evidence of an occurrence. Professor Ferguson, who exhibits unusual diligence in searches of this kind, cites numerous other instances of executions, acquittals, pardons, and suspicions of being suspected, on various authorities.1 The fact, however, remains, that the official records are, as our author says, silent regarding the actual proceedings; and it is only by inference that it may be found from these records that the executions took place. There remains but little more to be said by way of introduction that has not already been said by the author in his own preface. It seems fitting, however, that a very brief sketch of his career and lineage should be given in closing.
Benjamin Trumbull was born in Hebron, Conn. December 19, 1735. He was the son of Benjamin Trumbull of Hebron (1712-), grandson of Benoni Trumbull of Hebron (1684-1770), greatgrandson of Joseph Trumbull of Suffield, Conn. (1647-84), and great-great-grandson of John Trumbull, who appears on record at Roxbury, Mass. in 1639, and Rowley, Mass. in 1640, having emigrated from Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, in 1639, and not from the West of Wales, as Sprague erroneously states in his "Annals of the American Pulpit." Among his most distinguished family connections were Governor Jonathan Trumbull, to whom he refers in his preface, a first cousin once removed; Colonel John Trumbull, the artist, and his brothers Jonathan and Joseph, who were his first cousins; and Dr. John Trumbull, the lawyerpoet, author of "McFingal," also a first cousin. His most distinguished lineal descendant was his grandson, the Hon. Lyman Trumbull, U. S. Senator from Illinois, and afterwards distinguished as a lawyer and jurist.
His career as a clergyman is remarkable, even for the times of long pastorates in which he lived. He was the pastor of the North Haven Congregational Church for sixty years of continuous service, interrupted only for six months by his services as chaplain in the Fifth Battalion of Wadsworth's Brigade, during which time he was with this battalion in the important period covering the battle of Long Island and the retreat from New York. This service is officially recorded as extending from June 24 to December 25, 1776. Eye-witnesses have told us that, at the battle of White Plains, his patriotism would not allow him to remain in clerical garb among the non-combatants, but that he shouldered
1 Essays in American History, pp. 73-77.
his musket, and loaded and fired with coolness and the utmost precision of which he was capable. Immediately on his return to North Haven, January 5, 1777, his martial spirit again so asserted itself that he temporarily exchanged the word for the sword, and was chosen captain of a company of sixty volunteers of that town. He was also to be found at the post of danger at the time of Tryon's invasion of New Haven, July 4, 1779.
All accounts agree that he was a man of wonderful vigor and activity even up to the time of his death, at the advanced age of eighty-five. But nine days before that time he preached his last sermon. He died on the 2d of February, 1820. He is also described as a man of courteous demeanor and quick intelligence.
The fullest account of his career which is known to me is in Sheldon B. Thorpe's "North Haven Annals." Sprague's "Annals of the American Pulpit " devotes five pages to him, and gives personal reminiscences of contemporaries. For the most part, his career of steady, untiring clerical and literary labor would reveal but little to interest the reader of to-day. A large part of his long, busy, useful life was devoted to collecting the material for this History of Connecticut, a work prosecuted under disadvantages which he bravely and persistently overcame, many of which would not be encountered in these days of printed records and quick and easy communication.
NORWICH, CONN., March 1, 1898.
INTRODUCTION, 1; the discovery of North-America and New-England, 2; captain Smith's discovery, 3; the coun- try is named New-England, 3; New- Plymouth settled, 3; the great patent of New-England, and patent of Massachu- setts, 3, 4; the settlement of Salem, Charlestown, Boston, and other towns in Massachusetts, 5; Mr. Warham, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Hooker, with others of the first planters of Connecticut, arrive, 6; and make settlements at Dorchester, Watertown, and Newtown, 7; their churches are formed and they are or- dained 9.
The patent of Connecticut, 9; the situ-
ation, extent, boundaries and area of the
settled part of the colony, 10, II; the dis-
covery of Connecticut river, 12; a descrip-
tion of it, and the signification of its name,
13; the colony derives its name from the
river, 14; description of other rivers, 14; Plymouth and Dutch houses, 16; pros- pects of trade upon the river, 17.
