This is for all the armchair history buffs of Norwich, CT. The people who have read all the books that tell the same stories over and over but never contain any of the names and information of the less than famous or infamous residents.
To you I present from the March 9, 1902 Norwich Bulletin a List of “Award of Prizes for Best Short Stories in Contest of 1902.” I wish I had more information such as the sponsor but alas all I have is the following list.
“Dixie Land,” by Elsie M. Talbot, Norwich, Conn, First Prize $10.00
“Antie Sue,” by Laura Marie Lucas, Poquetannock, Second $5.00
“Helen’s Sacrifice,” by Agnes Virginia McKee, Norwich, Third $2.50
“Interrupted Wooing,” by Frances Davis, Wellesley Hills, Mass, fourth $2.50
“Pete’s Temptation,” Myra A. Cochran, Norwich, Conn, fifth $2.50
“Narrow Escape,” Cornelia H. Spencer, Lebanon, Conn, sixth $2.50
Honorable Mention
“Echo – the Lady of the Great Falls,” Bertha Mae Davis, Putnam, Conn.
“Redemptioner,” Gilbert Osgood Webb, Norwich.
“The Tramp and His Story,” Nellie M. Gardiner, Center Groton, Conn
“How I Became the Possessor of a Dog,” Nellie M. Ward, Saxton’s River, Vt.
“Portia,” Vera I. Benjamin, Norwich, Conn.
I did manage to verify that Elsie Talbot, Agnes McKee, Myra Cochran, Mabel E Day, Vera I Benjamin and Gilbert Osgood Webb were all on the 1900 census of Norwich, CT. Mr Osgood dropped out of the Yale class of 1908 and returned to live on Slater Avenue in Norwich. I am not positive but I think Agnes Virginia McKee married Dr Ernest J. Jones and lived across the street from me when I was a little girl. I can’t prove it but I think she was the mother to Gwendolyn, a school dental hygienist and James, a survivor of the Korean War Bataan Death March in April 1942. I would love to know if I am correct!
Anyway, my point is that everyone is more than just the sum of their birth and death dates. Every person has a story, an incident a uniqueness that should be recognized.
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