Hello Everyone,
Don't forget that The Annual Meeting is this Sunday at Queset House starting at 2 pm. If you would like to join remotely, below is the zoom link and information: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86810051315?pwd=eGdEZFIvMVBRaFRNVUV1ejJGSlY1dz09 Meeting ID: 868 1005 1315 Passcode: 601641 Click on the link to access the live meeting. We hope to see you there! Arielle
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Welcome to the new bimonthly newsletter! Happily for him, the Historical Society's Curator of many years and author of the weekly newsletter, Frank Meninno, has retired, so I will be trying hard to fill his large well-informed shoes. Out of respect to him, with a smile on my face, I will comment on the weather, which as I am writing this, is warm and rainy. Orange and yellow leaves dampen the sidewalks, raindrops quiver on the blooms of autumn mums. Although older, I am not too old to learn something new. Did you know Easton is home to a Mount Pleasant? Looking at an 1871 map of Easton Town North, Bristol County, I spied Mount Pleasant right in my own neighborhood. It is the name given to the rocky, still tree studded, elevated area that lies between Pleasant Street and King Ave. Today, the streets run parallel to each other from Elm Street to Linden Street in North Easton Village. On the 1886 map Kings Ave is the name given to both Linden and King Ave. as this area was dominated by William King, where the map indicates a residence, another dwelling, and a shop where he manufactured awls. 1886 map showing Mt. Pleasant. King Ave, today. Mt. Pleasant rises above the wall. Mount Pleasant is far from a mountain as the photo illustrates and it is a mystery to me how the name was acquired. A long and graduated (in height) wall runs up much of King Ave, and protects the street from the "Mount". I've seen neighborhood children enjoy playing on the hill on both sunny and snowy days. Queset House On a different note, there's been a bit of excitement at Queset House, currently, where AMC is filming their upcoming TV series based on the book Invitation to a Bonfire by Adrienne Celt. Tatiana Maslany, Pilou Masbaek, and Feya Mavor star in the thriller which is expected to be released in 2023. The setting is a private all-girls boarding school in New Jersey in the 1930's. While trying to get a glimpse of the action I spotted actors dressed in period costumes, but easier to see up close, were several period automobiles, some of which are pictured here. Antique cars parked at Ames Free Library, October 13, 2022. Queset House has been through many incarnations, and I have personal memories from the 1960's. My grandfather, Thomas Kent, was a chauffeur for Winthrop Ames during the era he worked in the theater in New York. My memories are from later when he was caretaker for Queset House in the '60's. At the time no one was living in the house, and he would visit regularly to make sure it was secure. When he became ill, my father helped keep an eye on the house, and his children, including myself, sometimes accompanied him. In addition to the hillside of spring daffodils and rows of fragrant lilacs, my strongest memory of Queset House is discovering a very dusty but very real jar of 'bird's nest soup' in the abandoned pantry! Thank you to Jon Coe and Arielle Nathanson for helping me prepare for writing and sending this newsletter. Reminder: Annual Meeting of the Easton Historical Society is October 30th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at Queset House, 51 Main Street, North Easton. All Welcome! Anne Wooster Drury The tilt of the earth Is changing. All things Either slow or quicken Their pace. Depending Anne Wooster Drury is a native of Easton and has lived in Easton, for most of her life.
