Out and About Jan. 2013 to Apr 28, 2013

OUT AND ABOUT

 

Columbia News 2013

 

 January 5, 2013

 

            We got more than enough snow in this last storm on top of the foot we already had. If we get anymore it will be hard to find a place to push it in our yard.

            Prayers go out to my cousin Rebecca Grant Hall of Corinth who is in the hospital in South Carolina for an operation. Get well wishes to all those that are sick in the area; our postmaster has been out of the post office due to illness and Terry Grant is in the hospital are just a few that I know of.

            Condolences go out to the family of John Sims of Mason Bay Rd, Jonesport who passed away recently. He will be missed; I got to know him through scouting years ago when my children were in it.

            School is back in session after the holidays. The students on my bus are glad to be back to school to socialize with their friends. 

            While driving the bus this week we saw an eagle in a tree on School Street and we usually see deer on the Ridge Rd and on the West Side Rd every day. One student said he saw a six point buck in his yard and wished it was still hunting season.

            A few folks have been trying to find solid ice to go ice fishing. Hopefully they all will be careful out on the ice.

            Saturday December 29th my son Matthew St. Pierre and his daughter Jasmine came for a visit, it is always nice to have them drop by for a bit.

            This week I have been corresponding with George Sawyer of Biddeford via the computer on genealogy.  I think it is wonderful that he knows how to use the computer to be in touch with his family. Mr. Sawyer is related to me on the Columbia Worcester side. I have chatted with him on the phone so got to know him a bit better.

            I did not make any New Year Resolutions; I just will continue to work on organizing my genealogy room and find more relatives to correspond with.

 

January 12, 2013

 

Photo of First timers at the Public Supper in Cherryfield
On Saturday evening January 5, we attended the public supper at the Narraguagus Snowmobile Cub in Cherryfield. At our table were Jack Gray and Doreen of Ellsworth, Randy and Joanne Gray of Brewer and first timers John and Wendy Haley and their daughter Kim Ripley of New York.  We all enjoyed socializing with the first timers at our table who had never been to a public bake bean supper before. They were here over the holidays staying in Milbridge.

On Tuesday I returned a bus to Old Town and picked up my bus that had been in the shop for repairs. I am glad that I have my bus back finally: we enjoyed a quick meal at Governor`s Restaurant.

Wednesday evening I drove the Lady Knights to Machias for their game where they lost by a few points.

PRAYERS and well wishes go out to Barbara Libby of Columbia and Rebecca Grant Hall, they are both home from the hospital..

Belated birthday wishes go out to my brothers:  Thomas Worcester on January 12 and John Worcester on January 14.

This week I have been contacted via Facebook from a man from New York who is related to all the Worcester’s in Columbia. He wanted to know if I had any information on his family as he didn't know any Worcester’s. Did I have news for him? I let him know that I could help him as well as that I was distantly related to him and that he had a close cousin with the same name on his father's side. I also told him I had photos of his grandparents that I would share with him and that I would connect him to his two second cousins he said he did not know of and their families. 

Isn't it wonderful that we can connect via the internet these days and find more family?

 

January 19, 2013

Columbia News

Worcester Family Tree photo:

On Saturday January 12, the Narraguagus Cheerleaders came in third place at the Cheering competition in Calais out of the five teams that competed. It was a long day as we had to leave early in the morning. The cheerleaders again competed in the competition at Sumner High School this past Saturday; they will go onto Bangor at the end of the month.

On Sunday the 13^th, Mary Snowdeal, Maureen Healy and I traveled to Ellsworth to see the movie Les Miserables at the Maine Coast Cinema. I have not been to a movie here for a very long time as usually we go to the Milbridge Theater.

I finally got my computer on Monday and have been trying to learn the new display and Windows 8 on it. I sometimes think it would be easier to just stick with the older computer but that died finally. Why can’t the companies stick with one program and not keep changing it every time you turn around. Change does take time for us older folks.

Get well wishes go out to Allen Grant of Columbia Falls, and Barbara and Roger Libby of Columbia. A lot of folks have been sick with the cold virus, I have not heard of the flu in the area.

Condolences go out to the family of Mary Thompson of Cape Split of Addison; she will be missed

On Wednesday we had a half day of school due to the storm that we got. The roads were very slippery when we took the students home and I for one was glad to get back in my yard with the bus.

On Saturday we had errands to do in Ellsworth, and afterwards we saw the movie Django at the Maine Coast Cinema.

On Sunday seven members of the Pleasant River Historical Society met at the home of Tim and Mary Thompson, Cape Split, Addison. Those that attended the business meeting were: Mary and Tim Thompson, Cathy Fonda, Ronie Strout, Arleta and Lee Grant, Ronnie Gray and Jeannette Perry. We discussed what we are having for upcoming programs. If anyone has an idea or want to present something for us we would love to hear from you. We are looking for photos for our 2014 calendar of businesses in the Pleasant River area, we would love to have one of Pineo Mill, the mill down town Columbia Falls, Blueberry factories in Columbia Falls, the Country Kitchen in Columbia, and others that we can find.

I have been working on genealogy in my spare time, one of the items are putting photos of a family in the area on a page. I can usually get at least three to four generations on the paper. I have done one Worcester family tree with photos of Moses Worcester 3^rd gravestone and his wife Diadem Smith on one side and on the other side Daniel Worcester and his wife Keziah Smith’s gravestone down to Ronie and Ralph Worcester .The one with the Ingersoll family has Governor William Ingersoll, his wife and seven of their children down to Arnold Ingersoll of Columbia Falls. I will have to use gravestones to fill in the ones that I don’t have a real photo of. All in a day’s work done when I can print it off on photo paper.

