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Boston Globe
12-06-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
For Bunker Hill descendants, the battle never fades
Dearborn 'had heard of the Lexington and Concord battles, and he just started walking south,' the elder Woodfin said. 'He made his bones here, and it took over his life.' Advertisement This weekend, the Woodfins and about 50 other descendants of Bunker Hill veterans will arrive in Charlestown to commemorate the bravery and sacrifices of their ancestors in the first such gathering since the monument's cornerstone was laid in 1825, organizers said. By bringing descendants together, the event's organizers hope that closely held stories of Bunker Hill will be shared among the families and later circulated to a wider audience who might know little of the battle beyond its famous name. 'Who were these men and these boys?' said Julie Hall, president of the Charlestown Historical Society, which began planning the gathering in 2023. 'I find it fascinating that many of these oral stories have been shared generation to generation, but not publicly.' From the Advertisement The rebels lost the battle, but won the galvanizing knowledge that they could stand and fight a trained, imperial army. 'These guys just dropped what they were doing and said to their families, we'll be back, or we might not be back,' said Rich Woodfin, 61, of Concord, N.H. 'Some were gone for years.' Woodfin's ancestor, Henry Dearborn, was one of them. After serving as a 23-year-old company commander at Bunker Hill, Dearborn accompanied Colonel Benedict Arnold later that year on his perilous march through the Maine wilderness to the gates of Quebec. Dearborn also fought as a lieutenant colonel in the victory at Saratoga, N.Y. 'You had men and boys who put down their shovels and marched to Charlestown to fight what was then the most powerful army in the world,' Hall said. The descendants include Vera Martin, a biotech and pharmaceutical consultant who can see Bunker Hill from her West End balcony in Boston. Three of her ancestors, including father and son Samuel and Ichabod Farrington of Dedham, fought on that slope, as well as Benjamin Sumner, a militia captain from Medfield. Linda Russell of Shrewsbury, a former corporate controller, also will be there. Her fifth great-grandfather, Jason Russell Jr., stood in the rebels' hilltop redoubt until he and other surviving Colonials left to fight another day. Advertisement Two months earlier, Jason's father had been shot dead on his doorstep in Arlington, then called Menotomy, when the fiercest fighting of the British retreat from Concord raged around his home, which still exists on Massachusetts Avenue. 'One gave his life, and the other gave up his life' to serve three years in the Continental Army, Russell said. 'They must have had such a deep belief in what they were doing. It gives me goosebumps.' It's a feeling shared by James Philbrick III of Willow Grove, Pa., whose fifth great-grandfather David How, a native of Methuen, fought at Bunker Hill with the Essex County militia. He also saw action in the Battle of Long Island, crossed the Delaware River with General George Washington, and witnessed the surrender of British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga. How, whose great-grandmother was hanged in Salem as a witch, grabbed a fallen comrade's musket as he turned to leave. Before retreating, however, the 18-year-old private stopped to shoot an advancing British soldier, according to family legend. 'For him being the age he was, it must have been exciting as well as terrifying,' said Philbrick, who will attend the commemoration. 'We've known about David How ever since I can remember.' For many of the descendants, discovering the details of their ancestors' Revolutionary service has been a painstaking, years-long effort. Others have come upon the stories only recently. 'My family never had anything documented, and my dad knew nothing about it,' Russell said. A timeline showing where the fighting took place between the Continental Army and the British Army during the Battle of Bunker Hill. Lily Cowper/Lily Cowper for The Boston Globe Russell's journey of discovery began decades ago when a relative from Maine sent her a family tree. The notation that one of her ancestors had died on April 19, 1775 -- the original Patriots Day -- caught Russell's eye, but she didn't pursue it further. Advertisement Only when a fellow church member, years later, mentioned that she and Russell were related did the stories of their Revolutionary ancestors begin to unspool. 'I schlepped the whole family to Arlington and visited the house' where Jason Russell Sr. died, she said. 'I feel an obligation to them. Look at what these people did.' For many 21st-century Americans, the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Revolutionary War, in general, can seem too mythologized and distant to be real. 'I don't think people know how it relates to their lives,' Russell said. 