A graduate of Bridgewater State College, she taught in both Vermont and New Hampshire before returning to Easton to raise her family. After spending thirty-two years teaching Social Studies at Easton Junior High and later the Easton Middle School, she retired in 2017. Anne also writes poetry and her poems have appeared in many prints and online journals including: The Aurorean A Journal of Nature Poems, Blueline, Ibbetson Street, Poem, Muddy River Review, and RavensPerch. Hello Everyone,
The Sons of the American Revolution are having a grave marking ceremony to honor 5 American Revolution Patriots. This ceremony is open to all who wish to pay their respects. When: September Saturday, 17th at 10 AM Where: Dr. Edward Dean Cemetery, 25 Highland Street, Easton, MA The official press release is here: Sons of the American Revolution to Honor 5 Revolutionary War Patriots The Robert Treat Paine Chapter of the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) will be conducting a grave marking ceremony to honor Patriots who fought in the American Revolution at the Dr. Edward Dean Cemetery, Easton at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 17. Five patriots of the Revolutionary war will be recognized with graveside honors. The ceremony will include a wreath laying, placing bronze SAR Revolutionary War markers and musket salute. The five patriots are: James Perry, Edward Williams, Thomas Drake, Abisha Leach and Alexander Keith. All were born in Easton or Bridgewater, Massachusetts. SAR members research, locate and mark graves so the final resting place of Revolutionary War Patriots are not lost to history. The grave markers are a visual cue for all to see and inform visitors of a cemetery that a Revolution War Soldier is buried there. Planned dignitaries include Easton Historical Society and Historical Commission, Easton Veterans Agent, Commander of American Legion Post 7, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution Deborah Sampson Chapter, and members of the Children of the American Revolution. The public is welcome to attend this presentation and will take place rain or shine. The Massachusetts Society Sons of the American Revolution founded April 19, 1889 (Patriot’s Day), is a non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting education to our future generations. SAR members volunteer untold hours of service each year to their local communities. As one of the largest male genealogical societies in the country with 37,000 members in over 550 chapters across the United States. Any male 18 years of age regardless of race, religion or ethnic background who can prove blood lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. For more information visit massar.org. Have a great day and I'll see you there!! Arielle -- Interim Curator, Easton Historical Society and Museum 508-238-7774 www.eastonmahistoricalsociety.org Arielle Nathanson Greetings one and all! Today marks an historic turning point for both the Easton Historical Society and Museum and myself. I will be retiring from the position of Curator at the end of August.
My reason for retiring comes down to my decision to fulfill another call – to ministry. While I am not sure what that will be just yet, there is no doubt in my mind that I am being called to serve my Lord in my church and my community. The good news is that I will still be around town, though I’ll be spreading the Good News more and the historical news less. I’ve spent a lot of years in Youth Ministry, and I have a desire in my heart to continue working with our young people. I first joined this wonderful organization around 1980 as a life member. I have had the pleasure to serve as President, Director, and since October 2006 as Curator / Caretaker of the Museum. Over these forty-two years I have been blessed by many, many people – too many to mention here, and not wanting to leave anyone out, I will not attempt to try to offer any names. I’ve had many special mentors in my time here which I am thankful for. I am very grateful for all the guidance and support offered to me by the current Officers and Board of Directors, and for the many Officers and Directors I have had the pleasure to serve with in years past. For sixteen years I have been serving you by preparing open houses, tours, special events, class reunions, writing a newsletter (22 years!), weekly emails, speaking to groups, and greeting our many visitors. I’ve enjoyed the hundreds of research projects that have been done, discovering much about the history of Easton and the stories of her people. Membership is growing, our collections are growing, and so has our knowledge base of how our local history ties into regional and national history. We have partnered with many organizations (Easton Public Schools, Home School Groups, Stonehill College, Ames Free Library, Veteran's Organizations, Easton Garden Club, Easton Lions Club, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the YMCA, ECAT, etc.) to serve the Easton community. A special note of thanks is extended to the King Family, whose generosity and foresight set up the Robert D. and Sally G. King Trust, which provides for a curator position and allows the Museum to be open regularly. Their gift has done so much to enrich the lives of all who pass through here. I also owe sincere thanks to my wife Anne-Marie, whom I love dearly, and who has been my partner here for these many