 

 

 

Columbia News

January 26, 2013

Photo of Arnold Ingersoll family;

 

Wow what a cold week we have had here in the area, we had minus 12 one day here on the Ridge Road.  Thank goodness we have a Union Crawford black iron cook stove in the kitchen and the coal stove in the main part of the house. We kept warm but that wind wanted to blow us right off the ridge. You know you live in an old house when the wind blows in the winter. Right chilly it is at times.

.  Hopefully the temperature will be a little warmer in the coming week for us and the wind will die down.

The buses in the district have had break downs during this cold spell but with our own special mechanic Russell Grant has been keeping up with repairs for us. I especially want to thank him for fixing the heater in my bus when I lost all the heat one morning.

Monday we were in Bangor for several doctor appointments, and we enjoyed having lunch at the Olive Garden. I had a couple of gift cards to use up so it did not cost us anything to eat out. In the evening I attended the meeting of the 150 year celebration of Columbia Falls along with twelve other folks that turned out. The festivities are coming along with all of the planning they are doing. I am marking my calendar so I won’t forget the dates.

Prayers and get well wishes go out to Roger and Barbara Libby of Columbia, Rebecca Hall my cousin, Betty Hammond and all the other folks that are under the weather. I heard the other day that some folks have the flu, but so far all I have had is the cold virus that is going around.

Birthday wishes go out to the following folks:  Jan. 28, Grace Peterson, Jan. 29, Barbara Libby, Feb 1, Bruce Worcester and Jacob McLaughlin; Feb. 3, Susan Plummer Norton; and Feb. 5, Calista Morrill and Nona Cirone. I hope they all have a great day.

Condolences go out to the family of Lucille “Pineo” Pttman of Hackett, Arkansas. Lucille was the daughter of Fred and Shirley Pineo of Columbia Falls.

Sunday afternoon eleven folks turned out at the Columbia Falls Community Building to learn how to create a costume for the 150 Birthday Celebration in the Civil War era out of what you already have in your closet. Interesting ways to adapt what you already have in your closet was demonstrated by Roberta Hammond.

Don’t forget the Narraguagus Snowmobile Club’s public supper on February 2, at the Cherryfield Club on the Ridge Road. The supper starts at 5:30 p.m., hope to see you there.

 

Feb. 3, 2013

Photo of Hilda & Calvin Hooper with Lillian Sawyer and Orrin Worcester.

It seems when you are looking for something you cannot find it when you want it; but it always show up later on when you are not looking for it. This week I have been going through some papers and photos on the family and low and behold I found an answer that I have wondered about. A while ago last year, a lady in Bucks Harbor called me and told me she had some stuff for me that belonged to my Aunt Hilda Worcester who had married Calvin Hooper of there. A small Brag Book was one of the items that I received, in that book were several photos of her taken in 1932 & 1962 along with her wedding picture on 31 August 1935, her family home, her and husband’s home, a picture of the camp in Wesley, their dog Penny, and a photo of her husband. In the wedding photo I recognized my father Orrin Worcester as best man but could not identify the maid of honor.  I finally found the answer to this when I found the write up of their wedding in clippings that were given me a few years ago by another relative.  So now I know the rest of the story. Miss Lillian Sawyer was the maid of honor and my dad was best man to Hilda and Calvin Hooper.

I will be sharing the entire write up on the Columbia Falls Record http://www.columbiafallsmerecord.org/History_Snippets.php in the near future. This is when the write up included everything about what took place and a list of who attended the wedding.
            A lot of folks will be celebrating their birthdays in the coming days they are;  Richard Paul and Jean Christian-Richardson on Feb. 6; Ronie Strout, Roger Libby, Virginia Tibbetts, Doris Joy and Jack Gray on Feb. 8; Betty Jordan on Feb. 9, Tracy Ramsay and Dave Balwin on Feb 10, and, Chub Dowling on Feb. 11.

Condolences go out to Rebecca Davis family of Cherryfield on her passing. I also heard that Steve Morrison’s aunt Verna Brackett Kirby passed away at the age of 99 years and 5 month. She was a very nice lady and I am sure the family will miss her. She was the daughter of Mary Wallace and Vernon Brackett of Milbridge, Maine.

Carroll and I were guests at the home of Chuck and Roberta Hammond Friday evening. Good food and great conversations during the evening, we tried to solve the world problems.

Prayers and get well wishes are extended to Betty Hammond, Barbara & Roger Libby, Dawnette Robbins, Rebecca Hall and all others that are under the weather that could use some cheering up.

 

 

February 9, 2013

 

Photo: ‘Pistol’ Pete Mellilo and Jeff ‘Giggles’ Britton of Vermont reading the Machias Valley News Observer in Massachusetts.

 

The 2013 Blizzard Nemo should be over by the time this comes out in the news. We will be plowed out and back to normal as normal can be. I watched the news about the blizzard, and thought when I was a small child we had a huge snowstorm, I guess it could have been a blizzard, cause we were snowed in for a week.  I remember the electricity was out and the snow plow man Stillman Dyer of Jonesport got stuck just below our house in a huge drift. He had to crawl on his hands and knees over the snow to get to our house. He remained with us for the whole week until the roads were dug out with big equipment. His plow truck was buried in the snow and I think it was a back hoe that probably removed the snow to get that truck out.

