Ellis Latham lived in Brooklyn, New York. He was the head of the Latham Automatic Regis-tering Company, which had offices in New York City and Boston. He was also the vice president of the Latham Machinery Company, a maker of bookbinding equipment headquartered in Chi-cago, where he hailed from.
Ellis and his wife had a summer residence in Granville, Massachusetts, at Stow Farm, named for its original owners, Vol-ney and Marshall Stow. Stow Farm had spanned across the original Wildcat Road (a section loosely called Stows Road) at the then-junc-tion of the Westfield and Blandford-Granville roads in an area once known as the Stow District, com-plete with its own schoolhouse. (The Town of Granville established the Stow School District on April 3, 1815.)
In addition to hundreds of acres of farmland and forest, the Stow homestead at one time in-cluded at least three homes and several outbuild-ings, mainly barns and sheds. The Stow family also owned a gristmill and a sawmill near Stow Pond. A short distance south of Marshall Stow’s house sat an imposing white two-story building built circa 1810 by Elihu Stow that had operated for about 75 years as a first-class tavern called Pilgrims’ Rest. It had a large coachyard and sev-eral horse stables that accommodated travelers stopping for a home-cooked meal and overnight guests seeking shelter.
Ellis and his wife usually spent the final weeks of summer at Stow Farm, which they purchased circa 1912. They named their country estate Latham Springs, but locals continued to call it Stow Farm, often referring to it as the old Marshall Stow Place. Caretakers looked after the farm, attending to the livestock and crops while the Lathams were away.
Around 1913, the Lathams hired Wardell Brown, a down-on-his-luck Brooklyn machinist, to live and work on their farm. Wardell had lost a fortune as an inventor who attempted to patent a new excavator as a founding director of The Brown Excavating Machine Company of Brook-lyn, incorporated in 1904.
Trouble started in the spring of 1915 when Deputy Sheriff Hartley charged Wardell with animal cruelty for not adequately feeding one of the Lathams’ cows. Appearing in Westfield District Court on April 6, Wardell told the judge that Ellis did not provide enough hay and feed for the livestock and that he had to turn some of the animals loose to forage for themselves.
Later that year, Wardell and his wife moved to a farm they rented in nearby Twining Hollow after he and Ellis could not agree on the terms of his employment. On a visit to Latham Springs, Ellis noticed numerous items missing, includ-ing two wagons and a harness. He reported the theft to Deputy Hartley.
Deputy Hartley arrested Wardell after a search of his farm turned up a few of the items in question. At his arraignment in Westfield Dis-trict Court, the judge set bail at $3,000. Unable to pay, the judge jailed him until his trial sched-uled for December 14.
At his trial, Wardell wept as he told his story of hardship and misfortune - his mounting debt put on display in open court. The judge also learned that Wardell wanted to open a shop in Granville to manufacture fan handles but lacked the necessary funds. Wardell admitted to taking the Lathams’ property and selling some of it for cash, but he insisted that he did so to pay for the materials needed to carry out the work that Ellis requested. The judge did not buy Wardell’s sto-ry. He sentenced him to one year in the House of Corrections. Wardell appealed.
Employee theft was not the only loss for the Lathams. On April 30, 1918, a fire of unknown origin broke out at Latham Springs. Two workers escaped near death by jumping out of a second-story window of a barn. The blaze destroyed all the farm’s buildings on the west side of the road and claimed the lives of about 100 chickens and a collie dog.
Once in a while, Ellis would host a big bash at his country estate, but he and his wife mainly entertained small groups of friends there. And, although Ellis maintained his summer resi-dence for several years, local Granvillians did not know him intimately, often referring to him only as “that rich New Yorker,” thanks partially to the lavish diamond ring he wore, said to be valued at $1,000.
Ellis traveled to Latham Springs to meet his wife and others for an extended weekend on Saturday, August 21, 1920. He planned on head-ing back to Brooklyn on Tuesday.
The events that unfolded next are unclear. However, according to Ellis, two young men wearing black masks entered through the back-door of his home and into the kitchen around nine o’clock Monday night. He claimed that the men demanded he hand over his diamond ring and other valuables. He said when he refused, they drew guns, and a struggle ensued in the adjoining dining room as they tried to pry open his hand to take the ring off his finger.
Unable to wrestle the ring from Ellis, one of the men fired his gun. One shot struck Ellis in the hand; another grazed his forehead. Still, El-lis would not give up his ring, now clutched in the palm of his hand.
Blood was pouring down Ellis’ face as he shouted to the others in the house to go and get help and call for a doctor. (The nearest phone was about a mile away.) In Ellis’ account, the masked men saw a woman run down the back staircase, through the woodshed, and out an egress door before disappearing into the dark-ness. The fighting resumed and continued out-side.
Ellis said the bandits forced him against the woodshed and again demanded his ring. But unbeknownst to them, Ellis had dropped the ring into a rain barrel during the melee. Possibly thinking the ring fell off during the fight inside, the men returned to the house. Concerned that help would be arriving soon, the men looked hurriedly around the kitchen and dining room floors before hightailing it into the night empty-handed.
Help arrived. First, the woman returned with three men. Shortly after them, Dr. White, who the woman had called, arrived and tended to El-lis’ wounds. She had also called Deputy Hart-ley. Before heading to Stow Farm, Deputy Hart-ley notified authorities in surrounding towns to be on the lookout for the bandits, describing them as two young men, about 5 feet 11 inches, dressed in dark clothing and wearing caps.
