Genealogical and biographical record of New London County, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the early settled families, Part 165

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1568


USA > Connecticut > New London County > Genealogical and biographical record of New London County, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the early settled families > Part 165


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In 1867 Mr. Powers was married to Julia M. Rogers, daughter of David P. and Mary Ann Rogers, of Waterford, Conn. She entered into rest May 3, 1899. In her lifetime she was an active : worker in the Daughters of Liberty and the Woman's Relief Corps. She was a member of the National Convention of Daughters of Liberty at Pittsburg in 1807. To Mr. and Mrs. Powers were born two children, Florence Louella and Herbert R., both of whom died in their youth in 1876.


CLARKE. The Clarke family, prominent in Stonington, New London county, for several gen- erations, is descended from the Clarkes of the parish of Westhorpe, County Suffolk, England, where the name is of great antiquity. Westhorpe is a manor in the hundred (township) of Hartismore, in the center of the northern portion of Suffolk. The Stonington Clarkes come from Rhode Island. where Joseph Clarke, 200 and more soll's ago, a conspicuous man in the public affairs of the early Colonial period, became the progenitor of a race which has admirably, in Rhode Island, Con- necticut, and the country at large, sustained the reputation of the emigrant ancestor and the earlier generations.


(D) Joseph Clarke was the first to come to the New World. He was a son of Thomas (1570 1627) and Rose Harrige for Keridge) (1 1027), of Westhoppe. England ; grandson of John Clarke (1511-1508) and Catherine Cooke (1516- 1,59%), of Westhorpe, County Suffolk, England.


and great-grandson of John Clarke, of Westhorpe, who died in 1559.


Joseph Clarke (above) was born Dec. 9. 1618. and baptized Dee. 16th, at Westhorpe. It is judged he must have left England about 1637. and settled immediately in Rhode Island, for he was admitted an inhabitant of the Island of Aquidneek, at New- port. in 1638. He became a freeman in 1641, and 1644 was made one of the original members of the First Baptist Church of Newport. and in 1648 be- came a member of the General Court of Trials. He was made a freeman of the Colony in 1655. He acted as commissioner in 1655-57-58-59 : was assist- ant in 1658-63-64-65-78-80 and 1690. He was made a freeman at Westerly in 1668, and was deputy to the General Assembly in 1668-60-70-71-72 and 1600. His name appears in May, 1669. in the list of Westerly inhabitants, and in 1677 he was a mem- ber of the Court of Justices of the Peace to attend to matters of the injurious and illegal acts of the Connecticut Colony. He and his wife. Margaret. appear of Newport in 1680. Mr. Clarke was twice married. He died on June 1, 1694. His children were: Joseph. William, Mary. Sarah. John. Su- sanna, Joshua, Thomas, Cary and Elizabeth.


(11) Joseph Clarke (2) of Newport and Westerly, son of Joseph, born Feb. 11. 1642, mar- ried (first) Nov. 16. 1664. Bethiah Hubbard. born Dee. 19, 1646. daughter of Samuel and Tacy (Cooper ) Hubbard: she died AApril 17. 1707 (or 1717). and he marriel (second) Han- nah Peckham, widow of Thomas and daugh- ter of William Weeden. Mr. Clarke must have removed from Newport to Westerly in early life. for in 16(x) he became town clerk of Westerly. and was such until 1700. In July. 16;5. he and his family went to Newport for safety during the In- dian war, returning to Westerly after the close of the war. Mr. Clarke died Jan. II. 1720-28. in Westerly, and his second wife passed away March 3. 1733. His children were : Judith, born Oct. 12. they, at Newport ; Joseph, born April 14. 1070, at Westerly: Samuel, born Sept. 20. 1072. 21 West- erk : John. Aug. 25. 1075, at Newport : Bethinh. April II. IO78, at Westerly : Mary, Dec. 27. 1080, at Westerly : Susanna. Aug. 31. 108 at Westerly. Thomas, March for Nov. 1. 18%, at Westeris. and William. April 21. 10%, at Western


(111) Thomas Clarke, of Western and Hop- kinton, son of Joseph March) I. 10%, married 1 110 haben Babcock, born Feb. 18. 1001. 1 Westph. daughter of James and Floralthe Sims) Babcock. Mr. Chike was Lapiel In 10. and his name was in the list of the members of the Baptist Church in Western 1 1 and 17 He was ordained desconot the church A . 1735, and was chesch assinune der Ort 20 1,80 His death occurred m Hoekmon Nov. 20. 170- His children were Sarah. In Ma 11. 1; Thomas, March 4. 1215, at Westerly. Joshua. April


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26, 1717, at Westerly; James, March 3, 1720, at Westerly ; Joseph, Sept. 14, 1728.


