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ITB5 1905
Vtmttntniitl
AN ACCOUNT OF THE CEL-
EBRATION OF THE TWO
HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE PURCHASE FROM
THE INDIANS OF THE
LAND OF THE TOWN OF
NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT,
HELD AUGUST FIFTH, NINE-
TEEN HUNDRED AND FIVE
EDITED BY
JAMES HARDIN GEORGE
ALLISON PARISH SMITH
EZRA LEV AN JOHNSON
NEW HAVEN, CONN. :
THE TUTTLE, MOREHOUSE & TAYLOR COMPANY
1906
Copyright, 1906
JAMBS HARDIN GEORGE
ALLISON PARISH SMITH
EZRA LEVAN JOHNSON
Stack
Annex
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS $
PREFACE 7
STORY OF THE CELEBRATION 9
The Preparation 9
The General Committee 12
The Executive Committee 12
The Finance Committee 13
The Entertainment Committee 14
The Historical Committee 14
The Invitation Committee 15
. The Music Committee 16
The Parade Committee 16
The Committee on Decorations 16
The Committee on Colonial Ball 17
The Committee on Fireworks 18
The Celebration 18
The Governor's Arrival 19
The Colonial Ball 19
The Anniversary Day 21
The Parade 21
The Exercises at the Fair Grounds 22
Prayer by Rev. P. Fox 24
Address of Welcome, by Rev. O. W. Barker 26
Address on The Colony, by Rev. Samuel Hart, D.D. . . 33
Address on Pioneer Life in Newtown to the Close of
the Revolution, by Mr. E. L. Johnson 40
The Intermission, and Luncheon 108
The Poem, "The Old Home Coming" by Rev. O. O.
Wright ..in
PAGE
Address, by His Excellency Henry Roberts, Governor
of Connecticut 116
Address by Hon. D. N. Morgan 123
Address by W. C. Wile, M.D 129
Address by Hon. Charles H. Briscoe 133
Address by Mr. Frederick P. Marble 135
Address by Prof. Geo. E. Beers 139
Address by Rear Admiral Franklin C. Prindle, U. S. N. 145
^^ti^-. Address by Mr. Edward C. Beecher^^. 147
Benediction by Rev. Arthur T. Parsons 148
The Historical Exhibit 149
The Band Concert and Fireworks 150
COMMEMORATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST THE SIXTH 152
The Services in the Congregational Church 152
Sermon by Rev. O. W. Barker on "New England Leaven". . 153
The Services in Trinity Church 165
Sermon by Rev. J. H. George on "The Transplanted Vine" 166
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
VIEWS :
PACK
Newtown Street, from the North end Frontispiece
Newtown Street, looking North from the Liberty Pole 85
Newtown Street, looking South from the Liberty Pole 87
The John Beach Memorial Library 53
The Congregational Church 152
Trinity Church 164
St. Rose's Church 90
St. John's Church, Sandy Hook 67
The Methodist Church, Sandy Hook 80
Newtown High School 72
^Re
PORTRAITS :
Hon. Henry Roberts, Governor of Connecticut ................ 116
. Samuel Hart, D.D ...................................... 33
Mr. Ezra Levan Johnson ..................................... 40
Rev. James Hardin George ................................... 21
Rev. Otis W. Barker ......................................... 26
Rev. Patrick Fox ............................................. 24
Rev. Otis Olney Wright ..................................... in
Hon. Charles H. Briscoe ..................................... 133
Hon. Daniel N. Morgan ..................................... 123
Dr. William C. Wile ......................................... 129
Mr. Frederick P. Marble ..................................... 135
Prof. George E. Beers ....................................... 139
Rear Admiral Franklin C. Prindle ............................ 145
Hon. Michael J. Houlihan .................................... 10
— 6—
PAGE
Mr. Robert H. Beers 17
Mr. Patrick H. McCarthy 19
Mr. Allison P. Smith 9
Mr. Levi C. Morris 13
Mr. Charles F. Beardsley 109
Mr. Daniel G. Beers 149
Mr. Charles S. Platt 14
Mr. Charles G. Peck 22
Mr. William A. Leonard 150
PREFACE
In searching the records of the past one is often struck
with the fact that his task would have been very much
simplified, had those who went before him taken more pains
to give in some detail the occurrences which were of general
interest in the community at the time and of special value
to those who should follow.
That those who may follow us need be at no loss to learn
the particulars of an occasion of special interest to all
connected with the town, this book has been compiled.
Because this book in giving an account of an historic
occasion embodies addresses which concern the early days
of the town, it should be doubly valuable.
With these objects in view, to preserve the early history
of the town compiled with so much labor, and that succeed-
ing generations might know what the people of to-day
thought of its early history, and how they celebrated its
beginnings, the Executive Committee of the Bicentennial
appointed the undersigned to gather the addresses and the
facts of the celebration and to publish them in book form.
The work has had the general supervision of all the
members of the committee. In the division of the labor,
Mr. Johnson has had charge of the addresses. Mr. George
has written the story, with the exception of the account
of the Colonial Ball and the Parade. This with the
illustrations has been the care of Mr. Smith.
That this task should have been committed to us was
probably due to the sentiment contained in the old adage,
"if you want to get anything done, get a busy man to do it."
In the midst of many cares this work has been done with
no expectation of reward save that of having served the
interests of the town. A limited edition is published and
the price of the book has been placed so as to cover the cost
of the typographical work.
The book lays no claim to special literary merit. We
shall be satisfied if it answers its purpose of preserving
facts which were of interest to those now living and which
will be valued by those who in the future may study the
history of Newtown.
JAMES HARDIN GEORGE,
ALLISON PARISH SMITH,
EZRA LEVAN JOHNSON.
ALLISON PARISH SMITH
Editor of the Newtown Bee,
Member of the Bicentennial Executive Committee.
THE PREPARATION
Any story of the Celebration of the Two Hundredth
Anniversary of the Purchase of the Land of the Town of
Newtown from the Indians would be incomplete without
some account of the preparations which in the months pre-
vious were made and which laid the foundation for its
success.
It was in the Men's Literary and Social Club of Newtown
that the first movement was made. The character of this
club is described by its name. It is composed of about
twenty gentlemen, who meet once a month, with one of their
number as host, and under the leadership of another mem-
ber, who has charge of the literary programme, discuss
some subject of interest. These subjects are not wholly
of the books or events of the past; but often matters of
present interest, and frequently those of local concern.
From the Club have originated a number of movements
of interest to the community and some public improvements.
It was at the suggestion of Mr. Ezra Levan Johnson,
one of its members, that the Club took the initiative in
bringing before the community the propriety of marking
the bicentennial of this first event in the history of our town.
Comparatively few knew of this purchase or realized its
great importance, as it preceded by some years the incor-
poration of the town by the Legislature, and the later date
was generally set down as the beginning of the town's
history. Mr. Johnson, however, has always taken a great
interest in the history of the town, its legends and landmarks,
the graves of its noted inhabitants, and its old records.
His age makes him familiar with many traditions of the
older generation, and in his younger days he had seen the
original deed from the Indians, which now unfortunately
cannot be found. The deed was recorded, however, and
properly attested in the first volume of the town's records.
This book contains a mass of other matters of less import-
ance and not recorded in chronological order, and being
devoid of an index, it required some time to search it out.
In a letter written while he was in California in the winter of
1903-4, he called attention to the approaching anniversary,
and again in person brought it to the attention of the Club
at its first meeting in the fall of the year 1904.
A committee was appointed to consider the practicability
of a celebration, and it was finally decided that a call for
a public meeting to take up the matter should be issued.
It was not the intention of the Club to direct or control
the celebration ; but having called the attention of the
community to the anniversary, to leave it to such meeting
to appoint suitable committees to have it in charge, the
members doing all in their power as individuals to further it.
A call was accordingly published in the issue of the
Newtown Bee of December 8th for a meeting at the
Newtown Academy, now occupied by the High School, on
Monday evening, December I2th. This place was chosen
as being centrally located between the villages of Newtown
and Sandy Hook, and equally convenient to all. A severe
snow storm prevented a meeting of more than three or four,
and it was adjourned to January i6th at the same place.
At this meeting Mr. Johnson made an address, giving
the historical facts, and it was resolved to hold a celebration,
and a permanent organization was effected by the choice of
Mr. E. L. Johnson as Chairman, and Hon. M. J. Houlihan as
Secretary. At an adjourned meeting held January 23d
at the same place, Mr. Houlihan was chosen Treasurer, and
a committee to nominate a general committee to have charge
of the celebration was appointed. This committee consisted
HON. MICHAEL J. HOULIHAN
Town Clerk,
Secretary and Treasurer of the Bicentennial Executive Committee.
— II —
of Messrs. E. L. Johnson, M. J. Houlihan, R. H. Beers,
P. H. McCarthy, Rev. O. W. Barker, Rev. J. H. George, and
George F. Taylor.
At this meeting the subject of publishing a new map of
the town was brought up, and Mr. D. G. Beers, Rev. J. H.
George, and Prof. Ross Jewell were appointed a committee
to report on the practicability of the scheme. As it was
found that the making and publishing of such a map might
involve some financial risk, the whole matter was ultimately
turned over to ten gentlemen interested in the subject and
willing to be responsible for it as a committee, with the
understanding that it should in no way be an expense to the
general committee, and that, if there were any profit from
it, it should go to the expenses of the celebration. This
committee consisted of Messrs. D. G. Beers, Ross Jewell,
J. H. George, A. P. Smith, R. H. Beers, S. P. Glover, M. J.
Houlihan, O. W. Barker, C. B. Taylor, and W. A. Leonard.
The committee employed Mr. Daniel G. Beers to make a
map similar to the old map made in 1854, on a scale of 2^2
inches to a mile, and maps of the villages on a larger scale,
showing the names of all persons to whom the various
houses belonged. The committee employed Prof. Ross
Jewell to take the photographs of the public buildings, and
of factories and private residences which were placed about
the map, and also to canvass for its sale. The Bicentennial
map was a great success. Financially it added to the
treasury of the Executive Committee $275. As an historical
monument it forms an enduring record of the layout of the
roads, the position of public and private buildings, and the
owners of real estate at the bicentennial of the town.
At this meeting Messrs. E. L. Johnson, M. J. Houlihan,
and John J. Northrop, one of the town's representatives in
the Legislature, were appointed a committee to invite
His Excellency, Governor Henry Roberts, to attend the
celebration.
12
The Nominating Committee met and named a committee
of fifty persons as a General Committee to have charge of
the celebration, and reported to a public meeting of the
citizens held at the ''Brick Building," so called, where the
town records are kept, on Monday evening, March 6th.
The nominations were endorsed by the meeting. The
names of the gentlemen constituting this Committee follow :
E. L. Johnson, M. J. Houlihan, R. H. Beers, P. H. Mc-
Carthy, Rev. O. W. Barker, Rev. J. H. George, Geo. F.
Taylor, Rev. P. Fox, Rev. O. O. Wright, Frank Wright,
Smith P. Glover, William B. Sniffen, Daniel G. Beers,
Charles S. Platt, Eli B. Beers, Charles E. Beers, C. B.
Taylor, Walter S. Bradley, David C. Peck, S. A. Blackman,
Charles G. Morris, C. D. Stillson, Henry G. Curtis, Theron
E. Platt, A. B. Blakeman, P. C. Crowe, Edward W. Troy,
John J. Northrop, M. F. Houlihan, Charles H. Northrop,
William J. Beecher, William A. Leonard, Levi C. Morris,
Thomas J. Bradley, George F. Duncombe, Robert A. Clark,
Edgar C. Page, Thomas J. Corbett, John B. Wheeler,
Edward Taylor, Ralph N. Betts, Allison P. Smith, Philo
Nichols, Amos T. Camp, Minott Augur, Albert W. Peck,
William E. Hawley, William N. Northrop, J. B. Fairchild,
Norman Northrop.
This Committee chose an Executive Committee to have
entire charge of the celebration, as follows :
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
EZRA LEVAN JOHNSON, Chairman.
MICHAEL J. HOULIHAN, Secretary and Treasurer.
JAMES H. GEORGE, PATRICK H. MCCARTHY,
OTIS W. BARKER, ROBERT H. BEERS,
ALLISON P. SMITH.
A rather full account has been given of these preliminary
meetings showing the early stages of the movement, not
LEVI C. MORRIS
Chairman of the Finance Committee.
less to indicate the entirely free and open manner of its
organization than to give an encouragement to those who
in the future may have in hand such an undertaking. It
was found that, though no great general interest character-
ized its early stages, the public grew up to a thorough
appreciation of its importance as it progressed, and to
enthusiasm when the work culminated in the Celebration.
The work of the Executive Committee now began, and for
the next five months meetings were held on an average of
once a week to perfect the plans for carrying out the cele-
bration.
An important part of their duty lay in dividing up the
work and appointing capable sub-committees to carry it
into effect.
The financial problem was one of the most important,
and for this they selected gentlemen partly with reference
to their ability to collect funds and partly with reference to
locality, that all parts of the town might be represented.
Following is
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
LEVI C. MORRIS, Chairman,
ARTHUR J. SMITH, E. C. PLATT,
GEORGE F. TAYLOR, CHARLES G. MORRIS,
JOHN J. NORTHROP, HENRY G. CURTIS,
SMITH P. GLOVER, PHILO PLATT,
P. F. CROWE, C. D. STILLSON,
A. B. BLAKEMAN, ARTHUR D. FAIRCHILD.
By a canvass of the town and from unsolicited sub-
scriptions from former residents about $700 was raised,
giving the Executive Committee funds with which to carry
on the work in a suitable manner.
—14—
Next in importance was the problem of feeding the large
numbers who would be expected on such an occasion. The
suggestion that the affair should be of a picnic character,
those coming to bring a basket lunch, was soon dismissed
as not in accord with the known hospitality of the people of
the town. How to feed a large multitude estimated to run
up into the thousands was a problem involving many
practical difficulties ; but it was thought capable of solution
under good generalship. Following are the names of the
gentlemen who constituted what was called
THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE.
CHARLES F. BEARDSLEY, Chairman,
W. P. TOMLIN, GEORGE A. NORTHROP.
CHARLES H. GAY, W. M. REYNOLDS,
Under Mr. Beardsley's energetic leadership the town
was thoroughly canvassed and preparations made to feed
4,000 people.
An historical occasion called for a collection and exhibi-
tion of relics of the old days, and the following were chosen
THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE.
DANIEL G. BEERS, Chairman,
MRS. GEORGE F. TAYLOR, Miss ANN E. BLACKMAN,
THERON E. PLATT, MRS. S. GRACE GLOVER,
ARTHUR T. NETTLETON.
These were all possessors of valuable relics, and with
knowledge of others to make visible to this generation the
customs and manner of life of the early settlers of the town.
As the most suitable persons to trace out former residents
and others interested in the town's history the following
were chosen :
CHARLES S. PLATT
Chairman of the Music Committee.
T £__
THE COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS.
E. L. JOHNSON, Chairman,
WILLIAM J. BEECHER, CHARLES H. NORTHROP,
REV. OTIS O. WRIGHT, CHARLES G. MORRIS.
It was not the purpose of the committee to send personal
invitations to the present residents, as they were to be the
hosts on this occasion; nor to the residents of near-by
towns, as a general invitation would reach them through the
press ; but only to invite former residents living at a distance
and such men of distinction living in the state as would
naturally be interested in the celebration.
As time went by, the particulars of the celebration itself
developed in the minds of the Executive Committee. The
chief feature, of course, should be an historical address
giving an account of the event commemorated and of the
early days of the settlement. For the speaker it was evident
that none was so well qualified as Mr. Ezra Levan Johnson,
and he was accordingly chosen to deliver the principal
historical address.
That the early history of the town might have a proper
introduction and foundation, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hart,
President of the Connecticut Historical Society, was
requested to deliver an historical address on the Colony of
which the first settlers of the town were a part.
The Governor of the State, who had accepted the invita-
tion to be present, was also requested to make an address;
and a number of others, former residents or closely
connected with the town, were invited to make short
speeches.
The next thing which grew out of the plan for a public
meeting with addresses was the singing which should
accompany them. The committee to have this matter in
charge, to select suitable music, and gather and train a
chorus was headed by the capable organist of Trinity church
assisted by others skilled in music in other churches in the
town.
Following are the names of
THE MUSIC COMMITTEE.
PROFESSOR CHARLES S. PLATT, Chairman,
ARTHUR J. SMITH, REV. O. O. WRIGHT,
EZRA J. HALL.
It seemed fitting that with the Governor and other distin-
guished guests present, who would in any case be escorted
to the place of assembling, there should be a parade through
the two larger villages of the town preceding the exercises,
and the following gentlemen were chosen
THE PARADE COMMITTEE.
CHARLES G. PECK, Chairman,
PATRICK GANNON, JAMES B. NICHOLS,
PROF. Ross JEWELL, SAMUEL W. LASHER,
CHARLES E. HAWLEY, HENRY M. SMITH,
CHARLES B. JOHNSON.
That it was worked out to be a most important feature of
the celebration was due to the interest of the Chairman and
the diligent work of the other members of his committee.
The most convenient place for holding the exercises was
the grounds of the Newtown Agricultural Association, with
its covered grand stand, and its buildings, which could be
utilized for various purposes. The large space about the
race track also offered abundant room for the vehicles of
those who drove from a distance. The grounds were
generously loaned for the occasion, and under the direction
of Messrs. A. P. Smith, P. H. McCarthy, and Rev. O. O.
Wright, a large stand for the speakers and the chorus was
erected on the race track in front of the grand stand.
ROBERT H. BEERS
Chairman of the Committee on Decorations,
Member of the Bicentennial Executive Committee.
—17—
To give the whole a festival appearance it was decided to
have a decorator adorn the entrance and grand stand with
bunting. This was done under the direction of Mr. R. H.
Beers, a member of the Executive Committee. The
illuminated sign over the entrance, "Newtown's Bicenten-
nial," 1705-1905, was the work and gift of Mr. C. W.
Canfield. The presence of the decorator and the beautiful
effect of his work begun a few days before the celebration
created a desire in private individuals to adorn their houses,
and the contagion spread until all the dwellings in the village
street, the places of business, the town buildings, and the
John Beach Memorial Library, as well as all the buildings
on the proposed line of march were decorated, all in excel-
lent taste and some most elaborately. To give a final touch
to the general decorations the Executive Committee had the
decorator extend ropes from far up on the liberty pole,
which stands at the crossing of the roads in the middle of
the village, to the buildings at the four corners and also from
corner to corner, forming a square, and these ropes filled
with flags and streamers of various colors.
The work of the Historical Committee in making an
exhibit of old furniture, documents, and other relics of the
past suggested the bringing out of old costumes in a
Colonial ball the evening before the celebration. This was
taken up not less heartily by the young people than by fheir
elders and accordingly the following persons were appointed
to make suitable preparations for this function as
THE COMMITTEE ON COLONIAL BALL.
PATRICK H. MCCARTHY, Chairman,
MRS. S. GRACE GLOVER, ELI B. BEERS,
MRS. CHARLES S. PLATT, S. AMBROSE BLACKMAN,
MRS. F. S. ANDREWS, HANFORD C. PLUMB.
—1ST—
Finally, that the day might close in a blaze of glory and
triumph the Executive Committee arranged for a band
concert, and also appointed the following gentlemen as
THE COMMITTEE ON FIREWORKS.
WILLIAM A. LEONARD, Chairman,
WILLIAM HONAN, FRANK BLACKMAN,
BIRDSEY SNIFFEN, GUSTAVUS BETTS,
OSCAR CARLSON, W. WALTER FINCH,
HERBERT FLANSBURG.
These were the principal sub-committees, which enabled
the Executive Committee to carry out the plans for the
celebration. Of the numerous committees of their own
number appointed from time to time to attend to various
matters it does not need here to speak. The work of these
chief committees was constantly and regularly reported to
the Executive Committee, which gave them all the help
which they called for and encouraged them to go forward
to make a success of each department which they repre-
sented.
It was five months full of hard work, but most interesting,
and brought the members of the Committee into most inti-
mate and cordial relations.
PATRICK H. MCCARTHY
Chairman of Committee on Colonial Ball,
Member of the Bicentennial Executive Committee.
THE CELEBRATION
All arrangements had been perfected, and there was
nothing to be desired but fine weather to make the cele-
bration a success. From the beginning of the work of the
Executive Committee the question had continually been
raised as to what should be done in case of stormy weather.
The more hopeful ones had claimed that there could not be
any but fair weather on such an occasion, and the matter
had been staved off from week to week ; but as the time drew
near they yielded to making of plans for such an emergency,
and Trinity Church was offered for the exercises, in such a
contingency, the plan being in that case to have the luncheon
in the large hall in the basement of the church. But Friday
evening came with perfect summer weather and promise of
a beautiful day to follow.
His Excellency Governor Roberts came from New Haven
on the train arriving at six o'clock, Friday evening, and was
met by Mr. E. L. Johnson, Chairman of the Executive
Committee, and Rev. James H. George, President of the day.
As he rode up the hill he was greeted with a Governor's
salute of seventeen guns, and was driven to the Grand
Central Hotel, where he was met by the Executive Com-
mittee. After a short drive through the Street to see the
decorations he was taken to Trinity Rectory, where he was
entertained during his stay in town. The Rectory, in
addition to other decorations, had the Connecticut State
flag flying over the door, to indicate the Governor's head-
quarters. An informal dinner in his honor was served early
in the evening, at which Rev. Dr. Hart, who was also a
20 —
guest at the Rectory, Mr. E. L. Johnson, and Rev. J.
Francis George, a friend of the Governor in college days,
were present.
THE COLONIAL BALL.
The Bicentennial celebration was ushered in on Friday
evening, August 4, by a Colonial ball at the Town Hall,
the most elaborate function of its kind ever held in the
history of the town. The interior of the town hall had been
transformed into a vision of loveliness, the prevailing colors
being light blue, yellow and white. The occasion was
especially notable by the presence of His Excellency, Gover-
nor Roberts, who entered the hall about 8 P. M., accompanied
by Rev. J. H. George, president of the day, and friends.
The Governor was given an ovation as he passed up to take
his seat in the south alcove on the stage, which had been
reserved for the executive committee, their wives and lady
friends. The hall was crowded, the estimated attendance
being not far from seven hundred. The grand march, led
by Governor Henry Roberts and Mrs. Sarah Grace Glover,
was a beautiful sight, about one hundred people being in
costume. So attractive and handsome were all the costumes
it would be invidious to mention names, but the ball from
every standpoint was a success. The Philharmonic orches-
tra of Bridgeport furnished music. During the early part
of the ball Mrs. F. S. Andrews, who was in costume, sang
"Queen Bess," with a number of voices assisting in the
chorus. The committee who deserve the credit for the suc-
cess of the ball were P. H. McCarthy, chairman; Mrs.
Sarah Grace Glover, Mrs. C. S. Platt, Mrs. F. S. Andrews,
Eli B. Beers, S. A. Blackman and Hanford C. Plumb.
REV. JAMES HARDIN GEORGE
Rector of Trinity Church,
President of the Day.
THE ANNIVERSARY DAY
August fifth was a perfect summer day, and as the sun
showed his rim over the Zoar hills he was greeted with a
salute of twenty-one guns and the ringing of the church
bells. Every one was early astir, for there was much to be
done to prepare for the first event of the day — the parade.
STORY OF THE PARADE.
The Bicentennial parade, Saturday morning, August 5,
was a notable success. The parade was artistic, attractive,
and when the five hundred school children are considered,
it was beautiful. The parade astonished and delighted the
visitors, who had no idea of witnessing so spectacular and
beautiful an exhibition. It certainly reflected marked credit
on Charles G. Peck, the efficient chairman, and his hard
working committee, every one of whom were heartily con-
gratulated on all sides.
All along the line of parade His Excellency, Governor
Roberts, received a hearty greeting in hand-clapping and the
waving of flags. This was especially noticeable at points
in Sandy Hook, where numbers of young women were
massed together, and in front of the Newtown Inn and
Grand Central hotel, where his greeting was most enthu-
siastic. Mr Peck received much praise for the fact that
notwithstanding the parade left the Fair grounds thirteen
minutes late, the grand stand was reached only five minutes
behind the scheduled time. The Woodbury band, leading
the parade, in their new suits, presented a handsome appear-
ance, and rendered excellent music. They numbered twenty-
one men.
The forming of the parade took place on the Fair grounds
and by 9.13 was ready for the start, going up as far as the
watering tank, south through Queen street to the C. B. Sher-
man place, west through Glover street to the four corners,
up Main street to the North Center schoolhouse, counter-
marching through the street to the depot road, down to
Sandy Hook, through Dayton street, across Dayton street
bridge, south to iron bridge, up Sandy Hook Main street
to Depot street and back to the Fair grounds, arriving at
the grand stand five minutes later than the scheduled time.
The parade was led by the grand marshal, C. G. Peck, who
presented a fine appearance on his trained horse, which kept
step to the music, attracting attention all along the line.
The marshal and his aides wore military cloaks loaned
by P. L. Ronalds, giving them a striking appearance.
The first division was made up of C. G. Peck and aides,
on black horses, the Woodbury band, followed by hacks,
the first carriage being occupied by Governor Roberts, E.
L. Johnson, Rev. J. H. George and Hon. M. J. Houlihan.
Others occupying seats in the carriages were : Rev. O. W.
Barker, Robert H. Beers, Allison P. Smith and Patrick
H. McCarthy, members of the Executive Committee, and the
following guests of the day : Hon. A. W. Mitchell of Wood-
bury, State Comptroller, Rev. Dr. Samuel Hart of Middle-
town, Hon. Daniel N. Morgan of Bridgeport, Dr. W. C.
Wile, First Selectman Samuel A. Blackman of Newtown,
Selectman E. C. Page of Newtown, Judge of Probate
William J. Beecher of Newtown, Town Treasurer Charles
H. Northrop of Newtown, Rev. J. F. George of Rockville,
Rev. Patrick Fox and Rev. P. J. O'Reilly of Xewtown,
Rev. T. B. Smith of Danbury, Representatives John J.
Northrop and E. W. Troy, Tax Collector John F. Houlihan,
Rev. Frederick Foote Johnson, Rev. Clarence Beers,
CHARLES G. PECK
Chairman of the Parade Committee.
—23—
of Madison, S. D., Frederick Marble of Lowell, Mass.,
Admiral Prindle of Washington, D. C, Rev. E. L. Whit-
come of Brookfield, Rev. O. O. Wright of Sandy Hook,
Elliott H. Morse of New Haven, ex-Senator William N.
Northrop of Newtown, Homer Keeler of Waterbury and
Rev. Arthur Parsons of Thomaston.
The second division was led by Marshal Charles B. John-
son and aides, who were mounted on white horses. In this
division, in decorated wagons, rode the members of the
Newtown High school, class of 1905. The pupils from
the twenty-three school districts in Newtown, riding in
handsomely decorated wagons, followed. The parochial
schools connected with St. Rose's Church were represented
by several wagons loaded with happy children. Fully five
hundred school children were in the procession, and they
presented a beautiful sight as they passed along, waving
their flags and singing.
The third division was in charge of Marshal James B.
Nichols and aides, mounted on chestnut-colored horses.
Included in this division were the decorated wagons and
floats, gotten up by local citizens and business firms, as
follows : The Fabric Fire Hose Company, two wagons ;
Patrick Gannon, float representing his bee industry ; the
Newtown Fire Company, Patrick Gannon foreman, with the
hook and ladder truck, hose cart and fire engine ; G. F.
Baker & Co., Hawleyville, float representing their furniture
business ; Levi C. Morris, decorated wagon representing
his grocery business ; Bee Publishing Company, decorated
wagon with printer at work on press ; H. C. Plumb, deco-
rated wragon, filled with happy children from the Newtown
Inn; Betts & Betts, two decorated wagons; John T.
Sheehan, decorated float with blacksmith at work at anvil ;
H. P. Boyson, float with logs, representing the wood
industry. There was an attractive Indian float, boys and
girls dressed as Indians, followed by a number of mounted
3
—24—
young men dressed to represent Indians, and four native
Indian girls from Hampton. Herbert Flansburg, the actor,
dressed in complete Indian costume, rode in this division.
P. L. Ronalds loaned for the parade his stylish four-in-hand
tally-ho, which was occupied by ladies and children.
The fourth division was in charge of Marshal Louis T.
Briscoe and aides, mounted on bay horses. In this division
were a number of citizens on horseback. Mrs. William
C. Johnson and Miss Fannie Daniels, dressed in "costume
of ye olden time," rode in a carriage about two hundred
years old. Miss Jennie Briscoe also rode in a wagon which
was built in 1700. O. F. Terrill of Hawleyville had a
decorated wagon with a fat steer as a passenger.
When the column reached the Fair Grounds the carriages
were driven to the speakers' stand, where seats were pro-
vided for the Governor and other distinguished guests. The
grand stand was already rilled and the space about was
crowded with spectators ; so it was but a few minutes before
the President of the day, Rev. James H. George, called
the gathering to order and announced the opening number,
"Home Again," which was sung by the Chorus. There
were fifty voices in the Chorus, which had seats on the
platform adjoining the speakers' stand. Their music was
a most enjoyable and inspiring feature of the day's pro-
gramme. Prof. C. S. Platt was organist, and the director
was Rev. O. O. Wright.
The Rev. Patrick Fox, Pastor of St. Rose's Church, was
introduced to invoke the divine blessing, and offered the
following prayer :
*
Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in
them the fire of Thy love.
Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created,
And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
REV. PATRICK FOX
Pastor of St. Rose's Church.
—25—
And let my supplication come to Thee.
O God, Who, by the light of the Holy Ghost, hast instructed the
hearts of the faithful ; grant that, by the same Spirit, we may have
a right understanding of all things, and evermore rejoice in this
holy consolation: through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and
reigneth one God, world without end. Amen.
O God, to whom every heart is open, every will declares itself,
and from Whom no secret lies concealed, purify, by the inspiration
of the Holy Ghost, the thoughts of our hearts, that we may perfectly
love Thee, and worthily praise Thee: through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Rev. Otis W. Barker was announced as one well known
and always gladly heard to give the address of welcome.
He was heard by the large audience with evident pleasure,
and his witty remarks were greeted with frequent applause.
ADDRESS OF WELCOME
BY REV. OTIS W. BARKER.
Mr. President: — I am only a comma and not a full stop.
I am here simply to catch the ripples of enthusiasm as they
roll and hurry along. I am here but to make a tiny squeak
in our great oratorio of sound. I am filling up a gap while
the orators of the day are catching their breath. Has not
our great chorus of welcome already grandly begun? As
the first grey light of morning streaked these verdant hills,
did you not hear the pounding of our wake-up gun? We
meant that you should hear it. In ever increasing waves
detonating thunderous welcome we shall say all through this
day we are glad to see you until the zip-boom-ah of the
shower-spreading rocket to-night loses itself as it dashes its
spray of light among the stars.
Well, I am sure that our noisy demonstration has by this
time fully waked us all up; and I rather have an inkling
that Wacumseh or some other red man with unpronounce-
able name has rolled over in his blanket, disturbed by the
noise, and taken a fresh grip upon his tomahawk. You
have seen Welcome spelt out for you in waving lines of
light as our gay-hearted school children, 500 strong, have to
enthusiasm's voice added the greeting of numberless flags,
whose glories mingle themselves with the brightness of this
glad morning and the blue sky. As those who have for six
long months been pushing the machinery of Bicentennial
celebration when the wheels stuck fast in mud and slough,
we feel that we are now getting what we have put down on
REV. OTIS W. BARKER
7or twelve years Pastor of the Congregational Church,
Member of the Bicentennial Executive Committee.
—27—
paper with painstaking care off into the realm where they
live and move. Have you not seen the phalanxes of eat-
ables that have been moving these few last hours into yonder
buildings; and may I rehearse the stale old joke that
although our Fair Grounds may not seem very fertile, we'll
have no desert here to-day, because of the sand-which-is
there. Dame Hen has left her cackle and bold Chanti-
cleer is missed from the barn yard convocation, and all have
come to join their lusty shouts in our welcome here to-day.
