Early History of Canterbury
Before Canterbury was officially incorporated as Connecticut’s 38th town, it, along with neighboring Plainfield, was part of the “Quinebaug Plantation.” Named for the Quinebaug River (meaning “long-pond” in the language of the Nipmuc tribe that lived alongside it), the area was claimed by two powerful parties – Fitz-John Winthrop and his brother Wait who represented their deceased father former Connecticut Governor John Winthrop, and Major James Fitch of Norwich who was the agent and guardian of Owaneco, a son of the great Mohegan Sachem Uncas.
Major property disputes occurred between the two factions due to the fact the Court of Connecticut “allowed the governor his Indian purchase at Quinebaug and gave him liberty to erect thereon a plantation” while at the same time allowing Uncas to dispose of Quinebaug lands to Owaneco, who in turn sold or gave the land away. The Winthrop brothers founded their claim on a 1653 deed from Allumps (also known as “Hyem” but named in the deed as “James of Quinebaug) and his brother Massashowett, renegade Narragansetts with no legal title to the land, while Major Fitch founded his claim on Owaneco’s hereditary title of the Mohegan sachems.
In 1680, Owaneco granted title to Major Fitch several tracts of rich farmland on both sides of the Quinebaug River along with a neck of land “below the river island, Peagscomsuck” – an old Indian fort in the Quinebaug River whose name meant “a great brook.” In 1697, Major Fitch relocated with his second wife Alice and nine of their children to his land grant where he dug the first cellar and erected the first permanent house in what would eventually become Canterbury. For a long time, the estate that Fitch named “Kent” was the only settlement between Norwich and Woodstock making it a popular place for weary travelers to stop during their journeys.
For years, land squabbles and disputes continued between the settlers on the east side of the Quinebaug River and those on the west. In an effort to finally end them, when Fitz-John Winthrop, the son of John Winthrop II, Governor of the Colony of Connecticut for 18 years, was elected as governor himself in 1698, he petitioned the General Court for confirmation of the boundaries of his father’s land claims. Though several surveys followed, nothing was settled and the disputes continued.
Finally on May 9, 1699, settlers on both the east and west sides of the Quinebaug Plantation petitioned the General Court to be designated as a town while also asking for “a righteous laying out of lots and divisions of lands and meadows as … it is well known that this place lyeth under many pretended claims besides our honorable Governor’s claim …” When the petition was finally granted, the town was organized and officially incorporated. In October 1700 the Quinebaug Plantation was renamed “Plainfield” by Governor Fitz-John Winthrop in tribute to its fertile fields.
Though now officially Connecticut’s 35th town, disputes over property boundaries raged on with no relief in sight until settlers on the western side of the Quinebaug River took charge of their own affairs and petitioned to become a town of their own. The petition was granted, town lines were drawn following the river from north to south, and on October 14, 1703, the Connecticut General Assembly granted that “the inhabitants on the west side of the river shall have the privileges of a township, and that the name of the town shall be Canterbury.”
Source: History of Windham County,Connecticut:1600-1702 by Ellen D. Larned
Canterbury Photographs
Haying at Peagscomsuck, 1930
(Corner of Elmdale and Bennett Pond Road.) The little girl sitting in the truck is Alison Underhill Haber, and her mother, Frances Barrows Underhill is behind the wheel.
Ready to Work at the Charles Hyde Farm, c. early 1900s.
These four teams of oxen appear ready to do some serious work at the farm owned by Charles Hyde, located on North Canterbury Road (Route 169) where it meets Wauregan Road.
The Elisha Payne/Prudence Crandall House, postcard from the early 1900s
Architects Clark & Dyer built this house in 1805 for Elisa Payne. In 1831, Prudence Crandall opened her school here.
Moses Cleaveland Memorial
In November 1906, the Cleveland, Ohio Chamber of Commerce placed a granite memorial to Moses Cleaveland in Canterbury’s Cleaveland Cemetery. General Cleaveland was a Canterbury native who surveyed the land in Connecticut’s Western Reserve (Ohio) that would become Cleveland, Ohio.
The David Nevins House, c. 1900
David Nevins, Sr. built this Colonial-style house across the road from the Church on the Green in 1746. He was a merchant from Nova Scotia who died while working on a bridge being built over the Quinebaug River in 1758. This house served as the church parsonage off and on from 1842 to 1975.
The William Moore House, c. early 1900s
This house stood at the corner of Routes 14 and 169. The store owned by Frank Hoxsie was built in 1898 to sell dry goods and groceries.
