2010: A Year To Reflect On Newtown’s History

By Nancy K. Crevier

History is always of interest to Newtown residents, so The Bee investigated the history of the ice houses that remain in Newtown this past winter. Ice was the product of an industry that thrived in most New England villages until widespread access to electricity made indoor refrigeration possible. In the 1800s and into the beginning of the 20th Century, town historian Dan Cruson told The Bee, Newtown had many private and some commercial icehouses all around the different sections of town. Harvesting ice was a labor-intensive period of about a week’s length, usually during January or February. Today, only two ice houses in Sandy Hook remain as icons of Newtown’s chilly past — one on a Chestnut Hill farm, and one off of Zoar Road.

Musician. Conservationist. Deadbeat dad. Revered grandfather. Beloved town eccentric. If Louis Birdsey Parsons was one, he was all. A lifelong resident of Sandy Hook, Birdsey lived from 1884 to 1979, the son of late 19th Century South Center School teacher Charles Parsons, and descendent of Newtown’s first gristmill owner, Moses Parsons. Sylvia Davidson, his only living child, shared her memories of her father with The Bee this year. Now 97 years old and living in Trumbull with her husband of nearly 75 years, Howard Davidson, 96, Mrs Davidson and her daughter, Betsy Sword of Monroe, confirmed that there was a lot of truth in most of the stories told about Birdsey Parsons.

A collection of postmortem photographs from the Victorian era appeared mysteriously on the historical archive images desk in the library, this summer, and Dan Cruson called on the assistance of designer Carol Franson-Serra to help him set up a show of the unusual collection at the C.H. Booth Library. The value in the postmortem photographs, said Mr Cruson, is that they illuminate the Victorian attitude toward death.

State and local officials, and friends and family of Charles Ferris III and his wife Shirley gathered with Newtown Deputy Director of Planning and Land Use Rob Sibley, June 11, at the historic Ferris Farm, Route 302, for a ceremony dedicating the town’s acquisition of 74 acres of prime agricultural land from the Ferris family. The farm, Fairfield County’s last operating dairy farm, has been in existence since 1864. The conservation easement for the Ferris Farm was purchased for $2 million by the town, with $500,000 funded by a state grant. Preservation of the farm protects the meadows and open space as seen from Route 302. Because Ferris Farm is a working farm, public access is not allowed.

The memory of World War II was honored in stories from this past year’s Bee. “Follow me and you will be saved.” Pfc Warren Pinckney, 19 years old, heard the voice, followed it, and was saved. He shared the story of the harrowing Christmas Eve 66 years ago, when cold, afraid, and in danger of being left behind on a sinking ship, he heeded a voice in the darkness and leaped to safety between two ships bouncing on ice cold waves in the English Channel. More than 2,200 troops were on board the SS Leopoldville December 24, 1944, headed for port in Cherbourg, France, on their way to relieve troops struggling in what would be known as the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. By the time dawn would break on Christmas Day, 800 of the young Army men would be dead, victims of a German submarine torpedo attack or frozen to death in the brutal winter waters of the channel. A member of the 66th Infantry Division, 264th Regiment, Company B, Warren Pinckney was one of the lucky service people who survived.

Newtown resident Alfred Green, Jr, his son, Alfred Green III, and granddaughter Jennifer traveled to the French Embassy in New York City, May 8, for a special ceremony in which Consul General of France Philippe Lalliot awarded the World War II Army veteran and 14 of his peers the National Order of the Legion of Honor, the highest decoration of France, in appreciation of his contribution to the liberation of France during World War II. Mr Green is also the recipient of the Purple Heart and other awards for his meritorious service to country.

At 83 years of age, Newtown resident Darius Hallabeck falls just below the average 86.6 years of age of the men and women who traveled with him September 25, for an extraordinary trip, to Washington, D.C. A corporal in the US Army Air Forces during World War II, Mr Hallabeck was one of 148 men and two women World War II veterans, who took part in the AmericanWarrior Sixth Day of Honor Flight to the nation’s capital, to tour five war memorials and Arlington Cemetery. AmericanWarrior is a nonprofit group founded in 2006 by Christopher Coutu of Norwich. The mission of the organization is to “support and honor American veterans and patriotic operations,” according to its website.

Finally, as 2010 came to a close, town historian Dan Cruson settled into office space in the old town clerk’s office at Edmond Town Hall. It is the first time that the town historian has had an official office, and Mr Cruson is particularly pleased that the office is adjacent to the old town vault. Historical papers and documents previously housed at the library, Matthew Curtiss House, and in his own home can now be safely preserved in the humidity controlled environment of the vault, said Mr Cruson. Having an office also means that the town historian and the documents are more accessible to the townspeople. Mr Cruson plans to set up regular office hours after the first of the year.