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 Welcome to 2012! And what better way to celebrate a new year than with a new marriage!
Congratulations goes out to my friends George and Donna who got married this past weekend. What makes this wedding so special is that they performed their nuptials in a library. And not just any library…but a genuine New England anomaly library…namely the oldest continuously operating library in the country! How cool is that?!
The Abington Social Library is nestled in the rural village of Abington in the Town of Pomfret, CT on Rt. 97…just down the street from the Abington Burial Grounds (you knew I would bring in a cemetery somehow, didn’t you?). Although the building has only been around since 1885, the library itself has existed non-stop in one form or another since 1793, including a stint as a women’s library in the early 1800s. All this was told to me by the library’s director, Bonnie Duncan, who just so happens to be a justice of the peace and oversaw the ceremony. It’s a neat building, divided up into two  halves…one side is the main adult section. Like any library, they carry the latest fiction titles, reference books, video and DVD tapes, and the other side is a well stocked children’s room filled with toys, game tables and lots of good reading for the young ones. And like any good historic library, there is also a section with books dedicated to local history.
I noticed a nearly life-size, wooden wolf statue in the corner. That, says Duncan, was a gift from a patron to honor the last wolf in Connecticut. As some may know, the last wolf in Connecticut was killed in Pomfret by none other than Israel Putnam, hero of the American Revolution. To read the story, go here. Ms. Duncan also confined to me that the library is said to be haunted that same wolf’s spirit. While I personally don’t believe in ghosts, it’s a cool story, never-the-less. The library was recently written up in the Woodstock Villager newspaper. You can read about the library here.
 So, why get married here? George and Donna are long-time library folks and scholars themselves, so it all makes sense to be married by a librarian in a library. They picked the Abington Social Library when they heard about it from a friend. It was small, historic and personable…what every community library strides to be.
It was a wonderful ceremony, with self-written vows (and a hand-shake deal to boot!). They make an awesome couple. We were honored to be there and we at the New England Anomaly wish them the very best in their lives. It couldn’t happen to a nicer couple. Bright Blessings to them both.
And as for the rest of you, if you’re in north-eastern Connecticut, make sure to stop by the Abington Social Library and say hi to Bonnie Duncan and the ghost wolf! Pet the wolf statue for me, too.
 George and Donna
Happy Winter Solstice and a Blessed Yule to you all!
Have fun and be safe.
 photo by C. LeBeau
One more Cemetery News update before the end of the year…
Gardening and cemeteries go hand in hand…
New Hartford preservation Garden club looks into ways to ensure care for cemetery
Waterbury Republican American, Nov. 28, 2011
And speaking of garden cemeteries…
WHO LIES HERE: Mt. Pleasant Cemetery third in country designed to evoke European outdoor spaces
Taunton Daily Gazette, Nov 24, 2011
A long-lost stone comes home…
Infant’s long-missing gravestone returned
New London Day, Dec. 7, 2011
Heartless, especially this time of year…
Little girl’s grave among 16 vandalized at Griswold cemetery
Norwich Bulletin, Dec. 11, 2011
And if you think thieves can’t sink low enough, this happens…
Massive bronze statues stolen from Waterbury cemetery
WFSB.com, Ch. 3, Dec. 13, 2011
Shadowy death figure, other bronze statues stolen from Waterbury cemetery
Waterbury Republican American, Dec. 12, 2011
Luckily, the pieces were found, and the thieves caught…
Two Charged With Stealing Cemetery Statues
NBC Connecticut, Dec. 16, 2011
And now an update on the happenings at Arlington Cemetery…
GAO: Improvements Under Way At Arlington Cemetery
Huffington Post, December 12, 2011
From the Assoc. for Gravestone Studies newsletter…a photo blog about Vermont cemeteries!
Green Mountain Graveyards
And speaking of AGS…here’s the latest info on the upcoming AGS annual Conference
Call for Papers and Participation/Class Sessions
2012 AGS Conference and Annual Meeting
Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey
June 19 – 24, 2012
That’s it for now. See you on this side of the grass!
Cranky
Thanks to bOING bOING for the heads up on this one… (You don’t read bOING bOING? You should!! It’s AWESOME!)
That great New England “anomaly” known as The Voynich Manuscript is now online!
Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library finally put the entire Voynich Manuscript on the web for perusal. The Voynich Manuscript is a controversial book that is said to date back to the 15th century. Experts don’t know much about the book because the writing in it has been undecipherable, but it is interesting none-the-less. It looks to some like a medicinal or alchemy handbook. It’s full of hand-drawn plants, images, and other weird doodles and written in a text nobody can read. Some say its an elaborate hoax put out by the bookdealer for who the manuscript is named after. The book has been in Yale’s possession since 1969.
Mystery, hoax, or yet unknown universal truth, the Voynich Manuscript continues to fascinate and frustrate academics. Now everyone can join the ranks of the perplexed as they leaf through its pages on the web…and best of all, it’s right here in Connecticut.
Let the deciphering begin!
