Connecticut Historical Collections

eggs'— rather bigger tluin less. It did-miiuh damage to the smaller and weakci ani inals and vegeiahlos. The apple trees, gram, and gardens were considerably d.imaged as were aLsu the sliingles otsiime bnilding.s — the glass suffered le.ss than was expected Cut had not the hail fell considerably perfiendicular, but liille glass would have esca ped. Several of ihe hail stones were weighed, and amounted to three ounces each so long after they fell that it was supposeii one third of their magnitude was di.'-solved 'Tis iinpo.siible to comnuinicate u true idea (;f a phenomenon so rare, unexpected and terrible. Hartford, July 2btk. I.N' addition to the account in our last of the hail storm at Simsbury, we learn that it de>.troycd great quantilie.N of English grain, but did more damage to rye than wheal; many large lields of the former haiing been since mowed for lodder, in which Jonathan Fetiiiione, Esq. Air. Thomas Case, and otheis have been great sufferers. In the park of the above Case, a deer had one of his legs broke, and was otherwise so much wounded that he soon aficr died. Several hogs had their backs bi oke, some of which died some days alterwaids. Some horses, and other large animals, were cut through the skin by the bi'/gest ami more ragged hail stoin". 'Tis also to be noted, that great quantities of gla^s wi-rc broke, which the compiler of the former particu- lars was not ap))rizeil of when he communicated the same to us. SOUTHINGTON. South view of SoiUhington, {central part.) SouTiriNOTON is .situated in the soulhwestorii corner of Harirord County; buuniled N. by IJristol iiiid Fainiington, w. by Wolcott, s. by Cheshifo,^ and k. by a fange of mountains, separating it from Berlin. The soil is generally good, and well adapted to the culture of rye and Indian corn. The town.sliip is about six miles in length, and about the same in breadth. The central part of the touii is 18 miles from Hart- ford and 21 from New Haven. The population in 1810 was 1,807- in 1830, it was 1,844. Tile above is a south view of the three churches in the town, and some other buildings in the vicinity. The nearest building seen on the right is now occupied as a post office; the next building^ north is the 14 106 S O UT II I N G 'i' O N . Episcopal church, part of which is seen in tlie engraving ; ihe bnildiug with a spire, in the center, is the Congregational churcli ; the J3aptist church, with a square tower, is seen a little to the nortii. The Epis- copal church has stood about 50 years ; the first house of worship used by the Baptists stands about twenty rods w(>st, and is now used as an Academy; this buihling is about as old as the Episcopal church. The first Congregational church was erected about one mile north of its present location, on the southeast part of the elevation, on which is the north burying ground. The first clergyman was Rev. Jeremiah Curtiss. This town was originally included in the limits of Farmington. It was laid out into lots, and divided among the eighty four proprietors of Farmington, in 1722. Several persons, however, had settled in it at that time, and within four or five years after that period, it was incor- porated as a society, by the name of Soutliington, and was made a town in 1779. Tlie first settlers were princi[)ally from Farmington ; a few from Wallingford and \Vaterbm'y : theii' names were WoothulF, Hart.. Andrews, Gridley, Newell, licwis, Langilon, liooi, Ijarnes, Clark, and others. The inhabitants are generally engaged in agriculture ; yet several kinds of manufactures receive considerable alttiuion. Peck's ))atent for machines for making tin ware, a most valuable invention, is exclu- sively owned in this town, and the business of making them is exten- sively carried on, by Messrs. Seth Peck &i Co. whose manufactory sup- plies almost the whole of the United Slates and the Jiriiish provinces. The manufacture of water cement is very extensively carried on in this town, and furnishes a supply for the wants of the vicinity, and some for distant markets. There is an establishment for the manufacture of lasts, which are turned out by a machine : this is cflected by having a model of the shape wanted, inserted into the apparatus connected with the machinery. Besides the above, there is a brass ioundery ; and several other establishments, for luanufacturing various articles, such as saws of ditTereui kiuils, tin ware, combs, sp(juns, clocks, brushes, &:c. are