Hi everybody and welcome to the February 2020 issue of Celestial Seasonings!
This month brings with it another visit from our Beehive Cluster, M44, as well as an increasing amount of daylight. Additionally, we are having an extra day this month for 2020 is a leap year. Now let’s see what the skies will provide for our viewing pleasure.
February 1: The first quarter of the Moon will appear.
February 8: The Open Beehive Cluster commonly referred to as M44 will closely approach the Moon. M44 is from the Constellation Cancer. The Moon will be 15 days old on this date. The a-Centaurid meteor shower coming from the Centaurus Constellation will occur. As part of the Milky Way, the globe-shaped cluster, NGC2808 from the Constellation Carina will be displayed (Wikipedia, 2019).
February 9: The Moon will be full.
February 10: Mercury will be far away from the Sun. This is also referred to as Mercury being at it’s greatest elongation East (in-the-sky.org,2019). The Moon will be at it’s farthest point from the Sun and the Moon will travel by it’s closest point to Earth.
February 12: Mercury has an 88-day orbit around the Sun and will be at it’s closest position near the Sun. As well, Mercury will be at it’s highest point in the sky.
February 15: This date will bring the last quarter of the Moon.
February 18: The open cluster from the Constellation Sagittarius, NGC6530, will closely approach Mars. The Moon and Mars will rise closely together in the same direction.
February 19: The Moon and Jupiter will rise up in the same direction. The Moon and Jupiter will rise closely to one another. Bode’s Galaxy or NGC3031 from Ursa Major will be great for observation.
February 20: The Moon and Saturn will rise in the same direction with the two of them passing close to each other.
February 21: The Moon will orbit towards it’s closest place to the Sun. NGC3114 also known as a sparse open star cluster from the Constellation Carina should be visible with binoculars.
February 23: This date will bring us a new moon.
February 25: Mercury will pass closely by the Sun.
February 26: The Moon will appear somewhat smaller as it orbits towards it’s farthest point from Earth.
February 27: The Moon and Venus will rise in the same direction.
February 28: M22, also known as NGC6656, an elliptical globe-shaped cluster from the Constellation Sagittarius and Mars will be making a close approach of one another (Wikipedia, 2019).
February 29: This year is a leap year, so there is a February 29. In Irish and English tradition, women were allowed on this day to initiate dances and propose marriage. If refused, the bachelor had to pay a forfeit.
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 26, 2020
In this year, we encounter a snow train meeting a snowplow, a truck accident, a convalescent home, cottages for sale and for rent, a lightning strike, Milton’s sesquicentennial celebrations, a new cottage for sale, a former music supervisor, a devastating barn fire, Red Gate farm for sale, a large Acton-side house for sale, and a former physician.
[This sequence of Milton news articles will be paused here for a time at Milton’s sesquicentennial year, so that other articles may be brought up into this same time period. Generally, these others might require more research, which means that my usual twice-weekly pace may slacken for a time].
The first Boston & Maine Sunday Snow Train of the season struck the plow of a Milton snowplow truck partially struck on the tracks.
346 Aboard First Sunday Snow Train. Reluctantly Quit Skiing at Call For Last Busses. By PAT HARTY. A crowd of 346 skiers and spectators rode the first Boston & Maine Sunday Snow Train of the season to the Eastern Slopes region of New Hampshire yesterday and had some of the best skiing of the year. They had an unscheduled experience when the train hit a snowplow in Milton, N.H. The plow became stuck in heavy snow and did not quite clear the track. The operators leaped to safety, but a piece of the plow frame swept the side of the diesel and broke a few windows in the train. No one was hurt. Snowshoes Too. Nova Kelso, a dentist’s receptionist in Boston, transplanted from Walla Walla. Wash., called one of her first days of New England skiing superb. She did most of her skiing in Oregon and was one of he country’s few women ski patrolmen. She doesn’t mind splinting a broken bone but claims handling a toboggan on a mountainside is really tough for a girl. They didn’t waste a minute, they kept the rope tows and the skimobile humming, and quit only when the word was passed that the last buses were leaving for the station, a mile away. However, skiers did not have a monopoly, as snowshoers, hikers and just plain spectators swelled the crowd. Peer Reed Owen, 65, of 275 Gallivan boulevard, Dorchester, brought along his favorite snowshoes and hiked to the summit of Cranmore Mountain. “That ice the skiers were falling on was no easier for my snowshoes,” commented Peer, “but I soon got above them and into soft snow. It was wonderful up there looking off at Mt. Washington in the distance.” Peer is a head janitor at Harvard University’s Business School, where he presides at Hamilton Hall. He brought along his 19-year-old son, Edward, who is a sophomore in the undergraduate college. Ed does not share his father’s love for the snowshoes, but skis. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Nesbitt, 74, and 72, respectively, were certainly the oldest folks on the train, but their spirits were among the youngest. They were the pair who organized a party of 79 skiers in Lawrence years ago in order to get the Sunday snow special to stop there. Their comments would qualify them as experts as they watched the stream of down-running skiers. Donald Guy, 8, son of the photo chief of the Associated Press, hated like fury to head for the station at the close of the day. Aid Olympic Fund. Henry Brown of Beverly, train conductor, was on hand early this morning to shake the hands of many of the train’s regulars. First to greet him was Sven Cederstrom of Beacon Hill, without whom the train wouldn’t leave the station. He and Henry rode the first one and they have not missed many since. Henry (Swampy) Paris of the Initou Ski Club of Woburn made the trip and sold decals for the Olympic Ski Team Fund en route. He realized $40 for the fund at half a dollar a throw. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Miselis at New London, Conn came the longest distance to ride up. They got up at 3:30 in the morning and took the 5 o’clock train to Boston. They brought their sons, Robert, 5, and Richard, 6, to take a ski lesson from Hannes Schneider, famed ski maestro of Cranmore Mountain. Neal Mahoney was in charge of the ski car, which is complete with every ski gadget known to man. John O’Rourke assisted him in fitting bindings to rental skis or fixing broken gear. Bjarne Johanssen, ski shop owner, and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Burt Lindahl of Brookline and Burt Shea of Somerville were on hand. Margaret and Mary Reil of Woburn, Bill Rouillard and Ed Hamilton oi Stoneham, and John and Dot Mason of Woburn were part of a group of 17 that came along from the Initou Ski Club. Nan Mulcahey was another Woburnite who sped down Cranmore all afternoon. Joan Hureau and Rita Lucarelli of Everett gave the rope tow a workout. Margaret Coppinger of Medford confided that she lives for the Winter and skiing. Summer is just something to be endured, she feels. The crowd of spectators who went to make up a crowd of close to 1500 at the skimobile were treated to a pretty sight this afternoon when 150 children, members of the junior ski program, went through their paces. They were having a dress rehearsal for a television and movie short they will make later in the week. The skiing was good here today with most of the crowd playing around on the North and South Slopes. The upper Rattlesnake and Arlberg trails as well as the lower Arlberg and North Conway trails got plenty of running. The snow was deep and the runs were well packed out. This may be the year when Snow Train crowds will again reach the 1000 mark (Boston Globe, January 7, 1952).
Ralph E. Treadwell [“Jr.”] of Milton Mills was hospitalized for injuries he received in a truck accident on Spring street in Farmington, NH.
MILTON MILLS MAN INJURED IN TRUCK CRASH ON SPRING STREET. Ralph E. Tredwell was taken to the Frisbie Memorial hospital early last Sunday morning, where he was treated for injuries sustained in a truck accident on Spring street, shortly before 1 a.m., on that date. The extent of his injuries are not known at present, but it was reported that he was still hospitalized early in the week. The accident occurred just north of Ricker’s garage. Tredwell was reported driving his truck toward Farmington village, on his return from a dance in New Durham. It is believed that the truck, with a snow plow attachment on front, struck a series of bumps, causing him to lose control of the vehicle, with the result that the truck went off the highway, and crashed into a tree. The truck was badly damaged, but was saved from complete demolishment by the snow plow attachment. Tredwell was taken to a local physician, who advised him to be taken to the hospital. The accident was investigated by Lawrence Lover, the officer on duty (Farmington News, February 29, 1952).
Ralph E. Treadwell married in Maine, October 20, 1953, Louise D. French. Ralph Treadwell appeared, with his wife, Louise Treadwell, in the Rochester directory of 1960, as a Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employee, with a house at 8 Mill street, East Rochester.
They removed to Honolulu, HI, between then and 1968. He died at Ewa Beach, Honolulu, HI, December 12, 1983.
Beatrix A. “Billie” (Bishop) Meunier, formerly of Northfield, VT, but reportedly resident at this time in Acton, ME.
Beatrix Meunier became proprietor of the Sunshine Lunch and Bakery in Newport, NH, in August 1946 (Burlington Free Press, August 9, 1946). She opened the eponymous Billie’s restaurant, in the Varney Block (at the intersection of Central and North Main streets), in Farmington, NH, in August 1950.
In March 1952, she planned to open a convalescent home on Charles street in Milton.
LOCAL BUSINESS WOMAN TO START CONVALESCENT HOME IN MILTON. Miss Beatrix Meunier, well known proprietor of Billie’s restaurant, has announced the purchase of the former Reginald Curtis dwelling property on Charles street in Milton. This is of considerable interest to people in this vicinity, as Miss Meunier also announced that following a series of repairs and renovations, she plans to open the large 16-room structure as a convalescent home. It is not expected, however, that the home will be open for business until sometime in late spring or during summer (Farmington News, March 28, 1952).
Beatrix Meunier appeared in the Milton tax valuation of April 1, 1952, as owner of the Reginald Curtis homestead, which was valued at $4,300.
William P. Boivin advertised a new cottage for sale, as he had in the previous year. (He had previously offered similar “Little America” cottages for rent in 1949).
Summer Cottages and Houses. FOR SALE. New Lake Front Cottage. 4 ROOMS and flush, finished and furnished, ready to move in, electric pump, good well, pine trees on lot; good beach; loan can be arranged; price $4800. Write WM. BOIVIN, Box 51, Milton, N.H. SSu (Boston Globe, May 24, 1952).
William P. Boivin appeared in the Milton tax valuation of April 1, 1952, as owner of Lots 6, 7, Durkee cottage and 8 lots and cottages, Bowering, which was valued at $8,800.
Summer Cottages and Houses. STEVENS Cottages. Milton, N.H.; spacious, modern, lake boat, bathing. $50-$60. TR6-4577. dSu3t je6 (Boston Globe, June 6, 1952).
Shore, Mountain, Lake, Country. 112. STEVENS COTTAGES, Milton, N.H. Tel. Mil. 34-11. $50-$60 a week. Spacious, modern, bathing, boat. 3t j6 (Portsmouth Herald, June 10, 1952).
Florence E. Stevens appeared in the Milton tax valuation of April 1, 1952, as owner of five cottages and lots, which was valued in total at $6,700. (Earlier advertisements (those of 1944) place the Stevens Cottages on Northeast Pond).
Charles E. [Jr.] and Eva M. (Pearson) Perry lost their Goodwin road residence to a fire caused by a lightning strike.
MILTON DWELLING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING BURNS COMPLETELY. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Perry on the Goodwin road in Milton was struck by lightning during the electrical storm early Tuesday evening and was completely destroyed by fire that ensued. Mr. and Mrs. Perry were away from their home at the time and the blaze was not discovered until it had gained such headway that it became noticeable to neighbors in that section of town. The dwelling, which was one of the oldest structures in that area, was completely gutted before firemen could be notified. It is reported that the unfortunate couple had no fire insurance coverage (Farmington News, June 13, 1952).
The Heirs of Charles E. Perry [Sr.] appeared in the Milton tax valuation of April 1, 1952, as owners of a 50-acre farm, which was valued at $1,000.
Bad weather forced Milton’s sesquicentennial celebration from its planned location on the grounds of the Nute High school to the town hall building on Sunday, August 10, 1952.
As its name implies, the featured Goodall Sanford band was based in Sanford, ME. Norman I. Stansfield, a Sanford weaver, aged thirty-six years, was its manager, and Everett E. Firth, a Sanford music teacher, aged fifty-six years, was its director. In some of its reported concerts it featured as many as fifty musicians.
The principal speaker was Styles Bridges of Concord, NH, one of New Hampshire’s two U.S. senators. U.S. Representative Chester Merrow was also in attendance.
150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWN OF MILTON CELEBRATION, AUGUST 10. The town of Milton was incorporated in 1802, when it separated from Rochester, where formerly it was known as the Northeast Parish. Since the first settlement in 1760, the population has increased until now there are 1510 persons in town. They will be joined by many former residents and people from other communities in celebrating the 150th anniversary of the town at a program to be held on Nute high school grounds on Sunday August 10, from one to five in the afternoon. The Goodall Sanford band will be in attendance, the principal speaker will be Hon. Styles Bridges, and there will be other interesting and entertaining numbers. The committee in charge of the occasion consists of Chairman Lyman Plummer, Edward R. Stone, Maurice L. Hayes, Theodore C. Ayer, John G. Gilman, Leroy J. Ford, and Robert P. Laskey (Farmington News, August 1, 1952).
150th ANNIVERSARY OF TOWN OF MILTON. The town of Milton celebrated the 150th anniversary of its incorporation last Sunday, August 10, with a program that featured local and national participants. Although the rainy day necessitated the change of location from the scheduled Nute high school grounds to the town hall building, the interest of citizens and former residents and friends was not dampened in the least. The hall was filled by one o’clock in the afternoon, when the Goodall Sanford Band opened the ceremonies with a concert. The address of welcome was given by Lyman Plummer, who was chairman of the committee of arrangements. Then followed “The Star Spangled Banner,” by Joseph Barry, Pledge of Allegiance, and invocation by Rev. George F. Currier. The history of the town was given by John G. Gilman, chairman of the board of selectmen. Speakers for the occasion were Hon. Styles Bridges, Hon. Chester Merrow and Mayor C. Wesley Lyons of Rochester. Singing by the audience, benediction by Rev. Buell W. Maxfield and a concert by the band brought to a close the order of the day which made a very fitting observance of 150 years of progress in the town of Milton (Farmington News, August 15, 1952).
Milton’s centennial observance took place on August 30, 1902 and one of New Hampshire’s two U.S. Senators took notice of its bicentennial year in a speech on the senate floor on March 13, 2002.
William P. Boivin advertised a new cottage for sale, as he had in May and in the previous year.
Summer Cottages and Houses. FOR SALE. BRAND new water front cottage, Milton, N.H.: if you love to fish, swim and hunt, this is it; 4-room Summer home, furnished, refrigeration and gas; ready to move in; running water and your own private beach and wharf; price $4500. Write Wm. BOIVIN, Box 51, Milton, N.H. SuM (Boston Globe, August 3, 1952).
William P. Boivin appeared in the Milton tax valuation of April 1, 1952, as owner of Lots 6, 7, Durkee cottage and 8 lots and cottages, Bowering, which was valued at $8,800.
Here we learn that John Whelan of Durham had at one time been in charge of music education in Milton.
Durham Items. The John Whelans of Mast Rd. are moving this week to Munson [Monson], Mass., where Whelan will be supervisor of music in the public schools. He formerly was in charge of music for Durham, and Milton, N.H. (Portsmouth Herald, August 26, 1952).
WW II Veteran Paul R. McDermott and his wife, Geraldine M. (Davis) McDermott lost their huge barn and twenty-seven head of cattle in an overnight five-alarm fire. (A similar fire destroyed the Katwick’s West Milton barn and cattle in February 1948).
