Cavendish Update 1/7/11 Town Openings/Anniversary Update/Events

The 1/7/11 Cavendish Update Contains:
1. 2011 Town of Cavendish Open Offices
2. The Black & White Nights Film Series Returns
3. Cavendish Library Offers Services to Second Home Owners
4. Okemo Valley Chamber Newsletter
5. Cavendish’s 250th Anniversary: Amos Kimball Father of the Cavendish Proprietors
6. Black River Good Neighbor Elects New Officers
7. Vermont Humanities Council Civil War Book of Days E-Newsletter
8. Cavendish Events 1/7-1/14/11

1. 2011 Town of Cavendish Open Offices
The following positions are open for election in March:
• Town Moderator 1 year
• Town School Moderator 1 year
• Town Clerk 3 years
• Town Treasurer 3 years
• Select Board- 3 year term and two 1-year terms
• Town Agent 1 year
• Lister 3 year
• Auditor a 3-year term and a 2-year term
• Library Trustee 5 years
• Trustees of Public Funds-1 year, 2 year and 3 year terms
• Town General Juror 1 year
• 1st Constable 1 year
• Cemetery Commissioners- a 5-year term and a 3-year term
• CTES School Board-3 year term and two 1-year terms
• GMUHS 3 year

Persons interested in petitioning for these elected positions, need to fill out the petition form and file it with the Town Clerk by 5 pm on Monday, January 24. The petition must contain 1% of the legal voters of Cavendish (18 people). A voter can sign only one petition for each office that is open for nomination. In which case the voter can sign as many petitions as there are offices open.

If you are interested in signing petitions for a candidate, please go to the town office during normal working hours. FMI:226-7292

2. The Black & White Nights Film Series Returns
The series will be starting on January 28 and will run for five consecutive Fridays through February. Now in its fifth year, the series has drawn a small but committed audience of locals who love classic films. This year's line-up is:
January 28 Arsenic & Old Lace
February 4 Birdman of Alcatraz
February 11 Anatomy of a Murder
February 18 You Can’t Take It With You
February 25 All About Eve

The Black & White Nights series is held at the Cavendish Elementary School and films begin at 7:00. There are refreshments on hand and the evening is free, though donations are always welcome. FMI: 226-7497 or 226-7187.

3. Cavendish Library Offers Services to Second Home Owners
The Cavendish Fletcher Community Library continues to offer services to second homeowners and other part time residents of the Cavendish area. These services include free Internet access and Wi-Fi as well as loans of book and movie items. These services are provided free of charge. FMI: 226-7503 or www.cavendishlibrary.org

4. Okemo Valley Chamber Newsletter
The January edition of the Okemo Valley Chamber Newsletter is now available online

5. Cavendish’s 250th Anniversary: Amos Kimball Father of the Cavendish Proprietors
The following information is from Linda Welch, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) genealogist, and is being printed as part of the 250th Anniversary of Cavendish yearlong celebration.

Amos Kimball was born at Bradford, Mass. 13 Oct. 1717. He had lands in Winchendon, and a vast tract of land in Cavendish Vt., He was one of the original proprietors of Cavendish and should be considered the “Father of the Cavendish Proprietors” for it was Amos Kimball who sought and obtained the charter for the Town of Cavendish from Benning Wentworth, the governor of New Hampshire. Although Amos never settled in the town, he was a formidable promoter of its early settlement. He conducted most of his business concerning Cavendish from his home in Lunenburg.

Amos and his wife Dorothy removed from Bradford to Lunenburg, Mass. in 1746/7 and settled in that part which became Fitchburg. He served on the school committee and served as selectman in 1751-52, 1756, 1758-9. He and his cousin Ephraim built the first dam across the Nashua River near the present stone mill in Fitchburg. They had a saw and gristmill there as well. He was very active in procuring the incorporation of the town of Fitchburg from Lunenburg, and was very active and prominent in the affairs of Fitchburg until his death. There is no doubt he had every intention of locating in Cavendish, but the land controversy with the New Hampshire Grants persuaded him to give up the intention and leave it to pioneers younger than he.

Amos Kimball's faithful stewardship to protect the New Hampshire Cavendish charter was part of his life's work. He was very active in his land dealings and land speculation in Cavendish up to his death. The following deed tells us how he bought out Ephraim Whitney's Right of over 300 acres of land in the town for a mere thirteen shillings, via:

"To all people to whom these presents shall come, Greetings: Know ye that I, Ephraim Whitney of Fitchburg, in the County of Worcester, and Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Gent, in consideration of the sum of thirty shillings lawful money to me paid by Amos Kimball of Fitchburg, aforesaid, Gent, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge; have and do hereby grant, sell and convey to him, said Amos Kimball, his heirs and assigns, one Right or Full Share of Land in the Township of Cavendish, in the County of Albany, and Province of New York, being the same Right or Share which I hold by virtue of my being a Grantee in the Original Grant of said Township, made by the Governor and Council of the Province of New Hampshire.

