Connecticut Historical Collections

"The course of study occupies three years,'^ and it is expected that in all ordinary cases, students will enter with the intention of comple- ting a full course. The diflerent branches of study will be pursued si- multaneously, so far as practicable; but Biblical Interpretation will be the most prominent branch (or the first year; Systematic Theology, for \he second ; and Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theologv, for the^'third. 78 K A s T ^\■ I X d's O K . Churcli History will occupy about an etiual proportion of each year. There are two vacations in the year, of (ive weeks duration ; the first commencing on the first Thursday in September, the second on the second Thursday in April." Tlie institution is eii;ht miles from Hartford, and about two miles north of the lirst Congrei^ational chnrch; a slep-sione belonginj^ to the house of the Jxev. Timothy l^lwards, the father of Jonathan Edwards, is in- serted in the northeast corner of the building;. The Podunk tribe of Indians resided at or near the mouth of Podunk river or brook, a small stream entering tlie Connecticut river at the south- west corner of the town. A part of the same tribe, or some tribe that were in alliance with them, appear to have resided near tlie mouth of Scantic river. The following tiaditions respecting the Indians, in this town are preserved. A party of Mohawks visited the tribe who resided at the mouth of Scantic I'iver : as one of the Mohawk women was cross- ing the river on a log she was pushed oil" into the stream ami drowned; the INlohawks upon this withdrew, determined upon re\enge. In the meanwhile the Scantic Indians sent u runner to the Podunk Indians for assistance ; after collecting their forces, a battle took place, in which the Mohawks were defeated and fled ; they remained in the vicinity, and whenever they found a straggler from either tribe, they indicted sunnnary vengeance. As one of the settlers by the name of Hissell was at work at hay in the meadow, a Scantic Indian came running towards him and implored his protection ; he directed him to lie down, Mr. Hissell then rolled a cock of hay ui)on him, and lie was in this manner elTeclnally concealed. This was no sooner done than two INlohawks came running furiously in pursuit; they wished to know uf Mr. Bissell if he bad seen the object of their pursuit; he pointed out a particular direction in which he gave them to understand he had seen him run, which they eagerly followed, and by this means tlie Scaiuic Indian finally escaped. The Podunks, who were a small tribe,* had two places of residence, one at the mouth of the I'odnnk liwr, dining ihe summer; the other, where they I'esided duiing the \'iiii[er, was a mile ui' a mile and a half east from this, over the high lantl ; the path helween these two jilaces still retains the name of " King's path ;" their burying ground, lately discovered, was about half way between. A young Indian and squaw of this tribe having been to gather whortleberries, it was so late before they had gathered a sulTicient quantity, that they were afraid to cross the meadows after dark, on account of the Moliawks, and accordingly stayed at the bouse of Mr. Williams. In the morning early, the young Indian woman set out upon her return ; soon after, a report of a gun was heard by the inhabitants in the vicinity, who immediately turned out to see the cause. They found the young woman weltering in her blood, having been shot by two Mohawks. The Podunk; were aroused ; they mustered sixteen or eighteen warriors, and went in pursuit. After being out several days, they came to a corn 'leld and began plucking ♦ Tlie PuLlimk ti'il)LV in Kin;,' IMiilip'.s war, containcil lulwecn two and llnec I dred UK-n. who went olFin iliat war and never returned.— .U(o-.<. /fif/. (\!l. IV/. U K A S T W I N D S OR. 70 the ears. A party of INIohawks, who it seems were lying in ambuscade, rose upon them, and killed ihe whole party, with the exception of two who made their escape. Tliis severe blow had the elFect of breaking u\) the Podunks as a distinct tribe ; they scjiarated into two parties, one of which joined the Peqiiots towards New JiOndon. In the south part of the town, where Podunk river crosses the road to Hartford, was an Indian burying ground. A few years since, a num- ber of skeletons were discovered, by digging from one to four feet. These skeletons were found l)ing on one side, knees drawn up to the breast, arms folded, icifh their hvads to the soitt/i. A covering of bark seems to hav(.' been laid over them, with some few remains of blankets; in one instance a small brass kettle ami hatchet were found in good preservation ; the remains of a gun barrel and lock, a number of glass bottles, one of which was found nearly half iilled with some sort of liquid. These articles weie prubably obtained from the Dutch, cither by present or by trade. There were also found a pair of shears, a pistol, leap pipes, strings of wampum, small brass rings, glass beads; a female skeleton with a brass comb: the hair was in a state of preserva- tion wherever it came in contact with the comb. After the Podunks had removed from tlie.