Good Morning Gloucester

Jude Seminara has provided us with his perspective of the oft told James Merry – Dogtown tale.

The Matador of Gloucester

In the mid-morning of Sunday, September 18, 1892, three local men, Henry and Chester Norwood and Isaac Day discovered the bloody and battered body of 60 year old James Merry wedged between two boulders near the Dogtown Road. His abdomen had been ripped open. Nearby, Patrick Nugent’s Jersey bull was in an agitated condition, bellowing and stomping his hooves, his horns stained with blood. Mr. Day left immediately to summon the police, and Officer Ropper, accompanied by the Undertaker Lloyd and medical examiner Quimby came to investigate.

Tradition holds that Merry had, while a sailor, visited Spain and became interested in bull fighting. When he returned to Gloucester, he raised a bull from a calf and practiced wrestling it in Dogtown. The night before he was killed, the story goes, he was drinking up in town and was challenged to wrestle the bull. The bull won, goring Merry with its horns. While a romantic story, it is simply untrue.

James Merry was born in Edgecomb, Maine, one of three sons, in 1832 to Heram and Betsey Merry. He was in Gloucester sometime prior to 1850, at which time he was recorded as James Murray, fisherman in the census. According to the vital records of Gloucester, he married Catherine Witty in 1856. The Merrys had three children: James Howard, Frank, and Carrie. Carrie died of typhoid fever at the age of 14 in 1878. Merry’s brother David Murray was lost at sea in 1859 and is memorialized in the cenotaph at the Fisherman at the Wheel statue. His other brother Jonathan left Gloucester shortly after David’s death to returned to Maine.

Continue reading “A Not So Merry Tale” →

Come on down

Donna Ardizzoni / Circle Consulting Group 978-526-9222

Frida Kahlo’s Inspiration Aids Puerto Rico at Local Colors

Kathy Bucholska, a member of Local Colors Artists’ Cooperative, will be showing her new line of jewelry and mixed media, inspired by Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist and feminist, to benefit the US citizens of hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico. She’ll display her jewelry and mixed media from October 23 through November 3 and donate 50% of her show sales to The Boston Foundation/Latino Legacy Fund (http://www.tbf.org/puertorico). The funds will go to Puerto Rican disaster relief, sustainable rebuilding and support of Puerto Ricans migrating to Massachusetts as a result of the hurricane. Connected to Frida Kahlo’s art, the show also includes the traditional Mexican Day of the Dead altar, celebrated this time of the year, where the public can leave remembrances of ones who have journeyed on. Local Colors has often made this cultural tradition of the altar available to the public in prior years.

“I have always been intrigued by the life of Frida Kahlo and her controversial art. Many of her self-portraits show her in various types of jewelry which served as an inspiration” says Kathy. “It allowed me to expand my creativity with bolder, more culturally diverse designs and at the same time, give me an opportunity to offer support to our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico.”

Kahlo’s work often included symbols of the traditional Day of the Dead celebration so in the spirit of celebrating her life and inspiration, Kathy installed a Day of the Dead altar for the public to post a remembrance of a loved one, friend, favorite artist or just someone who has been an inspiration. She also saw it as an opportunity to raise much needed funds for the people of Puerto Rico who after almost four weeks are still struggling for water, food and electricity.

Kathy will be working all day at the Local Colors Artists’ Cooperative, 121 Main Street, Gloucester on October 30 from 10 to 6 pm where she is offering cider and cookies and an opportunity to ask questions about the exhibit and the cause. Regular hours are daily from 10 to 6, 978-283-3996.

While a lot of us wait patiently for the power to come back on, we can be grateful that the sun is out to warm us up a bit!   Hoping everyone gets their power by the end of today!!  Happy Halloween!

We spent last night at Cape Ann’s Marina and Resort.  The boys swam in the pool, we ate dinner, and then went upstairs so that Thatch could finish homework and get a decent night’s sleep knowing that Halloween night wouldn’t lend itself to lots of rest and that we have late nights planned much the rest of the week as well.

Here is the sunset and then sunrise over the cut bridge from the deck of our room. Maybe not as spectacular as some, but it was really nice to fall asleep and wake up with such a nice view.

The Elks hosted their annual Children’s Halloween party Sunday afternoon.  It seems fun was had by all! Great costumes, fun games and music, cookies and pizza! Can’t go wrong.