When authorities in neighboring Westfield heard about the hold-up, they thought it possible that the men were involved in the mysterious disappearance of a prominent Whip City wom-an that had residents there on edge. However, after arriving on the scene, the Westfield officers determined that the two events were unrelated and let Deputy Hartley investigate. (A member of a search team found the missing woman’s body at the foot of a high cliff on Tuesday morn-ing. She had a towel and pillowcase saturated with chloroform over her face. A note pinned to her waist led authorities to rule her death a sui-cide.)
The next day, Deputy Hartley wrapped up his investigation of the Latham matter. He ac-knowledged that Ellis had gunshot wounds but said he was skeptical of the injured man’s at-tempted robbery story, and as far as he was con-cerned, there was no outside party involved and that the case was closed. When pressed, Deputy Hartley refused to elaborate further other than saying that there were powder marks near the wounds and inconsistencies in witness state-ments, among other evidence. He also noted that open liquor was present in the kitchen when he arrived.
Ellis wielded wild accusations against Depu-ty Hartley, even going as far as publicly accusing the lawman of knowing the would-be robbers and covering up for them. He gave an affidavit to the press, again attacking Deputy Hartley. When the deputy sheriff stood his ground, Ellis said he would hire a private eye from New York to investigate, but it is unclear if he followed through.
In early 1921, the Lathams sold land in Gran-ville to a man connected to The Brown Excavat-ing Machine Company. Details of the real es-tate transaction are unclear. However, they sold about 200 acres for an estimated $12,000. In 1922, the Lathams regained ownership of the land.
Today, most of Stow Farm is more or less un-derwater from Cobble Mountain Reservoir; oth-er parts have returned to a lush forest of mature trees. The Stow Farm’s buildings, including the former Pilgrims’ Rest Tavern, were torn down around 1925 in preparation for the reservoir.
Ellis Clifford Latham died in his Brooklyn home on April 9, 1926. His wife held his funeral in their living room on the following day. He left an estate estimated at $17,946.
Ellis’ father was a founding father of Sand-wich, Illinois. Before that, he was a Forty-niner, traveling to the Golden State by oxen in 1849 for the great California Gold Rush (1848 - 1855). The brutal, six-month journey was worth it - he struck gold and returned to Illinois in 1852 with a handsome amount of money.
By Clifton (Jerry) Noble, Sr.
Monday, February 1, temperature is about minus ten. Some have frozen pipes. Tom Cooney, my transitman phoned that he will come to work by bus. Car won’t start.
Mrs. Dorothy Barnes or sister, Mrs. Virginia Loomis, will come to keep company and help my wife instead of Mrs. Bodendorf who went back to work for Robinson Reminder today.
Steve Bryda’s party is helping my three-man survey crew at backing in baseline for relocation of Route 57 in Agawam west toward Southwick. Hundred foot baseline stations are supposed to increase from west to east and from south to north. That’s why we are now at about station 170 (17,000 feet or a little over three miles from Route 10 in Southwick) and “backing ” to lower numbers.
“Resident” Construction engineers have fin-ished their final records for the completed sec-tion of Route 57 to Suffield Street, but the Dis-trict Engineer has left their trailer field office and stove as a place for our party to make calcu-lations, do book work and get warm! The tele-phone was removed today. In Southwick Route 57 may get done under a separate plan leaving a gap of existing road in Agawam.
Minnie E, Noble, my mother, was nick-named “Hester” by me in Fresno, California, in 1943 as being appropriate to her managing my earnings so well. She got herself a second floor, front room at Sarah Gillette (old ladies) home on Broad Street in Westfield.
By pushing we started and rescued Tom Cooney’s car from Sumner Ave., Springfield, where it spent the night. We got Nick Defalco’s going with jumper cables.
Friday, construction man, Harold Kallin brought our paychecks to the field office. Sweep-ing office dust gave me a sore-throat cold. My latest 8 mm. movie film came in the mail.
Saturday I cleared 18 inches of snow off driveway and paths. A mile north of our “school-house,” the Wat-son/ place had a chimney fire. The Russell fire truck arrived there with the town plow ahead. My wife Elizabeth got potato, on-ions, hot dogs and fruit salad for dinner. She phoned Marian Cushman that my cold would keep me from playing organ at church tomorrow. I drink flaxseed tea with lemon. McQuat’s barn burned on Main Road, Montgomery.
Elizabeth’s brother, Jim Atwater, has just bought a 1961 Ford. He left Carlisles in Spring-field to travel and sell gym equipment to schools.
I have just finished reading Louise Dickin-son Rich’s We Took to the Woods aloud to E.
Tuesday when I went to well house to start a fire in the stove I found the door ajar. Heard rustle upstairs. Suddenly neighbor’s tiger cat dashed down stairs and out door.
Thursday, February 9, have been staying home , but since honey and lemon lessened cold’s severity I went to work. Cut trees and shoveled snow. At noon showed men my movies.
Friday. I am great for going back to make sure all is left safely at field office especially for weekends. I unlocked door to recheck electric switches. They were okay, but there was my checkbook in the middle of the floor. What a worry it would have been to have arrived home and not know where it was. God certainly sent me back.
Sunday, February 12, I composed medley featuring “Little White Church on the Hill” for choir prelude.1:30 p,m., Elizabeth and I went to dinner at Atwaters. Jim’s wife, Ginny, has new $12-a-week job for schools. 2:45 I went to Sarah Gillette home to take my mother to ride up East Mountain Road and around Hampton Ponds. She had tears in her eyes when she said “Good-bye.”
Route 57 (Gorge Road) in Granville is closed since the washouts. Harold Kallin needs the key to the Southwick gate. Bryda will get it from Mulvaney at school tonight.
