APR-MAY-JUNE – 2012

Upcoming Events

May 21 –6 P.M. Annual Meeting and Election of Officers at Backstreet Grill -  The current officers have been nominated to remain in place and  Maureen Gibbons has been nominated to take Jeanne DeVito’s place on the Board of Directors.  Many thanks to Jeanne for her years of service and to our nominating committee of Millie Foss, Mary Kelleher, and Hank Herbowy.  Come and help us celebrate a successful year. Reserve your places with the form at the end of the Newsletter.

June 9 - 8:30-2:00 -- Yard and book sale at the Society.  Please drop off your items during our regular hours.  We can use volunteers, especially strong backs at 7:00 am and 1:30 pm.  Contact Yard Sale Commissioner Denise Peterson at 781 344 3244 for more information.

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The March 15th Program on Camp Miles Standish in Taunton was so well attended, that another has been scheduled for May 5, at 2 PM.   Local historian Mark Hanna will give the presentation at the Old Colony Historical Society in Taunton.

President’s Report

February, March, and April of 2012 were active, productive, and gratifying months for the Stoughton Historical Society.   Our program in February, “Sharing Stories of Glen Echo” brought forth more than 70 people to the Society.  The program and the booklet produced for it were aided immensely by the contributions of John Carabatsos and Anita Silva; the former providing the nicely formatted pictures of his father and friends at “The Echo” in 1943 and the latter contributing an elegant essay on her recollections of seven years of living at Glen Echo Inn in her youth. Mike Darling spoke about his parents, Cathy and Norman Darling, innkeepers at Glen Echo from 1974-1976.  Joanna Gibson  contributed some of her recollections earlier and provided the contact to Anita Silva.

People shared many of their experiences at Glen Echo, and we look forward to completing the video of their reminiscences.  We have since put together a second booklet “Working Historical Notes on Glen Echo/York Pond…” which includes two glossy Walling map sections, showing  the eastern half of Ponkapoag Plantation.  

Our Vice President and Webmaster David Lambert presented the next two programs, the first a guided tour of our website http://www.stoughtonhistory.com  to which he has added scores of scans of historical documents, articles, and photographs including a sketch of the life of Revolutionary War soldier, Captain Asa Waters  and a link to Stoughton Cemeteries complete online. For April 15, the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, David devoted weeks of preparation to put together a program honoring George Quincy Clifford, President of the Belcher Last Company, who perished in the sinking.  David collected money to have a beautiful memorial bronze plaque installed on the outside of the building at 4 Capen St., the former Belcher Factory, now utilized for Elderly Housing.  This plaque is the first, and long overdue, public monument to Mr. Clifford, and it is especially meaningful when placed on the Belcher building.  Approximately 100 people attended the ceremony including Town dignitaries, descendants of Mr. Clifford, and residents of the building where the plaque was installed. Many returned to the Lucius Clapp Memorial for refreshments and to observe our exhibits.  I greatly regret that Joan and I were ill and unable to attend or contribute, but others pitched in admirably. Both the Glen Echo and George Quincy Clifford events yielded lengthy and amply photographed front-page articles in Globe South section and local papers.  An article describing the Clifford Memorial program including a video of some of the ceremony can be found at http://stoughton.patch.com/articles/stoughton-remembers-resident-lost-on-titanic#video-9610938.

Other Presentations  

During April, David Lambert gave a presentation at the Library on researching ones Civil War ancestors.  I made presentations to the Stoughton Women’s Club, focusing on our archives of that organization; another at the Senior Center, featuring Glen Echo and Billy White’s Field and a third at the Library on Pvt. Alfred Waldo’s Civil War diary and letters. I also compiled a booklet of excerpts from Waldo’s Diary and letters.

On same day, in conjunction with Stoughton Reads, there were Civil War Re-enactors from the 12th Mass. Infantry Company I, including our own Mark Nickerson along with other re-enactors, leading a parade from Town Hall to Faxon Park, where they spent the afternoon with demonstrations and exhibits.  Richard Fitzpatrick compiled a booklet for the occasion on the two Civil War cannon (Napoleons), which are mounted in Faxon Park, one of which was cast at the Revere Works in Canton. Stoughton musicologist and Historical Society member Roger Hall sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "Dixie" just before “Abraham Lincoln” (Bob Grover) spoke the Gettysburg Address, followed by brief remarks from Mary Todd Lincoln (Denise Lochiatto, who was wearing one of our dresses.)

