The Newtown bee., 1897-01-22

it is not strange that their application was not granted
 UNTIL IT HAD BEEN AG1TATED REPEATED year after year, in several successive Legislatures, until in the session of l7SS, on the 10th day of June, the petition was granted, and Brookfield became the name of the new corporation. This was the year before George Washington became the first president of the United States of America. and 15 months before the ratifi- cation and adoption of our grand and glorious National Constitution.
 The philology of the proposed name of Newbury is derived from blending of the first syllable in the names of the two townships that had contributed the most territory and population to it's formation, and "bury" was the last syllable in the name of the town that had contributed the least.
 But, ''the best laid plains,' says the scotch Poet, ''go aft agee"-so instead of the well chosen, supplementary and philologically correct Newbury, Brook field was substituted, and became the legal title of the newly incorporated enti- ty, derived from the double counties and triple townships we dwell in to-day, and tonight delight to honor as our home. SOME HOLD TO THE OPINION THAT THE of our town was selected in consequence of the numerous rills, and bright and beautiful brooks running down the slopes and hillsides, and meandering through mead, meadow and valley, affording gracious draughts to thirsty man and beast, and feathered f1ock and finny tribe, to say nothing of the increased fertility of the soil, the luxuriance of the vegeta- tion, and the beauty of the landscape spread out on every hand-and Brook field, or ''the field of Brooks," as it's phil tological roots signify, becomes fitting and appropriate name for this spot of earth, in which it's inhabitants, both na- tive and naturalized, delight to dwell and call their own.
 Other some, maintain that our town name was bestowed in honor of the first Puritan pastor called Brooks, who held ecclesiastical sway over this portion of the Lords Vineyard, from his ordination on the 2s h of September, 1757, for near iy 40 years, his being the first and the
 longest pastorate hitherto ever holden in this town by minister of any religious denomination. It was 100 years ago when he retired (some say he was &C., tually dismissed in his declining days, and that he survived his retirement, bare ly two years), from preaching while this community was in it's plastic or forma- tive state, as to church tithes and civic taxation, and fines and penalties and sPUNIsHMENTs MADE TO FIT THE GRIMES, , created as well as regulated, by the now obsolete, but not forgotten, code of what is still known as the s.Blue Laws of the Land of Steady Habits,n and as has been perhaps already intimated herein, or might be readily inferred, it was large- ly supposed question of religious liber- ty blended with the sacred and inviolable personal rights of the cirizen, that set the political and social wheels in motion, that after repeated struggles, ultimately resulted in the establishment and incor- poration of our town.
 Now it is said that our good parson Brooks had an eye to the useful, as we'll as to the good and truehe owned or at least he occupied and tended an apple orchard for his own use and enjoyment, 50 between the duty of composing or selecting his sermons hebdomadaly for his Sabbath meetings Of prayer and praise and thanksgiving, he could look out Of his sanctuary window near the pulpit, when he delivered his bi-weekly dis