Connecticut Historical Collections

Wolcottville, the principal village in the town of Torrington, is sit- uated in a valley near the southern boundary of the town, at the junc- tion of the two branches of the Waterbury or Naugatuc river, 26 miles from Hartford, 40 from New Haven, and 17 from the New Haven and Northampton canal at Avon. The village consists of about 40 dwelling bouses, a handsome Congregational church, a three story brick build- ing, used as a house of worship by various denominations, (also used for an academy,) 4 mercantile stores, 2 taverns, post office, and an ex- tensive woolen factory. The engraving shows the appearance of the \V A R 11 I'. N . W A S H I N 0 T 0 N . 497 village from the Ilarlford tiinipike, looking westward. The Congrega- tional church stands at the northern exticniity of the village, but owing to the limited extent of the engiaving, it couKl not be introtluced. The brick building used for a house of worship is on the left, over which is seen the Litchfield turnpike, passing over the heights westward. The woolen factory is the large building with a spire. This factory went into operation in 1813. One of tlie principal owners was the late Oli- ver ^Vo!cott, Esq. formerly governor of the state: the village owes its rise principally to this establishment. A short distance westward of tho factory, an establishment for the manufacture of brass is now erecting: it is believed to be the only one of the kind at present in the United States. W A R R E N . Wahren was formerly a ])art of Kent. It was incorporated as a town in 1786. It is bounded n. by Cornwall, e. by Litchdeld, s. by Washington, and w. by Kent. Its average length from north to south is five miles, and its average breadth about four miles and a half. The township is hilly and mountainous, and its rocks and soil are of a granitic character. The agricultural productions are grass and some grain. Butter and cheese are n)ade, and beef and pork raised by the inhabitants. The town is watered by the Shepaug, a branch of the llousatonic. Ramiiaug pond, a considerable body of water, is situated partly in this town, and partly in Washington. The pojiulation of the town in ISIO was 1,096; inl 830 it was re- duced to 9fi(). The central part of the town is S miles west from Litchfield, 38 li'om Hartford, and -15 from iXew Haven. WASHINGTON. Washington was incorporated by the General Assembly in 1779. Judea, the first society in tliis town, was incorporated by the General Assembly in 1741 ; before this period it was included in the ecclesias- tical society of Woodbury. The first settlement in the limits of Ju- dea was made by Joseph Hnrlburt, about the year 173'1. " The first sermon preached in this society was by ]Mr. Isaac Baldwin, of Litch- field, who afterwards relinquished the ministry, and became the first clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in the county of Litchfield. All the inhabitants attended on this occasion, and were accommodated in a small room in IMr. Ilurlburt's dwelling house. The Rev. Reuben Judd, the first minister settled in this society, was ordained Sept. 1st, 1742. The ordination was attended in a grove, and the first church was formed, consisting of 12 male members, on the same day. The same year, the first church was built, by eight propri- etors. The second church w"as raised in 1751. In July, 1800, tiiis church was set on fire by an insane man, named David Titus ; but by 63 49S WASHINGTON. a seasonable tliscoveiy and the exeitions of tbe people, the flames were extinguished williin an hour. In April, 1801 , the same building was again set on fire by llie same man, it being unknown till tiiis time thai he did the mischief before. The fire was put in the steeple about midnight, and had made such prcjgress before it was discovered,, that no exertions were made to extinguish it. Tlie people were scarcely al)le to preserve the neighboring buildings from destruction. As no alarm could be given by the bell, many of the inhabitants, and some within half a mile, were ignorant of the disaster till the next morning. Washington is about 10 miles fiom Litchfield, and is 40 miles s. w. from Hartford, bounded n. by Warren, w. by New Milford and Kent, j:. by Litchfield and Bethlem, and s. by Woodbury and Roxbury. Its average length from north to south is about 7 miles, and its breadth more than 5. A large part of this town is elevated and mountainous. Limestone abounds in n)any of the \alleys. Several quarries of mar- ble have been worked, fiom which considerable (juantiiies have been raised. Iron ore has been found in various places. Ochre, fuller's earth, and white clay, have also been found. 