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Home , Boater, Bowler hat, Flat cap, Headgear

NEWSLETTER Issue XXX  Fall, 2016

Hats off to Pittstown! By Nancy Grilli Nancy Grilli, a Victorian enthusiast, as well as a trustee of the Pittstown Historical Society (PHS) and member of the PHS Exhibit Committee, helped mount an exhibit last spring entitled “ off to Pittstown”. In the article below, Grilli offers excerpts from that exhibit, as well as additional comments on the photos of Pittstown folk decked out in hats. According to Susan Langley, researcher and author, hats were often a reflection of not only the mood of its wearer but also the spirit of its time. While hats sometimes had a function, they were the crowning glory or grand finale of an outfit. Hat styles were often influenced by famous people who were greatly admired. Their hats were widely copied to be “in style” or fashionable. This was evident not only in the world of the city of Paris, but as you can see, even in the small rural community of Pittstown, NY! (Source: Landley, Susan. Vintage Hats and Bonnets 1770-1970; Identification and Value. Schroeder Publishing Co. Inc. 1999)

Sam Flansburg (to the left); Raymond Gifford in back left with Arthur Abbott in back to the right; Ada Gifford Flansburg in front on left; Ernest Abbott next to her (on the right); Delia Herrington Abbott to his right; Inez Abbott Gifford last on the right, next to Delia, Margot Gifford collection A fun filled frolic in Pittstown, as men and women exchanged hats. The hats range from Early Victorian bonnets to later Victorian and Edwardian styles. (Continued on Page 2)

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(Continued from Page 1) :

School teacher Ellen M. Sherman walking home Left to right: Elizabeth Sherman, Albert on Sherman Lane, Sherman collection Sherman; Frank Stiles; Charles Sherman, Ellen Sherman wearing a straw Boater, a Sherman collection popular hat advertised in 1899 in Harper’s Albert and Frank wearing , are Bazaar Catalogue. sitting leisurely on the porch.

A Boater (also straw Boater, Basher, Skimmer, Cady, Katie, Canotier, Somer, Sennit hat) is a kind of men’s formal summer hat. It is normally made of stiff sennit straw and has a stiff flat and brim, typically with a solid or striped around the crown. Boaters were popular as casual summer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially for boating or sailing. The Boater hat retained its popularity far into the 20th century. Boaters were also worn by women, who often kept it in place with .

NEWSBOY : The men to the left have chosen to wear Newsboy , as they prepare to go motoring through Pittstown. The or Newsy Cap is a cap similar in style to the . Sometimes also referred to as the: Baker Boy, Bandit Cap, Apple Cap, Eight Piece Cap, Eight Panel, Cabbie, Jay Gatsby, Fisherman’s Cap, Pageboy, Applejack Hat, Lundberg Stetson, and the Poor Boy Cap. The style was popular in and North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among both boys and men. As the name suggests, it is now associated with newspaper boys.

Holbritter car, PHS collection Page 2

PPPIITTSTOWNTTSTOWN HISTORICALISTORICAL SOCIETYOCIETY NEEWSLETTERWSLETTER  Issue XXX  Fall, 2016

The woman to the left appears to be wearing a cloth with a ruffled brim extended past her face to protect it from the sun. Women and children of all ages wore the ever popular and functional bonnet throughout the 1700s into the early 1900s. The bonnet was at its height of fashion during the mid Victorian era. Fancy bonnets of the 1850s and 1860s were often trimmed with silk tulle, feather plumes, bobbin lace, silk bows and artificial flowers. All bonnets were tied beneath the chin with broad and had a curtain hanging from the back. A variety of bonnet styles were worn by frontier women, fashionable ladies and hardworking farm girls. Each style had a practical purpose as well as being a fashion statement. Sherman collection

The older woman on the left is wearing a white “morning” cap, a type of hat covering for indoor wear during the day in the mid Victorian period. The caps were often trimmed with lace and insertions of embroidery. Similar style night caps were also worn by older women up to the 1880s. Freelove Herrington, PHS collection

