A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 47

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

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"Now, Uncle D.," said the deacon, "you and I have been friends for many years. We were in the War of 1812 together and I have but one thing against you-whiskey is your worst enemy."

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"That may be," said Uncle D., "but please answer me these questions ; you read your Bible don't you, and you sincerely believe what it says?"

The deacon admitted that he did.

"Now, tell me honestly," said Uncle D., "does not the good book say 'Love your enemies' ?"

John G. Saxe said "the chief products of Vermont are maple sugar and lassies." It has also been well said "the chief products of New England are men and women."

When I reached Los Angeles a few weeks ago an over-enthusiastic inhabitant of this delightful country said to me, "Our forefathers made a mistake in land- ing at Plymouth Rock. If they had come to Southern California, New England' would never have been heard of, for this is 'God's country.' "

"On the other hand," I replied, "our forefathers were God's people and if they had not experienced the life that New England history depicts to us the Los Angeles, as you now see it, never could have existed."

The great inheritance that has come down to us from our New England forebears can never be fully appraised. As Webster says, "From them we have received the blessings of good government, the gift of liberty, the sweets of domestic life, the happiness of kindred, parents and children."

We may have found new relations in life tender and strong as they can be; we may have another home dear to us as was the home of our childhood where there is affection, kindness and religion to make us happy ; but that home is not what it was and never will be what it was again.

Answering your correspondent who was reared in Eastford, who said the best thing he ever did was to leave his native town, I would say the best thing I ever did was to be born, reared and educated in the rural districts of New England and the next best thing I ever did was to decide to come West.

New England is a good place to come from. The New England philosophy of life came as near combining the practical, ideal and spiritual as that of any in the world's history since the days of the early Greeks. I can never be too grateful for what Chaplin has given me !

Sincerely yours,

CLINTON J. BACKUS, St. Paul, Minn.

(Letter written from Hollywood, Los Angeles, February 4, 1920.)

RECOLLECTIONS OF NELLIE GRIGGS BEARDSLEY

"I dreamed of busy childhood days Where sunshine ever clung, Back in my country home again When this old heart was young.

I woke to find these vanished scenes Of childhood's cherished hours,

A dream of what they once had been And only perished flowers : Yet glad and grateful e'en for this I search through memory's path

And pluck with joy each perfumed leaf From dreamland's aftermath."

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

My story of Chaplin begins back in the '60s. At that time the town was divided into five school districts, Natchaug, Tower Hill, North Center, South Center, and Bedlam. In the Natchaug District there lived at that time Nathan Griggs, whose son Julian Griggs went from that school down to the Center School and from there to Yale. Here he studied civil engineering, afterward becoming city engineer of Columbus, Ohio, where he now resides.

About the same time Katharine Griggs, daughter of David Griggs, also of Natchaug, went to Mount Holyoke, afterward marrying Edgar S. Lincoln. Clark Griggs, a son of David Griggs, went to Amherst and from there to Wash- ington, D. C:, where he was employed in the patent office until -his death.

The Tower Hill School was taught in the late '60s by Mary Williams, now Mrs. William Phipps of Waterbury, daughter of Rev. Francis Williams, pastor at that time of the Congregational Church. She remembers that she had ten pupils and received $1.50 a week and "boarded round." Later she taught in the old South Center Schoolhouse, long since turned into a dwelling house, where Mr. William Smith now lives. Here she received $2 a week and boarded at home. After spending some time at Mount Holyoke, she taught in the North Center in what was called the "Select School." This was a private school supported by a small tuition paid by each pupil. This was started by four men, Rev. F. Williams, Russell Utley, Appleton Griggs and Edwin Eaton. They stood ready to make up any lack of funds if necessary, but it became so popu- lar it was always self-supporting. Great credit was due to Appleton Griggs for the equipment in the Center School. This was far in advance of the times and much better than any other country school of that period. The remembrance of an old singing book called "The Golden Wreath" brings up a host of recollec- tions of the old Center School. This book belonged to the '60s and was used before singing was taught in the schools. Some of the songs in this old book were the motion songs, like "Here We Stand," and the multiplication table sung to the tune of "Yankee Doodle," which was a real help to those not mathe- matically inclined.

As I think of that old singing book, the faces of the boys and girls who used to sing these songs come before me, and I remember the songs they used to sing : "Willie's on the Dark Blue Sea," "Lilly Dale," "Johnny Sands," "Billy Boy," "Listen to the Mocking Bird," and many others which they all knew and sang over and over.

