Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 257, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1919 — Story of Great Charter Oak Tree Whose Hollow Protected the Document. [ARTICLE]

Story of Great Charter Oak Tree Whose Hollow Protected the Document.

In American colonial history grants of franchise, governmental privileges, and estates to companies for the pur-_ pose of establi-lmig colonies, to the colonies In general or to individual -proprietors wtJt±^unlH»die<U-in—-ters. The Charter Oak was a large tree, that stood in-HartfnrrUt'onn., until blown down by a wind stonn on Aug. 21, 1 856. Humorous statements, have been made regarding the age of litis great tree, ami there Isawtde range of the estimates, which run from 200 to nearly 1.000. The tradition relating to the Charter Oak is that when Sir Edmund Andros was appointed governor general of New England, he came to Hartford in 1687 to receive the colonial charter. This the colonists were loath to surrender, but, appearing ttv submit, carried it to the council chamber, when, during the debate which followed, the lights were suddenly oxtfngmshedby a preconTerU ed arrangement, and in the ensuing confusion the document was carried* from the room to its subsequent hiding place in the hollow of the great tree. Here it remained for about two years, when the deposition of the tyrannous and hated Andros made further concealment unnecessary. . ■■ «