A Most Unusual Christmas Present

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, a seasonal favorite written in 1946, was a far cry from the present, Bruce Tolhurst, my neighbor and best friend growing up on East High Street, his sisters Kathy and Misty and cousins David and John Purple, received in 1951. Imagine the most unusual Christmas gift you might ever receive. Theirs topped it. Shipped by train from Texas in a wooden crate was a Mexican Burro - Uncle Buster!

Uncle Buster ca. 1956

 As the story goes, aunt Mary Purple Newhall hadn't called Bruce's father or mother, Allen or Eleanor (her sister) of the impending arrival. The good news arrived when the Hartford Station Master called Allen asking him to "come pick up his ass!" Allen arranged with his best friend Jack Peters, owner of a pickup truck, to transport the burro back to East Hampton where a stable was created from an old shed at the rear of the property. I remember Uncle Buster fondly as his pen enclosure of over two acres came up to our family's property line. In the summer after shucking corn husks, we would feed them to a very happy burro - a nice variety from dry oats. Apples and carrots were other favorites. That Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Tolhurst decided that Uncle Buster was going to be a real surprise. Besides not telling the children, they also kept the secret from Louise and Nelson Purple, David and John's parents, and grandmother Eleanor Purple. On Christmas morning the families gathered together for 'presents and dinner.' After opening presents, Bruce's father retrieved Uncle Buster from the shed and brought him to the kitchen door of his grandparents apartment, announcing "surprise, another present." The kids were thrilled. Aunt Louise apparently not so much. She was quoted as saying: "Oh no, not another mouth to feed!"

 

Allan Markham feeding Uncle Buster ca. 1956

Mark Condon, Kathy Tolhurst, Bruce Tolhurst with dad Allen Tolhurst holding reins

Peter, Bruce, Kathy & Misty (holding Buster)

75 Years Ago - the Weeks After Pearl Harbor

75 years ago on December 7, 1941, America was plunged into war with the bombing of the U.S. Naval Fleet at Pearl Harbor.  One would think, based on today's immediate live broadcasts and social media accounts posted from cell phones or tablets with on the spot videos or pictures that the mobilization for war would dominate all aspects of the news.  Once that initial shock subsided, news accounts portrayed a much different setting in our local community.  Of greater immediate impact had been the fire destroying the village center Congregational Church, immediate efforts to find alternative worship facilities and begin the arduous task of rebuilding (not to occur until 1948 due to war efforts and scarcity of supplies).  The locally reported news in the weeks following Pearl Harbor depicted the day to day events in the life of a small, close-knit New England community.  Headlines ranged from "Will Present Yule Program - Entertainment is Planned at Swedish Zion Church"; the untimely death of Mrs. Hazel Robinson Carlson; the local Defense Council seeking a $500 appropriation at Town Meeting; a play planned and written by Center Grammar School Students entitled "Nutcracker Prince"; ads from local merchants or Middletown's big city stores describing the latest merchandise for Christmas shoppers;  an editorial providing reviews and praising Carl Price's new book Yankee Township; and the personal notes announcing soldiers home on leave - men such as Pvt.s John Peterson, Leroy Bissell, Leon Goff, William Valli and Cpl. Albert Hansen.  It was noted Pvt. James Baxter's leave had been canceled and that he wouldn't be home for Christmas - something that would occur for the next three years for over 400 other young men and women from East Hampton serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine during World War II.

Treasure Hunters in Ruins of Old House

Fortune hunters are an intriguing lot.  Whether it’s Lord Carnarvan and Archaeologist Howard Carter excavating Tutankhamen’s tomb, or the dismantling of an old house, the intrigue entices the imagination.  In July 1938 Howard and Clark Rich of East Hampton and Spencer Jewell of Hartford (later to operate a plumbing business and own the Carrier Block at 82 Main Street) were tearing down a house built in 1750 by Nathaniel Markham, who, according to the last resident Charles Darling, is said to have hidden a fortune in bills and coins among stones of the Chimney.  Perhaps this early date is derived from the opinion of a local authority on art, who says its architecture resembles that of house build around 1750, rather than from the sign that has been on the house since the Connecticut Tercentenary, “Nathaniel Markham, 1786.”  And likely, the legend of the “hidden fortune” has come from the well-accepted tradition that in the War of 1812, when the British fleet was raiding the Connecticut shore towns and venturing up river, nearly discovering the American fleet harbored in Hamburg Cove, some Chatham householders hid their silver plate at the base of an old chimney.  Silver plate is the British definition of solid silver which differs from the plated tin or pewter often found today. The house by the way, was a tavern on the main highway passing along the east side of Lake Pocotopaug across a shallow ford from Markham’s Point (Meeks Point) to Arrow Point (Spellman Point) and thence along the north shore of the lake to Clark’s Hill and on to East Middletown, present day Portland.   In the end, no precious metal treasures however. The only silverware that had been found in dismantling the ancient inn was four rusty forks. 

Carl Price, author of Yankee Township, investigated the dismantling process by the treasurer hunters of the Nathaniel Markham homestead and managed to rummage through a box of literary treasure trove, rescued from the attic, with little intrinsic value, but of great interest and certainly the only fortune the house yielded.  There were readable books of ancient vintage in this box:  “the Village Blacksmith – Life of Samuel Hicks” 1842; “Anecdotes of the American Revolution” 1844 along with a dozen others.  The manuscript diary of C. N. Darling for 1875, neatly written, was full of East Hamptonian (what the Town was called by my High School Principal Andrew D. V. Ferrigno) interest.  For each day the weather was fully recorded with special reference to the clouds, with whose scientific names the author was quite familiar, and also as to the temperatures – frost on June 13 and September 22; six below zero on February 9.  A record of carpentry work as billed against various distinguished citizens, Dr. Notling, Horatio Chapman, W. W. Watrous, Joel S. Ives, Leonard Willey, John M. Smith; Chancy Bevin for filing 1 saw 25 cents; Augustus H. Conklin to making conductors 40 cents.  Work on the new Methodist church building was recorded throughout the year, and a catalog of all its spruce timbers up to the time of its dedication on Wednesday, October 20, 1875, when 100 were present for exercise beginning in the afternoon and lasting until midnight.  One item proved, however, that life was not all work:  “November 12.  Went hunting today.  Father Herm (Rich), myself, with dog, 7 greys.”  A final notation from the diary: “East Hampton needs a Board of Trade to induce manufacturers to locate here.  Western enterprise can well be imitated.”  We’re still talking about how to attract business 138 years later!

Speaking at Town Meeting concerning Purchase of New Ladder Truck

Public Remarks by Dean Markham to the East Hampton Town Meeting, December 21, 2015 concerning the purchase of a aerial ladder truck produced by Pierce Manufacturing.

