Middlesex County CT Archives History - Books .....Moodus 1887

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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 19, 2005, 9:45 pm

Book Title: The Old Chimney Stacks Of East Haddam

CHAPTER  IV. MOODUS.

  Moodus is a contraction of the Indian word Machimoodus, meaning "place of
noises." Formerly the place was also called Mechanicsville, and was quite
insignificant as compared with Millington and the Landing, till within a few
years. Now it is the most industrious and thickly settled portion of the town.
An old teacher gives a description of the place in 1815:

  Assuming the boundaries to be the house of Wilbur Chapman on the west, Wigwam
Brook on the south, the Alanson Gates house on the east, and the-Methodist
Church on the north. There were eleven dwellings and other buildings as follows:

  The house of Mr. Chapman was then occupied by his grandfather, Robert B. Its
roof was flat and covered with earth, from which sprang up a sparse vegetation
and protected by a balustrade. There was a square-roofed building on the
opposite side, then occupied by Erastus Chapman. These were white, standing out
in strong contrast of color from all other buildings in the vicinity. On the
stream just 'south of the road, and approached by a gate near where the road to
the Neptune Twine Mills is now opened, was a saw-mill, and just below a carding
mill and clothiers works, in one of which the rolls were prepared for the wheel,
and in the other, the cloth was colored and dressed.

  East of the Chapman house, on the same side, was the house of Ozias Chapman.
Next came the house near the stream, occupied by 'Old Mr. Hurd,' who was on
active duty at the Grist Mill when over ninety years of age. The stream was
crossed by a bridge of planks a little above the present arch. Its position
necessitated a curve in the road as we approached it, and an unfortunate young
man who had passed an evening with a young lady in the neighborhood, on taking a
straight course for home, instead of following the curve, found himself with a
broken arm among the rocks in the stream.

  East of the bridge, occupying the ground where Smith's. (Bodies') factory now
stands, was the grist mill, with its overshot wheel, where boys waiting for
their grists would look upon the mimic rainbows, and fancy their resemblance to
those described in their 'American Preceptor,' as rising from the spray of Niagara.

  " Passing east to 'The Plain' the next building was a dilapdated old house
occupied by Phineas Gates, which soon gave way to the dwelling occupied by Mr.
Day. Across the street, in the house now occupied by Mr. Richmond, was Dr.
Joseph Cone. This was only about two-thirds of its present dimensions. Quite a
distance south was a small brown house, and a little south of that a small old
house and a shoemaker's shop, and small building on the hillside sloping towards
Wigwam Brook. East, on the Bashan Road, was the Alanson Gates (Daniel Lord)
house, unpainted and the grounds unadorned. The street through the 'Plain' was
wider than it is now by nearly the depths of the yards on the east side, and was
wholly destitute of trees. From Mr. Day's the road 'up town' descended the hill
in a northerly direction. The stream was crossed by a bridge similar to the one
described, and the road wound around and came out at the foot of the hill south
of the cemetery. Just north of the bridge referred to was a path running to the
east parallel with the stream, which passed a long, low building known as the
'Old Malt House,' then curved and terminated at the grist mill, which stood
where the twine mill now stands. This path was the only approach to the mill,
and was so obstructed by a point of rocks that it could be passed only on
horseback, and then the boy had to keep to the middle of it or his grist would
be pushed off by the rocks, or the comer of the mill. On the knoll, north of the
mill, stood a one-story, gabled roof house, for the accommodation of the miller.
This finishes the catalogue of buildings in Moodus in 1815.

  The first step in advance was the erection of the stone mill and store, and
other necessary buildings.

  The first school house in Moodus was built in 1828. Previous to that the
children were divided between Red Lane and "Up Town" districts.

  Moodus, at the present time, is the center and most populous portion of the
town. This has arisen from its fine water privileges, on which have been built
several large cotton factories.


Additional Comments:
Transcribed from:

THE OLD CHIMNEY STACKS OF EAST HADDAM, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, CONNECTICUT,
BY
HOSFORD B. NILES,
Author of Genealogy of THE NILES FAMILY.
NEW YORK: LOWE & CO., Book and Job Printers No. 210 Fulton Street.
1887


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