 During the days of that week my siblings and I would be out digging tunnels in the snow, making snow forts and sliding in the back field; in other words just having a good time.

I know that the meals at our house  during the week was probably at least one made from what was put up in the cellar; a menu of  canned deer meat, mashed potatoes, green beans and hot biscuits that my mother would cook up. Mr. Dyer told her he enjoyed being stuck for a week with us because of the food. After supper if we didn’t have popcorn cooked on top of the wood stove we would have apples from the cellar that my dad had put down for the winter. It was fascinating to watch dad peel an apple as he would do it so it was one long peel. To this day I cannot peel an apple in one long peel.   A lot of evenings we would play a hand of 83 a card game with dad, or cribbage at the kitchen table. In the living room we always had a game of monopoly going at the card table with my siblings.

We didn’t have to worry about heat when the electricity was out because we had a wood heater in the dining room and the cook stove in the kitchen and we always had a wood shed filled with wood that dad had cut and processed for the home. When it was really really cold my sisters and I would gather around the heater stove and play with our paper dolls and my brothers with their matchbox cars. Those are the good old days!

On another note I was visiting the other day with my next door neighbors and they told me that their son Caleb Paul loves getting the local weekly newspaper the Machias Valley News Observer. He lives in an apartment in Newton, Massachusetts along with two roommates ‘Pistol’ Pete Mellilo of Colchester, Vermont and Jeff ‘Giggles’ Britton of Norwich, Vermont. Caleb met them while at Bryant University where they did cross country together.

 Caleb reads the local news to them especially the Harrington News by Huddy Peterson and of course the Columbia News by me. These boys just can’t believe that this is a real paper and has this kind of local news in it. On top of this that Caleb knows all the folks that we write about. It looks like we have some new fans for our local weekly paper and just maybe they will come for a visit sometime and see the rest of the story.

Back to the past, my dad always called this paper as the’ Sink Spout’ paper, why I don’t really know, but he always was saying he loved getting the Sink Spout on Thursdays to read. I imagine because it contained the local dribbles of news in our towns.  Bedsides the ‘Sink Spout’ he also subscribed to the Bangor Daily News, the Ellsworth American and then later years the Downeast Coastal Press. He enjoyed reading all of these papers for the news of the area. Dad was not much on television, I don’t think he ever watched a program, but once in a while he would listen to the news or watch a basketball game during the tournament week in February. If the teams were not on television he would listen to them on the radio. 

I received a call from my daughter in Boston and they have gotten a lot of snow from the blizzard. She said she had not lost her electricity and that it was still blowing and drifting there on Saturday. In talking with her I found out my grandson Asa just figured out how to crawl with his knees. He has been doing commando crawling with his arms; plus he is pulling himself up and getting from one item to another, so it won’t be long before he will be walking by himself. Doesn’t seem possible he will be nine months old on the 20^th.  I can’t wait to go for a visit during school vacation to visit with him. 

One of our bus drivers Lori Mathews have been out of work this past week because of the flu, she hopes to feel better and be back driving on Monday.

Prayers so out to the Crocker family of Centerville on the loss of their home on Saturday morning to a fire.

Those that will be celebrating a birthday in the coming week are: Dea Peterson on the 13^th, Lanie Perry on the 14^th, Derek Hawes on the 15th, Valerie Worcester and Chucky Peterson on February 17.

There is a lot of sickness in the area, what with the flu and a few folks are in the hospital with major problems, I wish them all get well wishes and hope they all will be up and about soon.

 

The rest of the story"".....Still windy and snowing here. my husband is baking marafax beans for supper so it smells good here. All I have done is check emails facebook and getting the news out today. I have not been out as the mail was canceled because of the storm. It is a good day to stay in and read or watch tv. We have not had any power outage here so that is good. I hope all the rest of you on the East Coast makes it through the Blizzard of 2013 okay. Take care.. Ronie

 

Feb 15, 2013

 

The other day I realized I had been side track all day in getting things done. I went  upstairs to get one item that I needed in the morning and by the time I got back down stairs it was afternoon.    I had gone through some boxes and decided to organize some of the items; of course this led me to another and another box. I had picked over and sorted a whole lot of ‘stuff’. I did end up getting rid of some things. I must say this is a never ending project when you are into genealogy. One item that I did find was an article that my aunt had saved in her things on my uncle Oswald Worcester when he was overseas in the service.

My Uncle Oswald Worcester was an honorable man and was recognized by this write up in a local paper many years ago.

Two Years Overseas With Engineer Unit

ATA USAAF  Airfield in Italy –Recently celebrating two years overseas with an outstanding engineer aviation battalion was Tec. 5 Oswald L. Worcester , Columbia.

More extraordinary than most, have been the experiences of these GIs. Since sailing from a U. S. Port early in 1943, they have traveled three quarters of the way around the globe covering a distance of more than 20,000 miles.  They are one of the few outfits to boast continuous overseas service in two theaters of war, with operations extending to five continents.

It was in North Africa in the spring of 1943, they discovered that their months of desert training at Camp Young, Cal., had not been in van.  Carving runways out of the soft sands, they saw swarms of bombers heading northward to deal out lethal blows that were to reduce Italy into submission.  One morning, Liberators which had been practicing peculiar hedge-hopping tactics for a month on a miniature city that unit had built, set out on the now historic Ploesti raid that threw the wrench into Hitler’s smooth-running war machine.  Their outfit received personal commendation from the Commanding General of the Mediterranean Theater.

