Issue6 Fall 2017

T ABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 2 Curator’s Corner Page 6 Our Favorite Artifacts

Page 3 Library Mysteries - Part 2 Page 7 Museum Operating Income & Expenses, Volunteer Thank Page 4 Washington History Club You

Page 5 Orphan Tombstone Page 8 Upcoming Museum Programs

THE 10TH ANNUAL C URATOR’ S CORNER WASHINGTON GREEN by Stephen Bartkus CEMETERY TOUR I AM History was the theme of the annual conference of the American Association for State and Local SPECIAL THANKS TO SANDY BOOTH History which I attended on a recent vacation to For her costume selection, advice and creative input. Austin, Texas in September. We spoke about who we serve as historians in our communities and the Dorothy Ambruso Rey Matos methodologies being used to ensure that all people’s Denise Arturi Doug McHan histories are being told. I have always believed that David Babington Josh McHan everyone has a story to tell and have endeavored to Sage Baker Robin McHan collect, preserve, and share those diverse Washington Christopher Bernard & Joe Mustich histories at the Gunn Historical Museum. Remember, Gunnery Students Dawn O’Creene history is happening every day, everywhere, to everyone! Kerry Burns Craig Ough & Rumsey Hall Carol & Dane Deleppo School Students Our Washington History Club, which Kristin Nord Mary DuLude Ann Quackenbos writes about in this issue, has proven to be a wildly Bryon Erreyes Susan Read popular format for community storytelling. Meeting both in the morning and evening to accommodate Nick Erreyes Madeline Revere different schedules, for the past five years the History Isabella Guzman Aileen Rosa Club has brought current and former residents Lydia Hagen William Smith together to share their rich memories of Washington. Nancy Hagen Jack Sorbara Eileen Hearn John Sorbara We continue to record and archive oral history interviews at the museum. Most recently we were Kayleigh Hendy Sal Sorce honored to record an interview with 100 year old Kate Barbara Jackson Karen Stansbury Tallmadge, a lifelong summer resident of Lake Charles Jackson Deborah Stevens Waramaug. If you or someone you know has a Dana Jackson Jackie Thayer Washington story to tell, please contact me at Susan Jackson Jessica Thayer [email protected]. Henry James Lena Warner Our national award winning annual history project Bill King Lisa Warner with the Shepaug Valley Middle School continued this Julie King Sadie Warner year. All of the 8th grade students transcribed 29 Wyatt King Steve Warner letters of Washington Civil War soldier Dwight Richard Kleinberg Joseph Weingart Hollister from the Gunn Historical Museum and Alexa Kotas Jennifer Whittlesey learned about the Civil War through the actual Christian Kummer Sally Woodroofe experiences of Washington residents. Dwight lived at Elizabeth Lecher Woody Woodroofe 204 Nettleton Hollow Road in Washington, the home Sydell Lecher Jessica Zaccagnini of the late Georgia Middlebrook, and he joined the 8th Regiment, Co. I. The students published Kaylee Martinez Chris Zaima their work, in collaboration with the Gunn Museum, DONATIONS in a book, “Dwight Hollister: A Life in Letters”, which Thank you to Averill Farm for yummy treats; Tanya contains transcriptions of all the letters, plus research, Cicarelli, Washington Club Hall Manager, for use of the photographs, essays, poems, and illustrations by the Club Hall; Monica Neumann, General Manager of The students. The book is now available to check out from Mayflower Grace, for lights and Washington Cemetery the Connecticut Room at the Gunn Library with your Association for use of the cemetery. library card. Cover photograph: Haying in New Preston, CT circa 1900 Newsletter edited by with the New Preston Congregational Church in the distance. Photograph by Newman Hungerford. Lisa Breese, Operations Manager

