SBHS March 2011 Newsletter

Learn About Ice Harvesting See SBHS’ Treasured Flag Quilt

March, 2011

Annual Meeting, April 27 Make Your Reservations Today!

This year’s annual meeting and dinner will be held at First Congregational Church on North Granby Road on Wednesday, April 27. Hors d’oeuvres will be served starting at 6 p.m. and we’ll sit down to dinner around 6:30 p.m.

Admission is $20 per person. Payment with the coupon on page 9 should be sent to: Patty Sansone, 65-R Mountain Rd., North Granby, 06060 Phone: (860) 653-3838 This year, six board members and five officers will be presented for election on a slate chosen by Nominating Committee members Bill Ross, Jane Ann Pease and Ginny Wutka and approved by the society’s board of directors. See page 9 for the list of nominees to be voted on at this year’s annual meeting. We extend our appreciation to those leaving the board.

The business meeting – including presentation of the annual Linnell Award for extraordinary volunteer service to the Society – will be held in the church sanctuary immediately after dinner. An interesting program will follow.

Can you imagine Victoria and Albert cooling their royal drinks with ice from New England? That’s not too far-fetched.

Museum professional Dennis Picard of Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield will tell us how New England became “the refrigerator for the world” using ice from local ponds. At the industry’s apex in the 19th century, ice shipments went to the Caribbean, the coast of South America, Europe and even as far as India and China. Mr. Picard will augment his talk with a display of icecutting equipment.

As a program bonus for Society members, The Textiles Committee will exhibit our celebrated American Flag Quilt, made by young Estelle Holcomb of West Granby during the Civil War. This stunning piece of Americana is set to be part of a two-year traveling exhibit commemorating the 150th anniversary of the war’s beginning.

Don’t miss this history-rich program and the chance to be with old friends! See you there on April 27.

Spring Flea Market May 16, 2011 (see page 7)

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Archivist Report

by Carol Laun We have been asked by Storrowton (at the Big E) to participate in a One Room School Tour featuring schools in Vermont, Massachusetts and northern Connecticut. Our Cooley School will be open Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Society was also asked to add information to a Litchfield website about students who attended Miss Pierce’s School for Young Ladies and the Tapping Reeve Law School. Three Hayes daughters studied in Litchfield – Hilpah, Melissa and Mehetable. We have shared their family data and pictures of the watercolors and silk embroideries the young women created. Our thanks to Peter Dinella for taking photos of this artwork for the project.

A previous newsletter described and pictured the beautiful cherry desk and tall case clock given to the Society by Seth and Lucy Holcombe. Both items belonged to Phinehas Holcomb of West Granby and, after several generations, came to Seth. He also wanted two family portraits to be kept with the furniture and they are now in the Seth Holcombe Library on permanent display.

One portrait is of Nancy Smith Huggins (1784-1872), wife of Phinehas Holcomb (the book of her letters is mentioned in another article). It was painted in the early 19th century by an unknown artist. Nancy wears sheer ruffles and ribbon on a white bonnet, white neck scarf and a dark dress. The other portrait is of Jennet Lockhart, wife of John Merritt and grandmother of Nancy Smith Huggins Holcomb Mills. Jennet was married in 1686 and died in 1743. The painting, by an unknown artist, was done in the late 17th or early 18th century. The frame, highly decorative with pierced scrolls and gilt finish, was purchased in Florence, Italy in 1906.

We have added two framed photographs of the late Seth Holcombe to complete this exhibit. In one he is riding his favorite stallion and in the other he is waving a flag while riding in Granby’s Memorial Day Parade. Come to the Holcombe Library in the Preservation Barn any Tuesday or Thursday morning to see the paintings.

Nine students from a freshman English honors class at Granby High School recently visited our library to research Granby’s past. The students are writing a play based on someone going back in history and talking to Granby people. Our collections of diaries, memoirs and interviews with Granby residents were used by the class to learn about life in earlier days.

Planning is going on to participate in both the celebration of Granby’s 225th anniversary and to commemorate 150 years since the start of the Civil War. A special Civil War exhibit will be in the Preservation Barn this summer and we are considering a series of three lectures concerning the War. I have also been working with Jim Warnke on a DVD of a history tour of Granby. Many Society pictures and documents are featured in the DVD, which will be available for sale later this year.

