The Press., 1909-12-15

Fbeen at work for several. days survey. ing for the lung delayed expenditure of state and town appropriations for road improvement.
 The Congregational Sunday school will have Christmas tree and appro. priate Ohristmas exercises at the church on Christmas eve. Friday even. ing, Dec. 24. The following mem bers of the committee are planning the: work allotted to them: Solicitor, Mrs. H. F. Graham; purchasing agents, Mrs. R. B. Horton and Miss Grace Tyler; Christmas tree, T. O
 Newell and John Sellers; trimming church and tree MT. and Mrs. R. B. Horton, Mrs. H F. Graham; Ralph v. Towne, Miss Ida Heck and Miss Ada Heck; music, chorister and or. ganist; recitations, MrR. E O Bar. rows A cordial invitation is extend. ed to Union people and their friends to attend the exercises and use the tree as a medium for exchanging gifts. It will be a help if those who have gifts for the tree will bring or send them to the church as early as possible, or leave them in charge of the committee on trimming. If there should be a severe storm on Christi mas eve, the exercises will be post. poned to the following evening.
 A matter of interest to Union people and descendants of the former residents of that town, and one which may. not be generally known, is thst in the state library at Hartford there is now 8 collection of Union town papers, dating from 1751 to 1852, finely inserted and bound in four large volumes, with an index. These papers have an interesting history. They were mostly left by Capt. Thom- as Lawson of revolutionary times and his son, Robert Lawson, who was town clerk for many years. Fortu- nately 'Unole" David Lawson never destroyed any of these papers of his father and grandfather, as so many people at that time did After his death they were in bureau which was sold at auction to some one who poured them out on the floor, where my father afterwards gathered them up. I fear that certain papers of his- torical interest were taken at that time, as there were some which Rev. Charles Hammond referred to as being in the possession of David Lawson, which I could never find. One of these was the original records of the proprietors of the town of Union. Fortunately MT. Hammond made a complete copy of this. Another was record book kept by Rev. Ezra Hor- ton of baptisms, marriages, funerals, etc. If anyone knows the where. abouts of these brothers he would do 8 favor by letting me know. When was working on the history of Union sorted all these papers and marked what each one was, with the date, and put them in separate packets. Some of them were of much assistance In compiling the history, particular ly in connection with the revolution
 Four years ago told State Librarian Goddard of these papers, and as he is deeply interested in preserving anti quafian and historical material, he suggested that put these papers of general public interest in the state libraDg, I wax willing to do this, so he came to Union and took such papers as he thought should be preserved in public place. Now he has had them very carefully assorted and numbered, there being 1O14 in all, and bound in the four large volumes. Those papers which were ragged or tender and brittle from age have been cov- cred with transparent silk paper. The volumes are entitled as follows: "The Harvey M. Lawson Collection of Union Town Papers, ''- 1751.1S52, four volumes and index-Vol. I, Town Meetings, Vital Statistics, Highways, Schools and Library, Doc. 1-259 Vol. IT. Taxes, Doc. 259. .482; Vol. III, Town Accounts, Legal and Mis- oellaneousPapers, Doc. 488 $40; Vol. ", Militia, Doc. 541 .1O14. l" These volumes may now be consulted by anyone who wishes to call for them. By the aid Cf the excellent index the matters that pertain to any particular person may be leasily found. NJ. Goddard says it is the best collection he has from any town in the state
 In connection with the building of the new library building in Union it is matter of interest that the above papers reveal the fact that there existed library in Union about a century ago. It was the property of the Social Library Company, aud Ezra Horton was librarian A cRta. logue of the e books in the library is given. It would be interesting to
 know what became of those books. One paper shows that Ira Armour sold out his right in the library to John Armour. Another matter of interest to Union people is that Rev. George Ourtiss has completed his album of photographs of every house in Union, and has it ready to place with Score. tary Ives in the Congregational House at Hartford. had the pleasure of looking it over with MT. Ourtiss at his home in West Haven a few days ago. Besides the pictures there is some historical description of the more important places. Mr. Curtiss has made duplicate album for Roscius Newell of Three Rivers. It would be splendid thing to have such an album for the new library building in Union If it were not for the ex- pense would be willing to prepare. it. Gan there not be raised in Union the sum of $1O or suoh a matter for this