USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Shelburne > History and tradition of Shelburne, Massachusetts > Part 42
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After. thirteen years in New Haven, she opened an office in Northampton, Massachusetts, and had a
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very nice home there with three friends. One of these friends became a diabetic and Dr. Dole took up a special study of the disease. As the friend began to lose her sight, Dr. Mary learned weaving in order to help her with a stimulating pastime.
When Dr. Dole's own health began to fail, she returned to Shelburne to live with her brother Charles' family, bringing her looms to an attic room fitted for that purpose.
She set her goal at five thousand dollars ($5000) for a Medical Fellowship at Mount Holyoke College and completed the pledge in 1939 by the sale of the products of her loom. The Fellowship has been greatly increased by further sales of weaving and by the income from her autobiography, "A Doctor in Homespun," privately printed in 1941. Dr. Dole died in 1947.
Recounting tales of her extensive travels and experi- ences, she says in her book that she expects: "Never to find a place so dear to me or so comfortable to live in, as Ashfield or Shelburne."
GRACE B. STETSON
Grace B. Stetson, a native of Whitman, Massa- chusetts, came to Shelburne in 1914 to make her home at the Anchorage with her sister, Mrs. James Bush. For twenty-eight years she was a leader in every worth-while project. Teacher of a Sunday school class of teen-age girls, she organized a Camp Fire group - the forerunner of today's Girl Scouts.
On the death of the beloved MIrs. Everett Taylor, she became organist and choir director at the First Church, which position she held for nearly twenty years. A pianist of unusual ability, she was never too tired to play for singing or dancing after Grange meetings.
She organized the Community Players. For a number of years they presented each winter a really worth-while three-act play. In this she was aided and abetted by Hardy Davis. The members of the Players for a decade owed much to those two people. She also served as chairman of the trustees of the Free Public Library. During her term of office, and due to her unflagging interest, the Library was cata- logued and a filing system installed. In this she took great pride, and it is very suitable that the present filing cabinet at the Library is a memorial gift from her nephew, Richard C. Stetson of Portland, Oregon. Her death occurred in August 1945, when she was seventy-six years old.
DARWIN LEWIS BARDWELL
Darwin Lewis Bardwell was born in Shelburne in 1860, son of Zenas D. and Melissa Long Bardwell. Graduating from Amherst College in 1881, he taught in Champaign, Illinois and Greenwich, Connecticut before being named superintendent of schools at Green- port, Long Island.
He became head of the science department at the
Cortland, New York State Normal School in 1890 and remained there for eight years, when he was appointed superintendent of schools in Binghamton, New York. In 1902 he was district superintendent of schools on Staten Island, and for five years, prior to his death in 1915, he held the important post of supervisor of high schools there.
HARDY L. DAVIS
Hardy L. Davis, born in Colrain in 1869, came to Shelburne at an early age. At the age of seventeen he went to work on the farm of Solomon B. Fiske (now the Avery Bates place). The rest of his life was spent there.
He became a church member in 1893 and rarely missed a church service or a prayer meeting. He be- came, during the years, a sort of unofficial greeter, and strangers in town and the summer population had pleasant memories of his handclasp and his twin- kling blue eyes.
His interest in young people was well known. Many middle-aged women today can recall his help- ing them through the intricacies of "Money Musk" and "Speed the Plow" when they were teen-aged wallflowers.
His fine bass voice was much appreciated in group singing at Grange meetings, and for several years he was president of the Shelburne Community Players. Always anxious and ready to do his part, he lived by the maxim, "It never hurt my lantern to give my neighbor a light." He died December 21, 1932.
JULIA D. PECK
Julia D. Peck was born in Shelburne, March 13, 1848. With her sister, Harriet Peck Crine, she taught in a negro school in the South during the 1880's.
Returning to New York, she was an author of children's stories, writing for the Christian Herald and the Youth's Companion over a number of years.
Failing eyesight compelled her to give up her writ- ing, and she came back to Shelburne to make her home with her brother, Austin L. Peck, and his family. Julia Peck always found useful occupa- tions. She died in 1936 at the age of eighty-eight, beloved by neighbors to whom she had been most helpful, and by friends to whom she had been kind and generous.
JAMES HALLIGAN
James Halligan was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, Eng- land, September 6, 1839, the son of James S. Halli- gan. His father emigrated to this country in 1844. Mr. Halligan learned the cutlery business in his youth, and in 1882 he was appointed superintendent of the Lamson & Goodnow works, retaining that position for sixteen years. Mr. Halligan was a prominent Mason. He married, August 27. 1870. Flora A. Strong of Chester. Their son, Howard
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Halligan born in 1874, graduated from Arms Acad- emy and Amherst College, and represented the West- ern Electric Company in London; rising to become vice president of this company.
