House and Barn

New Ipswich Historical Society

House and Barn

Another mystery, so many mysteries with these photos

Newspaper Clipping

1941

NEWIPSWICH 1941

Correspondent: Mrs. Bessie Cushing Tel. Greenville 58-12

Open Old Box Taken From Appleton Academy Cornerstone.

The opening of the leaden box which was found in the cornerstone of Appleton Academy was witnessed by a good sized gathering, of whom a good number were men, in the Historical building, Saturday afternoon. Senator and Mrs. Tobey were present.

To open a box of this kind is quite an unusual happening. It was opened by Dr. C. G. Cayward of the present board of Appleton, and was placed there by Rev. Samuel Lee, president of the board of trustees of Appleton at that time in August 1853. The box was easily opened with the fingers as it had already started to open, open, as the solder had become brittle.

Timothy Farrar had told us in the history of New Ipswich what this box contained and is as follows: "In a cavity of the corner- stone laid under the southwest corner of the building is a leaden box six inches square and three inches deep, containing a catalogue of the academy for 1852-3, circular for 1852-3, regulations of the police of New Ipswich, invoice of the polls and estate of New Ipswich, report of the Superintending School Committee 1852-3, Scientific American Daily Evening Traveler August 10 1853, Daily Advertiser August 10 1853, Barnum's Illustrated News August 13, 1853, Farmer's Cabinet August 4, 1853, bills of the New Ipswich bank, coins of the U. S. 1853 Boston Semi-Weekly Post, Boston Daily Journal and a history of the building, with the names of the donors." (T. F.)

All this was found and much more. All the old papers were of only two sheets or pages. There was a copy of Littel's Living Age magazine, Quite a lot of money in bills was in bad shape. It was not mouldy although about two spoonsful of water was in the box, but it smelled of the earth. Miss Abby L. Phelps has been at work on the papers which were in bad condition to decipher what was written. Some of these papers she has placed in an envelope, not to be handled again. Bills drawn on the New Ipswich bank were in bad condition and denominations as follows, one of each, $500, $100, $50, $20, $10, $3, $2, and $1. These bills had not been signed. There was a $5 bill which had been signed and then the name crossed off. Another $20 bill was drawn on a New Bedford, Mass., bank. A silver quarter and dime were as bright as when taken from the mint. There was a paper or circular written by George M. Champney and a hymn written by Lewis G. Pray. Mr. Quimby was the principal of Appleton at this time.

A piece of lead had scratched on it the names of the children of Nathan Sanders, who made this lead box, and he lived in what is now known as the Dixon Wheeler house and had a tin shop in the building below, now a dwelling house. There was a small plate attached to the cover of the box on which was the following, "G. and M. Sanders, manufacturers of tin plate and sheet iron, August 11, 1853." The police regulations paper was in good shape and they provoked a lot of laughter and some wished they could be in force at this day. Cedric Chase, a photographer from Waltham who has a summer home in Bank Village, took a picture of the box and contents.

James Roger diary entries

4th August 1912 - disgraceful names

Cool morning; fair and warmer. Mr. Lord preached on “Bearing one another’s burdens.” S.S. after. 10 Seniors; 4 Juniors. Collection: 23 cts. Vesper service at 4 p.m. Soloists: C. Perry & Mr. Jay. Text: “I am the Light of the World.” Mr. Kenny at Mrs. Ames’; came out as David passed this afternoon and called David very disgraceful names.