The barn still standing in the photo is the current home of Cooley & Co., open seasonally, with arts, crafts and other goods produced by local artisans.

This image was posted on the Granville-Tolland Community page (Facebook) on March 22, 2024. The following additional information about the collapse was provided:

CB: "Wow I never knew there was a building there. A little before my time. My Aunt says it was the horse barn but doesn't remember what happened to it. The silo you can see in the picture, the overhang over what is now the deck area and part of the front of the barn all came down in the blizzard of 78'. We didn't rebuild the silo since no cows where still there. Mr. Woodard had move his herd to thier farm by then."

CB: "A little digging ang the mystery has been solved! My aunt,and 2 cousins all were able to piece the picture together. The barn was actually a tobacco barn leased by one of the farms in Southwick to house broad leaf. It went down and was witnessed going down by May Nobbs and her sister when a tornado hit Granville the summer of 52'. Her dad Stub Hunt wanted the roof saved so she and her sister Ethel Brown spent much of the summer collecting and stacking the remains. 3 years later the hurricane of 55' flooded the meadow and barn to the 2nd floor where the hay was stored."

KL: "Grandpa Trygve Petersen stored his boat in the new barn one year when he was working on it."

DAB: "Trygve was so friendly and positive to all; a wonderful man."

Sincere thanks to all who contributed to the recollection of Granville's people and history!
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Use "Search" to see other photos relating to the Gibbons Store.]]>

Year of the flyer is based on research by Brian Miller into the Jack Dempsey promotion mentioned in the flyer. Further research by Granville History into the Moon Mullins promotion indicates that was also 1933.

The basic flyer is a New England Stores design with the Gibbons store information at the bottom (Granville phone number 8). The slogan for New England Stores was "For Thrifty People" as shown on their logo.

Times have certainly changed. Today you even have to pay for the bags to take home your $300 week's worth of groceries. In 1933 you could get Jack Dempsey's autograph and a Moon Mullins mask for free! Unfortunately 1933 was also during the depths of the Great Depression so the question wasn't one of cost, it was whether you had the money at all.

Use the Search function to view additional photos of the Gibbons store at 11 Granby Road, Granville, MA. including the 1934 fire.]]>
Grange hall on Granby Road, Granville, Massachusetts on May 13, 1941.

The players are listed as Avis(?) no last name; Frisbie (no first name); Mrs. Frisbie; Dickinson; Milton Hansen; Milo (no last name); and Herbert Hiers.

Described in the synopsis as a "mirthquake" the reaction of the audience and critics seems to have been lost in history.

The year 1941 stands out as a turning point in history. One can imagine how much people needed a distraction from the war in Europe, and what the war might mean to the United States, By the end of 1941 that question would be answered. But on the 13th of May, 1941 the people of Granville could still hope for peace and enjoy a play at the local Grange.]]>
Thompson farm, 550 Main Road, Granville, MA. some time around 1914. 

Pictured are: Standing L-R: Mary Evaline "Mattie" (Noble) Rowley (1868-1957); her sister Lucy Eliza (Noble) Thompson (1863-1941); John Henry Rowley (1868-1933); Retta Celestia Thompson (1896-1986); Charles Noble Thompson (1904-1954) (with cat). Seated in Chairs: believed to be Eliza King (1834-1915) (Lucy and Mary's mother); Charles B. Thompson (1856-1936) (Lucy's husband). Seated On the Ground: Noble Graham Rowley (1899-1965) and Leslie Henry Rowley (1908-1970) (Mary and John's sons). There is also an unidentified infant in the right background.

Photo likely taken by Levi T. Rowley (1893-1965) (Mary and John's eldest son).

This is the only known photo of the person believed to be Eliza King. The daughter of Julius and Eliza (Rose) King of Granville, it is not clear whether Eliza was adopted.]]>

IMPORTANT: In 1790 the town of Granville included what is now Tolland, Ma. Therefore this census includes residents of what is now Tolland.

In 1790 Granville was comprised of three parishes:

West Parish: The West Parish became the Town of Tolland in 1810.

Middle Parish: In 1790 the "Middle Parish" was essentially the area between the great valley on the east, running west to what is now the Tolland border. In 1810 with the "West Parish" becoming the Town of Tolland, the former Middle Parish became the new "West Parish" or what is now "West Granville," having become the westernmost area of Granville.

East Parish: In 1790 the "East Parish" consisted essentially of everything east of the great valley, to the Southwick border. In 1810 the East Parish became two parishes: Middle Parish, now more commonly known as "Granville Center" where the Town Hall is, and East Parish which is known by a number of names: East Parish, the Village and most commonly "Granville Corners" or The Corners referring to the general area of the green and Granville Public Library.

For a more detailed description see Wilson's "History of Granville."]]>

1. The first file is in ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY SURNAME. This version is most useful when searching for a particular family.

2. The second file is ORIGINAL ORDER of the record. This will more likely (but not necessarily) reflect the order of visitation by the census-taker, and is more useful for determining possible locality and neighbors.

Note that the columns for males and females recorded free white persons only. The column titled "All Other Free Persons" were for non-white people, with no distinction between male and female.

The Thomas Hull family appears to be the only black family listed in the 1790 census. It is believed that the others listed as "All Other Free Persons" were primarily farm laborers or servants living with white households. The family of Rev. Lemuel Haynes (also black) would have moved to Rutland, VT by 1790 thus would not be listed in this census.

CLICK HERE for more information about the 1790 census.]]>
A grainy newspaper item from 1966 when Mr. Austin Taylor Phelon celebrated his 100th birthday with family. Mr. Phelon was born in Granville on November 29, 1866, not long after the Civil War ended in 1865. He died just short of his 101st birthday on October 27, 1967 and is buried at Pine Hill Cemetery in Westfield.

This item was posted on the Granville-Tolland Facebook community page on May 19, 2023 and brought the following comments:

CPG: "Wonderful to see this photo of my great-great uncle Austin on his 100th birthday! My great-great grandmother Jennie, also born in Granville, lived to within weeks of her 100th (she was born in 1859 before the Civil War). When we were kids, my brother Bill Phelon, who restored the 1741 red gambrel Daniel Rose House (W. Granville) and I used to visit her across the brook from my grandfather’s farm (after the reservoir was built in Granville), where, as a child, I remember 'Austin' [my grandfather’s older brother named after their uncle (in the photo) or his son Austin W.] and Phelon cousins stopped by in the 1960s and talked about Granville, Westfield and their family’s farms."

LK: "What wonderful memories of visiting this family/farm!"

MKC: "I remember Walter - always so friendly. Met Russell on several occasions too but … a stern man."

KG: "I see my mom and younger brother on the right! Great."

JWA: "And notice that back in that day she wasn't Jenny Maceyka, she was Mrs. Emil Maceyka. Thank goodness times have changed!"

PJ: "Curious if the picture was taken at the old farm, kinda looks like it?"

DK: "Yes, behind them is the kitchen sink."

Ya gotta love crowd-sourcing Granville-style!


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This document was donated to the Mabel Root Henry Historical Museum by Mrs. Leonard Dickinson of Suffield, CT. on June 1, 1976. ]]>

Company payroll records for certain years have also been digitized and are at the following link:

https://archive.org/details/nobleandcooley?&sort=-addeddate]]>

The Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation (NCCHP) is featured on the October 14 Tri-Town History Trail. Musem tours will be held on the 14th between 10 AM and 4 PM, at 42 Water Street, Granville, MA.

Also of note, the cover photo for the brochure features West Granville center, showing the church and the Phelps house.]]>