YJ^ILE«¥]M]I¥IEI^S2Tr¥« ILKIBIS^IElf

Presented by the Author

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BRIEF HISTORY

TO¥N OF NOEFOLK,

PKOM 1738 TO 1844;

SUMMARY OF EVENTS AND TRANSACTIONS WHICH HAVE OCOURHED
IN THIS TOWN, FROM ITS PIRST SETTLEMENT,
CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED.
¦-mS'.
FAITHFULLY COLLECTED PROM THS PUBLIC RECORDS OF THE TOWN
AND OTHER CORRECT DOCUMENTS, WITH THE DATES
ACCURATELY ANNEXED.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
A DESCRIPTION OF TIIE TOWN, INCIDENTS, LIST OF OFFICERS,
AND OTHER INTERESTING MATTER.

BY A U R E N ROYS,
Town anii Ecclesiastioar Society Cleri.

" He commanded our fathers, that they should. make them kuown to their chil
dren ; that the generations to come might know thera, even the children which
should ba born ; who should arise 'and declare them to their children ; that they might
set their hope in God."

NEW- YORK:
PRINTED BY HENRY LUDWIG,
70 VESEY-STREET.

M DCCC XLTII.

A
BRIEF HISTORY
OF THE
TO¥N OF NORFOLK
PROM 1738 TO 1844:

SUMMARY OF EVENTS AND TRANSACTIONS WlilCH HAVE OCCURRED
IN THIS TOWN, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT,
CHRONOLOGICALLY A^IRANGED.
FAITHFULLY COLLECTED FROM THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF THE TOWN
AND OTHER CORRECT DOCUMENTS, WITH THE DATES
I ACCURATELY ANNEXED.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
A DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN, INCIDF-NTS, LIST OF OFFICERS,
AND OT^R INTERESTING MAT,TEa.

BY AUREN ROYS,
To-wn and Ecclesiastical Society Cleric.

" He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their chil
dren ; that the ffeiierationa to come might kuow thera, eveu the children which
should be born ; who should arise and declare them to their children ; that they might
set their hope in God."

N E W - Y 0 R K :
PRINTED BY HENRY LtJDWlG-,
70 VESEY-STREET.

M DCCC XLTII.

Cl

Jl-%

CONTENTS,

Brief history of Norfolk, ----.^^1
Concluding remarks, -- --^.^.45
Romantic and extensive views, ------- 45
Summary of events, etc., ¦- - - - - - - 47
Situation — Description — Resources, - . - - . 50
Incidents, ----------66
Representatives to general assembly, - - - . . 72
List of graduates, etc., from this town, -- - - - - 75-^-
Ministers employed — Deacons, -.-... 75
Admissions to the church, - - - . - -'.77
Meraoir of Madam Elizabeth Robbins, - - - - - 78
Memoir of Joseph Battell, Esq., ------ 79
List of deaths of male heads of families, ----- 80
Town officers, --------.33
Grand list, from 1759 to 1844,  85
School money, --.-^.-..39

HISTORY

TO¥F OF lORFOLK.

The unconveyed lands in the colony of Connecticut,
were claimed by a company instituted in the fourteenth
year of the reign of Charles II., and incorporated by
the name of the governor and company, and vphile emi
grants vpere effecting a settlement of several towns in
the colony already conveyed and incorporated. On the
llth of October, 1722, there arose an unhappy contro
versy between the legislature and the towns of Hartford
and Windsor, originating from the following circuni
stances. In the troublous tiraes of Sir Edmund Andrus' ad
ministration, who attempted to grasp and enrich him
self and his minions, by the sale of the lands in the
colony hitherto unconveyed, the legislature, it seems,
had, in a hasty manner, conveyed to the towns of Hart
ford and Windsor, the section of the colony described
in the annexed grant, dated January 26th, 1686, in the
words following.
" This court grants to the plantations of Hartford and
Windsor, those lands on the north of Woodbury and
Mattatuck, and on the west of Farmington and Sims
bury, to the Massachusetts line north, to run west to
Housatonic or Stratford river, provided it be not, or
part of it, formerly granted to any particular person, to
make a plantation or village." 1

HISTORY OF THE

The design of this conveyance was, that those towns
should hold the lands thus granted, for the governor
and company, until those times of danger and trouble
should be past, but not as their property. They had
never purchased, nor given the least' valuable consider
ation for them, and had no valid deeds or patents of
them ; yet, by virtue of the above grant, they laid claims
to all the lands within the hmits expressed, and in viola
tion of the most exphcit laws of the colony, they pro
ceeded to locate and vend the lands in controversy.
The governor and company still claimed the lands as
firmly as if no grant had been made to those towns.
And some of the principal innovators were arrested and
punished by the superior court, and some of them were
committed to the common prison in Hartford. The
contention finally rose so high, that quite a number of
persons collected in a riotous manner, and even while
the assembly were in session, they went forward, broke
open the jail and set those prisoners at liberty. The
sheriff of the county of Hartford was ordered to pursue,
apprehend, and re-commit them, and was authorized, if
necessary, to call out the militia of the county to assist
him. Notwithstanding these firm and determinate measures,
several persons were attempting to lay out and dispose
of, for their own benefit, the lands which lay north, east,
and west of Litchfield, and west of Farmington and
Simsbury. Suitable persons were authorized to arrest
them. The rioters in Hartford we e eventually taken,
and fined each £20 and £5 costs. But on their preferring
a petition to the assembly, their fines were abated to
£20 fine and costs.
Soon after this, three men from Hartford and two
from Windsor ventured to lay out the town of Goshen,
and claimed it for their own ; they were prosecuted and
fined. In order to quiet the business, the assembly
appointed a committee whose duty it was to endeavor
amicably to settle it. They labored assiduously for
nearly two years, and reported their doings to the
assembly. Pursuant to their report, the assembly re-

TOWN OE NORFOLK. 3
solved that the lands in controversy should be divided
between the colony and the towns of Hartford and
Windsor : the colony to have the western, and Hartford
and Windsor the eastern division. The town of Litch
field and two other conveyances were not to be included
in this division.
The business was thus settled, and the legal proprie
tors proceeded to survey and locate townships, and
give them names, which were subsequently established.
The four following parcels of land were deeded by
Hartford to Windsor.
The first tract surveyed in this division was named
Torrington, the second was called Berkhempstead, the
third Colebrook, the fourth Harwington. This was
done in 1732 ; in 1733, Hartland, Winchester, and New-
Hartford were incorporated.
The following towns were sold and named at the
session of the assembly in May, 1737, their agents
having conducted the business in the several towns
directed. The one sold at New Haven was called
Goshen ; the one sold at New London, Canaan ; that at
Fairfield, Cornwall ; and that at Windsor, Kent. The
township proposed to be sold in Hartford, April, 1738,
was called Norfolk, and the one sold in May after, at
Hartford, was called Sahsbury. These towns were all
annexed to the county of Hartford, and were to be
settled by the inhabitants of Connecticut ; it took several
years for the sale and settlement of them.
Norfolk was the first town appointed to be sold for the
colony at Hartford, on the second Tuesday in April, 1738.
It failed, and was again offered for sale at Middletown
in 1742, but was not entirely sold until about sixteen
years from that time. There were so many townships
offered for sale, which were considered far preferable to
it, both as to soil and situation, that when it was first set
up at vendue, one bidder only appeared and bid off a
small part of it.
In May, 1750, an act was passed by the assembly,
ordering the remainder to be sold at pubhc vendue at
Middletown, December next ensuing; and, if not sold

HISTORY OF THE

then, to continue the vendue until it was sold. This was
not effected until about four years after. There were
at this time twelve or fourteen persons on the lands,
who eventually became proprietors.
In 1758, when the town was incorporated, there were
but twenty-seven families residing in it. There were
fifty proprietors of the disposable rights, and it was a
condition among the proprietors that each should settle
one family upon his respective right within five years.
This so expedited the settlement, that in about three
years the number of famihes increased to sixty, and
soon to seventy.
Timothy Horsford, of Windsor, took a deed of one
right of 400 acres, which he retained and paid for ; being
the tract since occupied by Titus Ives and Nathaniel
Pease in the westerly part of the town, on the Canaan
road. Mr. Horsford sold his right to Titus Brown, and
soon after, he sold it to his brother Cornelius Brown,
both from Windsor. Mr. Cornehus Brown built a
house on the tract and removed his family. His team
drew the first load which passed through the Green
woods, so caUed. Mr. John Turner and Mr. Jedediah
Richards soon after came from Hartfdrd and lived near
Mr. Brown. These were pious families, and were early
engaged in the establishment and promotion of Christian
society. In consequence of unavoidable embarrassments,
together with the forbidding aspect of the then wild and
uncultivated tract, the first purchasers forfeited their
first payment, forty shillings on the right, and it was re
sold. Soon after the second sale, a number of families
settled in this town. In the north part, Ebenezer, Ezra,
and Samuel Knapp, and James Benedict, all from Dan
bury. Jacob Spalding and Isaac Holt soon came into
that part of the town.
In the south part, the first settlers were Joseph and
Samuel Mills, Asahel Case and Samuel Cowls, all from
Simsbury ; Samuel Manross came from Farmington, and
built a log-house near where the meeting-house now
stands. Joshua Whitney removed from Canaan and

TOWN OF NORFOLK. O
erected a frame-house near, and Cornehus Brown a
saw-mill on the present site of the centre grist-mill.
The second sale of the town was effected by the
agency of Mr. John Turner, who was appointed by the
town to make application to the assembly for its sale.
He at the same time procured its incorporation; also a
land-tax to continue two years, to assist in defraying the
ecclesiastical expenses.
Stationed as were the first settlers in this then dreary
wilderness, the land, since improved for meadow and
pasture, being then mostly covered with a thick-set
forest, the severe winters of this climate adding much to
the dreariness of the scene, the inhabitants near the
centre of the town were greatly favoured by a kind
Providence, " who careth for oxen," in having discovered
that the low meadows west of the meeting-house were
th^n mostly open, and for two or three years supplied
the few cattle then in their possession with coarse
hay. It is beheved from the appearance then, and present
examination, that those now valuable and productive
meadows were, in ages long past, the bed of a lake of
considerable extent, and that the outlet was down the
falls by the centre grist-mill. The natural dyke ap
pears to have extended across from the ledge bordering
the north-easterly side of the present meadows, to the
turn of the road west of the centre mih. From some
unknown cause — ^probably by the same convulsion of
nature which so terribly shattered the rocks composing
the ledge — the barrier gave way, and poured the con
tents of the lake and its yielding dyke with thundering
and appalling velocity — appalling if there were the eyes
of man to see, or ears to hear — down the falls by the
mill, leaving only a small stream meandering through
the meadows.
As the potent enemy of life soon began its ravages,
the inhabitants were obliged to seek a place where to
bury their dead. The first burials were in Canaan,
where the first settlers attended pubhc worship on the
Sabbath. The first person buried in this town was the

HISTORY OF THE

wife of Jedediah Turner; her grave with two others
were on the ground where Col. J. W. Phelps built nis
house ; in digging his cellar the bones were found almost
entire ; they were enclosed in a case and deposited not
far distant in a decent and proper manner. The next
persons who died were placed in the present centre
burying-ground. The fear of invasion of a foreign foe, and the still
more dreaded assauUs ofthe aborigines of this country,
whose aggressions and cruelty they had already experi
enced, induced them to learn the art of war. The first
militia company embodied in this town was commanded
by Lieutenant Whitney, who was afterwards appointed
captain when the company became full.
Notwithstanding the embarrassments common to infant
settlements, many indeed, and peculiar ones fell to their
lot ; for in addition to the troubles attending the unsettied
state of the colony, civil, political, and ecclesiastical,
which they suffered in common with their brethren of
this new country, they had also to encounter severe
hardships in trying to subdue a stubborn soil, and erect
habitations for their families from the crude, and at that
time the expensive materials obtainable from abroad,
which, in their circumstances as early settlers, must some
of them be dispensed with ; yet having imbibed the spirit
of the New England fathers, they determined, as soon
as practicable, to provide for the stated enjoyment of
gospel ordinances. They therefore unanimously agreed
to exert theraselves for that purpose.
Deceraber 20th, 1758, an itinerant clergyman by the
name of Treat was procured, and preached the first ser
mon ever delivered in this town. They had occasional
preaching until January 8th, 1759 ; they then hired Mr.
Peck to preach for a considerable tirae, and also agreed
to coraraence building a raeeting-house for the worship
of the God of their fathers and their God. These exer
tions they soon perceived were likely so to involve them,
that in May following, they apphed to the general
assembly for the land-tax before mentioned. It is not
stated whether they obtained this or not, but in October

TOWN OF NORFOLK.

of the same year they' again applied to the assembly
for a land-tax of two pence on the acre, to continue
four years ; this, it appears, they obtained.
The inhabitants who were legal voters, asserabled
December the 12th, 1758, and organized their first town-
meeting ; it consisted of 44 merabers — their names were
the following :

G-eorge Palmer, Moderator.
William Barber.
Jedediah Richards.
John Turner.
Ebenezer Knapp.
Cornelius Brown.
Aaron Aspenwall.
Samuel Gaylord.
Ezra Knapp.
Isaac Pettibone.
Edward Strickland.
Samuel Cowls.
Ebenezer Burr.
Elijah Barber. (?.^ t
Ebenezer Pardia. '^^^'^-^'^
Cornelius Dowd.
Joseph Mills.
G-ideon Lawrence.
Asahel Case.
Justis Gaylord.
Rufus Lawrence.
Eli Pettibone.

Samuel Mills,
Thomas Knapp.
Ebenezer Knapp, Jr.
James Hotchkiss.
Samuel Ransom.
Abraham Knapp.
James Benedict.
Stephen Baker.
Joshua Whitney.
Jaeob Spalding.
Stephen Comstock.
Jedediah Turner.
Samuel Strickland.
Jabez Rood.
Samuel Monross.
Luther Barber.
Timothy Gaylord.
Elisha Richards.
Giles Pettibone.
Jonathan Stricland.
Amariah Plumb.
David Turner.

Thirty heads of families only, now (1828) reside in
this town who are descendants from the above-named
persons. For fifty-six years, the civil and ecclesiastical concerns
of the town were conducted by one corporate body. Im
posing and collecting taxes, appropriating money and
other property collected to meet the exigencies of the
day, and prudently parcelling it out — in small suras, of
course — in sorae measure to satisfy the pressing and
nuraerous clairas then deraanding their attention. For
the above reason the subsequent history will be carried
on in a connected forra, and so as not needlessly to break
the chronological chain.

8 HISTORY OF THE
1759. — November 26th, the people invited the Rev.
Mr. Noah Wetmore to preach on probation. While he
was employed, they proceeded so far in building the
meeting-house as to raise and cover it. This must have
been performed, or a considerable part of it, in an incle
ment season, and previous to June 24th, 1760.
1760.— March 31st, the inhabitants united in giving
Mr. Wetraore a call to settle and reside with them as
their rainister. A coraraittee was appointed to treat
with him on the subject, and also to advise with a council
of clergymen, who were about to convene, respecting
their conteraplated union ; and in case he was re
jected, or did not accept their proposal, they were
authorized, if practicable, to obtain the Rev. Noah Bene
dict to supply his place. For some reason, not now
known, Mr. Wetraore was rejected by vote in aregular
meeting ; Mr. Benedict was not obtained. In their
destitute condition, the Rev. Daniel Farrand, of South
Canaan, was very kind and attentive to them, preaching
occasionally, assisting at funerals, and on other occa
sions ; he also assisted in first gathering and organizing
the church, which then consisted of 23 members only.
They did not rest here, but in a meeting assembled
June 24th, 1760, they agreed to invite the Rev. Jesse Ives
(brother to Titus Ives,) to preach on probation; he
was obtained, and December 24th following, they gave
him a call to settle over them as their gospel minister.
They proceeded so far towards settling Mr. Ives, as
to offer him the minister lot, and to give him a salary
of £62 IOs. annually, for 3 years, and after that time, to
give him a salary of £70 per annum statedly. The time
was set for his ordination — the third Wednesday of Octo
ber, 1760— a committee was chosen to provide for the
ordaining council, in the proper tirae. Another com
mittee was appointed to accompany Mr. Ives to the
association, soon to raeet, and to attend his examination.
His ordination, for reasons not now known, was postpon
ed. In February, 1761, another committee was appoint
ed to attend the examination of Mr. Ives a second tirae ;
but soon after an altercation took place between him'

TOWN OF NORFOLK.

and one of his expected parishioners, and he was left to
exhibit a specimen of his very hasty temper, and im
prudently and wickedly used such language as very
much disgusted the man, and those to whom he related
the matter. The business respecting his settlement pro
ceeded no farther.
The call of Mr. Ives was unanimous, but the second
atterapt to decide the raatter was not so propitious ; one
vote only constituted the majority in his favor. It
seems the town had too hastily given him a deed or
lease ofthe use ofthe parsonage land, for he was after
wards required to quit his claim. His other clairas
against the town were not proraptly liquidated, and a
law-suit was the result, which, after considerable delay,
brought the business to a close.
Our fathers were not discouraged by this failure, but
with renewed zeal pursued their favorite object. In
June, 1761, they invited Mr. Arami Ruhamah Robbins, a
young candidate for the rainistry — son of the Rev. Phi
lemon Robbins, of Branford, in this State — " to preach
to us on probation." After taking suitable time to
acquaint themselves with his qualifications, and to de
liberate on the subject, they, on the I6th of Septeraber,
1761, gave him a unanimous call to take the charge of
them as their minister; the committee informed him
of the result of their dehberations, and proposed to him
the following stipend and terms : viz., to give hira the lot
reserved for the first settled rainister, and an annual
salary of £62 IOs. for two years, and after that time
agreed to give him a stated salary of £70, payable an
nually, and in produce at the market price, and fixed
by a committee to be appointed annually for said pur
pose ; (this mode of payment was continued for 45
years, when a contract was made). After due consi
deration Mr. Robbins accepted the terms proposed, and
waited their time to receive him as their minister.
Micha,el Huraphrey, Esq., and Ezra Knapp, were
appointed to accorapany Mr. Robbins to the association
and attend his examination. He was approved of by
the association, and the 28th of October, 1761, fixed

10 HISTORY OF THE
upon for his ordination. The time arrived, and pre
parations were made for the occasion. At the age ot
21, Mr. Robbins presented himself before the ordammg
council, and submitted to their examination, which re
sulted in his ordination. The council was composed of
the following clergymen, who performed the services
assigned thera in the soleran transaction.
Rev. Mr. Lee, of Salisbury, oflfered the introductory
prayer ; Rev. Mr. Robbins, his father, preached the ser
mon, text 2d of Corinthians, 5th chapter, 20th verse.
Rev. Dr. Bellamy, of Bethlehem, offered the conse
crating prayer, and gave the charge.
Rev. Mr. Charapion, of Litchfield, gave the right hand
of fellowship ; Rev. Mr. Robberts, of Torrington, offered
the concluding prayer.
The number of families in town at this time was 60,
and soon increased to 70. The church consisted of 38
members. In May 13th, 1762, Mr. Robbins married
Miss Elizabeth Le Baron, daughter of Dr. Le Baron of
Plyraouth, Mass., and removed her through the then rough
and devious way to his new habitation, there to suffer
many privations, aid him in his arduous and responsible
station, share with him in trials, in joys and sorrows, and,
finally, to close his eyes on scenes long dear to them,
and for severa] years after to live in lonely widow
hood. Our progenitors, deeply impressed with a sense of
the importance of religious institutions, were, from the
coraraencement of their residence in this place, united
in their exertions to establish them on a permanent
foundation ; and, after several fruitless attempts to settle
a gospel minister. Providence sent them a man to break
to them the bread of life, who was cordially received,
and in union with the people of his charge, enjoyed the
smiles of the Great Head of the church, and served
them faithfully for 52 years ; he finished his course,
and rested from his labors. His memory will be ever
dear to the church and inhabitants of this town.
When considering the raultiphcity and variety of their
engageraents, their pecuniary embarrassments, many and

