The Tupelo journal., 1917-02-16

Has HISTORY
HANGS IN CONNECTICUT VILLAGE
AND is VERY OLD.
Cast in Spain Many Centuries Ago, It
Has Passed Through Numerous
Vicissitudes to a Truly Peace
full "old Age"

The oldest bell in the United States
u n Of the oldest in the world Is
in East Haddam, Conn. The inscrip-
ton on it tells that it was cast in
Spain in the year S15, nj long after
the conquest Of Spain by the Moors.
II the bell could speak it might tell
how it saw the Moors lay waste the
fair vineyards of CASTLE and how for
400 years it lived under Moorish rule.
1t might tell of the note it sung in the
chimes that rang out the marriage OF
Ferdinand and Isabel in the town Of
Aragon. 1t might tell how for 6OO
years it called for the rich and poor
for joy and for sorrow, ringing out
the bridal procession and tolling for
the dead. Then, when the great Ma
pOleon sacked Spain in the early nine
teenth century and the duke of Well
ington overthrow him, this little bell
was removed, its home was RACED and,
in sad company with many others, 1T
was taken away.
In 1895 a shipload of bells. that once
hung in Spanish churches which Ma
pOleon had destroyed, was sent to
America. Here the bells were to be
recast and hung in the churches of the
new world.
The little bell, even then too old to
travel, a veteran in the worlds battles
and a singer OF great worth, was
shipped along in this motley throng.
At this time in East Haddam, Conn.,,
lived William WHY'S Pratt, a New
York ship chandler. His wife's family
was closely identified with st. Steph-
ems Episcopal society, which had
erected a church on the hill east of
the landing.
The little church was minus a bell.
Knowing of the shiplOad of bells and
being able to obtain one of the load,
they purchased the old Spanish bell.
The little bell was selected from among
many hundreds of others because OF
its lovely tone and hung soon after in
the chapel of st. Stephen.
For 65 years it rams out the joys
and sorrows of this new people from
the church belfry. The woodland and
the river echoed it's sweet tones. Again
it called the people to worship on the
Sabbath. 1t tolled for the departed
and sang love songs for the newly
welded pairs.
Later the little st. Stephen church
vas condemned, worn out and unused,
| huf tho hall yraS Cttl1 Gin rinr with vol
vety voice, to the people of the town.
After the church was destroyed the
bell was placed on an old stone wall
near the little schoolhouse of Nathan
Hare, and but for the interest of two
who knew and loved the old bell it
exposure to the weather and the great
age of the bell made it crack, greatly
impairing its lovely tone.
In the early days Of East Haddam,
two boys had daily played in the little
church, tinkering their sticks and nails
against the old bell and enjoying its
tiny tones. When their old friend was
neglected. for the bell was almost hui
man to them. these boys, grown old
themselves now, were not willing to
see it left on the stone wall.
The Daughters of the Revolution
had just purchased the little school
house of Nathan Hale in East Had
dam, and to this society applied one of
these men in behalf of the bell.
Through his intercession it was hung
again. This time in the new ST Stpph-
ems church, by the side of the Ma
than Hale school. and again it is do
ing service with it's cracked voice. for
the community.