VOLUME XLXIV NO. 1 OCT-NOV-DEC 2024
Upcoming Events
December 14, Holiday Parade of Lights. 4:00-7:00pm. We will be open before and after the Parade. All our publications and maps will be on sale at HALF PRICE on this day.
January 8 “The History of West Stoughton,”at Brook Meadow at Cobb Corner, 2121 Central St. 2:30pm. More than a decade ago, Joe DeVito, Brian Daly, and I gave a presentation at this location, which was then, “The Arbors.” We will visit again and look forward to reconnecting with Jeanne DeVito and Janet Clough, old friends, who now reside there. All are welcome. Free admission.
January 12.* 2:00 P. M. Lucius Clapp Memorial – The photographs of John Stiles, Part I. John Carabatsos, who has copied (and in many cases “cleaned up”) thousands of pictures from our files, including many taken by John Stiles will present a program featuring some early classic photographs, taken by the man who took the first aerial photographs of Stoughton in 1926 and was the Archivist of the Stoughton Historical Society for many years. (* tentative date, stay tuned.)
President’s Report.
On November 17, Dan Mark gave a presentation on The West School and its neighborhoods. The program was well-attended and we also enjoyed delicious refreshments prepared by Joan Bryant, Diane Sterling, and Liz Lieber. For the record, here are some highlights of the program:
The West School opened in 1951 with Christopher Brady as the first principal. An addition was built in 1953. Richard L. Wilkins was principal of the school from 1968-1995 and in 1997 the School was re-named for him. Pinecrest Acres was created to provide housing for veterans after WW II. The cost was $80 per month, 1 year lease, or buy for $7400, or to rent for $55.96 per month. The houses featured 2 bedrooms, nursery, living room, kitchen with seating for 6, radiant heating with oil, gas water heater and stove, a clothes reel and an underground garbage receiver. It was advertised as having “pine needled back yards.” The lots were 7,000-23,000 Sq ft. (about a half an acre). Building the development employed 500 men! Over 2,000 visited “open house” on Sunday August 15,1948. There were 196 completed homes, and by Tuesday, 109 homes rented, 24 families moved in. 50 additional (smaller 24’x26’) homes in 15 acres along Stoughton St. and Royal St were started in 1949.
Presidential Courts, a moderate income housing development, was rejected at first by the Town in 1968. After subsequent acceptance it was built on the East side of Pearl St., across from the high school. It opened in December 1970 with 104 units on 10 acres. It was built by Interfaith Housing Corporation (made up of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish denominations, led by Cardinal Cushing.
In 1959, on land taken by eminent domain from Fred Lipsky, 26 small houses were built for veterans to rent along Memorial Drive. In 1959, the houses contained 126 people, of which, 65 were children. The average rent was $44.95 per month, and renters paid all utilities. It was proposed that when the first occupants’ income rose above a certain threshold, the house would be used by the elderly. That apparently never happened.
Denneno’s 1955-2023 Opened in 1946 by Anna and Andrew as a “corner market”, Denneno’s Variety Store. They started making pizza, then stopped selling groceries and eventually sold ice cream too! Page’s opened in February 14, 1950; it was owned by Joseph and Betty Goulston. It burned in 1985 and was rebuilt.
On October 14, the day formerly called Columbus Day, we collaborated with the First Parish Church across the street to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, as the Stoughton Town Meeting had recently voted to change the name. Selectperson Debra Roberts suggested that some sort of celebration would be appropriate and with the help of Jasmine Tanguay of the First Parish Church and Sylvia Whiting, who had promoted the article at Town Meeting, we planned two events: a walk at Glen Echo to see the Historical Society’s stone and a program at the Church. The placement of the stone at Glen Echo, marking the southeast corner of the Ponkapoag Indian Plantation was the first major act of the Stoughton Historical Society in 1895. The fact that our founder Elisha Capen Monk was also the creator of Glen Echo Amusement Park was undoubtedly a motivating factor, but no one could question the centrality of the Massachusett tribe of the Ponkapoag Indians in the founding of Old Stoughton. As our program last year with Thomas Green and David Lambert made clear, the Native-Americans eventually “lost” all their land through a series of sales of the land by many “Guardians”of the Ponkapoags. The money gathered was meant for aiding the ever-declining number of Ponkapoags, but much of it made its way into the hands of others.
