Putnam patriot., 1926-12-31
Indian Woman Now sI

uonSs
 Indian Woman Now 9I
 In this connection might be men toned an interesting photograph ln the book of Lovan Tiffany Dixon, an Indian woman, born m Woodstock Feb. 1, 1885, and now hving at the age of nlnety=une.
 The second chapter of the book deals with the arrival of enc colony from Roxbury at the New Plantation. A month was occupied it transit. ihe present Woodstock Hill Is beheg- ed to nave been the site of che first eneampmeHg Here che pioneers set ap a house called N abOdquasset Hal to serve as base of supplies and place of public meeting In this place the settlers met for the first tune August p. I6s6 The settle meut was generally known as New RoNbury The Mother Town prayed each Sunday for the new colony. At one service. IL Is said that John Eliot arose in his pulpit and exclaimed, .Alasl alas l forgot to pray for our sons ana daughters in New RoXbury, and therefore let us pray again.
 Followed the forming of military companies. the building of d Meeting House, the establishment of a trading post, the further defining of land d. visions.
 The little settlement had ten years of peaceful development. when ln- dian violence became q reality. Dur ing the years following the Indian dis turbances and then settlements the population became so great here that many settlers were forced to move te recently opened territory. Beacon Benj Sahln, one of the original thir= teen col0nists. moved Co MashamO- quet. and was followed by Nathaniel Gary, Abiel Lyon, Samuel Perrin, and Joseph Chandler. to mention only q few of Che names familiar Ia Pom fret at the present time.
 But Il Is easier to touch upon the few chapters of pioneering than Co follow colonization through all the changes and chances ef Its troubled lfe. And t would serve Bo good purpose to try To do so. Development was rapid and consecutive The au= thor has followed 1t here through some five hundred interesting pages, eN- elusive of current history uf the past twenty years during which the pro gressive spirit of Woodstock has known no abatement
 It is all absorbing the land divi. sians; the Indian troubles, the found- ing of schools and building of meet. ing houses; the relationship of pastor and people; the personal histories of individuals, the founding of organiza. tions, as. for example. THE UNITED SOCIETY, OR COMPANY. for PRO PAGATING CHRISTIAN and USE FILL KNOWLEDGE. organized in Pomfret in l739, founded by minist- CTS and prominent citizens of Pom fret and Woodstock; the establish ment of a library; the building of turnpikes. the springing up Of church controversies. and school quaTels, and political differences. the rise of manufacturing, and every other de- velopment following upon successful colonization,
 Part of Massschusetts
 IL must be remembered that Che colony was a part of Massachusetts from 1886 to l749. Tho township be- longed to Worcester Co.,, and offend CTS were hailed to court at the County Seat. Worcester. The reasons for the revolt from Massachusetts. and the controversies leading thereto make interesting reading.
 The Revolutionary Period and that of the Civil War are rich in general interest. as is the period following the Civil War. when, thanks Co the public spirit of Henry C. Bowen, the authors father, Woodstock was kept in touch with the country's most emi- ncnt and distinguished men, as the early colony had also been.
 The founding of Woodstock Aca- demv in 1901 was in line with the progressive educational work of the c0ionists
 Important as are these points touched upon, 1t often happens in work of this sort that scattered and inessential matter pertaining Co such a history make more cei0rfui reading. The vitality of all life is in the detail of daily existence.
 To quote few examples
 Birds were such menace to crops in the carly days that. 10 l406 t Was voted that every man was to bring twenty four blackbird' heads Co the treasury before Michaelmas or be fn- ed for every one short of that num- Der. (Thus friend crow was early at odds with the Puritans.l
 About l704 the church proved too small Not only did W Woodstock's resi- aents q! it e. egerii0wing. but Church Visitors from Mashamoquet fPomfret) and Aspinock fkiilingly) fiji the pews Co overfowiug
 Tn lf25 the Rev. Mir Dwight preached a sermon on church singing which was repeated iH Birmingham, and published, in which he eensured .tslding from one tune ta another while singing, or singing the same line in different tunes.
 Before turning fhe page on dr. Dwight t might be added that he lies buried at West Thompson.
 "Onee pastor of ye church
 In Woodstoc Of q
 Church in Dedham