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from the habitation of man; silence reigns here, broken only by the murmur of the stream falling from the precipice above. It is a "still small voice" which lulls the visitor into quiet and thoughtful repose.

The far-famed fountain of Egeria is not a lovelier spot; but tradition has clothed that classic ruin with especial interest as the scene where Numa met his shadowy counselor; a legend that has been acknowledged one of the most genuine flowers of poetry that ever started from the hard rock of the Roman mind. But the Indian Well, like many other enchanting spots in our new country, has yet to be clothed with legendary interest, although a greater number of ages are doubtless already its dower.

There exists a tradition, that in former times the Indian Well was unfathomable, and that it was once sounded to the depth of some one hundred and fifty feet without finding bottom.

The illustration which I present, of the confluence of the Naugatuck with the Housatonic, was sketched from near the bridge over the Naugatuck, at Derby. The Naugatuck appears on the left, the Housatonic on the right. The picturesque edifice which is the most prominent in this cut, was built about the close of the war of the Revolution, by Leman Stone, Esq., and was occupied as a store-house. The name of this gentleman is conspicuous among those interested in the commerce of Derby in her palmy days.

In the year 1806, a company was incorporated here, under the name of the "Derby Fishing Company," with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. As early as 1809 a bank was established at Derby.

The village of Birmingham was commenced in 1834, by Sheldon Smith, Esq., and was originally called Smithville. Subsequently, Mr. Smith disposed of a considerable portion of his interest here to Anson G. Phelps, Esq.; the name was then changed to Birmingham.

General William Hull, governor of Michigan, was born at Derby, 24th June,

1753. There can be no question that General Hull exhibited bravery, and was a useful officer of the Revolutionary war. He graduated with credit at Yale College, after which, in accordance with the wishes of his parents, he devoted himself to the study of divinity, "rather from motives of filial affection (says his biographer) than from a conviction of religious duty." He studied for a year with Doctor Wales, subsequently professor of theology in Yale College; after this, he determined to change his profession, and attached himself to the celebrated Law School at Litchfield, and was admitted to the bar in 1775.

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CONFLUENCE OF THE NAUGATUCK WITH THE HOUSATONIC AT DERBY.

property to his family, but William is said to have declined any portion of it. "I want only my sword and uniform," said he; and thus he left the paternal abode to enter into the service of his country.

Many interesting facts are related of General Hull's services during the war of the Revolution.

At this period the war with Great | terminated fatally. He left a handsome Britain absorbed the public attention. One evening, after a meeting of the citizens of Derby, his father returned home, and said to his son, "Who do you suppose has been elected captain of the company raised in this town?" The young man named several. His father replied, "It is yourself." Mr. Hull at once accepted the appointment, so unexpectedly offered by his townsmen, and soon placed himself in readiness to join the regiment of Colonel Webb, at that time being raised in the state. His father was immediately after this seized with a severe illness, which

In 1805 he was appointed Governor of Michigan Territory, in which office he was succeeded by Lewis Cass in 1814. At the beginning of the late war with Great Britain, he was requested to command the Northwestern, army; he surrendered

Detroit with two thousand men to the British General Brock, August 15, 1812. He was tried by a court martial on several charges, and was sentenced to be shot, but recommended to mercy on account of his distinguished revolutionary services and his age. The president approved the sentence, and remitted the execution.

In 1824 General Hull published a series of letters in defense of his conduct during the campaign of 1812. These letters first appeared in the "American Statesman," a Boston newspaper, and were copied into numerous journals of both political parties, and are said to have exercised a great influence on the public mind.

"The North American Review," in a notice of these letters, understood to have been written by Jared Sparks, says, "that from the public documents collected and published in them, the conclusion must unequivocally be drawn, that General Hull was required by the government to do what it was morally and physically impossible that he should do."

After their publication, "a public dinner was given in Boston to General Hull

by citizens of both political parties." He also received letters from various quarters, particularly from his old companions of the Revolutionary army, expressing their gratification at his having vindicated so completely his conduct and character.

General Hull did not live long after these events. He had, however, the pleasure of meeting General Lafayette in 1825, who paid him a visit while in Boston during that year. He was present at the celebration of the battle of Bunker Hill, and afterward visited his mother in his native town of Derby, the citizens of which gave him a public dinner. Returning home, he was attacked by disease, and died at his residence in Newton, near Boston, November 29, 1825, in the seventy-third year of his age. On his death-bed he declared in the most solemn manner, "that he had done right in surrendering Detroit," and expressed his happiness that he had saved the lives of the peaceful citizens of Michigan from being needlessly sacrificed.

The village of Humphreysville (Seymour) is situated about five miles above the junction of the Naugatuck with the Hou

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satonic. It is a part of the orignal town of Derby. The sketch which I present

was taken at the distance of about one mile and a half south of the village. It exhibits but a small portion of the buildings; the point of view was selected for the reason that it developed to the best advantage the singularly romantic and picturesque scenery by which the village is surrounded. On the left appears Castle Rock, and in the back ground" the Highlands" of the Naugatuck are seen at a distance, with the bold outline of Rock Rimmon. A small settlement was made here at an early period. The village has received, at different times, various names. "The place," says Barber," was originally called Nau-ko-tunk, which signifies, in the Indian language, one large tree, so named from a large tree which formerly stood near Rock Rimmon, about three fourths of a mile north of the village."