Unfortunately, I contracted a heavy cold and the weather forecast for the morning was questionable, and as a result, the walk got canceled, but the program at the Church took place and was well-attended. Jasmine Tanguay was immensely helpful in organizing the event at the church. We had a series of introductory speakers, Debra Roberts, Sylvia Whiting, Dwight Mac Kerron (with a mask), Jasmine Tanguay and David Lambert. Jasmine read a statement from their church, which affirmed that the land on which we were meeting was originally Ponkapoag land. The main speaker was Craig Podgurski, a life-long Stoughton resident and member of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag. Craig displayed a number of articles that he had crafted out of natural materials including a treated animal hide, hand crafted moccasins and a war club. Craig greeted us in Algonquin and described how he is teaching his young daughter words from the Algonquin language, a language which is being revived from near-extinction. The audience was very appreciative and asked a number of questions. Heidi Tucker, a member of Ho Chunk (formerly Winnebago) nation, and her daughters Dahlia and Adalina had set up a crafts table at which younger attendees could create their own items. First Parish church members Eric Studer and Mark Racicot helped set up the room and served refreshments.
I know that many people resent the loss of Columbus Day. It is certainly a holiday that is engrained in how we think of October and many people, especially Italians, took pride in Columbus being recognized. Unfortunately, the mounting evidence of his atrocities and involvement in the enslaving of Native peoples appears to be a compelling reason to back off from having a significant holiday named after him. Pressure has been applied to Thanksgiving as well, but the Pilgrims, despite the Myles Standish murder of several Massachusett natives at Wessegusset under ambiguous circumstances, did not enslave native peoples as Columbus did. That said, Native-Americans were enslaved after the Pequot and King Phillip wars in New England. Clearly, western Europeans came to this continent and “conquered” the native peoples. Culture wars rage about how much guilt and reparation is appropriate, and the resentment that many feel losing their holidays or their heroes is a potent accompanying phenomenon.
Early in October, Joe Mokrisky brought the Stoughton Historical Society’s Engine 2 to the National stage, attending the Audrain Museum Newport Concours Motor Week. Joe writes: “We were on display at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. I was honored to have the celebrity Jay Leno spend time with us asking about Engine 2. Jay was happy that Engine 2 was returned to Stoughton where people can see it. Kudos to Joe for all the work that he has put into the fire truck over many years. We hope to see it at the Holiday Parade.
On October 26th, Engine 2 was present when Stoughton’s new fire station opened on 400 Prospect St. We enter a new stage of Stoughton Fire Department History!
Demonstrating that history is a complicated business, David Lambert and I have revisited the matter of Isaac Williams, an African-American, who married a Ponkapoag woman, Elizabeth Will, and they purchased 10 acres of the Native-America land, which was being sold by the proprietors in 1803, and another 39 contiguous acres in 1813. Since the last Newsletter and its extensive commentary on the matter,. Dave Foley convinced us that a curved blue line on the annotated Walling Map was the course of the current Deady Avenue, which would place the location of the Williams site not at our mystery cellar holes, but at approximately the point where the road running west out of Glen Echo intersects with Deady. The Historical Commission will place one of our historical signs there.
The last Newsletter stated erroneously that Isaac Williams outlived Elizabeth Will, when, in fact, he died in 1835. She lived to be 100 and married Barry Miller, which explains why he was “living at the Williams place” during the incident, mentioned in the last Newsletter, with the lady who died in the storm.
