UPTON — A small glass bud vase carrying a handwritten note from 1940 has made an unexpected journey back to Massachusetts, reconnecting a local family with a piece of their history after more than eight decades.
The story began when Gwen Glass of Texas purchased the vase at an estate sale in 2023. Months later, she discovered a note hidden inside reading: “Mrs. Ernest Wellman, Upton Massachusetts Dec 9, 1940.” Motivated to return the item, Glass searched for the family and eventually reached out to the Upton Historical Society for help.
Through genealogical research, the Society identified the original owner as Hazel Wellman and traced her descendants, ultimately connecting with her granddaughter, Mary Hurlburt…