Shortly after the surrender, the battalion was constructing a new bridge of airfields spanning Italy from which our bombers and fighters blasted away at enemy- held territory.

Last summer they completed one of their most important and confidential assignments.  On a site north of Rome, within range of Nazi guns, they converted a mine-cleared wheat field into a temporary base from which huge transport glided into the sky bearing troops to the newly-occupied coastline of Southern France. 

Recently they were cited by General Eaker, chief of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, for sustaining and promoting every phase of operation in the Mediterranean Theater.

Oswald lived in Connecticut for a few years before returning home to Columbia for the rest of his life.

Wednesday I was in Bangor with one of the buses for needed repairs, and then on Thursday evening I drove the Harrington basketball team to Beals for their playoffs for the junior high students. This will wrap up the junior high games and then peewee games will start soon.

This week is school vacation and I will be traveling to Boston to visit with my grandson Asa  and his family and praying that we don’t get a snow storm at the end of the week when I will be coming back home. I really hope the temperature will be up while I am there.

Birthdays coming up:  Priscilla Kennedy and Andrew McLaughlin on Feb 20, and Dick Woodsum on the 23^rd of Feb.

 

 

 

February 23, 2013

 

I spent a lovely week in Boston visiting with my grandson Asa during the school vacation. On my way to Boston I met up with Helen Ray of Milbridge on the bus, she was traveling to South Carolina to visit with her daughter for the week. We also came home on the same bus this past Saturday.

On Monday February 18, Jesse, Diadem and Asa took me to see the Looney Tunes at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, Ma. We also met up with Jesse’s cousin Tanya Washburn there.

Diadem and I worked most every evening on an outfit for the upcoming Civil War Ball in April in Columbia Falls. We got part of it finished and she will finish the top hopefully soon and send it to me.

On Thursday I spent the day with Jean Richardson formerly of Addison, she now lives in Maynard, Ma. Jean showed me the area that she now lives in and after enjoying lunch at a Chinese Restaurant she brought me back to my daughter’s home.  We had a nice visit and got caught up on the local news.

Condolences go out to Valerie Batson and Roy Stubbs families. These folks will be missed in our small town.

It seems a lot goes on when you are away for a while what with the deaths of folks that you know and the drug bust last week here in Addison.

While I was gone I had a lovely email from an ex- nephew of mine asking for information on his side of the family. He was in luck that I had done it and had enough info for him to get started on doing his family tree. I was thankful that I had photos of his father’s family to send him as well of the family tree. We accidently got hooked up by an email a few years ago from something that was sent to my daughter in law at the time. I thought I was replying to her.  Kevin St. Pierre sends me an email saying he did not know who I was talking about but he did have family from Aroostook County. When I replied I asked who his family was and found out that it was the same that I had married into years ago. I then informed him of his cousins my daughter and son and told him how he could get in touch with them. My daughter Michelle called and said a cousin had contacted her and wanted to know how I knew him.  Just by chance that was all it took for us to get connected as I knew about his birth but lost touch with the family about 40 years ago. Hopefully my children will stay in touch with this side of their family.

Put on your calendar the Narraguagus Snowmobile Club in Cherryfield is having a supper on March 2 at 5:30 pm and the last one for the season will be on March 23 at the club house

I see that Janice Tenan has a birthday on March 2 and Donna Haire and Kathy Amador on March 3. May they all have a great day and have many more birthdays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2, 2013

 

Photo: Narraguagus Snowmobile Club kitchen helpers at the Supper on March 2, 2013.

I have had another busy week around the home front. I worked on genealogy for a couple of folks.  Took me a bit of time to print out the information for my friend Maureen Healy on her tree but that is done so now I can move onto something else.

I was surprised the other day while talking with one of my students on the bus when she mentioned to me that she did not have any gloves or hats at her house.  I went right home and gathered us some items that my own children had used that I had saved and took them to her; hopefully she will be able to use them.

Kristina Bailey of Columbia is at boot camp in Oklahoma and would love to receive mail. She said for every letter she receives she will do pushups. So here is her address:  PVT Bailey, Kristina, CL22-13, A Battery 1^st Platoon, 1/19 BN, 5970 South Boundary Rd, Sill, OK 73503-5001. Let’s shower her with mail from home; even if she doesn’t know you, I am sure she would love to hear any home town news. She is the niece of Kim & Dale Look of ‘Elmer’s Discount Store”. 

On Friday we had a no school day due to the stormy weather. I called my grandson up and had him over for the day. We spent most of the day in the attic , him playing with the toys up there and me picking over ‘stuff’ and getting rid of a couple more boxes. I was able to say that I accomplished a lot while he was here.  We also visited with the Paul’s next door where Konner loves to visit their chickens; afterwards Konner and I had a snow ball fight before going in to dry off. I sent him home with a bag of books that he found in the attic. He told his dad he even had Huckleberry Finn to read.

I worked in my ‘genealogy’ room all day Saturday and was able to organize some of the mess I have. I found some interesting reading in The Second Boat genealogy publication co-edited by Rosemary E. Bachelor and Mary H. Dormer of Machias, Maine that was published in the ‘90’s. 

Saturday evening Carroll and I attended the Narraguagus Snowmobile Club supper in Cherryfield. We enjoyed the food and the folks that turn out to these suppers. The folks that put on the supper are all good cooks.

Sunday afternoon while we were out and about we stopped by for a visit with Steve & Bunnie Plummer of Harrington and had a cup of tea while catching up on the news.

