USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Winsted > The Winsted tercentenarian > Part 2
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Winsted, the Laurel City Continued from Page Four
the most modern type, upholstery hard- ware, pocket cutlery that delights the boy or man, electrie appliances that gladden every woman's heart, folding chairs by the thousands, chisels. gonges. scythes. corn knives, grass hooks, enaniel wire, pneumatie hoists, casket hard- ware. hat fur, silk thread, name tapes. paper boxes, box shooks. manufactured Inmber, wood turning and patterns. The environment and laboring condi- tions in Winsted. a friendly town. pure air free of smoke, in a beautiful conn- try, make it a pleasure to work here.
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
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The Gilbert School and Gymnasium Annex
Gilbert School, Endowed High School Founded in 1895- Has an Enrollment of 600 Students and Assets of $1,200,000. Gilbert Free Library Has 15,000 Volumes
FEW cities are favored as is Winsted in having a free endowed high school. For forty years since the estab- lishment of the Gilbert School in 1895 the Town of Winchester has not had to support a high school and yet in all those years it has had one of the finest secondary schools in New England. of- fering advantages to the vonth not usnally found in the modern high school. The answer to the question of how is this possible is found in the in- terest which the late William L. Gil- bert. the clock manufacturer and bank- er. had in the improvement and edu- cation of young people and his great generosity and public spirit.
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This interest covered a long period of years during his life, for in Jaun. ory. 1864. while the War of the Re- bellion was in progress. Mr. Gilbert made an offer to his fellow townsmr. to give $20,000 toward the establish ment of a seminary, which was a name used at that time for secondary schools. provided they would give an e mal amount for the same purpose. Win- sted had had a muuber of private seminaries, one having been erecte | in 1847 by Henry E. Rockwell on Fair- view Avenue, which became known as
Seminary Hill. Another. St. James' Seminary. was connected with St. James' Episcopal Church. beginning in the 50's. and the Winchester Insti- tute, established in 1858 by Rev. Ira Pettibone.
The Winsted Herald of January 1. 1861. says: "A school project is now
Walter D. Hlood, Principal
well on foot which our citizens may vontemplate with the most lively satis- faction. Last Christmas, Mr. William I. Gilbert of this village, as the noblest present he could make his town. placed his name to a document pledging $20 .- 000 to the erection of a public school. with the provision that an equal amount should be raised to aid the project." Three weeks later the Iler- ald published a list of subscribers to the seminary fund which then amount- ed to $34.000. 1 week later the Herald said: "It is useless to attempt to con- real the fact that Mr. Gilbert's noble proposition does not meet that cordial response that it should receive." It was falsely insinuated that it was to he "exclusively an institution for rich meu's children." and the project fell through when it was so near the goal.
In the 70's advanced courses were offered in the Winsted and West Win- sted High Schools which were made a part of the curriculum of the First and Fourth district schools, which had been growing rapidly and classes were grad- nated annually with public exercises.
During all those years, Mr. Gilbert was amassing a fortune through his manufacturing, banking and other in-
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
terests but he did not lose his desire to assist young people to gain an edu- cation, nor was this interest wholly confined to Winsted for he became interested in a project to help the colored boys and girls of the Sonth and gave $10,000 to erest buildings for an industrial school at LaTeche. Lonisi- ana. to which he left an additional en- dowment of $40.000 in his will. The name of the school was changed to Gilbert Academy and the place to Win- sted in Mr. Gilbert's honor. Gilbert Academy is now the secondary school connected with the University of New Orleans. Referring to his gift to this school he remarked: "Tt gave me more pleasure than any one thing I have ever done."
When he came to draw in his will. having in his lifetime established the William L. Gilbert Home. Mr. Gilbert made provision for that and other be- quests and left the residue of his large estate. amounting to about $600.000 for the Gilbert School. naming sixteen trustees who were to serve for life and appoint their own successors. one-half to reside in the then First School dis- trict and one-half in the Fourth School district. to administer the affairs of the school and home. The trustees named in the will were Theophilus Baird. William L. Camn. Judge All- gustus H. Fenn. Winfield J. Garvin. Henry Gay. Charles B. Hallett. Rufus E. Holmes. Joseph H. Norton, Lvman R. Norton. George B. Owen. Eugene Potter, Harvey L. Roberts. Dr. Harvey B. Steele. David Strong. Isaac B. Woodruff and Charles .T. York. Dr. Steele died a month before Mr. Gilbert and did not qualify as a trustee. Dr William S. Hulbert being chosen in his place, and Mr. Baird died in 1893 and was succeeded by Lorenzo M. Blake.
