Morning journal and courier., 1882-10-14
The Wood bridge Oak.

hne success and very inter estlng occasion. The noble old tree had been trimmed and decorated with flags for the occasion It stands on an elevation whence the shores of Long Island thirty miles away, can be seen on clear day. The trees trunk Is thirty feet in circumference. The monarch spreads an ample shade, the circumference of its umbrageous branches being about 300 feet. It is rare old tree, and has lasted over 1000 years, perhaps two centuries more. Woodbridge people are properly proud Of this veteran and people of the town have deserted it by means of glass when off on the Sound.
 The Quinnipiack Oak Tree association, formed in honor of the old oak at the house of ex-Governor English last January, fixed upon yesterday as the day for the celebra tion, and the day proved to be pleasant, Q sunshiny afternoon succeeding a cloudy morning. The appropriateness of such a eel ebration is apparent in view of the great age and grandeur of the old tree, and many a landmark iR New England not as notable has been the topic of story and song and celebra- tion long ere this. The old trees merits were broached in the Quinnipiack club, and this led to the formation of the Quinnipiack Oak Tree association. Governor English is president of the body, and Henry Trowbridge. 2d, secretary, and James G. English treas- ! urer. One hundred and twenty-five mem- ! bers were promptly enrolled at the formation of the association. and the celebration was open to citizens generally by their signifying ! their desire of attending to the officers of the IokI~ A. | also formed in Woodbridge, and the two ! organizations arranged the commemorative ex ercises which were so successfully carried out yesterday.
 Smedley's tally-ho coach left the Elliott 1 House at | o'clock yesterday morning with l a party of sixteen members of the associa- tlon bound for the celebration. James M. ] Hennessy acted the bugler on the trip and l poured forth merry notes from it's horn as the coach rolled onward over the road to l Woodbridge. The passengers on the tally l ho were Theodore H. Futile, Frank Hook CT, John B. Adriance, Milo l.. Peck, Charles ! A. White, W. D. Clarkson, James Ruck- holdt, Samuel F. Crane, J. D. Plunkett, H. N. Whittelsey, jr., John H. Phillips, c. M.
 Matthews, William D. Bryan, E. s. Quin- tard, M. B. Newton. J. H. Pratt, R. L. Story.
 The remainder of the visiting delegation
 from this city went by private convey
 ances Rosinus' band, which had been
 engaged to furnish music for the occasion,
 preceded them, going out in barge Fol
 lowing IS nearly completed list of the visit
 OTIS present from this city in addition to those
 who went in the tally ho: Frederick Ives.
 General Samuel E. Merwin J. B. Sargent,
 F. A. Monson, Samuel Bolton, W. F. Dicker
 son, Charles w. Allen, Fred. Thompson,
 Amos J. Beers, Marquis Newton, General
 A. Cady, Thomas R. Trowbridge, Miles W. D. Anderson, Hugh Daley,
 John NJ. Peck, Jonathan Pond, T.
 E. Doolittle, James M. Townsend, C. M In,
 gersoli, c. l.. Mitchell, Hon. William J. Mills,
 A. P Hotchkiss, H. E. Pardee, E. J. Foote,
 John I. Goodrich, M. P Dunbar, H. E
 Richard Peck, B. S. Kimberly, Charles Kim
 berly, H. H. Bunnell, J. A. Bishop, F. G.
 Williams s. A. Marsden, H. G. Lewis l.. w Sperry, ex Governor James E English, James
 G. English, Daniel l. Carpenter, c. B Peets,
 Joel A. sperry, Joseph Porter, James Eng
 Dr. I. II. Bishop, F. c. Futile, T. c. In gersoll, John K Beach, Joseph Franklin,
 James T. English, Benjamin English, J.
