USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Norwalk > The romance of Norwalk > Part 32
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The list of 1881, Norwalk membership in the Fairfield County Bar includes the following : Alfred E. Austin, H. H. Barbour, Joseph F. Foote, J. B. Hurlbutt, John E. Keeler, John H. Perry, F. W. Perry, Albert Relyea, John S. Sey- mour, William R. Smith, Levi Warner, Asa B. Woodward, Joseph W. Wilson, Nelson Taylor and Nelson Taylor jr.
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Norwalk lawyers have made a creditable showing down through the years, not only within the confines of their own community, but in state and national affairs. The following local lawyers have held state offices :
Governor: Thomas Fitch, 1754 to 1766; Clark Bissell, 1847-1849.
Lieutenant Governor : Thomas Fitch, 1751-1754; Thad- deus Betts, 1832-1833 and 1834-1835 ; Edwin O. Keeler, 1901-1903.
Treasurer, Tallmadge Baker, 1879-1881.
Attorney General: John H. Light, 1910-1915.
Chief Justice: Thomas Fitch, 1750-1754; Thomas Bel- den Butler, 1870-1873.
Speaker of General Assembly: Josiah M. Carter, 1862; John H. Light, 1901-1903.
County Treasurer : John H. Light, 1899-1906; Edwin O. Keeler.
Common Pleas Court : John H. Light, 1900-1905 ; John J. Walsh.
The following Norwalk lawyers have served in the U. S. House of Representatives: Thomas Belden Butler, 1849- 1851 ; Orris S. Ferry, 1859-1861 ; Levi Warner, 1877-1879; Ebenezer J. Hill, 1895-1913; Jeremiah Donovan, 1913- 1915; Ebenezer J. Hill, 1915-1917. These served in the United States Senate from Norwalk: Thaddeus Betts, 1839- 1840; Orris Ferry, 1867-1875. At the present writing, 1929, Hon. Emile Hemming and Hon. Freeman Light are the two representatives from Norwalk in the Connecticut congress while John D. Milne of Norwalk is state senator from the 26th Senatorial district. An able group of lawyers now takes care of Norwalk's needs, the names of these lawyers being given in the appendix.
NORWALK PHYSICIANS
The "good old days" when office calls cost but $.50, home calls $I and confinement cases $4, Dr. James G. Gregory,
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
725 West ave., dean of Norwalk's doctors and a practicing physician for 60 years, can recall. Yet long before Dr. Gregory's time there were physicians in Norwalk, the first one appearing to have been here about 1705. At least Dr. George Sumner, speaking before the Fairfield County Medi- cal society in 1851, in a talk on "Early Physicians of Con- necticut" made mention of John Copp, a schoolmaster, who obtained the recommendation of the selectmen of Norwalk and applied for a license to practice medicine in 1705.
This Medical society to which reference is made was begun in April, 1825, the first meeting being held at the home of Silas Camp in Bridgeport. In 1871 and 1872, Ira Gregory of Norwalk, who was the father of Dr. James G. Gregory, was chairman of the society. Most of the early meetings appear to have been called for the purpose of discussing "irregularities of practice and undercharges." In 1880, the following Norwalkers belonged to the Fairfield County Medical society: James G. Gregory, W. A. Lock- wood, John C. Kendall, Robert Nolan, F. V. Buesch, E. C. Clarke, W. J. Wakeman, A. B. Gorham, R. L. Higgins, John Hill and W. C. Burke, jr. In 1881, according to the records of the society, there were two homeopathic doctors in town, G. S. Comstock and Dexter Hitchcock. In those days there was constant bickering between the homeopathic and the allopathic physicians.
Dr. Gregory, who can look farther back than any other physician in the city, says that in the old days, when he first started practice, a doctor's life was no joke. The country physician had to answer calls at all times of the day and night and travel in his horse and buggy to all parts of the town and to the outskirts.
