History of Durham, Connecticut, Before and After the Revolutionary War

This interesting trove of documents reveals much about the history of Durham, Connecticut, in the last half of the eighteenth century and the first third of the nineteenth. Many of the documents come from the career of Worthington G. Chauncey as a justice of the peace and town clerk for Durham.

Documents include correspondence, petitions, bonds, writs, deeds, town meeting minutes, accounts, receipts, school subscriptions, and other items.

[CONNECTICUT.] Archive of Documents Related to the History of Durham, Connecticut, 1742-1834. 100 documents, 224 pp. General toning consistent with age; some staining; very few holes or tears; generally very good.

Highlights and Excerpts
- Copy of Minutes of Meeting of Inhabitants and Proprietors of Durham, January 1742, Manuscript Document Signed, n.d. 1 p.
"Durham January the third Tuesday A:D: 1741-2 the Meeting of the Inhabitants & Proprietors met according to Adjournment and at the same Meeting upon a Discourse some of the Proprietors declared that they feared that the Proprietors of the Town may in time be prejudiced by having a Part of the Meeting House Green or other lands in the Town Plat lying between Allyns Brook or the Brook where Ensign Ebenr Garnseys mill stands & Lieut Joseph Seaward House stands by its being layed out whereupon it was by a major vote determined agreed & enacted that no Person shall pitch upon or lay out any of the sd Lands being now common Land or Highways upon any Pretence whatsoever but the sd Lands shall be sequestered and the same is hereby sequestered to lye common and be a common forever."

- Ephraim Seaward, Silas Crane, and John Camp, Land Record, Manuscript Document Signed, April 28, 1742. 1 p.
"The 35 Loot was laid out to Joseph Whelon by us the Subscribes at a placed called the east leagis in the forth Division of Kilingsworth Durham proprietary Contains 6 acers & one half...."

- Proprietors of Durham, Lease of Land to Elihu Crane, Manuscript Document Signed, October 31, 1765. 1 p.
"Whereas the Proprietors of the Common & Undivided Lands in the Township of Durham in the County of New Haven Made Certain Votes in the Words following Viz At a Meeting of the Proprietors held in Durham the Ninth Day of April Annon Domini 1764 by a Major Vote the proprietors agreed resolved & Determined that so mutch of the Common undivided lands in sd Durham shall be Leased out as the Rent thereof will Raise a Sum sufficient to Defray the Charges that have Arisen or May Arise of a Suit brought by Ezra Rockwell & Jemima his wife Miles Marvin & Mary his wife and others against the Proprietors of the Common & Undivided Lands in sd Durham to the County Court to be Holden at New Haven on the second Tuesday of November next to apport & set out to them about forty Acres of Land...."

- Account of Town of Durham, Manuscript Document, 1766. 2 pp.
"To Jeremiah Griswold for mending ye School House Nails & one Hinge       0-9-0"
"To Joseph Francis for perambulating Killingsworth Line                                0-2-0"
"To Rowland Rossetter for sweeping ye Meeting House                                1-10-0"
"To Charles Chauncey for keeping the north School                                      4-10-10½"
"To Jeremiah Griswold for a Coffin                                                                 0-8-0"

- Simeon Parsons, Minutes of Town Meeting, Autograph Document Signed, January 28, 1784. 1 p.
"At a Town meeting held in Durham by special warning by the Selectmen by the desire of the Inhabitants of sd Town to set up the Inoculation for the small Pox in sd Town on the 28th Day of January AD 1784."
"At the same meeting the Question was put whether the Town would approve of Inoculation for the small Pox to be set up in this Town resolved in the Negative."

- Elnathan Chauncey, Statement, Autograph Document Signed, January 1, 1788. 1 p.
"Whereas Madam Temperance Worthington in the year 1777 when she lived at my house: gave to my son Worthington G. Chauncey money to purchase a calf (viz) 14 ten shillings: he the sd Worthington has given me the money for a cow calf: striped with white back and belly: which I have kept for him till it has begun to have calves in the yr 1786 then taken it of him according to the customary rule of taking cows: he having one half the increase
"In testimony hereof I set my hand this first day of Janry 1788 / Elnathan Chauncey"

- Account book with Expenses in different hands, dates 1712-1740, 1793-1817. 80 pp., 3.25" x 5.5". Lacking front cover.

