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History of Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
Journey back in time to Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
Explore Canterbury, Connecticut, USA! Uncover its rich history and discover the stories of the people who once called it home. Dive into old newspaper articles, vintage pictures, postcards, and genealogy to learn more about this fascinating town.Do You Have Canterbury Ancestry? Share YOUR Family Story!
Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut, USA
In 1832, Prudence Crandall, a schoolteacher raised as a Quaker, stirred controversy when she opened the Canterbury Female Boarding School and admitted black girls to it.
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Canterbury Nostalgia: Vintage Photos, Ads, and Postcards
Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
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"A Quaker abolitionist and teacher, Prudence Crandall bravely defied prevailing patterns of racial discrimination when she opened one of the first schools for African American girls in Connecticut in 1833...
Born in Hopkinton, Rhode Island on September 3, 1803 to farmers Pardon and Esther Carpenter Crandall, Prudence Crandall moved with her family to Canterbury, Connecticut when she was ten years old. She attended the New England Friends’ Boarding School in Providence, where she studied arithmetic, Latin and science – subjects not typical for women but embraced by Quakers who believed in equal educational opportunities. She taught briefly in Plainfield, and in 1831 opened a private girl’s academy in Canterbury, where she initially taught daughters from the town’s wealthiest families. Ranked as one of the state’s best schools, her rigorous curriculum provided female students with an education comparable to that of prominent schools for boys..."
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Old Prudence Crandall School, Canterbury, Conn.
"A Quaker abolitionist and teacher, Prudence Crandall bravely defied prevailing patterns of racial discrimination when she opened one of the first schools for African American girls in Connecticut in 1833...
Born in Hopkinton, Rhode Island on September 3, 1803 to farmers Pardon and Esther Carpenter Crandall, Prudence Crandall moved with her family to Canterbury, Connecticut when she was ten years old. She attended the New England Friends’ Boarding School in Providence, where she studied arithmetic, Latin and science – subjects not typical for women but embraced by Quakers who believed in equal educational opportunities. She taught briefly in Plainfield, and in 1831 opened a private girl’s academy in Canterbury, where she initially taught daughters from the town’s wealthiest families. Ranked as one of the state’s best schools, her rigorous curriculum provided female students with an education comparable to that of prominent schools... Read MORE...
Read more about Prudence CRANDALL
Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
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Canterbury Green, Main St. Looking North.
Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
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First Congregational Church, Canterbury Green, Conn.
Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
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Westminster Second Congregational Church
Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
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Frank Miller's Residence, Canterbury, Conn.
Discover Canterbury: History, News, Travel, and Stories
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1703 - First settled as a part of Plainfield in the late 1600s, it was officially separated and named Canterbury in 1703, becoming the state’s 38th town.
connecticuthistory.org/ towns-page/ canterbury
connecticuthistory.org/ towns-page/ canterbury
The schools received attention in the early years of settlement. March 4th, 1718, the town ordered " that there should be a school kept in this town
six months, viz., two months _at ye upper end of ye town, and two months in ye west row, and two months at the lower end, at one place or more, as either party shall agree." No school houses were as yet built. In 1724, and probably in other years about that time, a schoolmaster was employed to perambulate the town and teach one month at Widow Ensworth's, one month at John Fitch's, one month at Deliverance Brown's, one month at Nathaniel Bond's, and one month at David Adams'. He, was to be paid twenty shillings a month out of the school funds of the town; and if no suitable person could be employed for that money, then those whose children went to school should pay their proportion, and so make up the deficit.
canterburyct.org
six months, viz., two months _at ye upper end of ye town, and two months in ye west row, and two months at the lower end, at one place or more, as either party shall agree." No school houses were as yet built. In 1724, and probably in other years about that time, a schoolmaster was employed to perambulate the town and teach one month at Widow Ensworth's, one month at John Fitch's, one month at Deliverance Brown's, one month at Nathaniel Bond's, and one month at David Adams'. He, was to be paid twenty shillings a month out of the school funds of the town; and if no suitable person could be employed for that money, then those whose children went to school should pay their proportion, and so make up the deficit.
canterburyct.org
In 1726 the town was arranged into three sections-" a school to be kept three months in each squadron."
canterburyct.org
canterburyct.org
A bridge over the Quinebaug, a formidable and troublesome stream to the early inhabitants, was built in 1728 by two gentlemen' of Plainfield, but it was soon swept away by a freshet. Another was built at the same place by Samuel Butts, in 1733.
canterburyct.org
canterburyct.org
The Quinebaug, which had given so much trouble to the early settlers, was not yet reduced to proper subjection. In the severe freshet of 1757, the bridge was partially, destroyed, and a serious casualty occurred in repairing it.
canterburyct.org
canterburyct.org
1819 - Canterbury
Canterbury is a post township, 40 miles east from Hartford; bounded on the north by Brooklyn, on the east by Plainfield, on the south by Lisbon and Griswold, and on the west by Windham, having an average length of 8 miles, and an average breadth of 4 and a half miles, containing an area of about 36 square miles...
