The Press., 1885-07-02
LOCAL TopICs-pENN,D AND sCIssoRED.


 LOCAL T0pICs-PENpD AND sCIssORED. Fl sse l MORE RECOLLEcTIONs ABOUT MANSFIELD. l In reviewing my "reminiscences of former years your composition is excusable for one or more errors. For Hank read Hanks. In referring tow. A.ysLoomis business in 1 Hartford, read silver instead of stoves. I am nnable to read my own manuscript when written in haste your compositor did well to make so few errors.
 propose to refer to few more of the old families : gag5&B ] The Freemans in the north and central portion of Mansfield occupied prominent positions they reached back in the first or earlier settlement of the town. Mans field was set off from Windham in 1703 The Storrs, Porters, and Barrows came from Plymouth. In ITO the first minis ter, Rev. MT. Williams, was ordained. The Fentons, Royce, and Halls, were residents when the town was a part of Windham. 265 lbs. of raw silk was raj sed as curly as 1793, an ounce of seed being sent to each town by the state. and a bounty given on the prolucts. Mr. Daaiel Hartson of this town invented the buzz saw. I have since learned that Mir. Andrew Harrison and Nathan Palmer invented the screw auger. Horace Hanks invented the dou ble wheel head. @
 One of the Freemans, a son of Deacon l Fred. Freeman, is now connected with the Tariffville silk works as treasurer, and was in the last legislature from Simsbury. His father also was member formerly from Mansfield or Coventry
 In the old times of the drum and fife the Freeman boys were the champions at l OQr m stel would excel on the fife, and there was music in the air when they met Old Windham was invaded some thirty or more years ago, being the chosen place for three days brigade. Capt. Brace was then in command of the only artillery company, in the brigade. He and his com pany, to which belonged, furnished the brass gun and noise We'll, those were gay times our blood was younger then. You see Mansfield can boast of several useful inventors, as well as teachers.
 The town takes it's name from Major Moses Mansfield. The two Messrs. Bar rows, merchants of Providence, left town many years ago. One of the Sollice fam fly, Ronald, was for some years a promi- nent merchant in New York. Newell, a blacksmith, moved to Springfield, Mass, where he died. Marshal and Edward
 
 ed in silk manufacturing in other towns. I also saw Mr. Conant from this town at Willimantic, who is prominent manufac- turer of sewing silk. If am not mistaken Gardner Hall, of South Willington, is from Mansfield. In speaking of the M. D's. l should have mentioned Dr. Uriah Brigham who lived in the north west part of the town, and man of good repute, having q llarge ride. The Dunhams, living near the Coventry line, are old residents, going back many generations; Leonard Dunham who is still living, is the oldest teacher -. who has taught continuously now resident f in the county. George O. Kinney, onl representative from Hartford this year who has been superintendent at Colts fol . many years, married for his first wife An geline Payne, whose mother was Dun r ham. She left several descendants U ohn IS Brigham, Alvin, who died in Bridgeport F also Sumner, well known in your county = as deputy. I we'll remember sheet o V water called Dunham's pond: A cloudy . morning was fine outlook for troutine (no weather reports them so Dwight anG this itemiser sallied forth the sun cam, d out, trout would not bite, and Dwight pro > posed the pond to try for perch ]; we hat l. to climb Bald Hill to get to the pond, an6 T. then the perch it was their day off tn, water was clear as crystal we could see tn, d fish, lazy fellows, basking under the line of our boat ]; we were fortunate enough t, get fine lunch of milk etc., at farm close by. An Dwight you and will nev 5 CT forget Bald Hill, no never. The faMou dentist, Dr. Coggswell of California, wh. furnished Rockville and other places witt his drinking fountains, also can trace hi lineage to old Mansfield I am aware tha many persons and doings may be passed over by me, but your readers must remem Der have not resided in Mansfield fo over 40 years and was boy at that time Forty five years ago or more prominen teacher at that time was Porter B. Peck since deceased He was also prominen in politics alter time.
 I remember we'll the dedication of tn old church at the Center after it's remod cling. No place in Conn. had so large colony of bats as the old tower :; the boy would stir them up once in 8 while. A lit tie controversy arose in the choir abou the prominence of certain ones as leaders The contest waxed warm and the resul was poetical efusion, after this manner "A dashing blade of Mansfield town. ha lately won vast renOWn as poet, States man, lord and sage, etc, 7 going on in quit 8 sarcastic vein. Parties are still llyin : who will smile as these old times come u1 again. do not profess to come down t the modern in writing up the town. Tn, gentlemen of the present, now resident can follow me up and make corrections i any are needed in the main facts
 Not being so fully posted in the nortl part as at the Center, we may have omit ted some interesting items. The old hote at the Four Corners, where the stage witt its four in hand and the mail passed on it way to Boston and Providence, also tn old store, whose proprietor was strictl square exact weight was always given his tobacco box always kept full by clip ping the plugs so as to give exact weight nail would be exchanged for smalle one, crackers split, and you always got. l oz. for lb. and 36 inches for 8 yard. Tn competition was limited, B per cent wa the average profit, and New England run one of the staples. A merchant general, went to market every six months, and coul have six months credit if. he wished; Il 11akio foi il1,, T