Paul R. and Geraldine M. McDermott appeared in the Milton tax valuation of April 1, 1952, as owner of the 70-acre Bailey farm and creamery, which was valued at $6,500. They owned also seven cows, valued at $875, and three neat stock, valued at $300.
27 HEAD OF CATTLE LOST IN N.H. BLAZE. Huge Barn Destroyed in Milton; Loss Given at $100,000. MILTON, N.H. (AP). – Fire, unofficially estimated at $100,000 damage, raced through a huge barn here last night and 27 head of cattle perished in the flames. Only five cows were saved by farmhands and neighbors who braved smoke and intense heat and entered the structure which belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. McDermott. The fire was discovered by Mrs. McDermott shortly before midnight when she noticed smoke emerging from the building. Fire companies from three towns helped fight the flames but the barn was leveled. No cause for the fire was immediately determined but firemen said new hay was stored in the building yesterday and they theorized spontaneous combustion may have been responsible (Brattleboro Reformer, September 9, 1952).
Paul R. McDermott appeared, with his wife Geraldine M. McDermott, in the Dover directory of 1953, as a farmer, with his house at 392 Central av.
New Hampshire Real Estate and Business Properties. Excellent Village Home in N.H. ATTRACTIVE, sound construction, 1½-story house, 7 rooms, large porch, sizable barn, 2-story workshop adjacent, suitable for business; good well, electricity, 1 min. walk to P.O. and stores, lakes and large shopping districts nearby; price .$4500. Address RED GATE FARM, Milton Mills, N.H., tel. 24-12. Su3t s21 (Boston Globe, September 21, 1952).
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore H. Ayer of Red Gate Farm, Milton Mills, announced the engagement of their daughter, Jane E. Ayer, to Donald E. Pearson of Manchester, NH, in January 1965 (Farmington News, January 7, 1965).
REAL ESTATE. IN ACTON, ME. State line property, 12-room house, could be used as two-family, guest, convalescent home or an ideal summer home. Near schools, stores, post office and churches; several large lakes nearby, plenty good fishing and hunting. Price $2900, cash or terms. CLARENCE DeVOID, BOX 93, MILTON MILLS, N.H. (Boston Globe, October 5, 1952).
Clarence E. Devoid came from Vermont. The $2,900 he sought for this large house would be worth $28,329 in current inflation-adjusted dollars.
Here we bid farewell to Dr. John A. Stevens, who appeared in various sources as a resident of Union, NH, in the period 1903-11.
LOCAL. Dr. John Andrew Stevens, aged 77 years, died Monday morning, October 6, at his home in Dover. Dr. Stevens at one time practiced medicine in Milton Mills, and later in New York state. He retired about twenty years ago. He was quite well known among older Farmington residents (Farmington News, October 10, 1952).
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 23, 2020
In this year, we encounter a pair of Milton snowbirds, a letter to the editor, Milton cottages for rent or sale, a running child, the Minnewawa Council, Little America cottages for sale or rent, a summer job (and coffee cake recipe), a fatal auto accident, two toddlers killed in an auto fire, a hunting death, and Robert E. Jones’ birthday remembered.
Sisters Mrs. Ingeborg V. “Ivy” (Swanson) Townsend, of Milton Mills, widow of Henry Townsend, and Mrs. Ruth H. ((Swanson) Iovine) Dawson, of Milton, visited Orlando, FL, as tourists in February 1951.
I.V. Townsend, a widow, aged seventy-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills”) household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. Her household included her boarder, Harold Dawson, a life insurance salesman, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH). Ingeborg Townsend owned her house on [Milton Mills’] Main Street, which was valued at $2,500.
Tourist Registrations. Mrs. I.V. Townsend. Milton Mills, N.H., Mrs. Seth F. Dawson. Milton, N.H. (Orlando Evening Star, February 14, 1951).
Mrs. Ingeborg Townsend served on the Frisbie Hospital open-house-day committee in September 1951 (Farmington News, September 28, 1951). Mrs. Ruth H. Dawson would embark upon a political career.
Milton Leatherboard manager M. James Guild wrote to the editor of the Boston Globe with his concerns that unbalanced budgets constituted a threat to democracy.
M. James Guild, a leather-board manager, aged fifty-two years (b. Scotland), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Eva [M. (Taylor)] Guild, aged forty-seven years (b. MA), and his children, Josephine C. Guild, aged twenty-two years (b. MA), M. James Guild, Jr., a leather-board laborer, aged eighteen years (b. VA), Frederick W. Guild, aged fourteen years (b. VA), and Kenneth S. Guild, aged ten years (b. NH). M. James Guild owned their house on White Hall Road, which was valued at $8,000. They had resided in the “same house” in 1935.
Meston James Guild of Whitehall Road, Rochester, registered for the WW II military draft in Rochester, NH, April 27, 1942. He was fifty-five years old (b. Wells, Somerset, England, March 7, 1897), and employed by the Milton Leather-board Co. of Milton, NH. His contact was [his wife] Eva Mertis [(Taylor)] Guild of Whitehall Road, Rochester. Their telephone number was Rochester 1162. He was 5′ 9″ tall, weighing 240 pounds, with blue eyes, grey hair, and a ruddy complexion.
What People Talk About. Our Own Stupidity and Ignorance Could Make Democracy Fold Up. To the Editor – John Harriman is right. Democracy is not going to fold before the bluster of Communism. Nobody I know of wants Communism or Socialism. Then what is going to make what we call democracy fold? Our own stupidity and ignorance – they could very easily cause it to fold up. We refer not to money, but the handling of money as the most important thing in the world. If an individual spends beyond his means, he ends at the poor farm. A state would probably be taken over by the Federal Government. If the United States becomes insolvent, with the resulting financial and social chaos, what is the result? The Government would take over control of everything and everybody. This would be a totalitarian state, any way you figure it; call it anything you want. This is the only thing that can destroy free enterprise or democracy. A free democratic government must, by the very nature of it, live within its means or, as we say, balance the budget. If it does not, it is bound to be a failure which means the end of that or any other system. M.J. GUILD, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, February 14, 1951).
Guild did not live to see $23 trillion dollar debts, which have been climbing under both parties at over a $1 trillion per year (and whose rate of increase is increasing). Many monetary analysts claim that debts of this size can never be repaid or outgrown; it can end only in a default or hyperinflation.
Summer Cottages and Houses. MILTON, N.H. 4-rm. lakefront cottage for rent, all conv., boating, fishing, swim. Aug. only. $50 wk. Write D 341 Globe. SSu (Boston Globe, May 5, 1951).
Houses for Sale. 120. A COTTAGE on Town House Pond, Milton, N.H., 3 yrs. old, $4,000, 5 rooms and bath, Youngstown kitchen cabinets, combination gas and oil range, tile floor in kitchen and bathroom, Elec. hot water, 2 bedrooms, living room, glassed in porch, full length copper screens on all windows. Completely furnished. Cement cellar under kitchen, 12’x12′. Call Rochester 780. 2t m11 (Portsmouth Herald, May 11, 1951).
REAL ESTATE. NEW HAMPSHIRE Highway Farm, $10,000 – House, 10 rooms, large sheds and barn, 90 acres, long high way frontage. C.T. BALCOM, Realtor; ME 4-2140. or Rte. 16, Milton, N.H. SSuW (Boston Globe, May 26, 1951).
Robert D. Runnells of Milton had a child run into the side of his car in Portsmouth, NH. You have seen perhaps the Crystal Motor Express freight trucks with their safety motto: “Behind a rolling ball comes a running child.”
Police Reports. Police reported that a girl five-year-old girl identified as Dona Jean Powell of 35 Profile avenue ran from behind a parked car into the side of a car operated by Robert D. Runnels, 19, of Milton, yesterday near her home. The girl was taken to Portsmouth hospital. (Portsmouth Herald, May 16, 1951).
The child, Donna Jean Powell, survived to graduate from Portsmouth High School in June 1963.
Milton long had a chapter of the unfortunately-themed Improved Order of Red Men (IORM) fraternal mystic order. Here several candidates are to have a higher degree conferred upon them in Manchester, NH.
Mystic Orders. Red Men. The 30th annual meeting of the Old Deerfield Conference will be held on Friday and Saturday in Manchester, N.H., in Odd Fellows Hall. 83 Hanover st. The Pocahontas Degree will be conferred on several candidates by Minnewawa Council of Milton, N.H., at 8:00 p.m. The annual business meeting of the Conference will be called at 9:00 a.m. Saturday. A reception and ball to Great Chiefs and guests at 8:00 p.m. New England will be represented by Great Chiefs from the several Reservations (Boston Globe, June 3, 1951).
Many of these mystic orders had their nineteenth century origins as mutual insurance benefit societies. The Red Men claimed to have their origins in the Boston Tea Party. Presidents Warren G. Harding, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt were in their time all members of the IORM.
William P. Boivin advertised a new cottage for sale. (He had previously offered similar “Little America” cottages for rent in 1949).
Summer Cottages and Houses. NEW COTTAGE FOR SALE, IN PINE GROVE on shore of Milton Lake, N.H., finished and furnished like a home, 4 rooms, flush, screened porch, good well, electric pump, will sleep 6 people, price $5200. Write WM. BOIVIN, Box 90, Milton, N.H. SSu (Boston Globe, June 16, 1951).
Summer Cottages and Houses. VACATION IN N.H. LITTLE AMERICA housekeeping cottages by the lake, boating, bathing, fishing, $35 to $45 a week; vacancy second week in July and the month of Aug. Write WM. BOIVIN, Box 40, Milton, N.H. SSu (Boston Globe, June 23, 1951).
Miss Edith J. Hodgdon, proprietor of The Little House (hotel) and Pantry in Northfield, VT, recruited her niece, Joyce Hodgdon of Milton Mills for some summer assistance. She had opened the hotel in 1940, changed its location in or around 1948 and, more recently, there had been a kitchen fire there in May 1951 (Burlington Free Press, May 21, 1951).
Edith J. Hodgdon, a commercial food work dietician, aged thirty-four years (b. VT), headed a Northfield, VT, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. Her household included her hotel guest, Rufus C. Jones, a memorial granite salesman, aged forty-two years (b. TX). The hotel was situated at 9 North Main Street. Edith J. Hodgdon had resided in Boston, MA, in 1935; her guest had resided in Colfax, WA, in 1935.
Edith J. Hodgdon appeared in the Northfield, VT, directory of 1949 as proprietor of The Little House and Pantry, with her house at 40 So. Main street. The Little House and Pantry appeared as a restaurant and tea room at 40 So. Main street, with Edith J. Hodgdon as its proprietor.
Personal News Items. Miss Joyce Hodgdon of Milton Mills, N.H., a senior in Milton High School, is assisting at The Little House this summer. She is a niece of the owner, Miss Edith Hodgdon (Burlington Free Press, July 11, 1951).
And if Joyce Hodgdon were to have brought home to Milton Mills her Aunt Edith’s Quick Coffee Cake recipe, it would have looked like this:
Favorite Recipes of Famous Taverns. The Little House and Pantry. Next to the post office in the village of Northfield, Vermont, this restaurant, owned by Edith Hodgdon, specializes in real New England dishes. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., every day. Closed December 20 to January 5. Baked goods may be purchased in the Pantry.
LITTLE HOUSE QUICK COFFEE CAKE
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons shortening
2 eggs
1¼ cups milk
2½ cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs, beat well. Stir in milk and dry ingredients. Spread in oblong 9 x 12 cake pan and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts. Bake in moderate oven. Serve warm with butter. Makes 12 portions (Ford Times, December 1956).
Herbert M. Drew of Milton is thought to have suffered a heart attack while driving to Farmington, NH, on the Farmington-Middleton road, i.e., the modern NH Route 153. Drew died and his wife was injured in the ensuing accident.
Five Killed in New England Road Accidents. Five persons were killed and several others were injured yesterday in a series of accidents through New England. In Farmington, N.H., Herbert M. Drew, 53, of Milton, N.H., was killed and his wife was seriously injured when their car careened down a steep embankment on the Farmington-Union road. Mrs. Irma Drew, 43, suffered a fractured right leg, head injuries, and a dislocated knee. She was rushed to Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester. Dr. George McGregor of Durham, medical referee, said the accident may have been caused when Drew had a heart attack. He was treated for a heart condition recently. Drew died from the injuries suffered in the accident. Dr. McGregor said. (Portsmouth Herald, August 7, 1951).
MILTON MAN DEAD, WIFE HOSPITALIZED, AFTER AUTO ACCIDENT ON MIDDLETON ROAD. Herbert M. Drew, aged 53, a resident of Milton and recently employed as a chimney cleaner, lost his life, and his wife was hospitalized when the car he was driving plunged off the Farmington-Middleton highway last Monday morning between 9 and 10 o’clock. The accident occurred as Mr. and Mrs. Drew were on their way to work in Farmington and it is believed that Mr. Drew suffered a heart attack as the car was rounding a sharp curve in the road directly opposite the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Tibbets. The vehicle went out of control, plunged down over a steep embankment and turned over on its side. The front end of the vehicle crashed into a large pine tree, causing considerable damage. Mrs. Drew the only other passenger in the oar was taken to the Frisbie Memorial hospital in Rochester and was later removed to the Huggins hospital in Wolfeboro where she is being treated for head injuries, leg and hip injuries, with possible fracture of both and severe bruises. Dr. George MacGregor of Durham, the attending medical referee, pronounced the man dead upon arrival at the scene and the body was removed to the Norman L. Otis funeral parlor. Mrs. Drew is a well known beauty parlor operator in Farmington and her husband had been employed variously as a woodsman, chimney cleaner, and at other occupations. They lived a short distance from the accident scene. Rural mail carrier Harry Nute narrowly escaped being involved in the accident. At the time of the crash he was scheduled to stop at mail boxes only a scant few feet from where the Drew car left the road, however due to extra heavy mail he was a few minutes late and thereby escaped possible injuries to himself and damage to his car. Mr. Drew was born in Concord and survivors include his wife, Mrs. Irma Drew; a son Frederick Drew of Laconia; two sisters, Mrs. Arthur Foote and Mrs. Leonard, both of Concord; and three brothers, Harry of Bow, Chester of Meredith, and Andrew of Concord. Funeral services were held on Wednesday afternoon at the Norman L. Otis funeral parlor. Remains were taken to Bow (Farmington News, August 10, 1951).
Late in the evening of the same day as the accident, and less than a mile away on the same road, a drunken Milton Mills driver crossed over into oncoming traffic, causing a head-on collision in which seven people were injured, one of them hospitalized (Farmington News, August 10, 1951). (There was a serious roll-over accident on this road in December 1949).
CARD OF THANKS. I am deeply grateful for the cards, flowers, and many kindnesses and expressions of sympathy in my recent great misfortune. Mrs. Irma Drew (Farmington News, August 17, 1951).
Mrs. Irma Drew may have suffered after-effects from the accident in which her husband died. She published the following notice a year after she sustained her injuries.
NOTICE! MRS. IRMA DREW wishes to notify her friends and customers that she will be at Wolfeboro Hospital for a few days. Her shoppe will be open for telephone calls and future appointments, under the care of her apprentice, Miss Phyllis Masse (Farmington News, August 22, 1952).
Two young children burned to death in a horrible fire on Jug Hill Road in Milton Mills. Their family had only recently moved here from Gorham, NH.
