Beer Brewing - Black History - Bud Gurney - Valley Cast - Belgian Horses

A Reflection: Of Slavery,
Freedom, and a Blackstone
Valley Abolitionist
By Diane Marie Mariani
(In recognition of Februarys Black
History Month)
"The more we knew of freedom, the
more we desired it" - Austin Steward,
former slave
Today, as American soldiers fight
in Iraq looking to end terrorism and
safeguard our country with hopes to
also build a democratic Iraq, I reflect
upon the Africans and African-
Americans of 1619-1865, and their
long and very arduous path to gain
freedom. Though Bostons census of
1790 claimed no slaves, the Norths
support of these freedom-fighters
(not even called Americans), evolved
slowly. These slaves, fought for their
lives and liberty in the early colonies
of North America.
In 1619, the first slaves sold in
mainland North America, were black
Africans. Why were they captured and
forced to work as human machines?
The tobacco plantations in the South
were already being farmed by inden-
tured white laborers and by enslaved
Indians. Yet, the number of these
forced to work was decreasing. The
whites had sold themselves to, or had
been kidnapped and entered into con-
tract slavery, but eventually were
freed. Also, Indians were dying in
insurmountable masses from imported
diseases.
And so, the black Africans were
almost solely exploited as slaves.
They were coveted as slaves since
they were not indentured. Black
slaves were also preferred since it was
harder for them to escape undetected
and live in a white society. Once
slaves were bought in North America,
most labored strenuously on planta-
tions that grew tobacco, cotton, and
other crops. Others
continued on page 10
Elizabeth Buffum Chace
The bust of Elizabeth Buffum Chace at the
RI state House
Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, Milford
Volume 4, Issue 1 Winter 2007
Free
Building A Creative Community
ValleyCAST!, Blackstone Valley Culture,
Arts, Science Together, is a regional coalition
committed to a shared vision for the develop-
ment of a creative community and a vibrant
economy nurtured and sustained by talent, tech-
nology and trust. To facilitate this, Alternatives,
a human service organization in Whitinsville,
has taken a leadership role in developing this
collaboration to benefit the whole community.
What does a non-profit human service
agency have to do with culture? For sometime,
Alternatives had seen art and culture as a medi-
um to create community. They had developed
and implemented various programs to inter-
twine the people they serve with the community
at large. When it was decided to renovate the
agency's headquarters in the historic Whitin
Mill complex, it seemed the perfect time to
expand on this idea through partnerships with
other individuals and organizations. With the
assistance of the Massachusetts Cultural
continued on page 3
continued from page 1
Council and the Greater Worcester Community
Foundation, ValleyCAST! was created in 2002. It
was decided that its mission would be: To build a
creative, inclusive and prosperous community
through the celebration of the arts, culture and sci-
ence in the Blackstone River Valley.
Since that initial meeting a partnership has grown
which includes:
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley
National Heritage Corridor
Town of Northbridge Cultural Council
Pickwick Players
Higgins Armory Museum
Northbridge Historical Society
Claflin Hill Music Performance
Foundation
Apple Tree Arts
Rainbow Palette Gallery
Blackstone Daily.Com
Heritage String Band
Hitcatcher, Inc.
Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Education
Foundation
Stepping Stone Community Theatre
These partners, along with other individuals and
groups, form the steering committee for all
ValleyCAST! projects. Among the events which
ValleyCAST! hosts, supports or participates in are:
Tapestry: an annual holiday art show displaying
hundreds of works by artists, of all abilities, and
backgrounds. This past year, 99 artists displayed
over 300 works in venues throughout the town of
Uxbridge.
One Act Play Festival on the Mumford: An annual
event in which people are encouraged to include
people of differing abilities either in their plays or to
help out behind the scenes.
Tri-River Water Festival: AValley-wide, multi-
venue, 2-day event celebrating our connection to the
area's three rivers.
Gallery Exhibitions: Multiple shows in the past
year consisting of group and individual shows that
have had strong attendance and provided Valley
artists an opportunity to promote their works
Art in Banks: This exhibition promoted the works
of local student, amateur, and professional artists as
they were displayed side by side in the lobbies of 3
major area banks (Unibank, Whitinsville; Savers
Bank, Uxbridge; and Millbury Credit Union,
Millbury)
Stepping Stone Community Theatre
Performance: Stepping Stone is an
inclusive community theatre group that
recently partnered with ValleyCAST!
They provided a six-week theater work-
shop that culminated in a performance
and are currently setting up auditions for
a Spring main-stage performance.
Rainbow Palette Art Studio Program: This studio
provided inexpensive art classes to many people in
the area who might otherwise not be able to afford
or find art classes. These classes are on going. For
more information, contact Laura Cenedella at (508)
278-7193.
"Walk with the Whitins": ValleyCAST! collabo-
rated the Footsteps in History program (sponsored
by the Blackstone River Valley Tourism). This part
of the event was organized by the Northbridge
Historical Society.
Valley CAST will be honoring the efforts of local
cultural councils along with other recognition of
local arts associations with an upcoming celebration
in early Spring. This event will also increase net-
working and familiarity within the arts and help
expand awareness of the significant cultural
resources in the Valley.
Soon, a website will be launched to host ongoing
cultural events as well create more visibility for the
arts and artists. The Massachusetts Cultural Council
is collaborating with Valley CAST to share experi-
ences and expertise from other regional arts destina-
tions to broaden the role of the arts locally.
Page 2 Page 3
Gentle Giants
Bill and Deborah Tower wouldn't
have it any other way. Their 4th gener-
ation 80 acre homestead which former-
ly served as pastureland for a small
herd of cattle is now the home of three
"Gentle Giants." These gentle giants
are a Belgian mare, her half brother
and her son who proudly grace the
decade old gambrel barn which was
opened to the public in October for the
Chepachet annual Barn Tour. These
large beauties range 16-17 hands high
and are able to carry at least two times
their own weight while maintaining a
friendly disposition and sweet tem-
perament. It is obvious they are the
pride and joy of retired teachers, Bill
and Deborah, who met many years ago
in college.
How did these Belgian beauties
emigrate to the United States and
specifically several
farms in the New
England region,
several of whom
participate in the
Waters Farm annu-
al Sleigh Rally
each February if
theres snow? The
history of the
Belgian horse goes
back to Caesars
era when they were
used to carry the
most noble soldiers
into battle. The
country of Belgium
treasured the amaz-
ing genetics these
draft horses had.
District competi-
tions were established with substantial
incentives to breed the horse to maxi-
mize its use for farm work, breeding
and heavy lifting. Still, its introduction
into the U.S. was slowed by the estab-
lished popularity and marketing of the
Percheron, Clydesdale, and Shire
breeds. The American Belgian
Association was not officially founded
until February of 1887 in Wabash,
Indiana where the office is still located
today. It was not until 1903 that the
government of Belgium sent an exhibit
of horses to the St. Louis World's Fair
and the International Livestock
Exposition in Chicago. That immedi-
ately sparked interest.
By 1910, almost 2000 Belgiam
horses had been imported to the United
States. With WWI approaching,
imports slowed but American farmers
and breeders had enough Belgian hors-
es to start breeding them. The ebbs and
flows of the post war economy dulled
their numbers but by 1937, over 3000
Belgians were being registered annual-
ly.
The importance of draft horses fell,
however, as the labor shortage and
innovation pushed for mechanization
of farming with
small, rubber tired
row-crop tractors.
Further pressure
leading to a decline
of all draft horse
breeds was WWII
when the annual
number of all regis-
trations of draft
horses fell below
200. Yet, as the
other breeds
decreased, the per-
centages of Belgian
horses grew as total
share of the draft
horse market. By
1980, the Belgian
draft horse had easi-
ly taken the lead as
the resurgance of draft horses led to
between 4-6000 registrations per year
in the U.S.
According to the 2004 Belgian
Review, " The success of the effort has
been one of the great success stories in
animal breeding. Today's Belgian is a
big, powerful fellow that retains the
hefty middle, a
deep, strong foot,
a lot of bone, the
heavy muscling
and amiable dis-
position pos-
sessed by early
Belgians. His
qualities as an
easy keeper, a
good shipper, and
a willing worker
are intact. What
then have the American breeders done
to change him? They have developed a
horse with far more style, particularly
in the head and neck, with more slope
to both shoulder and pastern, and the
good clean, flat bone that goes hand in
hand with such qualities.
The modern Belgian is still a strong
worker and has become a great wagon
horse. The fact that Belgians are equal-
ly effective in pulling competition as in
hitch competition says it all."
The Towers know how much pleas-
ure and joy their Belgians offer and
they easily pull carriages for weddings
and larger wagons for hayrides.
Depending on the weather each
autumn, Bill is likely to complete 100
hayrides with the Belgian males from
October to December for parties,
schools, special occasions and events.
The Belgian mare and her half brother
usually pull the fancy carriage to add a
special touch to 6-30 weddings that
Bill performs each year.
If winter was normal this year,
youd get a chance to snap some won-
derful winter photos of these gentle
giant, sorrel chestnut beauties on the
wonderful landscape of Waters Farm in
Sutton in February at the Sleigh Rally.
However, that lovely event has been
cancelled this year due to lack of snow
predicted. There's surely no better win-
ter wonderland spectacle in all of New
England, so plan for next year! Bill
stated that there used to be several
other regional rallies but government
regulations have made some of them
cost-prohibitive.
For your own special event, these
are local Carriage, Hayride or Sleigh
Ride Operators:
Bill and Deborah can be reached at:
Horse Power Carriage & Hayrides, 1435
Snake Hill Road, N. Scituate, RI 02857
401-568-8294
Also Email: horsepowercr@aol.com
Chepachet Farm and Carriage Works
401-568-9996
John W. Cole - 401-568-9303
Iron Shoe Carriage Service, Wayne Tucker,
106 Quaker Highway, Uxbridge 508-278-
0390
John and Sally Hill, Douglas 508-476-
2794
Arrowhead Acres, David Morin, (hayrides
on site)
92Aldrich St, Uxbridge 508-278-5017
Big Apple, 207 Arnold Street, Wrentham,
MA 02093
508-384-3055
All Occasion Horse & Carriage
Route 1A, Wrentham, MA 02093 (508)
384-8094
Some friends of the Waters Farm
Preservation Inc, 56 Waters Road, Sutton,
MA 01590 (508) 865-0101
Please support our advertisers. Without them, Journeys cannot
exist! Also, they are the core of our communities. Thanks.
