CHAPTER XXIV.
STATISTICS.
the population of Connecticut in 1701 was 30,000; 1749, 100,000; 1756, white, 128,212; black, 3587; 1774, white, 191,392; black, 6,464; 1775, 133,000; 1790, free whites, 232,374; other free persons, 2,808; slaves, 2,764; total, 237,946; 1800, slaves, 951; total, 251,002; 1810, slaves, 310; total, 261,942; 1820, 275,248.
The following table shows the progress of Walling-ford in population and property during 26 years of its early history:
423
In 1723 the number of inhabitants was 1100. In 1700 there had been three hundred and sixty-nine births in the town, and from that time to 1723, when a new parish was made, eight hundred and ninety-four; in all 1263 in fifty-two years. The deaths were about four hundred from the beginning of the town to the foundation of the first parish out of it.
"The following is an account of the Number of the Inhabitants of the Town of Wallingford on the first Day of January, 1774. The orders for Numbering the People came from the King and Council.
"The Sum of the Old Society, 2130,
The Sum of the New Cheshire Parish, 1933,
The Sum of the Meriden Parish, 852,
Total 4915.
The Sum Total of all the whites, 4777,
The Sum Total of all the blacks, 138,
Total 4915."
Population of Wallingford in 1790, 3375; 1800, 3214; 1810, 2325; 1820, 2237; 1830, 2418; 1840, 2204; 1850; 2595.
Population of Meriden in 1810, 1249: 1820, 1309; 1830, 1708; 1840, 1880; 1850, 3559. The census of 1860 gives to Meriden a white male population of 3904; white female, 3481; total white, 7385; colored male, 30; colored female 11; total colored, 41; aggregate, 7426.
In the first forty-five years from the formation of the parish of Meriden, there were 1100 births, 846 baptisms, 288 admissions to communion, and 368 deaths.
The following persons were in Meriden in 1770: John Ives, Jedediah Norton, Samuel Penfield, Thomas Mix, Jr., Jonathan Yale, Samuel Scovill, Edward Collins, Amos
424
Camp, Jr., Aaron Dunbar, Noah Yale, Jr., Elisha Scovill, Stephen Perkins, Brenton Hall, Daniel Collins, Nathan Scovill, Jacob Webster, Daniel Scovill (1779), Amos Camp, Moses Yale, Isaac Hall, John Berry, Levi Yale, Noah Yale, John Hall, Abel Yale, Divan Berry, Yale Bishop, John Morgan, Reynold Beckwith, Jr., Gideon Ives, Nathaniel Penfield, Amasa Ives, Jr., Aaron Hors-ford, Joseph Higby, James Scoffield, Jonathan Collins, Peter Penfield, John Yale, Jr., Reynold Beckwith, Rufus Hall (1775), Moses Mitchel, Miles Hall, Jr., Daniel Yale (1775), ---- Mitchel, Elijah Scovill.
In 1815 Jesse Ives bought of Benjamin Merriman six acres of land running north and west from the corner of Colony and Main streets, where the Meriden House now stands, for six hundred dollars; and it was considered as money thrown away. About the same time twelve acres running south from where the second Baptist church now stands, were mortgaged for eight hundred dollars, the interest being forty-eight dollars a year; this the owner was unable to pay, and he offered to give the land for the note, but the person from whom the money was borrowed refused to take the land, not considering it worth the money.
Deputies to the General Court at Hartford, from Wallingford:
425
426
In 1788 Messrs. Street Hall and Samuel Whiting of Wallingford were appointed delegates to the convention at Hartford which ratified the constitution of the United States. In 1818 the convention which formed the State Constitution, was holden at Hartford, and the following were appointed delegates: from Meriden, Patrick Clark; from Wallingford, John Andrews and William Marks. The assistants or magistrates who constituted the Upper House of the Assembly, and in early times were the Supreme Court of the State, were the leading men of their times. The following were appointed from Wallingford:
John Hall, nominated 1719; elected 1722; retired 1730.
Benjamin Hall, " 1749; " 1751; " 1766.
