At the session of the General Assembly in 1851, a bank, to be located in Woodbury, was chartered, under the name of the "Woodbury Bank." Its capital was $100,000. In taking up the stock of the bank, a small majority of it fell into the hands of one William E. Chittenden, a broker in the city of New York, who was heavily enga ged in wild and daring railroad speculations in the west. Considerable opposition on the part of some of the home stockholders was manifested to this state of affairs at the beginning. Mr. Chittenden, however, moved his family to Woodbury, made himself a director by means of his majority of the stock, and at once controlled the operations of the bank. It commenced business in November, 1851, and continued till March, 1853, when Chittenden failed in business for a large amount, carrying down with him the Woodbury and Eastern Banks, and injuring the credit of the Bank of Litchfield County, being indebted to it in a sum greater than one-half of its capital.

At the time of his failure, he owed the Woodbury Bank more than $175,000. To secure this, there were some $76,000, in collaterals of various kinds, most of which were not immediately available, leaving nearly $100,000, unprovided for and unsecured. The assets of the bank went into the hands of receivers, and after some time a compromise was made with Chittenden, by which he assigned his stock and collaterals to the bank at their par value, and contracted to pay the remainder of his indebtedness in the bills of the bank. This agreement he has fulfilled in part, $30,000 having been paid by him. Besides this, there is an attachment on property sufficient, it is believed, to secure his indebtedness to the bank within about $10,000. The friends of the Killingly bank having procured a requisition on

the governor of New York for his person, on a criminal complaint, he found it not advisable to remain longer in that state. Though thus disappointed in the promises of this man, the citizens of Woodbury have come forward, taken said stock so assigned, and paid its par value into the bank. The result of this noble conduct on the part of the inhabitants, is, that the bank has been able to resume business on a firm footing, and its officers having learned "wisdom by experience," it will go on successfully.

Its officers are Daniel Curtiss, president; James M. Dickinson, cashier, and George B. Lewis, Lewis Judd, David C. Bacon, John Abernethy, Monroe C. Sherman, Philo H. Skidmore, George Smith and William Cothren,' directors.

While these pages have been going through the press, a savings institution has been organized in the village, under the name of the Woodbury Savings Bank and Building Association. It is a corpo

It can

ration under the general law authorizing such institutions. hardly be said to be fully organized, and yet it has already a capital of about fifty thousand dollars, and several thousand dollars on deposit. It bids fair to be a very successful institution, and with good management, it can not be otherwise than safe. Its officers are Nathaniel B. Smith, President.

The manufactures and mechanical employments of the town, independent of those of a domestic character, consist of one tinner's factory, three grain mills, one clover mill, seven saw-mills, two tanneries, two cider distilleries, four tailor shops, five blacksmith shops, one silver spoon shop, one spectacle shop, three shoe manufactories, two carriage shops, one button factory, one powder flask manufactory, two cigar shops, one felt cloth manufactory, two cassimere manufactories, one shear manufactory, one thimble manufactory, one shawl manufactory, one establishment for "leathering carpet tacks," one

1 The latter has been elected since the financial difficulties of the bank; all the others were its former officers.

suspender buckle shop; all together employing more than $200,000 capital. There are fifteen mercantile stores, and three hotels, employing some $50,000 capital. There are also fourteen school district and primary schools, two academies, one social library, two attorneys, four clergymen, and four physicians.

The amount of the last grand list was $39,653.83, and the valuation of the lands and buildings of the town, in 1815, for the levy of the direct tax of the United States, which comprised 19,528 acres, amounted to $604,175, being an average value of nearly $34 per acre. In 1799, the real estate of this town, together with Southbury, was appraised at $847,966.

Thus have we gathered up the fragments of information scattered. by the wayside, however trivial, and deposited them in the great garner-house of history, if happily they may engage the attention of the curious reader in some gliding year of the distant future, who may possibly take the same kindly interest in the items of information that concern us of this day, "simple annals of the poor," that we now bestow on each recorded trace of the doings and sayings of our early fathers. However trivial these matters may appear to the careless observer, the man of thought, of wise forecast, will ever find instruction and food for deepest contemplation in every such recital.

CHAPTER XIX.

BIO GRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF NATIVES AND RESIDENTS OF ANCIENT WOODBURY, WHO HAVE REMAINED IN THE TERRITORY. THE NAMES WILL BE FOUND IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

accounts.

BIOGRAPHY is that part of history which relates to the history of the life and character of men. It embraces the consideration of all that appertains to our moral, intellectual, social and professional character. It is said that "history is philosophy teaching by example," and biography is ever one of the principal elements of history. Men and their acts are the great theme of the historian's pen. It is this element that furnishes most of the pleasure we enjoy in all historical The life and progress of men, their virtues and vices, their successes and failures, their motives and their actions, not only affect their own position and happiness, but their influence extends to all within their reach, and descends influencing the character and destiny of unborn millions. The good deeds that men do live after them, and so do the bad. The influence of a good or a bad action, once committed, can never be recalled. As one who, standing by the seaside, casts a stone into the waters, as they lie calmly sleeping in the golden sunlight, will immediately see a small circular ripple extending itself in all directions, gradually increasing the circle of its circumference, till it is lost to his view in the ocean's depths; so the influence of a good or a bad action, however insignificant we may esteem it, never ceases, but goes on, extending the sphere of its influence, in an ever increasing ratio, till the end of time. Hence it is well, that the lives of the eminent should be written, that their good deeds and wise teachings may be extended, so that they may ultimately take in the human race. Example and competition form the character of nations. "To commemorate the virtues, wisdom and patriotism of their heroes and their statesmen, their philosophers and their poets, has ever been the noblest office of the noblest nations.

The voice of eulogy, the page of history, monuments, mausoleums, trophies and triumphs, were the proud testimonials to the splendor of their achievements, and the gratitude of their countrymen. Emulation blazed high in every bosom-worth became sympathetic and hereditary-infancy caught the sacred flame of patriotism from the honored and hallowed ashes of its ancestry, and in beholding the bright escutcheons of war and victory, the tottering and enfeebled limbs of hoary age itself glowed and strengthened into the ardor and energy of second youth. Thus all the diversified departments of their admirable systems of government, civil as well as military, contributed to inspirit, to support and dignify each other; and while moving in their own respective orbits, like the inexhaustible luminaries of heaven, they reciprocally borrowed and reflected light, and shed their combined luster and glory upon an astonished world."

The influence of great example diffuses itself over the world, and if we should strike out of history its earlier annals, it would be like striking out the acquirements and experience of youth, in its evil consequences upon the hopes and happiness of mature age. It would be to expect the harvest without the seed-time, the genial influences of summer, or the ripening power of early autumn. But biography is important, not only as a record of the virtues of men, but also of their follies and vices. Even the records of these have their salutary uses. They serve to check us in a career which might otherwise become reckless and disastrous. They are like beacons set up to guard us against those evils into which others have fallen, and to direct our attention to the acquisition of the opposite virtues, and the securing of those "temporal and eternal blessings, which are too often wantonly disregarded, and perhaps irretrievably lost."

In a work like the present, there is not space sufficient for the introduction of biographies, properly so called. We can only give such brief statistics as have come to hand, from which extended memoirs can be made, when the requisite time, ability and encouragement shall call to the execution of that pleasant duty. Much difficulty has been experienced in collecting materials for the personal history of individuals, on account of the want of interest and sluggishness of those who alone could give the information, and if the following brief sketches shall be exceptionable to any, on account of their meagerness, it is hoped that it will be attributed by the intelligent reader, to the appropriate causes.