Tuesday, February 14. Morning news shows Wesley Monat was elected Montgomery select-man. In trailer guys looked up logarithms to help me figure slope distances of the baseline we measured from station 161+00 back to sta-tion 157+90,56. I brought a honey dew melon to E for Valentines Day since she can’t enjoy candy or flowers.
Wednesday, February 15. Got permission from property owners to trespass, and found mistakes on town assessors plans.
Al Cloutier confirmed news about four lay-offs and ten demotions, My men went to church and got ashes at noon.
Thursday, had to relight oil stove at school-house where my cat Fluffy stays
Friday. We measured baseline back to sta-tion 152+. Plan-ners need to know where wa-ter mains are. Ed Conner came out from Agawam water depart-ment with mag-netic dip needle to mark them on road so we could locate them.
Saturday. Used hot water bottle on back. Did house accounts. It was an expensive month.
Sunday, February 19. After church Minister Shears wanted to talk about music program for summer, I followed him down the mountain and on a sharp curve found his compact car spun into roadside snow bank.
Monday. Telephone was out of order. Eliza-beth rode to Westfield with me. I called phone repair from Atwaters. Outage had been report-ed and would be fixed by noon.
Tuesday. Big Steve Bryda is also chief of sur-vey party. Last week he lost his reading glasses and offered a reward of two dollars. Today Joe Adams found the glasses but would take no re-ward so Steve bought sundaes for everyone.
February 22, Wednesday, Washington’s Birthday. We have holiday. I washed and waxed red, rubber floor tile in kitchen and hall. Walked out in sun with Elizabeth, and coaxed a chicka-dee to take piece of bread from my hand. E made a nice dinner. 12:50 p.m. I went to Westfield to take my mother to ride to Chicopee and South H adley, back over the new Meuller Bridge to Holyoke and Turnpike to Westfield. Studied some Spanish,
Thursday. Collected guys from Loral coffee shop and worked on deeds and locating proper-ty lines. Plotted our baseline on big aerial plan. Vinny has sold his Plymouth for $450 and is try-ing to fight demotion.
Friday I took E to Dr. Wonson as she expects in April.
Saturday I wrote and mailed survey reports, brought account book up to date, and worked on scrap books. Tired of reading Arundel aloud I switched to Anne of Green Gables.
February 28, Tuesday. We have baseline sta-tion stakes set back to 141+40 and control points tied in so they can be reproduced by anyone. At noon I went to Registry of Motor Vehicles in Springfield to renew my driving license. A line was waiting at the Capitol Theater to get in and see 101 Dalmatians.
A Wilbraham woman wrote the Governor about Mulvaney being on a 0,6 mile job since November! Wheels turned. He’s lost his party and equipment. Jim Constantino goes with Bry-da, Fred Kaste with me and “Mo” himself with Louis Johnson.
by Phil Pothier
The north wind is blowing,
The sun gives no light.
Tho’ mid afternoon
It is near dark as night
Above the wind’s wailing
There’s nought to be heard.
Not the bark of a dog
Nor the sound of a bird!
The driveway was plowed
But is now filled with snow.
Hear the wind whistle!
Hear the wind blow!
The small, woodland creatures
Are driven away,
In some hidden refuge
To wait a new day.
The cars are both parked,
Safe and out of harm’s way.
The cows in the barn
Have both water and hay.
I’ve braved the wild tempest
To bring in the wood,
And let the dogs run for
As long as I could!
So now I am here
By the warm fireside,
Content and quite happy
Right here to abide.
Perhaps by tomorrow
The storm will have passed,
But until then I have
Enough food to last.
I have enough coffee.
I have a good book.
I have enough food
In the larder to cook.
I have happy mem’ries,
I have songs to sing.
I guess I’ll be patient,
And just wait for spring!
Feb. 2014
February
1961
By Ross
Haseltine
A wise man once said: “You will never be at peace if your mind is a noisy place.” It’s true! It’s easy to go around worried about our future… stressed about our finances… frustrated about the way things are going at work. And then we wonder why we can’t sleep at night… why we don’t enjoy our life… why there’s always so much drama every day. It’s because our mind is cluttered.
Here’s the key: You can’t keep negative things from coming, but you can keep them from stay-ing.
It’s time for an intervention.
I watched a TV show on hoarders – people who don’t throw anything away. One woman lived by herself in a two-story house, but there was no way to get upstairs. The house was piled full of old newspapers, piled full of empty cereal boxes, piled full of empty cans of food she had eaten thirty years earlier.
There was one small path from the kitchen to the bathroom, and then to the little place where she slept, surrounded by towering walls of trash on every side. You can imagine how it smelled and how unhealthy it was!
It was so bad the authorities came to do an intervention. They knocked on the front door, but she couldn’t open it. They had to go to a small side door and squeeze through it.
One of the first things they saw was a pile of thousands of popsicle wrappers. They said, “How about if we start here? Can we just take these?”
She said, “Oh, no. Those are my children’s. They mean something to me. You have to put them back.” Her children were in their forties!
It was obvious to everyone else that all she was doing was keeping trash, but she couldn’t see it. She was so focused on holding on to ev-erything from the past that she didn’t realize how it was limiting her life and keeping her from living in the present.
Here’s the question… How many of us are hoarders in our mind? We’re not letting go of any negative thoughts. We’re not letting go of those worries. There’s so much clutter that we can’t enjoy our life. We go to sleep at night but wake up tired in the morning because our mind was working all night.
Well, let me tell you something: God is ready to do an intervention. He wants to help you get rid of the worry, the hurts, the offenses, the frus-tration. Those things are only limiting your life.
