november2012newsletter

Lee Historical Society

Newsletter

Vol. 9, No. 11

November 2012

Crossway Tower

P. O. Box 170

Lee, MA 01238

Visit us: www.leehistoricsociety.homestead.com

We wish all our members and friends the very best of Thanksgiving Holidays!

Our Annual Meeting turned out as planned, a huge success. Being this was our first attempt at a “pot luck” supper, we were a little worried of how many would attend, if we would have enough food and if “Mother Nature” would co-operate with us. We had about thirty members and invited guests sit and share the great food that was brought in by the members. If anyone left hungry, it was certainly by their own choice. After everyone had their fill, we proceeded with the Annual Meeting, which is held on the second Thursday of October each year. Each year voting ballots are sent out to the members, either by U. S. Postal or by electronic mailing for them to fill out and send back to us by election time. Members that attend the Annual Meeting may vote at that time. This year, JoAnn Zarnoch was returned as a Board Member for another three year term. We also have a new Board Member, Adele Hawley, who will also serve a three year term. Arlene Duquette, who received the highest number of write in ballots, was elected to a one year term to replace a director who had resigned. We congratulate all the newly elected board members.

The Society wishes to thank the outgoing members who served on the Board of Directors. They are; Robert M. Kelly, Maria Hopkins, Matt MacNayr, and Annette Pirelli. We would welcome each and every one of you back to serve again.

After the new board members were elected, a short board meeting was held to elect officers for the coming year. All four officers were then elected to another term; Steve Cozzaglio, President, Gary Allen, Vice-President, Bambi Johndrow, Secretary, and Mal Eckert, Treasurer.

The Annual Meeting was where the winner of the Consolati-Davis-Dennis Award was announced. I am honored and appreciative that I was selected for this award and graciously thank everyone involved for this selection. The three ladies that this award was named after spent many years of researching and writing about our unique town and held vast knowledge of our town and its people.

NOVEMBER MEETING:

The November meeting will be held on Thursday, November 8th in the Hyde Room at Crossway Tower. It will be a business meeting, starting at 6:30 p.m. for all board members, officers and interested members.

CONDOLENCES:

We send our condolences out to Board Member, Arlene Duquette and her family on the passing of her sister and former society member Jane B. Brown of Thousand Oaks, California.

BEST WISHES:

Board Member and Collection’s Chairman, Marion Leach has had a nasty fall at home in which she tore all the ligaments in her knee. She was operated on in Fairview Hospital on Tuesday, November 6th for a total knee replacement. Our best wishes and prayers go out to Marion for a speedy recovery. We need her back!

I have talked to Marion on the telephone and she wants to make sure that everyone knows that the society’s room at Crossway Tower will be closed for an indefinite period of time while she heals and she says she will try to hurry it along as she does not like this sitting still.

Member, Ted Cinella, of Melrose has just completed a stay at a Boston Hospital and is back at home for rest and recuperation. We wish him and his family the best going forward with his illness.

Mr. Henry Cadorette and his son, who live in Pittsfield attended the meeting and donated to the society some old advertising signs that were once used by the Lee Lime Corporation at trade shows which displayed the company’s products of those past years. Old Castle, who now owns the former Lee Lime plant, was cleaning out and the signs were thrown into a dumpster, where Mr. Cadorette salvaged them. We thank him for recognizing the history associated with the signs and for him and his son to bring them to our meeting and donate them to our society.

THANK YOU:

The society wishes to thank Mary and Henry Holt for donating a computer system for our use. This system will be a great help to the society.

We also wish to thank many of our members and friends who came to the aid of Tom Young. Tom was searching for information on the Edward C. Carter farm in Lee that became national headlines when it was raided by the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee in the 1950’s. Many society members and local residents have supplied information to Mr. Young. Most people agree that the barn once stood on the location of a ranch house on West Road.

