F 104 .cs C47 1935

Cheshire's Celebration

of the

Three Hundredth Anniversary .. of the

Settlement of Connecticut

1635-1935

•

...

PROGRAM

of the

CHESHIRE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATION

of the •

Three Hundredth Anniversary

of the

Settlement of Connecticut

1635-1935 Miss Nettie C. Smith, General Chairman

FrederickS. Baker, Chairman of Committees

Theron S. French, Secretary

Edmund H. Williams, Treasurer

RECEPTION COMMITTEE

Birdsey B. Norton Dr. J. D. Skilton Albert W. Huxley Herbert J. Moss Charles A. Buckingham Wesley H. Bradley James R. Lanyon Kenneth Boynton Jacob D. Walter Charles H. Jackson Rev. J. Herbert Bainton

COMMITTEES

Invitations Miss Isabelle Beugler Old Sites and House Markers Miss Mary L. Bishop, chairman; Music Mrs. J. H. Doucette Edward Gumprecht, Miss Ruth Information and Registration Hale, Mrs. E. I. Pardee D. S. Bristol, chairman; Mrs. C. H. Refreshments Davis, Mrs. B. P. Storrs, Mrs. I. M. Mrs. E. P. Welton, chairman; Miss Guilford, Mrs. G. H. Close. Kathleen Thomas, Mrs. M. Sheehan, Reservations and Rooms Mrs. A. G. Hull, Mrs. A. B. Terrell, Mrs. Mark Bishop Mrs. William H. Bassett Town Meeting Exhibits D. W. Durand, chairman; J. C. God­ Mrs. B. M. Allen, chairman; Mrs. dard, Jr., B. P. Storrs N. J. Cable, Mrs. George E. Gould, Mrs. Fred Hitchcock and members Children's Pageant of the Cheshire Women's Club. Mrs. John R. Brubaker, Mrs. Clear C. Golden, chairmen; Mrs. Fred Costume Ball Voos, Mrs. J. R. Mackay, Miss Mrs. W. J. Moore, chairman; Mrs. Thelma Jewett, Mrs. Frank Geiger, Charles Farist, Mrs. C. C. Golden, Mrs. B. P. Storrs, Mrs. Samuel F. Mrs. H. W. Toepke, Mrs. Amos Hall, Mrs. Melville Bennett, Mr. Lanphear, Mrs. A. S. Backus, Mrs. Tom Hogarth John R. Freeman, Mrs. Roland Pardee Printing Harrison B. Foskett Badges H. W. Durand Decoration Mrs. Robert Lattin, chairman; Mrs. Guarding exhibits C. R. Fossett Wentworth Beattie, Mrs. Stephen Publicity Edward J. Hart Clark, Mrs. Amos Lanphear, Mrs. William Meyer Amplifiers Chester R. Jones Thursday, August 15th

2.30 P.M.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

At the call of the Town Crier, Alfred Ward.

Paul T. Hotchkiss, Chairman of the Day.

Opening Hymn, "God of Our Hearts"

Address of Welcome Judge C. C. Hincks

Greetings: From New Haven County Historical Society Judge John L. Gilson Wallingford, our mother town Mr. Delevan W. Ives Meriden, our sister town Mayor Stephen L. Smith Prospect, our daughter town Mr. Merritt Walter

Chorus number, "Pilgrim's Chorus," Tannhauser

Cheshire Read by Rev. J. P. Hyatt

Land of Our Fathers Chorus

Revolutionary Men Written by Miss Edna Hall Read by Rev. C. Harold Dever

My Country 'Tis of Thee Audience

7.45 P.M.

BAND CONCERT ON THE GREEN

Band Leader, Daniel Emke Friday, August 16th. 10.30 A.M.

BOWDEN HALL

Charles C. Hall, Chairman of the Day

Group of Songs Mrs. Wesley H. Bradley Cheshire's Industries C. Allen Goddard Agriculture in Cheshire Mark Bishop Violin solos: Minuet, by Beethoven, Traumeri Frederick V oos Men of Cheshire Read by Frederick S. Baker Group of Songs Mrs. Wesley H. Bradley

2.30 P.M. BOWDEN HALL

Vocal Solo, "Come to the Fair," Martin, Mrs. A. N. Sheriff Cheshire Keeps Step with the Times Written by Miss Swift Read by A. Hurlbutt Northrop Vocal Solo, selected Urban N. Tyack Ye Ancient Town Meeting Sketch by Descendants of Townsmen of Cheshire Trumpet Selections Fred Emerson .. 9.00 P.M.

COSTUME BALL In Roxbury Gymnasium ,.

Saturday, August 17th.

10.30 A.M.

BOWDEN HALL

Howard E. Ives, Chairman of the Day

Selections by School Orchestra Leader, Mrs. Fannie Camp

Our Public Schools Read by Luke H. Stapleton

Priva,te Schools of Old W. E. Buckingham

Selections School Orchestra

The Episcq_pal Academy of Connecticut Read by Douglas Dunbar

Reminiscences by E. A. C. Alumni In charge of Rev. J. F. Sexton

Old School Hymn Saturday, August 17th. 2.00 P.M. CHILDREN'S PAGEANT Roxbury Athletic Field

Groups of children will represent the following associations, organizations and activities of Cheshire, some new, some old. GROUP LEADER Girl Scouts Mrs. W. J. Moore Boy Scouts Frank Geiger 4 H Clubs: Miss Mary Bishop Mrs. W. Buckingham Junior Garden Clubs Mrs. P. R. Bates { Miss Helen Minor Mr. Ralph Clark Dairy Mr. John Bishop Poultry Lucius Hale Sewing and Canning Mrs. Jesse Clark Public Health Nursing Association Mrs. Mark Bishop Red Cross Mrs. D. W. Durand Sunshine Mrs. William Meyer American Legion Benj. P. Storrs D.A.R. Mrs. Emerson Leonard Garden Club Mrs. Walter L. Anderson Woman's Club Mrs. George Gould Athletic Association Edward Hart Grange Miss Alta Hale I. 0. 0. F. Edward Chatfield Rebeccas Mrs. Wilbur Buckland Red Men Edward Reisch Shepherds of Bethlehem Mr. Leviano Firemen Chief Richard Williams Police Department C. R. Fossett P. T.A. Frederick V oos Cheshire Chronicle Clarence Thompson School Children : Miss Thelma Jewett 1 Puritan 2 Foreign 8 Modern Dances: 1 Money Musk Mrs. Edwin Chubb, Mrs. Frank Geiger 2 Hull's Victory, 1812 Mrs. Edwin Chubb, Mrs. Melville Bennett 8 Button Industry Miss Jessie Durand 4 Oyster Keg Industry, 1830 Mrs. Frederick Voos School Orchestra Mrs. Fannie Camp Cheshire Band Mr. Daniel Emke Saturday, August 17th.

2.00 P.M. .. Meeting of E. A. C. Alumni in St. Peter's Church Placing Wreaths on Graves of Former Principals: Rev. Tillotson Bronson, Rev. Dr. Sanford J. Horton, Prof. E. D. Woodbury

4.00 P.M.

Unveiling of Tablet on Bowden Hall

Planting of Scion of Charter Oak

7.45 P.M.

Concert by Band Leader, Daniel Emke Community Singing On Roxbury Athletic Field

Sunday, August 18th.

In each Church "Old Home Day" services will be held to which the pastors cordially invite all former and non-resident members to attend. Familiar hymns will be sung and old ties renewed. .. Congregational Church on the Green Rev. J. Herbert Bainton St. Peter's Episcopal Church Rev. John Davis Skilton Methodist Church Rev. C. Harold Dever St. Bridget's Church Re.v. P. A. McCarthy Baptist Church Rev. J. Philip Hyatt

• The Cheshire Public Library will be open 10-12 A. M. and 3-5 P. M. August 15, 16, 17, that all may visit what is known as Miss Mary Baldwin's Room, a Children's exhibition and historical collection. The Librarians and members of the King's Workers will be in attendance.

The gavel used by the Chairmen of the Day is the one sent llere by Com­ modore Robert Hitchcock for the use of the Chairman at the dedication of the Soldiers Monument on the Green, July 4th, 1866. Its head was made from a part of the keelson of the Frigate "United States," built in 1779, and the han­ dle from a piece of the stern post of the rebel ram "Merrimac."

The Colonial house, where the Bureau of Information and the Registra­ tion Committee are to be found, was built through the courtesy of Cheshire's Master Builders for this occasion.

All visitors are asked to give their names and addresses or write them on cards provided by the Registration Committee. As they register each one will be given a button with Cheshire, 1935, inscribed on it which they are asked to wear and which will prevent further solicitation by any of the committee.

Women of the different churches and of the Grange will furnish meals as follows: Thursday night by Congregational church in dining room Friday noon by Baptist Church in Roxbury school dining hall Friday night by St. Bridget's Church in their Community House Saturday noon by Methodist Church in Roxbury dining hall, and St. Peter's Church in the parish room. Saturday night by the Grange in its dining hall All at nominal prices.

The Loan Exhibit in the Town Hall will be open each day until 10 o'clock each evening, in charge of the members of the Women's Club. Admission is free. These exhibits will be guarded each night and are insured. Three Colonial rooms will be assembled: Bedroom, by Miss Alice W. Bas­ sett; diningroom, by Mrs. Robert B. Lattin; kitchen, by Mrs. Alfred F. Evans. Special exhibits to be shown are: Farm implements, Lyle A. Terrell and Samuel F. Hall; clocks, E. H. Brink; prints, George E. Thompson; Cheshire authors, Howard W. Baldwin:

The Costume Ball Friday night in the Roxbury gymnasium will be an ad­ mission affair at one dollar per couple or 50 cents single admission.

Sites marked are: The Old Whipping Post on the Green; Home of Gov­ ernor Samuel A. Foote; this is a temporary marker, a permanent bronze one will be placed later.

Descendants of Orrin and Sally Bristol Curtiss will hold a reunion August 17, at the old Curtiss homestead. RECEPTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF GENERAL COMMITTEE i

Cheshire's Celebration • of the

Three Hundredth Anniversary

of the

Settlement of Connecticut..

1635 -1935 -

• ... FOREWORD

T the close of the annual Town Meeting in March, 1935, those present were asked by Selectman Birdsey B. Nor­ A ton to remain and talk over the question of a celebration in observance of the State Tercentenary. The result was the appointment of the following to arrange for such a celebration, namely: General Chairman, M.iss Nettie C. Smith; Chairman of Committees, Frederick S. Baker; Sec­ retary, Theron S. French; Treasurer, Edmund H. Williams; with the five local clergymen and the heads of the different local organizations assisting. The printed program, which is a part of this publication, was carried to completion not only smoothly but joyously by all in any way responsible for it. One great disappointment to the committee and those work­ ing on it was the omission of the Children's Pageant, because of the prevalence of infantile paralysis in adjoining towns; it was hoped to have the pageant later, but before the danger was over, weather conditions caused the postponement until Spring. The townspeople joined most heartily in the plans and many had the old houses marked with the dates of their erection, and many historic spots were marked by the committee. A list of these and of the old houses is appended to this article. The sites of the old tollgates on the turnpike were suitably marked by the decoration committee with the cooperation of Mr. FrederickS. Baker of the North-Eastern Forestry Co. The decorations in the Church, Bowden Hall, Town Hall, the gymnasium for the Colonial Ball and everywhere needed were skilfully and tastefully placed by the decoration committee. The loan exhibit in the Town Hall has received so many fine encomiums, that anything here would be superfluous; but we might add that a gentleman who makes it a point to attend all such exhibits, and visited all towns in Connecticut this year, pronounced Cheshire's "the most satisfying of all." Members of the Woman's Club in gowns of ancient days,

3 served as hostesses in charge of the registration book, and report that nearly 1500 registered. Besides the cuts shoW11 of some of the exhibits, there was a fine collection of ancient farming utensils, glass ware, china, books, engravings, maps and "0, most everything." At the Salt Box house on the Green, the regular registration booth, a button marked "Cheshire 1935" was given each regis­ trant. The committee reports that 16 states other than Con­ necticut were represented here during the celebration. Old and honored names of Cheshire were linked with the celebration by the chairmen of the day who bore the names of Hall, Hotchkiss and I ves and by the reception committee where, appeared the names of Moss and Bradley. As the Town Crier finished his warning call a large num­ ber gathered in the church and listened with deep atten­ tion to the welcoming address of Judge Carroll C. Hincks; the most friendly greeting of Judge Gilson from our really "Mother" town; from Mr. Craig who gave an interesting resume of our relations with mother Wallingford and the humorous account of our daughter town of Prospect was given by Mr. Cowdell; Mayor Smith of Meriden was pre­ vented from being present by a death in his family but sent his greetings which were read by his secretary. A stirring little greeting was given by B. J. Shanower of Burton, Ohio, who with three others from that town came on for the celebration. Burton was founded by pioneers from Cheshire and two of the party were descendants of these pioneers. Mr. Shanower, who is secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Burton, responded readily to the unexpected call. "Ye Ancient Town Meeting" was one of the "High­ lights" of the days; made up of actual occurrences in early town meetings, and carried out with great dignity and spirit, it was no wonder the participants were asked to re­ peat it at the Grange one evening. It is a great disap­ pointment to the committee, that no picture of the group can be shown. All the music for the three days was of a very high order and highly appreciated by the hearers. Many hundreds enjoyed the two concerts by the Cheshire Band and gave most enthusiastic applause. The School Orchestra made up of the Alumni of Humis­ ton School, under the leadership of Mrs. Fannie Camp gave hours of their time to practice for this event and when Sat-

4 DINING ROOM Furniture owned and loaned by Mrs. Robert B. Lattin. At table, left, Mrs. George E . Gould; right, Mrs. E. J. Zitzmann. ANCIENT KITCHEN Collected and arranged by Mrs. Lucy Evans. Assisted by Tom Hogarth and Gordon Bain. COLONIAL BEDROOM Collected and arranged by Miss Alice Bassett. CLOCK EXHIBIT Collected and arranged by Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Brink. Little girl, Nancy MacKay; Mrs. E. H. Brink; Miss Carolyn E. Hyde at spinning wheel. urday morning they followed Mr. Turrell's baton so well the audience gave them most deserved applause. The wrought iron standards which mark the north and south entrances to our town were a Tercentenary gift from the Cheshire Reformatory. One of the pleasant things connected with this celebra­ tion was the placing of a bronze tablet on the oldest build­ ing of the Old Episcopal Academy of Connecticut, "Bowden Hall," by the Alumni; an account of the proceedings is given at the end of this booklet. The Master of Temple Lodge A. F. and A.M., Mr. J. R. Brubaker, was invited to be present, as the corner stone of this building was laid with Masonic honors by this lodge in 1796. A scion of the Charter Oak was presented to St. Peter's church by the Rev. Frederick Sexton, as a Tercentenary gift from St. James Church, Westville, of which he is rector. In conclusion may we add that the earnest thanks of the committee are hereby extended to each and every one who helped to make this celebration ~o Cheshire's happy observ­ ance of the State Tercentenary.

Houses Dated

Mrs. W. C. Oviatt 1724 J. V. B. Thayer 1733 Mrs. E. C. Andrews 1734 Frederick W. Voos 1740 Charles Byrnes 1750 Mrs. Harry Stone 1750 M. L. Coleman 1762 Harold Sindall 1764 Little Tavern 1767 N. A. Cornell 1769 Howard W. Durand 1771 E. J. Beugler 1785 Miss Mary Potter 1785 House on Green 1785 Clarence Smith 1788 Edward Clavez 1790 Mrs. Katherine Gaffney 1790 Mrs. E. P. Welton 1790 Ralph Clark 1792 Mrs. Lena Metzler 1792 Bowden Hall 1796 W a. Iter Doolittle 1795 Mrs. Oscar Gumprecht 1795 Edward J. Hart 1795 Miss Nettie C. Smith 1797 Lucius Hale 1800 Mrs. Frank Ives 1801 A. W. Brumaghin 1765 D. W. Greeley 180R Henry Schieffer 1805 B. J. Moore 1812 Joseph Johnson 1814 J. A. Glasnapp 1815 Fred Porter 1816 George Huckins 1819 Episcopal Rectory 1819 J. H. R. Bishop 182'i S. A. Hale 18?& D. S. Bristol 1845 T. S. French 1868

6 Historic Spots Marked Jinney Hill Mine Site of Ye Old Whipping Post on the Green Site of Old Hough Mill .. Last of the Old Schoolhouses Captain Lucius Tuttle's Brick Kiln Old Canal Lock and Lock House

6 Historic Papers Presented

Cheshire Roots Are to Be Found in New Haven

OME eighteen years after New Haven had lost its dis­ tinction as a Colony, but had become an important STown of the Connecticut Colony, and had been con­ firmed in its ownership of the Indian lands, it began to con­ sider ways and means of providingl'land and employment for the large population within its borders. To this end, some of the chief inhabitants and magistrates held meetings and decided to "erect a village upon our land being above ye great plane", but this could not be done without the consent of the "General Courte". The following record of a session held at Hartford October 10, 1667 gives permission in the following resolutions: "Upon the motion of deputies of New Haven, this Courte grants the Towne of New Haven liberti to make a village on ye East River, if they are capable for such a thing, provided they settle a village there within four years from M·ay next." It is not easy for us of these days to understand all the discussions and preparations made. It was evident that many men, sons of the original settlers of New Haven, were desirous of making homes for themselves, but there was no starting out for themselves a .. d settling when they pleased allowed, so we find a town meeting was held in New Haven, and a committee appointed to arrange the preliminaries for a village settlement. This committee issued an agreement for the signatures of those proposing' to become inhabitants of the new village, and this document can still be found in the records of the town clerk's office in Wallingford. It was signed by 39 persons, a sufficient number in the opinion of the committee, to establish the proposed village. Eleven of the signers did not "possess their lots" and they were assigned to other applicants. Everything was done in an orderly way, as one would

7 expect from a committee composed of New Haven magis­ trates and leading men, and an orderly document dated New Haven 31st of June 1669 was formulated, in which it was a-greed that a committee to oversee the plantation affairs, namely Mr. Samuel Street, John Moss, John Brockett, and Abraham Doolittle should be empowered to manage all plantation affairs, according to the written articles concern­ ing the church matters, and receiving of planters; agreeing also that the said articles being accepted, the company and all others admitted as planters among them should enjoy their accommodations and lands without "payment of pur­ chase money to New Haven, to themselves, their heirs and assigns forever, so far as concerns the New Haven Town's purchase within the Village bounds, the said Town of New Haven Consenting Thereto." This document was signed by William Jones, Matthew Gilbert, William Bradley, John Harriman, John Humiston and Abraham Dickerman for New Haven, they being the Lieut. Governor, magistrates and principal men. A study of ancient records shows why our ancestors con­ sidered the planting of a new village a "Very good under­ taking." New Haven had been established 30 years; the country northwards was almost an unbroken forest, infested by Indians and wild animals, such as wolves, bears, cata­ .. mounts, etc. Though the Indians living in the vicinity of New Haven were friendly, certain tribes of Indians living far to the northward began to infest the white settlements about the time of the Wallingford agreement, causing the friendly Indians to become restless and creating a fear among New Haven and Wallingford people of danger, against which ample precautions must be taken. The bounds of New Village were defined thus at a Court of Election held at Hartford, May 12, 1670 "this Courte having been: moved to state ye Bounds of ye New Village upon ye planes, as you goe to New Haven. Do grant that ye Bounds shall come from ye little Brook at the South end of ye great plane, to ye Northward Ten Miles and from the said Brook Southward to Branford bounds, and on each side of the River five miles-that is five miles on ye East side and five miles on ye West side of ye River, provided ye said Village be carried on and made a plantation without any relation of subordination to any other Town, and, provided the Bounds hereby granted to ye said Village do not pre­ judice any Bounds formerly granted to .any Plantation or particular person, or do not extend to ye North any further than to reach the old road to New Haven that goeth over

8 Pilgrim's Harbour And this Courte orders ye plantation shall be called Wallingford". Ten years later it was granted to Wallingford by this Court that the bounds should be ex­ tended to the Westward of the former grant "Too Miles." The committee appointed by New Haven showed great competency in its work of laying out the town. From the Old Colony Road, cross-highways were laid out over the hill and a highway from north to south on which house lots were marked out, two of which were given to each man. A piece of land was left for a "Plantingfield," about 40 acres, then more house lots and lots set aside for "ye minis­ try." It was ordered by the committee that "no person or persons whatsoever that hath any land granted to them within the "libertys" of the Town should have liberty to sell, grant, let or in any way alienate it from himself or any other to bring him or others to be inhabitants without the consent of the Committee in charge or their successors in the man­ agement to the town". It was agreed that the town rate or taxes should be laid upon such sums of money which each settler should de­ clare he was willing "to pay rates for" and rank was settled as follows: Highest rank to pay on £100; middle rank on £70; and lowest rank on £50. In the first division of lands to each householder, taking in house lots, river lots and all lots of land, lowest rank received 40 acres, middle rank 60 acres and highest rank 80 acres. In the Spring of 1672-3 so many persons had built homes and fenced in their allotments, the authorities in New Haven concluded the inhabitants of Wallingford could safely con­ duct their own affairs; the committee resigned in May' and from then on the community was governed by its own town meetings at which the people elected their own officers and a record was made by prominent inhabitants pledging them­ selves to "carry on ye Town in an orderly manner." And at last Wallingford, whose bounds extended from what is now Southington to New Haven (now Hamden) and from Middletown (now Durham) on the east, to Waterbury bounds on the west was "on its own", and a committee, namely John Moss, Sr., and John Brockett, Abraham Doolittle, Sr., Nathaniel Merriman, Sr., and John Hall, Jr., were appointed to approve the admission of new planters; and they examined the credentials of all new applicants, accepting or rejecting them, as they saw fit. But no outsider was permitted to become a proprietor; he was only allowed the land he purchased and had no rights