 

 

 

March 10, 2013

Photo of David Mague of Columbia third place adult winner of DownEast American Idol.

 

Day light saving time is finally here again. I love it when we have the extra daylight in the afternoon. It won’t be long before the first day of spring (Spring Equinox) will arrive on March 20^th; let’s hope Mother Nature will bring us warmer weather.

            On Tuesday March 5, seven members of Hannah Weston DAR Chapter met at the home of Valdine Atwood in Machias. Those that attended were: Ronie Strout of Addison, Roberta Hammond of Columbia Falls, Ruth Ahrens of Lubec, Barbara Maloy and Celeste Sherman of Machiasport, and Mary Alice Look of Whiting, The next meeting will be held at the Livingroom, Upper Court St. Machias on April 2^nd at 1:00 PM.

            On Thursday March 7^th a bus load of students from Narraguagus High traveled to Hermon Mt. for skiing, snowboarding and tubing there. It was a late night for all of us.

            Carroll and I were in Ellsworth and Brewer on Saturday doing errands. I so do hate to waste a whole day doing errands and spending my hard earn money.

            Friday evening Tracie Peterson of Harrington hosted a 31 Party at her home. Many folks turned out for it. A fun time was had by all during the demonstration, afterwards we gathered around the table for some good old fashion socializing.

            On Saturday the 5^th Annual American DownEast Idol was held at Narraguagus High School with seventeen contestants. First place for the Junior Division went to Will Somes & Kasara Decker 2^nd place to Elexis Dubose, 3^rd place went to Alexis Fletcher.

The Adult Division had first place go to Gabby Jackson, 2^nd place Alora Felix and 3^rd place to David Mague.  

            Mark on your calendar that the next meeting of the Washington Co. Historical & Genealogical Society will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in the Emergency Management Room, 28 Center Street, Machias, Maine.

            Sunday was a busy day for me, as first we went out to breakfast to meet up with our grandson Konner and his parents, and then I tackled hunting for photos of my grandparents that I know I have and probably put in a very safe place, which I cannot find. In looking for these I found other photos of our extended family that desperately need to be put in albums. Alas I do not have the time in one day to do everything I want to. I did find a nice photo of the Class of 1929 of Columbia Falls, with Fred Chandler, Fred Pineo, Jr. Mellen Stevens, Evabelle Libby, Genetta Drisko, and Alvina Libby that was in my collection and the program for the Commencement Exercise.

            I guess this week was ‘call’ your cousin week as I received calls from two cousins this week, Alice Jones and Maize Dennison.  I also enjoyed talking with Barbara Farren of Addison. She wanted to know if I knew that my brother Bruce was in Florida as her relative had called and told her that he had talked with him. His truck gave him away with Worcester on it. You just can’t keep a secret where you are if you have your business on your truck because there is always someone that will know you.

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 16, 2013

            Photo: Town of Addison new First Selectman Brad Hamel

            Photo; Rainbow Girls at Milbridge.

 

                        Addison had their town meeting on Tuesday evening March 12 at the D.W. Merritt School; one hundred fourteen voters voted on the first selectman position that was opened. Mike Murphy received 34 votes and Brad Hamel received 79, with one vote disqualified. Mike Murphy and has a lot of knowledge of the town of Addison in his head as he has held office for 32 years.

Congratulations to Linda Davis our mail carrier on her upcoming retirement in working for the Post Office here in Addison, she has delivered mail to all of us for many years.

On Thursday Carroll and I were in Ellsworth and Mount Desert for errands, and while waiting for my appointment we took a ride to Bass Harbor.

Condolences go out to the family of Rebecca Grant Hall, my cousin who passed away on March 11, 2013 in South Carolina. Rebecca is related to Worcester’s, Look’s and Grant’s in the Columbia Falls area. We will surely miss her amongst the family reunions and gatherings. Her funeral was on Friday in Bangor. Those from the immediate area that attended were Chuck and Roberta Hammond and Philip, Valerie and Malinda Worcester of Columbia Falls, Sherry Polly and Ronie Strout of Addison.

Saturday afternoon The Order of Eastern Star, Rumery Chapter #46 of Jonesport had sixty members and one guest at their Installation Ceremony the new 2013-2014 Officers. The Alcyone Chapter #71 of Milbridge had fifty two members and one guest at their Installation Ceremony for the new 2013-2014 Officers. A supper was held before the Milbridge meeting.  The Rainbow Girls of Bangor / Ellsworth area preformed for us before we had our Installation which was very beautiful.

Members of the Order of Eastern Star that attended the two installations came from: Florida, Ashland, Jonesport, Jefferson, Thomaston, Orrington, Presque Isle, Orland, Bangor, Machias, Lisbon Falls, Ellsworth and Milbridge.

On Sunday the Pleasant River Historical Society met at the home of Jeanette Perry’s in the afternoon. Discussion was held on the upcoming calendar progress and on the cannons base replacements progress. Everything is right on target as soon as the weather gets better. We looked at older photos of the Town of Addison that Jeanette Perry had in her collection. Those that attended were Jeanette Perry, Cathy Fonda, Tim and Mary Thompson, and Ronie Strout.

Sunday evening March 17, we enjoyed our St Patrick Corned Beef dinner with friends, Roberta and Chuck Hammond of Columbia Falls .  Doesn’t seem possible that March is half over and another snow storm in the forecast.

Tickets for the Civil War Ball are now on sale at the Columbia Falls Town Office for April 6. The tickets are made as a program where you write in who is dancing with you during the evening. This will be a great souvenir for the 150 year celebration of Columbia Falls.

