Community Corner

Who Is This Man?

A peek into the archives of the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society.

If you think you know the answer or have a special memory related to the photo, respond in the "Leave a comment" box below this article. We'll run the answer next Monday, along with a new historical photo. The image has been provided by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society. For more information on the museum's collection and programs, visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org.

Last week's question was "Who Is Buried Here?" Even though careful viewing of the gravestone did not seem to supply him with much useful information, Rick Liftig was still able to identify this as site where Bristow – namesake of – is buried.

Rick commented: "Well I put on my official NSA approved cryptographic spectacles and could easily make out these letters: Unfpuuwn jsdfljafj ....sjfijafu …wmr.j3.kj3lkj jkjjdfjkj March 8, 1814. So this is the gravestone of Bristow – an amazing West Hartford resident. Born in Africa, Bristow was a slave owned by Thomas Hooker. In 1775 Bristow purchased his freedom from the Hooker family for 60 pounds (equivalent of $9,500 today). He continued to work for Mrs. Hooker for many years and his advice on planting and expertise in crops was sought out by many in the town. But my brevity does a disservice. You owe it to yourself to stop by the Noah Webster House (or their website) and discover the amazing story of Bristow."

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Lew Block added the following: "Yes, Bristow, whose real name is Bristol with an L, but that would be an odd name for a school in West Hartford, wouldn't it?"

Of course both are correct about the gravesite, although according to the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, the marker does make sense: "This marker is for a freed slave named Bristow or Bristol who is the only known African-American buried in West Hartford’s Old Center Burying Yard. The marker reads, 'In Memory of Bristol a native of AFRICA, died March 8, 1814 Aged 83 Years.' On September 27, 2005, the Town officially dedicated the Bristow Middle School in his honor."

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