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Ladies-Be FabuIous fhis Spring!
Journeys
Creating An Arts Community
Express Yourself.......Share Your Ideas,
Events, Exhibits on the
Valley ARTS BLOG
http://blog.theblackstonevalley.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
ONGOING:
Rotating Exhibits at National Gallery, 362
Putnam Hill Road, Sutton. M-Sat 9-5. 508-476-
4415.
15th c. Masterpieces to Modern Art. Chagell,
Miro, Picasso, Etc. @ Spaightwood Galleries,
120 Main St, Upton, MA in beautiful old church
setting. 508-529-2511
Wild Bird Gardens, 670 Linwood Avenue
Linwood, MA 01525 508-234-0111
Weekends at Rainbow Palette - see below
2/16-3/16.
FEBRUARY 2007:
1-4 Worcester - Flora In Winter @Worcester
Art Museum - A succulent feast of premier
floral designs. Thursday, February 1, 11 am - 5
pm. Museum reopens from 6-8:30 pm for Flora
Euphoria.Friday, February 2, 11 am - 5 pm.
Saturday, February 3, 10 am - 5 pm.
Sunday, February 4, 11 am - 5 pm
9 - Uxbridge - Both Live Auction & Silent
Auction for the Arts. Auctioneer Michael
Wassanman (license # 461) will hold a live auc-
tion from 6-7 PM while a 50/50 Fine Art Silent
Auction will be held from 6-9 PM. Auction to
Benefit the Rainbow Palette TLC program &
Alternatives Art Gallery. Both Held at
Alternatives Gallery, 5 South Main Street,
Uxbridge, MA. Info, 508-278-7193 Laura.
MARCH 2007:
10 - Rodgers & Hammersteins South Pacific
at Milford Town Hall, 7:30 p.m.
www.claflinhill.org Join us for One Enchanted
Evening
16 - MARCH 16. Uxbridge. Weekends Only.
Group Art Show. Call For Details and Times.
Laura @ 508-278-7193.
MAY 2007: Graftons ART SHOW
18-20 - 3 Day Art Festival
Contact Tasha - TashaHal@aol.com
Classes/Workshops:
The Rainbow Palette- Call Laura
508-278-7193 for schedule.
National Gallery, 362 Putnam Hill Rd.,
Sutton 508-476-2149 Jen.
Youth Classes:
Drawing/Painting
Arts & Crafts
February VACATION Workshop
Parent Child Tuesdays
Home Schooled
Adult Classes - Candy Making, Art,
Mixed Media, Jewelry. Call for info.
Journeys
Page 5 Page 4 Journeys Journeys
The Perfect
Choice
For many years, the regions hous-
ing market has been so tight with rap-
idly increasing prices, quick turnovers,
attractive mortgage rates that buyers
have often felt compelled to act imme-
diately, sometimes sacrificing many
items on their checklists. According to
local realtors and mortgage specialists,
it is a great time to buy as housing
inventory is broad and diverse from
brand new choices to historic homes,
as seen in the seven room 1849 Cape
in Grafton pictured above.
For those seeking customized
options and buildable land, the slightly
slower market is a bonus for buyers.
With mortgage rates still low and
prices stabilized, it can be a very
sound investment, particularly when
you realize and capitalize on these fac-
tors:
1. Find Exactly What You Want
Greater selection is key to finding a
home that fits your familys needs
right from the start. Its tougher to
move once youve settled, so this is
a big plus! In a rushed, escalating
market, this is not always possible,
often triggering the need to move
again or add-on.
2. Negotiations Possible
In past years, the demand often
pushed buyers into offering a
price before they had a chance
to fully analyze their offer due
to rising prices and stiff competi-
tion. In a slightly cooler mar-
ket, there is often time to think
more keenly and let the seller
become a bit more impatient,
thus allowing negotiations to
begin.
3. Mortgage Rates Are Still
Relatively Low
For those homebuyers who
bought in 1981 when rates
were over 16%, the rates are
incredibly low. Savvy buyers
realize the rates are relatively
stable and still very enticing.
4. A Home Is Still A Great
Investment
If you expect to live in your
home for several years, it is
still one of best investments
around! The tax deductions are
favorable, youre the boss, plus
real estate has a history that
outpaces stocks or other invest-
ments - even in a cool market!
Plus, the market could heat up at
anytime - placing you in an even
better position longterm.
Trusted, Experienced Partners For Your Real Estate Needs
40B Affordable Housing Profits
Scrutinized by Inspector General
Gregory W. Sullivan
Many of our local communities
understand the need for affordable
housing, yet some of the most ardent
affordable housing supporters have
been appalled by the lack of over-
sight and/or compatibility with the
community for some of the 40B pro-
posals. The Boston Globe, (DHCD)
the Department of Housing and
Community Development and related
non-profits such as CHAPA have
often reacted with the term of
NIMBYism to deny any sound dis-
cussion such as Graftons controver-
sial 40B in a sensitive environmental
area.
Finally, the Commonwealth of
MAs Inspector General Gregory
Sullivan has provided some very
telling audits which should compel
our communities and our legislators
to act so that certain abuses cannot
continue, as taxpayers and residents
fuel unchallenged turnaround profits
that could lead to the loss of afford-
able units.
A 40B Reform Group continues
to be a statewide monitor and voice
for these issues, including why per-
manency of these units is not
addressed.
For more information on pending
2007 40B legislation and/or initia-
tives, contact advocate John Belskis
at vze27qbd@verizon.net to be
placed on the email list.
A Compelling Case in Point:
Reading, MA - a 40B home was bought as an
affordable unit for $174,180. About 2 years
later, the home was sold at a profit of $60,020
(34%) vs. profits of between 9-14% for market
rate homes in same development during same
timespan. CHAPA (CHAPA.org) was called in
to monitor this sale as an affordable unit, but
failed to detect an error in calculation. This
error led to a $53,000 bonus to the affordable
unit home seller, already receiving a subsidy,
and could lead to the towns loss of an
affordable housing unit.
For info, www.BlackstoneDaily.com/40B.htm
Inventory Availability Finally
Allows Buyers A Broad Selection
First Time Home Buyers: ATool
The Soft Second Loan Program
Program Description: The Soft
Second Loan Program is a joint ini-
tiative of the public and private sec-
tors to increase affordable housing
opportunities for low- and moderate-
income homebuyers. It combines a
conventional first mortgage with a
subsidized second mortgage to help
low- and moderate-income house-
holds to qualify for a mortgage and
purchase a home for the first time.
How to Apply: Twice yearly, DHCD
makes Soft Second Loan program
funding available through a Notice of
Funding Availability (NOFA).
Interested municipalities or consortia
must submit a request for funding
indicating the expected number of
loans to be closed in the next six
months, and outlining their history
with the program. Interested first-
time homebuyers may visit the Mass
Housing Partnership Fund homepage
for information on participating com-
munities and a list of contacts.
mhpfund.com or (617) 573-1300
The word fresco brings to mind
Italian Renaissance wall art, and
indeed a brightly painted mural adorns
one wall of Fresco's on Rt. 16 in
Mendon. Proprietors Sean and Kim
Terrell opened their restaurant two
years ago, and it has become a popular
place, with weekend-night waits of up
to an hour.
Fresco's dining room and kitchen
are one open space, with a 10-stool bar
separating the two. It's crowded and
cozy in the dining section; every table
has a good view of the white-clad
chefs busy working in the kitchen. It's
a casual, friendly, upbeat place, with
burnt orange color-washed walls, and
other attributes that offset the cold
drafts of air that sometimes blow in a
bit with customers during the winter
months.
We came early on a Friday evening
and had to wait just 10 minutes to be
seated. We found two empty stools at
the bar, and had just ordered a glass of
wine when our table was ready. The
waitress brought a basket of sliced
Italian bread and butter, while we start-
ed reading the menu, listening to mel-
low rock music, Neil Diamond's Sweet
Caroline.
The food theme at Fresco's is defi-
nitely Italian, with familiar piccata and
Marsala sauces, but it also includes a
lot of variations on the theme with
some interesting approaches. Sean col-
laborates with his chef staff to come up
with new menu ideas.
The appetizer selections include
calamari ($6.99), mozzarella sticks
($6.99), littlenecks ($7.99) and
steamed mussels ($8.99).
We began with a house side salad,
dense with greens, light and dark crou-
tons, carrots, tomatoes, red onions,
cucumbers and bits of egg, with an
Asiago dressing. It was much better
than what sometimes passes for a
restaurant salad, the quickly assembled
bowl of iceberg, cucumber and tomato
slice still cold from the frig.
The pasta section of the menu
begins with a "create your own dish"
from a selection of five pastas, eight
sauces, and several additions. Pasta
entre items include pasta carbonara,
sauted chicken fillets with mush-
rooms, peas and bacon in an Alfredo
sauce ($13.99), eggplant parmesan
($12.99) and linguini with clam sauce
($13.99). The pasta Victoria, penne
pasta tossed with grilled chicken fil-
lets, crushed tomatoes, mushrooms,
onions and spinach in a balsamic white
wine garlic butter sauce ($12.95), was
high on our short list of choices for our
meal, but we skipped to the next sec-
tion.
The chicken entrees start with a
saltimbocca, thinly sliced prosciutto,
sage and mozzarella cheese in a white
wine lemon butter sauce ($14.99).
There is also chicken amore, which has
sauted chicken breasts with roasted
red peppers, toasted cashews, wild
mushrooms and spinach in a roasted
garlic cream sauce ($14.99).
