A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 45

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Connecticut > Windham County > A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I > Part 45

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The first "Ladies' Night" was observed January 17, 1890, with all the officers' chairs filled by the sisters and has been an annual occurence ever since.

That the members were alive to their interest was evidenced by the fact . that a resolution was carried and committee appointed to confer with the can-

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didates in both towns, Voluntown and Sterling, at the November election, "That it was for the interests of farmers to support candidates for representatives at the November election who would pledge themselves to support a law to prohibit the sale of oleomargarine."

The gain for the year was by demit two, initiation eight, total gain ten. At the meeting of October 17th, the first ceres night was held under the charge of worthy ceres, Mrs. Amanda Fenner, and has been an annual event ever since.

The activities of the grange for the year 1891 were saddened by the un- timely death of Sister Minnie Elderkin on April 29th and of Sister Elizabeth

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GRANGE HALL, EKONK

Kasson in. September. Sister Elderkin was a past pomona of the grange and was a most helpful member. Hers was the first death of a member to occur since the grange had been organized and the burial was with grange ceremonies. Sister Kasson was of a quiet retiring disposition but was always ready with a kind word to help along. Those that listened to her papers read before the grange well understood their worth. The grange ritual was used at the grave.

For quite a number of years before the grange had been organized Bro. A. A. Stanton had held at Beach Pond, first a family, then a neighborhood picnic and then the members of the grange had been invited to join with them. It had grown to large proportions and a lawless element had made it a gather- ing place. At a special meeting held July 31st it was voted to give a reward of $5.00 for the conviction of any person found selling liquor at any grange picnic held at Beach Pond.

This annual picnic finally grew to be an old home gathering for the resi- dents of Eastern Connecticut and Western Rhode Island, and at one time it was estimated that there were between four and five thousand persons present.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

Owing to several years of bad weather and local conditions over which the grange had no control, the last picnic was held about 1902. Speakers of a national reputation in grange work and members of Congress were among the speakers provided and it was always an enjoyable time for all.

Pomona's Court was presented in September, 1891, in charge of Worthy Pomona Mattie Young and Pomona's Night has been an annual event ever since. For several years Pomona and Ceres have united and had an exhibit of fruits and vegetables. Last year, 1919, County Agent Ellis of Putnam was present, gave a talk on fruit growing in Connecticut and had with him an exhibit of fruit as grown in Woodstock.

In the fall of 1891 it was voted to hold a "group" meeting of the neighbor- ing granges inviting Fidelity, Summit and Hope Valley granges of Rhode Island, Highland, Preston City and Jewett City granges of Connecticut to unite with and meet with us November 18th. At that time but one grange, Jewett City, was represented and at the next one none were present but our own members and the proposition died a natural death.

Ceres Night under the charge of Worthy Ceres Hattie Tanner was held November 6th and the first exhibit of vegetables was made. From this small start it grew yearly until a fair of good sized proportions was held. It in- cluded live stock, fowls, vegetables, fruits and fancy work and was pronounced by good judges, in some respects, to have out-ranked the county fairs.

As there was lack of horse sheds, it was voted by the grange to pay for doing the stone work and as a result of the vote the old sheds were moved to the east and the foundation for nine sheds was placed in position on the church lot. Upon this foundation members of the grange, church and church society built the sheds.

'In the summer of 1892, came the famous contest between the brothers and sisters in which a supper was to be furnished by the defeated party. The judges appointed were Brother Morse of Jewett City, Sister Maud Fenner of Summit and Sister Carrie Cory of Kickemuit granges. The brothers led off June 3d and put up what they thought was a good program. July 1st was "Ladies' Night" and at its close the judges decided in favor of the ladies with the supper to be provided by the brothers. One brother was heard to remark, "Brethren, remember never to trust one brother against two sisters on a com- mittee of this kind again as you are sure to be defeated."

Wasn't it fun to see the blank look on the sisters' faces as they were escorted to the table in the vestry to find nothing but the following bill of fare: Aqua Vitae, Boston Billets, Cool Compound, Darkies Delight, Rhode Island's Renown, Pride of the Tropics. The sisters were wary of ordering and as one sister re- marked, "Some one is going to be stung." One sister more venturesome than the others ordered the whole menu and found that it consisted of water, crackers, lemonade, watermelon, clam chowder and bananas.

In the fall an effort was made to start a creamery but from lack of support it fell through.

The first memorial service for deceased members was held the evening of September 11th and from that has grown its annual observance on the third Sunday in June of each year.

The largest class, thirteen, that had ever been initiated up to this time re- ceived the final degrees the evening of October 14th.

