Edmund Rice (1638) Association Newsletter
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Edmund Rice (1638) Assoc., Inc. NONPROFIT ORG 24 Buckman Drive US POSTAGE Chelmsford, MA 01824-2156 PAID Return Postage Guarantee CHELMSFORD MA PERMIT NO. 1055 EDMUND RICE (1638) ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER Published Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring by the Edmund Rice (1638) Association, 24 Buckman Dr., Chelmsford MA 01824-2156 The Edmund Rice (1638) Association was established in 1851 and incorporated in 1934 to encourage antiquarian, genealogical, and historical research concerning the ancestors and descendants of Edmund Rice who settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts in 1638, and to promote fellowship among its members and friends. The Association is an educational, non-profit organization recognized under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 1 Edmund Rice (1638) Association Newsletter _____________________________________________________________________________________ 24 Buckman Dr., Chelmsford MA 01824 Vol. 83, No.1 Winter 2009 _____________________________________________________________________________________ President's Column Inside This Issue Greetings, cousins! Editor’s Column p. 2 The Database p. 4 As I was shoveling snow from my driveway yesterday, I was reminded of some passages in my great great aunt Ella's diaries from the 1870's. On New Members/Officers p. 5 several days one winter, she mentioned that her father and brother had gone Sources p. 6 to "break out roads". She used the same phrase every time and never gave any explanation of what, exactly, that entailed, but I gather that they had built The Family Thicket p. 7 themselves a snowplow of some kind and gone into business. It's not clear to Queries p. 8 me whether they were clearing roadways for the town or driveways for their Meet the Ancestors p. 9 neighbors, but it must have been one or the other, or maybe even both. (By the way, it was her brother, my great grandfather, who married a Rice Children of Edmund p. 10 descendant and thereby "acquired" ERA eligibility for me.) Book Review p. 14 At any rate, I have to wonder what their snow-removal device was like. It Books for Sale p. 15 would have to be powered by draft animals (assuming it wasn't simply a pair of shovels!), but that would be awkward for the animals, since they would have to wallow through the snow drifts ahead of the plow. Of course, the device could be attached to a long tow line and reeled up on a capstan, but that would require setting and pulling up stakes in frozen ground to reposition the capstan. Equally awkward would be a scheme to lug the plow by hand over the snow and then have a horse team then drag the snow out. I have visited lots of museums that re-create and present "life as it used to be" -- places like Old Sturbridge Village and Plimoth Plantation and Williamsburg -- but I don't recall ever seeing any old-fashioned devices (other than shovels) for dealing with snow. That may have something to do with the fact that I've visited these sites only during warm weather. As for shovels, they are very versatile tools. The same device can be used for both filling the coal bucket and emptying the driveway, although modern, specialized shovels are now available for pushing snow that would be useless for stoking. Of course, Edmund Rice would have had no use for a coal shovel anyhow, since wood was the fuel of choice in his day. And, come to think of it, an agricultural shovel suitable for digging in a garden would need to have a sharp, narrow blade for cutting the soil and would not be the best device for moving snow around. Speaking of warm weather, I realize that, by the time this newsletter reaches you, we will have left behind the worst of the winter chills. In fact, even as I write this, the flower bulbs in the ground are probably responding to the first hints of rising temperature and starting to sprout. On the other hand, I heard just now a weather forecast for the next major snowstorm. They're predicting 6-12 inches of snowfall in my area. However, I feel sure that all this snow will be a distant, and perhaps even fond, memory when the time rolls around for the next annual reunion. I hope to see you there, sans shovel! --John Chandler MARK YOUR CALENDARS – THE 2009 REUNION WILL BE SEPTEMBER 19-20, AT SUDBURY. Page 1 Edmund Rice (1638) Association Editor’s Column Newsletter Greetings from Massachusetts! Send articles, corrections, member news, items of interest, obituaries, queries, etc. to the newsletter editor: Little did I know, when I wrote the [pending] email: [email protected] President’s column for the front page, that I … would be called upon to write an