Among the pupils at the "Select School" were Clinton J. Backus, who after- ward graduated from Amherst and became a professor in a western school. Charles Backus, who became a banker in Illinois, Newell Hunt, Jessie Robbins, Frank Lummis, Hattie Dorrance, Herbert Utley, George Hunt, Arthur Bill, who graduated from Yale and became a lawyer in Danielson.

Among those who had earlier taught in this North Center School were Miss Ellen Whiton, coming there from Mount Holyoke, and Mary Sessions, a grad- uate of Mount Holyoke in 1856 and who afterward became the wife of Apple- ton Griggs. Later after the death of Mr. Griggs she taught for several years in the same school. Another teacher in this same school during the '70s was C. Edwin Griggs, who had gone out from this school years before and had grad- uated from Amherst in 1856 and from Union Theological Seminary in 1859. In the same year he had married Mary J. Hall, also of Chaplin and, taking up his residence there, lived in the same house until his death in 1891. In this school were taught many of the higher branches, and both boys and girls went

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directly from there to college. Many of these have testified that they received their first impulse toward a higher education from the teachers in this school who were college graduates.

It has been said that in the district schools when the higher branches were taught, the smaller pupils must be somewhat neglected, but it has been proved that this was not so. In fact, children who heard these recitations in the higher branches were encouraged to wish for a higher education for themselves.

Someone who attended one of the examinations of the Center School in 1878 when C. Edwin Griggs was the teacher, wrote in regard to it: "Mr. Griggs has been the teacher for five consecutive terms and well has he performed the task. The advanced studies pursued were algebra, physical geography, Virgil, Cicero, Greenleaf's National Arithmetic, and for all that the smaller scholars have not been neglected but showed that they had all made good progress, which demonstrates the fact that although the higher branches have been taught, the younger scholars are none the worse. Instead it has been proved that hav- ing the standard high has stimulated them to exert every effort in their power to attain a good standing. Thirty-nine visitors were present, seventeen of whom were old teachers, and all were loud in their praise of the whole examination." At a later date an examination at the same school was held when Mrs. Mary D. Griggs was the teacher, and at this time Secretary Hine of the State Board of Education was present and the school received especial commendation from him.

Others who might be mentioned who went out from this school to college were: Edith Church, Delia Eaton, Nellie Griggs, Lena Church, Hattie Griggs, Jennie Griggs, Annie Griggs and Isadore Church, all going to Mount Holyoke. Nellie Griggs afterward taught in several high schools in the state, Jennie Griggs also became a teacher and is now the head of the Domestic Science Depart- ment in the Vocational High School in Waterbury. Another girl, now Mrs. Nellie Preston Carpenter of Robbinsdale, Minn., who attended this school as a child about this time, recently wrote to a friend in the East regarding the days spent there : "How I would enjoy visiting 'the scenes of my childhood' in my old home town. I believe we owe more to the good influences that were around us there and the solid foundation given us to build on than we perhaps realize. Surely our whole lives have been shaped by those early days. What memories the old school house brings back. I shall never forget my first teacher, Miss Hattie Dorrance, and her influence both in day school and Sunday school until the day when we all went to throw flowers into her grave. Later on, under the instruction of Mr. Edwin Griggs and Mrs. M. D. Griggs, we laid the founda- tions of a good education such as most do not get even in these more advanced days and we also learned many lessons outside of books."

Among the boys of this later date who went out from that school to college may be mentioned Ulysses Grant Church, a well-known lawyer, at one time corporation counsel for the City of Waterbury; Walter Clark, who was at one time governor of Alaska; Samuel Harvey, a lawyer in Willimantic, and Orin Witter, a successful physician in Hartford.

A daughter of Chaplin who has made a notable record of civic and social service worthy of her honored parentage is Mrs. William H. Phipps of Water- bury, who was Mary Williams, only daughter of the Rev. Francis Williams. In addition to her duties as pastor's wife during the active years of her husband in the Congregational ministry, she has for many years been leader of the Con- necticut Federation of Woman's Clubs, and its president during the years 1908-

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1912; was president of the Waterbury Woman's Club, 1905-1907, and has re- cently been called back to the latter position, an honor which the Waterbury club has not heretofore conferred. She is a woman of high intelligence, execu- tive ability, enthusiasm, indomitable energy, and her influence for good has been far-reaching.

Much more might be .said of the schools in Chaplin and of those who have gone out from them and made good in various ways. As it has often been truly said that the small towns are the springs which feed the rivers.