The Drought of 2024
has completely dried up the northern third of Ames Pond! Droughts of a sort have been common in many late summers and autumns since we moved to Stoughton in 1977. The water level of Ames Pond would fall to levels which made it difficult to launch our kayaks and canoes, but we have never seen conditions on the Pond like those we have in October and November of 2024. During these months, we have walked on hundreds of yards of the pond on which we have only canoed or kayaked until this year. This summer we had less than three inches of rain on Highland St, between the end of August and November 21st. Several storms which dropped considerable rain to neighboring communities, just missed us.
Early in October, David Lambert, who walks regularly down King Street, past two of the Town’s pumping stations, informed me that the northern end of the pond was DRY! I checked it out and was amazed to see the broad expanse of the pond which had been dry long enough so that one could easily walk on it with no fears of sinking down into mud. David and I subsequently led a group of hikers on a walk out to a crossing, which in previous walks we could not traverse because of flowing water. Now we could cross and show our companions several very large cedar trees in the land across the stream. Such large (and much larger) cedars were common when the first Dorchesterites explored the Dorchester South Precinct, a large triangle, which at its northerly boundary ran along the Neponset River to a point at the border of Rhode Island.
At the time the cedars were being cut and transported to Dorchester, there was no Ames Pond. The Map of the 25 Divisions, ca. 1727 shows Trout Brook and Trout Brook Meadow, with the meadow being designated in yellow with internal divisions, like the cedar swamps to signal its extra value, which would be shared among abuttors, and not owned by any one Proprietor. Three Stoughton men Nathan Drake, William Merion and one other made an early attempt to dam up the pond. We know this because of a lawsuit brought against them by an Easton man named Manley, who claimed damages to his property.
We do not know what name Native-American used to identify this brook, but David Lambert likes the word “Quesset”, which is the name of the brook now, once it flows out of Ames Pond and through Easton on its way to the Town River and then the Taunton.
While the drying of the pond is shocking and disturbing, droughts in our earlier history were much more of a threat to our community, especially if they came early in the growing season. At that time most of the food that supported the community was grown here, as were the hay and forage that supported the livestock. There were no community or state reservoirs nor was there much long distance transport of basic food supplies. Communities held Fast Days to pray for rain. In Elijah Dunbar’s diary of 1762, which we transcribed and published eleven years ago, he mentions such a drought:
May, 1762 16. fair, very dry time Pater (his father, the Rev. Samuel Dunbar) Preach’d
17. fair – Town Meeting – Chose Joseph Hewins Esq Deputy
18. fair – Mrs. Tolman Buried – Cut my Leg badly
19. fair very dry Time – our Cattle most starved
20. fair & excessive hot cart Rails A.M. Wash [sheep?] P.M.
21. Cloudy Set up Fence 22.fair – Setup up Fence – Jacob Shepard cart for me
23. fair Pater preach’d 24.fair & hot morse set up fence25. fair melting hot finish my fence
26. fair Plow for weeding 27.fair Plowed: 28.fair. Hoe/s With ye [Iken?]
29. fair finish weeding – a very Dry Time
Some rain on June 3, but for the rest of June: 14. fair
15. Singing Lecture at Milton, it was performed with great Decency & Order – exceeding hot
16. Get our Rails – the Drought is very sore
17. hot. Things are dried up so much that ye prospect is more dismal yn: last year
18. Cloudy: a Mercy – Showery – a great Mercy 20. Pater preaches
21. fair. Plow for half Hilling: a fine Shower Nocte
22. Half Hill, 23Do. 27.fair. Mr Searls of Stoneham preaches A.M. Pater…
28. fair – Bill. Bill[ings?] & I plow up ye old Field – father goes to Weymouth
29. exceeding Dry – plow this Day
July: 4. Pater preachd a Doleful time 5. Deacon Crane’s wife died []
6. Buried this Day. Go to Boston 7. fair a Fast here on Account of ye Sore Drought
8. fair. Mowing. Jordan, Jos Morse 9.fair finish plowing the old Field 10.fair on very well
11. fair Mr Robbins preaches
12. cloudy & rains a little – Mr. Richards pays me some Mony (possibly for school teaching done in the second precinct. Ed.) – Mr. Zabdiel Adams calls in the P.M. & preach’d for Mr Adams Yesterday.
