Pittsford Historical Society, Inc.
PO Box 423
Pittsford VT 05763 www.pittsfordhistorical.com
802-483-2040
A 501(c) organization since 1961
Spring 2022
** PLEASE NOTE! **
Given the preventive measures against
Covid-19 currently in force, all scheduled events, including the opening
hours of Eaton Hall, are subject to change. We shall do our best to provide
a two-week notice of any changed dates.
Spring Newsletter
Eaton Hall
By the time you receive the newsletter, Eaton Hall will have reopened
for its regular Tuesday hours, 9-4. Visitors are most welcome to view the
exhibits or to bring questions about Pittsford’s past. Visits can also be
arranged outside the regular hours; contact Anne Pelkey or Steve Belcher
(contact info at end of the newsletter).
BREAKING NEWS!
(April 6, a day after the newsletter was put in the mail). The Village
Farm has received a $400,000 grant for improvements to the house on the
property – the home of Dr.Abiel Caverly, who wrote the first History of
Pittsford (1872) and his son-in-law Dr. Henry Haven Swift. The improvements
will allow them to set up a day-care center for up to 26 children. The
building currently houses a stained-glass workshop. More in a later
newsletter.
Planned events
Sunday April 24: A Member’s Meeting at the Congregational Church, with
a pot-luck supper starting at 5:30. After the business meeting, Lorrie Smith
Byrom will give a talk on the history of the two camps on Sangamon Rd.
Lorrie is the grand-daughter of Leone and Eleanor Smith, founders of Camp
Sangamon, and niece of Jean Smith Davies, who with her husband, Charlie
Davies, founded Camp Betsey Cox. Jean wrote a history of Camp Betsey Cox
(The Camp With a Song in its Heart) and was working on a history of Sangamon
that she left uncompleted.
This summer marks 100 years of happy summers at Camp Sangamon and 69
similarly happy summers at Betsey Cox. Lorrie looks forward to sharing
remarkable stories from the camps' founding through to the present.
Saturday May 21, 9-2 at Eaton Hall: A
Plant Sale. (see enclosure)
Monday May 30: Memorial Days
activities starting at 12:30 with a parade down Arch St. from the Post
Office to the Fire Station. The speaker will be Bill Bowman, a Vietnam War
veteran.
Saturday June 19: Town-wide Yard Sale.
Local members plan to participate, using Eaton Hall as the site.
Saturday July 23: 9-2 at Eaton Hall.
PHS Tag and Bake Sale. Donations will be gratefully accepted.
Saturday September 3: Pittsford Day at
the Fire Station. The PHS will have a presence.
Sunday October 23: Annual Members’
Meeting at the Congregational Church. A pot-luck supper starting at 5:30
followed by the business meeting and the election of officers. Allen Mills
will then offer a presentation on Jack Terwilliger and the establishment of
the Recreation Area. More information later.
N.B. Two other Member Meetings have yet to be scheduled. We expect to
provide the information in the Summer Newsletter at the end of June.
Conservation Activities
Elizabeth Simpson, Barb Willis, and Anne Pelkey have been attending
workshops offered at the Middletown Springs Historical Society, under the
instruction of Michelle Pagan, a professional textile conservator. Using
textiles from the Middletown Springs collection, they have helped to
properly document and photograph the pieces, and then to preserve them in
acid-free materials. Michele’s workshops have also covered the construction
of archival boxes, and Elizabeth has been teaching PHS volunteers how to
make the boxes. This is much cheaper than buying them ready-made, and also
allows the possibility of custom-sizing the boxes to the materials.
Anne Pelkey consulted Michele about preserving an 18th century kerchief
donated by Peg Armitage. It had belonged to Mary Rowley Mott, wife of John
Mott, commandant of Ft. Mott in Pittsford in 1777. Michele removed the
kerchief from its frame, ‘wet-cleaned’ it, repaired several small holes, and
then rewrapped it in acid-free tissue paper and placed it in a custom-made
archival box, that can be used for storage and exhibition. Mary was Peg
Armitage’s great-great-great grandmother.
Crown Point Road Marker
In a previous newsletter, we noted that a Crown Point Road marker was
removed from Depot Hill Rd. The Crown Point Road was laid out ca. 1760
during the French and Indian Wars. Markers were laid out, largely under the
auspices of the Daughters of the American Revolution, early in the past
century. The marker will be placed on the proper side of the Otter Creek,
along Whipple Hollow Road, at some time this summer.
Covid and Pittsford: Bob Welch
We normally note the passing of members in the end-of-year newsletter.