"We folks that went to district schools, Are 'bout the biggest kind of fools, I know of anywhere. We had a mile or more to go, We had to wash our slates with snow, And yet the best of what we know We learned right there."

While the young people who have gone out from Chaplin owe a great deal to their teachers in the different schools, we must not forget the influence of the church and Sunday school. Edgar S. Lincoln was the efficient superin- tendent of the Sunday school for many years. In the year 1883, after six years of service, the report of the superintendent showed that there were 168 mem- bers of the school, 109 of these being over sixteen years old. The special exer- cises of the Sunday school were always of great interest both at Christmas and Easter. One such occasion remains in my memory during the time when Mr. Lincoln was superintendent. This was on Easter Sunday in 1885 and the exer- cises were held in place of the usual afternoon service. At that time a poem entitled "Easter" was recited, which was composed by Miss Josephine Robbins for the occasion. In this allusion was made to

"The dear old father, who left them To visit the West, And came back for his loving children To lay in the grave to rest."

referring to Capt. Joseph Foster, an old and respected citizen. And also

"To the fair young maiden For whose loss aching hearts must weep, Who went forth in her bright young girlhood And came back in her coffin asleep."

This was Miss Lena Church, who had recently died at Mount Holyoke College.

Probably none of the young people of that time can fail to remember the pastor of the Congregational Church, Rev. Francis Williams. The result of his influence on the lives of the young people can not be measured. He had oppor- tunities to fill important city pulpits but he preferred the quiet country church where he could have the love of a permanent people. His long pastorate in Chaplin testified to this. He was installed pastor of the church on February 24, 1858, and remaineed there until the spring of 1892 when he removed to East Hartford, where he spent the remainder of his life.

On October 22, 1891, the most prominent social event in Chaplin in many Vol. I-25

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years was the golden wedding of Rev. Mr. Williams and his wife. A reception was held at the parsonage from 2 to 3 P. M., where congratulations were given them and tokens of friendship and love presented to them. The large company gathered at the church at 3 o'clock where interesting exercises were held under the direction of Edgar S. Lincoln. These consisted of words of welcome by Deacon John Griggs, remarks by many out-of-town ministers, letters read from absent friends, also two poems written for the occasion, one being written by Miss Josephine Robbins, entitled "Fifty Years Ago," the other written by Rev. George Phipps and an acrostic written by Rev. David Breed of Stafford. The words of welcome by Deacon John Griggs were especially appropriate and he closed with a presentation of a purse of $50 to the pastor from his Chaplin friends. The responsive remarks by Rev. Mr. Williams were in keeping with the occasion and were in a humorous vein.

REV. FRANCIS WILLIAMS

In speaking of the church in Chaplin the choir should not be forgotten. For many years Mr. Ashley led the choir and Mrs. M. D. Griggs was the organist. Later Mr. Loomis was the choir leader and Miss Hattie Loomis, afterwards Mrs. John Reed, was the organist. The efficient work of these, together with the members of the choir, gave great pleasure to the congregation and were a help and support to the pastor, both on Sunday and on special occasions.

Some of those whose faces are recalled as once belonging to the choir are Deacon John Griggs and his wife, Deacon William Martin and his wife, Rev. C. Edwin Griggs and his wife, Mrs. M. C. Chapman and Mrs. Lester Eaton.

The history of the church in Chaplin would not be complete without a pen picture of the old horse belonging to Mr. David Griggs of Natchaug. Major came to church as regularly as his master and brought with him many who otherwise would not have been able to get to church.

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"Each Sabbath morn when the church bells rang He came with a generous load,

Picked up all along for two miles away For he knew each house on the road. Each Sabbath eve, no storm or cold Kept him from his usual place. As much looked for as the pastor himself Was his honest, grave old face. He has gained him a place in our heart of hearts. He was a friend to us one and all

And his dear old figure shall ever remain 'Mid the pictures on memory's wall."

On May 31, 1910, the Chaplin Congregational Church celebrated the com- pletion of one hundred years of successful activity. This was the biggest day Chaplin people have experienced in many years. Three hundred or more guests united with the townspeople and the members of the church in celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of its foundation. The exercises opened at the church at 10 o'clock with a devotional service conducted by Rev. E. M. Frary, a former pastor. The welcoming address was given by the local pastor, Rev. Granville Yeager, which was followed by an interesting historical address by Frank C. Lummis. A bronze tablet to Benjamin Chaplin, founder of the church was unveiled at noon. This tablet is a memorial to Deacon Benjamin Chaplin and was given to the church by the founder's descendants. The presentation was made by Dr. Dwight Tracy of New York in behalf of the descendants and was accepted by the pastor. The inscription upon the tablet is as follows :

Erected to the Memory of Benjamin Chaplin By his Descendants On the Centennial Anniversary of This Church which He Founded 1810-1910 "Lord I have loved the habitation of Thy House." Psalms XXVI:8

Just before the unveiling of the tablet there was an impressive ceremony, when Muriel Louise Copeland, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willis I. Copeland of Chaplin, and a direct descendant of Benjamin Chaplin, was christened by Rev. F. D. Sargent of Putnam.