The notable event of 1893 was the purchase of a part of the Keigwin farm

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by the grange and the conversion of the house into a Grange Hall. The part of the farm bought consisted of forty acres with buildings and cost the grange $400. The members gave their time in tearing out the partitions and remov- ing the old stone chimney and a hall half the width and the length of the house was the result.

No formal ceremonies of dedication were used at the first meeting of Feb- ruary 16, 1894, in the hall.

Arrangements were made with Storrs (now Connecticut) College to conduct a series of field experiments in fertilization on the farm. This series of ex- periments was carried on for two or three years.

In the death of Sister Hannah C. Sweet, a charter member, in April, 1895, the grange lost a faithful member. The death of Bro. Joseph Gallup was in 1898. In this year the tenth anniversary was celebrated. In 1899 were two deaths that of Bro. J. L. B. Fenner, a charter member, and that of Sister Ella Gardiner. Sister Gardiner had been lecturer of the grange and an untiring worker for its best interests.

In 1903 the grange rented the farm of Bro. B. F. Colburn and built an addition to the house ..

At the election of officers in December, 1904, Bro. John E. Tanner refused a reelection as secretary and at the expiration of the term he completed ten years (the longest of record) of consecutive service in that office.

In 1905 the grange was called upon to mourn the loss of Rev. John Elderkin, the charter chaplain.

At the election of 1906 for the first and only time in its history the grange elected a sister to the master's office, namely Sister Mary E. Gallup, and she filled the position for three years. Sister Ella Gallup, a charter member, and one who had filled various offices in the grange, was called to the grange above. During the lecturer's hour of that year Bro. Alfred Gallup gave several talks about the early settlers of the town and its early history.

The twentieth anniversary was celebrated December 12, 1908, by a reunion of all the members of Ekonk grange with visitors from Plainfield grange. At the annual meeting that year Bro. J. C. Tanner requested to be relieved of the duties of treasurer as he had served twenty years and his request was granted.

In 1909 came the writing of a "Story without a Name" by twelve members, each of whom wrote a chapter. The authors were Mrs. H. Mary Gallup, Mrs. G. H. ,Gallup, Mrs. Stella Kellogg, Miss Lottie Stanton (Mrs. Carl D. Gallup), Miss Esther Gallup, John E. Tanner, Miss Ruby Kellogg, Everett Whipple, Miss Ruth Kellogg, Miss Margarett E. Tanner, Miss Mabel Brown, Rev. H. M. Kel- logg. It was afterwards published in a local paper and received much favorable comment. Bro. Charles H. Barber was elected master. Bro. Warren Fenner, a charter member, died that year.

In the early part of 1913 Bro. Walter Fenner died and in the summer of that year the grange sold to Carl Gallup the farm reserving a small plot of ground just over the line in the Town of Sterling for a building lot. About the first of October of that year ground was broken for a hall and a two-story building twenty-eight by forty-six feet was built. The carpenter work was done by Barber and Lewis. Much of the work was volunteer and this kept down expenses. The lower part is used as dining hall and kitchen. May S, 1914, the hall was dedicated using the ceremonial prescribed by the National

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Grange. At that time State Master Sherwood, State Lecturer F. E. Blakeman and Bro. J. H. Blakeman, a member of the National Grange, were present.

We mourned the death of Bro. J. C. Tanner in 1915. He was a charter -member and its first treasurer, serving for twenty years. "A good man gone home." That year Bro. G. Howard Gallup was elected master.

In 1916 Sister Lottie Wight died. The grange was represented in the World war by three members, Past Master Harry T. Sayles, Bros. Arthur Love and Lloyd Congdon and a former member Robert J. Dixon. Bros. Sayles, Love and Dixon were given a community reception in Grange Hall, Saturday evening, September 29, 1917, and wrist watches were given them. They reported to Camp Devens October 4th.

Past Master Sayles was born in Voluntown, Conn., August 7, 1891. He was the oldest son of Allen M. and Mary Kinnie Sayles and when but a small child removed with his parents to this town. After receiving a common school educa- tion he worked on the farm and with his father in doing mason work. He was the first man to be called to the colors from the Town of Sterling and the only one to lose his life. He went to Camp Devens October 4, 1917, sailed for France February 26, 1918, and reported killed in action June 6, 1918. He was a mem- ber of Company E, Ninth Infantry. He was of quiet, studious disposition ¿and was well liked by all.

Bro. Lloyd Congdon was called to the colors July 25, 1918, and went to Camp Devens. He had received his marching orders just before the armistice of November 11, 1918, and thus did not get opportunity for oversea service.

