The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-09-02

him that we can but wonder at the
edct that sommoned him to the Isst
Hometown" We remember those
charming pictures of the birds, the bugs
and the beetles, and the mysteries OF
the Flowers" from his deft hand, when
this il terpreter of natures enigmas wan
dered DER the Highways and Byways,"
or saw from his cottage door the sun
drinking the morning dew from the shin
ing petals, or lingering over the western
bills, as if 10th to leave these verdsnt
lawns to the shadows of the night.
This Master of the Pen and Pencil"
sleeps near his friend and teacher The
Master of the Gunnery," in that repose
that awaits the call that shall welcome
them to 8 land fairer than day.
A STUDENT OF NATURES EVERY PHASE,
with q wonderful power of observation,
and philosophical instincts, his writings
had a fascinating interest, while his
sketches were reproductions Of his ideas
and his lectures were more than instruc-
tive,-and 1t Was not all the result Of
natural ability, but rather Of careful
training and untiriDg industry. He was
never idle, his vacations were merely
| change of locator, and meant, he said
once, an increase of labor instead of
respite, and it is doubtless true that his
death was the result Of overwork. He
was born in 1850 in Sandy Hook, a part
| of the town of Newtown-where his
mothers people resided, his father be-
log Boston man with distinguished
ancestry. he learned to love Judes
while student of The Gunnery," and
after establishing his city studio in
I Brooklyn, he came back each year, and
was rs fond of her bsbbling brooks as If
to the manor born.
| About a mile from 1.-The Greer the
shaded roadway between the lodges on
Litchfi field road suddenly opens upon q
grand panorama of green fields, and
miles and miles of peaks beyond, and
here stands pert he'd upon a rocky knoll
the Mitchell homestead. Near here FL
nathan Mitchell built his log house,
about 1850. He was great land holder,
|
round about. For one of his bows,
Abner, he built this house in 1872.
Abner married Phebe Elliot, and had
sons Elisha, Elnathan and Matthew.
Elnsthan kept this old home, and his
grandson Elnathsn now occupies it.
Here Elisha Mitchell was born in 1898.
He loved his books rather tn. the fields
and became an L. L. D., and was pro-
lessor of physics in the University of
North Carolina. He explored the high
est peak of the Blue Ridge, and lost his
life in so doing, shortly before the be-
ginning of the Rebellion. The mountain
was,named Mt Mitchell in memory of him.
Iuto this house Earle Buckingham
moved with his wife, Helen Mitchell, and
here he died. He was q noted schcol
teacher and one of the ''0ld-fashioned
singing teachers, who went about the
churches in cold winter nights doing
good in the scale and clef msnoeuVering."
He was once a member of the state SEN
ate.
A mile north of the Mitchell house is
an oldfsshioned farmhouse, where Mrs
Abigail Ford died, three or four years
since, at over one hundred years of sge.
She was born Logan, and her people
lived mile farther to the northeast,
where Matthew Logan took up his share
of land more than a century and half
ago. He had a large family Of children
who have all disappeared from the vicfn-
ity, save one family. The old log
house in which Seth S. Logan once lived
was built for one of Matthew's sons.
Seth Logan was q well-known man, one
OF the good, big-hearted farmers who
had smile and cheerful word for
every one and whose hospitality was
unbounded. One of the local leaders OF
his political party, he had high sspirs-
tions, aud was rewarded by being elect
ed comptroller nf his state. AT the end
of his term of office his health failed and
he died soon after, universally lamented.
None of his children TIL the old farm,
but his son. Walter S. Logan, proms-
nent lawyer of New York city, makes
this his summer residence.