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Archivist, family members unwrap a historic quilt

December 8, 2021

The Lincoln Public Library archives contain all sorts of historical items, but not all of them are on paper — a quilt that was made for a woman before she sailed off to be a missionary recently came out of the vault to be admired and rewrapped.

The Flint family, which has lived in Lincoln since the 1600s, donated the quilt to the library some years ago. Three generations of Flints were on hand in the Tarbell Room when the quilt was removed from its box, carefully unfolded on the big table, and refolded with layers of acid-free tissue paper for posterity.

Overseeing the process was Virginia Rundell, Lincoln’s town archivist, who splits her part-time job between the library and working with materials including vital records (births, marriages and deaths) the Town Office Building. 

When 26-year-old Mary Susan Rice, an ancestor of the Flints, decided to travel to Persia in 1847 to pursue her missionary vocation, members of the Lincoln Ladies’ Missionary Sewing Circle (part of the First Parish Congregational Church) sewed individual squares for the quilt and added hand-written messages of inspiration and affection, many of which are still legible today. They did this knowing that it would serve as a cherished reminder of her Lincoln home for Rice, who quite possibly would never return, given the dangers of distant travel at the time.

The large quilt (109” x 96”) has an unusual structure, with cutouts at the two bottom corners to allow it to be laid flat on a four-poster bed. It was made of scraps of many types of material but only lightly quilted for “sentimental value rather than hard everyday use,” according to a 1998 article by Tracy Barron of the American Quilt Study Group.

Each of the 82 squares contains a personal note or Bible verse signed by Rice’s numerous friends, family and acquaintances, among them her mother, who penned a heartfelt inscription into the cloth:

Father to Thee
I yield the trust. O bless her with a love
Deeper and purer, stronger far than mine.
Shield her from sin, from sorrow and from pain.
But should thy wisdom deem affliction best,
Let love be mingled with the chastening.
With an unshrinking heart I give her, Lord, to Thee.
Thy will, not mine be done.

(A bit of research revealed that this was not an original composition by Rice’s mother; it appeared at least once before in print. It’s part of “Love’s Offering” published in The Mother’s Magazine in 1840.)

Rice was well qualified to teach at the Fiske Girls’ School in Oroomiah, Persia (now Rezaiyeh, Iran) — she had attended Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary (later Mt. Holyoke College), founded just 10 years before her departure by Mary Lyon, who also contributed a Biblical verse and wish on one of the quilt’s squares.

Rice did in fact return to Lincoln after 22 years in Persia, where she “helped implement progressive ideas about the roe of women in a society where women were not educated and considered second-class citizens,” Barron says. Some of her students even converted to Christianity in “Holyoke-style revivals.” She resumed living in Lincoln and attending Sewing Circle meetings until her death in 1903.

Mary Susan Rice was the sister of Caroline Rice Flint, the great-grandmother of Peggy Flint Weir and Ephraim Flint. Mary and Caroline grew up in the house that still stands at 7 Old Lexington Rd. When Mary returned from Persia, she lived with her sister and brother-in-law Ephraim Flint in the Flint homestead on Lexington Road, still home to three generations of Flints. The quilt was found by Margaret Flint Sr. in the attic of Bertha Chapin, whose mother also grew up in the Flint homestead, according to family members.

Preserving artifacts like the quilt are central to the work of archivists like Rundell. Along with local historians, they’re sometimes called on when older residents are downsizing and looking to dispose of old letters, photos, papers, records and other materials that may have been sitting in attics or basements for decades. Documents that are deemed historically significant are treated so the paper so won’t degrade any further. Sometimes books are unbound and later archivally rebound so they can be digitized, making them available online to researchers anywhere in the world. Much of this work in Lincoln is funded by annual town budget appropriations requested by the Community Preservation Committee (the money comes from property taxes and the state).

Another part of the job is making archival materials more “discoverable” using finding aids for the various collections pertaining to Lincoln buildings, families, events, organizations and photographs. “One of the big goals is to get people engaged with the archives,” Rundell said. “You don’t get this stuff and put it in a vault so it just sits there — you went people to use it.”

Click on an image below for a larger version and caption (photos by Alice Waugh).

