CHAPTER XII.

 

CAPTA IN JOHN RIG LEY’S SECOND MARRIAGE. —LIFE’S ACTIVITIES.

 

A good life writes its own memorial and tablet day by day.—HEHRY ~VARD Bascuan.

 

CAPTAIN JOHN HIGLEY did not resume his seat in the General Assembly the year succeeding his wife’s decease,—1695,—nor again until the year 1698. It appears from the records that no representatives were sent from Simsbury to the May sessions of

1695—96. These, with the sessions of 1690 and 1703, are the only years in which he did not serve as a member of that legisla­tive body from 1689 to 1711.

His second marriage took place about 1696. Sarah Strong Bissell, who became his second wife, was the daughter of Return Strong, of one of the good old families of Windsor, Conn. She was an old acquaintance, and there existed a family connection, her husband, Joseph Bissell, being a first cousin to John Higley’s first wife, Hannah.

Sarah Strong Bissell was born March 14, 1666, and married Joseph Bissell, July 7, ~686. Joseph Bisseil was the grandson of Deacon John Moore, Sr. On both sides of Sarah Bissell’s family she was of a lineage distinguished in Colonial annals for contain­ing some of the foremost characters of Puritan belief among the founders of New England. Elder John Strong, her paternal grandfather, is historically known as one of the first and most active founders of the towns of Taun~on and Northampton, Mass.,’ and upon her mother’s side she was the granddaughter of the Rev. John Wareham, who was the most distinguished person who came to our shores in the Winthrop fleet, if we except Winthrop himself. Return Strong, her father, “was the sixth child of Elder John Strong.’ He was born in 1641 and on the zith of May, 1664, married Sarah, daughter of Rev. Mr. Wareham. He was a tanner by trade, and a man of large estates. His wife died, Dcc. 26th 1678, at the age of thirty-six years. Return Strong removed in later years to Northampton, Mass., where he died April 9th 1726.”

Sarah was the eldest child of his family. Joseph Bissell, her first husband, died August 3, 1689, leaving her a young widow with one child—Joseph, Jr. On the 7th of December following, four months after his father’s decease, another son was born, whom she called Benoni,’ “the son of my sorrow.”

Mrs. Sarah Bissell assumed many responsibilities when she entered the home of her husband, Captain Higley, with her two children and became the second mother to his family of nine children. They began life together with a household of eleven children. It seems, however, that her intuitive mind coped well with the great task before her. As the duties came to her one after another, both of a social and domestic nature, she faithfully fulfilled them. It is easy to detect the results of her excellent motherhood to her husband’s children as w”! as her own, ~spe­daily the younger ones, by a decided religious Influence growing out of her life in the household. And she seems to have given them the sympathy born of a true woman’s love, since we find them, both elder and younger, using affectionate terms respect­ing her. It was always “Our dear mother,” even in business entries and transactions years later, of which there were many after their father’s decease.

In 1697 Captain Higley’s tenth child was born, to whom was given the name of her mother—Sarah,

“This was a year,” says Governor Wolcott, “of great scarcity and mortality. The summer was cool and cloudy—not a month without frost in it; the winter was very long and severe. In February and March the snow was very high and hard. There was a great cry for bread; the cattle perishing in the yards for want; the sickness was very distressing and mortal.”’ On the ioth of November the same year, Rev: Dudley Woodbridge was ordained pastor of the Simsbury church.

In the year 1698, Captain John Higley is again found a member of the Colonial legislature. At the May session an act was passed that the October sessions should afterward be held in New Haven. This involved, for our legislator, a tedious journey on horseback, through forest-lined bridle paths, the underbrush grown in tangle mass, and across unbridged swollen streams, through which he must swim his horse. This was the only method of travel by land, in those times there being no wheeled vehicles.

The next year, 1699, occurred the birth of his son Nathaniel, who is found upon record in after time as a man of fine abilities and uprightness of character.

Captain Higley appears to have been pursuing his busy avoca­tions with the energy that marked his earlier years. Marriages are placed upon the records as having been performed by him, and his appointments in local matters continued many and various.

The cause of higher education was a subject discussed with much earnestness by the learned minds in the colony, who, grasping the needs of the future, saw that provision for mental culture of their sons upon a more extended basis was essential to the future elevation and prosperity of the rising generations. It was also theirdesire that an educated ministry should be provided for within the limits of the Connecticut Colony. The standard at the schools had already deteriorated, and they were no longer cheerfully sustained. The result was the birth of Yale College.