FRANK SMITH FIELD
Frank Smith Field was born September 1, 1864, the fifth child of Samuel T. and Sarah Lamson Field, attending the old Franklin Academy and Arms Acad- emy. He started his career by working in the Mayhew Shop during vacations at fifty cents a day. His father bought the paper mill at Frankton and changed it to a cotton mill. This mill was located in the north part of Shelburne on North River on the road to Colrain, and the hamlet was named for his son. Here, Mr. Frank Field was superintendent until the mill burned in 1888. Then Dr. F. J. Canedy and Mr. S. T. Field bought the Shattuckville mill where Mr. Frank Field was superintendent until 1920 when the mill was discontinued. While living in Colrain he held the offices of school committeeman and trustee of the Griswold Memorial Library. On October 28, 1925 Mr. Field was made assistant cashier of the Shelburne Falls National Bank where he had been director for several years, having also served as trustee of the Savings Bank. On December 1, 1925 he was elected cashier, on the resignation of Mr. W. J. Morgan. He was chosen vice president later. He also served as president of the Country Bankers Association of Western Massachusetts. He resigned June 1, 1935 as cashier, retaining his offices of vice president and director until his death. He was Past Master of Mountain Lodge of Masons, a Knight Templar, and deacon of the Congregational Church for fifty years, and was chairman of the building committee when this church burned. He died in Bradenton, Florida, March 23, 1949.
He married Fannie Demons of Rowe, June 25, 1890. For twelve years they lived in Bradenton, Florida, where Mrs. Field still keeps her winter home.
HENRY W. WARE
Henry W. Ware was the son of Palmer and Maria (Wilcox) Ware. His entire life was spent in Shel- burne Falls, in his own business and in public affairs. The coal business of his father was developed into the H. W. Ware Fuel Co. It is now owned and operated by Joseph R. Amstein. The firm name has been retained although the ownership is no longer among the Ware interests. He was elected a director of the Shelburne Falls National Bank in 1920 and five years later was made president, a position which he held until shortly before his death in 1945 at the age of seventy-one.
He helped develop the present water supply of the village and was influential in obtaining improved rail and mail service. He was a long-time Mason and served as master of the local Masonic Lodge in 1914. He was a trustee of the Shelburne Falls Savings Bank,
the Arms Cemetery Association and the Baptist Church. He was also a trustee and treasurer of the Shelburne Falls Academy Fund, the residue of the now defunct school of that name, the income of which is still used for educational purposes.
He married Miss Lena Safford of Rockford, Illi- nois, whom he survived by several years. They had no children. During their later years they enjoyed extensive travel in this country and South America.
HAROLD G. HOYT
Harold G. Hoyt, son of John F. and Nancy Whittle Hoyt, was born November 3, 1880 in Shel- burne Falls where he was a lifelong resident. Here, he attended grammar school and Arms Academy. He was associated with Lamson & Goodnow Manu- facturing Company for thirty-eight years, rising to become sales manager.
On October 5, 1925 he was elected a trustee of the Savings Bank and went to work there in May 1935. Three years later he was made treasurer, and then president in 1940.
For more than fifty years he was a partner in the C. W. Hawks Insurance Company with Henry W. Ware and following the latter's death with John Hoyt.
Of an industrious and social nature he generously gave of his time and strength to public services such as school committee member, trustee of Arms Acad- emy and also Arms Library. During the Second World War he was a member of the Selective Service Board. He was also treasurer of the Sawyer Fund.
On June 6, 1906 he married Edna Wood, who died in February 1948. His second wife was Pauline Chandler Williams, mother of Patrick and David. Richard and John, sons of his first marriage, are prominent in the business and social life of the town.
A fifty-year Mason and lifelong member of Em- manuel Memorial Episcopal Church, he passed away August 31, 1955.
DR. ERNEST C. PAYNE
Born in Conway, August 1, 1881.
Died in Shelburne Falls, October 31, 1952.
Ernest Payne was a graduate of Arms Academy and the University of Pennsylvania with a D.D.S. degree. For a brief period he practiced dentistry in North Adams but soon opened an office in Shelburne Falls, where he continued to practice until a few weeks prior to his death. He married Lena Hubbard of Wilmington, Vermont, a graduate of North Adams Normal School. They had one daughter, Marion. She and her mother live in Allston, Massachusetts.
