Landmarks of New Canaan, Part 10

Author:
Publication date: 1951
Publisher: New Canaan, Connecticut : The New Canaan Historical Society
Number of Pages: 522

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > New Canaan > Landmarks of New Canaan > Part 10

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).

His salary at start was "not to exceed $25 per month."

Howard E. Grupe was appointed superin- tendent on April 14, 1936.

A directors' meeting held on October 18, 1870, voted as follows: "Voted to dedicate the cemetery grounds on Wednesday, the 26th inst., services to commence at 1 o'clock, p.m. Professor St. John and the resident clergy of the Town be invited to take part in the ser- vices. Voted: that a notice of the same be published in the New Canaan Era." No further record of this service appears in the associa- tion's records, but in the New Canaan Era, the local paper which preceded our own New Canaan Messenger, there appears a very full and interesting account of the Dedication ser- vices.

In the issue of October 22, 1870, appears the simple notice of the services as follows:

"The grounds of the New Canaan Cemetery As- sociation are to be dedicated on Wednesday, Oc- tober 26th, at 1 o'clock. Prof. Samuel St. John will deliver the address."

In its issue of October 29, 1870, in the form of a letter to the Editor appears the full ac- count, which is incorporated in full herein, because it shows the importance of the project as realized by the people of the Town even at that time. It was conceived and projected as a real town project and not just a money mak- ing development. The names of those partici- pating also are of interest.

"Mr. Editor :- A number of places of burial have been set apart in the Village and vicinity and used for the solemn interment of beloved friends, for very many years. But it has long been considered essential by our prominent citizens, that one suit- able spot be selected and set apart as a public cemetery. As many of the heads of the oldest fam- ilies have passed away, and their descendants also removed by death, the necessity of providing a large and suitable burial ground has become more and more apparent.

"Actuated by the numerous evidences of this public want and the hearty desire for a select and

proper cemetery, a few of our thoughtful citizens formed a company known as The New Canaan Cemetery Association, and by the purchase of a number of acres of ground, in addition to the old cemetery, have procured a large and inviting place for the interment of the dead.

"For the purpose of solemnly dedicating this piece of ground and religiously setting it apart from all secular and unhallowed purposes, public ser- vices were appointed and held on the ground, on Wednesday, October the 26th, 1870, at 1 o'clock p.m. Prof. St. John, with the clergy, Capt. S. Hoyt, W. G. Webb, S. Lockwood, Esqs., and others con- nected with the association, occupied the front seats of a stage erected in a valley in the eastern end of the cemetery. (Probably near where our Memorial Day exercises are now held.) These gentlemen occupied the front of the platform, thus leaving the remaining portion of it for the selected choir, who volunteered their services and assisted in the solemn ceremonies. Miss Emma Hoyt, Miss Emily Raymond, Mrs. Sabelia Simonson, Mrs. Russell Hall, Mr. W. G. Webb, Mr. Edward Hoag- land, Mr. R. Hoy, Mr. G. Mackin and Mr. Simon- son composed the members present.

"The services arranged for the sacred occasion took place in the following order:

"Opening Anthem-Luther's Judgment Hymn. "Prayer by the Rev. M. Staples.

"Reading of a lesson from the New Testament, I Cor. 15:20, by the Rev. W. A. Des Brisay.

"Address by Prof. S. St. John.

"Anthem by the choir, "Nearer My God to Thee.'

"Poem by the Rev. W. A. Des Brisay.

"Closing anthem by the choir, with the Dox- ology.

"A Benediction by the Rev. Mr. Staples.

"The exercises were solemn, interesting and ap- propriate to the dedication of a piece of ground, which in point of beauty and extent, will compare most favorably with any other set aside for the purpose. Soon after the services began a solemn funeral procession wound its way into the ceme- tery and the mortal remains of the late Mrs. Susan Stevens were consigned to their last abode; the Rev. Mr. Des Brisay, leaving the platform for a time, for the purpose of receiving the remains and attending to the interment.

"It is the intention of the gentlemen of the Cem- etery Association to publish a pamphlet, which will contain the articles of association, the by-

laws, the addresses and poems, as dedication me- morials, for the citizens and their families.

"We would suggest the selection of an appro- priate name for the ground, such as the Maple Hill, Brookside, Woodmore, Evergreen or Dream Dell Cemetery or any other name thought most suitable to the location.

"Also that when the ground is ornamented with trees and shrubbery, that names be given to the walks and drives and set up at the corners or en- trances to the same, by which they may be known.