 Gallagher, jr., Charles Peterson, H. c. War
 ren, Daniel c. Eaton, Fred B. Mallory, Will liam E. Stoddard, E. A. Hotchkiss, Oliver N 4,
 Twiss, J. G. Alderman, W. A. Ensign, Willis A. Miller, D. R. Wright A. l.. Kidston, Wal
 lace B. Fenn, D. s. Glenney, J. P. Pigott, R
 E. Baldwin, George Hotchkiss, J. b. Dewell
 Amos F. Barnes, Gen. George H. Ford ! Charles s. Mersick, Dr. F. H. Whittemore. week or ago ex- Mayor Sperry as rep ! resentative of the New Haven body, and ar ! old friend and admirer of the tree, went ou | to see Phineas B. Peck, of Woodbridge, anc between them details of yesterdays celebra tion were arranged Part of the work ant l. expense was to be borne by the New Haven CTS, but the most of it fell upon the hospita ble Woodbridge people, and they did splen } ! didly. The general committee of arrange
 ments was W. W. Peck, P. E. Peck, c. T Walker. Halstead Bishop, w. M. Bishop ant | Frank Thomas. These were drawn iron
 different quarters of the town and were aid ! ed by many subcommittee. Mrs. Stephel 3 Perkins was at the head of the ladies' com t ! mittee, and she was assisted by host of la dies, among them Mrs. Earl Peck Mrs Jus tus Thomas, Miss Sadie Clark, Miss Lizzi ! Russell, Mrs. w. W. Peck, Miss Edith Todd
 Miss Nettie Peck, Mrs. R. c. Newton an
 Miss Addie Williams. In addition to prepar ! ing the collation. the ladies did variety o l ! other things to help along the affair, one o 6 ! which was making several hundred souve 1 nirs of the occasion in the shape of butto
 hole decoration consisting of several oa Q leaves surrounding an acorn, all from tn l old tree, held with 8 bow of narrow blu
 ribbon. It goes without saying that tn ! Woodbridge ladies did nobly. They alway - do.
 ot A large eighty feet in diameter tent stoo
 across the road from the tree, contiguous t l MT. Hitchcock's farm house. Here the col . lation was served. Small flags and bunche Il l of gay colored autumn leaves and evergreen
 adorned the posts that circled the tent. ] | great mass of leaves and vines and green I were trained about the center pole for dis n n IfnfJ f ! table were punches of wild cultivated flower a set off with frost-tipped leaves and vines. Tn
 collation. was most ample. Mir. David Cowel of this city, supplied the substantials for tn = ! dinner, while the Woodbridge ladies flu, e I nished the biscuit and some of the othe
 lighter edibles. Preparations had been mad
 for feeding 800, and there appeared to b
 enough for 1000. It was gala occasion an l. a memorable day in old Woodbridge A yer o large representation of the people of tn town were in attendance, as well as man r I rom Bethany and some from other towns @ Rev. G. P. Marvin, pastor of the Congre O gational church of Woodbridge, opened th o formal exercises about 12 o'clock with speech of welcome to the visiting guests l' Governor English responded in appropriat d terms, and then Postmaster N. D. Sperr q gave the historical address. The speaker
 and officers of the day occupied sm4 e platform which stood near the tent entrance is Mir Sperry nominated officers as follows
 President, James B. English; vice pres
 dents, Thomas R. Trowbridge, Governc = bigeow, Stephen B. Perkins, Henry C
 Lewis, Theron A. Todd, Professor Daniel ( y Eaton, Ph1neas E. Peck, E. s. Quintarc |. Colonel Lyman Manville, Lewis Russell ,. secretaries, Henry Trowbridge, 2d, Henry I = Baldwin, H. H. Bunnell Charles J. Peel '1 Ex-Governor English came forward an 'f briefly returned thanks for the honor: afte ,. 1 which he called upon Rev. s. P. Marvin d pastor of the Woodbridge Congregation ~ church, who delivered the following addres g | of welcome
 NIT Chairman and gentlemen-The occasion whie Ia I has brought together at this time is certain o unique in it's character. We have gathered from
 of the town and from the city to celebrate
 I life of the grand old ak which many yea
 has stood sentinel, keeping watch the dis al
 sea and holoing out It's arms for the pr lection 'o embrace of the Woodbridge children and invti1
 those of the city to come and enjoy the beautif
 landscape which spreads out before recei' vigor and from the gentle breezes whic =. play with it's foliage.
 's How many centuries 1t has withstood the fer 4 ! storms and grown under the influence of the so