Stoughton Historical Society Newsletter Online Edition
VOLUME XLXI NO. 1 OCT-NOV-DEC
2021 Upcoming Events
November 18 7:00 – Presentation on the History of Harris/Lakewood Pond by Dan Mark. Were cannon made by the Paul Revere Company for the Civil War test-fired there when it was “Lincoln Farm?” Did Stoughton ever plan to make the Harris Pond watershed the main source of town water? When did houses first get built around the pond? Learn the answer to these and many other interesting questions. Dan Mark, who grew up on Harris Pond has been researching Harris Pond and some of the surrounding areas of West Stoughton for the past year. Come hear what he has found and share your own knowledge. There will be an in-person meeting at the Library and it will also be available on Zoom. Once you register at the library website, you will be given a Zoom link the day before the meeting.
CONTACT: jolshin@ocln.org 7813442711 jolshin@ocln.org
LOCATION: Community Room
December 11, 5:00pm – Holiday Parade of Lights – We will be open one hour before the parade until one hour after its conclusion. Come visit us, warm up have some hot cocoa, snacks, and possibly buy holiday gifts from Stoughton history: memberships; maps, from the oldest, The Map of the Twelve Divisions ca. 1700 to the latest trail maps of Bird St. Conservation Area and Glen Echo, diaries of Revolutionary War and Civil War soldiers, booklets on local trails and farms, and some very large or very small t-shirts.
President’s Report
While we have had no meetings at the Historical Society, we have participated in a number of very productive events, including Stoughton Day at Halloran Park, an open house at the Railroad Station, a walk to Stoughton’s highest elevation, and a sharing in the Town’s celebration of Veterans Day.
Veterans Day in Stoughton, 2021. There were a number of significant events in Stoughton in this year’s celebration of the Holiday, which originally marked the signing of the Armistice, ending World War I on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month of 1918. It has evolved into a celebration now honoring all American Veterans. Our building, the Lucius Clapp Memorial reflected the occasion with American flags around the perimeter of the lawn, thanks to Rick and Linda Woodward, and our banner which we reads, “We Honor Veterans from All Wars” had been placed by on the center railing by Richard Fitzpatrick, after a reminder from Joe DeVito.
Our former President of the Society, Joe DeVito played a prominent in the day’s activities. Accompanied by Paul Carter, Joe was present at the ceremonies at Town Hall, where was he was brought to the podium and acknowledged in depth by Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Joe Mokrisky. Joe DeVito served on a PT boat in World War II and is one of the last Stoughton veterans from that war still with us. He attended the event in a combination chair-walker and he walked with Paul and me from the Town Hall ceremonies to the Faxon Park ceremonies, as the parade passed beside us. He was asked to lay a wreath at the Faxon Park stone honoring veterans, and then he left to attend the dedication of the Veterans Memorial Field and Athletic Complex at the new Stoughton High School. The first two ceremonies were presided over by Mike Pazyra, the retiring Veterans Agent for the Town of Stoughton, who has done yeoman’s work supporting our veterans in this eighteen-year tenure. Our student volunteer, Zachary Mandosa played the echoing “Taps” trumpet at all three occasions and hit all his notes.
Earlier in the day, John Carabatsos had posted pictures on Facebook from our collection, which he has examined extensively, of Stoughton Center, facing Town Hall in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Visible in the pictures is the large wooden wall-sign in front of Town Hall at that time, which honored Stoughton veterans. These pictures brought to mind, Stoughton’s Roy Marden, whose name was on that wall. Roy died in France in 1918 at age 26, FOUR HOURS before the Armistice took effect. Roy was not the last Stoughton man to die in that war, as several others subsequently died from the Spanish Flu or their wounds, but Roy was the last to be killed in combat.
On September 25 on Stoughton Day at Halloran Park, we had scores of people stop by our table to look at the John Stiles scrapbook, check out the old toaster and stereopticon that Linda Woodward brought, discus Stoughton History with us, buy many of our maps, books and booklets, pick up a Newsletter or Community Calendar and/or join the Historical Society. Helping at our table were Rick and Linda Woodward, Dan Mark, and Joan Bryant. Many thanks to Matt Cauchon and the Stoughton Recreation Department for setting up this very successful event.
