By Dan Shine
Voice Columnist
Part IV
Hubbard Family’s Social Life
Attending Church: Most of the Hubbard Family attended the First Congregational Church on the Green in West Haven, beginning around 1817. This included John Hubbard, Jr. (1778-1861) who purchased the farm, and the next seven generations.
-They attended church every Sunday, and the children attended Sunday school.
-They were members of church boards, committees, and members of the men’s and women’s groups.
-They attend each of special services, such as Christmas, Easter, and Lenten services.
-They worked on a variety of “church suppers” and fundraising dinners.
-They would make weekly “church calls” to visit members of the church who were shut-ins or were ill.
-They also traveled into Milford to attend events or services at the Congregational or Methodist Church.
Harry Hubbard (1885-1967) lived on the opposite side of Hubbard Road, and his branch of the family began attending local Baptist or Evangelical churches.
Rev. George Hubbard (1855-1928) who attend the Congregational Church in West Haven, attended Yale and was an ordained minister and was a missionary in China from 1885 through 1925.
Grange (Order of Patrons of Husbandry):
-In addition to church events, going to Grange was one of only a few social activities that farmers participated in.
-They would travel to Milford to attend meetings a few times a month in the evening.
-They held office and served on committees. Committee meetings would often be a member’s homes.
-Participated in Grange degrees, initiations of new members, and competitions.
-They would sometimes visit other Granges in nearby towns.
Recreation/Social:
-Visiting nearby family and neighbors in the evening or on Sunday after church.
-Playing cards (bridge) with family and neighbors in the evenings.
-Ride bicycles in the warmer weather.
-Ice skating on the Hubbard Pond and sledding down the hill nearby.
-Swimming in Long Island Sound down near Oyster River.
-Go fishing.
-Went for car rides (once they owned a car). But not too far because they had to milk the cows.
Annual Hubbard Family Reunion:
One of the highlights of each summer was attending the Annual Hubbard Family Reunion. The first reunion was held at Spruce Glen in Wallingford in 1856 when a cousin living in Ohio returned to Connecticut for a visit. Those attending were all from branches of the family who were descendants of Rev. John Hubbard (1727-1786) of Meriden.
It was such an enjoyable event, that it was decided to have a reunion every year. After several years at Spruce Glen, the reunion would move each year to the homes of different family members. For many years the West Virginia branch of the family would make the long trip by train for the reunion.
Beginning in the late 1950s it was held at a Grange camp in Winchester, Connecticut until Camp Berger closed. It was then held at several locations before moving to the Hubbard Homestead in West Haven.
The family has never missed a year, even during the COVID pandemic. In July of 2025 the family celebrated its 170th consecutive Hubbard Family Reunion at the Hubbard Homestead here in West Haven.
We wish to thank Bryan Anderson, a Hubbard descendant, for his contributions to this series of articles.