Those Celebrating Birthdays are: January 9, Barbara Smith, Kelly
Blackey; January 11, Jay Hubbard, Anthony Bender; January 12, Lurene
Riel; January 14, Lyn Ward; January 15, Carole Abbott, Daniel Ward,
Sr.
A Very Happy Birthday To One and All!
Celebrating Anniversaries are: January 15, Robert and Wanda Boston.
Best Wishes!
School Lunch Menus
January 14 - January 18, 2013
PES
Monday
Winter Melt
Ham and swiss melt, lettuce, tomato, and pickles, oven fries, fresh
fruit
Tuesday
All American!
Cheeseburger with all the fixin’s, baked fries, cinnamon apples
Wednesday
The Big Cheese
Macaroni and cheese, warm bread, green beans, pears
Thursday
Brunch for Lunch
French toast sticks, baked ham, roasted potatoes, applesauce
Friday
Fresh Picks Pizza
Cheese pizza or chef’s topping, cucumber wedges, raisins
PMHS
Monday
Lunchtime Classic
Build your own chicken sandwich, potato wedges, peaches
Tuesday
Taste of Morocco
Moroccan spiced chicken, couscous, green leaf salad, cinnamon orange
slices
Wednesday
The Big Cheese
Macaroni and cheese, garlic bread, green beans, pears
Thursday
Brunch for Lunch
French toast sticks, baked ham, home fries, applesauce
Friday
Winter Melt
Turkey tomato and bacon melt, fresh carrots, fresh fruit
Between The Ponds: Historical Sites Along Route #107
White’s Pond To
Jenness Pond
White’s Pond in and of itself is an historic treasure of Pittsfield.
It was built in 1899 by William H. White, a wealthy leather
manufacturer from Lowell, Massachusetts. He owned the property along
with the Wentworth Place, now opposite the shrine on Fairview Road.
The dam he erected backed up water from Berry Brook which originated
high up on Catamount Mountain. The pond served as a recreation area
for his ill daughter. In later years the property was occupied by
Governor and World War II ambassador to England, John Winant. His
wife ran a summer camp for children there for several years.
The Thomas Berry Place, now Hunsberger’s.
Continuing up Catamount Road a short distance is the old Thomas
Berry Place built in the very early 1800s at the intersection of
Fairview Road, now the Hunsberger Place. As a young man Mr. Berry
worked in the saw mill at the outlet to Berry Pond. In 1812 he
married Nancy Shaw, daughter of John Shaw after whom Shaw Road and
Shaw Pond are named. Mr. Berry is buried in the next historical
site, the Major William Berry Cemetery, a short distance on
Catamount Road to the East.
According to headstones, the first person buried in this cemetery
died in 1830. Rachael and William Berry, progenitors of those buried
in the cemetery, were interred there in 1834 and 1847 respectively.
Several other town founders and dignitaries are buried there as
well, including Ned Berry who owned the Berry Resort on Fairview
Road, merchant John Berry who built his store in the village in
1818, and William Foster Berry, senior vice president of the New
Hampshire Fire Insurance Company. Until 1890 the cemetery was
typical of early family gravesites but that year William H. Berry,
the wealthy secretary of the N. H. Fire Insurance Company, erected
the massive cut granite wall surrounding it, making the place one of
the nicest in the area.
Sargent Hall where Catamount Apartments is now located.
Just past the cemetery, is a structure erected as a summer resort
about 1875, originally called the Mountain View House. The main
building contained 20 rooms, nearly every one of which included a
marble fireplace. The renowned Dr. Frank Sargent purchased it in
1906 and ran one of the nation’s first alcohol and drug
rehabilitation clinics there. The names of patients, many of whom
came from large cities to the south, were kept in the strictest
confidence to avoid any embarrassment.
The next notable site is a little up the road and on the right hand
side where the Clayton Wood Family now resides. When the large home
was built has not been learned. However, the well known Civil War
veteran, inventor and freighter Philester Elliott lived there all of
his life. He was born in 1839, the grandson of Isaac Seavey, who is
alleged to have been one of the “loyalists” who guarded Fort William
and Mary during the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Mr.
Seavey came to Pittsfield about 1787 and did not pass away until the
year of Mr. Elliott’s birth. Undoubtedly he either resided or
visited the place many times.
On both sides of the hill just up from the Elliott Place were
facilities long since removed. Allegedly, an old Baptist Church was
built on the same side of the road sometime before 1836 after which
the Baptists built a church in the village. On the left a bit
further up was an old shingle mill run by one of the town’s
founders, Joshua Berry, Jr. The mill took its power from Berry Brook
and operated in the late 1700 and early 1800s.
