New Britain herald., 1919-06-25

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 From time to time ether dent tions asserted themselves. ll4 the Advents held preaching sef here. The Methodist in 1884 aI1Q 1859 the latter organized a church. 1848 the Rev Luke Daly began n1 ministrations to our Roman CatholicSs7 Schools Started.
 Next to the church or rather as es- sential to the continuance and pros- perity of it, in the estimation of our forefathers, came the schools AS Tar back as we find records, we find it's needs, as were those of the church the annual care of the town. On De- cember P, 176o, it is recorded that the farmers living south of Jonathan Gridley's and round about the Great Plain shall have a school for the space of six weeks for the year. Doubtless this resulted in securing a teacher to instruct such children as then lived within our own borders who boarded round" and taught the Iudinlents of the three R's.'
 Tn 1772 a division of Pennington into districts was made and school maintained in each and it was at that time that what we know as PlainVllle was divided into two districts known as the Great Plain and White Oak districts and at that time two school houses were built here, one at the junction of Broad and Washington streets the other by the brook at White Oak.
 In addition to the schools a library was started, probably in 17S5. By 1914 it contained a goodly number of books. Tn 1923 1t was incorporated as the Pennington Plain Library.
 I have said that the settlement of Plainville was long postponed and it's growth slow. One hundred years ago, that is in 1919, there were as nearly as I can discover from the records, 19 on Red Stone hill, nine at White Oak and three in the Scott's Swamp section. a total of 55.
 Growth Slow
 The growth of the town from that time until the opening of the Farm ington canal was exceedingly small. Plainville was at a standstill and un- til that waterway from New Haven northward to the state line came into being there was no incentive for those dwelling here to engage in occupations other than farming or such small trades as were necessary to sustain life. There was not even a fertile soil to hold the original settlers or attract inmigration from other towns in the state.
 Industrial Start.
 Of our industrial beginnings we find, shortly before 1754, a fulling mill located on Pond river, at the point where Pennington, New Britain and Plainvillc meet. About 1760 Ladwick Hotchkiss and his son Lemuel put up g, small shop nearby where they made wrought iron nails and other small articles of iron. Tn 1785 Samuel Demnling built 8 saw and grist mill where Edwin H. Hills shop stands. Here our grain was ground and our logs sawed into lumber. This mill came into possession of John and Ar i temas Root in 1908 and to milling was added cloth dressing and wool carding in a building that stood on the present site of Eaton Brothers mill Moses Morse who settled here in 1907 made chairs. brooms, rolling pins, salt-shakers and other house hold articles which he peddled from house to house. He also patented and made d wood comb. popular with the women of that day as an ornament for the hair,
 While the manufacture of tinware had been begun at Red Stone hill prior to 1914 substantial growth of l that industry was impossible for want
 of suitable shipping facilities. ! Old Highways.
 1 The only highways available were 1 the Hartford and New Haven road i through Pennington and along our : Pennington avenue and East street through to New Haven, a road from l Southington to Scott's swamp along 1 what is now Washington street and a : road from Bristol to New Britain i entering Plainville by way of Chest 1 nut street and connecting with the turnpike just beyond Cooke's tavern 1 There was also an attempt at 8 road from the Hills farm to Red Stone hil , where Broad street runs, continuing ! along the line of the hill beyond the ] Hooker and Lowrey farms. Bohemis ! street had also been opened, connect ] ing Red Stone hill with Scott's swamp 1 by means of a bridge across the Pc ] quabuck near the camp station. Canal Started.
 1 The opening of the canal in 182$ 1 marked the beginning of a new era 1T 1 the history of Plainville, and Novem ] Der 28 of tha year is memorable il ] that it is the date of the opening O ! navigation through the town. WhlE
 this attempt to bring prosperity t l inland New England resulted in thu
 loss of more than S1,370,00o Plain l vile derived a lasting benefit from tn venture, due to the fact that it open l ed LID a profitable business in man. l commodities brought in from the sea 1 board with Bristol, Terryvllle ant the towns in Litchfield county, whicl ] opportunity was quickly seized by tn 1 Whitings and by Harmanus M. Welcl as will later appear. With the open ing of the canal Plainville began t i grow.