In 1845, Wintonbury parish, together with a portion of Poquonnoc society in Windsor, was incorporated as the town of BLOOMFIELD. To this was added, in 1840, a portion of Simsbury, known as Scotland parish. The town of Bloomfield, as now constituted, is bounded N. and E. by Windsor, s. by Hartford, and w. by Simsbury, and averages four miles in length and breadth. On the east border of the town there is a forest extending the whole length of the township, and about one and a half miles in breadth from east to west. The face of the town is gently undulating, presenting several excellent kinds of soil, and very little waste land. Large crops of grass are raised, and the town is justly noted for the quantity and excellence of its fruits. Three large brooks, of slow current, which frequently overflow their banks, run through the town, and near its southern line unite and form one of the principal branches of Hartford Little River. The principal timbers of original growth are elm, maple, butternut, walnut, chestnut, white, black, yellow and red oaks. Take it as a whole, the town of Bloomfield is a remarkably choice town for agricultural purposes. Barber says,1 "the inhabitants are generally agriculturists, and remarkably free from the evils of litigation." He might have added that no better evidence of their prosperity is needed than the neatness of their dwellings, and the snug, well-ordered appearance of their farms; and that they are blessed with so many roads as to give rise to the saying, that "in Bloomfield every man has a road of his own to Hartford." The present population of the town is about 1800. 1 Hist. Coll. of Conn. CHAPTER XXI. WINDSOR'S SHARE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. "OH, FEW AND WEAK THEIR NUMBERS WERE, A HANDFUL OF BRAVE MEN; BUT TO THEIR GOD THEY GAVE THEIR PRAYER, THEY LEFT THE PLOWSHARE IN THE MOLD, FOR WRONGS TO SEEK A STERN REDRESS — TO RIGHT THOSE WRONGS, COME WEAL, COME WO, It might have been presumed that the colonies, in retiring from a war in which they had borne so conspicuous and loyal a part, and from which they had themselves derived but little benefit, would have received some mark of approbation, or at least of indulgence, from their sovereign. But that sovereign was weak, and his ministerial advisers were unprincipled and short-sighted. They found the treasury empty, and the national debt increased by recent wars, to almost seven millions of dollars. Their subjects at home were already alarmed and grumbling at the increased burden of taxation which seemed to await them. It was then that Grenville's facile brain conceived the idea, ungenerous as it was unwise, of taxing the colonies, by levying new duties upon their imports. This was the "one straw too much which broke the camel's back." The colonies, who had sacrificed thousands of their best lives, and treasures, and whose frontiers had for so many years been constantly drenched in blood, could not bear this new burden. From one and all arose a unanimous protest against "taxation without representation." A few wise men foresaw and plainly represented the danger, but their advice was wasted on the grasping ministers of England. The Stamp Act was passed on the 22d of March, 1765, and this "entering wedge for the dismemberment of the British empire" was accompanied with the explicit declaration "that it was intended to establish the power of Great Britain to tax the colonies." It was received in America with an overwhelming feeling of resentment. Alarmed and abashed at the outbreak of determined opposition which it provoked, the government of Great Britain repealed the act. Hardly had the rejoicings of the grateful colonies over this event ceased, before the unwise and unjust acts of the ministry again plunged the country into alarm and discontent. An act enforcing the quartering of a royal army in their midst, and at their expense, was followed by another, levying duties upon paper, glass, paints, lead and tea imported by them. In both these acts, the principle involved was the same as in the Stamp Act, and was as firmly resisted by the colonies. These manifestations of revolt, however, as well as the plain words of many wise and noble minds, even in parliament itself, were unheeded by the blindly infatuated ministers of the British government. America was in constant and open revolt, but one after another these hated measures were forced down her throat. It is true that a bill was passed in 1770, repealing the duty on all articles but tea. It was too late. For on that very day was enacting in the streets of Boston the tragedy of the Boston Massacre. Then came two years of outward quiet-- but really of seething unrest. Again, in December, 1773, the smouldering fire burst out anew, and Boston harbor witnessed the destruction of several cargoes of tea, by a