VOLUME XLXI NO. 4 JUL-AUG-SEPT 2022
Upcoming Events
We need to meet to approve a change in our by-laws, which will
increase the number on the Board of Directors to nine (up from
seven) and accept the following officers and board members:
President – Dwight Mac Kerron, Vice President – David Lambert,
Treasurer – Joan Bryant, Archivist – Richard Fitzpatrick, Curator-
Richard Pratt, Clothing Curator-Janet Clough, Archivist of Digital
Photography-John Carabatsos, Webmaster and Membership
Secretary-Dave Foley, Corresponding secretary-Roseanne Felago.
Recording Secretary – Liz Fitzpatrick.
Board of Directors: Ruth Fitzpatrick, Denise Peterson, Lou Poillucci, Rick
Woodward, Joe Mokrisky, Dwight Mac Kerron, Joan Bryant, and new
members Dan Mark and Joanne Callanan.
(Re: a change in our by-laws)
Article VI: Board of Directors (currently reads,) Section 1. The Board of
Directors shall: a. Consist of the President, Treasurer and five elected
directors. The five directors will serve staggered three year terms. Our
proposed amendment would increase this number to seven.
If you cannot attend the dinner mentioned below, you may register your vote
by email at stoughtonhistoricalsociety@verizon.net or mail in the form at the
end of the newsletter.
Sept 21 9:30AM to 11:30. A two-mile walk led by Dwight Mac
Kerron and sponsored by the Library which will leave from the
trailhead across from 220 Palisades Circle and visit stone walls built by early
Stoughton farmers, Timothy and Jessie Gay, and their in-law Jefferson
Jones. We will pass by the Secret Pond, venture to Drill Rock, and the
adventurous may take a short side trip to the puzzling, stoned-in road
corner. We will note where other trails, old and new depart from the Roy
Robinson Loop toward other parts of the Bird St. Conservation Area.
Register via the website of the Stoughton Public Library.
September 24, 11:00-3:00. Stoughton Day at Halloran Park. We will
have a table at the event at which we will have our maps and publications
available for purchase, a couple of our large scrapbooks for people to view,
and some special surprises. Come and help us at the tables or just say hi.
October 6, 6:00pm Harvest and Installation Dinner at the Chateau
Restaurant $35 per person . At this dinner we will finalize the vote for the
change in the by-laws and the officers and other positions for 2022/23. The
form to fill out if you plan to attend is at the end of this Newsletter. Please
attend if you have the time and resources. It has been a long time since we
have had a dinner and too many of the old crew are gone. Fortunately, we
have many new members, and it would be great if some of our newer
members could come and join us! John Carabatsos will present a video or
two that he has “cleaned up.” They include sharper versions of some of the
movies of moving into the new fire station in 1927 and shots from the parade
and floats in the celebration of the Town’s 200th Anniversary in 1926
October 12 -9:30am -A 2.25-mile walk to the site of the former girl
scout camp Waluhiyu-C.W. Welch Pond, and on to the remnants of
a small wooden structure of unknown origins on top of a small
plateau. Few of you will have been to this location. We will meet at
the entrance on the corner, across from 1317 West St. The walk is
sponsored by the Library and led by Dwight MacKerron. Please sign up via
the Library’s website.
October 16. 2:00pm. A meeting with the Canton Historical Society
at their building at 1400 Washington St. at which there will be a
panel discussion of the factors which contributed to Canton leaving
Old Stoughton to form its own town in 1794.
President’s Report
We celebrated the 4th of July with a well-attended open house. Stewart
Sterling and Eric Van Laarhoven carried our banner in the parade, Bob
Benson drove his classic woody wagon, and upwards of fifty people came
inside before and after the parade to see our new exhibits. A month earlier,
we had our annual Evelyn Callanan Memorial sunflower sale, and those who
attended could see our new exhibits on the Immaculate Conception Church’s
150 years in Stoughton and a related exhibit on the St. Mary’s Parochial
school. Both exhibits were put together by Denise Peterson and Joanne
Callanan. Also on display was an exhibit put together by Curator Richard
Pratt on three early forms of photograpy: daguerrotypes, ambrotypes, and
tintypes with examples of each, including images of Adam Capen and Arthur
Holmes. Learn more of this exhibit in the Curator’s report.
I have led several more walks over the course of the summer,
including a lady’s slipper walk on the Roy Robinson Loop off Palisades Circle, walks on
new trails to Morse-Totman meadow, Phantom Brook, around Muddy Pond to Steep Hill
Brook, along the trails of the greatly improved Glen Echo Park facility, and from the Gay-
Hurley-McNamara barn to Drill Rock, returning through the accompanying fields. More
than one hundred people participated in the various hikes, leading to several new
members.
