19 20 4983 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/8bbc817adac21c810d98f6d56c1351ae.pdf 266f2caeb37c3500562950d6d36fded6 PDF Text Text SUBJECT: R A M B L I N G S O N BROOKSTONE H I S TO RY FROM: DATE: P e 3 t 0 e deBeaumont August 1976 I suppose t h e f i r s t q u e s t i o n w o u l d b e how d i d B r o o k s t o n e come i n t o e x i s t e n c e ? T h e answer t o t h i s comes i n t w o p a r t s . F i r s t o f f we were l i v i n g i n Wo r t h i n g t o n , Massachusetts, a v i l l a g e o f s i x h u n d r e d p e o p l e some s e v e n t e e n m i l e s e a s t o f P i t t s f i e l d , M A , and w h a t d o y o u d o i n a p l a c e l i k e W o r t h i n g t o n ? T h e o b v i o u s a n s w e r i s y o u h a v e a m a i l o r d e r c o m p a n y. T h e o t h e r h a l f o f t h e q u e s t i o n comes f r o m my own b a c k g r o u n d . I w a s t r a i n e d a t H a r v a r d and M . I . T . a s a m e c h a n i c a l e n g i n e e r a n d w e n t i n t o t h e a u t o m o b i l e industry s t a r t i n g as an engineer a t Packard and then going t o General M o t o r s . T h i s was a r e s u l t o f a p e r s o n a l i n c l i n a t i o n t o be i n t e r e s t e d i n m e c h a n i c a l t h i n g s i n c l u d i n g d o i n g t h i n g s w i t h m y hands. E v e r s i n c e I w a s a l i t t l e b o y I w o u l d b u i l d s h i p m o d e l s o r do r e p a i r w o r k a r o u n d t h e h o u s e a n d g e t i n t o s u c h t h i n g s a s t h e making o f r a d i o s e t s . A s a m a t t e r o f f a c t , I w a s l i v i n g b r i e f l y in S p r i n g f i e l d , MA, i n 1926, when I was e l e v e n and t h a t was when I b u i l t my f i r s t r a d i o , a one- t u b e a f f a i r f o r w h i c h t h e p l a n s appeared i n " P o p u l a r M e c h a n i c s " f o r A p r i l o f 1 9 2 6 a n d i t w o r k e d q u i t e w e l l . E v e n t h e c o i l s h a d t o b e made o n b i t s o f d o w e l s e t i n a c i r c l e o n a p i e c e o f wood. So, I h a d a l w a y s b e e n a f a i r l y s o p h i s t i c a t e d h o m e w o r k s h o p p e r a n d this i n t u r n created a frustration concerning the a v a i l i b i l i t y o f tools. D e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t I was brought u p i n Manhattan, i n New Y o r k C i t y , w h e r e y o u w o u l d t h i n k t h a t e v e r y c o n c e i v a b l e t o o l would be o b t a i n a b l e , I h a d a l l k i n d s o f t r o u b l e . I w o u l d w a l k , I r e m e m b e r, d o w n T h i r d A v e n u e , i n t h e d a y s w h e n t h e e l e v a t e d w a s s t i l l i n business g o i n g f r o m one hardware s t o r e t o another l o o k i n g , l e t ' s s a y , f o r some k i n d o f a d e v i s e w h e r e b y I c o u l d h o l d t w o pieces o f a s h i p model a t some p r e c i s e a n g l e f o r s o l d e r i n g a n d g l u i n g . Each t i m e I w e n t i n , I c o u l d f e e l d e f e a t s t a r i n g m e i n t h e f a c e , a n d indeed i t was. T h e c l e r k w o u l d i n v a r i a b l y l o o k s l i g h t l y b o r e d a n d t e l l me t h a t h e h a d n e v e r h e a r d o f s u c h a t h i n g a n d t u r n t o t h e n e x t c u s t o m e r. Another element i n t h e h i s t o r y o f Brookstone i s t h e f a c t t h a t f r o m General M o t o r s , I went i n t o t h e Navy a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f WWII, a n d was a s s i g n e d t o t h e p r o d u c t i o n b r a n c h o f t h e B u r e a u o f A e r o n a u t i c s i n Washington. T h i s d e p a r t m e n t was n e w l y o r g a n i z e d a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f WWII t o s e r v e t w o p u r p o s e s . O n e w a s t o a c t a s t h e N a v y ' s s o u r c e of p r o d u c t i o n engineering e x p e r t i s e , s o t h a t t h e Navy m i g h t r e a l i s t i c a l l y plan t h e a c q u i s i t i o n o f a i r c r a f t a n d a l l o f t h e i r components o n a sensible basis with respect t o t h e production capacity o f t h e cont r a c t o r s . I n o t h e r words, i t was o u r j o b t o t e l l t h e Navy t h a t XYZ Company c o u l d m a k e s o m a n y e n g i n e s o r s o m a n y s t a r t e r s o r s o m a n y a i r c r a f t o v e r a given period o f t i m e and a t a given r a t e o f increase and w e c o u l d g i v e t h e m t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h r e a s o n a b l e r e a l i t y . O u r other j o b was t o go around t o t h e v a r i o u s c o n t r a c t o r s a l l o v e r t h e United S t a t e s who were m a k i n g N a v a l a i r c r a f t a n d a l l o f t h e s u p p l i e s �-2and a c c e s s o r i e s f o r t h e m a n d s o l v e t h e i r p r o b l e m s . I n o t h e r w o r d s , i f a g i v e n company w e r e b e h i n d s c h e d u l e , o n e o f u s w o u l d b e s e n t out t o d e t e r m i n e w h y. T h i s m i g h t w e l l e n t a i l a t o t a l e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e company b o t h f r o m an e n g i n e e r i n g p o i n t o f v i e w a n d f r o m a management p o i n t o f v i e w . I n t h e c a s e o f a l l o f t h i s r u n n i n g a r o u n d I had contact w i t h a wide v a r i e t y o f i n d u s t r i e s and I was g r e a t l y impressed b y t h e f a c t t h a t methods o f manufacture v a r i e d g r e a t l y from i n d u s t r y t o i n d u s t r y even t h o u g h t h e p a r t s t h e m s e l v e s d i d n o t vary s i g n i f i c a n t l y a n d t h i s a l s o a p p l i e d t o t h e v a r i o u s t o o l s t h a t were u s e d . I n o t h e r w o r d s , a g i v e n i n d u s t r y m i g h t h a v e d e v e l o p e d a c e r t a i n t o o l t h a t would be v e r y u s e f u l f o r t h e i r work and another i n d u s t r y d o i n g a l m o s t e x a c t l y t h e same t h i n g w o u l d have n e v e r h e a r d of i t . S o p a r t o f t h e t h i n k i n g i n Brookstone was t o b r i n g t o g e t h e r in a catalog these various diverse t o o l s from d i ff e r e n t f i e l d s o f endeavor a n d l e t t h e m b e u s e d b y e v e r y b o d y. F o r e x a m p l e , o n e o f t h e areas f r o m w h i c h we b o r r o w e d a number o f t o o l s i n i t i a l l y was t h e f i e l d of t h e manufacture and r e p a i r o f watches, c l o c k s and j e w e l r y. I n f a c t , t h i s i s w h e r e I f o u n d t h a t f i x t u r e , B r o o k s t o n e ' s # 11 0 7 , w h i c h holds t h e two pieces j u s t s o f o r s o l d e r i n g o r g l u i n g t h a t I wanted so b a d l y w a y b a c k w h e n I w a s a b o u t f o u r t e e n y e a r s o l d . I t was n o t p a r t i c u l a r l y easy t o g e t Brookstone going. W e had a number o f s h o r t c o m i n g s . N e i t h e r m y w i f e n o r I h a d e v e r h a d a n y t h i n g to d o w i t h m a i l o r d e r a n d none o f u s had e v e r had a n y t h i n g t o d o with t h e s e l l i n g o f t o o l s . I f e l t I was reasonably knowledgeable about q u i t e a v a r i e t y o f t o o l s a n d what t h e y c o u l d d o a n d how t h e y were u s e d a n d w h i c h o n e s w e r e g o o d a n d w h i c h w e r e n o t , b u t I d i d n ' t have t h e s l i g h t e s t i d e a a b o u t w h i c h s o l d b e t t e r t h a n o t h e r s o r w h y or when t h e r e m i g h t b e v a r i a t i o n s i n s a l e s v o l u m e . As t o m a i l o r d e r , w e k n e w l e s s t h a n n o t h i n g a n d t h e o n l y w a y t o approach i t seemed t o b e t o r e a d e v e r y t h i n g we c o u l d l a y o u r hands o n , on t h e s u b j e c t . T h e r e a r e p e r h a p s a d o z e n b o o k s i n e x i s t e n c e t h a t cover m a i l o r d e r and d i r e c t m a i l , o r a t l e a s t t h a t was t h e number i n t h o s e d a y s , s o we o b t a i n e d a l l o f t h o s e , i n c l u d i n g some w h i c h were w e l l o u t o f p r i n t a n d r e a d t h e m w i t h c o n s i d e r a b l e i n t e r e s t a n d at f i r s t , c o n f u s i o n . P e r h a p s t h e b e s t book o f t h e l o t was one t h a t was p u b l i s h e d a r o u n d 1 9 0 3 a n d I w a s p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p r e s s e d b y t h e fact t h a t about a l l i t needed t o be brought u p t o d a t e was t o have the p o s t a l r a t e s changed. W e a l s o j o i n e d t h e M a i l A d v e r t i s i n g Club i n B o s t o n a n d a l s o t h e New E n g l a n d M a i l O r d e r A s s o c i a t i o n a s s o o n a s we h e a r d o f t h e m , a n d a t t e n d e d a l l o f t h e m e e t i n g s . T h i s w a s a l i t t l e rough when we s t a r t e d , b e c a u s e t h e m e e t i n g s w e r e u s u a l l y i n B o s t o n and s i n c e w e w e r e f l a t o u t h e r e i n o u r w o r k i t w a s n e c e s s a r y, t o a t t e n d a m e e t i n g i n t h e e v e n i n g , t o d r i v e some hundred a n d f i f t y miles t o Boston a f t e r work, a t t e n d the meeting and a f t e r -dinner speeches, and t h e n h e a d f o r h o m e , l e a v i n g B o s t o n a r o u n d m i d n i g h t . Our f i r s t c a t a l o g w a s m a i l e d i n t h e s p i n g o f 1 9 6 5 a n d w e h a d a b o u t five hundred dollars worth o f inventory t o back up the mailing. W e had o b t a i n e d o u r names b y p l a c i n g a f e w a d s i n m a g a z i n e s , s u c h a s "The M o d e l R a i l r o a d e r " a n d " W o r k b e n c h " o f f e r i n g t h e c a t a l o g f o r , I t h i n k , t e n c e n t s o r t w e n t y c e n t s . T h e reason f o r t h e l o w p r i c e was to simply keep t h e c h i l d r e n and l o n e l y hearts from using up our s m a l l supply o f catalogs. I was v e r y u n c e r t a i n t h a t we would be a b l e t o s e l l t h e f i v e h u n d r e d d o l l a r s ' w o r t h o f i n v e n t o r y and wondered what I was g o i n g t o do w i t h t h r e e o f each o f e v e r y t h i n g i n t h e c a t a l o g . �-3F o r t u n a t e l y, I was i n a r e l a t i v e l y good p o s i t i o n t o p r o d u c e t h e c a t a l o g w i t h o u t s p e n d i n g a v a s t amount o f money o n i t . I had been a p r o f e s s i o n a l w r i t e r and e d i t o r i n years p a s t , a n d a l s o had done photography on a p r o f e s s i o n a l b a s i s and had e d i t e d t h e " A n t i q u e A u t o m o b i l e " f o r some y e a r s , t h e m a g a z i n e o f t h e A n t i q u e A u t o m o b i l e Club o f A m e r i c a , a n d t h u s I k n e w s o m e t h i n g a b o u t b u y i n g a n d w o r k i n g with p r i n t . I t was a l s o f o r t u n a t e t h a t I can t y p e . A c t u a l l y , i n a t e c h n i c a l sense, I c a n ' t , s i n c e I u s e o n l y t w o f i n g e r s , o n e o n e a c h h a n d , and w a t c h t h e k e y b o a r d . H o w e v e r , t h e f a c t i s t h a t w h e n I a m i n practice, I can t y p e about a s f a s t a s t h e average s e c r e t a r y, a n d w i t h a b o u t t h e same n u m b e r o f e r r o r s . A c o r o l l a r y t o being able t o type and having business experience meant t h a t I h a d t o d o i t a l l a l o n e . W e c o u l d h a v e h i r e d s o m e b o d y but w e d i d n o t know how much w o r k we h a d a n d i t i s n o t e a s y t o g e t help o u t i n t h e middle o f t h e woods. S o I guess f o r about a y e a r, which goes b a c k t o a p e r i o d b e f o r e we h a d a b u s i n e s s a n d were s e t t i n g up t o p r o d u c e t h e f i r s t c a t a l o g , I h a d n o s e c r e t a r y a n d I t y p e d a l l the correspondence and a l l t h e i n i t i a l purchase o r d e r s a n d a l l t h e text f o r the catalog. A frequently asked question i s , where d i d you f i n d t h e i n i t i a l t o o l s ? Did you t r a v e l a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d t o f i n d them? T h e answers t o t h e s e in b o t h c a s e s a r e much l e s s g l a m o r o u s t h e n m i g h t b e e x p e c t e d . I found t h e t o o l s b y l o c a t i n g i n New Yo r k a n d i n a f e w o t h e r c i t i e s , some d e a l e r s i n j e w l e r s ' t o o l s a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e I o b t a i n e d s o m e copies o f f o r e i g n magazines which c o n t a i n e d advertisements o n t h e part o f people wanting t o s e l l t o o l s t o the trade, and I simply wrote an i m m e n s e n u m b e r o f l e t t e r s o f i n q u i r y . T h i s p r o d u c e d a s u f f i c i e n t number o f c a t a l o g s a n d p r i c e l i s t s t o p r o c e e d f r o m t h e r e a n d t h e procedure was i n e f f e c t t o a s k f o r samples, o f f e r i n g t o pay f o r them, i f t h e c a t a l o g a n d p r i c e seemed t o recommend t h e p r o d u c t . E v e n t u a l l y. a sample w o u l d a r r i v e a n d about s e v e n t y - f i v e p e r c e n t o f the t i m e , i t would be s o b a d l y f i n i s h e d o r s o u n s a t i s f a c t o r y i n use that i t had t o be rejected. A n d t h i s has continued t o be the case r i g h t t o t h e p r e s e n t d a y i n t h e Brookstone Company's s e a r c h f o r t h e products which meet i t s s t a n d a r d s f o r q u a l i t y, n o t o n l y i n appearance, but i n f u n c t i o n and p r i c e . As f a r a s t r a v e l i s c o n c e r n e d , w e d i d n o t l e a v e o n a n y k i n d o f p r o d u c t searching t r i p f o r s e v e r a l c a t a l o g s a t l e a s t . A n d even t h e n we d i d not g o much f u r t h e r t h a n t o t h e h a r d w a r e show i n New Yo r k , w h e r e we found v e r y l i t t l e t h a t met o u r r e q u i r e m e n t s . Once t h e c a t a l o g h a d b e e n m a i l e d , a n d s h o w e d s o m e s i g n s o f b e i n g commercially v i a b l e , we began t o work extremely hard. T h i s reached a stage d u r i n g t h e next s e v e r a l years i n which i t was t w e l v e hours a d a y, s e v e n d a y s a week w i t h o u t i n t e r r u p t i o n . W e t o o k n o v a c a t i o n s and w e e v e n b e g a n t o l o s e t r a c k o f s o m e o f o u r f r i e n d s . I n f a c t , I am s o r r y t o s a y t h a t o n e o r t w o v e r y o l d a n d d e a r f r i e n d s o f m i n e died d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d and I f e l t v e r y badly t h a t I had n o t been able t o see them f o r a couple o f y e a r s p r i o r t o t h e i r demise. F o r " e n t e r t a i n m e n t " t h e b i g d e a l i n t h e e v e n i n g was t o l i s t e n t o �- 4 -Walter K r o n k i t e ' s news program, b u t t h i s was n o t t i m e o f f . M y w i f e Deland w o u l d p u t l a b e l s o n c a t a l o g s t o b e m a i l e d and I w o u l d e x e r c i s e p l i e r s t h a t had j o i n t s t o o t i g h t t o send t o customers. W e d i d enjoy the b r e a k f r o m t h e d a i l y r o u t i n e , h o w e v e r, e v e n i f t h e news was n o t p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t i n g t h a t d a y. Our i n i t i a l o p e r a t i o n , s o f a r a s f u l f i l l m e n t o f o r d e r s i s c o n c e r n e d , was o n t h e c o r n e r o f a s t r u c t u r e o f w h a t i s t h e l a u n d r y o f o u r h o u s e and t h e r e I w o u l d p u t t h e g o o d s t o g e t h e r a n d i n t o p a r c e l s w h i c h I would t h e n w r a p u p a n d g e t r e a d y f o r m a i l i n g . I n t h o s e d a y s we u s e d postage stamps, a n d t h i s t u r n e d o u t t o be a complete p a i n because, u n l i k e a P i t n e y Bowes machine, w h e n y o u a r e u s i n g stamps y o u have t o come u p w i t h t h e r i g h t c o m b i n a t i o n t o m a k e t h e p o s t a g e a n d I f o u n d that I a l m o s t never had t h e r i g h t combination and f r e q u e n t l y ended up h a v i n g t o t a k e s e v e r a l p a r c e l s t o t h e P o s t O f f i c e l a c k i n g s o m e part o f t h e postage which I would then buy on t h e spot along w i t h more s t a m p s w h i c h I h o p e d w o u l d k e e p u s o r g a n i z e d f o r t h e n e x t s e v e r a l days. V o l u m e w a s n o t v e r y g r e a t , f o r t u n a t e l y , p e r h a p s f o u r , f i v e o r s i x o r d e r s a d a y. Since we r e a l l y knew v e r y l i t t l e a b o u t t h i s b u s i n e s s , I w a s a l w a y s t r y i n g t o l e a r n s o m e t h i n g . W h e n e v e r I w e n t i n t o P i t t s f i e l d o r some other c i t y, I would stop by a t one o f t h e hardware s t o r e s and t r y t o f i n d a f r i e n d l y c l e r k o r owner who w o u l d c h a t a b o u t h i s b u s i n e s s and w o u l d t e l l me w h i c h p r o d u c t s w e r e m o v i n g a n d w h i c h w e r e n o t a n d i f he knew i t , why and a l s o what about t h e seasonal e f f e c t s . I d o n ' t know w h a t I l e a r n e d , b u t I m u s t h a v e l e a r n e d s o m e t h i n g . I t was a l s o necessary t o l e a r n e v e r y t h i n g about t h e business. S i n c e we k n e w n o t h i n g , w e w e r e i n n o p o s i t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e a t a n y g i v e n moment w h a t r e c o r d s w e r e a l l y n e e d e d , a p a r t f r o m t h o s e w h i c h a r e p a r t of accounting. W e obviously had t o be ready t o pay taxes and things o f t h a t s o r t i f w e e v e r m a d e a n y m o n e y. B u t a l l t h e o t h e r r e c o r d s which m i g h t b e needed i n a m a i l o r d e r o p e r a t i o n o r i n a n y b u s i n e s s were u n k n o w n , s o w e s i m p l y r e c o r d e d e v e r y t h i n g a n d we c o n t i n u e d t o do s u c h t h i n g s o n t h e t h e o r y t h a t w e m i g h t n e e d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n s o m e day a n d w h i l e w e w o u l d n o t s p e n d t h e t i m e o r t h e m o n e y t o c o m p i l e t h i s d a t a , w e a l w a y s made i t a p o l i c y t o c r e a t e t h e b a s i c i n f o r m a t i o n and k e e p i t s o m e w h e r e s o t h a t p r a c t i c a l l y a n y t h i n g w e m i g h t n e e d could be assembled and analyzed. Deland made a m a j o r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e b u s i n e s s a t t h e o u t s e t . S h e decided t h a t s h e w o u l d t a k e c a r e o f t h e bookkeeping, a b o u t w h i c h I know n o t h i n g , a n d a b o u t w h i c h s h e k n e w n o t h i n g . S o I b o u g h t f o r h e r a m a i l o r d e r course i n bookkeeping from the Massachusetts Department of E d u c a t i o n a n d she p r o c e e d e d t o d o t h e l e s s o n s a s t h e y came i n a n d send t h e m i n t o B o s t o n f o r g r a d i n g a n d s h e d i d v e r y w e l l , o f c o u r s e , and h a s w o r k e d h e r w a y u p f r o m t h i s h u m b l e b e g i n n i n g t o T r e a s u r e r o f t h e B r o o k s t o n e C o m p a n y. I s h o u l d a l s o g i v e h e r c r e d i t b e c a u s e i t w a s she w h o k e p t m e g o i n g o n a n u m b e r o f o c c a s i o n s w h e n I w a s c o m p l e t e l y ready t o t h r o w i n t h e t o w e l . I t i s a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c , s e e m i n g l y, o f this business t h a t i n i t s e a r l i e r stages, e v e r y time revenue increased, so d i d e x p e n s e . I t s e e m e d t o m e t h a t t h e t w o w o u l d n e v e r d i v e r g e , no m a t t e r h o w many t h i n g s w e s o l d . D e l a n d , t h r o u g h s o m e w o m a n ' s i n t u i t i o n , h o w e v e r, t h o u g h t o t h e r w i s e , a n d k e p t me p l o d d i n g a l o n g . �-5We h a d a m a j o r a d v a n t a g e o v e r s o m e p e o p l e w h o h a v e s t a r t e d s m a l l businesses, i n t h a t n e i t h e r o f us had a j o b t o i n t e r f e r e w i t h t h e process o f g e t t i n g g o i n g . T h i s enabled u s t o spend f u l l t i m e o n the business. A n d c e r t a i n l y i t was f u l l . N e v e r t h e l e s s , w e t r i e d to do everything as economically as possible. I f e l t v e r y s t r o n g l y that i f we s h o u l d end up w i t h a f a i l u r e , w e s h o u l d n o t have l o s t a g r e a t d e a l o f m o n e y. W e m i g h t w e l l h a v e i n v e s t e d m o r e m o n e y i n the business, a n d , a s i t t u r n s o u t , t h i s w o u l d have c o n s i d e r a b l y accelerated the growth o f the business but t h i s might w e l l have been r i s k y . I f y o u r e m e m b e r t h a t w e d i d n ' t k n o w a n y t h i n g a b o u t a mail order business o r a business i n t o o l s , i t i s q u i t e p o s s i b l e t h a t h a d we p l u n g e d , i n t h e way o f much l a r g e r m a i l i n g s a n d much l a r g e r s t a f f o f employees, w e m i g h t have moved s o f a s t t h a t we would h a v e r u n r i g h t o f f t h e r a i l s a n d h a d some k i n d o f a w r e c k . As i t i s , t h e a n n u a l s a l e s d o u b l e d e v e r y y e a r , s o p e r h a p s t h a t was f a s t e n o u g h . As s o o n a s t h e b u s i n e s s p r o v e d v i a b l e , I m a d e t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e c i s i o n t h a t I w o u l d make t h e b u s i n e s s g r o w a s q u i c k l y a s I c o u l d without making i t r u n i n t h e r e d . T h e o b j e c t i v e here was t o g e t i t over a c r i t i c a l s i z e , a t w h i c h p o i n t w e c o u l d a f f o r d a management. I l e a r n e d t h o r o u g h l y w e l l i n my e x p e r i e n c e w i t h Navy c o n t r a c t o r s i n WWII, t h a t i f y o u d o n ' t h a v e a m a n a g e m e n t y o u r e a l l y d o n ' t h a v e anything and I c e r t a i n l y f e l t t h a t f r o m the p o i n t o f view from Deland a n d me, t h e i d e a l o b j e c t i v e w o u l d b e a company b i g enough t o s u p p o r t a n a b l e a n d w e l l c o m p e n s a t e d management w h i c h c o u l d run t h e company w i t h o u t u s . T h i s i s t h e u l t i m a t e measure. W e d e f i n i t e l y d i d n o t w a n t t o w i n d u p w i t h a mom a n d p o p o p e r a t i o n which w o u l d c o n t i n u e t o g r i n d a l o n g i n o u r house i n W o r t h i n g t o n . O r i g i n a l l y, my o f f i c e w a s i n t h e f o r m a l p a r l o r i n our house and we u s e d t h e l a u n d r y a s a p a c k i n g r o o m a n d a s a s t o c k r o o m . B u t before long, t h i s proved an inadequate arrangement. A c c o r d i n g l y, we u n d e r t o o k s o m e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d c o n v e r t e d o n e - t h i r d o f o u r m e d i u m s i z e d b a r n i n t o a home f o r t h e b u s i n e s s . O n t h e g r o u n d f l o o r , I designed a 3 6 ' X 1 5 ' r o o m which h a d s h e l v e s a l o n g one s i d e w i t h lockers below them, a n d designed i t e x a c t l y as I would a l i b r a r y. The t h e o r y w a s t h a t t h i s w o u l d b e e x c e l l e n t f o r t h e b u s i n e s s : w e could keep t h e merchandise on t h e s h e l v e s , a n d do t h e packing o n large t a b l e s i n t h e middle o f t h e room and c o u l d have desks a l o n g the s i d e s and t h i s would contain t h e business f o r a considerable p e r i o d a n d i f t h e b u s i n e s s p r o v e d s u c c e s s f u l a n d moved o u t o f t h e b u i l d i n g , w e w o u l d have t h e l i b r a r y l e f t o v e r f o r o u r own u s e . D i r e c t l y a b o v e t h e l i b r a r y , I b u i l t a n o t h e r r o o m o f t h e same s i z e t o house my o f f i c e a n d workshop i n w h i c h I d i d a l l t h e p r o d u c t t e s t i n g . T h i s room a l s o was generously covered w i t h s he l ve s a l o n g the w a l l s t o s t o r e an e v e r i n c r e a s i n g c o l l e c t i o n o f sample p r o d u c t s of one k i n d o r a n o t h e r. We s t a y e d i n W o r t h i n g t o n u n t i l t h e F a l l o f 1 9 6 9 , a t w h i c h t i m e w e moved t o P e t e r b o r o u g h , N e w H a m p s h i r e . P r i o r t o o u r m o v e t o P e t e r b o r o u g h , I t h i n k t h e maximum n u m b e r o f e m p l o y e e s , a l l g i r l s , b e s i d e s D e l a n d a n d me, w a s a b o u t s i x . W h e n w e moved t o P e t e r b o r o u g h , none o f t h e s e p e o p l e c o u l d m o v e s i n c e t h e y w e r e h o u s e w i v e s w i t h husbands a n d c h i l d r e n i n t h e a r e a o f W o r t h i n g t o n . Why d i d w e m o v e f r o m W o r t h i n g t o n ? W e l l , W o r t h i n g t o n , a s I s a i d , has o n l y a p o p u l a t i o n o f s i x h u n d r e d , m o s t o f w h i c h a r e t r u c k d r i v e r s . �-6There i s a c u r i o u s phenomenon I d i s c o v e r e d a n d t h a t i s t h a t t h e t o w n o f P i t t s f i e l d , s e v e n t e e n m i l e s a w a y, d e s p i t e a p o p u l a t i o n o f 5 5 o r 60 t h o u s a n d , d o e s n o t s u p p l y a n y l a b o r t o a p l a c e l i k e W o r t h i n g t o n . For p s y c h o l o g i c a l r e a s o n s t h e employees i n P i t t s f i e l d w i l l commute from t h e o u t s k i r t s o f P i t t s f i e l d t o P i t t s f i e l d b u s i n e s s e s , b u t t h e y w i l l n o t commute f r o m t h e i r homes t o b u s i n e s s e s o u t i n t h e c o u n t r y. We n e v e r w e r e a b l e t o g e t e n o u g h p e o p l e a n d i t w a s p e r f e c t l y o b v i o u s t h a t i f t h e company was t o g r o w, t h i s w o u l d b e a n i r r e m e d i a b l e d e f i c i e n c y. A l s o , t h e r e a r e n o b u i l d i n g s i n Wo r t h i n g t o n s u i t a b l e for a business l a r g e r t h e n would f i t i n t o o u r 3 6 ' X 15' t w o rooms, and i t s e e m e d f o o l i s h t o b u i l d a b r a n d n e w b u i l d i n g w h e n t h e b u s i n e s s was b a r e l y g e t t i n g o f f t h e g r o u n d . I s h o u l d a d d t h a t w e s t a y e d i n Worthington t o o l o n g as f a r as space i s concerned. To w a r d t h e end, we w e r e p a c k e d i n l i k e s a r d i n e s a n d w e h a d m e r c h a n d i s e l i t e r a l l y a l l over t h e h o u s e . T h e c e l l a r was u s e d f o r s t a i n l e s s s t e e l a n d o t h e r p r o d u c t s t h a t w o u l d n o t r u s t , b e c a u s e i t w a s a l i t t l e damp down t h e r e . We e v e n h a d # 1 1 0 7 H o l d i n g F i x t u r e s , w h i c h w e w e r e b u y i n g i n l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s , s t a c k e d up a l o n g t h e w a l l i n t h e l a u n d r y, a n d s i n c e t h e s e p r o d u c t s w e r e made f o r u s i n J a p a n , t h i s w a s r e f e r r e d t o a s t h e Japanese W a l l . Part o f t h e d a i l y r o u t i n e was t a k i n g t h e m a i l t o t h e P o s t O f f i c e , f o u r a n d a h a l f m i l e s a w a y. T h i s w a s d o n e b y D e l a n d , i n o u r 1 9 6 1 J e e p s t a t i o n wagon and I w o u l d t h r o w t h e bags i n t o t h e back o f t h e Jeep. We h a d n o l o w e r c l a s s e m p l o y e e s e x c e p t o u r s e l v e s . I t w a s a l w a y s a scramble t o get everything f i n i s h e d i n t i m e t o get i t i n t o t h e Jeep and m a k e i t i n t i m e t o t h e P o s t O f f i c e b e c a u s e o u r p o l i c y f r o m t h e very b e g i n n i n g o f t h e company was t o g e t e v e r y s i n g l e o r d e r o u t t h e day i t c a m e i n , a n d w e d i d t h i s w i t h o u t f a i l . T h e p o l i c y a l s o w a s t h a t t h e c u s t o m e r comes f i r s t u n d e r e v e r y c i r c u m s t a n c e , a n d t h i s meant that i f I had t o stay up an e x t r a couple o f hours answering customer correspondence I w o u l d do s o . C u s t o m e r s a n d i n q u i r e r s g o t same d a y service on correspondence too. I n a s i m i l a r w a y, w e d i d e v e r y t h i n g w e c o u l d t o e s t a b l i s h f i r s t c l a s s relationships w i t h our suppliers. W e used s p e c i a l l y designed purchase orders w h i c h we t h o u g h t were a s c l e a r a s p o s s i b l e . A n d we p a i d b i l l s comfortably within the discount period. A c o u p l e o f f u n n y t h i n g s happened d u r i n g t h e s e y e a r s . I n one case, we r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r f r o m a c u s t o m e r w h o l i v e d a c o u p l e h u n d r e d m i l e s a w a y, w h o s a i d t h a t h e s i m p l y c o u n d n o t u n d e r s t a n d h o w w e c o u l d g e t h i s o r d e r t o h i m p r o m p t l y. H e t h e n went t o e x p r e s s h i s o p i n i o n a s t o how t h i n g s w e r e d o n e a t B r o o k s t o n e . H e s a i d w e h a d h i s e m p l o y e e w h o was a s s i g n e d t h e j o b o f f i l l i n g h i s o r d e r . T h i s e m p l o y e e s t o o d a t the door o f t h e establishment, a w a i t i n g t h e morning m a i l . A s soon a s the m a i l a r r i v e d t h i s employee w o u l d seek o u t h i s o r d e r, r u s h i t through t h e works, p a c k i t up p u t o n t h e postage and take i t d i r e c t l y and p e r s o n a l l y t o t h e P o s t O f f i c e . A n o t h e r a m u s i n g i n c i d e n t w a s t h e time when we r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r f r o m a would-be r e q u e s t e r o f o u r c a t a l o g who s a i d t h a t h e h a d b e e n o b s e r v i n g o u r a d v e r t i s e m e n t i n t h e " M o d e l Railroader" f o r q u i t e a l o n g t i m e , a n d he n o t e d t h a t we had d i f f e r e n t addresses i n t h e p a s t t e n months, a n d he was n o t a b o u t t o s e n d t w e n t y cents u n t i l we t o l d him e x a c t l y what t h e a d d r e s s was. O f course, there a r e n o numbers o n R i v e r Road, a n d t h e s e addresses were m e r e l y response k e y s f o r t h e v a r i o u s a d s . S i n c e w e w e r e t r y i n g t o b u i l d a r e a s o n a b l e s i z e d c o m p a n y, t h e o n e �-7t h a t w o u l d h a v e t h a t g o o d management I m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r , w e d i d e v e r y t h i n g we c o u l d t o p r o v i d e room f o r e x p a n s i o n i n t h e way we ran t h e b u s i n e s s . I n o t h e r words, o u r procedures, f o r m s a n d v a r i o u s methods o f c o n d u c t i n g t h e b u s i n e s s w e r e d e s i g n e d a s much t o d e a l with t h e day t o day requirements as t o f u l f i l l t h e needs o f t h e future w i t h o u t m a j o r changes. I am happy t o s a y t h a t Brookstone s t i l l operates i n many o f t h e ways t h a t we d i d f r o m t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g . A n o t h e r common q u e s t i o n i s w h y d i d y o u p i c k P e t e r b o r o u g h ? T h e a n s w e r to t h i s i s t h a t s i n c e we were d o i n g a g r e a t d e a l o f i m p o r t i n g , i t seemed t o m e t h a t w e s h o u l d b e i n o r n e a r B o s t o n . A t a b o u t t h e same t i m e , R i c h a r d G i l b e r t h a d b e e n h i r e d a s G e n e r a l M a n a g e r , b e c a u s e the b u s i n e s s h a d grown t o t h e p o i n t where I f e l t t h a t we s h o u l d h a v e someone h e l p i n g i n t h e m a n a g e m e n t . S o D i c k G i l b e r t w a s g i v e n t h e job o f