Connecticut western news., 1915-07-29
EARLY CANAAN
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pie life. They held their first meeting
at Wethersfeld, February %, 1887,
probably on the same morning that
George, running about in his rompers.
hacked into that famous cherry tree,
inoculating them, as we'll as himself.
with the juice of anti Ananiasisn
Like all remarkable towns, the first
thing that they did was vote "That We
Town will Build melting Hows for ye
worship of god," expressing possibly
their condition of mind in their spelling
using a capital H for house and u
little for the Creator. They also
voted ''That We said melting Hows shall
be built forty fots i'll Length and
thirty-five fots i'll width and twenty
five fots post Doubtless then, as
now, their eye was single, for you note
that the building had only one post.
Well, this was in l740, and to clinch
the matter they voted Eat we same
meeting, Samuel Prindel. Daniel,
Lavinia and James Beeby and P. HogC-
boom are Chosen a Comfy to Sea that
sd Hows Be built and finished" Well,
something slipped, as things often do
in good church peoples plans, and de-
lay followed delay; but, bound to have
meeting house, the town TOOK the
matter i'll hand, and on January 2,
1744, voted ''That We town will finish
our Meeting House so far as to Build
a Pulpit, to finish we Body of Seats.
leaving a space for Pews to be Built"
Whether the town thought that the in
vective to be preached there against sin
and the Devil would cause an explosion
! if confined, and so left off the roof, l
leave to your imagination. 1t was
doubtless wise, for even today l sus-
pect there are times when it seems to
be necessary to open the church doors
at least, to reduce the pressure.
At this same meeting in December,
1889, as soon as they had decided to
plant their church post-a truly relig-
ious ceremony-they voted, Eat We
same melting Josiah Walker, B. KEEL
logg and Daniel Lawrence are Chosen
Comfy to a gree with John hart to
fit his house Convenient to met in on
the Lords day." Showing that while
we may know more than they. they
were much wiser than we, for if such
vote were taken nowadays they won d
make man clean up his own house
for such an object. Then followed
wise proceeding, showing their broad
hess of vision: Voted, That all swine
shall be we'll Hinged that goeth at
Large on we Comons." Truly a union
of Church and State.
/ But these wise men were looking
down the vista of years, and felt their
responsibility for future generations,
which l wonder if the present.day
generation may not have overlooked
for they next voted lat We same meet
ing for the In Corridgement of destroy
/ ing Ratelsnakes that if any person shall
| kill any Ratelsnake within the Bounds
of the town of Canaan in the months
of March, April and May, and bring
their tails to we Selectmen, shall have
! twelve pence per tail" Perhaps if
this provision were now enforced it
might make a difference around cleo
! ton time, and l wonder if they, lii g
the prophets of old, saw visions, and
that this vote too, also referred to
election time, for they also voted, "at
We same melting, that Josiah Walker
shall request to ye general assembly
that they will take some speedy Care TO
prevent Wholesome In Habitance be-
ing sent Into We town of Canaan as
agents. At least realize to tt e fill
the reason why I, like Moses of old,
can only look over the borders into this
pleasant country, and must still reside
in Winchester.
The town was healthy infant from
it's birth, but was soon afflicted with
growing pains, for they voted in 1872 to
petition we General Assembly to grant
us Norfolk, truly far-sighted move.
1t is evident that something must have
been conceded to this request, for while
Norfolk was allowed to keep her name,
yet Canaan has quietly annexed her as
d suburb, and has become her railroad
center. In 1853 North Canaan was in
corporated.
Much more of interest could be said
about this charming township and its
gracious people; but its history has
been written, and far be it from me to
even think that 1 could enlarge upon
it. 1t is a modest volume, "multum
in parvo.' Being lover of the his
tory of these towns. 1 had hoped that
the author historian, Mr.. J. Henry
Roraback, might at some time attach
at least an annex to its pages; but
probably he has been by far too busy
these past years, in making history.
So I can only say that Canaan and her
delightful people are still makers Of
history, and one has to be i'll her midst
but few short hours TO realize to the
full that here is the home of the Bald
] and the braYel