A conversation with Scott Carrara has led me to correct my assertion in the last
newsletter that the original road to Easton corresponded with the current road between the
clubhouse and the fishing ponds at Stoughton Fish and Game. Scott recalled that Al
Savini actually built that road when he was taking out gravel many decades ago, and that
the original road ran through the site of the current club-house and angled closer to the
railroad tracks. This correction means that the road began and ended in the same places
as originally asserted, but that the route of this half-mile section was east of the current
road.
We have been loaned early records from Stoughton Fish and Game, dating back to
1921 and we hope that these records along with a box of materials from C.W. Welch,
which we recently re-located will shed light on more of the history of this land in the early
Twentieth Century.
Several of our walks in the last six months have visited the Town-
owned Gay-McNamara-Hurley barn on West St. John Carabatsos
found a picture in the Maoli Collection of several young women posing with their bicycles
on the road directly in front of the barn and later, apparently on the same day, down at the
Ames Pond swimming beach. This photo yielded the best view yet of what the west side of
the barn looked like before it was engulfed by the vegetation which currently cloaks it.
This picture will be on the cover of this year’s Community Calendar, which
includes extensive commentary on the history of this barn, other farms on
West Street. The Calendar is now available at the Library or the Historical
Society. The first draft of this newsletter contained most of that commentary,
which has now been removed for this final print edition.
We continue to share many informative and detailed posts
regarding Stoughton history on Facebook at “Stoughton, Massachusetts
Historical Society,” “The Stoughton Time Machine,” and “Stoughton Massachusetts,
Scrapbook-Photos & Memories.” We address many aspects of Stoughton history for which
there is not space in the Newsletter, and we usually cover two or three new topics each day.
Here are several more months of Peter McGarvey’s WWI
diary, (with the blank dates deleted) as transcribed by Zachary
Mandosa. By the time of these entries, the American soldiers are
becoming full participants in the war and the casualties follow. This transcription covering July 20 to the Armistice obviously needs more editing, but
even in this rough form, it gives a sense of McGarvey’s understated manner of describing
the jarring combination of boredom, bombardments, gas attacks, combat, the death of
comrades that our soldiers endured. In the final days, several men are “quitting.”
July 20 Hung around all day in rain later moved into on old barn. 21 Went out in detail today. 22 Hung
around all day 23 Hung around day 24 Met Owen tonight and had a short talk with him. Walked back
to camp with him. His camp is only a Kil(ometer) from me. 25 Met Owen again this morning. He was on
a burying detail. 26 Moved out of barn and into woods and worked on road. 27 Was drilling a short while
today. Molter, Whitten Fortair came back. 28 Moved to Apure and camped in woods above town. Dug a
latrine. 29 Had today off. Went on guard tonight. 30 Went swimming this after. I got roped for a detail
tonight to bury horses. We were at Feren? tardwis? got gassed and then shelled out of our job. 31 Slept all
day and worked on road until 12 o’clock at night.
August 1 Moved at 8 o’clock in morning and landed in Chateau Thierry about 3 o’clock and slept in an
apartment house. I had a mattress and slept like a top. Got peaches at commissary and cookie, chocolates
and cigarettes at Y.M. 2 Left Chateau Thierry this morning and had a hell of a hike to Nantiel. Put up in
a barn 3 Loafed today. Went over to Laucey and bought bread butter cheese and jam. 4 Had a cootie
bath today and got some stuff at Laucey 5 Drill from mowan? Regt reviews awesome ?? D Commissary in
town has plenty of stuff…..Aug 14 Left Nantiel at 11:30. Hiked to Chateau Thierry reached it at 8. Left in
side door pulman? at midnight (Richard Fitzpatrick adds the this note: the term “side door
Pullman” is WW I GI slang for a French railroad Boxcar. These cars were all labeled 40
men or 8 horses. (40 and 8 was a veterans organization after the war) A large number of
these cars were manufactured at the Keith Car works in Sagamore, MA. In a huge factory
constructed beside the (then) newly created Cape Cd Canal.) 15 Pulled into Chatillon at 4 pm.
Slept in field at night. 16 Pulled out at 6 o’clock and made 15 kil in three hrs, to Aisey, Shell town. Just
Americans there…. 19 Drill 8-11:30, 1:30-3:00. Swell life…. 21 Battalion maneuvers taking M. G.
position…. 24 One hour drill for not having rations. Seven day passes on first lipt?…. 30 Left Aisey at
2pm. Hiked to Chatillon and pulled into a field for supper. John came back to Co. Loaded wagons and
pulled out…. 31 Detrained at Longville 11am and hiked eleven Kils. Slept in woods.