Cornelius R. Murphy, a paper mill laborer, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Gorham, NH, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of one year), Leah B. [(Cousens)] Murphy, aged twenty-two years (b. ME), his child, Mary E. Murphy, aged one month (b. NH), and his step-child, Bobby A. Poutin, aged three years (b. ME). Cornelius R. Murphy rented their house on Lancaster Road, for $10 per month, He had resided in the “same place,” i.e., Gorham, NH, in 1935, while his wife had resided in Portland, ME.
Cornelius R. Murphy (with wife Leah B. Murphy) appeared in the Gorham, NH, directory of 1948 as an employee of the BCo, i.e., the Brown Company, with a house on Upper Main street.
Sisters, 3 and 2, Burned to Death in Parked Auto. MILTON MILLS, N.H., Oct. 11. – Two little sisters burned to death in a fire which destroyed an automobile parked outside their parents’ farmhouse on Jug Hill road at noon today. The victims were Lynn Murphy, 3, and Donna, 2, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Murphy. The family moved here from Gorham only a month ago. Medical Referee George McGregor of Durham said he believed the children set the car afire while playing with matches. However, State Police were called in to investigate. The parents had missed the little girls, but had no idea they were in the automobile until firemen extinguished the flames. Lynn and Donna had been playing in the yard with their kitten when last seen alive. There are three other children, Adrian, 10; Cornelius Jr., 6, and Mary, 11 (Boston Globe, October 11, 1951).
Alphonse P. Plante of Dover, NH, son of Joseph E. and Marie E. (Lavertue) Plante, lost his life in a Milton hunting accident.
18 PERSONS DEAD IN NEW ENGLAND. Fires, Drownings, Highway Crashes Take Big Week-End Toll. HUNTER WOUNDED FATALLY IN N.H. Alphonse E. Plante. 21, of Dover, N.H., who had enlisted in the Marine Corps only a week ago, was killed when his shotgun banged against a stump and discharged into his abdomen while he was hunting in Milton, N.H. (Brattleboro Reformer, December 3, 1951).
Famous Milton-native Robert E. Jones’ birthday was remembered in syndicated newspaper birthday columns around the nation.
Today’s Birthdays. Robert E. Jones of New York, noted stage designer, born Milton, N.H., 64 years ago (Shreveport Times, December 12, 1951).
Do you ever read about something in the news that gets your blood boiling? HB1147 currently in committee in the state legislature gets mine up to a thousand degrees. Don’t get me wrong: it’s a positive, simple, and logical piece of legislation that needs to be voted into law without hesitation, but the fact that such legislation is needed speaks volumes about the state of liberty and government overreach these days.
HB1147 prohibits a city, town, or village district from licensing a lemonade stand operated by a person under the age of 18. It is an amendment to RSA 31:102-a which applies to “Hawkers, Peddlers, and Vendors” and allows municipalities to “adopt, by ordinance or regulation, provisions for the licensure and regulation of itinerant vendors, hawkers, peddlers, traders, farmers, merchants, or other persons who sell, offer to sell, or take orders for merchandise from temporary or transient sales locations within a town or who go from town to town or place to place within a town for such purposes.” Lest you think we’re talking about just a “friendly reminder” here, think again: “Any person who violates any provision of such ordinance or regulation shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor, and each continuing day of violation after notice shall constitute a separate offense.” The moment you don’t comply to bureaucrats in power, they start up with their threats and fines and escalate from there.
So why all the interest in lemonade? In case you haven’t heard, police across the country have been shutting down lemonade stands run by kids for years. It could be a coincidence, but the first reported case of a municipality shutting down a kid-run concession stand occurred in Salem Common, Taxachusetts on August 3, 2005 after a nearby sausage vendor complained to the police that a lemonade stand run by a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old was hurting his business. A county inspector in Maryland closed down a kids’ lemonade stand and fined their parents $500 on June 16, 2011. On April 16, 2012, city health officials in Hopkinton, Taxachusetts shut down the Westbury family stand that sold lemonade, cookies, and banana bread from the end of their driveway to spectators at the Boston Marathon and donated the proceeds to the Relay for Life anti-cancer charity. The official explanation was lack of a permit. On August 8, 2013, police in Queens, New York shut down a lemonade stand run by 9-year-old Nora and 11-year-old Jameala Lahoud also because they didn’t have a permit. On July 28, 2018, a New York State Health Department bureaucrat ordered a 7-year old to stop selling lemonade from a stand set up in his backyard in Ballston Spa, New York. The list of “crimes” committed throughout the country goes on and on.
Why would anyone deny young people the opportunity to become budding entrepreneurs and learn life skills that encourage independence and self-reliance? A study in Educational Psychology Journal found that early youth engagement leads to future entrepreneurs. A Youth Impact Report in 2017 compared kids who had been involved in the national Lemonade Day program (which teaches children how to gain practical entrepreneurial experience by running a lemonade stand) to those who had not been involved. It found that 31% of the Lemonade Day kids are running their own businesses today while only 4% of the non-Lemonade Day kids are running their own businesses. One father penned “3 Sales Lessons You Can Learn from a Simple Lemonade Stand” after observing what his own son learned from his lemonade stand: fearlessness, cross-selling, and understanding what your customer is really buying. Just ask Warren Buffett or Todd Graves, founder of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers enterprise, where they got their first taste of business smarts: selling lemonade. To most of us older folks, kids selling lemonade was a normal part of childhood on the way to adulthood. Today the growth of government — with its strangulating reach of the administrative state — has coincided with overwhelming efforts to extend childhood later and later and treat young adults like children. (In San Francisco, where I used to live, the voters actually passed a ballot measure extending “youth” benefits up to age 24.) Is it any wonder that there’s a whole crop of “youth” out there in colleges and universities who have been so overprotected by helicopter parents that they can’t deal with the normal responsibilities and stress of adult life and are justifiably called snowflakes? Clearly more children-run lemonade stands are needed, not less.
Another strange twist to this whole lemonade business is the bill only protects those under the age of 18. Aside from the fact that this is age discrimination — something that those who believe “there ought to be a law” for everything we say or do profess to be opposed to — what has age got to do with “public safety”? Isn’t “public safety” the justification for all these types of licensing, fees, and regulations? Is an adult more likely than a child to put arsenic in lemonade he/she is selling to the public? If not, then what’s the reason for the original law and now apparently the need to grant an exemption? It turns out “public safety” is the least of the real reasons for enacting such laws. It’s all about eliminating the competition, and that’s all it’s ever been or will be about. Occasionally the real truth slips out. Police in Appleton, Wisconsin informed children that despite legally selling lemonade and cookies in their front yard during an annual city festival for the last 7 years, a new ordinance bans these sales in order to protect licensed vendors. In Denver police shut down a lemonade stand last spring run by two young boys who were raising money for Charity International because they didn’t have a permit that would have cost $30. And how did the police happen to notice their stand? They were “informed on” by a lemonade vendor at a nearby festival who was charging 10 times as much as the kids for a glass of lemonade. To me, this sounds a lot more like an extortion racket (“pay to play”) than “protecting” the public.
This brings up the whole question of government licensing and regulation. Don’t get me started! The explosion of licensing of jobs has reached epidemic proportions all over the country, and I am not happy to report that New Hampshire is doing poorly in this department these days. A cursory glance at what current bills state legislators are cooking up to license more jobs this year include art therapists; massage, reflexology, and Asian bodywork therapy; music therapists; pharmacy benefits managers, and locksmiths. At the rate they’re going, will the politicians soon be requiring licensing just to work at McDonald’s? Lest you think I’m exaggerating how absurd the licensing-industrial complex has boomed these days, here are a few facts to ponder: 1) In 1950, only 5% of jobs required a license, but in 2020, it’s 30%–and getting higher all the time; 2) 37 states require a license just to shampoo hair in a salon; 3) Over 20 states require a license to paint houses; and 4) On average, emergency medical technicians require 120-150 hours of training to be licensed, but interior decorators need to complete 2,200 hours of training. Is there no end to this authoritarian paternalism? Do consumers really need to be treated as helpless children who can’t choose their own service providers based on reputation, word-of-mouth, and voluntary professional association certifications? Does a piece of paper issued by a government bureaucrat really guarantee that an individual or business is going to provide “safe” and sound service?
Another issue HB1147 broaches is local control versus central control. As a general rule, local control is the lesser of the two evils because, just as people differ, so can communities. Certainly urban, suburban, and rural folks tend to all have different political values and sensibilities, so as long as overreaching laws are kept local and not imposed on all communities, at least one can “vote” with their feet. However, when laws are passed statewide or even nationally, then voting with your feet is less effective. That said, tyranny is alive and thriving at the local level, and often times the biggest violations of individual rights happen locally when power-hungry selectmen, and planning board and zoning board members throw their weight around and ignore property rights and constitutional protections. So, in this case, though it’s a state law that overrules local control, it does protect individual rights — though in a small way — and puts a harness on local busybodies, so it should get 100% support.
I will keep an eye on what happens with this bill. It was introduced on January 8, 2020 and referred to the Municipal and County Government Committee. It’s due out of committee on March 5, 2020, so let’s see what the politicians do with it. I’ll be watching how Reps. Hayward and Rooney and Senator Bradley vote on it when it comes to a vote. I can’t imagine any reasonable person opposed to this bill, but in politics anything is possible!
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 19, 2020
In this year, we encounter a retired headmaster’s lecture, chicken dinners at the Hotel Braemore, real estate, a Goodwin Road fire, highway construction, escaped Strafford County prisoners, and a West Milton camp for sale.
Dr. George E. Carmichael, a retired headmaster, was apparently an early “snowbird.” He gave a lecture to other retirees in Florida on the last survivor of Bunker Hill, i.e., Ralph Farnham of Milton Mills. (Ralph Farnham’s swan song appeared in various news articles of 1860).
Retired Teacher Will Give Talk. “The Last Survivor of Bunker Hill” will be the lecture topic of Dr. George E. Carmichael, Milton Mills, N.H., at 2 p. m. today at the Tourist Center Lounge. His talk is sponsored by the International Retired Teachers Association. Dr. Carmichael is retired headmaster of the Milton Mills Preparatory School. Dr. Arnold D. Collier, president of the teachers organization, has extended an invitation to members of the Friday Night Club and the New Hampshire Society to attend the Monday meeting (Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, FL), January 16, 1950).
Dr. George E. Carmichael is principally remembered as the founder of the Brunswick Preparatory school of Greenwich, CT, which he founded in 1902, and of which he was headmaster until 1933.
His obvious Milton Mills connection was his wife, who was a daughter of Everett F. and Carrie B. (Ricker) Fox of Milton Mills. George E. Carmichael, a teacher, aged thirty-seven years, married in Milton, December 25, 1912, Helen G. Fox, aged thirty-one years, he of Greenwich, CT, and she of Milton. Rev. Myron P. Dickey, then of Kennebunk, ME, performed the ceremony.
Al Braman turned over the proprietorship of the Hotel Braemore to his wife, Madeleine (Van Reybroeck) Braman. She advertised reasonable rates, hotel dining room hours, and special chicken dinners.
HOTEL BRAEMORE. Milton, N.H. Special Chicken Dinners $1.00. Open 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Transient rooms, $1.50 single, $3.00 double. Some furnished 2-room Apts. Reasonable weekly rates. Madeleine Braman, prop. (Farmington News, February 3, 1950).
Madeleine (Van Reybroeck) Braman was born in Moerkerke, West Vlaanderen, Belgium, July 6, 1896. She died in Inglewood, Los Angeles, CA, January 28, 1977.
Henry H. Pillman had still his Mountain View camp for sale, as he had in the previous year.
Summer Cottages and Houses. MILTON. N.H. Shore front camp, $3300 ; also lots. Call LY 5-4311 (Boston Globe, April 9. 1950).
FARM, VILLAGE HOMES. 6-RM. house, 5 acres, oil furnace; near school, stores and church; $2300. Brook H. Jedrey, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, April 16, 1950).
Realtor Chester T. Balcom of Melrose, MA, offered several Milton properties for sale. He would seem to have had a local agent or representative with a Milton telephone number.
REAL ESTATE. NEW HAMPSHIRE. Route 16, 8 single and double cabins, furnished, running water, flush toilets, sinks, stoves, electric lights, septic tanks, excellent fishing, swimming; prominent location. C.T. BALCOM. MElrose 4-2140 and Milton, N.H. W AMS AM Su (Boston Globe, April 19, 1950).
REAL ESTATE. MILTON, N.H. – Colonial, 8 rooms, steam heat, barn, 25 acres, in field and woodland, $5700. C.T. BALCOM. Realtor. MElrose 4-2140; Route 16, Milton, N.H.; tel. Milton 41-32. SSu (Boston Globe, May 6, 1950).
Leslie W. and Hazel A. (Perkins) Anderson had a two-alarm fire that damaged the second story of their two-story Goodwin Road house.
Leslie W. Anderson, a shoe shop wood heeler, aged forty-four years (b. MA), headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Hazel A. Anderson, aged forty-two years (b. NH), his children, Ellaine A. Anderson, aged sixteen years (b. NH), and Lena E. Anderson, aged fifteen years (b. NH), and his boarder, Jacob M. Swinerton, a shoe shop treer, aged thirty-seven years (b. NH). Leslie W. Anderson owned their house, which was valued at $1,200. They had resided in Farmington, NH, in 1935.
Leslie Walter Anderson, of Goodwin Road, Milton, registered for the WW II military draft in Rochester, NH, April 27, 1942. His mailing address was P.O. Box 71, Farmington, NH. He was aged forty-six years (b. Stoneham, MA, June 21, 1895), and worked at the Rondeau Shoe Co. in Farmington, NH. Hazel A. Anderson, of Goodwin Road, Milton (or P.O. Box 71, Farmington, NH), was given as his contact. Leslie W. Anderson was 5′ 10″ tall, weight 163 pounds, and had brown hair, brown eyes, and a light complexion.
FIRE DAMAGES HOME OF LESLIE ANDERSON IN MILTON. Fire of unknown origin cause considerable damage to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Anderson on the Goodwin road in Milton last Monday night. The blaze, which originated in an upstairs room of the two-story house, was discovered by the Anderson family who were occupying the first-floor rooms at the time. They immediately called the Milton fire department and firemen were quickly dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, the Milton fire chief called for assistance from the Farmington fire department and Chief Gibbs sent Farmington’s new tank truck unit. The two departments worked together as a team, and the superb performance of the tank truck, soon had the fire under control, but only after one room of the house was gutted and other portions of the upstairs considerably damaged. Damage is unofficially estimated at close to $1,000 (Farmington News, April 21, 1950).
In the Milton taxpayer inventory, i.e., property assessment, of April 1949 (for the year 1950), Leslie Anderson’s property included the 90-acre Hersey farm ($200) and its woodland ($200), the 45-acre Daniel Goodwin farm ($150) and its woodland ($150), the 45-acre George Goodwin farm ($250) and its woodland ($100), and the 5-acre Canney farm ($1,000). His residence, and the property damaged by fire, would seem to have been the 5-acre Canney farm.
Highway construction in Milton was being “figured,” presumably by the NH State Department of Transportation, for May 11.
