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Gc 974.602 B77 j 1771747
M. L. C
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
V
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01148 6534
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
OF THE
INCORPORATION
OF THE
TOWN OF BRISTOL,;
JUNE 17, 1885.
COMPILED BY JOHN J. JENNINGS.
HARTFORD, CONN . PRESS OF THE CASE, LOCK WOOD & BRAINARD COMPANY. 1885.
1 1.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/centennialcelebr00jenn
1771747
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
Centennial Celebration
OF THE
Incorporation
OF THE
TOWN OF BRISTOL,
June 17, 1885.
Jennings, John Joseph, 1853-1909, comp.
F 84605 Centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town . 4 of Bristol Conn. Jume 17. 1855. Comp. by John J. Jen- . nings. Hartford, Conn .. Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard company, 1885. 109 p. 1 illus., fold. plan. 23 .
CHELP CARD
1 Bristol Coon -Contenant of Nations, etc. 2. Bristol, Conn .- Hist. 1. Title.
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Library of Congress
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PREFACE.
This little book is hereby dedicated to the citizens of the town of Bristol. It is just what it purports to be, to wit, a compilation. It is made up of the records of the committee who had the celebration in charge, the stenographic report of the public exercises, the newspaper accounts of the loan exhi- bition and of the proceedings of the day, and materials fur- nished by the historians. The compiler has added only what was needed to make a connected history of the celebration.
He desires to make due acknowledgment for matter taken from the columns of the following newspapers : The Hartford Courant, The Hartford Times, The Hartford Evening Post, The Waterbury Daily American, and The Bristol Weekly Press.
Ile also wishes to express his deep obligations to the histo- rians, Mr. Roswell Atkins and Mr. Epaphroditus Peck, for the cordial co-operation and assistance they have rendered throughout the progress of the work.
The appendices, A, B, C, D, E, and F, have been prepared by Mr. Peck; appendix G is the result of the researches of Mr. Atkins; appendices E and F are copies from original documents now in the possession of Daniel and William Jerome.
The cut of the Bartholomew Tavern has been furnished through the courtesy of G. W. Bartholomew, Jr., of Austin, Texas.
J. J. J.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Frontispiece - Lay-out of Bristo !.
PAGE.
Preface,
5
Explanation of Map,
9
Preliminary Proceedings, 17
Centennial Day, 21
Rev. Mr. Lewis' Prayer,
2.1
Mr. Newell's Address,
25
Historical Address, .
28
Illustration-Barthomy Tavern,
54
Mr. Jerome's Address,
56
Mr. Mitchell's Address,
60
Prof. Peck's Address,
65
Gen. Hawley's Address.
70
Letters of Regret, . 76
The Loan Exhibition, 79
Appendices, . 93-109
A. Petition of 1742, 93
B. Petition of 1744, . 9.4
C. Extracts from Society Records, 95
D). Extracts from Town Records, 102
E. Bill of Sale of Slave, 106
F. Indenture of Slave. 107
G. List of Revolutionary Soldier .: , . 108
BRISTOL 1721.
12
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77
70
78
75
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77
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.to5 Drawn by Roswell Akus From the Record.
Scale 200 Ilds. to the lich.
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1
EXPLANATION OF CHART.
Mr. Atkins desires to make the following statement in con- nection with the chart which has been prepared by him :
"On account of the inntilated condition of the original records, I have been obliged, in preparing the accompanying chart, to depend, to a great extent, upon such memoranda as I could find among the papers of county surveyors, and deeds of transfer of lots and parts thereof, covering a period of seventy-five years immediately following the layout.
" For the highways running north and south I have had to depend, to ascertain the width, entirely upon the descriptions to be found in recorded deeds.
"No two perambulations agree as to the position of the boundary line on the north. I have, therefore, placed this boundary at five miles and fifty-three rods from the boundary line on the south, and indicated the line on the map by a dotted line.
" The reservation for the Indians, Bohemia and Poland, is indicated by two sets of dotted lines in the first tier of lots, No. 17. The southern parallel line and the broken western line are fixed by means of a survey recorded in 1723, and include a tract of one hundred fifty-two and one-half acres. This record, however, is not sufficiently full to determine positively the exact location. The parallel lines are fixed by means of memoranda of Tracy Peek, County Surveyor, made in 180S from a copy in the hands of Noah Byington, County Surveyor.
" There are undoubtedly some errors in the chart, but, in the main, I think it is correct."
