Why 1705? Historians Explain Why We Celebrate That Date

By Jan Howard

In 2005 the Town of Newtown will mark its 300th anniversary with a series of celebratory events, highlighted mid-year by a weekend of activities, including a fireworks display, beginning August 5.

The year 1705 is one of three significant dates in Newtown’s history, the others being 1708 and 1711.

In the early 1900s, based on an opinion by the town’s first historian, Ezra Leven Johnson, the town adopted 1705 as the year to celebrate its founding, according to Town Historian Dan Cruson. Carrying on that tradition, the town’s 250th anniversary was celebrated in 1955.

The year 1708 marks the date when the town’s charter was granted. In 1711 the town was incorporated and granted the power to elect its own officers and to enjoy the rights of other towns in the colony. It is this date that appears on town signs, Mr Cruson said.

In 1705, a speculative land deal took place that was, if not illegal, at least somewhat dubious because it was not approved by the Colonial Court, which owned all the land in the colony. The court had made seven grants in the area of present day Newtown before 1705.

Three men, William Junos [or James] and Capt Samuel Hawley, Jr, of Stratford, and Justus Bush of New York may have traveled in the area, either by canoe on the Housatonic or by following well-established Native American trails.

“The river would have been easier because it was late summer,” Mr Cruson said.

The three men may have become aware of the land adjacent to the farms of those seven settlers who had been granted plantations by the court. No one knows exactly why they wanted to buy land in this area or what their relationship with the resident Native Americans may have been.

Nevertheless, the men had not received permission to purchase any land, but on July 25 [old calendar] the men met with the three sachems of the Pohtatuck tribe, Mauquash, Massumpas, and Nunnawauk, probably at the Indian encampment at the junction of the Housatonic River and Pootatuck rivers, according to Mr Cruson.

“The sale probably took place in Southbury across the river from Shady Rest,” he said, citing an 1867 map of Southbury that shows that area as the location of the Native American camp.

 Without authority from the court that had the power to give title, the three speculators bought from the Native Americans “a certain tract of land butted and bounded by Stratford, Fairfield, Danbury, New Milford, and the Great River.” The land measured about eight miles long and six miles wide.

The purchase price was “four guns, four broadcloth coats, four blankitts, four ruffelly coats, four collars, ten shirts, ten pair of stockings, forty pounds of lead, ten pounds of powder, and forty knives.”

“The Indians were probably in culture shock,” Mr Cruson said. “They had no concept of ownership and control of land.” He said they would not have understood the Englishmen’s absolute use of land, with fences to keep others out.

“The Indians thought they could pass and repass over the land,” he said.

While July 25 was the actual date of purchase and is the date on the deed, the date changed to August 5 with the change from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar in 1752. That change, Mr Cruson said, brought about a loss of 12 days, which changed the actual date of purchase by the three speculators.

Of course the General Court eventually heard about the purchase and in New Haven voted, “whereas some persons, contrary to the laws of this colony, lately purchased of the Indians some thousand acres of land, this court doth recommend that the offenders be prosecuted for their illegal purchase.”

By May 1706, William Junos appears to have offered to surrender his holdings in the land deal and the other two men made restitution, so all three received no further prosecution. “They were slapped on the wrist,” Mr Cruson said.

At this point Mr Junos sold out part of his interest in the land. Samuel Hawley, who was confident of the value of the land, joined with other Stratford citizens and bought out Mr Junos’ remaining claim and that of Justus Bush. Forty-eight rights in the land were purchased.

The year 1708 is significant because in that year, upon the petition of 36 settlers, the General Court granted a charter, bestowing town rights upon the community. It was decreed that it “shall be one entire town, called by the name of Newtown.” The town was originally known by the Native American name, Quanneapague.

The General Assembly conducted a survey of the land to consider how many inhabitants it would accommodate and to determine where the “Town Platt” and home lots should be.

The boundaries of the “Town Platt” were Queen Street and Carcass Lane [now Wendover Road] on the east, Deep Brook on the south, “The Great Hill” toward the west, and the road to Danbury on the north. In 1709, Main Street, Church Hill Road, and other roads and 41 home lots of four acres each were laid out. Later, other home lots were added.

In 1711, after everything was laid out, the town was incorporated. The first business meeting was held at the house of Peter Hubbell on September 24, 1711. He was voted Newtown’s first town clerk. Abraham Kimberly was named constable, Ebenezer Prindle and Thomas Sharp, surveyors of highways, Joseph Gray and Daniel Foote as fence viewers, and Johnathan Booth as field driver or Hayward.

The General Court also decreed that the annual town meeting was to be held in December. On December 4, at the home of Daniel Foote, Ebenezer Prindle was named the first selectman, with Samuel Sanford and John Platt as townsmen for the year. Ebenezer Prindle, John Platt and Samuel Sanford were elected as listers and collectors, and Abraham Kimberly as a “brander of horses.

It was also enacted that “all persons who refuse or neglect to attend ye town meetings shall pay ye sum of three shillings to ye treasury of the town.”

Donations for the tercentennial celebration may be sent to Newtown Tercentennial Inc, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470.