(IV) Rev. Joshua Clarke, of Westerly, son of Thomas, born April 26, 1717, married in April, 1738, Hannah Cottrell, born in 1719. Mr. Clarke was chosen deacon in the Sabbatarian Church in 1756, but declined the office. He appears in the census of 1774 as of Hopkinton. He was a mem- ber of the State Legislature, and was a trustee of Brown University. Rev. Clarke also took part in the early Colonial wars, and was in the Revolution. His death occurred at Westerly March 8, 1793. His widow, Hannah, passed away Nov. 4, 1708, in the ninetieth year of her age. Rev. Clarke's chil- dren were: Phineas, born Feb. 23, 1740; Joshua, Aug. 17, 1741 ; Esther, March 7, 1745; Hannah, May 4, 1747 ; Thomas, June 10, 1749; Elizabeth, Nov. 14, 1751 ; Arnold, March 17, 1754; Henry, Dec. 2, 1756; Willet, Oct. 20, 1759; Nathan, Feb. 7, 1762 ; and Job B., May 13, 1765.


(V) Thomas Clarke, of Westerly, son of Rev. Joshua, born June 10, 1749, married June 11, 1770, Olive Marsh, of Hartford, Conn., born June 12, 1756. MIr. Clarke lived in Westerly, and later in North Stonington, Conn. His death occurred May 28, 1832. His wife passed away May 4, 1828. Their children were: Charlotte, born April 23, 1771 ; Hannah, June 23, 1773; Abigail, July 26, 1775; Thomas, May 10, 1778; Abel Marsh, April 22, 1780; Olive Marsh, April 30, 1783; Russell, April 13, 1787; Samuel, June 23, 1790; Clarissa, Jan. 1, 1793 ; Peleg Congdon, July 31, 1796; and George W., Nov. 9, 1799.


(VI) Peleg Congdon Clarke, son of Thomas (2) of Westerly, born July 31, 1796, married Fannie, born April 26, 1799, daughter of Capt. Jo- seph and Mary (Cottrell) Spicer, of Hopkinton. Of the latter it is said that during the war of the Rev- olution she tore up her petticoats at the battle of Groton to bind up the wounds of the soldiers. Peleg C. Clarke was educated at Newport under the tutor- ship of Levi Tower. He went to Hopkinton in the spring of 1816, and thence to a large farm in North Stonington, Conn., which was given to him by his father. In 1835 he removed to Stonington, and was one of the extensive farmers of the town, but returned to Clarke's Falls two years later. In early life he made trips to the West Indies, taking horses and mules, and returning with the products of those islands. Mr. and Mrs. Clarke joined the Sabba- tarian Church in 1837. Mr. Clarke built the road leading from Clarke's Falls to Ashaway, and he was supervisor of roads for Hopkinton for many years. For several years he represented the town of Hopkinton in the Rhode Island Assembly. His children were: Alfred, born Sept. 24, 1817, in North Stonington : Peleg, born Dec: 25, 1819, in Hopkinton ; Joseph, born May 28, 1823, a dentist in Newport, R. I., married Frances Clark ; Fanny, born March 18, 1827, in Stonington, married, Jan. 29, 1846, David Langworthy, of Mystic, Conn.,


and their children were: Hattie, Peleg and John; Clarissa, born Jan. II, 1828, died young ; Mary Elizabeth, born May 14, 1836, married (first) Oct. 27, 1856, Nathan J. Crandall, had a son, Peleg C., and married (second) Dec. 1, 1875, Jason P. S. Brown, of Hopkinton; George Russell, born May 14, 1838, resided in Westerly, R. I., and married (first) Ann Witter, (second) Melvina Chapman.


