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PotpourrEMAIL
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Vol. 2, No. 5, 1 November 2000. Circulation: 100 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/
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?; Tidbits;
From Our Readers; Book of the Month; BHS News;
On The Web; Humor
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Welcome to our email newsletter! 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. 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??
"Names of Places" by G.L. Wright
Volume I in the Historical Series
Land Grants
The early Colonial governments were rich in land, but poor in money, and so
they had a custom of recompensing public officials who had served the
Colony for some time by giving them a grant of land. Several of these
Grants came within the territory comprising the Town of Boylston. One of
them was the " Davenport Grant," made to Capt. Richard Davenport, the
Commander of the Castle in Boston Harbor, now Fort Independence, in 1659.
It was not, however, settled by the family until 1736, and then for more
than one hundred years afterwards, portions of it were occupied by them. It
was situated along the intervals of the Nashua River, and extended from
Scar Hill to the old stone bridge in West Boylston.
The "Malden Farm Grant" was made by the General court to the Church in
Malden. This Grant was situated partly in the present town of Boylston and
partly in West Boylston, and lay southerly of the Davenport Grant. The
present dividing line between Boylston and West Boylston was on the
southerly side of the line the center of this Grant. A line running
easterly and westerly across Spectacle Pond, and being the boundary line of
the Deacon Jonathan Bond Farm, now occupied by the Slack Family, was the
Southern line of the Grant. The "Sewall Grant," made by the General Court
to Chief Justice Samuel Sewall, lay easterly of and adjoining the Malden
Grant. It was partly in Boylston and partly in Shrewsbury, and included
within its limits, Sewall Pond.
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Tidbits
Nicknames
Allie is usually Alice, Aline, or Aletha
Bell is usually Arabella, Annabelle, Isabel, Rosabel, etc.
Cindy is usually Lucinda or Cynthia
Daisy is usually Margaret
Delia is usually Cordelia or Adelia
Dora is usually Theodora, Eudora, or Dorothy
Effie is usually Euphemia (but sometimes Sarah)
Elsie is usually Elizabeth
Fanny is usually Frances
Greta is usually Margaret
Hal, Hank or Harry is usually Henry
Hallie is usually Harriet or Henrietta
Hettie is usually Hester, but sometimes Esther or Henrietta
Jack is usually John
Jake is usually Jacob
Jenny is usually Jane, Virginia, Janet, or Jennifer
Larry is usually Lawrence
Lena or Lina is usually a name ending in those letters
(Eme-, Se-, He-, Magda-, Pau-, Ange-, etc.)
Lettie is usually Letitia
Libby is usually Elizabeth
Madge, Midge, Meg, Maggie, or Maisie is usually Margaret
Mattie is usually Martha, but sometimes Matilda
May or Maisie is usually Mary
Millie is usually Mildred, but sometimes Amelia or Millicent or even
Mary
Minnie is usually Mary
Molly is usually Mary
Nancy is usually Agnes or Ann(e)
Nell is usually Ellen, Helen, or Eleanor
Nora is usually Eleanor, Honora, or Lenore
Patsy is usually Martha or Patricia, but sometimes Matilda or Patience
Peggy is usually Margaret
Polly is usually Mary
Sally or Sadie is usually Sarah
Sukie is usually Susan
Tillie is usually Matilda
Xr is Christopher
Zeke may be Ezekiel, or Hezekiah
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From Our Readers
No input from our readers, but I have added about 15 new
people to our "humble" email list!
Let us know how we are doing, and we'll put your email here!
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Book of the Month -
This month instead of a book, I'd like to zero in on some of the
other items that are available in the BHS Gift Shop.
1. Dog Jack Mugs - Red and Black on White with a silver rim - $5
2. Dog Jack Holiday Cards with envelopes - 10 for $3.50 {these are new}
3. Dog Jack Color Books -
Color Fun for Kids With Dog Jack- 8 pages - $.50
The Story of Dog Jack - 24 pages - $3
All prices EXCLUDE shipping.
For more info go here:
http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/gift.htm
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BHS NEWS -
Last month Bob Haynes took us off to China.
This month Bill Dupuis will give us a taste of Colonial Drinks!
Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000 at 7:30 pm.
"History of Boylston Taverns" by Bill Dupuis, Director of Boylston
Historical Society and Museum
A lecture on the town's early taverns. Then a demonstration on how a
number of colonial drinks were made. Luscious Tavern wenches will serve
samples!!
Admission - $2
Drop in to BHS and get your tickets early-
SEATING IS LIMITED !!!!!
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Holiday Gift Shop Hours!!
