Bierce properties in Cornwall
-
In reply to:
Re: Bierce family in Ct&Mass.
Marian Cornell 1/15/02
Dear Marian
It suddenly occurred to me that this is a way I can e-mail you whilst we're still having problems connecting!
Yesterday I received the deeds you sent - thanks very much.The 1799 one was particularly interesting, and along with the ones relating to William Bierce that you sent me earlier, I think it helps to identify the general area in which the Bierces held land in Cornwall.I have a detailed modern map of Litchfield County (scale 1:48,000)which shows minor rural roads and many geographical features, with street and brook names.I've narrowed down the area to a rough triangle between Cornwall Bridge in the south, West Cornwall in the north, and Cornwall itself in the east, and think that the Bierce properties probably lay in the northern part of this triangle - that is south of West Cornwall, near the Housatonic River.
The deeds all relate to property abutting the Kent-Canaan highway along the river, although a 1795 transaction from Salmon Willoughby to William Bierce states that the highway was on the EAST side of the river - which is in contrast to the modern route 7 north of Cornwall Bridge, which is on the west.However, looking closely at the map it is apparent that there are short stretches of a road on the eastern bank called Lower River Road at both Cornwall Bridge and West Cornwall.The section between these roads has the Housatonic Railroad running along it, and my suspicion is that the Kent-Canaan highway was diverted to the west bank as route 7 when the railroad was built.This, of course, didn't happen until well after our Bierces left Cornwall, so I think that in their time the highway took the route of the present railroad.
One of the deeds mentions a road running from the river to Capt. Pierce's land, and there is a Pierce Lane in the eastern part of the triangle described above.Another deed talks about the swamp lands to the south of the Bierce property, and there is a Swamp Road running through the southern half of the triangle.Most of the William Bierce properties (which largely abut Isaiah/Philo's land) are near or on South Mill Brook, and although I see no stream by that name on the modern map, Mill Brook forms the northern boundary of my triangle, as it runs along present route 128 which is the West Cornwall-Cornwall road.The next brook to the south of this is called Ivy Brook on the map, but I suppose it could have been the South Mill Brook previously.
One other clue - just to the south of the center of the triangle, off Swamp Road, is Bell Road.I assume this would be named for the Bell family.Of course William Bierce married Abigail Bell, and it would make sense if their families lived in proximity to each other.
So, I'm fairly sure that this is the general area for the Bierce family properties, although of course we do need further research to confirm it.They do seem to have lived very close to one another.It would be great to get our hands on an older map, too.Ironically, when we were in Connecticut last September we stopped along Route 7 just south of West Cornwall and took some photographs looking across the river.If I'm right with my locations, I was probably snapping the old Bierce properties!
Incidentally, I think that the members of the First Congregational Church must have been a very tightly knit community.I took a look at the extracts you sent me from the church records, and amongst the names featured in the 1807/1808 baptisms, either as adult admissions, or as parents, were Martin Everit, William Lewis (and in fact a lecture was held at Lewis' house), and Samuel Pierce - and all of these were mentioned in the Bierce deeds, along with members of the Dean, Swift and Gold families who also feature in the church membership and baptism lists.In fact, these lists are fascinating for what they reveal about the movements of the Cornwall people, because, as you've probably noticed, they often say where the members went to when they left Cornwall, and sometimes when they left too.
For example, they show John Bonney and Polly Clark, who were members on the 1807 list, going to Nelson, "N.Con" - which must be New Connecticut - so the name Ohio hadn't stuck yet, despite being a state!But by the time Caleb and Rebekah Andrews (also 1807 members) and Joseph and Charity Northrup (1812 members) went there, it was called Nelson, Ohio.I notice, incidentally, that William Bierce is listed as going to Kent, which is the neighbouring township to Cornwall, and he obviously removed there briefly before going to Nelson.His daughter Hannah (Bierce) Fuller had already gone there in 1813, according to the list, so he probably moved in with her after the death of his wife, and then they all went off to Nelson together the following year.I see too that William's probable sister, Deborah Rouse, went to Warren from Cornwall.Warren was then the village within Kent township closest to Cornwall, and in fact my Curtis ancestors, who went to Ohio in the 1790s and married into the Bierces there, came from Warren.
Well enough of this rambling!Thanks again for the deeds.Have you any further thoughts?
Deborah
PS - thanks too for the article on the Ambrose Bierce birthplace mystery.I also received a communication from Edith Sampson, who is a local historian in Portage Co., about the same thing.I'm giving some thought to it, and will see what I can dig out from amongst my files.
More Replies:
-
Re: Bierce properties in Cornwall
Marian Cornell 7/07/02
-
Re: Bierce properties in Cornwall
deborah hart stock 7/07/02
-
Re: Bierce properties in Cornwall
deborah hart stock 7/19/02
-
Re: Bierce properties in Cornwall
Marian Cornell 7/19/02
-
Re: Bierce properties in Cornwall
-
Re: Bierce properties in Cornwall