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History of Plymouth |
Plymouth History articles on this page:
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Incorporated in 1795, the Town of Plymouth owes its beginnings to the foresight of such manufacturers as Eli Terry, Seth Thomas and Silas Hoadley. The manufacture of clocks first gave Plymouth national recognition. Eventually Seth Thomas moved from Plymouth Center to Plymouth Hollow (now Thomaston) to continue the trade. Eli Terry, Jr. carried the Terry name eastward to (now) Terryville where clocks, and beginning in 1830 locks, were manufactured through harnessing the power of the Pequabuck River. The latter enterprise became known as the Eagle Lock Company, which enjoyed a worldwide reputation and employed some 1,800 persons at its peak. |
Plymouth Center, while never a manufacturing center, retains most of its small town colonial charm and many of the original homes of the Town's industrial entrepreneurs. On July 22, 1999, the Plymouth Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Expanded the following year, it now encompasses 136 acres of land and contains 126 historic assets such as buildings, sites, and objects. The focal point of the Plymouth Center Historic District, Plymouth Center Village, is the green upon which it was reported that Union troops drilled during the Civil War era and now stands the Plymouth Congregational Church which houses the only Eli Terry wooden works tower clock in the world (see photo). |
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The Town has successfully retained its rural New England charm for generations of Plymouth families, and yet is accessible to the larger communities of Bristol, Waterbury and Torrington. With its three villages of Plymouth, Terryville and Pequabuck, the Town of Plymouth is the perfect place to locate a growing manufacturer, start an office practice or develop a neighborhood-oriented restaurant or retail business.
In other words, Plymouth is business friendly, offers a favorable business climate, a skilled work force, excellent transportation and utility infrastructure, a quality education system, and best of all, caring people. |
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Town Historian, writer, and researcher Judith Giguere, life-time Terryville resident, writes articles for this web site about Plymouth's history during different time periods. Previous articles are posted as submitted below. Articles will now be in .pdf format. Many thanks to her for presenting these special articles. All photos were taken by Judith Giguere unless otherwise indicated.
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Plymouth Burying Ground Restoration Project
By Judith Giguere, Town Historian |
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January, 2012 - The Old Burying Ground is located next to the First Congregational Church of Plymouth and Plymouth Green, all are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Plymouth Green was created in 1747 of approximately four acres of land transferred through Caleb Humaston to the Society of Northbury by the Town of Waterbury to be used as a Parade and Burial Ground. The first recorded burial is Lettice Curtis. Mrs. Curtis was one of the many deaths from the Epidemic of 1749. It is believed that as many as 30 and possibly more deaths that were not recorded occurred that year in our fledgling community. The Old Plymouth Burying Ground contains approximately 600 markers and it is the final resting place of thirty-eight Plymouth Revolutionary War soldiers as well as three veterans of the French and Indian War, and two veterans of the War of 1812. It is the final resting place of many signers of Plymouth’s incorporation papers, judges, lawyers, doctors, ministers, wives, children and infants. Little Emily Bronson, daughter of Noah and Betsey is one of the |
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| burials. Emily died tragically on November 14th, 1800 at age two. Sherman Bronson was born just a few weeks prior to Emily’s death. Shortly thereafter, Noah and Betsey, together with their remaining children gathered up what they could and walked to the Ohio territory where Noah and Betsey became a successful and respected farming family. Emily’s headstone, pictured above, includes a heart breaking inscription near the bottom which reads:
Father and My Mother
Tell my fate to my dear brother
Flaming elements of fire
Hath robbed you of your great desire.
Daniel Potter was a Connecticut soldier in the French and Indian War, instrumental in the settling of our new community and a signer of Plymouth’s incorporation papers.
Beneath this stone
Lies deacon Daniel
Potter who in a
Comfortable hope
Of one day rising
To a glorius immor
Tality fell asleepe
October 29, 1773
In the 55th year
Of his life.
