Remembering Meegan Wright Martin and George Marsh Fredrickson; shout out to the Zurells

Posted By: David Fortier March 9, 2024

By Bob Montgomery

Meegan (Wright) Martin (1963-2019)

I was thinking of the late Meegan (Wright) Martin the other day, and when I pulled up her obituary I was reminded that she left this world just over four years ago at the age of 56. She left behind a family that included her husband, Jim, and children, Faith, Jimmy and Lilly. And, like their mother, these siblings found success in the swimming pool.

Meegan had a great personality, and her accolades included those while swimming for Bristol Central, She was an All-American at both the University of Florida and Texas A & M, recorded two trips to the U.S. Olympic Trials, and was honored here by the Bristol Tramps and Bristol Sport Hall of Fame. These were just a few of the many acknowledgments passed her way.

I tried to track down her family to say hello once again to them but wasn’t able to make contact with them.

Former Bristol man seen on TV

Whenever I see another person on TV from Bristol, I take note. Last week, I turned on NUTMEG TV and caught the end of a car show hosted by a fellow named Larry Mongeau. This particular segment was on motorcycles and the guest on the segment was Henry A. Syphers.

I recalled Henry being a few years younger than me, and one of two brothers. His brother, Vance, living down South, is married to Donna, a high school classmate of mine. Henry resides in the state, and I believe he may or has raced this two-wheel, motor-driven bike. Some of you may remember his mother, Mrs. Syphers, who taught at the former Ellen P. Hubbell School on Fifth Street.

Miscellaneous

I received a message from John Lodovico, who is or was the chairman of the Bristol Hospital Board of Directors, and that was after reading last week’s column. He writes: “Great articles always enjoy reading them, Thank you, John.”

Shoutout to Don and Noreen Zurell, two terrific volunteers.

I’m sure that many gridiron fans here know, but I was just reminded that former Bristol Central All-State quarterback Matt Coyne is the head football coach at Bates College. Another Bristol Central quarterback, Dan Hooley, was a record-setting quarterback for Bates back in the late 1990’s.

(Note: I also saw Andrew Johnson, Jr. on the tube last week. He’s on the UConn men’s basketball roster, and this was the first time I actually saw him on the court though he’s made a few brief appearances previously this season.)

George Marsh Fredrickson – (1934-2008)

He was a very knowledgeable individual when it came to the history of racism in this country, and respected elsewhere, too, for his studies and writings on the subject. He wrote books on the topic and in 1973, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in history.

He was many things, including a civil rights activist, and was among those who marched on Washington, D.C. in 1963 with Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. There was so much more on this man, who died in Stanford, Calif., due to a heart attack.

Florence Muzzy

One of the famous names from Bristol’s past is Muzzy. Adrian Muzzy was the owner of Muzzy Brothers store on Main Street for decades. His wife was Florence, and she had an uncle by the name of Ash Upon.

Ash was a friend to Pat Garrett, the sheriff who killed “Billy the Kid” in Fort Sumner, N.M., in 1881 when the outlaw was 21 years old. More to come on this.

Contact Bob Montgomery at BobMontgomeryNews at BristolEdition.org, or by calling (860)583-5132.

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