Connecticut Historical Collections

The ahove is an eastern view of the central part of Roxhury, which is 32 miles northwest from New Haven, -K) from Hartford, and 15 from Litchfield. The Congregational church is seen on the right; the Episcopal church is seen farther westward, in the center of the engra- ving. Jt appears that some of the first settlers were three families hy the name of Baker, who located themselves ahout half a mile ahove the Episcopal church. Ahout '2i miles helow the church, a iiimily hy the name of Castle were the fast settlers. The (irst meeting house was huilt ahout one mile south of the present churches. Col. iScth IVnnwr, distinguished for his military services in the Amer- ican army which captured Burgoyne, was a native of this town. Hon. Nathan Smith, a Senator of Congress from this state, Gen. Ephraim Himnan, distinguished for his humor and originality of character, and lioyal R. llinman, Esq. the present secretary of this state, were all residents of this town. Secretary Hinman is the author and compiler of a work, consisting of letters from tlie kings and queens of J^iigland, with answers thereto; with other ancient and curious documents; a valuable publication, compiled from the ancient files in the department of state; and it is hoped that this laudable example will be followed in other states. 4SG S A I- I S 1! U R Y . The following is cniijed rroni a iiiniiunuMit in a grave yard north of llie Episcopal church :. In memory of Lieui. Thomas Weller, an officer in the United States army, who was murdered bv Aicliihald AV. Kiiapp, May IGlli, 181i, aged 25 years and I) mo. son of Thomas and Polly Weller. The circumstances respecting the death of Lieut. Weller, appear to be these. In the last war with Great IJritum, Ivnapp enlisted as a soldier. The time having arri- ved for him to march on to the lines, he refused logo; Weller, with three or four sol- diers, went to Knajip's residence in the lower part of New Milford, in order to take him by lorce. ivnapp meeting him at the door, told him lie had no ill will against him, but if he advanced any farther lowartls him he was a dead man. Weller disre- garding his threats, advanced to lake him. Kntipji then shot him in the groin, which caused his death in about fifteen uiiniites. Knapp made his ebcape into the stale of New York, where it is believed he now resides. It is stated that Knajip was arrested a i'ew yeahs since on arcoiuit of the above, but was rescued out of the hands of the olTicer by some sohlieis of an independent militia compan)', of which lie was a mem- ber, who were out on a miliiary review. S A L I S B U R Y . The principal part of the township of Sahsbury was sold by the gov- ernor and conijjany of the colony of Connecticut, in 1737, at Hartford. It had been surveyed and divided into 25 ri;^dits in 1732, being at that time known by the goverinnent only as wild, unlocated land. Three of the rights were appropriated to public purposes; one for the support of schools, one for the lirst settled minister, and one for the support of the ministry. The charter of the town was given in 1745. "After it was located, and before the charter was given, it was known to the gov- ernment by town JM. ]kfore this, it was known by no other than the Indian names JVcatog and Ousatonic. It took its name from a Mr. Salisbury, who livetl not far iVom the center of the town."* It appears that about the year 17'30, three lam dies came and settled in that part of the town called Weatoi:. These were, one family of Dutchers, one of Whiles, and one of V. in Dozens. While \s.is an JMii'lisliiiuin, but had lived with and become connected in niaiiiag(,' widi ihe Dutch. The oilier tvuj w.'re wholly of Dutch origin. About ihe year 1710, there were eleven iMigli.sh uiul live Uiitch families, whicli were settled in dill'erent jiarls of the town. There were four families of Whites in Wea- log; I'ebees, not lar from the falls; Lambs, at the forge in the hollow; Ilerveys, in the hollow; Newcombs, on the side (jf the mountain, east of the road that now leads from the hollow to Tuw a lull ; Woodworihs, at the ore bed; Aliens, on the road from the h.dlow to the meeting house ; and Baylies, at the meeting house. These were the English lamilics. The'Dutch were, two Dutchers, and one Van Do/en, at Wealog; Knickerbackers, at ihe stone house, on the Cornwall load; Cornelius Knickerbacker, at the furnace; and Jaecib Van Dozen, between the punds, in the north part of the town. The face of the township, at the jieriod of its iirsi settlement, wore rather an un- pleasant aspect. Ill every fall of the year, it was burnt over, to destroy the old grass and other vegetation, ami that there might be a fresh and tender crop the ensuing + Rev. J. W. Crossinaii's New Year's discourse, 1803. The facts respecting the first setllemeiil of this town weie derived from this source. " It is currently reported, and by good authority, (says IMr. Crossman,) that this Mr. Salisbury, after moving from here, had an unruly scr\aiit irirl who had run away from liiin; that he went after her, bound her wiih a rop-, and lied hei to his horse, then rocie so as to pull her down, and drawed her in such a ei nel manner that she died in consequence of the abuse. The matter was taken up in ihe state of iNew York, anil he, then in old age, was sentenced by the court to be hung when le' should be a hundred years old. About four years ago, he arrived to this ige. A reprieve was granted him for a certain time; and if he has not died latelv, hf is living lo ihis day." s A 1. 