LEON F. PAYNE
Born in Conway, August 15, 1884.
Died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 22, 1947.
Leon F. Payne was a graduate of Arms Academy
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and of Brown University. Following graduation from Brown, he became credit manager of Carnegie Steel Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Later, he ac- cepted a position as vice president and treasurer of an oil well concern in Dallas, Texas. Then Carnegie Steel recalled him to accept the position of treasurer of their company, which position he held till the time of his death in 1947. He was taken ill on the return trip after attending his fortieth Brown University reunion and died a few days later. As treasurer of Carnegie Steel he traveled extensively.
Aside from his busy career, Leon engaged in philanthropic work. Among these interests was a Home for Homeless Children, where he held several offices until the time of his death. A memorial gift was presented this Home when he died in 1947.
Leon married Sadie Mather of Providence, Rhode Island, a college graduate of that city. She died in 1928, leaving two small children - a son, Leon MI., and a daughter, Margaret. The son is a graduate of Brown University and of Texas Law School. He is affiliated with the law firm of Andrews, Kurth, Campbell and Bradley of Houston, Texas. He mar- ried Carolyn Wilson of Houston. They have no children.
Margaret is a graduate of Wheaton College and studied occupational therapy. She married Robert F. Hughes of Hamilton, Ohio. They have four children, two boys and two girls.
PROF. STANLEY C. BALL
Prof. Stanley C. Ball, noted zoologist, who retired from the Yale University faculty in 1954, died August 9, 1956, at New Haven after a lengthy ill- ness. He was seventy years old. His home was in Old Lyme, Connecticut.
A specialist in ornithology and the geographical dis- tribution of animals, Prof. Ball had been a member of the Yale faculty since 1926. He had spent many years studying the natural history of the Gaspe Penin- sula in Quebec and was a leading authority on the birds of that area. In 1952 the Yale University Press published his "Fall Bird Migration in the Gaspé Peninsula" - a classic work on the subject. Another research discovery of his was that migratory birds navigate by the sun and not in the popularly supposed straight line.
He was born November 19. 1885 in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, son of Wilfred and Cora Crit- tenden Ball. He received his Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Yale's Scientific School in 1911 and his Ph.D. from Yale in 1915.
He was instructor in zoology at Massachusetts Agricultural College, 1916-1918 and professor of biology at Springfield College, 1918-1921. He then became curator of collections at the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu 1921-1926, then returned to Yale to become assistant curator and later curator at the Peabody Museum of Natural History. At the
same time he became associate professor of biology and in 1941, professor of zoology.
He married Augusta C. Lehman of Boston, who survived him.
CHARLES A. MERRILL
Charles A. Merrill, son of Cordenio Merrill, the well-known owner and operator of Crawford House in the White Mountains and other famous hotels, was born December 15, 1875 in Shelburne Falls. He was graduated from Arms Academy in the class of 1893, from Amherst College in 1897 and for the next two years had banking experience with the First National Bank of White River Junction, Vermont.
His later business life was all spent in the service of the Western Electric Company, Inc., which manu- factures the standard equipment used by the Bell Telephone System, and buys and distributes through its numerous branch houses all the supplies used by the system. Starting as paymaster in 1899, he was made cashier the next year and was transferred to the new Philadelphia branch in 1901 as assistant treasurer. Three years later he was transferred to the New York branch, and for the next twelve years worked as eastern auditor and in various executive capacities for the local branch. In 1917 he was appointed to the General Executive Offices in New York and spent the following years as purchasing agent, until his retirement in 1940.
He married Eleanor Goucher of Philadelphia on February 18, 1905. Their present home is East Orange, New Jersey. They have one son, Deane Whitney Merrill, born April 26, 1908.
DR. A. LEROY JOHNSON
Dr. A. LeRoy Johnson was born here, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Willis Johnson. He was graduated from Arms Academy and Tufts Dental College. He practiced in Great Barrington, Philadelphia, New York, Springfield, and Boston. He made a special study of orthodontia, becoming nationally known in that field. He is the author of a book, "How I See Dentistry Today."
As professor of clinical dentistry and nationally known orthodontist, he received an appointment as administrator of Harvard's School of Dental Medicine and associate dean of the faculty of medicine. In February. 1947, he received a joint grant from the Carnegie Corporation, the John and Mary Markley Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation for work in dental education. Accordingly, he resigned from the Harvard school to act as consultant in dental education to universities in this country and Canada.
A son, Lieut. Alfred Johnson, serving in the Naval Air Intelligence in the Pacific, was killed in action in the Pacific area during the Second World War, March 1945. His parents were sent a Bronze Star Medal, posthumously awarded for "meritorious achievement during operations against the Japanese from September 13. 1944, to March 19, 1945."
