Spring/Summer 1999 To An Automobile (with apologies) by Grace Duffield Goodwin I have a humble longing that has never been confessed, A longing I have striven in vain to bury in my breast: I want to take a ride once more, when days are hot an muggy, Behind a little jogging horse in some old shabby buggy. I oft am hurled along the road in someone's fine machine At such a pace I cannot tell a brown field from a green. I want to amble on at peace, unheeding what they say, And watch with joy an ancient horse flick ancient flies away. I never see a landscape now that is not scudding by In gales of wind and clouds of dust before my goggled eye: The pensive cows are galloping, the hens are squawking past; If anything seems peaceful I know it will not last. I have no great ambitions and I don't desire to shine As a heroine of accidents in the automobile line; This my plebeian longing, without quibble or remorse - I want that shabby buggy and I want that ancient horse!* Although many people shared Ms. Goodwin's feelings when the first cars were introduced, America soon became intrigued and started a love affair with the automobile which continues today. The Locomobile was one of this country's first "horseless carriages." The Locomobile Company was organized for the purpose of buying out the Stanley Brothers who had designed two steam cars of their own. Ruth Lockwood, native of Weston, remembers her father owning this 1898 Locomobile (left). James Melton, opera and radio singer and Weston resident of the ‘30s, ‘40s and early ‘50s, owned an extensive collection of antique cars. Among them was a 1907 Locomobile (right) with double chain drive. The Locomobile gained fame as it was often used in car racing. During the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race held on Long Island, George Robertson broke all Vanderbilt Cup records by racing 258 miles at 64 miles per hour, with wet track conditions. (Jeff Gordon just averaged 160 mph+ for 500 miles.) As many people were still not convinced about this new "contraption," a wealthy New England Industrialist by the name of Charles J. Glidden spent much of his life and his money trying to popularize automobile transportation. "In 1905, the automobile manufacturers joined the American Automobile Association in sponsoring cross-country Reliability Tours to sell the public on the practicality and inevitability of automobiles." Mr. Glidden offered a trophy and the event became known as the Glidden trophy tour. These early tours were charted over mountains, through forests and barren stretches, through mud, dirt, storms and rocky roads that seemed impossible to pass. Millions of people, however, came out in cities and towns to watch the amazing feats of both car and driver. In 1913, the Locomobile won the last of these races going from Minneapolis to Glacier Park, Montana, a distance of 1300 miles. The trip took 8 days. It appears the beginnings of the auto industry were fraught with many problems, trials and errors. Gone are the days of rocky roads, replaced by super highways. Gone are the days when ladies needed to wear dust covers over their faces and sometimes their entire body because of the mud and dust thrown about by this new mode of transportation. Gone too are the prices of $350 and $450 for a new "fliver". One gentlemen summed up his feelings, and those of many others, in the last stanza of his poem which appeared in the Louisville-Journal and Times. The poem was entitled "The Cars of Yesteryear!" How dear to my heart are those cars of my boyhood, Things weren't too easy for them, you'll allow They thrilled my young heart as most any new toy would - But, frankly, I'm glad that they're not around now. They ran on occasions, on others they didn't And whether you'd get home you couldn't fortell - Those old horseless wagons, Those early gas wagons, They're gone now forever and 'tis, just as well. *This quote, pictures, and poetry were all taken from the Treasury of Early American Automobiles 1877-1925 by Floyd Clymer, Bonanza Books, New York, 1950 and Those Wonderful Old Automobiles, also by Floyd Clymer, Bonanza Books, New York, 1953. Back to contents.

Milk at Your Door Over the years the Historical Society has been given many items, both large and small, representing both Weston's History and history of a particular era. Recently Charles Niewenhous has kindly donated to the Society an old milk wagon as well as two carriages. Herb Day has been researching data on these vehicles tying to date them and place a value on them as well. The milk wagon seems to be from the late 1800s and has a wonderful story attached to its history. In speaking with Jack Marcus of Marcus Dairy in Danbury, we have learned that in the late 1800s, early 1900s, there were several very large dairies located in the major cities of Bridgeport, New Haven and New York. There were also many, many smaller dairies, such as Marcus Dairy from Danbury and Gilbert Dairy from Georgetown. Milk wagons, such as this one being shown, were usually pulled by two horses and were filled with hay and ice to keep the milk cold during the deliveries. Until approximately 60 years ago, when most home deliveries faded out, you could have milk, eggs, cream, and other milk products delivered right to your doorstep. Some dairies also delivered bread, bacon, cottage cheese, and occasionally, orange juice. Up until the middle ‘50s, most all milk was delivered in glass bottles, when new laws and government regulations changed the containers to plastics. Mr. Marcus did say that some of their milk is still put into bottles, but that it does not go to the supermarkets. The particular milk wagon that Mr. Niewenhous is donating actually was purchased by him from the Gjuresko family of Weston. We spoke to Julia Studwell (Weston native and daughter of Joseph Gjuresko) and she told us the tale of her father's milk wagon. At one time a woman by the name of Mary Jane Wisner lived on Goodhill Road. She had acquired the milk wagon and had placed it in her yard. Her children loved to play in an around the wagon and one day she asked her friend Steven Dohonus (famous artist and local resident) to paint the wagon for her family. One day, Mary Jane was visiting with the Gjureskos and saw a large stone that held a natural indentation that the birds used to bathe in. (Joe Gjuresko loved collecting large pieces of stone.) Mary Jane pleaded to have the stone and it was finally agreed that she would trade her milk wagon for the bird bath. Joe took the wagon home and used it for many years hitching up his horses and giving children rides at the Emmanuel Church Fair. We are very happy to have this wonderful piece of local history, and we thank Mr. Niewenhous for his donation. Back to contents.

