NIHS Newsletter - Week 20, 2025
Memorial Day Photos
Memorial Day 1934
Memorial Day 1986
Memorial Day 1990
Memorial Day 2024
Cleaning the Gravestones
The Memorial Day ceremonies will be held this Sunday, May 18th, 2025 with the morning parade to Smithville Cemetery which forms on Goen Road at 9:30 AM. When you attend, pay attention to the many gravestones that Carl Toko has cleaned. The white limestone ones are the most impressive.
Carl wrote this about his work in this May 14th posting on Facebook:
“A day in the Cemetery. It started as a typical day cleaning gravestones in the New Ipswich Cemetery. Then a car pulled in , a lady who I know, got out of her car and said hello , we exchanged pleasantries, and she started putting flowers in for her late husband, she noticed that a flag wasn't put up for her Veteran husband, I told her I would put one in, after a while she said that she was getting tired and will finish later. She is 90 years old! In about a half hour another car pulled in, an elderly man got out, slowly walked over to a site that was marked off, he slowly walked over to me, said Hello, and said his wife is being buried tomorrow here, she had alzhimers, he said it was probably a blessing that she died. He returned to his car, to return tomorrow. He might have been 90. I realized more today why I choose to do what I do cleaning gravestones.”
James Roger Diaries Entries - 1908
12th May 1908 (Tuesday)
Muggy day wind W and variable. Thunderstorms in afternoon. David lifting rocks in Davis field and took settees to Baptist church also sowed some seeds. Mother and I went to club house and cleaned up part of house. Home at 430 pm.
13th May 1908 (Wednesday)
Warm day wind west to north. David on roads with Royce. I Raked the Wilson and Bennet lots in morning. Also sowed one row of peas. ½ row of beet ½ row of beans and filled lamps in vestry.
14th May 1908 (Thursday)
‘Dull day wet day wind N.E. David went out with team but came home owing to rain. Went to Greenville for plough. Mother and I went to club house for 3 hours in afternoon. I fixed vestry for church social and hall for Grange only 7 present.
15th May 1908 (Friday)
Fair wind east to S.E. David on roads with Royce. Mother swept vestry &c. I chored around among the chickens.
16th May 1908 (Saturday)
Fair and warm. David on roads with Royce. I planted two rows of potatoes, and sowed some nasturtiums for John Preston. Let out little chickens today. Got p.c. from Hamish.
17th May 1908 (Sunday)
Cool morning fine day. Mr. Peacock preached from text. We have toiled all day and caught nothing. I attended s.s. after 7 in class. C.E. Mr. Peacock leader topic: “Being a Christian”. A Finn woman gave a short address. A good attendance. Saw golden robin today. David walked to see E. Marshall about painting club house.
18th May 1908 (Monday)
Fair and warm wind N. to S.E. David on the roads with Royce. I sowed some sweet corn, parsley and radish also row of peas. (Telephone) and picked out some tomato plants. Mr. Huckins got 3 ribs broken and other injuries caused by one of his horses kicking him. Mrs. Nash went away today for the summer to Jamaica Vt. Got 2 Scotsman’s from Roslin and letter from Hamish
An update, it wasn't until yesterday that I recognized the name of the woman who was buried that week. June and her husband and their dog lived across the street from the Smithville Cemetery. A few years ago while on my morning walk with Ollie Niemi we would see June walking with her dog. We would stop and talk for a while. A few months ago I asked Ollie, "I wonder what happened to June, we haven't seen her in quite a while".
I wonder who "The Finn Woman" was?