now called Judson Lane; the Shermans settled about one mile southeast of the Episcopal church, now called Middle quarter; the Martins located themselves about three fourths of a mile northerly; the Miners placed themselves on the west side of the Pomperaug. The Rev. Zachariah Walker* was the first minister in the place. He was also the first minister at Jamaica, in Long Island. He probably came from England before he was ordained, and it is supposed he preached at Jamaica as a licentiate. It is believed that he removed to Stratford in 1668, and from thence to Woodbury.†

Woodbury is bounded N. by Bethlem, E. by Watertown and Middlebury, w. by Roxbury, and s. by Southbury. It is about 7 miles long from north to south, and averages nearly six miles in breadth. The soil is generally warm and fertile. The central part of the town consists of a village of 75 or 80 houses, and is pleasantly situated in a level valley, near the confluence of a number of small streams, which form the Pomperaug. It is surrounded by high hills on every side, forming a kind of amphitheater. The hill lying immediately east from the main street is of considerable elevation, and on its southern descent, fronting the west, the rocks descend perpendicularly, presenting a front similar to those of the East and West Rocks, near New Haven, though upon a much smaller scale. This is true to some extent on the eastern side of this range of rocks. They form a very striking feature in the landscape, as you enter the village. There are 4 houses of worship in the village, 2 Congregational, 1 Episcopal, and 1 Methodist. Woodbury is 25 miles from New Haven, 36 from Hartford, 15 south from Litchfield, and 21 from Danbury. There are in the town at present, 1 tin ware, 2 nail, and 3 satinet factories.

The following is a representation of what is called Bethel Rock, being it is said a place resorted to for religious meditation and prayer. It seems to have been brought into notice by the "Legend of Bethel Rock," published in the 1st vol. of the "Legendary," printed in Boston in 1828. This place is on the eastern side of the ledge of rocks parallel with the main road, as you enter the village from the south. It is situated about half a mile eastward from the Episcopal church. This rock (or rocks) is perhaps 30 or 40 feet in height, projecting over eastward three or four feet, and affording a kind of shelter. About 80 rods southeast of this place, a few rods eastward of a road, a monument stands alone, a representation of which is given on the opposite page.

* Wood's History of Long Island.

The following tradition is preserved respecting the occasion of Mr. Walker's coming to Woodbury. At the period of the first settlement of Woodbury, there were two licentiates preaching in Stratford, Mr. Walker and Mr. Reed. As there was some controversy who should leave and go with the Woodbury settlers, the two licentiates were requested to deliver a discourse on the day when it was to be decided, Mr. Walker in the forenoon, and Mr. Reed in the afternoon. Mr. Walker took for his text, "What went ye out into the wilderness for to see a reed shaken with the wind?" He enlarged upon the circumstance and propriety of a reed being found in the wilderness, &c. Mr. Reed in the afternoon took for his text, "Your adversary the devil walketh about," &c. In the course of his observations, he stated that the great adversary of men was a great walker, and instead of remaining with the brethren, ought to be kept walking at a distance from them.

Grave of Fisher Hartshorn, Woodbury.

The following is the inscription-"This monument is erected by the Society of Hatters, to the memory of their brother, Fisher Hartshorn, a native of Charlestown, Mass. who fell a victim to the small pox, and was buried in this place, Feb. 1825, aged 21 years.

In this retired and lonely grave,

The stranger is at rest;
His spirit gone to him who gave,
To dwell among the blest."

This young man came from New York. He had been in Woodbury but two or three days, when he broke out with the small pox. He was removed to an old house, formerly standing near the monument, where he died. The civil authority of the town, fearing that the contagion might spread, refused to have the body buried in the common burying ground, although his brethren, the hatters, offered to do it at midnight. With a spirit honorable to themselves, and to the body of which they were members, the hatters buried the body of their brother, and raised a monument to his memory.

506

MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

MIDDLESEX COUNTY is bounded N. by Hartford county, E. by Hartford and New London counties, s. by Long Island sound, and w. by New Haven county. Its mean length from north to south is about 25 miles, and its breadth nearly 14 miles. The general surface of the county is uneven. The soil, adjacent to the Connecticut river, and much of the upland, is generally good. The county, being intersected by Connecticut river, possesses important commercial and other advantages. Much ship building is carried on, and formerly the foreign trade was quite extensive; the coasting trade is still very great. Manufactures are flourishing, particularly in and near Middletown. Great quantities of free stone are quarried at Chatham; also considerable quantities of granite at Haddam. This business employs a considerable number of vessels to transport the stone to various places in the Union. The shad fishery in Connecticut river, is an important branch of business. Considerable quantities of wood have been exported from this county to the New York market.

This county was incorporated in 1785, previous to which it belonged to the counties of Hartford, New London and New Haven; principally to Hartford.

The following is a list of the several towns in the county, with their population in 1830.

