New Britain herald., 1916-01-27

attended. The largest assembly ever gathered in the hall was present. Lunch was served following which came the addresses of the evening, f the topics all relating to New Britain and phases of it's history. No finer collection of papers relating to tho Hardware City were ever delivered. William F. Brooks presided and lntro- duced the speakers, saying that those under twenty would not be impressed; those between twenty and thirty would be interested and those who were older would enjoy the treat of their ivesf There were six speakers. Mrs. Buef B. Bassette was the first, substituting for Mrs. F. H. Churchill who is ill. : Her paper dealt with New Britain in Colonial Days. Then followed Mrs w. F. Brooks, whose subject was New Britain in Revolutionary War; Hon. A. J. Sloper, dealing with New Brit ain in the Civil War: George c. At we'll New Britain in Literature' and Charles F.. Pratt, who spoke on tho Natural History of New Britain. Carl s. Neulnann was the last speaker and he gave a splendid and absorbingly in / teresting account of the early indus tries of this city. MT. Neumann used a map and carried his audience from 
 site of many industries which flour shed and passed away as well as those which have developed into the v mammoth concerns of today.
 The Commonwealth club plans to have the papers published in booklet form and will preserve copies for his torical purposes at the New Britain Institute. With the exception of Mr. Neumann's paper, which it is planned to publish separately, the Herald gives full space to the other ! subjects, using the complete manu- scripts They are given in sequence, beginning with Mrs. ChurchilPs paper as presented by Mrs. Bassette:
 New Britain in Colonial Days. Why the very phase suggests the practical joker, who would entrap 1 some unwary person into an impossi- | ble situation. I will spare the joker. l Her name shall not be revealed-but l friends, I am the unhappy victim ! of a plot to make the imagination sup plement the facts which are few and |, hard to collect in regard to a quiet settlement of the long ago.
 "New Britain in Colonial Days Why the children of Isreal, compelled to make "bricks without straw, were not more unfortunate than I am to-
 night for there was no New Britain in early colonial days-but listen moment-is that quite true? Is it not one of these half-truths which may be scarcely more than mis- leading falsehood? True, there was no independent township of New Bri- tain until long after early colonial days, but the settlement of this region is an old one which entities us-de- scendants of the early settlers-to claim colonial memories. Possibly |, 1t lays upon us the loyal obligation to recall these memories and-so far as they have any value-to pass them on. A concise account of New Bri- tain's beginnings appears in an arti- cle my daughter, Mrs. Talcott, wrote In 1899 for magazine now out of | print and you will pardon me for using B few of it's introductory statements.
 "The City of New Britain, Connec- ticut may salute the city of Cam ~s bridge, Massa chusetts, as her god mother. Some of Thomas Rockers 1 famous company, who struggled 1 through the wilderness from Newtown ] now Cambridge, to Hartford, in 1636, 1 found their way into the pleasing | and fertile Tunxis valley and formed | a settlement called Pennington. Pennington in turn colonized and l made Great Swamp or Kensington. ! This settlement in 17S5 was divided; i a portion, including the present-day ]! New Britain, being set apart under 1 the name of Berlin.
 Pennington received her charter as an independent town in 1645, ! which really marks the beginning of New Britain and some of us here to- | nj iob and women who settled Pennington at that early date. q sometimes wish in going through that beautiful village that they had never strayed over the mountain.) A few years later, settlers ca bins extended from the town center to hill now in- cluded within the limits of New Brit ain. As the same time, from Weth- ersfield well -esta blished on the hanks Of the Connecticut, there appeared 6tner pioneers. upon a ridge, that would presently be claimed by the society. Tn 1861, the General Court, made 9. grant to Jonathan Gilbert, one of its officers, of land, including portions of the New Britain of today. Gilbert was an important parsonage, the proprietor of tavern. Thither 1occasionally went the wealthy Cap tain Andrew Belcher of Boston. He gfned the confidence and esteem of Gllbert, married his daughter, and bought his tract of wild land. Here was opportunity for a young mans enterprise. Captain Belcher was equal to it. He opened roads, built houses and, by many clever means, made the section very alluring to set
 tiers. Thus New Britain, not yet, however, united under the name, gained substantial start in life. Twenty years later 8 settlement was made in a. spot afterwards known as