Our program tells us we are two hundred years old ; but
as we saw last night our venerable ones loosen their
rheumatic joints and shake out their Quaker foot, we all
seemed again to have taken a draught from the elixir of
life. Even our dignified Governor proves that he can, if
need be, assume the roll of a spruce, dapper young man.
It is pleasant to recall the past, to take out the jewels from
memory's casket and let them glitter before our faces one
by one.
On a bench in a park of a neighboring city sometime ago
sat a young man. His clothes wrere dusty, but not shabby.
His face wore a look of dejection. He evidently had cut
loose the cable from life's helpfulness and cheer. A
stranger, passing through the park, took in the situation
at a glance. He sat down beside the young man, and look-
ing steadily into his face, said : "I think, my good fellow,
you just want a good grip of the hand." The young man
had left his rural home to find work in the city. The old
story had been gone over. He had run up against hard
luck ; nobody wanted to employ him and worse still, nobody
cared for him. He had come to the end of his endeavor
and the future was a blank. This firm hand-clasp heart-
ened him and soon he was employed, on his feet and fight-
ing the battle of life as a man. Good friends, in our
welcome this is the sort of hand-clasp we would give you
to-day, one that brings cheer and encouragement. Are
—28—
you down in the mouth? On this great day, brace up.
Epictetus, the Greek slave, says there are two handles
for everything; by one handle a thing can be easily borne,
grasped by the other handle it becomes a heavy weight.
Grip the right handle to-day. Nothing is above our
ambition. We invited President Roosevelt to come, and
came within an ace of corralling him. If that had been
the only thing lacking, we would even have produced the
bear. We almost thought of asking the Japanese and
Russian plenipotentiaries to make us a stopover on their
way to Washington.
This is a big celebration, and we are all celebrated people
too. New York is noted for its commerce, Boston for its
literature, Philadelphia since the days of Franklin for its
science, Washington for its politics, Baltimore (our bache-
lors are planning a trip there next week) for its pretty
girls, and Newtown for its good roads, small debt, fine
high school and good citizens. In our stock market we deal
almost wholly in futures ; we're going to be great some day.
We have many lights in the way of Pecks set upon a hill ;
but our splendid parade shows you that not under a bushel
are our Pecks hid. They say that if you swing a cat by the
tail, you sweep a wide circumference. Swinging our
metaphorical cat, then, behold ! what a wide circuit we take
in. Yale appears first on our rim, and that is why we are
so wise. Bridgeport next heaves into view, and that is why
we are such "big guns." Shelton next throws out her
light, and that is why we wear so many buttons. Danbury
comes down the home stretch, and that is why all of us here
to-day upon the platform have a new hat.
Good stranger, that comes to-day within our quiet vales,
we extend to you the courtesies of a "wide open" town.
The door of our houses over yonder on the hills are wide
open ; we forgot to close them. Our pocketbooks will be
open after we are through paying our bills. May your
—29—
grips, too, be wide open as you leave us for some kindly
memento of the occasion which your friends will give you.
May your ears be wide open after I sit down for the words of
wisdom which from our orator's lips like gentle dew will
fall. The five sweetest words in the English language are
said to be these : heart, home, hope, happiness and heaven.
As through the dull monotony of life's grinding cares you
listen with attentive ear for the lullaby of sweet strains that
call into sunnier realms, may you hear to-day in the swelling
of the tones of our five-stringed harp this one note ring loud
and clear : We welcome you to-day with all our heart.
When the train is sweeping through the mountains
around the great Horseshoe Curve, it does not for one
moment slacken its speed. The massive driving wheels fly
just as quickly, the mighty snorts from the cavernous
smoke-stack come just as fiercely, the swaying of the speed-
ing car from side to side is just as hazardous as before the
curve was approached. To-day on this great anniversary
we are swinging around the curve. The center of our circle
is over yonder in the woods where the Indians bartered
with wampum and beads for the land which once they
owned. We do not relax our vigor for one moment as we
face the future all untried. We may tighten our girth, but
we do not take in our spread of sail. Under this great
stretch of sky to-day we are Newtowners all. With com-
mon heart and with linked hand we join to glorify the past
and to make the future strong. Do not despise us who
stay here near virgin sod. Those are necessary who hold
the fort ; the mother once was praised who only wound the
yarn. If there was not something small, there would be
nothing great. The river flows from the rill. They travel
as well who merely talk at the family table of what has
transpired on the way from school as those who belt the
world. They succeed in moil of the city who have the
granite of the hills in their blood. The historic address
—30—
will show you how great we have been, but the cemetery
over yonder does not contain all our greatness.
May you all enjoy the spirit of the day. A good minister
(a Methodist, I believe, he was) once received a jar of
brandy peaches from a doting parishioner. They were
excellent, of the good kind our foremothers made, and the
worthy man in acknowledging them wrote : "I appreciate
very much your peaches, especially the spirit in which they
were sent." The bass drum rolls out the deep notes of the
spirit which is here. The music of the fife gives it another
key. The merry prattle of the children shows our past
comes not as a skeleton at the feast ; it has a right good
laugh. The spirit of the day is catching. It breathes in the
air, it swells in our music, it tingles in our finger-tips, it
loses itself among the clouds. It is lowed by the sleek kine
that browse in the grateful shade ; it is grunted by the swine
that express their satisfaction from the noxious sty. Spirit
of the generations now sleeping, be with us to-day. This
is the generosity we extend you that once said grace over
the Thanksgiving table and made the ancestral home the
rendezvous of happy-hearted fun. As the mists have rolled
away from these hills this morning may our tear-drops
now be banished and the gloom all chased away. A father
was traveling with his little girl — a cripple. Seeing her
asleep on the car seat, a kind lady slipped some roses in her
hand and leaned the frail form against her arm. On return-
ing from the smoker, the father found his little girl just
awaked. Looking at the roses she said: "I have been in
heaven, don't you see?" Catching the ozone that is wafted
from these sunlit hills, may you not feel you have been at
least near heaven to-day ?
Two hundred years! Yes, a dream. The Indian has
faded out of view. Long since he has climbed the hills and
read his doom in the setting sun. Another race is here,
the proud Anglo-Saxon, "inhabiting the greatest continuous
empire ever devised by man," followed in the race to lead
the world by the flower-loving Japanese and the phlegmatic
dweller by the storied Rhine. Two hundred years! It is
only a tick of the clock of eternity, only a rustling of the
robes of the Infinite as He passes in the night. A dream?
Yes; but when one awaketh, he awaketh to light and duty.
The swarthy Indian passed into the shadow ; the spirit of the
hills that he worshipped changes for the God who weigheth
the hills in scales and maketh the mountains to smoke as a
furnace. Let us as children of the light walk in the light.
Let us as those, though but born for a day, live as those
who shall outlive the stars.
Here's a bumper, my friends, to the days that are gone ;
here's a pledge of manhood strong for that which is to
come ; and here's our hand both kindly and true as we
welcome you from city, from country, from dale, from vale,
and open to you the best that we have.
"There are no days like the good old days —
The days when we were youthful !
When humankind were pure of mind
And speech and deeds were truthful ;
Before a love for sordid gold
Became man's ruling passion,
And before each dame and maid became
Slaves to the tyrant — fashion !
There are no girls like the good old girls —
Against the world I'd stake 'em !
As buxom and smart and clean of heart —
As the Lord knew how to make 'em !
They were rich in spirit and common sense,
A piety all supportin';
They could bake and brew, and had taught school, too,
And they made the likeliest courtin' !
There are no boys like the good old boys —
When we were boys together !
When the grass was sweet to the brown bare feet
That dimpled the laughing heather:
—32—
When the peewee sung to the summer dawn
Of the bee in the billowy clover,
Or down by the mill the whip-poor-will
Echoed his night-song over.
There is no love like the good old love —
The love that mother gave us !
We are old, old men, yet we pine again
For that precious grace — God save us !
So we dream and dream of the good old times,
And our hearts grow tenderer, fonder,
As those dear old dreams bring soothing gleams
Of heaven away off yonder."
After the singing by the Chorus of "Around the hearth,"
the President of the day said :
"We meet to-day to celebrate the beginnings of our
town history, the transfer of the ownership of this beauti-
ful country from the savage Indian to the civilized Anglo-
Saxon. But this civilization did not originate here. It
came across the water and by successive emigrations
reached this place which is our home. It is fitting that,
as an introduction to the history of the town itself, we
should call to mind the larger movement of which the
settlement of our town was an outcome, and learn some-
thing of the colony of which it was a part.
"It is especially fitting that this should be done for us by
one who in position and attainments is best qualified for that
task, a ripe scholar in many lines, but particularly in the
history of our own State, and the head of the organization
which has done invaluable service in preserving the records
of our State and Colony. I have the great privilege of
introducing the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hart, President of the
Connecticut Historical Society."
Dr. Hart's paper, including as it did much that was new
even to those who felt familiar with the history of the
Colony, was listened to with the closest interest.
REV. SAMUEL HART, D.D.
President of the Connecticut Historical Society.
ADDRESS ON "THE COLONY
By REV. SAMUEL HART, D.D., MIDDLETOWN.
President of the Connecticut Historical Society.
Your Newtown was not the first place in the Colony of
Connecticut to bear its name. Seventy years before these
fair hillsides and valleys were secured as a home for your
ancestors, a company of earnest men and women had moved
to the westward from Massachusetts Bay to seek a new
abode on the farther side of the Connecticut. It was for
them a journey through forests and over ridges and across
streams ; they went along in the wilderness wherein was
no way ; and their passage of the Great River was for
them in a very real sense what the passage of the great
river of the eastern world was to the Father of all the Faith-
ful. They were warned by those whom they left behind
that in the bounds of the west, where they were minded to
dwell, they would meet with strange experiences, and that
they must expect to contend there in the great battle with
Antichrist, whose abode was in the ends of the earth. But
they were sturdy men and brave women, who believed that
they had a call to found a new commonwealth, and who
were convinced that at a safe distance from their brethren
they could put into operation certain principles of associa-
tion and government which did not quite commend them-
selves to those whom they left behind. Turning their steps
a little to the south as they went westward, they crossed the
river below the line which bounded the Massachusetts pat-
ent in a fair valley, of the beauty and fertility of which
—34—
they had heard before. They had come from the New
Town just across from the older town of Boston, a place
which was soon to become the seat of a college and to adopt
a name that should recall the seat of an ancient university
in England ; but when they left it, the Massachusetts Cam-
bridge was still New Town. They went through the wilds
and came to the sight of their new home ; and there, as
those who settled above them continued for a time the name
Dorchester and those who took up their abode a little below
brought the name of Watertown, they founded a new New-
town. In some sense indeed they might have said that
theirs was the original Newtown ; for the organized church
of their former home came with them, and was not the
church the most important part of their organization?
But at any rate, such was the name which they brought;
and for a short time there was a Newtown in Connecticut
established in the sight of the Dutch fort of slightly earlier
foundations and guided in matters ecclesiastical and civil by
Mr. Hooker and Mr. Stone. But soon the thoughts of
the settlers went back past their recent abode on the Bay to
their old home in England ; and after two years they agreed
that Newtown should be called Hartford — they doubtless
called it Har'ford — from the name of the old dwelling-place
of one of their ministers. The former name lapsed ; but
it was after a while suggested for adoption in the eastern
part of the colony, and was actually renewed by those who
fixed on this place as a home for themselves and their
children ; and at the end of two centuries we find the name
perpetuated here. We may feel obliged to apologize for
it, as one apologized for the name of the venerable founda-
tion of New College at Oxford, by saying, "It was new
once" ; but we gladly keep the word which has almost lost
the significance of its derivation, and has come to mean,
for many who live here and many more who are scattered in
divers parts of the country and (it may well be) in remote
—35—
parts of the earth, all that is denoted by the name of an
ancestral home or of their own home in childhood or of
their only home in youth and active life and happy age.
One who speaks for the State Historical Society, which has
its local abode in the capital city of the State, may venture to
say that he brings to-day a salutation from the old Newtown
of 1635 to the new Newtown of the comparatively recent
date of 1705, seventy years its junior.
Seventy years pass beyond the limit of the active life of
man in these degenerate days, save in a few extraordinary
cases ; but seventy years is not a long time in the life of a
family or a church or a nation. Still, it is a period which
often marks the occurrence of important events, the passage
of important actions, the influence of strong men. Espe-
cially the first three score years and ten in the history
of a commonwealth cannot but determine in great part its
future life. The Connecticut into which the settlement
which was made here two hundred years ago was soon
admitted as a town, was already the Connecticut of an
important history. Let me remind you — it must be briefly
and almost by suggestion — of some of the events by which
that history was marked and its issues determined.
The Connecticut Colony had, as we may say, gained con-
sciousness of its power and of its rights in the Pequot war ;
it had made declaration of its principles of government and
claimed and accepted the responsibilities of a common-
wealth in the adoption of the Fundamental Orders, the
first written constitution in the world establishing a pure
and strong democracy ; and it had strengthened itself by
acquiring such governmental rights as were possessed by the
commander of the fort at Saybrook. Meanwhile there
had been growing, under the influence of an aristocratic
settlement at the mouth of the Quinnipiack, a federation —
for it was rather this than a commonwealth — the principles
of which were not in entire accord with those of the
-3*-
River colony. We may remind ourselves, by the way, that
in the first sermon preached at New Haven the settlers were
bidden to think of themselves as led into the wilderness
to be tempted of the devil.
Soon the days of the Commonwealth in England came
and passed ; the King fell and the King came to his own
again ; and the new King gave to the younger Winthrop
for his Colony of Connecticut that wonderful charter which
continued its former government, confirmed to it all that it
had ever had or claimed, and in fact assured its perpetu-
ation for all time. An immediate result of the charter was
the inclusion, in 1662, of New Haven in Connecticut, not
very willingly accepted by those who were thus deprived of
a sort of sovereignty without their consent, but seen to be
necessary for common safety and for mutual advantage ;
and the united colony was able to take her place among
friendly neighbors and to assert her rights against her
opponents. It is not amiss, perhaps, to note the growth
of the body politic by enumerating the towns which came
under the general provisions of the charter. In Connecticut
proper, besides the original towns of Wetliersfield, Hart-
ford, and Windsor, there were eight : Saybrook of equal
antiquity with the three, Stratford, Farmington, Fairfield,
Norwalk, Middletown, New London, and Norwich. With
New Haven there were four others ; Milford, Guilford,
Stamford, and Branford. I do not mention the towns of
Long Island which were under the one or the other of these
jurisdictions, as they did not long continue their relations to
them. These fifteen towns formed on the whole a homo-
geneous and prosperous community. Under the spiritual
care of well educated and godly ministers ; with upright
magistrates, who administered wisely the laws made by the
representatives of the people ; training their children in as
well furnished schools as the times would afford, and found-
ing a Collegiate school for their higher education ; practising
—37—
and strengthening what came to be known as the New Eng-
land conscience ; the people of this commonwealth took,
quietly but surely, their place as men and as Christians.
Before the time came when these lands were secured for
a settlement, Connecticut had been called upon to do a good
deal and to suffer a good deal for the common interests of
New England and for the maintenance and defense of the
rights and claims of the mother country; and in doing this
she had come into a depressed financial condition and felt the
need of greater activity ; but she was ever the same brave
and patient commonwealth, doing her best and waiting her
time.
And in all these years the colony was growing by the
occupation of new territory and the organization of new
towns, each a political unit, as the former towns had been,
and each taking its place in the common life. In this
neighborhood Derby and Woodbury and Waterbury had
been founded before 1700, and Danbury, further west, be-
came a town before the first settlers here were ready for
incorporation. Such lands as we see lying about us could
not be left unoccupied ; it is to hear the story of their occupa-
tion and of that which followed upon it that we are
assembled to-day. I have already kept you too long from
listening to your historian ; but I have tried to sketch a back-
ground on which the local record may be projected, and to
suggest what sort of a body politic it was, with its 18,000
inhabitants, its churches and schools, its rising college hav-
ing four students already graduated, its simple and strong
form of government, its honorable history, its high ideals
and aspirations, and its preparation for a noble future, in
which the settlers of this community were preparing, two
hundred years ago, to form a new unit of life and adminis-
tration. Let me but add that a commemoration of this kind
has a value and an influence far beyond the limits of the
town in which it is held. It affects the life of the State, and
-38-
gives an inspiration to many who have but a remote connec-
tion— perhaps no personal connection at all — with your
history. The deserved praise of "famous men and our
fathers that begat us" awakens in others than their descend-
ants an appreciation of the past and a determination to make
the future worthy of it. And while we look for a result of
what is said and done here to-day in a renewed interest in
local history, a better appreciation of the value of your
foundations, a clearer view of the opportunities of your
town and of the duties of its citizens, a sense of the import-
ance and appreciation of the past and a determination to
make plans both for the near and for the far-off future of
your home, we may not forget that all this influences a wider
community ; and that as the present in its wide unfoldings is
what the past, sometimes in narrow lines of work and
influence, has made it, so the future is affected far beyond
the possibility of our thought by our labor, our character,
our unselfish devotion to the common good.
The Chorus sang "Praise ye the Father," and the Presi-
dent of the day said :
"When your Executive Committee began its plans for
this celebration, the chief feature of it was, as a matter of
course, an historical address commemorative of the event
we would mark and of the early history of the town's
settlement. It was equally a matter of course that they
should choose to make that address the one whom you
will hear to-day. Born of a family whose ancestor was
one of the original settlers of the town and which has
lived in the town continuously for two hundred years down
to to-day, our historian was himself a native of Newtown,
and here has spent his life. He thus embodies the history
—39—
of our town in himself. He has also the historic instinct.
With a memory rich in local traditions and a deep interest
in its past, he has the industry to delve into the ancient
records and trace to their sources events which lie in
obscurity. Nor less is he inspired with a genuine loyalty
to the town's best traditions and a willingness to help lift
it to high ideals. For many years a member of the Board
of Education, with a deep love for children and a genuine
interest in the rising generation, he has undertaken the
preparation of this history largely for their benefit.
"It would be impossible in an address of suitable length to
be delivered on such an occasion that the historian should
trace in any but the faintest outline the complete history of
our town to the present day. That he should give us with
some fulness the history of the town in its beginnings and
in that part which reaches back beyond the memory of the
present generation, was a wise choice. His subject, there-
fore, to-day is 'Pioneer Life in Newtown to the Close of the
Revolution.' We trust that on a future occasion he may
bring the history of the town down to our own day. It
gives me very great pleasure to introduce one so well known
and loved, Mr. Ezra Levan Johnson."
HISTORICAL ADDRESS
OF
EZRA LEVAN JOHNSON
When it became known that as a town we were nearing
the Bicentennial of two events of historic interest, the pur-
chase from the Indians in 1705 of the land that comprises
our township, and also the time when we were incorporated
a town by act of the General Court in October, 1711, the
question naturally arose, which of these events should be
observed, or whether each should come in its turn. The
gathering of to-day shows how the question was answered.
We cannot call upon those who were active participants
in the early days to tell us the story of the almost forgotten
past. The moss has gathered, and is still gathering upon
the headstones in our village cemetery, telling that long
ago the first settlers began to fall asleep. Children and
children's children have followed in quick succession, until
none are left to tell the story of the first hundred years.
Fortunate for us, that the town and church records have
been so well preserved, that from those sources so much
can be gathered of value. We have no historic landmark
as the nearby towns of Fairfield, Ridgefield, Redding and
Danbury have. We have no battlefields where the blood-
stained sod was once plowed by shot and shell as contending
armies met in deadly strife. We have no Putnam Park with
its crumbling chimneys and its broken hearth-stones that
mark the places where the American soldiers, under the
gallant Putnam, bivouacked during the rigors of a long
EZRA LEVAN JOHNSON
Chairman of the Bicentennial Executive Committee,
Historian of the Day.
—41—
New England winter while keeping vigil against an invad-
ing foe. The pleasant homes that line our village street
were not erected, as those of Fairfield and Danbury were,
on the ruins that followed the conflagration caused by the
invaders' torch. A quiet inland town ours has ever been,
with agriculture as its basis ; consequently our history must
lie along the lines of peace. On the plains of our vast
domain that lie beyond the Rocky Mountains, where cities
spring up in a day and villages are of mushroom growth,
the man or the woman who drove the stakes for the first
homestead plot is still living on it, and could tell us in a half
hour's time or less the history of the town from its birth to
the present time.
Not so is it with our staid New England towns, and
Newtown is no exception to that rule. No one within the
hearing of my voice will presume to say or think, that in
an hour's time anyone, however gifted in language or fluent
in speech, can give the history of a town that has had an
existence of two hundred years. Two hundred years, as we
finite creatures count time, is a long stretch. In that time
kingdoms may rise or fall, empires crumble away, new
republics be born, the whole face of the globe be materially
and permanently changed and the population constantly give
place to the ever-coming tide of human life. But, whoever
hears of the death of old New England towns? They may
become depleted, — and we regret to be obliged to say they
do, — but they never die. They are as tenacious of life as
are the giant trees of the Yosemite valley, that count their
age by the thousands of years, and grow more majestic and
grand as the centuries roll by.
Of the Pootatuck tribe of Indians who occupied this
region when the English first came among them, we know
little as to their numbers or condition. That they were a
peaceable tribe is affirmed by all historians. They -never
gave trouble to the whites, nor did they distinguish them-
—42—
selves by wars upon neighboring tribes. Their lives seem
to have been as peaceful as the everflowing waters of the
Housatonic on whose banks they had their homes, and
which locality will ever be known by its Indian name,
Pohtatuck. We know not how many the tribe numbered at
the time they sold their land, but President Stiles of Yale
College says in his Itinerary, that in 1710 they numbered
only fifty warriors, and in his opinion were at that time
subject to Waramaug, a considerable sachem who lived on
the Housatonic within the township of New Milford.
The Colonial Records abound with evidences of the
persistent efforts made by the General Court to educate and
christianize the Indians in the Colony. In 1736 it was
voted "that at the next public thanksgiving there should be
a contribution taken in every ecclesiastical society in the
colony to raise money to be used for the civilizing and chris-
tianizing of the Indians." Bounds were set for those who
were called friendly Indians ; the Connecticut river was the
eastern boundary, and the Housatonic river the western
boundary, and between those rivers the friendly Indians
must stay, and no hostile Indian could cross those boundaries
except at the peril of life ; the General Court keeping a
jealous eye on all who were looked upon with suspicion as
likely to incite the Indians to any malicious or murderous
intent.
From the report sent from the Colony of Connecticut to
His Majesty's government by order of his Honor the
Governor and the General Court in 1730, the Indian
population of the Colony was reported as 1600, inclined to
hunting, drinking and excessive idleness. Indians in the
colony were taken into the military service when they offered
themselves, and furnished with arms and ammunition and
whatever else was needful to fit them for war, and for their
encouragement they were to be allowed from the public
treasury the same as the English, the sum of five pounds for
—43—
every man's scalp of the enemy killed in the colony, to be
paid to the person who did that service over and above his
or their wages and the plunder taken by them. In 1761 it
was reported to President Stiles that the number was
reduced to one man and two or three broken families.
Cothren, in his Ancient IVoodbury, says Mauquash, the last
sachem of the Pootatucks, died about 1758 and was buried
in the "old chimney lot," a short distance east of the old
Elizur Mitchell house and a short distance from the elevated
plain on which stood the principal and last village of the
Pootatucks, and that the last tribal remnant removed in
"1759 to Kent, and joined the Scaticooks." Records show
that in 1742 the General Court voted that the sum of twenty-
five pounds should be delivered out of the Colony treasury
unto the Rev. Anthony Stoddard and Rev. Elisha Kent,
who should receive and improve the same for the instruction
and christianizing the Indians at the place called Pootatuck.
Rev. Elisha Kent was the minister in charge in Newtown
from 1733 to 1740.
The ownership of land comes either by discovery, by con-
quest, by gift or by purchase. Fortunately for the credit of
our ancestors, as well as for our present comfort, this town-
ship of ours came into their possession by purchase from those
who were found in peaceable possession of it when Charles
the Second, King of England, was on the throne. Many of
his loving subjects had crossed the ocean to make for them-
selves homes in the new world, when John Winthrop, John
Mason and others petitioned his gracious Majesty the King,
in view of the fact that they were so remote from the other
English plantations in New England that "he would create
and make them a body politique and corporate in fact and
name, by the name of Governour and Company of the
English Colony of Connecticut in New England in
America.'' The petition was granted, impowering them in
the name of the King and their successors after them "to be
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able and capable in the law to plead and be impleaded, to
answer and be answered unto, to defend and be defended
in all actions, matters and things of what kind and nature
whatsoever, and to have, take and possess and acquire lands
and to bargain, sell and dispose of, as other our liege people
of this our realm of England, or any other body pollitique
within the same may lawfully do." That we may under-
stand the manner by which our township passed from the
ownership of the Indians to the English, we must have
recourse to the Connecticut Colonial Records.
At the session of the General Court holden in Hartford in
October, 1667, an act was passed appointing a committee
and empowering them with liberty to purchase Pohtatuck
and the lands adjoining to be reserved for a village plan-
tation. In 1670 the court further decreed
"that whereas several inhabitants of Stratford have had liberty to
purchase Pootatuck for a village or town, the aforesaid committee
with Mr Sherman of Stratford are hereby impowered to order the
planting of the same, if it be judged fit to make a plantation; pro-
vided if they do not settle a plantation there within four years, it
shall return to the Court's dispose again."
In 1671 the General Court gave
"liberty to certain men to purchase of the Indians such land as they
shall judge convenient within the bounds of the Connecticut colony
always provided the said land shall remain to the dispose of the
General Court, and when the land is disposed of by the court the
committee shall have rational satisfaction for their disbursement."
In 1673 the court again appointed a committee
"to view the lands of the Pootatucks and those adjoining whether
they may be fit for a plantation and to make return thereof how
they find it, at the next session of the General Court in October."
Again, in 1678 the General Court appointed another
committee, the Honored Deputy Governor, Major Robert
Treat, with three other prominent men
—45—
"to view and buy convenient land for a plantation in those adjacent
places about Pootatuck, and when said land is purchased it shall
remain to be disposed as the Court shall see cause and reason to
order for the planting of it."
We have followed the action of the General Court in
regard to the purchase of the land from the Indians to
make clear that from start to finish there is no evidence of
any undue haste or of intrigue in getting possession of their
lands, and although the price paid for the land when it was
sold looks contemptibly small and mean, it was a square deal
and no trouble came from the Indians afterward in regard
to the same.
On page 48, Volume i, of the Newtown Town Records is
recorded the deed given by Massumpus, Mauquash and
Nunnawauk acting in behalf of the Pootatuck tribe of
Indians, to William Junos and Samuel Hawley, Jr., of
Stratford, and Justus Bush of New York, of a tract of
country eight miles long and six miles wide lying on the
west side of the Great River, now called Housatonic, and
bordering on it.
The deed was given in the reign of her Majesty, Queen
Anne and reads as follows :
"Know all men by these presents, yt we Mauquash, Massumpas,
Nunnawauk, all belonging to pootatuck in ye Colony of Connecticut
for and in consideration of four guns, four broadcloth Coats, four
blanketts, four ruffelly Coats, four Collars, ten shirts, ten pair of
stockings, fourty pound of lead, ten ten pounds of powder and
forty knives, to us promised to be paid as by these bills under hand
and one may more fully approve, we say we have Given, Granted,
Bargained & sold, alienated, Conveyed and Confirmed and by these
presents do freely, fully and absolutely Give, Grant, Bargain sell,
alienate, convey and confirm unto William Junos, Justus Bush, and
Samuel Hawley all now resident in Stratford in ye Colony aforesaid,
a Certain Tract of land, situate, lying and being in the Colony of
Connecticut, Butted and Bounded as followeth, viz. Bounded South
upon pine swamp and land of Mr Sherman and Mr Rositer, South
West upon Fairfield bounds, North West upon the bounds of Dan-
-46-
bury, North East by land purchased by Milford men at or near
ovanhonock and South East on land of Nunnaway an Indian, the
line running two miles from the river right against pootatuck, the
sd tract of land Containing in length eight miles and in breadth five
miles but more or less, with all appurtanances, privileges and con-
ditions thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining to them.
The said William Junos, Justus Bush and Samuel Hawley, their
heirs and assigns to have and to hold forever to their own proper
use, benefit and behoof for ever, and, we the said Mauquash, Mas-
sumpus and Nunnawauk for us our heirs and administrators do
covenant, promise and grant to and with the said William Junos,
Justus Bush and Samuel Hawley, their heirs and assigns yt before
ye ensealing thereof, we are the true, sole and lawful owners of ye
above bargained premises and possessed of ye same in our own
Right as a good, perfect and absolute estate of Inheritance in fee
simple, and have in ourselves good Right, full power, and Authority
to Grant, bargain, sell, convey, alien and confirm the same and all
the privileges and particulars before mentioned in manner as above
said and yt ye said Wm Junos, Justus Bush and Samuel Hawley,
their heirs and assigns shall and may from time to time and at al
times hereafter by virtue of these presents lawfully, peaceably and
quietly, Have, hold up, occupy, possess and enjoy the said bargained
premises with ye appurtenances free and alone and freely and clearly
acquitted, exonerated and discharged of, and from al and al Manner
of former and other Gifts, Grants, Sales, losses, Mortgages, Wills,
Intails, Joyntures, Dowries, Judgments, Enventory, Incumbrances, or
other incumbrances whatsoever.
Furthermore, we, ye sd Mauquash, Massumpas & Nunnawauk,
for ourselves, heirs, executors and administrators do covenant and
engage the above described premises to them, the said William Junos,
Justus Bush and Samuel Hawley, their heirs and assigns against the
lawful claims or demands of any person or persons whatsoever for
ever hereafter, to warrant and defend. Moreover, we, washunaman,
was nabye, Moctowek, Awashkoeum, Annummobe, Mattocksqua,
Jirmohumpisho, wompocowash, munnaposh, punnanta, wannomo,
mosunksio, tacoosh, morammoo, Stickanungus, susrousa, we and
every one of us doth for ourselves and each of us T>y ourselves, Do
freely give grant and of our own voluntary mind Resign to the said
William Junos, Justus Bush and Samuel Hawley all our Right title
and interest by possession, heirship or by any other way or means
whatsoever. Witness our hands and seals July ye 25 in the
fourth year of her Majesties Reign, Anno Domino 1705. Signed,
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sealed and delivered in presence of Jacob Walker, Daniel Denton,
Edward Hinman, Indian witnesses Obimosk, Nunawako, Maquash
& Massumpas,
Personally appeared at potutuck & acknowledged ye above written
Instrument to be thare free and voluntary act & deed before me this
I2th September 1705, Jon Minor Justice Witness
Ebenezer Johnson.*
The above written is a true copy of the original file.
Test Eleazor Kimberly.
Exactly entered and compared Jany 22, 1710 per me. Joseph
Curtis, one of the committee for Newtown."
As the General Court had sole power and control of
purchasing Indian lands, the three men acting in their
individual capacity exceeded their power, not having been
appointed a committee for that purpose. Their act was
contrary to the laws of the colony, as the General Court
never intended that any Indian lands should be purchased
in the interest of a land speculation. The deed of purchase
bears date July 25, 1705, which corresponds to August 5,
New Style. At the October session of the General Court
holden in New Haven the same year of the purchase, the
following vote was passed :
"Whereas, there are some persons, namely, William Junes, Samuel
Hawley, Junr., of Stratford, and Justus Bush of New York, who
have, contrary to the laws of this colony, lately purchased of the
Indians some thousand of acres of land lying on the west side of
the Stratford river as appears by a deed of said purchase now in the
hands of the Court, this court doth recommend it to the civil author-
ity in the county of Fairfield to take care that the said offenders
may be prosecuted in due form of law for their illegal purchase
of lands as aforesaid and do order that a copy of the said deed be
* The historian of the day is of the fifth generation in direct line
of descent from Ebenezer Johnson, one of the first settlers of New-
town, and whose name appears as witness on the deed given by the
Indians. The names of the Indian witnesses are copied as written
by the Recorder.