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LIBRARY MYSTERIES - PART 2 by Jane Dodd Rouillion Boyer, Former President of the Gunn Memorial Library & Museum 1992-1994

the exhibit, pointed out to me that the Charles and Frederick Lamb, who were listed as guests in his book, were stained glass artisans. A quick trip to my computer not only gave me history of J&R Lamb Studios, founded in 1857, but it also gave me a current email address! To find a business still in business a hundred and forty years later absolutely amazed me. I immediately sent off an email and shortly received a reply from Mr. Donald Samik, president and historian of the Lamb Studio. He wrote that they really didn't have records from that era, but if I could send him some photographs of the window, he could tell me if it was made in their studio. Another period of time passed, and finally I got pen, paper and the photographs together. Towards the end of August, 2005, I received a letter from Mr. Samik. "Thank you for the photographs of the lovely stained - Continued from our last issue (No. 5). glass window. There is no doubt that it is a J&R Lamb This left the mystery of the stained glass window. I had Studios window, designed by Frederick Stymetz Lamb. been told that often stained glass artists signed their The style of the window and the painting of the flesh is works somewhere along the lead strips between the identical to work done by him. The Lambs' never signed pieces of glass, and often they were very obscure. their work and that is why there is no signature." As a result, I spent fruitless hours looking. Finally, it Thus, my second artistic mystery of the Gunn Memorial was obvious that a different tact needed to be taken. Library was solved. My final investigation was not really a I asked Benedict Silverman, a resident who had had a mystery but more a question. What does the “H” in H. great Tiffany collection, whether he knew of anyone Siddons Mowbray stand for? This was easy to solve. who could come and possibly identify the window. He Outside the old front door to the library there is a plaque invited Alistair Duncan, a Tiffany expert, to meet us at inscribed Henry Siddons Mowbray. Many years ago his the Library. Alistair said that the window was neither daughter-in-law, Peg Mowbray Jones, told me his first Tiffany nor John La Farge. He suggested we look at the name was Harry not Henry. With excellent directions microfiche records of local newspapers from June of from Peg Addicks, who knows where absolutely 1908. If this brought nothing, he said that often stained everybody rests in the cemetery next to St. Johns, I went glass could be identified by the technique used to his gravestone. His first name was Harry. in painting the faces. So, my mysteries about the Gunn Memorial Library have My search in 1908 newspapers produced fascinating been solved. The journey was fascinating and personally I reading but little information of the opening of the wish there were more puzzles. As you uncover one little Gunn Memorial Library, and absolutely nothing about piece it inevitably leads you to something else quite the stained glass window. It was not until 1997 that a surprising and your curiosity makes you want to uncover new potential source appeared. more. Although you are looking for the answer, there is a piece of you, at least of me, that never wants it to end. The Museum had a wonderful exhibit on Ehrick K. Rossiter. One of the items displayed was Rossiter's Complete story available at gunnlibrary.org under the “About guest book. Amanda Austin, who was very involved in Us” tab.

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WASHINGTON HISTORY CLUB by Kristin Nord

On the third Monday mornings in September, continue to exert an December, March, and June, or the third Tuesday influence upon our rural evenings in November, February, and May, members of community? the History Club take on aspects of Washington’s illustrious story. At the final spring meeting Rimsky was among the Stephen Bartkus, curator of the Gunn Historical many audience members Museum, heads up the morning sessions at the that took on the life and Washington Senior Center, while Dimitri Rimsky, who times of favorite post- conjured the springtime of his boyhood so poignantly in World War 2 jalopies. the past issue of this publication, and is a volunteer at Ostensibly the evening’s Gunn Historical Museum, is at the helm as evening host. topic was Washington’s It’s a job both clearly relish, and Bartkus has made it an historic gas stations; but additional point to broadcast all programs live on the the subscript was the museum’s Facebook page as well. “Capturing and relationship that so many Stanley and Elmer Gunnarson, preserving oral histories is a way to celebrate the twists teenagers had with the Gunnarson’s Garage, School Street, and turns in the town’s life.” Bartkus said. town’s skilled mechanics. If the confluence of people, industry and geography “The tradition of working on cars had, of course, started made Washington an industrial hub in the early 19th in the 1930s and 1940s - young men lying in the mud on century, the arrival of the railroad, Washington’s their backs, who later found a calling,” Rimsky recalled. proximity to City, and its inherent natural “With their help we all learned how to change the oil in beauty, fueled the arrival of wealthy weekenders. our cars, and learned what a fan belt and a carburetor Washington Depot, once known as Factory Hollow, has was. We all learned how to fix a flat tire. And of course, become a trading center for culture and amenities. The many of us were farm kids, and we had grown up architect Ehrick Rossiter by the late 1800s had operating farm vehicles long before we ever got behind transformed the Washington Green into an idealized the wheel of a car.” “I suspect a good number of us have a version of a village. Today a number of great fondness to this day for those men,” he added. historic buildings here have been repurposed; and a number of villages certainly look and feel different from And just as there was the joy that came as these men even 50 and 100 years ago. sprouted their wings, Rimsky said, there were the memories “of every tree and curve in town where People like Rimsky, who’ve grown up here and love this someone either died or survived.” town, remain valuable sources of oral history. Whether their aim is to add to Washington’s collective memory, If such snippets have served as the source of ballads since or to share stories of the men and women who have time immemorial, memories about to be shared at an shaped this special place, it’s a stalwart group that upcoming meeting in November promise to bring out the thrives on swapping information and sharing artifacts. town’s amateur thespians. That evening the group will delve into the rich history of the Washington Dramalites, Who among us can conjure the people and the families a community theater group believed to have had its first that have left their mark upon us and our communities? performance sometime in the 1870s. Interestingly, when Were they teachers or town constables? A merchant Douglas Winkel mounted a production this summer as a family or an illustrious benefactor? Were they early reincarnation, many locals couldn’t help but hope this settlers that lived and worked here for generations? Or one-time production will lead to others. One can be were they immigrants, grateful for work in a new assured that members of the History Club will be country and eager to contribute to this special place? reveling in their roles with the Dramalites, whether as Are there values that have been imparted over time that actors or as stage hands, at its November 21st meeting.