Next on the menu is seafood, start-
ing with a traditional cioppino: shrimp,
scallops, mussels, littleneck clams,
haddock and calamari in a garlic toma-
to seafood broth served over linguini
(16.99). We two diners chose our
entrees from this section, the salmon
Chloe ($15.99) and Jimmy's seafood
saut ($17.99). The salmon was a
baked fillet topped with a pesto cream
sauce, and served over risotto. We
haven't often seen this combination on
a menu, and found it intriguing. It was
a superb choice, the cream sauce had
just the right basil flavor, the salmon
was very fresh, and the risotto just
sticky enough and tasty.
Our second choice, Jimmy's
seafood saut, was a generous and rich
plateful of shrimp, scallops and a small
portion of lobster meat with wild
mushrooms and sweet red peppers in a
basil lemon cream sauce, served over
linguini.
Don't care for seafood? Then go on
to the veal and beef choices, which
include a 12 oz. Black Angus New
York sirloin steak ($15.99) and the
classic French filet au poivre, twin filet
mignons encrusted with black pepper-
corns, seared with wild mushrooms in
a brandy cream sauce, served over gar-
lic crostinis ($17.99).
Lastly, there is a page of pizza pos-
sibilities, with specialties such as "The
Fresco" and "Healthy Heart" ($13.99).
Desserts include tiramisu ($4.75),
cannolis ($4.50), and cheesecake
($5.95).
Sean Terrell was the sous chef at a
well-known restaurant in Milford, and
with 15 years of experience, wanted to
establish his own place. When
Vincenzo's Trattoria moved to
Bellingham in 2004, the space at 95
Uxbridge St. became available, and the
Terrells were on their way. He says it
took eight months, and many 80-hour
weeks after that to get Fresco's opera-
tional and humming, and now he's
down to working 60 hours a week. His
dedication and enthusiasm for the
place is contagious.
Kim's role in the business: she
takes care of the operations end of the
business, and is in charge of the wall
art. Sean tells us that Kim was 8-
months pregnant with daughter Chloe
when she painted the Venetian mural.
Like Vincenzo's Trattoria before it,
Fresco's attracts lots of local regulars,
some come three or four times a week,
says Sean. He caters to them with a
variety of daily specials, including
Chinese and Mexican, so that they
don't get bored with the standard
menu. Sean is also happy to customize
any menu item for food allergies or
preferences. And there is one more
thing he will do, give away his recipe
secrets. Well, maybe not the secret, but
he will tell you all about it. While we
were there, he spent several minutes
with some happy customers discussing
the "Autumn Chicken" entre on the
day's specials. It was an interesting
dish of chicken breast sauted with
Granny Smith apples, walnuts, sun-
dried cranberries and spinach in an
apple brandy butter sauce ($14.99).
The wine list at Fresco's is prepared
in consultation with Martignetti's and
reflects the Best of Boston list. It
includes choices such as Trinity Oaks
Pinot Noir, Silverado Cabernet
Sauvignon, and Oyster Bay Sauvignon
Blanc. Wine by the glass starts at
$4.50 and bottles at $18. There is also
an extensive beer selection.
Fresco's is an asset in the Valley
dining scene. It has just one drawback
that's hard to overcome. The building
is small and the dining room feels a bit
cramped. Sean hopes that next summer
he will have a permit for an outside
waiting area with bar service, so the
wait will be more pleasant.
Meanwhile, plan ahead, as the
restaurant will take reservations for
groups of five or more, and also offers
call-ahead seating. Call 508-473-2369.
No website as of yet. Children's menu
available. Take out available. The
building is handicapped accessible, the
restroom is not. Tues-Thurs 4:00- 9:00
pm, Fri-Sat. 4:00-10:00 pm, Sunday
4:00-8:00 pm. Closed Mondays.
The Art of Dining: Frescos
Housing News
Page 7 Page 6 Journeys Journeys
Though winter has come unusual-
ly late this year, it's a great time to
warm by a fire, read a good book or
learn about a new interest. One grow-
ing phenomenom seems to make
financial sense as well as offer a
plethora of tastes that could keep you
intrigued and busy for years! Brewing
beer started thousands of years ago
but became a daily dietary standard
during the Middle Ages when crowd-
ed cities tainted water supplies. The
barley, hops, and yeast not only pro-
vided calories, stamina and pleasure,
but more importantly, provided a safe-
guard against bacteria-tainted water
supplies.
During colonial New England,
beer was also a staple and is men-
tioned throughout literature. From
1920 - 1933, Prohibition changed the
landscape of small breweries scattered
throughout most communities. When
these small breweries were outlawed,
the eclectic and less exacting
approach to beer recipes and process-
ing was replaced instead with larger,
commercial breweries. Their limited
choices with exacting measurements
and procedures emerged once
Prohibition legislation was lifted.
Howver, any beer lover under-
stands there is a plethora of imported
and domestic beers available, yet the
inquisitive or adventurous might find
the process of brewing beer entertain-
ing, pleasant to the palate and easy on
the pocketbook. According to the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) in
1997, Americans drank an average of
2 gallons (7.57 liters) of alcohol per
person. This translates roughly into
one six-pack of beer, two glasses of
wine and three or four mixed drinks
per week.
Though we certainly advocate safe
drinking and absolutely no driving
after drinking, the enjoyment of
becoming a connoisseur, of sorts, is
quite appealing. The financial savings
can also make a difference, but how
does one start? There is plenty of
information online, but the basics
include:
4 major ingredients: barley, hops,
yeast and water.
Make sure your water is clean and
tastes good. You'll also need a 16
quart (or larger) stock pot made of
copper, stainless steel or porcelain. An
aluminum pot could negatively affect
the flavor.
The process starts with malting the
barley so that the enzymes break
down the barley into sugars which
then feed the yeast to make the alco-
hol in the beer. The malt flavor can
vary according to the temperature
used to synthesize the barley. It is
critical to find the right time to stop
germination of the barley, so finding
an expert to consult with or doing
research is important. The next step
is adding the hops (top flowers from
the hop vine) that adds the acidic, bit-
ter flavor to beer as well as inhibits
any bacteria.
Different types of yeast can alter
flavors while also creating alcohol
and carbon dioxide in the beer
through the fermentation process.
Depending on the type of beer or
lager made, it generally takes 2-6
weeks for fermentation. Two critical
steps demand maintaining sanitary
conditions and not allowing any oxy-
gen during fermentation.
A great first step in becoming a
home brewer is experiencing the
process in an environment where
assistance and expertise can answer
all your questions as well as provide
you with all the materials before you
make this a permanent hobby.
Make sure you take great recipe
notes so that you can repeat your
favorites or learn from each batch!
by Ray Schavone
One such expert found locally is
Deja Brew, located on Route 9 in
Shrewsbury. It is the first Brew-on-
premise in Massachusetts. Owned and
operated by Boylston residents Ray &
Donna Schavone for the last 10 years,
tens of thousands of beers have been
brewed at Deja Brew. Now, that's a lot
of beer!
There are over 185 different beer
recipes to choose from including
Bitters, Browns, Lagers, Pale Ales,
Porters Stouts, and many more.
The process includes 2 visits to
Deja Brew. The first visit, you'll choose
the recipe for your brew. The staff will
help you choose one you'll like, if
needed. Once you have the recipe
picked out, you'll weigh out and grind
the grains, and be assigned a brewing
kettle. There are several different types
of grains, from a Pale Malt to
Chocolate and Black. The grains add
flavor and color to your beer. The
grains are in a large stainless basket,
which is placed in the brewing kettle,
and the heat is turned on, so we're on
our way.
Next, you'll measure out the malt
extracts, and hops. The malt extract
adds color and alcohol, and the hops
add bitterness to balance the sweetness
in the beer. Back to the kettle, where
you're dunking the grains, to extract the
flavor and sweetness. Once the temper-
ature reaches 180 degrees, the grains
are removed and drained. Then the
extracts are added, stirred in carefully,
and we're waiting for a boil.
Once the boil starts, the hops are
added. Depending on your recipe, there
are many different types of hops. Hops
are added at different stages during the
brewing process to extract the bitter-
ness, flavor or aroma based on the
recipe.
Once the brewing is finished, the
yeast is added to the fermenter, and the
and the wort (unfermented beer), is
pumped through a chiller, and into the
fermenter. You place a tag on your fer-
menter, and voila! First visit is finished.
You'll leave your brew at Deja Brew
for 2 weeks, and then you return to put
your brew into bottles or a keg. You'll
set up an appointment for your bottling
date before you leave.
Then you return to bottle. You can
bring your own bottles or buy them
new from Deja Brew. The bottles have
to be sanitized in the large sanitizer
before they are filled. When the bottles
are ready, your beer is brought out and
connected to the bottler filler. You'll be
instructed on how to operate the bottle
filler, and the capper, and then you'll
start filling your bottles. The beer is
cold, carbonated, and drinkable during
the bottling process.
So what happens during the 2
weeks? Once the wort is in the fer-
menter, your batch is moved into the
temperature controlled fermenting
room, where the sugars in the beer fer-
ment into alcohol. After a week the
beer is tested to ensure it's finished fer-
menting, and then is moved into the
cold conditioning room. The cold room
is kept at 32 degrees, and over the
course of a couple of days, most of the
yeast and solids precipitate and fall to
the bottom of the fermenter. The beer is
then cold filtered into stainless steel
kegs, and force carbonated, just like a
regular beer.
Each batch of beer makes approxi-
mately 6 cases. Prices range from $105
to over $200 depending on the ingredi-
ents and complexity of the brew.
Deja Brew can be reached at 508-842-
8991. www.dejabrew.com
A Growing Pastime: Brewing Your Own Beer Winters Gift:
'Tis never too cold/ for tales to be told/ of winter and its
magical ways,/ of olden times and forgotten rhymes,/ of
Uxbridge in earlier days
Try to picture them - twelve young missies, leather-
booted, wool-bonneted, tramping through the snow on a
clear winter morning in late January, 1838. See their
faces, so round and red! All eyes fixed on the towpath
ahead
It was only a hop, skip and a jump from the Uxbridge
Academy to the Blackstone Canal. After crossing the
Uxbridge town common, the girls had merely to traipse
down Mendon Street, then cut across the old Prospect Hill
burial ground. The canal towpath waited just over the
next rise.