s e e k i n g a l o c a t i o n . R e m e m b e r, I was s t i l l w o r k i n g t w e l v e h o u r s a d a y, s e v e n d a y s a week, s o t h e r e was n o t i m e f o r me t o d o i t . A l l o f a s u d d e n , D i c k t o l d me o n e d a y t h a t h e h a d b e e n t o P e t e r b o r o u g h , New H a m p s h i r e , a n d t h o u g h t i t w a s a g r e a t p l a c e t o p u t o u r b u s i n e s s . I was n o t v e r y pleased, because i t was q u i t e a d i s t a n c e f r o m Boston, and, o n a s k i n g h i m , I d i s c o v e r e d i t w a s a l s o a v e r y s m a l l p l a c e . Since we h a d h a d b a d l u c k w i t h t h e s m a l l n e s s o f W o r t h i n g t o n , i n c l u d i n g such a m a j o r f a c t o r a s t r u c k s n o t d e l i v e r i n g t o o u r a d d r e s s i n Wo r t h i n g t o n a n d f r e q u e n t l y l e a v i n g o u r s h i p m e n t s many m i l e s a w a y, I was h a r d l y p l e a s e d a t t h e p r o s p e c t o f r e p e a t i n g t h i s k i n d o f t h i n g . Nevertheless, I d r o v e u p t o Peterborugh t o t a k e a l o o k a t i t , a n d was immediately d e l i g h t e d . T h e d i f f e r e n c e between t h e two towns i s unbelievable, a n d a l l i n t h e f a v o r o f Peterborough. I t was obvious that Peterborough would be a d e l i g h t f u l place f o r our executives and employees t o l i v e , t h a t w e w o u l d g e t p a r t i c u l a r l y g o o d e m p l o y e e s a n d t h a t P e t e r b o r o u g h was b y n o means t o o s m a l l f o r B r o o k s t o n e . A n d h a p p i l y, s u c h h a s p r o v e n t o b e t h e c a s e . We s t a r t e d o u t w i t h s o m e t h i n g l i k e a q u a r t e r o f t h e t o p f l o o r o f t h e American G u e r n s e y C a t t l e C l u b o n M a i n S t r e e t i n P e t e r b o r o u g h , a n d i t seemed t o u s a t t h e t i m e t h a t t h i s a r e a w o u l d l a s t u s f o r q u i t e a while. T h e C a t t l e Club t o l d us t h a t we c o u l d e v e n t u a l l y have t h e entire f l o o r, w h i c h they were o n l y using f o r unimportant storage, s o we t h o u g h t w e h a d a t l e a s t t e n y e a r s o r m o r e o f e x p a n s i o n r o o m i n t h e Cattle Club. T h i s t u r n e d o u t t o be e n t i r e l y wrong, a n d i t was n o t too many y e a r s b e f o r e we h a d t o b u i l d a b u i l d i n g o f o u r own, w h i c h has m o r e f l o o r s p a c e i n i t t h a n t h e e n t i r e C a t t l e C l u b b u i l d i n g d o e s . H o w e v e r, w e w e r e v e r y f o r t u n a t e t o g e t i n t o t h e C a t t l e C l u b . P h y s i c a l l y , the b u i l d i n g i s a v e r y a t t r a c t i v e c l a s s i c a l Greek s t y l e b u i l d i n g i n red b i r c k , a b o u t 5 0 ' w i d e a n d 2 0 0 ' l o n g a n d f o u r s t o r i e s h i g h a n d i t backs i n t o t h e l a r g e p a r k i n g l o t w h i c h a l s o b a c k s i n t o b o t h t h e b a n k and t h e P o s t O f f i c e , s o i t w a s e x t r e m e l y c o n v e n i e n t f r o m a n o p e r a t i n g p o i n t o f v i e w . A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e C a t t l e C l u b h a d a c o m p u t e r, w h i c h we l a t e r b e g a n t o u s e f o r o u r m a i l i n g l i s t a n d f o r o t h e r p u r p o s e s . And a d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e m a n a g e m e n t o f t h e C a t t l e C l u b w a s e x t r e m e l y kind t o Brookstone and l e t u s have, f o r l i t t l e o r no consideration, a number o f e x t r e m e l y handy t h i n g s l i k e t y p e w r i t e r s , t a b l e s a n d other odds and ends which we needed v e r y b a d l y. I t was a l l a l i t t l e b i t r o u g h when we moved t o Peterborough i n F a l l o f 1969. W e h a d a mover come down f r o m P e t e r b o r o u g h a n d h e gathered u p e v e r y t h i n g we h a d h e r e a n d moved u s o v e r t h e weekend we were t r y i n g t o make t h e move w i t h a s l i t t l e d i s t u r b a n c e a s f a r a s f u l f i l l i n g c u s t o m e r s o r d e r s was c o n c e r n e d a n d we came f a i r l y c l o s e . �-8D i c k G i l b e r t , o u r new G e n e r a l M a n a g e r, h a d u n f o r t u n a t e l y n o t b e e n able t o r e p o r t f o r w o r k a t Wo r t h i n g t o n ahead o f t h e move, a n d s o had n o t b e e n i n d o c t r i n a t e d t o B r o o k s t o n e ' s w a y o f d o i n g b u s i n e s s . He d i d h a v e m a i l o r d e r e x p e r i e n c e , f r o m B r e c k ' s o f B o s t o n , b u t B r e c k ' s was n o t r u n t h e same a s B r o o k s t o n e . A t a n y r a t e , D i c k h a d the handicap o f h a v i n g t o s e t u p e v e r y t h i n g i n Peterborough f o r a company f o r w h i c h i n e f f e c t h e h a d n e v e r w o r k e d f o r , a n d h e a l s o h a d a hundred percent green employees, none o f which had ever worked w i t h Brookstone o r w i t h h i m b e f o r e . I t was q u i t e a scramble. D e l a n d and I moved t o P e t e r b o r o u g h , a l t h o u g h we a c t u a l l y s t a y e d o u t o f t o w n , and s p e n t t h e w i n t e r u p t h e r e h e l p i n g g e t t h i n g s g o i n g a g a i n . I n the course o f a l l o f t h i s , o u r p r i n t e r a l s o p u t a wrench i n o u r spokes by m a i l i n g o u r e n t i r e l i s t a l l a t o n c e . W e h a d a s k e d f o r a s t a g g e r e d m a i l i n g , s o t h a t we w o u l d n o t h a v e a n overwhelming wave o f o r d e r s t o handle w h i l e we were m o v i n g i n t o o u r new q u a r t e r s i n P e t e r b o r o u g h , but somebody dropped t h e b a l l a n d m a i l e d e v e r y t h i n g a t t h e same t i m e . We w e r e s w a m p e d . N e v e r t h e l e s s w e m a n a g e d t o g e t m o s t o f t h e o r d e r s out t h e same d a y, r e g a r d l e s s . As I s a i d , w e t r i e d t o d o e v e r y t h i n g a s e c o n o m i c a l l y a s p o s s i b l e . W e never b o u g h t a n y t h i n g n e w. A l l o u r d e s k s , c h a i r s , t y p e w r i t e r s a n d adding machines were b a r g a i n s s o u g h t o u t a t o d d p l a c e s . B r o o k s t o n e s t i l l uses t h e candy s c a l e which we bought i n S p r i n g f i e l d f r o m a dealer i n s c a l e s f o r g r o c e r y s t o r e s because n o t o n l y was i t c o n s i d e r a b l y c h e a p e r t h a n a r e g u l a r P i t n e y Bowes w e i g h i n g s c a l e f o r m a i l i n g parcels, b u t i t was a c t u a l l y more c o n v e n i e n t a n d more a c c u r a t e . F o r heavy p a r c e l s w e u s e d a n o l d P o s t O f f i c e s c a l e w h i c h w a s l o a n e d t o us b y t h e l o c a l P o s t O f f i c e , s i n c e t h e y h a d a m o r e m o d e r n o n e . W e t r i e d t o be economical i n every r e s p e c t . F o r example, I would go t o c o n s i d e r a b l e l e n g t h s t o t e s t s p a c e a d v e r t i s i n g b y means o f c l a s s i f i e d ads w h i c h w e r e w r i t t e n s o t i g h t l y t h a t t h e y o c c u p p i e d h a r d l y a n y space a t a l l . I t i s e x p e n s i v e t o u s e a k e y i n a c l a s s i f i e d a d because y o u a r e p a y i n g b y t h e w o r d . S o , t o r e d u c e t h i s e x p e n s e , I concocted some k e y s b y s p e l l i n g B r o o k s t o n e i n v a r i o u s w a y s s u c h a s Bookstone o r B o o k s t o r e o r B r o k s t o n e a n d s i m i l a r v a r i a t i o n s . F o r t u n a t e l y, w e d o n ' t h a v e s t r e e t numbers o n R i v e r Road, s o we n e v e r had t o p a y f o r a s t r e e t n u m b e r . We e v e n s a v e d m o n e y o n s o m e o f o u r p r i n t i n g . I d i s c o v e r e d t h a t w e c o u l d become a d e a l e r i n b u s i n e s s f o r m s a n d g e t t h e m w h o l e s a l e , s o we d i d , a n d w e w e r e t h e o n l y c u s t o m e r . We a l s o s a v e d a p i l e o f m o n e y b y d o i n g o u r o w n p h o t o g r a p h y . U n f o r t u n a t e l y, I d i d n o t have a v i e w camera a n d had t o d o t h e w h o l e t h i n g w i t h my H a s s e l b l a d . T h i s i s a v e r y f i n e c a m e r a b u t i t i s n o t d e s i g n e d for closeup photography o f products t o go i n t o a catalog. H o w e v e r, i t d i d t h e j o b . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h i s r e q u i r e d t a k i n g some o f t h e shots a s o f t e n a s f i f t e e n o r t w e n t y t i m e s u n t i l t h e r e s u l t was a c c e p t a b l e . Yo u s e e , p a r t o f t h e t r o u b l e w a s t h a t I a m n o t a n a r t i s t , a n d t h e r e f o r e I was n o t a b l e t o do a s good a j o b o f r e t o u c h i n g as I m i g h t have. I had e i g h t y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e a s a m e c h a n i c a l d r a f t s m a n a n d w a s a b l e to do t h e necessary as f a r as s t r a i g h t l i n e s a r e concerned o r those which c o u l d b e f i t t e d a r o u n d f r e n c h c u r v e s , b u t t o a t t e m p t t o u s e an a i r b r u s h t o c h a n g e t h e l i g h t i n g o n a p r o d u c t w a s o u t o f t h e q u e s t i o n . The p o l i c y o n i l l u s t r a t i o n s w a s t h a t t h e y s h o u l d b e a s s h a r p a s possible and p e r f e c t l y honest. I n o t h e r words what I was t r y i n g t o do w i t h b o t h t h e p h o t o g r a p h s a n d t h e c o p y f o r t h e c a t a l o g w a s t o m a k e up f o r t h e f a c t t h a t t h e c u s t o m e r w a s a t a d i s t a n c e h e w o u l d h a v e �- 9 -- preferred, o f course, t o have examined t h e products p h y s i c a l l y and t o h a v e made t h e p u r c h a s e f a c e - t o - f a c e o v e r t h e c o u n t e r a n d I f e l t t h a t we s h o u l d t r y t o a p p r o a c h t h a t c o n d i t i o n a s much a s p o s s i b l e . We d e v i s e d v a r i o u s w a y s t o k e e p t r a c k o f t h i n g s . F o r i n s t a n c e t h e catalogs a l l h a d p r e f i x e s t o t h e c a t a l o g numbers. T h e o r i g i n a l catalog, f o r i n s t a n c e , c o n t a i n e d c a t a l o g numbers p r e f i x e d b y 65A. This meant t h a t t h i s was t h e f i r s t c a t a l o g o f 1965. I was o p t i m i s t i c enough, i n t h o s e d a y s , t o t h i n k I m i g h t g e t o u t m o r e t h a n o n e c a t a l o g in a y e a r, i f y o u can b e l i e v e i t . T h e f a c t i s t h a t I d i d n ' t g e t o u t the n e x t one t i l 1967, a n d I worked l i k e a dog t o accomplish t h a t . The i d e a o f t h e p r e f i x t o t h e c a t a l o g n u m b e r w a s t o b e a b l e t o i d e n t i f y a customer o r d e r a s t o what c a t a l o g h e was o r d e r i n g f r o m without asking him t o provide t h i s information. We w e r e e x t r e m e l y h a n d i c a p p e d b y o u r s m a l l s i z e . F o r i n s t a n c e , l o t s o f vendors would not supply us w i t h products because our o r d e r s were t o o l i t t l e . T h e E m p i r e B r u s h Company i s n o n g r a t a a t B r o o k s t o n e because when we p u t o u t o u r f i r s t c a t a l o g we h a d o n e o f t h e i r w i r e brushes i n i t a n d when I p l a c e d t h e o r d e r t h e y r e f u s e d i t because i t was t o o s m a l l , d e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t I had p r e v i o u s l y checked w i t h t h e m a s t o w h a t t h e i r minimum o r d e r was. I d o u b t v e r y much that anyone w i l l p u t an Empire brush i n o u r c a t a l o g again. A n o t h e r headache w a s t h e f a c t t h a t w e h a d n o Dun & B r a d s t r e e t l i s t i n g o r r a t i n g and l o t s o f people f e l t we were n o t even worth answering when w e s e n t i n i n q u i r i e s . A c l a s s i c e x a m p l e w a s t h e P e t e r s o n M a n u f a c t u r i n g C o m p a n y, m a k e r s o f t h e f a m o u s l i n e o f v i s e - g r i p t o o l s , t o whom I w r o t e w h e n w e w e r e i n t h e e a r l y s t a g e s o f c r e a t i n g t h e f i r s t c a t a l o g , a s k i n g t h a t t h e y send a catalog and p r i c e s . T h e r e p l y, a l m o s t w o r d f o r word, w a s t h a t t h e y c o u l d g i v e u s n o c o n s i d e r a t i o n u n l e s s we s e n t them t h r e e t r a d e r e f e r e n c e s a n d one bank reference. T h i s d e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t a l l we h a d a s k e d f o r was a catalog and p r i c e s . L a t e r we began t o b e hounded b y Dun & B r a d s t r e e t wanting a l l s o r t s o f i n f o r m a t i o n w h i c h we d i d n o t w a n t t o d i v u l g e . The r e a s o n w e d i d n o t w a n t t o d i v u l g e i t w a s t h a t t h e n u m b e r s w e r e so t i n y t h a t w e f e l t t h a t w e w o u l d s i m p l y b e l a u g h e d a t a n d t h a t we w o u l d n o t b e l o o k e d u p o n f a v o r a b l y b y a n y o n e w h o g o t a D & B report on us. A n o t h e r q u e s t i o n t h a t i s a s k e d i s h o w d i d y o u manage t o c o r r e s p o n d w i t h a l l t h e European and o t h e r f o r e i g n s u p p l i e r s w i t h t h e language? The a n s w e r i s t h a t I h a v e s p o k e n F r e n c h s i n c e I w a s a c h i l d , a n d a t v a r i o u s s t a g e s o f m y l i f e I h a v e a l s o s p o k e n German a n d S p a n i s h a n d have d o n e some t r a n s l a t i n g f r o m I t a l i a n . S o I w a s a b l e t o g e t a l o n g w e l l enough. T h i s was n o t t o s a y t h a t f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e business I c o u l d w r i t e l e t t e r s i n any o f t h e s e languages o r e a s i l y read r e p l i e s i n t h e s e l a n g u a g e s . W h a t I mean i s t h a t m o s t o f them c o u l d h a n d l e E n g l i s h , s o m e w e l l some p o o r l y , a n d my p r o b l e m was p r i m a r i l y a r o u n d t h e q u e s t i o n o f r e a d i n g t h e i r c a t a l o g s , w h i c h I managed t o d o w i t h a s m a l l c o l l e c t i o n o f d i c t i o n a r i e s a n d my r e c o l l e c t i o n s o f t h e s e v a r i o u s l a n g u a g e s . I d i d do some c o r r e s p o n d ing i n French, which I can do i n e i t h e r d i r e c t i o n , b u t I can not do s o i n t h e o t h e r l a n g u a g e s . �-10- We w e r e a b l e q u i t e e a r l y t o g e t s o m e e x c l u s i v e p r o d u c t s f o r o u r s e l v e s . T h e o u t s t a n d i n g e x a m p l e i s p r o b a b l y t h e # 11 0 7 H o l d i n g F i x t u r e . T h i s was o r i g i n a l l y purchased f r o m one o f t h e d i s t r i b u t o r s o f t o o l s f o r j e w e l e r s , a n d was made somewhere i n t h i s c o u n t r y. H o w e v e r, w e w e r e n e v e r a b l e t o l o c a t e t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r . E v e n t u a l l y , in t h e course o f scouting around f o r products we ran across a Japanese m a n u f a c t u r e r o f j e w e l e r s ' t o o l s , a n d t h e n d i s c o v e r e d t h a t he w o u l d b e w i l l i n g t o m a k e t h e # 1 1 0 7 f o r u s . A c c o r d i n g l y , I asked f o r a number o f i m p r o v e m e n t s i n t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e p r o d u c t , and t h e r e s u l t w a s t h a t w e h a d b y f a r t h e b e s t h o l d i n g f i x t u r e in the business, and a t a considerably lower p r i c e as w e l l . T h i s continues t o t h e p r e s e n t d a y. We h a d q u i t e a l o t o f t r o u b l e w i t h d o m e s t i c m a n u f a c t u r e r s n o t a n s w e r i n g o u r i n q u i r i e s . T h i s p u z z l e d me c o n s i d e r a b l y , a n d I c o u l d hardly t h i n k t h a t a l l o f them were s o c a r e f u l about c r e d i t m a t t e r s that t h e y l o o k e d up each and e v e r y i n q u i r y i n Dun & B r a d s t r e e t a n d i n s t r u c t e d t h e i r salesmen a c c o r d i n g l y. A f t e r c o n s i d e r a b l e research t h e m y s t e r y w a s f i n a l l y c l e a r e d u p . I t w o r k s t h i s w a y. T h e s a l e s manager i s t o o i m p o r t a n t t o w o r r y a b o u t t h e d a y t o d a y b u s i n e s s . He i s o u t p l a y i n g g o l f . S o h i s s e c r e t a r y i s g i v e n t h e j o b o f sending a n y i n q u i r i e s t h a t come i n o u t t o t h e salesmen, o r m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s r e p a s t h e case may b e . T h e s e men, i n t u r n , l o o k at t h e a d d r e s s , a n d i f i t i s i n a n i n c o n v e n i e n t p a r t o f t h e i r t e r r i t o r y , t h e y t h r o w t h e i n q u i r y a w a y, k n o w i n g p e r f e c t l y w e l l t h a t t h e s a l e s manager i s t o o b u s y p l a y i n g g o l f e v e r t o f o l l o w u p as t o w h a t h a p p e n e d t o a n y i n q u i r y . A t a n y r a t e , t h i s w a s e x t r e m e l y f r u s t r a t i n g , because l i t e r a l l y hundreds o f o u r l e t t e r s went unanswered. Speaking o f t h e i n c i d e n c e o f d i s a p p o i n t m e n t , i t was a l w a y s e x t r e m e l y high because we had r a t h e r h i g h s t a n d a r d s f o r o u r p r o d u c t s . I t would g o s o m e t h i n g l i k e t h i s . I w o u l d w r i t e , l e t u s s a y, f i f t y letters t o assorted would-be suppliers world wide. T h e s e were people who manufactured something o r o t h e r w h i c h I t h o u g h t h a d some k i n d o f p o t e n t i a l , o r t h e y w e r e g e n e r a l m a n u f a c t u r e r s o f tools, a n d I hoped I would f i n d something i n t e r e s t i n g i n t h e i r catalogs. O f t h e f i f t y o r so l e t t e r s , I would get perhaps ten r e p l i e s and then I would go through t h e i r catalogs and p r i c e l i s t s a n d p e r h a p s o r d e r t w o s a m p l e s a n d when t h e samples f i n a l l y arrived i n t h e morning m a i l , which was always a high p o i n t o f the d a y, I w o u l d e a g e r l y unwrap t h e p a r c e l s , much l i k e a c h i l d a t Christmas, a n d i n v a r i a b l y, l e t u s s a y, o n e o f t h e two would be a n absolute dog. T h e o t h e r would l o o k q u i t e promising so I would r u n up t o m a y w o r k s h o p a n d p u t i t t o i m m e d i a t e u s e t o s e e h o w w e l l i t worked, a n d most o f t h e t i m e i t d i d n ' t w o r k w e l l enough a n d d i d n ' t make t h e grade i n t o t h e c a t a l o g . �- 11 That B r o o k s t o n e i s j u s t g e t t i n g i n t o t h e s t o r e b u s i n e s s , a n d j u s t g e t t i n g i n t o t h e g i f t c a t a l o g b u s i n e s s , d o e s n o t mean t h a t these a r e new i d e a s . R i g h t f r o m t h e o u t s e t , I f e l t t h a t we were p o s s i b l y m a k i n g a m i s t a k e i n s e t t i n g u p a company t o s e l l p r o d u c t s t o men, w h i c h i s i n h e r e n t i n s e l l i n g t o o l s . I s a i d t o Deland a number o f t i m e s t h a t w e w e r e w o r k i n g o n t h e w r o n g e n d o f t h e b a n k a c c o u n t a n d t h a t w e s h o u l d b e s e l l i n g t h e women, who h a v e a l l t h e m o n e y. O r a t l e a s t t h e y s p e n d i t . A s f o r t h e store we had i n e f f e c t had one f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g because we had f r o m t h e o u t s e t q u i t e a w a l k - i n t r a d e . T h e n u m b e r o f p e o p l e and t h e n u m b e r o f d o l l a r s w a s n o t v e r y e x c i t i n g , s i n c e t h e b u s i n e s s w a s t i n y a n y w a y, b u t p r i m a r i l y b e c a u s e W o r t h i n g t o n i s r e a l l y o f f t h e map a n d a l o n g w a y f o r a l m o s t a n y o n e t o come. Besides w h i c h , w e d i d n ' t have a n y l a r g e number o f p e o p l e i n t h e country who knew a n y t h i n g a b o u t u s a t a l l . B u t we c e r t a i n l y s t r o n g l y b e l i e v e d we c o u l d e v e n t u a l l y g e t i n t o t h e s t o r e b u s i n e s s . We d i d n ' t d o i t i m m e d i a t e l y h e r e b e c a u s e i t d i d n ' t s e e m p r a c t i c a l because o f t h e l o c a t i o n , a n d s i m i l a r t h i n k i n g p r e v a i l e d a t Peterborough u n t i l we g o t t o b e o f f a i r s i z e u p t h e r e . Part o f t h e b a s i c philosophy f r o m t h e v e r y beginning was t h a t we d i d n o t k n o w w h e t h e r B r o o k s t o n e w o u l d b e a n i n d u s t r i a l s u p p l i e r o f t o o l s o r a consumer s u p p l i e r o f t o o l s o r b o t h . S i n c e I am a great b e l i e v e r i n l e t t i n g t h e market p l a c e t e l l you what t h e answers a r e , I d e c i d e d t h a t w e w o u l d s i m p l y o f f e r t h e b e s t t o o l s we c o u l d f i n d a n d n o t s e t t h e b u s i n e s s u p i n e i t h e r d i r e c t i o n . The r e s u l t w a s t h a t w e d i d a c o n s i d e r a b l e c o m m e r c i a l b u s i n e s s from t h e o u t s e t a n d I am s t i l l n o t s u r e b u t t h a t we m i g h t have been w e l l a d v i s e d t o g o c o m m e r c i a l f r o m t h e o u t s e t . I t h i n k i f I had t o do i t over again, I would have produced two catalogs one f o r t h e i n d u s t r i a l s a l e s a n d o n e f o r t h e c o n s u m e r. A p r o b l e m we r a n i n t o i n t h i s r e s p e c t i s t h a t c o n s u m e r p r i c e s a r e u s u a l l y higher than i n d u s t r i a l n e t . T h e reason f o r t h i s i s t h a t i n d u s t r i a l companies a r e e x p e c t e d t o o r d e r m o r e , a n d more f r e q u e n t l y , a n d thus t h e y g e t l o w e r p r i c e s . S o my p r o b l e m was, h o w t o s e l l i n one c a t a l o g a t t w o p r i c e s . T h e o n l y a n s w e r I w a s a b l e t o t h i n k o f was t o o f f e r o u r p r o d u c t s a t s o much f o r a n o r d e r o f o n l y o n e and a l o w e r p r i c e i f y o u o r d e r e d t h r e e o r m o r e . T h e r e a s o n f o r p i c k i n g t h r e e was t h a t I f e l t t h a t i f I o f f e r e d i t f o r t w o o r more, n e i g h b o r s m i g h t g e t t o g e t h e r o n me a n d I w o u l d g i v e i n d u s t r i a l n e t t o consumers who s h o u l d have p a i d l i s t . A v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g outcome o f t h i s p r i c i n g s y s t e m was t h a t w h i l e i t d i d n ' t seem t o have any p a r t i c u l a r l y g r e a t e f f e c t o n o u r i n d u s t r i a l business, i t seemed t o d o v e r y w e l l w i t h t h e consumers. E v i d e n t l y the i d e a o f b u y i n g t h r e e o f something, w h e t h e r t h e y needed i t o r not, a t a comparative bargain, was i r r e s i s t i b l e . We a l w a y s t r i e d t o d o e v e r y t h i n g a s w e l l a s p o s s i b l e , a s thoroughly as possible and as completely as possible and as e f f i c i e n t l y a s p o s s i b l e . I d o n ' t mean t h i s i n a s e n s e o f b r a g g i n g because I ' m s u r e we w e r e u n a b l e t o d o i t t h a t w a y 100%, b u t my theory o f managing a business i s t h a t y o u s h o u l d compete w i t h t h e competition n o t i n j u s t one o r two ways, s u c h as p r i c e o r product or s t y l e , b u t y o u should compete w i t h them on e v e r y p o s s i b l e f r o n t or l e v e l t h a t you possibly can. I n o t h e r words, f o r instance, you h a v e a m o r e a t t r a c t i v e l e t t e r h e a d , y o u r b i l l i n g p r o c e d u r e s are more e f f e c t i v e , y o u have b e t t e r r e l a t i o n s w i t h y o u r s u p p l i e r s , �-12you h a v e b e t t e r r e l a t i o n s w i t h y o u r c u s t o m e r s , y o u h a v e a b e t t e r looking b u i l d i n g , y o u keep i t c l e a n e r, y o u h i r e b e t t e r people, you s i m p l y , i n a w o r d , d o e v e r y s i n g l e t h i n g y o u c a n t h i n k o f a l i t t l e b i t b e t t e r and a l l these f r a c t i o n s o f a percent o f advantage o v e r t h e n e x t g u y w i l l r e a l l y a d d u p t o s o m e t h i n g i n the end. I ' m p r o b a b l y t h e o n l y s m a l l company p r e s i d e n t w i t h i n a f e w y a r d s o f h e r e w h o i s h a p p y t o b e u n n e c e s s a r y. T h i s w a s a d e l i b e r a t e p o l i c y , I f e l t t h a t w e c o u l d n o t h a v e a p r o p e r management i n t h i s company, a n d p r o p e r c o n t i n u a n c e a f t e r my e v e n t u a l r e t i r e m e n t , i f I c o n t i n u e d t o b e e s s e n t i a l t o t h e b u s i n e s s . I w a n t e d v e r y much t o become u n n e c e s s a r y b y v i r t u e o f a c q u i r i n g a management t h a t could g e t a l o n g w e l l w i t h o u t me. I t h a s a l s o been t h e company's policy from the outset t o constantly experiment. T h e s e e x p e r i ments r u n i n v a r i o u s d i r e c t i o n s . F o r i n s t a n c e , o n e o f t h e f i r s t experiments we r a n h e r e a t W o r t h i n g t o n was w h e t h e r o r n o t we should i n s u r e p a r c e l s . W e d i d n ' t g u e s s a t i t , w e s i m p l y k e p t t r a c k o f t h e number o f p a r c e l s a n d t h e i n s u r a n c e t h a t w o u l d h a v e been p a i d h a d we i n s u r e d t h e m a n d t h e e v e n t u a l n u m b e r o f c l a i m s , t h e i r v a l u e , a n d we s i m p l y c o m p a r e d t h e c o s t w i t h t h e e x p e n s e s . The o u t c o m e w a s t h a t i t w o u l d h a v e c o s t u s t e n t i m e s a s m u c h t o insure t h e p a r c e l s as i t would have s i m p l y t o pay t h e l o s s e s o u r s e l v e s , a n d t h i s i s t h e way i t ' s been e v e r s i n c e . B r o o k s t o n e continues t o keep t e s t i n g a l l k i n d s o f t h i n g s b o t h as t o i n t e r n a l o p e r a t i o n a n d m e t h o d s , a n d a s t o v a r i o u s means o f p r o m o t i o n . The d a y w h e n t h e company s t o p s a l o t o f t h i s e x p e r i m e n t i n g w i l l be t h e d a y w h e n i t b e g i n s t o d i e . We s t a r t e d o u t p r o m o t i n g t h e b u s i n e s s e n t i r e l y b y s p a c e a d v e r t i s ing, p r i m a r i l y because i t worked. I t worked e x t r e m e l y w e l l f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s a n d we e v e n made money o n i t a n d w e a c q u i r e d q u i t e a number o f names t h e r e b y , a n d c o n v e r t e d a n u m b e r o f t h e m t o customers. T h e r e a s o n we d i d n ' t g o i n t o l i s t s , a t l e a s t i n i t i a l l y, i s t h a t we were t o o s m a l l t o be o f any i n t e r e s t t o any l i s t b r o k e r s . I n f a c t , o n e o f t h e m o s t w e l l known b r o k e r s i n t h e business, w r o t e u s a l e t t e r i n t h e e a r l y s t a g e s o f t h e b u s i n e s s , when w e w e r e c o r r e s p o n d i n g a b o u t s o m e p o s s i b l e l i s t t o t e s t , t h a t they were d i s c o n t i n u i n g s e r v i c e , b e c a u s e o n r e f l e c t i o n i t became a p p a r e n t t o t h e m t h a t B r o o k s t o n e w o u l d n e v e r n e e d e n o u g h names to be o f any i n t e r e s t t o them. I would n o t b e s u r p r i s e d i f a t p r e s e n t w e r e n t e n o u g h names i n a n d o u t t o e x c e e d t h e e n t i r e volume o f b u s i n e s s t h a t b r o k e r i s d o i n g . As I t h i n k o f i t , w i t h c u r r e n t e x p e r i e n c e , I a m r e a l l y s u r p r i s e d t h a t we w e r e a b l e t o s t a r t t h i s b u s i n e s s f r o m s c r a t c h . I f y o u r e a l i z e t h e i m p o r t a n c e t o a m a i l o r d e r company o f i t s l i s t , a n d remember t h a t w e h a d t o s t a r t w i t h n o names a t a l l , I t h i n k i t is a l i t t l e b i t miraculous. I s h o u l d a d d t h a t I d i d a l l t h e a d v e r t i s i n g . W e h a d t h e same t r o u b l e w i t h t h e a d v e r t i s i n g a g e n c i e s a s we d i d w i t h l i s t b r o k e r s . We w e r e t o o s m a l l , a n d o f n o i n t e r e s t t o t h e m w h a t s o e v e r. T h e only ones t h a t would pay any a t t e n t i o n t o u s i n t h e e a r l y d a y s , were s o i n c o m p e t e n t t h a t i t w a s o b v i o u s t h a t e v e n a n i n s i g n i f i c a n t customer w a s h e l p f u l t o t h e m . S o a s I s a y , I w r o t e a l l t h e a d s , placed a l l t h e ads, m a i n t a i n e d t h e schedule and t h i s worked o u t �-13q u i t e w e l l . H o w e v e r , w e d i d n o t g e t b a c k t h e 15% c o m m i s s i o n ; the p u b l i c a t i o n s merely pocketed t h a t , w h i c h o f course t h e y were e n t i t l e d t o do. I n e v e r t h o u g h t we were b i g enough t o s e t u p a f a l s e a d v e r t i s i n g a g e n c y o f o u r own, a s h a v e some o f t h e m a i l order companies t h a t a r e now o f about o u r s i z e . We w e r e b a b e s i n t h e w o o d s a t t h e m e e t i n g s o f t h e M a i l A d v e r t i s i n g C l u b a n d t h e New E n g l a n d M a i l O r d e r A s s o c i a t i o n , o f w h i c h I am n o w p r e s i d e n t . I t w a s v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g t o u s t o b e a b l e t o rub e l b o w s w i t h a l l t h e s e e x p e r t m a i l o r d e r o p e r a t o r s , w h o h a d a l l t h e answers t o a l l t h e questions t h a t we c o u l d pose. T h e y were v e r y k i n d t o u s a n d I t h i n k t h a t m e m b e r s h i p i n t h e s e o r g a n i zations was a v i t a l t h i n g i n o u r e d u c a t i o n s . I t h i n k another t h i n g t h a t was good f o r us was t h e f a c t t h a t I had n o t o n l y p e r s o n a l l y t e s t e d i n a c t u a l u s e e v e r y t o o l t h a t ever went i n t o o u r c a t a l o g s , b u t a l s o I h a d had, a s i t happens, such a w i d e d i v e r s i t y o f e x p e r i e n c e i n u s i n g t o o l s m y s e l f f o r almost e v e r y c o n c e i v a b l e purpose, t h a t none o f t h e s e t o o l s t h a t appeared w e r e i n a n y w a y s t r a n g e t o me o r i n d o u b t a s t o t h e i r u t i l i t y . L o o k i n g a t some o t h e r p e o p l e i n t h e c a t a l o g b u s i n e s s I c a n s e e t h a t a g o o d many o f t h e m e v i d e n t l y d o n o t k n o w t h e i r p r o d u c t s t o o w e l l a n d i n t o o many c a s e s h a v e n o t t e s t e d them. I am o f t e n asked b y what magic d o I s e l e c t p r o d u c t s f o r o u r catalogs, o r b y what magic d o we c o l l e c t i v e l y s e l e c t p r o d u c t s for our catalog so that they are successful. I t e l l them that in f a c t we a r e n o t s u c c e s s f u l , w e a r e m o s t l y unsuccessful. I t was a n i n t e r e s t i n g p o i n t , I t h i n k , i n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e c o m p a n y, when o u r n e w e m p l o y e e s i n P e t e r b o r o u g h , a c o u p l e o f y e a r s a g o , were g e t t i n g a l i t t l e t o o b i g f o r t h e i r p a n t s a n d w e r e b e g i n n i n g t o make pronouncements a s t o w h i c h o f t h e p r o p o s e d p r o d u c t s w o u l d s e l l a n d w h i c h would n o t , w i t h , I t h o u g