For a considerable period after its settlement, it was known as Chusetown, from an

Indian chief who lived here, of whom I have given some account in the November NATIONAL. It afterward received the name of Humphreysville, in honor of General David Humphreys, who, at an early period, established extensive manufactories here, and whose name is intimately associated with the history and growth of the place. It continued under the name of Humphreysville as a society of Derby, up to 1850, when it was incorporated under the name of Seymour. There are, at the present time, several extensive manufacturing establishments here. Nature seems to have designed Seymour as a manufacturing place. A ridge of rocks, some twenty feet in height, here crosses the river, forming a perfect dam two thirds of the distance. The remaining third is closed by an artificial dam.

General Humphreys established at this place the earliest and the most extensive wool, cotton, and paper manufactories in this country. President Dwight, of Yale

College, in his "Travels in New England and New-York," who visited Humphreysville in 1811, gives an account of the place, which is not without a certain degree of interest at this time, as a picture of an important manufacturing village in the infancy of American manufactures. It also shows the prejudice which the first pioneers in manufactures were obliged to contend with. From this work I make the following extracts:

"A strong current of water, in a channel cut through the rock on the eastern side, sets in motion all the machinery employed in these establishments. By this current are moved the grist-mill; two newly-invented shearing machines; a breaker and finisher for carding sheep's wool; a machine for making ravelings; two jennies for spinning sheep's wool, under the roof of the grist-mill; the works in the papermill; a picker; two more carding machines for sheep's wool; and a billy with forty spindles in a third building; a fulling-mill, and a sawmill; two more fulling-mills on improved principles, immediately connected with the clothier's shop; and the various machinery in a cotton manufactory, a building about one hundred feet long, thirty-six wide, and of four stories, capable of containing two thousand spindles, with all their necessary apparatus. The houses can accommodate with a comfortable residence about one hundred and fifty persons. others in the neighborhood will furnish comfortable residences for upward of one hundred and fifty more. Gardens, on a beautiful plat

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in the rear of the manufactories, furnish all the vegetables necessary for the establishment.

"The principal part of the labor in attending the machinery in the cotton and woolen manufactories is done by women and children: the former hired at from fifty cents to one dollar per week; the latter, apprentices, who are regularly instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

"The wages of the men are from five to twenty-one dollars per month.

"In Europe great complaints have been made of manufacturing establishments, as having been very commonly seats of vice and dis

ease.

General Humphreys began this with a determination either to prevent these evils, or, if this could not be done, to give up the design. With regard to the health of his people, it is sufficient to observe that, from the year 1804 to the year 1810, not an individual belonging to the institution died. . . . With respect to vice, it may be remarked, that every person who is discovered to be openly immoral, is discharged. "At the commencement of the institution, discreet parents were reluctant to place their children in it, from unfavorable apprehensions concerning the tendency of such establishments. Since that time they have been offered in more than sufficient numbers.

"In 1813 the Legislature, at the instance of General Humphreys, passed a law, constituting the select-men and magistracy of the several towns in which manufactories had been and should be established, visitors of these institu

tions. This law required the proprietors to control, in a manner specified, the morals of all the workmen, and to educate the children, as other children in plain families throughout the

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state were educated. . . . The manufactures of Humphreysville are esteemed excellent. The best broad cloth made here is considered inferior to none which is imported.... None but Americans are employed in this institution. Americans make all the machinery..... The people of this country are, at least in my opinion, indebted not a little to General Humphreys, both for erecting this manufacturing establishment, and for introducing into the United States the invaluable breed of Spanish sheep, known by the name of Merinos. ...

"In this manufactory he has, I think, fairly established three points of great importance. One is, that these manufactures can be carried on with success; another, that the workmen can be preserved in as good health as that enjoyed by any other class of men in the country; and the third, that the deterioration of morals in such institutions, which is often complained of, is not necesary, but incidental; not inherent in the institution itself, but the fault of the proprietor."

David Humphreys was born at Derby in the year 1753. He was the son of the Rev. Daniel Humphreys, a Congregational clergyman at this place. He entered Yale College in 1767, and graduated in 1771. This was during the brief period of Dr. Daggett's presidency, an epoch which is acknowledged to present the most brilliant display of eminent names furnished by the catalogue of Yale College.

Trumbull, Dwight, and Humphreys were cotemporaries as academicians, and, soon after, Barlow. A recent writer says:

"While these young men maintained honorable rank as scholars, they brought the charms of poetry from their studies to grace the progress of freedom and strew flowers in the pathway of liberty. Excitements that influence teachers, who considered even clerical immunities and obligations as forming no just exemption from active personal service in opposition to tyranny and oppression, operated with wonderful effect on the minds of pupils. A love of letters became united with a love of country; scholarship and patriotism formed an alliance, and literature in all its branches lent its aid to the cause of freedom."

"The young bards of the college raised their animating strains, and with the caustic satire of Trumbull, the noble songs of Dwight, and the elaborate efforts of Barlow, were mingled the patriotic effusions of Humphreys."

After his collegiate course was completed Humphreys resided for a time in the family of Colonel Phillips, Westchester County, New York. He seems to have returned to his alma mater before entering into the service of his country.

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