1 s « u u y . 4d7 year. Fires also were often mai.le to ring deer. Those iircs were matlc in a circular I'orm, and all the deer included were diiven by the lire to une place, where the hnnls- inen could easily kill them. A ring:, lor this |iurj)o.se, was made iii the northea.st part of the town, and the fire ran with such rapidity, that an Indian lad was^hul within the ring, overtaken by the fire, and burnt to drath. These buinings, with the ponds, mountains and clefts of rocks, made the face of nature appear foi bidding to tiio^e who were not apprised of the excellence of the s(,il. Salisbury is situatetJ in the norlliu'cst corner of the state ; bounded N. by the towns of INFount Wasliiniiton and Shellield in Massachusetts, E. by the Housatonic. separatinL,^ it frotii Canaan, s. by Sharon, and w. by the slate of New York. Its average length is 9 miles, and its breadth about GJ, comprising an area of about 58 stjuare miles. The face of the township is broken, consisting of elevated hills, ami deep and exten- sive valleys. ■ The valleys are generally limestone, and the hills granite. It is one of the best towns for grain in the state. It is also excellent land for grazing. Salisbury, in addition to its being one of the best agricultural towns in the state, is also much celebrated for its very rich and productive iron mines. Of these, the one known as the " Old Ore Mill," located two miles west of the fVcmscopommuc T^ake, has been worked since the year 1732. At that time, and for years afterwards, the ore was found lying near the surface of the eartli, and was carried off in considerable quantities by those who desired to make use of it. The site of the " Old Ore Hill" was owned by one Bissell, who obtained the grant several years before the town was incorporated. About the year 173^2, one Thomas Lamb obtained a grtmt ol'lilty acres of land, and erected the first forge built in Salisbuiy. ills grant w;is situated in the south- east part of the town, on Salmoti River, now called Lime liock. From that period until the present time, the demands upoti the " (JId Ore Hill" have been constant. AVithin the last ten or twelve years, from five to six thousand tons of ore have been dug annually. The ore is sold at the mine for ^'^ a ton. One dollar and tv.-enty five cents of this money is paid to the proprietors of the ore betl as a duty. The other dollar and seventy five cents belongs to the digger, from whose pit the ore is taken. The first fiu'nace erected at Salisbury was built about the year 17G''2, upon tlie outlet of the Wanscopommuc I^ake, two miles east of the " Old Ore Hill." It is one of the oldest establish- ments in the county, and was erected by IMessrs. Saintiel and l^lisha Forbes, Ethan Allen,* and a Mr. Hazeltlne. Dtirliig the llevolu- tionary war, caimon were manufactured at this furnace, fur government ; also cannon balls and bomb shells. f Col. Joshua Porter was at that time agent for the state of Connecticut, and stiperintended the castings. The large and inexhaustible quantities of iron ore found in Salisbury, and the abundant supply of wood for charcoal, and other matcuals nectssaiy for smelling the ore, together with the superior (luality of u'on, iniroilueed other manufactures; and * The hero of Ticonderoga. The articles of agreement entered into by tlioe gen- tlemen are still extant upon the records of the town. t The guns on board the U. S. frigate Constitution, nscd by Com. Truxton, in the capture of the French frigate L'insurgenle, were manulactured at the ok! fninace in Salisbury. The Salisbury iron has been, and is still used extensively in the U. States' and private armories. 488 S A I. I S 15 U U Y iron has conlinuecl from that lime the staple commodity of tlie town. I'hcre are al prebent in Salisbiiiy, 4 blast furnaces, 5 forf,'es, with 20 fii 2 puddling eslablisi 1 screw siiop, 1 aaclair shop, 2 sythe manufactories, 1 hoe inaniUactory, ments, 2 trip hammers, 2 cupola or pocket furnaces, for small ..... ,,, castings. From 5 to 000,000 bushels of charcoal are annually consumed at the different estab- lishments. The puddling furnaces require liom 2 to 3,000 cords of wood annually. The number of workmen employed in the different processes of preparing the materi- al and manufacturing the iron, amount in all to about 500 men. The furnaces pro- duce annually from 2,000 to 2,500 tons of pig iron. The forges and puddling estab- lish • ^ ' for anc Salisbury is well known to manufacturers, and stands a the country.