Bristol, Connecticut : "in the olden time New Cambridge", which includes Forestville, Part 24

Author: Smith, Eddy N. 4n; Smith, George Benton. 4n; Dates, Allena J. 4n; Blanchfield, G. W. F. (Garret W. F.). 4n
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Hartford, Conn. : City Print. Co.
Number of Pages: 730


USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Bristol > Bristol, Connecticut : "in the olden time New Cambridge", which includes Forestville > Part 24


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50


Angeline (6), b. Dec. 22, 1843; died Aug. 28, 1893.


Emily S. (7), b. Aug. 31, 1846; died Sept. 13, 184S. George Welles, Jr. (8), b. Aug. 24, 1848.


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BRISTOL CONNECTICUT,


George Welles Bartholomew, Jr., married Oct. 18, 1876, Hettie Julia, daughter of Julia A. (Marvin) and Edwin Halsey Cole (first teacher of the High School Department in the Southside School House, Bristol). They reside in Denver, Colorado, and have had seven children. Five are living in the West.


Angeline, 6th child of George and Angeline Ives Bartholomew, married Oct. 24, 1871, Samuel Harvey Marvin. She died in 1893, leaving two daughters, of Columbus, Ohio. Her son, Percy Clarence Marvin, died Dec. 22, 1890, aged 17 years.


Mr. Bartholomew was engaged in a number of business enterprises in early manhood, chief of which was clock making, which he followed till about 1840. During his California life others were in occupancy and ownership of his home. After that time his associations were with his son, H. S. Bartholomew, until 1884, when he retired from business.


The family resided in the next house west, built in 1843, by his father, Asa Bartholomew, but returned and spent nearly half a century in the home he built with so great care. He was Justice of the Peace about forty years, Selectman ten years, Judge of Probate, Senator and Representative several terms; a Democrat. The place was sold after his death to Wm. J. Holden, who was resident a few years, when he sold to the present owner, Geo. S. Osborn, who came to Bristol from Hart- ford. He has a daughter, Gladys.


House (No. 45) built 1843 by Asa Bartholomew, Sr., on the site of David Steele's barn with basement, which Asa Bartholomew, Jr., utilized as a butchery and from which he sold meat. The present barn of the place is on the site of David Steele's blacksmith shop. Tenants of that time, 1843, and near, were Lucas Barnes, later of Bristol Center. (One of his daughters born here.) Henry Blakesley and Leroy Belden when they came to the district, 1851. It was sold to Franklin Steele, 1854. His children were born here. Tenants of the double house of that time and near: A. H. Warner, of whose children, Fanny and Henry Douglas, it was the birthplace. Mr. Steele began housekeeping in the Mark Lewis house (No. 32).


SEEERE


MISS A. M. BARTHOLOMEW'S STUDIO.


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OR "NEW CAMBRIDGE."


Mr. Steele sold to George Turner, Sr., for the use of the Ryals family. Charles Keyes, present P. M. of Southington and Axel V. Jacobson, were residents at some time. The widow of John Conklin (Mrs. Mary Madden Conklin) next owned the property, where she lost by death, her son John. Of her estate the present owner, John August Peterson, purchased the place.


. John August Peterson, son of Peter J., came to America from Sweden, 1880. He married Anna Louise Peterson, sister to John and Adolf of Forestville, who died Nov., 1905. Children: Agnes (1), graduate B. H. S., and "Conn. Business College," Hartford, Ernest (2), and Oliver (3), who died aged one year. John August Peterson is em- ployed in the "S. R. & L. Company" Works of Edgewood. Also has a farm, in charge of son Ernest.


The corner house (No. 46), junction of Warner and Edgewood streets, was built in 1818 by David Steele and Wm. Jerome, 3d. Louisa, oldest child of Wm. Jerome, 3d, was born at this place. The Jerome family soon removed to District No. 8 for a residence of few years. Most of David Steele's children were born in this house; Jane, only, at the Mark Lewis home, where they later removed. The place was sold to George W. Bartholomew, who made it the boarding place for his em- ployees in the clock business. It was kept at one time by John Bacon, who afterward lived in Peaceable St., and was an honored member of the Prospect Methodist Episcopal Church.