Mr. Gilbert died June 29. 1890. at Cedardale. Ontario, while visiting his nephew, Edward G. Whiting. His will was contested but was declared valid by the supreme court in Mav. 1893. and the trustees proceeded to build the Gil. bert School on its present beautiful site facing the Winsted Park. the Park Hotel. formerly the Winsted Honse. and the Adams block being moved across Main Street to make room for it. Twenty thousand dollars was raised by interested citizens in order that the school might be located there.
The present main building was erected and the school opened on Sep- tember 10. 1895. providing classical training. with John E. Clarke, Ph. D .. an educator of engaging personality and high ideals. as principal. and six other teachers and 123 regular and twenty-three special students. Dr. Clarke remained at the head of the school thirteen years. He was fortunato in having a very able staff in the early
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Memorial Library. Home of Beardsley Library
The Beardsley Library Established 1874 - Has 16,000 Volumes and 6,000 Borrowers Enrolled
A MONG its many fine public insti- HA tutions. Winsted is very fortunate in having two free circulating libraries conveniently located about a mile and a onarter anart. at either end of the city. the Beardsley Library. established sixty years ago last fall. and the Gilbert School Library. established forty years ago. Together they have over 30.000 volumes. The usefulness and pleasure derived from these centers of know- ledge and instruction cannot be meas- ured. Onietly. but surely. they add to the culture of Winsted and neighbor- ing towns, serving thousands of people.
Winsted has had library privileges for more than a century and a quar- ter. There was an early library in the office of Solomon Rockwell & Bros. on the south side of Lake Street and another Was organized as early as 1808 in the West School district by .Joel Miller. then eighteen. and other vonths and kent in his father's honse on what is known as the Lewis farm on the Losaw road on Spencer Hill. a mile from Main Street. which John Bovd savs. strange as it may seem. was then central to the largest portion of the scholars of the district.
The Winsted Historical and Theo- logical Library was organized in 1810 and was maintained in the house of the nastor. Rev. James Beach, on North Main Street, known as the Rose Terry Cooke place. Two years later some Young men organized a library that was located in the house of Col. Hosen Hinsdale on the site of Town Clerk C. Wesley Winslow's residence on Main Street. Another library was organized in the East Village in 1820. The Meth- odists have had a Sunday school li-
brary for about 100 years and other churches have had libraries at varions periods.
In 1874. Mrs. Delia Rockwell Beards. ley. daughter of Alpha Rockwell. as a memorial to her late Imsband. Dea- con Elliot Beardsley. gave $10.000 to found the Beardsley Library in West Winsted. Deacon Beardsley was at one time the most prominent man in Win- sted. owner of the Beardsley Sexthe factory. president of the Winsted Bank. State senator, etc. Seven trustees chosen by Mrs. Beardsley were directed to ex- Dendl $5.000 for hooks and magazines and to invest the other $5.000 and use the income to replenish the library. The library was opened Sept. 15. 1874. in the Beardsley (Youmatz) block. where rooms were furnished free of rent for ten years. first by Mrs. Beards- lev until her death in 1978 and then by members of her family. Miss Martha Beardsley. a daughter by a former wife. later gave $1.000 and Miss Amanda Church $6.000 in cash and the proceeds from the sale of her farm.
Twenty-fours years after the open- ing. the Beardsley Library was moved in 1898 to the Memorial Library build- ing at Main Street and Munro Place. the gift of Jenison T. Whiting and his wife. Mary Phelps Whiting, who com- pleted the building after his death. On June 30. 1899. it was opened as a free library. the town having voted to make an animal appropriation for that pur- poss. which at present is $3.150.
The library has 16,394 bound vol- umes. a great many pamphlets and sixty current magazines. There are
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
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The Litchfield County Hospital
Litchfield County Hospital
Opened in 1902-Treats 1,000 Patients Annually. Endowment of Over Half a Million Dollars-Ranks High Among Hospitals of State
CCUPYING a beautiful site on a Er pital and an organization was com- pleted with officers but no definite ac- tion toward erecting a hospital build. ing was taken. Four years later an- other group of citizens who were also interested in a hospital here secured & charter under the name of the Win- chester Hospital Association and an appropriation of $10,000 from the State, Elliott B. Bronson being the representative at the time who was most instrumental in securing this grant. Meantime the offer had come from Mrs. Julia A. Batcheller to the older organization of the beautiful site
O prominence overlooking the city, the Litchfield County Hospital of Win- chester has just completed a third of : century of useful service. It is an institution which ranks high among the hospitals of the State and of which Winsted people are very proud. The number of patients treated annually averages more than 1.000, coming for the most part from fifteen towns in northern Litchfield and sonthern Berk- shire and Hamden, Mass., Counties.
