Author: Kegan Michael Smith
Hezekiah Holcomb, born circa 1726 was a leading citizen of Granby, Connecticut, a growing town incorporated from the northern part of Simsbury. He lived in the eastern section, of the town, called Turkey Hills, with the more affluent farmers. He and some his friends hoped Turkey Hills would leave Simsbury as a separate town from Salmon Brook in the western part of Granby. The good people in Turkey Hills had their own ecclesiastical society already and they wanted separation from those in Salmon Brook so they could ensure they were not outvoted on issues such as the location of schools and the town meeting house. Salmon Brook had many religious dissenters and people of lower social orders who have trouble remembering their place at town meetings. Hezekiah would rather manage the local affairs separately if he could get the Assembly to set up a town of East Granby. He tried his best to stay in a position of authority in town politics and his record as a soldier in the war helped. He commanded Connecticut's 11th Regiment and helped to win the Battle of Saratoga. The majority of Granby recognized his leadership talent, for they chose him as their first representative to the General Assembly. He was not strongly opposed to the new Constitution, but most of the people of Salmon Brook were.

If he voted "yes," at the ratification convention, he risked alienating these people, and would probably lose his prominent position in town politics, thus setting back hopes for separation of his section (and generally endangering the interests of eastern Granby at the hands of an irresponsible and unruly majority).

Actually, he did understand their concern. They have always been a fiercely independent people, having separated from Simsbury ecclesiastically in 1736, having thumbed their noses at the Hartford County Association of elders and installed numerous New Light preachers in the 1740's, and having been staunchly opposed to Parliament's policies in the 1770's. He remembered well the night Salmon Brook people danced in wild abandon around their "Liberty Tree," cursing the ministry; and he remembered how they nearly shackled the Simsbury town clerk to his chair the day they held their somewhat illegal town meeting to pass resolves against commutation and in favor of splitting the town. They would be upset about anything that looks like aristocracy or rule by a faraway government (even five miles away is too far for them).

He thought this new Constitution does not pose a great threat to their precious Liberty, but politically he realized he could not possibly support it and serve the interests of Turkey Hills. Therefore, much as he disliked it, he deferred to the wishes of the rabble. He was not exactly sure what he was going to say at the Convention, but he resigned to the fact that he will have to vote "no."