A Gazetteer of the States of Connecticut and Rhode-Island: Written with Care and Impartiality, from Original and Authentic Materials : Consisting of Two Parts ... with an Accurate and Improved Map of Each State Authors John Chauncey Pease, John Milton Niles Publisher W.S. Marsh, 1819
Canterbury is a post township, 40 miles east from Hartford; bounded on the north by Brooklyn, on the east by Plainfield, on the south by Lisbon and Griswold, and on the west by Windham, having an average length of 8 miles, and an average breadth of 4 and a half miles, containing an area of about 36 square miles...
A Gazetteer of the States of Connecticut and Rhode-Island: Written with Care and Impartiality, from Original and Authentic Materials : Consisting of Two Parts ... with an Accurate and Improved Map of Each State Authors John Chauncey Pease, John Milton Niles Publisher W.S. Marsh, 1819
1831 - (Canterbury, CT) - In 1831 Prudence Crandall opened a private school for girls but when she allowed—and then focused exclusively on—education for young African American women, informal and legal protests began.
A mob attack forced the school’s closure in 1834.
connecticuthistory.org/ towns-page/ canterbury/
Read more about Prudence CRANDALL
A mob attack forced the school’s closure in 1834.
connecticuthistory.org/ towns-page/ canterbury/
Read more about Prudence CRANDALL
1833 - June 27 - Prudence Crandall, a white woman, arrested for conducting an academy for black females at Canterbury Conn
historyorb.com
June 27, 1833
Read more about Prudence CRANDALL
historyorb.com
June 27, 1833
Read more about Prudence CRANDALL
1839 - Canterbury
Canterbury, Connecticut
Windham county. The first settlers of this town were principally from Dorchester, Mass., and its neighborhood. They came here about the year 1690. The soil of the town is a gravelly loam, generally fertile and productive. It lies 40 miles E. by S. from Hartford and 6 S. from Brooklyn. Population, 1830, 1,881. The Quinnebaug is here a large and beautiful stream. It annually overflows its banks, and fertilizes a large tract upon its borders. There is fine fishing in Bates' pond. Considerable excitement manifested itself in this town, in 1832, in consequence of a Miss Crandall proposing to open a school for the instruction of "Young ladies and little misses of color."—Although no one seemed to question the purity of Miss Crandall's motives, yet the people doubted the expediency of the measure.
The New England Gazetteer containing descriptions of all the states, counties and towns in New England: also descriptions of the principal mountains, rivers lakes, capes, bays, harbors, islands and fashionable resorts within that territory. By John Hayward, author of the Columbian Traveller, Religious Creeds, &c. &c. Boston: John Hayward. Boyd & White, Concord, N.H. 1839
Canterbury, Connecticut
Windham county. The first settlers of this town were principally from Dorchester, Mass., and its neighborhood. They came here about the year 1690. The soil of the town is a gravelly loam, generally fertile and productive. It lies 40 miles E. by S. from Hartford and 6 S. from Brooklyn. Population, 1830, 1,881. The Quinnebaug is here a large and beautiful stream. It annually overflows its banks, and fertilizes a large tract upon its borders. There is fine fishing in Bates' pond. Considerable excitement manifested itself in this town, in 1832, in consequence of a Miss Crandall proposing to open a school for the instruction of "Young ladies and little misses of color."—Although no one seemed to question the purity of Miss Crandall's motives, yet the people doubted the expediency of the measure.
The New England Gazetteer containing descriptions of all the states, counties and towns in New England: also descriptions of the principal mountains, rivers lakes, capes, bays, harbors, islands and fashionable resorts within that territory. By John Hayward, author of the Columbian Traveller, Religious Creeds, &c. &c. Boston: John Hayward. Boyd & White, Concord, N.H. 1839
1854 - Canterbury
Canterbury, a post-township of Windham county, Connecticut, about 35 miles E. by S. from Hartford. Population, 1669
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.
Canterbury, a post-township of Windham county, Connecticut, about 35 miles E. by S. from Hartford. Population, 1669
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.
1859
CANTERBURY, a township of Windham co., in the state of Connecticut, 12 m. N or Norwich. On the E it is bounded by the Quinebaug, which abounds with shad. It possesses an undulating surface, and a fertile soil. Pop. 1,791.
