¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸, PotpourrEMAIL ¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º¤º°` Vol. 4, No.9 - 1 March 2003. Circulation: 100 and growing! (C) 1999 Boylston Historical Society and Museum 7 Central St., PO Box 459, Boylston, MA 01505 boyhisoc@rcn.com 508-869-2720 Editors: Betty L. Thomas and Judith Haynes Boylston Historical Society and Museum Web Page: http://users.rcn.com/boyhisoc/ To subscribe or unsubscribe to the PotpourrEmail, or to submit information to be included in the PotpourrEmail, e-mail info to: boyhisoc@rcn.com CONTENTS. Welcome; "The History of Boylston 1642-1741"; From Our Readers; Tidbits; BHS News; On The Web; Humor ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ ¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º 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 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@rcn.com ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+ "The History of Boylston 1642-1741" The following is from Vol.II of the Historical Series. This book is no longer available for sale, but there are bound copies of all the Historical Series books in the Museum's Fuller Research Library, the Boylston Public Library, and the Allen County Public Library [Fort Wayne, IN.] There are drawings, sketches and photos in the book that we cannot include in this Email. "The History of Boylston 1642-1741" A Critical Edition of the Papers of George L. Wright by William O. Dupuis Volume II in the Boylston Historical Series Revised edition 1978 Chapter 3 "The Mother Town of Lancaster" by George L. Wright The Capture of Thomas Sawyer Junior On October 26, 1705, Lancaster was again visited by the Indians who captured Thomas Sawyer, JR., with his son, Elias Sawyer and John Bigelow, and carried them to Canada. It is worthy of note that these men were the ancestors of the families that were afterward prominently connected with Boylston history. The Indians treated Thomas Sawyer with incredible cruelty and hardship. Before this, they made several ineffectual attempts to capture him, destroy his garrison and mill, and slay his family, and now having him within their power, they determined to wreak upon him their extremest cruelty and torture. Whitney's History of Worcester County says, "Sawyer was a very brave man as well as a good mechanic". The Sawyer name has been connected with mills in every generation, and had even been associated with the same business in England before they came to America. When the Indians reached Montreal with their captives, Sawyer offered to set up a mill on the Chambly R iver on condition that the French governor would release all three captives. The governor was much pleased with the offer, since at that time there was not a saw mill in all Canada [19], nor was there any person capable of building one. He therefore besought the Indians for the release of the three men, and found no difficulty in obtaining the release of Elias Sawyer and John Bigelow, but they would not release Thomas Sawyer, and no inducement could be offered and accepted that could effect his redemption. The Indians began to make preparation for his torture and death. He was led forth and chained to the stake, and the faggots were heaped around him, when a friar suddenly appeared before them clad in his priestly robes, and solemnly held aloft a large key, which he declared was the key to the gates of Purgatory (Hell?), which he would unlock and open and send them all headlong into its everlasting fires unless the captive was instantly released and turned over to the governor. This so brought upon the superstitious fears of the Indians that they immediately untied Sawyer and delivered him up to the governor. True to his promise, Sawyer erected and put into operation the sawmill, and in a year's time, he and John Bigelow were allowed to return home. Elias Sawyer was detained another year to instruct the Canadians how to saw lumber and keep the mill in repair, when he too was allowed to return to Lancaster. [19] - This is exaggeration. In 1686 Francois Hazeur, a rich merchant of Quebec, had established a sawmill at LaMalbaie which produced masts, planks, and building lumber for France. See "A History of Canada" by Gustave Lanctot, page 220. ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+ From Our Readers From Nel Lazour - the Hillside Restoration Project A Civil War Re-enactment Sponsored by the Hillside Restoration Project: There will be a meeting on Thursday, March 6 at 10 am at the Boylston Historical Society to discuss plans for the upcoming Civil War encampment and related activities that will be taking place October 18 and 19. If you are available and are interested in getting involved, please attend. We are trying to make this a community event with the participation and help of other groups and organizations, so please spread the word. An email list of all interested parties will be developed soon, so if you want to be kept informed via email let us know. This is a family event and we encourage history lovers of all ages to participate. Individuals and groups interested in participating are encouraged to attend. For more information and to RSVP , contact the Boylston Historical Society at 508-869-2720. Looking forward to seeing you and learning more about this exciting fall event! BOLTON, Mass. – February 20, 2003 -- This could be your lucky day! Check your attic, go through your closets, and find that object you’ve always wondered about: that dusty painting; that old glass vase; Grandma’s favorite brooch, now yours. Gather your treasures and bring them to the Skinner Art and Antiques Appraisal Day on Saturday, March 8, 2003 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Skinner’s Bolton gallery at 357 Main Street in Bolton, Mass. Proceeds for the event will go to benefit the Bay State Historical League, which is celebrating 100 years of service to the history organizations of Massachusetts. Skinner, one of the nation’s leading full-service auctioneers and appraisers of antiques and fine art, hosts this annual charity event that draws crowds from towns all over Massachusetts. Skinner appraisers from the PBS-series, The Antiques Roadshow will be on hand to provide verbal appraisals of art and antiques including American furniture and decorative arts, American and European paintings and prints, Native American art, Arts and Crafts, art glass and art pottery, early glass, bottles and flasks, ceramics, English and Continental furniture and decorative arts, musical instruments, toys and dolls, fine jewelry, Oriental rugs, Asian works of art, books and manuscripts, silver, Judaica, and 20th Century Design. The cost for appraisals is $5.00 per item. Appointments are not necessary and appraisals will be given on a first-come first-served basis. Good photographs may be substituted for very large or fragile pieces. No stamps or coins, please. For more information on the Skinner Art & Antiques Appraisal Day, contact Anne Trodella at (978) 779-6241, ext. 232. To learn more about buying and selling antiques at auction, or for a list of upcoming Skinner auctions, log onto Skinner’s web site at www.skinnerinc.com. ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+ Tidbits From the 1933 Town Report DEATHS, 1933 Date / Name of Deceased / age Y. M. D. / Residence/ Birthplace /Cause of Death / Place of Burial Jan. 2 / Martha J. Warner / 94, 9, 4 /Boylston/ Beverly / Bronch. Pneumonia/ Pine Grove C., Boylston Maiden name, Webber Widow of John V. Warner Feb. 23/ Edwin J. Scott / 24,3,28 / Boylston/ Finland/ Tuberculosis/ Pine Grove. C., Boylston 25 /Delphine E. Hilliard / 77, 5, - / Boylston /Canada/ Bron. Pneumonia / Brownington C.,Orleans, Vt. Widow of Benj. Hilliard Maiden name, Byron Mar. 18 / Robert W. Lancey / 42, 11, - /Boylston / Boylston / Bron. Pneumonia / Pine Grove. C., Boylston 21 /Myron A. Young/ 35,4,27 / Boylston / Boylston / Myocarditus / Pine Grove. C., Boylston Apr. 21 Anna Ostergard / 61,2,9 / Boylston/ Denmark/ Myocarditus/ Pine Grove. C., Boylston Maiden name, Jepsen Wife of Thomas' J.' May 2 Hazel D. Young / 29,10,3 / Boylston / Boylston / Val. Heart Disease / Pine Grove. C., Boylston ? / George W. Ludwig / 53,-,- / Watertown / Drowning Suicide/ ---- 20 / Lila Mary Reilly / 42,11,- / Westboro / Marlboro / Tuberculosis / St. Luke's, Westboro Maiden name, Woodward Widow of Edward-J. 