Month: October 2019

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | October 31, 2019

In this year, we encounter water ice for sale, Charles J. Berry’s ninety-third birthday, an elderly couple losing their home, Emile Vachon winning a prizefight, lakeside camps to let, the death of Mrs. Mary C. Horne, school automobiles overturned, Emile Vachon losing a prizefight, Rev. Howard M. Starratt’s ordination and departure, a deer confronting an automobile, and Nute Ridge-native Rev. Alfred G. Peacock accepting a call.

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The Porter-Milton Ice Company, based now in Reading, MA, had “water ice,” i.e., “natural” cut ice blocks as opposed to ice created through refrigeration, available for sale from its Milton ice houses.

FOR SALE. WATER ICE FOR SALE. WE are now shipping every day from Milton, N.H. Call Reading 0144 between 9 a.m. and 12 noon or Milton, N.H. 25; PORTER-MILTON ICE CO. MW Ja27 (Boston Globe, January 27, 1930).

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Charles J. Berry of Milton Mills celebrated his ninety-third birthday in Wollaston, MA, as he had in 1927, 1928, and 1929. He is here identified as one of the last three members of Milton’s Eli Wentworth Post of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Civil War veterans’ organization.

MILTON MILLS VETERAN TURNS 93 IN WOLLASTON. QUINCY, Feb. 14 – Maj. Charles Jewett Berry of Milton Mills, N.H., a veteran of the Civil War, is observing the 93d anniversary of his birth today at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William M. Burrell of 114 Beach st., Wollaston. Maj. Berry is one of the three surviving members of Eli Wentworth Post, G.A.R. of New Hampshire. He served in the 1st New Hampshire Cavalry and is president of the 1st New Hampshire Cavalry Association. He is the oldest resident of Milton Mills. His birthday anniversary was marked today at a dinner in his honor at the home of Mrs. Burrell. Among the guests present were Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Farnsworth at Swampscott, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Farnsworth of Everett, and Mr. and Mrs. Alan Painten of Wollaston. Maj. Berry received many messages and cards of congratulation. Mr. and Mrs. Burrell were assisted in the arrangements of the party by Mr. and Mrs. Clifford A. Berry of East Weymouth. Mr. Berry is physically well and mentally alert and attends each Summer the reunion of veterans at The Weirs, N.H. He has two sons, Arthur L. Berry of Woodfords, Me., and Clifford A. Berry. He is spending the Winter months in Wollaston at the home of his daughter (Boston Globe, February 14, 1930).

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A destructive fire occurred in the Milton Mills home of Luther B. and Clara E. (Berry) Roberts, an elderly couple who happened to be sick in bed at the time. Both the Milton and Rochester fire departments responded. The neighboring home of Mary E. Clark was saved.

SICK COUPLE, 85, RESCUED AT FIRE. Blaze in Early Morning Scares Milton Mills, N.H. Special Dispatch to the Globe. MILTON MILLS, N.H., March 21. Fire which destroyed the 2½ story colonial house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Luther B. .Roberts caused quite a scare in this village early this morning. Help was summoned from Milton and Rochester and before the fire was put out adjacent property was slightly damaged. The structure burned was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Roberts, who recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. Both are about 85 and were confined to bed by sickness. Grange Hall was opened and the couple taken from the burning house to that place on stretchers. The house was filled with antique furniture, all of which is a total loss. The damage is estimated at $5000 (Boston Globe, March 21, 1930).

Luther B. Roberts, retired, aged eighty-four years (b. ME), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Clara E. Roberts, aged eighty-seven years (b. NH). He owned their house on Main Street, which was valued at $2,000. Their household appeared between those of Fred H. Simes, a woolen mill superintendent, aged some years (b. NH), and Mary Clark, a housewife, aged fifty-nine years (b. NY). They did not have a radio set.

AGED COUPLE LOSE HOME. Milton Mills, March 22. – Starting, it is believed, from an overheated stove, fire early yesterday swept through the fine 2½ story Colonial home of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Roberts here, and destroyed it, together with its contents. The blaze spread to the home of Mrs. Mary Clarke, next door, where, farmed by a high wind, it was making considerable headway when stopped by firemen from Milton and Rochester. Damage to both places is estimated at about $7000 (Portsmouth Herald, March 22, 1930).

Luther H. (Clara E.) Roberts appeared in the Milton directory of 1930, as residing at Sanbornville R.D. [Rural Delivery]. Mary E. Clark resided still at Milton Mills.

Luther B. Roberts died in Milton Mills, August 5, 1933. Clara E. (Berry) Roberts died in Milton Mills, August 23, 1938, aged ninety-four years, four months, and twenty-one days.

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Emile Vachon, the Milton boxer of the prior year, fought again in Dover, NH, He knocked out his opponent in the second round. He fought again in October.

BOSTON MARINE STOPPED, CHELSEA BOXER GETS DRAW. DOVER, N.H., April 4 – Tiger Tom Dixon of Dover won on a technical knockout over Sandy Jack Taylor, Boston marine, in the second round of a scheduled 10-rounder here tonight. In the six-round semifinal, Rudy Santerre, Suncook, knocked out Bob Cecchetti of Madbury. In another semifinal, Emile Vachon, Milton, N.H., knocked out Young Delaney of Portsmouth in the second round. Johnny Kelley, Sanford, Me., and Sam Linden, Chelsea, Mass., boxed a  (Boston Globe, April 5, 1930).

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Charles E. Woods, a Portsmouth salesman, of 43 Whipple Road in Kittery, ME, had camps to let in the woods on the lake in Milton, NH.

TO LET. TO LET – Camps Milton Pond, N.H., in the woods on the lake, sandy beach, boating, bathing, fishing. Chas. E. Woods. phone 1383. 1w jy17 (Portsmouth Herald, July 17, 1930).

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Mrs. Mary C. (Weeks) Horne, widow of Frank G. Horne, and a Milton resident of many years, died at the Wentworth hospital in Dover, NH, August 8, 1930, aged seventy-eight years.

Ralph W. Cobb, a National Biscuit [Nabisco] commercial traveler, aged forty-one years (b. MA), headed a Dover, NH, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-two years), Harriet E. Cobb, aged forty-two years (b. NH), his daughter Miriam J. Cobb, aged seventeen years (b. NH), and his mother-in-law, Mary C. Horne, a widow, aged seventy-seven years (b. NH). Ralph W. Cobb owned their house at 665 Central Avenue, which was valued at $5,500. They had a radio set.

OBITUARY. Mary C. Horne. Mrs. Mary C. Horne, formerly of Portsmouth, widow of the late Frank G. Horne, died early Friday morning at the Wentworth Hospital, in Dover, following a lingering illness, aged 78. For many years she made her home in Milton, N.H., being a member of the Congregational Church of that town and president of Plummer Ridge Sewing Circle. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Charles L. Beaton of this city, with whom she resided while in Portsmouth, Mrs. R.W. Cobb of Dover, son Herbert F. Ham of Farmington, a sister, Mrs. Charles C. Smith of Tamworth, a grandchild, Miriam J. Cobb of Dover. Her funeral will be held from the residence of Mrs. R.W. Hobbs, 665 Central avenue, Dover, on Sunday afternoon at 2.30 with interment in Pine Hill Cemetery (Boston Globe, August 9, 1930).

Mary C. Weeks married in Rochester, NH, March 24, 1875, she of Wakefield, NH, and he of Milton. He was a trader, aged twenty-three years (b. Milton); she was aged twenty-two years (b. Great Falls).

Frank G. Horne appeared in the Milton directory of 1917, as a farmer, and manager for the Nat. Biscuit Co. [Nabisco] in Dover, NH, with his house at Plummer’s Ridge, 4th north of schoolhouse. He died in Milton, in November 1923, after which point she resided with various children.

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It would seem that school buses were not in use yet, at least not in Milton Mills. Here we learn of seven Nute High school students being injured when the school automobiles – plural – in which they were riding overturned.

New England News. Milton Mills, N.H. – Seven high school students injured, two seriously, as school automobiles overturn (North Adams Transcript, September 26, 1930).

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Emile Vachon, the Milton boxer of April and of the prior year, fought again at the Dover City Hall, but lost this bout in the fourth round.

BIG BOY RAWSON TAKES EVERY ROUND AT DOVER. DOVER, N.H., Oct 3 – Big Boy Rawson of Boston won a 10-round decision over Dynamite Dan. Martin of this city tonight at the Dover A.C. show in City Hall. Rawson won every round. Bill Burgess of Dover won a six-round verdict over Frankie Woods of Boston. Phil Chester, another local boxer, knocked out Henry Tatro of Concord, N.H., in one round. Harry Burleigh defeated Emil Vachon of Milton, N.H., in four rounds, and Jerry Lamontagne of Rochester, N.H., was given a decision over Young Sullivan of Sanford, Me. (Boston Globe, October 4, 1930).

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Howard M. Starratt received his ordination at the Milton Mills Baptist church on September 24.

The Pownals. Former Pastor Ordained. Howard M. Starratt, a former pastor of the Baptist church in this village, was ordained to the ministry at Milton Mills, N.H., on Sept. 24th. The ordination sermon was preached by Rev. Nathan R. Wood, D.D., the welcome to the ministry and charge to the church by Prof.. Edwin H. Byington and the charge to the candidate and ordaining prayer by Rev. Austin T. Kempton. The candidate had studied under the first named two men at Gordon college, Boston, and had worked under Dr. Kempton in Cambridge (Boston Globe, October 8, 1930).