In the year 1700, ten ministers, “nominated by general consent, formed themselves into a society,” and proceeded to carry out their project, among whom were two of Captain John Higley’s closest friends and associates—the Revs. Samuel Mather of Windsor and Timothy Woodbridgc of Hartford. In October, i~’or, the Connecticut Assembly passed an act to establish the “Collegiate School,” which has since become the famous seat of learning—Yale University. The charter ordained that the cor­poration should consist ¹of ministers only. The founding of the institution becomes of interest in these pages from the fact that Captain John Higley was a member of this legislature which granted the charter; and less than five years later, being one of the proprietors of the valuable mines at Copper Hill, was a lead­ing member of the association which made the first appropriation of funds toward the support of the institution. We fancy his enthusiasm as very earnest in the subject of advanced educa­tional opportunities for young men, since the after history of his own large family shows that he was not negligent in pro­moting its education, as far as was practicable under the limited resources of that day.

The eventful changes which time always brings to a large family came to the household of the Higleys. In 1701 twins were born, Joshua and Josiah, one of whom—Joshua_dkd an infant of seven months; and during the same year the first mar­riage took place, that of Jonathan, the second son, to Ann Barber. In 1703 their daughter Abigail was born, and the fol­lowing year two daughters were married, Katherine, a gifted girl, married James Noble of Westfield, Mass., and Hannah married Joseph Trumbull, and became the founder of a family distinguished in American history through several generations. A daughter who was named Susannak was born in 1705, and two years later, on July 20, 1707, the youngest son and last child, Isaac, was, born. It was about this period that his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, married Nathaniel J3ancroft. Captain John Higley was the father of sixteen children, fifteen of whom lived to over twenty-one years of age, and thirteen married and had fami­lies. The eldest and the youngest were thirty-four years apart. Early in the new century an agitation arose in the Simsbury

community through the circulation of flying reports that the west­ern slope of the Talcott Mountain contained valuable deposits of mineral, and was especially rich in copper ore. There are slight historical intimations that this fact had previously been surmised, but no definite discovery had yet been made.

These elevated lands, which have since been known as Copper Hill, were yet undivided, and were still held by the original pro­prietors of the town. They were in a wild state, frequented by the Indians as a hunting.ground.

The “Patent” of Simsbury, it will be remembered, which was confirmed by the General Court to the proprietors In 1685—86, had been reconfirmecj by act of Court in 1703.

Thomas Barber, John Higley, Samuel Wilcoxen, and John Case, of the original patentees, were still living.

Near the close of ~ at a town meeting, the following resolu­tion was passed, which was entered upon the Records:’

“There being a report made in the town.Mecdng of cithor a silver or Copor mm or mlnorafl found within the Lymitti of the township of Sbnsbnry. eastwardly, as the town being moot together December the *8th ~ did mak chuse of Decon Holcomb and John Pettibone Junr. to niak sorch for thc same, bring in an account of the same to the next meeting.

“Voted In the affirmative.”

 

The report of the above committee was evidently favorable, though it. is not found upon record. An association was formed, composed of the landed proprietors of the town, and at a town meeting held May 6, i~o~,’ the subject was taken up in a practical manner. Various resolutions were passed, and different commit­tees were appointed “in referance to the coppor affaires now in hand.” It was “propownded to the people to give their freedom to chose a committee to treat with workman.” A contract was drawn and presented at a “Subscribers’” meeting, held on the i7th of May, in which the association “agreed to pay the town io’ on each ton of copper produced which should create a fund for educational purposes.” Two-thirds was appropriated for the sup. port “of an able schoolmaster” in Simsbury, and the other one-third was voted to the “Collegiate School “—Yale. A certain amount went to the Crown of England as revenue. “The residue of profits was to be divided among the partners pro-rata, accord. ing to the amount of their respective shares.” Jonathan Higley, the second son of Captain John Higley, was one of the signers to the agreement.

An acrimonious controversy followed, between the proprietors of the town and the townspeople. The pitch of excitement con­cerning the valuable lands ran high, and there was sharp diver­gence of opinion between the two factions claiming supreme rights. A great ado was made over the richness of the “find,” and the people who laid claim believed themselves upon the verge of immense wealth.

At this time Captain Higley owned the largest quantity of land in the township, and was the heaviest taxpayer. Lieutenant Thomas Barber—the father-in-law of his son Jonathan, who had also increased his estates—stood next on the list. Captain Higley had now three sons who were men of full age,—John, Jonathan, and Brewster,—all landholders. The representation of the Higley family was therefore very considerable. And, always vigilant in business, it is a matter to be noted, how keenly alive they appear to have been through this con test to their own family interests.