I rise to support the replacement of a 30 year old ladder truck in use well past its functional prime with no reasonable expectation of continued cost effective maintenance. Its replacement probably should have occurred 5 or more years ago. It's significant replacement cost has annually put such consideration on the back burner - until now.

A year ago the only option available was a dual rear axle ladder truck that probably would have cost equipped near $1.5 million. Our fine and dedicated Fire Commission, Chief Greg Voelker and Company Members did the due-diligence to present to the town a superb alternative with significantly improved features and capabilities at nearly 50% of that original estimate.

One of our highest priorities as citizens is protection of the public health and safety. Often overlooked are the dedicated volunteers who jump to the call to battle fires and other emergencies. This piece of equipment provides safety to them as they serve us. There are also hidden savings that we rarely think about. For example, one increase in the ISO (insurance rating) of our town would cost each homeowner and businesses substantially more annually than any tax increase to pay for the vehicles and equipment appropriate for our firefighters. And, there is an unmentioned expense that would pale this apparatus purchase. How much do you think a full-time paid fire department would cost? We should all be standing and applauding these dedicated volunteers.

The rub tonight is that we are faced with a damned if we do - damned if we don't situation. Our new Republican majority council (Patience Anderson, Ted Hintz, Jr., Mark Philhower, Josh Piteo and Melissa Engel)  has decided, for lack of any understanding on my part, to punish all our taxpayers for bringing this expensive piece of equipment before us. They have totally disregarded the recommendation of our Finance Director and a unanimous vote of the Board of Finance to lease-purchase the truck over 10 years (citing what would be a savings of approximately $8000 a year) by robbing the budget referendum approved capital reserve fund to pay cash for this major item. How many of you would pay cash for a new automobile?

Our capital reserve fund, voted by you, was to smooth the impact of the High School renovation project. I can only surmise that our Council is also punishing all of us for approving that project. Under this plan, you will see a significant mill increase, far, far beyond what is reasonable and what prudent Boards of Finance and prior Town Councils had planned. The current rationale evades me because we all pay. Considering the near record low of interest rates, it would behoove our town to take advantage using the power of our AAA Standard and Poor Rating. We've all heard the rumblings that the Federal Reserve intends to begin raising rates. Now is an opportune time to finance this long-term asset.

So what's the solution? Our public safety or our wallets. You could vote the resolution down. But does that really make sense? NO. The better solution is to adopt the Resolution, and, if our Town Council is wise, in the next few weeks, they have the power to reconsider how the ladder truck is acquired. The bid remains in place until February 7th. Seems like plenty of time to do the smart thing.

I hope you will support the Ladder Truck purchase this evening. Overall it is in everyone's best interests.

Note - The resolution passed by unanimous voice vote of the nearly 250 townspeople in attendance and was declared approved by Moderator Red (Robert) McKinney.

Married Teachers Dismissed - 1933

Almost daily, reminders of discrimination permeate media reports, but at one point East Hampton witnessed a situation that would seem by 2015 standards a bit draconian – the dismissal of female teachers – because they were married!  On May 11, 1933, with four of the ten members absent, and Chairman Charles Torkelson abstaining, the Board of Education passed a resolution on a 4-to-1 vote to dismiss (terminate) four married teachers and reduce the salaries of eight others one-third percent (about $50) due to “economic conditions,” effective upon the expiration of teachers’ contracts in June.  The resolution, sponsored by Mrs. Howard W. House, included a provision to fill the positions with un-married teachers. Mrs. House, explained that it was presented “to save money and to open jobs for competent, single and unemployed teachers.” Joining Mrs. House in support were Mrs. Samuel Stewart, Leon Voisin and Richard J. Wall with Deaconess Harriet G. Hyde opposed. 

Two of the married teachers, Alice S. (Mrs. Ralph)  Thatcher and Regina Cheney began a campaign to fight the dismissal, threatening court action, if necessary.  Backed by a strong community effort, a petition was circulated calling for the Board to hold a special meeting to rescind its action.  Other teachers affected were Beatrice H. (Mrs. Raymond) Thatcher and Dorothy Parker. All four had taught for several years and were regarded as experienced and capable teachers. Commenting as President of the Taxpayers’ Association, Hubert Hodge stated that he was thoroughly in accord with any action taken by the Board, or any other official group, to reduce the town’s expenses, and so reduce the heavy burden now resting on the general public.

The Board of Education resolution and action to dismiss four married teachers spurred considerable community debate. The petition had a mixed results - 71 supporting reinstatement of the teachers and 75 against.  It was however enough to bring the issue back. The depression, then in its fourth years, had engendered many ideas for cost cutting and what many thought - fairness. If the husband, the primary breadwinner, had employment, why not give positions to unemployed single teachers? It would give more townspeople at lease some income.  At a Public Hearing and Special Meeting of the Board of Education on May 31st, the action previously taken was rescinded on a 5-to-4 vote after lengthy discussion.  Opposition to the dismissal was led by A. D. Williams who challenged the “economic issue” as “petty,” and was supported by the Rev. Edwin C. Field, Dr. John D. Milburn, Mrs. Milburn and Achille Cozzi.  Mr. Williams noted that the possible minor saving was estimated to be  $900 or less than 75 cents per taxpayer. 

Members Edward H. Wilkins, Mrs. Nellie Barton, Forest G. Thatcher (not husband of either of the dismissed teachers) and Mrs. Ethel Butler joined in the vote to overturn the previous action.  Speaking at the public hearing, Mrs. Regina Cheney, one of the teachers to be dismissed  “deplored the method and secrecy of the Board action in dismissing her.  She noted that she was informed by one of her pupils the following day.  She thought it most unfair to ask her to move to town and to transfer her from one grade to another with the implication that she was to remain, and then dismiss her.”  Mrs. Cheney even suggested that she would be willing to consider a reduction in salary if the economic conditions of the Town warranted it. Mr. Field pointed out that it was more to the point to consider the competence of teachers than to put a premium on the "M-R-S" in front of a woman's name and stressed the fact that children should be considered before economics.  The final outcome actually surprised many.

 

After being reinstated with the Board's rescission of the Resolution, Beatrice Thatcher, Alice Thatcher and Dorothy Parker tendered their resignations shortly after the close of the school year.

At the end of July, Mrs. Regina Cheney's contract was not renewed by the Board of Education, thus ended the East Hampton teaching careers of four married teachers.

Old Home Day 1934

Old Home Day 1934 marked the 2nd year the event had been sponsored by Treadway-Cavanaugh Post No. 64 American Legion and Auxiliary aided by 9 other Legion Posts from around Middlesex County.  Billed the 17th annual OHD,  it actually had been suspended for five years beginning in the late 1920s before our very active Legion members stepped up to revive this important community event.  Similar actions by member of the EH Fife and Drum Corp in the late 1970s revived the modern OHD now in its 35th year.