- Worthington G. Chauncey et al., Contract for Dancing School with Mr. Peas, Manuscript Document Signed, February 15, 1796. 1 p.
"Whereas Mr        Peas hath Agreed to Teach a Dansing School in the Town of Durham at five Dollars pr Quarter for Each Schollar, Provided he can have to the number of Twenty Schollars or upwards & to Commence within 10…15 or 20 Days from the Day of the Date hereof. Now this is to Certify that we the undersigners do agree and stand firmly Bound to Pay unto Said Peas the sum of Five Dollars pr ps, Provided he fulfills on his part and this Shall be unto said Peas a Voucher for the fullfilment on our Part."

- Eneas Munson, Prescription for Mrs Parsons, Autograph Letter Signed, August 23, 1797. 3 pp.
"Doctr Munson is of the Opinion that the Foundation of most or all Mrs Parsons Complains Originate from a Defect in the Digestive Organs, hence arises the Flatulence and Wind in the Stomach and Bowels, it will then be requisite on this Principle to keep the Body open with some very gentle means, for this Purpose I have furnished a small pot of Electuary to be taken as Occasion requires, in quantity of a Teaspoonfull going to bed, more or less as you find Necessary to obtain a gentle Movement next day."

- Matthew J. Russell, Receipt to William N. Chauncey, Partially Printed Document Signed, September 28, 1801. 1 p.
"This is to certify, that Willian N. Chauncey of the town of Durham, in the county of Middlesex, in the district of Connecticut, hath paid the duty of Two Dollars, upon a two wheel carriage, called a Chair, owned by him, having no top, on Wooden springs, to be drawn by one horse, for the conveyance of More than one person."

- Worthington G. Chauncey, Case of Elijah Brown, James Hinman Jr. & Harschal Camp for assault on John Read and Solomon Read, Autograph Document Signed, September 10, 1817. 2 pp.
Justice of the Peace Worthington G. Chauncey found Brown and Camp guilty and fined them $1 plus 62 cents in court costs each and found Hinman not guilty.

- Enos S. Camp, Complaint to Justice of the Peace Worthington G. Chauncey, Manuscript Document, October 20, 1817, Durham, Connecticut. 1 p.
"That on the Twenty Eighth of September AD: 1817 it being the Lord’s day or Sabbath between the rising and the seting of the Sun on sd day that Thomas G. Hall of Middletown in said Middlesex County regardless of his duty to remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy did Travel through Durham on the Public Highway leading from Middletown to New Haven either on business or diversion it not being from necessity or charity all which is against the Peace and contrary to the form of a Statute Law of this State in such case made & Provided and names Dan Parmelee Esqr & Elah Camp as Witnesses."

- Denis Camp, Petition to Retail Wine and Spirituous Liquor, Autograph Document Signed, January 4, 1819. 1 p.
"To the Civil Authority of Durham The Subscriber wishing to continue the business of retailing wines and distilled Spirituous Liquors at this house requests a License for the purpose and proposes Guernsey Bates Esq for his surety."

- Guernsey Bates, Certificate to Clerk Worthington G. Chauncey, Manuscript Document Signed, January 1822. 1 p.
"At a Meeting of the Civil Authority of the Town of Durham convened by Special appointment at the Dwellinghouse of Guernsey Bates Esqr on the first Monday of Janry AD: 1822 for the purpose of approving of Proper Persons to be Retailers of Wines and other Distilled Spirituous Liquors for the year ending the Second Monday of Janry AD: 1823 did on application therefor approve of the following persons for the Purposes above named (viz) Colo Seth Seward at his Store, Denis Camp at his Dwelling house Guernsey Bates at his Store Lemuel Camp Esqr at his Dwelling house William S. Camp at his Store."