h t , much t o o much s e l f assurance. S o I i n s t i t u t e d a r a t i n g system i n w h i c h each p r o d u c t t h a t was approved a t a p r o d u c t m e e t i n g was v o t e d upon a s t o i t s future success i n t h e next catalog. T h i s v e r y d r a m a t i c a l l y and c o n c l u s i v e l y proved t h a t none o f u s knew what we were t a l k i n g about a n d t h a t we a v e r a g e d a b o u t t w o t h i r d s w r o n g . A n d t h e r e was no m e m b e r o f t h e g r o u p w h o s e e m e d t o h a v e a n y e x p e r t i s e o v e r t h e others i n f o r e c a s t i n g the sales success o f any product. T h i s was a l l v e r y m u c h i n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e B r o o k s t o n e t r a d i t i o n o f "don't b u l l s h i t , t e s t i t " . Do I f o r e s e e a n e n d t o t h e g r o w t h o f t h e B r o o k s t o n e C o m p a n y ' r Well t h e answer t o t h a t : i t depends o n t h e management. T h e r e i s certainly not a single t h i n g on the horizon which i s inherent which w o u l d p r e v e n t u n l i m i t e d g r o w t h o f t h i s company a n d i t ought t o b e f a i r l y easy t o d o i n f a c t . T h e r e i s v e r y c o n s i d e r able room f o r expansion a l o n g t h e l i n e s p r e s e n t l y i n hand and certainly i t would not be very hard t o t h i n k o f a couple o f d o z e n o t h e r w a y s i n w h i c h w e c o u l d e x p a n d t h e c o m p a n y. Speaking o f e x p a n s i o n , I t h i n k i t i s somewhat i n t e r e s t i n g t h a t Brookstone has gone i n t o a c o u p l e o f divergences f r o m i t s r e g u l a r business, namely t h e g i f t c a t a l o g and now t h e s t o r e s o u t s i d e o f Peterborough, i n t e r n a l l y r a t h e r t h a n b y a c q u i s i t i o n . T h i s goes back i n some ways t o w h a t I d i d b e f o r e D e l a n d a n d I s t a r t e d �-14Brookstone. I t h o u g h t I m i g h t b u y a b u s i n e s s , a n d we s p e n t q u i t e a l o t o f t i m e l o o k i n g around a t businesses t h a t were a v a i l a b l e and most o f t h e m were n o t w o r t h b u y i n g . T h e u s u a l s i t u a t i o n w a s , i n e f f e c t , a s i f t h e owner h a d s a i d , " 1 s t a r t e d t h i s damn t h i n g and I ' v e n e v e r made a d i m e o n i t o r i n f a c t I ' v e l o s t a l o t o f money, b u t n e v e r t h e l e s s i t h a s ' p o t e n t i a l ' a n d t h e r e f o r e y o u should n o t o n l y b u y me o u t b u t y o u s h o u l d p a y me a premium". We l l , B r o o k s t o n e h a s h a d a c o u p l e o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o make a c q u i s i t i o n s and, though I a d m i t t h a t t h e y were n o t p a r t i c u l a r l y a t t r a c t i v e f o r t h e most p a r t , t h e t r u t h o f t h e m a t t e r i s t h a t I ' m not s u r e t h a t e x t e r n a l a c q u i s i t i o n i s t h e r i g h t t h i n g . I t may be i n some c a s e s b u t i n most c a s e s i t p r o b a b l y i s n o t . C o n s i d e r for i n s t a n c e t h e g i f t c a t a l o g which p u t s u s i n t o a t o t a l l y d i f f e r ent b u s i n e s s f r o m t h e o n e t h a t w e ' v e b e e n i n , e x c e p t o f c o u r s e t h a t i t happens t o b e s t i l l i n m a i l o r d e r a n d t h e r e f o r e l e t s u s use o u r accumulated knowledge a n d f a c i l i t i e s , b u t t h e p r i c e f o r admission was a maximum r i s k o f somewhere a r o u n d $ 4 0 , 0 0 0 o r $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 , a n d e v e n t h a t w a s n o t t h e r e a l s t o r y because t o h a v e a c t u a l l y r i s k e d t h a t much we w o u l d h a v e h a d t o h a v e t h e t r i a l g i f t c a t a l o g o f 1975 be a t o t a l f l o p , a n d f l o p s a r e f l o p s b u t I ' v e never heard o f anything t h a t d i d n ' t s e l l anything, s o presumably e v e n i f w e ' d had a v e r y b a d f a i l u r e we w o u l d h a v e l o s t o n l y $20,000 o r $ 2 5 , 0 0 0 o r l e s s , r a t h e r t h a n t h e w h o l e $ 4 0 , 0 0 0 o r $50,000. W e l l t h i s i s a n i c e t h i n g , i t ' s i n h e r e n t i n t h e m a i l order b u s i n e s s . Y o u c a n s t a r t s m a l l , c e r t a i n l y s m a l l e r t h a n y o u can s t a r t a s t o r e , i t ' s c o s t i n g u s a l o t more t o s t a r t t h e s t o r e i n Boston t h a t i t d i d t o s t a r t t h e g i f t c a t a l o g . T h e a d v a n t a g e of doing i t i n t e r n a l l y i s a combination o f t h e l o w p r i c e o f admission a n d t h e a b i l i t y t o c o n t r o l t h e t h i n g f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g . By c o n t r a s t i f y o u g o o u t a n d b u y somebody e l s e ' s company, e i t h e r you b u y someone i n d i s t r e s s a n d hope t h a t y o u a r e r i g h t i n assuming t h a t y o u c a n t u r n i t a r o u n d , o r y o u b u y somebody who i s b e i n g successful a n d who t h e r e f o r e e x p e c t s a n d c a n g e t a premium a n d then y o u ' v e g o t a p r o b l e m t o w o r k down t h e good w i l l o r b l u e s k y or w h a t e v e r y o u want t o c a l l i t t h a t y o u ' v e b o u g h t . A n d w h i l e you may i n c r e a s e y o u r a n n u a l s a l e s a n d p o s s i b l y y o u r e a r n i n g s p e r share b y t h i s r o u t e , i t ' s q u e s t i o n a b l e j u s t w h a t y o u ' v e a c c o m p l i s h ed u n t i l y o u ' v e worked down t h e b l u e s k y. S o anyway, I t h i n k t h e r i g h t w a y t o o p e r a t e f o r B r o o k s t o n e , f o r t h e moment a t l e a s t , i s by i n t e r n a l g r o w t h , t h o u g h I c e r t a i n l y w o u l d n ' t s t a n d i n t h e w a y o f a n a c q u i s i t i o n i f i t w a s c l e a r t o me a t l e a s t t h a t t h e a d v a n t a g e s f a r outweighed t h e d i s a d v a n t a g e s . This a d v a n t a g e o f B r o o k s t o n e ' s , o r a n y m a i l o r d e r company's a b i l i t y t o s t a r t s m a l l o r t o t e s t , i s b o r n o u t b y w h a t happened to u s when w e s t a r t e d t h i s company. W e s t a r t e d w i t h a $ 5 0 0 i n v e n t o r y. I c a n ' t c o n c e i v e o f a s t o r e s e l l i n g much o f a n y t h i n g t h a t w e m i g h t h a v e s t a r t e d i n P i t t s f i e l d l e t ' s s a y, w i t h o n l y $500 w o r t h o f i n v e n t o r y, n o t t o m e n t i o n f i x t u r e s , a l e a s e , a n d a f e w o t h e r t h i n g s . T h i s b r i n g s u s t o another t h i n g which I think i s important, a t l e a s t as f a r as the general public i s concerned. B r o o k s t o n e seems t o me t o b e a c l a s s i c example o f t h e f a c t t h a t d e s p i t e a l l t h e do-goodism, a l l t h e l i b e r a l s , a l l t h e l e f t i s t s , a l l t h o s e p e o p l e who f e e l t h a t e g a l i t a r i a n i s m i s t h e only t h i n g t h a t w e s h o u l d b e s h o o t i n g f o r a n d who o b j e c t v e r y , very much t o anybody making a n y money, B r o o k s t o n e p r o v e s t h a t a c o u p l e o f p e o p l e who h a v e a r e a s o n a b l e d e v o t i o n t o d u t y c a n , even i n t h i s d a y and a g e , make t h e m s e l v e s some r e a l money b y s t a r t i n g u p a b u s i n e s s o f t h e i r own, a n d w i t h o u t a huge amount �-15o f c a p i t a l e i t h e r . W e n e v e r i n v e s t e d a n y money i n t h i s b u s i n e s s t h a t ' s worth mentioning. I n o t h e r words, t h i s i s s t i l l t h e land of o p p o r t u n i t y, b e l i e v e i t o r n o t . A n d w h a t ' s more, I was q u i t e free t o do t h i s . I d i d not have t o get any k i n d o f license o r permission t o s t a r t a business. I d i d n ' t have t o get any l i c e n s e or p e r m i s s i o n t o d o my own i m p o r t i n g . I d i d n ' t h a v e t o g e t permission t o m a i l my c a t a l o g s o r i n f a c t permission t o d o a n y thing. W e j u s t went ahead and d i d i t . S o a t l e a s t t o t h a t extent i t s t i l l i s a f r e e c o u n t r y. T h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e c o i n is, o f course, t h a t Brookstone i s not a c a p i t a l intensive business. W e d i d n o t h a v e t o i n v e s t a v a s t amount o f money i n b u i l d i n g s a n d m a c h i n e r y, a s we w o u l d h a v e , f o r i n s t a n c e , i f we had s t a r t e d a m a c h i n e s h o p , o r a p r i n t i n g p l a n t , o r s o m e t h i n g o f that s o r t . B r o o k s t o n e was e n t i r e l y s e l f - f i n a n c i n g a n d operated e n t i r e l y on i n t e r n a l l y generated funds u n t i l e v e n t u a l l y we f e l t t h a t w e h a d t o h a v e m o r e e q u i t y f r o m o u t s i d e a n d b o r r o w e d some $250,000 f r o m a w e l l - k n o w n v e n t u r e c a p i t a l f i r m , w h i c h i s a v e r y small p e r c e n t a g e . W e d i d n ' t a c t u a l l y b o r r o w i t , w h a t I mean t o say i s t h a t w e g o t f i n a n c i n g f r o m t h e m t o t h a t e x t e n t . W h a t t h e y d i d i n e f f e c t w a s t o l e n d u s t h e money o n a c o n v e r t a b l e note b y w h i c h t h e y end u p w i t h a s m a l l p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e s t o c k o f t h e company a t t h e i r o p t i o n . I t h i n k we h a d t o g o t h i s route, a l t h o u g h I suspect we c o u l d have squeaked by w i t h o u t i t i f we had been w i l l i n g t o s a c r i f i c e a l i t t l e b i t o f growth. I should add that our building r e f l e c t s t h e k i n d o f t h i n k i n g I f e e l i s n e c e s s a r y t o d o t h i n g s r i g h t . W h e n i t came t i m e t o g e t i n t o o u r own b u i l d i n g , I s a i d t o R i c k t h a t I wanted u s t o d e s i g n t h e f i n a l b u i l d i n g n o w, n o t i n d e t a i l , b u t t h a t w e s h o u l d l a y out t h e o v e r a l l p l a n n i n g f o r t h e whole b u i l d i n g as o f 1980 o r whenever t h e w h o l e t h i n g w o u l d b e b u i l t , a n d t h e n b a c k t h a t u p and d i v i d e i t u p i n t o m o d u l e s , o r s e c t i o n s , w h i c h w e w o u l d b u i l d one o r t w o a t a t i m e u n t i l t h e w h o l e t h i n g w a s d o n e . A n d t h e reason I s a i d I wanted i t d o n e t h i s way i s t h a t a g a i n l o o k i n g back a t some e x p e r i e n c e I ' v e h a d i n t h e p a s t , t h e more u s u a l process w o u l d have been t o b u i l d a b u i l d i n g b i g enough f o r t h e present a n d t h e n t o t a c k on something, a n d t h e n t o t a c k o n something, b y t h e t i m e t h e t h i n g had been tacked two o r t h r e e times i t w o u l d h a v e become a r a t h e r a b o r t i o n a t e a n d i n e f f i c i e n t l a y o u t , and t h e r e ' s r e a l l y n o n e e d t o g o a t i t t h a t w a y . As t o f u t u r e p l a n s f o r t h e c o m p a n y, I w o u l d t h i n k t h a t i t ' s s a f e to say t h a t we a n t i c i p a t e t h a t t h e g i f t c a t a l o g w i l l e v e n t u a l l y more t h a n d o u b l e t h e p r e s e n t s a l e s o f t h e c o m p a n y, a n d a l o n g with i t I would t h i n k a comparable p r o f i t . I d o n ' t know j u s t what t h e f u t u r e i s f o r t h e s t o r e s b e c a u s e w e ' v e j u s t o p e n e d o u r f i r s t o n e . B u t I would not be a b i t surprised t o see us w i t h s t o r e s a l l o v e r t h e c o u n t r y s o m e d a y. B y a l l o v e r I d o n ' t m e a n like Rexall drugstores, i n every v i l l a g e , b u t I would not be a b i t surprised t o see us w i t h stores i n p r i n c i p l e c i t i e s as a b e g i n n e r. Do w e i n t e n d t o b r i n g o u t m o r e c a t a l o g s ? W e l l y e s , I w o u l d think so. A p a r t f r o m t h e t o o l c a t a l o g and t h e g i f t c a t a l o g I can t h i n k o f s e v e r a l m o r e w h i c h w e c o u l d b r i n g o u t i n t h e c o u r s e of t h e next several years and which l i k e t h e g i f t catalog would �-16-i n i t i a l l y b e t e s t e d w i t h a r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l m a i l i n g t o make s u r e that t h e p e o p l e o u t t h e r e want u s t o go ahead and do t h i s . T h i s kind o f t h i n g i s why I t h i n k t h e f u t u r e o f t h e company i s c o m p l e t e ly unlimited, o r i f i t ' s l i m i t e d , i t ' s l i m i t e d only by the a b i l i t y and i m a g i n a t i o n o f t h e management. � Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. SUBJECT: RAMBLINGS ON BROOKSTONE HISTORY FROM: Pete deBeaumont DATE: 30 August 1976 I suppose the first question would be how did Brookstone come into existence? The answer to this comes in two parts. First off we were living in Worthington, Massachusetts, a village of six hundred people some seventeen miles east of Pittsfield, MA, and what do you do in a place like Worthington? The obvious answer is you have a mail order company. The other half of the question comes from my own background. I was trained at Harvard and M.I.T. as a mechanical engineer and went into the automobile industry starting as an engineer at Packard and then going to General Motors. This was a result of a personal inclination to be interested in mechanical things including doing things with my hands. Ever since I was a little boy I would build ship models or do repair work around the house and get into such things as the making of radio sets. As a matter of fact, I was living briefly in Springfield, MA, in 1926, when I was eleven and that was when I built my first radio, a one-tube affair for which the plans appeared in "Popular Mechanics" for April of 1926 and it worked quite well. Even the coils had to be made on bits of dowel set in a circle on a piece of wood. So, I had always been a fairly sophisticated home workshopper and this in turn created a frustration concerning the availibility of tools. Despite the fact that I was brought up in Manhattan, in New York City, where you would think that every conceivable tool would be obtainable, I had all kinds of trouble. I would walk, I remember, down Third Avenue, in the days when the elevated was still in business going from one hardware store to another looking, let's say, for some kind of a devise whereby I could hold two pieces of a ship model at some precise angle for soldering and gluing. Each time I went in, I could feel defeat staring me in the face, and indeed it was. The clerk would invariably look slightly bored and tell me that he had never heard of such a thing and turn to the next customer. Another element in the history of Brookstone is the fact that from General Motors, I went into the Navy at the beginning of WWII, and was assigned to the production branch of the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington. This department was newly organized at the beginning of WWII to serve two purposes. One was to act as the Navy's source of production engineering expertise, so that the Navy might realistically plan the acquisition of aircraft and all of their components on a sensible basis with respect to the production capacity of the con- tractors. In other words, it was our job to tell the Navy that XYZ Company could make so many engines or so many starters or so many aircraft over a given period of time and at a given rate of increase and we could give them this information with reasonable reality. Our other job was to go around to the various contractors all over the United States who were making Naval aircraft and all of the supplies -2- and accessories for them and solve their problems. In other words, if a given company were behind schedule, one of us would be sent out to determine why. This might well entail a total examination of the company both from an engineering point of view and from a management point of view. In the case of all of this running around I had contact with a wide variety of industries and I was greatly impressed by the fact that methods of manufacture varied greatly from industry to industry even though the parts themselves did not vary significantly and this also applied to the various tools that were used. In other words, a given industry might have developed a certain tool that would be very useful for their work and another industry doing almost exactly the same thing would have never heard of it. So part of the thinking in Brookstone was to bring together in a catalog these various diverse tools from different fields of endeavor and let them be used by everybody. For example, one of the areas from which we borrowed a number of tools initially was the field of the manufacture and repair of watches, clocks and jewelry. In fact, this is where I found that fixture, Brookstone's #1107, which holds the two pieces just so for soldering or gluing that I wanted so badly way back when I was about fourteen years old. It was not particularly easy to get Brookstone going. We had a number of shortcomings. Neither my wife nor I had ever had anything to do with mail order and none of us had ever had anything to do with the selling of tools. I felt I was reasonably knowledgeable about quite a variety of tools and what they could do and how they were used and which ones were good and which were not, but I didn't have the slightest idea about which sold better than others or why or when there might be variations in sales volume. As to mail order, we knew less than nothing and the only way to approach it seemed to be to read everything we could lay our hands on, on the subject. There are perhaps a dozen books in existence that cover mail order and direct mail, or at least that was the number in those days, so we obtained all of those, including some which were well out of print and read them with considerable interest and at first, confusion. Perhaps the best book of the lot was one that was published around 1903 and I was particularly impressed by the fact that about all it needed to be brought up to date was to have the postal rates changed. We also joined the Mail Advertising Club in Boston and also the New England Mail Order Association as soon as we heard of them, and attended all of the meetings. This was a little rough when we started, because the meetings were usually in Boston and since we were flat out here in our work it was necessary, to attend a meeting in the evening, to drive some hundred and fifty miles to Boston after work, attend the meeting and after-dinner speeches, and then head for home, leaving Boston around midnight. Our first catalog was mailed in the sping of 1965 and we had about five hundred dollars worth of inventory to back up the mailing. We had obtained our names by placing a few ads in magazines, such as "The Model Railroader" and "Workbench" offering the catalog for, I think, ten cents or twenty cents. The reason for the low price was to simply keep the children and lonely hearts from using up our small supply of catalogs. I was very uncertain that we would be able to sell the five hundred dollars' worth of inventory and wondered what I was going to do with three of each of everything in the catalog. -3- Fortunately, I was in a relatively good position to produce the catalog without spending a vast amount of money on it. I had been a professional writer and editor in years past, and also had done photography on a professional basis and had edited the "Antique Automobile" for some years, the magazine of the Antique Automobile Club of America, and thus I knew something about buying and working with print. It was also fortunate that I can type. Actually, in a technical sense, I can't, since I use only two fingers, one on each hand, and watch the keyboard. However, the fact is that when I am in practice, I can type about as fast as the average secretary, and with about the same number of errors. A corollary to being able to type and having business experience meant that I had to do it all alone. We could have hired somebody but we did not know how much work we had and it is not easy to get help out in the middle of the woods. So I guess for about a year, which goes back to a period before we had a business and were setting up to produce the first catalog, I had no secretary and I typed all the correspondence and all the initial purchase orders and all the text for the catalog. A frequently asked question is, where did you find the initial tools? Did you travel all over the world to find them? The answers to these in both cases are much less glamorous then might be expected. I found the tools by locating in New York and in a few other cities, some dealers in jewlers' tools and at the same time I obtained some copies of foreign magazines which contained advertisements on the part of people wanting to sell tools to the trade, and I simply wrote an immense number of letters of inquiry. This produced a sufficient number of catalogs and price lists to proceed from there and the procedure was in effect to ask for samples, offering to pay for them, if the catalog and price seemed to recommend the product. Eventually.a sample would arrive and about seventy-five percent of the time, it would be so badly finished or so unsatisfactory in use that it had to be rejected. And this has continued to be the case right to the present day in the Brookstone Company's search for the products which meet its standards for quality, not only in appearance, but in function and price. As far as travel is concerned, we did not leave on any kind of product searching trip for several catalogs at least. And even then we did not go much further than to the hardware show in New York, where we found very little that met our requirements. Once the catalog had been mailed, and showed some signs of being commercially viable, we began to work extremely hard. This reached a stage during the next several years in which it was twelve hours a day, seven days a week without interruption. We took no vacations and we even began to lose track of some of our friends. In fact, I am sorry to say that one or two very old and dear friends of mine died during this period and I felt very badly that I had not been able to see them for a couple of years prior to their demise. For "entertainment" the big deal in the evening was to listen to -4-- Walter Kronkite's news program, but this was not time off. My wife Deland would put labels on catalogs to be mailed and I would exercise pliers that had joints too tight to send to customers. We did enjoy the break from the daily routine, however, even if the news was not particularly interesting that day. Our initial operation, so far as fulfillment of orders is concerned, was on the corner of a structure of what is the laundry of our house and there I would put the goods together and into parcels which I would then wrap up and get ready for mailing. In those days we used postage stamps, and this turned out to be a complete pain because, unlike a Pitney Bowes machine, when you are using stamps you have to come up with the right combination to make the postage and I found that I almost never had the right combination and frequently ended up having to take several parcels to the Post Office lacking some part of the postage which I would then buy on the spot along with more stamps which I hoped would keep us organized for the next several days. Volume was not very great, fortunately, perhaps four, five or six orders a day. Since we really knew very little about this business, I was always trying to learn something. Whenever I went into Pittsfield or some other city, I would stop by at one of the hardware stores and try to find a friendly clerk or owner who would chat about his business and would tell me which products were moving and which were not and if he knew it, why and also what about the seasonal effects. I don't know what I learned, but I must have learned something. It was also necessary to learn everything about the business. Since we knew nothing, we were in no position to determine at any given moment what records we really needed, apart from those which are part of accounting. We obviously had to be ready to pay taxes and things of that sort if we ever made any money. But all the other records which might be needed in a mail order operation or in any business were unknown, so we simply recorded everything and we continued to do such things on the theory that we might need the information some day and while we would not spend the time or the money to compile this data, we always made it a policy to create the basic information and keep it somewhere so that practically anything we might need could be assembled and analyzed. Deland made a major contribution to the business at the outset. She decided that she would take care of the bookkeeping, about which I know nothing, and about which she knew nothing. So I bought for her a mail order course in bookkeeping from the Massachusetts Department of Education and she proceeded to do the lessons as they came in and send them into Boston for grading and she did very well, of course, and has worked her way up from this humble beginning to Treasurer of the Brookstone Company. I should also give her credit because it was she who kept me going on a number of occasions when I was completely ready to throw in the towel. It is a characteristic, seemingly, of this business that in its earlier stages, every time revenue increased, so did expense. It seemed to me that the two would never diverge, no matter how many things we sold. Deland, through some woman's intuition, however, thought otherwise, and kept me plodding along. -5- We had a major advantage over some people who have started small businesses, in that neither of us had a job to interfere with the process of getting going. This enabled us to spend full time on the business. And certainly it was full. Nevertheless, we tried to do everything as economically as possible. I felt very strongly that if we should end up with a failure, we should not have lost a great deal of money. We might well have invested more money in the business, and, as it turns out, this would have considerably accelerated the growth of the business but this might well have been risky. If you remember that we didn't know anything about a mail order business or a business in tools, it is quite possible that had we plunged, in the way of much larger mailings and much larger staff of employees, we might have moved so fast that we would have run right off the rails and had some kind of a wreck. As it is, the annual sales doubled every year, so perhaps that was fast enough. As soon as the business proved viable, I made the philosophical decision that I would make the business grow as quickly as I could without making it run in the red. The objective here was to get it over a critical size, at which point we could afford a management. I learned thoroughly well in my experience with Navy contractors in WWII, that if you don't have a management you really don't have anything and I certainly felt that from the point of view from Deland and me, the ideal objective would be a company big enough to support an able and well compensated management which could run the company without us. This is the ultimate measure. We definitely did not want to wind up with a mom and pop operation which would continue to grind along in our house in Worthington. Originally, my office was in the formal parlor in our house and we used the laundry as a packing room and as a stock room. But before long, this proved an inadequate arrangement. Accordingly, we undertook some construction and converted one-third of our medium- sized barn into a home for the business. On the ground floor, I designed a 36' X 15' room which had shelves along one side with lockers below them, and designed it exactly as I would a library. The theory was that this would be excellent for the business: we could keep the merchandise on the shelves, and do the packing on large tables in the middle of the room and could have desks along the sides and this would contain the business for a considerable period and if the business proved successful and moved out of the building, we would have the library left over for our own use. Directly above the library, I built another room of the same size to house my office and workshop in which I did all the product testing. This room also was generously covered with shelves along the walls to store an ever increasing collection of sample products of one kind or another. We stayed in Worthington until the Fall of 1969, at which time we moved to Peterborough, New Hampshire. Prior to our move to Peterborough, I think the maximum number of employees, all girls, besides Deland and me, was about six. When we moved to Peterborough, none of these people could move since they were housewives with husbands and children in the area of Worthington. Why did we move from Worthington? Well, Worthington, as I said, has only a population of six hundred, most of which are truck drivers. -6- There is a curious phenomenon I discovered and that is that the town of Pittsfield, seventeen miles away, despite a population of 55 or 60 thousand, does not supply any labor to a place like Worthington. For psychological reasons the employees in Pittsfield will commute from the outskirts of Pittsfield to Pittsfield businesses, but they will not commute from their homes to businesses out in the country. We never were able to get enough people and it was perfectly obvious that if the company was to grow, this would be an irremediable deficiency. Also, there are no buildings in Worthington suitable for a business larger then would fit into our 36' X 15' two rooms, and it seemed foolish to build a brand new building when the business was barely getting off the ground. I should add that we stayed in Worthington too long as far as space is concerned. Toward the end, we were packed in like sardines and we had merchandise literally all over the house. The cellar was used for stainless steel and other products that would not rust, because it was a little damp down there. We even had #1107 Holding Fixtures, which we were buying in large quantities, stacked up along the wall in the laundry, and since these products were made for us in Japan, this was referred to as the Japanese Wall. Part of the daily routine was taking the mail to the Post Office, four and a half miles away. This was done by Deland, in our 1961 Jeep station wagon and I would throw the bags into the back of the Jeep. We had no lower class employees except ourselves. It was always a scramble to get everything finished in time to get it into the Jeep and make it in time to the Post Office because our policy from the very beginning of the company was to get every single order out the day it came in, and we did this without fail. The policy also was that the customer comes first under every circumstance, and this meant that if I had to stay up an extra couple of hours answering customer correspondence I would do so. Customers and inquirers got same day service on correspondence too. In a similar way, we did everything we could to establish