9 in the undivided land or in any division of the land later to be made. And the village grew and the young men and maidens began to think of homes for themselves. For some years country planters having land allotted to them had obtained "liberty of ye town" to exchange with '! each other their near at home land for other land they deemed more desirable for cultivation. They would go in parties of eight with "Proper arms into ye wilderness" and finding a suitable spot for their purpose would plant corn, cut hay, fell timber and do other farm work, protecting themselves at night in rude huts, if they found themselves at too great a distance from the town to reach it before sun- set. Previous to the troubles with the French, a number of their small parties had explored the neighborhood of Wallingford and records show the earlier of many explora- tions to have been to the westward of the "Blew Hills" across the "New Haven East River" to the valley of the Mill River "that goeth toward the New Haven bounds". This region was appropriately named "Ye Fresh Meddow" and was favorably known to the planters as early as 1680-1690, and to their full grown sons who assisted them in gathering hay and cutting staves in that part of the Wallingford settlement. Later it was called West Farms, and surveyors Curtis and Yale were authorized to "lay out land" to such persons who should take up their second division land for similar allotment in the undivided land on the "West Side of ye Great River over by West Rocks." But a layout of land did not permit the planter to locate himself and family upon the land laid out to him. It simply gave him a prior right to a particular spot he had chosen as suitable for him or his sons to cultiv,ate and improve when the war clouds should have passed. In a copy of the "layouts" we find one issued in 1688 to Samuel Hall, Grandfather of the Rev. Samuel Hall, which adjoined his "First Choyce" in this part of Cheshire and which was on the West side of Mill River half a mile above "Scots Rock." A year before in 1687 Samuel Hall's brother had 111 acres laid out to him upon "ye plane above ye rock commonly called Scots Rock." In like manner, but three of four years after "Fresh Meddow" was frequented, land was laid out to planters who had gone up the river to the northwards of the Fall Plain division, now Hanover and South Meriden, but there is no record of any settlement until after the war with the French and Indians. The paternal government at W·allingford

10 would not permit such sparse settlements either there or elsewhere until confident they would not be molested. Finally at a town meeting held April 24, 1694, Sergeant Thomas Curtis and Ebenezer Clark were chosen to "per­ ambulate ye bounds between New Haven and Wallingford on ye West side of ye river to the end of our bounds." And at the same time "ye Deputys" (to the General Court) were to search the public records at Hartford "to know whether the grant of the General Court to Wallingford township or ye grant of Waterbury township be ye eldest, and to make return to ye town." Evidently the deputies found Walling­ ford's grant to be the older, for a later record says Water­ bury's claim was thrown out of Court, or in the exact words, it was voted to "eject ye same." Much confusion arose over boundary troubles, over lay­ outs made by the surveyors, who would give a certificate to the planter to have it signed by two of the townsmen before it could be recorded. It frequently happened that the other surveyor would be asked to lay out a plan for another planter and he would sometimes

11 West side of ye river". This prevented planters from settling on the west side of the river at this time, and a two rod highway "below Dr. Hull's field for the Town's Yuse" gave an outlet in a northerly direction on the west side of the river. In 1701 the town voted to have two draft ways, one on the west side of the' river out by Benjamin Hull's "to run westward to the South side of Brod Swamp, ye other at ye North side of ye Brod Swamp", and this opened up Cheshire Street. At this same town meeting, it was also voted to have a highway from the middle bridge somewhere near Goodman Beach's in the most convenient place over the farms to the "Eastward of the West Rocks for foot persons and saddle horses, the way to be two rods wide, where it is not already laid out." This will be recognized! as the one that now stops in front of the Green on the south side of the Town Hall. About this time a war broke out known as Queen Anne's War. It lasted 11 years, and Connecticut joined with New York to repel the French and their Indian allies. The latter made frequent raids and caused much alarm in all parts of the country; therefore, settlers preferred to live in settled communities, and this is doubtless the reason why so few grants were taken up within our limits at this time. In 1706 a "horse bridge" was voted over the river, re­ placing an old one, and during this year a promising settle­ ment was made and better homes built at the West Farms, by which name the lower part of the town was known. Fence viewers were appointed this year for particular land unclaimed on the west side of the river, and the next year a twenty rod highway was voted to John Cook, Joseph Ives and Benjamin Beach. This road ran to the south part of the town coming out on the present farm of Mrs. Oviatt, and doubtless westward over to the West Rocks, now Pros­ pect. It was a great convenience and encouraged settlers, some of whom came into this part of the Town from: New Haven, Hamden, Milford and other towns; many of these men purchased their land and some had grants. In 1712 the Town granted and the General Court ap­ proved of a Company or Train Band which was officered by Oaptain John Merriman, Lieut. Joseph Doolittle and Ensign Samuel Munson. It was about this time that a rumor spread that John Parker had found copper, and perhaps other precious metals on his farm; and John Parker lived on the west side of the river, and as the story grew with repetition, the authorities began to take notice; a· committee was appointed and an

12 investigation made. At the May session of the General Court legislation was enacted which gave to the proprietors all the legal rights belonging to them in the mines "lately discov­ ered." Having secured that legal right, we would expect to find that they worked it for all it was worth, but there is no record of any great amount of copper being found. In May, 1712 some men of the Province of Massachusetts Bay entered into an agreement for opening of "Mines in said Town", but they fade from the picture and in June 1714 we find this town record "Ye proprietors agreed to give John Parker ten shillings in case said Parker be forever hereafter quite and entrusted with respect to ye mine money." There is no doubt that the interest excited among Massa­ chusetts men led to William Merriam of Lynn, Mass., coming to Wallingford, where he bought a farm of Thomas Matthews, lying "near ye mines." This was an eventful year in our history, for the Mother Town of Wallingford voted to have that land "sized or surveyed." It was divided in half mile strips by one mile wide, was to flank upon the north west line of the bounds and runs from the Cheshire line until it comes to Farm­ ington, i. e. Southington bounds. The increasing number of inhabitants caused another division of lands granted only to proprietors admitted as such, and that one heir only was to pitch for one proprie­ tor. Another. trouble now arose; the Town had voted that all the school children should pay two shillings a head, and the rest of the money due the schoolmaster was to be paid out of the town treasury. Twelve dissenters to this vote were all West Farm men, and the meeting must have discussed this to a late hour, for they agreed and voted "That no voat shall pass or be putt after sunset in towTh meeting." And to please us, it was also voted to have a man beat the drum on Thursday night or Friday morning proclaiming "Town Meeting next Tuesday at eight o'clock." A memorial was presented to the next town meeting, asking liberty to keep a school according to law, and a pro­ portionable amount of ye county money was to be looked up by a committee. The "Bounds" were 4 miles west from river and about a mile east of the present church, i. e. from Timothy Tuttle's to Timothy Beach's. Still unsatisfied, we petitioned the General Court in 1718 to be made into a village-the signers of this petition being Thomas Brooks, Stephen Hotchkiss and Matthew Bellamy. Wallingford in opposing it said among other things, that

13 "it will be greatly detrimental to ye Towne and we believe ye great wisdom and providence of the Assembly will never destroy a Towne to make a Village." The committee ap­ pointed by the General Court found we had taxable estates to the value of 2000 and forty-five families, twenty or more of whom were against breaking off from the town, and so the committee thought it best "that the said farms continue still with the Town of Wallingford." But we were growing. The wars were over, houses were being built. We had obtained some small school privileges. Our only drawback was being obliged to go over to town on the Sabbath or town meeting days and being fined two- ' pence for not attending. We were becoming a power in the town. We had set up a cider mill, possessed a pound, had our own highway surveyors and fence viewers. Continuing to grow in numbers, but still orderly in our proceedings, we went to church regularly, and took our turn at keeping up the "Grave". In 1721-22 the town voted a committee should see about the West Farms having a proportionable part of the school money, and finally voted 1722-3 a farthing on each pound of ye Town vote, for the benefit of the children living at the Farms, and at the same time granted liberty to "ye farmers" on the west side to hire a minister for six months, and voted to give them £6. The farmers on the west side were now sufficiently numerous to obtain pretty much all they wished and so again renewed their attempt to be made a village, going this time directly to the town and not the Assembly, and at last at a town meeting held April 23, 1723, it was voted that "there shall be a village on ye West side of ye river" and the bounds laid. The first meeting of the society was held May 3 of that year, under the name of the "West Society in Wallingford" and Joseph Thomson was appointed clerk, but the modera­ tor is not known. The only business was the appointment of Thomas Brooks, Joseph Thompson and John Hitchcock to lay their petition before the General Assembly "for a con­ firmation of what the Town has granted us irr order for a Village". The Assembly gave the requisite authority. From a careful survey of maps, the line was about a mile east of the present town line, and includes part of the Town of Meriden, now South Meriden. The next thing was to settle upon a site for the meeting house, and we voted to hire a minister for six months and to meet on the Sabbath in Thomas Brooks' house, and further agreed to hire Mr. Hall to preach six months and appointed

14 Stephen Hotchkiss to "set the Psalms". Not agreeing on a site for the meeting house, Thomas Brooks, John Hitchcock and Nathaniel Bunnell were appointed to petition the Gen­ eral Assembly to appoint a committee for this purpose, and Samuel Bishop of New Haven, Capt. Samuel Clark of Mil­ ford and Capt. John Riggs of Derby fixed upon a site, but no report of their choice is to be found. It is supposed however, that it was a little south of the late W. A. Lanyon's house. It was called "New Cheshire Parish" a name no doubt pro­ posed by Thomas Brooks, because he fathered most propos­ als and was himself from Cheshire, England. And now with the gift from Wallingford of one half its original territory granted it in 1670, a minister and church of its own, schools, highway surveyors and Train Band, one would suppose satisfaction would reign. But the town was still the supreme authority and the people had to attend town meetings, pay their share of the town taxes, help build roads and bridges, resolved upon by the town vote. The minister of a parish could not marry, and the young folk had to go to the minister of the town or to some magistrate. Our records were first taken down on slips of paper, but five years later, the clerk was paid five shillings for entering the votes into the Book of Records. The coming of Benjamin Hall, the brother of the Rev. Samuel Hall, and Elnathan Beach proved of much help to our little parish. Young men of comparative worth and edu­ cation, they established homes here. Benjamin Hall near the present home of A. L. Hayward and Elna,than Beach on the road from Ives Corner to Wallingford, known now as the Cook Hill Road, about opposite Mrs. E. C. Andrews home. Benjamin Hall received the appointment as magistrate in 1732, and solved one of the parish difficulties, for he could settle disputes and marry couples. The parish met with a great loss in 1732 when the small pox broke out and before it was recognized, and the patients properly treated, many women and children and some of the leading men had been carried off by the disease, and it even almost persuaded some to give up the parish. But Benjamin Hall carried a memorial to the Assembly in be­ half of sundry families, and £50 was voted out of the "pub­ lick treasury to be distributed by the deacons of the church with the advice of the pastor" and Wallingford also helped by laying a special rate on the list. In 1735 it was voted to build a new church and again the Assembly was appealed to to fix the site, and established it on the "North East corner" of the Rev. Mr. Hall's lot.

15 This location was partly on the present Green, and partly on the present highway, east of our Soldier's Monument. In 1749 New Cheshire Parish applied for Town privi­ leges in vain. In 1753 the French War brought to the front Col. Benjamin Hall and Amasa Hitchcock, who both held Commissions and Reuben Hitchcock, a soldier who was killed not far from Montreal. At this time 220 heads of families were living in Cheshire. Several later attempts at being made a Town were fruitless, but in 1779 when we applied sentiment had changed, we were able to secure almost anything we asked for, and town meetings were frequently held over here, for we had some very important men among us, Benjamin Hall, Elnathan Beach and Samuel Beach, who was often moderator of the town meetings. So when an appeal was made to be set off a distinct town, but little opposition was made. In April 1780 the. request was granted and New Cheshire voted to accept the report of the committee of the town. Samuel Beach, Reuben Atwater and Mr. John Peck appeared before the Assembly which approved the agreement between Wallingford and New Cheshire, and gave the town the name of Cheshire, which was to belong to the lOth Regi­ ment, to furnish soldiers in the army, as other towns, and the Assembly also empowered a justice to grant a warrant for a town meeting, to elect its town officers to be held in June 1780. In the agreement with Wallingford, Cheshire was to care for the town poor who lived in this parish. There seems to have been no public rejoicing as might have been expected, but Cheshire had many problems con­ fronting it. Committees had to be appointed to see that the soldiers' quota was filled, their families looked after and various other matters had to be settled. School districts were laid out and committees on highway encroachments appointed and a thousand and one things for which Cheshire was now responsible had to be properly looked after. Cheshire sent two delegates to the convention which voted on the United States Constitution, one of whom voted for it, the other against it; and in 1794 voted against the sale of the western lands, as proposed at that time. In 1801 the turnpike was put through and for the first time Cheshire had a highway through the center of the town; this changed the appearance somewhat, for the old highway in the north part of the town was quite a bit to the east to the turnpike, and many houses stood with their backs to the turnpike for many years.

16 L '

In the War of 1812 Gen. Andrew Hull, it is said, took one hundred men to New Haven to work. on the defences for that city, and among those from here who served elsewhere during the war we find the names of Moses Bellamy, Silas Bellamy, Micah Ward, Rufus Cook, Merriman Cook, Azariah Winchell, Leverett Carrington, Samuel Atwater and Rodney Smith. Cheshire's vote in 1817 on the State Constitution was 101 yeas, 29 nays. An event of importance to the town was the building of the canal in 1827. Prospect which had remained with Cheshire( as a parish in spite of many pleas to be allowed to become a separate town, finally won consent from Cheshire and was incorpor­ ated in May 1827. Cheshire which had practically stood still between 1815 and 1835 owing to the fact that so many of its young men had gone forth to make homes in the West, and North, re­ vived with the opening of the mines, 1835, which gave em­ ployment to hundreds of. native and foreign miners who were paid more than two millions of dollars for their labor, during the years until1877, when mining closed. A military company was formed here in the late 50's known as the Putnam Guards and later the Russell Rifles was formed, and eventually made the nucleus of Co. A of the 20th Regiment, which served three years in the Civil War. Upon its return a dinner and reception was given it by the town, at which Hon. George A. Jarvis, a native son of Cheshire offered to give a thousand dollars toward a monument, in memory of those who lost their lives in the Rebellion, if another thousand was raised by the towns­ people. The matter was taken up eagerly and more than another thousand given, and the monument on the Green was dedicated July, 1866, with appropriate ceremonies. Cheshire now found the need of a Town Hall, and in 1867 the present building was erected, and opened by a dance January 1st, 1868. In 1880 our Centennial Celebration was held Thursday, October 14th. Among the speakers were Hon. N. D. Sperry of New Haven, Rev .. Daniel March of Massachusetts, Wm. Beach Lawrence, L.L.D., of Newport, R.I., and our own His­ torians E. R. Brown and J. P. Beach. In 1894 was cele·brated the first settlement made here. Hon. Herbert Benton of New Haven made the principal address, and E. R. Brown gave a historical sketch of Cheshire.

17 And we close this paper with a verse from a poem written by John R. Paddock and read on that day.

"Not in some outward building Not in the form men see Our work is most enduring­ But in its quality. The work we do will perish, The Spirit of our lives Through ever changing ages Alone, unchanged, survives."

18 ...... J

Cheshire Men in the Revolution

UCH can be said about these men who fought for our freedom, but as time will not permit, I will try to be M brief and to the point. On Friday, April 21, 1775, news reached New Haven that a detachment of English troops had marched from Boston to Concord to seize military stores. This was known as the "Lexington Alarm" and created great excitement. The men who answered this call to arms were Gideon Bristol, Caleb Hulls, Samuel Hulls, Enos Ives, Samuel Merriman and Daniel Smith. The latter is credited with serving 34 days, while the others served only 8. Additional records of these men and many others who served in the Revolution during the 2nd and 3rd calls will be found in the list which follows: Enos Andrews, priV'. 9th Co., 1st state Regt., priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 2nd and 3rd call 6 mons. Amos Andrews, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 2nd Regt., April 25, 1777, for war; 3rd call 6 mos. Isaac Atwater, died in camp 1776. Stephen Atwater, priv. 4th Co., Bradley's Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Ephraim Atwater, died in camp 1776. Reuben Atwater, Major lOth militia at Danbury, April 25th-28th, 1777; resigned May, 1777. Nathaniel Bunnell, 2nd Lieut. 9th Co., 1st state Regt., Capt. 7th Co., 5th Bat., Capt. at Fishkill, Oct., 1777; Capt. lOth Regt. New Haven Alarm, July 5, 1779; 2nd and 3rd call 6 mons. Enos Bunnell, priv. 9th Co., 1st state, 1775; Re-enlisted and in 1776 time was out; enlisted at Durham under Capt. Arnold; 2nd and 3rd call, 6 mons. Samuel Bunnell, priv. 2nd Co., 7th Regt., 2nd call few mons. John Bunnell, was at West Point Sept. 15, 1781, Col. Canfield. Levi Bunnell, died in camp, 1777. John Benham, priv. 9th Co., 1st state, 3rd call 6 mons. Elnathan Beach, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. David Barnes, priv., enlisted 1777, Col. Livingston. Philip Blackesley, April 3, 1782 war; on row! Feb. 1, 1783. Ashbil Badger, died in camp 1776. Enos Brooks, Corporal 2nd Co., 7th Regt. Conn., 2nd call few mons.

19 Amasa Brooks, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Solomon Brooks, Corp. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. David Brooks, enlisted for 8 mons. or 1 year, 2nd Conn. Apr. 22, 1782 to Jan. 1, 1783. Bethuel Brooks, killed in battle, 1777. Gideon Bristol, priv. 7th Co., 1st state; priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat. in same Co. with Enos Bunnell. Lexington Alarm with Capt. Cook's Co., 2nd and 3rd call 6 mons. It is said he being one of the tall well built veterans was chosen by Washington to re­ ceive the arms of the British soldiers who surrendered at Yorktown. Reuben Bristol, priv. 2nd Co., 7th Regt., priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 2nd and 3rd call 6 mons. Benjamin Bristol, priv. 9th Co., 1st state., 3rd call 6 mons. Corporal Benjamin Bristol, New Cheshire, priv., enlisted, war, Jan., 1777, 6th Regt., Conn. line, Corp. Jan. 1, 1782; on the rowl Feb. 1, 1783. Abel Clark, Apr. 25, 1777, war, on the rowl Feb. 1, 1783. Stephen Clark, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Roswell Clark, enlisted 2nd Conn., Apr. 22, 1782 to Jan. 1, 1783, for 8 mons. or 1 year. Thaddeus Cook, Maj. 6th Regt. Conn. line, later Col. at Saratoga, Sept. and Oct. 1777; was at Danbury Apr. 25th to 28th 1777. Ephraim Cook, Capt. lOth Regt. New Haven Alarm, July 5, 1779; Capt. at Fishkill Oct. 1777. Isaack Cook, Jr., Capt. 7th Co., 1st Conn. state, Lieut. Col. lOth Regt., Danbury Apr. 25-28, 1777. 2nd call 3 mons. Caezar, negro, belonging to Maj. Thaddeus Cook, died in camp, 1777. Samuel Davis, enlisted 2nd Regt. for 8 mons. or 1 year Aprill4, 1782 to Jan. 1, 1783. Abraham Doolittle, priv. 9th Co., 1st state; priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 2nd and 3rd call 6 mons. Ambrose Doolittle, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Obed Doolittle, at West Point Sept. 15, 1781., under Col. Canfield. Silas Doolittle, at West Point Sept. 15, 1781, under Col. Canfield. Benjamin Fenn, Jr., Ensign 4th Co., 3rd Bat. Home Guards, last 1776 to Mar. 1777. John Field, pensioner 81 years old, living in Cheshire, 1840. Thomas Gaylord, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. John Gaylord, priv. 7th Co., 3rd call 6 mons. Silas Gaylord, probably a priv. in 7th Co., 5th Bat., no record of enlistment.

