Post on 04-Jul-2020
The Hanson Historical Society Newsletter Spring 2014
Editor: Melinda Barclay
The Hanson Historical Society’s Annual Harvest Fair, September 21st, 2013
Antique Auto Ride HHS member, Mark Vess Mark Vess, DJ David and Friends
Mark Vess, Denise Dyckman, Heather Hart Speed Bump! Beep, beep!
THE HANSON TUNK Page 2
(cont. from page one)
HHS member Ms. McLellan and Melinda Barclay
HHS President, Patty Norton and HHS member, Joanne Clemons HHS members, Mark and Helen Vess
Perfect weather for a Harvest Fair
THE HANSON TUNK Page 3
The Ebenezer B. Keene House (Zero High Street)
By: Bruce Young
Here is a short history of the Ebenezer B. Keene
house, taken directly from the Histories of Hanson
Old Houses. The Ebenezer B. Keene house was
built in 1821. An older house had stood on this site,
a little to the west, where Walter Calder used to
have his first store. This is where Alexander Soper
once lived and was known as the “Soper Place”
Just before the end of Soper’s life, he feared that he
might lose his money and hid it in the stone walls
on his farm. Those who owned the farm after him,
often plowed up old coins in the opposite field
where the house of the late John Foster Stood.
The late Herbert Keene, photographer, once lived in
the present house.
This house once played an integral part in the
famous Sturtevant case, in which William
Sturtevant, a resident of this house at the time was
convicted of murdering his two wealthy uncles,
Simeon and Thomas, both of Halifax, as well as
their Housekeeper, Mary Buckley. It was in a
secret closet at Zero High Street, the detectives
found a black congress boot with a patch on the
right sole near the big toe and stained with black
clay which, when fitted into the footprints left at the
Halifax home by the fleeing killer, clinched the
murder case against William Sturtevant in February
1874.
According to Wells Elliot, the photographer, and
eye witnesses to the investigation, Mary Buckley’s,
parrot, Captain Kid when confronted by Sturtevant,
who was brought to the murder house in Halifax by
the investigators in the case, cowered in the corner
of his cage and cried “Murder Murder, Help Help !”
Sturtevant’s trial opened on June 22, 1874, and
lasted five days. Sturtevant was executed May 2,
1875 in Plymouth. Having the distinction of being
the last person hanged in Plymouth County. In
1960 when this history was written, Zero High St.
was occupied by Alice’s Beauty Shop.
THE HANSON TUNK Page 4
HANSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CALENDAR
APRIL, 2014 – JUNE, 2014
Meetings held at Schoolhouse #4 unless otherwise stated
April 3rd
Meeting 7:00pm
Speaker: Bill Scott
May 1st Meeting (Camp Kiwanee) 6:30pm
Annual Turkey Dinner
Speaker: Diane Taraz sings “A Civil War Sampler”
June 5th
Meeting 7:00pm
Speaker: TBD
June 12th
Strawberry Prep. Night 5:00pm
June 13th
Strawberry Festival 5:00 – 8:00pm
THE HANSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2013- 2014
John & Patty Norton - Co-Presidents
tel # 781 294-8645
e-mail: pnorton31@comcast.net
Allan Clemons Vice President
Cathy Bergeron Secretary
Richard & Betsy Blake Treasurers
Mary Blauss Edwards Webmaster/Curator
Melinda Barclay Director at Large
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The Hanson Historical Society would like to thank Geoff Diehl for his generous donation of historical records
to the society. Geoff recently purchased the property where The Hanson Grange was once located. He donated
all of the Grange’s historical records and historical items to the society. We are very grateful for his generosity and commitment to preserving Hanson’s past.
Geoff Diehl, Alan Clemons and John Norton with the donated items
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THE PRESIDENT'S LETTER
After a long, cold winter it is time again to resume the activities of the Historical Society. During the off
season, we have received several generous donations to our collection that we hope to have available for display
and conversation by our first meeting in April. One is a nice mantel clock and a feed bag returning home to
Hanson from Richard and Gwenneth Picard in Arkansas. Second are some historical documents donated by Kris
Meinhold in New Hampshire and arranged by our curator, Mary Blauss Edwards, and finally, Geoffrey Diehl of
Whitman, the current owner of Hanson's old Grange building allowed us to remove historical items from that
site prior to its demolition. We want to thank all of these people for their generous donations.
This years May dinner will be on Thursday, May 1st which will be upon us before we realize it so mark
your calendars now. The Hanson Historical Society has agreed to participate in the first Hanson Day at Camp
Kiwanee in June. This event is anticipated to become an annual event to bring together all of the various
organizations, clubs and groups in Hanson. Our planning will have to begin very soon. Hope to see you all at
our first meeting Thursday, April 3rd.
