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Bellingham Historical Commission:
 
Your latest issue #150 was tops, and this was no mean accomplishment as all issues are superb. A shame you do not have a national news letter such as the Crimpville Comments.
 
Maybe I am biased due to my age, 83, last May, as so many of the items remind me of the days back 60 or more years. Those White letters, 'through the ages', the poem 'The Old Farm House', the forty niners, looking back, and all of the photos.
 
John Lundvall was the first person who reasoned why Deborah Sampson walked all the way to Bellingham to enlist. A cousin, Noah Alden, who had been one of her pastors in Middleboro, was now stationed in Bellingham. John believed, as do I and other researchers, that Deborah may have stayed with the Reverend and his family for a couple of days until the muster master signed the recruits at the tavern just across the street from the rectory. We all think that Rev. Alden was the only person who knew Robert Shurtliff was Deborah Sampson and he kept his secret well. Do you know if anything has been located on this subject in the past few years? Will appreciate hearing from you
 
Here is a check to help continue your work.
 
Regards,
Patrick J.Leonard
 
Dear Friends
 
The Crimpville Comments is very interesting-being residents for a number of years, so many changes have taken place.
 
Some of the older farms were here, and to read all the history. it is fascinating. Thank you for the issues and hope to remain on your mailing list.
 
Mrs. Lea Collings
 
I loved your article on Root Beer and Moxie. To this day, I still drink Moxie and love it.
 
Enclosed is a small donation to the Crimpville Comments. Reading it has made me appreciate Bellingham. Keep up the good work.
 
Toni P.
 
P.S. A suggestion- I would find it easier to file my copies of CC if there was an Issue "date" on the front cover--I notice they are not dated.
 
(Editors note: But each issue is numbered)
 
I am sending you a picture of Mildred Trafton,(Goldthwaite), who taught 4th grade at South School....This picture is one of a kind -- she was a "gem"!
 
I'll send you more pictures of the class of 1934.
 
I'm sending the Historical Commission a check. I hope to be able to visit the place soon. Sincerely,
 
Mabelle Voss
 
Mabelle Voss
 
Just a little thank you for being on your mailing list. My in-laws lived across the street from Edna Brown on Hartford Ave.
 
My mother-in-laws's father, William Starling also lived there. He was an employee of the mill. They were originally from Lewiston, Maine.
 
Virginia Stoddard
 
Thanks for the Crimpville Comments. In an issue you mentioned Silver Lake. Before it was Silver Lake, it was Hoag Lake. It was an amusement Park in those days too. Had a merry-go-round and lots of enjoyable things. It also had a dance hall. My sister, Mrs. Fred Thibodeau, my brother Charles and I used to walk from Bellingham Four Corners where we lived to the lake
 
(Silver or Hoag-whatever you want to call it) to go swimming--a long walk, between 1 1/2- 2 miles. That was in the early '20s.
 
I made a mistake when I said I was baptized in Millis, it was in Medway. At 87 years old, I get mixed up.
 
I left Bellingham in the 6th grade and moved to Rhode Island, where I finished school and graduated High School in 1931.
 
George Bourcier
 
Dear Friends,
 
Nothing in Bellingham was the same on my recent visit. I wanted to find out about the Thayers as when I was there, things seemed to revolve around the Thayers. They were good friends of mine.. But things were not the same--as I looked at my old home, it is no home anymore. I knew you were around because of the letter you sent me some time ago.
 
I still remember Bellingham as a youth. We had the dance hall at Nipmuck and also one at Lake Pearl. In the summer time we were at one or the other. A girl named Lillian was my partner 90 percent of the time.
 
I was in the construction business 20-25 years, building LaGuardia Airport plus other big jobs. There was no baloney on the boy from Bellingham. It would be a great pleasure if L.F. could see this--he would faint.
 
Working for these big companies 45 years ago was a big story, but today I'm just an old man--92-Yours,
 
Proctor Cooke
 
P.S. I'm very proud of what I was able to do......
 
Dear Folks,
 
This spring I visited Bellingham and happily discovered Crimpville Comments.
 
Time has flown but memories of growing up in Bellingham have always brought me joy. A true community it was. I still attribute much of my success in life to that wonderful teacher, Agnes Riley. Had I remained there, I would have been in the 1944 graduating class.
 
Allow this check to insure future issues--and, if possible, please publish my address. I would love to hear from old friends.
 
Sincerely,
 
Mary Ella (deJony) Johnson
357 Bumps River Road
Osterville, MA. 02655-1520

Crimpville Comments:
 
Your article about stone walls was very interesting and the walls are a significant part of the landscape around Bellingham and surrounding towns.
 
The following article from the June 14 issue of the New Hampshire Market Bulletin provides some insight into the construction and purpose of the walls. It probably applies to this area as well.
 
Incidentally, while the photo in the upper right side of the article was taken on Maple Street in Bellingham, I should point out that the lower photo, showing the wall with the pond and white plank fence, was from Mendon(my property).
 
Larry Pearson Mendon, MA.
 
Crimpville Comments:
 
I came across this school news letter from 1939 Bellingham High School and felt it might be of some use to you. I graduated with the class of 1939.I still have fond memories of Bellingham, and my sister Dorothy and I look forward to each issue of the Comments.I remember my early years when the population was in the 2000 range, and I knew who lived in every house for miles around. It's not like that today.
 
I am enclosing a check so that you can continue your good work. Sincerely,
 
Albert & Ellen Spencer