USA > Connecticut > New London County > A modern history of New London County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 13
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527
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY
Mrs. Anna Maynard, committee on home economics, New London. Meetings second and fourth Fridays of each month at Odd Fellows' Hall, Groton.
No. 184, Franklin, organized May 17, 1913-Ray B. Beckwith, master, Yantic ; Louis Starkweather, overseer, North Franklin ; Miss Anita B. Holton, lecturer, North Franklin; Mrs. Anna H. Lathrop, steward, North Franklin ; Harold A. Duerr, assistant steward, Yantic; Fred S. Armstrong, chaplain, Yantic ; Milton P. Beckwith, treasurer, Yantic ; Stan. E. Armstrong, secretary, Yantic; Arad Robinson, gate keeper, North Franklin ; Miss Winifred Holton, Ceres, North Franklin; Miss Theresa M. Lamb, Pomona, North Franklin ; Mrs. E. M. Armstrong, Flora, Yantic ; Mrs. Anna M. Duerr, lady assistant, Yantic. Meetings second and fourth Saturday evening» of every month at Franklin Town Hall.
New London County Subordinate Granges, 1922-21, Lebanon, Lebanon ; 41, Konomoc, Waterford; 78, Colchester, Colchester ; 96, Jewett City, Gris- wold; 110, Preston City, Preston ; 138, North Stonington, North Stonington ; 147, Lyme, Lyme; 157, East Lyme, East Lyme; 161, Bozrah, Bozrah ; 162, Old Lyme, Old Lyme; 167, Ledyard, Ledyard ; 168, Stonington, Stonington ; 171, Mystic, Mystic ; 172, Norwich, Norwich ; 176, Groton, Groton ; 184, Frank- lin, Franklin.
The county organization is efficient, and through the subordinate lodges the aims and purposes of the order are being realized to the benefit of the individual farmer, while as a whole the business of agriculture is benefitted. Mr. Cook, now master of the State Grange, was formerly overseer, and is one of New London's progressive agriculturists, now superintendent of the State Detention Farm at Niantic.
Other communities having demonstrated the value of a Patrons' Fire Relief Association, the Connecticut State Grange considered the expediency of organizing an association for the benefit of the members of the grange. The result was the forming of the Patrons' Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Control is vested in a board of directors, the board electing its own officers. These for the year 1922 are: Frank E. Blakeman, president, Oronoque ; J. Arthur Sherwood, vice president, Long Hill; W. H. Carrier, treasurer, Glas- tonbury ; H. C. Dunham, secretary, Middletown. The president, secretary and treasurer, with two others, constitute an executive committee.
Although but little over fifty years of age, the order, Patrons of Hus- bandry, has become a solid national institution. It has met a want of rural communities and has amply justified the hopes of its founders. It has suc- cessfully demonstrated the ability of the farmers to organize for mutual benefit, and has proved otherwise a blessing, for the Grange spirit is one of love and helpfulness, and its value as an organized force for good cannot be overestimated. So long as it shall be true to its mission, the moral and edu- cational uplift of its members, and true to its spirit of fraternity, friendship and faith, so long will it flourish and scatter blessings along the pathway of its members. Small in its beginning and of little force, now strong and influential, the order is becoming more and more the farmers' spokesman. In his address to the State Grange, in its forty-seventh annual session in Rochester, New York. February 3, 1920, Worthy Master Sherman J. Lowell in his peroration said :
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As my parting word let me picture the Grange. It is whatever you make it, nothing more. It is your belief in yourself, your dream of what a people inay become. It lives a changing life, a life of words and passions, of heart breaks and tired muscles. Sometimes it is strong with pride, when men do honest work. Sometimes it is loud and garish and full of pride that blasts judgment. But always it is all you hope it to be or you have the courage to try for. It is your hopes and fears, struggle and panic. It is the day's work of the weakest and the dream of the most daring. It is the battle of yesterday and the mistake of tomorrow. It is the mystery of those who do without knowing why, the birth of ideas and the purpose of resolutions. It is no more than what you believe it to be and all you believe it to be it can be. It is what you make it, nothing more.
CHAPTER XXII
THE RED CROSS
We have touched upon the Red Cross Chapter of Taftville, and at this point give a brief resumé of Red Cross work in the county-at-large.
The Red Cross work of New London county has been highly commend- able, especially during the World War. The main chapters number four- Norwich, New London, Jewett City and Taftville, and have been greatly aided by auxiliaries in nearby towns.
