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Welcome To The Washington County Fair
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In late 2007 and early
2008, Washington County lost three of its long time
supporters. As with so many others, they all contributed
their all to the growth and success of the fair that
we all enjoy today...
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 L.
Virginia Cottrell
42 years ago, a small group of Grange members decided
to hold a small country fair. On the committee was
J. Jesse Cottrell Jr. who served as its first treasurer,
aided by his wife Virginia.
Thus began what proved to be a lifetime commitment
to the Washington County Fair, and its growth and
success. In the early years, she handled the publicity
and entertainment as well as helping Jesse with
the Treasurers work load. Soon she was a member
of the steering committee and she assumed the treasurer’s
job following Jesses death. She could tell jokes
and stories, but she also believed in “Telling
it like it was!” She let it be known if she
disagreed with an idea, but her advice and council
were always aimed at the improvement of the fair.
She was a 73 year Grange member and had also served
as Lecturer of the Rhode Island State Grange, as
well as holding many other offices at all levels
of the grange. She was a true “swamp Yankee”,
Born and brought up in south county with a sprit
and “can do attitude” she believed that
all things are possible if you just work hard enough
to accomplish them.
We would like to believe that she is probably giving
her advice and council to St. Peter in heaven as
she did for us here on earth. |
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 Joyce
Spencer
Here again was another person who devoted most of
her time to the Grange and to the Washington County
Fair. Born into a family of Grange members, Joyce
held many offices in the Grange at all levels. An
accomplished ritualistic, she took pride in her
ability to convey in an impressive manner the beautiful
lessons it’s ritual teaches.
From the beginning 42 years ago, with husband Milton,
they both took on one of the most time consuming
jobs for the fair – handling the concessions!
Aware that a successful fair had to have a variety
of vendors, they urged vendors to attend in the
early years, and later were deluged with applications
for vendor space, always keeping a wide variety
of vendors.
The Spencer’s worked for the fair in this
capacity almost to the present time. In addition,
Joyce used to get up early each morning of fair
to cook breakfast for the crew that stayed overnight
that cleaned the grounds early in the AM. Joyce
also ran her own insurance agency for many years,
and was involved in her town and her church. She
especially enjoyed playing piano for the junior
granges at their meetings.
Joyce lived a full and rewarding life and her contribution
to the fair stands as a testament to the kind of
person she was |
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 June
T. Cottrell
June was a person whose life was dedicated to family,
friends the Grange and agriculture. When she married
Oliver, she married into a dairy farm family almost
fifty years ago, and this must have been quite a
change in her life. Soon there was a passel of young
ones running around the farm, and dragging cows
around with show halters. She was “Livestock
Chairman” at the Washington County Fair for
about thirty years, until her illness prevented
her from continuing, after all, she knew all the
livestock exhibitors and farmers, and all their
children. Did we mention that she had a 4-H club
for many years?
June was a fifty year plus Grange member, and had
held many offices within the Grange on all levels
within Rhode Island. She had worked for the Agriculture
Department taking surveys in RI, run a “dairy
farm bed & breakfast, helped with the 4-H in
RI anywhere she was asked, and of course a tireless
helper of the Fair.
June could always be found, down in the livestock
area of fair, barking out orders and keeping things
running like a well oiled clock, and smoothing any
ruffled feathers that may occur, and lastly selling
calf raffle tickets for the benefit of the Rhode
Island Ayshire Club. |
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