Spinnings

Summer 2022

We introduced a new era of Spinnings an On-line newsletter with downloadable PDF was sent out to our membership via e-mail. Those without e-mail or who requested it, are mailed a "hard copy".

For those of you who don’t know me, my knowledge of Chesterfield history is better than most, because it is also my personal history. I was born in Brattleboro, brought up on a dairy farm in North Brattleboro, had (and still have), relatives in Chesterfield, and as a child spent summers on Spofford Lake. We were a farm family, and we worked with farm families in Chesterfield until the land was sold in the early 1970’s. My husband and I moved to town in 1975, building our first house on Pond Brook Road. We later relocated to Spofford, and now live at “Deer Ridge”, our home on River Road in West Chesterfield.

As you would surmise, I developed a fondness for the town and its people early in my life, and to this day have childhood friendships that have endured. I am an avid steward of the town, having volunteered on many committees, including twenty years of service on the Zoning Board of Adjustment (many years as its Vice Chairman). 

I worked professionally as a registered nurse (over fifty years) and am currently a Camp Nurse at Road’s End Farm’s Horsemanship Camp here in Chesterfield. During my career, I worked as Director of Nursing at Maplewood Nursing Home, Public Health Nurse for the State of NH, and School Nurse (25 years) in the Keene School District.

One more fact I’ll share. I enjoy singing with the Keene Pops Choir; this endeavor fulfills my lifelong love of music!

Being a steward of Chesterfield is in my blood. I look forward to serving as president of our town’s historical society and providing the leadership necessary to make the Stone House Tavern Museum a reality.

Harriet Davenport

President

Stone House Update

In order for the Stone House to open as the Stone House Tavern Museum, local and state fire and safety codes must be met. An emergency egress from the second floor is the final requirement. Once completed, the museum will be allowed to open.

Ingram Construction has been hired to build the egress as well as complete other Phase 2 construction. The work over the next six months will include moving the first-floor apartment entrance to the porch, support

restoration to both that apartment and porch, completion of the emergency egress, construction of an ADA bathroom, and restoration of the historic porch facade. The Stone House's north side stonework will eventually be repointed and the water seepage problem in the basement mitigated. Costs have escalated in recent months. Funds have come from the Putnam Foundation, More Than a Thrift Store, the 1772 Foundation, private individuals, and previously donated funds now in the Stone House Tavern Fund. Thank you to all who contributed.

Completion of Phase 2 has taken longer than expected, but CHS is pleased that the building has been restored for the next century and that opening as the Stone House Tavern Museum is within sight!

Genealogy Corner

Recent Donations

We appreciate all the wonderful donations we have received this past year. Recently, CHS has acquired several. Jane Richardson Bredeson, a Richardson descendant, and her daughter & son-in-law gifted a sampler made by Silence Richardson in 1827 when she was 13. They also gave us a photo of Silence and three letters written by her. A working loom was donated to our future Chesterfield Women's Room of the Stone House Tavern Museum. Jane Allen donated Viola Tuttle's 1939 weaving kit purchased at Houghton & Simmon in Keene. Several letters (1820 - 1860) addressed to Capt. Henry were sent to CHS by Stan Smith from West Barnstable MA. We also received numerous Spofford Lake cottages photos taken around 1895. They were printed by Deeko Broutsas from glass negatives in about 1995, a hundred years later!. Pam Walton, the donor, is working to identify the cottages in the photos. All these items are scheduled to be on display at the Stone House Tavern Museum.

The “Dollar House” has a long history in Chesterfield. It was probably built in the 1850s by F.P. Wetherell. In 1892, H.C. Marsh purchased the home, adding on the Victorian Gothic touches that make this building so distinctive. The building changed hands several times and at one time held a dental practice. In the 1970s, the Police Department moved in, with the other town offices following. In 2007, the town having outgrown the facility, built the new stone building where they reside to this day.

