USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Brookfield > Historical sketch of the First Congregational Church of Brookfield, Connecticut, and of the town of Brookfield > Part 5
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Well-preserved portraits in oil of Colonel Hawley and his wife are the property of Mrs. Eli Stevens of Brookfield.
Colonel Hawley built the residence now owned and occupied by Hiram D. Hawley, Esq., at Brookfield Center, and the John A. Peck homestead.
SQUIRE AMOS WHEELER was another of Newbury's important citizens, and "ruled this place" for some years. At a lawful meeting of the inhabitants he was appointed their agent to present the "memorial" for town privileges to the General Assembly in 1788, and to secure the act of incorporation, which duty he dis- charged.
Amos Wheeler also induced the town to change the Obtuse highway, by which it was laid out on the north side of the Isaac Lockwood place and joined the village street by the side of the Bungalow ; previous to
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this the Obtuse Road passed to the south of the old Lockwood residence, and following the orchard reached the village street through the garden of Miss Sarah Fairchild. This old road was in reality con- structed along the ancient division line between New Milford and Newtown, which was at this point.
Taverns
PRESERVE SMITH, EsQ., was proprietor of a public house, which stood where Mrs. Eliza G. Peck's resi- dence now is. It was a large, rambling house, with a ballroom on the second floor, the scene of many festive occasions in past days. The two brothers of Preserve Smith were Bryant Smith, a lawyer, and Azor Smith, a bachelor who lived north of the Episcopal rectory, near the "bird rock."
SQUIRE DANIEL HAWLEY also kept a tavern near the site of Prof. H. W. Greene's residence, and after his death his widow continued the business; but the day of country taverns is no more, and at the present time Brookfield Center is without a public house.
Village Stores
At the corner of Main Street and Obtuse Road (now the property of Hiram D. Hawley) stood for many years a building which was erected for store
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BROOKFIELD CENTER
purposes. COLBE CHAMBERLAIN, EsQ., kept a country store here. His successor was ESQUIRE COOKE, who employed as clerks Hanford N. Lockwood and Wil- liam H. Peck. Mr. Cook later was a merchant in Danbury.
BENJAMIN STARR occupied this building for a cabi- net shop for some years, many specimens of his work being still in evidence in this town.
On the opposite side of the street stood for years the little red store occupied by DANIEL JOHNSON for about fifty years. Mr. Johnson also conducted a tailoring business in this store; he lived in the old house nearby, and died in 1864. He was a native of Newtown.
The first floor in Masonic Hall was likewise a store. BOOTH PECK, EsQ., kept this store; he was succeeded by CORNWALL & NORTHROP, and that firm by PECK & FAIRCHILD.
The store erected just north of the town hall was operated by CAPT. SIDNEY HAWLEY & ELMER B. NORTHROP ; later by HENRY L. PECK, who was mer- chant here about thirty years. Upon his death HENRY S. PECK, his son, continued the business and became a leading citizen of the town, a prominent church mem- ber, and filled positions of trust elsewhere.
In 1866 the store of DANIEL JOHNSON was replaced by a new building, in which JUDGE BENJAMIN GRIFFEN, his grandson by marriage, conducted a gen-
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eral store until 1904. This building was remodeled for residence purpose in 1906.
In 1867 HENRY S. PECK erected a substantial store on the west side of the village street, it being on the site of the PRESERVE SMITH property. The second floor of the building was furnished for public meetings and was so used for various gatherings for many years through the generosity of Mr. Peck and family. ALFRED SOMERS entered into partnership with Mr. Peck in 1867 under the firm name of PECK & SOMERS, which existed for over thirty years. The firm of PECK & Co. succeeded about 1901, Robert W. Greene being the business manager of the company and Robert Badeau clerk. In 1906 WILLIAM F. PINCKNEY pur- chased the business ; his clerks are Robert Badeau and Frank Wildman.
Post Office
In 1869 the Brookfield Center office was established by the government. Postmaster ALFRED SOMERS has been in charge to the present time.
To-day the village embraces two churches, one gen- eral store and post office, a town hall, a public school, a boarding school, and from forty-five to fifty dwelling houses.
Between the Congregational and Episcopal churches are some six or seven residences. Mrs. Haight occu-
VILLAGE STREET, BROOKFIELD CENTER
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pies the home of her grandfather, Henry L. Peck, Esq. Hiram D. Hawley and family occupy the Ben- jamin Starr homestead, a well-preserved house built probably a century ago. The residences of Mrs. Ben- jamin Griffen and her son, Henry W. Griffen, are opposite. North of the village store is the substantial residence built by Henry S. Peck and now occupied by his wife and daughter; also the Congregational par- sonage and the Hiram Fairchild Homestead, now occupied by Miss Sarah L. Fairchild, and the house occupied by William Pinckney.