A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Publisher A. Fullarton, 1859
CANTERBURY, a township of Windham co., in the state of Connecticut, 12 m. N or Norwich. On the E it is bounded by the Quinebaug, which abounds with shad. It possesses an undulating surface, and a fertile soil. Pop. 1,791.
A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Publisher A. Fullarton, 1859
1867 - Murderous Assault in Canterbury
A desperate encounter took place in Canterbury last Saturday night, between a German named John Jacobs, and a negro called "Bill," who is said to be a contraband. We are not able to give the full particulars of the affair, but it seems from the information we have, that Jacobs accused the negrol of stealing something from his store, and words led to blows. Jacobs was terribly beaten in the encounter, having, it is said, one or two ribs broken and his skull fractured.
Drs. Burgess and Palmer were called to attend the injured man, and it was their opinion that he could not survive. The negro escaped, and had not been arrested at last accounts.
Norwich Aurora
Norwich, Connecticut
December 11, 1867
A desperate encounter took place in Canterbury last Saturday night, between a German named John Jacobs, and a negro called "Bill," who is said to be a contraband. We are not able to give the full particulars of the affair, but it seems from the information we have, that Jacobs accused the negrol of stealing something from his store, and words led to blows. Jacobs was terribly beaten in the encounter, having, it is said, one or two ribs broken and his skull fractured.
Drs. Burgess and Palmer were called to attend the injured man, and it was their opinion that he could not survive. The negro escaped, and had not been arrested at last accounts.
Norwich Aurora
Norwich, Connecticut
December 11, 1867
1869 - Wore suit for more than 50 years
An old man in Canterbury, Conn., seventy-five years of age, died recently and was buried in a suit of clothes which he procured when a young man, and had worn constantly as a Sunday suit for more than half a century. He had been married four times, and on each of those occasions wore the same suit.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
December 4, 1869
An old man in Canterbury, Conn., seventy-five years of age, died recently and was buried in a suit of clothes which he procured when a young man, and had worn constantly as a Sunday suit for more than half a century. He had been married four times, and on each of those occasions wore the same suit.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
December 4, 1869
1873 - Rabbit Hunting in Canterbury
Canterbury still hold out strong inducements to hunters. Gilbert Perkins, and a friend from Central Village, on Tuesday, bagged fifteen rabbits and five partridges. On the same day Willis Rouse and two others, from the same place, went to another prat of the town and succeeded in capturing thirty rabbits. The most successful hunt yet reported, however, occurred about three weeks ago, when Gurdon Cady and two others caught forty rabbits in one day. In consequence of this last catch Central Village is engaged in a grand feast, and all who are fortunate enough to be invited are happy.
Norwich Aurora
Norwich, Connecticut
December 24, 1873
Canterbury still hold out strong inducements to hunters. Gilbert Perkins, and a friend from Central Village, on Tuesday, bagged fifteen rabbits and five partridges. On the same day Willis Rouse and two others, from the same place, went to another prat of the town and succeeded in capturing thirty rabbits. The most successful hunt yet reported, however, occurred about three weeks ago, when Gurdon Cady and two others caught forty rabbits in one day. In consequence of this last catch Central Village is engaged in a grand feast, and all who are fortunate enough to be invited are happy.
Norwich Aurora
Norwich, Connecticut
December 24, 1873
1886 - THE CANTERBURY STORY. PRUDENCE CRANDALL AGAIN. Interesting Chapters in the Life of the Quaker School Marm Who Dared to Teach the Daughter of a Negro Half a Century Ago - Late Reparation Probable.
The story of Prudence Crandall, the abolitionist school teacher of Canterbury, Conn., is one of the most interesting in the history of the movement that resulted in the emancipation of the colored man. It is recalled now by the petition of the people of Canterbury, which was presented to the assembly the other day, parying for an appropriation from the state, under whose laws the noble woman suffered great hardships and indignities, for her relief in old age. It is to the credit of the people of Canterbury that the petition comes from them, for it was in that little Windham county village that Prudence Crandall was persecuted half a century ago. Signed to that petition are the names of the sons and grandsons of the men, yes and some of the men themselves, whose fanatical vengeance fell upon the school mistress because she dared to teach the daughter of a negro.
The Canterbury Female Boarding school was a flourishing educational institution in the winter of 1833. It had been... Read MORE...
