The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1903-08-28
BETHEL.
AN INTERESTING OLD GENTLEMAN

But few men live to the great age of
four score and ten. Hugh Bartram
arrived at the age of ninety years the
10Th of June last, having been born in
1913. The latter part of his life has
been spent in the lower part of Bethel,
at a place formerly called Turkey
Plain, better known as Lime Kiln. Mr.
Bartrams wife died many years ago.
son, Charles Downs. In early days
when in his full strength Mr. Bartaam
was busy man and good teamster,
driving one and two yoke of oxen at
tached to two wheel cart, which
were more generally in use SO years
ago. "Uncle Hugh'' prides himself
with drawing the largest load of cord
wood that was ever taken into Bethel
market, and brought home the largest
load Of lumber. Mr. Bartram has a
good memory and relates with inter-
est many incidents of the family his
tory. He says: my father, James
Bartram, Jr., was born ITO. My moth
er was Betsey Barnum, who, when a
girl, lived in Capt Hugh STAIRS family
in Grassy Plain district until her mar
riage with my father. 1 was named
Hugh after Mr. Starr. l had eight
brothers and three sisters. Era, the
Oldest son, built house at the foot of
COalpit Hill, which was erected on the
highway by permission of the select
men Of Danbury. Era was killed on
Spruce mountain by falling tree
while he was there chopping wood. His
old house, which has been an old land
mark in that neighborhood since with
in the memory of the oldest person
living, has recently been removed or
burned. Hugh Bartram's grandfather
lived to the age of 100 years. He was
nah Morehouse and she became the
mother Of II children and had seven
pairs of twins. Ten Of these children
grew to man'and wOmanhOod and their
descendants are as the ''sands of the
sea-" and may be counted by scores in
the good old county of Fairfield.
James Bartram, ST., was a Revolution
airy soldier, and at the time of the en-
campment in the winter of 1883, at
the place now known as Putnam Park,
the soldier and his large family of chill
dren lived a half mile west, on what
was then called Burned Ridge, now
the old road leading from Chestnut
Ridge to hometown. The old house
stood on the town line between Dan
bury and Redding, and it was said Mr.
Bartram lived in Redding and went to
sleep in Danbury. A bed of tansy and
the old soldiers humble dwelling
place" We find on the town record in
Danbury that during Mr. Bartram's
termsof service in the Continental army
Daniel Judd was appointed committee
by the town to see that the family had
necessary supplies of food and clothes,
Mrs Frank Taylor of Chicago, ILL.,,
arrived in Connecticut, last week, and
expects to spend a month with rela-
yves and Old friends. Mrs Taylor and
FAMILY were former residents Of Elm
wood district, Bethel. The family
left town about % years ago.
MIS- II. j. Sienor and daughter,
Grace, are spendinga week in New
Haven.
A lively party of young ladies from
Grassy Plain district enjoyed picnic
at Taunton lake on Tuesday Afternoon.
They were caught in the shower, which |
did not appear to dampen their spirits.
"A very heavy shower of hail, and rain
with heavy wind, passed |
over Bethel, Tuesday afternoon. Dur
ing the shower several carloads of dirt |
was washed out of the embankment on |
thelbig fill east:of Main street. Repairs
had to be made before the O'Clock
train could pass. During the shower
the darkness was so great that all
workmen had to adjourn work for over
an hour. So far as heard from the
tobacco in Plumtrees was not damaged
to any great extent. But few wash
outs on highways occurred.
Edgar Signor, who is spending few
weeks at Lake Placid, Adirondacks,
Is greatly improved in health and ex-