Farmington’s Population Grows

In 1774, Farmington’s population was the tenth largest in the colonies, after Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, Charlestown, Salem, Baltimore, New Haven and Norwich. The town claimed the third largest grand list in Connecticut, exceeding that of Hartford or Middletown. It was considered to be the “mother town” with seven daughters — seven parishes that chose to incorporate as separate communities. Southington left in 1779, followed by Berlin and Bristol in 1785, Burlington in 1806, Avon in 1830, New Britain in 1850, and Plainville in 1869.