Martha Potter
Wife of Daniel Potter
Having walked with God
Triumph’d over Death 13th
July 1770 ae 54 years
Mortals behold your fate
And lend a listening ear
Think on your final fate
For Christ will soon appear
Lake, the son of Daniel and Martha was born August 13, 1759 while Daniel was a soldier in the French and Indian War serving at Lake George. The child was named “Lake” in honor of this service. Lake George was named after King George III of England. England was falling out of favor with the thirteen colonies, therefore the child was named “Lake.” Daniel was an incorporator of the Town of Plymouth and representative to the state legislature several times. Lake Potter was a Plymouth soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Lucy Todd’s grave is presently unmarked. It is believed the original stone was made of gray schist and lost over the years, possibly discarded as an ordinary rock. Lucy was the daughter of Rev. Samuel & Mercy Todd. Rev Todd was the first minister to the Northbury community. Lucy was eleven months old when she died in 1752.
Amos Bronson, also interred in the Old Burying Ground, is referred to as “Dr. Bronson” in some sources; Mr. Bronson was a soldier in the French and Indian War serving in Captain Downs Company. Mr. Bronson died September 2, 1819 at age 88. He was one of the incorporators of the Town of Plymouth and the great-grandfather of Louisa May Alcott, celebrated author. Amos Bronson was also the grandfather of little Emily Bronson.
Tyler, Jerusha,
Ozias Tyler was an incorporator of the Town of Plymouth. This stone is near the entrance of the Old Burying Ground and has eroded considerably.
In Memory of
Mrs Jerusha
Consort to Mr.
Ozias Tyler
Who departed
April 8, 1790
Ae 41
On what a moment of time
Hang Everlasting things.
In memory of
Mrs Freelove
Wife of Mr.
Asa Darrow
Who died with her
Daughter still
Born December 14th
1773 in her 24th
year
A small brown stone is in memory of three infant children of the Welton family. It speaks of the tragedy of infant mortality of early America.
In
Memory of
3 children of Eli & Mrs
Anne Welton
Almon died
Nov 22d 1798
Ae 7 wks
Aaron Sanford died
Nov 29th 1808
Ae 1 year
Eunice died
April 21 1809
Ae 18 months
Eunice Warner
May 31, 1772 – Dec 15, 1839
Wife of
Eli Terry–
“Mother of all the Terrys”
Eunice Warner Terry was born May 31, 1772 and died December 15, 1839. Mrs. Terry was the first wife of noted clockmaker, Eli Terry. Eli and Eunice were married March 12, 1795. Eli and Eunice had nine children. The Terry family contributed to clock making industries and initiated other industries in the Terryville section of Plymouth. After the death of Eunice, Eli married the Widow Harriet Ann (Pond) Peck in 1840.
The Old Plymouth Burying Ground Restoration Project began in the fall of 2011. The project includes restoration of the grounds, signage, clean-up, and installation of period style fencing in the front of the cemetery with appropriate landscaping, grading and drainage. Volunteers are working on detailed transcription and photographing of the gravestones for preservation and for future generations. Tax deductible donations can be made to Plymouth Land Trust c/o Jerry Milne, 204 Keegan Road, Plymouth, CT 06782; please clearly state funds are intended for the “Old Plymouth Burying Ground Restoration.” Donations of $50 or more qualify for an engraved brick to be installed at the entrance to the Burying Ground for a lasting tribute. Engraved bricks have a maximum of three lines, sixteen spaces per line. Please indicate what you would like engraved with your donation by April 1, 2012.
Visitors are welcome to the site, to see the project and walk through the lives of our forefathers and Plymouth’s early history. |
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The Hidden Treasure of Greystone
By Judith Giguere, Town Historian |
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October, 2011 - Hoadleyville, the section of Plymouth once known as Ireland because of its largely Irish population, and later commonly referred to as Greystone is located near Hancock Dam. It is a hidden treasure of Plymouth. This section originated as part of Hancox meadows as the first arrivals passed through in search of the elusive lead mine. In 1700 the brothers Amos and Abraham Hickox established a sawmill. Later, circa 1750 Calvin Hoadley ran a Grist Mill and the Terry, Thomas and Hoadley Clock Factory found a home on Hancock Brook.