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ORPHAN TOMBSTONE by David Babington

I received an interesting request from Gunn Historical Did someone take the headstone from the East Cemetery Museum curator Stephen Bartkus. A headstone had after the inscription was recorded by the Hale recently been unearthed during Connecticut inscription project in construction on a property at 95 the 1930’s? A road trip to the East Christian Street in the New Cemetery in Litchfield was needed Preston section of Washington. to see if Edwin K Bulkley’s The 2000 Historic and headstone was still there or not. Architectural Resource survey of Stephen Bartkus and yours truly Washington, CT says that 95 visited the East Cemetery. Lucky Christian Street (the stone house) for us we quickly found a Bulkley was built about 1820 and was family monument close to the likely owned by the Cogswell’s entrance of the cemetery. There throughout the 19th Century. The were no individual headstones for owner of the property was the members of the Bulkley concerned whether this headstone family; just one family monument. meant someone was buried on his All the information for the Bulkley property. The headstone was family in the Hale inscription engraved with the following: project was taken down from this “Edwin K Bulkley one Bulkley family monument. When we saw Edwin’s Son of David C and Mary Ann Bulkley name on this family monument in Litchfield we realized Died May 19, 1844 that the headstone for Edwin in New Preston had to be an Aged 6 years “orphan” headstone. And Jesus called a Little child unto him” An orphan headstone is headstone that is removed from a My investigations of newspaper death notices showed cemetery when an original headstone is replaced by a new that Edwin K Bulkley died in Litchfield, CT. A further headstone. In this case a Bulkley family monument review of records at Ancestry revealed a headstone replaced the headstone for Edwin and also likely a inscription for Edwin K Bulkley from the East Cemetery headstone for his mother Mary Ann Stoddard Bulkley. in Litchfield, CT from the Hale collection of Connecticut Ruth Shapleigh-Brown of the Connecticut Gravestone cemetery inscriptions. The Hale collection of Network confirmed our orphan headstone theory. “My Connecticut cemetery inscriptions was a project started immediate thought is that when the larger monument was by Charles R Hale of the Connecticut State Library and put in - the individual stone(s) were removed from the was mostly completed between 1932 and 1935. The plot. Even though the dates are close for both stones I Hale cemetery inscription for Edwin K Bulkley from the still think that might be the reason as the Monument has East Cemetery in Litchfield, CT is the following: later dates on it. This was a practice that was done often in those times when after the war (US Civil War) era “Bulkley, Edwin K, son of D.C. and M.A. (Bulkley), more larger family monuments were put in place and died May 19, 1844, age 6 yrs”. Besides the Edwin K older single stones removed and often used for utilitarian Bulkley inscription from the East Cemetery there were purposes like stairs and sink counters, etc. This single also Hale inscriptions for the burials of Edwin’s parents stone certainly has the appearance of one that was broken and siblings in this East Cemetery. Next I checked for this purpose.” findagrave.com hoping that a listing for the burials of the Bulkley family in the East Cemetery might have photos of Thus ends the tale of “too” (two) many tombstones. The their headstones. No luck. Edwin K. Bulkley orphan headstone remains at 95 Christian Street. How this orphan headstone for Edwin K The question was how did a headstone for Edwin K Bulkley ended up in New Preston from Litchfield will Bulkley from the East Cemetery end up in New Preston? likely never be known.