 

As now, the biggest day of the year for EH and its former residents who wandered far and wide from their childhood homes, the combined OHD observance and the Middlesex County American Legion Fair arrived with it thousands of townspeople, former residents, friends, visitors, guests, and the curious to partake in the huge celebration.

 

Then as now, the colorful and lengthy parade, still acknowledged as one of the largest in Connecticut, featured snappy colored uniforms of many state Drum Corps, each competing for viewers attention.  Interspersed between marching units were picturesque floats designed and staffed by local organizations, each depicting the parade theme of "name a song." A baseball game between the East Hampton Bombers and the Middlesex County All Stars followed.  (Maybe something our current OHD Committee might re-institute).

 

The evening held a variety show with dance and song performers such as Clara and Sidney Bradley, a one-man act by Harry Bolden, and strong-man stunts by Richard Vintour, who had appeared at Radio City Music Hall.  Later, a fireworks display on the school grounds followed by dancing and other activities at Carriers Casino and other venues such as Clearwater Lodge on Lake Pocotopaug.

 

Event officials included Paul Voelker, Chairman, Mrs. Phyllis Thatcher, Vice Chair, Mrs. Mary Garvey, Treasurer. 

Train Wreck on the Air Line Trail

On April 25, 1873, East Hampton (then Chatham) lost its distinction of being a backwater community as the Air Line roadbed opened rail service from New York to Boston. Although not entirely backwater, Chatham did have the benefit of travel and commerce on the Connecticut River and in its height had launched over 300 sea-going ships from the yards in Middle Haddam. Otherwise travel by road was limited and limited shipment of freight. The completion of tracks and trestles and bridges opened our town to passenger rail service with several trains running daily in each direction. Of greater importance, and something we desperately need to expand our economic base today, was the freight service that enabled our bell industry and emerging silk industry to become industrial powers. There was now an economical means of shipping the millions of bells produced by Bevin Bros., the Gong Bell, Starr Bros. and N. N. Hill among others, along with silk and thread throughout the world. Although the bell industry achieved its heyday in the early 20^th century, some of those fabled companies such as Bevin Bros. continue manufacturing today. The fire at the Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co. last May ignited (no pun intended) a renewed interest in our towns history and of the importance the bell played in it. Plans for the railroad line, running from Portland onto Willimantic were started in 1862 with construction commencing in 1867. For years, high school students took the train daily to Middletown through 1931 and was pressed into service once again after the great hurricane of 1936 when roads were washed out. During WW II the line carried strategic materials and troop trains to lighten this type of loan on the shore line which was vulnerable to submarine attack. And then August 2, 1962!

We often take for granted our accomplishments. Great buildings and other monuments to our design creativity seem indestructible. We all remember the somber reality of their vulnerability on September 11, 2001. Here, on August 2, 1962, the end of East Hampton as a manufacturing hub came to a screeching halt as three diesel engines and a freight car derailed at the siding switch about 200 feet east of Watrous Street. New Haven Railroad engineers and mechanics brought in a 250-ton crane. None of the engines or the car overturned so the task of righting them back onto stable track went quickly. A report at the time indicated that the lead engine went over the switch on the main line and two other engines and head car went into the siding at the Gong Bell spur. The heavy engines plowed into the ground like a garden plow, pushing dirt on both sides of the track and ripping ties over a 100-foot area. At the time, railroad investigators and the local EH police department consisting of Sgt. George Fowler, had two theories on the derailment. One was a poorly maintained switching mechanism. The other a vandal placing some impediment in the switching mechanism that caused a malfunction. The answer was never conclusive, but with the New York, New Haven and Hartford bleeding financially, the decision not to repair the tracks ultimately resulted in the discontinuance of the line by the Interstate Commerce Commission in February, 1965. The decision left many residents with bitter feelings over the town’s inability to either have the line revived or to acquire the roadbed since the town had underwritten $112,500 of costs of the line between 1867 and 1891. The initial investment would have been worth millions at the time the line was abandoned.

It took 4 short years after the August 1962 derailment, but by the spring of 1966 the rails from Colchester to Cobalt had been removed leaving a winding trail of rotting ties becoming overgrown with brush. This last sad act closed the final curtain on a colorful era in the town’s history, the age of the railroad in East Hampton. We reverted somewhat to an industrial backwater with the loss of rail service. Only with the advent of more versatile trailer trucks were our few local bell industries able to survive and distribute their production. Since then, East Hampton has not been blessed with any reasonable semblance of means for transporting goods as our closest highways are five miles to our east on Route 2 or ten miles our west on Route 9. As State Representative, I was able to secure the area of the trestle and abutment in the Village Center which was removed for parking. Then, after years of abandonment, the state in its “rails to trails” program in 1996 proposed the rehabilitation of the rail bed as a multipurpose trail and linear state park. The Air Line Trail is now part of 22.95 miles of recreational use walking-jogging-biking trails extending from East Hampton center to Lebanon and Willimantic. Recently, First Selectman Susan Bransfield from that spun off portion of Chatham (Portland in 1841) announced plans to begin the process of seeking funding and grants to rehabilitate the Air Line trail, connecting it to East Hampton in the hopes of extending the recreational use and park another 10 miles. Not the ending we would have liked for rail serve, but not bad either.

Former Town Council Chairman Donald P. Markham

Donald Prescott Markham, 85, beloved husband of Pauline (Lindquist) Markham, passed away Friday April 26th after a long convalescence.  A life-long resident of East Hampton, Donald, born November 5, 1927, was the son of the late Percy P. and Rose (Knotek) Markham.  Family, community, service and commitment defined him.  Donald, who preferred to be called Don, upon graduation from East Hampton High School in 1945, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. WWII ended during his basic training, but he was placed as a member of the inactive reserves.  He worked for the FBI in Washington, DC from 1946-1947, and in 1949 was called to active duty, becoming a decorated Veteran of the Korean Conflict.  Upon returning to East Hampton, he worked for Thatcher Drug and then the Sisson Drug Co. of Hartford until 1961, at which point President Kennedy appointed him East Hampton Post Master; a position in which he proudly served for 26 years. 

 

Don was actively involved in the life of the East Hampton community in various capacities.  He was a Master Mason for over 50 years and served as Master of Anchor Lodge No. 112 AF & AM during the 100th Anniversary (1971), as well as serving on the Masonic Temple Association Board.  He was a founding member of the East Hampton Lions Club, Inc. in 1957.  Don served as Commander of American Legion Post No. 64 and was a life member, and, along with other veterans, revived Old Home Day, serving as Co-Chair in 1953 and 1954.  He was a Charter member and first President of the Chatham Historical Society, and was honored as Chairman of both the East Hampton Bi-Centennial Committee in 1967 and the local Bi-Centennial Committee celebrating the founding of our Nation in 1976.  He was also a board member of the Lake View Cemetery Association. 