years, working behind the scenes, and sacrificing much to allow me to do the work I have been able to do. Her love and support have allowed me to accomplish so much. If one is supposed to leave a legacy, I hope mine will be found in the many young people whose lives have been enriched by the Museum. Which young child will remember looking at pictures of steam engines here? How many of the second graders will remember their school visits to the Museum? I think of the high school and college volunteers I’ve worked with over the years, and now, the interns we have had in more recent years. I hope one day they will remember the investing of my time and energy, believing in them, and giving them an opportunity to learn and grow. If they will do the same for another young person someday, that would make me very, very happy. And now, with sincere thanks to each of you for the ways you have enriched my life, Frank Greetings one and all! What a beautiful Saturday morning we have today, full of sunshine, but with cool and dry air replacing the six days of high heat and humidity just passed. We are looking forward to a nice day Sunday for our Open House, which will be held from 1-5 p.m. Seats for the Victorian Luncheon filled quickly, and chef Joan Lundgren has been hard at work making this event possible. Thank you, Joan! Please note: today’s article is for historical purposes only. Some things stay with us our whole life, and sounds are one of those. Today I can still remember hearing, while playing in our yard, the sound of an approaching dirigible or blimp. A low drone could be heard for several minutes prior to seeing one of these airships. I would excitedly watch the sky and wait for it to appear overhead – a wonderful thing to see! I believe they were naval airships traveling from Weymouth, Ma. and for some reason they usually flew over my home on Foundry Street. Perhaps they were making their way to the Mansfield Airport, or perhaps going further towards the air base on Cape Cod. These lighter-than-air ships were a wonderful site to behold. There were Eastoners and others who, many years back, saw an even more stunning sight. My mother’s mother remembered seeing it as a child going over Easton, and my father’s father remembered seeing it over Brockton. What they saw was one of the most impressive airships ever – the Hindenburg. The Hindenburg was launched in Friedrichshafen, Germany in March of 1936. At more than 800 feet in length, and powered by four 1,100 horsepower motors, it was the largest rigid airship ever constructed. These zeppelins, as they were called, made transatlantic travel possible by air for commercial passengers. During that first year the Hindenburg carried 1002 passengers on 10 round trips between Germany and the United States. The trip could take up to three days each way depending on wind and weather, at speeds reaching 84 miles per hour. No crossings were made during the winter months due to often stormy weather conditions. Helium was the original gas to be used to “float” the Hindenburg. However, with a looming threat of war in Europe, the United States restricted any sale of that gas to another country that might use it to build airships for war purposes. That meant the use of hydrogen was necessary, and the Hindenburg was filled with 7 million cubic feet of that very flammable gas. In order to accommodate passengers in first class style, the Hindenburg featured two passenger decks. The “A” Deck, or the top deck, had a promenade and lounge on each side of the airship. Windows lined this deck, offering unprecedented scenic views for passengers. Aluminum was used extensively to save weight; the seats in the lounge were aluminum, and a baby grand piano for entertainment was built of aluminum as well. Covered in yellow pig skin, it only weighed 377 pounds! Passenger cabins were on the interior of this deck, between the lounges and promenade areas. In design they were similar to a sleeping room on a train car. To save weight, foam sheets were used to separate the cabins from each other. The “B” Deck below contained toilet facilities, a kitchen, crew quarters and a crew’s mess. There was one stunning amenity available on this deck for all to use. Believe it or not, a smoking lounge was installed! One had to enter the room through an airlock, and the room itself was specially insulated from the rest of the ship’s interior. Guests had access to a special lighter built into the room, the only one allowed on the ship, and could smoke freely day or night. After an uneventful first season, the Hindenburg's second transatlantic crossing of 1937 began in Germany on May 3. Following a flight path still used by commercial travel today, the Hindenburg turned north over the Atlantic, and at times would travel southerly over lower New England on its way to New York and New Jersey. On May 6 a strong storm and heavy winds delayed docking at Lakehurst, New Jersey until just after 7 p.m. In an event that has never been fully resolved, the great ship caught fire, and within a span of 30 seconds, disappeared from history. Thirty-five of the ninety-seven passengers and one member of the ground crew perished, and many of the other passengers were badly injured. The event was caught on film, and the disaster brought an end to the great age of lighter-than-air travel. On that fateful day in 1937, a young boy then living on Williams Street heard the unmistakable sound of an approaching airship. Robert Johnson ran home, grabbed a box camera, and made his way to the hill where the North Easton Grammar School stood. From that high vantage point, he took the photo below. Here is the Hindenburg, which had just passed over North Easton about 600 feet in the air. Mr. Johnson believes the great ship was very near the Brockton line when he snapped this image. No one could have imagined the disaster that would occur only a few hours later. Until next week, stay well,