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Category: history 3 Comments

Police log for November 28 – December 5, 2021

December 6, 2021

November 28

Concord Road (12:36 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party at the Walden Pond boat ramp. Party was looking to kayak and was advised that the pond was closed at this time.

Page Road (9:33 a.m.) — Caller reported landscapers in the area using leaf blowers. Officer responded and spoke to the workers.

Boyce Farm Road (3:14 p.m.) — Caller reported someone attempted to open up a credit card account in their name. Officer spoke to the party, took a report, and advised what precautions to take to protect themselves. There was no financial loos.

Wells Road (6:00 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station requested a well-being check of a resident. Officers went to the residence and everything was fine; the resident was sleeping and didn’t hear the person at the door.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound, Concord (7:25 p.m.) — Ambulance responded for a motor vehicle crash. One party was transported to Emerson Hospital.

Masonic Temple, Lincoln Road (8:06 p.m.) — A neighbor called reporting a light on inside the building and someone walking around inside. Officer checked and it was a member of the lodge.

Huckleberry Hill (10:26 p.m.) — Caller reported hearing gunshots. Officers checked the area but didn’t find anything.

Wells Road (10:45 p.m.) — Caller reported someone was ringing multiple doorbells. Officer checked the area but were unable to locate.

November 29

Concord Road (12:13 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station requested information regarding a harassment prevention order.

East Central Street, Natick (3:15 p.m.) — Det. Ian Spencer assisted Natick police with a forensic sketch regarding an investigation in that town.

Tower Road (3:29 p.m.) — Animal Control Officer said she got a call about a goat in the roadway on Route 117. While officers were en route, the owner was contacted and the goat was returned home to the fenced-in area.

November 30

Nothing of note.

December 1

Concord Road (12:17 a.m.) — Report of a vehicle parked off the roadway with its lights on. Officers arrested Ryan Barclay, 43, of Westford for OUI-liquor. He was later bailed to appear in Concord Court.

Concord Road (12:50 a.m.) — One-car crash near Walden Pond. No injuries; the vehicle was towed from the scene.

Todd Pond Road (2:22 p.m.) — Caller report that someone cut their cable wire. Officer responded and found that it was apparently caused by an animal and vandalism fear was unfounded.

Lincoln Road (3:54 p.m.) — Caller wanted to speak to an officer about suspicious activity. Officer responded and spoke to the party; nothing suspicious was noted.

December 2

Wells Road (12:21 a.m.) — Caller reported someone walking in an adjacent apartment making noise and keeping them awake. Officers listened and the sounds were not unreasonable.

Donelan’s lot (12:40 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot with no license plates. No one was nearby the vehicle.

Carroll School (4:39 p.m.) — Fire Department responded to the school for a vehicle on fire and extinguished the blaze.

December 3

Warbler Springs Road (6:58 p.m.) — Caller requested officers’ assistance regarding an ongoing problem. Officers responded and spoke to the reporting party and assisted them.

Lincoln Road (8:02 p.m.) — Caller requested assistance regarding a theft that occurred out of state. An officer spoke to the reporting party and advised them that Lincoln police could not investigate the matter due to the lack of jurisdiction.

December 4

South Great Road (12:57 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled to the side of the roadway. The party had pulled over to light a cigarette; everything was fine.

I-95 South, Lexington (9:06 a.m.) — Lexington Fire Department requested an ambulance near Route 2. Lincoln firefighters responded and transported a party to Lahey Clinic.

Transfer station (3:35 p.m.) — Caller reported being involved in a minor motor vehicle crash. AAA was responding; the caller wanted to make sure the transfer station gates would be open. The involved parties exchanged paperwork.

South Great Road (4:48 p.m.) — Caller reported hitting a deer near Stonegate Gardens. The deer ran off and there was no damage to the vehicle.

December 5

Codman Road (12:57 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported finding a credit card at Codman Farm. The card was placed into lost and found.

Donelan’s lot (6:00 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot with no license plates. No one was nearby the vehicle.

