Connecticut Historical Collections

The township is uneven and hilly. The prevailing character of the soil is a gravelly loam, occasionally interspersed with a sandy loam, espe- cially in the valleys, and it is considerably fertile and productive. There are small intervals or tracts of alluvial soil upon the borders of the riv- er. Tlio inhabitants are generally farmers, who are mostly in good circumstances. Tiie township is divided into two parishes, Newent antl Hanover, having a Congregational church in each place. There is a woolen and silk factory in the society of Hanover, the north part of the town. Lisbon appears to have remained stationary in regard to the number of its inhabitants, for a considerable period. In 1800 the population was 1,158; in 1810, it was reduced to 1,128. In 1S30, the number was 1,161. The central part of the town is seven miles from Norwich, and forty five s. e. from Hartford. L Y IM E . Lyme was first settled about 1664. Its first English name was East Saybrook, being tlien a part of the town of Saybrook. It was incor- porated as a distinct town, by the name of Lyme, in 1667. The In- dian name for the eastern part of the town was Nehanlic. It is bounded north by East lladdam and Salem, west by Connecticut river, dividing it from Saybrook, east by Waterford and INIontville, and south by Long Island sound. The township comprises an area of about 80 square miles, being 10 miles long from north to south, and 8 broad. " From Nehantic river, four miles westward, a tract extending from the Sound to the northern boundary of Lyme and New London was re- served for the Indians, when those townships were incorporated. Some time afterward, the inhabitants of both united in a petition to the Le- gislature, to include these lands within their limits. The Legislature granted the petition, without determining upon the dividing line. New 329 TiOndon proposed to take tliree miles in widtfi, and leave one to Lyme. ]jyine made a similar proposal to New Ijondon. The distance to the seat of government was fifty miles. The journey lay through a wil- derness inhabited by savages, and crossed by numerous streams, over which no bridges were erected. The land, though now of considerable value, was then regarded as a trifling object. The expense of appoint- ing agents to manage the cause before the Legislature was consiilerable, and the hazard of the journey not small. In iliis situation, the inhabi- tants of both townships agreed to settle their respective titles to the land in controversy, by a combat between two champions to be chosen by each for that purpose. New London selected two men by the names of Picket and Latimer. liyme committed its cause to two others, na- med Griswold and Ely. On a day mutually appointed, the champions appeared in the field, and fought with their fists, till victory declared in favor of each of the Lyme condjatants. Lyme then quietly took ])OSsession of the controverted tract, and has held it imdlsputed to the present day."* West view of Jjijiiic. The above shows tlio appearance of the Congregational church in Tiyme, and the buildings in the vicinity. The village is situated on a plain, about half a mile or more back from Connecticut river, on a street running parallel to it. The elevated ground seen in the distance is one of the Church Hills, so called probably from the circumstance of the first church having been built near the summit of one of these elevations, upwards of half a mile eastwaid of the present church. This part of Lyme is 15 miles from New London, and 40 from Hartford. There are'6 houses of worship, 4 Congregational, and 2 Baptist. There are 4 post ofliccs in the town, viz. Lyme, Hamburg, North Lyme, and East Lyme. There are 1 cotton and 2 woolen factories. Dr. Dwighi's Travels, Vol. 2. 42 330 The surface ol' the town is strikingly diversified. About one half of it is level, or nioderat(;ly hilly, (-'oniprising llie borders of tlie Sound, its bays and inlets, the large tracts of salt marsh, the numerous and ex- tensive intervals on the rivers and other sections. The other division of the township is stony and mountainous. Near the mouth of Four mile river, several distinct ridges conunenee, consisting of a succession of hills, which range northwardly, and become more elevated as ihey extend into tiie interior. Within this town, north of Eight mile river, near tl)e Connecticut river, conmiences one of the branches of granitic mountains, which extends northwardly through the state into Massa- chusetts, and constitutes the height of land which divides the waters that run westwardly into the Comiecticut, from those that run into the Thames and other streams. The bodies of salt marsh and meadows upon the rivers are extensive and productive, the former affording large quantities of salt hay, and the latter producing fresh hay, grain, &c. The hilly