The daily morning journal and courier (New Haven, Conn.), January 31, 1906
CHILD CHRISTENED
![A 1793 Dalton No. 208 (300] penny labled "Thomas Paine" and described as "an excellent profile, made of white metal". The image can be found in "Thomas Paine Fights for Freedom in Three Worlds: The New, The Old, The Next". by Richard Gimbel - American Antiquarian Society](https://thomaspaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-16-225456.png)
At Thomas Paine Celebration in Hartford 1906
Hartford Courant
Spiritualists of Hartford held their annual service in honor of the birthday of Thomas Paine at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Storrs, 122 Clark street, Hartford, January 28, afternoon and evening.
An unusual feature in connection with the service was the christening, according to the Spiritualists’ form, of the three-months-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Ratcliffe, of 1449 Broad street.
The child will bear the name of Thomas William Payne Ratcliffe, and the ceremony, which was brief, consisted of the naming of the child, a prayer and the presentation of white flowers to the infant. The exercises of the day began at 3 o’clock with a sketch of Paine’s life by I. R. Sanford, of this city. This was followed by an address upon “Payne” by Mrs. H. G. Holcomb, in which she spoke of Paine’s services to America, his advanced thought, and alleged that his views were in accord with those of Spiritualists of to-day.
Brief remarks by J. W. Storrs and Mrs. A. A. Jackson followed, and the service closed with a song and benediction.
There were about seventy-five present and a good supper was served at 7:30 o’clock.
An evening service was held, at 8 o’clock, when an address was delivered by Mrs. H. E. Russegue.