• December 2005 Newsletter
• Fall 2005 Newsletter
• June 2005 Newsletter
• Spring 2005 Newsletter
• Fall 2003 Newsletter
• Spring 2003 Newsletter
• Sumners Falls Tour 2003

• Harold Goddard Rugg: 1883-1957
• Hartland News -1897
• Hartland Roads - 1888
• Hartland Autograph Books - 1880s
• New Donations
• Hartland Historical Society News
• Upcoming Events

From Harold Goddard Rugg to Mrs Janet Blackford: (She was Janet Harding, grand daughter of Dr. John : grew up in Four Corners in the brick house now owned by Peter Gordon ) “Where the town hall was given’ Mrs. Lamb fitted out a room for a historical room and I was asked to have charge of it. We have so far collected quite a number of things for the room, old furniture, china, portraits, etc “ and so we began.

Harold was the son of David Fletcher and Julia Goddard Hager Rugg. His father was a Hartland Doctor who died when Harold was quite young. He graduated from Black River Academy in 1902 and Dartmouth in 1906.

Birthplace of Harold Goddard Rugg. Now home of Ron and Hylene DeVoyd.

For a closer look at this remarkable man, take a look at the Valley News of Feb. 21, 1957:

In Memoriam:Harold G. Rugg

The entire Upper Valley mourns the death of Mr. Rugg. Mr Rugg held a unique place in the affections of many people in the area, for he was an “accessible professor”. Although he spent a lifetime of professional service at Dartmouth and although his reputation as an astute collector of rare books spread to the far corners of the globe, his interest in local projects and problems never flagged.

A native of Hartland and a keen student of Vermont history, Mr Rugg became an elder statesman of things historical and botanical. Many a garden club or struggling historical society turned to him for help and guidance. With calmness and gentleness he adjudicated many a historical dispute, and the phrase “Let’s ask Harold Rugg” heard often hereabouts testified to his neighbors trust in Mr Rugg’s judgement and their respect for his scholarship.

Lest we strike too parochial a note, it should be said that Harold Rugg’s interests were wide -ranging. He could enjoy gardening in Hanover where he became an expert on ferns and even discovered a new variety that bears his name. Simultaneously he could say” I have an insatiable desire for remote and lonely and queer places”. He knew from personal experience more diverse parts of the globe than is ordinarily given a dozen men to know. He knew Europe and the Near East. He climbed the Grand Tetons of Wyoming: but he also climbed the Pyrenees. He skated far up the Connecticut and was one of the first men to climb Mt. Washington on snowshoes: but he also knew the tiny nation of Andorra, the Gaspe, Mexico, and once in the company of hardy souls, he set sail from Spitzbergen, 360 miles north of Norway, to see how much farther north he could go before ice floes halted his progress.

He often had lunch with an undergraduate, but he also dined with Lord Dartmouth in England and took tea with Sir Winfred Grenfell in Labrador. He could become intrigued with the amateur history of some north country hill town or he could lose himself in a catalog of rare books. It was he who arranged Robert Frost’s first lecture at Dartmouth when the poet was struggling for recognition. Out of this grew his remarkable collection of Frostiana, now a part of the Baker Library. He also collected rare Bennington ware and books and manuscripts concerning Vermont that number into the thousands.

Perhaps more than anything else he treasured the honorary degree bestowed upon him by his alma mater, Dartmouth, in recognition of his many years of service to the college. Harold Rugg was a remarkable man. His ivory tower was the world. There is an oil painting by Paul Sample - Dartmouth 1920 hanging in the Baker Library.

Mr. Rugg was also the first President of the Hartland Historical Society in 1916 and a member, Vice - President, and Curator of the Vermont Historical Society. In 1955 Mr. Rugg was a speaker at a Hartland Historical Society meeting. Rugg spoke of his childhood and youth in Hartland before he left in 1896.

He remembered a tinsmith in the rear of the old hotel; the nearby harness shop of Jake Emerson, later used as the post office; of the “Pound” on the Quechee Road where stray animals were put; of events of the two churches in the village. He remembered looking across the road from his home and seeing white robed persons, accompanied by the minister, going to Lull Brook for a baptism by immersion.