(VII) Alfred Clarke, son of Peleg C. and Fannie (Spicer) Clarke, was born in North Stonington, Sept. 24, 1817. He died Feb. 7, 1878. During his youth he worked on a farm, and also served an ap- prenticeship at tanning and currying leather, which business he followed quite a portion of his life at Clarke's Falls, the place of his residence. In con- nection with the tannery, he operated a saw, grist and bark mill, and in company with Peleg Spicer Tifft he erected a large factory building and the adjacent houses which now constitute the village of Clarke's Falls. During his apprenticeship a large tumor formed in his side, which was removed by Dr. Miller, of Norwich. Although the operation was a painful one, Mr. Clarke seated himself in a chair, and submitted to it without a groan, refusing to let any one hold even his head or his hands, and exhibiting a calmness and courage remarkable in one of his years. On Sept. 22, 1839, he married Altana B. Langworthy, daughter of Deacon John and Sarah Langworthy, of North Stonington. She died April 2, 1841, leaving one daughter, Sarah, who married Deacon Benjamin P. Langworthy. On Oct. 2, 1841, Mr. Clarke married Mary N. Palmer, daughter of Israel and Lucy (Rockwell) Palmer, of North Stonington. Five children were born of this marriage, two of whom are now living; Alfred Marsh; and Maria P., wife of B. Clay Pierce, of Providence, R. I. Those deceased were : Lucy, Clarissa and Angie. When he was but eighteen or nineteen years of age, Mr. Clarke united with the. Second Seventh Day Baptist Church, of Hopkin- ton, R. I., of which he continued a worthy and re- spected member throughout his life. He was one of the selectmen of the town, and was three times elected by the Republican party to the State Legis- lature, serving two terms, his last election occurring the year of his death. He was also a director in the Ashaway National Bank. .


(VIII) ALFRED MARSH CLARKE, son of Alfred, was born at Clarke's Falls, in District No. 14, North Stonington, June 23, 1843. He passed his school days there, and in his father's tannery learned his trade. When he was thirty years of age he went to Bozrah, Conn., and there found employment with the Fitchville Manufacturing Company, manufac- turers of cotton sheeting. Upon his father's death in 1878, he returned to Clarke's Falls, and bought out the Peleg Spicer Tifft interest in the mill prop- erty, which he rented to the Clarke's Falls Com- pany until about 1899-the time of the dissolution of the company. Of this mill property Mr. Clarke. is three-fourths owner, and his sister, Mrs. Lang-


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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.


worthy, one-fourth. The power is now utilized in sawing shingles, etc. Notwithstanding his exten- sive mill business, Mr. Clarke has been continu- ously engaged in farming and cattle dealing. He is an energetic business man, progressive and up- to-date, quick to take advantage of opportunity, but always open and honorable in his methods.


On June 22, 1861, in North Stonington, Mr. Clarke was united in marriage with Miss Martha Witter, daughter of Albert Witter, a well-known farmer of North Stonington. To bless this union have come three children : Elbert Willis was born July 12, 1862: Sarah Elizabeth, born April 6, 1867, married Ebenezer Morgan, of Mystic, Conn .; and Antoinette Witter was born April 13, 1876. In public affairs Mr. Clarke has always been an inter- ested worker, as a loyal member of the Republican party. He has been selectman, and in 1880 and ISSI he was a representative in the State Legisla- ture, where he distinguished himself by most valu- able service in committee work, serving on the Educational, Probate, Town and District com- mittees.


