Connecticut Historical Collections

The cut on page (>7 shows the central part of the llourishin gvillagc of New JJritain. The jMethodist church, a plain building with 4 win- dows on the west end, is seen nearly in the central part of the engraving, eastward of which is seen the brass fiictory of Messrs. North &t Stan- ley, 4 stories in height. The farthermost mountains seen in the dis- tance are eastward of Connecticut river, being the eastern boundary of the great valley of the Connecticut. The village, which has been built up within about a dozen years past, is situated around the border of what was formerly a kind of swamp, which by draining he. is now become quite valuable. New l>ritain contains about 1,500 inhabitants. The village contains 3 houses of worship ; 1 Congregational, I Methodist and 1 Baptist. There are 45 factories in the society, principally brass facto- ries ; upwards of 700 hands are employed, and about 050,000 dollars capital invested. The latitude of the village, as ascertained by E. H. Burritt, Esq. is 41° 40' ; longitude, 72° 53' \V. Distance from Hart- ford 10 miles s. w. and 28 irom New Haven. Dr. Dwii^Iit. R E U I, I N . 67 N. IV. view of JS'civ .Britain, [ctuiral [lurt.) "Major JojintJian Hart was a native of this town. He was a gal- lant and distinguished officer, and one of the victims of the unfortunate defeat of Gen. St. Chiir, Nov. 4th, 1791. His life and those of his command, were literally offered a sacrifice for the safety of the rest of the army. When all were in confusion and dismay, Major Hart was ordered to charge the enemy with the bayonet, with a view to facilitate a retreat, or rather a fliglit, to the shattered remains of the army. This charge was made with gallantry and spirit, under circumstances which language is too feeble to describe ; the desolation of the place; the con- fusion of the scene ; the whoops and yells of a savage foe, flushed with victory, and thirsting for blood ; the general consteiT.atFon which pre- vailed, and the groans of the dying in every direction. -But the intre- pid I\Iajor, and almost every man of his party, were killed in the des- perate enterprise, and their bones were left to bleach upon the borders of the waters of the Wabash, the dreary abode of wild beasts and * sav- age men more wild than they.' " The following are copied from monuments in the burying ground, N. E. from the village of J\e\v Britain. In memory of the Rev. John- S.mali.ky, D. D. fust pnstor of tlie church in this Soci- ety. Born in Lebanon, Conn. June 4th, 173-1, ordained April lOtli, 175H. Died June 1st, 1820, JE. 8G. Possessed oTa strouic and penetrating mind, improved hy laborious study; he zealously devoted liimseUtothe cause of religion, alter many years of faith- ful services, he lell asleep in Jesus. To his talents and Piety, his writings have erect- ed a monument more durable than marble. Simeon Lincoln, by profession a Printer, died Oct. 5th, 1823, Aged 33. Why then iheir loss deplore that are not lost ? Why wanders wretcheil thought their tombs around in infidel distress 1 What though short his date 1 Virtue, not rolluig Suns, the mind matures, That life is long that answers life's great end. The man of wisdom is tiie mau of years. 68 li L 0 0 M F I E I- D B L O O ]\I F I E L D . Bloomfield was incorporated as a town in 1S35. It was formerly the parish of Wintonhury in Windsor, and derived its name it i^s said, from the circumstance of the jiarisli being formeil from three towiis, viz. Windsor, Farminglon, and Simshury ; the name Win-ton-bury being derived from a part of the name of each of these three towns. At the period of the first settlements on Connecticut river, the Windsor peo- ple sent out a number of men to explore the tract, since Wintonbury. These men returned, and reported that there was good land suflicient for the maintenance of tlu-ee families. Bloomfield is bounded n. by Wind- sor, vv. by Simshury, s. by Hartford, and k. by Windsor. On the eastern bounds of the town there is a forest extending the whole length of the township; it is about li miles in width from east to west. The town averages about 4 miles in length and breaihh, and contains about 1,400 inhabitants. The face of the township is gently undulating ; the soil is good, and produces large ci'ops of grass. This place is celebrated for the excellence of its huit, a considerable quaniity of which is annu- ally raised. The irdiabitants are generally agriculturists, and remarka- bly free from the e\ils cjf litigation. iSouth view oj' the Congngudoiuil Church in Bloomfield. The above is a representation of the Congregational church, and some other buildings in the immediate vicinity. This place, which is consid- ered the central part of the town, is about 6 miles from Hartford, and about 4^ miles in a direct line from Connecticut river. ""J'here are three houses of worship in the town : 1 Congregational, 1 Baptist and 1 Meth- odist. The Baptist church is situated about 40 or 50 rods eastward, and the Methodist church perhaps twice this distance westward of the Congregational church seen in the engraving. The Congregational CI O O O O O church was built about the year 1800, the steeple or tower is, however, of modern construction : this building, which is the second house, stands on the site of the first tneeting house. The burying giound is a few- rods north. The first person bmied in the yard was a young woman, the daughter of Isaac Skinner, one of the first settlers. C K I S T O L . 