WINDHAM COUNTY.

WINDHAM County is bounded N. by Worcester County in Massachusetts, E. by the State of Rhode Island, S. by New London County, and W. by Tolland County. It averages about 26 miles in length from N. to S., and is about 19 miles in width. This county is uniformly hilly, yet no part of it is mountainous or very elevated. The prevailing soil is a primitive gravelly loam. The greatest portion of the county is stony and considerably rough, and the lands generally best adapted for grazing, and many sections afford some of the richest dairy farms in the State. The Quinnebaug and Shetucket, with their branches, intersect this county, and afford many valuable water privileges for mills and manufacturing purposes. The valley of the Quinnebaug river comprises the best land in the county. The inhabitants of this county are more extensively engaged in the manufacturing business than in any other county in the State. Cotton and woolen goods are the principal articles manufactured. Windham County originally belonged to the counties of Hartford and New London. It was incorporated as a county in May, 1726.

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

Population of the county in 1820, 31,684; in 1830, 27,077.

BROOKLYN.

BROOKLYN was formerly a society, composed of a section of the towns of Pomfret and Canterbury. It was incorporated as a town in May, 1786. The township being situated in the central part of Windham County, it was made the seat of justice for the county in 1819. A township, called Mortlake, was formerly laid out principally, if not wholly, within the boundaries of this town, to Mr. Blackwell, an English gentleman, supposed to have been a native of Mortlake, a village in Surry, in England, on the river Thames. The grant of the land was made to him by the legislature of Connecticut. He kept possession of it for a considerable time, without making settlements upon it, as was expected at the time of the grant. He afterwards sold it to Gov. Belcher of Massachusetts, who also neglected the sale and settlement of it, excepting in some few instances. The General Assembly therefore

annulled the grant, and affixed the said tract to the town of Pomfret, which then included part of Brooklyn.

Brooklyn is bounded N. by Pomfret, E. by the Quinnebaug, separating it from Killingly and Plainfield, S. by Canterbury, and W. by Hampton. The town is nearly six miles in length from N. to S., and five in breadth. It is uneven, consisting of hills and vallies, and somewhat stony, but it is fertile, and admirably adapted to grazing. The dairy business, and the raising of sheep and swine, are the leading agricultural interests of the town. There is a cotton factory in the town, on the Quinnebaug, near the village of Danielsonville in Killingly.

North View of Brooklyn, (central part.)

The above is a northern view of the central part of the village of Brooklyn. The building which is seen on the right is the court house. The Unitarian church is seen in the central part of the engraving. The Congregational church, recently erected, is seen farther to the south. The Baptist church is the small building with a steeple, seen a little west of the Unitarian church. The Brooklyn bank is the building seen on the extreme left, under the trees. A few paces north of this, and opposite the Unitarian church, was the residence of Gen. Putnam: the house in which he lived has been taken down in the course of three or four years past. The field in which he was ploughing when he first heard of the Lexington battle, is in full view, about 100 rods distant. He left his plough in the middle of the field, unyoked his team, and without waiting to change his clothes, mounted his horse and set out for the theater of war. His first place of residence in these parts, was about two miles north, where he had a farm: at the time of his noted wolf exploit, his house here was very near the boundary line between Brooklyn and Pomfret. Gen. Putnam, in the decline of life, publicly professed the religion of the gospel, and in the opinion of the respectable clergyman of Brooklyn, the Rev. Dr. Whitney, died hopefully a

Christian. "During the gayest and most thoughtless period of his life," says Dr. Dwight, "he regarded religion with profound reverence, and read the scriptures with the deepest attention."

The Episcopal church in this town is situated about 1 miles east of the court house. This was the first church erected, and for a long period the only church for that denomination in this county.

erected before the Revolutionary war, by Mr. Godfrey Malbone, a gentleman from Rhode Island, who had been educated at Oxford, England. He married a lady from the south, who for part of her patrimony brought 50 or 60 slaves on to the large estate on which he resided in this town. The State of Connecticut, after the Revolution, having abolished slavery within her borders, Mr. Malbone's servants became dispersed, and a great proportion of the colored people in this part of the State are their descendants.

The above is a representation of the monument in the grave yard south of the village of Brooklyn. The following is the inscription on the marble slab forming the top :

"This Monument is erected to the memory of the Honorable ISRAEL PUTNAM, Esq Major General in the Armies of the United States of America; who was born at Salem, in the Province of Massachusetts, on the 7th day of January, 1718; and died at Brooklyn, in the State of Connecticut, on the 29th day of May, A. D. 1790-Passenger, if thou art a Soldier, go not away till thou hast dropped a tear over the dust of a Hero, who, ever tenderly attentive to the lives and happiness of his men, dared to lead where any one dared to follow. If thou art a Patriot, remember with gratitude how much thou and thy country owe to the disinterested and gallant exertions of the Patriot who sleeps beneath this marble. If thou art an honest, generous and worthy man, render a sincere and cheerful tribute of respect to a man whose generosity was singular; whose honesty was proverbial; and who, with a slender education, with small advantages, and without powerful friends, raised himself to universal esteem, and to offices of eminent distinction, by personal worth, and by the diligent services of a useful life.” The following sketch of the life of General Putnam, is from Allen's American Biographical Dictionary :—