In 1864 the following persons in Meriden were over seventy years of age: Benj. Atkins, Asahel Baldwin, Elias Baldwin, Ransom Baldwin, Warren Beach, Ger-shom Bennett, Gershom Birdsey, Walter Booth, Fenner Bush, Elah Camp, Abel D. Clark, Asahel Curtis, John W, Hall, Samuel I. Hart, Phineas T. Ives (83), Simeon
427
Hovey, Lauren Merriam, Samuel Paddock, Noah Pomeroy, Fulius Pratt, Chester Rice, Henry Stiles (80), Benj. Upson, Jacob F. Whitmore, Jeremiah Wilcox, Julius Yale, Levi Yale, Noah Hall.1
Meriden was incorporated as a city by the Legislature in July, 1867. The first city meeting was held at the Town House, August 12, 1867, and Henry C. Butler chosen moderator. The following officers were chosen by ballot:
Jpeg
Andrew J. Coe was first judge of the city court In 1868 Ratcliffe Hicks was chosen City Attorney. In 1868 Charles Parker was re-elected Mayor. In 1869 Russell S. Glaclwin was elected Mayor. In 1870 Isaac C. Lewis was elected Mayor.
In 1840 the votes in Meriden for presidential electors
428
were as follows: Democratic 216, Whig 177, Abolition 14. In 1844 Democratic 248, Whig 206, Abolition 38, Scattering I. In 1856 Fillmore 19, Buchanan 424, Fremont 604. In 1860, Lincoln and Hamlin 687, Douglass and Johnson 293, Bell and Everett 10.
HIGHWAYS IN MERIDEN.
1806, Dec. 1, road from Asahel Rice's across to or near Patrick dark's. 1813, Nov. 9, road from Simeon Perkins's shop to turnpike. 1817, road from foot of high hill. 1820, road from the house of the late Samuel Leavit, to house of Liberty Perkins. 1820, road from bottom of hill near Enos Hall's, across to Nehemiah Rice's. 1820, road from John Yeoman's to or near Samuel Way's. 1825, road near Amos Austen's. 1828, the "Cornwell road" laid out. 1829, road laid to connect with the road west of Matthew Foster's, with the Cat-hole road. 1832, road from Calvin Coe's to Deni-soh Parker's. 1836, road from Noah Pomeroy's to New road. 1839, road near Charles Paddock's. 1839, road near Noah Pomeroy's, Watson Ives's and John L. Blake's. 1845, road from Julius Pratt's comb factory, to Railroad depot. 1845, road from Stephen Atkins's to Samuel Yale's land northerly. 1845, road from Harry Griswold's to or near Hough's mills. 1846, road from Ivah Curtis's to Yalesville. 1846, road from Ivah Curtis's southwest through Othniel Ives's lands. 1846, road from Samuel Baldwin's to Noah Pomeroy's. 1847, road from Episcopal Church to Caleb Austen's. 1848, road from Episcopal Church to Lucas C. Hotchkiss's. 1850, road from Catholic Church to Samuel Gear's. 1850, road from burying-ground to Andrew Mills's. 1851, road from Noah A. Linsley's to Moses Burr's. 1852, Hobert street laid out.
429
JUDGES OF THE PROBATE COURT OF WALLINGFORD.
Wallingford was made a Probate District in 1776, including Meriden, Cheshire and Columbia, now Prospect. The following have been Judges of the District:
Caleb Hall, 1776, 8 years, E. H. Ives, 1844, 2 years, Oliver Stanley, 1784, 25 " J. R. Merriam, 1846, 1 year, G. W. Stanley, 1809, 9 " E. H. Ives, 1847, 3 years, J. P. Kirtland, 1818, 1 year, Augustus Hall, 185o, 1 year, R. Hitchcock, 1819, 10 years, E. H. Ives, 1851, 2 years, J. D.Reynolds, 1829, 9 " Ebe. S. Ives, 1852,16 " E. M. Pomeroy, 1838, 4 " Ira Tuttle, 1868, 1 year, Augustus Hall, 1842, 2 " Franklin Platt, 1869, is the present Judge.
Judges in Cheshire Probate district have been:
Silas Hitchcock, Asa J. Driggs, Edward A. Cornwall, Wm. L. Foot, Wm. T. Peters, Wm. T. Peters, just Elihu Yale, Wm. L. Hinman, elected.
GRAND LIST OF WALLINGFORD FOR 1701.
