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Plymouth's Constitutional Oak Tree

by Judith Giguere, Town Historian

In the corner of Plymouth’s historic green and churchyard near Route 6 is Plymouth’s Constitutional Oak Tree.  The oaks, distributed throughout Connecticut are not named for the illustrious Charter Oak of 1662 in which colonists hid Connecticut’s first charter, but for the 1902 Connecticut Constitutional Convention. The primary intent of this convention was to allow changes in representation of each town in the Connecticut legislature.  Small towns such as Union, in 1902 had a population of 428 people and were allowed two representatives, but big cities such as New Haven with a population of 108,027 were only allowed two representatives.  This disparity was the main reason for the 1902 Constitutional Convention however; when the changes were presented to the voters it was soundly defeated. In the end, no changes were made.      Each representative to the convention received a tiny pin oak (Quercus Palustris) tree from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D. C. in commemoration of the event.  Some trees were planted in the representative’s yards; others were planted on town property.  Plymouth’s tree was planted on Plymouth Green, near the Plymouth Congregational Church.

Plymouth's Constitutional Oak Tree

Plymouth's Constitutional Oak Tree sign

Plymouth Green dates back to 1747 as a public area, military drilling ground and burial place.  Initially, part of the Green was grass which was allowed to grow and later cut for hay. Even though the civic center of the Town of Plymouth has migrated to the Terryville section, Plymouth Green still maintains its historic character and status as a gathering place for town events. As of 1999, Plymouth Green is one of several Plymouth locations listed on the National Register for Historic Places.  The community focus of Plymouth Green makes it a perfect place for this significant tree.      The Plymouth Constitutional Oak has thrived and in 2002 was recorded to have a trunk size of

10 feet 2 inches with an approximate height of 75 feet!  Not all of the 168 trees were as successful and in the 2002 survey taken by volunteers of the Notable Trees Committee, only 74 trees remained. Note that in 1902, Connecticut had 168 incorporated towns as West Haven did not incorporate until 1921. A large sign is next to the Plymouth tree specifying its historic designation and each year and hopefully many more, this historic tree will grace us each fall with spectacular scarlet leaves and the promise of a bright future!

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First Settlers in Plymouth

by Judith Giguere, Town Historian

Everyone knows that the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, but it was not long before adventurous souls were looking for new land.  In 1634 & 1635, settlements were established in Wethersfield, Windsor and Hartford.  In 1638, small communities appeared in New Haven, Milford and Guilford.  By 1640, Hartford expanded and established a settlement at Farmington - just 20 years after the Pilgrims!  The settlement at Farmington was the first settlement away from navigable waters. Early transportation depended on ships and boats, as no roads, only rough trails existed. In 1657, the Farmington Valley inhabitants investigated the Naugatuck Valley area for further expansion. By 1690, Mattatuck Plantation formed the basis for present

Intersection of Rt. 72 and North Main St.

day Waterbury.  
     Most sources agree that Henry Cook of Branford, grandson of Henry Cook of Salem Massachusetts was the first settler to the Plymouth area.  The exact location of his home site is lost.  The only description available of his home states that he lived on the west bank of a river in a non-disclosed area. It is believed this connection between Henry of Salem and his grandson in Plymouth, Connecticut (originally, Northbury) is what gave the Town of Plymouth its name. Henry of Plymouth was born in 1683 with a courageous spirit, moving several times and settling in Northbury. He is believed to have entered Plymouth area around 1728, bringing his wife and several children to the wilderness.  Mr. Cook’s grandson, Lemuel is noted as one of the oldest survivors of the Revolutionary War.  Lemuel was 106 years old when he died. Lemuel Cook was at the battle of Brandywine and the surrender of Cornwallis, receiving an honorable discharge signed by George Washington.
      The next settler was John Sutliff who may have arrived as early as 1730.  John’s father was one of the first settlers to the Durham area. It seems Mr. Sutliff gained his wanderlust from his father. Other subsequent settlers were Samuel Towner, Elnathan Taylor, Thomas Blakeslee, Barnabas Ford who became the largest land owner in Thomaston at one time called “Fordtown”, Gideon Allen, John Hummaston, Daniel Curtiss, Jonathan Cook, and Isaac Castle, all arriving in 1731. Isaac Castle and his brother built on the hill between Plymouth and Thomaston, which at the time was called Castles Hill.  By 1736, seventeen families were living in Northbury and by 1747; a cart bridge was to be built over the Naugatuck River at the base of Plymouth Hill.  Northbury grew rapidly to become Plymouth.

