USA > Connecticut > New London County > Groton > Historic Groton : comprising historic and descriptive sketches pertaining to Groton Heights, Center Groton, Poquonnoc Bridge, Noank, Mystic, and Old Mystic, Conn. > Part 1
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Gc 974.602 G92b 1771731
M. C.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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GE
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01148 7359
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HISTORIC GROTON
COMPRISING
HISTORIC AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES
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PERTAINING TO
GROTON HEIGHTS, CENTER GROTON, POQUONNOC . BRIDGE, NOANK, MYSTIC AND OLD MYSTIC, CONN.
BY LOCAL WRITERS
FULLY AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED
CHARLES F. BURGESS EDITOR AND PUBLISHER MOOSUP CONN
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1771731
MONUMENT STREET, GROTON
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historicgrotonco00burg_0
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Burgess, Charles F ed.
F 84624 .13 Historie Groton; comprising historie and descriptive sketches pertaining to Groton Heights, Center Groton, Poquonnoe Bridge, Noank, Mystic and Old Mystic, Conn., by local writers ... Charles F. Burgess, editor ... Moo- sup, Conn., C. F. Burgess (1900 101 p. front., illus. 23°m.
1. Groton, Conn .- Hist.
H 5590
F101.GS4B9 9-19969 Library of Congress Copy 2. L. 27 CALL @ July 21, 1909; 2c. July 24, 1909; A 241045; C. F. Burgess, Moosup, Conn. -
COPYRIGHT, 1909 BY C F. BURGESS
1290
Groton Heights, or the Borough of Groton
By MARY E. DENISON
ROTON HEIGHTS or Borough is beautifully situated on the river Thames, directly opposite New London, Connecticut, with which it is connected by a ferry and also by a drawbridge over which go many trains daily.
One crossing the river to Groton sees the village spread out before him along the banks of the river and upon the hills above. There. upon the summit, is the tall shaft of the monu- ment which commemorates that memorable day, Sept. 6, 1781, on which the brave men of Groton and vicinity fought for, home and country in the old fort, whose ramparts lie just at the south. Close to the monument is the house used for their meetings, and recent- ly enlarged by the Anna Warner Bailey Chap- ter of the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, full of interesting relies. Near by stands the school house, where the children should carly learn love of honor and of country as they hear about the heroic Ledyard and his valiant followers who, caring more for honor than for life, pierced with many a wound. fell "Dead on the Field of Glory."
North of the school house is our beautiful library to which the school boys, more often than not of foreign birth, come to see the sword of Col. Ledyard or to get a "Story of the Revolution." Here is a fine collection of about five thousand books free to any who may care to read. A little distance north of the library may be seen the tower of the fine new Congregational church, which ancient or- ganization suffered so at the time of the mas. sacre. Still farther to the north is the Bap tist church, the second edifice of the society.
Just at the foot of the hill on which the Bap- tist church is set is the old house in which lived the famous "Mother Bailey" after whom the local chapter of the D. A. R. is named. \ few rods north of the "Mother Bailey" house stands what is left of the old Congregational church built in 1834, the third building of that society, to which "Mother Bailey" would never come, preferring to walk out to the old "black meeting house," about a mile away. where she would listen to the robins as they sang and hear the frogs croak.
The pilgrim upon reaching Groton finds himself in the business part of the village, near the stores and post office. He probably sees the trolley, for this is the terminus of the Groton and Westerly line. Turning to the south he goes but a short distance before reaching the Ebenezer Avery house, now marked by a tablet, to which the wounded were taken after the battle. At the foot of Fort street is the Episcopal church. By this street one can go directly into the fort and then visit the points of interest which he has already seen from the river.
The town of Groton of which the borough is a part lies between the Thames and Mystic rivers and originally extended from Groton Long Point to the Preston line, until North Groton, now Ledyard, separated in 1836, mak- ing a large town by itself. Groton now in- cludes the Borough. Center Groton, Poquon- nock Bridge, Noank and Mystic. The town is diversified by high hills, deep valleys, and wide plains. Over these once roamed the red man, the fierce Pequot, until Capt. Mason and his followers on May 26, 1637 "in order to have justice on the Indian." took and destroyed the
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stronghold of their Chief Sassacus on Pequo: Hill and ended the l'equot power in the colo- ny. This slaughter of the Pequots, who were so hostile to the English, took place before there were any settlements nearer than the Connecticut river. In 1644 the General Court of Massachusetts gave Jolm Winthrop, the younger, a grant of land in the Pequot coun. try and in 1646 he founded New London, of which Groton was a part, being called the "East Side."
