2024 Spring Newsletter
The Chronicler
Spring Edition 2024
Spring Membership Meeting & a Vignette on
Almon Case Banning & his Civil War Service By Brett Watson
The Banning family are among hartland’s first settlers.
Samuel Banning, sr was his great-grandfather who came here from lyme, ct in 1762.
Followed by an ice cream social
Hartland Historical Society’s Gaylord House Museum begins its new season on Sunday May 5th, open from 2 to 4pm, and if you haven’t been there before…you should check it out.
Currently, we have a special exhibit celebrating the West Hartland Volunteer Fire Department’s 75th anniversary. Among the items to peruse are vintage fire helmets, a banner that was carried in parades, articles and photos of both the fire department and the West Hartland Ladies Auxiliary and even a firefighter uniform.
The exhibit was set up during last year’s Blueberry Picnic and will be on display until this year’s picnic in August, so you have limited time to see this part of our town’s history.
Other permanent items on display at the museum include both Revolutionary and Civil War memorabilia, armed service uniforms of Hartland residents that served in the Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force, including the World War I uniform of Hartland Historical Society’s founder; Stanley Ranson.
There are vintage toys, furniture, tools, kitchen items, spinning wheels and old sewing machines. Don’t forget to gaze at the framed items on the wall, including the deed to the Gaylord House. And the restroom also has an interesting display of old medicines and toiletry items.
The Gaylord House Museum is open on the first Sunday of the month from 2 to 4pm, from May through October. There are several “Treasure Hunt” games that can be played while walking in-between the displays.
Take time to stop by. The Gaylord House is at 141 Center Street, almost across from the West Hartland Fire Department, and learn about our town’s history.
Hartland’s early settlers’ property is now a place to take a quiet walk, see their business and Homestead ruins and enjoy nature.
Here is the tale of the “island” and its owners by Joanne Groth
It begins in 1787, 25 years after Hartland is incorporated. Ralph Pomeroy of Hartford purchased 568 acres of land from original Hartland proprietors Morrison & Pratt. Pomeroy built a log cabin on the east bank of the west branch of the Farmington River along with a working sawmill on the left bank that had a natural waterway for making a mill pond for water power and in turn making it an “island”. Fifteen years later in 1804 Pomeroy sells 270 acres containing his log cabin and the sawmill to Lent Benham and Erza Doolittle of Cheshire, CT. They live together in the log cabin, farm and work the sawmill. “During this time mills in the area were using up-and-down sash saws operated by an arm beneath, which lifted and lowered the saw in its sash-frame rhythmically. The most prominent of these mills was Benham and Doolittle’s”. In 1810 Benham and Doolittle build homes for their families. Doolittle builds an addition onto the log cabin (Riverton Road) and Benham chooses a site down the road (Hogback Road). These two houses still stand and are occupied today.
Researching these families on ancestry.com we find that Lent Benham is married to Elizabeth Doolittle, Ezra’s sister and Ezra is married to Lent’s sister Amanda, so prior to building their own homes, it was a literal family affair living together in the log cabin for 6 years where 5 children were born! Six more children are born between the two families. To add to these family ties, Amanda and Lent Benham’s parents were a Benham and Doolittle marriage also!
The Benham & Doolittle sawmill comes to be part of making the area very notable. In 1816-18 another Cheshire family comes to town who is also related by marriage. Lambert Hitchcock, whose sister Eunice married a Benham, set up his shop and business in the Hartland sawmill location making chair parts. By 1821, Hitchcock’s small operation had become so well-known that the area around the mill was dubbed “Hitchcocksville”. In 1925 Hitchcock expands and builds a three-story brick factory down river and by 1826 employs about 100 workers, including women. This factory stands today housing a storage business andthe newly opened Riverton Shops.
Ezra Doolittle in 1825 and Lent Benham in 1836 served as selectman for Hartland. They worked hard and Ezra and Amanda raised 8 children to adulthood but Lent and Elizabeth were not so fortunate. They bore 3 children losing one at 19 years and the following year in October 1836 Lent is thrown from his wagon coming down the hill from the West Hartlandchurch and dies. He leaves his family in mourning and $7,000 in debt. Probate court in 1837 gives his widow Elizabeth and son Leonard a year to put together an inventory and appraisal of his estate. The appraisal shows Lent had 193 acres valued at $4,504 and estate inventory items of $1,134.78 totaling $5,638.78. It also stated that a piece of property was sold before the appraisal was received by the court. This must have been part of the 114 acres containing the sawmill, buildings, dam and water rights, as in 1836, after 30 years in business, Benham & Doolittle were in the process of selling to John Ward and sons Michael and James, who hail from England. What transpires from his untimely death comes through deeds and town records. Deeds show that in 1837 John Ward, who lost his wife in 1836, looks to have come to the rescue as he purchased the Benham’s 193-acre property and ends up marrying Lent’s widow Elizabeth four years later. This shows the signs of the time, two widowers, two sets of children, a good solution or maybe even love. They both lived to be 81 years old and as mentioned the house still stands today on Hogback Road. Meanwhile Ezra and Amanda Doolittle continue to live their lives out in Hartland. Their first home becomes the home of their son Augustus when in 1837 they build next door a beautiful stone house still standing today (Riverton Road). They die a year apart in the month of March, ages 85 and 84 respectively.