Category: news, police Leave a Comment

News acorns

December 6, 2021

Winter clothing drive

The First Parish in Lincoln is collecting winter clothing through Tuesday, Dec. 7 to benefit Solutions at Work, which serves people facing poverty an homelessness in Cambridge and Dorchester. Items needed include pants, sweatshirts, sweatpants, shirts, sweaters, jackets, parkas, overcoats, underwear, thermal underwear, socks, sneakers, boots, hats, mittens, scarves, etc. — all sizes, infant to adult. Larger adult sizes are especially welcome. Drop off bagged items on the Parish House right portico (stone church). Donations will be delivered to Cambridge on December 8. Questions? Contact Mary at 978-505-7132 or mgaylord@fas.harvard.edu.

Concerts this week and next

The L-S Choral Concert on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. will  feature the high school’s a cappella groups, the L-S Chambers Singers, and Treble and Concert Choirs, as well as a performance by the Ephraim Curtis Middle School Select Chorus. There will be piano, guitar, drums, strings and wind accompaniment and songs in English, Hebrew, Zulu, German, and Italian. This concert is free and open to the public. Masks are required for audience members and performers. Families may also watch the concert at home via the Sudbury Cable TV website or on Comcast Channel 9 or Verizon Channel 32.

The Instrumental Winter Concert will take place on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. with performances by the orchestra, concert and symphonic bands. To learn more about the LSRHS Music Program, visit L-S Friends of Music at www.lsfom.org.

Session on racial justice and municipal governance

On Tuesday, Dec. 7 from 9–11 a.m., the regional group MAGIC the (Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination) will host the second part of a two-part series on racial justice and municipal governance. This event is open to the public. Register in advance for this meeting using this link. The workshop for MAGIC communities with Dr. Raul Fernandez focuses on examining municipal policies related to housing, transportation, governance, and finance through a racial justice lens. Participants will learn how racial justice intersects with these issues and will develop a firm understanding of their responsibility as municipal leaders to center communities of color in their policymaking.

“On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” session is Dec. 8

“Navigating White Supremacy Culture in the Outdoors and Institutions” will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. via Zoom when Mardi Fuller will take us on a journey through her life of adventures as a Black outdoorswoman who has grown in her liberation-focused identity. She’ll discuss barriers marginalized people face in accessing the outdoors and how exclusion, a form of oppression, is detrimental to all people. Her writing and accomplishments have appeared in Outside magazine, the BBC, Melanin Basecamp, and NRDC.org.

This event is the next in the fall “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” speaker series sponsored by the Walden Woods Project, Mass Audubon, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Farrington Nature Linc, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and The Food Project. Learn more and register at www.onbelongingoutdoors.org.

Futsal games organized by Lincoln Youth Soccer

Futsal indoor five-a-side soccer was developed to be played on a basketball-sized court. The special feature of the game is the unique properties of the ball, which has a low rebound. The game develops close individual ball skills as the court is small and players are forced into limited space and option scenarios.

Games for kids in grades K-8 will be held inside the gym and will run for nine weeks. Sessions will consist primarily of games with a brief warm-up and development session at the beginning led by the coaches. Sessions will be mixed boys/girls in four age groups and are open to players of any skill level from beginner up. There is no registration fee for skills, however space is limited and you must register at lincolnsoccer.com. Masks must be worn inside. Sessions take place on nine Sundays from December 12 through March 6, 2022. Grades K-1 and grades 2-3 will play from 4–5 p.m., and grades 4-5 and grades 6-8 will play from 5–6 p.m.

Wreath-making for kids

Come learn how to make a festive holiday wreath using felt and a coat hanger at the Lincoln Public Library on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. All materials will be provided, but space is limited so please register by emailing sfeather@minlib.net. Best for ages 10 and up.

“Greening the Holidays”

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the amount of trash produced in the U.S. increases by an estimated 25%, according to the EPA. That’s about one million extra tons of garbage each week. Join MetroWest Climate Solutions on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. for a Zoom event on “Greening the Holidays.” Lauren Fernandez, Zero Waste Policy Analyst at the Conservation Law Foundation, and Janice Paré, Environmental Analyst at the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection, will discuss ways to trim the trimmings while preserving the festive spirit of the holiday season. David O’Leary, Magic 106.7 Morning Magic host and voiceover talent, will serve as emcee. To register, visit tinyurl.com/greeningholidays.

