Connecticut Historical Collections

Nathaniel Richards Thomas Barns Tliomas Bliss, sen. George Sioekin Ihomas Lord, sen. John Morns Richard Bmler ^'homas (Jridlev Benjamin Munn John Gennings AVilliain iloliou William Westlev Andrew Warner John AVarner William Mills Richaid Watts Thomas Scott William Heaton George Hubbard John Stone Wi lam Pantry Thomas AVoodford Richard Risley Samuel Stone William Rusco William Pratt Giles Smith AVill.am .Spencer John Taylcoait AVilliam Lewis Thomas Seldcn Geor-e Steele Richard Goodman John Brunson Ru hard Lyman Edward Lay Matthew Marvin AVilliam AVadsworth John AVhiie John Cullet lunothy Siandly Stephen Hart Thomas Bliss, jr. Samuel AVakeman E( ward Stebbm:-^ Zachariah Field Thomas Osiner AVidow Richard-- John Pratt James Cole John Arnold Mrs. DorotheChester AViUiam Parker John Gierke Paul Peck Clement Chapling Total, 127. 48 11 A RTF 0 n 1), A PLAN OF MAIN STRKKT, HARTFOIH), SIIO\VI\n THE niTII.PTXr.S AND OCCUPANTS AT THE I'lililOU OF Tin; AMI-.HKAN KEVOMITlUN. Burr Sl.\^l [a J..st|'li Talrolt, '/"rea^'i^r Jonathan Wailsworlli," .S'ea Caf.tain. g i^iuuucl Talcclt, Muichant. y Col. Talcutt's Store, a Cdtton Mvirray's Tuvcrn. n Duiiiul Oloull's C'ouper's shop. ~v Dr. Lcmuol Hopkins. »' Dr. Eliakim Fish. ■ Zacheriah Pratt, Panner. t Thuiuns Sloaiir-'s Blac/^miiitl^'s shop. -a Win. Pralt, Farmer. „ Jii.st'iih I'rall, I'liniicr. a Samu(;l Wuilsworth, Fanner an, I .SV,( Capt. -q in.ivi'l Hull'.- '/\trcrn. tl Juniis Chur.li. Mirrhanl. J John NfViK.s, Cuuptrund JJutc/.ir._m_ IfavnrsLord.^ OUT Cove, .\/,„t inul.nr. « Ebonezer Au.stiri'.s Uhlilsmith's s/iup.-a r,,ni,',--.s C.'anrl shuij. e }Jain.:s .Mo(,kl,,|-, Ilar/.cr. m .Sr/iuul house, a First Sociely Meeting house. -'^ Jirown, Chair maker. - Q Stoplicn All:. till, Tailor, a Capt. IIookiT. D Watson's Pi uitini; ojuc. a William SiaiiK-. U "Pclatiah Picrci^ Fai a- Col. SainmlT.ilcutt. q -William Moscly, Esqr. a- Dr. John Eiidicolt. ■ - Tiiiiolhy Phelps, Cabinet maker. ■ • l^ichard f^hl■pllcrll, Tailor. ■ Dr. J.'pson anil Jiulge Root. ■ --<',ipl Cahl, I!, 111. ■ -I>,. AlolTlSMli. .a^-i;,,.,^;r .-niiil,, ,V6fi Captain. S Court House. n~\h. i\h.-l.paji,,l a ■ llr. Hr/.,l;lah Mcrrils.^T a Su>v liiill.;r's. ■ Joio'i Chiiii-vard, S>a Captain.-' a ■J'l.oiiia.s llupkiiiK, i,'ea Captain. a /V./;S" Tafcrn. B Si.ph.n Mi.Trs, Various Trades. ■ ■ D.aniii i:;'.ra CoiiiiNi;, SIioc maker ffl Col, Wadswoiih. H Uriijaiiiin I'ayne, Esijr. Laxryer. ■ Janu.s Caldwi-ll, Sea Captain. Widow nc]ipy Scyiiioiir or Skiiinpr._ .^ ["■'"'Eli Litti.'jA yj/^, iliL'id, Shoe jnaker. %Mnsc.-i lUitler'.s Tavern.- Sanmcl Howard, Farmer. Thomas Seymour, E.-.ir. Lawi/er.- I'.K ...•. \\hll,u:in I.-aac To. I,. 1 l:.,i,;....,.uh. (ihl.ou IIkiut's house. Elislia Ihuiihaiii's lllaei.s-r.ilh's shop. South Meitiut; house] Parson Iluckiii^'haiii.. Dr. Jepson.. Parsonage house.. VVai. Adams' Shoe maker's shop. South Green. Dr. Ihill, and Rev. Ahrnham Hoacli, Episcc^- pal minister. Old Will Ho.k.r, Jlutcheranii lUacksrnilh. . lliiiht...ia h.H^r. l-C,,. ,• /i.u.^-. I — .\aiou Hull, ,Sea Captain and Shoe maker. n\ -Caiit. Daniel Slieldon, Fanner. r^Ainos Hinsdale's Taver was called the " Bunih. of Grapes Tavern," ' Killfid at the takim; of ISurnovnc. I This was the ino:,t noted t.a.'iu in Hartfoi . from tlie carving (jf a Ijiiinh ol L:ia|ii s ii.-.d as } Mooklar was an Iii.slmMh ; iii.' ru-.-,t luuiiin^' oilhe in llartlonl, was in a chamber over his sliop. § The seven copper ehiO met at tin.-, t uerii, so call.d, noin the ainuuiit which each member spent on the evening they not, viz. i^ereji eopjin.,-^ loi- h,,|| a inu'; ol' Ili|i. This club consisted of elderly ui-n, who met to leani the news, Ae. ;\lr. Uuil.r k. pt a vi rv nspeeialde lavern; he would not sulti-r any of his customers who resided m lowii lo lemaiii in his bouse all. r <J o'clock at nislit ; if they asked lor any more Inpior all.r ih, y hail , hank llieir lull mii-, his reply was, "No, you sha'nl have another drop! g.j home to your lamilies." II A t^colchinan. r Fusi Car,hier of the Harlfoid IJaiiU " A Frenchman. H A 11 T F (» 11 D . 