Connecticut Historical Collections

New IIavkn County is bounded n. by Litchfield and llaitford CoLimies, K. by Middlesex County, s. by Long Ishuul Sound, and w. by Litchfield County and the Ifousatonic river, which se|)aial(.'S it lioni l'\iii'field County. Its average length lioni east to west is about iiG miles, and its width from north to south 21 miles; containing 510 square miles, or 345,600 acres. This county, lying on Long Island Sound, has a very extensive maritime border, but its foreign trade is (diicfly confined to New Haven harbor. Its fisheries of oysters and clams, and other fish, are valuable. It is intersected by several streams, none of them of very large size, but of some value for their water power and fish. Of these the principal are the Poniperaug and Naugatuc, on the west ; the Quinnipiac, Menunkatuc, West and jMill rivers, on the east. The Quinniiiiac is the largest, and |)asses through extensi\ e meadows. The county is intersected centrally by the Neu Haven and Noithamp- lon Canal, which passes through this county from north to south. 'I'herc isa great vaiiety olsoil in this county, as well as of nali\e vegetable and mineral prodijctions. The range of secondary countiy which extends along Connecticut river as far as Middletown, there leaves that stream, crosses into this county, and terminates at New Haven. This inter- section of the primitive formation by a secondary ridge, afibrds a great variety of minerals, and materials for diderent soils. Considerahle tracts on the mountains and sandy plains are of little value. This county con- tains the largest city in the state, one of its capitals, a seaport with pret- ty extensive trade, and one of the most beautiful towns in the rnion. 'hie manufacturing business in this county is carried on to a cuusidera- ble extent, and is yearly increasing. n the county, with th The following is a list of the several towns population according to the census of 1830 : New Haven - 10,678 Madison - - Bethany - - 1 .049! lAIeriden - - Branford - - 2,332 1 Middlebury - Cheshire - - 1 ,780? Milford - - l')erbv - - 2,253 j North Branfor( East Haven - 1,229 North Haven Guilford - - 2,344, Orange - - Hamden - - 1,669' Population of the county in 1820, 39,616 ; in 1830, 43,847. Oxford - - 1,763 Prospect - - 651 Southbuiy 1 ,557 Wallingford - 2,418 Waterbury 3,070 Wolcott - - 843 Woodbridge - 1,000 131 N E W 11 A V E N NKW HAVEN. The local situation of New Haven appears to have been known to the Dutch some years before the arrival of the English settlers ; they desi^niated the place by the name of" Jied Mount.'' It was doubtless so called from the appearance of the East and West Kocks near the place. Its Indian name was Cluinnipidc, which name was given to the river formin^^ the eastern boundary of the township, and now com- monly called W^llingfurd river; to the adjacent country, and to the tribe by which it was inhabited. The Quinnipiacs have long since been extinct : they dwelt in the summer on the shore, for the conven- ience of fishing ; and in tlje winter, in the forests, for the convenience of fuel. They had a place for ])owwowing in East Haven, about three quar- ters ol' a niilc east of the harbor bridge. I'lie spot was Ibrnierly a svvam[), and is now a meadow, ' Charles, the last sachem of this tribe, died about one hundred years ago. He was frozen to death near a spring, about one mile north of the Congregational church in East Haven. They are said to have had nei|her marriages nor divorces. They caught round clams with their feet, and taught the ICnglish to catch them in this manner. The Indian arrow-heads, frequently found here, are exactly like some which have been brought from Cape Horn. At Fort Hill, or, as it is now called, Beacon Hill, there was formerly an Indian fort, and an Indian burying ground, on the eastern side of the hill. The name of this spot was formerly Indian HUL — The above is about all the account we have of the original inhal/itants. On the 2Gth of July, \Cy.M, I\Ir. John Daven|)ort, JMr. Samuel Eaton, Theophilus Iviton, anti I'dward Hopkins, l^-^q.'s, Mr. 'I'liomas Cregson, and many others of goi);! rli;n;u;leis and fortunes, ni'rived at IJoston. JMr. H.ivenport had been a celebrated minister in the city of liOndon, and was a distinguished character for piety, learning and good conduct. Many of his congregation, on account of the esteem which they had for his person and ministry, followed him into New England. Rlr. Eaton and Mr. Hopkins had been merchants in London, possessed great es- tates, and were, men of eminence for their abilities and integrity. The fame of Mr. Davenport, tlie rejuitation and good estatesof the principal gentlemen of this company, made the people of'Massachusetts exceed- ingly desirous of their settlement in that commonwealth. Great pains were taken, not only by particular persons and towns, but by the general court, to (ix them in the colony. Chailestown niade them large oflers; and Newbury proposed to give up the whole town to them. The gen- eral court ollered them any place