Rugg said he attended a boarding school in South Woodstock conducted by Joseph Dunbar, a Hartland mathematician and author of textbooks.

During the log drives on the Connecticut River, he used to accompany his father, Dr. David F. Rugg, who was often called to attend to an injured river man.”

Not withstanding all the precautions taken by George D. Wood of the American Poultry Farm on Hendrick Hill ( the home now occupied by Rob and Nancy Foote ) and the military preparations heretofore made for defending it against midnight invaders, as announced in the Journal not long since, the unprincipled and venturesome thief still prowls around the premises. On a recent night while “Jim” Harwood, with two revolvers and a pig sticker in his belt, was watching out from the top of a tall tamarack tree that overlooks the poultry yards, and while proprietor Wood stood at the west attic window of the Hendrick house with a loaded rifle and shotgun, a sudden commotion among the feathered tribes revealed the fact that someone was within the enclosure and laying unlawful hands upon them. “Jim” stood on too insecure foundations in the Tamarack tree to make it safe for him to use his weapons, but George, from the attic window ,emptied the contents of his firearms into the poultry yards without effect, so far as can be learned except to endanger the lives of some of his choice Buff Cochins. It is now proposed as we learn, to increase the armament of the hill by planting in the dark entry, so called, a sort of Kyler pass just above the poultry yard, a rapid firing Gatling gun that will sweep the road from that point to Lambs woods eastward. ( A lesser person might be tempted to make some sort of a crack about now )

We have had a lot of talk lately concerning the condition of the roads in Hartland. It might make you all feel better to know that there has been great improvement . Catch this from May 5, 1888.

Stuck in the mud ; Two gentlemen from Windsor and the same number of ladies came to this village, Tuesday evening, thinking’ as they said, “ there used to be a dance here,” Finding no dance here they started for home about ten o’clock, and, on reaching the clay ground through which the road passes, near the house of S.W. Davis; the horses, carriage and occupants went suddenly down into the clay porridge; The horses floundered and finally fell. The ladies stepped from the carriage into the mud and made for the uplands. S.W. Davis was called on for help. He was unable to do much. However, by the stimulus of a five dollar bill offered in case the carriage was extricated, but help was in vain. The horses were taken from the carriage and attached to another at H.S. Brittons hospitable roof, the weary, mud covered pilgrims resumed the march to Windsor. At this writing, Wednesday forenoon, the carriage, a double one, remains in the road where it went down, last night only the body part and cover being visible.

(I’m wondering if it ever came out in one piece.)

We recently received from Sandra Harding a copy of an autograph book that belonged to Fred Varney dated 1885. This led me to looking at other autograph books in our collection. They all dated from the 1880s which I found very interesting. It clearly was the “cool” thing to do during that time.. I think there would be some serious gagging among our teens of today at the thought of exchanging such flowery messages.

Other wonderful gifts since our last letter include:

• Assorted pictures that we made copies of from Phyllis Bowers
• Postcards of the R.R. and Ferry in three Corners and a F.E. Gilson silver wedding newspaper clipping from Cindy Brown.
• Early Treasurers reports of the Historical Society and a collection of school pictures from John and Ruth Barrell
• Advertisements for a play by Fieldsville Drama Club March 12 1912 from Derek Levin
• Assorted school and family pictures from Richard Wood ( also some help with some of our labeling )
• The autograph book from Sandra Harding with biographies of all the signatures and 2 draft registration copies for WW1
• Miscellaneous assortment of papers and pictures from Warren and Marjorie Cone

Thank you all !!!!

Today’s News From the Society

On May 15, 2005 we held our annual meeting in the lower room at the Historical Society. The minutes of the last annual meeting were read as was the Treasurers Report. The following Officers and Board Members were elected to serve for the next year:

We are sorry to see Edith White drop off the Board but happy that she will continue working on Mondays and Fridays to help out with our many tasks. A big welcome goes out to Rosemary and Les who are joining us. Clyde chose to no longer do the Treasurer’s job and Les very kindly picked that up. We still have one opening in the 2 year slot. If you would be interested please call Edith Hoose at 436-2530 . She’d love to hear from you !!

