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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01275 4880
GENEALOGY 974.602 N47TO
The 250th Anniversary
of Newtown, Connecticut
1705
1955
8-
THE 250th ANNIVERSARY of NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT 1705 - 1955
Edited by JAMES A. TOBEY PAUL S. SMITH HARRY KING TOOTLE
Copyright 1955
[1]
PREFACE
Records of the past always are valuable, not only because they often invoke pleasing memories, but also because they help to establish traditions and fre- quently serve as guides to future generations.
Newtown's 250th anniversary celebration on August 6th, 1955 has come and gone, but the remembrance of the many interesting, colorful, and highly successful events of that day will linger on for many years in the minds of all who were present on that historic occasion.
In order to provide a permanent record of the observance in 1955, this booklet has been prepared as a final contribution of the committee in charge. Sufficient funds remained after all other expenses had been paid to take care of the costs of printing and distribution.
Many of the citizens of Newtown were generous in their support of the 250th anniversary, not only in donations of money, but also in most valuable contributions of time, talent, and action. At the very least, they deserve this illustrated booklet in return.
It is the hope of the Editorial Committee that this brochure will prove of interest and value to everyone, both now and in the future.
Newtown, Conn. September 15, 1955
James A. Tobey
Paul S. Smith
Harry King Tootle
[2]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
2
Proclamation by Selectmen
5
I. The Reason for the Celebration
7
II. Preparations for the Celebration
11
III. The Tour of Historic Houses
18
IV. The Historical Exhibits
20
V. The Motion Picture
21
VI. The Parade
22
Photographs of the Anniversary Celebration
25-32
VII. The Decorations
38
VIII. The Dedication of the Park
39
IX. The Little League Baseball Games
43
X. The Block Dance
43
XI. The Newtown Bee's Special Supplement
45
XII. Publicity
45
XIII. The New Book on Newtown .
46
XIV. Fifty Years Later
48
XV. Budget, Finance, and Contributors
50
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[3]
PROCLAMATION
Whereas: Lands now occupied by the Town of Newtown in the State of Connecticut were acquired originally from the Pootatuck tribe of Indians on August 5, 1705;
And Whereas: The Town of Newtown has prospered and thrived during the past two and a half centuries, and its citizens have enjoyed the blessings of liberty, freedom, and justice under the American system of government;
Therefore Be It Resolved: That the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Newtown, in recognition of our heritage, here- by designates Saturday, August 6, 1955 as a day of commem- oration and celebration of the 250th anniversary of the town, and hereby invites all citizens to participate in the various fes- tivities arranged in observance of this historic occasion.
Given under our hands and seal this first day of July in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and fifty-five.
The Board of Selectmen, Anthony Amaral Edward E. Knapp
[5]
I. THE REASON FOR THE CELEBRATION
The pleasant lands now comprising the Town of Newtown in the County of Fairfield and the State of Connecticut were purchased originally from the Indians in 1705. The transaction took place on the banks of the Housatonic, or Great River, on July 25, a date which became August 5 when the calendar was reformed in 1750.
This event is generally regarded, possibly with some historic license, as the founding of Newtown. It was celebrated as such for the first time on Aug- ust 5, 1905, and it was commemorated once again on August 6, 1955. It will probably be observed at fifty year intervals as long as Newtown endures. For the benefit of future generations, and as a matter of interest to all who par- ticipated in the 1955 celebration, this booklet is published as a complete and permanent record of Newtown's 250th anniversary.
The day, Saturday, August 6, 1955, was sunny and clear, but extremely hot. Despite the torrid weather, the observance was a most successful culmina- tion to months of planning and preparation by able and hard-working com- mittees. "In point of historical significance and pure enjoyment," said an editorial in the Newtown Bee the following week, "it was a day of real satis- faction. Newtown did itself proud in the observance of its 250th anniversary, and everyone in town has been saying so ever since."
The festivities began in the morning with a big parade along gaily dec- orated streets, the largest and most colorful event of its kind in the history of the town. In the early afternoon the new A. Fenn Dickinson Memorial Park was dedicated by the Governor of Connecticut, the Honorable Abraham Ribicoff. Then followed Little League baseball games at Taylor Field. In the evening there was a colorful block dance on the plaza at the Shopping Center.
Preceding the actual commemoration exercises on August 6th were sev- eral other noteworthy events. On Saturday, July 23rd, for example, the Sandy Hook Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps held its first home meet on the Newtown High School grounds, with thirty corps participating in junior and senior contests. Following the afternoon session a parade of seventeen junior and one senior corps took place. While this affair was not officially a part of the 250th anniversary celebration, it was a fitting prelude to it.
