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PotpourrEMAIL
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Vol. 1, No. 3, 1 August 1999. Circulation: 60 and growing!
(C) 1999 Boylston Historical Society and Museum
7 Central St., PO Box 459, Boylston, MA 01505
boyhisoc@ma.ultranet.com
508-869-2720
Editors: Betty L. Thomas and Judith Haynes
Boylston Historical Society and Museum Web Page:
http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/index.shtml
To subscribe or unsubscribe to the PotpourrEmail, or
to submit information to be included in the PotpourrEmail,
e-mail info to: boyhisoc@ma.ultranet.com
CONTENTS. Welcome; What's in a name?; From Our Readers;
Time Capsule; Story Time with Norm; Oral History;
Book of the Month; BHS NEWS; Boylston Queries;
On The Web; Humor
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Welcome to our Brand New email newsletter! Month number three!
If you have a story to tell, information to impart,a good genealogy joke,
computer or web genealogy info, a Boylston genealogy Query, or anything
that would be of interest to our readers--please
email us at: boyhisoc@ma.ultranet.com
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What's in a name ?
For those of you who are not members of BHS and don't receive the
snailmail newsletter, it is called The Potpourri. Sooooo, we thought the
appropriate name for this version would be PotpourrEMAIL. This email
version is not meant to repeat or copy the snailmail version, but to
complement it, with the addition of topics of interest to those with
computer and web capabilities.
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From "Names of Places" by G.L. Wright -
Boylston Historical Series Vol. I
Scar Hill
The hill on the old West Boylston Road, near the Richard Flagg place, was
long known as Pulpit Hill. Scar Hill received its name from the high
bluffs and sand scars on its side above the Nashua River. " Sand Hills",
and the "Sand Hill Road" are names now likely to be forgotten. This
locality was near the West Boylston line at the south-westerly section of
the Wachusett Reservoir.
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From Our Readers
Nancy Beaman Flanders, Princeton, MA - NMBF2@aol.com
My grandmother, Floretta Abigail Bigelow, was born in Boylston on March 4th,
1860. Her parents were Charles Parker and Rowena (Ball ) Bigelow. When she
was very young the family moved to Clinton and lived in one of the old brick
Victorian houses on High Street. Which one I don't remember, but they still
stand on High Street near the center of town. She used to tell me that one
of her earliest memories was standing at the gate in front of the house and
watching the Union soldiers walking up the street from the train station as
they returned from the war. How long she lived there I don't know. At some
point the family moved to Worcester. She was proud to have been born in
Boylston and she always called it "Old Boylston," not just Boylston.
Frederick Brown" -Pagan-Hawk@worldnet.att.net- President, BHS
I checked out the Guide. It brought back a flood of memories. I was born
in Worcester and lived there for several years.
Any whooo, my mother worked at Baker Box Company before I was born. Baker
Box was a subsidiary of Baker Lumber listed in the index. That illustration
would not come up although several others did. My fault or what?( it
wasn't Fred-- I fixed it!"B")
A labor of love that will enhance the prestige of our website.
"J. D. Stone"- jdstone@airmail.net
In researching the internet and finding your site which published the
Worcester Business Guide of 1881, I was able to match some advertisements
that are glued to the back of an oil painting which was handed down in my
husband's family which originated in Worcester in the late 1800's. The
advertisements include about 1/2 of an ad for Ames Plow Company, a complete
ad for Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Mason Brush Works, W. W. Cook
Florist, Bush & Company Druggists, George F. Hewett Wholesale Wine and
Liquor House, H. A. Bowman, and Loring and Blake Organ Co.
The advertisements attached to this picture appear to be from a newspaper
publication of "business announcements" that are three columns wide and
about 13" x 17". There is a quote in the form of a testimonial on the Bush
& Company ad for Bush's Liver Pills which quotes my husband's
great-great-great grandfather, Josiah Pickett who was listed as the
Postmaster of the City of Worcester in June of 1877!
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Millennium Time Capsule 1999-
Love History? Need a unique gift? Like to Write down your thoughts?
Boylston Historical Society will be sealing the Millennium Time Capsule on
Friday Dec. 10 at 7:30 pm. It will contain archival sheets of paper on
which will be written YOUR thoughts, views, ideas, or stories about what it
is like to live in the 20th century.
Call, write, or drop in to the Historical Society anytime to purchase YOUR
archival paper. It will also be available at the Oct. and Nov. programs.
You may purchase as many archival sheets as you need (Members - $4/ sheet
Non-members - $5/ sheet). Each archival paper comes with an instruction sheet.
All Millennium Time Capsule entries must be returned to Boylston Historical
Society by WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1st.
You are invited to the sealing of the Time Capsule at a ceremony on Friday,
Dec. 10 at 7:30 with reception to follow.
The time capsule box will be stored in the Boylston Historical Society
Vault for 50 years, at which time it will be opened and the contents
examined, reboxed and resealed, for another 50 years....and so on.
