THE SCRIBBLER II
The Cavendish Historical Society Newsletter
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PO Box 472 Cavendish, VT 05142
802-226-7807 margocaulfield@icloud.com
Summer 2024 Vol. 18, Issue 3
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
We were pleased to see so many people at the talk on July 21-“18th Century Healers in Rural Vermont.” Given the interest and a request for a series, we’re planning several talks in the fall, listed below, with Dr. Charis Boke of Dartmouth.
September 15 (Sunday): Annual Phineas Gage Walk and Talk, starts with the talk 2 pm at the CHS Museum
September 29 (Sunday): Plant Time: Herbs focusing on longevity (e.g. chaga) and the life cycle of medicinal plants. This will include a discussion of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s writing and use of plants like chaga and mandrake root (European variety). Dr. Charis Boke will again be one of the speakers
October 13 (Sunday): Last Sunday the Museum is open for the 2024 season.
October 26 (Saturday): History of the Invasives: Knotweed. 2 pm at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville
November 2 (Saturday): Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): Starts 3 pm at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville. Workshop from 3-5:30 Pot luck supper follows
November (Date to be announced): Proctorsville Ghost Walk
CAVENDISH IN GLASS,
A few weeks ago, stained glass artist Peter LaBelle, stopped by the Museum with a donation of a window containing 12 panes of stained glass, each representing a Cavendish landmark. After many years of what can only be described as a very active retirement, Peter and his wife Nancy are preparing to move to the Upper Valley for the next stage of retirement-no more snow blowing or mowing.
Peter has served our town in a variety of ways for many years including town auditor. He has been instrumental in launching the Cavendish Community Fund (CCF) and has been in leadership positions for the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA) as well as the Black River Good Neighbors Services (BRGNS).
About 25 years ago, Peter took a stained glass window class at Fletcher Farm and has been absorbed by it
ever since. A frequent visitor to the Cavendish Transfer Station, he recycles old paneled frames and inserts stained glass that he designs. His work can be seen throughout Cavendish, including the town logo at the Town Office; a repair of stained glass at the Episcopal Church after Irene, and in the entry way of the Cavendish Baptist Church. He has been incredibly generous in donating items for various fundraisers as well.
Peter included a history for each one of the buildings depicted in his glass work. We thought the newsletter was a great way to showcase his art and the history of many of the places we see daily. In compiling the history, we realized two things: we couldn’t do this in just one newsletter-so it will be spread out over several issues and some of our research led to new information that we want to share.
HOLY NAME OF MARY: Irish railroad workers settled in Cavendish in the 1840s and held Catholic services in their homes whenever a visiting priest was available. They bought property in Proctorsville in 1859. John Tierney of Cavendish deeded a parcel of land in Proctorsville to Bishop Louis DeGoesbriand for $150. Ten years later, 1869, Father O'Reilly built a church on that parcel at a cost of $2,000.The church was dedicated to the Holy Name of Mary and the parish consisted of 100 families.
In 1877 the Bishop appointed Rev.J.C. McLaughlin as pastor of HNM as well as Annunciation in Ludlow, which had recently opened. In 1882, both of these churches were placed under the care of a curate in St. Peter’s Church in Rutland.
Problems with the floor caused the Holy Name of Mary building in Proctorsville to be declared unsafe and the church was closed for five years. On December 25, 1905 a Christmas Midnight Mass was celebrated by Rev. F. Dwyer. Father Dwyer served as pastor until J.J. Cullin succeeded him in 1913. Father served the religious needs of the entire town of Cavendish. In September of 1946, Holy Name of Mary parish became a mission of the newly formed St. Joseph Church, Chester, and remained in that capacity over the next fifty years. In 2001, Holy Name of Mary parish was reunited with Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ludlow. On November 2, 2005, Bishop Salvatore R. Matano came to celebrate Mass in commemoration of the 100th anniversary since the church was re-dedicated in 1905.