20 Eliab Hall, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons.; died Aug. 4th, 1776 in camp. Timothy Hall, Sergt. 4th Co., Bradley's, 3rd call 6 mons. Jonathan Hall, priv. 4th Co., Bradley's, Capt. Nov. 1776, Fort Washington; enlisted 6th Regt. May 19, 1777, for war; was at Yorktown surrender; consolidated into 2nd Regt. David Humiston, priv., enlisted for war Feb. 25, 1778, Col. Hazen. Ambrose Hine, 2nd Lieut. 1st Co., 5th Bat., Capt. lOth Regt., Danbury, April1777; Capt. at Fishkill Oct. 1777. Benjamin Hotchkiss, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call6 mons. Lent Hotchkiss, Corp. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Jason Hotchkiss, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Joshua Hotchkiss, at West Point Sept. 15, 1781, Col. Can- field, died in camp 1781. Isaac Hotchkiss, clerk, enlisted artificer, May 11, 1780, served to Dec. 31, 1781. Caleb Hulls, priv. Capt. Isaac Cook's Co. of Wallingford, 1st call 1775, Lexint. Samuel Hulls, Sr., priV'. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 1775. Andrew Hulls, priv. 9th Co. 1st state, 2nd call a few mons. Miles Hulls, 2nd Lieut. 7th Co., 5th Bat., Capt. lOth Regt. New Haven Alarm July 5, 1779. 3rd call 6 mons. Samuel Hulls, Jr., priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Dr. Amos Hulls, died in camp, 1776. No record of enlist­ ment. Lemuel Hitchcock, priv. 9th Co., 1st state, Sergt. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 2nd Lieut. 8th Regt. Jan. 1, 1777, Lieut. Mar. 10, 1778. Resigned May 20, 1779, 2nd and 3rd call 6 mons. Ichabod Hitchcock, priv. 9th Co., 1st state, 3rd call 6 mons. David Hitchcock, 1st, Ensign 7th Co., 5th Bat., Capt. lOth Regt. New Haven Alarm July 5, 1779, 3rd call. David Hitchcock, 2nd, Capt. lOth Regt. New Haven Alarm July 5, 1779. Amasa Hitchcock, 2nd Bat. Home Guards, 2nd Lieut. of 2nd Co., last of 1776 to Mar. 1777. Enos Ives, priv. 4th Co., Bradley's and 3rd call 6 mons. 7 days. Titus Ives, died in camp 1776. 3rd call 6 mons. Asa Ives, died in camp 1776. Jotham Ives, priv. 7th Co. , 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. William Jones, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. William Law, 2nd Lieut. 4th Co., 2nd Bat., from last of 1776 to Mar. 1777. Caleb Lewis, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Rufus Lines, at West Point, Sept. 15, 1781, Col, Canfield. Ralph Lines, was a prisoner before 1778. 21 Titus Moss, Lieut. Comt, 2nd Co., 7th Regt., promoted when Capt. Street Hall was appointed Col. of 19th Regt., 2nd call. Jesse Moss, Corp. 2nd Co., 7th Regt., priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., Capt. lOth Regt.; Capt. at Fishkill Oct. 1777, Danbury April, 1777. 2nd and 3rd call. Isaiah Moss, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Reuben Moss, enlisted 6th Regt., Apr. 1, 1777. Corp. 1781. Obed Moss, at West Point Sept. 15, 1781. Col. Canfield. William Monrow, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons., died Aug. 18, 1776 in camp. Icabod Merriams, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Samuel Merriam, Lexington Alarm, Capt. Cook of Walling­ ford, 8 days. William Merriam, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call. Killed in battle Sept. 16, 1776. Isaac Martin, priv. 9th Co., 1st state, 3rd call, a few mons. Eliada Matthews, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., enlisted artificers, May 18, 1780, discharged Dec. 31, 1781, 3rd call. Reuben Matthews, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Ether (Ethuriel) Matthews, enlisted artificers, May 18, 1780, war. Zereas Mix, enlisted 6th Regt. July 13, 1777. Deserted 1781, rejoined Apr. 1781. Jesse Mix, enlisted June 13, 1782, 2nd Regt., 3 years. Eldad Parker, priv. lOth Regt., killed in New Haven Alarm July 5, 1779. J oal Parker, died in camp 1776. Stephen Parker, a pensioner 81 years old living in Cheshire, in 1840. Charles Peck, Sergt. Col. Lamb's Artillery April 4, 1777 to 1781. No record of discharge. Jehial Peck, priv. 2nd Co., 7th Regt., Sergt. Lamb's Artillery April 10, 1777 to 1781. Lieut. Jan. 26, 1781. No record of discharge. · Benjamin Peck, drummer Lamb's Artillery Jan. 1, 1777 to 1780 and 1781. Eldad Porter, hired by Cheshire, Aprill6, 1781. Samuel Royce, priv. 4th Co., Bradley's, Capt. Nov. 1776, Fort Washington, 3rd call. Matthew Rice, artificers, enlisted Mar. 13, 1778, 3 years. Simeon Rice, hired by Cheshire July 16, 1781. Aaron Russell, priv. lOth Regt., killed in New Haven July 5, 1779. Asahel Roberts, at West Point Sept. 15, 1781. Col. Canfield. Josiah Smith, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., 3rd call 6 mons. Daniel Smith, Lexington Alarm, Capt. Cook, 34 days, en- listed 7th Regt. Feb. 1, 1777, war. Invalid 1780. 22 Ira Smith of Prospect in Co. of Enos Bunnell, 6 mons. Samuel Stowe, enlisted Mar. 19, 1777 war, 6th Regt. Samuel W. Stevens, at West Point Sept. 15, 1781. Col Canfield. Moses Tuttle, priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat. of Prospect in Co. with Enos Bunnell, 3rd call. Joseph Twist, artificers, enlisted Feb. 16, 1778 for 3 years. Jesse Thomson, 2nd Consol. Regt. Jan. 16, 1781, on rowl Feb. 1. 1783. Ebenezer Terrill, at West Point Sept. 15, 1781, Col. Canfield. Samuel Talmadge, enlisted as a drummer at Stratford, a pensioner 80 years living in Cheshire 1840. Nathaniel Tyler, artificers, May 27, 1780, War. Reuben Tyler, priv. 2nd Co., 7th Regt., priv. 7th Co., 5th Bat., died in camp 1777. 2nd and 3rd call. Gideon Webb, matross, Lamb's Artillery, Apr. 21, 1777 to 1780 and 1781. Elisha (Elijah) Wilmot, artificers May 18, 1780 war. Among others who served were Moses Bradley and his 6 sons Moses, Jr., Reuben, Oliver, Stephen Rowe, Thaddeus, and Lemuel, also Nathaniel I~es and his 6 sons Abraham, Nathaniel, Asa, J otham, Lent and Amasa. The following items of money paid to Revolutionary soldiers are taken from the first book of selectmen's accounts after Cheshire was made an independent town in 1780. For sarves in the state paid to James Beach, Reuben Williams, Josiah Talmadge, Samuel Bristol, Ira Hitchcock, J ehial Bunnie!, Mariman Cook, Theodorer Frisby, Hezekiah Hine, Phinahas Peck, J ese Hull, Zephaniah Hull, Ralph Doolittel, John Doolittel, Joseph Sperry, Joseph Matthews Jr. A bill to Asa Blacsley, and Aaron Newton for a tour in the sarvis of the Meleshy. Do to Amos Hitchcock, John Hull, Asahel Hitchcock, Samuel Abanather, Israel Bunni! and Aseal Hitchcock, for prising arms. Bill to Thomas Newton, Eliakim Hitchcock, Andrew Durran, Elias Hall, and .John Hotchkiss for provisions to Danbury. Bill to Moses Moss for hors, to Bennet Rise for pistol, Elisha Rise for bridil and holsters, to Ebenezer Doolittel for hay and oats, and to Benjamin Atwater for gun lost in the war. Bill to Reuben Rise, Amos Pearker, Diman Barnes, and Amasa Hall for carting to Fishkill. Bill to Abel Lewis, Volentine Hitchcock, Amos Mix, Capt. Lazarus Toles, Sharp Liberty, Andrew Clarke, Jason Hitch­ cock, Sam Burr, John Roberson, Jonah Webb and Moses Blakesly for their bounty. 23 ..

Industries of Cheshire, Connecticut

(The term "Industry" in this article, has been applied largely to manufacturing concerns, employing several op­ erators. Justice could not be done in a limited period of time, to recounting the number of one-man plants that have come and gone in Cheshire's history. The facts and dates given herein, are essentially correct, but the author cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of certain incidental data, secured through conversation with living residents, as it rests more upon memory, than upon legal record.)

HESHIRE as an agricultural community has long been known for its productive soil, and its beautiful scenery. C Its reputation as a center of industry and cradle of mechanical invention, however, has been given scant at­ tention in the past. And yet the records show that she has had more than her share of men with inventive genius, whose constructive ideas have revolutionized the laborious hand-methods of their day. Behind the first tillers of the soil, who pioneered west from Wallingford, came artisans and mechanics, who quickly took advantage of the abundant water-power, found everywhere on the new grant, to har­ ness it for grinding the public corn, and sawing the com­ mon lumber. Where each and all of the early mills were located, is not a matter of record today. The first recorded date of any industry in Cheshire is 1727 when we read that one Ephraim Cook, a cobbler "operated four tanning vats near the South West School District, together with a large bark mill, west of his house." We also know that over in the Moss Farms' section of the Ten Mile River, several industries flourished around the mid­ dle of the 18th century, including a grist mill, a saw mill and a large blacksmith shop. At the same time, further up the river, in what is now known as Mixville, there was a Tannery and Leather Works, that operated successfully for many years. Somewhat later, one Bethuel Flagg conducted a Card­ ing, Dressing and Fulling Works, at Moss Farms, where cloth of all kinds was produced, and, to quote the records, a broadcloth of very fine texture "was in great demand in Wallingford, Branford, and other large centers." Amos Baldwin also operated a similar plant, about the

24 ..

same time, in Mixville, where fine broadcloth was produced. (All prior or subsequent to War for Independence.) Later still, Norton Beach, Enos Gaylord and Hiram Brad~ ley successfully ran a Clothing Works, near the Lauren Cook place. Not until the beginning of the 19th century, however, did Cheshire's industries blossom out in great variety. In 1815 Dutton Beecher, in the north part of town, ran a factory that produced fanning mills in large quantitY. Mr. Beecher, later built the first known steamboat with a screw propellor attached to the bow. It required a year to construct and was launched in the old canal at Beechport, where Governor Foote, Dr. Cornwall, Dr. Foote and many notables were invited to accompany its maiden trip. Un~ fortunately the screw drive must have proved a failure, for we read they got no further than Hamden, where the Governor's party debarked and "came home on foot." But Mr. Beecher's idea was successfully copied later, and the principle is in use to this day in marine transportation. Just before the turn of the century, in the north west section of the town, near the present S. A. Hale farm, Capt. Lucius Tuttle operated a brick yard for quite a num~ her of years. Several buildings in Cheshire today, notably the building we now occupy, and the adjoining Roxbury Library, were built from Tuttle bricks. Apparently, the relatively small demand for bricks in this vicinity and re~ duction in the cost of transporting bricks by canal from New Haven, caused the final abandonment of the local pro~ ject. The first clock making in Cheshire was conducted by Reuben Merriman, about 1790 who, with his own hands built many "Grandfather" clocks, that were in great de~ mand. His shop was located on the present site of the Con~ gregational Church, and the same building is now the re~ sidence of H. W. Durand. Mr. Merriman would build his clocks in winter, and in the spring ship them by boat to New York, and accompany them from there to Virginia. He would load them on a mule team and deliver them in person to the wealthy Virginia planters. None were ever sold in Connecticut, but there is an interesting account of a prominent New York Clubman writing to Cheshire a few years ago, stating he had secured from his sister in the South as a family heirloom, a Grand~ father Clock with the name of "Reuben Merriman, Cheshire 1795", engraved on the face plate. Doubtless there are many Merriman clocks kept as priceless heirlooms in South~ ern homes today. 25 Over in the bend of the Quinnipiac River, which is now known as Cheshire Street, Seth DeWolf set up a small tin factory around 1815, where peddlers' wagons congregated each spring to load up with tin ware and travel to all parts of the country. About this same time, almost on the present Cheshire­ Prospect line, situated on the Ten Mile River, David R. Williams ran a small shop for the manufacture of suspender buckles, and metal dress trimmings. Some twenty years later, this property passed to Titus Mix who had several small shops strung along the river in the same locality. During the early years of the 19th century, Nathan Booth built a wood turning plant in Cheshire Street, where wooden parts for the first threshing machines were turned out, and assembled. He also made wagon wheels, and added a "Smithy" to tire the wooden rims. Over in the Moss Farms district, around 1830, a factory was started by Joel Moss to turn out hubs. These were large elm discs with holes in center. The factory was known as the Hub Works, and operated successfully for many years. A very interesting and lucrative business carried on in Cheshire for several generations was the manufacture of oyster kegs. Ninety years ago Amassa Preston operated .. as many as six shops in the south west part of town, while Thomas and John Brooks ran two cooperages near the canal at Beechport. Benajah Ives also operated cooper shops south of the center along the New Haven turnpike. These oyster kegs were small wooden barrels made of heavy staves holding from pints to gallons. They were all shipped to Fair Haven, where the oyster business along the Sound was concentrated. We are also told that at one time, the Cheshire coopers made wooden water bottles in the shape of half kegs to strap on as saddle bags. Orson Smith, grandfather of our illustrious townswoman, Miss Nettie Smith, came to Cheshire originally as a cooper, as did the father of H. W. Durand. Early last century there came to Cheshire an artist of repute in his day, named Thomas Kensett. Located in Che­ shire Street, he first painted bridges and trees on mirrors. With a Dr. Shelton, he undertook the manufacture of colored maps on a commercial scale, and employed quite a few young women most successfully in this unique industry. When color printing was invented, hand painting became an obsolete trade. Over on the Ten Mile River, near the present Cheshire-

26 Prospect line, around 1830, lived a man named William Mix. He owned several small shops with water-power rights on the river, and among other things he manufactured spoons and cutlery from Britannia metal. He discovered he could polish the rough metal more quickly by power than by the old method of hand rubbing. He took layers of cloth, strung and bolted them together on a shaft, and revolved them rapidly. Thus was invented the first rag buff wheel, which method is used to this day in cutting down and pol­ ishing the surface of metal. So famous did this process be­ come, that the valley was known as "Rag Hollow", and bears that name locally to this day. Contemporary with the Britannia ware industry in Rag Hollow, Sherman Blakeslee and Bennet Jeralds ran a sim­ ilar mill over in Cheshire Street, where they produced spoons and kitchen utensils successfully. In the year 1850, a charter was granted to the Cheshire Mfg. Co. located in West Ches"tVre beside the canal; and capitalized at $43,000.00. The three principal organizers were Chas. Hurd, Arad Welton, and Titus B. Ives. Arad Welton was its first president until his death in 1870, and he was followed by N. T. Porter of New York who pre­ ceded Thomas Porter, its third president. In 1900, the Cheshire Mfg. Co. merged with the Ball & Socket Fastener Company and incorporated under the name of the Ball & Socket Mfg. Company with a capital stock of $150,000.00. The product of the original company was largely fancy dress buttons, but the new organization de­ voted most of its efforts to the manufacture of snap fas­ teners for gloves and ladies' dresses. In 1899 Mr. W. S. Richardson of Boston was elected President, and upon his death in 1924, Mr. Frederick A. Ives, who had served the company as secretary and treas­ urer since 1887, was elected to the office of president. His recent and sudden demise is a severe loss to the company he served so faithfully for fifty-four years, and to the com­ munity of Cheshire where he lived his entire life of seventy­ five years. In 1853, John and Titus Mix, relatives of Wm. Mix, or­ ganized the Mix Mfg. Company to carry on the manu­ ... facture of Britannia ware, and small household accessories . Several years prior to their incorporation, they had acquired the factory of Edw. A. Cornwall at the second lock on the canal, and produced coffee mills and kitchen utensils. When the canal was abandoned in 1846, they moved back to Rag Hollow, and continued manufacturing bits, augers,

27 .. gimlets, and dress findings, notably clay buttons, under the name of the Mix Mfg. Co. Later the Peck, Stowe and Wil­ cox Company bought out the business and subsequently moved the industry to Southington. In 1853, a charter was granted to the Hitchcock Mfg. Co. Its plant wa~ located in West Cheshire, north of the Cheshire Mfg. Co. site, and when erected, was considered, for its day, an unusually "large and spacious establishment." To the present generation it was known, before being de­ molished, as the Jim Harry plant. The Hitchcock Co. successfully manufactured suspenders and web goods for several years. In 1857 they sold out to the Waterbury Suspender Co. and the industry was transferred to that city. Some years later, the Danbury Hat Co. occupied the premises for a short time, but eventually moved to Danbury. An industry on the Ten Mile River, while not actually in Cheshire, but identified with this community, was the J er­ alds & Lawton Co. who were in operation around 1865, engaged in the manufacture of sewing machine needles. Their original product was a patented wire ferrule, and even after they abandoned making ferrules and needles, the factory operated as late as 1890, making knife handles for the Meriden Cutlery Co. In 1866 on the Ten Mile River in Mixville, the Cheshire 1 Brass Co. built a mill for rolling sheet brass and wire. It was incorporated for $40,000.00 and R. N. Welton was its first superintendent. The plant was operated successfully for many years under a series of prominent local men, un­ til the turn of the century, when shortly thereafter the con­ trol passed to Waterbury interests. When the World War created an inflated demand for brass mills and brass prod­ ucts, Mike Keeley of Waterbury sold the property to a New York Corporation for the ;reputed price of $75,000.00. The new management, called the Conn. Brass & Mfg. Co. sent C. P. Lyman to Cheshire as superintendent, and while the war lasted, the mill did a thriving business. In 1920, however, it went into the hands of receivers, and was sold to Waterbury parties, who have practically abandoned the plant. Mention is here made of the "Match Factory" over the Cheshire line, below the J eralds & Lawton plant. In 1865 it was operated by Wilcox Tyler & Bronson in making and boxing wooden sulphur matches. Later Ives & Bagley ran the business. At the time it sold out to the Match Trust in 1885, E. P. Dunham was its superintendent. After the Danbury Hat Co. left town, Samuel Hitchcock, 28 in 1868, fitted up the old Hitchcock factory, to make cloth braid and tape. The company was called the American Braid Co., but after operating for only a few months, it went into the hands of receivers, and the property event­ ually passed to Thomas Porter. At one time Timothy Guilford ran a small button works in the Hitchcock plant, and produced, on a limited scale, glass and vegetable ivory buttons. On the present site of the Cheshire Grain & Coal Co., back in 1870, the Cheshire Hardware Mfg. Co. built a fac­ tory and engaged in the manufacture of axes, hatchets and edged tools. Howard C. Ives was its president, and its manager and superintendent was Charles Rugg. So closely associated with the factory was Mr. Rugg, that in time, it was called the "Rugg Shop" in his memory. During the late 70's, the factory building burned to the ground, but was rebuilt again. E. P. D,unham was superin­ tendent at the time the business was absorbed by the Peck, Stowe & Wilcox Co. They maintained the industry here until the plant burned down again in 1883, when the busi­ ness was transferred to Southington. Down in Brooksvale, near the present residence of Charles Ward, George Brooks and H. Scott built a factory, in 1878, for the manufacture of hair pins. They built their own wire forming machines and operated very successfully for ten years, in spite of a fire which demolished their original building north of the road. After moving to Naugatuck they returned to Cheshire, but discontinued manufacture shortly thereafter. In 1883 several prominent citizens of Cheshire organized the Cheshire Watch Co. It was capitalized at $100,000 and operated in a fine brick building in the center of the town, east of the New Haven Turnpike. George J. Cape­ well was its first president, E. R. Brown its secretary, and D. A. A. Buck its superintendent. Arthur Hotchkiss had just invented a new principle in watch construction, consisting of a single central pinion action, and the Cheshire Watch Co. paid him $50,000 for his patent. If the Company had had sufficient capital the watch would have been a financial success, but lack of funds hampered production and the history of the company is a story of continual struggle to improve their watch making machinery without sufficient volume of sales to carry their operating expenses. Arthur Reeves followed D. A. A. Buck as superintendent and in 1887 Mr. Oehls from New York was put in charge of pro­ duction. Trying to meet competition by adding a second hand to the satisfactory watch they were then producing, 29 proved too great a financial burden and the company finally closed its doors in 1891. Mention should be made of the inventive genius of George J. Capewell, president of the Watch Co. He it was who in­ vented the Giant Nail Puller used to this day for drawing nails from wooden cases. He invented and manufactured the first Giant Nail Pullers in a small shop where Dailey's garage stands. His most famous invention, however, was a machine for making complete, the present day horseshoe nail. Its method of manufacture is still the same since the original patents were granted, and the company he formed in Hartford, Conn., has done a flourishing business since its very inception. Following his termination of employment with the Che­ shire Watch Co., D. A. A. Buck formed a company of his own in 1883, capitalized at $15,000.00 and located in West Cheshire at the old Cheshire Hardware Mfg. Co. plant. Mr. Buck was president, E. T. Cornwall, secretary, and H. H. Rice, treasurer. Mr. Buck is credited with the original idea of the long coiled spring primary action for watches, which later made the Waterbury Watch famous the world over. The com­ pany made a great variety of toy novelties, and was most ~uccessful, until foreclosure proceedings on the building which they did not own, caused the company to move to New Haven in 1890. It is still a successful concern there, under the name of the New Haven Novelty Co. In 1884 Arthur Hotchkiss and others organized the Che­ shire Clock Co., and incorporated for $25,000.00. They built a large wooden factory near the site of the Cheshire Watch Co. plant, and the same building is now the Grange Hall. The new 'company was unsuccessful from the start, and never actually reached production. Finally in 1888 they suspended operations entirely, after part of their building had been demolished by a terrific windstorm. In 1885 Henry Rice secured the financial backing of John S. Foote, and started making a patented medicine known as ''Rice's Electric Liniment". The last building in School street was the home of this industry, and besides the lini­ ment made there, they produced Dun's Waterproof Shoe Polish. The company was small and only operated for three or four years. In 1887 James Harry purchased the old Hitchcock Mfg. Co. plant in West Cheshire, and engaged in the manu­ facture of light carriage parts, and wood turnings. As late as 1920, Mr. Harry rented the premises to an unsuccessful

30 toy aeroplane company, but in 1929 the building was finally demolished, as its dilapidated condition made it a serious fire hazard in the neighborhood. Down beside the Brooksvale R. R. Station around 1900, a small plant known as the Witch Hazel Factory was set up and operated until the best of the elder trees in that section were cut down. It was called a "factory" but in reality all it did was to cut up the elder poles and load them on the box cars. It never employed over half a dozen hands at any time. In 1913, along the abandoned Waterbury-Cromwell R. R. line, at the Notch, the York Hill Trap Rock Co. started a quarry, which, with the exception of a few World War years, has operated successfully down to the present time. This industry is owned and controlled entirely by Meriden interests. In 1916 A. C. Dayton built a factory behind his residence on the New Haven Turnpike to manufacture ferrules and phonograph needles. He operated successfully with his son until his tragic death in.1929. During the War, in 1916, Otto Moeckel of Waterbury set up an automobile painting and finishing shop in Mixville, beside the old Cheshire Brass Co. plant. He did quite a suc­ cessful business there for a year or two. Mention of course should be made of Cheshire's Wildcat Oil Well. Started, as a speculation rather than with any certainty of finding oil, in the heart of industrial Connecti­ cut, several promotors from Virginia leased hundreds of acres of land about town in all sections. North of the trol­ ley bridge, over the Northampton R. R. line in West Che­ shire, they sunk a well in 1919. They went down several thousand feet, far below salt water, but never succeeded in striking oil. After a year and a half, Mr. Wm. Parshall, the superintendent, loaded up what drills were not still lost in the bottom of the hole, and returned to Virginia. In May 1925 a new industry, called the Alchrome Bearing & Casting Co., located in Cheshire, and built a fine modern foundry plant south of the Ball & Socket Co., on the east side of the Northhampton R. R. The Company had every prospect of success from sale of the patented bearing metal mixtures, developed by Mr. J. M. Schwartz, its superin­ tendent, when his sudden death deprived them of his genius in bearing metal problems. The company struggled on for several years thereafter, but were forced to close the plant when the depression came, for lack of sufficient operating capital. In 1923 the plant of Otto Moeckel in Mixville was taken 31 over by the Shattuck & Jones Co. They enlarged the build­ ing and developed quite a business in cabinet making and wood turning. At one time they employed fifteen hands, but with the decline of buying in 1928, they became finan­ cially embarrassed, and the following year closed out their business, and disposed of all their equipment. The honor of being the baby industry of Cheshire goes to the Cheshire Metal Goods Co. In 1932 they leased the A. C. Dayton plant, and have been operating successfully ever since they started. A. E. Scovill and Al. Olsen are the owners and managers of the business. In closing this account of Cheshire Industries, mention certainly should be made of the mining activities that once flourished here. From early accounts one reads that the settlers in New Cheshire were certain that under their soil lay hidden wealth in rare metals, and precious stones. As far back as 1710, surface out-croppings of copper were dis­ covered in the southeastern part of the Grant and shafts were sunk as far down as early mining could go without encountering water. Further north, in Copper Valley, cop­ per was found, and the valley gained its name from that fact. But it was the barytes mines in Cheshire that made the locality famous, a century ago, and brought Cornish miners by the hundreds over from the old country to this little New England community. In 1840 an old colored mammy, called "Jinney" found some beautiful stones on the side of a hill near her cabin, and when examined by Prof. Silliman of Yale, were pro­ nounced sulphate of barytes or heavy spar. There was a large market for this material at that time and N. H. Gas­ ton, Joel Hunt and others of New Haven organized a com­ pany and began mining at the Jinny Hill site, on the Amos Bristol farm. James Lanyon was superintendent of the mines, and when the Stamford Mining Co. bought out the original mining company, they retained him as general manager. For twenty years barytes mining was conducted on a large scale. Shafts were sunk as deep as 500 feet, and tun­ nels almost a mile in length followed the three distinct north, south and central veins. Over five hundred miners were employed at one time, and sixty to seventy tons of ore were excavated daily. It was estimated that over four and a half million dollars worth of barytes was taken from one mine in a single year, and the miners' pay-roll exceeded thirty thousand dollars a month. When the Jinny Hill mines began to run out, the Stamford

