The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-09

One of the two plain beakers with flat bottoms given by the owr&rs of the ship Adventure of London to the First Congregational church, New London. in 1899. may also be seen in the collection. They were made by John Allen and John Edwards, who worked together in Boston in the late seventeenth century. JSffn Allen was probably an apprentice of Jeremiah Drummer, whose sister John Aliens father had married for his first wife; and the partnership of Allyn and Ed wards was doubtless due to the mar riagc of John Edwards to the formers sister Elizabeth.
 The late George M. Curtis of Mer- iden, to wh ose knowledge and interest in carly American silver is due the preservation of a great deal now per- manently in museums, or properly valued by its owners, considered the cup bought by the Guilford church with the IS pounds left by Henry KinEsnorth in 116S, to be the earliest piece in Connecticut. It is undated, however, and bears only the initials H. K besides the maker, William Rouse's mark. He worked from 1639- 17o4 in Boston.
 "Farmington owns eight early but undated caudle cups, the work of Dummera, Cowe1l David Jesse andJ probably John Hull. David Jesse was born in 1870 In this city, where his father-in- law was q prosperous mer- chant. His wife, Mary Wilson's step sister, was Abigail, Rev Timothy Woodbridge's wife. Jesse worked in Boston during his short life which ended In 1705. He may have learned his trade from Jehn Coney, and he also had dealings with Rene Grig- son, a blacksmith of Norwich. Very little of his silver is known.
 "One of the interesting Connecticut craftsmen was Capt. Samuel Parmele of Guilford. who was active in the Revolution. He made the baptisma1 basin for the Guilford church. a gift from Mrs. Deborah Spinning in 176s; and a beaker given to the same church by Mrs. Ruth Naughty in 1773. The latter piece is in the ex- hibition. It is probable that Samuel Parmele was related to Ebenezer Par mela. who occupied the old Hyland House in Guilford from 1719-1777. This house was restored and opened as an historic building last year by the Dorothy Whitfield Historical So- ciety.
 Two chalices, unique in the exhi-' bition, belong to the First Church of Christ. Fairfield. They are patterned after the English chalice of the last half of the seventeenth century and were made by Jeremiah Drummer of Boston 1645-171S), but not given to the church until 1752, according to the inscription which has been en- graved upon them in recent years Drummer learned his trade from John Hull, the mint master, beginning at the age of 14 and remaining with him eight years. He was an import ant man in the Massachusetts colony and held many positions of trust His son, William, was governor of Massa- chusetts: and another, Jeremiah, was agent for the colony in London from 1710-21. His wife's sister was mar ried to John Coney, who made three of tho caudle cups in the Stratford church. Drummer printed and prob ably engraved the plate for the first Connecticut paper money in 17O9-13, some of which is in the Connecticut Historical Society. Most of his silver IS now in the churches.
 Dutch Workmanship Shown.
 'John Potwine, who, although born in Boston spent the last 50 of his 94 years of life in Hartford and vicinity, made three beakers given to the Con gregational church, Durham, by Will liam Thomas in 1740. The work of Cornelius Kierstead, Dutchman all ready mentioned, among the early craftsmen, is found in several of the churches and Is noticeable for it's carefully finished details and indi- vfduality of shape. Among the less conspicuous pieces but of great his- toric interest, is beaker or cup with
 
 Divinity School. Middletown. It was partly the gift of Dr. Anthony YeId- all. loyalist of Philadelphia, in 1773, and it was used in the ce1ebra- ton of the sacrament by the first Protestant Episcopal bishop in America. Bishop Seabury, whose ashes were placed in the chancel of St. James church. New London.
 "As has been seen by the forego- ing account the donors of silver for use in the churches were men of his toric interest in the colonial period, but the silversmiths themselves. un- like their English and continental ancestors. were men of standing in the towns where they lived. They were deacons qf the church. justices of the peace and military officers, besides being. first-rate craftsmen, which nearly always included the art of engraving. Many an old tan3 kard or f1agon bears a coat-of-arrns as it's only ornament; and even the simple inscription on a cup Is so charmingly letRred and spaced that it is a decoration in itself
 Study of Colonial Silver.
 %Until within a little over ten years ago there were but two or three people who had given much thought or study to colonial silver. It was generally taken for granted that the fine old pieces which had been in the family for hundred or two hundred years were all made in England and sent to America in the sailing vessels which brought from Europe nearly all of the 1uxuries of tn ose days. But by degrees the makers marks began to be deciphered; the history of their lives was pieced togetfr r by eearch- ing old documents and newspapers; and then. when too late, many people discovered that they hadxnold for old silver or had melted up. sAwh1cA