LATE VICTORIAN :

The two women on the right are wearing magnificent turn of the century hats. Alice, on the right, dons a hat with the fashion rage of this time - millinery bird trimming. Nellie, on the left, is wearing a wavy-brim hat, similar to the one advertised in August, 1901, in the magazine, The Designer. Nellie Sherman left and Alice Sherman right, visiting a cemetery, Sherman collection (Continued on Page 4) Page 3

PPPIITTSTOWNTTSTOWN HISTORICALISTORICAL SOCIETYOCIETY NEEWSLETTERWSLETTER  Issue XXX  Fall, 2016

(continued from page 3) LATE VICTORIAN HAT 1880 – 1890:

Caroline Sherman (left) is wearing the popular “tall round hat” of the 1880s period.

Caroline Sherman, with family horse named “Old Gray”, Sherman collection

EARLY EDWARDIAN HAT:

EDWARDIAN HAT (1901 – 1914):

Couple above left: Nellie and Ernest Abbott Couple above right: unidentified, Margot Gifford collection The couples above are in-style for a wonderful outing in Pittstown! The ladies’ hats show off the latest millinery trims on the fashion scene. The photo depicts hats being in a variety of ways - straight on the head, at a slight angle, and tilted forward. They are great examples of hats being the crowning glory of an outfit!

Sherman collection, undated Ladies above decked out in fashionable hats show off their handsome summer millinery with large bows, ribbons and flowers. Feather trimmings were all designed to add to the height of these hats. Hats continued to grow larger as this decade progressed. Feathers of all kinds were the favored trim and were used extensively. Plumage laws were passed to protect certain endangered species of birds. Ostriches were being raised on farms, and their plumes were widely available. The long “weeping willow” plume was a favorite along with trims of flowers, bows, and fruit. As hairstyles became fuller at the sides, hats developed wider . Large brims balanced the new narrower that were being worn during this time. Page 4

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BOWLER: The two men below (on the left) are wearing the popular , stylish even for target practice! The Bowler hat, also known as a Bob Hat, Derby (US) or Bombin, is a hard hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the British soldier and politician, Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester. The Bowler hat was popular with the working class during the Victorian era and later on with the middle and upper classes in the and the eastern .

Powder Mill, PHS collection

HIGH HATS:

Teacher’s Conference in Hoosick Falls circa 1900 with Alice Sherman on left and Ellen Sherman center,Sherman collection The three young ladies on the left are wearing elegant plumed wide brim hats circa 1890-1900. Trims of ribbons, flowers, lace, feathers and bird wings were wired to extend to extreme heights.

Pittstown’s Farmsteads Honored in NYS Preservation Plan The “New York State Historic Preservation Plan 2015-2020” highlights the work the Pittstown Historical Society has done documenting its historic farmsteads. The Plan, which was published by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, states “The Historic Farmsteads of Pittstown State and National Registers Multiple Property Documentation Project has helped to document historic farmsteads in rural Rensselaer County, including agricultural buildings and working landscapes. The project, which was supported by the Preservation League of New York State, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Hudson River Valley Greenway, the Pittstown Historical Society, The Persistence Foundation and the Rensselaer County Legislature, has resulted in the listing of a group of Pittstown farmsteads on the State and National Registers.” Backus farmstead, Johnsonville, Rd, 2011 Page 5

PPPIITTSTOWNTTSTOWN HISTORICALISTORICAL SOCIETYOCIETY NEEWSLETTERWSLETTER  Issue XXX  Fall, 2016

Nellie Abbott and her Diaries By Betsy Tromans

Betsy Tromans recently transcribed Nellie Abbott’s diaries (1937–1970). Below, she offers her insights about them.

There are seven diaries starting in 1937 and ending in 1970. Some years have few entries; 1959 has only two days filled in; 1947 and 1970, only 3 days. I found out that Nellie was 56 when the diaries began in 1937 and 89 when they ended in 1970.