Incomplete list of families that have lived in the boarding house.


1 Wm. Jerome, Sr.,


24 Mr. Doolittle,


2 David Steele,


25


Leroy Belden.


3 Elijah Williams, 26 Samuel Russell,


with three brothers, 27 Samuel Russell, 2d,


4 Mr. Eustice,


5 Mr. Glaston,


6 Mr. Frie,


30 Fred Russell,


7 "Sher" Lewis,


31 Almeron Pond,


8 Warner MacIntire,


32 Mrs. Emma Downs,


9 James Mills,


33 Peter Diefendorf,


10 Mr. Sanford,


34 Charles Keyes,


11 Major Case,


35 Wm. Hart,


12 Ai Bunnell,


36 Edward Porter, Sr.,


13


Nathaniel Cramer,


37 James Hodges,


14


Mr. Gilbert,


38 Charles Justin,


15


Henry Warner,


39 Wm. Griffin,


16 Eli Byington,


40 James Ryals,


17 Isaac Graham,


42 George Turner,


19 Mr. Marsh,


43 Patrick Deegan,


20 David Clark,


44 Mr. McCloud,


21 John Bacon,


46 Thomas Lord,


22 Jeduthan Clark,


47 Charles Anderson.


23 Horace Miller,


48 Herbert Loveland,


Incomplete list of men who boarded in the Co. boarding house.


1831


Albro Alford,


Allen Winston,


1832


W. B. Carpenter.


1833 House kept by John Bacon.


May 1st. A. Alpress (Alvin),


Wm. Courier, Emery Moulthrop, Nathan Wildman.


O. Weldon (Oliver), Henry Bancroft, Wm. Fancher,


41 John Carroll,


18 Porter Warner,


28 Geo. Bartholomew,


29 Uriah Russell,


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BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT


1835 House kept by Jeduthan Clark.


Jan. 1st.


Wm. B. Carpenter,


Harman Stedman, David B. Clark,


Ephraim McEwin,


Benjamin Barnes,


Harry Thompson, Sherman Barnes, Joseph Thompson,


Sylvester Lyman,


O. P. Mckinney,


T. B. Kibby, S. Smith, H. H. Newcomb,


Wellington Winston,


R. Johnson, Luther Carter,


J. Breakenridge, Wm. Carter,


Lucas Barnes,


Timothy Bradley,


Gad Roberts,


Isaac Muzzy.


1847 House again kept by John Bacon. Alexander Graham,


Monroe Barnes,


Amasen Smith,


Richard Sansome, Patrick Fox,


E. L. Welton,


James Creighton,


George Nichols, Isaac Graham,


E. Woodruff, Olny,


Enos Hart,


Ara Hawley, John Rudd, Orrin Thompson.


Nathan Wildman, Richard Yale.


The house changed owners and shared the fortunes of other Barthol- omew property. It came again to them in the purchase of the factory property from the Hotchkiss Brothers of New Haven, by the G. W. & H. S. Bartholomew Co., about 1860. At the retirement of G. W. Bar- tholomew from business in 1884, it was bought by Harry S. Bartholomew, whose daughter purchased the old house, in which she is fitting rooms as a "Studio" for her pleasure in art work. An addition reaching east- erly was built after 1818 in which now resides Chas. Anderson, wife and daughter Ebba. He is employed by the "Stanley R. & L.Co.," Edgewood.


"THE DUMPLING," SOUTH OF BARTHOLOMEW FACTORY. -


Geo. Alpress, W. W. Wintenbury,


267


OR "NEW CAMBRIDGE."