The Joshua Berry double colonial.
Across and slightly up the road from the mill is a very early
cape-style home that was built well before the 1850s. A few hundred
yards above this house was the famous Joshua Berry, Jr.’s blacksmith
and wheelwright shop where allegedly the first trip hammer in the
State of New Hampshire was used. Across the street is another of the
old Berry Places on Catamount Road. This one was built by Joshua,
Jr. about 1808 and still retains its character today.
Just up the hill and around the corner is the home built about 1778
by Captain Joshua Berry of Revolutionary War fame. He was on the
famous trip to Ft. Ticonderoga with General Knox to retrieve cannons
for use in the Siege of Boston. He later served at the Battle of
Stillwater and was at the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga. The
double colonial, fronted by a stone wall, is well kept today.
Across the road from his house is a cemetery named after him. He,
his wife and many of their off-spring are buried there. The first
was 30 year-old Elizabeth, wife of Eben Berry. Captain Berry was
buried there in 1825. One of his well known sons, Captain Thomas
Berry who gained his rank during the War of 1812, is buried there as
well. He is the man who made the famous 80 mile round trip to
Portsmouth in nine hours, changing horses six times, to obtain
medicine for those afflicted during the horrendous Spotted Fever
epidemic of 1813. The beautiful, ornate headstones are among the
loveliest in Pittsfield today.
At the crest of the mountain on the left side is the colonial home
of Major William Berry which he erected about 1785. There, he and
his wife Rachael raised 11 children, several of whom made a
substantial impact on the Pittsfield community. He was a farmer and
saw mill operator. In his elderly years he was referred to as “the
patriarch of Catamount,” and was much revered for his integrity,
hospitality, industry, and kindness.
Passing over the crest of the mountain and down the far slope to
Eaton Pond, remnants of Eighteenth Century life have long since
disappeared. Absolutely nothing is left of the old school house that
Henry Ford tried to purchase for his museum. Similarly, the only
remaining homes of that bygone era are those just out of sight on
Thompson and Old Governors Roads. And the old Thomas Berry Place
further up the hill on another section of Old Governor’s Road burned
years ago.
The next historic site on Catamount Road is just up and around the
corner from Old Governors Road just mentioned. The farmhouse on the
left side, originally built in the early Nineteenth Century by
members of the Tucker Family, later passed to the Watsons who
acquired it by attending to two elderly Tucker ladies. It has been
in the Watson Family for at least three generations. Charles and his
wife Jean now occupy the homestead.
The original William Watson and Tucker Family farmhouses which would
be the next notable sites have long since been destroyed. However,
one of their family cemeteries lies a short distance from the Watson
Place of today. Currently the stone wall at its front is being
reconstructed by Dan Schroth. Located just before the incline of
Tucker Hill it is the resting place for John Watson who died in
1853. There are several rocks indicating where other members of the
family are buried. Most assuredly, some of those burials predate
John’s interment. John A. Locke, who served in the Civil War,
probably in the New Orleans area, is also buried there, along with
his mother and father.
As one descends Tucker Hill towards Jenness Pond there is another
historic family cemetery on the left side of the road. Known as the
Fogg-Joy Cemetery, it contains several headstones that are not
inscribed which denote places of very early interments. Buried there
with an inscribed headstone is Jonathan Fogg, one of two men known
by that name from Pittsfield who served in the Revolutionary War. He
was not the Jonathan “Jocky” Fogg taken prisoner at Quebec, but
rather the Jonathan Fogg who also served at Bunker Hill and was with
Washington at Saratoga when General Burgoyne surrendered ending the
war. He died on February 20, 1805. Sarah, his wife, is buried next
to him.
The final site, at the bottom of the hill below the cemetery just in
on Jenness Pond Road, is one of Pittsfield’s earliest school houses.
Stephen Watson was paid a little over $14.00 in 1834 to build a
school there. It operated until the close of the school year
1919-1920. Since then it has been used as a residence. In recent
decades it has been remodeled and a bell tower added.
2012 Christmas Tree Lighting And Children’s Store
(Sponsored By The Greater Pittsfield Chamber Of Commerce)
On Saturday, December 1st, The Greater Pittsfield Chamber of
Commerce kicked off the Holiday Season by sponsoring the annual
Children’s Store and Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration.
The day started with the PES PTO sponsored Breakfast with Santa.
Many families enjoyed the delicious breakfast and visited with
Santa. The First Congregational Church hosted a craft fair during
the day too.
