Place Names

One of the interesting things about East Haven is the colorful nature of its place names. Shepherd's Grove, for instance brings to mind a number of images: a stand of sheltering trees, sheep grazing, blue sky.

According to a 1978 New Haven Register article Shepherd's Grove was named for Sylvia (Shepherd) Means. The Means family owned the Grove for more than 100 years.

The article states:

Both Shepherd's Grove, which is a 14.1 acre tract, and Mansfield Grove,are part of an area known as Half Mile Island. It is separated from the mainland by Bradford Cove on the west, setting it off from Cosey Beach and Bradford Cove Creek, which extends north, draining the salt meadows surrounding the island.

New Haven Register August 13, 1978

Soldier or Photographer?

I had thought that the "Leo Sansinon" written on the photograph might be the name of one of the soldiers. But I have gone through Connecticut Fights which lists officers and enlisted men and have not found the name there. Perhaps it is the name of the photographer.

Mexican Frontier Temperature

After learning that the 2nd Connecticut Infantry was re-designated as the 102d Infantry, I turned to our archival collection to look at Connecticut Fights The Story of the 102nd Regiment by Captain Daniel W. Strickland. Under the chapter, The Mexican Border Mobilization-

The various battalions detrained in the freight yards of Nogales and got their first taste of what Mexican frontier temperature was like in July. The rocky gound was so hot that men stood about on the edges of the soles of their shoes...a mid-day sun beat down upon a white-gray dust, the temperature being something over one hundred and twenty-five degrees.

Some Assistance from the Connecticut Military Department

Shown above is another view of the "Nogales Photograph" picturing the 2nd Connecticut Infantry in Nogales Arizona.

The Connecticut Military Department's webpage "History & Aventure - 2nd Connecticut Infantry" www.ct.gov/mil/cwp/view.asp?a=1351&q=258124

has been extremely helpful in shedding light on the Nogales photograph. The following text is used with permission from that website:

________________________________________

On March 9, 1916, Mexican rebels led by Pancho Villa attacked the United States Army garrison at Columbus, New Mexico. All available troops were rushed to the United States - Mexican border, but there were not enough regulars to patrol such a vast area. On May 9, the National Guard of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas was called into Federal service. On June 18, the entire National Guard, except for coast artillery units, were called.

Within days the first of 158,664 National Guardsmen were on their way to camps in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. National Guard units began patrolling the border immediately and columns of Guardsmen soon dotted the desolate landscape from Arizona to Texas. Among the many units on the border was the 2nd Connecticut Infantry. On June 20, 1916, the regiment assembled and began preparations for the long rail journey to the border. Within a week they were on a troop train headed for Nogales, Arizona.

Although their patrols along the border were important, the training that the Guardsmen received was invaluable. Guardsmen were physically toughened and officers and NCOs gained experience in handling troops in the field. The 2nd Connecticut mustered out of Federal service in November 1916, only to be mobilized again in February 1917.

The training that the regiment received in Arizona would be important after the United States entered World War I two months later. Re-designated as the 102d Infantry and assigned to the famous 26th "Yankee" Division, the regiment fought in six World War I campaigns. The 102d Infantry, Connecticut Army National Guard continues its proud record of over 300 years of service to state and nation.
__________________________________________



The painting shown above, On the Border by Donna Neary, depicts the 2nd Connecticut Infantry on the U.S./Mexican border. The painting is a National Guard Heritage painting and is used with permission from the Connecticut Military Department.

Campaign of the Second Connecticut Infantry, Nogales, Arizona 1916

We leave the Trowbridge Mediterranean Ship Document for a while, to turn to a new donation to the library. The donation is a photograph with the inscription: Second Connecticut Infantry, Nogales, Ariz. Aug. 1916. Above is a detail from the photgraph. There can also be seen a name on the photograph that looks like: Leo Sansinon, New London, Con. The photograph is about thirty-four inches long, and shows an encampment featuring many tents and buildings.

Another reference to Captain Stephen Trowbridge

Here is another reference to Captain Stephen Trowbridge from Historical Sketches of the Town of Milford Historical sketches of the town of Milford by George Hare Ford Compiled by George Hare Ford published by Press of the Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor, 1914.

Abigail Trowbridge and Eli Townsend

In review, The Mediterranean Passport, commonly called a ship's passport, was a document printed on vellum allowing American vessels to sail and conduct business in the Mediterranean without interference.

The Mediterranean Passport mystery continues as we search for information about why this document was placed or left at the Hagaman Library. The Passport here at the library bears the name Captain Stephen Trowbridge and can be viewed on earlier posts.

From an unexpected and heretofore unheard of source, at least by this librarian, comes information from "The World Bride Index," see below:


TROWBRIDGE Abigail Date of birth: 15 Feb 1783
Father: Captain Stephen Trowbridge
Mother: Margaret Hall
Husband: Eli Townsend Date of marriage: 10 Jun 1804

http://http//brideindex.info/t-surnames/trowbridge.html

I am wondering now, if this marriage is the link to providing the answer of why the document is in the library. The library has a number of books that belonged to the prominent Townsend (or with the variant spelling Townshend) family. Could Captain Trowbridge's son-in-law, Eli Townsend have passed this document down through the family until it was given to the library?