LIFE OF REV. MANASSEH CUTLER.

CHAPTER I.

GENEALOGY-EARLY LIFE-MARRIAGE-ENGAGES IN COMMERCE-STUDIES DIVINITY-SETTLES IN IPSWICH HAMLET.

Among the many Puritans who came to the Colony of Massachusetts Bay in the early years of its settlement was James Cutler, a young man from Norfolkshire, England. Those who thought for themselves and lived in accord with their convictions of duty in that time of religious persecution, were obliged, at much sacrifice, to leave friends and country, and cross the ocean in order to secure in this new continent their civil and religious rights. James Cutler was the first of his family to come to America. He married Anna, the sister of Captain John Grout's wife, a woman of Puritan faith, and "of wonderful decision, energy, and enterprise." He settled in Watertown in 1634, where, having passed through the necessary preliminaries, he was admitted to citizenship, and the usual allotments of land were assigned to him. He prospered in his new home and added to his possessions by the purchase of more land. Here his first child, James, was born, November 6, 1635. After encountering for ten years the trials of pioneer life in a rigorous climate, Anna died, and was buried September 30, 1644. He married, second, Mary King, the widow of Thomas King, of Watertown; and sold, about 1651, his property there, and removed to Cambridge Farms (Lexington); and is "said to have built one of the first houses erected in that place, the door-steps and cellar of which are now to be seen." The spacious farm he occupied was recently still in possession of his descendants. Here he lost his second wife, and in 1662 married Phebe Page, daughter of John

Page, and the niece of William Paine. a wealthy iron merchant of Boston, who mentioned her in his will.

James Cutler made his will November 24, 1684, bequeathing property to each of his twelve children, and also to two step-daughters. He died at Cambridge Farms, May 17, 1694, aged 88 years. His sons, James, Thomas, John, and Samuel, were useful and influential men. His daughter Hannah married John Winter, Jr.; Mary married John Collar; Elizabeth married John Parmenter, third, of Sudbury; Sarah married Thomas Waite, of Cambridge Farms; Joanna married Philip Russel.

James Cutler, the eldest son of James and Anna, born in Watertown, November 6, 1635, married June 15, 1665, Lydia (Moore) Wright, daughter of John Moore, of Sudbury, and the widow of Samuel Wright before she was twenty years old. She lived to an advanced age, and died at Sudbury, the widow of James Cutler, November 23, 1723. He served in the Indian war as a soldier under Captain Henchman, and, in common with others, endured great hardships while engaged in the campaigns against King Philip, in 1675 and 1676. He resided in Lexington, where he made his will, July 28th, and died July 30, 1685, in the 50th year of his age. His widow, Lydia Cutler, and her brother, Benjamin Moore, were the executors of his will, proved October 8, 1685. He had sonsJames, Samuel, Joseph, John, and Thomas; and daughters, Ann and Elizabeth.

John Cutler, fourth son of James and Lydia, born April 14, 1675, was ten years old when his father died. He married, February 6, 1700, Hannah Snow, daughter of John Snow, of Woburn. She was received into the church at Lexington from the church of Woburn, July 5, 1702; and he united with the church in full communion February 13, 1704. He removed with his family from Lexington, where eight of his eleven children were baptized, to Killingly, Connecticut, about 1713. The country was then new. He owned a large tract of land east of the Quinebaug River, and a saw-mill on Five Mile River. He was an upright and pious man. He died in 1729, at the age of 54 years.

On the ancient records of Killingly there is a deed made by

John Cutler to his children, in which certain lands are conveyed, in consideration of his love and affection, to his sons, Seth, Timothy, and Uriah, "on condition that Seth and Timothy do bear their part with Hezekiah in maintaining their uncle, Samuel, and pay to my two daughters, Mary and Jemima, £5 each; and Uriah to pay £5 to each of his sisters when he comes of age; Hezekiah to maintain his natural mother, Hannah, with meat, drink, and apparel in sickness and in health, and provide for the bringing up of the younger children." To his wife, Hannah, he gives: "All and singular my household goods, as if mentioned in particular." To daughter, Hannah Heath, land bought of John Mighill by advice of James and Joseph Leavens, and also gives land to daughters, Abigail, Patience, and Kezia, September 8, 1727. In another legal paper John Cutler divides his saw-mill property on Five Mile River, equally, between Seth, Timothy, and Hezekiah, and gives one yoke of oxen to Seth and Timothy. To each of his sons he gives 176 acres of land, and to Hezekiah, provided he takes care of the family, and pays to his sisters £5 each, he gives, in addition, fifty acres and the buildings thereon.