Frank Greetings from h-o-t Easton! The dog days of summer are here and today I find myself in the midst of our second official heat wave. A few weeks ago, an unknown angel dropped off a case of Moxie (sugar free!) at the Museum. What a pleasant surprise I had when I arrived the next morning to find it waiting for me! So, whomever you may be, many thanks from me to you. I have been enjoying that ice cold, refreshing concoction during these hot summer days. Today we will take a brief look at a “Tale of Two Dishes” to paraphrase a writer much better than I. On exhibit this month, these two items are taken from our collections and tell two very different stories. First up is one of our earliest pieces, a gift to us from the late Earl Nichols. He and I had several wonderful visits over the years. Earl was a direct descendent of Sgt. William Harlow of Plymouth, Ma., who built the Old Harlow Fort House in 1677 using timber from the Pilgrim’s original fort house. The house served as the home of the Harlow family for 250 years! Today the house is a museum owned by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society and is a rare example of a first period structure in Plymouth. For many years, Earl and his family attended annual Harlow Family Reunions (Earl led the annual worship service). During one of his last trips to Easton, he gave a very special pewter dish to the Museum. Hannah Fuller (1771-1850) was born in Sharon and married Reuben Harlow (1773-1823) of Easton in 1791. Together they raised several children somewhere in the Poquanticut section of town. I was unable to find her name on our 1825 map, so after her husband’s death she may have moved in with family. Her son Tisdale built a farmhouse on Poquanticut Avenue by that time, and there were also two Fuller families living on Highland Street near the Mansfield Line. The plate below was owned by Hannah prior to her marriage. It is a simple design, with a raised edge around its approximately 7” diameter. Antique pewter is made primarily from tin and lead, and has a distinct color to it. It is also exceedingly soft and pliable, wears very easily, and can be damaged quickly. Earl thought it was very important that this plate be returned to Easton, where Reuben and Hannah built their life together, and where for many generations, descendants still lived. The initials “HF” are stamped on the back of the plate, meaning Hannah may have received this before her marriage. There are no hallmarks or other maker’s marks on the plate, so we may never know who made it or where it was purchased. It is possible a local foundry cast the plate. It is a very special piece and provides a very rare, direct connection to one of the hard-working early families of Easton. The second dish may be more recognizable as it is connected to an Easton lady who ran a well-known establishment. The Toll House Restaurant, which stood for many years on Bedford Street, Whitman, Ma., is well known and fondly remembered, as was the owner and host, 1920 Oliver Ames High School graduate Ruth Graves Wakefield (1903-1977.) Ruth studied nutrition in college, and taught as a dietician at hospitals and schools. She and her husband Kenneth Wakefield (1897-1997) pooled their money and in 1930 opened the legendary restaurant, where she specialized in small batch, high quality cooking with the best ingredients. The success of the Toll House Cookie in the late 1930’s as well as notice from famous food critic Duncan Hines and an appearance on a Betty Crocker television show made the local landmark iconic in American history. Ruth paid great attention to details, and that included the plates on which she served her cuisine. Sometime around the late 1930’s or early 1940’s Ruth created and patented a design for dishes that was used for decades at the restaurant. The plate, around 10” in diameter, and rather heavy to survive constant restaurant use, featured what appears to be a peacock in a group of lotus flowers. More floral decorations are found around the wide rim. A bright cobalt blue was used for the print, contrasting brilliantly with the white chine background. The design is instantly recognizable. A mark on the reverse identifies this as “Old Ivory” Syracuse China. The mark also includes the Wakefield design trademark. Not much remains from the former Toll House that burned in 1984 (The Wakefield’s sold the business several years prior.) Those of us who were privileged to dine there will remember these dishes. On a side note, over 30 years ago my wife and I purchased one of these plates at a Society fundraiser. We carefully kept our one plate safe for many years. A month ago, we were in Plymouth for a day out. Looking in an antique shop, lo and behold, hanging on a wall was one of the Toll House plates! Now we are the proud owners of two of these plates, and at long last we have one for both of us. Now, if only I could cook like Ruth!
