My grandfather, Walter F. Lewis, was a Chelmsford, MA Dairy Farmer and someone who made Chelmsford part of what it is today. I often run into people that have fond memories of my grandfather's farm, Sunny Meadow Farm, of him and of my grandmother, Betty (Bessie) Lewis. I've heard many stories over the years, but have never recorded them. I fear that my grandparents' legacy will disappear because it is stored in the memories of so many people.
I'd like this blog to be an informal place for memories related to Sunny Meadow Farm, Walter F. Lewis and Betty Lewis. My hope is that we'll be able to preserve a little piece of history for the town and my grandparents' heirs. Walter and Betty's three children have seven children among them with 13 great grandchildren so far.
Do you have something to share? If so, please post your memories. And please come back to visit. I hope in the coming weeks there will be more memories for you to read and relive a little bit of your past.
18 comments:
From Joan (Lewis) Crandall- Memories I have many - One comes to mind - My father,Walter, was a very early riser-5:00 AM every day. Cows require 24/7 attention!! Up to do barn chores and prepare for milk delivery routes. As a kid and teenager I enjoyed sleeping late- my father did not like anyone sleeping late. My mother would not tell him if I was sleeping in (how nice of her). If he found out he would call up the stairs in a "strict" voice to get up!! HOWEVER when the herdsman/hired man did not arrive to milk the cows or to do chores- things changed. He would come up stairs and very nicely wake me up - " Joan I need your help in the barn- will you get up?"I always got up and worked till the chores were done and did it happily- I spent many hours working in the barn with the cows and enjoyed it.
Another nice thing about growing up on the farm - there was always someone there- My mother and father and the employees- herdsman,milk delivery drivers, milk processing plant operators and workers. I could always find someone to talk, to hang around with, be a kid in the way but having a good time. My father hired several french canadian herdsman- I worked in the barn after school and they helped me learn to read French. And taught me some French words that were not taught in school!!!!
Joan (Lewis) Crandall
Thanks for creating this. -Helen Joan Dole, granddaughter of Walter F. Lewis
Shelly,
I am so grateful to you for launching this project. It has taken me until now to follow up with it but I am really glad that you are thinking about recording memories.
A distinct memory I have from my childhood (in the early 1970's) ... it was Christmas and we were staying upstairs at the farmhouse. I was very concerned that Santa wouldn't find my brother and me because we were staying at our grandparents' house, not in our own beds in Shelburne, Massachusetts. And if I remember correctly there was an appearance by Santa (not just the stockings and presents in the morning). I've always wondered if Uncle Dick was the voice I heard and the red-suited fellow....
I remember the barn fire. I helped run into the barn and got some animals out. The men there stopped me from going in again. I was trying to hold onto one of the hoses and the man behind me let go. I was a kid and the hose went wild high in the air with me attached. I finally let go after many men yelling to LET GO! lol. I was sent to get the police officer directing traffic as we needed men. I told him the situation and as my Dad was also a cop, he asked if I knew how to direct traffic. I did (having watched my Dad many times and having the bravado of a child) He gave me his police cap and flashlight and, I was a cop directing traffic. No one questioned my "authority". I stopped any car with a man driving and asked if they would pull over and help with the fire. Some did. After a while, another cop came and relieved me. I was so proud that so many came by the next morning without being told to milk the cows manually.
As I remember, Mr. Lewis had an (irrational his friends said) fear that if he went away his barn would burn. So he never or rarely went away. He was elected President of the MASS Dairy Farmer's Asso. and HAD to go to the convention. While he was away, kids snuck into the barn and smoked cigarettes, and burned the barn down. Not wanting to make a record for the girls, he took the blame for the barn burning claiming wet hay and spontaneous combustion. That was one of the most embarrassing things a dairy farmer could do and yet, he was a man of incredible integrity and chose to take that on himself to protect the ones who burned his barn down. I always admired him and after that even more so. A true Christian and compassionate act. A real man's man.
I have been looking for a milk bottle from Sunny Meadow for years and cannot locate one. If anyone has one they would like to sell I'd love to talk with you.
I have many fond memories of that land. I helped my brothers trap muskrats there, tromped through the snow, ran through the corn, and got sent to the Principal's office at Center School on Career Day because I said I wanted to make cows pregnant when I grew up. I watched the man come with the silver case and talk, drink coffee, and stick his hand inside the cow with a plastic glove that went up to his shoulder and get $75 dollars for 30 minutes time!!! THAT was the job I wanted. Fortunately for me, Mr. Parmenter also said HE'd like that job too and to go back and tell the teacher I really wanted to be a fireman.
I grew up on Robin Hill Road a few doors down from the Lewis's but spent a lot of time down there. I remember the fire.... Such a bad day. Anybody still reading this?
Wow, the details you know about the fire surprise me Bill, how do I not know you? Yes, the twins were bad that day.....
Maybe I know you. Who are you? I lived at 10 Kenwood street and before that in the building next to the VIA Hall. Spent a LOT of time at Marchand's Store later Phil's Village Market.
I grew up in Chelmsford when Sunny Meadow Farm was a horse stable and learned to ride there. I mucked many stalls and fondly remember many of the horses there ... Dolly, Pocahontas, Lance, Misty, Shallot, Duke, Elan, Renaissance, Top Brass ... Linda (Schwartz?) was the instructor at the Farm and later, Kimber Cole Perry. I remember the horse shows and still have ribbons from competing there. Kathy McDermott (who now owns Flying Change Stable in Chelmsford, I believe) was wonderfully kind to me and I spend a couple of summers at Sunny Meadow working in the barn and taking riding lessons from her. Such warm and wonderful memories!
This was a beautiful story. Walter was my stepfather. He was a great man. He was survived by my mother his second wife Diane Lewis. They were very grateful we had him in our lives. He has continued to bless our family. I thank God everyday for him. I love hearing what has happened to the farm since we've left
In addition to my comment above... I realize my son's name is on my account... This is AnnDee Bennett... my mother.. Diane Lewis..passes in 2012.
This was a beautiful story. Walter was my stepfather. He was a great man. He was survived by my mother his second wife Diane Lewis. They were very grateful we had him in our lives. He has continued to bless our family. I thank God everyday for him. I love hearing what has happened to the farm since we've left
AnnDee...it's nice to see you here on the blog and commenting on the impact that my grandfather had on your life and your family.
The farm is now a part of the Chelmsford Open Space Stewardship and includes a community garden, a story walk that is updated regularly by the Chelmsford Library, and many Eagle Scout projects that have been completed over the years. It is a beautiful tribute to the farm that my grandfather (Walter) and grandmother (Betty) created during their lifetime. I am so grateful that this property has remained accessible to the community and that I am able to still walk to the farm from my home in Chelmsford. I have many fond memories as a child of riding my horse to the farm to visit my grandmother during a hot summer day and large family gatherings for the holidays.
This site is great. I have just started writing about my life and the milkman was very much a part of it growing up. I remember you delivering milk in the glass bottles and putting the bottles out for you to pick up later. My family (the Guaraldi’s) lived on 23 Parkhurst Road. If you have any photos from the early days, the delivery truck etc, could you please send them to my email address below, so I can add them to my memory book growing up. Thank you! Jill Guaraldi Devine
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