Connecticut western news., 1911-05-18
STEVENS STORY
Numerous Canaan Families Brought
 Down to Date.
(BY H. B. STEVENS)


 The old Fenn place was formerly oc- cupied by James (Squire) Fenn. His children were Theophilus, Sedgwiok, Julia, Betsey. Caroline and Frances Tenn. Theophilus lived in PennsyI- vania and was prosperous. do not know the name of Sedgwick's wife. He had several children. They were Will liam, Margaret. Samuel, Annie and I think one other but do not know her name. Julia married a man named VanBuren. They had one daughter, Albertine VanBuren. Betsey was the wife of Joshua Belden. Caroline never married. Frances was the wife of Augustus Bigelow. They had two sons James and Fenn Bigelow. James mIr- rled his cousin, Albertine Van Bar, but did not live in Canaan. Afterwurd Mr and Mrs. Bigelow occupied the place until thelr death. A few years lat,r the place was bought by Rev. and Mrs. Will liam Jamieson Thomson. They had three children. Jameson, Hugn and Florence Thomson. MT. T.uuMson preached at East Canaan but dleu soon after they moved to this place | few years later the old, house was burned down and new one built on the old site, which has since been eniac.od and the place much improved making it a very pleasant home. Florence is the wife of E. V. Nestell, who, with the mother,> Mrs. Thomson, now occupies the place.
 Next Is house on the site of the old church which was removed to where it now stands. This house was built by Jerry Bailey. It was later owned by James Morgan and still later by Fenn Bigelow, whose wife was Abigail Cran- dall. They had three children, Frances, Charles and Elizabeth Bigelow. Frances is the wife of Gay Hallock. Elizabeth IS the wife of Jamieson Thomson. After Mrs. Bigelow's death MT. Bigelow sold the place to Fannie Whittlesey It is now owned by an Italian, I do not know his name.
 On a cross road leading toward the Sodom district, is the house of Gershom Hewitt, who was ca ptain in the Revo- Iutlonary army and had the reputation of being very brave and daring soldier, about whom many interesting things are related. His children were Gershom Benjamin, Dethick, Walter, Sally, Hepizeph, Abigail, Polly, Betsey and Annie Hewitt. Gershom, Annie and Betsey never married. Benjamin mar. married Polly Barnes. Their children were Oliver, Charlotte, Mary. Jane and Lyman Hewitt. Jane was the wife of Jerry Bailey. Their children were Mary, Florence, Lester, Ella and Lucretia Bailey. Sally Hewitt became the wife of Anthony Hasford. Their children were Sarah, Maria, Harriett, Betsey, Stephen, BenJamin, Walter aad Hannah Hosford. Hannah was the wife.of Reu- ben Sewart. Their children were Ella, Phoebe, Julia, Anthony and Reuben Sewart. Phoebe died when young woman. Ella is the wife of Albert P. Briggs. Julia is the wife of William Rood. Anthony married Glysia Bnll and Reuben married Mary Crocker. Mrs. Sewart is now living with her daughter Mrs. Briggs, in this village, in full pos session of her faculties at the age of 88 years and has given me these facts re- garding the Hewitt family. In speak ing of the Hewitts as brave soldiers, I will say. think they must have been just as brave pioneers as they were sol diers. for it is related of Benjamin Hewitt that being in the field or woods not far from his home he discovered a bear, but whether the bear pursued him or he pursued the bear, is not stated but he succeeded in getting the bear up tree and then went to the brow of the hill near the house and shouted to his brother at the top of his voice.
 "Gershom Gershom come with the gun! have treed bear !'' and Gershom not at all dismayed got the gun and rushed to the spot and shot the bear and it is said that this was the last bear that was ever killed in this vicinity.
 Further along this road is a house formerly owned by Nathaniel Lawrence, father of Lyman Lawrence, who may speak of later,
 In going from the Bigelow place east we come next to a house owned by Wheeler Foster, whose wife was Laura Cunning. daughter of Captain Edmund Dunning. Their children were Hulda and Edmund Foster. A little farther on there was house formerly owned by Elias Crandall, that was sold to Hiram Briggs and removed to No. district and remodeled and occupied by him an til his death Still later there was a house built on or near the site of the other, by Joseph Kegler, which was burned down not many years since.
 NeYt XUsS the hOusa 0wne6 hv Hnwell