The dozen damsels were all students at Uxbridge
Academy's "Female School." The Academy was a private
institution opened in the fall of 1820, described by one
historian as "an academy and select school for young
ladies " Young men were not admitted to Uxbridge
Academy until 1836; even then, the boys were kept apart
from the girls.
The "Female School," familiarly known in 1838 as "The
Laura A. Washburn School" (perhaps named for the
schoolmistress of that year), was conducted on the first
floor of the brick Masonic building, north of the Uxbridge
common. The boys received their instruction at Capron
Hall, where Mr. Andrew Stone presided as schoolmaster.
What the Uxbridge schoolgirls found waiting for them
beside the canal that morning would surely have become a
lost memory if not for the efforts of William A. Mowry,
Ph.D, who recorded the particulars in his 1897 book,
Uxbridge Academy: A Brief History:
"In January 1838, when the two schools were carried on,
the young ladies' school being in the academy building
and the school for young gentlemen, under the care of
Andrew L. Stone, being in Capron's Hall, the young ladies
were accustomed to take daily exercise in sliding upon the
ice of the [Blackstone Canal] aqueduct just below
Capron's mill."
The canal aqueduct was a high, wooden structure that
loomed above the Mumford River. It consisted of five
wooden spans supported by huge stone piers. It had the
appearance of a bridge, but the upper horizontal portion
was actually a wide, wooden flume through which canal
boats floated on their way to Worcester or Providence,
conveniently bypassing the Mumford and the difficult ter-
rain below. In summertime, local boys were known to
cool off by waiting under the aqueduct for excess water to
pour out the bottom with terrific -- and refreshing -- force.
In winter, the frozen aqueduct apparently offered the girls
of Uxbridge Academy a tempting icy surface on which to
slide.
On this day, however, winter had loosened its grip on
the canal and water flowed freely in the aqueduct.
Cheated of their daily slide, the girls wandered along the
towpath until at last a strange sight caught their eye: a
small tree or bush where none should grow. And dan-
gling from its slender branches, a letter addressed to
"Ladies of the L.A.W. School." Most mysterious of all, a
large package rested at the base of this curious tree.
"What it was and how the girls made answer to it will
best appear in what follows," Dr. Mowry continues.
"Suffice to say that it was generally supposed that Mr.
Stone was responsible for the gift and the poetry, but it is
not known who wrote the reply."
The letter was handwritten in ink, doubtless in a school-
master's elegant script. It began:
LADIES OF THE L.A.W. SCHOOL
In the mermaid's cave there was song and glee
And hearts that bounded with gayety
And eyes that beamed like ocean pearls
Which the maids wore 'mid their glossy curls.
And wild were the strains of the minstrel's power
In the crystal halls of emerald bower;
And merrily then where the dancers wove
On the sparry floor of the coral grove.
Enshrined in the oil of the dancing ring,
On the amber throne, sat the elfin king,
And caught from the ray of the spirit-gem
Was each star that gleamed from his diadem.
And the crimson banner that floated above
Like the rosy atmosphere of love,
With each gentle swell of the deep blue sea
Swept backwards and forwards silently.
But sudden amid the festival throng
The dancers paused, and hushed was the song
For the messengers came from the upper air,
That keep their watch so faithfully there.
With folded wing,
Before the king
They bent the knee
As to their better
And gave a letter, To His Majesty.
The silence broke,
And thus they spoke:
"Ye are come, ye are come, with your joyous tread,
On the slippery path of the frozen wave
Ye have wandered since dawn through valley and mead,
And your welcome is sweet at the water-nymph's cave.
"Far down in the deep is one emerald bower,
And we dance in the isles of the coral grove;
But we haste with the flush of the morning hour
To wait for the coming of those whom we love.
"The dayspring is bright
With its orient light,
And its cloud-mantling purple and gold;
But the glance of the eye
Can its luster outvie,--
'Tis the language that breathes of the soul
"And well do we know
By the cheek's rich glow
And the steps falling light like the faun
'Tis a gay happy band
We have met on the strand,
To greet with the cheer of
the dawn.
"But here,We fear.
Some apology must
Be considered as just
By the Ladies who honor
our table,
That we bring them today
No costly array
Of something good
To be used for food;
But we pray you excuse us
And do not abuse us
Since we have done as well as we are able.
"So, thinking no ill,
Partake with good will,
Nor scorn it because it is little;
It will stay your stomach
Till you can come at
Some better and heartier victual.
"Pass on in your beauty - pass on in your mirth;
Pass on with the joy of the fresh-awakening earth; We bid
you adieu, as you glide to the shore
For the hour, it is fled, and the song, it is o'er."
(dated) January 25, 1838
"To this the girls wrote the following reply," Dr. Mowry
records, "leaving it where the above was found:"
This beautiful morning, as we went to walk
And were much engaged in instructive talk
We found the canal on which we would slide
Was melted and flowing like a very high tide.
When thus disappointed, our walk we prolonged
And bent our swift steps the tow-path along
Till we found ourselves near to the water-nymph's cave
That is swept by the path of the rolling wave.
Thus admirers of nature a strange sight espied,-
A tree or bush growing from the bridge side;
Strange sight it sure was! A tree's roots to take
In a board; and letters on trees - why don't its limbs
break?
Beneath its light shade
A large package was laid
Full of hearts, sugar kisses and candy
Who could wish for a dessert more dainty?
Some passed this great wonder
Without looking under
To see what the water-nymphs brought
But one of more wisdom than others poetry sought.
The whole was next divided among the gay band;
Some had candy, some kisses, some hearts;
Of the twelve who walked on the strand
Each person we think had her part.
And now we will thank the donor so kind
For the dainties thought fit to provide
And hope this first trial at rhyme
Will be excused for want of time.
(dated) Uxbridge, Jan. 30, 1838
A magical moment on a winter's morn, born of a
teacher's kindness and the ephemeral innocence of youth.
Both poems were afterwards published in The Lily, a
small literary magazine created by the students of
Uxbridge Academy. The twelve girls were all old women
by the time Dr. Mowry recounted the tale in his 1897
book.
The players are gone, but the story lives on,/ Humble
though it may be./ Winter has magic, in no sense tragic/
unless you refuse to see
1995, 2006 by Joe Doherty, PO Box 31, South Salem NY 10590-0031.
riverwritr@aol.com
A wonderland on the Blackstone Canal at Uxbridge in 1838 by Joe Doherty
Page 9 Page 8
Valentinus, a Roman priest imprisoned and facing
beheading for helping Christians during the era of
Claudius II in the third century, is credited with cre-
ating the first love note, aka Valentine, which he
created for his jailer's daughter. His beheading
occurred the next day, February 14th.
Most Worcester County natives or longtime resi-
dents are very familiar with our region's local histo-
ry in valentine manufacturing. Worcester's Esther
Howland, a graduate of Mount Holyoke College,
was delighted when she received her first English
valentine in 1847. Her fascination grew and almost
immediately, she started importing lace and floral
designs from England to handcraft valentines.
However, tidbits of historical evidence point to
Graftons Jotham Taft as the true pioneer in
American valentine making, long established in
Europe since Valentinus day. Taft traveled to
Europe in 1839 and brought a European valentine
home to his house in Kittville, near Graftons Silver
Lake. He started hand crafting valentines until the
business grew quickly and was moved to a shop in
New England Village, now known as North
Grafton. In 1909, Tafts obituary claimed he had the
distinction of being the Father of Valentines in
America which is supported by evidence in
Frederick Pierces History of Grafton book.
Corroborating letters also affirm Jotham Tafts
standing as Father Valentine.
However, it was Howland who became known as
the premier valentine maker as well as one of New
England's most successful 19th century female
entrepreneurs. By 1850, she had hired friends and
workers to respond to the tremendous demand for
her handcrafted valentines. It is most likely the Taft
business merged with hers as Pierces historical
documentaion refers to another business taking
space in the building recently used for the manu-
facture of Valentines by Messrs. Taft and son in
1848.
Howland was so successful that her annual earnings
were over $100,000 a year. In 1881, she retired and
the company was bought by George C. Whitney
Company, a local stationary store. The George C.
Whitney Company became one of the largest valen-
tine manufacturers in the country with additional
offices located in Chicago, Boston and New York.
Locally, the company employed over 600 workers,
full time or part time seasonally. Though originally
importing lace, floral designs and embossed paper,
the Whitney company bought the machinery to
become self-reliant and manufacture its own lace
paper, embossed designs. Two Whitney brothers
were also involved with the company, having start-
ed the stationary business and managing when
George participated in the Civil War.
When George finished his soldiering duties, the
company focused on the "catchy" verses that made
valentines so appealing and fun. By the early 20th
century, the expensive lace and embossing were
used less often, focusing instead on a more com-
mercial, high volume approach. George died in
1915, but the company flourished for three more
decades under the ownership of his son, Warren
Whitney.
In 1942, Warren Whitney finally liquidated the 77
year old company when a severe paper shortage
was created by the advent of World War II.
However, after the war, valentines became commer-
cially prevalent, particularly adored by school chil-
dren enjoying the February ritual.
Samples of hand craft-
ed valentines by Esther
Howland and/or her
firends/workers in
Americas romantic
Victorian era 1860s-
1880s.
For more information
on early valentine mak-
ers in the U.S, visit the
Worcester Historical
Museum, 30 Elm Street,
Worcester, MA or
search Jotham Taft or
Esther Howland online.
Early Valentines Early Valentines
by Jane Keown
Here we are in January in Massachusetts, and
there has been no snow. Not only that, but the
temperatures have broken all the records for
warmth....and frankly, although I'm not THAT old,
I cannot remember another winter when we arrived
at Epiphany without having seen more than a few
flakes of snow on the ground. This has been one
crazy winter!