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LILA HARRINGTON TAYLOR
Her life was an example of beautiful Christian character and her attractive personality won her many friends. Her quiet and unassuming dignity of manner demanded the respect and admiration of all with whom she associated.
Her early life was spent in Amherst, from which place she came to Shelburne in October 1893, as the bride of George Everett Taylor. Before this time she had been a teacher in the public schools.
She was for twenty-seven years organist at the church, always faithful in her attendance, regardless of distance or weather; an inspiration to the choir, and a supporter of all musical activities. She had a great interest in everything relating to the welfare of the community, being active for many years in the Sunday school and the Christian Endeavor Society.
ELEANOR NOYES WILLIAMS
For fifteen years Eleanor Williams was librarian of the Shelburne Free Public Library and was a trustee for more than twenty years. She worked diligently for the best interests of the Library and was always ready to help in making personal book selections.
In 1952 a new Children's Room was added to the Library. This was given by Mr. and Mrs. Williams in memory of their son, Robert Bardwell Williams, who lost his life during World War 11.
Mrs. Williams was active in Girl Scout work and a member of the Community Players. She was editor of the Shelburne Shriek, a newspaper sent to the boys in service during World War 11. She was fond of poetry and could compose a poem to fit any occasion.
DR. DAVID FISKE - Eye and ear specialist, Chicago, Illinois
EPAPHRODITUS RANSOM - Governor of Michigan
HENRY C. PAYNE - Postmaster General of the United States
MARY TAYLOR, MARY RANKIN, MARIA MERRILL NEALE - Old-time teachers - the latter promi- nent in the D.A.R.
IRA MERRILL CARLEY, NEALE CARLEY, ARTHUR G. MERRILL - Pathfinders in the field of education in Sloyd, Latin and Modern Languages. Members of the faculty of the Francis Parker School, Chi- cago, Illinois
MARY P. WELLS SMITH - Author of many books on life in Colonial days
KATHERINE YALE - Interested in the Abolitionist movement in Philadelphia
ISADOR PRATT TAYLOR - Teacher of arts and crafts MADELINE YALE WINN - Art work in Deerfield ANNIE WHITNEY - Teacher of music at Vassar College
EDWARD C. MERRILL - Pure food chemist under Dr. Wiley in Washington, D. C., and Puerto Rico. Chief chemist and vice president of the United Drug Co.
BRONSON ALCOTT VISITS THE TOWN
The late Alonzo Lamson was associated with Bronson Alcott and his followers at Brook Farm - in the experiment in community living. Alcott's cult, a vegetarian group, would wear no woolen clothing because it would deprive sheep, and no cotton because it came from slave labor. Lamson always wore a white linen suit and, with a snow-white beard, was a familiar figure here for many years. The Lamson home was on Bridge Street back of the present Schack Block. Bronson Alcott gave a lecture here and was entertained in local homes where special pains were taken to prepare suitable menus.
LOCAL PERSONALITIES
FRANK E. CHAPMAN - Beloved station agent and lover of music
MIRS. KATHERINE THURBER - Traveler, hostess and social leader, daughter of Horace Mayhew and active in the Episcopal Church
CHARLES MERRIAM - Newspaper reporter, post- master and official host on many public occasions
JOSEPHINE ANDERSON - Hospitable farmer and raiser of Shorthorn cattle
FRED B. DOLE - Legislator, register of deeds, presi- dent of the Franklin County Fair, associate com- missioner, Department of Public Works, State of Massachusetts
SUMNER DOLE - Dean of men, Connecticut State College
JOSEPH EARL PERRY - Lawyer, legislator, income tax assessor, State bank commissioner, president of the Newton Savings Bank, lecturer at Northeastern and Boston Universities, Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of Massachusetts
ROBERT F. WOOD - Journalist and writer, Spring- field, Massachusetts, and Narbeth, Pennsylvania
LUTHER PERRY - Engineer, promoter, specialist, and consulting engineer
DR. JOHN A. FELLOWS - Manager of the Metal- lurgical Development Department, Uranium Divi-
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sion of the Mollenkrodt Chemical Works in St. Louis, Missouri
WILLIAM P. RICKETT - Selectman of Shelburne 1934-1955; town clerk and treasurer 1926-1929; town clerk 1941-1956; water commissioner, Shel- burne Falls Fire District 1931-1957
PERHAPS the greatest benefactors of any town are actually those hard-working, quiet people who go about the day's task, pay their taxes and raise fami- lies who may inherit the spirit and habits of their forebears, carrying on the farms and continuing the industries that have furnished the basis for the town's success.