 

Serving his fellow citizens in town politics, Don, a lifelong Democrat, was elected to the Board of Education in 1956, and from 1969 to 1976 was an appointed member of the Water Pollution Control Authority.  From 1952 through 1960, he served as the Democratic Town Committee Chairman.  Don was elected to the East Hampton Town Council in 1995, serving as Chair, and was reelected to 4 more terms (serving through 2005). 

Donald Markham - Town Council Chairman with (l-r) Chris Goff, William Farrell, Thomas Distefano, & Jane French.

 

Don is survived by Pauline, his wife of 65 years, and sons: Dean P. Markham and his wife Debbie of East Hampton, their children Nicole F. Markham of Newport, RI, Danielle P. Mathias and her husband Greg and great-grandson Desmond of Phoenixville, PA, and Gregory D. Markham and his wife Kira and great-grandchildren Sandra and Alexander of East Hampton; and Allan N. Markham and wife Sharon of East Hampton, and their sons David A. Markham of East Hampton, and Stephen P. Markham and his wife Colleen and great-grandson Chase of Pembroke, MA.  The family sincerely thanks the caring and loving staff of Middletown Health Care who provided for his well-being and comfort.  Friends are invited to call at Spencer Funeral Home 112 Main Street East Hampton on Monday April 29th between the hours of 5-8 P.M.  Funeral services will be conducted by The Rev. Michelle Madsen-Bibeau (Haddam Neck Covenant Church), at Spencer Funeral Home on Tuesday April 30th commencing at 11 A.M.  Burial will follow at Lake View Cemetery.  Pall Bearers were Robert Lanzi, Robert McKinney, Evan Rea, Philip Visintainer, Gregory Mathias and Gregory Markham.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation in Don's memory to a local charity or organization such as the East Hampton Food Bank, 20 East High St.,  the East Hampton Ambulance Association at P.O. Box 144, or the Lake View Cemetery Fence Restoration Project at P.O. Box 71,  all in East Hampton at 06424, or give the gift of life - become a blood donor with the American Red Cross.

 

Bevin, Bells and the Fire

Dozens of stories and tributes emerged in the aftermath of the horrendous inferno that destroyed the Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co. factory beginning Saturday night May 26, 2012 - the last of the nearly 45 bell manufacturers that operated in East Hampton since 1807. Matt Bevin, the 6th generation family President, who has become an impassioned advocate of the company's history and its tie to East Hampton, took valuable time from his hectic schedule to tour the remnants of the 130 year old factory with me on June 6th and discussed the tedious process sifting through rubble in hopes of recovering the key component that could enable Bevin Bros. to be the Phoenix that rises from the Ashes - the dies and molds of the fabled bells for which this town identifies itself. Many factors contributed to the success of the bell industry and with some good old Yankee ingenuity, a bright future may emerge yet. The growth of the bell industry can be traced to a myriad of factors, but I believe several most important. First and foremost, William Barton, the founder and first bell maker laid the ground work for the industry's future. It was Barton, in his small foundry just east of his home on the crest of what is now Barton Hill that took so many of the young men of Chatham into apprenticeship and taught them the trade and encouraged them to venture out on their own. Many of the apprentices also worked in Cairo, New York before coming back to East Hampton. It was this freely given training and information that ultimately served the impetus for growth. Among the many apprentices were Barton's sons Hiram and Hubbard and grandson William E. Barton and two young men, William and Abner Bevin, who learned the trade and in 1832 with brother Chauncey, established Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co.

In the aftermath of the recent fire, many have recounted the importance the bell industry, and in particular Bevin Bros., has had on our community. I doubt that William Barton had any idea how significant and extensive his teaching would extend, and it is only with the destructive force of nature, sparked by lighting, that we seem to appreciate it. In 1832 when Bevin Bros. formed, East Hampton would hardly be considered a suitable location to develop a product or industry that would stretch to the far corners of the world - but it did. William Barton's generosity to train the men of Chatham was the first key factor. The second factor that propelled the industry into national prominence was the railroad. In the 1860s, tracks were laid for the New York and Boston Railroad (which went through bankruptcy and was reformed as the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company) through East Hampton over the Airline which was dubbed the shortest route between New York and Boston. The introduction of mass transportation enabled East Hampton products to be distributed inexpensively throughout the country and ultimately the world - a fact that did not go unnoticed locally as other entrepreneurs created sister companies. In 1866, H. H. Abbe, E. C. Barton, E. G. Cone and A. H. Conklin formed the Gong Bell Manufacturing Company. Based on a design by Elijah Barton, the company created revolving chimes in bell toys on wheels. Some of these toys were among the earliest promoting Disney cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse. Bevin Bros. as you may remember, specialized in sleigh bells from which the town became known as the "jingle bell town" due to the distinctive sound they created in the horse drawn carriage era. N. N. Hill Brass Co. became the first to stamp bells from sheet metal.

The success of the East Hampton bell industry, which started with limited capital in one or two man shops or barns, is a microcosm of so many other industries that developed in America and elsewhere around the world by enterprising entrepreneurs. Three key components melded small artisans into the world's largest producers. The first was the education and training young apprentices from Chatham received from William Barton as they learned how to blend base metals - iron, tin, silver and nickel - into alloys that would produce those sweat sounds and chimes from the forged bells they crafted. The second, the development of rail service through our community enabled cost effective distribution throughout our nation. But the third and often overlooked component for the transformation of small handcrafted bells produced in charcoal fired foundries to mass production of millions of bells, was inexpensive energy. For our bell industry that energy source was water. Still in use at the time of the tragic fire on May 26th, water power was used to operate the presses and machinery at the factory. A water turbine powered shaft, pulley and belt system drove many machines with safe, clean and non-polluting energy. The flow of water from Lake Pocotopaug powered not only Bevin Bros. but the other factories along Pocotopaug Creek, and, water power may yet be part of the salvation of Bevin Bros. and the bell industry in days to come. Until the early 1960s, mill ponds dotted the landscape as Pocotopaug Creek tumbled from the lake's outlet and dam near the American Distilling Plant (our other major industry and the world's largest produceer of Witch Hazel) through the center of town exiting our community through the great meadows between Young Street and Chestnut Hill.