Hezekiah, on the death of his father, came into possession of the fertile acres of the homestead on the eastern border of Killingly. The line dividing Connecticut and Rhode Island at that time passed directly through the house. Here his mother and sisters resided with him. His brother Seth settled at Windham, Connecticut, and left seven daughters; Timothy died at the age of thirty-two; his only son, Captain Benoni Cutler, served with honor in the Revolutionary war, after which he removed to Vermont. From him descended Rev. Calvin Cutler, and Rev. Dr. Carrol Cutler, late President of the Western Reserve College, and of Adelbert College, Cleveland, Ohio. The youngest brother, Uriah, went to New Jersey and settled near Morristown. General Joseph Cutler and Hon. Augustus W. Cutler are among his descendants.

Hezekiah Cutler faithfully performed the duties his father had required, and early developed those fine traits of character which distinguished him through his long life. He was received to the full communion of the church in Killingly February 25, 1733; and married, December 5, 1734, Susanna

Clark. She was the daughter of Hanniel Clark, one of the early surveyors of Windham County, Connecticut, who, in 1733, was chosen deacon of the first church in Killingly. She united with the church June 27, 1736, and is said to have been a lady of great personal beauty and strength of mind, with an education in advance of her time."*

The children of Hezekiah and Susanna Cutler were: 1st. Mehetabel, born April 7, 1737, baptized April 10, 1737; married, October 10, 1758, Simeon Lee; died January 1, 1790, leaving an only daughter. 2d. Hannah, baptized December 24, 1738, died young. 3d. Manasseh, Rev. LL.D., the subject of this memoir, born May 13, 1742, and baptized at Thompson, May 30, 1742, by Rev. Marston Cabot. 4th. Ephraim, born November 13, 1744, baptized by Rev. M. Cabot, November 18, 1744. 5th. Hannah, born December 5, 1747; died December 25, 1753. Only the eldest daughter and the sons arrived at maturity; the two Hannahs, named to commemorate his beloved mother, died in early childhood.

Those families who lived near the boundary of Killingly were for a time included in the Thompson parish, an arrangement which proved to be so inconvenient that a petition was presented to the Colonial Government for leave to attend worship at the nearer and more accessible church in Killingly. "In the year 1746, Joseph Cady, Hezekiah Cutler, Thomas Wilson, Joseph Richards, Samuel Bloss, and other leading citizens included in Thompson Parish, now represented to the Assembly that the worship of God was regularly attended at a convenient Meeting House, which would be much less trouble to them than to go to Thompson, where the distance was so great, and the roads so bad, that a great part of holy time must be spent in very servile labor to man and beast; and at some seasons it was impossible for themselves and families to be conveyed there, and begged to be transferred to Killingly; which was granted." +

Hezekiah Cutler removed, later, to the vicinity of the Meeting House on Killingly Hill, and was prominent in town

*Larned's Hist. Windham Co., Conn., Vol. I., p. Hist. Windham Co., Vol. I., p. 531.

529.

and church affairs. He is described as a man who had a commanding influence with those around him, dignified in his appearance and manners, respected for his wise and prudent counsel and his great firmness of character. He was regarded as a truly benevolent and Christian man, a peacemaker among his neighbors, a friend to the poor, and an intelligent, publicspirited citizen.

On the Killingly farm, under the guiding influence of his father, and the loving, watchful care of a mother who devoted herself to the improvement of her children, Manasseh Cutler grew up with such habits and principles as are calculated to form a useful and worthy character. The labors of the farm, in which he participated, gave to him a very fine physical development and valuable habits of industry. His early practical knowledge led, in after life, to efforts for the improvement of the methods then practiced in agriculture, and accounts for his marked success as a farmer and horticulturist. This rural life gave him a liking for skating, fishing, gunning, and other field diversions, which he had abundant opportunity to enjoy; and doubtless fostered an inherent love of nature which permeated his whole being, influencing his studies, and leading him to devote much time and thought to the pursuit of the different branches of natural history.

In youth, he had the advantage of such schools as the country then afforded, but as he approached manhood he manifested an earnest desire for a more liberal and thorough education. In the absence of academies, he was placed under the care and instruction of the Rev. Aaron Brown, pastor of the church in Killingly, to be prepared for college. In these studies he was associated with Joseph Howe, a step-son of Rev. Mr. Brown and a brilliant scholar, with whom he entered Yale College in 1761. A local historian states, that about this time an unusually large number of young men in Windham County were pursuing their studies at Yale, preparing themselves for professional life. At one time, eleven from Pomfret and three from Killingly were contemporary collegiates.

*

* Larned's History of Windham Co., Conn., Vol. I., p. 527; Vol. II., pp. 90, 91.