What’s interesting is the authorities couldn’t make the woman throw things away. It had to be her choice. She finally agreed, but it wasn’t easy. Everything in her mind said, “Hold on to the trash.” That’s what was normal for her. Liv-ing cluttered was what she was used to.
Sometimes in our life, we’ve been living worried for so many years that it’s become nor-mal to us ... We’ve been living guilty for so long that’s what we’re used to … We’ve gone around for so long feeling as though we don’t measure up – that we’re not attractive, that we don’t have a good personality – that’s all we know.
The good news is that this is your day for an intervention. God is not going to force you to do it. This is a choice you have to make. You need to say to those thoughts that are telling you that you’re not up to par, “No, thanks. You’re not welcome here. I am fearfully and wonder-fully made. I have royal blood flowing through my veins. My life is beautiful and blessed.”
You have enough people in life who are against you – don’t you be one of them! Don’t be against yourself. You were created in the image of Almighty God – who doesn’t make mistakes. He didn’t make you faulty. He calls you a mas-terpiece, a prized possession. My challenge to you today is this: Don’t criticize what God has created. Don’t say another negative word about yourself.
Just do your part.
If you’re going to keep the clutter out, you have to know what your job is and what God’s job is. Sometimes we’re frustrated because we’re trying to do what only God can do. There are some things you can’t fix. You can’t make some-body else do what’s right; you can’t make some doors open. You can’t control everything.
Our part is to believe. Our part is to stay in faith. And then let God do His part. Trust Him to work it out.
I’m not saying sit back and be passive. But there are some battles you’re not meant to fight. Let God fight them for you.
The Prophet Isaiah said, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose mind stays on You.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Our part is to keep our mind on Him … “Fa-ther, thank You that You’re in control. Thank You for making all things work together for good in my life.”
When we do our part, God will do His part. He’ll not only keep you in peace, He’ll get you where you’re supposed to be.
Maybe you and I could learn a thing or two from some teenage boys … The Bible tells of the story of three teenagers who were about to be thrown into a blazing furnace because they wouldn’t bow down and worship the king’s golden idol. The king threatened them one last time, but they said, “King, we’re not going to bow down. We know our God will deliver us.”
They had this attitude of faith. But what they said next was the real key: “But even if He doesn’t, we’re still not going to bow down.”
That’s a powerful position. When you can say, “I’m going to stay in perfect peace if it works out my way, and I’m going to stay in perfect peace if it doesn’t work my way” – you can say that you take away all the enemy’s power. On the other hand, if you’re only going to be happy if it happens the way you want, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
Why not take it one step further and say, “God, You know what’s best for me. This is what I want, this is what I’m praying for, but even if it doesn’t happen, I’m still going to stay in perfect peace. I’m still going to be my best. I’m still go-ing to praise You. Because, God, I trust You.”
Friend, it’s time to unclutter your mind. You will never be at peace if your mind is a noisy place.
As a frequent attendee at the Thursday meeting house jam sessions, I thought it would be fun to find out how it all got started and its growing popularity. So I sat down with Bob Fox, the energy behind its success. Here is what he told me:
It was the spring of 2018 when Bill Dougherty, another Southwick resident, approached me and asked if I would be interested in attending a Jam session in East Hampton MA. He remembered that I was a drummer back in the 70s playing with a local band called “006 pack.” Itching to play again, I decided to check it out.
I really enjoyed myself, but on the ride back I told Bill that this was something that I could not do on a regular basis. Sunday was the only day that I could spend the whole day with my wife Diann who was quite ill at the time. It just wouldn’t fit into my schedule. I suggested that we hold some evening sessions of our own here in Southwick. We could make room in the red barn behind the flower shop.
The jam sessions began, gradually evolving into a mixed group of musicians of all levels. We welcomed an array of talented singers, horn players, guitarists, banjo players, harmonica players, autoharps, and yes even spoons.
Among the early participants was Ed Beckwith. Eddie brought his enthusiasm, awesome keyboard skills and a passion for music dating back to the 70s . For years, Eddie played with the well-known area band “Corey and the Knights-men.” He recalled a time backing up the “Coasters” when they played locally.
Eddie credited his keyboard skills to the many lessons he had taken and continues to take. In the beginning, it was from Alice Chaffee from 2002-2015, and Sarah Micklejohn of Granville from 2015 to present. Both deepened my understanding and my passion for music. I love the jam sessions, they provide me an opportunity to perform with a group.
As word got out about the sessions the traffic increased. Most came to better their skills, while others came to keep their skills fresh, while others harbored dreams of performing in a band. This caught Bill’s attention, and he soon gathered a like-minded group together. Just like that, a band was born. Aptly named “Nice Shirt.” It was a fitting name, reflecting the fun atmosphere cultivated during the sessions. Needing a place to practice as a group, Bill found space and shifted to Granville, at the Noble & Cooley Drum Shop, where they could now practice together and develop their songbook.
As the weather grew colder, the barn was a challenge for the sessions. Playing in the cold air was just not practical. That’s when Joe Deedy, from the Southwick Civic Fund, generously offered us space at the “The Meeting House.” The space was warm and inviting with great acoustics. The transition proved to be a game-changer. It not only provided us shelter, it welcomed a wider audience. Local residents began to drop by just to listen.
