September 2014 Issue
Almost Ready To Roll…. By Bob Schrepf
Pictured are the new wheels (that will fit on the old hubs) of the Society’s vintage 1890-1900 peddler’s wagon that was given us by the town of Granby. The wheels were built by the Witmer Coach Shop of New Holland, Penn., Amish specialists in the manufacture and repair of horse-drawn vehicles. Restoration of the rest of the wagon was done by Leon Demers of Belchertown, Mass., restorer of carriages, sleighs and wagons, and Jessica Martin, his granddaughter. Very soon, the restoration job will be completed. The body of the wagon will be put on the wheels and the old wagon with a new life will be ready to roll. Its permanent home will be the Society’s Preservation Barn on Salmon Brook Street. Wagons like this (we’ll publish a photo of the restored vehicle in the next issue of the newsletter) were typically used by peddlers selling their wares door-to-door. The Salmon Brook Historical Society’s wagon, in addition to being on display, will have a variety of uses, possibly including parades and for displaying items for sale at the Society’s twice-a-year flea markets. Stop by and see this beautifully restored piece of the past.
Fall Flea Market ~ Oct. 18th (page 7)
Engine Show ~ Oct. 4th (page 6)
1
Message from Bill Ross President, Salmon Brook Historical Society Some thoughts and information on the War of 1812: My wife Nancy and I spent time in Stonington, Connecticut and Baltimore, Maryland this summer. We toured Fort McHenry which is gearing up for the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. We both lived there at one time but it has been almost 15 years since we set foot on the grounds of Fort McHenry. I would recommend that everyone who visits Washington, D.C. should make the short trip to Baltimore to hear the story! The visit got me thinking about the War of 1812 (1803-1815) and how average Americans in Connecticut and Maryland defended the country against the much larger and better equipped British. Baltimore and Stonington, even though hundreds of miles apart, stepped up when duty called and managed to save both towns from destruction by the British. Below is a summary of the events in Baltimore and Stonington as found adapted from Wikipedia! Stonington, Connecticut A very damaging three-day affair between August 9 and 12, 1814. During the War of 1812, four British war ships, HMS Ramillies, HMS Pactolus, HMS Dispatch, and HMS Terror, under the command of Sir Thomas Hardy, appeared offshore on August 9, 1814. The British demanded immediate surrender, but Stonington's citizens replied with a resounding “NO” and a note that stated, "We shall defend the place to the last extremity; should it be destroyed, we shall perish in its ruins." For three days the Royal Navy pounded the town, but the only fatality was that of an elderly woman who was mortally ill. The British, after suffering many dead and wounded, sailed off on 12 August. The American poet Philip Freneau wrote (in part):
"The bombardiers with bomb and ball Soon made a farmer's barrack fall, And did a cow-house badly maul That stood a mile from Stonington. They kill'd a goose, they kill'd a hen Three hogs they wounded in a pen— They dashed away and pray what then? This was not taking Stonington. But some assert, on certain grounds, (Beside the damage and the wounds), It cost the king ten thousand pounds To have a dash at Stonington. Baltimore, Maryland The Battle of Baltimore was a combined sea/land battle fought between British and American forces in the War of 1812. American forces repulsed sea and land invasions off the busy port city of Baltimore, Maryland, and killed the commander, Commander Robert Ross, of the invading British forces. The British and Americans first met at North Point right near the Chesapeake Bay and though the Americans retreated, the battle was a successful delaying action that inflicted heavy casualties on the British, halted their advance and allowed the defenders at Baltimore to properly prepare for an attack. One week earlier, Ross and his troops had burned the White House and other Federal buildings in Washington, D.C. The resistance of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry during bombardment by the Royal Navy inspired Francis Scott Key to compose the poem "Defense of Fort McHenry" which later became the lyrics for "The Star-Spangled Banner," the national anthem of the United States of America. Many people forget that we had to fight the British for a second time to ensure our freedom. See you at the Fall Flea Market in October and have a great Autumn!
2
From the Archives
by Carol Laun
This letter was written May 12, 1838 by brothers Harry and Reform Goddard in Troy Grove, IL to their parents Isaac and Abigail Goddard of Granby.
Worthy Parents, Agreeable to your request, I now take my pen to inform you that we are all in tolerable health at this time. I hope that these lines will find you all enjoying the same blessing. We received your letter the 2nd of May with much pleasure. I rejoice to hear that you intend to come into this fertile country. The quality of the land is equal to any in Connecticut. We have some slues (sloughs) to travel through. The face of the country is level, like the land on Connecticut River. The timber lies 1 ½ miles from the prairie. The prairie lies Ÿ of a mile from my timber. I have 20 acres of timber and 80 of prairie which I gave $545 dollars for. I have 10 black walnut trees which will make six thousand feet of lumber to each tree and is worth thirty dollars a thousand. Uncle Root and I have divided the land, he owns the other part. He owes for his part and will sell it as soon as he can. I shall pay for my half the first of June and take a deed in Linus’s name for you. I calculate to make some improvements on the place this summer. I would buy the whole if I was able, but I am not, at present. Money is worth 25 per cent and hard to be had for that. I wish you to send those papers you mentioned in your letter to us if it is convenient. I have not heard from Parthena since I left Ohio nor I have not heard from Milton since last September. He then had the fever and ague, he said in his letter that it was uncertain if he came here until this spring. I had a letter sent to me from Penn. one year ago and have not got it yet. It had one hundred dollars in it. Riverus and his family are all living together and are all in good health. Amanda has all the household affairs to attend to and she does exceeding well. It is a general time of health here at this time. We all should be glad to see you all, but must wait patiently until your arrival. Though our hearts heave with joy in thoughts of seeing you and your family in this fertile country to share plowing bounties of the land. This letter will give you to understand my last letter that I was not able to pay for but my half at this time. Though many miles we parted be, yet you all remain as usual to my memory. I have no more to write to you at present.
