Photo Archivist's Selection of the Month: April 2002

A Rare Find: A Photo from 1866!

The Hoyt Family Meeting, June 20 & 21, 1866

“Adjourned for a few moments to the front of the church, that a photograph of the family might be taken by Whitney & Paradise, of 585 Broadway, New York, as previously arranged. The dimensions of the picture are 9 x 15 inches, and although it contains about 500 likenesses, yet a majority of them can be recognized. Prominent in the foreground may be seen the President, Oliver Hoyt, Rev. Dr. Peck, and others.” (see below)

church image from
History of Stamford, 1641 - 1848
by E.B. Huntington

On June 20 and 21, 1866, the Hoyt family held a meeting at the Congregational Church, then located at the corner of Atlantic and Bank Streets. A record of the proceedings can be found in the book:

GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HOYT, HAIGHT, AND HIGHT FAMILIES
WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EARLIER HYATT FAMILIES
A LIST OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF SALISBURY AND AMESBURY, MASS., ETC.
BY DAVID W. HOYT
Providence Press 1871
v. 929.2 Hoyt, Page 209ff
in the Marcus Research Library

The Book may also be viewed at Google Books.

On this occasion, an association was founded, named The Hoyt Family Union.
The proceedings include a lengthy “jingle,” which started as follows:

“THE HOYTS ARE COMING!” was the sound we heard;
For the Hoyts make room at the family board;
From the North and South, from the West and East;
they are coming up to the joyous feast.

Other poems and a song are also included.

A roll of members shows participants from Connecticut (293), Massachusetts (24), Rhode Island (1), Vermont (7), New Hampshire (1), Maine (1), New Brunswick in British North America (1), New York (161), New Jersey 17), Pennsylvania (11), Ohio (2), Michigan (4), Illinois (2), and California (2), for a total of 527 present! Others sent letters, which are listed. The oldest family member then and present at the meeting was CALEB HOYT, "born in New Canaan over ninety years ago; but now lives in Salina, NY."

The Reverend James Hoyt of New Jersey contributed a treatise THE HOYT FAMILY TRAITS.

There is even a reference to the photograph taken on Thursday, June 21:

“Adjourned for a few moments to the front of the church, that a photograph of the family might be taken by Whitney & Paradise, of 585 Broadway, New York, as previously arranged. The dimensions of the picture are 9 x 15 inches, and although it contains about 500 likenesses, yet a majority of them can be recognized. Prominent in the foreground may be seen the President, Oliver Hoyt, Rev. Dr. Peck, and others.”

The book has many more details of the meeting, the entire chapter is comprised of 63 pages.

Note: What amazed the volunteers in the Photo Archive was the clarity of image, and the fact that it measures 9 by 15 inches! And how to have kept over 500 people to hold still for the photographer. A few rustling trees and swinging hoop skirts created the only blurs.

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