April 2019 Newsletter

Volume XVI, Number 2

A message from the DFA Board

Hello Cousins,

Plans for the 2019 reunion in Essex, CT have been confirmed.  As discussed in the January newsletter, our reunion will commence at 3pm on Friday, June 21st with a walking tour in Essex Village led by Melissa Josefiak (Director of Essex Historical Society) who presented to us in 2010 regarding Wethersfield (see details on next page).  The walking tour will be followed by an informal board meeting, social hour and dinner at “Brush Mill by the Waterfall” 129 W. Main Street, Chester, CT (see schedule below).  Saturday’s events will be held at the Essex Steam Train’s “River Valley Junction” banquet hall (1 Railroad Ave. in Essex) located a short distance from CT Route 9, Exit 3 commencing at 9 am on Saturday, June 22nd, with a walking tour of the grounds (former EE Dickinson & Co. Headquarters and Witch Hazel Bottling Plant) also led by Melissa Josefiak.  Saturday’s Walking Tour Cost is $5.00 per person to be paid on-site on Saturday.  Tour is 45-60 minutes length. Some items that have been in storage for years are intended to be polished off and displayed for this tour.

We are pleased to welcome our main speaker, Brenda Milkofsky (former director of CT River Museum and Wethersfield, CT Historical Society), who will address the complex, well-timed marketing efforts of the E.E. Dickinson Company, providing historical perspective on the local and national impact of the company’s growth. A variety of Dickinson advertising and marketing artwork will be highlighted along with images that illustrate the company office environment and processes.  On Sunday, you may also consider taking a steam train and/or riverboat trip, make a visit to the CT River Museum, go to the beach, or experience another local attraction.

Enclosed with this newsletter is a reservation card and return envelope.  Please observe the deadline of June 12 for returning this card.  Directions to the venues will appear in the June newsletter.

We continue to invite any interested DFA members to contact one of the current board members and come join us at a board meeting.  That board meeting is a less formal one, and is always open to any DFA member who wishes to attend.

149th ANNUAL REUNION SCHEDULE

Friday, June 21

3:00 pm – Walking Tour in Essex Village (Essex Historical Society)
5:30 pm – Open Informal Board Meeting
6:00 pm – Social Hour
7:00 pm – Annual Reunion Dinner

Saturday, June 22

9:00am – Gathering of cousins: registration, exhibits, sales & refreshments
9:15am – Walking Tour of former EE Dickinson Company (Essex Steam Train)
11:15am – Counting of Cousins, Presentation of Gifts, and Group Photos
11:45pm – Lunch
12:45pm – Annual meeting
1:30pm – Main Speaker, Brenda Milkofsky, Topic:  “Creating EE Dickinson Co. Branding”
2:30pm – Q&A Session and Concluding Ceremony ending by 3:00 pm

Note:  Additional details and any changes will be provided in the June Newsletter.

Ken Dickinson, President

Essex Village Walking Tour

A pleasant walking tour (approx. 4 blocks in length) consisting of the original E.E. Dickinson Company headquarters,  several family residences, church, school, and other associated buildings will be offered at 3pm on Friday, June 21st.

Note:  Our starting point has changed to be at the Essex Historical Society (22 Prospect St.) also known as the Hills Academy History Center (Thomas Newton Dickinson’s school).  Please use the adjacent Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church parking lot at 14 Prospect St., as there’s limited on-street parking.  Cost is $5.00 per person.  Please reserve in advance (see registration card) to ensure that we have enough guides for this very informative tour.  See photos from a similar 2015 walking tour on our website “Scrapbook” section.  A printable village map and more info can be found at www.essexhistory.org or by calling 860-767-0681.  We look forward to your attendance on Friday.

2020 150th Reunion Early Planning

We are in the early stages of planning for this special date!  Our 150th Reunion will most likely be held at Historic Deerfield or in Northampton, MA.  Historic Deerfield now offers an indoor community center for family reunions.  Both Historic Deerfield and the adjacent PVMA Memorial Hall Museum have significant holdings, furniture, books, documents, exhibits, and own buildings related to our family’s history.  More than a dozen lots along Main Street were owned by various Dickinson Families spanning three centuries, including the Frary House (1765) / Barnard Tavern (1795) which is currently in the late stages of a renovation project, and Capt. Thomas Dickinson Homestead (1764). Professional guides and curators will offer tours and provide speakers.  Another 150th Reunion option or future reunion will be held in Northampton, MA with focus on the formation of Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Smith Charities and their ties to our family in Hatfield.  Main speakers in consideration are Marla Miller (UMASS professor, author, and director of the UMASS public history program) and W. Michael Ryan (trustee of Historic Northampton).

