Saturday, November 8, 2008

Thanksgiving Blessings of the Guilford Historical Society


Thanksgiving gives us a time to reflect on all the things we are thankful for. Sometimes, for a few of us we tend to just use this time only to reflect. Everyday we should be thankful and count our blessings and not just the one day. Perhaps this sounds like a sermon. It is, however, a lead in to a GHS thankful reflection.

We are thankful to all our members for supporting the GHS through their membership and donations of money, time and talents. Many in the area are faithful to the cause, whatever project of their interest. Many local members are trustees and chair persons of projects that just wouldn't get done without them. Others contribute by donating their time to our events and help with the projects. Some love to do research and presentations of their findings at society meetings. We have a treasure in our dedicated officers,past and present, that keep the everyday organization tasks in order. We have a wonderful organization that encourages us to protect the past and preserve it for future generations.

We also have members that live farther away and their support through membership and praise for what is being done, gives us the boost to know we are on the right track. Their contributions come in family history and photographs that help us search the past and put the pieces together of the past. As an organization, how can you beat this?

I am including a Thanksgiving vintage postcard on this post. It is a Currier and Ives Thanksgiving. We have done genealogy on the Ives family and there is a relationship to James Merritt Ives of the Currier and Ives fame to our Ives of Guilford. The Guilford Ives have put their talents to fame too and here is a short piece on Ives' Cream and the famous Ives of our time.

"Farming has been an Ives family tradition in our area for almost 200 years, beginning with Abraham and his sons Samuel and Lyman. Samuel and Lyman came from Cheshire, Connecticut and settled in Guilford in 1796. In 1800 their father, Abraham and his wife Eunice followed, after Abraham’s ailing father Nathaniel passed away. All three combined owned many acres of land and endeavored in subsistence farming in the area, which became the hamlet of Guilford known as Ives Settlement.

Albert and Judy Ives in partnership with Terry and younger son Alex, still own and operate one of the original family farms now called Greenview Farms. Alex and his wife Katie have taken the family farm tradition to a new level. Milking 100 cows, they began to think outside the box for an alternative way to market their milk. Low milk prices and high production costs produced a concern of keeping the family farm operating and preserving it for future generations. Therefore, they saw the need to diversify as a way of maintaining the business. Starting in 2004 they began production of Ive’s Cream at the Morrisville Dairy Incubation Lab. The wonderful creamy ice cream product was marketed throughout the area in over 30 stores. In addition, the couple, attended many area events such as the State Fair, County Fairs, Colorscape, Oneonta Farmers Market, to name just a few. At the events they gave out free samples and sold Ives Cream to many attendees. Now, they have expanded on their marketing techniques with the newly developed Ives Cream Parlor and Gourmet Coffee Shop in Norwich. What is really unique is the many different flavors of ice cream that are made in the downstairs area of the 10 South Broad Street store."

So without the help of others we would not have discovered the great history of this family and many others of Guilford. Members and non-members alike have shared so many stories, photos and genealogy that brings all of our history to life. "Fleshing out the Bones" is an expression that says it all. Thanks to all the members for their contributions for without you there would not be a Guilford Historical Society that has grown like it has.

We wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving and many blessings today and always.

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