We want to thank the members and friends of the society that worked so hard to get our annual “November Calendar Raffle” off and running on time with some great prizes. We thank and appreciate all the people who purchased raffle tickets to support our organization and once again deeply thank the businesses that have donated prizes to us. We realize that the economy is not the best and the support we have been given is very much appreciated. This raffle is what keeps our society funded for the following year. It funds our annual scholarship that is given out each year to a qualifying Lee High School senior and it also funds our programs that are free and open to the public and other society projects. We want to especially thank, Brenda Liebenow, who “pounded the pavement” for gifts, and then sold over 50 raffle tickets and Doreen Bartini, who designed the raffle ticket, solicited gifts and also sold over 50 tickets. Great job ladies!

We are trying something new in asking for an email address on the raffle ticket for anyone who would like to be notified of the daily winners of the raffle. I feel that I may have missed or wrongly copying some of the addresses on the tickets. If anyone has been not received winner notification, send us an email at Lee.Historical@hotmail.com. Our December newsletter will include all the winners, their prizes and all of the donors who made this years raffle happen.

A NEW REQUEST:

Marcia C. Adinolfi is seeking information on ancestors that once lived in Lee. She is most interested in the family of Mary Pinney, born; 3 January 1836 in Lee and died 29 March 1879 in Westfield and buried here in Lee. There may be ties of this family with the Sturgess Tavern, which opened about 1820 in West Lee. She is also seeking information on what the occupations of the family members might have been and where their burial locations might be. She can be reached at 240-925-9747. Thanks for any help that anyone might come up with.

Comments:

Society member, Caroline Young comments on how well the refurbishing of the two churches in South Lee is coming along and how much work has been done and the work that is continuing and that the owners both deserve an “Atta Boy”.

SOMETHING NEW:

Below is the first picture that has been sent to us from the Lee Library’s Historical Collection of Lee photographs. This collection has recently been digitalized for the Lee Library by the Boston Public Library. We will try to print a new photo from that collection each month with a description of the subject. We thank the Lee Library for making this possible for our readers. If any of our readers would like to comment or add additional information, please contact Mary Philpott at maryphilpott@mindspring.com

This house once stood on the corner of Main Street and Franklin Street, most likely where the Lee Library now stands. Wellington Smith, one of the county’s outstanding papermakers was born here in 1841. I have an old postcard with this same picture and it states that this home was built in 1790 and was the oldest house in Lee when the picture was taken. The site of the house is also the location of a log cabin, owned by Peter Wilcox that held the first town meeting in Lee, on December 22, 1777.

Recollections XII

By Retired U. S. Navy Commander Vic Mottarella

A Native of Lee

(Continued from October – 2012)

CIC (or Combat Information Center)

The Combat Information Center exists as the nerve center of a ship. It is referred to as CIC or “COMBAT” for short and is the communications and electronics hub of the ship. During normal operations, CIC supports the Captain of the ship by tracking and identifying surface and air contacts. Target designation is a function of command. CIC, as adjunct of command, usually provides information to gun control as a matter of routine. The Captain of any combative naval ship relies on the CIC to avoid collision with other surface ships and is primarily involved in the defense and offense of the fleet. Using radar to control combat aircraft, the CIC Watch Officer makes recommendations to the Captain of the ship under various combat situations.

We also had to learn submarine and overall fleet maneuvering requirements as well as computations used to solve and initiate torpedo attacks. At the time (1951) there were three types of torpedoes that were used. The range of the torpedoes varied and they were short, intermediate and long. The short were 2000 yards while the long were 10,000 yards. We had to learn a lot of submarine terminology and solve various intercept and torpedo firing problems. At the time most of us aviators did not understand why we had to learn all this stuff when we would never command a submarine or even be assigned to a submarine. Other puzzling studies related to tactics used by cruisers, destroyers and battleships. I suppose it was to prepare us for future Naval Command should we eventually be promoted to the highest ranks. That was the furthest thing from my mind at the time because all I was interested in was flying fighters and improving my gunnery score.

We were also taught how to use radar to help the Captain navigate a ship in restricted ports during periods of reduced visibility. One of my later collateral assignments as a CIC Officer on the carrier USS Leyte was to assume the duties of Radar Piloting Officer. Using radar I would pass turning direction to the Bridge from the dark Combat Room. We practiced this from time to time in clear weather in order to build confidence that it could be done in foggy weather when the visibility was near zero. This was particularly important when entering or leaving port. The phraseology used to control planes was a language of its own and required a lot of study and memorization before one could use it fluently. A few weeks before my transfer to Glenview we thought it would be prudent to have Betty go back home to Lee with her mother while we waited for our first-born. It was a healthy boy born on July 15, 1951 and he was named Victor George Mottarella Jr.

