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State of Tercentenary Commission 1635-1935 Hartford, Conn. CONNECTICUT TERCENTENARY BULLETIN No. 10 June 17, 1935

TERCENTENARY FURNITURE A visitor to the exhibit, entering the west end of the Tapestry Hall, will find in the first section transition pieces, EXHIBITION OPENS AT corner cuboards, tip tables and highboys made of pine, MORGAN MEMORIAL cherry and maple. The first alcove, or room in the center partitioning of the Hall, finished in pink, holds a collection of Queen Anne period pieces. The second room, painted a One thousand and one pieces of the furniture and the buff color, is given over to furniture showing the transition furnishings which were part of the domestic life of Con- from European influence to the characteristic American necticut in Colonial times and the days of early statehood "Block Front" design, including some Hepplewhite. are now on display at the Morgan Memorial in Hartford The third, or green alcove, holds examples of the work forming one of the most complete ex- of Aaron Chapin, including highboys. hibitions of this character ever arranged. The last of the center partitions, done Selected from the wealth of material in a shade of yellow, shows late pieces, the people of Connecticut have pre- high-top and low desks, and a drop served of the fine things of their an- leaf table set with four chairs. cestors every article is a "museum Along the side platforms are arranged, piece". Almost any one or any group spaced as nearly as possible to coincide of the many period-collections is worthy with the period grouping in the center of a special showing. Few pieces made rooms. Several tip-top tables are in- after 1800 are included. cluded with high- and lowboys, chest-on- So extensive is the exhibition that chests, and chairs along the south side; both the Lecture Hall and the Tapestry while on the walls are mirrors and Hall, with the rooms opening from it, paintings. have been utilized and there has been Through this south wall open four overflow into the entrance halls. rooms. The first is given over to a Particular attention has been given showing of pottery and china. The to arrangement by groups to secure second contains eight clocks, showing showings characteristic of each early the development of Connecticut clock Connecticut maker and each period making. The third is fitted as a bed- represented. For example, prominent in room. Most of the furniture about the great canopy bed that dominates the the collection is a group of many of the The famous "Winthrop Chair", made finest pieces of the work of Nicholas by the first of Connecticut's long line setting is inlaid work. Block front chest- of distinguished cabinet makers, Nicho- on-chests, one, two and three drawer Disbrowe, cabinet maker, who was a las Disbrowe of Hartford, for the resident of Hartford as" early as the Colony's first Governor, John Winthrop, lowboys, are on exhibit in the fourth the Younger. This chair, from the per- room, where also is shown a particu- year of the of 1637. manent collection of Wesleyan Univer- Both main halls have been partitioned sity at Middletown, is included in the larly fine walnut gilded mirror. exhibit of Connecticut furniture on One room opens through the north into separate rooms to give the nearest show at the Morgan Memorial in representation possible of the original Hartford. wall of the Tapestry room and has been setting. The Tapestry Hall is fitted given over to a showing of Chippendale with a false ceiling of gauze. Running east and west down mirrors and miscellaneous pieces. the center of this Hall are four rooms open at the sides. Leaving the Tapestry Hall, in the exit section of which are shown several famous paintings, the visitor passes Along the walls, are platforms to give a footing for pieces through the east entrance hall of the Memorial, where the placed to correspond with the group of furniture in the lacquered work, odd pieces and many chairs, mostly 19th center partitions. This arrangement, with sections at the century, are shown, and enters the Lecture Hall. west entrance, too, and east exit from the Hall, allows the Here are on display the Disbrowe pieces, other older work showing of six groups of furniture. Each of the sections in the Jacobean tradition in pine and oak, and painted has been painted in pastel shades, a background rather chests. To the right as one enters, hangs the famous Stuart modern in its simplicity. portrait of the Earl of Warwick. Page 2 Connecticut Tercentenary Bulletin