Read more about Prudence CRANDALL
The story of Prudence Crandall, the abolitionist school teacher of Canterbury, Conn., is one of the most interesting in the history of the movement that resulted in the emancipation of the colored man. It is recalled now by the petition of the people of Canterbury, which was presented to the assembly the other day, parying for an appropriation from the state, under whose laws the noble woman suffered great hardships and indignities, for her relief in old age. It is to the credit of the people of Canterbury that the petition comes from them, for it was in that little Windham county village that Prudence Crandall was persecuted half a century ago. Signed to that petition are the names of the sons and grandsons of the men, yes and some of the men themselves, whose fanatical vengeance fell upon the school mistress because she dared to teach the daughter of a negro.
The Canterbury Female Boarding school was a flourishing educational institution in the winter of 1833. It had been... Read MORE...
Read more about Prudence CRANDALL
1890 - Suicide of a Canterbury Man
WILLIMANTIC, Conn., Nov. 24 - The body of John Tracey of Canterbury was found in the woods about a mile from his home yesterday. The man's throat was cut from ear to ear, and his razor found near the body indicated that he had committed suicide. Tracey has been missing from his home for a week, and his relatives have searched all over the county for him. It is supposed that he committed the deed in a fit of temporary insanity.
The New Haven Evening Register
New Haven, Connecticut
November 24, 1890
WILLIMANTIC, Conn., Nov. 24 - The body of John Tracey of Canterbury was found in the woods about a mile from his home yesterday. The man's throat was cut from ear to ear, and his razor found near the body indicated that he had committed suicide. Tracey has been missing from his home for a week, and his relatives have searched all over the county for him. It is supposed that he committed the deed in a fit of temporary insanity.
The New Haven Evening Register
New Haven, Connecticut
November 24, 1890
1895 - Canterbury
Canterbury, kan'ter-ber-e, a post-village of Windham co., Conn., in Canterbury township, on the Quinebaug River, 3 miles from Plainfield Junction, and about 14 miles N.N.E. of Norwich. It has 2 grist-mills and a church. The town. ship has 3 churches and a cotton-mill, and has a station on the New York and New England Railroad, 18 miles E. by S. of Willimantic.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
Canterbury, kan'ter-ber-e, a post-village of Windham co., Conn., in Canterbury township, on the Quinebaug River, 3 miles from Plainfield Junction, and about 14 miles N.N.E. of Norwich. It has 2 grist-mills and a church. The town. ship has 3 churches and a cotton-mill, and has a station on the New York and New England Railroad, 18 miles E. by S. of Willimantic.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
1916
Canterbury, kan'ter-ber-e, a post-village of Windham co., Conn., in Canterbury township (town), on the Quinebaug River, about 14 miles NNE. of Norwich. Pop. of the town in 1900, 870.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher
Canterbury, kan'ter-ber-e, a post-village of Windham co., Conn., in Canterbury township (town), on the Quinebaug River, about 14 miles NNE. of Norwich. Pop. of the town in 1900, 870.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher
Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Canterbury, Connecticut:
Prudence Crandall Museum: Start your visit with a trip to the Prudence Crandall Museum, a National Historic Landmark. Prudence Crandall was a 19th-century teacher who famously established a school for African American girls, making her a pioneer in the fight for civil rights. The museum provides insights into her life and the struggles she faced.
Canterbury Green: Stroll around Canterbury Green, a picturesque village green surrounded by historic buildings. It's a lovely place for a leisurely walk, and you can admire the town's charming New England architecture.
Canterbury Shaker Village: Just a short drive from Canterbury, you'll find the Canterbury Shaker Village. This well-preserved historic site offers a glimpse into the lives of the Shakers, a religious group known for their simple and communal way of life. Explore the beautifully restored buildings and learn about their history.
Pomfret School's Trail Wood: If you enjoy nature and hiking, head to Trail Wood, which was... Read MORE...
Prudence Crandall Museum: Start your visit with a trip to the Prudence Crandall Museum, a National Historic Landmark. Prudence Crandall was a 19th-century teacher who famously established a school for African American girls, making her a pioneer in the fight for civil rights. The museum provides insights into her life and the struggles she faced.
Canterbury Green: Stroll around Canterbury Green, a picturesque village green surrounded by historic buildings. It's a lovely place for a leisurely walk, and you can admire the town's charming New England architecture.
Canterbury Shaker Village: Just a short drive from Canterbury, you'll find the Canterbury Shaker Village. This well-preserved historic site offers a glimpse into the lives of the Shakers, a religious group known for their simple and communal way of life. Explore the beautifully restored buildings and learn about their history.
Pomfret School's Trail Wood: If you enjoy nature and hiking, head to Trail Wood, which was... Read MORE...
Discover YOUR Roots: Canterbury Ancestry
Ancestors Who Were Born or Died in Canterbury, Connecticut, USA
We currently have information about 203 ancestors who were born or died in Canterbury.View Them Now (sorted by year of birth)
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Genealogy Resources for Canterbury
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