levi Hall.
1830: Orrin Plumb, Moses Pond, Ira Hough.
1831: Orrin Plumb, Ira Hough, Moses Pond.
1832: Moses Pond, Luther Andrews, Ephraim Hall.
1833: Moses Pond, Levi Hall, Orrin Hall.
1834: Moses Pond, Orrin Hall, Mark Tuttle.
1835: Orrin Plumb, Seth Horton, Mark Tuttle.
1836: Orrin Plumb, Levi Hall, Leonard Beecher.
1837: Orrin Plumb, Heman Hall, Ira Frisbie.
1838: Ira Frisbie, Isaac Hough, Moses Pond.
1839: Ira Frisbie, Moses Pond, Isaac Hough.
1840: Ira Frisbie, Willard Plumb, Marvin Minor.
1841: Luther Hotchkiss, Levi Hall, Mark Tuttle.
1842: Willard Plumb, Carolus R. Byington, Marvin Minor.
1843: Orrin Plumb, Dennis Pritchard.
1844: Dennis Pritchard, Mark Tuttle, Isaac Hough.
1845: Moses Pond, Carolus R. [[223]] Byington.
1846-47: Dennis Pritchard, Orrin Plumb.
1848-49: Dennis Pritchard, Orrin Plumb, Joseph N., Sperry.
1850: Mark Tuttle, Seth Wiard.
1851-53: Isaac Hough, George G. Alcott.
1854: Isaac Hough, Orrin Plumb.
1855: Dennis Pritchard, James Alcott, jr.
1856: Henry Minor, Erastus W. Warner.
1857-60: Henry Minor, Levi Atkins.
1861-63: Henry Minor, Willis Merrill.
1864-69: Henry Minor, Shelton T. Hitchcock.
1870: Henry Minor, Augustus Minor.
1871-73: Henry Minor, Shelton T. Hitchcock.

Justices of the Peace -
1796-1804: Mark Harrison, Charles Upson.
1805-8: Mark Harrison, Charles Upson, Isaac Bronson.
1809: Mark Harrison, Isaac Bronson, William Durand.
1810-16: Mark Harrison, Isaac Bronson.
18l7-18: Mark Harrison, Isaac Bronson, Ambrose Ives.
1819: Mark Harrison, Ambrose Ives.
1820: Mark Harrison Ambrose Ives, Moses A. Street.
1821-4: Ambrose Ives, Archibald Minor.
1825: Ambrose Ives, Archibald Minor, David Frisbie.
1826: Ambrose Ives, Archibald Minor, Lyman Prindle, Samuel Wise.
1827: Archibald Minor, Levi Hall, Orrin Plumb, William A. Alcott.
1828: Archibald Minor, Orrin Plumb, William A. Alcott, David Frisbie, T. Upson.
1829-30: Archibald Minor, Orrin Plumb, David Frisbie.
1831-32: Archibald Minor, Orrin Plumb, David Frisbie, Luther Pritchard.
1833-34: Archibald Minor, Orrin Plumb, David Frisbie.
1835: Archibald Minor, David Frisbie, Orrin Plumb, Mark H. Byington.
1836: Archibald Minor, Orrin Plumb, Noah H. Byington, Levi Hall.
1837: Archibald Minor, Orrin Plumb, Noah H. Byington, Moses Pond.
1838: Archibald Minor, Mark Tuttle, William Bartholomew, George G. Alcott.
1839: Archibald Minor, Mark Tuttle, William Bartholomew, [[224]] Lucius Tuttle, jr., Carolus R. Byington, Orrin Plumb, Mark H. Byington.
1840: Archibald Minor, William Bartholomew, Carolus R. Byington, Mark Tuttle, Leverett Kinney, Orrin Plumb, George G. Alcott.
1841: Archibald Minor, Mark Tuttle, William Bartholomew, Carolus R. Byington, George G. Alcott, Isaac Hough.
1842: Gates Upson, William Plumb, Carolus R. Byington, Ezra S. Hough, Elihu Moulthrop, jr., Timothy Bradley, Marvin Minor, Mark Tuttle.
1843: Elihu Moulthrop, jr., Timothy Bradley, Carolus R. Byington, Willard Plumb, Leverett Kinney, Orrin Plumb.
1844: Carolus R. Byington, Archibald Minor, Orrin Plumb, William Bartholomew, Mark Tuttle, Gates Upson.
1845: Gates Upson, Carolus R. Byington, Mark Tuttle, G. W. Carter, James Alcott, jr., Orrin Plumb.
1846: Gates Upson, Orrin Plumb, Carolus R. Byington, Willard Plumb, Elihu Moulthrop, jr., Joseph N. Sperry.
1847: Carolus R. Byington, Mark Tuttle, Orrin Plumb, George W. Carter, Stiles L. Hotchkiss.
1848: William Bartholomew, Carolus R. Byington, George W. Carter, Henry Minor, Mark Tuttle, Gates Upson.
1849: William Bartholomew, Henry Minor, Orrin Plumb, Willard Plumb, Joseph N. Sperry, Mark Tuttle.
1850: Ansel H. Plumb, Willard Plumb, Dennis Pritchard, Joseph N. Sperry, Mark Tuttle.
1851: George W. Carter, Henry Minor, Orrin Plumb, Willard Plumb, Joseph N. Sperry. Mark Tuttle.
1852-53: Carolus R. Byington, George W. Carter, Willis Merrill, Henry Minor, Dennis Pritchard, Joseph N. Sperry.
1854-55: Henry Minor, Ansel H. Plumb, Orrin Plumb, Willard Plumb, Joseph N. Sperry, Mark Tuttle.
1856-57: George W. Carter, Henry Minor, Orrin Plumb, Dennis Pritchard, Joseph N. Sperry, Erastus W. Warner.
1858-59: Carolus R. Byington, Henry Minor, Orrin Plumb, Dennis Pritchard, Joseph N. Sperry, Erastus W. Warner.
1860-61: James Alcott, jr., Isaac Hough, Henry Minor, Orrin Plumb. Dennis Pritchard, Joseph N. Sperry. [[225]]
1862: Joseph N. Sperry, Dennis Pritchard, Henry Minor, Isaac Hough, Seth Wiard, James L. Kenea.
1863-4: Joseph N. Sperry, Dennis Pritchard, Henry Minor, James L. Kenea.
1865-7: Joseph N. Sperry, Dennis Pritchard, Henry Minor.
1868: Joseph N. Sperry, Dennis Pritchard, Henry Minor, Benjamin F. Finch, Isaac Hough, Seth Wiard.
1869: Joseph N. Sperry, Dennis Pritchard, Henry Minor,
1870-2: Dennis Pritchard, Henry Minor.
1873: Henry Minor, Amos M. Johnson, Dennis Pritchard.
1874: Henry Minor, Dennis Pritchard, Albert N. Lane, Amos M. Johnson, Frederick L. Nichols, Lucien Upson.

The following are the names of some of the sons of former residents of Wolcott who were in the army in the late war:

Lucern, son of Simeon H. Norton, of Plantsville, died in battle.
Edgar, son of Jerry Upson, of Cheshire, died of disease contracted in the army.
David Frame, son of Rev. Aaron C. Beach, mortally wounded at Louisville, Kentucky, May 2d, 1862, aged 21 years.
Rev. Joseph H. Twitchell, chaplain, son of Deacon Edward Twitchell, of Plantsville.
Manton D. and Theron, sons of Russell Upson, of New Haven.
Hobart V., son of Luther Bailey.
Charles, son of Lucius Upson, of Plantsville.