Lee Historical Society
Newsletter
Vol. 5, No. 10
October 2008
Lee Historical Society, Inc.
P. O. Box 170
Lee, MA 01238
www.leehistoricsociety.homestead.com
When friends, neighbors or relatives move, downsize, or just clean house, PLEASE, ask them to think of the LEE HISTORICAL SOCIETY before they discard any old books, pictures, postcards, letters or memorabilia of the TOWN OF LEE. We are also interested in obtaining old Lee High School yearbooks and Town Reports.
The September Meeting was held at Memorial Hall on the 11th. It was a business meeting. Committee reports were read and accepted and discussions were held on our upcoming fundraisers and participation in Founders’ Day Weekend.
The October Program Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the old courtroom at Memorial Hall. Our speaker will be, Mr. Stephen Paterwic, who lives and teaches middle school math in East Longmeadow. Mr. Paterwic‘s topic will be “In the Shadow of Lee – The Tyringham Shakers”. Mr. Paterwic has studied Shakers for over 40 years and is a well known speaker at Shaker conferences and forums. He has published numerous articles on the Shakers and recently wrote a book, “Historical Dictionary of the Shakers”.
Judith Monachina will speak on part of the history of the paper mills in Lee at our last Program Meeting of the year in December.
Founders’ Day Weekend:
Look for our booth on the South side of Memorial Hall during Friday afternoon, September 26th, and Saturday, September 27th. We will have raffle tickets for our “November Calendar Raffle”, our first of a series, commemorative mug of Memorial Hall and our other for purchase items, all to support our Society. Our “November Calendar Raffle” will be held each day of November with many great prizes given away to a lucky ticket holder. Check out some of the prizes on page 6.
The Prez sez, by Society President Gary W. Allen:
A few good people. There was a third work party at the warehouse. We got more of the items listed in the Collections Log, put into acid-free folders or boxes and “locked” up in the Collections Cupboard. It felt good to collect and preserve the history of Lee (which is the mission of the Society).
Those of us who did enjoy the work party do wish that we could involve more of the members. The work isn’t particularly hard and it is fun to talk about all the old stuff as we go through it and handle it. We’ve had donations from around the town, but also from North County, Great Barrington, California, Delaware and the state of Florida. The Society’s collection of town reports is nearly complete, but there are a few years that we are still missing and some of our copies are not in such good shape. We’ll get there, with a little help from our friends.
If you have questions on the Society, or items you’d like to have discussed, please let me know. GaryWAllen@Earthlink.net, or Gary W. Allen, 250 Summer Street, Lee, MA 01238. Telephone 413-243-2140.
Gary
SAVE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT MEMBERSHIP:
You can now sign up or renew your membership for three years starting on October 1st. For the next three months only the memberships in the Lee Historical Society will be as follows:
(1.) Anyone signing up as a new member will get a membership for the rest of 2008, all of
2009, 2010 and 2011.
(a.) A Senior or a Student Membership for three years will be $12.00.
(b.) An Individual Membership for three years will be $27.00.
(c.) A Family Membership for three years will be $42.00.
(d.) A Business/Corporate Membership for three years will be $72.00.
(2.) Any present member renewing their membership will get a 2009, 2010 and 2011
membership for the same above rates.
See form on page 6.