Lauren, son of Martin and Amy Manross Byington, born 1797, married first Honor Graham. They had no children, but were guardians to the minor sons of Isaac Graham, Sr. Elisha Hotchkiss, Jr., also was a guardian to some of them, 1829. Lauren Byington married second Julia Philena, daughter of Martin Hart. She built the home (No. 47) in which they resided west of the home of the father, Martin Byington. Her father, Martin Hart, spent his declining years at this house, where he died 1860, age 77. Mrs. Julia P. (Hart) Byington died about 1862.


Lauren Byington married third Mrs. Eliza F. (Colvin). Mr. Lauren Byington united with the church with his third wife in 1871. He was the third husband of his last wife. The first left a son, Wm. Nichols, who made Edgewood his home. Mrs. Byington had other sons, Frank (1), Fred (2) and Eugene Colvin (3), possibly others. Lauren Byington died 1889, age 92. He was a farmer. Mrs. Eliza Byington resides in Avon (1907).


The place was next owned by Warren Smith (unmarried), who provides a home for his aged parents, Benjamin F. Smith and wife. The father is feeble and blind, Seymour Reed, son-in-law (of B. F. Smith), also resides with them. He is R. F. D. carrier, Route No. 1, the first route in the County of Hartford. Children of Seymour and Viola (Smith) Reed: William (1), Arthur (2), Joseph (3), Rollin (4), Ruby (5).


Martin Byington, fourth son of Joseph, Sr., and Hannah (Spencer) Byington, born 1767, married Amy, daughter of Deacon Elisha Manross, of Forestville, sister to Ruth, wife of Noah Byington. His home (No. 48), opposite the "gristmill," where Bartholomew Factory now stands, was on the steep part of the bank with a flight of wide and long stone steps or terraces leading to the house. Lauren Byington, the only son, ived here with his mother after the death of his father, Martin Bying- ton in 1821, aged 54, till marriage to second wife, Julia P. (Hart) Bying- ton, and the new residence. Martin Byington had been owner with Isaac Graham, Sr., in the gristmill and manufacturing of framed mirrors, some of which can be seen in Edgewood houses. Their factory was in No. 8, where George Turner, Jr., is doing business, in 1907. Chil- dren of Martin and Amy (Manross) Byington: Lauren (1); Rowena (2), who married William Curtiss [Angeline (1), Almira (2), Wm., Jr. (3)]. William and Rowena (Byington) Curtiss resided in the old house after Lauren occupied the new one. Williams Byington also made it his home and a Mr. Atwood.


Asahel Mix bought the old house. He carried it to some of his own land on the hill northwest from its former site, reconstructed it and sold, with the land, to John Conklin, who made it his home. (No. 49).


It is thought Mr. Conklin was employed at the copper mine in his first years of life here. He was certainly in the employ of the Ingraham's Clock Co. several years before he enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Regiment for the Civil War. He died of consumption. The children of John and Mary (Madden) Conklin were: Daniel (1), John (2), William (3); a daughter (4), who died before her father, at the house on the hill.


Later Mrs. Conklin bought a place on Edgewood St., as has been stated, where her son John died and was interred at New Britain. Mrs. Mary (Madden) Coughlin died at the home of her son Daniel, in Bristol (North Side), Aug. 28, 1896, age 60. The son William died later. The children have now all "passed away," but grandchildren are residing in the town. The name of John Coughlin is very familiar to residents of No. 9, in notes from the baseball field.


The home of Moses Pickingham (No. 50), at the south end of the old abandoned road, comes next in course of record. The name slightly shortened since the deed of 1828, to Peckham, is known to belong to his descendants, residents of Bristol on Wolcott Road. Moses Peckham married Thankful Gaylord, March 26, 1823. Moses Peckham had a


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BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT


son, who was schoolmate of Samuel, oldest son of David Steele, and Wm. Jerome, 4th, at the old schoolhouse near Noah Byington's home.