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OUR FAVORITE ARTIFACTS

“Before there were coffee cup pods, there was Cogswell’s Perfect Coffee being made right here in Washington Depot, CT.“ - Richard Kleinberg, Gunn Historical Museum Volunteer

Watts and Cogswell Coffee Can (2008.2.1) William A. Watts (1863-1930) and his brother Robert J. Watts (1858-1931) partnered with Thorton H Cogswell (1871-1946) and sold this coffee at their general store in Washington Depot. Their store was located at the present site of the Washington Food Market in Bryan Plaza from circa 1891-1905. Gift of Sharon Wyant McGuire. From the estate of June Wyant. June was a descendant of the Gunn Family of Washington, CT and lived in the abolitionist John Gunn's House at 4 Blackville Road, recently demolished.

“This is a nice little oil lamp that’s like a 20th century flashlight, compact and portable with a teacup handle. It’s in good shape with the wick intact from the last time it was used 100+ years ago.“ - Richard Kleinberg, Gunn Historical Museum Volunteer

Glass Oil Lamp (2008.5.87) Gift of David Steinmann. From the estate of Marion (Richmond) Steinmann. Marion was a descendant of the Hollister Family of Washington, CT and lived at 300 Nettleton Hollow Road, currently Hollister House Garden.

“This croquet set brings back childhood memories of playing croquet with my father and sister.” - Gunn Historical Museum Volunteer

Croquet Set (2011.33.117) Gift of Henry and Janet Vaillant. This croquet set came from the Vaillant house. We estimate its date to be from the 1920s. Maria J. (Wrightman) Vaillant (1842-1932) and her son, Louis David Vaillant (1875-1944), the artist, hired Ehrick Rossiter to design their Italian villa style estate at 24 Old North Road in Washington in 1904. Both Maria and her son Louis lived here in the 1920s so they likely used it.

