The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-04
BY WILLIAM D. CLARK

 Hartford, Conn. (UP)-Connecti- cut, which gave the world its first written constitution, will observe the tercentenary of its administra- ton by an elected governor when Raymond E. Baldwin is inaugurated Jan. 4 as the states 69th chief exc cutive.
 The first settlers came to Con- necticut in 1633, and until the constitution, or Fundamental Orders" were adopted in 1889, it was ruled by a provisional gov- ernment approved by the General Court of Massachusetts.
 The first election was held in April of 1639, three months after the constitution had been adopted
 The first governor was John Haynes, a wealthy Englishman who migrated to the New World at the age of 39 with Thomas Hooker and John Cotton, eminent divines who played important roles in the settlement of New Eng land.
 Haynes To Hartford In 1637
 Haynes became assistant gover- nor of Massachusetts a year after he joined that colony and within another year was chosen governor He came to Hartford in 1637, was made a member of the General Court and served for two years until the Colonists designated him governor.
 At that time & law prohibited an elective officer from succeeding himself, so Haynes served in alter nate years for eight terms. The succession law was repealed in 1860 by the freemen so that the then popular Gov. John Win i, throp could administer the affairs of government without interrup- ton. Winthrop served for IS years the longest of any governor.
 One of the deputy governors who served under Haynes owned the farm on which the famous Charter Oak Tree stood. He was George Wyllys.
 King Demanded Charter
 This important incident in the history of the commonwealth oc- cured in 1887 when Sir Edmund Andros, appointed by King James II, made a demand upon Gov. Robert Treat for the charter of the colony.
 When the legislature met, An dros marched into the meeting house with English troops, deter mined to obtain the document by force, if necessary.
 Dusk was falling when the as- sembly came to order. There was prolonged debate and finally the charter was laid upon the table in full view of everyone.
 Suddenly the candle lights were extinguished, and there was great confusion.] When the tapers were relighted, the charter was gone.
 History relates Capt. Joseph Wadsworth had whisked it from the table and hidden it in the hollow of a large oak tree on Wyllys' farm. Andros, the Royal Governor" was defeated and de- Rei4 tCNl III O 4QSSs
 The Charter Oak Tree stood for nearly three centuries until it was destroyed in a storm.
 Two Colonies Consolidated
 Originally there were two col- onies in Connecticut, the Connec- ticut colony and the New Haven colony. The latter elected gov ernors from 1643 until 1861 when, through the influence of Gov. Winthrop, King Charles II granted a charter consolidating them.
 William Leete, the last governor of the New Haven colony, became governor of the joined colonies in 1677.
 Two men who signed the Dec- laration of Independence became governors of Connecticut-Samuel Huntington, a self-educated plow- boy, and Oliver Wolcott, whose father served as the states chief executive.
 Both served in the Continental Congress.
 Oliver Wolcott, Jr., became the HI oJ SOtCAA1OA lAAlQC1 tIlC COllSLltu- tion of 1913, which superseded the charter of 1889. He was assistant secretary of the U. s. Treasury and first president of the Bank of North America.
 Held Highest Office
 Huntington served one term as President of Congress, in 1779, then the highest office in the nation.
 Gov.-Elect Baldwin, Republi- can will succeed Gov. Wilbur L. Cross, Democrat who has held office for eight years. Gov. Gross, before entering politics at the age of 66 was a retired dean of Yale Graduate School, noted scholar and historian and an authority on relief recipients already, 4,000 other persons have been placed on a