Rev. Howard M. Starratt, of Milton Mills’ Baptist church, resigned his pastorate in order to accept a call to LaFayette, IN. (He had come to Milton Mills in September 1928).

The Pownals. POWNAL. Has New Pastorate. Rev. Howard M. Starratt who has been at Milton Mills, N.H., since leaving here two years ago has resigned there to accept the pastorate of the First Baptist church at LaFayette, Indiana, and will begin his duties at once. The church has a membership of three hundred. Mr. Starratt was accompanied on the trip by his brother, Charles, formerly of North Adams. Mrs. Starratt is staying a few weeks at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Bishop of Clarksburg before going to her new home (Boston Globe, October 31, 1930).

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A Milton Mills deer “charged” Clifford E. Hersom’s automobile while Hersom was traveling home to Sanford, ME.

Fred Hersom, a plush mills weaver, aged forty-five years (b. ME), headed a Sanford, ME, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife(of twenty-one years), Jessie Hersom, aged thirty-eight years (b. NH), and his children, Clifford Hersom, a lunch cart helper, aged twenty-one years (b. NH), Marion Hersom, ged eighteen years (b. ME), Harold Hersom aged fifteen years (b. ME), and Evelyn Hersom, aged thirteen years (b. ME), Edward Hersom, ged nine years (b. ME), and Frank Hersom aged eight years (b. ME). Fred Hersom owned their house at 7 Douglas Street, which was valued at $2,000. They had a radio set.

DEER CHARGES AUTO, GETS KILLED OUT OF SEASON. MILTON MILLS, N.H., Nov. 13 (A.P.) – Clifford Hersom did not have to wait until the official opening of the deer season to get one. He was returning home In his automobile today when he encountered a deer on the road. Hersom pulled his machine to one side to avoid the animal, but it charged the machine, broke a headlight, ruined a mud guard and a few other accoutrements. The animal then ran into a field and dropped dead. A game warden permitted Hersom to keep the deer as compensation for the damage to his automobile (Boston Globe, November 14, 1930).

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Here we learn of Rev. Alfred Goodwin Peacock leaving his parish in Dedham, MA, to accept another in Lisbon, NH.

Alfred G. Peacock was born in Milton, November 4, 1898, son of Rev. Robert M. and Ada M. (Lee) Peacock. His father had been the fourth Nute Chapel pastor in West Milton, between 1896 and 1911. Rev. Peacock the younger would have been about twelve years of age when his father accepted a call to Vassalboro, ME, in 1911.

FORMER DEDHAM PASTOR ACCEPTS LISBON PULPIT. WEST MILTON, N.H., Nov. 24  Resigning from the pastorship of the Riverdale Congregational Church at Dedham, Mass, Rev. Alfred G. Peacock has accepted a call to the Congregational Church at Lisbon, N.H. Rev. Mr. Peacock, who received his early education at Nutes Ridge, West Milton, N.H., was graduated from the Oak Grove Seminary, Vassalboro, Me., and the Theological Seminary at Bangor, Me., class of ’25 (Boston Globe, November 25, 1930).

Alfred G. Peacock, a Congregational clergyman, aged thirty-one years (b. NH), headed a Dedham, MA, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of three years), Faith K. Peacock, aged twenty-six years (b. ME). They rented their house at 5 Lindale Avenue, for $30 per month. They had a radio set.

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Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1929; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1931

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References:

Find a Grave. (2000, February 25). Alfred G. Peacock. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/1067021

Find a Grave. (2013, August 16). Luther B. Roberts. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115578547

Find a Grave. (2011, November 20). Mary Carter Weeks Horne. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/80755819/mary-carter-horne

 

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | October 27, 2019

In this year, we encounter a Charles J. Berry’s ninety-second birthday, a barber wanted, Rev. Howard M. Starratt writing a letter, an ice cream-eating champion, a G.A.R. meeting, Mrs. Sarah Jewett adopting a woodchuck, Rev. and Mrs. Howard M. Starratt on vacation, a barber wanted still, the retirement, and then death, of Frank H. Thayer, the Wall Street Crash of 1929, and a boxing match.

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Charles J. Berry of Milton Mills celebrated his ninety-second birthday in Wollaston, MA, as he had in 1927 and 1928. He is here identified as one of the last two members of Milton’s Eli Wentworth Post of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Civil War veterans’ organization. (C.A. Adams of Milton, NH, attended a G.A.R. meeting in Reading, MA, in June (see below)).

CHARLES JEWETT BERRY HAS 92D BIRTHDAY. QUINCY, Feb. 15 – Charles Jewett Berry, one of the last two surviving member of Eli Wentworth Post, G.A.R., Milton Mills, N.H., old First Regiment, New Hampshire cavalryman and president of the First Regiment Association, which meets annually at the Weirs, N.H., celebrated his 92d birthday yesterday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William M. Burrell, 114 Beach st., Wollaston, where he is spending the Winter. He has two sous, Clifford A. Berry of East Weymouth and Arthur L. Berry of Portland, Me. He received many congratulations (Boston Globe, February 15, 1929).

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Charles L. Burke advertised again for a barber (who was also a good “bobber”), as he had in 1923 and 1924. He was still looking in September.

MALE HELP WANTED. BARBER WANTED at once; must be good workman and good bobber: good pay. Address C.L. BURKE, Milton, N.H. * (Boston Globe, March 3, 1929).

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Milton Mills’ new Baptist minister wrote to his former parish in Pownal, VT. He mentioned having attended a Boston Garden gospel meeting led by famed evangelist Rodney “Gypsy” Smith, Mabel A. Starratt’s lung ailment being on the mend, and encouraging progress in his work at Milton Mills.

POWNAL. H.M. Starratt, late of this place, now pastor at Milton Mills, N.H., and a student at Gordon college of Theology and Missions writes of attending the recent Gypsy Smith gospel meetings. These were held in Boston Gardens, an auditorium seating 20,000 people and hundreds were turned away for lack of room. The evangelist’s spiritual message has moved Boston he writes. Mrs. Starratt writes of a recent visit to a lung specialist in Boston, who after an X-ray examination pronounced her well on the road to recovery but cautioned against overexertion for some time to come. The course of treatment she has followed for the past year and a half bids fair to make her entirely well in time. Work in the church at Milton Mills is very encouraging. About 185 persons attended the Easter morning service and about the same number witnessed a pageant in the evening. An illustrated lecture on the Holy Land was given on Monday evening by Dr. A.D. Kempton of Broadway Baptist church, Cambridge, under whom Mr. Starratt worked before coming to Pownal. Both wish to be remembered to all local friends and offer a hearty welcome to any that will visit them at Milton Mills (North Adams Transcript, April 12, 1929).

Rev. Howard M. Starratt died in Clerksburg, MA, November 10, 1965. Mabel A. (Bishop) Starratt died in Pownal, VT, September 7, 1995.

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Boston & Maine Railroad crossing tender Charles L. Morrison is here featured as New Hampshire’s statewide ice cream-eating champion.

FINDS GALLON A DAY KEEPS DOCTOR AWAY. Crossing Tender, 75, Likes His Ice Cream. Charles Morrison, B.&M. Vet, Stationed Near Milton, N.H. Special Dispatch to the Globe. MILTON, N.H., May 31 – A gallon a day keeps the doctor away, at least that seems to be the belief of Charles Morrison 75-year-old crossing tender at Lebanon st. crossing of the Boston & Maine, who is without doubt the champion ice cream eater of the State. When not on duty at his little flag shanty, situated but a few feet over the State line in Maine, this hale and hearty veteran of 45 years of service with the B. & M., can be found in an ice cream parlor taking, what he calls, his daily medicine. Morrison says that, outside of his work, his greatest pleasure is derived from eating ice cream, which he firmly believes is the direct cause of his fine physical condition. This is the only bad habit I have, he continued, and many the day, especially in Summer, I consume nearly a gallon of what I call my daily medicine. Morrison was born in Limerick, Me, July 23, 1853, and as a young man moved to Charlestown, Mass, where he married Miss Minnie Savage of that city 38 years ago. After entering the employ of the B. & M. he served 23 years as a freight brakeman, 22 years as a freight conductor and on account of his age was transferred as a flagman to this crossing last September (Boston Globe, June 1, 1929).

Milton’s ice cream vendors in the business directory of 1917 were J.H. Willey’s drug store, at 2 Main street, corner of Silver street; and F.H. Lord’s variety store, at 39 Main street. (There were others at Milton Mills). J. Herbert Willey, druggist, and Harriet A. Lord, were still active on Main street in 1930. Charles Morrison might have obtained his ice cream at either location.

Robert Gray, a contracting carpenter, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twelve years), Marian Gray, aged thirty-one years (b. MA), his children, Marian Gray, aged thirteen years (b. NH), and Charles Gray, aged five years (b. NH), his father-in-law, Charles Morrison, a railroad gate tender, aged seventy-two years (b. ME), and his mother-in-law, Minnie [(Savage)] Morrison, aged sixty-three years (b. MA). Robert Gray rented their house, which cost $8 per month. They had a radio set.

Charles Lafayette Morrison died in Lebanon, ME, May 15, 1941, aged eighty-six years. Merced M. “Minnie” (Savage) Morrison died in Lebanon, ME, December 11, 1946, aged seventy-nine years.