A definite part of the celebration, however, was a tour of six of New- town's historic houses, held on Saturday, July 30th, another perfect but warm day. On Thursday evening, August 4th the Board of Managers of the Edmond Town Hall offered a free motion picture in the Theatre as its contribution to
the anniversary, and also in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Town Hall itself.
Prior to the tour of homes an interesting historical exhibit had been in- stalled in the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, and remained on display there until September. Other notable events in connection with the 250th anniversary in- cluded an essay contest for junior and senior high school students, the prepara- tion and distribution of an attractive poster, the publication of a Special Supplement to the Newtown Bee on August 5th, and the issuance by the local League of Women Voters of an interesting and comprehensive book of 107 pages on Newtown, the first copies of which were distributed on August 6th.
What Happened in 1705
At the beginning of the eighteenth century Connecticut already had been a thriving English colony for about 70 years. In 1705 the white population was about 50,000, far in excess of the few thousand Indians. As early as 1635 settlements had been established at Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford, and numerous towns came into being along the shores of Long Island Sound. Until 1662 New Haven had been a separate colony, but in that year, when a royal charter was granted to the colony, New Haven was merged with Connecticut. Long before Newtown was organized, communities existed nearby at Strat- ford (1639), Derby (1651), Woodbury (1673), and Danbury (1685).
The area which is now Newtown was more or less of a wilderness in 1705, inhabited only by a small and peaceful tribe of Indians, the Pohtatucks or Pootatucks, whose village was situated at the junction of the Housatonic and Pootatuck rivers. Before 1705 the Colonial Government had, however, granted plots of land to seven settlers in this general territory, and a number of planta- tions had been established. The entire section was, moreover, well known to the colonists, since it was on the main routes of travel between the various settle- ments.
To Quanneapague, as this area was called by the Indians, came three enterprising gentlemen in 1705. They were Captain Samuel Hawley and William Junos, yeoman, of Stratford and Justus Bush, mariner, of New York. They persuaded the sachems of the Pohtatucks to sell them some land, and came away with a deed to a tract some eight miles long by six miles wide, duly signed with the marks of three chiefs named Mauquash, Massumpas, and Nunnawalk.
For this considerable piece of property the Indians received in payment: four guns, four broadcloth coats, four blankitts, four ruffelly coats, four collars, ten shirts, ten pairs of stockings, forty pounds of lead, ten pounds of powder, and forty knives. The original deed seems to be lost, but a copy of it appears in the first volume of the Newtown Land Records.
Since no one but the General Court of Connecticut, or those officially delegated by it, had the authority to acquire Indian lands, this transaction in
[8]
1705 was illegal. In 1706 the General Court voted to prosecute the three land speculators. Junos promptly offered to surrender his holdings, and the other two made restitution, so that the prosecution was dropped. Junos and Bush then sold their rights to Hawley and others. By 1708 the matter had been reg- ularized and settled, and a charter was granted to the town upon the petition of 36 settlers, who were allowed a choice of names between Preston and New- town, and chose the latter.
Our Newtown was not, however, the first of that name in Connecticut. Colonists from the Massachusetts towns of Dorchester and Boston who came to Hartford in 1635 at first called their community "New Town". In 1637 this name was given up in favor of Hartford, so-called after Hertford in England.
In 1710 twenty-two individuals from Stratford who held rights in the Newtown lands drew lots for parcels of 20 acres each, a method of land distribu- tion then known as a "pitch". In 1711 Newtown was incorporated as a town, and is officially listed by the State as the 45th community to be established in Connecticut.
This is, of course, a rather sketchy account of what happened in the early part of the eighteenth century. More complete details of the history of the town are given in the report of the Bicentennial, published in 1906; in Ezra Levan Johnson's History of Newtown, published in 1918; and in the League of Women Voters' book on Newtown, issued in 1955.
The Bicentennial in 1905
At a meeting of the Men's Literary and Social Club of Newtown in the Fall of 1904, one of the members, Ezra Levan Johnson, suggested that New- town should mark the 200th anniversary of its founding with appropriate ceremonies. This club of 20 members, incidentally, was organized in 1894 and in 1955 is still in existence.
As a result of Mr. Johnson's suggestion, a public meeting was held in January, 1905, at the Newtown Academy on Church Hill Road, and the Bi- centennial was launched. A General Committee of 50 persons was appointed, with a small Executive Committee consisting of the following :
Ezra Levan Johnson, Chairman
Michael J. Houlihan, Secretary and Treasurer
James H. George
Otis W. Barker
Patrick H. McCarthy Robert H. Beers
Allison P. Smith
Eight other committees, on Finance, Entertainment, Historical, Invitations, Music, Parade, Colonial Ball, and Fireworks, with a total of about 60 members, were also appointed. These committees met on the average of once a week up to the time of the observance on Saturday, August 5, 1905.
