Putnam patriot., 1926-12-31
An Avoeation of Author

So Chs History of Woodstock Was q pending matter, ten years before the close of the last century nearly forty years ago. The work WAS an aNoeat.on wltn the author. Begun. Us an occupation uf college vacations, the amaszne of material became ever mole deeply interesting and won hlm and others ut ms tamuy Eo widening research. Much of the material sJ found was the basis of aH address in lsb6 on the occasion of Moodstock's 2O0th birthday; and finally the whole was given to Miss Larned to edit. But when, in l9l3i upon retiring from business, the author began to write The History of N oodstocK he decided to present the Manuscript of Miss Larned precisely as she had prepared it t0 The Connecticut Historical So- ciety, and To raise this whole strue- ture on lines chat had presented them selves Go him in his years of study I Yielding generous tnanks to all sourc- es of information. the author declar- es that his work, m compiling from these sources and shaping this history, has been labor of love, and that it 
 IS a remembrance of delight.
 Nr Bowen Is a well known geneO- lopist. and hopes to follow up this work in the course of tune with the pubfieation of geneologies of Wood stock families. In the eonsummation of this plan, the author will have aeh- ieVed for one New England district records as careful and as worthy as those of Old England.
 In his Introduction, Dr. Holmes points out that resemblances and con. trasts between the story of an Did World Town and a New American Township are full of interest and in- struction. In developing this state ment he writes:
 "The men who went out from Rox- bury in l6s6 lived over again in many resneets the lives of the Plymouth Pilgrims. The Indians were stiil threatening. The dreadful massacre of a family at Oxford, which drove away the Huguenots from thelr charming residence in that place. oe- cured ten years after the Roxbury coIonists had settled in then ne" resi- dence." (Woodstock.l
 Terrible Tale of Massacre
 Follows terrible tale of massacre, furnishing all the thrills of tDopers h.st efforts. and further account of dangers. Wolves, bears, rattle snakes. and the exposures of an in- element climate cover which we have not vet ceased Co groani threatened inc benlth and the lives Of these Pi0- roers. while the dissensions when -urane up-territorlal, religious ana 1rlftical. tested and educated thetf eabacity for local self government me virtues and defects of the ha- man character in its New England considerations were fully eXempil- 6sd in the varying history Of Wooa-
 k.as .sTh5 qualities of indiyidu- alz were put t5 the Lest. and the an- ].-st .,tizens took the lead to which +H.-5 Wsre entitled by their aea!ty- erfain names are continually reap gesring in successive generations, and l.Eing the place of their progenlLofa tt'"t''- i.- conedenca The stranger who visits NoodstoeS toe"s sess 4 region 0f remarkable natural besutv. adorned by handsome resi. aenees and cultivated grounds ana sags # hard Co realize all the o1sta .les tbat were overcome in ehangins st. forest into farms and gardens.
 have quoted thus fully from the r....s4iirtion. because these excerpts gIys tha trend and the scope oi tns ~erk as well as t can be gwen lh brief end n che w0rds Of 2 diss.l., .1.l, '..s.ss5 s.te vrIter. himself son of Abiei Holmes born in Woodstock Lte9, ,,'ba aaol'',,s ,yas inc great grandson of John Holmes a first settler in i6so.
 The contents Of this monumental ,,,orE eau be but inadequately out- l'ne9 in the space available here: "