This house was rented to several families before its purchase by Henry A. Warner, one of which was Selah Steele, Jr., from New Britain, whose first wife was Phebe Baldwin, of Phineas, of Milford, Conn. Their only child, Harvey Baldwin, born Feb. 23, 1827, was playmate of the children of District No. 9. He was in 1862, Dr. Harvey B. Steele, a celebrated physician of West Winsted, Conn. He married 1861, Mary Mather of West Winsted. It is said Selah Steele also resided a while in the Wm. Jerome, first, house. Wm. B. Carpenter lived some years in the Peckham house. It was the birthplace of some of his children.


Henry A. Warner was born in Plymouth, Conn., 1814. His father's family moved to New Hartford when he was 9 years of age, or in 1823. He worked at clock making in Hotchkissville for a time; came to Bristol for a year or two and returned to his home in Plymouth Hollow, now Thomaston. He married in 1835, Miss Eliza Roberts, daughter of John of Burlington. Two years later he came to the place (District No. 9, Bristol), which was his home residence till his death, which occurred May 27, 1890.


His wife died in 1859. Children of Henry A. and Eliza (Roberts) Warner were: Augustus H. (1), b. 1838; Sarah (2). The first home was in the "Boarding House" (so-called), where the son was born.


EDGEWOOD


2


3


6


8


(1) No. 53, Mrs. S. E. Curtiss O, The Philo and Andrew Curtiss Places; (2) No. 42, Luther S. Belden O, The Wm. B. Carpenter Place; (3) No. 43, Mrs. H. S. Bartholomew O; (4) No. 52, Mrs. J. E. Russell O, The Jeremiah Stever Place; (5) No. 51, Franklin Steele O, The Allen Winston Place; (6) No. 44, George E. Osborne O, The George W. Bar- tholomew Place; (7) No. 50, Mrs. Sarah Weed O, The Moses Pickingham Place; (8) No. 45, August Peterson O, The Asa Bartholomew Place, (9) Miss A. M. Bartholomew's Studio, Chas. F. Anderson R, The Wm Jerome (3d) and David Steele Place.


269


OR "NEW CAMBRIDGE."


Mr. Warner purchased the Peckham place and lived in the house some years. About 1860, he built the present home, on the site of Moses Peckham's house. The old house was divided. The better portion used in the rear of the new dwelling forming an L. The remainder con- stitutes the shed attached to barn of the place at present. Henry A. Warner married second, 1865, Mrs. Jane (Clark) Butler, daughter of Gordon. She died in Hartford, date May 14, 1896. Mr. Warner was engaged most of his business life in the wood-turning business. In 1854, formed a partnership with John H. Sessions, turning knobs and job turning. The firm of Warner & Sessions continued until 1865, when he sold his interest to Mr. Sessions. Mr. Warner bought a Dunbar factory, where he made travelling bag frames a short time, which was sold to Turner & Clayton. The following autumn he bought the in- terest of C. H. Alpress in the wood-turning company of Alpress & Car- penter, of which his son, A. H. Warner, was a partner. The firm name continued, Alpress, Carpenter & Co., but a few months, when Mr. Warner and his son bought the whole business, which was continued till his demise as H. A. & A. H. Warner.


Mrs. Sarah (Warner) Weed, daughter of Henry A. and widow of Julius, of Hartford, Conn., now owns the place, where she spends the summer months.


Allen Winston, 9th child of John and Sarah (Bartholomew) Winston, b. 1808, died Oct. 25, 1848, age 40; married Eunecia Foote of Burling- ton, Conn., b. Aug. 25, 1812, died when in Virginia with her daughter Helen. Children were Helen (1), b. 1834, who married Sept. 4, 1850, in Bristol, Conn., her cousin Granville Winston of Lynchburg, Va .; Dwight (2), b. about 1837, went to California. Allen Winston built the house numbered 51 in 1833. He was a farmer, and also a manu- facturer early in the history of the village. Stray papers and accounts of the late G. W. Bartholomew note the firm "Winston, Hale & Carpen- ter," probably of short duration. The barn first built by Allen Winston not meeting his requirements as to size, was changed into a dwelling and located at No. 53 of the Map. It was replaced with a larger one to which Alanson Winston, nephew of Allen, added the shed, all now standing.


