Smith, Harold #1

INTERVIEWEE: HAROLD SMITH

NARRATOR: ROBERT H. SCRIBNER

TAPE # 105A

PLACE OF INTERVIEW: 10 BLOOMER LANE, TACONIC, CONNECTICUT

DATE: NOVERMBER 6, 1996

SUMMARY OF TALK: MR. SMITH RECALLS LIFE IN TACONIC AS A YOUNG CHILD. HE TALKS ABOUT THE TACONIC SCHOOLS, FARM LIFE AND THE SCOVILLE FAMILY AND THEIR ESTATES AND FARMS.

DATE: JUNE 18, 2012

PROPERTY OF THE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

SALISBURY ASSOCIATION AT THE SCOVILLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY

SALISBURY, CT 06068

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HS: MY NAME IS HAROLD SMITH, I LIVE UP IN TACONIC. I WAS BORN NOVEMBER 18, 1922. I WAS BORN AT HOME IN ONE OF THE HOUSES ON THE SCOVILLE ESTATE. I WENT TO SCHOOL UP IN TACONIC. MY FIRST TEACHER WAS MRS. DAVID HOLMES, THAT’S LAURA JOHNSON’S MOTHER. I HAD HER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, THEN I HAD ANOTHER TEACHER WHO WAS PAUL REBILLARD’S WIFE; HAD HER FOR A WHILE. I WENT THROUGH THERE; THE SCHOOL WAS FIRST GRADE UP THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOL. I WENT UP THROUGH TO THE SIXTH GRADE AND THEN THEY CLOSED THE WHOLE SCHOOL AND EVERYONE HAD TO GO DOWN TO LAKEVILLE, TO THE LINCOLN CITY SCHOOL. I THINK THE DUFOUR BROTHERS WERE DRIVING THE BUS THEN.

I THINK OUR SCHOOL BUS DRIVER’S NAME WAS BROWNIE WASHINGTON, LITTLE SHORT GUY, I THINK THAT’S HIS NAME. IT WAS ALRIGHT DURING THE SUMMER, IN THE WINTER-TIME YOU HAD THIS OLD BUS WITH NO HEATER IN IT. OH, MAN WAS IT COLD. OUR TRIP WAS THROUGH TACONIC THEN WE WENT DOWN BY GRASSLAND FARM, DOWN UNDERMOUNTAIN ROAD. IT WAS REVERSE ON THE WAY BACK, AND HAD COME UP ALL THOSE HILLS AT GRASSLAND FARMS IN THE WINTER TIME. A COUPLE OF BAD HILLS THERE, AND IT DRIFTED UP, OH, BOY, IT WOULD DRIFT. SOMETIMES YOU COULDN’T GET THROUGH AND WE ‘D GET STUCK, WE WOULD HAVE TO WALK FROM THERE, ALL OF US KIDS. I REMEMBER AT THAT TIME, ABE MARTIN WAS THE FIRST SELECTMAN. I THINK IN THE TOWN OF SALISBURY THERE WERE ONLY TWO TRUCKS ON THE WHOLE TOWN AT THAT TIME. SO, WE HAD TO WAIT TO GET THE ROADS OPEN. THE TACONIC SCHOOL HAD A WOOD BURNING FURNACE UP THERE. MRS. HOLMES HUSBAND, DAVE HOLMES WOULD COME IN THE MORNING AND GET THE WOOD FURNACE GOING. DURING THE DAY US KIDS HAD TO TAKE TURNS GOING DOWN THERE, THROWING WOOD INTO THE OLD FURNACE. OUR RECESS, SOMETIMES, THERE WOULD BE A BIG PILE OF WOOD OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL OUT THERE AND WE WOULD TAKE TURNS THROWING THE BIG BLOCKS OF WOOD IN DOWN THROUGH THE WINDOW, THEN WE HAD TO STOP AND THE OTHER KIDS DOWN IN THE CELLAR, AND GIVE THEM TIME TO PILE THE WOOD UP AND EVERYTHING. ACROSS THE STREET THERE WAS 0‘NELL’S LITTLE ‘OLE GENERAL STORE. TILAT WAS A POPULAR PLACE FOR THE TACONIC KIDS, CANDY AND ICE CREAM, STUFF LIKE THAT. UP THE ROAD FROM SCHOOL A LITTLE BIT THERE WAS DAN CURTIS. HIS WIFE USED TO MAKE HOT CHOCOLATE FOR THE SCHOOL. TWO, GREAT BIG POTS EVERY DAY. WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE TURNS TO WALK OVER TO GET THE BIG POTS OF HOT CHOCOLATE. ANOTHER KID WOULD HAVE TO COME TO GET THIS GREAT BIG BASKET WITH THESE BIG CUPS. THAT’S WHAT WE HAD