69 BRISTOL Bristol was formerly a parish in the town of Farniini^rton, by the name of New Cambridge. It was incorporated as an independent soci- ety in 1747, and as a town in 17S5. It is bounded n. by Burlington, E. by Farmington, w. by Plymouth, and s. by Wolcott and South- ington. It is 5^ miles in length from north to south, and 5 in breadth. The surface of the town is uneven and hilly, and the soil is a gravelly loam, and considerably fertile, producing all kinds of grain, grass, and fruit common to this region. Iron and copper ore have been discovered in some places in the limits of the townsliip. This is a manufacturing town, and the inhabitants are distinguished for their enterprise -and in- dustry. There are at present sixteen clock (iictories, in which nearly 100,000 brass and wooden clocks have been manufactured in a single year. The manufacture of buttons is also carried on in this place. IVc6tcni view of Brhtol. The principal part of the village is built at the base of a circular hill, the buildings being mostly on a road which passes round the hill, in somewhat the sha[)e of a semicircle. The most conspicuous building seen in the engraving, with a small square tower, is the Methodist church, erected in 1335. To the right of this in the distance, and on the summit of the hill, is seen the Congregational church. The Epis- copal churcli is situated on the northern descent of the hill : it is seen on the left, near the forest. The Baptist church is on the road passing by the Methodist church, a little distance to the south. This place is IGJ miles from Hartford, 28 from New Haven, 17 from Litchfield, and 5 to the .nearest point on the New Haven and Northampton Canal. The nuuiber of inhabitants in the town in ISIO, was l,l-23; the num- ber at present is estimated to be 2,500. 70 BUnLINGTON. CANTON. The Rev. Samuel IVcwell a])pcars to have hecn the first minister settled in this place. The follow ing is the inscription on his monument. " Here lyelli iiilened ihe hmly of ye Uev. S.umiki, Ni:\s j:i.l, A. M. lulcpaslor oClhe Church olChiisl in New Caiiiluul-e. AGenlleinan urguod Genius, sulkl juilj^ment, SDUiid in ihe Failh, A lerveul and expeiiuK-nlal Treacher, ol' unall'ecled Piety, kinclebt otllusband.s, leiideie.sl ul' i-'iilheis, the lje.^l of Fiieiids, and an oniaineut of I'he Minis- try. And liaviii^' served his j^eneialion faithfully, by the will of God, with serenity and calmness he fell on sleep Feb. ye 10, ilb'J, in the 7iJtli year of his age, and the l^d of his niiuistry. "Death! Great Projjrietor (d' all ! 'tis thine To ireatl out llnipires, and to (iueiieh ye ^tais." ]3URLINGT0N. Burlington oiiginally helonj^a-d to Farmington, and was forijierly known hy the name of West Britain ; It was at the first called JVtst JVoods. Previous to its liicorporatiou as a town in 1806, it was within the limits of Bristol. It is 17 miles west fi-om TIarllbrd, and about 36 from New Haven, bounded n, by ]\ew Hartford and Cantot), k. by Farinint^ton and Avon, w. by Harwlnton, and s. by Bristol. It is about six miles in length from north to south, and five in breadth. The township is diversified with hills and valleys ; the soil is a gravelly loam, on granite rocks, yielding grain, particularly rye and oats. The itdiab- itants are principally engaged in agriculture. The population of the town In 1830 was 1,401. The Farmington river passes through the northeastern part of the town. There are 2 houses for public worship, 1 for Congregationalists and 1 for Methodists. The eastern part of the town was first settled by a family of the name of Strong, who were froin Farmington ; the northern part by a family of Pettibones from Simsbury ; the western part by persons by the name of Yale, Lewis and Wlard ; the south part by families by the name of Biinel and Smith from Cheshire. The first minister in the place was the ]lev. Jonathan Miller from Torringfurd ; he preached in this place about forty years ; he died tlirce or fi)iu' years since. About thirty years since there was a society of Seventh day Btipllsts in this ])lace; at that period they consisted of about twenty i'lve families, who were mostly from Rhode Island or the eastern part of Connecticut ; they had a INIr. Davis for their first minister, and jMr. Stlllman for their last. They erected a house of worship, which is still standing. The society is nearly extinct, there being it is believed but one member now living: this person Is an aged woman. The Methodists built their meeting house about twenty five years since. It formerly stood about 2.} miles s. w. of its present loca- tion ; it was removed to where it now stands in 1835.