The hospital comprises a splendid group of buildings commanding a beau- tiful view overlooking the valleys and hills in a very healthful location at an elevation of 1,000 feet. The main build- ing is a model of hospital architecture built after a study had been made of many similar institutions. There are accommodations for seventy patients. The hospital is ably managed and has a staff of surgeons, physicians and nurses of marked ability.
The history of the hospital dates back to the early nineties when the need for such an institution was im- pressed upon the people. The first money raised for a hospital in Win- chester was by Miss Adelyn Howard, an invalid who had been ill for many Years and had a receptacle near her bed in which her friends contributed small sums for a hospital in Winsted. In 1895 the General Assembly granted a charter to the Litchfield County hos-
Dr. Edward II. Welch, First President
extending from Spencer Street to Main Street containing thirteen and one-half acres, and a gift of $5.000 from Mrs. Maria M. Brown for furnishings. It was, of course, realized that there was no need for two hospitals in Winsted and plans were happily made to con- solidate the two organizations, which was done by an act of the General As- sembly in 1901 under the name of the Litchfield County Hospital of Win- chester aud a further appropriation of $20,000 for a building and $6,118 for maintenance.
The incorporators, all but five of whom have died, were as follows:
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Nurses' Home, Spencer Street
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
The First Congregational Church
Rer. Arthur W. Bailey. Pastor
Winsted's Magnificent Group of Churches
Brief Sketches of the Nine Denominations Represented, Beginning in 1768-Buildings Cost Over Three-quarters of a Million Dollars and Have Beautiful Collection of Memorial Windows
W JINSTED is especially noted for its fine churches. There is no small city in New England in which there are so many churches comparable in architectural beauty to the group of handsome stone churches which oc- cupy five prominent corners along Main and North Main Streets. The town has ten churches, not including the Salva- tion Ariny hall, which give evidence of the high purposes and liberality of its citizens. These handsome edifices repre- sent a valnation of three-quarters of a million dollars. Not only are the buiki- ings graceful and ornate but they con- tain a score or more memorial window- representing the highest skill in art glass, teaching their silent lessons. The organs also are of nmustal worth and merit. The denominations are repre- sented as follows: Three Congrega- tional, Methodist, Episcopal, Roman
Catholic. Baptist, Christian Science. Hebrew, A. M. E. Zion and Salvation Army.
The Winchester Congregational Church
The Congregational Church of Win- chester was organized October 30. 1771. three months after the organization of the town, by Rev. Nathaniel Robert- of Torrington and Rev. Ammi Ru- hamah Robbins of Norfolk with fom'- teen members. The Ecclesiastical So- ciety was established three years before by the Colonial Assembly at the May session, 1768, the boundaries extending
across the township west and south of Long Pond ( Highland Lake).
David Austin was appointed to col- lect the tax of one penny. half penny per acre. Preaching had been held in the home near the Torrington line of Seth Hills, first deacon and first town representative. who served as wagon master in the battle of Saratoga, wit- nessed Burgoyne's surrender and clear. ed the field of dead and wounded. It was voted to try to seenre Rev. Tino- thy Pitkin of Farmington to preach if Rev. Sammel J. Mills of Torringford did not come.
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Winchester Congregational Church and Chapel
The Second Meeting House, Winchester
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
Rev. Thomas Street, Pastor
A meeting house was erected in 1769 south of the Bieree or Besse place. Rev. Joshua Knapp was ordained the first pastor November 11. 1772. In 1785. Dr. Josiah Everett. the first doctor in town and a captain in the Revolution- ary War. sold the present Winchester Green to the Society for 1 £ 11 s. 6 d. for a site for the second meeting house which was built after a heated contro- versy and two committees appointed by the County Court to "pitch ve stakes." Many in Danbury quarter were so incensed they moved to central New York. The public whipping post and stocks stood nearby on the Green. One member of the church was accused of practicing witcheraft. The present Winchester church was built in 1841 on land leased of Isaac Bronson, with the provision no building should ever be ereeted on the Green. Following Rev. Mr. Knapp there have been eight set- tled pastors. Rev. Frederick Marsh preached over forty years and Rev. Arthur Goodenough. D.D .. "bishop of Winchester." over a half century. The present pastor is Rev. Forrest Musser.