first class relationships with our suppliers. We used specially designed purchase orders which we thought were as clear as possible. And we paid bills comfortably within the discount period. A couple of funny things happened during these years. In one case, we received a letter from a customer who lived a couple hundred miles away, who said that he simply cound not understand how we could get his order to him promptly. He then went to express his opinion as to how things were done at Brookstone. He said we had his employee who was assigned the job of filling his order. This employee stood at the door of the establishment, awaiting the morning mail. As soon as the mail arrived this employee would seek out his order, rush it through the works, pack it up put on the postage and take it directly and personally to the Post Office. Another amusing incident was the time when we received a letter from a would-be requester of our catalog who said that he had been observing our advertisement in the "Model Railroader" for quite a long time, and he noted that we had different addresses in the past ten months, and he was not about to send twenty cents until we told him exactly what the address was. Of course, there are no numbers on River Road, and these addresses were merely response keys for the various ads. Since we were trying to build a reasonable sized company, the one -7- that would have that good management I mentioned earlier, we did everything we could to provide room for expansion in the way we ran the business. In other words, our procedures, forms and various methods of conducting the business were designed as much to deal with the day to day requirements as to fulfill the needs of the future without major changes. I am happy to say that Brookstone still operates in many of the ways that we did from the very beginning. Another common question is why did you pick Peterborough? The answer to this is that since we were doing a great deal of importing, it seemed to me that we should be in or near Boston. At about the same time, Richard Gilbert had been hired as General Manager, because the business had grown to the point where I felt that we should have someone helping in the management. So Dick Gilbert was given the job of seeking a location. Remember, I was still working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, so there was no time for me to do it. All of a sudden, Dick told me one day that he had been to Peterborough, New Hampshire, and thought it was a great place to put our business. I was not very pleased, because it was quite a distance from Boston, and, on asking him, I discovered it was also a very small place. Since we had had bad luck with the smallness of Worthington, including such a major factor as trucks not delivering to our address in Worthington and frequently leaving our shipments many miles away, I was hardly pleased at the prospect of repeating this kind of thing. Nevertheless, I drove up to Peterborugh to take a look at it, and was immediately delighted. The difference between the two towns is unbelievable, and all in the favor of Peterborough. It was obvious that Peterborough would be a delightful place for our executives and employees to live, that we would get particularly good employees and that Peterborough was by no means too small for Brookstone. And happily, such has proven to be the case. We started out with something like a quarter of the top floor of the American Guernsey Cattle Club on Main Street in Peterborough, and it seemed to us at the time that this area would last us for quite a while. The Cattle Club told us that we could eventually have the entire floor, which they were only using for unimportant storage, so we thought we had at least ten years or more of expansion room in the Cattle Club. This turned out to be entirely wrong, and it was not too many years before we had to build a building of our own, which has more floor space in it than the entire Cattle Club building does. However, we were very fortunate to get into the Cattle Club. Physically, the building is a very attractive classical Greek style building in red birck, about 50' wide and 200' long and four stories high and it backs into the large parking lot which also backs into both the bank and the Post Office, so it was extremely convenient from an operating point of view. Additionally, the Cattle Club had a computer, which we later began to use for our mailing list and for other purposes. And additionally, the management of the Cattle Club was extremely kind to Brookstone and let us have, for little or no consideration, a number of extremely handy things like typewriters, tables and other odds and ends which we needed very badly. It was all a little bit rough when we moved to Peterborough in Fall of 1969. We had a mover come down from Peterborough and he gathered up everything we had here and moved us over the weekend we were trying to make the move with as little disturbance as far as fulfilling customers orders was concerned and we came fairly close. -8- Dick Gilbert, our new General Manager, had unfortunately not been able to report for work at Worthington ahead of the move, and so had not been indoctrinated to Brookstone's way of doing business. He did have mail order experience, from Breck's of Boston, but Breck's was not run the same as Brookstone. At any rate, Dick had the handicap of having to set up everything in Peterborough for a company for which in effect he had never worked for, and he also had a hundred percent green employees, none of which had ever worked with Brookstone or with him before. It was quite a scramble. Deland and I moved to Peterborough, although we actually stayed out of town, and spent the winter up there helping get things going again. In the course of all of this, our printer also put a wrench in our spokes by mailing our entire list all at once. We had asked for a staggered mailing, so that we would not have an overwhelming wave of orders to handle while we were moving into our new quarters in Peterborough, but somebody dropped the ball and mailed everything at the same time. We were swamped. Nevertheless we managed to get most of the orders out the same day, regardless. As I said, we tried to do everything as economically as possible. We never bought anything new. All our desks, chairs, typewriters and adding machines were bargains sought out at odd places. Brookstone still uses the candy scale which we bought in Springfield from a dealer in scales for grocery stores because not only was it consid- erably cheaper than a regular Pitney Bowes weighing scale for mailing parcels, but it was actually more convenient and more accurate. For heavy parcels we used an old Post Office scale which was loaned to us by the local Post Office, since they had a more modern one. We tried to be economical in every respect. For example, I would go to considerable lengths to test space advertising by means of classified ads which were written so tightly that they occuppied hardly any space at all. It is expensive to use a key in a classified ad because you are paying by the word. So, to reduce this expense, I concocted some keys by spelling Brookstone in various ways such as Bookstone or Bookstore or Brokstone and similar variations. Fortunately, we don't have street numbers on River Road, so we never had to pay for a street number. We even saved money on some of our printing. I discovered that we could become a dealer in business forms and get them wholesale, so we did, and we were the only customer. We also saved a pile of money by doing our own photography. Unfortun- ately, I did not have a view camera and had to do the whole thing with my Hasselblad. This is a very fine camera but it is not designed for closeup photography of products to go into a catalog. However, it did the job. On the other hand, this required taking some of the shots as often as fifteen or twenty times until the result was acceptable. Yo u see, part of the trouble was that I am not an artist, and therefore I was not able to do as good a job of retouching as I might have. I had eight years of experience as a mechanical draftsman and was able to do the necessary as far as straight lines are concerned or those which could be fitted around french curves, but to attempt to use an airbrush to change the lighting on a product was out of the question. The policy on illustrations was that they should be as sharp as possible and perfectly honest. In other words what I was trying to do with both the photographs and the copy for the catalog was to make up for the fact that the customer was at a distance he would have -9-- preferred, of course, to have examined the products physically and to have made the purchase face-to-face over the counter and I felt that we should try to approach that condition as much as possible. We devised various ways to keep track of things. For instance the catalogs all had prefixes to the catalog numbers. The original catalog, for instance, contained catalog numbers prefixed by 65A. This meant that this was the first catalog of 1965. I was optimistic enough, in those days, to think I might get out more than one catalog in a year, if you can believe it. The fact is that I didn't get out the next one til 1967, and I worked like a dog to accomplish that. The idea of the prefix to the catalog number was to be able to identify a customer order as to what catalog he was ordering from without asking him to provide this information. We were extremely handicapped by our small size. For instance, lots of vendors would not supply us with products because our orders were too little. The Empire Brush Company is non grata at Brookstone because when we put out our first catalog we had one of their wire brushes in it and when I placed the order they refused it because it was too small, despite the fact that I had previously checked with them as to what their minimum order was. I doubt very much that anyone will put an Empire brush in our catalog again. Another headache was the fact that we had no Dun & Bradstreet listing or rating and lots of people felt we were not even worth answering when we sent in inquiries. A classic example was the Peterson Manufacturing Company, makers of the famous line of vise-grip tools, to whom I wrote when we were in the early stages of creating the first catalog, asking that they send a catalog and prices. The reply, almost word for word, was that they could give us no consid- eration unless we sent them three trade references and one bank reference. This despite the fact that all we had asked for was a catalog and prices. Later we began to be hounded by Dun & Bradstreet wanting all sorts of information which we did not want to divulge. The reason we did not want to divulge it was that the numbers were so tiny that we felt that we would simply be laughed at and that we would not be looked upon favorably by anyone who got a D & B report on us. Another question that is asked is how did you manage to correspond with all the European and other foreign suppliers with the language? The answer is that I have spoken French since I was a child, and at various stages of my life I have also spoken German and Spanish and have done some translating from Italian. So I was able to get along well enough. This was not to say that from the beginning of the business I could write letters in any of these languages or easily read replies in these languages. What I mean is that most of them could handle English, some well some poorly, and my problem was primarily around the question of reading their catalogs, which I managed to do with a small collection of dictionaries and my recollections of these various languages. I did do some correspond- ing in French, which I can do in either direction, but I can not do so in the other languages. -10- We were able quite early to get some exclusive products for ourselves. The outstanding example is probably the #1107 Holding Fixture. This was originally purchased from one of the distributors of tools for jewelers, and was made somewhere in this country. However, we were never able to locate the manufacturer. Eventually, in the course of scouting around for products we ran across a Japanese manufacturer of jewelers' tools, and then discovered that he would be willing to make the #1107 for us. Accordingly, I asked for a number of improvements in the quality of the product, and the result was that we had by far the best holding fixture in the business, and at a considerably lower price as well. This continues to the present day. We had quite a lot of trouble with domestic manufacturers not answering our inquiries. This puzzled me considerably, and I could hardly think that all of them were so careful about credit matters that they looked up each and every inquiry in Dun & Bradstreet and instructed their salesmen accordingly. After considerable research the mystery was finally cleared up. It works this way. The sales manager is too important to worry about the day to day business. He is out playing golf. So his secretary is given the job of sending any inquiries that come in out to the salesmen, or manufacturer's rep as the case may be. These men, in turn, look at the address, and if it is in an inconvenient part of their territory, they throw the inquiry away, knowing perfectly well that the sales manager is too busy playing golf ever to follow up as to what happened to any inquiry. At any rate, this was extremely frustrating, because literally hundreds of our letters went unanswered. Speaking of the incidence of disappointment, it was always extremely high because we had rather high standards for our products. It would go something like this. I would write, let us say, fifty letters to assorted would-be suppliers world wide. These were people who manufactured something or other which I thought had some kind of potential, or they were general manufacturers of tools, and I hoped I would find something interesting in their catalogs. Of the fifty or so letters, I would get perhaps ten replies and then I would go through their catalogs and price lists and perhaps order two samples and when the samples finally arrived in the morning mail, which was always a high point of the day, I would eagerly unwrap the parcels, much like a child at Christmas, and invariably, let us say, one of the two would be an absolute dog. The other would look quite promising so I would run up to may workshop and put it to immediate use to see how well it worked, and most of the time it didn't work well enough and didn't make the grade into the catalog. -11- That Brookstone is just getting into the store business, and just getting into the gift catalog business, does not mean that these are new ideas. Right from the outset, I felt that we were possibly making a mistake in setting up a company to sell products to men, which is inherent in selling tools. I said to Deland a number of times that we were working on the wrong end of the bank account and that we should be selling the women, who have all the money. Or at least they spend it. As for the store we had in effect had one from the beginning because we had from the outset quite a walk-in trade. The number of people and the number of dollars was not very exciting, since the business was tiny anyway, but primarily because Worthington is really off the map and a long way for almost anyone to come. Besides which, we didn't have any large number of people in the country who knew anything about us at all. But we certainly strongly believed we could eventually get into the store business. We didn't do it immediately here because it didn't seem practical because of the location, and similar thinking prevailed at Peterborough until we got to be of fair size up there. Part of the basic philosophy from the very beginning was that we did not know whether Brookstone would be an industrial supplier of tools or a consumer supplier of tools or both. Since I am a great believer in letting the market place tell you what the answers are, I decided that we would simply offer the best tools we could find and not set the business up in either direction. The result was that we did a considerable commercial business from the outset and I am still not sure but that we might have been well advised to go commercial from the outset. I think if I had to do it over again, I would have produced two catalogs one for the industrial sales and one for the consumer. A problem we ran into in this respect is that consumer prices are usually higher than industrial net. The reason for this is that industrial companies are expected to order more, and more frequently, and thus they get lower prices. So my problem was, how to sell in one catalog at two prices. The only answer I was able to think of was to offer our products at so much for an order of only one and a lower price if you ordered three or more. The reason for picking three was that I felt that if I offered it for two or more, neighbors might get together on me and I would give industrial net to consumers who should have paid list. A very interesting outcome of this pricing system was that while it didn't seem to have any particularly great effect on our industrial business, it seemed to do very well with the consumers. Evidently the idea of buying three of something, whether they needed it or not, at a comparative bargain, was irresistible. We always tried to do everything as well as possible, as thoroughly as possible and as completely as possible and as efficiently as possible. I don't mean this in a sense of bragging because I'm sure we were unable to do it that way 100%, but my theory of managing a business is that you should compete with the competition not in just one or two ways, such as price or product or style, but you should compete with them on every possible front or level that you possibly can. In other words, for instance, you have a more attractive letterhead, your billing procedures are more effective, you have better relations with your suppliers, -12- you have better relations with your customers, you have a better looking building, you keep it cleaner, you hire better people, you simply, in a word, do every single thing you can think of a little bit better and all these fractions of a percent of advantage over the next guy will really add up to something in the end. I'm probably the only small company president within a few yards of here who is happy to be unnecessary. This was a deliberate policy, I felt that we could not have a proper management in this company, and proper continuance after my eventual retirement, if I continued to be essential to the business. I wanted very much to become unnecessary by virtue of acquiring a management that could get along well without me. It has also been the company's policy from the outset to constantly experiment. These experi- ments run in various directions. For instance, one of the first experiments we ran here at Worthington was whether or not we should insure parcels. We didn't guess at it, we simply kept track of the number of parcels and the insurance that would have been paid had we insured them and the eventual number of claims, their value, and we simply compared the cost with the expenses. The outcome was that it would have cost us ten times as much to insure the parcels as it would have simply to pay the losses ourselves, and this is the way it's been ever since. Brookstone continues to keep testing all kinds of things both as to internal operation and methods, and as to various means of promotion. The day when the company stops a lot of this experimenting will be the day when it begins to die. We started out promoting the business entirely by space advertis- ing, primarily because it worked. It worked extremely well for several years and we even made money on it and we acquired quite a number of names thereby, and converted a number of them to customers. The reason we didn't go into lists, at least initial- ly, is that we were too small to be of any interest to any list brokers. In fact, one of the most well known brokers in the business, wrote us a letter in the early stages of the business, when we were corresponding about some possible list to test, that they were discontinuing service, because on reflection it became apparent to them that Brookstone would never need enough names to be of any interest to them. I would not be surprised if at present we rent enough names in and out to exceed the entire volume of business that broker is doing. As I think of it, with current experience, I am really surprised that we were able to start this business from scratch. If you realize the importance to a mail order company of its list, and remember that we had to start with no names at all, I think it is a little bit miraculous. I should add that I did all the advertising. We had the same trouble with the advertising agencies as we did with list brokers. We were too small, and of no interest to them whatsoever. The only ones that would pay any attention to us in the early days, were so incompetent that it was obvious that even an insignificant customer was helpful to them. So as I say, I wrote all the ads, placed all the ads, maintained the schedule and this worked out -13- quite well. However, we did not get back the 15% commission; the publications merely pocketed that, which of course they were entitled to do. I never thought we were big enough to set up a false advertising agency of our own, as have some of the mail order companies that are now of about our size. We were babes in the woods at the meetings of the Mail Advertis- ing Club and the New England Mail Order Association, of which I am now president. It was very interesting to us to be able to rub elbows with all these expert mail order operators, who had all the answers to all the questions that we could pose. They were very kind to us and I think that membership in these organi- zations was a vital thing in our educations. I think another thing that was good for us was the fact that I had not only personally tested in actual use every tool that ever went into our catalogs, but also I had had, as it happens, such a wide diversity of experience in using tools myself for almost every conceivable purpose, that none of these tools that appeared were in any way strange to me or in doubt as to their utility. Looking at some other people in the catalog business I can see that a good many of them evidently do not know their products too well and in too many cases have not tested them. I am often asked by what magic do I select products for our catalogs, or by what magic do we collectively select products for our catalog so that they are successful. I tell them that in fact we are not successful, we are mostly unsuccessful. It was an interesting point, I think, in the history of the company, when our new employees in Peterborough, a couple of years ago, were getting a little too big for their pants and were beginning to make pronouncements as to which of the proposed products would sell and which would not, with, I thought, much too much self- assurance. So I instituted a rating system in which each product that was approved at a product meeting was voted upon as to its future success in the next catalog. This very dramatically and conclusively proved that none of us knew what we were talking about and that we averaged about two thirds wrong. And there was no member of the group who seemed to have any expertise over the others in forecasting the sales success of any product. This was all very much in keeping with the Brookstone tradition of "don't bullshit, test it". Do I foresee an end to the growth of the Brookstone Company'r Well the answer to that: it depends on the management. There is certainly not a single thing on the horizon which is inherent which would prevent unlimited growth of this company and it ought to be fairly easy to do in fact. There is very consider- able room for expansion along the lines presently in hand and certainly it would not be very hard to think of a couple of dozen other ways in which we could expand the company. Speaking of expansion, I think it is somewhat interesting that Brookstone has gone into a couple of divergences from its regular business, namely the gift catalog and now the stores outside of Peterborough, internally rather than by acquisition. This goes back in some ways to what I did before Deland and I started -14- Brookstone. I thought I might buy a business, and we spent quite a lot of time looking around at businesses that were available and most of them were not worth buying. The usual situation was, in effect, as if the owner had said, "1 started this damn thing and I've never made a dime on it or in fact I've lost a lot of money, but nevertheless it has 'potential' and therefore you should not only buy me out but you should pay me a premium". Well, Brookstone has had a couple of opportunities to make acqui- sitions and, though I admit that they were not particularly attractive for the most part, the truth of the matter is that I'm not sure that external acquisition is the right thing. It may be in some cases but in most cases it probably is not. Consider for instance the gift catalog which puts us into a totally differ- ent business from the one that we've been in, except of course that it happens to be still in mail order and therefore lets us use our accumulated knowledge and facilities, but the price for admission was a maximum risk of somewhere around $40,000 or $50,000, and even that was not the real story because to have actually risked that much we would have had to have the trial gift catalog of 1975 be a total flop, and flops are flops but I've never heard of anything that didn't sell anything, so presum- ably even if we'd had a very bad failure we would have lost only $20,000 or $25,000 or less, rather than the whole $40,000 or $50,000. Well this is a nice thing, it's inherent in the mail order business. You can start small, certainly smaller than you can start a store, it's costing us a lot more to start the store in Boston that it did to start the gift catalog. The advantage of doing it internally is a combination of the low price of admission and the ability to control the thing from the beginning. By contrast if you go out and buy somebody else's company, either you buy someone in distress and hope that you are right in assum- ing that you can turn it around, or you buy somebody who is being successful and who therefore expects and can get a premium and then you've got a problem to work down the good will or blue sky or whatever you want to call it that you've bought. And while you may increase your annual sales and possibly your earnings per share by this route, it's questionable just what you've accomplish- ed until you've worked down the blue sky. So anyway, I think the right way to operate for Brookstone, for the moment at least, is by internal growth, though I certainly wouldn't stand in the way of an acquisition if it was clear to me at least that the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages. This advantage of Brookstone's, or any mail order company's ability to start small or to test, is born out by what happened to us when we started this company. We started with a $500 inventory. I can't conceive of a store selling much of anything that we might have started in Pittsfield let's say, with only $500 worth of inventory, not to mention fixtures, a lease, and a few other things. This brings us to another thing which I think is important, at least as far as the general public is concerned. Brookstone seems to me to be a classic example of the fact that despite all the do-goodism, all the liberals, all the leftists, all those people who feel that egalitarianism is the only thing that we should be shooting for and who object very, very much to anybody making any money, Brookstone proves that a couple of people who have a reasonable devotion to duty can, even in this day and age, make themselves some real money by starting up a business of their own, and without a huge amount -15- of capital either. We never invested any money in this business that's worth mentioning. In other words, this is still the land of opportunity, believe it or not. And what's more, I was quite free to do this. I did not have to get any kind of license or permission to start a business. I didn't have to get any license or permission to do my own importing. I didn't have to get permission to mail my catalogs or in fact permission to do any- thing. We just went ahead and did it. So at least to that extent it still is a free country. The other side of the coin is, of course, that Brookstone is not a capital intensive business. We did not have to invest a vast amount of money in buildings and machinery, as we would have, for instance, if we had started a machine shop, or a printing plant, or something of that sort. Brookstone was entirely self-financing and operated entirely on internally generated funds until eventually we felt that we had to have more equity from outside and borrowed some $250,000 from a well-known venture capital firm, which is a very small percentage. We didn't actually borrow it, what I mean to say is that we got financing from them to that extent. What they did in effect was to lend us the money on a convertable note by which they end up with a small percentage of the stock of the company at their option. I think we had to go this route, although I suspect we could have squeaked by without it if we had been willing to sacrifice a little bit of growth. I should add that our building reflects the kind of thinking I feel is necessary to do things right. When it came time to get into our own building, I said to Rick that I wanted us to design the final building now, not in detail, but that we should lay out the overall planning for the whole building as of 1980 or whenever the whole thing would be built, and then back that up and divide it up into modules, or sections, which we would build one or two at a time until the whole thing was done. And the reason I said I wanted it done this way is that again looking back at some experience I've had in the past, the more usual process would have been to build a building big enough for the present and then to tack on something, and then to tack on some- thing, by the time the thing had been tacked two or three times it would have become a rather abortionate and inefficient layout, and there's really no need to go at it that way. As to future plans for the company, I would think that it's safe to say that we anticipate that the gift catalog will eventually more than double the present sales of the company, and along with it I would think a comparable profit. I don't know just what the future is for the stores because we've just opened our first one. But I would not be a bit surprised to see us with stores all over the country someday. By all over I don't mean like Rexall drugstores, in every village, but I would not be a bit surprised to see us with stores in principle cities as a beginner. Do we intend to bring out more catalogs? Well yes, I would think so. Apart from the tool catalog and the gift catalog I can think of several more which we could bring out in the course of the next several years and which like the gift catalog would -16-- initially be tested with a relatively small mailing to make sure that the people out there want us to go ahead and do this. This kind of thing is why I think the future of the company is complete- ly unlimited, or if it's limited, it's limited only by the ability and imagination of the management. