The collection at the Rochester Historical Museum consists of papers, books, newspaper clippings, maps and more. It also includes more concrete items most of which have been donated by people who realize the historical significance of items in their homes or businesses.
Recently, we had a visit from Albert Foster and his wife from East Freetown. He brought with him some items to donate. These donations highlighted an aspect of the Hartley Sawmill that not everyone might be aware of. While the actual mill buildings are gone, the office building, built in 1920, is still there and has been renovated by Rick Miranda.
The office was the bailiwick of Hannah Ellen Hartley, known to many of us as Aunt Nell (Nellie). She kept the books that tracked the sales of lumber, shingles and boxes for the mill, but that was not her only job. The mill office was also a hardware store. Even today, you can see the many small cubbyholes that held a wide variety of nuts, bolts and screws. Larger items, like chains and shovels. were also sold. Aunt Nell had her own numerical code on boxes that told her the content and price of the items inside.
Mr. Foster who had his own hardware store donated a box of “button turn”, screws, some keys with a Hartley Sawmill tag, a couple of receipts, correspondence from Miss H. E. Hartley about nuts and bolts and a very sturdy shovel. All items were purchased from the mill hardware store, and all are items that we are happy to add to our collections of Rochester’s past.
Albert was a good friend of Ralph Gurney and in addition to his donations to the museum’s collection, he entertained us with some great stories about days at the mill.
By Connie Eshbach