John & Patty Norton
HANSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:
It shall be the purpose of this Society to stimulate interest in the history of the town of Hanson, Mass. by
collection, preservation, and study of manuscripts, books, pictures, furniture and all other objects of historic
value which shall be acquired by gift or purchase; to provide a suitable repository for such objects and records;
to mark historic sites; to cooperate with other neighboring groups and perform such acts as may from time to
time see advisable to promote the aims of this society; to institute a definite program to acquaint younger
members of the community with our local history and to encourage them to take an active part in the Society.
Organized in March of 1961
Curator’s Corner
By Mary Blauss Edwards
The Hanson Historical Society website has received a major overhaul with updated content, hosted at a new
address: http://hansonhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/. Particular highlights include digital exhibits including
“From the Archives: The Teachers of Primary School #4/#7 (1845-1960)”; “From the Assessor’s Office: 1929-
1935 Hanson Assessor’s Maps”; “From the Assessor’s Office: Hanson Civil War Service Records”; and “From
the Assessor’s Office: Records of the Hanson Overseers of the Poor”. There is also a new monthly feature
called “Object of the Month” which will highlight a photograph, artifact, or manuscript from the collections of
the Hanson Historical Society. Be sure to update your bookmarks!
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HISTORICAL HANSON HAPPENINGS
-It was once the custom for the town of Hanson to pay the Baptist and Congregational churches for the tolling
of bells. Each time a resident of Hanson died, the bells would be tolled at 6 A.M., one toll for every year the
deceased had lived.
-In 1925, bus transportation was adopted for high school students. This was due to the suspension of the trolley
service.
-In 1928, the citizens of Hanson voted to purchase “Burrage Field” for $2000 to use as a school site. The
Hanson Historical Society is currently next door to the school that was built on the site. The school is now used
as apartments.
-Hanson’s first post office was running around 1820. It was located in resident, Cornelius Cobb’s store. The
first postmaster was Captain Nathaniel Collamore.
-In 1892, Hanson’s Improvement Society revised the names of the streets of Hanson, putting up new street signs
throughout town. They also named small neighborhoods in town such as: Bonney Hill, Fosterville, New State,
Bournetown, and Sodom. During their seventeen years of activity, they also helped develop Gorden Rest (a
place that provided vacations for working women) into a large institution.
-On April 4, 1906, a destructive fire tore through the back of John Foster’s Lumber Company. The fire was
caused by sparks from the 1:40 train.
-Theodore Lyman Bonney enlisted in the army on December 2, 1861 and became Sergeant in Company E 1st
Massachusetts Infantry Battalion. The Army of the Potomac moved to Chancellorville on April 27, 1863. They
encountered the Rebels who forced them to retreat and march to the point where they were overcome from
exposure and fatigue. Theodore was taken by a corps ambulance to a field hospital where he was diagnosed
with typhoid fever. He died on May 11, 1863. He was originally buried in the Potomac Creek Station but his
brother, Otis Bonney had his remains brought back to Hanson. He was finally laid to rest at Fern Hill Cemetery.
Theodore Lyman Bonney
THE HANSON TUNK Page 7
LAMENT FROM INDIA
Poem sent from Hanson resident, Russell Howard, to his mother while he was stationed in
India.
We’re somewhere in India,
where the sun is like a curse
And each long day is followed
by another slightly worse
Where red brick dust blows thicker
than the deserts sifting sands
And all that a man dreams and wishes for
is a fair and greener land.
We’re somewhere in India
where a woman is never seen
Where the sky is never cloudy
and the grass is never green
Where the jackal’s nightly howling
robs a man of blessed sleep
And there isn’t any pleasure
and you’re bored until you weep.
Somewhere in India
where the nights were made for love
Where the moon is light a searchlight
up in the sky above
And the Southern Cross sparkles
like a diamond in the night
It’s a shameful waste of beauty
and there’s not a girl in sight.
We’re somewhere in India
where the mail is always late
And Christmas packages in April
are considered up to date
Where we never have a pay day
and we never have a cent
But we never miss the money
‘cause we never get it spent.
We’re somewhere in India,
where the ants and lizards play
And a hundred fresh mosquitos
replace every one you slay
So take me back to Hanson
to hear the mission bell
For this God forsaken outpost
is a substitute for hell.
RUSS
The Hanson Historical Society
P.O. BOX 52
Hanson, MA 02341.
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Mail your check made out to the Hanson Historical Society
& mail to: Hanson Historical Society, P.O. Box #52, Hanson, MA 02341.