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 LION Online Catalog
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Historical & Genealogical Collection
The following information is just a sampling of what is available
for research in the Library's Historical Room, Second Floor. The hours of use are the same as for the main library;
however, items in this collection do not circulate. Photocopying is usually allowed of most materials, depending upon its' condition.
If you would like information sent to you, please call, fax or write us with your request. We will honor requests on
a first-come, first-serve basis as soon as possible. Please understand, though, that our staffing is limited, so
there may be a delay in returning the information to you.
If you would like to take a brief "virtual" tour of the Historical Room,
click here.
Research
Materials
Historical Photographs
Family Genealogies
War Participations
East Haddam Histories
Microfilm
Clippings File
Points of Interest
Maj. General
Jos. Spencer
East Haddam
Highlights
RESEARCH MATERIALS:
The Parker History & Index.
This large volume, compiled by Francis Parker, contains information published in the "Valley Advertiser"
between 1900 and 1925. This is often a good "starting point" for amateur researchers and is indexed by
name/subject.
The Survey of Architectural and Historical Resources of East Haddam. This is a four-volume set compiled by the municipal historian et al. and contains information
on many houses in the East Haddam area (some illustrations/photos/sketches).
Cemetery and Burial Records.
The Library houses information on the many cemeteries and burying grounds in the area: Old Cove Burying Ground,
River View Cemetery, First Church Cemetery (also called Little Haddam Cemetery), Foxtown Cemetery, Millington Cemetery,
and others. Indexed maps to the various cemeteries are available for researchers.
FAMILY GENEALOGIES (a few selections):
Daniel Fox of East Haddam, CT and some of his descendants
(1890).
Some Accounts of the Cone Family in America
(1903).
From Great Britain to Western Illinois
by R. Shaver (1993) - Cone, Glass, & Smith family genealogies.
Genealogy of some descendants of Thomas Fuller of Woburn (1919).
Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines.
Narrative of the life and adventures of Venture Smith
(1897).
Greene (Green) family of Plymouth Colony
(1909).
Kelloggs in the Old World and the New
(1903).
Three articles relating to the Williams & Robinson Families (n.d.).
Beckwith Notes (1899).
George Gates of East Haddam, CT and his descendants
(1934).
WAR PARTICIPATION RECORDS
(French & Indian Wars, Revolutionary, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and
World War I), such as:
The First Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery in Civil War (1899).
EAST HADDAM HISTORIES, including such
titles as:
Old Chimney Stacks by Hosford Niles
(1887).
A History of the towns of Haddam and East Haddam
(1892, 1814).
A Brief History of East Haddam.
East Haddam Census, 1790-1850.
MICROFILM:
Holdings include land records, probate records, and various other materials.
CLIPPINGS FILE:
This "file" holds a large amount of information on a variety of aspects
about East Haddam and vicinity, which has been culled over the years by volunteers and staff. These files are available
for photocopying.
POINTS OF INTEREST:
Nathan Hale Schoolhouse: Built
approximately 1750, it was here that Nathan Hale, a young man of 18, taught school in 1773. The bust of Nathan
Hale, located at the Goodspeed Plaza, is the original site of the schoolhouse. The school has been moved twice:
the first move was to an area now occupied by St. Stephen's Church on Rte. 149; the second move was to its present
site in Nathan Hale Park atop the hill behind St. Stephen's.
Gillette Castle: This large,
ornate building was erected by the celebrated actor, William Gillette, between 1914 and 1919, and is of medieval
Rhenish design and stands 200 feet above the Connecticut River. It is now a state park containing over 130 acres
of trails.
The Gelston House: In 1736
a tavern license was granted to Jabez Chapman to operate a dwelling house called "The River Side Inn."
In 1773, Mr. William Gelston bought the premises and was granted a tavern license about 1785. The Gelstons have
kept the property until they sold it in 1826 to Joseph Goodspeed. After many owners and names, it is now known
as "The Gelston House" and continues to operate as a restaurant.
The Congregational Church:
Located on Town Street (Rte. 151), this church was designed by architect Lavius Fillmore and built in 1794. Among
the many unique features are the High Pulpit, a Palladian window, and graceful Greek doric columns surmounted by
Roman arches.
Goodspeed Opera House:
Constructed in 1876 by William Goodspeed, ship-builder, merchant, banker and entrepreneur, the Opera House was
a natural attraction for many shows from New York City as East Haddam was a major stop for river traffic at that
time. In the 1950s, the Goodspeed Opera House Foundation was formed to save this historic edifice from a sad demise
and, in 1963, the Opera House was re-opened in all its Victorian splendor. Many famous Broadway musicals have had
their start here, such as "Man of LaMancha" and "Shenandoah."
East Haddam Bridge: One
of the longest structures of its type (889 feet), the East Haddam swing bridge was opened in 1913 to replace ferry
service that had been in existence since 1694.
The Amasa Day House: Located
in the center of Moodus, this house is maintained and open to the public by the Antiquarian & Landmarks Society
of Connecticut. The house was built in 1816 by Julius Chapman, and Amasa Day bought the property at an auction
in 1843. The house is furnished with Day family heirlooms which span the period 1800 to 1840.
The East Haddam Historical Society Museum is
located at Route 82, East Haddam. The hours are Wed. - Sunday, 10am-5pm, June-October
MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH SPENCER:
Spencer was one of East Haddam's most distinguished soldiers in the American Revolution.
Born October 3, 1714, he spent his entire life in the Millington area. He gained his military experience in the
last two French & Indian Wars: King George's War (1744), and as Colonel in the final chapter in 1755-59.
After the start of the Revolution, he was named a Major General by the General
Assembly, serving with distinction. In addition to his miliary duties, he attended 23 sessions of the State's General
Assembly, became Counsellor (i.e., Senator) in 1776; later, in 1779, he was elected delegate to the Continental
Congress. Additionally, he was Justice of the Peace from 1751 to 1766 and also Judge of Probate. From two marriages,
he fathered sixteen children.
His remains, with those of his second wife, Hannah, lay for over a century in
a neglected and forgotten grave in Millington. Israel Foote Loomis, a local historian, made a study in 1900 of
Spencer's career, his findings published in the Connecticut's "Advertiser," situated in Moodus. These
findings spurred on interest in Spencer, and with the help of the DAR, Senator Roberts, and A. Cass Ledyard of
New York, a descendant of the General, the bodies of General Spencer and Mrs. Spencer were disinterred and reburied
in the shadow of the newly-erected monument located above St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and near the Nathan Hale
Schoolhouse.
HIGHLIGHTS
OF EAST HADDAM HISTORY:
* 1662 - Settlers from Hartford County in Haddam bought land from the local native
american tribes, on both sides of the river for 30 coats.
* 1670-80 - First five families moved across the river from Haddam to Creek Row in Haddam East.
* 1704 - First Ecclesiastical Society formed and minister installed for East Haddam Congregational Church.
* 1734 - East Haddam incorporated.
* 1740 - First militia formed.
* 1773 - Nathan Hale taught here.
* 1770-80 - Revolutionary War activities, mostly provisioning.
* 1790-1890 - Great industrial, agricultural, and shipbuilding growth around River traffic.
* 1900-1930 - Industrial decline.
* 1904 - Dedication of monument to [link to section below] Major General Joseph Spencer.
* 1904 - 200th Anniversary of founding of Congregational Church.
* 1913 - East Haddam Bridge opened.
* 1934 - Bicentennial of East Haddam Town.
* 1974 - Creation of Historic District.
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