The layout of Bristol is alluded to in the Historical address, pages 29 and 30.
The following table shows first, the number of lot numbered
2
10
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
from Simsbury line; second, the name of owner; and third, the width of lot from north to south in rods and feet; e. g. by 84.04 is meant, 84 rods, 4 feet :
.
FIRST OR EASTERN TIER OF LOTS.
No. 11. Daniel Porter, 127.08
Mr. Newton, James Bird, Widow Orvis.
12. John Clark, 132.15 John Woodruff, John Smith, Mathew Woodruff.
13. Thomas Gridley, 186.12 John Langton, Samuel Gridley, John Root, Sen.
14. Richard Brownson, 172.06 Thomas Barnes, Moses Ventrus, John Brownson, Jr.
15. John Norton, 289.10 Thomas Orton, Captain Lewis, Isaac Moore.
16. John Thompson, 112.06 - John Steel, Jobanah Smith, Widow Smith.
17. Zachariah Seymour, 97.10 Samuel Steel, Sen., Abraham Andrus, Thomas Richardson. Indian Reservation. 30.02
18. Robert Porter, 145.04
John Porter, Samuel Cowles, Jolm Cole.
EXPLANATION OF CHART. 11
No. 19. Obadiah Richards, 176.09 John Scovil, Joseph Hecox, Mr. Haynes.
20. Samuel Steel, Jr., 54.00} Benoni Steel,
David Carpenter, John Carrington.
21. Thomas Thompson, 105.09 Richard Seamour, Samuel North, Thomas Hancox.
SECOND TIER OF LOTS.
No. 43. John Langton, 63.13
44. John Steel, 29.11
45. James Bird, 26.153
46. Jonathan Smith, 17.13}
47. Thomas Bull, 32.06
48. Thomas Orton, 69.042
49. Thomas Hancox, 28.12}
50. Benoni Steel, 9.10
51. Samuel North, 25.09
52. Isaac Brownson, 29.14₺
53. John Norton, 71.09
54. Samuel Steel, Jr., 9.10₺
55. Thomas Barnes, 54.11
56. Daniel Porter, 53.123
57. William Judd, 63.13
58. Moses Ventrus, 33.05
59. John Porter, 15.01
60. John Andrus, 42.06
61. Thomas Thompson, 27.06
62. Thomas Judd, 15.01
63. John Brownson, Jr., 22.133
64. Thomas Porter, Jr., 33.05
65. Joseph Woodford, 38.04
12
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
No. 66. Obadiah Richards, 18.11%
67. Widow Smith, 31.003
68. John North, Jr., 25.09
69. John Root, 75.11
70. Isaac Moore, 57.143
71. Abraham Brownson, 23.00₺
72. John Lee, 44.03
73. Mathew Woodruff, 41.00
74. John Clark, 33.12₺
75. Thomas Judd, Jr., 33.11
76. John Carrington, 20.013
77. Joseph Hecox, 16.14%
78. Mr. Howkins, 72.00
79. Stephen Hart, Jr., 48.05
80. John Stanley, Jr., 30.093
81. David Carpenter, 14.10
82. John Warner, 44.03
83. Captain Lewis, 85.04
84. Phillip Judd, 15.01
THIRD TIER OF LOTS.
No. 43. Mr. Hooker, 131.15
44. John Carrington, 20.05
45. Thomas Gridley, 24.07
46. John Lee, - 44.13
47. Zachariah Seymour, 21.04
48. Mathew Woodruff, 41.09
49. John Thompson, 33.12
50. Stephen Hart, Jr., 48.15}
51. Daniel Porter,
54.07%
52. Widow Orvis, 28.023
53. Stephen Hart, Sen., 60.15
54. Mr. Howkins, 72.15
55. Isaac Brownsøn, 30.04
56. John Root, Jr., 12.00
57. Capt. Thomas Hart, 48.00
58. Jacob Brownson, 30.04
59. Obadiah Richards, 18.153
13
EXPLANATION OF CHART.
