USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartland > History of Hartland, the 69th town in the Colony of Connecticut > Part 11
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Esther D. Miller
Henrietta Pratt
May Trumbull
Florence Coe Parsons
Carrie Brown
Olga E. Thorne
Alberta Phillins
Ralph Griffin
Ellen E. Seagren
Nona Babbitt (Palm)
Jennie Emmons
Fred W. Goetz
Jennie H. Moran
Alice M. Cables
Anna M. Goetz
Fanny Slocum
Olive E. Case
Lulu Moore
Ruby Norton Frank Osborn
This Panel is now in the possession of The Hartland Historical Society.
The school building was sold to Joseph Baranowicz in 1945, and is used as a private dwelling at the present time.
The Schools
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-Courtesy Lewis S. Mills
Mill District School, West Hartland, as it appeared in 1935
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History of Hartland
FIRST OR CENTER DISTRICT
East Mountain
The first school-house in Hartland was built before the first Meet- ing House and was erected shortly after 1764. David N. Gaines made an extensive study of the original locations of all the buildings on East Hartland Green and has this to say about the first school: "On Decem- ber 17, 1764, Simon Crosby, Jason Millard, Joshua Giddings and Joseph Gilbert were chosen a committee to set the site and build 2 school- houses, 1 on each mountain ... the committee built a school-house on the East Mountain, a little west (in highway) of where they had set stakes for a Meeting House ... " Mr. Gaines places the original location near the site of the house now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. William Jones. Before the Meeting House was built, the school-house was used for religious services and Town Meetings.
It remained at this location until 1808 when a new school was built on the same site or close by but in 1818 it was moved farther North and for many years was located on the Old Town Road on the opposite side of the road a little North of the house now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Stone.
-Courtesy Lewis S. Mills
First District School, East Hartland, Class of 1927. Back row (l. to r.) Vesta Bates, Florence Williams, Agnes Williams, Jack Tuffy. Middle row, l. to r., Helen Sack, Katherine Sack, Grace Tuffy. Front Row, I. to r., Albert Raabe, Robert Hayes, Milton Williams, Russell Hayes, and Peder Pederson.
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The Schools
The committee's records are very confusing in their description of the location finally selected in 1818. Again, quoting from Mr. Gaines' Note Book: "On December 10, 1818, Samuel Benjamin and Elijah Coe were appointed to see about fixing a new site for a new school house. They fixed the spot on old road north of Ephram Selby's near foot of hill. The first place they fixed was between the County Road and high- way on the ground occupied by Ephram Selby for a turnip yard this past year (this is dated January 13, 1818) then they moved it farther North. My mother has told me about going to school there . . . I have not found out when it was moved back to the place where I went to school."
By 1901 the location had been moved to the present site of the East Hartland Fire Department and a new school house built in that year. The new building was built by Sam Jones and David N. Gaines at a cost of $800. Mr. Gaines' note book states: "It was burned January 30, 1908 about 5 P.M. after they had all gone home. We think it caught fire by overheating during the day and by filling the stove with wood at night. It was a very cold day-10 degrees below zero."
Another one-room school was built on the same site in 1909 at a cost of $1,400. During the next twenty years the population decreased to the extent that at times less than ten pupils were in attendance. The building was remodeled in 1938 and provisions made for oil heating equipment. Within the next two years the enrollment had increased making it necessary for a new room to be added to the existing building. The other Districts in East Hartland were discontinued and all pupils were being transported to the Center School.
The population continued to increase and by 1948 the two rooms of the Center District were inadequate for the enrollment. Additional land was purchased from David N. Gaines and in 1949 a new modern one-story brick building containing 4 classrooms and a combination Auditorium and Town Hall was built a few rods Northeast of the old school building at a cost of $125,430. The old school building was sub- sequently sold to the East Hartland Volunteer Fire Department and is currently used as a fire house.
In 1954 the West Hartland School was closed and the East Hart- iand School became a consolidated school for the entire town. With the exception of one year when the West Hartland School was re-open- ed, this program has prevailed with transportation from West to East being made by bus. By 1957 the facilities were again overcrowded and four additional class-rooms added to the existing building at a cost of approximately $75,000. This gives us the building in its present state. Recent plans for further expansion have yet to be determined.