'They have to go to work, and do all this stuff, and they'll say, isn't that nice?' The Americans at Bunker Hill were 'fathers, brothers, nephews, and cousins, all from the same place. They knew everybody who was in their company,' said Timothy Riordan, a historical archeologist and vice president of the Charlestown Historical Society. 'These guys were cabinetmakers, shoemakers. For many of them, it was the highlight of their lives.' The average age of Colonial privates at Bunker Hill was 27. The oldest was 62, Riordan said. Although Bunker Hill technically was an American defeat, the British suffered 1,054 dead and wounded, compared with 450 for the rebels. The descendants who gather in Charlestown this weekend will be connected with resources to deepen their genealogical work, including a visit with staff at American Ancestors, a Boston-based nonprofit center for family history, heritage, and culture that was founded in 1845. The group also will tour the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Commonwealth Archives, each of which has ongoing exhibits on the role of Massachusetts in the Revolution. Advertisement Martin, one of the descendants, said recently she had never been to the battlefield. And when she moved from North Carolina to Boston in 2016, Martin added, she had not been aware of her Bunker Hill connections. All that has changed, and the time-consuming work of tracing her deep American roots has become a passion. 'My daughter's an only child, and to give her and my grandson the gift of who they are and where they came from, there's no amount of money you can put on that,' Martin said. The story of Bunker Hill is now the story of her 21st-century family and of her Colonial ancestors. 'Their blood,' she said, 'runs through mine.' Brian MacQuarrie can be reached at
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin proposes $591 million budget
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin presented a proposed $591 million Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget Tuesday. The budget focuses on advancing a public safety strategy, recruiting more police and investing in youth. Woodfin's plan includes $21.8 million to increase neighborhood revitalization. It also includes another $15 million for street resurfacing. 'This budget represents our shared priorities,' Woodfin said in a statement. 'We will continue to invest in our neighborhoods to resurface streets, invest in sidewalks and traffic calming, and remove blight. These are common requests from our residents that we are committed to providing.' Community violence intervention programs will receive $1.5 million to support ongoing initiatives. Below is a summary of the proposed budget: Neighborhood revitalization Street paving: $15 million Weed abatement: $3 million (up $250,000) Demolition: $2 million (up $500,000) Sidewalks: $1 million Traffic calming: $500,000 Recycling: $300,000 Public safety and violence reduction Police vehicles: $1 million (part of $6 million rolling stock investment) Common ground conflict resolution in BCS: $1 million Park and Recreation Safe Haven Initiative: $625,000 (up $125,000) Park and recreation youth sports program: $500,000 (new funding recommended by the independent Birmingham Crime Commission) RESTORE Youth Re-entry Initiative: $450,000 (up $225,000) Additional community violence intervention: $1.5 million Youth investments Birmingham Promise for BCS students: $2 million Birmingham City Schools (mental health): $1 million Financial literacy curriculum in BCS: $1 million Common ground conflict resolution in BCS: $1 million Small magic early childhood education: $250,000 Park and Recreation Safe Haven Initiative: $625,000 (up $125,000) Park and Recreation youth sports program: $500,000 (new funding) Kids and jobs: $210,000 Homelessness Services for the unhoused: $1.5 million (new funding) Community development block grants: $800,000 (estimated, annually) Public transportation Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority: $11 million Birmingham Xpress Bus Rapid Transit: $3 million Birmingham on Demand powered by VIA: $2.5 million City employees 1% cost of living adjustment for all employees: $4.225 million 5% merit pay for eligible employees: $3.9 million Longevity pay for eligible employees: $1 million The city covers all healthcare benefit increases for city employees to prevent new out-of-pocket costs: $3.6 million City contribution to pension fund: $40 million (estimated pending actuary's report) The full proposed budget can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Birmingham fights against losing control of its water board, citing racial discrimination