Brian McQuade, a current Milton resident, has also an interest in ice cream, if not Mr. Morrison’s gigantic appetite for it. He wrote a book on the subject, entitled Brian Eats New Hampshire: Ice Cream & Gelato. His book concentrates on NH ice cream vendors who make their product “on the premises.” Milton has also – in season – an ice cream shop, named The Pink House.

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READING. It was G.A.R. Day at the meeting of the Reading Rotary Club yesterday, the special guests being five of the eight members of Post 194. The veterans present were Commander Walter S. Parker, William C.M. Howe, Harland P. Pratt. John Bacheller and John Simpson of Wilmington. Comrade C.A. Adams of Milton, N.H., who is visiting in Reading, was invited to attend. Rev Wesley G. Huber, of the First Baptist Church, spoke (Boston Globe, June 4, 1929).

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Mrs. Sarah Jewett of Milton Mills acquired a pet woodchuck, with the assistance of her dog Stubby, who perhaps had other ideas.

BABY WOODCHUCK MADE PET BY NEW HAMPSHIRE WOMAN. MILTON MILLS, N.H., July 5 – Mrs. Sarah Jewett of this village on June 14 captured a 5-weeks-old woodchuck in a stone wall on her farm and has made a real pet of this animal. Mrs. Jewett, who resides on a 200-acre farm on the outskirts of this town, noticed her dog Stubby trying in great anxiety to tear down a stone wall near the house, and upon going out to investigate, found that be had cornered a small woodchuck. Capturing the scared little animal she took it to the house, made a new home for it in a small cage in the back yard and began to show Master Woodchuck that he was among friends and not enemies. He was especially fond of bananas and within a short time they were indeed pals, Mrs. Jewett being able to handle him as she would a kitten. Whistling and chattering all day long, Lucky Lindy, as she has named him, seems to enjoy his new home although no opportunity is given him to return to his old life (Boston Globe, July 6, 1929).

Lucky Lindy was a namesake for Charles Lindburgh, whose transatlantic flight had taken place just two years earlier (May 20-21, 1927).

Richard I. Jewett, a farmer, aged forty-five years (b. MA), headed an Acton, ME, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty years), Sarah E. [(Lowd)] Jewett, aged fifty-four years (b. ME). (And Stubby, a dog, and Lucky Lindy, a woodchuck). Richard I. Jewett owned their house. They had a radio set.

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Rev. Howard M. and Mabel A. (Bishop) Starratt of Milton Mills visited her parents in Clarksburg, MA, and his old parish in adjoining Pownal, VT in July and August.

The Pownals. POWNAL. Mrs. Howard M. Starratt, formerly of this village, is spending a few weeks with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Bishop of Clarksburg and expects to call in Pownal before returning to her home at Milton Mills, N.H. (North Adams Transcript, July 11, 1929).

The Pownals. POWNAL. Mrs. Howard M. Starratt of Milton Mills, N. H., spent a few days in town calling on friends (North Adams Transcript, July 22, 1929).

The Pownals. POWNAL. Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Starratt of Milton Mills, N.H., were calling on friends in town Friday and were supper guests of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Rathbun as were also Mrs. Starratt’s grandfather, Dexter Bishop of Clarksburg and his daughter, Miss Grace Bishop. (North Adams Transcript, August 5, 1929).

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Charles L. Burke’s “good pay” of March is set forth here as being $25 per week, plus commissions. He appeared (with wife Lillian M. Burke) in the Milton directory of 1930 as having a garage and being a hairdresser, in Milton.

MALE HELP WANTED. BARBER wanted at once, must be good hair cutter, $25 a week and commission. Address C.L. BURKE, Milton, N.H., Lock Box 3. 2t* s4 (Boston Globe, September 4, 1929).

Chas. L. Burke, a barbershop barber, aged forty-six years (b. NH). headed a Milton houshold at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty years), Lillian [(Dennett)] Burke, aged forty years (b. US). They resided in a rented house on North Main Street, for which he paid $10 per month. They had a radio set. Census taker Mildred D. Horne enumerated their household between those of Howard Sceggell, a fibre mill laborer, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), and John A. Downs, an odd jobs laborer, aged sixty-eight years (b. NH). Just beyond John A. Downs appeared J.D. Willey, a general store retail merchant, aged seventy-six years (b. NH), and James H. Willey, a general store manager, aged fifty-five years (b. NH).

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Frank H. Thayer, son and successor of shoe manufacturer Noah B. Thayer, gave over to Herbert Posner as of the beginning of November. His retirement was a short one, as he died but a month later.

Frank H. Thayer, a shoe manufacturer, aged fifty-six years (b. MA), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household inlcuded his wife, Alice U. Thayer, aged forty-nine years (b. IL), and his children, Louise Thayer, aged fifteen years (b. MA), and Richard W. Thayer, aged thirteen years (b. MA). They resided in a rented apartment at 535 Beacon Street.

BOSTON MAN TO QUIT E. ROCHESTER SHOE PLANT. ROCHESTER, N.H, Sept 25 – A new organization is being formed to take over the firm of N.B. Thayer & Co., shoe manufacturers at East Rochester. The firm name will be continued, but announcement has been made that the new concern will take over the business on Nov 1. Frank H. Thayer of Beacon st., Boston, whose father originally started the company and who has been the active head of the company, will retire, and the place will be taken over by Herbert Posner of the large firm of Dr. A. Posner & Co., of New York and Brooklyn, whose shoes tor several years have been manufactured at East Rochester. Stock to the amount of $150,000 is being issued and will be taken by Roy M. McQuillen of East Rochester, the president of the company, Mr. Posner and the salesforce and employes of the company in equal amounts. No change is to be made in the executive personnel of the company. The capacity of the East Rochester factory will be greatly increased, following the reorganization after Nov 1 (Boston Globe, September 26 1929).

FRANK H. THAYER. Frank H. Thayer, treasurer and general manager of N.B. Thayer & Co. Inc., shoe manufacturers of East Rochester, N H, died at his home, 282 Beacon st., Saturday afternoon, after an illness of five weeks. He was born at South Weymouth, Mass, Jan. 4, 1864, the son of Noah Blanchard and Lucy (Newcomb) Thayer. His father was one of the pioneer shoe manufacturers of this country and he himself was very widely known in the shoe and leather trade. Surviving him are his wife, Alice (Waterman) Thayer; a son, Richard W. Thayer, and a daughter, Mrs. Francis Tilden Nichols (Boston Globe, December 9, 1929).

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A major stock market crash began on “Black Thursday,” October 24, 1929, and continued through “Black Tuesday,” October 29, 1929. It recovered partially, but continued to fall between April 1930 and July 1932.

CAPITAL SHOCKED BY STOCKS CRASH. Officials of Administration Frankly Worried. Federal Reserve Board Officers Silent After Meeting. Special Dispatch to the Globe. WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 – The Administration, individually and collectively, was dumbfounded and worried today as descending stocks crashed through all opposition, with ominous financial and political forebodings to the Government. In the face of the near-panic the Federal Reserve Board, the Governments machinery for stabilizing finance, continued its silence. There was a formal meeting of the board this morning, but none after the first break in prices and the succeeding downward sweep. Administration officials do not know why a secondary reaction could assume such proportions or know what they can do about it. They fear the trend of the last two weeks will leave political scars, whether deserved or not, that no amount of political salve or optimistic financial reports will obliterate. Their greatest fear is that publlc financial morale might be broken in a way that will not permit psychological mending for months to come.

Many Rumors Current. The continued silence of the Federal Reserve Board has brought many rumors. One of the most current is that members feel the best the board can do is encourage member banks to ease credit by buying Liberty Bonds and other Government securities in which their present holdings are comparatively small, thus allowing the purchase price to be thrown to the cause of stemming the bear rush. Since this would be done with no publio announcement, it is believed here that such buying has been in progress for more than a week. President Hoover has had his say, expressing confidence in the condition of basic industries in general. The Reserve Board and Treasury officials also have made announcements along similar lines. Now they are perplexed at the immediate devastating reaction to statements that were to them more in the form of cold analysis than of optimistic predictions.

Officials Reticent. Government officials today declined to give public explanations or individual views. A secondary reaction was ejected, but not a repetition of the smash of last week. Taking for granted their concern over the market situation itself, they are now tor the first time frankly worried about the effect on business and industry aside from all speculation and manipulation. The Treasury has brought its figuring on financial and business on predictions to a standstill. Two weeks ago it was prepared to present a rosy forecast for the remaining two-thirds of the fiscal year. Now officials admittedly do not know what to report to the White House, not only about what business should do but what industry actually will he doing when Congress meets In December (Boston Globe, October 29, 1929).

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In a slate of boxing matches sponsored by the Dover Athletic Club, in the Dover Town Hall, Emile Vachon of Milton “stopped” Phil Chester of Dover.

Emile J. Vachon married in Milton, October 26, 1925, Emma Phoebe Custeau, he of Somersworth, NH, and she of Milton.