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transmitted to the said county court, that the said persons may be
thereby convicted, and likewise to order prosecution of any other
persons who shall be found to make or have made any such illegal
purchases of land in said county."
At the May session of the General Court, 1706, the
following act was passed :
" Whereas, Justus Bush of New York, Mr Samuel Hawley, Junr.,
and William Junos of Stratford, have, without liberty from this
corporation, purchased a tract of land of some Indians lying
within this colony, for which they are to be prosecuted at a special
county court in Fairfield in June next, the said Junos offering to
this court to resign to this corporation his part of said purchase
and to endeavor that his partners shall do the like before or at this
special court, this court do therefore see cause to order, that if the
said Bush and Hawley and Junos do, before, or at the said county
court make a full, free and firm resignation of the said deed or
purchase of land above mentioned to this corporation and deliver
the same completed according to law, into the hands of Capt Nathan
Gold and Mr Peter Burr or either of them for the use of this cor-
poration, that then the above said prosecution against them shall
cease, or if any one or more of them shall do the same for his
or their part, he, or they so doing shall not be any further proceeded
against for his or their breach of law in making the above said
purchase, and the person or persons so resigning, may present at
the General Court in October next the account of his or their charge
of their purchase above said for the Court's consideration."
As the parties guilty of the illegal purchase made satis-
factory restitution to the demands of the General Court,
no prosecution followed.
When the land purchased was measured and the lines run,
which was not until 1712, nearly a year after the incorpor-
ation of the town, the following vote was passed at a town
meeting held December 20, 1712 :
"The Inhabitants Aforesaid made Choyce of John Glover, Jeames
Harde, Jeremiah Turner, and John Platt A Committy To measure
ye land and settle ye bounds With ye Indians of That Purchase
Which William Junos purchased of y6 Indians with his asotiates
in ye boundaryes of Newtown and to request Col Jonson and Capt
Miners' assistance to declare to ye indians what land ye sd. indians
sold per ye Deed. Also to procure four Gallons of rum to treate ye
indians and to refresh yemselves and Charge ye Town debter for
ye rum and all other charge and trebel necassary in complecting ye
same."
After the organization of the town and the survey of the
lands purchased of the Indians had been made, it was found
that one Indian, Quiomph so called, claimed in his own
personal right a strip of land alongside the Great River,
and the town appointed John Glover and Abraham Kimberly
a committee, with Thomas Bennitt and Jonathan Booth as
assistants, to buy Quiomph's land that he had laid claim to,
declaring himself to be owner of all the land not heretofore
purchased by the English. The price paid him by the town
agents was 16 pounds. It is described by the deed as
follows :
"All ye land in ye boundaries of Newtown not purchased by ye
English before ye date of these presents, except a corner, of intervale
land lying by ye River, and is bounded easterly by ye River and on
all ye other sides by a brook called by ye Indians 'Hucko,' from ye
River until ye Brook comes down between ye hills, and from ye
said brook where it comes down between ye hills, a straight line
direct to ye River."
This is the only recorded sale of Indian lands that was
made after what is known as "the first purchase," though
in order to meet any emergency or dispute that might arise,
it was
"voted at a town meeting held January 12, 1713, that Captain
Minor of Woodbury, and John Glover and Abraham Kimberly of
Newtown, purchis all ye land withn ye bounds of Newtown of ye
Indians that is not yet sold or purchised of them, and ye said
Inhabitants by their Clear vote doe give said Captain Minor, John
Glover and Abraham Kimberly full power and Authority to Purchis
all ye Indian lands in ye boundaries aforesaid or as much as ye
Indians will sell, for ye use of ye Town, ye Town Treasurer to
—50—
pay all ye Purchis money and all ye Charge and trouble ye Pur-
chisers shall Be att."
In 1/56 the Connecticut colony reported to the Crown
that there were 1000 Indians in the colony, nearly one-half
dwelling in English families and the balance in small clans
in various parts of the colony, and were peaceably inclined.
The white population in the colony was 70,000.
In May, 1708, the Colonial Legislature gave a town grant
leaving it to the people to choose between Preston and
Newtown for a name. In May, 1711, the town was given
the right to elect local officers, and a town clerk, constable,
surveyor of highways, a field driver and fence viewer
were chosen. These several officers were obliged to go to
Danbury to take the oath of office.
In October, 1711, the town was incorporated and granted
the right to elect townsmen or selectmen, and at a meeting
held at the house of Daniel Foote, December 4, 1711,
Ebenezer Pringle, Samuel San ford and John Platt were
chosen selectmen, thus setting in motion the wheels of town
government which have continued revolving under varying
conditions until the present moment, as near an illustration
of perpetual motion as we are likely to ever discover.
Next in order of business came the laying out of the
township, which is expressed on the town record in the
following terms :
"All of that tract of land lying on the west side of Stratford or
Pohtatuck river, bounded easterly on Stratford and part of Fairfield,
westerly upon Danbury and a line running from the southeast corner
of Danbury parallel to the east line of said town to Fairfield bounds,
northerly upon New Mil ford purchase and Pohtatuck river shall be
one entire town known by the name of Newtown."
A committee was then appointed and authorized by the
Legislature to survey the tract of land and consider what
number of inhabitants it would conveniently accommodate,
determine where the town plot should be, and lay out a
suitable number of home lots. Esquire Joseph Curtis of
Stratford, Capt Joseph Wakeman of Fairfield, Mr. John
Sherman of Woodbury and Mr. Thomas Taylor of Danbury
comprised the Legislative committee. The first allotment
of land took place in March, 1710. The allotment as
recorded is a lengthy document, but the location of the land
can easily be determined from the records. It lay on the
westerly side of the new country road and was bounded on
the west by the great pond and the long meadow. This long
meadow was the intervale land, comprised in what we
now call Head of the Meadow district, and bounded on the
south by the deep brook. It included the plain stretching
to the southward of Mrs. Philo Clark's and the ridge of land
that extends northerly from her house.
There were 22 proprietors who took their pitch in this
first allotment,
"Ensign richard Hubbell, Daniel Bur Senr, theophilus Hul, Daniel
Bur Junr, Captain Bur, Lieutenant Samuel Hubbell, Mr John Reed,
Mr Chauncy, Eben Booth, John Miner, Captain Hawley, theo Lake,
Mr Samuel Hawley, Joseph Curtice Fairweather, Capt Judson, jon
Morris, Wm Jeanes, Jon Beardsley, Ebenezer Pringle, Jeremia
Turner, Edward lewes, dan'll Jackson, Benja. Sherman, Thomas
Benit."
The document is signed by Joseph Curtice and Thomas
Taylor, two of the committee appointed by the Colonial
Legislature. The lots were uniform, each containing 20
acres. The record is as follows:
"An a Countt of a Division of Land laid out March 24, 1710, by
the Committee for Newtown, each lot Containing 20 acres, — Namely
on the Hill on the west side of the town 14 lots already laid out
to perticularly persons, named to wit, Josiah Burit the north lott,
Abraham Kimberly the south lot, only Kimberly's lot contains but
9 acres and is to have n acres more adjoying to the west side
Mr Sherman's farm to joint with ye south side of Mr Sherman's
farm, 60 acres laid out to Mr Glover in one piece being for three
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allotments due to him lying northward of ye said town on ye north
side of a brook. Note that John Griffin in lieu of ye home lot layed
out to him accepts of land layed by his dwelling house and hath
two acres layed at the east end of his twenty acre lott, and two acres
on the west side of Mr prindle's home lott adjoying to itt. Sixteene
20 acre lots to be laid out west of Josiah Burit's lott, and that rang
of 20 acre lotts, in three parcels, the first rang on ye west of afore-
said, contains eight lots of 20 acres each from the south to the north
upon the first hill and three lots on a hill of 20 acres each, lying
west of the northerly end of the next above hill, and give lots of
twenty acres each on the next hill on the southwest from the above
hill of three lots and butts southerly on ye great pond, five lots to
be laid out on the southerly end of Mr Sherman's farm and Kim-
berly's land above mentioned, each containing 20 acres; three lots
to be laid out of 20 acres each lying on the westerly side of the new
country road southerly of the brook called by the name of the Deep
brook; five lots to be laid out of 20 acres each lying on the hill
eastward of the long meadow adjoining to the deep brook on the
north end."
At the foot of the document are the names and figures
showing the order in which the different proprietors took up
their lots. This was the first town plot. But in the follow-
ing summer, 1711, another allotment was made easterly of,
and adjoining the first, being practically an enlargement of
its borders and on this second plot the village of Xewtown
was laid out.
The pioneers were no more unmindful of the shortness
and uncertainty of human life than we are, perhaps not as
much so, for in the same year of the town's incorporation,
1711, the town by vote set apart one acre and a half of
ground at the extreme south end of the town in which to
bury their dead, and at a town meeting held December 9,
1712, it was voted that "Stephen Parmerly shall have the
use of one acre and a half of land which is the burying
place for our dead, provided he clear the land of brush and
sow it with Enelish grass seed." The plot of ground
referred to is the south end of our village cemetery and is
known as the old part, and still remains the town's property.
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This was the only recognized place for burying their dead
until the year 1748. Here are to be found headstones that
mark the graves of Newtown's pioneers who died between
1741 and 1800. These are one hundred and fifty in number,
but no headstones have been found that bear inscriptions
previous to the year 1741, although the plot was set apart
for a burying place in the year 1711. There must have been
many burials there in the thirty years that preceded 1741.
Surely it would be a fitting thing if in the near future we
should raise, by voluntary subscription, money enough to
enable us to place a huge boulder in that open space in the
old part, with a bronze tablet inserted thereon inscribed to
the "Memory of Newtown's pioneers who lie in unmarked
graves." Believing it might add much to the enjoyment of
this occasion to remove the moss that two centuries had
accumulated on the old headstones, seventy in number
have recently been cleaned and the inscriptions made legible.
This was made possible at this juncture from the fact that
a medical man who was once of us but not now with us, gave
very generously for that object and so paved the way for
its accomplishment.
There are some very quaint as well as impressive inscrip-
tions on these old stones, of which I cannot forbear to copy
a few:
Here lyeth interred
the earthly remains of
the Rev'd John Beach*
A.M. late missionary ^x,^
from the
^^* Venerable Society for
* Bequeathed in his will — "To my congregations in Newtown and
Redding ten pounds each, for the purpose of settling another
minister, and ten pounds for Bibles for the poor of each of my
congregations."
He further requested to be buried according to the Liturgy of
the Church of England.
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the propagation of the
Gospel in foreign parts
Who exchanged this life
for immortality
on the 19th Day of March
1782
Minister in the Episcopal Church Newtown Conn,
from 1732 to 1782
The sweet remembrance of the just
Shall flourish when he sleeps in dust.
Reader let this tablet abide.
In memory of
Rev. Philo Perry
Pastor of the Episcopal
Society in Newtown
who Died Octor 7th 1760
aged 46 years, 10 mos. & 13 days.
and the thirteenth of his ministry.
I heard a voice from heaven
Saying unto me write
From henceforth blessed are the
Dead who die in the Lord.
Beneath, the Dust
of Sueton Grant
who Died October 7 1760
aged 15 years, 10 months & 13 days.
the son of Donald Grant
of the Parish of Duthel in the
County of Inverness in Scotland
and of Arminel his wife.
"Loud speaks the Grave
My Goal unnerves the Strong
My shades deform the Gay,
the Fair, the Young.
ye Youth awaken Catch the short lived Day
Improve your Time and Talents
while you may."
55
Beneath, the Dust of
Donald Grant who Died
Octor 18 1767 Aged 20 years
i month and 3 days.
Son of Donald Grant of the
Parish of Duthel
in the County of Inverness
Scotland,
and Arminel his Wife.
In Memory of
Reuben H Booth
who was drowned
Nov. 24 aged
43 Years.
How in an instant he was call'd
Eternity to view
Not time to regulate his house
Nor bid the world adiew.
David, son of
Mr Jonathan &
Mrs. Phebe,
Booth died
Septr ye 22 1753 aged
4 Years & n days.
Joseph Son of
Mr Jonathan &
Mrs Pheby
Booth died
August ye II 1751
Aged 3 Years & n months.
Here lies ye Body
of Sarah Booth
Dautr of Mr Jonathan
& Mrs Pheby Booth
Died Febry 15 1759
in ye 15th Year
of her Age.
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In Memory of Mrs Saray
Jane widow of Mr John
July ye 15 AD. 1750
Aged 47 Years.
In Memory of Mr Jo
nathan Booth. He Died February
Ye 8 A. D 1755
Aged 73 Years.
In Memory of the
Revd Mr David Judson
Pastor of the First
Church of Christ in
Newtown who Departed
this Life Septr y6 24
A.D. 1776 in the 61
Year of his Age.
David son of Rev- Mr
David Judson and Mary Judson-
died Dec. n 1749 aged i year
6 months & 20 Days-
Here Lyes ye Body
of Mary Judson
Daughter of the Rev.
David Judson and his
wife Mary who died
July 23 1752
Aged 7 Years & 20 days.
To the Memory of
Mr Lemuel Camp
Who on the 3o*h Day of Jan* 1784
In the 83rd Year of his Age
In obedience to Nature's law
With Meekness & Christian
Fortitude
resigned his Life to the
Almighty giver
and quietly fell asleep
This monument is inscribed.
—57—
The marble monument may yield to Time
Time to Eternity —
But the remembrance of the just shall flourish
When Time shall cease
And Death is swallowed up
with Victory.
To the Memory of
Alice Camp
widow of
Lemuel Camp
Who Died Dec. 5 1796
in the 87^ Year
of her Age.
The sweet remembrance of the Just
Shall flourish when they sleep in Dust.
In Memory of
Mr Abraham Ferris
who died April y6 4 A.D 1789 in
the 68th Year of his Age.
No Gift of Nature, Art, or Grace
exempted from the Burying Place
All must obey death's solemn Call
Before that Tyrant all must fall.
To the memory of Mrs.
Elizabeth Jennings Edmond,
eldest Daughter of the late
Hon. John Chandler and Mr8 Mary
Chandler, who departed this
life Feb. 17 1795 aged 29 years
8 mos. & 17 days.
This monument is erected by her
Surviving husband
William Edmond.
-58-
Here lies ye Body
of Mr John Glover*
He died in ye faith
and communion of
ye Church of England
June ye 3 A D. 1752
& in ye 78 Year
of his Age.
"The once well respected
Mr Daniel Booth
Here rested from the hurry
of Life, the 8th April, A. D., 1777,
Aged LXXIII.
Could a virtuous, honest and amia-
ble character, Could Blessings
of the Poor echoing from his Gate,
Could ye sympathetick
Grief of an aged Partner or the
Soft'ning Tears of a numerous offspring
Disarm the King of Terrors
He had not died. What is Life?
to Answer Life's great Aim.
From Earth's low prison, from this vale of Tears,
With age incumbered and oppressed with years,
Death set Him free, his Christ had made his Pe'ce,
Let grief be dumb, let pious sorrow cease."
Read the testimony of Richard Fairman as to the char-
acter of his wife :
Hear lies inter'd the
Body of Mr8 Jane the
Dear Wife of Richard
Fairman Esqr who Dw-
elt Together in the
Married State 30 ye-
* John Glover willed to his wife Elizabeth, his negro man and
woman and his negro boy Phillip. It was also his expressed wish
"to be buried according to the manner of the Church of England."
—59—
ars Wanting 23 Days
And was in his Opinion A
Woman of the Best sense &
judgment that he was E
ver Acquainted With A
nd He Believes truly pious
Who departed this Life in the
58 year of her Age May 16 A.D.
1771.
Safely inter'd Here lies
The remains of Mrs Mary,
the amiable consort of Mr Jab's.
Baldwine, who made her exit Jan.,
1770, in the 36 year of her Age, Leaving
Behind her 5 Children.
When a fond Mother's
care hath nursed her
Babes to manly size She
must with us'ry pay
the Grave.
To the Memory of
Mr David Curtiss,
once
the agreeable companion and the
generous friend who was
suddenly arrested by remorseless
Death, July 29, A. D., 1783.
in the 42 year of his age.
This monument is inscribed.
"Of this man may it be with propriety said,
His friends were many, enemies few.
The partial friend may virtues magnify,
The flattering marble may record a Lye,
But God who judgeth righteously and just,
Will raise his children from the sleeping Dust,
Proclaim their worth in Earth in Air in Heaven,
Their pardon sealed, and write their sins forgiven.
In Memory of
Mrs Sally Cooke
2* Wife of Daniel B Cooke
who departed this life
Decr. 12 A.D. 1794
Aged 20 Years,
this stone is erected,
"Could the Piety which adorns
or Benevolence which endears
human Nature
Could tenderest friendship
or the Purest Love
Disarm the King of terrors
She had not Died."
Much interesting history might be given of those old
pioneers whose dust lies undisturbed in "God's Acre,"
could time for research be given for the work.
On the brow of the hill at the north end of the town plot,
where the ground slopes to the east and south, stand
headstones that mark the graves of one, Donald Grant and
three of his children, Sueton, Elizabeth, and Donald, Jr.,
who died respectively in 1760, 1762, 1763, the father himself
dying in 1767.
On each of these headstones is inscribed — "of the Parish
of Duthel In ye County of Inverness in Scotland."
Impressed with the thought that there might be an interest-
ing history connected with that family, an intuitive feeling
led me to correspond with Donald Grant Mitchell, known to
the literary world by the pseudonym "Ike Marvel."
Through him I learned that Donald Grant's daughter Hannah
was his paternal grandmother, and on two recent occasions
when I visited the home of Mr. Mitchell at Edgewood near
New Haven, I was very kindly received and hospitably
entertained listening to reminiscences of Donald Grant and
his family and admiring relics that had been handed down
by his grandmother, once Hannah Grant the daughter of
Donald Grant, and born June 28, 1749. First was shown to
me the passport that was given the young man when he left
bonnie Scotland in 1732 at the age of twenty-four years,
crossing a trackless ocean to make for himself a home in
America. It is written on parchment in a clear legible hand
and reads as follows :
"Pass Port
Of
Donald Grant,
1732
By the Honorable The
Magistrates of the
Burgh of Inverness.
Permit the bearer hereof, Donald Grant of the Parish of Duthell in
this County to pass from this Wherever his business may require
him, without lett or Molestation, he, behaving himself as becometh.
And it is hereby Certified that the said Donald Grant is Descended
of honest, reputable parents and has Hitherto behaved himself
soberly and Honestly. In Testimony Whereof, We have hereunto
sett our hands and Appointed the Seal of our said Burrow to be
hereto affixed At Inverness the fourteenth Day of April 1732 years.
To All Whom it may concern.
Witnessed By
John Hossack, — Baillie.
Thomas Alvos, — Baillie.
Collin Campbell,— Baillie.
Londonderry."
When Donald Grant landed in this country in 1732 he
chose Newtown in its virgin loveliness and fertility in which
to make his permanent home. Bringing with him the pass-
port signed by the Scotch magistrates of his mother land,
testifying to his good character, what else could have been
expected of him but that he would make the good, trusted
citizen which he became ? His name is frequently met with
in the first volume of Newtown records in connection with
business transactions and official duties for the town. And
by the old records we find that at the age of thirty-five years,
he married, December 7, 1743, Arminel, the daughter of the
Rev. Thomas Toucey, the first minister settled in Newtown.
They lived together twenty-four years, his death occurring
in 1767, the death of three of their children preceding his.
Not very long after his death, his widow Arminel, and the
daughter Hannah, who was eighteen when the father died,
removed to Wethersfield. The widow there married a
Mr. Mitchell and the daughter Hannah married his son
Stephen Mix Mitchell, a highly educated and prominent man
of Wethersfield, and in due course of time she became the
paternal grandmother of Donald Grant Mitchell, who is
still a well preserved man of eighty-three years. When
at his house he showed me a most beautiful oil painting of
Mrs. Hannah Grant Mitchell taken when she was past
eighty years of age, and. remarking upon her rare beauty,
he informed me that if I could find a certain old book "Old
Merchants of New York" I would find in that, allusion to
her, as she was in her younger days. The search was made
and I was rewarded by finding, copied from "Freeman's
New York Almanac for the year of our Lord 1765" a
portion of a journal kept by a New York merchant while
making a trip on horseback from New York to Guilford in
the Colony of Connecticut and back to New York. He
was from September 13 to September 25 — twelve days —
making the round trip, passing through Danbury, Newtown,
Stratford, New Haven, Branford, Killingworth and Guil-
ford, on the outward trip, stopping over one Sunday in
Newtown and returning through Guilford, Branford, New
Haven, Stratford, Fairfield, Norwalk and on to New York.
I copy from this journal his allusion to Newtown: —
"Left New York Sunday September 13. Reached Danbury Thurs-
day evening, and of Danbury it is said to be a very pleasant New
-63-
England town, regularly laid out in lots with a church and meeting
house. Left Tom and his friend to provide a supper dinner.
Friday September 18. Arose by six this day. Hard rain. Hired
a guide and a horse, borrowed a woman's cloak for Tom, mounted
him behind the man and took charge of leading the horse myself.
Roads wet, splashy, hilly, rocky and stony. Stopped at Landlord
Fairchilds three miles short of Newtown. Baited, and shaved our-
selves, remounted and got to our friends by 10 o'clock — (distance
II ) whom we found waiting upon his poor distressed friend Donald
Grant. Here lives the old gentleman's daughter Hannah, fairest
among the fair. I have not yet seen her.
Saturday ipth Rain continues. At dinner, the lovely — oh for Mr
Bolton — the too lovely Miss Grant, made her appearance. Grace in
every step and dignity in all her actions. What is very remarkable
in this young lady's real character, amidst a crowd of admirers and
danglers she has preserved the utmost simplicity.
This day we have walked between the showers about this beauti-
fully situated town, the country all around most agreeably diversified
and improved. Sabbath begins Saturday at sundown in this religious
country. Spent a serious evening. No mirth, no festivity, no going
to a sick house.
We were favored all the evening with the fair one's company but
not conversation. She read "Mr Spec" all the while. Mr Brown
and Sir Richard did the same, together with the lawyer Botsford
who lives in the same house, a genteel young fellow and an humble
admirer.
Sunday September 20. Fine morning, Rose early. Shaved in our
rooms early, out of sight. (Sin to shave on Sunday.) Dressed and
went to meeting. No church this day. An execrable preacher,
Mister Benbee. The evening service we likewise attended and then
desired to know, if we might indulge ourselves with a walk but were
refused, until sun was down.
We then, accompanied with Mr Botsford sauntered until we
reached a chestnut tree which he, conscientious gentleman, would not
so far break the Sabbath, though it might be said to be over, as to
pluck a single fruit off, but when picked, he ate most greedily of,
even so far as to distance us who were employed knocking them
down.
Grave subjects concluded the evening, and we retired to rest, I
having first wrote two letters, one to Mr Cook Danbury, the other
to Dr. Perry Woodbury concerning Mr. Donald Grant's case.
N.B. Spoke to Mrs Botsford for Dr. Thomas Newtown.
-64—
Monday Sept. 21. Rose early. Fine morning. Disturbed the
family, took our leave and proceeded on our journey. Plenty of
mushrooms along our path which we cooked and ate.
N.B. Would not let us pay a farthing. Set off at half past six."
When Donald Grant died he left by Will which is
recorded in Probate Records of Danbury, ten pounds money
for the North school in Newtown, and ten pounds money
for the South school in Newtown and ten pounds money for
a bell for the meeting house provided the bell should be
bought in England.
More might be told of the family, but enough has been
given to show what patient research and persistent effort
might bring forth of the history of many of those whose
dust has lain undisturbed for more than one hundred and
fifty years.
In 1748 the town laid out to the
"people living at ye northwest part of ye township of Newtown,
upon their desire, sixty rod of land for a Bureing place to Bury
their dead in at a place Northerly off or from Benjamin Hawley's
Dwelling House. First Bounds is a heap of stones in the line of
Caleb Baldwin's land, then run southly 6 rods to a heap of stones,
then run westerly n rods, joining to the Highway, then run North-
erly 5 rods to first bounds land layed out by us. Joseph Bristol,
Lemuel Camp, Committee."
In that burying place stands a headstone that marks the
grave of Jeremiah Turner, the first white child born in
Newtown.
Attendance at town meetings was made compulsory and
a fine of three shillings was imposed upon all who failed to
attend who could give no valid reason for absence. It was
considered due notice of the meeting if a selectman or
constable should notify personally or leave notice at the
dwelling house of the person to be notified.
Grist mills and saw mills were almost as much a neces-
sity as houses to live in, for unless people had mills in which
-65-
to grind their grain they must go to Stratford or Danbury
for their flour or go without. Without saw mills they
would have to depend for lumber upon the crudest of ways,
by rending it, for use. At the second town meeting, held
December 4, 1711, Benjamin Sherman, Ebenezer Pringle
and John Griffin were appointed a committee to view the
great pond and see if it would contain a grist mill. It was
further voted that Jeremiah Turner should have liberty to
build a grist mill and that he should be given 40 acres
adjoining the mill, and a committee of three, Benjamin
Sherman, Ebenezer Pringle and Samuel Sanford, were
appointed to draw articles concerning a grist mill on Pond
brook.
December 24, 1711, it was voted to get a grist mill on
•Poodertook brook. Jeremiah Turner did not build a grist
mill upon Pond brook, and the town gave Samuel Sanford
liberty to do the same. For some reason Sanford did not
build the mill, and in January, 1714, the town gave Samuel
Sanford liberty to set a grist mill near Mount Pisgah on
condition that he would build a good grist mill for the sup-
ply of the town of Newtown before the twentieth day of
August, 1714, on the Poodertook brook, the town agreeing
that no other grist mill should be erected to the damage of
said Sanford so long as he would supply the town with a
good mill. The town also agreed to give him 40 acres of
land lying under Mount Pisgah together with the land lying
southwest of the mountain to the farm known as the "old
farm." So the first grist mill was located in Sandy
Hook, now called. The mill of 200 years ago is gone.
Another stands on the old foundations. Mount Pisgah
still forms the background. Generations have passed away,
but though men may come and men may go, the streams
flow on forever.
In March, 1712, the town voted liberty to build a saw mill
on Deep brook and one was built, where W. C. Johnson's
—66—
feed mill now stands. The following October liberty was
given John Hawley to set a fulling mill on the Deep brook
above the saw mill and the use of half an acre of land above
his mill, provided he does not damnify the saw mill so long
as he maintains a sufficient fulling mill on Deep brook. The
place is known as "Fulling Mill hole" to this day.
February i, 1714, the town
"voted to give liberty to Ebenezer Smith, James Hard, Jeremiah
Turner, John Seeley and Joseph Gray of Newtown to build a saw
mill on Half Way River, northwest of Derby road, down near Strat-
ford, on Poodertook river, and as much land as shall be needful for
said saw mill as long as said persons shall erect a saw mill there,
provided they will saw for the town to the halves and all such timber
and logs as the inhabitants of the town shall bring to their mill for
2s 6d per hundred, and also shall have liberty of convenient passage
to the Great River."
February 2, 1714, another town meeting
"voted to give Thomas Bennitt, John Burr and Peter Hubbell liberty
to set a saw mill on Poodertook brook anywhere near the Great
River, within 60 rod of the Great River, provided they build it any
time within three years."
The foundations of the mill still stand, a short distance
below the lower Rubber factory. So before 1715 the town
was supplied with a grist mill and three saw mills, important
adjuncts to any inland town at so early a date. The records
also speak of a path that goes from Poodertook to Danbury
as early as 1714, but no road.
In 1718 the town voted that a town house or school house
should be built twenty-five feet square and eight feet
between the joints. It was built by contract, the builders to
furnish all the timber, make the frame, get all the shingles
and clapboards, the town furnishing the nails. They were
to receive for their work ten pounds money. The building
stood on the highway just north of where Trinity church
now stands and remained there until 1733.
ST. JOHN S CHURCH
SANDY HOOK
-67-
In November, 1715, the first country road was laid out
by a committee chosen by the town, called the road to Wood-
bury, commencing at the center of the town, running east-
erly to Poodertook brook, thence towards the Housatonic
river. The highway was laid out 25 rods in width, with a
cart bridge across the Poodertook. The same is the high-
way now from the town street to Sandy Hook, though
somewhat curtailed as to width. A second layout of road
was made the same month and year, called the country road
towards Stratford, running south from the center three
miles, to what is now known as Cold Spring, where the
Poodertook was crossed by a cart bridge. A few years later
a highway was laid out, 10 rods in width, northerly to the
New Milford line, crossing Pond brook at the north end of
the town over a horse bridge. Another road 10 rods in
width was laid out running westward from the center past
the Great pond to a place called Taunton. These four
highways radiating from the center of the town, as the four
points of the compass, with extensions and branches as they
now have, reaching out in all directions, have become a
network of lanes, highways and byways that are a delight
to the naturalist, the artist and the botanist, and at the same
time a burden to the taxpayers and a perplexity to the town
fathers.
In 1725 the town preferred a memorial to the General
Court, then in session at Hartford, for relief from taxation
for that year because of their distressed condition. The
Court voted (Colonial Records, vol. 6, p. 556),
"Upon the memorial of the town of Newtown showing to this
Assembly that said town is at present under pressing circumstances
occasioned by the removal of their former minister and their settling
another, being weakened by their disunion in opinion which hath
been and is still among them, and remarkably cut short in their crops
this present year by the frost, by all which they are much straitened
and incapacitated to pay a rate to the publick. This Assembly there-
fore upon the special reasons aforesaid do see cause to free, and do
hereby exempt and free the inhabitants of said town from paying
any county rate for the year next ensuing, provided the town of
Newtown draw no money for their schools nor send representatives
to this Assembly during their exemption."
In the early days of the Colony letters and newspapers
were delivered by post riders, who, on horseback, went over
their respective routes as laid out for each by the General
Court. The Court fixed the compensation for travel from
town to town, and also fixed the price that might be charged
by the ordinary keepers in the respective plantations, who
should provide suitable accommodations for man and horse,
which should be, for the keep of man by the meal, six pence,
for the horse at grass four pence a night, and for oats four
pence a half peck, and for hay the night, four pence. Great
care was to be had by the ordinary keepers that hired horses
were not to be deprived of their allowance.
In 1733 the General Court voted that Peter Hubbell have
liberty to set up a ferry across the river running between
Newtown and Woodbury, at a place commonly called
Poodertook, and that the fare of said ferry be three pence
for a single man or a single horse, and eight pence for man,
horse and load, the stating of the fare of said ferry to
remain in the hands of the Court.
In 1748 the Court changed the fare, and it was for man,
horse and load four and six pence ; led horse, one penny ; a
foot man, one and a half penny ; ox or other kine, three
pence half penny ; hog or goat, one half penny.
In the early history of the town it was the custom at the
annual town meeting for the town to pass a vote as to what
person might keep a house of entertainment. As all travel
for many years was on horseback or on foot, the transient
travel was light, and not until after the close of the
Revolutionary war did wagons come into general use and
travel increase so as to make it any inducement to keep open
what came to be known as the tavern.
Newtown played no small part in the French and Indian
wars. We can find no information at the Adjutant
General's office at Hartford in regard to it, but I have in
my possession a memorandum book that dates back to
1757. The book belonged to William Beardslee, who lived
within an eighth of a mile of my own home, and many of
the entries in the diary show that he was a teamster in the
French and Indian war, although he was a mason by trade.
The diary may tell its own story.