INTERESTING EXHIBITS OFFERED AT YALE Finally, this section closes with a group of books and proclama- tions by Governor in 1783 relating to Connecti- TO TERCENTENARY VISITORS cut's claims in the Susquehanna case. The opposing view is repre- sented by the anonymous "Examination of the Connecticut Claim to Extensive exhibitions of unusually interesting historical material Lands in ," 1774, the work of William Smith, Provost have been placed on display in the Sterling Memorial Library, the of the University of Pennsylvania. Yale Gallery of Fine Arts and in the Library of the Yale Law School in connection with Connecticut's Tercentenary. These exhibitions are The name Connecticut is the same as the name of the Indians open to the public and it is expected that thousands of Connecticut dwelling on its banks, and it would be impossible to reconstruct the people and out-of-state visitors will attend during the summer and narrative of Connecticut without some mention of the manuscripts fall. and early printed material existing to remind us of the powerful influence of the Indians upon the early settlers. The Yale exhibition One of the largest groups of the Tercentenary Exhibition in the includes among its original manuscripts the petition of Joseph John- Yale Library shows Connecticut in Colonial times, illustrated by son, an Indian of the tribe, to the students of documents, maps and books, from the earliest times to the end of asking for aid in sending his brother Indians westward; a leaf from the Revolution. Considerable stress has been laid on tracts published the diary of David Brainerd, a missionary to the Indians; seven in relating to the economic status of the Northern colonies, early Indian deeds relating to Branford; and the innumerable notes and Connecticut in particular. There are also two remarkable collec- and statistics collected by Ezra Stiles from widely varying sources tions of family papers—the Wyllys papers and the Winthrop papers. concerning the Indians of Connecticut, including the important fragment of Pequot vocabulary. Chronologically, this part of the exhibition opens with a group of maps and atlases showing America before the settlement of Outstanding in the exhibition are a few early documents. A Connecticut. From the Ptolomy and Ortelius maps of the early study of these documents will well repay one for in no other way sixteenth century down to histories of American discovery and ex- is the spirit of the past brought so close to one's experience. The ploration in the early seventeenth century. Thus, through a long most important document displayed is a volume of early tax records series of maps, Connecticut's geographical outline may be studied of . Among other documents is the record kept from those early maps on which New England is represented as by Jared Ingersoll as Justice of the Peace in New Haven, soon to almost an extension of Virginia to a beautiful copy of the Moses be published. These volumes evoke a picture of the social condition Park map of Connecticut, published in England in 1766, the first of the time. The book is opened to show a series of cases of New separate map of Connecticut. Haven citizens brought before him as justice of the peace, for failure to attend divine service. One volume of his personal accounts is Among the earlier books which are exhibited to show the back- opened to show his accounts for the lottery for completing the ground of the colony of Connecticut, special notice should be given wharf at Ferry Point in New Haven in 1754. to the accounts of voyages compiled by Peter Martyr, Richard Hakluyt, Samuel Purchas and Theodore de Bry. The section of the exhibition which deals with the part played The second section of the books in the exhibition room show many by women in Colonial Connecticut presents original manuscript volumes dealing with the in the middle of journals, letters and account books. Of especial interest are five the seventeenth century. Along with illustrative maps there are letters written (1659-1675) by Mrs. Hannah Eaton Winthrop, Jr., several kinds of interesting books including the early publications by for advice in treating the illnesses of her family and friends; and John Cotton, John Eliot, Increase and Richard Mather, and Henry the manuscript journal of Mrs. Esther (Edwards) Burr. Also in- Whitfield. William Hubbard's "Narrative of the Troubles with the cluded are a collection of hymns written about 1740 in the hand of Indians in New England," , 1677, has been generally con- the poetess, Elizabeth (Scott) Williams, and letters written by Mary sidered the earliest American classic, both for its excellent dramatic (Fish) Silliman during the Revolutionary War. style and its almost universal diffusion among the people. Business in Colonial times is an almost unexplored field of study. Yale is especially fortunate in possessing all three proclamations As many business documents as possible have been assembled to relating to the Regicides. These are on view together with Ezra Stiles' illustrate this phase of life. Foremost among these is a series of "History," and an anonymous poem to Whalley, Dixwell and Goffe. account books of the Lyon Family of New Haven who apparently kept a store and later a hardware store. These accounts cover over At this point belong the earlier Winthrop and Wyllys papers. a century beginning with 1722. Of the former, particular mention may be made of the