the Woodstock turnpike passes || Districts.
through it from west to east, a
distance of about 8 miles.

A manufacturing spirit has disclosed itself in this town; it has been directed principally to cotton manufactures. There are 3 large Cotton manufacturing establish-| ments, containing in all about 5000 spindles. These establishments usually employ a great numnher of persons, and add greatly to the aggregate industry of the town. There are 8 Grain Mills, 11 Saw Mills, 3 Wool carding Machines, 2 Clothiers' works and 3 Tanneries.

Besides the located,

there are 3 Religious Societies, one of Baptists, one of Methodists, and one of Quakers. There are 3 houses for religious worship, recently erected, one very elegant, built in 1817.

The population of the town, in 1810, was 2467; and there are 400 Electors, 1 company of Militia, in which there are 200 men enrolled, 1 Light Infantry company of about 65 members, and a part of a company of Cavalry.

There are more than 400 Dwelling houses; 14 primary Schools, one in each District; 1 Social LiFor an inland town, its com-brary; 3 Clergymen, 3 Physicians, mercial business and capital are and 2 Lawyers.

very respectable. It is estimated Thompson was settled in 1715, that about 10,000 dollars are an-being then a part of Killingly, from nually employed in a trade to which it was separated, and incorGeorgia. There is one vessel porated as a town in 1785. owned here, which sails out of Providence, and is, employed in the coasting trade. There are 8 Mercantile Stores in the town.

BIOGRAPHY. Gen. David Learned, of this town, was born in 1743, and died in 1797. He was highly distinguished for his Its civil divisions are 1 located eminent and useful life, and for his Religious Society and 14 School|| civil and military employments.

VOLUNTOWN.

VOLUNTOWN is situated in||which are level. The prevailing

the southeast part of the county; bounded on the north by Plainfield and Sterling, on the cast by Exeter, in Rhode-Island, on the south by North-Stonington, and on the west by Griswold, in NewLondon county. It has an average length of about 9 miles, and an average breadth of more than! 4 miles, comprising nearly 39 square miles.

character of the soil is that of a light, sandy and gravelly loam. It is best adapted to grain, and produces Indian corn, rye, oats, &c.; but corn is principally cultivated.

The town is watered by the Pochaug, a branch of the Quinibaug. It is a small and sluggish stream, but contains, however, some mill seats. There is a pond, situated The surface is generally diver-partly in this town and partly in sified with hill and dale, but there Rhode-Island, called Paucamack are some sections of pine plains,||pond, a considerable body of wa

ter, and is the source of the Pochaug river.

The manufacturing and mechanical interests and employments, aside from those of a domestic character, consist of 1 Cotton Factory, 4 Grain Mills, 2 Fulling Mills and Clothiers' works, 2 Carding Machines and 2 Tanneries. There are 2 Mercantile Stores and 2 Ta

verns.

Its population, in 1810, was 1016; and there are 150 qualified Electors, 1 Company of Militia, and 160 Dwelling houses.

The amount of taxable property, including polls, is $21,110.

In the centre of the town there is a small village of about 15 Dwelling houses. There are 3 Physicians in the town.

This town was first settled in The town contains 2 located Con- 1696, having been granted to vogregational Societies & Churches,lunteers in the Narraganset war; 1 Society of Baptists, 1 small So- hence its name. But it was not cial Library, and 8 School Dis-incorporated as a town until the tricts and Schools. year 1719.

WOODSTOCK.

velly loam, which is strong and fertile, having a permanent basis, and is very favourable for ma

and lasting effect. It is best adapted to grazing, but generally admits of tillage; and considerable quantities of grain are annually raised,

WOODSTOCK is a post town, || The prevailing soil is a deep, grasituated in the northern section of the county, bordering upon Massachusetts, 45 miles northeast from Hartford, 33 northwest from Pro-nures, which have a very sensible vidence, and 60 southwest from Boston; bounded upon the north by Massachusetts line, upon the east by Thompson, upon the south by Pomfret and Ashford, and up-consisting principally of rye and on the west by Ashford and Union. Its mean length is 8 miles, and its mean breadth 7 and a half miles, comprising an area of about 60 square miles.

The

corn. For some years past, spring wheat has been cultivated to advantage, and to an extent affording a supply for the consumption of the town.

This township, although its phy- Of the agricultural productions, sical features are less smooth and butter, cheese, beef and pork are interesting than those of many oth-the most important. Of these, ers, ranks deservedly among the || there is annually a considerable first of the rich and flourishing in- surplus which is sent abroad terior towns in the State. for a market. surface is characteristically hilly, The township is well watered by but is not mountainous or broken, numerous small streams, of which and comprises very little waste the most considerable is Muddy land; most or all of the eminen-Brook, running through the town, ces being capable of cultivation. and discharging its waters into

the Quinihaug. This and other streams afford many valuable water privileges.

This town is accommodated with three turnpike roads, one leading to Norwich, one to Providence, and one to Somers, and thence to Connecticut river.

and the other the old Society. Besides the located, there are 2 Baptist Societies; all of these.several Religious Societies are accommodated with houses for public worship. The town is also divided into 18 School Districts.

Its population, in 1810, was 2653; and there are about 350 Electors, 4 companies of Militia, and about 350 Dwelling houses.

The amount of taxable property, as rated in making up lists, including polls, in 1816, was $62,028.

Agriculture, being the principal|| interest, affords employment for most of the industry of the town, excepting what is employed in domestic or household manufactures, which receive general attention, there being a loom in almost eve- There are inthis town 18 primary house. Most of the primary ry Schools, 3 Social Libraries, 6 and substantial fabrics of clothing Mercantile Stores, 6 Physicians, are the products of domestic in-3 Attornies and 5 Clergymen. dustry. Besides the manufactures This town, together with Sufof this description, there are some|| field, Enfield and Somers, was setothers of importance, particularly || tled under the jurisdiction of the one Woolen and one Cotton Fac- colony of Massachusetts, in or tory, in the Society of Muddy about the year 1686; and incorBrook, both of which have large porated by the authority thereof, and commodious buildings, and although by the charter of Conbelong to incorporated companies. necticut they were included withThey are both upon a large scale, in the limits of this State. In and the Woolen Factory is now do- 1713, the line between the two ing business extensively. There States was surveyed, and, upon is also an incorporated Woolen certain conditions, it was agreed and Cotton manufacturing estab- by Connecticut that the towns setlishment, in what is called the old tled by Massachusetts should reSociety, which is in operation. In main under its jurisdiction. This addition to these establishments, compromise produced general unthere are 7 Grain Mills, 1 Oil Mill, easiness and dissatisfaction with 2 Distilleries, 12 Saw Mills, 1 Ful- the inhabitants at the time; which, ling Mill and Clothier's works, 1 instead of subsiding, as was exCarding Machine, 2 large Trip-pected, continued to increase, so hammers and Blacksmiths' shops, that in May 1747, they presented 1 Gold-smith and 2 Wheel-wrights. a memorial to the General AssemThis town is divided into three bly of Connecticut, praying to be located Societies or Parishes; the annexed to, or taken under, the one in its western section is called | jurisdiction thereof, whereby they New-Roxbury Society; one of the might be restored to the charter others is called Muddy Brook So-privileges, granted to them in ciety, to which there is annexed a common with other citizens of this corner of the town of Thompson State.

his parents, he went from home, and enlisted into the army. This was in 1780, near the close of the revolutionary war; and young Eaton continued in the army until the close of the war, a considerable part of the time in the humble station of a private soldier; but he attained the rank of a sergeant. After the peace, in 1784, he commenced the study of the Latin language; and the year after, was admitted a member of Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1790; the period of his collegiate

the circumstance of his having devoted a portion of his time to school keeping, which his want of pecuniary resources rendered necessary.

The General Assembly, after having appointed commissioners to attempt to settle this dispute, with others that might be appointed by Massachusetts, without effect, adopted a resolution, that, as the agreement of 1713 had never received the royal confirmation, it was not binding; and that all the inhabitants who lived south of the line of Massachusetts, as defined by its charter, were entitled to the privileges, and ought to be subject to the jurisdiction of the government of this State. In 1752, an act was passed, securing to the se-life having been protracted, from veral religious societies of the aforesaid towns all the rights and privileges of religious societies, according to the laws of this colony. These proceedings on the part of Connecticut produced from Massachusetts a remonstrance to his majesty. This was opposed by the agent of Connecticut, then in England, and the claims of the latter supported, which were finally recognized, and the boundary established accordingly in 1755. While this town was under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, it was at first a part of the county of Suf-southern frontiers. He continued folk, and deeds were recorded at Boston. On the organization of the county of Worcester, it was annexed to that county, and so continued as long as it remained a part of the territory of that State.

BIOGRAPHY. Gen. William PHY Eaton was a native of this town, and was born February 23d, 1764. At a very early period, he disclosed strong indications of intellectual vigor, and of mental eccentricity. At the age of about 16 years, without the knowledge or consent of

In October, 1791, he was chosen clerk of the House of Delegates of Vermont, residing at that time in the town of Windsor, where he had been engaged in school keeping. In March, 1792, he was appointed a Captain in the army of the United States; and whilst in this situation, he performed various services upon the western and

in the army until 1797, when he was appointed Consul to Tunis. He continued in this difficult, (and it may be added perilous) situation, until 1803; during which period, he discharged the consular functions with great firmness and ability. In 1804, Gen. Eaton returned to America and visited Washington, where he disclosed the famous enterprise which he had planned to restore the Ex-Bashaw of Tripoli; and, having obtained the sanction of government, he embarked in July of the same year, in the Argus sloop

tinguished applause, the grateful tribute of patriotic and heroic achievments. After some time he fixed his residence in Brimfield, Massachusetts, where he continued until his death in 1811. Whilst here, he was elected a representative of the town, in the legislature of the State.

of war, with the intention of engaging in this bold and hazardous undertaking, and arrived at Alexandria in Egypt, on the 25th of November following. From Alexandria he proceeded to Cairo, where he found the Ex-Bashaw, who approved of the enterprise; and after having made suitable arrangements and recruited about Gen. Eaton was a very ex500 men, (100 of which only were traordinary character; he poschristians,) it was determined by sessed much original genius; was Eaton and the Ex-Bashaw, to cross bold in his conceptions, arthe desert and seize the province dent in his passions, determined and city of Derne. After a diffi- in his resolutions and indefatigably cult and fatiguing journey thro' persevering in his conduct. He a dreary desert, presenting innu- possessed considerable literary acmerable obstacles, they arrived quirements, and the style of his within the province of Derne, and writings was characteristic of his soon attacked and captured the mind; bold, energetic and decicity, having the assistance of the sive. His courage was equalled Hornet sloop of war. The bold-only by his resolution, and the ness and desperate bravery of Gen. boldness of his enterprises, by his Eaton and his little party alarmed ability and perseverance to exethe reigning Bashaw and his bar-cute them. He was an important barian subjects, who almost thought that they were something more than human beings; but the progress of Gen. Eaton was arrested by a peace which the American consul concluded with the Bashaw. After this, Gen. Eaton returned to his native country, and was every where received with the most dis

witness in the case of Burr's trial, and the celebrated toast which he gave, with reference to this transaction, is alike an evidence of his patriotism, and the originality of his conceptions: "Phrensy to the head that shall plot to dismember, and palsy to the arm that will not draw to defend the union."