The Old Landing______________________
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
I am pleased to report that the Society is in great shape and
many exciting things have happened over the past year.
We hired a part-time Executive Director, Dr. Jeffrey Miller,
who works one day a week. Jeff also works at the Matta-
poisett Historical Society and we feel fortunate to have him
as he is extremely well-qualified, with a Ph.D. in Historical
Archaeology from Queens University in Belfast, Ireland. He
has extensive experience in research and interpreting histo-
ry, material culture and maritime communities. His duties
include collections management, public relations, educa-
tion, exhibition planning, facilities management and fund-
raising. He is a great addition to our team.
Our classic film series has been a great success, largely due
to the efforts and enthusiasm of our Vice President, David Pierce. This year we featured some
great films like A Man for all Seasons, Cool Hand Luke, All quiet on the Western Front, Some Like
it Hot and Moby Dick. David has chosen a wonderful selection of monthly films beginning again
in September.
The Sippican Historical Society and the Croll Foundation, in collaboration with Sky Develop-
ment, which is owned by Michael and Kate Sudofsky, were able to purchase the Captain Hadley
House and obtain a deed restriction on this most important historical property. The restriction
ensures that the building has been saved in perpetuity. The exterior of the building cannot be
changed or altered, unless approval is granted by the SHS. It can never be moved and if it is de-
The newsletter of the Sippican Historical Society July 2016
Jeff in the snow earlier this year.
The CHH is an architectural gem and it is a beacon to the official entrance into Marion. It was
built in 1846 for Captain Stephen Hadley, who resided there until 1880. Arctic explorer Adolphus
Greeley and his family rented the house for many years and invited the first lady, Frances Cleve-
land, to visit during the last year of her husband, Grover Cleveland’s, first term as President. The
funds used to purchase this deed restriction came out of our restricted preservation fund. This
fund was formed and endowed by benefactors including the late Jim Weinberg and Chuck Arms.
Jim, Chuck and many others
realized the need for the SHS
to get involved in protecting
and preserving Marion’s im-
portant buildings, and it is
our hope to continue to pur-
sue this course in the future.
I would like to give special
thanks to Judith Rosbe, our
treasurer and past president,
for spearheading this project
and bringing it to fruition.
And I would also like to thank
David Croll, Doug Munro and
Michael Sudofsky for helping
to make this happen.
THIRD GRADE VISITORS
On June 10, the Sippican School third grade
included the museum as part of a walking
tour around the village. Four classes visited,
and Jeff was busy teaching them about arti-
facts, museums, and history. The children
were given a scavenger hunt which tasked
them with finding objects around the muse-
um. A short video on the mystery of the
Mary Celeste was a favorite with the kids.
The walking tour is an annual event for the
third graders, so we look forward to wel-
coming them again next year!
The Captain Hadley House
Sippican School third-graders at the museum.
MEMORIAL GARDEN
When Dick Anderson, our long-time board member, Treasurer and Past President, died, his wife,
Dana, suggested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the SHS’s Memorial Garden. With
the generous fund, SHS purchased beautiful new Memorial Garden furniture for all to enjoy. We in-
vite you to stop by and to sit on one of the new benches and chairs and remember Dick and all that
he did for SHS.
Ann Ziegler has graciously accepted being in charge
of the Memorial Garden. Not only has she donated
new plants for the garden and its planters, but she
overseas the maintenance of the garden. She is
keeping it as a beautiful oasis to rest and reflect on
loved ones remembered on bronze plaques around
the garden.
SPEAKERS’ SERIES
Our Speakers Series has begun in full swing this summer with Mary Howland Smoyer’s talk on
“Remember the Ladies: Boston Women in Public Art,” and Caroline Elkins’s lecture on “Empire on
Trial.” We have many more speakers lined up for interesting and informative talks for the rest of
the summer, including Mau VanDuren, Robert McFarlane, Christine Black and B. Jay Cooper.
Dana Anderson. The Richard Anderson memorial bench.
Ann Ziegler in the Memorial Garden.
WHALING COLLECTION
In January, we were very pleased to accept the donation of an extensive collection of 19th century
objects related to the whaling industry from Margot Stone and her daughter, Robin Arms Shields.