There was no hospital in the community then, for the Nor- walk hospital did not come into existence until 1893. Did a man fall sick he remained at home where the country doctor did his best to bring him back to health. Few opera- tions were performed. Were a doctor needed in the night, some member of the sick family would have to go on foot
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or on horse to the physician's home for there were neither telephones nor telegrams. Dr. Gregory says that the first telephone he had in his home boasted no less than 13 persons on its party line, one of whom was an undertaker, and another a clergyman. One of the earliest physicians in Dr. Gregory's memory was Dr. Bissell who always rode in a sleigh to see his patients in the winter time; then came the McLeans, Dr. John McLean, Sr., and Dr. John Mc- Lean, Jr .; then Dr. Ira Gregory, father of Dr. James G. Gregory; then Dr. Samuel Lynes and Dr. Sammis, who lived near the present Mathews' estate on West ave., and the two doctors Pardee: Dr. Pardee, the husband and Dr. Emily Pardee, his wife. Others are given in the appendix.
In 1890, the Norwalk Medical Society was reorganized. For some time previous to this date there had been a society in town, but meetings had lapsed and the group was gen- erally disorganized. Commencing in 1890 gatherings were held regularly once a month at the members' homes. It is interesting to note that at one of the early meetings held at the home of Dr. W. J. Tracey, whose home and office is at 637 West ave., his two weeks' old son, W. W. Tracey was formally introduced to the assembly in his father's arms and was forthwith made an honorary member of the society. When the Norwalk hospital was organized in 1893, the Norwalk Medical society offered the services of its mem- bers to the institution and so it came about that the first staff of the hospital included all the members of the society. There were about 12 members at the time. The Medical Society now meets once a month at the hospital. Its mem- bers are divided into an attending staff which takes charge of the hospital, has charge of charity cases and in turn serves, and the general staff which includes the remainder of the members of the society. All members of the Norwalk Medical society have the privilege of placing their patients in the hospital, in the wards, if desired. The names of Norwalk's present able physicians will be found in the ap- pendix.
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
FIGHT FOR SUFFRAGE
After weeks in filthy jails, months of weary picketing, and years of struggle on the part of the "weaker sex" all over the country, women in the United States were given the vote in August, 1920. Norwalk women took a prominent part in the struggle, not only within the confines of the city, speaking, writing and organizing, but also in the fierce "battles" in Washington, D. C. In addition, many Norwalk women contributed funds for the militant movement. Be- tween the years 1917 and 1920, women from all over the country picketed the White House for many discouraging weeks at a time and interspersed their terms in jail for this "offense," with persistent and organized calls on President Woodrow Wilson. During that time, more than 2,000 women did picket duty and 256 served jail terms. Among those from Norwalk and vicinity who picketed were: Mrs. Helena Hill Weed and her two sisters, Miss Clara Hill, now of Mexico, and Mrs. Elsie Hill Levitt, now of Ridge- field, and Mrs. Weed's two daughters, Eleanor and Mary. Mrs. Weed served four terms in jail and her sister, Elsie, two, the latter also being arrested but not sentenced, in New York.
Both Mrs. Weed and Elsie Hill Levitt participated in the hunger strike in jail which resulted in the pardoning of 28 imprisoned women. This strike took place in August, 1918, when Mrs. Weed was serving her second "term." The women, at the time, were lodged in the almshouse or workhouse of the Federal district jail, Washington, D. C., in cells which were 15 feet underground, and which had been abandoned for eight years and declared "unfit for hu- man habitation." The old stone building was filthy, damp and dark, and was outfitted with thick colored glass win- dows which permitted no sunlight to enter. In addition, the women were offered to drink, water which ran through rusted pipes unused for eight years. As a protest measure against the unsanitary conditions, 28 of the women went on a hunger strike. When the President finally pardoned
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them, it was necessary for the women to be carried out in ambulances, for they were too ill to walk. As these 28 women were some of the most prominent in the country, their inhuman treatment aroused such a storm of indigna- tion that the government was forced to take immediate steps to rectify the jail conditions. As a result, jail sentences given women in later months were served in the main dis- trict jail, modernly equipped.
