Historical/Architectural Tour:
Our Second Annual Tour will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2008. Advance tickets can be purchased (see order form on last page). The tickets are $20. per person. We would appreciate having a list of each person in your group, so your tickets can be made out properly. All tickets will be held at the Historical Society Museum at 88 River Road, Cherryfield – you just need to sign in and start your tour. All sites will be numbered for convenience.
This year’s highlights will be:
Alexander Campbell House – guided tours (John Brace)
Ricker Blacksmith Shop – demonstrations by George Brace
Charles Nickels House – guided tour (Roberta Bayrd)
Jewett/Hamilton House – guided tour (family)
Adams House – guided tour (Winhams)
Congregational Church
Baptist Church – return engagement
Burbank/Freemen/Campbell House – guided tours (Royal Montana) – return engagement
Historical Society Museum
Others may be added, and will be included with the official tour guide which you will receive with your tickets.
A Note from the President:
Hello…my name is Kathy Upton, and I would like to introduce myself to you. I have lived all my life in Cherryfield. My interest in local history and genealogy was fostered by my mother, Margery Brown. We spent many happy hours working on Cherryfield history and researching our own genealogies.
I know many of you live “away”, but I would like to have you all involved with the society. We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think about our newsletters. We can only make them better with your input. If you have a story or family information you would like to share, please send it to us. We are always looking for articles to put into the newsletters. Send us inquiries and we will put them in. You never know who will have what you are searching for!
Between all of us, we have a huge collection of research material. I am looking for people who are willing to do lookups for others. You will find a list of what I have below. Just make a list of what you have and how we can contact you. Happy hunting …
My Research Materials
Vital Records for the following:
Northport, ME
Vinalhaven, ME
North Haven, ME
Hope, ME
Lamson & Tibbetts books:
Narraguagus River Families
Pleasant River Families
Jonesborough Families
Family Histories:
Lamson Family of Jonesport
John Huntley of Lyme CT (I & II)
The Descendents of John McKusick & Mary Barker
George Hall & His Descendents
The Wilsons of Cherryfield 1641 – 1970
Other books:
Early families of Gouldsboro
The Wakefield Memorial
Some Cherryfield Marriage Records 1790 – 1899
Cherryfield Cemetery Records
MOCA Records for Waldo and Knox Counties
Sunbury County, New Brunswick Census 1851 – 1891
He will be missed …
The genealogy world suffered a great loss with the passing of Leonard F. Tibbetts on April 6, 2008, at the age of 95. He was born in Jonesport, Maine, May 25, 1912.
Anybody who has researched families from Western Washington County has benefited from his many years of research. His genealogical materials will be donated to the Jonesport Historical Society
Cherryfield Free Public Library:
The Library has started its Capital Campaign to raise $200,000 for a new addition. This section will include the Margery Brown Genealogical Library, which is presently housed at the Historical Society. The floor plan will be somewhat open to allow for group meetings and activities.
An architect’s drawing will be available at the Historical Society, along with brochures describing the addition in further detail. Those interested in contributing to this project may send donations to the library at 35 Main Street, Cherryfield, ME 04622.
The first major donation has been awarded from a foundation which supports library expansions, so we have a good start. We hope to start construction next spring.
The Library has enjoyed an increase in use by at least three times since the move to Main Street. Computer classes are now being offered and wireless internet is available.
“Cowboys”
The following poem was written by LeRoy Harmon (1917 – 2002) and submitted by Marion Merritt Buchmann
| The event of which I am speaking | ||
| Happened in the year of 34 | ||
| In the little town of Deblois | ||
| While the wolf howled round the door. | ||
| Uncle Sam he got big hearted | ||
| Seeing the boys were half starved | ||
| And gave them a bunch of cattle | ||
| Consisting of cows stags and calves. | ||
| Now and elder man named Wilber | (Merritt) | |
| Took this herd to tend | ||
| And all the boys in Deblois | ||
| Came forth with hands to lend. | ||
| Now there is a gent named Charlie | (Merritt son) | |
| A horse man he pretends | ||
| And on his Bronc every morning | ||
| You’ll see him round the bend. | ||
| I daren’t say he uses glue | ||
| Or that they tie him in | ||
| But I think he be deceited | (de-seated) | |
| If his broncs back should bend. | ||
| Now there is another cowpuncher | ||
| Jack is his nick name | (Torrey of Beddington) | |
| But I don’t believe his riding | ||
| Has ever earned him fame. | ||
| He rides a large black horse | ||
| That is noted for his brown | (s/b brawn) | |
| And someone carries a ladder | ||
| So Jack can get on. | ||
| Of course this young cowboy | ||
| Know one prayer to say | ||
| And he utters it very solemnly | ||
| As they lay those cows away. | ||
| Now there is one elder fellow | ||
| I’ll mention for old times sake, | ||
| Years of hard work and worry | ||
| Every hair of his did take. | ||
| Why I mention this young fellow | ||
| He has and endless tongue | ||
| He never tries to herd it | ||
| Just lets the darn thing run. | ||
| Yes there is another horse man | ||
| I almighty near fergot | ||
| He always rides a pony | ||
| The only westoner in the lot. | (I believe he means my Dad, Clyde Merritt, son of Wilber) |
|
| There is a wild and wolly eastoner | ||
| He pack a large shot-gun | ||
| He says he can shoot an eagle | ||
| But he let a fox run. | ||
| Now all these punchers are good sports | ||
| I think they are all sane, | ||
| But of course you know that Ranching | ||
| To them is a brand new game. | ||
| And I hope all the boys in Deblois | ||
| All that I haven’t named | ||
| Will some time in the future | ||
| Earn some worthy fame. | ||
| 14 verses of Bull–ony | ||
| LeRoy Harmon | ||
| Deblois, ME 1934 |
Marion Merritt Buchmann writes:
Some years ago I promised to send this poem to the Historical Society and I just came across it in my albums and do not believe I ever sent it. It was written by my Uncle LeRoy Harmon, born in 1917 in Hadleys Lake Maine and died in 2002 in Maryland. He was living in Deblois with his sister and husband, Adelia and Clyde Merritt and was seventeen years old at the time he wrote this. His Dad had died and my mother, Adelia had taken him in until he was of age to go into the Coast Guard where he spent his career.
After the depression and the dust bowl out west, trainloads of cattle were shipped to Cherryfield and my grandfather, Wilber Merritt as mentioned in his poem, was charged with their safe keeping and feed until they went to the slaughter house in Cherryfield which I believe was near the train station. I was two years old in 1934 so of course have no memory of it but I will write comments of what I remember to clarify the poem. I thought this might be of interest as I faintly remember seeing something about the cattle and the cowboys when I was in the historical building. I enclose copies in his original handwriting. He says 18 verses at the end and I only count 14 so I feel that one page is missing and I don’t know why.
