Connecticut Historical Collections

Col, Thomas Knowlton, who fell in the battle near Haerlem Heights, in September, 177G, was a native of this town. He was an intrepid soldier, a true patriot, and a worthy citizen. He was among the first who rallied aroimd the standard of independence. He distinguished himself at the battle of Bmiker Hill. The day after the retreat of the Americans from Long Islat)d, being followed by the enemy. Gen. Wash- ington detached a force under (,^ol. Knowlton to oppose them, who charged them with great intrepidity, gained considerable advantage, and raised the depressed spirits of the army. He fell mortally wounded, at the head of his men, during the heat ol" the action. Gen. Washington, in his orders the day after he fell, styled him " the gallant and brave Colonel Knowlton, who would have been an honor to any country." The following inscriptions are from monuments in the yard on the north side of the church represented in the engraving: — Is.M..MI,lv. 3. Memento Mori — flere lies the remains cjf ye Itev. Mr. James Hale, the first Pastor of ye Church of Chiist m AshfurtI, and husbaiui of Madam S.irah Hale. He left Earth lor Heaven, as we trust, m ye 58th year of his age, November ye 'J-J, 17J'J. [f)n the foot stone.] Here lies a Friend of Christ and of his People's ... ye Rev. Mr. James Hale. Let all that loved tlie man these lines present, Follow his Faith in Chnsl and of all sin re- pent. 4'20 C A N T E U B 11 K V , The Rev. Enoch Poiui, and Mrs. Peg^jy Pond his wife. Mr. Pond died Aug. Cih, /ISO?, yE. 50. Mrs, Pond died Jan. 2Uh, IbOO, M. 40.— Generous in lenijier, correct in -'science, and liberal in senlimeni, the CIcnileman, the Scholar, and the Minister o) the Sanctuary, appeared wiih advantage in Mr. Pond. The Church and fust society in Ashford were lavored with his Gospel Ministry 18 years. i:;^ In yonder sacred house he spent his breath, Now silent, senseless, here he lies in death. Those lips again shall speak, and then declare A dread Ame.s' to truths they published there. Amiable in manners, kind in aflection, and devout in Religion, Mrs. Pond enjoyed the friendship and confidence of a numerous acquaintance. She lived a lite of usefulness below, She lives we trust a lil'e of glory now. CANTERBURY. Canterbuhy originally belonged to VVindham, afterwards to Plain- field. The General Assembly, in 1703, enacted that the town of Plain- field should be divided, and that the inhabitants on the west side of the river should be a distinct town by the name of Canterbury. " it seems, that the settlement of this tract commenced about the year 1690. The principal settlers from Connecticut, were Major James Fitch and IMr. Solomon Tracy, from JNorwich; Mr. I'ixhall Ellsworth and IMr. Samuel Ashley, from Hartford ; but mucli tlie ^'rcatest ntimber were from iSew- town, Woburn, Dorchester, Barnstal)Ie and Medfield. in Massachusetts. Among these were John, Richard, and Joseph Woodward, William, Obadiah and Joseph Johnson, Josiah and Samuel Cleveland, Elisha Pain, Paul Davenport, and Henry Atlams."* Canterbury is hounded n. by Brooklyn, av. by Windham, e. by Plain- field, and s. by Lisbon and PJainfield. It is eight miles long, and about four and a half broarl. The surface of the town is uneven, though it can scarcely be called hilly, and some sections are level. The soil is a gra\elly loam, ami generally fertile ami productive. The town is wateied by the Quinnebaug, which is heie a lar^^e and bcautifid stream. It annually overtlows its banks, and fertilizes the fine tract of alluvial soil upon its borders. These natural meadows are very fertile^ and af- ford the largest crops, and at the same time are. cultivatea with the greatest facility. The town is divided into two societies, Canterbury, and Westminster, wliicli embraces the western section of the town. In each society there is a Congregational church : there is also a Baptist church in the north part of the town. There are three cotton factories, two of which are in Packersville, a small manufacturing village, partly in the limits of this town, and partly in the limits of Plainfield, near the eastern bank of the Quinnebaug. The principal village in Canterbury is pleasantly situated, on eleva- ted ground, about half a mile west of the Quinnebaug. The engra- ving shows a south view of the Congregational church, the green, and some of the houses in the vicinity ; from this spot the ground descends OQ every side except to the west. This place is 15 miles from Nor- » Dr. Trtiinbull. C A N T K R n r R Y . \-2i wicli, 6 south of Brooklyn, 33 from Providence, and 40 from Hartford. On the left of the engraving is seen the house formerly occupied as a school by Miss Prudence Crandali. for colored girls, which at the time it was kept caused considerable excitement in this vicinity. South view of the central ptirt of Cantcrhunj. In November, 1831, Miss Crandall, who had gained a high reputa- tion as a female instructress, pioposed to some of the leading