SHARKEYS PROTEGE SUFFERS DEFEAT. Tiger Dixon Stops Joe Vincha in Dover Bout. Special Dispatch to the Globe. DOVER, N.H., Oct. 31 – Jack Sharkey’s protege, Joe Vincha, Lithuanian heavyweight amateur champion, was stopped by Tiger Tom Dixon of Dover in the third round of the main bout of the Dover A.C. show tonight in the Town Hall. Both Sharkey and John Buckley, Sharkey’s manager, accompanied Vincha here, appearing before the largest attendance at a boxing show in this town in three years. The first round was a draw. In the second Dixon’s superior punching began to weaken his opponent. Vincha dropped just before the bell. In the next round Vincha was out on his feet and Manager Buckley tossed a towel into the ring. Bob Cecchetti of Madbury won a six-round decision over Jimmie Wilde of Waltham In the semifinal. In another six-rounder Tommy Mallon of Dover knocked out Buddie Nichols of Portsmouth in the fourth round. Young Gaffney of Dover and Young Sharkey of Portsmouth fought a four-round draw. In the opening bout Emile Vachon of Milton, N.H., stopped Phil Chester of Dover in the third round (Boston Globe, November 1, 1929).

Emile Vachon, an odd jobs laborer, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of five years), Emma Vachon, aged twenty-four years (b. NH), and his children, Joseph A. Vachon, aged three years (b. NH), Robert A. Vachon, aged two years (b. NH), and Theresa Vachon, aged one year (b. NH). Emile Vachon owned their house on the Wakefield Road (near its intersection with North Main Street), which was valued at $600. They had a radio set.

Regrettably, this young Milton husband and father died in Frisbee Hospital in Rochester, NH, October 8, 1932, of severe burns sustained accidentally when he “started a fire with gasoline, building burned down.”

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Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1928; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1930

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References:

Find a Grave. (2014, October 12). Charles Lafayette Morrison. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/137146911

Find a Grave. (2015, December 5). Emile Joseph Vachon. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/155744317

Find a Grave. (2015, August 7). Frank Herbert Thayer. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/150294761

Find a Grave. (2015, September 5). Rev. Howard M. Starratt. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/151883874

Find a Grave. (2013, August 14). Sarah L. Jewett. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115419144/sarah-l-jewett

Wikipedia. (2019, September). Charles Lindburgh. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh

Wikipedia. (2019, June 20). Rodney “Gipsy” Smith. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_%22Gipsy%22_Smith

Wikipedia. (2019, October 26). Wall Street Crash of 1929. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Crash_of_1929

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | October 24, 2019

In this year, we encounter a G.A.R. birthday party, the death of a candy man, a Milton Mills minister departing, another Milton Mills minister arriving, and a Milton Mills postmaster appointed.

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Charles J. Berry of Milton Mills celebrated his ninetieth birthday in 1927, and here celebrated his ninety-first birthday in the G.A.R. post at Wollaston, MA, where he was wintering with his daughter and her family.

CAKE AND 91 CANDLES FOR CHARLES BERRY. QUINCY, Feb. 14 – Charles J. Berry, 91, a Grand Army veteran of Milton, N.H., entertained Paul J. Revere Post, G.A.R., at a luncheon this afternoon which combined both the spirit of his birthday anniversary and St. Valentines Day. Mr. Berry spends his Winters with his daughter, Mrs. William M. Burrell of 114 Beach st., Wollaston, and that is how he happened to have the Quincy Grand Army men as guests instead of his comrades of Eli Wentworth Post of Milton, N.H. The luncheon was served in Grand Army Hall by Mrs. Dora Ferguson of Wollaston and one of the features of the table was a birthday cake which held 91 candles. Mayor McGrath and Ex-Mayor Bradford made addresses in which they complimented Mr. Berry on attaining such a ripe old age in such a vigorous physical condition. Mr. Berry was born in Milton Mills, N.H. He served in the Union Army in the 1st New Hampshire Cavalry and was allowed the rare privilege of bringing his horse home with him. Mr. Berry is an ardent radio fan. His favorite diversion along the radio activities is listening to the news broadcasts from the studio of the Boston Globe, He has three children, Mrs. William M. Burrell of Wollaston, Clifford A. Berry of East Weymouth and Arthur L. Berry of Portland, Me. (Boston Globe, February 15, 1928).

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Milton Mills native Charles F. Simes died in Philadelphia, PA, August 21, 1928, aged seventy years.

He was born in Milton, April 28, 1858, son of George E. and Ann E. Simes. He left Milton circa 1880-81. He was already a superintendent, presumably for the Forbes-Haywood Company, when he married in Taunton, MA, October 4, 1882, Anna C. Burbank, he of Chelsea, MA, and she of Taunton.

Charles F. Simes became a successful candy manufacturer. The following article from 1921 described his Boston Confectionery Company factory on Main street in Cambridge, MA, as it was from when he became its president in 1900 until he sold out to H.D. Foss & Company in 1921. (He became vice-president of the enlarged new H.D. Foss & Company).

BOSTON CONFECTIONERY COMPANY. Since the purchase of this company the Boston factory of H.D. Foss & Company has been moved to the new location in Cambridge and the several businesses are being carried on in Cambridge at 814 Main Street. A branch office is maintained at 41 Union Square, New York City. The Foss products will be marketed direct to the retailers as in the past, and the brands previously made by the Boston Confectionery Company will be distributed through the jobbing trade, as formerly. The origin of the Boston Confectionery Company dates back to 1892 when the business was first established by H.F. Sparrow on Hampshire Street. It was incorporated as the H.F. Sparrow Company in 1896. C.F. Simes became president of the company in 1900; in 1908, having outgrown the Hampshire Street plant, the company consolidated with the Lydian Confectionery Company, and moved into its present quarters, and became known as the Boston Confectionery Company. The building at that time was about one-third the size of the present factory, which is one of the most modern and up-to-date in equipment that can be devised. The hospital is under the supervision of a graduate nurse, with the latest appliances. On the same floor is a fully equipped cafeteria, 50 by 100 feet, where the help is supplied with good food practically at cost of production. The company’s products, under the brand names “Quality” and “Premier” Chocolate have a national distribution and also considerable foreign output (Cambridge Chronicle, October 8, 1921).

BOSTON CONFECTIONER. CHARLES F. SIMES. DIES. Charles F. Simes, who died in Philadelphia Tuesday after a short illness, was born in Milton Mills, N.H., on April 29, 1858. He came to Boston as a boy and learned his trade with the Forbes-Haywood Company. Since then he had been prominently connected with the candy business in Boston for 47 years. He was past president of the National Confectioners Association, past president of the Confectioners Club of Boston. and member of Soley Lodge, A.F. & A.M., Somerville. He leaves a wife, Anna Burbank Simes; two daughters, Mrs. Robert H. Harding and Mrs. Ralph D. Nickerson, and a brother, Albert Simes. Funeral services will be held at 32 Barnum st., Taunton, tomorrow, at 2:30 p m. (Boston Globe, August 22, 1928).

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In the following two articles we witness a changing of the guard at the First Baptist Church of Milton Mills. The Rev. Carl R. Bartle accepted a call to move from Milton Mills to Whitman, MA, while the Rev. Howard M. Starratt accepted a call to move from Pownal, VT to Milton Mills.

PASTOR IN MILTON MILLS ACCEPTS WHITMAN CALL. WHITMAN, Sept. 2 – Rev. Carl R. Bartle of Milton Mills, N.H., today accepted the call recently extended him by the First Baptist Church here and will assume his pastoral duties the last of the month. Rev. Mr. Bartle is a graduate of the Gordon Bible School of the class of 1924 and received the degree of bachelor of theology. He returned the next year for graduate work. He was for a time pastor of the Woodville Chapel of Wakefield and the Hill Memorial Church of Allston. He has been pastor for the past three years at the Milton Mills Free Baptist .Church at Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, September 3, 1928).

Carl R. Bartle married in Farmington, NH, September 25, 1928, Dora E. Austin, he of Milton Mills and she of Farmington. Rev Arthur Jefferies of Milton performed the ceremony. Bartle was a clergyman, aged twenty-six years (b. Preston, NY, son of Chester U. and Julia E. (Fells) Bartle). Austin was at home, aged thirty-two years (b. Somerset, MA, daughter of Ulysses E. and Mary L. (Fogg) Austin).

Carl R. Bartle, a Baptist minister, aged twenty-seven years (b. NY), headed a Whitman, MA, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of one year), Dora E. Bartle, aged thirty-three years (b. MA). They resided in a rented house at 670 Washington street, for which they paid $30 per month. They had a radio set.

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Howard M. Starrett married in Coeur d’Alene, ID, December 22, 1923, Mabel A. Bishop, both of Spokane, WA. Mrs. George Marvin and Eliza Thompson witnessed the ceremony, which was performed by Baptist minister Rev. Fred H. Thompson of Coeur d’Alene.

POWNAL. Howard M. Starratt, pastor of the Baptist church for a little more than a year, has left for Boston where he will resume his theological studies at Gordon college [Hamilton, MA] and serve as pastor of the church at Milton Mills, N.H. Mrs. Starratt will remain about ten days at the home of her parents in Clarksburg before going to the new home which is on the border line between New Hampshire and Maine. Last Friday evening the Christian Endeavor Society tendered them a reception at Rightholme and presented a Sterling silver cream ladle. Saturday afternoon the Pownal Center people entertained them at the town hall and presented a gift of money. The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the church in this village gave a check as a parting gift, following the morning worship yesterday, Dr. W.A. Davison of Burlington, Vt., is taking steps toward securing a new pastor for the local church (North Adams Transcript, November 20, 1928).