Bob recalled one fun story that came to him, it was about Gary Parody formerly of Westfield now retired and living in Delaware. Gary told of the time when Carl Montana of “Monty and the Specialties” another well-known area band from the 60s and 70s, called him and said he needed a bass player for a gig he had at Mountain Park in Holyoke. Gary said ”I was just 15 years old at the time. I told him I didn’t play bass, just regular guitar. Carl said, “I’m on my way, I’ll pick you up. It doesn’t matter, we’ll work it out.” He then told him that they would be opening for a well-known national act called the “Kingsmen” of “Louie Louie” fame. He also played in a band with Taj Mahal, during his early years at UMass. This will forever live in my memory. Gary told me now when he plans his vacations to Maine, he always stops in the area to visit family. He plans it so he can attend a session on the way up and also on his way back down to Delaware. He looks forward to it.
Bob remembered some of the musicians that came through the sessions, such as Johnathan, a dynamic guitar player, who plays lead with a favorite local band, “Above the TreeLine.” Another guitar player that frequents the sessions is Andy, the grandson of Corey Degray of “The Knightsmen.”
Another regular is Tim Barnes. Tim has played lead guitar in a number of bands since high school, and is currently performing in a band called “Dr. C & The Cure Alls.” I asked him what was special about the jam sessions that kept him coming back. This was his response.
“The opportunity to join in music at the meeting house has enabled so much for so many. All of us who have participated in the sessions have built a camaraderie, regardless of level of expertise or talent. Everyone has been welcomed, and all of us have shared learnings with each other making the experience so rewarding. I am personally grateful to have access to the venue, and all of us feel good to give back and encourage donations. The greater good to the community goes beyond the music. We all are fortunate to participate in an ongoing musical journey that has been generously made available to us at the Meeting House.”
Bob went on to say that the sessions were fun and full of surprises. The success of the Thursday night Jam has given way to other bands now using the space to rehearse, which helps keep the lights and heat on. As we ended our conversation, Bob’s last remarks to me rang true, he said:
“The jam sessions seem to have taken on a life of their own. We never knew who was going to show up. Some have gone on to do solo acts, while others have joined existing bands, and others have started bands of their own.”
“The thing that amazes me about music is that it can take you back in time. For me, the magic of music is somehow front and center attached to memories. Looking back, I am grateful for the friendships that developed and a community built around music.”
By Susan Guerrero
February is the month of love, with Valentine’s Day waiting to be celebrated halfway through. For me, it also happens to be the month of cleaning. Everywhere I look, even in the most obscure cor-ners of drawers and dusty old closets, something needs cleaning and organizing. It is too cold to go out so I am home bound a great deal of the time. Consequently, it is impossible to escape the inevi-table. I must abandon the typewriter and run for the broom.
Inside stores, merchants are putting out lacy pink and rose-red heart boxes filled with tempt-ing layers of chocolate. Inside my house, however, outcome garbage bags, furniture polish, and glass cleaner. It’s February and it’s that time of year once again to get rid of unused items and excesses. Some people do spring cleaning but to me, February or-ganizing is even more significant. It’s unbelievable how messy dresser drawers can get, especially if one tends to stuff wrong-colored Christmas gifts into them, along with presents to be used in the future. It is time to clean and organize when make-up and bobby pins, jewelry, and broken things, still too good to throw away, lay in a deep layer the necessary items, that one can no longer find.
The same goes for closets. They tend to get clut-tered overnight and after several fall and winter months of accumulation, forget it. It becomes im-possible to find a thing. Old boots have to go as well as broken pocketbooks, stretched-out sweat-ers and too-smail blouses. It tugs at one’s heart to give up some things, but cleaning is a ruthless ac-tivity. Once the closet is neat and orderly, the good feelings make the sacrificing all the sweeter.
Why do kitchen drawers become so cluttered? Expired coupons from last spring have to be tossed in the garbage bag with a twinge of guilt - all that money that could have been saved! There are diet books in there, too (more guilt), along with a dusty candy thermometer, band-aids, spare pennies des-tined for the blue canning jar on the kitchen shelf, and an odd assortment of paper clips, safety pins, and hair barrettes. Once the drawers are in pre-cious order, at last, one wants to stop and take a picture to preserve them in their clean state, be-cause the cleaner knows the inevitable will hap-pen. Things will accumulate again and the drawer will be hard to open and even harder to close. Oh well, next year will have a February too.
February wasn’t always like this. There was a time in my life when it was a truly excit-ing First Published In month because of Val-entine’s Day. In elemen-tary school, I remember helping to decorate a large box with lace and red tissue and crepe pa-per. The teacher would place the box on a table in front of the room and the students would drop all of their Valentines into it. On the Big Day, each child’s name would be called And he would be given all the cards with his name on them. It was so exciting. I remember my heart beating wild-ly when my name was called. The white envelopes with childish scrawl on them were better than gold pieces. They were cards from friends and each was cherished. We couldn’t wait to go home and show each one to our mother. We would barge through the front door and call out her name, Valentines in hand. Today latch-key children are not as lucky.
Valentine’s Day is still pretty special. I try to make the house look festive and include little pink cupcakes or candy kisses in the day’s menu. Of course, my husband always remembers to buy me a sentimental card, the bigger and mushier the bet-ter. One year he purchased a humorous Valentine, (“for a change,” he said), and he could tell I was disappointed. Our children bring home their Val-entine’s Day cards and I love to make a big deal out of them. I love reading them, including the corny ones.
After Valentine’s Day, the month goes by fairly quickly. There are some nights when I dreamily look through the seed catalogs, envisioning my summer herbs and flowers in a rainbow of colors. I made a mental note to make more strawberry jam since all the jars I stored in the cellar disappeared in early January. There are usually a few more snow storms to put up with as well, but before one knows it, we can flip the calendar page to March. February is left behind, along with a clean dresser and kitchen drawers, and organized closets.