The people at Dorchester, Water-
town, and Newtown, finding themselves
straitened in the Massachusetts, deter-
mine to remove to Connecticut, 37; de-
bates in Massachusetts relative to their
removal, 38; the general court at first prohibited it, but afterwards gave its con- sent, 38; the people removed and settled the towns of Windsor, Hartford and Weathersfield, 39; hardships and losses of the first winters, 41.
ber of the garrison at the mouth of the river, and besiege the fort, 53; captain Mason is sent down from Connecticut with a reinforcement, 54; the enemy make a descent on Weathersfield, torture and mock the English, 54; the court at Connecticut declares war against them, 56; Captain Mason takes Mistic fort, 61; Sassacus destroys his royal fortress and flees to the westward, 64; a second expe- dition is undertaken against the Pequots conjointly, by Massachusetts and Con- necticut, 65; the great swamp fight, 65; the Pequots subdued, 67; Sassacus flying to the Mohawks was beheaded, 67; the captivated and surviving Pequots, after the war, were given to the Moheagans and Narragansets, and their name extin- guished, 68.
Effects of the war, 69; great scarcity
in Connecticut, and means taken to re-
lieve the necessities of the people, 69; set-
tlement of New-Haven, 70; plantation
covenant, 73; means for the defence of the colony, 73; captain Mason made major general, 70; civil constitution of Connec- ticut, formed by voluntary compact, 75; first general election at Connecticut, 77; governors and magistrates, 77; general rights of the people, and principal laws
of the colony, 77; constitution and laws
of New-Haven, 78; purchase and settle-
ment of several towns in Connecticut and
New-Haven, 83.
The progress of purchase, settlement,
and law in the colonies of Connecticut
and New-Haven, 89; the effect of the con-
quest of the Pequots on the natives, and
the manner in which they were treated, 89;
purchases of them, 90; towns settled, 90; divisions at Weathersfield occasion the settlement of Stamford, 93; troubles with the Dutch and Indians, 94; capital laws of Connecticut, 95; the confederation of the united colonies, 98; further troubles with the Indians, 101; victory of Uncas over the Narragansets, and capture of their sachem, 102; the advice of the commis- sioners respecting Miantonimoh, 104; his
execution, 106; precautions of the colo-
nies to prevent war, 107; the Dutch, har-
assed by an Indian war, apply to New-
Haven for assistance, 109.
Public fasts appointed, III; Indians
continue hostile, and commit murder,
III; acts of the commissioners respecting
them, 112; Branford settled, 113; towns
in Connecticut, 113; message of the com-
missioners to the Narragansets, 114; their
agreement respecting Uncas, 115; Long-
Island Indians taken under the protection
of the united colonies, 115; Massachu-
setts claim part of the Pequot country
and Waranoke, 116; determination of
the commissioners respecting said claim,
116; agreement with Mr. Fenwick relative
to Saybrook fort and the adjacent coun- try, 117; fortifications advanced, 119; extraordinary meeting of the commission- ers to suppress the outrages of the Nar- ragansets, 119; war proclaimed and troops sent against them, 120; they treat and prevent war, 122; Fairfield object to a jury of six, 123; controversy with the Dutch, 124; the Indians plot against the life of governor Hopkins and other prin- cipal gentlemen at Hartford, 126; dam- ages at Windsor, 127; battle between the Dutch and Indians, 129; losses of New- Haven, 129; dispute with Massachusetts relative to the impost at Saybrook, 132; Mr. Winthrop's claim of the Nehantick country, 134; settlement of accounts be- tween the colonies, 135.
Settlement of New-London, 136; sala-
ries first granted to civil officers, 137;
troubles with the Narraganset Indians,
137; Rhode-Island petitions to be united
with the colonies in confederation, 138;
the Massachusetts resume the affair of
the impost, 139; Mr. Westerhouse com-
plains of the seizure of his vessel by the
Dutch, in the harbour of New-Haven,
141; murders committed by the Indians,
142; resolutions respecting the murder-
ers, 145; body of laws compiled, 143;
debates relative to the settlement of Del-
aware, 144; the Pequots revolt from
Uncas, and petition the English, 146;
resolution respecting them, 147; Mr.
