March 27, 1998

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Sarah Mannix

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A story on the front page of The Newtown Bee last week described a portrait of Henry Beers Glover scheduled to be sold March 22 at Skinner’s auction gallery in Bolton, Mass. The childhood portrait of the 19th Century Newtown attorney and founder of Newtown Savings Bank, along with a hide-covered trunk that once belonged to him, was sold for $7,590, including a 15 percent buyer’s premium, according to a spokesman for the auction house. Skinner’s did not identify the purchaser, who was not present at the auction.

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The Police Commission has promoted three police officers, naming one man captain and two others as sergeants. Police Commission members on March 19 named Owen Carney as the department’s captain. The former lieutenant has been serving in the role of acting captain since the departure last June of Captain Michael Fekete. The commission also named James Mooney and George Sinko to the rank of sergeant. Mr Mooney has been serving as an acting sergeant in recent months, following Sgt Henry Stormer’s transfer from the patrol division to the detective bureau as a detective sergeant. Mr Sinko has been attached to the detective bureau, serving as the department’s youth officer.

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The exterior of Edmond Town Hall has taken on a new look ever since workers erected scaffolding along the front and sides of the building late last week. Roofers will spend the next eight weeks replacing the town hall’s slate roof. The scaffolding is to protect passersby from falling objects. The project is being completed by Commercial Roofing and Contracting of Putnam.

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Tancy’s Fancy Birdhouses, a Newtown-based business that creates unique birdhouses for home fashion and outdoor use, was commissioned recently for a very special project. Tancy Gemza, who designs and paints the unique birdhouses, has designed what may be the first-ever wedding cake birdhouse. The three-tier “wedding cake” was a special design for Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes, a business devoted entirely to creating cakes in Cos Cob. The birdhouse has been placed prominently near the front entrance of the business, owned by Culinary Institute of America grads Lisa and Stephen Maronian.

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Driving into the parking lot at Newtown High School, it’s hard not to notice the construction at the top of the hill at Bruce Jenner Stadium. The new utility building — which will house the press box, concession stand, and storage area — is nearing completion. Newtown High Blue & Gold Booster Club President Mike Kelley said the outside of the building will be completed within the next few weeks. “We still need another $129,000 to complete the entire project, and that’s our goal for 1998,” he added.

March 23, 1973

Rep Sarah Frances Curtis and Sen Joseph Gormley, two of Newtown’s three representatives in Hartford, were at the Edmond Town Hall Saturday morning to meet their constituents. Not many braved the storm to come, but those who did enjoyed nearly three hours of personal and political conversation, ranging from individual grievances to the philosophy of local government.

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The third year of the Newtown Arts Festival series ended on Saturday evening, March 17, with a performance by the Vienna Choir Boys, and a very pleasant ending to the year it was. It was all lightness and love with a little bit of mischief thrown in by 23 perfectly disciplined boys with magical voices. The Choir Boys have been likened at times to singing like angels, but since this reviewer has never heard, nor expects to hear, an angel sing, I can’t make that comparison. Suffice it to say that their singing was sweet indeed to these tone-deaf ears. The three-part program made up of sacred songs, a comic opera and folk songs was a well-arranged one without too much emphasis placed on any one of the portions.

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A vacant summer home on Kittross Lane, owned by Mr and Mrs John Kittross, was completely destroyed by fire on Wednesday evening, March 21, and two 12-year-old juvenile boys have been apprehended by the Newtown Police for alleged arson. The call for the fire came in at 6:45 pm, and by the time volunteer firemen arrived on the scene the structure was completely involved. Also, during the fire a propane gas tank beside the home exploded, adding to the work of the firemen. Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company was in charge under the direction of Chief Herb Lewis. Other companies that responded were Newtown Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 and the United Fire Company of Botsford. The fire marshals at the scene believed the fire to be of suspicious origin and called in the Police Department to investigate. Officer John Qubick went to the scene and began the initial investigation, and Officer Robert Taylor of the detective division was also assigned.

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Edward L. Beardsley and his wife, Margaret Dowling Beardsley, both of Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook, died suddenly at their home on Sunday, March 18. Mr Beardsley died of an apparent heart attack and Mrs Beardsley died of an apparent stroke caused by the shock of her husband’s death. Mr Beardsley was a lifelong resident of Newtown, having been born in Sandy Hook on February 16, 1905. Mrs Beardsley was born in South Africa July 12, 1904. Both were members of Trinity Episcopal Church. They are survived by one daughter; Mr Beardsley is also survived by two brothers and five sisters.

March 19, 1948

One of the saddest fatalities to befall a Newtown resident in recent years happened Wednesday night of last week when Mrs Donald William Moxley was so seriously injured in an auto accident that her death occurred Tuesday morning at the Hartford Hospital, despite all that could be done to save her life. The accident happened at Bolton Notch, near Manchester, as Mr and Mrs Moxley were returning to the University of Connecticut, where they were both students, following a day spent with his parents at Cos Cob. Another car, coming toward them, skidded on an icy section and crashed head-on into the Moxley car. Mrs Moxley … was removed in an unconscious condition to the Hartford Hospital, where she was found to have serious head injuries. The couple was wed on December 31, 1947, at Newtown Congregational Church, returning to the University of Connecticut campus to start their married life in a trailer and continue their studies as juniors at the University. … She would have reached her 21st birthday on April 28. … Private funeral services are being held for the immediate families at the Ferncliff Chapel at Greenburgh, N.Y., this Thursday afternoon, with the Rev Paul A. Cullens, pastor of the Newtown Congregational church, conducting the service.