At this point in 1836, the sawmill had been utilized for 47 years for the cutting of wood. Here is the tale handed down along with deed research about the next chapter of the “island”. Brothers Michael & James Ward sailed from England to the United States in 1823. Michael, at the age of 15, found employment along the Hudson River in a calico factory where he quickly learned all the “secrets” of dyeing—so well, in fact, that he became superintendent of a cotton printing factory in Hudson, NY at the age of 20. Afterward, he and his brother set up a calico printing factory in North Adams, MA in 1831. Michael is believed to have been the first to make indigo blue dye; until the mid-1800’s all dyes came from natural sources such as insects, roots, or minerals. Their father John came over from England and arrived in New York in 1834. Using the name Ward & Sons, they arrived in Hitchcocksville and in 1836-37, the Ward’s purchase Benham and Doolittle’s shares for the water privilege, sawmill, dams and buildings standing on the “island”. During these years the Ward’s built a calico print works mill at the sawmill site continuing the use of water power. The existing natural raceway was built up on the western side of the river and the dam waslocated just below the raceway entrance and above the mill. The raceway extended under part of the building where the water wheel was located turning the wheel and then exiting on the other side of the building returning to the river. Records show that at this time, legal agreements are made with Ezra Doolittle to help fund the buying of the cloth and Garner & Co. who provided the cloth wants final printed product as part of their payment. An 1838 agreement states the print works inventory – 1 water wheel, all the drum shafts and belts in building, 1 printing machine, 1 drying frame, 1 calendar, 1 winding on frame, 1 press, 1 steam boiler, 4 dark wheels, 1 bowking reel and apparatus, 4 sour tubs, 5 dying kiers, 3 dye kettles and all other tools pertaining. Notes in a sample book of cotton calicoes made here and donated in 1962 to the Connecticut Historical Society by Ward Gates states “cylindrical plates for printing the gay calicoes seem mostly to have been engraved by one John Kavanaugh of Providence, RI and the finished goods were then shipped to Hoyt and Tillinghast in New York. The tragic thing is that all accounts books, printing rolls, machinery etc., were burned in the dump” This may have been due to the damage done by the 1955 flood. Note: A family member, Emily Ward, wife of Robert, grandson to Michael, wrote in 1955 that it manufactured $200,000 worth of goods a year. In 1845 the mill employs forty-six people, forty male employees and six female employees. The need for hired hands inspired the proprietors to provide a boarding house for their employees. Hartland records refer to it as a “tenement” and was situated just above the mill.
This mill was one of the first in the United States to produce calico print works, the printing of colorful designs on cloth, and was the largest industry that operated within Hartland’s border and remains so today. It operated for 15 years-1836 to 1851. Quilts are in existence that were made from this factory’s calico material – Descendants of the Ward family-the Eastman’s, Nellie Gates Ransbotham’s and Sturbridge Village are known to have them. Hartland Historical Society has samples of the cloth on display at the Gaylord HouseMuseum.
Why did the John Ward & Sons calico print works fail after having such success? Two critical elements contributed - one, the railroad - Riverton was not near enough to the railroad lines and transportation to and from New York direct became too expensive; two - a hired agent, embezzled funds. The 1840 and 1850 census shows James Ward in Hartland with the occupation of “calico printer, dyeing and finishing textiles, except knit goods”. He moves the family to Oneida, NY after the mills 1851 closure. Michael’s homestead remains on the “island” property and his occupation in 1850 noted as manufacturing, in 1860 as laborer, in 1870 as stock and band tracker and in 1880 a farmer. Their father John is also listed as a farmer in 1850.
