Norwich bulletin., 1921-06-11

Nere, SdIQ MI. DdlNCys IL NeS blC SJtu of March. 1889, and with my father and other members of the family we left the farm where we had been living in Killing ly and early in the morning set out for what is now Putnam. It had showed the night before and when we started the Il ground was white but when the sun came out the snow melted and the old roads became muddy and difficult to pass. My father drove the OK cart on which were carried the family goods, and I, with a cousin, drove the cattle. There were | nine cows, heifer, five yearlings, 20 II sheen anu several lambs. Most of the II animals once we got them on to the high | way from our farm, which was back from the road, got along all right, but the lambs were not strong enough for the trip 1, and my cousin and l carried them all of | the journey. We would each take one | for a little while till it got rested and | then we would put it down and take ar- | other We kept this up through the whole l way"
 MT. Battey laughed as he recalled this | trip, and then he continued When we got to the farm here I was pretty we'll tired out, for you see l was only 13 years old at the time We came into the house, into this very room, and I threw myself down on the floor, right there in that cor lfer, and went to sleep" And Mir. Battey turned in his chair to point out where the old fire place had been. bsfore which he had taken his first nap in the house that was to be his home for more than four score years.
 When Mir. Battey and his father came to the farm that is now on the north end of Church street the town of Putnam did
 not exist Their land was in the town
 of Thompson. At that time the only other house on what is now Church street was little wooden house that still stands on Ballou street. The land between the present Providence street and Church street, extending as far back as St. | Mary's cemetery, was all part of the
 Battey farm. From pasture and wood | land Mr Battey has lived to see this tract
 develop into a prosperous section of the
 city of Putnam, and what were once pa = over which the COWS were driven hal4
 within his memory, become amacite road. ways
 MT. Battey came to Putnam the same year that the Norwich and Worcester
 railway was put through, and he clearly
 remembers the development that followed
 the opening of this line of transportation.
 Later, when he had entered the lumber | business, the eoncern-in which he had an
 interest supplied the ties for the Boston
 and Erie line between Boston and WiIli- mantle. When this road was constructed
 
 the Qunebaug river, which was at the lower end of the Battey farm, and timber from woodlands on the farm were used in
 constructing the necessary trestle work.
 According to Mir Battey, farming in
 those days was not what it now is We
 lived in Foster before my father moved
 to Killingly" he explained. T wish you
 could have seen the land we cultivated.
 It was covered with rocks, and we had to
 N~,A ,1., l,r,.
 enough to eat, and were happy. And
 money wasn't so plentiful then. either. ]
 used to do much hunting and trapping
 and it would take me year to earn as
 much as two dollars. 1 used to sell rab-
 bits for two cents. and partridges would bring ten cents in the country and g quarter in Providence"
 The old home in which MT. Battey lives was built 105 years ago by Smith Wi1kin- son. Down in the cellar can now be seer on the wall the date 1916. At the rear ot the building is an ell which was originally a part of 9 house that stood across the street from the Battey home. This ell is between 150 and 160 years old.
 Ashael Battey was born in Foster. R : l., the son of Nathaniel and Ada Hopkin. Battey. The first seight years of his life were spent in that town, from which hiI , parents moved to Killingly He liveC l there for five years, when the famil, : moved to Putnam. Mir. Battey's fatheI = continued to live in what is now Putnam l for Il years, after which he Gnoved away l leaving his son on the farm. MT. Batte! married Adeline Ball of Putnam. Sh, died many years ago. They had one son l Lewis F. Battey, who lives with his ia ther. MT. Battey was for many years il the lumber business, member of tn Of (NheTr11an n RnttaU C- be- edalt in ship and car timber and sup piled much of the wood used in the con ! struction of the railways th1 ough thi : section.
 , MT. Battey is a member of Putnam e Methodist church. Although his sight an > hearing are failing, MT. Battey is in rela T lively good health and is able to go atou n his farm a little. T feel as though | could hoe corn" he said Friday, but : couldn't do it. because my sight is no e keen enough, and I am afraid 1 shoul u dig up the plants with the weeds" Nil $ Battey enjoys callers, and they alway find him interesting because of the vas - fund of information he has relating to tn
 early history of the town.
 !, Mrs. Ernest c. Morse, Mrs. Helen N i. Wiley, Mrs. Herbert Smith, Mrs. Sila a NJ. Wheelock and Miss Sylvia Wheeloc r were in Worcester Friday.
 il Miss Ruth Bartlett, Miss Dorcas Bart l. lett and Miss Eleanor Carpenter are ', have charge of the Children's day pro s. gram which will be given Sunday morI l. ing at the Second Congregational churcl s. Robert MacIntyre, who is passing tn $. summer at Bates Grove, Webster, calle
 in Putnam Friday.
 y Mrs. Walter J. Bartlett probation of d cer of the Putnam city court. is to be l. New Haven Wednesday attending a mNe
 ing of the State Probation Officers asst q citation. A visit is to be made to the Ne l. Haven detention home.
 Friends of pr. H. B. Wright gave hi ,e a surprise party Wednesday night ,I honor of his birthday.
 h The Putnam fire department was ca1Ie n out at 11.45 Friday morning when Il If roof of the building occupied by N h Connor as q blacksmith shop caught fir D. 4 hastily organized bucket brigade, worl l. ing with ladders which were being use Il in painting the nearby Donahue bloc
 soon had the fire under control and wine y the department arrived it was not nece y, sary to turn on the water. Earlier in u l. morning the chemical truck was called o1 ID for @ fire at the city dump near the raj Ill road bridge over the QuiHebaug.