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Story Time with Norm -
My name is Norman Houghton French, Boylston native, 71 years old.
In about 1938 I remember the town of Boylston having a Fourth of July
celebration on the Common, with fireworks and entertainment. There was a
rectangular stage about 3 feet high, constructed of rather light materials.
One of the entertainers was Tom Mackesy, who, as I recall, was
very heavy, with a big belly. He did a very nice tap dance routine and
went right through the stage floor!! Luckily, he was not hurt. Mr. MacKesy
was grounds and farm superintendent of the George Barton Estate. Mr.
Barton was a very wealthy industrialist who owned Rice Barton Corp.
In 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to Boylston to visit
George Barton, who had been a Harvard classmate of the president's. The
Barton estate is now Cyprian Keyes Country Club. I recall the president
riding in an open car through Boylston Center where we stood waving flags
and cheering.
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Oral History by Judy Haynes
In the first issue of PotpourrEMAIL I raised the question, "What is oral
history and how can you use it in your research?" We had no comments or
queries regarding OH, but I will optimistically assume you are interested
and are merely waiting for me to answer the question. First, it is one of
the most ancient forms of preserving information. In earliest cultures
where few, if any, people could read and write, much information on family
history was passed on orally. Stories of how people settled their
villages, how they were related one to another, and what great events had
taken place in their past, were all passed on verbally. Sometimes it fell
to one person to learn precisely, to memorize, and to record in his or her
mind this important information so that it could be passed on to the
younger members of a tribe or family. Today we rely more heavily on the
written word, but we still see the media engaged in interviewing to learn
more about a recent event. Oral history differs from this in that the
interviewer seeks to learn of past events and hopes to save a kind of
history that may not be written down, and that is precisely why it is a
valuable tool for one who plans to do family history. Your grandmother,
father, or elderly wise relative may know much about the family that is not
documented elsewhere. It is up to you--those of you interested in
preserving your family's history--to interview these sages. You will
prepare by learning as much as you can in advance, by scouring the written
sources--birth records, marriage notices, diaries, and by questioning
others in your lineage. But inevitably you will have questions that
(hopefully) an interview with your chosen subject can answer. Once the
preparation stage is finished, the next step is to arrange with your elder
relatives to interview them. You will go armed with your tape recorder (or
video recorder) and
blank tapes in hand and you will begin your oral history interviews. In
almost every instance oral historians have found this to be a happy and
positive experience. More on this subject next time.
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Book of the Month -
"Lives Thus Spent" by William O. Dupuis
Over 200 Biographical Sketches of Men and Women who have figured in
Boylston's History, with additional material by Emile R. Trahan. The book
also contains photos, engravings, and photos of paintings of most of the
people included in the book. This one is a true summer BARGAIN at $3.25
!!!!!
Plus postage & handling. It is also available at the gift shop. For more
info go here:
http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/gift.htm
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BHS NEWS -
1999 - 2000 PROGRAMS and EVENTS
*** My humble apologies--last month there were some BIG
errors in our list of programs and events.
They have been corrected!****
All Programs are FREE, open to the public and held at the Society (unless
otherwise noted). Donations at the door are gratefully accepted!
Program - Friday, Oct. 15, 1999 at 7:30 pm.
"In Defense of the Common-Wealth: Arms,Armor and Military Organization of
Seventeenth-Century New England" by Walter J. Karcheski Jr. curator Higgins
Armory Museum of Worcester.
Program - Friday, November 19, 1999 at 7:30 pm.
"History of West Boylston" by Frank Brown of the West Boylston Historical
Society.
Event - Friday, December 10, 1999 at 7:30 pm
Millennium Time Capsule Sealing Ceremony
Purchase archival sheets of paper(comes with instruction sheet) and write
down your thoughts about life in our times.
Members - $4 Non-Members - $5
All returned archival sheets will be sealed and stored in the Society Vault
for 50 years, at which time they will be opened, examined, and resealed,
for another 50 years.
Program - Friday, Feb. 18, 2000 at 7:30 pm
"Genealogy for the Beginner"
Boylston Historical Society Staff members Bill Dupuis and Betty Thomas
Finding your roots is a fun and interesting hobby. This program
will show you how to get started and will include both traditional
and computer approaches.
info packet: $4
Program - Friday, March 17, 2000 at 7:30 pm
"Genealogy Research"
Boylston Historical Society Staff members Bill Dupuis and Betty Thomas
Where do you go and what do you look for? This program will
help give your research a direction whether you are at the
library or on the Internet.
info packet: $4
Program - Friday, April 14, 2000 at 7:30 pm -
"Oral History" by Boylston Historical Society Staff member Judith Haynes
Where do I start, and what questions do I ask? Judy will answer all your
oral history questions.