Westerhouse petitions to make reprisals
from the Dutch, 147; letter to the Dutch
governor, 147; further altercation respect-
ing the impost, 148; final issue of that
affair, 149; the conduct of the Massachu-
setts upon its decision, and the declara-
tion of the commissioners respecting it,
149; their treatment of Connecticut re-
specting the line between the colonies,
151; the court at Connecticut determine
to avenge the death of John Whitmore,
151; and detach men to take the mur-
derer, 151.
and refers the differences between him and the colonies to arbitrators, 153; their determination, 155; and the line is fixed
between the English and Dutch planta-
tions, 156; agreements with Mr. Fenwick
occasion general uneasiness, 157; com-
mittees are appointed to explain and as-
certain them, 158; towns are invited to
attend the committees, by their deputies,
at Saybrook, 158; an act for the encour-
agement of Mr. Winthrop in seeking and
improving mines, 158; Norwalk and Mat-
tabeseck settled and made towns, 159:
the colony of New-Haven make another
attempt to settle at Delaware, 159; the
Dutch Governor seizes the company and frustrates the design, 160; he pursues his former line of conduct toward the colo- nies, 160; the resolutions of the commis- sioners relative to his conduct, 161; to the settlement of Delaware, 161; and the tribute to be paid by the Pequots, 161; French commissioners from Canada, 162; their proposals, 162; reply to them, 163; the Dutch governor and Indians concert a plan to extirpate the colonies, 165; the commissioners meet, and dispatch agents to the Dutch governor, 166; they deter- mine upon war, unless he should manifest his innocence, 166; and redress the griev- ances of the colonies, 166; they determine on the number of men to be raised, and draw a declaration of the reasons of the war, 167; the agents return unsuccessful, 167; the commissioners meet again, and determine to make war upon the Dutch and Narraganset Indians, 168; the gen- eral court of Massachusetts refuses to
raise men, and prevents the war, 168; al-
tercations between that general court and
the commissioners, and between that and
the general courts of Connecticut and
New-Haven, 169; the alarm and distress
of the plantations in these colonies, 172;
their general courts protest against the
court of Massachusetts, as violators of the
articles of confederation; and write to
Cromwell and the parliament for assist-
ance, 173; the tumultuous state of the
inhabitants in several of the towns, 175.
The death and character of Governor
Haynes, 176; the freemen of Connecticut
meet and appoint a moderator, 177; Mr.
Ludlow removes to Virginia, 178; the
spirited conduct of the people at Milford,
in recovering Manning's vessel, 178; the
freemen add to the fundamental articles,
179; fleet arrives at Boston for the re-
duction of the Dutch, 179; the colonies
agree to raise men to assist the armament
from England, 180; peace prevents the
expedition, 180; the general court at
New-Haven, charge the Massachusetts
with a breach of the confederation, 181;
they refuse to join in a war against Nini- grate, and oblige Connecticut and New- Haven to provide for the defence of them-
selves and their allies, 181; Ninigrate
continuing his hostile measures, the com-
missioners send messengers to him, 182;
his answer to them, 182; they declare war,
and send an army against him, 183; the
art of Massachusetts and the deceit of
Major Willard, defeat the designed expe-
dition, 183; the number of rateable polls,
and the amount of the list of Connecticut,
184; the Pequots are taken under their
protection, 184; Ninigrate persisting in
his hostilities against the Indians upon
Long-Island, the general court adopt
measures for the defence of the Indians
and the English inhabitants there, 185;
New-Haven perfect and print their laws,
186; the answer of New-Haven to the
protector's invitation, that they would re-
move to Jamaica, 187; reply of the com-
missioners to the Dutch governor, 188;
Uncas embroils the country, 188; deaths
and characters of Governors Eaton and
Hopkins, 190; settlement of Stonington,
192; Mr. Winthrop chosen governor, 194;
the third fundamental article is altered by
the freemen, 194; Mr. Fitch and his
church and people remove to Norwich,
195; final settlement of accounts with the
heirs of Mr. Fenwick, 195; deputy gov- ernor Mason resigns the Moheagan lands to the colony, 196.