From the point of view of a farmer, I'm as nerv-
ous as a cat. I can't say for certain that the tree
fruit growing on our farm are in trouble, but I cer-
tainly sense it in my bones. By now, there should
be at least a rudimentary snow cover, and the trees
should be slumbering peacefully in the cold of
winter. I am always reminded of Robert Frost's
poem, "The Orchard." In it, he tells the orchard to
fear twenty above more than twenty below.' I'm
not sure of his horticultural pedigree, but it seems
to make sense to me: if it's winter, it's supposed to
be cold.
So where are we? Now the middle of January
as I sit here, we have had abnormally warm weath-
er for the past two months. Today we were sup-
posed to experience freezing rain, but to be honest,
the temperature was closer to forty than thirty, and
I doubt anyone went careening off the road due to
an excess of ice on the pavement. They tell me on
the television that it is an El Nino" winter, mean-
ing I guess that the western part of the country is
experiencing abnormally stormy/cold weather
while the east coast finds itself using sun screen.
There may be cold and snow ahead, but so far, we
have been breaking records for a warm winter.
As a farmer of tree fruit and other perennial
crops, I can only say I am worried. I am afraid
that there was not sufficient cold to set my trees
into dormancy, and that the buds are still slightly
awake, awaiting an early spring. The trouble, of
course, is that there is only one set of flower buds
on a tree, while there might be two or three sets of
leaf buds. In other words, the trees will survive an
abnormally warm winter, but the flower buds may
not. This is of fiscal importance to me, since I
make a living off of the fruit we pick next summer
and fall. It is of significance to the general popula-
tion because, if we should go for several seasons
without producing fruit on fruit trees, not only
would I be out of business, but the local supply of
fruit would be nonexistent. Such a problem could
significantly raise the price of food, and, I might
add, significantly decrease its freshness and overall
quality. Since we operate in an economy where the
farmers among us need to pay their bills or lose
their farms, and since the crops must be adequate
to generate income for said farmers, you can see
where I am going with this ...
are we in trouble yet, or is it still pending?
I write about the beauty around me quite a bit,
and it is a significant reason for me to continue to
do what I do. On the other hand, there is a need to
generate income to pay the bills, especially the
overhead [taxes, electricity, etc.], in order to con-
tinue to wait for that special year when everything
works together and we have a GREAT YEAR! If
the promoters of global warming are correct and
we are in for major changes in the climate, perhaps
those of us who live on the cusp of Zones 5/6 in
the horticultural calendar are in for some awful
changes ahead: we have planted zone 6 crops in an
area where we could only count on zone 5, and
with impending changes, we can't really count on
ANYTHING. My fear about global warming is
that it will warm just enough to make it impossible
to count on a crop to grow in a given area, and that
therefore, we are doomed!
Okay, I guess that language is a little strong,
and I have no scientific evidence to back up my
argument [did I ever tell you I went to conservato-
ry to study music?]. So we don't know what will
happen, if anything happens, and I for one hope
NOTHING happens, at least nothing that will stop
me from growing peaches and plums and apricots
and nectarines. But this winter has gotten me, and
a lot of my friends, thinking about the future and
what it will hold for us. I'd like to say I have all
the answers and not to worry, but frankly, I don't
have any confidence in such a statement. I will
trust in nature to conserve its own, because that is
what I have observed in previous years. I will trust
that the apple trees will have at least 5% of their
buds viable, because that is all we need to have a
bumper crop. Nature has allowed for all sort of
contingencies, and global warming may certainly
be one of those. So I will wait, observe, record,
and hope.....for I don't want to be put out of busi-
ness by the very natural world that has provided
for my business in the first place!
In the meantime, I'm doing my bookkeeping, my
summer reading, and going to all my annual med-
ical appointments. I've ordered my plugs and root-
ed cuttings, and before I speak to you again, I will
have ordered all my seed for the 2007 season.
There is no point in panicking.....life will go on....
I just want to be certain that I am ready for what-
ever Mother Nature presents me with....and that I
will have food and flowers growing the feed my
friends and brighten their spirits in the new season.
Now I've got to go the greenhouse and pick some
lemons off of Dan's tree....he's in Colorado where
they HAVE some snow, and I want to make some
guacamole!
Love Notes A Winter Without Snow
Journeys Journeys
Page 11 Page 10 Journeys Journeys
labored less painstakingly, if they were
more fortunate, at various jobs in the
masters' homes and off the plantations.
Abuse was prevalent in the lives of
most slaves. Their African and
Christian religious beliefs offered some
solace to these tortured souls, but it
was not enough. Freedom was increas-
ingly sought and the northern states
and Canada held complete freedom.
The only action to take was to escape!
But, how would a slave escape to the
North, secretly?
"Yet we have abundant cause to
thank God and take courage for what
we have been enabled to do, and we
are sure our labor has been blessed to
ourselves." - Elizabeth Buffum Chace,
abolitionist, suffragette, and reformer.
Multiracial, religiously motivated,
the Underground Railroad was the sur-
reptitious network for escape. The
courageous enablers, the Conductors in
the railroad, were black, white, slave,
and free men and women. Their homes
were opened as Stations where slaves
could be harbored. The Conductors
broke the law and faced heavy fines,
prison or even their lives towards the
abolition of slavery.
Central Falls, Rhode Island, then
called Valley Falls, was the home of
one such Station. Its Conductor, a
white female, was the remarkable abo-
litionist Elizabeth Buffum Chace.
In December 1806, Elizabeth was
born in a house on Benefit Street in
Providence, Rhode Island. She lived
half of her pre-adult years on her
paternal grandparents' farm in the vil-
lage of Smithfield, Rhode Island. In
her writings, Elizabeth very affection-
ately recalls the Smithfield house. I
quote "but to this day the place is to
me the "spot of earth supremely blest -
a dearer sweeter spot than all the
rest."
Elizabeth, also lived for a time in
Connecticut and moved to Fall River,
Massachusetts in 1824. A Quaker, she
went on to marry Quaker and manu-
facturer, Samuel Buffington Chace of
Fall River, Massachusetts. In 1840, the
family settled in the town of Valley
Falls, Rhode Island. Valley Falls was a
small village located along both sides
of the Blackstone River.
With her return to Rhode Island
came Elizabeth's immersion into
Rhode Island antislavery activism.
Elizabeth's passion for abolition was in
conflict with the devout Rhode Island
Quakers, fueling hostility from them.
In 1843, disappointed with her col-
leagues and upon the death of her only
living child, Chace, emotionally
wrought, removed herself from the
religion. Still, the basic teachings of
the Quakers remained in her soul. This
detachment from Quakerism proved to
be extraordinarily pivotal for Elizabeth
and for fugitive slaves striving for their
own liberty!
As fugitive slaves forged
north, they were given a safe
haven in Elizabeth's Valley
Falls home from 1835 to1845.
Fugitives living in northern
cities traveled from Fall River
to Valley Falls aided by Chace
relatives. At the Station, prepa-
rations were made for the jour-
ney from Worcester,
Massachusetts (Liberty Farm,
Mower Street) to the slaves'
promise land - Canada -free-
dom!
On December 6, 1865, approxi-
mately twenty years after Elizabeth
opened her home as a Station, post
Civil War; the Thirteenth Amendment
to the United States Constitution was
ratified, and then passed on January
31, 1865. Slavery was abolished!
Elizabeth Buffum Chace died in
1899. In March 2002, Chace became
the first woman ever to be commemo-
rated with a statue, a bronze bust, in
the Rhode Island State House. Chace,
an abolitionist, suffragette and
reformer, accomplished so much more
than what can be written here.
Elizabeth Buffum Chase's legacy is
visible in Rhode Island, as in the
Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center; a cen-
ter for victims (mostly female) of
domestic violence. Elizabeth has been
lauded as the "conscience of Rhode
Island". The Station no longer stands,
but was once located on the corner of
Hunt and Broad Streets in Central
Falls, Rhode Island.
The freed whites and African-
Americans went on to lead lives of
choice and productivity as citizens of
the United States of America!
Prominent African-Americans, whose
ancestors were slaves, are neurosur-
geon Ben Carson, Bishop T.D. Jakes,
actress Whoopi Goldberg, and TV pio-
neer/philanthropist Oprah Winfrey.
These global, gifted, and talented
African-Americans have healed our
bodies and souls, moved us to laughter
and tears, and inspired us to pause and
reflect. Today, as I reflect upon the
courage gone before and the freedom
born from that courage, I say to you,
let us not forget the fight of the earliest
slaves and abolitionists, for where free-
dom is born; life is born!
Other area stop-overs for escaping slaves:
Liberty Farm, 116 Mower St., Worcester 1847-
81 Home of Abigail Kelly and Stephen Symonds
Foster. Asa Waters Mansion, Elm St., Millbury
1826-29 URR station. Ross Farm, Elm St.,
Millbury 1826-29 URR station
Thwing House, formerly corner of Hope and
Hopedale streets, Hopedale. See www.geoci-
ties.com/daninhopedale/
Upton - Presently, Spaightwood ceramics build-
ing, Upton center.
(I dedicate this to all of our courageous sol-
diers serving in the U.S. armed forces.)
Buffum Chace, continued
A runaway slave, p.453 from THE UNDERGROUND
RAILROAD. Library of Congress, LOC, Rare Book
and Special Collections Division
Slave territory and major routes to freedom for escaped slaves.
Several other Blackstone Valley communities, such as Hopedale,
Upton, Worcester played major roles in housing and transport-
ing slaves towards their long-awaited freedom.
by Carol Masiello
In every issue of Journeys, I happily
share the encounters I have been
blessed to have with local characters.
These individuals are eclectic, eccen-
tric, energetic and in some cases,
downright outlandish. I then make a
poor attempt to describe these people
so you can visualize
everything about them
as you read. This time I
am having a problem
choosing a catchy
description for my latest
victim. My notes have
the following descrip-
tions of this issues local
gem, "The Energizer
Bunny with Velcro
shoes"; "Will Rogers
with a chocolate donut
and on humors edge"
and "Yankee Trader par
excellance." I further
described him as "small,
wry and loves to tell
dirty stories"- stories with all the local
dirt and not what you're thinking!