The Norwich Chapter, one of the oldest in Connecticut, was started in 1907, took part in relief work at the time of the San Francisco disaster, and was efficiently managed for ten years under the presidency of Mr. Francis J. Leavens, who was succeeded in 1917 by Rev. Joseph H. Selden. Any complete list of public-spirited citizens who aided in the work would be out of place ir. this work. Among those who have filled responsible positions, either as officers or committee workers, may be mentioned Mrs. William Lauman, Mrs. Robert W. Perkins, Mrs. Frank Mitchell, Miss Edith M. Young, Mr. Ebenezer Learned, Mr. F. W. Lester, Dr. Hugh B. Campbell, Dr. John S. Blackmar, Miss Faith Leavens, Miss Audrey Gernon, Mrs. Walter Buckingham, Miss Matilda Butts, Mrs. John P. Huntington, Mr. Philip A. Johnson, Mrs. Mary G. Osgood, Mrs. Frances E. Tingley, Mr. Frank L. Woodard, Mr. James C. Macpherson, Mrs. Charles H. Preston, and many others whose names are found in its records.
With the entrance of the United States into the World War, came the "drives" that showed the great hearts of the American people. As a sample of the work of the Norwich Chapter we include a brief report of the annual meeting for 1919: Receipts for the year 1918-1919, $15.065.38; disbursements, $15,704.09; balance October 1, $9,427.75. Second Roll Call members, 9629. Production in the year-surgical dressings, 3323; garments, 7862; knitted garments, 1919; linen pieces, 2343. School auxiliaries in 23 schools-4500 paper articles made by Junior Red Cross, 2770, with contributions of $1337.16. Families served, 1049: money given to them, $4521.25. Numerous question- naires were issued, classes were conducted, and much miscellaneous work done.
From November 1, 1919, to November 1, 1920, the annual report shows the work of the Public Welfare Committee of the Norwich Chapter, Chair- man Mrs. Witter K. Trigley. The members of the committee were: Mrs. John D. Hall, Mrs. Zoe Meade, Mrs. Frank Mitchell, Miss Elizabeth Culver. Mr. Edward J. Graham, Mr. Wallace S. Allis, Dr. Hugh B. Campbell, Dr. Edward J. Brophy, Dr. George Thompson. The chief activities of this com- mittee for the year are : (1) The organization of classes in home hygiene, care of the sick, and home dietetics; (2) preparation of emergency plans for epidemics or disasters ; (3) development of public health nursing.
Three instructors were appointed for classes in home nursing; thirty- N.L .- 1-34
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nine students were successfully taught, of whom the greater number received certificates. Plans were made in co-operation with the William W. Backus Hospital for meeting epidemics or disasters that might occur, available means being carefully organized.
The chapter took an active and constructive part in organizing the health program of the community as a whole. Their plans and successful efforts were reported by the Atlantic Division of the Red Cross as a model program for similar chapters elsewhere. Such topics were well analyzed, as public- health nurses, day camp for children, medical inspection of schools, a patho- logical laboratory at the W. W. Backus Hospital, the promoting of nursing as a profession, appointment of a visiting housekeeper for the community, a highly organized scheme in co-operation with the State Tuberculosis Hos- pital, a census of health conditions in schools and in general, a constructive leadership in the improvement of local health conditions, especially for chil- dren. In all this work the local chapter was concerned primarily with starting a desirable movement and then in turning its own efforts to other needed improvements such, for instance, as dental and aural hygiene. For this year the treasurer's report showed receipts of $7235.24, and disbursements of $9139.59, with a cash balance on hand of $1646.10. Since 1920 the Norwich Chapter has taken special interest in the Home Service work with the families of war veterans who have suffered from the effects of exposure, or are in financial difficulties. An efficient committee has helped thousands of individu- als in such a variety of matters, as insurance, travel pay. delayed allotments, lost discharges, compensation, vocational training, investigation of lost ad- dresses, helping in burial expenses and doing in many other days invaluable service to needy war victims. The work of the Junior Red Cross under the leadership of Miss Faith Leavens and later of Miss Aubrey Gernon was of the same general nature as in other communities, with especial emphasis on school contributions of money and of useful articles of dress, and of children's togs
The work of the Norwich Chapter was greatly aided by auxiliaries in Lebanon, Fitchville, Preston City, Gales Ferry, Canterbury, Occum, Poque- tanuck, Salem and Leffingwell.
