The Newtown bee., 1902-01-17
LITCHFlELD COUNTY.
WEST CORNWALL.


FOUR SCORE YEARS.
Sheldon Clark was 80 years old. last
week Wednesday, and his friends and
relatives gathered with him to help
him do honor to the day. Friends who
could not be present were requested
to write. Mr. Clark received q letters
in all among which is one given here
and which was thought we'll worthy of
reproduction:
And it came to pass that one Clark
by name who was also called Lyman,
with his wife Alvira lived in the hill
country that was called Cornwall early
in the century that is designated one
thousand eight hundred. Now this
Clark feared God with all his house.
He was the son Of one George, a devot-
ed man of God, who, like Abraham of
of old, "commanded his house after
him." Now this Lyman had sons,
Joseph and Nelson, born to him; and
it came to pass that on the eighth day
of the first month of the year known
as one thousand eight hundred and
twenty two, his wife presented him
with third son, and they called his
name Sheldon. They later had
daughter, Betsey by name. Now these
were the days of primitive simplicity.
The moving machine, the horse rake,
the railroad, the trolley, the telegraph,
the telephone and many other devices
of these times were unknown. Even
the friction match was not in use in
these parts until one Clark, a nephew
of Lyman, invented them. And very
possibly the young Sheldon was some
timeSsent to the nefghbors for fire.
Now it came to pass that the boy Shell
don wandered to the south and met an
aged matron whose name was Garner,
and she wished him to bear tidings to
his mother that a son had been born
to the house of Richards, which hap
pened on the twenty-sixth day of the
seventh month Of the year one thous-
and eight hundred and thirty-two,
and they called his name Ebert. Now
these lads in later years became true
friends. Thay attended school which
was near the mill owned by one
Simeon. Those who met there with
them were of the house of Chapman,
and Taylor, and Wilson and Beach
and many others. In those days the
people of the Lord were stirred up tc
call upon his name aud met together
in the schec!house, where also men OF
God from Goshen expounded the
Scriptures. The young Sheldon choose
God, the God of his fathers, for his
portion and ever otter sought to live
| the life of the righteous. In process
of time the young man thought it not
| wise to be alone and took unto him
self a wife, one Melissa, and there
we're born unto them sons and daugh
tiers. A. one time they sojourned or
the brow of a steep hill, the house be
ing known as the Red" which was or
the borders of Goshen. After some
removals they returned and took w
their abode on the old homestead
among the mountains. In this neigh
borhood Sheldon, his friends Elber
and many others who feared God, oft
en- met for worship, many times a
the home of Joseph the elder. Ii
process Of time there were large gath
erings for the worship of the Lord il
the north country called Canaan, ant
here Sheldon and his friend Elber
frequently resorted to mingle with tn
great company met there in His name
and here the two friends erected
tabernacle. At last the time cam
that the wife Melissa must depart ant
Ego up higher" After her husban,
had mourned her for many days. b
took unto himself a second wife who's
name was Harriet. With her he spen
some years in what is known as tn
"Land OF Goshen" Then, as advanc
ing years were coming upon then
they removed to the bank Of the grea
river, called Housatonic, in Cornwall
the West. There also Sheldon, tn
aged, in t1gurative and spiritua
view, lives well on the border of tn
'land of Beulah" waiting with goo,
hope for his translation to the joys O
the blessed. And it came to pass tina
on the eighth day of the first month
Of the year of our Lord one thousan,
nine hundred and two, the friends ant
descendants of Sheldon met at hi
home to aid him in celebrating tn,
eightieth anniversary Of his birth ant
to congratulate him on being so Wig
erous at four score. And to his dea
Christian brother on this interestin.
occasion doth his friend Gilbert sent
greetings. Fare thee we'll.
Miss Ida Monroe is visiting at Ho1
George e. Harrison's.
Mrs Ransome F. Smith entertained
Mr. Bickwen over Sunday. Mr. Bick
well breaches at this place in the alb
sence of Mr. Sibley.
DR. and Mrs Joseph Robinson spen
day and night at Huston Cochrane' s
last week.
Announcement has been received b.,
| friends in this village of the marriage
Of Miss Winifred Wadsworth Hub
bard to John Russell Agee at Ell Paso
Texas, where Miss Winifred has beer
| staying for the past two years will
| her sister. Mrs Ross Ransom. Mr.