In a series of videos filmed at the
Sutton Senior Center and produced for
Sutton cable television, Bud Gurney
bares his soul, or his mind or whatever
it takes to bring a smile to your lips
and a glimmer of joy to your heart. He
is the headliner this day and like any
professional performer, he warms up
the crowd before delivering his com-
mand performance. To heat up this
crowd of eager listeners, he tells a few
tales of local cronies he knew while
growing up in Sutton.
He describes Peter or "Pedor" as he
called him, an old Lithuanian that
always had a cigarette hanging under
his nose. "What about Mae Hall?" he
asks the crowd. Bud came home from
three years in the service, (he still had
manners then and a sense of chivalry),
and he went to see Mae. She looked at
him and shouted, "I was the first one to
wash your dirty a---." Confused and
somewhat intrigued, he learned that
Mae had been the town's mid-wife and
that was why she could make such a
claim to know about his more, ah shall
we say, personal attributes. By now the
audience is rolling with laughter and
he comes in with his coup de grace,
the story of how he became deaf in his
left ear. Wally Johnson purchased two
new oxen, Huntley and Brinkley, and
asked Bud to board them for bit. As
Bud was feeding the two animals in
his barn, Bud walked behind one of the
animals which let loose Mother
Nature's gas right into Bud's left ear
and that is why he is deaf. Bud thought
the animal blew his brains out but he
was happy to realize he
had no brains to loose, so
no real damage occurred.
By this time the audience
is all warmed up and he
sets into his perform-
ance.
I should prepare you,
Bud loves to lie or shall
we say "Bud creatively
rearranges the facts" in
order to make the story
come across in a way
that will stay in your
heart. He loves to stretch
the truth till it breaks but
who can argue with a
man who wears Velcro shoes? As he
put it, some things we lie about or
some things we tell the truth about.
Like any good story teller, he is more
concerned with the impact the story
makes on you than with the accuracy
of the details. For the sake of delicacy,
I will need to leave out some of the
more "colorful" details and stories Bud
recanted that day in the Senior Center.
Lest you become confused as you read
on, this is not a story about Waters
Farm but a story of Bud and the spe-
cial relationship he developed with a
woman who understood the fragile bal-
ance between historical preservation
and historical extinction.
Bud is 81 years old and in a quick
two hours, he only spends 13 minutes
speaking about his life outside of
Waters Farm. He was "one of four
brats" growing up in the rural town of
Sutton. His dad was a "foreigner" from
Millbury and always told Bud he was
lucky to be born in Sutton; people
accepted him. Buds mom was from
Sutton and could trace some of her
family back to the Mayflower.
Growing up, his favorite memory was
the time spent with an uncle who had a
farm. I can imagine this rascal climb-
ing stone walls and playing cops and
robbers with other little ruffians. After
a tour of duty in the Army Air Corp,
he returned to Sutton and settled down
to start his own electrical company.
His sweetheart was Ruthie and he
made it clear to her he didn't want an
Irish engagementhe did not want to
wait 40 years to marry her. They were
married for 48 years, had three chil-
dren (lost an infant boy) and to hear
him tell it, he was the boss "wink
wink." He now lives with two donkeys,
two horses and one dog named Chloe.
Bud found Chloe sleeping on one of
the beds that morning so after his talk
he will have to go home and straighten
her out. Somehow I can believe he will
do that.
When he asked the crowd at the
Senior Center what they wanted him to
speak about, the unanimous demand
was, "Tell us about Dorothea." The
Dorothea they eagerly wanted to hear
about was Dorothea Waters Moran
who donated the famous Waters Farm.
Like Mr. Bo Jangles, he settled himself
into his chair, took another bite of his
donut and began to weave the story.
With Bud, it is hard to tell where the
man and the project separate. He is as
much Waters Farm as is the house and
the acreage.
The kickoff question for the solilo-
quy was, were you related to the
Waters? His answer, "just about
everyone in Sutton was related to the
Waters, they were like dog manure -
they were everywhere." Back when
New England towns were being set-
tled, men would search everywhere to
try to find a woman they were not
related to, they searched high and low
and according to Bud some lucky men
even found women in snow banks.
Happily, we leave this piece of history
and move onto the main topic.
Dorothea Waters Moran was get-
ting along in years and the farm she
loved so much, the farm that had been
in her family for six generations,
would be in peril when she died. She
was considering preserving the place
when she was introduced to Bud
Gurney. He was a local character who
served on town boards for years when
some local people approached him and
suggested he speak to Dorothea about
preserving the farm. Slowly, this little
man developed a relationship of trust
and friendship with a woman who was
never allowed to have friends growing
up. Bud became the childhood friend
she never had, someone she could
share secrets with, someone who
would bring her dreams to life in the
Waters Farm project and someone who
would make sure her every wish was
obeyed to the letter. Their friendship
lasted 17 years till Dorothea died at 92
years old in 1987.
What was the glue that bonded
these two oh so different people
together? Dorothea came from a
wealthy family that wintered in NYC
and summered in Sutton. Bud was just
a brat that loved to tell dirty stories
and shoot the news with the locals.
Whatever it was, it made some beauti-
ful magic, magic that we all benefit
from. In order to understand their rela-
tionship we need to know what tugged
at his heartstrings and helped him to
earn her trust. Dorothea went to school
with the "lace curtain Irish" and so
desperately wanted friends. Her father
was a learned musician and insisted
she practice the piano for hours prior
to going to school. One day Dorothea
skipped practice and went to school
early in an attempt to develop some
friendships. This trespass against her
father's wishes would never be repeat-
ed; her lesson time was doubled and
continued on page 12
Bud Gurney
A View from Waters Farm Overlooking Lake Manchaug
Bud Gurney in a quiet moment
Page 13 Page 12 Journeys Journeys
her spirit of rebellion quashed.
Another glimpse into her difficult
childhood was a story about her gradu-
ation. Dorothea eagerly awaited her
eighth grade graduation; all the girls
wore new white dresses and were
given bouquets of flowers when hand-
ed their diplomas. Her father was the
dignitary who handed out the diplomas
and flowers; she could not wait until it
was her time to graduate. She dreamed
about wearing a beautiful white dress
and how proudly she would walk up to
her father and be handed her flowers
and diploma.
Three days before her graduation,
her father pulled her out of school
because "she had learned enough",
dashing the dreams of the white dress
and bouquet of flowers. Bud tells us
that as he heard these stories about her
lonely childhood and about the strict
rules she had to obey, he felt a small
amount of animosity grow toward her
father. He realized though her father
was a product of his own times and
upbringing and he could be no more
than what he was raised to be. But
these stories nourished his sympathy
for the little girl who did not get her
dress and her flowers. In his own way,
Bud tried to give her the attention and
respect she never earned from her own
father.
Like a young couple, they began
the courting dance for the future of the
property. One day she looked at our lit-
tle imp and asked, "What would you
do with the place should I give it to
you?" His articulate reply, "What the
hell do I know?" And this, my friends,
was the way Bud would do everything,
with humor and by the seat of his
pants.
So a deal was made. The house and
five acres were donated to the town of
Sutton. Dorothea's lawyer suggested
the creation of a foundation which
should get a lease for the property
from the town, this would expedite
obtaining grants for their dream. They
negotiated a 99 year lease from the
town and the planning began.
Dorothea was emphatic the house
would not be a museum; it was her
home and visitors were to sit on the
furniture, walk on the rugs and touch
the kitchen utensils. In the beginning,
there was a fair amount of dissention
on this point, Bud advocated for
Dorothea's wishes but "the women
picked the hair out of his ears." So the
Waters Farm Preservation, Inc. was
established and this weeded all the
"agenda driven people" out of the way
protecting the purity of the project. He
then sought out the best women he
could find to get the project rolling;
Bud has found that when you want
work done, you get women involved.
They are the detailers and the drivers;
their organizational skills are
unmatched in civilized societies and he
just let them go. Men are good when
you give them a project they have a
special skill or interest in so he por-
tioned out projects for the men who
wanted to be a part of history. The
project was, and still is, all volunteers
who share the vision of Dorothea as
transmitted by her voice - Bud.
Now they had the house and the
farm, what should they do with it?
How could they do service to the
importance the farm had in the frame-
work that was their community?
Bud went to Maine in search of his-
tory. It was in Dixfield, Maine, settled
by Sutton people, where he heard of
what was a relatively new concept, a
living history museum. Following the
axiom that had helped him achieve
much to this point, he got a woman
involved. He spoke to a woman named
Billy up in Maine and she guided him
through the living history museum
enterprise. She demonstrated how you
educate, excite and enforce the "who,
what, where, when and why" of our
early pioneers. She was able to convey
the permanence that a museum like
this has with the visitors, the staying
power of the information, and the
impact of actually seeing it authenti-
cally right before you.
A group of volunteers went up to
Billy's living history museum in
Maine and lived the way people did
in the 1850's, primitively. They
baked, spun, wove and shoveled
manure. They were allotted two
quarts of water a day to wash up.
The women were not happy. They
had to use the two "back-
houses", a 3 holer and a 2 holer. An
accurate picture of what life was like
was now etched in their minds and
now they would be excellent teachers
when they returned to Sutton.
Billy developed an educational pro-
gram for them for the schools. Bud
came back and told Dorothea that the
farm would be turned into a living his-
tory museum like the one in Maine.
This was glad news to her; the farm
had been a living farm for six genera-
tions so the tradition of living would
continue. It is ironic that her father
insisted she would never get the farm
and here she was the owner and the
progenitor of its legacy.
Slowly they increased the acreage
of the farm, slowly they increased the
collection and slowly they began to tell
a story. Bud set about to save pieces of
history from other farms headed for
the developer's wrecking ball and as he
tells it, "I don't mind begging if I know
who I am begging from."
In Manchaug, he set out to acquire
an English style barn from the Darling
farm. He got a call asking him if he
wanted to come and take any of the
stuff in it before it was torn down. Bud
said he wanted the stuff and the barn.