The history of the First District or Center Parish East Mountain, if possible of adequate presentation would require more than one vol- ume. The names of the various District Committees and teachers over the years are legion and are closely interwoven with the cultural and civic life of the Town. The members of School Boards who have served so faithfully and well, deserve special recognition in their efforts to
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History of Hartland
bring about better conditions for the children of all. Theirs has been a laborious and unrewarding task and future generations will benefit from the result of their past and present endeavors.
Thus, at the end of nearly 200 years, we find a new Consolidated School, containing eight class rooms, an auditorium and all modern improvements, only a few rods distant from the site of the first school house built in Hartland.
SOUTHEAST DISTRICT SCHOOL (East Parish or Stone Schoolhouse) (Key No. 6)
The first schoolhouse at this site was built in 1776, by a vote of The First Society at meeting held November 23, 1775. Original District contained an area approximately one mile square in Barkhamsted which at one time was included in the First Ecclesiastical Society's jurisdic- tion in Hartland. According to the note-book of David N. Gaines, the present Stone Schoolhouse was built on the same site as the first one. This was built in 1830 by Samuel Munson of Tariffville, Connecticut. Some dispute arose between the builder and the District Committee and litigation followed. It eventually cost the District over $2,000. before a settlement was made. Anson McCloud moved out of the district to escape paying the extra tax.
Continued as a District until 1909 when building was sold to Eleazer Hayes by Town School Committee. In 1914 sold to Dorothy Avery of Astoria, I .. I. Dorothy Avery Mueller owns it at present time.
NORTHEAST DISTRICT SCHOOL
(East Parish) (Key No. 113)
There is no record we could discover as to the exact date this Dis- trict was established but we do know it was maintained as a District until the 1930's. Sometimes designated as the "East Indies School", the name apparently originating because of its location in one of the out- lying sections of town. Tradition has the name applied to this area evolving from the reason of strangers making inquiries in East Hart- land Center for families residing in this section being informed "Oh, they live way out in the East Indies."
Combined with the First District in the 1930's and building sold to individuals who dismantled and removed.
The Schools
Elementary School Completed in 1949 East Hartland, Conn.
East Hartland Elementary School before 1957 addition
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108
-Courtesy Lewis S. Mills
Stone School House in South East District, East Hartland. Discontinued as district in 1908 and building sold by selectmen. Dorothy Avery Mueller owns it at present time.
History of Hartland
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The Schools
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT SCHOOL (East Parish) (Key No. 54)
Established as a District around 1820 and continued until 1909 when it was discontinued and combined with the First Distriet in East Hartland. For many years this was familiarly known as "The West Wood School" but few records are available in connection with its activities.
THE NORTH HOLLOW DISTRICT
There is no record of the date on which this District was established but as this seetion was settled early, there is every reason to believe that it was set off by the First Society in the 1770's. It is sometimes designated as District No. 3 and may have been the third set off after No. 1 on the East Mountain and No. 2 on the West Mountain. The original school- house burned in 1870 and was replaced with a new building in 1872. The new building cost $1,200. and was built by A. W. Coe. The District Committee had a difficult time in connection with collecting the neces- sary distriet taxes to pay for it. The schoolhouse was remodeled in 1913 and the District closed in 1931.
-Courtesy Lewis S. Mills
North Hollow District School
-Courtesy Lewis S. Mills
South Hollow District School
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٣ ٣ ٢ لل عيانيد شن
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History of Hartland
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The Schools
THE SOUTH HOLLOW DISTRICT
This section of Hartland Hollow came under the jurisdiction of the Second Ecclesiastical Society after its formation in 1780, and this Dis- trict was set off shortly after that date. In 1820, like all other Districts, it became separated from the Ecclesiastical authority and operated un- der the District Committee system until the town took over all of the school districts in October, 1909. The schoolhouse was located at the foot of the West Mountain a little west of the Cyrus Miller Tavern. On high ground, it overlooked the south part of the valley. Many of the pupils attending this school in its later days are still residents of Hart- land and refer to their brief sojourn within its walls with a great deal of sentiment. School and District discontinued about 1935.
CHAPTER VIII
Inns and Taverns
THE CYRUS MILLER TAVERN (By Leslie Miller Feley)
The Cyrus Miller Tavern was built at the foot of the West Mountain, about forty-five rods west of the East Branch of the Farmington River, in the Great Hollow, so-called. Its site was at the junction of three roads.