and mountainous parts of the town do not admit of a general cultivation of urain, but afford good urazing. South vieiv of the Gov. GrisivoJd House, in Lijvic. The above is a representation of the house erected by Roger CJris- wold, the last governor of the name, now in possession of Mr. Matthew Griswold. Being near the sea shore, it conmiands an extensive and delightful prospect of the Sound. It is about three miles s. e. of the Congregational church in Lyme, in Blade Hall, a ]ilace which ever has been in the possession of the Griswold family, since the first settle- ment of Lyme. Matthew Griswold, the ancestor of the present Gris- wolds, appears to have been one of the first settlers of Lyme ; he had also three brothers, who came over from England, Thomas, John, and George. Tliomas settled at ^Vindsor, Jolm at Wethersfield, and George at Saybrook. The following wa;? extracted liom a manuscript in the family Bible of Judge Griswold. "Matthew first went to Windsor, married Annah Wolcott, daughter of the first Henry Wolcott, and was LYME. 331 by trade a stone cutter ; lie made a stone taljle now standing over the grave of bis father-in-law, the letters of which were cut deep, are now wholly obliterated.* Before INIajor Fenwick left Saybrook, he, (Fen- wick.) committed all his public as welj as his private concerns to said JMatthew Gi-iswold. Matthew Griswold was the first Commissioner, or Justice of the Peace, in Saybrook. The town of Saybrook formerly contained the kmds now lying in Lyme. Soon aftei- the settlement of all the concerns of said Fciiwick, Matthew Griswold removed to Black Mali, lying on the east side of Connecticut river, in the town of Lyme, (that being named after the native town of said Griswold, viz. Li/me Jicgis.) Bhick Hall took its name from the circumstance of said Gris- wold's building a log hut on his fniii in Lyme, where he had an old negro, who used to sleep there before any white person had dared to spend a night on the east side of Connecticut river, fur fear of the In- dians. It was called the Blade's Hall, and from that took the name of Black Hull. ]\ear tlie door of saiil Griswold's he dug a well ; two other houses have been built since the first, and the said well is now used, and ever has been used, by some of his descendants." " Matthew Griswold, the first governor of that name, descended from a reputable family, and was born in Lyme, March 25ih, 1714. As he was not favored with a ])ublic erlucation, he spent his earliest days in the more retired walks in life. [Jut possessing naturally a strong and in- quisitive rnind, accompanied with a desire to be useful to n)ankind, at the age of about twenty live he counuenced the study of the law, and by his intense application, without the aid of an instructor, acquired that knowledge of the science of the law which was necessary to enter on bis professional employment, and was soon admitted to the bar. In his profession ht- soon distinguished himself, as an able, upright, and faithful advocate. He served many years as counselor, antl also as king's attor- ney, with integrity and reputation. On the 11th of Aovember, 1743, be married .Miss Ursula Wolcott, daughter of the Hon, Roger Wolcott, formerly governor of Connecticut. In the year 1751, he was first elected a representative to the General Assembly, and was chosen a number of years successively. In 1755, he was put into nomination for, and in 1759 was elected into the council of the state. In 1766, be was appointed one of the judges of the siqjerior court, and in 1769 was elected lieutenant governor, with which ofiice was connected that of chief justice of the State. In 1784, he was chosen governor, and in 1786 he retired from public life, until the adoption of the Constitu- tion of the Lhiited States, by the convention of this stale, in 1788, when be was called to officiate as president of that body. In all these various offices, he distinguished himself as a faithful servant of the public. "But if we descend to the more private walks of life, and view bis character as a private citizen, we sludl find the social sweetly blen(k4,^ with the christian virtues. He possessed a benevolent disposition, which rendered his deportment truly engaging, in all the domestic relations. * This must be a mistake, or thu letters mtist huve been le-ciit, as they are very distinct ;~see account ol' Windsor, y. 132. w 332 I- Y M K . " Having a frank and an open heart, he was sincere in all his profes- sions of friendship, and consequently enjoyed the confulence and esteem of a numerous and extensive ac(juninlance. He was truly hospitable, and abounded in acts of charity. The children of want he nev(;r sent empty from his door, but guided by a real sympathy, he i'iid ilie hun- gry, clothed the naked, and relieved the distressed. He died A[)ril 28th, 1799, in the 85th year of his age.