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 11
of a magnitude one would think sufficient to dampen
the ardor of most comraunities in their infant state and
peculiar location, political troubles thickening around
them, and threatening to overwhelm and blast their dear
and cherished hopes — we cannot but adraire how stea
dily they persevered in pursuit of the superior object of
their wishes. One thing which very much engrossed
their attention was the building a house, wherein pub
lickly to worship God and permanently establish reli
gious order. By the strictest economy, management,
and patient labor, in the course of about 12 years, they
so far accoraphshed their wishes, as to be in a good de
gree accoraraodated with a house dedicated to the wor
ship ofGod and the establishraent of divine ordinances.
Many other iraproveraents were made at that tirae,
which will be noticed in the proper place.
Their progress in building the meeting-house may be
seen by the following statement : in 1759, they com
menced building the meeting-house, and in the course of
the year raised and covered it. In 1761, underpinned
and floored the lower part ofit. In 1767, laid the gal
lery floor. In 1769, finished the lower part and made
the pulpit. January 2, 1770, dignified and seated it.
In 1771, finished the galleries and procured a cushion
for the pulpit desk.
The house, respectable in its appearance for those
early times, was in diraensions 40 by 50, of suitable
height for galleries, built in a plain style, without any ex
ternal decoration, except the then fashionable triangular
cornices or laps over the doors and windows. The in
side finish was equally plain and remained unpainted.
The outside was painted about this time, with what was
called ^ peach-blow color, which must have appeared a
glaring contrast to the sombre hue of the thick and lofty
trees which then surrounded it ; so dense, that in coming
from the south it was not seen until entering the lower
part of the triangular green, now in use, and cleared of
the incumbrance of lofty hemlocks and wide-spreading
maples, etc. ; and the surface thus cleared exposed a
still more stubborn article, to be removed in due time —

12 HISTORY or THE
rocks, deeply imbedded, had lain undisturbed since
creation, until they felt the force of powder, which they
could not resist ; yet, some remain as a specimen of the
once rough appearance of the surface. In 1793, the
house was painted white, and retained a slight appear
ance ofit when taken down in 1814, having stood about
55 years.
The congregation was, for some time after the house
was finished, or in a condition to occupy, summoned
to assemble on the Sabbath, and on other occasions, by
blowing a horn, or some other signal understood and
authorized by vote of the town. Suitable persons were
appointed and required to see that every one, who had
not a satisfactory excuse, should regularly attend pubhc
divine worship in the sanctuary, and, also, that every
family be furnished with a Bible.
We again find it interesting to trace their slow but
sure progress in improvement in the incipient stage of
the settlement. While they were engaged in the im
portant pursuit just mentioned, sufficient, it would seem,
from the zeal exhibited, alraost entirely to engross their
attention and occupy their time, yet they were not un
mindful of the necessity of educating their c-hildren, and
preparing them for future usefulness. Schools were
early established, and encouraged by every means- then
in their power. Limited, indeed, were the means, their
funds were low, and their books few. The following
books composed the library of the pupil : the Bible, the
New England Primer, containing the assembly of
divines' Shorter Catechism, Dilworth's Spelling Book,
containing a few pages of grammar, his Schoolmaster's
Assistant, containing the ground rules of arithmetic, and
some rules quite too abstruse for the juvenile scholar.
The writing scholar took his first lesson on the bark of
the white birch, or was restricted to the use of a few
sheets of paper, whereon to learn that useful ai't. His
indulgent and kind mother made his ink from the bark
ofthe soft maple, or the berries ofthe sumach. His in
genious father made him an ink-horn — properly so-call
ed — of the tip of a cow's horn, and set it in a round

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 13
wooden bottom ; thus accoutred he hied away with
cheerful steps to his school-house, in some instances
far distant, there to spend the day in the sultry and con
fined summer heat, or the piercing cold of winter. The
teachers were instructed from the same source and in
the same way, taken for a few weeks from their domes
tic employments to " teach the young idea how to shoot,
and pour instruction into the raind."
In 1768, the town passed avote tothis effect: that
if ten or even three farailies, would unite and set up an
approved school, the expense might be paid from the
treasury of the tov^n. The adult population did not
neglect, generally, the improvement of their own minds.
They were reading with avidity a library of books, few
indeed in number, collected about the tirae of Mr.
Robbins' settlement, consisting of about 150 volumes,
selected frora the coraparatively few books obtainable at
that time. It was preserved for 30 or 35 years and then
sold and distributed among the proprietors. In this
manner were the evenings of many families pleasantly
spent. Thus a reader occupied one corner of the fire
side, surrounded by an interesting, and in some instances
an attentive group of children, while the busy hum of
the spinning-wheel was heard in the other. Their days
were industriously spent, when the weather and other
circumstances would admit, in felling and clearing off'
the huge forest trees, the logs were tumbled into massy
piles, which, when set on fire, lighted the horizon and
over-shadowing clouds in the twilight, and afforded rare
sport for the children, whose business it was to add fuel
to the fire by throwing on the brush-wood.
In addition to all this labor and expense, passable
roads were made, and the rugged surface cleared and
smoothed sufficiently for opening a passage through the
town in different directions. In 1761, the country-road,
as it was then terraed, was made, leading from the beech
fiats, and running a north-westerly course, down on the
north side ofthe centre burying-ground, through the dug-
way or valley into Canaan. The manner then pursued
and approved of for making roads, was, to dig a pass or

14 HISTORY ON THE
trench through knolls, and on the declivities of hil s,
sufficiently wide for carts to pass forward, but in genera ,
not to pass each other but with difficulty. The wet ana
marshy places which crossed their route, were filled witn
round timber laid across the road, in some places they
were left naked, in others the interstices were filled witn
earth, which formed a level for a time above the water
and mud. When coming to a rock of considerable size,
they very prudently sheered off, and took a circular turn,
avoidino- it as an unconquerable obstruction. Ifie
course Sf the highways, generally, was pver high ground,
in order to escape the swamps and dense forests, which
in many places lay directly in their way. After, when
the surface was cleared and dry, many alterations were
made in their direction, which better accommodated the
inhabitants in every part of the town.
The troublous times, which had for several years
been anticipated, now arrived. Their recital, as to de
tail, is here omitted, and the reader referred to the official
docuraents published at large on the subject. It will be
sufficient in this place to say, our fathers now began very
sensibly to feel, in common with their fellow-citizens
throughout the country, the effects of British aggression,
innovation, and unwarranted demands. Those impolitic
measures, on the side of the British, were the cause of
their alraost unanimously and firmly imbibing that spirit
of independence and freedom which actuated them in
their subsequent and arduous struggles for the defence
of their inalienable rights. The inhabitants of this town
deteriAined, in cooperation with their fellow-citizens, to
withstand the torrent of abuse unmercifully poured upon
them, and to emancipate themselves from the now rude
grasp oftheir mother-country, if blood as well as treasure
must be the sacrifice !
From the few public newspapers, then in circulation,
the news of the day was obtained, and the public proceed
ings were made farailiar to them ; and they told them to
their children. In 1774, having learned that the harbor
of Boston was blockaded by the British, in the true
spirit of Christian benevolence and of patriotism, they

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 15
resolved, in legal meeting, to send relief to the inhabi
tants who were in distressing circurastances. It was
timely ; and though like the widow's raite when com
pared with their necessities, it was undoubtedly an ac
ceptable offering. At the same meeting they levied a
tax of one half-penny on the pound, for the purpose of
procuring powder and other araraunition for the use of
the town, that they might be ready for any emergency
calling for its use. For the same season, they estabhsh
ed a pest-house for the smallpox, a disease then dreaded
— especially if taken the natural way — almost as much
as the hydrophobia is now !
In 1774, the 30th of June, they received the resolves
of the representatives convened at Hartford, and imme
diately called a special meeting of the people, who voted
to approve, adopt and copy them. The import of the
resolves was very similar to those passed in Philadelphia,
which are copied below. The Hartford resolves close
with the following spirited determination :
" It is an indispensable duty, which we owe to our
king, our colony, ourselves and our posterity, by all
lawful measures and means in our power, to raaintain,
defend, and preserve inviolate, those our rights and
liberties, and to transrait thera entire and inviolate to
the latest generation ; and that it is our fixed determina
tion and unalterable resolution faithfully to discharge
this our duty."
The resolves above referred to, ten in number, are,
for substance, as follows : " We are entitled to hfe,
liberty and property, and no foreign power has a right to
dispose of either, without our consent. We are entitled
to all the rights, liberties and immunities of free and
natural-born subjects. By our emigration, we have not
forfeited, surrendered or lost, any of those rights, nor our
allegiance to our rightful sovereign.
" As we are not represented in the British parhament,
we are entitled to a free and exclusive power of legisla
tion in our several provincial legislatures ; subject only
to the negative of our sovereign. The respective
colonies are entitled to the cojnmon law.pf England, and

16 HISTORY OF THE
the inestimable privilege of being tried by their P'^^^, *^J
the vicinage, according to the course ofthat law. i 9^^
we are entitled to the benefit of such of the Enghsfi
statutes as existed at the time of our colonization. 1 hat
we are entitled to all the immunities and privileges con
firmed to us by royal charters, or the several codes of
provincial laws. We have a right, peaceably to as
semble, consider of our grievances, and petition the king
for redress.
" Keeping a standing army in any of our cplonies,
without our consent, is illegal. It is rendered essential
by the English constitution, that the constituent branches
of the legislature be independent of each other."
December 26, 1774. Our people received the four
teen articles of agreement, drawn up and signed by all
the representatives present, in their own names, and in
behalf of their constituents, to continue until their griev
ances were redressed. A special meeting was called,
and a unanimous vote given to approve of, and abide by,
these resolves. They proceeded to appoint a committee
of nine, whose duty it should be to enforce the obser
vance of them ; and a committee of three, to correspond
with the other colonies on the subject. Appointed for
said coramittee, Giles Pettibone, Esq., Dudley Hum
phrey, Esq., and Titus Ives.
The resolves or articles of agreement, referred to
above, were passed in Philadelphia in September pre
ceding, by the continental congress, then convened.
The articles follow, — " Agreed, not to import any arti
cles frora Great Britan or any of its colonies, or of any
concerned in trade with them. Not to export any
article to those places either directly or indirectly. Not
to use or consurae any article procured from those
places. Not to purchase any slave imported, but wholly
discontinue the slave-trade, and not assist in any way to
carry it on. Not to purchase any tea, on which a duty
has been or shall be paid. We will use our utmost en
deavors to improve the breed of sheep, and increase
the number ofthem.
" We will encourage frugahty, economy, and industry,

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 17
andpromote agriculture, arts, and manufactures, especial
ly of wool. We will discourage every species of extrava
gance, and if we lose a friend or relative, we will use no
more expensive mourning dress than a piece of crape, or
ribbon on the arm or hat, and our ladies, a black ribbon
or neck-lace.
'* That the manufactures of this country shall be sold
at reasonable prices. That we will have no intercourse
with any colony which shall not accede to, or which shall
violate this association. That a coramittee shall be ap
pointed in every town, whose duty it shall be to enforce
the observance of these resolves and agreeraents. The
committee appointed for the above purpose in this town,
were faithful in the discharge of their duty. The com
mittee were — Giles Pettibone, Dudley Humphrey, Titus
Watson, Samuel Mills and Andrew j^foore."
1776. — The irresistible lapse of tirae brought about
the iraportant and interesting era and stage of revolu
tionary achieveraent, when our fathers must give up the
arduous struggle for the defence of their rights, relin
quish every claim to redress of grievances, obsequiously
bow under the yoke of oppression, and submit to the rule
of the rod of tyranny, or rise with united energy in the
spirit of freemen, panting for liberty and independence,
and steadily raove forward to meet and contend with the
powerful phalanx of opposing difficulties and dangers.
Urged by the call of duty, they declared theraselves
free frora, and independent of their now oppressive an
cestors ; and pledged their honor, their life, and their
treasures, if called for, in bringing the contest to a
favorable issue, and obtaining a peace and settleraent
with their belligerent foe, in some measure adequate
to their just requirements, and honorable to those who
had already, and those who must suffer and bleed in
the glorious cause, and those who may survive, and en
joy the fruits oftheir exertions.
The people of this town were ever ready, it would
seem, to cooperate in every measure adopted, and ap
proved of by our government, in that eventful day,
yet not without suitable examination and free dis-^
2

18 HISTORY OF THE
cussion. They now, pursuant to resolutions previo y
made, rose almost en masse and prepared to mee
call on them for their quota ofmen and necessary s P"
plies, to aid in prosecuting the defensive war in win ^
their brethren of the different colonies were nov^ deeply
and ardently engaged,— a war, it was believed, sanc
tioned and approved of by that Being who sways the
sceptre of the universe, and to whom the united prayers
of the pious of this oppressed country were addressed
for guidance and success. Their exertions appear to
have been unremitted until the banner of peace was un
furled to their view. Several of their active and infiuen
tlal men fell in the contest, and their bereaved families
still flourish among us ; others returned to the bosom of
their farailies and friends, and lived to enjoy wilh them
the sweets of hberty and independence.
In 1777, the people of this town were afflicted with both
war and pestilence ; the camp distemper, or dysentery,
as it is now called, swept off fifty-six persons of different
ages ; and the year following, thirty-eight died of the
sarae disorder ; and several, who Avent from this town to
serve their country, died in the army or on their return
home. In this distressing tirae, our fathers were en
gaged in acts of kindness and benevolence, in endeavor
ing to supply the wants of the inhabitants ; pressing, in
deed, were the wants of the lonely woman and her chil
dren, and especially the bereaved families. A com
mittee was appointed to provide for the famihes of the
three-years' men — so-called, — and to procure salt for the
use ofthe inhabitants generally, (an article at that time
poor and scarce), they were directed to distribute it in
equal proportion to each individual in town. Thus, al
though sequestered from the noise and bloody scenes of
war, our ancestors were severely tried with privation
and sickness, continual anxiety and care. The above
committee were — Samuel Cowls, Jr., Elijah Grant, Isaac
Holt, Jr., Titus Ives, Tiraothy Gaylord.
In 1777, this town was first represented in the general
asserably of this state. Messrs. Giles Pettibone and
Wm. Walter Avere appointed representatives. About

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 19
this time a specimen of an army, subjugated and despoil
ed of its weapons of war, was exhibited. A part of
Burgoyne's forces passed through this town as prisoners
of war ; encamping, for several days, on the centre
green. It was composed of Hessians and regulars, the
subjects of Great Britain, martially designated. They
were suffered to stroll around among the inhabitants and
beg for food, until ordered to march forward to the place
destined for their reception. One of the Hessians died,
and Hendrich Bale, another, lingered behind, became an
inhabitant of this town and married Sarali Hotchkis.
They had three sons, Fredrich, Salmon and Josiah. For
the particulars of their capture and ultimate fate, the
reader is referred to the history of the Revolution.
The assembly, at their session in 1778, ordered each
town in this state, to appoint a committee, vested with full
power and directed to establish a uniform price through
the state for labor per day, the price of every article of
produce, every manufactured article, tavern prices, etc.*
The object is not stated. A few specimens will here be
noticed, in abstract. Labor, per day, 3s. 6d., 4s. 4^d.
and 5s. 3d., specifying the different seasons of the year,
and the kinds of labor ; a good narrow axe and scythe,
each lis. 3d.; a good broad hoe, 7s. 6d. Joiners, per
day, 5s. 3d. and 6s. Ijd. Carpenters, 7s. Masons, 7s.
10 Jd. Tailors, 5s. 3d. Tailoresses, 2s. 2d. Tavern
keepers, for a good meal of victuals. Is. 2d., for a rang
of cider, 7d, good West India rura, per gill. Is. ; New
England rura, 8d. ; a mug of flip, made of good West
India rum, 2s. 4d. ; other rums, Is. 8d., etc. The
original list, a singular docuraent, is on file in the town
clerk's office.
The sarae year, 1778, this town presented a petition
to the asserably of this state, through a county conven
tion assembled at Litchfield, for an alteration in the
mode of taxation ; and, also, that the journals of the as
sembly be published. They were determined, it seems,
* Said committee were— Giles Pettibone, Michael Mills, Titus Ives,
and Timothy Gaylord.

20 HISTORY OF THE
to proceed deliberately and understandingly in ^^^^
measure proposed to thera and to be adopted by '
intended for the pubhc good. . i ¦
In 1780, the inhabitants who were required to aia in
prosecuting the defensive war in which we were en
gaged, were divided into three classes, each class was to
furnish a soldier for the continental service ; and lor
their encouragement, the town voted to give each man
drafted, or enhsted into the continental service, £3 per
month in addition to their stipulated wages ; and in
order to enable them to pay this premium, they
levied a tax of 3jd. on the £1, to continue for three
successive years. Both foot and cavalry were entitled
to receive it ; it was payable in produce, and a com
mittee was appointed to receive and distribute it. Polls
were exempted from paying this tax, the first year. Soon
after, an additional tax was levied for the same purpose,
of Is. on the £1, to be paid in state or continental
money ; or if any one chose to pay in produce, at the
stated price, it was to be received at the rate of 6d. on
the £1. The next year, 1781, the town voted, that 100
silver dollars should be received of a militia class, in
stead of a man. This $100, was to be distributed equal
ly to each of the three classes. At this time, state's
money was estiraated at $2 for one of silver, and conti
nental bills, $72 for one of silver, and it continued to
depreciate until $100 was required for a bushel of wheat.
A coraraittee was appointed at the same meeting, to
regulate their appropriations according to the deprecia
tion of the paper currency.
In 1782, pursuant to an order from the general as
sembly, (each town in the state having similar orders,)
this town collected a stated quantity of provisions for
the use of the army, consisting of pork, beef, flour, etc.
These were to be deposited in a convenient place, and
ready when called for. Inspectors of provisions were
annually appointed, for several years. The articles were
placed under the care of a man appointed for the pur
pose, for safe keeping. By some means— not stated 
the provisions thus deposited were so damaged as not to

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 21
be fit for the purpose designed. The loss was estimated
c^t £50. A serious loss, considering their circumstances
at that time.
While suffering under public losses and individual
embarrassment, heightened by the chilling clangor of
war, our fathers were sustained, and were still alive to,
and active in their duty, numerous as were the calls,
domestic and in defence of their rights.
In 1784, our people sent in, by their representatives,
a remonstrance, embracing the subjects — of collecting
debts, the mode of taxation, and particularly against the
commutation act. On the subject of collecting debts,
this, as it respected the congressional laws, raay have re
ference to the case of the clairas of those persons, who
in the revolutionary struggle, from choice or some other
reason, removed to, or continued under the British go
vernment ; or more particularly, it respected the laws of
this state on the subject, then in operation, which were
considered very oppressive. On the subject of taxation,
they directed their representatives to propose and urge
an alteration in the mode of taxation, the enactment of a
substitute by which they might be taxed simply accord
ing to their property. The manner then pursued they
considered as unequitable. They likewise claimed as
citizens, the privilege of open doors and free admission
to hear the debates of the asserably ; and, also, that the
yeas and nays of both houses, on any and every impor
tant subject discussed, shall be published. They were
particularly directed to remonstrate against the commu
tation act, and through the legislature of this state, to
urge congress to desist. (Congress had made a commu
tation ofthe half-pay for hfe, to the officers ofthe conti
nental array, or those of thera who preferred it, granting
the gross sum of five years' pay in money or securities at
6 per cent, per annum.) At the close of the petition,
our fathers, in their usual spirited style, asserted that the
measure was unconstitutional, and very alarraing to free
citizens, and an infringement of the articles of confeder
ation of the United States.
As the ocean in a mighty storm, tossing its billows to