(IX) ELBERT WILLIS CLARKE, son of Alfred Marsh, was born at Clarke's Falls July 12, 1862. His earlier educational advantages included attend- ance at the Hopkinton High School at AAshaway, R. I., and at Eastman's Business College, Pough- keepsie, N. Y. By nature he was inclined to be studious, and he determined to engage in teaching. For one year he taught at Clarke's Falls, and for two years was first assistant principal at AAshaway. R. I. He then spent one year in study at the Prov- idence English and Classical School, and the fol- lowing year was a student of languages under Dr. Gorham, at Westerly, at the same time teaching in District No. 10, Westerly. In the fall of 1888 he became principal of the Pawcatnek School ( Palmer Street School), where he remained until 1960, when the school was removed to the new building on West Broad street, where he is found at the pres- ent time. The school attendance has increased from 160 to 450. Prof. Clarke has found success in his calling-a success, however, that has come through his sturdy devotion to his work, and his peculiar fitness for it. Of high attainments and good execu- tive ability, he has been enabled to bring his school to a high plane, and to turn from it students who have learned not only the prescribed course, but how to use what they acquired, and how to acquire more. Above all, they have had the example of a man, whose firm adherence to principle, whose ti delity to duty, has been an inspiration to higher and better ways of living.


Prof. Clarke is a member of the Eastern Con- nectient Teachers' Association, the State Teachers' Association, the Connectiont Schoolmasters' Club. and of the Rhode Island State Association. In the Teachers' Club of Westerly he has been vice- president ever since it was organized. Fraternally he belongs to Pawcatuck Lodge. No. op. F. & A.


M .; Palmer Chapter, No. 28, R. A. M. : Narragan- sett Commandery, No. 27, K. T .; Palestine Temple,. Mystic Shrine, of Providence.


On July 7, 1903, Prof. Clarke was wedded, at Clarke's Falls, to Addie C. Chapman, daughter of Edwin P. Chapman.


LUCIUS SWAN (deceased) was one of the. substantial and respected citizens of Norwich, whose blameless life won for him the genuine es- teem and affection of a very wide circle of acquaint- ances. Beginning life a poor boy, he climbed the. ladder of success rung by rung, and was wholly self-made, and, in a large degree, self-educated. Mr. Swan was born Feb. 15, 1826, in North Ston- ington, Connecticut.


The branch of the Swan family from which our subject descends is given in the "History of Sten- ington," by Wheeler ( 1900) as follows :


(I) Richard Swan, the emigrant ancestor and progenitor of the Swan family of Connecticut and Rhode Island, appears first on this side of the At- lantic Ocean in Boston. Mass .. where he joined the church Jan. 6. 1639, and had one child. John. prob- ably his youngest, baptized the Sunday after his admission. It is not known when he came to .Amer- ica or in what ship, and his wife died in England before he came to this country. He finally re- moved to Rowley, where he became a prominent citizen, representing the town in the General Court in 1666, and many years after. He served in King Philip's war and in the expedition to Canada. His second wife was Mrs. Ann Trumbull the being her third husband). Richard Swan died May 14. 1078. the father of the following children : Richard, Frances, Robert. Jonathan, Susan. Sarah and John.


(11) Robert Swan was born in 1028, and mar- ried Elizabeth Acie. At the time of their marriage they both resided in Rowley, Mass .. but soon after they went to Andover, Mass,, to live, not remaining long. however, for as early as 1650 they were un habitants of Haverhill, located in that part of the town which was subsequently set off and in r- porated as the town of Methuen, where mms of his descendants have lived. He was a soldier at the Great Swamp fight, King Philip's war, in Went. Benjamin Swett's company. His wife che mi ton. and he married (second) Hannah Ress. He deal Feb. 11. HAS. His children. all by the tis mar ringe, were: Elizabeth, Sarah, Robert. Anm. Rich- ard. Timothy, Dorothy, Ihh. Samuel, Samiddel, Joshua and Cakb.


(I11) John Swan, born Ang. 1. 1008. 0211 ol. lived in Haverhill, Mass, where there of their children were born Durmp the "Haverhill Missa "To" the tannh of John Swan had a nantes calpe irom thương the same tate of many of their noch- bors. It was only through a brave act of the Wife. who, when the Indians were coming in the door. slew the foremost with nothing less than a bake


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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.


spit. Mr. Swan and his family came to Stonington in 1707, locating on what is now known as Swan Town Hill, North Stonington, where the rest of his children were born. He died May 1, 1743, and his widow passed away Dec. 20, 1772, in the one hundredth year of her age. Their children were: John, Ruth, William, Nathaniel, Asa, Elizabeth and Timothy.