From 2007 – 2017, the house fell into disrepair. There was a gallant attempt to spruce it up in 2010 when several townsfolk painted it. Seven years later, a warrant appeared at town meeting to demolish it for $30,000. In stepped some historically minded and determined folks who convinced the town citizens to save the $30,000 and let them find a buyer. This process took three years. In July 2021, the building was finally sold to New England Heritage. Many thanks to this group of far-sighted preservationists who were able to rally the community, Selectmen and assorted boards, and "Save the Marsh House”. They include Richard & Jeanny Aldrich; Jane Carroll; Nick Coffin; Rachel Duckworth; Carol, George, Phil & Greg Goulet; Chelsea Hormor, John & Patti Hudachek; Barbara Girs; Liz LaLiberte McKeon; John, Kristin, Chloe & Yari McKeon; Ella Montgomery; Jon & Kathy Thatcher; Ron & Marion Rzasa; Jeff Scott; and Dutch Walsh. CHS regrets if we missed anyone.

It Happened in 1976

Fifty years ago, the town clerk and tax collector operated out of their homes. Audrey Ericson remembers, when her mother, Imogene Chickering, was Town Clerk. Business was conducted in the Chickering’s front room. All the papers and monies were placed in a safe that was tucked away at the room’s end.

Townsfolk would appear at the door at all hours, sometimes interrupting meals, to conduct business. Her mother dealt with each knock promptly regardless of the hour.

Back then, all car registrations had to be paid for by April 1^st.  This did not escape the notice of the Troy Boys, a local “bad boys’ gang”. On March 29, 1976, two of them entered the unlocked house at about 8pm as the 80-year-old Town Clerk was sitting in her chair reading. They were armed and wearing ski masks. Chickering was ordered to sit on the floor, had her hands bound behind her back and her feet tied. They clumsily wrapped her sweater around her face, but then lowered it to ask for the combination of the safe. After several desperate attempts, the safe, known to be finicky, refused to give up its treasures. Frustrated, the thieves abandoned trying, took the cash box, and Chickering’s pocketbook, then ripped her office phone out of the wall. They fled leaving her bound and gagged.  The whole episode lasted about 20 minutes.

Chickering kicked off her shoes, and worked her feet free, and then her hands. She was able to call her son-in-law, Harry Ericson, from the kitchen phone. He notified the local and State Police. A total of $4,000 was taken. Nothing like this had happened in the 52 years that Chickering had been town clerk.

Consequentially, the town decided to have the Town Clerk and Tax Collector’s offices moved to the Old Town Hall Annex where the Selectmen’s Office already resided.  There it would be safer for all concerned. However, in true Yankee frugality, all three departments shared the same phone by passing it through a cubbyhole in the wall.

The Rest of the Story: On Feb. 14, 1977, Robert S. Wilson of Keene, pleaded guilty to this crime and 11 others which included three additional armed robberies, burglaries in four towns, plus five murders. Three murders occurred in Tewksbury MA, where Dr. Hugh Mahoney, his wife and 15-year-old son were slain in a botch up robbery. In Greenfield, MA, a garage owner was deliberately slain with his bookkeeper dying as collateral damage. In an intense plea bargain agreement, Wilson was sentenced to 20 – 45 years. His accomplices in the Town Clerk’s robbery, Michael Renz, who had also participated in the murders, and Howard DeVoid were already incarcerated. This was all the result of Robert’s brother, Donald Wilson, turning state’s evidence and going into the witness protection program.   

Help Wanted

Do you have a skill you could share or a few hours when outdoor cleanup needs to be completed? Every organization has a wish list and CHS’ list entails numerous jobs. Most can be done on your time schedule, so please, if you have a skill to share, think of assisting the Stone House Tavern Museum. We wish for people able to complete the following tasks:

   1.     Translate letters written in the 1800s

   2.     Clean inside the building

   3.     Weed whack the lawn edges

   4.     Cut the bushes in the spring

   5.     Write thank you notes

   6.     Prep and/or paint a room

   7.     Mend items (sewing skills)

   8.     Install an overhead light

   9.     Glue chairs (woodworking skills)

If you would like to help CHS with one of these tasks, contact

Pam Walton at

603-363-8319 or pawalton4@gmail.com

Membership Information

For those wishing to become members or renew their memberships, membership information can be found on our website along with the mail in form. Unfortunately, we presently can not accept credit cards or internet payment.