13. fair. Day of Prayer at Mr Curtis’s on account of ye very Sore Drought – we hill our Corn
14. Cloudy & Misty finish Hilling Mr: Searls here
15. fair Day of Prayer at Milton by Person of ye Amazing Drought
I visit Mr: Curtis P.M.
18. excessive hot & dry
19. Morse & John mowing (Apparently Joseph Morse and John Jordan. Ed.)
Rest of July: 24. Thunder Shower this Eveng: vast deal of rain in Some Places but little here – terrible thundering & Lightning
25. Pater preached fair
26. Go to Boston – get Crucible borane & Salt petre at Dr: Hewins this Even
28. Publick Fast on account of the Drought
31. the Prospect is much more Dismal [—-]ing than Last year for the Drought
Rain on Aug 18,19, and 20:
19. we have had more rain now than for a Month.
20. This is the happy, day that bring us rain.
…31. a very Soaking fine Rain Last night & this Morning – prick [tunes] (Elijah often enters this on a rainy day, which gives him time to be inside marking out, copying, or notating new songs, related to his passion for music and leading singing meetings. Ed.) The Spring of 1763 has plenty of rain
Another drought in the fall of 1840 is not mentioned for threatening food supplies, since rains earlier in the summer may have sustained the hay and garden crops, but it does threaten Oliver Ames’ water supply, which creates the energy needed to turn the water wheels which power the hammers, which pound out his hundreds of dozens of shovels each year. Twenty years earlier, Oliver had built the dam at the lower end of Trout Brook Meadow and formed what he called the Great Pond, the current Ames Pond, his power supply. In 1840, Oliver begins more regular, if not yet daily journal entries. Why now? Possibly because it is so dry: “not enough water to work at B-water from July1 to end of Oct. Great Pond down to the old winter pond mark (two feet)”. It is quite possible that at this time the upper end of the pond had reverted to meadow as it just did in 2024.
However, by December 14 it is full, again. Dec 14 “Great Pond is now full.” Underlined.”
Whereas by the end of 1841: Dec 17th “there has been frequent rains since the 4th and the ground is remarkable
full of water & I think there is more water run to waste at the great pond than I ever knew before at this season of the year,(2nd year in a row?) there has been no great freshet but the water has bin high continually.” Despite these
ample rains, Oliver does not ignore the earlier threat to his water supply and builds the Flyaway Dam in 1845, which stores many thousands of gallons of water between Canton St. and Lincoln St.
Current weather forecasters tell us that this has been the worst drought since the autumn of 1914. We could find no references to said drought in the Stoughton newspapers in 1914, but we did find references in other years. In 1930, water flow from Muddy Pond became low because of a drought. Men were sent out to “open the springs and clear the screens.”
Two different people, who were living on Ames Pond in the 1960’s recall a time when the pond became very shallow. Millie Shaw McDonald remembers that fish were flopping around in puddles. Charles Shaw Jr. attributed it to the two new Town wells at the head of the pond, “which were sucking the water backwards.” Those wells still exist and may have been deepened ten feet in the last few years. When one of those wells, the Gurney well was first installed in 1965, it was found that it soon exhausted the nearby water table, which refilled itself quite slowly. Nevertheless, a second well, the McNamara well was installed on the edge of Ames Pond, soon after that, I believe.
In 1995 a drought lowered the water sufficiently so that the spring clean-up at Ames Pond yielded tires and other treasures that had not been visible in previous years. In June of 1999 Stoughton asked for an emergency hook-up to Canton to tap into MWRA water. Only trace amounts of rain fell during May and June.
While I had never seen the upper end of Ames Pond nearly this dry, Matt Gabriel told me that it was dry for a few hundred feet of each side of the crossing near the town wells, several years ago, probably 2022 at which time we had our last “severe drought” according to Cindy Fitzgibbon. This year there was dry land between the island and the former McNamara land, which was not quite the case in 2022.