[9]
The Bicentennial festivities began with a Colonial Ball in the Town Hall on Friday evening, with an attendance of about 700, including Governor Henry Roberts of Connecticut. On Saturday morning, a fair and pleasant day, there was a big parade led by the Chief Marshal, Charles G. Peck, on horseback. The Governor rode in the parade in an open carriage, and then reviewed it at the Fair Grounds, where Hawley School now stands. When the parade had ended the exercises opened with a prayer by the Reverend Patrick Fox of St. Rose Church, and then came three addresses, one a rather lengthy historical essay by Mr. Johnson. After an intermission for luncheon, a poem was read, and then eight more speeches were delivered, including one by the Governor. It was reported that a "vast throng" attended these exercises, and also visited the historical exhibits which were on view in the main building of the Fair Grounds.
In the evening there was a band concert by the Woodbury Band, which had also led the morning parade, and this was interspersed with a vivid display of fireworks. The commemoration continued on Sunday with special services at the Congregational Church and Trinity Episcopal Church, of which the Reverend Otis W. Barker and the Reverend James H. George were, respectively, the pastors.
An interesting and comprehensive account of the preparations for this Bicentennial and of the exercises themselves is given in a book of 177 pages, edited by Rev. James Hardin George, Ezra Levan Johnson, and Allison P. Smith, and published in 1906. Mr. Johnson was the grandfather of Frank L. Johnson, who served as treasurer of the 1955 committee, while Mr. Smith was the uncle of Paul S. Smith, present editor of the Newtown Bee, and one of the editors of this 1955 booklet.
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II. PREPARATIONS FOR THE CELEBRATION
With the Bicentennial of 1905 as a precedent, town officials decided that the 250th anniversary of Newtown ought to be suitably recognized. In March of 1955 First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson appointed a small committee to consider the matter. In addition to Mr. Dickinson, members of this original committee included: Nelson G. Curtis, Herman R. Geiger, Dr. William F. Green, Miles Harris, Mrs. Jerome P. Jackson, Ralph L. Knibloe, Mrs. William M. Mckenzie, and Bertram A. Stroock. Early in May Colonel James A. Tobey and Frank L. Johnson were added to the committee.
Prior to the middle of May this group held several meetings to discuss the proposition, but the only action taken was to set the date of the commem- oration on August 6th. On May 16 the committee elected Colonel James A. Tobey, U. S. Army Retired, as chairman, Frank L. Johnson as treasurer, and Mrs. Bertram A. Stroock as secretary. First Selectman Dickinson was ap- pointed as parade marshal.
At this meeting Mr. Dickinson reported that Governor Ribicoff had promised to be present at the anniversary celebration, and he outlined various plans whereby he, personally, proposed to organize the biggest parade in Newtown's history, raise the necessary funds, and undertake numerous other activities. The next morning occurred the unfortunate accident in which Mr. Dickinson instantly lost his life.
At the next meeting of the Executive Committee on May 31, the first order of business was the adoption of the following resolution :
WHEREAS, the tragic death of First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson on May 17, 1955 has deprived the Town of Newtown of an outstanding citizen, and this committee of an ardent and devoted member, whose interests and activities were so ably directed toward the successful observance of the 250th anniversary of his native community;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the sincere condolences and sym- pathy of the 250th anniversary committee of the Town of Newtown be trans- mitted to the family of the late A. Fenn Dickinson, and be spread upon the minutes of this committee.
At this time the resignations of Mrs. Jerome P. Jackson and Ralph L. Knibloe from the Executive Committee, because of pressure of other important affairs, were received and accepted. Their places were taken by Mrs. A. Fenn
[ 1] ]
Dickinson and Harry King Tootle. This committee as finally constituted was as follows:
The Executive Committee
Col. James A. Tobey, Chairman Frank L. Johnson, Treasurer Mrs. Bertram A. Stroock, Secretary
Nelson G. Curtis
Miles Harris
Mrs. A. Fenn Dickinson
Mrs. William M. Mckenzie
Herman R. Geiger
Bertram A. Stroock
Dr. William F. Green
Harry King Tootle
It was then necessary to begin at the beginning. Fortunately for the suc- cess of the venture, the newly elected chairman had had wide experience as an administrator, both in military and civil life, and was also an expert in public relations. In the short space of about two months, eight subcommittees were organized and duties were assigned to them, a general committee was appointed, funds were raised, publicity obtained, an attractive poster issued, and efficient arrangements made for the ceremonies. In many ways it was a remarkable achievement, due to the harmonious, highly capable, and well-coordinated activities of the several committees. From May 31st to August 5th the execu- tive Committee and the chairmen of the subcommittees met in the Town Hall every week, with practically full attendance. Complete minutes of all meetings were kept by the secretary .*
The Subcommittees
Chairmen of the eight subcommittees were as follows:
Dance Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Carruth
Decorations
Arthur H. Christie
Exhibits
Lincoln B. Mitchell
Finance
Nelson G. Curtis
Parade
James Brunot
Albert H. Nichols
Park
Richard S. Winship
Publicity
Harry King Tootle
School Essay
M. Fridolf Jacobson
The members of each of these subcommittees are listed in the later sec- tions in this booklet, in which their respective activities are described.