22 HISTORY OF THK
the sky, when the storm ceases, gradually subsides? an
calmly settles into its bed, so with pohtical convulsions,
it must take time to cease from agitation, and to settle
into a calm. This town, though remote from the san
guinary scene, continued to feel the tremulous motion,
and years elapsed before the effects of war had ceased ;
they were well prepared, by multiphed calaraities, proper
ly to appreciate and relish the return of peace and quiet.
The inhabitants of this town had, in the course of the
war, slowly progressed in improvements — population
had increased, fields were cleared, roads opened, school-
houses erected, heavy taxes hquidated, and calls for
charity were apparently met with a cheerful heart.
Soon after the war closed, many enterprising families
and single young men emigrated from this town to
Vermont ; and, subsequently, a still greater number to
the western and north-western parts of New- York and
Pennsylvania, and onward to the State of Ohio, particu
larly into that section of it called New Connecticut, or,
the Western Reserve, so that travellers from this town
to the north, north-west and west, by enquiring or acci
dentally, will find and meet those whom he can recognize
as natives of this town ; and that many who people those
new settlements, were descendants from our first settlers,
or had recently gone from us.
In 1787, a circurastance occurred, which, for its
novelty and the rare sport it afforded, may well be
noticed in this place. While the congregation was as
serabled, and devoutly engaged in celebrating the annual
thanksgiving, the speaker having coramenced his sermon,
a messenger entered the house, and with a firm and
manly step, walked partly up the middle aisle, with his eye
fixed on the speaker full of meaning and intelligence ;;
the speaker paused ; and he inforraed the crowded as
sembly, that five wolves — a dog and slut, with three pups
almost full grown— were now on Haystack Mountain,
partly surrounded by men already collected, and that
more men were wanted to assist in destroying them.
The speaker rephed, he thought it a duty for every man
to turn out and combat these invaders ; immediately a

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 23
great part ofthe male members ofthe congregation rose
from their seats, and flew to the scene of action. A line
was formed round the mountain, distributing at proper
distances those who were supplied with guns and ammu
nition, and the whole circle was directed by leaders,
emulous to excel ; the line gradually contracted as they
ascended the mountain on every side, silent and cautious,
until the files were nearly closed. The ravenous in
vaders now appeared in rapid flight, coming towards the
line, the clubs and pitchforks were raised, the guns
elevated in martial form, the balls whizzed, and pirt of
the wolves were kihed on the spot, the remainder rush
ed to the opposite section of the line, where they met
their fate, except the dog-wolf, who, frightened and en
raged, rushed through the line — clubs, pitchforks, and
guns notwithstanding — but the steady and well-aimed
fire-arms soon stopped hira, filling his body with balls, not
counted until more at leisure. They were all brought
down into the village in triumph, and exhibited to a
nuraerous collection of people ; raany, who dispensed
with their usual Thanksgiving feast around the fireside
of their quiet homes, were seen gratifying their sight
rather than their appetites.
From 1787 to 1811, few occurrences transpired
worthy of historical record. This tirae was principally
occupied in attending to the coramon run of town and
society business. The reader is referred to the sum
mary of events, annexed, for the particular transactions
and occurrences included in this interim.
1811. — September 16th, in a special meeting of the
inhabitants, a proposal was raade to build a new raeet
ing-house, by raising a sura by subscription sufficient,
with the usual tax of individuals liable to pay society taxes,
to defray the expense. After a free discussion of the
subject a vote was taken, and passed in the affirraative.
A coraraittee was appointed, residing in the different
school districts, to solicit subscriptions. They soon ob
tained $1827. Another coraraittee was appointed to
ascertain the centre of the town in order to fix the site
for the meeting-house. But at a meeting, assembled

24 HISTORY OF THE
the 9th ofthe next December, the above votes were re
scinded, and one passed very unanimously to <^^^ ?^gyj,_
whole expense of building the meeting-house ."y Mj^j.^^
scription. The raoney subscribed, to be paid in
equal and annual instalments, beginning in one jear"""^
the above date. A new committee was appointea lo
solicit subscriptions. They very readily obtained the
amount of $4437.75, and several gentlemen engaged to
add to their subscription if necessary. Ihe remainder
of the expense was paid by a subsequent subscription.
Michael F. Mills, Esq., was appointed an agent to con
tract for, and superintend the building and finishing of
the house. The site for the house was estabhshed June
15th, 1812. Mr. David Hoadly was engaged as archi
tect ; and the business commenced early in the spring of
1813. The business proceeded with great regularity and
faithfulness. The house was completed in 1814, and
was dedicated in August of the same year. Its cost
was $6000. It was furnished with a good clock, by the
liberality of the Rev. Thoraas Robbins, a son of our
first and beloved pastor. In 1822, an organ was pro
cured and set in the front gallery, where acconamoda-
tions were prepared to seat the choir of singers.
1811. — October 28th, Mr. Robbins having preached to
this people 50 years, prepared and preached a half cen
tury serraon, his text was Acts, 26th chapter, 22d and 23d
verses. He remarked, in course ofhis sermon, that, since
the church was first gathered in this town, 549 members
had been added to it. He had baptized 1277 persons, the
most of them were children of those who were in full
coraraunion, a few were adults. He had attended 760
burials, the average number for each year being about
15. He had joined 276 couple in marriage. (The num
ber joined by civil authority not known.) He had
preached 6500 serraons, including those preached abroad.
He also remarked that, at that tirae, there were but two
persons hving who belonged to this church when hc was
ordained — Mrs. Dorothy Case, of this town, and Major
Noah Allen, of Tyringham. He said that, in the whole
course of his ministry, there had been but two cases

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 25
of distraint for ministerial taxes, and those two per
sons had turned to other denominations after their tax
became due ; a striking and convincing proof of the
harmony and of the willingness of his people to give
hira support.
Frora the second year after his settlement, his salary
was established at £70 annually, during life ; but, frora
1779 to 1783, he generously relinquished £14 of his
salary, annually, on account of the heavy taxes and
pressing calls for pecuniary aid in prosecuting the revo
lutionary war. From that time to 1793 he received £70
per annum, when it was advanced to £90 ; and in 1806
it was set, by mutual agreement, at $300 during his
abihty to preach.
Mr. Robbins performed the duties of a chaplain in
the army nearly through the year of 1776, for several
regiments. In 1783, he was on a mission to the west
for eight months ; and, in 1794-5-6, he performed
five several tours of missionary service in the destitute
new settlements, in the northern parts of Vermont, and
in the western and northrwestern parts of the state of
New-York. He was absent from his people two or
three times, for a few weeks each tirae, on account of
in health. When with his people — which was generally
the case — he was very faithful and prorapt in attending
to every call for pastoral duty, and exhibited a very
happy talent in his conversation on religious subjects,
in his addresses to his people from the pulpit, and in
all the perforraances of his sacred office. In addition
to this, and in consequence of his peculiar talent for
teaching, he prepared many young gentlemen for a
collegiate education — residents of this town and from
various and distant parts of the country.
From 1811, Mr. Robbins' health gradually declined,
but he was able to preach some part of the time until
the summer of 1813. He met with his people for the
last time for public worship, on the Sabbath, a little
before the old meeting-house was taken down ; being
unable to ascend the pulpit, he rose in his pew, and
closed the services of the day by a short but solemn

26 HISTORY OF THE
address, and then, after a very appropriate ^^d^ ^^
prayer, retired from the congregation of his h
people, to meet them no more, until he met them
the bar of God to render their account— a scene lo
which he had often referred them. , „
1813.— October 31st, Mr. Robbins died, aged Td.
At the particular request of this afflicted peopie, the
Rev, Dr. Lee, of Colebrook, met them and preached
the funeral sermon. Text, 2d of Kings, 2d chapter,
12th verse. He rose in the desk and exclaimed,
"My father, my father, the chariot of Israel andthe
horsemen thereof." These words, uttered with his
usual pathos, with the remains of the good man lying
before him, dressed for the tomb, were peculiarly af
fecting. In the course of his sermon he remarked,
Mr. Robbins was truly a son of the Sabbath ; he was
born on the Sabbath ; he was new born, as he hoped,
on the Sabbath, and he died on the Sabbath. He also
mentioned the foUowing anecdote, of a nature calcu
lated to bring into exercise all the sensibihties of filial
affection. In reply to a reraark, made by Dr. Lee to him
a few years since, " How happy you are, Mr. Robbins,
in your people ; so united, so attached to your person,
and so attentive to your ministry." " O," said the good
man, with the tear of parental affection glistening in his
eyes, " the people of Norfolk are my children ; I have
buried their fathers, and brought them up from infancy."
In the course of Mr. Robbins' ministry, there were se
veral revivals of religion. The first season noticed
was in 1767, 10 members were added to the church.
In 1783-4, another occurred, 52 were added. In 1798
-9, 160 were added, and the whole nuraber of com
municants at that time was 300. Few years, if any, had
passed without some additions to the church. About
the time of Mr. Emerson's ordination, viz., in 1815
-16, another revival occurred, 122 were added. The
whole number of raerabers at this tirae was 216. In
1827, 103 were added. The dirainution of the number
of coraraunicants, from 1799 to 1816, was from deaths
among the raembers, as a coramon cause ; but particu-

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 27
larly dismissions and recommendations to other churches,
in that peculiar time for emigration.
A custora was adopted and practised, nearly through
the whole course of Mr. Robbins' ministry, which, to
those who did not enter into the spirit of it, and perhaps
to those of the present generation, might seem rather
papistical, or as showing undue respect and reverence
for the clergy ; but, to the writer, it was a pleasing
exhibition — it was this : the congregation being generally
present, and seated, Mr. Robbins, punctual to the tirae,
entered the house ; he took off his hat, walked up the
broad aisle, bowing to the right and to the left, as if to
say. Good morning, my dear people : the people on each
side responded to the compliment, and rose as he passed
along, as if answering. Good raorning, our dear pastor.
He then ascended the pulpit, hung up his hat, turned
and bowed to those seated in the galleries, and to the
choir of singers, as if to say. Good morning, my dear
children, and you who aid me in the divine service ;
they rose, as his eyes passed round upon them, without
turault, as if replying. Good morning, our dear father in
Christ. This cereraony was perforraed in a graceful
manner, particularly on the part of the pastor. This
interchange of civility, giving it no more tender epithet,
was indicative of the respect and unfeigned love of his
people towards him as their spiritual instructor and
guide. The writer, and those readers still living who sat
under his ministry, remember his manner in general,
while offlciating as a gospel minister; his raanner, in
the administration of the Lord's Supper, was peculiarly
solemn and impressive. After arranging the sacramental
furniture and the elements in due order, he addressed
the members in a few words appropriate to the occasion ;
he then invited the coraraunicants to unite with him
in prayer to the great Head of the church, for His bless
ing on the elements and on each guest. After the prayer
was closed, he proceeded in the service by breaking the
bread, saying to the communicants, " Thus, as you see
this bread broken, was the body of Jesus bruised and

28 HISTORY OF THE
broken for your sins." He then commenced a kind of
audible soliloquy, very helpful in directing the medita
tions of the communicants to proper subjects. Ahe
following words were generally repeated, or those ot
similar iraport :
" He was wounded for our transgressions. He was
bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our
peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.
All we, hke sheep, have gone astray, we have turned
every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on
Him the iniquities of us all. He was oppressed, and He
was afflicted ; yet He opened not His mouth. He is
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep be
fore her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His
mouth." He then, after suitable reflections, exhibited
the bread to the view of the communicants, and then
said, " Beloved brothers and sisters, this bread, now
broken before you, taken from a common and ordinary
use, is now consecrated, and, so much as is necessary,
appropriated to this sacramental use and purpose, ex
hibits to you, symbolically, the broken body of our Lord
Jesus, which was broken for the sins of the world. I
do, therefore, as His minister, however unworthy, in
vite you all to partake of it, reraerabering that, as oft as
you do this, you do shew forth the Lord's death until He
corae." After the bread was distributed, he took the flagon,
and, filling a cup with wine, exhibited it, saying, "Christ
also took the cup and gave thanks, saying, ' This
is the New Testament in ray blood, which was shed for
you, for the remission of sins.' Let us imitate His ex
ample, and give thanks at the remembrance of His
mercies." After giving thanks, he invited the communi
cants aU to partake of the wine, which represented His
blood, shed to wash away sin. Use it in a believing and
thankful remerabrance of Christ crucified, and in love
and charity to one another. After the distribution of
the wine, he said, " Supper being ended, our Saviour
and His disciples sang a hyran. Let us imitate their ex
ample and sing." He then gave the blessing, which was

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 29
generally expressed in the following words, " Now the
God of peace, that brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make'
you perfect in every good work to do His will, working
in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen." Hitherto, both town and ecclesiastical society busi
ness has been conducted by the whole town in a corpo
rate capacity. For this reason, the history of both has
been connected and brought down together ; and the
compiler takes the liberty still to pursue the sarae
plan. In 1814, February 28th, an ecclesiastical society was*
organized, and the appropriate fiinds and business were
transferred to it from the town, and it has since been
conducted separately.
1815, May 22d, the society gave a una'nimous vote,
to call Mr. Ralph Emerson to settle over them as their
gospel minister, he having preached to us a suitable
time on probation. June 10th, Mr. Emerson accepted
the call, and the stipend offered him, and was ordained
the 12th day of the sarae month. The society continu
ed well satisfied with the result, and their estimation of
the man increased during his parochial services with
them. In 1817, a meeting of the society having assembled
pursuant to a notice given, a proposition was laid be
fore them to establish an ecclesiastical society fund.
After an animated discussion of the subject, a constitu
tion, already drawn, was presented and read, and delibe
rated upon for a short time, and adopted. It was ex
pressly stipulated, that it shall accumulate until it
amounts to the sum of $6666.67, the interest is then to
be used annually, to pay the salary of a congregational
or presbyterian minister who may settle over this
society. It continued gradually to accumulate, until
1824, when it was increased by a donation of $833.34,
from Joseph Battell, Esq., with this condition, that when

30 HISTORY OF THE
the fund became full, $50 of the interest of said fund
shall be appropriated for the improvement of church or
sacred music. It continued to accumulate, and no inter
est used, until 1845, when it amounted to $10,118.25.
In 1818, Augustus Pettibone and Joseph Batteh, Esqs.
were appointed delegates to the convention for forming
the constitution of this state.
In 1819, a conference-room was built, in connection
with the centre school-house, cost $1000 for the whole
building, furnished with a large stove, and occupied oc
casionally for a school of higher order.
In 1822, a library company was formed. Incorporated
in March, 1824. The number of volumes first pur
chased was 142, considerable additions have been
annually made to the number since. The inhabitants of
the town have enjoyed many advantages for acquiring
general information. A variety of newspapers, designed
to give the news of the day, religious, literary, political
and amusing. Several of the best periodical works have
been taken and read with avidity and profit.
In 1826, a society was formed and organized, for the
proraotion and practice of sacred music, which has since
been greatly improved, and accompanied by an organ.
The singing for public worship, in the early times in
this place, was conducted in the following manner : after
the clergyraan had given out the psalm and read it, the
senior deacon began by reading the first line, which was
sung, and then the next line was read and sung, and so
on through the psalra. The leaders needed httle more
than strength of voice to recommend them to the notice
of those who united with them, and of the congregation
generally. A gamut, with a few concise rules, and a
smah number of psalm tunes were annexed, this being
their only source of instruction in the science of sacred
music. The singers were mostly coraposed of the
middle-aged class, and were seated with their families and
seat-mates in the lower part of the house. In this
scattered situation they waited for the leader to com
mence. He must give the tune, the pitch and the im
petus. When he had sung a few notes, the tune and

TTOWN OF NORFOLK. 31
the sound was caught by the attentive ears of the per
formers, and Old Hundred, or sorae of its respected
cotemporaries was alternately sung devoutly, and, " in
lofty strains and cadence sweet," it arose frora the
scattered performers, who each, except the leaders, de
pended on others for time and movement, but were in
dependent as to emphasis and diction. From a fuU heart
flowed the sincere tribute of sacred and grateful praise.
And, though a critic might say there was a jar in the
pronunciation of the words used, and not the most
perfect harmony in the raelody, yet, so far as they were
devoutly uttered, they were accepted as they entered in
to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
This method appears to have been in use until 1774,
when we find the choristers were annually appointed in
regular town raeetings. A choir was collected and seat
ed in the front seats of the gaUeries. The town con
tinued to superintend the singing untit 1790, the last
notice on record of the appointraent of choristers by the
town. The first appropriation to aid the choir, was $12
in 1798. In 1805, $60 was given by vote. In 1807,
$60 more. Sums were soraetiraes expended for that
purpose, at the discretion of the selectmen. At other
times, sums were raised by subscription, and teachers
hired from abroad. This choir has generally been am
bitious to excel in that important and pleasant part of
divine worship. They have almost uniformly borne the
palm, when set in competition with the neighboring
choirs, and it is believed, few exceed this at the present
time. They have, as before noticed, in reversion, an
annual sum of $50, as an income to encourage them in
their present exertions.
In the spring of 1828, Mr. Emerson received a
communication from the trustees of the Hudson Col
lege, Ohio, stating the proposed designation of him to
the presidency of that institution. The trustees, at a
subsequent meeting, not having received a timely an
swer to their coramunication, proceeded to elect Mr.
Emerson as their president. He was soon informed of
the appointment, and on the Sabbath, June 1st, he gave

32 HISTORY OF THE
the necessary information to his congreation, and stated
in a few words his feelings on the subject, and also the
need and propriety of visiting the institution, betore
deciding in his own mind as to his duty in the case.
Having engaged a supply for his pulpit during his ab
sence, he, with Mrs. Emerson, commenced their journey
June 3d. During his absence the public mind was con
siderably agitated on the subject, and his people in par
ticular waited with great anxiety for his return, and to
know the result of his visit. After an absence of seve
ral weeks he returned home, July 17th, and was very
cordially welcomed by his parishioners.
Sunday, July 20th, he addressed his congregation from
the following text — Isaiah, 59th chapter, latter clause
of the 19th verse : " When the enemy shaU come in
like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shaU lift up a standard
against him." In the course of his remarks, he gave a
description of the moral state of the country through
which he had passed ; wishing at the same time by no
means to be understood as characterizing the whole pop
ulation. He should enumerate some of the most promi
nent crimes chargeable on a pxDrtion of the inhabitants ;
such as intemperance, sabbath-breaking, infidelity, lying
for gain, etc., an exhibition, showing that the enemy was
indeed coraing into that part like a flood, and instigating
the inhabitants to the practice of the most flagrant
crimes that our depraved nature is prone to exhibit. He
then turned from the disgusting picture, and proclaimed
to his audience that the Lord was evidently setting up
a standard against the adversary — a delightful contrast ;
after raentioning several particulars which went to show
the moveraents of the raighty conquerer, he said he
considered the institution in question, if well-established
and judiciously conducted, would be a powerful means
for suppressing the prominent vices of that widely-ex
tended population, and a standard against the arch
enemy. He thought the institution ought to be patron
ized. He then concluded his discourse, by strongly ur
ging it as the duty of every individual and congregated
church, in these highly-favoured settlements, to exert

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 33
themselves by every means in their power, to aid in the
attempt to enlighten and reform that scattered people,
many of whom were emigrants fi-om this part of the
country and endeared to us by the bonds of natural
affection and consanguinity. At the close of the meet
ing, a church-meeting was warned^ for the purpose of
discussing and acting on the subject of his accepting
the appointment of the said institution, and his dismis
sion from the pastoral care and engagements to this
<;hurch and people.
July 23d, the church-meeting was held pursuant to
the warning given, and the subject of Mr. Emerson's
appointment was fully elucidated and discussed : — first,
by reading the correspondence between the trustees of
the, college and Mr. Emerson, showing their urgent call
and unanimous election ; the state of their funds ; the
present satisfaction expressed by the community in
general, respecting the location of the college, etc.
These, with nuraerous minor considerations, which had
an immediate bearing on the concerns ofthe institution,
together with the consideration of the moral state of the
people residing in that section of our country, as ex
hibited on the preceding Sabbath, were presented, as
affording weighty arguments in favor of his dismission
and acceptance of the appointment alluded to.
On the other side, was mentioned, as an opposing ar
gument, the situation of this churCh in relation to those
in its vicinity; the attachment of this people to their
pastor ; the unsettled condition of most of the neigh
boring churches and congregations at the time ; the
present need of the standard of the gospel being firraly
fixed and defended in this place. These, with many
other considerations, were strongly urged against re
leasing Mr. Emerson from his pastoral charge. The ar
guments on both sides being freely and sufficiently pre
sented, a motion was made and seconded, to unite with
their pastor in submitting the subject to the decision of
the north consociation of Litchfield county. The votes
were taken by yeas and nays, which stood as follows :
nays, 58 ; yeas, 6.
August 30th, Mr. Storrs, professor of theology in