To have and hold the said Right or Share with the appurtenances to him the said Amos Kimball, his heirs and assigns forever, without ever being molested or disturbed by me or any from by or under me, in Witness whereof, I have hereunto let my hand and seal, this 11 March, 1766. Ephraim Whitney. Witnessed by: David Goodridge, John Grout and Richard Taylor - -
• Received for recording at Cavendish, 27 May 1793 (brought to town by Amos Kimball Jr.) and recorded by Samuel White, Register.

Amos Kimball land dealings in Cavendish continued. The following document tells us how he bought out Daniel Hoar's Right of over 300 acres of land in the town for the cost of paying John Chruch for going to New York State to procure a confirming deed and charter.
"To: John Church Esq., at Charlestown in the Province of New Hampshire, by this may certify that Deacon Amos Kimball has bought of me the subscriber, all Right & Title that I have or ought to have to all the Land or Rights and after draughts in the town of Cavendish, said Amos Kimball, paying all charges, fees, and charter cost that hath or may arise on said lands, and I hereby desire you to give the title of all the Lands and Rights that I have to said lands to Deacon Amos Kimball of Fitchburg and your complying will oblige me, I hereby promise to indemnify you from any trouble or damage that I ever will bring against you or your heirs or executors, as witness my hand and seal this 29 day of January and in the thirteenth year of his Majesties Reign, AD 1773. Signed, sealed in presence of Thomas Cowdrin and George Kimball, -- Daniel Hoar. —Received for recording at Cavendish, 27 May, 1793 {brought to town by Amos Kimball Jr.) and recorded by Samuel White, Register.

Amos died in Lunenburg, 6 Oct. 1774 (age 57), Dorothy must have come to Cavendish with one of her sons after her husband's death. She died 1 Jan. 1795 (age 77), and is buried in the Cavendish Village, Mt. Union Cemetery.

For a PDF copy of the Kimball Family genealogy, please e-mail margoc@tds.net or call 802-226-7807.

6. Black River Good Neighbor Elects New Officers
Black River Good Neighbor Services held its first meeting of the year on Monday January 3 and a new slate of officers was introduced:

Peter LaBelle – President
Robert Evens – Vice President and Treasurer
Carol Baranowski – Recording Secretary
Lynn Reilly – Corresponding Secretary

The next Board of Directors Meeting will be held on Monday February 7th at 3PM, at United Church in Ludlow. All of the board meetings are open to the public

Black River Good Neighbors Services serves the towns of Ludlow, Proctorsville, Cavendish, Mount Holly and Plymouth and the Thrift Shop and Food Shelf will be moving to new location at Ludlow’s Armory Community Center Complex, 37B Main Street, on January 10th.

7. Vermont Humanities Council Civil War Book of Days E-Newsletter
The Vermont Humanities Council is pleased to present the Civil War Book of Days-150 Years Ago This Week in the Civil War. To register for this free service visit vermonthumanities.org.

8. Cavendish Events 1/7-1/14/11
January 8 (Saturday): Live Authentically course begins at the Cavendish Library from 9-12. Ending March 19, Live Authentically is designed to help you discover your inner potential and to gain insight into the big questions in life such as “Who am I? What am I here to do? What’s stopping me?” and “How can I create the life I want?” The course is taught by Cavendish resident Martha Mott. The fee is $300. To register, please contact Martha at 226-7848 or at Martha@liveauthentically.org
• Black River Good Neighbor will be closed in preparation for its move. Volunteers are needed to help.

January 10 (Monday): Black River Good Neighbor opens at its new location-the Ludlow Armory Community Complex building 37B on Main Street in Ludlow.
• Select Board Meeting, 6:30 pm. This event is taped by LPC-TV and can be watched on Comcast cable channels or at the website. The agenda will be posted at the Cavendish Update blog www.cavendishvt.blogspot.com when it is received.

January 11 (Tuesday): Bone Builders Class at the Cavendish Baptist-- Class from 10:15-11:45. FMI: Linda at Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County at (802) 885-2083, or Anne Oakes or Andrew Ohotnicky at (802) 228-5236, or Dot Ramsdell at (802) 226-7870.
• Book Talk at the Fletcher Library in Ludlow. “Day of the Pelican” by Katerine Patterson, The Vermont Reads 2010 Selection. 7 Pm in the Community Room

January 12 (Wednesday): Okemo Valley Chamber January Mixer 4:30-7:30 PM. The Good Bus will pick up participants at the Chamber office and proceed to Mountain View Ranch in Danby, VT. A sleigh ride, fire and hot cocoa will then take place. This mixer is limited to the first 20 RSVPs. Seating is limited. Please remember this mixer is for business members. FMI: 228-5830.

January 13 (Thursday): Bone Builders Class at the Cavendish Baptist-- Class from 10:15-11:45. FMI: Linda at Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County at (802) 885-2083, or Anne Oakes or Andrew Ohotnicky at (802) 228-5236, or Dot Ramsdell at (802) 226-7870
• Sit & Knit" at the Six Loose Ladies yarn shop, Pollard Building, Proctorsville Green, 2:00 -9:00 PM. Open to knitters, spinners, crocheters, hookers. Free. FMI: 226-7373