Thus it began. In 1995 the blacksmith
shop came, in 1996 the shingle mill
came and in 2005, the sugar shack
was added. Bud will never stop taking
stuff till he dies.
Now the question is who is going
to take over protecting Dorothea's
legacy when he dies? How will the
vision and the plans be protected from
new people changing it? He sat down
with a lawyer and the entire journey
was written down and documented.
Dorothea's will and written desires for
the project were reviewed and a formal
mission statement and plan were
drawn up. This will ensure that the
success will not be corrupted by suc-
ceeding generations of well meaning
volunteers.
As the meeting broke up and the
camera was put back into its travel
case, Bud finished his chocolate donut
(the black ones don't bother his stom-
ach), drank up the last of his coffee
and gave himself a pat on his back. His
audience was pleased, the time was
spent in genial good humor and he
kept Dorothea's memory alive. One or
two old timers like him started to
count how many buttonwood trees
were left in town and a new patter of
stories began. His love of a good story
is infectious and his sense of humor is
incorrigible. I left the Sutton Senior
Center wishing there were more
Energizer Bunnies like him; our histo-
ry would be in excellent hands. If
every town had a Bud who loved to
share a good story, if we all had a Bud
who just wanted to do the right thing
by a lonely lady who never had a
friend, think of the rich cultural history
we would be blessed with today.
I hope he was gentle with Chloe
when he got home and found her
sleeping on the bed.
Bud Gurney, continued from page 11
We now
return to "Blood
On the
Blackstone."
(Parts 1 and 2
may be read in
previous editions
of Journeys, or
online at www.blackstonedaily.com/ourriver.htm
Our story picks up on March 26, 1676, only hours
after a fearsome battle between Narragansett
Indians and Plymouth Colony soldiers along the
Blackstone River at what is now Central Falls
For the second time in less than a year, Thomas
Man had eluded death while others close to him met
grisly ends at the hands of Indians.
Bloodied, bruised, but alive, the 25-year-old
Swansea man survived a Narragansett onslaught that
left his commander Captain Michael Peirce and
almost all of his fellow soldiers dead on the banks of
the Pawtucket (Blackstone) River. That battle, one
of the bloodiest of King Philip's War, is remembered
as "Peirce's Fight."
How Thomas Man escaped with his life and made
it back to the town of Rehoboth is one of many
unanswered questions associated with Peirce's Fight.
The simplest explanation is that the Indians left him
for dead. We know that a rescue party from
Rehoboth combed the battlefield later that day (see
Part 2) - maybe they found him clinging to life and
transported him back to the village, though no men-
tion of this appears in the records.
Less likely, but still a possibility, Man somehow
slipped past hundreds of Narragansett Indians,
recrossed the river and then fled through five miles
of field and forest until reaching the village on his
own strength.
Unfortunately, our primary source for this part of
the story, Reverend Noah Newman of Rehoboth, fur-
nishes no clue. "Thomas Man is returned with a
sore wound," he wrote in a letter to Plymouth the
following day, oddly omitting any details about how
Man avoided death or capture.
Perhaps Newman was still numbed by the news of
Peirce's defeat. As far as anyone knew at that point,
Thomas Man was the sole survivor of a battle that
had wiped out more than 50 colonial soldiers and 20
friendly Indians. He had come through the ordeal,
despite being badly injured. While a "sore wound"
may not sound very serious to a modern audience,
Rehoboth records show that the town was later billed
twelve pounds for Thomas Man's medical treatment
and recuperation, an amount that surpassed the cost
of caring for any other wounded soldier on the town
rolls.
What makes Man's survival even more noteworthy
(and Reverend Newman's economy of words more
curious) is that Thomas Man had already suffered a
terrible loss to the Indians just nine months earlier:
his 24-year-old wife Rachel and infant daughter were
killed when Wampanoag Indians raided Swansea on
the first day of King Philip's War, June 24, 1675.
The baby was so young that her name had not yet
been entered into the town records, and ultimately
never was. Reverend Newman almost certainly
knew of the Man family tragedy because his own
church deacon wrote the only existing account of the
incident (see note at the end of this article).
Upon returning to Rehoboth, Thomas Man would
have been admitted to one of the garrison houses for
medical attention - probably Newman's, given the
Reverend's association with the Peirce expedition.
As word of Peirce's defeat spread through Rehoboth,
the remaining townspeople would have hurried to the
garrisons for protection. Several families had
already left the village in the months since the first
hostilities at Swansea, choosing to relocate to Rhode
Island and elsewhere to wait out the war.
Rehoboth had a total of four garrisons: Newman's
parsonage, which Captain Peirce had used as his
base of operations (see Part 1), John Fitch's house,
John Peren's and Nathaniel Paine's. We know that
Newman's garrison was occupied but it is not entire-
ly clear whether the other garrison houses were
active at this time, although contemporary accounts
suggest they were.
In times of crisis, small contingents of armed sol-
diers would normally be stationed at the garrisons ,
but it seems the colony had none to spare.
Apparently all the available fighting men had
marched off that morning with Captain Peirce.
With the windows shuttered and the doors bolted,
the interior of the garrisons must have resembled the
hold of a wooden ship - cramped, dim, a thin haze of
smoke from the stove and candles Did grim-
faced men with muskets by their sides keep watch at
the loopholes as women and children busied them-
selves preparing pots of boiling water to pour on
attackers from the upper story? Out of necessity
New Englanders who fled to garrisons were com-
pelled to abandon their homes, livestock and worldly
possessions, but they did not so easily forfeit their
lives.
The presence of Thomas Man may have steeled
local resolve - or made it falter. Neighbors, friends
and relatives had been among the soldiers killed at
the river that morning. If they had fallen, what
chance did anyone stand against this enemy? The
people of Rehoboth had all night to consider the
answer.
The next day, the 27th, Reverend Newman dis-
patched a letter to his friend Reverend John Cotton
in Plymouth. Newman broke the news of the Peirce
massacre and confessed to "the great sadning of all
our hearts filling us with an awfull expect[ation] of
[what] further evills it may be antecedaneous too
both respecting our[selves] and you." He described
what he knew of Peirce's fatal encounter with the
Indians, including a list of the men who were killed
and the Plymouth Colony towns where they lived.
(This was the same letter in which he noted Thomas
Man's survival.)
"There Sir you have a sad account of the
Continuance of God's displeasure against us," he
concluded, "yet still I desire steadfastly to Looke
unto him who is not only able but willing to save all
such as are fit for his salvation. It is a day of ye
wickeds tryumph but the sure word of God tells us
his tryumphing is brief ... [signed] your ever Assured
Friend Noah Newman."
It was shortly after the messenger galloped off
with Reverend Newmans letter that the Indians
made their appearance at Rehoboth.
continued on page 14
BLOOD ON THE BLACKSTONE, Part 3: Ring Of Fire
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Waters Farmhouse
Page 15 Page 14 Journeys Journeys
Delight in An Antique Stroll
DIRECTIONS To Shops:
1. Worcester - Brickyard Place Antiques & Collectibles - Rte 13 Off of I-290
at Kelley Square. Take Water Street to 13 Water Street (side entrance),
Worcester, MA.
2. Millbury - Robert Antiques - Rte 146 to Blackstone Valley Shoppes exit.
Take McCracken Road to Greenwood. 379 Greenwood Street, Millbury, MA.
3. Douglas - Douglas Flea & Collectibles Marketplace - Exit Rte 16 Off of
Rte 146 N/S. Take Rte 16 Towards Douglas - Follow Signage to Flea Market.
Northeast Main Street, Douglas, MA.
4. Bellingham - Trudel Auction House - Rte 495 to Rte 140, Bellingham. Or
Rte 146, to Rte 16, to Rte 140. 15 North Main Street Unit A7,
Bellingham, MA.
The listings here will be numbered and placed on the map with brief directions
so that the readers can pull out this page and stroll from one shop to the next
along our lovely country roads. Your ad will also be placed online at:
www.BlackstoneDaily.com/tg-antiques.htm where we receive 240,000 -
368,000 hits per month.
If you have events, you can place them free at our calendar, seen by thousands
of viewers weekly! www.BlackstoneDaily.com - click on calendar.
When Rehoboth was founded by
Reverend Samuel Newman (Reverend
Noah Newman's father) in 1643, the
town was laid out according to a circu-
lar plan that soon earned it the name
"The Ring of the Green of Rehoboth."
This excerpt from the East Providence
Historical Society explains:
The new settlement was a circular
layout with five gates for entrance. The
center area was to enclose the animals
which the settlers would bring with
them. There would be a continuous
fence around this area and the house
and farm lots would encircle the out-
side extending outward in six, eight
and twelve acre lots. The Newman
Meeting House for church services and
settlement business and the cemetery
would also be in the center of the cir-
cle. There would be five garrison
buildings scattered throughout for
security reasons to protect settlers
from possible attack by the Indians.
Upon entering Rehoboth on the 27th,
the Indians' first priority was to steal
cattle, probably out of the pasture on
the town green or common. Reverend
Newman's garrison house stood near
the center of the green, affording its
occupants a good vantage point to
monitor the enemy's movements. It's
possible that the owners of the cattle
watched from inside as their valuable
cows were led away.
The Indians did not show themselves
again that day. Some in the garrison
may have silently prayed that the
Indians would observe the biblical
meaning of Rehoboth - "a good place
to pass through" - and keep going.
But instead the Indians merely with-
drew, giving themselves time to eat
and replenish their strength after
Peirce's Fight. They made camp close
enough to be "in hearing" of the anx-
ious Rehobothites.
The tension inside the garrison must
have been unbearable as families and
neighbors clung to each other, calling
on God to deliver them from the mur-
derous horde that had so easily wiped
out Captain Peirce and his men, for
these Indians were one and the same.
Thomas Man, with his bloodied and
"sore wound," was a living reminder of
what these Narragansetts were capable
of.
Why don't they strike? Why do they
wait? Surely these frantic questions
were muttered throughout the garrisons
that night.