New England Building Projects. According to Gainey’s Construction Newsletter the following is a partial list of projects now being figured. Silver Lake Elem Schl, Athol, Extn., May 11; Sanders St. Elem. School (Addn & Alts), Athol, Extn., May 11; New Church & Parish Hse. (Alts), Quincy, May 11; Elementary School, Dover, N.H., Ext., May 11; Bridge, Conway, N.H., May 11; Highway, Milton, N.H., May 11; Theatre & Stores, Littleton, N.H., May 12; Parochial School, Salem, May 12; Concr. & Stone Msnry. Bridge & Approaches, Grafton County, N.H., May 16; Install Fire Detection System, Chelsea, May 17; Day Sq. Station, E. Boston, May 18; Alt. to Four Schools, Lexington, May 18; Elem. School Addn., Hadley, May 22; Hospital (Alts. & Addn.), Brattleboro, Vt., May 23; Pierce Elem. School, W. Newton, May 23; Hospital, Fort Kent, Me., May 26; Hospital (Addn. & Alts.), So. Braintree, May 31; Housing Project 200-2, Worcester, June 2; Motor Vehicle Storage Bldg., North Scituate, RI, Abt. June 16 (Boston Globe, May 7, 1950).
Bernard G. Sprague of Acton, ME, pled “not guilty” to charges of setting fire to the Milton Mills Knights of Pythias hall. He was held until bail could be determined.
Bernard Sprague, a lumber (firewood) chopper, aged twenty years (b. Waterboro, ME), headed an Acton, ME, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Virginia [M. (Smith)] Sprague, aged twenty years (b. VA), and his child, Irving Sprague, aged one month (b. ME). Bernard Sprague rented their house on the Milton Mills Road, for $3 per month.
Bernard Sprague enlisted in the U.S. Army in Portland, ME, May 25, 1943. He had a grammar school education (as did most people). In civilian life he had held what the army classed as semi-skilled jobs: “chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor.” He was born in Maine in 1920, and stood 68″ (5′ 8″) tall.
Maine Man Held for N.H. Grand Jury on Charge of Arson. ROCHESTER. N.H., April 28 – Following a hearing in Municipal Court today, Judge Justin A. Emery found probable cause to hold Bernard Sprague, 30, of Acton, Me., for September grand jury action on a charge of arson. The state alleged that Sprague set fire to the wooden three-story Knights of Pythias building, owned by the town of Milton, at Milton Mills. N.H., on April 20. The building was nearly destroyed in a blaze fought by firemen of five communities. Sprague, represented by Municipal Judge Errol S. Hall of Farmington, pleaded not guilty. County Solicitor Alfred Catalfo presented eight witnesses, including two women, who were across the street and testified they saw Sprague enter the building a short time before the fire broke out. Defense presented no evidence. As bail was beyond the jurisdiction of the local court, Sheriff Wilfred J. Pare and Deputy Sheriff Hervey Tanner took Sprague, father of several children, to the House of Correction (Boston Globe, April 21, 1950).
On August 6, after three months in jail, Bernard Sprague and another prisoner, Leonard I. Boutin, overpowered Strafford County’s head jailer, took his keys, and escaped. Boutin, who had a prior drunk-driving conviction in his native Vermont, was “working off” his time on a Strafford County drunk-driving charge.
Prisoners Who Fled N.H. Jail Sought. DOVER. N.H. Aug. 7 (AP) – Police searched today for two prisoners who escaped from the Strafford County Jail near here. Bernard Sprague, 30, of Milton Mills, and Leonard Boutin, 37, of Vermont, overpowered and injured the head jailer, Daniel Cronin of Dover, late yesterday afternoon. A jail official said the two escapees hid in a dark corner near the main door of the jail and rushed the head jailer as he was releasing another prisoner to help with evening chores. Cronin’s hip was injured as the two fleeing men pushed him to the floor. A cordon, consisting of local and state police end deputy sheriffs, surrounded the area, but no trace of the convicts was found (Boston Globe, August 7, 1950).
Posse Searches For Two Escaped Prisoners in Dover. Two prisoners, who fled the Strafford county jail in Dover late yesterday, are still on the loose today. Sheriff Wilfred Pare said all-night search for the men was unsuccessful, although a posse made up of deputies, state and local police combed the wooded areas near the jail. Pare said the men are Bernard Sprague, 30, of Acton, Me., who faces the Superior court in September on a arson charge, and Leonard Boutin, 37, of Bennington, Vt. Boutin is working out a $199 fine assessed by the Somersworth municipal court on a drunken driving charge (Portsmouth Herald, August 7, 1950).
ONE OF TWO ESCAPED PRISONERS IS CAPTURED. MILTON MILLS, N.H., Aug. 8 (AP). – One of two prisoners who broke out of Strafford county jail in Dover after slugging a guard Sunday was captured in woods today. Leonard Boutin, 37, surrendered without a struggle to a posse headed by Sheriff Wilfred J. Page (Rutland Daily Herald (Rutland, VT), August 9, 1950).
Two Strafford County Jail Fugitives Back. STATE AP NEWS. Dover, Aug. 9. – Two prisoners who slugged a guard and broke out of Stratford county jail last Sunday were back in custody today. BERNARD SPRAGUE, 30, returned to the jail last night with his wife, Virginia, 23 [30], and six children ranging in age from one to seven. Mrs. Sprague said: “I told the sheriff if I could find him I was going to make him give himself up.” She didn’t give any details, SPRAGUE arrived at the jail as a posse was searching for him in a wooded area in Milton where Leonard Boutin, 37, was captured without a struggle several hours earlier. Sprague and Boutin escaped by overpowering Guard Daniel Cronin and seizing his keys. Sprague was awaiting a hearing on an arson charge. Boutin serving an eight months sentence (Nashua Telegraph, August 9, 1950).
The Town Warrant for Tuesday, March 13, 1951 included Article 32: “To see if the Town will vote to retain the Knights of Pythias lot in Milton Mills Village for use as a park in future years, allowing the Selectmen to sell a narrow piece adjoining the property of Mr. Lombard.”
Nothing has come to hand regarding the disposition of Sprague’s case. He died January 3, 1959, aged thirty-eight years.
Harlan Feyler of Farmington, NH, offered to swap a nearly completed four-room West Milton house for a car of equal value.
FOR SALE. CAMP 12 FT. by 20 ft. with addition of 15 ft. by 20 ft. most completed for four-room house, on lot of land 125 ft. by 75 ft., with spring of water on lot. Located in West Milton, three miles from Farmington, excellent hunting. Will sell or swap for car of same value. Harlan Feyler, Charles St., Farmington (Farmington News, December 8, 1950).
“The essence of the [voluntary] exchange is that both people make it because they expect that it will benefit them; otherwise they would not have agreed to the exchange. A necessary condition for an exchange to take place is that the two goods have reverse valuations on the respective value scales of the two parties to the exchange” (Rothbard, 1970).
A correspondent informs us that the AREA advisory petition was filed with the School District Clerk by Tuesday’s deadline and its signatures have been verified. This option will be on the School District ballot.
Canvassers obtained more than double the necessary signatures, well on their way to triple, which was excellent work for a later start. Only three signers were not as registered as they might think they are, but they have time still before the election to check their status.
A School Board member and a Board of Selectmen member looked in on the canvassing process. They did not sign, but agreed to the limited extent that they are reported to have felt it was in the best interests of Milton to explore all possibilities in educating the children of Milton.
Congratulations to Mrs. Laura Ott Turgeon and Mr. Les Elder for their effective effort. On to the election.
(For the text of the AREA advisory petition see AREA Petition Signing Times (The times, of course, are past)).
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 16, 2020
In this year, we encounter a mountain-top farm for sale, a favorite poem consoles, Boston hooligans, the twelfth winter carnival, Nute Ridge as an underground railroad station, a drowning tragedy, more real estate offerings, and a miraculous escape.
The F.C. Tanner of this farm advertisement was likely a misprint for S.C. Tanner, the Milton store proprietor, former state representative, and, of late, realtor for Country Properties realty.
REAL ESTATE. FARM, VILLAGE HOMES. N. Hamp. Summer Home, $3000. 40 ACRES on mountain top, view fields and woodland; blueberries, hunting, fishing. and skiing; near lake and village; 7-rm. house & barn; electricity, telephone. R.F.D. Write or call F.C. TANNER, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, January 9, 1949).
As usual, one finds oneself astonished to learn how little housing costs were as a proportion of one’s income before government interventions in the real estate market. The $3,000 asking price for a house, barn, and forty acres of land would be equivalent to only $32,640 in modern inflation-adjusted currency.
The Boston Globe editors ran a regular column in which its readers might request reprints of their favorite poems or song lyrics. Lois J. Colby had a favorite poem about traveling a stony path.
SONGS and POEMS of LONG AGO.
If there is a favorite song or poem which you would like and are unable to find, write to the editor of Everybody’s Column. Our readers are pleased to send in old favorites requested. Editor.
Reward
O what a stony path I trod To find my way to you – and God. So many turns I took were wrong I blundered endlessly along Yet, as I stumbled, so I grew, And found at last, my God – and you.
Lois J. Colby, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, January 9, 1949).
Lois Jeanette Keddie was born in Newton, MA, circa 1912-13, daughter of Arthur W. and Clara M. (Wentworth) Keddie.
Arthur W. Keddie, a woolen mill finisher, aged twenty-seven years (b. MA), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Clara Keddie, aged thirty-one years (b. NH), and his children, Lenora F. Keddie, aged eight years (b. NH), and Lois J. Keddie, aged seven years (b. MA). Arthur W. Keddie owned their house on Church Street, free-and-clear, without any mortgage.
Lois J. Keddie married (1st), in Belmont, NH, September 7, 1930, William I. Colby, from whom she was divorced October 13, 1933. She married (2nd) in Milton Mills, 1935, Alfred H. Shea. One might like very much to learn that – as in the poem – she found at last what she sought. However, she and Alfred H. Shea were living apart in 1940.
Lois J. Colby, a blanket mill weaver, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. Her household included her daughter, Barbara Colby, aged nine years (b. NH). (Lois J. Colby was said to be divorced). She rented their house in Milton Mills Center, for $8 per month.
Perhaps it was her daughter that fulfilled for Lois the reward of the poem.
Milton visitors to Boston fell afoul of city slickers several times in the past. Here six Nute high school lads were accosted by rowdies.
What People Talk About. More Boston Rowdyism. To the Editor – About 7:20 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 29, one group of six of our Nute High School lads suffered a short surprise attack in Boston from a “mob” of not fewer than 22 others. This occurred within sight of the North Station and a traffic officer. The assailants were undoubtedly boys of that locale. Said premeditated, cowardly assault caused some pain to our group and financial loss to at least one parent. These attacks are nothing new but are now too frequent, even for Boston. The Garden, or any other part of town, may not be on our itinerary in the future. If they are we may come prepared to do battle on more even terms the next time. I suggest a few pilgrimages by the good citizens of Boston to parts of their own city, to see some of the sights. S.H. PERKINS, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, January 21, 1949).
Herbert S. Perkins, a shoe shop stitching finisher, aged forty-three years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Rosemond Perkins, aged forty-six years (b. NH), and his children, Herbert S. Perkins, Jr., aged twenty-three years (b. NH), Constance J. Perkins, aged sixteen years (b. NH), and Robert E. Perkins, aged six years (b. NH).
By 1949, Robert E. Perkins would have been fifteen years of age, i.e., Nute high school age. He might have been one of the victims, or at least in a position to have heard about it (and tell his father).
Notice was here given of the Teneriffe Sports club’s twelfth annual winter carnival. It featured downhill and slalom ski races by age classes and the coronation of a carnival queen.
TENERIFFE SPORTS CLUB’S WINTER CARNIVAL, MILTON, N.H. The Teneriffe Sports club’s twelfth annual carnival is scheduled for Saturday, February 19. At 9 a.m., the junior boys’ races will be run. The slalom races will begin at 10 o’clock. The classes are to be divided so that youngsters in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades will be competing against one another, and an additional group will include those in the seventh and eighth grades. The prizes will be given to the winners of the combined events. On Saturday afternoon, at one o’clock, the downhill race for those in high school will be held. The slalom race will start at 2.30 p.m. The prizes will go to the winners of the combined events. On Sunday afternoon at one, men’s and women’s races will be [take] place, with the downhill run as the lead-off attraction. The slalom will follow at 2.30 o’clock. The men’s and women’s races will be run in together, although separate trophies will be awarded. The trophies this year will be a little more special, and will go to the winner of the combined events, because it is the opinion of the committee that this method is fairer to the all-round performer. An especially fine award will go also to the team who has the best combined time. The meet is invitational and letters have been mailed to the Abenakis of Wolfeboro, Bauneg Bog club of Sanford, Me., Concord Ski club, Panda Outing club of Biddeford, Rochester, and Garrison Outing club of Dover. Entries on the carnival queen must be in not later than February 12, and are limited to girls from the ages 14 to 25. The queen will be named and coronated at the carnival ball to be held on Saturday night at the Strand building (Farmington News, February 1, 1949).
Extracted here from a lengthier letter to the editor regarding the census is the story of a Nute Ridge farmer whose farm served as a station on the underground railroad. The author was Farmington storeowner Ned L. Parker, whose son, H. Franklin Parker, had served briefly as one of Nute Chapel’s ministers.
An amusing story is told of a “station,” located on Nute Ridge in the neighboring town of Milton. A sympathetic farmer, who had on occasion aided these unfortunate people, on repairing to his barn one morning to feed his cattle, was confronted by a huge black man who rose up from the haymow and whose entire raiment consisted of a “swallowtail” coat. This slave had escaped from Virginia and was on his way “up through,” as the trail to Canada was called. The good farmer provided a hearty breakfast and suitable clothing and permitted the fugitive to remain concealed in his barn until nightfall. Then this member of the underground conveyed his black brother to a “station” in Alton from which point he eventually made his way to Canada and freedom (Farmington News, March 25, 1949).
Perhaps one would not call this situation “amusing,” but it remains instructive. For those who remain confused as to the difference between what is right and what is legal, i.e., some politicians’ or court justice’s scribbles, what the sympathetic West Milton farmer did was illegal and what the pursuing sheriffs and slave-catchers did was perfectly legal.
Mrs. Phoebe C. (Whitten) Willey lost sight of her toddler in the yard, who then drowned in nearby Hart brook.
WEST MILTON CHILD DROWNED IN BROOK. A tragic note was struck in the hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Willey of West Milton, when their son, Everett C. Willey, aged three years and eight months, was accidentally drowned in the Hart brook, a short distance from their home, last Saturday afternoon. The child, who had been playing in the yard, wandered off and was missed by Mrs. Willey, who sought the aid of neighbors. After a search of the locality, Robert Badger and Charles Ellis discovered the child’s body in a deep part of the brook. Investigation of the accident was made by Dr. Forrest L. Keay of Rochester, medical referee of Rochester, who announced that death was due to accidental drowning. Survivors include his parents, two sisters, Florence and Gwendolyn, and three brothers, Murray, Milton, and Norman. Funeral services were held Monday at the Norman L. Otis funeral parlor, with Rev. Charles Shelley of the Nute Ridge chapel officiating. Remains were taken to Somersworth for burial (Farmington News, April 1, 1949).
Charles A. Willey was born in Auburn, NH, March 22, 1896; son of George and Melvina (Kelley) Willey.
He married (1st) in Candia, NH, November 7, 1914, Gertrude M. Tuttle. Their children included Norman, Murray, Milton, and Gwendolyn. She died in Rochester, NH, March 20, 1936. He married (2nd) in Chichester, NH, April 17, 1945, Phoebe C. Whitten.
Henry H. Pillman had still his Mountain View camp either for sale or for rent, as he had in the previous year.