The lot upon which it was erected was No. 18 in the First Division of the Town of Hartland and was laid out to the heirs of Captain John Sheldon, a Hartford proprietor, and contained one hundred sixteen acres. It was from this strip that John Sheldon deeded land for the east and west road which passed the tavern.
In 1802, this same road was changed to a turnpike with the tollgate and sheds south of the tavern. This turnpike led from the Connecticut River to Norfolk where it united with the Greenwoods turnpike which in turn extended to Albany.
Situated as it was between the two Hartland mountains, this tavern was unusually attractive. Its gambrel roof and the one-story annex run- ning northward gave the whole a low rambling appearance. The tavern sign was displayed near the bar room door. It was a large wooden ball suspended from an arched board.
Bordering the pathway from the road to the front door there was a profusion of old-fashioned flowers: these included cinnamon, damask, white roses, larkspur, lilacs, jonquils, phlox and daffodils. West of the house were eight large apple trees and in front were a tamarack, locust and large maple.
The large double doors that led into the house from the south con- tained glass cut in the shape of a heart. They swung inward and at night were barred by means of a wooden bar slipped into staples driven into the door casings. During the day they were kept closed by a latch and were opened from the outside by an iron handle. The doors opened into a porch (or entry) leading from which there was an open stairway to the ball room above.
A closet filled the enclosure under the stairs, a triangular doorway which opened into this closet was finished in grooved molding. The rail- ing, the hand-rail of which was also grooved, was of a slender appear- ance. At the western end of the hall where the first stairs started, the ceiling was arched and the entire stairway was spanned above with a graceful arch.
Opening from the end of the porch was a bar room. The entire west- ern side of this room was paneled and the other sides were paneled as high as the windows. The ceiling was low, the floor was of wide pine boards. Double shutters relieved the bareness of the windows. The frame
Inns and Taverns
113
-Courtesy Edith V. Miller
Cyrus Miller Tavern in Hartland Hollow-picture Circa 1910
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History of Hartland
of the fireplace which occupied the central part of the west side of the room was of soap-stone; the stone forming the mantel was about six inches in width and was supported by stone pilasters the bases of which were rounded.
The parlor of the house was located in the south-east corner. It also had a low ceiling, a large fireplace, inside shutters and paneling on all sides as high as the windows.
At the north part of the house opening into both the bar room and parlor was a long room with another fireplace having a built-in oven. This room had a high ceiling with cased summer beams projecting below the plaster. Two stairways led from this room, one to the cellar and the other to the chamber above. There was at each end of the room a small room used for closet space.
The ball room was a large room extending across the eastern end of the building. The upper part of its walls, (along the ceiling) was bordered by a molding like that of the cornice and above the front doors. Two large beams and braces projected from the walls on either end of the east side and between these beams and the roof were two small square windows. The window cases together with these base-boards, beams and moldings gave the upper sides of the room the appearance of being paneled, while the lower portion gave the appearance of a wide border. The upper part of the north and south walls slanted with the slant of the roof and the ceiling of the room was arched, making the whole effect graceful.
On the west side of the second story were several sleeping rooms. In an annex on the north side there was another stone chimney. Here was located the kitchen. Beyond the kitchen was a bedroom, a pantry and a long hall leading to a woodshed. The cellar of this tavern has an inter- est all its own. Tradition is that the hatchway on the western side of the building was large enough to allow a yoke of oxen to enter and, although the great stone chimney base took up a large amount of the space in the cellar, there was sufficient room for the team to drive around it.
Another tradition tells that in the early part of the nineteenth cen- tury iron ore was transported on horseback from "Ore Hill" Salisbury to Boston over this turnpike and invariably the drivers of the horses stopped over night at the Miller Tavern.
Family Facts and Anecdotes
In 1780, (May 30th) , Epaphras Sheldon deeded the lot of one hun- dred sixteen acres (upon which the tavern was built) to Nathan Hatch. October 25, 1786, Nathan Hatch decded it to Captain Jonathan Miller, Jr. of Farmington. April 14, 1794, Captain Jonathan Miller of Farming- ton deeded twenty acres of the above lot to his son, Cyrus Miller, also of Farmington. It remained the property of Cyrus Miller until his death October 1, 1849, after which it went to his son, Jonathan Miller. After the death of Jonathan Miller, the house, or tavern, and farm were own- ed by his oldest son, George W. Miller, who died in 1908, and it was sold by his heirs to the Hartford Water Board.