The much anticipated Children’s Store was held at the PES Gym from 9
– noon. The Store is for “kids only” to purchase new or “nearly” new
items – mostly priced at 50¢ each. The Store is open to All kids
ages 16 and younger. Thanks to the tremendous help of over 65
volunteers (acting as elves, gift wrappers, donation collection
sites or crowd control) close to 200 kids were able to shop for
their families.
We are constantly collecting items for The Store all year long. We
desperately need gift bags and items for men. (Some items for men
are work and winter gloves, coffee cups, small tools, flashlights,
current calendars and baseball caps) Please keep us in mind when you
are doing your “after Christmas” shopping and cleaning out! Call
Andi Riel at 435-6346 to make arrangements for pickup. Thank you to
all who made donations, items and monetary.
Holiday Storytime with Mrs. Grainger was held in the afternoon at
the Library. Kids (and adults) enjoyed the stories. The festivities
moved to Dustin Park later in the afternoon. Many thanks to everyone
who helped to make the event a huge success. Samantha and Stacy
Locke provided the horse and wagon rides, the Joyce family provided
the Holiday music, the Fire Department delivered Santa via fire
truck and he posed for free photos with all the kids. Bob Legg took
the photos and then they were posted to the town website and could
be downloaded. Thanks to Cassidy Kearns for providing the face
painting. PYW sponsored the annual Gingerbread House Display and
Raffle and hot soups, chili and chowder could be picked up inside
too. (Thanks to all the cooks who donated food!) Free hot cocoa,
cookies, popcorn and candy canes were provided (thanks to members of
the Park St. Baptist Church, Women of Rotary, CHF, 4-H Club, So.
Pittsfield Community Club, Police Association, Parks and Rec,
Chamber of Commerce and Lions Club).
Many thanks to the Pittsfield Youth Workshop and the Park St.
Baptist Church for allowing people to come inside and warm up. PYW
housed the pictures with Santa, the Gingerbread House display, face
painting, hot food items and decorated wreath contest. The Park St.
Baptist Church housed the cookies, cocoa (which they made!), and
popcorn. Thanks to all the helpers in the kitchen and to those who
helped pass out the treats too.
A decorated wreath contest was held and the winner by popular vote
was Vintage Hill (represented by Carol Lewis and Connie Larrabee).
They won a Holiday Gift Basket donated by Carolyn Allhiser of
Northway Bank.
The Blue Star Mothers joined the celebration, providing stars with
military member’s names to be added to the Tree. Thank you to Lea
Adams for organizing this wonderful tribute. The local Girl Scout
troops led everyone in singing many Christmas Carols – great job
girls!
At 6 pm, we counted down and the Tree was lighted. (Many thanks to
the “official” tree lighting and decorating committee). Louie and
Patty Houle, Fuzz Freese, Dave Hartley, Mark Riel and Bill and Linda
Provencal (I hope I didn’t forget anyone) string and test the lights
for the Tree and the wreaths on the light poles. The Tree and Park
looked very festive – Thank You!
Thank you to the Pittsfield Area Senior Center and to the Parks and
Recreation Commission for sponsoring and hosting the Holiday movie
after the Christmas Tree Lighting. We hope to make this an annual
activity so keep that in mind for next year.
This annual event takes many volunteers from local groups, churches,
town departments, family and friends. There is a lot of things that
happen behind the scenes – (especially for The Store). I’d like to
thank Mike, Tucker and Casey Wolfe and my husband, Mark Riel for
helping with a lot of that behind the scenes stuff! Thank you to
all who helped to make it a great day.
To learn more about the Greater Pittsfield Chamber of
Commerce, please visit our website at
www.pittsfieldchamber.org
or to volunteer to help next year or make arrangements for any
donations – call Andi Riel at 435-6346 or email
[email protected].
Happy New Year to all!
Obituaries
Grace H. Wagner
Grace H. Wagner, 84, formerly of Foss Ave., died December 23rd at
the Epsom Manor Health Center following a long illness.
She was born in Boston, the daughter of Thomas and Martha (
Stafford) Hill. She worked as an administrative assistant in the
shoe industry in Pittsfield, She was the widow of Frederick L.
Wagner, who died in 1984, and members of her family include four
daughters, Ruth Casey, Karen Wagner and Grace Wallace all of
Pittsfield and Margaret Cook of Hopkinton; four grandchildren and
four great grandchildren. She was predeceased by a daughter Martha
Wagner.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pittsfield Fire
Dept. Rescue Squad, Pittsfield, NH 03263
To sign an on line guest book, log on to
www.perkinsandpollard.com
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