OHA Newsletter
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Issue No. 27 Oakham Historical Association June 2005
The Roof is Done!! With that project and two other exciting events (Indian Artifacts presentation and the Coldbrook Springs monument dedication), the last 3 months have seen a lot of activity. We’ll get to a review of each of the three items in a moment, but first a look ahead.
The summer season will involve some maintenance projects and preparation for some events this fall. We have some painting to do, and attic windows to replace, along with a few other items. A town-wide Yard Sale, similar to last year’s, is planned for September 24th, and we are setting up a Tour of Oakham Homes for September 10th. For the Homes Tour, we are contacting the owners of several of Oakham’s older homes to see if they would be willing to open part of their home to the public for an afternoon. As plans are solidified we’ll be advertising the event. Now let’s review the recent happenings.
First, the roof. After a lot of fundraising, and several ideas and quotes, J&T Construction was selected to replace the roof on the main part of the museum and the porch. New plywood and supporting 2 x 6s were added before shingling. The work was completed in less than a week in early May, and the results are terrific. We wish to thank all those who contributed funds to the project, J&T Construction, BlueLinx for discounted materials, and Leader Home Center in Barre for delivery of the materials.
Just prior to the roofing work, on April 30th, about 40 people gathered at the museum to listen to a talk by OHA member Lee Dougan on the subject of the area’s first inhabitants, Native Americans. Lee discussed climatic changes from the ice age to present, and their effect on the people of that time. As part of the discussion, the artifacts owned by the museum, and found in Oakham, were on display and the audience was able to examine them and learn about which time period they were used.
On Saturday, June 18th, a monument was unveiled at the site of the former village of Coldbrook Springs, MA. The monument, a piece of granite about 5 ft high and 7 ft wide, has carved pictures of the center of the village, the springs themselves, and one of the railroad stations, along with a written portion describing the village and why it no longer exists. The funding for the monument was provided through the state legislature. Over 100 people attended, including a group of former Coldbrook Springs residents, to hear several dignitaries speak about the sacrifices people had made in support of the public water supply. A short history of the village was given by author J.R. Greene. But the highlight of the day was when former resident Frank Potter spoke to the crowd and said, “I was glad to leave”. Mr. Potter also generously gave his diploma from the Coldbrook school to the Oakham Historical Association.
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Skelton Felton
One of our favorite names in Oakham history is Skelton Felton. Looking through the genealogy of the Feltons, there were four Skelton Feltons. It all started when Nathaniel Felton came from England in the 1630s and married a woman from Salem named Mary Skelton. Nathaniel and Mary had a son Nathaniel Jr. who decided to honor his mother’s maiden name by naming one of his sons Skelton Felton. This first Skelton was born about 1680 in Salem, and in the 1740s moved to Rutland. He decided not to name a son Skelton, but his son Joseph, who moved to Rutland with his father, apparently thought it was a catchy name, so the second Skelton Felton was born in Rutland in 1750. This Skelton moved to Oakham and named his son Skelton in 1785, possibly believing if he could live through it, so could his offspring. The third Skelton Felton decided enough was enough, and didn’t name any of his sons Skelton. But his uncle Jonathan, brother to the second Skelton, liked the name and a fourth Skelton came to being. This last Skelton must have found it difficult to be named Skelton Felton, so he eventually had his name changed to Charles.
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Other News
G’day mate! As an example of the extraordinary efforts the members of the OHA will make for a glimpse of history, three of our members, Edith Crawford Mathis, Eva Grimes, and Grace Grimes White, traveled to Australia this past spring to visit relatives. How did they end up with relatives in Australia? It seems two Crawford brothers, Hiram and Alfred Galen, moved Down Under in the 1870s.
Oakham has a new famous elm tree. The famous Leaning Elm on Coldbrook Road was taken down in 1962, but the non-leaning elm at the entrance to the Oakham Town Hall parking lot has recently been getting some notoriety. An arborist has called the tree one of the best examples of an American Elm in the state. The town is in the process of getting grant money to help feed the tree and add to its longevity. A photo taken at the opening of the Town Hall in 1874 shows a younger version of the tree.
The OHA has several items for sale: books, throws, mugs, magnets, and our latest – Hats.
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Street Names
Here’s an update to our old street name list. If you have others let us know.
South Road was once called Paxton Road.
Hapgood Road was Davis Road.
Part of East Hill Road was called Lupa Road.
Another part of East Hill Road (near Ralph Mann’s) was called Stratton Road.
The end of Barre Road near the center of town was called Prospect Street.
Did you know…
…That at Oakham’s town meeting on May 21,1776, six weeks before the Declaration of Independence, it was “Voted without Contradiction that if the Honl. Congress should for the Safety of the Colonies declare them Independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, that they (that is, the people of Oakham) solemnly engage, with their lives & fortunes to support them in the measure.”
…That at least five Oakham men died in the Revolutionary War. Their names: Timothy Conant, Jabez Fuller, Isreal Hill, James Parmenter, and Zephaniah Perkins.
…In 1750 James Craige Sr. penned a document on behalf of the 34 families living in what was called Rutland West Wing, and sent the petition to the General Court asking that a new town or district be created. Mr. Craige was a weaver by trade and was Oakham’s first innkeeper. The Craige tavern stood near where the Coldbrook Springs monument is now located. Prior to the Revolution, James Craige Sr., staying loyal to the King, had to flee in the night to avoid a mob that was after him. The mob had been at John Murray’s in Rutland, and after seeking Mr. Craige, moved on to Timothy Ruggles home in Hardwick. Mr. Craige ended up in Canada as so many loyalists did.
…The John Murray just mentioned was the first moderator of the town in 1762. He was the area’s representative to the General Court in Boston, and a prominent landowner in Oakham and the surrounding towns. He went by the title Colonel from his rank during the French and Indian Wars, in which he lead an expedition to Crown Point. He, like Mr. Craige went to Canada before the Revolution and lost all his property.
…Two brothers from Oakham, Isaac 2nd and Alpheus Stone, enlisted in the Continental Army on March 11, 1777 for the term of three years. During their enlistment they saw action at Danbury, Stillwater, and Saratoga. The battle of Saratoga is thought to have been one of the turning points of the war, when Burgoyne’s entire army surrendered to the rebels. Many of the prisoners of that army were held at the barracks in Rutland.
Reminders: Regular meetings – 3rd Wednesday of the month @ 7pm
Work meetings – 1st Wednesday of the month @ 7pm
Oakham Homes Tour – Saturday, September 10th
Town-Wide Yard Sale – Saturday, September 24th
Oakham Historical Association
P.O. Box 236
Oakham, MA 01068