No. 60. John North, Sen., 72.08
61. John Brownson, 23.012
62. Richard Brownson, 59.01}
63. Samuel North, 25.14
64. Capt. John Hart, 33.12
65. Phillip Judd, 15.04
66. John Brownson, Sen., 46.10 67. Benoni Steel, 9.113
68. John Welton, 23.01₺
69. Thomas Bull, 32.13
70. John Warner, 44.13₺
71. Mr. Newton, 17.01
72. Abraham Andrus, 16.022
73. Joseph Hecox, 17.01
74. Mr. Wadsworth, 84.08
75. John Langton, 64.10}
76. Samuel Cowles,
43.063
77. Daniel Warner, 21.11}
78. John Woodruff, 38.05
79. Thomas Judd, Sen., 37.03
80. John Root, Sen., 76 10
81. Thomas Porter, Jr., 23.013
82. John Judd, 31.14
83. Abraham Brownson, 33.05
84. Samuel Steel, Jr., 44.09
FOURTH TIER OF LOTS.
No. 13. John Steel, 30.00
44. John Seovel, 18.06
45. Widow Orvis, 28.02
46. Thomas Porter, Sen., 31.11
47. Isaac Moore, 58.10
48. John Brownson, 23.01
49. John Brownson, Jr., . 46.10
50. Daniel Andrus, 20.05
51. Benoni Steel, 9.10
52. John Stanley, 60.11
53. Thomas Barnes, .55.06
14
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
No. 54. Zachariah Seymour, 21.04
55. Stephen Hart, Sen., 60.15
56. William Judd, 64.10
57. Joseph Woodford, 38.12
58. Samuel Hecox, 23.01
59. Mr. Wyllis, 77.09
60. William Higason, 18.15
61. Thomas Judd, Jr., 45.11
62. Mr. Wrotham, 31.06
63. John Thompson,
33.12
64. Abraham Andrus,
16.02
65. Mr. Haynes, 121.08
66. John Root, Jr., 12.00
67. Thomas Gridley, 24.07
68. Samuel Steel, Sen., 44.09
69. John Lee, 44.13
70. Mr. Wadsworth, 84.08
71. Samuel North, 25.14
72. Thomas Hancox, 29.01
73. John Porter,
15.04
74. John Carrington,
20.05
75. John Root, Sen.,
76.10
76. Mr. Howkins,
72.15
77. John Welton,
23.01
78. John Stanley, 30.15
79. John Andrus, 46.15
80. Thomas Bull, 32.13
81. Mr. Newton, 17.01
82. John Woodruff, 38.05
83. David Carpenter, 14.12
84. Samuel Steel, Jr., 9.11
FIFTH OR WESTERN TIER OF LOTS.
No. 42. Phillip Judd, 15.04
43. Thomas Porter, Sen., 33.11
44. Widow Orvis, 28.02
: 15. Moses Ventrus, 33.11
46. Joseph Hecox, 17.01
15
EXPLANATION OF CHART.
No. 47. Obadiah Richards, 18.05
48. Samuel Hecox, 23.01
49. Mr. Haynes, 121.06
50. Benjamin Judd, 29.01
51. Abraham Brownson,
23.05
52. Robert Porter,
51.11
53. John Brownson, Sen., 46.10 54. John Standley, 60.11
55. Jobanah Smith, 16.10
56. William Higason, 18.16
57. Mr. Wrotham, 31.06
58. Samuel Steel, Jr, 9.11
59. John North, Jr.,
25.14
60. Thomas Hart, 48.00
61. Benoni Steel, 9.11
62. David Carpenter, . 14.12
63. Thomas Newell, 77,10
64. Stephen Hart, Jr., 18.15
65. John Woodruff, 38.05
66. Mr. Newton, 17.01
67. Isaac Moore,
58.10
68. John Root, Sen., 76.10
69. Daniel Warner, 21.11
70. Daniel Andrus, 20.05
71. Isaac Brownson, 30.04
72. Richard Seymour, 22.10
73. Stephen Hart, Sen., 60.15
74. Widow Smith, 31.06
75. John Brownson, 23.01
76. John Warner, Jr., 31.06
77. John Newton, 72.08
78. Thomas Porter, Jr., 23.01
79. Edmond Scott, 39.11
80. Mathew Woodruff, 41.09
81. John Standley, Jr., 30.15
82. Thomas Judd, Jr., 45.11
83. Mr. Howkins, 72.15
84. John Steel. 30.00
OK
PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS.
The project of celebrating the centennial of the incorpora- tion of the Town of Bristol was discussed by the citizens in conversation, and brought to their attention by articles in the local press, some two years before the celebration actually occurred.
