Ohio History Journal

OHIO'S DEEP ROOTS IN CONNECTICUT

By JOSEPHINE E. PHILLIPS

To Elijah Backus Esq one of his Majestys Justices of the Peace for

the County of New London Comes Zebedee Wood one of the Granjurors

of our Soverign Lord the King for the County of New London and Com-

plains & Gives Your Worshop to Understand that Gideon Baker of Nor-

wich in Said County was on or about the Midle of August Last Guilty of

Transgression of Law in Sd Norwich for that he the Sd Baker Did Breek

the Peace by in an Angry Manner meke an assalt on the body of Samuel

Loomer Junr of Sd Norwich by Threting Sd Loomer by Saying that if he

Said another word he would Nock his head of and Did hold up his hand

or fist against Sd Loomers face Sundrie times and Did further Threten to

Strike Sd Loomer and Very much Terifie and Affright Sd Loomer he the

Sd Loomer then being In the Peace of God and the King all which doings

of the S^d Gideon Baker are against the Peace of God and the King and

Contrary to the Law of this Colony in Such Case made and Provided

Dated at Norwich the 3 day of September A D 1773

ZEBEDEE WOOD, grandjuror

For witnesses take

EBENEZER LOOMER

SAMUEL LOOMER JUNr

Evidences

This complaint against Gideon Baker, endorsed with a war-

rant for his arrest, the constable's statement that the arrest had

been made--six months later--and the court's decision that he

was not guilty but must pay costs, is among the documents in the

new material recently added to the Woodbridge-Gallaher Col-

lection.

Elijah Backus, like the long line of his descendants in Con-

necticut and throughout the states of the Old Northwest Territory,

was a public-spirited man and served his community in a variety

of ways.

The numerous papers pertaining to his duties as justice of

the peace for His Majesty King George III, and later for the

state of Connecticut, afford an interesting picture of the times.

Not only were there persons who would threaten to "Nock of a

Head" of an adversary, but there were those who would break

the Sabbath:

(74)

OHIO'S ROOTS IN CONNECTICUT: PHILLIPS 75

One Abigail Martin (wife to John Martin of New London North Par-

ish--)Did Travel from Sd North Parish on her way to Windham till

stop'd in Norwich West Farms by the Subscriber, it being the Sabbath or

Lord's Day Which is against the Peace of the State of Connecticut and in

Violation of the Law of Sd State.

There was vandalism, too. Under date of March 10, 1771,

a certain John Waterman informs and complains

as well in Behalf of our Soverign Lord the King as Himself & others (con-

serned in a Schoole Kept in a School house in S^d Norwich . . . of which

School the above Conplanant is Master) that on the night fowling the 9th

Day of March A D 1771 thare was Considerabell Damage Don in Said

School house by Som Disorderly Person or persons in burning or Carying

away Sundry Ink stands writing & reading Books to the value of thirty

Shillings Lawful money.

A more careful inventory was taken and it was found that the

suspected persons "Did in Sd School hous On Sd night throw into

the fire & Consume 6 InkStands 13/6 & 5 Rulers & plumits & I

pale 2/6 & I book 2/8."

The Revolutionary War brought problems of its own: "One

Edmund Darrow . . . Did on May the 17th 1777 Sell Two Quarts

of New england Rum for the Some of Six Shillings L M which

money was paid in hand which Dowings of the Sd Darrow are

against the Peace and Law of this State."

On December 21, 1775, a certain George Champlin, "One

of the committee of Inspection," for South Kingston, made affi-

davit that "Sundry Goods Amounting to ?75/9/3 Stirlg Sold by

Mr. Christ. Champlin of South Kingston to Dudley Woodbridge

of Norwich were not Imported Contrary to the Association of the

General Congress."

Dudley Woodbridge himself, son-in-law of Elijah Backus

and later connected with numerous commercial enterprises in the

settlement of Marietta, Ohio, was clerk for the Committee of In-

spection for the town of Norwich. In his handwriting is a report

of that Committee:

Pursuant to a Recommendation of the Continental Congress [Dated

"30th May 1776 to the Comtt of Inspection in the United Colonies to regu-

late the price of Salt so as to prevent unreasonable enactions on the part

of the Seller &c."] we . . . do affix the price of that now on hand as fol-

loweth Salt of the best Quality by Retail at 5/pr Bushel, Libson Salt at

4/ pr Do and that all other Salts be in proportion to their Quality.

