F104 .C8 S67 ■/ ^o^-^-*/ V'!f??\.»*-^ ^°^*^-'aO' <»-^^ 4 o ■tt? ^ ^*^ °^ '.^ °- .*'.>:^-\. ,^°.-ja^<>- ./.-^^'.^ ,^^• o • » • ^0 ^•1 Pa -^ ■\ ^°y^k'''°-^ .-*.v;^.\. .c°'..i^i-> ,/ "^^O^ • • s 11 J^nUXy^^i^ , V- ^^--^ y ^^^'^^\/ "o^^^"/ ^^,'^^\/ "o^*^^ o > 4 o T 8t)4-] INCORPORATED JULY 19, 1905. REUNION OF THE SOCIETY OF Middletown Upper Houses INCORPORATED, AND n Am OF lEIORIA J TO Founders, Fathers and Pastors, Wednesday, July 19th, 1905, CROMWELL, CONN. r-, '^ Gilt 10 '06 Society of Middletown Upper Houses, INCORPORATED. President, Hon. Frank Langdon Wilcox, Berlin, Conn. Vice-President, John Goodhue Ranney, Esq., Syracuse, N. Y. Sec.-Treas., Charles Collard Adams, M. A., Cromwell, Conn. Cromwell, Conn., August 15, 1905. To the Present and Prospective Members, Greeting :■ Founders, Fathers, and Pastors Day, Wednesday, July 19, 1905, was a success, including the thermometer at 93 degrees which for a fortnight had been above 80 degrees. The day was cloudless. Many had to forego the pleasure of coming. Many who came had to remain in the shade. But all who came returned with a report of the celebration calculated to maintain the enthusiasm with which the occasion was fully charged. Our secretary as marshal was mounted. Two four-horse omni- buses, one two-horse omnibus, two carriages, two automobiles, and other private conveyances contained those who ventured to make the tour laid down in the program of June j. The business meeting was held at noon in Temple of Honor hall. Articles of incorporation were duly signed and sworn to by Milo Clinton Treat, Frank Langdon Wilcox, Salvador Otis Ranney, Wil- liam Roland White, Charles Henry Stanton and Charles Collard Adams. These elected to Charter Membership and Life Membership all who had contributed to the Society since its informal incei)iion on June 17, 1903. The officers named above were then elected. The following sums were contributed : M. C. Treat, Washington, Penn., . . . . - $60.00 F. L. Wilcox, Berlin, Conn., - 60.00 Rev. M. E. Dwight, New York City, . . . . 40.00 Capt. J. K. Williams, Hartford, Conn., .... 25. CO A. S. Hall, Winchester, Mass , ..... 10.00 W. G. Eells, Philadelphia, Penn., ..... 10.00 C. H. Stanton, Clinton, New York, - ... - 5.00 S. O. Ranney, Windsor Locks, Conn., .... 5.00 Mr. E. E. Abbott, Clinton, N. Y., 5.00 Total, $220.00 Mr. Wilcox, Mrs. Lynda Harrison and Mr. Adams were aji- pointed a committee with full authority to act in the matter of the transfer from Riverside Cemetery of the tombstones of David Sage, 1703, of Nathaniel White, 1711, and wife, 1690, and their remains if any can be found, to the Oomwell Cemetery of 1713 in case the Railroad Company takes possession of Middletown's ancient burying ground. The officers elected were instructed to take action in all matters covered by the articles of incorporation, to wit : "To obtain title to and to hold the plot of land on which our memorials do and are to stand ; to foster the spirit of reverence for our ancestors; to hold re- unions of our members and of other descendants of families of Middle- town Upper Houses ; and to gather and to disseminate information historical, genealogical, and biographical concerning Middletown Upper Houses and its families." Dinner was served in Briggs Hall, grace being said by the Rev. W. F. Rowley, pastor of the Middletown Ha|)tist Church. The company at 2:30 repaired to " Stocking Triangle," w^hich is bounded north forty-two feet by White Street, west eighty-two feet by the great highway connecting Hartford with Middletown and New Haven, and on the southeast by land of the Railroad Company. This triangle is a part of what was the homestead from 1650 to his death of Deacon Samuel Stocking and which de- scended by inheritance to William Latimer, Esq., of Wilming- ton, N. C. He had disposed of it some years ago and on learning of our desire to locate our memorials on it promptly paid $40 for it and has donated it to our Society. His letter of presentation was read by Walter G. Eells, Esq., of Philadelphia and will be printed in our volume. It was accepted for us by our jjresident. Prayer was offered by the Rev. Edward Eells. The tablet was unveiled by Miss Evangeline Eells, three years of age, while held in her father's arms. A photograph was then taken. Her younger sister, Miss Abigail, was present, but being only two months of age preferred her elder sister to have the honor. Miss Eells is descended from the Rev. Edward Eells, whose name is