All the other bodies of water in Stoughton show signs of the drought, but only one other as dramatically as the upper end of Ames Pond. The northern quarter mile of C. W. Welch Pond at the Bird St Conservation area is also completely dry, revealing all the formerly flooded tree stumps and large rocks. For the first time, I could see the stone wall that Howard Hansen told me about, which runs parallel to the shore near the campsite with the small beach. One can walk on at least 1/2 of the area of the pond that was previously underwater. That said, there are still several feet of water in the end of the pond closest to the concrete dam, but it is not high enough to flow over the structure and down into Whitman Brook.
Nevertheless, Whitman Brook is still flowing through the C. W. Welch Memorial property, under the bridge that is being replaced all the way down to Easton. It is still fed by water flowing under Route 138 near Atkinson Ave., where the ground is considerably drier than in our very wet spring, but still maintains a flow of water parallel to the railroad tracks.
Harris Pond and Muddy Pond are somewhat reduced in size, but the ground that feeds them is still moist, quite unlike the feeders of Ames Pond which are bone dry. The barren floor of Ames Pond did permit me to locate the exact location of the inlet of the stream which enters to the west, something I had never been able to do from either land or water, given the thick vegetation. That stream is fed both by water which crosses Bay Road at the site of the relatively recent culvert replacement, which the late Charles Shaw referred to as “Rattlesnake Crick,” and a small, un-named stream, which descends from Highland St and the wetlands just to its south. They converge before they enter the pond. I would like to finds signs of the original course of Trout Brook through the meadow, and I can see some deeper areas, but am not confident that those deeper spots represent the original course of the brook, given other subsequent changes in the crossings and the addition of the Town wells.
Finally, on November 21 and 22, we had more than an inch of rain fall, and I went to check various Stoughton waterways. There was a very small flow from Rattlesnake Crick under Bay Road, a small flow, from Harris Pond into one of the three Steep Hill Brooks and a small but steady flow under Mill Street. Old Albert’s/Town Pond had plenty of water in it, and Woods’s Pond was low, but still pretty much there. No water was flowing out, as the level came only within half a foot of the top of the board. There was a small. but steady flow crossing West St. at Spallus, in what is yet another tributary of Steep Hill Brook.
Apropos of Stoughton’s waterways: new member Richard Terry has become the local representative of the Neponset River Watershed Association, replacing Ardis Johnston who has served nobly in that role for decades. Thank you, Ardis! Rich has become intrigued with the number of streams in Stoughton, which have no name as well as several that have the same name. For example, the stream mentioned early that crosses Highland Street has no name and there are potentially four Steep Hill Brooks, or un-named tributaries. Over time, we shall try to assign distinguishing names to all our waterways. As another example, Anita Silva referred to the smaller pond south of Glen Echo as “Picky Pond.” Subsequently, the Town has created conservation maps which designate it as “Pinkney Pond.” The pond does not even appear on the earliest maps of York Pond, which is one reason we found it difficult to locate the site of the Williams-Will site, which was apparently near that pond.
On September 28, we had a booth at Stoughton Day at Halloran Park. Stew Sterling and Dave Foley arrived early to help me transport our materials. Volunteers recruited by Matt Cauchon were very helpful in helping to transport our things from truck to table. Joanne Callanan was already there, setting up the table with some of her materials. Dave Foley got the gazebo set up and tied down. Joe Mokrisky brought some new membership application forms, that offered people the chance to join the Society at that time and remain a member for all of 2025 at the same price. Carin Klipp and Joan Bryant also helped out at the booth. We talked to many people distributed our newsletter, and picked up two new members. Diane Sterling came later and helped us break down the exhibit. Many thanks to all who contributed.
We held our annual Harvest Dinner at the Chateau on the evening of September 30. Thirty-two people attended and we enjoyed a presentation by John Carabatsos of the Pete McGarvey home movie, featuring several Stoughton parades, which was given to us by Gyneth McGarvey, and digitized through John’s efforts. Our quarters were a bit cramped in the room that we were given, but we did have a good time. Thank you’s to Joan Bryant for arranging the hiring of the room and also purchasing the desserts.