But the passing of Bob Welch deserves earlier notice: Bob was President of
the Pittsford Historical Society and then served on the board. His wife Jane
was for several years the Corresponding Secretary. The two of them
volunteered countless hours at the museum. Last fall, Bob contracted Covid,
and given other underlying conditions, succumbed. The Society offers its
condolences to the family. Michael Dwyer, current Pastor of the
Congregational Church in Pittsford, offered perhaps the best summary in his
eulogy at the recent memorial service: he imagined Bob arriving at the
Pearly Gates. And Bob’s answer, on being welcomed, would have been: “Thank
you. How can I help?”
Town Notes
February 16: Dedication of the Town Report
The Town Report is dedicated to individuals or organizations who have
provided service to the community. It is available online at:
https://d18shteubh924s.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Annual-Report-FY2021.pdf
We are happy to report that this year, Barb Willis was one so honored.
Barb was recently the Vice-President of the PHS and now serves as a Trustee.
The dedication cited her tireless work for the Maclure Library, as a
volunteer and offering support to the staff during the Covid period. It then
described her involvement with the Pittsford Historical Society, and
especially her management of the Crockett Card collection. It finally noted
her service as President of the Pittsford Cemetery Association, and her
support of the Bowen-Walker Fund and Pittsford’s Santa Fund.
Previous PHS figures honored by such dedication are Peg Armitage (2011)
and Bob and Jane Welch (2013).
The second dedication went to the Pittsford Recreation Department. Its
long-standing director, Randy Adams, stepped down for health reasons a year
or so ago. There was a new hire, who left and was replaced. The new and
current director is Jen Popp, who qualifies as pro-active (activities,
emails, etc). Unfortunately – no Oscar for cinematography here – the Zoom
view of her response on behalf of the department was blocked by a large male
in the foreground.
Town Meeting
There was no in-person meeting in the Lothrop gym. There was an
informational Zoom meeting on Monday, Feb. 28, at which the reports were
presented, with low attendance. In-person voting happened the next day, at
the Fire Station, with plexiglas shield and distancing. They did not
sanitize the votes in the sight of the voters. At least 648 ballots were
cast. None of races were contested (Mr/Ms Write-in lost by wide margins),
and the budgets were approved. Cannabis sales were also approved by a
10-vote margin (323-313).
Personnel Change in the Town Office
John Haverstock is stepping down as Town Manager. He will be replaced
by Brenda Fox-Howard, who has worked in public administration in several New
England states. John has now moved from his hill-side home on Sugar Hollow
Rd. to the flatter areas of Addison County.
Redistricting
Following last year’s Census, the Vermont State Legislature has drawn
up new maps. Pittsford will no longer have two Representatives; Pittsford
and Proctor will form a single-member district, and Brandon will also become
a single-member district.
Covid in Vermont
The state continues to be doing comparatively well. Mask mandates were
made optional (community choice) early this winter, and in most places have
been dropped, although Rutland County remained a ‘high-risk’ area because of
a spike in cases. The number of deaths stands at 617; the percentage of
Vermonters over age 5 who have received at least one dose of vaccine is 87%.
Mud and Sugaring Season
The mud season promises to be extended, as early warm weather is being
interrupted by temperatures in the teens (so the ground will freeze again).
Tammy Hitchcock, on whose land Reg Charbonneau collects the sap, predicts
that the weather variations will allow sugaring well into the month of
April.
BREAKING NEWS!
(April 6, a day after the newsletter was put in the mail). The Village
Farm has received a $400,000 grant for improvements to the house on the
property – the home of Dr.Abiel Caverly, who wrote the first History of
Pittsford (1872) and his son-in-law Dr. Henry Haven Swift. The improvements
will allow them to set up a day-care center for up to 26 children. The
building currently houses a stained-glass workshop. More in a later
newsletter.
Memberships
Membership in the Society extends over a calendar year. Your dues support
the annual operating expenses of Eaton Hall. Please send your check, payable
to Pittsford Historical Society to: (Welcome to the new Membership Chairman)
Stephen P. Belcher IV. Send dues to
Stephen P. Belcher IV
PO Box 423
Pittsford, VT 05763
We thank you for your continued support.
Name(s)
_______________________________________________________
Street/Apt. #
_______________________________________________________
Town, State and Zip
_______________________________________________________
Please check amount enclosed:
Single $15_____ Family $20 _____ Contributing $25_____
Sponsor $50_____ Life Member $200 (per person) _____
A 501(c)(3) organization
since 1960
Museum Hours:
