Yes, we’ve succumbed. And that is not the royal “we,” even though we are referring to a British subject. The “we” is me, and pretty much everyone I know, and what we’ve succumbed to is the latest drawing room drama from the BBC, “Downton Abbey.”Who is not talking about it? The New York Times reported that people are having British-themed viewing parties. It seems to be a common reaction to a primetime British event; when Prince William wed Kate Middleton, the papers were filled with similar stories — any excuse to don a tiara. But what I want to know is, where do you see yourself? Upstairs or downstairs? Do you identify with the help? Or with the upper crust? Are you swanning about for Mr. Bates, the valet, that bastion of male rectitude? He can be seen as the bad boy in need of redemption (he has a criminal record), the strong silent type, who will be fearless and faithful; the misguided moralist. Or do you fancy Thomas? The character we love to hate, but with a twist. He’s a tortured soul. You see he’s gay, but he works downstairs and has probably never heard of Bloomsbury or Oscar Wilde. But he’s lucky; some among the staff recognize that he’s “different” and don’t hold it against him. Of course, for his part he’s not entirely sure whether he’s madder at the world for its sexual inhibitions or at the entrenched class system that makes it difficult to get ahead.Perhaps you envision yourself taking a seat in the dining room alongside Lord Grantham; note that counter to the American custom, the Lord of the manor does not sit at the head of the table.Most people’s first choice would be for the upstairs. It looks like a nice life — beautiful house, gorgeous grounds and servants to anticipate your every need, want and desire. But consider this: When you live upstairs you can get a cup of tea (that all-purpose British band-aid), but you have to ring for it; you can’t just go into the kitchen and make yourself a pot. Consider how comforting that small act actually is.If you live upstairs, there is nearly always a servant in the room with you. When you are dining — if you are having a meal that someone in livery has served you from the left, then you are dining, not eating — someone is standing silently at attention. Do you think they are deaf? Do you think your conversation is not of interest? There is nowhere you can go without someone observing you. No privacy, no boundaries. Not even the bathroom; after the maid runs the bath she’ll hang around to hand you the soap. However, it’s not OK for the family to wander around their own house. Servants’ quarters are off limits, even as the servants come and go from the family’s rooms.Talk about a class system meant to control and confine. One would almost hope to be part of the downstairs crew rather than the daughter of an Earl. Since he didn’t sire a son, the entire estate, title and inheritance will pass to whichever male heir they can dredge up, no matter how far down the line. The unlucky daughters of the Earl have only their looks and wits to see them through.It is possible to pity those privileged young women. They are unable to inherit because of the centuries-old right of primogeniture and entail. Their best bet is to marry well, but the pool they’re picking from is limited by the same class restraints they were born into. Turns out marrying for money isn’t that easy. The heart has a tendency to get in the way. And if Lady Mary doesn’t find herself a rich husband, she has no marketable skill to fall back on. An argument can be made that the downstairs maids actually have more social mobility than Mary. At least, they have upward mobility. Marry the valet, leave service and open up a small inn in a sweet little village. That’s Anna’s dream. It seems like it might be possible.What do Anna, Mary and all of us really want? We want to wander upstairs and downstairs at will. We want freedom of mobility. Tara Kelly, copy editor at The Lakeville Journal, is an avid follower of social trends. She may be reached at tarakny@earthlink.net.
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One systemic consequence of slavery is the loss and obscuring of the histories of those who were enslaved. Records were often not kept about where Africans had been stolen from or who they were related to. Families were torn apart, leaving nothing but the faintest traces of the past. The delineation point, where genealogists can no longer trace histories back, is refered to this as the “document wall.”
Today, 250 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and more than 160 years since the Emancipation Proclamation, there is a growing effort to restore some of the history stripped from enslaved people and their descendants. Among the leaders of these efforts is Mills, president of the Alex Breanne Corporation, a nonprofit organization that works to identify previously anonymous Black Americans from history and connect them with their living relatives.
The work began with Mills’ sister, who started digging into their family’s past in the 1990’s and introduced him to this emerging world of genealogy. Through that process, the Mills family discovered their great-great-grandfather, Ned Mills, who had been enslaved in Texas. His last name came from his final enslaver and remains the family surname. Through their research, they found that the document wall directly affected their ancestor, who learned of his liberation on June 19, 1865, now commemorated as Juneteenth.
“For the first time,” Mills writes on his website, “American slavery wasn’t something that had happened to anonymous people in a history book. It had happened to my family.”
The discovery gave Mills a familial pride he had been missing for years. That pride fueled his desire to help others find their own history. In 2023, Mills received his certificate in genealogical research from Boston University. He has used his expertise to help descendants of enslaved people uncover histories they never dreamed of learning.
To do this, he uses a process called “reverse genealogy,” identifying a person from the past and working forward to discover their descendants. Along the way, Mills has found some remarkable people who fought for freedom on American soil, some of whom were never freed.
