BOUND VOLUMES, May 16, 2013

200 YEARS AGO
Havre de Grace – This morning, a little after the break of day, a British armed force, under cover of armed vessels which anchored in front of this town in eleven large barges, landed below a small breast work which had been roughly thrown up, and in which were one nine and two four pounders, manned by 50 militia. The vessels in front of the town threw 8 Congreve rockets, one of which passed through a frame house without further damage; another struck a Mr. Webster on the left side of the head, and killed him on the spot. The attack was a surprise, and there was neither an organized resistance nor defence. About six o’clock, a few of the militia, who had occupied the small redoubt, evacuated it and abandoned the town; the enemy possessed themselves of the nine pounder and two four pounders, and afterwards proceeded with torches and other combustibles prepared for the purpose to conflagrate several of the houses. Two taverns and thirteen other houses were burnt to the ground; two stables and several stacks of hay were also burnt. They plundered all of the inhabitants whom they found, ripping open feather beds and throwing the feathers to the wind and taking with them the ticking. They burnt every vessel here except one which lay sunk on the east side of the Susquehanna.
May 15, 1813

150 YEARS AGO
Excerpts from a letter penned by Sgt. R.G. Firman describing action at the Battle of Fredericksburg under General Hooker in early May, 1863: “We were ordered to take Fredericksburg and the heights, which we did with perfect success. Then we marched on, the 121st in advance, with the exception of a line of skirmishers. We approached a long line of woodland and shrubbery, and the enemy commenced firing again on us. We were ordered to charge while a heavy fire was opened upon us through the lines. At the second volley, our Captain, T.S. Arnold, was killed. The third, Lieutenant U.F. Doubleday was shot through the head, the ball piercing his forehead, and coming out upon the back side of his head. He fell instantly, exclaiming to his company, “Go on boys, you are driving them.” He stood at his post until the last moment – had his sword drawn and was urging on his men. He has died for his country; has done his duty as a soldier and an officer. He was beloved by his company and his regiment.”
May 15, 1863

125 YEARS AGO
Local – A copper coin dated 1786 was last week found in Pierstown on the site of the old log dwelling built by Ezekiel Kellogg in that year. The centennial of the occupation of the farm by his descendants and of the settlement of that locality was celebrated two years ago, on that farm.
The debt which rested upon Christ Church is provided for and will soon be paid; the fund for the new rectory now reaches about $4,000. Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Bowers contributed $250 to each of those objects. It is expected that an amount sufficient to build the rectory will be in hand before next spring.
May 18, 1888

100 YEARS AGO
Cleopatra, the sixth of those who ruled Egypt, as idealized by Helen Gardner, formerly of Cooperstown, in the production to be presented at the Star Theatre this Wednesday is distinctly in a class by itself. Miss Gardner’s acting is one of enthralling fidelity to truth in a matchless grace of movement and swift decision of mind. The actual cost of the production was $45,000, and in course of the action of the drama Miss Gardner wears jewels, rare textures and quaint Oriental weaves that cost over $100,000. Two of her costumes were made of material several hundred years old – heirlooms purchased by a maternal ancestor in Egypt in the 17th century.
May 21, 1913

75 YEARS AGO
The 1938 softball season opened here this week with Second National Bank and Iroquois Farm chalking up the first victories of the year, the former turning back the Foam Ball Club, 4 to 2 at Doubleday Field, and the latter, The Fire Department, 7 to 6 at the Polo Field. With Der Minio on the mound for the Bank, and allowing but four hits, and Joe Leo hurling for the Foam Ballers, allowing seven hits, the contest was a tight one. Jack Adams, on the mound for Iroquois Farm, turned in an admirable performance with the Fire Department getting most of its runs because of errors. Pete Reynolds was on the mound for the Fire Department, but the heavy bats of the farmers were too much for him.
May 18, 1938

50 YEARS AGO
N. Kenneth MacEwan of Milford Center told the Cooperstown Rotary Club last week that the group therapy offered by membership and participation in meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous is the happiest and easiest method for a person plagued with alcoholism to achieve sobriety. Mr. MacEwan said that when the organization was smaller and it was possible to keep track of its details more readily, statistics revealed that 50 percent of those who joined AA and took an active part in its affairs “stayed dry” permanently, and another 25 percent had only rare slips from sobriety.
May 15, 1963

25 YEARS AGO
Last Saturday’s Crayon Carnival at the Cooperstown Elementary School added $2,000 to the funds needed to build the Kid City playground at CCS. There were lines waiting for everything. The attractions included a petting zoo with pigs, goats, rabbits and chickens, pony rides and the “Win a Goldfish” contest.
May 18, 1988

10 YEARS AGO
After nearly 20 years and several prestigious awards, innkeeper Mike Jerome and his business partner Marianne Bez have sold the Inn at Cooperstown to Marc and Sherrie Kingsley. The Kingsleys, formerly of Saratoga, took title earlier this month and said they intend to operate the historic inn under the same award-winning standards established by Jerome and Bez.
May 16, 2003