Stay cool and stay well, Frank Hello everyone, I would like to introduce you to Bryan Casey. Bryan is entering his freshman year of college and has interests in history and political science. He is interning with us this summer, and will be researching the Civil Rights movement, especially in the Easton area and Massachusetts in general. Attached is a brief questionnaire that Bryan put together. He would very much appreciate your reviewing it, and hopefully, respond to it. You can respond to individual questions, or use it as a guide for a more general response. You may feel free to either disclose your personal information or keep your answer confidential. This form, or just your experiences, can be sent to us by return email or if you prefer, by letter mailed to us at P.O. Box 3, North Easton, MA. We would appreciate hearing from you by August 15th so Bryan will have an opportunity to read through all your responses. This is an important period in the history of our nation as well as our town. Thank you for considering this and adding personal experiences to our knowledge base. Best regards, Frank -- Frank T. Meninno Curator, Easton Historical Society and Museum 508-238-7774 www.eastonmahistoricalsociety.org ![]()
Hello my fellow history lovers! Another warm Saturday morning is a nice start to the day. Our second heat wave is just around the corner as temps get back into the 90’s early next week. Drought conditions are showing up all around us with wilting trees, dry gardens, and lots of brown lawns occupying the landscapes. I received a number of great comments from last week’s column, and a lot of guesses on my question: What does R.P.O. stand for? The correct answer is Railway Post Office. Mail that was processed on a train was marked with this distinctive cancellation as early as the 1840’s. If you were correct, good for you! Some things always seem to go together: sticks and stones, bat and ball, beer and wine, bacon and eggs, you get the idea. One of my favorites is our then and now photo for a hot summer day, a place you could pull up your car, roll down your window, and get a cold drink with a wonderfully frothy head: Dog ‘n’ Suds! The Dog ‘n’ Suds chain began in Illinois in 1953, the brainchild of Don Hamader and Jim Griggs, two music teachers at the University of Illinois. The chain quickly grew throughout the midwest region before finding its way to both coasts of the United States. In 1963, our own Dog ‘n’ Suds restaurant opened at the corner of Belmont and Washington Streets. It immediately became a go to place for great root beer and sandwiches. My own memory of that place is limited. We did not go very often, but I do remember my father driving all of us there for a treat now and then. Parking under the awning, we waited for someone to come out and take our order (maybe on roller skates?) and waited just a bit for our food to arrive. Out it came, on a special tray with brackets that allowed it to straddle a partially rolled down car window. We always enjoyed the ice cold root beer, a hamburger, and if I remember right, a delicious fish sandwich loaded with tartar sauce! Going there was truly a special event for our family. Unfortunately, Dog ‘n’ Suds had a short run here. A look at the Easton Town Reports shows the issuing of Victualer’s Licenses. As I said above, the first license was granted in 1963. The last license, a special permit for Sunday operations, seems to be the one issued in 1971, and perhaps, 1972. I do not know the name of the people who owned the franchise. The last root beer stand I remember in this area was a Henry’s Root Beer on Route 138 in Taunton, and I think that must have closed in the 1980’s. Dog ‘n’ Suds still exists in the midwest, with 20 locations in 7 states. If you are traveling through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and a few other states, you might get lucky enough to stop at one and enjoy the excellent root beer that made them so famous. Below are a few photos for you. The first two are from the mid-1960’s, and are taken from an advertising postcard. In the first image, we are looking at Dog ‘n’ Suds from the west side of Washington Street, looking northeasterly across the intersection with Belmont Street. Recognize any of the cars? The second image, from the card’s reverse, lists the food and drink items that were available – more of a selection than I remembered! The third image is the location today. Once Dog ‘n’ Suds was out of business, a bank occupied this location for a number of years. That later gave way to the small plaza at the site today. And last, but not least, enjoy a photo of one of those great Dog ‘n’ Suds mugs now in our collections. Sorry it is not full of root beer! Until next week, happy sipping,