This collection was assembled by the late David Arms, Margot’s former husband and Robin’s fa-
ther. David was a Vice President of the Society and the driving force behind the creation of the nau-
tical history room at the museum. According to Frank McNamee, David had a vision to make the
SHS a top-notch little museum. He searched antique shops, antique shows, and auctions for ap-
propriate items to place on display at the museum. Now the
collection, which is valued at over $20,000, has been donat-
ed to the SHS by his family. Some of the important items in-
clude a large scrimshawed whale’s tooth depicting the
Charles W. Morgan, a collection of whalebone fids and seam
rubbers, needle cases, a spectacular assortment of whale oil
lamps and a ship model of the whale ship, Alice Mandell, as
well as several telescopes. These items are a great addition
to the permanent collection of the SHS and the Society is
very grateful for Margot and Robin’s generosity.
UPDATING OUR DATABASE
Did you know that the Sippican Historical Society has more that 10,000 items in its database? Ann
Harris, our assistant curator, volunteers every Saturday morning, adding items to our searchable
database. Jeff, our Executive Director, has upgraded our PastPerfect software and is swiftly helping
Ann to add items, and our clerk, Helen Hills, has been learning to upload items too. All of this hap-
pens under the direction of our long-time Curator, Pete Smith.
Our entire database is also available online, at http://sippican.pastperfectonline.com or via the link
on our website. From there you can search our records for family histories, old Marion photos, and
more!
Robin and Margot in the Maritime Room.
Pete Smith Ann Harris Helen Hills
AMAZON SMILE
If you are an online shopper, you can now support the Sippican Historical Society through your pur-
chases on Amazon.com, by using Amazon Smile, a program in which Amazon donates 0.5% of the
price to the charitable organization of your choice.
Just follow this link to begin shopping: Amazon Smile for SHS
MANY THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS
Thanks to your generous support, we are able to pursue our mission of celebrating and preserving
the historic village of Marion, its artifacts and archives. The following list reflects contributions for
our 2016 campaign. We hope that this list is accurate. Please let us know of any changes or correc-
tions at [email protected].
Curator
Charles Arms Estate
Charles and Christina Bascom
Riaz and Cecily Cassum
Croll Foundation
David and Victoria Croll
William and Deborah Elfers
Island Foundation
Kinlin Grover Real Estate
H. O. Peet Foundation
Robert and Judith Rosbe
Margot Stone
Michael and Kate Sudofsky
Ladd and Sigrid Thorne
William and Heather Vrattos
Weinberg Foundation
Hans and Ann Ziegler
Sponsor
Robert and Joanna Bennett
Jack and Nancy Braitmayer
Robert and Phyllis Eklund
Jack and Doris Ludes
Galen and Anne Stone
Walter and Lenkie Trumbull
Richard and Anne Webb
Collector
Michael and Margie Baldwin
Charles and Nancy Boit
Rid Bullerjahn
Mimi Coolidge
Douglas and Cindy Crocker
Robert and Susan Darnton
Bob and Pam DiFilippo
Reg and Barbie Foster
Ann Harris
Bill and Lissa Holmes
Hank and Andrea Keene
Anthony and Christina Mason
Peter and Fair Alice McCormick
Charles and Louise Nadler
Andrew Nowick and Paul Scoggins
Sandria Parsons
Peggy Repass
Wick and Sloan Simmons
Restorer
Kathleen Ackerman
Robert and Meg Ackerman
Dana Anderson
Talbot Baker, Jr.
David and Jane Barker
David and Laurie Barrett
Cynthia Bell
Alex and Chantal Biner
Ted and Liz Brainard
Gertrude Burr
Cynthia Casner
Louis and Danielle Coffin
David and Nancy Corkery
Maryfrances Davis
Jerry and Beth Devlin
George and Susan Domolky
Jeff and Beth Doubrava
Susan Drake
Timothy Dyer
Harry and Patsy Easterly
Eden Florist & Garden Shop
Caroline Elkins
Russell and Laurie Fearing
Jim and Kathy Feeney
Lincoln and Susan Ford
Peter and Jennifer Francis
Terry and Helena Freiberg
Nelson Gifford
Gordon and Linda Goodwin
Cecily Grable
James Gurney and Lisa Walbrid
Dorothea Harris
Steve and Mary Ann Hayes
Dorothy Heath
Jeanne Hickey
Norman and Helen Hills
Edward and Pam Hoffer
Nan Johnson and Alan Minard
Janet Keeler
John and Nancy Kendall
Trudy Kingery
Robert and Linda Lane
Jeff and Craig Lawrence
Bill and Kathy Lewis
Sally Madison
Christopher Makepeace
James Manninen
Bambi Markel
Janet Markel
Muffy Marlio
Judith Mazurkiawicz
Joe and Holly McDonough
Gil and Barbara McManus
Frank and Diand McNamee
Lincoln and Patricia Miller
John and Nancy Mills
Dick and Faith Morningstar
Peter and Robin Muise
Doug Munro and Nancy Moore
Ted and Linda North
Henry and Pam Norweb
Dave and Connie Pierce
Jerry and Cynthia Pyle
William and Judy Redway
Carl and Leslye Ribeiro
Charles and Meghan Rider
Stanton and Mary Roller
Ted & Kim Redfield Romanow
Tom and Alice Shire
Alan and Linda Solomon
Catherine Chapman Stemberg
Gregg and Lisa Stone
Edwin and Joan Tiffany
Mary Tomlinson
George and Dagmar Unhoch
Vera Vivian
Paul and Linda Vivino
John and Mallory Waterman
George and Lisa Whitney
Diana Worley
Lane Young
Richard and Doris Young
Family
Richard Arthur and Sally Fallon
Veronique and Chris Bale
Belmire and Juanita Barros Jr.