76 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

Besides his activities as an official, Elijah Backus owned and

operated the large smithy known as Backus' Iron Works at

Yantic. Here were forged anchors for some of Connecticut's

armed vessels during the Revolution. It is claimed that two of

these weighed 1200 pounds each. Several cannon were cast here

also, but the chief manufactures were plow irons, hoes, axes,

scythes, spindles for buoys along the coast-channels, and cranks

for sawmills and gristmills. Iron work for the first mills in Ohio

was ordered in 1789 from the Backus Works and in 1795 Rufus

Putnam was sending for more: "You will recollect that I don't

wish the Radius or Sweep of the Crank to exceed 14 or 14 1/2

inches & the saws to be of a good length."

A number of workmen were needed to carry on so flourish-

ing a business, and the "farther" or "garden" who could secure for

the youth in his charge an apprenticeship under Elijah Backus,

probably considered himself fortunate indeed. Five indentures

for apprentices are among the new papers. The earliest is dated

in 1755 and the latest is forty years later. The legal phraseology

varies little in these indentures. Sometimes provision is made

that upon his discharge the apprentice shall receive a sum of

money as well as clothing, but the usual agreement is that Backus

shall dismiss him with "two sutes of apparil, one Sutabell for

Working Days & the other for Sabath or Lord's Day," upon satis-

factory completion of his duties. One father, upon the day of in-

denture, has to promise to "Deliver to Sd Backus the fowling

articles within Six months from this Date for the Use of S^d

aprentis (viz) two Good Every Day Shirts and one white holand

Shirt & one pair of Shoes and a Coat Jacket & britches sutabell

for Sd aprentice for Sundays."

The apprentice promises to serve until he arrives at the full

age of twenty-one years. There is a pleasing rhythm to the

words:

During which time he the Sd apprentice his Master shall faithfully

Serve his Secrets keep his Lawful Commands Cherfully Obey he Shall

Do no Damage to his Sd Master nor See it don by others without telling or

giving Notice thereof to his Sd Master he Shall not waste his S^d Master's

Goods nor lend them unlawfully to others he Shall not Commit fornica-

tion nor Contract Matrimony within S^d term at Cards Dice or any un-

OHIO'S ROOTS IN CONNECTICUT: PHILLIPS 77

lawful Game he Shall not Play whereby his Sd Master may be Damaged

with his own Goods or Goods of others During Sd term without Licence

of his Sd Master he shall neither by nor sell he shall not absent himself

Day nor Night from his Master's service without his leave nor haunt ale-

houses Taverns nor Playhouses but in all things behave himself as a faith-

ful apprentice ought to Do During S^d term.

In return for all this, "the Sd Master Shall use the utmost

of his endevors to teach or Cause to be taught and instructed the

Sd Apprentice in the traid and Mystery he now Professeth Oc-

cupieth or Followeth." In one case the Master is also to en-

deavor that the apprentice "be taught reading writing & Vulgar

Arithmetick so far as to enable him to keep an inteligable book

of Accounts after the manner of farmers." In another case the

apprentice will learn "Makeing Sythes & Axes & Other Edge

tools as well as common Country work."

Samuel Backus, founder of these Iron Works had died in

1740, leaving a widow and eleven children, all but three of them

minors, the youngest an infant of one month. Papers incident to

the settling of his estate show that he had been prosperous, thrifty

and well-schooled. The "Minnet of Real Estate" evaluates his

"House & 160 acres Land adjoyning" at twenty-two hundred

pounds. "Ye Mills & Land adjoyning about 14 acres" is placed at

750 pounds. Other acreage, especially along "Crambery Pond

Brook" and Bradford Brook, brings the total to �5,341. This

divided equally among the twelve heirs made each share �445.

Elijah was the fifth of the eleven children and at the time of

his father's death was in his fifteenth year. By the time division

was made of the "Movabell Estate," however, he was old enough

to take over the Iron Works. While his sister, Elizabeth, received

such items as "A Bed & Bolster ... a fine shirt .. . I new Cover-

lid. . . a bought Tablecloth and one Ditto homspun," Elijah is

credited with "a Large Anvil. . . pr. Large Bellows. . . hamer

for horsnails ... 2 tools to turn augers ... 2 Smith hand hammers

... I Iron sledge," and a great many other articles interesting to

the student of well-equipped blacksmith shops of the 1740'S

There seems to have been a division of the books which their

father had owned. Elizabeth received John Flavel's "Life,"

"Pilgrim's Progress" and "End of Pirates;" Isaac, "Russell's 7

78 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

Sermons;" Elijah, Mather's "True Religion," "A Call to Delaying

Sinners," and one-third of a "Pilgrim's Progress."