I am excited about going to the Civil War Ball as I with the help of my daughter have made my outfit for it.  This should be a great social activity for the town and as some folks say ‘something different’ is happening in the area. Sounds like fun and I hope the locals will all turn out for it in their finery. The best part of the outfit I have made is that I can wear it during the day of the celebration in June. I think it would be so neat to have anyone that can be dressed in the Civil War era go in their outfits this day.

 

March 24, 2013

 

Photo of Grace Peterson of Columbia voting at 94

Photo of Meeting:  Ronald Pesha speaker for WCHGS

Photo of cooking off syrup on Maple Sunday

 

The Town of Columbia had their 217th town meeting on Monday, March 18, 2013 with forty seven folks attending. Sonny Beal was reelected as first selectman, and Brandon Lovejoy was reelected as Road Commissioner. All forty two articles were passed with only one article with some discussion on it. The meeting adjourned at 7:58 P.M.

The annual town meeting supper sponsored by the Columbia Cemetery Society was attended by sixty three folks from surrounding towns.

 Ninety four year old Grace Peterson the oldest resident of Columbia attended both the supper and voted at the meeting.

Because of the snowstorm on Thursday school was canceled in our district, but it did not stop us from going to Ellsworth for my appointment and stopping at Jordan’s for the first ice-cream of the season. There was quite a crowd out for the first day of spring at Jordan’s.

This week we were saddened to hear that Susie ‘Tucker” Leighton/Brewer passed away, a funeral will be held on March 30 in Augusta. Also during this week I was informed of the deaths of two first cousins. Joseph Steward Jr. on December 1, 2012 and Agnes “Maddie” (Madden) Cameron on March 10, 2013, brother and sister they were the children of the former Gladys Grant of Columbia Falls.

On Saturday the Washington County Historical & Genealogical Society met in Machias with twenty one folks attending. Ronald Pesha was the speaker for the day. He spoke on the Gold Swindle of Lubec back in the 1800’s. Those that traveled to the meeting were: Valdine Atwood, Wallace Bunrer, Jim Appleman all of Machias; Bill Plaskon, Donald Woodward, Patsy Kelley, Shane Farris, Buzz Alley and Billy Milliken all of Jonesport; Cathy Fonda and Ronie Strout of Addison; Barbara Sellitto, Ron and Rowna Pesha all of Lubec; John and Bonnie Van Dyke of Brewer; Tom Gaddis and Paul Dyer both of East Machias, Celeste Sherman and Betsy Fitzgerald both of Machiasport.

Sunday we attended the Maine Maple Syrup Sunday activities at the Exeter camp with over seventy of our friends showing up. On the menu, was two dump can turkeys,  barbecue spare ribs, ham, two batches of bake beans, homemade yeast rolls, cold slaw, pasta salad, Caesar salads, potato salad, hotdogs and rolls, pies, cookies, bars and homemade ice-cream with fresh maple syrup. What a wonderful time we had with catching up on the news for the year and seeing old friends.

I am now looking for photos of old businesses in the towns of Addison, Columbia and Columbia Falls for the 2014 Calendar that the Pleasant River Historical Society is putting together soon. I am looking for a good copy of the Country Kitchen/Bargain Box in Columbia and of the gas station on the Four Corners back in the early 50-60's.

 

Columbia News

 

March 29, 2013

 Photo: Donnie Woodward speaker at the Jonesport Historical Society

Photo: John Tibbetts speaking on the Union Hall.

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            A benefit supper for Matthew Mitchell will be held at the Addison Town Hall Friday April 12 at 5:00 p.m. Donations will be taken at the door. Homemade baked beans, casseroles, chop suey, rolls and pies will be served. If you have any questions or would like to make a donation, call Tina Ryan at 497-2811

Get well wishes go out to Joseph Tibbetts of Columbia, we hope he will be home soon from the hospital and to Al Moore of Columbia Falls. We hope that Al will be back to driving the bus soon. He is greatly missed.

Columbia Falls held their 150 town meeting in the Union Hall this year with over one hundred residents and spectators attending.

Jay Look won by one vote for the second selectman position against Todd Emerson who has held the office for a few years.

The position for one assessor was voted on and Dale Smith was reelected by a close call against Pam Look.  Grace Falzarano lost to Lenora Weaver on the Treasurer position by one vote. Nancy Bailey, Administrative Assistant, Mike Bailey, Road Commissioner, and Sally Thompson, S.A. D #37 School Board Director kept their positions for another year.

Sally Thompson had lots of discussion on the report this year, and requested to adjourn the meeting till some of the questions were answered. It was voted to continue on the meeting. A long discussion was held on the naming of the Union Hall, some folks wanted it left that name Union Hall as it is in the deed and others said it was always the ‘town hall’ when they were younger and it should be named just ‘Town Hall”. The town voted to postpone this article.  The meeting adjourned at 9:30 pm.

Jonesport Historical Society had seventeen members turn out to their meeting on Thursday March 28, 2013.  The speaker was President Donnie Woodward on old homes in Jonesport and who they belonged to in the present and past. It was very interesting to hear with comments from the audience that added more information to what he had gathered. Donnie will have to have another meeting about the homes and who owned them as we did not have enough time to see all of them at this meeting.

