The Newtown bee., 1889-11-08
BETHEL.
THE OLD GEM ETERY.

gfegational church. It has long since ceased to be used for burial, save by special request and but one interment
 has taken place in ten years. It at first comprised but small triangular portion,
 running from the church to the town
 hall and widening at it's upperend. This,
 With sufficient land for a meeting house,
 was given by Capt Ebenezer Hickok in i7o9 and the first interment of which any record can be found is near the church. It is a common flat stone, such as can be ken from q stone wall or picked up in
 the fields to-day. It is set up edge wise and bears simply "1765 k. B." in old fashioned letters, evidently cut by the
 hand of a relative, who, possibly, could afford no more costly memorial. There is nothing, here or elsewhere, to reveal the identity of 'sR. B." It was the GUS tom in those days to set up flat stones at head and foot of new-made graves; sometimes these were replaced by mar ble, but, more often, were rudely marked with an initial or two and, sometimes. the date. Often these became neglected and the stones fell Or sank into the earth. Such, however, was not the case with Capt Hickok. A large marble headstone still marks his resting place and relates that Capt Ebenezer Hiekok, who died
 May $, l774, was for many years faith full deacon in the church and a principal pillar in the same. Tradition ayers, mos hot he ,f,i
 lover of fast horses and had his race course near Depot place. He owned large tracts of land and was rich man for those times, although his stock of ready money could, doubtless, have been easily reckoned. Since this has been abandoned as burying ground, it has been somewhat neglected. For the last few years, however, 1. II. Wilson, one of the old men with whom r. T. Barnum fraterniZes when he comes to Bethel and who is we'll up in the history of the town, has taken an interest in it and has, this year, cleaned up the grounds. He has. as far as possible, gathered up the un- marked stones which Were fallen and sunken and has lighted up some of the others. If the town can be brought to look fayorably on the project, he wishes to straighten all stones not perfectly up- right and to align them, after which he will enter them in q book for reference.
 Those whose inscriptions are almost hid den by the dust of ages will be cleaned and the sunken ones raised. The ground, however. is full of unmarked graves, some of which are under the church,
 which stands further from the street than the first building. And, in 1895,
 when the plague or black tongue pre-
 vailed, many children and young people
 were buried here and their graves are to- tally unmarked.
 Philo Gilbert has the foundation com- pleted for one tenement house on Eliza beth street and is commencing another. Edwin Short is building q large two story addition to his Grassy Plain shop. The lower portion will be used for siz- ing room and the old size room torn
 down. Gilbert Bros. do the work. Arthur II. Senior is shingling the house occupied by him at Depot place. Military hall will be occupied, this | (Friday) evening, by Uniformed Rank,
 K. F., who give d sociable.
 A spread was enjoyed by the sizers at Bairds hat shop, Saturday. Two ap-
 prentices provided a feast of good things for their mates, setting tables in the size room. ..
 Major Price and wife of Brooklyn are with Bethel friends.
 c. E. Squires has put up sign, ''Job
 Printing at his Depot place office. A grand musical entainment will be 1 given at Fishers hall. Thursday, l4th, by Danbury and Bethel talent. It will, without doubt, be one of the most
 pleasing events of the season to all low CTS of music. Frank Osborn of Danbury
 will be pianist and among the more
 prominent performers are George 1T.
 Bassett, who will render Brainard's s l ssPauline = Starr c. Barnum and his bass
 solo, ssThe Old Church Bell;'' E. J. Fry
 and his musical glasses. The program. which comprises IS numbers, includes Eoverture and selections by the orchestra. with saxophones cornet, pipelophone.
 clarionet, violin, picolo, xylophone and vocal solos, besides steel bell solo ano musical glasses. The entertainment is under the management of Elmer E. Sti nard and will be we'll worth the price o1 . admission, Poe and 35c. Reserved seats
 on sale at Twiss' pharmacy.
 The Congregational church has adopt ] ed new hymn books, Dr c. Robinson's claude Dominus." They have been il use about two weeks.
 So much rain has fallen for two Sun
 days that it was impossible to put in th'
 water gate at Rector street and it will bt
 put in, next Sunday, weather permitting } This will, in the future, obviate the ne :, cessity of Sunday work on the watel : pipes.
 The effects of the late Samuel Hoy will be sold at auction at Wolf Pits, Sat urday.
 A. l.. Benedict, assignee of Bevans { ], lCo., has taken possession of the factor. for Dutton & DisbroW of New York ans