posite the eastern spur of Winthrop's Neck. where was his home lot" With the advice and consent of Mr. Winthrop a grant of land lying north of his was given in 1655 or '56 to Thomas Bayley, who soon settled here and became a farmer. Other early settlers in that vicinity were the Starrs, Colvers, Lesters and Buddingtons. It is not easy to find who had land at that early date in what is now our borough, but Capt .. Samuel Chester, who lo- cated in New London about 1663, had a grant
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GROTON, LOOKING NORTIL FROM THE MONUMENT
The land on the west of the river was first portioned out to the settlers for their home lots, then that on the east for farming. The broad plains of Poquonnock were carly taken for this purpose. Winthrop had a farm there, and among those who had farms and settled there as early as 1656 were James Morgan and James Avery, both men of note in the community. The house of the latter. the original "Ilive of the Averys," stood until July, 1804. when it was burned by a spark from a locomotive.
Winthrop's grant on Groton Bank was "op-
of land given him in Groton where Fort Giris- wold and the monument now stand.
The first house on Groton Bank was that belonging to Cary Latham, who had leased the ferry for fifty years from March 25, 1055. At his death in 1685 he was succeeded by his son-in-law. John Williams, of whom Joshua Hempstead's diary says: "He kept the ferry when Groton and New London were one town, had but one minister and one cap- tain's company." The ferryboat then was a scow with both sails and vars.
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HISTORIC GROTON
THE GROTON MONUMENT
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HISTORIC GROTON
Grants of land had early been taken in Po- quonnock and Mystic and in order to connect the scattered farms on the east side with New London a highway following the old Indian trail from Groton Bank to Mystic River was laid out in 1652, but beyond Fort Hill, it was a mere pentway until 1709. When King Phil- ip's war broke out in 1675 the men of Groton volunteered to fight against the foe. They with a remnant of the Pequots, were led by Capt. James Avery.
The settlers upon the east side crossed the
travelled to Hartford to the General Court to bring this about. In 1702 permission was given them to build a meeting house thirty- five feet square, to organize a church and to hire a minister at the joint expense of the east and west sides of the town. In 1703 the house was built at Center Groton, the most central location. Rev. Epliraim Woodbridge was the first pastor. Two years later the East Side became a separate township and was called Groton, in honor of Gov. Winthrop's home in England.
THE EBENEZER AVERY HOUSE Where wounded Americans were left at the Battle of Groton Heights
river to attend church and were taxed for its support. Many of them had long distances to go and in 1687 it was ordered that for the fn- ture they might invite the minister of the town to preach on their side of the river every third Sunday during the four most disagreea- Lle months of the year. About the year 1700 the people began to ask first for a church or- ganization of their own and then for a separate township. Capt. James Avery, who was a loyal supporter of the church in New London,
In the division of Groton, children were to have the privilege of the schools on the west side : the public ministerial lands were to be in common, while New Lon- don was to be allowed to cut masts for ships from the Pine Swamp of Groton. The story of our first town clerk, Jolm Davie, reads like a romance. He, like his neighbors, was a farmer, but a well educated man, a graduate of Harvard, and of a good old family. One day in 1707 while hoeing in his field a messen-
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HISTORIC GROTON
ger appeared who saluted him as "Sir John Davie." Upon his departure for England to enter into possession of his vast estates, he left money for a handsome communion cup for Mr. Woodbridge's church. The cup bears this inscription : "The gift of Sir John Davie to the ( hurch of Christ at Groton."
One of the early deacons of the church was John Seabury, whose grandson, born m North Groton, was that Samuel Seabury who was the first bishop of Connecticut and of the Episcopal church in the United States. When Whitefield came to New England, Rev. Jona- than Barber, who was then pastor of the church, being his devoted friend, invited him to visit Center Groton. He came first in Feb., 1763, and preached in the old meeting house and again in June of that year he preached to a multitude in front of Mr. Barber's house.
In about 1765 a new meeting house was built on Groton Bank on the old highway a mile from the ferry. This house is sometimes spoken of as the old "black meeting house," from the fact that it was never painted and then again as the "Kinne meeting house," from the Rev. Aaron Kinne, the pastor at the time it was built, and during the Revolution.