letters from some of the founders, such as John Davenport, , The exhibition affords an opportunity to examine the early records and Thomas Yale. of the Hopkins Grammar School, an institution the history of which almost corresponds to that of the town of New Haven. The Wyllys papers begin with the will of Ambrose Wyllys of Fennycompton, Warwickshire, England, dated June 8, 1590. The Realizing that a complete understanding of the life of a community collection includes four most interesting letters from George Wyllys could be obtained only by a study of the products and activity of in England to his stepmother in Hartford "upon ye river of Kanicti- the local press, the Yale Library has during the past two years made cott," written in the 1640's. There is also an original draft of a list of books in the library in Connecticut before 1850. resolutions passed by the Upper House of the Colony of Connecticut, providing for the ejection of trespassers on the land of the Mohegan In honor of the Tercentenary it has been thought suitable to Indians, dated 1720. select from the books in the Library so listed, representative products of the press of Connecticut's first printers and their successors before The turn of the eighteenth century is richly documented with 1800. Thus books are shown from the presses of New London, New histories of the colonies by Thomas Foxcroft, Thomas Prince and Haven, Hartford, Norwich, Cheshire, Litchfield, Middletown, Fair- Daniel Neal; examples of the work of Cotton Mather, including his field, Danbury, Windham, Newfield, Suffield, Stonington Port, Walling- funeral sermon on Governor Fitz-John Winthrop (1710) ; two ser- ford and East Windsor where presses were established before 1800. mons preached at Killingly by Marston Cabot. The period immediately preceding the Revolution was largely The first press set up in America was that in Cambridge, Mass., interested with the subject of taxation of the American colonies. in 1639. For many years that state took care of all New England Tracts are shown from the pens of Edmund Burke, David Hartley, printing and it was in Cambridge that the early laws of Connecticut Soame Jenyns, Joseph Priestley, James Otis and Josiah Quincy. were printed by Samuel Green. When in 1708, Governor Saltonstall of Connecticut made the first move to get a printer in Connecticut, The period of the Revolution in the exhibition is illustrated with it was to the Green family that the Governor and Council turned. several journal histories together with more partial pleading such as The proposal to take charge of a press in Connecticut was first Thomas Paine's "." The latest history shown is the made to Timothy Green, grandson of Samuel Green of Cambridge, notorious "General History of Connecticut" by Samuel Peters, Lon- but he was unwilling to give up a "certainty for an uncertainty"— don, 1781. Peters, a native of Hebron, and afterwards rector of the little realizing that years later he would change his mind and move Episcopal church there, was a Loyalist during the Revolution. He to Connecticut. On Green's refusal, Thomas Short of Boston, ac- made himself so obnoxious by his prominence and activity as such cepted the offer and moved to New London, where in 1709 he issued that he was tarred and feathered and permitted to go to England. the two pieces that contend for distinction as the first printing of He died in New York in 1826. His apocryphal history of Connecti- Connecticut: "A Proclamation for A Fast", ordered on June 15, cut has been described as "a remarkable issue of misstatements and 1709, and "An Act for Making and Emitting Bills of Publick Credit." exaggerations, not to say of malicious falsehoods." The former only is on exhibition. Connecticut Tercentenary Bi;lletin Page 3

Through the establishment of this press in New London in 1709, New Program to be Issued Connecticut was the second New England State to have a printing press. The first printing in Connecticut was done in New London Supplementary Program No. 1, covering events in the Tercentenary 45 years before a press was established elsewhere in the colony. celebration from May 25 to July 15, has just been issued by the Tercentenary Commission. As did the original program, issued in New Haven was the second town in Connecticut to have a print- April, the supplement contains a list of state events and state exhibits, ing press. It was, however, the only Connecticut town to have as and a supplementary chronological table of state and local events to sponsor for its press, the great Benjamin Franklin. The first work July 15. of this press, set up in 1755, was an edition of the College Laws in Latin, a copy of which is exhibited. Within a short time another supplementary program will be issued so that full information on all local and state events will be available. On April 12th of the same year, appeared the first number of Local committees are urged to supply the Tercentenary Commission Connecticut's first newspaper, for