Feb. 1988
FRENCH ONION SOUP
4 large onions, diced 6 slices sliced French
1/4 cup butter or oleo bread, toasted
1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup shredded Swiss or
4 (13-3/4 oz) cans beef broth Gruyere cheese
Saute onions in butter in a covered Dutch oven over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until ten-der and transparent. Uncover; add sugar, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes longer, or until onions are a rich golden brown.
Add beef broth; bring to boiling; cover; simmer 20 minutes. Taste, adding additional salt if needed.
Ladle soup into 6 ovenproof soup bowls or an 8-cup baking dish. Top with bread slices; sprinkle with both cheeses.
Heat in a hot oven (425°) for 10 minutes, then place under pre-heated broiler until top is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve immediately.
BOOTHBAY CHOWDER
3 slices bacon 8 oz. clam juice
1 large onion, chopped 1 cup water
3 tablespoons flour 4 medium size potatoes,
1 teaspoon salt pared & diced (about 3
1/4 teaspoon pepper cups)
3 cups milk 2 tablespoons chopped
3 cans minced clams parsley
Cook bacon in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon; drain on paper toweling, crumble & reserve. Add onion to bacon fat in saucepan; saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook one minute. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly; lower hear to simmer.
Drain liquid from clams into medium-size sauce-pan; reserve clams. Add bottled clam juice, water and potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add potatoes and their cooking liquid to the milk mixture; heat just until bubbly. Add clams; heat one minute more. Sprinkle with parsley and reserved bacon.
MINESTRONE
4 (13-3/4 oz.) cans beef 3 small zucchini, cubed
broth 1 cup green beans, sliced into
2 cans cannelini beans 2-inch lengths
1 large potato, diced 1/2 lb. spinach, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped OR
2 stalks celery, sliced 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded cabbage 1/2 cup small shell macaroni
1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 teaspoon leaf oregano,
2 cloves garlic, minced rosemary or basil, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped green 1 teaspoon salt
pepper 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil Grated Parmesan cheese
Bring beef broth to boiling in a large kettle or Dutch oven. Add cannelini beans, potato, carrots, celery and cabbage. Lower heat; simmer 15 min-utes. Saute onion, garlic and green pepper in the oil in a small skillet until tender, about 3 minutes; add to kettle. Continue cooking for 15 minutes; add zucchini, green beans, spinach, tomatoes and macaroni. Turn up heat slightly and cook 20 min-utes longer. Add herb of your choice, salt and pep-per. Ladle into a tureen or soup bowls. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese
CLAM CASSEROLE
(Old New England Recipe)
2 eggs, beaten 1 can cream of mushroom soup
30 saltines, crushed 1 8-oz. can minced clams
1/4 c. butter
Mix ingredients together. Place in casserole and top with saltines. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
CASCADIAN CASSEROLE
2 c. diced ham or a combination of shrimp, ham & chicken.
8 slices bread (without crust) 1/2c. Miracle Whip
1 c. celery, chopped 1/4c. green peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
3c. milk paprika
4 eggs 1c. cashew nuts
1 can mushroom soup
Dice bread and place in 9 x 12 baking dish. Mix hara (or ham, shrimp, chicken mixture), salad dressing, onion, celery and spread on the bread. Add chopped peppers. Mix milk and slightly beat-en eggs. Pour over mixture and refrigerate over-night. Place in preheated 325 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread undiluted mushroom soup over casserole. Sprinkle with grat-ed cheese and paprika. Bake for one hour. Sprinkle cashews over cashews about 15 minutes before done. Serves 8.
SAUSAGE CASSEROLE
6-8 Italian sausage or 1 lb. bulk sausage
1 med. summer squash 2 c. spaghetti sauce
1 c. uncooked shell macaroni 1 minced onion
garlic powder salt & pepper to taste
Crumble sausage into skillet and brown with minced onion and a little garlic powder. Mean-while cook shells and sliced squash. Drain sausage and put into casserole dish. Add shells, squash and spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
WESTERN CASSEROLE
1 lb. ground beef 2 t. chili powder
1 T. salad oil 1 no. 2 can tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced 1 no. 2 can kidney beans
1 t. salt 3/4 c. uncooked rice
1 large onion, chopped 1/2 c. chopped ripe olives (opt.)
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese 1 green pepper, chopped
Brown meat in oil, add garlic, onion, green pep-per, chili powder and salt. Saute 5 minutes. Mix to-matoes, beans and rice. Turn into greased 2 quart casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with olives (optional) and grated cheese. Bake 15 minutes longer.
Feb. 1985
Unclutter
your Mind
as told to B.C.
By Michael Dubilo
Most people are looking for love on Valen-tines day and thus February reminds me of a heart of giving. Let us not just mouth words of love but demonstrate a desire to give attention and value to others. The daily need of uncondi-tional love tops the list. A precious gift; a func-tional, durable heart, streaming with a servant-like attitude. As our parents provided for us, we can contribute to the quality of life of others.
We take red roses for granted as a Valen-tine’s Day staple. But roses don’t grow in Feb-ruary weather in the U.S. because it’s too cold. Instead, millions of flowers are grown around the world and shipped specifically for February 14th. Most of the roses we gift for Valentine’s Day come from Ecuador, Kenya, and Columbia. Around 250 million roses are prepared for Val-entine’s Day along with chocolates, cards, and sweetheart candy.