Mrs. Weed and Mrs. Levitt now have in their possession picket pins given all those who took part in the picketing of the White House, during suffrage years and also jail pins, given all those who served jail terms. The pins were presented at a great mass meeting in the Belasco Theatre in Washington, attended by suffragists from all over the country. Of unusual design are the "jail pins," about two inches by one and a half, in the form of a cell door, com- plete to lock and key. Mrs. Weed's two daughters, Dr. Eleanor Sharp and Mrs. Mary Stephenson, and Mrs. Weed's sister, Miss Clara Hill, also have picket pins.
The suffrage amendment passed the House of Repre- sentatives May 21, 1919 with 42 votes to spare over the necessary 2-3 majority. It passed the Senate June 4, 1919, with two votes to spare. A ratification campaign began at once, but the suffragists were blocked politically in every possible way by the "antis" of both parties. Finally, Ten- nessee, the 36th state, ratified the amendment August 18,
1920. But because of complications in Tennessee's con- stitution, ratification was still not sure and the suffragists set out to obtain a 37th ratification which would be un- challenged. Connecticut at the time had a legislature in which far more than a 3-4 majority was pledged to vote for the ratification, but Governor Holcomb and Republican State Chairman Roraback, refused to allow the convening of a special session on ratification.
The intensive political work to secure the special ratifi- cation session centered in Norwalk at the home of the Hill sisters on West ave. National workers, under the leader-
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
ship of Anita Pollitzer of North Carolina, political chair- man of the Woman's Party, and Mrs. Helena Hill Weed and Miss Elsie Hill of Norwalk, both of whom were on the national council of the Woman's Party, finally succeed- ing in enlisting the support of Senator Brandegee who was up for reelection. As a result of the Senator's demand for a special ratification session, the call was finally made and Connecticut ratified the amendment. Senator Brande- gee, who, in the beginning had voiced strong opposition to the suffrage amendment, said to Mrs. Weed, in explaining his ardent demand for this session: "I am just as much opposed to woman suffrage as I ever was. If there was one thing I could do to kill it, I would do it. But I know enough to know when I am beaten. In fairness to women who have won already, I think no technicalities or unfair political methods should prevent their participation in this year's national election, so I will insist on having Connecti- cut record her ratification, already pledged, now, before the election."
During all the time that the local suffragists in Wash- ington were picketing and parading, being hooted and being jailed, a little group in Norwalk, a branch of the Connecti- cut Equal Franchise Society was quietly, steadily working. The group, which included in the beginning, only a handful of Norwalk women, was started by Miss Clara Hill, pioneer worker who took part in a thirteen weeks' speaking and organization campaign for the society, throughout the state. She came to Norwalk during the course of the campaign. Miss Dotha Stone Pinneo, late librarian of the Norwalk library, and Miss Margaret Wilson, present librarian, were leaders in the Norwalk group. One of the organization meetings was held in a section of Miss Baird's private school, now 612 Orchard st., and Miss Caroline Ruutz Riis, educator of Greenwich, was a speaker. Meetings were held, speeches made, and contests on the subject of the woman's vote, were conducted in the schools. Without the good work accomplished by this little group and by
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other similar groups which remained at home and spread the good word, the suffragists in Washington would never have succeeded in their mission for they needed the backing of the people at home to give weight to their demands. The two factors working together, achieved success.
ISLANDS-CLUBS
CHAPTER XXXV
Thirteen Large Islands and Number of Lesser Ones Rim Norwalk Harbor-History of Several Goes Back to Time of Founders-First Clubhouse For Women Ac- quired by Woman's City Club-Norwalk Has 300 Clubs and Organizations of All Kinds
THE purchase on July 23, 1924 of historic old Calf Pas- ture Island by Morris Strunsky of New York city from the Homestead Sales Corp., of New York, brought all the Nor- walk islands into the public light of publicity. What are they, where are they and who owns them? many asked. Although there are, in the Norwalk harbor, more than 20 tracts of land, large and small, partially or wholly sur- rounded by water, only. 13 of these tracts are officially recognized as islands. These 13 include: Calf Pasture, Betts, Grassy, Chimons, otherwise known as Sheffield on the Sound, Copps, Ram or Nauvoo, Wood, Little Ram, Sheffield or Smith's, L'Hammock and Little L'Hammock, Peach, Pilot or Tavern.
