From the Hay Field Before Noon
— A Southwick Time Machine Original
Eleanor “Ellen” R. Rowley died at her home on Smith Hill in Colebrook, Connecticut, on May 6, 1920. She was 97 years old, having passed just 12 days after her 97th birthday. At the time of her death, she was the oldest resident of the town.
Her health had declined following a fall in her home about seven weeks earlier, from which she never fully recovered. She was the last surviving member of a family of at least 16 children.
Ellen had at least nine children of her own; six survived her. Among them was her son, Waldo, who was born on Smith Hill but later relocated to neighboring Tolland, Massachusetts, where he spent most of his life, aside from a few years in Naugatuck.
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| The Rowleys (Waldo top left; Eleanor seated) |
Waldo was known locally for his farming. In 1899, he took first prize at the New Boston Agricultural Fair in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, for exhibiting a yearling colt described as “very fine.”
Tragedy struck years later. On April 5, 1907, Waldo’s house and two barns were destroyed by fire. While some household goods and livestock were saved, the loss was significant. Early estimates put the damage at around $3,000, though his insurance coverage was only about $800. The blaze was believed to have been caused by a defective flue. Its intensity was widely noted—the reflection of the fire could be seen for miles, and in Colebrook, the light was reportedly bright enough to read a newspaper at night. Due to the size of the fire, many thought the nearby Tunxis Hunting and Fishing Club was on fire.
Fires were not uncommon in the area during that period. On October 22, 1908, a fire broke out on Smith Hill near Rowley Pond, burning more than 50 acres of woodland as it moved rapidly northward.
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| Waldo Rowley (top left) |
Waldo continued farming in Tolland in the years that followed. On the morning of August 3, 1920, he rose at his usual hour and worked in his hay field until about 11:30 a.m. He then returned to his house to lie down and died shortly before noon.
He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth M., along with two daughters and five sons.
The Rowley name remains tied to the landscape. Rowley Pond Road in Winsted, Connecticut, takes its name from the family, as does Rowley Pond itself, located adjacent to Smith Hill.
Colebrook, where Ellen moved to when she was about age twelve and spent her final years, was named after Colebrooke in Devonshire, England.
— Uncovered and preserved by the Southwick Time Machine
Waldo Nathan Rowley
March 30, 1851 — August 3, 1920
This article is based on original primary-source research, including but not limited to official documents and records, census data, and period newspapers. Southwick Time Machine stories are living documents. Research is ongoing, and this account may evolve as new information comes to light.
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Edited Out/Author's Additional Research Notes
Some sources incorrectly list the fire as happening in 1906.
Some sources state that the Rowley fire was on April 4, but this does not appear correct.
Some sources incorrectly have Waldo's middle initial as "T"
The Tunxis Club's clubhouse had caught fire in 1900.
Eleanor is sometimes spelled as Elinor.
Burt Hill was named for Caleb Burt. The Burt family owned Hill Tannery.
Caleb was one of the first settlers of New Boston.
The New Boston Agricultural Fair was founded in 1892.
In 1878, Waldo purchased a 160 acre farm on Burt Hill in Tolland.
After his house burned down, Waldo purchased a 300 acre farm.
Waldo lived off of Colebrook Road in Tolland- today's Harvey Mountain Road (roughly #206)
Shown on a 1912 map, his large farm was on the left if traveling north.
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