Summer Cottages and Houses. MILTON, N.H.; for rent, large camp on lake, sleeps 8, conveniences. LY 5-6927 SSu (Boston Globe, June 18, 1949).
Summer Cottages and Houses. MILTON, N.H. Large shore front camp, flush toilet, running water; $38 wk.; open July 30 on. LY 5-6927 (Boston Globe, July 17, 1949).
Bill Boivin (formerly of Rochester, NH) had eight new Little America cottages for rent on Route 16. (These cottages appeared still on Milton tax rolls of the late 1970s (and possibly beyond)).
Summer Cottages and Houses. VACATION AT N.H. LITTLE America cottages by the lake at Milton, N.H., Route 16, 8 new cottages, 3 and 4 rooms. screened porches, boats. bathing and fishing. $35.00 and $43.00 weekly. For reservation write BILL BOIVIN, Box 138, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, July 31, 1949).
William P. Boivin, a garage salesman, aged forty-six years (b. NH), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Louise Boivin, a shoe shop packer, aged thirty-two years (b. NH). William P. Boivin owned their house at 30 Hancock Street, which was valued at $1,800.
Assuming it is extant, it should not be too hard to identify a 1790 Cape Cod-style house on the main [White Mountain] highway.
REAL ESTATE. NEW HAMPSHIRE. PARTLY furnished 1790 Cape Cod, 7 rooms, bath, lav., oil heat, 2 long living rooms, on main highway; also small guest house in rear on river connecting with large lakes: excellent location for year-round antique shop, guest house, etc. C.T. BALCOM, Realtor; MElrose (Mass.) 4-2140, or Route 16, Milton, N.H. SSu (Boston Globe, August 7, 1949).
Note the ease with which establishing a year-round antique shop or summer hotel is proposed.
Robert P. Laskey of Milton Mills had a miraculous escape from death when his convertible rolled over on the Farmington-Middleton highway. (Said highway sounding like the modern NH Route 153).
MILTON MILLS MAN UNINJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT SUNDAY NIGHT. Robert Laskey of Milton Mills escaped injury in an auto accident which occurred last Sunday evening on the Farmington-Middleton highway near the home of Alden Emery. Mr. Laskey was driving his convertible towards Farmington and failed to make a curve in the highway. The vehicle turned completely over and was badly demolished, however, Mr. Laskey was extricated from the wreck and taken to the office of a local physician, where he was found to be uninjured, but suffered shock as a result of a severe shaking up. Chief of Police Elmer F. Clough investigated the accident (Farmington News, December 9, 1939).
Twenty-eight-year-old Robert P. Laskey rolled over in a convertible automobile with no roll-bar and no seatbelts. He was a very lucky man. Well, he was unlucky in having the accident in the first place, but lucky in everything else.
Alden C. Emery, whose house was near the scene of the accident, resided at Charles Street North in Farmington, NH, close to its intersection with the West Milton Road.
The Nute Chapel was often described as a “union” church, which is to say it functioned as a non-denominational church or, as our sources more charmingly put it, as an “undenominational” church. In this period, it was frequently termed a “Community church.”
The Nute Chapel ministers of this 1922-53 period included Mrs. Abbie V. (Hartland) Bennett (continuing on from the death of her husband, Rev. George A. Bennett), Rev. H. Franklin Parker, Rev. Theodore J. Poelman, Rev. E. Lincoln and Mrs. Marion S. (Turner) Bigelow, Rev. Charles E. Shelley, and Rev. F. David Spruance.
Mrs. Abbie Victoria (Hartland) Bennett – 1922-26, 1927-28
Abbie V. Hartland was born in Sandwich, MA, September 20, 1863, daughter of Charles and Hannah Hartland. She married in Brockton, MA, September 20, 1884, George A. Bennett, both of Brockton. He was a confectionary dealer, aged thirty-one years; she was at home, aged twenty years.
Rev. George A. Bennett, pastor of the Nute Chapel in 1920-21, died in Milton, NH, October 12, 1921, aged sixty-eight years and one day. His widow, Mrs. Abbie V. (Hartland) Bennett, ran the Nute Chapel for several years after his death.
WEST MILTON. Mrs. Abbie Bennett, who has been at the home of her son in Florida since the death of her husband, has come back to Nute parsonage and is to occupy and preside as pastor of Nute chapel through the coming months. She is fully able to attend the duties pertaining to church work and we are glad she is to be with us again (Farmington News, April 21, 1922).
WEST MILTON. Owing to the bad traveling, the attendance at town meeting from West Milton was very slim, and would have been slimmer, had not Abbie Bennett, pastor at Nute chapel, and Elvah Kelley announced they were going if they went on snowshoes, which instilled courage in some of the men. Town clerk, Harry L. Avery, and treasurer, Everett F. Fox, were elected without opposition. Fred M. Chamberlain was elected a member of the board of selectmen for three years. Fifty dollars was appropriated to make the spring on Silver street suitable and sanitary for public use. One hundred dollars was appropriated to beautify the grounds near the railroad station at Milton, the work to be done under the direction of the Womans’ club (Farmington News, March 16, 1923).
WEST MILTON. The sleighing except on the drifted cross roads is rather thin and hardly worth the name of sleighing. The doctors are using their autos. Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Kelley attended the service at Nute chapel last Sunday. Mrs. Abbie Bennett called on Mrs. Thurston one day last week and also on other families in this vicinity (Farmington News, February 20, 1925).
WEST MILTON. The snow is still going and our roads are getting very muddy. Not many can remember such a mild and pleasant February. Mrs. Abbie Bennett visited the people on the West Milton road on Thursday of last week and found it pretty hard traveling part of the way (Farmington News, February 27, 1925).
WEST MILTON. There is plenty of mud in our roads just at present and it grows deeper. The attendance at Nute chapel increases every Sunday as the weather grows warmer. Let us hope as the ground settles there will be still more. Mrs. Bennett, who has been suffering from neuritis severely all winter, had the misfortune to fall on the ice recently and of course, fell on her lame arm, but without much injury (Farmington News, March 20, 1925).
WEST MILTON. Mrs. Abbie Bennett is to go South after Christmas to spend the winter (Farmington News, November 27, 1925).
Abbie V. (Hartland) Bennett moved South again to Miami, FL, in October 1926 to spend the winter with her son, Charles A. Bennett. The language of that time did not suggest that she would be back (See Farmington Boy Will Be Pastor at Nute Chapel below), but she returned for a final year in June 1927.
WEST MILTON. Mrs. Abbie Bennett, who has returned home from a much needed rest with her son in Florida, resumed her duties as pastor of Nute chapel and preached to a good congregation who extended her a warm welcome. Many friends are pleased to note her improvement in health. H. Franklin Parker, who has given such universal satisfaction as her supply during the winter, was present at the service and received many hearty compliments from members of the parish. Next Sunday he will begin his duties as the summer pastor of the church at North Barnstead (Farmington News, June 17, 1927).
FURNITURE SALE. The following and other pieces of household furniture will be offered at private sale this SATURDAY AFTERNOON, Sept. 1st. One divan, 1 chamber set extension dining table, with chairs, office desk, organ, etc. NUTE CHAPEL PARSONAGE (Farmington News, August 31, 1928).
Charles A. Bennett, a widowed Florida employee, aged thirty-seven years (b. VT), headed a Miami, FL, household at the time of the 1935 Florida state census. His household included [his mother,] Abbie V. Bennett, a housekeeper, aged seventy-one years (b. MA). Charles A. Bennett had graduated from college, and Abbie V. Bennett had graduated from high school. They resided at 3139 S.W. 25th Street.
Charles A. Bennett, a U.S. Govt. employee, aged forty-eight years (b. VT), headed a Miami, FL, household at the time of the 1945 Florida state census. His household included [his second wife,] Johanne C. [(Cowart)] Bennett, a deputy clerk, aged forty-four years (b. FL), and [his mother,] Abbie V. Bennett, a widow, aged eighty-one years (b. MA). Charles A. Bennett had graduated from college, Johanne C. Bennett had graduated from high school, and Abbie V. Bennett had graduated from grammar school. They resided at 1825 N.W. 21st Street.
Mrs. Abbie V. (Hartland) Bennett died in Miami, FL, February 27, 1950.
GREATER MIAMI DEATHS.Mrs. Abbie Bennett, 86, Dies at Home of Son. Mrs. Abbie Victoria Bennett, 86, died early today at the home of her son, Charles A. Bennett, 1825 NW 21st st. A native of Sandwich, Mass., she came to Dade county 21 years ago. Surviving, besides the son, are two daughters, Mrs. A.F. Weeks, Somersworth, N.H., and Mrs. Jane Hill, East Pepperell, Mass., 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Services will be conducted by Dr. Nevin H. Schaaf, pastor of the First Presbyterian church in Coral Gables, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Glass funeral chapel. Burial will be in Lee, N.H. (Miami News, February 27, 1950).
Rev. Harry Franklin Parker – 1926-27*
Harry Franklin Parker was born in Rochester, NH, May 12, 1904, son of Ned L. and Mary A. (Hussey) Parker.
James F. Hussey, own income, aged seventy-seven years (b. NH), headed a Farmington, NH, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of fifty years), Sarah A. Hussey, aged seventy-five years (b. NH), his daughter, Mary A. Parker, aged forty-one years (b. NH), his son-in-law, Ned L. Parker, a dry goods retail merchant, aged forty years (b. NH), and his grandson, Harry F. Parker, aged five years (b. NH). James F. Hussey owned their house at 27 Tappan Street, free-and-clear. Sarah A. Hussey was the mother of three children, of whom one was still living. Mary A. Parker was the mother of one child, who was still living.
James F. Hussey, own income, aged eighty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Farmington, NH, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his daughter, Mary A. Parker, aged fifty years (b. NH), his son-in-law, Ned L. Parker, a proprietor of a dry goods store, aged forty-nine years (b. NH), and his grandson, Harry F. Parker, aged fifteen years (b. NH). James F. Hussey owned their house at 27 Tappan Street, free-and-clear.
FARMINGTON BOY WILL BE PASTOR AT NUTE CHAPEL. Beginning Sunday, October third, H. Franklin Parker will become pastor at Nute Chapel in West Milton and will occupy the pulpit of that edifice for the first time on that date. In this office Mr. Parker succeeds Mrs. Abbie Bennett, whose pastorate in that community has covered a period of several faithful years. Her resignation was prompted by a desire to join her son in the South and to retire from continuous service in the ministry, where she has given a fine account of her ability and conscientious consecration. While sincere regret is expressed on all sides by Mrs. Bennett’s resolution to go out from the community, Mr. Parker’s advent is heartily welcomed because of the universal friendship that he enjoys from his early and often renewed associations here. He is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Ned L. Parker, lifetime residents and influential citizens of Farmington. He received his elementary education in the public schools and was graduated from Farmington high school in the class of 1923. He has given an excellent account of himself with a year of training at the Bangor Theological Seminary, Bangor, Me., and last year was a student at the Gordon Bible college, Boston, where he retains registration and hopes eventually to complete his studies for the ministry. Mr. Parker’s idea of interrupting his school course with a period of preaching, and parish work has been reached in deference to his health and further concluded by the unprecedented success which he has enjoyed in the upbuilding of the church in North Barnstead, where he has preached during the past summer. He concluded his services there last Sunday and received substantial tokens from the parish. Not only was Mr. Parker able to draw out and interest large congregations, but throughout the parish he made his influence manifest with a spirit of organization and a material increase in the spiritual and financial assets of the church. This same zeal and energy he will carry to his new field of endeavor and it is assured that he will receive the hearty cooperation of the people, who are numbered as his friends. For a time Mr. Parker will hold only Sunday morning service and Sunday school (Farmington News, October 1, 1926).
NUTE CHAPEL. Next Sunday service at the chapel will be made more impressive with the observance of Palm Sunday and in accord with the sentiment of the day, H. Franklin Parker will speak on the subject “The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.” Mr. Parker has given this theme especial preparation and a large congregation is hoped for (Farmington News, April 8, 1927).
Rev. H. Franklin Parker gave the invocation at a Pomona meeting held at the Lewis W. Nute Grange in April 1927.
LOCAL. H. Franklin Parker, who has enjoyed remarkable success as the temporary pastor of the Nute chapel at West Milton, during the absence of Mrs. Bennett in Florida, will continue his duties there for the present at least, with a farewell sermon next Sunday, and very soon will resume his summer pastorate at North Barnstead. In parish and pulpit Mr. Parker has qualified as a clergyman of exceptional ability and proven that he is capable of attracting interest and supervising the work and prosperity of a church in almost any community. He has securely entrenched himself in the hearts of his parishioners and sincere regret at his leaving is mingled with a spirit of hearty welcome at the return of the regular pastor of Nute chapel, Mrs. Bennett, who is improved in health after a much needed rest (Farmington News, June 10, 1927).
PERSONAL. H. Franklin Parker was at home from his studies at Gordon College in Boston and spent the week-end with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ned L. Parker (Farmington News, February 17, 1928).
PERSONAL. H. Franklin Parker is having a few days’ vacation from his theological studies in Boston and is at home (Farmington News, March 16, 1928).
H. FRANKLIN PARKER TO BECOME PASTOR AT CHICHESTER, N.H. Franklin Parker, one of the most promising young ministers of this locality, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Ned L. Parker of this village, has accept a call to become the settled pastor of the First Congregational church at Chichester, where he is no stranger and a popular favorite, having supplied that pulpit for several weeks. The call to that church is a decided compliment to Mr. Parker’s ability, as formerly the parish has been presided over by clergymen of long established reputations. While Mr. Parker is still a theological student, he has had considerable preaching experience and has given a good account of himself. He has trained two years at the Gordon Bible college in Boston, has preached a successful year at the Nute chapel, West Milton, and has been the summer pastor at the North Barnstead church for three seasons. Especially in the last named pulpit he has pleased not only a discriminating summer parish but has been a substantial influence in the upbuilding of the church. Wherever Mr. Parker has been associated with the people in his work or social connections he has gained a good will and fellowship that will accompany him in his new undertaking. As a theologian Mr. Parker combines a serious-minded purpose with sensible thinking and a faculty of expression that teaches without commanding. Those that know him best have no misgivings about his success as his profession was not chosen at random but rather was born of a mature sense of responsibility and a desire for service in the spiritual cause. Mr. Parker will preach his first sermon as the settled pastor at North Chichester next Sunday and will be glad to see familiar faces in his congregation at any time (Farmington News, November 9, 1928).
“The Reverend H. Franklin Parker was called to the [Chichester] church in 1928 and preached here for forty-one years – longer than any other pastor to serve in our pulpit!” (Hope in Christ, n.d).
H. Franklin Parker married in Chichester, NH, October 7, 1929, Alice D. Marston, he of Farmington and she of Chichester. He was a clergyman, aged twenty-five years; she was a stenographer, aged twenty years. She was born in Chichester, circa 1909, daughter of Nathan J. and Alice (Parsons) Marston.
H. Franklin Parker, Congregational ministry, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), headed a Chichester, NH, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Alice Parker, aged twenty years (b. NH). H. Franklin Parker rented their house on the Valley Road, for $5 per month.
Harry Franklin Parker, a church clergyman, aged thirty-five years (b. NH). headed a Chichester, NH, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Alice M. Parker, aged thirty years (b. NH), and his son, David F. Parker, aged three years (b. NH). Harry Franklin Parker rented their house on the Pittsfield Road, for an unspecified amount.