Also on the re-enacting/parade weekend were walks in to the Bird-Connors barn on Friday and an introductory walking tour of Glen Echo on a drizzly, cool Sunday.  It was the first time in many years that more than ten passenger cars have driven down to the parking lot, near the site of the Inn.  We eventually made it over as far as Drum Rock. More walks to Glen Echo and Bird St. will be scheduled during the next several months.

We express our sincere thanks to all who attended the events mentioned above, and especially those who helped make them happen, whether in presentation or support.   

The Susan Clapp Bradley Journal

Student intern Dahlia Kushinky’s transcription of the heretofore unidentified female journal writer/teacher continues, but with a fascinating breakthrough.  On the evening of February 9, Dahlia came across the following in an entry “Sabbath (April) 24:

…The N.W. chamber- can I ever forget that night when Cecelia softly called “Miss Clapp we want you to come + pray with + for us”. ‘Twas for Emma Parish + E. Howe?. Have they not both given evidence of an interest in Christ + though Emma is now in the dark, I believe she will be restored.

The “Miss Clapp” was what we had been looking for.  I immediately checked our hand-written vital statistics for Stoughton in 1850 and determined that in the Benjamin Clapp family, living in the Zebulon Waters house on the west side of Bay Road (then still Stoughton) was a “Susan” who had a mother and older sister, Ruth, and a younger brother James.  It turns out that the sister is the Ruth Gurney, with whom she had been teaching in N.W. Bridgewater.

David Lambert swung his resources into action and found that Susan Clapp at 53, had married an 80-year-old minister, Stephen H. Bradley in Cottage City (or Oak Bluffs). Using many sources, including an obituary in the Brockton Enterprise David wrote an online obituary for Find a Grave Memorial: “Right after the Civil War Mrs. Bradley went south as an American missionary, and there worked among and taught negroes, remaining in this work for some years. Later she carried on a mission school at Cottage City, Martha's Vineyard, for the Portuguese, and this work she continued until about three years ago, when she came to Brockton to reside permanently with her sister, Mrs. Ruth Clapp-Gurney, widow of Alpheus Gurney on Green Street. She was the widow of the late Stephen H. Bradley, formerly of Martha's Vineyard, who died about [20] years ago.”

Also found online: “Over 102 years ago, Reverend Oscar K. Denniston renamed a small (building) in the heart of Oak Bluffs in honor of its founder, Susan Bradley, and started the first African American church on Martha’s Vineyard. For over half-century, the Bradley Memorial Church was an integral part of the Island community and is considered an invaluable anchor in the vibrant history of Portuguese, Cape Verdean, Wampanoag and African-American life on Martha’s Vineyard. The non-denominational church also served the social, cultural and economic need of the community.” http://www.marthasvineyardnaacp.org/nmv.bradley.html   A recent phone conversation with the President of the Martha’s Vineyard Chapter of the NAACP, Laurie Perry-Henry has confirmed that this Chapel is still standing near Bradley Square, but currently is in a state of limbo because it has been foreclosed upon by a bank, but forbidden to be demolished by the Town.

A recent visit to the Jackson Homestead in Newton  revealed that several Newton residents also went South to educate former slaves after the war, and we may find out more about Susan Clapp Bradley from their or other accounts.

