STOUGHTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOUNDED 1895

Volume 1, Number 4 - May 1970

APRIL MEETING presided over by President Phyllis Batchelder, brought us two new members: Mrs. Faith Crandall and Mrs. Ada Meserve. Mrs. Crandall is Secretary of the Historical Commission... as the Pistors are moving to Honolulu there is a vacancy in the Secretary's chair... it is proposed that two offices, recording secretary and Corresponding secretary, be filed...no immediate response to a call for volunteers... The passing of one of our members, Frank Burnham, 96, was noted and our regret expressed to his daughter Ruth. . .It was reported that several members attended the Selectmen's meeting to indicate our support of the preservation of the local depot and its being placed in the National Register... petitions have been circulated and many have willingly signed...in respect to the preservation of the depot we have been advised to continue "unremitting pressure" on the National Register committee.

CORRESPONDENCE from a gentleman in New Jersey asks for any information regarding the "underground railroad" during the Civil War. he requests, especially, news of known "stations" in Stoughton and its immediate area...Phyllis Batchelder told of her personal knowledge of and experiences in such a home on Seaver St... The Library of Congress requests any information of historical value for inclusion in its records.

DONATIONS this past month have included an 18-?? Bible from Mrs. Amy Terrell, an old picture of the fire house; medals with printed-upon silk ribbons presented by Walter Hatch, a guest from the Easton Society early maps of Stoughton from Hank Herbowy; a program from the recent dedication of the rebuilt Universalist Church from Phyllis Batchelder.

ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE will include visits to the Old Indian burial ground, the corner stone of Ponkapoag Reservation, site of first school, (Lucius Clapp Memorial Building), site of first church and first house, Gilbert's and Messer's quarries (from which the stone for our depot came), and the site of the mysterious glass factory (subject of Phyllis Batchelder's absorbing talk at the April meeting). The day will conclude with a cookout at Mrs. Batchelder's home on West Street.

THE DATE May 23...rain date May 30th. RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE

Cards will be sent with time and meeting place, etc. Best News: there will be no charge for the supper on the day of the pilgrimage...be sure your reservation is in on time.

A SIGN to cover the stone-carved "Public Library" and proclaiming the building to be the Lucius Clapp Memorial Building was proposed. A temporary sign of heavy, durable wood to be placed upon the lawn was also proposed and its cost and design are being further investigated. This sign would have attached to it the names of the Historical Society, the Youth Center, and whoever else might meet regularly within the Memorial Building. We must let it be known that we are alive and active.

Another trolley line organized about the same time was the Easton St. Rwy., built during 1902-1904. This line ran from Morse's Corner, S. Easton, up Washington St past Daly's Corner. It crossed the South Stoughton Branch RR on its own bridge at Stoughton Jet. (mentioned in March NEWSLETTER). From there it continued to Stoughton Sq. where it joined the tracks of the Brockton Bay State and 'Randolph lines, the' Easton and Randolph lines merged and became known at the Bristol & Norfolk St. Ry. a name the Randolph line perpetuated until the end. (The Easton Line is believed to have run only in the Summer and Fall of 1903 - 1904) The line shut down around 1919 and a Mr. Raymond French, with the help of other interested citizens, rescued the rails and equipment...from a junk dealer who was about to tear up the road. Mr. French, a former Bay State St. Ry. employee, operated the line until 1923 when the Commonwealth rebuilt the highway. (Mr. French retired recently after more than 40 years of service.)

THE FOLLOWING SPACE is what the NEWSLETTER would amount to without contributions. ...

                                                                                                                                                            .....not very interesting, is it?

So if you have a particular interest in local history and have already gained some knowledge of your subject, please put it into writing and send it along. Perhaps you may recall something from your memory that would be of interest to us all. Possibly you believe your information is not ve'ry interesting to someone else. Put it in writing anyway... ye ol' Ed's job is to decide what is of interest...and I'll do my best to sort out arid publish any worthy items.

YE OL' ED wishes all of you a pleasant summer where ever you may be, at home or away...if you go away and visit historical places in N.E. please send a card. We may still have an August issue but vacation time may interfere...contributions will help if time is short. Have a good time...be happy...and return safely.

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