"Such a burial place set apart and dedicated is one of our greatest improvements. We know of no other public ground which should receive greater care and attention from our citizens and the Town; that it may be preserved sacred to the sole use and purpose for which it is designed."

Rather a lengthy account of the dedication, but it was an important event in the history of our town and it is fine to think it was so recog- nized at the time. It seems as though the letter writer at times must be quoting from Prof. St. John's address and at other times from the prospectus for the sale of lots, but on the whole he did a good job in getting across the idea that this was a big public improvement. I think, however, I prefer the name eventually adop- ted, "Lakeview," rather than any of those sug- gested, even romantic "Dream Dell."

[June 5, 1947]

The treasurer's accounts and reports of the superintendent as on file, show some inter- esting items as to cost of work done in develop- ing the grounds. In 1870, is an item, "Nov. 5. Carting 45 loads muck @ .25-$11.25." "Dec. 9. 8 days' work for men and 4 for oxen, carting gravel and making dam-$18.00" 1873: "Dec. 1. 53 days' work, men, @$1.75-$92.75. 25 days' work, oxen @ $2.00-$50.00."

In 1874 they were paying men for working on the dam $1.50 per day, and also were paying this same amount for labor in 1887.

Evidently the blizzard of 1888 blocked up the cemetery, for in the superintendent's re-

port for that year is an item: "Mch. 19 and 20, Shovelling snow at cemetery-$6.00."

The lake has always been beautiful and evidently was one of the first improvements. Among first entries are records for work on the dam. In the superintendent's report of 1888 is an expenditure of "Crackers for fish-$2.70," and same item, "Crackers for fish-$8.86" in 1889. In 1890 there is a reverse item as to fish, showing a receipt of "Cash for carp-$16.75," while $5.14 was spent for "Food for fish."

One of the writer's earliest memories is going down to this lake on Sunday afternoons in Summer with a bag of dried bread and crac- kers and throwing them in the lake for the big carp there. It seems as though they would almost snatch it out of children's hands and some of them seemed awfully big to us chil- dren at that time. Evidently later gold fish were added or took the place of the carp, for on November 3, 1909, there is a vote in the records thanking Andros Weed "for getting the gold fish for the cemetery lake."

The first permanent structure was the under- ground vault. A committee to look into this matter was first appointed at the annual meet- ing, January, 1877. Its walls were to be six and one-half feet high in center of arch, and the vault itself nine feet wide and fifteen feet long. This was evidently completed and ready for use in 1879, for at that annual meeting rules and charges for the use of the vault were adopted.

The chapel was the next improvement. At a meeting held on March 13, 1901, it was moved "to put up a brick building with cellar, cost not to exceed $2,500. Voted to lay on the table." Evidently this was too ambitious a project, for on April 10, 1901, it was actually "voted, that a building of wood be erected in the cemetery, situated in the triangular square northeast of vault and not to exceed in price, $800." A committee was appointed to see to the erection of this building. As this committee worked on it, it was evidently not possible to erect the building for $800, for on May 16, 1906, there is a vote "to build a building in cemetery according to plans at cost of $1,449."

-.....

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Eduru Cturau .1947

Lakeview Cemetery

The building committee was discharged on September 16, 1907, and the superintendent in his report for 1907, says that "the chapel has been furnished with chairs, table, stove and floor covering and the use of the building is greatly appreciated." In the same report he mentions that the new stone gateways and rubble fence built on east and west of the

chapel "is a marked improvement and adds greatly to the approach to our grounds."

The first mention of a water system was in the annual meeting, January 12, 1910, when a committee was appointed to arrange for lay- ing a pipe and "getting water from Mill Pond." This committee "reported progress" at a meet- ing on June 8, 1910, and also at a meeting of

September 7, 1910, being called at this meeting "The Committee on Water for Fountain." This idea was abandoned and nothing came of "the progress" reported by this committee on these two occasions.

On May 20, 1913, at a special meeting an estimate for a water supply system was sub- mitted by the Henry Plumbing Company. This estimate was for $935, and it was accepted and this company installed the present sys- tem, fed from a spring on cemetery property, with an electric pump and tank. The total cost was eventually $1,265, but the association seems to have been very much pleased with the installation.

