Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-29
President Hayes.

by the Presfdent-At East Haven
 Brilliant Reception at Thomas R.
 Trowbridge's-To-day' Programme.
 President Hayes, accompanied by Mrs. Hayes, MT. Thomas R. Trowbridge and oth- CTS, visited yesterday the Totoket House at Branford, which was erected by the great grandfather of the President, MT. Ezekiel Hayes The party arrived in Branford be- tween ten and eleven o'clock The President was in the private carriage with Mir. Trow- bridge. After spending some time at Mr. Trowbridge's beautiful summer residence at Indian Neck, the rest and sea breeze being all the more welcome owing to the dust and heat of the journey, the party drove to the Totoket House. Since the days of Ezekiel Hayes the old house has been enlarged somewhat, but it's venerable appearance at once commands the attention of the observer. The visit Of the President took many in the old town by surprise, but quite concourse of the citizens were assembled at the old house to see the ! head of the nation and Mrs. Hayes. Those who were caught mapping were long time afterward endeavoring to console themselves over their loss and those who were fortunate were the lions of the afternoon and the even ing. It was having season also, and the torrid heat the army worm and the potato bug had the effect of keeping some of the farmers away. There was quite display of flags from private residences and the Union flag foated from the liberty pole which fronts the Totoket. Over the entrance of the Totoket was the inscription Welcome to the Town of Your Ancestors" About II o'clock the President and Mrs. Hayes, in company with Mr. Trowbridge, Hon. Lynde Harrison and other friends, came up Montowese street. They made short stop at the cemetery, the resting place of some of the ancestors of the President, who had been persons of note in Branford in the olden time. The party were met by procession of citizens headed by the band and MT. Hall, the postmaster, and with ringing of bells and firing of cannon pro- ceeded to the Totoket, where an opportunity was given to the citizens to take the hands of President and Mrs. Hayes, and for time the parlors were crowded by those eager to make the acquaintance of both. Captain James Blackstone then introduced the Presi- dent to the assemblage in front of the To- toket. The President came forward and made short address
 My friends I am very glad to meet you here this morning, and I am glad to come to this beautiful town where my ancestors lived a hundred years ago-yes, I believe as far back as two hundred years ago. There | was one-Ci Cinterrupting himself )-and in 1 talking about my ancestors I do it not so much for your information as in hopes of 1 gaining some new ideas concerning them I from you There is nothing man likes to | Two obo hot4 hic and if make any mistakes or any of you can add anything to what say should be very glad if you would correct me or tell me what ! you know about them. I have been delight | ed to discover what beautiful town my an- cestors lived in. (At this point the band, which had been time around the town, came up the street playing one of their favor | ite selections The noise ofthe music drowned \ the voice of the speaker.) Never mind the l band. It IS not necessary to tell them to stop, will wait until they finish. About two hundred years ago, in 1887, I think, John Russell lived here. His grave found in a yard visited before coming here. He had a l son named Samuel Russell. He was one of my ancestors on my fathers side. Samuel ! Russell preached to the people here for about | forty years. The time extended to the begin ming of the last century. A descendant of his, | Rebecca Russell married Ezekiel Hayes, my l great grandfather. It was he who put uI 1 Gl1S mousse, UT tt pdrG OI IL. It WdS CALICO | then, believe, Hayes folly" because he 1 insisted upon making it of brick and making ! the brick himself instead of importing them from abroad. It might have been Hayes folly then, but we cannot call it so now. Ii I was perhaps an early example of encourage I ment to home industry. I am told that he made scythes and know that he taught my
 grandfather to be good blacksmith he
 bore the same name that bear. I need mol
 say more upon this subject. am most hap py to be with you here to-day. have beer | to the beautiful Sound, to the site of the 1 beautiful Lake Saltonstall, and have seen l your beautiful hills. There was small reason for any one living in so beautiful land tc
 leave and go elsewhere But my ancestors
 drifted first to Vermont and then to Ohio | You don't want to hear 8 speech upon gen eral matters, upon politics, to-day if spoke
 upon politics there might be some here who I would not entirely agree with me. And yet ! I cannot but believe that the underlying
 principles of our beliefs would not be essen tially different When Samuel Russell preached to the people of Branford he found
 them God-fearing people. The way that
 would bring that expression down to oul
 every day talk would be to say that they
 loved what was right and summed what wa ] wrong. This is the foundation of all gooC
 character. To follow what is good, hat, | what is bad, is a platform upon which W,
 can all stand then we shall be all agreed nt
 matter about our political preferences.
 The President was loudly cheered upon thu
 completion of his address.
 Hon. Lynde Harrison being called for, re sponded in his usual happy manner, suggest
 ing that the builder of Hayes folly was
 very shrewd man, who knew that building ! of wood would be of short duration, while
 the building of brick would remain to be wis
 tied in after years by his presidential de
 scendant Mir. William Russell, direct de | 1a,1Af a11 4l,on
 the President gave some interesting reminis
 cences Postmaster Hall made some re
 marks, which were received with applause
 He said he had grudge against the Hayes
 family. He has had it a long time
 and did not know as he had fully
 got over it yet. The President't
 great grandfather had very sharl
 scythe, and he tHalD when a very
 small boy was playing with it and cut his fin ger very badly Oaughter). The speaker sai6
 he was very glad he could speak in Branfor6
 for once without violating the President
 civil service order. He felt very proud that
 the President came ever so remotely iron
 Branford, and he must say that the Presi
 dents praise of the people was well founded
 for they never appeared better than they dit
 to-day.
 Judge Harrison was again called for, ant
 said that he must say one thing-that he ha6 | made mistake that he did not live in Bran |
 better and bigger demonstration than any
 other town in New England.
 An inquiry for an axe or scythe, relic ot
 the industry of the ancestor Hayes was called ! for and an answer was at once received iron
 Mir. H. H. Miller that he had such an article
 and that it would be forthcoming After
 collation. the party left for this city, the
 President by his unostentatious manner an6
 pleasing address having made a very favora
 ble impression on all present. Alist of those
 who sat down is as follows, and is as nearly lperfect as it was possible to obtain under the circumstances President Hayes, Mrs. Hayes
 Rutherford Hayes, Judge Lynde Harrison
 B. F. Jones, Thomas R. Trowbridge and wife
 R. H. B. Trowbridge Dr. Stiner of Mary
 land, Dr. Drake of Gui1ford, Philo Hall, Rev
 Mr. Smith, Dr. Tink, W. E. Hatch, David
 Beach, E. c. Hammer, T. F. Hammer, Jos
 eph Sharkey, Rudolphus Bartholomew, MT
 and Mrs. Ives of Meriden, and Captain James
 Blackstone
 On the return the only stop was made al East Haven. Quite A narfv of Aha touync