The Newtown bee., 1906-06-01

BY MRS CHARLES C. FORD.
In tracing the history of the north
ern part of the town will take you
trip from the present Ford homestead
through Blackville to Romford and
back to the Logan homestead on the
Woodbury. road, but in those days our
grandparents would have said, up Sab
bath -day-lane to Davis Hollow and
Brick Plains, which is much older
name, and then down the turnpike to
Logan corners.
The Ford family came to this place
given Samuel Ford of Milford by Eli
Perkins Of Judea society, town OF
Washington; farther back than this
we have no trace of ownership. The
present house is not the original or
Eli Perkins house, as that was farther
west than this and it is question II
it did not stand on the south side or
the road. Samuel Ford built the house
which was occupied by his son, Will
liam, after his marriage to Abigail
Logan and five generations of the fam
lily have lived in the same house. In
those days there was saw mill on the
brook east of the Sawmill hill road,
from which the road derived its name,
and was later owned by several Of the
townspeople whose names are familiar,
such as Sheriff John Gum, Jonathan
Jr., and others. The house now oc-
cupied by John M. Black years ago
was owned by.Dea John Oviatt and
among my earliest membranes is
the story of the tragt d. cor nee led
with it, how Mrs Oviatt in fit OF in
sanity took her own life. Later Mr.
Oviatt sold the place to Harmon Bald
win, who built the cottage in the yard
The highway at that time was quite
and west side of the old pond.
On the south side of the dam Mr.
| Baldwin built and ran Glove and
grist mill. Mrs Robert Blacks barn
at present occupies the site. 1t was
here the northern part Of the town
came for their grinding and grass
seed. The old Foundry was owned by
Elnathan Mitchell and Harmon Bald
win and the house now owned by Mrs
Robert Black was bought Of Elnathan
Mitchell: A little later Mr. Black
bought the clover mill where he put
in machine shop also and for many
years carried on the business. This
building was destroyed by fire in the
early seventies.
Going to the north up Sabbath-day-
lane we come to the old Frost House,
built by Jerub Frost and always called
by the family name, although it has
passed through many hands and is
Next Beyond at the turn of the street
is the Uncle Sam Baldwin house, the
old stone in the chimney bearing the
date 1872. Samuel Baldwin was the
father of Harmon Baldwin, who
owned the mill in the hollow. He was
an original character and his sayings
were often quoted by his neighbors,
who always called him Uncle Sam
Baldwin. l remember one story told
by my grandfather Of the family. In
or more Of boiled cider, apple sauce,
for winter use. The night before all
the neighbors would meet for "par
ing bee," bringing their appleparers if
they were fortunate enough to own
one, and others quartered and cOred.
This particular night the Baldwin
family left the sauce outside to cool
and the pigs broke loose and sampled
it. A few weeks after some of the
it and expressed their sympathy when
she replied swell, they won't get into
it again for we carried it up stairs,
emitting to mention it was second
barrel they had prepared themselves.
Just above the turn on the left hand
side of the road is the cellar which
| marks the birthplace Of Senator Or
| vile H. Platt and where he spent the
| first year and half Of his life, the
| family later moving to the Aspinwall
place, and / cannot learn who ever &C.
cupied the place later on. Next comes
| the Garfield house, so-called, and the
! southern half is the original house
built by Leman Garfield, the other
half being destroyed by fire about one
year ago. This is where his sons,
Daniel and Lewis, were born. They,
too, were carpenters and joiners and
the best workmen in town it is said.
Capt Taylor Mitchell place. 1t was
built by Simeon Mitchell for his son,
Taylor, probably in 1908. A little
story is connected with the building
of this place. The father, Uncle
Simeon Mitchell las he was Familiarity
called by his neighbors) was anxious
his son should settle in life on farm
Of his own, which he, the father, was
ready to give him. He made him the
ever he would pick out the housekeep-
er. One night the son disappeared
and staid late. The next morning
coming down as the family were at
breakfast Taylor remarked dad,
build your house." The same day, or
very soon after at least, they began
cutting the timber for this house,
where Taylor Mitchell and Theodosia
Hagen went to housekeeping when
they were married, January l, 1909.
A little to the north on the west
side of the road is my first remem-
brance of a cider mill operated by
sweep, to which they attached horse
to press out the apple juice, neigh
borhood institution in those days,
when boiled cider apple sauce and
hard cider were necessities on all
great occasions. At the top of Long
hill is cellar overgrown with tansy,
which place apd the meadow back
have always been known as the Curtis
place. Later family by the name of
Peartree lived there. The Curtis fam
lily kept store in the house and in a
lawsuit of later days, Uncle Lewis
Garfield was giving his testimony in
answer as to what they kept at this
store, he replied 1.-THE staple articles
such as Goldfish, molasSes and tobacco"
Down the hill about one quarter of a
mile to the north was a house owned
by Elnathan Mitchell who also owned
the place now occupied by Daniel Nc
Ilravey.
This brings US to the corner of the
road known as the Averill corners and
/ will just mention the old house on
the cross roads to the turnpike east
known in later days as the Averill
place, which was destroyed by fire in
April, 1905, one year ago. This was the
home of Simeon Mitchell, the father