VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF KENT

1684 -- first recorded visit of a white man to the Kent area, the Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth accompanied by 30 troopers.

1710 -- the General Assembly appointed a committee to lay out the area of Kent. And an Indian raid from Canada passes through the Kent region.

1716 -- Benjamin Fairweather buys a large tract including Kent from Chief Waramaug.

1719 -- The General Assembly orders the Western Lands off limits because they wanted to insure an orderly settlement of the area.

1724 -- last Indian raid from Canada to penetrate the Kent region.

1726-37 -- General Assembly orders the Western Lands to be surveyed and draft several plans for the area.

1737 -- the General Assembly permits sales and settlements of Western Lands.

1737 -- village of Warren established. Named for General Joseph Warren, hero of Bunker Hill.

1738 -- land in Kent auctioned off at Windsor. Stephen Pain erects the first cabin in Kent.

1739 -- town of Kent incorporated. Established by men from Colchester, Norwalk, and Fairfield.

Deposits of iron ore soon found.

South Kent established. It was once known as Pigtail Corners, because an angry colonist cut the tail off an enemy’s pig.

1740 -- first meeting house authorized. First militia company organized. Population of 42 adult males.

1743 -- Kent visited by New Light preachers, James Clement, Richard Hallett, and Benjamin Ferris. Local New Lights condemned.

1744 -- Moravians preach at Kent. Barnum ironworks operating at Spectacle Pond.

1747 -- first bridge over the Housatonic River. And last Indian alarm.

1748 -- Kent reaffirms Old Light position.

1751 -- Kent becomes a part of newly formed Litchfield County.

1756 -- Kent militia serve on Crown Point expedition during French and Indian War.

1756 -- Gull’s ironworks authorized.

1758 -- mine at Ore Hill in operation.

1775-76 -- During the American Revolution, Kent militia serves in Boston and Long Island campaigns with 66 men.

1778 -- Kent militia serve against the British raid on Danbury.

1786 -- East Greenwich Society separates from Kent and becomes Warren.

1796 -- Kent has seven taverns, six forges, five general stores. Iron goes to slitting mills at Canaan and Washington.

1845 -- 3 blast furnaces at peak production of 3,000 tons per year.

1906 -- Kent School established as a preparatory school for boys. It was an Episcopal institution directed by Father Sill.

1923 -- South Kent School (an offshoot of the Kent School) established in South Kent.

Source: Crofut, 1937; Grant, 1961.