Cranky
So how’s that food coma coming along now that Thanksgiving is over? Maybe there’s some room for food for thought…
Yesterday, while driving to a destination, I listened to the radio show “Back Story” with the American History Guys (What? No American History Gals?), as they explained Thanksgiving in this country.
As I listened to them yak about Pilgrims, New England, and (ugh) football, all I kept thinking was, “Tony Horwitz says Thanksgiving began in St. Augustine.” That went through my mind several times during the show, then about half way through, a woman named “Robin” phoned in to talk about just that. They don’t identify her, but I’m guessing it was Robyn Gioia, author of the book America’s First Real Thanksgiving, and she set The American History Guys straight (An American History Gal! Yea Robyn!). Yes, the first celebrated Thanksgiving in America took place in St. Augustine, Florida in 1565 by the Spanish, led in particular by Pedro Menendez. But as the American History Guys and Robyn all pointed out, thanksgiving celebrations occurred regularly all over the Christian world. And in this case, Menendez and his crew gave thanks for a safe passage…and the extermination of the French [Huguenots] who just happened to be there at the time.
Happy Thanksgiving! Prepare to die!! I’m sure the French didn’t think it was too happy. Neither did Natives Americans since this same scenario can be used for Jamestown and Plymouth in context to relations between settlers and the Indians.
So what brought this all up? Good timing, basically. I just finished reading Tony Horwitz‘ book A Voyage Long and Strange earlier that day before I heard the radio show, and of course, we all just celebrated Thanksgiving here in the U.S. of A. Horwitz’s book covers the years after Columbus and before, since he also researches the Vikings and the Basques visitations as well. [Note: for more detailed information on why the Basques were here, read Mark Kurlansky's Cod: a Biography of the Fish that Changed the World.] Horwitz gives a lot of pages over to the Spanish who were making treks all over the southeast long before the English even thought about turkeys and Pilgrim hats. Half the fun of Horwitz’s book is his Notes on Sources and bibliography. The guy certainly does his homework. I loved that he also mentions some New England “anomalies” such as Old Colony Club, Fort St. George, and Dighton’s Rock in his notes. I’m looking forward to reading his new book, Midnight Rising [check out the awesome NY Times book review here].
And where does the Pilgrims and Plimouth Plantation fit in to all of this? As both Horwitz and the American History Guys point out, it was all good PR on someone’s part. Godey’s Lady’s Book & Magazine and the myth of America’s English roots…that’s what it all comes down to. And like many American holidays, Thanksgiving has changed over the years to something totally different than what it originally began as.
But, like the person who changes the subject among the feuding relatives at the dinner table, I’m not here to get into the pros and cons of why this all happened. For me, Thanksgiving just means getting together with friends and family, sharing repast, and truly being thankful for what I have. Isn’t that what we all want?
Happy Thanksgiving…and I mean it, too.
Cranky
Hi all,
I was asked to pass this on to everyone. I think it’s a great idea. Check it out!
The Unique Gift Holiday Fair
Saturday, December 3rd, from 9AM to 4PM and Sunday December 4, from 10AM to 3PM
South End Senior Center, 70 Canterbury Street, East Hartford, CT
Refreshments available: Coffee, Tea, Hot Cider and snacks.
Got a Historian or Budding Genealogist in the family? How about someone interested in a mystical or the magical side of living? This is gift giving like you’ll find nowhere else and all under one roof!
Featuring historic cemetery and mourning themed artwork, jewelry, and crafts. Introduction to some organizations, memberships and books, or certificates for Tarot Card reading, Hand Writing Analysis or time with a professional genealogist to help get someone off to the right start. A great place to start your journey into your ancestral past and appreciation for history!
Items include photography, books, paintings, stained glass, Victorian mourning jewelry, sculpture, t-shirts, cards, pins, old coins, genealogy books, and more. Vendors include but are not limited to: Sabrina’s Grave Art, Mourning Jewelry by Mary Carroll, Stained Glass by BillieJo, Enchantments Witch Shoppe & School, The Gravestone Girls, Connecticut Gravestone Network (resource handouts and local history information), Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Descendents & Founders of Ancestral Windsor and more.
On Saturday, December 3, a professional handwriting detective will be on site to analyze present day and ancestral handwriting samples you provide.
Attendees interested in genealogy may purchase a gift membership to one of the attendant genealogical organizations or a consultation with a genealogy professional.
The show is sponsored by East Hartford’s Friends of Center Cemetery, Inc. and Connecticut Gravestone Network.
For more information about the art & craft show and/or the associated Genealogy Help Sessions, call 860-643-5652, or e-mail shapbrown@cox.net.
It’s probably because of the season, but there is an awful lot of cemetery news coming out of the New England area these days…
As I said, “Tis the season”…for ghost hunting!
Connecticut Ghost Seekers Investigate Local Hauntings
East Hampton-Portland Patch
Oct. 26, 2011
Exploring The Paranormal In New London And Beyond
New London Patch
Oct. 31, 2011
A missing tombstone mystery in Madison
The Case Of The Missing Tombstone Pt. 1
The Case Of The Missing Tombstone Pt. 2
The Madison Patch
Oct. 26 & 27, 2011
Can’t kill ‘Day of the Dead’ no matter what they think
Day of the Dead dies as cemetery cuts arts
Jamaica Plain Gazette
Nov. 4, 2011
He takes his work very seriously…
For Medway man, caring for old gravestones is a grave responsibility
Milford Daily News
Nov. 6, 2011
Because unfortunately, there’s more vandalism.
