Norwich bulletin., 1915-06-19
HISTORY OF WILLIMANTIc.
Samuel Ashley Became First Settler in April, 1717, Quarter of Century After Windham Town Grant.

Twenty-Five years after the first settlement at Windham, the proprie- tors of the home lots at Willimantic had exchanged them for lots near the curve of the Nachaug, now known as Windham Center, and the plots at Willimantic were used as hay fields for the Windham farmers. In April, 1717, Samuel Ashley bought two hun dred acres from John Fitch northeast of Windham. on both sides of the Lit tie river. He was the first settler in WillimantiC.
 Second Settler.
 Jonathan Babcoc1 was probably the second settler and is the common an cestor of the Coventry and Mansfield families of that name. His house lay beyond the western limits of the borough of Willimantic, near the Vil Iage cemetery. The fall of the Willi- mantle river, dropping ninety-One feet between the mills of the Windham company and the junction with the Nachaug, proved an incentive to man. ufacture, early in the history of Wili- mantle. In 1906 a machine for picking and carding wool was set up at the falls. Other industries soon followed ands in 1922 Perez o. Richmond built a cotton spinning mill on the present site of No mill of the American Thread Company plant. The JillsOn Brothers built three mills Gone the
  and a three story building, all on the site of the present plant.
 Old Stone Row."
 In 1924 the Jillsons built old stone row." and from 1923 to 1927 the Wind ham COmpany's mill was built on it's present site by Tingley and Watson of Providence. The Smithville company was started when Deacon Charles Lee of Windham built a little mill, row of ten houses on Main street, and the stone store and boarding house at the corner of Bridge and Main. This company was later Teorganized by A. D. and ex-Governor Smith of Rhode Island, and built up by Whiting Hay den. This is included in the present Quidnicll- -Windham plant.
 In 1880 Stephen Hosmer kept two toll gates, one at Post Hill in Co., lurnbia, the other at the present june tion of Bridge and Pleasant street. The building of the two last named mills created an influx of settlers in this locality, and after a vigorous fight, a temporary wooden bridge was built which in 1868 was replaced by l the present stone structure.
 Borough Charter in 1888. In 1888 the legislature granted Wil1f- mantle a borough charter, and In 1S49 with the coming of the railroads, old Wfndham lost the last of her pres tige, the stage coach and the hospi- table taverns. Once the railway lines were established, others came in rapidly. The New London Northern | in 1849, the Hartford, Providence and l F1shkill in 1853, the Boston, Hartford and Erie about 1872. The Air line was | the last to be built. The depot was built in 1850, and the passenger sta | ton in 1880,
 | Banks.
 Previous to the coming of the rail- l roads in !S42, the Windham Savings 1 Institute had been established, a rival 1 to the old Windham National bank | which organized ten years Oefore put l ting out curious bank notes, which portrayed Col Dyer at one end, and l Col. Elderzin at the other, with the l famous frogs rampant and militant in the center.
 In 1854, the ,iWindham bank was | robbed of seven thousand dollars ir currency. and fifteen thousand in se- curities, which was recovered wheT the thieves were overtaken at Allyns Point. This circumstance caused 2 feeling of insecurity, and the old in stitution was removed to -WilliInantiC in 1879.
 Other banks organized in Whitman. tic were the Merchants Loan and Trust, 1870, Dime Savings bank. 1872 First National, in, 1S78., and the Wili. n1anticsT Trlsts company of conpara'