The first mention of a new main entrance at the south end of the cemetery seems to have been at a meeting of the directors on Septem- ber 29, 1917, the record of which follows: "A plan by F. S. Odell (surveyor), for bridge and road at South entrance to cemetery was ex- amined and discussed at length. Voted, that the Ex. Com. secure definite prices from W. H. Arthur, Rodney Light or others and report at a special meeting as soon as possible for building bridge and road." At next meeting, December 15, 1917, the committee, "reported matter left over for time being or until Spring of 1918." The superintendent's report for 1917 says this matter of new road and bridge not built be- cause "the conditions of the times, however, with the high cost of material and labor did not warrant the execution of this work this year." (Sounds like 1947, doesn't it?)

The Superintendent in his report for 1919 "trusts the Directors will keep in mind the pro- posed new roadway entering from South Main Street." The road was started "in dull times" during 1920 by the cemetery's own men. In his report for 1921, the superintendent says, "It might be well to keep in mind the proposed new road drive from South Main Street across the river to connect with the road just com- pleted. I think this piece of work should be let by contract, whenever the Directors feel it is time to consider doing it." Superintendent's report in 1927, reported, "Some large stones have been placed in the proposed new road-

way, leading to the new South Main Street entrance. We hope soon to be able to have our men build the foundations and stone piers for the bridge to cross the river for this new road- way." On August 7, 1931, the directors ap- proved a detailed plan of the new entrance and gates, and at the annual meeting, Janu- ary 13, 1932, a balance of the bill of Bounty Monumental Corporation for entrance gates, amounting to $1,950, was ordered paid, and the superintendent reported it all completed and in use in his 1932 report.

The association was for a long time, a rather tight, closely held corporation. Practically the same directors or managers were reelected each year, generally unanimously, and these directors reelected the same officers year after year. Changes came practically only on the death of a director or officer.

All notices of the annual meeting up to Janu- ary 13, 1915, referred to it only as a meeting of the stockholders. However, in the minutes of a directors' meeting in 1897, there is the item "at a meeting of the Board of Directors elected by the stockholders and lot owners," but the official call for this annual meeting re- ferred only to stockholders, and the records of that meeting itself refers only to "a meeting of the stockholders." The official notices and min- utes of all the annual meetings up to the meet- ing of January 13, 1915, notified only the stock- holders to attend and only stockholders at- tended. The largest number of votes cast at meetings before 1915 was 64-but at that meet- ing 638 were cast, and there have always been over 500 since, sometimes, as in 1934 and 1935, over 1,700, and in 1942, 2,521, all by lot owners.

No official reason for this sudden change in policy appears on record. Reading between the lines and recalling some personal knowledge, for the writer was present at this 1915 annual meeting with some proxies of lot owners, and as an attorney passing on the legal sufficiency of the proxies presented, the situation seems to have been brought about because of a strug- gle for control of the association between E. B. Lawrence, long its superintendent, and Han- ford S. Weed, who had been appointed a di-

rector only on the death of his brother, Andros S. Weed, at a directors' meeting held on De- cember 9, 1914. Both of these men were strong, forceful characters, and they had been op- posed to each other on many other occasions and in other situations. This conflict came to a head in this 1915 meeting and to make sure of control, Mr. Lawrence invoked the right of lot owners to vote and set about getting these proxies. Mr. Weed must have had some, also, for when the ballot was announced, it was found John F. Bliss, the president, and Stephen Hoyt had each received 638 votes but Mr. Lawrence only 347. But this was enough to elect him a director, and Mr. Weed was not elected and never appeared again as a direc- tor or officer of this association.

Since that meeting lot owners have always voted, and since 1940 have been in complete and sole control for on that date all the stock was redeemed at par and called in and des- troyed.

The first mention of retiring all the stock is in the minutes of a directors' meeting of Decem- ber 8, 1936, as follows: "The question of re- tiring stock, after a long discussion, was left on the table. The Ex. Com. was asked to secure counsel about retiring stock and a change in the by-laws to be presented at the annual meeting that will permit the election of direc- tors from the lot owners and not limited to owners of stock." At the next annual meeting, January 11, 1937, "the report of committee on retiring stock, also letter from counsel received and placed in file. It was voted we leave the report on the table."

At a directors' meeting, held December 5, 1938, it was formally voted that the board re- commend to the annual meeting to retire the balance of 74 shares of stock at $25 per share. This proposed action appears in the call of the 1939 annual meeting and at this meeting held at the chapel on January 9, 1939, this retire- ment was actually voted in accordance with Sec. IX of the Articles of Association. The treasurer's report of April 1, 1939, shows the item, "Retirement of stock, 67 sh .- $1,675," and later on September 1, $125 for retirement

of stock, and also one share December 1, 1939. The notice of the annual meeting for 1940, is addressed only to "Lot owners," showing all stock retired and only lot owners now in con- trol of the association. The transformation from a tightly held stock corporation con- trolled by a very few stockholders into a mu- tual lot owners control had become complete, and possibly, even probably, it was brought about by the proxy contest for control between two individual directors in 1915.

