Oral History -- Recorded 1974-75

In 1974-75 some thirty Plainfield and Meriden residents were taped as part of an grant-funded oral history project to celebrate the nation's Bicentennial. The memories of these residents form a compelling history of life in a rural community during the 20th century. We are just beginning the process of converting old tapes to digital format. We will add audio files as they become available. However,  interview transcriptions are available below.

A black and white photo of an older woman in a black jacket.

Lena Read (1892-1981) Mrs. Read was very active in statewide politics. She was representative to the state legislature and a state senator from the eighth district. She was the first woman to serve in the state senate or on a Superior Court jury. She was also active in the local and state Grange.1

Listen to Tape 1

Listen to Tape 2

The interview tapes of the people below have not been digitized, however they were transcribed using a typewriter. Copies of the transcribed interviews are available below (or will be soon.)

An elderly woman wearing glasses sits at a table with her hands folded

Myrtie West Weden Barker 1888-1977.  Grew up in Meriden, attended KUA, but left before graduation to teach school in the “True District.” Member of the Meriden Grange and Meriden Congregational Church.

Bernice Kimball Baker

Bernice Kimball Baker 1891-1985. Her family moved to Meriden in 1903, and her father operated the livery stable. She and her husband Wallace armed on Main Street in Meriden.text

Lucy Ruggles Bishop 1893-1980. Lived on Thrasher Road. Graduated from KUA and taught in Plainfield and Cornish schools, gave music lessons and was active in choral groups. She was past President and 50 year member of the Mothers’ and Daughter’s Club and active in the Plainfield Baptist Church.

Winnie Barton Brooks 1910—1998. Graduated Keene Normal School and taught in Plainfield, Cornish and Claremont and Charlestown. Came to teach in Meriden in 1930 and in 1935 married Albert Barton and then Joseph Brooks. Active in the Grange, Mericrafters and MCC.

Daisy Towne Chapman 1888-1985.  Came to Meriden in 1918. She worked as a housekeeper for many local families and later at Williams Laundry and the Hanover Inn. They lived and farmed in Meriden.

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Frank Chellis 1922-1980. He started as a lineman in 1938 and took over the Meriden Telephone Company and Meriden Electric Company after the death of his brother Howard in 1971. Active in many local organizations.

Stan Colby 1911-1986. Grew up on River Road, graduated from KUA and UNH. Served on the NH Fish and Game Commission, Cornish Planning board and as a Cornish selectman.

May Fellows Cole

May Fellows Cole 1871-19??. Moved to Methodist Hill East Plainfield in 1876.  Worked as washer woman.

Hazel Freeman Dodge 1898-1994. Graduated from KUA and Keene State and taught for 42 years in Plainfield, Lebanon and Newport.

Gene Fadden 1911-1983. Lifelong Meriden resident, he graduated from KUA , attended UNH and worked at KUA for thirty four years, doing logging and maintaining the KUA boilers.

A black and white photo of an older woman wearing glasses and a polka dot shirt.

Bessie Westgate Hill 1883-1986. She graduated from KUA and taught until her marriage to Charles Hill. She lived all of her life on Westgate Road.

Doris Donahue Jones-19??-1981. She moved to Meriden when she was 19. She and her husband ran the Meriden store and post office for forty years.

Ralph Jordan 1887-1985. Farmed on his father’s farm on Center of Town Rd until 1923 when he moved to Plainfield village. He kept one of the best herds of milking shorthorn cattle in NH. Active in the Grange for over 60 years and was a Deputy Fire Warden.

Lena Woodward Kovolsky  1886-1983….. Grew up in the ferry house on River Road, and helped her father operate the ferry until 1905.

Gertrude Woodward Mark 1903-1977. Sister of Ralph and Joseph Woodward.

Ellen Hadley Maylin

Ellen Hadley Maylin 1907-1993. Lived all of her life in Plainfield.  Graduated from Keene State, and taught in Walpole, Plainfield and Cornish and later worked at Goodyear in Windsor. Active in Grange, Mothers’ and Daughters' Club, PTA, and the Plainfield Historical Society.