Recollections V
By U. S. Navy Retired Commander Vic Mottarella,
a native of Lee
(Continued from the September issue)
Flying
My two instructors at Bunker Hill were both professionals – just the opposite from what I had experienced at Keene, N. H. They were both gentlemen and treated me like an adult instead of a teenager – I heard no screaming when I was unable to follow the instructor in perfectly repeating an exercise that he had just demonstrated for the first time in the airplane. Each, first explained and then demonstrated what was expected and as a result I immediately gained confidence and got too really like the “Yellow Peril”. Unfortunately, my first instructor was killed about six weeks after I started flying with him – this was shortly after I soloed. He was testing an airplane that had been worked on and for some unknown reason crashed into one of the barracks. I heard later that the control cables on the ailerons were improperly installed. My second instructor was a Lieutenant from Texas by the name of Boston. He is the one who taught me all acrobatics and other intense flying requirements before I graduated from Bunker Hill. I had the utmost respect for him. He never used foul language except for one incident. It was an exceptionally cold morning and as we were taxiing out I heard the following words over the gosport tube – “It’s colder than a witch’s tit”. It astonished me because he was always such a gentleman and up to that time I had never heard that type of language from any officer. Later, after being commissioned, I was able to add many new words to my vocabulary as a result of my association with fellow officers! There were several accidents at Bunker Hill. A classmate of ours by the name of Duffy was killed with his instructor. Ray Ceremsac who would later be in my flight at Corpus Christi survived a crash in which his instructor was killed. Ray was injured and suffered from frostbite before he was rescued. The scars to his face were not erased during all our flying exercises at Corpus. There were several other crashes but I don’t remember the names. On one occasion I was in a three plane formation with Votolato and another cadet when an English cadet drove through our formation making us scatter like a bunch of rabbits. We were most fortunate to have avoided a mid-air collision as a result of this incident. In formation flying we finally got to fly from the front seat where it was necessary to strap a sand bag in the back seat for proper weight and balance of the airplane. Flying from the front seat was a big improvement because there were several additional instruments as well as better visibility.
Acrobatics
One of the first acrobatics I learned was the snap roll. This was accomplished by simultaneously jamming in the left rudder with your foot while yanking back on the stick – this would accomplish a horizontal 360 degree roll to the left and it was completed in not more than two seconds. A right snap roll was accomplished in the same manner by jamming in the right rudder. The maneuver was really nothing more than a high speed stall but it was all new to me at the time. It was a completely uncoordinated maneuver – timing was the main factor that enabled one to end the roll in the same attitude from which it was started. Following the snap roll was the slow roll. This was a very coordinated maneuver and required considerable flying skill – you had to gradually change aileron, elevator and rudder pressures in a sensitive and coordinated manner throughout the maneuver – it was much more difficult to perform than the snap roll. You would try to find a cloud for a reference point and put the nose on that cloud while you performed the roll. You started the roll by gradually adding left stick for aileron control and right rudder to keep the plane from turning. When the wings reached the vertical position with the left wing pointing straight down you had to add a significant amount of right rudder pressure to keep the nose from falling through the horizon. When you reached the inverted position control pressures on the rudders and ailerons were gradually reversed and forward stick pressure was applied to keep the nose from falling below the reference point. As you continued with the roll with the right wing pointing straight down you had to use more left rudder to again keep the nose from falling through the horizon. For some reason it was much more difficult to do a right slow roll than one to the left. It probably had something to do with one being right handed. The slow roll would take anywhere from six to ten seconds to complete depending on applied pressures throughout the maneuver.
The stick and rudder forces required to perform this maneuver necessitated exerting a considerable amount of muscle. Next came loops, the split-S, the Immelmann, the lazy eight, the chandelle, the wing over and the spin – the spin was taught as a precision maneuver – exactly two turns were to be completed upon recovery. If you performed a perfect loop you would feel a thump as the airplane traveled through its own slipstream at the completion of the maneuver. The Immelmann was named after Max Immelmann who invented this maneuver. He was a German Ace during World War I. As a tactical maneuver, it has the spectacular advantage of producing a 180 degree change in direction with an increase in altitude. It is essentially the first half of a loop with a half roll on top. It allows one to get an altitude advantage over your enemy and get into perfect firing position. The split-S was an easy maneuver. You rolled the plane on its back and gently pulled back on the stick. It was essentially the second half of a loop. It allows you to loose altitude quickly, reverse direction and pick up speed at the same time. All of these maneuvers put varying amounts of stress on the airplane as well as the human body – you eventually got to feel comfortable doing each maneuver and could tell when it was being properly executed by the amount of “G” forces felt in the seat of your pants.
