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With their first as

their associates in founding their new town. sociates they were well acquainted. They had battled with them side by side, in their contests with the First church, for six years. They knew how reliable they were, and they simply covenanted with each other, that they would make the new plantation "their dwelling place four whole years after y such y' removal, before they shall have liberty to dispose of their Accommodations y granted them. Granted to any other person in the way of sale, or alienation, to prevent discouragement to ye sa plantation." And even after this time had elapsed, the owner could sell or let his property to no person, "but such as ye town shall approve of." But that there should be no hardship in the matter, the town, on its part, agreed either to purchase the lands of any person who desired to sell and remove, or approve of purchasers who were "blameless men in their conversation, with certificates according to law." They not only desired to plant and establish the right institutions, but to make it certain that they should be preserved to all time.

It will be remembered that in removing to the wilderness, there was no expense for land. The town lands were free, so far as any colonial charge was concerned. There were expenses in clearing the territory of the rights of the original proprietors, expenses of removal, and various other joint charges, which must be defrayed. Though all our fathers were poor on their first entrance on these western lands, yet there were distinctions even among them in their worldly possessions. For this provision was made, that every thing might be done according to the rules of equity and justice. The charges mentioned constituted the indebtedness of the new colony. The lands constituted their capital, or wealth, which, pursuant to their grant from the General Court, and their own articles of association, (p. 39,) they were to divide in proportion to the amount they severally contributed to the expenses of establishing the plantation. Meanwhile, they reserved liberal quantities of land for the support of the ministry, the establishment of a school, and for the accommodation of such new settlers as they should approve and admit to become inhabitants, which newly received inhabitants were allowed a proportion of the lands on paying into the town treasury a sum sufficient to make them equal with the "first removing proprietors." They granted "accommodations," without a pecuniary payment, to skilled artizans and professional men, as an inducement to settle with them, and

enable them to avail themselves of their educated skill. Accordingly, we find that they thus endowed the town miller, blacksmith,' fuller and a physician-but not the lawyer-that was reserved to a later and more luxurious period. This mode of land division was not very dissimilar to the present "homestead law," for the encouragement of settling our western lands. After the settlement each inhabitant was to pay his share of the public expenses, in proportion to the amount of his land received from the common stock, without regard to the amount of personal property. To effect this purpose, "Adjusters' Books" were kept, and lands sold, or purchased, or set out in their land divisions, were added to, or subtracted from their land accounts, and thus a perfectly certain basis for taxation was furnished. There was no chance for the concealments which are now so abundantly furnished by our mode of assessments and taxation.

Another particular in the Fundamental Articles is to be noticed, (p. 40). It is the condition by which all engaged, "each for himselfe not only, that wee will not any way disturb y peace y'in, but also, that we will personally subject ourselves to that Ecclesi⚫astical Government that shall be there established, or practised agreeable to ye Word of God," and agreed to forfeit their lands, and all interest in the plantation, in case of a breach of this condition. They had just issued from a religious dissension, which ran through several years. It had become necessary, on this account, to remove into the wilderness, and they resolved that they would so order their affairs, that there could never be a similar occurrence in their day and generation. Doubtless from this condition, in some measure, may we attribute the fact, that there was no schism in the church, involving a division of its membership, for more than one hundred and forty years. Six Societies had, meanwhile, been permitted, in brotherly love, to set up for themselves, made necessary by the increase of the inhabitants, and the

May 13, 1706, the town voted a ten acre accommodation, with the accompanying interest in all the land divisions, to "Mr. Samuel Bull, of Farmington," provided he should reside in town for the space of six years, and carry on the "trade of a Smith in the town." Mr. Bull was a deacon in the church and a man of note in Farmington, before his removal to Woodbury. He did not exercise the functions of a deacon after his removla here. He married Elizabeth, only daughter of Rev. Zechariah Walker, and died without children.

A ten acre accommodation (p. 73) was also granted to Abraham Fulford, in 1700, being "a well accomplished person for carding wool, weaving and fulling cloth."

conveniences of location, which became the nucleus of towns, that have since been incorporated. It was a wise provision, and brought forth good and abundant fruits.