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document - Multiple Sheets Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-028 Title A name given to the resource Ramblings on Brookstone History Subject The topic of the resource Businesses and Stores Description An account of the resource PDF of document typewritten by Pete deBeaumont, who lived at Brookstone Farm in West Worthington and there , along with his wife, created the Brookstone catalog, a successful mail-order business. deBeaumont was trained in mechanical engineering, and the catalog specialized in hard-to-find tools and hardware. The first catalog was mailed out in 1965. In 1969 the deBeaumonts moved to Peterborough, New Hampshire. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pete deBeaumont Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-08-30 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - West Worthington Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. Evan Spring https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/b05a3d47c66bcc73892e8973c1528ed3.jpg 5ad46ad487c290c85659350b33586894 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Obituaries Description An account of the resource Death notices and obituaries for Worthington residents. Usually scans of newspaper clippings. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. online obituary for robert "Bob" Spiess Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document - Electronic Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-027 Title A name given to the resource Robert "Bob" Spiess obituary, 2023 Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Robert Spiess Obituary Robert N Spiess (1938-2023), 85, passed away Tuesday September 26th peacefully with his family by his side. Bob was born May 7, 1938. A lifelong resident of Worthington, Bob married his childhood friend and high school sweetheart, Judith (Diamond) Spiess on October 15, 1960. He is survived by his sister Patricia Lampro of Hinsdale Ma, his wife Judith and their daughter Shawn Macutkiewicz of Worthington, their son Mark Spiess and wife Amanda of Worthington.His grandchildren Jillian Trujillo and husband Rich of Florida, Zachary Macutkiewcz and wife Anastasia of North Brookfield, Michala Torres of Worthington, Amber Spiess of Chesterfield and Nicholas Spiess of South Carolina. He also leaves his seven great-grandchildren Audriana, Mia, Elliott, Jameson, Clarke, Emery, and Raelynn. Bob served in the Navy as a Maintenance man in the engine room aboard the USS Borie from 1958-1962. He worked for N&B Express out of South Deerfield for 32 years. He was an extraordinarily talented driver often being praised for his expert skills on the tiny streets of Boston.He will be remembered by his family and friends for his witty sense of humor and always helping hand. He was noted for his dancing skills, those of which his grandchildren hoped they didn't inherit. Bob loved the outdoors and hunting, teaching many of his family his skills in the woods. His pride and joy was his 1930 Model A "Gloria", he could be seen and heard driving around town with Judy at his side. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text from funeral home website Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023-09-26 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Graham Hilltown Community Funeral Home Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-03 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Worthington Corners Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-03-03 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/f800c069fc448f0bc9e5e544221270ff.jpg a975b82ae94c368ca188e5ed1bae543d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Obituaries Description An account of the resource Death notices and obituaries for Worthington residents. Usually scans of newspaper clippings. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Obituary for Robert "Bob" Cushman Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document - Electronic Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-026 Title A name given to the resource Robert "Bob" Cushman obituary, 2023 Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Robert L. Cushman (1926 - 2023). Surrounded by his loving family, Robert Lawless Cushman of Worthington MA passed on to be with his Lord on October 8, 2023, at the age of 97. Robert was a man highly respected in his spheres of influence, known particularly as a hard-working man who loved his family, served his community, and left a legacy of love for wildlife and nature. Robert aka "Bob" was born in Greenfield, MA on April 8, 1926, the youngest son of Burt and Alice Cushman. He was adored by his 3 pre-deceased siblings, Jack, Corky, and Lee, and their children; and his extended family also included his life-long best friend Ernie Hatter, Stamford CT. Bob was an avid learner known for his tremendous memory for names and places, who enjoyed poetry, cooking, gardening, and building projects with wood. His formal education included Springfield Technical High School, Monson Academy, American International College, and Bartlett Tree School for his professional training as an Arborist. He developed that skill to become an expert tree surgeon and conservationist. In 1950, Bob married Carol Evelyn Stuart (pre-deceased) of Stamford CT, lived in Springfield and East Longmeadow MA, and became the father of 7 children. Bob cherished his children and had special relationships with their spouses and grandchildren. Sandra (and Stuart) Gittleman, Cornelius NC (Shira, Isaac, Daniel) Robbie S. (pre-deceased) Pamela (and Gary) Standing, Springfield MA (Michael) Connie Lieberwirth Villeneuve (pre-deceased) (Jill, Andrew, Taylor, Rachel) Mary-Alice (and Roger) Dager, Springfield MA (Grace) Tracey (and Rich) Walz, Brewster MA (Jamison, Joseph, Andrew) Scott (and Laura) Cushman, East Longmeadow MA (Zachary, Hannah) Professionally Bob worked for the Springfield Parks Department, founded his own R. L. Cushman Tree Company, and provided leadership for the MassMutual Grounds Service for 30 years. Several trees were planted and nurtured by Bob, adorning the Pioneer Valley and beyond. In 1992, Bob married Carol Ann Sheret of Hampden MA, blending his family with her family of three daughters, who he loved as his own. Ginger Kairys, Westfield MA (Melissa, Jenny) Bonnie Charpentier (and Paul), Huntington MA (Krystle, Paul) Wendy (and Chris) Nardacci, Anaconda MT (Nichole, Amber) Together, Bob and Carol Ann built an incredibly beautiful life together. They fulfilled their dream of designing and building a home in Worthington which they fondly called "a piece of heaven on earth" …a destination for family and friends and a wildlife refuge, which offered hospitality and love to all. FAMILY was Bob and Carol Ann's number one priority. They loved spending time with their children and spouses, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and provided several opportunities to experience life from whale watches, hayrides, craft fairs, and many life celebrations. Together, Bob and Carol Ann shared 10 children, 20 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren. Though Bob and Carol Ann shared a large family there were no boundaries to whom they would embrace and take as their own, especially their adopted grandson, Terence Fowler. This "spirit of adoption" was the hallmark of their lives together, a legacy they inspired. Throughout his life Bob loved sports. As a young man he excelled playing football and basketball. When he became a father, he transitioned to coaching recreational league basketball, football, and girls' softball. Bob was a much beloved coach and mentor. Bob had an innate gift to see someone's capacity and encouraged their potential earning him the endearing title of "Coach." He was an avid fan of the Red Sox, Patriots, and college teams. Bob was a faithful and active church member, laying a foundation of Christian faith for his children when they were young, and most recently served the community of Worthington and Worthington Congregational Church. His faith-in-action was caring for and serving others. A special thank you to Dr. Paul Farkas who for several decades attended to Bob's health and wellness, extending his life, and became a dear friend. Also, special thanks to Mercy Medical Center and its staff for providing stellar care. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource scanned text from website Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023-10-08 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Legacy.com Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-03 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - South Worthington Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-03=03 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/424394a0f3137b6d618c12364a89d706.jpg 9a0f5290a84e89f3d4eb3d5be7154f25 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Obituaries Description An account of the resource Death notices and obituaries for Worthington residents. Usually scans of newspaper clippings. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. obituary for rose Sherman, 2024 Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document - Electronic Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-025 Title A name given to the resource Rose Sherman obituary, 2024 Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Rose Marie Sherman, age 86 passed away peacefully on January 27, 2024. She was born November 26, 1937 and resided in Worthington her entire life. Rose graduated from Northampton High School where she enjoyed playing basketball. She married Ralph B. Sherman on January 29th, 1960. They lived on their family farm in Worthington where they raised their 3 children. Rose had several jobs throughout the years Pro Brush, Albert Farms, drove School Bus, Ashmere Nursing Home, Swift River Academy. Rose grew up loving horses - loved competing in local gymkhanas & horse shows at the local fairs. Her happiest times were fair season where she participated in any way she was needed, especially announcing for the Horse & Ox draws at the local fairs. Rose was involved with the Cummington Fair for 42 years, first as secretary starting in 1982 and later as a Fair Director. In November 2014 Rose was inducted to the Massachusetts Agricultural Fairs Association 2014 Hall of Fame. She is predeceased by her late husband Ralph B. Sherman, her mother Mary E. Brooks and sister Ginger Donovan & her faithful dog and companion of 15 years Chloe. She is survived by her three children Terry R. Malloy, Wendy S. Sherman (Terry Corbett), Dale L. Sherman (Mary Bourdon) & grandson Joshua Culver and her sisters Elizabeth Parish & Deen Nugent and several nieces and nephews. A Celebration Of Rose's Life will be held in the spring at the Cummington Fairgrounds on May 18th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Donations in her memory may be made to: Hillside Agricultural Scholarship ? Sandy Lilly P.O. Box 3004, Ashfield, MA 01030. Published by The Berkshire Eagle on Feb. 22, 2024. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource scanned obituary from Legacy.com Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-02-22 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Berkshire Eagle Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-03 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-03-03 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/ec4fd3260bd5f8e4886014b1fc708321.pdf 9c66c6c20a4bc1288377d74bd1e90665 PDF Text Text � Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Clipping Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-024 Title A name given to the resource Ad for Hill-Top-Rest Inn, South Worthington, dinner, 1957 Subject The topic of the resource Hotels, Taverns, Inns Description An account of the resource Advertisement for 5 course Sunday dinner at the Hill-Top-Rest-Inn costing $2.25. A steak dinner came to $2.75. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource scan of newspaper clippingSprin Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hill-Top-Rest-Inn Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1957-08-11 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Springfield Union Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-03 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - South Worthington Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-03-03 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/5b4de7094b838690d1294630b17d20c9.pdf 69821e79e5af81520f03ebc7f489d8e0 PDF Text Text STONE WALLS History and Folklore �As the cover of Stone Walls attests, the the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Doris editors of this magazine focus mainly on the has researched carefully the ancient docu- history and folklore of our area, namely the towns and related com- ments which explain this series of events and has set them forth, along with her own ex- munities. It is with great interest, therefore, planations, for us all to observe. This is a true we note the current observance of the examination of our roots, one of the chief objectives of our magazine, and, we hope, one of the main reasons for our readers to enjoy Stone Walls. We hope to be able to celebrate other such significant events in our future Berkshire that hill town of Russell's two hundredth anniversary. Our cover picture depicts a scene from that town. History buffs among our readers will be particularly interested in Doris Hayden's which details the steps leading up to the incorporation of RusseU into article in this issue issues. Barbara Brainerd Stone Walls Magazine Annual Report, July 1, 1992 FY 1992 - July 1, 1991 - June 30, 1992 BALANCE - July 1, 1991 Income Subscription $2,115.00 70.46 Interest Expense $1,932.16 Sales 1,614.85 Ads 224.00 Gifts 587.00 Total Income 4,611.31 TOTAL ASSETS $6,543.47 Printing $4,679.71 Postage Permits & Fees 130.71 Misc. 50.00 124.40 Total Expense $4,984.82 BALANCE July 1, 1992 $1,558.65 Louise H. Mason, Treasurer Cover photo of Woronoco by Frank Miller, 1905, courtesy of Edward (Dick) Miller �CONTENTS 2 Genesis of Woronoco Doris H. Wackerbarth 7 A Town is Born Doris Hayden 14 Rhythm of the Road Barbara Brainerd 15 The Granville Public Library Wilhelmina Tryon 1903 19 More from the Journal of Rev. Hutchinson 20 Oldtime Westfield Verse & Jean York The Family Trolley Ride Gordon Hawkins 22 Growing Up on a Farm Ralph Pomeroy 30 Deer Hunting in West Granville Kenneth Gridley 32 Family Values David Pierce 35 Hinsdale Gold Rush Wadsworth Pierce 1 �Genesis of Woronoco From the Village of Salmon Falls to a Milltown By Doris H. Wackerbarth Woronoco, 1907 Edward "Dick" Miller, 94, a native of the town of Russell, has in his collection of photos are given as "more or less". Names of persons the picture (above) of the first house on Valley are only "more or less" accurate, also, which View Avenue, Woronoco, taken in 1907. It is very misleading. took hours of heavy lifting at the Hampden County Hall of Records to discover who built village of Salmon Falls the house. In the process of my search, on maps who are not the principals involved The 1874, Vernon Bros. & Co. map of the is not an official Hampden County Atlas map by county surveyors. On it, the Valley View Avenue area I dis- covered that old records are not as sacrosanct as I had beUeved them to be. Where land areas are involved, the names of the persons involved are exact, with variations in spelling of names or signatures noted, but where large areas of land are concerned, measurements east of the Westfield River is mislabeled the Bishop Lot, which led to hours of frustrating search. There were pages of Bishops listed, many of them in Russell. Finally, by process of elimination, the area 2 was revealed to be �"the Old Cowles Place", the key to checking new road and the old, which even Dick Miller the land transfers. Examples of other misleading information on that map list Couch family does not remember. Farther south along the new Main Street Fairfield Company built a holdings, which were vast, as Crouch, and the hall for public gatherings. In the 20's it was name Cosby changed over time to Crosby. In 1874, when Vernon Bros & Co. acquired called "the Casino". (It was later converted to & every kind of meeting and also basketball games, both Protestant and Catholic church services were held there on Sundays until in 1923 Strathmore Paper Company built the Memorial Hall across the river (the first section of the Strathmore Community Building.) Both denominations continued to use the same facility until Catholic services were the paper mill at Salmon Falls from Jessup storage for the store.) In addition to serving Laflin of Westfield there was no Main Road or village; nor was there a post office, a bridge over the Westfield River, or housing on the east side of the river. (There was a family ferry about a mile north of town at the rapids, where the river narrows and the water is not deep.) Russell, by comparison, was a metropolis. moved to the new Holy Rosary Church in had a railroad depot and a post office; two stores; a hotel; whip companies operated by J. W. Gibbs and R. W. Parks; S. Steele, Carriage and Sleighmaker; E. B. Hull & Co. Tannery, which had two large buildings, one labeled office; and both a Baptist and a Methodist church. Charcoal kilns were part of the Blandford Brick and Tile Co. The homes along Main Street in Russell were then very much as they are today, with the few additions or changes having been made where the tannery Russell, after which only Protestant services continued to be held in Memorial Hall. It Records reveal a foot note to history that is a bit of a mystery and illustrates how towns and townsfolk operated a hundred years ago. Hampden County Records list the sale of the school house in Salmon Falls to the Fairfield Company, May 3, 1889, for $400, yet the school continued in that capacity until Strath- more built the village of Woronoco a school on land presented to the town December 23, operated. 1914 for $1.00. In 1888, Vernon Bros Company sold the paper mill and property in Salmon Falls to of 1 889, it appears that the Fairfield Company From the scanty and secretive town report Roswell Fairfield, of Holyoke. When transportation was by horse and wagon, hills were a first hazard to be avoided. The 1894 map of Fairfield shows that one of the first improvements made in the village was construction of a level Main Street into town from Westfield. The new road saved climbing a established the precedent of more or less en- dowing the local school. Article 15 of the Rus- Town meeting, February 1, 1889, reads, "To see if the town will vote to purchase the interest of the Fairfield Paper Company in the hall and school house at Fairfield, and raise and appropriate such a sum of money as may be necessary for the same." At the time, Russell sharp hill about a mile south of the village, then coming down a long incline that began had five schools, five teachers, and 131 whom were under five years of age and six over fifteen. There is no record of how the town meeting sell above the school and ended in the village, pupils, four of opposite the mill. In addition to the new road, an iron bridge had been built across the river, and the Fairfield Paper Co. had telephone and voted, but the bare-bones education report telegraph service at the mill and, in case of which was not signed by anyone and probably was written by a selectman rather than by a superintendent, (perhaps then there were emergency, for others about town. (An operator would have handled the telephone calls and the telegraph did not print out a tape only Morse code dots and dashes clicked away, needing to be interpreted.) There was also a post office and store at the comer of the only county supervisors,) explains that the two schools in section three of the town had — been combined in order to save expense. One teacher was paid $15.00 for teaching the com- 3 �Village of Salmon Falls, 1874 been purchased in the village of Fairfield." The accompanying report does not acknowledge a $400 windfall, or how it was spent. It merely states that all the classrooms now have maps and globes, and that expenses for other school materials are available through the town treasurer With but one miU, the families who lived on the west side of the river and on the farms along Blandford Road and on Russell Moun- bined group rather than two teachers, being paid $9.00 each to teach two smaller groups. — evidently The parents objected, however and after a month the system strenuously reverted to two schools again. Someone in the era also was agitating against the schools on Russell Mountain not being in session for four months during the winter The consensus was that it just was not feasible. The report complained about conditions in all the schools, and advocated having maps and globes for the benefit of older pupils, as if there was no possibility whatever that that — tain supphed all the labor that was needed, but the Fairfield Company was flourishing could be achieved. Following sale of the and there was as yet no trolley to offer daily transportation of labor from outside of town. school to the Fairfield Company, which was So, in 1889, the Fairfield Company bought the not what Article 15 proposed the year before, and which is only recorded in the county records, the town report states ambiguously, 291 acre tract on the east side of the river from Thomas and Almeda Williston and Began to provide housing. "the hall for the accommodation of larger The Williston's house was on the north rim and Thomas Williston pupils (situated over the schoolroom) has of the property, 4 �reserved the right for their neighbor. Warren grew too old to work in the mills, they lived Chapman, "to get water in pails for family out their days there. After the death of Liza my house, where water McMahon, who lived until 1937, the house was demolished. Dick Miller related that, as use, from the tub near now runs." Chapman soon afterward bought the place where he lived for $65.00. He later transferred it to the Fairfield Company for $1.00 and other considerations a Strathmore electrician, he wired the house at the direction of H. A. Moses, Founder of — which Strathmore. could have included the right to continue to live in the house the rest of his life, and /or to be employed by the company as long as he was able to work. For years, the two little Irish ladies faithfully set up and removed the portable altars and furnished the linens used at the Casino and Memorial Hall for Catholic services. Since they were very reclusive, and always dressed Such contracts were not uncommon at the McMahon and Annie Cary had such an "understanding" with Strathmore Paper Co. They lived in a little saltbox house that was the W. D. Mallory house on the Old Road, which Strathmore bought in 1912. It had a cavernous fireplace and must have dated from Revolutionary days. When they time. Liza in black, as did all old ladies of their generation, and because of their devotion and the pleasure they took in serving their church, they were known as "the Nuns". Fairfield Company construction of houses on Valley View Avenue began along the "line of an old highway". Probably when the rail- 5 �road was put through the valley, it crossed the road, served Fairfield Village and Woronoco roadway on the east side of the river, which served the hard-scrabble farms between Westfield and Russell. True to form, it would have followed along the bank of the river. Rather than require the railroad to build two grade crossings, and since the part of the road that circled west of the railroad served no purpose, it was discontinued and the original road was rerouted straight ahead, parallel to as a baseball park until Strathmore Park was the railroad. Avenue, across the new cement bridge, past both the new and the old paper mills, to the north side of the bridge over Great Brook without once needing to stop. opened north of town, by which time everyone had autos and could get there. By then, more that a dozen and a half multi-unit houses had been built along Valley View Avenue and more than forty families lived there. There were maple trees along the paved street, and sidewalks that made it possible to roller skate from the north end of Valley View In the picture of the first houses built on Valley Avenue are three single family houses and outbuildings that had been built by the Fairfield Paper Company. Fields across the The changes that have taken place are what railroad tracks, along the old straightened is known as Progress. Russell Baptist Church 6 �A Town is Bom Compiled by Doris W. Hayden and Jean H. York Most of the available printed accounts of early within twelve Months, for Confirmation, to Russell are not very specific. The following refer- them their heirs and asines Respetivly ences may be dull to some, but they are the actual forever. records leading up to the incorporation of Russell Passed December 31, 1734 Province Laws (Resolves, etc.) Vol XII Chapter 175 - p. 200 in 1792. Rather than put our own interpretation on these events here it has seemed best to use the original records in the order in which they oc- Order granting to the heirs of James Tailor curred. Occasional notes are interspersed for further time to perfect a plat A Petition of Christopher Jacob Lawton in clarification. All italics throughout are mine. DWH behalf of the heirs of James Tailor Esqr, deced. Province Laws (Resolves, etc.) Vol. XII Chapter 161 - p. 79 Shewing that pursuant to a Grant made by Court to the heirs of Mr. Tailor, they returned a plat of five hundred acres of Land to the Court, which was accepted by the House, but Rejected by the Council, and therefore praying that they may be Allowed this Order impowering the heirs of James Taylor dec'ed to survey and lay out 500 acres of land A petition of William Taylor and others, heirs of Mr. James Taylor, dec'ed, late Treasurer of this Province, Shewing that the time till the next May Session for bringing a perfect plat. Read& said treasurer, Taylor, quitted his private business, which was very profitable, to Serve that Ordered that the prayer of the petition be Granted, and the petrs are Accordingly Allowed time till nex May Session to bring in a Plat of said Grant for Confirmation. Passed December 29, 1735 Note: - Christopher Jacob Lawton was one of the proprietors of Suffield Equivalent. (Now Province in that office, which he did very Faithfully for many Years, and advanced Several Thousand of poimds for the govern- ment, for which he was never allowed any interest that he laid out Seventy Odd pounds for Mathematical Instruments for the Province, for which he was never paid; By all — Blandford) which means his Estate was lesend; And He had married for a second time to Sarah therefore praying for a grant of some of the u nap- Taylor, daughter of James Taylor. As the daughter propriated Lands of the Province. had an interest in the above grant, he was repre- Read& senting her. DWH Voted that there be and hereby is Granted to the Heirs and Legal Representa of James Province Laws (Resolves, etc.) Vol. XII Chapter 272 - p. 245 Taylor Esqr, late Treasurer of this Province, Deced, Five hundred acres of the Unappropriated Lands of this Province in consideration of the Services mentioned in the petition, and that the Grantees be allowed and impowered by a Surveyr and ChaLnmen on Oath, to survey and layout the said lands next Adjoyning to some Township, or former Order for a grant of land to Housatonuck Indians A Report of a Conferrence held by Ebenezer Pomroy and Thomas Ingersol Esqr by order of this Court, with the Housatanuck Indians; relating to a purchase of Lands for their Set- tlement. Grant, & return a plat thereof to this court 7 �Read, and the same being fully considered March 25, 1736 Voted that the Honourable John Stoddard Esqr. Ebenezer Pomroy and Thomas Ingersole Esqrs be a Committee fully authorized and impowered to Lay out a township not exceeding the quantity of six miles square, unto the Housatonnoc Tribe of Indians in upper Housatonnoc, lying and being above the Mountain, & upon Housatonnoc River, said Indians to be subject to the Law of the Province make & passed in the thirteenth Year of King William 3d CAP XXI, with respect to said Lands, and that the said Conunittee be hereby impowered to lay out unto the Reverend Mr. John Sargent, their Minister, and Mr. Timothy Woodbridge, their School Master, One sixtieth part of the said township, to Each of them to accomodate them in a Settlememt of Land, to be to each of them and their heirs Note: The above is included to clarify a state- ment in the "History of Western Massachusetts" by Pitoniak. On page 19 under "First Settling of Russell" it is said, "One would never realize the it was first intended to be a settlement of Indians."How the above record could be interpreted in such a way cannot now be determined. The province order certainly puts the Indian town in the Housatonic area, and nowhere else. DWH Province Laws (Resolves, etc.) Vol. XII Chapter 141 - p. 323 A Petition of Mr. Thomas Ingersol, Representa of the Town of Westfield, praying for a Grant to the proprietors of the said town of a tract of about Six Thousand Acres of Land, lying between Westfield West boundary and the township granted to the proprietors of & assigns, and that said Committee Suffield. lay out a sufficient quantity of Land within Read& said township to accommodate four English Ordered that the prayer of the Petition be Families, that shall Settle upon the same, to be granted, and the Lands therein Delineated under the direction and disposition of the Committee, by and with the advice of Mr. Sargeant and Mr. Woodbridge; And the committee are hereby further impowered to dispose of ye Lands that are reserved to said Indians in the town of Sheffield & mentioned and Described be and hereby are Accordingly given and granted to the proprietors of the Town of Westfield, their heirs and assignes respectively; provided they do forthwith, or as soon as may be. Open and Constantly keep in Repair hereafter, a Good and Safe Cartway over the premises in the Road that leads from in the Conunittee report, in order to make Satisfaction, so far as the same will go, to the proprietors and owners of the land hereby Westfield to Housatonock, commonly caU the Albany Road; provided also this Grant does not granted. prejudice the Grant lately laid out to the heirs of And the Committee are further impowered the late Treasurer Mr. fames Taylour, at the pond to give the proprietors of Upper Housaton- called the Ten Mile Pond, the said Grantees con- nuc, that live below the Mountain, an equivalent in some of the unappropriated Land of the province next adjacent to Upper Housatonnuc, Sheffield, said granted town; cluding not to hold the same, but it is to be Es- And the Committee are hereby further impowered to make the proprietors of Upper Hous- Hundred Acres of Land to the Heirs of the late Rev Mr. Williams of Deerfield, Deced. which satonnoc, above the Mountain, and equivalent in may or does fall within the lines of the prayed some of the unappropriated Lands of the Province in different places; provided the same, in the Judgment of the Committee, shall not prejudice any township that may hereafter be granted; the same to be in full satisfaction of their Lands as are hereby granted to the Houssatannoc According to the plat lately passed and Confirmed by this Court. And also that this Grant does not exceed the quantity of Six Thousand Acres of Land, Exclusive of the said Provisoes, & does not interfere with any former Grant; teemed & looked upon as among the Upper Housatanuck Equivalents; ** And also that part of the Grant of Seven for premises. Tribe. 