Connecticut Historical Collections

about a mile west of the village. Directly north of this was situated a tract of land owned by a Mr. John Blackwell, comprising 5,750 acres, who willed it to his son John. It was afterwards sold to Governor Belcher of IMassachusetts, \yho divided it. into farms and sold them to different individuals, among whom was the well known Gen. Putman. This tract of land went by the name " MortJahc ;" it extended further west tiian the Adams purchase. A beautiful stream, which rises in the western part of this tract, received its name from the proprietor, viz. " Blackvvell's ;" it empties into the Quinnebaug. In the year 1747, the inhabitants of Morilake sent a petition to the General Assembly, to be made a town. But the petition was slighted, and it was then resolved that it should be afterwards called Pomfret. In tlie north part of Canter- bury, (that part of it which is now included within the limits of Brook- lyn,) tlie land was owned by Edward Spalding ; on the west of the Adams and north of the Spalding ])urchase, the land was owned by Daniel Cady. All of these tracts together were called the " Two Ad- ditions.''^ There was, at that period, no particular village. In the year WZ\, Daniel Cady deeded to the Two Additions 1 acre of land for a burying ground ; it lies nearly half a mile south of the village of Brook- lyn. "In the year 1731, the first society meeting was holden, and in the succeeding year the (irst Ecclesiastical society was formed, having the same limits with the [)resent town of Brooklyn. From 1732 till 1754, this society went by the title of Mortlake ; it was then changed to Brooklyn, and was called Brooklyn society until 1786, when it was made a town. The first church was built in 1731, about 10 rods north- west of the site of the present one ; the second was built in 177 1 . The first minister was ordained in 1735, whosp name was Rev. Ephriain Avery. He died in 1754, and was succeeded by the memorable Dr. Whitney, who continued his ministerial duties until 1824, during a period of OS years. The society divided in 1817; and in 1820 a chapel was built by the Congregationalists : the Unitarians held the old church. The court house was removed from Windham to Brooklyn in 1820. The principal streams in Brooklyn are the Quinnebaug river and Blackvvell's brook. The liills are the Gray Mare, which is situa- ted about one fourth of mile north west of Brooklyn ; (it derives its name from the circumstance of an old mare and colt having been caught among the ledges, and confined there until the colt had eaten off the old mare's mane ;) and Tetnuck hill, which is situated in the south part of the town. On the southeast side of this hill, there is quite a celebrated cave, called Lyon's Den ; it derives its name from this circumstance, viz. during the Revolutionary war, a man by tlie name of Lyon deserted his post, and concealed himself in this cave until the pursuit was over. There is a mineral spring in the northeast part of the town, which is often resorted to in the summer season for medical purposes." Brooklyn is bounded n. by Pomfret, e. by the Quinnebaug, separa- ting it from Killingly and Plainfield, s. by Canterbury, and w. by Hampton. The town is nearly six miles in length from north to south, BROOKLYN. 415 and five in breadth. It is uneven, consisting of hills and valleys, and sonieuhat stony ; but it is fertile, and admirably adapted to grazinj^f. The dairy business, and the raising of sheep and swine, are the leading agricultural interests of the town.- There is a cotton factory in tlie town, on the Quinncbaug, near the village of DanielsonviUe in Killingly. 1 1 i 11 North view of ]Srookli/)i, {central part.) The above is a northern view of the central part of the village of l^rooklyn. The village consists of about 40 or 50 dwelling houses, 3 houses for public worship, a court house, and 4 or 5 mercantile stores ; it is about '20 miles from Norwich, 40 from Hartford, and 30 from Providence. The building which is seen on the right is the court house. The Unitarian church is seen in the central part of the en- graving. The Congregational church, recently erected, is seen farther to the south. The Baptist church is the small building with a steejdc, seen a little west of the Unitarian church. Tiie Brooklyn bank is the building seen on the extreme left, under the trees. A k\v