Eli Terry hired Silas Hoadley and the young Seth Thomas to help him build clocks. The three |
established the firm of Terry, Thomas and Hoadley. It was here Eli Terry fulfilled his famous Porter Contract for production of 4,000 clock movements—an incredible accomplishment in 1806! The three genius partners designed a system that used water power to run their machinery as well as standardization and interchangeable mechanical working of their clocks. Later, Eli Terry and Seth Thomas sold their interests to create their own companies.
Silas Hoadley continued making clocks until 1849. He then rented his clock factory to Hancock Valley Manufacturing, which existed into the early 20th century. Silas Hoadley was elected to the State assembly three times and held a term
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as a Connecticut Senator. The pond and waterfall created for waterpower still exist in a beautiful setting on a dead end road near Hancock Dam. The pond is visible from the road, but the waterfall is on private property. Please do not trespass. |
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The Pequabuck Tunnel
By Judith Giguere, Town Historian |
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July, 2011 - In the early part of the last century, trains were one of the dominant modes of transportation and freight hauling. In the Plymouth area, the hills and steep grades made hauling heavy freight difficult even for trains. It was not uncommon to see two or three engines on a train pulling load and sometimes another engine at the end of the train to push. The decision was made to build a tunnel and correct the grade.
To fulfill the construction of the tunnel, it was necessary to cut through the rock ledges with the |
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deepest, most difficult cuts at the southern end of South Eagle Street. Lowlands were filled to level the grade. The Pequabuck Tunnel, also known as the Mile Long Tunnel is slightly less than a mile at 3,850 feet with a width of 32 feet and height of 26 feet. Most of the construction was done by hand. Construction began in 1906 and was completed in 1910. The tunnel was built under the farm known as Sylvan Hill owned and operated by Charles Allen and family for whom Allen Street was named. Land was not purchased for the tunnel site, but instead, a right-of-way under the Allen farm and pond was
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acquired. The course of the Pequabuck River known as Devil’s Backbone was modified. Construction required no less than two hundred workers, most residing in small buildings along the site which were built for the use of the workers.
Construction temporarily stopped in the fall of 1907 due to the instability of the financial market. In July 1908, work had not yet resumed when a cave-in occurred at the tunnel site. The cave-in was caused by heavy rains compromising the loosened rocks at the top of the tunnel. The project engineer, assistant
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superintendent and roadmaster as well as a special train of workers were immediately dispatched to the site to secure the tunnel.
The tunnel digging process created a large debris pile where one resident is reported to have discovered such mineralogical treasures as calcite, beryl, tourmaline, marcasite, azurite, malachite and even a few gem quality garnets. A substantial amount of Native American arrowheads and artifacts were also discovered at the dig site.
The first passenger train went from the new Terryville Station at Pequabuck through the tunnel on January 27, 1911 marking the opening of the tunnel for regular use. The new tunnel and improved grading, elimination of severe curves between Hartford and Waterbury shortened the time between stations and made travel much safer. |
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Exerpts from the Town of Plymouth Annual Report 1928
by Judith Giguere, Town Historian
October, 2010 - As summer winds down and autumn is imminent, it’s fun to see how much times have changed. Below are some interesting excerpts from the 1928 Plymouth Annual Report.
To set the stage, 1928 was the last boom year of the Roaring Twenties before the 1929 stock market crash. Penicillin was discovered as the first effective antibiotic—saving millions! The first regular schedule of television programs began in Schenectady, New York and of course, Flappers. Flappers were the unconventional young women with bobbed hair, flaunting cigarettes, heavy make-up and short skirts, dancing to the Charleston—very uncharacteristic of the social norms of the times. The 1920’s were also known as the Jazz Age and the post World War I economic boom. It was the era of Prohibition, the laws prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages, Speak-Easy’s, and Elliott Ness.