MCS is a local partnership of organizations and congregations including First Parish in Lincoln, First Parish in Wayland, First Parish Church in Weston,  the Congregational Church of Weston, Sustainable Weston Action Group (SWAG) and a growing list of communities and individuals.

Category: arts, charity/volunteer, kids Leave a Comment

Property sales in October 2021

December 2, 2021

52 Todd Pond Rd. — Juliet M. Rago McNamara Trust to Andriy and Inna Kochura for $525,000 (October 29)

192 Weston Rd. — Bojan Rip to Michael Olsen for $1,200,000 (October 29)

8 Huntley Lane — Thomas A. Cappucci to Yukiko Bloomenthal Trust and 8 Huntley Lane Nominee Trust for $1,340,000 (October 29)

21A South Commons — Jeffrey Arena to Nicholas Bliamptis for $505,000 (October 25)

14 Stratford Way — Gustav Beerel to Brian Hoertdoerfer and Emily Marcus-Hoertdoerfer for $2,210,000 (October 6)

49 Round Hill Rd. — Christopher Awtrey to [redacted, 2025] for $2,000,000 (October 4)

11 Stratford Way — Walter McCarty to Jacob Housman and Catherine Buzney for $2,300,00 (October 4)

22 Deerhaven Rd. — Diane Marangoly to Ramesh Natarajan and Aruna Ramesh for $1,390,000 (October 1)

Category: land use Leave a Comment

Check out the new issue of the Lincoln Chipmunk!

December 1, 2021

The latest issue of the Lincoln Chipmunk, the quarterly arts e-zine companion to the Squirrel, has just been published. See what your friends and neighbors have created, and start working on your own submissions — the next deadline is February 19, 2022. Questions? Call editor Alice Waugh at 617-710-5542 or email lincolnsquirelnews@gmail.com. 

chipmunk.lincolnsquirrel.com

Category: arts Leave a Comment

News acorns

November 30, 2021

Senior news

COVID booster clinic

Click here to sign up for the Covid booster vaccination clinic for seniors on Monday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. in the First Parish Church Auditorium across from Bemis Hall. The clinic for residents 60 and over will offer Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J shots. If you do not have transportation to the clinic, please call 781-259-8811 by Friday and the COA&HS will arrange a ride for you. On the day of the clinic, please wear a short-sleeved shirt, and bring your COVID vaccination card and insurance card, if you have them. For more information or help with registration, please call 781-259-8811.

Free legal clinic

The Council on Aging & Human Services is offering s free legal clinic for residents 60 and older (adult children welcome to come along) on Monday, Dec. 6 from 2–4 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Call 781-259-8811 to sign up for a 30-minute consultation with elder law attorney Sasha Golden to answer your questions about estate planning, guardianship, or probate issues.

“Coping with Holidays After a Loss”

Mary Crowe of Care Dimensions Hospice House will discuss the impact holidays have on grief, practical suggestions for coping, and ways the holidays can heal on Monday, Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. Click here to register online by December 10 for this meeting via Zoom.

Caregiver support group

If you have a family member with memory loss, you’re invited to join Claire Gerstein, LICSW and other caregivers on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. to learn about memory loss, talk about challenges, and create strategies for managing a difficult situation. Email gersteinc@lincolntown.org for more information about this group. Sponsored by The Commons in Lincoln.

Donate items for holiday gift bags

The COA&HS delivers gift bags full of basic necessities to homebound and needy seniors every December. They are collecting the following new, unopened items:

    • Gift cards
    • Stamps
    • Dish soap/sponges
    • Toiletries — deodorant, hand soap, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste/toothbrushes, lotion, tissues, razors/shaving cream
    • Paper towels
    • Laundry detergent
    • Kitchen trash bags
    • Socks
    • Coffee/tea

Drop off items in Bemis Hall Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Collection ends on Monday, Dec. 6. 

Boy Scouts selling Christmas trees

Lincoln Boy Scout Troop 127 will begin selling Christmas trees and wreaths on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. at the corner of Lincoln and Codman Roads and will be open on weekends until the trees sell out. There is a shortage of Christmas trees this year; the troop was unable to obtain the same quantity as in years past. To be sure of tree availability, shop early in the season.