On a sunny and warm Saturday over 60 friends and relatives came to celebrate and honor the life of our family member Aunt Susie Tucker Leighton/Brewer at the Knowlton-Hewins Funeral Home in Augusta. Following the lovely service, refreshments were served at the home of her son Gary Leighton on Patrick Street. Folks from our area that attended were Carroll and Ronie Strout of Addison, Ruberta Plummer of Harrington, and Jonathan and Danielle Plummer of East Machias.

Another family gathering was held at the Strout’s home on Easter Sunday. Our children, Michelle and David McLaughlin, Zachary, Tiffany and Konner Strout joined us for dinner. A small egg hunt for the grandson preceded the meal. A good time was had by all.

 

April 7, 2013

 

Photo: White Family Home

Photo Recognition Certificate for Columbia Church

 

On Thursday of this past week I was given a tour of the White Family Museum in our own little Town of Columbia. This has been the best kept secret for a number of years and only a few have had the pleasure of having a tour of this historical home.

Sonja Grant the daughter of Betty and Clifford Grant of Columbia walked me through the historical home of Julius and Anne White on Route One reminiscing of all that her mother had put into fixing the house up as a small museum. One of the items that I really found interesting was the certificate of The World Service of The Methodist Church Certificate of Recognition, whereas, Columbia Church has met its full apportionment for World Service for the years 1949 & 1950 thus strengthening and extending the Proclamation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This certificate was awarded by the Council of Secretaries in recognition and appreciation of the loyalty and Service of the membership of the Church and it was signed by Louis S. Staples, District, Superintendent.

Two more interesting certificates hanging on the wall dated 1867 stated that Ferdinand Maxfield was a member of the Order of Knights Templar around the Globe and that he also belonged to the Royal Arch Masonry in Eagle R.A. Chapter in 1866. The historical value of finding two actual certificates belonging to two organizations from this small community is just mind boggling. I wonder now if anyone else has historical documentations in their homes that they would share with us.

Another great historical document is the 1870 marriage certificate of Julius E. White and Anne P. Smith with their photos and a photo of the Justice of Peace, Levi Leighton is also hanging in the home.

Betty and Clifford Grant’s intent in the beginning was to restore this home and use it as an “Educational Tool” for people to see what daily life would be like in those eras of the late 1800's and early part of the 19th century. It was meant to “feel” like a home, that the family just stepped out for a minute. With the help of Clifford's brother, Leslie "Toot" Grant, they did preserved this family legacy.

Betty and Clifford knew it would be different from the Ruggles House in Columbia Falls because the era was different and this was a "middle class" family home. The intent was always a museum of some type. When Betty was alive she would open it on weekends for anyone that wanted a tour, now that she has passed her daughter Sonja Grant says that she would be delighted to schedule a tour any day she is available. You can reach her at this number 483-2727 to set up a tour.

Over eighty folks attended the Civil War Ball Saturday evening at the “Union Hall, in Columbia Falls. We were taught the basic steps in Contra Dancing before each dance. What fun we had with some of us dressing up in our ‘finery’ in period costume.

Kindergarten registration was this week in our district for the coming school year. I spent all day in Harrington answering questions to the little people about riding the bus and giving them the chance to see what the inside looked like. Other drivers that did the same thing this week were: Pat Thaxter for Addison, Clara Ann Freeman for Milbridge and Tracey Peterson for Cherryfield.

Joseph Tibbetts is now recuperating at home after his stay at the hospital. I bet it won’t be long before he will be out and about again.

 

April 14, 2013

Photo: Orrin Worcester with a coyote:

 

The math team from Narraguagus High School traveled to Bangor on Tuesday April 9 to compete in the Thirty Seventh Annual Maine State Math Meet at the Bangor Auditorium.

On Thursday evening April 11 twenty Eastern Star members came together for a meeting at the Masonic Hall in Milbridge, the Chapters that came to our Alcyone Chapter 71, were Irene Chapter 97 of Ellsworth and Riverside Chapter 123 of Orland. Refreshments were served following the meeting.

            We got word that on May 10 at 11 am at the Evergreen Cemetery in Milbridge there will be a grave side service for Susie (Tucker) Leighton-Brewer formerly of Milbridge for friends and family that could not attend the service in Augusta.

            While going through some photos this week I found this one of my Dad, Orrin Worcester of Columbia showing me the coyote that he shot out of the dining room window that day. I know of many coyotes that he took care of this way instead of trapping them. In recent years there are local coyote hunters in the area that eliminate quite a few of them here out and about on the Ridge Rd.

                        We recently have adopted a new cat. Jasper is about two or three years old, he has almost trained us in what he wants. We wondered how we got along without him up to now.

            This week during school vacation I will be spending some time in Boston with my grandson Asa Washburn and his parents. Asa has grown since I was there last in February and he now signs when he is hungry and claps his hands.

On my way to Boston on the bus, Saturday I met a lovely young man Tom and his wife Julie who are actors in New York, they had been to Portland, Maine to celebrate his parents wedding anniversary. The man sitting behind me told me he was from St. John, New Brunswick.  My trip on the bus went by very quickly when you can socialize with other folks.

My daughter said she just couldn’t figure out how I can start talking with people and find out where they are coming from and where they are going to; besides the movie wasn’t any good, so why not pass the time away talking.

The weather in Boston is about the same as in Addison, right now. I was kind of hoping it would be warmer. I did notice the forsythia bushes along the streets are in bloom. Diadem is waiting and watching to see what comes up in her flower gardens at her home.

April 20, 2013

Photo: Humvees, and Graveyard.

I was in Boston last week during school vacation and was caught up in all of the events that took place there. Thank goodness I was not near where the bombings took place on Monday. I was at my daughters in Dorchester, where we first heard about this via the internet and then by television.

