Opening the Time Capsule

Old leaden box from Appleton Academy

July 19, 1941

NEW IPSWICH 

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 trustees 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, as the solder had become brittle. 

   Timothy Farrar had told us in er the history of New Ipswich what this box contained and is as follows: "In a cavity of the cornerstone 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 spoonfuls of water was in the box, but it smelled of the earth. Mrs. Abbie I. 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 “New” Time Capsule

Daniel M. Ziarnik-Case stands next to the New Ipswich Library time capsule and the quilt that he created. Daniel also created the button fashioned after the ones worn by the women suffragettes.

Photo - January 2020 - John M Poltrack

One Hundred Formulas

George Carmichael donated a copy of Stephen A. Thayer’s “One Hundred Formulas” which was published in 1883. It contains recipes from everything from printing ink to pain killers. Another opium (paregoric) based cough remedy. I used to take a cough remedy in he 1950s that contained Ipecac but it is no longer considered safe. Interesting to see Sassafras in this formulation.

WARNING: Please don’t try any of these “remedies”, many contain ingredients which have been shown to be harmful.

James Roger diary entry

October 28^th 1908 (Wednesday)

Fair forenoon. Showery afternoon.  David on roads down town.  Hamish and I took up the yellow turnips and brought them home with Hardy’s team.  Got letter from Alice asking about Hamish.  Lonie and Hamish going to Democratic Rally in Greenville tonight.