Howard M. Starratt, a Baptist clergyman, aged thirty years (b. MA), headed an Acton, ME, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of seven years), Mabel A. Starratt, aged twenty-seven years (b. MA). They resided in a rented house. They had a radio set.

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We have seen before that postmasters were political appointees. Here is reported Republican President Calvin “Silent Cal” Coolidge’s appointment of John E. Horne as postmaster of Milton Mills. We might infer that John E. Horne was likely a Republican also.

Postmasters Elsewhere Named. The President today sent to the Senate the following nominations for postmaster: Sharon, Mass., Robert A. Clark; Springfield. Mass., James P. Smith; Wenham, Mass., Ethel V. Cook; Milton Mills, N.H., John E. Horne; Plaistow, N.H., Maude B. Duston (Boston Globe, December 10, 1928).

John E. Horne, a retail dry goods merchant, aged fifty-three years (b. ME), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his [second] wife (of four years), Gertrude C. Horne, aged thirty-three years (b. IA), his child, John E. Horne, Jr., aged thirteen years (b. NH), and his mother-in-law, Amy H. Coombs, aged sixty-nine years (b. Canada (Eng.)). John E. Horne owned their house on Main Street (near its intersection with School Street), which was valued at $2,500. They had a radio set.

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Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1927; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1929

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References:

Find a Grave. (2013, August 2). John Everard Horne. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/114788057

Find a Grave. (2018, April 26). Maj. Charles Jewett Berry. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/189182567

Find a Grave. (2012, January 13). Rev. Carl R. Bartle. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/83377452

Find a Grave. )2015, September 5). Rev. Howard Manuel Starratt. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/151883874

Warner Homestead. (2019). A Sweet Find: Chocolate Tongs from the Warner Site. Retrieved from warnerhomestead.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/SVA_2013_04_Archaeology_SparrowChocolate.36171924.pdf

Wikipedia. (2019, October 16). Calvin Coolidge. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Coolidge

Wikipedia. (2019, September 25). Pownal, Vermont. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pownal,_Vermont

Wikipedia. (2019, September 28). Whitman, Massachusetts. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitman,_Massachusetts

Winton, Horace B. (1908). Confectioners’ and Bakers’ Gazette. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=gNdOAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA40-IA23

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | October 20, 2019

In this year, we encounter Charles J. Berry’s ninetieth birthday, another Milton Mills sled dog team, a long-distance identification, Thomas Farmer’s eightieth birthday, the Pomona Grange meeting at the Nute Ridge Grange, a Porter Ice Company fire, another train death, Prohibition punishing hard cider, a Milton Mills farm for sale, sufficient insufficient addresses, a Milton poultry farm for sale, a train hitting a car, and a greedy gobbler.

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The newspapers loved always a centenarian, and Charles J. Berry of Milton Mills was a contender. In this installment, we learn of him working in the grocery business with Ira Miller at Milton Mills, his Civil War cavalry service, and his years running a horse-drawn trolley car between Charlestown and Cambridge, MA. We will hear of his birthday again in 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, and 1934.

His father, James Berry, a farmer, aged fifty-three years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills P.O.”) household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Eliza G. Berry, aged forty-eight years (b. NH), Mary A. Berry, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), Charles Berry, a farmer, aged twenty-three years (b. NH), Nathl. S. Berry, a farmer, aged seventeen years (b. NH), and Clara A. Berry, aged fifteen years (b. NH). James Berry had real estate valued at $5,500 and personal estate valued at $100. The census enumerator recorded their household between those of Joseph Coleman, a farmer, aged sixty-eight years (b. NH), and Elbridge W. Fox, a farmer, aged twenty-five years.

MILTON MILLS, N.H., MAN OBSERVES 90TH BIRTHDAY. QUINCY, Feb. 14 – Charles J. Berry of Milton Mills, N.H., is observing his 90th birthday today at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Annetta Burrell at Wollaston. His son, C.A. Berry of Portland, Me., was among those who assisted in the celebration. Mr. Berry is a member of the Grand Army post of this city. He served during the Civil War with the New Hampshire cavalry, having enlisted at Portsmouth. Capt. Berry ran a horse car in the old days between Charlestown and Cambridge. He was educated in the public schools of Milton Mills and later at Tilton Seminary, Tilton, N.H. In 1857 he was engaged in the grocery business with Ira Miller of Milton Mills. Capt. Berry was the son of James and Eliza (Jewett) Berry (Boston Globe, February 14, 1927).

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Melvin Hurd took Dr. Harry E. Anderson’s sled-dog team (of the previous year) to bring a supply of milk into Milton Mills.

Odd Items From Everywhere. During a bad snowstorm in Milton Mills, N.H., Dr. Anderson’s dog team was the only available milk team to be had. Owing to the drifts in the roads, no milk was brought into town. Mervin Hurd, driver of the team, went out into the country and brought in three large cans of milk from a farm (Boston Globe, March 15, 1927).

Dr. H.E. Anderson advertised in the Milton directory of 1912. His office and home were at 42 Main street (corner of Church street) in Milton Mills. He registered for the WW I draft in Milton Mills in June 1917, and he entered the army from there in 1918. He resided in Somersworth, NH, in 1929.

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Donald E. Bickford died when the truck in which he had hitched a ride collided with an automobile in Danvers, MA. He was identified only by the initials inside a ring that he wore.

Edward S. Chipman, a leather-board finisher, aged fifty-two years (b. MA), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Bertha M. Chipman, aged fifty-two years (b. NH), his children, Clara E. Chipman, aged fifteen years (b. NH), Lois M. Chipman, aged thirteen years (b. NH), and Bessie L. Bickford, a widowed shoe-shop finisher, aged thirty-one years (b. NH), and his grandchildren, Donald E. Bickford, aged eleven years (b. MA), and Rita B. Bickford, aged ten years (b. MA). Edward S. Chipman owned their house on Upper Main Street in Milton Village.

IDENTIFIED AS D.E. BICKFORD. Radio Broadcasts Clear Up Auto Death. DANVERS, March 17. – The body of a young man who died at the State Hospital following an automobile accident Monday was identified last night by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur C. Cleaves of 75 Perrin st., Roxbury, as that of their nephew, Donald Edwin Bickford of Milton, N.H. The identification was brought about through radio broadcasts that an unidentified young man had died at the hospital and the initials on a ring were given as the only possible means of identification. The young man had been working in Boston and lived with his mother at 115 Hemenway st., and on week-ends had visited his grandmother at Milton, N.H. His folks had urged him not to make the trip to Boston by asking for automobile rides, but he is said to have answered that other fellows were doing it and there was no danger in it. It was stated he boarded a truck at Portsmouth, N.H., driven by Frank Salemmi of Somerville. He suffered a fractured skull when the truck was in collision with an automobile owned and operated by Arthur Merton Jr. of 84 Robbins st., Watertown. The body will be taken to Milton, N.H., for burial (Boston Globe, March 17, 1927).

His maternal grandmother was Bertha M. (Drew) Chipman of Milton. His mother was Bessie L. (Chipman) Bickford of Boston, MA [widow of Thomas]. His maternal aunt was Alta D. (Chipman) Cleaves of Roxbury, MA.

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Thomas Farmer, a house carpenter, aged seventy-two years (b. England), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Mary Farmer, aged sixty-six years (b. England). He owned their house, free-and-clear. He had immigrated in 1850 and had been naturalized in 1880; she had immigrated in 1858 and had been naturalized in 1880.

FARMER COUNTS FAMILY BY DOZEN. Man 80 Years Old Member of Family of 24 Children – Many Twins and Triplets. MILTON MILLS, N.H., April 8. Three times two and two times three is the accounting Thomas Farmer, who observed his 80th birthday Wednesday, gives for a part of his parents’ large and long-lived family. I mean, he explained, there were three times two of us (three pair of twins) and two times three of us (two pairs of triplets) and a dozen singles, making a total of 26 in our family, including father and’ mother. Two dozen children! Mr. Farmer, who at four-score years enjoys excellent health, was himself one of [the] twins. He was born in England, the son of John and Elizabeth (Wigfall) Farmer. He came to this country at the age of two and has lived most of his life in New England, having worked 12 years in a New Haven car barn, as well as in Rhode Island and in New York. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias order (Brattleboro Reformer, April 8, 1927).

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The eastern NH regional grange meeting took place again at the Nute Ridge Grange in West Milton. A similar meeting had taken place in April 1924.

POMONA GRANGE MEETS AT WEST MILTON. WEST MILTON, N.H., April 28 – Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange met today with Nute Ridge Grange with a large attendance. At a closed session in the morning, the fifth degree was conferred on a class of candidates, and at 1:30 p.m. Mrs. Annette Smith of Strafford Center, member of the home economics committee of the State Grange, held a conference. A public meeting followed. The invocation was by Rev. Franklin Parker, pastor of the Community Church, the address of welcome by Edwin Henderson, master of Nute Ridge Grange, and the response by Archie Emerson of Somersworth, steward of Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange. There were vocal solos by Mrs. Grace Mooney Stevens of Rochester, readings by Mrs. Annette Smith of Strafford Center and an essay by Mrs. Sadie Ham of Rochester. “The Cornucopia,” Pomona Grange paper was written by Mrs. Grace Hurd of East Rochester, lectures of Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange. (Boston Globe, April 29, 1927).

