The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-03-24
Memories"
Demolition of West Main Street Landmark Recalls Social Events of By-GOne Years
(By The Out Easter)

The destruction or removal of the fine old house on West Main street just west of St. Johns Epis- copal church, to make way for a gasoline station station, revived memories of a past day when the well known well off" Buel family lived there and entertain ed on a lavish scale. The Buels were chased among the richest families of the city. They were of the few real "blue bloods" of the town, similar to the Kings burys, the Kelloggs, the Driggs, the Hamiltons, the Benedicts, the Maltbys, the Scovills, the Buck inghanS, the Merrimans, the Bur- rails, the Browns, the EltonS, the Bronsons, and other fine old American families. The Fuels owned where the gasoline station is at State street, which was their garden in the old days, and also owned southerly on the same street for some distance. The house now removed in piece-meal fashion, was one of the most ex- pensive and well built homes of the city.
 The main feature of the Buel home, and which brings back fond recolections" was a happen ing of 45 years ago, Sept, IT, 1891, when Katherine Sedgwick Buel, daughter of the owner of the premises, Mrs Cornelia Buel, was married to Col. John Bush Doherty, a man widely known among the military men of that time and period. Tall and hand some, his every step was that Of the real military leader. That day was the hey-day of his career. Later. there was a turn for the worse, but he was able to meet 1t with a smile and salutation that never once indicated any thing except peace and comfort to him, and his dear wife.
 The day we shall never forget. The wedding party assembled. at the house late in the afternoon of 8 beautiful fall day. riding in open carriage, behind handsome and attractice horses, to the First church, on the north side of the green. Members of companies A and G, Governor Morgan c. Bull kley and his uniformed staff and Gen. Watson and his staff were in the church when the wed- ding party arrived at 6 p. m. A canopy stretched from the side- walk curb to the interior of the church. The officiating clergy man was Rev. Dr. Joseph An derson, pastor, assisted by Rev. T. F. Twitchell, chaplain of the Second regiment. The bride en- tered the church on the arm of @ relative, the late R. K. Brown. Major A. M. Dickinson, still of good health at his home on Cooke street, was best man, The maid of honor was Miss Jeannette Cas- well. Other attendants included Messrs Bronson, Maltby, Hamil- ton, French, of Waterbury and Holmes of Bridgeport.
 It was one of the most color full wedding ceremonies Water- bury has ever witnessed. Military throughout, there has never been one like 1t since. Hundreds of Waterbury people stood for hours in front of the oldest church Of the city to get 8 look at the we'll to-do bride.
 The Second regiment band was in attendance and led the two military companies and the colo nel's staff to and from church. Following the ceremony, @ recep- ton was held at the house until 9 in the evening, with the old time and popular fiddler of the nineties, Hallam, leading the geed orchestra, named after him. The house was handsomly decorated by Dallas.
 It was also the time the late Charles R. Baldwin was the dem- ocratic mayor; he was bachelor and lived at the Scovill house. His presence was always requested at such events. He had money aplen- ty, but like others lost 1t as the years went on, and died penniless. But when he had 1t, he spent 1t at will. The mayor held open , house at the Scovill house Ill honor of the occasion. after the guests had left the wedding home
 The Second regiment band was brought inside, and played at var ious times, or after the governor and the mayor had argued on the tariff question for some time. The governor was republican.
 Afterwards, the band, the gov- ernor and the mayor drove over to the old state armory on Phoe- nix avenue, where the military men held open house in honor of the occasion.
 You couldn't get people to do such things today. But that was the spirit of the people of the so-called. "Gay Nineties." And they were . gay lot, too.
 Major Dickenson, and Captain Daniel F. Fitzpatrick are among the few military men of that oc- casion around today, and who took part in the ceremonies mem toned.
 Surely, the old house, had some history.