Watertown History Page by Charlie Crowell

Watertown History Page by Charlie Crowell History of Watertown CT

MYSTERY SOLVED - The location of this house has long been a mystery. I posted this photo in 2010 and again a last month ...
07/09/2025

MYSTERY SOLVED - The location of this house has long been a mystery. I posted this photo in 2010 and again a last month and no one recognized it.

Then yesterday Karen Giroux messaged me. She recognized the old home as 22 Falls Avenue. (See the comments for a present-day look at the place)

It’s another example of one of these “lost” homes hidden in plain sight. If there was any doubt, comparing the hills in the distance seals the deal.

Despite being labeled as “Oakville”, the house technically sits in Waterbury as Falls Avenue serves as the town line between Waterbury And Oakville and this house sits on the Waterbury side.

Being labeled “Oakville” was not an error however. This part of Falls Avenue, up in Newton Heights (behind the Pin Shop factory) and down Watertown Avenue a ways, were all considered unofficially part of Oakville in the old days.

People from these areas could walk to Oakville for shoppping, churches, movies, etc., vs the much longer trip to downtown Waterbury.

Anyways, thanks Karen. Another mystery solved.

Here’s a newspaper notice of the passing of Mrs. Frederick Judd. This was published November 9, 1891. If you do the math...
07/07/2025

Here’s a newspaper notice of the passing of Mrs. Frederick Judd. This was published November 9, 1891.

If you do the math, Mrs. Judd was married at age 14, a fairly common occurrence back then.

Mrs. Judd’s husband died in 1903. Here’s his death notice:

Frederick Judd, 82 years of age, died at his late residence Thursday night at 12 o'clock. Mr Judd was born in the northern part of town and lived on the farm during all his life. In 1845 he was married to Miss Belinda Hickox. Their sorrowing children are Mrs. Marion Howland of Warren, Charles Judd of Oakville, Mrs. Sarah Buckingham of Milford, Frank Judd of Watertown and Mrs. Anne Mattoon of Oakville. Up to a short time ago Mr Judd was in excellent health, but was taken suddenly ill at the home of one of his daughters and from this illness he never recovered.

—————————————

The other article tells of two men who went to Waterbury looking for a good time. It ended tragically near the Judd home on their way back home.

Here’s another road named after a prominent local farm, in this case, Judd Farm. The Judd family, specifically Thomas Ju...
07/07/2025

Here’s another road named after a prominent local farm, in this case, Judd Farm.

The Judd family, specifically Thomas Judd, arrived in the area in 1684. He and 35 other proprietors purchased the land from the Paugasuck Indians marking the beginning of Waterbury, of which Watertown would later be spun off in 1780. Thomas Judd had previously settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1634.

Eventually, some of the Judds settled in what is today northern Watertown. The farm later became Judd Farm Day Camp.

It is interesting to note that Judd Farm Road intersects with Guernseytown Road which was named for another early Watertown farm family, the Garnseys, who arrived in 1729.

Ball Farm Road was named for Oakville’s Bennet Ball who owned the farm where the road (and other streets) were laid out....
07/07/2025

Ball Farm Road was named for Oakville’s Bennet Ball who owned the farm where the road (and other streets) were laid out.

Mr. Ball died on September 5, 1903. The following is his obituary:

——————————————————

Bennet Ball, one of the oldest and most well Ilked residents of Oakville, died at his home this morning at 7:30 o'clock in his 78th year (actually 81).

He had been in failing health for several months, and the end was to him almost a happy release.

Bennet Ball, the youngest son of Timothy and Betsy (Brisco) Ball, was born at Bucks Hill, Waterbury, May 19, 1822. He learned the cutler's trade and worked during some ten years for the Waterville Cutlery Co, and also a few years in Waterbury.

His heart was, however, always bent on the farmer's life, and in 1881 he bought of Daniel Frisbie (the deceased Sarah Jane Eggleston's father), the farm where he had been living ever since.

Mr Ball was one of the most thorough and successful farmers in this town and was ever very fond of his land and its products.

He married Miss Emma A. Bailey of Wolcott, January 1. 1850, and she, with four of the chidren, survive him. The children are as follows:
Argus B., Harry Bennet, Frank, and Harriet Ball (the latter is now Mrs Thorpe), besides two sons who died in infancy.

Although everybody knew that Mr. Ball was obviously approaching his end, his passing away this morning caused a general sensational feeling in this locality The funeral services will be held at bis late home Monday, 1:30 p. m., with interment at Bucks Hill.

———————————-

The funeral of Bennet Ball took place yesterday
afternoon at 1:30 o'clock from his late farmhouse on K**b Hill. Dr. Anderson of Waterbury read the funeral service, the pastor of the late Mr. Ball being absent that day. Many beautiful floral tributes were offered by relatives and friends. The pallbearers were three sons of the deceased, Argus, Harry and Frank Ball, also three grandsons, namely Bennett, Henry and William Ball. Among several who attended the funeral from out of town were some of the late Mr Ball's relatives from Philadelphia. The interment was in Buck's Hill Cemetery where many of the old settlers of that locality were awaiting to join the funeral procession.

—————————————

Mr. & Mrs. Ball had celebrated their fiftieth anniversary on January 1, 1900.

Toward the end, Mrs. Ball hired men to run the farm. One of the men, William Lease, was hired in April of 1902 until April of 1904.

The farm was considered part of the K**b Hill neighborhood of Oakville.

Because the Ball Farm was so close to Main Street and the center of Oakville, it was one of the first to be sold to developers for home building purposes.

