near to a straight line, that it may be traced from the bridge not far from one sixth of a mile. In 1790, Chesterfield contained 1,133 inhabitants; in 1800, 1,323; in 1810, 1,408. These are distributed into two congregations; a Presbyterian, and a Baptist. West-Hampton is bounded partly on Chesterfield, and partly on Norwich. It is chiefly situated in the valley of the Connecticut; but its Western limit lies on these mountains. Of course, its seasons are sensibly milder than those of the more elevated townships. The soil is warm, and moderately rich. Peaches, and all the other fruits of the climate, and most of the productions of the field, grow well. The inhabitants are in very comfortable circumstances. West-Hampton was originally a part of Northampton. It was incorporated in Sept. 1779, and includes one Presbyterian congregation. In 1790 it contained 683 inhabitants; in 1800, 756; in 1810, 793. I am, Sir, yours, &c. SECOND JOURNEY ΤΟ LAKE GEORGE. LETTER I. North-Milford-Derby-Manufactory at Humphreyville-Hooestennuc RiverOxford-Southbury-New-Milford-Lakes anciently existing in the courses of Rivers. Dear Sir, TUESDAY September 17th 1811, I set out on a second journey to Lake George, accompanied by Mr. M of Virginia: the gentleman, who in the year 1805 was my companion, in a journey to Boston. My primary object in choosing this route was to explore those parts of the Hooestennuc, which I had not hitherto examined; together with the whole length of the Hudson, which lies between Glen's Falls and the ocean. We took the turnpike road from New-Haven to New-Milford, which, from Derby, lies wholly on the East, or left, bank of the Hooestennuc. After passing the Western boundary of the township of NewHaven, we entered the parish of North-Milford. The surface of this parish is formed of easy undulations. The soil is rich; and the inhabitants are industrious, sober, frugal, and virtuous. The State of Connecticut is distinguished, perhaps, from all other countries by a commanding regard to personal character. "Here, in truth, Not in pretence, man is esteem'd as man. Or office high; but of what genuine worth, What talents bright and useful, what good deeds, What piety to God, what love to man, The question is. To this an answer fair The general heart secures." VOL. III. 50 The people of North-Milford, plain as they are, have built one of the handsomest churches in the County of New-Haven; and have thus shown, that they have a just taste for the beautiful, as well as a proper attachment to the useful. The parish consists chiefly of plantations. The road from New-Haven to Derby is excellent; and, having been recently laid out through unoccupied grounds, is in a great measure solitary. Planters, however, are already multiplying upon it; and within a short time it will be lined with houses. On the hill, South-East of Derby landing there is a rich and beautiful prospect. The Hooestennuc, here a noble, navigable river, is in full view, above and below, for several miles; together with the tracts which form its shores. There is a beautiful island in its bosom. A considerable number of vessels were lying at the wharves on both shores. Several intervals border it elegantly on the West, or Huntington, side. The houses, and stores at Derby landing, and those at the Huntington landing, are sprightly, cheerful objects: and, immediately above Derby, the Naugatuc, the largest tributary stream of the Hooestennuc, winding through chains of rich, verdant intervals, presents in its confluence with that river one of the finest ornaments of landscape. To complete the picture, several ranges of rude hills form a fine contrast to the soft scenery, which I have mentioned; and terminate the prospect on every side. The Naugatuc rises in the Green Mountains, in the township of Norfolk, near the North line of the State. Thence in a course generally South, it passes through Winchester, Torrington, Harwinton, Plymouth, Waterbury, and Oxford, to Derby. Its size is that of the Lower Amonoosuc; its length about fifty miles; its current rapid, and, when swollen by freshets, as it often is very suddenly, violent and destructive. It furnishes a great number of excellent mill seats; and is in many places lined with beautiful intervals. Notwithstanding the roughness of the country, through which it passes, its bed is worn so deep, and to so uniform a surface that from Waterbury Northward one of the smoothest, and most level, turnpike roads in the State has been formed on its banks. Derby was incorporated in the year 1675. At that time, however, there were but twelve families in the township. A part of it was purchased in 1663; and a few planters fixed themselves here in 1664. The remainder was purchased in 1667, and 1669. Its Indian name was Paugasset. Derby contains two parishes; the Town and Great-Hill; three congregations, and four churches. Two of the congregations are Presbyterian: the other consists of Episcopalians, who have a church in the town, and another at Humphreysville. Neither of the congregations is large. The hills are in sev The soil is in some places fer The surface of this township is uneven. eral instances steep, and rough. tile, and in others sandy, and light. is pleasant. The valley of the Naugatuc The town consists of about seventy or eighty decent houses, chiefly built on a single street along the Eastern bank of the Naugatuc, extending perhaps a mile and a half in length. The Episcopal church is a neat, modern building; the Presbyterian is old and decayed. Several of the inhabitants are engaged in commerce. The Hooestennuc is navigable for vessels of a moderate size to this place. Some ship-building is carried on here, and upon the opposite shore. In the year 1806, a company was incorporated, here, by the name of the Derby Fishing Company, with a capital of $100,000; and in the year 1809 a bank was established, with a capital of the same amount.* There is an academy in this town: but for several years it has, I believe, been little more than a parochial school. Within the limits of Derby, four miles and a half from the mouth of the Naugatuc, is a settlement named by the Legislature Humphreysville, from the Hon. David Humphreys, formerly Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Madrid. At this place a ridge of rocks, twenty feet in height crosses the river, and forms a perfect dam about two thirds of the distance. The remaining third is closed by an artificial dam. The stream is so large, as to furnish Both have since ceased to exist.-Pub. an abundance of water at all times for any works, which will probably ever be erected on the spot. Those already existing are a grist-mill, a saw-mill, a paper-mill, a woollen manufactory, and a cotton manufactory, with all their proper appendages, and a considerable number of other buildings, destined to be the residence of the manufacturers, and for various other purposes. A strong current of water in a channel, cut through the rock on the Eastern side, sets in motion all the machinery, employed in these buildings. By this current are moved the grist-mill; two newly invented shearing machines; a breaker and finisher for carding sheep's wool; a machine for making ravellings; two jennics for spinning sheep's wool, under the roof of the grist-mill; the works in the paper-mill; a picker; two more carding-machines for sheep's wool; and a billy with forty spindles in a third building; a fulling-mill; a saw-mill, employed to cut the square timber, boards, laths, &c. for the different edifices, and to shape many of the wooden materials for the machinery; two more fulling-mills on improved principles, immediately connected with the clothier's shop; and the various machinery in a cotton manufactory, a building about one hundred feet long, thirty-six wide, and of four stories, capable of containing two thousand spindles with all their necessary apparatus. The houses can accommodate with a comfortable residence about one hundred and fifty persons. Ten others in the neighbourhood will furnish comfortable residences for upwards of one hundred and fifty more. Gardens on a beautiful plat in the rear of the manufactories, furnish all the vegetables, necessary for the establishment. The institution contains four broad and eight narrow looms, and eighteen stocking-frames. The principal part of the labour in attending the machinery, in the cotton and woollen manufactories, is done by women and children; the former hired at from fifty cents to one dollar per week; the latter, apprentices, who are regularly instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The wages of the men are from five to twenty-one dollars, per month. |