£ £ £
John Ives, 74, Mathew Bellamy, 22, Simon Tuttle, 79, Wicl. Merriman, 14, Henry Cook, 118, John Peck, 69, Tho. Matthews, 28, Tho. Hall, Jun., 23, Sara'1 Munson, 69, Joseph Ives, 40, Jonathan Hall, 22, Eben. Clark, 90, Samuel How, 27, E. Royce & serv't,121, J.Hitchcock, 98, Zachariah How,33, Mill, 10, Lieut. Hall, 99, Mathew How, 32, Francis Kendrick, 32, Dr. John Hull, 115, John Brocket, 87, R. Royce, Jun., 43, Deacon Hall, 74, Z. How, senr., 53, Serg. Thorp & ap 102, Thomas Hall, 112, Gideon Ives, 36, David Hall, 66, Theo. Doolittle, 45, Walter Johnson, 46, John Austen, 33, Samuel Street, 59, Nicholas Street, 43, Nathaniel Ives, 26, John Beach, 50, Nath'l Hall, 29, Capt. Tho. Yale, 1:68, Dan'1 Doolittle, 34, Samuel Royce, 48, Ebenezer Lewis, 52, J. Merriman, 137, Joshua Culver, 120, Nath'l How, 66, Wm. Hendrick, 49,
430
£ £ £
Eleazer Peck, 101, Sam'1 Cook, Jun., 64, J. Munson, 50, Ens. Andrews, 64, Sam'1 Cook, sen., III, Wid. Merriman, 11, David Hall, 41, Nath'l Andrews, 25, Tho. Beach, 79, John Moss, 153, Josiah Doolittle, 40, Benj. Beach, 32, Nath'l Curtiss, 24, Tho. Richardson, 27, Sam'1 Brockett, 82, John Cook, 39, James Ailing, 28, Benj. Royce, 29, Dea. Preston, 96, J. Royce & I ap. 78, Wm. Kendrick, 22, Wm. Andrews, 48, Wm. Abernatha, 28, C. Merriman, 75, Edward Fenn, 60, Joseph Parker, 24, A. Doolittle, 109, John Tyler, 51, Benjamin Hall, 50, John Atwater, 113, John Hull, 79, Richard Wood, 41, Daniel Mix, 116, John Parker, 27, Ebenezer Hull, 25, N. Royce, 100, Isaac Curtiss, 93, Thomas Curtiss, 80, Elijah How, 20, Sam'1 Royce, 102, John Doolittle, 45, Nath'l Tuttle, 28, J. Westwood, 28, Samuel Lathrop, 36, Wm. Abernatha, 64, Joseph Cook, 30, Hugh Chappel, 18, E. Doolittle, 39, Daniel How, 40, John Lathrop, 18, John Parker, 74, Jacob Johnson, 46, Minor Phillips, 18, Roger Tyler, 36, John Peck, 40, Joseph Thompson, 73, Sam'l Curtiss, 21, Robert Roys, 60, James Benham, 26, J. How, senr., 47, Wm. Tyler, 57, J. How, jun., 34, Wid. Holt, 33. Total, £6261.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM MERIDEN.
1820, Levi Yale; 1824, Amos Curtin; 1825, Wm. Yale; 1829, Walter Booth; 1830, Titus Ives; 1831, Ashabel Griswold; 1832, Noah Pomeroy; 1833, Enos H. Curtis; 1834, Eli C. Birdsey; 1836, Asahel Curtis; 1837, Horace B. Red-field; 1838, Walter Booth; 1839, James S. Brooks; 1840, Eli C. Birdsey; 1842, Ira Couch; 1843, Henry Stedman; 1844, James S. Brooks; 1846, Elias Howell; 1847, Ashabel Gris-wold; 1848, Isaac C. Lewis; 1849, James A. Tracy; 1850, Wm. S. Ives; 1851, Hiram Hall; 1855, James S. Brooks; 1856, Levi Yale; 1857, James S. Brooks; 1858, Asahel H. Curtiss; 1859, Wm. W. Lyman; 1860, Andrew J. Coe; 1861,
431
Owen B. Arnold; 1862, Isaac C. Lewis; 1864, Orville H. Platt; 1865, Oliver S. Williams; 1866, Isaac C. Lewis; 1867, Andrew J. Coe; 1869, Orville H. Platt; 1870, John Parker.
TOWN CLERKS OF MERIDEN.
June, 1806, Amos White; Nov., 1806, Isaac Lewis; 1823, Patrick Lewis; 1826, Amos Curtis; 1830, Patrick Lewis; Feb., 1834, Albert R. Potter; Oct., 1834, Eli C. Birdsey; 1843, James S. Brooks; 1844, Joel Miller; 1845, Lyman Butler; 1849, Hiram Hall; 1854, Linus Birdsey; 1854, John Ives; 1857, Russell J. Ives, assistant; 1860, Chas. L. Upham, assistant; 1865, Levi E. Coe; 1866, John N. Bario.
From Report of the Committee of the Pay Table Office, May 15, 1783:
"Amount of balances due from the several Towns in this State on account of State Taxes for which Execution has been granted by the Treasurer. Wallingford: