tus, another son of Roger, altho' a plain man, and a labouring farmer, and with inconsiderable advantages as to education, acquired great influence in public affairs, and was distinguished for his tal

Superior Court, although never bred to the law.

river was begun about 1677. The He has been called the greatest first Church was organized, a Meet-man of the Wolcott family. Eraing-House erected, and a minister settled about the year 1695. EastWindsor was incorporated as a town in 1765. The Podunk tribe of Indians inhabited the borders of the Connecticut and Scantic rivers within this town, of whom the soilents, having become a judge of the was purchased by the first settlers. BIOGRAPHY. Gov. Roger Wolcott was a native of this town. He received no advantages of an early education, having been bred a weaver; but from the force of native genius, and strong natural en-Edwards, became celebrated as a dowments, he became a man of considerable science, and of great and useful talents. He took an active part in fitting out the famous Louisburgh expedition in 1745, and was the second in command. His eldest son, Roger Wolcott, was a lawyer, and became a judge of the Superior Court, and died in that office in the prime of life.

Timothy Edwards, the first minister in the town, was distinguished in his time; he was in the ministry 62 years. His only son, Jonathan

divine; he was a man of distiguished genius, having an acute and metaphysical mind.

William Wolcott, of this town, was a man of strong natural talents. He was a judge of the County Court for 30 years, and was distinguished for uniting inflexible integrity with amiable manners.

ENFIELD.

ENFIELD, a post town, is situ-|cepting the borders of the Connectiated in the northeast corner of the cut, which are elevated and romancounty, on the east side of Con-tic. The soil is a light, sandy loam, necticut river; being 16 miles very feasible and generally fertile ; from Hartford, and 50 from New-there are some small sections of Haven. It is bounded on the north pine plains, and some tracts of by Long-Meadow, in Massachu-clay or argillaceous loam. The setts, cast by Somers, in Tolland natural growth of the forests is county, south by East-Windsor, Walnut, Oak, of the various kinds, and west by Connecticut river,||Maple, Elm, Chesnut, Butternut, which separates it from Suffield.

various shrubs, and on the plains, yellow pine; there are a considerable number of forests in the town, and some good timber.

It is nearly six miles in length from north to south, and five and a half in breadth, from east to west comprising about 33 square miles The agricultural productions or 21,120 acres. The township are principally grain; rye and is generally of a level surface, ex-joats receive the most attention

there is, however, some wheat ||tors, and two Companies of Militia. growed, and Indian corn is raised The list of the town, in 1817, was to a considerable extent. From $42,576. The United States valthe light, dry and feasible qualityuation, or assessment of the lands of the soil, rye is cultivated with and buildings of the town, in 1816, great facility, and with much suc-was $603,961 87. There are six cess. Some sections of the town, Mercantile Stores, one Druggist particularly on the borders of Store, five Taverns, five Grain Connecticut river, afford good Mills, two Fulling Mills, two Cardlands for grazing and the culture of ing Machines, one Powder Mill, grass. one Forge, three Tanneries, and five Distilleries; three of which are upon a large scale, and paid duties under the laws of the United States, in the year 1816, to the amount of $10,025 17.

The plough making business is prosecuted in Enfield to a great extent. In addition to supplying the demand at home, and from the neighboring towns,twenty thousand dollars worth of the article are annually sent to the southern States.

There are two Clergymen, two Physicians, and three Attornies. The town comprises but one Ecclesiastical Society, has eleven School Districts, in which schools are regularly maintained, and one small Social Library. There are three Churches, one for Congregationalists, one for Baptists, and one for a society of" Believers," com

