The Portland daily press., 1892-02-23
OLD LITcHF!ELD.
First Law school in the United States.
seecher's Birthplace.
ropreSDOpdepoo

fseGchers A-z'A"ocs
rsnecial correspondence
L1rcBFIELp, Conn, Feb. 1S.-This old
county seat has long been famous for its
refined society. Last century and the
fore mart Of this the village might aptly
have been STYLED the Athens of western
Connecticut. Many statesmen, jurists,
6ivines and men Of letters have attended
school or made their home in Litchfield
Ia the past. The Wolcott family, long
prominent in the history of the state
and nation. was from the earliest DAYS
closely identified with the life of the
town. Several governorships were held
by the Wolcotts. Washington's first
secretary of the treasury was Wolcott,
and 4 senator of that name now repre-.
sents Colorado at the national capital.
The two Wolcott houses, built by tho
first and second governors, are still in
an admirable state of preservation. The
old home of Oliver, the second, is now
the residence of Colonel Sanford, of the
United States army. It is rich in colo
NAL carving and decoration. The first
governor, Oliver Wolcott, planted thir-
teen sycamores along the street and
named them after the thirteen colonies.
Curiously enough, the only one remain
ing is that named "Connecticut," and
it is in a fiourishing condition. An
other prominent family were the Sey-
mours. Major Moses Seymour, of the
Continental army, present at the sur
render of Burgoyne, was the grand
father of Governor Horatio Seymour, of
New York.
Litchfield is the birthplace of Ethan
Allen, Of the poet John Pierpont, of
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe and of
Henry Ward Beecher. The house where
the author of ssUncle Toms Cabin" and
the eloquent Brooklyn divine were born
has been removed from it's old location
and now forms part of private insane
asylum, being used as the mems ward.
It was roomy home, plain looking, with
quaint windows in the gables, and stood
on North Main street. The school house
where Henry Ward taught is now
dwelling.
No doubt the celebrated schools which
fourished in Litchfeld were what
brought together such cultivated body
of people. Miss Pierces seminary for
young ladies was the first institution of
it's kind in the country and drew pupils
from far and near. But the educational
glory of the town was its law school,
founded in 1884 by Judge Tapping
Reeve. This was the first law school in
the United States and long retained its
popularity. 1t is said of Judge Reeve
that he first made of the law liberal
science. He was brother-in-law of
Aaron Burr, became chief justice of the
state, and died in 1928. The school was
carried on for many years afterward by
Judge Gould. Over thousand law
yers received their legal education here.
If this number seems small as compared
with the great shoals of young " limbs"
now annually turned loose on suffer
ing public, we must remember that
those were the days Of small numbers.
Among the students at one time were
Aaron Burr and John G. Calhoun, and
to this institution fifteen United States
senators, fifty members Of congress and
five cabinet ministers owed their lega,
instruction. The old shrine of Black
stone is now the residence of Yale col
lege professor. Some additions have
been made, but the elaborate front dou-
BILE windows and the Handmade" Co
rinthian pillars brought from Europe are
enough to stamp the house of approved
lineage. The legend, ga. D. $780," APP
pears on the front gable.
Several other houses have their date of
erection inscribed on or over the door,
for antiquity is at a premium in these
parts. The wealth Of heirlooms, bric-a-
brac and antiques preserved in the old
families is the envy and delight of col
lectors. The United States hotel,
large, square structure erected in 1857,
is venerable landmark. The old brick
jail, painted dull brown, has stood for
over century on the corner of the vii
lage square. 1t was formerly tavern
and Jail combined, with a dancing hall
above. Prisoners were fed on the leav-
ings of the guests by the thrifty landlord
jailor. Some time ago patient dis
charged from the insane asylum, CRATE
full for his restored reason, set apart a
fund to endow Thanksgiving dinner at
the Jail, and on that day every year an
elaborate feast is served.
The visitor to Litchfeld for the first
time is struck with the broad, parklike
streets, fully twenty rods wide, bordered
on each side by noble shade trees. East,
West, North and South Main streets are
of this generous breadth for nearly half
mile from their intersection and then
narrow to normal country width. One
wonders at the Sabbathlike stiffness that
broods over the village-a quiet broken
only by the industrious music of the bell
IN the new courthouse striking the hours
and quarters. There is nothing of
manufacturing nature in the place. nor
is anything of the sort desired. Who
could imagine the sound of factory bell
Or whistle in sleepy old Litchfeld, or
troops of workmen and girls pouring
from factory to homes? So far from
paying manufacturers a bonus to locate,
as is the case in ambitious towns, the
people would probably expend money
freely to prevent such dissertation of
their calm.
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