On account of the interest thus aroused, a general invita- tion was extended to the citizens through the local press to meet at the Odeon on the evening of May 27, 1884, for the purpose of discussing the subject in a more formal way and of taking such action as might be deemed proper and neces- sary. At this meeting, Roswell Atkins, Silas R. Gridley, Epaphroditus Peck, Samuel P. Newell, and Rodney Barnes were appointed a committee to arrange plans for a celebra- tion, to be submitted to a meeting of citizens to be called by them at some suitable time in the future.
This committee issued the following call :--
"TO THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF BRISTOL :
" This town was incorporated by the General Assembly in May, 1785, and the first town meeting was held, and the first board of town officers elected, June 13th, following.
" At a public meeting of citizens, held on the 27th of May last, the undersigned were appointed a committee to prepare plans for a suitable celebration of the centennial anniversary, if we should find such a cele- bration advisable, and to report to a citizens' meeting to be called by us. We have duly considered the subject, and are now ready to report. We believe that the anniversary should be, and with a proper interest on the part of the public, can be, fittingly celebrated ; we believe such a cele- bration will be of great advantage to every interest of the town; we believe that sufficient materials are at hand to make the occasion a success. The only question is as to the sentiment of the public.
18
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
" We call, therefore, a meeting of all the citizens of this town at Town Hall, on Friday evening, June 27th, at eight o'clock, to decide the matter. Let every man who believes that such a celebration should be had, be present. Such arrangements are made that the meeting can act decisively, and effect a prompt and efficient organization if it will. If the community is indifferent to the project, negket to attend this meeting will probably end further consideration of the matter."
In response to this call, about fifty gentlemen assembled at Town Hall, on the evening of June 27th.
Samuel P. Newell, Esq., was chosen chairman. Resolu- tions were presented by the committee and passed, provid- ing for the observance of the centennial of the town's incor- poration.
The following thirty gentlemen were appointed to act as a general executive committee, with authority to fill vacancies; to appoint sub-committees from their own number, or from others; to decide on the details of the celebration, and carry it through to success; to raise the necessary funds by asking for an appropriation from the town treasury, or by public subscription, at their own discretion; and to offer such special participation in the celebration as they might think best to the citizens of Burlington.
The names of the members of the counnittee were : George C. Arms, Roswell Atkins, Wallace Barnes, Harry S. Barthol- omew, Rodney Barnes, Nathan L. Birge, Thomas Brown, William Day, Edward B. Dunbar, Charles L. Frisbie, Wil- liam Gaylord, Silas R. Gridley, Laporte Hubbell, Edward Ingraham, William Lewis, Elijah Manross, George W. Mitchell, Adrian J. Muzzy, Samuel P. Newell, Gad Nor- ton, Epaphroditus Peck, Noble E. Pierce, Henry S. Pratt, Charles H1. Riggs, John II. Sessions, Solomon C. Spring, Elbert E. Thorpe, Charles S. Treadway, and Elisha N. Welch.
This committee organized by the election of the following gentlemen as permanent officers of the committee :
Samuel P. Newell, Chairman. Roswell Atkins, First Vice Chairman. Rodney Barnes, Second Vice- Chairman. Epaphroditus Peck, Secretary. Charles S. Treadway, Treasurer.
19
PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS.
The following sub-committees were appointed to have charge of the various details of the work :-
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE :
Edward B. Dunbar, Chairman. Noble E. Pierce, William R. Hurd.
COMMITTEE ON LOAN EXHIBITION :
Silas R. Gridley, Chairman. Ilarry S. Bartholomew, Gad Norton, Wallace Barnes, George D. Seymour, S. Waldo Forbes.
COMMITTEE ON MUSIC, FIRE-WORKS, PROCESSION, AND COLLATION :
Adrian J. Muzzy, Chairman.
Isaac W. Beach,
Thomas Brown, Miles L. Peck,
Leverett G. Merick, Edward Ingraham.
COMMITTEE ON ORATION AND ADDRESSES :
Samuel P. Newell, Chairman. HIenry S. Pratt, Elbert E. Thorpe.
COMMITTEE ON INVITATIONS :
Rodney Barnes, Chairman. Roswell Atkins, William Gaylord, Charles H. Riggs, Benjamin F. Haw ley.
20
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
The chairmen of these snb-committees, and the officers of the general committee, were appointed an executive committee to have general charge of the celebration.
