Connecticut
Researcher restores forgotten Black military family to Connecticut history
SIMSBURY, Conn. (WFSB) – As America marks its 250th year, researchers are uncovering stories of people whose names didn’t make history books but whose sacrifices shaped the nation.
In Simsbury, one such story centers on Esther Wallace Jackson, a woman born free to formerly enslaved parents who became the anchor of a multigenerational military family whose service spans nearly every major American conflict.
Jackson’s story was almost lost, scattered across probate records and fading documents.
Connecticut researcher John Mills spent years piecing it together, uncovering a formerly enslaved family whose military contributions include service from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War.
Mills, a genealogist and founder of the nonprofit Alex Breanne Corporation, discovered the family while tracing the family tree of a Civil War soldier from Bloomfield.
“It turns out he was a grandson of Peter and Esther Jackson. And so, I started chasing down that story and discovered that Peter Jackson had been enslaved in Simsbury,” Mills said.
The family’s military legacy runs deep. Jackson’s father, London Wallace, served in the French and Indian War.
Her three brothers fought in the Revolutionary War.
Generations later, seven of Peter and Esther’s grandsons served in the Civil War, and six never returned home.
“With every major conflict, this family is deeply involved,” Mills said.
For men who were enslaved or newly freed, military service carried deeper meaning.
“You’re fighting for the country while you also don’t have the same freedom as others,” Mills said.
Mills partnered with the Simsbury Historical Society and the Department of Veterans Affairs to install a burial marker honoring the family’s military legacy.
The marker was placed next to the headstones of Peter and Esther Jackson.
In June, descendants gathered to see their family’s untold story commemorated.
“The intent was to have every person that we knew of who fought in one of these U.S. conflicts that were a part of their family on this monument,” Mills said.
Jackson’s obituary described her as a respected community member who walked two miles to her church on Hopmeadow Street well into her nineties.
Her legacy now lives in the Simsbury Public Library, where a hand-painted portrait depicts her likeness using features of her descendants.
“We unveiled it on June 19, 2025. Now, we have something visual so that the family and the community have to align with the story of Esther Jackson,” Mills said.
Mills said the research serves a broader purpose beyond memorializing individuals.
“The information we find, the research we do, is not only for them to be memorialized. It’s to create something that the public and the community, that specific town, has something that gives them the history,” Mills said.
The Wallace-Jackson descendants say they plan to return to Simsbury this Memorial Day to place flags at the monument bearing their family’s name.
Click here for more information about the Alex Breanne Corporation.
Copyright 2025 WFSB. All rights reserved.
The Greater Danbury area isn’t exactly known as a buffet hotspot, but if you’re willing to venture beyond your zip code, the state delivers some awe-inspiring all-you-can-eat experiences. A recent “Only In Your State” feature crowned one buffet as the best in Connecticut — and that raised a very local question: Do any buffets near Danbury compare?
grow flex”>
The Top 5 Buffets in Connecticut
Topping the statewide list is the Pacific Buffet & Grill in Wallingford, celebrated by Only In Your State as Connecticut’s best. This place is the gold standard, known for its huge seafood selection, sushi bar, hibachi grill, and sheer variety. Crab legs, shrimp, steak, noodles — it’s all here, and it’s why people happily drive across the state for it.
Other standout buffets earning consistent praise include Osaka Hibachi Buffet in Stratford, loved for its cleanliness and sushi options, and Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet in South Plainfield, which boasts hundreds of rotating items and a popular cook-to-order hibachi station. Rounding out the top five are Imperial China Buffet in Watertown a dependable classic, and Royal Buffet Sushi and Grill in New Milford, which is especially important for Greater Danbury diners.
So… What About Buffets Near Danbury?
Here’s the honest truth: Danbury doesn’t have a Pacific-level buffet. But there are a couple of respectable local options. Grand Century Buffet at 1 Padanaram Road remains the city’s most familiar buffet, offering a wide selection at reasonable prices. It’s not flashy, but it gets the job done.
Meanwhile, Agogo Asian & Sushi Buffet, 15-19 Backus Ave., has earned strong reviews for quality — especially sushi — even if the buffet itself is smaller than the state’s heavy hitters.
