by Laurel | September 3rd, 2009
September 3, 1909, page 10
Former owner of Waters Farm at Smiths Ferry, Passes Away
Many of the residents of Holyoke and Northampton will be grieved to learn of the death at her home at 44 Taylor street yesterday afternoon at 4 o’clock of Mrs. Mary Water, who for years conducted the Waters farm at Smiths ferry, and many in this section have enjoyed the hospitality of Mrs. Waters. The house and farm is now owned by the Holyoke country club, Mrs. Waters selling the property to the club three years ago. Mrs. Waters was born in New Hampshire, April 10. 1821, and came to Holyoke in 1850. the Year Holyoke was incorporated as it city, and later opened a boarding-house near the Holyoke water-power company’s dam. Later, with her husband. she bought the homestead at Smiths Ferry, where she lived until three or four years ago. Her husband died some years ago, but Mrs. Waters continued the farm and proved a successful business woman. She was a typical New Englander and the reputation of her cooking was known up and down the valley. She enjoyed social activities of all kinds. and many are the husking bees and social gatherings which have been held at her home in the past. The Rain and Shine club used to male an annual pilgrimage to her home, and many prominent people from up and down the valley have been entertained with good old-fashioned suppers at the homestead.
She was a charter member of the aged peoples home society, and bad taken an active interest in their work. When the New England Homestead club was in its Rory’ to the Weekly Homestead. Mrs. Waters was much interested in that column, and often contributed lively articles for the paper, being a writer who could make her contributions plain and full of common souse. She had hosts of friends and enjoyed their visits and during her later residence in Holyoke had received many calls from those who formerly enjoyed her hospitality. Her last sickness was brief, her illness laptop in an acute form, the end coming in but a few day. She leaves a daughter. Mrs. Edward Babbitt. The funeral arrangements have not yet been completed.
From The Springfield Republican.