September 1 Had church today. Chaplain made my ass ache. Left at 8 o’clock, hiked all night and got
loot as usual. 2 Landed in Pine Futes. Slept in woods. Had a hell of a time to find the woods…. 6
Camped on hill. Rained incessantly, was wet all the time…. 10 Sleeping on hill in pup tents. 11 Left for
lines. Stayed all night in com-trench. Rained like hell all night. Zeroski? for/fire? artillery 1.15 12 Went
over the top today for first time. It’s a wonderful sight. A rolling barrage moved ahead of
us. Tom Mac died. Shot through the heart and right side. 13 Helped to carry Tom in and bury
him. Met Owen today and stayed with him until he moved. 14 Hiked with Jack ’s? and worked on road.
15 Worked on roads September 16 Moved to Valley above Tiaux and worked on road. September 17
Moved to town and put up in bullets September 18 Loafed today. Went over to Froyen? to Y.M and
stocked up on cigarettes. Saw an American woman. September 19 Nothing to do today. Got our second
blanket today. Got a new pair of pants. September 20 Had bath today. Got a new suit of underclothes.
September 21 Left Ranyair? and pulled up in vicinity of Tiaux. September 22 My birthday today. 22 yrs
old, 1st one in France. Celebrated occasion by shaving and washing something ??? September 23 Worked
on road September 24 Moved to German dugout today. Fine place. All went over a concerts….
Oct 1 Made Pvt 1st Class today. Was making bunks for dugout….Oct 3 Met Al Swanson today. 1st time
since Feb. 10 Left dugout and hiked about 15 kil and slept on the side of a hill
11 Hung around all day, met Al S. Made Verdun about 11 o’clock. Slept in an old French Barrack. 12
Hung around all day. 13 Over to what’s left of Verdun. Went through Aidthuburt and underground aty?
14 Over to city today. The city is wrecked up some. 15 shelled our place. A. Co. Doughboys + Frogs were
shot up. Two of cooks were wounded. 16 Marched to Haumont from Verdun. Put up in a dugout. About
40 in a place made for 10. 17 Loafed all day. 18 Worked on main road. Started to shell and we had to
filter through. They shell us often up here and had to go without mess tonight. Hauled ass and went back
about 1 kil. and pitched tents. Worked on road…. Oct 31 Furpy + Rutgainer quit cold today.
November 1 Made Corporal today. One of the biggest surprises of my life… 4 Austin quit.
Was massaging? the road today…. 7 Messaging shell notes. 8 Pulled back to Bras from Muvelle and slept
in dugout. 9 Pulled out at 3 am and rode in trucks up to a place near Beaumont. Had to have road
repaired by 9 o’clock. Got m(machine)gunned and shelled by heinies? 10 Worked on road all day. Were
lucky no shells came near us. Owen was wounded today. November 11 Hostilities were suspended
today at 11 o’clock. A very funny coincidence- 11th hour. 11th day. 11th mo.
We learned a new (to us) piece of Stoughton history, which was set
off by an email from Kevin McLeod, who in tracing family
genealogy had found a page from the 1900 census, which listed a
“House of Mercy” in Stoughton with seven female and three male
“inmates” and a “matron” and “asst. matron.” He asked us what
institution this might be. None of us had ever heard of such an organization in Stoughton,
nor could we find any reference to it in our persons listed or poll taxes for 1900. However,
soon thereafter Richard Pratt suggested that it might be a home for unwed mothers, an
assertion supported by the fact that all the individuals of child-bearing age were women,
and the three males and two females were less than a year old. I Googled House of Mercy
and determined that it was an organization run by the Anglican Church, but could find not
Stoughton connections.
Kevin MacLeod subsequently found several articles in Boston newspapers, usually The
Trancript, mentioning a House of Mercy located in Roxbury, Mass., which had a farm in
Stoughton. “Rev. George Walker spoke of the work at the farm training school on
Stoughton during the past year….He said that the work at the house has gone on more
smoothly than ever before. The girls have proved of a superior class and they have made it
comparatively easy for those in charge to control its affairs. He regarded it as a misfortune
that there was not more permanent money in the employment of those in charge. He
suggested that the work might be put on a permanent basis if some good Christian woman
could be found who would consecrate her life to such a duty….He paid high tribute to the
matron Miss Talcott, whose influence on the inmates is great and who serves without pay.”