Tranformation to world's largest bell producer required an inexpensive energy source. The water flowing from the lake became essential, and with a bit of Yankee ingenuity, a constant flow or head was maintained. The "Head", defined as "a body of water kept in reserve at a height; the containing bank, dam or wall; a mass of water in motion; and the difference in elevation between two points in a body of fuid," quite simple explains how water pressure drove the turbines that powered the machinery that produced bells, bells and more bells. To provide a constant water flow, retaining ponds, beginning with Bevin's Pond were created enabling constant flow regardless of weather conditions as Pocotopaug Creek descended nearly 100 feet from the lake's edge until exiting town. Although most have been reclaimed over the years, I remember the mill ponds situated near each factory as Pocotopaug Creek headed toward the Salmon River. A small pond remains between Bevin's and the Summit Tread building and a parking lot now exists in front of Sal Floridia's small engine repair shop that was once the reservoir for Starr Bros. Mfg. Co. The J. C. Barton building on Skinner Street was built on the former retaining pond for N. N. Hill Brass. Others existed as well. Bevin's Pond is also but a small remnant from my youth. After the disasterous rains and flooding in June 1982, the State DEP, at the direction of Governor William O'Neill, performed a complete inventory and comprehensive evaluation of all dams throughout the State. Owners were required to upgrade the dams to comply with 100 year storm standards or dismantle the dam for safety reasons. Because of the significant cost to reconstruct these private dams which held retaining ponds, many owners, including Bevin Bros., opted to dismantle rather than rebuild.

The mill ponds, important storage reservoirs to maintain a constant water flow year round to power turbines, have become another vestige of our once prominent bell industry here in East Hampton. Perhaps when Matt Bevin and Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co. rebuild their plant, plans will include repair and reconstruction of the dam and revival of the once prominent Bevin Pond. Although a small pond remains, I have visions as a small boy casting my fishing line into much grander expanse. Over time, memories fade. I always thought the pond was 10 or 12 feet deep, which one might expect when you see the back side of the dam, or what remains of it. When it was drained in the mid 1980s, I was amazed to find the pond never reached a depth of more than 3 or 4 feet. It also occurred to me that until the notoriety of the Bevin Bros. fire a few weeks back, only a small number of residents actually knew where the Bevin Bell Factory was and far fewer had actually ever visited it. Tucked behind the old Summit Thread Mill on Summit Street and shielded by trees, one would hardly know it existed or that millions of bells were manufactured there and shipped throughout the world.. Even when thousands return to East Hampton for Old Home Days festivities at the Center School grounds, I suspect few have been aware of the 1880s factory only 500 feet away, nor do we think about the generous gift by the Bevin family of those very grounds we tread upon while partaking of hamburgs, cold drinks, pizza, baked potatoes, a dozen other treats and enjoying the variety of entertainment organized by the Old Home Days Committee

Six Degrees of Separation

The concept six degrees of separation, that everyone is, on average, approximately 6 steps away by way of introduction from any other person on Earth, was popularized in a game tying any movie, actor or actress to Kevin Bacon or one of his films.  This concept really hadn't occurred to me until recently when I came across an article from 1937 in the Middletown Press.

East Hampton has had a long and active tradition of community performances and amateur performers.  In recent years Podium Players, YPPCA or Epic Arts, but in the past more informal groups where church choir singers and others from the community would participate in a local production. Often such productions developed through organizations such as the Odd Fellows, Masons, Eastern Star or church fellowship clubs and were choreographed  for community events such as Old Home Day.

That 1937 article's headline Minstrelsy To Be Given on Saturday - Rehearsal of Large Cast is Held Under Mrs. Duryea"s Direction began "Chairman Percy P. Markham (my grandfather) was satisfied with the rehearsal last night of the minstrel troupe which will present a show in the open air on Saturday evening at 8:30." Reading further, many familiar names appeared - Jane Gorin, who was performing a tap dance; song and dance by Margaret Butts and Ruby Dureya; a magic show by Lou Schwartz; a number by Claude West and his girls; and a concert by Stan Johnson and his Kay Rock Inn orchestra. Soloists included Dorothy anderson, helen Nelson, Peggy Roberts, and the end men were Francis O'Collell, Pat O'Connell, Wayne Denman, Jack Roberts, Bill Nelson and Gerald Wall.  The chorus included Gordon Bevin, Eleanor Purple, Inez Smith, Alice Daly, Julia Vondrich, Marion Bransfield, Claude West, Emil Nelson, Natalie Lutzsky, Buddy Fiegel, but two in particular, Jack Krauth and Janet Green, struck a familiar cord. 

Two years ago, a gentleman from California, Tim Krauth was referred to me at Prudential CT Realty to assist him in finding a home.  We have finally find a beauty in Columbia so I'm please to welcome his wife Lorie and he back to the area.  You see, in our discussions, he talk about him visiting his grandmother's house in East Hampton as a boy. With a little detective work, I found the house on the corner of Edgerton Street and Main Street, now owned by Chip and Bonnie Goodrich, who graciously welcomed Tim into their home when he traveled east in December 2010. 

In some additional research, I found that Jack Krauth married Janet Green, and they were Tim's parents! I am constantly amazed on how small our world has become and how truly intertwined we humans are, here at the center of it all in East Hampton.

Off to War - December 1941

Typical holiday festivities changed abruptly after the attack of Pearl Harbor followed on Dec. 8th by a declaration of war after President Roosevelt made his memorable address to the joint Congress "this day in infamy.".  Although instituted during the prior year, the "draft" began calling men for active military duty.  After my last article, a dear friend, Rita Clark, called to talk about those days. She told me her brother Bill Clark and Francis O'Connell were the first two locally called to active duty and were to report for training somewhere in the Carolina's.  Rita's mother inquired as to where that was?  We forget how small our world has become as media take us live to interview troops in Afghanistan, see the wedding of a future British Monarch, or witness the stirrings of Democracy in Cairo or the overthrow of a dictator in Benghazi, Lebanon. Bye the way, Mrs. Clark was informed that where the boys were going, they wouldn't need snow shovels! Locally a Defense Council was formed to prepare our community should military attacks occur.  Harlan Hills, First Selectman, was appointed General Chairman with Teresa Valli our Town Clerk as Secretary; along with chief air raid warden, Howard Engel; fire protection, Merton Weir and Paul O'Connell (fire chiefs); police protection, Samuel Wallis, Roy Hallberg and Gustave Dotzauer.  (Notice no police chief participated?  EH didn't have a police department unitl 1963.); women's activities, Maude Clark and Mrs. Theodore Thomas; medical and health, Dr. Norman Gardner, transportation, Clement Wall and Reuben Ostergren, publicity, Albert Ellis, emergency housing, Meritt Cornwell; evacuation, Herbert Wall and Mrs. Samuel Wallis, volunteer defense bureau, Mrs. Paul Garvey; communications, Al Romane; welfare, Ruth Hopkins; nutrition, Mabel Colson; recreation, Ernest Olson; child day care, Mrs. Ralph Thatcher; and civil defense units John Kane and David Enegren.  If Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Italy and the US  can all become staunch allies, there is certainly hope for our future! I wish you and your families well and may this season of peace prevail.