We are pleased that we have picked up a number of new members in the last year. Whether you are a new member, or a seasoned veteran, even if you cannot come to the Society every week, but have a sincere interest in the Stoughton Historical Society, we welcome volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors, or as a Membership or Corresponding Secretary. We also need a Recording Secretary, but that individual must be committed to attend most of our programs, which pre-Covid were approximately five or six a year plus two dinners. Our goal is that by our Installation Dinner next June, we are installing some new officers.
On October 9th, I led a group of fifteen people on a walk to Stoughton’s highest elevation, which is not far from Bay Road, just across from Rattlesnake Hill in Sharon. Many do not know of this highest point, which is part of what is designated geologically, the Sharon Uplands, which also include Moose Hill in Sharon. We walked past the stone walls built by the Vose family in the late 1700’s and also past several pits, one of them very deep. I have been tempted to think of the pits which were not created by the removal of granite to be charcoal pits, as charcoal was produced during the early history of these farms. But further research has revealed that charcoal pits were not generally dug deeply into the ground, but were constructed on top of the ground. Therefore, the mystery of the origin of some of these deep pits, remains. Further along the trail there is a junction of old woods roads, which ran from Highland St out to Bay Road eventually running along the path of the current Phoenix and Eagle Rock Roads and another section of the road looped back to Highland St. near the base of the hill closest to Bay Road. These trails have become popular with mountain-bikers, who have maintained the trails during the last several years. When I moved to Highland Street in 1977 there was a woods road from Highland St. along the path of the current Highland Rock Drive that made a more than two-mile loop before returning to Highland St. at the base of the hill closest to Bay Road. That road crossed the other trail mentioned above, which began just above the current Deer Run off Highland Street and connecting to a dirt road entering from Bay Road near the current Phoenix Lane and Eagle Rock Drive. That road contained the remnants of a piggery, which had apparently used old tractor trailers and pallets to shelter the pigs and further to the East, not far from the current Foster’s Run, a dilapidated stable of which there may be a picture somewhere in the dusty, pre-digital files. Horses and riders traversed this route in the 1970’s and 80’s, but the stables from which they came are apparently gone. This latter route is now difficult for the untrained eye to discern. Not far from the afore-mentioned highest point in Stoughton is a cell-tower, taking advantage of the elevation. At various crossings there are markers inadvertently left by humans. A large roll of apparently never-used non-barbed wire marks the spot where one leaves the old trail to ascend to the highest point and descend by the much newer, and much-biked trail out to Jordan Road and/or Eagle Rock Drive. Somewhere, nearby is an enameled Gulf Oil sign, hidden by yours truly and elsewhere along the trail is a washtub, not hidden, but rather marking the intersection of the very clear trail with the obscure one.
In the past, when a large tree fell, the trail tended to take on a new bend as hikers and wildlife simply went around it. Today’s cyclers are apt to almost immediately go out with a saw and restore the original (to them) path, but this old road, which was once relatively straight, has taken on more curves over the years as tree were by-passed and a new (now apparently permanent) route formed. These trails run on a patchwork of Stoughton Conservation lands and land owned (in Stoughton) by the Ames Pistol and Rifle Club. Further discussions are needed among the parties on the appropriate use of these trails.
Unfortunately, the storm and extensive power outages caused the cancellation of Joe Blansfield’s presentation on Bay Road at the library. It will be re-scheduled, and we look forward to learning more about Bay Road.
On October 16, we had scores of people visit the historic Stoughton Railroad Station and view the many exhibits we had inside the building.
The inside of the train station, now owned and being slowly rehabbed by the Town of Stoughton, contains exceptionally beautiful wood work, but it had not been occupied in years and considerable cleaning had to be done, first by a crew led by Asst. Facilities Manager Arthur Coelho and then followed up our own Joanne Callanan, Denise Peterson, Richard Fitzpatrick and your President. Joanne decorated the tables and radiators with nicely colored table cloths and bunting, and eventually we had ten easels with posterboards, and half a dozen tables with pictures, documents, and artifacts relating to the history of the Railroad Station. Janice Clough placed a couple representative costumes from the late 1800’s on display.
