Minutes of the Princeton Historical Commission
March 20, 2014
Town Hall Annex, 7 PM
Attendees: Sheila Dubman, Alex Fiandaca, Matt Lindberg and Mickey Splaine.
Phyllis Booth also attended.
Members unanimously accepted minutes from the meeting on February 20th, 2014.
Daniel Parkhurst
On Monday, March 17th, Sheila, Phil, Alex, Lynne and Phyllis met with Barbara Charles and her husband Bob Staples who personally delivered the gravestone of Daniel Parkhurst who is buried in Meetinghouse Cemetery. Barbara and Bob acquired Daniel’s gravestone at an antique auction on the 1970s and very recently made the connection to Princeton via the internet. They discovered H. Milton Cheever’s 1942 inventory of gravestones in each of Princeton’s cemeteries which placed Daniel Parkhurst in “Meetinghouse Hill” cemetery. Further searching of Meetinghouse Cemetery led to Ta Mara and Ta Mara referred Barbara to Alex. Alex, with help from Joyce and Lynne, has since researched Daniel and his family and provided information to members.
Sheila and Alex discussed Daniel among other Meetinghouse Cemetery items with the Cemetery Commission on the evening of March 17th. Options for Daniel’s future were discussed and it was suggested that a State commendation be obtained for Barbara and Bob for Daniel’s return. PHC members were in favor of seeking the commendation and Sheila will draft a letter from the Historical Commission. Members considered the pros and cons of placing Daniel’s gravestone back in Meetinghouse Cemetery and donating him to the Historical Society. The discussion remains open and members agreed to take Barbara and Bob’s wishes into consideration.
Meetinghouse Cemetery
As mentioned above, Sheila and Alex attended the Cemetery Commission’s meeting on March 17th to provide an update on Meetinghouse Cemetery. Items included the PHC’s plans for a Town Meeting warrant article request for $3,500 for Meetinghouse restoration funds, a footstone resetting workday on Saturday, April 26th, possible dry well for long-term fragment storage (and off-site storage containers for repairable footstones) and news of our May 31st cemetery tour with the Church. Bruce Rollins suggested using a locked, concrete vault for the fragments buried just outside of the cemetery. The vault dimensions are 3 x 3 x 8 feet and the cost is about $200.
The Commission still needs to compose its justification for requesting Meetinghouse Cemetery funds and Mickey offered his assistance.
May 31st Cemetery Tour/250th Anniversary of the Congregational Church
Sheila and Alex will hold a meeting with Rev. Linda Michel and later with the Gravestone Girls to plan the event/tour on Saturday, May 31. Alex handed out copies of the 2006 tour booklet.
Minutes of the Princeton Historical Commission
March 20, 2014
Town Hall Annex, 7 PM
The cost to print 50 copies of similarly-sized booklet would be about $80. (Black and white pages are $0.12 each (single sided) and color pages are $0.59 each.)
Alex will work with Sheila on a revised version that incorporates the 1774 theme and includes more material about the Church’s 250-year history.
House Plaque Program
The house plaque program is on hold.
House Research
Alex will continue to work on instructions for do-it-yourself house research to be posted on the Historical Commission’s website.
Redemption Rock Marker
Mickey suggested that the Commission try to reach President Obama’s representatives to propose commending the students and teachers in the President’s Worcester Technical High School commencement address. Sheila will draft a letter and look into possible contacts.
Next Meeting: Next meeting Thursday, April 17th, 2014 at 7 PM in the Town Hall Annex.
Respectfully submitted, Alex Fiandaca
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