The lands of
Mattabeseck – the Native American name by which Middletown was
first called, were owned and occupied by Sowheag and the Wonggom
Tribe. and so began the story of Chatham creation. A scant 15 years
after the first settlement in Windsor formed, Middletown was invested
with town privileges in September 1651, by the General Court of the
Colony with 31 taxable persons in the settlement north and south of
the little river – the Coginchaug or Mattabasset. This land had
been sold by Sowheag to John Haynes, a Governor of Connecticut. In
1662, Sepunnamoe, Terramuggus and other heirs of Sowheag, knowing of
the of the Hayes grant, sold to agents of the Colony Samuel Wyllys
and others, all of the remaining land in the Middletown township west
of the Connecticut River. Included in the bargain was a tract “three
miles in breath” across the river except for 300 acres, which was
reserved forever for the heirs of Sowheag and the Mattabeseck
Indians.
With the Wyllys
grant in 1673, Middletown was extended to the east side of the river
over a tract nine miles long on its eastern border and between three
and four miles wide at north and south ends; but owning to the
winding of the river, it was much less at what became known as
Knowles Landing at Middle Haddam and almost twice as wide against the
town of Middletown.
By an
additional purchase in 1683, the township of Middletown was extended
still farther east over a tract three miles in breadth with an even
length of nearly nine miles. These two tracts east of the great
river were known as East Middletown until 1721, when the last tract
purchased from the Indians was called the Three Mile Division and so
written in the land records.
From Middletown evolved Chatham. Land
on the western side of the great river was divided among the first
settlers to Middletown as they arrived and took up residence.
Records do not exist for this early period, thus the exact nature of
settlement in Middletown is not known, but likely was concentrated
around a small green, in the conventional New England manner, at the
northern end of Main Street, where each town member owned a home lot
nearby and some outlying land for cultivation. Middletown's original
settlers did not arrive as an organized group. They were from a
variety of different places. For this reason, Middletown's
establishment was less organized with a proprietor group as elsewhere
in founding communities such as Windsor, Wethersfield or Hartford.
The fact that this first generation neglected to officially establish
who the town proprietors were became an important issue in
determining the later disposition of Middletown land of the east side
of the river. In 1671, when Middletown decided to allot the
undivided land, the proprietor issue had to be resolved providing for
the proprietors or their descendants first claim on the land.
It was decided that each of the 52 Middletown householders would be
entitled to a share in the undivided land based on their wealth as
determined by the tax grand list. The land would be allotted on two
occasions: the first according to the tax list of 1670; and the
second, by the tax list of 1674. The western portion of East Hampton,
including Middle Haddam, was distributed in 1674 as part of an
allotment called "The Great Lots," running from Glastonbury
to Haddam. Forty of the 52 lots were on the east side of the river,
divided somewhat evenly between present day Portland and western East
Hampton.
The Three Mile Division
In 1673, Middletown was granted an additional tract on the river's
east side, following the same southerly and northerly bounds
following the original 9 by 3 mile allotment. This grant would not be
apportioned for decades, perhaps in an effort to avoid further
entanglements with proprietors' rights. Complicating matters, a 350
acre grant within the bounds of the "Three Mile Division"
had been previously granted in 1661 by the General Assembly to Thomas
Judd and to Anthony Howkins, a member of the original eighteen
members of the "Company of English Colony of Connecticut"
without specifying the bounds. The 1673 grant referenced this prior
claim, "providing that Mr. Howkins hath liberty to take up his
former grant within this aforementioned town." Howkins however,
died in February 1673 with his estate selling his allotment to Thomas
Hart for ten pounds with it thereafter referenced as "Hart's
Farm." In 1687 the General Assembly granted James Wright of
Wethersfield 210 acres on the western shore of Lake Pocotopaug
requiring Surveyors to work around these two properties when
boundaries within the Three Mile Division were finally determined in
1721.
