This is the cover of Daniel Cummings’ book, published by the Glover Historical Society.
GLOVER — Daniel Cummings was a much-loved teacher and coach at Barton Academy and Graded School. Mr. Cummings died in April 2004 of cancer at 49 years old. Last year’s Glover Day event in June was dedicated to his memory.
Little did most people in Glover and Barton know, Mr. Cummings was also the author of a children’s book. At Glover Day, Mr. Cummings’ wife, Sue, mentioned to Betsy Day and Randy Williams of the Glover Historical Society that her husband had written and illustrated a book as part of the work he did to get a master’s degree. The society made a decision to publish the book. It has just been printed.
Run, Chamberlain, Run: The Story Of Runaway Pond And A Real Hero is 23 pages, softcover, and sells for $10. In simple language, it tells the story of Spencer Chamberlain who raced ahead of the flood of Runaway Pond on June 6, 1810.
“Spencer Chamberlain was a young man who lived in the wild north woods of New Hampshire,” opens the book. “He was raised to know the way of the woods and was strong as an ox and quick as the wind.”
He was 24 years old when he was recruited to help with a major construction job in Glover. There had been a drought in 1810. Aaron Wilson, the mill owner, decided to create a ditch to divert some of the water from Long Pond — which normally flowed south to the Lamoille River. If some of the water could be sent north to the Barton River, it would help power his mill.
“The townspeople were happy to help Mr. Wilson, because they needed the mill for their food,” says Mr. Cummings’ book.
The project went well at first. By the end of the day, the trench was dug and the workers were ready to send the water north.
“With a resounding applause the water was released and a lovely rippling stream began to flow north to Glover,” the book says. Then people began to realize something had gone wrong. A roar underground was heard. The pond disappeared. What the workers didn’t know was that the whole area was quicksand. Instead of releasing a small amount of water, the workers had released the entire Long Pond and it was headed for the mill, where Mr. Wilson’s wife was grinding corn.
Spencer Chamberlain almost got sucked into the quicksand, but he was pulled out by his hair, according to the legend. Someone had to run ahead to warn the miller’s wife.
“‘Chamberlain is the one for that chase,’ someone called out, ‘for he’s a half-blood of the Indian race.’ Spencer was off in a flash to save the miller’s
Mr. Cummings not only wrote the story but did the illustrations as well.
wife, to a loud chorus of, ‘Run, Chamberlain, Run!’”
Spencer Chamberlain beat the flood and was honored from then on as a hero. Every year, a featured event during Glover Day is a five-mile foot race from Runaway Pond (where Long Pond used to be) to Glover Village — in memory of Spencer Chamberlain’s accomplishment.
The book is a great way to introduce children to the local legend and keep it alive.
If there is a profit from this book, the money will go to a scholarship fund in Dan Cummings’ name. The money will go to one boy and one girl graduating from Lake Region Union High School. The books are available so far at the Barton Village Corner Store and the Glover town clerk’s office.
On the back of the book is a photo of Mr. Cummings and a bit of explanation of the publishing.
“His jovial spirit gave everyone he encountered a lift,” says the caption. The book will no doubt continue that trend.
