Two Centuries of New Milford Connecticut. Various

Building 88 Manufacturing Plant of the Bridgeport Wood Finishing Company 90 Views of Ingleside School. Post-graduate Department; Ingleside Bungalow; Foundation House 92 Andrew B. Mygatt 94 New Milford after the Fire 96 Captain Garry Brooks 102 Rev. Noah Porter, D. D., LL. D. 110 John Prime Treadwell 112 Henry S. Mygatt 120 Seymour S. Green; Stephen C. Beach; Andrew G. Barnes; Francis E. Baldwin 124 H. Leroy Randall; W. F. Kinney; Frederick E. Starr; Charles P. Bentley 128 Edwin G. Clemence; Miss Adaline L. Buck; Charles J. Ryder, D. D.; Henry Donnelly 132 Charles N. Hall; Charles M. Beach 136 Roger Sherman Hall and Church Street 170 Some New Milford Churches. Methodist Episcopal; Baptist, Northville; Methodist, Gaylordsville; Saint Francis Xavier 176 Saint John’s Church 182 Advent Christian Church 196 New Milford Pastors. Rev. Frank B. Draper; Rev. Timothy J. Lee; Rev. Harris K. Smith; Rev. Marmaduke Hare; Rev. Frank A. Johnson; Rev. John F. Plumb; Rev. Father John J. Burke; Rev. Solomon D. Woods; Rev. Stephen Heacock 202 Memorial Building and Public Library; All Saints’ Memorial Church 208 Hon. Simeon E. Baldwin 232 Egbert Marsh; Han. Daniel Davenport 254 Governor Woodruff, Staff and Guard, in front of Roger Sherman Hall 276 Samuel R. Hill; Samuel Randolph Hill, Jr. 278 Main Street from the North 280 Main Street from the South 282 Honorable Rollin S. Woodruff 286

PART I

       THE PAST AND PRESENT

       Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

       Table of Contents

      TWO hundred years ago, in the summer of 1707, the pioneer John Noble, with his little daughter, made his way through the wilderness from Westfield, Mass., and set up his rude cabin in the beautiful valley of Weantinock, on the west side of “Stratford” River, under the shadow of Fort Hill, near neighbor to the Indians, with whom he became very friendly. He trusted their friendship so much that he left his daughter in their care while he went on a journey, following the Indian trail through the wilderness to Albany, to pilot some gentlemen; and, on his return, he found her well taken care of.

      He subsequently built a log house on the east side of the river on land now occupied by the residence of Levi P. Giddings.

      The next year his son, John Noble, Jr., came and made a settlement, and, before 1712, twelve families had settled here on sites purchased by the Milford Company from the Indians, the purchases having been ratified by the Colonial Legislature; but, strange to say, only two of the twelve, Samuel Prindle and Isaiah Bartlett, came from Milford town.

      Some thirty years previous, Henry Tomlinson and others of Stratford, Conn., had purchased from the Indians who assumed to be owners, this tract of land, and Mr. John Read, joint owner, representing them, came and laid claim to it.

      It is said that Zachariah Ferriss, a brother-in-law of Mr. Read, came here in 1706, before any other white man, and plowed a piece of land where Roger Sherman Hall now stands, in order to claim title to the land under the deed of the Stratford Company.

      He was sued for trespass by the Milford Company, but won his suit, Mr. John Read being his counsel.

Mr. Read built a house on or near the site of the Knapp residence, in which he lived, meanwhile prosecuting his claim to the title of the land. He obtained a verdict in his favor fifteen times, but the sixteenth time the General Court ruled against him; and he, being discouraged, soon after removed to Lonetown, now Redding, named for him.

      The Colonial Government soon set off to him a large tract of land in what is now the town of Kent, of which the Scaghticoke Indians long after held possession, Mr. Read having exchanged it for territory in the town of Redding.

      Mr. John Read was a notable man: He was well educated in theology and in the law, being a graduate of Harvard College, and is said to have preached the first sermon in this place. He was under thirty years of age when he came here. He married a daughter of Major John Talcott, was held in high esteem by the Governor of the Colony, and was appointed by him to many important positions. He held the office of Queen’s Counsel under the reign of Queen Anne. His son, widely known as Colonel John Read, was for many years very prominent in the Colony.

      Other settlers came through the wilderness and erected their rude houses. The next thing these pioneers and pilgrims did was to petition the Assembly for the power and privileges of a township, which were granted, conferring authority relating to ecclesiastical matters. They then formed themselves into a church, and called a minister to settle over them.

      “What sought they thus afar?