Only days before this Pomona grange meeting, Nute Ridge Grange master Edwin D. Henderson married in Exeter, NH, April 24, 1927, Ruth F. Gerrish, both of Rochester, NH. He appeared in the Rochester directories of 1924 and 1929, as a farmer, boarding at the farm of his father, Horace L. Henderson, on Chestnut Hill Road, in Rochester, NH.

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Prior to this fire, Milton’s ice industry experienced other ice house fires in at least the years 1902, 1909, and 1922.

MILTON, N.H., ICEHOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE. Loss to Porter Ice Company of Boston $100,000 – Starts Forest Fire, Threatening Cottages. MILTON, N.H., May 3 – At an early hour today fire broke out in the large ice house of the Porter Ice Company of Boston from an unknown cause, destroying it. Damage is $100,000. There are 12 ice houses under one roof, all of which were filled with ice. Assistance was summoned from Rochester and the motor apparatus made the run of eight miles in 20 minutes. Many Summer houses were threatened. The fire was stopped within 15 feet of the Summer home of Maurice Hayes of Watertown, Mass. The fire jumped the pond, starting a forest fire which was subdued without much damage by a large gang. The ice houses are on the shore of Milton Three Pond. Some of the ice may be salvaged (May 3, 1927).

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Milton native Alphonse Franklin Dore died instantly when he was struck by a Boston-bound train. Other pedestrians met similar fates in July 1896, February 1916, and February 1924.

Alphonse F. Dorr appeared in the Milton directory of 1905, as a farmer, with a house at 65 Prospect Hill Road., Lebanon side. Alphonse F. Door appeared in the Milton directory of 1917, as a farmer, whose house was the 8th one on Prospect Hill Road, Lebanon side.

Alfranzo F. Dorr, an ice laborer, aged forty-five years (b. NH), headed a Lebanon, ME, household at the time of the  Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Augusta M. Dorr, aged forty-three years (b. NH), and his boarder, Floyd Thibeault, aged seven years (b. ME). He owned their house on the Milton Road.

MILTON, N.H., MAN KILLED BY TRAIN. MILTON, N.H., May 3. – At 6 a.m. today Alphonse Dore, 52, employed on the crusher at the plant of the Standard Sand and Gravel Company, was at work between two cars on a side track. He stepped in front of train 2930, from Sanbornville to Boston, and was instantly killed. The train was in charge of conductor David Bentham and Engineer Harry McCrillis. Medical Referee Dr. Forrest L. Keay pronounced death due to accident. Dore leaves a wife and two brothers (Boston Globe, May 3, 1927).

In Milton records, Alfranzo F. Dorr, of Lebanon, ME, laborer, died in Milton, NH, May 3, 1927, aged fifty-three years, ten months, and seventeen days. His cause of death was given as “shock, haemorrhage, and multiple fractures (he was struck by a locomotive).” Forrest L. Keay, M.D., Medical Referee for Strafford County, reported the death.

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A Milton Mills man ran afoul of Prohibition through having fifty gallons of hard cider in his possession.

EDITORIAL POINTS. And now a man at Milton Mills, N.H., has been sentenced to pay $100 fine and serve three months in the House of Correction for the possession of 50 gallons of hard cider. What are our New England farmers coming to? (Boston Globe, June 16, 1927).

The tyranny of Prohibition had already proven to be a failure, but had six more years to run. (Other people are not your property).

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AUCTIONS. REAL ESTATE. N.H. BOULEVARD FARM AT AUCTION. ON August 3rd at 2 p.m., a beautiful farm of 215 acres, located on Union Road, Milton Mills, N.H., known as the Philbrick Farm, will be sold to the highest bidder; it’s a going, stocked farm, hay in bam, crop in ground; it is a farm with features very seldom found on other farms. Communicate with SAM DREW, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, August 1, 1927).

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Here are related a couple of anecdotes about postal authorities delivering insufficiently addressed mail. The two examples provided were NY Governor Alfred E. “Al” Smith, and William H. Hills, who wrote a column for the Boston Globe under the pseudonym “Ed Pointer.”

EDITORIAL POINTS. From Kilkenny, Ireland, Gov. Smith received a postcard addressed thus: AL, N.Y., U.S.A. but a while ago Ed Pointer received two letters, one from Milton, N.H., and the other from Woburn, with the envelope addressed simply: “Ed Pointer” – only that and nothing more (Boston Globe, September 13, 1927).

Postal Clerks Generally Are Very Keen. The fact that a post card directed to “Al, N.Y., U.S.A.,” went without delay to Gov. Smith of the Empire State isn’t so surprising. A while ago letters mailed from Woburn and Milton, N.H, with nothing on the envelope but just “Ed Pointer,” made their way unerringly to the desk of the writer of the Boston Globes editorial paragraphs; while in years gone by missives from far away carrying for an address only the portrait made famous in advertisements came as surely to our famous shoeman, W.L. Douglas, as if they had borne his full name with Brockton, Mass, added for good measure. Postal clerks just eat up such blind addresses and call for more. – Brockton Enterprise. After all. Gov Smith needn’t feel so puffed up over receiving a post card addressed “Al, N.Y., U.S.A.” Ed Pointer of the Boston Globe says he has received two letters, one being from Milton, N.H., addressed simply “Ed Pointer.” We’ll bet, however, that none of the mail clerks who handled these letters was the one who a few years ago sent a big printed envelope, addressed in quarter-inch letters, “Rochester, New Hampshire, The Rochester Courier,” and mailed from West Lebanon, Me, six miles away. to Rochester, N.Y. – Rochester (N.H.) Courier (Boston Globe, September 20, 1927).

The actual address of the popular – even so far away as Milton and Rochester, NH – exchange editor William H. “Ed Pointer” Hills was care of the Boston Globe, 244 Washington street, Boston. His home address was at 41 Belmont street, Somerville. He died in Somerville, MA, November 7, 1930.

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MONEY-MAKING COMBINATION. 75-Ft. Greenhouse and 23-Acre POULTRY FARM. ONLY $4000, $1000 down; this is located only ¾ mile from Milton. N.H., 3 miles from Farmington, N.H., and about 5 miles from Rochester. N.H.; can sell all kinds of plants, flowers and vegetables that can be produced; wonderful for raising poultry, very big demand from hotels and roadside stands nearby. 8-room 1½-story cottage house, maple shade trees, 30×40 barn, clapboarded; garage; poultry house and A1 greenhouse, painted, 30×75: close to convenience and State road; No. 502. shown from our Farmington. N.H., office. K. of P. block, tel. 63-4. O.C. BAXTER. Mgr. CHAMBERLAIN & BURNHAM. Inc., 294 Washington st., Boston (Boston Globe, October 27, 1927).

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Prior to this accident, trains struck motorcars at other Milton level crossings in June 1917 and August 1920.

TRAIN HITS AUTO AT SOUTH MILTON, N.H., MAN INJURED. SOUTH MILTON, N.H., Dec. 20 – As the Wolfeboro-Rochester gas train, in charge of engineer Charles Leighton and conductor Isaac Hall was passing over the grade crossing in this place today, it struck the rear of an automobile owned and operated by Arthur Downs of Grove st., East Rochester, turning the machine over three times and wrecking it. Mr. Downs clung to the wheel and escaped with severe cuts from flying glass and bruises. This crossing, situated on the White Mountain Boulevard, is protected by a wig-wag signal (Boston Globe, December 21, 1927).

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Clifton E. Hersom of Milton Mills is here said to have had a more than usually dumb turkey.

THIS PRIZE GOBBLER SHORTENED LIFE BY EATING TOO HEARTILY. Special Dispatch to the Globe. MILTON MILLS, N.H, Dec 22. Lately a lot of scientists have been trying to convince us that dumb critters can think. Maybe turkeys don’t come in the critter category but they sure do shine in the matter of dumbness. Here’s a specific instance of deep thought on the part of a Grade A gobbler.

The particular turkey that we’re concerned with is more than usually dumb. He’s only two months old, but in that time unaided by any human agency he has made himself the heavyweight champion of the C.E. Herson farm. This, mind you, despite the fact that Christmas was in the offing all the time. If a turkey can think why does he accumulate 35 pounds of succulent light and dark meat before a holiday?

It looks as though the scientists who say that dumb critters are there on the “pick up” in their mental processes will have to call in an alienist and frame up a temporary insanity or suicidal mania defense in this case.

We might feel bad for our obese and feathered friend if it were not for the fact that he is the possessor of the meanest disposition in seven counties. You can’t touch him with a 10-foot pole, he’s that exclusive. And fight! He’ll fight at the drop of a hat (Boston Globe, December 23, 1927).

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Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1926; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1928

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References:

Find a Grave. (2018, April 26). Charles J. Berry. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/189182567

Find a Grave. (2014, November 24). Edwin D. Henderson. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/139195709

Find a Grave. (2018, April 28). Harry E. Anderson. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/161764838

Find a Grave. (2013, August 10). Thomas Farmer. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115217221

Wikipedia. (2019, September 19). Al Smith. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Smith

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | October 17, 2019

In this year, we encounter hand-fed birds, a Milton Three-Ponds horserace, a sled-dog craze, and a fire at the Travelers’ Rest.

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It must have been a cold snowy winter for wild birds to eat from the hand.