Frank Happy Saturday! Last week I was preparing for some hot weather. It arrived right on time! Today marks five consecutive days of hot and humid weather, and it looks like the rest of the weekend will hold true to that. We might see our first triple digit temps of the summer on Sunday. Sounds like a good nap day to me! One of the early lessons I learned as an historian is that you should always look on both sides of a sheet of paper. Many times, when looking at an old photo and wondering who or what is in the image, a careful look at the reverse side can reveal old notes that will provide my answer. Today’s look back was one of those instances where I saw a photo, and by habit, looked at the back of the paper. That led to some detective work, and the result is a sweet story. Here is a postcard of Pine Grove Poultry Farm, currently the area of 537 Turnpike Street, South Easton, across from Golf Country. The postcard is a fine photo of one of the many poultry farms that once dotted Easton’s landscape, and in and of itself, is a terrific historic piece. Of course, I turned the card over to see if there were any notes written on the back. Here is what I found! At first glance, I noticed an R.P.O. cancellation mark, a 1911 date, and who the card was addressed to. The publisher of the card, Webster W. Bolton, is also prominent. The message is not as easy to read. I immediately thought this might be a cypher, which was a popular fun code between two people, but a second look revealed to my (un)trained eye that this could be written in shorthand! Why would someone write to someone else using shorthand? Was someone having some fun with the recipient, or was something else at play? Everett A. Dunn (1885-1953) was an Easton resident who was working in 1911 for the old Brockton Street Railway trolley. As noted on the bottom of the card, he wore Motorman badge #622. The card was addressed to him at his place of work, the old Campello (Brockton) Car Barn. We know the recipient, and many of us remember his family. But we still had no clue as to the identity, or the subject matter, of the sender. I shared the card with Arielle Nathanson, our Archivist intern, who also became quite interested in this. Our intrepid intern-turned-detective began the first steps in unraveling our mystery. Using some online shorthand sources, she tried her best to decipher the note. Some of the symbols were close to shorthand still in use today, while others had no correlation. Arielle suggested posting this to Reddit, a web-based community of people with a variety of interests, to see if someone might solve our mystery. A few days later, we had our answer! Thanks to Reddit user Beryl Pratt, www.long-live-pitmans-shorthand.org.uk, a translation came through our email. Pitman’s Shorthand was created by Englishman Sir Isaac Pitman (1813-1897) back in 1837 as a way to capture the spoken word phonetically rather than with an actual longhand written transcription. The system is still in use in the U.K., and still somewhat in use in the States. When Arielle began trying to transcribe the note before sending it off to Reddit, she was able to find a name: Amy. A clue? Yes, and no. Yes, we had a name. However, around the time this note was written, there had been several small improvements to the Pitman system, and in the first part of the 20th Century, the writer was using a combination of both the “old” Pitman and the “new” Pitman shorthand. When we got our translation, things finally came together. The bulk of the note is a thank you for a favor provided by Mr. Dunn. “I thank you very much for helping us to catch the car this morning. Can’t you read French and German? All right, I will write shorthand to you now. I am very busy in the office now so that I hardly have any time to myself. I am visiting a friend in Dorchester.” It was signed “Sincerely Yours, Emma.” Using the expert translation from our friend in this sub-Reddit group, the sender’s name was correctly translated as Emma. Emma L. Howard (1888-1972) was an Easton girl who was working in an office in Boston (where the card was mailed from), and evidently our Mr. Dunn was of great service in helping her get to the right trolley to see her friend near Boston. She expressed her appreciation playfully with a nicely written thank you. But why write such an innocent note in shorthand? If you look at the lower left of her note, there is another small section of shorthand written. It is there that the story finally comes together. Emma states to Everett: “You can’t keep me guessing any longer.” It seems Everett and Emma had at least a passing friendship at that time which was ripe for blossoming. Indeed this is a note between two people who, in just a few years, would become husband and wife. Everett finally asked Emma to join him in the grand institution of matrimony, and the happy couple were married on September 16th, 1915. They settled at 49 