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Following the North Star

by Judith Giguere, Town Historian

Vast land (on N. Harwinton Avenue), making travel difficult.

Secretly they traveled through the wilderness in the dark of night following the North Star to freedom. The few roads that existed were not safe for runaway slaves. The way was long, treacherous and along wilderness paths, through dense, nearly pristine forests to meet the next conductor who would, when safe, forward them on to the next station or set them back on the proper path to continue their journey. Sometimes alone, sometimes as families, sometimes in groups they traveled north to Canada for safety and freedom.  Slaves were forbidden to learn to read and write, worship as they chose, travel as they pleased and forsaken the fruits of their labors.  Many chose to escape and make the long journey to Canada.

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The 1852 Steam Engine Owned by the Plymouth Historical Society

by Judith Giguere

Plymouth Historical Society is in the process of restoring an 1852 Woodruff & Beach Steam engine first purchased by the A. C. Shelton and Tuttle Carriage Company formerly of Plymouth, Connecticut.  This engine is one of only three known to still exist in the United States.       The engine, made by the Woodruff & Beach Company of Hartford, Connecticut, was the only engine to have a governor control on an automatic cutoff, quick closing valve gear.  Inlet valves open to allow steam in at the beginning of each piston stroke, but closing is determined by the engine

speed under the governor control based on the load of the engine.  This responsiveness to load resulted in major fuel economy and gave it a competitive edge over other engines in the market.  It was unique in its time.
      When the A. C. Shelton and Tuttle Carriage Company closed, the engine came into the possession of the Minor family.  Hiram Minor used the engine as a supplementary power source for his sawmill on Minor Road.  Mr. Minor used a water turbine in the summer but when water was low, he would use the Woodruff & Beach engine because it provided more power with less water than the water turbine. 
     The engine was abandoned in the woods after the mill closed.  It was covered with brush during World War II which prevented it from being used as scrap metal.  After the war, the engine was brought out of the woods and rebuilt by Mr. Minor.  When Morris Minor died, he left the engine to his son-in-law, Carl Miller who donated it to the Plymouth Historical Society.
      Plymouth Historical Society has received a donation that will allow the professional restoration of the engine by Connecticut Antique Engine Restoration of Franklin, Connecticut.  The restoration will take nearly a year, but the engine will be restored to working order and its original black color with some polished metal parts.  A “Steam-Up Demonstration Day” is planned when the engine returns to Plymouth.

Plymouth Historical Society would like to express its appreciation for the patience and confidence of the people of the Town of Plymouth as well as thank the companies and individuals whose contributions who made this project a success. 

Uncle Zac's Pond

by Judith Giguere

Very early in the history of the Plymouth/Waterbury area, Victory Tomlinson purchased over 1,000 acres of unclaimed land.  The purchase of unclaimed land required him to stake out the land, measure it and record it on the land records. The land was pristine, heavily forested with many small springs and ponds.  Today, five hundred acres of the land is Camp Mattatuck, the Boy Scout camp which retains much of the original woodland character as it had in Victory Tomlinson’s time.  

Mr. Tomlinson, known as “Uncle Vic” to locals, gave approximately 200 acres to his son, Zachariah.  Zachariah soon became known as “Uncle Zac.”  Uncle Zac cleared much of the land by selling off the wood to be burned as charcoal for Waterbury industries. Later, he built a dam and flooded about forty-five acres which became known as “Uncle Zac’s Pond.”  Uncle Zac stocked the pond with fish and his pond became well known in the central Connecticut area for excellent fishing.  This was in the early 1800’s.  Later the pond changed hands to Uncle Zac’s son-in-law, Silas Hoadley who wanted to use the water for irrigating crops.  The land was far too wet for crops, cattle or horses except for a very small portion known for growing onions. 