They were careful to be represented in all the meetings, and generally some one of them had a place in the committees which were appointed. On the 2₉th of July, 1707, a severe protest by the “aristocratic” landed proprietors is recorded on the books, claiming that “The Towne by vote having sequestored the coppor-mins that are commons in said towne of Simsbury for their own benefit . . . and their having been some persons pre­tending themselves to be the only proprietors of y° said copor mines, have in a very disorderly Sacactilgious [sacrilegious?] manner given away the right and benefit of the said Coper mines, to some persons which are unconcerned in the towne, which is greatly to the disturbance of the peace of many principall persons in Sd towne, Pantentees, proprietors and Inhabitants. [Here follows protest] against such unrighteous, and irregular, unjust dealings and actions, and We do hereby protest against the

[illegible] of all or any such unjust contracts, or votes of such protenders, in our towne record books.¹

                                     [Signed]       “JOHN HIGLEY, Sen.

                                                           THOS. BARBER, Sen.

                                                           SAMUEL WILCOXEN, Sen.

                                                           JOHN GRIFFEN,

                                                           JOHN HIGLEY, Jnr.

                                                           BREWSTER haLEY,” and

                                                              others.

 

The controversies over the copper-mining district were t~naity carried to the General Assembly in 1709, when a commission was appointed to settle them. For many years litigation was going on, during which the proprietors of the town worked the mines, or leased them to other parties who agreed to pay a per­centage upon the ore produced.

In 1721 the mining lands were divided, and Captain John Higley’s sons came into possession of a fine tract of the mineral section.’

These mines have since become famous, not only from the rich quality of the ore which they yielded, but as a prison fortress of historic interest associated with the American Revolution. The prison was called after the name of the “world-renowned” prison of London. Says Phelps: “There i& an exciting fascination in the eventful history of this Newgate of Connecticut.” 1

“An important branch of the trade on the coast of New England was furnishing the Royal navy with yards and bowsprits. White pine trees over two feet in diameter were reserved for the navy, to be used for masts, which were at that time made of one piece.”’ At the October session of the General Assembly, 1705, Captain John Higley was chosen as one of “Sundry principall gentleman in this and other governments to undertake the management of procuring masts, and other navall stores for the supply of her fleet (Lady Queen Ann) and other shipping of the nation.” Since the burning of Simsbury in March, i6~6, the Indians had not slumbered. The inhabitants had never been free from fear and imminent danger of destruction, and were still obliged to maintain constant watchfulness. Simsbury was yet on the fore-line of civilization. The French were in possession of Canada, and in every possible way they were moving the savages to attack the English settlers. Roving bands were constantly skulking ihrough the dense forests, and were likely at any hour to suddenly wreak vengeance upon those innocent of provocation for wrongs they conceived somebody had done them. The parsonage at Simsbury was fortified in 1690; and again in the year z~oo old time frontier forts, or block-houses, were built. “In i~o~ there was an alarm spread t\hat the Indians comtemplated an invasion of the town, when the Assembly granted seven pounds from the treasury to fortify it; and the next year, a further grant of seven pounds and six shillings was made, to pay the soldiers belonging to Simsbury, who had been employed under Captain John Higley, in the public service” It was also ordered about this time, that “Two faithful and trusty men, as a scout, be out every day, to observe the motions of the enemy.” $ One strong fortification called Great Fort, the remains of which are still to be found, was built in i~o8, by order of the General Assembly, with colonial funds, and was located in Higley-town, probably through the sagacity and legislation of our untiring hero, who would neglect no opportunity for the direct benefit of his own immediate domain. The garrison was within a half a mile of his house,

In the autumn of 1707 the community was thrown into a high state of alarm and solicitude at the capture by the Indians of Daniel Hayes, who was a neighbor of Captain Higley, and no doubt on Intimate friendly terms with his family. He was a young man, twenty-two years of age. He was carried to Canada and sold, and there kept in captivity nearly six years before he could succeed in getting released. During this time his experiences were thrilling, and were sometimes attended with barbarity. From the hour when he was kidnaped, near to his home, he heard nothing from his relatives or friends, and they, hearing no tidings of him, gave him up as dead. Every effort was made by the people of the neighborhood to find the captive, but their pursuit was without avail. The Indians finally sold him to a Frenchman in Montreal, who kindly opened the way for him to earn money to purchase his freedom, and sent an Indian guide to accompany him down the Connecticut valley far enough to “point to him the smokes of his friends, ‘the pale faces.’”’