These articles were made and signed in Stratford. Every thing was prepared and fully agreed upon, before they buried themselves in the depths of the wilderness. It was a great undertaking, in those early days of want and privation. It is difficut to imagine that overwhelming sense of duty which could impel them to this step, when there was room enough and to spare in the beautifully shaded Stratford, on the pleasant shores so gently laved by the ever-murmuring sea waves. Speaking of this removal of the Second church of Stratford, this thought was very eloquently expressed by Rev. William K. Hall, of Stratford, pastor of the First church, in a speech at the Bi-centennial of our church, in May, 1870:

"The daughter, with her chosen spiritual leader and guide, left the old homestead, and in choosing her new home wisely turned northward, preferring the clear, bracing air of the north to the damp and fog and malaria of the shore lands. The record of these two hundred years, and these festivities to-day, testify to the wisdom of that separation and of that choice.

That setting forth from the old home was under circumstances, and amid scenes, which, if we could reproduce them in our imagination to-day, would aid us in rising to the full significance of this occasion. The Plantation was only thirty years old. These years had been years of toil, of hard work in subduing the wilderness, and in making for themselves comfortable homes. They had been spent in almost constant fear of the depredations and attacks of the Indians. One generation was about passing away, and a new generation had already begun to take up and carry on the ever unfinished work. They were just beginning to enjoy the fruits of their hard pioneer toil, were just beginning to realize the benefits of a social life, well ordered, properly systematized as to government, adequately equipped and adjusted by the experiences of those thirty years. Those years had been years chiefly of preparation. The settlement was now assuming the appearance and the character of a thrifty agricultural town. It must have required a resoluteness of purpose, backed by a firm, conscientious regard for duty, for that little band to go forth at such a time, and strike out an entirely new path for themseles, to begin over again that same laborious work of making new homes in these wild wood

lands of the north. The prime motives that led them to take that step were wholly of a religious nature. Their rights as church members they would maintain. Spiritual interests must be held paramount. They felt that they could not remain in the old church home, though it was large enough to contain them, if the course they deemed right and scriptural was not pursued, so they left it. They had pluck, nerve and energy-stood their ground firmly until they were convinced that it was for the good of both parties that they should secede. I apprehend that at the last, the spirit that prevailed was not far different from that exhibited in the Patriarch brother, after variances had arisen in the family: "Let there be no strife, I pray, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee: separate thyself I pray thee from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right, and if thou depart to the right hand then I will go to the left."

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Fortunately there was land enough, and that too not far distant from the old home. Could those bold spirits who planned and achieved that work of settlement, whose names shine out upon these tablets before us to-day, see what we of this generation see, could look upon these well tilled, well fenced farms, this attractive thoroughfare, bordered by this cordon of cottage and homestead, indicative all of such comfort, and plenty, and taste, could behold what would be to them of by far greater value, and in their estimate the largest proofs of their success, and the highest earthly reward of their sacrifices and toil, these marks of church life and church progress which have been commensurate with the growth of the outreaching population, they might well believe that the Lord went up with them and before them, and marked out for them the goodly heritage which was to be theirs, and their children's.

"All honor and praise from us be to that devoted band. The un. flinching fidelity to honest convictions, the uncompromising spirit of attachment to what was to them the truth of God, which they exhibited at the sacrifice of so much they held dear, were the rightful issue of the Puritan blood that flowed in ther veins. Let us emulate their spirit, and prove ourselves worthy of such a godly ancestry."

Our fathers were now fairly embarked in their new enterprise. They quickly placed the open lands under cultivation, securing

good crops the year of their removal. While building their houses near together for protection against Indian incursions, they pushed out their working parties in all directions. All the river lands were at once appropriated. East Meadow was esteemed by them as very desirable, and they quickly overrun all meadow land quite to Nonnewaug Falls. These falls have been fully described on pages 92 and 847. They consist of a series of three cascades, making a total fall of about one hundred feet. The artist has given a vivid sketch of the two principal ones.

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It is one of nature's loveliest nooks retired in the dim solitudes, where the silence is broken only by the roar of the sweetly falling waters and song of solitary bird.

After the settlers had made their first crop, and erected their first rude cabins, they laid out other divisions of land from their common stock, and cultivated the same, extending their borders meanwhile. But they were thirty miles from the old home. They had neither saw nor grist-mills. They were, in fact, forced to be about as primitive in their habits as the natives of the forests. At the same time there were no roads to connect them with the mother town by the sea-side. The only means of conveyance was on

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