34 HISTORY OF THE
Hudson college, arrived with the intention, if possible, to
obtain Mr. Emerson. After eight days' dehberation a
meeting was warned to act on the subject, beptemoer
15th, the society met, pursuant to the warnmg given.
The meeting was organized ; a prayer for divme direc
tion offered. Mr. Storrs being present, it was proposed
and voted to give Mr. Storrs, as an agent from the cor
poration, full liberty to communicate needed information,
the particular request of the trustees, and to remark
freely on the subject to any extent he should judge expe
dient in the course of the investigations. The liberty
was politely accepted, and faithfully improved. After a
free, lengthy, and interesting discussion of the subject
under consideration, Mr. Emerson having previously ex
pressed a wish to submit the matter, unreservedly, to
the decision of his church and society, he now said, he
should cheerfully acquiesce in the result of their deliber
ations ; yet, as they declined taking the responsibility on
themselves, he would now ask the church and society in
their corporate capacity, to unite with him in submitting
the business to the decision of the consociation, which
was soon to convene. The minds of the members of
this meeting were then taken by yeas and nays, which
counted as follows : nays, 95 ; yeas, 18 ; and the meet
ing was dissolved. Here the matter rested for a short
time, and the agitated state of the public mind had, in a
measure, subsided. Mr. Emerson continued cheerfully
and faithfully to perform his pastoral duties ; the calm,
however, was of short duration.
October 18th, 1829, Mr. Emerson communicated
to the congregation the anticipated official information,
at the close of divine service, respecting his appoint
ment to the station of Brown professor of ecclesiastical
history and lecturer on pastoral theology in the theo
logical serainary at Andover, and his acceptance of the
appointment, provided his- pastoral connection with this
church and society should be regularly dissolved ; de
claring at the same time, that his personal attachment
to this people reraained undiminished. A church and
society-meeting was warned.
October 22d, the society met, pursuant to a warn-

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 35
ing given, and being organized, Mr. Emerson again
read the communication and a proposition respecting
his call, and other documents relating to the case in
¦question. The meeting then proceeded to act on the
subject. A motion was offered to try the minds of the
meeting, by yeas and nays, whether they would concur
with Mr. Emerson, in referring the question under con
sideration to the decision of a select council, or the
consociation. After due deliberation, the votes were
taken and counted: yeas, 11 ; nays, 70. Mr. Emerson
then notified the people present, that he felt it his duty
(however painful the circumstances in which he was
placed) to refer the question to the consociation, which
were expected soon to meet. Upon this declaration,
the society proceeded to appoint a coraraittee of three
to represent and act for the society at the expected
meeting of the consociation.
Immediately after the society-meeting was closed, the
church-meeting was organized; a prayer was offered
for direction, the necessary preliminaries were gone
through, and the documents relating to the subject pre
sented, so far as was requisite. Mr. Emerson expressed
his peculiar and undiminished attachment to the church;
but at the same time declared his wiUingness to accept
the appointment, should such a raeasure be thought con
ducive to the general interest of Christ's kingdom. He
then expressed his intention to refer the subject to the
decision of the consociation ; the church then pro
ceeded to appoint a committee of three, to act in the
case before the consociation. The vote not to concur,
taken previous to Mr. Emerson's declaration of his
intention, stood about the same, as to proportion, as did
that ofthe society.
Nov. 3d, the consociation having convened, and a
prayer offered by the moderator for direction, on this
interesting occasion, a pubhc and free discussion of the
subject before thera commenced early in the afternoon,
and continued until 9 o'clock in the evening.
They were addressed by the committees, both of the
church and society, giving, by nuraerous and cogent ar-

36 HISTORY OF THE
guhlents, reasons why they could not consent ^to Mr,
Emerson's dismission. Oh the other side, Mr. Banister,
an agent sent frora the Andover institution, being pre
sent, he, with our committees, each in their turn, ad
dressed the consociation with energy and pathos;
pleading for and against his dismission; Mr. Banister
pleading for liberty to place him in that institution,
according to his appointment. After a patient attention
to the several addresses mentioned, and to remarks
made on the question before them, offered by the cler
gymen and laymen who coraposed the consociation,
they found much embarrassment on the ground of legal
right to disraiss Mr. Emerson, as a mutual contract was
entered into, and still existing with his people, and
in undisputed operation. At this stage of their proceed
ings, a motion was made to appoint a committee of
overtures, to consist of three clergymen and two lay
men ; they were accordingly appointed and directed
to draft a resolution on the subject before the meeting,
and report the next day.
November 4th, they again met, and requested the
committee of overtures to report; having the precau
tion to close the doors before the doings of said com
mittee were declared. The result of their dehberations
was, a resolve in favor of dismissing Mr. Emerson.
The consociation then entered on an animated discus
sion ofthe merits of the case; the result was a rejection
or non-acceptance of their report, A second committee
was then appointed, consisting of one clergyman and one
layraan; they were directed further to investigate the
subject, and report to the consociation. The result was
a resolve decidedly against Mr. Emerson's dismission,
which report was accepted and approved of by the con
sociation, and decided accordingly.
The choir of singers were collected at the meeting
house for the purpose of practising, as were the people
who assembled on this occasion, anxiously waiting the
final result. They were notified that the consociation
were ready publickly to declare their decision, and were
on their way from the conference-room to the meeting-

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 37
housa The moment they began to walk up the broad
aisle, the choir commenced singing, accompanied with
the organ in its loftiest tone, the anthem, " Hear, O thou
Shepherd of Israel." The members of the consociation
and the people who were coUected on the occasion stood
as thy entered their seats, and some continued in the
aisle until the anthem closed ; they then took their seats,
and the scribe read the proceedings of the consociation
and the final result of their deliberations. The scribe
then closed with prayer, after declaring their decision,
that they could not dismiss Mr. Emerson from his people.
The choir then rose, and with an elevated voice, chant
ed the doxology, " Praise God, from whom all bless
ings flow," at the close ofwhich the congregation dis
persed and went to their horaes to carry the joyful tidings.
The minds of this people were, for a few days, quiet,
and Mr. Emerson, as on a former and similar occasion,
cheerfully, as it appeared, continued to perform his pa
rochial duties. Hope, though, dashed with fear, was en
tertained that his recent call would be no further urged,
and that we should for years enjoy his very acceptable
labors. Nothing further was heard from Andover in
stitution by the people generally, but it was known by
some that Mr. Emerson received frequent communica
tions from that board.
Sabbath, November 15th, atthe close of divine service
Mr. Emerson, addressing, with tender affection, the be
loved church and people of his charge, communicated
the foUowing: "I have just received a renewal of the
application for my removal to the theological seminary
at Andover. In view of it, the request which I feel bound
in duty to make is extremely trying to my heart, un
speakably more so than if I could truly say, you had
become less the object of respect and affection than in
days that are past. Gladly would I be delivered from
this hour, but it cannot be. It is not that I regard you
less, but that I regard the cause of Christ more, that I
again disturb you on so delicate a question. My request
is as brief as it is comprehensive, viz., that in a spirit of

38 HISTORY OF THE
Christian love, you would consent to the dissolution of
my present pastoral relation, or at least to a reference
of this question to the decision of the consociation j
some reasons were then given for urging this request.
A church and society-meeting was then warned to
meet November 19th, The public mind was again agi
tated ; but, by reason of this renewed claim to a further
consideration of the subject, and Mr. Emerson's desires
being, at this time, clearly and decidedly expressed re
specting it, the result ofthe subsequent meetings, bothot
the church and society, showed that they were not pre
pared, as on a similar occasion, to oppose him.
November 19th, 1829, the ecclesiastical society met,
and proceeded to act on the question of Mr. Emer
son's dismission. After suitable tirae was spent in con
versing freely on the subject, a memorial was read by
Mr. Emerson, stating his reasons for urging his present
claim, and other matter relating to the question under
consideration ; a document fiiU of interest, and calcula
ted to calra the raind as to the course pursued by him
in this trying case. This was addressed to the church
and society connected, and after deliberating fbr a short
time, the society first, and then the church, voted with
unanimity to accede to the request oftheir pastor in call
ing a council. A council was accordingly mutually cho
sen, consisting of five clergymen, all of whom were mem
bers of the late meeting ofthe consociation ; these were
authorized to act definitively on the question of Mr.
Emerson's disraissal from his pastoral relation to this
people. Tuesday, Noveraber 24th, 1829, the day fixed for the
council to meet, four of the council appointed con
vened, the church and society were assembled, the neces
sary communications were laid before them by the pas
tor. After a serious and careful attention to the several
documents relating to the- subject, were presented, and
to various facts related by the pastor and the several
coramittees, the unanimity, both ofthe church and society
in acceding to Mr, Emerson's request, was very evi-

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 39
dent. No opposition appearing, they proceeded formally
to disraiss Mr. Emerson frora his pastoral charge over
this people, which was done by a unaniraous vote.
Sabbath, Noveraber 29th, in the afternoon Mr. Emer
son delivered a very appropriate and pathetic farewell
discourse. In the introductory part of it, he presented
some statistical estimates regarding the church, which
may be interesting to the reader. Some of them were
taken frora Mr. Robbins' records of the church du
ring his rainistry, also in the interira from his death to
Mr. Emerson's settlement, and down to the present
time, 1829.
From Mr. Robbins' settlement, in 1761, to his death, in 1813 :
Tbe number of baptisms was . - - 1297
Admissions to the church, . . - 553
Deaths, greater part infant children, - - 794
Froin Mr. Bobbins' death, to the settlement of Mr. Emerson :
Baptisms, 29 adults, 34 children, - 63
Admissions, by letter and profession, - - 101
Deaths,  34
Since Mr. Emerson's settlement over this church and society :
Baptisms, 61 adults, 283 children, - - 344
Adraissions by letter and profession, - - 257
Deaths, aside from infants, 85 males, 85 females, 208, in all.
The -whole number, since the church -was organized, stands thus :
Baptisms, - - ... 1704
Members of the church, . - . . 913
" " " present number, 350
Deaths,  1002
Mr. Emerson remarked, that, of the whole number
who have joined this church by profession, nearly 3
to 1 were the fruit of revivals. He also remarked,
that, during the period of his connection with this
church, " We have enjoyed great harmony, in religious
doctrines and practice, and there has been littie to
molest or to make us afraid."
After addressing, separately, the aged, the middle-

40 HISTORY OF THE
aged, the youth and children, the church, the parish,
the choir of singers, and those persons he must leave
in an impenitent state, he bade the whole congregatioR
of his people an affectionate farewell. Deceniber 2d,
1829, he left Norfolk, to go and labor in another part
of the vineyard of his Divine Master.
In 1829, a temperance society was instituted and
organized; a goodly number subscribed and submit
ted to its regulations. In the course of that year, several
meetings of the society were held, and the number of
subscribers greatly increased. In 1830, the society
purchased, by subscription, tracts on the intemperate
use of ardent spirits, a number sufficient to distribute
to every family in town ; they were well written, and
calculated to proraote the object of their publication,
1830, May 17th, the ecclesiastical society and church,
having had the ministerial services of the Rev. John A.
Albro for six Sabbaths, were aUowed to consider him as
a candidate for settlement, by permission of his people
in Chelrasford. After he returned home, the society
assembled for the purpose of giving him a call, to unite
with this people in the capacity of a gospel minister.
A very respectable majority appeared in the affirmative,
and a salary of $600 annuaUy was voted for his services,
if he accepted the call. The church delayed acting in
the case, until June 3d, at which time they voted, alraost
unanimously, to unite with the society in giving him a
caU. The result of the meeting was soon comunicated
to Mr. Albro, and the people waited for his answer
with anxiety. June llth, we received a communication
from him, stating his situation in relation to his people,
whose exertions, during his absence, had been great,
and they were likely to be able to render a good sup
port and respectable accoraraodations for their pastor.
For those reasons he dechned accepting a caU from
us. Thus the society was disappointed, and another
candidate sought for.
1830, October llth, Mr. John Mitchel, having preach
ed to this congregation several Sabbaths, the church
and society met for the purpose of ehciting the minds

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 41
of the people, respecting giving hira a call. The society
exhibited a large majority in the affirraative, and voted
a salary of $650. The church, when called to act by
themselves, voted unanimously to concur with the
society in giving him a call permanently to reside
with them as their gospel minister. The result of our
proceedings was, after some delay, comraunicated to Mr.
Mitchel. The society was again disappointed. During
this interval, this congregation was destitute even of
a supply for the pulpit, several weeks having elapsed
before Mr. Mitchel received an official communicatioH
from us. In the meantirae, the people of Fair-Haven,
(where he preached previous to his coming here,)
anxious to procure him, met, and unanimously voted
to give hira a call to settle with them. Our communi
cation not having reached him in due season, he accept
ed their invitation ; and, November 14th, Mr. Mitchel's
answer was read to the congregation, declining to
accept our caU.
1831, April 26th, the ecclesiastical society, by a
unaniraous vote, counting 103, gave Mr. Theophilus
Sraith a call to settle over this church and society
as their gospel rainister, offering him an annual salary
of $650, should he accept our caU. The people waited
with anxiety for a decided answer from him. Mean
while a correspondence took place, respecting the
practicability of obtaining a convenient place where
he might accommodate a family, choosing rather to hire
than to purchase ; no place was found to raeet his
wishes. June 18th, 1831, a letter was received ^om
him, declining an acceptance of our invitation. This
was the third attempt we had made to procure the stated
ministration of gospel ordinances, since Mr. Emerson's
dismission. August 16th, a four-days' meeting for religious ser
vices commenced, performed by neighboring minis
ters. They were peculiarly interesting and solemn.
A very small proportion of the exercises were new,
and calculated to excite curiosity, but might be said
to be an extraordinary use of ordinary means. The

42 HISTORY OF THE
assembly was nuraerous, attentive and solemn. ^°^^
or five weeks previous to this meeting, a revival of
religion had coramenced, and was progressing, m the
north-west part of the town ; several persons were hope
fully converted. And at this time there were some
favorable appearances in several parts of the town;
some few drops of the approaching shower were no
ticed. We were soon blessed with a copious effusion of
divine grace, which, though of short continuance, resulted
in the hopeful conversion of quite a number of persons
of various ages. Sabbath, Nov. 6th, fifty-seven were
added to the church by profession, twenty-seven of
them were baptized. Sabbath, February 12, six more
united, one of them was baptized. The protracted meet
ing was considered blessed by the great Head of the
church, as a raeans of good to the people of this place,
and future happy results were anticipated. The number
of coraraunicants gradually decreased by emigration.
There were at this time 349 resident members in this
church, and "31 abroad, who were not as yet dismissed.
1831, November Sth, the temperance society in
this town met, and were favored by Esquire Frost
with an animated and appropriate address, calculated
to rouse the attention of his audience to his favorite
subject: 81 subscribers were at this time added to
the society, making in the whole, at this time, about
340 merabers ; the number was considerably increas
ed by subsequent exertion. AU the venders of spirits
in this town, except one, refused to replenish their
stores, and the taps, through which hogsheads of it had
run, were now dry. The distillers suffered their fires
to go out. Cider was made only, to supply the table
and for a few domestic uses.
1831, December llth, Mr. Joseph Eldridge preached
his first sermon to us, he continued with us several
Sabbaths, preaching on probation. 1832, January 23d
the ecclesiastical society met, and voted to give Mr'
Eldridge a call to settle over this society as their gos-
pel mimster : yeas, 87 ; nays, 2. They also voted to live
him a salary of $650 annually, for his services The

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 43
church raet immediately after, and voted unanimously to
concur with the society in giving Mr. Eldridge a call.
The doings of the church and society were communi
cated to him. February 12th, his letter of acceptance
was read to the congregation. The society anticipated,
with anxiety and deep interest, the arrival of our ex
pected pastor, and of the time agreed upon by the par
ties for his ordination, when the stated ministration of
gospel ordinances should again be estabhshed. April
25th, Mr. Eldridge was ordained ; sermon by the Rev.
Dr. Taylor, of New Haven. An important era in the
history of this town.
1836, the general association of Connecticut met in
this town. Delegates from other associations and agents
from various benevolent societies attended with thera.
They assembled June 21st, at 11 o'clock, A. M., at the
church and organized. 2 o'clock, P. M., Rev. Mr. Cal
houn, of Coventry, (the moderator,) preached the sermon
for the occasion ; he presided in most of the meetings.
In the evening, the Connecticut education society, auxili
ary to the American education society, was called to
act. The treasurer reported, and read the general re
port. They were addressed by Rev. Mr. Bacon, of New
Haven, Rev. Mr. Kirk, of Albany, and Rev. Dr. Beecher,
of Lane seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio. June 22d, 2
o'clock, P. M., met for divine worship ; Mr. Kirk offered
the first prayer; Dr. Beecher delivered a very aniraated
and appropriate discourse ; after which, the Lord's
supper was adrainistered. In the evening, the Connec
ticut home missionary society, auxiliary to the A. H. M.
society, met ; the reports were read, the society was
addressed by Rev. Mr. Lathrop, of Salisbury, and by
Dr. Beecher. June 23d, 10 o'clock, A. M., the children
belonging to the Sunday school assembled, and were
seated together each side of the broad aisle — an
interesting scene. Prayer by Rev. F. L. Robbins ;
the church and parents were addressed by Rev. Mr.
Beckwith, and the scholars by Mr. Kirk, in a manner
peculiarly calculated to gain their attention, impress
their niinds, give instruction, and exoite them to

44 HISTORY OF THE
persevere in learning the scriptures, which they have
the privilege of possessing at a cheap rate, and without
fear. At half-past 1 o'clock, P. M., Mr, Pinney, gover
nor of Liberia, Africa, addressed a crowded audience,
stating their situation, circumstances, and claims ; their
•future prospects, should suitable aid be afforded them and
native raissionaries and teachers be raised up to in^
struct them. In the evening, the Norfolk temperance so
ciety met, and were addressed by Rev. Mr. Kirk, in his
most animated and lurainous style. The association had
closed their session at 5 o'clock, P. M. The association
of Connecticut met here for the first time, June, 1800,
In 1839, an academical school was instituted, by form
ing a company and organizing it for the purpose of
its future regulation. Their first teacher was Rev. John
F. Norten. In 1840, they proceeded to erect a building
for the purpose, wtiich was corapleted and dedicated
August 31st, 1840 ; cost $2000. The school commenced
operation in the new building with encouraging pros
pects. In 1841, the members of the methodist episcopal
church, residing in this town and its vicinity, erected a
house east of the centre burying-ground, and dedicated
it to the worship of God, where they might enjoy the
institutions and ordinances of religion. Its form and size
is weU proportioned and convenient, its finishing is neat,
and calculated suitably to irapress the mind of the devout
worshipper. In 1844, which was calculated, as near as could be, as
the centennial year of the town,* Dr. Thomas Robbins
gave us a centennial address on the occasion. He intro
duced his address by saying, that the very recent notice
he had received, andthe short time for examining records
relating to the history of Norfolk, was his apology for
not being better prepared for the occasion. He, how
ever, addressed us in his usual energetic and interesting
manner. * N.B. In 1744, the settlement began near the Ives place, towards
Canaan.

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 45

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

After reading with attention the foregoing history of
the past transactions of the inhabitants of this town,
if we were to give a general character of our pre
decessors, would it be too much to say : —
That union of sentiment, civil, political, and ecclesias
tical, has been a characteristic and predominant fea
ture in their proceedings. Firm friends of liberty and
good order ; ardent in petitioning for redress or favor,
but not clamorous ; very tenacious of their rights, but
not litigious, — if drawn into it, it was with reluctance,
but, when engaged in it, inflexible and persevering. They
were economical, but not penurious ; frugal, but not mi
serly ; free to declare their sentiments on any subject, but
not dogmatical ; firm, yet open to conviction ; rehgious,
but not superstitious ; conscious of their general know
ledge and information, but not pedantic ; industrious, but
ever ready to drop the implements of labor and resort to
the scenes of amusement, of collections for public busi
ness, or the more interesting seasons of social divine
worship on the days designed for labor ; and devoutly
assembling on the Sabbath. They were zealously en
gaged in estabhshing useful and religious institutions, and
laying a foundation for the improvement and happiness
of their posterity.