Ensign John Nichols, Dr.,
For 14 days service at driving your team, which service began
March 31, A. D., 1757, and so continued till my Return from Kender-
hook at 3 shillings per day, £2 09 o
To money expended upon Team, £o 06 o
To 28 days service at Driving Team to Millers and attending them
at 3 shillings per day, £3 18 o
To 16 days more at driving Team after said Team was entered
into the service, £2 08 o
Then follow the names of those enlisted in the French
and Indian war in 1757 :
William Stickney, Thomas Greenleaf, Thomas Knight, Nathaniel
Hunt, Jonathan Rogers, William Muggridge, Samuel Wallanford,
Thomas Sweet, Joseph Coffin, William Coffin, Joseph Garland,
Thomas Ford, Joseph Greenleaf, Francis Holody, John Holody, Sar-
geant Weed, Elimalet Weed, Daniel Norton, Morel Wicker, Daniel
Tilton, John Flood, Ebenezer Flood, William Cursel, Ballard Smith,
George Patterson, Benjamin Wenter, John Downing, Joseph Coker,
Daniel Dooer, Josiah Brown."
Following is a copy of a letter in my possession, which is
an echo from the field to the home circle. The writer was
the son of Mr. Heth Peck, among the earliest of the
pioneers.
—70—
"At Lake George,
July 27, A D., 1758.
To My Beloved Heth : Hoping these lines will find you as well as
I and the rest that came from Newtown, and remember me to my
father and mother, brother and sisters, and threw God's goodness
I am preserved through many Dangers that I Have Bin in thanks
be to God therefore. There was 18 men at Half Way Brook, there
were three Captains, two Subalterns and one ensign. There was a
man hanged the 25th day for stealing. I want to have you heare a
Litil while. Sargeant Summers sent hum to have Robert Cum up
and bring him up sum Chease and other provition, and if he cums
if you can send up sum chease and some biskit, and so no more at
present.
I remain your Loving brother, and when this you see then you
think of me."
Here is a bit of pathos in an entry taken from Rev. David
Judson's record:
"September 27, 1758, Lost in the army by the sword of the Enemie,
a son of William Northrop, aged about 20 years."
An entry found in an old town record reads as follows :
"Calvin Leavenworth the eldest son of Thos. and Mary Leaven-
worth, departed this Life by being Killed at Lake George in the
battle fought between the french and english September the 8th
1755 and in 2Qth yeare of his age."
In 1733 upon the petition of the people of the north end
of the town, the town voted "that a school house might be
built near the house of Abraham Bennitt provided it be
built at their own expense," which was done and the same
was where the North Center school house now stands and
was known as the North school. At the same meeting it
was voted "that the south end of the town should have
liberty to remove the town or school house towards the
south end where it shall be thought most convenient for the
neighborhood, at their own expense," which was done, and
it was located where the Middle district school house now
stands and was known as the south school.
The school districts of the town were formed as the needs
of different sections required. North Center and Middle
district were organized in 1733, Taunton in 1739, Land's
End and Zoar in 1745, Palestine in 1749, Hanover in 1755,
South Center in 1761, Huntingtown in 1794, Pootatuck in
1765, Lake George in 1768, Flat Swamp in 1769, Sandy
Hook in 1779, Bear Hills in 1783, Head of Meadow in 1784,
Gray's Plain in 1784, Toddy Hill in 1788, Gregory's
Orchard, Hope well and Half Way River date unknown,
Walnut Tree Hill in 1866.
With few exceptions the districts retain the name given
at their formation. The exceptions are that Sandy Hook
was first called Poodertook Brook district, Land's End was
known as Wiskenere, Hanover was at the first Two Mile
Brook district, and South Center was first called Kettletown,
then Tinkerfield, and Bear Hills is now Middle Gate.
In 1767 a district was organized known as Deep Brook
district and the school house stood east of and near the
home of Hermon H. Peck. It was called the Federal
school house. In 1768 Slut's Hill district was organized
and in 1770 Currituck district. These two districts were
organized to relieve the condition of the North school, which
had overflowed its capacity. These three last named
districts became absorbed by other districts in a few years,
thus losing their identity.
Until about the year 1800 the several district committees
were appointed at the annual town meeting and the laying
of a tax on the rateable estates of the town to meet the
expense of the schools was kept up until the management
of the schools was given over to practically the present
district system, each district paying its own school expenses
until by state law the schools become free. The town still
has its 21 school districts and schools are maintained 40
6
—72—
weeks in the year. Three years ago the town voted to estab-
lish and maintain a High School. It commenced on
its fourth year in September with three teachers and eighty
pupils. Every taxpayer in the town should feel a just pride
in the record it is making for itself.
School districts existed for the convenience of the larger
towns as early as 1725, but were not recognized by law until
1766 and had no semblance of corporate existence -until
1794.
The meetings held by the free holders of Newtown
for calling the first minister who accepted, were under date
of April 29 and May 21, 1713, as follows:
At a lawful town meeting of ye Inhabitants of Newtown Voted &
agreed for Ebenezer Smith to go to Weathersfield to treat with Mr
Tousy of Weathersfield & request him to come and Give us a
visit & Preach a Sabbath or two with us that we May Have Opor-
tunity to Discorce him in Order to carry on ye work of y6 ministry
Amongst us. test John Glover Recorder
May y6 21st 1713 —
Voted & Mad Choyce of John Glover Mr Ebenezer Smith & Mr
Benjamin Sherman A Committee to discorse & treat with Mr.
Thomas Towsee of Weathersfield in order to settle Amongst us to
carry on ye work of y6 Ministry in this Place This meeting is
a journed until to morrow night sun half Anour high from ye date
Above.
At y6 said ajoyrned meeting ye Inhabitants aforesaid Voted to
sow all y6 Ministers home lott with wheat that is suitable Mr
Towsee to have y6 Crop Provided y6 sd Mr Thomas Towsee preach y6
Gospel Amongst us a Yeare. The Inhabitants aforesaid at sd meet-
ing further voted and agreed and Made Choice of Mr Thomas
Towsee for to preach ye gospel Amongst us for y6 space of a year
upon Probation in order to settlement
John Glover Recorder.
As to the way in which the town provided its minister with
his fire wood the following recorded vote will show :
Agreed and voted by y« Inhabitants aforesaid to get Mr Toucey his
fire wood the year 1721 by a Rate Leavied out of ye List of y« Estates
—73—
of ye Inhabitants afore sd, at one penny per pound; y6 price of a
load of wood, walnut wood is to be 2s — 6d. A load of Oak or other
good wood is 2s a load, y6 aforesaid Wood is to be Carted or sledded
by y6 Last of jan1^ or y6 first of February Next, and If any man
Shall neglect to Give in his A Count of his wood unto y? Collector
of ye Wood Rate Shall by Virtue of this Vote be as Lyable to be
strained upon for his wood rate as he yl has Got no wood for y8
aforesaid Mr Tousey.
Voted that Dan11 Foott Shall be & is a pointed Colector for to
Tak Care of & Colect ye above sd wood rate according to vote, or
as the Law Directs for ye Gathering other town Rates.
test Joseph Peck Town Clerk.
Rev. Thomas Toucey was the first minister Newtown
had. He was born at Wethersfield, Conn., in 1688, gradua-
ted at Yale College in 1707 and settled in Newtown in 1709.
He was ordained minister by the ecclesiastical council in
October, 1715, was married to Hannah Clark of Mil ford
November 12, 1717, and became the father of nine children.
He resigned his ministry in 1724, having become disturbed
by dissatisfaction among the members, went to England and
received a captain's commission from the British Crown.
On his return from England he took up the practice of med-
icine, filled many town offices, was a sound business adviser,
and died March 14, 1761. A blue slate slab marks his grave
in the old part of our village cemetery, on which is this
inscription.
Here lies interred the Body of
Thomas Tousey Esqr
who Died March 14 1761
in the 74th Year of his Age.
Down to an impartial Grave's devouring shade
Sink Human Honors and the Hoary Head
Protract your years, acquire what mortals can
Here see with deep Concern the End of Man.
Religious meetings were held in dwelling houses until the
building of the meeting house the location for which was
fixed by vote of the town, January 18, 1719, to be where the
—74—
lane that runs easterly and westerly intersects the main
town street that runs northerly and southerly. That loca-
tion was near where the flag staff in the village now stands.
The building was 50 feet in length, 36 feet in breadth and
20 feet between joints. The cost of it was to be 45 pounds.
The meeting house remained there until 1792, when it was
removed to another foundation on which the Congregational
church now stands. In 1803 the General Court allowed
the society to raise 3000 dollars by a lottery to be used in
building a new meeting house, the frame work of which is
that of the remodeled building of to-day.
At a Proprietors meeting held December 30, 1740, it was
voted
"that for y* futur and until ye proprietors of y6 Common and un
divided land of said Newtown by their major vote shall order
otherwise that a warning under ye hands of the proprietors' dark
for y6 time being and five of y* proprietors of said common and
undivided lands in writing set up, one on a tree on ye highway
near Jonathan Booth's house and one on y6 sign post near y*
meeting house and one on a tree on y* highway near James Bots-
ford's house in sd. Newtown at least six days before sd. meeting
shall be Deemed a good warning to all intents & purposes.
Test Job Sherman, Clark.
Public gatherings were assembled by the beat of the drum
until the year 1745, when a bell was purchased and hung in
the meeting house to be used on all public occasions. The
first house built in which to hold the Church of England
services was on the plain south of Newtown village and
was erected in 1732.
In 1746 the town voted that they might build a house in
which to worship, on the highway 25 rods south of the
Presbyterian meeting house. That location was nearly
opposite the Newtown Inn. In 1790 the town gave liberty
by vote in town meeting for the Church of England people
to put a new church on the plot where Trinity church now
stands.
—75—
A Sandemanian society was organized in 1740. The
building in which to hold their services stood midway be-
tween Mrs. Marcus Hawley's and the Middle district school
house. The society disbanded in the early years of the last
century.
The Sandemanians were the followers of one Robert
Sandeman of New Haven Colony and were looked upon
with mistrust, so much so, that the General Court of Con-
necticut at its October session, 1777, passed a "Bill granting
Liberty to Sandemanian Disciples to abide in the State
upon Parol, or depart with their Families." The preamble
reads —
"Whereas it appears to this Assembly that Daniel Humphreys,
Titus Smith, Richard Woodhul, Thomas Goold, Joseph Pyncheon,
Theophilus Chamberlain Benjamin Smith and William Richmond
disciples of the late Robert Sandeman residing in New Haven have
imbibed the opinion that they owe an allegiance to the king of Great
Britain and that they are bound in conscience to yield obedience to
his authority, and have signified their desire if they may not continue
at New Haven to remove to some place under the dominion of said
King-
Resolved by this Assembly — That the said persons and each of
them may be at liberty to continue in this State upon giving their
parole of honor that they will not do anything injurious to this
State or the United States of America or give any intelligence, aid
or assistance to the British officers or forces at war with this and the
other United States, or if they decline giving such parole, they, with
their families household goods apparel and provisions sufficient for
their passage may remove to any place subject to the government of
the King of Great Britain, or to New York now occupied by the
said King's troops."
Passed in the upper House ) Geo. Willys Sec.
Concurred in the lower House ' Benja. Payne Clerk.
The Baptist church and society took its organic form in
1794, its numerical strength lying largely in the eastern part
of the town. The church building was located in Zoar near
the house now owned bv Charles Pratt.
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Whenever the history of Xewtown shall be written the
ecclesiastical history will form a chapter of more than com-
mon interest. The General Court of the colony made it
obligatory upon all landed proprietors to raise a yearly
amount by tax levied upon all rateable property for its
ministers' support, and one of the first duties required when
a new town was organized was to provide a minister.
Salaries paid ranged from 100 pounds down, but never less
than 50, which might be paid in money, or part in grain,
wood, or provisions, the money value of which was fixed
from time to time by the General Court. The Congre-
gational order of church government was the approved
order of the General Court, expressed in the Colonial
Records as follows :
"We can doe no less than still approve and countenance the same
to be without disturbance until better light in an orderly way doth
appear; but yet, forasmuch as sundry persons of worth, prudence
and piety amongst us are otherwise persuaded (whose welfare
and peaceable satisfaction we desire to accommodate.) This Court
doth declare that all such persons being also approved according
to law as orthodox and sound in the fundamentals of Christian
religion may have allowance of their persuasion and profession
in church ways or assemblies without disturbance."
Attendance at public worship was compulsory, the General
Court ordering that
"if any person shall prophane the Sabbath by unnecessary travel
or playing thereon in the time of public worship, or before, or
after, or shall keep out of the meeting house during the public
worship unnecessarily, there being convenient room in the house,
he shall pay five shillings for every such offense or sit in the stocks
one hour."
It was also provided that if there was more than one
religious assembly in a town all persons should contribute
to one or both of the societies in the township.
—77—
At the annual town meeting held December 24, 1733, it
was voted —
"Whereas the Worshipfull Mr Thomas Toucey and ye Reverend
Mr Elisha Kent have petitioned for Liberty to build upon their own
Charge each of them a pew in ye meeting house in Newtown for ye
use of themselves and families as they shall have occasion, the one
on ye one side of ye Great or South Door, and ye other on ye other
side thereof, at ye above said meeting voted in ye Affirmative that
their petition Be Granted, and it is hereby Granted.
Entered ye date above
Per Joseph Peck
Town Clerk
The first meeting house was put to use before being com-
pleted, and in 1745 after having been in use for about
twenty years was made more comfortable by an expenditure
of two hundred and twenty pounds, some glass windows
were put in, a bell was procured and hung, thus dispensing
with the drum that had been used up to that time, to call
the people together on all public occasions, or in case of an
alarm being sounded.
With no way of heating the building in cold weather
unless with open fireplace it was an uncongenial place either
as a place of worship or social converse at the luncheon
hour. It was the uncomfortableness of the first meeting
houses that made necessary the putting up of what are called
in the town records "Sabbath Day houses."
Cothren in his history of Ancient Woodbury says,
"the Sabbath Day house was a place in which to take refreshments
between the two church services, and for social and religious worship
as the occupants might be inclined. It was built in two divisions,
one for males and the other for females. Some families would have
houses of their own for private use. These houses were necessary
because the meeting houses were not warmed."
From Vol. I of Newtown Records we find there were no
less than seven Sabbath Day houses on Newtown street in
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the early days. They were all located on the highway,
permission being given by vote of the freeholders in Town
meeting. Thinking it may be of special interest we give
a few of the votes as recorded :
December 9, 1740,
"voted and agreed that Jeremiah Northrop shall have liberty to set
a small Sabbath day house In ye Lane by or against Captain Bald-
win's orchard."
Dec. ye 8 1743—
"voted and agreed that Lieutenant Joseph Smith and Caleb Baldwin
Junr. Shall have Liberty to Build a small house for a Sabbath Day
House adjoining with Jeremiah Northrop or Separate if they see
cause. In such place by Capt. Baldwins House Lot in ye Lane not
to Damnify sd. highway."
December 3, 1750,
"voted that Jonathan Sanford shall have Liberty to Build a small
Sabbath Day house at ye westerly end of John Plat's Sabbath Day
house."
December 23, 1751,
"voted that Benjamin Northrop shall have Liberty to Building a
Sabbath Day house for his use in ye Lane by Captain Baldwin's
fence of his home Lott Below or something west of Caleb Baldwin's
Sabbath day house."
December 3, 1753,
"voted that Matthew Curtis shall have Liberty to erect or sett up a
Sabbath Day house in ye Cross Lane by Captain Baldwin's as they
shall think best by agreement."
December 30, 1754,
"voted that Captain Amos Botsford shall have Liberty to Build a
small house for Sabbath Days, not Doing Damage to ye highway nor
any other person."
—79—
December 30 A. D. 1754
"voted in Town Meeting that all ye farmers Belonging to Newtown
may have Liberty to set a small house for Sabbath Days not Doing
Damage to ye highways nor any other person."
John Northrop Town Clerk
It would be a strange experience for us if, on the morrow,
we could go into Newtown street and see it as it looked 150
years ago at the meeting hour, the meeting house standing
near where the liberty pole now stands, Stephen Parmaly
beating the drum to call the people together, men coming in
along the paths or trails on horseback with wife on the
pillion behind, the children trudging along on foot beside
them, all enlisted in one common cause, and each in
sympathy with the other, vanguard of the millions who have
been following in their wake since the pilgrims landed on
Plymouth Rock. Almost with holy reverence do we think
of Newtown's earliest pioneers.
In 1739, 28 years after the town's incorporation, the
names of 143 property holders appear on the Grand List,
and the sum total of taxable property expressed in dollars
was 46,445 dollars. A poll went in at 90 dollars, a pair
of oxen 40 dollars, horses, of which there were 202,
Avere rated at 15 dollars each. A man's trade or business
had an assessed valuation, varying from 20 to 125 dollars.
Samuel Sherman's trade was manufacturing and selling
brooms, on which he was assessed 150 dollars. Widow
Sarah Beers was assessed 50 dollars on her trade. This was
taxation without representation.
Job Northrop was taxed on 50 dollars for "faculty."
Jehoshaphat Pringle was taxed on 40 dollars for "faculty,"
and Widow Mary Bennett was taxed on 65 dollars for
"faculty." By "faculty" was meant superior wisdom and
judgment above that of their neighbors. The legal and
medical fraternity were not as numerous to consult with
as now.
Newtown had no representation at the General Court
until 1747, when Mr. John Northrop and Capt. Thomas
Toucey were chosen to represent the town at the General
Assembly in May following.
In 1744 Newtown was made a part of the Probate Court
of Danbury and so continued until 1820. Between those
two dates all the Probate records pertaining to Newtown
estates are to be found in the Probate Office at Danbury.
Newtown's first list of polls and rateable estate returned
to the General Court in 1747 was $56,790. The population
of the town at that time was noo souls.
Rev. David Judson, who was minister in charge of the
Presbyterian body from 1743 to 1777 (at which time he
died), has left on record in his own handwriting that in
1716 there were 30 families in the town, in 1740 there
were 75 families and in 1770 the number of families in
Newtown was 350 and about one half of them were of the
Church of England. In 1740 the rateable assessment of the
Presbyterians was $39,465 and that of the Church of Eng-
land men $8,545 or about one-fifth that of the Presbyterians.
Newtown's population in 1756 was 1253, of which 23
were slaves. Slavery was in vogue here as elsewhere in
Connecticut as late as 1804 and we find slaves inventoried
along with other personal property at valuations ranging
from 50 to 250 dollars.
Rev. David Judson, who died in 1777, left a negro man
and woman valued at 300 dollars, a negro girl, Temperance,
valued at 140, one Sylvia 100, and a negro boy valued at
50 dollars. Rev. Thomas Toucey when he died left a wench
called Happy, who was inventoried at 250 dollars.
Children born of slave mothers were the property of him
who owned the mother and were so recorded in the Town
Records, from which is copied the following :
Jonathan Booth's servant Dorcas born, January 27 1783.
THE METHODIST CHURCH
SANDY HOOK
— 8i—
We have no means of knowing at how early a period
slavery was introduced into Newtown, or whether the first
slaves were brought in by their masters as they moved from
other plantations or bought direct from traders as they came
from the coast of Africa. It seems safe to presume, that
as early as 1735, perhaps earlier, slaves were owned in New-
town, for we find them inventoried in the settlement of
estates of those who died at that early date, an able-bodied
likely negro being apprised at 50 pounds money. There
are many entries in our town records between the years 1735
and 1805 of the birth, the sale and the emancipation of
slaves. These entries are so sandwiched in among other
matters that it needs much patience and time to compile the
same for an occasion like the present. As no better idea
can be found as to the manner of procedure when negro
slavery was an institution under the law in Newtown, we
copy from the records of the birth of children of slave
parents, of the buying and selling, and the emancipation of
slaves.
There was never any law enacted forbidding a man giv-
ing his slave his freedom, but until the year 1777 a man
emancipating his slave did not free himself from the
expense of caring for him, in the event of his becoming
disabled in any way or unable to take care of himself.
In October, 1777, the General Court then being in session,
an act called An Emancipation Act was passed by which any
person owning slaves could call upon the selectmen of the
town for liberty to free their slave or slaves. Then it
became the duty of the selectmen to inquire into the age,
abilities, circumstances and character of such slave, and if
a major part of them were of the opinion that it would be
consistent with the real advantage of the slave, and that he
would probably be able to support himself, and was also of
good and peaceable life and conversation, a certificate of
liberty would be given for to set free the slave, which would
—82—
discharge for ever after the former owner or his heirs or
executors from any charge or cost of maintaining or
supporting the slave set free.
Emancipation certificate concerning Dorcas a Negro slave owned
by John Lott and David Beers.
Certificate of the Selectmen of Newtown.
Newtown November n 1799.
These certify that we have examined into the age and health of
Dorcas a Negro woman Slave, owned by John Lott & David Beers
Esq. who is desirous to be made free and we do find on actual
examination that she, the said Dorcas is in good health and is not of
greater age than forty five years & is not less than twenty five years,
but that she, the said Dorcas is about twenty nine years of age.
Certified by us David Baldwin -* j .
John Sanford >•
Abijah Curtis J
Know all men by these presents that we John Lott & David Beers
of Newtown Fairfield County and State of Connecticut owners of
a certain negro woman slave named Dorcas aged about twenty nine
years, for divers good causes & for considerations already received
to our full satisfaction have thought fit to emancipate & set free the
said Dorcas, and we do by these presents fully, freely & absolutely
emancipate, liberate & set free the said Dorcas and the said Dorcas
is hereby absolutely set free and discharged from our service to all
intents & purposes.
It witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seals this
IIth day of November 1799
Signed sealed & delivered in John Lott
presence of Abijah Curtis David Beers
John Sanford
On May 9 1791 Nehemiah Curtis emancipated his Negro slave
Tobias 30 years old.
Jan. 6 1794 Captain Solomon Glover emancipated his Negro slave
Alexander 36 years old.
January 1794 Stephen Crofut emancipated his negro slave Candace.
October 10 1804 Jarvis Platt emancipated his negro slave Gilbert
29 years old
-83-
Fairfield County fs Newtown July 30 A.D. 1796. Whereas Mr
Ebenezer Beers of sd Newtown has this day made application to us
the subscribers for liberty to Emancipate and make Free his Negro
man Named Cesar otherwise called Julius Cesar in manner and form
as prescribed by law having examined the sd Negro who is holden as
a slave we find that he is desirous to be made free we have also
enquired into the age and health of the sd Julius Cesar, and on such
enquiry find that he is in good health and is not of greater age than
forty five years or less than twenty five years of age.
Certified by William Edmond
David Baldwin
Authority.
Know all men by these presents
that I Ebenezer Beers of Newtown County of Fairfield State of
Connecticut being thereunto legally authorized by virtue of the
foregoing certificate have Emancipated and made free the said Julius
Cesar and I do hereby make free, Emancipate and set at liberty the
sd Cesar and I do hereby for myself and my heirs Relinquish all
claim to the future subjection, obedience & service of the said Cesar
and the avails thereof and the said Cesar is hereby fully, freely and
absolutely acquitted, Discharged Emancipated and made free, as wit-
ness my hand and seal this 3Oth Day of July A D — 1796
Signed sealed & Delivered Ebenezer Beers,
in presence of
William Edmond
David Baldwin.
May 9th 1796 Daniel Booth Emancipated his Negro man slave
Zephaniah, and his Negro Woman slave named Peggy
On January 6 1800 Philo Toucey emancipated & set free his negro
slave named Jacob 25 years of age September 6 1799.
September 16 1799 Mr Reuben Booth & David Booth executors of
the estate of Jonathan Booth Emancipated & set free a negro slave
woman thirty seven years old named Lynde — in accordance with the
express will of said deceased.
"Some entries of the births of the Children of Tobe Curtis by his
wife Phillis the servant of Caleb Baldwin. Their first born, a
Daughter named Jenne born in Stratford on the 26th day of August
1782.
Their son named Joseph Freedom born in Newtown on the 27th
day of October A. D. 1784. The sd Joseph Freedom Departed this
life on the 6th day of May 1790."
— 84—
"Elexander Brisco — Negro — and Peggy Joyned in marriage by the
Revnd. Mr Rex ford.
Their first born named Succa
Their second named Nancy
Their third named Linda"
*****
"The birth and Age of the negro children of Daniel Glover.
Gene was born October 7th A D 1787 \
Peter was born January 30 A D 1788 > Daniel Glover.
Rose was born December A D 1790 )
Fairfield County fs Newtown the 20th Day of February Anno 1791
personally appe'ared Mr. Daniel Glover & on oath declared that the
above named viz. Gene, Peter & Rose were the names of three Negro
Children born in his house of a Negro wench belonging to him
Named Nancy & that the above dates were the times severally of
their births sworn &c before
John Chandler Assistant Clerk."
"Benjamin Hawley's negro child Ned, was born October the 6th
Day 1788. Fairfield County fs Newtown on the 21st day of March
1791 personally appeared Mr Benjamin Hawley & on oath Declared
that the above was a true account of the birth of a negro male child
which belonged to him by the name of Ned sworn &c before John
Chandler Justice of the Peace.
Received to Record 21st of March 1791. Recorder per. me Caleb
Baldwin Town Clerk."
Newtown March 24 1787.
"Received of Lemuel Sherman and his wife Mary Sherman ten
pounds lawful money for which I quit claim my Right and title
during his natural life, and in confirmation I have set my hand and
in a certain Negro Boy named Ned, to them to have and to hold
seal in presence of Andrew Fairchild and Prudence Fairchild."
Ransford Fairchild.
Bill of sale of Jime, Black Servant of Wd Sarah Nichols Reed, to
record Ist of March 1804. Recorded for me Caleb Baldwin Town
Clerk. To all people to whom these presents shall come, greeting.
Know ye that I. Wd Sarah Nichols of Newtown in Fairfield County,
for the consideration of fifty dollars received in hand of Titus a
free negro of the Town of Fairfield to my full satisfaction and
Content, have granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents do
j
-85-
grant, bargain, sell and convey unto Titus free Negro his executors,
administrators & assigns one certain Negro girl named Jime aged
about thirty one years to have and to hold said Negro girl, to him
the said Titus a Free Negro his executors and assigns for and during
the natural life of the said Negro Girl, & furthermore I, the said
Sarah Nichols do for myself & heirs warrant the said Negro girl to
him the said Titus a Free Negro against all just claims and demands
whatsoever.
In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this Ist Day
of March AD 1804.
Sarah Nichols Wd .
Witnesses — [L s]
Joseph Nichols
Charles Prince.
Concerning width of highways in and near the town street
it was voted at a proprietors meeting held February 2 1758,
"that the highways are to be in width as follows (viz) the town
street is to be Eight Rods wide from Ebenezer Bristols Dwelling
house to y6 Dwelling house of Lieu* Heth Pecks, and ye highways
on each side of ye land Called the Ram pasture, to be six rods
wide, and the highways that Leads from the meeting house to Gideon
Baldwin's meadow East of his house, to be six rods wide, and all
other places that are for Countery Roads to Be left six rods wide,
and in all other places within two mild from ye meeting house to be
four Rod in width— except private highways or highways not to be
much used to be Left two Rods wide."
Test John Northrop Clerk."
Cattle, horses, sheep, geese and swine were allowed to
run at large in the early days — though under certain restric-
tions— as for instance on December 19, 1717 it was voted in
lawful town meeting
That the Swine belonging to ye Inhabitants of Newtown Shall be
free Commoners so long as they Do no Damage and ye owners of ye
Swine to pay Damage whare ye fence is good and according to Law
& whare y6 fence is not good ye Owners of Such fences are not to
Recover any Damage or Poundage and if such Swine are not Sofi-
ciantly Yoacked after ye first time they Do Damage then ye Owners
to pay all Damages after y6 first Time they Do Damge. by Soffi-
cient yoking to be understood a yoke 9 Inches above ye neck, 4
Inches below ye neck 6 inches long on each side ye neck if on grown
Swine and proportionably for Lesser. Swine so Yoaked not to be
Deamed Damage feazant. This act to continue for two years.
The raising of sheep was one of Newtown's earliest
industries, the town owning the flocks, which were kept on
the common lands, a shepherd being employed to care for
them, and the profits divided among the proprietaries. The
first recorded vote we find is under the date 1747, when
"It was voted — that the town of Newtown from time to time, from
year to year and forever shall take effectual care and see that all the
Incombs of ye flock of sheep in and beloning to said town over &
above ye Shepard's wages and insident charges of y6 flock shall be
paid to ye above sd proprietors of land in sd Newtown and be divided
among them according to their several proprietaries
Test Job Sherman, Clerk."
Again at a meeting held January ye I5th 1754 it was voted
"that all of the undivided Land within ye sequesterment so called
within one mild of ye town street east and west, north and south,
(it is to be understood that ye town street is to extend from Mr
John Blackmail's house to Ebenezer's Smith shop,) shall Lay as
commons for ye use and Benefit of ye Inhabitants of y6 town of
Newtown for Keeping a flock of Sheep till y6 Proprietors shall
agree otherwise = and the Earnings or Incumbs of the flock of sheep
over and above what will be y6 hier of a Sefisant Shepard to keep
ye flock and all other necessary charges about ye flock shall return
to y6 proprietors of y6 Land and to be Dewided to each proprietor
according to their Right in propriete =
Test John Northrop, Clerk."
At a Proprietors meeting held February 13, 1758, it was
"voted to lay out another tract of common land without ye two miles
from y6 meeting house, each right to be drawn for as heretofore,
and also power was given the Committee appointed for that purpose,
to lay out highways where most needful, with full power to make
recompense out of proprietors' land without the two miles from the
meeting house to the several persons who might be aggrieved by the
laying out of said highways on or through their land."
I I
i i
-87-
The records show that the proprietors, on sober second
thought, decided they could not meet the expense of addi-
tional highways and had better let the land be used for a
sheep pasture for a while longer. The drawing for the
several pitches was to be made April i, 1758, but at an
adjourned meeting held March 20, 1758, the following
Preamble was introduced —
"Whereas at ye first Convention of this meeting February 13
1758 it was voted to lay out to each proprietor or Right,
one acre of land in what is called y6 Commons within ye Compass
of two miles from ye meeting house and accordingly a Draught
made, and Committee chosen and ye time set to Begin ye Laying
out (viz) on ye first of April next, and whereas ye present state of
Public afairs in y6 Kingdom throws y6 British settlements particu-
larly in this part of American world into Gratest Confusion and
Involves in ye Gratest Difficualties in which we are Grate Sherors,
which undoubtedly in point of Duty calls for such Indifferancy of
spirite towards ye things of this world which is Inconsistent with
Grasping and reaching after ye same any further than strict necessity
obliges thereunto and Besides Least when under a burthen next to
Insupportable by ye addition of a small weight ye Bearer Should
inadwertently be Depressed so as to be sunk Bneath ye Superficies
of this terrestrial Globe and such as ye addition att this Day of any
unnecessary Charge which at another time (viz.) y6 sunshine of
prosperity might well be Deemed prudent, necessary and Light.
This Being supposed to be ye Case, with Respect to ye present
speedy Laying out sd acre and whereas y6 sudden or speedy Laying
out sd Acre Dewission and bringing ye same into and under par-
ticular Improvement must unavoidably put ye Biger part of y6 people
and Inhabitants of this Town into a surprise by Laying them under
a Grate Disadvantage in not Giving of them time to turn themselves
in making sutable prowission in their Inclosures, each to keep his
own flock.
It is therefore agreed and voted upon ye view and Reasons above
mentioned that y6 above said Dewision of one acre shall Remain as
at present it is unlaid out for ye space of two years from this Date
and that when it shall be Laid out att ye expiration of sd two years
and not before It shall Lye two years more making from this Date
four years open without enclosure particular or otherwise, always
provided that y6 proprietors in or of common Land be not, by any
7
—88—
Dewices of ye owners of ye flock, as by hireing Shepards on or for
y6 same or otherwise be Defrauded of their just Incombs from y*
flock Pursuant to a vote not Long since passed by y8 proprietors of
ye Sheep in Newtown but that y6 said wote During sd four years be
honestly and faithfully put in Execution according to y6 true Intent
thereof.
Provided also that Effectual Care be taken by y6 proprietors of ye
sheep that y6 flock be not Laid upon what is called foul meadow
unless it be y6 Dryer sort thereof and in very Dry season."