Here is anther recently transcribed excerpt from Susan Clapp Bradley’s journal, which includes a discussion with Oakes Ames:

Visit to Boston May 26 to June 3d (1859)

Friday afternoon 1 ½ o’clock. Returned “home again” from Boston yesterday. The forenoon has been spent in putting my things to rights, relating an account of my adventures. The memories of the week are very pleasant. Nothing occurred to mar my happiness but Mrs. Wing’s overbearing conduct. Left home Wednes morning 26th. Made calls at Stoughton village- first at Mr. Ryders (was introduced by Martin Wales) engaged him to come to give me lessons. Then called at Mr. Nath Wales., Mr. Martin Wales + at Mrs. Paul’s. Conversed with them about my plans for school. All encouraged it. Mr. Walls said “try it!”. Dined at Samuel’s. He seemed interested in the plan + said he would build a school house. After dinner called at Mrs. Randall’s Mrs. Tisdale’s  (she said she could take ten boarders) Mrs. Henry Capen’s, Miss Eaton’s, Mr. Robert Porter + at two schools + Mr. Leba Beals. Went to N. Bridgewater with Mr. Grover. Called at Mr. Melvin Packard’s to leave a letter for Emilie- then at Ruth’s- then at Butt’s for my bouquet- took tea at Russell’s- returned home through South Eason + N. Easton. Took Annie Randall in to ride- had a very pleasant day- in addition to the blessings, received a letter from Mrs. Piery? + another anonymous Waverly.

Thursday morning left for Boston. Conversed with Mr. Oaks Ames about my plans. He thought them practicable- also with Capt Lincoln Drake. On my arrival at the city made it my first business to exchange my bonnet- it was very large and looked old womanish- found I could do nothing in that home, so concluded to have it made smaller + improved- like it very much but it has cost me nearly $ 6 to get it trimmed- spent money very fast, my B- principally for Piano rent + books Think none it was needlessly spent so I shall not grudge it.

Matt Cecil, who is completely rebuilding and refurbishing the Zebulon Waters house on Bay Road where Susan Clapp (and Deborah Sampson, briefly) once lived, sent along several ambrotypes, which had been found in the house by previous owners, showing unidentified children and adults in various combinations.  We are determining the likelihood, or lack thereof, that Susan Clapp is in any of these pictures. Susan mentions posing for ambrotypes in her journal, but according to David Lambert that style of portrait would not have been in existence when she herself was the age of the younger women seen in these ambrotypes.

Ponkapoag Plantation Boundary Explorations

The work on the Glen Echo program, booklets, and walk has led to a number of further leads from Canton residents, who contributed their assistance to our continuing work on  York Pond and the original boundaries of the Ponkapoag Plantation.  New member Willard Thorn of Indian Lane took me on a hike through his property and eventually on to Glen Echo, via the old cart path from Willard’s house, formerly the Crowd/Angus residence to site of the ice house on the pond, and eventually on to the stone culvert-bridge, which crosses the canal leading from Glen Echo to “Picky Pond.”  Bob Zeff, an acquaintance of Joanna Gibson’s showed me where the Glen Echo Path comes out on the York St. side of “Monks Meadow,” the huge “balancing rock” west of York St., and the old aircraft observation tower in the same general area.  In a subsequent walk down the path to York St., I discovered an eighty-foot stone and earthen causeway, which had been constructed, probably pre-Elisha Monk to permit carts and wagons to cross the wetlands from York Pond out to York-Page St., formerly Pigwackett Rd.  Lake Ave. resident Sarah Dixon and a young man from the Eagles family supplied helpful guidance on the Glen Echo walk, and Wally Gibbs asked me to come along on a visit to an intriguing small, (approx 2’x2’x2’x1’) tapered, triangular, stone structure, beside a spot where granite was quarried to cap the cellar of the nearby York School, built in 1797.

These forays into Canton have helped me close in on locating two of the “lost” corners of the Ponkapoag Indian Plantation.  The boundary line, which heads north-northeast from the known corner at the Glen Echo property, crosses York St just south of Indian Lane, and after 1 5/8 miles ends at a corner, approximately a quarter mile east of York St.  This spot appears to be not far from the easternmost part of Spruce Lane, but there is wetland and the upper reaches of Pequit Brook to cross in order to reach it. I have located the corner of a stone wall approximately where I project the corner to be.  Both walls are, headed away from the Plantation land, but their corner may be the elusive NE corner of  PP.  The line then turns  WNW and crosses back over York St. where it is marked with a small granite post, sunk in the ground.  Modern lot lines shown on Google Maps appear to follow the old boundary line for more than a quarter mile west north westward and the old line continues one mile and 66 rods from the previous corner to the next corner, from which the line turns north to cross Randolph St and eventually hit Ponkapoag Pond, as shown on the Map of the 12D.  This corner appears to be just east of the Lojack Building at the end of Pequot Way, a small street running East from Rt. 138, just north of the 99 Restaurant.