Other tracts of land in the Norwalk harbor, some of which are little more than mounds of rocks, others being islands only at low tide, while still others are really not islands at all, being joined to the mainland by narrow strips of land, are: Crow, Dog Hammock, Judah, Bell, Keyser, Campfield, Half Mile, Little Tavern, Sension or St. John's Beach, Stuart, West White Rock, East White Rock, Pine, Race Rocks, Grassy Hammock, Cedar Hammock, Long Beach, The Plains, Stephen's, Sheep Rock, Daskam, Tem- pest, Hoyt's, Sandy Hammock.
414
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ISLANDS-CLUBS
STORY OF ISLANDS
Calf Pasture, once the grazing ground for Norwalk cat- tle, when the calves were scowed across to the island by the early settlers, was the first island mentioned in the his- tory of Norwalk and the first of which the people in the community made any use. It is now the property of Anna S. Walling, Brookside Place, Greenwich, she having pur- chased it from her brother-in-law, Morris Strunsky, in 1928. The island includes 2 and 1/2 acres. Betts Island, at the mouth of the Norwalk river, is now the property of Captain Frederick F. Lovejoy and Clarance E. Merritt, purchased in September, 1929. The island was once used as a watch station for the local oystermen. Thirty-four of the growers purchased the island in 1874 and took turns in keeping watch from the little house on the island, over their oyster grounds. Later the Betts Island Company, E. E. Gorham, secretary, acquired all rights to the land and it was from this company that Lovejoy and Merritt purchased the property. The island includes four acres. Grassy or Hay Island is in the Copps, Chimons and Betts group. Copp or Copps Island in the same vicinity was once the property of John Copp who figured eminently in the pub- lic service of Norwalk. He was a surveyor, teacher and physician. These two islands, Grassy or Hay and Copps, comprise 33 acres and belong to the estate of Mallard F. Smith, Broadway, New York.
Chimons Island, also at the mouth of the Norwalk river in the Betts, Grassy and Copps group, was once called Mamachimons, the name being taken from that of an Indian chieftain. It is often referred to now as "Sheffield on the Sound" to distinguish it from Sheffield or Smith Island to the west. The island for many years belonged to Warren Smith, son of the late Edward Smith of Brooklyn, N. Y. but formerly of the Smith's Island family of that name. A large house may now be seen on the northern shore of the island, while several smaller homes stand beyond. The
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
large house was once a popular summer hotel, famous for its lobster dinners. In the hot months it was crowded by vacationists who reached the mainland via a ferry which ran daily. The property, which includes 63 acres, is now in the hands of The Sheffield Island Co., care of Coombes and Wilson, 32 Court st., Brooklyn, N. Y. Ram or Nauvoo Island, which covers about 40 acres, was used in early Nor- walk history, by the Mormons, as an immersion point. It is now the property of Hans Wickenhauser of Chicago. Little Ram Island, which includes three acres, is owned by Riccio Brothers of South Norwalk. Wood Island, between Ram and Sheffield or Smith's, which island is sometimes known as Great Hammock, includes a little more than six acres and is owned by John H. Wehrle of this city.
