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NUE Ethelda Stoddatd Richardson
TOPIC Study of Folklore in Berkshire
Page I
Art/
Many of the settlers of Colrain have come from Vermont or
thru the state to stop in this hilly town. The land is little diff-
erent than in many parts of Vermont and is nearer waterpower and
transportation is easier to find from this section. Hence many of
the oldest families of this town were originally from Vermont. In
fact the first families in this very old town were Scotch -Irish
people from Londonderry, New Hampshire and those persons who wanted
to leave Vermont and come with the New Hampshire group.
George Day is a descendant of one of these old Scotch -Irish fami-
lies who does the line no great credit. His claim to fame seems to
lie in his cuestionable shrewdness and the humor which he inspired in
the persons with whom he came in contact. Not everyone who knew him
that he was funny, especially those whom his "business" dealings
touched. But he is a character.
Luther Day, George's grandfather, was a marvelous old Scotchman.
He was, as folks describe him a thoroughbred ScQtchman. 'nth all
the canniness and business sense given his race and with a generation
or more of New England born stamina behind him, old Luther built and
planned his sheep farm. He chose his farm land with more foresight than
interested neighbors knew and had his line the strain of the Scotch
Days continued foremost in the descendants Colrain might have been the
scene of enormous sheep farms instead of having small scattered flocks
of sheep to different farmers. Sheep raising might have been one of the
major industries instead of poultry, fruit farming and cattle raising
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NAME Ethelda Stoddard Richardson
TOPIC Study of Folklore in Berkshire
as it is now. Luther was as honest as the day is long. Business
deals were matters where this was tested for he also knew how to
drive a bargain. He never allowed anyone to get the better of him
and refused to have business with anyone whom he found trying to
drive too sharp a bargain where dishonesty entered. In turn he
always dealt fairly with his associates altho he wasn't known as
the easiest man in town to persuade. Once Luther's mind was made
up, no strategy, such as working on his kindness would make the
matter different for him. He maae his mind up quickly and prided
himself on sticking to his decisions and he had little respect for
anyone who could be talked out of their way of thinking even if
Luther did the persuading himself. They were weak according to his
standard.
The fertile hills of the Berkshires in this region gave Luther
Day ample pasturage for his sheep and even tho the New England snow
storms were no less severe in the area Mr. Day had chosen for his
farm he had chosen it for its advantages and wisely too. Sheltering
hills practically surrounded his group of buildings and yet he had
planned for the necessity of sun. When snow came, it seemed only to
further protect his farm and keep the interiors of his barns warmer.
When warm weather came he had green grass and select pastures for
his animals sooner than many other farmers. He built his place slowly
but steadily and continued to be one of the finest business men of
the section. Luther was a fine member of a large family. He had six
n,LE Ethelda Etoddard Richer, son Page 3
7-PIC Study of kOlklore in Berkehire
xotLrE who grew to nanhood and two sisters who lived to -oe old.
enough to marry.
Luther himself married a French woman and had
only three children who lived. They were two sons and a daughter.
one of these were as fine as Luther out they did inherit some
exceptional qualities, John Ly4 one of the sons, made a rie for
himself uy oecoming the greateet bear hunter in Vermont. Instead
of learning carpentering or sheep raising from his father he preferred
to oe a prime hunter.
Ihe wilds of Colrain furniehed small game for ambitious hunters
but there were no dehee woods or unfrequented ;lacee in the town
limits ,;_ere bears might flourish. Vermont hs continued to have
.iarge tracts of land where these large animals might oe bond and so
it was to t. is infrecuented place that John Day went to pursue his
iree. To John, the bear seemed to require the post attention.
It was perhaps the most damaging animal to farmers and bearskins were
once quite valuable as rugs _nd coats in these sections. Loreover
altho the animal might appear to oe clumsy in some manners they were
far too dexterous for an unseaeoned hunter when cornered or protecting
your cuoe. They were clever and ferocious and large enough to pro-
vide a comoination of values to the hunter. John Day caring little
icy education and farming, oegan his career s a oear hunter early
in life. he devoted himself solely to the -work he didn't call it
sport and indeed nit wasn't ailtiS at the rate thut he killed off the
animals. In one season John killed forty-two pears! (The numoer hs
Ethelda Stoddard Richardson Page 4
TOPIC Study of /iblklore in 3erkchire
been variouely reported by local enthusiasts and lbyal Iriends out
Eever 1 reliable eources agree that forty-two is nearest the correct
story) higher honors nave Peen eought oy men out few att •in as com-
plete acclaim as John Day received. he was juetifiaoly proud and in
a state where enthusiasm and pride in a leader or champion runs high
he was the realest in hie line.