Editor’s Column as well. But so it is. Perry Bent has Membership resigned as Editor, due to growing time conflicts. I am therefore filling in as interim editor, since The Edmund Rice (1638) Association, Inc. is governed by a the “show” must go on. Please excuse any Board of Directors, of at least five members, elected at the infelicities you see in the present issue, on annual reunion and meeting, usually held on a weekend in account of my inexperience in this role. You September. may already have noticed that this issue is a bit Descendants of Edmund Rice were holding reunions as early as late for “Winter,” but I can assure you that the 1851, but it was not until 1912 that the Association was formed newsletter will a t least go to press during the and officers elected. Incorporation under Massachusetts law winter season, even if the delays of printing and took place in 1934. mailing prevent it from reaching your hands Membership is open to anyone who claims to be a lineal within the designated season. descendant of Edmund Rice. Rigorous proof is not required and many members have been able to ascertain their pedigree Obviously, we need a new Editor, and the only after access to the books and files of other members. sooner the better. I will certainly try to find one Spouses are also eligible for membership. by t he time you read this column, but please consider volunteering, just in case, if you have Annual dues, payable September 1 , are: the time and skills needed for the job. Initial dues………………………$ 15.00 Renewals: Also, even if you don’t have the time to take Under 80 years of age…………$ 15.00 Age 80 and above……………..$ 5.00 over as Editor, please consider writing an article Life membership…………………$200.00 on any even remotely ERA-rel ated topic to (single payment) contribute to a future issue of the newsletter. The Editor-to-be will certainly be grateful. Checks To : EDMUND RICE (1638) ASSN., INC. – John Chandler Membership Mailing Address: Edmund Rice (1638) Association, Inc. c/o Susan R. Berger 416 Shirley Place Valdosta, GA 31605 Membership Email Address: [email protected] Address Corrections : The Post Office does NOT forward bulk mail. The return postage and re-mailing postage costs the Association nearly Website $1.50 per copy. Edmund Rice (1638) Association [email protected] Your help with this is greatly appreciated. www.edmund-rice.org Page 2 2008 - 2009 Officers 2008 - 2009 Directors President, John F. Chandler Kathleen H. Bond Ruth M. Brown Vice President, George L. Rice William H. Drury Vice President for Arrangements, Beth McAleer Jeannette Pollard Colonel Gary H. Rice, Ret. Treasurer, Michael A. Rice Timothy L. Sanford , Wendolin E. Wesen Historian, George W. King Linda J. Wilson Membership, Susan R. Berger Henry Trombley Book Custodian, Michael A. Rice Past Presidents Recording Secretary , Dana M. Hastings 1960-1963 Frederick R. Rice 1964-1965 William H. Hoefler DNA Project, Robert V. Rice 1966-1967 Ray Lowther Ellis 1968 Edgar W. Rice 1969 Erwin R. McLaughlin 1970-1973 Col. Allen F. Rice 1974 Margaret E. Allen 1975 Charles W. Rice . 1976 Seaver M. Rice 1977-1978 Henry E. Rice, Jr. 1979-1980 C. Whiting Rice 1981-1982 William H. Drury 1983 Patricia P. MacFarland 1984-1985 Janice R. Parmenter 1986-1987 Margaret S. Rice 1988-1989 Alex W. Snow 1990-1993 John S. Bates 1994 Alex W. Snow 1995-1997 Frederick H. Rice 1998-2006 Dr. Robert V. Rice Memorial Gifts Consider donating to the Edmund Rice Association in memory of a loved one. We regret to report that Calista (Howe) Vickery, long-time active participant and honorary life member of the ERA, formerly of Princeton, MA, died on February 10. Also, Rebecca Fairbank of Sudbury, MA, died at her home on February 24 . Page 3 The ERA Database Our computer database has been and will continue to be essential for DNA studies for Edmund Rice descendants and the descendants of other early Sudbury families. We need your continuing support. If you have not submitted your family line to us, why wait any longer? Questions? Contact our Historian at: gking5 @ cox.net Nine-Generation Rice Database Available on CD Your Board of Directors (BoD) agreed that we would offer the nine-generation report and database to our members (only). The BoD approved a charge of $10 postpaid for a CD-ROM containing both documents. Please order from the Treasurer by sending a check or money order for $10 to him with a request for the CD-ROM. The BoD placed three caveats on the distribution of these documents: 1) The information is copyrighted by the Edmund Rice (1638) Association and is restricted to the personal use of association members. 2) The CDs will be available only to Association members who agree to its terms of use. 3) The Association master database is an ongoing effort.