8 �*** Provided also that the Grantees, as soon not the quantity of Five Thousand Eight Hundred & Seventy-Nine Acres of Land, in- as may be, lay out two hundred Acres of the granted preniises for the present minister of clusive of the said Farms at A. B. & C, and the said town; Two Hundred Acres of the ministry; and one hundred Acres for the pond; and does not interfere with any other school forever; grant. exclusive of the said Housatonnoc Equivalent and And return a plat of the premised & Se- Passed June 10, 1738 Note:: questrations afore mentioned to this Court, * this was the original grant ofJanuary 12, 1 736, which was later called the New Addition. It then within twelve months, for Confirmation. Passed January 12, 1736 Note: included what is now a part of Montgomery, as *Suffield Equivalent, which became Blandford well as what became Russell. ** The original 500 acre Taylor grant which the **The original north line of the New Addition Taylor heirs chose not to hold and was reserved for seems to have extended into what became Murrayfield, now Huntington. The 700 acre grant to a Housatonic Equivalent. *** The locations Rev. John Williams may or may not have been in the New Addition. However the Court was play- of the three farms are listed in "Footprints in Montgomery" , p. 5. DWH ing safe and excluded it if it was. It was never a Springfield Registry of Deeds Book part of present Russell. *** "Footprints in M p. 155 - John Stoddard, Ebenezer Pomeroy of Northampton Montgomery" on page 5 describes three such lots which were in the original New Addition area, but not in the present town of & Thos. Ingersole of Westfield, Esqr Russell to Chr. Jacob Lawton of Leicester DWH That on March ye 26 AD 1736 were by the General Court Assembly of Province aforesaid specifically authorized and commisioned amongst other things, to purchase rights of lands of ye proprietors of Upper Housatonnock Township, so called in said township, and to give Equivalent Therefore in some of ye unappropriated Land of ye Province to Proprietors, of whom they should purchase after the order of the said Court of Assembly, reference thereto has willfully appear. Province Laws (Resolves, etc.) Vol. XII Chapter 17 -p. 367 * A plat of land, laid out by Oliver Partridge, Surveyr and Chainman on Oath, Containing Five Thousand Eight hundred and Seventy- Nine Acres, Lying between Westfield and Suffield Equivalent, Exclusive offive hundred Acres Reserved for Housatanock Equivalent and a Pond of One hundred Acres. Read& Now we the above said have purchased of Ordered that the plat be accepted and the Lands therein delineated & described by and Chr. Lawton of Leicester * two rights of land in are hereby confirmed to the proprietors of the Housantonnock, and have agreed to give it him and equivalent, to whom the right belongs, from the Government, for ye aforesaid rights. Town of Westfield & their Assignes respectively. Excepting the Five Hundred Acres reserved for Housatonnoc Equivalent as To Wit: a Tract of land scituated a lying and being on Housatonnock Road, at a certain place called 10 Mile Pond, and includes the pond, which land with pond, includes 600 within mentioned, and Three Farms delineated in the plat at A. B. & C, which are to be and remain respectively for the mini- acres. sterial use - the present Ministers farm to be Is butted and bounded as follows: to him in fee, and the farm for the use of the Beginning at ye Brook where it runs into the school agreeable to the Grant of the Lands to outside of 10 Mile Pond, and runs said proprietors) provided the plat exceeds 70 Rods 9 W 10 M - �W - 212 Rods Thence runs S 30 30 " Thence runs to the E line of the township called Glasgow Then runs up Ye Township Line N'ward 196 Rods Then runs E 34 N - 166 Rods Then runs N 40 E - 76 Rods Jonathan Old, John Huston Samuel Worthington John Stoddard, Thomas Ingersole W Thence runs E - 252 Rods Thence runs S - 278 Rods Thence W- 160 Rods Thence runs N - 118 Rods - 78 Rods to the Comer first Thence runs W mentioned. John Stoddard Ebenezer Pomeroy Thos. Ingersole August 29, 1739 * Note: One right was at 10 Mile Pond in the 1742, "in his house." Since he died in 1742 he could not have operated it very long. New Addition, and part of it was the original Fulling was process for shrinking and thicken- Taylor Grant, which was given up and called the ing woolen cloth by moistening, heating and press- Housatonic Equivalent. ing. DWH The other right was in what became Otis and M p. 203 does not relate to the New Addition. Springfield Registry of Deeds Book The "History of Western Mass." by Josiah G. Holland states that the first settlers in the New Chr. Jacob Lawton, Gentleman of Leiscester & Dame Sarah Lawton, his wife Addition were two brothers of the name Barber and to Mathew Barber, husbandman, living at a A Mr. Gray. place known by ye name of Ten Mile Pond ye Mathew Barber was a first settler, but his brother, Robert Barber of Worcester, - Township of Westfield 200 Acres of Land adjoyning to Ten Mile Pond in Westfield and bounded as follows: Beginning at a stake and stones on the N side of a brook running into said Pond was not. However, he probably assisted Mathew financially and held a mortgage on the New Addition properRobert's wife Sarah Gray, sister to Mathew From thence runs Barber's wife Mary, so there was a close con- thence nection on both sides. W 10 N 70 Perch N 23 W 104 Perch - Then N 30 E 76 Perch Thence E 252 Perch Mathew Barber was certainly in the New Addition before Jan. 31, 1740-1, according to his deed Thence S 150 Perch to the brook issuing out of said Pond, at the East Side of the Pond Thence bounds on said Pond & brook to the comer first mentioned With one-half the liberty of Pondage and Streama for making Dam, or Dams, for a Mill, form Christopher Jacob Lawton. }ust when cannot be determined. The Barbers and Grays were descendants of immigrants from Northern Ireland - probably Scotch-Irish. Mathew's inventory, in Northampton Probate Court, includes a fulling mill and a sawmill. Sumner Wood in "Taverns and Turnpikes" says he has a tavern License in or Mills, forever. Witness: Henry Lee Chr. Jacob Lawton January 31, 1749-1 Sarah Lawton Aside from the Barbers and Grays, there is the Hazards. Note: John Gray was of a later generation than Math- another early family of interest — ew Barber, but related to Mathew's wife. His land Stewart Hazard and Robert Hazard, a clothier, lay south of 10 Mile Pond.. ( See map) The property both of Farmington, Conn., purchased the Barber lately owned by Howland Smith was apart of it. land -1769 -1771. 10 �11 �12 �town of Blanford, then running north twenty degrees east on Blanford line to the first mentioned bounds, be and hereby is incorporated into a town by (the) name of Russell; and the said town shall be and hereby is invested with all the privileges and immunities that towns in the commonwealth do, or may enjoy by the Constitution, or laws of the same. They were in theNew Addition until some years after Russell was incorporated, later going to New York State. This explains the name, Hazard Pond. There were many lots "laid out" to various residents of Westfield in the New Addition before the incorporation. Without a doubt many lived in the area before 1792. These lot descriptions are so scanty that it would be like putting a huge jig-saw And be it further enacted the Samuel Fowler Esquire be and he is hereby impowered to issue his warrant directed to some suitable inhabitants of said town to meet at such time and place as he shall appoint, to choose such Officers as other towns are impowered to choose at their annual meeting in the month of March or April. puzzle together. Someone with the patience of Job may do it some day. Acts & Resolves 1790-1 Chapter 30 - p. 323 Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in General court as- sembled and by the authority of the same, that the northwesterly part of Westfield, Called the new Addition, on the westerly side of Westfield River, and the south westerly part Provided nevertheless, the inhabitants of of Montgomery included between the heights said town shall pay all such town. State, coun- of Shatterack Mountain, Teko Mountain, and ty and other taxes as are already assessed upon them by the said towns to which they Westfield River a foresaid, & bounded as fol- have belonged, until a new valuation shall be taken & no longer; and the inhabitants aforesaid shall pay their proportion of all public debts which are now due from the said town to which they respectively belonged. And be it further enacted that the inhabitants of the said town of Russell do and shall forever hereafter make and keep in good repair all such roads and cartway through the lows: viz. Beginiung at Blanford line where it crosses Westfield River, then running down said river 'till it comes to a turn in the river near the foot of Shatterack Mountain at the northwesterly part thereof, then crossing said river to a maple tree marked with stones about it standing at highwater mark on the eastern bank, then rurming south thirty-two degrees east one hundred and sixty rods to a pine staddle marked with stones about it on the height of Shatterack Mountain, then running south twenty eight degrees and fifty minutes east eight himdred and ninety-four rods, partly along the ridge of Teko Mountain, to a black oak staddle marked with stones about it toward the southerly end of said Teko Mountain, then running south four degrees said town of Russell, as the town of Westfield east two hundred and twenty rods to a small ought or by law is now obliged to make and maintain there. And be it further enacted that the inhabitants of the said town of Russell shall be chargeable with their proportionable part of the expense of supporting the poor which at the time of passing this Act were the charge of the towns of which the said inhabitants flat rock marked I S 41 by the highway, a few respectively belonged, and that the said town rods easterly of the river, and near the south of Russell shall be held to support all poor end of said Teko Mountain, then running persons which may hereafter be returned to south thirty-eight degrees west, crossing said river and continuing a strait line to a little river near the foot of the west mountain, then the town of Westfield and Montgomery, who had gained a settlement in that part of the town of Westfield or Montgomery, which is now incorporated into the town of Russell. westerly upon said river to the line between the third and fourth tier of lots, then southerly February 25, 1792 upon said line to Granville town line, then Happy 200th Celebration, Russell! running west twenty-two degrees north on Granville line to the south east comer of the 13 �Rhythm of the Road By Barbara Brainerd There is rhythm in Route 23 Driving up the mountain From Russell to Blandford. It starts at the bottom As the car swings from Route 20 to start the climb. Then swerves to the right And now to the left - always going up A measured rhythm that the body feels With each turn of the wheel - right and then left. Sometimes there is a small down-grade Which builds up the speed For the next swift ascent and the next wheeling curve. After driving up Route 23 a million times, know the rhythm by heart. I wonder if the horses, in the old days. Dragging the heavy wagons or the light surreys. Felt the rhythm in their bodies, too. Did they also memorize the measured beat of the road Like the notes of an old melody? I 14 �The Granville Public Library by Wilhelmena Tryon was a manufacturing community, although it was fifteen nules from the nearest railroad. Some of the families were well-to-do and able to send their children away to school; others completed their education here and Granville, Massachusetts approached the turn of the century with a small, scattered population and no library. An education- minded woman decided that the limited number of books available through the Sunday Schools was not enough, and vowed to went on to schools of higher learning, becoming professional people. The majority remained at home going to work in the factory, on the farm, or doing odd jobs. correct the situation. Scanty Scattered Population Like many New England towns in the hill Woman of Ideals districts, the scanty population was scattered These conditions existed in 1896, when the over an area of about forty square miles with three small villages as centers. Granville, Granville Center and West Granville each had its own schoolhouse, store, post office, church, and a farming population living along the outlying country roads. The two western communities were farming communities, but Granville, called the Comers, wife of one of the leading businessmen, a woman of ideals, saw the needs of the young people. The library grew out of her efforts to help them. Mrs. Ralph B. Cooley was the moving force behind the library movement. The town, in compliance with Library Act of 1890, had ap- 15 �Treasurer; Mrs. Orville R. Noble, Mrs. Silas B. Root, Miss Cettie Huddleston (name was Lucetta), Mrs. Mary Gill, Mrs. Emma Barlow, Mrs. Milo Seymour, Mrs. E.N. Henry, Mrs. Neil Gibbons, Mrs. Alice Carpenter, and Mrs. Clara E. Wilcox. Each Lady to Raise Huge Sum of Ten Dollars Next came the all important question of finances, now "How should it be done?", but "How could it be done?" The members were not chosen for their financial or literary qualifications, but for their personal qualities. Some were women of independent means; others earned their living by working in the factory; there were some whose husbands had an average daily wage, one whose husband received only one dollar a day; and one who had no pin money to call her own. Each member pledged $10.00, or more if possible, which she must earn each year. With the exception of two generous gifts, practically all the money was raised in the one, small village of Granville in five yars. In November 1901, the building was completed at a total cost of more than $13,000, a tribute Mrs. Ralph Cooley to the zeal and self-denial with which these few women worked. To realize how large a sum of $10 was, propriated a small amount of money and then had received one hundred dollars worth of books from the state. All were placed in the chapels in Granville and Granville Center, in remember at that time a poimd of cheese cost 16 cents; a quart of milk 5 cents; an excellent three course dinner at one of Westfield's best charge of the mir\ister or some other interested person. The buildings were open one day a week and, since accommodations were insufficient, neither books nor people could be carefully cared for restaurants cost only 25 cents. These enterprising ladies chose to make money in several ways. One lady lived on a farm where arbutus grew in abundance so she sent enough to a nearby city to raise six of her ten dollars. She also picked fruit and in the In February 1896, Mrs. Cooley invited to her home twelve women and laid before them evenings knitted pairs of mittens. This was Mrs. Alice Carpenter. her hopes. The Granville Library Club, with Mrs. Cooley as its President, was immediately organized and its purpose distinctly stated: To Mrs. Clara Wilcox had boys collect blueflag, which she cleaned and sweetened and sold in erect a library building containing a library and packets for 5 cts. This proved very profitable. She also knitted bed socks and mittens. The president, Mrs. Ralph B. Cooley, who raised strawberries, sold the extra berries. She also exchanged one of her husband's over- reading room and also a room provided with suitable attractions and amusement for both young men and young women. The original members were: Mrs. Ralph B. Cooley, President; Miss Nellie C. Noble, Vice President; Miss Cora A. Noble, Secretary and coats for a neighbor's crop of crab apples. 16 �These she sent to New York and realized over offered to give $5000 for the library if the town thirteen dollars for the project. would give a Uke amount, which would as- Miss Ann Noble and Mrs. Neil Gibbons sold ice cream every Saturday afternoon. sure that the entire amount for the building and its furnishings would be available. They also made lemonade for the local ball The ladies decided to raise as much money as possible from subscriptions from citizens. They also contacted former residents and their descendants. The Ubrary was at last a games. Mrs. Cettie Huddleston made popcorn baUs to the delight of all the little boys. possibility. Mrs. Silas Root had an unused field plowed and planted to turnips which she sold. The yield more than covered her pledge. She also made and sold doughnuts. Two houses and various buildings had to be removed so that the library might be buUt on its present location. The building was started in 1900, construction finished in Mrs. Nellie Noble, a talented painter, took orders for calendars to raise her $10. Her sister. November 1901, and it was furnished, stocked with books, and opened on February 22, Miss Cora Noble, laundered fine lace curtains and made jellies. 1902. Mrs. Emma Barlow made money doing housework for a neighbor. In June, 1950, the club celebrated the anniversary of the start of the actual building of Mrs. Hattie Oysler, who joined soon after the Library Club started, made carpenter's aprons. She also made and sold clam chowder the library by an "Open House" for the town. The same year the club and the town joined to the men who worked at the factory. Mrs. Emma Holcomb, another woman who was not a charter member, made money by doing her own washing and ironing and by "going without things." That was the key to the whole situation. It meant self-denial for future general good. The club as a whole was also busy. In November 1896 a fair was held, the first of 25 years, which brought in $500. The president gave a beautifully dressed French doll for which a great number of tickets were sold to guess the doll's name. The name proved to be "Celia" (the president's mother's name) and fortunately the doll was given back to the sold at auction. Three times it was sent back to be sold again and it netted $112. After trying various ways to raise money, they concentrated on the November fair and for many years they were famous for their November Fair and Chicken Pie Supper. With the coming of World War n the Chicken Pie Suppers were discontinued. Large Donation Offered At the end of three years, the club had banked nearly $3000. Then Mr. Milton B. Whitney of Westfield, a native of Granville, Members of the Library Club 17 �in a celebration at the library, honoring Mrs. Mable Root Heruy for fifty years of devoted and efficient service as Librarian. She began her service when the building opened. Later, the historical room, located in the library, was named the Mable Root Henry Historical Room in her honor. Bibliography: The Story of a Village Library, by Lavinia Rose Wilson The History of Granville, by Albion B. Wilson Note: This story was previously printed in South- woods Magazine Volume IX, issue 111, September 1989. 18 �More from the Journal of Rev. Hutchinson Oct. 11 This poor man had destroyed himself by Clark and Miss Alice Parks both of Russell. They were married in the Meeting House. A large number of people were present. drinking. He has three children, two lovely AprU 12, 1863 Died, Mr. Charles K. Phelps of Huntington at the house of Mr. Wm. Branly of Russell. daughters 15 and 17 and a little son 10 yrs. of Sunday evening, I married Rev. J.D. Pulis of N.Y. City to Miss Sarah Jane Dukensan of age. Russell, oldest daughter of Deacon Nov. 7 Nina Maria Lezen, daughter of Joel Lezen, Russell, aged 6 years. Wm. L. Dukensan. They were married in the Meeting House. Brother Dukensan and family together with Mr. Pulis are going tomorrow to the state of Illinois. Mr Pulis is going as 1865 Ettie Kendall, congestion of the lungs, aged agent of the Travel Society. 4 yrs. Feb. 18, 1864 May 3 Married this evening Mr. Eli A. Cross and Miss Emily A. Nye at the house of the father Henry Parks, fever, aged 43 of the bride, Mr. Clark Nye of Blandford. The Oct 17 bride and groom were both of Blandford. Hattie Jane Kingsley, aged 1 yr., died Springfield 1864, daughter of Wm. Kingsley June 11, 1864 and Emily. Mr. Horace Larramee and Miss Margaret Camier, both of Becket. French Canadians. Oct. 1865 A Mr. Leonard in Hanson, funeral at house and the manner of commitment of the Old Colony Baptist Association. lin married. Both of Russell. Oct. 1865 Sept. 25, 1864 Aug. 31, 1864 Mr. George W. Frost and Mrs. Clarice Ham- Middleboro, a man whose name is forgot- Married Mr. John M. Cannon and Alletta A. King, both of Russell. ten. Nov. 19 (Sunday) Dr. David Hall died of old age, 81, Oct. 16, 1864 Married Mr. Elihui Lloyd and Miss Delia Holcomb, both of Montgomery. Bridgewater. Mrs. Charles Pratt, aged 64, congestion of lungs, Bridgewater. May 15, 1865 Edward A. Allen and Miss Joseptha M. Standars, both of Huntington. Marriages performed by Rev. Joseph Hutchinson while minister of the Baptist Church at Russell, Mas- April 18, 1865 sachusetts in 1863 and 1864 as listed in his diary and Mr. J. W. Gibbs and Miss Olive Parks, both copied by F.A. Hutchinson. of Russell. Feb. 28, 1863 July 5, 1865 Mr. Wilber S. Sampson and Miss Caroline Allen, both of Huntington, Mass. Married Mr. John Clark and Miss Frances Miller, both of Russell. Were married at my house. Jan. 1, 1865 March 1, 1863 C.B. Hutchinson and Miss Laura Holcomb Sunday evening, married Mr. Chester W. of Russell (J.H.'s own son) 19 �Oldtime Westfield Verse Vignettes The Family Trolley Rides By Gordon Hawkins Oftentimes in summer When the heat was bearing down. We'd take a family trolley ride And leave the sultry town, To "get a breath" of evening air And just a nickel for the fare! Sometimes up to Pequot Park The trolley bore its load. At other times to Huntington Along the river road We'd thunder through the summer night Swifter, it seemed, than swallow's flight. Kid's favorite seat was just behind The burly motor-man. The boys liked that because they'd see Just how the trolley ran. Not only that. ..with rush of air We "rode the wind" when we sat there! 20 �But Ma and Pa preferred by far The seats not so exposed Ma didn't like disordered hair, (So Pa and I supposed). And so we'd ride the evening throughWhat better could a family do. When but a nickel was the fare? Long gone now are the trolley lines, The tracks have disappeared No more the evening trolley ride To families so endeared. But one can still remember well Their rumble and their roar And the sharp warning of the bell At twenty miles or more! And even now I faintly smell The tobacco fields at night IDuring the growing season Fragrance of rich delight! And even now I seem to hear The grasses by the track Swish, as the trolley passed along To old Springfield and back! 21 �Growing Up On a Farm (An interview with Ralph Pomeroy, who was horn Feb. 1, 1903 in Westfield) was bom on the old Pomeroy homestead which is located in the northeast comer of Westfield. Now it is called East Mountain Rd. The doctor came and said that I had to have an operation. He said that he would go home and read up on it and be back in the morning - that I had appendix trouble. He came back the next morning. "Mother, clear the table get boiling water - rip up an old petticoat." "Father, boil up knives and scissors. Stand right there - hand me what I need." Busted appendix - gangrene! Four inches of intestines taken out and whatever. No dmgs like today. They got the job done! Doctor said, "I don't think he'll live, but he may." Oh yes! I I in Owen District, Father farmed there the first three years after he married. The place was sold to settle the estate. West Suffield, Conn. We then moved to West Suffield, Conn., where may father was going to get rich growing tobacco. Our place was only a short distance from the village store, and the first I remember was walking to the store with Mother, and Mrs. Brigbee gave me a lollipop. She was my first girlfriend, for I am sure she gave me something every time I went there after that. The next thing I remember in Suffield was Uncle Frank moved in with us for the winter. His place down the road had been sold. So, with the help of an old-fashioned wheel barrow, he stored his belongings in our back room till he could find another place. Next, I remember having to stay in bed with a flatiron tied to my foot. made it! To Westfield The next year we moved back to Westfield. Mother said, "Was I ever glad to leave that place!" Dad hired a small place next to Grandfather Higgins in East Mountain. What I remember there: mnaway horses, forest fires, and rattlesnakes! I started school - first grade at the HUl School. Runaway Horses First My brother Russell Runaway: Father raised vegetables for market. I went with him to Holyoke with and I were scrapping over who would have the swing. I got pushed out and got a broken leg. The Horse Doctor, as my father called him, patched it up with splints, and told my folks, "Keep him in bed two weeks," with the flatiron tied to my foot and hanging over the end of the bed, to keep my leg from shrinking. The last I remember of Suffield was when my dad was trying to choke me with a towel with some terrible smelling stuff (ether) on it. That's all I remember. Mother told me the rest. In those days - no telephones. If you wanted a doctor, you rode a horse or bike or walked to the store, post office, or whatever, and listed the call on a billboard. The Horse Doctor, making his rounds by horse and buggy, would show up before night. a load of vegetables on a high-seat business wagon - one horse. We sold our vegetables and were on the way home. The horse was a new one and afraid of everything. A car, the first one I had ever seen, came up behind us and blasted on an old type hom. The horse jumped side-ways first, swerved into the ditch, throwing Father off the high seat. Then it ran with lines dragging on the ground and httle me hanging onto the seat and wondering what was going to happen next. There were three men in the car that had passed us. One of them looked out the back window after about a quarter of a mile and decided something was wrong. So they stopped - got out and spread out just in time to stop the horse. 