Social History of Woodstock, Connecticut
Woodstock's first post office was opened in Bowen's store in 1811,
George Bowen, postmaster. Six offices are now needed, one for each
separate village, viz., Woodstock, East, West, North, South Woodstock and
Woodstock Valley. Convenient mail carriages convey the mail from Putnam
depot to these several stations. These villages, dating back many years,
enjoy varying degrees of prosperity. Some have lost by business changes
and emigration; others gained by new interests. The summer element has
brought new prosperity to Woodstock hill. The erection of " Roseland
Cottage," by Mr. H. C. Bowen, was soon followed by the opening of Elmwood
Hall, in 1862, by Messrs. Warner & Way; with ample accommodations for the
" summer boarder," with his numerous household. The revivifying of the
academy, and various improvements instituted by Mr. Bowen, have wrought a
marvelous change in the "Plaine Hill village." Graded streets, concrete
walks, tasteful dwelling houses, a shaded park and spacious common make
the village one of the loveliest in Windham county, while the pure air and
range of beautiful scenery are wholly unsurpassed. Summer visitors
returning year after year to this favorite resort, testify to its
attractions. Elmwood Hall, under the charge of its veteran
proprietorDeacon Amasa Chandler-has long been numbered among public
institutions, and has been the scene of many an official and family
re-union. West Woodstock village has its own especial votaries, who find
perpetual charms in its verdant placidity and wide outlook, and it is
becoming more and more a favorite summer resting place. The summer element
is conspicuous in many new and elegant country seats in various parts of
the town. Senexet road, running east of the lake, is especially favored by
these summer sojourners, and boasts many of these fanciful structures.
These new citizens, connected in many cases with old families of the town,
promise to be an important factor in its future development.
Among modern institutions of Woodstock none has brought it into such
prominence before the world as the Fourth of July celebrations inaugurated
in Roseland Park by Mr. H. C. Bowen. Repeating the experience of its
historic namesake, Woodstock hill has ever been celebrated for the number
and variety of its notable meetings. Its trainings, funerals, belligerent
town and society meetings, its Masonic and anti-Masonic conventions, its
temperance jubilees and Sabbath school celebrations, have been noted for
successive generations. With the grand " Fremont Rally " of 1856 began a
series of most notable political gatherings. The great Lincoln mass
meeting of 1864, the great Grant mass meeting of 1868, both held on
Woodstock Common, were most remarkable occasions, not only in numbers,
interest and enthusiasm, but as helping to decide conflicting and vital
questions.
The Fourth of July celebration in 1870 was made memorable by the presence
of the president of the United States, General Grant, and his suite, with
the Russian minister and other notables. Arrangements for this occasion
were wholly due to Mr. H. C. Bowen, who had the honor of receiving and
entertaining the distinguished guests. Securing soon after this date the
beautiful grove adjoining Woodstock lake, Mr. Bowen began the laying out
of the beautiful park so famous in later celebrations. July 4th, 1877,
Roseland Park was formally opened with appropriate exercises. Addresses
were made by Senator Blaine, exGovernor Chamberlain, and other
distinguished persons. A delightful historic poem, with appropriate
patriotic prelude, was read by Doctor Oliver Wendell Holmes. Year after
year these gatherings have been repeated. As the park has put on new
beauty and verdure, so the programme has offered more varied attractions,
until the Fourth of July celebrations at Roseland Park are known
throughout the country. It would be impossible to give a full list of
those who have contributed to the interest of these occasions. National
celebrities in innumerable departments, presidents, cabinet officers,
senators, governors, statesmen, financiers, distinguished professors and
teachers, orators, lecturers, poets, literary men and women, clergymen
without number, representative men and women, have appeared upon the
platform at Roseland Park and discoursed upon questions of vital interest
and importance. Woodstock and neighboring towns are greatly indebted to
Mr. Bowen for the privilege of seeing and hearing these distinguished
persons, and also for providing so delightful a spot for social and public
gatherings. Saturday afternoon concerts, " Field Days " for various
institutions, " Union Sabbath School picnics," family and village
gatherings, have come into existence with the park, and social intercourse
and healthful recreation have been greatly promoted. No better test of
progress. could be cited than the substitution of such improving and
elevating assemblages in this tasteful retreat, for the uproarious "
training" and stilted " celebration " of other days.
Among later "Notable meetings " in Roseland Park, the republican mass
meeting of September 5th, 1888, takes a high place. A county political
meeting, it excited unusual interest. Pomfret, Putnam and Thompson
displayed much energy in marshalling processions worthy of the occasion.
The day was all that could be desired, the attendance large and the
speaking excellent. Mr. Searls, of Thompson, served as chairman of the
day. Hon. William M. Evarts and Mrs. J. Ellen Foster perhaps carried off
the highest laurels, although all the addresses called out much enthusiasm
and applause. A notable feature in the day's demonstration was the large
number of veterans, eager to show their allegiance to the soldier
candidate, and the presence of a veteran who assisted in the nomination of
William Henry Harrison in 1840.
The anticipated visit of President Benjamin Harrison, July 4th, 1889,
aroused great interest among all classes. The county appreciated as never
before the distinguishing honor and privilege of receiving within her
borders the highest officials of the great republic. Extensive
preparations were made by Putnam and other towns for their suitable
reception. All eyes and hearts were turned toward Woodstock and Roseland
Park, and had the day been favorable it would probably have recorded the
largest gathering ever assembled in Windham county. But rain and storm are
no respecters of -persons, and the lowering clouds refused to melt away.
Yet, though thousands were disappointed, other thousands pluckily
withstood the elements. Through the rain and heavy fog of Wednesday
evening hundreds found their way to Mr. Bowen's hospitable residence,
opened as usual for the reception preceding the great day. Such crowds
came to see and speak to the president and his suite that one marveled
where space could have been found for them had the skies been fair.
