Litchfield enquirer., 1846-08-13
BtogrdpttraI.


N~'hSSI VI the COlOnlStS OF New England
HENRY WoLcorT the ancestor, having en-
lgrated from the mother country in 1880, Il
escape the religious prosecutions of the
day.
His eldest son, of the same name, was
one OF the patentees under the Charter OF
Charles H.. and for many years magistrat tie
OF the Colony. SIMON, another son, was a
farmer in Windsor and left numerous is
sue, of whom the youngest son was ROGER
WoLCoTT, a man distinguished in the an
nails of the province both for his civil and
military services. From a weaver, with no
property and little education, he rose to the
rank of hief Judge, and Governor; and was
Major General and the second officer in &C m.
mand at the capture of Louisbourg. He
died in 1857, aged So.
OLIVER, youngest son of ROGER WoLcorr,
established himself as physician in Lilch-
field, in l75l; and on the organization of
the county OF that name, he was chosen its
first Sheriff. He was afterwards a Signer
Of the Declaration of Independence, Lieu
tenant Governor, Governor, &c.
OLIVER WoLCoTT, eldest sou of the
preceding, was born at Litch6eld, on the
18th of January, 1850.
The rudiments of his education he re-
ceived at the commontown school, of which
one Master Beckwith was then teacher. He
was mild man, more devoted to the fishing
rod than the birch, and under his tuition the
pupil made at least as much proficiency in
angling and squirrel shooting as in Lilly's
grammar. Maternal anxiety for his health,
which was delicate, gave him perhaps
larger liberty in this respect, and he impro-
we'd it to the acquiring of an iron constitu-
ton. At odd hours he was employed in
tending the cattle and the other occupations
of farmers son.
At period much later than this, Itch
field was on the outskirts ofNew England
civilization, and presented very different
aspect from its now venerable quiet. The
pickels which guarded its first dwellings
were not yet decayed. The Indian yet wan
deFed through its broad streets. AMI hunters
as wild as our present borderers, chased the
deer and the pan,hef Oh the shores of the
lakn The IF :nL,
as simple and primitive as those of their ia
theirs, century back, in the older settle
ments on the Connecticut. Travelling was
entirely on horseback, except in the winter,
and but casual intercourse was carried on
with the distant towns. Occasionally, and
more frequently as they became more inter-
es,ing, tidings reached them from Boston,
and even from the old world. Here among
the mountains the future Secretary passed
tolerably happy boyhood, except when on
Sundays he was encased In slit of tight
scarlet breeches and forced to wear shoes, a
penance reserved for that day, and endured
ia A1tSA
At the age ofthirteen he had mastered the
lore then requisite for entering college. His
father, although considering him too young,
was yet willing to let him exercise his own
discretion, or perha ps catch a glimpse of the
world. The outfit of "a student was not cum
brous, and mounted on steady horse, with
a passport to the clergy on the road, Master
Oliver for the first time left his native VII
village.
His first halt was at the venerable parson
Trumbull's, the father of the poet, John
Trumbull. In an account of this adventure
written some years after, he says: found
parson Trumbull in the field experimenting
laborers. He received me we'll, ordered
my horse to be taken care of, and invited
me to farmers dinner. He looked kind.
ly at me, and placing his hand on my head
said, was one of the old stock CT hide pen
dents. ! did not then understand his mean.
ing, but as it was said to be a family char.
acteristic, recollected il ever after. l wa:
dismissed in season to get to parson Leav'
enwor,h's, at Waterbury, before sunset
Here found another agricultural clergy
man, who lived well in good house. bu
in poor parish, where the lands did not en-
able his parishioners to afford supper
equal to that received by parson Trumbull
On asking my name, Placing his hands OF
my head, he enquired whether intended, i
was able, to be like old Noll, republican
and King Killer? These words were new
phrases to my ears, but I treasured them il
my memory"
After spending week in viewing New
Haven, some mysterious approximations o
the coming trial, and the awe Inspired b.
the solemn wigs and robes worn by the pro
fessors, convinced him, what his father
opinion had failed TO do, that he was to
young to enter college. He therefore reua