Putnam patriot., 1928-09-27
Origin OF Local Names or Original Names
The Celebrated Ghost Story of Thompson--Thompson
Was Named For Nonresident Owner, Robert Thompson
-aHa-ha WaIls-"-Colonial Neghborliness.

Thompson is in the northeastern
~ner of the state Of Connecticut,
- Massachusetts, 10 the north and to
FL east Rhode Island. The Quinebaug
H. Maanexit or French rivers flowing
Laugh the western part Of the town
- below Mechanicsville. The Five
80 or Asawaga river is near the
Es,ern border The surface Of the
II il diversified, and so encountered
r. stones as to make cultivation labor
- without improved machinery.
Esnite lodges underIie the hills, and
Rtached stones overlie the fields and
~ stnres. Nearly a century ago Miles
Monneeticut Gazetteer reported more
H;les Of wall fence in Thompson than
any other town in the State; the
cord is said never to have been brok-
Doubtless there were styles and
krn-styles or stiles. as tstyles were IN
n veil-known Vernon Stiles famous
Xvernl well as 'ha-ha fences" The
fLsgin and meaning Of the term '.ha-
r wall" was termed ''ha-ha" because
u the feeling of surprise one gives ex-
e.sion TO upon finding oneself
Ekeeked in his progress by an unseen
kiert on the cart path or road brought
IL sudden THUS far and no farther
halt thou GO"
III Denotes Surprise
FL The Oxford English Dictionary
rvs: IAN obstacle interrupting ones
3sy sharply and disagreeably. a ditch
fskind an opening in wall at the bot
n Of an alley or walk; according to
trench etymoIogists, from hal ex-
amation Of surprise" The same die
zonary gives examples dated 1712,
k87g4. i749, etc, and records it's at
I[,butiye use in "ha-ha ditch" "ha-ha
Isnce." 'ha-ha wall" In f774 Gov
amor Hutchinson spoke of "A ha-ha
4snre at the bottom of the garden
md on July 21, 1876. John Adams
arote from Quincy: That appletree
aver the way =. has been felied
mis- morning, never 10 rise again: and
5he road is to be widened and enlarg-
IA The stump and roots are to be
Ar out of the ground. and the wall TO
n moved back and made ha-ha.'
Ell The sunk fence of the type used at
&sount Vernon was introduced into
England during the eighteenth CEN
hury and was termed "ha-ha" because
II the feeling of surprise one gives ex-
preston to upon finding oneself check
sd bv the Unforeseen object. This de-
xiee. of French and military origin, is
~ Importance because 1t made the
treat Handicapped estates of England
possible by allowing the cattle and
Beer TO feed in the park, which to the
observers eye seemed an integral part
hi the lawn and more elaborate gar
seens. Another name is SAINT de ioup.
q We often hear the expression that
cleanliness is next To Goodness. The
early New England settlers placed
neighborliness next. The colonists
burned to all who lived around them in
thickness or death; with food to tempt
the convalescent; in any unusual UNI
ldertaking as log-rolling, stone piling
1or fencing, stump pulling. house rails
hing and general laborious labor on
the farm. The apple parings, quilting
|parties, spinning competitions and sim
5lar customs have gone from among US
Nut in our locality still remain some
slittle traces of old-time nelgnborly
sfriendliness If we think of the word
Sneighbor 70 mean people who 1--we
snigh-so that they may chat over the
garden walls of fences If they have
sany. We have commercialized these
homely virtues so we are independent
of those near, but we are far more de-
pendent on the whole wide world. Ihis
friendly helpfulness extended from
little courtesies TO great matters; IT
formed privileges and entered INTO ev-
ery department of the home and the
town-life. Towns ordered certain per-
sons 10 buy provisions 'of the towns
men in preference" or as we say now
a-days: Trade az Home.
There was one curious and contra
dictory phase Of this kindness, TINS
thought for mutual welfare, and tnat
was its narrowness. or love turned M
especially in New England as regards
space and locality; also we see II man
ifest toward people Of different ma
tionalitics with their different ereeds
or denominations. 1t is not always
clear why their vision was restrained
but il is fact that just as soon as any
grouu or society of settlers could cali
themselves a town or parish, these
colonists' attitude toward others be-
came distinctly and rigidly limited 70
their own townspeople or parish. Inc
town, or religious society, they felt was
their very own and constant suspicion
Of all newcomers was manifested IN
the universal custom Of warning out
all strangers.
WATERFOWL, when 1t would sell lots
10 but freemen of the church, wished
70 have no strange neighbors, but 10
"sitt down there close together. :. was
a sentiment of all the towns. WITH
out doubt this warning, whipping ana
stoning out of town was partly the re-
suit OF the primitive methods Of trav-
cling and lack Of frequent communities
ton between the people which maze
knowledge Of strangers difficult TO oo-
tain.
well. neighborhoods meant Counties
in those days;
The roads didn't have accommodating
ways; 49,
And maybe weeks would pass before
we'd see--anybody
And much less talk with--a BODY
The Indians sometimes showed tneii
sun-baked faces,
But they didn't TEEN with CONVERSE
tional graees-'
Sometimes common field was fene-
cd or walled in and planted WIN IN
dian corn. Then there were the com,
4saEIu