TROLLEY TERMINE'S
Shipbuilding was one of the town's earliest industries. Thomas Starr of Groton Bank, a shipwright, in 17to sold a sloop called the "Sea Flower" which he describes as "a square- sterned vessel of sixty-seven tons and six- sevenths of a ton, built by me in Groton." Our village became famous for the building of immense ships way back in 1725. About that time a ship builder, Capt. John Jeffrey,
came to Groton Bank and obtained a grant of land upon the river. Here he built two large ships, one of these being as large for her day as the big steamers lately built here. It was the largest ship that had then been constructed this side the Atlantic. This great ship of seven hundred tons was launched Oct. 12, 1725. . 1 crowd of people came to the launching. The other ship of five hundred and seventy tons
GROTON FERRY
was called the Don Carlos and sailed for Lis- bon.
Jeffrey was the builder of smaller ships as well; Oct. 20, 1738, John Ledyard, the father of John Ledyard "the traveler," sailed for England in a new Snow built by Capt. Jeffrey. John Ledyard, called "the traveler," was one of Groton's noted men. He sailed with Capt. Cook on his second voyage around the world, of which he published an account. Later he penetrated into the heart of Russia. Hle next became one of a party to explore the Nile, but was taken sick and died at Cairo in 1788, aged thirty-seven.
The inhabitants, who were at first farmers. were now to a great extent a scafaring people, carrying on trade along the coast and with the West Indies and European ports until the Revolution put an end to all such traffic. Some of Groton's adventurous ones, as well as the men of New London, fitted out privateers and sent them out to damage the British ships which were harrying our coasts. They re- turned often with great prizes. Right hun- dred and three recorded prizes were brought
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VIEW FROM SOUTH WINDOW OF MONUMENT
No. 1. Entrance to Old Fort
No. 2. Where Colonel Ledyard fell No. 3. Entrance to Fort from Rifle Pits
No. 4. Where the British landed
No. 5. Where the British who invaded New London landed
No. 6. New London Harbor No. 7. Fort Trumbull
No. S. New Battery
HISTORIC GROTON
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HISTORIC GROTON
into this harbor during the war. It is little wonder that the British were anxious to get possession of this stronghold of rebels.
Groton was settled by men and women who took an interest in education, believed in civil and religious freedom, and those who succeed- ed them were filled with the same spirit. They were justly indignant at every measure adopted by Great Britain to curtail indepen- dence of thought and action among the colo- nies. This town, like many another, declared war for itself against George III of England. A bold and patriotic spirit animated their town meetings. Foremost in their plans was Silas Deane of North Groton, until the Colonial Legislature sent him to the Continental Con- gress, by which he was later appointed am- bassador to France. Other leading men were the Averys, the Stars, the Chesters, the Led- vards-William. Ebenezer and Youngs-and Thos. Mumford, who was one of the most effi- cient of the "Sons of Liberty."
Mr. Mumford, with eleven other men of Connecticut in April, 1775. formed the project
COL .. EBENEZER-AVERY HOUSE
This house was built abont 1726 by Col. Ebenezer Avery who was born March 23. 1701, and died in May, 1780. He re- ceived a commission as theut. of Ist Co, Sti Regiment of Colo- ny of Connectlent, May, 1728, by order of King George II. He was made Captain in 1733, Colonel in 1739, and remained in of- Dee under George 1! and George IHf until the colonies declared their independence. After that he held his place as Colonel under the Flag of the Free. Col. Avery's son Ebenezer lived al the homestead. On Sept. 6, 1781, when the alarm was given of the landmg of the British, he left his plow in the furrow and hastened to the defence of the fort where he met his death
of taking Ticonderoga, which plan was suc- cessfully carried ont. He was the first select- man during the early years of the war and was the financial manager of the affairs of Groton. He was in communication with fellow patriots
in other places, a man whom Gios. Trumbull trusted. In 1775 Mr. Mumford was one of a committee of the General Assembly to exam- ine the points of defence and report on the best
THE CHESTER HOUSE
This house, the oldest dwelling in Groton, was built in 182 by Thomas Chester. From it on Sept. fith, 181, four of his sons marched to the defence of Fort Griswold and two of them were mortally wounded that day. The house was in the Chester family over a century. In the way of 1612 a company of soldiers were quartered there who were on patrol duty on the coast. \ British ship fired a shot one day which hit the chimney, making a large hole and upsetting a pan of ham which was frying over the coals in the large fireplace, thus, to the dismay of Madam, making a big grease spot on her spotless white floor. The house is in a good state of preserva- tion and the exterior remains the same as a century ago. The farm is now owned by Capt. John O. Spicer of Eastern Point
means of securing the country from invasion. Groton Heights was one of the places selected for a fortification. The Groton patriots, ac- cording to Miss Canlkins, "With a spirit of en- thusiasm that did not wait for legislative aid, voluntarily threw up intrenchments, excavated ditches, and erected breastworks and though they had no ordnance, except a few pieces at the battery at the Heights, resolved to defend the position to the last extremity." Later the fort was finished and given the name of the Lieutenant Governor. Ledyard was the first actual commander, being appointed July. 1770. lle later had charge of the forts on both sides of the river and at Stonington.