In Plymouth, several school districts existed throughout the town. Two districts had one room school houses with as many as eighty students and one teacher with a mix of grade levels in a single classroom. Parents were required to take their turn boarding the teacher for a specified number of days and provide their share of fire wood to heat the school. The two one room school houses were East Plymouth and Holt District named for the former owner of the farm that encompassed much of that land by North Harwinton Avenue, Milo Holt. The Holt district school closed in 1957. It was the last remaining one room school house in use in Connecticut.
Elimination of district schools began as early as 1875 as the town expanded it focused on the centralized areas. Industries grew creating new, more compact neighborhoods. It became necessary to create larger schools and combine resources to improve education. Prospect Street School opened in 1906 as a high school. In approximately 1912, a temporary expansion facility added to Prospect Street School was quaintly referred to as the “Chicken Coop” by locals, much to the chagrin of the good intentions of school officials.
The annual school budget in 1928 was $83,498.59. Twenty-two students graduated high school and 62 graduated the eighth grade. The Plymouth grand list totaled $156,062.99. The First Selectman’s salary was $2,000 annually and the only patrolman was paid $1,500.00. The Town Hall budget included $4.00 for piano tuning. Average income was approximately $6,000.00 annually and the population in 1900 was 2,828.
Other 1928 expenses were the maintenance of watering troughs at $6.00 per year as horses and oxen were not yet replaced by motorized vehicles. Street lighting totaled $4,193.72 and bridge repairs came to $648.85 that year. Hiring of teams of horses and oxen were an expense of $1,138.19 for the year of 1928. The Terryville Library was heated by the furnace across the street at the Town Hall. The cost was $859.21 for heating both buildings in 1928. It appears to have been considered satisfactory.
Perhaps, in retrospect, someone from our future might find the current budget equally charming.
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Zeiner’s Pond
Summer Reminiscence
By Judith Giguere, Town Historian |
Lake Winfield |
July 2010 - The sixteen acre pond was originally one of the holdings of the Eagle Lock Company of Terryville, but in the 1920’s the pond became the property of Walter Zeiner. It is located off Seymour Road on one side and Holt Street and Harwinton Avenue on the other.
In the late 1930’s, traumatic events in Europe were casting a foreboding shadow. The United States and the world were moving ever closer to the coming crisis of World War II. In the midst of the pending gloom, Zeiner’s Pond offered a safe place to leave the ominous news behind. |
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Summer days revolved Zeiner’s Pond. A series of cabins were once located on both sides of the lake. The shore was lined with grass, with a small beach area and large shade trees. Although the lake could become murky in August, it was a favorite summer haven for cabin renters and local residents. Small motor and row boats for fisherman, or just for fun, were commonly seen casually cruising the pond on summer days and sometimes at night for bullhead fishing. The pond was known for perch, bass and pickerel fishing. Swimmers enjoyed the quiet, bucolic setting. Sun bathers would gather on the beach using an old-time mixture of vinegar and baby oil for suntan lotion. Summer evenings were also for first
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Summer night on Lake Winfield
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dates and romantic walks about the lake. The moon reflecting on the peaceful waters inspired many couples that later married.
Today, Zeiner’s Pond is known as Lake Winfield. It offers trout fishing. Although not accessible for swimming; it still offers a beautiful setting. A lovely path encompasses the lake offering a pleasant walk about the lake. It has changed over the last century, but has not lost it charm.
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Plymouth Civil War Monuments
By Judith Giguere, Town Historian
In 1861, a regiment was mustered from Plymouth and Watertown in response to President Lincoln’s call for soldiers. The regiment was ordered to Washington, then Alexandria and participated in the Battle of the Potomac, Cold Harbor, Opequam, Fishers Hill, Cedar Creek and others. Plymouth soldiers were also prisoners of war in the Andersonville Prison, including famous local hero, Dorence Atwater, who at great personal risk, is known for preserving the names and grave locations of nearly 13,000 who died there.