Though to me, Valentine’s Day means a bit more than flowers, chocolates, and delightful dinners. I found a woman with a delightful heart in September 2013 and on February 14, 2014, Val-entine’s Day, we were married. Now 11 years of marriage with my one and only Susanna, I recall after viewing pictures and learning of her char-acter, that my heart was stirred up. Symbolic of trees in the forest wildly shaken by the wind. A refreshed feeling. Let me calm down, so my feet can get grounded. In my 74 years of life, the heart of Susanna was seldom found. Trials and challenges occur daily in our journey, but the sweetheart remains, better than solid gold. We face times of testing with hope and confidence, knowing we have the power to overcome. Truly two hearts working as one.
I continue to have the privilege of observing our friend Joan help my wife with utmost care and love as Parkinson’s Disease gradually pro-gresses in my kind and giving wife. Only ser-viceable hearts, like Joan’s, are gracious enough to assist people with very limited mobility. While Joan is out and about driving around she’ll pick up Susanna, secretly planning to meet her need of conversation and traveling.
But know that love does not come easy to a “wounded heart.” As a parent of an absent rela-tionship with my daughter and son, I am aware of my own parenting mistakes and came away with a few realizations. I am not alone in this journey. So many parents are fighting the same battles and often do so in silence. Your children’s choices aren’t a reflection of your parenting skills, but rather a harsh reminder of the challenges of raising kids in a lost and broken world. Care for your children consistently with love. Above all do not dwell in the past but move to the present moments. Search out new serviceable activities. Stimulate relationships with positive supportive people. You have tremendous value. Look up not down. A cheerful heart is always good med-icine. Service to others is one of the most power-ful antidotes for a wounded heart.
Finally, it is said the heart is the representa-tion of an individual’s life. Out of the heart are the issues of life. In the book of Proverbs, we read “Who can say, I have kept my heart pure.” Motives, thoughts, and intended actions reside in human hearts. Though hearts can be deceit-ful and cause physical and emotional damage. Recently, I have been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation, an irregular and rapid heart beat that causes poor blood flow. The good news is I was provided with a group of highly skilled doctors, to oversee my condition. Thank you, all you caregivers, and the Lord for returning my health so that this red, glowing heart can always takes the high road, employing compassion and choosing ways to serve others in need.
Through this time I thought, if the human heart can be so vital working in the darkness of our inner being, how much more can a service-able heart do in the bright light of purpose?
Under the spell of this torturous cold
New England freeze,
lies hidden deep, a forgotten killer
As if some European fairy tale
Symbolizing the winter’s death in myth.
How our country forget, I ask
when over the last four decades of
Novelty, softcover, $5 non-fiction
covering every bookstand,
with the faces of mass murderers,
we all know by name now.
I promise – soon – you’ll sarcastically ask
Lizzy – who?
And never forget the name of
Amy Archer Gilligan!
On Halloween, in Milton, Connecticut
Amy Duggin, yes it is true, was born
on October 31st, in the year of our lord 1873
And the 8th of 10 children, least not to
brother John, ...sent to an asylum to die in 1902.
Not graced with beauty, to be sure, regardless
Amy wed to James Archer in 1897
bearing a daughter soon after and
taking up to become the caretakers
of a boarding house, they named
Sister Amy’s Nursing Home for the Elderly
A nickname, that would stick with her.
As circumstances rose, they moved
to the Ct, town of Windsor
with that of a rapidly growing population,
but also a history that included the first
accused and executed witch in New England;
ironic, which James was too late to realize
when in 1910, he suddenly succumbed to his swift demise
In their Prospect St. home of Brights Disease!
Like a poisonous snake, luring in her prey
She managed to marry a fellow widower and a
more affluent suitor
In 1913 – to Michael W. Gilligan
Yet could it be true – they’d ask and say
that within three months – to acute biliousness
(severe indigestion) he was left to the grave.
But not before, his life insurance, his wealth
to not let her fall into bankruptcy, their estate was saved.
Allowing her web to grow wider, and more venom
to infect even further!
As if some angry ghost, by way of a sibling
one of her last victims named
Franklin R. Andrews, was a man
in good shape and health to boot,
he was also one deep in the pockets, and with
several children, who’s daughter named
Nellie Pierce, pursued her father’s untimely death
In 1914 she tried to talk to the attorney general
but to her sad dismay, she then went to the
Hartford Courant Newspaper and spilled them
all of the suspicious fatalities – under Amy’s past
and current residents.
Thus, the paper ran an entire series starting with the
article titled ‘The Murder Factory’!
Which then caught the police’s attention, for an investiga-tion
to pursue this Murderess’s history
of collecting the wealth, by those who cross her path
and live beneath her roof, and dare sign the papers
of their inheritance and life insurance;
Just weeks or days, leading to their last breaths!
Strangely – ever more by truth to ween
A large percentage of her clients aided in her plots
unknowingly – in buying large amounts of Arsenic
from drugstores – supposedly to kill rats – she claimed
when in reality – the victims – were soon to be them-selves.
Sixty Lives from 1907 to 1916 – including both husbands
Her trial and those Courant articles swept across our nation
with sensation.
Convicted first by jury to the penalty of death, it was Retried
three years later – giving her life behind bars.
Though, she’d follow her brother’s path and ended up
in the Middletown’s General Hospital for the insane
Where she died as late as 1962!
Now years later, than her sentence and time in court
a writer from New York wrote a lost piece upon her story
which became a hit Broadway play, that then was turned
into a movie staring Carry Grant, though this theater act
is still being performed in all of our high schools
under its original name ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’!
She might not of ever known, of her own notorious fame
More shocking still, is how so few – including myself
have had - ever heard of her; except the historical society
in Windsor, Connecticut.