After much discussion and investigation, it was decided that the celebration should take place on Wednesday, June 17th, and that the proceedings of the day should consist of a salnte, ringing of bells, a procession, music, addresses, and the reading of the history on the Green on Federal Hill, a dinner for the committee, clergymen, and invited guests, a band con- cert in the evening, and an exhibition of the water-works.
The Putnam Phalanx of Hartford and the various local organizations, with visiting organizations to be invited by them, were requested to participate in the celebration. Roswell Atkins and Epaphroditus Peck were appointed historians.
At a special town-meeting, held March 14, 1885, it was voted to appropriate $1,000 out of the town treasury to defray the expenses of the celebration. Additional sums were raised by the committee.
At the time of the earlier meetings, and in fact until nearly the time fixed for the celebration, there seemed to be little public interest in the subject. But as the committees got to work ; as the plans were matured ; as system and order were gradually evolved from the chaos of plans, discussions, and recommendations, the people waked np; absent ones were invited home ; articles of interest poured into the loan exhibi- tion ; the celebration formed the principal topic of conversa- tion ; old anecdotes and reminiscences were brought forth and told and retold ; and, finally, when the long-expected day came, guns boomed and bells clanged ; all Bristol was abroad in the streets of the village entertaining five thousand visitors ; the gray-haired discussed the manners and customs of the olden time; the young and vigorous boasted of the present ; all places of business and a multitude of private dwellings were resplendent with gay decorations.
The skies were threatening in early morning, but the prep- arations for the celebration were not delayed on that account and the cool wind made the day very comfortable. There was a federal salute of thirteen guns at six o'clock in the
21
CENTENNIAL DAY.
morning, a national salute of thirty-eight guns at eight o'clock, and at eleven o'clock forty-nine guns were fired to complete the national salute of one hundred guns.
At ten o'clock people came pouring in from all directions, and Depot square, Main street, and School street, the place appointed for the inspection of the fire department, were filled with spectators, firemen, bands of music, and aides galloping furiously hither and thither. The rattle of drums set the steed from the farm, drawing the donble wagon with an extra seat, into a fever of excitement. Other seats had an extra occupant, and occasionally an old fellow went dashing along, both steed and driver tugging at the bit, as though neither had dreamed of the virtue of a drum corps for developing speed.
The companies were at last in line headed by the veteran firemen, with the grimy old hand fire-engine gay with flowers. Cheers greeted the veterans as they moved to their position followed by the Bristol Steamer Companies, Drum Corps, Crescent Hose Company of Thomaston, Zealots Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, Plainville Drum Corps, and Welch Steamer Company, No. 1. This division, in varied suits of red, white, and blue, made a fine appearance when ready for inspection, and the chief engineer and fire commis- sioners passed down the line in review while the bands played "Hail to the Chief." During this time the Boys' Branch was drawn up in line on Water street, headed by a drum corps, and followed by Franklin Conneil, No. 13, U. (). A. M., whose showy regalias attracted much attention.
A strange object appeared in the midst of this brilliant throng, which more than the boom of guns told what all this meant, and gave to the children a revelation of their fathers. It was the two-wheeled chaise owned by Jonathan Trumbull, governor of Connecticut in 1776, and a horse forty years old last May, owned by Adna Barnes and wearing a harness of the same age, sustained the equilibrium of this masterpiece, in which rode Ralph Humphrey and Warren G. Bunnell of Burlington. The ocenpants of the chaise wore tall hats 109 years old, of the old white bell-crowned style. The old leathern
22
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
boot was fastened up, betraying in common with the top and straw-stuffed arms, the undisputed signs of age. The wheels, though elnmsy and large, had been cut down to the size of the rim, and new rims, much lighter, put in place of the first.
Drs. Woodward and Hull, on horseback, with saddle-bags behind them, personated the old-time M.D.'s, and eight or ten ladies riding in an omnibus, clad in the fashions of fifty to a hundred years ago, made many an one with gray hairs think of his grandmother. Behind this came the Miles Lewis chaise, a grand vehicle in its day, containing a quartette of young folks in dress antique but not horrible. A car gayly decked with the national colors, and drawn by two mules wearing scoop bonnets, carried the " International Kazoo Band," consisting of a dozen young men representing various nationalities and characters, also the little lads, Masters Clifford and Irving Brainard, the latter six or seven years old wearing a suit made for his grandfather, Mr. N. L. Brewster, when about the same age. All played inspiringly on Kazoos, most of the instruments being attached to something, beer-keg, washing- board, etc., peculiarly appropriate to the characters taken by the performers.