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FOR OUR MORNING BREAK. ONE TIME, THE SCHOOL DIDN’T HAVE ANY WATER UP THERE. AND, ACROSS THE STREET, I FORGET WHO LIVED THERE, WAS A BIG OLD; THERE WAS A BIG PITCHER PUMP WAS THERE. SOME OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THE SCHOOL USED TO GET WATER FROM UP THERE. WE WOULD GO THERE AND GET THIS BIG PAIL OF WATER AND BRING IT TO THE SCHOOL HOUSE. ONE DOOR ON THE LEFT WAS THE DOOR TO THE HIGH

SCHOOL AND THE RIGHT DOOR WAS THE GRADE SCHOOL. THEY HAD THIS TABLE, AND WE WOULD PLUMP THIS GREAT BIG BUCKET OF WATER THERE. IT HAD ONE LADLE THAT WAS THEIR DRINKING WATER. YOU GOT THROUGH DRINKING THE WATER, YOU HUNG THE LADLE UP. IT WAS NEXT TO THE CHURCH IN TACONIC ON THE GREEN. WE USED TO HAVE TO TAKE TURNS, WELL, NOT REALLY TURNS, VOLUNTEER STUFF. KEEP THE PATH SHOVELED, STUFF LIKE THAT. THERE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE HE WORKED DOWN AT GRASSLAND FARMS WITH HIS FATHER. HE COULD DRIVE A TRACTOR. HE WOULD HAVE TO COME OVER TO THE TACONIC RAILROAD STATION WHEN THEY BROUGHT BIG BOX CARS IN FULL OF BIG BAGS OF FEED. I USED TO HELP HIM DOTHAT. WE USED TO HAVE FUN. WE HELPED CHARLIE KANE, ANOTHER OLD FARMER. HE LIVED OVER ON BEAVER DAM ROAD ON ROUTE 41 AND THE END OF BEAVER DAM ROAD, WHICH IS MERYL STREEP’S CARETAKER’S PLACE NOW. WHEN WE WERE GOING TO SCHOOL IN TACONIC, ONCE IN A WHILE, NOT TOO OFTEN, THE TEACHER WOULD TAKE TWO OR THREE OF THE GRADES, WE’D WALK DOWN TACONIC ROAD, DOWN TO THE RAILROAD STATION OF TACONIC AND THEY WOULD TAKE US THROUGH THE RAILROAD STATION. THEN, SOMETIMES WE WOULD WALK FROM THERE OVER THE OLD RAILROAD BED TO TWIN LAKES STATION, TO THE POST OFFICE OVER THERE. THEN WE WOULD WALK BACK. THAT WAS ONE OF THE LITLE FIELD TRIPS I GOT. THEN ONE OTHER TIME WE GOT ON THE TRAIN AND WE WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO LAKEVILLE AND BACK ON THE TRAIN, THAT WAS A KIND OF A LITTLE OUTING WE GOT THERE, WHICH WAS GREAT.

THEN THERE WAS GUS GRAFF. HE WAS A PILOT AND LIVED ON SCOVILLE ROAD. HE USED TO FLY FOR SILLMAN’S. IN THE WINTER TIME HE COME DOWN AND LAND ON THE ICE AND HE WOULD GET OUT OF HIS PLANE AND HOOK THE ROPE UP TO THE BACK OF THE PLANE AND FIVE OR SIX OF US KIDS, HE WOULD PULL US AROUND ON OUR ICE SKATES. SOMETIMES THERE WOULD BE A LITTLE SNOW ON THE LAKE AND THE PROPELLER WOULD KICK UP ALL THIS SNOW AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHICH WAS GOOD.

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WE HAD PLENTY OF WORK TO DO AROUND HOME. PEOPLE HAD GARDENS. WE WOULD SHARE BACK AND FORTH. THERE WERE NOT TOO MANY CARS IN TACONIC AT THAT TIME. ONCE IN A WHILD WE WOULD GO OVER TO

TORRINGTON. THAT WAS A LONG TRIP. THAT WAS A FOUR DAY TRIP OVER THERE AND BACK. WE USED TO PLAY BALL UP HERE, COWPASTURE THING LIKE. THE GUYS USED TO COME UP TO PLAY, WE’D GO DOWN THERE. ONCE IN A WHILE, WE’D GET TOGETHER, THE KIDS IN TACONIC WE’D WALK DOWN THE OLD RAILROAD TRACK AND GO DOWN TO THE STEWART THEATRE IN LAKEVILLE. MATINEE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. ALWAYS LEFT A LITTLE BIT EARLY SO WE WOULD HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE SHOP, STOCK UP ON OUR CANDY, STUFF LIKE THAT. IF WE WERE LUCKY, ONE OF OUR PARENTS WOULD COME DOWN AND PICK US UP. IF NOT, WE WOULD HAVE TO WALK BACK, BACK UP THE OLD RAILROAD TRACK, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN WALKING THE OLD TRACK.

