Time Machine Terms
February 6, 1931
Interesting Vineyarders: Saphronia E. Hillman
Just a few issues back, this column carried the biographical sketch of Joseph West of Chilmark, who is a deaf mute. This present article contains a similar sketch of his sister, Mrs. Sophronia E. Hillman, whose faculties are normal. Reared in the same family, it is interesting to correspond the two stories relating to Chilmark of nearly three-quarters of a century ago, as seen by two different pairs of eyes, directed by natural inclinations that had little in common.
January 9, 1931
Interesting Vineyarders: Joseph E. T. West
This is the story of one who has lived always in the eternal silence, nearly three-quarters of a century without ever hearing the sound of human voice or the song of a bird, and who has never been able to voice a greeting to a friend, for Joseph E. T. West of Chilmark is a deaf mute, the last man of that town to be so afflicted.
October 31, 1930
Customs Records Saved by Society
A quantity of customs house records, all that can be found of the invaluable files of the former Edgartown customs house, have been acquired by the Dukes County Historical Society, Marshall Shepard, the society’s president, announced at the quarterly meeting held at the West Tisbury library Wednesday afternoon. The documents, which Mr. Shepard described as a pile three or four feet high, are a remnant of eighteen large packing cases in which the papers of the customs house were packed and shipped to Boston when the office was discontinued in 1912.
October 3, 1930
Last Heath Hen Nearly Run Down by Car on September 14th
That the world’s lone heath hen, Martha’s Vineyard’s most famous resident, was still alive September 13, is vouched for by Dr. John A. Phillips, president of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Association, who, in a letter sent out to members of the organization last week, told of almost running over a heath hen as he drove Mrs. Phillips along the Dr. Fisher road in West Tisbury, near the fire tower.
September 5, 1930
Gave Time and Funds To Island Improvements
A few years ago a newspaper cartoonist, who was portraying the childhood beginnings of many noted figures in American life, depicted William M. Butler, then United States senator, as he may have looked as a boy selling newspapers in Edgartown. The cartoonist’s choice might have fallen upon the old Hathaway, Soule & Harrington shoe factory in New Bedford where Mr. Butler was employed as an office boy in the fall of 1878; or it might have inked in that scene when Mr.
August 1, 1930
Interesting Vineyarders: Capt. Isaac C. Norton
At various times in recent years the name of Captain Isaac C. Norton has figured in print. The captain is one of those remarkable characters who seldom do anything that is not worthy of passing mention.
Having arrived at the age of eighty-two-years, of which thirty or more are never guessed at, his trim six-foot figure with military shoulders and snow-white vandyke beard is a familiar sight in Vineyard Haven and causes no little comment whenever he is seen, even by those who have known him for a lifetime.
July 8, 1930
Marine Hospital Was Not Obtained Without Struggle
Public attention is continually drawn to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the only public institution of its kind in the county. A comparatively new institution, and occupying a building that is very new indeed, there is every excuse for the turning of the public eye in that direction and for the whole-hearted support of the institution be every Island resident, either permanent or temporary.
June 24, 1930
First Gay Head Powwow for 250 Years is Held
The first powwow to be held on Gay Head since the days of King Philip took place in that town last night, and the flavor and spirit of those ancient days was revived so far as possible when Lorenzo Jeffers was made chief of the tribe. Dressed in full Indian regalia, with a war bonnet on his head, but unaccompanied by the sound of the war drums or the spectacle of Indians dancing in the flickering flames of a bonfire, Rev. Leonard C.
April 25, 1930
Farewell, Uncatena!
The sale of the Uncatena comes as no great surprise. She has not been needed for some time, even as an extra boat, and the sight of her at her berth in New Bedford has been a glimpse of the past for those Island travellers who noticed her. Her disappearance from the line to which she gave long and honorable service marks the end of an era. She was the last side-wheeler. Amazingly enough, the entire Island fleet has been recreated since 1922 and the four new craft which serve the Islands in summer are a great advance over the boats they have superseded.
March 28, 1930
“As Proud as a Cuffy”: Probably Refers to Cuttyhunk’s Citizen of Revolutionary Days
In the list of Vineyardisms offered by H. Franklin Norton in an article published in the Gazette some months ago, there appeared “as proud as a Cuffy”, doubtless referring to the family founded by Paul Cuffee who was born on the island of Cuttyhunk in 1759. Captain Cuffee was something of a barbarian in his taste in wearing apparel and personal adornment. according to tradition he used to get himself up in such style that he rivalled the barber’s poles, Christmas trees and firework displays.