"Israel Putnam, a major general in the army of the United States, was born at Salem, Massachusetts, January 7, 1718. His mind was vigorous, but it was never cultivated by education. When he for the first time went to Boston, he was insulted for his rusticity by a boy of twice his size. After bearing his sarcasms until his good nature was exhausted, he attacked and vanquished the unmannerly fellow, to the great diversion of a crowd of spectators. In running, leaping and wrestling, he almost always bore away the prize. In 1739 he removed to Pomfret in Connecticut, where he cultivated a considerable tract of land. *** During the French war, he was appointed to command a company of the first troops which were raised in Connecticut, in 1755. He rendered much service to the army in the neighborhood of Crown Point. In 1756, while near Ticonderoga, he was repeatedly in the most imminent danger. He esca

ped in an adventure of one night, with twelve bullet holes in his blanket. In August, he was sent out with several hundred men to watch the motions of the enemy. Being ambuscaded by a party of equal numbers, a general but irregular action took place. Putnam had discharged his fusee several times, but at length it missed fire while its muzzle was presented to the breast of a savage. The warrior with his lifted hatchet and a tremendous war whoop, compelled him to surrender, and then bound him to a tree. In the course of the action the parties changed their position, so as to bring this tree directly between them. The balls flew by him incessantly: many struck the tree, and some passed through his clothes. The enemy now gained possession of the ground, but being afterwards driven from the field, they carried their prisoner with them. At night he was stripped, and a fire was kindled to roast him alive; but a French officer saved him. The next day he arrived at Ticonderoga, and thence he was carried to Montreal. About the year 1759 he was exchanged through the ingenuity of his fellow prisoner, colonel Schuyler. When peace took place he returned to his farm. He was ploughing in his field in 1775, when he heard the news of the battle of Lexington. He immediately unyoked his team, left his plough on the spot, and without changing his clothes set off for Cambridge. He soon went back to Connecticut, levied a regiment, and repaired again to the camp. In a little time he was promoted to the rank of major general. In the battle of Bunker's hill he exhibited his usual intrepidity. He directed the men to reserve their fire, till the enemy was very near, reminded them of their skill, and told them to take good aim. They did so, and the execution was terrible. After the retreat, he made a stand at Winter hill, and drove back the enemy under cover of their ships. When the army was organized by general Washington at Cambridge, Putnam was appointed to command the reserve. In August, 1776, he was stationed at Brooklyn, on Long Island. After the defeat of our army on the 27th of that month, he went to New York, and was very serviceable in the city and neighborhood. In October or November, he was sent to Philadelphia, to fortify that city. In January, 1777, he was directed to take post at Princeton, where he continued until spring. At this place a sick prisoner, a captain, requested that a friend in the British army at Brunswick might be sent for to assist him in making his will. Putnam was perplexed. He had but fifty men under his command, and he did not wish to have his weakness known; yet he was unwilling to deny the request. Ho however sent a flag of truce, and directed the officer to be brought in the night. In the evening lights were placed in all the college windows, and in every apartment of the vacant houses throughout the town. The officer on his return reported that Gen. Putnam's army could not consist of less than four or five thousand men. In the spring, he was appointed to the command of a separate army in the highlands of New York. One Palmer, a lieutenant in the tory new levies, was detected in the camp: governor Tryon reclaimed him as a British officer, threatening vengeance if he was not restored. Gen. Putnam wrote the following pithy reply: 'Sir, Nathan Palmer, a lieutenant in your king's service, was taken in my camp as a spy; he was tried as a spy; he was condemned as a spy; and he shall be hanged as a spy. P. S. Afternoon. He is hanged.' After the loss of fort Montgomery, the commander in chief determined to build another fortification, and he directed Putnam to fix upon the spot. To him belongs the praise of having chosen West Point. The campaign of 1779, which was principally spent in strengthening the works at this place, finished the military career of Putnam. A paralytic affection impaired the activity of his body, and he passed the remainder of his days in retirement, retaining his relish for enjoyment, his love of pleasantry, his strength of memory, and all the faculties of his mind."

ASHFORD.

"THE settlement of the lands granted by the royal charter, was an object constantly kept in view by the legislature, and which they were anxiously engaged to effect. They selected convenient tracts of lands, and laid them out into townships, and gave all proper encouragements to adventurers who were willing to encounter the hardships and dangers of new settlements. As there was a good tract of land lying west of Pomfret, and north of Mansfield, adjoining Crystal Pond, they, in 1706, granted a township six (?) miles square, by the name of Ashford. The set

tlement of the town, however, did not commence till 1710, when two families moved on to the lands. In about four years, the inhabitants were so increased, that upon their petition, in 1714, the Assembly vested them with the privileges of a distinct town. Their first minister was the Rev. James Hale, ordained Nov. 26th, 1718."

Ashford is bounded N. by Union and Woodstock, E. by Pomfret, W. by Willington, and S. by Hampton, Chaplin and Mansfield. The south part of the town is about 9 miles long, and the west part about 8 in width. The surface of the land is hilly and stony, the soil being hard and gravelly, yet considerably fertile, and well adapted to grazing. There are three societies in the town, Ashford, Westford and Eastford; 8 houses for public worship, 3 for Congregationalists, 4 for Baptists, and 1 for Methodists. Agriculture is the principal business of the inhabitants. There are 3 woolen factories and 1 cotton factory in the town.

S. Western View of Ashford, (central part.)

The above is a south western view of the Congregational church, Academy, and the two public houses, in the central part of Ashford. This place is 31 miles from Hartford, 39 from Providence, and 65 from Boston. The ancient Congregational church stood nearly on the spot where the church seen in the engraving is situated.

The following tradition has been handed down from father to son in Ashford: it is said to have taken place on this spot, and is illustrative of the manners and customs of ancient times:

"A concourse of people were assembled on the hill in front of the meeting house, to witness the punishment of a man who had been convicted of neglecting to go to meeting on the Sabbath for a period of three months. According to the existing law for such delinquency, the culprit was to be publicly whipped at the post. Just as the whip was about to be applied, a stranger on horseback appeared, rode up to the crowd of spectators, and enquired for what purpose they were assem