Like many churches, Holy Name of Mary shut down during Covid. Unfortunately, it has not reopened and its future is uncertain.
CAVENDISH TOWN OFFICE BUILDING: The Cavendish Town Office was constructed in 1954-1955 and
dedicated on October 1, 1955. Prior to this time, town clerks Elliott.G. White and his daughter Marion, kept records in their home. The building cost $19,500 and is located on land previously owned by Salmon Dutton. See CHS Museum for more history on the former town office.
The first floor, on one side held the offices for the town clerk, town manager and selectmen. Across the hall was the Fletcher Town Library. In 1990, the libraries for Cavendish and Proctorsville were merged into a new building attached to Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES). The vacated space became the town’s meeting room, which doubles as an office for the town auditor as well as file storage.
CAVENDISH FIRE DEPARTMENT: In 1883 the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Dept (CVFD) was formed. Referred to as Fire District #2, the Proctorsville Fire Dept was created in 1833. In the late 1940s, Milton “Mike" Dickerman, fire chief for District #2 during this time remembers Cavendish village still didn’t have much equipment. One of his main responsibilities was to check that fire extinguishers were in working order. For years, there had been ladders and buckets stored at three or four strategic locations in or near Cavendish village. Dickerman did not think they were used much in this period except when the barn next to the Roger and Walter Buck house caught fire on Oct. 28, 1949. The barn and house were adjacent to the Universalist Church on Main Street. One of the storage sites for fire-fighting equipment was on the bank above the church. Men from the village formed a “bucket-brigade” but the Vermont Tribune credits the Proctorsville Fire Department and help from Gay Brothers Mill for putting out the fire.
In 1957, Art Briggs became the fire chief of District # 2 and served in that capacity for the next 30 years. He had received training and experience fighting fires in the Army Air Force during WWII. Under his direction, the volunteer firemen became a well organized group with regular drills, and District #2 Fire Department was legally incorporated. An active Auxiliary was formed.
Construction on the current building that houses CVFD was begun by Charles Whitcomb in the early 1900s for his new bride. Unfortunately, she died before the building was completed, and some say her ghost still haunts the building. While the building was sold to the Local 162, Textile Workers Union of America in 1940, many residents made good use of the building for various purposes. With the mills sold off for other uses, in 1958, the building was sold to CVFD.
ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHIURCH: The first Methodist Church was built in 1840. In 1882, the
building was replaced and a Hamill pipe organ was installed shortly thereafter. Rev. John O. Long became pastor of the Church in 1925. A year later, he assumed similar duties for the Baptist Church, and has been the only minister in Cavendish to serve two different churches. An energetic man, he was head of a Boy Scout Troop, edited a monthly newsletter, served the sick-particularly when there was a serious scarlet fever epidemic in 1926, and was active in numerous community affairs. As a result, an unusually large number of locals joined one or the other of these churches.
CAVENDISH STONE CHURCH: Built in 1884, the mason John Adams, oversaw the construction of the church. Working with him was another mason Clark Wardner, from Reading. Together, they also built “Glimmerstone” on route 131, as well as other places in Chester and Reading. The cost, $1,515, was raised by selling pews, ranging in price from $30-$90, depending on its proximity to the pulpit. It was a custom that no one was allowed to sit in a pew unless they were a member of the family that purchased it. Because this was considered “property,” owners were required to pay a tax on their pew. Of the 48 pews, 26 still bear the original nameplates of the first owners.
The abolitionist Rev. Warren Skinner, laid the first corner stone and preached the first sermon in the church.
By the 1930’s, the church was primarily being used in the summers only. This was also the time period when the church was wired for electricity. The Church was decommissioned April 22, 1966 as there were only a few Universalist members in the area. On June 10, 1971, the Church was leased to CHS. On May 11, 2013, the Universalist/Unitarian Convention of Vermont and Quebec met at the Stone Church and agreed to deed the Church to the Town.
