Selling Potatoes

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.

The Blowout and the Missing $10

At the farm we raised vegetables enough so that we often had plenty to sell. Once I know my folks wanted some potatoes, several bushels, brought to their home up on Pearl Hill. Also, some friends had asked for some. Frank and Mabel bagged them, put them into the car, and I was to deliver So them. This would give me a chance, too, for a good visit with Dad and Mother So I started off, happily, till I reached Ashby, when a loud "bang!" told me I had a blowout. It was no easy job, of course, but I managed to mend it--temporarily.---with the usual patching of the inner tube and the tire itself. But by the time potatoes and I had reached the house, there was a huge bulge at the spot of the "mended" blowout. At home, I found my brother Wesley, who was an agent for a tire firm, luckily for me! Thus, with his help, a tire was picked out and put on. his Model-T , but was This done, Wesley took off in back in ten minutes. He had a flat! and was in need of "help from my sister, the Beef-Eater!" a dainty pet name if I ever heard one! Anyway, after My good deed to repay him for his, I delivered the rest of the potatoes, then headed for the farm, toward evening.

That car provided me with more such "interesting trips, but before I get to the next one, I'll have to lead into it this way: Annett Box Co. had much beech timber growing around Hubbard Pond, and to cut it had hired some French workers. It was to be cut for a clothespin factory in West Rindge; beech wood was necessary for this. These men also cut this wood over on our land, adjoining. Two of them came up to the farm several times to help with the haying during the summer. One day, Mabel discovered that a 10 dollar bill was missing from her pocket-book in the desk, and knowing that it had been there the day before, she and Frank, too, knew it must have been taken by one of the French men. They were down haying; when Frank called them in, quizzed them, sure enough---it was one of them, Anthony Marion, who promised to make it good. the other man stayed with us quite a while, even into winter.

Photo Archives

Doctor Cochran and Group

James Roger diary entry

12th December 1912

Frost, 12 degrees, wind southwest to north, cold high wind. David went to Greenville and brought Kerosene and grain. Dan and him at Fox Place afternoon. I brought down two barrow loads of shingles and lit fire in Hall and filled lamps for Grange tonight. Got letter from So. Framingham with payment of the Brooks’ cemetery lot. Got pcs (postcards) from Hamish and Elizabeth. Grange closed at 11 p.m. Election as follows:  Master—Willis Mansfield, Ceres [Roman goddess of agriculture]—Eva Preston, Overseer—Wm. E. Preston, Pomona—Elsie Maxwell, Lecturer—Isham Aldrich, Flora—Ida M. Wheeler, Steward—Bert Mansfield, Lady Assist.—Helen Sargent, Assist. Steward—A.A. Woodward, Chorister—Lena Walker, Chaplin—Mary Balch, Gatekeeper—Fred Mansfield, Treasurer—Robert B. Walker, Secretary—Albro L. Balch.

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