On November 15, we had an exhibit at the Stoughton Public Schools’ Multicultural Night at the Gibbons School, which included delicious food and also exhibits on Brazil and Haiti. A number of people visited our both, looked at our posters on Native-Americans in Stoughton, and took a newsletter. It was good to re-establish contact with Dave Guglia, Principal at the Gibbons. We hope to have a program on the Gibbons School and its neighborhoods in the late Spring, and also be sure that we get the Gibbon’s 4th Graders to the Lucius Clapp when they tour the Town on their day to participate in the Math Scavenger Hunt.
Around the Lucius Clapp Memorial
In the middle of September, we got word that a crew would be arriving from The Town to prepare our facility to have ALL of our upstairs floors, washed and waxed! Following up on a request from the Board of Directors, Joe Mokrisky had communicated with Paul Giffune and Arthur Coelho. Our crew did some early moving, a crew from the Town did the rest of the moving, a third party came to do the washing and waxing, and within a couple days and two different operations of moving, we had shiny floors in all the upstairs rooms and most of the furniture back in the appropriate place.
Donations
At Thanksgiving time, we are thankful for the many people who have made monetary donations during the past year. Most were in memory of Joe DeVito, and there were others for Howard Hansen, Chris Peduto, or simply for the Stoughton Historical Society. Here are the donors: Anne Foster, Gail and Roger Hall, Deborah Sheehan, Kathy Babini and family Anne, Brian, Kathy, Mike Jan, Pat, Beth, Jim, 11 grandchildren and 11 great grands) David and Denise Peterson, Richard Fitzpatrick, Catherine Shanahan, Tony & Mildred Gareri, Dwight MacKerron and Joan Bryant, Steven Bennet and Marie Coulter-Bennet, Jim and Isabel Garland, David and Emily Hankins, Catherine Vosecky, Mimi Harris & Carol Dhimitri, Jane Devito, TR Perry-Trautman, Jeanne DeVito, Thomas and Christine Colpitt, George and Lynette Eastman, Anne and Brian Klim, Barbara Burgoine, Gail Walsh, Fidelity Charitable, Robin Powers, Dennis, Lynne Green. Janet Clough, Dennis Lyons, David and Joanne Anderton, Jean Packard, Peter Green, Mary Beth Martin, Paul and Janice Ouelette, Kathleen Sylvester, Stephen and Geraldine Farrell, and Brookfield Properties.
Archivists Report
-Did the initial set up of the new printer, donated for shared use, by the Old Stoughton Musical Society.
-Dave Foley, has since figured out how to set it up to print wirelessly.
-Completed work on the F.C. Philips file. Everything related to it is now all under one number. (705.02)
-Arrived on morning of Sept. 10, 2024, Realized the power had been accidentally turned off for some period of time. The result was to clean the office refrigerator. Threw out moldy cheese., expired milk/cream etc. etc. One thing leading to another, I washed the dishes in the office sink, cleaned the sink. Then the storage cabinet under, combining several partly used containers of various supplies. Soaps Windex etc. No discussion on the petrified mouse that was found.
-Prepared the Items we recently received from the Denenno Family, for display. Ken, and I removed the remaining items left from the “older Toy Display”, Cleaned the case and the glass therein, prior to setting up/arranging the new display. Come on down and see it for yourself.
-John Fernandez Donated six books Hiking & Canoeing, Animals & Birds, Indiancraft, Woodcraft, Earth & Sky, and Wild Animals. All dated, c. 1911 and Boy Scout related. He also sent a Photo copy of a 1918 era, Scouting Catalogue.
-We received from Robert (Bob) Maze, by way of John Carabatsos, eight scrapbook/yearbooks that he kept about his classroom activities while teaching at the Chemung (now Hansen) School.
-Lou Fortuna, by way of Dave Lambert, donated several Co-operative Bank Record books from the early 20th Century.