32 Co. purchased the Capt. Peck mines in the northwestern section of the town, and operated them under the super­ vision of James Lanyon and his two brothers Joseph and Henry. Operating became more expensive and difficult, as the veins shrunk, and eventually in 1878, when the tariff on imported barytes was removed, the Stamford Co. closed its mines in Cheshire and the industry was abandoned. This concluded the chronological report of the major in­ dustries of Cheshire. It is doubtful if her future history will record so many, or so diverse a number of manufacturing projects, as she has nourished in the past. Centralization of power and broader labor markets, tend to lure industrial activity to larger centers. But she may look with pride to the record of inventive genius, left by her former sons, for it is a fitting background to her present wealth in orchard and garden. May she always have her measure of industry and trade as a counterpart to her perpetual glory in clus­ tered homes and shaded streets. C. A. Goddard

33 Agriculture in Cheshire

GRICULTURE in Cheshire evidently was born about 1676 to 1680. Before permanent settlement was made A sundry planters in Wallingford obtained "Liberty of Ye Town" to exchange with cash or otherwise, their near home outlands for other lands they deemed more suitable for culti­ vation. Quoting from early history they would go in parties of eight with proper arms into the wilderness (that is Cheshire which came to be known as West Farms.) Finding a suitable spot for their purpose they would plant corn, cut hay, fell timber and do other farm work. The earl­ iest of these expeditions evidently came across north of the Mt. Carmel Sleeping Giant Hills then known as the Blue Hills to South Cheshire and Brooksvale. This region was appropriately called "Ye Fresh Meadows" bordering on the New Haven Bounds. As the lowlands along the water courses were the most fertile and easiest tilled these summer excursions pushed farther North into the valley of Happiness Brook, now known as Ten Mile River, Honeypot and Broad Swamp Brooks, and some of the planters with full grown sons commenced to settle in what they deemed the most suitable spots for farming. For nearly one hundred years our hardy ancestors, bearing such names as Hull, lves, Hitch­ cock, Brooks, and Atwater, gradually spread their settlements from the valleys that I have mentioned but went back to Wallingford to Church and to transact business. In these days every home was a complete farm unit with a few chickens, sheep, cows, pigs, oxen for power, and horses to ride or drive. The women carded the wool and flax for clothes, and if by chance the year proved fruitful, the provision page for 1698 quotes the following prices for surpluses, flax a shilling a pound, wheat 5 shillings per bushel, rye 3 shillings 6 pence per bushel, Indian corn 2 shillings 6 pence per bushel, pork 5 pence, beef 2 pence per pound. Fences being made entirely of rails and stone walls, were only about cultivated fields. The cattle roamed at will through the highways and unemployed lands which were known as commons, thus necessitating the branding of the animals so that the owners might claim them. Mention is made that when the town was finally incorporated and changed its name from

34 West Farms, Wallingford, to Cheshire nearly all the inhabit­ ants were farmers but owing to the exigencies of the Revolu­ tionary War there was such a scarcity of farm work animals and man power that until the turn of the century, little men­ tion is made of exportable surpluses. Town affairs had to be run on a very economical basis and I am glad to say this has been a great help to Cheshire farmers to this day. Even in 1810 potatoes were selling for 17 cents per bushel, turnips 16 cents and apples 16 cents, butter 15 cents per pound, corn 84 cents per bushel, buckwheat 75 cents and rye 1.02 per bushel. After the war of 1812 prices rose temporarily as they have done after all wars. - At the close of the War of 1812 mention is made of Indian corn being raised quite extensively in Cheshire. It was kiln dried by Squire Andrew Hull of Cheshire Street and others carried to the mill of Ephraim Hough of Cheshire Street and Nathan Galard of Brooksvale. From these mills the farmers carted their own crops of meal and perhaps their neighbors, in hogsheads to New Hav~n for shipment to the West Indies. I find it mentioned many times in my great grandfather's ac­ count book which he kept between 1789 and 1817 items which ran like these: Carting a load of hogshead of meal to New Haven for Ephraim Hough, bringing back a load of plaster paris, round trip $1.80. In 1825, the North Hampton Canal was dug through Cheshire and proved to be more of a boom to the mining in the town than to agriculture although some mention is made of transporting corn and cider. The first settlers planted a few trees about their homes; these flourished as Cheshire soil in a red sandstone hardpan is especially adapted to fruit growing, so naturally these small orchards were extended, but in the middle of the 19th century the market for fresh fruit being limited to home use, cider mills sprang up in all parts of the town. With the growth of nearby industrial cities, the growing of vegetables as well as fruit growing was encouraged and fairs came into being. During wartime, several of these fairs were held in A. E. Smith's carpenter shop and in 1879 the Cheshire Farmer's Club was organized. C. S. Gillette was the first president and E. A. Atwater, secretary with about 150 mem­ bers. Exhibitions of farm products were held each year in October on E. P. Atwater's lot and spring sales of live stock were held near the Town Hall until about 1900. In 1886 the club exhibited a large cornucopia float at the old Meriden state fair and received first prize. The late Edgar Beadle and M. C. Doolittle were instrumental in its decoration which was a

35 gorgeous array of the largest fruit and vegetables. It received such favorable newspaper comment that a Boston fair asked them to reproduce it there but the expense of transportation was too great. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Cheshire agricul­ ture has broadened and become more specialized, being split into four distinct lines: fruit growing on the highlands, vege­ table growing on the lowlands, poultry raising and milk pro­ duction well scattered over the town. Cheshire has several herds of pedigreed cattle that have won national reputation and pens of poultry that have been highly scored in national shows. According to the latest census figures the town has a poultry population of over thirty thousand laying hens. The dairy industry has not changed as fast in the last thirty­ five years, the number of cattle ranging between a thousand and fifteen hundred head. Vegetable growing in Cheshire has progressed rapidly in recent years until it now covers more than two thousand acres and needs more than passing comment. Large sections of low­ land on which our ancesters raised Indian corn are now gar­ dened on a strictly scientific basis by our more recent Ameri­ cans and as two or more crops per year are produced on the same ground the tonnage is simply enormous. Fruit growing commercially has superseded the old home orchards and according to the last census there are about twenty-two thousand apple and seven thousand peach trees in town. In conclusion one might say that Cheshire agriculture is just a cross section of all New England but I think we are justified in thinking we are a bit above the average when we find that only our mother town Wallingford surpasses us in poultry raising and fruit growing in New Haven County. Mark Bishop

36 - Men of Cheshire

HREE men to whom Cheshire owes a great debt are Amasa Hitchcock, Edwin R. Brown and Joseph P. T Beach, for, but for them Cheshire's history would be al­ most an unknown quantity. Mr. Hitchcock, who had held a commission and served under Col. Whiting in the French and Indian War, compiled a list of the heads of families in Cheshire in 1753 and where they lived and it was Mr. Brown who made these early people live for us, by the stories he compiled of the early life, while to Mr. Beach we owe the official records of Che­ shire, carefully and accurately compiled from records in Hartford, New Haven and Wallingford. As it is impossible to give the history of all, this paper will cover some of the stories told by Mr. Brown with the bits of family history interwoven. Among the earliest settlers was Joseph Ives, who built him a small house near the present home of Mrs. Oviatt. Many of his descendants have done honor to this town, and others, among them being Benajah Ives, Hobart B. Ives oi New Haven, Titus B. Ives, Frederick A. Ives. Zachariah Ives was under surveillance during the early part of the Revolution, and had a pass given him to permit his going to Branford and return within eight days under penalty; but he afterwards took the "Oath of Fidelity". The Rev. Reuben Ives, his son, was called as rector of the Episcopal Church here in 1788, and served until his resigna­ tion in 1820. It is said that it is to him and !Yr. William Smith of the Episcopal Academy "that this parish was one of the first places in the land in which the Psalms and can­ ticles were sung and anthems rendered", really "the original home of American church music." Mr. Ives was a very im­ pressive reader of the Episcopal service, and those who heard it never forgot the impressiveness with which he read "I am the Resurrection and the Life" on funeral occasions. Amasa Ives who lived where H. A. Ives resided was a man noted for his wit. He stood greatly in fear of bumblebees. On one occasion he was mowing in a field with Gilbert Stevens and while pleasantly chatting they struck into a bee's nest, and this stirred up the inmates who at once at-

37 tacked the intruders. Amasa flung down his scythe and ran behind a tree for refuge. This caused Stevens to laugh and led him to call out to the fleeing Amasa in the words of the Psalmist "The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a lion". Amasa replied to this taunt in his squeaking tone of voice, "As you seem to be so cour­ ageous, take my scythe and mow my swath out." Gilbert assented and commenced mowing near the nest. Presently a bee made its appearance and stung him in the mouth, while he was in the very act of laughing at Amasa. Gil­ bert was attempting to get the bee from his mouth, and keep at bay the new fighters who had made their appear­ ance. Amasa looked out from behind the tree and cried out to Gilbert, "The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished." Another early settler was John Hotchkiss who settled near where the late Horace Bristol lived. He took an active part in the organization of the parish, was one of the com­ mittee on the affairs of the ordination of the Rev. Samuel Hall. His son John was also active in all the parish affairs and served on many committees. Stephen Hotchkiss, son of Joshua of New Haven bought land and resided opposite Thomas Brooks, whose daughter Martha he married. He was chosen deacon of the First - # Church in December, 1724, and held the office until his death 1755, when his son Benjamin was chosen deacon, and held the office for twenty-one years. Josiah Hotchkiss who lived nearly opposite the residence of Miss Edith Lanyon kept a tavern and here the smallpox broke out in 1732. William and Delos Hotchkiss assisted in organizing the Methodist Church here, and in every generation to the pres­ ent time Hotchkiss has been an honored name in our town. Elnathan Beach who lived nearly opposite Warren An­ drews' late home in a first class leanto house for those days was a conspicuous personage in the early history of this settlement. He married Abigail Ufford of Stratford, and settled here about 1720, after her death in 1738, he married Hannah, a daughter of Samuel Cook who was for several years associated with him in business. Elnathan was a man of great wealth for those days, and was very influential; he presented the Congregational Church by will with a bell and also left a bequest of 100 pounds as a fund for the relief of the poor of the Parish of New Cheshire. On a tablet monument in Hillside cemetery may be seen the following inscription to his memory: "Here lies interred the body of Elnathan Beach. A gen- 38 tleman who from a small beginning, by an honest industry, and diligent application to business, raised a very consider­ able estate. His liberal benefactions to the Parish of New Cheshire will perpetuate his name, and as he was perhaps the first in Connecticut who began a fund for the poor, so he deserves a particlular place in the memory of all who wish well to mankind." A son Abraham graduated from Yale when but fourteen years of age, studied for the ministry and became one of the most distinguished clergymen of New York City. Capt. John Beach another son, resided in this old home­ stead and was a prominent official, of the town, being elected the first selectman after its incorporation. The town poor was kept here for several years in charge of Mr. Beach. It is stated that a woman who was on the town had an offer of marriage from a man in North Haven. The wom­ an consented, and of course the selectmen (who had a fin­ ger in the pie) were glad to be rid of the burden. The couple were married at this house, and as was the custom in those days, the bride was giv'en the privilege of selecting the hymn which it was the custom to sing after the ceremony and this was her choice: "Where God revealed His gracious name And changed my mournful state My rapture seemed a pleasing dream The grace appeared so great. The world beheld the glorious change And did thy hand confess My tongue broke out in unknown strains And sung surprising grace Great is the work, my neighbors cried And owned the power divine, Great is the work my heart replied, And be the glory thine." The Hon. Samuel Beach, Squire Burrage Beach, Doctor Elnathan, Dr. Bildad, Abijah Beach who built the "Old Inn" on Main St. and many others were descendants of El­ nathan, and kept up the family tradition of helpfulness in the town and church. Matthew Bellamy came here from the parent town in 1718; he was a relative of Joshua Culver and being "a good weaver", the town had given him 25 acres of land to have him settle there and later added fifteen more to which "Goodman" Culver added "Tenn more acres to my Cozen Matthew Bellamy, in addition to what ye Town gave."

39 This locates him between the brook, and what is now Cook Hill to the eastward. He was one of the several petitioners asking to have schools, and be made a parish. He peti­ tioned the Assembly in 1722, that as he was "living near the place where miners are at work" for a license to keep a house of entertainment, so that without danger, he could provide for and entertain the miners and others, as need shall require and to be "under the same penalty as other persons that are licensed by the Assembly Court." The mines were abandoned soon after 1737, and the shafts be­ came filled up; but in 1854 A. Bellamy, a descendant of Matthew, reopened one of the shafts expecting to find cop­ per, and at a depth of eighty feet miners' tools and other evidences were found, but again the work was relinquished without any pay for the trouble of digging. Matthew's son Samuel was a master of Temple Lodge of Masons in 1792, and his son Joseph Bellamy, D. D. was the noted minister who settled in Bethlehem, Conn. where many students studied theology under him. Hitchcock has been a well known name in Cheshire from the time Deacon John Hitchcock settled in the southern part of the town. He was frequently chosen on important com­ mittees. Others of this name were Benjamin, who was a member of the trainband; Peter Hitchcock whose home, built in 1737, had timbers and rafters used in its construc­ tion taken from the old first church building; Amasa Hitch­ cock who in his eighty-third year wrote the names of the inhabitants, heads of families that "were on the stage of life seventy years ago in the then Society of New Cheshire." Beginning at the northwest corner of the then parish, he gives their names and on what roads they lived, and this work of his has been of great help. He adds the names of those living in Hamden who "con­ stantly attended meeting at Cheshire" and adds "all those people and their families seventy years ago and upwards in pleasant weather filled the meeting house, and in sum­ mer time, I believe, as many as sixty boys sat on the gal­ lery and pulpit stairs and a bench before the front seats", at the end he pathetically says he "Drops liis pen with his tears". Amasa Hitchcock had lived a full and useful life; in early manhood he received a commission as sergeant in the 11th Company of the Second Regiment, Col. Whiting, and was ordered to go in the Expedition to Montreal, and served faithfully and well; a description of him by a grandson says: "Looking down the street I saw my grandfather com-

40 ing. He sat straight a:s an arrow, in a two-wheeled carriage, without a top, holding tight reins over a white horse, that went like the wind. He pulled up and jumped out like a boy. He wore a low crowned hat, with a rounded top and a broad brim turned up behind, and curled in at the sides, and a long coat reached below his knees, and buttoned up in front to the throat with. a standing collar. His hair was as white as snow, and fell down his back in curls. He walked up to me and shook hands, then put his hand in his pocket and took out a little leather bag, and untwisting the top poked his forefinger round a great heap of silver pieces, and handed me a ninepence." · His son Amasa was the first postmaster here, building and living in the house now Mrs. E. P. Welton's; the letters were so few that he used to pin them to the window sashes, so that the names could be read from the outside and thus people could ascertain if any were there for them without inquiring. He served from Washington's time until Jack­ son's. Robert Hitchcock, a son, was brought up here and used to drive cows in company with Isaac Bronson back and forth ov~r to the lot opposite the Booth place. Robert was appointed midshipman from Connecticut in 1825, and be­ came commodore in 1862. Valentine Hitchcock was said to have been a short man with black eyes, and quick in his movements. He ran away when a boy to enter the army in the old French War. He was a tailor by trade; one of his sons Reuben graduated at Yale 1786, was pastor of the church in Seabury, Ga. and president of the academy there several years. Resigning, he settled in Prospect in 1790, preaching until 1794; another son Roger, a stone mason by trade, late in life studied for the ministry and was licensed to preach. In 1820 became pastor in Cheshire, and he stipulated that one-fifth of his salary should be reserved annually for the future support of the ministry. A story related of the Rev. Reuben, who was a very short man, is that one Sabbath when preaching, a box was given him to stand on, so that h-e could be seen,. so standing upon it he announced his text "Yet a little while and ye shall see me and again a little while and ye shall not see me", as he uttered these last words, sure enough he could not be seen, for the box broke letting him down out of sight of his con­ gregation. Another son of Valentine was Peter, who graduated from Yale in 1801, and was admitted to the bar in 1804. He mar­ ried in Cheshire 1805, Nabby, youngest child of Elam and

41 Abigail (Hall) Cook, and in 1806 they emigrated to Bur­ ton, Ohio in Geauga County, going in an ox team in 40 days time for the journey. His family was the fourth or fifth to settle in that township. He became a member of the Ohio legislature; was state senator; was commissioned Lieut. Col. 1st Regt., 4th Brigade in the Division of Ohio Militia. In 1815 he declined the honor of judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio; was a member of the U. S. Congress; judge of the Supreme Court 1819 to 1833 and for twenty-one years was chief justice. In 1850 he was chosen member of the convention to form a new constitution for Ohio. He was the embodiment of commonsense, and his decisions were regarded with high respect. He was not only an able law­ yer, but an able jurist. Henry Lawrence Hitchcock was a physician, who prac­ ticed in Waterbury. Rufus Hitchcock served in Cheshire as town clerk for over 30 years, and Silas Hitchcock served as judge of probate and was a member of the General As­ sembly five times. Rev. Oliver Hitchcock became pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Granville, N. Y. Major Lyman Hitchcock born in Cheshire became the first town clerk of Cabot, Vt., was first justice of the peace, and in 1793 was delegate to Vermont Constitutional Con­ vention. He had served during the Revolution as 1st Lieut. of Elmore's State Regiment 1776-1777. "Uncle Asabel" Hitchcock as he was called by everyone, used to dig graves, "perhaps twenty every year at two dol­ lars each". Pliny Hitchcock who lived in what is now known as the "Little Tavern" was the son of Captain Ichabod who served in the Revolution. Mrs. Ichabod died in Burton, 0., where she had gone to live with her daughters Lucinda, who mar­ ried Richard Beach, after Capt. Ichabod's death, and Lydia Lucinda who married Hiram Cook, and went to Burton, 0. Pliny's son John A. kept a store here in Cheshire a few years and went to Liverpool, England, to take charge of the clock business there for Edward Stevens. One of his sons, Frederick A., has returned to the old home town, and is living on Maple Avenue. But we must touch on some of our other families, among them the Bradleys of whom Moses came from New Haven, now Hamden, in 1740, and marrying Mary Rowe in that year, built the house now owned by Frederick Voos. Moses was a man of influence and he and all his sons served in the Revolution. Stephen Rowe Bradley, a son, born in 1754, was always full of mischief, and as this spirit of mischief seemed

42 to grow with his years, his father decided to send him to college. His preparatory studies were under Rev. John Foote. Many pranks are laid to Stephen, until one gathers the impression that all the mischief committed in his neigh­ borhood are laid to Stephen, but one of his pranks that hap­ pened in his college days is vouched for. Out one night for a stroll about New Haven, he captured a sign, but the store­ keeper saw him and gave chase. Being fleet of foot, he rushed for the dormitory, the storekeeper in pursuit--reach­ ing his room, he hurriedly gave the sign to his room mate saying "Burn it quick" and then hearing footsteps on the stairs, dropped to his knees and began praying keeping an eye on his chum, who was feeding the sign into the fireplace. A rule of the college was that no one should enter a stu­ dent's room if they were engaged in prayer, so that the store­ keeper and the tutor, to whom he had complained waited, finally as the last of the sign disappeared, Stephen closed his prayer with these words "A wicked and adulterous gen­ eration seeketh after a sign, but no sign shall be given them but the sign of the Prophet Jonas, Amen." The tutor en­ tered the room, and expressed his great pleasure in finding these young men in such a devotional frame of mind. Stephen married and moved to Westminster, Vt. He drew up the "Vermont Appeal" published by the State Council; was many years prosecuting attorney for the county; colonel and general of militia; one of the com­ missioners in the final adjustment of the controversy with New York, served in the General Assembly and was United States senator for sixteen years. Moses was a descendant of William Bradley, who came to New Haven Colony 1644, who had served as major in Cromwell's Army. The ancesters of all the numerous branches of the Brooks family in Cheshire were Henry and Thomas Brooks, who came to New Haven from England 1685. Henry was a farrier and shoer of horses in Cromwell's Army. Thomas Brooks married Martha Hotchkiss in 1702, and came to Cheshire about 1705, when permission had been given Wil­ liam and Mary Tyler to sell a portion of their second di­ vision lands to him. Henry, the father, came here with him, but his brother John and family went to Fairfield County, it is said. Thomas was a man of action; we find him heading a pe­ tition to the General Assembly, asking for the privilege of being a "Parish Sociaty" and have the privilege of setting up "ye worship of God among us x x and good education

43 among ourselves"; but Wallingford objected and finally in 1723 gave way to the "West Farmers" as those in this part of the town were called, and this petition to the Assembly again headed by Thomas Brooks was granted. In 1723 he was chosen one of a committee of three to manage "ye af­ fairs of the Society for the year ensuing". It was voted to hire a minister for six months, and they chose Thomas Brooks' home for the meeting place. Then came the build­ ing of a church, and not agreeing on the site, Thomas Brooks headed a petition, asking the General Assembly to appoint a committee to fix the place for building the first meeting house, in our society. He served on many other committees, usually as chairman. The Proprietors of Wal­ lingford sequestered a hundred acres of land for the use of the Society, and he was one of the committee to dispose of it, which he did for sixty pounds. The new village was called "New Cheshier" by the Gen­ eral Assembly, and while no petition is found asking for that particular name, yet we find among these earliest set­ tlers that twelve of them or their forbears came from Che­ shire County, England; among them being Thomas BrooK:s, and it is quite easy to think that this man who started so many projects was the man who said "Let's be called New Cheshier", and the name was given by the Assembly, and to Thomas Brooks belongs the credit of the suggestion. Thomas had ten children; of his descendants, Rev. David, Enos, Ethuel, J erre all served in the Revolution. The Rev. David, graduate of Yale 1765, was ordained to the ministry but never a settled pastor. He was a dele­ gate to the State Convention in Hartford 1788, to ratify the Constitution of the United States and voted "No." He pre­ pared and delivered in Derby, 1774, a discourse on the re­ ligion of the Revolution, which was highly commended and it is said strongly influenced public opinion in favor of the cause of the struggling colonies. This discourse was pub­ lished by his son, Micah Brooks, of Brooks' Grove, N.Y. and copies are still preserved. A grandson of this David was an active member of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, was sent in 1873 by Presi­ dent Grant as one of the commissioners of the United States to the Vienna International Exposition to report upon the telegraphic instruments. He lived and died in Philadelphia. His inventions contributed in no small measure to advance the art of telegraphy to its present commanding position. Jeremiah Brooks, son of J erre, was a "Trooper" in the war of 1812, and was engaged in a skirmish with British

