Oct 1, 2024 As autumn settles in and children have returned to school, our volunteers have been busy preparing for Medfield Day, planning history-themed activities for children to learn about old and obsolete technology, specifically about tasks that can now be performed by apps in one’s cell phone. Children starting school in 2024 will have […]
Jobs for Medfield’s Youth: 1840s Version Read More »
Sep 1, 2020 William S. Tilden was one of Medfield’s two most important and prolific historians. (The other is, of course, Richard DeSorgher, who grew up here, taught history and social studies here for over thirty years, published four books on Medfield history, and is still Medfield’s official town historian, though he has lived in
Tilden Ancedotes – Working Out the Highway Tax Read More »
Sep 1, 2024 Doctor Jabez Fuller was the son of Isaac Fuller of Middleboro, Massachusetts. Born in 1723, he came to Medfield at the age of 24 in 1747. That same year he married Elizabeth Hilliard. In 1756 the couple bought the homestead of Timothy Metcalf, located in Dingle Dell. Dingle Dell, also known in
The Fullers of Medfield Read More »
Sep 1, 2024 Another Medfield school year is now underway marking nearly 370 years since the first schoolhouse was built on North Street in 1655 – evidenced by a historical marker where the new 21 North restaurant is now located. And while much has changed with education over time, some aspects of it have stayed
Similarities of Medfield Education Over Time Read More »
Jun 1, 2024 Medfield is in full bloom once again, as we welcome the month of June. Along with my usual time-travel musings, I’ve been thinking about Juneteenth, wondering about Medfield’s involvement in the antislavery movement. Evidence shows that Medfielders were active in the movement, which gained strength in the northern states during the 1830s.
Uncovering Medfield’s Anti-Slavery Activities Read More »
May 1, 2024 Visitors to the Medfield Historical Society during History Weekend had the opportunity to view, for the first time in eleven years, our town’s collection of J.A.S. Monks etchings and paintings. This exhibit included both early and later etchings, an untitled watercolor, and of course, the famous oil painting of “Jack the Dog,”
Beyond Jack the Dog: Medfield History Weekend Visitors View Art of J.A.S. Monks Read More »
May 1, 2024 I was contacted by the Photo Angel through Ancestry.com. If you’re not familiar with her, she reunites long lost photos with families. She found me on a family tree that I created to work on Medfield families, and inquired if I was a relative of Amy Hewins. I am not, but suggested
Amy Hewins Comes Home Read More »
May 1, 2024 When William S. Tilden (1830-1912) wrote his History of Medfield 1660-1886, he reported that Francis Hamant, one of Medfield’s original 13 settlers, was granted a house lot on South Street. Hamant had met the qualifications set out in Medfield founder Ralph Wheelock’s Agreement for would-be settlers that he was “honest, peacable, &
Beloved School Teacher Charles Hamant Read More »
Apr 1, 2024 Editor’s note: This story is excerpted from Richard DeSorgher’s “This Old Town: On the Banks of the Charles” (to order book see bottom of page) From 1868 when Oliver and Elizabeth Clifford moved their family to Medfield until the death of their daughter Ellen in 1919, the Clifford name was a well-known
The Cliffords of Medfield Read More »
Apr 1, 2024 From the earliest days, America’s Puritan settlers prioritized education. Parents were responsible for assuring their children could read (especially so they could read the Bible) and write, and all towns were required towns to set up schools. Boston Latin School was founded in 1635; Harvard in 1636. Dedham in 1644 authorized the
School Life in Medfield 200 Years Ago Read More »