On January 8, 1753, Elijah Backus married Lucy Griswold,

daughter of John Griswold, Esq., of Lyme. Of their nine chil-

dren five lived to maturity, and each of the five made some contri-

bution to the settlement of the Ohio Company's Purchase and the

Northwest Territory.1

Elijah Backus, 2nd, a graduate of Yale in 1777, began the

practise of law. In 1784 he married Lucretia Hubbard. A son,

Thomas, was born in 1785, and a daughter, Lucretia, in 1787. A

few weeks after the birth of this little girl, the mother died. It is

said that when Elijah came to Marietta in 1790, his little three-

year-old shared his saddle. This Elijah is chiefly known now as

owner of the island which he sold to Harman Blennerhassett in

1798, and as printer and publisher of the first newspaper in

Marietta. He was receiver of public monies for a time and was

elected to the Senate. He later removed to Illinois where his

daughter became the wife of Judge Nathaniel Pope.

It is doubful if the son, Thomas, came early to Ohio. He

was a member of the household of his Uncle James for a while.

At seventeen he was a student at Yale.

N. HAVEN December 28th 1802.

DR. SIR. My Bills were due three weeks ago. They amount to about

twenty dollars. Mr. Bear the Steward requested us to pay them at the end

of this term. I wish if it is convenient that you would send me a horse to

come to Norwich on. Bissell Strong and Young will have horses sent them

if it is not sleighing. Whoever comes with theirs can likewise take mine.

I shall leave colledge in a fortnight from this day as after then commons

will be broken up and I shall have to stay at some of the boarding houses

in town. I wish you to send me four or five dollars to bear my expenses

as I have spent about all that which you gave me at Norwich. In what

manner I will let you know when I get to there. I have kept an account of

my expenses. I will thank you to send my horse to Lebanon if it is possible,

that it may get here in season otherwise my business will be much deranged.

Yours affectionately

THOMAS BACKUS

MR. JAMES BACKUS

Merchant-

NORWICH.

1 See Louise Rau, "Lucy Backus Woodbridge, Pioneer Mother," Ohio Archao--

logical and Historical Quarterly (Columbus), XLIV (1935), p. 405-42; Josephine E.

Phillips, "James Backus, Citizen of Marietta, 1788-1791," ibid., XLV (1936), p. 161-72.

OHIO S ROOTS IN CONNECTICUT: PHILLIPS 79

This letter compares favorably with other schoolboy letters

of the Collection. Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., and William Wood-

bridge, his cousins, had also studied at Yale, and had also had to

have their bills paid and money advanced and horses sent up for

them at vacation time.

Thomas settled in Ohio and practised law. He married

Temperance Lord, at Marietta, in 1810, and they had five chil-

dren: Elijah, 3rd; Lucretia; William; Alexander; and Abner

Lord. Elijah, 3rd, followed in his father's footsteps and was an

honored member of the Ohio bar. Abner Lord Backus was a civil

engineer and for some forty years, from 1837-1878, served in con-

structing and managing Ohio's canal system.

The story of James Backus, son of Elijah, 1st, and the one

who came first to Marietta, as gleaned from letters and papers in

the original Woodbridge-Gallaher Collection, stops quite abruptly

after he conducted the French emigrants over the mountains for

the Scioto Company. It is known that he had difficulty in settling

his accounts with that intangible "company." He was also urged

to remain in Norwich and relieve his elderly father of the cares

and responsibilities of the Backus Iron Works. And there is a

slip of paper which reads:

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE

Let these Certify to whom it may concern that Mr. James Backus of

Norwich & Miss Dorothy Church Chanler of this town were on the evening

following the date hereof, lawfully married by me.

ELIPHALET LYMAN Clerk

WOODSTOCK Sept. 15th 1793.

One wonders if the young lady of his choice was worthy of

him, and now it is possible to judge somewhat of this for the new

letters contain many from Dorothy's kin--her mother, sisters,

nieces and uncle--and two from Dorothy herself. Around these

can be built a picture.

NORTHAMPTON 17th August [1798]

An unexpected opertunity presents which I readyly improve to give

you the pirticulars of my health it is much improved since you heard from

me last I hav ben better these few dayse past than I have ever ben since

my complaints Lucy and Sally are both verry well now and have got rid

of their colds Mother is had an ill turn which lasted her more than A week

but has got nearly over it now. Capt. Lane got home sunday morning he

80 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

entertained us that day with the perticulars of his journey which we

listend to verry attentively I was verry glad to hear the house keeping was

so flourishing I begin to think my presence will be of no importance but

I am A little home sick some times. Mr. Vertilleo the painter is here draw-

ing faces he has taken Ursula Capt. Lane and ebennezer My love to

dudley I am glad you have his company Yours forever DOROTHY B.