The Westminster Congregational Church, c. early 1900s
Now known as the Sovereign Grace Reformed Church, this church building was formerly known as the Second Congregational Church.
The George Washington Smith Hoop Shop, c. early 1900s
G.W. Smith (1857-1937) owned and operated two hoop shops in Canterbury during the late 1800s and early 1900s. In these shops, Smith and his workers created oxbows and mast hoops for sailing vessels. This shop was located on Tracy Road near Kitt Brook, and each worker holds an item created in the shop.
The Canterbury Ski-Way, 1961
This very small ski hill was set up on North Canterbury Road (Route 169) by Otto Ruuskanen.
Hoxsie’s Grocery, c. early 1900s
In 1898, Frank Hoxsie, third from left, built this store on the Canterbury Green. Shown here with Hoxsie are, from left to right, Maude Potvin Kettle, Jess Button, and Lena Carpenter Edson.
The Dyer-Clark House, c. 1890-1910
This elegant Georgian-style home is located on South Canterbury Road.
Cutting the Ribbon at Michael’s Market, May 25, 1967
While Michael’s Market was not the first grocery store in Canterbury, there was much fanfare when the modern supermarket opened its doors. From left to right at the ribbon-cutting ceremony: Michael Pappas (1923-1991); his mother, Helen Pappas; Edward Waskiewicz, First Selectman; and Michael’s wife, Georgette Pappas.
The Flood, 1955
Hurricanes Connie and Diane brought 24-26 inches of water to the area when they visited Canterbury in August of 1955.
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Canterbury Photographs
Haying at Peagscomsuck, 1930
(Corner of Elmdale and Bennett Pond Road.) The little girl sitting in the truck is Alison Underhill Haber, and her mother, Frances Barrows Underhill is behind the wheel.
Ready to Work at the Charles Hyde Farm, c. early 1900s.
These four teams of oxen appear ready to do some serious work at the farm owned by Charles Hyde, located on North Canterbury Road (Route 169) where it meets Wauregan Road.
The Elisha Payne/Prudence Crandall House, postcard from the early 1900s
Architects Clark & Dyer built this house in 1805 for Elisa Payne. In 1831, Prudence Crandall opened her school here.
Moses Cleaveland Memorial
In November 1906, the Cleveland, Ohio Chamber of Commerce placed a granite memorial to Moses Cleaveland in Canterbury’s Cleaveland Cemetery. General Cleaveland was a Canterbury native who surveyed the land in Connecticut’s Western Reserve (Ohio) that would become Cleveland, Ohio.
The David Nevins House, c. 1900
David Nevins, Sr. built this Colonial-style house across the road from the Church on the Green in 1746. He was a merchant from Nova Scotia who died while working on a bridge being built over the Quinebaug River in 1758. This house served as the church parsonage off and on from 1842 to 1975.
The William Moore House, c. early 1900s
This house stood at the corner of Routes 14 and 169. The store owned by Frank Hoxsie was built in 1898 to sell dry goods and groceries.
The Westminster Congregational Church, c. early 1900s
Now known as the Sovereign Grace Reformed Church, this church building was formerly known as the Second Congregational Church.
The George Washington Smith Hoop Shop, c. early 1900s
G.W. Smith (1857-1937) owned and operated two hoop shops in Canterbury during the late 1800s and early 1900s. In these shops, Smith and his workers created oxbows and mast hoops for sailing vessels. This shop was located on Tracy Road near Kitt Brook, and each worker holds an item created in the shop.
The Canterbury Ski-Way, 1961
This very small ski hill was set up on North Canterbury Road (Route 169) by Otto Ruuskanen.
Hoxsie’s Grocery, c. early 1900s
In 1898, Frank Hoxsie, third from left, built this store on the Canterbury Green. Shown here with Hoxsie are, from left to right, Maude Potvin Kettle, Jess Button, and Lena Carpenter Edson.
The Dyer-Clark House, c. 1890-1910
This elegant Georgian-style home is located on South Canterbury Road.
Cutting the Ribbon at Michael’s Market, May 25, 1967
While Michael’s Market was not the first grocery store in Canterbury, there was much fanfare when the modern supermarket opened its doors. From left to right at the ribbon-cutting ceremony: Michael Pappas (1923-1991); his mother, Helen Pappas; Edward Waskiewicz, First Selectman; and Michael’s wife, Georgette Pappas.
The Flood, 1955
Hurricanes Connie and Diane brought 24-26 inches of water to the area when they visited Canterbury in August of 1955.