Upcoming Events

• We are planning an exhibit at the Vermont History Expo that will highlight crafts, mostly from the last half of the 19th Century. The committee of Bev Lasure Nancy Lewis and Jay Boeri are planning and assembling this display.
• On July 4th, our rooms will be open as usual and we will be selling water, 2006 calenders, and copies of the 1885 colored map of Hartland. Stop by !!
• On October 8, at Damon Hall at 7 P.M. we will be presenting the program “Sprightly Steps” done by Adam Boyce. You won’t want to miss it.

If you look at your name on the envelope you will see a 2005 if your dues are due!! Also there will be a bill enclosed . Please give us your rmsil address if you so desire. It saves us a great deal of money for printing and postage and we are trying to get as many sent that way as possible. If you are already getting this letter by rmail we will indicate after your name that your dues are due and have a return form that you can print off. You will also be able to order 2006 calendars. From popular request you will find larger squares for writing appointments . I’ve had a preview of the picture selections that Bev is working on and it promises to be a good one !!

We all hope everyone has a delightful Summer. I plan to hit some of Vermont’s other Museums and pick up some ideas of how they do things !!!

If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it free from adobe.com.

• Byron P. Ruggles: 1938 – 1917
• The Hartland News - Town Meeting from March 15, 1955
• "The Free Soul" - April 1917
• Don't miss this: "Reminiscences" - April 24 at 2 P.M
• Spring days gone by
• More New Acquisitions 
• Hartland: June 1877
• A Note From Carol

Remember the last newsletter when we visited Snail Swamp and learned about the muck found there? Of course, muck would be a wonderful compost and Mr. Ruggles, whom I consider to be a genius , mixed it with manure to reduce the acidity, spreading it to bring back his poor farmland. Here is an excerpt from Farm Journal Dec. 1896

I bought my farm in the fall and had the next winter to get together my tools and stock; all of which I bought cheap at auctions. The tools were second – hand , of course, some of them requiring repairs that I made myself. I bought an old wagon that I repaired so that it lasted until I was better able to buy a new one. I borrowed a cultivator two years, then bought a set of teeth and made the rest of it. I hired a mowing machine four seasons, then I bought one , that with good care, has run  twenty one seasons, and does good work yet, and so of all my farming tools, I got along at first with the least possible expense and turned  the greatest amount of money I could toward paying for the farm. I began with one horse that did all of my team work except plowing and mowing when I hired another horse of a neighbor.

I was decided on being a dairy farmer and bent all my energy in that direction. My plan was to keep the best of cows, that they should have plenty of good feed and good care, that I would make the best of butter, if possible, and get as high a price for it as I could , and all other branches of my farming should be subordinate.

I began with three cows for the farm had less than  one hundred acres, and was so run down it would not well keep more. I hired the use of thoroughbred Jersey bulls, raised my heifer calves, named them, made pets of them, kept them pets as cows, and always call them by their names. I a few years I had some first rate high grade Jersey cows. I mowed weeds in the pasture so as to have more and better feed there. I set water tubs there so the cows would have better water to drink than the stagnant puddles that the springs really were   . . .

I dug muck in the driest part of the summer from a swamp in the sheep pasture and drew it in the winter to the amount of two or three cords a year to mix with manure and have found the mixture equal to all manure. A pond formed in the swamp where I had dug muck and I found it  a convenient place to get ice in the winter for my ice house; some of my neighbors saw the advantage of getting their ice there. I sawed out ice for them, more and more as the pond grew larger from digging muck. I have sawed as many as forty four cords of ice there in one winter, at seventy cents a cord.”

I promise that this is the last you will hear about Mr. Ruggle’s   muck but maybe not the last you will hear about him.

What was happening 50 years ago ???