46 HISTORY OF THE

ROMANTIC AND EXTENSIVE VIEWS.
On Colebrook road, east of the Wilcox pond, look east
erly  scattered dweUings, extensive, cultivated fields.
The view meets the horizon. On old Goshen road, hiU
south of Thomas Moses', look north-west — a distant view
into Sheffield, see surrounding mountains and hills ; look
to the right and left ; near Capt. Reuben Brown's, look
south, south-west, and south-east ; a distant and wild view ;
the scenery is specked with remote habitations of busy
men. Near Asa Dutton's, look north and north-west,
west to south-west ; ascend the mountain east of Mr.
Dutton's, and you will have an extended and sublime
view. Forty or fifty rods west of Eber Burr's, look
north-west, west and south-west ; the view is beautiful
and sublime. A little east of Samuel S. Camp's, look
north-west, a distant view into Sheffield, with mountains
on each side of the range of sight, and lofty ones inter
cepting the view to the north-west ; look east, the centre
of the town, with buildings and church spire rising above
the surrounding trees. On the hill westerly of the Akins
house, look north-west ; an extensive view into Canaan,
Sheffield and Egremont, the Housatonic mountains tow
ering west of Sheffield ; look easterly, you have a plea
sant view of the centre and parts contiguous. On what
is called the Burr mountain, in various places, the pros
pect is very sublirae, beautiful and extensive ; walk to
the rock, called by sorae the Meteoric rock, near the
height south of Jaraes Swift's, see it resting on the sur
face of a sraooth rock, having crushed loose stones lying
between them, leaving a space under it sufficient to shel
ter several sheep.

town of NORFOLK. 47

SUMMARY OF EVENTS AND TRANSACTIONS.

The town of Norfolk was first sold at Middletown, - - 1742
The settlement first began, on the road towards Canaan, - - 1744
The road opened from Torringford to Canaan, - - 1745
First child born in Norfolk, son of Cornelius Brown, - - 1745
Second sale of Norfolk at Middletown, . - - 1754
The town was incorporated, seventeeu families had settled, - 1758
The first town-meeting held, forty-four legal voters, - - 1758
Rev. Mr. Treat preached the first sermon in Norfolk, - - 1758
Rev. Mr. Peck was hired to preach, - - . . 1759
Agreed to build a meeting-house, - - . . . I759
Applied to the assembly for a land-tax, for preaching, - 1759
A book procured for recording deeds, ----- 1759
First grand list made out, a tax of £50 laid, - . - - 1759
Applied for a land-tax, to the assembly, for meeting-house, etc., 1759
Rev. Mr. Wetmore hired to preach, ----- 1759
A meeting-house, 40 by 50, erected and covered, Robert Grundy,
architect, ------.. 1759
Voted to call Mr. Wetmore for our pastor — failed, - - - 1760
Invited Mr. Ives to preach, and gave hira a call, - - 1760
The church first gathered, twenty-three members, - . - 1760
Rescinded tho vnte respecting the call of Mr. Ives, - 1761
Invited Mr. A. R. Robbins to preach to us on probation, - - 1761
First church-meeting— gave Mr. Robbins a call, - - 1761
The Lord's supper first administered to this church, - - 1761
Number of families in town sixty, and soon seventy, - - 1761
Mr. Robbins ordained. — A pubhc library collected, - - . 1751
Agreed to pay Mr. Robbins in produce, appraised, - 1767
A revival of religion occurred, ten were added, - - 1767
If ten, or even three families, set up a school, town will pay, - 1768
Selectmen empowered to sell school-lands, . - . - 1769
Parsonage-land sold — Meeting-house dignified and seated, - 1770
Centre burying-ground purchased, ----- 1774
Road opened from meeting-house to Beech flats, - - 1774
Highway districts located, ------ 1774
Mr. Robbins absent as chaplain in the army, - - - _ 1776
Fifty-six persons died of camp distemper — next year thirty-eight
died,  1777
Voted to provide for the families of the three-years' men, - 1777
Town first represented in the general assembly, - - 1777
Burgoyne's army passed through this town, as prisoners of war, - 1777
Committee appointed to fix a price for all dealing, - - 1778
Probate district of Norfolk established,  1779

48 HISTORY OF TKE
Town clerk ordered to publish intentions of marriage, - - j779
The smallpox in town— a pest-house established, - - - ¦j-j^^'J
Parsonage and school lands leased for 999 years, secured, - 1750
First constable ordered to publish intentions of marriage, - - 1782
Militia of this town divided into three companies, - - 1782
Mr. Robbins went on a mission, eight months, . - - 1783
A revival of religion occurred, fifty-two members added, - 1783
Highway districts established — surveyors appointed, - - 1784
Five wolves were killed on Haystack mountain, - - - 1787
Shade-trees set around the centre green, . - - 1791
Mr. Robbins' salary set at £90. — Went on a mission, - - 1795
School society organized, and business transferred, - - - 1796
Legacy of £45 given by Isaac Holt, jun., interest for schooling, 1798
School society divided into districts, . - - - lygg
Independence first celebrated in this town, - - 1708
A revival of religion occurred, 150 members were added, - 1798-9
Families in town, 290 — members in the church, 300, - - 1799
Greenwood's turnpike completed, cost $19,500, - - - 1799
Celebrated the birth of Washington, February 22, - 1800
General association of Connecticut met here in Juno, - - 1800
Independence of the United States celebrated, - - - 1801
Annual town-meeting to be holden first Monday in November, - 1801
Course of road south of meeting-house established, - - 1802
Mr. Robbins' salary fixed, during his capacity to preach, at $300, 1806
Number of inhabitants in this town, 1441, - . . igio
Mr. Robbins preached his half-century sermon, October 28, - 1811
An almost unanimous vote was given to build a new meeting-house, 1811
The present road to Goshen established, - - - - ign
The centre of the town established by measurement, - - 1811
The site for the meeting-house agreed upon, - - - 1812
Mr. Robbins died, October 31.' — Ecclesiastical society organized, 1813
Meeting-house completed, cost $6,000, David Hoadly, airebitect, - 1814
Meeting-house dedicated, August, - - . - 1814
Church clock presented by Rev. Thomas Robbins, - - 1814
Voted unanimously to call Mr. Ralph Emerson, - - 1815
The three military companies were united in one, - - - 1815
A revival of religion occurred, 122 added to the church, - 1815-16
Mr. Emerson was ordained, June 12th, - - - - 1816
Ecclesiastical society fund was constituted, - . - I8I7
Centre school-house and conference-room built, oost $1,000, - 1819
Assessors and board of relief constituted, - . - jgj.g
Number of inhabitants in Norfolk, 1422, - - - - 1 820
Norfolk library company formed— number of vols, purchased, 142, 1 822
Church organ procured, - . - - - _' ig22
Eight hundred and "thirty-three dollars thirty-four cents added to
ecclesiastical society fund— interest to support church music, 1824
A general vaccination for kine-pox ordered, - . - ' 1824
Society for impro-ving sacred music organized, - . _ 1826
A revival of religion occurred, 103 were added to the church, 1827

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 49
Mr. Emerson invited to take the presidency of Hudson college, - 1828
Church and ecclesiastical society refused to dismiss him, - 1828
Mrs. Elizabeth Robbins died, loved as.an active Christian, - 1828
Mr. Emerson invited by theological seminary, Andover — dismissed, 1 829
A temperance society formed, - _ - _ 1829-30
Tracts for each femily, on the subject of temperance, purchased, 1830
Gave Rev. J. Albro a call, for our minister — failed, - - 1830
Gave Rev. John Mitchel a call — faUed, - - . . 1830
Gave Rev, Theophilus Smith a call — failed, - - - . 1331
A revival of religion occurred, sixty-three added to the church, 1831
The temperance society counted at this tkne 340, - - - 1831
Two stoves were set in the meeting-house, - . . 1831
Gave Mr. Joseph Eldridge a call — ordained, April 25, - - 1832
Deaths this year, 30 — one half of them over 70 years old, - 1832
Mrs. Eldridge died, endeared to us as an active Christian, - - 1833
A cold and late spring, but fruitful autumn, - - - 1838
Procured a hearse, and appointed a keeper, - . - - 1334
An early spring, but expected fruits of autumn failed, - 1834
A petition signed by 379 persons, against giving spirit-licenses, - 1835
General association of Connecticut met here, June 21, - ' 1836
Academical school instituted, and company formed, - - 1839
Academy building erected and dedicated, cost $2,000, - 1840
Methodist Episcopal society erected a house for worship, - - 1841
Joseph Battell, Esq., died, November 30th, - - 1841
Independence celebrated, ------- 1842
Centennial address given by Rev, Thomas Robbins, D. D., - 1844
John Strong bequeathed property to this town, said to be worth
$2,500, consisting raostiy of real estate, not yet appraised, - 1846
The meeting-house was repaired and improved, cost $1,700, - 1846
The town purchased the lower room of the academy, and half the
¦ground attached to it, for a town-house, cost $725, - - 1846

4

50 HISTORY OF .THE

SITUATION, DESCRIPTION AND RESOURCES.
Norfolk lies on the height between the Connecticut and
the Hudson rivers, thirty-five miles west from Hartford,
and forty miles east of Hudson ; fifty-two mUes north of
New Haven, and sixteen miles north of Litchfield. It is
bounded north on Massachusetts, and sixteen miles east
of the state of New- York. Its length from north to
south is nine miles ; its breadth from east to west ave
rages four and a half miles. It contains, by estirnation,
22,336 acres of land ; a great proportion of which is suit
able for pasture and meadow, and feeds a great number
of cattle and sheep. Its air is salubrious, and its water
generally good.
The early inhabitants of this town, placed by Provi
dence in a situation where industry was necessary in or
der to procure the comforts of life, were schooled in and
inured to the practice of industry, and of steady habits ;
and brought with thera those habits, and put them in
practice, when they became permanent residents. The
fruits of these were soon perceived and enjoyed by them,
and subsequently by their posterity, down to the present
time. Very few political, civil, or ecclesiastical dissen
sions have occurred ; and its institutions and privileges,
it is believed, are surpassed, or have been, but by few of
its sister corporations in this state. From this statement
and the foregoing history it wiU be seen that its pro
gress was slow, but sure ; it rose from small beginnings
to its present respectable standing among the towns of
its vicinity.
The management and internal resources of this town
wiU be noticed in part by the foUowing statement : the
town was originally divided into fifty-three rights of lands,
estimated to contain 400 acres each ; three of the rights
were reserved by the State, when sold. One equal un-
<livided right for a parsonage ; one for a school, and one

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 51
for a minister's right ; this last right to be given to the
first orthodox minister who settled in town. In 1780,
the parsonage and school lands were, by proper autho
rity, leased, on security, for the term of 999 years ;
the interest accruing, to be annually appropriated to the
respective uses originally designed. In 1846, November
1st, as reported, the ecclesiastical society fund, town
deposit, school society fund, bequests, donations, &c.,
(some recent bequests, value not ascertained at this
time,) were estimated at $20,000. In 1818, the last offi
cial act of the listers, the land in town was divided as
foUows : 741 acres of plow land, 1024 acres of clear pas
ture, 8575 acres of bush pasture, 3791 acres of wood
land, second rate, 8064 acres of wood land, third rate,
85 acres of boggy meadow, mowed, 80 acres boggy
meadow, not mowed. In 1826, there were fed in its pas
tures and from its raeadows, 201 horses, 2051 neat cat
tle, and 3162 sheep.
Its hills are generally covered, to their summits, with
forest trees ; and most of them are accessible to the
woodman, and help to furnish timber for building, and
fuel for the fire-side. The great quantity of butter and
cheese made in town, enables the inhabitants to procure
their bread in abundance, which raakes up the deficien
cy of arable land. The sugar-raaple supphes a great
part of their sugar, and its ^^raber excellent fuel. Fruits,
both cultivated and wild, are found in sufficient quanti-
tity and of good quality.
There are a great variety of soils in the liraits of this
town ; of course most of the staple articles of food are •
produced by the industry of the farmer. The soil is con
sidered stubborn, and requiring extra labor to produce
the necessary sustenance, yet the patient husbandraan
generally enjoys abundance as the fruit of his labor. If
his fields do not wave with a luxuriant growth of grain —
" the staft' of life "—yet from the avails of his dairy he
can easily procure a plentiful supply of flour, of exceUent
quality, and it may be said in truth, " his bread and his
water are sure." On his pastures, and from his mea
dows and the produce of his fields, many cattle are fat-

52 HISTORY OF THE
tened for the use of the inhabitants, and for market.'
The dairies help to fatten great quantities oi porK ior
the same use. The flocks of sheep which range tneir
pastures, and speck the declivities of our hiUs, turnisn
improved and large supphes of wool ; and domestic in
dustry forras a part of it into cloth of handsome fabric,
or of strong texture, for the use of the family or of the
mechanic who makes their machinery and implements of
husbandry. Butter is made in great quantity, and the busy bee
make us as much honey as we need. There is made in
this town annually, an average amount of 200,000 lbs. of
cheese. In 1826, the assessors placed on the grand
hst, $36,851, vested in bank, turnpike j and other secu
rities. The ecclesiastical society fund is accumulating.
In 1845 it began to be legally used, that is, the interest
of it. The public school fund does much towards sup
porting our schools.
In 1832, there were 441 children in the nine school
districts who were benefitted by the pubhc school fund ;
the dividend for Norfolk that year was $154 35, which
since has been increasing.
Notwithstanding the embarrassments and losses, both
of men and treasure, incurred by our ancestors, in conse
quence of their participation in the revolutionary strug
gle, and subsequently the frequent emigrations to the new
settleraents of our extensive country, it would seem for
a time that they must be stationary as to increase of
population and improvement ; yet at no time did they
exhibit a retrograde moveraent, and especially as to their
improvements. This town is very different from the
new settlements at the west, where we meet with a
dense population in the form of a vUlage, and contigu
ous to them an extensive wild, pierced here and there
with a passable road, and in sorae parts, at the distance
of from two to twelve or even fifteen miles apart, a log
hut is erected to cheer the lonely traveller, perhaps be
nighted, where he may enjoy the fireside and homely
fare of its tenant. In this town the" inhabitants are
thinly scattered over its surface, occupying large farms

TOWN OF NORFOLK.

53

bordering on each other, and separated by a division
fence of stone or railfe, or by a forest liraited in extent,
and reserved to supply the possessor with fuel. The
following statement wiU give a brief view of the build
ings, families, &c., as to number, in 1828 :
207 Dwelling houses.
232 Families.
163 Families belonging to the first ecclesiastical society — permanent
residents.
191 Residents' farms.
43 Non-residents' farms.
22 Building lots.
These numbers will vary somewhat since the above date.
The annexed statement is taken from the official
document ACIQEEaATE AMOUNT OF EACH DESCRIPTION OF PEESONS IN NORFOLK.
Census — June 1st, 1840.

MALES.

FEMALES.

Under 5

-

_

77

Under 5 -

-

62

5 to 10

.

.

82

5 to 10 -

-

71

10 to 15

.

-

91

10 to 15 -

-

61

15 to 20

-

.

83

15 to 20

-

82

20 to 30

-

.

112

20 to 30 -

-

113

30 to 40

_
76
30 to 40
-
93
40 to 50
-
-
66
40 to 50
-
70
50 to 60
-
-
49
60 to 60
67
60 to 70
_
.
27
60 to 70 -
-
36
70 to 80
-
.
27
70 to 80 -
-
14
80 to 90
3
,693,
80 to 90 -
4
663
COLORED
MALES.
*>
COLORED
FEMALES.
10 -
.
_
5
10
-
3
10 to 24
-
-
4
10 to 24 -
-
7
24 to 36
_
.
2
24 to 36
-
1
36 to 55
_
3
36 to 55 -
2
65 to 100
-
-
3
55 to 100 -
-
3
17
16
54 HISTORY OF THE
Agriculturists - 376 Academy - - ' -.cl
Commercial - - 9 Scholars - ' „
Manufactures and Trades 87 Common Schools - ' ot\
Learned professions - 12 Scholars - - o' 1
Pensioners - - - 9 Cannot read nor write, over
Insane and Idiots - 3 twenty years old - 4
The general appearance of Norfolk is romantic ; and
the first view to a stranger, in a fine season, peculiar
ly so. As he ascends from the valley to the rising
ground, and winds his way along the serpentine road,
a continual succession of objects, " new and rare," stand
out in bold relief before him. From his elevated stand
he takes a horizontal glance into a decent habitation,
and turning partly around, he looks down on the roof of
another ; and still turning, his view is extended to a dis
tant cluster of buildings, founded on an undulating sur
face, presenting here a front, and there an ornamented
gable, some of which are painted by the patient process
of the brush, and sorae appear in tirae's sombre hue.
Here an abrupt precipice presents itself, and there a
startling gulf; the scene is continually changing. Un
like the monotonous view of the extensive plain, which
tires the eye for want of an object within its ken to rest
upon at the distance. The traveUer passes along, inhal
ing our pure and salubrious air, and, on the whole, im
bibes a favorable opinion of our situation. Were he a
painter, he might have thought it a rough sketch on na
ture's canvass, with a little too much foreground to ad
mit of a suitable extent of perspective. If a poet, he
might say — it may be used as a good, though rough,
stepping-stone in ascending Parnassian heights. The
general student will not only fiSid this town fertile with
social enjoyments, but in his' scientific researches will
find it fertile as a raiscellaneous chapter in the volume
of nature.
The natural division of the town with respect to soU
and productions raay be thus described, with few ex
ceptions. A hne drawn through the town, north and
south, about where the road runs, wiU, in the eastern

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 55
section, show a soil rather heavy, through the most part
of its surface. NaturaUy moist and compact, it retains
the manure spread upon its surface, and thus prepared,
it produces heavy crops of timothy or herdsgrass, and
some other valuable kinds of grass. The largest dairies
are in this section, and so are the sugar-raaple ; yet there
are good dairies and valuable sugar-works in the west
section. The maple, the birch, beech, hemlock and
other timber of large growth, are seen on this side —
large rocks, deeply embedded in the earth, here and
there show their hard surfaces, and seem to defy the
force of powder and huraan skill to reraove them. On
the west side, with few exceptions, the soil may be
termed light, consisting, in many parts of its surface, of
sand and gravel, mixed with decomposed vegetable sub
stances. Here is produced the red and the white clover,
and some lighter grasses, in large quantities ; and with
proper manure and good cultivation, fields of English
grain are sometiraes raised, in waving beauty, which
fully compensate the cultivator. The oak, chestnut,
walnut, and other kinds of timber are indigenous to the
soil. This soil extends, with few interruptions, from
about a mile south of the centre, to the northerly extre
mity of the town.
Our mountains do not rise to a Pyrenean altitude.
The precise heights have not been ascertained by actual
measurement, except the Haystack mountain, which is
said to be seven hundred feet ; but being based on an
extensive and elevated ridge, that and the others must
tower high above the Atlantic. They frequently do in
tercept and divert the course of thunder showers, which
come from the north-west, turning them north or west
of us, and in some instances divide them and leave us
without a sprinkle of rain ; the fervid rays of the sun
soon break through the mist and are welcomed by the
beholder. The Burr mountain, and the one adjoining,
south of it, are supposed to be the raost elevated situa
tions in Norfolk, and they afford very extensive and
grand prospects. We find through the whole extent of
the town, a great variety as to its surface ; rising into

56 HISTORY OF THE
hills,; and sinking into valleys ; few fields are found
which approach very near a level, being for the most
part gently undulating, and of smaU extent. In the cen
tre of the town the sun is seen to rise and set, say a de
gree above an exact horizontal hne, the surface being a
little depressed. The general surface of the town may
be considered, when compared with the surface of
Canaan and Sheffield, and seen from that situation, as
a kind of plateau, or table-land. But few naked and
craggy cliffs appear, like tbose in the arid regions of
the south ; a green hue appears, from a great variety
of mosses, woodbine, and a species of alpine vine, and
others ; but they are generally shaded by forest trees
which stand at their base, cling to their sides, or tower
on their suraraits, in some places impervious to the me
ridian sunbeam. The stroke of the woodman's axe is
fi-equently heard echoing from their shallow caverns, and
the fallen tree, stripped of its encumbering limbs, is seen
making down the steep and winding descent, urged for- .
ward by the woodman's lever, or drawn by the patient
and manageable ox, until it comes to a situation where
it coraes in contact with the sled ; there the axe gives it
the right length for the sled, it is loaded, the team at
tached to it, and the woodman, freed from his anxiety
and management while on its descent, flourishes his
whip and whistles along the beaten path until it arrives
at its destined wood-house. There is very little waste
surface, as before noticed ; the soil, even of our thick
est forests, which is not occupied by its lofty tenants, is
generally covered, either with shrubbery or plants, which
botanists will show may be useful to man, although flour
ishing in the sombre shade. The marsh and the quag
mire are fiUing up with vegetable mould, and the earth
washed down from the surrounding hills, and they are
fast verging to a solid state. In instances not a few, the
loose rocks which formerly covered a great part of some
fields, have been reduced to a manageable size, and
placed in a wall enclosing the once almost useless field j
thus cleared and defended, its soft and rich sod has be
come productive and paid the laborer for his extra toil.