Highland Street, in an old cape on the Williams farm, and there they raised three children (Mildred Cushman, Everett A. Dunn, Jr., and Arthur H. Dunn.) The house was built before 1825, as it appears on the 1825 map as S. Williams. It was still in the Williams family up to the early 1900’s, at which time it appears to have been purchased by the Dunn’s where they lived out the rest of their years. Now we have the answer to our mystery note! Who doesn’t like a love story with a happy ending? At first glance, I noticed an R.P.O. cancellation mark, a 1911 date, and who the card was addressed to. The publisher of the card, Webster W. Bolton, is also prominent. The message is not as easy to read. I immediately thought this might be a cypher, which was a popular fun code between two people, but a second look revealed to my (un)trained eye that this could be written in shorthand! Why would someone write to someone else using shorthand? Was someone having some fun with the recipient, or was something else at play? Everett A. Dunn (1885-1953) was an Easton resident who was working in 1911 for the old Brockton Street Railway trolley. As noted on the bottom of the card, he wore Motorman badge #622. The card was addressed to him at his place of work, the old Campello (Brockton) Car Barn. We know the recipient, and many of us remember his family. But we still had no clue as to the identity, or the subject matter, of the sender. I shared the card with Arielle Nathanson, our Archivist intern, who also became quite interested in this. Our intrepid intern-turned-detective began the first steps in unraveling our mystery. Using some online shorthand sources, she tried her best to decipher the note. Some of the symbols were close to shorthand still in use today, while others had no correlation. Arielle suggested posting this to Reddit, a web-based community of people with a variety of interests, to see if someone might solve our mystery. A few days later, we had our answer! Thanks to Reddit user Beryl Pratt, www.long-live-pitmans-shorthand.org.uk, a translation came through our email. Pitman’s Shorthand was created by Englishman Sir Isaac Pitman (1813-1897) back in 1837 as a way to capture the spoken word phonetically rather than with an actual longhand written transcription. The system is still in use in the U.K., and still somewhat in use in the States. When Arielle began trying to transcribe the note before sending it off to Reddit, she was able to find a name: Amy. A clue? Yes, and no. Yes, we had a name. However, around the time this note was written, there had been several small improvements to the Pitman system, and in the first part of the 20th Century, the writer was using a combination of both the “old” Pitman and the “new” Pitman shorthand. When we got our translation, things finally came together. The bulk of the note is a thank you for a favor provided by Mr. Dunn. “I thank you very much for helping us to catch the car this morning. Can’t you read French and German? All right, I will write shorthand to you now. I am very busy in the office now so that I hardly have any time to myself. I am visiting a friend in Dorchester.” It was signed “Sincerely Yours, Emma.” Using the expert translation from our friend in this sub-Reddit group, the sender’s name was correctly translated as Emma. Emma L. Howard (1888-1972) was an Easton girl who was working in an office in Boston (where the card was mailed from), and evidently our Mr. Dunn was of great service in helping her get to the right trolley to see her friend near Boston. She expressed her appreciation playfully with a nicely written thank you. But why write such an innocent note in shorthand? If you look at the lower left of her note, there is another small section of shorthand written. It is there that the story finally comes together. Emma states to Everett: “You can’t keep me guessing any longer.” It seems Everett and Emma had at least a passing friendship at that time which was ripe for blossoming. Indeed this is a note between two people who, in just a few years, would become husband and wife. Everett finally asked Emma to join him in the grand institution of matrimony, and the happy couple were married on September 16th, 1915. They settled at 49 Highland Street, in an old cape on the Williams farm, and there they raised three children (Mildred Cushman, Everett A. Dunn, Jr., and Arthur H. Dunn.) The house was built before 1825, as it appears on the 1825 map as S. Williams. It was still in the Williams family up to the early 1900’s, at which time it appears to have been purchased by the Dunn’s where they lived out the rest of their years. Now we have the answer to our mystery note! Who doesn’t like a love story with a happy ending? The Williams / Dunn House at 49 Highland Street. This was razed and replaced by a new house a few years ago.
