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Grant of Connecticut.

The first grant of Connecticut was made by the Plymouth council, to the Earl of Warwick, in 1630, and confirmed by his majesty in council the same year. This grant comprehended "all that part of New England which lies west from Narraganset river, 120 miles on the sea coast.” The year following, the Earl assigned this grant to Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook, and nine others, who held it in trust for the puritan emigrants from England.

In the year 1631, Wahquimacut, a sachem of one of the tribes upon the Connecticut river, visited the governors of Massachusetts and Plymouth, and earnestly besought them to make a settlement upon that river. Wahquimacut was induced to make this request from a hope that the English might protect him and his nation against the Pequots, who, from their number, and power, threatened to exterminate the river tribes. To persuade the English to comply with his request, he represented to them the fertility of the country, and its advantages for trade, and promised to give them eighty beaver skins, and an annual supply of corn. Mr. Winthrop, the governor of Massachusetts, was not inclined to accept the offer. Mr.Winslow, the governor of Plymouth, thought it worthy of consideration, and, that he might judge of the truth of the sachem's representations, visited the river in the latter part of this year.

In 1632, a more particular examination of the river and adjoining territories was made by the people of New Plymouth, with a design to fix up

Its Settlement.

125 Having

on a proper site for a trading house. found a suitable situation, they endeavoured to engage governor Winthrop and his council to unite with them in this new settlement; but not having succeeded in this attempt they resolved by them. selves to undertake it. Accordingly, in October, 1633, William Holmes of Plymouth, with a small company of men, sailed up the Connecticut, and erected a trading house a short distance below the mouth of the little river in Windsor. This was the first house that was erected in Connecticut. The English, thus established, treated the Indians with justice and kindness; and the Indians in return testified to them, in every possible manner, affection and good will.. The fierce and high spirited Pequots were the only people who refused this interchange of good offices, and who thus early manifested a deep animosity toward the English.

The same year, a little before the arrival of the English, a company of Dutch traders came to Hartford, and built a house which they called the Hirse of Good Hope, and erected a small fort, in which they planted two cannon. The remains of this settlement are still visible on the bank of Connecticut river. They erected another fort among the Indians at Totoket, now Branford. These were the only settlements of the Dutch, in Connecticut in these ancient times. The Dutch, and after them the province of New York, for a long time, claimed as far east as the western bank of Connecticut river. The justice of this

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Settlement of Connecticut.

claim has ever been disputed by the English. Douglass says, "The partition line between New York and Connecticut, as established December 1, 1664,, run from the mouth of Memcroncok river, (a little west from Byram river,) N N W, and was the ancient easterly limits of New York, until November 23, 1683, when the line was run nearly the same as it is now settled."

In 1634, Lord Say, and Seal, &c. sent over a small number of men, who built a fort at Saybrook, and held a treaty with the Pequot Indians, who in a formal manner, gave to the English their right to Connecticut river and the adjacent country.

The same year the inhabitants of Dorchester, Watertown, and Newtown, applied to the general court of Massachusetts for permission to remove to Connecticut. After warm and long debates, this permission was refused. Nevertheless, the body of the people of Dorchester, and of the towns of Newtown, Cambridge, and Watertown, concluded to

remove.

In the summer of 1635, many of them performed the dangerous and laborious journey across the wilderness to Connecticut river. At the time of their removal, the Dutch had extended their claim to the river, and made a settlement a few miles below Windsor. The fortitude of those pious adventurers was truly wonderful. About one hundred men, women, and children took their departure from the three towns beforementioned, to

travel through an unexplored wilderness. They were fourteen days, performing the tedious journey. The wilderness, through which they passed, for the first time, resounded with the praises of God. They prayed, and sang psalms and hymns as they marched along; the Indians following and looking on them in silent admiration.

They arrived at this river, the object of their ar. dent expectation, near the mouth of Scantic river in East Windsor. The Dorchester people, with Mr. Wareham for their minister, began the settlement of Windsor on the west side of the river ; they suffered great hardships the first winter, and their cattle perished for want of food; for to carry much provision or furniture through a pathless wilderness was impracticable. Their principal provisions and household furniture had been put on board several small vessels, which, by reason of delays, and the tempestuousness of the season, were either cast away, or did not arrive. Several vessels were wrecked on the shore of New England, by the violence of the storms. Every resource appeared to fail, and the people were under the dreadful apprehensions, of perishing by famine. They supported themselves in this distressing period with that heroic firmness and magnanimity, for which the first settlers of New England had been so eminently distinguished.*

The Indians on, and near the river were numerous. Three sachemdoms were in the vicinity. The seat of one was near the mouth of Podunk

* TRUMBULL,

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Constitution formed:

river, lying in the southwest corner of East Windsor. A second at Middletown, twenty miles below; and the third at Farmington, about twelve miles west of Windsor.

Some of the first settlers of Windsor were gen. tlemen of opulence and education, as were also those of Hartford and Weathersfield. The right of settling here they purchased of the old Plymouth company in England, and they paid the Indians for the soil. They had sent some men, the year preceding their removal, to make the purchase of the natives, whom they looked upon as the only rightful proprietors.

In October following, a number of people from Watertown, settled Weathersfield. The 31st of: the next March, Mr. Hooker, with most of his congregation, removed from Newtown and settled Hartford. Mrs. Hooker was carried in a horse-litter, they drove one hundred and sixty cattle and fed on their milk by the way. The inhabitants of these towns met and formed a constitution of gov ernment, and entered into a solemn agreement, dated January 14, 1638. Under this original: constitution, formed by the people themselves, an independent government was established and administered till 1662. During this time many more towns were settled and christian churches organized. Application was then made to the king of England for a charter, that they might enjoy the protection and liberties of free born Englishmen. The petition was heard, and the char