An excellent dinner was then served to the large crowd present, after which followed the afternoon program. This comprised a poem written by Miss Jose- phine Robbins and an able sermon by Rev. Sherrod Soule of Hartford and a number of short addresses by visiting clergymen. The history of the church in brief is as follows: There were fifteen original members coming from the Mansfield church. The meeting-house was erected in 1814 and has several times been remodeled, the last time in 1891. Rev. David Avery acted as pastor for a time, but the first settled pastor was Rev. Jared Andrus. Rev. Lent S. Hough succeeded Mr. Andrews and remained from 1831-1836. The pastorate of Rev. Erastus Dickinson which lasted to 1849 was marked by the largest revival in the history of the church; sixty members being admitted at one time.

Rev. Merrick Knight succeeded Mr. Dickinson and remained until 1852.

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The Rev. John Freman was pastor from 1853-1855.

Rev. Joseph Backus followed and retained the pastorate until 1857.

Rev. Francis Williams entered upon his long pastorate February 24, 1858, and remained at the head of the church until May, 1892. He was succeeded by Rev. M. S. Phillips, who was the pastor until 1894.

Rev. E. M. Frary was settled July 1, 1894, and concluded his work in Octo- ber, 1903. His pastorate was marked by a revival when thirty-three men mem- bers were added to the church.

Rev. A. J. Small became pastor in 1904 and continued until the spring of 1910, his successor being the Rev. Granville Yeager. Pastors since 1910 have been, 1911-16, Harry C. McKnight; 1917-19, Guy C. Wingerd; 1919-, Walter C. Lanphear.

The Chaplin church has sent out a large number of men who have entered the ministry. The first one was Rev. Rufus Smith, who died in East Hartford in 1854. Other ministers who have gone out from this church are Rev. Ebenezer Churchill, Rev. Roswell Snow, Rev. Allen Clark, Rev. George Soule, Rev. John Robinson Freeman, Rev. Isaac Clark, Rev. C. Edwin Griggs, Rev. Justin Mar- tin, Rev. William B. Sandford, Rev. Walter E. Lanphear.

SEVENTY YEARS OF HAPPY WEDLOCK

A celebration of very unusual character was the wedding anniversary, April 21, 1914, of Mr. and Mrs. Jared W. Lincoln, on completion of seventy years of happy married life. There was a large gathering of relatives and friends at their Chaplin home on that memorable day.

Both were natives of the Town of Windham; he born at North Windham (then New Boston), September 8, 1823, son of Captain Dan and Mehitabel Flint Lincoln; she was born at North Windham, September 28, 1824, as Johanna Spafford, daughter of Darius and Lora Lincoln Spafford. He was therefore in his ninety-first year, and she in her ninetieth, at the time of this seventieth anniversary.

After attending district school, Jared Lincoln farmed it summers and taught school winters, continuing this practice for several years after his marriage. In 1856 he moved to Chaplin and entered the store of his brother, Allen Lin- coln, as clerk; but bought the store soon after wihen the brother removed to Willimantic. About twenty years later he sold the store to his son, Edgar S. Lincoln, and resumed farming.

Meanwhile he was chosen town clerk and treasurer and so continued for over forty years ; also clerk and treasurer of the Congregational Church and So- ciety. He represented Chaplin in the Legislature in 1862. He was local post- master during republican administrations. Mr. Lincoln died May 21, 1915, at the age of ninety-two and his wife died July 25, 1915, at the age of ninety-one.

At the time of the seventieth anniversary, the Hartford Courant said : "Jared W. Lincoln is a fine type of the old-time New Englander, a man of clean life, rugged honesty, and loyal service in family, church and community, of quiet and unassuming activities, yet often sought as a common-sense adviser and valued as a solid, substantial citizen. It is fitting to add that his wife has been a worthy helpmate in all these 'relations."