22 �23 �We went back - got Father down to a little Forest Fires brook to wash the blood off his face so he could see, and we took off for home. Mother thought Father had been fighting! In a dry season, the wood-buming engines on the railroad between Westfield and Holyoke were always starting fires. It must have been dry in 1908 and 1909. Both years we lived in Owen District (what it was called then). Everyone seemed to be worrying about fires and rattlesnakes. When the fires got going, they seemed to let them go up and The Next Runaway The following winter Mother was driving School Bus. This was a two-horse bob-sled with a built-on box for cover. There was room for six on each side and two up front. We were coming from Hill School down Notre Dame St. hill over the railroad bridge just as a train was going under. The engineer blasted on his whistle as loud as possible, just to scare the horses, bum out, unless they got too close to the farms; then they took plows and plowed around their places and set backfires. There was very little timber on the East Mountain Range at that time, just scmb and "bum-out" my mother said. Well, Rob and Bill took off down the hill in a dead run. At the comer of Notre Dame and North Elm they cut as they called it. Rattlesnakes! Yes!! the comer too short. The left front comer of They came off the mountain in dry hot sum- the sled collided with a telephone pole. The mers. The farmers still cut hay by hand, and front "bob" let go, and the horses took off for each year there were casualties: a horse here, Frog Hole with the bob a-bobbing behind them. I was sitting beside my mother up front and didn't get hurt. Some of the kids in back were banged up quite a bit. A farmer down Union St. came bringing the horses back after a cow there, a dog down the road, and some- times, a man. My dad was more afraid of rattlers than Mother was. She killed a number while picking blueberries. There were a lot of due to the fires. Dad had had more close calls while growing up. When Dad was a boy, he had the experience of seeing two men die because of snake bite. In those days, there were what they called blueberries, a while. I don't remember how we got home. The sled was all beat up. The Next Runaway: Rob and Bill were on the hay wagon, haying in Gramp Higgins lower mowing. I was riding on the hay wagon. We had a full load of hay and started for the bam. I have no idea what happened. All of a sudden the horses were on a dead mn headed for the bam. Someone yelled to slide off the back, and they didn't have to yell a second time. Hay was scattered all the way to the bamyard. I don't know where the horses ended up. The Last Runaway: Mother was driving the one-horse wagon School Bus just before summer vacation. I was sitting beside Mother up front, going up Clay Hill. The whiffle-tree "drifters," men of all ages, but mostly young, who traveled around the country, working wherever they could find work - in the summer months or longer. The Pomeroys had a large farm at that time, so they always hired extra help. One year one of the boys got bitten by a rattler through his cow-hide boot and died from the bite. Later that fall, the boys were getting out wood for winter supply. It came up a heavy storm, and before they got out of the woods, they got soaked. There was a pair of boots sitting in the back room, not being used, so one of the boys put them on while his dried out. Within a few days he died of snake bite. The fang of the snake had gone through the boot of the first boy and broken off, which poisoned the second feUow. My father, when he was older and farming on his own, had a dog that would hunt out a broke! Billy took off! Mother, hanging onto the lines, took off with him and was dragged quite a ways on her stomach around a comer and out of sight! It was some time before they got the horse rounded up. That was the last time Mother drove School Bus! 24 �snake and bay at it. When working in the fields, they felt safer with him around. Over to Middle Farms, April 1910 East Mountain, 1909: First fishing a load of furniture. We stopped for a drink of Dad and I were on a two-horse wagon with on my own water at the little brook just this side of the railroad tracks. I asked Dad, "How much far- Opening day of trout fishing! I had fished ther do we got to go?" I was in a hurry to see with Father from a boat, but never trout fishing. I the old place they had been telling about. Dad got up early and went to the bam at said, "It Cramp's. He was milking cows. I had a can of worms and a fishpole, the kind you cut and tie a string onto. I got Dad said, "Watch your step. There are nails Gramp to bait my hook. everywhere." I was barefoot, as I remember. was not sure I could do it right to catch a trout. The brook was just a short way down the hill. There was a nice pool where the water came under the old bridge. That's where I I I explored the house, two woodsheds, hay bam (later made into a horse bam), blacksmith shop. All were falling in. Next was a horse stable with bam floor to drive in with hay. The hay went up over on each side, above caught my first trout. I tried to take it off the hook. He had swallowed it. I ran back to the the stables. On the east side was a cow stable. bam and had Gramp take it off. Now bait the A gap, then a real big bam used for storage of hook again, and back to the brook a gain. Same feed of all kinds. In those days they raised a hole -another trout, not quite so big. Boy, this lot of grain crops to grind for flour. So and baited the hook myself this time. I figured there might be a bigger one down below. I went down a ways - found a good looking spot. I threw my line in. Oh, oh! A stump! Thaf s where I lost my first hook. I had no spare. is something! I got this one off for that. much We had to take down the old build- ings before we could start building. Going to School I started school in the third grade. It was not far to walk, just down around the comer. One The Up and Down Sawmill One day my grandfather took me down to see the old Up and Down Saw Mill he had won't be long now, only another mile." We got there, and I started exploring. room, one teacher, and eight grades! Thirty or more kids! The younger ones sat up front, worked back according to age, with the older ones up back. Our first teacher was a young, stocky lady; that's all I remember about her. She didn't stay long, not over two years. She couldn't take it. Next we had Mrs. Coe. Next, Mrs. Coe-Williams, who was an older lady who mn most of his life. It washed out from a flood a few years back and it is out of working order now. But Gramp explained to me how it worked. The water fed from a dug canal along a sluice-way. A large paddle wheel was set at the end of the sluice. As I remember, it sat lower than ground level. The water flowing into the paddle wheel turned a large shaft, which tumed another large wheel with a big saw. It was the largest I ever saw, and was attached to this wheel on a swivel, so as not to bind it as it tumed. The carriage which carried the log along was hooked up some- could handle the older kids a little better It was still a problem. By toda/s standards, they couldn't leam much. But as I look back over the four years I was there, the ones that wanted to leam, did, and those that didn't give a dam, didn't. At East Mountain we never leamed to swim on account of rattlesnakes. My first experience: I had to leam to swim! We went to the river. Two older boys threw me in and yelled, "Paddle with your hands and kick how to move slowly as the saw bit into the log. Gramp's words, 'The old saw goes up and down - up and down - and by and by a board falls off." 25 �with your feet!" I leaned quick! teacher, place us according to our standing. To Hill School There were two girls in front and one in back of me. I got kidded, sitting with the girls. In 1915 Russell and I switched over to Building the tobacco bam After Hill School was out for the summer, we were home to draw logs to Southampton. At age fourteen years Russell and I drew logs to Southampton Saw Mill about every day all summer. Father and one hired man tended crops. Another man, Ed Drake, worked all simmer building the bam, with help from others part time. RusseU and I drew the logs with two pair of horses and two old farm wagons. Always something broke down. We were two kids, you might say, with no previous experience logging. We leamed fast! Prospect Hill School in Westfield, "to get a better education," as Mother said. Russ was in the eighth grade and I was in the seventh. It must have been tough for both of us. I'm sure it was for me! We were farmers. We knew it, and the other boys knew it and didn't let us forget it. The principal stopped the only "near fight." That made me mad and I lit into him. After that they seemed to lay off pestering me. managed to get through that first year and passed into the eighth grade. Russell had his troubles, too. You asked, "How did we get back and forth to school?" We rode bikes in good weather and drove a horse in winter months. There was an old horse bam right north of the school yard. We got permission to hitch the horse there. In 1916, the next year, Russell dropped out to help out on the farm. I know why we didn't get killed. We left home in the morning at seven o'clock to East I don't Mountain. We loaded our two loads of logs after a fashion and drove to Southampton. Unload the logs. Load two loads of lumber and bring it home. Home around seven o'clock in the evening. The bam had to be ready in early faU for tobacco. I'm now in eighth grade. I rode bike fall months. Over to Gramp Higgins winter months. There was a one-horse school bus that picked up what kids there were in East Mountain at the time, probably six or eight. (There was no schoolhouse in that section then.) I rode the bus to the foot of Clay Hill, got out there, walked up the hill to Hill School, as that is where I had been going. The bus went to Abner Gibbs School. After school I walked back to North Elm Street to catch my bus. Things went a lot better this year for me. There was an attic, or loft, on the top floor. The principal let a few of us boys from out of town play basketball there noon hours. I had never had a chance to play with a basketball. This High School I went three months. Rode bike. No way in sight to get boarded in town for the winter. Father took sick — had worked too hard all year. I dropped out of school to keep things going. Russ had taken a job working for Uncle Herb Higgins. After Christmas work, Russell was back home from Higgins'. Russ said he was going to get work at the brickyard. I told him to get a job for me, too. He got back said he got a job. The boss said that I was too young, but I could come and give it a try. I — worked there all winter digging clay. It was was something! Come spring and baseball! They had a town my first job for money — fifty cents per hour. league for grade schools. I made the team, so I was late home from school about one day a 1918 When I was fifteen in 191 8, the Army Camp came to Westfield. Tent City, or Camp Bartlett week when we had a game to play. I was back — where the airport home from Grandfather's then, riding my now. Horses, mules and soldiers by the thousands!! Father lined up a few hundred horses to keep the manure cleaned away for the summer. Had to be there by eight o'clock and cleaned away by noon. bike. I finished is up eighth grade in fine shape! I stood third in class on graduation. The last two months of school, Mrs. Strong, our 26 �my set of eveners. He built a high box body on our best wagon, out. Only one time I broke and Dad and I pitched manure, two loads a day. One load we would unload at the IXiffey place (later the Townsend place), then we would bring the next load home. had to borrow a set from a nearby farm to get home. My dad was real mad. The man promised to get a new set made up for me and bring them over. My dad said, "You're crazy! He'll never do it!" But he did, and all was well. I Afternoons we tended to farm work. Russell had taken a job working at the Baggage 1919 Station that summer. When I was sixteen my father gave me a After fall and Christmas wreath work, I half-acre to grow tobacco, so I would have carted milk to Holyoke with horses. No roads some spending money. I was thrilled. It was best crop ever! Some years buyers came around early, before har- were kept open for cars or trucks those years. We had a long express wagon when the ground was bare. And a double bob-sled when snow was on the ground. I collected milk in Russellville: Clark's, Moores', Russells', Graves', and our own. In the Brickyard area: Goodwins', Campbells', and Franks'. I would leave at eight in the morning and get home at eight at night. One day in January I started out early with the wagon. I had gotten only half-way to Holyoke when is started snowing a Northeaster, they called it. I got there, unloaded my a good growing year — vest, to pick out farms with better tobacco. Well, thaf s what happened this year. Father sold for fifty cents a pound in the field, which was top price. Soon after we started cutting, the worst hailstorm ever hit us — ruined the crop. We had to take five cents a pound. After Christmas work was over, I carted milk again during the winter months. — 1920-1921 I think the tobacco did better this year. milk, loaded up my empties, and took off for Uncle Arthur, a trustee at the college, got me home. The horses knew the way no traffic so I got under the seat. It was snowing and blowing so hard, I could hardly see! I got across Route 10, coming toward the brickyard just before dark. Snow drifts were so deep the horses could barely drag the wagon. Just before Dolinskies' one horse fell down. They were just done in, so 1 unhitched them from the wagon. I had to hitch one horse to the other to get him up. I left the wagon and cans sitting there right in the middle of the road. I got on the best horse, leading the other, and came home. My dad was pretty mad because I didn't get the wagon home. It took us most of the next day to get the wagon dug out. enrolled in the Dairy Course at Mass Aggie — — for the winter. Requirements? Being eighteen years old and a high school graduate. Well, I was eighteen in three months. When I was asked where I attended high school, I told the truth: Westfield Got through with high marks. Lined up a job working for the state, testing cattle. I was on the farm that next summer. After Christmas work, I took a job testing cattle all winter. I bought a new Model T the basketball. spring (1922) for 625.00 dollars. On the farm Summer and fall of 1922, 1 was nineteen. In Mud Season late fall. Father had a good hired man. I got a — Mud season in the spring could be the caU from the state testing. Things seemed to be going fine until January. I was testing down in Marlboro. I got a caU from Mother worst. Slow going and terrible rough roads. In one way I liked it the best. High School! I had a great winter. Spent a lot of time in the gym playing A few of the Red Speed wagons and cars would try to make it from Holyoke to Westfield. But quite a few January 6. Father was bad. I got home the next day on a Saturday. Dad died the next day. So it was back to the farm for good. You asked about Norman. He had one more year of high got stuck in the mud. I would get a chance to earn a little spending money pulling them 27 �school. Then he was home. We kept the farm going for Mother until she remarried. Nor- man was with me one more year until Mother left. The Grange In 1923 we all joined the Grange — the best thing for all. We got out and met people; all three of us worked up through the offices and The best experience ever for farm Thaf s when, as you say, we started Master. boys! going out — always something going on. No one had money in those days to spend on entertainment and such. In the Grange we made our own. We had plays, minstrel shows, outings of all kinds in the summer. We had trips with two or three cars to the seashore. Riverside, the Mohawk Trail. CARS made this possible. All of a sudden everyone had cars, and that was the fad, to go places. Of course we had a new Grange Hall to build. We used the old schoolhouse on South Maple Street, a three room school. I worked Ralph Pomeroy, one winter taking out partitions, a large chimney in the center, ripping up flooring. In all fact, it was large brick shell Blandford Fox Hunt, 1926 when we started ting ice, chopping wood, digging potatoes, rebuilding from the bottom up. Mixed cement hoeing com and others; picking potato bugs by hand for the cellar. New floors, walls, and ceilings. I started in the fall with Harry Belden, ripping things out, then building. Then Bill Townsend helped plastering in spring months. Of course, I milked the cows night and morning. Enough on Grange! I could go off potatoes — didn't I like that (no sprays). After the World War they started coming out with better farm equipment, if you had the money to buy. if Sunday school at Wyben Chapel was a must Mother had her way. on. Hunting You asked about working a lot when young. You don't realize, in those days farm I went with brothers some, but I hunted more by myself. Russ and Norman went to fox hunts and hunted deer mostly. I started folks had to grow a family as well as crops to make a "go" of farming. Without young folks to help out, they would never make it. I knew of no farm in our neighborhood that was coon hunting with Dad at eight years old. I had coon dogs for two years: Reuben and Ted. VanDuzen poisoned them. We had no more coon dogs while Father lived. I had had just enough of it. I had to have a coon dog. So the first money I got together after Dad died, I went to Tennessee for a coon dog: Old Rock. I was never without a coon dog from then on until the last five years. During the 20's and 30's coon hides paid taxes at times when no other money was available. making a living farming without young folks to help out. begged my dad to learn to milk at eight years. From then on into everything. To harness a horse, I had to have a stool to stand I — on. I worked with horses for thirty-five years until we got our first tractor. All farm work at that time was mostly hard work. The same as our grandfathers did; cut- 28 �Later on I took up wildcat hunting, the most interesting of all. the promise we would pay for any damage, that was the beginning of the Church League: Training good hounds was my ambition. I had the best for many years, and sold many Southampton, Easthampton, Westhampton, and two or three teams from Northampton. That lasted two years; we then went to the Valley League. That lasted a number of years. We got in college boys from other towns Southampton, Easthampton and came up with good teams. After baseball in Southampton, I switched hounds for good money. Sports — Marion, to try and answer your question, I always liked sports, baseball probably first, from the time I could throw a ball. I remember my first "boughten" glove. It was a hard thing, not much better than the old mitten I'd been using. — to Westfield in the old Valley League, playing with the First Church team. We never did win the championship there but had a lot of fun. SoftbaU after that! After I got back from Amherst (spring of I took our horses and dumpcart to Southampton and, with the help of a number of ball players, drew clay for the first ballfield in Southampton. It was up just this side of where the school is now on Pomeroy Meadow Road. We lined up the base-paths, dug them out, and filled in with clay. We built a backstop and were in business. I played there many years, mostly on Sundays. Dad would let me take off if there was no hay to get in. Basketball in Southampton started about the same time. They had never had basketball there before. Stanley Howlett and 1 with a few others talked the town fathers into letting us 1921) Going out when young You don't get very far on foot, and thafs how it was until I got my Ford in 1922. Then was on wheels. I started, as I said, with Grange. Next came square dancing (First Church), the First, in Southampton. The first few times I would sit up in the old balcony and watch. I learned all the dancing by watching until I got up the nerve to ask anyone to dance. An older lady asked me if I would care to dance. That got me started. For the next you know we wore out a lot eight years of shoe leather!! I loved to dance! Well, Marion, thafs all for now. You can take over from here. You liked to dance, too! I — build shields or whatever to protect the win- dows in the old town hall for basketball. With 29 — �Deer Hunting in West Granville 1924-1934 I am thankful that I never shot a deer in famous madam from Holyoke can never be told. There was also another restaurant owner, whose name I can't recall, but whom I do not want to overlook. His restaurant was located near the comer of State and Main Streets in Springfield and called The Handy Lunch. No one will ever know of the gifts of West Granville. Herd control would not excuse the guilt feelings coming from killing one of these beautiful animals. As a matter of fact, there were not many deer In this area during the 1920s. Never- the-less, deer hunting brought me to the home of Charles and Mrs. Sheets, and these two people are the reason for my wishing to have the readers of Stonewalls know them through a bo/s eyes, and then reflecting on their lives as an older meals he gave to former customers who became jobless during the depression. His son became an attorney and hopefuUy will learn of this tribute to his dad. Then there were Mel and Mull, two characters from Holyoke, whose stories of hunting with their bird dog Nellie gave us many an interesting evening. For years I believed their tale of hand feeding ducks at Forest Park in Springfield. As the ducks came close, Mel or Mull would feed with one hand and grab the ducks neck with man. The first week of December was "Deer Week"; open season on both bucks and does. I never knew how the Sheets' farm became "the place to be" during that exciting seven days. I came there with my father. Lew Grid- known sportsman and state champion trapshooter. Other friends from the Springfield area were always with us. I ley, a well the other. Their graphic description of the "catch" seemed so simple that I wondered remember the ride, first to Westfield, then South wick and finally the long upgrade ride to the Granvilles. The Sheets farm was on a dead end road leading off from the Tolland Road which lead toward the Hubbard river. why we ever bought chicken when ducks were so easily available. Many years after I Usually there were from six to twelve men staying for all or part of the week. I'm certain now that the evenings of sociability and the home cooked food, not the promise of a deer, kept the men coming year after year. A few Bed time was seldom later than nine o'clock. The bed rooms were cold but never mind; we had three resources found in most country homes of that era. They were a feather bed, a quilted comforter and a names that I remember: George Rice, City "Thunder Jug" under the bed. Breakfast was on the table by six o'clock and it was food good for a long day in the woods: meat, potato, eggs, homemade bread, and homemade doughnuts. Then, as we were ready to leave, a generous lunch would be had the opportunity to test a wild duck's reaction and found it far quicker than the human hand. Treasurer of Springfield, Charles Vining from Longmeadow who was reputed to be an heir to the Absorbine fortvme, Eddie Olds from Southampton, whose talent for converting apple cider into something stronger was well known during this period of National Prohibition, and Bob Doolittle, who operated the Puritan restaurant on Winchester Square in Springfield. He owned one of the first automobiles in the city, a Knox, manufactured not far from his place of business. Sue Hobbs, ready. As for the hunting part of my recollections, I'm sure that I expected to see a deer over every stone wall and behind every juniper bush. Sadly, I never did, but I do remember enjoying the hike along the road past the Sheets' farm and leading toward Otis. Today my uncle whose story of association with the 30 �it must be a favorite ride for cross country several weeks I was their guest, but doubt if I every picked enough berries to make my visit worthwhile as an employee. A vehicles. Also, time has brought into true perspective enormous amount of preparation and granddaughter of the Sheets' often came to hard work that went into feeding and housing a dozen or more men. In those days there were no short cuts like store bought food or disposable dishes. How well I remember the meals, but I have no recollection of the after help with the picking. 1 remember her as a pretty teenager and a far better berry picker than I. Also, there was another girl named Leona who I recognize as the sister in the article on page 22 of the fall issue of Stone Walls. There was a visiting student minister the meal clean up duties. I know that Mr. Sheets helped in the house but he had bam chores to take care of, so the burden of after meal work mentioned in the same article. Some years ago I met a brother of the Sheets girl mentioned above. He had a camp in New Hampshire where I resided at the time. was mostly the responsibility of Mrs. Sheets. At that time I would estimate that she was more than sixty years old. I have always mar- All of us are now seniors and some are no longer with us. If at times during our lives we veled at her capacity for hard work. A final event marks the end of my association with Mr. and Mrs. Sheets and will indi- found ourselves working harder without complaining, then perhaps in our subcon- cate the compassionate side of their character. scious minds there was the example of this One summer, perhaps 1933 or 1934, I was kindly couple. without work and I asked Mrs. Sheets if I could come and stay and pick blueberries for my board and room. They agreed and for Kenneth C. Gridley Little River, So. Carolina Iggs for Barred Plymouth Rocks. — Pure blood, selected stock not inbred. Eggs carefully attended to. 50 cents per sitting. This is one- half price charged by fanciers. 31 �Family Values By David Pierce When people ask me why I like trains, often a Model A Ford as Carl would travel to meet just stare blankly, not for lack of an answer, the boys when the pusher was taken off out- but because so many feelings and memories come flooding in that I find it very hard to sort; to say what one thing triggered my en- side his store. during interest in this particular form of ence? How could you not be enamored of these beasts when such close encounters were part of your everyday exist- transport. It;s almost a family tradition, positively Pavlovian; love of the railroad Carl Pierce met his death at the age of 60 as right outside his store when he was struck by close to genetic among the Pierce family as a train during a blizzard on Feb. 8, 1945. Ad- can be achieved in the natural course of ding to the irony was the fact that his things. daughter, Janet was riding that very train, is My great-grandfather Carlton, died a scheduled to stop in Pittsfield, returning home from Wheaton College. These events, however, did not seem to diminish the inter- peaceful death at the age of 83 in the foyer to his back porch on his way to watch the pas- Clerk, and his son-in-law. He never made it, and love of the raiboad among his children and succeeding generations. To the contrary, his was an heroic exit; unloading the as Nelson had reported not seeing him at his mail during a raging snowstorm; a vital link post that evening. in the solemn duties of the U. S. Post Office. My grandfather, Carl Pierce, ran a coal and feed outlet across the tracks from his father's Three workers on the tracks in Hinsdale that night had in fact been struck by the offschedule passenger train. Yet, to this day I can't imagine a member of the family not pointing out the passage of a train to a child. The first photo, while staged (the boys didn't really hand-shovel carloads of coal) sage of train 40, as he did each evening to est in wave at Nelson Earle, Railway Post Office home in Hinsdale where trains were a large part of the daily routine of business. Coal and bulk grains arrived by rail, as well as postal cars, which Carl held the contract for loading and unloading. Of course, Carl knew all the trainmen, and when he had his sons, Wadsworth, later to be my father, and Dough in Pittsfield to help him load supplies, he would arrange for them to hitch a ride on a pusher engine to Hinsdale, where they would stand in awe on the swaying deck of the en- shows a lot of the time. Besides the now-gone array of railroad structures in the background, the leather aviator helmets and the on the coal pile at left,show these lads were also enthusiastic about a flights jackets mode of travel new to the scene, the gine cab, surveying a dizzying array of valves aeroplane. While we spent a lot of time watch- and gauges as the fireman labored to shovel ing trains, I don't recall my father ever taking nearly a ton of coal through the 'butterfly me to an airport to watch planes. doors' during the six-mile climb up the The next generational recording of involvement with the railroad is in the West mountain shoving hard on the rear of a wooden caboose. The pushers would come Springfield yards in 1953. This one is of me. & The locomotive has been condemned to Albany profile. The ride took about 30 minutes, the same amoimt of time needed to scrap, evidenced by the missing headlight, as off in Hinsdale, near the top of the Boston had thousands of sisters nationwide during this period. As the decline of steam began to ply the roads of the day (15 mins. in 1992) in 32 �33 �creep into my father's consciousness during these busy years of starting a family, he wanted to seek out the last of this disappearing breed. He hoped to have me experience day. the magic of these wondrous machines, but haven't developed a technique to get cab rides, but we always note the passage of trains, hi this instance, about 4 years ago, my cousin Steve, and his son Tom, exuberantly hailed the presence of Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited just west of Boulard's Crossing bridge which marks the highest point (1495 ft.) on the B&A line. This is also in Hinsdale, Now, while I have no children of my ov^, there are occasions when I find myself track- side with a member of the 'next' generation. I the magic had been drained away with the last of the boiler water, and final dumping of ashes. I found plenty to fascinate me, however, out on the mainline, as the newly ac- quired and elegantly painted streamlined trains raced by. These 'new' diesels are now as much objects of wistful nostalgia as their steam ancestors, having been replaced 25 years ago with today's boxy-looking locomotives. Ehiring this period, my father, as had his about three miles from the former location of Carl A. Pierce & Sons fuel and feed company. Tom's excitement when he sees a train leads me to believe he'll be watching them for many years into the future, no matter what technological changes my take place in the mean- father before him, would arrange cab rides for me. Using in these instances his press card rather than business contacts to elicit the hoped-for engineer's-eye-view, he has written many pieces sympathetic to the railroads over the years. A 1955 trip dow the New Haven Railroad's 'inland route' from time. Unlike many families with a rich lineage of railroaders, we've not a one; it's perhaps because of the disassociation that we've always Springfield to Grand Central Station in New been fans. York City began a series of father-son train trips 'just for the ride' which continues to this 34 �Once again we delve into the files of Wadsworth R. Pierce of Hinsdale, for this 1967 Springfield Republican account: Hinsdale Gold Rush for although Sutphen admitted being part of Hoax Of 1897 Kept Coirnty Agog a hoax, most evidence indicates he profited little by the maneuver. It was through his For 2 Hectic Years — HINSDALE This central Berkshire community has had more than its share of strange occurrences during its up-down-and-up again history, but none more melodramatic, unbelievable and still mysterious than the "gold rush," which started out with rumors and whispers in 1896. It exploded into full bloom the following year with the organization of a gold mining company, the sale of $30,000 worth of stock, the construction of mining buildings and the installation of machinery. Hundreds of people, including generally-suspicious newsmen, were among those who lost their insistence, however, that the golden ball kept rolling for so long. Other participants who were in on the ground floor include an apparently wealthy couple from Springfield, Mr. and Mrs. George H. Page, and an itinerant oil man named Davis, who was known in Hinsdale as "Rattlesnake Bill." Page, who was apparently a victim of the elaborate scheme rather than a perpetrator, went on to become president of the Alpha Mining Co., which set up operations on the property of the late George M. French on East Washington Rd. Buildings were constructed, machinery installed and $30,000 worth of stock was sold at $5 a share. About the time the actual mining began, Sutphen, who had fled from town, made his last-minute confes- savings. Amazingly enough, the company's "boom" lasted more than two years on sheer promises. None of the stockholders ever received a dividend. A few oldtimers, still sion. living in the area, recall the excitement, but Public confidence in the operation remained unshakable during the first quarter of 1899, for on March 16 of that year the old Pittsfield Sun referred to the mine as "a siire, safe and thorough business project with suf- are vague on details. Their versions of what happened conflict somewhat. A definite hoax was perpetrated, but the records, old newspapers along with word of mouth reports, differ regarding the identity of ficient stock to the gmlty parties and their degree of involve- enable the management to erect a large well-constructed building." ment. It is a matter of record, however, that all but two or three persons involved were sin- A letter to the editor of that newspaper about the same time says that eight tons of material was put through the test plant of Prof. Sutphen of Glens Falls, N.Y., and that George H. Page, president of the Alpha Min- who poured out everything they owned, certain their money would be cere residents multiplied many times. The lid was slammed shut on the "gold mining project" in 1900 with the dramatic death-bed confession of Prof. John E. Sutphen of Glens Falls, N.Y., one of the principals. when the tests were made. "The Alpha Mining Co. has unhmited ing Co., was present quantities of this material, thus guaranteeing Sutphen, who made many gold assays, admitted at the end of his life that his estimates were false. His assays ranged from $15 to $100 worth of gold and even some silver in each ton of ore. absolute and long-continued success to the project and satisfaction to the fortunate stock- holders." 