Minutes of the 1998 Annual Meeting of the Hartwells of America
Sixty-first Reunion of the Hartwells ofAmerica
First Parish Universalist Unitarian Church
Concord,Massachusetts, June 27,1998
On Saturday, June 27,1998, forty-three Hartwell cousins-hailing from such diverse places as Arizona, Colorado,Nebraska, Ohio and the New England states-converged on the First Parish Unitarian Church,Concord,MA, for the 61st Annual Reunion of the Hartwells of America Association.
"Gathered" on July 5, 1636,First Parish was a particularly fitting venue for it is the congregation of which William(1) and in all likelihood many of his immediate descendants would have been members.
The business meeting was called to order by President Wayne E. Hartwell at 12:55 p.m. Roger Hartwell offered a prayer of convocation,following which a moment of silence was observed in memory of those departed this earth since the last reunion.
Thanks were extended to reunion Committee members Marian Wheeler for making the arrangements for First Parish and "putting it all together" and Jim Allison for providing the coffee and donuts spread.
First-time attendees were welcomed: Robert M. and Teri Hartwell, Columbus,OH (who found us on the internet); Bob and Barbara Hartwell Hammond and Linda Hartwell Dustman, Denver, CO; George Dussart, Arvada, CO; and Lucy Booth, Framingham,MA.
A motion was next entertained and carried that the association create the position of Webmaster and that Weston S.Hartwell be installed therein in recognition of his time and dedication in pioneering the Association's internet presence, www.hartwell.org. Wes briefly outlined the genesis of the website (which was available for viewing during the day) and where he hoped it would take us.
A motion was made and carried that the Minutes of the 1997 Meeting be accepted as published in the Newsletter.
Treasurer David Hartwell Webber reported on the year's financial activity.As of June 27, 1998, the Scholarship Fund contained $8,105.40 and the Operating Fund $4,731.98, for a total of 12,837.38 an increase of 123.76 over the previous year.Receipts (interest; dues and Hartwell literature; donations to Scholarship Fund) were $1,066.19 and expenses, (Scholarships; meeting and Newsletter expenses; postage) were $942.43.A motion to accept the Treasurer's report was unanimously carried.
Scholarship Committee Chair Connie Cincotti announced that one qualifying application had been received for the 1998-1999 academic year. Nancy Watts-Orfao,13th generation and pursuing a Bachelors of Nursing degree at Worcestor State College, MA, was awarded a scholarship grant in the amount of two hundred dollars.
Speaking of the Newsletter Committee,Wayne E. Hartwell reminded folks that people keep dropping off the mailing list because they neglect to send change of address notices ( They should be mailed to Treasurer David Webber).Upon motion, it was voted to donate $200 to the Social Law Library in appreciation for the time of Art Director/Graphics Designer Carole Doody in producing The Newsletter and the costs of production.
Genealogist Joy Hartwell Peach reported on the past year's doings and the progress of the new Genealogy.It seems that the sticking point at this juncture is indexing; Joy is looking into computer programs to accomplish that function.
Continuing a long tradition,commemorative gifts were awarded to Connie Cincotti,eldest lady; Donald P. Davison,eldest gentleman; Katie Hartwell,youngest; and Charles A.Hartwell,for traveling the furthest to attend (Phoenix, AZ).
The last item of official business was the taking of a vote to return to First Parish for the 1999 Reunionif feasible and a vote to donate $100 to First Parish in thanks for their hospitality and appreciation for the fine facilities.
As Photographer Alison Hartwell had to leave early for another function,Judith Bacon Hartwell snapped the pictures of the assembled group-which were taken inside owing to a sudden and torrential downpour at that moment.
Following the meeting and cleanup,quite a few folks paid a visit to the Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln,where a "Rennaisance Man" Park Ranger (whose name,unfortunately we don't remember)conducted a top to bottom tour and played several period pieces on the harpsichord as we waited out another shower.
Judith Bacon Hartwell, Recording Secretary
Editorial Musings
Wayne E. Hartwell, President & Newsletter Editor
7 Birch Tree Rd.
Foxborough, MA 02035-1718
whartwell@socialaw.com
From time to time, as space permits,your editor will take the liberty of including the results of his random research into items of Hartwell interest and genealogy generally.The following two bits are adopted from papers prepared for last year's reunion.
A Puritan-Colonial Genealogist's Nightmare: The Old and the New Style Calendars.