Pay Bill for Robin Starr’s service in the Continental Army.Courtesy the Alex Breanne Corporation
At the Cornwall Historical Society event, Mills will present the stories of four Connecticut families: Job Lathrop of Norwich, the son of Pirmus Armes, about whom Mills has published a book; Prince Mortimer of Middletown, also the subject of a book by Mills;, the three sons of London Wallace of Simsbury; and Robert “Robin” Starr of Danbury, who later lived in Cornwall and Sharon.
A few years ago, Cornwall Consolidated School social studies teacher Will Vincent reached out to Mills for research guidance on a local history project his students were undertaking. Together, they learned about Naomi Freeman of Cornwall. After purchasing an acre of land on Great Hollow Road in 1828, Naomi Freeman became the first Black female landowner in Cornwall.
The students petitioned the town to rename a road after the historic Cornwall resident In April 2025, Great Hollow Road was officially renamed Naomi Freeman Historic Road. U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes joined Mills and the Cornwall Consildated School students for a presentation of their research.
Since then, Mills has guided the students in their quest to learn more about Starr’s story. Starr was a Revolutionary War soldier who joined the Continental Army to earn enough money to buy his own freedom, receiving the Badge of Merit in the process. The stories of his descendents’ services are equally worthy of their own books.
In recognition of Mills and the students’ work, First Selectman Gordon Ridgway proclaimed Feb. 8 as Robin Starr Day.
Preregistration is required for the event at the Cornwall Historical Society. To learn more about Mills’ work, visit
alexbreanne.org.
John Mills speaking at Quinnipiac University.Courtesy the Alex Breanne Corporation
Stephanie Saetta runs Charlie Chicken Bones, a sanctuary in Salisbury.
Dogs have been at the center of Saetta’s life since childhood. She remembers going to the library to research different breeds and trying to convince her parents the family needed a dog. She had her heart set on an Irish Wolfhound, but she was more than happy when her mom brought home a West Highland terrier.
After college, she adopted Charlie as a puppy from a rescue on Long Island. He was a hound-shepherd-Rottweiler mix who suffered from intense seizures. Some veterinarians recommended euthanasia, but Saetta wasn’t ready to give up on him.
When Charlie would have an episode, she would sit with him, nose to nose, talking him through it. She learned to look for the moment he began to come around — when he could smell her again and his tail started to wag.
“You only get one or two of these soul connection dogs, so I do this in his honor,” Saetta said. “I like to think that all the dogs that come through are going to have that person that they connect with just the same.”
Through a network of women working to rescue animals in Texas, she learned about the desperate situations facing many dogs.
With limited space, some public pounds euthanize even healthy animals to make room. Limited access to veterinary care leaves sick dogs or unvaccinated puppies especially vulnerable.
Saetta saw that reality firsthand with a puppy named Gus, a Labrador mix she fostered who has since been adopted. Gus and his sisters had been dumped beside a road, where they were living under an abandoned car. People would leave food for them, but no one would take them to the pound.
“Even the people who rescue animals down there were like, ‘sadly, the best place for them to be is on the side of the road,’” she said. “That’s safer. Someone might actually help them that way.”
Saetta knows that there are far more dogs than any one person can save, but she also knows that helping one dog means one fewer on the street.
Stephanie Saetta,with her rescue dog George and Blue (left), a shepherd mix awaiting his forever home.Madi Long
Charlie Chicken Bone Sanctuary operates entirely through foster homes, a model that Saetta believes is best for the dogs and the humans hoping to adopt them.
Rather than moving directly from a difficult environment into a permanent home, the dogs have a chance to settle into a quieter setting. They can learn what it’s like to live with a family, sleep somewhere comfortable and receive affection without fighting for attention. Fostering also allows the rescue to really get to know each dog.
“As fosters, we’re honest,” said Saetta. We’ll tell you everything that’s been bad, everything that’s been good. What their temperament is and how they’ve responded to all the things they’ve experienced.”
A successful adoption is not just about finding a dog a home; it’s about finding the right home where the dog and family can thrive together.
Saetta is looking for more people willing to open their homes to foster dogs. She understands that the thought of growing attached and eventually saying goodbye can feel daunting. But she sees that goodbye a little differently.
Fostering means being part of a dog’s journey, even if only for a short time. It gives dogs a safe place to rest, the chance to trust again and the love they have gone without for much of their lives. And when the time comes for them to leave, it is not really a loss. It is the reward of knowing they are moving on to a forever home.
Blue, Saetta’s current foster, is hoping to find his perfect home.
Blue, a 7 year-old Shepard mix, is waiting for his forever home. Madi Long
Now around 7 years old, Blue spent most of his life wandering the streets of Texas. People sometimes left food out for him, but his mangy, dirty coat kept them from stopping to pet him. Today, he has a chance to experience something different.
Blue is still waiting for his forever home. Saetta believes he would do best as the only dog in a household or alongside another senior dog. He will need someone willing to continue working with him on his training and understand that a dog with his history needs patience.
But what he gives in return is a whole lot of love.
“He’s so enthusiastic, he’s so excited for life, he’s so friendly, and he’s got such a good heart, and he loves to cuddle,” Saetta said. “He’s a good, good, good dog.”
For more information on adopting Blue or how to foster, visit ccbsanctuary.org.
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