Combat Information School

I reported aboard the Naval Air Station Glenview as scheduled and immediately started looking for a place to rent so that Betty and my newborn son could join me. I found a nice three bedroom apartment located about one mile from the Air Station. About a month after the birth, Betty arrived from Lee with our newborn son. Our furniture and other household goods had already been transported from Milwaukee by a trucking service contracted by the Navy.

During my previous three years in a fighter squadron while serving aboard ship I was often under direct control of an Air Controller using radar in the Combat Information Center on the USS Kearsarge and USS Randolph. This occurred while I was airborne and carrying out CAP (Combat Air Patrol) duties. Now it was my ordeal to undergo training to direct fighter pilots on various missions. One of the primary purposes of the Air Controller was to direct one or more aircraft by the use of radar to intercept and shoot down any approaching hostile aircraft. I first thought that Air Control was the only important function of CIC. It turned out to be a very intensive technical course covering numerous functions of command during times of peace and war. The CIC watch officer is in constant communications with the bridge.

(Continued to the December -12 issue)

The following article from the GeorgetownPatch was found by a society member while doing research and she referred it along to me and although this Civil War soldier was not a Lee native or enlisted from our town, I thought it was a very interesting article and have copied it for our readers.

“A Serendipitous Discovery Identifies a Civil War Soldier”

By Jerry A. McCoy

Housed in the Georgetown Neighborhood Library’s Peabody Room is an unusual collection consisting of 19th century Georgetown residents and 2oth century Georgetown landscapes. All of these works suffered water damage that occurred during the April 30, 2007 but have since been fully conserved with funds donated to the DC Public Library Foundation.

One of the Peabody’s Room’s more unusual pieces of art is a 10” H x 16” W graphite and opaque watercolor on paper by Johannes Adams Oertel titled “Cavalry Officer at Pleasant Valley, Maryland October 24, 1862.” The study depicts a Union officer reading while sitting on a barrel along what appears to be a lean to tent. A saddle and other gear are hanging from a wooden beam and horses are visible in the background. The watercolor was donated by Mr. Ortel’s granddaughter, Harriet, who lived at 1675 32nd Street, NW.

Oertel (1823 – 1909) was a German-American Episcopal clergyman and artist who most famous religious work was “Rock of Ages” (c.1867). This popular representation of Christian faith was reproduced in the millions through photographs and chromolithographs during the 1870s and 1880s, The image depicted a maiden clutching a stone cross while surrounded by a wave-tossed sea.

According to the 1917 biography “A Vision Realized: A Life story of Rev. J. A. Oertel, D. D., Artist, Priest, Missionary (available on-line at http://tinyurl.com/8k9wwvh), Oertel’s friends urged him during the Civil War to “go to the scene of the conflict and make studies, as in their opinion when the time of peace came around every record of the strife would be of interest.”

Oertel set out for the front from Washington, DC on October 3, 1862 and joined the 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry under the command of General Ambrose Burnside at Pleasant Valley, MD. Twenty-one days later Oertel captured this candid “moment in time” of a bivouacking Civil War officer that took place 150 years ago.

Desiring to learn more about the watercolor and perhaps the circumstances surrounding the depicted moment, I conducted a search on Google Images using the search term “Pleasant Valley, Maryland 1862.” Hundreds of Civil War archival images came up and as I continued to scroll through them I came across a thumbnail of what looked like the Peabody Room watercolor. My immediate thought was that this was impossible as this artwork had never been photographed. With one click I soon found out what was being depicted.

What at first appeared to be the Peabody watercolor study was in reality a finished 11-1/2” H X 18-1/2” W oil on board version of the same scene done by Oertel in 1883. The painting was being offered for sale by the Charleston Renaissance Gallery in Charleston, SC and titled “Sargeant Peck’s Establishment/Md. 1862/J.A.Oertel 1883” Here was a name ascribed to the Union cavalry officer depicted reading in the sketch!