- Wedworth Wadsworth, Worthington G. Chauncey, Nathaniel W. Chauncey, Eliphaz Nettleton, and David Smith, Petition for Draining Swamp, Manuscript Document Signed, August 19, 1825. 1 p.
"The undersigned believing that stagnate water is injurious to health & believed that the south swamp [?] Stagnate Water Therefor to remove one of the natural causes of the swamp sickness and Death of the Inhabitants of the Town we will pay to the Hoble James Hullhouse the Honble Elizur Goodrich and Joshua Stone Esqr the sums annexed to your names provided the sum of Fifteen Hundred Dollars shall be subscribed to be applied by them or under their direction in Draining the South swamp in Durham, however deducting the sum already subscribed for the purpose of Draining the swamp by any individual from the amount he may herein set down & we agree further that we will use our endeavours that the above named Gentlemen shall be appointed Commissioners of Sewers."

- Worthington G. Chauncey, Writ of Execution, Partially Printed Document Signed, to the Sheriff of New Haven County, June 19, 1832. 1 p.
"Whereas, Lemuel Camp of Durham in Middlesex County recovered judgment against Henry Evarts of said Madison before Worthington G. Chauncey Esq. Justice of the Peace, within and for the County of Middlesex on the 21st day of January Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and thirty Two for the sum of One Dollars 44 Cents damages, and for the sum of Three Dollars 34 Cents costs of suit, as appears of record, whereof execution remains to be done.
"These are therefore by authority of the State of Connecticut, to command you, that of the goods, chattels, or lands of the said Debtor within your precincts, you cause to be levied, (and the same being disposed of, or appraised as the law directs,) paid and satisfied unto the said Creditor the aforesaid sums being Four Dollars 78 Cents in the whole: with seventeen cents more for this writ, and thereof also to satisfy yourself for your own fees."

- Petition of Wedworth Wadsworth et al., Petition to Ban Ardent Spirits, ca. 1830s. 1 p.
"To the Civil Authority & Select Men of the town of Durham
"We the undersigned Legal voters of said town would respectfully represent That in our opinion the time has come when ardent spirits as a drink I s not wanted in this community, That if its sale were abandoned much good would result to the moral social & pecuniary interests of society.
"Entertaining these views, we invite your honorable body to inquire whether the welfare of this community does not require you to withhold License from those who may apply as Retailers for the ensuing year.
"Should it be thought proper to appoint some person to keep and sell ardent spirits as a medicine we would recommend Dennis Camp as a person in whose integrity the public may place implicit confidence."
[signed by 49 voters, including Seth Seward, who had earlier retailed liquor at his store.]
The first temperance organization was formed in Durham in June 1828, and the first pledge was signed by several of the signers of this petition.

- Titus Loveland et al., Committee Report Regarding Middle and North Crossways, Manuscript Document Signed, n.d. 1 p.
"That it is necessary to repair in the following manner viz. that there be a bridg at the west end of sd middle Crossway to carry the flood waters running out of the Widow Hiccox Land into sd Highway that there be a ditch dug northeasterly in Col Wadsworths Land to Carry sd water clear of sd road one bridg near Levi Parmes Gate with a ditch northeasterly in Col Wadsworth s Land a sufficient length to clear sd waters from sd road...."

Worthington Gallup Chauncey (1772-1858) was born in Durham, Connecticut, the son of Elnathan Chauncey (1724-1796) and Elizabeth Gale Chauncey (1728-1795). He was the younger brother of Catherine Chauncey (1765-1841), who married Reuben R. Fowler, and was the mother of William Chauncey Fowler (1793-1881). Worthington G. Chauncey became a school teacher, and for three years, he was a private tutor for the family of Major Van Rensselaer in Claverack, New York. When he returned to Durham, he lived and farmed with his brother Nathaniel W. Chauncey. Worthington G. Chauncey served as town clerk (1810-1830), constable, school treasurer, and justice of the peace (1812-1841) for the town of Durham. He represented the town in the Connecticut General Assembly in 1811, 1812, 1814, 1816, and 1817.

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