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T HANK YOU TO OUR 2016-2017 FRIENDS OF W ONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS! G UNN HISTORICAL MUSEUM *Including Give Local donations Volunteers Denise Arturi Ann Quackenbos Maj. William Cogswell William "Bill" Bader David Babington Madeline Revere Lauren & Mark Booth Phyllis J. Allen Jane Boyer Dimitri Rimsky Marjorie T. Coleman & Louis & Cynthia Allyn Gail Fernandez William Smith William R. Coleman Cheryl Anderson Eileen Hearn Deborah Stevens T. Peter & Mary Louise Pappas Richard & Kathleen Anderson Susan Jackson John Turner William H. Smith Jane & John Boyer Anne Brueckner Richard Kleinberg Sally Woodroofe Jeannie P. Platt Nelly & Michael Condon Doug McHan Chris Zaima Jack & Eileen Field Stephanie Fenwick Robin McHan Wilson Henley & Julie Clark Goodyear Bruce Glickman Tea for Two Hundred Volunteers Richard Lorenti Miss Tillie Paige Laird Gretchen Lytle Tegan Anderson Wilson King Ned & Sally Randall Franklin Mason David Babington Wyatt King Barbara Paul & Charles Moscarillo JoAnne Campisi-Setear Richard Kleinberg Charles Raskob Robinson Lawrence & Carol O'Toole Jean Chapin Roxanne Lee Ella Williams Sally Gooch Paynter Holly Flor William Smith Andrew & Cathy Carron Chris Giftos Silvia Osdranus Mary Harwood Katherine Wenning & Eileen Hearn Ann Quackenbos Rebecca & Ted Bent Michael Dennis Bill King Madeline Revere Thomas & Lillian Braman Daniel Sherr & Julie King Chris Zaima Dick Connor Margaret Ferguson Danielle Baechle & Philip Grausman / Block Jules Finker Grausman Fund M USEUM OPERATING INCOME & Nancy M. Lauriat Warren Hall E XPENSES (UNAUDITED) Anne Low Thayer & Edwin Hochberg July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 Mallie & Bob Mandel William E. Neff Margaret McAvoy Madeline Revere Source of Funds for Operations: Eve Miller Friends of the Gunn Museum $13,951 June Barnes Willis Steve & Priscilla Price Tea for Two Hundred Fundraiser $31,491 Denise & Peter Arturi Ronald & Janet Smith Other Fundraising Events $1,124 Fred Bird C. Carter Walker, Jr. Other Donations $4,193 Dundeen & Dan Catlin Mrs. Frances Whitehead Other Merchandise Sales $1,131 Janet Chenery Janet Wildman Gunn Memorial Library, Inc. $70,111 Nancy & Ron Chute DONATIONS Total $122,001 Kenyon Clark Barbara Ann & David S. Cook Anonymous Use of Funds by Operations: Natalie H. Dyer Merritt Brainard General Administration $10,617 Margaret & Lester Edelman James & Marian Colbert Museum Expense $111,384 Judie Gorra Joan Hammond Total $122,001 Holly & Steve Haas William & Nancy Houldin William & Nancy Houldin Howard Karasik T EA FOR TWO HUNDRED Lucile C. Kramer Alfred & Janice Kelman I NCOME & EXPENSES Katherine Krents Anne Liang A UGUST 12, 2017 David Kurtz The Mabee Family Foundation Bailey Martignetti Katie Malm Income $69,044.00 Brian Stevens Wendell & Florence Minor Expenses $18,240.26 William Tynan Marge Smith Peter Canoni & Arthur & Meredith Stowe Net $50,803.74 Wykeham Rise LLC / Erika 40% of Proceeds to IAM $20,321.50 Fritzie Updegraph Klauer Museum Proceeds $30,482.24 Robert & Sally Woodroofe

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P.O. BOX 1419 WASHINGTON, CT 06793

Located at 5 Wykeham Road on Washington Green Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Free Admission

Research can be conducted by appointment only, made at least two weeks in advance.

For more information contact us at 860-868-7756 or [email protected] [email protected]

www.gunnmuseum.org

U PCOMING PROGRAMS S AVE T HE DATE

Tuesday, November 21, 2017, 6:30pm, Monday, April 2, 2018, 10am New Year's Tea Party Wykeham Room of the Gunn Library Washington Senior Center Saturday, January 6, 2018 History Club at Night Readings from the Archives 11am-1pm Topic: The Dramalites Topic: TBA Wykeham Room of the Gunn Library

Monday, December 18, 2017, 10am, Tuesday, May 15, 2018, 6:30pm, Ring in the New Year with an old- Washington Senior Center Wykeham Room of the Gunn Library fashioned tea hosted by the Gunn History Club in the Morning Washington History Club at Night Historical Museum and Gunn Topic: TBA Topic: TBA Memorial Library. Cookies submitted by local bakers will be entered into a Monday, January 8, 2018, 10am Monday, June 18, 2018, 10am cookie contest. Visitors will have the (1st Mon. of Jan is New Years Day, so Washington Senior Center opportunity to socialize with friends scheduled the following Mon.) History Club in the Morning under the historic 1914 gilded ceiling Washington Senior Center Topic: TBA mural by H. Siddons Mowbray and Readings from the Archives enjoy period music in the festively Topic: TBA decorated room. Guests are asked to Tuesday, February 20, 2018, 6:30pm, bring their favorite tea cup and we'll Wykeham Room of the Gunn Library Would you like to receive our provide tea sandwiches. The tea is free History Club at Night, Topic: TBA informative monthly eNews? and open to the public, but registration Send your email address to is requested so we can plan ahead. To Monday, March 19, 2018, 10am [email protected] register please email your name(s) Washington Senior Center and ask us to add you to our to: [email protected] or History Club in the Morning mailing list. call 860-868-7756. Snow date: Topic: TBA 4-6pm on Tuesday, January 9th.

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