This 1851 closure does not stop the Ward family. Michael Ward, his wife Sarah and 11 children have a working farm and homestead on the “island” property with the last child being born in 1858. Sources state that carpenter and joiner planes were manufactured here. Twelve years later in 1863, Michael’s farther, John passes. In 1864, the Hitchcock Chair Co. down the street, no longer owned by the Hitchcock family and known as The Phoenix Company stops the manufacture of chairs. This is followed by the “Hitchcockville” area name being changed to Riverton in 1866. In the 1870s, close to 20 years after calico print works closure Michael starts a business under Michael Ward & Sons (George and Horace). They began the manufacture of paper, using the power of water, at the calico print works site anddid a great business. They were making about two tons of fine manila paper a day. The building was vacant in 1890 when it was destroyed by fire, but the site was rebuilt and used as a paper mill by Michael’s sons George and William. They sold out 5 years later. The sitecontinued to be operated by the Ward family, in some fashion, for many years and later by their descendants under several corporate names; the last being in 1941. Other known business names: Riverton Paper Co. (1928-), Webber Industrial Paper Co. and The Farmington Valley Paper Co. It was assessed in 1940 as a 9,664 square foot paper mill, owned by Michael’s grandchildren, Frank Ward Gates & Florence Gates Holcomb, children of his daughter Isabella. It was known as The Setag Paper Mill (Setag=Gates spelled backward). An undated publication by the Litchfield Hills Federation describes it. “The company operates its mill in three shifts, 24 hours a day, employs about 20 hands and produces 100 tons of craft paper amonth, used for insulation in the manufacture of high-tension electric power cables. It has anup-to-date steam plant developing 200 horsepower and a valuable water privilege.” This mill was destroyed by fire May 21, 1941 and 30 employees lost their jobs. Three paper making machines were in the building, two which were quite old and one which was comparatively new. In 1941 the Ward homestead was occupied by the youngest son of Michael, Clarence. Clarence was a Hartland selectman for 4 years and Judge of Probate. He married in 1909, divorced and came back to the homestead in 1930 where he lived out his life, dying in 1953,age 94. All of his siblings were predeceased; 2 of his siblings died in infancy, 6 married and moved and 4 lived out their lives on the homestead as did their parents Michael and Sarah. The great flood of 1955 devastated the property including the mill and was never used again. Forty-five years later and 150 years of owning this property the Ward family donates 121 acres in 1990 to the State of Connecticut. In 1994 the area becomes part of the Wild & Scenic status of the west branch of the Farmington River and is part of the American Legion State Forest.
Fast forward 26 years to 2020 when FALPS (Friends of American Legion and Peoples State Forests) begin the discussion of exploring a new project - “a short handicapped accessible looptrail at the end of School Street” (earlier known as Paper Mill Road), in the Riverton section of Barkhamsted, and in the town of Hartland, that would offer a glimpse of early manufacturing in the area. Interpretive signage would be a part of the proposal. A proposal was developed and DEEP (CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection) was approached for acceptance. In 2022 it was concluded that a trail that was handicapped accessible would make this project too demanding and too lengthy a timeline, so it was modified for approval of a walking pathway (trail). Committees were set up and went to task. In 2023 work on the trail continued, communication with DEEP is open, and the signage committee met regularly to complete 8 sign designs and information. The trail is formally named “Hidden in Plain Sight” in memory of David K. Leff, a CT resident who contributed significantly to green space planning and the environment. The culmination of the project came on April 9, 2024 with a dedication to David K. Leff. Leff’s family members attended along with town officials and members of organization involved in the development. The next time you are in Riverton, take a ride down School Street, see the site and take a walk.
This trail was made possible by Friends of American Legion and Peoples State Forests (FALPS), Hartland Historical Society, Barkhamsted Historical Society, Farmington River Coordinating committee (FRCC), Farmington River Angler’s Association (FRAA), Harte Lumber, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)
2023 Santa Breakfast by Joanne Groth
In the words of Joan Stotlze ourPresident What a “grand” Santa Breakfast. From organizing to have all the moving parts come together, donations generously given by members, the loading and unloading of supplies in record time, decorating, to volunteers (seasoned and new) working together to get the students, kitchen, dining room and Santa Shop ready along with those who pickedup, delivered and returned and so much more!!! What a generous, kind, and hard-working crew of HHS elves! I heard the students were all proficient and polite. Hartland is a “grand” place to be. Thank you to all of you for being an HHS representative and making this tradition a continued success! A shout out of
thanks to the library for providing free books to the children too!
2024 Calendar
May-Oct—1st Sunday of each month, Gaylord House Open, 2-4pm
June 6—Spring Membership Meeting, Thursday, 6:30 pm First Church Hall
July—Fire Dept. Carnival Booth
Aug. 11—Blueberry Picnic
Oct. 6—Fall Membership Meeting
December 14—Santa Breakfast 8:00 am—11am
In This Issue
Spring Membership Meeting Invite
Gaylord House Information
Early settlers Benham, Doolittle and Ward families
Story of an “island” property in West Hartland that started as a sawmill business, turned calico print works mill, turned paper mill (1789-1953) and lastly a walking trail where you can see the ruins of years gone by. This trail was dedicated April 9, 2024 in memory of David K. Leff
Membership and donation envelope
Help the Hartland Historical Society continue it mission stated above through volunteering, membership and monetary giving. Thank you!