There were about 185 voters at Town Meeting. A tax rate of $7. 92 was approved, the town manager system was retained, the Australian ballot lost by one vote, and the meeting adjourned around 4:30!!

The meeting started right off with a bang with the election of Moderator. Ogden having been nominated for the office, turned the meeting over to Town Clerk Rogers. There  were no further nominations. Woodruff, however asked for the floor and set out to show that Ogden was a poor man for the job. To prove his point he recited a list of incidents  from Ogdens school days, such as the fact that he flunked out of college, only won second prize in a declamation contest, once interviewed Norman Thomas, etc. After 5 minutes of this, Moderator pro tem Rogers, with the support of the Selectmen ruled Woodruff out of order with the comment that his charges were of no consequence; that, if he did not care for a certain candidate, all he had to do was vote against him. This stand was hailed by vociferous cheering and clapping and Woodruff resumed his seat. Ogden was then elected unanimously to serve as Moderator.

The Town Report was accepted with very little discussion. Woodruff  criticized the Officers for not including , in full the report of the State Auditors. The Selectmen explained they did not think it worth the expense  and that the report was in the Clerks office for anyone to read that might want to. The Town Manager system was discussed next. James asked for an opinion from the Selectmen concerning the system. Ginter replied that there are only three problems in Hartland: Roads, Schools and Taxes; that the School Directors attend to the Schools, the Selectmen have charge of the Taxes and that leaves only the Roads ( and the Poor) for any Town manager to contend with. He stated that the cost figures in the Hartland News , while not absolutely accurate were basic that the Managers salary comes only partly from the road money. In general he stated that the Selectmen did not recommend the system for Hartland. Woodruff gave a speech in favor of the system. In reply to Mrs Alfonse, Blaisdell presented figures to show that the salaries for the old system during its last full year were:

Road Commissioner          $3,216
Overseer of the Poor             315
Selectman – bookkeeper         25
                                      ------------
                                       $ 3,556

Town Manager salary for the current year was $3,600 , leaving a difference of only $44. The question was settled by ballot, 110 in favor, 50 against. Later in the meeting, Blaisdell received a unanimous vote of confidence.

Town Meetings are known for providing good entertainment, whether that is the intent or not. As for Mr. Ogden, he was certainly qualified for the job, and served  for many years as a State Senator . Like Mr. Ruggles, he was a man of many opinions. We’ll visit him more some other time.

Spring means new starts on the farm, new starts for the Town and perhaps a new start for your heart. I think this is the real New Year.  Here is a portion of a much longer poem by J. Howard Flower , Four Corners, Hartland, Vt.

Connie Tessier will once again present her program of Reminiscences led by Nancy Lewis on Sunday April 24 at 2 P.M. at Damon Hall.  This year’s participants will be people who attended the various one room schools in Hartland.  If you have been to one of these before you know how wonderful the program will be. If this is your  first, be prepared for great entertainment. Free and refreshments !!

Lyndon Shedd - March 5, 1904
“16 below at village- rehearsal at Kellys paid music 25”
(Mr. Shedd ran a singing school at what is now the Flower Farm)

Sebastian Cabot Jenne (Clyde’s great grandfather) - April 2,3,and 4 1856
“I worked on wood A.M. P.M. I went to the sugar place taped 20 trees. I went to the sugar place. Started a fire. I went to the sugar place with oxen broke carried the tubs around saved a little ware.”

Mildred Varney (I do love Mildred!) -  April 1, 1911
“I got up about 7 o’clock. I went down and helped Mrs. Backus (This is Mr. Shedd’s daughter, also a musician) and took my music lesson. Had an extraordinary one. I made some little pies for myself. May Fallon came in. She and I went to the L.A. (Ladies Aid) meeting. I rode home with Nora Plumley (Leon Royce and Ginny Dow’s mother). She and I went down by Martinsville. There were four members present and Miss Nelson (a Hartland teacher for many years) and Miss Sturtevant (Ruth Flanagan’s aunt) was with us today and Mrs. Rogers. I have been “April Fooling” people and got “April Fooled“ myself. I got a postal from Allen Rice and a letter and a postal from Flora Blanchard. I have been in Laura”s She has been in here. Papa had some fish come this morning. (Alfred Varney had a fish route). I have been over to  Mrs. Rich’s this evening. I got a library book,  Lavender and Old Lace by Myrtle Reed. It is nice and interesting.. Not a very good day, snowed some and cold.”