The interior of the church continues to be largely unchanged since it’s construction. It is currently being restored and will be the future home of the Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn exhibit and a small venue space for community use. The church is open to anyone for such events as weddings, services etc.
CAVENDISH FLETCHER COMMUNITY LIBRARY: For many years, two libraries served the town of Cavendish. The Fletcher Town Library located at the Cavendish Town Office starting in 1955 and its branch in Proctorsville. Without a school library, classes were bussed to Cavendish and others walked to the Proctorsville Branch. With the passage of time, it became more difficult to bring the students to Cavendish. The room at the school used for such purpose was dismantled due to overcrowding. It became evident that a School library was needed if the students were to be properly grounded in library use and to take advantage of
the resources libraries offer.
In 1983, a time when extensive work needed to be done to the CTES roof, it was suggested that there would be enough space under the roof for a library to be constructed. Recognizing the needs of both school and community library, the decision was made to construct a library to serve both purposes. Building for Books was launched to raise the needed funds.
The building was dedicated in July 28, 1990 and has been continually expanding programs and offerings to the town and school. Note that two of the CHS programs planned this fall will be at the Library.
CHS MUSEUM: In 1834, the Cavendish Baptists built the church that is known today as the CHS Museum. Soon after extensive repairs were made, on April 27, 1875 the building caught fire from a burning shop located near the canal floodgates. The work of the arsonist “Firebug Fitton” the intended property was the mill next door. In 1877, $2,154 was approved to build a Town Hall, restoring the burned out shell of the old Baptist Church.
In 1880, Elliott G. White became town clerk as well as librarian and postmaster to Cavendish village. White moved these functions into his new building on Main St. He also sold caskets from this location. It appears he never charged the town rent.
The Town Hall could be rented for a nominal fee and was used for shows, moving pictures, the Black River Dramatic club, vaudeville, concerts, lecturers, dances and receptions. Electricity was installed in 1910. With the opening of the Town Office in 1955, the building was eventually turned over to CHS for a museum.
CALVARY CHURCH-ASSEMBLY OF GOD: In 1958, an Assembly of God evangelist, Rachel Thibodeau, preached in a tent on Greven Field in Proctorsville. Several people became interested and formed the nucleus of a new church. The church building was erected in 1964.
CAVENDISH BAPTIST CHURCH: As noted above for the CHS Museum, the first Baptist Church was heavily damaged by fire in 1875. The hasty action of the people saved the pews and pulpit, which are still in use
in the present Baptist Church. Plans were immediately made to build a new church. The lot on which the present New England style wood church stands was purchased from the estate of Ryland Fletcher for $250 and completed in 1878, During the pastorate of Rev. W.E. Baker, 1908 to 1912, the cellar basement was remodeled to include a kitchen and dining hall arrangement. Extensive alterations were made in 1929 at a cost of $7,500, with new stained glass windows were installed throughout.
With major renovations taking place throughout the church’s history, including an addition to the back of the building, allowing for a nursery and shower, following the 2011 flood, Irene, a group of community members organized to develop the town’s shelter at the Church. This required raising funds for a generator. The shelter has been operational during the winter months, particularly when power is out. Following the floods of July 2023, for two weeks it ran as the Town shelter and store after which, it provided housing for the Mennonites who came to help with relief efforts.
BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE
If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.
Name: _______________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________
Phone Number: _____________________ E-Mail: ____________________________
Membership Level
__ Individual Member $10 __ Senior Member 65+ $5 __ Sustaining Member $500
Volunteer
___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):__ Program Planning __ Fundraising __ Building (Museum)
__Archives _ Budget –– Cemetery __ Carmine Guica Young Historians
Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:
__ Archaeological Activities _ Museum & Archival __ Special Events
__ Rankin Fund __ Williams Fund __ Solzhenitsyn Project
__ Other (please specify) __ Cemetery Restoration __ Preservation Projects