Middletown, 6,892 | Chester,
Haddam, . . 3,025 Durham, . . 1,116
Chatham,. 3,646 East Haddam, 2,664

Killingworth,. 2,484
Saybrook,. 5,018

Population of the county in 1820, 22,405; in 1830, 24,845.

MIDDLETOWN.

IN March, 1650, a committee was appointed to explore the lands in Mattabesett, the Indian name for Middletown. This committee reported that subsistence might be obtained in them for fifteen families. In the course of the year a settlement commenced near the Connecticut, north and south of the Little river. A larger number of families than the committee contemplated was soon in the town, who were invested with town privileges in September of the succeeding year. In November, 1653, the place was called Middletown. In 1654, there were probably about thirty families; in 1670, the number of families was fifty two. The principal planters were from England, Hartford, and Wethersfield. The greatest number was from Hartford. There was a considerable accession from Rowley, Chelmsford, and Woburn, in Massachusetts.

The township embraces four divisions, viz. Middletown, North society or Upper Middletown, Middlefield and Westfield parishes, the last three of which appear to have derived their names from their relation

to the first. The settlement in the parish of Middlefield began about the year 1710: the earliest settlers there were Samuel Allen, Benjamin Miller, and Samuel Wetmore, who removed from the first society. The first white inhabitant of Westfield was Edward Higby, a native of Long Island, who settled about 1712, at the foot of that bluff, which from him is called Higby mountain.

"A portion of the lands in Middletown were given by Sowheag, the great sachem of Mattabesett, to John Haynes, for some time governor of Connecticut, probably before any settlement was made in the town. On the 24th of January, 1662, Sepunnemo and other chiefs, knowing the gift of Sowheag to Mr. Haynes, sold to Samuel Wyllis and others, doubtless as agents of the colony or town, all the remaining lands in Middletown, including Chatham, extending six miles east of the river, and as far west as the Court had granted the bounds of the town; excepting 300 acres, which they reserved for the heirs of Sowheag and Mattabesett Indians, to be laid out east of the river; and a tract on the west side, previously laid out for Sawsean, to remain for his heirs for ever." A reservation also appears to have been in the neighborhood, now called Newfield, where the Indians held lands as late as 1713.

Sowheag was a powerful sachem. His fort or castle was on the high ground in the west part of the city of Middletown, still called, from this circumstance, Indian hill, about three fourths of a mile northwest of the court house, where he was able, by means of his whistle, to call around him many warriors, it is said to the number of 500, whose wigwams were thick on both sides of the Connecticut eastward. His dominion extended not only over these and other Indians in Middletown and Chatham, but over the Piquag or Wethersfield Indians, whose sagamore, Sequin, was subject to him; and as a part of the original township of New Haven was purchased of Montowese, Sowheag's son, it is probable that his dominion embraced some of the Indians in that town.

Although Sowheag gave lands to Gov. Haynes, he may be considered as a base and treacherous man. In April, 1637, some of his Indians aided the Pequots in their incursion into that town, when they surprised and killed six men. Sowheag entertained the murderers, and treated the people of Wethersfield in a haughty and insulting manner. It seems, however, that the people of Wethersfield had previously offered him some provocation. On hearing of their differences, the General Court were disposed to forgive him, and appointed a committee to compromise all differences with him. But he totally refused to give up the murderers, and continued his outrages against the English. The Court of Connecticut, therefore, in August, 1639, determined to send one hundred men to Mattabesett, and take the delinquents by force. They notified their friends at New Haven of their determination, both that they might receive their approbation in an enterprise of such general concern, and that they might make the necessary arrangements for defending their own plantations. Gov. Eaton and his council viewed it important that the murderers should be brought to justice, but in existing circumstances, deemed the measure proposed for doing it inexpedient, and dissuaded the Connecticut colony from hostile measures.

The following list is from the ancient records of the town of Middletown. It is entitled, "The names of the proprietors of Middletown, with their estates, taken March 22d, 1670." The amount of their estates is omitted.

PLAN OF MAIN STREET, MIDDLETOWN, SHOWING THE BUILDINGS AND OCCUPANTS, FROM ABOUT 1770 TO 1775.

The township of Middletown is bounded north by Wethersfield, west by Berlin and Meriden, east by Connecticut river, separating it from Chatham, and south by Haddam and Durham. Its length from north to south is about nine miles, and it varies in breadth from four to ten miles. The surface of the town is strikingly diversified, having the Wallingford range of the greenstone mountains on the west, and the Strait hills in the southeastern section of the town. The base and

First mayor of the city, 1784.

+ Built by H. Brown, a hatter.

+ Built by Giles Hall.

§ Built in 1678; afterwards occupied by Wensley Hobby, the first post master in the town: the post office was kept where he resided.

Mr. Fuller was a schoolmaster, minister, constable, storekeeper, and kept tavern about 6 months. The office of town clerk of Middletown has been in this family 114 years.

Gen. Washington put up at this tavern.

The letter a, at the head of Main street, shows the spot, or very near it, where the first meeting house was erected. b, town house.