Powder Puffs

New Ipswich Historical Society

Marion Davis Audio-Tape Transcriptions

Sometime before her death in 1986, Marion Davis recorded her memories at the encouragement of her brother, Walter Buck. The recordings were transcribed by a secretary.

The Friends of Wapack have made these available to the Historical Society. Marion was born on February 8, 1894 in Fitchburg, MA.

Powder Puff Business

In the afternoon we went over to the building--we could set up in the gymnasium. This young man who had helped us find a camping place got some green burlap for us to use as a background for our exhibits and also a table that we could literature and so forth on. Also the powder puffs that we had brought with us to see what we could do with those things. Then things started with a boom Of course this was to be a week. People began coming in and they noticed the powder puffs; we had about 50 that we had made up. they took people's eyes and first thing we knew we were getting orders for powder puffs we must make up. We had the suitings that we had got in Manchester and also the little collar and muff set that I had made out of a lamb's pelt. Because it was short- clipped wool. We had a baby carriage robe that I had made out of a good sized sheep pelt. That was limed with Skinners satin--oh, it was handsome with a pink edge of felting.

We didn't go into the village to get something to eat because we could eat over there at our little camp; we cooked food there. When it came time to go home we got pretty well packed up the night before and that morning we finished up so early--just at daylight-- so we started for home. singing all the way. We got home at 9 o'clock, which surprised the folks at the farm considerable.

Right after that was the exhibit at Greenfield. Well, we had to get busy and work on powder puffs. We made powder puffs and we made powder puffs. It was quite a job cutting out those pelts and getting them made up. Frank went to see George Wellington over in Jaffrey. He was a taxidermist, and we found from him that we could get pelts from Winchester, N.H. to make up puffs and so forth, and that's what we went into from then on. At Greenfield we had quite a bit of business. Later on we went to Plymouth, N.H., Laconia, N.H. In/Greenfield The dignitaries always go around to these fairs too same as Andrew L. Felker who was Commissioner of Agriculture at that time, Lawrence Carlyle and the govenor of the State. When we were at Deerfield Mr. Felker came to us and said, "Are you going back to Laconia" (he lived in Laconia) "That's the day after tomorrow, isn't it?" We said "Yes" and he said, "Could you take me with you? I've no conveyance unless I hire somebody". We said, Surely, we'd be glad to have him go with us. He said, "I know a shortcut to get back there so I can help you that much" We got to his płace about 1l o'clock that night and he put us up at his home. He insisted that we stay there, said there was no reason for us to look for a place, he had plenty of room. So the next morning we went down and set up our exhibit in the village.

Photo Archives

Two women with umbrellas

James Roger diary entry & pullet count

19th December 1912

Showery with strong wind all day. David lighting church fires for sewing circle and Hall for Lecture tonight. Daniel & him burning up rubbish at Jenny Fox Place and fixing up settees, screens, etc. in Hall. Mrs. Sampson called in forenoon. Pullets 5.

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