The Gift Shop will be open every Saturday morning
from November 18 through Dec. 16 -
10 AM to NOON
We can supply all your holiday gift giving needs -
Books, maps, stationery, postcards, photos, jewelry,
tea, Dog Jack mugs, and much more.
Visit the gift shop
http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/gift.htm
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An open letter to the members of the Boylston Historical Society
At least a dozen or so times each year, I hear comments that all contain
the same theme:
"the Boylston Historical Society has a lot of money!" Nothing could be
further from the truth.
When the society was formed 29 years ago, it had exactly $50.00 in the
treasury. That was an omen of things to come. The society has always
operated on a shoestring, despite what some people may think.
Let's look at the facts, the society is a non profit organization. It
operates only on the dues it receives, sales from the gift shop, and the
occasional donation. The only assistance it gets from the town is via the
historical commission which cares for the old town hall building by
providing heat, electricity, water, and necessary repairs.
The society has no endowment. It has a small savings account, smaller in
fact than those of most of its members. For the last five years, it has
operated in the red necessitating drawing from our meager savings. Although
the society supports the Hillside Restoration Project, all funds for that
project are in a separate account cared for by a treasurer appointed by the
Restoration Committee. The society has no access to those funds.
Last year, Membership Dues were at an all-time high. Yet, because of rising
costs and greater demands on the society for services, transfers still had
to be made from other accounts. "What costs so much?" you may ask. Let me
tell you. All the planning, organizing, cataloguing, repairs, writing, etc.
is all labor free. In fact, at today's salaries, the society receives in
excess of $100,000 every year in expert volunteer labor. Then, where does
the money go? Computer supplies, printing, archival materials (which is
notoriously expensive), and fees for programs, custodial and office
supplies, care and maintenance of books, manuscripts, photos. the list is
endless. the society must care for almost 20,000 items in its various
collections.
Most people from other historical societies and agencies tell us that we
have accomplished more in 30 years than most other societies have in much
longer periods of time. The society has published over two dozen books on
Boylston; it has a printed and e-mail newsletter, a gift shop, over a dozen
slide programs, research services, and school tours. It probably is one if
not the best promoter of Boylston.
This year, membership dues have not even topped $1500, less than half of
what was collected last year. We realize that numerous demands are made on
your generosity. But if you are really concerned about preserving your
town's heritage and sharing it with our children and grandchildren, then
please consider spending more than just the minimum for your dues.
We are already planning to cut back on our operation. Please help us to
restore some of these cuts so that we may continue to serve you with the
high quality you are accustomed to.
Thank you,
Bill Dupuis
Vice President Boylston Historical Society
Director of BHS Museum
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ON THE WEB
Early Records of Lancaster - 1643-1725
by Nourse
http://www.rootsweb.com/~maworces/lancaster/title.htm
Boylston Library
http://www.boylston.org/library/index.htm
CALIFORNIA DEATH INDEX (1940-1995) contains 9,366,786 public
records with 498,701 surnames
http://userdb.rootsweb.com/ca/death/search.cgi
LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA CEMETERY LISTINGS.
http://userdb.rootsweb.com/cemeteries/IA/Louisa/
KENTUCKY CIVIL WAR ROSTERS
http://userdb.rootsweb.com/rosters/
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Humor -
The CIA loses track of one of its operatives and calls in a top
spy hunter. The CIA boss says, "All I can tell you is that his
name is Murphy and he's somewhere in Ireland. If you think
you've found him, say the code words, 'The weather forecast
calls for mist in the morning.' If it's really him, he'll
answer, 'Yes, and for mist at noon as well.'"
The spy hunter goes to Ireland and stops at a bar in a small
town. He says to the bartender, "Maybe you can help me. I'm
looking for a guy named Murphy."
The bartender replies, "You're going to have to be more
specific because around here there are lots of Murphys. There's
Murphy the Baker, who runs the pastry shop on the next block.
There's Murphy the Banker, who's president of our local savings
bank. There's Murphy the Blacksmith, who works at the stables.
And, as a matter of fact, my name is Murphy, too."
Hearing this, the spy hunter figures he might as well try the
code words on the bartender, so he says, "The weather forecast
calls for mist in the morning."
The bartender replies, "Oh, you're looking for Murphy the Spy.
He lives right down the street."
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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. 2, No. 5, 1 November 2000. Please visit
Boylston Historical Society and Museum's main Web page at
.
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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boyhisoc@ma.ultranet.com
508-869-2720
Boylston Historical Society
PO Box 459
Boylston, MA 01505
Web Page: http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/index.shtml
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