three years the only newspaper in office in Hartford with accurate and complete information on all their the Colony (The Connecticut Gazette). This is also exhibited. affairs promptly, so that these may be included in the program. A large part of the exhibition is taken up with the works of the Throughout the state, local celebrations for the Tercentenary are early presses of the state. If a glance at the works exhibited shows under way. Many splendid programs have already been given and a preponderance of sermons—which it does—it must never be for- many more are scheduled. gotten that these very sermons and theological tracts had a real place The Tercentenary Commission's program of events lists ninety- in the cultural history of the country and should not be dismissed four separate local events during June. These range from pageants, lightly. Almanacs, newspapers and lurid tracts which might be exhibitions and open houses to unveiling of monuments, Boy Scout assumed to take the place of sensational novels really belong to the jamborees, athletic contests, and drum corps competition. literary history of the country. Consultation of the program will disclose the time and location of the events or exhibits so that it will be possible to plan to be Other Exhibits of Note in attendance. Copies of the program may be secured from the office of the Commission or at local information bureaus. Connecticut Tercentenary Exhibitions of unusual interest are being held in other buildings and in other parts of the state. These exhibits, listed here briefly, will be described in detail State Information Bureaus Now In Operation in the next issue of the bulletin. Information Bureaus from which will be distributed information At the Gallery of Fine Arts at Yale, from June 1 through October on local and state Tercentenary celebrations and at which official 1, there is an exhibition of the paintings of John Trumbull, one of souvenirs of the Tercentenary will be sold are being rapidly estab- the outstanding figures of Connecticut art. From June 1 through lished at strategic points throughout the state. A large "Connecticut July 22, the Connecticut portraits by Samuel F. B. Morse, Yale- Tercentenary" banner will identify each bureau. At many points educated and resident of New Haven for many years. From August 1 large banners will be displayed in the highway to direct passing through October 15, Connecticut portraits by Ralph Earl, a con- autoists. temporary of Trumbull's and one of the most picturesque figures in American portrait painting. Also scheduled to begin on August 1 to The bureaus will be located as follows: continue through October 1 is an exhibition of Connecticut silver and CANAAN—Store next to post office on U. S. Route No. 7. Connecticut prints selected in large part from the Mabel Brady DANBURY—Temporary building near center of city. Garvan collections at Yale University. DANIELSON—Temporary building on Green at intersection of north-south highway and U. S. Route No. 6 from Provi- Old maps, photographs, book illustrations, books, pamphlets and dence, R. I. newspapers, materials appropriate to the celebration of the Tercen- ENFIELD—Old Town Hall on Springfield-Hartford road. tenary, are on exhibition at Olin Memorial Library, Wesleyan FAIRFIELD—Old Academy Building on Old Post Road one block University, Middletown. Among the articles attracting attention are east of U. S. Route No. 1. an early political pamphlet entitled "The Adventures of Uncle Sam GRANBY—Mrs. Clark's Tea Room on College Highway opposite in Search of His Honor," a map, published in 1756 in Germany Green. which lists but six towns in the state, Benjamin Trumbull's "Complete GREENWICH—Temporary building on Boston Post Road % History of Connecticut", printed in 1797, and editions of the Middle- mile east New York-Connecticut state line. sex Gazette of 1786. NEW HAVEN—Temporary building in city, side of Congress A similar exhibition of books, documents and other articles con- Ave. Bridge on West Main. nected with the history of Connecticut and Trinity College, Hartford, NEW LONDON—Connecticut Power Co. Community House at opens in the Library and Chapel of the College on June 18. the head of State Street on U. S. Route No. 1. NORWICH—Ground floor space in Wauregan Hotel, center of The state library at Hartford which has many permanent exhibi- city. tions of importance is having special showings of maps during the PUTNAM— month. RIDGEFIELD—Old red schoolhouse on New York road west of north-south highway through town. The Connecticut Historical Society has a most interesting exhibi- SALISBURY—Town Hall. tion at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford, including bills of credit SAYBROOK—Temporary building on U. S. Route No. 1, at and coins, issued by the Colony and the state of Connecticut from junction with main village street. 