2Trccs of Kcatuncj, flrtass. No. 4 . 
THE NEHEMIAH BANCROFT ELM. 
White Elm. Amkkican Elm. Ulmus Americana, L. 
The name of Bancroft is intimately connected with our trees, as, indeed, it is with 
various other affairs of the town. Under the title of the Thomas Bancroft Elm (Tree 
No.i) we have already spoken of its probable planting by Thomas Bancroft about 1700, 
and of a tree near by, planted by his grandson, Joseph Bancroft. Nehemiah Bancroft 
(b. 1768, d. 1863) was the son of Joseph, and doubtless inherited some regard for trees, 
which was cultivated in admiring the tree planted by his great grandfather,Thomas, close 
by the house in which he was reared. When he set up house-keeping for himself, he 
located on the west side of Grove St. on the place now owned by Mr. N. E. Hill. 
The Nehemiah Bancroft Elm — located east of the house on the opposite side of Grove 
St., and on the line of the wall — probably sprung from seed where it now stands, for the 
side of a stone wall is a favorite place for elms to make a start, and had any one owning 
the house been disposed to plant, they would probably have selected a site on their own 
land. The land opposite was then owned by Mr. Thomas Hartshorn. 
About the year 1815 a little girl — now Mrs. Selina B. Flint (b. 1S07) — returning to 
her home on Forest St., having been to the village on an errand, saw Mr. Nehemiah 
Bancroft by the tree, and his son Miah (b. 1792, d. 1865) in the tree, which then had a 
trunk of perhaps ten or twelve inches in diameter. The father directed what limbs should 
be removed, while the son sawed them oft'. They gave it a vigorous trimming, removing 
all lateral limbs to a considerable height, and, as the little girl told her mother, “spoiled 
the tree.” But whatever might have been said to that effect then, few can be found at 
present that speak of it excepting in terms of admiration. Its measurements in August, 
1887, were as follows :— 
Circumference. Height. Spread. 
S in. from ground, 16 ft. 4 in. 79 h- 77 ft. 
4 ft. “ “ 11 ft. 6 in. 
7 ft. “ “ 10 ft. 8 in. 
The view, taken in the same month, gives a good idea of its present appearance as seen 
when approaching on the road from the south. On the side of the road next to the tree 
may be seen Claude Ulmus Gilson, born in 1878, at the first house north on same side of 
the street. The botanical name of this tree was chosen for his middle name. 
The present owner values the tree highly, and the indications arc that it will stand 
perhaps for generations to come, a constant object of admiration of the appreciative 
^In a future number of this work it is proposed to include a tree planted fifty-three 
years ago by Mrs. Selina Flint mentioned above. She has always loved trees, and does 
yet, having had three set out in this her eighty-first year. 
I 
