The Press., 1885-06-18
Issued Every Thursday Evening.
LOCAL TOPICs-PENN'D AND sCIssoRED
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE PAST.

ANECOTLECTIONS OF THE PAST.
 Dear Press: Having passed over forty years in old "'Tolland County perhaps it may interest your readers at a distance who emigrated from your rock bound hills to read of the changes, past and present, that have taken place Ill some of yonr towns, noting also the many who are resi- dents of Hartford. To begin with
 MANSFIELD.
 My fist advent in Holland county was in this quaint old town, some fifty l years ago. Coming from old Massachus- etts, my native state, after previous resi- dence of year in Willimantic, the first object that excited my curiosity at that time was the old church-Presbyter with it's old fashioned high back pews, and the one for the tithing man provided with long pole, for what use never could learn. This church was presided over for many years by Rev. Anson Atwood, of the old style, who was an original thinker and able sermoniser. He retired on account of age and removed to East Hartford with his family. Two daughters, one now in East Hartford, survive him. The mem- bers of this church commenced their Sab bath on the setting of the Saturday nights sun, all labor being then suspended. At that time many farmers cultivated large numbers of mulberry trees, and when rid ing along the roads at this season of the year, as the young leaves bud and grow, you would find perched among the boughs many of the buXom girls stripping the leaves for feeding the silk-worms. This was quite an industry at that time, and the entire work was done at the farm.
 It was in this town that the "spinning head" was invented by Mir. Hank at the north part of the town. At this time no silk factories were built in Connecticut. The leaves were picked and fed to the worms, the worms after feasting, wound themselves mp ill their shro,ltls and if .un- mOlested would eat themselves out, con- ing forth as miller, and after laying thous- ands of eggs die again. The cocoons as soon as ready, are thrown into boiling water and scalded off, after which they go through cleansing process, and then are spun off into sewing silk which the family would trade off for goods at the-store. There were three churches in town at this time, Presbyterian at the Centre, Baptist at Spring Hill, and Congregational at North Mansfield.
 A cotton factory at Eagleville was run for some years by Hon. Thomas Clark, who sold out, removing to South Coventry and subsequently was elected state treas nrer He was a gentleman of the ole school, holding many offices of trnst judge of the county court, etc. He diee III Coventry few years since. His dangh ter married w. A. Loomis, now a resi- dent of Hartford engaged in the stov. ware manufactory business. MT. Looms was formerly 8 merchant of Coventry ,anG also represented the town as legislator and was postmaster for years Dwight H Clark, son, married a daughter of Capt = Farley Converse of your town, and nov n occupies the old home in Coventry George formerly d,d business in Eagleville He married Miss Sallace for his frs wife. and after her demise he located il Brooklyn, N. r., remarked, and is still il the city of churches Henry, the oldes son, was engaged for many years in bnsi ness at Norwich where he died. Edwin another son, was engaged for many years in Brooklyn, N. Y. Frank the youngest went to Ohio and married and is still lvine there. Thomas Clark was brother to Hon David Clark of Hartford, man wei known through the state. The family came from Hampton ~
 Speaking of the industries of Mansfield at that time they had home protection recall family on Chestnut Hill who kep
 
 family loom and wheels for spinning. My brother, living with them, had suit made from the wool which was sheared on tn, farm, spnn in the farmhouse, coloret from butternut bark taken from the farm woven into cloth on the old family loom and finally made into suit by the Widow Jones, a famous tailoress for that time . The summer gonds We're also spun ant woven from the flax grown on the farm also the women had their plaid dresses fo winter from the same sheep and sam looms :; the shoes were al tapped at home It. was on this farm the blue fox or Scot land devil jnmped upon the old marc back while in the pasture one night, an' rode till the animal was nearly killed iron fright. The old gent told the writer c this: One evening he was riding through the woods leading from Mansfield Centre to Chestnut Hill, one of these rar animals jumped ill the wagon back of tn seat and commenced to laugh. He conl' not hit it, it's movements were SD rapid You never could shoot one, they bore
 charmed life
 Very little cash was needed, merchant s exchanging goods for sewing silk, socks , butter, eggs, WOO, ,etc. ,and then consignin the socks e'c. to the city trade. The scre> auger was an invention of cue of Mans fields sons. The making of steel-yard was also oue of tbe industries of the town The first silk hat possessed was made Il Mansfield Centre by one Trowbridge,
 practiced natter, whose ambition in trad P was limited to the towns people. Prom :, inent among the residents of the sont u part of the town was Salmon Storrs q OI Judge Storrs, as he was called his res dence was south of the church. Near b was the store and post-office, kept fo many years by his son, Daniel Storrs, wh married Sollace, we'll known family Salmon A. Storrs also was Judge Storr son, and at that time he played the flint in the church choir, Capt. Sheppard Storr of Chestnut Hill playing the bass vlol fo half century or more, seldom being al sent from his post. His son lives on tn old farm, having married Ellen, a daugt k, ter of S. w. Storrs, whose residence wa at the city, so called. Stedman was so of Ralph Storrs, who had four sons, tn others being Norman, Edwin, and Lear der all dead but Edwin, and the dangl ter Mary Ann who was married to Fran Marble, who died his widow now lives Willimantic. Stedman w. married Oliy D , Barrows a daughter of Dan Barrows, -r man of influence, living one mile north ( ,S the Centre church his descendants wi 'F ,oo,riY.a f,1pthar p0fioo Rati1rnirfts fr Undo