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Captain Jonathan Miller was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, February 13, 1729, and removed with his father's family in 1745 to Avon and settled in the Cider Brook district of that town. He married Mrs. Sarah North, born September 18, 1734, widow of Joseph North, late of Farmington.
Captain Jonathan was a Revolutionary soldier and the story is told that while he was away to war, his wife, Sarah, carried provisions in- cluding many bushels of rye over the great beam of the barn and con- cealed it in the hay mow from the British soldiers, (in Avon). Captain Jonathan and his wife, Sarah, removed to Hartland prior to 1800 and lived here until their death. Captain Jonathan Miller died July 29, 1810, and Sarah North Miller died April 9, 1811. They were buried in the Hartland Hollow Cemetery where stones mark their graves. These graves were subsequently moved to the East Hartland Cemetery when the Metropolitan District flooded Hartland Hollow.
Cyrus Miller was born in Northington Society, Farmington town- ship, Connecticut, February 17, 1770. His first wife was Roxana Barber, born August 17, 1773. They were married in 1795. His second wife was Damaris Mills, daughter of Jared Mills of Canton, born June 13, 1793; they were married July 26, 1824. Roxana Barber Miller died December 10, 1823; Damaris Mills Miller died January 28, 1873, and Cyrus Miller died October 1, 1849. They were buried in Hartland Hollow Cemetery where a monument marks their last resting place.
Later History of the Tavern
In 1932, the facade of the Miller Tavern was removed to the National Flower Show of Hartford where it was used as a background to an old-fashion garden exhibit sponsored by C. H. Sierman, Inc., and there it won first prize. In April, 1934, this same facade was taken to the National Flower Show in Boston where it again took first prize. The facade was later sold to an individual in Boston who planned to make it a feature of the garden of her country estate at Manchester- by-the-Sea, Massachusetts.
The frame and remaining parts of the tavern were purchased by Mr. Frederick Fuessenich of Torrington, Connecticut; these he removed and expects to rebuild on Tollgate Hill between Litchfield and Torrington.
OTHER INNS AND TAVERNS By Stanley A. Ransom
The first inns and taverns were little more than private homes situ- ated at strategic locations, usually at the intersection of roads used for travel by stagecoaches and at later periods, private conveyances.
Each had a common room for the use of travelers and accommoda- tions for horses and traveling equipment. The guests, however, had no choice of food, but were expected to partake table de hote of whatever had been selected for the day's menu.
Most of these inns were in operation for only a few years and with the exception of the Miller Tavern, eventually attained the status of a private home.
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History of Hartland
THE RED LION INN
Built in 1796 by Thomas Burnham and operated as the original RED LION INN, it was situated in North Hartland close by the East Branch of the Farmington River. The Inn did a thriving business in the carly days of the town as it was located on the Old County Road. Tom Burnham was one of the signers of the petition for the County Road. It went right by the south side of the house. It was surveyed in 1802, built and accepted in the fall of 1808. It started at the Old State House in Hartford and came through to Massachusetts State Line to meet the Turnpike No. 11 that led to Becket. It was used as a stage road from Blandford, Massachusetts, to Hartford, Connecticut, and later West Granville to Hartford.
At one time, this section was one of the largest business districts in town with a post office, school, inn, mills, and a number of prosper- ous farms along the river.
Before the Civil War the Inn had moved to Stockbridge, Massachu- setts and the mills were no longer in operation, but the post office and school were retained until the early 1930's.
The last half of the nineteenth century saw a number of changes in ownership until the property was finally acquired by Edward J. Barnes in 1901. The property was sold October 25, 1911 to the Old New- gate Coon Club, who maintained it as their clubhouse until it was sold to the Metropolitan District Commission in January of 1937 for $24,500.
-Courtesy Georgiana Feley Rebillard
The Red Lion Inn built in 1796 by Thomas Burnham. Later Old New- gate Coon Club as it appeared in 1935.
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Inns and Taverns
The following description taken from the Sixtieth Anniversary History of the Old Newgate Coon Club gives an indication of the locale as it appeared in 1930, and we quote:
"What a beautiful location that Hartland Hollow property was-old Hubbard River tumbling along about seventy-five feet in front of the door, which in normal flow, gave the music of gentle rain-hemmed in by the Hartland Mount- ains rising 600 feet high on each side of the valley made for short days and long nights so much the better for coon hunters; and then, the mammoth elm tree at the corner of the house, twenty-two feet six inches in circumference (1930) with a total spread of 172 feet; also, the schoolhouse and meadow with its acres of white and yellow daisies and fringe of red raspberries."