The proprietor issue once again became
a source of contention. The problem: the land had not been granted
until after the original Middletown proprietors had been finally
determined in 1671. Ostensibly, a share in this land reserve would
have been an inducement for settlement for those who arrived between
1671 and 1714. These later settlers therefore had a viable claim on
this land. After extensive debate, it was decided that the land
would be apportioned among all 176 Middletown householders on the
1714 grand list, with those men descended from the original 52
Middletown proprietors entitled to draw an additional allotment
according to the assessed value of the property owned by their
ancestor in 1670.
Final Apportionment of Three Mile Division
Continuing, all the land north of Lot
227 had been set aside as common land, whose fate explains the slight
irregularity in the present East Hampton-Portland boundary. The
notch taken out of East Hampton's northwest corner was part of the
common land.
The records seem to indicate that each
taxpayer’s name was written on a slip of paper and draw, one by
one, from a hat perhaps, by some disinterested person and that the
surveyors laid out the lots or assigned the names accordingly, or,
the slips of paper were numbered and each man drew one for his
situation. It doesn’t go beyond notice that today’s lotto or
lottery derives from the colonial practice of drawing for “lots.”
In 1734, the Three Mile Division 1,200
acres of the common land was granted to William Whitmore as payment
and settlement for building a stone "cart bridge" over the
Sebethe River in present day Cromwell. The issue became quite
contentious when Whitmore demanded that those crossing the bridge pay
him a toll. At length a compromise was reached and Whitmore was paid
300 pounds in land as compensation not to collect a toll.
By 1721, all the land in East Hampton
had been allotted, but settlement did not begin immediately. Since
heirs to the first proprietors subdivided the original estates under
the system of partible inheritance, the system of dividing estates
equally among the heirs, this land reserve had been a precaution
against an anticipated land shortage. In fact, by 1740 when land
actually began to be developed, about half the settlers were from
outside of Middletown. Most of the settlers who were from Middletown
acquired the land they settled on the east side of the great river by
purchase rather than inheritance suggesting that they had arrived
after the 1714 allotment.
The Lottery - Choosing the Owners
In apportioning the land, the records
indicate that each taxpayer’s name was written on a slip of paper
and drawn, one by one, from a hat perhaps, by some disinterested
person and that the surveyors laid out the lots or assigned the names
accordingly, or, the slips of paper were numbered and each man drew
one for his situation. It doesn’t go beyond notice that today’s
lotto or lottery derives from the colonial practice of drawing for
“lots” or land taxpayers were entitled to as proprietors.
In 1734, the Three Mile Division 1,200
acres of the common land was granted to William Whitmore as payment
and settlement for building a stone "cart bridge" over the
Sebethe River in present day Cromwell. The issue became quite
contentious, however, as Whitmore demanded that those crossing the
bridge pay him a toll. A compromise was reached. Whitmore was paid
300 pounds in land as compensation not to collect a toll.
By 1721, all the land in East
Middletown in the Three Mile Division had been allotted. Settlement
did not begin immediately. Since heirs to the first proprietors
subdivided the original estates under the system of partible
inheritance, which was the system of dividing estates equally among
the heirs, this land reserve had been a precaution against an
anticipated land shortage. In fact, it wasn't until about 1740 when
land actually began to be developed, with about about half the
settlers from outside of Middletown. This explains how East Hampton
and Chatham's names were derived as many of the first settlers came
from like named towns on Cape Cod. Most of the settlers who were
from Middletown acquired the land they settled on the east side of
the great river by purchase rather than inheritance suggesting that
they had arrived after the 1714 allotment.
Establishing Parishes - the Foundation
for new Townships
The early settlements, East Middletown,
Middle Haddam, Westchester and East Hampton, outlier communities of
Middletown, sought parish rights once sufficient numbers arrived.