"THE BUNGALOW." It would make interesting his- tory if we could record all the persons who have lived in this ancient house, which is doubtless one hundred and fifty years old. I can mention only the following : Amos Wheeler, Esq., who resided in this house in 1788 ; Anthony Beers, in 1814; Daniel Holley occupied the house soon after, and had a hat shop on the green opposite; Daniel Brush and his son, Homer Brush, owned the place for many years; George Jones and family came to it by inheritance, and a sale of the property was made to E. H. Houseman of Danbury some few years ago. This building contains many curios and relics, the property of Mr. Houseman.
North of the Bungalow are the residences of H. Allen Smith, Esq., Mrs. John W. Sagendorf, who occupies the Dr. William's home, and the Curtis school
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buildings, embracing a large dormitory, stone gym- nasium and other buildings.
A little east of the main street is the former resi- dence of Isaac Lockwood, Esq., now owned by Ben- jamin Rippy, our mail carrier for about thirteen years. Isaac Lockwood, Sr., who served in the Revolutionary War, purchased the old homestead in 1785; he also purchased land of the Rev. Thomas Brooks. His son, Isaac Lockwood, Esq., built the present Lockwood place, and reared a large family of sons. One of his sons, Henry Lockwood, held a responsible position with James H. Prentice of Brooklyn. Harmon B. Lockwood, Esq., is the only representative of this family living in this town. After engaging in busi- ness in several places he returned to his native town. Mr. Lockwood is a director in the Union Savings Bank, Danbury; takes an interest in the affairs of the day, and spends his winters in the South.
In May, 1907, that portion of the ancient turnpike lying between the Episcopal Church and the former residence of Bryant Smith was closed by vote of the town, and a new highway established north of the residence of Mr. Frederick S. Curtis, connecting the turnpike with the east highway. Mr. Curtis built the new road at his own expense, receiving from the town the land formerly occupied by the closed highway for his own private use.
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On the "Hill" are the homes of Mrs. Esther M. Hawley, Mrs. Julia W. Skidmore, Stanley B. Terrill, the Philo Merwin homestead, now occupied by his daughters, Mrs. Kellogg and Miss Julia B. Merwin, the old-fashioned residence owned by Lucius S. Haw- ley, and further north the Episcopal rectory and the residence of Mrs. Georgiana Williams.
A little further north is the summer cottage of Prof. L. W. Sprague of New York, preacher and lecturer, who contributes much to the intellectual life of the community during his summer vacation.
Frederick Johnson is the owner of the Hawley Sherman farm on the lower road, and also owns the Nearing property.
South of the Congregational Church is the Elmer H. Northrop residence, which has sheltered several generations. Mrs. Cornwall and E. H. Northrop have been lifelong residents here. Elmer H. Northrop, Esq., has held various town offices; namely, first selectman, justice of the peace, grand juror, assessor, highway surveyor, the "safety road" at the Junction being con- structed while he was selectman. Mr. Northrop wit- nessed the laying of the first rails on the Housatonic Railroad in 1840. He served as delegate to the Con- stitutional Convention. Mr. Northrop was born here October 24, 1828. Also south of the Congregational Church are the residences of John A. Peck, Deacon
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Alfred Somers, Mrs. Henry Lake, and the Charles Hawley homestead, now the summer residence of Sidney E. Hawley, the sheriff of Fairfield County. The group of buildings constituting the Greene Sum- mer School of Music is located close by ; one of these buildings on the west side of the street, known as the "Back-log," was once the home of Sherman Foote, Esq., also more recently occupied by the Reuben Bailey family. The residence of the late Homer Keeler is just south of this place, and is now the home of Seth F. Keeler, Esq., his son.
Below the village street are the homes of Frank and Charles Pinckney, the latter occupying the Capt. Sidney Hawley place. A "pound" was set up just south of this spot many years ago, and probably served its purpose, when stray or trespassing cattle had to be dealt with.
The home of Frederick Gustafson, once the resi- dence of Timothy Mansfield and family, is just be- low this spot; also the homes of Robert Badau and John Lee. Frank Keeler and Elof Gustafson live near the brook; these places were both once owned by Beman Fairchild, Esq., one of the wealthiest farmers in this vicinity.