inscribed on the tablet which faces the great highway between Hartford and Middletown. The literary exercises were then held in the Bai^tist Church, as follows : Prayer, The Rev. D. B. Hubbard Address of Welcome, - The I'astor, the Rev. William S. Middlemass Response and Address, The President Oration, - The Hon. H. B. Brown Poem, - - W. R. Walkley, Esq. TwoT'ioneers— Nathaniel and Hugh W'hite, - The Secretary Recitation, Miss Haltie Hubbard Boyhood Reminiscences by a Boy of 85, The Rev. E. H. Ranney Greetings from Central New York, - Charles H. Stanton, Esq. A Chorus of Praise, The Rev. Edward Eells Benediction, The Rev. E. H. Ranney A vote of thanks was passed for the use of the church on this occasion. The Rev. Samuel Hart, D. D., President of the Connecti- cut Historical Society, and the Rev, M. E. Dwight, D. D., President of the New York Genealogical Society, compiler of the Kirby Gene- alogy, etc., were detained by the weather. Their addresses as prepared with all that were delivered will appear in the volume, " Middletown Upi^er Houses." During the exercises the batteries of the Upper Kegion were sounding their salvos of approval, and in a few minutes after the exercises closed at 4:30 the gateway of the Upper Region was opened wide and a deluge came to cool the air and revive those nearly overcome by the intense heat. In the evening one hundred and fifty of our village friends were our guests in Temple of Honor hall, and on the following day over forty of our village friends were our guests in two steam launches on a trip of eighteen miles down the Connecticut river to East Haddam, where, after dining at Hotel Swan and being photographed by Mrs. Iva Grover, we visited the Nathan Hale School-house, the State's monument to the memory of Major- General Joseph Spencer of Revolutionary fame, and saw the bell of St. Stephen's Church, cast in the year 815 for a Spanish convent. The party included Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Treat, Mr. John G. Ranney, the Rev. E. H. Ranney, the Rev. and Mrs. W. S. Middlemass, and the Rev. W. F. Rowley. We returned at 5 p. M., and so ended the cele- bration of 1905. The fifty-foot flag-staff on Stocking Triangle is the gift of Mr. Arthur Boardman, deacon of the Baptist Church and a town and bank official. MEMBERSHIP. The descendants of those named on our Memorial tablet and past and present residents of Cromwell are entitled to membership in our Society. The fee for charter membership is ^i. 00 or more at one's will ; for Life membership $10.00 or more at one's will. Life mem- bers are entitled to have their portraits inserted in " Middletown Ujiper Houses" without charge. There are no annual dues. Special contributions have been needed, and will be needed in order to meet the outlay. By adding to previous contributions a balance sufficient to make $10.00 one can become a Life member. The certificate of Life membershi|) will contain a view of our completed memorials. We urge all who intend to become members to do so before January, in order that their full names (avoid initials) and resi- dences, but not the amounts contributed, may be given in " Middle- town Upper Houses." On January i our Secretary will issue to all members of record on that date a financial report of all receipts and expenditures from now to said date. Many have signified their intentions and we desire them to improve the opportunity. 8@^It is suggested to present members that they call the attention of others of their respective clans to the importance of following their example and so relieve our Secretary from further service as a financial recruiting officer. (The President and Vice-President are responsi- ble for this advice). Respectfully submitted, Frank Langdon Wilcox, President. John Goodhue Ranney, Vice-President. Charles Collard Adams, Sec.