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

THE HANSON TUNK Page 5

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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November. The membership fee is due in April.

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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.