THERE WERE A FEW FARMS UP HERE. MOST OF THEM HAD ICE HOUSES. SCOVILLE’S HAD AN ICE HOUSE. THEY USED TO CUT ICE UP HERE ON THE CHANNEL AND DOWN ON TWIN LAKES. WHEN WE WERE KIDS, WE USED TO HAVE TO GO OVER TO THE SCOVILLE’S ICE HOUSE, MY SISTER AND I WITH A FOUR- WHEELED LITTLE CART. MY FATHER GETS THE ICE OUT AND PUTS THIS BIG BLOCK OF ICE ON THE CART FOR US, WE WOULD COME HOME. IT WAS PROBABLY A GOOD HALF A MILE FROM THERE. WHEN WE GOT THERE WE WOULD HAVE TO WASH IT OFF AND PUT IT IN THE REFRIDGERATORS. WE HAD ONE DOWN IN THE CELLAR AND ONE UPSTAIRS. THAT USED TO MY SISTER AND MINE’S, ONE OUR CHORES. WE USED TO HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF THE ICE WHEN IT MELTS IT WOULD DROP DOWN INTO THIS PAN YOU WOULD HAVE TO EMPTY THE PAN OUT.

THERE WERE TWO OR THREE FAMILIES UP HERE IN TACONIC THAT USED TO MAKE DANDELION WINE. MY SISTER AND TWO OR THREE OTHER KIDS, THAT WAS OUR JOB IN THE SUMMERTIME OR SPRING, OR WHENEVER THEY COME INTO BLOOM, WE WOULD HAVE TO PICK THE DANDELION FLOWERS. OUR HANDS USED TO GET SO YELLOW, FROM THE STAIN FROM THE FLOWERS.

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WE WOULD HAVE CHORES TO DO AROUND HOME. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF LAWNS I USED TO MOW UP AROUND TACONIC HERE. I USED TO GET 25 CENTS AN HOUR. I HAD A LITTLE OLE PUSH TYPE MOWER. AT THAT TIME 25 CENTS WAS WORTH QUITE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY. THE TRAIN TRIP WE TOOK DOWN FROM TACONIC TO LAKEVILLE, SOME OF THE KIDS COULDN’T AFFORD IT, SO OTHER KIDS WHO HAD A BIT OF MONEY WOULD PITCH IN A BIT AND PAY THE FARE SO THEY COULD GO DOWN WITH US.

THE SCOVILLE’S PART OF THE SCOVILLE MANSION BURNT. I CAN REMEMBER THAT I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD. MY FATHER WAS THERE, MY MOTHER, MY SISTER. WE WERE IN IT. THEY REBUILT IT. I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THEY REBUILT IT. THEN THE OTHER SCOVILLE, HERBERT SCOVILLE’S BROTHER, ROBERT, HIS MANSION ALSO BURNT. I DON’T REMEMBER WHEN THAT BURNT. THEY HAD A NICE BIG FIELD OVER THERE AND THEY USED TO LET KIDS GO OVER AND PLAY BALL OVER THERE AND RUMMAGE THROUGH THE OLD CASTLE AND PLAY WAR STUFF LIKE THAT. THEN THERE WAS CAMP EVERETT. A BOYS CAMP AND A GIRLS SUMMER CAMP. THEY USED TO LET US TOWN KIDS GO UP THERE AND USE THE TENNIS COURT AND USED TO USE THEIR BOAT AND THEIR LITTLE SWIMMING AREA DOWN BY THE LAKE THERE. THEN WE USED TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN. SOME OF US KIDS WE’D GET ON OUR BICYCLE AND TRAVEL AROUND A LITTLE BIT, GO DOWN IN THE WOODS DURING THE DAY, CAMP AND GO FISHING. WE HAD PLENTY OF CHORES TO DO AROUND HOME. YOU HAD TO DO YOUR CHORES DONE BEFORE YOU COULD DO ALL THIS STUFF.

THEN I CAN REMEMBER THE TACONIC ROAD. THAT WAS DIRT. IN THE SPRINGTIME MUDDY, OH BOY, IT WOULD GET IN SOME PLACES MUD, DOWN PAST THE WHITRIDGE’S HOUSE, DOWN ON THE FLAT. THAT USED TO BE TERRIBLE. THERE USED TO BE A MAN DOWN THERE WITH HORSES, PULL PEOPLE OUT.

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I REMEMBER ONE TIME, FRANK LINELL. HE WAS THE STATION AGENT, DOWN IN TACONIC. I WENT DOWN THERE ONE TIME, ABOUT CHRISTMAS TIME, AND HE SAID “I KNOW WHAT YOU KIDS ARE GOING TO GET FOR CHRISTMAS”. “OH, YEAH, WHAT’S THAT?” “YOUR NEW BICYCLE, IT JUST CAME IN TODAY”. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A REAL, OUR CHRISTMAS SURPRISE TO US. HE LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG AND EVERYTHING.