MR. JAMES BACKUS

NORWICH

The other letter was written nineteen years later and is

addressed to her mother. James had died in September, 1816,

leaving her with a family of six children. Three daughters were

of marriageable age; another was ten years old; the sons, William

and Henry were, respectively, thirteen and seven years old.

NORWICH Feb 11th

... Sally has had a dredful cold except that we have ben well I have

kept Johnethan my man so far through this cold winter although I feel as

if I was extravigan in so doeing but we feel as if we should be carried of

without any man and the cattle and hogs and logs and fire it seems as

if we could not get along. William goes to school at bean hill but I cant

get Henry to go I cant hire him nor persuade him.... I expect their will

be a sale of books and mooveables as soon as the weather will admit of my

parts being ret of we expect it will be necessary for us to do something

for our futer support and the question is how and which way they must

lern mating makeing and millinery they think they must lern the trades

and go to Ohio the girles think they shall prosper better in a foreign land

than here but we have not moved yet we laugh and contrive and I hope

you will be down in the spring and help to conclude if they were fitted for

a school....

DOROTHY C. BACKUS

MRS MARIAN ELY

SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

The laughing and contriving must have continued for some

years. William was sent out to Ohio to learn merchandizing from

his uncle, Dudley Woodbridge, and his cousin, Dudley Wood-

bridge, Jr., in Marietta. The arrangement was not a satisfactory

one and his sister Sarah takes him to task about it, in a lengthy,

beautifully penned letter, dated from Norwich, August 24th,

1819. It reads, in part:

If Mr. Woodbridge, or anyone else, would be willing to take you from

home, & permit you to work a little & play a little & trifle your time away

just as you please, Ma would not wish them to do so because it would

be injurious to you by encouraging in you an indolent habit which would

prevent your applying yourself with diligence to business. . . . For you

this application & diligence is peculiarly necessary as you can never hope

to gain a livelihood without it. If your father had left property sufficient

OHIO'S ROOTS IN CONNECTICUT: PHILLIPS 81

to support you in affluence all the days of your life, it would not even

then be advisable for you to lead an inactive course of life; for an indolent

and inactive man is one of the meanest most despicable productions of

nature. ... I am very sorry to hear you complain in your letter that you

have to be up by day & hard at it all the time. This is what you must

do, or you can never make yourself respectable or become a man of

property--you should not complain--but rather be thankfull that you have

got from home into a situation where you can work with advantage to

yourself ....

Mr. Woodbridge has written--I cannot copy the letter; it will take

too much room in my paper--neither can I enclose it; it would make the

letter too large--but I will tell you this, he makes two objections against

you--he says that you are too silent and reserved & that your mind seemed

wandering from your business so that you don't appear to be fond of it

at all--he observed, that if a person wished to transact a business with

success he must be civil & obliging to customers, be sociable with them &

by a pleasant, polite & agreeable address and behavior, induce them to

purchase and call again. ... I do sincerely hope that you will profit by

these hints and endeavor to become very agreeable in your manners ....

If you exert yourself to please & to do the best you can you will un-

doubtedly succeed. If you don't like the business I don't think you shall

succeed in it. I can see no other way but for you to come home again &

that would mortify you and mortify us all to death to have it said that Ma

was at the expence of fitting you out to Ohio, that you went, did not like

the business and came home again upon the farm.

Sarah concludes her letter with a request that he write imme-

diately and tell them whether he thinks he will ever like the store

business any better, and whether he is homesick or not, and also

just what is his opinion of Mr. Woodbridge and his family. The

postscript is brief and to the point: "They say that C____L____

is married to a French kitchen maid; that she got drunk in 6

weeks after they were married & behaved terribly & he got a bill

from her. Don't you be married, I charge you, at the peril of

your life."

Henry, the youngest of James Backus' children, studied for

the practise of law and contemplated settling in the West. There

are a number of letters he received regarding the requirements

and opportunities. One is from E. Lane, from Norwalk, Huron

County, Ohio, dated February 27, 1832.

As to the expediency of leaving Connecticut, I have no doubt but

that you had better remove. I should not know whether to choose between

Ohio or Michigan. Both offer good places. Come & take your choice. I

believe no quarantine is required in Indiana & think a situation may be

found there equally good. Wherever there is an increasing population of a

thriving people, a professional man finds room.

I believe Mr. Woodbridge will be left out of the Office of Judge this