The grateful community honored its soldiers with monuments in Plymouth and Terryville. |
Hillside Cemetery, Hillside Ave., Terryville
The nineteen foot stone obelisk lists the names of some of the dead of the Civil War. It is possibly one of the earliest monuments in Connecticut. It stands tall on top of a hill with its companion flagpole as a memorial to men of Terryville who died in the Civil War. Related graves form a square around the monument leaving a large open, humble space around the monument. The large imposing evergreens can be seen in the background and throughout Hillside Cemetery creating a solemn, but beautiful place to honor the war dead. |
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Plymouth Green, Plymouth Center, Ply.
Originally, when Plymouth was part of Northbury, land was set aside as a Parade and Burial ground. It is presently owned and maintained by the Plymouth Congregational Church and is located on Main Street in the heart of Plymouth village center.
The Soldier’s Monument located on the Green is nearly 20 feet high on a granite pedestal and obelisk. The actual date of origin is unknown but possibly as early as 1865 and refers to the Civil War as the “War of 1861” and mentions President Abraham Lincoln’s name on it. |
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The monument itself is beautifully simple with carved letters naming 38 soldiers and wonderfully detailed cannons on each corner recessed panels of the pedestal. It sits on slightly raised ground with a flagpole to one side. |
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The Mysterious Tale of the Old Lead Mine
by Judith Giguere, Town Historian |
Middle Pond Stream
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October 2009 - Our story begins back in 1657, when John Stanley and John Andrews ventured from Farming Town, as Farmington was then known, into the wilderness of the Naugatuck Valley part of this valley, now known as Plymouth. Upon their return, along with delightful tales of the charming valley, was a large piece of black lead. The source of this treasure is not recorded, even then it appears to have been an indefinite location and for many years later, the subject of much dispute. The find of lead sparked great interest in the area and a deed was procured from the Tunxis Indians for the hill and all the land within an eight mile radius.
Of course, no record was made of which hill or any identifiable landmarks or notable features of the |
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area so the site could be located again, but this is the beginning of our mystery. It appears that some years later, a search party was formed.
The party was divided into three groups which included a minister from Plymouth to search for the now infamous lead deposit. A bell was to be rung to notify the others when the mine was located. They searched and searched, but alas, there was no need for the bell because the source of the mysterious lead was not found.
Another local legend states that a hunter came across a large piece of lead and attempted to carry it home on his shoulders. He had not gone far when he was seized by the hand of the Devil himself. When he awoke, his treasure was gone. He returned home empty-handed. Possibly he was struck by lightening, or an ‘invisible hand’ stole his treasure. We will never know for sure, but the mysterious lead had eluded capture again.
Some early maps designate a site for the mine, but upon further research of those areas, no mine or trace of mining operations has ever been located. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), another resident claimed to have found a large outcropping of lead. He was adamant that it was enough to make bullets for his musket! Yet upon return, the outcropping was gone. Magical? Mysterious?
The famous local Tory sympathizer and Plymouth resident Moses Dunbar, while hiding from the ever-present and resourceful Sons of Liberty, found a cave with a large vein of lead. He bragged that the cave had enough lead to make bullets for the King’s armies to outlast the Revolutionary War! Of course, this would have been miraculous indeed as it appears that some of the sightings may have been graphite, which is used as lead for pencils and totally unsuitable for the much-hoped-for bullets. Dunbar never had a chance to return to the cave as he was captured, tried for treason against the new nation, and hung as a traitor in Hartford in 1777.
So where was the elusive lead mine? Did it really contain lead or graphite? Or was it lead guarded by mischievous spirits? Was it misplaced? Even with the aid of fortune tellers and diviners—the source was never found. Did it ever exist? Was it a legend that got out of hand? Could it have been a rock mistaken for lead? Could it be that even with all the development in the last couple hundred years, the site is still undiscovered? Perhaps we will never know. |
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This page last updated on
January 27, 2012
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