The next meeting of the Rochester Historical Society will be on June 19 at 7:00 pm at the East Rochester Church/Museum, 355 County Road. The program for the evening will be presented by Diane Finn, author, teacher and tour guide. All are welcome.
Take a stroll through the 17th and 18th century of lesser-known heroes of Plymouth County’s past. From John Sassamon, whose murder was a catalyst believed by some to be the cause of the King Philip War, to the tragic story of Capt. James McGee. His ill-fated ship ran aground in Plymouth during the Revolutionary War, leaving 60 of his men to be buried in a mass grave on Burial Hill. You may have heard of Lydia Jackson and her marriage to Ralph Waldo Emerson, but do you know of her brother Charles who tried to take credit for the discovery of ether for anesthesia? What about Dr. Francis LeBaron and his legendary operation on Thomas Clark in the beginning of the 18th century? Finn will uncover these and many more colorful stories and legends from Plymouth’s past. Finn has been an author, teacher and tour guide for over 30 years. She currently resides in Rochester.