Besides Connecticut river, which bounds the western border of the town, Scantic runs through its south eastern section, affording many excellent sites for hydraulic works, and extensive alluvial tracts, which are very fertile. A firm and convenient bridge connects this town with Suffield. It was erected in 1808, and is supported by six stone piers, resting upon a rock which constitutes the bed of the river, being 1000 feet in length, and 30 in breadth. The river here has very elevated and bold banks of solid rock, which, on the west side, requires a descent to enter upon the bridge. It is an admirable site for a bridge, uniting, with a safe and secure situation, shallow water, rocky bottom, and a facility of obtaining stone for the piers, so that the whole ex-monly called Shakers. pense did not exceed $26,000. It is the first bridge that was erected across Connecticut river in this state. STATISTICS. Enfield, in 1810, contained 1846 inhabitants. There are now 274 Dwelling-Houses, a large proportion of which are substantial, well built houses, situ- In the year 1706, some fanatics ated upon the principal street, run- from France, calling themselves ning through the town parallel with "prophets," visited London, and the river; it has an elevated, pros-soon obtained followers there, and pective and pleasant situation. in other places, which they visited There are 225 Freemen or Elec-in England. Among others who

The singular and extraordinary character of this people will justify a succinct history of their origin and progress; more especially as it is believed that an impartial account of them has never yet been published.

made his second appearance in the person of Ann Lee. The religious doctrines and mode of worship of the Shakers became settled at this time, although both, and particularly the latter, have since undergone considerable modification.

Ann was now acknowledged as the spiritual mother and leader of the Society. The manner of worship in their public assemblies

and shouting; in addition to which they claimed to possess the power of working miracles, prophesying, speaking with new tongues, and all

known in the primitive Church. The fundamental doctrinal principles of the Shakers are a belief in the second appearance of Christ,

received the " testimony" of the French prophets, as they were called, in England, was James Wardley, a taylor, and Jane, his wife, of Bolton, in the county of Lancaster, who belonged to the society of Quakers. But the "new light," which they considered that they had received from their conversion to the doctrines of a new sect, soon induced them to separate themselves from that community. Having, as they rep-was singing and dancing, shaking resented, and probably believed, had their minds enlightened by a special revelation, they proclaimed a knowledge and a belief of Christ's second appearance, which they af- the various gifts of the holy ghost, firmed was at hand. Under the influence of the wildest fanaticism, Wardley continued to open his new testimony, and sowed the seeds of the Shaker Church. A-in the person of the holy mother. mong others who received the testimony, as it was called, was ANN LEE, of Manchester. She joined the Society of Shakers, for they had acquired this name at this time, in the year 1758. For the first ten or twelve years, Ann was not particularly distinguished from the other members of the Society; but||real character of human nature in the year 1770, after long and continued watchings, fastings, and cries to God, she declared that she had received that manifestation from him, whereby she was ena-work of redemption was finished bled to discover the real nature of and completed. The confusion. the first transgression of the first and wickedness that prevailed in man and the first woman, which the Catholic Church, during the she regarded as the root and source long period which preceded and of human depravity & wickedness. followed the reformation, they asShe bore testimony against all sin,cribe to the work of redemption, and regarded herself as perfectly not having been completed in holy, whence she was called the Christ's first appearance, it being holy mother, it being considered the necessary period that must by all "believers" that Christ had intervene between the making and

They admit of but two persons in the godhead, God the Father, and God the Mother, which they say is according to the order of nature, being male and female. To redeem the depraved race of man, they believe that it became necessary for God to take upon him the

as it is, male and female, and that his first appearance was in the person of man, and the second in the person of woman, whereby the

mechanics, and excellent farmers and gardeners. But what is more than all this, they are a community of "honest men." Ann, and her followers, arrived in the United States in 1774, and the first Society was established at Niskeuna, in the State of New-York, eight miles northwest from Albany, two years afterwards. This is the parent of the several Shaker Societies in the United States, of which there are at least fourteen; four in Massachu