Thomas A. Brown was elected master at the election of 1918. In 1919 .came the deaths of Bro. Earl Gallup and Sister Ada Greenman.

At the time the grange was organized it was predicted that the grange -would not "live a year," but it has survived for over thirty years and is doing good work. Many fine papers have been read concerning national and state affairs. Farmers' institutes have been held and several times Quinebaug Pomona "has met with us. Dramatic entertainments have been given by the grange with -much satisfaction to the members.

It has been a hard struggle but the hall, with its furnishings, is all paid for and some money in the treasury. One of the pleasant features of grange "life has been the exchanging of programs with neighboring granges and High- land Fidelity, Hope Valley, North Stonington, Pachaug, and Plainfield granges have been visited.

HENRY M. SAYLES

By John E. Tanner

One of the most valuable and interesting lives in the history of Sterling was that of Henry M. Sayles.

About the year 1632 three brothers by the name of Sayles came to this country from England in a ship of their own. One of the brothers, John, settled in Smithfield, North Providence, R. I., and married Betsy, eldest daugh- ter of Roger Williams. It is supposed that owing to King Phillip's war he went to the island of Newport and with his wife and daughter Mary is buried in the Town of Middletown, R. I., two miles northeast of the City of Newport. This plot, marked with their names on a black stone, is cared for by the New-

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port historical society. Anca, of the sixth generation, married Clarica Hall of Sterling and of this union there were four sons and three daughters.

The second son, Henry Mowry, or as he is known to the present generation, Uncle Harry, was born on the farm now owned by Dudley Williams in the Town of Plainfield and on the road from Moosup to Sterling Hill, February 28, 1812. The cellar of the house still shows a little east of the barn. Mr. Sayles acquired an education such as the common schools of that day afforded and in early life he learned the stone mason's trade and made that his busi- ness although when business was slack, he did some farming. That he was a master of his trade is shown by the many miles of stone walls standing on the farms of this and neighboring towns. The walls that are around the Kennedy and Brown cemeteries in Voluntown and around the cemetery at Oneco. Per- haps the best known sample of his wall building is what is known as the "Great Wall" west of Oneco Village and was built for A. and W. S. Sprague at the time they owned the quarry there and was built to take up the waste stone from the quarry. In places it is fifteen feet in width.

Many of the cellars of houses in the villages in this and neighboring towns were built by Mr. Sayles and he also did much of the stone work on dams for mill privileges. He was always ready with a story and always believed in call- ing a spade a spade; and if he had anything to say to a person, always told it to his face and not to his back. It is related that a neighbor went to see him in his last sickness and asked him if he did not want him to pray with him. Mr. Sayles looked up and said, "Mr. I have drunk some rum and I have sworn some, but I have meant no particular harm and I guess my chances are as good as others." The neighbor did not make any prayer. Mr. Sayles' amusements were in hunting and fishing. When he lived in Volun- town, he was near some noted trout streams and his home was a rendezvous for the fishermen from Norwich and other neighboring places. He was widely known as a successful fox hunter and was the owner of some fine fox-hounds.

Mr. Sayles married Lucinda Franklin, daughter of Harris and Mercy (Ben- nett) Franklin of Foster, R. I., June 15, 1846. She died October 5, 1891. Seven children, Daniel, Sarah, Anna, Henry, Mary, Ida and Allen were born to them and all lived to grow up and five of them are living now. Mr. Sayles' last days were spent with his son, Allen, at Ekonk. He died September 27, 1905.

STERLING IN PUBLIC LIFE

In 1867 Amos J. Gallup was president pro tem of the State Senate when Sterling was a part of the old Thirteenth District. In 1895-96 Claramon Hunt was state senator from the old Seventeenth District.

The list of representatives in the General Assembly from 1859 to date is as follows: 1859, Wheaton Wood; 1860, Elisha Gallup; 1861-62, Darius A. Fish; 1863, Albert Frink; 1864, Clark D. Vaughn; 1865, Daniel A. Gallup; 1866, Henry D. Dixon; 1867, Daniel A. Gallup; 1868-69, James Pike: 1870-71. Theron D. Whitford; 1872-73, Amos J. Gallup; 1874, Avery S. Stanton ; 1875- 76, James L. Young; 1877, Ambrose Bates; 1878, Andrew Jackson Bitgood ; 1879, Alfred S. Franklin; 1880, Oscar Gibson; 1881, Alfred Gallup: 1882-83, Silas A. Waite; 1884, Edwin A. Card; 1885-86, David S. Kenyon; 1887-88. William C. Pike; 1889-90, Albert Frink; 1891-92, George W. Stone; 1893-94. Claramon Hunt ; 1895-96, Enoch A. Douglas: 1897-98, Orren W. Bates; 1899- 1900, Robert L. Johnson ; 1901-02, Clayton F. Wright : 1903-04, Alva F. Sayles ;

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1905-06, Orren W. Bates; 1907-08, Oscar F. Gibson; 1909-10, John A. Frink; 1911-12, Amory D. Kebler; 1913-14, Clark Congdon; 1915-16, Clark Congdon ; 1917-19, Adin O. Mowry; 1919-20, Amory J. Kebler.

Sterling judges of probate from 1859 to date have been as follows: 1859-63, Archibald Douglas; 1864-67, Charles Mason; 1868-74, Amos J. Gallup; 1875, Alfred Gallup; 1876-79, Amos J. Gallup; 1880-81, Luther Gallup; 1882-83, Gilbert C. Brown; 1884-85, Luther Gallup; 1886-90, Gilbert C. Brown; 1891- 1916, Enoch A. Douglas; 1917-20, Adin O. Mowry.

Sterling physicians have been registered in Sterling from 1859 to date: 1859-64, William 'A. Lewis; 1859, Josiah Harrington; 1863, J. V. Harrington ; 1863, Ira C. Winsor; 1867-70, John Winsor, Oneco; 1871-75, E. Holloway, botanic, Sterling Hill; 1897-98, Doctor Hoover (not registered) ; 1899-1902, Ernest R. Pike; 1904-07, R. L. Shey (not registered) ; Henry C. Dixon, here at present.

ONECO VILLAGE

By. C. B. Montgomery

Along the extreme eastern border of Windham County and Rhode Island is the little Village of Oneco, a pretty spot, with a station on the Providence branch of the New Haven Railroad. It has a good school; the town hall of Sterling, built in 1883, after a lively battle for location ; a small paper mill, now operated by the Case and Risley Company, and the somewhat celebrated ledge, now owned and operated by Richard B. Marriott and Sons, expert stone men.

While Oneco does very little to push itself into prominence, those who travel this way have for more than half a century admired the beautiful stone build- ings in the vicinity, especially those just on the boundary line in Rhode Island, at Arctic, Quidnick, Natick and Pontiac. The great blocks of granite in the Baltic mill, first built by the A. & W. A. Sprague Company of Providence, came from Oneco ledge.

This ledge was first developed to any considerable extent by the Spragues in the days before the Civil war. Millions of tons of granite have been cut from the rugged Sterling hills.

After the failure of the Spragues in the early '70s, Truster Chaffee sold the Oneco property to John and Michael Garvey who operated it successfully for many years. Norcross Brothers followed them and in 1913 the property was sold to its present owner. Some of the largest contracts ever made by the Marriott concern are now in process. While paving blocks, curbings and cor- ner pieces have been a special feature, at present the building trades are again turning to granite.

Most of the well-to-do citizens in and about Oneco and in fact all parts of Sterling have their business foundations based on rock, the solid rock of Sterling hills. The late Oscar Gibson, J. B. Bosnell and at present Nelson Bennett of Sterling, have been interested in the stone business.

AN INTERESTING CAREER

One of the most interesting and versatile of Windham County characters is Charles B. Montgomery of Packerville and Oneco. He has been a newspaper man and a militant democrat and all-round iconoclast for many years; also

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something of a "globe-trotter." His political connections, often vigorously expressed in local newspapers, have not been popular among the dominant politicians of the Republican "Gibraltar"-Windham County. His newspaper work has so mixed truth and fiction that often nobody could tell the difference, but his "news" is always interesting and often to be classed as "important if true." His imagination is extremely vivid-he will admit that himself.

He was born down in Brunswick, Me., sixty years ago, May 24, 1860; at- tended common school at Packerville, and Plainfield Academy, 1872-74; also attended night schools-Philadelphia, 1886-88. He started life, he says, as a singing teacher, and "met with wonderful success, but diphtheria ended that career"; worked for a time in cotton mills at Packerville and nearby towns; became correspondent of Windham County Transcript in 1872, succeeding his grandfather; "received my first check for news item the day I was thirteen years old, from New York Herald"; "have represented the New York Herald in twenty-seven states; also in Cuba, Costa Rica, Porto Rico, Brazil, Mexico and Canada"; also furnished items for all the leading New York and Boston dailies, as special correspondent able to dig up news often highly sensational, from remote spots in Windham County as from other parts of the earth's sur- face, wherever he happened to be and always so readable that 'most any news- paper would take a chance at it, and usually get away with it, and "Monty" would get his checks. "Was for a time resident correspondent in Florida for Cincinnati Times-Star, San Francisco Call; at one time editor of Houston, Texas, Tribune, on the staff of the Nashville, Tenn., Banner, four years with Public Ledger of Philadelphia." "Served in Spanish war with Company C, First Rhode Island Volunteers"; also held many local offices during residence in Plainfield, as uncompromising "constitutional democrat," also "refused several appointments." "In 1878, sang original 'greenback' songs with Solon Chase and 'them steers' in Maine." "Not a member of any church"; by first marriage had two children, Charles B. Montgomery, Jr., now living in Holyoke, and daughter now Mrs. Adelina Patti Walsh; second marriage at Packerville, September 22, 1916, to Grace A. Handy, daughter of Hiram Handy, and they have boy and girl, two and three years old.