Sheffield or Smith's Island has alternately been known as Winnipauk, Long Island, Little Long Island, White's Island, Sheffield and now Smith's and was originally the property of the Norwalk Indian Sagamore, Winnipauk. De- cember 2, 1690, Winnipauk deeded to the Rev. Thomas Hanford, Norwalk's first minister, with whom the Indian had gained a deep friendship, "my island of land lying against Rowerton, containing 20 acres more or less (as esti- mated then ) bounded on ye east with ye island called Mama- chimons, and Chochanenas and on ye west with the point of Rowerton." Later, the island was owned by Gershom Smith, who erected a farmhouse on it as early as 1826, cul- tivating the land for many years. On the western end of the island may be seen the old lighthouse which served for many years to guide the mariners who entered Norwalk harbor. The lighthouse used to be known hereabouts as "Old Smith's Island Light," but officially in government circles as "Sheffield Island Light." It is now termed the "Norwalk Unused Light Station" or "Norwalk Island Light- house Reservation." It is a little old stone building, which looks something like a church with its lighthouse tower in the front of the main building. In 1914, the government, having no further use for the lighthouse, put it up for sale,
SAUGATUCK
WESTPORTA
PINE I
KITT'S BI
EAST NORWALK
DUCKI
SOUTH NORWALK
CANFIELD HALF-MILE AND ASTEPHEN'S ISLANDS (WOTY SHORE HAVEN)
SHORE FRONT PH (JUDAH [ ) ( RELOG I
PORLONE
GREGOR PT
CALF PASTURE POINT
COCKENOE I. (CHOCHANGNAS)
SPEACH I
SENTION
CALE PASTURES I
- EAST WHITE RK
STACH
DASKAM I HARBOR VIEW
. ROUND BEACH
: RACE RKS
MSO TEMPEST I
.. GRASSY HAMMOCK RKG
ROWAYTON
CHOYT I.
MANRESA I
BETTS I
( BOUTON) ) RAYMOND)
LONG BEACH
TOOMSTOCK!
GO CEDAR HAMMOCK
WILSON POINT
WHITE ROCK (WEST WHITE RK)
TOKENĘKE
TREE OHAMMOCK
LITTLE TAVERN J
0
SANDY HAMMOCK
STUART I. 0-
TAVERN I. (PILOT )
LITTLE
RAM.I (MAUVOO)
BELL I
7copp I.
(HAMMOCKO
MT. HAMMOCK?
I.
L'HAMMOCKDO
LITTLE O PLAINS
L'HAMMOCK (TTAPELACE)
FISH IS.
SHEFFIELD I. ( SMITH'S ) (WINNI PAUK! ( LONG ISLAND ) ( LITTLE LONG ISLAND) (WHITE'S IT.)
NORWALK ISLANDS
Thirteen large and picturesque islands and a number of smaller ones, rim the Norwalk harbor and protect it even in the most severe of weather. In the above map, both the new and the old, the official and the unofficial names of the islands are given.
GOOSE I.
GRASSY I ( ** Y I )
CHIMON I. ( SHEFFIELDON THE SOUND) (HAMACHIMONS)
CROW I.
CONTENT MENT
· SEYMOUR RK
SPRITE I.
4. SHEEP RKS
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ISLANDS-CLUBS
with the property on which it stood, about 4 acres. It was purchased by Thurston O. Stabell, then janitor at the Nor- walk Yacht club, who still owns the house and four acres. The lighthouse has not been in use since the erection of Green's Reef Light, off Rowayton. Two acres of the island belong to Agnes G. Cavanagh, who also has a house on the island, while the rest, 46 acres in all, belongs to Robert L. Corby, 51 East 42nd st., New York City.
L'Hammock Island, between Ram and Sheffield, is di- vided into a number of different sections, the following being owners : John N. Kline, Downes L. Russell, Highland ave., George F. Holloway, 513. West 135th st., New York; and the easterly part by Mrs. Helen Poole of New Rochelle, New York. The island is about 2 1/2 acres in size. Little L'Hammock also known as Temperance Island, and lying next to L'Hammock, is owned by Riccio Brothers of South Norwalk. Peach Island, one acre plus, off Harbor View, also belongs to Riccio Brothers. This island has been the scene of several disasters. In 1926, Effinger White and Frank Thompson were drowned in a storm when their boat overturned near Peach Island. December 8, 1928, Alton W. "Bink" Reynolds, electrical contractor and athlete, and Herbert Preston, painter, both of Gregory boulevard, were drowned near Peach Island. They had been duck hunting on the island; the day was stormy, and their boat capsized two hundred yards off shore. Alton W. Reynolds, jr., 15- year-old boy who was with them, was saved after he had clung for three hours in the storm to the overturned boat.