On March 1, 1922, the United Workers, a most capable organization of the various charitable activities of the community, took over from the Red Cross Chapter the work of the Home Service Department, and at present this work is being carried on under the direction of the social workers of the United Workers.
Of the work in New London the chapter chairman, Cora A. Marsh, writes as follows :
This Chapter received its chapter charter in January, 1917, and began active work after the call by President Wilson for full organization in Feb- ruary. By armistice in 1918, we comprised besides New London, twelve branches, and our departments included military relief, home service with two paid workers, production which was carried on in a large house, railroad canteen, motor corps, enrollment of nurses for the government, nursing sur- vey, also classes in first aid, home nursing, dietetics and surgical dressings.
We have been gradually deflating ever since the armistice, but have
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RED CROSS
carried on each department until the need ended. Our production ends, I hope, with the shipment made this spring and our home service is almost at an end, although we still have a few cases and information which we still pay our former home service secretary to handle. We gave up the canteen and motor corps, but we took up public health work and have been of assistance to the city Health Department and school clinic. We pay the salary of the supervising Red Cross public health nurse who heads up in the district nursing work of the Visiting Nurse Association. Another new line is our Life Saving Corps at the beach. The corps is made up of young men volun- teers who have passed the tests, and for two summers we have employed a public health nurse for two months. At present the corps is reorganizing and the nurse will go on duty when she recovers from her present illness. We now have several qualified instructors in home nursing, and classes are being taught. Through the influence of Red Cross, the teaching of physiology, anatomy and hygiene has been combined and made practical, and is taught in the grade schools by the school nurses, and in the grammar grades some first aid and home care of the sick is included. A small beginning has been made in Braille work under the direction of our recording secretary, Miss Tyler, in co-operation with a few women, and she reports that the women find Braille fascinating.
I think most of our work is ended as our city is better organized in health lines than most places of its size, and our other work will not be needed. Our branches almost all now have public health nurses who work also with the schools.
I think the Visiting Nurse Association would best provide its own nurses and by another year probably can do so; also, the city Health De- partment will provide the nurse at the Red Cross Beach Hut by another summer, I expect.
ABOVE, JOSEPH CARPENTER'S SILVERSMITH SHOP: NOW MUSEUM OF FAITH TRUMBULL CHAPTER, D. A. R. BELOW. OLD AVERY HOUSE, PRESTON PLAINS. WHERE JOHN AVERY CARRIED ON THIS TRADE OF SILVERSMITH.
CHAPTER XXIII NOTABLE PLACES AND HOMES
Revolutionary Worthies-Stage Coach and Tavern Days-Norwich Potteries-Silver- smiths of New London County-Pinehurst.
By Mrs. Edna Miner Rogers, Regent of Faith Trumbull Chapter, D. A. R.
During the period of the Revolutionary War, many notable men and officers visited Norwich. There were several reasons for this; one was the situation, at the head of navigation, as boats could come through Long Island Sound to New London and then to Norwich ; or passengers leaving the boats at New London would come by land to Norwich and then on to Providence and Boston.
Another perhaps more potent reason, was that not many miles from Norwich lived the Governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull. The Trum- bulls were among the largest shipping merchants of those days, and their business interests reached far and wide. When the news of the Lexington alarm arrived, Jonathan Trumbull's store in Lebanon was the place where all the soldiers in his own vicinity who marched for the relief of Boston were supplied. In the little office of the store was transacted much of the business of the war, and here and in the Governor's house next door were entertained many of the most conspicuous characters of the Revolution. Among these may be mentioned Generals Washington, LaFayette, Knox, Sullivan, Put- nam, Doctor Adams, John Jay, Jefferson, the Count Rochambeau, Ad- miral Tiernay, the Duke de Lauzun, the Marquis de Chastellux, and many others. It is said that the gay young French officers were very fond of company and cordially accepted hospitalities extended to them, and the bloom- ing belles of Windham, Lebanon and Norwich had the good fortune to par- ticipate in many brilliant entertainments, while the silver freely lavished by these young men found its way to many a farmer's pocket.
Governor Trumbull's wife was Faith Robinson, and from her Faith Trumbull Chapter, D. A. R., received its name; their daughter, Faith Trum- bull, married General Jedediah Huntington (in 1766), who in May, 1777, was appointed a brigadier-general "at General Washington's request." With the Governor's son-in-law living in Norwich, where also lived Colonel Leffingwell, another ardent patriot and one of the Committee of Correspondence, it is readily seen how close the connection between Lebanon and Norwich must become. David Trumbull gave up his house in Lebanon to the Duke de Lauzun, and his wife came to Norwich.