The recent defense In the warlike threatening, with French and Indians, brought an increased burden of taxation, and caused even greater scarcity of specie than had heretofore existed. The colony had always been embarrassed for want of circulating cash. There was little actual money passing. “Provision pay “was therefore resorted toas the legitimate exchange in business trans­actions. On the town records it is seen, “that one Thomas Bacon mortgaged his farm to Capt. John Higley, for the full and just summ of £8, in current wheat, peas, and Indian Corn, at equal proportions at current market price.” $

 

1 The Strong family In England was originally located in Shropshlre. One of the family married an heiress of OrUleth of the County of Caertiarvon Wales, In z~6s. In t~96he removed to Taunton, Somersetshlre, England where he died In z6;3~ leaving a son, John, then eight years of age, and a daughter, Eleanor. Jo~in Strong was born In Taunton England, In ido’, whence he re­moved to London, and afterwards to Plymouth. Raving decided l’urftan principles, he sailed from Plymouth for the New World, March so, *630, In company with Revs, John Wareham, Maverick, Mason, John Moore, the Drakes, and Roger Clap, in the ship Mary’ a~dJ,h,,. The grandfather of Eider John Strong was as tradition Informs us, a Roman Catholic, and lived to a great age, In 1635, after having assisted in founding and developing the town of Dorchester, Mass. John Strong removed to Hiagham, Mass. Here his stay was short, as on December 4, x6,~8, he ts found to be an inhabitant and proprietor of Taunton, Mass. He remaIned at Taunton until 1645, and was deputy to the General Court in Plymouth, Mass., *641-44, From Taun ton he removed to Windsor, Conn., where he was appointed, with four others,” superintend and bring forward the settlement of that place.” In z6gg he removed from Windsor to l’~orehampton, Mass., of which town he was one of the founders. In Northamptdn lie lived forty years, and was a leading man in the affairs of the Church and the town. He was I tanner, and very prosperous In business. He was ordaIned elder of the church, March 13, 1⁶6h HL~ lint wife, whose name Is not known, died on the pas­sage to America, leaving two chitdrcA. In December, z6jo, he married Abigail Ford of Dorcester, with whom he lived dfty.efghe years. She died the mother of sixteen children, July 6, *688. aged eighty. He died April 14, t⁶ç~, aged ninety-four years. He had eighteen children, fifteen of whom had families, His son Thom~u had sixteen children, Jedediah had fourteen, Samuel had twelve. His grandson Jonathan had seventeen. 1-ifs son Return Strong settled at Windsor, Conn.—Ca~,de~,dfr₀,,, Rislory 4/Ms S~r g.!~amIly, 4y B. W. Dw,~.

‘“I-fistory of Strong Family.”

‘Joseph Bissell,Jr., born March 2!, i68., lived to h*~e a grandson, flenjamfn Bissell, born October 5, 1720. Benoni Bissell lived to seventy-one years of age, and died August 26, 1761, an honored and respected citizen. There are many reasons for the conclusion that both of these ions were brought up with Captain John Higley’s family.

St1Ies~ “Hhtory of Andent Windsor.”

 

1 “Slmsbury Records,” book 11. ~. 7~. 

‘‘Shnsbury Records,” book 11, pp. 84, 8~.

Book H. “Sitnsbury Records,” p. 8~.

‘The reader Is further referred to the sketch of Dr. Samuel Higley, p. * *~.

a This picturesque, historic spot, though now but little known, c’~ntinues to be a place of intense interest to the tourist. He will be wall repaid to seek the attractive vkws from the Talcoti Moun. tains and Copper Hill, with Its rocl~.hewn cavem~ fifty feet below the surface which are ruins stored with remarksble reltcs of the past, and tilled with tales of t.arIllIng horror.—ED.

1’ Connecticut Colonial Records,”~vol. iv. p. 353.

‘Phelps’ “History of Slmsbury,” ~. 3;.

I The following act was passed by the General Assembly, October, 17z3: “Upon consideration of the petition of Daniel Hayes of Slmsbury, having been taken by the Indian enenile and carried captIve to Canada—praying for sonic relelfe This Assembly do grant unto the petitioner the sum of seven pounds to be paid him out of the public treasury of this Colony.”—Co,,n(cl(cM,’ Coloalal Record:.

A fuller narrative of Daniel Hayes than Is here given, may be found In “Newgate of Con necti. cut,” p. 503. He lived in the village of Salmon.Drook, to the good age of seveniy.one, “a thriving agriculturist, and a respected citizen.” A monument, still standing, marks the spot of his last resting-place In the village cemetery.

•Bookl, “Simsbury Land Records.”