From your unworthy son Harry Goddard Reform Goddard
3
It has been a great summer at the Salmon Brook Historical Society. Our tour attendance is almost double over the previous few summers. Several members have been trained as docents and are now conducting tours on their own. We have instituted a program with Granby High School for our student docent program, and our second grade program is bearing much fruit. The question arises, “Why are all these good things happening?� My first response is that the second grade program has been reinstituted, thanks to our Granby Schools curriculum coordinator, Mr. Gilbert. A huge thanks to our member Downy Koch, who planned and carried out the program. We then told the second grade students that if they came back during the summer and brought their families along, they would not have to pay for the tour of our museums. What a response!! Thank you, Downy, for all your work and thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the day so great. Our high school student program is still in its infancy stage. We had several successes and the Granby Schools Social Studies director wants us to continue to work on the program with him to enlist more students for next year. Hats off to Tristan Longley for all his volunteer work with us this summer and also to college student Ben Toth for his help. I believe our sign out front – because it was there all week for people to see -- also brought many local families to our museums. This to me is one of the most important successes-bringing in local people who are now interested in what we do and who we are. Thanks to all of you who volunteered and helped out and worked together and also had a good time. We need more of you to help us next year and we have training materials that explain our collection and are self-study. They make great reading material in the winter. Please ask me for them.
Thanks again. Ginny Wutka
4
Grant News! By Ken Kuhl
The Society continues to explore ways to make our resources go further by applying for matching grants. In 2012 we obtained a $13,500 grant from the 1772 Foundation (through the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation) To reroof and paint the Abijah Rowe House. This year our application included a request for a grant to repaint the Weed-Enders House and the Cooley School House. Additionally, we included a request for funding to re-grade and improve drainage along with upgrading our security. Unfortunately the field of applicants was quite competitive this year and because our application covered a variety of needs, our request was not accepted. They advised when applying in the future to choose a specific project to fund. On a more positive note, we were notified recently that we were granted a $750 gift from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. This delightful surprise was awarded to SBHS because a friend of the Society suggested the work we were doing in Granby was worthy of recognition. There are no limitations and the funding can be used to cover general operating expenses.
Building & Grounds by Dave Laun
Good News – The conversion to natural gas has been completed! CNG installed the meter August 26 and Beacon Mechanical made the final adjustments. The boilers have been converted to burn natural gas and cleaned, filters changed, air conditioning units have been cleaned and repaired, and grass seed has been planted over the gas line trenches. We are ready for winter. Phil Main will make the arrangements with State Line to have the propane tank removed.
5
Recent Donations to the Salmon Brook Historical Society by Carol Laun Archivist/Curator
Wedding photo of Walter and Bertha Colton Reprint copy of Barber’s Views of Connecticut Towns People’s Cook Book 1882 The Gift 1839 and One Hundred Pictures 1865 – children’s books Index to every name on every gravestone in Granby cemeteries Spear points and arrow head collection found in fields behind 239 Salmon Brook Street Yarn winder, Niddy Noddy and hatchel Butter paddle, melon baller, chopper, hand made whisk, thermometer Oil chimney lamp cleaner, wood hangers, slotted spoon Mourning dress for everyday Patchwork quilt
We have extra copies of Barber’s View of Connecticut Towns for sale in our museum store. Also, Lois Longley generously gave us a number of beautiful Granby linen towels to sell in our store.
Those Old Gas Engines . . . SBHS will host the Antique Engine and Tractor Show again this year on Saturday, October 4, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, at the Historical Society on Salmon Brook Street. It has proven to be a crowdpleasing annual favorite. If you like old tractors, cars, engines and other displays of mechanical devices, you will enjoy this show. If you are interested in displaying an item that you know people would enjoy seeing, call Dave Laun at 860-653-3965 for more information. Hot dogs, doughnuts, coffee, and soda will be sold at the Society’s food tent.
6
Here Comes The Flea Market! The Fall Flea Market is Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9 am to 4 pm. Anyone who has not yet volunteered to work the flea market and who would like to volunteer only two hours of your time, please contact Todd Vibert at 860-6539506. You could help price the items we sell in the Preservation Barn, or work the Preservation Barn the day of the flea market, help at the concession stand, or help with parking or even help lead the vendors to their spaces early in the morning. Also, if anyone is interested in renting a vendor space, which is a 20x 20 foot grid for $30, please contact Dave Laun at 860653-3965 or contact Todd Vibert at 860653-9506. The price of the space will increase to $40, if paid after Oct. 11. Anyone wanting to donate items to be sold in the Preservation Barn on the day of the flea market can drop off those items at the Historical Society on Tuesday or Thursday mornings between 9 am and noon. We ask you not to donate plastic toys or children’s clothing. We will serve hot dogs, soda, chips, and Mrs. Murphy’s donuts at our concession stand. Also, Lisa Vibert will make her chili for that day. Enjoy the fun and do not forget to tell your friends. This has become a Granby tradition. ~ Todd Vibert
7
Calendar of Events Gas Engine Show Fall Flea Market Wassail Party
October 4 October 18 December 7
September 2014 Issue SBHS Newsletter Publishing Committee Leila Hawken & Bob Schrepf Layout: Ken Kuhl Photograpy: Peter Dinella/Ken Kuhl