Dwight Camp, Esq., lives on the hill in the house once occupied by Amos Peck, and A. G. Anderson is
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the owner of the Peck farm and home. A hat shop once stood nearby, owned by Daniel Holley, Esq.
Close by the turnpike is the old South Cemetery, sequestered about the year 1800, and now but seldom used for interments, the Central Cemetery being the ground in general use for burial purposes by families at the Center. The narrow road running west leads to Sunset Hill, where the extensive view is of the val- ley, with its winding river, its meadows, and wooded western slopes.
CHAPTER XII
THE HILLS
Whisconier Hill
Is one of the finest elevations in this town, approach- ing it from the north a row of maple trees once shaded the highway on the left; years ago there were forty- three of these trees set at regular intervals by some lover of forestry, but they are all gone now. The Bridgeport turnpike runs from north to south over Whisconier Hill and is a broad level roadway. Had the early fathers made selection of this spot for the village street, we can readily see how beautiful the environment would have been, the western outlook being especially far-reaching, the morning sun reveal- ing the gray towers of the castle on mountain-end, "Tarrywile," "Hill-top Farm," and for half a century the spire of the Old First Church (which stood two hundred feet high) until it disappeared May 6, 1907. Whisconier Hill is a place of pleasant houses. The substantial modern residence of Thomas Halpin, Esq., erected a few years since, is one of the most attractive standing in the midst of the well-kept acres of his large farm. A line of stately Lombard poplars of great beauty stood just south of this place years ago, but like all trees of this species they disappeared.
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Opposite the schoolhouse the old-fashioned residence on the corner has long been the home of Patrick Col- lins, Esq., who has here lived his industrious life, and reared an honorable family. Mr. James Lee occupies the attractive home south of the school, with its fine shade trees, broad lawn, and delightful view; this place is the remodeled home of the Anson Smith family. The large residence on the left, below this point, is the home of Mr. Almon H. Taylor, and was built by his father, Thomas Taylor, Esq., the last resi- dence of importance on Whisconier Hill, on this side of the Newtown line, is also the property of Almon H. Taylor, it having been the home of his grandfather, Abel S. The ancestral home of John Hawley is still occupied by members of his family; namely, Frank K. Hawley and family, and Mrs. Clarence Keeler and family. An account of the Bible school conducted here is mentioned elsewhere. It should be mentioned that all members of this family have decided musical ability, inherited from at least three generations of ancestors. One of the earliest pianos manufactured is to be seen in this home, and belonged to the grandmother of Mr. Frank K. Hawley.
The Edson N. Hawley residence is south of the "John Hawley Home." Mr. Hawley was warden in the Episcopal Church at Brookfield for a long period of years, and secretary of the public school board for the
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last ten years or more ; has also been a prominent mem- ber of the Grange. Mr. Clarence Hawley, his son, lives here, and is engaged in agriculture.
The Edwin Smith homestead is now occupied by his daughter, Miss Lucy Smith. The old house in the same yard was the home of Alva Smith, Esq., for many years; both father and son were engaged in the saddle and harness business, the shop standing just opposite their homes being the scene of their labors. Capt. Joseph Smith also lived here.
Jabez Hurd, Esq., kept a tavern on Whisconier Hill; the Patrick Collins place is designated as the site.
On the next hill, westward, is the former home of the Andrews family, Howard Andrews, Esq., being the only representative of the family. Mr. Andrews is a prominent member of the Connecticut Grange and now resides in Cornwall, Conn.
Judge William B. Roe erected his home on the site of his father and grandfather's residence, and is our judge of probate at the present time.
The J. Wesley Wells residence is very pleasantly located, and was once the Andrews homestead; the outlook over Stony Hill is fine.
Obtuse Hill
This section of our town, lying east of the Center, has the highest altitude within our borders. Ascend-
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ing the first hills, are the residences of the late Cyrenus Peck and Charles Peck, also the home of one of our oldest inhabitants, Daniel Higgins, Esq. From the next hill a general view of our village street may be had, outlined against the sky; here is the well-kept home of Frederick Elsenboss, once the home of Uriah Hayes. Some rods further east is the summit of the Obtuse Hills, where one may look northward over a splendid vista of distant mountains, the lights and shades of the passing day either revealing in bold out- lines or softening the far-away hills; there is probably no finer view in Fairfield County than this.
