The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-14

LiC LtfEDubtH0Ny VI C0Att@Sts~@fN " three first settlements is given Q literary and historical presentation by Marguerite Allis in "Cpnnecti- cut TriIogy." This entertaining and instructive volume has Just been published by G. P. Putnam's Sons of New York and is dedicated to the libraries and librarians of Con necticut. There is a fQreword by Albert Bates. secretary of the Con- necticut Historical society. A map Is reproduced inside the cover that shows the original colony, with de- scriptive pictorial illustrations. The original seal Is in one corner: then there are such illustrations as the stockss Indian wigwams, the req men in helligerent attitude, a con- tinental soldier, and various other objects and symbols indigenous to the locality: while Long Island Sound is pictured on the southern border, various craft dotting it's waters. The drawings that appear in the book, and which picture many familiar Connecticut build ings and private homes, were sketched by the author.
 Story Descriptive
 "connecticut Trilogy" is divided into three books. Book 6ne tells of the Connecticut colony: book two, the Saybrook Plantations: and book three, New Haven Colony and Her Neighbors. This story of Con- necticut is especially appealing be- cause it not only gives historical facts accurately, but it also is a pleasing and descriptive tale that entertains and never bores.
 Connecticut is noted for some fine old colonial houses: that style has also been apparent in it's public buildings and churches. In her book Miss Allis has sketched many fine examples of these throughout Litchfield, New Haven and Hartford counties that are more or less familiar to Connecti- cut residents. The first book gives the history of Wethersfield, Wind sor, Hartford, Pennington Village, the Farmington valley to include Avon, Simsbury, Newgate and Suf- field: the western hill towns to in- clude Burlington, Litchfield, Tor rington and Waterbury: and east ward to include the New London road, Glastonbury, Marlborough, Colchester, Hebron and Lebanon. An important factor in the story of each settlement that is character istic of New England and brought out by the author. is the green" which is a distinguishing mark of so many Connecticut towns and cities. Her opening paragraph re- fers to Wethersfeld,s famous old elm, another Connecticut charac- teristic. She says: Beneath the shade of the oldest elm in America the span of three hundred years becomes visible circumstance, for the great limbs are more convinc- ing than any figures upon a print ed page" Each place included in the Connecticut colony is given con- siderable space by the author, their carly history outlined, the early Indian lore. the coming of the first settlers, their, manners and modes of living, and the war activ- ities of the period.
 Indian Lore
 Wethersfield with its Webb Fl use, Wethersfield Meeting, Windsor with it's Ellsworth House and Windsor Meeting, and Hart ford with it's First church, are pictured in the early pages, as are the picturesque Pennington val ley. The last named has its quota of landmarks, as have the neigh boring valley towns of Avon, Sims bury, Newgate with it's famous old prison, and Suffield. The Indian tales as well as trails are recount ed on the pages. and each locality has its own particularly graphic Indian history. Litchfeld county is described as abounding in such, and is given considerable space by Miss Allis in this subject matter as well as in references to this places as the location of the first law school in America, as the stopping off place of Lafayette and even Washington. Miss Allis has sketched the Governor Wolcott House on South street, which looks now much as it did. from all ac- counts, in revolutionary days. Deming House and Talmadge House are also sketched by the author.
 Mattatuck Plantation
 Miss Allis has devoted several RdSc5 LO WdtCIUuIy dIIu tuS 1NauH- atuck valley in her chapter about Western Hill Towns. She says, "The history of the Naugatuck valley is the history of Yankee in- genuity, of early clocks made by Seth Thomas and Eli Terry, and of many million subsequent time keepers. She refers to Waterburys carly history when 1t was the plan tation of Mattatuck, of it's evolu- tion from a meadow tract with surrounding hills between which flowed the Naugatuck, to city of many industries. the early corn and grist mills superseded by brass foundries. She mentions the pass ing of the land from the Tunxis Indians to the Farmington1 fam flies. She also writes of Water bury's many rapid streams brawl. ing down the hills into the Nadga-- tuck river" and she says, "as soon as feasible these were harnessed for the turning of mill-wheels.' Further early history of the plan- tation and later the town are de- scribed, such as the part played by the inhabitants in the early wars, the history of the early meetings" and the green"
 old Lyme
 In her second book, Saybrook Plantations, the author traces the history of Saybrook, Lyme, Bride