FRIDAy, DEcEMBER 15, 1989 rfI{E LTTcHFIELDcouNTyTIMES i- n Harwinton's 'Lost… · 2007-01-08 ·...
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FRIDAy, DEcEMBER 15, 1989 rfI{E LTTcHFIELDcouNTyTIMES i- n Harwinton's 'Lost' Lead Mine: Fable? By BILL IX)MONELL LeadMine Brook will be crossed three times by a travelcr proceeding east on Route4 from Torrington beforecoming into the center of Harwinton. This traveler might well reason that if thereis a Lead Mine Brook thereeither must be a lead mine, or must have been one in the past, and this would most likely lead to the question, "If there is/was a mine, where is it?" That's a very good ques- tion! Early Indian and settler traditions relatc that depositsof both black lead (graphiteor plumbago)and massive or block lead (galcna) had been found near its banks. Yet, althoughmany people havesear- chedfor the "lost mine" no one hasac- tually found it, although some of the scarcherg have reported finding traces of cach. Had therc been an actual mine it surely would have been reported in the mineralogical and geological reports written about Connecticutin lE37 and 1842. Neither of these very comprehen- sivcreports,howcver, listsHarwinton as having a deposit of graphite or galena, let alonc make mention of thcre being. any mine. Whcn did this story of a lead minebegin? Early in 1657 two Farmington settlers, John Stanley and John Andrews,travel- ed far westwardinto the wilderness of thc Naugatuck Valley on a hunting trip. When they r€turned home, they brought back a specimcn of black lead (graph- itc). Thc early account does not say that they found the specimen, or that they dug it-only that they brought it. On Feb. E, 1657, two other Farmingtonres- idents, William Lewis and Samuel Steelc, obtained a decd from three Tunxis sachems to "A psell or A trackt of Land called Matetacoke, that is to Say, the hill from whence John Stanley and John Andrews: brought the the black lead & all the Land within Eight: myllc: of the Hil|...". And where is that hill? The East Harwinton Records of 1732 place the "Lead Mine Hills" between Farmington and Litchfield. Harwin- ton'g first historian, Chipman (1860), stateilthat a vastdepositof lead existed in a natural condition so pure as to be malleable "without previous fusion" and wasto be found in the high landsin the the southern and eastern portions of the town somewhat northeast of the mouthof "Lead-mine Brook". Beer'g "Atlas of Litchfield County" (1E74) pinpoints the minc with large hachured (shaded) areason each bank of the East Branch of the Lead Mine Brook, a short distance above the spot where it merges with the West Branch to form the Lead Mine Brook, and labels the ar€a "Lead Mine." No mine has ever been found therehowever. Mr. Chipman wrote that a "large band of men" searched for the mine. Some accounts statethat therewere l(X) men in the search party, whilc other ac- counts give the figure as high as Sfi). This party wasdivided into threegroupg each under the charge of a clergyman who took a specific area to searchfor the "elusive mine." The minister leading the middlesection carrieda largc bell with which hc could signal the others about the discovery of the mine. Although the scarchers worked through the day "feint though pursuing" there was no need to sound the bell because nothing wasfound. It is not known whetherall thrce par- ties searched their dloted territories thoroughly and completely. Many people believe that there is no mine and it is only a legendwhich got out of hand through the passagc of time. one account stat€s that a huntcr came upon the "great lead rock" quite by accident and cut off a piece which he could conveniently carry upon his shoulders. He had not gone too far whcn the hand of thc Dcvil gave him such a blow that he not only droppedhis prize, but he also sufferedsuchphysical injury that it took quite some time beforehe regained his strength. During the French and Indian War (17 5+1763, anotherresident supposcdly cut off large pieccs of lead from a rock outcrop and usedthem to makc bullets for his musket.When he returned to the spot