EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
For this installment, we are printing a letter which we received from Mrs. Harriet Marston Doolittle of Long Beach, California, written August 10th, 1935. Mrs. Doolittle is the oldest person living who was born in what is now Lyman Township. We will answer some of her questions before printing her letter.
Miss Effie Maxson is living and is one of Roberts best loved citizens. She now lives in Roberts, next door to the editor of the Herald.
We are saddened to learn that so many of the former citizens of Roberts have answered to the call "Come up Higher".
Mr. Bela Foster:
Your letter of August 5th, was received and I am very happy to comply with your request to tell what I know of the early settlement of the New England colony in Illinois. Early in 1856, a group of people of New London, Connecticut, desirous of going into the west (Illinois was far west in those days) to make new homes, sent a delegation of three men to "Go and spy out the land." The three men selected were Dr. Babcock, Moses Morgan and S. K. Marston -- a doctor, a farmer and a mechanic.
At that time the I. C. R. R. was about completed. General George B. McClellan was vice president and chief engineer of the road, and Major Burnside was treasurer and land commissioner. After looking over considerable territory throughout the state they finally selected the location that we are now speaking of and which for many years was known as the Connecticut Settlement. My father and mother with my sister who was then about a year old came out in the fall of that year 1856. The Edmond Havens family did not come until the following spring, but their oldest son E. T. Havens came with my parents and lived with our family during the winter. Consequently my sister and I always loved him as an older brother and that love extended to this wife and family and has remained with us through the years.
My mother taught the children of the community in her home for two years. Then a school district was formed and she taught in the new school as its first preceptress and taught English, Mathematics and Art. It was at that time that we moved to Onarga and the Marston farm was sold.
The Burt and Lyman families were from Massachusetts and came into the settlement about the same time as the colonists from Connecticut. There is much that could be related of the life of the colony, much of hardships endured but more of the wonderfully happy relationship that grew into life time friendships. As you said in your letter there are few, if any, of the sons and daughters of those old friends left.
There was a Captain Maxson who settled in the south of our colony. I was born April 16, 1858, and I remember hearing my mother tell of trading babies with Mrs. Maxson during the school week. Effie Maxson was old enough to go to school and Mrs. Maxson would bring her to my mother on Monday morning and take me home with her and would reverse the proceedings on Friday afternoon. The last I know I think Effie was still living on the old farm but I am not quite sure.
My sister, Mrs. Robert Fowler Cummongs, is living in Los Angeles, making her home with her oldest daughter. Until quite recently she was active in church and club work, having served two years as president-general of the National Society of New England women. Her health does not permit her doing much in that line now.
The Doolittle family came to California in 1907 and found many of the old colony people here. George P. and Edward Lyman, Amos and Charles Peck, Oscar and George Burt as well as the two Lisk brothers Allen and Byron. It was indeed like coming home to see so many old friends, but most of them, indeed all of them excepting George Burt and family, have passed over the great divide.
I have written at considerable length but hope I have given you a little material for your newspaper articles. May I ask if Effie Maxson is still living?
Very Sincerely,
Harriet Marston Doolittle.
--Roberts Herald. 21 August 1935. Bela Foster.
Miss Effie Maxson is living and is one of Roberts best loved citizens. She now lives in Roberts, next door to the editor of the Herald.
We are saddened to learn that so many of the former citizens of Roberts have answered to the call "Come up Higher".
Mr. Bela Foster:
Your letter of August 5th, was received and I am very happy to comply with your request to tell what I know of the early settlement of the New England colony in Illinois. Early in 1856, a group of people of New London, Connecticut, desirous of going into the west (Illinois was far west in those days) to make new homes, sent a delegation of three men to "Go and spy out the land." The three men selected were Dr. Babcock, Moses Morgan and S. K. Marston -- a doctor, a farmer and a mechanic.
At that time the I. C. R. R. was about completed. General George B. McClellan was vice president and chief engineer of the road, and Major Burnside was treasurer and land commissioner. After looking over considerable territory throughout the state they finally selected the location that we are now speaking of and which for many years was known as the Connecticut Settlement. My father and mother with my sister who was then about a year old came out in the fall of that year 1856. The Edmond Havens family did not come until the following spring, but their oldest son E. T. Havens came with my parents and lived with our family during the winter. Consequently my sister and I always loved him as an older brother and that love extended to this wife and family and has remained with us through the years.
My mother taught the children of the community in her home for two years. Then a school district was formed and she taught in the new school as its first preceptress and taught English, Mathematics and Art. It was at that time that we moved to Onarga and the Marston farm was sold.
The Burt and Lyman families were from Massachusetts and came into the settlement about the same time as the colonists from Connecticut. There is much that could be related of the life of the colony, much of hardships endured but more of the wonderfully happy relationship that grew into life time friendships. As you said in your letter there are few, if any, of the sons and daughters of those old friends left.
There was a Captain Maxson who settled in the south of our colony. I was born April 16, 1858, and I remember hearing my mother tell of trading babies with Mrs. Maxson during the school week. Effie Maxson was old enough to go to school and Mrs. Maxson would bring her to my mother on Monday morning and take me home with her and would reverse the proceedings on Friday afternoon. The last I know I think Effie was still living on the old farm but I am not quite sure.
My sister, Mrs. Robert Fowler Cummongs, is living in Los Angeles, making her home with her oldest daughter. Until quite recently she was active in church and club work, having served two years as president-general of the National Society of New England women. Her health does not permit her doing much in that line now.
The Doolittle family came to California in 1907 and found many of the old colony people here. George P. and Edward Lyman, Amos and Charles Peck, Oscar and George Burt as well as the two Lisk brothers Allen and Byron. It was indeed like coming home to see so many old friends, but most of them, indeed all of them excepting George Burt and family, have passed over the great divide.
I have written at considerable length but hope I have given you a little material for your newspaper articles. May I ask if Effie Maxson is still living?
Very Sincerely,
Harriet Marston Doolittle.
--Roberts Herald. 21 August 1935. Bela Foster.
No comments:
Post a Comment