"Monty" says that his grandfather, Thomas Montgomery, always taught him to desire the freedom of Cuba, so when the Cuban Revolution broke out in 1895, he at once offered his services to the Cuban Junta at Jacksonville, Fla., and became a blockade runner, making no less than twenty-seven trips; on the Laureda, Bermuda and Dauntless under "Dynamite" John O'Brien; on the Laureda, with Capt. John Hart; on the "Three Thirds" with captain, afterwards governor, N. B. Broussard; "was cook of the 'Commodore' under Capt. Ed. Murphy when that ship was sunk by a traitor, Captain Murphy and Stephen Crane the novelist being the only ones saved"-besides "Monty"; "served in the field in Cuba under General Gonrez and was in the camp of Gen. Joseph Morti when he was killed by a traitor. "Monty's" ancestors were North of Ireland Protestants. He is now living at Oneco, and his news items still blossom out at various points in the east. He has contributed several interesting articles to the "Modern History."

HIS LIFE CAREER EARLY OUTLINED

A peculiar interest attaches to the birth at Oneco, August 22, 1920, of William Harrison Taylor Montgomery, son of Charles Bertrand and Grace

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Amelia Montgomery, as he is named after "Souvenir" Taylor, with the ex- press intention on the part of his parents to train him to follow in the footsteps of his famous namesake. A fund has already been deposited in bank to provide for his education along that line, and Souvenir himself-with due appreciation of the distinction thus accorded him-will see that the young man is brought into the proper atmosphere as soon as he begins to comprehend his destiny. His special task will be to keep track of the public men of Con- necticut of his day and generation, and to "keep their memory green."

CHAPTER XVI TOWN OF CHAPLIN

EARLY HISTORY OF CHAPLIN-RECOLLECTIONS OF CLINTON J. BACKUS-RECOLLECTIONS OF NELLIE GRIGGS BEARDSLEY-SEVENTY YEARS OF HAPPY WEDLOCK-CHAPLIN IN PUBLIC LIFE-CHANGES IN POPULATION.

Chaplin was named in 1809 from its first settler, Benjamin Chaplin, son of Deacon Benjamin Chaplin of Southwest Pomfret. When the son became of age, he moved into the wilderness taking up land on the Nachauge, where he cleared land for a house. For some time he supported himself by making baskets and wooden trays. In 1747 he married the Widow Mary Ross, daughter of Seth Paine, Esq., of Brooklyn, and soon after built a large and handsome mansion. In 1756 he bought 1,765 acres of land, most of it east of the Nachauge, which, with other acquisitions, gave him a considerable domain. Some sites he sold to settlers from. Windham and nearby towns, but the larger part of it he laid out into farms, built houses and barns, and ruled as lord of the manor. He was shrewd and farsighted, friend of mankind, of the church and state, and was greatly respected throughout his part of the country.

Originally part of this tract of land was in Hampton, and the remainder (where Chaplin's residence was located) in Mansfield, Chaplin attended church in South Mansfield, and in 1765 united with that church. He died in 1795, leaving an estate valued at nearly 8,500 pounds, which included over two thou- sand acres of land, four houses and eight barns. According to the terms of his will 300 pounds were given as a fund, the interest of which was to be used for the support of a minister, a society to be formed before January 1, 1812, within a mile and a quarter of his dwelling house. This brought a number of families to the vicinity, who were "desirous of bettering their circumstances for attending the public worship of God." Owing to their distance from the meet- ing houses of Windham, Mansfield and Hampton, some of those families had previously attended the services of the North Windham Church. One of its members, however, had given land for a meeting house about two and a half miles southeast from the present Chaplin Village, and a minister preached there. In 1796 a movement was made to take advantage of Deacon Chaplin's mill, because of the failing strength of the minister and the small congregation. However, organization was not accomplished, the Nachauge residents attending church where it was most convenient for them.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 45

Author: Lincoln, Allen B Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930