Passing the residence of Charles Stuart, Esq., on the right hand, once the home of the Jackson family, the Four Corners are reached. The residence of Charles Williams stands on the site of the Alonzo Beers home- stead ; opposite is the Wolcott Northrop place, occupied by Thomas Petitt; here also is the Lake homestead, owned by Eugene Lake, and the house so long the home of Clark Jackson, Esq., and the village school- house.
Some little distance south the attractive residence of Frederick H. Beers is located, once the home of Horace Beers, Esq. Mr. Beers is a graduate of Trinity College, class of 1889, and the senior warden of the Episcopal Church; his large farm, "Beers-ford," is one of the best in this town.
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The Babbitt house is owned by Mr. Beers, and the Amos Camp place by Mr. Wilmont. Mr. William Parker occupies the Starr Skidmore home, and a few rods south the Rufus Skidmore homestead and the Edwin Terrill homestead are now owned by John H. Peck and John S. Peck, respectively. Thomas Bristol's residence is just below. The road leading from Four Corners to Southville and the Housatonic River claims a few dwellings; namely, those of Robert Smith, Esq., an attractive home, and the Gilbert, Roswell, and Petitt places.
The northern part of Obtuse was once the home of the John Stuart family, and of several families long since removed. John Thornhill, Esq., our first select- man, lives here in the home of his father, Samuel Thornhill.
Daniel Murphy occupies the Frank Keeler place.
Longmeadow Hill
As the name indicates, this is a stretch of meadow land, with glimpses to the east of the wooded slopes within which the Housatonic flows. The highway is broad and straight for a mile or more.
Longmeadow Hill is included in the "Still River Neck." The Still River Neck is the ancient name given to all that elevated ridge lying between the Still
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River and the Housatonic River; it includes Long- meadow Hill, Pumpkin Hill, and Prospect Hill, also the ridge east of the Iron Works village.
The families living in the Longmeadow District in days gone by have almost entirely disappeared-the Warners, Baldwins, Fosters, Bristols, Dunnings, Haw- leys, Benedicts, Taylors, Shermans, Hamlins, Somers, Ruggles, Merwins, Starrs; descendants of these fami- lies are to be found in other places.
Many men, who became very successful in after life, went out from this section of the town. The families were large, and the sons early saw the necessity for starting out in life for themselves.
In 1819 a stone industry was conducted on Long- meadow by James and Stanley Smith, sons of Lyman Smith, at the spot where Edward Starr's home now is ; hearthstones, and monuments were cut and lettered and a considerable business done here. A saw mill was located at Hop Brook, and there were fishing rights along the Housatonic River. The farms here are productive. A small school still stands on the rocks by the Hamlin residence, but very few are the chil- dren as compared with that great company which in other years gathered there for their elemental training.
Among those now living on Longmeadow may be mentioned the families of William Hamlin, Edward Starr, Charles Bennett, Henry Wildman, Onda Ocif,
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John Lee, Frank Drapeau, and others. Ezra Somers is the oldest resident at this times.
The Iron Works Hill
This fine ridge was a part of the "Still River Neck," so called. Here are the farms of Henry T. and Percy Hawley, the farm of John Gereg, the Lake homestead, now occupied by Mrs. Gorham, the daughter. The Harry Ruggles homestead is occupied by the family of Albert Thiede. In this house an esteemed former citizen once lived, Robert A. Beers, now of New Haven, whose interest in the people of Brookfield is always a pleasant memory. Mr. Beers was born in Buffalo in 1825. His parents went in 1818 to Wisconsin as pioneers, but in 1823 came to Buffalo, where several of their children were born. His father, Anthony Beers, died in 1835, and his mother removed to Brookfield, her former home, in 1835.
Following this ridge south, where it approaches the Brookfield Center line, is the attractive residence of William Geddes, Esq., long the home of the Levi and Frederick Jones family, and next door is the fine sum- mer home of Stephen Osborne of Bridgeport, once the home of the Benjamin and Emmon Hawley families.
The Curtis Morris place on the lower Iron Works Hill is now the attractive home of John McMahon.
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STILL RIVER, BROOKFIELD
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THE HILLS
The James Barrett home is opposite. The Orson Tay- lor home is toward the village.
Over the railroad is located a little settlement about the Catholic Church. Here is the home of William O'Hayer and William O'Donnell, and others.