Alanson Winston was next occupant and owner of the Allen Winston house. With his brother Wellington they were woodturning manu- facturers of knobs, door stops, etc., for about five years, during which time Alanson lived at this house. Frank Winston was born at this place. They returned at the close of the business to the old Wm. Jerome 1st house, the property of Mrs. Maria (Bartholomew) Winston, wife of Alanson.


David Miller was next owner, who sold to J. H. Sessions, who lived there 1855 to 1869. During the time of his residence the "Warner & Sessions" firm were doing a prosperous business, following the Winstons, by whom Mr. Sessions and A. H. Warner had been employed. Later Mr. Sessions owned it all, and built a factory on the site of the Byington & Graham shop in District No. 8, which was used after he removed to the center of the town by George Turner, Sr. It was burned 1884.


John Humphrey Sessions, son of Calvin, born in Burlington, Conn., March 17, 1828, married Emily Bunnell, daughter of Allen and Rhoda (Atwater) Bunnell, b. Jan. 30, 1828. Children born at this place are John H. (1), (deceased), Caroline (2) [Mrs. George W. Neubauer]; William Edwin (3), who was twelve years of age, when the family moved to Bristol Center, 1869. Mr. Sessions sold the residence to Edward .Alpress who married Sarah Root (dec.). He sold to Franklin Steele, the present owner, in Feb., 1871. Edward Alpress now resides in New Britain, Conn. He married second, Mrs. Adelaide (Tolles) Porter, b. Dec. 25, 1883, widow of Geo. Henry Porter, who died 1882. [Son Henry Tolles Alpress, b. Feb. 4, 1889.]


The present owner, Franklin Steele, son of David and Nancy (Wil- cox) Steele, b. May 27, 1829, married Nov. 24, 1852, Caroline Bunnell,


.


270


BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT


b. Jan. 13, 1827, daughter of Allen and Rhoda (Atwater) Bunnell, who died Dec. 9, 1898. Children, Frank W. Steele (1), died age 212 years; Samuel Wilcox Steele (2), sexton of the West Cemetery, Bristol; Frank- lin William Steele (3), died aged 16 years; Thomas Bunnell Steele (4), resides at Bristol Center; twins, Sterling James Steele (5), died Jan. 19, 1889, and Estella Jane Steele (6), resides Edgewood.


Franklin Steele, who has spent his active life in the factories of his brother-in-law and sons, John H. Sessions, retired some years since. He is undoubtedly the only person, whose birthplace was District No. 9, who has lived continuously within its limits to the age of 78 years. He is engaged at his convenience or pleasure in agriculture.


The house (No. 52), now owned by Mrs. Jane E. Russell, east of Franklin Steele, was built by Jeremiah Stever about 1850. He was formerly one of the firm of Stever & Bryant, Clock Makers of Whigville. Jeremiah Stever, married first Mary Welton of Waterbury. She died in Whigville, leaving one daughter named Mary. Mary Stever married first Samuel Beckwith of Canton, brother of Oliver A. Beckwith. Samuel Beckwith died in a few years, when she married John Carroll (dec.). [Two daughters, Sarah Carroll, a teacher, Grace Carroll, stenographer.] Mrs. Carroll resides on Woodland, St., Bristol. Mr. Stever married second Jane Smith of Derby, Conn., who died 1873. Children of Jere- miah and Jane (Smith) Stever: Helen (1); Charles (2). Helen Stever married Reuben Frost of Marion, Southington, Conn. (one daughter, Helen, married Beckley). Charles Stever resides in California. He has a family. Mr. Stever married third, Louisa, daughter of Wm. Smith, cousin of the second wife. She died in a few years, when Mr. Stever married fourth - (name unknown). There was one or more children in this family, when the parents died in one week of pneumonia.