Linda Weiler had given us more pictures to supplement the large scrapbook we had already compiled from other pictures she had given us. Her father-in-law Ced Weiler and his father Fred, worked for many years in the Railroad Express office at the station. Richard Fitzpatrick organized the Railroad Express pictures and manned an exhibit near the former Express office. He had also delivered many tons of food for the food pantry that operated out of that building for more than a decade and he shared information on that operation.
This event was the brain-child of Town Economic Director, Pam McCarthy, who originally had asked us if we could contribute some materials to entertain and edify a bus tour, visiting the site of recent movie locations in the area. One scene from the recent move, Little Women was shot at the train station. Subsequent discussions expanded the project to include a Railroad Station Open House for Stoughton residents, which would be the lead-in for a Community Beer garden event nearby, later in the afternoon. We were blessed with a sunny October day, and the sunlight accentuated the beautiful woodwork. Almost everyone attending agreed that some productive use should be found for this marvelously distinctive and historically rich building. Funds supplied by the Community Preservation Act have already contributed $400,000 for purchase of the building and repairs on the roof and masonry, but much more work will be required inside, including restoration of the plumbing and heating systems and extensive work on the wooden floors, which have suffered considerably in just the last several years. As usual, we had our own table at which we sold a number of books, booklets, and maps. Nearby was a posterboard with recent photographs of the Myron Gilbert quarry, just a few miles down the street from which the stone was quarried to build the station.
A week later, Richard Fitzpatrick and I went back down on a stormy (no power in most of Stoughton) Wednesday morning to meet the tour group that were visiting movie sites. Without the brilliant sunlight, the building was not nearly as welcoming, but the tour group, with the help of a portable sound system and lighting supplied by their tour guide leader, were very appreciative.
The following is an edited and updated excerpt from the 2012-2013 Community Calendar, which featured our historic station: This past March of 2021 marked the 133rd Anniversary of the opening of Stoughton’s Historic Railroad Station, one of two buildings in town, which are on the National Historic Register. “Time and circumstance have given the Stoughton Railroad Station a unique role in the area, for it is the sole towered survivor. All other (towered) stone stations of any pretense in the area (at Taunton, Dedham, Providence, and Boston) have been destroyed.” (M.H. Floyd, American Heritage Inc. 1967) The Railroad came to Stoughton in the spring of 1845. The first three stations were of wooden frame construction with the first soon burning down, the second blowing down, and the third one surviving from the 1850’s until the construction of the present station in 1888. At that time a roundhouse and turntable, (since removed) were built near the site of the old station.
During its first forty years, the railroad was used primarily for the movement of materials and goods coming to or leaving Stoughton’s expanding cloth and shoe factories as well as bringing in products for local merchants. In 1855, the Stoughton Branch was extended south to North Easton, (whose Richardson Romanesque station was built in 1881) primarily for the benefit of the Ames Shovel factories. Although there may have been relatively few commuter passengers in the first twenty years, in 1856, Erastus Smith
wrote in his journal of one-day excursions, taking “the cars” into Boston to buy tools, visit the legislature and walk along the waterfront.
By the time of the Civil War, most of Easton’s and Stoughton’s soldiers departed and returned on the railroad. As they departed from the station in Morton Square on May 9, 1861, Stoughton’s Company I of the 12th Regiment Mass. Volunteers, were presented with a silk American flag by Sylvanus C. Phinney. This flag, which was given to the Town 42 years later is now displayed at the Stoughton Historical Society. In August of 1862, before his Regiment departed for the War, new recruit Alfred Waldo took the train several times between Camp Stanton in Lynnfield and Stoughton.
On March 24, 1888, the new Stoughton Railroad Station was opened as a terminal station of the Boston and Providence Railroad. Stoughton was not the end of the rail line, but it was the end of the Boston and Providence-owned portion; the fact that it was designated a terminal station, led to the building of the clock tower.