-(; parts, in one instance tliey were known to have brought a duad child Irom towaitls IVorwich and interred it in this burying place. At Hissell's ferry, near the mouth of Scantic ii\('r, is a well which is supposed to have been made licfon; any Jilnglish settlements were attempted in Connecticut. The low(jr part of the well is walled by stones hewn in a circular manner, and the manner in wliich they are laid together is hehe\ed to be entire Iv flillerent from that in which any EnglislimiMi would lay tlicm — iheio remains no traditions respecting the time, or tin.' persons by w hum this wt.'II was constructed. In the t'xpedition against Louisburg, in the island of Cape IJreton, in 17-15, iMajur CJeneral Uoger W'olcott, of this town, (afterwarils gov- ernor,) connuanded the Connecticut troops on that occasion. After the capture ol" that place, many of the soldiers from this town, and other places on the river, removed with their families and settled in the towns of Windsor anil Annapolis, in ISova Scotia. In the Revolutionary war, after the capture of Burgoyne, a conside- rable number of his nicn, British and Hessians, were quartered in this town. The Hessians were a fine looking body of men: many of them became so much attached to the country and its inhabitants, that their ollicers found it diliicult to collect their men when they w-ent olT, and in fact some secreted tjicmselves so closely that they could not be found. Gov. Franklin, the royal governor of New Jersey, and Gen. Prescoit, who was surprised and taken by Col. Barton, of Ivhode Island, were both quartered, while prisoners, at the house of Capt. Isbenezer Grant, which is now standing, a few rods south of the Theological Seminary. 80 K A S T AV I N I) S O It . The following relation relative to the art of " fortune telling, (as it is generally termed,) was given to the compiler of this work some years since, by Air. E K , an aged, respectable, and conscientious inhabitant of this town, a short time before his death. In giving rela- tions of this kind, the author merely states what was related to iiim by persons who would receive full credit on every otlier subject. It ought to be mentioned, that jMr. 11. was a person of sound sense, and not at all superstitious. Mr. R. staled, that when a young man, he was very fond of company and jollity. He became acquainted with a man who it was believed possessed the art of fortune telling. This man agreed to initiate Mr. R. into the mystery of the art ; this was done by a particular method of handling a pack of playing cards. Mr. R. however, had but little faith in the efficacy of the process, but for the sake of amusing himself and his friends, set himself up as a kind of conjuror. After practicing a short time, he became so celebrated that persons came from a considerable distance " to have their fortunes told." Mr. R. said he could describe a person that he never saw, as comj)letely as he could if the person stood before him, as to the size, color of the hair or eyes, or any thing about the person, with a minute- ness and accuracy which astonished tliose that heard him. When asked how he attained such knowledge, he replied that while he was shuffling over his cards, it would be suggested to iiis mind what to say, or as he expressed it, " the words came to him," and he spoke them. He said, however, he did not know that he described things accurately, till he was so informed by those who applied to him. Mv. R. at length be- came so well satisfied in his own mind that he was assisted by some power superior to his ovv'n in these transactions, that lie broke oil", and refused to make any further attempts of this nature. Jonathan Edu-ards, who is considered the greatest of modern divines, was a native of this town. He was born Oct. 5ih, 1703, about one mile north of the first Congregational church, and a few rods norih of a small stream crossing the road, called Sloughton's biook. His lather's house (the Rev. Timothy lOdwards) stood on the east side of the road, and resembled very much the appearance of Mr. Hooker's, (page 43.)