I have located  stone walls, some half-buried. in the greatly disturbed land and found four  granite markers; the easternmost, which is separate from the others and apparently the oldest, may be the corner.  The line just traced could be known as the “screw the Indians” line, as it set off 500+ acres between it and Ponkapoag Pond which were excluded from the Indian land and deeded to Captain Clapp on the Map of the 12D, and later to the Fenno family, one of whom owned the ancient house which was transported to Sturbridge Village many years ago.  Elijah Dunbar’s journal explains how one of the young Fennos paid a dear price when he was atop the church trying to guide the setting of the steeple; the rope snapped, and he came tumbling to the earth, dashing his brains out, instantly.

Assisting in the Ponkapoag Plantation boundary search have been George Comeau, Jim Roache, and the aforementioned Wally Gibbs of the Canton Historical Society, who have passed along various resources: scans of the Walling Map, notes from Canton Historians Ellis Ames, Frederick Endicott, and Robert Rogers, and pages from Huntoon’s “Old Plans of Ancient Stoughton.”  I have been sharing information with Jeff Stevens, who has visited the known corners and is also searching for the others.

This year is the 200th Anniversary of the beginning of the War of 1812.  On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain and on July 12, US forces led by General William Hull began an ill-fated invasion of Canada.  By August 16, the British had captured Detroit, and in the same month the USS Constitution captured the British frigate Geurriere.  Considering the fact that we have some wonderful primary sources on local activities relating to the War of 1812 in the Samuel J Hodges Jr. collection, we soon we will be putting together an exhibit and possibly a program on the topic.  Hodges was a War Hawk, of sorts, a military recruiter at his father’s tavern on Bay Road in Easton and at a recruiting office in Taunton.   He bitterly resented the activities of the local Federalists, who were opposed to the war. When Congress refused to commission Hodges as an officer, he chose not to go to war as an enlisted man, leaving all of the men he had recruited to go off to war without him.  His correspondence and business records for the next several years shed light on his attempts to communicate with and get pensions for some of these men, his views on the local political and recruiting scene, and the beginning of his interest in the cotton business.  Soon he became a clerk, for the Gay Cotton Manufacturing Company on Mill St., and within a few years, he became a co-owner, along with his younger brother, Leonard, who eventually became one of Stoughton’s most successful businessmen. Samuel, along with three of his children died of island fevers, while serving as US Consul to the Cape Verde Islands.

Stoughton musicologist and Historical Society member Roger Hall will be transcribing and providing commentary for the Elijah Dunbar Journal: 1761-1762, which we will publish within the year.  Harvard graduate Elijah Dunbar, son of the Rev. Samuel Dunbar taught school locally, before becoming Town Treasurer.  He wrote of singing sessions at Doty’s Tavern as early as 1761 and also recorded the death of Isaac Fenno from the falling church steeple, mentioned earlier.  He also writes of Samuel Moho, an Indian patriarch and father to men who will serve with Ezra Tilden in the Revolutionary War. Several original pages from his journal are displayed in our hanging map and folder unit in the Pierce Room.  Roger has also provided a Singing Stoughton link with pictures from George Quincy Clifford plaque ceremony and access to a cd of an earlier performance of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” by the Old Stoughton Musical Society in Boston in 1980. http://www.americanmusicpreservation.com/stoughton.htm

New member Paul Smith has been copying our video tapes to DVD’s at SMAC, where he has received training.  He also conducted and produced an interview with Joe DeVito, and Paul’s Uncle, Jack Julius, a fellow WWII Vet, and class mate of  Joe DeVito’s. This program has already been shown on SMAC.