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Birmingham city officials sued the Alabama governor on Tuesday in an effort to halt the codification of bill that would strip the city of control over the state's largest water board, alleging the move 'constitutes blatant racial discrimination.' The bill redistributes power from Birmingham city officials — who currently appoint a majority of the nine-person board members — to the governor, the lieutenant governor and the surrounding suburbs that are also in the board's jurisdiction. Board members approve rate hikes and manage infrastructure projects. The bill's sponsors said that the move was necessary to correct mismanagement and improve the efficiency of the system. The bill passed along party lines 66 to 27 last week and now goes to Republican Gov. Kay Ivey's desk. The federal lawsuit names the governor as a defendant, and seeks a temporary restraining order that would prevent the bill from going into effect. Mayor Randall Woodfin, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, called the bill "unconstitutional on it's face' at a press conference on Tuesday. Five counties rely on the Birmingham Water Works Board. Over 40% of the utility's 770,000 customers are concentrated in the city of Birmingham, and 91% are in Jefferson County. The new system would give more weight to Jefferson County's neighboring areas that have only a fraction of the customers, but that house the reservoirs that supply the system. Woodfin said this would deny Birmingham residents the opportunity for democratic input about the system's governance. 'We live in America, representation matters. It matters at all levels of government, the federal level the state level the local level,' Woodfin said. Proponents of the bill say aging infrastructure and a lack of investment mean residents pay for water that just gets leaked out of old pipes. The utility has been accused of wasteful spending, ethics scandals and making costly errors in distributing bills, according to reporting from "So many elected officials have been getting so many complaints, and I'm sure yours have too, about the quality and the price of Birmingham water,' said Republican Rep. Jim Carns, who represents Blount County, one of the places that will now appoint a board member. The lawsuit echoes testimony from legislators who opposed the bill before it passed, who condemned the move as a political takeover that would wrest power from Birmingham's majority-Black residents and redistribute it to customers in the city's mostly white suburbs. 'The implication that any perceived problems with the Water Works Board's management are due to the majority of Board members being appointed by Birmingham is wholly unsupported,' the complaint said. The lawsuit said the bill, if signed into law, would violate the equal protection clause, the voting rights act and both the state and federal constitution. A lawyer for the city said the goal is for the governor to send the legislation back to the legislature to make 'appropriate changes' — but didn't specify what those changes are. 'We have not officially been served. However, we are aware of the lawsuit and are reviewing this highly unusual attempt to stop the governor form signing a bill passed by the legislature,' said Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for the governor. ____ Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
06-05-2025
- Politics
Birmingham fights against losing control of its water board, citing racial discrimination
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Birmingham city officials sued the Alabama governor on Tuesday in an effort to halt the codification of bill that would strip the city of control over the state's largest water board, alleging the move 'constitutes blatant racial discrimination.' The bill redistributes power from Birmingham city officials — who currently appoint a majority of the nine-person board members — to the governor, the lieutenant governor and the surrounding suburbs that are also in the board's jurisdiction. Board members approve rate hikes and manage infrastructure projects. The bill's sponsors said that the move was necessary to correct mismanagement and improve the efficiency of the system. The bill passed along party lines 66 to 27 last week and now goes to Republican Gov. Kay Ivey's desk. The federal lawsuit names the governor as a defendant, and seeks a temporary restraining order that would prevent the bill from going into effect. Mayor Randall Woodfin, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, called the bill "unconstitutional on it's face' at a press conference on Tuesday. Five counties rely on the Birmingham Water Works Board. Over 40% of the utility's 770,000 customers are concentrated in the city of Birmingham, and 91% are in Jefferson County. The new system would give more weight to Jefferson County's neighboring areas that have only a fraction of the customers, but that house the reservoirs that supply the system. Woodfin said this would deny Birmingham residents the opportunity for democratic input about the system's governance. 