A large number of men from Groton en- listed in the Continental army, the town car- ing for their families. Many of them were under Putnam at the battle of Bunker Hill. Few were left at home to gather in the har- vests and defend the town which seemed al- ten in danger of an immediate attack, as many times British men-of-war were seen in the of- fing. At last on Sept. 6, 1781, came the dread-
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ed attack and a small garrison, aided by a few volunteers, were all who were left to meet the enemy.
Bravely they fought and well, until, being obliged to surrender because of the over- whelming number of the enemy, the hero Led- yard was killed in the act of surrendering his sword, and such a massacre ffollowed that even the British officers could not endure the
GROTON HEIGHTS GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
sight, one of them calling out to his men, "Stop, stop, in the name of heaven! My soul cannot bear it." Many of those in the fight that day were very young men, several merely boys. Little W'm. Latham, called the "Powder Monkey," because he brought ammunition from the magazine to the soldiers, escaped in- jury and, being but twelve years old, was al- lowed to go free. Daniel Williams of Saybrook, a boy of fifteen, who was substituting for a neighbor belonging to the garrison, was killed, as was also Thomas Avery, aged seven- teen years, son of Park Avery, fighting bravely by his father's side.
Belton Allyn died for his country at seven- teen and Thomas Starr at nineteen. Others might be mentioned as young, or but a little older. Sixteen of the defenders of the fort bore the name of Avery. Nine of them were killed, three were wounded and four taken prisoners. . Fourteen of the brave men who died that day and three of the wounded were captains, having either belonged to the Conti- mental army or militia, or were captains of ships. In a letter written after the battle by Thomas Mumford to Gov. Trumbull, he says:
"We have Lost the flower of this Town, both in officers and respectable inhabitants. My house with the Chief of the others on the Bank are Burnt and many families Left desti- tute of food and Raiment."
The village at this time had but one street, along by the river, and when fourteen dwell- ing houses, foi barns, two shops, two stores and one school house were burned, but few buildings would be left. The house of Ebene- zer Avery, to which the wounded were taken after being cruelly jolted down the hill, was set on fire, but the flames were extinguished in time to save it and the sufferers within. There were more than forty women of the Congregational church in Groton who that day were made widows, and no man was left at the next communion to pass the bread and wine.
Notwithstanding all that the town had suf- fered, at the town meeting in November fol- lowing the battle it was voted to provide clothing for soldiers still in the field, and the next spring they voted again to send out more men, but the war soon closed making further
GROTON BOROUGH BUILDING, THAMES STREET
sacrifice, unnecessary. Business of any kind was now at a low ebb, schools were poor, the church fell into a decadent state ; some of its members not willing to be taxed to support religion, became Separatists, and held meet- ings in the historic .Avery house. The Con- gregational church for thirteen years was without a settled pastor, when in 18n Mr. Timothy Tuttle was installed over the two churches of Groton and North Groton.
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RAILROAD STATION
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RESIDENCE OF MRS. SARAH A. MITCHELL, THAMES STREET Built in 1781 by Capt. William Latham. At his death it passed into possession of JJames Mitchell who married Han- nah. daughter of Capt. W'm. Latham. Since that time to the present day. Mitchells in a direct line have owned and been its occupants
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RESIDENCE OF MR. HENRY L. BAILEY, RAMSDELL STREET
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HISTORIC GROTOA
In 1812 followed a second war with Great Britain because of the impressing of seamen. This town being the home of so many seafar-
Bailey, who promptly dropped her flannel pet- ticoat and gave it to him with the wish that "the aim might be sure and the exeention thor- ing men suffered in consequence. Again the, ough on the English." For this and other pa-
POST OFFICE
harbor was blocked by British men-of-war and our own shipping went up the river. Fort Griswold was again manned. Rumors of an attack filled the air when one day Maj. Smith,
triotic deeds "Mother Bailey" was much landed. Presidents and statesmen visited her to do her honor.