44 troopers in Stratford. Later on, he was called to join his "Troop" at a reception given to Gen. Lafayette. His mil­ itary coat was made of yellow waist cloth, with red and blue stripes and gilt epaulettes. He wore a tall black military hat, pointed with red, and surmounted by a waving feather; a belt with a sword and two great pistols, high boots and knee breeches completed the "Trooper's outfit." He was school examiner and tax collector for the town many years. His gandson, James Brooks Dill of New Jersey, bought back his grandfather's place, and had many plans for "Brooksvale" as that section of the town is called. which his sudden death ended. He was at the time one of New Jersey's Supreme Court. The Episcopalians used to gather to read the service at houses, but in 1760 one Joseph Moss bought the property on which the church now stands, and in May, 1767, deeded that and a part of the present cemetery to Amos Matthews and Henry Brooks, Sr., as the "Wordings" of St. Peter's Church, and Henry Brooks and some of his descendants re­ mained as officials and members of the church many years. Jesse W. Brooks a Congregational minister, a direct de­ scendant of Thomas, became pastor of a flourishing church in Chicago, and his son Wendell Brooks is president of a college in the West. Rev. John Foot born in Branford, the son of John and Abigail Foot, came as a colleague for the Rev. Mr. Hall, in 1767. He was a recent graduate of Yale, and married the following year Parson Hall's daughter Abigail, and built and occupied the gambrel roofed house on the west side of the Main street, and in due course of time became full pas­ tor of "New Cheshire" Church, and was its pastor from 1767 to 1813, a period of 46 years, during which he admitted to the church 549 persons, and officiated, it is noted, at 1109 funerals. Parson Foot had a large family, but only three children lived to maturity. William, Lucinda, and Samuel Augustus. Lucinda who married Dr. Thomas Tryon Cornwall was a brilliant scholar, and her descendants preserve with great care, a certificate signed by President Ezra Stiles of Yale testifying to her pa'3sing the examinations for entrance to Yale at the age of 12 years, hut from which she was de­ barred on account of her sex. Samuel Augustus graduated from Yale when not quite 17, and studied law with Judge Reeves at Litchfield. He was compelled, on account of poor health, to give up his plan of entering the legal profession, and later entered

45 business with his father-in-law, Andrew Hull, Jr., in New Haven to which place he removed, remaining there until the War of 1812. That and the declining health of his father caused his return to his ancestral home. A man of his ability, however, could not live in Cheshire lol}g without entering into public life. He served the town as representative for many years, was speaker of the house 1825-1826 and state senator. He was sent to Wash­ ington as congressman 1823-25-33-35 and as senator 1827 to 1833, and it was while he was senator that he introduced a land resolution known to this day as the "Foot Resolution", the subject of the famous debate between Haines and Web­ ster. In 1834, he was elected governor of Connecticut, and the same year received the degree of LL.D. from Yale. His last public honor was to be elected a presidential elector in 1844. Andrew Hull Foot, son of Samuel A. Foot was born in New Haven in 1805, but spent nearly all his boyhood in Cheshire, where he attended Jthe historic old Cheshire Academy, but being bent on going to sea, having picked up a love for it from his father's association with the Indies, he went to West Point. After a few months, was transferred to the navy and his illustrious career there is well known. .. Whenever he had shore leave, he came to Cheshire and visited his old friends, and schoolmates, and many stories are told of these visits. He was twice married; his oldest son, John, became a lawyer and settled in Cleveland; Augustus E. became a noted bank official also in Cleveland, and his youngest son John Samuel became a physician. Governor Foot's son William was also a graduate of Yale, became a physician and was prominent in his profession and in the affairs of the town, having served as the second judge of probate, town clerk, and as representative in the State Legislature. He married Mary Scoville, daughter of Captain Daniel Scoville of Berlin, six children, three sons, and three daughters were born to them. William Sidney graduated from Yale, and became a physician in Ohio; Sco­ ville D. engaged in merchandising in New York; Abigail married Edward Doolittle; Mary and Eliza never mar­ ried and after Mr. Doolittle's death the three sisters made .. their home with their younger brother, John Lambert Foot. John Lambert was born in 1817 and lived all his life, with the exception of two years, in the house which his father bought on what is now Wallingford Road. These two years he spent in business in New Haven. Returning

46 home, he started a small business in the building which his father Dr. Foot had built for a drug store. Starting on the plan of never spending all his income, John L. Foot died one of the wealthiest men in town. He learned the drug business from his father, and kept a general merchandising store. He was well read, kept in touch with affairs and during President Van Buren's ad­ ministration was postmaster of Cheshire for four years. Honest, upright and devoted to his Church, he is best re­ membered for his peculiarities, rather than for his success­ ful business career. He was always called a woman hater. He was somewhat of a musician, playing the clarinet and could remember any tune, once it had been whistled to him; traveling salesmen going through the town, used to learn all the new pieces that they might pass them on to John. Always a recluse, he never attended any of the social affairs of the town, nor did he leave Cheshire. He at­ tended the town meetings, however, and never failed to cast his vote at election time, and always attended Church every Sunday. It was said one could always find anything they wanted at John Foot's and many and curious were the things thought of, and asked for, and strange enough they were always to be found there, even to "coffins and pulpits." He made no will; thought it unnecessary, remarking that "the law w2.s good enough for him." He gave at one time, a thousand dollars toward a building fund for a library, and it is known he gave liberally to the education of young men for the ministry. He left something more than $400,000, and how he learned to make such good investments is one of the town mysteries. Col. Benjamin Hall, brother of the Rev. Samuel Hall, lived in Wallingford proper until shortly after his marriage to Abiah, daughter of Rev. Mr. Chauncey of Durham, in 1727. The many discussions between the town and the new parish had probably called Benjamin's attention, and he settled at first on land owned by his father Deacon John Hall, on the Mill River above Scott's Rock, and afterward lived on what is now known as Maple A venue. He added to the new parish, a man destined to become more prom­ inent than his reverend brother. Active in settlement of disputes between claimants to scraps of undivided land, he had influence and wealth enough to cause the parish to pe­ tition the town for redress of grievances. One of these

47 complaints was the lack of a magistrate to perform mar­ riages. Only magistrates could act, or an ordained min­ ister in the town, where he was settled. Frequent applica­ tions were made for the appointment of one, but not until 1732-3 when Mr. Benjamin Hall of the parish was one of the representatives from Wallingford, he was commis.- .; sioned not only a magistrate, but also captain of the Train Band. He carried a memorial of his own to the Assembly, after the smallpox in behalf of "Sundry families in Che- shire", that had been greatly distressed with the smallpox; "Resolved that there shall be paid out of the Publick Treas- ury for the relief of said families, the sum of fifty pounds, which sum shall by the Deacons of said Cheshire, with the advice of the minister, viz: Mr. Samuel Hall of said place, be distributed to and among those that have suffered in said Cheshire with said distemper." The town also "voated" to help and Benjamin Hall ably seconded his brother the Rev. Samuel, and other active men to keep alive the ambition of the despondent villagers. Col. Benjamin acted as agent for the parish, and was chosen one of the Commissioners of Connecticut during the war 1745-1748. He was made a judge of the Superior Court; he died in June 1773. It was said that he and his brother seemed to have divided the care of the people be­ tween them. Benjamin looking after their various griev­ ances, and Samuel looking after their spiritual needs. Parson Samuel Hall kept a diary and in it he wrote "In 1724 ye Church of New Cheshire was gathered on ye fast Previous to my ordination by ye Rev. Mr. Chauncey and Mr. Whittlesey and declared to be according to ye establish­ ment of ye Govt. Test Samuel Hall, Pastor 9th Dec., 1724." Samuel Hall was ordained Pastor of ye Church of New Cheshire ye 9th day of Dec., 1724-being then 28 years of age. He married Ann Law January 12th, 1725, "daughter of Mr. Law of Milford, by his wife Ann, daughter of Mr. Eliot of Gilford by his wife Sarah, daughter of Mr. William Bren­ ton of Rhode Island." The baptisms of his sons and daughters are in this same diary in which also were kept the records of all baptisms, deaths, admission, and whatever marriages he performed. Being his personal property this diary came down to the family of a great-grandson, and the Church had no record of these early important events. In 1880 when Cheshire talked of celebrating her first one hundred years as a town,

48 this book came into the hands of J.P. Beach, who carefully copied every date of these records, and kept this copy. Quoting again from his diary "From 1724 to 1767 I have baptized 1966 Souls. Sam'l Hall, Pastor. "From 1724 to 1767 I have admitted to Communion 670- Sam'l Hall, Pastor. "From 1724 to 1767 buried in New Cheshire 626. S. H. Pastor." Born in Wallingford Oct. 4, 1693, the second son of Hon. John Hall and Mary Lyman; because his father was wealthy and public spirited, he gave all his children a liberal educa­ tion. He was prepared for college by Rev. Samuel Whit­ tlesey, and in 1716 graduated from Yale the last year it was at Saybrook. Served as tutor in Yale for three years, at Northampton, during the controversy as to its location, and here studied theology with Rev. Samuel Stoddard of that place. Then, after preaching some time before or­ dination, he became the- first pastor of Cheshire Church. Thirteen children were born to him and his wife Anne. His last sermon was preached in October, 1775, when he urged the patriotic men to action in helping drive the foe from Boston, and the story is that although in his 81st year, he followed those who went, inspiring them with his presence. " During his pastorate, in 1732, the smallpox broke out and carried off besides women and children, some of the leading men of the parish. This visitation was made the subject of a sermon by our parson, which was afterward printed with a preface by the Rev. Mr. Whittlesey of Wal­ lingford, in v:hich he says the "doors of the House of the Lord in the P..t.rish of New Cheshier had been shut up some months" and this sermon of the Rev. Samuel Hall was preached soon after the "Author had recovered of the Dis­ temper." In his diary it is recorded "June 19, 1732. Then dyed of ye smallpox Samuel Hall fourth son of ye Rev. Samuel Hall five months & 8 days old." A new meeting house was built in 1736; and the Church grew and flourished and a list on which a tax was laid in 1762 gives 270 men to which was added in 1774 169 men in the parish. Rev. Samuel Hall died 1776. He was well-off financially, • even when he came to Cheshire, having much land here which came to him from his father. He gave use of the land about the 2nd Church for "Sabba day houses," the present green, and also the west part of cemetery for the first burial place. Early settlers here were Caleb Hull, Dr. John Hull and

49 Captain Samuel Hull, all grandsons of Doctor John Hull, who came to Wallingford from Derby. In order to secure his settlement in the town, the authorities at Wallingford granted him a tract of choice land, which they supposed contained 700 acres, and lay between the north side of Broad Swamp and the Quinnipiac River; this grant was more than a mile square, and was known as Dr. Hull's large farm. Caleb Hull received from his grandfather Dr. John Hull 100 acres of land in this vicinity, on condition that he should come and live with him until 21 years of age, or until Dr. John's decease, which took place in 1711; Caleb evidently accepted for the grant of 100 acres to him is a recorded transaction. The grandson Dr. John Hull located here in 1727; he was the father of Dr. Zephaniah Hull who moved to Bethlehem and the grandfather of Andrew Hull, com­ monly known as Squire Hull, who was brought back to this town by his grandfather, Moses Doolittle, after the death of Dr. Zephaniah. Squire Andrew Hull was an honored of­ ficial of the town; was sent to the Legislature 36 different sessions, and 19 different years; was also selectman, con­ stable and trying justice for a number of years. He was noted for his independence of character, with whom Yes meant Yes, and No meant No every time. Andrew Hull, Jr. was the son of Andrew Hull, a son of Caleb Hull, and was Lieutenant Hull; he died young and his children lived with Grandfather Caleb, it is said. An­ drew, Jr. was a prominent and useful citizen too. He was sent to the Legislature 20 sessions, and 11 different years. He was a superior military officer, and was a brigadier gen­ eral of the 2nd Brigade, and was marshal of the district. Amos Hull, a brother of Dr. Zephaniah settled in the south part of the town, served in the Revolution, where he died in camp in 1776; in Waterbury records is to be found a receipt signed by Dr. Gould Gift Norton for the money due Amos Hull, which it is evident he brought home to Mrs. Hull and the acquaintance thus begun culminated in their marriage in November 1777. Dr. Amos G. Hull, son of Dr. Amos was brought up here and afterward be­ came a noted physician and inventor of the celebrated Hull truss. Dr. Titus a nephew of Dr. Amos also studied here. Andew, son of Jahleel Law and grandson of Governor Law was born in Milford, Conn. March 1749; and his father moving to Cheshire, Andrew's boyhood was spent here. His father Jahleel Law died March 7, 1781, the homestead

50 where he lived was on the road leading from Cornwall avenue south to the Higgins Corner Road. Andrew was educated at Brown College, Providence, R. I. graduating in 1775; received an honorary degree at Yale Sept. 13, 1786. He studied divinity with the Rev. Levi Hart of Preston, Conn. in 1776 and in 1777 was preaching at Chesterfield, Conn. He was ordained a minister of the gospel, Sept. 8, 1787 at Hartford by a Council of Congregational Ministers, and on the 18th of Oct. 1787 he received a recommendation from the Presbytery of Philadelphia to preach the gospel at the South. He is more remembered for his music, which he began to teach in 1775; in 1779 he published his first collection of music under the title of "A collection of the best and most approved Tunes and Anthems for the promotion of Psalmody". In the year 1781 "the State of Connecticut by their Legislature gave him a Copy Right for the above Col­ lection." The first granted in the State. The Rlldiments of Music by A. Law, printed 1783; Hymns and Tunes published 1783; The Select Harmony in 1786 for which he obtained the copyright; Musical Magazine, a per­ iodical publication 1792; The Musical Primer 1793; The Art of Singing in 3 parts; viz: The Musical Primer. The Christian Harmony in 2 volumes 1794; in 1802, May 12, he obtained a patent for his new plan of printing music; The Art of Singing in 3 parts published under his plan in 1803 ; Harmonic Companion, published on his new plan 1807 and a Supplement to the Musical Primer on his new plan 1811; showed his love for music. Most of the above statement is taken from a handwritten account by his nephew William Law, Esq. of Cheshire, and was written July 29, 1842. Andrew Law died July 13, 1821, aged 72, and is buried in the Law plot, Hillside Cemetery. Some of his musical publications are in the Cheshire Library; his flute was given to a man in town by one of the Law family and is still in existence, as is his pitchpipe. John Frederick Kensett born in Cheshire March 22, 1816, the son of Thomas Kensett born at Hampton Court, Middle­ sex Co., England, Aug. 16, 1786, and who died June 16, 1829. Thomas was an engraver, and published about 1806 the map of New Haven drawn by Gen. Wadsworth in 1748; he married May 9, 1813, Elizabeth Daggett of New Haven. They settled in Cheshire and lived in the home which wa:; later owned and occupied by Norval Williams. Thomas

51 occupied a little shop, supposedly made from one of the oid "Sabbaday" houses, south of the house where he made maps; and later with Charles Shelton employed several in painting the tops of mirrors, and the crude paintings found on the old clock doors, at Cheshire Street, near Gregory's bridge. His son Frederick, it is thought, helped but he was early apprenticed to his uncle Alfred Daggett of New Haven, an engraver of bank note signatures. In 1840 he went to England, where he studied painting for five years, supporting himself by engraving; at that period, he ex­ hibited a view of Windsor Castle in the exhibition of the Society of British Artists, which was selected as the best in the collection. In 1850 he returned to New York and began a series of landscapes of mountain, river and lake scenery of New York, and the Eastern States, with marine views which had eager purchasers. From that time onward, his reputation and success as a landscape painter was great and assured. In 1859 he was appointed a member of the "National Art Commission", and engaged to superintend the ornamenta­ tion of the National Capitol. In the Fall of 1872, he had a very severe sickness, and was convalescing at the home of some frien'ds on "Content­ ment Island", off Connecticut's south shore, and in trying to rescue a friend who was drowned succumbed to pneumonia brought on by the shock and chill Dec. 4, 1872; 38 of his paintings from his last summer's work were purchased for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and called the Kensett Memorial. It was said that he was a diligent artist, well trained, nuick in perception and delicate in touch. His personal qualities of sincerity, modesty and purity made him beloved by many friends. Several years ago, one of his paintings was given Cheshire Library by Miss Marion Terry, a sum­ mer resident. One of the names treasured in Cheshire annals is that of Cornwall. Abijah Cornwall seems to have been the first to settle here, and although he was a large landowner and served in many capacities, yet it was his son Thomas Tryon Cornwall that first brought distinction to the name. Dr. Thomas Tryon Cornwall built in 1816 the house on our Main Street that is still called "The Cornwall house," and was built by him, as he was a most successful "prac­ titioner", his fame spreading far and wide because of his treatment of cancer, and patients were brought to him from all parts of Connecticut, and New York State. The north

52 wing of the house was planned for out-of-town patients, who might come to him for treatment. His wife was the young talented daughter of the Rev. John Foote, who passed the entrance examination for Yale when she was only 12 years of age. A son John A. Corn­ wall became a practicing physician in Cheshire and Ham­ den, dying here in 1825. Dr. Thomas Tryon Cornwall was an important man in Cheshire, the family physician of many households, a man of influence in town matters, although he does not appear to have held many official positions, owing to his great practice. He died in 1846. His son Edward A. had married and came to this house to live, where they cared for the doctor after his wife's death. He had intended Edward also to be a doctor, but his health failing, the idea was reluctantly abandoned, and he became a farmer, his land extending on the north side of Cornwall A venue, to the canal. Judge Edward A. Cornwall was honored by his townsmen with many offices of trust. He served as town clerk 14 years, to\(Tn treasurer 16 years, and selectman 10 years. He was judge of the Probate District of Cheshire nine years, and his commission as notary public extended from 1833 to his death 1889. He was county commissioner one term, and elected to the Legislature 1831, 32, 33, 44, 73, and 7 4; was elected state senator from the 6th District 1837. In all these offices held by him, he acquitted himself well and so favorably was he known, and his judgment so es­ teemed that he was appointed by the Superior Court 35 times to act in cases of arbitration. At home his towns­ people honored and trusted his judgment as shown in the fact that he was trusted with the settlement of 138 estates, some involving large amounts of money, and requiring most prudent management. He loved his Church, the Congrega­ tional, which he attended faithfully, was a member of the choir where for many years he played the violin. As long as the stones stand, Chester Johnson will not be forgotten. A peculiar man, with some, at that time, very modern ideas, Chester Johnson lived on the Wallingford Road opposite the late James Williams place. He was a basket maker and purchased this place, where he lived un­ til his death. At his own request, he was buried in one cor­ ner of his garden, and a small slab inscribed with the words "A Noble Cat" was erected by him at the southwest corner of the old house and marks the resting place of a favorite

63 cat. His tombstone is enclosed by a fence, and in accord­ ance with his wish the following quotation from the tomb of Shakespeare is inscribed upon it. "Kind friends, for Jesus' sake forbear To move the dust enclosed here, Blessed be he that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moveth my bones." The house and his old shop have long since departed, but the stone and inscriptions are still to be seen. Where the Keeler homestead now stands was the cabinet shop of Col. Thaddeus Street. He did an extensive business for those days, employing many apprentices, and found a ready market for the different articles of furniture m New Haven. The handsome pulpit in the Congreg~. tional Church on the Green is his work. He was an honored and upright citizen, and an earne&t Christian and highly esteemed. At one time he was col­ onel of the Tenth Regiment, and was considered an ex­ cellent officer. He lived in the house north of his shop, from his purchase in 1802, until his death in 1842, and Mrs. Street sold it in 1859 to A. E. Smith. It is related of his daughter Mary that she drew up the first temperance pledge in the town, which was signed in the rear or dining room of the house by Mary Street, John A. Foot, Andrew H. Foot (Admiral) Robert Hitchcock (Commodore) and others. One of his sons George E. was a well-known clergyman in New Hampshire. The History of Cheshire published in 1912 by Lady Fen­ wick Chapter D. A. R. compiled and written by Joseph Perkins Beach, covers the history of Cheshire from 1694 to 1840. He was not a native of Cheshire, but was a descendant of Moses Sperry Beach of Wallingford, and son of Moses Yale Beach of the New York Sun. He was a pupil of the Episcopal Academy 1840 and 1841 and boarding in a private family became interested in the town and frequently during his business life made vacation trips to the scene of his pleasant school days, thus refresh­ ing his memory of faces and places. In 1869 when he retired from business, he became a per­ manent resident of Cheshire, and from then to the end of his life, much of his time was spent in geneological and historical research. He was interested in town affairs, was for several years

54 on the town school board, served as treasurer for the town one year. He became especially interested in the history of the place, when gathering material for a paper to be read at the Cheshire Centennial of its incorporation as a town. Declining many requests for the publication of this paper, he began the compilation of this more com­ prehensive history, and he made frequent trips to Wal­ lingford and often journeyed to New Haven and Hartford to examine the colonial records of those towns, and satisfy his desire for truth and accuracy. For many years, it re­ mained unpublished, but when the Chapter requested the privilege of printing it, he willingly consented. Cheshire is therefore most fortunate in having an ac­ curate history of its existence from the early days by Mr. Beach, and also the everyday life of its people by Mr. Brown. Timothy Tuttle, born in 1682, early explored the west­ ward part of Wallingford, and selected land for a farm, which he cleared with his own hands and prepared a home for his family. He settled near the pine tree which for­ merly stood south of Walter H. Baldwin's present residence. Erecting a commodious frame house on his cleared land, which he worked on through the week, returning to his father's home each Saturday night, by a line of blazed trees he had marked through the woods. The house was a good specimen of the country farm house of the olden time. Deacon Timothy, as he was called, served on many com­ mittees in the Parish of New Cheshire; was deacon of the Church from 1739 to 1755, and was one of the committee selected to run the boundary line between the East and West Societies. One of his sons, Ephraim was a man of strictest integi·tty, and his son Edmund was of like character. Deacon 'fim­ othy's great-grandson Stephen was a man greatly beloved. He lived several years at the William Law place, was cap­ tain of the Trainband, and for quite a number of years led the Congregational Church choir. He afterwards moved to Burton, Ohio where he died in 1865. Admiral Foote when lying sick at his brother's home in Cleveland, said "I would go farther to see Stephen Tuttle than any person now liv­ ing." Capt. Lucius Tuttle, descendant, was the builder of Bow­ den Hall, the first building of the Old Episcopal Academy of Connecticut. His brickyard was on Moss Farms in the hollow opposite Lucius Hale's house. Israel Bunnell, a large landowner settled here about

55 1780. His house was on or near the present site of Humis­ ton School, and his land extended from the turnpike to the West Mountain; and contained about 400 acres. He repre­ sented the town six different years in the State Legislature, was selectman several years, and a deacon in the Congre­ gational Church. We know he had slaves, because he made application to "emancipate and sett free his negro maid servant named Katie, about 31 years of age." His tombstone is inscribed-"Sacred to the memory of Israel Bunnell Esq. who died May 21, 1813 aged 66." "The various public offices which he held as selectman, magistrate and deacon of the Congregational Church, and his liberal charities to the poor are monuments to his mem ory. "The sons of want can ne'er forget The liberal hand that gave them meat The Church the Town, have lost a friend Whose Memory, but with life can end."