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 57
The agrichlturist wiU find a sufficient variety in the
soil, to invite experunent in his very important employ
ment, and nerve the arm of industry, confidently expect
ing the reward of the diligent, which in many cases is
realized. This, together with a vigorous frame and
weU-strung nerve, make it a desirable occupation. No
tice, also, the farraer's table, spread, liberally, with the
" fruit of summer's brown toil," independent, in a good
measure, of foreign supplies, which, if desired, he can
easily procure in exchange for his surplus produce. He
plants his fields and sows his summer crops, generally,
from the 10th to the 20th of May. He coraraences his
haying frora the 1st to the 10th of July, and his harvest
frora the 20th of July to the 1st of August. This raust
vary, as the reader is aware, according to season and
situation. The gardener may generally put his seed into the
ground frora May the 10th to the 20th ; yet season, adap
tation of soil, and situation, are to be carefully noticed.
The young plants, though watched with care, are liable
to be injured by late frosts and the chilling effects ofthe
north-east winds ; and as one writer remarks, " so of
ten has spring's primrose-crowned head been thrust back
into the icy lap of winter " — and another, speaking of our
winters, says, " see winter lingering in the lap of May,"
of course, in some seasons, which at first appear pro
mising, it will be prudent to wait a few days. A later
planting is apt to produce more vigorous plants, and
more and earher fruit. Our crops of most kinds, in the
fields, are rather late, when compared with those of Shef
field, etc., and so are our garden vegetables ; but on the
whole, we enjoy them longer than do those who have a
warmer soil, and have them earlier. It is found practi
cable successfuUy to cultivate raany exotic plants as or
naments to our gardens, and for use as culinary articles.
Several of the medicinal kmds are found to flourish, and
may be cultivated- to profit ; such are tomatoes, senna,
foxglove, and the castor bean^ affording the useful oil.
The botanist wiU notice that the great variety in the
species of vegetables, indigenous in this place, would be

58 HISTORY OF THE
expected, from the variety of sods interspersed over its
surface. Its hills and dales, its mountams and rising
grounds, its smooth though limited meadows, the mean
dering brook, and the shallow, dimpled water of the pond,
aU conspire to produce and cherish their pecuhar species
of vegetation, and help to vary the scene. The fohow
ing brief memorandum, respecting garden vegetables, as
to the time they are generally brought to maturity for use,
may suffice to show the coraparative temperature of our
cliraate, one season and year with another, and check
our unseasonable longing after summer fruits.
First Marroufat Peas. First New Potatoes.
1824— July 21. 1824— August 11.
1825— July 21. 1825— July 29.
1832— July 28. 1832— August 8.
First Cucumbers. First Small Fruit, in
1824 — August 11. 1826 — Strawberries, June 7.
1825 — July 21. " — Raspberries, June 28.
1832 — August 12, " — ^Whortleberries, July 20.
" — Blackberries, July 28.
First Shell Beans and Corn.
1824-August 30. -'^»"* ^™«* occurred.
1825— August 8. 1824— September 25.
1832— August 30. 1826— September 11, &c.
Vigorous shoots of the peach, cherry, and plumb wiU
grow in the summer ; but the rigors of winter destroy
many of thera, and in those situations where they survive
the frost of winter, and become in a measure climatized,
in a few years decay, having produced but little fruit.
We can, however, obtain a comfortable supply of these
precious articles from the warmer soil of Sheffield and
Canaan. The apple trees yield a good supply, generally,
for comraon use, though not early and of delicious fla
vor ; — those we raust obtain from abroad. Ours are im
proving in quality by grafting and culture, which may for a
time do well : but it is thought that in our elevated situa
tion they wiU degenerate and decay, and have to yield to
the edge of the pruning knife, like their predecessors of

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 59
natural branches, and if the patience of the cultivator
holds out, other more promising branches are inserted
in their place. Pears do well, and a variety of grapes
are found to bear the frost of our winters, producing
plentifully if not checked with late frosts.
The geologist wUl notice, that although we are situated
within the zone of rocks of primitive formation, yet we
have specimens of secondary and transition. In the
eastern section of the town, large masses of rock are
found of primary formation, such as granite, gneiss, etc.,
and some interesting specimens of secondary forraation,
such as breccia, or pudding-stone, etc. In the western
section, will be found large raasses of quartz or flint,
diminishing in size, to the pebble. Some fields are
almost covered with them, of moderate size, between
which the gravel and sand appear in sufficient quantity
to produce good crops of corn, even where it is literally
hilled with thera. Among the great variety of stones,
though not esteemed araong the precious, some are very
valuable for buildings and for walls, and where skill,
patience, and funds permit, blocks and slabs raay be
forraed frora thera, both durable and ornaraental. Good
beds of clay are found, and sorae of thera have been
opened and worked, and it is hoped they will be, in
future, to a stiU greater extent.
The naturalist, when he turns his attention to the
beast that roves the forest and the declivities of our
mountains, and commences a research, wiU find no
dens or lairs of beasts of wild and ferocious habits ; and
it is believed that this town has never been a peculiar
haunt for them. In the early settlement of the town,
the timid deer, the bear, the wolf, the panther, and the
wUd cat, were occasionally seen ; their visit seemed, how
ever, like that of the wayfarer who turns in for the night,
and their depredations extended generally no farther than
to obtain a temporary meal, and they are away ; either
voluntarily, fleeing to regions raore congenial to them,
or urged away by the untiring vigilance of our fathers ;
at any rate, they seera now to be exterrainated, to a
degree almost regretted by the hunter.

60 HISTORY OF THE
For many years past, we have had the precaution,
generally, at our town meetings, annually to offer a
premium to him who killed a wolf, panther, or a wild
cat ; but few have been killed and few depredations have
occurred. Once in a while, the sly and cunning fox, as
he passes along, takes a hen from the coop, or as she
sits on her nest, attending to her business of incubation
or nesthng her young — thus satisfying his present hun
ger — or he may stop the gabble of a goose, in sport, and
pass on. There are several dams noticed across streanas
which bear evident marks of the ingenious workmanship
of the beaver, nothing, however, appears of recent
operation, and the occupation of them must have been
in years long gone by.
The ornithologist, if he wiU institute his researches
in the sumraer season, perhaps wiU meet with as great
a variety of birds as can be found in any region of our
latitude, but they are mostly birds of passage, and emi
grate, some soon after the harvest is gathered in, and
others later and in autumn, few remain through the win
ter ; the robin stays to pluck the latest fruit that serves him
for food ; a few, with sorae others, are seen in situations,
cheered occasionally with the rays of the winter sun,
especially on the southern declivities of our hills. In
the suraraer we are cheered with the notes ofthe bullfinch,
thrush, mockbird, American nightingale ; the humming
bird pleases the sight if not the ear ; a long catalogue
would be noticed by the ornithologist. The horned owl
finds in our forests, recesses dark enough to afford it a
home, and a shade from the too bright rays of the sun
until the curtain of night invites him forth, to disgust us
with its nocturnal hoot and to visit our poultry-yards.
Our birds, though not drest in as gaudy plumage as those
of some other climes, yet we prize their songs and think
of them in the dreary sUence and tedium of winter, and
impatienly wait for their return in the spring, fondly
anticipating the pleasing transition from frigidness and
silence to raelody. Sorae of their notes had the earhest
vernal rays, and they climb the air in spiral flight to meet
the first rays of the morning sun, or, at more perfect day,

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 61
they skim along the air in undulating lines, invigorated
by its rays.
There have been, it is said, about 400 species of birds
described as belonging to North America ; of which we
may number a good proportion. We have also a large
proportion of the 100,000 species of insects, said to have
been coUected in different parts of the world ; especially
in our latitude.
Reader, we will now return from our airy excursion,
and foUow, if we can, the course of the superabundant
water, issuing from the ponds, the marshes, and the
filtered tribute of the hills and rising grounds. It
finds a passage, in a zig-zag course, round a hill in one
direction and then round another almost in a returning
direction, sometimes its course is diverted by a project
ing or embedded rock, until by rippling here and gently
murmuring over its pebbly bed there, and anon precipi
tating itself down an abrupt fall, part of it passes off in
one direction and part in an opposite one, both raoving
on in search of the great depository.
The three brooks which pass a httle west of the
meeting-house, coraing frora the Wilcox pond, east,
from the' Tobey pond, southerly, andthe one which runs
from the south through the meadows, unite west of the
centre, and pour down the faUs by the centre mills ;
they receive the stream which comes frora Wood Creek,
thus united they pass off by Blackberry river through
Canaan into the Housatonic.
From the Balcom pond issues the western branch of
the Waterbury river. The outlet of the Benedict ponds-
is at Doolittle's miU, where it takes an easterly course
through Colebrook, by Sandy brook, and empties as a
tributary into the Farmington river. Thl^ee other small
streams, one rising in Paug, the source of two others is
easterly of North Goshen- road school-house, these unite
in the southern district, pass through part of WiiieheS-
ter and Winsted into Farmington river.
The water obtained by digging is generaUy pure, but
in a few situations it rises throu^ a strata of clay, or is
impregnated with some mineral substance. ? We, how-'

62 HISTORY OF THE
ever, in many places, furnish our kitchens with the
cleansing element from the purhng strearas or rivulets,
in some raeasure tributary to those strearas already
described, and a coohng beverage is in some cases and
situations obtained from the boiling spring— so called;
they all please the ear with their puriing melody, and
help to enhven the scene.
In noticing the temperature of our atmosphere, it
may be said, that the thermometer ranges from 10 de
grees below zero to 92 above, as the extreme. In sum
mer, its general range is from 70 to 80. In winter, from
8 below to 12 above. We have no tempests hke those
which rise and accumulate, and destructively sweep over
extensive plains. The north-west wind is to us strong
and piercing, especially in winter ; in summer, it is pe
culiarly refreshing. The east and north-east winds are
very chilly and heavy. The south wind and those east or
west of it are loaded with vapor, and accompanied with
a degree of warmth and rarity which, if continued a day
or two, becoraes oppressive to the invalid, and in a
measure destroys the usual elasticity of our atmosphere.
This state of the air is not very comraon, and we have
so few undrained swamps and marshes, and those of'
small extent and so frequently replenished with pure
water from the clouds, that they aflfect us but little, if at
all ; of course, our air is generally pure and salubrious,
and the brisk winds which are generally in motion tend
to keep it so, thus, in most situations, we inhale the life-
giving breeze, unlike the atmosphere in some parts of our
country, where the air is stagnant as the water over
which it broods, and from which it imbibes miasma
deleterious as the exhalations from the Upas, and when
set in motion by the breeze, scatters pale disease and
death around.
Now, reader, for the warring elements. When the
east and north-east winds have brought from their winter
stores imraense bodies of vapor, and covered the surface
of our hills and valleys with a waUowing depth of snow,
the wind turns into the north-west and rises in its strength
and majesty, sweeps away the clouds that have been

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 63
accumulating for days, loads its wide-expanded wings
with snow, which had lain for a little tirae quiescent,
and wafts it over hill and dale and piles it about us in
appaUing drifts. The traveller is abruptly stopped on
his passage by a high and alraost perpendicular drift ;
his track is deeply covered behind him, on his right
hand, and on his left, waves of snow are rolling and
threatening, avalanche like, to overwhelm hira. Here
we raust leave him for the present, to extricate himself
if he can; and after congratulating those who have had
the precaution and prudence to put up at an inn, or
turn into a hospitable dwelling, secure until the blast is
over, we will now hasten to witness domestic scenes.
All moving is now suspended, except in the doraestic
circle ; there all is bustle and hurry ; wood raust be dug
out of the snow, unless econoray and prudent foresight
has secured a supply under cover. The call of the
housewife for her pail of water is so pereraptory that it
must be had, the deep snow-drift at the kitchen door
notwithstanding. The farmer goes to his barn-yard,
and digs out a sheep here and a yearling there, and
even the pig-sty is invaded, but its tenants can lie and
grunt under their burden, until their keeper coraes to
reheve thera, without sustaining any essential injury,
perhaps they lose in their covert situation one or two
messes. After the toils of a day like the one described,
the scattered family coUects round the domestic fire
side, each expecting as one expresses it, " that every
corporeal sense will either be gratified or quiescent."
Who would regret having shared in the fatigues incident
to our situation as we pass through the changing sea
sons.

64- HISTORY OF THE

A NORFOLK WINTER.

SCOTCH STYLE.
(Tune, O, Logie o'Buchan.)
The sun has gone southward a distance so far
It 's drawn up the big and bright polar star;
The fields are all frozen, the lakes turn'd to ice ;
The bleak winds are blowing, they whirl in a trice ;
The white snow is ranging o'er hill and o'er dale,
The trav'ler benighted looks chilly and pale.
Has comfort fled off with the sun in its car.
No substitute brought by the big polar star 1
Is naught but the bleak winds to sound in our ear.
No beverage but cold snow our stomachs to cheer ?
0, yes, dearest Jenny, my spouse and desire ;
We 'U close the dark Ijlinds, and we '11 nurse up the fire;
We '11 spread o'er our board, in a quite frugal style,
The well-earned income of summer's brown toU ;
We '11 eat and we '11 drink — talk in pleasantest mood.
And bless the kind Hand that provides us our food ;
We 'U walk round the room, through the crevice we 'U spy,
Secnre from its sharp blast, the cold wintry sky.
We '11 take little Jenny and set on the knee,
And hear her blithe prattle and innocent glee ;
Tb Jock we '11 tell stories whicb we used to hear.
And all shall partake of our harmless good cheer;
An evening thus spent, seems like evening in May,
For within door is peace, though without not so gay.
Let winter bleak howl from its dark frozen wave ;
Let billows, high mounted, the icy beach lave ;
With vegetive nature securely we '11 sing.
And wait the return of the warm and blithe spring;
But in the meanwhile, let us sigh for the poor,
And ask him most kindly to walk in our door.

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 65
When spring shows her blossoms and summer looks gay,
We '11 plant the sweet melon and gather the hay ;
The bright yellow corn we '11 nurse up with care.
And hope in the autumn its plenty to share ;
When winter comes round us with bellowing strife.
We 'U sit secure from it with children and wife.
Thus blest with contentment, we '11 pass through the year,
And, trusting the kind Hand, we 've nothing to fear.
When springs are all over and elements' war.
We 'U rise o'er the bright and the big polar star —
There in the high regions of bhss we will sing,
And hail the eternal and ever blithe spring.

66 HISTORY OF THE

INCIDENTS
WHICH OCCURRED IN THE FIRST HALF CENTURY OF THE SETTLEMENT
OP NORFOLK, OBTAINED FROM VERBAL INFORMATION  DATES NOT
ASCERTAINED.
The first road cut through Norfolk was done by Capt,
Isaac Lawrence, Canaap ; in its course it came to what
we now caU Loon meadow, there they found a meadow
or opening of some extent, the grass grew upon it in
considerable quantity and of good quahty ; on it they
found a dead loon, that had apparently come to the close
of life in a quiet manner, and this circurastance recently
gave the name to the place. There they gave part of
their team a chance to feed, and with the remainder went
forward towards what was after caUed the North Green ;
they returned at night and found all things safe, and
also an increase of their stock — a mare, which they left
in the morning, had brought them a fine colt. This road
or passway led on through the north-west part of the
town, near Mr. John Smith's, and on to what is called
the coUege farm.
In early times, a Mr. Barber, father of Capt. Timothy
Barber, formerly an inhabitant of Norfolk, came from
Simsbury, with two of his sons, well armed, to traverse
a part of the town, and coming to a place, since caUed
Pine raountain, they stacked their guns and stroUed round,
and ascended the hill in hope of getting a distant view of
the surrounding country. Mr. Barber stepped into a hole
in the side of the hiU, and something shot by him ahd
sprang up a tree near him. He did not at first know what
it was, but sent his youngest son to get their guns — he
did not find them ; stiU watching the animal, he sent his
oldest son, who soon returned with the guns ; while wait
ing, he perceived that the creature grew very uneasy,
twisting his tail and changing his position, perhaps with

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 67
the intention of springing upon them. Mr. Barber
placed his sons each side of him, each having their guns
weU charged; they fired and brought down a large pan
ther m a condition to examine him with safety ; its claws
and fangs looked frightfuUy, and they rejoiced that they
had escaped them and rid the world of a frightful mon
ster. Mr. Cornehus Brown, one of the early settlers of
this town, going into the woods some distance from his
house, was met by a bear, who soon prepared to spring
upon him; Mr. Brown attempted to chmb asraaU staddle
near hira, which proved too slender to support him at
a safe height from the ground ; the bear could, by stretch
ing itself, just reach his feet as he clung to the tree ; the
bear badly mangled his heels with his claws and teeth.
Mr. Brown hallooed for help, and, after suffering much
through fear and from his lacerated feet, help arrived — a
man, hunting in the woods with his dog, heard him ; the
dog reached hira before his master and worried the bear,
and he quit the assault before the man arrived. Mr.
Brown, glad to part with bruin, was helped home ; his
wounds were healed, the scars ofwhich were to be seen
through life.
Several years after, Mr, Nathaniel Roys, then living
near where Silas Burr now resides, was going round to
where Capt. Auren Tibbals now lives ; turning round the
end ofthe winrow, so caUed, he was raet by a bear; it
soon prepared for an attack, Mr. Roys stood considering
whether to meet the bear unarmed or trace back his
steps ; he, having come out of his shop with his leather
apron on, thought with himself he would try that as a
weapon of defence. He looked sternly upon him, shook
his leather apron, and sprang towards him ; bruin, not
used to that mode of attack, settled down frora his ram
pant posture and made use of aU his legs to assist hira
in his flight from the frowning face and frightful rattle
of his antagonist.
About the time of raeeting the bear, or perhaps the
winter following, Mr. Roys, busily engaged in his shop,.
and his boys as busily engaged in gambols and play

68 HISTORY OF THE
aboutthe door-yard, several guns were heard on the
mountain west of his house, he sprang from his shop
and joined the boys in looking anxiously up the moun
tain ; their curiosity was soon gratified by seeing three
deer rushing down, come to a perpendicular ledge west
of Mr. Burr's (now) dweUing-house, they plunged down,
alraost burying theraselves in the snow ; soon, however,
they recovered, andthe old buck, leading the way, passed
by the house, through the meadow, and on to the Brown
mountain. In the early settlement of this town, before the tower
ing hemlocks were cleared off the green, west of
the meeting-house, sorae of them had become dry and
easily combustible, it being a dry season; by some
means the leaves and dry matter took fire at the north
end of the ledge, and the north-west wind helping, it
spread rapidly towards the meeting-house, climbing the
dry hemlocks, and the flaming bark and limbs were
scattered round and near the meeting-houSe, which was
nearly or quite finished. The inhabitants near the centre
were aroused to exertion, and spread the alarm as far
as possible ; help carae from every quarter, water was
obtained from a well at the house where Mr. Giles
Pettibone, jr., formerly lived, it was drawn about dry by
Mrs. Dudley Humphrey, who did not leave the well or
stop drawing the water until the danger was over.
A line was fornied, frora the well to the raeeting-house, of
men, woraen and boys, each forwarding the water.
In the hard winter of 1779 or 1780, the extreme
cold and great body of snow, in that season, made it
necessary for many families to go quite a distance
and out of town to get grinding. They took the follow
ing method. The father or one of his robust sons, put
say half a bushel of grain in a sack, tied on his snow-
shoes, and thus accoutred, with his dinner in the sack's
mouth, coraraenced his walk down to Jacob Beach's miU
in the hither part of Goshen, or the one in the north-east
part of the town. Follow in imagination this pedestrian
adventurer, !opeing across fields and over fences to cut
short his way, avoiding in his route the shin-bush, which