A Touch of War Two hundred and twenty-two years ago our serene little community of Weston was touched with a taste of war. Although no battles took place in Weston during the Revolution, many of our most famous citizens fought and died for our independence. Among those who fought were: Joshua Adams, Thomas Banks, Ebenezer Coley, Christopher, Daniel, Elias, Isaac and Johnathan Godfrey, Isaac Jarvis, Rueben Lockwood, David and Darniel Morehouse and Daniel, Eliphalet, Nathan, Peter and Thaddeus Thorp. Many of the men from Connecticut set out for Lexington and Concord after the first of the battles broke out. By 1776, with the Revolution underway, our troops marched to Ticonderoga, Crown Point, New York, Long Island and Rhode Island. Those that stayed behind formed small groups, called Minutemen, to protect our countryside. During the winter of 1776 General Burgoyne was to come from Canada and rendezvous at Albany with Clinton who was to come up the Hudson River. This was part of a plan to split the colonies. However, Burgoyne met with difficulties he had not planned on and a new plan had General Tyron hitting Connecticut on the East to teach us a lesson. On April 25, 1777, 26 British ships anchored at the mouth of the Saugatuck River. Approximately 2,000 soldiers landed at Cedar (now Compo) Point, under the command of General Tyron. The contingent started on their way to destroy Danbury. They encamped on Weston's borders overnight and the following morning continued their march. They met with small resistance near the village of Bethel at the bottom of Hoyt's Hill (located off Rt. 58 near Steck's Nurseries). The troops reached Danbury in the afternoon and destroyed 19 dwellings, 22 barns and storehouses, and almost 1700 tents by fire. The Congregational Church, the most expensive and beautiful structure, was also burned to the ground. The only houses that escaped the fire were those of people sympathetic to the Tories. A white cross was painted on the front of their homes, thus keeping them from burning. While destroying Danbury, the militia of neighboring towns were gathering under the command of General David Wooster, Benedict Arnold and Gold Silliman. The force of 600 Americans was unsuccessful in their attempt to block the British retreat from Danbury. General Wooster was also killed in the action. General Arnold continued to throw up barricades but on April 28, 1777, the British forded the Saugatuck River and were able to return to their ships, now anchored off the coast of Norwalk. The Minutemen had been successful in chasing off the British before they could do any more harm. It is rumored that the property in and around 90 Georgetown Road (and Indian Valley Road) was used as a signaling position for the scattered Minutemen located near Compo Beach. The property has been named Signal Rock, although there is no documentation as to its use. In recent years as well, two cannonballs have been found on properties located on the upper end of Newtown Turnpike. It is believed that the British may have left behind some of their ammunition because of its weight and their hurry to get back to their ships. Although the cannons located at Compo Beach were never actually used during the revolutionary war, they are a symbol of the battle of Compo Hill. They were placed there about the turn of the century and are currently under repair, spearheaded by the Westport Rotary Club. Contributions can be made to this restoration of our local history. There are also many Revolutionary War graves located in our Coley Cemetery located on Rt. 57 south of the Broad Street/Goodhill Rd. intersection. Although Weston saw no harm done within its borders, many of its fathers and sons laid down their lives for our freedom in 1777, and throughout future years. Back to contents.

STORYLAND COOK BOOK The Chronicle usually writes to the adults in our membership, but we thought it might be fun to include something for the younger folks. While cleaning at the Coley House one day our President, Sandy O'Brien, came across a darling book entitled Storyland Cook Book. Shortly thereafter she mentioned it to Helen Mason, one our most colorful Weston natives, and Helen said that she had written that book. While employed at Parents Magazine, Helen's boss was a lady by the name of Maxine Livingston. Her husband was a publisher and they formed Maxton Publishing Co. Mr. Livingston thought that it would be a great idea for Helen to create a children's cook book as her specialty was home economics. Helen wrote and tested all the recipes included in the book, but never got credit for her work. She did, however, write an introductory letter as follows: "STORYLAND COOK BOOK furnishes a simple and desirable introduction to the art of cooking. Simple directions make it very easy for any youngster to prepare the many delightful dishes contained in this attractive book. All of the recipes have been carefully tested and if the directions are followed exactly as given, the results will be both a delight to the eye and a pleasure to the palate. STORYLAND COOK BOOK provides children with their preliminary cooking experience and will exert a helpful influence on later attitudes toward good homemaking." Helen Budd, B.S., M.A., Home Economist, New York City." We are only able to share a few of the recipes with you here and we wish that you could also see the vibrant colors of the drawings. We hope that sometime when you visit the Coley House that you might ask to see this great treasure. Hopefully, some of you will try some of these recipes with your children, or grandchildren. Have fun! Back to contents.