THEN I REMEMBER ED ASHMAN. HE WAS DOWN THERE. AND WHEN I WAS A KID I REMEMBER ONE OF THE PICKERT BOYS. I THINK IT WAS STANLEY PICKERT. HE HAD A HORSE. HE WOULD GO DOWN TO TACONIC, THE RAILROAD STATION EVERYDAY AND PICKED THE MAIL UP. THEY HAD THE MAIL IN THE HOUSE FOR A WHILE AND THEY HAD A LITTLE STORE THERE. THEN THE POST OFFICE WENT FROM THERE TO MIKE KELSEY’S HOUSE AND THEY HAD A LITTLE STORE IN THERE. IT WENT FROM THERE TO O’NELLS. IT’S WHERE THE POST OFFICE IS TODAY.

AND WHEN WE WAS KIDS, WHEN WE WERE GOING TO SCHOOL, THERE WERE A COUPLE TWO OR THREE OLDER FAMILIES IN TACONIC. THERE WAS A NICE SPRING IN BACK IN WHAT THEY CALLED THE SCOVILLE POWER HOUSE ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE CHANNEL. OH, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SPRING. WHEN THE PEOPLE NEEDED WATER, THEY WOULD LET US KNOW AND THEY WOULD GO DOWN THERE WITH THEIR BIG BUCKETS AND GET WATER AND TAKE IT OUT FOR THEM. IT WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY WATER SUPPLY A LOT OF PEOPLE FLAD IN TACONIC AT THAT TIME. I TOOK A WALK DOWN IN THERE , I DON’T KNOW, A COUPLE-THREE YEARS AGO TO SEE THE OLD SPRING, AND WHO EVER BROUGHT THE PROPERTY THEY’VE FILLED IT ALL IN AND BURIED IT. YOU DON’T EVEN SEE THE SPRING ANYMORE. WHEN I WAS A KID, THERE USED TO BE IN THE WINTER TIME, BIG OLD LEOPARD FROGS, THEY STAYED DOWN IN THERE. PEOPLE WOULD SAY AS LONG AS THERE WERE FROGS, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE WATER. THE WATER WAS NICE AND PURE.

THE SCOVILLES HAD ABOUT 6 DIFFERENT GREENHOUSES. THEY HAD DIFFERENT THINGS IN THERE. THEY HAD GRAPES, WHAT THEY CALLED PALM HOUSES, THE CACTUS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF IN THERE.

RICHARD SCOVILLE, ONCE IN A WHILE, HE WOULD INVITE US KIDS IN TO THE PART WHERE THEY RAISED

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GRAPES AND GIVE US SOME NICE FRESH GRAPES. THEY HAD GOLDFISH PONDS IN THERE. IN THE SPRING, THEY WOULD TAKE THE GOLDFISH OUT OF THE HOLDING TANK IN THE GREENHOUSE AND THEY’D TAKE THEM UP TO THE MANSION UP THERE AND THEY HAD THREE DIFFERENT PONDS UP THERE, THEY’D PUT THEM IN THERE. IN THE FALL, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CATCH ALL THE GOLDFISH AND BRING THEM BACK DOWN AGAIN. THEY HAD A BIG OLD PUMP HOUSE DOWN A PRIVATE ROAD. USED TO HAVE TO GO DOWN THERE DURING THE WINTER TIME. THEY HAD AN OLD COAL STOVE TO KEEP THINGS FROM FREEZING UP DOWN THERE. HEADING UP TO THE WATER TOWER, UP NEAR THE MANSION, TWO BIG WATER TOWERS. TWO HUGE TANKS, TWO BIG WOODEN TANKS. THEY ALSO HAD TO KEEP AN OLD FIRE IN THERE, AN OLD COAL STOVE GOING IN THE WINTER TIME TO KEEP IT FROM FREEZING UP AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. THE SCOVILLE’S IN THE SUMMER TIME WOULD INVITE THE TACONIC PEOPLE. THEY PUT ON A BIG FIREWORKS DISPLAY ON THE LAWN UP THERE. AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME THEY WOULD HAVE THE SCHOOL KIDS ALL COME UP THERE WITH A BIG CHRISTMAS PARTY. GAVE ALL THE KIDS PRESENTS, STUFF LIKE THAT. THEY USED TO BE GOOD TO ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND TACONIC AND EVERYTHING. THEY EMPLOYED A LOT OF PEOPLE. I THINK, AT ONE TIME, WHEN THEY HAD EVERYTHING GOING, I CAN REMEMBER MY FATHER TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY’D HAVE 32 PEOPLE WORKING ON THE ESTATES AND ON THE FARMS.

I THINK THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT TACONIC. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.