The End of Summer - Baseball Brothers

Although not officially summer's end, Labor Day puts an indelible impression of it coming demised and heralds the end of another baseball season. Previously writing about East Hampton baseball brother acts, the Bransfield boys - Hal, Jake, Ed and Bill - were not an exclusive club. Ozzie and Gabe Frontel, a twosome played for the Belltown Bombers and joined brother John and Joe in the town's factory / clerk league. Before the age of TV, computers, video games, and all our modern distractions, getting out to play baseball or do other activities such as swim in Lake Pocotopaug was the norm and many played in the factory league as practice for the Middlesex County League. Other brothers included Gerald and Tom Wall and brother-in-law Vinnie "Swede" Nelson and the Wylie's - Sam and Willie. In 1937, Tom Wall, Managed and played center field for a team that started slow but finished with a winning record despite the fact that Manager Wall was sidelined in August with appendicitis.

Tom Wall was Dennis Wall's dad. Dennis is now the Democratic candidate for Zoning Board of Appeals. What else would he be. Dennis's grandfather James was a Democrat elected as a Selectman for several terms in the 1940s and 1950s. Gerald, better known by his nickname "Butch," was the Manager and head bartender for O'Neill's Tavern when Bill was politicking in Hartford as State Representative up until the time he was elected Lt. Governor in 1978.

And baseball, like the flowers, blooms in the spring. In the second game of 1938, on May 16th, "Don Mack opened the game on the mound for the locals and lasted until the beginning of the seventh inning, when he was yanked by Manager dick Ferrari and was relieved by Gabriel Frontel, a young left-hander who finished the game in good style," making his debut that Sunday afternoon.

Gabe, husband of Christine, who is my mother Pauline's sister, are still going strong, celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this year.

Boys of Summer - The Bransfield Brothers

Baseball, at least in Belltown, often became a family affair. From the 1890s through the 1950s, the summer sport would see fathers who were succeeded by sons, or brother acts, such as the Bransfield's, dominate the diamond. Harold "Hal", Paul "Jake", William "Bill" and Edward "Ed" played side by side for the Belltown Bombers, in games that usually took place on weekends. They "practiced" in the East Hampton factory league playing along side brother John, Joe and Jim. And not to be outdone, sisters Ellen, Marion and Marge were active in ladies softball. The Middlesex County League was important for the Towns pride, but several of the factories, including Bevin Brothers, Gong Bell, Summit Thread and N.N. Hills Brass had a twilight league that more than 125 men participated in. It served as training for new talent or where semi-retired players could get some activity after they left the Bombers.



In the County League, I've been told that Hal Bransfield was one of the best to play the game, yet Paul, know as "Jake" with a .410 average, received the M. J. Higgins loving cup as the leading hitter in 1937. Brother Bill hit .342 that same year (sixth best in the league).

I remember Harold or as everyone called him, "Brandy" as the Assistant Post Master, who had begun his career as a postal clerk around 1926. I met him in 1961 when by father Donald was appointed by President Kennedy to succeed retiring Post Master Forest Thatcher. I remember this wiry elder. Little did I know he was one of the greats!

Brother Joe also worked at the Post Office as a rural carrier and would stop with his wife Connie for dinner or an ice cream sundae at Thatcher Drug. Working the old soda fountain, townspeople would be greeted and served by Mary Ann (Nichols) Wall, Donna (Skinner) Mitchell, Carol (Christopher) Hart or me (at least between 1964 to 1966), the blue plate special, a hamburger or a hot fudge sundae after a hard days work.

The Boys of Summer - Belltown Bombers

Our recent EHHS men’s State Champion baseball team brings to mind the storied history of many other EH teams and our “Boys of Summer." I recently read an account of the long baseball history attributed to our Town back to the 1880s. H. F. Scranton wrote of the great Richard Wall – in an article in 1928, as the local Belltown Bombers were making mincemeat of the Middlesex County league. Ironically we had two tremendous baseball players by that name. The first played from the late 1880s to the late teens. A blacksmith by trade, his shop still exists in the rear of 64 Main Street - owned by Kevin and Kim Keily - located across the street from the Congregational Church. Smithy Wall was a stellar catcher - iron strong! By day pounding metal and crafting repair parts for machinery (blacksmiths did more than shoe horses), evenings and weekends saw Dick hammering long fly balls and rifling pick offs of runners testing his steely arm.

I said two Richard Walls. The second, great nephew to the first, was a friend and a political mentor who passed away this June. The second Mr. Wall may have been the best to play the game from our town. Dick told me how another great, Manager Charlie Barber, recruited him to play on the Belltown Bombers while a high school freshman. League rules required players to be 18 or older, so he registered under the name of his older brother John who was away at war. Later they ran Wall’s Dairy until the location was purchase by the Rossini's. Offered a professional contract, with the St. Louis Cardinals , Dick opted to stay at home to develop the thriving dairy bar business with brothers John and Phil.

In 1905, County Commissioner Hubert Hodge's team won the pennant in the Middlesex County League, the first time the title ever came to the Belltown. The 1906 County League Pennant was captured by the Belltown boys as well. Playing for that team were Frank Johnson, Arthur Gates, Richard Wall, Stanley Bevin (with a blistering fastball), Arthur Bride, David Moriarity, Wick Markham, Hubert Hodge, Charles Ivers and David Bride.

Our close knit community saw mechanics and management bank together on the diamond. Many went on to successful business careers or roles as community leaders, the skills learned of working together just another example of the success of our baseball teams.

Bevin, president of Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Co., Hodge, a pharmacist and owner of Barton Drug Store (now Devine Jewelers) who served, as did David Bride, as selecmen and W.W.B. Markham, who owned the T.S. Brown Insurance and Real Estate Agency, the bowling alley and other ventures. S. A. Bevin was the pitcher on that team and was one of the most effective in position because of his terrific speed. Dick Wall, played second base that year and Frank Johnson of Middletown did the catching. In 1914, Mark Hamilton had a jaunt with the home players. Leo Strong was the pitcher and Charlie Metcalf did the catching. In 1915, Dave Bride's team won the Middlesex County League pennant.

In 1928, Harold Scranton, a local boy who covered sports for the Middletown Press, wrote, "A winning baseball team is a good advertisement for any town and for over a span of 35 years East Hampton's baseball nines have averaged up better than any town in Middlesex County ....[he expressed gratitude]... to Rich Wall, the village smithy, considered the best backstop ever to don a net mask and wind pad in Middlesex County, for information given about stars of the old days before shin guards, big mitts and masks were use."

My grandfather Percy Markham, an accomplished player, managed the 1928 Belltown Bombers while playing centerfield, to the Middlesex County Championship. When I was a boy, he relayed stories of his baseball exploits.