Ecclesiastical societies were established so that settlements could
attend Sunday worship more conveniently. Once a community felt it
had enough people, it would petition the General Assembly for a
separate parish, invariably citing the hardship of distant Sunday
travels as grounds justifying its establishment. Acknowledgment as a
separate parish had benefits, exempting members from paying taxes to
the central church and occasionally conferred other privileges such
as municipal improvement of roads that gave rise to their new meeting
house.
Until 1714, any resident on the east
side of the river had to attend church in Middletown proper. In that
year the Third Ecclesiastical Society of Middletown was granted,
whose petitioners all lived within the present bounds of Portland.
The first to break off from the Third
Society was the southeastern corner of the Three Mile Division,
incorporated as the Westchester parish in 1728, which included all of
the easternmost tier of lots south or east of the Salmon River to the
East Haddam bound.
In 1739, a second parish was
established, including the present Middle Haddam and all of Haddam
Neck, roughly followed the course of Old Middletown Road through
Cobalt, extending from the Connecticut River and Salmon River to the
end of the "Great Lots" on Young Street.
East Hampton, the final parish
established, formed in 1746. It included nearly all the remaining
land within the Three Mile Division bordering east of the hills now
dividing Portland and East Hampton. This ecclesiastical bound became
the municipal boundary when Portland separated from Chatham in 1841.
Seeking a New Township
Early in the 18th Century,
residents on the east side of the Connecticut River began lobbying
for a separate town. In 1736, the residents voted to petition the
town of Middletown “that we the inhabitants of the east side of the
great river in Middletown might have the liberty to be a town with
all the privileges of a town by ourselves.” This initial attempt
was unsuccessful; but interest for a separate township grew as more
settlers located throughout all the parishes. In 1767, upon
petition, the Selectmen of Middletown voted favorably for the
creation of a new township on the east side of the Connecticut River.
Jabez Hamlin, Seth Wetmore and Mathew Talcob, Esq's. were selected
as a Committee to confer with such Gentlemen as the new town appoint
and to agree on such measures reasonable in order to make a just
division of the part of Each Town. Middletown's Representative Jabez
Hamlin, submitted the petition for a new township which was passed by
the General Assembly in the October Session of 1767. The Resolution
sited, among other things that the inhabitants on the east side of
the river are very remote from Middletown where public meetings are
held and that the condition of roads and difficulty crossing the
river by ferry in many seasons entirely deprive residents from
attending the public meetings. Because of these great
inconveniences, the residents no longer wish to be a part of
Middletown. The General Court Assembled approved the creation of a
new distinct town from the area of Middletown on the East Side of
Connecticut River, with all the liberties privileges and Immunities
which by law the other Towns have and do Enjoy and that said new
Constituted Town shall hereafter be Called and know by the name of
Chatham.
Making it official - organizing the new
town called Chatham
One action remained to make the
creation of Chatham official after the General Assembly Act in
October 1767. The inhabitants needed to hold their first Town
Meeting to elect Town Officers. Held on December 7, 1767, (what I
believe would be the Town's actual "birthday"), at the
Meeting House - the Congregational Church, Capt. Jeremiah Goodrich,
Deacon Benjamin Harris, Silas Dunham, Ebenezer White and Elihew
Cheeny were elected Selectman and David Sage Representative to the
General Assembly. That first long meeting recessed until December 21
to complete all the work establishing the community – everything
from appointing a Constable to Fence Viewer.
Also elected was a Committee to Settle
with Middletown. Just because Middletown approved the creation of
the new town didn't mean they were going to receive fair compensation
for the loss of territory and resources. That Committee was comprised
of David Sage, Esq., Nathaniel Freeman, Esq., Mr. Elisha Cornwell,
Mr. David Robinson and Mr. Enoch Smith.