paces north of this, and opposite the Unitarian church, was the residence of Gen. Putnam : the house in which he lived has been taken down within three or four years past. The field in whicli he was plowing when he first heard of the Lexington battle, is in full view, about 100 rods dis- tant. He left his plow in the middle of the field, unyoked his team, and without waiting to change his clothes, mounted his horse and set out for the theater of war. His first place of residence in these parts, was about two miles north, where he had a farm ; at the time of his noted wolf exploit, his house here was very near the boundary line be- tween Brooklyn and Pomfret. Gen. Putnam, in the decline of life, publicly professed the religion of the gospel, and in the opinion of the respectable clergyman of Brooklyn, the Rev. Dr. Whitney, died hope- fully a Christian. " During the gayest and most thoughtless period of his life,'- says Dr. Dwight, " he regarded religion with profound reve- rence, and read the scriptures with the deepest attention." 416 BROOKLYN The Episcopal church in this town is situated about IJ miles cast of the court house. This was the first church erected, and ibr a long pe- riod the only church for that denomination in this county. It was erected before the Jlevolutionary war, by Mr. Godfrey Malbone, a gen- tleman from Rhode Island, who had been educated at Oxford, Eng- land. He married a lady from the south, who for part of her patrimony brought 50 or 60 slaves on to the large estate on which he resided in this town. The state of Connecticut, after the Revolution, having abolished slavery within her borders, Mr. INIalbone's servants became dispersed, and a great proportion of the colored people in this part of the state are their descendants. Gen, Futnam's Monument. The above is a representation of the monument in the grave yard soutii of the village of ]3rooklyn. The following is the inscription on the marble slab forming the top : — " This Monument is erected to the memory of tlie Honorable Israki, riTNAM, Es(j., Major General in the Arnues of the United States of America ; wlio was born at Sa- lem, in the Province of Massacluiselts, on llie 7lh day of January, 171H ; and dii.d at Brooklyn, in the state of Connecticut, on the 'J'.nii day of xMay, A.D. 17M. Passen- ger, if thou art a Soldier, go not away til! ihoii hast dropped a ti-ar over the dust ui a Hero, uho, ever tenderly attentive to the lues and haiiiuness of hisinen, dated lo lead wtiere any one dared lo follow. Ifthoii art a Patiiol, ri'meiid)er with gratiiuile how much thou luul thy country owe to the disintere.->led and gallant exeriionsol' the Patriot who slecjis beneath this marble. If thou art an honest, generous and worthy man, ren- der a sincere and cheerful tribute of respect to a man whose generosity was .singular ; whose honesty was provei'bial ; and who, with a slender educaiiuii, wilh small advan- tages, and without poweiful friends, raised himself to universal esteem, and to olliccs of eminent distinction, by personal worth, and by tlic diligent services of a useful life." The following sketch of the life of General Putnam, is from Allen's American Biographical Dictionary : — " hracl Putnam, a major general in the army of the United Slates, was born at Sa- lem, Massachusetts, .lanuary 7, 1718. His mind wasvigorous, but it was never culti- vated by education. When he lor the fust time went to Boston, he was insulted fiu his rusticity by a boy of twice his size. After bearing his sarcasms until his good na- ture was exhausted, he attacked and vanquished the unmannerly fellow, to the great diversion of a crowd of spectators. In running, leaping and wrestling, he almost al- ways bore away the prize. In 1739 he removed toPomfretin Connecticut, where he cul- tivated a considerable tract of land. * * * During the French war, lie was appointed to command a company of the first troops which were raised in Connecticut, in 1753. He rendered much service lo the army in the neighborhood of Crown Point. In 175<), while near Ticonderosa, he was repeatedly in the most imminent danger. He esca- ped in an adventure of one night, with twelve bullet holes in his blanket. In August, lie was sent out with several hundred men to watch the motions of the enemy. Being ambu.scaded by a party of equal numbers, a general but irregular action took place. ASllFOKD. 417