The Press., 1892-01-07
Number 40.

of industries that were carried on even then, and incidents in the rural life of those times that must not be passed by. Most of the homes in this region were those of farmers, who gained their liveli- hood largely from the cultivation of the soil; but often attention was given to some other pursuit besides, to occupy leisure time and to add to the farmers income.
 One of the industries of our fathers was that ofsmaking crude potash. Besides working a good farm, Ephfaim H. Hyde gave some attention to this industry, and had building for this purpose. It stood about @ quarter of mile northwest of where he lived, near the road that leads to Staffordville It contained one or more large bins for holding ashes. Water from a small stream was brought to the bins, and two large kettles for boiling the iye were arranged in the opposite part of the building. The ashes were bought of the neighboring farmers in the spring for about 124 cents per bushel, and, when leached, were used on the land as @ fer tilizer, while the potash obtained from the lye was sent to market.
 About half mile east of the Oliver Hyde place, on the road to Union, and near Roaring brook, was house where Ephraim Bolton lived, three-quarters of a century ago. He was brother of Jona- than Bolton, Sr., of the Hall district. He had several children, and lived in the old house near the brook, until it was burned, some forty years ago. Only few rods from the place where this house stood are the ruins of an old mill.dam. The wall as it now appears, overgrown and half hidden by the trees, tells of no little toll in it's construction, and of an import ant mill property in it's day. Here was a grist-mill with bolting mill, and, I have also understood, turning mill. The mill was run by Ephraim Bolton, and year after year in those primitive days he ground the grain, making the meal and flour for the people around.
 It is not wholly primitive custom for the farmers boy to go to mill; but in those early times he went in way that differed much from the custom of to-day. The horse was bridled; the bag of grain was thrown over the horses back; and the boy, mounting upon the bag, drove over the narrow, winding, hilly road. Ar irving at the mill, he took his turn, and, after the toll of two quarts per bushel had been taken by the miller and the grinding had been done, took his slow journey honeward as he came.
 Still further east on the saane stream are the ruins of another mill dam Sonic seventy years agb, David Vinton planned to erect saw-mill herb, md began the work, which never wasl compIeted. s,
 Let us heie turn back u tIze old II5r5l aGill sltes So full of lff6 oe, stllope. |I n1) fh of the Oliver Hyde place is-a house-spot where Porter Vinton and David Vinton once lived. A little further north Is an old cellar. There, in house moved from the Hall district, David Vinton lived for a time, and perhaps was living there at the time of his death, over seventy years ago. Both of these houses have long sincegon and I have not traced their history.
 About 8 half mile northeast, on lone- ly road, stands an old house, worn and crumbling from age and neglect. It was recently occupied by Harvey Holmes. Some eight years ago David Fuller lived there, and later, David Fuller, his son. Still later, Daniel Pinney went there to live, perhaps in 1928, when he married Lydia, daughter of Jacob Hyde. He had several children, and in 1888 his wife died After this he married again, and continued to live at the same place.
 Still further, on the road to Union, is another old house-spot. Jerry Shoals was living there about seventy-fve ol eighty years ago. He had large family and, somewhat later, moved to South
 bridge, Mass.
 In those olden times tho road continued on, as now, to Union. Some thirty years ago a new road was built from Tucker vile, over Ferry Hill, reaching this road at quite a distance from the Union line Near the place where the new road meets the old is,a cellar, where Ephraim Bol ton, son of the miller, Ephraim Bolton
 built house and lived for time, some fifty or sixty years ago. Still further. or toward Union, in a pasture to the north
 is an old house-place, but have been un able to fix it's date, and have gathered nc Incidents of its history. . It may have been century and q quar ter ago since James Ferry, 1st, settled or
 Ferry Hill. He married Mics Warner and came from the Connecticut valley ii Massachusetts. He was born not faI |sfrom a hundred and fifty years ago, and after a long life spent largely on Ferr, HUI, died at the age of ninety mine years He had several children. Of these, James lived on Ferry Hill, or in its immediat, vicinity, and died in 1858, at the age Q eighty-five he married Polly Rogers, O |sWales, Mass, who died in 1s4O. at the ag' of sixty years Jason live in Union and died there Chauncey lived on Ferr. Hill, but afterward moved to New Yorl state, where he died; Cyrus lived in sev |eral places not far away, and for 2 tim' on Ferry Hill; Darius, who had a yer. to rxya fa s,,ad oxry,ilo cp Fcxrsv TJtlI but, later, moved to Grafton, Mass. Cynthia married Rial Fuller, and some ltime aftermoved to Palmer, Mass. ant Clarissa married Timothy Foskit, ant
 afterward. Jesse Foskit, brother Of he kdeceased husband.
 James Ferry, Sd, had six children Abigail, who married Ara Tyler; Bath sheba, who married Robert Needham n n. A l.