Letters to the Editor August 18

Tag sale proceeds will help Habitat

As Habitat for Humanity puts the wraps on another record-breaking tag sale, several acknowledgements are in order:  The Hotchkiss School for providing a great venue along with an extremely helpful staff; tables from Salisbury School and the Lakeville Hose Company; Lynn and Tony Nania for hosting our victory party; and all our faithful  volunteers and the public for their unwavering support.

Funds raised will give us a leg up  on our next affordable home, ready to rise in North Canaan.

Judi Moore

Lakeville

Genealogist could use help finding information on Maddocks family

I have been searching for information about my three-times great-grandfather, Jacob G. Maddocks.

My hope is that someone in the Great Barrington area will read this and have some information, photos or old records containing information about them.

Jacob G. Maddocks was born in Maine in 1825. I’d like to know who his parents were. Maddocks is often misspelled, Maddox, Maddix and Mattox, to list just a few.

He married Elizabeth Linscott in Appleton, Maine, in January 1844. They moved to Great Barrington between 1852 and 1855 with their children, Chester, Ephraim (b. 1844) and Avesta, all born in Maine.

Chester (1844 - Feb. 8, 1859) and Avesta (1852-1855) died in Massachusetts. I have Avesta’s death record. She is buried in Mahaiwe Cemetery in Great Barrington. Chester is buried in the Old Ashley Falls Cemetery in Sheffield. I do not have a record of how he died or where and would like to know.

Jacob had three children born in Massachusetts: Charles J. (1856), Rose E. (1858) and Libby (1860). I have only Libby’s birth record.

Jacob purchased property in Ashley Falls, with Joseph Maddocks, from Henry C. Thurston.  They worked in Alford, Mass., as coopers. Their business partnership ended. Joseph moved his family to Brookfield, Conn. I’d like to know how these men were related.

Jacob volunteered for the Sheffield militia 1860-61. I haven’t found a Civil War record for him. It’s possible he joined the navy.  Naval records are called Rendezvous Reports and are not found online. It is also possible that Jacob spent time in jail.

Unable to pay for the property, Jacob and Joseph were taken to court:

From the court session April 12, 1862, in Lenox, Mass.:    

“By virtue of this execution, this day seized and took the real estate above described and caused three discreet and disinterested men to be sworn as appraisers.… Grove D. Griffith appointed by Henry C. Thurston, John Scovill, appointed by Elizabeth Maddocks, wife of Jacob Maddocks…being out of this state and having no other tenant, agent or attorney … taken by force … the fourth Monday of February 1862 … recovered judgment against Jacob G. Maddocks of said Sheffield, yeoman, for the sum of $128.32 and $45.66 …  where said Jacob G. Maddocks now lives … East side of the highway leading from Ashley falls to Peter VanDeusen …”

Jacob had a balance still owed to Henry C. Thurston of $44.20: “… commit his body to jail … unless he paid within 30 days to the clerk.”

Who would know if he went to jail? If he paid the debt?

So the family goes missing until I found their last child’s death record, Martha E. Maddocks, stating she was born in Connecticut in 1866.  I’d like to know in what town.

I’d appreciate any information or additional questions.

If anyone has any knowledge of this family, please email me at suzgagnon@msn.com.  

Suzanne (Maddocks) Gagnon

Douglas, Mass.

Is the party over? I hope so!

I am worried that, despite what President Obama claims, the recession is not over. The stock market was up — until last week, when the U.S. credit rating was downgraded by Standard and Poor’s. In America there are still 17 million people looking for work, the same number as last year. What kind of recovery is that?

Left to its own devices, I don’t think the private sector is going to rebound. Small- and medium-size businesses are not going to start hiring. They can’t afford to. Too risky. People aren’t buying. Despite what the president claims, the economy is slipping. The question is, will the slippery slope turn into a cascading landslide? Has  the double dip recession begun?

Despite the rhetoric about debt reduction mouthed by the White House, the president knows that the government must, somehow, renew stimulus spending in order to jump-start the economy. He wants government sponsored infrastructure projects — roads,  bridges, telecommunications, railroad upgrades, a new energy grid — anything to put America back to work. The Democrats and the president want to renew the stimulus program. I think they are right.

There is a precedent for this strategy of government spending that resulted in full employment: the borrowing and spending the U.S. government did in order to win World War II. But, this country, in 1943, despite all kinds of  financial  manipulations, nearly ran out of money to pay factories to produce the ships, planes and tanks  that won the war. We were broke.

The government then turned to the individual citizen in order to continue funding the war. The call was: “Buy a tank. Buy a plane. Buy War Bonds!” while, at the same time, taxes on the wealthy shot up and up to 90 percent and above.

America is a consumer society. We have to keep the public purchasing power numbers up. Just like in the war, the way things are today, the entity most able to quickly fund short-term full employment is government.

Consider, for example, that the military draft in 1940 soaked up millions of men and boys who the year before had been unemployed, standing in bread lines. Today America’s military numbers about 1.5 million men and women, and defense necessity aside, today’s military is one huge government-funded jobs program.

I think there are many Republicans  who see the danger of our economic situation and understand the urgent need for bipartisan cooperation. However, those honest, thoughtful people are led by others who have been and still are dedicated, chiefly, to getting Mr. Obama out of the White House.

More than that, however, Republican leadership seems to be intimidated by the Tea Party  win last November and has bowed to the rhetoric of the Tea Party activists. Such caving in will cost the country and is costing the Republican Party a measure of its credibility among moderate voters of all stripes.

Isn’t it time to declare the Tea Party over and time to work together to start saving the country?

Wm. Earl Brecher

Cornwall

Threatens our right to improve our property

Dear Salisbury residents:

Do you own a home that was built many years ago, before the current zoning regulations were implemented? Is it located on a small lot? Is it close to the property lines? If so, you own a “nonconforming” property.

Several years ago, the Salisbury Planning & Zoning Commission adopted a special permit process that provided a way for homeowners like you to improve properties that do not conform to current zoning requirements. Such improvements have the potential to improve the quality of our town as well as your property.

The commission can, for example, require applicants to make modifications to the property that will actually improve the quality of our environment. In the case of the lakes, water quality could be improved by 1. adding systems that control storm water runoff through use of vegetation; 2. adding engineered systems that will handle water running off the roof; 3. improving older septic systems; 4. requiring that any new structure be placed at least 75 feet  from the water line. These changes would enhance both the quality of the water, as well as the natural features of the lake.

Nearly a year ago, a proposal was put before the commission to eliminate the special permit process for nonconforming lots on our lakes. This would have affected only the people living on the lakes. The proposal was supported by a well-intentioned group of lake residents who wanted to eliminate two-story houses near the lake to help retain its natural character.

The commission rejected the lake residents’ proposal. However, they are now considering the elimination of the special permits throughout the entire town of Salisbury, not just on the lakes.

If this happens, there will be no opportunities in the future for you, as a homeowner, to improve your nonconforming property or for the commission to ask residents to make improvements that would be beneficial to all of us.

There are valid arguments on both sides of this issue. Our Planning and Zoning Commission, under the leadership of Michael Klemens, is listening to all points of view.  Regardless of whether or not you own such properties, or intend to make changes in the near future, it is in your best interest to make your views known to the commission before final action is taken.

Dean R. Haubrich

Lakeville