'This writer has had the pleasure to see with his own eyes and handle with his own An unsolved mystery remains, however. 35 �up a rock, which the Prof, assayed conservatively at $40 a ton, so a company was formed hands the beautiful samples of gold and silver which Mr. Page brought back from Glens Falls. The management is earnest and confident." The letter, printed on the paper's editorial page, was signed "A Well Wisher" Soon after Sutphen's death-bed confession that he was part of a hoax, the bitter stockholders disbanded, the company folded and to mine it." Entering the gold rush spirit, a Sunday Morning Call reporter wrote of the Hinsdale gold fields, "You are shown lumps of rock so rich you might walk away with a fortune in your pockets. When you 'wash' your hands in the sand they become gold plated." At the Berkshire Athenaeum there is a letter from Prof. WV. Crosby of Massachusetts Institute of Technology dated as early as Feb. 28, 1898, which exposed the whole operation as worthless. Crosby said that a sample he had examined contained no gold and was probably "of no economic interest." This letter was the land was sold for taxes. Word of gold in Hinsdale began as early as 1896, for in a bulletin of the U.S. Geological Survey, an item dated Aug. 15, 1896 stated: "George M. French has a number of men excavating on his gold find preparatory to final exanunation by Prof. Southpen of Albany. (Southpen is an apparent misspelling of Sutphen.) Mr. French still has hopes and flatter- apparently not circulated. The boom continued until after the turn of the century, and for two years farmers forgot to farm, believing their east pastures rested on 24 karat mine fields and gold bearing sand lay ing offers as well." According to a report from The Berkshire "Near the Alpha Mine a Brooklyn lady owns a 100 acre farm, which also had a stream. After the professor's assay, she formed the River Bend Mining Company and was said to have turned down an offer of Traveller, in their barnyards. Although Prof. Sutphen died just before the operation crumbled. Rattlesnake Bill and Mr. and Mrs. Page just disappeared. There are no $100,000 for it. Her property was so highly regarded that even the canny West Pittsfield written accounts of where the Pages went from Hinsdale, but it appears they put all their money into the mines. About 30 years Shakers invested $6,000 in the project." Oldtimers also recall that there were diggings about the same time on Tully Mountain Rd. between Hinsdale and Pittsfield - venture later a resident contacted the Pages in New Mexico. which Rattlesnake Bill set up and which at- Most Hinsdale residents today are vaguely aware that the community was once the scene of a gold rush, and only a few oldtimers have any idea what part of the community was tracted many investors. There too, a building was started before the truth was known. The Berkshire Traveller account of what happened is - 'Tage organized the Hinsdale Mining and Milling Company, brought in the mysterious Professor Sutphen, and named Rattlesnake Bill as mine superintendent and promoter To bolster the gold rush when interest seemed to flag, he called on a kind of off-stage voice he identified as 'California Jack O'Brien, a world famous authority.' His Hinsdale lode was called the Alpha Mine, and profits of $1,000 a day were predicted from involved. Despite the fact it is rough walking from the road into the mine shaft, 82-year-old Munroe F. Watkins, who has lived in Hinsdale since he was three, accompanied this reporter through brush and trees and over fences to the Alpha remains. In its heyday the mining firm constructed a large "L" shaped frame refining building near the shaft behind the nowboarded up French home. The terrain was then an open meadow, Watkins recalled, but it has since been reclaimed by the forest. Trees the workings. "All at once, people began finding gold on every side. Prof. Sutphen assayed it for them, quoting impressive figures. A Pittsfield native, while fishing in a brook in Peru, picked nearly a foot thick grow inside the stone foimdations. These stones and bits of rusted machinery hide the evidence of a most 36 �Bill and Prof. Sutphen are as familiar to him elaborate confidence game. Watkins and other residents nearby say as Babe Ruth. He says that Sutphen collected there truly is a trace of gold on the land; in fact money from the operation, but he feels the Pages were honest victims. Another veteran Hinsdale native is William Doherty, who will be 80 in July and now lives shiny flecks can readily be seen in the sunshine. Appraisals made since Alpha collapsed, however, reveal there is only about $3 or $4 worth in a ton of ore, a figure that would not cover the cost of mining and refining. its at 39 Fairfield St., Pittsfield. He particularly recalls the Tully Moimtain mining operation because that was near his home which was then on Hinsdale's Curtis St. He, too, recalls the names of the principals, the excitement of it all, but is somewhat vague on the details. Watkins, who has been a dairy farmer most of his life, was about 12 or 14 years old during the get-rich-quick years, but he vividly recalls the excitement. The names Page, Rattlesnake The foundation of the Alpha Mining Co. 37 �MOLTENBREY'S MARKET Serving the people of Huntington for over 35 years DARRYL PISK, Prop. HUNTINGTON Handmade Dolls and Gifts Buffington Hill Road Worthington, HARDWARE MA 01098 Florence Chamberlin (413) 238-5548 East Main St., Huntington, MA 01050 667-5531 Quality Hardware. Electrical & Plumbmg Supplies Sacrete Products, Glass, Lawn & Garden Products carpentry ^B^BI ^^^^^^^^^ CilRQUEST woodworking remodeling A Dwtrtbuiocof IISXFARMA Ron Birrell (41 3) 238-4433 GATEWAY —AUTO PARTS— "More Than Just An Auto Parts Store" ROUTE 20, HUNTiNGTON, MA 01050 Huntington Road South Worthington, MA WESTFIELD PHARMACY Prescriptions Convalescent Medical Equipment Tel. 562-4411 65 Franldin Street • Westfield, Mass. Call Toll Free (41 3) 667-31 01 1 -800-992-1 054 Proudly serving the Hilltowns for over 20 years. �Proprietors: Art Muller and Janice Haywood Comers Grocery Bradford P. Fisk, Inc. Suppliers of food, drink and friendship for over 20 years at the Four Comers Worthington, MA 01098 413-238-5531 Middlefield General Store SkyUne Trail, Middlefield, MA 01243 Groceries • Beer & Wine • Lottery Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - Cones Blue Seal Grains & Pet Foods Video & Nintendo Rentals A Little Bit of Everything AND A Friendly Smile! ... The Bantam Rooster Wolcott Kealty OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - 6 am to 9 pm Serving Breakfast All Dayl LUNCH & DINNER TOWN AND COUNTRY PROPERTY APPRAISALS and BUSINESS PROPERTY Homemade Soups Luncheon Specials Desserts • Beer • Wine Catering for All Occasions 'Uptown Cuisine at Hilltown Prices' North Road., Westfield, 413 / 562-4778 MA 01085 Route 20, Huntington • 667-8806 �For the most in personal computing Dr. Mark Birrell Dr. Herbert Fischer 179 First Street Pittsf ield, 138 Memorial Avenue West Springfield, MA 01089 Century Village MA 413-736-2112 Tel. 442-4864 John J. O'Leary, Broker WEST'MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY MA 01011 Main Street, Chester, 413-354-9688 • 1-800-649-1021 Insurance for Your HOME • BUSINESS • AUTO* FARM VACATION PROPERTY LIFE • LONG TERM CARE • ANNUITIES 'Tour Local Hilltown Insurance Agency" 413 / 848-2076 - Residence �— Editorial Board — Barbara Brainerd Natalie Birrell Harry Bishop Helena Duris William S. Hart Ellie Lazarus Louise Mason Doris Wackerbarth Grace Wheeler — Friends — Mr. & Mrs. Philip Ives Mrs. Carl Knittle Mr. & Mrs. Donald Ives Barbara Bush Edna Hart May Anderson Anna Rheaume Mr. & Mrs. James Gilman Frank Andras Gustave Suhm Eleanor Tortolani Alta Crowley �"Building a stone wall seems to he a craft reserved for the rare artist who can place the right stone atop another and have them stand forever." Charles McRaven, "Building with Stone" — STONE WALLS NON PROHT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE Box 85 Huntington, Massachusetts 01050 Vol. 19 No. 3 PAID Huntington, MA 01050 Permit #1 Winter '92-' 93 Mrs. Dorothy M. Miller 15 North Rd. � Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. local history articles, 1992 Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Magazine Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-023 Title A name given to the resource Stone Walls magazine, fall 1992 Description An account of the resource Stone Walls Magazine, Fall 1992. Contents include Genesis of Woronoco by Doris H. Wackerbarth A Town is Born by Doris Hayden & Jean York Rhythm of the Road by Barbara Brainerd The Granville Public Library by Wilhelmina Tryon 1903 More from the Journal of Rev. Hutchinson Oldtime Westfield Verse The Family Trolley Ride by Gordon Hawkins Growing Up on a Farm by Ralph Pomeroy Deer Hunting in West by Granville Kenneth Gridley Family Values by David Pierce Hinsdale Gold Rush by Wadsworth Pierce Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource digitized version of stapled magazine Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stone Walls Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource fall 1992 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Stone Walls magazine Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-02 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. digital archives Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Massachusetts - Other Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-03-02 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/c3f70b88684c79f4f857499c4d87d9d9.pdf 32b41f2bacc29c153129c2d4a7897df3 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Obituaries Description An account of the resource Death notices and obituaries for Worthington residents. Usually scans of newspaper clippings. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Susan T. Rice obituary Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Clipping Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-022 Title A name given to the resource Susan Tracy Rice obituary, 1937 Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Obituary for Susan Tracy Rice (1869-1937). Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource scan of news clipping Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1937-08 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Springfield Union Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-02 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Worthington Corners Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-03-02 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/a0d4d53cf03051941f25a7371623910e.pdf 4ba19561c77ac909bd5aa78df1a25ff0 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Obituaries Description An account of the resource Death notices and obituaries for Worthington residents. Usually scans of newspaper clippings. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. obituary for Hattie Blackman Capen Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Clipping Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-021 Title A name given to the resource Hattie Capen obituary, 1950 Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Obituary for Hattie Blackman Capen (Mrs. Granville) (1859-1950). Mother of Arthur Capen. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource scanned newspaper clipping Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1950-08-12 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Springfield Union Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-01 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Worthington Corners Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-03-02 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/e84c0261658bb947fc95bbb309a8f24e.jpg 9193c9b502ea87a0b30250ed7a91b253 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Obituaries Description An account of the resource Death notices and obituaries for Worthington residents. Usually scans of newspaper clippings. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. obituary for Bessie Ames Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Clipping Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-020 Title A name given to the resource Bessie Smith obituary 1969 Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Obituary for Bessie Jones Smith (Mrs. Walter), 1879-1969. Lifelong Worthington resident Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource scanned newspaper clipping Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1969 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Hampshire Gazette Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-03-02 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-0302 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/6c3642c94ce06fd3310ca690ea15b4be.pdf cd509de5ebd755a6ab9ca4c050270a94 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Obituaries Description An account of the resource Death notices and obituaries for Worthington residents. Usually scans of newspaper clippings. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. obituary for Hannah Seely Rice Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Clipping Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-019 Title A name given to the resource Hannah Seely Rice obituary, 1911 Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Obituary for Hannah Seely Rice (1835-1911) (Mrs. William Gorham Rice), mother of Katherine McDowell Rice, Susan Tracy Rice, Josephine Rice Creelman, and William G. Rice, Jr. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newspaper clipping Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available unknown Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-29 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Worthington Corners Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-02-29 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/5caf4decbc0de7be4a5eab712efbda4c.tif 126bcb33a33e46d6f875c3ace9a7d179 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Still Image - Black and White Photograph Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-018 Title A name given to the resource Frank E. Ladd Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Formal portrait of Frank E. Ladd (1859-1916), who donated the clock for the new church in 1888. He was married to Etta Stevens (1858-1925). Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource cabinet card on grey cardboard, image is glossy, 4" x 5" Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Chauncy Moore Studio, Springfield, MA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1900 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available unknown Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-28 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 3b Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-02-28 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/e904eafb97f1ed816d0aae4050165de7.tif e96570864182d96ed8ffaa65b0b2e359 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bartlett family materials Description An account of the resource Photographs and documents taken/collated by Helen Magargal, Elsie V. Bartlett and other members of the Bartlett depicting family life. Abstract A summary of the resource. Series of photographs taken, mainly in the 1940's to the 1960's depicting family life. Many photographs taken near Worthington Corners. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Helen Magargal Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Helen Magargal Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Worthington Historical Society Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940-1970 Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2002 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Invitation to Medal of Honor award ceremony for Samuel E. Eddy Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document - Paper, Single Sheet Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-017 Title A name given to the resource Pvt. Samuel E. Eddy commemoration letter, 1982 Subject The topic of the resource Historic Event Description An account of the resource Letter addressed to Sarah and Rob Bartlett from Dorothy E. Beebe, inviting them to a celebration of the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Samuel E. Eddy (the only "Hampshire County" recipient of this honor as of 1982. Sarah Lane Bartlett's grandfather. In envelope with W. Chesterfield, MA postmark. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 8.5" x 11" on parchment-like paper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Samuel E. Eddy Medal of Honor Commemoration Committee Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1982-03-15 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Bartlett family Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-28 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 3b Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-02-28 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/e843eca6169317a6220d243ea8a93901.tif 8bc265e55b7f98067a023259478e61e9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bartlett family materials Description An account of the resource Photographs and documents taken/collated by Helen Magargal, Elsie V. Bartlett and other members of the Bartlett depicting family life. Abstract A summary of the resource. Series of photographs taken, mainly in the 1940's to the 1960's depicting family life. Many photographs taken near Worthington Corners. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Helen Magargal Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Helen Magargal Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Worthington Historical Society Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940-1970 Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2002 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-016 Title A name given to the resource Guy Bartlett Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Black and white snapshot of Guy Bartlett (1882-1970) walking in front of house. Car in background. Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 3" x 5" glossy snapshot Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1950? Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Bartlett family Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-28 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 3b Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Worthington Corners Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-02-28 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/71363869057d5a178b143217b867f4fd.tif 069445ca6bbe141877f3b4c99dcd5298 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/4c9678674b81555b01cf03389d76fd19.tif 902352e6e8a9b8d8a466cc436b5284fe https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/a3c4b1a7eb5d7f80659e9aa6b76c565f.tif 25acae64b3a255df4cac1d4fdecd831f https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/709ec9c3d2a0063e6028abce58092042.tif a42467f11a1542273de63678606b0288 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/4053461fdb2ea5acdf0ac1bb77c8aee4.tif 2a4fd8666bb4b9d4688bc0f7c72ecfae Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bartlett family materials Description An account of the resource Photographs and documents taken/collated by Helen Magargal, Elsie V. Bartlett and other members of the Bartlett depicting family life. Abstract A summary of the resource. Series of photographs taken, mainly in the 1940's to the 1960's depicting family life. Many photographs taken near Worthington Corners. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Helen Magargal Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Helen Magargal Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Worthington Historical Society Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940-1970 Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2002 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Still Image - Black and White Photograph Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-015 Title A name given to the resource Bob (Robert Eugene) and Dick (Richard A.) Bartlett photographed during childhood Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Five glossy snapshots showing Bob and Dick Bartlett during their childhood, circa 1940. They were the children of Robert T. and Sarah Lane Bartlett and lived at the Spruces at Worthington Corners where several of these photos appear to have been taken. Robert Eugene Bartlett (1936-2022), Richard A. Bartlett (b. 1938) Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource five snapshots of different sizes, smallest: 1.5" x 2.5", largest 4" x 6" Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource One dated 1943, others undated but around same time Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Sarah Bartlett Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-28 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 3b Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Worthington Corners Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-02-28 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/238d99c52c57d3b6226ef58ba9f17277.tif 31215e67604dc28e7bc1e7c9d444a373 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Still Image - Black and White Photograph Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-014 Title A name given to the resource Cephas Thayer Subject The topic of the resource People Description An account of the resource Sepia photo on stiff paper showing Cepas Thayer in bowler hat standing in front of wagon dressed in decorative clothing Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource sepia toned, 2.5" x 3" Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Harry Bates Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-28 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 3b Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-02-28 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/a7b241541be34fbfb9e06c67ef26b339.jpg e8e75ee68fe25ea22c5d7d2777af188f Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document - Paper, Single Sheet Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image. digitized image, size unknown Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-013 Title A name given to the resource Hayden & Son bill for clipper sled, 1884 Subject The topic of the resource Businesses and Stores Description An account of the resource Digital copy of paid invoice dated Dec 1884 from Hayden and Son, Ringville, for clipper sleds purchased by Cutler Plympton & Co. in Northampton. 4 #2 sleds cost $3.00, 2 #1 sleds cost $183. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital copy of standard form Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hayden & Son Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Dec. 1884 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available D. Brenner scanned from eBay site Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-25 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Ringville Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. db created item 2024-02-25 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/94b04561d21edbe340345c6300310ebd.tif 8fc664722e1f1f38281c558ab70a088a Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Letter to the editor Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Clipping Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-012 Title A name given to the resource Bicentennial committee 'Letter to Seeker' in Hampshire Gazette. Subject The topic of the resource Historic Event Description An account of the resource Letter to editor of Hampshire Gazette August 1, 1968 address complaint about Worthington Bi-Centennial finances. Signed by Alice Whittaker (1911-2001), Howard Pease (b. 1906), Henry H. Snyder (1895-1986) and Fred C. Emerson (b. 1914) Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newspaper clipping Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bicentennial committee Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-08-01 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Hampshire Gazette Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-25 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. digital archive Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Electronic Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - other unspecified Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. jd-2024 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/d39829438b6405d15bd972b4bbf14cb4.tif e11c2d3772885d9f52884c5590ed842e https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/5860580b1ec0b93f60329658e2eb280d.tif 224e974332e9dd848c2cc662016f1a75 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/905ae3097e990b964d8d6fb25b4bfa3d.tif 9c415a6e8ef05a2f17c129037aa411a7 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Musical notation of hymns Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Book - Sewn Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image. 4.25" x 8" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-011 Title A name given to the resource Fanny Crowel's 'Treble Notes' musical notebook Subject The topic of the resource Manuscript, typed document Description An account of the resource Musical notation notebook with hymns notated by Fanny Crowel of West Brookfield (1790-1863) Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 4.25" x 8" paper bound multi-page notebook Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fanny Crowel Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1810 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Paul Strasburg Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-25 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 42 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - South Worthington Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. jd-2024 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/8f0d2c19d35e6430f9b2ed08cfdd1c00.tif 18c027075eca3f610e72b2727f419dee https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/a37b35321ae4664d842f5dc45954e7bd.tif 6422dbac80382a747d4aa4a818d4b26f https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/473c223f4c12da31bc472dcf58563523.tif d155fb54747dc6f8cf4c676acc00b095 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/79370c6d27b317c455e05dd7a4781a47.tif 6e09a6e367ce4269d47eb64c5e27aee9 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Musical notation of hymns Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Book - Sewn Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image. 4.5" x 8.5" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-010 Title A name given to the resource Rufus Leonard's collection of musical notebooks circa 1820s-30s Subject The topic of the resource Manuscript, typed document Description An account of the resource Musical notation notebooks with hymns belonging to Rufus Leonard (1775-1853). One handwritten. One printed. Found at 175 Patterson Rd. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 4.5" x 8.5" paper bound multi-page notebooks Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rufus Leonard Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1820-30 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Paul Strasburg Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-25 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 42 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - South Worthington Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. jd-2024 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/df316a7c89f46a6cfd50dd26f965a285.tif ecd4265697f90d7b967a6ecd90f78730 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/f752957286987fcd1f8848045f63a106.tif adb32fdd76726c16ca898e8a08697f16 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/e9e206a6e06f44f8ad5116393b862dc8.tif e1a0b534431561ecb6006933fffa89b6 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/809bcb2af6db59aaac5b4c9a83c819bd.tif e2ca1d47e538d00da78a0a22d3344433 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/35a68b02cebcd9520758576bbdb1f91f.tif 3296a69830ef9a34711bf48698d8458f https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/9615a2c462f5f92a3bbf37409fdb2959.tif e0131c05b9b9e7344ce535084c74b314 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/6ae34272b5163222a6914166be0fd2d5.tif f27727e706558aa362453a095dda00d6 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/379664ae83874419a30871fad2fd137f.tif 6282cf147bb511c89cc30e0f4243d205 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/db08dedb2e0f80ce9b8118f77b6b687e.tif 949ee8659547e152afd9e5d032ae8acf https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/5d2ab849f7ddb4965587aba330b0ce18.tif 0d4991eb85e8920929c153f3cb5cf186 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/3985bce23053e4e98b768ba7f1b86738.tif cf18badb805b16243332537375aa9727 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/a1c93f8f7f1d907432d89cc40f729c80.tif 43517de17449336e044581dd443b1d16 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/9281c7e7d82795621b7c365f43793a99.tif 4b28be6e8f95999fb38f285b61197165 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/45480948934ebb98459353135693d565.tif c7d92403855d84eb62edba50c119e891 https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/7e2c7ac2ce0e56dce6b551501c0f62ac.tif f32e7df790737f8665e9c7cc4b0f53aa https://worthingtonhistoricalsociety.org/omeka/files/original/4804d19d7286e7a5fe04c4d6705b1215.tif 1f1fcf834de733c90856d0e77c4343cc Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Lafayette Lodge advertisement Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document - Multiple Sheets Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image. 4" x 6" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2024-009 Title A name given to the resource Lafayette Lodge advertising brochure Subject The topic of the resource Hotels, Taverns, Inns Description An account of the resource Sepia colored brochure advertising the Lafayette Lodge, proprietors Mr. and Mrs Clinton F. Read. Touts the location and amenities and shows various rooms and nearby attractions. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 4" x 6" 12 page sepia brochure bound with string Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Read Hotel Company Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1929 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Read Hotel Company Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. 2024-02-25 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Box 05 Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Paper Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worthington - Worthington Corners Mediator An entity that mediates access to the resource and for whom the resource is intended or useful. In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver. jd-2024