-Treas. MIDDLETOWN UPPER HOUSES. Historical, Genealogical, Biographical. HISTORY — The history of this settlement from 1650 to 1800 will be given as full as the records permit. GENEALOGY — The prominent families named on our memorial tablet will be treated in separate chapters. Any descendant can have his or her line down to the present inserted without charge. RANNEY GENEALOGY— The effort to obtain material for a full genealogy of the Thomas Ranney family is still in progress, and all descendants of Thomas Ranney, direct or indirect, are requested to fill out lineage blanks. A blue pencil mark here ( ) indicates that the recipient is of the Ranney clan and has not heeded previous requests. A few have replied that they were of some other Ranney ancestry than that of Thomas " Rany," the Scotchman. fi@° This is the final request for Ranney data, as we mu'«t begin to number the names. Avoid use of initials. Give name of parent, grand-parent and great-grand-parent of Ranney blood, whether male or female, and so save the undersigned the labor of repeating the request for it. BIOGRAPHY — Do not hesitate to add full biographical sketches of yourselves and of your ancestors. ILLUSTRATIONS— The book will have over sixty local illus- trations taken by Mrs. Iva Grover, and over a hundred portraits. The recent interest in this line is very assuring that it will be one of the best illustrated works of the kind. THE PUBLISHERS— We have made arrangements with a firm which produces the finest art works, and this is our guarantee of excellence. PRICE OF* VOLUME — The volume will contain from 400 to 500 pages. The edition is limited to 500 numbered copies. As we now have 250 orders, the demand from libraries will soon exhaust the edition, the publishers having facilities for expediting the sale. The price of the volume in cloth before publication is ;g5.oo ; after publication, if any remain, the price will be $7.00. Those wishing half morocco or full morocco binding should give notice in due time. A WORD PERSONAL — The undersigned has now entered on his seventieth year and is anxious to hasten the completion of the preparation,! and to see the publi- cation, of this work. The work will pay its expenses, something rather unusual in this line. The un- dersigned therefore is not obliged to ask any one to guarantee against any loss. But he is not situated to order and promptly pay for all the half-tones, 150 at least, and many of them full paged ones, all of which must be done and proofs put in the copy before it goes into the hands of the printers. He, therefore, signifies his desire that any so disposed should now send part or full payment for the volume in order that orders may now be given for the execution of all plates, and thereby hasten the work of preparation for the printer. Two hundred and fifty dollars are needed for this purpose. The undersigned having taught school here in 1855-56, married a Ranney here in i860, and resided here many years, became inter- ested cof/ aviore in the work which is finding its development in the results which are now a part of our Society's history. He is grateful for the many jiersonal expressions of the various speakers at our three celebrations and which have come to him in letters from every direction. They have recompensed him for any discouragements he may have experienced. The Ranneys of England have as their motto " ExiTUS Acta Pkobat," "The end justifies the means," with a falcon displayed. He is near the end of this work, and with St. Paul he has much satisfaction in the reflection. While he greatly desires to live to meet you in person at our next celebration in , his present desire is to see the volume issued from the press. You will hasten the realization of this desire if you weigh well these final words. CHARLES COLLARD ADAMS. Cromwell, Conn., August, 1905. THE HON. FRANK I.ANGDON WILCOX Was born in that part of the present town of Berlin which was a part of Midclietown Upper Houses. He is descended from five of the founders. He is President of Trinity College Alumni, was State Senator, and was Chairman of the Connecticut Commission to the Louisiana Purchase Expo- sition. He is one of the rising young men of the State for whom higher honors are in store. This is printed without his knowledge. C, C. A. Society of Middletown Upper Houses, INCORPORATED. Cromwell, Conn., September i, 1905. TREASURER'S REPORT. June I, 1905, Cash on hand, -.