fulfilment of the promise of Christ, that he would establish his law of righteousness on earth. They believe in perfect holiness, and insist that salvation from sin, here, is necessary to salvation from misery, hereafter. They regard the bible as a testimony of Christ's first appearance, but deny that it contains the word of God, or of life, as they consider a belief in the second appearance of Christ, or in the spiritual character and mission of the holy mother, as indispensi-setts, one in Maine, two in Newble to salvation. From what has York, two in New-Hampshire, one been premised, it is scarcely neces- in Connecticut, and four in the sary to be remarked that theShakers western States. The Society, in can hardly be regarded as a Christi- Enfield, was established in 1780, an sect, as the fundamental princi- and at this time consists of fourteen ple of their creed has nothing to do Dwelling-Houses, a number of with the Christian system. Were Workshops, Store-Houses, &c.mathere no others, the Shakers would king in all perhaps fifty buildings, be a striking and a living monument and comprises about one hundred of the weakness of human nature; and eighty persons. The Society of the influence of religious fanat-possess an excellent tract of land cism, and of the facility with which in the northeast section of the the grossest delusions, and the town, of more than one thousand most palpable impositions may be acres, which is under the highest propagated in society. state of cultivation. Their improvements and attention to horticulture are without any example; gardening being with them not so much a family convenience, as a business of profit. They carry on various kinds of mechanical business, and their wares are justly esteemed, being always good and free from all deception. They are, for their numbers, a very wealthy and flourishing community. In the several Shaker Societies in the United States, there are now probably 5000 souls.

But notwithstanding the absurd tenets of the Shakers, they are, in many respects, an exemplary and worthy people. Their religious principles necessarily affect the order of their Societies, by producing an entire separation of the men from the women; yet their communities present the most striking evidences of regularity and decorum. Their buildings are remarkably neat and convenient, and every thing appears a model of order and economy. They are characterised by a striking simplicity and plainness of manners, and are sober, industrious and economical. They are skilful

Enfield was settled by emigrants from Salem, in Massachusetts, in 1631, being, at that time, a part of the town of Springfield in that State.

For sixty or seventy years after diction of the colony of Massathe first settlement, it formed achusetts, not being annexed to part, and was subject to the juris-Connecticut until 1752.

FARMINGTON.

FARMINGTON, a wealthy post||ests in this town comprise the vari

ous woods common to this county.

Agriculture is the principal busines of the inhabitants, and with few exceptions, the "sweat of the brow" is amply rewarded with an abundant supply of all the comforts of life. The farmers here, like those of most of the other towns in the county, raise wheat, rye, oats, flax, Indian corn, &c; rye and corn being principally cultivated. There are many fine orchards in some sections of the town, which

town, is situated 10 miles west from Hartford. It is bounded east by Hartford and Berlin, north by Simsbury, west by Bristol & Burlington, and south by Southington. It comprises an area of about 70 square miles, or 44,800 acres ; being nearly 11 miles in length from north to south, and averaging nearly 7 miles in breadth from east to west. Farmington is characterised by features peculiarly striking and various, both as it respects its surface and soil; having a range of moun-afford the inhabitants a large suptains extending through the town, ply of cider, an excellent family extensive plains and considerable beverage. Domestic manufactracts of alluvial upon the borders tures receive, generally, consideraof Farmington or Tunxis river. ble attention; and many families This river here is sixty or seven-supply, from their own industry, ty yards in width, and the natural most of their clothing. meadows, which it affords, are peculiarly fertile and charming.

One of the turnpikes from Hartford to New-Haven runs through this town; and the Talcott mountain turnpike, the great road from Hartford to Albany, the turnpike road to Danbury, also a road to Litchfield, and several other public roads centre in or pass through the town.

In the south section of the town, there is a large tract of plains, being dry, light and sandy, but healthy, and well adapted to the growth of rye, of which they carry good crops when well cultivated. The soil of the uplands is a loam, composed of a red gravel, mixed withi Farmington contains two Eccleclay. The range of mountains insiastical Societies, in each of which this town commences near the is a Post-office, and 15 School disSound in the vicinity of New-Ha-tricts. ven, being there called east rock, The first Society, in its central and extends north into the interior section, is a compact settlement, of New-England; its rock is prin- comprising more than 100 houses, cipally greenstone. It affords some principally erected upon one street valuable timber, and good pastu- within the liraits of something more rage upon its declivities. The for-than a mile, almost all of which are