The son, Edgar S. Lincoln, continued to reside in Chaplin and was honored in manners similar to the father, chosen judge of probate, to the General Assem- bly and to various local offices. Later, he removed to Waterbury, retiring from

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active business, but assisting his son-in-law, Attorney Ulysses G. Church, and was also chosen clerk of the Second Congregational Church, where the Rev. C. A. Dinsmore was pastor. He died in Waterbury September 1, 1919, and was buried in Chaplin, the Rev. C. A. Dinsmore officiating at the service. His wife, who was Kate Griggs, daughter of David Griggs, survives him; and another daughter besides Mrs. Church above mentioned is Mrs. H. S. Blake of New Britain.

CHAPLIN IN PUBLIC LIFEI

Under the old Thirteenth District, Porter B. Peck of Chaplin was chosen state senator in 1859, and 1863 Rev. Edwin C. Griggs was elected. From the reorganized Twenty-ninth District, Merritt Welch was sent to the senate of 1913-14.

For the lower house, Chaplin, for the year 1859-86, observed the example of "rotation in office" to a marked degree, as the following list of represen- tatives indicates: 1859, William Martin; 1860, George Martin; 1861, Calvin Day; 1862, Jared W. Lincoln; 1863, John K. Utley; 1864, William M. Bing- ham; 1865, James R. Utley ; 1866, A. M. Griggs; 1867, Origen Bennett ; 1868, Morris Church; 1869, George C. Martin; 1870, James Martin; 1871, John W. Griggs; 1872, Jirah L. Backus; 1873, William Hunt; 1874, Edwin E. Clark; 1875, William A. Hodge; 1876, Francis Williams; 1877, Orrin Witter; 1878, Jesse S. Turner ; 1879, William M. Smith; 1880, Edgar S. Lincoln ; 1881, Julius Church; 1882, Erastus M. Loomis; 1883, Merrick Barton; 1884, Edson D. Ful- ler; 1885, C. Edwin Griggs; 1886, William Martin; 1887-1888, William A. Clark; 1889-90, Frank C. Lummis; 1891-92, Merritt M. Welch ; 1893-94, I. Lester Eaton ; 1895-96, Newell C. Hunt; 1897-98, Theron L. Neff; 1899-1900, Winslow G. Gallup; 1901-02, Thomas W. Hewlings; 1903-04, John M. Clark; 1905-06, William H. Phillips; 1907-08, Burton M. Welch; 1909-10, Edward A. Frink; 1911-12, Charles S. Turner; 1913-14, Frank W. Chappell; 1915-16, Clarence E. Chester; 1917-18, Charles B. Russ; 1919-20, Ellsworth M. Russell.

Following have been the judges of probate : 1859-61, Erastus Rindge; 1862- 66, Orrin Witter; 1867-68, Ephraim W. Day; 1869, Lester Bill; 1870-85, Ephraim W. Day; 1886-88, C. Edwin Griggs; 1889-90, Edgar S. Lincoln ; 1891-92, Samuel B. Harvey ; 1893-1901, Edgar S. Lincoln; 1902-06, Barton M. Welch; 1907, Herbert C. Barlow; 1908-10, Merrit Welch; 1911-18, Clarence E. Chester; 1919-20, Burton M. Welch.

CHAPLIN DOCTORS

The first Dr. Orrin Witter located in Chaplin in 1820, his son, Orrin Witter, Jr., began practice in 1860. The elder died in 1869, and the junior in 1907. Dr. Orrin Witter III retains the old homestead as a summer residence, but is a practitioner in Hartford. Dr. Charles M. Knight located in Chaplin in 1895, continuing until his death in 1912. Chaplin has had no resident physician sinee.

CHANGES IN POPULATION

A well-known resident of Chaplin has recently written the editor as follows:

"About twenty-five years ago the good old men and women of Chaplin began to pass away ; for about ten years their decease was quite rapid. For the most part, as you know, they were faithful tillers of the soil. Aside from a few Irish families there were no foreigners. In recent years some of the back

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farms have been taken by a foreign element : Germans, Poles, Austrians, Ital- ians are making good citizens of our town at present. As a rule they are hard workers and their children are bright. They do not, however, mix to any extent with the townspeople in a social way, or take especial interest in the town's affairs. (Probably they would if more active effort were made by some of the native stock to interest them in American ways and opportunities .- Ed.) Alto- gether too many of the farms of Chaplin are unworked, and are growing up to brush. I would say that about one-quarter of our population are foreigners. In the village there are no foreigners as yet; in fact there are but few houses occupied except in the summer months.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 47

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