• Fan, hairpiece, ribbon and book mark from Mrs. Charles Darling’s wedding outfit in 1861 - from Lillian Marcotte
• Jason Stewart and Minnie Harlow Darling’s bible given to them from Janet McIntyre Darling on their wedding day , June 29 1904 - from Lillian Marcotte
• Traveling salesman’s case belonged to Leslie B. Hatch - from his granddaughter, Lillian Marcotte
• Old Home Day photos, 1986 - from Rosemary Morancy
• “A Town for Peace” 2 poster size collections of photos and newsclippings , April 7, 1983 - from Melissa Ambros
• A very ornate small stove that was in the Temple home on Rt 12  - from Meriel and Temple Hood

Two women, each with a young child and a man by the name of Shattuck, ran away from the town farm last week.

An eagle, measuring four feet and three inches from tip to tip of wings, was shot by a man in the employ of Cyrus Ayer, last week.  The nest was found, which contained besides three young eagles, two squirrels, two chickens and a young woodchuck.

The Universalist society at the Four Corners seems to be in a flourishing condition.  Good audiences greet the new preacher from Sunday to Sunday, and the probabilities are that preaching will be sustained through the year.  There are fifty scholars in the Sunday school. 

We are tremendously gratified at the response to the first quarterly newsletter that came out in Dec. 2004. Again we will send to an expanded list, beyond our membership, with the hopes that more of you will join the Hartland Historical Society. Dues paid now will carry you to May 31, 2006. A number after your name indicates when dues are next due for those of you already part of our membership. If you become a new member now and want a copy of the first newsletter just indicate your desire on the application form and we will get it to you.

We have openings on our Board of Directors  If you are interested, please call Edith Hoose at 436-2530 or Bob Guillette at 436-2488. You do not need a knowledge of Hartland History to serve on the Board, only an interest. We have good places for artists, writers, educators, persons with library skills, , computer skills,and more It is not a huge commitment and a lot of fun.

Our Annual Meeting to elect officers and Directors will be held at the Historical Society on May 15 at 3 P.M. I will send out a notice of the slate when it is closer to the date.

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Hartland Historical Society Officers and Directors

Carol Y. Mowry, President Beverly Lasure, Vice President Edith  Hoose, Secretary Clyde Jenne,  Treasurer

Directors: Robert  Guillette 3 year term Nancy Lewis  3 year term Jay Boeri   2 year term Charles Jeffries   2 year term Ruth Flanagan  1 year term Maureen Martin  1 year term Edith White  1 year term

Please visit our website http://hartlandhistory.netfirms.com

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Fall 2003 Newsletter

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Dear Members and Friends of the Hartland Historical Society,

Mark your calendars!!   We invite you all to a special event on Oct. 19th at 1 P.M. Jay Boeri will give a guided tour of the Sumners Falls area. He will point out mill sites, storehouse, lumberyard, workers houses, locks, eddy dam and wing wall. Jay will point out things you would never recognize if your were to try this on your own. To get there, drive 2.4 miles North on Rt. 5 from the Yoga Center in Hartland, take a right onto the dirt road and drive to the large picnic area to park. The walking is easy to moderate but comfortable shoes are a must. We will learn how important this area ws back in the days of log drives down the Connecticut.

Progress is being made at the Hartland Historical Society. Thanks to the Hartland Garden Club, we have new plantings to dress up our exterior and thanks to Jerry Burns, we have a new sign to announce our presence. Inside we have blocked off two more windows to provide more wall space, some of which will be used to display our gun collection which is being researched by Jacob Holmes. Two 8th graders are painting the scene out of Jenny English's window for our telephone exhibit.