What of the Day farm? Old Luther worked hard on it and his two
other eons helped him until they married and left. John worked on
the farm reluctantly arid he had no interest in it except in "keeping
the o ars away from the sheep." Old Luther lived to be a very old
man. he w E over eiLhty-five years old 'which is however, not as old
;LE: many of these nola tima-s lived to oe". Perhaps Luther's death
vas hastened oy his disappointment in his bon and oecauee he had to
work so very hard in hiE laet days to keep his farm running. he was
Eatiefied with John'sicora in Vermont but he had hoped one of his
LJOE would love the farm and go on with it. This disappointment
lhaE perhaps the
.reatest blim of his life. When jqhn inherited the
plc he had to settle down more than he had ever done out as his
interest was not centered on the
farm so the farm aid not flourish.
John did enough work to make a living for his family on the farm out
he made no improvements and indeed he let what buildings arid equipment
there was on the place Let into a bad state. John had seventeen
children but only two girle, and a ooy named George lived. Each
generation seemed to decreaee in the number of children who lived to
grow up as well as sterling qualitiee. John 1±-a married an English
N;ILE Ethelda Stoddard Edchardson Page 5
TOPIC Study- of iolklore in Berkshire
woman ILho altho she waLted the work done on the farm was no inspira-
tion to him nor did she have the ability to insist on John's attend-
ance to the farm duties. The daughter of this family left the old
farm when she narried out her brother stayed on the land. One might
Low Oegin to hope that the promising old place would oe brought back
to productivity and repair. This was not to oe however oecause
George has proved to oe the least of the Day line. The "talents"
he possessed, somehow oecame diverted into queer channels and the
old I'S= V6 neglected so that it fast oecame a ruin. Today al of
the smaller ouiiaings have disappe-red and farmhouse and °urns are
almost black with neglect. The winds and rain and snow year by year
have cci.e.ed consideraule dJL.ge 60 that now the place is not fit foe
haoitation. distant relative of the Days expressed some disgust
that the farm was allow -d to go to rack and ruin. Said he, "If old
"grandpa" Day can see his old sheep farm now he must be in a regular swivet.
he that a mighty lot of that place. It's a dam shame."
The last of the Day line is George Day. He is now an old man
over ninety year old altho he may have died recently. Theielativeu
have never oeen too interested in poor old George and knew less about
him than the neighoors, perh ps because his relatives didn't like to
acknowledge that they were people of his. George returned to the "scene
of his crime" to live several years ago. This is another town high in
the Berkshires and called North Adams. It was here that he curried
on some of his ousiness when he was young and where he remained until
the scandal in which he involved himself was over. (or until he thot
it was over)
When George was very your school was not as compulsory as it now
i,7_2i.L17: Ethel a '-1;toddard iidchardson Page 6
TOPIC Study of rolklore in Berkshire
is. he was sent to school of- course. hi E mother sw to that out she
couldn't watch him ail day and more often than not her son was far
from the location of the school. he couldn't learn and no one made
much attemiA to teach him anything. <-onsequently a -pout the only things
that George knew was Low to talk and figure some. His speech was a
comoination of oaoy t lk and "back woods" talk, and peculiarly George's.
her one considers thi;Lt some of his e pressions vcre old Yankee idoms
and then that he gave them a definite twist of his own, it is easy to
understand why people haveremeL.bered so many incidents in George's life.
His speech is practically a dialect. A nephew of- his was riding on
the ,sagon, with him one d, and when they got home the young fellow
Lau a new joke to tell evcryone apout George. he said when they got
finished in town with the business they had to do and started for
home George suddenly rememoered he hadn't oought a newspaper. Well
the. Doy knew George couldn't read a word out he thot perhaps he was
ouying it for someone else so he didn't ask his uncle 'what he wanted
the paper for. On the way back they were quiet as susal. The nephew
couldn't think of any suo-ect that he and his uncle could discuss at
any length so they rode without talking. Suddenly, a if he had just
remem-oered it, George unsettled himself and squirmed around on the
seat of the on and finally produced the paper he had purchased in
the town's- V'ery carefully and with extravagant care he folded it
until he had it the desirea size to holdwell and proceeded to become
very intent on it. His nephew smiled to himself at the importance
George was assuming as if serious matters were to oe found on the
YALE Ethelda Stoddard Richar-son Page 7
TOPIC Study of Folklore in 3 rkshire
pages hews scanning. The boy knew his uncle couldn't read a word so
hE thot he have a little fun with him. "Well," he said, "What's all
the news today, Uncle George?" George shook his head slowly as if he
were agreeing with someLtatement made therein, smac ed his lips and
then spit a large mouthful of tobacco juice indifferently over the side
of the wagon and with a shrug said "Aw's only tittle oit a sewin'
circle Loin' on just sewin' circle." The boy thot perhaps he might
have understood a word or two in the item so he glanced over his uncle's
shoulder and thee he was holding the newspaper very confidently -up-
side-down! George continued to read as they roae along and his nephew
continued to want to laugh out he didn't want to hurt his uncle's
feelings nor did he quite dare to give vent to all the laughter he
felt because his rel• tive was a pig, powerful man and when he felt
there Was a special grievance against him he could exhioit a violent
temper.