From time to time after the wars with Great
Photo by Murtha W. Stare
THE OLD NORTH LANE SCHOOLHOUSE
who commanded the fort, found he lacked flannel for wadding for the guns, so sent out for some. The stores and dwellings were for the most part closed, as the women and chil- dren had fled to places of safety, so none could be found until the messenger met Mrs. Anna
Britain had ceased services were held, as in these days, on Sept. 6, in memory of the Bat- the of Groton Heights. A noteworthy meeting was held in 1825. when eighteen survivors of the massacre, disfigured with sears of battle and one wearing a vest perforated with bullet
HISTORIC GROTON
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RESIDENCE OF MRS. WILLIAM IL. MINER. THAMES STREET
RESIDENCE OF ME. THOMAS MINER. MOVI MENT STREET
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VIEW OF GROTON HEIGHTS FROM NEAR THE MONUMENT
Photo by Martha W. Start
holes, took part in the celebration. At this meeting it was resolved that a monument be erected in honor of the brave men who fell. / in Fort Griswold. In 1826, with proper cere- mony, the cornerstone was laid, and in 1830 the monument was finished. The funds for building were raised by a lottery which was granted by the legislature.
Groton Monument Association, which is still in existence, had charge of the building. To this organization money was given by Congress in 1881 to carry up the shaft to a symmetrical height, repair the column and beautify the grounds. On the centennial of the battle, Sept. 6. 1881, a great celebration was held which lasted two days, to which thousands of people came. A large fleet of warships was in the harbor ; all the military of the state were here with the governor and his staff, also Gen. Sherman and his staff of the United States army. A sham fight took place in imitation of the original battle. Orations were delivered by Gen. Hawley and Hon. Edward Everett Hale ; remarks were made by other famous men, and original poems were read, all making a very notable occasion.
At the time of the Civil war, Groton again responded nobly, sending many men to the front and spending about $80,000 for bounties. premiums and support of families, which was more than any other town in the county with the exception of Norwich.
In 1862 our government felt the need of greater facilities for the building, repair and dockage of its vessels. A board of officers was sent to examine New London harbor. After examination they reported, "The harbor of New London possesses greater advantages for a navy yard than any other location examined by this board."
In 1864 a naval committee of the house also visited the site and reported in its favor. No immediate action, however, was taken. In the year 1867 Mr. John R. Bolles gave to the state a tract of land lying on the rover to be given by the state to the government "for naval purposes." In 1868 the gift was made and accepted by the government. After a time a wharf was built. Storehouses, quarters
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DWELLINGS OF MRS. ANNIE G. MAPLES, MONUMENT STREET
THE BILL, MEMORIAL LIBRARY
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RESIDENCE OF MR. JJOHN O. SPICER, EASTERN POINT 1
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ROCERIES
Uneeda
ROVISIONSi Biscui
CONE Fire Insurance :
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BUSINESS BLOCK OF MR. ( W. ALLEN, THANKS STREET
THE GROTONGRAINCO. HAY,GRAIN FEEDANDPOULTRY SUPPLIES
BUSINESS PLACE OF THE GROTON GRAIN CO., THAMES STREET
HISTORIC GROTON
RESIDENCE OF MR. JOHN S. PENDLETON, THAMES STREET
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RESIDENCE OF MR. WILLIS L. CHRISTIE, BROAD STREET
RESIDENCE OF ME BYRON W O'BRIEN, THAMES STREIT
HISTORIC GROTON
for officers and other buildings were erected. among them a drill room one hundred and eighty-two by forty feet, to be used in connce- tion with a training school for marines which our government then planned to establish here. Nothing more, however, came of it, the yard being used merely as a coaling station.
During the time that the whaling interest was at its height, many men from Groton went to the polar regions. In 1855 during one of his voyages Capt. Jas. M. Buddington res- cued the "Resolute," sent by the English gov- ermment in search of Sir John Franklin, and brought her in to our harbor. The United States rewarded the rescuers and, having put the "Resolute" in good condition, restored her to the British government.
Capt. S. A. Buddington was one of the "I'm- laris" expedition under Capt. C. A. Hall. The best whaling voyage ever made was by Capt. Ebenezer Morgan in the first steam whaler the "Pioneer."
Sailing for Hudson's Bay June 4. 1864, She returned Sept. 18, 1805, with 1.301 barrels of whale oil and 22,650 pounds of whalebone, a cargo worth $150.000). Later Capt. Morgan, as soon as Alaska was ceded to the United States, in behalf of the Maska Commercial Co. of New London, made the first landing on St. Paul's Island, the sealing ground, and raised the first American flag.
Our beautiful summer resort, Eastern Point, owes its existence to Mr. Albert I .. . Ir- cry, who owned the land and conceived the idlea of making it a summer watering place. Streets were opened under Mr. Avery's si- pervision and mainly at his expense and cot- tages began to be built by wealthy gentlemen from varions places, until now a fine summer resort is the result, with many beautiful col- tages and a fine hotel. "The Griswold."
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