In 1917, Mr. Ball's farm/homestead was divided into 256 building lots described as “some of the best lots in town".

His wife:

Emma Ann Bailey Ball (1831-1920)

Their children:

Argus Bailey Ball (1850-1945)
Harry Ball (1854-1927)
Benjamin Ball (1858-1859)
Harriet Ann "Hattie" Ball Thorpe (1860-1938)
James Lynch Ball (1869-1872)

Here’s another clipping from 1891. In the old days you could rent a horse and carriage from the local livery stable. In ...
07/05/2025

Here’s another clipping from 1891. In the old days you could rent a horse and carriage from the local livery stable. In this case, things didn’t work out.

Andrew Curtis Hard was born in New Jersey in 1828 and died in Connecticut in 1900 at the age of 71. He lived in Watertown where he was married to Mary Russel.

Wife-beater James Warrin was an inmate at the Litchfield County Jail in October of 1891. He apparently had a drinking pr...
07/04/2025

Wife-beater James Warrin was an inmate at the Litchfield County Jail in October of 1891. He apparently had a drinking problem that led to his difficulties.

The saying "When the Devil was sick, the Devil a Monk would be" is an old proverb that highlights the idea of people feigning piety or virtue when they are in trouble or facing adversity. It suggests that a person's seemingly devout behavior is not genuine, but rather a tactic to gain sympathy or avoid consequences.

(WATERBURY AMERICAN, October 8, 1891)

So where did the name “Watertown” come from? In 1780, the Parish of Westbury broke away from Waterbury and became an ind...
07/04/2025

So where did the name “Watertown” come from?

In 1780, the Parish of Westbury broke away from Waterbury and became an independent town. It was decided to name the new town “Watertown” and while there are no records of the decision making process, we can safely say the name was derived from Watertown, Massachusetts.

The settlers who first inhabited Waterbury (and consequently Watertown) came from Farmington but before that, from Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield.

For a brief time early on, Wethersfield was called Watertown (named after Watertown, Massachusetts). That was until February 21, 1637, when the village was incorporated as the Town of Wethersfield.

It is important to note that the first settlers of Wethersfield, Connecticut, primarily came from Watertown, Massachusetts.

But despite that early Watertown name for Wethersfield, it seems unlikely that 143 years later, as the people of Westbury were choosing a name, that they were aware of the early and short lived name.

So we must trace the name back to Watertown, Massachusetts which historians say was called “Pigsgusset" by the natives which translated to “Water towne."

Watertown, Massachusetts, first known to settlers as Saltonstall Plantation, was one of the earliest of the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlements. It was founded in early 1630, just a decade after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

The town sits on the Charles River (hence the reference to water) which was a great fishing area for the Indians and later a port for shipping. In fact, early on, Watertown, Massachusetts rivaled Boston in size and scope.

If you want to go back further, there is a Watertown in England. It is just a neighborhood in Appledore in the South West region of the country. The name first appeared after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Today there are at least 9 different cities or towns named Watertown in the United States. These are located in Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, according to Wikitravel and Wikipedia.

Litchfield Road, Watertown, Connecticut. U.S.A.
07/04/2025

Litchfield Road, Watertown, Connecticut. U.S.A.

This is the 45 star flag seen in the previous post. The flag is huge. Just the canton (the field of stars) is 6 feet by ...
07/04/2025

This is the 45 star flag seen in the previous post. The flag is huge. Just the canton (the field of stars) is 6 feet by 5 feet. It takes four people to fold it.

It is sometimes referred to as a Spanish American War flag.

I’ve only displayed the flag once and had to rig a pulley system to do it properly.

It dates back to between July 4, 1896 and July 3, 1908 and was displayed annually on the Fourth of July in Watertown in the 30s and 40s.

Anyways, I hope everyone has a great Independence Day! God Bless America. 🇺🇸

Seen here, a 45 star flag hangs on the south side of the old Aunt Grace Farmhouse out at the end of Skilton Road in the ...
07/04/2025

Seen here, a 45 star flag hangs on the south side of the old Aunt Grace Farmhouse out at the end of Skilton Road in the Gurnseytown section of town.

The large flag dates back to between July 4, 1896 to July 3, 1908 when the United States had 45 states.

This picture is from the 1930s.

The flag belonged to my grandmother who lived in Gurnseytown. I have the flag now.

This clipping from July 5, 1904 tells of the fireworks used to celebrate Independence Day. Fireworks were available in s...
06/30/2025

This clipping from July 5, 1904 tells of the fireworks used to celebrate Independence Day. Fireworks were available in stores everywhere in town.

The cannon mentioned was the real deal. Several people in town owned old cannons and rolled them out for the holiday. They were extremely loud.

The lack of injuries that year is a bit surprising. It seems every year someone received a serious burn or other injury. One year a local boy was blinded, and on at least one occasion, fireworks burned a Watertown house down.

The “Brookside Home” mentioned here was Waterbury’s poor house. It was located on the hill behind present-day Kaynor Tech. See the comments for a look at the place.

Seen here, a Watertown bound bus sits at the Waterbury Green in the 70s. Buses have been around almost since automobiles...
06/30/2025

Seen here, a Watertown bound bus sits at the Waterbury Green in the 70s.

Buses have been around almost since automobiles first showed up in the 1890s, but they weren’t practical and were notoriously unreliable.

By the 1920 however, as trolley lines were being discontinued one by one, buses came into widespread use as replacements.

The last trolley to run in the Waterbury area was one to Watertown in May of 1937. After that, all routes were served by buses, a practice that continues today.

Address

Watertown, CT
06795

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Watertown History Page by Charlie Crowell posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share