Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/category/history/historic-footnotes/)
There have been black families living in Granby since pre-Revolutionary times. Since even the free blacks could not vote or hold public office, were not leaders in the church or government and rarely owned businesses, they are practically invisible in the history of a town.
Where do spirits go when their home is destroyed? An early 19th century dwelling at 18 East Granby Road was torn down late in 1998.
Rev. Haynes spent the next 30 years of his ministry in West Rutland, Vt. His congregation was very attached to him and vigorously objected to any disparaging remarks about their “coloured minister.”
A young man of mixed parentage—black and white—through his talent, diligent study and hard work, became a well-known and much-loved minister.
A hundred years ago, Granby had the reputation of having the best 4th of July in the Farmington Valley. The town was also famous (or infamous) for the noise and mayhem produced by the “boys” of Granby.
Sometimes in history two seemingly unrelated events will fit together to solve a puzzle—and also add another fascinating footnote to the history of Granby.
The image of Granby in the early 1800s is one of a typical small New England town. Almost everyone was a farmer, even the men who also operated mills.
The English language is not static. Despite the efforts of purists to freeze the language at a certain time period and say, “This is correct forever,” the language continues to change and grow.
Arthur E. Allen of West Hartford bought the North Granby cider mill property in 1919. One hundred years later the roof and upper floor of the old mill collapsed and the south wall of the building fell down.
A mysterious gravestone was found face down in a corner of the Cooley Cemetery on East Street in spring 2018. It was discovered by Cheryl and Chris Klemmer when they stopped to take a picture of the new cemetery sign.