Now I haven’t researched the entire history, but I came across some old pictures recently of him playing and certainly have no reason to doubt his word, especially as he was held in high esteem by others in the community. He was elected Tax Collector for 4 terms, Was elected to the Board of Education and served on the building committees for both the High School (now the Center School) and Memorial School and had been the Prosecutor for our local Court for 20 some years.

His most interesting story related to his service in the U.S. Marine Corp. During WW I he was shipped to France with the Doughboys who liberated Europe in the Great War! Returning to the U.S., he extended his enlistment and spent time near Washington D.C. before being deployed to the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua chasing bandits and revolutionaries.

But his Washington service that was of greatest interest, at least with respect to this story. While there, he played baseball as a member of the Marine Corp Team. He told me some really fine players – major league caliper – played and they had games scheduled against major league teams that came to the Nation’s Capitol to play the Washington Senators.

But it was games against the Senators that peaked my interest. He told me he had batted against the great Walter Johnson. He didn’t tell me how he did. However, we all know that the “Big Train” became one of the first five members inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner.

As Mike Thompson, Editor of Rivereast pointed out, "Percy didn't tell Dean how he did, but, I wouldn't have been shocked if it was a strikeout. Johnson did, after all, fan 3,508 people over his 20-year careeer, a record that stood for more than 50 years after he retired. It's almost shortchanging Johnson to simply describe him as one of the game's all-time greats. And Percy Markham got to bat against him."

After four years of chasing bandoleros, he returned home, married the former Rose Knotek, their marriage lasting nearly 60 years until his death in 1983.

My First Old Home Day

Recollections of my first Old Home Day were at the age of five in 1953. My father Donald Markham and Dennis Erickson were co-chairs working tirelessly to reestablish OHD which had withered at the end of WW II from lack of funds, lack of meat (no hamburgs or hotdogs) and support. In the early 1930s, the American Legion and after WW II, jointly with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, organized the summer event.

That August 1st parade included Fife and Drum Corps from EH, Litchfield, Deep River, Chester, Windsor Locks and our EHHS Band. A dozen floats entered representing the Chamber of Commerce, V.F.W. Auxiliary, American Legion and Auxiliary, Belltown Garden Club, Cranmer Club, Rotary Club, Haddam Neck Grange, 46 Club - Eastern Star, Girl Scouts and Rebekah Lodge. Fire Departments from surrounding towns of East Haddam, Cromwell, Durham and Middletown joined our EH Volunteers. The State Police Color Guard led other marching units - the Middletown Police, V.F.W. and American Legion, Sons of Union Veterans and Spanish-American War Veterans, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cubs and Brownies who stepped off from the old Town Hall.

I guess what brings back the most vivid memory of that 1953 Old Home Day was trigger this past week on the passing of Richard Hitchcock. Richard, who Co-chaired the Parade Committee, and my Dad were best friends. The morning of Old Home Day, my father took me with Richard to erect an American Flag for a widow living on West High Street near the entrance to the Middle School. You see, every year, homes would be decorated with American Flags to welcome all back to our community. This past weeks event has kept up this tradition with telephone poles lining Main Street, North Main, East High, West High and others display our flag.

I never knew the widow's name, but after the bracket and flag was installed, she had us come to attention, salute and recite the Pledge of Allegiance and then I, with my cap gun (do you remember the rolls of red paper caps?) fired 3 rounds in honor of all who had served.

Memorial Day 2011

To those who grew up in East Hampton, Memorial Day was always special. As a child, Memorial Day, and especially the parade, was the "big event," which certainly would pale in comparison to the big production festivities such as those seen on TV from our Nations Capitol. But our community, joining together - kids laughing, adults lining the parade route and applauding those marching - to me, was so much more meaningful. And the solemn services at the Memorial at the High School, a gun salute and taps at Lakeview Cemetery and the address by guest speaker and reading of the rolls of fallen veterans with the crisp drum role made this event come alive.

Our Nation is fortunate to have a resurgence of respect and patriotism remembering the sacrifices of those soldiers who serve now and who served in our past, protecting and preserving our freedom. That to some extent came about through the tragedy of 9-11.

The realization that war is much more than a glorious exercise jumped nightly into our living rooms as reporters such as Walter Cronkite brought us to the battlefields of Vietnam, displaying the brutality of combat, the horror, the fatigue, the destruction, the noise, the obscenities, and most vividly, in spectra color, the blood and the death of your soldiers. Many became disillusioned. And the respect and honor of those that served was rarely accorded.

I have had the privilege to be elected and serve as State Representative and the honor on several occasions to present the Memorial Day Address. Preparing remarks in 1987 as I returned from meetings in Washington DC with members of our Congressional Delegation, my thought centered on some of the monuments that I took a few moments to tour while there. To the crowd gathered that Memorial Day, I posed a riddle: what does 43E - 3, 44E - 24 and 20W - 99 have in common? The answer - they identify the panel and line and position recognizing names of three young men who grew up in this town - boys I went to high school with - men killed in battle in Vietnam - James Banning, Bernd Bachleda and David Swann. In the simplicity of those black marble panels, hardly visible from Constitution Avenue as one walks below street grade to view them, shall forever humble this Nation as they display the names of over 58,000 who perished in that Asian Nation.

Monday, Sgt. Aaron McLaughlin will give the Memorial Day address. Sgt. McLaughlin grew up in East Hampton and is a decorated member of the U.S. Army having served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart. On a personal note, I remember Sgt. McLaughlin as a boy in what were simpler times when he played Little League baseball, my son Greg being a member of the same team. I also know how proud his grandmother, Ann, is of Aaron and how his grandfather Bill, a veteran and now deceased, was of his grandson.

So my invitation to one and all. Come watch the parade on Memorial Day. Listen to the observances - reading the roll of deceased veterans, the Gettysburg Address, the poem "In Flanders Fields," our local school bands, the solemn prayers, and Sgt. McLaughlin. Don't we owe those who have served and sacrificed at least that?

Center School Recreational Field

Often we take for granted our public facilities, parks or recreationaly lands, and certainly their origins. For instance, the athletic filed adjoining the Center School was originally a gift to the Town of East Hampton. In the Fall of 1922, Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Co. (the fabled bell maker) gave approximately 3 acres of land north of the then grammer school ( which became the High School in 1939) for a Community playground. The land was deeded to the East Hampton Bank & Trust Co. with the understanding that when $5,000 had been raised and expended toward putting the grounds into proper condition, the land should be deeded to the town. One of the stipulations of the gift was that alcohol could not be served on the grounds. You will likely note that although beer is served at Old Home Day, it is done so from the rear of the American Legion Hall and not from the school grounds.

A commission composed of J. Howell Conklin, Secretary, Albert B. Starr, Treasurer and Harlan G. Hills, Chairman formed to raise the money by popular subscription.