The First Congregational Church
A petition. dated Sept. 1. 1777. signed by twenty-one persons and pre- sented to the General Assembly for the incorporation of the Society of Win- sted to extend from Highland Lake to the Farmington River in Barkhamsted. was granted in February, 1778, and the first meeting was held on March 17 at the house of John Balcom on the North Road ou Wallen's Hill. Lient. John Wright. the first settler, was moderator and Eleazer Kellogg. clerk. On Sep- tember 15, it was voted to pay Mr. Por- ter and Mr. Ansbon for preaching. after the tax was collected. At the an- nual meeting in December. 1778, it was voted that a meeting be held "to see if the Society are a mind to be made a
The Second Congregational Church
distinct town," and two years later the agitation was begun for a meeting house. starting a contest over its loca- tion which was to last twelve years. It was voted to get the plans of the churches in Winchester and Barkham- sted and Lient. Wright was directed to apply to Col. Elisha Sheldon of Salis- bury to find the "senter" of the Society. In August. 1783, a committee appoint- ed by the County Court. Col. Sheldon. Major Giles Pettibone of Norfolk. Asaph Hall. Esq .. of Goshen. set the stakes. But the place was rejected and in February. 1784. another committee was appointed to set the stake but the spot was rejected and again. the fourth time. in 1786. Then the question was deferred for a year and the place next selected rejected and the question was allowed to rest until 1791.
The disagreement probably arose because the membership was greatly
seattered, several living at Rowley Pond. others in the Still River Valley and some on Spencer and Pond Ilills. Preaching was held in the homes and on January 18. 1792. Rev. Ezra Wood- worth was ordained pastor but not un- til there had been another controversy over deeding him a parsonage lot. . 1 meeting house was built the next fall on Wallen's Hill over the line in Bark- hamsted. The stepping stone there has been marked by the D. A. R.
In the meantime the church lost 20 of its members who connected then- selves with the Methodists or Baptists. which societies had been organized. Mr. Woodworth was dismissed in 1798 and Rev. Aaron Kinney was employed for four or five years. Meantime. the Green Woods turnpike was opened. diverting the travel from the North Road to the valley (Main Street ) and in July. 1799. it was voted to build a church near the
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The Christian Science Church
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
The Winsted Methodist Church
southwest corner of the Winsted Park and, though partially completed. was occupied the next year. Rev. Mr. Kin- ney first supplying that church. This meeting house was completed by the aid of a lottery in 1805. The Wallen's Hill church was taken down and the timbers used in building the original East Winsted hotel.
Rev. James Beach. father-in-law of Caleb J. Camp, was pastor from 1804 to 1842. The church was remodelled in 1828 and removed in 1849. during the pastorate of Rev. Ira Pettibone, grand- father of Mrs. E. B. Bronson. to the west side of the Park and practically rebuilt.
In his pastorate in 1853: hfty-one members withdrew to organize the Ser- Olla Congregational Church. Among other ministers who served the First Church were Rev. John D. Baldwin. later a member of Congress from Mas-
Rev. Danicl Coe, Organizer
sachusetts. Rev. Henry A. Russell. Rev. Malcolm McG. Dana. Rev. Thomas Al. Miles. Rev. T. J. Lee. Rev. Henry N. Kinney aud Rov. George W. Judson. who was installed June 28. 1898 and remained nineteen years. The present beautiful church was erected during his pastorate and dedicated Sept. 19. 1901. Following him came Rev. Albert T. Steele. Rev. Henry A. Blake and Dr. John W. Flight. The handsome par- sonage on Walunt Street was built during Dr. Flight's pastorate. The present pastor. Rev. Arthur W. Bailey. came to Winsted in April. 192S.
The Second Congregational Church
Owing to the rapid growth of Wes! Winsted and the distance to the First Congregational church, a meeting was held May 14. 1853 to organize a new church society. A committee investi. gated and reported favorably and the conneil, of which Rev. Joseph Ehlridge of Norfolk was moderator, was con- vened January 18. 1854. and fifty-one members of the First Church and six from other churches were organized as the Second Congregational Church. Rev. Charles IT. A. Bulkley was in- stalled as first pastor December 5. 185 1. Meetings were heldl for three years and eight months in Camp's hall. The lot north of the Moore & Alvord Insurance Agency's office was purchased and Thomas Watson. John Boyd and Most: Camp were appointed a building com- mittee. The church was dedicated Sep. tember 16, 1857. and three years later " chapel was erected. the committee he. ing Elliot Beardsley. Thomas Watson. John T. Rockwell and Samuel L. An- drews. These building- are now the Winsted Furniture Co.'s store and J. IT. Holbrook's plumbing shop. Rev. Mr. Bulkley was dismissed April 5. 1859. and Rey. Hiram Eddy was installed
Jonathan Coe, Ir. First Methodist Conrert
as pastor. Jannary 9. 1861. He was given a leave of absence in June as chaplain of the Second Regiment. Con- nectient Volunteer Infantry, was taken prisoner at Bull Run and confined at Richmond and other prisons for more than a year. Returning to his pastorate. he was dismissed October 16. 1865. The parsonage was purchased May 23. 1864. for $2,500.