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A Letter From The President I feel privileged to have served as president of the Salmon Brook Historical Society board of directors for the past one and a half years, come April. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

It has been a period of discovery for me: Meeting new friends, learning so much more about my adopted hometown, coming to realize how much hard work it takes to keep a small all-volunteer organization going, let alone growing. Luckily, the Society has a core group of volunteers who are second to none. I’m in awe of them.

Building our ranks and getting even more members actively involved in the work of the society are the keys to future success, of course.

It’s encouraging to see greater numbers of dedicated volunteers coming to work at our attractive Salmon Brook Street campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays; encouraging that we’re exhibiting more of our large and interesting collection; encouraging that attendance at our social functions – the Wassail Party and annual dinner – shows growth; encouraging that the next slate of officers, if you approve them, are energetic and goal-oriented.

When Society members are on board with our mission, willing to work hard while enjoying one another’s company – well, those society members define our community and that community means success.

Thanks again, Bob Schrepf

Gifts from the Seth Holcombe Estate 3

In Memoriam Evie Tuffin Chris Riley Arline Mooney Grace Ayer

The Salmon Brook Historical Society lost four long-time and valued members recently. They believed in giving back to their community.

These four have amassed many thousands of volunteer hours in church activities, local government and town organizations.

Arline – lawyer, compassionate probate judge and political activist.

Evie – talented artist in many fields and volunteer for innumerable Society events.

Chris – extraordinary guide to history both at Newgate Prison and as schoolmaster for our 2nd grade tours.

And Grace – stalwart Thursday morning volunteer for decades, membership chair for years with her late husband, Dick, competent, scrupulously honest, dependable, matter-of-fact and possessing that increasingly rare attribute – common sense. She was a delight to know.

These four leave a legacy of volunteerism in Granby. Who will take their place?

by Carol Laun

Have you renewed your membership in the Salmon Brook Historical STUDENT $3.00 Society for the calendar year 2011?

INDIVIDUAL $15.00 We have attempted to keep the dues at a reasonable level. If you FAMILY/GROUP $20.00 haven’t renewed for this year or owe back dues, please send us a SUSTAINING $30.00 check. Your continued support is welcome and appreciated. To those LIFE MEMBERSHIP $300.00 of you who have already paid your dues, many thanks.

Send your name and address with a check made payable to: Salmon Brook Historical Society and send to the society at 208 Salmon Brook Street, P.O. Box 840, Granby, CT. 06035

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The Quilt Airing Come and join us as the Salmon Brook Historical Society presents its second Quilt Airing on Saturday, April 16.

This Airing will feature 15 quilts from the Society’s extensive collection.Second The quilts were Annual Quiltmade Airingby toGranby be Held quilters, April 16 both past and present. These quilts will give 225th us a peek at what the women Celebrating Granby’s Birthday in Granby were working the on 150th over the years and willStart include our While Remembering Anniversary of the of one-of-a-kind Diamond & Teardrop quilt, circa 1850 and Stella theCoverlet Civil Warwhich is noted for its fine Jewett Godard’s Redwork work and unique setting.

Quilts made by Polly Hall, Granby’s own Quilt Lady, will also be included.

As the country remembers the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Estelle H. Holcomb’s Stars and Stripes Quilt, circa1861, will be one of the highlights of the Airing. Made by the 17-yearold Estelle, using a pattern from the July 1861 edition of Peterson’s Magazine, this West Granby quilt was made just after many Granby men marched off to war, capturing the spirit of the time.

This quilt has been chosen to participate in a two-year traveling Civil War exhibit hosted by the American Textile History Museum and will be featured in the book accompanying this major exhibition.

The Quilt Airing, along with its narration, will be held in the South Parlor of the Abijah Rowe House on Salmon Brook Street. Included in the admission price of $20 is a tour of the Abijah Rowe House and Cooley Schoolhouse and a Tea held in our Victorian Parlor.

The Airing is comprised of two sessions — one at 10:00 a.m. and another at 1:00 p.m. Due to space constraints, a limited number of tickets are available. Please contact Ginny Wutka at 860-653-6897 or ginny@lostacres.com, or Jean Potetz at 860653-7647 for reservations. All proceeds from ticket sales are used for the ongoing expenses of the Society.

