History, mystery, more planned Encore of Underground Railroad, Catherine Winters program highlight historical museum’s schedule

By DARREL RADFORD [email protected]HISTORICALLY SPEAKING A search for answers in the 100-year-old Catherine Winters mystery. An encore performance about the Underground Railroad. An examination of how more than 56,000 pieces of wood became a most unique desk. All of this and more is planned by the Henry County Historical Society in 2013. Here’s the confirmed schedule: n Noon Feb. 16, at the New Castle-Henry County Public Library: Charlotte Battin’s “Freedom Is My Home.” n 7 p.m. March 20, at the museum: Panel discussion on the 100th anniversary of Catherine Winters’ disappearance. n 2 p.m. May 5, at the museum: Henry County Historical Society Annual Meeting, featuring a presentation by Celia Burns on the Thaddeus Coffin desk. Additional plans in the works include a celebration of Henry County’s auto heritage in May, an old-fashioned ice cream social in June, a tribute to retail business in September, participation with the library’s successful “Henry County Reads” event in October and perhaps a Civil War program, includingreenactment of the Gettysburg Address, in November. We’ll conclude a busy year with our annual Christmas tea, featuring special music and more exploration into the origins of timeless classic songs. Encore performance of Underground Railroad drama It all begins with a most appropriate event for Black History Month – an encore performance of “Freedom Is My Home,” a one-woman drama about the Underground Railroad presented by Columbus actress Charlotte Battin. Because of the enthusiastic turnout for her October performance at the museum, the location for this one has been moved to a more spacious facility. Battin will perform the drama at noon Saturday, Feb. 16, in the New Castle-Henry County Public Library auditorium. Last October, Battin’s appearance and performance at the museum was seen by a big crowd. Interest in the Underground Railroad and Henry County’s major involvement in it has continued since then. The museum has sold several copies of Dr. Thomas Hamm’s book, “The Anti-Slavery Movement In Henry County,” since Battin shared with local residents one woman’s story of how she helped slaves find freedom, using a series of quilts as a code. Through the efforts of Greensboro Quaker Seth Hinshaw, Henry County played a major role in the Underground Railroad. Recent columns in this newspaper have been devoted to Hinshaw’s efforts at helping famous black freedom fighter and orator Frederick Douglass. If you missed them, those columns can be found on the society’s website, www.henrycountyhs.org There is no admission charge to the event and all ages are welcome. It is a great learning experience for students. Catherine Winters The Henry County Historical Society is in the process of setting up a unique program at the museum to commemorate this sad and mysterious event. Plans include having experts make presentations about the little girl’s disappearance and for the vintage film of the downtown search to be shown. If you haven’t seen the film, it is most interesting, giving us a glimpse back through time at what New Castle looked like 100 years ago. Daughter of a well-known New Castle dentist, Catherine Winters disappeared from the busiest street in town on March 20, 1913, and was never seen again. Her disappearance made headlines far beyond Henry County borders. The tentative lineup of speakers includes Lisa Perry-Martin, whose mother, Charlene, is an author and lived in the former Winters’ home for several years. Also scheduled to speak will be Colleen Steffen, who has done more than five years of research on the mystery and has written a book that she is marketing now to publishers. Efforts are also being made to include others and wi ll be announced closer to the event. A special display of newspaper clippings and other archives will also be displayed at the museum that evening. Thaddeus Coffin desk He was the architect of the grand Gen. William Grose home which has long served as the museum site. But if the home itself isn’t enough to impress you with Coffin’s talent, then wait until you see and hear the story behind his desk. A centerpiece in the main exhibit area now since 1996, Coffin’s desk contains 56,978 pieces of wood from 324 different species. One of the drawers has a connection to Abraham Lincoln. Celia Burns, one of Coffin’s distant relatives, will give a presentation on this amazing desk during the society’s annual meeting set for 2 p.m. May 5. Alice Boyd Freel donated the desk to the museum on May 22, 1996. The story is one of craftsmanship, patience and persistence. Watch this newspaper and other local media for more details on upcoming events at the Henry County Historical Society. Darrel Radford is executive director of The Henry County Historical Society and a staff writer for The Courier-Times. The museum, at 602 S. 14th St., is open by appointment in January and February. Call 529-4028 to schedule one.