100 Years Ago in Suffield

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Selected from the pages of the Windsor Locks Journal and lightly annotated by Wendy Taylor of Kent Memorial Library.

July 4

The past week has been excellent growing weather for the crops and tobacco, especially, has made rapid growth…At the farm of W. S. Pinney in South Street records of growth have been kept and during the past week some of the shade-grown plants have grown 21 inches… 

A horse belonging to Spencer Bros. showed symptoms of glanders last week and the cattle commissioner’s office was immediately notified. A veterinarian was sent…, the suspected horse was tested, and as it showed unmistakable symptoms of the disease was killed at once. All other horses in the stable were tested and found to be free from the disease. The cattle commissioner has ordered all the public watering troughs in this town closed and it is not expected that any more cases will appear.

Edwin L. Humason celebrated his 78th birthday last Sunday by having his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at his home on Blossom Street for a family picnic.

July 25

The four days’ carnival under the auspices of the St. Stanislaw Kostki Society connected with St. Joseph’s Polish church…opened Sunday.

The new voting machines, which the selectmen were instructed to buy at the town meeting in March, have arrived.

July 11

The Suffield Chautauqua will be held this year July 15 to 19. There has been a good sale of tickets and a very attractive program is offered.

The West Suffield branch of the Kent Memorial Library will be open Monday and Thursday evenings.

August 15

The work of harvesting the tobacco crop is well under way… The crop as a whole this year is rather better than the average.

Some three months ago on my return from France and the world’s war, I was asked to tell some of my experiences, which I did and in that brief talk I tried to formulate the idea among the people of Suffield that the boys who were coming back were not the type of boys that went over. That we owed them more than a nod of the head or the simple shake of the hand.

August 22

This year has been a favorable one for the berry crop…The best record reported is that of Nellie Doughney, 5 years old, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Doughney, who picked five quarts in an hour.

August 29

The large stock barn at the home of Edward A. Fuller on North Main Street was struck by lightning during the storm Sunday evening and the building and its contents were destroyed by fire, causing a cost of at least $5,000. . . . The fire truck arrived on the scene shortly after the alarm was telephoned in… The barn contained the season’s crop of hay and all the farming tools, wagons, etc., used on the farm, tobacco bed sash, carriages, harnesses and many other articles, all of which were destroyed…Through the generosity of Miss Antoinette Pierson Granger of Conandaigua, N. Y., Kent Memorial library has come into possession of a very fine photograph of the late Gideon Granger, the first postmaster-general of the United States. Mr. Granger was a resident of this town and received his appointment from Thomas Jefferson…

In recognition of prompt and efficient work on the part of the firemen, E. A. Fuller has sent to the department a check for $100. [$1,354.98 today] 

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