disguised but orderly band of patriots. Roused and enraged, the English ministry now passed the famous Boston Port Bill. This bill, providing for the removal of customs, courts of justice and all government officers from Boston to Salem; and for the "complete discontinuance of all landing, discharging and shipping of wares and merchandise at Boston, or within the harbor thereof," came into effect on the 1st of June, 1774. Its effect was instantaneous. "The utter prostration of all business soon produced great distress in the city. The rich, deprived of their rents, became straitened, and the poor; denied the privilege of labor, were reduced to beggary. All classes felt the scourge of the oppressor, yet the fortitude and forbearance of the inhabitants were most remarkable." The sympathy of the whole country was aroused, for although the blow was aimed at Boston as "the ringleader in every riot," it was keenly felt in every colony. And this sympathy evinced itself not only in words and encouraging resolves, but in substantial tokens of attachment to the sufferers. From Georgia came sixty-three barrels of rice, and seven hundred and twenty dollars in specie. The town of Windham, in Connecticut, sent a large flock of sheep; and from every quarter contributions of wheat and grain, pork and money, came pouring in. Even the great city of London, in its corporate capacity, sent one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the relief of the poor in Boston. "The people of Marblehead and Salem offered the Boston merchants the free use of wharves and stores, for they scorned to enrich themselves at the expense of their oppressed neighbors! A committee was appointed in Boston to receive and distribute donations, and, in the midst of martial law, the suffering patriots were bold and unyielding." Liberty had her friends among the people of our town of Windsor, who were not unmindful of their suffering brethren. In the correspondence of the committee for the relief of the Boston sufferers by the Port Bill, we find the following letter.1 It tells its own story with a straightforward brevity which characterizes the official actions of the town during this period." 1 Published in Mass. Hist. Soc'y Coll., 4th Series, iv, 266. 2 The town government of Windsor at this period was in the hands of men of influence who were straightforward, brief, earnest and business-like in all their actions. And these characteristics are very plainly impressed on all the records and correspondence of the town during the revolutionary struggle. It is indeed in very strong contrast to the eloquent, and somewhat wordy, style of expression which is displayed in the East Windsor records. Yet in Mr. Jonathan Mason, Windsor, March 20, 1775. Sir: We being appointed by this town to receive donations for the poor of Boston, and as we understand you are one to receive them, have directed Capt. Smith to deliver you what grain we have collected for that purpose, viz., 391 bushels rye, 89 bushels corn, and half barrel of pork. We are, your humble servants, JAMES HOOKER. Meanwhile the troops in Boston were daily augmenting, until it was one vast garrison. Insulted by the presence of the soldiery, their rights invaded and trampled upon, the people of Massachusetts, and with her the united colonies, were preparing to strike a blow at the coil of despotism, which was gradually surrounding them. Every fresh act of oppression was met by scornful and dignified yet determined resistance. Every hour seemed pregnant with impending collision. It came, on the 19th of April, 1775. In the grey dawn of morning, on the village green of Lexington, a handful of rustic patriots undauntedly awaited the approach of an advancing column of British troops. One hour later, on that village green, lay eight patriot corpses, and from their blood, still welling out upon the dewy sod, there had gone forth a cry for vengeance which all America heard. Through the length and breadth of the land bell responded to bell, and watchfire to watchfire, and everywhere the people were in arms. The people of Windsor had just paid the last sad tribute of respect to their beloved pastor-perhaps they even yet stood by the side of the open grave. as a mounted messenger came "spurring in hot haste" from Hartford, bearing the news of the battle which had been fought the day before. It was as the first lightning flash in the approaching storm, not wholly unexpected, but none the less startling; and as the intelligence spread quickly from mouth to mouth, and from family to family, it everywhere awoke an instantaneous activity. The signs of grief gave place to the sound and bustle of warlike preparation. Brave THOMAS HAYDEN was quickly in the feeling, patriotism and attachment to the cause of freedom, both towns were emphatically" shoulder to shoulder." |