When Joy Peach writes in her draft of the new genealogy that "William(1) Hartwell died at Concord, Massachusetts, 12 March 1689/90" you are left with the impression that there's uncertainty about such a basic fact as a date of death? Fear not- Joy is quite correct,as usual. To find out why requires an explanation of the old and new styles of calendars,a minor adjustment not unique to the 18th century,and a trap for the unwary genealogist.
In the old or Julian style,the year began the 25th of March, and contained 365 days, 6 hours; in the new or Gregorian style, the year began the first of January, and contained 365 days, 5 hours 49 minutes, and 12 seconds; and making a difference in the two styles of one day in 129 years.One is made nearly comfortable to the other by dropping one day from the old,and adding one to the new styles in each century, excepting every fourth, whose centennial year is considereda leap year. Still with us?
The new style had been first adopted by Catholics in 1582 but not generally by Protestants until sometime afterwards. To meet the wishes of both, it was customary from the first settlement of this country until 1752 (although not uniformly so)to give a double date from January 1st through March 25th. Thus March 12,1689 was written March 12 1689-90, 1689/90, or 16 89/90. March was also reckoned to be the first month, April the second, and so on, and dateswere adjusted accordingly. Thus, "18th d. 4 mo. 1667," or "18. 4. 67,"was June 18, 1667. And you thought you had trouble with your datebooks.
The so-called new style was finally adopted by Great Britain in 1751, when a law was passed that the year 1752 should begin on the 1st day of January; that the third of September should be reckoned to the 14th, and that the intermediate eleven days should be omitted in the calendar. Talk about a lost weekend!
At the present time, to as certain the day in new style corresponding to any date in the old style, it is necessary to add ten days from 1500 to 1700 (1600 being a leap year) and eleven days from 1700 to 1752.Thus the 2nd of September, 1635, the date of incorporation of the Town of Concord, will correspond with September 12, 1935.
Writing in 1835, Lemuel Shattuck,author of A History of the Town of Concord, Appendix IV at 390, observed that:
"Want of careful attention to double dates, and among others, the anniversary of the landing of Pilgrim fathers at Plymouth has been erroneously celebrated on the 22d, instead of the 21st of December, the latter date being the true date corresponding with the old style."
Gosh! And I thought they landed the last Thursday in November. I certainly hope this clarifies things.
Was William an original settlerof Concord in 1635?
Just wondering; nobody-save Jim Allison- seems to want to go out on a limb and say so definately. But at the following author concludes that he was,although the sources for his statements are not given.
In 1635 a small company of ten to fifteen families broke their way along the Indian trails into the forest,away from the seashore. Starting from Newton (now Watertown),at the head of the tidewater in the Charles River, they made their toilsome way...over hills and across swamps to the "Musketaquid". Their object was the wide,grassy meadows of that stream, free from the forest growth, and the level plains on its banks where the Indians had raised their corn.These meadows and plains Simon Willard had known, if not seen, in his trading for furs with the natives. He was the leader of the small company, made up of Peter Bulkley, the minister, John Jones, the teaching elder,...William Hartwell....with their families,-sturdy Englishmen from Kent, Surrey, Yorkshire, and Bedfordshire who had come to this country in the "great emigration" of that time.
John S. Keyes, "Concord" in History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts 570 (Boston,1881) (emphasis supplied).On the other hand, one finds the following:
HARTWELL. All of this name are supposed to have originated from William, who was among the firstsettlers in 1636; and in subsequent life was distinquished by the title of Quartermaster, at that time honorable in military life.....
Shattuck, Lemuel, A History of the Town of Concord, Appendix at 373 (Boston,1835) (reprinted,Goodspeed's Book Shop, Boston, 1985). Shattuck's version of things would coincide with that expressed by Densmore, and restated by John F., that William(1) was a "Johnny-come-lately" who didn't show up until the spring of '36, based on the fact that that's when he was alloted a tract of land. At the same time, there's no evidence that any allotments were made before that spring so William(1) could easily have over-wintered with the rest of he original '35 settlers.
I find convincing Jim Allison's impeccable logic shared at last year's Reunion; if William(1) didn't arrive until 1636, he would have been unlikely to have received "the fifth allotment from Meriam's corner." You decide, bearing in mind that the Town records for the earliest years of the settlement at Concord do not exist.
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