Edward Graham, who married Caroline Hart, daughter of Adna lived in this house at one time. Children, William H. (1); Lucelia (2);


THE GEORGE W. BARTHOLOMEW PLACE, FROM AN OID PHOTOGRAPH


27


OR "NEW CAMBRIDGE."


Ida (3) [Mrs. H. E. Butler, 79 Summer St., Bristol]. The place was purchased by Uriah Russell, 1876. He married Jane E. Bartholomew, daughter of Geo. W., b. March 28, 1840. Uriah Russell was born March 29, 1831, died Sept. 21, 1891, aged 60, after a long illness. Four children.


Fred Warren (1), b. Nov. 22, 1862, married Nov. 18, 1885, Mar- garet Sullivan, b. April 10, 1866. Children [Marguerite (1), (dec.); Fred Ives (2); Elsie (3); Faye (4)].


Herbert Archer (2), b. April 23, 1866, died April 16, 1869, age 3 years. Grace Edna (3), b. Jan. 7, 1868, married Oct. 23, 1895, Mortimer Cole Keeler, b. Aug. 10, 1868; four sons, Robert Russell Keeler, b. Aug. 22, 1898; Raymond Mortimer Keeler (2), b. 1902; Irving Welles (3), b. May 25, 1904; Harvey Hickok Keeler (4), Oct. 24, 1906.


Helen Louise Russell (4), b. July 28, 1872, married June 14, 1899, Elbert Elmer Smith, b. Dec. 30, 1860. One son, Russell Robbins, b. 1905.


WM. B. CARPENTER, JR .. (AT NO. 42).


Uriah Russell, whose family settled in Andover and Boston, came from Mass., to Bristol, Conn., to engage with Jeremiah Stever and Julian Pomeroy in making "old-time" sewing machines. J. Stever was an ingenious man, who secured many profitable patents. One of his inven- tions was a precursor of the bicycle and tricycle, but not developed at Byington & Graham's factory.


Philo. Curtiss, son of Joshua of Burlington, married Sept. 3, 1829, Charlotte Curtiss, daughter of Aaron Curtiss of Burlington, Conn Their children were Lucius (1); Jonas (2); George (3); Edwin (4); Ellen (5); Laura (6); Andrew (7); Ann Eliza (8); Emma (9). The residence was the first house (No. 53) east of Jeremiah Stever's home. For a few years, Mr. Curtiss, with his brother, Simeon Curtiss lived on the Martin Hart farm (No. 26). During Philo Curtiss' absence, Isaac Graham, Jr., occupied the house at this place (No. 53), in 1860 and after. They removed later to Hiram Norton's house on Mines Road (No. 2). Isaac Graham married Lucy, daughter of Henry Hotchkiss of Burlington,


272


BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT


Lucy (Hotchkiss) Graham died of cancer at the Hiram Norton place. Isaac and Lucy (Hotchkiss) Graham had children, Alexander (1); Lauren (2) and others.


Philo Curtis resumed his residence at this place, where he lived till his death, June 10, 1875.


Mrs. Charlotte Curtiss died Oct. 27, 1883 at her daughter Emma's [Mrs. Downs] in Waterbury.


Andrew Jackson Curtiss, b. Oct. 26, 1844, married Jan 1, 1873, at Troy, Penn., Sarah Elizabeth Ayers, b. July 14, 1843. One daughter, Miriam Curtiss, b. Oct. 25, 1873, married Dec. 2, 1903, E. Samuel Gil- lette, b. Oct. 21, 1874. Andrew J. Curtiss built a house on the site of his father's, 1892, occupied October of same year. He died Jan. 27, 1907, as the result of a fall some years before. Emma J., youngest child of Philo and Charlotte Curtiss married first George N. Downs, May 14, 1872; married second Charles H. Monroe, Dec. 6, 1898, and resides at Mill Plain, Waterbury, Conn. Children, Edith A. Downs (1), b. Aug. 2, 1877 (dec.); Harry C. Downs (2), b. Dec. 8, 1883, resides in Bristol (married); Paul A. Downs (3), b. March 4, 1891, Waterbury, Conn.