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 69
would about as certainly trip hira up, or throw him
down, as the modern tangle legs, and he could not lie
so quietly and doze until the encumbrance was removed ;
no, he must manage to unharness his snow-shoes and get
rid of that encumbrance before he could hope to free
himself from the snow, which almost covered him, and
again take an erect position. If no other hindrance
happened, he returned the sameday with his flour. Mean
while the good housewife would boil part of their grain,
as a substitute for bread — a fine treat for the children,
surrounding the blazing fire, coraposed of large wood,
urged in by the lever or in sorae instances dragged in by
a horse. Fine winter evenings of olden times !
To given an idea of the imraense bulk of snow which
fell in this elevated situation in some of our early winters,
I will relate the following incident : Mr. Reuben Munger,
then living near where Soloraon Curtis now lives, built
him a barn, with a cow-house at each end, forraing a large
square yard, open to the south. A heavy snow-storm
came on, which, with the help of the north-west wind,
which took the reins after it ceased falling, filled this
space, and rising with a gradual ascent until it reached
the ridge of the barn, a strong crust formed on the
surface. Mr. Munger arose on a fine morning, went
out to feed his cattle, and the strange idea carae into
his ihind, to feed his yearhngs on the roof of the barn ;
he took an armful of hay and led several of his yearlings,
where he fed them oh the very ridge, from which eleva
tion they descended in safety.
When the late Rev. Amrai R. Robbins first found his
way through the thinly-settled north part of Litchfield
county, pursuant to an engagement with the agents of
the church and ecclesiastical society of Norfolk, to
preach to thera on probation, he carae to a house on the
old road, east of Mr. Dutton's (now) dwelling-house, said
to be that in which Mr. Thomas Tibbals -afterwards
lived. He rode up to the door and inquired for the
boarding-house designed for their expected minister ; he
was informed that that was the place. He alighted, glad
to find even a temporary home. After taking some re-

70 HISTORY OF THE
fi-eshment, he inquired the way to the meeting-house,
and very leisurely wended his way, frequently looking
forward to catch a first view of the sanctuary ; but the
view was so obstructed by the dense forest of hemlocks
and other large trees, that he arrived near the house
where Mr. Ebenezer Burr then lived, at the south end of
the green. His eye soon caught the sacred dweUing,
dressed in its peach-blow hue, which gave a striking
contrast to the murky shade of the thick-set hemlocks
which remained near it. FoUow him in imagination,
and think of his sensations, when raising his hand to the
latch of the door, which opened without the grating of a
key, he entered — silence reigned, where subsequently,
and for more than half a century, his voice was heard
by a dev6ut and attentive audience, especially on the
Sabbath, which his Divine Master had sanctified. He
returned to his lodgings, we may suppose, with his mind
so occupied with his future prospects that he passed over
his rough way with heedless steps.
The year after Mr. Robbins was settled over this
church, Mr. Henry Akins came from Torrington and
purchased a farm westerly from the meeting-house,
which he occupied through life. Soon after filing his
residence here, he left his faraily one pleasant winter
morning, taking his gun, hoping to find some deer in his
rarable. He stroUed on in a southerly direction, proba
bly west of Tobey's pond, but not in sight of it. In the
after part of the day it became cloudy, the sun was hid
den, and it soon began to snow. He thought best to be
on his return horae ; he atterapted, but soon found that
he was wandering ; his out-bound tracks were covered
with snow ; without a corapass or anything to guide
him, he could perceive, by often-recurring objects, that
he was retracing his recent steps. He was alarmed,
beheving that he had not gained a rod towards home.
The cold increased ; darkness, and no relief from moon
or stars, came on, rapidly on; he concluded that he
must spend the night in this wUderness, far from relief,
and how far from horae he knew not. He perceived
.that his feet were numb, but had felt no pain in them j

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 71
he came to a convenient place for kindling a fire, and
finding dry combustible in plenty, which he gathered,
and ainticipated the comfort pf a warm fireside, and the
cheering blaze to disperse the gloora and darkness which
enveloped hira. What was his astonishraent, when about
to strike fire from his flint — his flint was lost ; by some
mishap it was torn frora his gun-lock, and he had no
spare one. Drpary, indeed, was his situation, and com
fortless his circumstances. He retained his reasoning
faculties, and knew that if he attempted to seek a fest
ing place it would be fatal ; death by freezing raust be
the result. He began walking frora a tree near him to
, one about forty feet distant, back and forth, until he had
raade a firm and solid path. In this exercise he spent a
long winter night. When morning canie he attempted
again to find his way home, but, as is generally the case
in such circumstances, he wandered stiU farther from
home. He kept in raotion, fearing to rest. His route
seeraed to be west of the Tibbals raountain, and south
erly, until he came near the place afterwards occupied
by a Mr. Balcom, south of Mr. Edraund Brown's present
habitation, where he was found the next day, towards
night, by his friends and neighbors, who had been in
pursuit of hira from nine o'clock the evening before. It
seems he was stUl able to stand erect and walk. He
was helped home, and arrived that evening, to the joy of
hinaself and family. His feet were found badly frozen,
and when, after a considerable length of time and much
suffering, they were healed, they were very much scar
red and misshapen, but served him in future life, and
enabled him to cultivate his farra, bring up a large fami
ly, and accumulate a good property.

72 HISTORY OF THE

LIST OP REPRESENTATIVES FROM NORFOLK TO THE
' GENERAL ASSEMBLY; FROM 1777 TO 1846.
1777. Giles Pettibone, William Walter.
1778. *Giles Pettibone, Hosea Wilcox.
tGiles Pettibone, Hosea WUcox.
1779. Dudley Humphrey, Michael Mills.
Dudley Humphrey, Michael MiUs.
1780. Giles Pettibone, Joseph MiUs.
Titus Ives, Asahel Case.
1781. No appointment.
Hosea WUcox, Isaac Hoyt.
1782. Michael Mills, Nathaniel Stevens.
Michael MUls, Elijah Grant.
1783. Elijah Grant, Michael Mills.
GUes Pettibone, Ephraim Guiteau.
1784. GUes Pettibone, Dudley Humphrey.
GUes Pettibone, Dudley Humphrey.
1785. Michael MiUs, Dudley Humphrey.
Michael MiUs, Dudley Humphrey.
1786. Michael MUls,, Asahel Humphrey.
Michael MUls, Asahel Humphrey.
1787. Titus Ives, Hosea Humphrey.
Asahel Humphrey, Hosea Humphrey.
1788. Asahel Humphrey, Michael MUls.
Dudley Humphrey, Giles Pettibone.
1789. Dudley Humphrey, GUes Pettibone.
Dudley Humphrey, Giles Pettibone.
1790. Dudley Humphrey, Giles Pettibone.
Dudley Humphrey, Michael Mills.
1791. Dudley Humphrey, Giles Pettibone.
Dudley Humphrey, Michael MUls.
1792. Dudley Humphrey, GUes Pettibone.
Giles Pettibone, Asahel Humphrey.
1793. Giles Pettibone, Asahel Humphrey.
GUes Pettibone, Asahel Humphrey.
1794. Asahel Humphrey, Giles Pettibone.
Asahel Humphrey, GUes Pettibone.
* Spring, t Autiunn.

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 73
1795. Giles Pettibone, Nathaniel Stevens.
GUes Pettibone, Nathaniel Stevws.
1796. Asahel Humphrey, Nathaniel Stevens.
Asahel Humphrey, Nathaniel Stevens.
1797. Asahel Humphrey, GUes Pettibone.
GUes Pettibone, Nathaniel Stevens.
1798. GUes Pettibone, Nathaniel Steyens.
Nathaniel Stevens, Eleazer Holt.
1799. GUes Pettibone, Eleazer Holt.
Nathaniel Stevens, Eleazer Holt.
1800. GUes Pettibone, Eleazer Holt.
Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
1801. GUes Pettibone,  .
Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
1802. Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
1803. Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
1804. Augustus Pettibone, Eleazer Holt.
Augustus Pettibone, Eleazer Holt..
1805. Augustus Pettibone, Nathaniel Stevens, jun.
Augustus Pettibone, Nathaniel Stevens,
1806. Jeremiah W. Phelpa, Nathaniel Stevens, jun.
Jeremiah W. Phelps, Nathaniel Stevens.
1807. Augustus Pettibone, John Dickinson.
Augustus Pettibone, John Dickinson.
1808. Nathaniel Stevens, Benjamin Welch.
Augustus Pettibone, Benjamin Welch.
1809. Nathaniel Stevens, John Dickinson.
Nathaniel Stevens, John Dickinson.
1810. Nathaniel Stevens, John Dickinson.
Nathaniel Stevens, John Dickinson.
1811. Benjamin Welch, Joseph Battell.
Benjkmin Welch, Elizur Munger.
1812. Augustus Pettibone, Nathaniel Stevens.
Eleazer Holt, Augustus Pettibone.
1813. Eleazer Holt, Augustus Pettibone.
Eleazer Holt, Augustus Pettibone.
1814. Augustus Pettibone, Eleazer Holt.
Augustus Pettibone, Eleazer Holt.
1815. Eleazer Holt, Nathaniel Stevens.
Eleazer Holt, Nathaniel' Stevens.
1816. Nathaniel Stevens, Elizur Munger.
Nathaniel SteVens, Elizur Munger.
1817. Nathaniel Stevens, Elizur Munger.
Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.

74 HISTORY OF THE
1818. Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
Augustus Pettibone, Nathaniel Stevens.
1819. *Nathaniel Stevens, Augustus Pettibone.
1820. Augustus Pettibone, Joseph Battell.
1821. Lawrence MUls, Elizur Munger.
1822. Augustus Pettibone; Benjamin Welch.
1823. Augustus Pettibone, Benjamin Welch.
1824. Augustus Pettibone, Joseph Battell.
1825. Augustus Pettibone, Joseph Battell.
1826. Joseph BatteU, Amos Pettibone.
1827. Amos Pettibone, Joseph Riggs.
1828. Amos Pettibone, Joseph BatteU.
1829. Amos Pettibone, Thomas Curtis,
1830. Michael F. MUls, Amos Pettibone.
1831. Michael F. Mills, Edmund Brown.
1832. Jedediah Phelps, Harvey Grant.
1833. Michael F. MiUs, Harvey Grant.
1834. Thomas Curtis, Warren Cone.
1835. Thomas Curtis, Elizur Dowd.
1836. Benjamin Welch, jun., Darius Phelps.
1837. Asahel E. Case, Levi Shephard.
1838. Warren Cone, Thomas Curtis.
1839. Hiram MUls, Elizur Dowd.
1840. James Shepard, Hiram Gaylord.
1841. Eden Riggs, David L. Dowd.
1842. Thomas Curtis, Dudley Norton.
1843. No appointment.
1844. William Lawrence, James M. Cowls.
1845. E. G. Lawrence, SUas Burr.
1846. Harlow Roys, Horace B. Knapp.
STATE SENATORS FROM NORFOLK.
Honorable Augustus Pettibone.
Honorable John DeweU.

Spring.

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 75

LIST OF GRADUATES FROM THIS TOWN.
James Watson, Yale Col., 1776, Merchant, N. Y.— U. S. Senator.
Joshua Knapp, " 1776, Pastor, Winchester, Conn.
Giles Pettibone, jun., " 1778, Farmer and Innkeeper.
Joseph Ives, " 1782, Merchant, Albany.
Thomas Robbins, " 1796, Pastor and D. D.
Samuel Cowls, W. Col., 1796, Attorney, Farmington, Conn.
Nathaniel Turner, " 1798, Pastor, N. Marlboro, Mass.
Isaac Knapp, " 1800, Pastor, Tutor, Westfield, Mass. '
Sereno Pettibone, " 1800, Attorney.
Asahel Gaylord, " 1804, Evangehst.
Rufus Pettibone, " 1805, Judge of S. Court, Missouri.
James W. Robbins, " 1802, Merchant, Lenox, Mass.
Francis L. Robbins, " 1808, Pastor, Enfield, Mass.
Joseph Battell, jun., M. Col., 1823, Merchant, New York.
Eleazer Holt, Yale Col., 1823, Pastor, Reading, Penn.
J. R. Lawrence, Union Col., 1825, Attorney, &c., Syracuse.
E. G. Lawrence, Ham. Gol, 1827, Merchant.
Philip Battell, M. Col., 1826, Attorney, Middlebury, Vt.
Frederick T. MiUs, Yale Col., 1827, Died while Student of Law.
Sherlden Guiteau, M. Col., 1829, Clergyman, Baltimore.
Coridon Guiteau, W. Col., 1832, Physician, Lee, Mass.
Reuben Gaylord, jun., Yale " 1834, Clergyman, Iowa.
Robbins, Battell, " " 1839, Agriculturist.
Robert Bigelow, Ske. CoL, 1824> Commercial gentleman, Florida.
PROFESSIONAL MEN, NOT GRADUATES.— ATTORNEYS.
Augustus Pettibone, Attorney — C. Judge, C. C— Rep. 30 Sessions —
State Senator.
Edmund Akins, Attorney.
Michael F. Mills, Attorney and Judge of Probate.
Roger MUls, Attorney, New Hartford.
Rice Stevens, Attorney, Huntingdon, Penn.
Grove Lawrence, Attorney — Judge — Syracuse, New York.
George B. Holt, Attorney — Judge of Circuit Court, Ohio.
Edmund Akins, 2d, Attorney, Mercellus, New York.
PHYSICIANS ABROAD.
Laman Pettibone, Stockholm, L. county. New York.
Colbey Knapp, Guilford, Ch. county,
Abraham Camp, Windham,
Lewis Riggs, A.nd Representative to Congress, State of N. Y.

76

HISTORY OF THE

Elizur Butler,
Smith Knapp,
Chancey Moore,
Asahel Humphrey,
Benjamin Welch, jun,
Asa G. Welch,
James Welch,
Isaac Benedict,
Francis Benedict,
Nebon Cowls,
Two sons of Thomas

And Missionary to Choctaws.
Blenham, New York.
New Haven, Vermont.
SaUsbury, Connecticut.
,, Litchfield,
Lee, Massachusetts.
Lee, Stand not known.
tl ll It
Geneva, Ohio.
Moses — place unknown.

PHYSICIANS WHO PRACTISED IN NORFOLK.

John Miner,
Ephraim Guiteau,
PhUo Guiteau,
Hosea Humphrey,
Daniel Lyfnan,

Benjamin Welch,
Benjamin Welch, jun.,
Benjamin Calhoun,
WUUam W. Welch,
John F. T. Cockey.

EDUCATED FEMALES — TEACHERS OF SELECT
SCHOOLS, ETC.

Sarah Tibbals — Mrs. Reeder,
Zilpah P. Grant — Mrs. Banister,
Laura Hawley,
Lucia Hawley,
Maria Hawley,
Louisa N. Frisbie,
Lucy Hart — Mrs. WUcox,
AUice Welch— Mrs. Cowls,

Norfolk and Alabama.
Ipswich Seminary.
New Albany, Indiana.
High School, New Jersey.
High School, Tennessee.
High School, Baltimore.
Hilo, Sandwich Island Mission.
Oberlin Institute.

MINISTERS EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MR. ROB
BINS' SETTLEMENT, WHILE ABSENT, AND SINCE HIS
DEATH.

Rev. Mr

. Treat,

Rev. Mr. Jerome,

Rev.

Mr

Clark,

Peck,

" " Bogue,

H. Cowls,
Curtis,
" " Stebbens,
Mitchel,
Gregory,
" " D. Sherman,
Robbinson,
Heaton,
" " H. Sherman,
Smith,
Wetmore,
" Dr. Atwater,
Brockway,
Benedict,
" Mr. Burtt,
I. Robbins,
Pitkin,
" " Lord,
W. Mitchel,
Ives,
" " Giddings,
J. Clark,
Bobbins,
" " Emerson,
D. Smith,
Camp,
" " Rockwell,
C(
Shepard,
NeweU,
" " Schaffer,
it
Eldridge.
Potter,
¦• " Albro,
TOWN OF NORFOLK.

77

DEACONS.

Michael Humphrey,
Abraham Camp,
Joseph MiUs,
Abraham HaU,
Samuel MiUs,
Jared Butler,
David Frisbie,

Edward Gaylord,
Noah Miner,
Sylvanus Norton, jun.,
Amos Pettibone,
Samuel Cone,
Darius Phelps, jun.,
Dudley Norton.

ANNUAL ADMISSIONS INTO THE CHURCH, FROM 1760
TO 1844.— FROM CHURCH RECORDS.
1760 Twenty-three
1761 Twenty-six
1762 Six
1763 Seventeen
1764 Twelve
1765 One
1766 Nine
1767 Nine
1768 Fourteen
1769 Seven
1770 Eight
1771 Nine
1772 Seven
1773 Eight
1774 Eight
1775 Seven
1776 Four
1777 Three
1778 Nine
1779 Seven
1780 Four
1781 One
1782 Three'
1783 Thirty-three
1784 Twenty-seven
1785 Six
1786 Five
1787 One
1788 Two

1789

1818 Six

1790 Six

1819 Six

1791 Six

1820 Three

1792 One

1821 Thu-ty-seven

1793 Nine

1822 Thirty- three

1794 Three

1823 Six

1795 Eight

1824 Four

1796 Two

1825 Two

1797 Eleven

1826 Two

1798 Three

1827 Hundred and four

1799 Hundred andi

nine 1828 Seventeen

1800 Thirty-six

1829 Six

1801 Sixteen

18^0 Three

1802 Six

1831 Fifty-seven

1803 Two

1832 Twenty-six

1804 One

1833 

1805 Two

1834 Twenty-one

180a Seven

1835 

1807 Nine

1836 Three

1808 Seven

1837 Three

1809 Seven

1838 Twelve

1810 Four

1839

1811 Eight

1840 Eleven

1812 Three

1841 Thirty-five

1813 One

1842 Five

1814 Six

1843 Fifty

1815 Twenty-two

1844 Two

1816 Hundred and three

1817 Eleven

78 HISTORY OF THE

MEMOIR OE MADAM ELIZABETH BOBBINS.*
Mrs. Bobbins died Septeraber 28th, 1829, aged 84.
Mi-. Emerson remarked in his discourse at her funeral :
"Her last sickness was very short, terrainating in the
corapass of two days. The faith which she manifested
on this occasion, appeared truly the substance of things
hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. In giv
ing a character of this aged and pious matron, I would
say, her vivacity was remarkable, terapered and guided
by truth and piety ; it was as useful as it was entertain
ing. It dehghtfully raingled the animation and charm of
youth with the sedateness of age ; the life of spring,
with the ripeness and serenity of auturan. Her capacity
and readiness to entertain the nuraerous guests of the
family, when the duties of the study demanded the seclu
sion of her faithful partner, are well known. Her know
ledge of theology, especiaUy in its practical bearings,
was extensive and highly useful." Towards the close of
his reraarks he says, " Perhaps, ere this, she has received
a crown sparkling with the raemorial of many a deed
the world never saw, and of which herself l^as to say,
'Lord, when was this, or why is it thus esteemed by
thee?'" The last friendly act performed for her was
Septeraber 30th, when she was placed in the silent
grave, by the side of her husband, there to wait the
re-aniraating call of the archangel.
* A memoir of Mr. Robbins is included in the history.

TOWN OF NORFOLK. 79

A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT AND AFFECTION.
Joseph Battell, Esq., died November 30th, 1841, aged
67, after a laborious course, spent in the mercantile
business, coraraenced in early life and pursued with
energy and success ; acquiring property hiraself, and en
abling others to do so. A friendly adviser and ready
helper, a faithful reprover of the heedless and iraprovi
dent and encourager of the prudent raanager, kind to
the needy and unfortunate, and withheld not a helping
hand, even frora those whose vices and negligence raade
them unworthy of his favor. AU classes of citizens
experienced his kind regard, and felt raore or less the
loss of hira. His death was sudden and unexpected ; he
had fixed on a day to coramence a journey to the west,
to attend to the pressing call of his extensive and im
portant concerns in that section of the country. On
that day he was called to attend the funeral of Esquire
Hinsdale, of Winsted; he and several of his family
attended. He returned horae to prepare to commence
his journey on the morrow, but before he entered his
house, he was attacked with apoplexy, and was carried
in, in a state of apparent insensibility, and remained so
until raorning, when his spirit took its flight — we hope
to a better world, and that his hope was exchanged for
fruition. He is dead ! said his faraily and friends who
were present. Mr. BatteU is dead ! reiterated his neigh
bors and the surprised inhabitants. The echo rolled
solemnly to the north and the south, to the east and to
the far west, accompanied with the admonition. Prepare
to meet thy God !
Auren Roys.