----.. ^160.52 September i, 1905, Receipts in order of receipt. CHARTER MEMBERSHIP. One Dollar Each— Harriet Edna Bailey, Dunkirk, N. Y. ; C. F. Ranney, Newport, Vt. ; Mrs. Mary E. White, Springfield, Mass. ; Anna L. Francis, Glen- brook, Conn. ; Katherine Brandigee, Berlin, Conn. ; Robert Savage Chase, Lin- coln Clifford Cummings, Rosamond Cummings, Henry Savage Chase Cummings, William Leveritt Cummings, Brookline, Mass. ; John A. Gaylord, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; Jonathan Holland, New Hartford, Iowa; Mrs. J. A. Grantier, Forestville, N. Y. ; Abbie Knox, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio ; Nellie M. Ranney, Jennie P. Ranney, Concord, Vt. ; John H. Eells, Pittsfield, Mass.; W. H. Stephens, Low- ville, N. Y. ; Lucy P. Bush, New Haven, Conn. ; A. C. Smith, Livermore, Ky. ; Lena Ranney Haven, Florence, Mass. ; Mrs. IL McBurney, Phelps, N. Y. ; Mrs. Amasa A. Hull, Warren, Vt. ; Miss C. M. North, Berlin, Conn. ; Mrs. Josephine Ranney Walden, Spruce Corners, Mass. ; Edward Willis Ranney, Springfield, Mass.; Harriet A. Ranney, R. L. Ranney, J. I. Ranney, Chicago, 111. ; Leland Howard Ives, Margery Piatt, Meriden, Conn. ; Anna S. White, Waterbury, Conn.; Laura Ranney, Jackson, Mo.; Herbert H. Ranney, Cape Girardeau, Mo. ; Dr. F. H. Williams, Frances Hart Williams, Bristol, Conn. ; Theodore Anderson, Cromwell, Conn. ........ $37.00 Two Dollars Each— Charles E. Jackson, Middletown, Conn. ; Mrs. A. L. Conger, Akron, Ohio; Florence S. Brandigee, Emily S. Brandigee, Berlin, Conn. ; Augusta F. Kingman, Northampton, Mass. ; Georgia Cain, Pittsfield, Mass.; George R. Smith, Cromwell, Conn., . . - . . 514.00 Three Dollars — Mary K. Cutting, Westminster West, Vt , - 3.00 Four Dollars— John H. Sage, Portland, Conn., - - - 4.00 Five Dollars Each— Susie E. Ranney, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. ; Alice May Ranney, Granville, Mass. ; Fred E. Garrett, Oil City, Penn. ; Lynn A. Ranney, Cleveland, O. ; H. H. Ranney, Mohawk, N. v., - - $25.00 LIFE MEMBERSHIP SINCE JUNE i, 11)05. Capt. J. K. Williams, Hartford, Conn , - - - ^25.00 Miss Ruth Galpin, Herlin, Conn., - - - - 13.00 Philip Ranney Brooks, Minneapolis, Minn., - - - 10.00 Mrs. A. S. Hall, Winchester, Mass., . . . . 10.00 Mrs. Walter C. Faxon, Hartford, Conn., - - - - 10.00 C. J. Ranney, Cleveland, O, balance, .... 7.00 Willett G. Ranney, Cleveland, O., balance, - - - 4.00 Charles H. Stanton, Clinton, N. Y., balance, - 5.00 Mrs. E. E. Abbott, Clinton, N. Y., balance, ■ - - 5.00 Miss Maria S. Ranney, Austin, Minn., balance, - - 500 (She had made two others Life members). S94.00 ADDITIONAL SINCE JUNE i, 1Q05. M. C. Treat, . $60.00 Frank L. Wilcox, - - - - - - - - 60.00 Rev. M. E. Dwight, 40.00 Mrs. Lynde Harrison, -.-... 25.00 Walter G. Eells, - - - - - - - - 10.00 James J. Goodwin, - - - - - - 10.00 Edgar J. Doolittle, - - - - - - - 5.00 S. O. Ranney, ------.- 5.00 Miss Ellen Chase, -------- 5.00 R. B. Ranney, ...-..- 3 00 Dr. Geo. E. Ranney, --....- 2.00 Lemuel S, Ranney, -------- 2.00 Mrs. Howard Smith, - - - . - - i.oo Elijah C. Ranney, - - - - - - i.oo T. O. Bailey, - - - - . . - . 1.00 Dinner Tickets, - - - - - - - - 24.50 $254.50 Total Receipts since June I, 1905, - - - - $585.02 EXPENDITURES SINCE JUNE i, 1905. Postage, J555I-73 Five Hundred Newspapers, -.---. 5.00 Photos and Plates, - 14. lo "Welcome" Banner, . - - . - 4.00 Printing, 110.00 Incorporation, 12.50 Advertising, -.--.- 2.50 Catering, 50.60 Colored Help, lo.oo Mount for Mortar, 10.35 Mounting the same, - - • 5.00 DEC Two Halls, $10.00 Two Launches, ..-.---- 16.00 Searching and Copying Records, ----- 17.00 Boulder, 98-40 Grading Grounds, 23.C0 Paid on Tablet (balance due, $35.00). . . . . 110.00 Conveyances, ..---.-- 34- 5° To secure s()eakers' presence, ------ 24.50 Sundries, ---------- 5.00 Total paid out, $614.08 There is due on Tablet, - - . - . . $35.00 There is due the Treasurer, ------ 29.06 There is due present, Printing and Postage (1,000), • - 49-5° Total due, $113.56 SPECIAL REQUEST. Under the vote of July 19 all who have contributed less than $10.00 since June 17, 1903, are recorded as Charter members. There are no dues. Each Charter inember is requested on receipt of this to send a contribution of one dollar to help pay the present indebted- ness. All who become Charter or Life members before January next will have their names, addresses and amounts reported in the circular to be then sent only to members. The names and addresses, not the amounts, of all Charter and Life members on January i, 1906, will be printed in " Middletown Upper Houses," to be issued early in 1906. ' ' He gives twice ivho gives quickly. ' ' Respectfully submitted, CHARLES COLLARD ADAMS, Trec7surer. Ckomvvrll, Conn., September i, 1905. Mounted Photographs of Memorial as seen on fourth page sent on receipt of forty cents by Mrs. Iva Grover, Cromwell, Conn. P D la % V co\^^.*°o >*\-^:..\ c°*..i;j^.'^°o ,**' A' -^0^ -^0^ 'oK vv '^c,- ^ O^ -o«o' ,0^ 1*°' > r - 1 • '^0^ % ^4K*° ^^'^*^'\ "-^w' -^^ ^^^j* \^^*° ^^^"^^ "^ •^ ___ ^ ^ ' <^ . °^ *<""> fO ">. 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