'We live in America, representation matters. It matters at all levels of government, the federal level the state level the local level,' Woodfin said. Proponents of the bill say aging infrastructure and a lack of investment mean residents pay for water that just gets leaked out of old pipes. The utility has been accused of wasteful spending, ethics scandals and making costly errors in distributing bills, according to reporting from "So many elected officials have been getting so many complaints, and I'm sure yours have too, about the quality and the price of Birmingham water,' said Republican Rep. Jim Carns, who represents Blount County, one of the places that will now appoint a board member. The lawsuit echoes testimony from legislators who opposed the bill before it passed, who condemned the move as a political takeover that would wrest power from Birmingham's majority-Black residents and redistribute it to customers in the city's mostly white suburbs. 'The implication that any perceived problems with the Water Works Board's management are due to the majority of Board members being appointed by Birmingham is wholly unsupported,' the complaint said. The lawsuit said the bill, if signed into law, would violate the equal protection clause, the voting rights act and both the state and federal constitution. A lawyer for the city said the goal is for the governor to send the legislation back to the legislature to make 'appropriate changes' — but didn't specify what those changes are. 'We have not officially been served. However, we are aware of the lawsuit and are reviewing this highly unusual attempt to stop the governor form signing a bill passed by the legislature,' said Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for the governor.
Hamilton Spectator
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Birmingham fights against losing control of its water board, citing racial discrimination
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Birmingham city officials sued the Alabama governor on Tuesday in an effort to halt the codification of bill that would strip the city of control over the state's largest water board, alleging the move 'constitutes blatant racial discrimination.' The bill redistributes power from Birmingham city officials — who currently appoint a majority of the nine-person board members — to the governor, the lieutenant governor and the surrounding suburbs that are also in the board's jurisdiction. Board members approve rate hikes and manage infrastructure projects. The bill's sponsors said that the move was necessary to correct mismanagement and improve the efficiency of the system. The bill passed along party lines 66 to 27 last week and now goes to Republican Gov. Kay Ivey's desk. The federal lawsuit names the governor as a defendant, and seeks a temporary restraining order that would prevent the bill from going into effect. Mayor Randall Woodfin, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, called the bill 'unconstitutional on it's face' at a press conference on Tuesday. Five counties rely on the Birmingham Water Works Board. Over 40% of the utility's 770,000 customers are concentrated in the city of Birmingham, and 91% are in Jefferson County. The new system would give more weight to Jefferson County's neighboring areas that have only a fraction of the customers, but that house the reservoirs that supply the system. Woodfin said this would deny Birmingham residents the opportunity for democratic input about the system's governance. 'We live in America, representation matters. It matters at all levels of government, the federal level the state level the local level,' Woodfin said. Proponents of the bill say aging infrastructure and a lack of investment mean residents pay for water that just gets leaked out of old pipes. The utility has been accused of wasteful spending , ethics scandals and making costly errors in distributing bills , according to reporting from . 'So many elected officials have been getting so many complaints, and I'm sure yours have too, about the quality and the price of Birmingham water,' said Republican Rep. Jim Carns, who represents Blount County, one of the places that will now appoint a board member. The lawsuit echoes testimony from legislators who opposed the bill before it passed, who condemned the move as a political takeover that would wrest power from Birmingham's majority-Black residents and redistribute it to customers in the city's mostly white suburbs. 'The implication that any perceived problems with the Water Works Board's management are due to the majority of Board members being appointed by Birmingham is wholly unsupported,' the complaint said. The lawsuit said the bill, if signed into law, would violate the equal protection clause, the voting rights act and both the state and federal constitution. A lawyer for the city said the goal is for the governor to send the legislation back to the legislature to make 'appropriate changes' — but didn't specify what those changes are. 'We have not officially been served. However, we are aware of the lawsuit and are reviewing this highly unusual attempt to stop the governor form signing a bill passed by the legislature,' said Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for the governor. ____ Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