(Continued to the November issue)
Soldiers of Lee in the Civil War
ROLL OF HONOR SOLDIER:
Corporal Edward W. Coope, Company B, 37th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
Found in the American Civil War Soldiers
Name: Edward Coope
Residence: Lee, Massachusetts
Occupation: Clerk
Enlistment Date: 12 July 1862
Side Served: Union
State Served: Massachusetts
Service Record: Enlisted as a Corporal on 12 July 1862 at the age of 19. Enlisted in Company B, 37th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 30 August 1862. Killed on 06 May 1864 at Wilderness, Virginia.
Found in the U. S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861 – 1865
Name Edward W. Coope
Side: Union
Regiment State Origin: Massachusetts
Regiment Name: 37 Massachusetts Regiment
Regiment Name Expanded: 37th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry
Company: B
Rank In: Corporal
Rank In Expanded: Corporal
Rank Out: Private
Rank Out Expanded: Private
Film Number: M544, Roll 9
Edward W. Coope’s father, William Coope, filed for a Civil War pension on August 08, 1881
I find Edward Coope in the 1850 United States Federal Census of Hinsdale, County of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts. He is listed as a seven year old son of William, age 45, and Mary, age 42, Coope. William’s occupation was that of a wood spinner. Also in the household was George Coope, age 9, and Sarah A. Coope, age 11. Jesse Coope, age 49, also lived in the household.
The family is found in the 1860 United States Federal Census of Lee, County of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts. William is listed as a 55 year old, wooden manufacturer and son George, is listed in this census as being 19 years old and also a wooden manufacturer. Wife, Mary is listed as a 52 year old, housekeeper. The daughter Sarah A. is listed as 19 years of age and a milliner and Edward is now 16 and has no occupation listed.
I find this information strange as about a week ago, and before deciding that Edward W. Coope was my Civil War soldier for October, I was at a house in East Lee, now owned by Tom and Sandy Garrity. Tom was showing me through the house that they are refurbishing and he mentioned that the house was built in 1857 by a man named Coope. The workmanship that was present on the structure of this house was amazing and anyone today would certainly be thrilled to have a house put together like this one. Mr. Coope operated a furniture shop across the road.
Please support our
Officers of the Lee Historical Society for 2008
Officers of the Lee Historical Society for 2008“Business Members” Gary Allen – President - 413-243-2140 or garywallen@earthlink.net
Gary Allen – President - 413-243-2140 or garywallen@earthlink.netwho support us. Myron Hood – Vice President – 413-243-2470 or
Myron Hood – Vice President – 413-243-2470 or MYRONSCALL@verizon.net
Open – Secretary
B & B Landscaping Mal Eckert – Treasurer – 413-243-1797 or MalEckert@msn.comand Excavation
Mal Eckert – Treasurer – 413-243-1797 or MalEckert@msn.comand Excavation475 Pleasant StreetBoard of directors of the Lee Historical Society
Board of directors of the Lee Historical SocietyLee, MA 01238 Mary Holt/2008 Ethel Noon/2009 Marion Leach/2010
Mary Holt/2008 Ethel Noon/2009 Marion Leach/2010 Henry Holt/2008 James Di Mario/009 Danna Snow/2010
Bartini Roofing Co. Mary Morrissey/2008 Mary McGinnis/2009 William Clarke/2010
Mary Morrissey/2008 Mary McGinnis/2009 William Clarke/2010290 Pleasant Street
Lee, MA 01238Immediate Past President & Board of Director – Stephen Cozzaglio
Immediate Past President & Board of Director – Stephen Cozzaglio Society Historian – Charlotte Davis
Ben’s Shop Newsletter Editor – Mal Eckert
Newsletter Editor – Mal Eckert68 Main Street
Lee, MA 01238
The purposes of the Lee Historical Society are to promote and fosterCharles Flint Antiques a greater knowledge and appreciation of the unique history of the Town 52 Housatonic Street of Lee to friends, students and citizens through research, lectures,
52 Housatonic Street of Lee to friends, students and citizens through research, lectures, Lenox, MA 01240 exhibits, acquisitions and preservation of the historical material and
exhibits, acquisitions and preservation of the historical material and sites for future generations. We also offer assistance to those in pursuitCountry Curtains of local historical information.
