Towns Annexed by Connecticut in 1749

Date: 1749 [unknown]
Location: Connecticut

This page hopes to reduce confusion about the colony associated with a number of towns along the Massachusetts/Connecticut border prior to 1749. When referencing these towns prior to 1749, I'd expect that they would be noted as being part of Massachusetts.

The following towns were annexed by the Connecticut Colony in 1749, and were previously part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony:

• Suffield (1674-1749)
• Enfield (1679-1749)
• Woodstock (1686-1749)
• Somers (1706-1749)
• Others?

When you include the creation of new counties in both Massachusetts and Connecticut over the years, these towns have a busy geographic naming history. Here are the locations and dates (best as I've been able to surmise):

• Suffield, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony (1674-1749)
• Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut Colony (1750-1776)
• Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut, United States (1777- )
• Enfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony (1679-1749)
• Enfield, Hartford, Connecticut Colony (1750-1776)
• Enfield, Hartford, Connecticut, United States (1777- )
• Woodstock, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony (1686-1730)
• Woodstock, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony (1731-1749)
• Woodstock, Windham, Connecticut Colony (1750-1776)
• Woodstock, Windham, Connecticut, United States (1777- )
• Somers, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony (1702-1749)
• Somers, Hartford, Connecticut Colony (1750-1776)
• Somers, Hartford, Connecticut, United States (1777-1785)
• Somers, Tolland, Connecticut United States (1785- )

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Excerpt from The History of Enfield, Connecticut, Volume 1, by John Chauncey Pease, 1900, pages 19-20.^[1]

In 175[0] a very remarkable event occurred in the political history of Enfield which was nothing less than the secession of Enfield in common with the towns of Sufiield & Woodstock from the Royal Government of Massachusetts Bay and a union with the Charter government of Connecticut. As the secession took place without the consent of Massachusetts or any mutual arrangement between the two Colonies and as it is well known that the three townships were originally settled under grant from Massachusetts & had enjoyed protection of its government & been accustomed to its laws and municipal regulations for more than seventy years it is somewhat surprising that the Inhabitants of the three townships could suddenly be reconciled to the inconveniences of such a procedure without the operation of more powerful causes than were then known to exist. The history of this transaction has never been sufficiently explained to the public, but ancient people of this town assert that Gen. Phineas Lyman was the most prominent actor in the affair of the secession, that the measure was brought about principly by his influence in both colonies. The exchange has certainly been a fortunate circumstance to the Inhabitants of the three townships & if Gen. Lyman was instrumental in bringing it about he is entitled to the lasting gratitude of the people as their benefactor, for it is presumed that no intelligent inhabitant of the three townships is insensible of the superiority of the institutions of Connecticut over those of Massachusetts or has not often contrasted the excellence of our cheap simple & republican municipal regulations with the expensive complicated & aristocratical systems of Massachusetts.

Sources

1. ↑ The History of Enfield, Connecticut, Volume 1, by John Chauncey Pease, 1900, pages 19-20. books.google.com (21 May 2018)

• References to Enfield, and Suffield on wikipedia.org
• Interactive map overlays showing the change in Massachusetts and Connecticut county boundaries over the years. mapofus.org