* After the anniversary celebration the Executive Committee unanimously passed a resolution that, "a vote of appreciation be given Colonel James A. Tobey for his excellent and successful services in behalf of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Newtown", and directed that it be published in this book.
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The Honorary Committee of One Hundred
One of the first actions of the Chairman and the Executive Committee was to select and appoint an Honorary Committee of One Hundred. This committee was comprised of town and borough officials who were heads of departments or boards; the presidents of all active civic organizations; representative mem- bers of original Newtown families; professional persons; and other prominent citizens, such as state officials, former selectmen, etc.
It is interesting to note that one member of this 1955 committee, Charles G. Morris, was also a member of the Bicentennial Committee of 1905. A num- ber of others were sons, daughters, or grandsons and granddaughters of mem- bers of the Bicentennial Committee.
Members of this Honorary Committee of One Hundred, which actually includes 114 names, were as follows:
Mrs. Julia D. Aiken
Mrs. Stephen Danuszar
Anthony Amaral
Nelson B. Denny
John Angel
Mrs. A. Fenn Dickinson*
Willis Arndt
Sydney Dobbs
Judge John N. Boyle
H. Dunleavy
Mrs. Eleanor S. Briscoe
Dr. J. Benton Egee
James Brunot
Robert D. Fairchild
Mrs. James Brunot
Mrs. Norman Fedde
Richard F. Burdett
Raymond B. Fosdick
Mrs. Richard F. Burdett
Roy F. Byrne
Herman R. Geiger*
Leo Carbonneau
Mrs. Richard B. Gilpin
Arthur W. Carmody
S. Curtis Glover Charles M. Goodsell
Robert M. Carruth
Paul R. Cashman
Dr. William F. Green*
Charles F. Cavanaugh
Col. C. Sidney Haight
James Cavanaugh, Jr. Arthur H. Christie
Miles Harris* Otto Heise
Alvin B. Coger Charles S. Cole
Clinton R. Hilliker
Rev. Walter R. Conroy
James F. Hinckley
Rev. Paul A. Cullens
H. Gould Curtis Nelson G. Curtis*
Judge John F. Holian William A. Honan W. W. Holcombe Milton F. Hull
Mrs. Nelson G. Curtis
Newton M. Curtis
George A. Jackson
Herbert H. Cutler
Dr. Clifford G. Johnson
William K. Daniells
Frank L. Johnson*
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Mrs. Marguerite B. Budd
Charles Ferris, Sr.
Mrs. Stephen E. Budd
James B. Forbes
Vincent P. Gaffney
Frederick Harris
Robert J. Clark
Joseph F. Hellauer
Allen Northey Jones George L. Kayhoe Jack E. Kessinger
Rev. Gordon D. Pierce Edward S. Pitzschler
Edmund C. Platt Albert Rasmussen Judge M. Fredric Rees
Mrs. George Kingman, Jr. Edward E. Knapp Dr. George B. Kyle Wilton Lackaye John C. Leavy
Robert F. Reiner
Dr. Joseph Reiss
Judge Walter A. Reynolds
Carl A. LeGrow
Henry Roger
Mary R. Lucas Milton A. Mandelson
Mortimer B. Smith
Rev. Richard S. Martin
Paul S. Smith
Henry L. McCarthy
Dr. Russell F. Strasburger
John T. McCarthy, Sr.
George M. Stuart
Mrs. W. M. Mckenzie*
Bertram A. Stroock*
Lincoln B. Mitchell
Mrs. Bertram A. Stroock*
Wallace N. Mitchell
Joseph H. A. Symonds
Ernest F. Morgan
Arthur Terry
Charles G. Morris
Col. James A. Tobey*
William D. Murphy
Harry King Tootle*
Alfred W. Nelson
Roger Treat
Albert H. Nichols
Paul D. Webb
Frederick Parr
Mrs. Edward Wight
Herman W. Parker
Richard S. Winship
Rev. Walter Pickering
H. Hawley Warner
* Member of Executive Committee.
