The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1906-01-31
WILLIE GToN

The folloWing is clipped from the
Hartford Courant of January 9th,
1SS1-just a quarter Of a century
ago. The locality referred to by the
English tourist as the one where that
"Anabaptist meeting house, stood is
near the home Of Samuel Bartlett, on
the opposite side of the road, little
north, as has lately been referred to
in this column. The "Blue dyes
mill" probably stood in or near the
present village of South Wellington,
while the inn mentioned, remodeled
and repaired, was probably the same
building where we now live. But
we doubt. somewhat the spelling at
tributed to the then proprietor, DIR.
Alden Skinner, who, as we always
supposed, was man of good educa-
ton. The minerva" alluded to we
are at loss to localize -
New York, Jan 4, 1881.
To the Editor of The Courant:-
came across the other day the diary Of
an Englishman which was kept by him
when travelling through Connecticut some
sixty years ago. l was particularly inter-
ested in that portion of it headed "Wind-
Iham-Willington," and transcribe it for
The Courant.
The preacher, the author heard, was
elder" David Lillibridge, a man we'll
known in north eastern Connecticut at
that time. Although an uneducated
man, he possessed strong common sense
and was respected wherever known for his
strict integrity and high Christian charac-
ter. 1t is possible that this English tour
list cherished spark of prejudice against
any body of Christians outside of the
church of England and of the then
standing Ord r" as we'll, and conse
quently the report of this discourse by
the 'anabaptist" preacher may be some
what colored CHARLES T. PRESTON.
ION the northern boundary of Con-
necticut is Stafford, town Astounding
in iron-ore and in which, on the
banks of the Willimantic, there is a
ohalybeate spring. Between Lebanon
and Stafford passed through Wind
ham and Wilmington.
Windham is the county town of the
county of Windham; and its principal
village, were it not built of wood,
might be said to bear the general ap'
pearance Of small English market
town. 1t contains a court house,
gaol, grammar school and ConRrega-
tional church.
Having expressed to the Hon. Judge
Swift, one of the judges Of the su
preme court, and an inhabitant OF
Windham, a wish to visit the gaol,
that gentleman was SO obliging as tC
accompany me there. On ascending
into one of the apartments occupied
by the prisoners, we found in it three
white men and one black, Two Of
the white men were charged with
felonnies The black man stood il
a corner of the room at a humble dis
lance but two of the white men were
sitting on the side of a bed, where
continuing to sit, they saluted the
judge with friendly nod, and how
do We? and held out their hands,
which common courtesy therefore re
quired him to shake. The walls OF
the gaol are of triple or quadruple
plank, and are thought to be strong
Judge Swift possesses very hand
some residence little south of the
village. The house stands in the
middle of a lawn, and in that anc
other respects bears more resem
blance to an English gentleman
country residence than any other thai
l saw in Connecticut. 1t commands
one of those prospects that are moi
only extensive but rich, though with
out water. At the inn in Windhan
l met the Rev. Mr.. Samuel Austin Of
New haven, who had arrived in cot
ton morning gown to preach before 6
lodge of freemasons the following
day, the twenty fourth of June.
Stopping for short time in Will.
lington, the. town that lies between
Windham and Stafford, and asking
for something at an inn the mistress
called upon Minerva to fetch it
and 1 afterwards found that names OF
this and other profane origins are com.
mon among the female part of the
community in New England, while
those borne by the males are almost
uniformly hcriptural, few of the old
puritannic inventions remain; as Re.
turn, Increase. etc.. but Elizur, Abner,
Jared and Enoch, are among the most
common; always saving Jonathan.
which is known to be synonymous
with New England.
In Wilmington the following manu-.
script advertisement met my eye:
| Wellington June list, 1907
The subscribers wish to inform the
publick, that we are erected on the blue
DYES at Peck's miles and we would
thank the peoblick for their custome."
| EMERY WHITE
| WILLIAM RAMSAY,
It would be idle to notice, as in
this instance, the defects of rustic
photography, except with the view Of
correcting any false impression that
may be made on the readers mind,
by my account of the schools in Con.
nectiout. 1 have already said that
the benefit is limited. The truth is,
that the schooling, as from the nature
of the thing it must be, though very
general, is very humble. In the bill
OF an innkeeper and physician one Of
the items charged me was, Medsor
for yeur hars,
Stafford Springs are distant about
twenty miles from the village of Wind
ham. In the course of a few days
that l spent at them, made a retro
grade journey into Wilmington to al
ana baptist meeting house.
The building had never been the
most sumptuous, and it was now much
out of repair. The exterior presented
implanted boards and broken win
dows. On entering, seat was i'm