Turner's Public Spirit, May 20, 1922
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. Morton Seavey is at home from college on account of illness.
“Representative Alfred W. Hartford is out with a new sedan.
“Leslie Sherman, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Sherman, is seriously ill, having required a specialist from Boston this week.
“About Town. Mr. Cutting is putting in a cellar for his new modern bungalow at the corner of Main street and Tadmuck road in place of the house burned early last winter.
“Arthur J. O’Brien has hired the Daniel H. Sheehan pasture on Pigeon hill.
“D. L. Greig has a Ford sedan. Both Mr. and Mrs. Greig learned to run the car in a remarkably short time.
“Mrs. Eben Prescott, who is president of the Branch Alliance of the Unitarian church, will attend the Unitarian conference in Boston next week.
“The best news we have this week is that the apple orchards are in full bloom and are beautiful. Perhaps every town can report the same good news. In our own Stony Brook valley we have made a tour of investigation, just to enjoy the beauties of the trees in bloom and we can report that the orchards of the following are a handsome sight: Robert Prescott, Eben Prescott, H. G. Osgood, Miss May Boynton, the G. A. Drew farm, Barnard Flynn, S. L. Taylor and W. R. Taylor….
“As this is the season of the year for starting work in the gardens, the library wishes to call attention to some of the books it contains, which will be helpful to the farmer or gardener in making a success of their work. Books for either flower or vegetable gardening may be found in the list of books available….
“Houghton G. Osgood is employing on his farm a young French student from the Massachusetts Agricultural college in place of the late George O. Spaulding. He rooms and boards with the Cram family on Chamberlin road.
“Catfish to the number of 2500 were liberated last week Wednesday in the Merrimack river, near Tyngsboro Island. The fish came here through the courtesy of the Ohio fish and game department and measured from seven to fourteen inches in length and resembles the hornpout, although considerably larger….
“J. Willard Fletcher, Frank W. Bannister, Arthur J. O’Brien and S. L. Taylor all planted a quantity of potatoes last week, with a Morning Glory two-horse potato planter….
“Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted club opened the baseball season here last Saturday when they defeated the fast Sharon town team by the score of 4 to 2….
“Fred M. Defoe, the well known sportsman and a handy man with the fishing rod and shot gun, has recently placed on exhibition here the finest string of trout that has been seen in years. He caught them himself last Saturday morning, but he did not say where.
“The Sunday services in the Methodist church were largely attended, the day being observed as mothers’ day. The pastor, Rev. William E. Anderson, delivered an eloquent sermon appropriate to the day, and there was special singing by the choir. The Misses Emily and Hilma Hanson were heard in the pleasing vocal duet, ‘Mother o’ mine.’ …
“The stone business is now enjoying quite a boom in this vicinity. L. P. Palmer & Sons, local stone contractors, now have a large force of men at work with orders to last until late in the fall….
“About Town. It sometimes happens that small towns produce large men physically. Such was the case of the small town of Carlisle, where the town historian informs us of John Dana Robbins, who stood six feet two inches, unshod, and weighed 450 pounds, and was probably the largest man in the state, and perhaps in the United States. Of his seven children, Daniel Webster Robbins is living at Carlisle Center, twenty-two years on the board of selectmen, veteran of the civil war and well known in Westford and surrounding towns.
“To offset the damage done by the sleet storm of last winter and to conform to the desire of the state forester the old historic town of Lexington has started to establish a town forest near the old reservoir. The variety will be mostly Norway spruce seedlings and pine. It is wise that the patriotism of 1775 survives in so many useful ways. Renewed planting of trees, shrubs and flowers in this town of revolutionary history in the spirit of Arbor day helps to make patriotism of all varieties come easier.
“In the land of potatoes ‘Winter still lingers in the lap of spring,’ when snow fell to the depth of one-half an inch in Houlton, Me., May 11. This is the latest fall of snow recorded since May 30, 1917, when about the same amount fell in Houlton.”
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