Rer. Andrew F. Chamberlain, Pastor
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
St. James' Episcopal Church
Rec. Robert V. K. Harris, Rector
Rev. Charles Wetherby was pastor from 1866 to 1871 and Rev. Leavitt H. Hallock from 1873 to 1883. The Chris- tian endeavor Society was organized December 14, 1885. Others who served as pastors were Rev. Heury 11. Kelsey. Rev. Henry P. Peck and Rev. Newell M. Calhoun, who came September 1. 1897. The present handsome church was dedicated during his pastorate. Sept. 5, 1899. the building committee consisting of William L. Camp. Rufus E. Holmes, S. Landon Alvord and the pastor, with Caleb J. Camp. John Woodford, Henry Gay. Mrs. Alice Vaill and Mrs. E. P. Wilcox as an advisory committee. The semi-centen- nial was celebrated Jannary 17 and 18. 1904. During the pastorate of Rev. Everard W. Snow, who came January 16, 1908, an addition was built on the church and the three-mannal Hutchin's organ, costing $10.000, was dedicated. Rev. Thomas Street became pastor in Jannary, 1929.
The Winsted Methodist Church
The history of Methodism in Win- sted dates back before 1790. Rev. John Sweet, a Revolutionary soldier, carly became a Methodist preacher in this section. Ensign Jonathan Coe. also a Revolutionary soldier, is called the father of Methodism in this town. Ilis son, Jonathan, Jr., became converted when he was a boy in the 1780's and the mother, Eunice Cook Coe. in order to know more about the new doctrine in- vited the preacher, who was looked upon by the "Orthodox" faith as a rov- ing fanatie, to visit their home, then in Winchester, and all were converted.
Meetings were held in the West Winsted schoolhouse until the church. now the residence of Superintendent Leon MeKusick on Spencer street. was built in 1808 under the direction of Col. Samuel Hoadley. Methodist camp meetings were held at the Manchester
farm by Rev. Daniel Coe, son of En- sigu Jonathan, who married Anna, daughter of Rev. John Sweet. Rev. Daniel Coe established a member of Methodist churches, including Bark- hamsted and Newfield.
In 1832, it was decided by the grow- ing constitneney that a new church was needed and the lot on Main Street forming the west portion of the pres- ent church site was bought of James Ihumphrey and the large white wooden church was dedicated Jannary 29. 1834. by Rev. Wilbur Fisk, D.D., president of Wesleyan University. an institution then but three years old. Rev. Daniel Smith was appointed the first -ettled pastor, the church having been pre- viously on the Litchfield and Burling- ton circuits. A parsonage was erected at 49 High Street in the 70's.
Rev. Benjamin F. Kidder was ap- pointed pastor in 1899 and the present handsome church, built by E. B. Par- sons and JJ. F. Carey, was dedicated Dec. 8, 1904, by Bishop Cyrus D. Foss. the church having acquired the adjoin- ing Batcheller property. Dr. Kidder was pastor for ten years, the longest in the history of the church. The new parsonage on the site of the old one was built in 1923 during the pastorate of Rev. Lester Ward Anman. D.D. The present pastor, Rev. Andrew F. Chamberlain, came here in April, 1931 .
The St. James' Episcopal Church REV. WILLIAM IL. FRISBIE. For- tor at Riverton and Harwinton. began to hold services of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Winsted in a schoolhouse on alternate Sundays in 1846. On Easter. 1847. Rev. Jonathan C'oe. Jr., under appointment of the ('lerical and Missionary Association of Litchfield, took charge. In 1818 serv- ices were held in a hall and on Septem- ber 27th the parish of St. James was organized with Rev. Jonathan Coe, Jr.,
son of Rev. Daniel Coe, rector; Rev. James R. Coe, a brother of the rector, and Urial Spencer, Jr., as wardens, and Dr. John L. Wakefield. Lient .- Gov. William S. Holabird and Alexander Durgin, vestrymen.
The church on North Main Street. now the Hebrew Synagogue, was com- pleted in October. 18IS, and consecrat- ed by Bishop Brownell on the follow- ing All Saints' Day. Among the early rectors were Rev. James W. Coe. Rev. James R. Coe. Rev. William Il. Lewis. Jr .. Rev. Frederick Harriman and in 1850 Rev. George M. Stanley began his long pastorate of twenty-two years. Rov. S. Wolcott Linsley was rector for
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