in ope- ration, more or less extensively, at ililllrent times, according to the de- mands of the market. Copper has been discovered, in several places, in the range of mountains on the eastern bordei' of the town. The following has been often related as a matter of fact. It is stated, that about the first settlement of the town, one of the inhabitants, by the name of Tufts, a singular sort of a man, became so weary of life, that he determined to "sliulile oir lliis morlal coil." Having understood that those who perished by the cold, sufiered but little pain, he concluded to freeze himself to death. Going out in the severity of winter, he seated himself down where a cold "northwester" blew fair upon him, and awaited the accomplishment of his purpose. After sitting awhile, he found the severity of the weather so uncom- fortable that he was induced to go in the house, declaring that it was actually too cold to f^-eeze to death, and wished for a great coat and mittens, in order to make his exit in a more comfortable manner. NUFFIELD. 107 The following inscriptions are from monuments in the burying ground north of the principal village in Southington. This monument is eiecled in memory of ihe Ilcvd. Jeremiah CurtiKS, he early devo- ted himself to llic -ospel ministiy. Lie was .sealed Nov. 1708, in the 23d year of his a-c, and continueci in that work, till he was iVLailarlj' dismissed Nov. 17C>'1. Integrity, meekness and Imiialily, were conspicuous and aeknuwledged parts of his character, both in public ami private lile. He died March L'lst, 171)5, in the 8'Jth year ot his age. The memory of the just is blessed. The just shall live by Faith, lleb. 10. 38. The Rev. William Robinson was born at Lebanon, Au-. 15th, 1754. In 1780, he was ordained Pastor of the Church in Souihint.'ton, and continued in that relation 41 years. He died Au^v Llth IH-J.'., on his birth day, aged 71 years— T-Iow mild to the righteous the dawn (jV immortaliiy, how calm the sleep of death. Venerable Father! thy head silvered by age and bedewed with the tears of ehildien and friends is laid in the dust, thy spirit has gone to the land where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. There we trust to receive the benediction : " Well done, good and faithful .servant." May the remembrance of thy kind counsels, and ihy viitues be a strong bond to bind us with the cords of peace, of harmony and love.— May thy loved Spirit still inlhience us to seek that wisdom whose ways are ways of pleasantness and whose paths are peace. In memory of Mis. Naomi Robinson, wile of the Rev. William Robinson. She was born at Fast Windsor, Sept. 'J8th 1751, of the ancient and honorable family of the WolcuUs. She was peculi;iiiy beloved in Life, and at deaih universally lamented. She died of the Small Pox in the 08111 year of her age, April Itiih, 1782. Her's was the character so strikingly deseribeil in the 31st Chap, of Proverbs, and to none could that closing ver>e be more properly a|i|ilied than to lier, " Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all." The following is from a monument in a small burying ground up- wards of three miles westwaid of the churches. The Reverend .Icdui Merriman died (m Feb. 17th, 1784, in the 89lh year of his age. He was a Calvinisiic Anii-pedo IJapuss nunisler, lleie lirslhe lioily death has buimd, Whose sunl Willi imiiisiei ial gilts was crowu'd, Mis life his Miisirr's d.Mtiine did adorn. And uaiis hii last lewuril till the ati.s])icious morn. S U F F I E I. D . This town was originally under the jurisdiction of the colony of Massachusetts. It was purchased of two sachems by Mr. Pyncheon, and some others, for about one hundred dollars. In 1670, a grant of Suliield was made to IMtij. John l^yncheon and his associates, by the general cmirt of iMassachusetls, as a conmiittee to lay it out and plant a township. It was settled about this period, and incorporated with town privileges. It cotitinued subject to the jurisdiction of INIassachusetts, till the year 175-2, being then annexed to Connecticut. Suliield is buundetl n. by Massachusetts, e. by Connecticut river, septirating it from Fnfield, w. by Craiibv and the Southwick ponds in IMassachuselts, and s. by Windsor and Ciranby. The township, which is somewhat irregular in its form, averages about eight miles in length from east to west, and live in breadth. This town, though somewhat S U I' FIELD, Conncciicut Literanj Listitui'wn, at Siij/ichJ.