Nor of the fact, that her house – wasn’t demolished
nor left abandoned in town shame -
In fact – it’s full again with tenants – and standing still
Haunted perhaps, I would guess,
As if the irony of an Edgar Alan Poe piece,
though not a cat
But Damned Those cursed Rats!
A Poem By Todd Shiveley
10-5
Stanley Park
Whimsical Fairy Walk
Saturday, May 3, 2025 - Join us for a magical weekend at Stanley Park’s Whimsical Fairy Walk, happening on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 10:00 – 4:00 and Sunday, May 4, 2025 from 10:00 – 2:00! This beloved event is moving to the Spring and will kick off the park’s opening weekend! Bring your family and friends to experience the enchanting world of fairies with a self-guided walk through our fairy-inspired trails. Discover handcrafted fairy houses, participate in fun activities, and create unforgettable memories. For more information or to sign up as a sponsor, volunteer, or fairy house builder, visit our website at www.stanleypark.org or contact us by at development@stanleypark.org or phone at 413-568-9312 x 108 or x112.
Don’t miss this chance to be part of the magic. Mark your calendars and help us bring the fairies to life at Stanley Park’s Whimsical Fairy Walk! We’ll see you in the Woodland Wildflower Garden!
To include your event, please send information by the 1st of the month. We will print as many listings as space allows. Our usual publication date is around the 10th of the month. Email to: magazine@southwoods.info.
Southwick Historical Society
Matching Donation Challenge
An anonymous donor has offered to match up to 10,000 in donations to the Southwick Historical Society, Inc. as part of the Society’s special fundraising campaign. Donations are needed to help the non profit Society fund their private purchase of the 10.5 acres of open land located at 74 College Highway that is adjacent to the existing Southwick History Museum, site of the historic Moore House and the Charles Gillett Cigar Factory.
Currently, the Southwick Historical Society, Inc. plans to use the proceeds from the sale of a Conservation Restriction on the newly acquired property, money from the estate of Suzanne Davis and a credit union loan to finance the purchase. The goal of this campaign is to raise $35,000 in 2025 to repay the loan and begin management activities on the property. Your financial support is essential to the successful completion of this campaign and to ensure the long-term protection of this historic landscape. All donations from supporters are tax deductible and checks can be made out to the Southwick Historical Society, Inc. and sent to Post Office Box 323, Southwick, MA 01077.
St. Joseph National Catholic Church
Winter Picnic
Westfield, MA: St. Joseph’s National Catholic Church at 73 Main Street in Westfield is again hosting their community Winter Picnic on February 23rd at 12 noon. This winter picnic will feature outdoor grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, potato chips and dessert. Beverages include lemonade, iced tea, Frosty Orange Cooler Punch and hot coffee. The picnic will be held inside our Social Center. Everyone is welcome!
Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. To purchase tickets and reserve your place, text or telephone Cliff at (413) 977-2007 and if leaving a message, provide your name and telephone number. Take-Out Meals-To-Go will be available for pick-up at 12:30pm. When ordering tickets, indicate if dinners are To-Go. The deadline for purchasing tickets is February 20th. Please join us for a delicious Sunday picnic and fun raffle!
Greater Westfield Choral Association
Spring Concert
March 16 at 3:00 pm. the Greater Westfield Choral Association will present Beethoven’s Mass in C Major with a full orchestra under the direction of Marc Winer. The second half of the concert will feature sacred works by a variety of composers including John Rutter and David Willcocks. The concert will take place at UCC Second Congregational Church in Westfield. The cost is $15 for the general public and $10 for students and seniors. All who attend are welcome at a reception after the concert.
Granville Federated Church
Science Behind Superheroes
Saturday, February 22nd at 11am. Join this fun and interactive presentation by Mad Science of Western New England, sponsored by the Granville Federated Church. In this show discover the real science behind some of the most popular superhero powers! We will explore the science of flight, how science can make things invisible, and how Spiderman might walk up walls using fun, high-energy experiments! This event will happen Saturday, February 22, 2025 from 11am to noon at the Granville Federated Church, 16 Granby Rd, Granville MA. This event is FREE but does require registration. Pleas email Bobbi O’Connell at granvillefederatedchurch@gmail.com or call 413-297-0445 to register. We hope you can join us.
Jam Session
Join us for Jam Sessions every Thursday from 6pm-9pm in the Southwick Meeting House located at 222 College Highway (formerly Christ Methodist Church). For more info please call Bob Fox at 413-579-4585. Open to all and any age. All fun and no pressure. Explore your talent or come to listen to some good music.
COUNTRY PEDDLER
CLASSIFIEDS
GOODS & SERVICES
traprock driveways built & repaired. Gravel, loam, fill deliveries. Tractor services, equipment moved, York Rake. Bill Armstrong Trucking. 413-531-0498.
DELREO HOME IMPROVEMENT for all your exterior home improvement needs, ROOFING, SIDING, WINDOWS, DOORS, DECKS & GUTTERS extensive references, fully licensed & insured in MA & CT. Call Gary Delcamp 413-569-3733
RECORDS WANTED BY COLLECTOR - Rock & Roll, Country, Jazz of the 50’s and 60’s All speeds. Sorry - no classical, showtunes, polkas or pop. Fair prices paid. No quantity too small or too large. Gerry 860-668-5783 or G.Crane@cox.net
GOODS & SERVICES
Lakeside Property management - For all your landscaping needs. Mowing, new lawn installs, sod, mulch/stone installation, bush trimming, retaining walls, snow plowing/removal, etc. Serving Southwick, Suffield, Granby, Agawam, Westfield, Simsbury. Residential and commercial. Call Joe 413-885-8376. Give us a call and let us get that property looking the way you want it! Now accepting major credit cards.