In July 1923, the Village Improvement Society voted to start this subscription with a gift of $1,000 and a pledge to give 75 pecent of the proceeds of the upcoming Carnival towards the same fund. The successor to the Village Improvement Society is the Old Home Day Committe, which we all know holds its annual festivities on those same grounds.

Work commenced on the grounds on the morning of July 19th, under the supervision of Harlan G. Hills with Wolfe Reisiner, as foreman. A carloan of tile had alread been unloaded and a ditch was dug from the Congregational Church north past the Methodist Church (now the American Legion Hall). Today, DEP and our town Sanitarian would initiate a cease and decist order until proper permits could be obtained, but in 1923, the 125 feet of 18 inch tile that would carry the brook as well as connecting Bevin's sewer with storm drains in the Village Center and permitting the project were not quite as involved or formal as today. Those drainage pipes eventually emptied into Pocotopaug Creek heading towards the Salmon then Connecticut Rivers.

In addition to the drainage, horse and carriage sheds belonging to the 2 churches were dismantled or moved.

The committee planned to put in 2 or 3 tennis courts, croquet, basketball, swings, teeter and everything that go to make up a playground, and, raise $10,000 within a few weeks. The project was a success and the field has been used for a variety of activities. Old Home Day annually, but from 1939 to the mid 1960s it was the High School athletic field. Home soccer and baseball games were played her as well as track and field meets. And from the mid 1920s to the 1950s, the East Hampton Bombers played their summer baseball games along with the factory league teams.

Chauncey Griswold Bevin

Known as Belltown since the mid 1800s, East Hampton was the epicenter of an international market of talented bell makers and manufacturers in an industry that produced and shipped millions upon millions of bells and related products. The premier manufacturer was, Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Co., which continues is operation today, 179 years after its founding. Started in 1832 by brothers Abner, William, Chauncey and Philo, the company grew from the roots and apprenticeship with William Barton and his sons, founders and first bell makers of this fabled industry. Barton was noted for his generosity and willingness to train young apprentices is his trade, production methods and secrets and encouraged those who worked with him to venture out and ply their trade in their own enterprises. In 1946, Bevin Bros. President, Chauncey Griswold Bevin, was honored at the 55th Annual Congress of the National Association of Manufacturers as being one of the oldest active business leaders in the world. At 95, Bevin had overseen the transformation from the 35 or so small foundry shops that sprang from the Barton first foundry just south of their family home at 25 Barton Hill, to modern large scale production and worldwide clientele. Known to all in the community, his employees and his extensive family as “Uncle Chan,” Bevin was also a founder of the Gong Bell Mfg. Co., a worldwide maker of children’s toys incorporating bells. These toys were the first to use the Walt Disney characters in their designs - endearing cartoon personalities such as Mickey Mouse. And ironically, when honored, two other local businessmen and company Presidents, N. N. Hill of the N. N. Hill Brass Co., age 84, and Clifford M. Watrous, of the Gong Bell Mfg. Co., age 74, remained active in their respective companies. Maybe it was something in our local water, but Bevin stated in an interview, “I’ve never had to go to a hospital in my life. Of course I don’t work like I used to. I try to be temperate in all things. Always was. Don’t drink. I cut out cigarettes a few years ago. I felt better.” Chauncey built his home on Bevin Court on a piece of land purchased from his father Abner, overlooking the family manufacturing plants. This spectacular circa 1880 Queen Anne style country home in the middle Victorian Period presented, in a tasteful manner, the wealth and success befitting the successor to the founders of the Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co. The Bevin family, among the early settlers of Chatham and the East Hampton society were strict Congregationalists. Moderation and hard work were ingrained in their demeanor and lifestyle, thus the exterior of the home did not present some of the more decorative embellishments of other Victorian architecture. Those features were showcased within the four walls.

Volunteer Firefighters - What would do without them?

In the latter part of 1915, fire raged through the toy shop destroying the Gong Bell Manufacturing Company. The fire was fought with a “bucket parade” as no fire department then existed. The final demise of Gong Bell occurred nearly 60 years later with a fire that destroyed a huge section of the manufacturing facility off of Main and Walnut Streets. In 1916, townspeople formed the first Fire Company which has expanded to include Co. 2 in Cobalt and Co. 3 on White Birch Road.

Through the years, volunteers, our neighbors and friends, have served us all with little fanfare, just doing a tremendous job helping protect our community . Today I acknowledging the past, but am grateful for the dedication and abilities of those who currently serve.

Early Monday morning, my wife awoke to the smell of smoke coming from our basement. Rousting the dog (and me) from sound sleep, we evacuated the house telephoning 911. Cell phones have become a very handy and necessary tool. Within minutes, one of our fine EH Police Officers arrived followed by a score of volunteer firefighters. Lead by Chief Marty Voelker, they fully checked the house for fire and determined, as I had suspected that the boiler was the culprit. Using a portable exhaust fan, they proceeded to clear the basement and upper levels of the house of smoke, allowing us re-entry as soon as the CO had subsided to safe levels.

So I say thanks to all who serve in this noble endeavor. I also suggest that each and everyone check the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Doing this twice a year when you change the clocks for daylight saving time would be wise– it could save your life and your property. Again, thanks to these wonderful gentlemen who respond so selflessly.

An Act of Kindness

The recent picture of Helen Wallis and family celebrating her 97th birthday reminded me of an event that occurred in the 1940s but played itself out a decade later involving Chief Deputy Sheriff of Middlesex County, Jack Wallis.

In April 1955 Wallis received a $325 check that turned out to be the second installment of payment in gratitude for an act of kindness. Ten years earlier, Wallis was driving along Marlborough Street in Portland (Rt. 66) at about 2:30 in the morning when he stopped to assist a motorist with apparent mechanical difficulty. Upon alighting from his car, the deputy sheriff found an elderly couple whose vehicle had a flat tire and no spare. Further investigation found that the couple was on the way to Lynn, Mass. to visit a friend in hospital.

When it became apparent that no spare would be available for several hours until a garage opened, Wallis loaded the couple into his car and drove them to their destination. In Lynn he found accommodations for the couple and himself, it still being early morning. Several hours later, as Sherriff Wallis prepared to return home, the old gentleman still protesting his thanks and gratitude, made an attempt to pay his benefactor for his assistance. Wallis even reluctant to discuss the affair refused any money and made an attempt to leave quickly and quietly. But the old man took 2 $10s and a $5 from his wallet and threw them on the car seat insisting to Wallis that he would not take the bills back. Wallis got into his vehicle and returned to his office in Middletown.

On April 18, 1955, a letter arrived addressed to Wallis with the check, the one mentioned above – a legacy left by the old man who couldn’t forget the stranger who helped him in a brotherly spirit at a time when he desperately needed it.