1709 to 1788. SHARON— STAFFORD SPRINGS—Library building in center of town. SUFFIELD—Masonic Building in center of town. A Complete Guide to Architectural Masterpieces of WESTPORT—Two buildings on Green at junction of north and south highways entering town. Early Connecticut WINDSOR— A valuable addition to any library of books on Connecticut is WINSTED— the "Architectural Guide for Connecticut" being offered for sale by Among the souvenirs which will be available at the booths are the Tercentenary Commission for fifty cents. The Guide was pre- the following: pared by Mr. J. Frederick Kelly, A. I. A., well known architect of New Haven. Much of the book is devoted to domestic architecture Tercentenary Medal $1.00 between the years of the establishment of the Colony and 1830, Commemorative Half-Dollar 1.00 Ecclesiastical and civic architecture of the same period also are Connecticut Guide 1.00 comprehensively covered. A list of twenty-one early houses now Dinner plates, set of 4, $4.00; per dozen 10.00 regularly open for inspection, an index to an end-paper map for Automobile Markers, per pair .25 locating buildings described in the text and several illustrations com- Architectural Guide for Connecticut .... .50 plete the Guide. Historical Pamphlets of Connecticut Life and History 25 cents to .75 Copies may be obtained at any of the State Information Bureaus, Post Cards (12); Snapshot Packets (6) set, each .25 from the Yale University Press and at the office of the Commission Map of Connecticut, Commemorative Guide . .10 in the State Library. "Episodes of Connecticut", Historical Plays .10 Page 4 Connecticut Tercentenary Bulletin

Issue Connecticut Sabbath Invitation being carried on under the direction of a committee of which Mrs. George T. Brown of New London is chairman. Thus far, twenty- Written invitations to participate in the observance of "The seven clubs have entered. Judging of the planting will come later Connecticut Sabbath", October 5 and 6, have been sent to the in the summer after the clubs have had ample time to develop their clergy of all religious bodies of the state by the committee on religious projects. observance of the State Tercentenary Commission. Accompanying Clubs competing, thus far, are those of Westbrook, Old Greenwich, the invitations to ministers of all churches which do not have a Cheshire, Gaylordsville, Fairfield, Spring Glen (Hamden), South Shore prescribed liturgy were pamphlets descriptive of church services after (Westport), Wilton, Stamford, West Haven, Bridgeport, Mystic, the manner of the Puritans. To others were sent bibliographies of Riverside, Greens Farms, Westport, Woodbridge, Lyme, New London, books and leaflets which would be helpful in the preparation of Norwalk, Laurel (East Hartford), Hubbard Heights (Stamford), historical programs and addresses for the observance. Point (Stamford), Stratford, New Milford and , the Garden Circle of Meriden's Womans' Club and the North Mianus Radio Addresses Garden Club of the Junior League. WTIC A New Road Map Frederick S. Chapman, former state representative from Old Saybrook and a direct descendant of Robert Chapman, one of the Connecticut's Tercentenary is prominently mentioned in a new founders of that town, 300 years ago, will be the speaker on the Road Map and Historical Guide of Connecticut, and WTIC-Tercentenary program on Friday, June 28, at 5:30 P. M. which has just been published by the Sun Oil Com- His subject will be "Old Saybrook's Tercentenary Celebration." pany. Points of historical interest are marked by illustrations in color on an outline map on one side of the folder. On the other, WDRC state parks and forests are named in red on a large auto road map. George S. Rogers, chairman of the Tercentenary Committee of A box on each map calls attention to "The Connecticut Tercentenary", New Britain, will be the speaker on the WDRC-Tercentenary pro- urging visitors to attend and enjoy the festivities. A very large gram on Friday, June 21, at 11:15 A. M. On the same station on number of the maps are being distributed by Sunoco stations outside Friday, July 5, A. A. North, chairman of the Tercentenary Committee of Connecticut. of Berlin, will be the speaker. R. K. Fessenden, treasurer of the Old Saybrook Committee will speak at 11:30 A. M., on July 16. Historical Scenarios Popular WICC To meet the continued demand for additional copies of "Episodes William H. Wilcoxson, chairman of the Stratford Tercentenary of Colonial Connecticut", prepared several months ago as a source Committee, will speak on the WICC-Tercentenary program on Wed- of material suitable for dramatic presentation by groups during the nesday, June 19, at Bridgeport, at 8 P. M. The speaker on this Tercentenary year, the Commission is having an additional 1,000 program on Wednesday, July 3, at 8 P. M., will be Mrs. William T copies printed, as the third printing. Several hundred of these are Hincks, vice-chairman of the Bridgeport Tercentenary Committee. already ordered, and indications are that the supply will not last On the WICC program on Wednesday, July 17, at 8 P. M., will be