Turning Back the Pages

125 years ago — March 1900

SALISBURY — Work upon the Library is nearing completion, for which the patrons will be thankful, as they have greatly missed the privileges which this fine institution affords.

Master Vincent Whyland of Salisbury has been confined to the house for the past two weeks, owing to a severe cut on the knee cap by an ax.

Mr. Fitch Landon of Sharon is very low with no hopes of recovery. Mr. Donnell of West Cornwall is attending him as nurse.

The Millerton Telegram and Lakeville Journal $2.00 per year, club rate.

Peter Everts will move into a part of William Peabody’s house. W.F. Everts will still occupy his mother’s house instead of his new cottage on Bostwick Hill.

The H.J. Bissell Co. has a nice line of hose, not for fire fighting, but simply for the ladies, gents and children to wear. If you don’t believe it read their adv.

Dudley J. Paine, formerly conductor on the C.N.E. road, has sold his interest in the Hotel Central at Winsted and will hereafter be the landlord of a hotel at New Hartford having recently purchased the same.

Much to the regret of the entire district, at Amesville, Miss Esther A. Frink, who has so acceptably taught the higher room in school there has resigned her position, and will leave there this week.

The Holley Mf’g. Co. is making some slight alterations at the factory. A board partition has been built along one side of the hallway and some new flooring is being laid. There is a demand for more room at the factory, which is good evidence of business activity.

The changing of the passenger train conductors on the C.N.E. has been more or less rapid lately and many of the old familiar conductors are gone from the line and new men are running in their places. Edward Skelly now runs the morning train, Mr. Cole the 10:51 train, Theodore Shook and Charles Beckwith the 12 o’clock and 3:12 trains.

I.W. Sanford was in Chapinville on Tuesday to look over the ground preparatory to making a survey for the Scoville Family’s new electric light plant. We understand that the new plant will stand in place of the old furnace and will be operated by water power from the lake instead of steam as at present. The lights are now supplied by a system of storage batteries which, after being charged by the dynamo, will last for several days.

100 years ago — March 1925

A long, honorable and useful life was brought to a close at Lakeville on Friday, March 20th, 1925, by the peaceful death of William Kane in the seventy ninth year of his age. He was born in New York on February 14th, 1847. His father and mother having died, he went to Sheffield, Mass., when he was ten years old where he lived in the home of Mr. Andrew Bartholomew. At twenty one years of age he entered the employ of E.W. Spurr at Falls Village. In 1872 Mr. Kane came to Lakeville to live, taking charge of the coal and lumber business. His home was his chief joy and it was always his wish that it should be shared with those less fortunate than himself. He loved his fellow men without regard to position as was so beautifully expressed by one who had been in his employ and came to pay his last bit of respect and said “He be no like my boss, he be like my father.” A long life has ended, but its influence will continue through the years, and our sense of indebtedness for his help and example will continue to increase.

Miss Lena McComnie who has been at her home in Shelton for several weeks is once more on duty at the local Western Union office.

Louis Rudman has installed a new electric refrigerator and cooling system at his meat market, doing away with the use of all ice.

LIME ROCK — Alfred Dunn and lady friend of Hartford spent Sunday with his mother here.

50 years ago — March 1975

“We are listening,” Adela Eads repeatedly assured a large and vocal crowd of nearly 300 persons Monday night at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The 5:30 p.m. meeting had originally been set in the school library as a budget workshop for the HVRHS board. But Mrs. Eads, board chairman, announced a shift to the auditorium as the size of the crowd became evident. The large turnout was prompted by the board’s announcement on March 12 of a decision to reduce the high school teaching staff by 4.4 positions. Most of those in the auditorium appeared to oppose such a cutback. Speaker after speaker won applause for protesting the move.

Devotees of Dr. Josephine Evarts spoke with their hearts Saturday night in telling their affection and gratitude for the plain-talking physician who has become a much-admired institution in the Harlem Valley and Northwest Connecticut. Some 500 persons attended the dinner at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville sponsored by Sharon’s Hamilton Lodge No. 54, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, to honor the woman who has been a healer, counselor to young and old alike, humorous philosopher and fighter for righteous causes over two generations. A succession of speakers described her contributions to the community as a doctor, citizen and quiet supporter of the arts.

A new law firm, the Northwest Corner’s largest, will emerge on or about April 21, as four prominent attorneys join forces in Lakeville. The title of the new firm will be Becket, Ford, Dooley and Bearns. Partners will be G. Campbell Becket of Lakeville, William Ford of Lakeville, Francis M. Dooley of the firm Dooley and Metro in Sharon, and Stuyvesant K. Bearns of Lakeville. Mr. Dooley will withdraw from his present partnership to participate in the new firm.

The Motor Vehicle Department’s random spot inspection program shows almost 60 per cent of the 7,582 vehicles inspected during February had no defective equipment, Commissioner Stanley J. Pac reported this week.

Awards for completing a year of driving without a preventable accident were presented to three Agway truck operators from this area at a dinner March 17 in Albany. Drivers honored and their years of accident-free driving are: at the Millerton store — Roland F. Surdam, five years; at the Millerton blend plant — John Sawchuck Jr., one year and Raymond Waldron, four years.

25 years ago — March 2000

From his variety store on the Sharon Green, George Marckres for 50 years stood ready to capture the happenings of the town with his five-by-seven-inch camera. During the period of 1882 to 1932, he took more than 1,000 glass plate negatives chronicling the history of Sharon. His collection is now in the hands of the Sharon Historical Society and a selection of his work is on display at the Town Hall.

Eve, Mari and Kyra are an armful for mom Melanie Cullerton. With dad Keith and a lot of help from family, friends and a very supportive community, the Norfolk family has survived — and thrived — in the past year. The triplets turned one on March 11.