Vandals knock over dozens of gravestones in Jewish cemetery in East Haven
The Shoreline Times
Oct. 28, 2011
But here’s some good news to a similar story…
Damaged Yantic Cemetery statue collected for restoration
Norwich Bulletin
Nov. 2, 2011
More news from Norwich…finding a lost abolitionist
Experts try to solve mystery of where Norwich abolitionist was buried
New London Day
Nov. 10, 2011
Burial plot scanned for remains of Norwich abolitionist
Norwich Bulletin
Nov. 10, 2011
Not New England news, but something that affects us all…
It’s really disgraceful, and reminds me of the Arlington Cemetery incident last year.
Air Force Mortuary Dumped Remains Of War Dead In Landfill
NPR.org
Nov. 9, 2011
Air Force chief takes responsibility for errors
Associated Press/Yahoo. com
Nov. 10, 2011
And another issue that’s not NE, but still important…cemetery theft!
This piece of news was posted on the Museum-L Listserv, Nov. 9, 2011
I post this here because stolen items can be moved quickly across state lines and travel quite a ways.
Pottery Grave Marker Theft Alert
The following notice was sent by Mary Farrell, who owns Westmoore Pottery in Seagrove, NC.
“We are sad to report the theft of the Israel Woody, 1834 SGSW handmade
pottery gravemarker made by Solomon Loy in 1834, from the Cane Creek
Friends Burial Ground of Alamance County, NC, after nearly 180 years in
place. If you have any news of it or hear of anyone who’s seen it please
pass the word to the Cane Creek Friends Meeting in Snow Camp, NC or to the
Alamance County, NC Sheriff’s Department. Theft is a real problem with the
pottery grave markers.”
Cemetery theft is a real problem everywhere. Tombstones, grave markers, plaques, gates, etc. have all been the target of cemetery thieves. Anyone out there who sees cemetery items for sale in antiques stores, auction houses, and other places are encouraged to report it. Not only is it disrespectful, it is usually illegal (depending on state law).
Enough news for now
See you on this side of the grass!
Cranky
…and a Blessed Samhain!
I also want to thank everybody for making the Boo-Frog Bash a success despite everything that went wrong that night: freak snow storm, band cancellation, broken furnace, etc. Those who came had a great time and we still managed to raise a decent amount for the Mill Museum. Thanks again everyone!!!
So it’s Halloween and I’m getting off work early for celebration and observation, then off to give out candy in downtown Willimantic with the Mill Museum crew. Have yourselves a great and safe Halloween!!
Cranky
 photo by C. LeBeau
Since Halloween is a few days away, I thought it would be a good time to get updated with the latest cemetery news in New England. And away we go…
Tour the tales the gravestones tell
Martha’s Vineyard Times
Oct. 19, 2011
Here’s a couple of stories about the Sarah Osgood statue from the Yantic Cemetery in Norwich…
Norwich plans to restore stolen statue
Norwich Bulletin
Oct. 17, 2011
The lady shall return
The New London Day
10/15/11
Our thoughts go out to the families affected by this tragedy.
Flooded Vt. town struggles to ID cemetery remains
CBS News
10/12/11
I really hate to report stuff like this…it’s disgraceful that anyone should do such a thing.
Salem cemetery vandalized
Boston Globe
10/13/11
However, I am very glad they caught these people.
Police Arrest Cemetery Vandalism Suspects
NBC Connecticut
Oct. 13, 2011
Here’s the original story.
Six Charged In Waterbury Cemetery Vandalism
Hartford Courant
Oct. 9, 2011
Here’s a story featuring our dear friends, The Gravestone Girls. (Hi Brenda!)
Digging the Past: Massachusetts celebrates archaeology month
MetroWest Daily News
Oct. 9, 2011
And last, but not least…This story is a little old, but still important to report.
Ceremony Held At Unearthed Native American Gravesite
Hartford Courant
Sept. 22, 2011
That’s all for now.
Cranky
Thanks to Wayne Norman and WILI in Willimantic for having me on the show and to all the people who tuned in. Except for me saying “um” a lot, it was fun, and I hope I didn’t bore people too much babbling about cemeteries.
I certainly got something out of it….like making sure to get sleep before going on radio. Hah!
Going to bed very early tonight…
Cranky
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Welcome to 2012! And what better way to celebrate a new year than with a new marriage!
halves…one side is the main adult section. Like any library, they carry the latest fiction titles, reference books, video and DVD tapes, and the other side is a well stocked children’s room filled with toys, game tables and lots of good reading for the young ones. And like any good historic library, there is also a section with books dedicated to local history.
So, why get married here? George and Donna are long-time library folks and scholars themselves, so it all makes sense to be married by a librarian in a library. They picked the Abington Social Library when they heard about it from a friend. It was small, historic and personable…what every community library strides to be.