Past Issues of the Putnam Town Crier
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THOMPSON — The Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group (TEEG) was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Putnam Area Foundation to support its “Got Drama” program.
TEEG’s “Got Drama” program was implemented in 2015 to work with youth experiencing significant trauma. The purpose was to bring these at-risk youth together to socialize through theater. With the guidance of a theater instructor and clinician, the youth were able to express themselves through drama, work through issues of experienced trauma, and in turn build relationships with positive adult role models and their peers.
The program was immediately successful, and after a few years, it was opened to all children ages 7 to 18 in the local area. Sessions are held weekly, typically serving about 20 youth. This program provides the opportunity for youth to experience and participate in theater and use what they learn to improve their social skills. By developing talent in a safe environment, the youth build confidence and build stronger connections with peers and their school communities. TEEG partners with The Bradley Playhouse to offer this program at no cost to participants.
Foundation President Tom Borner said, “We are pleased to be able to offer this grant through the Foundation, as the theater and the arts are something we are passionate about. Connecting youth through theater is a valuable use of local resources.”
This grant will assist TEEG in continuing the program in 2024, ensuring that local youth are supported and served through the efforts of our Youth Service Bureau and the Foundation.
The Putnam Area Foundation, Inc. is a charitable organization with a commitment to the greater Putnam geographical area. The Foundation supports cultural, educational, health, housing, social services, and other charitable organizations that seek to improve the quality of life in the community.
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This time of year, gift giving is, typically, atop most people’s to-do list. Because of this, shopping and wrapping (or at least packaging) are also prominent items to accomplish. And because I love shopping (and getting a good deal), I often begin the process of collecting my holiday gifts during the summer, or maybe in springtime or, to be perfectly honest, in early January when everything goes on sale! Basically, I shop all year round for Christmas, often tucking away little piles of goodies for months before I even start to think about making my Christmas shopping list in November.
However, because I am so preemptive in my shopping list tasks, I’ve noticed that, recently, I have become a bit like Santa Claus and, must check my shopping list twice (or even three times) so that I can organize what I (may) have left to buy.
This year, when I made my holiday list and then checked my inventory, I discovered that I should have made my holiday shopping list in January, when I started shopping! I should have done this because then I would NOT have purchased several of my holiday gift items … TWICE!
I remember thinking, back in early summer, that I should take advantage of the Yankee Candle sale and purchase my holiday (and autumn) scented candles. And so, I did. And when the BIG box of candles was delivered, I realized, upon unpacking them and tucking them away in my candle spot, that I hadn’t remembered thinking this same exact thought four months earlier back in late winter. Now I had 12 candles for the 6 people I typically give candles to. And when my favorite store offered a great deal on sweaters in April, I purchased some for my sisters, forgetting that I had already purchased their annual sweater gift last late December. Now I had six sweaters for three sisters…
In making my holiday shopping list this year and in organizing my excessive inventory, I have considered two possibilities; I can simply give each candle recipient and sister, two of each item or expand my gift giving list to include nine more people. Quite frankly, both options feel a bit excessive.
Instead, I will save the sweaters and hope that they will still be in style next Christmas, and I will enjoy holiday-scented candle burning well into the summer months. I will also consider that I should expand my baked goods recipients so that I can, in the future, eliminate some shopping. Better yet, since my husband is not an ‘advanced’ Christmas shopper, I may just hint that, this year, I would like a small whiteboard with colorful markers! This way, when I buy gifts, I can check them OFF the list as it’s far easier to check something off a list twice rather than buy it… twice!
NICE! NICE!
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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Legal Notice
Town of Putnam
Putnam Special Services District
COLLECTOR OF REVENUE
(860) 963-6800
The second installment of taxes, due to the Town of Putnam and Special Service District on the Grand List of October 1, 2022 is due and payable on January 1, 2024 through February 1, 2024.
Payments made after February 1, 2024 will be subject to an interest charge of 3% (1½% per month) or $2.00 minimum per Town and $2.00 minimum per District (where applicable), whichever is higher, according to Connecticut State Statute, SEC. 12-146.
Mail must be postmarked no later than
February 1, 2024, to avoid interest charges.
Bills may be paid online at www.putnamct.us or at our outside drop box.
Supplemental Motor Vehicle bills will be due in full during January.