Running through his farm from Main Street to the Moun­ tain was a narrow lane, called Bunnell's lane; this has since been widened and is now a pretty street, and some years ago the committee on naming the streets in Cheshire made "Bunnell Lane" the official name in honor of this man who did so much for the town. Israel Bunnell's daughter married Pierre E. Brandin, a student at E. A. C., who afterwards studied medicine and became a practicing physician here, and was a very skill­ ful one with a large practice. Her father objected to Mr. Brandin as his daughter's suitor, because he was a foreigner-a Frenchman; but find­ ing protests useless built the house now occupied by A. S. Bennett for the young couple. Dr. Brandin was also an expert in dancing, and for sev­ eral winters taught a dancing class. A lawsuit between a patient and himself, which was car­ ried through the different courts, almost exhausted the en­ tire property of the litigants, and the feeling caused by it nearly gave him a coat of tar and feathers; and did cause him to ride a rail. He made a salve and pills of superior medicinal qualities, which were extensively sold, and were used largely in many families of this town and vicinity. Dr. Brandin was a short, stout man, with sharp black eyes, which snapped fire very quickly under provocation.

56 He afterwards moved to Wallingford where he died at the age of 65. Nathaniel Bunnelllilettled here in 1709, and was the first Bunnell settler in the town. He died of the smallpox in 1732, and the Parson Hall in a sermon preached soon after, stated his loss with two others mentioned would be "like breeches of the sea". He lived nearly opposite the former Congregational parsonage, and his son Lieut. Ebenezer Bunnell also resided here until his death. Edwin Royce Brown born July 24, 1837, died April 27th, 1930; lived here nearly all his long life, and it is to him that Cheshire owes an incalculable debt of gratitude. Living in the east section of the town, a descendant of the old families, Royce, Doolittle, Hull, he early became interested in the families of the town, where they lived and what they did and when he learned about them wrote it down; thus giving to us a living picture not only of the stir­ ring times in which he lived, but also of the forefathers. Cheshire Street, so-called, owes to Mr. Brown the history of its early industries, and the enterprising people who lived there, many oi whom are forgotten. Often he was called upon to visit the different districts in the town, and gathering in the small, often unpainted, schoolhouses, the people would listen eagerly while he read them what he had gathered about their forebears. He became Cheshire postmaster in the early 60's, receiv­ ing his commission from President Lincoln, and continued in office until 1885, and he was at the same time proprietor of a "Country Store." Everyone went to "Mr. Brown's" and here he learned many bits of history and all of which he wrote down in his notebooks. As clerk of the First Ecclesiastical Society of Cheshire, he served from Dec. 5, 1864 through 1916; and was also clerk of the Church at the same time, which he also served as deacon. He has had published in local papers articles on the old "Taverns of Cheshire", "The Canal", and in collaboration with John R. Paddock published "The Old Historic Houses of Cheshire"-and his address on the Rev. John Foote, de­ livered in 1913, was printed by Lady Fenwick Chapter, and a sketch of Brooksvale which he read at a picnic dinner there, was printed by James B. Dill. He furnished much about the early settlers for Cheshire story in the New Haven County History; gave addresses at Cheshire Centennial, Meriden Centennial and Wallingford Bi-Centennial, and was at all times willing to furnish information to descendants

57 of the men and women who left Cheshire in the early days, and who were now looking up their forbears. He was an eloquent speaker, and loving his subject spoke with great zeal and enthusiasm. Mr. Brown made Cheshire "live"; making the early set­ tlers "real people" in whom his readers and hearers became interested. When he reached the age of 70, he often spoke of having reached the "three score years and ten" and that he was living on "borrowed time". But he put it to good use, for with his faculties undimmed, he delivered a most eloquent address in 1924 when his beloved Church held commemora­ tive exercises in celebration of its two-hundredth anni­ versary, in which he gave a fine history of the Church and members; delivered well too, and who that heard him will ever forget his closing word to his fellow Church members "Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, let us win with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." This gives but a touch of what E. R. Brown meant to Cheshire. Samuel Cook was an early settler in the parish, and took an active part in all its affairs, owning a large farm which later on included Cook Hill. John Cook, a son, later moved to West Rocks, as Prospect was formerly called. Samuel Cook was one of the committee to "dignifie the seats of the new meeting house." He died in 17 48 leaving to the Church the sum of £60 "for the support of the poor of the parish" which to this day is doing its work as its donor intended. From the brook near the Thomas Brooks place, nearly to the top of the mountain, was in times past, quite a settle­ ment of the Cooks, who were owners of the land and had lived at different points. Elam Cook's place was the home of his father Elam, and grandfather Elam. One of grandfather Elam's daughters married John Ford, and was the mother of Governor Ford of Ohio; another daughter married Peter Hitchcock who was chief justice of Ohio. Several of these Cook families moved out to Burton, Ohio. It is stated that all of them moved out in ox teams, which in those days took about 40 days to cover the distance. Merriman Cook in 1787 when 98 years of age, took a letter from the Congregational Church here to a Church in Ohio.

58 Aaron Cook was a large landowner, and to a descendant of his, Mrs. Julia Tompkins, we owe our Library, as she left the town $5000 for one. Capt. Ephraim Cook was on various committees and Col. Thaddeus was at one time a resident here, but later became a resident of Wallingford. Henry Bristol settled in what is now Copper Valley about 1720; this section at that time was almost an unbroken forest, abounding in great oaks. In the valley a short dis­ tance east were Indian wigwams, whose owners called fre­ quently on the white settlers taking tribute from them for the privilege of dwelling in this vicinity. It took not a little muscle and unflinching courage for a man with a family to settle here, and clear the land claimed by the Red Men, as their legitimate possession. Gideon, a grandson resided where Thomas Saults formerly lived. He served six years in the Revolution, and was one of the tall, well-built vet­ erans chosen by Washington to receive the British Arms at Yorktown. Nearly all the Bristols in town date back to Henry as their common ancest.er. Of Amos Bristol, it is told that he didn't like the curfew bell which used to ring each night at nine o'clock as a signal to extinguish lights; one night on his way home, he had nearly reached Sperry's Hill when the bell began to ring, and he was heard to yell "Ring, ring, if you want to, you can't hurry Amos Bristol any!" Another story related of him used to be told by the late Dr. Driggs. Amos was very sick and Dr. Driggs fixed up what he thought was a pretty strong dose of whiskey for him to take. After drinking it, he looked up at the doctor and said "Doctor Driggs, that whiskey swig tasted too strong of the well pole to suit me." It wa.s on his farm that Barytes was dis­ covered, and the mines worked for many years. Sherlock Bristol was born in Copper Valley, graduated from Oberlin in 1840, en_tered the ministry and served sev­ eral Churches in the West. An autobiography called "The Pioneer Preacher" and another one called "Paracletos" were published by him. A story of his boyhood days is of the bear with a pig in his mouth stolen from a pigpen of an Atwater family, was chased down and killed, and the neighbors who had gath­ ered in the chase, all enjoyed bear steaks for supper. Many of this name served as officials of the town and did good service. Of Darius Jones who lived in the last house in Cheshire on this road, it is said he was. an old fashioned man, very blunt in his speech and was known as a member of the "Tin Paii

59 Brigade." On one occasion he went to the store of J. L. Foot and called for whiskey; after drinking it with great moderation he remarked, "John, if you are disposed to mix anything with your whiskey, for Heaven sake do put in some kind of spirits, for it certainly won't bear any more water." He was one who always drank before he was dry, as he sairl "so as not to get dry." John Moss, Jr., owned in 1694 100 acres more or less on "ye Tenn Mile river alongside an irremovable hill" and this section, or a large part of it is still called "Moss FarmR", and here lived and built homes, Benjamin Moss, Isaac Moss, Malley Moss, Capt. Jesse Moss, Titus Moss and Joel Moss. The sons of Joel Moss, Lloyd and Captain Joel were en­ gaged in business here many years. Two of the name, H. J. Moss and .T. William Moss still live in this historic section. It was a .Joseph Moss who read the Church of England services in the home of Zacheriah Ives and helped in build­ ing the first church, .9f which Moses Moss was one of the first wardens. Samuel Royce settled in this section in 1728 and set out an apple orchard of which one of the trees became histori­ cal, its picture appearing in all the papers. Near his resi­ dence formerly stood a monument about seven feet high, supposed to have been erected by the Indians in com­ memoration of a battle fought here; for up to 1840 many im­ plements of warfare were found and several Indian arrows. The monument was taken down by some who helped to find Indian relics underneath. Jonathan Atwater, a merchant of New Haven bought of Henry Cook of Wallingford 118 acres of land near Honey Pot Brook in 1712, and this farm or portions of it has been in the family ever since. The old house built by Abraham Atwater about the year 1738 was in time, the residence of Samuel Atwater, a son and Flamen Atwater a grandson. Flamen Atwater was blunt in expression, great and honest in all his dealings. He was not especially partial to ministers, and on one oc­ casion when the pastor of the Congregational Church called upon the family, this incident is related. As the minister was about to leave, he asked Mr. Atwater if he was willing he should pray with them. Mr. Atwater replied "Yes; if you will do as the Scriptures plainly direct;" the minister said "Certainly; what does the word enjoin?" Mr. A. then replied : " 'When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, then pray.' If you desire

60 to pray in this manner, I will furnish the closet." The good pastor left without offering prayer. Thomas Atwater was a member of the Episcopal faith, and Titus Atwater with Gen. Reuben Atwater were all de­ scendants of the first Jonathan. The history of Cheshire Street is a history of the Parkers, of whom Deacon Edward it is said, settled here in 1716. He was a joiner by trade, and lived in a large leanto house built by his own hands, and built also the First Con­ gregational Church in what is now Northford. So many of his descendants lived in this section, that it was locally called "Parker Street". His descendants are numerous and influential in Meriden, and many parts of the country. Esquire John Peck settled here about 1750 and the street upon which he built his home is still called Peck Lane, of which it is said much was built at his own expense. He. was one of the first representatives after Cheshire became a town. Both he and his wife were of large stature, their combined weight being 500 pounds, and it is stated that in the earlier years of their married life both of them rode the same horse to Church, Mrs. Peck riding behind her husband on a pillion. The Pecks as a family were possessed of unusual natural wit, and were always ready to answer with added sharpness any sarcastic reflections given by another. The Pecks have settled in other parts of the town, but all are noted for their ready wit. The Doolittles were early settlers here, and Abraham settled in 1710 north of Mrs. Felch's, and his descendants are many and influential. Ebenezer Doolittle settled where J. D. Walter now lives, and his son Ebenezer, grandson Ebenezer and his son Elkanah who was a Yale graduate.

61 Cheshire Keeps Step With the Times

IME, the ever-moving: Time, that ceaseless harbinger of change. In the history of Cheshire, Time can be pic­ T tured as moving sedately down the years-now with its banners of joy and prosperity, now with its burden of sorrow and anxiety-then hastening to keep up with changing de­ mands, thinking there may soon be a stopping place, but finding at each turn of the road new goals, new; interests, new tasks. Though our friend Time is in as much of a hurry as ever, he has stopped to take stock, so to speak of the three centuries of our beloved state. Let us see how Cheshire has kept step with this relentless friend (or foe, whichever you wish to term him). Men and women accomplish much through individual efforts, but when banded together with a common purpose a greater and more lasting good is achieved. Therefore a bird's-eye view of the various groups which have worked for the welfare of our town may bring to our memory and emphasize many glorious deeds of past and present. The first organization of which we read was Temple Lodge, No. 16, Free and Accepted Order of Masons estab­ lished in Cheshire, Nov. 11, 1790. Its first officers were Worshipful Master, David Badger; Senior Warden, Abra­ ham Ives; Junior Warden, Moses Moss; Secretary, Timothy Canfield. Several headquarters were occupied at different times, and by 1908 the room in the Grange Hall was rented where it now has its meetings. A date which stands out in the history of the Lodge is 1796 when its members laid the cor­ nerstone of the old Bowden Hall of the Episcopal Academy. Its present membership is about 200. At this particular point perhaps it will be permissible to look ahead one hundred years and note that in 1895, the Sister Order of the Eastern Star was organized. Of the charter members, two are still living, Mrs. Susan Doolittle and Mr. Edgar J eralds. Though most of the charter mem­ bers have passed on the names of Mrs. Harriet Chidsey, George Steele, Mary Adams, Ella Beadle and others still live in the memory of many of the present 170 members who now uphold the high ideals for which the order stands. Before the entrance of the twentieth century, Cheshire

62 was even then eager to keep step with the times, (and hav~ ing been for a time affiliated with the Hancock Lodge of South Meriden,) the Odd Fellows of Cheshire established the L.A. Thomas Lodge, No.9, I. 0. 0. F., July 23rd, 1888, with 17 charter members. The first officers were William Fahl, Noble Gr.and; W. C. Daly, Vice Grand; George W. Keeler, Secretary; E. T. Cornwall, Treasurer; two surviving charter members. Its present membership continues to spread the benefits of fellowship as does that of the sister organization, the Rebekahs. This lodge was established Feb. 23, 1893, with Mr. Willis French as Noble Grand. Aside from the local interests, the Rebekahs do much for the Odd Fellows' Home at Groton and for the Education Foundation Fund. In 1879 the vision of co-operation came to the farmers of the community and the Cheshire Farmers' Club was organ~ ized with C. S. Gillette as President and Edward A. Atwater as Secretary and Treasurer. In October of each year ex­ hibitions of farm and orchard products were held in the E. P. Atwater lot; and spring sales were held near the town hall. In th~ winter, lectures and social gatherings were maintained. Who could think of Cheshire without a Grange? Who could be a resident of our village at the present time and not be conscious of the large part played by the Grange in the intellectual and social life of the town? But in the dim recesses of the past there was a time when there was no Cheshire Grange. In 1885, a group of Cheshire farm­ ers paid· a memorable visit to Meriden. The story of that trip and its results are told by Mrs. Everett Pardee in her recer.t paper written at the time of the fiftieth anniversary of the Grange which was celebrated this last winter. She says: "The first Master of the Cheshire Grange was Brother Chester C. Lord. It was through his energy and activity, in a great measure, that Cheshire grange was organized, at least so early. It was the very next day, in fact, after several Cheshire farmers had been to Meriden and listened to an address by the Hon. Mortimer Whitehead, Secretary of the National Grange, on the benefits of a local Grange". Mr. Lord was the first overseer of the State Grange in 1885. As Cheshire is now moving faster and faster in its onward march, we now take leave of the Grange of which Mrs. Pardee says: "It has never know a period of noticeable dis­ couragement or depression". Another later development of organized agricultural effort is found in the Farm Bureau whose activities rose to

63 meet the call of the times during the World War. Its in­ terests are far-reaching, but we shall touch on but two or three outstanding branches. The first is that of the 4 H Clubs which have been so successful in the town. The first work was done under the direction of Mr. Paul lves, the County Club Agent for New Haven County. In 1927 a Poul­ try Club under the direction of William Myers and a Can­ ning Club under the leadership of Mrs. R. A. Smith was or­ ganized. Since that time there is a record of fourteen 4 H Clubs each stressing a different kind of work. Many local 4 H members have won state honors. Thomas Pearsall was chosen to represent the State at the National Club Camp in Washington, D. C., in 1934. The Home Economics Club was most active during the war under the leadership of Mrs. Albert Guernsey. When conservation and thrift were in the very air, Cheshire, as al­ ways, entered the pace and did her part through the guid­ ance received in these clubs. Interest waned at the close of the war, but in 1929 was revived and with Mrs. Wesley Collins as the leading spirit is now bringing the best of economical planning and methods to the housewives of the town. The Cheshire Home Economics Club brought fame to itself and the town with its record of having made one hundred and thirteen tea-wagons-the largest number made in any town in the county. Vvhile special groups such as those just mentioned have been devoting themselves to the agricultural' and home in­ terests of the town, other public spirited citizens have banded themselves together to make "Cheshire, the beauti­ ful" a reality. The first effort of this kind took shape in the Village Improvement Society, organized April 26th, 1888. Its purpose' as stated in one paragraph of the constitution reads thus : "The object of this society shall be to cultivate public spirit, quicken the social and intellectual life of the people, promote good fellowship, improve our streets, public grounds, side walks, and in general to build up and beautify the entire village, and render Cheshire a still more inviting place of residence". The first officers were: President, Milton C. Doolittle, vice-presidents, Norman Platt and Miss Mary Baldwin, Secretary, Mrs. Henry Beadle, Treasurer, Ed win R. Brown. Following are some of the activities recorded in the minutes: "Arbor Day, 1888, was observed by grading the ground and planting trees on the green north of the Town Hall. Mr. N. S. Platt planted vines on each side of the hall. Thirty street lamps were secured and placed. In August of the year organized the society

64 had pledges of six hundred and ten dollars for the side­ walks and it was voted that "we commence at the Depot also at the Congregational Church and build as far as funds would allow". Did the two sections meet? The last recorded meeting of the Village Improvement Association was held Aug. 7, 1907, at which time it was changed into the Cheshire Public Library Association. Under the wonderful work of our librarians, Miss Mary Baldwin, Miss Ruth Van de Bogart and Mrs. Richard Williams, and with the inestimable aid of Mrs. Julia M. Tomkins and Dr. George Williams, Cheshire had a most efficient and gratifying library service. At the present day the beauty. of our town is in the ex­ cellent care of the Cheshire Garden Club. Of its part in community life, listen to the words of one of its active members, Miss Isabel Beugler, "The Cheshire Garden Club was the pioneer of garden clubs in Conne:cticut, being formed in June, 1920, through the able guidance of Mrs. Alfred F. Evans and is among the charter members of the Connecticut Federation of Garden Clubs. The object of the Club as stated in its constitution is 'to help those who love gardens to make them more beautiful; to stimulate interest in gardening; to urge the preservation of our trees, birds and wild flowers; and to study in all its aspects the fine art of gardening'. This object has been constantly kept in mind in all the projects of the Club, as shown by its varied accom­ plishments. For several years it has sponsored successful children's gardens, and has closely co-operated with the Landscape Division of the State Highway Department, the latest project of this kind being the commemoration of the site of the old Northampton Canal on the Waterbury Road". What a sense of safety and protection sweeps over us as we think that we are under the watchful care of the Cheshire Volunteer Fire Department which was organized March 19, 1912, with Mr. Paul Klimpke the first chief. The company has now two motor driven fire-engines with full fire-fighting equipment. The record of the work of its forty members is one of which we may well be proud. The com­ pany, aside from its service in community protection, has provided itself with commodious club-rooms which are en­ joyed by its members. The present officers are Chief, Richard Williams; Assistant Chief, C. A. Goddard; Secre­ tary, G. C. Truchot, Treasurer, G. A. Tucker; Foreman, Fred Yocher. The educational and moral development of its citizens has always had a place in the program of the town. Some of the

65 earlier programs were under the direction of various tem­ perance organizations, several of which flourished and waned according to the interests and needs of the town from 1862 onwards. The present chapter under the leader­ ship of Mrs. Rorer is now active in promoting the cause of temperance. The boys and girls have had their advantages of organ­ ized life and have proven its value in the splendid records of the achievements of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. The Boy Scouts of Cheshire were organized in 1917 under the leadership of Mr. Simpson and Mr. Dexter Durand. Others of our citizens who have been instrumental in the development of the local troup are Mr. Howard Andrus, Mr.• Thorpe, Messrs. Jack and Allen Goddard, Mr. Allen, Mr. Erskine and their present leader, Mr Geiger. The local troup holds just pride in those Scouts which have attained the mark of Eagle Scout, some of which are Robert Evans, Linwood Thorpe, Penn Hargrove, Randolph Erskine, Stan­ ley Richmond and Fred Emerson. Worthy work has also been done by the Girl Scouts started by Miss Alice Bassett in their program of training for noble girlhood and womanhood. Some of the leaders have been Mrs. C. A. Goddard with the Brownie Scouts, Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Moore. The only Cheshire Girl Scout who has won the Golden Eaglet is Miss Leila Emerson. Childhood and youth are the foundations on which we build our town, state and country. We have elsewhere heard of the progress of education in the town, but there is a group who are seeking to make the efforts of school and home more efficient. This is the Parent-Teachers' Associ­ ation organized March 5, 1928, with Mr. Ralph Haywood as the first president. The object has been given in these words: "To promote closest relationship between the home and the school and thus work for the best interest of the children." Its splendid service to the children in the annual Summer Round-up when children are examined for physi­ cal defects that they may be corrected before the beginning of school will in many cases prove a life-long blessing. Those societies which minister to desperate physical and moral needs of people are naturally close to our hearts. In this case, as in all others, Cheshire has never been heed­ less to the call. During the tense days of the World War, how valiantly our women worked for the soldiers and all in need. But here, as ever, co-operative effort is a hundred­ fold more far-reaching than individual labor. So on March 14, 1917, the local branch of the American Red, Cross So-

