The Mapleton Lions Club will conduct its traditional annual Memorial Day parade and Remembrance Ceremony this coming Monday, May 29. The parade will start lining up at 1:30 p.m. and will step-off at 2 p.m. Please keep in mind this is a community parade.
All organizations, groups and individuals who would like to march in the parade are welcome to join in during the line-up. To join the parade, simply report to the parade line-up area which is the Dudley Road at the end of Main Street and join the parade. No reservation is necessary to be in the parade.
The Mapleton Remembrance Ceremony will be held at the Mapleton-Chapman-Castile Hill Veterans Memorial Monument at the Mapleton Elementary School. Everyone is welcome to attend and remember the sacrifices of the veterans from the three towns
Dr. Dena Winslow, local Aroostook County historian, spoke on her new book “They Lynched Jim Cullen New England’s Only Lynching, Facts, Folklore and What Really Happened.” With newly uncovered documents, she presented an alternative factual account of some the facts around the Jim Cullen’s lynching. The presentation was made at the Haystack Historical Society on May 13, the 150th anniversary of the Cullen’s death.
(Contributed photo)
Local historian offers updated view on Cullins lynching
On Saturday, May 13 Dr. Dena Winslow presented an alternative view of the Jim Cullins lynching that occurred 150 years ago. She has done extensive historical document review of several documents either recently found or not typically used in the telling of the gruesome events that ended in the deaths of two men plus the supposed lynching of Jim Cullen.
In her new book “They Lynched Jim Cullen, New England’s Only Lynching, Facts, Folklore, and – What Really Happened” Dr. Winslow told the generally known story of this tragedy, but corrected many of the details of that story. The events of that fateful day shook Aroostook County residents to the core. The idea that a small group of local folks took matters into their own hands was disconcerting to many Aroostook County residents. Now 150 years later, the killing (possible lynching) of Jim Cullen in Mapleton may be a wrongfully told story of the only lynching in all of New England.
Since these events that fateful spring of 1873 which left three men dead, a lot of new evidence has come to light which makes it highly probable that Jim Cullen was not the person who murdered Dep. Sheriff Granville A. Hayden and William Thomas Hubbard in a camp in the woods of Chapman. Jim may well have been an innocent victim like most other lynching victims in the US have been.
Dr. Winslow had written an earlier book on the lynching and had made several presentations on the event. Even she had to admit to changing her mind about the lynching as she swept away some of the myths and incorrect information regarding the deaths of Dep. Sheriff Granville A. Hayden and William Thomas Hubbard and the supposed lynching of Jim Cullen. The documentary evidence she found raises compelling questions about his guilt, and the possible reasons his lynchers had for their illegal actions. The new evidence that has been found and presented by Dr. Winslow made this a very special program at the Haystack Historical Society Museum. This evidence is presented in Dr. Winslow’s book on the myths of around Jim Cullen’s lynching. Anyone who would like to study evidence found by Dr. Winslow’s may secure a copy of her book on the myths and facts from her or through Amazon.Com, the book publisher.
Pines and Spurs Fundraising Dinner
Prior to the Mapleton Lions Auction, the Pines and Spurs Riding Club will host a public dinner at the Mapleton Lions Hall. The dinner will be served by volunteers of the Riding Club. Dinner will be served from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Mapleton Lions Hall in downtown Mapleton.
Everyone is encouraged to come out and have a good time, while supporting this annual fundraising evening for both the Mapleton Lions Club and Pines and Spurs Riding Club.
Preparations for the Mapleton Lions Club Auction
The Mapleton Lions Club Auction is scheduled for June 10 at the Mapleton Lions Hall starting at 6:30 p.m. The Club’s members are soliciting nearly 300 items, gift certificates and services that are to be auctioned to provide financial support of the Mapleton Lions Club charities. The auction is one of the two largest fundraising events for the Mapleton Lions Club with approximately thirty percent of the club’s annual income coming in to the club on that one evening. Donations are always welcome. Any lion club member will be willing to accept your donation for the support of the lions club projects. The auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Lions Club auctioneers Matt Gregg and Ron Leonard.
Terry Sandusky is the Star-Herald correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com.
