The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-09-11

these, Charles Seeley was son of Thomas
Seeley, the old tavern keeper, whose inn
is now venerable Charles Warehouses;
home. Ammon Williams, comb max
er, lived near the site of the lower Rub
Der and was about the only inhabitant of
the Glen. His serpent did not prove
popular and was exchanged for a from
bone, which Boyle Fairchild played. Ed
ward Bailey was cabinet maker work.
ing north of the Morgan place. Isaac L.
Blackman worked in Sandy Hooks brass
foundry, afterward Charles Blakeslee's,
with his brother Demmon. William Som
ers lived with his brother, Dea Rufus
Somers, in Berkshire. Benjamin Glover
was son of Curtis Glover of Hanover and
lead the band. Eli Beers of Palestine was
brother of Norman. Peter Fairchild was
a Taunton school teacher. William Scud-
der was uncle of S. S. Scudder and re-
moved to Michigan. Maj Charles Sher-
man, the Hook combmaker, was after
ward drummer and carried the band to
Bridgeport at one time in his lumber
wagon. Major Lee of New Haven was
first employed to tutor the band, which
met at the Town hall, Baldwin & Beers
giving them its use free. William B.Prin-
die was then young man living at home
with his father, Lewis d. Prindle, who
was wagon and cabinet maker in the
Street, but afterward bought w. G. John
sons mill of Mr. Turner. Mr. Prindle says
that the bands first public appearance
was at Fourth of July celebration in
Grassy Plain, when the band was gaily
decked out with blue coats, white pants
and blue sashes. Another Fourth, the
band went to Danbury, where its leader
got sick on lobster. Bridgewater put
them into its Congregational church to
furnish music for the closing exercises of
some school. The band luckily escaped
the Housatonic road, having been placed
on car behind that on which L. S. Peck
was injured when the train, cut loose
from the engine, butted into the steam
boats woodpile at Bridgeport. The con-
stitution was amended in the Summer of
1884, the most important addition being
that rules should be drawn respecting the
bands instruction, discipline and uniform
and no man might belong to the band I'M
less he would subscribe to these rules.
Charles Brisco, the Street tanner; AM
brose Shepard, father of Richard D..
Shepard of Dodgingtown and James B..
Beers, the veteran map publisher of New
York, were then the bands collectors.
Subscriptions for the band were collect
ed as late as 1915, but the removal and
death of members of the band and loss of
interest finally wound it, up. 1t met in
its later history at Beach Beardsley's har-
ness shop, which was over Boyle Fair
child's store. The street was then full
of stores and shops, for Bridgeport and
Danbury had not yet eclipsed Newtown.
John Brisco, E. w. keeler's brother-in-
law, was tailor here and Roswell Lake
kept store or traded where ex-Town
Clerk Peck lives. After the band dis
banded, Sandy Hook attempted to sup
port one and, that failing, futile at
tempt was made to revive the old band.
The band in which Prof Charles S. Platt
played did have temporary existence,
but now that, too, is remembered with
Newtown's departed glories. The coun-
try no longer furnishes music for the
towns, but the cities set the tune and the
country must keep up with it,if it can af-
ford it.