'J'lie town is watered by the Shejjaug river, a brancli of tin,' llousatonic, which passes ihrougb the whole length of the town, di\iding it into two nearlv equal parts. The town is divided into two socictirs, .liidLa ;mii i\ew Preston. There is in Judea, or Washington, as it is called, about two miles southeast of the center, a place called " Steep Jlock." From the top of this eminence, which is easy of access, the beholder has one of the most iiiter(.'sting and beautiful prospects in the state. The scene presents an area, in the form of an amphitheater, the sides of which are covered with a dense forest. The Slie[)aug river is seen flowing in a beautiful circle at the base of the blull'. AVitbin the circle of the river, there are several cultivated fields, alFording a beau'iful landsca])e to the be- holder. 'I'liis iiiuii luis lii-i'ii ill.' llu'aUT o[' I uc .if il;o iiicisi iiiiici.ius niiuil.-is ov.t coininil- U'll ill N.'W iMi-laiul. 'I'ho iniiitlrrri uas a man, or laihci ru'ii.i, by iIil- name ol' liar- iicU Diivciipoi-i. J''roiii Ins own iMiili >>iiiii, ii a|i|)rai> iliat Ins parentage and caily etlucauoii WLMc exueily liiioil lu juimIih c I, is uil'kiiI lih' and liis uai^icaleiid. Uniti- toiLHl and iiniusnained by jiaienial -.r, nnnuni. he was left lo grow up al random. In llie inurning ul'lit"e,nu uniraliiy wa.s inculeaied upon bini, and nosen.se ol'ielii^ioii, eiilierliy piecept or e.xaniple. On llie i;onuary, lie was, (luni caily years nnpnnei- ))led, profane, and impious. Jk'fore he was nine years old, lie was"e.\pei t in eiirsing and swearing;, and an adcpl in inisrhiel'. At It years he lie.^an lo pilfer. All!! lie stole money. Al 15 he enlerlained ihoiights of murder, :ind rapidly waxed Jiaider and bolder'in wiekedness. At 10, he acluallv innrdered a larnily in cold blood. A.s a friendless wanderin.^' slian;;er, he was tak'en into tin- house of Mr. Caleb IMalloiy, and treated with the ulinosl Iciiuiiiess, in DtT.'niLKT, 177:». Srareely two months Iniil elapsed, before the mnidL-r wa.> detLTinmed on. 'I'he ni-ht of l\-h'. 3d, I7>S(), was ii.x- cd onto execute the lioirid purp^^e. Willi a Inait hard as adamant, he li-hled a candle, went inlo ihe lo(l'_;inL; room ot his bcnefaeiors, and beal them lu death wiili a club. A little ,<,Maiidcliild bcin,:,' wilh its giand parents shaied the same lale, and two Ollier.s were left in a slhiiuI sleep to perish in ilie Ihunes. llavin;^' kindled ,i tire in three uf the rooms, he lied, after robbiir.; the house of its mosi valuable arlieles. linl from an accusin- eonscienee. and fioiu ihe hand of pisin r, \Hiieli followed hard upon his.slep.s, he was unable lo llee. lie was lakeuauid eAecuied al f.Uehlii Id lu ihe May ensauijj. r ■ 'i' V \V A T I:: 11 T O W N . 199 \V A T E R T () \V N . Wateutown was roniicily a parish in Wateibiiry, b}' llic name of Westbiiry. It was incorpuiated as a town in 1780. It is boundeil n. by Litcblield, e. by the Naugatiic livci', sei)araling it from Plymouth, w. by Belhlem antl Woodbury, anil s. by lAliddlebury and Wateibury. It is about Gi miles in leni^'tli, and 4 in bicadth. The township is gen- erally uneven, or rather hilly ; but some sections are level. The pre- vailing soil is a dry gravelly fertile loam, and best atlaptcd to grazing, but the different grains conmiou to this part of the country are culti- vated. Steel's Brook, a sprightly stream, passes through the central part of the town, and for u mile below and some di-.lance above the center of the town, a chain of rich meadows, though small in extent, border the sides of this stiL'am. i^fcrt^vE-..'^! 'A' '■ 'r.^#f uTnf #^ Northeastern view of Itafcrtown, {central part.) The above is a northeastern view of the Congregational and Episco- pal churches in Watertown. There is a little cluster of houses a few rods south of the churches, which are not seen in the engraving. It is stated that there was a very large quantity of lieavy timber used in the construction of the Congregational church seen in the engraving. The builders were obliged to get assistance from //I'C towns, in order to raise it. This place is 10 miles s. i;. from Fjiichfield, oO from Hartford and 26 from New Haven. The town was hrst settled about three miles north of the churches, and about half a nule west of the Litchfield road. The first family or families, were of the name of Guernsey or Gariisey, from IMilford. It was considered such an undertaking, at that ])eriod, that prayers were put up for their safe arrival, he. This town lias been noted for the size of its forest trees. It is said that one of the first settlers, having no shelter for the night, peeled ofl'the bark of one of the trees he had felled, and laid clown upon the inside. In the 500 W A T E R T 0 \V N