Odd Items from Everywhere. Several in Milton Mills, N.H, are feeding the robins and pheasants, and they report that the birds are so hungry that they will eat from the hand (Boston Globe, February 20, 1926).

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Fred Young’s trotter Early Dreams raced against Belvin at Milton Three-Ponds, as it had against Peter C. in the previous year.

Hoof Prints. Early Dreams, owned by Fred Young of Farmingham [SIC], N.H., and Belvin, owned by Eugene Littlefield of Berwick, Me., have been matched for $100 a side to race at Milton Three Ponds next Saturday (Boston Globe, March 15, 1926).

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A Milton Mills sled dog “craze” sounds like it might have been fun, for sledders and dogs alike. It sounds also like another indication of a cold snowy winter.

Odd Items From Everywhere. Milton Mills. N.H., has been seized with the sled dog craze and everything from a hound pup to a police dog is being trained in some kind of harness for sled work. One of the latest to enter the ranks is a hound puppy which is enticed into drawing his coach by someone running ahead of him holding a hot dog. He has eaten frequently m his training when he outran his trainer. A common sight about the town is a dog running home dragging a pair of skis to which is hitched an empty dry goods box, the rider having been left in a snowdrift (Boston Globe, March 22, 1926).

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Here we find the first newspaper mention of a Milton fire department, as opposed to a factory fire team or the Rochester fire department.

There were two Fred Downs in Milton: Fred Downs, son of Albert Downs, who lived at Plummer’s Ridge, and Fred Charles Downs, son of Arthur Downs, who lived at Milton Three Ponds village.

Fred C. Downs, an ice company laborer, aged forty-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Census. His household included his wife, Eva M. [(West)] Downs, aged thirty-four years (b. NH), and his children, Arthur F. Downs, aged fourteen years (b. NH), Hazel M. Downs, aged twelve years (b. NH), Annie V. Downs, aged eleven years (b. NH), Raymond F. Downs, aged five years (b. NH), and Doris E. Downs, aged eight months (b. NH). They resided in a rented house on Remick Street, in Milton village. (Remick, from 22 Silver and Church, in 1917; Church, from 32 So. Main to Silver).

MILTON, N.H., HOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE. MILTON, N.H., Dec. 7 – The story-and-a-half house of Fred Downs, Main and Silver sts., was destroyed by fire early this morning and the loss will amount to $3000. Mr. and Mrs. Downs were away at the time and nothing was saved. The Fire Department responded to an alarm and the fire pump from Rochester was sent to the scene. The origin of the fire is unknown. The Fire Department kept the fire from spreading to other buildings. The place is known as “The Travelers’ Rest” and Mr. Downs caters to tourists in the Summer (Boston Globe, December 7, 1926).

Charles F. (Eva M.) Downs appeared in the Milton directory of 1930, with a house on Charles street.

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Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1925; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1927

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References:

Find a Grave. (2013, May 24). Eva M. Downs. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/130305339

 

By Muriel Bristol | October 13, 2019

In researching other Milton businesses, details of several Milton restaurants have emerged. Miss Elsye Maud Wallace established her Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop, which appears to have been Milton’s second restaurant. (LaRochelle’s lunchroom in Three Ponds village appears to have been the first). Miss Wallace opened her tea shop around 1914 and it remained a going concern through at least 1922 (and probably as late as 1929).

Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop occupied a refurbished one-story four-room cottage on Plummer’s Ridge, opposite the schoolhouse there. (Site of the so-called “Blue House” that sold at a tax auction this year). Miss Wallace, her sister, Alice J. Wallace, both theatrical ladies, and their widowed mother, Addie M. (Gilman) Wallace, resided initially right in the building. One of the rooms was given over to the tea shop, and the cooking took place in its kitchen. Additional tables stood out on the lawn.

The ladies catered to the tourist trade traveling up and down the White Mountain Highway or “Boulevard.” It was advertised as being on the Yellow Line to the White Mountains. (The “Yellow Line” refers to the yellow and black bands painted on utility poles to mark the White Mountain Highway’s route).

The Proprietor: Miss Elsye M. Wallace

Elsye Maud Wallace was born in Milton, December 7, 1884, daughter of Dr. William F. and Adelaide M. “Addie” (Gilman) Wallace. Her sister, Lydia J. “Josie” Wallace, was born in Milton, November 15, 1886, but died in Bradford, NH, November 19, 1892. Her youngest sister, Alice J. Wallace, was born in Bradford, NH, July 23, 1893.

William F. Wallace, a physician, aged fifty years (b. NH), headed a Plaistow, NH, household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of seventeen years), Addie M. Wallace, aged fifty-one years (b. NH), and his children, Elsie M. Wallace, at school, aged fifteen years (b. NH), and Alice J. Wallace, at school, aged six years (b. NH). Addie M. Wallace was the mother of three children, of whom two were still living. They rented their house.

Elsye M. Wallace of Plaistow, NH, attended the New Hampton Literary and Biblical Institute in 1903. (They listed her residence as Rochester, NH, in 1905). Miss Wallace took positions in teaching initially – mostly voice instruction – but she embarked also upon a singing career.

In October 1904, the Boston Globe ran a contest for a $25,000 educational fund. The contest winner would be the contestant that received the greatest number of ballots (clipped from the newspaper). Her former classmates at the New Hampton Literary [and Bible] Institute promoted her candidacy.

New Hamptonites. Attention! Vote Counter – send in your votes for an old New Hamptonite, Miss Elsye M. Wallace. She’s In to win, so help her along. Enclosed find 40 votes. From one N.H.L.I. Graduate (Boston Globe, October 3, 1904).

Elsye M. Wallace appeared in the Rochester directory of 1905 as a teacher, boarding at 39 Leonard street.

NEWS OF THE GRANGE. What Branches of the Order Are Doing. REPORTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE. Eastern N.H. Pomona held its twenty-second annual farmer’s festival, July 31, at the New College, Durham, where a basket picnic was served on the lawn, the college buildings and grounds inspected and, at half past two the audience of 300 people was called to order in the Gymnasium by Frank Smith, Farmington, master, who introduced Mrs. Lizzie Lyman Fall, Milton, lecturer, who had charge of these exercises: Invocation by the Rev. John C. Sanderson, Lansing, Mich.; welcome by Prof. F.W. Rane, master of Scammell grange; response by Geo. R. Drake, the first master; Elsye Wallace sang “Under the Rose” and responded to a recall with “The Slumber Boat”; address by H.O. Hadley, State Master, on “The Benefits of Organization”; John McDaniel Lee, recited “Christmas at Black Rocks” and “The Bewitched Cloak”, Miss Wallace sang “The Jean” and there were remarks by Richard Pattee, lecturer of Plymouth State Grange (Portsmouth Herald, August 7, 1906).

Her father, Dr. William F. Wallace, died in Rochester, NH, September 5, 1906. Addie M. Wallace applied for a Civil War widow’s pension, October 15, 1906, based upon her late husband’s service in the Eighteenth NH Infantry.

Elsye M. Wallace taught in Southbridge, MA, during the 1907-08 academic year. She received a salary of $182.00. Southbridge also reimbursed her expense outlay of $15.59 for a set of music charts.

New Hampton, NH, held an Old Home Day festival on August 22, 1908, at which Miss Wallace performed.

The Bristol Cornet Band entertained the crowd with music throughout the day, which concluded with a musical event at Chapel Hall featuring violin and piano soloists and singing of several soprano solos by Miss Elsye M. Wallace of Rochester and Boston.

Miss Elsye Wallace of Boston, MA, appeared as a vocalist in a list of performances of the works of composer Mrs. H.H.A. Beach in 1908. She sang “O Were My Love You Lilac Fair.”

HAMPTON BEACH. Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Priest and Miss Elsye M. Wallace, formerly of Rochester, were recent visitors in the Radcliff hotel from Plaistow. Miss Wallace is a well known vocalist and a pupil of Mrs. Helen Allen Hunt of Boston (Portsmouth Herald, June 14, 1909).

Elsye M. Wallace taught as a Voice instructor at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, IA, in the 1909-10 academic year. She appeared in the Buena Vista College Bulletin of that year among its faculty members.

ELSYE M. WALLACE. Professor of Voice. Graduate of New England Conservatory 1906, studied with Mme. Sargeur Goodelle one year, with Mme. Ellis-Dexter three years.

John A.P. Harlan, own income, aged sixty-six years (b. IL), headed a Storm Lake, IA, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of forty-one years), Laura Harlan, aged sixty-five years (b. OH), and his roomer, Elsye M. Wallace, a voice music instructor, aged twenty-five years (b. NH). Laura Harlan was the mother of six children, of whom three were still living. He owned their house at 406 Otsego street, free-and-clear.

Miss Wallace sang at J.W. Greeley’s Dreamland Theater on Congress Street in Portland, ME, in February 1911. The industry periodical Variety reviewed her performance as having “pleased” the audience as a part of the “strongest bill this season.”

PORTLAND, ME. Portland (J.W. Greeley, mgr.; agent U.B.O.; rehearsal, Monday 10). – Australia Four, strong feature; Great Basalera, pleased; Irene Dillon, hit; Catherine Cronin Trio, clever; Rathskellar Trio, well received; Elsye M. Wallace, pleased. Strongest bill this season. Buffalo Bill’s “Wild West” is booked here June 12. HAROLD C. ARENOVSKY (Variety, February 1911).

