Litchfield enquirer., 1868-05-21
WHOLE NO. oee4
BARKHAMsTED IIdHr1HoUsE.

z. E-as- E-- es-I H f.-r n BARKHAMsTED LIGHT-HOUsE.. We extract the following from an article in the Meriden Republican by MT. w. W. Lee: .-5.-..7 .e.-2 ,, s- -gfrsfgt
 There are probably few peoplein Connec- ticut, of mature age, who have not oftsn heard of the "Barkhamsted Light House. either in one'way or another, but the num- ber who have other than very vague and in definite ideas concerning the origin of the expression is probably very small x.y
 Something more than one hundred years ago, Narragansett Indian, born on Block Island, R. l., blythe name of James Chaug-. ham, had wandered from the home of his fathers, and was living in Wethersfeld, Conn. There was also living there young | woman, Molly Barber by name, whose sscru- el parents had prevented her marrying the man of her choice, and, with a wo- mans will, she declared she would take the first man who offered himself, white or black. This came to the ears of Chaug- ham, and, being chiyalrous knight, he of- fered himself, was accepted, and they were privately married. Of course they could not remain there, and, crossing the moun- tain to Pennington, they followed up the river some twenty miles or more, where they considered themselves safe from all intrusion. Here Chaugham cleared Q piece of ground, built cabin, and lived to be we'll in years, dying the latter part of the last century. He left a number of children. One of the daughters married one William Wilson, of whose origin noth- ing authentic is known. They settled near the old homestead. In 1798, the Farming ! ton river turnpike was chartered, running directly past Wilson's door from New Hart l ford to Albany. Wilson had built log house, which was Q great improvement on the old quarters. To prepare for winter, he filled in between the logs with stone, clay, sticks, etc., which in the spring were easily pushed out, thus securing perfect ventilation. Fuel cost nothing but the cutting, and Wilson kept 8 cheerful fire. It was the only house for some miles, and the stages stopped for the night at New the north, Wilson's house was visible for half mile or more, as the light of his blazing fire shone through the crevices in his dwelling. So in little time it became a common expression with the stage dri- vers, "Well, we're within five miles of port; there is the light house." Of course such phrase would soon be adopted by the travelling public as we'll as townsmen, and become as familiar as Bangall or Cat | Hole in this vicinity.
 1 Wilson died about the year 1900, leaving quite family, who in turn grew up, mar ried, and obeyed the scriptural injunction, to ''be fruitful aud multiply" Two broth CTS, named Stephen and Joseph Elwell, originally from Southington, had married into the Wilson family and settled near by. and, being white, when the property quail ification was abolished in 1845, they, with l their sons, some six or eight in number,
 were made electors; and as the town was
 close, politically, their votes were sought l by both parties. The argumants relied on convincing was whisky. When all others failed, this was sure, and as the democracy possessed the largest resources in this re- spect, they usually secured the vote of the "Light House." None of them could read or write. but their votes carried the town l in 1850, and the votes of the democratic | representatives made Thomas H. Seymour | Governor. I. ,..... .-4 ..-> .... I-- By skillful management, the Wings had usually secured Joe Elwells vote while Steve" went with the Democracy. The 1 Wings, anxious to make converts, piled l ''Steve" with arguments year after year 1 (feeling that Joe was sure to vote with them) and at length were more successful; but, while this had been going on, etheo en- emy by their seductive wiles, had won Joe | from the whigs. Each party had made & convert but gained nothing But we have seen men in higher positions sell their principles within the past three years in l Connecticut.
 Election day, in the spring of 1852, was | cold and stormy. Joe, then seventy-five o1 more, had been to the polls, and voted the democratic ticket for the first time in some years. The exposure was too much for him, and he died the same night This circumstance was used by the whigs with Joes death was a punishment by the Al mighty for voting the democratic ticket, and from that time until his death in 1858, at tho age of 84, nothing could induce Steve to vote for democrat under any cir cumstances.
 Wilson's posteriity have married and in- I termarried until there is now scarce per son of average intellect among them. They have all of the vices of both races, and but few of their virtues. Many attempts have been madeto educate them and improve their condition, but without success, and they seem to be left, by common consent to their filth and vices, to extinguish the last remnants of the once powerful tribe of the Narragansetts. Within a few years
 they have sold their lands in that vicinity and dispersed in various directions. Some of them died in the Union army during the 1 late war. .f- i5a.H Much of this history was obtained, by the writer, of Chaugham's last surviving grand child, who died last fall, then more than ninety years old. Chaugham, with fifty Q, more of his prosperity, are buried near the
 of hGus hat nes a aoas Pos oss the plain unlettered stones Ia large number oi
 which have disappeared) now hardly dis tinguishable among the pines, which are
 fast obliterating all traces of the Indian bu
 rying ground.
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