DeCordova holiday doings

Outdoor ornament-making workshop

Cut, shape, build and decorate with ceramic colored clay ornaments on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 1-2:30 p.m. Instruction, tools, materials, seating, and work surfaces for building and decorating up to four Holiday ornaments will be provided during this 90-minute outdoor family-style workshop. Hot cocoa and cider will be served. The workshop will be held in a gated outdoor area adjacent to the Ceramics Sculpture Studio in the complex of brown buildings across from the main deCordova lot. A disinfecting station and courtyard public restrooms will be available.

Work will be fired and ready for pickup on the following weekend or by appointment after that. Hanging ornaments will receive a wire hanger, or participants may substitute holiday string or ribbon at home. An email address will be needed for communicating and coordinating pickup. Participants are advised to wear suitable garments for working with clay and glazes. Participants will be notified via email 48 hours in advance in case of cancellation or postponement due to inclement weather.

Click here to register in advance (no walk-ins). Ticket holders ages 5-15 must be accompanied by at least one registered adult.

Holiday market

Every weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum  will host a rotating group of five local artists featuring a variety of beautiful, hand-crafted items for sale, along with other unique holiday gifts. Saturdays and Sundays, November 27 through December 19 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Members receive a 20% discount on all purchases, and all visitors get a chance to win a $100 gift card.

At the library

Film: “What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen “What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann” on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. This documentary directed by Steven Cantor follows the creation of Mann’s new seminal work: a photo series revolving around various aspects of death and decay.

Apply to exhibit art

Applications for exhibits in the Lincoln Public Library’s main art gallery will be available starting Wednesday, Dec. 1. The application deadline is January 10, 2022. Copies of the application and art exhibitor agreement form can be found by clicking here. Copies are also available at the Reference Desk. 

Category: news Leave a Comment

Police log for November 16–27, 2021

November 29, 2021

November 16

South Great Road (8:45 a.m.) — Caller reported hitting a deer with their vehicle, minor damage. The driver said they’re taking the deer.

Fridolin Hill (11:14 a.m.) — Caller reported someone damaged the street sign at Fridolin Hill and Old County Rd.

November 17

Harvest Circle (3:38 p.m.) — Fire alarm activation. Fire Department responded and found that it was caused by burnt food left on the stove.

Todd Pond Road (4:14 p.m.) — Court paperwork delivered to a resident.

November 18

Sunnyside Lane (1:26 p.m.) — Caller reported someone burning leaves in the area. Fire Department responded and advised the resident of the burning rules.

Partridge Lane (5:47 p.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on a resident. Officers made contact and everything was fine.

Andrews Circle, Hanscom AFB (9:10 p.m.) — Officers assisted a resident with court paperwork.

North Commons (4:06 a.m.) — Caller reported their neighbor was banging on their wall. Officers responded and spoke to the reporting party and attempted to make contact with the neighbor, who was uncooperative. Report taken.

November 19

Robbins Road, Hanscom AFB (8:11 a.m.) — Officer served court paperwork to a resident.

Lincoln Road (10:25 a.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported that a party was acting suspicious at the mall on the previous day.

Wells Road (4:43 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving harassing voicemail messages from a party. An officer responded and spoke to the reporting party and took a report.

Greenridge Lane (6:30 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station said he made a delivery to a residence and was bitten by a dog, reportedly puncturing the skin. An officer spoke to the reporting party and followed up with the dog officer, who is handling the matter with the dog owner.

November 20

Lincoln Police Department (2:40 a.m.) — A party came to the station to turn in firearms to comply with a court order.

South Great Road (3:59 p.m.) — Caller reported their shed may have been broken into. Officer responded and spoke to the party; nothing was missing. Damage to the door could have been caused by wind.

Lincoln Police Department (4:51 p.m.) — A party came to the station to turn in firearms to comply with a court order.

November 21

Tower Field Lane (10:30 a.m.) — Caller reported being a possible victim of credit card fraud. An officer took a report and is conducting an investigation into the matter.

Sandy Pond Road (10:32 a.m.) — Caller reported a landscaper was using a leaf blower in violation of the town bylaw. An officer responded and spoke to the landscaper.

Birchwood Lane (5:46 p.m.) — One-car vehicle crash. One person was transported to Emerson Hospital, vehicle was towed, and a report was taken.

