Connecticut western news., 1875-03-19

old red school house was built, which tive years since was vacated for the new school building. At this present time, the Hon. Wm. G. Bates, who now owns . largs property in Ashley Falls, including the various mills there, ls having the old school building overhauled and repaired for . dwell ing house. In this old red school-houss, Miss Olivia Bennett taught the first school in 1914. Minor Lorin afterwards taught there, and 1t is related of two nnruly boys, that one day John Bristol the school com mittee man, came there, and ordered these boys punished. and . large whip wss cut for the fogging. Afterwards one of the boys wrote on the fence boards along the road as follows:
 Minor Lorin is such fsol.
 To bring such big sticks into school;
 Any man of common sense,
 Would use them to top off fence."
 la 1922 Horatio Warner bought the land now inclosed In the main square of the village, for $s per acre. The same year he built the house now occupied by Samuel Ferris ss . hotel. At that time . black. smith shop stood where Mir. Leroy's store now stands, which was occupied by David Lockwood. This was afterwards moved off and made into ., barn and Mr. William Ashley built the new store, which was first occupied by David Warner & Son, from Canaan, Conn. A small store had been kept by Henry Sardam in building that stood on the square In front of the present hotel. This building has quite history. It was first built in the town of Canaan, nesr the Moore place and used for a lime house. In 1918 it was purchased by stephen Lockwood and moved up on the squaie As before stated. In 1922 It was bought and moved by Warner just north of where Dr. Scoville now resides, and made dwelling
 which is now owned and occupied by Mrs
 Spooner. In ls42 Wm. Hayes built the
 store at the railroad crossing, now occupied
 by MT. Taft. T. B. Strong moved In with
 Alr. Hayes the next year and engaged with
 him in business. In ls45, MT. T. B. Strong
 built the store now occupied by MacCres
 & Parsons, where he went into business
 alone. Tue first railroad station was al
 the store near the crossing. and the lats
 MT. Wm. Hayes WAS the first station
 agent.
 The first physician was Dr. Porter. Hs
 lived in the Pease house. The secenG
 was John Lafargue. Frenchman. He livet
 in a small house, which was afterwart
 moved back and . large addition built or
 in front by his son. The same building !
 now occupied by Mir. Leroy. The frs postmaster was John Scovillc, who kep
 the office in the store of Taft and Scoville
 Asa Ly, ne at one time had small Tame
 " on the a tt below the grist mill. The o tan house WAS afterwards used as . s,i house, and after the still was removed the put in cider mill. Horatio Warner aftel
 wards had potash factory on the said sti lot and the leaehed ashes were drawn ou on the land purchased, as we have stated |, for $S per acre. At that time this Ian
 grew nothing but few mullins or thistles but now makes the chief garden plots the village. Major Ashley was the fir, , representative from this part of the town [ ! the State Assembly. His good wife Is sal } to have often been tried with him, an when the news Of bis election came. sai g to him " wish you had ny head on yo, [ shoulders" Faith bless me" said tf , Major; ''I would want the tongue take . out"
 } In Is43 Q subscription was started { = build union church. The same year th f frame was raised, and the following year 2 was dedicated. Rev. John Crawford fror Sheffield preached in the morning for th Methodists, who claimed half interest tue church, and Rev. Robert Brush in th , afternoon for the Universalist or " Seciet of Free Religious Worship" as 1t wa called. John A. Lafargue gave the greun for the church and Maj. Ashley the bury ing ground. The ground was consecrate by Rev. James Bradford, Congregation
 preacher of Sheffield, and the first bod brought there for interment was Erastu Brown, who was drowned near Sheffield o the 9th of July, ls43. He lived At the tim with James Hillyer in the old red house | front of the grist mill. In lsls 6 csrriag' shop was built by Miles Ferris and occu pied by himself and brother as wheelwrigll and blacksmith. It stood near where tn Thu ston residence now iA Itwas afterward moved up the street and made into dwell ing. now occupit by MT. Mescham. Thes are some of the "reminiscences of Ashle Falls.
 Twill not weary your readers with furthe
 recital, save this When the new stone dar
 was built, 1t was discovered that near tn
 center of the mill pond just absve the fall
 were two jaws of rock through which tn main stream passed, and on these rock were cut Indian hieroglyphics, such |, bows, arrows, deer, snake. &c. Tn supposition now is, that this was crossin place, ss the rocks were only about 6t sRart, and here the Indians have left tn traces of their existence, though for lon years hid by the water set back by the dam Truly we are living in an historic age. On hundred years from now, who will gathe up the few facts of our present history for thos- who come after us? Though no native of the place nor yet 6 resident, J have felt an interest in these "reminiscences Many thanks arc due to Mr. John Pease ; who gave rue much of the above informs ton.
 t ITO be continued
 |. -
 The sudden death of the Fourth Duches