Archivist’s Report - Acquisitions

From Russell Perry:  50 the reunion Directory 9/24/2011, DVD Looking Back Through the Years (Grade 1 through 50th Reunion), First Grade Photo @ Clapp School, First Grade Photo @ Drake School, 50th Reunion Photo 9/24/2011 50th Reunion Badge List From Wayne Legge:  The following books: Textile Testing –Physical, Chemical & Microscopical, Textile Laboratory Manual, American Dyestuff Reporter “75th Anniv. Jubilee Issue”, Detergents, Bleaches, & Softeners Used in Home Laundering.  From Bill Hahn: Four color Snapshots of Paintings done by Leonard Whitten: JeremiahBancroft’s, “Last Chief of the Ponkapogs,” “Dog,”  “Man in A Workshop.” From the Cohasset Historical Society: A photo of the old Congregational Church (Washington St.), From Joe DeVito: 1930’s picture of DeVito’s Confectionary Store, 1940’s picture of DeVito’s Package Store, News article.  From Michael and Jane Sheehan: A bag of items yet to be catalogued. From Denise Peterson: A box of items including US Army photo albums, discharge papers etc. yet to be cataloged. Historical Society purchase: A Letter from Massena B. Ballou of Stoughton to his father Hosea F. Ballou of Wilmington, Mass., Dated August 8, 1861. This letter has a reference to a military “brush with secessionists out in Missouri” “everyone this way holds the same opinion we entertained of the Baltimore fight it was a most shameful affair and our army has no business there.”  It also establishes that it took eight hours to ride in their horse and buggy from Clinton, Mass. to Stoughton.  I put together a publication about Stoughton’s two Civil War cannon and we re-organized and re-filed a box of Alice Petruzzo’s materials on the train station restoration.  We also did a preliminary search for information on James W. Robertson for Alice Walker and are beginning a search for information on the large Manny/Natalia Pitta (which changed their name to) Sulapa, family living in Stoughton during the 1930’s and early 40’s.

-Richard Fitzpatrick

Ruthie Fitzpatrick put the finishing touches on the coloring book and took it to the Superintendent of Schools who will have it printed and used in the Stoughton History curriculum.  Coloring books will also be available at the Historical Society.  Also catalogued tbe Alice Petruzzo material on the Stoughton Train Station restoration and the work related to putting it on the National Historic Register.  Met with Dr. Rizzi regarding the Stoughton High School Academic Hall of Achievement which will be held on September 29, 2012,  Was one of many covering Open House on April 21, 2012.  Swept the floors while Evelyn Callanan dusted prior to that Open House.  Presently working on renumbering the school files so we can look up each class individually

Joe DeVito has added panels on Glen Echo, Camp Whispering Willows, and the Gay Cotton Manufacturing Company/French and Ward photos to our map display unit.  Jeanne DeVito has written thank you notes, filed and retrieved important information from the office files, and recorded all dues payments, which have been sent along by her or Denise Peterson, to Mary Kelleher.  Evelyn Callanan has recorded obituaries, helped clean the Society, and worked on our mums and other plants outside the building.

Curator’s Report

We gathered together, delivered, and eventually retrieved Civil War artifacts for display at the Library in conjunction with their program Stoughton Reads; this year’s selection was the Civil War Novel, Killer Angels, which deals with the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.  Our contributions consisted of a large, framed (General Meade authorized original) print

of the Gettysburg battlefield, showing the positions of the Federal and Confederate Regiments on each day of the battle.   Pat Basler discovered mold on the print and paid to have it cleaned, before putting it on display. We also contributed two bayonets, an unexploded mortar shell from the Antietam battlefield, an exploded shell from Vicksburg, a cartridge box and canteen from the Union army, a minie-ball bullet, and caps from the Sons of Union Veterans.  We considered our three Civil War era Springfield Rifles too valuable to be displayed in the window at the Library, but did put them on display in our own cases along with the ornate ceremonial sword, which was presented to Civil War and GAR officer, Major George Dutton, by veterans who had returned from WWI. There are also two canes; a gold-headed one presented to Major Dutton and a simple one, made from the wreckage of the Confederate ship, the Merrimac.  Also displayed are original Confederate bills, and a large framed collection of portraits of a number of Stoughton Civil War veterans and GAR members.  We will add some of the artifacts retrieved from the Library to our own exhibits.