The station, which was designed by Boston architect, Charles Brigham, is an excellent example of the Classical Revival style of the late 1800’s. It features a clock tower, sixty-two feet tall, a slate roof, and granite block construction of two distinct hues. A pinkish stone forms the bulk of the structure, while a lighter-colored, white and black granite is found on each corner and frames all the windows and doors. According to newspaper articles in 1887, local stone worker and quarryman Myron Gilbert was given the contract for all the stone work. The granite was hauled down from Gilbert’s quarries between West St. and Bird St. However, it has also been suggested that the lighter-colored stone came from the Quincy quarries.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers used the train during the next 125 years with relative safety and convenience. Photographs in the files of the Stoughton Historical Society reveal that at one time there were five smaller stations/stops within Stoughton town limits and a large trolley barn at Cobb’s Corner. Stoughton’s most famous train accident was the derailment of the Newport Express on August 4, 1924. The train, which was running express from Taunton to Boston, ran over two railroad spikes, which had been placed lengthwise on the rails by juveniles. After ploughing up some 200’ of roadbed, the locomotive plunged through the stone and brick wall of the station and entered the Ladies Waiting Room, stopping just short of the Ladies Rest Room. Although several young women had to exit the female lavatory via the window, there were no serious injuries, as the passenger cars on the train did not derail, and there were relatively few people in the station at the time.
During World War II, almost a million American soldiers and a few thousand German and Italian prisoners of war passed through Stoughton while being transported between Camp Miles Standish in Taunton and the port of embarkation or arrival in South Boston. Many older Stoughton residents recall waving to the troops and prisoners as they passed through.
After the War, the continued ascension of the automobile led to decreased use of the train and a general deterioration of the station. All its beautiful wood interior was painted over in two shades of green and a freight station had been cut into the side of the building. In 1958, rail service to North Easton was discontinued and Stoughton, once again became the end of the line. An urban renewal plan for downtown Stoughton in the 1960’s called for the demolition of the railroad station. In response, the Stoughton Historical Society, and soon thereafter, the newly formed Stoughton Historical Commission conducted extensive research and made applications to State and Federal commissions, eventually leading to the Stoughton Railroad Station being recorded as an historic property with the Mass. Historical Commission (MHC), and on January 24, 1974, it was placed on the National Historic Register. From 1974 to 1988 plans were made, grants acquired in order to restore the train station. In August of 1975 crews from CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) began work, but were put on hold by the MBTA until a lease agreement could be reached. In May of 1977, the Town Manager appointed a Committee to oversee the restoration efforts; it consisted of Alice Petruzzo-Chairman, Ann Petterson, Dorothy Woodward, Earl McMann, and Marilyn Huffman.
A frustrated Alice Petruzzo was soon quoted in the Boston Globe; “(The train station is) an excellent example of the architecture of that time. It has a beautiful fireplace inside and to my knowledge, it is the
only clock tower station still standing in Massachusetts. But here I am getting old and gray, waiting for someone to sign the paper so we can start the restoration.” By July, the lease had been signed and the first full CETA crew began exterior work.
Over the next ten years, grants were acquired from the MHC and the Arts Lottery and some were matched by a warrant article at Town Meeting for $12,000. During the next ten years, the building was systematically refurbished inside and out with the help of many more small grants, thousands of hours of volunteer and paid physical labor, and significant fund-raising by Stoughton Railroad Station Restoration Inc., which was formed in 1980. Over the next seven years, the group sponsored seven Flea Markets (three with auctions,) eight Model RR shows, six Christmas shows, four Open Houses, three Truck Shows, a Rock n’ Roll dance, a Fashion show, a Craft show, a Quilt Show, and a Coffee House. On Saturday, October 1, 1988, the One Hundredth Birthday Celebration was held, which included an open house, a building rededication, and a reception. The last sentence of the Stoughton Railroad Station Restoration Inc. page in the 100th Anniversary booklet reads, “The Stoughton Railroad Station is a historic and architectural Victorian treasure and a lasting testimony to volunteer effort at its best.”
Unfortunately, some would say, tragically, in the twenty-five years, which have passed since that celebration, once again the railroad station has fallen into disrepair, slowly deteriorating as neither the MBTA nor the Town found the resources to maintain it properly. The MBTA asked for increasing amounts of money from the Town for the lease to cover expenses such as liability insurance in the parking lot, and after 1992, the lease was never renewed, although some Town-related activities such as the Food Pantry took place at the station until 2007….