Pilot or Tavern Island, off the Wilson Point shores, also has an interesting story. At one time Drs. Parker and Lambert of New Canaan owned and used it as a sort of Brighton beach adjunct to their home. In the early 1840's it was leased by Captain Nathan Roberts, from Moses Byx- bee in part. In 1848 Captain Roberts who was a Norwalk pilot and Oliver W. Weed built a house, later tenanted by Pilot Joseph Merrill. Roberts and Weed farmed about 1-3 of an acre on the island for a time. The property is
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
now owned by Marghretta O. Wickenhauser. It includes about four acres.
LESSER ISLANDS
In addition to the 13 officially recognized islands already mentioned, Norwalk has within its harbors, many other tracts of land wholly or partially surrounded by water. There is for instance Judah Island, now Shorefront Park, South Norwalk. To this piece of land is attached a long story which is given in part. September 18, 1666, Judah Gregory, son of John Gregory the settler, was voted the island "west of Gregory's Point," which he named for him- self, Judah's Island. The same name was retained as late as the sale of the property for $100 on December 29, 1803, by Josiah Smith to Absalom Day. Mr. Smith, on the day of sale, received for the island, just twenty-five cents more than he had paid for it on the preceding February 3 when he had purchased it from the executors of Eliakim Ray- mond. A noble profit ! April 6, 1857, Judah Island, then consisting of four acres, was sold by William A. Guyer to Benjamin P. Reed. Six years later Mr. Reed acquired three more acres of salt meadow. For a time the island was known as Reed's Island. Later, Reed sold to James M. Lane who on September 18, 1869 sold to Elbirt A. Woodward, for $10,000. A few months later, Mr. Wood- ward sold the island to Andrew J. Garvey, said to be a mem- ber of the famous Tweed ring, for $12,000. Immediately after acquisition, Mr. Garvey commenced building an elab- orate house on his Judah Island. By May, 1872, finding that he could not finish paying for the home, Mr. Garvey sold the Island to Knapp and Fitch, his contractors for the house, and September 21, 1872, Knapp and Fitch sold Judah Island to Commodore Francis Burritt for $25,000. It had now grown to eight acres.
The buildings on the island were brought to completion by Commodore Burritt who expended much money in de-
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ISLANDŠ-CLUBŚ
veloping the spot. His love for aquatic sports led him to build, at different times, 23 different yachts, the largest of which was the "Estelle" named after his wife. May 9, 1906, Commodore Burritt sold Judah Island to John Mc- Mullen, the island then consisting of four acres, with eight acres of salt meadow "adjoining and surrounding said island." In 1921 the island was valued at $75,000 to $125,- 000. In 1924 the Shorefront Park Co., bought the prop- erty and the year 1929 finds it one of the most select resi- dential sections in the city. The "old McMullen place" has long since given way to a group of modern little homes, and little remains to remind the old timer of the "good old days."
Keyser Island, which at various times has borne the names Bouton, Raymond, Comstock, Keyser and now Manresa Institute, is also a part of the mainland, connected by a narrow strip of land, and is at the head of the western mouth of the Norwalk river. March 4, 1833, John Hoyt sold to Algernon E. Beard in trust for John Pogson, de- scribed as "a foreigner now a resident of Norwalk," one third of Comstock Island, consisting of 12 acres, for $130. Two years later when Pogson became naturalized he took title to the one third. The other two thirds belonged to Thomas Nash. Joseph R. Deming bought the whole island a little later for $285. He sold it April 6, 1842 for $800 to William Olmstead. Isaac C. Loper of Brooklyn came into possession April, 1859. During the same month, the land, which up to this time had been known as Comstock Island, was sold to John H. Keyser for $1400, and became Keyser Island. The property included 12 acres, and two tracts of salt meadow, about eight acres. For 30 years Mr. Keyser retained possession of the property, beautifying the grounds, draining and filling the meadows, erecting num- erous buildings and laying a half mile race course. Thomas J. Campbell bought the island October 26, 1887 for $32,500 from Mr. and Mrs. Keyser, who were now in somewhat reduced circumstances. He immediately transferred it to
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