Turning Back the Pages - January 15, 2026

125 years ago — January 1901

SHARON — Edward St. John has had quite a siege of pneumonia, but is convalescing. Dr. Moore of Millerton attended him.

It is obvious that some change for the better is needed in the matter of a public school building. Our teachers and methods are up to date and our books good, but better quarters for the pupils are an imperative necessity. Parents should study the matter and take some action.

While working on a barn in Cornwall, Andrew Brazee fell from the roof, and died instantly, on Monday last. The funeral was held Thursday afternoon in the Congregational Church, Rev. E.O. Dyer officiating. Sympathy is extended the widow and nine children during this their deep sorrow. Mr. Brazee was a faithful worker, had numerous friends, and was a most kind and loving husband and father.

LIME ROCK — Philip Devoe, brother of Mrs. Chas. Goux, is very sick with pneumonia. He is at the Goux home in Hoppertown.

SHARON — Miss Jennie Miller of Hillsdale is the guest of her brother, Robert Miller.

It is said the C.N.E. road will get their ice at Twin Lakes this year.

Frank Smith sprained his right wrist while skating on Monday evening.

Owing to greatly increased freight traffic the C.N.E. has added another through freight daily.

The knife factory was closed Wednesday and Friday on account of the death and funeral of Gen. W.B. Rudd. All other business places in town were also closed.

Owing to the illness of Miss Almira Cleaveland there has been no school at the Primary department this week.

After Christmas vacation the Lakeville High School was to open Monday morning at the usual hour, but the chill of the room and smoke from new fires made it so uncomfortable that the teacher thought best to postpone until 10 o’clock. Here is another call for a new school house, different heat and modern improvements to encourage the teachers and scholars in their work.

100 years ago — January 1926

The Daniel Boone Pioneers of Taconic took an educational trip to Waterbury, a few of the parents accompanied them. All enjoyed the trip.

Daniel Curtis has installed a new radio. Mr. Harry Gordon has installed a radio in his home.

LIME ROCK — James Wilkinson died last Tuesday of pneumonia. The same day his brother, Charles Wilkinson, was taken with the same disease and is very ill. Mrs. Alice Murphy, a sister, is also ill with pneumonia.

The new snow sheds erected at various windy places in the town by the state highway department have not yet received a tryout, but they are there ready for a test and there is still plenty of time for them to prove their worth.

LIME ROCK — The men have commenced cutting ice.

A change of time goes into effect on the New Haven road next Sunday. There is no change in the train schedules on this end of the C.N.E. but all trains from Simsbury to Hartford are withdrawn, and the traffic will be taken care of by motor vehicles.

25 years ago — January 2001

Work on the Farnam Road bridge began this week. Salisbury First Selectman Val Bernardoni said the road, which is closed this week, will reopen with one lane next week.

KENT — The Board of Education and Region 1 Superintendent John O’Brien were formally notified Jan. 4 that Kent Center School Principal Edward Epstein intends to retire June 20, 2002. Mr. Epstein (husband of Lakeville Journal Editor Ruth Epstein) is the longest serving principal in Region 1, having started his 25-year tenure in September 1977.

CANAAN — Subway has reopened for business and the response from local residents has been nothing but positive, new owner Gina Beligni said. She and her partner Joe Musco took over the defunct franchise on Church Street in November. The shop, part of a Bridgeport-based franchise famous for its foot-long sandwiches, reopened Dec. 13 with Ms. Beligni at the helm.

FALLS VILLAGE — A prize-winning local horse died recently after breaking his leg. Kate’s Ben, owned by Lost Island Farm riding instructor Catherine (Kate) Coons, died Jan. 1, 2001. He was a 14-year-old Thoroughbred chestnut gelding with four white socks and a star on his forehead. A retired racehorse from Charleston, W. Va., he won numerous prizes in local and national competitions after he joined forces with Ms. Coons in 1991, when she was 13 years old. Ben started out as Ms. Coons’ 4-H project with the Sheffield Whinnies. He was also her Pony Club horse. Together they entered local, state, regional shows, including Pony Club competitions in Lakeville, Lexington, Va. and Kentucky in the category of show jumping. In their 10 years together, Ms. Coons and Ben collected over 700 silk ribbons, many of which hang in the barn at Lost Island Farm.

CANAAN — About 40 shoppers and employees at the Stop and Shop supermarket were evacuated after smoke began to fill the store Jan. 4. Canaan Fire Company fire chief Charlie Perotti reported that one of the store’s furnaces malfunctioned. A Stop and Shop service technician had finished working on the furnace about an hour before, he reported. “We fired it up again and the smoke was pouring out of it,” Mr. Perotti said. He said the building still has the original furnace used by the former Leader’s discount department store. The smoke was cleared by fire department members and heat was provided by another furnace in the building.

These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.