Voted in ye Affirmative
Test John Northrop Clark.
In the early days the people were by force of circum-
stances obliged to depend upon themselves in meeting sick-
ness, accident, distress or destitution. The minister not only
was expected to attend to their spiritual needs, but was
medical and legal adviser as well. Drug stores were a thing
unknown. The rafters under the long low slanting roofs
were adorned with bunches of herbs drying for winter use,
to be resorted to for all conceivable diseases and accidents
that flesh is heir to — hard hack, boneset, tansy, dock root,
live-for-ever, cumfrey root, without stint or measure.
Among the old headstones in the Newtown Cemetery is one
with this inscription.
Sacred to the Memory
of Mr Lemuel Thomas
for many Years a skillful
& useful practitioner of
Surgery and Physic.
Who Departed this
Life Septem. 30 A. D.
1775 ^Etat 48.
Undoubtedly the earliest practitioner of surgery and physics
the town ever had. He had his house on the highway, west
side of the road, midway between the Middle District school
house and the corner. He was married by the Rev. David
Judson, September I5th, 1756, to Mary Foot. Their chil-
-89-
dren were, Lucy, born July 17, 1757 ; James, born January
29, 1759 ; Lemuel, born December 2, 1760, and Anna, born
January 5, 1767. Born in 1727 and commencing practice
before he was thirty years of age, we can see how strong
a hold he had upon the people of the community by the
following vote taken.
At a Proprietors meeting held March 16, 1757,
"voted and agreed by ye majority of ye proprietors present, that
Doctor Lemuel Thomas may have Liberty to take up two acres &
a half of Land in ye Town Street for a horse pastuer Between
ye School house at ye South end of ye town and Mr John Fabreques
Dwelling House Leaving a 8 rod highway on y6 east side thereof,
and sd Doctor Thomas shall possess sd two acres and a half of Land
and Improve ye same as Long as he shall Continue in this town
and practising Doctering among us, and if he should lay aside
Doctering as aforesaid or Remove out of sd Town y6 sd Land to
Return to ye proprietors again, he taking away his fence."
voted in ye affirmative Test John Northrop Clark.
"voted that Capt. Henry Glover, Mr Benjamin Curtiss, & Mr Abel
Booth is chosen a Committee In behalf of ye proprietors to Give
Doctor Lemuel Thomas a Lease of ye Land he had Liberty to take
up as appears by ye act of y6 proprietors made March i6th 1757.
voted and agreed that Capt. John Glover, Lieut. Thomas Skidmore
& Mr Abel Booth Shall Be & be hereby chosen a Committee In Behalf
of y6 proprietors to examin & search in to y6 state of ye Land by
y6 Grate River not Included in Quiump purchase and to purchase
said Land of y6 Indians if they Can for ye proprietors."
In December, 1776, the town voted that a town house, 32
feet long, 24 feet wide and 9 feet between joints should
be built. Oliver Toucey took the job for 300 dollars. He
was to make in it as good seats as are generally made in
form as in the State House in Hartford. He should light
the house with 30 windows, 15 squares of glass in a
window, size of glass to be 7 x 9. The building was located
on the same site as where the first one stood.
To those who are familiar with Longfellow's poem,
"Evangeline," it may be interesting to know that Newtown
was obliged to care for one family from Grand Pre from
1756 to 1762.
There can be little doubt that the first Roman Catholics
who came into Newtown came in 1756, not from choice,
but from compulsion.
When France ceded Acadia, now Nova Scotia, to the
English the Acadians chose to remain, though they had free
choice to leave any time within two years. They refused to
take the oath of allegiance to the British king, though they
did take the oath of fidelity. They were exempted from
bearing arms against their countrymen in Canada, and
allowed to enjoy their own religion, which was Roman
Catholic.
The British government finally decided to remove the
Acadians, confiscate their property and scatter them among
their colonies on the Continent, and 300 were assigned to
the Connecticut Colony and were landed at New London
in 1756. The General Court at its January session in 1756
in New Haven passed an act for distributing and well
ordering the French people sent into the colony from Nova
Scotia. Four were assigned to Newtown. They were
known as the neutral French and were cared for at the
town's expense. Every year for six years their records
show resolutions that were passed for the care of the French
family called neutrals. The town built them a house and
provided for all their needs. It could not turn them off,
nor could they go out of the town without its consent.
The boy of the family was finally bound out for a term of
years to Zadock Sherman, and the man Paul and his wife
were allowed by vote (of the town) to go visiting their
friends, relations or acquaintances. As the town could
not turn them adrift, they voted to allow them to go visiting,
as shrewd diplomacy as any of the present day.
During the Revolutionary war Newtown was free from
any and all raids of the enemy. A large percentage of the
ST. ROSE S CHURCH.
population was in complete sympathy with the mother
country, so much so that they were tones in name and deed,
and in some cases their property was confiscated and
reverted to the colony, the Probate records showing in-
stances to the point. One man, Robert Thompson, of New-
town was hanged in June, 1777, as a spy, the order of his
execution being given by Brig. Gen. Samuel H. Parsons, and
returns were made that the execution had been duly per-
formed.
All through the war period our town records abound with
doings of frequent town meetings when provision was made
for meeting the conditions called for by the colony in raising
the town's quota of men and its proportion of food products
for the forces in the field, .and providing for families of
soldiers enlisted in the service from Newtown. In the state
archives we find among the names of Newtown's honor roll,
John Chandler, Colonel of the 8th Regiment, formed in
1777, afterward Superintendent of the Conn. Line, and
after the war Brigadier General of the state militia. Col.
Chandler of the 8th Regiment was in the battles of Long
Island and White Plains.
In the 8th Company, Fifth Regiment, we find the names
Joseph Smith, Captain, Jabez Botsford, Lieutenant, enlisted
in 1775, and Ephraim Kimberly ist Lieutenant.
In Sheldon's Dragoons we find the names of William
Whitby and Ezekiel Bennett, each enlisted for three years
from March 1781. Capt. Ephraim Kimberly in the
Society of the Cincinnati, and Fitch Kimberly in the Regi-
ment of Artificers, enlisted for three years, and Thomas
Brooks enlisted in 1777 for the war.
In the 1 6th Regiment of the Conn. Militia was Capt.
Caleb Baldwin, promoted to Major in 1778, and Samuel
Brooks, who served in Col. Lamb's artillery from April
1777 to 1781.
—92—
At a town meeting held in February, 1778, it was voted
"that the salt belonging to this Town purchased by the State shall
be transported from Bedford in Boston state to this place at the
expense of the town, and that in a manner that the selectmen shall
think most expedient and safe, either by land or water."
Also voted
"that the selectmen shall take care of the pig iron allowed to this
Town by the state that it is forwarded in the best manner to the
most convenient forge, and procure the same wrought into bar iron
and then brought into the town at the town's expense and divide
the same to the inhabitants according to the list in the several school
districts."
In January, 1778, at a meeting called to consider upon,
and if agreeable to their minds, to assent to the Articles of
Confederation drawn up and sent by Congress to the
several states agreeable to a requisition of His Excellency
the Governor, it was voted,
"Having particularly considered every article by itself we unani-
mously approve of every article of confederation as sent by Congress
to the several states. Resolved that the Representatives of this town
transmitt the votes of this meeting to the Gen. Assembly of this
state approving of every article of Confederation of the United
States in Congress as the sense of this town that the Delegates of
this state be improwered by said Assembly to Ratify and confirm
the same in Congress."
Maj. Caleb Baldwin, Capt. Joseph Smith and Henry Peck
were Newtown's representatives to the General Assembly
for that year.
In July 1779 the town voted
"that the Committee appointed for supplying the officers and
soldiers' families now in Continental service agreeable to a resolve
of the General Assembly May 1779 make and adjust each man's
proportion (obliged by law to pay rates in Newtown) of the sum
of 108 pounds and that they call on the inhabitants of the town
to return to them immediately or at a convenient season said dividend
—93—
for the use of said families. Also voted that this meeting has no
objection to the wives and families of Ephraim Betts and Elias
Skidmore repairing to Long Island there to tarry with their husbands
going under the direction and Authority of the Selectmen."
Some insubordination existed in Xewtown in 1778, as is
shown by this act passed by the General Assembly.
"Upon a representation made to this Assembly that the three alarm
list companies formed within the limits of the first society of New-
town in the i6th regiment having sometime since made choice of
persons for their officers inimical to this and the other United States
of America, who for that reason were refused commissions, and also
that the officers of the third military company of said regiment in
said town have either given in their commissions or wholly neglect
and refuse to execute their offices whereby all the said companies
are destitute of officers and by that means not in a condition to be
called upon to perform military duty for the defence of the country.
Resolved by this Assembly that the colonel or chief officer of said
regiment be directed and he is hereby ordered and directed to cause
legal warning to be given said companies as soon as may be, to meet
for the purpose of choosing commission officers and lead or order
them to be led to such choice for their respective companies, and in
case they neglect or refuse to elect such persons as are qualified
according to the laws of this state to execute such offices that then the
civil authority in, and selectmen of Newtown, with the advice of said
colonel or chief officer are hereby impowered and directed forthwith
to nominate such officers as may be necessary, which choice or nomi-
nation shall by said colonel or chief officer be returned to this
Assembly or in the recess thereof to his Excellency the Governor,
who is desired to commissionate them accordingly; which officers
shall immediately proceed to detach their quota of men for
the Continental army as soon as the field officers of said regiment
have proportioned them to the respective companies, which they
are hereby directed to do."
At the meeting of the Governor and Council of Safety at
Hartford in October, 1779, it was resolved
"That the selectmen of the town of Newtown receive from Joseph
Hopkin, Esq., of Waterbury ten fire arms belonging to this state,
150 pounds of gun powder from the keeper of powder belonging to
—94—
this state in Ripton, and also 300 flints of Capt George Smith of
Hartford, they passing their receipt therefore, said selectmen to be
accountable."
"Per order of Major Caleb Baldwin, Also upon the memorial of
Samuel Hazzard a refugee from the city of New York now resident
in town of Newtown showing that when he left New York, he left
with some of his friends on Long Island considerable effects belong-
ing to himself and family, and praying to have liberty to go on to
said island and bring off his said effects. Resolved that the said
Samuel Hazzard have liberty and liberty is hereby granted to him
to go on to Long Island for the purpose of bringing away said
effects, he conforming himself to the directions of Thaddeus Betts,
Esqr., of Norwalk, under whose care and inspection he is to conduct
in the affair.
Permit of Col Chandler."
At a town meeting held in December, 1779, it was voted
concerning unfriendly persons taking the oath of fidelity,
"that the selectmen for the time being, lay before the next General
Assembly of the state of Connecticut either by memorial or some
other manner, the circumstances and true situation of this town in
regard to those unfriendly persons in said town together with the
reasons of the friends to the libertys of America in this town casting
their protest against the Town Clerk entering those unfriendly per-
sons names in the list of those that have taken the oath of fidelity."
In 1780
"voted that Abraham Bennett shall be committee to supply the family
of Lieut Ephraim Kimberly the year ensuing as a soldier in the
Continental service; also that Lieut Amos Terrill be committee to
supply the family of Elijah Foote a soldier in the Continental ser-
vice; also Eli Dunning be committee for the purpose of putting up
flour in this town for continental use, and that Capt Jabez Botsford
shall be committee for the purpose of providing barrels and putting
up the beef and pork required by law for continental use. Voted
that David Botsford shall be committee of cloathing for the Con-
tinental soldiers. In 1781 voted, in order to raise the eight men
required for the year's service to defend the Post at Horseneck we
proceed in the same manner as is directed for the continental
soldiers."
—95—
Enough has been quoted from records to show that the
inhabitants of the town were kept busy in meeting the state's
demand for men and means to help prosecute the war, and
although there was a marked sentiment of disloyalty in the
community, yet as a town, Newtown did her full share with-
out drafting during the Revolutionary period and some of
its foremost men have their names on Connecticut's honor
roll; as Col. John Chandler, 8th Regiment, Hon. William
Edmond, who was in the fight at Ridgefield when Col.
Wooster was killed, and received a bullet wound that lamed
him for life ; Lieutenant Jabez Botsford, Lieutenant Eph-
raim Kimberly, and Captain Caleb Baldwin promoted to
major. The military records of the state show that as late
as the year 1800 there were eight Revolutionary pensioners
living in Newtown: Mary Botsford aged 82, Abigail
Davis 78, Jerusha Crittenden 80, Sarah Colburn 77, Kellog
Berry 77, and Eunice Taylor 82 years of age.
In 1774 Newtown's population was 2229; 1782, 2404;
1790, 2764; 1800, 2903.
Newtown had no representation at the General Court in
1776. The Public Records of the state of Connecticut, in
the list of names of representatives from the several towns,
has the name Newtown with a blank before it.
History does not tell us whether there was no election, or
whether, if so, those elected refused to take the oath of
office.
The assembly met in October. It was a solemn as well
as a serious time. Questions of great import were likely to
come up, that would call for drastic action. On the pre-
vious fourth of July the Declaration of Independence had
been signed.
The first resolution passed by the assembly when they
met in New Haven in October following was —
"That we approve of the Declaration of Independence published by
said Congress, and that this Colony is and of right ought to be, a
free and Independent state, and the inhabitants thereof, are absolved
from all allegiance to the British Crown, and all political connections
between them and the king t>f Great Britain is, and ought to be
totally dissolved."
At this same session an act was passed for prescribing and
enjoining an oath of fidelity to the state, and in order that we
may fully understand what the act meant in its entirety, we
give in full the prelude and the law as enacted by the Gen-
eral Court.
"Whereas the King of Great Britain hath abdicated the govern-
ment of this and the other United States of America by putting
them out of his protection, and unjustly levying war against them,
and the said United States by their representatives in General Con-
gress assembled, by a Declaration bearing date the fourth day of
July one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, for the reasons
therein mentioned solemnly declared that the united Colonies of
North America are and of right ought to be free and independent
states and that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British
Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state
of Great Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved, which Declara-
tion is approved by this Assembly. Wherefore it is expedient for
the security of this State that an oath of fidelity be taken by the
freemen and officers thereof."
The oath is as follows :
"Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives in
General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same — That
all the members of the General Assembly and other officers civil and
military,, and freemen within the State of Connecticut, shall take
the following oath : viz, You A.B. do swear by the ever living
God that you will truly and faithfully adhere to and maintain the
government established in this State under the Authority of the
people, Agreeable to the laws in force within the same ; and that you
believe in your conscience that the King of Great Britain hath
not, nor of right ought to have, any authority or dominion in or over
this State; and that you do not hold yourself bound to yield any
allegiance or obedience to him within the same ; and that you will, to
the utmost of your power, maintain and defend the freedom, in-
dependence and privileges of this State against all open enemies
—97—
or traitorous conspiracies whatsoever — So help you God. And
no person shall have authority to execute any of the offices aforesaid
after the first day of January next until he hath taken said oath:
and all persons who hereafter shall be appointed to any of said
offices shall take said oath before they enter on the execution of
their offices. And no freeman within this State shall be allowed
to vote in the election of any of the officers of government until
he hath taken the aforesaid oath in the open freeman's meeting
in the town where he dwells ; and the names of all the freemen
who take said oath shall be inrolled by the town clerk in the records
of the town, which oath shall be administered by a magistrate or
justice of the peace."
The above enactment went into effect January I, 1777.
The General Assembly of Connecticut met annually in May
and October.
At the May session of 1777, Newtown was not repre-
sented in the Legislature, as no one in Newtown had, up to
that time, taken the oath of fidelity, and we have only to
open the records to find that the freemen of Newtown were
slow in conforming to the requirements of the law. Let us
not be too severe at this distant day in denouncing those who
delayed or refused, as being traitorous at heart in the mean-
ing of that word in its broadest sense. Let us rather be
charitable, and think, that as a rule, each one was governed
by the dictates of his conscience doing as he thought right,
as God gave him to see the right.
The records show that between August 25, 1777, and
April 12, 1790, when the record closes, only 337 of New-
town's freemen took the oath of fidelity. It cannot help but
be interesting to the historian, as well as to our own town's-
people, to have the list given in full ; interesting too, to see
how many of the old family names of almost two hundred
years ago are still household words with us. Notice the
record under each date as the months went by, and see how
the tide ebbed and flowed as men struggled with conscience
in marking out the path of duty.
"Newtown August 25 1777 Personally appeared and took the
oath of fidelity before me, Jabez Botsford Justice of the Peace" —
"Caleb Baldwin Junr, the Town Clerk."
A noble example of one of Newtown's foremost men, who
always dared to lead where any dared to follow. Draw on
our imagination all we will, who of us, at this distant day,
can realize the dignity, the solemnity, of the scene when the
first little band of eight freemen stood before the gallant
leader they had in the Town Clerk, and with uplifted hand,
swore before the ever living God to uphold, and defend if
need be with their lives, the cause espoused as set forth in
the Declaration of Independence.
Dates when taken, and names of those who took the oath
of fidelity in Newtown before Caleb Baldwin Justice of the
Peace, as well as Town Clerk.
August 25, 1777— Jabez Botsford Esqr, George Terrill, Lieut. Ben-
jamin Summers, Richard Fairman, James Fairchild Junr, Fitch Kim-
berly, Moses Shepherd, Elijah Botsford.
August 26 — Lieut. Nathanael Brisco, John Botsford, Lieut. Henry
Fairman.
August 27 — Nathanael Barnum, September i — Eleazer Burritt,
Matthew Curtis, Joshua Northrop, Josiah Bardslee, Abel Baldwine,
Capt. Jonathan Northrop, Amos Burritt, Elijah Fott, Eli Dunning,
Henry Wood, David Baldwin, Gideon Botsford, Silas Hubbell,
Oliver Fairchild.
September 4— Matthew Curtiss Junr, Jeptha Hubbell, Henry Peck
Esqr, Ephraim Sherman, Abraham Bennitt Junr, Jared Botsford,
Asa Cogswell, James Fairchild, Capt. Benjamin Dunning, Deacon
Abraham Bennitt, Samuel Brown, Matthew Baldwin, Ezra Peck,
Capt. Joseph Wheeler, Abraham Botsford, Lieut. Amos Terrill,
Jared Dunning, Joshua Hatch, Capt. Joseph Smith, Nathan Sherman,
Moses Platt, Silas Fairchild, Ebenezer Fairchild, Ebenezer Smith,
Enos Northrop, Doctor James Sanford, Josiah Platt, Jonathan
Beardslee, Abraham Baldwin, David Terrill, Capt. Richard Smith,
Nirum Summers.
October 4 — Levy Bostwick, Ephraim Jackson, Job Bunnill, Ger-
shum Jackson, Samuel Hawley, David Jackson Junr, Ezra Birch,
James Prindle, Ezra Dunning, Abraham Kimberly, Clement Bots-
ford, Thomas Sharp, David Jackson, Joseph Gunn, John Keeler,
Abel Smith, David Peck, Abraham Lewes, Abel Gunn, Isaac Hawley,
Isaac Hawley Junr, Rev. Mr. Thomas Brooks, Nathan Burritt, Amos
Northrop, Capt. Abel Botsford, Gamaliel French, Thomas Ford,
John Skidmur, Nathan Washbon, James Glover, Eleazer Lacy,
David Curtiss, Daniel Sherman, Nathaniel Bunnill, Daniel Morriss,
Roger Hendryx, Col. John Chandler, Reuben Dunning, Reuben
Taylor, Silas Hepburn, John Johnson, Abel Johnson, Joseph Bots-
ford, Edward Foot, John Bostwick, Andrew Northrop, David Jud-
son, Nathan Camp, David Botsford, Capt. Joseph Hepburn, Samuel
Beardslee Junr, Elijah Hard, John Bassitt, Amos Shepherd, Doctor
Preserve Wood, George Northrop, Eli Wheeler, Gideon Botsford
Junr, Elijah Stillson, Joseph Hard, Birdsy Glover, Andrew Beers,
Joseph Stillson, Gideon Dunning, George Shepard, George Northrop,
Josiah Hays.
1778 — Daniel Glover, Capt. Joseph Prindle, Lazarus Prindle, David
Meeker, Cyrus Prindle, Jabez Baldwin, Abraham Baldwin, William
Allin, John Smith.
1779 — John Hard, George Foot Junr, Theophilus Nichols, William
Edmond, Livinus Peck, John Beach, Josiah Beardslee Junr, Jotham
Sherman, James Shepard, Joel Prindle, Abiel Booth, Thomas
Wheeler, Birdsey Glover, Zalmon Peck, John Hard, Andrew Stillson,
Joshua Peck, David Hinman, Matthew Hall.
1781 — Nehemiah Strong.
1782 — Amos Bennitt, Abel Foot, Reuben Terrill, Hezekiah Dayton,
John Summers, John Blackman Junr, Josiah Fairchild, Abel Skid-
more, Amos Sherman, Nehemiah Curtiss, Abijah Curtiss, Stephen
Crofoot, Francis Peirce, Benjamin Curtiss.
In 1783 there seems to have been a great change of
sentiment as 93 took the oath of fidelity, viz. :
John Fabrique, Jehosaphat Prindle, Ezra Sherman, George Sample,
Hezekiah Booth, Capt. Peter Nichols, Capt. John Glover, Junr.
Zalmon Booth, Cyrus Beers, Cyrenius Hard, Amos Hard, Nirum
Hard, Rueben Booth Solomon Glover, Ichabod Fairman, Joseph
Foot, Henry Glover Junr. Elisha Wooster, Zalmon Tousey Junr.
Salmon Curtiss, Stephen Burwell Jr., James Thomas, Anson Hard,
Levi Peck, Job Crawford, John Beach Jr., Truman Blackman,
Caleb Bennitt, Theophilus Botsford, Salmon Glover, Roger
Terrill, Nathaniel Peck, Daniel Terrill, Elijah Peck, Alpheus
Fairchild, Curtis Hard, Andrew Griffin, Abel Winton, Abraham
— IOO —
Wheeler, Truman Sherman, Reuben Curtiss, James Foot, Elias
Beardslee, Philo Parmalee, Timothy Treadwell, Eli Peck, Nirom
Curtiss, Abraham Booth, Nathaneal Judson, Amos Griffin, Isaac
Tousey, Samuel Beers, Nathaniel Northrop, Daniel Clark Sanford,
Daniel Humphrey, Capt. Ephraim Kimberly, William Hall, Josiah
Blackman, Jonathan Booth, Capt. John Blackman, Capt. Henry
Glover, James Bennitt, Zachariah Clark, Isaac Trowbridge, Abel
Ferris, Heth Griffin,
1784— Abel Booth, Peter Lake, Ephraim Lake, Joseph Bristol, Seth
Fairchild, Philo Tousey, William Burwell, Philo Fairchild, Abraham
Beers, Abel Prindle, Asa Chambers, Abel Tousey, John Walker,
Jabez Peck, Philo Curtis, Samuel Sanford, Elias Glover, William
Northrop, Ebenezer Booth, Luther Harris, Wait Northrop, Drake
Northrop, Benjamin Hawley, Noadiah Warner, Samuel French,
Amial Peck, Samuel Peck.
1785 — Theophilus Hurd, John Beers Junr, Benjamin Stillson,
Elijah Nichols, Thomas Stillson, Philo Norton, George Peck, Enos
Johnson, Obadiah Wheeler, Elias Beers, Joseph Bennitt Wheeler,
Moses Botsford, Curtis Waimvright, Nathaneal Briscoe Junr. Peter
Clark Hull, Abijah Hard.
1787 — Daniel Baldwin, Robert Summers, Gold Curtiss, Zenas
Washburn, Daniel Botsford, Vine Botsford, William Birch Junr.
Eldad Jenny, James Hendryx, Jabez Beers, Samuel Trowbridge.
1788 — Donald Tousey, David Tousey.
1789 — Zadock Fairchild, Jonathan Fairchild, David Booth.
1790 — John Winthrop Chandler, Moses Kent Botsford, Clement
Fairchild, Ezekiel Fairchild.
When by order of Congress a loan office was established
in each of the United States to receive such monies as might
be offered for loan, and commissioners were appointed
in the respective towns to receive loans, for which they
should deliver over to the lenders loan certificates bearing
four per cent, interest and payable in three years, Caleb
Baldwin, Esq., was appointed Commissioner for Newtown,
and our town records show that there were a few loans made
to help furnish the Continential army with the needed sinews
of war, as the following receipts given by the Commissioner
will show :
— 101 —
"Newtown June 23, 1778 — Received of Mr. Aaron McGregory for
Continental Loan office the sum of seventy dollars."
"Newtown July 6 1778 Received of Thomas Brooks Junr. for
Continental Loan office the sum of thirty eight Pounds ten shillings."
"Newtown August 10 1778 Received of Mr Josiah Beardslee for
Continental Loan office the sum of one hundred pounds money."
"Newtown October 26 1778 Received of Mrs Mary Judson for
Continental Loan office the sum of fifty seven dollars and two
thirds of a dollar.
(Mrs Judson was widow of Rev. David Judson.)"
"Newtown December 8 1778 Received of Mr Jonathan Fairchild
for Continental Loan office the sum of six hundred dollars."
"Newtown April 21 1779 Received of Mrs. Sarah Baldwin for
Continental Loan office the sum of 100 dollars."
"Newtown April 28 1779 Received of Mrs Mary Robson for Con-
tinental Loan office the sum of one hundred dollars."
"Newtown May 31 1779 Received of Mr Caleb Baldwin Junr.
State Certificate Containing one hundred and seventy seven dollars
property of Capt. Joseph Smith, and of Certificate Estates two
Hundred dollars, and of school money, seventy five dollars, and
of Mr Caleb Baldwin Sixty three dollars.
Abel Botsford."
In all, there are nine loans recorded on our town records,
two of which were made by women.
In the campaign of 1781 Count de Rochambeau marched
his army from Providence, R. I., to Bedford, N. Y., in the
month of June. He was on his way to join Gen. Washing-
ton in his operations against Lord Cornwallis. They
encamped at Woodbury on the night of June 27 and reached
Newtown on the 28th and remained until Sunday, July I,
when they broke camp and proceeding through Ridgebury
reached Bedford, N. Y., Monday, July 2, ready to join their
forces with the main army. The army marched in regi-
ments until reaching Newtown, following one another at
intervals of a day's march or at a distance of about 15 miles.
Their stay in Newtown was cut short by urgent orders from
Gen. Washington to hasten toward the Hudson river.
There was no rest except what was imperatively necessary
102 —
and some of the French officers set the example of walking
the whole distance at the head of their regiments. The
officers wore coats of white broadcloth trimmed with green,
white under dress and hats with two corners instead of
three like the cocked hats worn by the American officers,
paid all their expenses in hard money, committed no depre-
dations and treated the inhabitants with great civility and
propriety. — "History of the Catholic Church in the New
England States."
According to the Magazine of American History the
army numbered 600 artillery, 600 cavalry and 3600 infantry,
4800 men in all. While they were in Newtown five men
deserted from their ranks. Their encampment was on the
plain and hillside near Mrs. Philo Clark's, southwest of our
village. Esquire Lamson Birch, who died some 50 years
ago and who lived upon that plain, remembered many inci-
dents connected with Revolutionary times and he confirmed
the statement that there was an encampment of French
soldiers near his father's house, as did also Aunt Ann Foote,
who in Revolutionary days lived in a house that stood where
Mrs. Barney Kelly now lives. There were two divisions
of the French army passed through Newtown at different
times. Aunt Mary Ann Glover, as every one called her,
born in 1776 and dying in 1878 aged 102 years, claimed to
remember distinctly an encampment of French soldiers on
this plain east of the village where we now are, and she also
remembers the celebration of the proclamation of peace
when an ox was roasted whole at the head of Newtown
street. The second passage of a French army through
the town was under Gen. LaFayette marching from the
Hudson river across to Boston, when they encamped in
Newtown over night. One needs only to bear in mind that
Newtown lies on the direct inland course from Hartford
to the Hudson river at Peekskill to see, that of necessity
the moving of troops in either direction, from the eastern
coast to the Hudson river or from the Hudson river to
—103—
the eastern coast, would take them through Newtown. The
passage of French troops that Aunt Mary Ann Glover
referred to was under Gen. LaFayette, under marching
orders from Gen. Washington to go from Peekskill to Bos-
ton. They encamped on the plain between the village and
the railroad station, and as she said, when they took up
marching orders, went eastward over the hill through
Sandy Hook on their way to Hartford, the bristling bayo-
nets as they climbed the hill left the lasting impression on
her mind that she often spoke of in her later years.
The following correspondence that passed between the
Commander-in-chief and Count de Rochambeau when the
later was en route towards the Hudson river, confirms the
statement that the French army did pass through Newtown
and encamped here, thus removing everything that might
seem but a myth in connection with such a statement. On
the army passing from Boston westward it reached Hart-
ford on the 22d of June, 1781, as the following letter and
the reply to it will show, together with other interesting
correspondence a few days later on when the army reached
Newtown.
"Hartford 23, June 1781.
*I arrived here yesterday with the first regiment which has been
followed this day by the second and will be so to-morrow by the
third and the day after by the fourth. I shall stay here this day and
to-morrow to give time for our broken artillery carriages to be
mended and our young artillery horses and oxen to refresh them-
selves. I shall set off the day after to-morrow with the first regi-
ment for Newtown, the army to march in four divisions on before
and I shall probably arrive there on the 28th and stay the 2Qth and
3Oth to assemble the brigade and march in two divisions to the
North River. The corps of Lauzun will march as far advanced as
my first division through Middletown, Wallingford, North Haven,
Ripton and North Stratford, in which last place it will be on the
28th. I have the honor, &c.,
The Count de Rochambeau.
His Excellency George Washington.
*From Magazine of American History.
8
— 104 —
Camp near Peekskill, 27 June 1781.
Sir: I have the honor of receiving your Excellency's favor of the
23d instant from Hartford. It would have given me the greatest
pleasure could I have made it convenient to meet you at Newtown,
but independently of many arrangements which are necessary at the
first taking of the field, I am detained by the hourly expectation of
the Chevalier-de-la-Lauzun. I am pleased to find that your idea of
the position which will be proper for the troops under your command
coincides with my own and I shall be happy in giving your quarter-
master general every assistance in reconnoitering and making out
your camp. Lieutenant Col Cobb, one of my aids-de-camp, will have
the honor of delivering this letter and will return to me with any
dispatch or message your Excellency may wish to communicate, or
should you rather incline to come forward from Newtown before
the army Col Cobb will be proud to attend you. I shall be much
obliged if your Excellency will present to Count de Barras by the
next occasion my sincere thanks for the readiness with which he was
pleased to accept the proposition I had the honor to make him
through your Excellency. I am, &c.,
George Washington.
The Count de Rochambeau.
(Hartford.)
Headquarters Peekskill,
June 30 1781.
Dear Sir : The enclosed letter to Count de Rochambeau is of very
great importance and requires the utmost secrecy in its communica-
tion. This idea you will convey to the Count before its delivery,
to affect which you will first converse with the chevalier Chastellux
on the mode of its communication.
Its object is to inform the Count that I have in contemplation a
very sudden surprise of some part of the army which will be of very
great importance in our operations and which we have flattering
expectations of obtaining, to cover and support which, if obtained,
we shall want the aid of the French army, in which case it will be
necessary for the Count to push on his troops with greater haste
than he at present intends, and by a different route from that now
in view. The Duke de Lauzun's legion is to advance. The
movements which I would wish to be made by the French army are
particularized in my letter to the Count which you will see. It will
be for you to impress the gentlemen with the importance of their
motions to support our operations, as it will be to little purpose
for us to obtain advantages which we may not be able to maintain.
—105—
As the Count with his troops is now in a very disaffected part
of the country and the Tories will be desirous to give any informa-
tion in their power, the most profound secrecy will be necessary.
Secrecy and dispatch must prove the soul of success to the enterprise.
This idea you must impress with energy using your best discretion
in the mode. I am, &c.,
George Washington.
Lieutenant Colonel David Cobb.