By the way, here is a mystery for you to solve: The cancellation is stamped R.P.O. What does that stand for? Until next week, stay cool, and stay well, Frank Happy Saturday everyone! Great summer weather continues today, and the week has been sunny and very warm. The cool nights sure make sleeping an easy task. It is July however, and soon those three “H’s” of summer - hazy, hot, humid, will make their appearance. Our Open House last week was a huge success! Ed Hands led a great tour to some of the landscapes done by Frederick Law Olmsted, and visitors to the Museum looked at a selection of photos from Olmsted’s work in and around North Easton. Many thanks to Ed for his informative tour, and to the Ames family for allowing us over the bridge to see the wonderful vistas at “Langwater.” In our look back in time today we journey over dirt roads to that village of South Easton. From the Museum, a ride down Center Street to Short Street to Central Street down to the old Turnpike (now Washington Street) brings us down to the former Morse Thread Factory site. A turn northerly on Washington Street finds us in the immediate vicinity of the site once occupied by several generations of the Swan family. Dr. Caleb Swan’s house (razed in the very early 1960’s) once stood very near the site of the current Easton Marketplace, and he owned a second home just up the road past what is now Belmont Street. That home also no longer stands, torn down in the 1980’s. Dr. Swan also owned a third home, still standing at 579 Washington Street, and it is there that we will focus our attention. Dr. Caleb Swan (1793-1870) was a well-connected country doctor. Over the years he built up a faithful following as he treated people with homeopathic medicines. He also was active politically, serving on the Easton School Committee for fourteen years beginning in 1827. He also supported temperance movements, and often spoke about the need for good public education. He was a strong supporter of the Free Soil Party, and even though he ran unsuccessfully for the offices of Congress and Governor, the party did well, becoming the dominant political party in town by 1852. However, the rise of a new party, the Know-Nothing Party in 1854, soon erased any gains. An abolitionist before this, Swan became an even more passionate abolitionist following the wins by the Know-Nothings. He attended and spoke at anti-slavery rallies in Taunton and other places. He made no secret of his feelings on slavery, and he followed that up by taking an active part in an all-important part of history. He was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. There has always been a feeling that Easton had a number of people involved in helping escaped slaves. In North Easton, Oakes Ames and his brother Oliver 2nd may have helped slaves who were “following the North Star” by providing temporary shelter, food, and clothing. Stops on the Underground Railroad were supposedly located along Bay Road, Poquanticut Avenue, and undoubtedly other places in town, where a network of people quietly provided safe harbor and hope to those who needed it most. In South Easton, the Morse family made trips south to purchase cotton for their thread business, observing first-hand the institution of slavery. It is thought that they helped to secure freedom for some slaves by hiding them in loads of cotton that were being shipped north. Unfortunately for us, we have no hard evidence to educate us on the activities of these abolitionists. Except for one small mention, and that involved our Dr. Swan. Daniel C. Lillie (1829-1911) lived in Center Street. History loves a good writer, and he was one who took time to record his observations in diaries. He also contributed his skills to the old Easton Journal, where in 1886, he wrote a column simply titled “Easton Twenty years Ago” (he also wrote about “Easton Forty Years Ago.”) One of his columns specifically mentions that Dr. Swan did indeed harbor fugitive slaves in his house, providing a safe place to rest, food, clothing, and some money to help runaway slaves on their way to Canada! Finally, we have a first-hand account, albeit brief, of people in Easton actively participating in the Underground Railroad. However, Dr. Swan had three houses! One sticks in my mind as a possible site for this activity, and that house is still standing. 579 Washington Street features two buildings on the lot. Built circa 1850, one was a boot shop owned by members of the Randall family. The other building was a home for Dr. Swan. Both buildings stood next to the Morse Thread Mill building, and at one time they were used as storage for the mill. If one looks at the stories of who may have been involved in helping escaped slaves, these two buildings bring it together: a collaboration between the Swan and Morse families, both of whom had the financial and physical means to provide help to those seeking freedom. Below is a photo taken just after the Civil War, with the Randall Boot Factory on the left, and the Swan House on the right. I have included a photo of the site today. The buildings are in good condition, having been renovated to living quarters in the early 1980’s. Here, at long last, we have our Underground Railroad in Easton. Until next week, stay well. Frank ![]() ![]() |
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Anne Wooster Drury Archives
June 2024
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