individ- uals in Cantinbury, to open a " boarding, school" in their village, for the education of young ladies. Her |)ro|)osal was very favorably re- ceived, and by the jjalronage of the inhabitants the school was imme- diately opened, and continued rising in respectability. In Septembi'r, \S\V2, a rospoctable pious colored girl, a resident in Canterbury, and a member of the Congregational church, wisbing to qualify herself to become a teacher among j)ersons of her own color, requested admission into Miss Crandall's scliool. Miss C, at first hesi- tated, but at lengtb, on a repetition of tlie request, urged with more earnestness than before, " slie was admitted as one of her pupils." It was however soon intimated to Miss C. tbat unless she removed this scholar, the sch(jol would be greatly injured. Miss Crandall, who ap- pears to have been governed in this allair by what she conceived to be her religious duty, in opposition to " pul)lic opinion," retained her col- ored pupil. In her view it appeared unjust and oppressive to expel a worthy scholar, wbo was guilty of no crime, merely on account of color. According to her view, tbe precepts of Christianity inculcated the du- ties of justice and benevolence to all, without respect to persons, and a spirit ready to make sacrifices for the good of others. After consult- ing with a number of peojjle in different ])laces, who professed to be friends of the improvement and education of colored persons, and also considering the deep prejudices existing against an unforiimate and in- jured race, the difficulties which those of them who are desirous of an 422 CANTERRIJRV. education lie under, in not being admitted to the higher seminaries of learning, IMiss C. (letermined to ojien a school for their benefit, and ac- cordingly dismissed her white scholars, and gave public notice that on the 1st of A|)ril her school would be opened for " young ladies and little misses of color." The people of Canterbury, considering that this school would have a tendency to draw a despised class of persons to their village, and possessing their share of the feelings so common against the race, en- deavored to break up the school. For this purpose they appointed a number of committees to wail on Miss C. in order to dissuade her from the design. All their attempts were unsuccessful. At this peiiod, there being no law in Connecticut to prevent the education of colored per- sons coming from other states, a petition was drawn up, signed by a considerable number of petitioners, and sent to the Legislature, who granted the prayer of the petitioners, by passing an act prohibiting the instruction of colored persons from other states, in any schools except the common free schools and incorporated academies, w ithout the con- sent of the town in which such schools should be situated. The passage of this law, (May, 18;J:3,) was celebrated in Canterbury by ringing the bell and firing of cannon. About six weeks after the passage of the law, a suit was conunenced against Miss C. which resulted in her con- finement in the county jail at Brooklyn about a day, when bonds were given fur her appearance before the CouiUy Court. The case came finally before the Superior Court, where the constitutionality of the law which Miss C. had broken, was argued. The counsel on the part of Miss C. contendetl that the law was unconstitutional, for the con- stitution of the United States declares, " The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the sev- eral states." The judge on this case decided that colored persons were not citizens. "From the commencement of her school for colored girls, iMiss C. was subjected to a variety of insults and injuries, which, if not approved and countenanced by the more respectable inhabitants, were at least suffered to pass witli an impunity that would have hardly attended them, bad any other person been the injured party." Miss Crandall continued her school till after the decision above referred to, when she became united in marriage with a Baptist clergyman, and soon after the school was discontinued. Jonathan Carver, a celebrated traveler, was (it is believed) a native of this town. The following is from Allen's American Biographical Dictionary. "Jonathan C.iuvER, an enterpri.sing traveler, was a native of Connecticut, and ■was born in 1732. He lost his lather, who was a justice of the peace, when he was only five years of age. He was intended for the profession of medicine, which lie quitted for a military life. In the I'rench war he commanded an independent com- pany of provincials, m the expedition carried on acro.ss the lakes against Canada. He served with repiitalion till the peace of 17G3. After this he formed the resolution of exploring the most inieriur parts of Norili America, and of even penetrating to the Pacific Ocean, over thai broad part of the continent, which lies between the forty third and the forty sixth degrees of north latitude. As the English had come in pes- CANTERBURY. 4:23