Many hands are needed to put on this event. If you’re interested in helping either behind the scenes, in setting up or on the actual day, please call Ginny Wutka and volunteer. Your help is definitely needed and will be very much appreciated.

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Before pilgrims settled the area and not long after Columbus landed on these shores, the Dewey-Granby Oak was thriving.

The State Board of Forestry tells us the oak is one of the oldest trees in New England. Fifty years ago it was measured to have a trunk that was 27 feet in circumference, with huge arms that extended over 70 feet long. The book, Connecticut’s Notable Trees, considers it the most “picturesque” tree in the state!

The tree is a white oak (Quercus alba) and had good company in early Connecticut with the Charter Oak of Hartford, which was unfortunately lost to lightning in 1856. Eight generations of the Dewey family owned the farm on which the tree stood. When the old homestead was sold in the mid 70s, the family chose not to transfer the lot where the tree stood.

In 1975, Granby’s Board of Selectmen adopted the Oak as the symbol of the town and it can be found in the town seal and its logo. Many artists have drawn wonderful renderings and paintings of it.

Members of Granby’s photography community include Granby Oak images among their favorite subjects.

Over the years there have been many organizations that have loved and cared for the tree. This genuine concern has brought a deluge of advice over the years about care for the oak, few of the experts seem to agree. Perhaps the best advice, though, came from the UConn Cooperative Extension foresters, who said, "Don't over-care for the tree and possibly kill it with kindness."

The continuing saga of the Granby Oak took a dramatic turn early in 1997. An heir of the Dewey family who owned the property decided to list it for sale with an out of town real estate broker. While the Land Trust was negotiating to buy the property, a young couple purchased it to build a modular house.

Carol Laun, the curator of the Salmon Brook Historical Society, received a call from a concerned local realtor. She immediately began making calls and asking questions. She got the Hartford Courant involved who responded by taking a large color photo and writing a provocative article. The Courant’s editorial staff suggested the use of eminent domain to protect the tree.

The realtors involved were contacted. School children wrote letters. Finally a petition was established to ask the Granby Land Trust to purchase the property. The following days were spent collecting signatures in front of the local grocery store with an overwhelming response - people stood in line to sign the petition. Everyone wanted to talk of their feelings about the tree and the very personal, emotional bond with this majestic oak.

On March 31, 1997, the Granby Land Trust purchased the property and maintains the ancient oak tree today.

Interested in being trained to be a Curator at the Salmon Brook Historical Society? Let us know, we’d love to teach you how!

Call today . . .

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Spring Flea Market Saturday, May 14, 2011 Set-up time: 7 a.m.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: $25 Early Bird Special, $35 after May 8 20’ by 20’ space Checks paid to Salmon Brook Historical Society Include name and phone number and send to: Dave Laun 16 Hummingbird Lane, Granby, CT, 06035 or call: 860 653 3965 Clean your attics…Donations for tag sale always welcome Drop off items Thursdays, 9 to Noon; coffee served at 10 a.m.

Please, no plastic toys or children’s clothes.

From The Archives.

A letter written March 1, 1847 from Harry and his wife, Reform, Goddard in Troy Grove, Illinois to his parents in Granby, Isaac and Abigail Goddard.

Dear Parents, I have concluded to write and let you know we are getting along. We are neither strayed, stolen nor gone to Mexico, but are out here on the prairie about one mile from Troy Grove. We sold our farm on Rock river for 1000 dollars cash down and have bought us a farm here consisting of 180 acres and besides all that, we have another girl now six months old, which we call Laura and a real smart one too, just like her Aunt. We have two boys and two girls, but don’t you pout, Miss Julia, for I will name the next one after you.

I have been a trying to get Harry to write and he has been waiting for me, so you may thank me for this letter and you must excuse the poor writing for I am rather low in spirits. We have just lost our team, two good horses burnt to death. Our stable caught fire and before we could get them out, they burnt to death and last September we lost one. Harry says the three horses that we have lost would be worth in Connecticut 900 dollars.

They was first rate, but we shall have to put up with it and go to work and get another team.

Wheat is now on the rise here and we shall have some to sell. It is worth 50 cents, corn, oats and potatoes 12 ½ cents per bushel, working cattle from 30 to 50 dollars per yoke, cows from 10 to 15 dollars, pork and beef two dollars a hundred. I suppose that you think produce very low here, but we can raise five bushels here with less labor than you can one there. If you don’t believe it, come and see. Men can get from 50 cents to 1 dollar per day.