Nellie Abbott, circa1952 Detail from Nellie Abbott’s diaries

Background: Nellie Belle Slade Abbott was born on Groveside Road on July 20, 1881, the only child of Belle Eddy and John Slade. She married Ernest Abbott on October 14, 1903. Ernest was born on March 19, 1877. They both lived in Pittstown all of their lives. Ernest had two sisters, Gertrude and Inez and one brother, Arthur. Gertrude (Gertie) married Case Cottrell. They lived in Hoosick and had 2 children (Leonard, who died young, and Cortland who married Margaret Pratt). Arthur married Emily (Delia) Herrington, and they had two children (Morris/Maurice and Donald). Inez married Raymond Gifford, and they had four children (Beatrice, Harold, Kenneth and Leslie). Beatrice married H. Irving Chase, and they had one son Richard Frederick (Fred). Harold married Dorothy Heslin and had three children (Barbara, Paul, and Robert). Kenneth married Pauline Eycleshimer, and they had three children (Douglas, Steven, and Edward). Leslie married Margot Akin, and they had four children (Howard, Janice, Susan and Martha). Nellie and Ernest lived on the four corners in Johnsonville. Ernest died on May 31, 1966. They had been married 62 years. Nellie died on January 16, 1976.

First Impressions: Reading Nellie's diaries, I'm struck by the fact that she's a very busy woman. She writes about people, either calling on or being called upon; she's constantly out and about, driving to Hoosick Falls or Valley Falls or taking the to Troy. She also writes about the weather, her husband Ernest's sickness, the church and her activities. As much as she writes, I have so many more questions. Why did you go there, I wonder, why did you do that, who is that person? Not knowing Nellie or having lived in the area, I had no idea of how old she was, where she lived, who was a relative, or what she was talking about. There was a constant stream of friends with whom she visited - Mrs. Darrow, (Continued on Page 7). Page 6

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(Continued from Page 6)

Mrs. Welling, Mrs. Losaw, and her niece, Beatrice. Kate, Lottie, and Hattie, who were helpers with , papering and painting inside, are sometimes mentioned with last names, but most of the time without. Nellie writes of going “up to”, “over to”, and “down to”. I wonder where do all these people live?

Nellie and Ernest Abbott’s Johnsonville home with Belle and John Slade (Nellie’s parents) sitting on the porch, circa 1930 Nellie is very active in the church, but never mentions which one (it was the United Methodist Church in Johnsonville). She's constantly sewing and doing “fancy work” (ornamental needlework). See examples of Nellie Abbott’s sewing and crotchet work to the right. Her handwriting is frequently barely legible; sometimes you can't tell if it's an "i","o", "n", "m" or "w". They all look the same. Then her handwriting becomes childlike at one point, and you find out that she's fallen and broken an arm.

To the Rescue: The diaries were donated to the Pittstown Historical Society by Margot Akin Gifford who was married to Leslie Gifford, a nephew of Nellie’s husband, Ernest. Margot grew up living next door to the Abbotts, separated by the Akin’s Garage, which her father, Howard V. Akin, owned and operated. Margot filled in many of the gaps the diaries lacked. First, she drew a diagram of the neighborhood and Nellie’s house. Margot also provided me with names (first and last) and nicknames of relatives, friends, neighbors, and filled me in on birth, marriage, and death dates. In addition, Margot provided the Pittstown Historical Society with photographs of Nellie, Ernest, and their house (some of the photos are included in this article).

