The Newtown bee., 1891-09-18

death of Mrs Hopkins-Searles, said to be the richest woman in America at the time of her death. The father of this eminent and worthy lady was native of Green field Hill and school boy and school companion of the father of the present writer. l have often heard my father narrate how the father of Mrs Searles, Mr Sherwood, started forth a poor boy, with little or no advantages of education or wealth, to carve his fortune in the world. Being naturally fond of books, he applied himself with great industry to the study of the English and Latin clas- sics, moved to the city of New York and proceeded to establish there school for thu education of young men and soon be- came known throughout the city as d most worthy and excellent instructor of youth. After successful career as a public teacher and scholar for many years, Mir Sherwood moved from New York to Great Harrington, Mass, where he married his wife, who, with her sis ter, had conducted there one of the most celebrated female schools i'll New Eng land. Both Mir and Mrs Sherwood were ardent promoters of education. It was in Great Harrington, one of the prettiest villages of New England, that MT and Mrs Sherwood spent great portion of their life. They bought up there their interesting family, among whom were two engaging and most accomplished daughters one of them married Mir Chittendon, a successful merchant of St. Louis, man of large means and influ- ence. She died, a few years since, while travelling abroad for health. The other daughter married the famous railroad manager, Mark Hopkins of San Francis co, who died, some years since, leaving an immense fortune to his widow. After his death, Mrs Hopkins returned to Great Darlington, where her generous and be- nevolent nature displayed itself in the erection of new and elegant Congrega- tional church, built on the site of the plain old editice which had been destroy ed by fire. This new structure is built Ot Portland brown stone and is an ornament to the town. It's beautiful interior orna- ments. stained glass windows, fine pull pit of rich mahogany, it's grand organ, it's parsonage and libraries and other buildings have cost something more than $l00,000, a noble, praiseworthy offering of Christian heart. The old family mansion. the home of her father and mother, rich in family historical associ- ations, was being supplanted by another new and much grander edifice; probably no grander. no more complet7 or palatial home can be found on the American con- tinent than this splendid edifice, which is now nearly completed. It was while she and her newly married husband, MT Searles, were planning and exercising a most industrious and careful oversight over this new and wonderful structure, that Mrs Searles was called away from these earthly scenes and earthly tolls to a higher and grander temple, house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. Knowing as l did, all these facts and his toric incidents in the life and history of Mir Sherwood, as narrated to me by my father, who was friend, playmate and school companion of his, and knowing as l did the still more wonderful history of the life and career of this noble lady, Mrs Hopkins, Subsequently Mrs Searles), I could not but look back over the past with wonder and feel that new and most striking interest was imparted by the recollection of these facts to my brief
 
 excursion to Greenfield Hill.
 Norwalk, September 4, 1891.