We also helped a student from UMass with her paper on the re-use of historical buildings by locating information on the previous restoration of the railroad station, which also was useful when Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, John Stagnone asked for details on the amount of money the Town had spent in the past to restore the railroad station.  Carol and I planted the pansies in the large containers in front of the Society. Acquisitions: A small hot plate holder showing the Methodist Church, found by David Lambert; a watch fob celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Stoughton from an anonymous donor from Sharon; a glass cutter made by F. C. Phillips; donated by Lou Gitto

-Brian Daley

Clothing Curator’s Report

The Society has received a variety of fabric items from Mr William Legge. Among the items is a lovely two piece  pink semi-formal dress, hand made and decorated with trapunto work on the jacket and on the bodice of the dress. Also included are “nylons,” cotton gloves and a lady’s summer hat.

We have received from Julie Gitto her mother’s wedding gown.  The dress is fully made of lace including a train of the same fabric, and fully lined with a satin under dress.   It was worn in 1936 by Mary McNamara. The dress is in excellent condition. We are grateful for all of these donations.

If you watched the recent town parade for the Stoughton Reads project, you saw “Mrs. Lincoln” wearing one of our costumes.  It was one of the outfits made for our bicentennial and loaned for this occasion.

-Janet Clough

Membership

Welcome to our new members: George Hagerty (lifetime), Peter McArdle of York, Maine, Helen Wilbar, Faith Crandall,  Willard Thorn, Jackie Revnoff, Robert and Nancy White, Joe Camponello and Lisa McGarvey,  Ellen Gill, Eric Scorcia, Jack Julius, Paul Smith, Steve Mitchell, and the Joseph Feaster family

Historical Society Publications (Member prices are for one copy only)

• NEW! –Memories of Glen Echo $5/$3,
• “Working Historical Notes on Glen Echo/York Pond…with glossy maps” $5/M$3
• NEW! The Story behind Stoughton’s Napoleons (Cannon) Model 1857 12 Pounder Guns $3/M$2
• NEW! Excerpts from the Civil War Diary and Letters of Stoughton Private Alfred Waldo   $3/M$2
• NEW!  Billy White’s Field (expanded with new photos and content added) $5/M$3
• Reproduction of our History of Stoughton Time-Line Panels on glossy photo
• paper  $2.00 Members $1.00
• Historical Maps of the 12 (1695) and 25 (1726) Divisions $15/M10 each (a ten page booklet of commentary, free, when you buy both of these beautiful colored maps.)
• October Stories by James Barber $13.00
• The Drake Letters from Stoughton to Strongsville by Sandee LeMasters $20/M15   
• “Exult O Americans and Rejoice”: The Revolutionary War Diaries of Ezra Tilden 15.00 Memb 10.00   
• A Stoughton Sampler: 1895-1995;   $15.00, Members $10.00   
• ”The Civil War Diary of Stoughton Private Alfred Waldo: $20.00, Mem. $15.00   
• Images of Stoughton,  Postcard Images of Stoughton both by David Allen Lambert - $22.00 @ Mem $20  
• Booklets: Price for each copy; $3/M$2  
  • A Few Farms of Dry Pond, A Walk Through the Dry Pond Neighborhood of my Youth by Ernest Gilbert
  •  Pleasant Pines Farm- Frank Reynolds entries on his work at  the Capen-Reynolds Farm in the early 1900’s.
• Illustrated Commentary from past Community Calendars: $3.00@ M$2   Stoughton’s First Factory, The White Mill – The Bird St. Conservation Area, The History of West Street,  Glen Echo.
• Updated color-coded trail/topo maps of the Bird St. Conservation Area - $2.00   
• Large topo map(with two-foot elevation lines) of Bird St Conservation Area, showing stone-walls and lot lines - $10.00

If you wish to order by mail, add $5.00 to your total purchase.  For the large maps, add $8. Address all requests to The Stoughton Historical Society, Box 542, Stoughton, MA 02072