 On Tuesday Sarah, Asa and I did go into the City for a trial run to find my way to where my appointment on Thursday would be. The day was beautiful, folks were out and about enjoying Boston Common. Sarah, Asa and I  spent some time walking around the area and stopped to play with my grandson on Boston Common where we saw lots of military personal and police officers across the area.  

On Wednesday Sarah, Asa and I took a three mile walk around the area where  my daughter lives. Then on Thursday another beautiful day,  I took the Mass T into Boston and walked to Tuffts Medical on Tremont Street for my appointment.

Before my appointment I visited the Cranary Burying Ground.   Off a website I found the following information; that many of the Burying Ground’s tombstones are decorated with elaborate flying skulls (to represent the soul flying up to Heaven), the Grim Reaper, Father Time, scroll work, and epitaphs in fancy script.

That there are 2,345 markers at the Burying Ground, but not everyone was buried with a marker, and in some cases one marker was used for multiple people.  Estimates of how many people are actually buried here run from about 5,000 to about 8,000. The Granary Burying Ground also contains a marker for the “Infant’s Tomb,” where an estimated 500 children were buried. It was truly amazing to go into this burying place and read the history of the folks that are buried there. Among those who are known to be buried at the Granary Burying Ground are many prominent Bostonians from history.  These include: * The parents and certain relatives of Benjamin Franklin (though not Franklin himself, who is buried in Philadelphia) * Samuel Adams * The victims of the Boston Massacre, whose ashes are interred in Samuel Adams’s family tomb * John Hancock * James Otis * Paul Revere * Robert Treat Paine, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence * John Endecott, the first governor of colonial Massachusetts  and* John Phillips, the first mayor of Boston.

After my appointment I met up with my daughter Diadem and we visited the King’s Chapel Burying Ground another historic cemetery on Tremont Street that is older than the Cranary Burying Ground. Here in this lies John Winthrop, Massachusetts’ first Governor and Mary Chilton, the first woman to step off the Mayflower. Again on the internet I found this information that the most notable about this historic cemetery is Joseph Tapping’s stone in the front of the burying ground where a skeleton and Father Time battle over the eventuality of death it says that it is Boston’s most beautiful headstone. Of course I took lots of photos of both cemetery.

We then ventured to  the market place where did a walk by, we saw the New England Holocaust Memorial before we walk down to the Boston Marriot Wharf where we watched the Presidents plane take off, then we walked by the Aquarium, up to the Financial District where my daughter works, then onto South Station to take the Mass T home. A lot of history and information to put away in my head. Just not enough time to see everything in one afternoon.

Friday morning in checking the news we found that all of Boston was in lock down. That meant my daughter had to stay home from work till the bomber was found.  Here again another beautiful day about 76 degrees and we could not go into the city. We did venture out to Ronan Park for fifteen minutes just a short walk from Diadem’s home.

I spent the rest of the day cooking; making yeast bread and cookies, watching a movie, and reading and checking the news to see what was happening and wondering if I would be able to leave on Saturday morning for Addison, Maine. Alas on Saturday morning I read on the internet that South Station was up and running again. I got to the station early and caught my bus for home. Later I found out that the station was evacuated for a while due to a suspicious package right after I had left on the bus.

I was glad to get home and resume my normal routine in my hometown Addison.

 

April 28, 2013

Photo: Rosanne Saucier

 Fish fry folks .

 

            Twenty eight folks turned out to the Jonesport Historical Society meeting Thursday evening on April 25. Rosanne Saucier, the genealogy reporter for the Bangor Daily News was the guest speaker. Her genealogy news articles, called Family Ties, appear in the Bangor Daily News on Mondays. Rosanne’s talk was on “Who’s Your Cousin?” with the explanation of family relationships, such as first cousin twice removed, and second cousin three times removed.

Roxanne said that in the coming weeks she will be writing about her trip to Jonesport, Maine in her Family Ties column.

Many folks near and far came to the annual Smelt Fish Fry in Columbia Falls on Friday evening April 26. Moose meat stew, smelts, bake beans, hotdogs, smoked chicken, squash, different kinds of salads, biscuits and a blueberry crisp for desert was on the menu.   At our table there were two families from Columbia Falls, a lady from Sullivan, and Lennox Ramsay of Addison that we visited with while we enjoyed our meal.

Tracey Peterson and I drove all fifth graders in the district to the Shrine Circus in Bangor on Saturday. This was Tracey’s first time to the Shrine Circus. During the intermission I socialized with the folks behind us and found out that I knew their families the Garnett’s and Frasers of Harrington.

All artists mark your calendar for June 29, to create a painting at the Columbia Falls 150 celebration. Anyone and everyone can create a painting during the day and have it auctioned off at the Union Hall.  Proceeds with 30 % of final bid will benefit the town of Columbia Falls; 70 % of final bid will benefit the artist. Look for more information coming up in the local papers in the coming weeks.

I heard that a lot of family and friends turned out to congratulate Linda Davis on her retirement from Addison’s mail carrier on Saturday at the Addison Town Hall. I could not attend as I had driven the bus to the circus and did not get back in time.

It seems nice that we have had a few good days to work out in the yard; it got me out to buy a few herb plants at a local hot house even thought I can’t plant them outside yet, I did put them in larger pots.  I also was able to fine enough dandelions around the yard for a mess for supper. Dandelions are a delicacy for certain folks in the area and they are so good for you too.