Norwalk After Two Hundred & Fifty Years

The Norwalk Red Men were the first to arrive. The campfire had already been started by a delegation under the direction of George W. Raymond. There were about thirty in the Norwalk delegation. The South Norwalk delegation did not arrive until some time later. They were in full regalia and each tribe had its tom-toms and their tom-tom beaters. The Red Men were paint- ed, and the costumes of the principal characters were especially fine. Rev. Mr. Selleck opened the ceremonies with a prayer. Then the braves formed in line, the stalwart King Catona in the lead, with his white buckskin suit and feathers showing off to fine advantage. The real ceremony centered around the beaded wigwam that was carried before the procession, usually by two young pages, but in this instance by two braves, Fred Benger and William Thompson. The wigwam was quite a novel creation. The wooden frame came from the grave of the great Ponus in New Canaan ; the beads were a gift, and the whole was the handiwork of Mrs. James Lawrence Stevens. The wigwam was car- ried on a large silver salver, and at the side of it were bracelets also of beads. After the procession had gone around the fire three times, it left the circle and commenced a parade up and down the avenue, after which it made its way into the armory, the braves bearing rcdfire in the meanwhile. The braves who bore the wigwam waited in front of the stage until the others had taken their seats on the stage, and then they placed the wigwam at the feet of the king. 119 THE HISTORICAL TABLEAUX HE event inside of the Armory was the presentation of seven historical tab- leaux connected with the early history of Norwalk and its founders. John H. Ferris presided in the absence of F. St. John Lockwood, who was ill and he announced that Rev. Mr. Selleck would interpret the tab- leaux. The Indian cast for the tableaux was: Catonah, Julius A. Flubbell. His son, Frederick B. Malkin. Aratomah, John D. Milne. Ponus, James H. Flynn. Three princes, Asa Decker, Frank Wehrle, Samuel N orris. Powahay, Joseph W. Howe. Mahackemo, George Fisher. Marakame, W. A. Thompson. Pemenante, Thomas Robbins. Mamackimo, George Quick. Cockenoe, Fred Benger. Tomekergo, George H. Hirst. Proserwamemos, Hugh Durkin. Tokameke, Aaron Decker. Winnipauk, G. C. Meehan. Braves, W. J. Wilcox, Edward Quick, George A. Shriver, William Rowe, Frank L. Judd, Ross Malkin, E. Wilson, John Elliott, R. J. Bland. Adam, a slave, G. C. Meehan. Catonah's queen, Mrs. E. H. Hotchkiss. Her attendant, Mrs. David Hunt. The first on the program was the singing of "Ameri- ca" by the Glee Club, led by Fred Force, and the au- dience. Scene i. — Catonah, Sachem; Catonah's Queen, on the left; Wachamane. Catonah's son and successor, on the left of Queen; Aratomah on the right of Catonah. The last public act of Catonah's life was to deed to the Norwalk settlers the high lands, known to-day as Ridge- field. His traditional tomb and that of his Queen are preserved on the Judge John Jay estate in Westchester, N. Y. Ponus's title was Sachem of Rippowams. His 120 wigwam was on Ponus street, New Canaan. A path led from this home of the sachem to Norwalk. It is sup- posed that Ponus died soon after the English settled Nor- walk. The Red Men quartette, headed by George Hirst, rendered a selection. Scene II. — Mahackemo was the Chief Sachem of Norwalk. He is supposed to have been a hunter. Nara- make and Pemanante were lesser sachems of what is now called Wilson's Point, where was something of an In- dian settlement. Winnipauk's home was in the oblong at the limits of the '"twelve miles north" Norwalk boun- dary. Scene III. — Roger Ludlow was the purchaser and evident founder of Norwalk. He was a brother-in-law of Governor John Endicott. He left the country in 1654, but his daughter Sarah (Mrs. Nathaniel Brewster) found- ed a family in this land and some of her descendants are residents, to-day, of Norwalk. He had two sons, Thomas and Jonathan, the second of whom is known to have sur- vived his father. Mrs. Ludlow died in Dublin, Ireland, June 3, 1664. This tableaux was a representation of a fact in Eng- lish history. Prince Edward, afterwards King Edward VI., was visiting the Ludlows at their castle. While there a courier arrives announcing the death of the prince's father, Henry VIII. It is this scene that the tableaux depicts. The characters were represented as follows: Roger Ludlow, John P. Treadwell ; Lady Lud- low, Mrs. E. J. Hill ; Thomas and Jonathan Ludlow, sons of Roger Manice Lockwood, Jr., and Russell Frost, Jr. ; Miss Sarah Ludlow, Mrs. Thomas I. Raymond; Prince Edward, Kenneth Vernam ; courier, Major Fred A. Hill. Scene IV. — Mr. Ludlow, now of Fairfield, made a purchase on February 26, 1640, of the portion of Nor- walk embraced between the Norwalk and Saugatuck rivers, and extending some twelve miles north of the sea. Mahackemo was the prominent aboriginal party in this transaction. The treaty spot is supposed to have been in Saugatuck and deserves marking. The Glee Club rendered the selection "A Wet Sheet and a Flowing Sea." Scene