66 ciety was formed with the following officers: Chairman, Miss Nettie C. Smith; Secretary and Treasurer, Mrs. ' H. W. Durand; Chairman of Executive Committee, Mrs. E. D. Woodbury. Time does not permit the enumeration of gar­ ments, surgical dressings, and generous responses to local, national and world calls for help in times of crisis. There are many of our fellow citizens who think with the deepest gratitude of the present work of the local branch. The Red Cross under the supervision of Miss Cara Miller furnishes clothing and other supplies to many for whom the problem of warmth and cheer would be far greater than it now is when the help of our Red Cross room is available to all. Closely allied with the Red Cross, yet a separate society with the welfare of our own people as its chief, aim is the Public Health Nursing Association. It was organized in 1920 with the Rev. Chalmers Holbrook as its first president. He was succeeded by Mr. Irving Guilford. Cheshire is so familiar with and appreciative of the splendid work done by Miss Bruger, who came as the first nurse of the associ­ ation fifteen years ago, and is still our beloved nurse that it is not necessary to give a detailed account of the inestimable blessings which 'Come to all through our guardian angel, the Public Health Nursing Association. Working hand-in-hand with the Red Cross and the Public Health Nursing Association is the Sunshine Society which came into being about 1910. Its first president was Mrs. Werner Hoffman. I would like to give you the outstanding achievements in the words of its first president. "Our achievement as I see it, is having been able to relieve suffer­ ing among the people of the town; furnishing Christmas baskets under the direction of the Visiting Nurse; layettes when needed and in helping to clothe one boy through high school and aiding crippled children." Lest it might seem as though much of our organized life grew up around purely local interests, it will be well at this time to catch the wider visions held by our loyal citizens. Never did the country call for aid and Cheshire fail to re­ spond whole-heartedly. History has recorded the many who in time of war responded to the call and on their return sought to perpetuate the memory of those days. In 1881, the Edward A. Doolittle Post, No. 5, G. A. R. was mustered with 24 members. It is fitting to pause a moment in memory of the 39 members who belonged in 1889. The first officers were: Commander, Franklin A. Hotchkiss, and adjutant, Arthur E. Hotchkiss. Of this number, Mr. Charles Russell is the only living member. The memory of these men and

67 their deeds is kept fresh through the Sons of Veterans. Though Cheshire has not a local post, the members are affiliated with the Southington group. In 1920, two years after the signing of the Armistice, the R. A. Storrs Post No. 92 of the American Legion was founded in Cheshire. The first commander was Benjamin P. Storrs, and the present commander is Douglas M. Dunbar. The Post has been a community-minded organ­ ization, directing the most of its activities towards the help and benefit of the town. To quote from a paper written by its first commander: "Community activities in which the local American Legion post has taken part include can­ vassing for funds for worthy causes such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Unemployment Committee. The post also started a money raising campaign for some sort of a community house or center. Community fire-works programs for the Fourth of July were promoted by the post several times. The most ambitious community project undertaken by the local post was started in 1931 when the swimming pool on Power House Road was constructed". Another outgrowth of years of distress and conflict is the Ladyt Fenwick Chapter, D. A. R. which at the close of its twenty-five years of activity looks back with just pride on its noble service for town, state and country. The outstanding achievement is the publication of the History of Cheshire, begun by Mr. Beach and completed under the auspices of the D. A. R. The founder of the local chapter, Miss Nettie C. Smith, is entitled to the greatest credit for building up the local chapter which wields such a strong influence towards keeping alive in Cheshire the spirit of patriotism. The time came in Cheshire-town when some thoughtful women decided it was not enough to have the privilege of voting. It was a responsibility requiring adequate prepa­ ration and education. In the fall of 1930, the League of Women Voters was organized with Mrs. Paul Emerson as president. Much educational work was done through its various committees and its voice was felt in matters of legis­ lative importance. As the march of the years quickens, our town keeps pace by adding two new fraternal orders. The Shepherds of Bethlehem is one of these. Its purpose and goal are stated in these words taken from their folder. "We learn to respect the rights of others, we learn the dignity of humanity, but above all else we learn the most important thing of all-the power of organized giving to relieve distress". The distiction of being the latest organization in Cheshire

68 goes to the Order of Red Men whose birthday is Dec. 21, 1934. The first Sachem of the Order was Geo. Davidson and the present membership is forty-five. Perhaps the club which has the longest consecutive history aside from the secret orders, is the Cheshire Woma~'s Club. One secret of its continued activity is its ability to keep step with the times. Organized in 1894, it was called the Cheshire Literary Club and, as its name im­ plied, its programs consisted chiefly of study and local papers. Times changed, interests widened, growingi oppor­ tunities for study and lectures took the place of those pro­ vided by the Literary Club. Outside speakers and programs supplemented the activity of the members, and the name Cheshire Woman's Club was substituted for the name Cheshire Literary Club. Having become affiliated with the State and General Federation of Women's Clubs, it is a part of the large groups of women working for the highest ideals of home, town, state and country. Its first president, Miss Lillian N. Stoddard, held the office for many years, and has since been suc~eeded by many of our towns-women. By this' time I can he.ar a heavy sigh from the audience and some are saying, didn't Cheshire ever step in the matter of recreation and the more leisurely pursuits of mind and •-. body? Indeed she did, but like a good manager, she gets her work done, and when it is play-time she plays as hard as she worked. Once more let us draw back the curtain across the decades and come to the opening of the 1900's. The entire community has come to the Town; Hall for the event of the year. The Cheshire Dramatic Club is about to put on one of its famous plays which stand out in the memory of those who saw them. Under the direction of its leader, Mrs. Denison, the club produced some memorable works. It was an outstanding occasion in 1910 when in com­ memoration of its ten years of activity, it gave the play "Among the Breakers", the same play and with one excep­ tion, the same cast, as had been produced ten years before. The cast consisted of Richard Williams, Mrs. Denison, Charles Ward, Helen Peck Steele, Hazel Kirk Goodwin, Urban Tyack, Edith Lanyon, Willis French, Charles Elmore and George Steele. As a gift from the( Dramatic Club, Cheshire is proud of three signs on the highways entering the town with the wording, "Entering Cheshire. Gift of the Cheshire Dramatic Club". Although still in existence, the club has not been active since the death of its director, Mrs. Denison and one of its loyal members, Mr. Willis French. A fewt years ago the music-lovers of the town united in

69 the Cheshire Music Club of Cheshire with Mrs. William Bassett as president. Aside from their own study of music they were the means of bringing to the town some musical treats. One was an evening with Mr. MacDowell. Out of the Music Club, there developed a Choral Club which on two successive years presented the Hymn of Praise and the Rose Maiden. In keeping with its up-to-date reputation, the town awoke to the fact that it had no place for golf and other forms of recreation, and that its residents were compelled to seek their sport elsewhere. Under the direction of J. R. Cum­ mings of New Haven, the establishment of the Honey Pot Club was started and was organized Sept. 28, 1929. Cheshire is now justly proud of its Club House and Golf Links. But all of the recreational demands of the town were not yet met, and in 1933 the Athletic Association was formed. Its chief accomplishment has been the securing and build­ ing of the Merwin Athletic Field where ball games between local and visiting teams do much to bring the people to­ gether in a spirit of good fellowship. Nor is our up-to-date community lacking in other forms of sportsmanship. In order to protect the wild-life in its woods and streams and provide .a place for hunting and fishing for the citizens of the town, the Rod and Gun Club was formed in 1930 with Mr. Frank L. Rice as president. The streams have been restocked from time to time, and the latest project is the rearing of pheasants which are soon to be released. In this rapid surveY1 of the activities of our town, some worth-while enterprise may have been overlooked and we humbly beg the pardon of such. Other phases of social co­ operation might have been included, but if they had, the paper would more closely resemble the many alphabetical insignia with which other phases of life are now dis­ tinguished. Cheshire does keep step with the times, but it is sincerely hoped that she will not attempt to use up the alphabet for the sake of doing so. So we leave her to keep the pace by her thirty or more organized activities which at present function in the uplift and enjoyment of her citizens. Mabel E. Swift

70 Cheshire's Public Schools

T'S a "long, long trail" the children of Cheshire have trod since the days of "the little red schoolhouse" to the present I fine Humiston School Building on Main Street. Many fam­ ilies had made homes in this section of Wallingford, as it was then, by 1715 when the question of schools began seriously to trouble these "West Farmers" as they were called. The parent town had voted "yt all ye children yt go to schoole shall pay tow shillings a head, and all ye rest of ye money due to ye schoolmaster shall be payed out of ye town treasurey." There were twelve "Dissenters" to this vote, all West Farmers. The next town meeting was held in December and a petition was presented from the West Siders in which they tell how for some time they have dwelt remotely from the town and under great sisadvantage as to "ye great Duty of Edicating of our children & God in his goodness having much increased our Number we Desire yt ye town would grant us our propor­ tionable part of yt money yt we help to pay in order to ye Edicating our children & ye time we are alowed we will keep a schoole according to Law & ye Bounds we Desire assigned is west from ye rever as high as Timothy Tuttle & Timotny Beach's & we hope yt you will in your wisdom and compassion consider & grant our request in consideration whereof we your friends in name of ye Rest. Signed John Hodkiss, Jacob John­ son, Joseph Parker, John Doolittle." "The above request was voated & granted for thie year according to ye date above specified by ye town of Walling­ ford" The matter of schools had previously been brought up, but the center has always had their own way; they had a "scool master" and a "scool" but where it was located is not known­ evidently it was not convenient for those of the west side of the river and as they had voted "if children enter scool and goe six days he or they shal paye for ye whole year" which later was amended to their paying only "112 year Rates" it stilll was unjust to those on this side of the river. There were few roads, mostly cart paths, woods, and then the river to cross and in the winter more difficulty with deep snows. So our sympathy is with our west side people. The school differences continued for several years and at 71 last a petition was preferred to the Hartford Court, setting forth their disadvantages in attending the "publick worship of God & also Edicating our children" and praying to be made a parish society this was dated May 1, 1718, and signed by Thomas Brooks, Mathew Bellamy and Stephen Hotchkiss. The town of Wallingford was allowed to be heard and in their remonstrance one of the arguments used was that it would be greatly detrimental to the town to do this and they did not believe "ye great wisdom and prudence of this assem­ bly" would "destroy a town to make a village." But the great controversy went on and finally they had liberty from the town to have a school for two months in a convenient place for the children, one month about "Sam'l Andrewses and the farmers in each place to provide a house to keep ye school in." At various times during the following years committees were appointed by the town of Wallingford to see that the farmers on the west side and the north farmers have their share of the money for school ;-the north farmers were those living in that section nQw Cheshire Street. At last in 1723 their prayer was granted and they were made into a distinct parish and allowed to settle a minister, and have school. They built a church and we find in 1728 they voted to build two schoolhouses one to be near the "meeting hous" and applied to the town to have a school in the three summer months; but the town voted that the west side farmers should have the school "the three middlemost months in the year;" so apparently the Assembly did not grant the parish independent school privileges. The parish grew and never once failed to annually provide for its schools which were in part sustained by the money received by the town of Wallingford from the sale of the Western lands sold by the Colony of Connecticut in order that Governor Andros might not be able to claim any part of it for the Crown. These lands were not in the west, but in the northwestern part of the colony itself and at a special session of the Assembly grants were made of all the land of which the colony held the title. The largest grant including more than half the present county was made to the towns of Hartford and Windsor. The immediate purpose was accomplished but at the end of old Andros' reign when the old colony r~sumed its government under the old charter a violent controversy arose as Hartford and Windsor refused to give up the land granted them; in the end a compromise was proposed and accepted by the towns. The eastern half where the names New Hartford, Hartland, Harwinton, and Winchester show their origin, being

72 assigned to the towns Hartford and Windsor, and the western half retained as the property of the colony. This was divided into seven towns and in five of these after three hundred acres had been reserved for Yale College, the land was divided into fifty-three rights, one for the first minister, one for the sup­ port of the ministry, one for the support of the local school and fifty to be sold for the endowment of the schools in the fifty towns in the colony, the proceeds to be divided among them according to their respective grand lists of taxable prop­ erty and to be held by the towns as permanent funds. If a town had more than one parish the fund was to be divided among the parishes. - The portion allotted to New Cheshire parish was almost all held in bonds of the Western Reserve Corporation, but some of it was placed in bank by the school committee who were annually appointed. This money was usually loaned out to those who would borrow it, and for many years Mr. Samuel Beach was chosen to attend to it. In 1730 there were three committee men and in 1770 the number had increased to thirteen. And finallx in 1780 Cheshire was made a distinct town. The first town meeting was held in June 1780 and a regular town meeting in December 1780 when fifteen men were chosen for a school committee for the year. Education was still a prom­ inent matter with the people and it was in 1794, only fourteen years after being made a town, that thirty-six men irrespective of their creed pledged enough money to build the Academy whose cornerstone was laid in 1796 and which building is still standing and was used for many years as the "Episcopal Academy of Connecticut." The deed conveying the land and building says these men "being deeply impressed with the importance of Literary Institutions" give the land and build­ ings to the trustees. The school districts were reduced to fourteen at this time and later to twelve at which number it stayed for many years. Schoolhouses were built in each district; usually the land was given the district so long as it was used for school purposes, and then it reverted to the owner or his heirs. It is not known that all were painted red which seems to have been the pro­ verbial color, but they were typical of the time. A small one with wooden shutters was used for many years and stood in the south center district; only one of the twelve is now stand­ ing, though unused, in the Moss Farms District. The schools in the districts were in charge of the districts, the inhabitants of which would gather each year and elect a committeeman who would hire the teacher and see to the

73 needs of the school ; another man would be elected to collect the "Polemoney" of each that sent children to the school. When a new school house had to be built or repairs made the cost was carefully figured and a tax to cover it was laid on each landholder in the district. The teachers were usually men, especially in the winter time when the big boys went to school. The women taught the summer schools. In a report kept by one of the 'men teachers in 1842, the names of those sending children are care­ fully given and opposite each name the number of weeks board each family shall furnish the teacher, based on the number of children. The book also gives the attendance and names and ages of the children. In general it answers to the registers of the later days. The clergymen of the town were the school visitors and also generally examined the qualifications of the proposed teachers. Once a week the clergyman would visit the schools and hear the catechism, it is said; and the children were carefully taught "to make their manners" at this time. The fact that Bronson Alcott taught the school in the center in the '20s, would indicate that Cheshire, had some open minded men, but his methods proved too much finally for those whose belief was that sparing the rod spoils the child, and he was finally dismissed. The building in which he taught was in later years sold and moved to the east on Wallingford road and eventually was sold to John May and used as a store on the road near F. B. Ansleys. The first report of a visiting committee of schools was given in 1856, when it was read and accepted at the town meeting which also voted that three persons should constitute a board of school visitors and the Rev. Mr. Bryant, Rev. Mr. Clapp and William Kelsey were chosen. The town kept up with the votes passed by the Legislature each year and made the necessary changes ; one required six school visitors who were allowed $100 for their services. In the report of the Acting school visitor in 1892 we find the fi-rst intimation of the need of a public school of a higher grade, and as a first step toward this object consolidation of districts was proposed. Not meaning the giving up of the district school it carefully said, but meaning to have the business all in the hands of the school committee. However this was at once frowned upon for each district liked to run its own affairs. Finally in January, 1894, it was voted to establish a high school, and in February of that year Mrs. Philocia Hotchkiss gave a thousand dollars to the selectmen to be applied to pur-

74 chase within a year a site for a high school building; if not used for this purpose it could be used for a library building site or for other school purposes. The money was used to purchase a site from A. S. Bennett on Bunnell street, who agreed, if it was not satisfactory at the " end of a year, he would take back the land and refund the money. Of course it was not satisfactory, and a new committee was appointed by the town who after much labor found and pur­ chased a site on Highland Avenue, and Mr. Bennett took back his land and refunded the money as he agreed to. The new purchase was so far from satisfactory that another town meet­ ing was about to be called and a parody on the purchase in the "Ten Little Injuns" manner caused much fun about the town. Doctor Horton'3 death and the sale of his property was the immediate cause of the town purchasing the site of the Hum­ iston school. His residence was made over into a high school and the money given by Mrs. Hotchkiss was used in fitting it up. In 1899 the school board lost by death two valued members: Dr. M. N. Chamberlain and Dr. E. T. Cornwall. To Dr. Chamberlain the schools owed much for he had been a member of the school board for many years and devoted much time and thought to its problems. While he thought the prospect of a high school somewhat of a problem; the idea of taking pupils from ungraded schools into a high school being rather ultra, yet he said in his whimsical way "you have to add downward sometimes to prove the work is right" and maybe this will wake people up to consolidate and let us have a graded school. The State board opposing the continuance of the high school for various reasons, it was voted to discontinue it, and various district schools were closed and the pupils transported to the central school for at last the town had voted consolidation. In 1911 it began to look as if a new school house would be needed and just at this time, Mrs. Julia A. Humiston, a previ­ ous benefactor to the town in many ways, gave the town $30,000 for a new building provided it was built on the site of the old one. The offer was accepted with enthusiasm, and as soon as the school year ended, the old building was removed and work on the new building begun. With such zeal did the committee, J. D. Walter, A. W. Huxley, Sr., and A. S. Backus look after the work that the building was completed and occupied at the beginning of the school year 1912. Mrs. Humiston wished it named the "Humiston School" in honor of her father the late Daniel Humiston. Mrs. Humiston

75 died in June 1912 but the building was so nearly completed that a picture was taken of the exterior which she was able to see, and express her pleasure in its appearance. Since then all the schools have been brought into this build­ ing which has been enlarged by an addition of eight rooms. There is a corps of twenty teachers; music and drawing are taught and it is a completely up-to-date school. Surely the "long, long trail" has brought the present day children into a pleasant place.

Private Schools of Old

HE desire for education was strongly rooted in the Cheshire people, for although we find no mention of T schools for girls, yet the fact that Lucinda Foote, daugh­ ter of Rev. John Foote, at the age of twelve years passed the preliminary examination for admission to Yale and a certifi­ cate to that effect, signed by Ezra Stiles, president of Yale, is carefully treasured by her descendants, proves that contention. It is quite probable that the Rev. Mr. Foote had other young ladies to whom he gave instruction, and the sentiment for the girls having equal opportunities for education was strong enough to have the article inserted in the Constitution of the Academy which says :-"Female education may be attended to under this institution by such instructors and under such regulations as the Trustees shall direct." During the thirty years in which this article remained in the Constitution, over one hundred young ladies from this town and other places attended school here, and we find the names of many local families whose daughters attended the Academy. Among them are Andrews, Baldwin, Beach, Benham, Booth, Bradley, Brandin, Bristol, Bronson, Brooks, Brown, Bullard, Cook, Cornwall, DeWolf, Doolittle, Fields, Flagg, Foot, Hall, Hitchcock, Hotchkiss, Ives, Jarvis, Johnson, Matthews, Merriam, Moss, Norton, Parker, Peck, Preston, Shelton, Street, Talmadge, Thomson, Thomas, and Tuttle. In 1836 the Constitution was changed and girls were hence­ forth debarred. In 1850 the citizens of Cheshire petitioned the Trustees to

76 permit girls to again attend, but the petition was denied on the ground that it was contrary to the Constitution. Miss Ann Cornwall, whose father owned at one time the house where Edgar Beadles lived, kept a school for girls and it is said she was very popular and much beloved. The Rev. Asa Cornwall, her father kept a school for boys in a building near where the wagon shop stood for so many years; he was also a teacher in the Academy. Miss Thankful Bartholomew of Wolcott kept a private school for girls in the basement of the Methodist church and was assisted at one time by her sister Miss Emerette Bartholomew who married Julius Moss. There is a tradition that another school was kept on this street for young ladies, but diligent search has failed to prove it anything more than a tradition. In 18 0 Seth J. Calhoun and family moved here from New Haven and his talented daughter, Miss Harriet, opened a boarding and day school for young ladies which was a most successful institution for many years. At first she took no beginners, but ~t last, yielding to earnest parental appeals, she admitted the little folk and had, as assistant, a Miss Kate Woodward. One lady who began her schooldays with Miss Harriet says that what she was taught while there, stayed and - was never forgotten. After the death of her mother, Miss Sarah Calhoun who had been teaching as governess in the South and in New York, came home and helped in the school until it was closed. Mrs. Alfred S. Baldwin opened a school for day pupils which was very successful; she had both beginners and older pupils. Miss Chipman, Miss Trythall, and Miss Lena Ives also opened schools for small boys and girls at various times, which successfully filled a needed want. Too much cannot be said in praise of these cultured women who so faithfully taught, not only book lore but behavior, and turned out many cultured women who have kept alive in the town a broad, cultured interest in world affairs, and the wish to have the best things in and for the town. With our graded schools and fine high school which are open to our students, the need for private schools has ceased, locally. The Rev. Mr. Bull, a cultured man, a retired minister, who lived here many years, occupying the house where Mr. Sheriff now lives, used to tut9r boys for college, and had at one time many boarders, mostly from New York, whom he successfully prepared for college.

