Pohogonot: A Collection of Stories

By Judy Flynn Palmer

A thoughtful, heartwarming and at times hilarious collection of short stories about the Pohogonot Farm on Martha’s Vineyard and the family that owns it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jan 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483419435

Book preview

POHOGONOT

A COLLECTION OF STORIES

______________________________

Judy Flynn Palmer

Copyright © 2015 Judy Flynn Palmer.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-1942-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-1943-5 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 03/05/2015

INTERIOR.jpg

(View of entrance to the Pohogonot Farm ‘Heartland’ 2014 C. Lodi)

Table of Contents

DEDICATION

FOREWORD

ON THE CLEARED LAND

IN THE BEGINNING

SETTING DOWN ROOTS

FLYNN FAMILY TREE

GEORGE DANIEL FLYNN

ELIZABETH VERONICA DOYLE

GEORGE

HAROLD ‘HAM’ LUCE

TOM

JIMMY’S FAVORITE COOK by Harry Flynn

CLAM CHOWDER offered by Patricia Coward Post

DEE by Harry Flynn

DEE’S COOKING

ANNA

JOHN by Harry Flynn

CAPPY FLYNN

LAUGHS WITH UNCLE JOHN by Harry Flynn

YAWNING

HARRY

BIG HOUSE

BAT-BATTLE IN THE BIG HOUSE by Sidney Flynn

THE CABIN

YANKEE DOODLE POHOGONOT

SOCIAL SCENERY

THE BROTHERS FLYNN

BEACH SITTER REMEMBERED

EDWARD TILTON, VINEYARD VAGABOND

LEVINSONS YACHT CLUB

TRACTOR FOR ALL REASONS

DOLL HOUSE

ANNEX

THE CAMP

CLAMBAKE

FOOTBALL WEEKEND AT THE CAMP

DUCK, LEVI! by Harry Flynn

FAT PRAT, BELLY BUTTON AND TOUCH HOLE by Harry Flynn

THE BARN by Harry Flynn

HORSE TALES

AUNT DEE, THE BRAVE RED FEATHER

RED FEATHER SHOWS HER METTLE

HORSING AROUND

A HORSE TALE

THE HORSE KNOWS by Harry Flynn

BARN DANCE

HORSE SHOW TROPHY BECOMES WEDDING TRADITION

HANDS ON EXPERIENCE

FARM HOUSE

PONDS

BOATHOUSE

LIFE ON THE PONDS

OPENING THE OYSTER POND

OYSTER POND OPENING by Harry Flynn

RESCUE AT THE OPENING by Charley Lodi

PRESIDENTIAL AFTERNOON

THE WAR YEARS

SOLDIERS ACROSS THE FARM by Harry Flynn

NAVAL INVASION

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF by Harry Flynn

WINGS OVER POHOGONOT by Harry Flynn

POND HOUSE by Pamela Flynn

HEATH HOUSE

FESTIVITIES 0N POHOGONOT

PRESERVING THE FARM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

DEDICATIONPICTURE.jpg

George D. Flynn Jr. and brother Tom c:1908, GDF Jr. Navy Ensign c:1918, GDF Jr. c:1984

DEDICATION

To my father, George D. Flynn Jr.,who recounted tales of his childhood and teenage summers at Pohogonot. Sitting around the table in the Camp kitchen, I and others present were regaled with unique adventures of the second generation of Flynns and how they entertained themselves on an unrivaled place of beauty and pleasure but far away from playmates other than each other.

Thank you Drada and Dad for managing to keep this little piece of heaven on earth safe for our family, all of whom still can’t wait to get back to the farm.

FOREWORDPICTURE.jpg

Judy Flynn Palmer with Ginger Snap 1944, Judy 2014

FOREWORD

I am writing stories, most of them told to me by my father, George D. Flynn Jr., so that our ever expanding family, many of whom have been spending summers at Pohogonot since birth, will know these mostly humorous, factual, and truly touching recollections.

Stretching into the sixth generation, since the birth of my four great grandchildren, it is my hope that future generations will continue this anthology by adding their own special memories.

These stories and photographs were collected with help from many family members. My hope is that this becomes an ongoing effort, which will continue to be updated with every new generation.

Judy Flynn Palmer

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Farm House 1950, Jobs Neck, RBK c: 2013

ON THE CLEARED LAND

Pohogonot, in the Wamponoag language, means on the cleared land or on the open spaces. It refers to an area located within the borders of Edgartown on the South Shore of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Legend has it, that this cleared land was the home of the Pawkunnawkut tribe.

In the mid-1600s, the more affluent inhabitants of Edgartown were known as proprietors. They owned shares in the town corporation. In the 1700s, parcels of land were carved out and put up for sale to the public. Samuel Smith purchased as many parcels as he could in the area known as Pohogonot and Job’s Neck. He built three houses and for the next two-hundred years the Smiths raised sheep and later rented rooms to summer visitors, including several artists. In the Fall they welcomed duck and geese hunters during the hunting season.

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George D. Flynn, Sr. Grand-Daddy and Elizabeth D. Flynn Drada in front of Big House 1926

IN THE BEGINNING

George D. Flynn came to Pohogonot in the late spring of 1894 after he was booted in the head in a train accident. His doctor recommended he recuperate at the property which he had visited in earlier years during duck hunting season. Heirs of the Smith family maintained two sheep farms on the land. Two Smith siblings, Love and Jophanus Smith lived in the house, to the east, now known as the Farm House, and their cousin, Ellen Crane Mayhew and her husband, Leander lived in the Crane House, which is now called the Big House.

George stayed at the Crane House, and fell in love with Pohogonot. In 1898, he returned to the Crane House with his wife, Elizabeth and their one-year-old son George Jr. for the summer. The Flynns continued to rent the Crane House each year until they purchased the entire property, all 1200 acres of it, from the aged Love Smith between 1907 and 1917 for $3000. At the time of the purchase, George promised Jophanus and Love that he would provide care for her, until her death. He kept his word.

Other than his wife, Elizabeth, Granddaddy’s friends and family thought our grandfather was insane to buy such a remote place for a summer retreat. But after that first summer Elizabeth loved Pohogonot as much as he did.

In the intervening years, which saw two world wars, the Great Depression, and vast changes to the American way of life, the land has remained