Diaries: Very little is written about world affairs. World War II is mentioned the most with 13 entries. A couple of the entries are: April 12, 1945: "Pres. Rosevelt [her spelling] died in Ga. Vice Pres. Truman sworn in at 7.09 PM." August 19, 1945: " Pres Truman delcared [her spelling] to-day Day of Prayer. Ernest & I went to church" Nellie must have written to some soldiers because addresses are listed under memoranda pages. June 7, 1944: "I mailed choclate bars to Leslie" [Her nephew had enlisted in the Army Air Force] August 6, 1944: "The Speanburg's were notified Kenneth killed in Saipan July 11, 1944" Nellie mentions making and knitting things for the Red Cross; Kennedy (Continued on Page 8) Page 7

PPPIITTSTOWNTTSTOWN HISTORICALISTORICAL SOCIETYOCIETY NEEWSLETTERWSLETTER  Issue XXX  Fall, 2016

(continued from Page 7) being killed; and John Glen [her spelling] walking on the moon were also mentioned. Nellie and Ernest attended several court hearings. While she doesn't explain much about the hearings and trials, she does sometimes mention the sentences. Since Ernest was a police officer with the railroad, the trials may have been related to his work.

Sketch by Margot Gifford of Johnsonville circa 1950

See Nellie and Ernest Abbott’s home at the 4 corners

Nellie and Ernest Abbott, circa 1900 Left to right: Nellie Abbott, her mother, Belle Eddy Slade, Ernest Abbott, circa 1940 Page 8

PPPITTSTOWN HHHISTORICAL SSSOCIETY NNNEWSLETTER Issue XXX  Fall, 2016

(Continued from Page 8) Final Impressions: Nellie was a very industrious and resourceful person. She and Ernest had no children, but she was constantly watching other people's children. She had no job but was very busy gardening, canning, freezing, sewing, cleaning, and traveling. She took care of both sets of parents. Ernest repaired furniture for themselves and others. They also had their radios, TVs, and refrigerators (ice box) fixed rather than throwing them away and buying new ones. If they no longer had a use for something, they gave it away to someone who could use it. So if I've piqued your interest, there is a transcription both in hard copy and on CD available at the historical society.

Ann Eliza Bleecker (1752-1783): Life in the Early Pittstown-Schaghticoke District (Part 8)

By Walter Auclair

When Ann Eliza and John Bleecker arrived at their new home in Tomhanick in 1771, all appeared peaceful and idyllic. As required, John quickly joined the New York militia and soon after was pressed into action to counteract the takeover of New York Province land by “New Hampshire Granters.” This land dispute began in 1740 with the appointment by King George II of Benning Wentworth as New Hampshire governor. To earn much needed income Wentworth took advantage of poorly described boundary lines between his province and New York by claiming that the boundary between the two provinces was originally an extension of the Connecticut and Massachusetts western borders northward to the Canadian border (which is today's boundary, established by Congress in 1791, when Vermont was granted statehood). Thus, all the land east of the border, about 20 miles east of the Hudson River, belonged to New Hampshire, not New York. Supported by British law at the time Wentworth issued his first land grant on 3 January 1749, forming the town of Bennington, which was as far west as possible without overlapping already settled New York towns. Wentworth then proceeded over the next few years to sell a large number of grants mainly to New Englanders (New Hampshire Granters) in need of affordable farm land to settle and develop. This was something that New York was not doing, preferring to allocate primarily large acreage patents to wealthy, connected speculators from New York City. Most of these patents remained unpopulated, making them vulnerable to alleged squatters. By the time the dispute was resolved in 1764 by King George III in favor of New York, establishing the New York-New Hampshire border further east to the Connecticut River, thousands of “yeomen” had already settled in the disputed area. As many as 129 Grants towns had been established with New England-like local governments with democratically elected officials, including judges, who administered justice much different from the norm. As an example, in one case a run-away slave came to court seeking to stay in Vermont. His “owner,” a Yorker, presented to the court a bill of sale from the previous owner. The presiding judge demanded instead a bill of sale from “ Almighty” as original proprietor, allowing the former slave to stay in Vermont as a free man. This ended slavery in that part of America. New York government began legal action in 1770 to evict the squatters, which proved difficult. The Granters also desperately needed leadership, and newcomer Ethan Allen, who already had family living in the area, came to the fore, establishing himself in Bennington and organizing a highly-motivated militia that soon became known as the Green Mountain Boys. (Continued on Page 10) Page 9

