100 Years Ago in Suffield

November 4

The adjourned meeting of the Village of Suffield to see what action would be taken on the petition for a sidewalk from Spencer’s corner to the Third Baptist church, was held at Union hall… The meeting voted unanimously to build a sidewalk.

There was considerable excitement in some sections of the town Monday evening, in celebration of Hallowe’en. Not much damage was done in any section, but the boys were a little noisy. In Mapleton someone placed grease on the trolley tracks on the hill near the switch, which did not help in climbing the hill.

A Hallowe’en masquerade party was given…at Mapleton hall, by the young people of the Suffield grange. A general social time was enjoyed.

Frank Briggs, aged 54 years, was nearly cut in two by a circular saw Monday, at his home in this place, and died about half an hour after the accident. Mr. Briggs was sawing wood at his home here and while feeding the wood to the saw, he slipped on a round stick of wood and fell against the saw, nearly severing his left arm. The shock threw him around and he again fell backwards, the saw striking his hip, cutting through the hipbone and into the body.

Mr. Briggs was born in Indian Orchard, Mass., and had lived in West Suffield for the past thirty years, where he had been an enterprising farmer, being successful in the dairy as well as the tobacco business. He was a member of the West Suffield Farmers’ Club.

The pupils of the eighth grade at the Center school entertained the seventh grade pupils at a Hallowe’en party last Thursday evening at the schoolhouse. Nearly all present were in costume and much merriment was provoked in trying to guess the identity of each.

November 11

The trolley cars were held up for a couple of hours this morning by a broken wire. Fortunately most of the regular patrons were celebrating the holiday and were not looking for transportation.

Two or three cases of scarlet fever have been reported to the health officer this week, one in Mapleton and one on North Main street. Every precaution has been taken and there is no fear of an epidemic.

November 18

The residence of John Davis, nearly opposite the Hendee place in Mapleton, was totally destroyed by fire early Sunday morning. Mrs. Davis was awakened about 3.30 o’clock by the smoke which filled the house and she immediately awakened the other members of the family and the children escaped in their nightclothes, only two having opportunity to get other apparel. Mr. Davis went out but returned for a box of valuable papers in the second story, but before he could return the fire had gained such headway that he was obliged to break a window and get out of the second story, cutting his arm badly by the broken glass.

Maggie Briggs, aged 63 years, widow of Frank Briggs, who was killed two weeks ago by falling on the blade of a buzz saw, died Sunday morning at her home on North Grand street of pneumonia and the shock of her husband’s death. Mrs. Briggs was born in County Down, Ireland, January 31, 1858. She came to this country when young. .

November 25

A number of the tobacco growers in this town and surrounding towns have unpaid hail losses on their tobacco in a New York company, and several from this place attended a hearing before the New York insurance commissioner this week…The company had not paid the claims, which are now more than 90 days old.