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A membership tea and election of officers for the Newtown League of Women Voters took place at the Hawley Manor on Monday afternoon. About 30 women attended and voted the following slate of officers presented by the nominating committee: president, Mrs William Oakley, Jr; first vice-president, Mrs Norman Fedde; second vice-president, Mrs Frederic M. Herring; treasurer, Mrs Ralph Knibloe; recording secretary, Mrs Robert Stones; corresponding secretary, Mrs Bradley Randall.

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It is with deep regret that The Bee announces the illness of a member of its staff. J. William James, who has been confined to his home this past week with a siege of grippe, suffered a coronary attack Wednesday night and was removed to Danbury Hospital Thursday morning. The severity of the attack cannot as yet be determined, according to Dr J. Benton Egee, but Mr James’ associates at The Bee extend to him their earnest wishes that his recovery is a complete and speedy one.

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Miss Mary Starr Smith arrived home on Wednesday for the spring vacation from her studies at Walnut Hill School. Her mother, Mrs Paul S. Smith, and grandmother, Mrs Edward M. Conger, drove to Natick, Mass., for her.

March 16, 1923

A CARD: To the friends who so kindly remembered us in many ways at the time of the death and funeral of our beloved mother, we wish to return sincere and heartfelt thanks.—[The Shepard Brothers, Newtown, March 12, 1923.

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Eleazar Clark Bevans, a highly respected resident of the Dodgingtown district, died on Thursday last, aged 79 years. Mr Bevans was born in Danbury, August 9, 1843, the son of Eleazer C. Bevans and Minerva Sharpe Bevans. He was a hatter by trade, retiring from that work about 25 years ago. He was a charter member of Wooster lodge, Knights of Pythias, but later withdrew and joined Putnam lodge, Knights of Pythias of Bethel. He was a charter and active member of the Dodgingtown Fire Co. Surviving him are his wife and one son, A.E. Bevans, member of the Town Board of Relief.

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Milton Hull, of the Hull Hardware & Plumbing Co., who has been confined to his home in Newtown for a week with an attack of the grip, went to Danbury, Monday, but returned soon to his home and has been housed in for a few days.

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Judge Oscar Pitzschler and Charles B. Johnson were called to Danbury on Tuesday on jury duty.

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The home of Mrs Homer G. Clark of Gray’s Plain district was the scene of a pleasant gathering last Tuesday afternoon, when the friends of Miss Edith G. Adams surprised her with a miscellaneous shower, in anticipation of her marriage to Elmer Sharpe, of Monroe, which is to take place in the near future. Miss Adams received many beautiful gifts, including cut glass, china, linen and aluminum ware, also quite a sum of money. Refreshments were served and a pleasant social time was enjoyed by all.

March 25, 1898

The contract for carrying the mail between Newtown Street and the railroad station has been awarded to W.A. Leonard of Newtown Inn, for an indefinite period. For the last 10 years this service has been performed by the Grand Central hotel, in a satisfactory manner. Mr Leonard can also be counted upon to serve the public efficiently.

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The case of Henry Job Crofutt versus the town of Newtown came up for trial on Saturday before Justice Henry A. Gilbert in Bethel. The plaintiff’s attorneys, Messrs Cable and Purdy, of Walsh & Purdy, being unwilling to proceed owing to the absence of a material witness, the counsel for the town of Newtown, Charles H. Northrop, allowed the plaintiff to take judgement and appealed the case to the next term of the Court of Common Pleas. It will be remembered that this is the case in which Crofutt sues the town of Newtown for $57, which he claimed was due him for caring for the late Stephen Osborne.

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The following lines, dedicated to the late Barzilla Browne, are sent for publication. Mr Browne died January 22, 1898, aged 77. The lines follow: “Weep not that their toils are over. Weep not that their race is run. / God grant that we may rest as calmly when our work, like their’s [sic] is done! / ‘Till then we would yield with gladness to him to keep, / And rejoice in the sweet assurance, He giveth his loved ones sleep.”

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The children of Mr and Mrs Charles H. Northrop are ill with the whooping cough.

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THE EDITOR’S FAMILIAR CHAT: Thanks to Congressman Hill, once more we are the recipients of government bounty, in the form of a supply of government seeds. Every member of THE BEE force has been remembered in the distribution, so the newspaper gardens may be expected to bloom in big turnips, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce. We have always thought this government free distribution was a humbug and think so still. We doubt if even the genial congressman of the fourth district approves of it. Indirectly it injures the seed business of the country, and confers no great benefit upon the farmers. This is the opinion of the leading agricultural papers. There is about as much sense in having free seeds as there would be in having free hats, free shoes or free newspapers. Isn’t this about right?

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.