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(Continued from Page 9)

Governor Benning Wentworth

In July 1771 Albany County Sheriff Henry Ten Eyck (Ann Eliza's stepsister and stepfather were Ten Eycks) led a militia of about 300 men, including John Bleecker, to the Walloomsac area to evict farmer James Breakenbridge from his land. When the sheriff ordered his posse to attack, nearly all refused, reluctant to evict a fellow farmer. With few men remaining, which included Bleecker, the sheriff continued to advance until a final warning was given and a discussion followed on the illegality of the sheriff's actions. Reluctantly, the sheriff returned to Albany empty-handed, out-manned and out-gunned. There were no casualties on either side. Ethan Allen often boasted in later years that he had never ordered or killed anyone, preferring to use diplomacy. In a letter to her stepsister, Susan Ten Eyck, after this incident, Ann Eliza writes: “Again I am left solitary; Mr. Bleecker went this morning on an expedition against the illegitimate Vermonters (or new claimants) with Col. R...... [Rensselaer], from the Manor, who arrived last night with his regiment, and eat up all my ducks and sausages. The new claimants are collected at Sinchoick [now North Hoosick], and form a little army: they have miserably mauled poor F---- and R------, who keep their beds. Our small force there increases daily, and begins to brow-beat the enemy: in short we are all anarchy and confusion: heaven-only knows when it will end... my spouse sent for a horse, upon which Mr. B----- and myself went in a sleigh to fetch him; but on our arrival at Sinchoick, the Yorkers we found had retreated, and the new claimants (reinforced by five hundred Vermonters) had taken possession of the ground. General ALLEN was barred up in gold-lace, and felt himself grand as the Great Mogul: they had an old spiked up field-piece, which, however, looked martial. “I sat myself down among his formidable set, and being cold, mildly desired one of their Captains to fetch a little dry wood. He obligingly complied, and we soon had a fine fire. I then began humbly to expostulate with these wise men of the east about the commencement of this civil war; and at length demanded how they could expect to support their jurisdiction, in the center of the states, who had not acceded to their claim? They replied, 'The four-eastern states were their own people, and would certainly assist them.' I told them I could not see how they dared break through the confederacy while they were sensible all America's happiness depended upon the union. Captain R------[possibly Sam Robinson] interrupted, 'The assistance of New England would not interfere with the union, as this was a dispute about land, in which Congress had no concern;' and then he damned the Yorkers, and drank success to Vermont! which extraordinary speech and behavior imposed silence on some of us. I returned home, and Page 10