49 In forniiiif^ the foiei:;nlii<; plan of Main street llie author had the assistance of FredL'iick Biiller, A.M. of >Vetl)ers(iel(l, (fornierly u resident of Hartford.) iMr. James llosnier, (now in the 85lh year of his age,) Mr. Asa Francis, and Mr. Gijorj^^e Goodwin, the senior editor of the Connecticut Courant, one of the oldest and most resi^eciable journals |)rii.ited in the Stale. Mr. Goodwin is now in the eightieth year of his age, and has been engaged in printing the Courant upwards of seventy years. Jlc conniienced his apprenticeship with Mr. Gi'een, at the age ol" eight or nine years, in his ofllce over Mooklar's barber's shop, tlie first printing oliice in llartf(jrd. Mr. G. notwithstanding his advanced age, still continues in the active discharge of his duties as j)iinter and publisher (jf the Cuinant, and in him is seen the example of a long ami useful lile, and the lienelicial eliect of acquiring, when young, correct and industrious habits. The first new-year's verses [trinted in Hartford, were composed by John Ledyaid, afterwards the celebrated traveler. Mi. Goodwin, then a lad, performed the duties of cari-ier about town. Two lines only of these verses are recollected, viz. : " As is innii's liff, so is ilic fiisl (jT Jannnry, Siiurl, llci'Uii.i,', ;uj(l cuinLik'tL-ly niuiiichtaiy." Ijcdyard is described by Mr. James llosmer (who was well ac(|naintcd with him) as a short, stout man, with a head of an uncommon size, large gray eyes, had a fearless indejiendent way wiiji him, and taken as a whole, was singular in his appearance. Tiie canoe in which he came down h'om Daitmoulli Cullogi-', was a large log hollowed out, and about sixty feet in length. " When llutrord was first sellled," says Dr. AVebster,* "the main stied was laid out \'ei'y wide, and nearl) a mile in length. At each end a fort was built : thai al tlie noilh eml was near tin; house now oc- cupied by the descendants ol' Col. Talcott ; that al ilie somli was on or near the side i<l" the late south scdiool house, at the forks of the road — one leading lo N\\-lherslie|il, iIk; oilier to l'\niningt()n. The garrison could see from one foit lo the oiher. The- land east of Front stieet was called the Little jMrti/luic\ and being cleared or moi'e valuable than the upland, it was divided amoni: all I he settlers, each !!a\'ing a small part. The |uincipal men hail liom three to four acres each, and others less. " The Dut(di fort was erected at the mouth of the Little river, on the south side. When I was )'oung, 1 saw somi,' of the bricks which had been brought Iroin Holland, which were washed out of the banks of the (Jonneciicut. 'I'he riser has since worn away the banks beyond the site of the lort." ♦ The vpiifialili,' Noah Wclisiei', U^. IX, new in the 7Hih year of his age, is a nnio'e dl' Wcsi llaiiluiil, and nuw a lesnlcnt ut' New Haven. Fium his yinilh his lile liashiLMi di'MiieJ Ui literal v |iui.siiils. His i-lementary works for ihe instrurlion of yoiiih are of ihefii.-i cnh-i. The "Anieman Diclionniy of ihe En^^lish Lan- i;nai,'e,'' is a nuMe iimijiiiik-iii uf ihi' imliisli y ami reseaieh ol lis anihur, and an honor lo his counliy. Aliluni-h it iimv ha\ e iiiei', and ma v slill imcl w lih some ofi|ios)lion, yel it IS lifiievd ih.' Will U is drsimed lu survive alj lin; atlacK'Sof its enemies, and ho received by posteiiiy as ii rich legacy. 7 . 50 H A U T F () U I) . " Tlie main street was narrowed in this manner: persons petitioned the town for license to erect shops on the highway, and their requests being granted, shoj^s were built, and afterwards other buildings were erected on the same line in front. This street was originally wet or swarnpy land, and in wet weatlier the mud was very deep. This con- tinued to be the case down to the year 1790 or '1)1, when the town voted to cover it with stone, and annually api)ropiiated a tax of four pence on the pound for that purpose for several years." After the Revolution, Hartford became tlie residence of a number of the most celebrated poets of the day. Among the most distinguished was Trumbull, (the author of Mc Fingal) Barlow, Hopkins and Dwigiil. The vein of satire and wit which appeared in many of their [)roduc- tions, derived for them the api)ellation of " the Hartford Hiis." The Annrchiad was published in portions, in the Connecticut Mag- azine, during the years 1786 and 1787. Dr. Hopkins was the projec- tor of this work, and had considerable share in writing it. " It was a mock critical account of a pretentled ancient e|)ic poem, interspersed with a ntmiber of extracts from tlie supposed work. By a fable con- trived with some ingenuity, this poem is represented as known to the ancients, and read and imitated by some of the most popular modern poets. J3y this supposition, the utmost license of parody and imitation is obtained, and l)y the usual poetical machinery of ejnsodes, visions and prophecies, the scene is shifted backwards and forwards, fiom one country to another, from earth to heaven, and from ancient to modern times. This plan is filled up with great spirit ; the bumoious is indeed much better than the serious part, but both have merit, and some of the parodies are extremely ha|)py. The political views of the authors were to support those designs which were then forming for an efficient federal Constitution."* This poem had an extensive circulation through the country, anil had considerable inlluence upon the public mind.