18th century Connecticut
Norwich, CT, ca. 1785
1785 Connecticut Men Protest Restrictions on Raising Pigs
MDS

[CONNECTICUT.] James Lincoln et al., Manuscript Document Signed, Petition to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of Norwich, Connecticut, 1785. 2 pp., 8" x 12.5". Expected folds; small separations on folds; includes separate sheet with file note.

Forty-two men signed this petition to the mayor, aldermen, and common council of the new city of Norwich, Connecticut. The petitioners explained that when they supported the petition to the Connecticut General Assembly for the incorporation of Norwich, they expected to be made freemen of the city but were disappointed. They were particularly frustrated to be deprived of the privilege of ?raising so important an article as that of pork.? The acts incorporating New Haven and New London, passed by the General Assembly in January 1784, permitted the Court of Common Council (consisting of the mayor, the aldermen, and the common council) for each city to make bye-laws for the city, including one ?relative to restraining Geese and Swine from going at large within the Limits of said City.? The act incorporating Norwich undoubtedly had the same provision.

The first signer was James Lincoln, who manufactured buttons and also sold wool-cards for combing wool to be made into fabric. The other signers included members of several prominent families in the area?Lynh Huntington, ship captain Elisha Huntington, and Frederick Huntington; Zebediah Lathrop and Asa Lathrop (1755-1835); Zephaniah Bliss (1753-1827) and his brother John Bliss Jr. (1749-1815); and Samuel Avery (1752-1844) and Jabez Avery Jr.

Complete Transcript
To the Honble the Mayor & Aldermen, & Gentlemen of the Common Council of the City of Norwich, in Court of Common Council Assembled, this Day of AD 1785
The Petition of us the Subscribers, not Freemen of Said City But Inhabitants within the Limits of the same, & Liable to pay Taxes. Humbly Sheweth; that, at the time when a memorial to the Genl Assembly, praying said Assembly to Incorporate a part of this Town, was handed about in order to obtain Subscribers, We Were made to understand that all Such male Persons as were Liable to pay Taxes, were to Be Made Freemen of the City; and with these Views many of us Were Indused to Signe Said memorial, fully Believing that we should with the Rest of the Subscribers Enjoy City Privileges, the great Boon then in View; But finding ourselves Unhapily disappointed, we are Constraint to Lay this our Petition before you, and Inform your Honrs and you Gentlemen, That we are Very Unhappy in finding ourselves, not only disappointed in not obtaining the priviledges we Expected, but in being still further deprived of one Great Mean of Supporting ourselves and families viz the Priviledge of Raising so Important an Article as that of Pork. We Beg Leave further to Represent to you Gentlemen that altho? Denied the priviledge we so much Desired and with some Reason Expected, yet Wish Humbly to be heard and our Rights Considered; and as Consideration is the Spring of Union, and Union the only Bond of peace and Happiness, which Desireable End cannot as we think, be attained if the late Act Respecting Swine is practiced upon or put in Execution, Because the Members of this Community are nearly Equally divided in their Sentiments Respecting Said Act, and feel considerably warm on Each Side?We therefore request of you Gentlemen to take the matters into Consideration and Repeal Said Act; which we Shall Acknowledge to be a favour Conferred on us the Subscribers
James Lincoln [and 41 more signers]

Historical Background
In England and in colonial and Revolutionary-era America, the term ?freemen? referred to men who possessed the full privileges and immunities of the city in which they lived and worked. The status allowed them to vote for the officers of the local government, to carry on business, and to own property in the city. Only freemen could be elected as aldermen or serve on juries. In practice, the term came to mean those qualified to vote in local elections.

The Connecticut General Assembly incorporated the City of Norwich in May 1784, and Benjamin Huntington (1736-1800) served as the first mayor, from 1784 to 1796.

After cattle, swine was the most common livestock and a staple food in eighteenth-century Connecticut. Pork could be cut up, salted, and stored in barrels. Settlers could also make pork into bacon by soaking it in saltpeter, salt, and molasses and hanging it in the chimney flue for weeks. By the 1750s, Connecticut?s ?fat hogs? were exported, and the English considered them superior to other American swine.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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8" x 12.5"