PREFACE TO VOL. II.

THE collection of materials for the writing, and the compiling of the first history of a state, or nation, is far more difficult, than doing it after others have gone before, and exhibited some outline, or general example of the work. Especially is the collection of materials, and the substantiating of facts, more difficult, and matter of greater labour, when the business has not been undertaken till a long period has passed away, from the first settlement of a country or a commonwealth. Under these difficulties, the writer of this history began the laborious work. Almost a century and an half had elapsed, from the time of the emigration of the first planters of the colony, from their native country, before the work was attempted. The fathers of the colony, and their children, were generally in their graves: a third and fourth generation were come upon the stage. The materials were scattered far and wide. They were to be collected from the records of two colonies; from the records and transactions of the commissioners of the united colonies; of towns and churches; from ancient tracts and pamphlets; from old manuscripts, the church yards, and monuments of the dead. Many of them could be read but with great difficulty. When the collection of proper documents was effected, the arranging of such a mass of papers, and the forming of an orderly, well connected and authenticated story, from the whole, was a matter of great and difficult labour. The compiler would never have conceived the greatness and difficulty of it, had he not known it by experience. No person will conceive it, who has not had some experience of the same kind.

When the compiler had finished the first volume, he had no design of publishing another. He considered the work too arduous; that it would bring the history down too near his own times; and that he was too far advanced in life for such an undertaking but he has been so strongly urged, by gentlemen of the first character, in this state, and many others, and the first volume has met so favorable a reception, that, with the desire of doing some further service to his fellow citizens, he has been prevailed on to publish this second volume.

It has been his desire to give the history of every town in the state; but, after publishing his design in the newspapers, with heads of inquiry, and writing a multitude of letters, he has not been able to obtain, from some towns, the least information. He has visited a great proportion of the towns in the state, and written to gentlemen in them repeatedly, yet he has not obtained all the information he wished. It will be observed that some towns are almost wholly unnoticed in the history. The only reason is, that no information could be obtained from them.

For the purpose of giving a fair and just representation of facts, much more has been quoted from records, various pamphlets, tracts and letters, than otherwise would have been done. For that purpose, many things have been collected and read, to which, otherwise, the compiler would have paid no attention. Great pains have been taken to ascertain facts, and to write an impartial and well authenticated history: how far he hath succeeded in his work, must be left to the opinion of the public.

It was the intention of the writer to have given an account of the cities in the state, their latitude and longitude, their trade, manufactures, &c.; of the state prison; of the fisheries; of the exports and imports; of the militia, train of artillery, fortifications, &c. but finding that the volume would not admit of it, he has omitted the account which he designed.

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Notwithstanding all the pains which have been taken, it will not be strange if, in such a variety of facts and dates, there should be some mistakes. There may have been some in the great number of historical communications made to the author, and it is not improbable that he has made some himself, though, he hopes, none very material. He has had assistance from gentlemen in the several parts of the state, in making collections of the history of their particular towns. To them, and to all others who have given him assistance, he presents his grateful acknowledgments.

It will be observed that the ecclesiastical part of the history is kept by itself, in distinct chapters, and comprises about a third part of the history. It would make a volume by itself, and might be printed separately without any derangement of the narration.

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THE

HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.

CHAPTER I.

AFTER the ecclesiastical constitution of the colony had been established, and had time to operate, the churches became more regular and harmonious in their discipline, enjoyed more general peace, and their numbers constantly increased. But the long and distressing war, in the reign of Queen Anne, had injured the morals of the people, occasioned the emission of a considerable number of bills of public credit, and retarded the sale and settlement of the lands belonging to the colony. Therefore on the termination of the war, several important objects arrested the attention of the legislature. The first and principal were the reformation of manners, the advancement of literature, the preservation of their charter, the state of the currency, the payment of the public debt, and the sale and settlement of the new lands. As they were highly sensible that the liberty, peace and prosperity of a people, were very dependent on good morals, and a general diffusion of knowledge, they gave their first and particular attention to these objects. A state of war is peculiarly unfriendly to religion. It dissipates the mind, diminishes the degree of instruction, removes great numbers almost wholly from it, connects them with the most dangerous company, and presents them with the worst examples. It hardens and emboldens men in sin; is productive of profaneness, intemperance, disregard to property, violence and all licentious living. Its baneful influence had been observed and lamented by the good people, during the war. In some places, measures had been adopted to prevent a greater degree of declension, and to ameliorate the morals of the people. As early as October, 1711, the North Association in the county of Hartford, passed several resolves for that purpose, and particularly recommended it to the several congregations within their limits, "That all such as had not yet owned the baptismal covenant, should be called upon to attend their duty in that case: That such as had heretofore owned it, should, at the same time, manifest

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