Tall Tales & True Stories
The Spaldings of Quinebaug Plantation, Plainfield, Connecticut
Excerpts of tales of our Spalding family ancestors, from the "History of Windham County, Connecticut" by Ellen D. Larned: Published by the author, 1874-1880 (Worcester, Mass. : Printed by C. Hamilton)
The first citizens of Quinebaug Plantation were, much like the original colonists of New England, ingenious and resourceful. Settling in a land that was full of unknowns, these men and women were intent on providing a better life for themselves and future generations.
Joseph and Benjamin Spalding from Chelmsford, Massachusetts were among the first settlers of the Quinebaug Plantation. Very little is known of the early days of the plantation. In the summer of 1659, Benjamin Spalding was summoned to appear before the New London County Court to answer the complaint of Major James Fitch for cutting and carting away hay from his farm at Peagscomsuck. He was sentenced to pay five shillings.
On May 9, 1699, inhabitants east and west of the Quinebaug River had become sufficiently numerous to present to the General Court the following petition to incorporate the disputed Quinebaug Plantation, which included land on both sides of the Quinebaug River, into the town of Plainfield:
Whereas, some thirty families are here and have made some settlement, and although the place be of itself considerable for a good township there ought to be a regular, orderly settlement, and that we may have the privilege which belongs to other towns, without which we cannot as we should serve God nor our country, we, therefore, pray for town privileges, and that two suitable persons be appointed to measure out ten miles square, and that we may have a name and brand and freedom from charges.
We also pray that the Court would appoint a committee of indifferent, uninterested persons to lay out allotments and to equalize such as have been part laid out, for without any reflection on the persons that have been already concerned, we highly conceive it cannot be reasonable to suppose that a peaceable, honorable, speedy, righteous laying out of lots and divisions of lands and meadows can be by six brothers, who also pretend to, and would hold, near a sixth part of the plantation to themselves; whereas, it is well known that this place lyeth under many pretended claims besides our honorable Governor’s claim, and by their own surveying, running near two miles for less than a hundred acres to lay out spots of meadow – such actions, so contrary to the law, if not regulated, the place is spoiled; and, therefore, we humbly pray the Assembly to appoint Captain Wetherell, Mr. Pitkin and Mr. Ely to inquire into the legal proceedings, and inform the weak and feeble, that they may have a more speedy and peaceable settlement, so that we may have the worship of God among us – which above all is to be desired and sought for, and have our rights defended to ourselves and heirs.
May 9, 1699
EAST SIDE SETTLERS.
Isaac Shepard. John Spalding. Matthias Button.
Richard Pellet. Edward Spalding. Joseph Spalding.
Benjamin Rood. James Kingsbury. Jacob Warren
John Fellows. Thomas Pierce. Nathaniel Jewell.
Samuel Shepard. Thomas Harris. Timothy Pierce.
WEST SETTLERS.
Robert Green. Samuel Cleveland. Thomas Brooks.
Richard Adams. Josiah Cleveland. Obadiah Johnson.
William Johnson.
About two-thirds of the inhabitants were represented in this petition. Major Fitch and his adherents could not be expected to sign a document which, indirectly, admitted the claim of the “Honorable Governor.” The petition was favorably considered and granted.
Benjamin’s brothers, John, Joseph & Edward signed this petition in the column marked “East Side Settlers” of Quinebaug. Eventually, in 1703, colonists living on the western banks of the river separated to settle what is now the town of Canterbury.
In 1707 Edward Spalding of Plainfield (Benjamin’s son) bought land north of Canterbury bounds at the foot of Tatnick Hill, and there settled with his family. Their homestead was in the depths of a deep wilderness, much infested with wild beasts and Indians. They, along with three other families, were the only white inhabitants of the area. In 1706, a rumor that Major Fitch was petitioning to have their lands included with Canterbury precincts gave these settlers much anxiety. One of the neighbors, Richard Adams was deputized to go to the General Court and “give light and information that the court might not be misled to do what would be extremely prejudicial to the inhabitants.” “Tagious sickness and long weakness” prevented Mr. Adams from fulfilling this commission, but before he was “able to ride half so far as Hartford,” he sent a memorial to the General Court asking them to reconsider the case and “not state us to Canterbury without giving notice.” His request was granted and Richard Adams and his neighbors were left unstated to any township for several years – a few isolated families, remote from settlements and civilization. They paid rates to Canterbury and attended religious worship there when practicable. Communication with the outside world was difficult and sometimes dangerous. The road from Canterbury to Woodstock passed near Edward Spalding’s residence, which soon became a place of entertainment for travelers – his first barrel of rum coming up from Norwich on horse-back, lashed between two poles and dragged behind the rider.