27 / Florence Lundball / 26,9, - / Milford / Ireland / Tuberculosis / Vernon Grove C., Milford Maiden name, Morrison Wife of John June 7 / Mildred E. Simpson / 32 , 2 -/ --- / Northboro / Tuberculosis / Howard St. C., Northboro 12/ Gladys R. Palmerino/ 26, 4, - / Southbridge / Webster/ Tuberculosis / Cavalry C., Dudley Maiden name,. Lamontagne Wife of Santino 29 / Charles E. Cutler / 71, 2, 12 / Boylston/ Coxonary Scherosis[sic] / Pinegrove C., Boylston 30 / Clara F. Tabor / 58,-,-, / Boylston / Barre/ ------/ Pinegrove C., Boylston / Maiden name, Warren Wife of Miles W. July 7 / Gladys Hazel Clark / 20, 8, -/ Upton / Fitchburg/ Pul. Tuberculosis / Lakeview C., Upton Uxbridge 15 / Emma J. Platt / 60, -, - / Uxbridge/ ------/ Pul. Tuberculosis / Uxbridge Wife of William 20 / Grace M. Gleason / - , 1, 14 / Boylston/ Boylston / Cong Heart Disease/ St. John's C., Worcester 22 / Irene A. Hill / 51,- , 12/ Boylston/ Burrillville, RI / Arthritis / Chopocket, RI Maiden name, Hall Wife of Jesse W. 22 / Susanna Klesek / 23, 11, 7/ Webster/ Webster/ Pul. Tuberculosis/St. Joseph's C., Webster Aug. 7 / Sylvia Wilson/ 61, 11, 24/ Boylston / Maine /Cancer of Liver / Pine Grove C., Boylston Widow of Horace 16 / Carolina Otitis Olson / 68, 6, 2 / Boylston / Norway / Cardine Renal D. / Pine Grove C., Boylston Maiden name, Jorgenson Wife of Edward J. Sept. 1 / John Ebash / 46, -, - / Leicester / Turkey / Pul. Turberculosis/ Hope C. , Worcester 2 / Annie Hoiszez / 54, -, - / Millville / Poland / Pul. Tuberculosis / St. Michael's C., Blackstone Wife of Samuel 16 / Joseph Calengne / 50, -, -,/ Milford / Italy / Pul. Tuberculosis / St. Mary's C., Milford 21/ John Walozyn / 64, 7, - / Warren / Poland / Pul. Tuberculosis / Pine Grove C., Warren 30/ Gladys Wiekstrom/ 28, 1, 25 / Millville / Worcester / Pul. Tuberculosis / Swedish C., Worcester Oct 2 / Adolphus Gothier / 64, - , - / Boylston / Canada / Cerebral Hem./ Nortre Dame C., Worcester 16 / Amy W. Garfield / 64, 5, 28 / Boylston/ Groton / Angina Pectois/ Pine Grove C. , Boylston Maiden name, Kendall Widow of Ira S. Nov. 1 / Fred R. Coops / 42, 9, 7 / Shrewsbury / Nova Scotia / Found dead in Auto / Hope C., Worcester 26 / Marguerite E. Mead / 32 , 9, 5 / ------- / W. Medway/ Pul. Tuberculosis / St. Mary's C. Milford Maiden name, LaPiere Wife of Vincent Dec. 1 / Frank M. Mead / 67, 9, 8 / Boylston / Springfield / Ceberal Hem./ Pine Grove C., Boylston 3 / Paul Gothing / Less than one day / Boylston / Worcester / Prematurity/ Pine Grove C. Boylston 8 / Daniel M. Connor / 73, 7, 13 / Boylston/ Paxton / Prostatic Hypothrophy / Paxton 19 / Kathleen Little / 37. 5. - / Leicester / Canada / Pul. Tuberculosis / Cremated, Sprinfield, MA Crematory Wife of Eugene 31/ Ellen Minns / 85, 5, 9 / Boylston / Hubbardston/ Chronic Intestinal Neplirtis/ Riverside C. , Barre. GEORGE L. WRIGHT, Town Clerk. ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+ BHS News "Be Our Valentine" Exhibit - Extended by Popular Demand !! This is a display of Victorian Valentines, Lace from our collection, and wedding dresses circa 1950 and 1930. Open during normal open hours and at regular museum admission. Members - free Non-Members - $3 ----------------------------------------- NEW HOURS We are open Tuesday and Thursday - 9 am to noon AND The FIRST TUESDAY of each month [year round]- 6-8 pm Please stop by and visit on Tuesday, Feb. 3 As always ...we are open by appointment for those who can not make any of our open hours. ----------------------------------------- COMING UP THIS WINTER 2002 - 2003 PROGRAMS and EVENTS All Programs open to the public and held at the Society (unless otherwise noted). 