Small groups of members have been going on mini tours to areas of interest and also visiting older members in the community to tap their memories.

More donations continue to come in — they will be recognized in our annual newsletter. We continue to get many visitors and many requests for information.

Remember, we are now open Monday from 1-4 and on Friday from 9-12.
Come and see us !!!

For a great Christmas gift don't forget about our Historical 2004 calenders. They are $8 if you come and see us and $9.50 mailed.

Hope to see you on the 19th of October for an interesting afternoon !!!

Sincerely,

Carol Mowry, President

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Spring 2003 Newsletter

Page 1: Daniel Willard. This story has been moved to the Hartland People page.

Page 2: Acquisitions:
We continue to count our blessings when anyone gifts us with something from Hartland's past. Be assured that anything you give will have a good home. The following is a list of your generosities in 2002.

Transcript of taped interview, J. Howard Flower	Beth Dugger
Photo Hartland School Band 1942, Fireplace toaster 1940, set of hinges, “The Grand Thoughts,” George Seldes, Hedgewig Winans, Book pictures, postcards, photos	Ruth Flanagan
“Brief History of the Universalist Society”	Universalist Church
“Mayflower Descendant,” containing inscriptions from Cutts Cemetery, Wilson Britton Genealogy	Howland Atwood
“Looking Back While Going Ahead”, “We Dared to Live Different” Clarine Hadley's baby clothes	Lillian Marcotte
John and Saloma Short's silver spoon, Barrett's Garage photo, “Rough Road Home,” by Melissa Mather	Edith White
Class picture 1928	John Springer
Three pictures from Walker Transportation Collection	Davis Fletcher
Photo Bischoff children 1904	Timotheus Poole
Bicentennial memorabila	Deborah Hart
“Ghosts, Ghouls, and Unsolved Mysteries”	Candace Vamese
Two copies V.H. S. news and four copies Vermonter	Louis Porter
Diaries - Clarine Hadley, 1883, 1887, and E. W. Crooker 1869	Kay Stone
Molasses jug owner by Edith Shepard	Elizabeth Barrell Richards
Three early ATT headsets used by her mother	Edith Hoose
Genealogical Research in N.E.	Whit Mowry
Pictures	Hiram Allen
Lena Barrell's Citation from Windsor SE Teacher's Ass'n	Patricia Claypoole Mitiguy
Two Free Soul	Ruth Ewald and Col. Thomas C. Lull
Postcard	Barbara Rhoad
Hartland Fair Horse Show and Ski Mt. Ascutney 1948	Carol Stratton
Color Copier	Beverly Lasure
Computer	Peter Schou
Printer, copier, and fax	Walter McEnaney

The copy and computer equipment are bringing us into the 21^st century. We can do so much now that we couldn't before. We will begin cataloguing on the computer as well as a card file.

Special thanks - We had many generous gifts during the year that helped us go a long way toward securing the building. We have installed bars on the lower windows, replaced the glass with wood in the door from the basement, installed wire imbedded glass in the front door and the sidelights, and improved our locking system. Thank You!! Thank You!!

See the contacts page for a list of Officers and Governors.

Page 3

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Sumners Falls Tour, October 2003
by Bev Lasure

On Sunday, October 19, 2003 about 50 members and guests of the Hartland Historical Society enjoyed a walking tour of the Sumners Falls area of Hartland. The tour was led by Jay Boeri, who has done considerable research on the history of industry in Hartland. Folks were able to see the site canal and locks built by Perez Gallup in the 1790’s. Jay was able to show how the locks were fastened to the ledge and how to identify the remains of the locks.

The site of the four sawmills and store buildings were identified and people were amazed to learn just how busy this area was during the 1800’s. The logs were brought down the river to Sumners Falls and then were sawed into lumber, bound and floated further down the river. It is said that most of the homes constructed in Hartford, CT, at this period were built of lumber shipped from Sumner’s mills.

While enjoying cider and doughnuts after the tour, members agreed that this was one of the highlights of their 2003 programs.