MATING GAME. After 62 years, he’s an institution of marriage Preacher has heard vows of 1,200. By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff. CHICHESTER – Rev. H. Franklin Parker had just donned a railroad conductor’s cap – to remind him that he likes “to get people on the right track and keep them going” – when Michael Valenti pulled into Parker’s driveway with a marriage license. Valenti and his fiancee. Susan Leighton, wanted a holiday wedding – a small ceremony at Leighton’s family home in Barnstead. And they wanted Parker, known by some in these parts as “Marryin’ Sam,” to officiate. “Why not?” Leighton said later in a telephone interview. “He’s married just about everybody else around here.” Parker, soon to celebrate his 86th Christmas, is one of New Hampshire’s last old-time country preachers. Worn Bible in hand, he has spent much of his life crisscrossing a short stretch of the Suncook Valley east of Concord, marrying more than 1,200 residents, three generations of the Brown family of Epsom among them. Parker has gone to mountaintops and hospital wards to pronounce couples husband and wife. He has accommodated couples seeking hasty weddings, marrying them next to the old pedal-powered organ in his study or under the solitary cherry tree in his front yard, just up the road from the 140-year-old Chichester Country Store. And two years ago, in exchange for a cord of wood, Parker stood in the chill of an 18th-century gristmill in Loudon to marry a 47-year-old dairy farmer and a 42-year-old Concord secretary who had arrived on the farmer’s doorstep for a blind date on Valentine’s Day and never left. Both had been married twice before. “One reason so many people come to him may be that he doesn’t judge them that way,” said Ruth Hammen of Chichester, who was baptized and later married by Parker. “He doesn’t feel it’s his place to judge.” Last week. Parker wanted Valenti to answer only one question – had he and Leighton known each other long enough to give their marriage a strong foundation? – before he would agree to marry them. Is it any wonder Parker’s favorite television show is “The Dating Game”? “Everything else is pretty boring,” he said. For 62 years, Parker has entered hundreds of families’ living rooms – and welcomed hundreds more couples to his own – to begin marriages. He has kept the ceremonies short because he says people like it that way. And he has etched each wedding date, among other events great and small, in a diary that traces the lives of a popular country preacher and his flock. It is a story of mutual affection, beginning with Parker’s arrival in Chichester – soon after electricity – in 1926. Before he “retired” in 1969 after 41 years as pastor of the Chichester Congregational Church, Parker often doubled as a circuit rider, delivering five sermons a Sunday at churches in Chichester, Epsom, Barnstead and Gilmanton Center. His congregation grew so wide, according to Carole Brown of Epsom, that she “didn’t even know what church he was affiliated with” when Parker performed her wedding ceremony 10 years ago. “All I knew,” Brown said, “was that he. married everybody,” including Brown’s husband’s parents and grandparents. Later, Parker tracked many of the couples he married. He sometimes delivered a single red rose to women who had given birth. He baptized the children, knitted them mittens for Christmas and wrote them stories when they were sick. And he saw many of them again in his jobs as town librarian, historian, ballot clerk and chaplain for the Chichester Grange. “Rev. Parker’s a landmark, like one of those old country doctors,” said Robert Feeny of Pittsfield, whose wedding Parker conducted 37 years ago. Parker often scanned local papers to learn which area residents had been admitted to hospitals and nursing homes, and once visited more then 1,000 patients in a year. He told many of them his philosophy of life – a Latin phrase [Per aspera ad astra] that he translated as “through adversity to the stars.” “If we get to the stars,” he told the patients, “some of us will get there only through adversity.” And when congregants died, Parker conducted their funerals, sending many of them off with a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier that ends: “I know not why His islands lift their fronded palms in the air, I only know I cannot drift beyond His love and care.” Through the years, Parker has seen the coffins of dozens of men and women he once baptized lowered to their graves. But he has no philosophy of death. “It’s just one of those elements you have to reckon with,” he said. “I take it as it comes.” Recently, Parker has gotten out less and less. He still cuts firewood, gardens and walks to the store, waving his cane to passersby. He visits the local nursing home and hospital about once a week. When someone asks him to conduct a funeral service, he does. And he still performs small weddings. But big weddings worry him. “My memory doesn’t serve me as it ought to anymore.” he said, rocking slowly in his chair as a grandfather clock ticked behind him. “If I slipped up, it would be embarrassing to everyone.” So he stays at home more, sometimes sitting before his 12-inch television to watch Rev. Robert Schuller broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral. Other times, he writes poetry. Or sits by the woodstove, reading aloud to his wife, Alice, before entering the book title in his diary on the day he completes it. And when he has the energy, Parker pumps the pedals on his church organ – adorned with his childhood teddy bear – and plays spiritual tunes, among them his own composition, the “Chichester Hymn.” He regrets that his falling eyesight prevents him from driving 10 miles to Concord to see a performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” But he yearns for little else. “I’ve had a simple, uneventful life,” Parker said. “Others have drifted along, but I’ve gone at my own pace and gotten a lot of enjoyment out of it.” Now the “Happy Holidays” welcome mat lies at Parker’s front door, and much of his flock is returning. Many couples, renewing an annual tradition, are stopping by with good wishes. Some are bringing gifts. Others are sending cards. And most are saying thank you. Among them will be Feeny, who credits Parker with “tying a good tight knot” for him and his wife of 37 years. Parker is “a minister you can look up to,” Feeny said. “He’s an honest, upright man who is always there when you need him, night or day.” Hammen, too, will pay a visit soon, giving Parker a date book to help him chart another year of his life. Hammen remembers when Parker stood by her family eight years ago after their house was destroyed by fire. “It was no great big thing,’ Hammen said. “But that’s not Rev. Parker’s style. In his own way, he has showed a lot of us around here that sometimes the simplest gifts make the greatest impressions” (Boston Globe, December 18, 1988).
Rev. H. Franklin Parker died in Epsom, NH, December 14, 1997.
Rev. Theodore John Poelman – 1928-30
Theodore J. Poelman was born in Groningen, Holland, in 1883, son of Miender G. and Lammchiem (Rozee) Poelman.
THE PUTNEY COLUMN. Theodore J. Poelman to be Ordained. The ordination of Theodore J. Poelman, pastor of the Congregational church, will take place Wednesday afternoon and evening, Oct. 11. The council will meet in the afternoon and the ordination will take place in the evening (Vermont Phoenix, October 6, 1916).
THEO. J. POELMAN OF PUTNEY ORDAINED. Ecclesiastical Council and Ordination Program Yesterday – E.C. Crosby of Brattleboro Moderator. (Special to The Reformer.) PUTNEY, Oct. 12. Theodore J. Poelman, who came here recently to be pastor of the Congregational church, was ordained to the gospel ministry as a Congregational minister last evening in the church here, following an ecclesiastical council in the afternoon. At the council Edward C. Crosby, delegate from the Centre church in Brattleboro, was elected moderator and Rev. A.V. Woodworth of West Brattleboro scribe. After the examination of the candidate it was voted to ordain him, and in the evening the following ordination program was carried out: Solo, Hollis Cobb; invocation, Rev. A.V. Woodworth; scripture, Rev. C.W. Mock of Newfane ; Sermon, Rev. Richard H. Clapp of Brattleboro, whose text was John 1:6, “There was a man sent from God”; solo, Mrs. H.L. Bailey; prayer of ordination, Rev. W.S. Gooch of Westmoreland, N.H.; charge to pastor, Rev. W.R. Curtis of Westminster West; right hand of fellowship, Rev. C.W. Mock; charge to people, Rev. A.V. Woodworth; benediction by the pastor. Rev. Mr. Poelman attended Hope college in Michigan and the Gordon training school in Boston. Before coming here he had a pastorate one year in East Lebanon, Me. He is an earnest worker and the church looks forward to larger things under his leadership (Brattleboro Reformer, October 12, 1916).
Rev. T.J. Poelman Resigns. At the Sunday morning service Rev. T.J. Poelman, pastor of the Congregational church, tendered his resignation to take effect Sept. 1, much to the surprise and regret of the congregation. Rev. Mr. Poelman has been with the church a year and has labored zealously for the up-building of the church. A meeting will be called to act upon his resignation (Vermont Phoenix, August 3, 1917).
PUTNEY. The committee of the Congregational church has been instructed to interview Rev. T.J. Poelman to see if he will reconsider his resignation (Brattleboro Reformer, August 18, 1917).
WESTMINSTER WEST. Rev. Walter Curtis exchanged pulpits with Rev. T.J. Poelman of Putney Sunday morning (Brattleboro Reformer, August 23, 1917).
PUTNEY MINISTER IN AUTO ACCIDENT. Rev. T.J. Poelman Was Accompanying Boy Scouts on Outing when Car Overturned – Not Badly Hurt. (Special to The Reformer.) PUTNEY, Sept. 4. Rev. Theodore J. Poelman, pastor of the Congregational church here, was cut and bruised in an automobile accident which happened soon after 11 o’clock yesterday, but he was not seriously hurt. The Boy Scouts raised a flag in the village in the forenoon, and Rev. M.W. Russell made an address and there was singing of patriotic hymns, after which the boys left for Spofford lake for an outing. About the last to leave were Rev. Mr. Poelman and Allen Wood, son of Henry Wood of West hill, who started in Dr. L.H. Bugbee’s Ford automobile, the pastor being at the wheel. Near the Divoll place south of the village they turned out for another car and their machine tipped bottom upwards with the occupants under it. The young man was not hurt, but Rev. Mr. Poelman was cut and bruised, and on account of his wounds bleeding he returned to the village and gave up the trip. The automobile was badly damaged (Brattleboro Reformer, September 4, 1917).
PUTNEY. Rev. T.J. Poelman Engaged. The engagement is announced of Miss Helen F. Guptill, a prominent school teacher of Berwick, Me., daughter of Frank S. Guptill, to Rev. Theodore J. Poelman of Putney, pastor of the Congregational church. Miss Guptill is at present teaching in Rollinsford, N.H. (Brattleboro Reformer, April 23, 1918).
Rev. Mr. Poelman to Leave. Much to the surprise of the people it is announced that last Sunday was the last in the pastorate of Rev. T.J. Poelman, pastor of the Congregational church the last two years. Mr. Poelman’s plans are not completed, but the past few weeks he has been suffering with throat trouble, and a rest is needed from pastoral work (Brattleboro Reformer, August 9, 1918).
Theodore J. Poelman married in Berwick, ME, September 5, 1918, Helen F. Guptill, he of Putney, VT, and she of Berwick, ME. He was a clergyman, aged thirty-five years (b. Holland), and she a teacher, aged twenty-five years (b. Berwick, ME). She was born in Berwick, ME, daughter of Frank S. and Helen M. (Pinkham) Guptill.
Theodore J. Poelman, Jr., was born in Wakefield, NH, July 15, 1919, son of Theodore J. Poelman (a clergyman, aged thirty-five years (b. Netherlands)), and Helen F. Guptill (aged twenty-five years (b. Berwick, ME)).
Rev. T.J. Poelman, of Wakefield, NH, received and accepted a call to the Federated church, of Chepachet, [Glocester,] RI (Congregationalist, June 1921). He served on the Chepachet Old Home Days committee in August 1921. Rev. T.J. Poelman, formerly of Chepachet, RI, now of Lansing, MI, accepted a call to Johannesburg [MI] (Congregationalist, December 11, 1922).
WEST MILTON. Rev. and Mrs. Poelman attended a monthly supper at Wakefield, a former pastorate, and visited friends recently (Farmington News, November 16, 1928).
Theodore J. Poelman, clergyman, and his wife, Helen F. Poelman, appeared in the Milton directory of 1930, as resident in Farmington, R.D. [Rural Delivery].
WEST MILTON. Rev. Theodore Poelman, who has officiated as pastor at Nute chapel for nearly two years has resigned and preached his farewell sermon on Sunday, February 23. All those who know Mr. Poelman believe he has given his best and most conscientious efforts as pastor of the church and a citizen of the community, and his resignation is the source of sincere regrets in many quarters. He will remain for a time, with his family, at the parsonage, and later expects to move to Berwick, Me. The pulpit will be filled by a supply until a regular appointment is made by the trustees (Farmington News, March 14, 1930).
WEST MILTON. Rev. T.J. Poelman and family have moved to Farmington (Farmington News, March 28, 1930).
Theodore J. Poelman, a Congregational clergyman, aged forty-six years (b. Holland), headed a Farmington, NH, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of eleven years), Helen F. Poelman, aged thirty-six years (b. ME), and his children, Theodore J. Poelman, Jr., aged ten years (b. NH), Grace H. Poelman, aged nine years (b. ME), John H. Poelman, aged four years (b. MI), and Miriam F. Poelman, aged one year (b. ME). Theodore J. Poelman rented their Farmington house, for $15 per month.
Rev. Theodore J. Poelman and his wife, Helen F. Poelman, appeared in the Rochester directories of 1931 and 1939 as having a home at 71 Winter street.
PUTNEY, Rev. T.J. Poelman of South Wolfboro, N.H., a pastor here several years ago, visited friends in town over the week end (Brattleboro Reformer, November 16, 1944).
The American Bible Society published and provided scriptural material for use in public schools. The National Education Association supported a National Bible Reading program that included those Bible materials in school curricula in 1944-45 and published an article about it.
We quote from three of the many letters prompted by this article: Mrs. Helen F. Poelman of South School, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire: It seemed such a splendid thing for our NEA publication to send this “upward reach” through the medium of its public-school teachers. I hope many schools did what we did – read them (NEA, 1945).
Rev. Theodore J. Poelman died in Wolfeboro, NH, February 17, 1956. Helen F. (Guptill) Poelman died August 14, 1958.
HELEN FAITH POELMAN, widow of the Rev. Theodore J. Poelman, who died in 1956 after retiring as minister of Union Congregational Church, South Wolfeboro, N.H., died August 14 at the age of 65. Her survivors include two sons, four daughters, thirteen grandchildren, two brothers and two sisters (United Church Herald, 1958).
Rev. Edgar Lincoln Bigelow & Rev. Marion S. (Turner) Bigelow – 1930-44
Edgar Lincoln Bigelow was born in Northampton, MA, May 25, 1888, son of William H. and Julia K. (Rood) Bigelow.
Edgar L. Bigelow, a widowed chocolate mill painter, aged thirty-one years (b. MA), headed a Malden, MA, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his son, John L. Bigelow, aged one month (b. MA), and his mother Julia K. Bigelow, a widow, aged fifty-seven years (b. MA). They shared a two-family residence with the household of Albert Schindler, a farm laborer, aged forty years (b. MA).
Edgar L. Bigelow married [(2nd)] in Northampton, MA, in or after 1920, Marion S. Turner. She was born in Cambridge, MA, March 5, 1899, daughter of William and Carrie L. (Varney) Turner.
FOR SALE. FOR SALE. One spring sleigh, one surry. Phone Morgan 29-15. Rev. E. Lincoln Bigelow, Holland. 31-33 (Express and Standard (Newport, VT), August 4, 1922).
NORTH HOLLAND. Rev. E. Lincoln Bigelow is driving a new Ford. Rev. and Mrs. E.L. Bigelow motored to Swanton last Thursday (Express and Standard (Newport, VT), August 18, 1922).