V. — This painting spoke for itself. It repre- sents the first minister of Norwalk, Rev. Thomas Han- ford, attired as mentioned by Mather, in his robe of office and surrounded by his parishioners, some of whom are 121 depicted as engaged in the domestic occupation of those early times. Thomas Fitch, Matthew Marvin, Matthias St. John, Richard Sevmour, Richard Webb, Ralph Kee- ler are among the old families, some member of which is represented in the painting, Richard Seymour was not Norwalk long lived. One son left behind in Nor- walk was the father of all the Norwalk Seymours, while from the sons who accompanied their mother distin- guished men have descended. Those who took the parts in this scene were: Rev. Thomas Hanford, Winfield S. Hanford ; Thomas Fitch, Colonel Samuel Daskam ; Ralph Keeler, Lieutenant-Gov- ernor Keeler, Richard Seymour; Robert Seymour Van Buren; Mrs. Eliphalet Lockwood, Mrs. G. B. St. John; Puritan maiden, Miss Angeline Scott; Elizabeth Fitch, Miss Eunice Stevens; Mrs. St. John, Mrs. Ira Cole; the first Eversly, Charles Eversly Curtis ; member of Betts family, Miss Sarah Henderson ; of the Noble family, Mrs. Edwards Wilkinson and Miss Nash ; Mrs. Richard Sey- mour, Mrs. Robert Van Buren; Ludlow goddess, Miss Alyse Gregory. A fitting feature of this tableaux was that the old characters were relineated by their descendants. Scene VI. — John Elliot, the great Indian apostle, was taught the Indian tongue by a Long Island red man, Cockenoe, who lived in Norwalk for a time and has dis- tinct Norwalk record. Scene VII. — There can be little doubt, says the his- torian of Norwalk, that the future will accord to Roger, son of Thomas (Knight) and Jane Ludlow, of England, the honor of being not alone the purchaser but the found- er of this ancient town. His name is lastingly Nor- walk associated and his honored memory is the town of Norwalk's honored legacy. This was one of the mosr effective tableaux ever shown in Norwalk, and elicited thunders of applause. The young ladies who took part were: Misses Ethel Wilcox, Mary Nash, Elsie Hill, Gladys Morehouse, Ethel Ferris, Hattie Ferris. Charlotte Ferris, Elsie Cum- mings, Marion Cummings, Emily Nash, Margaret O'Brien, Anna Curtis, Blossom Smith, Edwina Knapp, Abbie Marvin, Mary Marvin, Alice O'Brien, Alice Ter- rell, Florence Baldwin, Alice Darrow, Mary Seymour, Gertrude Hotchkiss, Elizabeth Austin, Mary Betts, Hazel Lockwood, Eunice Stevens, Ruth Golding. The committee in charge of the dramatic work was 132 Charles Miller, Mrs. Charles H Naylor and Mrs. James Stevens. They were ably assisted by Miss Emily Lynes. They were a grand and unqualified success, and will go on record as one of the most noteworthy features of the celebration. THIRD DAY, SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH HE events appointed for this day were as follows : t. Historic ride by trolley. 2. Afternoon assembly for His- torical addresses. 3. Home gathering and public speeches. The first event was given in honor of the invited guests of the town and was under direction of the Norwalk Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, of which Mrs. Samuel Richards Weed is Re- gent. The Historian, Rev. C. M. Selleck, accompanied the party. The trolley cars were gaily decorated and started from the Armory soon after 9 a. m. The points visited were as follows: 1 Benedict House — Here Gen. Garth, of Tryon's in- vading army, in 1779, left his wounded men until his return to his boats at Old Well. 2 Garth's Magazine — Here he left his ammunition, while on his destroying march, for a short time — so claimed. 3 Ponus's Path — Led to the Sachem Ponus Home, in West New Canaan. 4 Pynchon Descendant's House — Where Margaret Pvnchon Keeler lived, who was a descendant of one of the Connecticut River Tods, so called. 5 La Fayette's Inn — Gen. La Fayette here stopped and was received by Norwalk people, in 1824. 5 Madam Knight's Bridge — This distinguished trav- eler tells of this bridge at "Whitney's Mill," which she crossed early in the 18th century. 7 The "Old Spring" House — Where resided Capt. Ja- bez Gregory, one of the pioneer settlers. 8 Home of the Parents of Gen. W. T. Sherman, from whence they started to find their home in Norwalk, Ohio. 9 Site Where Jesse Lee Preached His First Sermon in Norwalk — He was the founder of Methodism in Connecticut. ic The Old Whitney House — Well known in early Norwalk. 11 The Residence of Relatives of Sir Garnett Wolesly, recent commander-in-chief of the army of Great Britain. 124 12 Site of Old Town House — Before Revolutionary War ; do not know date of its building. 13 Whitney's Hill — Named after Henry Whitney, the ancient Norwalk miller. 14 Whitney's Plain — The Norwalk Green — called after the old miller. 15 Chancellor Kent's Schoolboy Home — The great jurist here lived for a little time with his grandfather and attended school. t6 President Timothy D wight's Ancestors' Home — President Dwight here visited, and he received, by inheritance, Norwalk land. 17 Grumman's Hill — On East Avenue, where General Tryon sat when Norwalk was burned, 1779.