Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-15
HUNTINGTON LETTERS
Contain Historical Matter ef Value Norwich Family of Colonial Times.

G. w F. B1anchfeld. the Elm street antiquarian. has recently picked up in the eastern part of the state a, col lection of letters of the Huntington family which contains matter of the greatest interest to students of Amer ican history and particularly to those interested in the history of the state. says the Hartford Times. Samuel the Declaration of Independence from Connecticut. was member of the Confidential Congress from 1f76-1TS3 and was president of that body from 1II9-1IS1- From 1174-kS4 he was Judge of the supreme court of Con- ed chief ejustice. From 17&6-1T9o he was governor of Connecticut His brother, General Jabez Huntington, was commander of the state troops in the Revolution General Hunting ton had four sons, Jedidiall. Joshua Andrew and EbeneZer, all of whom took an active part in the Revolution and in events which followed the war Andrew was a commissionary agent in the army and E5enezer, the young est, was in command of q company of Connecticut troops. 4 sketch of him from Miss Caulkins' History of Nor wich says:
 'Ebenezer. the fourth son of Gen. eral Jabez, was a member of Yale college and within two months of completing his course when the Bat tie of Bunker Hill was fought. He and other ardent young patriots of his class asked permission of Presi- dent Dasgett to leave the institution and enlist as volunteers in- the army that was gathering at Boston. Being refused. they encamped in the night, ha.stened to Wethersfield. where there A,.e- namesoand were soon on duty on the heights. of Dorchester. Mir. Hunting ton was first threatened by the col- lege faculty with loss of his degree, but ultimately he was allowed to grad uate with his class in 1776.''-
 In 1799 he was appointed briga- dier-general by President Adams upon the recommendation of General Wash ington and in 1910 and in 1917 he was elected a member of congress.
 The Huntington family held a high position in the state, both politically and socially. An interesting anecdote is told about the four daughters of Ebenezer, who moved only in the most exclusive circles in Norwich. They were conscious of their superiority and held aloof from the hef polIoi. One Sunday, the minister was walking Miss Huntingtons, when he stopped to speak for q moment with the village cobbler. Miss Huntington drew aside during the conversation and when the cobb1er had zone on she uphraided the minister for stopping to talk to the common people while in her conn pany. The minister replied by asking her what she was going to do when she went to heaven. She quickly an- swsred. quoting that well known verse from the fourteenth chapter of St. John: "In My Fathers house are many mansions"
 More Than 100 Le$ters.
 The collection consists of oFsr a hundred letters, one of the more in- teresting of which is herewith quoted as written. It is a letter from Samuel to his brother Jabez:
 York Town 5th June 177s Sir
 As l have no Important Intelligence to Communicate moro than is con- tained to the Governor & what you will otherwise obtain. I tlo myself the pleasure to give you the following Anecdote.
 It seems a CoWardly Tory of Large Landed Estate in York County had fled to the enemy in Philadelphia the movements of the enemy shipping their stores baggage etc. of late: In- dicating their departure, he applied to their General to know what he should do, the General replied he was busy and. sent him to aii under officer. The Tory with anxiety asked rt1le Off, ncer what he should do as he per- ceiYed they were going AWAY. The officer told him they must do as they did when in difficulty make the best shift he could. The Tory still diszat- isled told him alI this was come upon him for being lcyai and faithful to the king and ouerled what shall do. expected probation. The officer re- piled go seek a passage on board some vessel. The Tory with vehement anxiety querfed but what the Devil shall do with my Estates. The Off, hcer deplied, Damn you why did you not stay at home & fight to, defend 1t