long. It is doubtful if another reprint will be made. Such bits of Harry Nado, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Greenwich. Connecticut history and legend as seemed best adapted for the purpose were used by the authors, Mrs. Charles G. Morris and Alice Johnstone Walker, both of New Haven, in the scenario. The Among the speakers on the program of the Daughters of the scenes are so arranged that they may be given either as a sequence given on Tuesdays at 2 :30 P. M. over WTIC, or separately. The material has been widely used. The pamphlets Hartford, are Charles B. Perry, Editor of "Founder and Leaders of sell for ten cents. Connecticut", on "John Mason," on June 18; Mrs. Henry W. Warren, president of the State Society of United States Daughters of 1812, on "Connecticut in of 1812," on June 25; Mrs. Frederick Concert Participants Praised P. Latimer, state vice regent of the Connecticut D. A. R., on "The Praise for the concert given by the members of seventy-two Declaration of Independence," on July 2. state singing societies and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra in Yale Bowl continues to be received at the office of the Tercentenary Tercentenary March Available Commission. Especially complimentary have been the statements about the radio reception, word having been received from many Connecticut's Tercentenary has inspired a number of exceptionally sections of the country praising the perfection with which the fine musical compositions. One of the outstanding numbers is the concert came over the National Broadcasting company's stations, "Connecticut March", composed by Allie Wrubel of Middletown. It is through WTIC. especially adaptable for bands. Copies of the "Connecticut March" may be secured from M. Witmark & Sons, RCA Building, Rocke- The Tercentenary Commission expresses its thanks and the appre- feller Center, , for 75 cents, plus mailing, if ordered ciation of the thousands in the audience at the Bowl and the many by mail. This includes complete marching band instrumentation thousands who heard the concert by radio to the participants for with enough parts for a large band. the exceptionally fine program. The musical festival was one of the big outdoor events of the Tercentenary celebration and its unqualified Send in Local Programs success continues the fine record set for the Tercentenary by previous events. Each week the Tercentenary Commission prepares for the state newspapers a list of all local events being held during the period Photographs of Yale Bowl Concert Are Available covered throughout the state. So that no event, however small, is omitted, all local chairmen are urged to furnish the Commission full Several very fine photographs of the choral concert chorus, and complete information on their programs. This list should be orchestra and audience at the Yale Bowl, June 1, were taken by in the Commission's office Thursday of the week previous to publica- Harold A. Preston of 984 Main Street, East Hartford. There are tion and should cover all events to be held from Monday through three views of the chorus, one from the men's side, another from Sunday of the week following. This co-operation with the Com- the women's side and the third, a full view from directly in front. mission will assure wide spread publicity of all celebrations in con- There are two of the audience, one taken while standing to sing nection with the Tercentenary. "America" and the other while seated, listening to a number. There is one of the orchestra. The photographs, 8 x 10, will be sent post- Urge Display of Flag and Banners paid by Mr. Preston on receipt of a dollar per print. Wide use of the state flag and Tercentenary banners is urged by the Tercentenary Commission. There is no official Tercentenary flag, Hadley Composes "Connecticut Symphony" as the Commission wishes to have the Connecticut State flag used, The three centuries of Connecticut's growth and development has throughout the state, as much as possible. A number of concerns been set to music by Henry Kimball Hadley of New York City, are in a position to furnish both flags and banners, and while the well known composer and conductor. The vehicle is the "Con- Commission has endorsed the product of no one company, it is glad necticut Symphony No. 5, in C Minor", which had its premiere at to furnish to any inquirer the names of those companies handling them. the Norfolk concert in the Music Shed on the grounds of Mrs. Carl Stoeckel's estate. The audience and the thousands who heard the Garden Club Prize Offered by Commission remarkable composition over WTIC gave the Symphony an en- The Tercentenary Commission will award a medal to the Garden thusiastic reception. The Symphony was written especially for Club of the state winning a competitive planting contest which is the Tercentenary on commission of Mrs. Stoeckel. The subject matter in this bulletin is not copyrighted and permission to reprint is given by the Tercentenary Commission.