(Hartford.)
Reply :
Newtown, June 30, 1781.
Sir : I was at Count de Rochambeau's this evening when I received
your Excellency's dispatches. General Chastellux was immediately
sent for, and the heads of departments consulted on the new intended
route of the Army. The Count inquired whether your Excellency
was acquainted with the removal of the Yagers and some other troops
from Long Island to New York. I assured his Excellency was
perfectly acquainted with it and all the other movements of the
enemy at New York and that your Excellency would never under-
take a matter of this kind but upon certain intelligence and the
surest ground of success. The Count was perfectly satisfied with
the plan proposed and assured me that duty as well as inclination
prompted him to comply with your Excellency's wishes. Orders
are accordingly given for the march of the first brigade in the
morning, and the Duke's legion which is now at New Stratford will
undoubtedly march at the same time. It will be at the place of
destination at the time proposed, 12 o'clock.
The rest of the army will follow when the other division arrives
which comes up to-morrow. The Count in his letter wishes an
answer from your Excellency by to-morrow night. It would be
more agreeable if it came sooner. I am, &c., David Cobb.
His Excellency General Washington.
Peekskill.
On July i, the French army broke camp in Newtown and
proceeding westward joined Washington's army on July 6,
at Phillipsburg, Westchester County, where the American
troops were resting in two lines along the Hudson river.
From there the allied troops marched to King's Ferry, where
— 106 —
a reconnoisance of the position of the British works before
New York was made. The arrival of the French troops
was opportune in helping carry out the deep laid plans of
Gen. Washington and he commended in the highest terms
their rapid march from Providence across Connecticut, in
which Newtown had a share.
Imperfectly and incompletely we have followed along the
lines of Newtown's pioneer life until near the close of the
American revolution. Time forbids any further review
on this occasion. In October, 1911, will come the Bicen-
tennial of Newtown's incorporation, when her history can be
reviewed through the second century of her existence.
The observance of such events tends to keep alive that civic
and historic pride that every town should foster and encour-
age.
One word to the 500 children who are with us on this
historic occasion.
Dear children, we welcome you here to-day. No appro-
priation of money that has been made by the Executive
Committee to help make the events of this day a success,
has been done more willingly than the one to help make it
possible to bring the children of the town together in a way
that would be pleasant, attractive and instructive in every
particular.
May God bless you all, and when the time comes, as come
it will, when you will take up the duties that we older ones
must soon lay down, if you succeed in helping make home,
town, state and National life better than it is to-day, it will be
because you do the best you can as the days go by.
One hundred years hence will come the tricentennial of
the event we celebrate to-day. May we not hope, nay, may
we not believe, that it will be ushered in and observed in a
manner fitting such an occasion and the early days of our
town's history be again reviewed. None of us will be here,
for
—ID;—
"We all within our graves will sleep
One hundred years to come.
No living soul for us will weep
One hundred years to come.
But other men our lands will till
And others then our streets will fill,
While other birds will sing as gay
As bright the sun shine as to-day
One hundred years to come."
NOTE.
When the historical paper that was read at Newtown's Bicenten-
nial celebration August 5, 1905, was being prepared, it was with no
expectation that it would have more than a temporary place in the
thoughts or interests of the people, and one insertion in our local
paper, the Newtown Bee; and when the writer was asked by those
who had the arranging of the order of exercises for the day, how
much time must be allowed for the reading of the historical paper,
the unhesitating reply was "twenty minutes."
Study, research and compilation led the historian on and on, con-
stantly opening new fields of historic interest, until it became a
question, not so much as to the quantity that might be gathered, as
it was as to quality. The process of culling completed, the paper had
its place in the literary exercises of the day, and was printed as
read, in the Newtown Bee, on the following week. Local interest
and pride would not stop there, but strongly urged that the addresses
and historical paper should appear in book form, not only for present
reference, but for the interest of coming generations.
The paper then prepared now appears in full as it was before
being condensed in order to not take more than a proper share of
the time allotted for it in the prescribed order of the day.
With its imperfections and incompleteness it is given with the
hope that it will meet with a kindly greeting from all our towns-
people, and from those who are still of us though not with us,
wherever fate, fortune, choice or duty may have taken them.
Particular care as to accuracy has been taken in regard to all
statistical matter and copying from records and public documents.
It would show a lack of courtesy not to embrace the present
opportunity to thank those who have given kindly help, when asked
for, in the way of access to old records and manuscripts. To the
— io8—
State librarian, to the officials in the Adjutant General's office, and
in that of the State Superintendent of Schools, to those in charge of
the rooms of the Connecticut Historical Society, as well as the care
keepers of the public libraries of New Haven and Bridgeport, thanks
are due and given.
The Connecticut Colonial Records, the History of the Catholic
Church in New England, the Magazine of American History; also
Hoadly's Records of the State of Connecticut from 1776 to 1789
inclusive, have been valuable books for reference.
The custodians of the Congregational Church records have been
extremely kind in loaning them for my use.
Searching of Newtown Probate Records of date previous to 1820
necessitated going to Danbury, and there the Judge of Probate was
very courteous, kind and helpful ; and when occasion required access
to our town records, Newtown's Town Clerk has ever been ready
with pleasant greeting and kindly interest.
Surely, in Newtown we have a goodly heritage, and let us strive
by strengthening our moral, our religious, our social and our domes-
tic ties, to help uplift ourselves as a whole, to a higher plane of
sobriety, good order and general usefulness. [E. L. j.]
It was impossible for many on the outskirts of the large
audience to hear Mr. Johnson, unaccustomed as he is to
speaking in public. But the numbers who crowded close to
the platform, and stood to listen eagerly to the address to
its close, witnessed to the interest and appreciation with
which it was received. It was read by a large number when
printed in the next issue of the Newtown Bee. That it
might have a permanent record is one of the chief reasons
for the publishing of this volume.
At the close of Mr. Johnson's address "The Star Spangled
Banner" was sung by Mrs. Sherwood S. Thompson, of New
Haven, a native of Newtown and daughter of the late
Captain Julius Sanford, her sister, Mrs. C. B. Bolmer,
playing the accompaniment.
At i :3O P. M. an intermission of an hour was taken for
luncheon. The Committee on Entertainment had provided
CHARLES F. BEARDSLEY
Chairman of the Entertainment Committee.
—log—
an abundance of sandwiches and crullers in the large
Agricultural Building of the Fair Association, where
waiters served the multitude. The people entered by the
east door, near which they were provided with wooden
plates and paper napkins. After helping themselves to as
much as they chose, they passed out at the west door and
picnicked in the grand stand, in the buildings, in their
carriages, or on the grass. An abundance of hot coffee and
iced lemonade was provided at the north end of the grand
stand. So abundant was the provision that over one
thousand sandwiches and much other food had been left
after the multitude had been satisfied.
The Governor, the speakers of the day, and specially
invited guests lunched with the Executive Committee in the
room under the south end of the grand stand. Mr. Beards-
ley and his assistants had tastefully decorated the room with
bunting and spread a feast such as Newtown ladies know
how to prepare. One feature of the table was a large cake
set in front of the Governor's place representing Ronald
Castle, the gift of Mr. Peter L. Ronald, a generous con-
tributor to the expenses of the celebration.
The afternoon session was opened by a selection by the
Woodbury Brass Band, after which the President of the day
introduced the poet. He said :
"When plans were first made for this celebration and
for many weeks in which the Executive Committee were
arranging the programme, I was in constant dread lest
some one should propose that we should have a poem
upon this anniversary. I had suffered much on such
occasions from poems which told in lame and halting
verse the things which had already been said in simple
prose. The length of such poems had also prolonged
the agony. So great was my dread of the entering of a
poem to mar this happy day that I had almost decided to
provide myself with some deadly weapon with which to put
to a speedy if not painless rest the person who should first
propose it. But at last there was placed in my hands a
poem by one who was so highly esteemed a friend I could
not do him bodily harm; but to whom I did not hesitate to
tell my opinion of occasional poems. It was his wish that I
should read it, and if not approved, he promised that it
should be heard of no more. If approved, I should submit
it to the Executive Committee anonymously and let it be
accepted or rejected on its merits. It was accepted. I
think you will agree with me when you have heard it that
we found a poem. We did more, we found a poet. Our
friend had frequently lectured us in the columns of our
local paper on our morals and manners, on good roads,
libraries, the schools, and many other practical matters.
We did not dream that he could soar aloft or woo the gentle
muse. I am sure you will all gladly listen to one of our
own fellow-townsmen, who if not a Tennyson, is not a Long-
fellow ; for his poem is brief. The poet of the day is the
Rev. Otis O. Wright, Rector of St. John's Church, Sandy
Hook; his subject, "The Old Home Coming."
REV. OTIS OLNEY WRIGHT
Rector of St. John's Church, Sandy Hook,
Poet of the Day.
THE OLD HOME COMING
1705-1905
BY REV. OTIS OLXEY WRIGHT
All hail, ye sons and daughters ; welcome home !
We greet your coming with our songs of cheer !
To hill-tops welcome; and to valleys fair;
We wish you joy beneath these blissful skies.
Welcome to verdant fields, and woodlands wide,
With joyful songs of birds, and purling brooks,
The beauty, and the fragrance of the flow'rs,
And all that comes in happy summer time
To make us love the dear old country-side.
Lay down the implements of labor, now ;
Forsake the marts of trade, and common gain ;
Close up the office, and the fact'ry door;
Throw off the burden of consuming cares ;
Come back again, and breathe the Newtown air.
We gladly bid you welcome, one and all :
The native born, and children's children dear.
With all descendants of those gone before,
And you who hither come but to sojourn, —
Return, once more, to rest yourselves awhile,
And feel the home love in your hearts renewed.
Back through the records of two hundred years
We trace the presence here of those who came, —
The daring, strong, and brave, — from Stratford town,
Through winding valleys up, to Pootatuck :
Bush, Junos, Hawley, sturdy pioneers, —
True men of spirit, venture, enterprise, —
112
Who blazed the bounds of these first purchased lands
On graceful Housatonic's swirling stream, —
(July the twenty-fifth, ye olden style,
'Twas seventeen hundred five, in Queen Anne's reign,) —
The red man's birthright to the white man sold
By Mauquash, Nunnaway, and Massumpas.
In vision still, we see those stalwart sires
Who came to be the Founders of the town :
Beers, Curtis, Judson, Hawley, Nichols, Booth,
Johnson and Fairchild, — names abiding here, —
With many others who possessed the land :
Men strong to labor ; and men wise to rule, —
Such were, indeed, the builders of the State, —
Made first, the Town, — the germ of social life —
The town is always father to the State,
The state the parent of the Nation, so ;
And we are offspring of the life they gave.
IV.
And we now read the roll of honored names
In later generations known and loved : —
Our teachers, statesmen, judges, governors;
Our preachers, advocates, masters of crafts,
And leaders true and great in all good works ; —
Men born and nurtured here, in humble life,
With those adopted sons who came to bide, —
Who struggled on, and climbed the rugged way
That leads to usefulness, and wealth, and fame : —
Those who have served to make our nation great : —
Like Edmond,* patriot, and soldier brave,
* William Edmond, soldier of the Revolution, M.C., and Judge
of the Supreme Court of Connecticut; the Rev. John Beach, M.A.,
founder of Trinity Church, Newtown, Conn. ; the Rev. David Jud-
son, pastor of the Congregational Church ; Asa Chapman, Head of
the Chapman Law School ; Isaac Toucey, M.C., Governor of Con-
necticut, United States Attorney General, United States Senator, and
Secretary of Navy; Henry Dutton; Luzon B. Morris, and William
Hamilton Gibson.
A statesman worthy of his stirring times,
Who graced the highest ermine of the State; —
The parson Beach, and all his honored line ;
The Rev'rend Judson, loved and long revered;
With Chapman, also Judge of Court Supreme,
And famous for his law-lore, widely sought; —
Then, in the highest councils of the land,
Was Toucey, Chief of State, and Senator;—
Like Button, true adopted son, esteemed,
Exalted to supreme Judicial bench,
And likewise Chief Executive of State; —
So, Morris, known and loved in our own day,
Was dignified as Judge, and Governor; —
And one we claim by birth and heritage,
Gibson, the seer of Nature, workman rare, —
The poet-artist of the fields and woods.
These we revere and honor, here to-day,
With others also worthy to be praised,
And laud them for their faith and large success,
As for thefr thrift, and homely virtues pure, —
The richest fruitage gleaned from age to age, —
The truest glory of the Nation's fame.
This is the land of light, and hope, and peace,
The goal of the oppressed, the poor, and lost ;
And hither come the Celt and Teuton bold,
With Swede, and Dane, and Slav, from out the North ;
And from the South the Latin races come,
While of the ancient, Oriental world
Are dusky faces, eager for new life;
That swarm like bees, and seek the richer fields;
And all are welcome, so they worthy come,
And men of ev'ry clime find here a home,
For this is God's own land and kingdom true,
And we are stewards of His gracious love.
—114—
We live for others, — others lived for us, —
For on the stream of time men come and go, —
And life is one, past, present and to come ;
And all is ours if we but claim our right,
The true, the beautiful, the good, and great.
Shall we not heed the lessons of the past !
To guard the treasures which our fathers won !
And cherish well the wisdom of their thoughts !
And emulate the virtues of their lives ! —
Most precious lessons in the schools of earth !
Let us be true and faithful to their trust;
And venerate the freedom of their souls :
And keep the law of liberty secure
For all who come to share these blessed gifts !
Not in ourselves alone we live and thrive,
Nor for our own we strive to win, alone ;
For we are links in moving endless chains
Of passing generations "quick and dead."
Not what we have, but what we are, is ours ;
Not what we gain, but what we give, abides ;
And so we build the palace of the soul,
By common, daily duties nobly done; —
In thought, and word, and humble loving deeds
The light eternal shines in mortal lives.
The treasure-houses of the world we own,
If in our hearts and minds we find the keys;
And in our good desires, and hopes, and dreams,
The firstfruits of the holy life Divine, —
We have a foretaste of the world unseen;
And as we celebrate the times long past,
And venerate the noble dead we sing,
We feast our souls on sacred memories,
And thus renew the joyful days of youth,
'Mid scenes immortal, in the old, old home.
After the Chorus had sung "Let the hills and vales rejoice"
the President of the day introduced the Governor :
"The New England town is a little republic in itself,
but it is part of a greater civic body, the State. It is
therefore with great pleasure that we greet the chief
magistrate of our Commonwealth, who has accepted an
invitation to attend our town celebration. We esteem it
a great honor that, in spite of his many cares and calls to
duty elsewhere, he should not only grace this anniversary
with his presence, but should also consent to make an
address. We have sent forth some governors from our
town, and feel able to judge of the men who have filled
so honorable a place in the history of our State. Among
that line of distinguished men and a worthy successor to
Winthrop and Button and Toucey and Morris is that
perfect gentleman who now holds that office. I have
the honor to introduce His Excellency, Henry Roberts,
Governor of Connecticut."
The Governor received an ovation as he rose to speak,
and after gracefully acknowledging his introduction made
an address which was received with great favor.
ADDRESS
His EXCELLENCY, GOVERNOR HENRY ROBERTS
In celebrating the two hundredth anniversary of the
purchase from the Indians of land which now consti-
tutes the township of Newtown you are accomplishing a
purpose which must carry with it much that is interesting
and instructive. The older Connecticut towns furnish a
record that is attractive and inspiring in the lives of
former inhabitants and in the events that have taken place
in them. Newtown is among this number and its present
residents may look back and refer to much that is laudable
and instructive in deeds and events, — for it is in these rural
communities that we find that some of our most distin-
guished and able men and women have been born, bred and
passed part of their lives. And it has been a prevailing and
worthy custom to take note of these special periods in a
town's history, such as the one you now celebrate, to go into
retrospect and to draw therefrom lessons of value to present
and coming generations, and there can be few exercises of
more worth to the youth of these towns than such celebra-
tions ; for not only are the examples of worthy lives held up
to them to emulate, but generous and praiseworthy deeds
and accomplishments are again rehearsed and an incentive is
afforded to follow in the footsteps of those who have
performed valuable service in their day for the good of the
community in which they lived, or for the state or nation.
HON. HENRY ROBERTS
Governor of Connecticut.
Should I recall the names of persons who inhabit or have
inhabited this village, the list would be found to include
those to whom I have referred.
And it is the celebration of these anniversaries that is
helpful to the town's interest and betterment, for it is a
means of not only increasing and stimulating the activity
of those resident in the town, but it recalls the associations
of former residents and mutually they tend to the accom-
plishment of something that is of credit to the community.
The Old Home Week movement ought to be more and
more fostered as leading to the result which I have just
mentioned, and in other states where it has taken a
stronger hold than it has in Connecticut it has been fraught
with great good — by uniting the interests of those who have
been former inhabitants of the town with those residents
who are now interested and active in its concerns ; churches
have been aided ; waste places reclaimed, libraries built ;
schools assisted and monuments and memorials commem-
orating noted events or distinguished personages have been
erected, — and so by these benefits and object lessons there
is handed down to coming generations not only a knowledge
of what has worthily transpired before within the bounds
in which they dwell, but also which will incite them to make
their lives equally worthy and their community more
attractive. We have few towns in our Commonwealth
more attractive than this one, with its broad street, its fine
shade trees, its healthful location, its beautiful landscape,
its inviting dwellings — so that it has been for years the
delight of the visitor and the rendezvous for those who
enjoy spending their summers in its environs, breathing the
pure air and delighting the eye in the fair scene which it
beholds. So, my fellow citizens of Newtown, you should
esteem yourselves most fortunate, for you have a goodly
heritage and you dwell in a pleasant and delectable abiding
place.
— nS—
And how many of these delightful spots we have in
Connecticut! I have especially noted this since my induc-
tion into office as your public servant. Who can ride
through the broad Main street of Brooklyn in our state,
with its fine equestrian statue of Putnam in its central
square, its lofty overshadowing elms and the charming
landscape in view, without rejoicing that God has made
these goodly scenes for one to enjoy ; and who can look upon
the Putnam monument without his soul being stirred to
greater patriotism and higher resolve. This Brooklyn
street, with your own, are fair examples of the many to
which I might refer for their attractiveness and beauty.
It may not be out of place at this time to note the
progress made in the past two hundred years in civili-
zation, both by our state and nation, and the qualities
and characteristics which have made our nation great
and our State holding the position of high respect which
she does among our sister states.
Two hundred years ago our state was sparsely settled
and the inhabitants of our Union of States occupied only a
small portion of its present area. There was early
developed that love of freedom and justice among the
inhabitants of the Connecticut Colony which afterward
showed itself in such strong and vigorous force. For in the
Colonial and Revolutionary wars Connecticut displayed her
patriotic spirit, and at all times of crisis in our country's
history has furnished distinguished examples of loyalty and
devotion to every cause of righteousness and j ustice. Her
love for education of her sons and daughters was a spirit
quickly displayed and the church and school house were
companion structures — a desire for learning which has been
fostered in every hamlet within the bounds of the state and
which has been the means of establishing a leading univer-
sity and schools and colleges of wider than state fame, within
whose walls are gathered students from every realm of the
civilized world and from which are graduated men and
women who have played large and distinguished parts in
life's role and have, in the two centuries past, been distinctly
advancing civilization and helpful to humanity. We are all
justly proud of Connecticut in this respect and of the
honored place she holds in matters of advanced and advanc-
ing education, in all its branches.
Industrially and materially her progress has been even
greater. From the time the first steamboat was built and
launched (the invention of a Connecticut man), when a new
era in the use of steam was noted, till to-day, the men of
Connecticut have been signally noted for that fertility of
brain and ingenuity which have made her name known far
and wide for the invention and manufacture of those articles
of utility and service which have eased the burden of labor
and brought added comforts to thousands ; and our thriving
towns, developed in those centuries, with their busy mills,
fostered by this same ingenuity and genius, have given
employment to thousands of respected and self-respecting
men and women, than whom no state has better, and who
have their proper place and share in the glory of the
commonwealth. Our state during the time of which we
speak has grown into a veritable hive of industry, from
which have emanated many of the valuable products of
the age.
No less has been the development in humanitarian and
charitable helps for which our state is so justly noted, — a
kindly and generous spirit for the unfortunate, feeble and
the worthy poor is a growing characteristic and aim of our
people — a broad, brotherly and catholic purpose which
augurs much for good feeling, good order and good morals.
In the foregoing and many other ways we may rejoice in
this era of higher impulse, better equipment for nobler and
more valuable service and help for mankind, as well in our
great material prosperity and higher intellectuality.
9
— 120 —
But what of our Nation's growth and progress? This
has been simply stupendous and marvellous. It has out-
stripped all other peoples in all that which pertains to the
uplifting and civilizing of mankind. From an inferior
power, but whose people have been controlled by noble
motives and lofty ambitions, lovers of liberty and justice,
with far-sighted and able leaders, it now ranks as the
leading nation of the world, a power to be respected and a
force to be reckoned with in the settlement of international
affairs; a referee and a judge, to whom the disputes of
other powers are brought for adjustment; a provider for
the world's subsistence and comfort from its fertile-bearing
fields and the products of its skilled industries ; wonderful
and startling the inventions of its artisans, and giving to
the world in various other ways results of genius and
professional ability which has made the world recognize in
our people the leaders in thought and action and by which
you and I, as individuals, have been so signally blessed and
helped.
Truly these centuries have been those of astounding
uplift and progress and periods during which so much has
been accomplished that we wonder at it, and our forefathers
could have no conception of the Republic they were found-
ing and much less what it was destined to be in so compara-
tively short a period as we view time in the lapse of the ages.
For all this, we may thank a kind and overruling Provi-
dence, who guided our forefathers to this rich heritage and
who has verified to us as citizens of this commonwealth
the motto of our beloved state, that "He who has brought
over will sustain."
In view of these advantages that have accrued to us and
this rich heritage that has been bequeathed to us from
achievements of the past two centuries, a great obligation
rests upon us to maintain, foster and strengthen the privi-
leges and blessings that are ours ; and this can best be
accomplished, I am sure you will agree with me, by pursu-
ing the same course and living up to the same high stand-
ards which have been characteristic of our forerunners —
stimulating patriotism and devotion to all worthy and
national and state purposes and causes, being lovers of good
order and good morals — always assisting the weak to a
higher and better manhood and womanhood ; — and in this
respect we should not forget that there are coming to our
shores thousands yearly who, attracted by the benefits and
privileges this country affords and often landing at our
ports with an exaggerated and false idea of what our word
liberty means, too often confounding its meaning with that
of license, would tend to disturbance and lawlessness — let
us by contact with them, by forbearance, patience and help-
ful instruction teach what our liberties really mean, as
viewed in the light of the rights of the individual and of
property, so that they shall never be a menace to our free
institutions, but shall rather be harmonized to our ways and
become a part of our liberty-loving, loyal people ; and who
will be taught with us to hold our privileges sacredly and
enjoy them with due respect to the rights of others as law-
abiding, law-respecting citizens.
I conceive it to be the duty of every loyal citizen of the
community and state to be helpful to his state, country and
community, to have a loyal and devoted zeal in their best
interests, that is to have a community and state spirit and
pride which shall desire ever and always that they shall
advance along the best lines, and to put forth earnest
endeavor persistently to this end and not spasmodically when
evil threatens. May we all so live and so strive and so attain
that our day and generation shall leave to the future genera-
tions equally valuable results as have been received by us
from the past, and manifold more in proportion as our
advanced and bettered condition enables us to give.
Permit me in closing these cursory remarks to thank my
fellow citizens of Newtown for their cordial invitation to
attend this very interesting anniversary, and to say to you
how heartily I have enjoyed it, and to wish you every
blessing and all prosperity for the future.
At the close of the Governor's address the Chorus sang
"March of the Men of Columbia."
In introducing the next speaker the President of the day
said:
"We have in the past sent forth men of intellectual
ability who have been lights in the professional world.
No less has this country town produced men of business
capacity and integrity. When we can trust a man with our
pocket books we must have a high sense of his financial
ability and that rarer character, genuine honesty. To
a former fellow-townsman did Uncle Sam at one time
commit his purse. I have the pleasure of introducing the
Honorable Daniel N. Morgan, former Treasurer of the
United States."
Prefacing his address with some personal reminiscences
of special interest to the older persons in the audience, Mr.
Morgan spoke as follows :
HOX. DANIEL N. MORGAN
Treasurer of the United States under President Cleveland.
ADDRESS
HON. DANIEL N. MORGAN, BRIDGEPORT, CONN.
Mr. President, Friends of my native town and your
Guests: — When one has seen two generations of the pano-
rama of life move rapidly by, that "our days are swifter than
a weaver's shuttle" can be fully realized. Although two
centuries have elapsed since Newtown began its existence
with forty-eight square miles of territory, during that
period its history entitles it, from what has been accom-
plished by its God-fearing, sturdy inhabitants, to a full rec-
ognition from the sister towns of the state. It has been
regarded a farming town that would well repay the
husbandmen for their efforts, and there does not exist in
this country a more independent class of citizens than the
prosperous and contented farmers. Some manufacturing
has been carried on much of the time at different points.
The town has an enviable name as a health resort, and in
the years gone by students came here from different places
of the Union to avail themselves of the school privilege.
In its earlier history, as later, it had its men of note, who
were reared, educated and have located here for a time,
among them the Rev. Thomas Toucey, who lived in 1714,
near the present residence of Mrs. Charles H. Peck.
Oliver Toucey, Jr.'s, home was at the homestead of the late
Charles Morehouse. Isaac Toucey, his son, was Governor
of Connecticut in 1846, and later Attorney General and
Secretary of the United States navy. Henry Button was
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Governor of Connecticut in 1854. He began housekeeping
in the house located on what is now known as the Morgan
homestead. Rev. John Beach, who was rector of Trinity
parish from 1732 to 1782, lived at the Harris place at the
foot of the street. The donor of your fine library building,
Miss Rebecca D. Beach, is a descendant of that noted man.
History informs us that Charles R. Sherman, the father of
Gen. William T. and John Sherman, and Governor Clark
Bissell, among others, pursued their study of law here.
The late Governor of Connecticut, Luzon B. Morris, was a
native of the town, and you must all regard with pride that
your former townsman, Rev. Frederick F. Johnson, has
recently been elected a Bishop. Leaving this interesting
train of thought, for your historians have presented to you
many valuable facts of the past years, allow me to mention
some of the conditions existing in my own day and genera-
tion, noting some of the marked changes. If Newtown
could proclaim to the world its past, what has transpired
during the last sixty years, worthy of mention, and in the
country at large, which has in a measure revolutionized the
living in this agricultural town, what a wonderful story it
would unfold. Permit me to digress a moment, as it is
most interesting to me to state that the lady who was my
first school teacher in the Flat Swamp district when I was
three years old fifty-seven years ago, is now living in
Bridgeport, and two more of my lady teachers before I was
ten years of age are now living in Newtown, one of them
of a family of five sisters and brothers, relatives of the
late Gov. Isaac Toucey, now living together at the old
home, who were the long ago neighbors of my father's
family.
Having learned all the mysteries of farming and mer-
chandising as then conducted, it was evident in those days
what it meant to exchange all that could be spared from the
farms for the articles needed from the stores.
Barter was the principal basis of trade for the merchants,
and they in turn must send it to the cities and with the pro-
ceeds purchase supplies for replenishing their stock. I
recall that one year 175 bushels of chestnuts were sent
from the store at Morgan's Four Corners to Bridgeport, 16
miles distant, to be sold in New York at one dollar a bushel,
and the clerks who had to keep shoveling them over and
over to prevent their spoiling, never forgot their experience.
All goods bought out of town prior to any, or limited rail-
road facilities, necessitated long hauls. There is no ques-
tion that there were one hundred cents in every dollar made.
Hats, combs and buttons were among the articles manufac-
tured hereabouts, and those industries brought some cash
into circulation in shillings and sixpences, besides the
United States coins and the bills of the state banks. Busi-
ness methods have changed since my long past experience
in clerking, so that clerks now in the stores in town cannot
enjoy such pastimes as weighing many things with the old
time steelyards, or digging out the dark yellow sugar from
a great hogshead and then grinding it in a mill. Neither
can they get up long before day of a winter's morning to
see a drove of fat cattle being driven to the New York
market by the then well known drovers, Lemuel and Her-
mon Beers. We recall that the late Henry Beers in the
war days sold $10,000 worth yearly of beef cattle. They
will not see the droves of cattle in great numbers as were
then brought to the town to be fattened in the fertile fields
where one steer could thrive on one acre of grass. The
buying of poultry was done on a large scale by well known
dealers, and the trading in horses had no limit. The mer-
chant of to-day does not watch for the delivery of the
Bridgeport Weekly Farmer and Standard to be brought to
the store for a few subscribers, when the limited amount of
news then procurable was awaited for and read with avid-
ity. If you wished the correct time from the watchmaker,
—126—
set by the sun dial, you went to Uncle Ziba Blakeslee's, at
the head of the street, for it. He advertised his business in
the Farmer's Journal, then at Danbury, in December, 1792.
The Bridgeport papers informed us that P. T. Barnum
took Tom Thumb to Europe in 1844, also that the first
telegraphic dispatch was sent, May 24, 1844, from Wash-
ington to Baltimore, Maryland, by Prof. Daniel F. B.
Morse, the inventor, in these words, "What hath God
wrought." Always regarded as a wonderful invention,
Newtown has enjoyed the great conveniences pertainirg to
telegraphy and the more recent achievements now in vogue
of telephones, wireless telegraphy and electricity in its
manifold workings, with its indefinable, immeasurable
power and scope, which places you in touch with the whole
civilized world. With access to all the dailv papers far and
near, you value your industrious, news-gathering, wide-
awake Newtown Bee, edited and issued since June 27,1877,
right at home, which is certainly a credit and benefit to the
town. With the railroad facilities so fully developed, since
the Housatonic railroad traversed through the town in 1840,
and was followed by the New York, New Haven & Hart-
ford in 1848, you are given extended transportation through
and beyond the state. The latter corporation has now
absorbed all the railroads in the state and might properly
be called the New York and New England. What changes
it has wrought for a town like this as an outlet to the
whole world!
The lines of life have had a marked transition from
those existing two generations ago. The goods manufac-
tured here have the whole country for a market. The sur-
plus of crops and stock derived from your farms is readily
disposed of near by, and doubtless at satisfactory prices
You depend on the railroads to bring to your doors your
coal as needed, the kerosene oil instead of whale oil or
candle as of yore, the flour, the grain, and much of the
—127—
beef and other meats used, without enumerating other pro-
visions and many other articles from the long list of the
necessities of life as they are generally regarded to-day,
which were deemed luxuries within the time just mentioned.
I believe fully the statement that it requires about four
times the amount called for a half century ago for the
multitude of the fairly well-to-do people to live on in these
days. That is, what were deemed luxuries then we all
consider necessities now. Money at interest does not
return more than half the interest it did then.
With the changes and vicissitudes to which the town has
been subjected it has stood the test well, and without ques-
tion this home gathering, most hospitable occasion, will
arouse new interest and ambition for a continuing pros-
perous future, so that the patriotic spirit for your native
or adopted town will thoroughly pervade your minds and
feelings. I trust that all who can claim Newtown as their
birthplace will do so with pride and pleasure, as it is my
privilege to do. I realize that after an absence from among
you, as a resident, for thirty-six years I come as a stranger
to most of you. Still I ask you to remember that I am
always interested in Newtown and its residents, and wish
for you each and all a full measure of success and happiness
in the coming years.
At the conclusion of Mr. Morgan's address the President
of the day said:
"During the intermission, as we were walking about
the grounds, I overheard one of our ladies belonging
to one of the old Newtown families enquire of a fashion-
ably dressed young lady whom she had just met, "Are
your family early settlers?" "O yes," was the prompt
reply, "Pa always pays every bill on the first of the month."
—128—
There are some who, though not Newtown born, have
generously helped this celebration in advance, — which is
even better. It gives me great pleasure to introduce one
who is not only a generous public-spirited gentleman, but
well remembered here as a successful medical practitioner,
Dr. W. C. Wile, of Danbury."