The touching strains of " Sweet Bye and Bye," so charmed the ear that the eye forgot to follow details in the happy thought that music has not lost its charm though measured out in tin tea-kettles and old watering-pots.
The 11.30 train brought the Putnam Phalanx, Colt's band, and the Phalanx Drum corps, and No. 61 came puffing in close behind with a special, the long line of cars crowded with living freight. Depot square and Main street were soon filled with a dense throng of people on foot, in carriages, on horseback, and every available window, roof, and car-top, was occupied by those anxious to get a birds'-eye-view of this day of days. Colt's band, playing a lively air, marched to position in the second division, and as the booming of the cen- tennial salute died away, the Putnam Phalanx, uniformed in centennial style, wheeled into line at the head of the first divi- sion, and the grand procession, which, like armies of the Rev- olution, had seemed to assemble by magic, was ready to move.
23
CENTENNIAL DAY.
ORDER OF PROCESSION. The first Assistant-Marshal,* T. E. Hawley. . Aides : I. W. Tyler, M. D. Edgerton, J. W. Skelly, C. A. Lane. FIRST DIVISION. Putnam Phalanx Drum Corps. Putnam Phalanx, one hundred and seventeen men, Major Clayton HI. Case commanding. Terryville Drum Band, ten pieces. Gilbert Thompson Post, G. A. R., seventy-five men, Silas M. Norton commanding. Plainville Cornet Band, fifteen pieces. Newton S. Manross Post, G. A. R., fifty-eight men, Charles A. Reynolds commanding.
.
SECOND DIVISION.
Marshal's Aides: O. R. Palmiter, W. E. Johnson, II. W. Barnes. Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, George Hall. Assistants : Sammuel D. Bull, Roswell Atkins. Ex-Chief Engineers. Colt's Band, twenty-one pieces.
Veteran Firemen, forty-one men, Henry I. Muzzy, Foreman. Bristol Steamer Company No. 1, thirty-five men, William Ryan, Foreman. Bristol Cornet Band, eighteen pieces. Uncas Steamer Company No. 2, forty men, Howard Arms, Foreman, escorting
Crescent Hose Company of Thomaston, fifty-three men, James M. Chat- field, Foreman.
Zealots Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, twenty-five men, P. Whalen, Foreman. Plainville Drum Band. Welch Steamer Company No. 1, thirty men, Isaac W. Beach, Foreman.
THIRD DIVISION.
Second Assistant-Marshal, M. H. Barnard. Aides : R. O. Beach, E. Manchester. Drum Band, eleven pieces. Boys' Branch, Y. M. C. A., fifty boys, George Birge, Captain.
* Gilbert Penfield, the Grand Marshal of the Day, was unable to ride on account of an injury received a few days before.
BRISTOL'S CENTENNIAL.
Franklin Council, No. 13, U. O. A. M. of Plainville. Invited Guests and Reception Committee in carriages. Selectmen and Fire Commissioners in carriages. Antique carriages.
The line of march was through Main Street to North Main, to North, to Maple, to Prospect Place, to Summer, to High, to Bellevue, to the Green. Here an audience of several thousand people had assembled in and about the seats in front of the stand erected for the officers, speakers, and invited guests. After an overture by Colt's Band, the Chair- man of the Committee, Samuel P. Newell, Esq., opened the
PUBLIC EXERCISES OF THE DAY,
by introducing the Rev. Everett E. Lewis of Haddam, who offered
PRAYER.
God of our fathers and of our father's fathers, we draw near unto Thee to praise Thy great and glorious name. We rejoice in all Thy good gifts to us, in all the blessings of Thy love, in all that Thou hast so graciously bestowed upon ns, in the rich and fruitful inheritance that has come to us from the past ; and while to-day we pause for a short time, to recall the way in which Thou hast led us, and to recount the memories of Thy goodness, we besecch of Thee that Thy special blessing may be with us.
We thank Thee for what our fathers have given us; for the inheritance of liberty, for the intelligence, enterprise, and industry they imparted to our history, for the faith in Thee that characterized their every action, their every thought, their every purpose, and the spirit of all their life. And we come to Thee to-day, almighty God, with gratitude for these great blessings, with thanks for what Thon hast given of prosperity and of growth, of achievement and of reward, of happiness and of hope, in the history of our beloved town, and beseech Thee to accept our grateful offering of praise ; and to Thee may we consecrate all our powers and energies.
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