The First Court of Common Pleas within and for the County of Windham was holden at Windham Green on June 26, 1726. Forty-six cases were tried at this first session of the county court. Edward Spalding, among others, was licensed “to keep houses of public entertainment for strangers, travelers and others, and also to retail strong drink for ye ensuing year.”
In 1721, Edward’s cousin Jacob Spalding, then just of age, received from his father, Edward of Plainfield, a deed of “the twenty-first lot in Plainfield Purchase, cornering on Horse Hill. Jacob at once built a fortified house and established himself there with his young wife, the first settlers of South Killingly and the only white inhabitants within many miles. Unoccupied land stretched north and south of them and Rhode Island’s barbarous border land lay at the east. Wild beasts abounded and still wilder savages, wandering Nipmucks, Quinebaugs and Narragansetts, craving food and shelder, nowkind and friendly, then cross and quarrelsome, but in the main submissive to the whites. Jacob’s triumph over the Indian, who attempted to make him pay twice for a deer-skin soon after his settlement, secured for him permanent respect and authority. The drunken savage mislaid the bill and forgot the payment, and after a fruitless demand, persuaded some of his friends to go with him to kill Jacob. They found him busily engaged shingling the roof of his new barn. The Indian again demanded pay for the skin. Jacob refused, whereupon the Indian raised his bow and sent an arrow to bring him to terms. Jacob jumped to the other side of the ridgepole; his assailant followed him below, and so they went on, dodging back and forth over and around the barn, till the wearied Indian stopped to refresh himself with some tobacco, and pulled out from his pouch the very tenor bill paid by his antagonist. He stood amazed and conscious-stricken. The other Indians burst out against him – “He was a liar and Jacob an honest man.” According to one version of the legend, “they would have killed him, but Jacob came down from the barn and interceded for the man’s life;” others say, that Jacob referred his punishment to the chief Indian, who had him tied up to a tree and soundly flogged.
The difficulty of procuring supplies in this remote settlement was a serious annoyance to these young settlers. In the first summer they broke up land, raised grain and stock, but ere the winter was over there was nothing left for themselves or their cattle, and the snow was so deep that supplies could not be brought to them, and their only resource was to return to Plainfield, – “so starting the oxen ahead to break out a path, the cows followed and then Mr. Spalding and his family.” Even after some years settlement, with children to feed, they often suffered from scarcity of food, and various privations. The only accessible grist-mill was hat on the Moosup, five miles distant, a whole day’s journey through the winter snow drifts, so that Mr. Spalding was obliged to pass the night when he carried his grain there. On one such occasion the family was very short of provisions. An enormous beef bone, which had perhaps served as a basis for many messes of bean-porridge, was given over to the children, picked clean and scraped over and over, and again laid up lest every particle of flesh or gristle had not been removed. Night came on. The children went to sleep; the anxious mother watched and listened. Indians had been around through the day unusually insolent and troublesome, and she had given them what food she could spare through the window – a square hole, closed with a sliding-board – but had not suffered them to enter. Now, she was sure she heard them prowling about the house. She listened more intently. After a time, she was certain that she heard someone climbing up to the window, intending doubtless to break in and assault her and her sleeping children. She looked around the room for some defensive weapon and her eye caught the great beef-bone. Quick as a flash she seized it, opened the window and hurled it with all her strength into the face of an advancing Indian. He gave a most horrible howl, dropped to the ground and fled with all the company, frightened out of their wits by this most extraordinary projectile, and fearing worse things were in store for them. The prowess shown by both Mr. and Mrs. Spalding in this and other rencontres, put an end after a time to these annoyances and brought their unruly neighbors under some degree of subjection. Other settlers in time removed to this neighborhood, but the progress of the settlement was very slow for some years.