The schoolhouse (No. 54), built when District No. 9 was formed in 1833, is east of the Andrew J. Curtiss residence. Asahel Mix was ap- pointed Committee of District No. 7, after the division in 1833, the former Committee Samuel Pardee being resident south of the "red dwelling house of Asa Bartholomew" was not available for No. 7. David Steele, first School Committee of No. 9, provided for the school its first instructor, David Alford.


Franklin Steele of David, began at this time his school-education. Other early teachers were Benjamin F. Hawley, one of whose pupils was Harry S. Bartholomew.


Miss Louisa Jerome (Mrs. Blood) has the distinction of first sum- moning the pupils to study, or opening of school by using, instead of a stick or ruler, a bell. In 1837, Miss Almira E. Peck, daughter of J. S. Peck, of Whigville was teacher. During the term the "inocculation" for of Whigville was teacher During the term the "inocculation" for prevention of smallpox was performed by Dr. Camp, for the school. It was in the early years of this shool that Wm. Jerome, fourth of the name, carried live coals between two pieces of board from his home to knidle the schoolhouse fire. When they caught fire, causing a blaze, he some- times ran backward to prevent burning his face. Matches were invented but the use of them was not familiar. People were suspicious and afraid of them.


ยท It would be possible, if best, to present the long list of teachers to 1907. The mention of a few will suffice. Harriet Moses, 1859. Lizzie Welch, 1860, Rev. Mr. Seeley, Visiting Committee. The schools have at this date changed from the simple study of the three R's to the following curriculum: Reading (1), Spelling (2), Geography (3), Gram- mar (4), Arithmetic (5), Algebra (6), History (7), Philosophy (8), Latin (9), Composition (10). (Penmanship not mentioned.) Average attend- ance, eight pupils. (Miss Welch now Mrs. Bevin of East Hampton, Conn.) School taught 1868, by Laura M. Curtiss, number of pupils, 33. (Miss Curtiss now Mrs. Orlando Sheldon of New Britain.) In 1871 taught by Marietta Carpenter of Edgewood, number of pupils, 32. Mrs. Rosie E. Barnes taught the years Oct. 14, 1872-Dec. 15, 1873. In 1882, Miss S. E. Howlett. The Visitor's report contained the fol- lowing: "The record shows this to be the banner school of the town in point of regular attendance the per cent. for the year being 96.01. Though a small school, still the material is not wanting here on the part of the pupils to make it the banner school in other respects."


1885 the Visitor reports: "The Visitor, the teacher and the scholars are very much gratified by the new desks. This is another of our schools where there is no room for criticism and no opportunity for aught ex- cept commendation. The point especially to be noted is, perhaps,


273


OR "NEW CAMBRIDGE."


the pervasion of a gentle and what may be called family spirit in the school."


The desks of the schoolhouse were made purposely rather high for the acommodation of adults at evening meetings, etc. Mr. J. J. Jennings declaring it was not a house of public worship and that the arrangement was injurious to the health of the young, at last secured the proper seats for a schoolroom, if not for a prayer meeting or singing school.


From about this time, 1885, there have been but three teachers. Pupils were taught about ten years by Mrs. R. E. Robotham and Miss Minnie Moor about the same length of time. Miss Bartlett has filled out the remainder of the years until 1907. Mrs. Robotham died at her home in Northampton, Mass., Nov. 27 (Thanksgiving Day) 1903. Her daughter, Georgia I., is a teacher at the Willimantic High School, Wind- ham Co., Conn. That the schoolhouse of District No. 9 served the purposes of a Village Hall, Lyceum, Religious Chapel, etc., may be shown in part by the following :




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