Event - Sunday May 7, 2000, 2pm - 5 pm at "Hillside"
"John B. Gough Day"
Informal talks, Tours of Hillside, Entertainment, and more!!!
Event - Monday, May 29, 2000, Hours TBA
"Memorial Day Open House"
Come and visit!!! Free admission to the Museum!!!
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Arcadia Book
The book is ahead of schedule!! We have also been told by Arcadia that we
may take orders for the first printing--scheduled for the first of the
year( but maybe before!!). These books would make a really GREAT Holiday
Gift!!! The book will have at least 200 photos of Boylston people, places,
etc. We don't have a price yet, but their books usually sell for between
$16-$20. Reserve several!!! We will include a gift card to put under the
tree if they won't be in til after the holidays.
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BHS Wish List:
These are items the Society could really use ( or the $ to buy them!).
Is there an angel out there who can make a wish come true?
1. overhead projector( we really could make good use of this for our
genealogy programs!) - about $250
2. small under the counter refrigerator (the one we had died, may it rest
in peace!)(Norman has no place to put the milk for his coffee!) - about $150
3. Water Alarm- yes water- Its for the Vault- about $150
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Volunteers Needed!!!
BHS needs volunteer transcribers. We have many manuscripts in need of
transcribing. This can be done at home on your computer. We photocopy the
pages so YOU can work at home. Do you know how to save a file in .rft or
.txt ? WE also have the following word processing software - MS Works,
MS Word, Wordperfect, or Lotus WordPro. We will supply the floppy disk to
save the files on. WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU !!
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Boylston Historical Society and the Hillside Restoration Project
join up with Yankee Magazine!!
The Boylston Historical Society is thrilled to announce that they have
been accepted as one of Yankee Magazine's Community Partners! Our
partnership with Yankee Magazine offers us a unique opportunity to raise
money for the renovation of the John B. Gough Estate at Hillside. As
many of you know, the house is an important historical and architectural
treasure that is in need of extensive restorations and repair.
The win-win fundraising effort with Yankee Magazine works like this: Yankee
pays $10.00 to the Gough Project for every $20 subscription, gift, or
renewal sold through BHS. (Subscriptions are originally $24.00) A
subscription card is provided by the magazine and will be used as our
marketing piece. Look for subscription cards at various places around
town-- like the library ! Or visit the Yankee Partners Page:
http://www.newengland.com/cgi-bin/ymcp/print_partner.pl?number=183
or the subscription page(under Benefit: don't forget to SELECT Boylston
Historical Society):
http://www.newengland.com/YMCP/subscribe.html
If you or your company are interested in getting involved with this
very worthwhile preservation project or would like to purchase
a subscription, please contact Nel Lazour at 869-0388.
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Boylston Genealogy Queries--
Put your Boylston Query Here!
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On The Web--
From Everton -
a free pedigree chart and a free family group sheet
http://www.everton.com/charts/freeform.html
30-lesson guide on how to do genealogy research!!
http://www.acceleratedgenealogy.com
online forum where family historians can "meet" and trade information
they have on their family trees in the hope of connecting with relatives-
http://www.genswap.com
The Illustrated 1881 Worcester Business Guide is now finished!! Scannng
all 160+ pages and indexes took a bit of time, but it was worth it! Many
thanks to the Boylston Public Library for loaning me the book - Betty
http://homepages.go.com/~boyhissoc/index.htm
If you haven't visited Rootsweb in a while--They have updated the site.
There are now "County Clusters"--essentially everything for one county all
on one page---
search engines, links to rootsweb based special projects (like census),
GenWEb archives, surnames, e-mail lists, links to all GenConnect boards,
AND a General Links search engine
For this one you can add your links to the site.
Please take a moment to visit the page and add your URL!!
http://resources.rootsweb.com/USA/MA/Worcester/
AND if you want a change from genealogy- try this
Lyrics to all your favorite songs.
http://lyrics.astraweb.com
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Humor -
In Salt Lake City, Utah everyone is into researching their family
tree. Even the big department stores sell genealogy supplies. A
newcomer and a non-researcher moved to Salt Lake City and got a job as a clerk
at one of the big department stores. She received her introduction to
genealogy one day when a customer came into the store and asked " Where do
I find
the Family Group Sheets?" The new clerk, with a shocked look on her
face, answered, " Family Group Sheets? All we carry are the King, Queen,
double and twin size sheets."
Source unknown
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PERMISSION TO REPRINT articles from PotpourrEMAIL is granted
unless specifically stated otherwise, PROVIDED: (1) the reprint
is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the
following notice appears at the end of the article:
Written by
Previously published by PotpourrEMAIL,
PotpourrEmail, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1 August 1999. Please visit
Boylston Historical Society and Museum's main Web page at
http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/index.shtml .
This newsletter is distributed monthly, on the first day of the month,
to all Boylston Historical Society members (who have email!), genealogists
and friends who have a special interest in the history of the town of
Boylston.
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