A man in a suit and tie is smiling for the camera.

John F. McNamara 1897-1987. Moved to Meriden in 1924 where he farmed. Was a Selectman, Constable for twenty years, School Board member, and member of the Grange. He kept weather records for decades. He had a plumbing and heating business.

Florence Freeman Moulton 1889-1983.   Born in Meriden. Graduated from KUA and started teaching school at age 16. Served on the Plainfield School Board. Holder of the Boston Post Cane.

Stephen Plummer 1902-1990 .   Lifelong resident of Plainfield village, he owned the Plainfield General Store from 1923-1966 and was Postmaster. An avid hunter and fisherman, and a keen marksman.

Marguerite Lewin Quimby 1896-1983. Born in Plainfield village, graduate of KUA and after a teaching career in CT, she andn her husband Arthur returned to retire in the house where she had been born in 1963. She was musical, a vocalist and active in the Mothers’ and Daughters’ Club and the Plainfield Comm. Church.

Abe Read

Albert K. Read III 1920-2010. Born on Read’s Hill Plainfield village, he was a cattle dealer and dairy farmer on Route 12A, Black Hill, and in Claremont. He retired and built a house on Read’s Hill. Held many offices in town, and with the FHA, Farm Bureau, and Federal Land Bank. He also served as President of the NH Ayrshire Cattle Breeders Association.

Herman and Ruth Rogers

Herman D. Rogers 1908- 1981. Attended KUA for 2 years. Served as selectman, tax collector, treasurer of the Meriden Water Department, President of the Meriden Grange, deacon of the Meriden Congregational Church and was active in many other organizations.

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Gladys Richards Stevens  1891-1983. Her grandfather had been headmaster at KUA. She came to Meriden in the summers as a child and moved here permanently in 1957.

 

Dorothy Kelsey Strong 1922-1986. She came to town after her marriage and lived on the Penniman homestead on Underhill Road.

A man wearing a hat and a cardigan is smiling

Frank Sullivan 1907-1980. Born on Bean Road he was the Plainfield Road Agent for twenty ears and worked for NH Highway and Public Works for 16 years. Member Meriden FD and a forest fire warden.

Fred Talbert 1881-1979. Farmed in East Plainfield and was the town road agent for seven years.

Stephen Tracy 1905-1987. Born in Meriden where his father was headmaster of KUA. Graduate of KUA, Dartmouth and Harvard where he earned a degree in Architecture. Trustee of KUA, Saint Gauden’s and Mt. Ascutney Hospital. Designed several buildings at KUA, NE College, UNH, Keene and Plymouth State. Lived in Nashua and then Cornish.

Eunice Stickney Waite 1885-1977. She graduated from KUA, lived in Plainfield village and received the Boston Post Cane

Carrie Rogers Westgate

Carrie Rogers Westgate 1891-aft 1991. Moved to Plainfield at age 10, graduated from KUA, and taught school before marriage.

William Wildey

William Wildey 1884-1974. Attended KUA and Dartmouth. An attorney who retired to Meriden to live on his grandfather Charles Colby’s farm on Colby Hill.

Doris Williams

Doris Williams. 1903-1989. Graduated from KUA and Keene Normal and taught for forty years. Lived all of her life in the house where she was born on Route 120.

Wallace Williams 1919-2005. Farmed his father’s farm on 120 until 1965, then part time. Graduated from KUA, active in the Grange for 67 years and Meriden Baptist Church.

Joe Woodward

Joseph Woodward 1901-1993. Served in WW2 and taught school in town for a few years. Carpenter by trade, and a lay preacher. Moved to Cornish in 1945. Brother of Ralph and Gertrude.

Ralph Woodward

Ralph Woodward 1905-1981. Graduated from KUA and farmed on Tallow Hill on the old “Tip” Jordan farm. He was also a mailman delivering from Windsor to Plainfield.

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