The Newtown bee., 1905-08-11

acres; three lots to be laid out of q
acres each lying on the westerly sld'
of the new country road southerly O.
the brook called by the name of tht
Deep brook; five lots to be laid out OF
20 acres each lying on the hill east
ward of the long meadow adjoining tt
the deep brook on the north end.
At the foot of the document are the
names and figures showing the orde1
in which the different proprietors took
up their lots This was the first town
plot. But in the following summer,
I'LL, another allotment was made east
erly of, and adjoinging the first, being
practically an enlargement or It's
borders and on this second plot the
village of NewtOWn was laid out.
The pioneers we're no more unmlnd.
full of the ShOrtneSS and uncertainty OF
human life than I'VE are, perhaps not
as much so, for in the same year or the
towns incorporation, I'LL, the town by
vote set apart one acre and half OF
ground at the extreme south end OF
the town in which to bury their dead,
and at town meeting held December
9, 17l2, it was voted that "Stephen
Parmerly shall have the use Of one
acre and a half of land which is the
burying place for our dead, provided
he clear the land of brush and SOW it
with English grass seed.' The plot of
ground referred to is the south end of
our village cemetery and is known as
the old part, and still remains the
towns property. This was the only
recognized place for burying their dead
until the year 1748. Here are to be
found headstones that mark the graves
of Newtown's pioneers who died be-
tween l741 and 1900. These are one
hundred and fifty in number, but no
headstones have been found that bear
although the plot was set apart for q
burying place in the year I'LL. There
must have been many burials there In
the Thirty years that preceded 1741.
Surely it would be fitting thing If in
the near future we should raise, by
voluntary subscription, money enough
to enable US to place a huge boulder
in that open space in the old part,
with bronze tablet inserted thereon
inscribed to the "Memory of New
towns pioneers who lie in unmarked
graves" Believing it might add
much to the enjoyment of this Occas-
turtles had accumulated on the old
headstones, seventy in number have
recently been cleaned and the inscrip-
tions made legible. This was made
possible at this juncture from the fact
that medical man who was one Of us
but not now with us, gave very gener-
ously for that object and so paved the
way for its accomplishment.
There are some very quaint as we'll
as impressive inscriptions on these old
stones Of which l cannot fOrbear to
copy few:
"The once well respected
Mr. Daniel Booth
Here rested from the hurry
Of life, the sth April, A. D., 1777.
Could a vrtuous. honest and amia-
BILE character, Gould Blessings
Gould ye sympathetick
soft'ning Tears Of a numerous offspring
n Dis sa the * King w.t. Of Ie ;r PTS,
to Answer Life's great Aim.
From Earth's low prison, from this vale OF
With age incombered and oppressed with
Death set 4 &fa'i free, his Christ had made his
Let grief be dumb, let pious sorrow cease
Read the testimony of Richard Fair
man as to the character of his wife:
Here lies Inte'rd the
Body of Mrs Jane, the dear
Wife Of Richard Fairman, Esqr,
Who Dwelt together in the
married state 30 years,
Wanting 23days
And was in his opinion
Woman OF the Best sense and
judgment that he was ever
acquitted with. and
Who dep'r'd this Life in the
5sth yr. OF her ,erE age May IT,
Safely inter'd Here lies
The remains Of Mrs Mary,
the amiable consort Of Mr. .Iab's.
Raidwine who made her exit jan,
1770 in the 36 year OF her Age, Leaving
When a fond Mothers
care hath nursed her
Bab-s to manly size She
must with us'ry pay
the Grave
N Mr. th Sa7 Ms1 6sfysi ST
once
the agreeable companion and the
generous friend who was
suddenly arrested by remorseless
in the AZ year of his age.
This monument is inscribed:
..of this may it be with propriety said,
His friends were many. enemies few.
The partial friend may virtues magnify,
The catering marble may record ;Lye,
But God who judgeth righteously and just,
Will raise his children from the sleeping
Dust,
Proclaim their worth in Earth in Air In
Their pardon sealed and write their sins
forgiven.
In l748 the town laid out to the
"peOple living at We northwest part OF
We township of Newtown, upon their
desire, sixty rod of land for aaBureing
place to Bury their dead in at place
Northerly off or from Benjamin Haw-
ley's Dwelling House. First Bounds is
heap of stones in the line of Caleb
Baldwin's land, then run southly {
rods to heap of stones, then run
westerly IL rods, Joining to the High
| way, then run Northerly 5 rods to
| seph Bristol, Lemuel Camp, Commit
tee."
In that burying place stands head
stone that marks the grave of Jeremi.
alb Turner, the first white child born
in NewtOwn.
Attendance at town meetings was
made compulsory and a fine of three
shillings was imposed upon all who
failed to attend who could give no val
id reason for absence. 1t was conSid
cred due notice of the meeting if a Sc.
SOnally or leave notice at the dwelling
house Of the person to be notified.
Grist mills and saw mills were of al
most as much necessity as houses tt
live in, for unless they had mills ir
which to grind their grain they mus
go to Stratford or DanburY for theil
flour or go without. Without saw
mills they would have to depend fol
lumber upon the crudest of ways, by
rending it, for use. At the secont
town meeting, held December 4, I'LL
Benjamin Sherman, Ebenezer Pringl'
and John Griffin were appointed a com
mittee to view the great pond and SCI
if it would contain grist mill. 1t wa