(IV) William Swan, born at Haverhill, June 24, 1706, married, Jan. 20, 1726, Thankful Holmes, who died Sept. 7, 1742, and he married (second) Anna Smith, of Groton, April 14, 1743. His chil- dren by the first marriage were: Mary, Abigail, Thankful, William, Desire and Ruth. By the sec- ond marriage: Anna and Charles.


(V) Charles Swan, born May 24, 1746, married, March 21, 1779, Eunice Barnes, and their children were: Amos, Charles, Frederick, Louisa, Christo- pher, Sabra, Denison, Coddington, Eunice, Will- iam, Ephraim and Christopher (2).


(VI) Charles Swan, born April 3, 1782, mar- ried, Dec. 25, 1803, Cynthia Brewster. He was a prosperous farmer and resided in North Stoning- ton, where they died. They were the parents of thirteen children, Lucius being the next to the youngest, and he was survived by only one, a broth- er living in Middlefield, Ohio. The parents of this large family, while in comfortable circumstances for the times, were far from being rich, and while Lucius did not have to go to work early in life, he did so because he was ambitious to carve his own way.


Lucius Swan enjoyed such advantages as were afforded by the district schools. He was an apt pupil, learning quickly and retaining his knowl- edge. He was inured to toil from boyhood, first working as a farmer lad, and while yet in his teens he came to Norwich, and learned the trade of butcher from Griswold Loomis. He was very in- dustrious and economical, and saved enough capital ahead to go into business for himself, soon after forming a co-partnership with Elisha L. Rogers, under the firm name of Swan & Rogers, and they were located on Water street. They had a splendid business, and Mr. Swan became well-to-do, invest- ing in real estate, which became valuable property, and about thirty years before his death he retired from the meat business, and devoted his time to the management of his real-estate interests, in addi- tion to carrying on a small farming and dairy business.


Mr. Swan was a member of the Preston City Baptist Church for forty years. He lived a quiet life, and was a man strictly honest and industrious, and one who commanded the respect and esteem of all. As before stated Mr. Swan was a self-made man, and his abundant success can be attributed in no small degree to the faithful cooperation of his worthy helpmeet, whose industry was that of a model housewife, and fully equalled by her thrift and providence.


Lucius Swan was twice married. His first wife was Miss Eliza Davis, who died in 1854. He mar- ried for his second wife Miss Ruth A. Browning, who survived him, and is now the wife of Joseph M. Burdick, captain of police at Norwich. One son was born to the second marriage, Calvin L. Swan, who resides in Norwich.


Mr. Swan's death on March 20, 1898, was caused by a third shock of paralysis, the first one having come five years previous, leaving him a help- less invalid. The tender care and almost constant attendance upon Mr. Swan by his wife during these years of his helpless infirmity, were suggestive of a most sympathetic nature and a self-sacrificing spirit, which largely contributed toward his comfort and pleasure. Mr. Swan was buried at Preston City. Politically he was a Republican, but would never accept public office.


FRANCIS ROBINSON, a retired citizen of Montville, New London county, was for many years connection with the Uncasville Manufacturing Com- pany of that place. He was born Aug. 8, 1837, in that part of East Windsor known as High Hill, son of William and Julia Ann ( Hazzard) Robinson. His mother came of the family for which Hazard- ville, Conn., was named; she was a daughter of Thomas Hazzard, of Vernon, Conn., and died in Exeter, in the town of Lebanon, Dec. 14, 1887.


William Robinson, grandfather of Francis, died when his son, William, was very young, and the latter, who had been born in Windham, was bound out to a family named Fitch, of Mansfield Four Cor- ners, Conn. He was a farmer in early life, but later learned the trade of belt maker and roll coverer, and the remainder of his active life was employed in various mills in Connecticut. He was a good me- chanic, and a very capable man. In politics he was a stanch Republican, but he never cared for office. He was a strong temperance man, and an earnest member of the Baptist Church of Greeneville. A man of pleasant disposition, he had many friends. The latter years of his life he was manager of the finishing department of the Fitchville Mill, in the town of Bozrah, in which place he died, and he was buried in the Greeneville cemetery.