The record of this association as to pay- ment of dividends would make it AAll, in any listing. Suffice it to record it never missed pay- ing a dividend of 8 per cent annually from the time it started to pay in 1879, until the stock was retired in 1940. It first declared such a dividend at a directors' meeting held on Janu- ary 4, 1879, the vote being as follows: "Voted that we pay to the stockholders a dividend of 8 per cent on the capital stock for the year 1871, with 7 years' interest on the same at the rate of 6 per cent per annum, all payable on the 1st day of Feb. 1879." By paying for four years in 1883, and for three years in 1884, they were brought up to date, and kept up annually until the last one, the 68th, paid in 1939. The annual amount paid out was for many years, including at least the last nineteen years, $148.

It can never be justly accused of paying salaries to its officers, that were unduly large either. As late as 1940, the total salary item was only $1,257.39, and $175 for directors' fees. In 1936 the salaries are listed as, President, $40; vice-president, $7.50; secretary, $50, and treas- urer, $350.

The officers have generally served long terms, there being only seven presidents in nearly 80 years. The presidents have been as follows:

1. Stephen Hoyt, 1868-1879.

2. Selleck Y. St. John, 1879-1897.

3. Thomas M. Fairty, 1897-1898.

4. Selleck Y. St. John, 1898-1900.

5. John F. Bliss, 1900-1919.

6. Francis E. Green, 1919-1936.

7. Stephen Hoyt, 1936 -. Begin and end with

a Stephen Hoyt, one the grandfather of the

other. Edwin Hoyt, now a director, is the fourth generation of the Hoyt family to serve as an officer or director.

The secretaries and their terms have been:

1. W. G. Webb, 1868-1882.

2. Thomas Raymond, 1882-1887.

3. Russell L. Hall, 1887-1897.

4. Francis M. Bliss, 1897-1898.

5. Russell L. Hall, 1898-1901.

6. Thomas J. Fairty, 1901-1907.

7. George E. Bliss, 1907-1910.

8. Darius A. St. John, 1910-1939.

9. G. Herbert Johnson, 1939 -.

The following have been the treasurers:

1. Charles Raymond, 1868-1895.

2. Russell L. Hall, 1895-1897.

3. F. M. Bliss, 1897-1898.

4. Gardner Heath, 1898-1900.

5. Frank M. Bliss, 1900-1901.

6. W. Stanley Lockwood, 1901-1922.

7. John H. Behre, 1922-1942.

8. David S. Rockwell, 1944 -.

Other than these officers, some of the direc- tors have been: L. M. Monroe, A. L. Dickens, John E. Selleck, Irving Lockwood, Edwin Hoyt, Dr. Walter C. Wood, Franklin Hoyt, Ed- ward Lawrence, T. C. Rockwell, L. C. Hall, L. V. St. John, Lewis S. Olmstead, George W. Duryea, D. R. Merritt, Edwin Hoyt (2), Ed- ward B. Lawrence and Howard E. Grupe.

Starting in 1868, with a capital paid in by 1870, of only $1,093.75, in 1880 it had a balance of only $179.36 on hand; total business for the year, 1880, $986. The 1890 report shows total total business of $2,313, with a balance on hand $802. By 1900, total business had shrunk to only $774, with a balance on hand of only $24 .- 46. In 1910, however, total business was $6,220.07, with a balance of $2,357 on hand. In 1920, total receipts were over $12,000, with over $13,740 in special trust funds, and over $4,200 cash on hand in regular accounts. In 1930, business was over $25,000, with $11,000 on hand in general fund, and over $45,000 in trust funds, including perpetual care funds. And by 1940, receipts for the year were over $16,000 with disbursements of $14,000, with investments in trust funds of over $43,000 and a perpetual care fund of over $26,000. These figures certainly show a remarkable and steady growth.

As to lot owners, first number is given as 538 in 1912. This increased as follows: 596 in 1919, 659 in 1925, 765 in 1930, 895 in 1935; in 1940, 1,044, and in 1942, the number was 1,056.

This is a history and record of growth of which the association may well be proud. It certainly has justified the high hopes and fine purposes expressed at its dedication services in 1870, for Lakeview has become indeed our community cemetery and a place, dedicated and set apart, in beauty and loveliness, for the final resting place of those who rest from their labors.

