The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-18

at Hartford, Conn. The old sign
board here pictures is four feet
tall, made of hard fine grained
wood, and hung in 1777 before the
Bissel tavern in East Windsor,
Conn.
Edward King, Miss Kings IA
ther, inherited the sign and
brought it to indianapolis with
him in 1857. However, Miss King
and her niece, Mrs. katherine
Hollander, wished it to go back co
it's home state since it is strictly
a museum piece and is associated
with early Connecticut history.
On March 20, 1880, a company
of 14O persons left on the Mary
and John for the new country of
America.
"They were selected from the
wealthiest and most celebrated
counties in England and were no
random adventures but high
minded Christian men and women
whose antecedents and personal
character could command re-
spect," says Stiles History of An
Gent Windsor. The newcomers
landed on the New England coast
May 80 and settled Dorchester,
Mass. Three years later they
pushed farther inland and
founded Windsor, Conn.
In this company were John
Bissell, founder of the family in
Connecticut, and Henry Wolcott,
first of the line which gave Con-
necticut Roger Wolcott, an early
Governor; Oliver Wolcott, a
signer of the Declaration Of In
dependence, and EraStuS Wolcott,
whose name still may be seen on
the tavern sign.
A S a reward for trip back to
IN England for cattle, John Bis
sci was given, in 1886, the lease of
the ferry over the great river (the
Connecticut) on the road from
Windsor to the bay (Boston) with
the privilege of entertaining and
receiving recompence from travel
ers as may not find it convenient
to go further for an ordinary"
can early name for tavern. John
BisSel built his home on the east
bank of the river and there from
the earliest days of colonial history
in East Windsor, a Bissel. tavern
stood at Bissels Ferry.
The known history of the tavern
sign dates from TIT when David
Bissel, an officer in the revolution,
had it decorated with portrait
of George washington surrounded
by thirteen interlacing rings. In
each ring was painted some plant
indigenous to a colony.
Above this elaborate painting
was inscribed 1.-The IS United
States" and below Entertainment
by David Bissel 1777."
Except for the name this in
Scription still is discernible. Ten
years later when EraStus Wolcott
inherited the tavern, Bissel's name
was painted out and E. Wolcott
added with the date 1887, still
plainly visible, placed in each up
per scroll.
In 1901 1.-THE tavern descended
to Joseph Phelps who redecorated
the sign board with a representa-
ton of the first United States ten
dollar gold piece, the gold eagle of
1895. Thus the sign remains to-
day except that the last owner,
thrifty James Pelton, painted out
the last of the Phelps name, leav-
ing his own initials j. P.
MISS ELIZABETH PELTON,
4V1 living today in South Wind
sor, says that the old sign hung
from the limb of a great elm
which stood in front of the tavern.
The stump of the tree remains to-
day and the old tavern itself
burned only short time ago.
In addition to its historic APP
peal the tavern sign has a per-
sonal interest for me because of a
beloved great uncle, Henry Erastus
Wolcott, a descendant of this
family. Grandma Wolcott, who
had been Mary Bissel and was a
small child during the revolution
told many interesting stories about
the soldiers who visited the inn.
One Hessioan taught her to weave
linen in a new pattern called Ems
and "Os" which was kept a secret
in the Bissel family for years.
AS with all taverns in colonial
days the Bissel tavern was the
scene of social, military and COM
mercial activities of the commun-
1ty. In 1875 during King Philips
war the town council ordered "a
garrison of not less than six men
be kept at Nathaniel Bissel's
tavern at all times"
Under the spreading elm the
eminent divine, Jonathan Edwards.
expounded theology, John Fitch
dreamed of fame and fortune with
his steamboat and the first stage
coach from Boston to New York
in 1892 stopped.
That this authentic memento of
colonial days should have survived
is remarkable and fortunate. Such
a treasure would have been appre-
ciated had it found permanent
home with the huge buffalo head
given by Miss King to the Indiana
State Museum. However, We do
commend the sentiment which
sent the old tavern sign back
among neighborly relics of it's