The Newtown bee., 1908-04-10

ried Deacon Punderson. Of this large family all grew up and married but three who died in infancy, and seven of them settled here Tn Washington. The oldest son, Samuel, inherited the farm and the property passed on to his oldest son, Mansfield, who was the father of the present owner, Albert Smith. Sam uel Smiths second son, William, built the house now occupied by Burke Smith. Amos Smith, one of John Smiths sons, lived for many years and died in the house owned by Henry Bradley.
 It is told of the John Smith who came from Milford that he was always known as
 HONEST JOHN SMITH.
 At one time there were two other John Smiths in town and they were distinguished from him as Black John Smith and plain John Smith. Honest John Smith served in the war of the Revolution, was present at Tryon's raid on Danbury, was captured and taken prisoner to New York. He entered the service as an enlisted man and was mustered out as a lieutenant
 Near the house occupied by MT Will bur Fenn there once stood an old house and the first known it was occupied by a man by the name of Grant Ford. His wife was Garfield. sister of Mrs Samuel Nettleton. He was carpenter and in one family there is a chest which he made. He said "Woman's wants were never satisfied" Sherman Hollister II lived in this house short time before going into Nettleton Hollow to buy home and his oldest son, then little fellow. was sent up the hill to Deacon Preston Hollister's to bor- row fire, when theirs had not kept over night. The little boy was cold and he was anxious lest the barks between which the coals of fire were carried should get to burning. He is an old man now, but still remembers those anxious times. One of the women who had lived through that time how ever was sorry when matches were in- vented for "there would be more build ings burnt than ever." Clark Cal houn next lived at this place and built the present house. It was owned by the Calhoun family till the Fenns bought it.
 On the top of the hill as you come from Nettleton Hollow past Wilbur Fenn's you find the cellar of the old Hollister house. The first house which was built by Captain Gideon Hollister stood near there. He was born in Stratford, 1725. He married first Es- ther Preston in 175O and came here to live. He was a carpenter as well as farmer and with his own hands built two houses and had another built for him. He was captain of militia and received his commission from the crown of England. He also represented his town in legislature. Their only son, Preston, died in the Revolutionary war. Captain Gideon married second Pa tience Hurd and they had eight child ren to whom reference is made else where. Patience in old age became very deaf but when the family were talking about something she would be- gin to talk upon the same subject. 1 think it has been told before about her little son, Gideon, falling in the well. She in some way made him hold on to the bucket of the old sweep and said Hold on tight, Gideon, till she had drawn him safely out; then she whipped him. Captain Gideon took up a good deal of land when he came 10 Judea from Stratford and as his sons grew up he gave them each portion. Their son, Gideon II, who succeeded his brother, Preston, and lived in the house now occupied by Samuel L. Hol- ister, used to go up on the mountain side and cut wood and timber where he chose. but Captain Gideon thought it was not fair to the others so he divided the land. He had become very old, but they bundled him up and took him on an OK sled down through the woods to place bounds, thus giving each share. Our young men now have times of meeting and searching for those bounds, usually heap of stones, that they may continue to deal fairly. The land has always been owned by Hollisters. Captain Gideon and Pa tience Hurd's twins sons must have been small when he left them to go to the Revolutionary war for he was with Washington's army when it was nov ing south towards Yorktown. Iqlote from the "Hollister Book" concern ing their twin sons:
 Sherman Preston and Preston Sher- man twins were baptized, February 177S. When young they closely resem- bled each other in size and features so that only on close acquaintance would people distinguish one from the other, but as they grew older they were more unlike in personal appearance. Each had the same name, only reversed. They married sisters, united with the church at the same time, were appoint ed deacons of the Congregational church at the same time and resigned at the age of seventy. They also each had son named for them. Dea- con Preston married Lois Ford and lived at the homestead which had been built near the site of the first house on the top of hill near the schoolhouse and Deacon Sherman married Sarah