New Enterprises. On a cold Sunday night in February, a fire of unknown origin, carried by a strong north wind, swept the buildings on the business corner in Holland, including the Methodist church. Men gathered to the scene and led by the pastor of the church, fought heroically, but all efforts failed and in a very short time all that was left of the little white church was a pile of twisted steel and charred timbers. The energetic pastor, Rev. E. Lincoln Bigelow, who knows no defeat and in whose vocabulary the word “can’t” is not known, led his people to the town hall for worship; and almost before the ashes of the old meeting house had grown cold he had inspired his people to build another house of worship, and secured pledges for $1500 towards this enterprise. A neat chapel will, probably be built this summer to house this congregation (Express and Standard (Newport, VT), April 27, 1923).
EAST ORANGE. Rev. E. Lincoln Bigelow is again occupying the pulpit at the Union church here after being confined to his home some time with whooping cough (Groton Times (Woodsville, NH), January 25, 1924).
WEST MILTON. Mr. Bigelow of Milton occupied the pulpit at Nute chapel Sunday, March 2. There was a good attendance (Farmington News, March 7, 1930).
E. Lincoln Bigelow, a Community church minister, aged forty-one years (b. MA), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of ten years), Marion S. Bigelow, aged thirty-one years (b. MA), and his children, John L. Bigelow, aged ten years (b. MA), William E. Bigelow, aged eight years (b. VT), Florence H. Bigelow, aged six years (b. VT), Elise M. Bigelow, aged five years (b. VT), and Gerald E. Bigelow, aged two years (b. ME). He rented their house on the Nute Ridge Road, for $10 per month. They did not have a radio set.
BAKERSFIELD. The Rev. and Mrs. E.L. Bigelow and family of Milton, N.H., visited friends in town last week. Mr. Bigelow occupied the Methodist pulpit for a short time ten years ago (Burlington Free Press, August 13, 1931).
NUTE CHAPEL PARSONAGE RECEIVES SURPRISE VISIT. Honoring Mrs. Bigelow’s Birthday. Rev. and Mrs. Bigelow Commence Sixth Year in this Pastorate. Thirty-five friends and parishioners assembled at the parsonage Monday evening on the occasion of the birthday of Mrs. E. Lincoln Bigelow. The party was arranged as a surprise by Mrs. George Lloyd. A most enjoyable evening was spent with music, games and social repartee, all of which was spiced with delicious refreshments, which included two birthday cakes, the gifts of parishioners. Mrs. Bigelow also found it necessary to acknowledge several other gifts and the hearty felicitations from the company. The party broke up at a reasonable hour, with many expressions that are characteristic of the fine spirit that exists in this community, and compliments to the pastor and his wife for the fine work they have done during their five years in this parish. Rev. and Mrs. Bigelow will enter their sixth year of local service next Sunday. It is significant to record that the average Sunday morning worship attendance for the year just closed was 41 people. Several have been converted under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow. Sunday school attendance has increased materially. Nute chapel weekly cottage prayer meetings enjoy the reputation of being the largest in this vicinity. A choir has been started and is progressing well. The Thursday evening church programs have come into special prominence and are attracting large numbers. In 1934 Mrs. Bigelow was the author of two Christmas pageants, bot of which were staged and presented publicly by her in other quarters. The social functions connected with the chapel and parish are always attended with spirited interest and usually by much appreciated interest from outside localities. The prayer meeting group which was started three years ago at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perry now has an active membership of 72 and further good work is being contemplated for the welfare of church and community, with plans for an enlarged and more interesting summer church program which will include outside speakers and special music (Farmington News, [Friday,] March 8, 1935).
A volunteer crew cleared away fallen limbs and trees from the Hurricane of ’38 at the Nute chapel parsonage’s woodlot in January 1939.
“‘I thee wed …’ Bigelow [center] has performed hundreds of wedding ceremonies, many of them in the parsonage parlor. The home of a country minister is always open to his parishioners – but seldom on happier occasions than the wedding of a local couple” (Together, April 1958).
E. Lincoln Bigelow, no occupation listed, aged fifty-two years (b. MA), headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Marian Bigelow, aged forty-one years (b. MA), and his children, John Bigelow, a news worker, aged twenty years (b. VT), William Bigelow, aged eighteen years (b. VT), Florence Bigelow, aged sixteen years (b. VT), Elsie Bigelow, aged fifteen years (b. VT), and Gerald Bigelow, aged twelve years (b. ME). E. Lincoln Bigelow rented their house on the Nute Ridge road, which was valued at $1,500.
Miss Elsie M. Bigelow succeeded her mother, Rev. Marian S. (Turner) Bigelow, as Nute Ridge [Lewis W. Nute] Grange master in January 1942.
WEST MILTON. Pastor Bigelow of Nute chapel has made contributions to the food situation by having slaughtered, this past week, two hogs which netted over three hundred pounds of pork. If each of us could do as much the coming year, what a help it would be, locally at least (Farmington News, March 19, 1943).
Now 402 Sales and ANOTHER YANKEE AUCTION! Thursday, Aug. 17, 10:30 A.M. – All Day at Nute Chapel Parsonage, NUTE RIDGE, WEST MILTON, N.H., For the pastor and his family to vacate for removal to new pastorate. Good Merchandise, accumulated from many years of housekeeping, two generations, some choice antiques. Complete assortment of household furnishings, tip-top table, Salen rocker, ladderback and Windsor chairs, kitchen cabinet, chiffonier, chest of drawers, bureaus, electric washing machine, cabinet, circulating heater (coal, wood, oil), beds, springs, mattresses, kitchen ware, silverware, china, 5 in. pewter plate, cameras, clocks, lamps, room and scatter rugs, and other articles too numerous to mention, Ford V-8 chassis, engines, bodies, and miscellaneous parts, 1935 Hudson sedan (no wheels). No jacking, no bid in – All sales final – Sale date positive – Refreshments. Rev. E. Lincoln Bigelow, Sub., Carl B. Canney, Auctioneer (Farmington News, August 11, 1944).
Rev. and Mrs. Bigelow went next to a parish in Danville, VT. (Her parents remained in Farmington, NH).
Edgar Lincoln Bigelow died in Berlin, VT, August 17, 1970. Marian S. (Turner) Bigelow died in Walden, VT, November 15, 1972.
Rev. Charles Edward Shelley – c1945-51
Charles E. Shelley was born in Boston, MA, February 6, 1910, son of George W. and Wilhelmina P. (Gould) Shelley.
George W. Shelley, a sign painter for R.H. White Co., aged fifty-seven years (b. MA), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-three years), Wilhelmina Shelley, aged fifty-seven years (b. MA), his children, Eleanor A. Shelley, and insurance file clerk, aged twenty-four years (b. MA), Ernest D. Shelley, a pub. acct. clerk, aged twenty-one years (b. MA), Charles E. Shelley, metal plant blueprints, aged twenty years (b. MA), and Harold K. Shelley, aged eighteen years (b. MA), and his sister-in-law, Myra B. Gould, aged sixty-nine years (b. RI). George W. Shelley owned their house at 1 Richfield Park, which was valued at $8,500. They had a radio set.
Wilhelmina Shelley, a widow, aged sixty-seven years (b. MA), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. Her household included her son, Charles Shelley, a wholesale clothing co. shipper, aged thirty years (b. MA), and her sister, Myra B. Gould, aged seventy-nine years (b. RI). Wilhelmina Shelley owned their house at 1 Richfield Park, which was valued at $4,000. (It was now rated as half of a two-family, the other half being valued at $4,000). Wilhelmina Shelley supplied the census information.
Charles E. Shelley married in North Reading, MA, August 7, 1943, Mildred I. Downs. She was born in Lawrence, MA, April 14, 1919, daughter of Walter S. and Agnes L. (Seavey) Downs.
CHARLES E. SHELLEY TO BE ORDAINED TO MINISTRY AT NUTE CHAPEL MONDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 21. The ordination of Charles Edward Shelley to the gospel ministry will be held at Nute Chapel at Nute Ridge, Milton, next Monday evening, August 21, beginning at 7:30 o’clock. Mr. Shelley is popularly known to many people in Farmington, and a number of the local residents are expected to be in attendance. The service of ordination will be presided over by Rev. Buell W. Maxwell, pastor of the Milton Mills Baptist Church, and Jeanette MacCorkle will serve as organist. Among the expected guests will be Rev. Maxfield, Mrs. MacCorkle, and Rev. Leslie D. McInnes, pastor of the Blaney Memorial Baptist church of Dorchester, Mass. Rev. Paul Scruton, pastor of the Contoocook Baptist church, Rev. John Godfrey, pastor of the West Lebanon Baptist church, Me., Rev. Robert S. Stansfield, pastor of the Second Baptist church, Auburn, N.Y., Rev. George Schilling, pastor of the True Memorial Baptist church of Rochester, Rev. Douglas B. MacCorkle, pastor of Immanuel Baptist church of Newton, Mass., Rev. Thomas Hawxwell, pastor of Farmington Baptist church, Rev. Ralph Townsend, pastor of East Rochester Baptist church. Following the services an informal reception will be held in the vestry (Farmington News, August 18, 1950).
PASTOR RESIGNS. Rev. Charles E. Shelley has resigned the pastorate at Nute chapel having been called to a new field of service. His last Sunday will be November 4 at the chapel and he and his family will move soon thereafter to Glen. This will terminate six years of service at West Milton (Farmington News, October 19, 1951).
Rev. Charles E. Shelley held subsequently parishes in Glen, NH, West Townsend, MA, and Merrimac, MA.
WEST TOWNSEND. Charles E Shelley of Glen, N.H., with Mrs. Shelley, the former Mildred Downs, and their two daughters, Barbara and Ruth, will move into the Baptist parsonage tomorrow, and next Sunday, Rev. Mr. Shelley will give his first sermon as pastor of the First Baptist church. He preached his farewell sermon Sunday in the Glen church where he has been pastor for two years. He was ordained in 1951 [SIC] at the Nute Chapel at Milton. N.H.. where he held a pastorate for six years. He is a graduate of Gordon college. Boston (Lowell Sun, October 12, 1953).
Charles E. Shelley died in Amesbury, MA, September 18, 2000. She died in Merrimac, MA, December 21, 2004.
Rev. Frederick David “David” Spruance – c1952-53
Frederick D. Spruance, Jr., was born in San Francisco, CA, December 30, 1927, son of Frederick D. and Gladys Cope (Wilson) Spruance.
Gladys Cope, a Citgo co. stenographer, aged thirty-nine years (b. PA), headed a San Francisco, CA, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. Her household included her son, David Spruance, aged twelve years (b. CA), and her lodger, Richard Jones, an assistant insurance actuary (life insurance co.), aged fifty years (b. VA). Gladys Cope rented their house at 1295 Thirty-Ninth Avenue, for $32 per month.
He graduated from Wheaton College, in Wheaton, IL, in 1948. Frederick Spruance married in Preston, CT, July 7, 1949, Jean Dawley. She was born in Preston, CT. circa 1927.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH [Farmington, NH]. Thanksgiving Service. Thursday at 10 A.M. In observance of this national day of giving thanks to God for all his blessings, a special service will be held in this church, to which all are invited. There will be musical selections including a solo by Mrs. Jean Spruance, and a brief message by the pastor. Everyone is invited to bring in a scripture verse of praise and other ministers will be participating in the program (Farmington News, November 28, 1952).
Rev. David Spruance received his Master of Divinity degree from Gordon College in 1953. He and Jean (Dawley) Spruance left Nute chapel in late 1953 to take up missionary work in Tucuman, Argentina.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH [Farmington, NH]. Rev. and Mrs. Spruance of Nute chapel have recently been appointed as missionaries to South America and they will be with us to tell of the work they are planning to do there (Farmington News, October 9, 1953).
MIDDLETON GOSPEL CHAPEL. At a business meeting Thursday it was voted to contribute $100 for the year 1954 to Rev. David Spruance and his wife, Jean, to help support them in their Missionary work in Argentina (Farmington News, December 18, 1953).
Rev. F. David Spruance died in Dresher, PA, June 11, 2015.
Rev. F. David Spruance, D. Min., December 30, 1927 – June 11, 2015. Rev. F. David Spruance, D. Min., of Dresher, Pennsylvania died Thursday, June 11, 2015 at his residence. He was 87 years old. Dave was born December 30, 1927 in San Francisco, California, son of the late Frederick David Spruance, Sr., and the late Gladys Cope (nee – Wilson). He is the beloved husband of Jean Spruance (nee – Dawley); father of John Spruance and his wife Carolina, Deborah McPeek and her husband Kevin, David M. Spruance and his former wife Patricia, Mark Spruance and his late wife Joanne, and Alicia Copa and her husband David; grandfather of Joshua, Aaron and his wife Grace, Micah, Jeffrey and Joel Spruance and his wife Julia, Christopher and his wife Kristine and Jack McPeek and his wife Saskia, Natasha Yeoman and her husband Joshua, Camille Kinder and her husband Nathan, and Dorliza, Dorcas, and Daniel Copa. He is also survived by his 9 great grandchildren.
Dave was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he met his future wife, Jean Dawley. The two were married July 7, 1949 on her family’s farm in Preston, CT. He graduated from Wheaton with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948. Dave received a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts in 1953, a Master of Sacred Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas in 1977, and a Doctorate in Ministry degree from Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado in 1982. He served as a missionary for WorldVenture, formerly CBFMS, in the city of Tucuman in Argentina from 1956 until 1983, where he established a seminary. Dave also served in a campus crusade in Manila in the Philippines before returning to the United States where he served in an interim capacity for a number of church congregations. He finished his active ministry with the Chelten Baptist Church in Dresher, Pennsylvania and with the Seminary of the East, where he was both a professor and Dean of the school. He retired in 1992 at the age of 65.
Relatives and friends were invited to his memorial service on Sunday, July 19, 2015 at 2:30 P.M. at Chelten a Church of Hope, 1601 Limekiln Pike, Dresher, PA 19025 [URL omitted] where donations may be made, in lieu of flowers, in his memory (Wetzel, 2020).
Banks, Marjorie G.H. (1985). Through the Open Doors of the First Congregational Church, Wakefield, New Hampshire. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=Qw_nAAAAMAAJ
There is another petition afoot that seeks to begin to address Milton’s rather astonishing school expenses.
This Citizens’ Petition seeks to direct the Milton School Board to talk with neighboring school districts to determine the feasibility of creating an Authorized Regional Enrollment Area (AREA) (see RSA 195-A in References) for sending high and middle school students out of district.
Milton registered voters are to have several opportunities to sign:
Friday evening, January 10, at Dunkin’ Donuts (565 White Mountain Highway), from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM; and
Saturday morning, January 11, again at Dunkin’ Donuts (565 White Mountain Highway), from 10:00 AM to Noon.
Sunday morning, January 12, again at Dunkin’ Donuts (565 White Mountain Highway), from 10:00 AM to Noon.
(The filing deadline is Tuesday, January 14 [Corrected]).
The text of the AREA petition is as follows:
To see if the voters of the Milton School District shall direct the Milton School Board to enter into talks with neighboring School Districts to determine the feasibility of an AREA Agreement according to RSA 195-A for the purpose of sending our high school and middle school students out of district.
One hesitates to say without more information, but the petition language might suggest that the Milton School Board has refused hitherto to consider or enter into such talks on its own. A public board, responsible to the taxpayers, would never choose to put its own notions before the interests of the taxpayers that are paying the costs. That just could never be, right?
One imagines instead that the Milton School Board will leap at the suggestion that they determine if such an agreement is even feasible. And if it reduces our burden, they could not help but be interested. So, this petition would seem to be another one that seeks rather moderate ends.
One of its proponents has argued that “This does not pin us down to one school or another,” while requiring transparency in that its findings would necessarily be public.