Since 1937, the building has been torn down and the place on which it stood is now covered by the waters of the Metropolitan District Reservoir.
RIDEOUT MOORE'S TAVERN
Rideout Moore's Tavern was located at the top of the West Mount- ain approximately two miles west of the Miller Tavern site.
Rideout Moore came from Granby, Connecticut, about 1800, and built a large house at the junction of the Hartland-Granby Turnpike and the Granville-Barkhamsted Road in West Hartland.
From 1800 until his death on December 4, 1848, at the age of 83, he did a flourishing business at this location. The Hartland Probate Rec- ords show his estate was a large one for the period. The following is an interesting item :
Excerpt for Will of Rideout Moore: "I give to my wife, Vashty, the use of my still to still her cider so long as my still shall last."
Total inventory of his estate amounted to $11,890.65, a large pro- portion of which consisted of notes due his account from nearly every- one of prominence in the West Hartland section. It would appear that most of these were due to cover bar bills, which had accumulated over a period of time. The items of beds and blankets listed in the inventory revealed that his establishment was quite extensive.
The use of the property for tavern purposes ended with the death of Rideout Moore. Later Carlos Holcomb inherited the property and sold it to William Spencer, Jr. For many years it was the home of Carl Nelson, Sr., and more recently it has been maintained as a general store by Frank Celio and at present, Thomas Dakin.
ARNOLD OATMAN'S HOTEL
Situated in West Hartland Center at the corner of the road running from West Granville to Barkhamsted and the road leading to Hartland Pond and Colebrook River, Arnold Oatman's Hotel was an overnight stop for travelers and a meeting place for local farmers.
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History of Hartland
Discontinued as an Inn shortly after 1850, it is now owned by the estate of Edward Ransom, and Perry Ransom. The ball-room on the second floor still exists, but remodeling at various times has removed the other Inn characteristics.
A few Inns have at various times been in operation at scattered locations, in the early days in the Western section of the town. Eldad Shepard is credited with being the first Innkeeper in West Hartland. His hostelry was located at (Key #WH-72) which would place it on the east side of the road, midway between houses now owned by Mrs. Paul- ine E. Crunden and Augustin Feley.
Peletiah Ransom also ran a hotel just north of the Hogback for a few years between 1852 and 1855.
INNS ON THE EAST MOUNTAIN
Descriptions of the Inns and Taverns located on the East Mountain are based on information contained in notebook of David N. Gaines. (S.A.R.)
NEHEMIAH ANDREWS' HOTEL (Key # EH-24)
The first hotel in Hartland was located on the East Mountain, but not in the vicinity of the section which was later known as "Hartland Green". Nehemiah Andrews settled on what is now Ringerman Hill Road. In this same section Thomas Giddings, the first settler, and his brother, Joshua, were located. At that time it was considered the spot which would likely become the site of the future Meeting House. In fact, the first ordained minister, Rev. Starling Graves, was ordained on a hill adjacent to Nehemiah Andrews' Hotel, and Andrews was forbidden to sell liquor during the Ordination Ceremonies. It was a source of consid- erable vexation when the Committee appointed to set the stake for the Meeting House decided on the location finally chosen. Andrews, how- ever, not only continued his hotel at this site for some years, but another hotel came into operation just a few rods to the east of his establish- ment. The house burned in the Spring of 1897, the fire having been caused by smoking hams in a barrel.
HOTEL OF JONATHAN COUCH (Key #EH-22)
The house at this site was built by Major Uriel Holmes, Jr., who rented it to Jonathan Couch with barn, still-house and still. According to the notebook of David N. Gaines, it came to be known as the "Haunt- ed House" from the fact that it is claimed a peddler was murdered there- in, but he goes on to add that "no one believes this now". Later, Erastus Beman ran a hotel at this site for many years.
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Inns and Taverns
URIEL HOLMES
This house, more familiarly known in later years as the "1776 House", or the "Coffee Shop", was built by Uriel Holmes who did not buy the land until May 5, 1780. According to David N. Gaines' note- book, and we quote:
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