77 The Episcopal Academy of Connecticut

HESHIRE had been a town only fourteen years when it first heard of the proposed establishment of an Epis­ Ccopal Academy in the diocese of Connecticut, in which­ ever town offered the most advantages for such an institu­ tion. The progressive spirits in town saw in this proposed school an opportunity for Cheshire and under date of June 29th, 1794, we find that: "At a meeting of the subscribers for building an Academy in the Town of Cheshire, Colonel Reuben Royse was chosen moderator and Eln Beach, Clark". "Voted that a committee be chose with full powers to contract with the Committee of the Episcopal convention to convene at Samuel Bellamy's in Hamden on the first day of July next. "Voted that Messrs Andrew Hull, William Law, Elnathan Beach, Andrew Hull, 2nd and Rufus Hitchcock be the said committee & that they be requested to attend upon the Com­ - mittee of said convention & agree upon terms respecting said academy. Test, Eln Beach, Clark". A committee of nine appointed by the Episcopal conven­ tion met with Cheshire's committee and Cheshire was de­ cided upon. The above proprietors pledged a building for the reception of the students. At that time there were very few houses or buildings on the main street. At the head of the street and facing south stood the home of Ebenezer Doolittle, where J. D. Walter now lives; no other house was on this side of the street until Amasa Hitchcock's house ·now occupied by Mrs. E. P. Welton was reached; two other houses on this side were those of Elnathan Beach and Samuel Beach. On the west side of the street was the Episcopal Church, a building 42 feet square with galleries and so very high that it is related that when the Bishop visited here and one of the congre­ gation told him that they hoped to build a steeple very soon, the Bishop replied that he thought they "might better build a church to their steeple". Next came Deacon Israel Bunnell's house where Humiston

78 School now stands. South was Colonel Rufus Hitchcock's store, his house on the Green and the Congregational Church on the east edge of the Green. There were but two more on that side until Parson Hall's old home was reached. Most of the subscribers lived out on various farms, and much praise is due these men of vision, who brought to the town this institution which did so much to broaden the lives of the people. As soon as Cheshire was decided upon, the Rev. Mr. Bronson, then a young clergyman, opened a school, in a small building which stood opposite the residence of Dr. Elnathan Beach. The cornerstone of the new building was laid with Masonic honors April 28, 1796, and was completed in the autumn of that year at a cost of £702 lawful money and was conveyed by the "Thirty" proprietors, with the grounds to the Trustees. This is the brick building on the campus known as Bowden Hall, in which the present assembly is convened. These proprietors, all of Cheshire, were: Andrew Hull, Andrew Hull, 2nd, William Law, Elnathan Beach, Rufus Hitchcock, Gould G. Norton, Benoni Hotchkiss, Selden Spencer, Lucius Tuttle, Israel Bunnell, Moses Moss, Thomas .. Atwater, Am~sa Hall, Stephen Ives, Jared Bishop, Amasa Lewis, Jere Brooks, Dimon Barnes, Reuben Bronson, Reuben Roys, Ezra Doolittle, Ebenezer Hale, Elisha Cowles, Abraham Ives, Israel Tyler, Jr., Benjamin Hull, John Beach, Charles C. Hall, Edward Goodyear, Amos Doolittle, Zachariah Ives, Hezekiah Todd, Caleb Todd, Isaac Moss, Samuel A. Law and Asa Blakeslee. In the deed giving this property to the trustee they expressed themselves as doing it because they were "deeply impressed with the impor­ tance of establishing Literary institutions". None of these men were of great wealth. In fact, tradi­ tion tells of one of the wives saying that she thought her husband ought to buy glass for the windows of his house instead of giving away his money. The said windows had only oiled paper illl them, and the poor wife could not see her neighbors go by without going to the door; so we can sympathize with her exasperated feelings. .. The Constitution adopted by the Trustees was certainly a very liberal one for the times: among the articles we find one saying "Female Education may be attended to under this institution by such instructors and under such regula­ tions as the trustees shall direct" and another article says "No Laws of the Academy shall compel the students to

79 attend public worship but at such place or places as their respective parents or guardians shall direct." Only thirteen of the Cheshire men who gave their money for this Academy were Episcopalians. When these men bought the land for the building, there was no street run­ ning east, but an unbroken stretch of land up to Ebenezer Doolittle's place. Dr. Bowden, the new principal was the son of Major Thomas Bowden and he brought to his new field his pupils from Stratford. From the first the school met with success. After Dr. Bowden's resignation in 1802, the school lan­ guished for a time, but it rallied and for many years held its own unique place, sending forth into the world gradu­ ates who have become prominent and honored citizens of our country and justifying the faith of those thirty propri­ etors who gave of their scanty store, that this good thing might come to their beloved town. Th~ various principals who followed Dr. Bowden were: Rev. Dr. William Smith, Rev. Dr. Tillotson Bronson, Rev. C. F. Cruse, Rev. Dr. Judd, Rev. Allen Morgan, Rev. Dr. E. E. Beardsley, Rev. S. B. Paddock, Rev. H. Bryant, Rev. Mr. Babcock, Rev. S. J. Horton. It was during Dr. Bronson's principalship that young ladies were admitted and from 1806 until 1836, when the constitution was changed, over one hundred girls from Cheshire and other towns in this state and New York at­ tended the school. Many of the principals all of whom were clergymen, also served as rectors of St. Peter's church; a custom which proved of no great service to either church or school and which was finally abandoned. Among the instructors in these we find the names of Horatio Seymour, Yale 1779, Jonathan Law, Yale 1803, Rev. Thomas Ruggles Pynchon later a president of Trinity College, John Adams Paddock, afterward Bishop of Olym­ pia, Benjamin Henry Paddock later Bishop of Massachu­ setts, Charles Augustus Linsley, M. D., Yale 1852, who was president of the Connecticut Medical Society; Henry A. Jones "the Lightning Calculator" also taught here in 1857. January 1, 1862, Rev. Sanford J. Horton became the principal, coming from Windham, Conn, and bringing with him some of the boys who had been his students there. He established the military regime, which at that time (1862) proved to be, as one might say, "a drawing card". Ezra Leander Stiles was his first drill master and was succeeded by Harlan P. Davidson, who afterwards became superin-

80 ten dent of the North Western Military Academy in Illinois. The school grew and prospered greatly; a building used as a hotel and tavern had been erected on the corner of Academy street a new street to the east, and had been bought by a previous principal for a home; this was taken over by Dr. Horton, enlarged and used for a dormitory, and also as his home. Later this was burned down, and the doctor with great courage successfully raised funds and built the present brick building used by Roxbury School, known as Horton Hall. The students wore a blue gray uniform and were under strict military discipline; their drills were a feature of great interest to the small boy; and when occasionally the shouts of "The 'Cadm'y Boys are Coming" were heard, all the children on the main street hung breathless on the fences along the way to watch them; and it is said many of the older sisters could have been seen behind the curtains, also watching. It was because the school grew so fast, that the tran­ septs of St. Peter's Episcopal Church were added in 1876 to provide seats for this large group and many can still recall the long line of students marching sedately up the side aisles to their transept seats. Doctor Horton was a public spirited citizen and thorough­ ly identified himself with the town and its interests and was considered a just man and a kind neighbor. He had his foibles and one seemed to be a passion for buying up old buildings or parts of them; it was said that he would buy old windows and build a house around them; and it certainly is true that many porticoes and small build­ ings were made over into houses by him. He was a wise teacher, a skilful disciplinarian and a good manager. When he resigned in 1892 it was with real regret that alumni and residents received the news, and no one who attended com­ mencement that year will ever forget the old doctor stand­ ing on: the platform on the campus surrounded by alumni and townspeople, vainly trying to control his feelings enough to respond to their speeches and cheers. So many stories are told of the doctor and his canny ways that it is difficult to choose from them. Some have grown by repetition and must be greatly discounted. This one is vouched for. One of the graduates wished to return' for a post graduate course; of course they wanted him to come, but the doctor saw a difficulty. The students were under strict control, not allowed to visit in outside homes, but this student, not being one of the boys, would

81 expect privileges and would not be wearing a uniform, therefore not under military discipline. The doctor solved the difficulty by giving him an appointment as brigadier general, with a uniform adorned with much gold lace. Very likely he never sensed the fact that he was still under discipline; and when one saw him on the campus resplen- - dent in his uniform, directing his "army" one mentally gave the doctor a salute as well. Among the noted alumni we find the following names General Joseph Wheeler who was a student 1849-1851 and it is said a brick upon which his name is carved can still be seen in the old Bowden Hall; John Pierpont Morgan 1846- 1851, who revisited the old school several times. William Ordway Partridge, the sculptor, Delancey Nicoll, Stanford Newell, C. Larue Munson. A host of others whose names are well known were and are proud to call the "Old Epis­ copal Academy" of Connecticut their Alma Mater. With Doctor Horton the name of the Academy was dropped and the principals who followed have a history of interest, all their own; but it is fitting to end this story with the end of the Academy. Professor Eri Davidson Woodbury came to the school as a teacher in 1865 and as an able helper to Doctor Horton, honored, loved and respected by all with whom he came in contact. He retired when Doctor Horton gave up the school and went to Florida, but was recalled and served as principal of "The Cheshire School, Inc." for some years, always maintaining its previous high standing.

82 ... Meeting of the E. A. C. Alumni Association

N interesting feature in the program of the Cheshire Tercentenary Celebration was a gathering of the A Alumni of the old Episcopal Academy of Connecticut. Through the efforts of the Rev. J. Frederick Sexton,, pres­ ident of the Alumni Association, which still maintains its existence, though the old school is no more, some thirty-five of the alumni returned to disport themselves on the campus and renew the memories of their school days. They found Cheshire as lovely as ever, and the campus and buildings, now the property of the Roxbury School, remodeled and greatly imn_roved. Bowden Hall, the original building of the old school, still stands, and is a conspicuous landmark in the present group of buildings. The alumni desiring to mark this, because of its historic interest, had had a bronze tablet prepared and placed on the outer wall of the building. It bears this in­ scription-

BOWDEN HALL THE FffiST BUILDING OF THE EPISCOPAL ACADEMY OF CONNECTICUT ERECTED - 1796

It was unveiled by Master Douglas Malcolm Dunbar, and the presentation speech was made by the Rev. Mr. Sexton. Mr. Arthur N. Sheriff, Headmaster of the Roxbury School, accepted it for the school, expressing his pleasure in having this link with the past. After these exercises dinner was served in Horton Hall, where the "old" fellows with' the memories of their gusta­ tory exploits of days long gone by did ample justice to the good things which the· ladies of the town set before them. There were impromptu speeches from a number of the alumni, reminiscent of the happy days at school, days so

83 far in the past that all the drudgery of school was forgot­ ten, and only the happy things lived in the memory. In the afternoon the alumni with their friends gathered in St. Peter's Church for a brief service of prayer and praise, which was conducted by the rector, Rev. Mr. Skilton. At the close of this a pilgrimage was made to the graves of the three former principals of the old school which are in the adjoining churchyard. Flowers which were contributed by Charles M. Murphey, '89, were placed upon the graves, and at each a few appreciative words were spoken by William A l Beardsley, '83, at the grave of Rev. Tillotson Bronson; by FrankS. Morehouse, '97, at the grave of Rev. Sanford J. Horton; and by Frank M. Chapin, '88, at the grave of Professor Eri D. Woodbury. The day was a beautiful August day, and the care-free alumni, sitting beneath the stately trees on the campus, seemed to be enjoying themselves almost as much as they were wont to do in the class rooms of old. It was a happy thought to make this alumni gathering a feature of Cheshire's Tercentenary Celebration,' for no real Academy boy will ever lose out of his memory Cheshire and the old school. W. A. Beardsley.

84 Epi$copal Academy, at Cheshire

BOWDEN HALL Corner-ston~ laid with Masonic honors by Temple Lodge, April 28th, 1796.

THE ACADEMY ABOUT 1865 (From an Olrl P •· int) REV. JOHN BOWDEN, S.T D. 1751-1817

Principal of the Episcopal Academy of Connecticut 1796- 1802

Professor in Columbia Colleg-e 1802 -1817 DOUGLAS MALCOLM DUNBAR, JR. Who unveiled Tablet presented by the Alumni Association.

Greetings From An Old Alumnus

HIS is a happy occasion and it' does not seem right to treat it too seriously, but the long past brings up the T long future. So I say at once, and pass on without argu­ ment, that it is my deep conviction that this Country today, this year and next, faces the greatest crisis since the Civil War. And to mention the old E. A. C. of our time brings up thought of the Civil War. However, I am no Pessimist. I am an Optimist as to final results when once the great majority of our citizens calmly decide upon their course. A Bishop said the other day in my hearing,"There is no more God on earth." I agree, in a sense. God is seldom spoken of or referred to today in many circles. He was much more talked about in my youth, I am no Pessimist. I be­ lieve He still abides in the hearts of the people and that where he most abides perhaps sometimes He is there least talked about. I believe behind everything there is a tremendous latent faith which will one day be evident. My friend the Bishop, who was somewhat inclined to wail, seemed personally a very cheerful, attractive man, thoughtful and considerate of others. So, I am optimistic enough to believe he is living God himself, even if he doesn't hear much about Him. I am an Optimist. I hand it to Human Kind. In; the face of assured short years of life, against all natural obstacles, against the horrible frailties of mobs and of dictatorial rulers, Man has never quailed. Cheerfully he has always undertaken tasks as if he had centuries of life before him. The spirit of personal preservation and advancement, and of personal initiative in man has never been defeated and never will be. Sometimes I feel as if God himself looks upon Man, the Spirit of Man, and is proud of His handiwork. Also I believe that all the time God is asking man to help Him. I have literally no use for Laissez Faire, as a principle, any more than I have use for rank and reckless Radicalism. Therefore, I say that I am an Optimist. But not so foolish as to believe that things will march right of themselves. Nor

85

... am I so reckless as to depend upon one man or set of men to determine, without my reasoned consent, that which I shall reasonably do. Therefore, when we all gather here primarily to honor the past three centuries of which is now the State of Connecticut, and secondarily, a few of us to throw a wreath of memory to old E. A. C., though we rejoice in the past we may well consider where we stand as to the future. It is to me so much marvel to see so, many citizens, en­ gaged in their daily rounds, mostly appearing at ease and removed from troubling thoughts. It is to me a surprise to witness the apparent indifference of over 70 millions of small savers, small investors, small business people, small tax sufferers, men and women, to the threatening situation involving their interests. This subject I will not elaborate other than to say that at least to the dead these things of the future are no longer of concern. So E. A. C. can speak only, in a sense as from the grave, but what message it may carry is based upon an established past, which lived through the great burdens and fears of the early life of this Nation, through the awful crisis of Civil War, and though saved from the dread call of the great World War, still its spirit can sound a clear, clarion note for the future. Life repeats itself. When we entered the old Academy the Civil War seemed to us in the long past, and yet it was a past of only five or six years. Harding, the Lieutenant of the South, and Wood­ bury the Captain of the North, seemed to us a natural not a striking fact of which the significance then escaped us. I look back to the nearly seventeen years since the World War and it seems a shorter period than that five or six years of my youth. We who attended E. A. C. then had no real personal experience of the Civil W.ar. And so now a new generation has grown up which has no realization of war and perhaps too little realization of the exceedingly serious problems we are facing today. I have stood in the streets of Paris and again in New York and counted the passers-by. Literally one-half or more could never have taken part in the World War. What do they really know about war, or realize about our present national problems? It is sad to think of old E. A. C. .as taking no part in these great problems. However, it is a keen pleasure to know that it has been so more than worthily succeeded. Perhaps it is a solace that E. A. C. was spared the possi-

86 ..

bility of producing a smiling gentleman for whom she would feel a certain responsibility as to whether he might choose a career fathered by Ambition or one inspired by Aspiration. These last words were spoken in the Memorial Church of Harvard last winter by a distinguished preacher. .. To all those young men and women who are passing through all those institutions of learning in our country, we remnants of E. A. C. and the shades of our predecessors during more than a century of growth-confide to their hand the future of our Country with abiding hope and con­ fidence. Through them we of old E. A. C., dead or alive, march on. We are not afraid. R. H. Munson, York Harbor, Maine.

THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF THE EPISCOPAL ACADEMY OF CONNECTICUT "'President, The Rev. J. Frederick Sexton, '79 Vice Presidents Lennox S. Faber, '81 Secretary and Treasurer Frank W. Darling, '84 Drurie S. Bristol, '96 Drurie S. Bristol, '96

New Haven, Conn. Sept. 6th, 1935 Dear Fellow Alumnus:- I want to thank you one and all for the part you took in making our meeting in Cheshire such a great success. Every detail was carried out according to our program. We were received most kindly by Mr. Sheriff and members of the faculty of Roxbury. One man writes-"Considering these hectic times, I know no place so peaceful and restful as a seat on the old drill ground, in front of old Bowden, along with thiry-five old E. A. Cers." Master Douglas Malcolm ,.... Dunbar, son of one of the masters unveiled the Tablet. He was born June 24th, 1924, and I suggest that we make him an honorary member of our Association to watch out for the Tablet as long as he lives. I have received a large number of letters from the boys expressing their great appreciation of our efforts and saying

87 very flattering things about myself; sentiments which I very much appreciate and of which I am justly proud. It is a great honor to be President of such a fine body of men trained as we all were under giants in those days, Horton, Woodbury, Phillips, Gunn, Henderson, Hyde, Goddard, Smith, Booth, and many others. "Order, neatness, and punctuality are necessary habits and essential to success." "No one is fit to command until he has learned to obey." The semi-military training we can never lose, can never forget. It was good for us all-It made men of sterling worth--Strong men in War and in Peace, in Business, in Law, and in the Church all stand out before my eyes a~ I think of the past, (pardon the bit of personality)-! saw Cheshire for the first time fifty-nine years ago today-the world has moved on since that time, Sept. 6th, 1876, but it needs just what E. A. C. has stood for since its foundation in 1794. I am enclosing a copy of the address of our '7 4 man, Robert H. Munson, a fine character and representative of the true old E. A. C. spirit, which he made at the dinner in Horton Hall. In answering my request for copies he modest­ ly writes, "Your favors of August 23rd and 24 received. I will have the 75 copies mimeographed and remit you to cover mailing. etc. Perhaps it is too general circulation of what was really an impulsive outburst, 'extemporaneously read'. The only value it has is that it expresses the weighed conclusions of an old man of active and varied experiences, and far from being a strict church man. My conclusions are concrete based on what I have learned in practical life. Millions of common people, some of whom certain profes­ sional theorists love to call Morons, reach their convictions from what they personally know, without guesswork of any kind. Because it lives only on the spirit of the past, there is something pathetic about the figure of old E. A. C. long a part of the great history of our Country from near its start, through the Civil W .ar and the later peaceful Victorian Period, finally retiring modestly before the arrival of our ominous modern problems." I am also enclosing' the very fine letter of Mr. Sheriff to Mr. Munson which the latter also had mimeographed with this end in view. The following men were present: Timothy Chipman '63-'68, Wm. G. Mather '73, Cleveland, Cheshire Ohio Judson A. Doolittle '66-'67, Mt. Robert H. Munson '74, York Vernon, N. Y. Harbor, Me. Charles L. McNeil '73, Torrington Lewis 0. Shepard '78, Plantsville 88 Rev. J. Frederick Sexton '79, New Frank W. Valentine '90, New Haven Haven H. W. Andrews '80, Mt. Dora, Major W. Judge '91, Waterbury Florida Wesley 0. Collins '92, Cheshire Lennox S. Faber '81, Orange, N.J. Everett I. Pardee '92, Cheshire Stephen Tredinnick '81, Meriden Robert E. Carey '93, Cheshire Rev. Wm. A. Beardsley '83, New Edmund H. Williams '94, Cheshire Haven Drurie S. Bristol '96, Cheshire E. B. Moss '85, Merid·en Harry F. Mormay '97, East John Swan '87, Seymour Hartford Edwin F. Lawton '87, Hartford Rev. Frank S. Morehouse '97, James R. Lanyon '87, Cheshire Shelton J. Wilbor Beach '88, Cheshire Harry E. Camp '99, Southington W. H. Baldwin '88, Cheshire Rev. Dwight W. Graham '02, George E. Carey 88, Cheshire Bath, N. Y. Frank M. Chapin '88, Pine Meadow Clifford J. Talmadge '03, South­ Charles M. Murphey '89, Man- ington chester Melville C. Bennett '14, Cheshire

Contributors to the Tablet Fund: In Memory of Captain Treat Dr. Geo. T. Doolittle '80, Spokane, from Dr. and Mrs. Lindsley Wash. Rev. John F. Plumb '23, Stephen Tredinnick '81, Meriden Hartford Lennox S. Faber '81, Orange, N. J. Henry S. Frost, West Haven Rev. Wm. A. Beardsley '83, New Judson A. Doolittle '67, Mt. Haven Vernon, N. Y. J. G. Henshaw '84, Providence, R. I. Charles L. McNeil '73, Torrington Frank W. Darling '84, Hampton, Wm. G. Mather '73, Clev.eland, Va. Ohio Lewis W. Downes '84, Providence, Robert H. Munson '74, York R. I. Harbor, Me. E. B. Moss '85, Merid.en John J. Osborn '74, New Haven Rev. H. H. Barber '86, Augusta, Frederick L. Stokes '75, New Ga. York E. L. Lawton '87, Hartford Charles C. Gibson '76, Williams­ James R. Lanyon '87, Cheshire port, Pa. John Swan '87, Seymour Rev. Wm. E. Hooker '76, Wood­ Prof. R. J. Colony '88, New York bury Frank M. Chapin '88, Pine Meadow Lewis 0. Shepard '78, Plants­ J. Wilbor Beach '88, Cheshire ville George E. Carey 88, Cheshire Rev. Wm. S. Short '79, Santa Charles M. Murphey '89, Man- Rosa, Cal. chester J . C. Ellis '79, Millsboro, Del. Frank W. Valentine '90, New Haven Admiral Frank T. Arms '79, New Major M. Judge '91, Waterbury London Ev.erett I. Pardee '92, Cheshire Frederick J. Barnes '79, New Wesley 0. Collins '92, Cheshire York Rob.ert E. Carey '93, Cheshire Rev. Frederick Sexton '79·, New Newton H. Hoyt '93, Bridgeport .. Haven Druie S. Bristol '96, Cheshire H. W. Andrews '80, Mt. Dora, Harry F. Morway '97, East Florida Hartford Medad E. Stone '80, New York Rev. Frank S. Morehouse '97 Henry Buist '80, Charleston, S. C. Shelton Rev. E. L. Sanford '80, Borden- Rev. J. W. Walker '98, Meadow town, N.J. Brrook, Pa.

89 E. Morgan Ingraham '98, Water­ Howell Wright '0•2, Cleveland, bury Ohio Harry C. Camp '99, Southington B. D. Jennings '02, South Norwalk Rev. Dwight W. Graham '02, Bath, Clifford J. T·almadge '0·3, Southing­ N.Y. ton Melville C. Bennett '14, Cheshire

I trust I have made no mistakes or omissions in the above list. If you discover any kindly notify me. I regret to write the pictures by an inexcusable blunder of the developing company were .a failure. I am rendering to the Treasurer full account of expenses. The Tablet cost $80 and I received more than that amount from the Alumni. The surplus was used to cover part of ex­ penses for mimeographing, half-tones, printing, postage, etc., and we now have in the Connecticut Savings Bank of New Haven $91.02. With kindest thoughts for each and every one of you personally and a heart full of thanksgiving, I am, Most sincerely your old friend, J. Frederick Sexton.

90 THE ROXBURY SCHOOL Cheshire, Connecticut A. N. SHERIFF Head Master

August 23, 1935 Dear Mr. Munson: It really was a tremendous source of pleasure to me and to those associated with me in the new school to have the privilege of talking to you and your fellow Alumni. As I looked at you and listened to your words, I felt very de­ cidedly that nothing must interfere with the future of edu­ cation on the old Cheshire campus. We are eager to prove worthy of the traditions of the past which are to be found in every stone and every tree on the campus. I pray that the link between the old school and the new may contin­ ually become closer; for I believe that in a very deep spirit­ ual sense Cheshire should belong to its Alumni, and I believe too that in a more material sense likewise, the school should p be returned to those who have made its history. The moment of the unveiling of the tablet on Bowden Hall was a very significant one, and the unveiling was to me symbolic of the linking of the past and the present and is full of hope for the future. Likewise the presentation of the scion of the Charter Oak was significant. I like to think that a century from now that oak will spread its limbs in memory of the gathering of the Cheshire Alumni on the campus August 17th. May I express the hope that you will feeJ free to visit the school any time you desire. You will always be welcome. Sincerely yours, (Signed) ARTHUR N. SHERIFF.

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