William and Julia Ann ( Hazzard) Robinson were the parents of eleven children. (I) Julia Ann (deceased), married Ephraim Flint. (deceased) of Vermont, and was the mother of one son and two daughters. (2) William, a farmer now living in Franklin, Conn., served in the Civil war as a member of Company A, 26th Conn. V. I. He married Re- becca House, and they have no children. (3) Fran- cis is the subject of this sketch. (4) Mary Jane, (deceased), married Thomas Morrison of Greene- ville, and was the mother of four children. She died in Thompsonville, Conn., where her husband still resides. (5) James, a farmer living in Exeter, in the town of Lebanon, a soldier in the Civil war, married Alvina Ray; they have no children. (6)


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8


Francis Robinson


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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.


Roselle (deceased), married (first) Charles Tubbs, by whom she had two children. She married (sec- ond) Charles Hewitt, of Massachusetts, sexton of the Institute in his home town, Dalton, Mass., where his wife died; no children were born to this union. (7) George, a farmer in Lebanon, married Sarah Perkins, of Norwich. (8) Henry, formerly a spinning overseer in the cotton mill, is engaged in the fish business in Norwich Town. He married Ellen Gay, of Bozrahville, and they have six chil- dren. (9) Charles (deceased), a carriage painter by trade, married Lucy Egerton of Willimantic, by whom he had five children. He died in Lebanon. (10) Merriman, a dealer in mill supplies in Man- chester, N. H., married Elizabeth Vanderlinda, of Bozrahville, and they have two children. ( II) Har- riet Rowena died in infancy.


Francis Robinson was born in East Windsor, Conn., but when he was four years old his parents moved to Tolland, where for five years his father engaged in farming. They then moved to Stafford Springs, his father being employed for another five years as roll coverer in the Deacon Porter mill. The next two years were spent in Willimantic, where his father was watchman at the Hayden mill. another two years he was belt maker and roll coverer in the mill at Norwich Falls, after which he filled the same position for two years in the mill at Greene- ville. The family then moved to Fitchville, where the father died after being for many years in charge of the finishing department in the mill. Francis Robinson received but limited educational advan- tages. When a mere child he began working in the mill with his father at Stafford Springs, and con- tinned at that sort of work in the various places to which the family moved. He remained as cloth finisher in the Greeneville mill for five years after the family settled in Fitchville, and then went to Montville. There he took charge of the cloth finish- ing department in the Uncasville mill, employing a number of hands, and he remained in that position nearly thirty years. On the failure of this company in 1891, he purchased a farm in Franklin, but after living there a year returned to Montville, where he has since resided.


On Jan. 24, 1856, Mr. Robinson married Mary Lenard Andrews, who was born Sept. 27. 1837. in Preston, Conn., daughter of George and Betsey ( Bradford ) Andrews, the former a farmer of l'res. ton, and the latter a native of Montville, and a de- ascendant of Gov. William Bradford, of Plymouth. Mass. To the union of Francis and Mary 1. ( An- drews) Robinson were born: Mary Estelle ; an l Jennie, deceased in infancy. Mary Estelle, born in Greeneville, March .f. 1861, married Sept. 22, 18%. James Morrison, of Thompsonville, postal clerk be- tween Boston and New York, and the family home is in New London, Con. Of their children, one son died in infancy ; and Frederick, aged fifteen, and Frank, aged twelve, are both in school. During the Civil war Mr. Robinson enlisted at Norwich in


Company A, 18th Conn. V. I., and served as a pri- vate nearly a year, most of the time being engaged on guard duty in Baltimore. He is a stanch Repub- lican, but has never sought nor accepted office. Fraternally he was formerly a member of the A. O. U. W., Uncas Lodge, No. 17, of Montville, of which he is past master workman. He and his wife are members of the Uncasville Methodist Church, in which he has been a steward and trustee, and for two years was secretary and treasurer. Mrs. Robin- son is an active member of the ladies and society of the church, and of the W. C. T. U. of Montville. Both Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are charitable and hospitable people, and are among the most highly respected citizens of Montville.




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