Still River Farms and Huckleberry Hill
From the Junction Hill may be seen several large farms: namely, the farm of the late David Northrop, now owned by his daughters, Miss Julia Northrop and Mrs. Esther Andrews, and managed by William Blackman; the Worden farm, once owned by Garry Northrop, a brother of David Northrop; the Daniel Joyce farm, lying on both sides of the river, one of the largest and most productive in the town; the Frederick S. Frisbie farm, with its well- appointed buildings, once the home of George Peck, Esq .; the Henry L. Foote farm, just south of this property. Mr. Foote for some years was engaged in business in New York City and returned here some time since. A little distance north is the former home of Judge Samuel Sherman and his sisters, once a prominent family in this town. Mr. Sherman was educated at Trinity College for the law. On the west side of Still River, on Huckleberry Hill, is the Levi J. Sturdevant place, with its extensive buildings, and the Hamlin home. Here also is the schoolhouse, and the
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Louis Coville home and saw mill, the Wildman home- stead, the Barlow home, the Bronson place, the Jones, Bowdy, Corbin, and Morehouse places, and nearer to the New Fairfield line are the homes of Charles Camp, Mrs. Edwin Weld, Miss Bradley, Charles Wildman, and the Ransom place.
CHAPTER XIII
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKFIELD (Continued)
SCHOOLS
Every town having fifty families was required by law to maintain a school in early colonial days, and a school of higher grade in county towns. The select- men of each town were required to see that heads of families instructed their children and servants to read the English tongue well, likewise to instruct them in religious principles. The penalty was twenty shillings for neglect to comply with this law. The catechism was taught weekly in the schools of the colonies, and each family therein was provided with a copy of the sacred Scriptures.
The legislature provided that the laws governing the colonies be taught in the families of the settlers.
Connecticut for some years contributed to the sup- port of Harvard College ( founded in 1638) and young men seeking college education were sent there until Yale College was founded in 1701.
In January, 1756, the Society of Newbury voted to keep a school six months; two months in the New Milford portion of the parish ; two months in the Dan-
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bury portion, and two months in the Newtown portion. The school committee of the first named district being Lieut. Benjamin Ruggles, David Smith, Peter Hub- bell; of the second district, Ronald Bostwick, Ben- jamin Stevens, John Dunning; of the third district, John Camp, Henry Peck, George Smith.
The school money was raised by a tax of one farthing on the pound on the whole list of the in- habitants. In 1769 four schools are mentioned in Newbury as needing money for their support ; namely, South School (Whisconier), Center School, Obtuse School, and Pokono School. In 1774 it was voted by the Society of Newbury that all on the west side of the Still River should be a school by themselves.
Brookfield now has seven and one half school dis- tricts; the number of pupils registered one hundred and fifty-two; the number enumerated, between the ages of four and sixteen, being one hundred and ninety-eight. The East and West Iron Works schools were consolidated in 1906, the consolidation taking effect June 15, 1907. The annual expense of main- taining the schools of Brookfield the past year was two thousand four hundred and fifty-five dollars.
The town received from the state to meet the school expenses four hundred and fifty dollars on the enum- eration grant, and seven hundred and seventy-one dol- lars on the average attendance grant ; this last grant is
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SCHOOLS
made to all towns whose grand list is below half a mil- lion dollars, the object being to help these towns to improve their schools; the only change made in this respect has been to lengthen the school year from thirty-six to thirty-eight weeks.
The officers of the present school board are as fol- lows: President, Frederick H. Beers; secretary and acting visitor, Edson N. Hawley; other members of the board, F. S. Curtis, Dr. C. A. Ryder, S. B. Terrill, C. S. Williams. Mr. E. N. Hawley has served as secretary and school visitor for ten years.
Select Schools in Brookfield
In 1799 the selectmen were authorized to pay forty- five dollars, that the upper story of the town hall might be finished off and used for school purposes ; and a joint committee from each school district was ap- pointed to secure a teacher to teach this school. Miss Skilton was at one time a teacher employed to teach this school, and later Miss Kate Goodsell. A build- ing erected by Elmer B. Northrop, just north of his residence, was for a time used for select school pur- poses.
A fund of about four hundred dollars was left by Mrs. Mary Northrop, the income from which was to be devoted to high school purposes. This fund is now held by the town of Brookfield.
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In 1840 Mr. Edward Robbins opened a school at the Center, which was in operation for more than ten years, some of the time in Masonic Hall. Mr. Robbins is remembered as an excellent teacher.
Miss Ellen Williams, daughter of Dr. A. L. Wil- liams, taught a private school in her father's residence from 1852 to 1853.
Miss Julia Williams, a normal graduate, conducted a private school in her father's home from 1853 to 1855. Also taught from 1859 to 1865 in St. Paul's School for Boys, Brookfield Center. (Mrs. J. W. Skidmore.)
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