One of Washington's visits to Governor Trumbull was in April, 1776, when they met by appointment at General Jedediah Huntington's home in Norwich. Washington had written on March 21st that he should take his army from Boston to New York by the seacoast route, coming through Norwich, and on April 13 they dined with Huntington and conferred together till evening, when Washington proceeded to New London.
Rochambeau had written to Trumbull in regard to the cantonment of the troop commanded by the Duke de Lauzun; this was a celebrated legion of horse, six hundred strong. About two hundred and forty of these Hussars with about an equal number of horses were stationed on Lebanon Commons,
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still called "the Barracks"; here they remained for seven months, and traces of their brick ovens still exist. Of the trips made by some of the officers to Norwich, we have already heard.
On March 5th, 1781, Washington stopped at Lebanon, and, with great satisfaction alike to himself, the French, and the crowds of spectators, be- stowed upon Lauzun's imposing legion the compliment of a stately review.
The War Office, as it was later called, was restored by the Sons of the American Revolution, and dedicated on June 15, 1891. The house has been occupied for many years by Miss Mary E. Dutton, and now by two of her cousins. It is said that people were so crazy to have some souvenir from this house that the oaken boards of the attic floor were sold in pieces.
Washington's death, on December 14, 1790, was commemorated in Nor- wich with solemn religious services. On the Sabbath following, Dr. Strong delivered a memorial sermon. At the Landing, the Episcopal and Congrega- tional churches were both shrouded in black, and the two congregations united in the commemorative services. They assembled at the Episcopal church, where prayers were read and a solemn dirge performed. A procession was then formed of both sexes, which moved with plaintive music and tolling bells to the Congregational church, where a discourse was delivered by Mr. King from the text, "How are the mighty fallen." Subsequently, on the day recommended by Congress for tre national observance, the societies again united; the Rev. Mr. Tyler delivered an oration, and several original odes, hymns and lamentations were sung or chanted. The sermons of Messrs. Strong and King and the eulogy of Mr. Tyler were each separately published. (Caulkins' "Hist. Norwich, Conn.," page 525.)
Colonel (afterwards General) Samuel Mott, at whose house General Washington is said to have called, lived at Preston City ; his house occupied the spot where now stands the Public Library of that town, the Library and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on the lawn having been given by some native sons of the place. This General Samuel Mott was a Revolutionary patriot who was a local magistrate, and a civil engineer of such note as to have made the preliminary plans and drawings of the military works at West Point.
One of the most interesting houses up-town is the one which was known far and wide for many years as the Leffingwell Inn. This is situated at the corner of Washington and East Town streets, and is known by all passers-by, as nearly everyone remarks on the way the house is set to the road. As early as 1701, the house began to be used as an inn, and in early days slaves are said to have been auctioned off at the north door.
Miss Perkins says: "The house is large and rambling, and many parts of it bear the marks of great age. Some of the rooms are on a much lower level than others, and these may indicate where additions were made to the original Backus homestead, for this is one of the houses which claims to date from the settlement of the town. The windows still retain their wooden shutters, the door its bar-fastening, and the rooms are heavily wainscoted, and the large parlor panelled throughout." Deep window seats open like the lid of a chest. "The entrance door was formerly on the north side of the
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NOTABLE PLACES AND HOMES
house and faced the old highway coming down over the hill. Either the course of this highway, or the desire to have the house stand due north and south, may perhaps account for its singular position at the present day."
At the time of the Revolutionary War, Colonel Christopher Leffingwell owned and occupied the house, with his wife, Elizabeth Coit, daughter of Captain Jospeh Coit, of New London and Norwich. He was an ardent patriot, and was appointed on the committee of correspondence. The first announce- ment of the battles of Lexington and Concord was addressed to him, and at the Two Hundredth Anniversary of Norwich, in 1859, the original document was exhibited, from which not only the citizens of Norwich but Governor Trumbull himself first heard those alarming tidings. Colonel Jedediah Huntington writes to him from the camp at Roxbury, a little later, and Colonel Trumbull from the camp at Cambridge, asking for supplies.