One question
often arises. Why was the new town named Chatham? One source
thought it was done to honor the Earl of Chatham, a staunch supporter
of American Colony rights in Parliament. It probably did not come
from the English town of Chatham, famous for shipbuilding, as has
been speculated for many years because our own shipbuilding industry
in Middle Haddam had barely commenced in 1767. Most of the great ship
yards came 30 years after incorporation. It is possible that both
names, East Hampton and Chatham, were selected because many of the
early settlers who purchased lots or land from the initial
proprietors relocated from Massachusetts Eastham and Chatham on the
Cape. For many of the pre-1767 years the East Hampton section was
called Eastham Town when it was separated and received the current
spelling.
THE NEW TOWN - CHATHAM
In 1767, upon petition, the Selectmen
of Middletown voted favorably for the creation of a new township on
the east side of the Connecticut River. Their minutes recorded
action as follows:
Committee
to Settle with Chatham
Voted
& Recorded
AD
1767
Voted that Jabez Hamlin, Seth Wetmore and Mathew Talcob Esqs be a
Committee to Confer with such Gentlemen as the Town of Chatham have
or shall appoint and agree on such measures and means as are or
reasonable in order to make a just division of the part of Each Town
and any other affairs that be judged necessary and make report to
them at meeting.
Voted and So Recorded
The Representative from Middletown,
Jabez Hamlin, submitted to the General Assembly, the petition for a
new township which was passed by the General Assembly in the October
Session of 1767, which granted:
An Act for making and forming that part of Middletown which lyeth on
the East Side of Connecticut River into a Distinct Town - Oct 1767
Whereas
the Assembly are Informed that the Inhabitants of that part of
Middletown which lyeth on the East Side of Connecticut River are many
of them very remote from the main body of the Town of Middletown and
place of holding their public Meetings; and that they are by their
situation the badness of the roads and difficulty of crossing the
ferry over said river at many seasons of the year almost entirely
deprived from attending the public Meetings in said Town; and suffer
great Inconveniences thereby, and that for them any longer to
continue as a part of said Town of Middletown is very Inconvenient
----
Therefore
Be
it Enacted by the Governor’s Council and the representatives in
General Court Assembled and by the authority of the same, that that
part of Middletown which lyeth on the East Side of Connecticut River
be, and they are hereby Enacted made and constituted within the
limits and bounds thereof a distinct Town, with all the liberties
privileges and Immunities which by law the other Towns have and do
Enjoy: and that said new Constituted Town shall hereafter be Called
and know by the name of Chatham with the limitation and restriction
that but One Representative which said new constituted Town shall at
any time choose to attend the General Assemblies Shall be at the
Public Expense.
And
be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that said Town of
Chatham shall have and hold their first Town Meeting for the Choice
of Town Officers for the year ensuing sometime in the month of
December Next, which Meeting shall be warned by a Warrant Signed by
an Justice of Peace in the County of Hartford to be directed to some
indifferent person to Serve on which Warrant shall appoint the time
and the place at which said Meeting is to be held and shall be Served
at least five days appointed for holding said meeting.
Passed
in the lower House
Atest:
Wm Williams Clerk
Consent
in the upper House
Atest:
George Wyllys Clerk
`
One action needed yet to occur to make
the creation of Chatham official. The inhabitants of Chatham needed
to hold their first Town Meeting in December 1767 to elect Town
Officers and their Representative to the General Assembly. Held on
December 7, 1767, at the Meeting House, Capt. Jeremiah Goodrich,
Deacon Benjamin Harris, Silas Dunham, Ebenezer White and Elihew
Cheeny were elected Selectman and David Sage Representative, during a
long meeting that recessed until December to complete all the work
establishing the community – everything from Constable to Fence
Viewer.
At this Town organizational meeting, a
Committee to Settle with Middletown was elected.
“Chosen by this meeting a Committee in order to adjust and settle
sum accounts with the Selectmen or a committee for the same purpose
at Middletown, the persons for the Committee are David Sage, Esq.,
Nathaniel Freeman, Esq., Mr. Elisha Corwell, Mr. David Robinson and
Mr. Enoch Smith.”