The Pioneers of Newtown
Like most New England towns, Newtown has many residents who are descendants of the earliest settlers. Other families have been represented in the town for a century or more, sometimes through the early immigrants who have contributed so much to the American way of life.
At the suggestion of several interested citizens, an attempt was made to compile a list of adults now living in Newtown who are of at least the fourth generation on either the paternal or maternal side. This project was turned over to Colonel C. S. Haight of Main Street, who after considerable difficulty was able to prepare a list of about 100 names, with appropriate genealogical data on each family.
This list, which is undoubtedly incomplete in a population of 7500 in 1955, was published in several issues of the Newtown Bee. Because of lack of space, and the need for additional information, the list is not given here, but may be issued in supplementary form at some future date.
[ 14 ]
Mrs. Leroy J. Lovejoy
Jack H. Rosenthal
Robert E. Ryan
The School Essay Contest
At the invitation of the Superintendent of Schools, Carl A. LeGrow, and the Principal of the Newtown High School, James F. Hinckley, the Chairman of the 250th anniversary committee addressed assemblies of the Senior and Junior High Schools on June 7, 1955. In these two speeches he recounted the early history of Newtown, outlined plans for the anniversary celebration in August, and announced a prize for the best essay by a student on the subject, "Newtown, Past and Future". The essays were not to exceed 1500 words in length and were to be submitted not later than July 15th, several weeks after the schools had closed.
Although these addresses seemed to arouse considerable interest among the several hundred pupils present, relatively few took advantage of the op- portunity. The prize, a $25 United States Bond, was awarded to Miss Faith Brown of Sandy Hook for her essay entitled, "Newtown, Its Nostalgic Past and Visionary Future". This essay was subsequently published in The Newtown Bee of August 26, 1955.
The committee of judges included M. Fridolf Jacobson and Mrs. Grover A. Burrows.
The Poster and the Golden Rooster
At one of the early meetings of the Executive Committee it was suggested by Herman R. Geiger that a suitable poster be prepared by some one of the many talented artists in Newtown. Mr. Geiger approached his neighbor on Shephard Hill, Paul D. Webb, well-known cartoonist for Esquire and other publications. Mr. Webb in turn got in touch with the nationally recognized illustrator, Robert Hallock of Hattertown District. Between them they worked out a design from copy supplied by the Chairman, and Mr. Hallock drew a most attractive reproduction of the historic, battle-scarred rooster which has graced the steeple of the Newtown Congregational Church since early colonial days. The Executive Committee had 200 of these posters printed in two colors, and they were widely distributed throughout Newtown and neighboring com- munities.
The Golden Cock which embellishes the local spire and was used as an appropriate symbol for the 250th anniversary has an interesting history. The Congregational Church was established in Newtown in 1715, the first chuch in the settlement. A meeting house was not, however, completed for several years (1719), and the steeple was not added to it until 1761. Just when the golden rooster first appeared as a weather vane is not definitely known, but it was undoubtedly in the pre-revolutionary days of the Colony.
Legend has it that the numerous bullet holes in this famous golden weather cock were made by the French soldiers of the army of the Count De Rocham- beau, whose troops camped in Newtown from June 28 to July 1, 1781, en route
[ 15 ]
from Providence, R. I. to join the forces of General George Washington at Bedford, N. Y. It is possible, however, that these bullet holes came from the rifles of British soldiers who occupied Newtown earlier in the War for Inde- pendence, or even that they were made by trigger-happy local boys.
In honor of the 250th anniversary celebration, the golden rooster was re- moved from the steeple at the end of July, 1955, with the aid of a tall crane furnished by a local resident, B. C. Edgerton Sr. It was given a new coat of gold leaf by Rudolph Boedefeld, a local painter, and was replaced on the spire on August 4th by steeplejack B. Haight of Milford.
A reproduction of this rooster served as the central motif of many of the special decorations prepared for the anniversary. It also adorns the book on Newtown published by the League of Women Voters, and appears on the cover of this booklet.
Greetings from Newtown in Wales
At the suggestion of Roger Howson, a local resident of Welsh origin, the Chairman wrote to the authorities of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Wales, send- ing greetings and requesting a suitable statement for the anniversary. This Newtown in Great Britain has about the same population as our Newtown, U. S. A., but is much more venerable. It was settled by the Normans in the 13th century on the site of an ancient Roman community.
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