The Newtown bee., 1908-11-27
The NeWtoWn Bee
TOWN TOPICS. REPRESENTATIVES, TO THE LEGISLATURE,
Elected From Newtown.
Newtown, Friday. octobe 'sT. 1907.

| w oSiuoHi HhS ll occuTTcu WlLnln LHe
 past 40 years that the unexpected has
 happened in Newtown politics, either
 at State or Presidential election, it
 is no wonder that the result of the
 recent election so far as Newtown is
 concerned has been more than nine
 days wonder to our own towns peo-
 pie, as we'll as to those of the towns
 adjoining. So many questions have
 been propounded to the writer, perhaps
 because of his age and familiarity with
 the towns history, that the interest
 taken, and curiosity shown, has led
 to the supposition that brief history
 of the representation Newtown has
 had in the State legislature during
 the past 75 years may be of some in
 terest and so far as 1t goes, it is his-
 tory with no partisan purpose intend-
 ed, whatever.
 Commencing with the year 1888 and following down to the incoming Iegis-
 lature to be convened at Hartford in January, 1909, will cover period of 75 years. At this date from which we make our starting point, the people were lined up in two parties, Wings and Democrats. The state election was then held in April, the governor elect ed annually, and the legislature con vened in May. At the State election held in April, 1888, the Whig party elected the two representatives-Henry Beers, merchant doing business on the corner, where is now the store of R. H. Beers & Co.,, and Lemuel Beers, prosperous farmer living in Palestine district and father of Eli B. Beers, well known to all and still living among us. Lemuel Beers was returned to the Legislature in 1885 and again in 1888. The year 1884 one Whig-Henry Dut- ton, practising lawyer in Newtown and who in 1854, was elected to be Governor of Connecticut-and George Bradley, a farmer in Half Way River district, were elected to the Legisla- ture. From the year 1884 down to the time of the incoming Legislature of 1909, period of 75 years, the demo- cratic party of Newtown has not failed of having continuous representation in the legislature of Connecticut, and with the exception of nine sessions has sert it's two representatives practi- cally not losing its grip on legislation for 75 years. These two great political parties, Whig andIDemocratic were.lined up against each other until the year 1856, which year may be called the birth date of the Republican party and John c. Fremont was chosen to become its standard bearer for the Presidency, out of the ashes of whose defeat came Abraham Lincoln.to the Presidency in 1860. Since that date the Republican party has been represented by Abel B, Prindle in 1874 and by Edson w. Wilson in 1882. /
 To the last General Assembly New town sent two Democrats. the one, Michael Kilbride, by 189 majority the other, Patrick F. Grove, by 169. At | the recent election Newtown sends two Republicans, William c. Johnson by AZ majority, and Hobart H. Curtis by 8 majority. Strictly speaking. it could not be called the victory of one party over the other, for the independent voter was never in the history of the town, so much in evidence as at our recent state election. Democrats voting with Republicans and Republicans with Democrats, both for State officers and electors.
 The following are the names of those chosen to represent Newtown in the Connecticut State Legislature from the year 1883 to the year 1909 and 1910 in- ,lusive: !.