7 Central St., Boylston Donations at the door are gratefully accepted! ------------------------------------------- Eat Your Way Through History - at BHSM, Clinton Historical Society, and West Boylston Historical Society We will start at 10 am with breakfast fare at Clinton Historical Society with tour and talk on their historical building. Noontime will bring us to Boylston Historical Society and Museum for lunch and a short talk on the history of food. At 2pm we will be at West Boylston Historical Society for desserts and a talk on the history of the buildings on the Green. Food, Historical Societies, Historical Programs - all for - $15/person Saturday, March 29, 2003 from 10 am to 4 pm RESERVATIONS are REQUIRED !!!!! Seating is limited....Tickets are going fast - get yours NOW Call the Museum for more info. Coming in the Spring The History of Boylston - a slide lecture by William Dupuis - BHSM Curator Thursday, April 10, 2003 at 7:30 pm Members - $2 Non-Members - $3 Under 18 - free Sponsored in part by Fuller Transportation Ask an EXPERT! - for Genealogy, Scrapbooking, Collecting, and Archival Storage. Have a question, need advice or help? Stop by and consult an expert! FREE! The Museum will also be open. Tuesday & Thursday, April 15 & 17 , 2003 10am to noon AND Wednesday, April 16, 7:30pm to 9 pm Sponsored in part by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Thomas Flagg Pond - a slide lecture by Bob Haynes. Learn about the history, biology, and mysteries of Boylston's Flagg Pond. Thursday, May 15, 2003 at 7:30 pm Members - $2 Non-Members - $3 Under 18 - free Memorial Day Open House - Come and visit!!! Monday, May 26, 2003, 10am to 2pm Free Museum admission - Look for our "Attic Sale" on the Green! Annual Meeting/ Dinner - Thursday, June 12 at the Manor in West Boylston $25/ per person RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Buffet to include American, Italian, and Greek cuisine. cash Bar -------------------------------------------------------- Visit the gift shop http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/gift.htm ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+ On the Web National Arbor Day http://www.arborday.org/ Francis Beaumont http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/beaumont001.html http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/beaumont/ Franz Joseph Gall http://pages.britishlibrary.net/phrenology/fjgall.html http://hsc.virginia.edu/hs-library/historical/classics/Gall.html William Etty http://www.speel.demon.co.uk/artists2/etty.htm http://www.getty.edu/art/collections/bio/a17653-1.html Kissing Friday [Mar 14] http://elt.britcoun.org.pl/f_class1.htm#Kissing Richard Burbage http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/burbage002.html Vernal Equinox [Mar 21/22] http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/VernalEquinox.html http://www.celestia.com/SRP/MA96/Html/VernalEquinox.html http://www.equinox-and-solstice.com/html/vernal_equinox.html ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+ Humor - Three blondes died and found themselves standing before St. Peter. He told them that before they could enter the Kingdom, they had to tell him what Easter was. The first blonde said, "Easter is a holiday where they have a big feast and we give thanks and eat turkey." St. Peter said, "Noooooo," and he banished her to hell. The second blonde said, "Easter is when we celebrate Jesus' birth and exchange gifts." St. Peter said, "Noooooo," and he banished her to hell. The third blonde said, "Easter is a Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish festival of Passover. Jesus was having Passover feast with his disciples when he was betrayed by Judas, and the Romans arrested him. The Romans hung him on the cross and eventually he died. Then they buried him in a tomb behind a very large boulder." "Very good!" exclaimed St. Peter. Then the blonde continued, "Now every year the Jews roll away the boulder and Jesus comes out. If he sees his shadow, we have six more weeks of basketball." St. Peter fainted. ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ ¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º 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 -author's name, e-mail address, and URL, if given- Previously published by PotpourrEMAIL, PotpourrEmail, Vol. 4, No.9 - 1 March 2003. Please visit Boylston Historical Society and Museum's main Web page at http://users.rcn.com/boyhisoc/ 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. ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ ¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º boyhisoc@rcn.com 508-869-2720 Boylston Historical Society PO Box 459 Boylston, MA 01505 Web Page: http://users.rcn.com/boyhisoc/