-Kathleen Martenson, now of Falmouth, MA. Donated a c.1906 Postcard with a view of Glen Echo Lake.
-Dave Lambert donated another box of misc. items. I.O.O.F., Stoughton High SchoolitemsGolden Rays booklet 1977. Samuel Robbin House, Booklet on Blanchard Tavern, both of East Stoughton now Avon. Congregational Church Items, Evergreen Cemetery Border book, a 2019 MBTA schedule. Civil War Service records of Frank E. Allen, a Stoughton Civil war Veteran. All of which remain to be cataloged.
-Marybeth (Smiley) Wrabel, of Granby, CT. Daughter of Evelyn Winship, donated her mothers, framed photo of the Stoughton High School Class of 1932.
This report has an emphasis on cleaning so our readers understand, cleaning, does not just happen. It is a part of what our membership & volunteers do. When we spend time cleaning, something else has to wait, or is left undone. The next time you think the place is looking a little ragged, before complaining, volunteer to spend some time with a dust rag & broom or vacuum. Some voluntarily take care of gardens etc. outside. Do you want to become involved? The simplest way is, when you see a need, fill it. -Richard Fitzpatrick Curators’ Report
Ken Beauregard continues to identify, and more completely record, the location and particular attributes of the individual artifacts which have been donated to the Society over the years. In addition, Ken continues to log-in and file new donations of artifacts. New Acquisitions: From Deane Geddes: A Furniture Polish Bottle with the label from A. R. Winthrop and Sons, Stoughton. The price was marked 75 cents. Also, a First Aid Kit, to be kept in the car’s glove box, from the Huggard and Ewing car dealership. From Janet Clough: A collection of 7 Iron Cobbler’s Lasts from a cobbler’s workstation and 2 Cast Iron Shoeshine Stands. From Ed Winnett: 2 Stoughton Junior Baseball Championship Trophies won by Immaculate Conception CYO in 1949 and 1951. From Dave Lambert: A ceramic Serving Plate with hand-painted picture by P.A. Shaefer of Swan’s Tavern as it was in 1807; a brass plate “Profile of the Indian Shawmut – Shawmut Mills – Since 1916”; 6 Golf Balls with the Stoughton High Black Knight logo; a 1955 Stoughton High School Football Pennant; and a Hot Plate with the Stoughton Cooperative Bank logo. We are grateful to all who have donated these artifacts!.
In the previous Newsletter, we stated that we will include a more extensive description and circumstances involving the Bronze Funeral Urn of Dr. Horace Packard which William Hahn purchased from an antique dealer and donated to the Historical Society. Here are some excerpts from David Lambert’s August 29th post on the Stoughton Massachusetts Historical Society Facebook page: “Earlier this month I was chatting about Packard Manse with a local Stoughton resident. I was on the train and pulled out my phone and decided to find an obituary for the late owner and world-famous surgeon Dr. Horace Packard (1855-1936). He built his summer bungalow “Sunset” at 555 Plain Street in 1916 for him and his wife. He died there in January 1936.” … “While scrolling I found an ad for his huge brass urn with his name on it for sale. This ornate Japanese funeral urn was now empty, and the dealer had no idea what happened to the ashes.” …” Thanks to the kindness of a Stoughton resident, tonight the empty inscribed ornate brass urn of Dr. Horace Packard is at the Stoughton Historical Society.” -Richard Pratt
Memberships
New members: –Kathleen Jondro, Molly Cochran-Lawrence Sauer, Michael Ritz, Melissa Lynch
Membership dues for 2025 will be due as of Jan 1. You might also consider giving a membership as a present and/or becoming a Life member: $250 for an individual, or $350 for a family, including children up to age 21.
This form may also be used for new memberships. Just mail it in!
Mail to Stoughton Historical Society, Box 542, Stoughton, MA 02072
Name Street
Town/city State Zip
Email address
Individual____$20 Family___$30 Lifetime-individual___$250 Lifetime-family________$350
——————————————————————————————