Cynthia Williams Although Cynthia Williams is a rather new face around the Coley House, she is certainly no stranger to the people of Weston. Cynthia was born and brought up in Rochester, New York and graduated from Wells College. She went to work for United Airlines where she flew until she married Norman Williams. In those days you could not be an airline stewardess and be married, so Cynthia turned her energies into raising three beautiful daughters, Alyson, Heather and Carrie. For many years Cynthia did volunteer work for the PTO, Brownies and Girl Scouts while the girls were growing up. In the early 1970s she took a part-time job as a dispatcher for the Fire and Police Departments. She soon found herself secretary for the Fire Department and the Fire Marshal's office. Cynthia took classes and became a certified Deputy Fire Marshal -- the first woman in the State of Connecticut. In 1988 she fell and injured her knee, making her active job with the Fire Department somewhat of a burden. There was an opening in the Town Clerk's Office which she filled, and in 1991 she became Weston's Town Clerk. Cynthia's love of history and its preservation began while growing up. Her mother served as chairman of a preservation committee and she was surrounded by antiques during her life. Eileen Buckley, our membership chairman, saw great potential in Cynthia and asked her to come on the board of the Historical Society. Cynthia loves being immersed in our history and with the people that she has met. She says, "It is has been like meeting an entire new group of people in Weston and I love it. It is the best part of being involved with town activities." Her free time is spent in many other activities including the Aspetuck Land Trust, and until recently, First Night (an alcohol-free New Year's Eve celebration sponsored by Westport and Weston). She currently helps out on Saturday mornings at the Coley House and through the Town Clerk's Office she has been named to the Governor's Task Force for Archival Preservation. Various town clerks have been given grant money to learn how to lead seminars which will benefit historical societies with preservation of their archives. She also is interested 'in our fundraising efforts and has put together our upcoming summer concert with Chris Coogan, and has many ideas for upcoming programs, as well as fund raisers. Cynthia also loves to garden and above all else baby-sit for her two darling grandchildren. We are lucky to have such an enthusiastic and willing Trustee. We thank you. Back to contents.

Sue Crolius Sue Crolius is a relative newcomer to our Board as well as to Weston itself. Sue was born and brought up in Philadelphia, educated, married, and had her first child there as well. With her new husband she started a life on the go, first moving to Albany, New York. While in Albany, Sue had her second child. Then it was off to New Jersey, where she had her third child. Sue and her husband then moved to Europe where they spent four years in Bonn, Germany, which they loved. Back to the States for three years, then off to Frankfurt, Germany. Finally a move to Westport in 1965 which lasted 30 years. Sue's husband's brother lived in Westport and convinced them they should look in this area. They rented a house in Westport and built a new home off Weston Road that looked old. Sue was able to find a builder who was able to use wide floorboards and other accessories to make the house look old. When the children grew up and moved out on their own, Sue and her husband looked for a smaller home and found just the right place in Weston. They have been with us now for three years. Sue has been a teacher at the Westport/Weston Co-op Nursery School for 25 years. She worked five days a week, but has now cut back her time to two days with a young class, but she does substitute and helps out in the office, so she really ends up with three days, or more sometimes. She loves her young students and finds it hard to fully retire. Gayle Beyea (whose husband knew Sue's husband from their work at Newsweek Magazine) approached Sue and asked her to fill a position on the Historical Society Board. Sue didn't feel sure, but felt it would be a good way to get to know the history of the town and become involved in some of its activities. She has been taking time to get her feet wet, but has already helped Gayle with many of the activities, Senior Picnic and Scare Fair, and she was in charge of the very successful Newcomer Tea held this past Fall. Sue's interest definitely lies in the activities that the Society is involved with and would like to see them expanded, possibly at some time in the future adding a small gift shop. In her spare time, Sue loves to sew, having just made a dress for her granddaughter. She is lucky to have one daughter living in Fairfield. Her son and his family live in Boulder, Colorado and her other daughter lives in Philadelphia so that visits with her include visits with old friends. Sue also loves needlepoint, knitting and especially reading. She does play a little golf as well, the operative word being "little." While in Westport, Sue also worked at the Westport Historical Society as a docent in their carriage garage. She would sit during their summer hours and answer questions from visitors. She also worked on their archives going through old articles from the Westport News, cutting out and filing articles to be saved. We are grateful to Gayle for twisting Sue's arm to come and join us. She has become an asset to our Board in a short time and we appreciate all her help. Sue is also keeping the schedule of needed docents for Saturdays, as well a schedule of people needed to do monthly cleaning chores at the homestead. If you could help in either of these places, please give Sue a call. Thank you. Back to contents.