(Much of this commentary has been derived from The Stoughton Railroad Station: One Hundredth Anniversary 1888-1988, compiled by Howard Hansen et. al. and a report written by M.H. Floyd, American Heritage Inc. 1967; both can be found online at stoughtonhistory.com., the website of the Stoughton Historical Society. The Society also has hundreds of railroad and trolley-related pictures and two boxes of documents from the many activities of the Restoration Committee.”
In early November, we received two visits from Brian Snow, who brought us fascinating professional and personal memorabilia, and informed us that an auction of the machinery at the F. C. Phillips Screw Factory, much of it online, would be taking place from Nov 11-18.
Fred C. Phillips began doing business in Stoughton 110 years ago, and the auctioning off of this machinery marks the end of another era in the Town’s industrial history. According to a booklet, published by the company in 1963 and 1976: “On December 16, 1911, F. C. Phillips began operating a space 30 x 30 feet at the old Norris Pedal Action Company on Canton St. in Stoughton. During the fall of 1962 F. C. Phillips Inc. completed another project in a space 30 x 50 feet. But this time, it was our 34th expansion – a new department to speed up plating. In between these two dates, there unfolded a typically American story of growth and ingenuity.
In that first year of 1911, F. C. Phillips operated four 515 Acme screw machines by himself. Before completing his 3-year lease he was ready for bigger things. From Charles Welch, a frequent visitor to his shop and close friend, Mr. Phillips acquired four lots at our present site. There, in 1913, he built a 75 x 30 foot factory, the section near the old brick office…
….On December 16, 1911, F. C. Phillips signed a five-year contract to produce machined parts for the George E. Belcher Company. Through the following years, the present stream-lined plant took shape, and new and better machines were added. As early as 1914, even though 4 hand screw and milling machines and 6 automatics produced the total output, the firm’s reputation for manufacturing high-grade screws was well established, and F. C. Phillips Inc. was recognized in the trade as a reliable source of supply for screw machine products.
From 1922 to1948, “F. C.” served his community of Stoughton without pay as a Selectman – a period of time that witnessed a great growth in Stoughton’s history. It was during this time that the Phillips cam lock golf spikes (1931) became famous throughout the world. In 1929, our company pioneered the automatic spark control for Ford Model A’s, a tremendous improvement over the old hand-operated spark control. The whimsical catch phrase, “put monkey glands in your Ford” drew hundreds to Stoughton who stayed to have new ventilators installed in their Ford windshields…
The plant kept growing and walls were constantly knocked down to extend the floor area. Before the advent of bull-dozers, huge mounds of earth were moved by tip carts to fill in the neighboring swamp lands so that construction could go on. Even in the 30’s, gaily painted Ford cars flaunted the general depression to carry the Phillips name into the south Atlantic States.”
Childhoods in North Stoughton – Of equal interest to me were some of the stories Brian Snow shared about growing up in North Stoughton. He waited for the school bus at the same stop as the kids from Glen Echo Blvd, including David O’Keefe, son of the Specs of Brinks notoriety. Mrs O’Keefe was Brian’s Den mother in Cubs scouts, but he acknowledged that the den consisted of just David and himself. He was good friends with Jimmy LeMar, who taught him how to snap his fingers in syncopated fashion. Denise Peterson then recalled that Jimmy LeMar went on to play in the band, “Salt and Pepper.” A couple months ago, Linda Weiler had inquired about the LeMar family, saying that Jimmy had made a great impression on her when he worked for Linda’s father. I determined that the last time I could find the LeMar household recorded in Town records was 1960. When I mentioned to Brian the tragic fate of Roy Marden on Armistice Day in WWI, he recalled that there were Mardens living in North Stoughton. The grandfather in the family was a WWI veteran. That would be Ray’s older brother, Harold, who also served. That realization led me back to Edward Marden’s diaries, where I learned that the two boys lived with separate families after their mother Etta died. I believe that Ray and younger brother John lived in North Stoughton with the Guilds, Etta’s parents, whereas Harold lived elsewhere. The girls lived with relatives or acquaintances in Westboro. The father Edward Marden would visit them via train or trolley. In 1908 and 1909, he is living in Boston and working in a factory there. For the Christmas of 1908, they are all briefly united in Stoughton for a couple days, before they again go their separate ways. We also discovered more information about Ray Marden’s life in the early years, before he went off to World War I, which we will share in a future Newsletter.
