The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1902-10-10

by G. A. Mallory and Mrs G. E. Rogers,
about mile south of Sherman Center.
A little farther south, OH the rocks
near Mr. Ferris Leach's barns, stood
the old town house, where the people
OF both sections came to vote.
Fifty or 60 years after the settle
ment of New Fairfield, some of the
people began to argue that on account
of the length of the town and the con-
sequent inconvenience for doing bust
ness, it would be wise to divide the
township. A petition was at length
sent to the State Legislature. signed
by a number of the leading citizens,
asking that the northern part of New
Fairfield be set off.as a separate town.
After due delibcration on the part of
House and Senate, the petition was
granted, and the upper portion of New
Fairfield began its independent his
tory. The two towns were nearly
equal in regard to area and population,
the northern section making up in
length what it lacked in breadth.
1t had been a difficult matter to
choose a name for the new town. and
the question was discussed through
nearly a whole session of the legiSla-
ture. Finally our representative in
the House, Judge Graves, arose from
his seat and said: ''InaSmuch as Roger
Sherman once had his shoe shop i'm our
town, | propose that we take the name
of Sherman" The proposition met
with Immediate approval, and thus
our town received the name of which
it is justly proud. Roger Sherman
was d man of the finest character and
attainmentS; as member of Congress
for 10 years, one of the committee of
five who drafted the Declaration of
Independence, Signer of the Declara-
ton, member of the Constitutional
Convention, and leader in many other
important movements, he gave his
country such service as few men ever
give it: and the town which is his
namesake can best honor his memory
by living up to the name it bears.
Sherman has ever been fortunate in
the peaceful nature of her history.
From Indians, the terror of most of
the early settlers, she had nothing to
fear, since the Schaghticokes, the
original inhabitants of the town, were
a branch of the MOhegan tribe, which
was noted for it's friendlineSS to the
cOlOniStS.
Although the Revolutionary soldiers
encamped near by, on Quaker Hill and
in Danbury, Sherman was never dis
turbed by their presence. except, it
may be, on foraging expeditions. If
tie army did not come to Sherman
however, Sherman sent her sons to the
army. Among those who went from
this town TO fight the British were
Stephen Barnes, Jesse Sherman, Isaac
Bartram, Sylvanus Stuart, Nathan
Spencer, Seth Wakeman and Jonathan
GiddingS. Jonathan Giddings is said
to have been once i'm command of a
scouting party which was for nine days
without any. food save roots and herbs.
In still other ways Sherman showed
her patriotism and loyalty. One of
her citizens, Alexander Stuart, is said
to have stored ammunition for the
Continental soldiers in his house,
which stood on the site now occupied
by George Barnum's home. All at
temptS of the tories to find the hidden
CT Il
kept in safety.
At this time there lived i'm the part
of the town called Leach Hollow Il man
named John Leach. When the colonies
declared themselves independent of
Great Britain, he remained loyal to
King George. although he must have
known the danger he thus incurred.
Because of his Tory principles attempts
were made to arrest him, and had they
been successful it might have gone
hard with him. 1t is supposed he was
in Il cave near his home: at
any rate he could not be found. His
wife, who was community known as
Aunt Molly, is thought to have carried
him food at night. She was more than
once visited by the Searchers. who held
their pistols at her head and command
ed her to to reveal the hiding place of
her husband. If she knew it. however,
she bravely refused to tell. and John
Leach escaped To Canada. where he re-
NAMED until the war WAS over.
Although Sherman wis at peace
within her own borders. nevertheless
Ter sons must be constantly ready to
lelp if the nation called. Every man.
therefore, under penalty of fine. must
axe military training, and the annual !
irlll, which took place about the first
If May on the level field opposite the
house now owned by Charles Mcdonald.
vas one of the great occasions of the
7ear. When, in the circuit of the
tate, general training was held in