Readers may find several random examples of such agreements in the References below, including even an interstate agreement between Orford, NH, and several Vermont towns. Surrey’s AREA agreement with Keene provides for a 2.5% tuition discount in exchange for its 20-year commitment.
In this year, we encounter a new ski tow, an outboard motor dealer, a serious barn fire, Mountain View cabins for sale and for rent, Ice Box cabins for rent, a Milton larceny, a country colonial house for sale, and a plane crash.
Al Braman of the Hotel Braemore announced a new ski tow at Teneriffe Mountain, to be opened for business on Saturday, January 10.
SKIERS.Brand New Ski Tow Opens Saturday at Milton, N.H., Halfway to North Conway. SKI ALL DAY FOR $1.00. Rooms and Meals at HOTEL BRAEMORE. Next to R.R. Station. AL BRAMAN, Mgr. Rates $2 per day. Meals Extra. NO RESERVATIONS NEEDED. TEL. MILTON 26-3 (Boston Globe, January 9, 1948).
Next to this Hotel Braemore advertisement was another for Boston & Maine Railroad “Sunday Snow Trains.” It offered round-trip tickets from Boston to North Conway or Intervale, NH, for $3.25 “plus tax.”
Glidden’s of Milton appeared in a list of New England Scott-Atwater outboard motor dealers.
America’s Sportsmen Agree With These Dealers On Scott-Atwater. None But the Best Carry Scott-Atwater – Visit Your Dealer. [Excerpted from lengthy list:] GLIDDEN’S, Milton, N.H., Tel. 23-3 (Boston Globe, February 1, 1948).
Dr. Arthur D. Katwick lost his Bonny Acres dairy farm barn, cattle, horses, and farm equipment in a disastrous West Milton fire.
Arthur Katwick, an osteopathic physician (at home), aged thirty-seven years (b. MA), headed a Stoughton, MA, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Alice S. Katwick, a nurse, aged thirty-one years (b. Canada (Eng.)), and his daughter, Alice A. Katwick, aged two months (b. MA). Arthur Katwick owned their house at 70 Park Street, which was valued at $3,250.
Stoughton Doctor’s Barn in N.H. Razed by Fire; Loss $50,000. WEST MILTON, N.H., Feb. 11. – Thirty-six head of registered Guernsey and Holstein cattle and four horses perished and valuable farm equipment was destroyed early to day when fire of undetermined origin levelled the large barn at Bonny Acres dairy farm here, owned by Dr. Arthur D. Katwick of Stoughton, Mass.. with a loss estimated at close to $50,000. The barn was part of the ancestral property of Lewis W. Nute, a Milton native and Massachusetts shoe manufacturer, whose money made possible the Nute High School, the public library, and the chapel at Nute’s Ridge (Boston Globe, February 12, 1948).
N.H. Fire Loss $50,000. MILTON, N.H., Feb. 12. – Fire Chief Herbert Downs estimated a $50,000 loss by fire yesterday that destroyed a Nute Ridge barn and 40 head of livestock owned by Dr. Arthur D. Katwick of Mass. The chief said he believed the blaze started from an overheated electric water pump. Included the loss were 36 purebred cattle, four horses, a tractor and beach wagon. Firemen saved the house, located across the street (Fitchburg Sentinel, February 12, 1948).
Herbert A. Downs, a leather-board mill machine tender, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Wilma F. [(Warnecke)] Downs, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), and his children, Arthur W. Downs, aged three years (b. NH), and Sharon E. Downs, aged one month (b. NH). Herbert A. Downs owned their house on the Farmington Road, which was valued at $1,000. Guy L. Hayes, the antique corset collector of July 1945, lived next door.
The Lynn telephone number has changed, but this is one of several properties that Henry H. Pillman, Jr., sought to sell in the previous year. Pillman ran the Mountain View rental cottages
REAL ESTATE. MILTON, N.H. 1300 FT. shore frontage, 6 A., house, barn, bungalow, 2 camps; $8500. Call LY 5-6927 (Boston Globe, February 15, 1948).
This property was advertised still in April. By May, the advertiser was willing to sell the component parts separately.
Summer Cottages and Houses. MILTON, N.H. – Lake shore camp, $930; bungalow, $2500: camp lots, from $300 to $500. Call LYnn 5-6927 (Boston Globe, May 9, 1948).
Henry R. Sweeney advertised again his Milton “Ice Box” cabins with its home-cooked meals. (Chicken dinners might have been on offer, as they would be advertised in future years).
NEW HAMPSHIRE. Plan your summer vacation Now. THE ICE BOX. Route 16; Tel. 26-4, Milton, N.H. Cabins in pine grove and on lake shore. Modern plumbing & elect. Steam heat. Bathing, boating, fishing. Children welcome. Rates $38.50 per week per person, includes three home-cooked meals daily. SPECIAL JUNE RATES. H.R. SWEENEY, Mgr. (Boston Globe, May 23, 1948).
Note that Mr. Sweeney’s per-person prices have increased 10% from the $35.00 of 1947 to $38.50 in 1948.
Mr. Pillman here sought to rent the vacation properties that he had advertised for sale in the spring (see above).
Summer Cottages and Houses. FOR RENT – On Lake Shore at Milton, N.H., bungalow, $32; 2 duplex units, $28 each; boating, bathing, fishing. LY 5-6927 (Boston Globe, June 13, 1948).
The rather astounding trail of mainly Durham, NH, events recounted here – and criminal charges preferred – involved Milton only as the scene of a breaking, entering, and larceny charge.
Durham Divorcee Held In Ax-Assault, Larceny. Guilty pleas to individual charges of aggravated assault with the end of an ax on a 66-year-old Massachusetts man, and breaking, entering and larceny in the daytime were entered in Durham municipal court today by Mrs. Ellen Madelyn Walton, 40-year-old divorcee. Stockingless and garbed in a khaki army shirt over a plain print dress, the Durham Point camp resident appeared in cool reserve as Judge Bradford W. Mclntire held her in $1,000 bail on each charge. The assault took place Tuesday at the middle-aged mother’s Middle road camp when, she told police, she became involved in an argument with Robert Livesey, 66, of 11 Charter street, Newburyport. Appearing in court in a blood-caked shirt with his unbandaged face showing evidence of a recent, brutal beating, Livesey was not called upon to testify. The charges were brought by Strafford County Solicitor Frank W. Peyser who said Mrs. Walton committed the break and larceny at the Milton, N.H., home of Catherine Boyd a short while after the altercation with the Massachusetts man. Occasionally shifting the position of her tattered sneakers, the Durham Point woman showed no other evidence of possible concern over the arraignment as Judge Mclntire ordered Livesey held in $100 as a material witness to appear before the September term of the Stratford county grand jury. Police reported this morning Livesey was discovered about 7 o’clock Tuesday with deep gashes in his skull by State Trooper Clifton Hildreth, Durham Police Chief Bourgoin and Sheriff Stephen W. Scruton. Arriving at the Durham Point camp on a routine call, the three Police officers then rushed Livesey to the Durham Center office of Dr. George McGregor for emergency treatment. At the close of the trial, Mrs. Walton declared she could procure the bail money from her 22-year-old son whom police have been unable. to locate (Portsmouth Herald, July 7, 1948).
Mr. Pillman continued to advertise a portion at least of the vacation properties that he had advertised earlier in the year (see above).
Summer Cottages and Houses. FOR SALE. Camp at Milton, N.H., 3 rooms, completely furnished, sleeps 5, screened porch, good well, beach, 1 block from main highway. get kiddies in the pines; price $2500. Write P.O. Box 424, Rochester, N.H. 3t Jy27 (Boston Globe, July 27, 1948).
FARM, VILLAGE HOMES. MILTON, N.H. WHITE MT. Hwy. No. 16, old country colonial, 25 acres, 9 rooms, furnished inside and out, near lakes and mountains, high altitude, modem conveniences, Excellent summer or permanent farm home. Price $9000. GEORGE O. MACAULEY, owner, Plummers Ridge, Box 177, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, August 22, 1948).
George O. MacAuley, a saw and steel miller, aged thirty-two years (b. MA), headed a Groton, MA, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Louise K. [(Cunningham)] MacAuley, aged thirty-two years (b. MA), and his daughter, Betty L. MacAuley, aged eleven years (b. MA). George O. MacAuley owned their house on Elm Street, which was valued at $1,400.
A Canadian pilot traveling from Boston, MA, to Bangor, ME, made an unscheduled landing in a Milton field.
FLYERS ESCAPE INJURY AS PLANE HITS STONE WALL. MILTON, N.H., Sept. 8 (AP). Two men flying from Boston to Bangor, Me., had to continue their journey by bus tonight when their light plane struck a stone wall and crimpled under the impact. Joseph Digiacinto, 24, of Frederickton, N.B., and an unidentified companion, had landed on a large field here after they had lost their bearings (Rutland Daily Herald, September 9, 1948).
Miss Edith J. Hodgdon, proprietor of The Little House (hotel) and Pantry in Northfield, VT, recruited her niece, Joyce Hodgdon of Milton Mills for some summer assistance. She had opened the hotel in 1940, changed its location in or around 1948 and, more recently, there had been a kitchen fire there in May 1951 (Burlington Free Press, May 21, 1951).
CARD OF THANKS. I am deeply grateful for the cards, flowers, and many kindnesses and expressions of sympathy in my recent great misfortune. Mrs. Irma Drew (Farmington News, August 17, 1951).
The 
MATING GAME. After 62 years, he’s an institution of marriage Preacher has heard vows of 1,200. By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff. CHICHESTER – Rev. H. Franklin Parker had just donned a railroad conductor’s cap – to remind him that he likes “to get people on the right track and keep them going” – when Michael Valenti pulled into Parker’s driveway with a marriage license. Valenti and his fiancee. Susan Leighton, wanted a holiday wedding – a small ceremony at Leighton’s family home in Barnstead. And they wanted Parker, known by some in these parts as “Marryin’ Sam,” to officiate. “Why not?” Leighton said later in a telephone interview. “He’s married just about everybody else around here.” Parker, soon to celebrate his 86th Christmas, is one of New Hampshire’s last old-time country preachers. Worn Bible in hand, he has spent much of his life crisscrossing a short stretch of the Suncook Valley east of Concord, marrying more than 1,200 residents, three generations of the Brown family of Epsom among them. Parker has gone to mountaintops and hospital wards to pronounce couples husband and wife. He has accommodated couples seeking hasty weddings, marrying them next to the old pedal-powered organ in his study or under the solitary cherry tree in his front yard, just up the road from the 140-year-old Chichester Country Store. And two years ago, in exchange for a cord of wood, Parker stood in the chill of an 18th-century gristmill in Loudon to marry a 47-year-old dairy farmer and a 42-year-old Concord secretary who had arrived on the farmer’s doorstep for a blind date on Valentine’s Day and never left. Both had been married twice before. “One reason so many people come to him may be that he doesn’t judge them that way,” said Ruth Hammen of Chichester, who was baptized and later married by Parker. “He doesn’t feel it’s his place to judge.” Last week. Parker wanted Valenti to answer only one question – had he and Leighton known each other long enough to give their marriage a strong foundation? – before he would agree to marry them. Is it any wonder Parker’s favorite television show is “The Dating Game”? “Everything else is pretty boring,” he said. For 62 years, Parker has entered hundreds of families’ living rooms – and welcomed hundreds more couples to his own – to begin marriages. He has kept the ceremonies short because he says people like it that way. And he has etched each wedding date, among other events great and small, in a diary that traces the lives of a popular country preacher and his flock. It is a story of mutual affection, beginning with Parker’s arrival in Chichester – soon after electricity – in 1926. Before he “retired” in 1969 after 41 years as pastor of the Chichester Congregational Church, Parker often doubled as a circuit rider, delivering five sermons a Sunday at churches in Chichester, Epsom, Barnstead and Gilmanton Center. His congregation grew so wide, according to Carole Brown of Epsom, that she “didn’t even know what church he was affiliated with” when Parker performed her wedding ceremony 10 years ago. “All I knew,” Brown said, “was that he. married everybody,” including Brown’s husband’s parents and grandparents. Later, Parker tracked many of the couples he married. He sometimes delivered a single red rose to women who had given birth. He baptized the children, knitted them mittens for Christmas and wrote them stories when they were sick. And he saw many of them again in his jobs as town librarian, historian, ballot clerk and chaplain for the Chichester Grange. “Rev. Parker’s a landmark, like one of those old country doctors,” said Robert Feeny of Pittsfield, whose wedding Parker conducted 37 years ago. Parker often scanned local papers to learn which area residents had been admitted to hospitals and nursing homes, and once visited more then 1,000 patients in a year. He told many of them his philosophy of life – a Latin phrase [Per aspera ad astra] that he translated as “through adversity to the stars.” “If we get to the stars,” he told the patients, “some of us will get there only through adversity.” And when congregants died, Parker conducted their funerals, sending many of them off with a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier that ends: “I know not why His islands lift their fronded palms in the air, I only know I cannot drift beyond His love and care.” Through the years, Parker has seen the coffins of dozens of men and women he once baptized lowered to their graves. But he has no philosophy of death. “It’s just one of those elements you have to reckon with,” he said. “I take it as it comes.” Recently, Parker has gotten out less and less. He still cuts firewood, gardens and walks to the store, waving his cane to passersby. He visits the local nursing home and hospital about once a week. When someone asks him to conduct a funeral service, he does. And he still performs small weddings. But big weddings worry him. “My memory doesn’t serve me as it ought to anymore.” he said, rocking slowly in his chair as a grandfather clock ticked behind him. “If I slipped up, it would be embarrassing to everyone.” So he stays at home more, sometimes sitting before his 12-inch television to watch Rev. Robert Schuller broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral. Other times, he writes poetry. Or sits by the woodstove, reading aloud to his wife, Alice, before entering the book title in his diary on the day he completes it. And when he has the energy, Parker pumps the pedals on his church organ – adorned with his childhood teddy bear – and plays spiritual tunes, among them his own composition, the “Chichester Hymn.” He regrets that his falling eyesight prevents him from driving 10 miles to Concord to see a performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” But he yearns for little else. “I’ve had a simple, uneventful life,” Parker said. “Others have drifted along, but I’ve gone at my own pace and gotten a lot of enjoyment out of it.” Now the “Happy Holidays” welcome mat lies at Parker’s front door, and much of his flock is returning. Many couples, renewing an annual tradition, are stopping by with good wishes. Some are bringing gifts. Others are sending cards. And most are saying thank you. Among them will be Feeny, who credits Parker with “tying a good tight knot” for him and his wife of 37 years. Parker is “a minister you can look up to,” Feeny said. “He’s an honest, upright man who is always there when you need him, night or day.” Hammen, too, will pay a visit soon, giving Parker a date book to help him chart another year of his life. Hammen remembers when Parker stood by her family eight years ago after their house was destroyed by fire. “It was no great big thing,’ Hammen said. “But that’s not Rev. Parker’s style. In his own way, he has showed a lot of us around here that sometimes the simplest gifts make the greatest impressions” (Boston Globe, December 18, 1988).
Gladys Cope, a Citgo co. stenographer, aged thirty-nine years (b. PA), headed a San Francisco, CA, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. Her household included her son, David Spruance, aged twelve years (b. CA), and her lodger, Richard Jones, an assistant insurance actuary (life insurance co.), aged fifty years (b. VA). Gladys Cope rented their house at 1295 Thirty-Ninth Avenue, for $32 per month.
Milton Observer 