of local historical information.Route 102
Lee, MA 01238 The funding that the Lee Historical Society receives is strictly from
The funding that the Lee Historical Society receives is strictly from membership dues, donations and other private sources. There is noDevonfield Inn financial support received by the Lee Historical Society from the Town
financial support received by the Lee Historical Society from the Town85 Stockbridge Road of Lee or any governmental source or agency. The Lee Historical
of Lee or any governmental source or agency. The Lee HistoricalLee, MA 01238 Society is listed as a non-profit corporation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, classified as a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization
Society is listed as a non-profit corporation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, classified as a 501 (c) (3) charitable organizationDresser Hull Company under the United States Revenue Service Code.
under the United States Revenue Service Code.60 Railroad Street
Lee, MA 01238
Greylock Federal Credit Union Our Meetings
Our Meetings47 Main Street Meetings of the Lee Historical Society will take place on the second
Meetings of the Lee Historical Society will take place on the second Lee, MA 012138Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. Business meetings will be held in the old courtroom at Memorial Hall on Main Street in Lee. Some of
Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. Business meetings will be held in the old courtroom at Memorial Hall on Main Street in Lee. Some ofJudy Turtz Program Meetings may take place on the site of the subject matter of
Program Meetings may take place on the site of the subject matter ofSenior Loan Office the meeting. We will try to advertise all meetings in various places in
the meeting. We will try to advertise all meetings in various places inGroup Poli Mortgage town. We will also try to advertise in the local media and on local TV
town. We will also try to advertise in the local media and on local TVRoute 1 stations. Our Program Meetings are free and open to the public
stations. Our Program Meetings are free and open to the publicNorth Norwood, MA 02062and people are encouraged to attend. The schedule will be updated
and people are encouraged to attend. The schedule will be updated as more speakers and locations are confirmed.Kelly Funeral Home
3 Main Street
Lee, Ma 01238
L. V. Toole Insurance AgencyPaperdilly, Inc The Jonathan Foote 1778 House
Paperdilly, Inc The Jonathan Foote 1778 House195 Main Street 74 Main Street 1 East Street
74 Main Street 1 East StreetLee, MA 01238 Lee, MA 01238 Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238 Lee, MA 01238Lee Bank Sullivan Station Restaurant WSCOM
Sullivan Station Restaurant WSCOM 75 Park Street Railroad Street Robert M. Kelly
Railroad Street Robert M. KellyLee, MA 01238 Lee, MA 01238 South Prospect Street
Lee, MA 01238 South Prospect Street Lee, MA 01238
Become a member or renew you membership for three years. This offer is good until January 01, 2009. This makes a great gift!
Membership form for the Lee Historical Society until January 01, 2009
Senior/Student: 1 year - $5.002 years - $9.00 3 years - $12.00
1 year - $5.002 years - $9.00 3 years - $12.00Individual: 1 year - $10.00 2 years - $19.00 3 years - $27.00
1 year - $10.00 2 years - $19.00 3 years - $27.00Family: 1 year - $15.00 2 years - $29.00 3 years - $42.00
1 year - $15.00 2 years - $29.00 3 years - $42.00Business/Corporate 1 year - $25.00 2 years - $49.00 3 years - $72.00
2 years - $49.00 3 years - $72.00Please circle one:Student Senior Individual Family Business/Corporate
Student Senior Individual Family Business/CorporateName________________________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________________________
City____________________________State__________________Zip_____________________
Telephone____________________Email___________________________________________
Is this a renewal membership?__________
Would you be interested in serving on a committee?__________
Or helping out at one of our fundraisers?____________________
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Some of our raffle prizes for our “November Calendar Raffle”
2 tickets to a 2009 Red Sox game(2) $100.00 Cash prizes
(2) $100.00 Cash prizes 2 tickets to a play at BTF for 2009A $100.00 Savings Bond
A $100.00 Savings BondMany gift certificates to local businessesMany gift prizes
Many gift prizesA prize or prizes everyday…………but you can’t win without a ticket!
Tickets will be sold at our booth at the park on Founders’ Day Weekend or can be purchased by calling 24-1797. The price of a raffle ticket is $10.00 and is for the
benefit of the Lee Historical Society.
A Thought:
You may only be one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