Robert and Virginia Becher
Bill and Mary Jean Blasdale
Paul and Caroline Bolick
Herb and Jorie Borden
Charles and Priscilla Bradley
Earl and Mimi Briggs
Charles and Carol Brown
Clint and Judy Brown
Catherine Browne
Ann Butler
Edward Byrnes
Sheila Powers Converse
Henry Cosman
Prescott and Joan Crocker
Joan DeRugeris
Clark and Joey DuBois
Hugh and Kathy Dyer
Don and Barbara Easterday
Jeff and Cheryl Faria
Bill and June Farnham
Janet Gardiner
Sam and Gerry Gray
Larry and Alane Hall
Ron and Mimi Henderson
Sam and Genya Hopkins
Jonathan and Liz Howland
Christian and Harriet Ingerslev
George Jennings
Gregory and Nancy Johnson
Tim and Kelly Kelleher
Bill and Priscilla Kennedy
John and Barbara Klein
Joyce Kohout
Steve and Suzanne Kokkins
Andy Kotsatos and Heather Parsons
James and Pat Lionberger
Mark and Lisa MacKenzie
Michael and Debra Gayle Malone
Kirt and Susan Mead
Susan Noonan
Bill and Chip Notman
Jay and Mindy Pasco-Anderson
Mark and Alice Rice Perkins
Robert C. Pina
Todd and Shelly Richins
Thomas and Pamela Riffin
Mark and Sonia Riley
Bill and Tinker Saltonstall
Bob and Barbara Sanderson
Carol Sanz
John and Marguerite Sarson
Dick and Lori Schaefer
Edward Sefranka and George
Tinkham
Barry and Susan Smith
Mary Howland Smoyer
Barry and Meg Steinberg
Deborah Stinson
Timothy and Tina Stone
Eivind and Sylvia Strand
Thomas and Cornelia Tarrant
Herald and Claire Terpeny
Coyt and Susan Tillman
David and Suzy Titus
Peter and Anna Ward
Davis and Jennfer Webb
Jack and Priscilla Wheatley
Harold Wile
Senior/Student
Larry and Wendy Bidstrup
Warren Briggs
Cynthia Bryden
Bo and Ellie Burbank
Rick and Catherine Crocker
Richard and Virginia Cutler
Diane D'Almeida
Elizabeth Dartt
Ben and Wendy Rolfe Dunham
Elizabeth Dunn
Peggs Francis
Samuel Francis
Geoffrey and Karilon Grainger
Joan Hartnett-Barry
Don and Rosemary Hudson
Robert Jones
Joseph and Ellen Keogh
Audrey Knapp
Rosemary Kotkowski
Patricia Lemire
Betty Linzee
Don Lipsitt
Prof. and Mrs. Lewis Lipsitt
Paul and Brooke Lipsitt
Michael and Linette Lizotte
Joanne Mahoney
Denny and Tippy Makepeace
Peter and Linda McManmon
Mary McNamee
Paul and Elaine Morse
Joseph Napoli
Julie Race
Will and Kerry Saltonstall
Fred and Ann Severance
Pete Smith
Catherine Stone
Shirlee Thomas
Suzanne Tifft
Jane Tougas
James and Mary Verni
William and Beverly Wareham
Ann Washburn
Doug and Joanne Watson
Bunny Weicker
In Kind Donations
Peter Ducette
Lee Gunschel
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF
President
Frank McNamee
Vice President
David Pierce
Treasurer
Judith Rosbe
Clerk
Helen Hills
Curator
Pete Smith
Directors
Robert Darnton
Steve Gonsalves
Douglas Munro
Deborah Stinson
Ann Ziegler
Executive Director
Jeffrey Miller, PhD
139 Front Street, P.O. Box 541, Marion, MA 02738