Dave Foley then found a deed that in 1895 transferred three plots of land, totaling
about 50 acres on each side of Sumner St. to the Association of Mercy. This land is in the
general area of the current Episcopal Church, making it seem likely to me that the land for
the current Trinity Episcopal was later transferred from part of this purchase. However,
subsequent analyses of the deeds has not indicated that the land extended that far to the
south, but rather just south of Brickel, Duncan and Shirley roads on the west side and
Vaughn Ct. Melendy and Bancroft on the east side.
From their separate sources, Kevin McLeod and Dave Foley both found more
documents regarding the farm in Stoughton, including a1898 Treasurer’s Report for the
Work of Mercy in Roxbury and Stoughton, which itemized the Stoughton farm expenses,
totaling around $2700 with the income produced at under $200. A creche/nursery was
being built out of an old farmhouse and $251.23 went to “drainage of the land in
Stoughton.” In 1901, Rev George Walker, who appears to be the minister in the Canton
and Stoughton parishes reported that he had performed periodical services at the farm in
Stoughton and in 1902, he did the same, “until the farm was closed in October.”
Details of how the farm was closed and the land eventually sold off are still being pieced
together, but it appears that all of the land was eventually sold to John Hayden between
1905 and 1910. We do not know how many women passed through the farm in its five or
so years of operation, but Kevin McLeod writes of his ancestor who was an inmate there:
“After leaving the farm, she married a young widower in 1909 who had a son of his own.
Her new husband was a railroad foreman. Together, they had another son. Her child
from the farm was also still with his mother. Her son (from the farm) served in WW1,
entering the army late in the war. He later married, had children and many descendants.
His mother remained married and died at around the age of 80 yrs.”
One wonders how much coverage this farm received in the local newspaper and how
the neighbors responded at the time, but the answers to these and other questions await
further study.
Archivists Report
Peter McArdle, of York, ME Donated a newspaper article titled “St. Mary’s School holds 76th
Graduation”. (This was an 8th grade graduation as several of the awards were for four-year scholarships to any Catholic High
school.) While the article is undated, it contains a list of the Class of 1959. We have added it to the folder for St. Mary’s
School. Peter reports that he received the clipping from Delores Rodrigues, who was one of the graduates. The article also lists a
Peter John McArdle, as a graduate.
– Linda Weiler, of Stoughton Donated c. June 9, 1943 photo taken at the “Park View Rifle Club” The photo
identifies some of the following individuals: Earl Wahl, Carl Theriault, Norman Theriault, Cid Weiler, John
Theriault and Fred Arthur. There are three others who are unidentified. The Park View Rifle Club is
thought to have been located at 1297 Park St. where “Tippy’s Garden Center” used to be. Later it was
known as “Bonsai Garden”. The location is on the west side of Park St. Rte. 27, heading toward Brockton.
There were also two certificates donated. One to the Park View Club from the National Rifle Association,
the other also from the National Rifle Association for Marksmanship and Small Arms Training & Firing
School, Dated September 5, 1944.
– John A. Taylor of Stoughton, donated a 1963 Stoughton High School Yearbook owned by his mother, an
20th re-union photo and another undated re-union Photo.
– Janet Clough, donated three calendars, distributed as advertising by J. W. Woods during the years
1954,1955 & 1956. Each year has four pictures by Norman Rockwell. Janet also donated two snap shots of
the Lucius Clapp Building
– John Fernandez, now of Ocala, FL, donated a number of Troop and Pack charters issued by the Boy
Scouts of America to The First Congregational Church of Stoughton. The charters are dated from 1954
through 2003. A partial listing of the scouts who were members of troop 57 were included. He also donated
two different histories of BSA Troop 57, one for the period May 23, 1914 thru November 14, 1914, and a
second for the period beginning January 28, 1926 through May 2, 1950, were also donated. Lastly there is a
list of various town offices held by John during his years in Stoughton.
– David Melchin of Stoughton donated two pictures. One of the Methodist Church. The other is a picture of
Monk’s Cash Store. Both appear to be enlargements of postcards sold by E. N. Wilkins, Drugstore.
– On August 16, 2022 Aldo E. Giannelli age 92, of New Bedford, MA, along with his son Richard visited
SHS and donated a photo of a painting of the Maraglia Family of Stoughton c 1918. The painting includes
his mother MARIA, around the age of fifteen. Also included two uncles wearing their WW I, uniforms.
– We received a news clipping from the July 20, 2022 issue of the Brockton Enterprise of Rick and Linda
Woodward, titled “Stoughton Couple married 53 years, cultivate love of gardening”. The article contained
two photos of the Woodard’s” doing gardening chores at the Stoughton Historical Society.
