The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1903-10-30
r. RANDALL DAVIDSON WRITES INTER
ESTINGLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF
READERS OF THE BEE.

high officials in Derby on the "a inst.
The terminus of the road is In the
southern part of the town known to-
day as the corner of Pearl and South
Main streets. In TAO this corner was
the center of the town and was called
Chusetown, after Chuse, the last
sachem of the Derby Indians, a short
account of which may be OF interest at
this time. His proper name was
Joseph Man Wee Hee. His fathers
name was Gideon Man Wee Hee, a Pc
quot Indian, but Sachem OF the Scata-
cook tribe in Kent in TAO. This terri
tory was inherited by Chuse from bis
father, and settlement by himself
and tribe made at Rimmon and the
Falls, but Chuse afterwards moved to
ChusetOwn, where the electric road
now terminates and where the sachem
then had his headquarters.
To stand where we do to-day and
look back to Chusetown one must lose
sight of all political divisions of the
territory; must forget the existance of
the present business centers, streets,
shops, highways and bridges, and go
back to the premature history of New
England. Large forests were every
where, with but few meadow lands;
big game abounded in the woods, fish
| in the streams. This tribe of Indians
roamed over the hills and meadow
lands through the deep forest after
game or fishing in the Naugatuck and
tributaries after the scaly fry while
the women looked after the, crop of
maize or managed the more arduous
duties at the wigwam. Numerous
Indian relics occasionally found or In
the hands CT old residents now living,
such as pottery, stone pipes and arrow
heads, snowshoes and baskets, confirm
| the historians account Of the Chuse-
town tribe. But this locality was not
long to remain the roaming place OF
Indians, for possessing many natural
advantages, it was soon looked upon
with envy and had drawn many ener
getic and wide awake white men to
the very center of the town. This
tribe OF Indians are said to have lived
peaceably with the whites. '"The whites
paid the Indians full valuation for the
lands, living in peace and great friend
ship with them, caring for them just
as for friends and neighbors, and al
last laying them in their last sleeping
place as brothers," Cotton and wool
en- mills and iron fOundries Sprang VI
in 1900 near the falls, which was nat
ural water privilege of great value fol
the power it afforded to manufacture.
ers, and the population rapidly in
creased as the demand for mill hands
was needed. Three historic houses
now stand, we'll preserved, reminding
one Of Colonial days by their quaint
ness. They form. an equilateral tri
angle at the terminus of the road, ant
were prominent hostelries in Revolt
tionary times. The Terrill White
man hotel, now occupied by Martil
Castle as a residence, opposite tn
Dayton tavern, known later as th
Hull place. In the extreme angl
stands the DR. Tommy Stoddard place
which was tavern of no mean pre-
portions, the exact place where tn
Indian sachem lived, years before, il
his wigwam. The Oxford turnpik
, continues farther on to Woodbury. an
Litchfield, the Dug road to Naugatuc
| and Waterbury, the New Have
, turnpike to New Haven and the Der
by road to Derby and Milford beyond
More thoroughfares were opened TO
the travelling public, who travelled b
stage coach, horseback or afoot. Al
these roads led to the Terrill White
man tavern or the other hostelries a
: Chusetown, and they were famous 70
their apple brandy and big dinners
Again the triangle Is the scene o
headquarters after century, but hoy
different the conditions! The stea1
cars have taken the place of the stag
, coach, the automobile is the ric
, mans conveyance, and the electri
, cars the poor mans friend. ChuSe
town, afterward called Humphreyville
after Gen Humphrey, and afterwar
changed to Seymour by the State Leg
, slature, has grown magnifcently, til
at the present time it has population
of nearly 5000, National bank, fin
school system of education, five moder
l we'll equipped churches, public i
l brary, and their latest acquisition,
public park, containing the soldiers
j., monument, and the trolley. Seymou
i. is noted for it's good roads and th
y variety OF it's manufactured goods
/ What was once Chusetown with it
) busy life, where 1.-THE boys'' went for
roliicking good time and had it, an
: where the farmers centered to swa
: yarns and horses on rainy days, j
7 the terminus of the electric roac
: where after a century of quietness
broken occasionally by the soft note
of the whip-poor-will or the raspin
music OF the katydid, suddenly puts o
: real life, hustle and activity, for n
a part Of the day but that crowd {
e people are gathered here, some enjoy
, ing games, others lounging in shad
e hooks, some reading, others singing
l but all with a steadfast resolution t
f take trolley ride. Thus far the CON
: pany's power-house has been made
: quate to furnish power to run cars Oft
. ener than schedule, but this inconven