80

history of the

LIST OF THE DEATHS OF THE MALE HEADS OF FAMI
LIES WHO LIVED AND WHO DIED IN THIS TOWN.

FROM CHUECH EECORDS.

Samuel Cowls,
Samuel Comstock,
RosweU Richards,
Cornelius Brown,
Isaac Pettibone,
Ezekiel Wilcox,

17621764 1765176917711774

Jacob Holt and Levi Cowls,
(buried in weU,) 1774
Oliver Burr, 1775
Thomas Curtis, (in army,) 1776
Bushnel Knapp, (shot for deer,)l 777
Michael Humphrey, Esq. 1778
Joseph Plumby, (drowned,) 1778
Samuel Gaylord, 1778
Abel Phelps, 1779
Ehakim Seward, 1782
Simeon MiUs, ^ 1782
Joseph Cowls, 1782
Reuben Seward, 1732
Jesse Tobey, 1788
Caleb Knapp, 1789
BUle Bishop, 1789
Joseph MUls, Deacon, 1792
Joseph Cady, 1793
Ebenezer Burr, 1794
Dudley Humphrey, Esq. 1794
Joshua Moses, 1795
Joel Grant, (weU sweep,) 1796
Solomon Curtis, 1796
WUliam Walter, 1796
Isaac Holt, jun. 1797
Samuel S. Butler, 1798
Elijah Grant, 1798
Stephen Walter, 1800
Daniel Cowls, 1801
Titus Brown, 1802
Benjamin Picket, 1804
Samuel MUls, Deacon, 1804
Eleazer Orvis, 1805
Isaac Holt, gen. 1806

Edinund Akins, Esq.
Joseph Gaylord,
Daniel Burr,
Reuben Munger,
Nathaniel Stevens, Esq.
Obadiah Pease,
Asahel Case,
Edmund Brown,
Philo Guiteau,
Thomas Tibbals,
Giles Pettibone, Esq.
Titus Ives,
GUes Pettibone, jun.
John Turner,
James Benedict,
John Phelps,
Samuel Pettibone, jun,
Rev. A. R. Robbins,
Jedediah Richards,
Jacob Spalding
John Dowd,
Francis Benedict,
Levi Grant,
Samuel Knapp,
Dr. Ephraim Guiteau,
Henry Akins,
Samuel Pettibone,
Jedediah Phelps,
Agur Gaylord,
Nathaniel Pease,
Darius Phelps,
Josiah Roys,
Samuel Northway,
Sylvanus Norton,
Michael Mills,
Joshua Moses, jun.
Daniel Cone,
Aaron Burr,
Edward Gaylord, Dea.
Jared Butler, Dea.

aged

DIED
18071807180818081808
1809 1809
18091809181018101810 18111811
181218121813 1813
1814 1814
1815
1815
44, 1816
90, 1816
79, 1816
86, 1816
73, 1816
60, 1817
88, 1817
91, 1818
66, 1818
80, 1818
72, 1819
78, 1820
90, 1820
58, 1820
39, 1821
71, 1821
78, 1822
76, 1822

TbWN OF NORFOLK.

81

George-Tobey, 77, 1823
Dudley Humphrey, 2, 8, 1823
Joshua Nettleton, 83,. 1824
SamuelEnapp, 2d, 78,1824
Nathaniel Stevens, jun. 57, 1825
Eice Gaylord, 87, -1825
Timothy Gaylord, 90, 1825
Thomas Tibbals, jun. 72, 1826
Samuel Gaylord, 83, 1826
Stephen Norton, ' 86, 1826
Ebenezer Cowls, , 78, 1827
Amasa Cowls, jun. 56, 1827
James Stannard, 89, 1827
Joseph Hull, 74, 1828
Deming T. Northway, 42, 1828
Elizur Munger, 67, 1828
Hopestill Welch, 87, 1828
Moses Camp, 81, 1828
John Camp, 56, 1828
Levi Camp, 74, 1830
Jeremiah W.Phelps, 70,1830
Elisha Hawley, 83, 1831
Lewis Gaylard, 41, 1831
Isaac Spalding, 50, 1832
Nicholas Holt, 76, 1832
Amasa Cowls, 87, 1832
Joseph Jones, 82, 1S32
Joseph Ferry, 90, 1832
Benjamin Moses, 34, 183:^
Jonathan H. Pettibone, 39, 1832,
David W. Roys, 57, 183i>
Nath'l Roys, in 100th yeir, 1832
Malachi Humphrey, aged 69, 1 832
John Bradley, 72, l832
John Warner, 79, 1833
Abiather Rogers, 75, 1833
Ebenezer Norton, 91, 1833
Rice Gaylord, jun. 48, 1833
Israel Crissey, 70, 1833
Ephraim Cy, 72, 1S34
Lemuel Akins, 64, lb;34
Luther Foot, 74, 1834
Jonathan Brown, 97, 1834
Eleazer Holt, Esq. 82, 1835
Ezekiel Foster, 68, 1835
William Nettleton, 59, 1835
Moses Grant, 70, 1835
Emmons Andrus, 28, 1835

Thomas HiU,
Charles Walter,
Eden Mills,
MUes Riggs,
Seth Wilcox,
Samuel Cone, Dea.
Francis Bliss,
Reuben Dean,
Peter Freedom,
Halsey Stevens,
David Frisbee, Dea.
Elias Knapp,
Abijah Brown,
Asher Smith,
Andrew H. Smith,
Albert Norton,
William French,
Luther N. Ailing,
Gerry Grant,
James Roys,
David Gaylord,
Stephen B. Treat,
Asahel Case,
Jamfcs Ri)od,
Samuel Knapp,
Dr. Benjamin Calhoun,
James Hotchkiss,
Nathaniel Butler,
Reuben Palmer,
Jedediah White,
Jaraes Peck,
Joseph BatteU, Esq.
Aaron Case.
Mansfield White,
Philemon Gajlord,
Augustas Rnys,
Isaac N Dowd,
David Orvis,
Elisaph Butler,
John T. Warner,
Joseph RockweU,
Stephen Norton,
Reuben Gaylord,
Ammi R. Robbins,
Francis Benedict, jun.
George M. Phelps,
(Close ofthe Centennial ^ear.)
Titus Nettleton, 75, 1845

98

1835

78

1836

72

1836

88

1836

69

1836

51

1836

44

1836

85

1836

63

1837

34

1837

87,

1837

62,

1837

56,

1838

80,

1838

36,

1838

21,

1838

71,

1838

J

1839

35,

1839

71,

1839

69,

1839

30,

1839

84,

1840

70,

1840

72,

1841

63,

1841

50,

1841

60,

1841

81,

1841

91,

1841

61,

1841

67,

1841

70,

1842

47,

1842

76,

1842

52,

1842

49,

1842

96,

1843

75,

1843

43,

1843

85,

1843

77,

1843

73,

184a

76,

1843:

75,

1844

27.

1844

82

HISTORY OF THE

Alden Miner,

45,

1845

WiUiam Dowd,

J

1846

Reuben Brown,

66,

1845

John Smith,

73,

1846

Rev. Asahel Gaylord,

70,

1845

Thomas Curtis,

61,

1846

Levi Barlow,

~ J

1845

Joseph Smith,

95,

1846

James Shepherd,

71,

1846

Joseph Riggs,

67,

1846

Jarvis Garrit,

48,

1846

John Strong,

87,

1846

TOWN OF NORFOLK.

83

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Joshua Whitney,
Michael Humphrey,
GUes Pettibone,
Hozea Wilcox,
Dudley Humphrey,
Asahel Humphrey,
Nathaniel Stevens,
Eleazer Holt,
Augustus Pettibone,
Benjamin Welch,
Joseph BatteU,
Joseph Riggs,
Michael F. MiUs,
BushneU Knapp,

Edmund Brown,
Amos Pettibone,
E. Grove Lawrence,
Augustus P. Pease,
Erastus Smith,
Anson Norton,
Benjamin Welch, jun.,
Darius Phelps,
Daniel Hotchkiss,
John DeweU,
Auren Tibbals,
Benjamin Bigelow,
James C. Swift,
Jeremiah Johnson.

GUes Pettibone,
Augustus Pettiijone,
Michael F. MiUs,
Joseph Riggs,

PROBATE JUDGES.

1779 1807
18231842

James C. Swift,
Michael G. MUls,
Daniel Hotctkiss,

1843 1844
1846

Joshua Whitney,
Michael Humphrey,
Dudley Humphrey,
Hosea Wilcox,
Dudley Humphrey,

TOWN CLERKS.

17581760 177817821788

Asahel Humphrey, 1794
Dudley Humphrey, 2d, 1797
Joseph Jones, 1802
Auren Roys, 1812

TOWN TREASURER.

Ebenezer Burr,
GUes Pettibone,
Giles Pettibone, jun.,
Nathaniel Stevens,
Jonathan H. Pettibone,

1758 1763180318101822

Darius Phelps, 1832
E. Grove Lawrence, 1833
William Lawrence, 1834
Oliver B. Butler, 1836

84

HISTORY OF THE

FIRST CONSTABLES.

Eli Pettibone,

1758

Benjamin Welch,

1802

Ezekiel Wilcox,

1763

Amasa Cowls, jun..

1804

Daniel Humphrey,

1765

Jonathan Pettibone,

1807

Giles Pettibone,

1767

Ezekiel Wilcox,

1809

•John Watson,

1770

Bushnell Knapp,

1811

Timothy Gaylord,

1772

Thomas Curtis,

1813

Thomas Curtis,

¦ 1775

Josiah Pettibone,

1817

Henry Akins,

1776

Amos Pettibone,

1819

Michael MiUs,

1782

Thomas Curtis,

1822

Elijah Phelps,

1783

Jedediah Phelps,

1826

Isaac Holt, jun..

1785

Halsey Stevens,

1828

Samuel Mills,

1786

Sulivan Searle,

1831

Elijah Phelps,

1787

Hiram Gaylord,

1834

Giles Pettibone, jun..

1788

Samuel Seymour, jun..

1835

Darius Phelps,

1790

Edwin Butler,

1836

Solomon Curti.s,

1793

Michael G. MiUs,

1837

Nathaniel Stevens, jun.

1795

Truman R. Seymour,

1838

PhUo Guiteau,

1797

Asahel G. Phelps,

1840

Nathaniel Stevens, jun.

¦ 1798

Mark Bigelow,

1843

Moses Grant,

1800

Samuel Seymour, jun..

1844

FIRST SE

LECTMEN.

George Palmer,

1758

Reuben Gaylord,

1816*

Abel Phelps,

1759

Lawrence Mills,

1817

Michael Humphrey,

1760

Reuben Brown,

1818

Isaac Holt,

1764

James Shepard,

1820

Joseph Seward,

1765

Amos Pettibone oflSciated,

1823

Abraham Camp,

1768

Solomon Cowls,

1826

Thomas Tibba s.

1769

Edmund Brown,

1828

Joseph Seward,

1771

Erastus Smith,

1829

Elijah Grapt,

1774

Hervey Grant,

1830

Dudley Humphrey,

1775

Jedediah Phelps,

1831

Michael MiUs,

1776

Hiram MiUs,

1832

Titus Ives,

1782

Auren Tibbals,

1833

Michael Mills,

1785

Darius Phelps,

1834

Samuel MiUs,

1788

Elon Maltbie,

1835

Ariel Lawrence,

1789

Henry Porter,

1836

Asahel Humphrey,

1790

Willis Griswald,

1837

Eleazer Holt,

1794

John Humphrey,

1838

Jedediah Phelps,

1797

John Humphrey,

1839

Nicholas Holt,

1799

Elizur Dowd,

1840

Nathaniel Stevens,

1802

Augustus Roys,

1841

Jeremiah W. Phe^os,

1804

Luther Butler,

1842

Eden MiUs,

1806

Luther Butler,

1843

Elizur Munger,

1810

James M. Cowls,

1844

Amasa Cowls, jun,.

1811

TOWN OF NORFOLK.

85

Amount of fhe List of Taxable Property in Norfolk
annuaUy, from 1759, in pounds until 1796, then
in dollars.

DATE.

175917601761 1762176317641765 176617671768 1769 177017711772 17731774 1775177617771778
1779 1780 1781
17821783 17841785

AMO NT

£.
2292 2546265032303680
41364433 4706 507461066451 7064 76527876 81439597915696139B30
10425
1105910752
10666 99089685 80518076

In the early settlement of this town
taxes were laid by the inhabitants,
from £10 to £100, and sometimes
2d., 3d., and up to 6d. bn the pound,
as occasion required, and collectors ap
pointed at the time, which had their
respective taxes to collect.
The collectors appointed at the an
nual meetings generally coUected mere
ly the ministerial tax.
Land-taxes were imposed by go
vernment of 2d. to 5d. on the acre,
which Was. generally gathered by col
lectors appointed for that purpose.
Various methods have beea ordered
and adopted for regulating the taxable
articles and the maimer of taxing them,
as may be seen by referring to the
Statute Laws on the subject.
It may be noticed that the amount
of the grand list for 17 7 8 is al
most the same as in 1795. In the
succeeding year it was set in dollars.
It wiU be curious to see the gradual
rise and diminution according to cir
cumstances. From about the year 1800 the first
constables have generally been em
ployed to coUect all the taxes.

1786178717881789179017911792
1793 1794 1795
17961797 17981799
1700 18011802180318041806 1806
1807 18081809180018111812

AMO NT

£.
8024
7898 780078818701 8825
9270
1009710150 10467
$37039 3553784898 35125
3422232143 88135
36472360723264633558326528340484068324863333632189

In 1818 the last official performance of the listers, the occupation
of the land in Norfolk was as foUows :—
741 acres of plow land.
1024 acres of clear pasture.
8575 acres of bush pasture.
3791 acres of wood land* second rate.
8064 acres of wood land, third rate.
85 acres of boggy meadow, mowed.
80 acres of do. do. not mowed.
Making 22,360 acres accounted for.
6*

86

HISTORY OF THE

From 1813 the per centage of the Highway, Town
and Ecclesiastical Society Taxes annually, with the
name of the Collector added.

DATE.

AMOUNT.

H.WAY.

TOWN.

EC. soc.

COLtECTOK.

$. CTS.

CENTS

CENTS

CENTS

On Dollar.

On Dollar.

On Dollar.

1813
32,729,66
3
I'A
3
Thomas Curtis
1814
38,787,82
2
ly.
5
Thomas Curtis
1815
83,719,45
8
lA.
2>^
Thomas Curtis
1816
32,081,08
3
3
3K
Thotnas Curtis
1817
32,766,73
3
2
3
Josiah Pettibone
1818
33,009,73
3
2
3
Josiah Pettibone
1819
23,720,46
4
2>^
4K
Amos Pettibone
1820
21,980,76
4
3
4>^
Amos Pettibone
1821
21,268,27
4
3
5>^
Amos Pettibone
1822
22,481,29
4
y.
5
Thomas Curtis
1828
22,380,69
4
4
5
Thomas Curtis
1824
23,428,81
4
4>^
4K
Thomas Curtis
1825
23,898,27
5
6
4>^
Thomas Curtis
1826
21,926,07
5
5
4
Jedediah Phelps
1827
22,043,58
5
5
4>^
Jedediah Phelps
1828
21,960,25
5
6K
5
Halsey Stevens
1829
22,257,26
4
5
5>^
Halsey Stevens
1830
22,097,96
6
5)^
4
Halsey Stevena
1831
22,522,54
5
5
¦4
Sulivan Searle
1832
28,404,22
5
4>i
4>^'
SuUvan Searle
1833
22,814,36
5
4
H
Sulivan Searle
1884
24,217,91
5
3
5
Hiram Gaylord
1835
23,867,79
5
4
4M
Samuel Seymour, jun.
1886
23,121,30
5
5
4>^
Edwin Butler
1887
23,353,67
6
5
4}<
Michael G. Mills
1838
23,243,89
5
5"
4>^
Truman R. Seymour
Truman R. Seymour
1839
23,589,53
5
5
5
1840
22,522,57
4J^
4
4>^
Asahel G. Phelps
Asahel G. Phelps
Asahel G. Phelps
Samuel Seymour, jun.
Samuel Seymour, jua.
1841
22,036,35
5
3>^
5^
1842
21,188,28
5
3>^
5
1843
20,569,46
'iy.
4
6
1844
21,391,48
7
H.&T.
2
TOWN OF NORFOLK.

Copy of the Summary of the List of 1812.

Polls, from 21 to 70, -
Polls, from 18 to 21, - - -
Oxen and BuUs, 4 years old, - - -
Cows and Cattle, 8 years old, - - -
Cattle, 2 years old, - - - -
Horses; 3 do. ....
Ditto, 2 do. ....
Ditto, 1 do. - - - -/
Plow land, per acre, ....
Clear pasture, do. ....
Boggy meadow, do. ....
Bush pasture, do. - . . -
Uninclosed land, 1st rate, ...
Ditto, do. 2d rate, ...
Ditto do. 3d rate, . - -
Chaise, at 20, 30, 40 and 65 dollars each.
Gold watches, .....
Silver watches, - - - - ' -
Brass-wheeled clocks, - - - -
Wooden-wheeled clocks, - - - -
Fire places, ,1st class, . . . -
Ditto 2d class, - -
Ditto 3d class, - . -
Ditto 4th class, - - - .
Stores, 1 story high, . . . -
Money on interest, 6 per cent.
Bank stock, 3 per cent.
Assessment for occupation, discretionary.
20 sheep only deducted from any one list.
In 1815, sheep were not placed in the list.
Those alterations in the assessment of taxable property will, in some
measure, account for the sudden rise or diminution of the amount ofthe
Grand Lists.

DOLS.

CTS,

60

00

30

00

10

00

7

00

3

00

10

00

7

00

8

34

1

67

1

34

84

34

34

17
9
34
00
10
00
20
00
7
00
5
00
8
75
2
50
1
25
10
00
88 HISTORY OF THE

In 1819, the Listers were dismissed, and Assessors and
Board of Relief appointed. A copy of a Summary
of a List hy them.
PoUs, set in List at $40 each.
Houses and 2 acres of land,* - - - - - 2 pr ct.
Land, .....-.-3
Mills, stores, etc., ...... 3
Horses, ........8
Neat cattle, .......6
SUver plate,  50
Carriages, .......40
Money at interest and bank stock, - - - . 6
Clocks and, watches, ...--- 50
Wagons, .......30
In 1820, poUs were set in Ust at $30; horses, at 10 per ct. ; carriages,
at 25 per ct. ; wagons, at 15 per ct.
In 1822, stud horses were set in the Ust at $25, and in 1823 they
were not on the list.
In 1824, real estate was placed on the Ust at 3 per ct., and personal
property, at 6 per ct.
In 1825, $11,000 were lost by the failure of the Eagle Bank, and
deducted from the list of a resident of this town — J. B.
In 1826, sheep were added to the list, at 6 per ct. And poUs were
set in the Ust at $20 each.
In 1843, poUs were set in, the list at $10 each.
* Ad valorem.

TOWN OF NORFOLK.

89

Number of Children and Dividend qf School Money
in each School District, for October, 1832.

DISTKICTS.

I
OHUDREN.

DIVIDEND.

Middle,

-

-

Ill

$.
38

CTS.
85

East Middle,

-

62

21

70

North Middle,

-

-

45'*'

15

75

North End,

-

.

47

10

45

Pond,

-

'. . . .

84

11

90

West side, -

-

-

35

12

25

North Goshen road.

-

24

8

40

South Goshen road.

-

47

16

45

South End, -

~

36
441

12

60

$154
35
Whole Number and Dividend.
DATE.
WHOLE NO
01" CHILDEEN.
WHOLE AMOUNT
OF DIVIDEND.
1833
418
$. CTS.
1834
424
486 -25
1885
'424
1836
417
¦516 00
3 9002 00842 3460