​MISS EDITH AND CHURCH STREET IN WATERBURY - part one

Please note that some of the information in this article was obtained from articles published in the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper about the Chase family.
 
In the late 1800’s Church Street was an unpaved, tree lined, street going south from West Main to Grand Street in the center of Waterbury. St. John’s Episcopal Church was located at the corner of West Main and Church. Waterbury City Hall and the Bronson Library were located at its southern end on Grand Street. Many prominent Waterbury families lived on Church Street: The Gosses, the Eltons, and two homes of the Burrall family.
 
Miss Edith’s grandfather, Augustus Sabin Chase, purchased 42 Church Street in 1867. Her father, Henry Sabin Chase purchased it from his father in 1889 when his parents relocated to Rose Hill on Prospect Street. Henry had been living in the Willow St. area before his marriage. 42 Church became Henry Chase’s permanent home with his marriage to Alice Morton on April 4, 1889. Four of Henry’s other siblings: Irving, Fred, Helen and Mary eventually purchased homes around Rose Hill in the area of Prospect Street and Grove Street. They essentially formed a Chase compound. The exception was Henry’s youngest sister Alice, who married and lived in Southeast Connecticut.
 
The Henry Chase family grew to include five children living at their 42 Church Street home; first was the arrival of Mildred in 1890, Edith in 1891, Ann in 1892, Katherine in 1893, and finally Rodney in 1897. The children grew up in the house and then Miss Edith’s siblings began to marry. First, Ann in 1913 to Alfred Hart, then Mildred in 1915 to Richard Ely, Katherine in 1917 to Edgar Stillman; and finally, Rodney in 1925 to Florence Martin who was from San Francisco.
 
Miss Edith’s father died on March 4, 1918. So, after Rodney’s wedding, only Miss Edith and her mother were permanent residents of 42. It was a large house, built in the Victorian style. Mrs. Chase remodeled the exterior of the house to a more “modern appearance” in 1925. Miss Edith’s mother often discussed that the house was too large for them. The property extended the width of an entire block from Church Street all the way over to State Street. Behind the house was a walled garden, and beyond that a large garage courtyard area. There were three garage bays on one side of the courtyard, an apartment above the connector and five bays on the opposite side. Given the size of the house, the staff included a cook, several maids, a butler and two chauffeurs: one for Mrs. Chase and one for Miss Edith.
 
Miss Edith’s mother, Alice Morton Chase, passed away on May 6, 1933 while Miss Edith, Miss Mary, Miss Lucy and Carrie Griggs were on an European trip. Rodney cabled Miss Edith in Paris. She and Miss Mary were able to book passage the next day on a ship leaving from Cherbourg, France. Miss Lucy and Carrie Griggs booked passage later. 
 
Miss Edith was now the sole occupant of 42 Church St. Next month I’ll tell you what Miss Chase decided to do next.