General Parsons, on his way to Bunker Hill, June 10th, 1775, writes that one of his companies will lodge at Norwich; Captain Leffingwell must provide for them. Innumerable calls were made upon him, but amid them all he exercised a generous hospitality. In August, 1776, Colonel Wadsworth intro- duces to him an English loyalist who had been advised to leave New York, but who is worthy of respectful and considerate treatment in the rural dis- tricts. Titus Hosmer introduces to him Mr. Timothy Dwight, who had been a tutor for several years in the college of which he was afterwards the dis- tinguished president, and who thinks of settling in Norwich to practice law. General Washington in one of his visits partakes of the hospitality of the Leffingwell home, and Governor Trumbull sends his respectful apology that he is unable to meet at Mr. Leffingwell's the commander-in-chief.
It is said that of all the companies which marched at various times to New London, none equalled in order and equipment the light infantry under Captain Leffingwell. In his historical discourse in 1859, Dr. Gilman says : "As I mention his name, there are many present who will recall his stately and venerable form, his head white with years, the dignified bearing which marked the gentleman of the old school, and the energetic manner which was equally characteristic of the successful man of business."
After the close of the war, in 1784, Colonel Leffingwell was appointed by General Washington the first naval officer under the new government. The wife who shared those troubled times with him, died November 9, 1796; Colonel Leffingwell died November 7, 1810.
Later on, the house came into the possession of a granddaughter, Mrs. Benjamin Huntington. The house itself, with its well-kept grounds, always attracts the attention of strangers in the town, as well as those who have always been familiar with its appearance. An amusing little tradition may be whispered here : It is said that one Monday, General Washington came to the house unexpectedly. The family washing was under way, in the base- ment. Needless to add that the tubs were very hurriedly put away in the cellar.
Not many miles from Norwich is another house which was visited by Generals Washington and LaFayette. In Plainfield, on the main road traversed by travelers, was situated the "LaFayette Inn."
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NEW LONDON COUNTY
By 1710, public travel through Plainfield had increased so greatly that the governments of both Connecticut and Rhode Island were obliged to make provision for better accommodations. In 1711 the General Assembly of Rhode Island ordered "That a highway should be laid out from Providence through Providence, Warwick, to Plainfield," and representations were made to the Connecticut Assembly that travelers from the westward to Boston and Providence met with great difficulty and were exposed to great danger for want of a suitable road through Plainfield, so the selectmen of Plainfield were ordered to lay out a suitable road. This road went through Plainfield village, and is now known as Plainfield street. The needful land was given by the owners "in consideration that it is convenient and necessary for travellers, being the nearest and best way to and from Providence, Rhode Island (mean- ing the island of Rhode Island), Narragansett, and many other places, and convenient for town and country." A tavern or inn was, of course, the logical sequence of the opening of this road. When LaFayette Inn was built is not known to the writer, but is said to have early stood there. General Gates and his division marched through Plainfield, Canterbury and Windham on their withdrawal from Newport. The following item concerning the old inn is taken from the "Norwich Record" of May 10, 1911 :
A large crowd attended the auction sale of furniture held by Mrs. H. B. Ball at LaFayette Inn on Saturday. Mrs. Ball recently sold the inn prop- erty at public auction to H. A. Gallup. The LaFayette Inn, which was formerly the old Plainfield Hotel, has been a public tavern and hostelry for over a century, it being one of the relays for the old stage coach line between Providence and Hartford. There is a whole lot of history connected with this old inn, General Washington and Marquis de LaFayette stopping in it over night on their way to Philadelphia. LaFayette wrote a letter while sitting in a combination desk chair which has since bore the name of the "LaFayette chair." This chair, which is very well preserved for one that has done so much service, was bid off at the auction on Saturday for $26, but it is the public opinion that it was bid in, for it is reported that Mrs. Ball had a standing offer of $100 for it by some Colonial association in Philadelphia long before the auction sale.
The house was divided and part of it was moved nearer the street, thus making two buildings.
STAGE COACH AND TAVERN DAYS
In these days of good roads, trolley cars, automobiles, fast expresses, fast steamships and flying machines, with their accompaniment of immense hotels where every luxury is obtainable and the watchword is not "anything in season," but "everything in any season," so quickly do people accept the innovations and become accustomed to conveniences that few pause to reflect on the fact that these things have come mainly within a period of seventy years, and the greatest of them within even twenty-five years. While appre- ciating the advantages of many of our modern ways, and perhaps to more recognize their value, let us look back briefly to a time when these things were not, and see how they came to be, and to a later time when, fully
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