The wet. July morn failed to dampen the resolution of veterans and
patriots. Grand Army men in their shining new uniforms, were ready to
escort the president and party to the park. The multitudes already
assembled far exceeded public expectation. The address of welcome was made
by Hon. Charles Russel, M. C.; prayer by Reverend E. B. Bingham; the " Day
we Celebrate " was lauded by the governor of Connecticut, Morgan G.
Bulkeley, who introduced President Harrison. His graceful greeting called
forth storms of applause. He was followed by General Hawley, Associate
Justice Samuel F. Miller and Hon. Thomas B. Reed, M. C., of Maine. Brief
addresses were also made by Secretaries Noble and Tracy. An hour's recess
was passed in agreeable conversation and collation, the hundreds of
veterans present being especially cared for by a generous friend, who took
pains to present the president personally to each war-worn soldier. The
exercises were renewed by the introduction of President Gates, of Rutgers
College, when the storm, as if indignant at such defiance of its power,
broke out with renewed violence. In spite of the floods of rain, the
goodnatured audience continued to greet and applaud the speakers and catch
what was possible of the stirring addresses of Messrs. Gates and Hiscock
and the sparkling poem of Will Carlton. The greatest good humor prevailed
throughout the whole exercises, and all separated with the agreeable
consciousness that even the " floods of great waters " could not quench
patriotic enthusiasm nor seriously mar a Woodstock Fourth of July
celebration.
The bi-centennial commemoration of Woodstock's settlement, the first to be
observed in Windham county, was also a very notable event in its history.
Preparations were going forward for some months throughout the town. An
efficient committee appointed by the town- Henry T. Child,
chairman-labored zealously in planning and perfecting arrangements. The
change from Old to New Style brought the anniversary within the first week
of September, 1886. Initiatory services were held at Pulpit Rock, Sunday
morning, September 5th, attended by nearly two thousand people. After
invocation, responsive reading, prayer, singing of anthem and psalm by the
church choirs of the town under direction of Professor Carlo May, a
greeting was given by Hon. E. H. Bugbee, followed by a sermon from
Reverend John S. Chandler, Madura, India.
Monday was a day of gathering from far and near, sons and daughters of old
Woodstock families returning to the old homesteads and participating in
many a family reunion. In the afternoon an exhibition of antiques was held
in the hall over the store, comprising many articles of rarity and value.
Many of these relics had the additional interest of association with
historic characters. The pocket book of grandmother Edmonds," a lace cap
worn by Deacon Jedidiah Morse when an infant, a cane belonging to the last
of the Wabbaquassets, were among these treasured heirlooms. The collection
of portraits was very full and interesting.
The great day of the feast was Tuesday, the two hundredth anniversary of
the day on which Woodstock's home lots were distributed. Memorial trees
were set out in the morning on historic sites. Before 10 A. M. a large
assemblage had gathered in Roseland Park. Mr. H. T. Child introduced the
president of the day, Hon. J. F. Morris, Hartford, whose brief address was
followed by prayer offered by Reverend J. P. Trowbridge, West Woodstock.
Doctor G. A. Bowen made the address of welcome. A large number of honored
citizens and returned emigrants were elected vice-presidents. An
interesting historical address was given by Mr. Clarence W. Bowen, and a
graphic poem read by Mr. John E. Bowen. Histories of the several churches
in the town were read by Messrs. Albert McC. Mathewson, Nathan E. Morse,
Reverends Luther G. Tucker and A. H. Bennett, while others prepared for
the occasion were unavoidably omitted. Brethren C. H. May, G. A. Bowen and
L. J. Wells, brought tidings of ancient institutions and modern
organizations.
Formal services were varied by old-time singing, under charge of Mr. May,
the planting of memorial trees sent with greetings from old Roxbury,
public and family collations, and with interesting and humorous
reminiscences in short addresses at the close. The only drawback to the
day's enjoyment was the lack of time for all that might have been brought
forward. The large attendance, the number of descendants from former
residents, the sympathetic attention of the hearers, showed the deep
interest awakened by this bi-centennial commemoration.
While Connecticut is famous for the wide dispersion of its sons and
daughters, Woodstock has even exceeded the ordinary limit. Beginning soon
after her own settlement to populate the towns around her, the outflow has
been perennial. Vermont. New Hampshire, Central New York, the vast
prairies of the West, indeed all parts of the great nation, have received
emigrants from this old town. The valuable Chandler and Child genealogies
show the wide dispersion of those families and the prominent part they
have had in building up flourishing communities. Other families might show
an equally suggestive record. It is impossible to make even an approximate
estimate of those who have gone out from this historic town, or to fitly
chronicle those who have made themselves memorable. General William Eaton,
the conqueror of Tripoli, was born in the southwest corner of Woodstock.
Commodore Charles Morris, so distinguished in naval service, was also born
in West Woodstock. The Morse's, with their telegraphs and varied
achievements; the Holmes's, whom even Boston delighteth to honor, date
back to Woodstock ancestry. The same good stock has given to the world
representative Marcys, McClellans, Mathewsons, Childs, Lyons, Chandlers,
Mays, Bowens, Walkers, Skinners, Paines, Williams's, and many other
honored names. Fitted for various walks in life, in every sphere of
avocation and achievement, may be found the sons and daughters of
Woodstock. The subjoined biographical sketches are but a tithe in
comparison with the great number that might have been included.
Back to: Woodstock, Windham
County, Connecticut History
Source: History of Windham County, Connecticut,
Bayles, Richard M.; New York: W.W. Preston, 1889 Back to: Windham County, Connecticut
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