NEW CANAAN HIGH SCHOOL

MISS EDNA TACKE, Author

EDWIN EBERMAN, Artist

[June 12, 1947]

From about 1900 to 1925, New Canaan public school pupils, desiring to continue education beyond the grammar grades, by special ar-

rangement with Stamford, continued their high school education in Stamford High School. In 1925 Stamford voted to restrict non-resident

Edwin Eberman 194.

New Canaan High School

students to school year 1925-26. This made it incumbent on New Canaan to build and or- ganize its own high school.

Five possible sites were proposed (a) Fish site, (b) Mead Memorial Park, (c) Lockwood property, (d) Hall-McKendrick site on Church Street, (e) Hamman property on South Main Street. A series of town meetings were held during September, October and November, 1925, to hear reports on possible sites. A meet- ing on October 9 approved the Park site. On October 28 this vote was rescinded. On Novem- ber 18, Mr. and Mrs. Barend Van Gerbig of- fered to the town as a gift the Lockwood site, the present location of the high school, con- sisting of about four and one-half acres. Even- tually John Noble Pierson and Son of Perth Amboy, N. J., were chosen as architects for a building whose cost was not to exceed $150,000.

The corner stone of the new building was laid Monday, July 5, 1926. This ceremony was part of the town's celebration of its 125th anni- versary. The chief speaker was Professor John Erskine of Columbia University, who spoke on "Our High School." Henry Kelley, of the New Canaan School Committee, also spoke. He pre- sented to the late F. E. Green, president of the board, a silver trowel, which was used in the laying of the corner stone. In the copper box inside the stone was enclosed (a) a list of im- portant historical events in New Canaan from 1876 to July 5, 1926, compiled by the New Canaan Historical Society and the Hannah Benedict Carter Chapter of the D.A.R., (b) seven photographs of which one was the pic- ture of the last class to be graduated from Center School.

The last group of pupils to enter Stamford High School was the class of February, 1926. The group entering high school September, 1926, began their high school career in a pri- vate residence adjoining the Center School of those days and which had been purchased. O. W. Grafmiller, A.B., Indiana State Teachers' College, A.M., Columbia University, and an experienced teacher and executive, was the first principal. He, with Miss Katherine G. Kelley and Miss Edna Tecke, constituted the

faculty for the first semester. There were 32 members of this first class. Even with this meagre beginning, a school paper "High School Star," was edited and the first operetta, "Windmills of Holland," was given. Students who were then attending Stamford High School gave liberally of their time and energy to aid the small beginning class in its maiden effort.

The high school was at first a six-year one. In September, 1928, the congested conditions forced the seventh grade to be moved back to Center School. There were 302 pupils in the high school in September, 1928. September, 1930, saw grades seven and eight retained at Center School. In September, 1930, a request was made for a new junior high building and grading the high school ground. The New Ca- naan High School became a three year high school on the dedication of the Henry W. Saxe Junior High in 1932.

While New Canaan High School has now its sixth principal, the philosophy stated by the first principal, O. W. Grafmiller, might well be called, generally speaking, the philosophy of all. Mr. Grafmiller stated that as follows in the dedicatory number of "The Star":

"To work out this program, in a six-year high school, four objectives must be recognized:

"1. To provide a range of curriculum sufficiently broad and varied to meet the type of need of stu- dents of early adolescence, as in the first three years of the program.

"2. To organize classes according to the ability of the pupils to progress in the subject matter taught.

"3. To promote pupils according to their ability shown by subjects, rather than by general informa- tion attained in all grade work.

"4. To develop a better insight into social needs, and to insure better training in these needs by the introduction of vocational subjects, commercial work, cabinet making, cooking or sewing, occupa- tions and related subjects, as provided in the ad- vanced years of the high school.

"The six-year high school will ultimately include many types of opportunity to work with the hand as well as with the head, athletics, art courses, or- chestra, and many other legitimate activities that

offer students an opportunity for participation in worthwhile activities outside the regular class room.

"In this program there is no desire to get away from the requirements laid down by the colleges, but it is a desire to break loose from the strangle- hold, and to develop a course of study suitable for the greatest number of students and to build upon the idea that not all students graduating from the high school go to college or have to take college entrance examinations, but all do have to go out into life as desirable citizens.

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Landmarks of New Canaan, Part 10

Author: Publication date: 1951 Publisher: New Canaan, Connecticut : The New Canaan Historical Society Number of Pages: 522

Author:
Publication date: 1951
Publisher: New Canaan, Connecticut : The New Canaan Historical Society
Number of Pages: 522