which they should choose. But they were determined to plant a distinct colony. By the pmsuit of the Pequots to the westward, the English became acquainted with that fine tract along the shore, from Saybrook to Fairfield, and with its sev- eral harbors. It was represented as fruitful, and happily situated for NEW IT AVE N. 135 navigation and commerce. They therefore projccteJ a settlement in that part of the country. In the fall of 1637, Mr. Eaton and others, who were of the company, made a journey to Connecticut, to exi)lore the lands and harbors on the sea coast. They pitched upon Quinnipiac for the place of their settle- ment. They erected a poor hut, in which a few men subsisted through the winter: this was at the corner of Church and George streets. On the 30th of March, 163S, IMr. Davenport, Mr.'' Prudden, Mr. Samuel Eaton, and Theopbilus Eaton, Esq., with the pcojile of their company, sailed from Boston for Quinnipiac. Jii about a fortnight they arrived at their desired port. On tlie 18th of April they kept their first Sabbath in the place. The people assembled under a large spreading oak,* and Mr. Davenport preached to them from Matthew vi. 1. He insisted on the temptations of the wilderness, made such ob- servations, and gave such directions and exhortations, as were pertinent to the then present state of his hearers. He left this remark, that he enjoyed a good day. The settleis first began to build on George street and the opjjosite hill, between which small vessels then passed, in a creek wdiicli for many years has been filled up. Their first houses were commodious, of two stories. One of the princi[|;d reasons which those colonists assigned for their removal from Massachusciis was, that they should be moie luil of the way and trouble of a general goveinor of JNew England, who at this time was an object of great fear in all the [)lantations. Soon after they arrived at Quinnipiac, in the close of a day of fast- ing and prayer, they entered into what they teruK^d a plantation co\c- nant. In tliis they solenndy bound themselves, " that as in matteis that concern the gathering and orikMing of a church, so also in nil pubHc offices which concern civil order, as the choice of magistrates and oi'ri- cers, making and re[)earnig l.iws, dividing alloimeiits of inlieiitance, and all things of like nature, they would all (yl'ihiMu be tiidi'ied by ilie rides which the scripture held forth to them." Tliis was adopted as a gene- ral agreement, until there should be time for the peojile to become more intimately acquainted with each other's religious views, sentiments and moral conduct ; which was supposed to be necessary, to prepare the way for covenanting together as Clu'istians, in church state. The planters of Quinnipiac determined to make an extensi\e settle- ment ; and, if possible, to mamtain peri)etnal peace and friendship with the Indians. They therefore paid an eaily attention to the making of such purchases and amicable treaties, as might most effectually answer their designs. On the Mth of November, 1638, Theopbilus Eaton, Esq., IMr. Dav- enport, and other English j)lantcrs, entered into an agreement with Momauguin, sachern of that part of the covmtry, and his counsellors, respecting the lands. The artitdes of agreement are to this ellect : That Momauguin is the sole sachem of Quinnipiac, and had abso- lute power to aliene and dispose of the same : that in consequence of ♦ Tliii nx't- \v;i> .siiuaii'd near tlio. roiinT ul' Georgi' and Cullc-^f su'cels; huih New- Haven and Mill id L-hmches v.-qv.; Coim'-d under it.— /;?■. DcnuV: Srrmvn, IHOI, 13G N K \V HAVEN, the protection lie had tasted, by the English, from the Pequots and IMohawks,* he yielded up all his right, title and interest, to all the land, rivers, ponds and trees, with all the liberties and purtenances belong- ing to the same, unto 'Theophilus Eaton, John Davenport and others, their heirs and assigns forever. He covenanted, that neither he nor liis Indians would terrify or disturb the English, or injure them in any of iheir interests ; but that, in every respect, they would keep true faith with them. The English covenanted to protect Momauguin and liis Iixlians, when unreasonably assaulted and terrified by either of the other In- dians ; and that they should always have a sufficient (juantity of land to plant on, upon the east side of the harbor,f between that and Saybrook fort. They also covenanted, that by way of free and thankful retribu- tion, they gave unto the said sachem and his council and company, twelve coats of English clcjth, twelve alchymy spoons, twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, two dozen of knives, twelve porringers, and four cases of French knives and scissors. This agreement was signed and legally executed, by Momanguin and bis council on the one part, and I'heophilus Eaton and John Davenport on the other. Thomas Stanton, who was the intrejjreter, declared in the presence of God, that he had faithfully acquainted the Indians with the said articles, and returned their answers.