PPPITTSTOWN HHHISTORICAL SSSOCIETY NNNEWSLETTER Issue XXX  Fall, 2016 to-day visited the York camp at Schochticook, where I took leave of my dear Bleecker, who is obliged to absent himself from us while the Vermonters tyrannize.” Ann Eliza wrote this in 1781, ten years after the incident she describes at the beginning of her letter. She then conflates this story with the situation as it existed in 1781, five years after the formation of the United States, because Congress was reluctant to deal with the conflict between New York and Vermont. In 1776 Ethan Allen's long-time friend, Dr. Thomas Young, was the first to use the name Vermont in referring to the contested territory. “Granters” was the word used prior to 1776 to refer to the settlers. In his history of Vermont Governor Hiland Hall identified some of the New York posse: “[Sheriff Henry Ten Eyck] found himself at the head of about three hundred variously armed men of different occupations and professions; among whom, of the gentry of the town, was the mayor, several aldermen, and four eminent counsellors at law, viz: Mr. Silvester, Mr. Bleecker, Robert Yates and Christopher Yates.” This confrontation was pivotal for the future of Vermont. Governor Hiland Hall wrote in 1868: “Here... on the farm of James Breakenridge, was born the future state of Vermont, which, struggling through the perils of infancy, had by the commencement of the general revolution, acquired the activity and strength of adventurous youth; had by its close reached the full stature of manhood, and which not long afterwards became the acknowledged equal of its associated American republics.” This historical event was witnessed by Ann Eliza and John Bleecker. Bibliography: Bleecker, Ann Eliza and Margaretta V. Faugeres, 1793. The posthumous Works in Prose and Verse of Ann Eliza Bleecker: To Which is added a Collection of Essays, Prose, and Poetical By Margaretta V. Faugeres. Reprinted by Kessinger Publishing's Rare Reprints, Whitefish, Montana. Bellesiles, Michael A., 1993. Revolutionary Outlaws: Ethan Allen and the Struggle for Independence on the Early American Frontier. University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville. Hall, Hiland, 1868. The History of Vermont, From its Discovery to its Admission into the Union in 1791. Joel Munsell, Albany, New York. Reprinted by Northshire Book Store, Manchester, Vermont. Harris, Sharon M., 2005. Executing Race: Early American Women's Narratives of Race, Society, and the Law. Ohio State University Press, Columbus. .Randall, Willard Sterne, 2011. Ethan Allen: His Life and Times. W. W. Norton, New York. Stewart, Matthew, 2014. Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic. W. W. Norton, New York.

Gandy Dancers

By David H. McMahon Article originally published in 1983 in the Valley Falls Historical Album

During World War II there was a severe manpower shortage in the United States. The labor force became more dependent upon women, teenagers, and even prisoners of war. The work on a railroad crew was hard labor, so the & Maine found it more difficult to maintain a sufficient work force. The Boston & Maine Railroad solved their problem in early 1944, when they hired migrant Mexican workers. A work train equipped with Pullman sleepers and dining cars arrived in Johnsonville in the spring of 1944 with about 200 Mexican men ages 19 to 35. These Mexicans lived on that train located on a rail siding in Johnsonville, near the freight station, and repaired the tracks in three directions up to 50 miles away. These workers were known as “Gandy Dancers”. Track laborers that lived on a train were commonly known as Gandy Dancers, independent of their nationality. Gandy Manufacturing Company was a 19th century manufacturer of railroad work tools. Commonly used railroad implements, such as bars and claw picks, had “Gandy” inscribed on their handle. In the early days of railroading, as laborers swung their “Gandy” tools, they appeared to be dancing as they laid down new track: thus, the term “Gandy Dancer” arose. Within a few weeks of their arrival in Johnsonville, a tragedy was to befall the Mexicans. A Mexican crew was working on the eastbound tracks near Eagle Bridge, when a troop train passed on the westbound tracks. Most of the Mexicans stopped their work to wave at the (Continued on Page 12) Page 11

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(Continued from Page 11) passing soldiers. The crew chief’s whistle blew for the Mexicans to clear the eastbound tracks as another train was approaching. Two Mexicans failed to hear the whistle over the roar of the passing troop train and were killed. The Mexicans were poor people, who had taken high-paying jobs far from home. They sought their fortunes not unlike recent oil men have on the Alaskan pipeline. Many Mexicans sent as much as half of their salary back to their families in Mexico. One Mexican was saving his money to be outfitted for a bullfighting career, which he planned upon his return home. The Johnsonville Post Office did a brisk business of postal money orders on railroad paydays. Some of the Mexicans sent two money orders: one to their wife, and one to the girl friend. In some cases, both resided at the same address. In 1944 Hoag & Frisbee operated a grocery store near the Johnsonville firehouse that later became known as Hunt’s Store. On paydays this store was mobbed with Mexicans buying out most of the merchandise. The Mexicans, not used to having much money, bought almost anything on the shelves. Willett Hunt, a later proprietor, said: “The Mexicans would have bought wooden nutmeg, if Hoag and Frisbee carried it.” Hoag and Frisbee had a Mexican goldmine that year. In the evenings the 200 Mexicans had little to do in rural Johnsonville and Valley Falls, but visit local saloons. As a matter of fact, these Mexicans also made 1944 quite a profitable year for the Hilltop, Tony’s Place, and the Valley Inn. The Hilltop was a favorite spot, because of its dance floor and was within easy walking distance of the work train. These Mexicans seemed to draw many young women from the communities to these night spots. There were also numerous fights among the Mexicans at the Hilltop. By the fall of 1944 Mexicans with multicolored blankets and small walking in these villages were a common sight. However, as winter approached the Mexicans were forced to use those blankets just to keep warm. Instead of having the blanket slung over their shoulders, they were wrapped up in them. One fall day in 1944 the Mexican Gandy Dancers pulled out of the Johnsonville yard on their work train and headed back to Mexico. The war ended the next year, and those Gandy Dancers never returned. Their jobs were to be filled by the returning soldiers.