for more material, "thc lead-rock was somehow missing, and hc never couldfind it more." While eluding a band of patriots dur- ing thc Revolutionary War, Captain Moses Dunbar, a Tory sympathiz€r, supposedly came upon a cave which had a largevein of almostpure black leadin the back wall. The ncxt day hc told one of his men that there was enough lead there "to makc bulletsfor all the King's Armies to last out the war." Making bulletsfrom black leadwould be quite a miraculousfeat since that is the "lead" found in a lead pencil! Apparently Dun- bar told no onc of the cave's location, and wasprevented from returningto the cave bccause he wascaptured a few days latcr and was hangedin Hartford as a traitor. While the existence of a lead mine in somc or all of the aforementioned tales could havebeenattributed to tradition, written accounts exist in the Harwinton land records which substantiate the pr€sence of such a mine. In 1E60,23 acres of land were leased for mining purposes, and when thc estatc of one of the partncrs was probated it was found , that hc had a $5 interest in a "Black ' Lead Mine, Harwinton." According to two receipts in the Litchfield Historical Society hc had also spent a total of $24.65in a "Black Lead or Plurnbago , Mine, Harwinton, Conn.," $2 of which was paid for "Drawing Black Lead," and another 37 cents for recording the lease. In 1905, a 5G'pound mineralspecimen of leadwhich had been assayed as being llll6th's pure wasexhibited by a Har- winton resident in a restaurant in Thomaston. He refusedto state where he found it or if therewereany more of it. When asked if he wasgoing to form a company to work the mineral, he very politely saidthat that washis business. Evidence of mining was also found in thc area whenthe Thomaston flood con- trol dam was being built following the disastrous flood of 1955. Whilc these stories of Harwinton's lost lead mine do not equal thc adven- turous tales of the Lost Dutchman and the Lost Peralta Mines in Arizona's Superstition Mountains, they do give somc hope to the romantic notion that someday, somewhere, somehow, some- one will find Harwinton's long "lost" lead mine.
Transcript of FRIDAy, DEcEMBER 15, 1989 rfI{E LTTcHFIELDcouNTyTIMES i- n Harwinton's 'Lost… · 2007-01-08 ·...
FRIDAy, DEcEMBER 15, 1989 rfI{E LTTcHFIELDcouNTyTIMES i- n
Harwinton's 'Lost' Lead Mine: Fable?By BILL IX)MONELL
Lead Mine Brook will be crossed threetimes by a travelcr proceeding east onRoute 4 from Torrington before cominginto the center of Harwinton. Thistraveler might well reason that if there isa Lead Mine Brook there either must bea lead mine, or must have been one inthe past, and this would most likely leadto the question, "If there is/was a mine,where is it?" That's a very good ques-tion!
Early Indian and settler traditionsrelatc that deposits of both black lead(graphite or plumbago) and massive orblock lead (galcna) had been found nearits banks.
Yet, although many people have sear-ched for the "lost mine" no one has ac-tually found it, although some of thescarcherg have reported finding traces ofcach. Had therc been an actual mine itsurely would have been reported in themineralogical and geological reportswritten about Connecticut in lE37 and1842. Neither of these very comprehen-sivc reports, howcver, lists Harwinton ashaving a deposit of graphite or galena,let alonc make mention of thcre being.any mine. Whcn did this story of a leadmine begin?
Early in 1657 two Farmington settlers,John Stanley and John Andrews, travel-ed far westward into the wilderness ofthc Naugatuck Valley on a hunting trip.When they r€turned home, they broughtback a specimcn of black lead (graph-itc). Thc early account does not say thatthey found the specimen, or that theydug it-only that they brought it. OnFeb. E, 1657, two other Farmington res-idents, William Lewis and SamuelSteelc, obtained a decd from threeTunxis sachems to "A psell or A tracktof Land called Matetacoke, that is toSay, the hill from whence John Stanleyand John Andrews: brought the theblack lead & all the Land within Eight:myllc: of the Hil|...". And where is thathill?
