Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago --
October 1923

The large barn and group of several small sheds, etc. on the farm owned by William Lamson on the Lime Rock road was completely destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning about 11 o’clock. The barn was filled with hay, crops, etc. which were all destroyed. The Lakeville Chemical Co. truck responded but the blaze had gained too great headway before being discovered and it was not possible to save the buildings. The efforts of the firemen were devoted to saving the house which they did very successfully, although the fire was an intensely hot one and some lively work was required with buckets, etc., for a short time.

Through the effort of the Lakeville Business Men’s Association 10,000 young lake trout have been placed in the lake coming from the Sheffield hatchery. It is also understood that 2,000 brook trout have been placed in the different streams hereabouts.

Clifford Cullen has given up his position as clerk at the post office. In all Mr. Cullen has been a familiar figure at the post office for the past 14 years. He has not announced his plans for the future.

Burt Ball is wearing his right arm in a sling, the result of an injured wrist received while cranking a Ford car.

LIME ROCK — Mrs. Frank Boice has sold her household goods and has gone to Bristol.

50 years ago —
October 1973

As Connecticut State Police fastened a tight curtain of secrecy around details of the Friday night murder of Barbara Gibbons in Falls Village, friends and neighbors rallied this week to the defense of her 18-year-old son who has been charged with the crime. Miss Gibbons, 51, was found in battered and bleeding condition in her home on Route 63, the victim of multiple wounds. Her son, Peter Reilly, was arrested by state police from the Canaan Barracks and charged with murder. His attorney, Catherine Roraback, said Reilly had been in police custody since they went to the scene of the murder Friday night. As the grisly happening became known, a number of persons acquainted with young Reilly expressed astonishment at the murder charge against the youth. He reportedly  had been at the Canaan Youth Center Friday evening until only a few minutes before the murder was discovered.

Sharply rising prices and a critical shortage of newsprint have compelled The Lakeville Journal to increase its newsstand copy and mail subscription rates. Beginning with this week’s issue the price at newsstands will be 25 cents per copy. 

Sunday afternoon Russ Conklin, of Silvermine, Conn., and a friend were in their canoe on Washinee, cleaning up old cans and litter from the area, when they were attracted by floating $10 and $20 bills. They dug down in the water below and found a wallet belonging to Herbert Heller of Between-the-Lakes Road, who had taken his daughters canoeing from Lake Washining to Washinee last Thursday afternoon.  Conklin and his friend returned the wallet, which also contained Heller’s driver’s license, credit cards, about $200 in cash, along with theater tickets for his daughter’s birthday. “The lake is to be appreciated for its mysterious ways,” the Hellers commented, “but all commendation must go to Ross Conklin for his heart-warming honesty, care and great good will.”

25 years ago —
October 1998

FALLS VILLAGE — As people gathered in small groups throughout the room and young children gaily ran about, Les Allyn looked on with a smile and a bit of astonishment. The festivities at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building in Canaan Sunday evening were a surprise party for Mr. Allyn on his 80th birthday. Friends and colleagues, nearly 100 of them, came to the event put on by his family. His daughter-in-law Gail, who was responsible for getting him to the party, said “We love him dearly. He’s such a great man.” Mr. Allyn, small and spry, has no thoughts of retiring from his position as custodian of Housatonic Valley Regional High School.

Does harvesting timber make one a farmer? Loggers for Becton Dickinson and Co. say it does and used that as an explanation for not seeking a permit to cut trees on the property’s wetlands adjacent to the plant. Representatives from BD and Wayne Horn Logging & Forestry in Goshen appeared before the Inland Wetlands Commission last week to answer an inquiry by the commission. Residents who noticed activity on the property off Route 7 south alerted commission members, who sent a letter dated Sept. 10 to BD officials. By the end of the meeting, BD’s James Zampaglione admitted the company had unwittingly conducted illegal logging.

These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.