Excitedly I consulted the National Park Service’s on-line “Soldiers and Sailors” database. Using the search terms “Peck” (Last Name), “Union” (By Side), “New York” (By State), and “Cavalry” (By Function) resulted in the names of 61 soldiers. Of those 61 only four served in the 6th Regiment, and of those four only one had the rank of sergeant, Hiram Augustus Peck.

By utilizing http://www.ancestry.com it took me mere minutes to locate an amazing paper trail of Mr. Peck’s life. Born November 15, 1836 in Saratoga Springs, NY, Hiram enlisted on October 21, 1861 in New York City where his occupation was listed as coachman. He was noted as having brown eyes, a dark complexion, and standing 5” 4” tall. One week later he was mustered into service as a sergeant. He was discharged at Culpepper, VA on December 16, 1863 and immediately reenlisted for a second tour of duty serving as a private until August 17, 1865.

The 1900 US Census listed Peck as living in Lee, MA with Sabrina, his wife of 33 years. The Pecks had no children. On August 22, 1901, Peck by then noted as being a widower, moved to the US National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Dayton, OH. His monthly pension was $8.00

Mr. Peck died on June 15, 1903 at the age of 64. His nearest relative listed in the home’s logbook was the Scott Bradley Post #177, Grand Army of the Republic, Lee, MA. He is buried in Section N, Site 2 of the Dayton National cemetery, located at 4100 W. Third Street, Dayton. OH.

I feel so fortunate for serendipitously discovering the identification of this individual who served our country 150 years ago. Please visit the Peabody Room where Mr. Peck will be on display until Saturday November 10, 2012. If anyone can translate the German inscription, please contact the Peabody Room librarian at 202.727.0233 or email jerry.mccoy@dc.gov.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR “BUSINESS MEMBERS” THAT SUPPORT OUR SOCIETY

The following is a list of the area businesses that are currently “Business Members” of the Lee Historical Society for this year. If you would like your business or company listed here, please fill out the membership application below and send it to us with a check for $25.00

___________________________________________________________________________________

Bartini Roofing Company

Ben’s Shop

Charles Flint Antiques

290 Pleasant Street

68 Main Street

52 Housatonic Street

Lee, MA 01238

Lenox, MA 01240

413-243-0570

413-243-0242

413-637-1634

Karen Keenan Gifts & Home

Quality Plus Custodial

Locker Room Sports Pub

69 Main Street

260 Chesnut Street

232 Main Street

Lee, MA 01238

413-243-2689

413-243-2197

413-243-2662

Frank Consolati Ins. Agency

Paperdilly, Inc.

Dresser Hull Company

71 Main Street

74 Main Street

60 Railroad Street

Lee, MA 01238

413-243-0105

413-243-1928

413-243-4545

Robert M. Kelly, Paperhanging

Deely & Deely, Attorneys

Jonathon Foote 1778 House

South Prospect Street

218 Main Street

1 East Street

Lee, MA 01238

Monk’s Professional Barber Shop

Lee Bank

Devonfield Inn

91 Main Street

75 Park Street

85 Stockbridge Road

Lee, MA 01238

413-243-3341

413-243-0117

413-243-3298

Hunter & Graziano P. C.

Terrace Hair Studio

Wilcox Plumbing & Heating

10 Park Place

135 Housatonic Street

P. O. Box 561

Lee, MA 01238

413-243-0789

413-243-1799

413-243-2494

Kelly Funeral Home

Matt Liebenow Jr., Trucking

3 Main Street

P. O. Box 72

Lee, MA 01238

413-243-0204

413-347-7048

Check out TownOfLee.com for information about Lee; where to eat, places to stay, shopping, etc.

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Student Membership - $5.00

Senior Membership (one person over the age of 65) - $5.00

Business Membership - $25.00

Individual Membership (one person under the age of 65) - $10.00

Family Membership (all members of one family living at home) - $15.00

Name:__________________________________________________________

Mail to:

Address:________________________________________________________

Lee Historical

Society,

City/Town:_________________________State:_____________Zip:________

P. O. Box 170,

Lee, MA 01238

Telephone:______________________Email:__________________