November 22

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (12:15 a.m.) — Concord police relayed a report of a vehicle traveling on Route 2 eastbound at a high rate of speed. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate.

Minute Man NHP Visitor Center (12:38 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle in the lot. The driver was having car problems and AAA was en route.

Deaconness Road (9:32 a.m.) and Riverside Road (11:47 a.m.) — Concord requested an ambulance to transport people to Lahey Clinic.

South Commons (2:13 p.m.) — Caller wanted to speak with an officer regarding a scam. An officer spoke to the party and took a report to document the matter.

Council on Aging & Human Services (4:52 p.m.) — COA staff called to report that fraudulent paperwork was filled out regarding a request for funds. An officer spoke to the reporting party, took a report and is following up on the matter.

Food Project lot (5:38 p.m.) — Officer checked on a parked vehicle. The party was out walking in the field.

November 23

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (1:48 am.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled over on the side of the road. The operator pulled over to rest; they were sent on their way with a recommendation to find a safer place to rest.

Indian Camp Lane (12:10 p.m.) — Officer stood by a residence to prevent a breach of the peace while a party retrieved some items.

Lincoln Police Station (2:36 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported their bank account was hacked. Officer took a report; investigation ongoing.

Concord Road (7:51 p.m.) — Caller reported a dog running out in traffic on Route 126 near Walden Pond. Police were unable to locate the dog; information taken in case owner calls reporting a missing dog.

North Commons (9:04 p.m.) — Report of a neighbor banging on their wall. Officer responded; all was quiet, report taken.

November 24

Food Project field (1:10 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party on the property. It was the owner of the dog from the earlier call looking for their dog.

Wells Road (2:04 p.m.) — Caller reported party was soliciting door to door. Officer responded and located the party and advised them of the solicitors bylaw.

South Great Road (5:31 p.m.) — Caller reported being locked inside their car. Officer responded and assisted the party

November 25

Tower Road (8:56 p.m.) — Caller reported a brush fire in their backyard. Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire.

November 26

South Commons (3:43 p.m.) — Caller reported that they gave their Social Security number to someone they thought worked for Amazon. Officer explained the process for protecting their identity. Report taken.

Davison Drive (7:32 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle with its hazards on was in the driveway. An officer responded and found it to be a delivery driver making a delivery to the caller’s house.

November 27

Hanscom AFB Vandenberg Gate (10:36 a.m.) — Fire Department responded to Hanscom for a report of an incoming plane with a fire indicator light on. The plane landed safely.

Category: news, police Leave a Comment

Conveying a message to the utilities

November 28, 2021

Campaigning at National Grid in Waltham for Mothers Out Front/Lincoln were (left to right) Emily Haslett, Robin Wilkerson, Andy Falender, Belinda Gingrich, and Alex Chatfield.

On November 17, five Lincoln residents joined environmentalists from across the state at a Mothers Out Front rally, part of the organization’s Clean Heat Clean Air campaign. The campaign is advocating for all Massachusetts homes and businesses to be heated and cooled by affordable, energy-efficient, all-electric systems powered by clean renewable energy. Campaigners carried messages to the state’s three largest utility companies, urging them to create a swift transition plan away from fossil fuels and towards clean and affordable electricity.

Category: conservation, news 1 Comment

Allen Vander Meulen Jr., 1932–2021

November 28, 2021

Allen Vander Meulen Jr.

Allen Vander Meulen, Jr., 89, died peacefully at The Commons in Lincoln on November 22. Born in Chicago on June 23, 1932, he was the eldest child of Allen (Sr.) and Alice (Connor) Vander Meulen of Chicago. 

The grandchild of Irish and Dutch immigrants, Allen grew up on the south side of Chicago. He graduated from Fenger High School in 1950. His youth was a happy time, despite the challenges his family faced while he and his siblings were born and grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. He graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in economics (1954) and from Yale Divinity School (1958). 

Allen was minister at Third Congregational Church in Waterbury, Conn., from 1958–1963, where he met the love of his life, Dorothy Overbaugh; they were married on August 29, 1959. Their children Allen III and David were born in Waterbury and daughter Ruth was born in Vermont.

