The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-20
East Haddam,s Ancient Bell.


At East Haddam, only a short distance
from the Nathan Hale school house,
which was lately dedicated with such i'm
posing ceremonies by the Sons of the
an old bell which antedates the school
house by more than 800 years. 1t has
position on the stone wall at the rear of
the pretty little stone church. just on the
edge of the cemetery, and from its ap-
pearance none would suppose that 1t NAG
known the heat OF summer and the colo
of winter for almost eleven centuries 1t
is not very large, and the greenness of
old age so common to copper mas MADE
but slight inroads upon it.
When Nathan Hale died for his coun-
try this old bell was of the age of Me
thuselah, the Oldest patriarch of Bible
record. At the time Christopher Colum bus
discovered America it had been ringing
out the days of more than half a thousand
years. 1t tolled the deaths of the thou
sands of Spaniards who were lost in the
messed the incursions of the Moors and
Arabs across the Straits of Gibraltar as
they despoiled the fair vineyards of Cas-
tile and for more than four hundred years
knew none but Moorish rule. Europe was
but a wild, unsettled, savage country
when this bell was cast, and the British
Isles were SO much territory ruled by
clannish barons with might the only
When Ferdinand and Isablla assembled
the throne OF Spain the little OLD pel IN
the East Haddam church yard helped to
ring out the tidingS to all the country
of the churches of Aragon, the home
province of Ferdinand. For more than 600
years it had been there, calling the peo-
ple-rich and poor-to service; ringing out
the joy of their marriage celebrations and
tolling the death requiem.
Early in this century, when Napoleon
started on his scacEing tour of Spain and
was finally overthrow by Wellington,
this bell, together with many others, was
taken from its place in the belfry of the
stone church which it had occupied so
long 9Soz twenty years hhdffterw yard IN ISL
churches which Napoleon had destroyed
were sent to this country, consigned to
hal TRGaSt
bells for American churches. The old
East Haddam bell was in the lot VIII
chandler was in business at that time.
His wife was a daughter of the late Capt
Oliver Atwood, of East Haddam. A1r.
Pratt and his wife were interested in St
Stephens Episcopal church, at East Had
bell, Mr.. Pratt purchased the old span
ish bell from among the hundreds OF 9TH
ers in the ship load IL was sent to East ;iss
fry-the old church which stands on an
eminence to the north and east OF the
For years the Spanish bell did its duty
Loyalty. but finally it became cracked and
new church was built, close by where the
old Nathan Hale school house now STANDS,
the bell was taken from the steeple Of
the old church and has not since been
used, but rests quietly in the church yard,
viewed reverently by hundreds every
It was cast in the year SIS. The marks
of the tongue. where for years 1t struck
against the side, are deep and broad the
Arabic numerals which form the date
show that it was cast not long after spain
scription on the ancient bell is in Spanish,
and can be read very plainly 1t is as
..The Prior being the Most Rev. Father
Miguel Villa Murva- The Procurator, the
r 1l9ss Made Iei Ne. Made in Year A. D. SIS
The people of St stephens CHURCH value
the old bell very highly, and II VIII DOUBT
less always remain in possession OF the
parish.