– Pamela (Raymond) Mace, of Amherst, ME Donated the following: An undated photo of her father,
Windsor Raymond as a very young boy in front of his parents, store which stood at 645 Pearl St. Stoughton.
Near the Stoughton/Canton Town Line, this site currently appears to be Canton Conservation Land. (The
photo is new to us.) A Souvenir of the 160th Old Stoughton Musical Society cerebration. Dated May 10,
1922. A 20-40 Club Program from ‘The 20 – 40 Club Sketchbook” a show performed at the Stoughton
Town Hall April 21-22 1949. Lastly, a program from the dedication of the Stoughton Town Hall Dated
Nov. 22, 1881. I have not seen one of these before and a brief search on Thursday afternoon did not uncover
one. (This may also be a new item for to us.)
– Dan Mark has been sorting through boxes of newspaper clippings from the Bob Parsons collection and
cataloguing the more significant ones. Many of the articles are from the 70’s and 80’s. They involve such
topics as police scandals, high school athletics and music, and the need for a new fire station. O’Donnell
Middle School student, Eva Cunningham worked as a volunteer on several Tuesday afternoons, helping
us catalogue the proposed lot plans, drawn up mostly by Walter Pratt, that we received from the Town
Engineer’s office. -Richard Fitzpatrick
Curator’s Report
Our long-term project to inventory the artifacts in our collection continues.
Acquisitions: From Rick and Linda Woodward: An electric Waffle Iron, chrome with walnut
handles, 600 watts, circa 1942, made by Dominion Electric Corp., Mansfield, OH. Also, a Stoughton
Hardware Store flashlight. From Phyliss Polillio: Many items from Minerva Lodge 1846
Daughters of Italy including: Regalia for 18 Officers and other positions and responsibilities. 1991
Membership award plaque; 2 gavels; 3 small flags w plastic base; large linen Sons of Italy Banner; 11″ L x
6″ H gold painted ceramic lion statue. From Lou Poillucci: Sixteen reproduction Political Buttons
of presidential candidates. From Jan Byron: Four School Rings, including classes of 1972 and 1971
from Stoughton High School, class of 1973 from Massasoit Community College and class of 1968 from
Saint Mary’s School. Thank you to everyone who donated these artifacts.
For more than a century, residents of Stoughton have been donating family photographs to the
Historical Society. These donations may be in the form of individual photographs or may be full albums.
In some cases, families have donated an extensive photo collection as part of a larger collection of family
documents. The Capen-Reynolds, French-Talbot and Holmes families are a few examples of such
collections.
The types of photographs in our collection include those made with the earliest photographic processes.
For example, we have a few Daguerreotypes (the earliest process) of a mother with her
approximately 6-month-old daughter. The daughter was born in December 1849!
We have arranged a display of photos made with these early processes, including Daguerreotypes,
Ambrotypes, and Tintypes. The display also includes a brief history of these 3 (one-of-a-kind)
processes, as well as a guide to help you with the identification of each type.
We are now working on a display about 19th Century Stoughton Photographers. This will
include examples of their work and brief biographies, info about Civil War-related Revenue Stamps on
the back of photos, and the various card sizes of photos they printed from negatives. -Richard Pratt
Clothing Curator’s Report
–Donations: We are making slow progress in re-organizing the 24 boxes of clothing
items. We have a tentative plan for what each box will contain. So far we have gone
through and begun to re-organize eight of the boxes, which we continue to add to. As we
go along, there are many items which need re-labeling as they are moved to their newly
assigned box. We need help for this part of the re-organization. Volunteers are need to
create the new labels, sew them onto the garment, and repack each item in its proper box.
Parts of this could be done at your home or at the Society’s building on Tuesday’s 10:00-
3:00 or Thursdays, 6:00-8:00pm. We do need help! Dan Mark has been very helpful
moving the large, heavy boxes of clothing to facilitate our recataloguing. Roseanne Felago
has returned and is writing thank-you letters to our donors. -Janet Clough
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 with
their fresh ideas to join us on Tuesdays from 10:00 to 3:00 or Thursday
evenings from 6:00-8:00.
Memberships
New members: Warren Dahlin–Lifetime, Mark Struck-Family/Lifetime,
Clem Fisher – Lifetime, Janice Cohenno, William Coots, Dolores Fitzgerald,
Jennifer Bowers, Aldo Gianelli, Stephen Driscoll, Bernard Couming, Robert
Flynn.
Monetary Donations
John Podgurski, Steve Farrell, Peter & Elaine Leahy