After telling some apt and taking stories, the Doctor
delivered the following address :
DR. WILLIAM C. WILE
Editor of the New England Medical Monthly.
ADDRESS
DR. W. C. WILE, DANBURY.
Had I the gift of choosing words, and the power of
knitting those words into such pregnant and polished
phrases as my distinguished and good friend, Governor
Roberts, has, I might be able to properly present to you the
thoughts that lie deep down in my heart on this memorable
occasion. That I am glad to be here is evidenced by my
presence. I am delighted to be home again and mingle with
those of you who still live in dear old Newtown and to
assist those who, like myself, have returned to help you
to fittingly celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the
purchase of these grand hills and beautiful valleys from the
Indians. That we are having the time of our lives goes
without saying, for the hospitality of your citizens is pro-
verbial, and is of the most open-handed kind.
We come back to you, older and, we hope, better men.
Some of us have been shorn of our fleecy locks so closely
that an Indian of 1705 might think that we had met some
hostile tribe and that our scalps were hanging from the
belt of some friendly Indian ; while we all have grown
grey — and, barring the ladies, grown older.
For sixteen years I resided in your midst ministering to
your physical wants, while the clergy were looking after
your spiritual ones. Which was the most successful I am
afraid we shall have to leave to the decision of St. Peter at
a later date. That we all tried to do our duty to you, I am
quite sure you will all admit.
—130—
In going through the town, almost every house I passed
recalled some detail of my experience, for the doctor stands
high in the estimation of your people ; and it was always a
pleasure as well as a duty to serve you. That I often failed,
the well-filled cemeteries show, alas, too well. In looking
over this vast sea of faces before me to-day, my heart comes
quickly to my throat when I think of those who have gone
from us — the genial Aaron Sanford, Dr. Judson, Dr.
Bennett, Dr. Graves, William Sanford, and a host of others
who have been gathered to their fathers. I hope that those
of us who went away and have come back to Newtown
again, have come back better men, stronger and truer citi-
zens. Of one thing rest assured, we come with our hearts
filled to overflowing for home, the dear old home.
God bless you all ! May your health and prosperity keep
pace only with your wishes, and the end, when it does come,
as it must to us all, may it find us all prepared, and may it
come peacefully and painlessly.
Standing here, on this great anniversary at the very
beginning of the century, it is impossible that one shall not
look back, and equally impossible that one shall not look for-
ward. We are just at the close of what we call, and call
rightly, a century of great achievements. We pride our-
selves upon the work this country has accomplished. We
point to a government based upon the consent of the gov-
erned, such as the world has never seen ; wealth which has
been piled up such as no country has ever attained within
that time, or double or quadruple that time. It is such a
condition of life as never existed in any other country.
From Mount Desert to the Golden Gate, yes, from the
islands which Columbus saw, thinking he had found the
East Indies themselves, where even as I speak the flag is
planted, our possessions and our wealth extend.
We have, though following the arts of peace, an army
ready to rise to the sound of the bugle greater than Rome
was able to summon behind her golden eagles.
We are right to call it a century of achievement. We
pride ourselves upon it. Now, who achieved that? Not
we, personally; our fathers achieved it; your father and
my father; your fathers, when they left England and set
their prows westward and landed upon the rock-bound
coast ; when they drew up the compact of civil government,
which was a new thing in the history of the world, and when
the time came they staked all they had upon the principle of
a government based only upon the consent of the governed.
We pride ourselves upon the fact that we can worship
God according to the dictates of our own conscience. And
they left us an heritage, and it has brought forth abun-
dantly.
I say this to draw clearly the line between mere material
wealth and that which is the real wealth and welfare of a
people. We are rich, but our fathers were poor. How
did they achieve it? Not by their wealth, but by their
character — by their devotion to principle. The best thing,
I think, that the fathers left the country was character.
That is indeed the heritage they left us. Wealth will not
preserve that which they left us ; not power, not "dalliance
nor wit" will preserve it; nothing but that which is the
spirit will preserve it ; nothing but character.
The whole story of civilization speaks this truth with
trumpet voice. One nation rises upon the ruins of another
nation. It is when Sampson lies in the lap of Delilah that
the evening steals upon him and ensnares him; binds him.
I have no fear of the future. I think, looking around
the country at present, that even if it would seem to us at
times that there are gravest perils which confront us, that
even though there may be evidence of weakening in our
Christianity, notwithstanding this, I say, I believe that the
great Anglo-Saxon race, not only on this side of the water,
—132—
but on the other side also, contains elements which alone
can continue to be the leader of civilization, the elements
of fundamental power, abiding virtue, public and private.
Wealth will not preserve a state ; it must be the aggrega-
tion of individual integrity of its members that shall pre-
serve it. That integrity I believe exists, deep-rooted among
our people.
I am glad to be here where you have the greatest Ameri-
can achievements, this American home and this American
spirit.
May it always be kept pure, and always only at the right
fountains have its strength renewed.
After Dr. Wile's address the President of the day said:
"Newtown has sent out a number of men distinguished in
the legal professions and in public life. We have one such
with us to-day, who sometimes returns to breathe the New-
town air. We are glad that he and his gracious lady,
herself a native of Newtown and distinguished among the
women of the State, still retain a home among us, though
their life is mostly spent elsewhere. I knew the Judge
long before I knew Newtown. In his own town I knew him
as the leading and most public-spirited citizen, a lawyer of
wide reputation, and a just and fearless judge. He is
full of the memories of the old town and its men who have
made their mark in the world. I am sure we shall hear
from him much that is of interest on this historic occasion.
The Honorable Charles H. Briscoe, formerly Speaker of
the Connecticut House of Representatives."
HON. CHARLES H. BRISCOE
ix-Speaker of Connecticut House of Representatives.
ADDRESS
THE HON. CHARLES H. BRISCOE
Judge Briscoe, in expressing his interest in the town and
its celebration, was struck by the passing away of many of
his contemporaries, some by removal and some by death.
Newtown was his native place and the home of his ancestors,
being descended from Nathaniel Briscoe, one of the early
settlers. The old homestead stood near the village cemetery
and a part of the cellar wall can still be seen near the
highway.
In regard to this old Indian deed, he said he was glad
that his ancestors did not participate in that original bargain.
It was a shame how much the white men got for so little.
Referring to the great men the town had produced, he
mentioned Isaac Toucey, Governor, Secretary of the United
States Navy, and Attorney General of the United States.
Of Charles Chapman, who was born on the ground
where the Episcopal rectory now stands and who died in
1869, he said, he was a great lawyer, a man who could sway
audiences, juries and legislatures. Asa Chapman, Judge
of the Supreme Court, had a law school here, where many
had a preparation for a successful career at the bar.
In regard to the changes of population, he said, when he
was a boy there was but one Irishman in town, Daniel
Quinlivan, the first of that large migration which to many
at the time seemed undesirable. But the Irish race had done
a large and useful work for the community, and were
among our best citizens. This was a lesson to us in regard
to the way in which we should look at the element which
—134—
was now coming into the country, the Hungarian and the
Slav. We should have faith in our country as a refuge
for the oppressed of other lands and believe that they would,
under our free institutions, be assimilated to become useful
and patriotic citizens.
The Chorus here sang "Home, Sweet Home," and the
President of the day said :
"Of the younger men who have gone from Newtown
and are doing good work elsewhere there is one who
will be well received, not less because as a successful
lawyer he is carrying out the good principles learned here
as a boy than because he is a son of one who for near a
quarter of a century was rector of Trinity church. That
beautiful structure, the pride of the whole town, erected
during his rectorship, is his material monument. His more
enduring monument is in the lives and hearts and memories
of his people. Mr. Frederick P. Marble, of Lowell, Mass."
FREDERICK P. MARBLE
Attorney at Law, Lowell, Mass.
Son of Rev. Newton E. Marble, D.D., Rector of Trinity Church, Newtown,
from April, 1857, to September, 1878.
ADDRESS
FREDERICK P. MARBLE, LOWELL, MASS.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, and, I trust I may
be permitted to add, in addressing a great many of you,
Old Friends and Neighbors: — I do not know that I ever
felt more embarrassment in speaking on a public occasion
than to-day, excepting perhaps some twenty-five or thirty
years ago, when on Friday afternoons in the old Academy
building which stood then on the Street, I used to rise from
my seat and with faltering steps ascend the platform, and
in a somewhat weak and piping voice exhort my fellow
students to "strike until the last armed foe expires," or
declaim some equally stirring phillipic. But, however diffi-
dent I may feel as a "prophet in my own country," I shall
not let it prevent my expressing in a few words the very
great gratification it affords me to be here to-day to join
with you in commemorating a very important and interest-
ing occurrence in the history of our good old town. The
value of such celebrations is not measured alone by their
historical interest, though that indeed is great, and I am
sure that we who have listened to the scholarly and thought-
ful addresses just delivered have learned much before
unknown of the history and growth of our town, and that
much of value will consequently be perpetuated and pre-
served which might otherwise be lost in the lapse of time.
Useful as these occasions are in awakening and reviving
an interest in the things of the past, I believe they have still
10
-136-
greater importance in that they stir up and promote public
spirit, or civic pride, as it is sometimes called, and stimulate
movements in the line of material progress and improve-
ment.
One of the previous speakers has alluded in a rather
quizzical way to some of the things which Newtown lacks.
It is nearly twenty-five years since I have been able to spend
much time here, and, perhaps for the very reason of my
long absence, changes strike me more sharply than those
who have been here during their progress; certainly I see
many changes that add much to the natural beauty and
attractiveness of the town. Let me mention a few things
that Newtown has and may have a just pride in having.
As I remember our library, it consisted of a few volumes
which were kept at the house of its faithful custodian, Miss
Charlotte Nichols. Now by the generous gift of a bene-
factor of the town a beautiful and artistic Memorial Library
contains a choice collection of books, which grows con-
stantly in size and value. In the old days the Newtown
Academy dragged along a rather lingering existence — I do
not wish to disparage what it did, for it accomplished much
good, though oftentimes receiving but scant support — now
you have what all towns ought to have, a High School sup-
ported by the town itself and open without charge to the
children of every citizen, and doing, as I am told, most
efficient work under its able principal and earnest teachers.
The public press is represented among you by a paper,
the Bee, which in the field it covers is indeed unique in
journalism. A power for good, its influence is felt, not
alone in this immediate community, but throughout the
entire State, and its success is a monument to what tireless
industry will accomplish. This park or public ground,
which affords a meeting place to-day ; your streets once
bordered by unsightly weeds, to which green lawns now
slope down; rough and treacherous foot-paths, now
—137—
replaced, at least in the main, by firm and even walks ; these
and many other changes in the last few years show progress
and that spirit of interest in public affairs which argues well
for the future of the town.
I want to congratulate your Committee and those who
have had a part in preparing this really magnificent celebra-
tion. It has been my good fortune to attend a number of
such occasions and I never have seen one which showed
a more careful and painstaking working out of all its
details, and the clockwork precision with which it has been
carried out shows an amount of hard work and interest and
enthusiasm which is really fine. The beautiful decorations
throughout the town, the procession with its gay colors,
music, and, most attractive of all, the bright faces of the
children, and the presence of the Chief Magistrate of the
State and many distinguished visitors, make this a most
memorable occasion. Newtown's doors stand wide open to
her returning children and all are welcomed with a cordial
and gracious hospitality.
As I stand here to-day I cannot but have very much in
mind my father, who came among you as a stranger many
years ago, but in making this his home learned to love these
green hills and quiet valleys better than any other spot on
earth, and whose declining years, when the infirmities of
age came on, were cheered and brightened by much of true
friendship and neighborly kindness. Newtown is still the
home of my revered mother, and to me full of memories
of a happy boyhood. You will not wonder that it has a
place very near to my heart, that all that concerns its
advancement and improvement is of interest to me, and
that it gives me the greatest pleasure to be here to-day and
have this opportunity of expressing my loyalty to my native
place and my interest in its progress and prosperity.
-138-
The President of the day:
"At the recent commencement of Trinity College I met
a gentlemen who bears a name so familiar in this town
that I was led to enquire whether he had relatives living
here. I found that he was of Newtown stock, and his
grandfather was next neighbor to the rectory, in which
I live. From his modest demeanor I did not suspect him
of greatness, but invited him to come to our celebration
as a descendant of Newtown. Later in the day I heard
his name mentioned among those of whom the College is
proud as a Professor of Law in Yale University. I have
the pleasure of introducing Professor George E. Beers, of
New Haven."
GEORGE E. BEERS
Professor in the Law School of Vale University.
ADDRESS
GEORGE E. BEERS, NEW HAVEN.
A previous speaker has referred in touching language
to the feast to celebrate the Prodigal's return and has
spoken of the fatted calf, as the only being present not in
full sympathy with the occasion and not in a frame of mind
thoroughly to enjoy it. One whose invitation to say a
word has reached him, owing to a vacation absence, towards
the close of the eleventh hour, is perhaps as well fitted as
any one else to appreciate the feelings of that involuntary
guest and sympathize with him. In spite of this, however,
I cannot utterly refuse your kind although somewhat dis-
quieting invitation, even though I must confine myself to
the thought or two lying uppermost in my mind.
I am at some loss as to how to identify myself with this
occasion. Your programme announces short addresses by
guests and former residents, and I am neither. I was never
technically a resident of Newtown and yet I have spent
too many weeks and months here during a considerable
term of years, too many of my boyhood memories are
identified with my father's home, it is too full of family
associations for me to be content to respond to the kind but
formal call for guests. I enter your hospitable borders
with none of the feelings of a stranger or a stepson and
none of the sensations of one on a visit to his mother-in-law.
I do not presume to claim a son's rights and yet as my
grandfather and great-grandfather and many of my earlier
— 140 —
ancestors were among your citizens, I can but look upon
your kind greeting as a sort of welcome to a grandson.
Your chairman in calling upon me has referred to my
residence in New Haven and to the fact that a part of my
professional work is in connection with the law department
of Yale University. I am, of course, only one of a multi-
tude of men of Newtown extraction who have become resi-
dents of New Haven, — I am only one of a considerable
number of New Haven lawyers with Newtown antece-
dents; I am not even the first practitioner at her bar to
serve upon the faculty of the Law Department of that
ancient university.
I believe it was in 1837 that Governor Dutton, the grand-
father of one of my brethren at the New Haven bar and a
colleague upon the faculty, Mr. George D. Watrous, left
Newtown and the office where my grandfather afterwards
practised for so many years, and after a most active and
distinguished career at the bar in Bridgeport and New
Haven became professor of law in Yale University. The
earlier professional years of Judge Dutton were passed in
this community, where there are even now many among you
who were his personal friends. His later reputation as a
leader of the bar of two counties, the editor of Connec-
ticut's legal classic — Swift's Digest, — a Judge of the
Supreme Court of Errors, and Governor of the State, is a
matter of Connecticut history.
And then much later Johnson T. Platt, who unlike Gov-
ernor Dutton was Newtown-born, went to New Haven,
engaged in practice and became a member of the faculty of
the Yale Law School. Mr. Platt was a schoolmate and
early companion of many of you. While a boy he was of
delicate constitution, and when he died suddenly in 1890,
he was still in early middle life. His attainments, however,
were of a high order, and his career as a lawyer an unusu-
ally active and successful one. Among his various activi-
—141—
ties, he was one of the most energetic and prominent
members of the American Bar Association, Registrar in
Bankruptcy and Corporation Counsel of New Haven. As
Judge Loomis says of him in his Judicial History of the
State: "He was above all things a lawyer and was proud
and fond of his profession, his culture and reading were
exceptionally broad and general, his interest in active affairs
was most practical." To one who was his pupil and who at
the beginning of his professional life cherished his friend-
ship and kindly interest — all the more valued because
shown by one high in his profession to a beginner who had
nothing to offer in return — I seize this opportunity to pay
a tribute to his memory. Mr. Platt loved Newtown. He
never wearied of hearing of it or talking of it. It was his
ardent wish to sometime make his home at the place of
his birth, but it was not to be.
So that I am the third in the line, and no matter how
haltingly or at how great distance I may follow in the foot-
steps of those strong men of Newtown, I am sure you will
not blame me for a certain pride of Newtown ancestry, of
Newtown descent, as I think of myself as one of a line of
Newtown men who have held the same place and each
according to his talents, whether few or many, done the
same work.
Others have spoken of Newtown's contribution to the
public life of the state and nation; of Isaac Toucey, per-
haps her most eminent citizen, member of Congress, gov-
ernor, senator of the United States, member of the cabinet
of two presidents, one of the few men who have declined a
seat upon the Supreme Bench of the United States ; and
of scores of other men who have contributed largely to the
national life.
A word should be said as to the peculiar debt in this
respect of New Haven to Newtown. You have given New
Haven hundreds of active, public-spirited, useful citizens
—142—
and several of her most distinguished ones. Charles Chap-
man— himself a son of our eminent citizen of Newtown,
Judge Asa Chapman of the Supreme Court, — was a New-
town man. While his life was principally spent at Hart-
ford, he was for years a resident of our city. Distinguished
as a member of Congress and at one time district attorney
for Connecticut, he was principally noted as one of the
greatest jury lawyers of his time. No less discriminating
a judge than Governor Hubbard has said of him: "In that
most difficult of all professional functions, a cross examina-
tion, he was not only distinguished, he was consum-
mate. * * * But after all, it was perhaps in the summing
up of a case to the jury that the whole range of his faculties
found their fullest play. In the ready analyzing of a
chaotic mass of evidence, in the skillful selection and use of
materials, in the orderly and logical distribution of an argu-
ment, in the matchless architecture of his sentences, in
fertility of illustration, in vigor of attack and coolness in
retreat, in pungency of satire for his adversaries and opu-
lence of wit for all, both friend and foe — in all these he
was great, in some of them he had no superior, in few of
them an equal." Governor Luzon B. Morris, for many
years the trusted adviser of perhaps more widows and
orphans than any other man in our city, whose son is to-day
one of you and known to you all, — for many years judge
of probate, was a Newtown man. And I might go on call-
ing the roll of Newtown men living and dead who have in
the past and present contributed largely to our life and
prosperity.
And what does all this show ? It is surely no mere acci-
dent that Newtown youth has played so large a part in the
history of the state and nation. Is it not rather that life
among your rugged hills and pleasant valleys has developed
that body, that brain, that character which are needed for
the world's work?
—143—
A good many jokes to-day have been pointed by that
Indian deed, which seems to record the exchange of a
birthright for a somewhat indifferent mess of pottage, and
one of my friends who has addressed you, in particular, has
congratulated himself that his ancestors did not have the
right sort of shrewdness to enable them to figure in that
apparently sharp bargain. But after all did the Indians do
more than exchange land, which they did not need, for
shirts and other things which they did need? While a bar-
gain that does full credit to Yankee thrift, it was honestly
made and as in the case of similar purchases throughout
Connecticut, history discloses no intimations that the land-
poor Indians were not abundantly satisfied. As Mr.
Atwater has said in his History of New Haven Colony, "at
the present day we are apt to think that the sachems sold
their land for a ridiculously small price ; but one who atten-
tively considers all the circumstances of the case, the
reservations they made, the protection they secured, and the
opportunity for trade afforded by the English settlement,
will perhaps conclude that what they received was of
greater value to them than what they sold. It does not
appear that the Indians were afterwards dissatisfied with
the terms of sale." Even if after the knives which they
received were dull, lead scattered and shirts worn out, they
became discontented, they could surely console themselves
with the thought that what they sold cost them little and
they had plenty of land left. So that it would not seem
that the pleasure of this happy occasion should be marred
by any qualms of conscience on this score.
Men and women of Newtown, I congratulate you upon
this magnificent celebration, so wisely conceived, so splen-
didly executed. It is fitting that at this point in the life
of your town you should pause and look back and recall
the ancient days. Pride in your honorable history cannot
fail to incite you and those who shall follow you to noble
—144—
living in the time to come. May honor and prosperity
attend your ancient town as the years and centuries roll on !
The President of the day :
"That Newtown's descendants have attained fame in
other than the learned professions or in business is shown
by the fact that we have with us to-day one who in the
civil war fought for his country and has since earned
distinction in the Navy of the United States. It is with
great pleasure that we welcome Rear-Admiral Franklin C.
Prindle, of Washington."
FRANKLIN C. PRINDLE, U.S.N.
Rear Admiral, Retired.
ADDRESS
FRANKLIN C. PRINDLE, REAR-ADMIRAL, U. S. N.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: — I presume it is
pretty well understood that naval officers are not given to
oratory, or much speaking. In fact they much prefer to
get behind their guns and let these speak for them. But
there are no big guns to get behind here to-day, save those
who have preceded me on this platform and those who may
follow. Neither is there need for any, for these are the
piping times of peace, and this occasion, one for friendly
greetings, glorification and rejoicing over the happy out-
come of the old-time bloodless Indian war. And do not
these fair ones, who, arrayed in white, with bright and
beautiful faces, grace this occasion and predominate in this
assemblage, inspire us as white-winged messengers of
peace ! And we are assembled to celebrate the first and the
last, as well as bloodless, victory of our ancestors over the
Indians two hundred years ago, when, through peaceful
means, this territory was acquired by our forefathers for
settlement and development.
Now I am not a Newtowner, nor a son of a Newtowner,
nor yet even a grandson of a Newtowner, but my great
grandfather, Zalmon Prindle, was born here, and from this
town he enlisted at the age of 19, in the service of the
colonies and gave more than six years of his young manhood
to the service of his country in that great struggle for the
— 146 —
achievement of American independence which we are proud
to call the American Revolution.
His great grandfather in turn, Ebenezer Prindle, was, I
am proud to say, an early settler and one of the original
proprietors of Newtown, and more or less prominently
identified with its early history. The land records here tell
us that in January, 1703, — two hundred and two years ago —
he acquired from Lemuel Eells of Mil ford all the latter's
"right, title, and interest in and unto a place called Newtown,
as will more fully appear by the Grant of the General
Court ;" from which it \vould appear that he had his eye then
set upon the entire "place called Newtown" as a fit and
needful holding for himself and his large and growing
family ; and not long after he removed here from Mil ford.
I have, therefore, as a descendant of the eighth generation,
a lively personal interest in this old New-town, to which
Ebenezer came — as indeed a very new town to him — two
hundred years ago. In fact, I may say that I have been
waiting for two hundred years for an opportunity to visit
this ancestral town, and place my feet upon the same soil
my ancestors tilled and trod through successive generations,
in direct line, until the present day, when some of whose
descendants continue to still live among you.
Then as this day was fixed upon for the celebration of
the bicentennial of the original purchase of the land from the
Indians, I was reminded of the fact that in 1711, Ebenezer
Prindle was appointed at town meeting a surveyor of these
very lands purchased from the Indians ; and so on this
account, if nothing more, I had a great desire to come
up here and see what sort of a job he had made of it, and I
am glad to find that his work appears to have been so well
done that some of his descendants were left upon it to still
remain in possession and occupation to this day, and I hope
they may so continue for another two hundred years to
come.
—147—
Soon after the close of the Revolutionary war it appears
that several Newtown families removed to the still newer
town of Sandgate, Vermont, and among them my great
grandfather, Zalmon, his father Joel, his uncle Nathan, and
others. That then became the place of my birth and the
home of my childhood, and as I now see this beauti-
ful Newtown I am wondering what possessed those good
people to make such an apparently unfavorable exchange
of location, unless it was through the operation of that anti-
race suicide sentiment and practice, then more prevalent than
now, which called for more room for occupation and expan-
sion. At any rate I will not now dare to trust myself to
express an opinion as to their judgment in exchanging these
lands, so fair to look upon, for that rugged hill-country so
fittingly described by some one who has written :
"Up in Vermont where the hills are so steep,
The farmers use ladders to pasture their sheep."
But I must not longer detain you at this late hour, further
than to express my very great pleasure in being able to be
with you here to-day, and for the first time in two hundred
years ! May I not also follow the example of a preceding
speaker, in concluding, by offering a toast, — a soldier's and
sailor's toast, if you please :
"The Ladies ! God bless them !
Our arms their defense,
Their arms our recompense!
Fall in!"
The time was too limited to hear from others present
who would have added interest to the occasion, but the
President of the day called upon Mr. E. C. Beecher, of
New Haven, and introduced him as one who had found
his wife in one of Newtown's old families, and so could
—148—
be at least called a son-in-law of Newtown (he married a
daughter of Mr. Charles Morehouse) , as one who had
shown his great interest in the celebration by his substantial
help. He closed the list of speakers with an address full
of bright stories and witty sayings.
The President of the day, after congratulations on the
successful work done by all the committees and by the
citizens of the whole town who had risen to the occasion
with unanimity and enthusiasm, thanked the visitors from
abroad for their presence and the speakers for their part
in making the occasion so full of interest, as well as the
singers who had contributed so much to render it inspiring ;
and expressed the hope that this bicentennial might be the
beginning of a more devoted public spirit, of a just pride
in the town's history, and of that interest in its present
affairs which should make it one of the model country towns
of the State, as nature had made it one of the most beautiful.
The Chorus then led the audience in singing "America,"
and the benediction was pronounced by Rev. Arthur T.
Parsons, of Thomaston, a native of the town.
DANIEL G. BEERS
Chairman of the Historical Committee.
THE HISTORICAL EXHIBIT
Under the direction of the committee of which Mr. D. G.
Beers was chairman, there had been arranged in the main
building on the grounds a representation of the domestic
life of the old inhabitants in the form of two rooms,
furnished with heirlooms of the old families.
The "best room" was furnished under the direction of
Mrs. George F. Taylor, and mostly with articles inherited
from her mother's mother, who was a Tomlinson. Among
these was an old piano, and a mirror. There was also an
old calash, and a cloak with an interesting history. It was
made of wool from sheep raised on her great grandfather's
farm, and the cloth was spun, woven and made on the farm.
There was also an old clock furnished by Mr. Nettleton, and
a chair, the property of Trinity parish, which was brought
from England by the Rev. John Beach in 1732, when he
returned from that country after his ordination.
The kitchen was arranged under the direction of Mrs.
S. Grace Glover, with the assistance of the other members
of the committee. It had the old fashioned fire-place, with
the crane, pots and oven, iron fire dogs, and all the other
paraphernalia. There was a flint lock musket and powder
horn, an old spinning wheel, reel and swift, and the room
was adorned with strings of pepper and dried apples.
There was also a cradle belonging in the family of Mr.
Theron Platt, and many other relics of interest, and the
exhibit was visited by a large number during the noon
intermission and throughout the day.
At the conclusion of the exercises on the Fair grounds,
a large part of the vast throng left the place to return to
— ISO—
their respective homes. An immense number came from
neighboring towns in carriages and automobiles, and the
Consolidated Railroad Company furnished special trains
which accommodated the hundreds which came from a
distance.
The sunset gun closed the day but opened another feature
of the celebration. A crowd of 3000 remained to
BAND CONCERT AND FIREWORKS
The concert began at eight o'clock. The Woodbury band
was stationed south of the liberty pole and rendered a fine
musical programme. A splendid display of fireworks was
shown between the numbers rendered by the band. These
were in charge of Mr. Herbert Flansburg and his assistants
on the committee. The exhibition closed with a magnificent
set piece, the gift of Dr. W. C. Wile. The piece represented
two Indian heads with the figures 1705 between, and was a
brilliant close to a most successful day.
After the fireworks and concert an additional train was
run by the railroad company to Bridgeport for those who
could not remain over Sunday. Besides arranging for these
special trains, Vice President Todd, who has his summer
home among us and had shown his interest by a generous
contribution, added in other ways to the comfort of the
people and their sense of security by sending to the town to
be present during the celebration, the chief of the secret
service force of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co., Mr. James
F. Valley, and several assistants. These served to keep
away from the town all crooks and evil characters. No
fakirs were allowed upon the grounds, and nothing was
lost or stolen. There was no need to keep order, for all
WILLIAM A. LEONARD
Chairman of the Fireworks Committee.
were present for a good and neighborly purpose, all had a
genuine interest in making the day a credit to the town, and
what is more remarkable in such a large multitude, there
was no accident to mar the pleasure of those gathered
together. With her children old and young assembled
from all parts within her borders, with her many other sons
and daughters returning home, with distinguished guests
and many neighbors to rejoice with her, and with a kind
Providence to bless with sunny skies and avert all untoward
injury, the old town had probably the greatest day of the
two hundred years of her history.
Coming as the anniversary did upon Saturday, with many
who would remain to spend Sunday, it was planned to make
that day one of special observance in the churches by
appropriate services and historical sermons. The day was
thus observed in the two oldest parishes, and therefore it
was thought well to include in this story of the Bicentennial
an account of the exercises of that day.
n
THE COMMEMORATION
ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 6TH
It was part of the programme of the Executive Committee
that on the day following the celebration of the Bicentennial
there should be in the various churches in the town such
services and sermons or addresses as should seem best to
those who had charge of them. The several houses of
worship that day had large congregations composed of the
regular attendants and many who had come to attend the
celebration. It was a welcome opportunity to renew sacred
associations.
In the Congregational Church the services recognized the
occasion and the Rev. Mr. Barker, the pastor, preached a
sermon on "The New England Leaven."
T
i
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
THE NEW ENGLAND LEAVEN
A SERMON PREACHED IN THE NEWTOWN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH,
SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 6TH, IQO5
REV. OTIS W. BARKER
Text — MATT. 13 : 33 : "Another parable spake He unto them, The
kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid
in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened."
What is all this for ? Why, for these last few days, have
we been indulging in decoration, oratory and noise? Have
we for one moment stopped to consider that this splendid
celebration would mean really nothing apart from our
national life? We cannot pack away a little fragment of
this great country and label with some local names and
insignia and then proudly say, "This is ours." The great
stream of our national life may run into tiny eddies and
miniature bays, but the strong, swirling current rolls majesti-
cally on. We are only a part of a mighty whole. We
can only have a celebration like this because we have some-
thing to celebrate; and that something is not a date so
much as it is great events and wonderful destinies, and noble
women and grand men.
It is said that millions of our human race have been cursed
by their ancestry. Their sires lived under a despotic
government where they were made to serve an iron will.
The later generations feel the poison in the blood; they
come into the world all back head and no forehead. Not
so with us. We have come of a godly and goodly line.
—154—
Shall these children know from these anniversary exercises
from what worthy stock they are sprung? Shall they
appreciate what it means to be the logical and spiritual heirs
of their Puritan forefathers? That is the question which
deeply concerns us to-day. Charles Sumner, the great
statesman, when speaking at a New England dinner in
1873, said, as he looked toward Henry Ward Beecher, sit-
ting near him: "I have often thought that if it had been
my privilege to preach the Gospel and to fill a pulpit as
grandly as you have done yours, I would sometime take the
text, 'A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump'; and speak
of the great influence of the Puritans in the history of our
land." You see I have not followed even this suggestion,
coming from so august a man, because when Paul uses
these words he uses them to signify the leavening power
of evil ; but no influence in our nation's history is stronger
for good than that of the noble band who planted firmly
their feet on Plymouth Rock on one wintry day.
A great problem confronts us as a nation just now. It
is this : Shall we be able to stem the flow of immigration
that is now so strongly setting toward these shores? Shall
we be able to receive it into our nation's life, and assimi-
late it, and Americanize it, and uplift it from the plane of the
sty? This tide in the last fiscal year reached high- water
mark ; more than a milllion souls floated here with the flot-
sam and jetsam of the waters. Representatives of one, or
at most two, nationalities gathered around the camp fires
of the Pilgrims ; representatives of a score or more national-
ities assemble about the camp fire of the California miners
or stroll through the streets of our western towns. A score
of men, Dr. Strong tells us, are found working in a factory
in New York City, who are come here directly from Haran,
the ancient land out of which the progenitor of the Jewish
race was called. The stream of the nation's life, in its
flowing, has been sadly contaminated since the Mayflower
—155—
days. That is sure. Is the current which these worthy
men of 1621 set moving yet so strong that it will overpower
all counter currents that seek to impede its course? The
characteristics of the Puritan are strong, impressing
and enduring. Will they endure through all the years?
