Simsbury is often considered to be the first western frontier over the mountain from the Connecticut River Valley. Early settlers came from Windsor seeking land and employment in the pitch and tar manufactory, supported by the abundant pine forests which covered the area. There were religious reasons for relocation as well. Windsor did not honor the "halfway covenant" meaning that children of non-members were not allowed to participate in state-endorsed Congregationalism. Many families sought a more welcoming area and settled within the Farmington River Valley. “Massacoh,” as Simsbury was known until 1670, brought together many families whose descendants still live in the area.
In 1670, John Case, who was the first constable in this area, along with Joshua Holcomb, presented a petition to the General Court that Massacoe become a town of the colony of Connecticut. On May 12 of 1670, the General Court granted the petition, and ordered that the plantation should be called "Simmsbury". The boundaries at that time were Farmington on the south, and Windsor on the east, with the extent of Simsbury running ten miles (16 km) north of Farmington and ten miles (16 km) west of Windsor, although the northern border, subject to dispute with Massachusetts, would be resolved later. This extent covers what is present day Simsbury as well as Granby and Canton.
The precise origin of the name of the town is not known for certain. Town records covering the first ten years after incorporation were accidentally burned in 1680. One possibility is that the name of Simsbury comes from the English town of Symondsbury. Joshua Holcomb, one of the colonies petitioners, originally came from Symondsbury. Another possibility is that the name was derived from Simon Wolcott. As he was known familiarly as "Sim" and he was considered one of the prominent men of the town.
http://www.simsburyhistory.org/http://www.simsbury-ct.gov/about-our-town
The author of this volume, Charles Edward Stowe (1850-1934) was the son of Harriet beecher Stowe. "The Stowes' youngest son was rambunctious and gave his parents a good amount of trouble. He ran away from school at thirteen to become a sailor, but the Stowes found him before the ship set sail. Stowe used his antics as a model for her story Our Charley. Charles Stowe was ordained as a minister in 1878. He married Susan Monroe (1853-1918) and had three children. The young family lived at his parents' Forest Street home for a short time in 1883. From the mid 1880's until the late 1890's he was minister of the Simsbury, CT Congregational Church. Charles wrote a biography of his mother, The Life of Harriet Beecher Stowe, in 1889.
https://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/hbs/stowe_family.shtml
