The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-08
OLD NORTH HAVEN Interesting Historical Sketch of Parish Through Three
 Big Wars.
ITS GIFTS TO THE NATION
Part Played by Historic Town In Epoch Making Periods of
 Our Continent.

In the Congregational church at North Haven at an assembly of the North Haven veterans of the civil war Sheldon B. Thorpe delivered the fol- lowing historical sketch which was listened to with great interest. The paper in full follows:
 Three wars have left their mark on this community-the French and In- dian war; the Revolutionary war and the Civil war-and all within a period of 150 years. Each struggle, as you well know. called for men from this parish. and they answered. With the events of the Civil war you are more or less familiar. Of the Revolution ary war you have read much, but 1t Is not yet completely told story. Of the French and Indian war I hope to tell you something. Men who fight for their country have been honored in all time. and 1t Is with the purpose of opening up something of an unread page, whereon are written the names and deeds of many of our fathers, that am here tonight.
 How many ever realize that this parish was once part of monarchy, that our ancestors were subjects of a king, that they paid tribute to loyalty, that foreign flag was displayed on yonder green, and that under Its folds men with uncovered heads swore alle- glance to the crown of England? At first thought these things seem indif- ferent to us and far remote, as If they happened in some distant land to some other people. But this is not so. The scene came to our very.- doors The solemn fact entered our houses. Our Fathers knew they were kingly sub jects; that the lands were the kings lands; that the highways were the kings highways; that their service was the kings service. And yet in the days whereof l am to speak they were contented with It. The hand of Great Britain on her American colo nies then was not heavy hand There was but little show of royal authority. The government of Connecticut was well nigh as democratic then as now. The people elected general assembly much the same as at present. The charter of King Charles IT. was most liberal In it's provisions. It laid no oppressive burdens, demanded no un- lust allegiance, and none for mo- ment disputed kingly rule. All-all except the law-breaker and the crim- nal-believed in the divine right of kings" and all willingly bowed in sub mission to thrones and principalities and powers and dominions."
 Perhaps to us who have breathed the air of freedom these years it Is difficult 10 understand the conditions of a cen- tury and half ago It Is simply im- possible to hark back. We have to take the years on trust!
 It is true that from the moment of landing at Jamestown and Plymouth there was something in the land--in the ,ir-in the rivers-in the forests-in the mountains of American, that by and by lifted the veil of submission from the settlers faces, and they began to lream dreams-and see visions-and hear voices--and plan actions that at ast swept men into armed companies and regiments and battalions who fol- owed their drums from Bunker Hill Ia Yorktown.
 But this had not happened in the par ssh of North Haven in 1755. At that time George II was King of England There was much unrest and fear along ,ur northern and western frontiers. Although England and France were nominally at peace, yet the latter was ,tealthily encroaching on our territory llong the Ohio and Canada lines. The Indian element was aroused. Washing lon and Braddock and others with the Kings forces hurried to the front and war famed out along the border
 But this apparently did not cause much concern to our fathers. If any thing worried them, 1t was more or an ecclesiastical than civil nature, How 10 support the Rev Isaac Stiles In ms .dvancing years and querulousness was more problem than how to subdue Canada, and judging from the record perhaps the subjugation of that for lign country would have been an easi- IT. task than the subjugation of that lninent divine. It required pretty