The suspense ended at sunrise.
Shortly after daybreak, the Indians fell
upon Rehoboth. "The 28 of March
the enemy appeared early in the morn-
ing very numerous & overpowered our
towne," Reverend Newman wrote.
More than a thousand Indians tore
through the town. They burned homes
and barns as mercilessly as English
soldiers had torched the wigwams con-
taining Narragansett women and chil-
dren at the Great Swamp three months
earlier. But the Rehoboth houses were
empty, so timber alone perished in the
flames that day.
Hardly content to lay waste to the
town's dwellings, the Indians also
destroyed its means of subsistence.
They dug up and plundered the vil-
lagers' hidden caches of corn. They
burned the grist mills and broke the
grindstones inside, so even if by some
miracle the English could get their
hands on some corn they would have
no means to grind it into meal. Nor
would they have meat. Horses and
livestock were either driven away or
slaughtered where they stood.
The lessons of the Great Swamp
Fight were fresh in the Narragansett
mind: many of the warriors terrorizing
Rehoboth remembered being driven
into the snowbound wilderness without
food or shelter. They had not forgot-
ten the brutal hunger or the hardships
of trying to survive after their families
and homes had been destroyed.
Now the English would taste the
same torment. John Kingsley, an old
man sheltered in one of the garrisons
(probably Newman's), wrote a letter to
a preacher friend at Hartford about a
month after the attack. Kingsley
implored his friend to send some corn
meal to Rehoboth because he and oth-
ers in the garrison were starving. In
his letter, Kingsley described what the
Indians did that day:
They burnt our mills, broke the
stones, our grinding stones & what
was hid in the earth they found, corn
& fowls, killed cattle & took the hind
quarters and left the rest, yea, all that
day the Lord gave them license, they
burnt cart wheels, drive away our cat-
tle, sheep, horses, in a word had not
the Lord restrained [them], they
[would] had not left one to have told
of our woeful day now every rod of
ground near garrison is broken up &
where house & barn stood now put in
beans and squashes but alas, what will
do against famine
According to Reverend Newman,
the Indians later bragged they were
"about 1500" strong that day. Old John
Kingsley gave this sobering estimate:
"they were enough to have swalowed
us all up."
The Indians plied their fiery craft
through noon into night, burning
between 40 and 45 houses, 21 barns,
two grist mills and Deacon Philip
Walker's saw mill -- almost 70 build-
ings in just one day.
Across the Seekonk River, the people
of Providence watched as wreaths of
black smoke plumed above the bare
trees, heralding Rehoboth's doom.
They sent no soldiers to render assis-
tance, nor made preparations for their
own defense. "Providence though
they saw us in a flame incouraged
themselves the enemy would steer
another course," Reverend Newman
wrote some weeks later.
As the day waned and the skies
darkened, the Indians piled up large
haystacks and set them ablaze. They
butchered several cattle and "pitcht
their Camp by the side of ye towne,"
Newman observed. With Rehoboth
reduced to cinders, the Indians took
their rest, "rose up at day light the next
morning tooke their walk over to prov-
idence and theire did likewise"
Rehoboth was left a smoldering ruin.
The Ring of the Green, an ash heap.
The only buildings still standing were
a dwelling house on the south end of
the common owned by a Mr. Fuller
and the several garrison houses. "The
29th of March the Enemy burnt the
deserted Houses in Secunck or
Rehoboth, but the Garrison'd Houses
were not carried by them," wrote
Boston merchant Nathaniel Saltonstall
four months after the attack.
"Thanks be to God we have yet the
most of our lives given us as a prey
though many of our habitations are
desolate & in ashes, " Reverend
Newman wrote to Reverend Cotton.
He reported that only one man had
been killed in the attack - a Robert
Beere or Beers, said to have been an
Irish brickmaker who had "Gone at a
distance from his Garrison early in the
morning."
Why the Indians did not set fire to
Newman's or the other garrisons is the
most puzzling aspect of the raid on
Rehoboth. There's no question that
the Indians knew of the garrisons and
the people within, for John Kingsley
mentioned in his letter that the Indians
had approached and taunted them: "I
am not able to bear the sad stories of
our woeful days, when the Lord made
our wolfish heathen to be our Lords, to
fire our town, shout & holler, to call us
to come out of our garrisons."
Earlier in the war, Nipmuck Indians
burned the town of Brookfield,
Massachusetts, but had been unable to
break the defenses of the local garrison
house. Had the Rehoboth garrisons
proven equally impervious? It seems
unlikely that the Rehobothites could
have fended off 1500 Indians by them-
selves, no matter how many men, mus-
kets or pots of boiling water they had
at their disposal. These were the same
Indians who virtually annihilated
Captain Peirce's fully-armed unit on a
field of battle just two days earlier.
And while certainly not conclusive,
Reverend Newman's account does not
contain even the slightest hint of an
enemy attempt on his or other gar-
risons.
Adding to the list of inconsistencies
is the Fuller House. In 1836,
Rehoboth historian Leonard Bliss
wrote that the Fuller house at the south
end of the common "was preserved by
black sticks having been arranged
around it so as to give it, at a distance,
the appearance of being strongly
guarded."
Would more than a thousand
marauding Indians, natural lords of the
forests, be deceived by a bunch of
sticks planted in the ground and visible
in broad daylight? By the same token,
could a force of such might and fight-
ing skill be held at bay by civilians
like Reverend Newman and his peo-
ple?
If the Indians were truly deterred by
such defenses, it may indicate that
their forces were not as numerous as
everyone seemed to think. Similar
doubts about the size of the Indian
contingent at Peirce's Fight have been
expressed by historians of the last cen-
tury (see Part 2).
Another explanation might be that
the Narragansetts were in a weakened
state, having expended the bulk of
their energy and ammunition in the
battle with Captain Peirce. Perhaps
they decided that destroying the town
and its food stores was all they could
accomplish without placing themselves
at unnecessary risk.
Or is there a further possibility?
John Kingsley, like Reverend
Newman, credited God for their
preservation: "had not the Lord
restrained [them], they [would] had
not left one to have told of our woeful
day "
This reasoning might suffice if what
happened at Rehoboth were an isolated
incident, but when the same Indians set
fire to Providence they did not burn
anyone alive in the garrisons of that
town either.
But indeed the Reason that the
Inhabitants of the Town of Seaconicke
[Rehoboth] and Providence generally
escaped with their Lives, is not to be
attributed to any Compassion or Good
Nature of the Indians, (whose very
Mercies are inhumane Cruelties,) but,
(next to God's Providence,) to their
own Prudence in avoiding their F
ury, when they found themselves too
weak and unable to resist it, by a time-
ly Flight into Rhode Island, which now
became the common Zoar, or Place of
Refuge for the Distressed "
Nathaniel Saltonstall wrote those
words shortly after the Rehoboth
attack. He was making the point that
because many families in Rehoboth
and Providence had fled before the
Indians struck, they were not killed.
continued on page 15
Ring of Fire, continued
Ring of Fire, continued
But he fails to adequately address the
fact that almost all who stayed behind
were also left alive. Only one man in
each town lost his life - both having
made the fatal mistake of not taking
refuge in a garrison.
This hint of a pattern suggests that
something akin to "Compassion or
Good Nature" may indeed have had a
hand in sparing most of the lives at
Rehoboth and Providence. While it
pleased this particular group of
Narragansetts to repay the English in
kind for the destruction of the Great
Swamp fort, they may have rejected
the idea of burning people alive in
their houses, even though the English
had visited that same horror upon
them.
The English believed that the Bible
sanctioned such drastic tactics in
wartime - and indeed, some of the
Indians fighting with Philip in
Massachusetts had adopted such prac-
tices themselves -- but these
Narragansetts at least, seemed to oper-
ate according to a different code.
Almost 40 years earlier, during the
Pequot War, the Narragansetts and
Mohegans had joined with the English
to attack a Pequot fort near Mystic,
Connecticut.
The Narragansetts were said to be
aghast when the English surrounded
the Pequot fort as the Pequots slept
inside and set it on fire. "These Indian
allies were shocked by the horrible
scene as hundreds of men, women and
children perished in the blaze or were
cut down as they tried to escape,"
writes historian Patrick Malone in his
book, The Skulking Way of War. "An
Indian with Captain John Underhill
objected strenuously to this strange
and terrible form of warfare: he 'cried
mach it, mach it, that is, it is naught, it
is naught, because it is too furious, and
slays too many men.'"
The truth of what happened at
Rehoboth will probably never be
known. Whether it was a strong
defense by the English or an ancient
code of warrior conduct that stayed the
Narragansetts' fury, the Rehoboth gar-
risons survived the siege. Reverend
Newman, Thomas Man, John Kingsley
and others all lived to tell the story of
Peirce's Fight and the attack on
Rehoboth.
It is regrettable that Thomas Man,
who by far had the most interesting
tale to tell, never set his experiences
down in writing. By July of that year
his wounds had healed sufficiently for
him to marry 19-year-old Mary
Wheaton of Rehoboth. In 1735,
Plymouth Colony posthumously
awarded him a parcel of land for his
military service in the "Narraganset
campaign." It was claimed by his son,
Thomas Man Jr. The land was part of
what was known as "Narraganset
Township No. 4.," which later became
the town of Greenwich, Massachusetts,
and now sits at the bottom of the
Quabbin Reservoir.
As for Reverend Newman, he and
his townsmen still had a somber and
dangerous duty to perform in the days
ahead
NEXT: MASS GRAVE ON THE
BLACKSTONE
Note: The story of Thomas Man's wife and
child is an important element in the overall his-
tory of Peirce's Fight, but for reasons of length
could not be included here. I have published it
separately at
www.blackstonedaily.com/tman.htm. If you
do not have internet access, send a self-
addressed stamped envelope to my address
below and I will be happy to mail you a printed
copy.
2007 by Joe Doherty
PO Box 31, South Salem, NY 10590-0031
riverwritr@aol.com
Indians attack a town in King Philips War
Page 16
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