In the 1890’s, the land was sold to Plume and Atwood Manufacturing of Thomaston.  The forests were again used for firewood for manufacturing purposes and the pond became a recreation area for the employees of Plume and Atwood.  Uncle Zac’s pond became Ploucquet’s Pond, although records are unclear as to whom Ploucquet might have been. The land was again sold around 1900 to Stephen Bradley who sold it to the Scopino family.  Mr. Scopino successfully operated a farm for many years until 1935 when he sold it to Nicholas Visconti.  The land around the lake was then divided into building lots.  Roads were developed for the new lake community and in 1947 the Lake Plymouth Community Club was organized by residents for the purpose of providing a united effort for the welfare of the area and its citizens and it is now known as Lake Plymouth. 

The Manufacture of Silk in Terryville

by Judith Giguere

Silk is a natural protein fiber with a shimmering appearance. This appearance is created by the silk fiber’s triangular structure which allows light to refract at many different angles. It is this fascinating fiber that made silk a viable industry in the fledgling United States. Silk had a respectable potential for the Connecticut valley as a supplemental cottage industry. The Connecticut Valley was populated with family farms which made the culture of silk worms very attractive, the financial risk was minimal and it was an opportunity for small producers to earn extra cash.

Late in the 1700’s, several Connecticut residents experimented with silk processes and production. Dr. Ezra Stiles, president of Yale University from 1778 to 1794, hoped the exchange of raw silk would improve the trade deficit with England in favor of the new United States.

James Terry, son of Eli Terry, Jr., experimented with the manufacture of silk thread at his Orchard Street home in the 1840’s. Mr. Terry built his own machines to twist the tiny fibers into sewing thread. At this time, even Europe was still making silk thread by hand processes. Mr. Terry continued the culture of silkworms, raising mulberry trees, caring and feeding his own silkworms. He manufactured silk thread for several years and finally gave it up in favor of a more profitable investment in the manufacture of locks.

It is this ingenuity that earned the Terry family the honor of having the Terryville section of Plymouth named after Eli Terry, Jr., the father of James Terry. This creativity provided the growth of numerous industries in Terryville and the receptive climate for hard workers and the growth of manufacturing in the town itself.

Marsh Monster

by Judith Giguere

October 2007 - Stories are passed down of mysterious disappearances in the deep woods and ledges of the Old Marsh in East Plymouth. You’ve heard of Loc Ness, Bigfoot and Champ-the Lake Champlain monster, but what about our own, “Marsh Monster.” The first reference is in the times before the Revolutionary War, when the people first began to settle the area. Native Americans warned of strange happenings on cold dark winter nights and the newcomers laughed—at first. Terrifying sounds in the night and the little flock said the evil one was among them. They shivered close together as if by numbers alone they could protect

themselves. The village folk whispered among themselves of evil doings. The “Marsh Monster”, they called it in the softest of tones, fearful of evoking its presence.

Sometimes it was a cow, or small animal that disappeared. Legend has it that Sara Tuttle was one of the lost. Neighbors told of strange glowing red eyes that night and a howling, vile wind. Settlements were far and few. Strange creatures roamed the wooded lands. The dense forests held animals yet unknown and unnamed, witches inspired fear and damnation to tiny settlements of the new land.

Neighbors searched and searched, but Sara was never found. The small dam to the east of the marsh was torn down, possibly she had gotten lost and fallen in—at least her family would have closure if something could be found. Nothing ever was. In the spring, a small stone was placed in the East Church cemetery with just her initials. Friends walked away and carefully avoided the site, in case treading in its vicinity might invite whatever took Sara to call them to share her fate. Was it an accident? The Native Americans blamed the spirits that roamed at night stealing from anyone or anything that interfered with its travels.

And so the old story goes, the dam was torn down in search of little Sara’s remains but she was never found. Eventually, the little community moved on, only a few older souls remained. The

stories were only told by elderly grandmas and grandpas to little children to make them eat their vegetables. No one knows the real story of exactly what was the Marsh Monster and the voices have died away. It is quiet now. Maybe even the Marsh Monster has moved on to Greener pastures, but decades have passed and the legend persists. Do you believe it? Maybe not, but just in case, don’t go walking when the moon turns orange and the first winter chills come calling or just maybe you might be the one to discover the truth about the Marsh Monster!