Harry says to tell Linus (his brother) we have got a cat that will beat his for she will catch and kill rats almost as large as she is herself, and our corn grows higher than his cat can climb in a day. By the way, I would like to see that old bachelor out here and some of them old maids too. First rate chances to sell or give your selves away here.

Seldon (their son) says that he would like to help his Grandpa gather apples and little Francis, (another son) he will come and help him eat some. Daphne (daughter) says she would like to go and feed your chickens for the Minks have caught all of ours. I wish you all health and happiness and hope that we shall see some of you out here before long. from your affectionate children, H. and R. Goddard

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A Busy, Successful Year for Our Textiles Committee

By Jean Potetz Over the past year, the Textiles Committee has been working hard to preserve and protect the Society’s textile collection. Since February 2010 we have moved, vacuumed and stored 100 quilts; washed, cut and labeled yards and yards of muslin to layer between those 100 quilts; set up two textile rooms complete with shelving, boxes, preservation supplies, a filing system and research books; visited the Connecticut Historical Society’s textile room; organized and held our first quilt airing; interacted with the American Textile History Museum of Lowell, Mass., regarding the loan of Estelle H. Holcomb’s Stars and Stripes Quilt; had two quilts professionally appraised; created a Lending Policy; begun researching quilts in the Rowe House Collection; and spoken at the Ladies’ Civic Club’s November meeting on Estelle Holcomb and her Stars and Stripes Quilt.

It has been quite a year!

As we look forward, the preservation of historic clothing items presently stored in the Weed-Enders House attic is our next project. These items also need to be moved to the Preservation Barn, vacuumed and carefully boxed, and eventually researched. Meanwhile, fine-tuning the organization of both textile rooms continues.

As spring approaches, we plan on participating in the events surrounding Granby’s 225th Birthday Celebration through our Quilt Airing on Saturday, April 16. We will also be involved in this season’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, and we expect to hear more from the American Textile History Museum concerning the loan of Estelle H. Holcomb’s Stars and Strips Quilt and where that exciting journey may take us.

So while we’ve already completed one very active year, another one is upon us and our plans for the future are many.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the members of this committee for their hard work over this past year and as we go forward. Committee members are Bert Dinella, Cynthia Glenney, Betsy Henebry, Lucille Ladden, Sally Markey and Ginny Wutka. They have made this huge project an exciting and successful one.

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Proposed Officers, Board Members At the April 27 Annual Meeting, Society members will vote on the following names proposed by the nominating committee to be officers and board members:

Officers: President: Ken Kuhl 2-year term Vice President: Bill Ross 2-year term Secretary: Ginny Wutka Discretion of the board Treasurer: Roger Hayes Discretion of the board Archivist: Carol Laun Discretion of the board Board Members:

2nd Grade

Phil Main Pat Sansone Dave Laun Tour Jim Rosano John Morgan Bob Schrepf

1-year term 1-year term 3-year term 3-year term 3-year term 3-year term

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Salmon Brook Historical Society Annual Dinner Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at First Congregational Church.

Social Hour: 6 p.m. Dinner: 6:45 p.m.

Please reserve ____ places at the Annual dinner at $20 per person.

I am enclosing $___ Name:____________________________Phone:________ Address:________________________________________

Please make checks payable to Salmon Brook Historical Society Send to: Patty Sansone, 65r Mountain Rd., North Granby, CT. 06060 Phone: 860 653 2938 Deadline: April 8 9

The Salmon Brook Historical Society PO Box 840 Granby, Connecticut 06035

Salmon Brook Historical Society 208 Salmon Brook Street Granby, Connecticut 06035 860-653-9713 Or go to: www.salmonbrookhistorical.org

Calendar of Events

 Wassail Party: Sunday, Dec. 5, 3-5 p.m.

Hours:Tuesday 9:00 to Noon Genealogical & Archival Research Thursday 9:00 to Noon Thursday Morning Group

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December 2010 Issue •SBHS Newsletter Publishing Committee: Leila Hawken, Bob Schrepf •Layout: Ken Kuhl •Photography: Peter Dinella, Dave Laun