Archivists Report
On September 28, We received a donation of two jewelry display cases from the former UNIQUE JEWELRY store formerly located on Freeman Street. I received from Peggy Sewyck, additional information regarding the renaming of the Helen Hanson school and her 90th birthday celebration.
Combined same with existing folder. Spent considerable time on Oct. 16, RR Station display, locating photos and other material. Also, Dwight and I attended the 7:45 am open house for the “Film Tour” on Wednesday 10/27/21. Filed a new pamphlet re; dedication of Fellowship Hall in 1944 at F. C. Phillip’s Screw Machine. Donated by Brian Snow. On Nov. 9th sorted and refiled some of the RR open house material. Some still to do. Hank Herbowy gave us a Stoughton Sentinel from 1916 with headlines of the death of Wales French, several articles on the Norris Pedal Company, mentioned above as the building in which F. C. Phillips began his one-man screw machine operation, an ad from George Monk’s Cash Store in which he is offering cottage lots for sale at Glen Echo, an article proclaiming that James Lehan had just opened a bowling alley on Porter Street and was entertaining the friends who helped make it possible, an ad from Lehan that a Ford Runabout could be delivered for $407 and an ad from the Norris Noiseless Pedal Action Company -Richard Fitzpatrick
Curator’s Report
Our long-term project to inventory the artifacts in our collection continues.
Acquisitions: From Jim Meserve: Multiple items including a Commemorative Set of Coasters and Mug from the 45th Reunion of the SHS Class of 1937; Commemorative Mug, Tile, Medal with Chain and 2 Pewter Spoons from Stoughton’s 250th Anniversary. From Rick and Linda Woodward: Multiple kitchen items including a Cast Iron Kettle, a small Milk Tin with handle, a glass & steel Ice Crusher, a “Taylor Home Set” Candy Thermometer with the 1928 Recipe Book, old Sardine Can Key, 2 vintage Bascal Aluminum Tumbler drinking cups made in Italy, a vintage Thermo-o-Ware “Sunfrost” storage container, a 1776 Bicentennial Dish, and a 1960s Bar Drinking Glass Tumbler w formula for “Elixir Strychninae Valeratis”. From Dottie Sasin: An F. C. Phillips Employee Pin w. photo of unknown woman. From Brian Snow: Two inventions, in excellent condition and original boxes, designed and manufactured by Fred C. Phillips’ companies. A “Phillips Course Protractor” for nautical navigation, by Falmouth Marine, in wood case with instruction book. Also, a “Phillips Automatic Spark Control” for Model A Ford Cars and A.A. Ford Trucks, manufactured by F. C. Phillips, Stoughton, Mass. “Makes a Ford as Smooth as an Eight.” Thank you to everyone who donated these artifacts. -Richard Pratt
Clothing Curator’s Report –
I have spent the last several Tuesdays trying to be sure that our computer records and paper records match. As different people have entered the information on the items that have been donated to our collection, there have been a variety of approaches to the way it has been accomplished. Also, when changes have been made to the location of an item, it was not always done on both computer and paper.
With the assistance of Dan Mark and Dick Fitzpatrick, we found clothing items from the late 1880’s that would tie in with the displays the Society set up for the open house at our Stoughton Railroad Station. We had many people interested in the items we put on display–both children and adults. Our thanks to the members of the Society who helped organize and display our items. -Janet Clough
Memberships
New members: W. Randolph Rhoda, Kerry Morrocco, Derek Diedricksen, Ginger Hoffman
Donations
We truly appreciate the many people who have added donations to their membership payments, map, booklet, and book purchases, and/or simply put money in our donation jar at the Society or our recent events. Thank you!