Allen’s gifts as a teacher, mentor, and administrator were widely appreciated. He had a strong drive to advocate on behalf of those who had no voice, and to seek justice and opportunity for those who had none. Soon after moving to Vermont, he joined other area ministers to travel to Washington, D.C. and stand in solidarity with hundreds of thousands of others from all over the nation to hear Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Allen became minister at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, Vt., in 1963. He left in 1968, serving as an interim minister throughout Massachusetts and Vermont while attending school, eventually graduating from Brown University with a Ph.D. in economics in 1974. In 1973 he became an associate professor of economics at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. He also directed the school’s extension program in Casper.

In 1978 Allen joined North Central College in Naperville, Ill., as a professor of economics. He oversaw the school’s new Weekend College and helped establish what is now their computer science department. He also helped establish the school’s MBA program. In later years he taught business ethics as well.

Allen and Dorothy returned to Brattleboro on his retirement in 1997. There he served as chair of Centre Church’s Endowment Committee and a trustee for the town library, among other organizations. He enjoyed family, travel, biking, long walks, and conversing about philosophy, ethics, or politics. Allen and Dorothy moved to Lincoln in late 2019.

Allen was predeceased by his parents and his sister Eva. He is survived by his wife Dorothy; son Allen III and wife Stephanie of Lincoln; son David and wife Julie of Aurora, Ill.; daughter Ruth and husband Tim of Rockford, Ill.; brother Ross and wife Kay of Galesburg, Ill.; brother-in-law Robert Overbaugh and wife Nancy of Westford, Mass.; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Allen’s grandchildren are Elizabeth Anne Vander Meulen, Aaron Taylor, Joshua Taylor, and Allen Vander Meulen IV.

There was a private memorial service at the Dee Funeral Home in Concord. A celebration of his life will be held at Centre Congregational Church in the spring of 2022. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Centre Congregational Church, Brown University, Yale Divinity School, or the Alzheimer’s Association.  

Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in his online guestbook, click here.

Category: obits Leave a Comment

Historical misunderstanding once shrouded the “muster field”

November 22, 2021

By Rick Wiggin

Contrary to popular Lincoln myth, the town’s Minute Men did not muster in the field at the corner of Sandy Pond and Baker Bridge Roads. The mistaken identity of that field as the “Muster Field” came about from a misreading of Lincoln’s history and from the politics of the town’s acquisition of that field in 1983.

In the early hours of April 19, 1775, Lincoln’s Minute Men and militia company mustered on the Town Common near to the meetinghouse, where the town stored its gunpowder and military supplies. From there, the soldiers began their march to Concord along what is now Sandy Pond Road. When they reached the junction with modern Baker Bridge Road, they were joined by members of the Baker and Billing families, who lived along the western border of town. Amos Baker, age 19 at the time, wrote many years later that, “When I went to Concord in the morning, I joined the Lincoln company at the brook, by Flint’s pond, near the house then of Zachary Smith …”

The historically accurate marker at the “muster field” (click to enlarge).

In the early 1980s, Sumner Smith, who then owned much of the land around Flint’s Pond, offered to sell several large tracts to the town before offering them to a developer. A Special Town Meeting in November 1983 hotly debated the financial cost against the value of preserving the land as open space. In the debate, it was asserted the land was of incalculable historical importance because it was the place where the Minute Men mustered on April 19. But this was a misreading of Amos Baker, who only stated that he and his family joined up with the Minute Men at the site, not that all the town’s soldiers had mustered there. One of the town’s modern Minute Men even promised to erect a commemorative marker on the “Muster Field” if the town purchased it. The town responded enthusiastically and voted to buy the land, and a large stone was soon moved to the site.

The myth of the Muster Field began to unravel shortly after the purchase, and the large stone sat un‑engraved for 17 years. But the name stuck. In the year 2000 — the 225th anniversary of April 19, 1775 — engraved markers were finally placed on both the Town Common and the mis-named Muster Field, commemorating the march of Lincoln’s soldiers to Concord. Together, the two stone markers erected in 2000 tell the correct story. But old names — even incorrect ones — die hard.

For more about this history, see “Recognition of a Proud Legacy” by Rick Wiggin (The Lincoln Review, January/February 2000).


“Lincoln’s History” is an occasional column by members of the Lincoln Historical Society.

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