' -t^ ^ ^^ °- ./\-^t\ co\>:^^"-o y,.^^X % •^^•*/ v-^-'/ °''v^^> '°%;-W'°./ "''^ ". ^o V" .^ V ^°'^^. - t . O > -n^o^ ^^•^^, S y ■ , o " o . 'V, ^;^ ,-0 :- '^^. .-^^ A :- -n.-o^ r^ ^^-v. t3wo Tfun6re6 anb Tfiftletl) TZVnniversarY of falling for6 (Tonnecticut Official Jprosram September 4, 5, 6. 1920 PRICE 25 CENTS CONNECTICUr ^TATE LIBRARY. HARTFORD. »ift Publisher OCT 22 /820 " stand Before the Early Shrhies of our National History, the Common Inheritance of Every American.'' TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY OF WALLINGFORD CONNECTICUT September 4, 5, 6, 1920 Official 4^ro3ram, .^7 r lot ? £ -r iii (- i u UJ > I- u ? UJ X UJ o . _ < ^ i ■«. .J;a:^;.. - This quaint, old house which it is hoped will be the home of "The Wallingford Historical Society, Inc., for many generations to come, is very pleasantly situated on South Main street, quite near the histori- cal Street and Merriman allotments of 1670 and within rifle range of the stockades built in 1676 when King Philip's hordes of Indians threatened all southern New England. Under the careful supervision of President Thomas it has been entirely renovated. He has been ably pssi^ted bv ladies of the society who exercised a most judicious taste in the choice of quaint styles of paper that thoroughly harmonize with the age of the old house. From some rooms the paper was entirely removed, thus revealing ancient paneling of fine workmanship that would cost a fortune to procure now. The age of this interesting place is not known as yet, but Hon, 0. H. D. Fowler has traced it back on the town records to 1759. During the Revolution it was probably occupied by the Par.^ons family, after whom Parsons street was named. The Parsons and Hall families were united by marriage. Esther Parsons was a daughter of Samuel Hall and mentioned on the records as widow of "Cornet" John Parsons in 1766. Cornet being a military title ranking in olden time between a lieutenant and sergeant. Nowadays he would be called "top sergeant" and duly consigned to punishment eternal by privates under him every morning at reveille, that bugle call abhorred by lazy soldiers. Whether or not Cornet Parsons gained his military title by active service is not known but Wallingford sent a large contingent to Cape Breton and the siege of Louisburg. Jesse Hall deeded to Caleb Thompson, a portion of the property in 1803. Before that time it had been used as a tavern and a stopping place for the stages that used to run between New York and Boston. 29 President Thomas, however, denies any intention of claiming General Washington stopped here to dine when he visited Wallingford. In 1805 Captain Thompson moved his family into the house. He was a carriage builder by trade and pursued that calling in a shop that stood in the north front corner of the yard, on the site now partly occupied by the "Liberty tree" recently dedicated by the society. He VN'as a skilled cabinet maker and at one time made coffins in this shop. It is a tradition that the Wallingford small boy of that period, if after dark, approached that pai't of South Main street in fear and trembling and whistled in boyish glee when the "coffin shop" was far behind him. Years after this shop was moved to South Colony street and made into a dwelling house where it still stands but the weird tales connected with it are there unknown. Captain Thompson's daughter married Eli W. Ives, who for sixteen years was judge of probate and town clerk. He was a gentleman of the old school, very dignified and precise. One has only to go to the pi'obate and town records of the early 40's and oO's and see how beautifully they are written to know they were kept by a gentleman of education and refinement. Quite recently the commission granted by Governor John Tread- well in 1805, to Caleb Thompson, naming him a captain in command of a Wallingford company of infantry, came into possession of the historical society. Some years ago it had been given the late Major Norton by Joseph Noyes, a descendant of Rev. James Noyes, who lived in the "Dana" house now occupied by George Dickerman, another of our old historic Wallingford mansions. Mrs. Hannah Norton presented the commission to the historical society., who have had it framed and it will come back after one hundred years to the original house where it was first received by Captain Thompson. Fannie I. Schember, to whose generosity the historical society owes the possession of this beautiful home, is daughter of Judge Ives and granddaughter of Captain Caleb Thompson. Her early childhood and youth was spent here and the place is endeared to her by countless early associations. To her not only is the Wallingford Historical Society indebted but our entire community is under a great obligation for what is a most attractive adjunct to the literary and social life of the town. She is a resident of New Haven at present and it is to be hoped will live many years to enjoy the pleasure and satisfaction of knowing her childhood home will be a Mecca in generations to come for the historian and the antiquarian as well as a center of communit}' interest. The Wallingford Historical Society was incorporated in 1919. It has about 200 members, and the purpose of the society is to collect and presei've whatever may serve to explain or illustrate the arehacoloiiy, the art and literature, the history, civil, ecclesiastical, or natural, of the state of Connecticut, especially that part thereof known as the Quinnipiac valley, including the town of Wallingford and the parts adjacent thereto, as deemed advisable; to provide in a suitable manner for their care, preservation and exhibition, to hold such meetings and provide and conduct such lectures as may aid in 30 the scientific, literary and benevolent education of the community ; to print or furnish such publications as may be thought desirable, also to do such things as may be deemed proper, and to receive, invest and care for any gift of money or other property which may be made to such society. The officers are: Marshall K. Thomas, president; John B. Ken- drick. first vice president; Charles G. Phelps, second vice president; Charles H. Tibbits, third vice president; John G. Phelan, secretary; I/: organ P. Dickerman, financial secretary; George E. Dickerman, treasurer ; Rev. Arthur P. Greenleaf , Marcus E. Cooke, Henry Winter Davis, Emma J. Barber, Linus H. Hall, J. Norris Barnes, Jennie Y. Johnson, Edith Hart Goddard, Clarence H. Brown, trustees. Since the organization of this society great interest has been taken in the story of our historic old town. Many books and manuscripts are being constantly saved from destruction that will in the future be invaluable. As time passes objects of art, antique furniture, curios, and the thousand and one things that will tend to the information and education of future gen- erations of Wallingford people will be gathered and preserved. 31 H 73 78 5441 Ho I ,v < o ^ ^^ A "-^^0^ A .^^ .0 .^'\ **'^-. >> '■ > V * * !r>l' -^^.r V» S • * i. ■' . . s • ,0^ <5 .^^ ^. 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