The Bottom Line
If you’re chasing Connecticut’s best buffet, it’s worth the drive. But if you’re staying local, New Milford and Danbury still offer solid options that satisfy the all-you-can-eat craving without a road trip.
7 of the Best Italian Restaurants in Greater Danbury For 2025
7 New Connecticut Restaurants to Get Excited About in 2025
As 2026 begins, Connecticut is gearing up another busy news year. The legislature is in session beginning next month, with numerous items up for consideration that could have an impact on residents. Also, Gov. Ned Lamont is seeking a third term and the entire General Assembly is up for election, which could alter the balance of power in Connecticut.
Also in 2026, new laws on housing, cancer screening, absentee ballots and more went into effect January 1.
But before we get too far into 2026, let’s take a look back at CTNewsJunkie’s biggest stories of 2025, as determined by our readers. In scanning the list of top 10 most-read stories, transportation, elections, new laws, a new state holiday and clean energy emerged as popular reads.
Credit: Olga Maksimava / Shutterstock
Transportation
It is easy to see what weighs most on readers’ minds, as transportation-related stories made up fully half of the 10 most popular stories list.
Four of the top 10 stories (#s 2, 3, 8 and 10 on the list) dealt with traffic cameras. What towns have been approved for them? What towns are applying? What are the rules for using them to enforce speed? How much revenue do they generate? These were all questions on the minds of readers.
The fifth transit-related story, and sixth-most popular overall, dealt with the construction of the new Naugatuck Metro-North train station and overhaul of the surrounding area into a mixed-use community.
New laws
Two of CTNewsJunkie’s top 10 stories of 2025 dealt with new state laws. Our Dec. 19 story about new laws taking effect January 1 came in at #7, and a similar story in June about new laws taking effect July 1 ranked #9 for the year.
Offshore wind
CTNewsJunkie’s coverage of the Revolution Wind project proved popular with readers, but only one story on that topic cracked the annual top 10. Published on Dec. 26, traditionally a slow news day, the story about four northeastern governors demanding a briefing on the alleged national security concerns of offshore wind generation drew enough interest to rank #5 on the annual list.
Light overcomes darkness
Connecticut gained a new state holiday in 2025, and readers made the story about the announcement the fourth-most popular story of the year.
Public Act 25-59 established Diwali as a state holiday. Connecticut is only the second state to recognize the Southeast Asian holiday celebrating the victory of light over darkness. The state holiday officially is the 15th day of the month Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar. In the Gregorian calendar the holiday typically falls in September or October.
Democrats roll in municipal elections
CTNewsJunkie’s most-read story of 2025, by far, was the Nov. 5 story detailing the results of the Nov. 4 municipal elections. Connecticut’s political landscape changed dramatically in one day, with 27 towns flipping from Republican to Democratic leadership. In contrast, one town — Easton — flipped the other way, with a Republican replacing an incumbent Democrat who did not seek reelection.
At just over 36%, voter turnout was about 10% higher than average for an odd-numbered year.
Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro has $30 million for his reelection bid, a new state record
Rhode Island weighs new tax on highest earners as Trump policy pressures mount
Joe Riley’s new memoir shares life leading Charleston for 40 years
As South Dakota legislative session nears, dozens of bills already filed
Tennessee Titans head coach interview schedule takes shape
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Video: Nvidia Shows Off New A.I. Chip at CES
Pelosi heir-apparent calls Trump’s Venezuela move a ‘lawless coup,’ urges impeachment, slams Netanyahu
EU Commission examines childlike sexual images created by Musk’s AI
Lawmakers split over Maduro’s seizure. And, CDC cuts childhood vaccine schedule
Federal officials to halt more than $10B in funding to 5 states over non-citizen benefit concerns: report
-
World1 week agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
News1 week agoFor those who help the poor, 2025 goes down as a year of chaos
-
World1 week agoPodcast: The 2025 EU-US relationship explained simply
-
Business1 week agoInstacart ends AI pricing test that charged shoppers different prices for the same items
-
Business1 week agoApple, Google and others tell some foreign employees to avoid traveling out of the country
-
Technology1 week agoChatGPT’s GPT-5.2 is here, and it feels rushed
-
Politics1 week ago‘Unlucky’ Honduran woman arrested after allegedly running red light and crashing into ICE vehicle