The general court of Connecticut de-
clare their loyalty and submission to the
king, 197; determine to address his maj-
esty, and apply for charter privileges,
197; a petition to his majesty is prepared,
197; and a letter addressed to lord Say
and Seal, 198; Governor Winthrop is ap-
pointed the colony's agent, to present
their petition, and solicit a patent, 199;
regicides condemned, 199; Whalley and
Goffe arrive at Boston, 199; escape to
New-Haven, and are kindly entertained,
and kept from their pursuers, 199; New-
Haven falls into great trouble and danger
on that account, 202; New-Haven excuse
themselves, 203; decline sending an
agent, 204; but join with Massachusetts
in supporting one, 204; the king pro-
claimed, 204; Governor Winthrop obtains
the charter of Connecticut, 205; first gov-
ernor and council under the charter, 205;
representation of the constitution it or-
dains, and the privileges it conveys, 205;
difficulties of the colony of New-Haven;
Governor Leet's address, 206; charter of
Connecticut arrives, 207; proceedings of
Connecticut in consequence of the char-
ter, 207; they extend their jurisdiction to
all places within the limits of their patent,
208; and challenge New-Haven colony,
as under their jurisdiction, 208; contro-
versy between the two colonies, 209; set-
tlement of Killingworth, 216; patent of
the duke of York, 221; colonel Nichols
and commissioners arrive, 221; reduce
all the Dutch settlements, 223; their ex-
traordinary powers, 225; important crisis
of Connecticut, 226; the general court
make a present to the commissioners, 226;
answer to the propositions from his
majesty, and reply to the duke of Hamil-
ton's claim and petition, 229; boundaries
between Connecticut and New-York, 227;
union of Connecticut and New-Haven,
230.
A view of the churches of Connecticut
and New-Haven, from their first settle-
ment, until their union, in 1665, 231; their
ministers, 232; the character of the minis-
ters and first planters, 233; their religious
and political sentiments, 233; gathering
of the churches of New-Haven and Mil-
ford, 236; installation of Mr. Davenport
and Mr. Prudden, 236; church formed at
Guilford, 236; number of ministers in
Connecticut and New-Haven before the
union, 238; proportion of ministers to the
people, before, and at the union, 239;
harmony between the civil rulers and the
clergy, 239; influence of the clergy, and
the reasons of it, 240; their opposition to
Antinomianism, 240; assisted in the com-
pilation of Cambridge Platform, 240; ec-
clesiastical laws, 241; care to diffuse gen-
eral knowledge its happy influence, 242;
attempts to found a college at New-Ha-
ven, 242; no sectaries in Connecticut nor
New-Haven, until after the union, 243; and for twenty years the churches gener- ally enjoyed great peace, 244; deaths and characters of several of the first ministers, 244; great dissensions in the church at Hartford soon after Mr. Hooker's death, 247; dissensions and controversies in the
colony and churches in general, relative
to baptism, church-membership, and the
rights of the brethren, 247; a new gener- ation arises, who had not all imbibed the
spirit of their fathers, 247; grievances
presented to the general court of Connect-
icut, on the account of the strictness of
the churches, and that sober people were
denied communion with them, and bap-
tism for their children, 249; the court of
Connecticut send to the other general
courts for advice. 249; laws against the Quakers, 249; Massachusetts and Con-
necticut agree in appointing a synod at
Boston, 250; general court at New-Haven
oppose the meeting of a synod, and de-
cline sending their elders, 251; questions
proposed for discussion, 252; the synod
meet and answer them, 253; but it had no
good effect on the churches: they would
not comply with their decisions, 254; dis- sensions continued at Hartford, 254; acts
of the general court respecting them, 254;
councils from Massachusetts, 256; diffi-
culties in some measure composed, 257;
divisions and animosities at Weathers-
field, 258; act of the general court re-
specting the church there, 258; Mr. Rus- sell and others remove from Weathersfield
and Hartford and settle Hadley, 258; Mr.
Stow dismissed from the ministry at Mid-
dletown, by a committee of the general
court, 259; synod at Boston, 259; its de-
termination relative to baptism, and the consociation of churches, 259; division in
the synod and in the churches relative to
those points, 259; the court at Connecti-
cut send no elders to the council, nor take
any part in the controversy, until some time afterwards, 260.
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