The East Harwinton Records of 1732place the "Lead Mine Hills" betweenFarmington and Litchfield. Harwin-ton'g first historian, Chipman (1860),stateil that a vast deposit of lead existed
in a natural condition so pure as to bemalleable "without previous fusion"and was to be found in the high lands inthe the southern and eastern portions ofthe town somewhat northeast of themouth of "Lead-mine Brook".
Beer'g "Atlas of Litchfield County"(1E74) pinpoints the minc with largehachured (shaded) areas on each bankof the East Branch of the Lead MineBrook, a short distance above the spotwhere it merges with the West Branch toform the Lead Mine Brook, and labelsthe ar€a "Lead Mine." No mine hasever been found there however.
Mr. Chipman wrote that a "largeband of men" searched for the mine.Some accounts state that there were l(X)men in the search party, whilc other ac-counts give the figure as high as Sfi).This party was divided into three groupgeach under the charge of a clergymanwho took a specific area to search forthe "elusive mine." The ministerleading the middle section carried a largcbell with which hc could signal theothers about the discovery of the mine.Although the scarchers worked throughthe day "feint though pursuing" therewas no need to sound the bell becausenothing was found.
It is not known whether all thrce par-ties searched their dloted territoriesthoroughly and completely.
Many people believe that there is nomine and it is only a legend which gotout of hand through the passagc of time.one account stat€s that a huntcr cameupon the "great lead rock" quite byaccident and cut off a piece which hecould conveniently carry upon hisshoulders. He had not gone too farwhcn the hand of thc Dcvil gave himsuch a blow that he not only dropped hisprize, but he also suffered such physicalinjury that it took quite some timebefore he regained his strength.
During the French and Indian War(17 5+17 63, another resident supposcdlycut off large pieccs of lead from a rockoutcrop and used them to makc bulletsfor his musket. When he returned to thespot for more material, "thc lead-rockwas somehow missing, and hc nevercould find it more."
While eluding a band of patriots dur-
ing thc Revolutionary War, CaptainMoses Dunbar, a Tory sympathiz€r,supposedly came upon a cave which hada large vein of almost pure black lead inthe back wall. The ncxt day hc told oneof his men that there was enough leadthere "to makc bullets for all the King'sArmies to last out the war." Makingbullets from black lead would be quite amiraculous feat since that is the "lead"found in a lead pencil! Apparently Dun-bar told no onc of the cave's location,and was prevented from returning to thecave bccause he was captured a few dayslatcr and was hanged in Hartford as atraitor.
While the existence of a lead mine insomc or all of the aforementioned talescould have been attributed to tradition,written accounts exist in the Harwintonland records which substantiate thepr€sence of such a mine. In 1E60, 23acres of land were leased for miningpurposes, and when thc estatc of one ofthe partncrs was probated it was found ,that hc had a $5 interest in a "Black '
Lead Mine, Harwinton." According totwo receipts in the Litchfield HistoricalSociety hc had also spent a total of$24.65 in a "Black Lead or Plurnbago ,Mine, Harwinton, Conn.," $2 of whichwas paid for "Drawing Black Lead,"and another 37 cents for recording thelease.
In 1905, a 5G'pound mineral specimenof lead which had been assayed as beingllll6th's pure was exhibited by a Har-winton resident in a restaurant inThomaston. He refused to state wherehe found it or if there were any more ofit. When asked if he was going to form acompany to work the mineral, he verypolitely said that that was his business.
Evidence of mining was also found inthc area when the Thomaston flood con-trol dam was being built following thedisastrous flood of 1955.
Whilc these stories of Harwinton'slost lead mine do not equal thc adven-turous tales of the Lost Dutchman andthe Lost Peralta Mines in Arizona'sSuperstition Mountains, they do givesomc hope to the romantic notion thatsomeday, somewhere, somehow, some-one will find Harwinton's long "lost"lead mine.
