Connecticut Historical Collections

" Tontonimo then proposed to make sati^factiijn by the payment of wampum ; hut it was refused. 'J'hcy fell however in their liemands to six men, instead often. This pro[iosition was rejected by Tontonimo. The magistrates then urged him to deliver iij) the murderer. This he promised to do. l>ut, while the subject was in agitation, he privately withdrew from the court, with the n.^t of the Podunk sachems; anil retired to the fortre-s belonging to his mition. IJoth the mai^istrates and the comphiiiiants, wer.; ollendcd b) ibis behavior of Tontonimo. However, the m,i!;i tiale.s appointee! a enminillee, [o persuade the Indi- ans i(j c(jntinue at peace \\\[\\ each olher. At their solici-..alion Uncas at length consented to accept the murtierer, and promised to be satisfied, if he sliould be delivered up; but the Podunk Indians told the Eni^lish that tliey could not comply with this condition, because the friends of Weaseapano were numerous and powerful, and would not agree to the proposal. ' The Governor then addressed them in form ; urging them to continue in peace, and endeavoring to persuade the complainants to ac- cept of wampum. This they again refused, and withdrew ; after it had been agreed on all hands, that the English should not take any part in the controversy ; and after the Indians had promised, that they wouhl not injure either the persons or possessions of the English, on either side of the river. ^ " Soon after, Uncas assendded an army for the purpose of avenging his wrongs. JJut being met near lloccanum river, by an e([ual number Trumbull's Ili.stor E A ST II A n T F O l\ T) , of the Podunlcs, and considering the issue ofa battle as doubtful, he jiru- dently retired, aflei' having sent a iiiesi.age to Tontonimo,^in which he declared, that if the Podunk sachem persisted in withholding the mur- derer from justice, he would send to the jNIohawks, to come and destroy both him and his |KH)ple. " Not long after, the crafty IMoheagan accom])Hshcd his purpose in the following manner. He sent a trusty warrior, furnished with some IMohauk weapons, to Podunk ; directing him to set hre in the night to a house near the fort, and then to leave the weapons on the ground in the vicinity, and immediately return. The wariior executed his com- mission. When the Podunks came in the morning to examine the ruins, they found the weapons ; and, knowing them lo belong to the Mohawks, were so alarmed with the apprehension thitt Ihicas u as about to execute his threat, that they delivered up the mui'deiei-, anil siujd for peace."* The Hon. JVilHctm Pitlcin, the ancestor of the Pitkin fiimily of this town, emigrated frou) the county of Middlesex, Eng. and settled here in 1659. He was by profession a lawyer, and also one of the principal planters of the town. In 160 J, he received the appointment of king's- attorney for the colony. He died in 1(594, after having filled various and important ollices, distinguished for his viiiues and abihties. He had a sister who emigrated soon after him to this country, who it is said possessed uncommon vigor of mind and many fine accomplishments. She married Simon, the youngest son of Henry Wolcott, was mother of the first Governor Wolcott, and grandmother of Oliver Wolcott and Roger Gi'isuold, governors of Connecticut, and also great grandmotlier of llie late lion. Oliver Wulcoli, of Litchfield. ^J^'here have been a number of distinguished individuals of the name of William Pitlcin in this town, one of whom was governor of the State, who was distin- guished for his vigf)iou3 uuileist;mding and integrity; he died in 17(i9, while holding the ollice of governor. His son, the Hon. nUliain I'it- Liti, was in Hod appointed major of the Connecticut forces, raised for the expedition against Canada. He served through the campaign un- der General Abercrombie. and acquired the reputation ofa faitliful and gallant officer. He was a member of the Council during the Revolu- tionary war, and for the greater part of the war he served as a member of the Council of Safety. He died in 1769. CinnccticuL Conrunt, Sept. lOL't, n77, No. 518. On llic ITili lilt, at ;•;</.</ If.u.'for,!, sallied from llie Lium Tavern and its ilepcmlen- cies, a cuijjs oT IciiialL' iiilaiiiiv, of iwciily rank and lile, with a llaiik^uaid of three chosen ^pirilb of the male line; and marching' westwanl about one mile in mfiriial ariay and excellent order, savins,' stride and gabble. These aliaekeii and carried wilh- ont opposition from powder, law oieonscienee. Air. Pitkin's store, in which wa.s lodged a quantity of .Migai desii^ned lur tlio arniv, of which they plundered and bore away in triumph CIS Ibv A iraveliii;^' <,'eiiiK man I'allinj^ m with their rear, who ihey mistook lor llie owner of the spoils, was aliarlce.1 and drove with great fury; but being well mounted, made his escape. The whole was completeil in two houis, ami without loss of blood, e-xcepl fr.im a few accidental scratches of side arms nmleisltiiig wn bout scab- bard * l>r. 1) wight's Tiavels, Vol. '^ TG V. A S T W I N 1) S O II , That so unexampled a spirjt of iierdisin may not want due notice and encuiij-age- ment, it is piupused ihai llns lorps be au^^niLiiied h)' vohmtaiy eiilisinicnl to a Lailal- ion, I'oi llie.iant;iiif; service in ihe noriliein (l(iiaiiin( nt, to I J in the iiniloim of iille Jrorks, and the snug Scoicli kill, und allowed, besides perquisites and plnndir, a ^'^nc- luus bounty un SL-alps, and a tine new standard with an elet^ant devieeul'a Ilkiv invert- ed, ai)d to be eoiiunvl'ided by llie eelebratcd Maddcnuc tic la ,Mtll llohb Cni; Sciatch. EAST WINDSOR East VVindsor was originally iiicliidud uiiliin the tinoieiit bounda- ries of Windsor. Fear of the Indians appears to have prevented any settlement in litis town on the east side of the Connecticut till ICSO.* By this time the Indian power in New England was eflectnally broken, by the death of . King l^hilip in 1676. Althongh the Windsor and River Indians |)rofessed themselves neitter in Philip's war, yet numbers of their young men stole away and never returned. In 1G95, the set- tlers of East Windsor formed themselves into an ecclesiastical society, and Mr. Timothy Edwards, the father of the celebrated divine, was ordained their minister. Previous to this, the inhabitants for fifteen years passed the river in boats, in order to attend worship on the wasX side. In 1768, j'^^ast Windsor was incorporated as a town, and con- tained at that period four parishes, viz. 1st Society or East AVindsor, ad Society or Scantic, Ellington and \Vapping. East Windsor is bounded n, by Enfield, v.. by Ellington and Ver- non, s. by East Hartford and ftlanchestcr, and w. by Connecticut river. It is abotit 10 miles in length, and ttverages upwards of 5 in breadth, Tbe face of the town is generally level. \u the western pari of the town ibere are extensive tracts of sandy loatri, which are light, warm, and fertile ; in tbe eastern part a rich gravelly loam getierally prevails. Upon the borders of Connecticut river there are natural meadows, whici) comprise more than 2,000 acres of the finest of land, uncom-' monly boaulifiil and leriile, j)ro(luoing gras,^, Indian corn, potatoes, he. iti griMt abundance, Tht? eastern and northern parts of the town are best ailapted for rye, of which it has be(Mi computeil that 70,000 bush- els have l)een raised in one .season. Of late years considerable cjuaii- lities of tobacco have been raised and nianulaotured in the western pait of the town. The principal street runs parallel with Connecticut river, on the border of tbe first elevation of ground above the meadows, gen- erally about a mile back from the river, and on this street, through the whole length of the town, is built an almost continuous village. The Second or North Society was made a parish in 175-2; the Rev. Thomas Potwine was ordained their first pastor in 1751. Seantic river, a mill stream, passes through this part of the town, and gives this section the name of Scantic. The village of Wapping in the southeast partof tho town, was allowed the jirivileges of a winter parish in 17G1. Ware- house Point is a considerable village on the Connecticut river, near the northern boundary of the town, at the head of sloop navigation. For^ nierly the manufacture of rye gin was an important branch of business ♦ Dr. :JeClure's accuupt ulWuidsur, Vol..''), M;iss Itisl. Coll. R A S T WINDSOR, in this place ; of late years, considerable attention has been i)aicl to the cultivation of tobacco. The place derived its name from a warehouse being built here by Mr. Pyncheon, of Springfield, about tlie time of the fust settlement of that place. It is 13 miles from Hartford. There are now in the town 7 churches ; 3 Congregational, 2 INIethodist, 1 Episco- palian and 1 Baptist. '{'/(culu^ical In^ntutc m J-lasl 11 iiu/sur. The above is a southeastern view of the " Theological Institute of Connecticut," established in 1831. This building, con'structed of brick, contains a chapel, reading room, recitation room, room for the library' and other rooms sufficient for the accommodation of (ifty two studems ' they are furnished with stoves and all necessary ariitdes of furniture^ e::cept bod clothing. The library contains rising of 3,U00 volumes,' and is receiving accessions continually. There isa farm belon<nn"- to the Institution of about sixty acres, and a workshop furnisliod with tools affording fiicilities for manual labor to such students as choose to avail themselves of the privilege. '' No charge is made to the students for tuition, room rent, or the use of the library." "Candidates for admission to this seminary must produce satisflictory lestimonials that they possess competent talents, and are members of some Christian church in good standing, and that they have graduated at some college, or have otherwise made literary acquisitions, which, as. preparatory to thcologioal studies, are substantially equivalent to a lib- eral education ; and they shall be examined with reference to their per- sonal^ piety, and their object in pursuing theological sturly.