Supplemental Motor Vehicle bills are for vehicles registered between October 2, 2022 and July 31, 2023.
If anyone is having financial problems, please contact our office anytime. We will be glad to work with you on a payment arrangement.
Have a happy and healthy holiday season.
Tax Window Office hours
8:30am – 4:15pm Monday through Wednesday
8am-5:45pm Thursday
8am-12:45pm Friday
Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day and Jan. 15.
Address:
Town of Putnam Municipal Complex
200 School Street
Putnam CT 06260
Dec. 21, 2023
Jan. 4, 2024
Jan. 25, 2024
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Mr. Morse Goes Home
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
POMFRET — It was a long way home for Mr. John Morse.
In November Becky Lamb discovered that a non-descript stone leaning on her front light pole was in fact a headstone for Mr. Morse. He died in 1796 at the age of 35, according to the stone. Lamb did a little research and discovered that Mr. Morse belonged in Pomfret. She called Pomfret First Selectman Maureen Nicholson who dropped by Lamb’s home on Tracy Road and picked up the headstone. Then research began to find out exactly where he belonged in the cemetery.
Enter Donna Dufresne, researcher extraordinaire. She discovered exactly where his headstone should be placed and also researched his life. She said it was a stroke of luck that the man died young because that opened up more records to flesh out his life.
A map of the Pomfret cemetery by Dorman Weaver showed Mr. Morse’s headstone was in place in 1950. Sometime after that it ended up in Killingly.
Dec. 14 was homecoming day. The town’s DPW brought the slate headstone. Dufresne, historical society members, and experts including preservationist Ruth Brown of the Connecticut Gravestone Network and expert Keegan Day were there to help. Brown said, “We need to do more on preservation here.”
The headstone has a pointed bottom; however, if the stone were “planted” using that bottom, it would either have to be sunk so low as to cover some wording or it would be top heavy and fall over.
Experts expect to fashion some sort of collar so that it is standing secure but not buried on concrete.
The headstone says:
In Memory of/ Mr. John Morse / Who died Aug. 1796 / Aged 35 / A wit’s a feather and a chief a rod: / An honest man’s the noblest work of God”
The quote on the headstone was written by Alexander Pope, an English poet, translator and satirist of the Enlightenment ear in Great Britain. One meaning ascribed to the quote is: “It is good to be smart and it is good to be a leader, but it is the best to be an honest person.”
Dufresne said: “I was able to identify exactly where the missing stone should be installed because I have the 1950 map from Dorman Weaver’s project on the cemetery. John Morse is buried with the Sharpe family. This led me to believe he had married one of the Sharpes. Indeed, he married Sarah (Sally) Sharpe on March 15, 1795. That same year, John Morse bought 8 rods of land with his business partner, John Phipps (along Rt. 97). The property was sold by John Maguire, who was a tailor.
“The deed implies that there had been some kind of clothier shop, either tailors or dressmaking during the 15 years between the Revolutionary War and the mercantile owned by John Phipps and John Morse.
“John Morse died at age 35 in 1796. He’d only been married one year and the child he had with Sarah Sharpe had died in February of 1796, John died in August. Because he died young and unexpectedly it was likely he was insolvent. I’ve run into several inventories of shop keepers who died insolvent, and the inventories are informative. Indeed, John Morse’s estate went to Probate due to “bad debt”. His inventory is 10 pages long including the inventory of the store which was filled with imported and domestic fabric as well as paint, chemicals, hats, pipes, China sets, pewter, teapots, spices, and more. Several pages of the inventory are devoted to debts he owed to creditors – merchants in Providence – who sailed to the West Indies to procure fabric from Great Britain and the East Indies Trade.”
The cause of death was not available but Dufresne said there were several epidemics around that time.
For the full research on Wed. night, check the expanded version of this story at www.putnamtowncrier.com and at the paper’s FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. It’s fascinating.
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Resting Place - Finally
The headstone of Mr. John Morse - from 1796 - was returned to his resting place in Pomfret last week. From left: Donna Dufresne, First Selectman Maureen Nicholson and historical society member John Folsom. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, page 4:
Top left: Experts, officials and "finders" at the cemetery with Mr. Morse's stone. Bottom left: Keegan Day speaks to group. Top right: Finding where the stone goes (from left: John Folsom, Maureen Nicholson and Donna Dufresne.)