"Histories make us wise," says Bacon. "A moral and
philosophical respect for our ancestors elevates the charac-
ter and refines the heart," says Webster; and no one can
look even briefly into the history which this day brings to
our view without being made more of a man, a nobler
patriot, and taking a larger grasp on the work which this
nation has been ordained of God to do.
What, then, are the characteristics of our Puritan sires,
those things which have acted as leaven in the nation's life?
A striking characteristic is this : Our Puritan forefathers
had a sublime faith in God. I put the emphasis upon the
adjective, for there is much faith in God which scarcely
means any faith at all. The Puritans gave large place to
God. They read His majesty in the clouds ; His power in
the storm. For them He rode upon the wings of the wind
and trailed the shining garments of His glory in the sun-
bursts of the early dawn. They emphasized His presence
with them. He went forth to battle with their armies. He
was with them in the ploughing of the fields, in the harvest-
ing of the grain, in the keeping of the humble Puritan home.
In these days, when faith seems slipping from her moorings,
it is well that we get back to the foundation faith of our
grandsires.
They believed in God. It is said that they believed in the
God of the Old Testament rather than in the God of the
New. In the literature of those days the Puritan was
caricatured. He was ridiculed as a sallow-cheeked, bigoted,
narrow-minded man. The epitaph that might have been
written on his tombstone would have read thus: Born in
discouragement, he grew up in dejection, matured in depres-
-156-
sion and died in disgust. We must not harshly criticise
any one before we recognize the fact that every one is a
product of the times in which he lives and of the conditions
out of which he comes. The Puritan, before he set his
foot on Plymouth Rock, had just thrown off the tyranny
of prelate, Church and State. He had swung far away
from all earthly sovereignty, and as always happens in such
cases, he swung to the other extreme of the pedulum and
found himself emphasizing alone the sovereignty of God.
No wonder he believed in the God of the old Testament,
the God who thundered his mandates from Sinai and
overcame the prophets of Baal with the descent of flame.
In this soft age, when it is often inquired whether it really
makes any difference in what a man believes, it is well to go
back to those who solidly believed in a God of law. I do
not think that the theology of the Pilgrim rang out no musi-
cal tone of love, or that amid the smoke of the flaming mount
the cry was lost that rose from bitter Calvary.
Those who sought on these shores "a faith's pure shine"
came here as the growth of two hundred years of changes
that were wrought on European soil. There had been the
movement called the Renaissance, springing out of the
invention of the printing-press, and there had been the move-
ment called the Reformation, the product of the translation
of the Bible into the speech of the common people. These
two lines of life converging upon the Puritan developed
a growth that could not flourish in a fetid atmosphere. A
new land was necessary where the tree of civil and religious
liberty could flourish and throw out its spreading shade,
and that land was here ; and here it took form in what has
ever been known as the New England conscience. Do you
ask me by what phrases I would characterize the Puritan
ideals? They are these: The Puritan believed in the stern
righteousness of a just God. He believed in convictions
of duty from which he would not swerve a hair's breadth;
—157—
he believed in the overrule of God in all things, making
good and bad, devil and saint, bend to His sovereign will;
he had a vision which gave him glimpses into the unseen
and opened up the bourne beyond the corridors of Time ;
he was an optimist who never let go his hope that the worst
would swing round at last to that which works for the best.
He held tenaciously to the ultimate triumph of the right.
I have already said much about our Puritan forefathers ;
you might almost suspect that I had never heard that there
were Puritan foremothers, too. The fathers have been
feted and praised too much, and not half so much has been
said as is their due for their wives, their better halves. It
was the mother who when she was placed where there was
no sound of the Sabbath bell gathered her children about
her and taught them the Westminster catechism. She made
the old Psalms of David ring as the war songs of old. She
read the Old Testament stories to the troop at her knee
until those worthies came out of the past and lived before
the eye. There was Elijah, who with his mantle smote
the waters back; there was Moses, whose face shone as he
talked with God; there was David, who charmed the hard
Saul with the music of his harp ; there was Samuel, who was
left in the temple as a child ; there was Hezekiah, the good
king, to satisfy whose wish the shadow went back on the
dial, and all these famous men became as familiar to the
Puritan child as the playmates with whom he sported before
his mother's door. You cannot understand what the Puri-
tan has done for our national life until you understand
the part that religion played in their common life. The
meeting-house was next to their home, or even above their
home. The Sabbath was as binding in its obligations as
the laws on the tables of stone, for it was in these laws. The
Bible was their vade me cum, the compass by which they
sailed their craft and the lantern by which they guided
their way.
-158-
All through our country's history the line of their
influence runs clearly down. We see it in the struggle of
''76, when in the darkest days at Valley Forge, Washington
was seen at midnight on his knees in prayer. We see it
when our Continental Congress opened as Benjamin Frank-
lin, almost the last of the great men of the early days to
recognize God's control in human affairs, advocated seeking
the blessing of God. We see it in our great Declaration
of Independence, which reads : "And for the support of this
declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine
Providence, we pledge ourselves, our lives and our sacred
honor." May the leaven of their trust in God go on with
us as a perennial force to the end of our days. A striking
characteristic, too, of the Puritan was that he could endure.
I tell you this soft age in which we live has much to learn
from the age of homespun. Our plainest comforts were
their most extravagant luxuries. Do you think that it was
a small thing for them to decide to leave their own land?
If it had been to an Eden they were coming the case would
have been different ; but how inhospitable were these shores !
They were striking out anew ; they were burning every
bridge behind them ; they were starting entirely new desti-
nies on altogether untried lines. And here again the praise
that is due the Puritan mother has not been paid. Tell me,
was the voyage across the waters any less perilous for the
one whose breast stirred with deep thoughts as her stern
lord coldly looked at the sky? The fifty-six signers of the
Declaration of Independence well knew what they were
taking upon- them ; they knew that liberty must win or they
must die. One of their number hit the point when he said :
"And now we must all hang together, or else we shall all
hang separately." But did one of those fifty-six give his life
for his convictions? Not one. They all died peacefully.
How many of that Pilgrim band, tell me, perished during
that first bitter winter? Overcome by struggles and
—159—
weakened by privation, for half the number the driven
snow became their winding-sheet and the winds howling
through the naked pines sang their funeral dirge; and, as
it always is, the suffering came harder upon the women than
upon the men. It was not so much the wild beasts of the
forest that howled about the door; it was not so much the
Indian, who often proved terrible, treacherous, and cruel ;
it was not so much these things that made the heart sick
and made life in the pioneer wilderness a prolonged round
of heroic endurance, as the utter loneliness and exile of
those who had left the best in life across the stretch of waves.
The stars of the winter's night looked down upon them, but
they were so cold and far away. The winds of the forest
murmured low whisperings about their dwellings, but they
were so gloomy and chill. The waves of the tossing sea
talked in hoarse cadence as they listened, but they gave forth
no syllable of love and echoed no sympathetic tone. Our
luxuries have brought us into effeminacy and love of ease ;
we delight in soft things ; we do not dare to mount the
steeps. We wish the way marked clearly out before us.
If this age is to leave an impress upon all times such as the
Puritan has done, if it is to take the strong characteristics
of those days and hold them steady and true in the swirl
of currents setting all the other way, we must get back to the
grit that brooked no obstacle, and to the pluck that carried
victory in the very doing.
The characteristic, however, which, above all others,
strikes us as belonging to this pioneer age is the love of
home. The Puritans were home-makers and empire-
founders. God first made woman because it was found
that man could not get along without her, and woman only
reaches her completeness when the union of the strong and
the gentle qualities is made in the establishment of a home.
No nation has ever yet endured which has neglected this
God-given institution ; and this nation has so far led in the
— i6o—
march of Time because its foundation pillars were three-
fold, the church, the schoolhouse and the home.
Did you ever study into the history of our two leading
colonies, the one founded at Jamestown and the other on
Plymouth Bay? The Virginia colony came within one of
being an utter failure. Did you ever look into the reason
why? The Jamestown colony left out the thought home.
It was one hundred and two old bachelors who came over
here and settled upon the river James, and had it not been
for Pocahontas the beautiful Indian maiden, who is said
to have saved the colony by supplying them with provisions,
and had it not been that twelve years after they landed here
their mistake was discovered and one hundred beautiful
young women were sent over from England to make wives
for these colonists, the whole settlement would have gone
down in total collapse. A whole colony of bachelors !
What on earth can you do with them ? It is bad enough to
have one or two scattered throughout an entire community,
but when it comes to a whole colony of them, \vhat then?
Of course you tell me that some of the greatest and best
men whom this country has ever known came in the line of
that colony in the Old Dominion. There were Patrick
Henry, the fiery orator of the Revolution, George Washing-
ton, the Father of his country, and Thomas Jefferson, the
penman of the immortal Declaration, and James Madison,
who wrote our nation's constitution; — all this is true, but
still I say without fear of contradiction, that had it not been
for this voyage of England's one hundred fair women to
these shores, the history of this part of our nation, at least,
would have taken quite another turn. In the passenger list
of the Mayflower there were nineteen wives and seven
daughters, the foremothers of so many of these homes which
have blessed the Xew England vales and made this little
corner of God's footstool great. It is a beautiful tradition
which has been handed down to us that the first one to set
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foot upon stern old Plymouth Rock was the first maiden,
Mary Chillion, and the last one of the Plymouth band to
survive was Mary Allerton, living to see twelve out of the
thirteen colonies established which became the nucleus of
this great nation.
Would you like to know a little more about some of these
sturdy women of those early days who were true home-
makers and who, by strength of mind and muscle, were
noble helpmeets to their stalwart sires? There was Miss
Elizabeth Zane, who ran the gauntlet of the Indians' fire
in order to secure a keg of powder, and by nerve and hero-
ism saved the whole settlement from massacre. There was
Mrs. Hendree, of Royalton, Vt., who rescued fifteen cap-
tured children from the Indians at the risk of her own life.
There was Hannah Duston, who dispatched with a toma-
hawk a whole camp of Indians and secured her own safety.
This heroic deed, as recorded by Bancroft, is perhaps the
most thrilling of all tales found in Indian lore; and the
citizens of Concord, N. H., have erected a monument on
the spot where the deed was performed, that the memory
of such a brave woman might not be left to die. There was
Mrs. Sarah Knight, daughter of Captain Kemble, who was
equal to the all-round woman of to-day in doing well the
duties of business and the home. This Captain Kemble,
by the way, obtained quite a reputation in his day. He had
returned from a three years' voyage and was seen kissing
his wife on the doorstep of his home on a Sabbath after-
noon, and for this "flagrant misdemeanor" he was con-
demned to sit for two hours on Boston Common with his feet
fast in the public stocks. His daughter, Mrs. Sarah Knight,
was proficient in all housewifely cares. She was a good
soap-maker, sugar-maker, butter-maker, clothes-maker,
bread-maker, cloth-maker, and broom-maker. We know
from her diary (for she kept one with minute care) that
she owned and superintended a flour and gristmill, ran a
— 1 62—
tavern, taught school, rode on horseback from Boston to
New York and back again on business errands, and specu-
lated a little in Indian lands. Do you think now that the
sphere of our foremothers was contracted and narrow, and
that they knew scarcely anything of life beyond the bounds
of their dahlia beds? The Puritan maiden was in many
respects a striking and fascinating figure. Who would not
have looked twice at such quaint personalities as Deborah
and Mehitable Nash, robed in bear skins? The pretty
Puritan maiden, too, Priscilla Mullens, sitting at her spinning
wheel, had enough of romance in her to suggest to Longfel-
low his most beautiful poem on Courtship. These Puritan
foremothers of ours were real home-makers. They kept a
home, a home, I say, — not a flat where you stay for a while
in a sleeping car, nor a four-story affair, where at different
portions of the day you are on different rounds of the ladder.
Our good Puritan foremothers were the loved heads of the
home. They were not creatures of fads, the star patients
of the physician. They did not spend so much time at the
club that their children once in a while wished to get
acquainted with them. They did not think that the chief
aim in living was to pose before a mirror or illustrate the
latest mode. They were mothers, — perhaps we ought to
place some emphasis there; they were mothers of many
vigorous sons and blooming daughters. They had large
families. I do not think that they spent a great deal of
time in discussing the problem of race suicide. I have said
that our Puritan sires have been feted and dined over-much ;
it is high time that the era of the foremothers was due.
Here is a point where we should strike the loud cymbals in
the praise of the home-makers of that day ; they got along
with their crank}' old sires. They brought two bears into
the home, and without these bears a good deal of growling
wrill go on. These mothers learned how to compromise,
how to yield and yet pretty well to have their own way.
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They governed their children, not by breaking their will,
but by making their will act in loyal harmony with the
other faculties. Yes, one who could do this and at the same
time live peacefully with good old Roger Williams, who
was conscientiously cranky and consistently out-of-sorts,
deserves a bright crown in Heaven; and these mothers are
wearing their crowns now over there.
How much does this great nation owe to these Puritan
homes? Can you measure their influence in our history by
weights and scales? Can you set over their value as pro-
portionate to so much timber-land or navigable rivers or
great watersheds or railroad systems? Here are some of
the families which have shaped our nation's destiny and
guided its career; will you put down in mathematical
calculation how much they are worth: the Otis family, the
Hancock family, the Adams family, the Jefferson family,
the Washington family, the Budinot family. John Quincy
Adams tells us in his diary that when he first realized that
he bore the name of Quincy, a name that his mother had
given to him, he felt a great call to splendid achievement.
My dear friends, that is the meaning of this anniversary
occasion; you greatly mistake if you listen only to its din
and noise. Back of all our parading, back of all our pyro-
technics, back of all our addresses, is this clarion call : Live
up to the best that was in your sires. This is no place or
time for criticising or finding fault. Our New England
forebears had their defects and shortcomings; but this is
not the occasion to thrust in our bodkin and pick out the
false thread. You remember what an influence the elder
Pliny had in the best d?.ys of Rome ; his letters send forth
an aroma of sweetness that is really refreshing in the midst
of so much that is uncanny and foul. He writes (and I
think it is beautiful) of his wife: "She loved that which
was immortal in me." Let us take that which was bravest
and truest and noblest in the lives of those who have gone
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before and hold it up to-day for emulation and desire.
Miriam,, in the history of Israel, did her people a service in
striking the cymbals in praise of high deeds. Strike the
cymbals to-day in praise of the home. Strike the cym-
bals to-day in honor of patient endurance of hardship and
pain. Throw aside criticism, seek earnestly for something
worthy -to copy, and honor your God.
TRINITY CHURCH.
COMMEMORATION IN TRINITY CHURCH
Sunday, August sixth, being the Feast of the Trans-
figuration, the Collect, Epistle and Gospel for that day were
used in the celebration of the Holy Communion. The
Morning Prayer was modified to meet the occasion, Psalms
80 and 90 being used instead of those appointed for the
day ; the lessons, Deuteronomy 8, and 2 Corinthians 3.
The Processional hymn was number 468, "From all
that dwell below the skies," to Old Hundredth : the introit,
hymn 196, "Our fathers' God, to Thee," to America; the
hymn before sermon, number 418, "O God, our help in
ages past," to St. Anne; hymn 231, "My God, and is Thy
table spread," to Federal Street, being sung at the Com-
munion. The Rev. J. Francis George read Morning
Prayer and Rev. Frederick Foote Johnson celebrated the
Holy Communion. The sermon was preached by the Rec-
tor, Rev. James H. George, from Psalm 80, verses 8 and
9, the subject, "The Transplanted Vine."
THE TRANSPLANTED VINE
A SERMON PREACHED IN TRINITY CHURCH AT THE NEWTOWN
BICENTENNIAL, SUNDAY, AUGUST 6TH, IQO5
REV. JAMES HARDIN GEORGE
PSALM 80; 8 and 9: Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt;
thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it. Thou preparedst
room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the
land.
It is most fitting at a time when we are celebrating the
two-hundredth anniversary of a new order of things in this
town, when the land, which before that day had been
the hunting ground of the Indian, was to become the
property of a civilized race and to be cultivated ; when we
are thinking of the changes which time has made in the
external conditions of the country, that we should study
the religious history of the community; and especially, as
we are gathered in our parish church, that we should review
the history of our own communion in this town in the past
two hundred years.
In doing so I trust that I shall not be led into saying
aught that would wound the feelings of any of our neigh-
bors and friends. Thank God, the bitterness and rancour
which in portions of that period characterized religious
controversy have passed away, as a broader conception of
religious truth has brought men more closely together.
It is a law of the spiritual nature that it must make its
own growth from within. External circumstances which
may cramp it will inevitably result in serious consequences.
-i67-
The inborn freedom of our nature rebels against restriction.
Moreover, our sense of the value of liberty makes us ready
to take the part of the oppressed, though we may have little
sympathy for the cause in which they suffer. If the soul
may lie open and respond to God's truth, and take the
form which God gives it and have its normal growth, the
divinely appointed result will follow.
In the history of the Anglo-Saxon race we find a certain
character and religious ideal. It may under certain
circumstances and restrictions be stunted, made one-sided,
dwarfed, or abnormally developed. It seeks a certain
roundness and proportion, which if denied it, it will rebel.
There is a type to which it would revert under favorable
circumstances, towards which it is constantly pressing. If
we bear this fact in mind, we shall have a key to the history
of religion in this community.
The words of the Psalmist, of which the motto and court
of arms of our State are an application, represent the
transplanted vine, and assure us of God's protection from
external danger. Not less do they assure us of His law
within our nature which will seek its normal growth and
generous fruits. Whatever may have been the circum-
stances which have made it one-sided, or dwarfed some
essential character, it will revert to its type.
Two hundred years ago there was not a place of worship
or a minister of our Church in the Colony of Connecticut.
The reason of this is not far to seek. Religious intolerance,
which was a characteristic of the time, had driven the early
settlers of New England from the mother country to seek
the practice of their own faith in this land. They came
here for freedom to worship God ; but it was for freedom to
worship God in their own way, not for a general freedom
for all to worship God in the way in which it should seem
best to each. Consequently they did not permit others the
freedom which had been denied them.
-i68—
But there was in the make-up of the race a sense of fair
play, which doubtless brought into the company of the
leaders of the Puritan movement many who did not sympa-
thize with all their religious views, though feeling that they
were entitled to hold them. There was also in them that
type of spiritual character which belongs to the race, and
which has constantly pressed forward to be realized, that
roundness and balance which has made it so strong in every
department of life and given it the leading place in the
world. There is in the race that blending of loyalty to order
and authority with that insisting upon personal freedom
which has shown itself in its political history. It is the race
which has wrought freedom under law, and produced the
Constitution of the United States, the most perfect model
of all political institutions, because it combines a strong
central with a free local government.
In the realm of religion it has settled upon the model of
the Primitive Church, which recognizes a divine authority
in its order, creed, and worship, with the sense of the
personal responsibility of the individual soul and its freedom
of approach to God. It is not satisfied with either of these
lacking ; so that we see in the religious history of the
race these two tendencies, the one to value the divine
authority and ordinances of the Church, whereby it has
sometimes been led to suppress personal freedom and
ignore the access of the soul to God; the other to
go to the extreme of denying any outside authority what-
soever, whereby not only the order of the Church and the
Christian creed, but also the Scriptures, have been regarded
as useless, and the claim made that the soul is its own guide
in searching for truth, and its feelings the only test of
righteousness. Circumstances have caused the one or the
other of these two forces at different times to prevail ; but
where one has been suppressed it has generally resulted in
strong reaction in its favor. The blending of these two
-i6o-
tendencies in the normal specimens of the race, and their
due recognition, has satisfied its spiritual wants. It was
the existence of these two cravings in the spiritual nature
of the settlers of New England which caused the rise and
growth of the Church in a region where she had been hated.
For the Church in this Colony was no exotic. It was not
the result of a propaganda from outside; but it was the
natural returning of some of the noblest and best minds
in the Colony to that normal spiritual condition which could
alone satisfy them. When Cutler, the President of Yale
College, and his associates declared for the Church and went
to England for ordination, they reached that point because
they had outgrown the one-sided teaching of Calvinism and
felt the lack of a sense of divine authority in its ministry.
Our religious bent, as did our civilization, came from
Stratford, and the seeds of both were in the early settlers.
It was in this very year 1705, and in the very month,
July, Old Style, that Rev. George Muirson, the missionary
of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sent to
Rye, in the neighboring province, landed in New York.
About this time a request was sent from certain members
of the Church of England in Stratford to the Rector of
Trinity Church, New York, asking him to visit them. He,
by reason of the distance from his home, referred the matter
to Mr. Muirson.
Mr. Muirson had in Colonel Caleb Heathcote, one of his
parishioners, a devoted adherent of the Church and anxious
to do what he could for it in Connecticut. With this faith-
ful and influential layman he visited Stratford in the summer
of the following year and on September second held the
first service of the Church in this Colony.
In 1694 the Rev, Messrs. Keith and Talbot had visited
the Colony and spent a Sunday at New London. They were
hospitably received by Mr. Saltonstall, the minister of the
— 170—
town, and at his request preached for him that day. But
it is not likely that the Prayer Book service was used.
On this occasion Mr. Muirson preached to a very numer-
ous congregation morning and evening, and baptized twenty-
four persons. He found a number well inclined to the
Church, and with its presentation, others were drawn to it,
so that through his occasional visits a parish was formed in
April 1707. A man of prudence, modesty, and ability, he
did a good work, and in spite of opposition, extending
even to legal notice from the town authorities to refrain
from officiating, there was created such an interest in the
Church that the Congregational minister himself was
favorably disposed towards it, and thought of applying for
holy orders. But his good-will cost him opposition and
final loss of his place.
To meet the growing tendency towards the Church, the
Independents called the Rev. Timothy Cutler from Boston,
a man of culture and high standing, and one of the best
preachers in the two colonies ; and the death of Mr. Muirson
in 1708 left the Church people to occasional ministrations.
But the leaven was at work, the need in the spiritual nature
of the community and the race was too deep-seated to die
out. Cutler himself became uneasy under the old doctrine
and order, and though he served the community well for
ten years, and was then made Rector, or President, of the
College in New Haven, he ultimately came into the Church.
It was not until 1722 that the Stratford parish had its
first resident minister in the person of Rev. George Pigott,
sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel,
and under his faithful ministry the Church in Stratford
flourished.
It was during these years, from the first visit of Mr.
Muirson, that our own town began to be settled, and the men
who came here represented the town from which they came.
On the one hand was the established order and the old
Calvinism. On the other the reaction from the old doctrine
and a leaning to the Church's ways. It was not the fault
of Mr. Toucey, the first minister of this town, that there was
dissatisfaction and division. It was because of this division
brought from the mother town and the general feeling of
unrest in the Colony. Nor was there trouble because there
were professors of the Church of England who made
division. A large and growing number of the people were
inclined to receive Mr. Pigott's services. He officiated
here six times during his first year, and reported to the
Society that all the adherents of the Church in Newtown
had conformed from conviction, none being by inheritance
of the Church of England. Of these there were twelve
heads of families who petitioned the Society for a minister
of their own. The defection to the Church in 1722 of the
President of Yale College and his companions gave it a
standing and influence before this impossible to be obtained.
About this time Mr. Pigott was transferred to Rhode
Island, and the Rev. Samuel Johnson, one of Cutler's
companions, was sent after his ordination in England to
Stratford. He served a long and faithful ministry, officiat-
ing in Newtown and other places, and was finally chosen
to be the first President of King's, now Columbia, College,
in New York.
The history of the Church in Newtown is now for fifty
years bound up with the life of one man, John Beach, him-
self an example of this tendency and characteristic of our
race which forms the subject of my sermon. A native
of Stratford, of old Puritan stock, imbibing its love of
liberty with his mother's milk, and held by all the sacred
traditions of that movement, he grew up in the atmosphere
of the town where the new movement was going on.
Cutler was his pastor and friend, and persuaded his
parents to give him a college education. It was under
him and Johnson, who was a tutor of the college, that
— 172—
he studied. Their influence on his life both before and
after their conformity to the Church was deep, but he held
the old way, and graduating in 1721, he studied for the
ministry of the standing order.
It was this very popular and ingenuous young man who
was called to fill the place of Mr. Toucey in Newtown, and
to reconcile all differences. The choice proved a happy one ;
for he not only healed all differences among the adherents
of the old way ; but he reconciled to his ministry those who
could not sit easy under the old doctrine. The movement
towards the Church of England was stopped, and although
there were five families who continued to receive the
ministrations of Mr. Johnson, the larger number of those
attached to the Church of England and those leaning that
way were satisfied with him, for he preached the simple
Gospel.
But the growth in him had begun, and those familiar with
the Prayer Book recognized that much of his prayers were
in the words and all in the spirit of the liturgy. At last
the natural bent of his mind and diligent study brought
him to the conviction that his place was in the ministry of
the Church, and in 1732 he conformed and on Easter day
was received into the communion of the Church by Dr.
Johnson in Christ Church, Stratford.
Going soon to England he was ordained, and returning
in September took up his work in the town where he had
already spent eight years of a fruitful ministry. His first
service was held under a large sycamore tree at the foot
of the village street where the Bethel road crosses the
turnpike, no public place being open to him.
That a man of his sensitive nature should have felt deeply
grieved at the coldness of former friends is not strange;
nor is it strange that they should thus have treated him.
Old prejudices were still alive and were not to be changed
by one man in a short time, however honest and sincere he
— 173—
may have been known to be. That he should have met
opposition and misrepresentation and abuse from the more
violent partisans was what might have been expected.
But he took up his work in the old spirit. He knew the
people and loved them. He knew their prejudices and had
shared them. There was no wish in him but to do them
good. He was led into controversy by attacks upon the
Church, but this was mostly from those without the town.
He lived in peace with his neighbors and ere long his work
began to tell. Beginning with the five Church families
to whom he ministered in his own house, his congregation
grew. Each communion, which he celebrated twice every
month, saw new members added to his flock. Sometimes
several families came at one time to his ministry. One of
his parishioners losing her Prayer Book on her way from
service, it was picked up by a neighbor, who pronounced
it a mass book. Others eager to see what it was like found
it to contain a large part of Holy Scripture and such prayers
as Mr. Beach had used in his former ministry, and to
breathe a wholesome religious spirit. As a result eight
families were added, bringing the number of the flock to
seventy souls.
The need of a church building now became imperative,
and a small wooden structure twenty-eight by twenty- four
feet was erected. The frame was raised on Saturday, the roof-
boards were nailed on, and on Sunday the service was held
under its scant shelter, the worshipers sitting upon the tim-
bers and kneeling upon the ground. It stood on the com-
mon a few rods from the lower end of the Street. This
building served the congregation until 1746.
The growing influence of the Church in the town is shown
in various acts of the town, among which is one passed in
1743. Mr. Beach had, when he conformed to the Church
of England, surrendered all the grant of land which was
given him at his settlement, excepting his home lot, which
—174—
was freely granted him in recognition of his past services.
The town now gave him from the land set apart for the
support of the ministry the proportion which would come
from the adherents of the Church, an act as much to the
credit of the town as his first surrender of land was to him.
The great revival which swept over the country under
Whitfield threatened to injure the Church, but the excesses
to which it led drove a yet larger number of the more sober
people to its worship. It is interesting to note that follow-
ing upon this great awakening the size of the congregation
necessitated the erection of a new and larger church, "a
strong neat building, forty-six by thirty-five feet." This
was situated in the Street opposite the present ''Brick
Building," so-called. The Church continued to prosper,
and by the time of the Revolution its adherents numbered
one half of the population of the town.
In the troubles with the mother country the sympathy
of the Church people of the town was with the Colonies,
and their minister, with his clerical brethren, did all in their
power to influence the English government to redress the
grievances of the Colonies ; but Mr. Beach had at his
ordination taken a solemn oath of allegiance to the Crown
from which he felt that he could not absolve himself, and a
majority of his people, as of the inhabitants of the town,
were of the same mind. But there was no factious or
seditious opposition to the colonial government, or refusal
to give it support of men or money. Mr. Beach went
quietly about his work as he had done in the past, preach-
ing the Gospel and ministering to the spiritual needs of the
people, and within his cure was the only place where the
prayer for the King was heard within the lines of the
colonial government. Like other clergymen he might have
fled to the loyalist lines or gone to other lands ; but his duty
lay here. The threats against his life and the attempts to
— 175—
silence him were vain. If these came from individuals in
the community, they did not represent it.
Mr. Beach passed to his rest at the close of the Revolu-
tion and in the fiftieth year of his rectorship. More than
any other one man he left his impress upon the people of the
town, and his influence is abiding.
In spite of the general unpopularity of the Church in the
New England Colonies, as being indemnified with the English
government, it seems to have had no ill effect upon this
parish. At its close a new and larger church, sixty-eight by
forty-eight feet, was built on land just north of the present
edifice and was consecrated by Bishop Seabury in 1794,
and served its people down to the present generation. But
the old church had a special honor before giving way to
the new. Within its walls, under the rectorship of the Rev.
Philo Perry, who succeeded Mr. Beach, the Convocation
of the Bishop and clergy of Connecticut met on the last day
of September, 1790. The subject for their consideration
was the changes made in the Prayer Book by the General
Convention the year before. These changes were such as
were made necessary by the independence of the Colonies,
and the change in the Communion Service conforming it
more nearly to the primitive liturgies, which Bishop Seabury
pledged the Scottish Bishops who consecrated him to
endeavor to bring about. The subject had the fullest con-
sideration, and on the next day, October ist, the Prayer
Book was ratified and became the rule of worship for the
diocese.
Of the subsequent history of the parish it needs not that
I speak with great particularity. It has been my purpose
to cite certain facts of the history of the Church in this
town to illustrate a great truth of our human nature.
At the close of the Revolution the parish took its place
as one of the leading parishes of the diocese, and at one time
the largest ; and the Conventions of the diocese have met
_i76-
here from time to time. Its rectors have been men promi-
nent in the councils of the Church, and as a rule spending
many years in the midst of a contented people.
Early in the last century the parish outgrew the limits
of one clergyman's strength to administer, and in 1830 St.
James's Church was built in Zoar to serve that part of the
town. And when it was given up the parish of St. John's,
Sandy Hook, beginning first as a Sunday School work, and
then a mission, was made a separate parish in 1870.
Under the rectorship of Dr. Marble, who for more than
twenty years went in and out among this people, the new and
beautiful stone church in which we worship was built, a
true type of the blessed and lasting influences of his
ministry.
For more than half a century now, in the changes which
have taken place in our civilization whereby the rural dis-
tricts are deserted for the cities, the parish has suffered
with the town. But its good work has not failed, and its
influence on the community has not waned.
And the reason is that it has held true to the great ideals
of the race. History moves on, and great changes come in
civilization, in men's manner of life, and in their thought.
But their spiritual needs remain the same from generation to
generation. To meet these needs men must have the same
old standards of duty to a living God, and love to the breth-
ren. The due balance of loyalty to authority and freedom
of conscience are required to-day as two hundred years ago ;
and it is found in the reverent devotion and order set forth
in this parish. It is the standard to which men must come
for rest and peace, and for vitalizing and progressive power.
We have used the same service this morning that our
fathers used two hundred years ago. It is the same that our
children will use in the generations to come. It has served
under monarchy and republic, under a rude and pioneer
civilization and under all the changes which wealth and
— 177—
•«*
progress have made. It cannot wear out, because it is
true to the nature which God made in his own image.
With gratitude to Him for his mercies in the past, and
with a firm faith in his over-ruling providence, let us go on
to make this church a blessing to the community in which
it is placed.
With a hearty good will to all Christian men, with a
just pride in the devotion and steadfastness of those brave
men who for conscience sake crossed the ocean and planted
a religious community in this land, let us hold them in
undying reverence. It is from such a stock that true
religion springs ; and from this vine God will cause to come
the peaceable fruits of righteousness which are, by Jesus
Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
=,
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