Johnsonville Switch Shanty:Five railroad tracks intersected in the Johnsonville railroad yard. Trains were switched to different rails from the shanty located near Hunt’s Store. The building on the right was the Park Hotel, later relocated by the Welling’s family. Page 12

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Pittstown Historical Society News

Joyce Peckham Memorial Scholarship Award: The Pittstown Historical Society (PHS) honored two students with a $100 scholarship award. The awards are given out annually by the PHS under the Joyce Peckham Memorial Scholarship Award Program to seniors who excel in social studies. The students this year were Sarah Harris of Tamarac High School and Keelan Seifert of Hoosick Falls Central School. Photographs: Pittstown residents Barbara Gifford and Margot Gifford have allowed the PHS to scan wonderful historic photos in their collections (some of which are included in this newsletter). Many thanks to both of them!! Genealogical Files: We are very grateful to Margot Gifford who has generously given copies of her extensive genealogical files to the PHS. Her genealogical research includes information on many Pittstown families, such as Akin, Gifford, Abbott, Sherman, and many more. Margot is without doubt the best resource in Pittstown on genealogy! Exhibit Committees: The Exhibit Committee has just mounted a new exhibit at the Pittstown Town Hall titled “Women at Work in Pittstown”. On display will be beautiful examples of quilting, braiding, embroidery, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and beading – all made by Pittstown women. The crazy quilt sampler on the right is an example of the crafts which are included in the exhibit.

Join the Pittstown Historical Society Visit us at: pittstown.us Make checks payable to: Pittstown Historical Society, Pittstown Historical Society P.O. Box 252, Valley Falls, NY 12185 Board of Trustees The Pittstown Historical Society is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt not-for-profit organization, dedicated to collecting, documenting, and preserving local history. Officers Contributions are deductible to the full extent of the law. President, Connie Kheel 686-7514 $______Annual Dues (please one)

Vice-President $10 Individual $5 Senior (65 & older) , Joseph A. Ferrannini 686-4637 $25 Supporter $50 Benefactor

Secretary, Paul Wiley $15 Business 753-4854 $______Total (enclose check for this amount) Treasurer, Connie Kheel 686-7514 _____ I would like to volunteer my time Name:______Trustees Walter Auclair ~ 663-5779 Address:______Connie Gilbert ~ 753-4226 Kenneth Miller ~ 753-6334 City State Zip:______Maren Stein ~ 663-5230 Nancy Grilli ~ 753-6948 Email:______

Telephone Number:______

PPPIITTSTOWNTTSTOWN HISTORICALISTORICAL SOCIETYOCIETY NEEWSLETTERWSLETTER  Issue XXX  Fall, 2016

Dorah Gifford of Pittstown wearing a fashionable hat that is the grand finale of her outfit. Barbara Gifford collection, 1911 (see article inside “Hats off to Pittstown!”)

PIITTSTOWNTTSTOWN HHHIISTORICALSTORICAL SSSOOCIETYCIETYOCIETY P.P. O. Box 252 Valley Falls, N.Y. 12185

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