But there are also those who by special gifts of money are remembered as helpful and foresighted in the development of institutions. Such public-spirited citizens were :
(1) Ira Arms' benefactions are listed under his life - printed in detail elsewhere.
(2) Francis R. Pratt was born in Charlemont, the son of Josiah and Catherine Hall Pratt. The greater part of his life was spent in Shelburne Falls. Some years ago, he with his son, William M. Pratt, became interested in the Goodell-Pratt Company and moved to Greenfield, where he then made his home. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt gave the Library building to Shel- burne in 1913. He died June 29, 1915.
(3) The Sawyer Fund was established by Mrs. Sawyer, who died January 12, 1941. In her will MIrs. Herman Sawyer left about $60,000 for the building and equipping of a community house for the use of all persons in the Shelburne Falls Fire District, specifying that it should be on the Shelburne side of the river. In accordance with her wishes, the Shelburne Falls Community House, Inc. received a charter from Secretary of State Frederic W. Cook, February 14, 1942.
Officers of the corporation included
Charles E. White, President F. Sidney Wood, Vice President Harold Hoyt, Treasurer Joseph R. Amstein, Clerk
Directors were MIrs. Helen C. Ashworth Mrs. Helen G. Clark Miss Nina B. Wood
The first meeting of the organization expressed the view that nothing could be done in the way of erect- ing a suitable building at the time, as the funds were insufficient and the country was at war. So the mat- ter rested until in 1953 a petition was filed in Pro- bate Court asking permission to direct the use of $75,000 of this money into a wing of a proposed Shelburne Elementary School. This was granted, but the town meeting voted against the school building as proposed at that time.
Mrs. Sawyer's love for her native town and her interest in people of all faiths deserve a suitable recognition in a building that will be a lasting memo- rial to a kindly, gracious personality, simple in her tastes, yet balancing in her actions old virtues of thrift and economy with zest for living.
At present there is about $100,000 in the building fund and about $35,000 in the maintenance fund.
Present officers are
F. Sidney Wood, President Edward Milne, Secretary
E. R. Field, Treasurer
Directors are
Arthur Eldridge, John Hoyt, Joseph Amstein, Mrs. George L. Mirick, Mrs. Francis Bray and Miss Nina Wood.
(+) Thomas J. Montgomery, in the fall of the year 1882, made arrangements to build the Episcopal Church as a memorial to Mrs. Montgomery's brother, Edwin A. Johnson, and two sisters, Mary W. John- son and Susan A. Clarke. The cornerstone was laid May 23, 1883, and the church consecrated May 23, 1884.
(5) Charles E. White was born October 24, 1877. He spent one year at Harvard. His early career included experience in administration in a New York apartment hotel and work in the office of the Spring- field Republican. Most of his life was spent here. He left his home in Shelburne Falls to the Trustees of Arms Academy and $5,565 to be added to the fund for the benefit of the Shelburne Falls Com- munity House.
(6) Numerous bequests of smaller sums have been added to the Arms Cemetery Fund.
(7) MIrs. Eleanor Williams' benefactions are listed elsewhere.
SHREDS AND PATCHES
For use in issue of March 31, 1940, Greenfield Recorder-Gazette
PRATT & PERKINS
A SMALL boy might have his head so completely filled with pleasurable projects, all the way home from school, as to exclude even anticipatory thoughts of the food that he would soon consume, but never-
theless he would not be taken by surprise if he should find Mrs. Sarah Pratt and Mrs. Lettie Perkins at the family table. Advance knowledge of their com- ing was indelibly impressed on the minds of every member of the family. It even penetrated the layers
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of business preoccupation with which father often seemed to insulate himself from the ordinary cur- rents of domestic affairs. There was nothing about their coming that was either ordinary or unexpected, like the unheralded arrivals of visiting relatives. It was all arranged months in advance and, as the scheduled time approached, mother's preparatory activ- ities caught the attention of everyone.
In their day and time Mesdames Pratt and Per- kins were the last word in modernity, even though the calling which they practiced is now so nearly obsolete that the younger readers of this column, if any, may be unable up to this point to conjecture why it was that those two women came to the Va- grant's boyhood home for a whole week at a time twice a year. They were the swankiest team of dress- makers that the Deerfield Valley ever possessed. The Vagrant is really not competent to write about them at all. A boy's-eye view of dressmaking is probably equivalent to a bat's-eye view of the setting sun.
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