The Newtown bee., 1904-02-05

upon the occasion. Phe 14th day of this month peace was sealed. Glad tidings to the people. Monday the twenty second there was great day of rejoicing and commemorating Gen Washington's birthday. The Militia all met and at one o'clock the church was opened, the women went in and took their seats and the aged men. The State troops marched in and the Militia followed after. Rev MT Bur hans, MT Clark, MT Edmond and MT Charles Hawley marched in at the head of tho State troops and to their seats. After all were seated a psalm was sung. Then MT Burhans read the prayers of the church and chapter in the old Testament. After he got through MT Edmond read the treaty of piece, then MT Hawley delivered an oration. MT Clark made speech to the people advising them to give the praise to God, who had sent them the blessing of peace once more. Hemade a prayer and then we sung hymn and was dismissed. It showed very hard when church was out, but it was very pleasant in the evening. There was a ball at Dr Perry's in the evening and the old people joined them.
 It would be interesting could we know:the standingof all the men whose names are mentioned in the above paper. No doubt they were represen- tative men of the town. upon whom rested the honor of leading in the eel ebration. The MT Edmond referred to was one of Newtown's most valuable Lcitizens- William Edmond-a graduate of Yale college in 1773, a leading member of the Connecticut bar, and represented Newtown in the Legislature in 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1901, 1902. He al. so served as selectman in 1785 and 1787. He represented the Fourth Congres. sional district in Congress and became judge of the Supreme court. He was volunteer soldier at the burning of Danbury and received a wound in his leg that lamed him for life. His descendants now living in town are granddaughter, Mrs Marcus c. Flaw. ley, three great-granddaughters, Miss Mary B. Hawley, Miss Annie E. San ford and Mrs Robert Beers, and two great-great-grandsons, Henry Sanford Beers and Robert Edmond Beers. He died in my early childhood, but all through my younger life I heard much said by those whose life was contem poraneous with his, of the noble qual ities of the man, how his life work was to learn all that was good, to teact and educate and to uplift and ennoble humanity, not doing it as charity but to show his high ideal of citizenship and patriotic duty. Ihave often heard this told of him to illustrate one trait of his character as an attorney. Two neighbors of his got into some dispute over washtub that was likely to enc in law suit. One of them went tt Judge Edmond to bring a suit. The Judge asked the man what he consid cred the washtub worth. A sum was named. The Judge took the money from his pocket and gave it: to tht complainant with the remark, 'Take that money and buy a washtub fol yourself and you and your neighbo1 stop your wrangling and live in peace. , Surely of none could it be better said "His life was gentle, and the elements
 So mixed in him that Nature might stand u] And say to all the world, this was man."
 His home was on the place where
 Robert H. Beers lives, when he died ir 1838.-[E. l.. J.