[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 153 (Thursday, September 28, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1855-E1856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      275th ANNIVERSARY OF THE INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF BOLTON

                                 ______


                        HON. BARBARA B. KENNELLY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 27, 1995

  Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a milestone in 
the First Congressional District of Connecticut: the 275th anniversary 
of the incorporation of the town of Bolton.
  Bolton was originally fertile hunting ground for the Podunk Indians. 
European settlers from Bolton in Lancashire, England were some of the 
earliest residents of Bolton, CT.
  On October 9, 1720, residents petitioned the general court of 
Connecticut requesting town privileges. The men involved in this 
landmark event included Cullott Olcott, John Bissell, Stephen Bishop, 
Abiel Shaylor, Timothy Olcott, Joseph Pomerory, Nathanial Allis, Edward 
Rose, John Clark, Charles Loomis, Samuel Bump, Daniel Dartt, John 
Church, Thomas Marshall and Samuel Raymond. Bolton then became one of 
the oldest towns in Connecticut.
  During a town meeting in 1721, attendees voted to construct a meeting 
house, which established the foundation upon which the town of Bolton 
was built. On May 27, 1723, Jonathan Edwards was invited to serve as 
the first minister of Bolton. The Reverend Edwards accepted this 
position, then moved on to serve as a tutor at Yale, becoming one of 
the most celebrated writers and speakers of Colonial America. In 1725, 
Rev. Thomas White became Bolton's minister.
  In 1774, the residents of Bolton continued to affirm their loyalty to 
the King of England while 

[[Page E 1856]]
simultaneously voting at town meetings to cooperate with other colonies 
in defending the liberties of British America. Bolton residents also 
voted to offer relief to Boston residents who were suffering from the 
harsh measures of the British Parliament. Finally, the people of Bolton 
agreed to create a committee of correspondence. The members of the 
committee included Thomas Pitkin, Esq., Ichabod Warner, Isaac Fellows, 
Samuel Carver, Jr., and Benjamin Talcott.
  Today, Bolton is a thriving Connecticut town that has retained much 
of its historic character. The residents of Bolton are proud of the 
rural beauty with its rolling pastureland, its unspoiled town center 
and its historic homes. Above all, the residents cherish the intangible 
virtues of Bolton: the school system that emphasizes individual 
instruction, the hard-working residents who contribute so much to the 
community, and the direct democracy of the town meeting form of 
government first adopted in 1720.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to celebrate the 275th anniversary of the 
incorporation of the town of Bolton, CT. I know they will continue 
their proud tradition on into the next century.

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