2019 SCHOLARSHIP – LAST CALL

Application forms are available for the 2019 DFA scholarship.  Applicants must be descendants of Nathaniel Dickinson and must be accepted to a four-year college or university.  The deadline for submission is April 30, 2019.  Full information on requirements and an application form may be found on our website.  For additional information you may contact our scholarship chair, Lisa Butler, 12 Cove St. Noank, CT 06340, dickinsonfamilyassociation@gmail.com.

 A MESSAGE FROM OUR GENEALOGIST

Assistant Genealogist needed. Please contact Becky Passa, Ken Dickinson or another executive board member.

Please send your births, marriages and death announcements to Dickinson Genealogist, Rebecca Passa at  dickinsonassociation@gmail.com or 17 Pine St, Easthampton, MA 01207.

ADDRESS & E-MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES REQUESTED

 We know e-mail addresses change frequently and it is easy to forget to update them.  So if you plan to change your e-mail address we would greatly appreciate your sending the new one to our membership clerk, Beth Landolina, at bethL0719@sbcglobal.net

MISSING COUSINS

Diana Roberts Anderson NY, Stanley J. & Audree Dickinson Ayres WI, Marcia L. Calvin MA, Helen Condict Case, Gertrude M.Corey OH, Brian Dickinson Crangle NY, Ruth Crespi CT, Shirley Daniels CA, Andrew L. Dickinson NY, Barbara Dickinson NM, Betsy and Roy Dickinson CT, Christina L Dickinson, Cynthia L. Dickinson MA, Lemuel Dickinson NJ, Mark Edward Dickinson CT, Paul Dickinson, Mary M. Dickinson MA, Robert H. Dickinson FL, William and Jean Dickinson MA, Paul Oliver Dickinson, Jr. FL,Gloria Emick PA, John A. Estes FL, Margaret Ann Dickinson Gaetani ME, Marelda Hart SC, Phyllis Howe MA, Sue Shepard Jaques NJ, Sharon Kaples NY, Harold James Kempffer MN, Lois E. King NE, Robert & Muriel D. Leslie MA, William Lundin OH, Stephen R. Martin FL, Joyce Murdock AZ, Thomas R. Shepard, Jr. CT, Barry Smith, Bernard W. Smith CT, Kim Dickinson Testa NY, William Wamester CT, Meredith Gray, Robie Spector

Addendum to Newsletter  — Reservation Card

The Dickinson Family Association, 17 Iroquois Dr., Northborough, MA 01532

Dear Cousin,

We hope you will join us for the 2019 Reunion to be held June 22nd at the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat banquet facility, River Valley Junction, in Essex, CT.  Please complete and return this card as soon as possible.  Our deadline is June 12.

On Friday night June 21, we will be having dinner at Brushmill by the Waterfall in Chester, CT.  We will gather at 6:00 pm and dinner will be served at 7:00 pm.   An informal board meeting at 5:30 pm is open to all.

 YES I would like to join you for dinner at Brushmill by the Waterfall.            

Number in party  _____ @ $48 each.

Number for each choice:   ____ Prime Rib;    ____ Salmon;    ____ Pork Chop;    ____ Vegetarian        Total $______                 

On Saturday June 22 reunion activities will start at  9:00am, with lunch served at 11:45am.

YES I will be attending.  ____ Adults @ $46;  ____ Students @ $10;  ___ Children under 5 (free).        Total $_______

I would like to take the guided walking tour of Essex on Friday at 3:00pm. ____ @$5.                          Total $_______

NAME ______________________________________________                                                    Total enclosed:   $ ________

Checks should be made payable to The Dickinson Family Association and mailed to the address above.

Questions, call Dale Williams, treasurer: (508) 393-2082

Web site:  www.dickinsonfamilyassociation.org

Newsletter editor:  Dale Williams

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