PORTLAND, ME. PORTLAND (J.W. Greeley, mgr.; agent; U.B.O.; rehearsal, Monday 10). – “Aviator Girl,” strong feature; Allor & Barrlngton, laughing hit; Rathskeller Trio, tremendous; Gregsons, classy; Dan Mason & Co., well received; Elsye M. Wallace, pleased (Variety, March 1911).

Addie M. Wallace appeared in the Rochester directory of 1912, as a widow, with her home at 18 Silver street. Her daughter, Miss Elsye M. Wallace, appeared as having her home also at 18 Silver street.

HAVERHILL. The annual sale and fair of the Ladies’ Society of the Universalist Church was held at the Atkinson, N.H. Town Hall yesterday afternoon and evening. The drama “The Sunny Glen” was presented and Miss Elsye Wallace contributed vocal solos last evening (Boston Globe, November 19, 1913).

AMUSEMENTS. At the Lyric. For this week the Lyric offers a special program of good moving pictures, showing the famous Mutual features, which include the popular Keystone comedy subjects, the “Mutual Girl,” and some of those excellent. American Western pictures and during the week the late Mutual weekly, the latter showing the very latest news events of the country. Miss Elsye Wallace, lyric soprano, has been engaged as soloist, offering selections at each performance. Three shows will be given daily at 2.15, 7.30, and 9. The hot weather of the past week proved, beyond a doubt, that the cold air plant at the Lyric is a real success, for even on the hottest day the theater was cool and comfortable. The Lyric should be an ideal place to drop into at any time, enjoy some good pictures and escape the heat (Fitchburg Sentinel, June 15, 1914).

Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop – 1914-c1929

Miss Elsye M. Wallace opened Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop in or around 1914. She provided details of the shop, its creation, and its menu in a 1922 interview (“Making a Living in the Country”: excerpted below). She, her sister, and their mother appear to have lived in the shop, as late as 1917, but later to have run it from Rochester. She continued to pursue her singing career during the winters, working largely as a vaudeville singer, or “theatrical” actress. The tea shop was a fair-weather enterprise, which makes sense, as the automobiles of the time had limited winter capabilities.

The tea shop’s name might have been inspired by the wildflower of the same name – the Ragged Robin (Lychnis Flos Cuculi) – or by a popular musical with the same name of a few years previously.

“Ragged Robin,” the successful Irish play being presented this season by Chauncey Olcott is adding fresh laurels to the wreath of that ever popular star. Mr. Olcott has a budget of new and beautiful songs, there is a fine cast and a wealth of handsome scenery and costumes (Washington Herald, January 2, 1910).

Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop’s sign featured a silhouette of a robin sitting on a branch.

Addie M. and Elsie M. Wallace appeared together in the Rochester directory of 1917 as having moved to Milton. (The prior directory was that of 1912, i.e., their relocation took place between the editions of 1912 and 1917). Addie M. Wallace appeared in the Milton directory of 1917, as a widow, who had her house at the R.R.T.S. [Ragged Robin Tea Shop], on Plummer’s Ridge, opposite the schoolhouse. Her younger daughter, Alice J. Wallace, had her home there, while her elder daughter, Elsye M. Wallace, appeared as proprietor of Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop, on Plummer’s Ridge, opposite the schoolhouse.

Rolf Alexander Osterman of Milton registered for the WW I military draft in Milton, June 5, 1917. He was a farm laborer, aged twenty-six years, employed by James F. Doe of Milton. He was of medium height, with a medium build, gray eyes, and light brown hair.

Elsye M. Wallace married in Plaistow, NH, August 16, 1918, Rolf A. Osterman, both of Rochester, NH. He was a soldier, aged twenty-seven years, and divorced. He was born in Lynn, MA, February 16, 1891, son of John L. and Lilly (Scott) Osterman.

William H. Wingate, a shoe factory supply man, aged forty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Laura M. Wingate, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), his children, Gladys Wingate, a bookkeeper, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), and Carlton Wingate, a machine shop machinist, aged twenty years (b. NH), his mother-in-law, Addie M. Wallace, aged sixty-eight years, his brother-in-law, Rolf Osterman, a theater actor, aged thirty-four years (b. RI), and his sisters-in-law, Alsie M. Osterman, a theater actress, aged thirty-six years (b. NH), and Alice J. Wallace, a theater singer, aged twenty-six years (b. NH). They resided at 18 Silver street.

Alice J. Wallace married in Milton, November 2, 1920, Phillip A. Kimball, he of Union [Village, Wakefield,] NH. and she of Rochester, NH. He was a physician, aged thirty-one years (b. Tamworth, NH); she was in the Theatrical trade, aged twenty-seven years (b. Bradford, NH). Rev. Owen E. Hardy of Milton performed the ceremony. Phillip A. Kimball was born in Tamworth, NH, October 8, 1889, son of Samuel O. and Sarah F. (Gilman) Kimball.

Elsye Wallace and her husband performed with Orth and Coleman’s Tip Top Merrymakers at the Oneonta Theater in Oneonta, NY, beginning in December 1920. The company performed a bill of musical comedies, with vaudeville acts between them. She was billed in the vaudeville portion of the program as one of the Three Queens of Song and, possibly, was a member also of the Faust Trio (performing High-Class Operatic Selections). Oysterman Rolf was one of the Two Nifty Boys (Oneonta Star, December 23, 1920).

The same company performed at The Palace theater in Olean, NY, in March 1921. It was billed as an Engagement Extraordinary, with A Direct Carload of Genuine “Pep,” Palatably Served. It “Introduced” Lewis Orth, Al Coleman, Jack Ryan, Rolf Osterman, George Barker, O.P. Murphy, Miss Elsye Wallace, Miss Lillian, Miss Rose Bentley, Miss Velma Lee, and “a Gay Galaxy of Girlies.” Al Lemons appeared as The World’s Champion Wooden Shoe Dancer. The main event here, as in Oleonta, was Lew Orth’s seven-act Big Musical Scream “In Phun Inn”: “The Palace’s Most Pretentious Program” (Olean Evening Herald, March 21, 1921).

Making a Living in the Country. THE tourist of to-day, who rushes through the country at top speed, is not looking for a big hotel where he may leisurely eat a course dinner but for quiet spot along the highway, where he may be quickly served with delicious vegetables fresh from the garden, cool salads, drinks tinkling in tall thin glasses, or varieties of dainty sandwiches which the wayside tea house affords. Seven years ago, with almost no capital, absolutely no experience, and very little encouragement from my friends, I opened a little tea room on the road to the Mountains in New Hampshire, and called it “Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop.” The one-story house had only four rooms, but it was over a hundred years old, quaint, and in good condition. Paint and paper did wonders to the interior. In the north room, which I planned to use for my tea room, I put white curtains with blue and white checked gingham overhangings at the windows, and high, straight-backed chairs, as old as the house, were cushioned in the same material. (See page 35). Blue and white rag rugs were used on the painted floor. On one side of the room was a cupboard, in which I placed my dishes. Modern they were, but of a pattern reminding one of the posy-decked china of our grandmothers. Gradually I have added to my store and often my guests exclaim at the “old-fashioned” ware they glimpse through door. Next the cupboard is a tiny fireplace, on whose long mantel are candlesticks reminiscent of Colonial days. An old mirror by the entrance door is favored by ladies who may wish to adjust hat or veil on leaving. As the room was tiny and the capacity limited, I decided to put tables outside under the maples in front of house, where, on hot days the traveler can enjoy the view of hill and lake and the glimpse of gardens through trees.

I HAVE learned by experience, through traveling about the country during the winter months, that the most pretentious meal may be spoiled by unpleasant surroundings and the simplest lunch seem a feast, when served daintily on pretty china, with spotless linen, sparkling glass, and the added brightness of fresh flowers. The kitchen is, of course, the most important part of the ménage. Mine is small, but doors and windows keep it cool and well lighted. As coal and gas are not available, the cooking is done on a big wood-burning range and a kerosene stove. My dishes are all cooked to order, and the wood makes a quick and very hot fire at the time when it is most needed. We depend wholly on tourists, and the number can never even be guessed at. They arrive at all hours, and expect one to be prepared to serve them at a moment’s notice. I am glad to say we have never disappointed them. Business men, hurrying back from weekend visits on Monday morning, are glad to stop for crisp bacon and eggs, and a pot of steaming coffee, or one of those deliciously browned omelets which have helped to make our place popular with them. Tea rooms will always appeal to women, but a wafer-like sandwich and a pot of tea will never satisfy our masculine friends. To win over the men you must provide something more substantial. One of our specialties is good coffee. We make it fresh for every guest, buying the whole bean and grinding it as it is used. Served with thick cream, it is an ever-satisfying accompaniment to breakfast, and a fitting climax to any lunch. 

THE question of help has always been a serious one with me. I believe it is essential that the girls who serve should not only know how to place the dishes correctly on the table, but that they should also possess a pleasing personality, making the guests feel at home. I always supervise the work in the kitchen, so that everything which is served will be up to the standard. We have tried to make our little place attractive on the outside as well, by planting masses of flowers; and among these, of course, are ragged robins. Every year the garden blooms in profusion from early spring until after the frosts. As the demand is also growing for quarters where tourists may spend the night, we have decided to build screened sleeping porches for use this year. Our advertising consists of our road signs, with the little red robin on them, post cards of the house, and our space in the ALA Green Book. But the best advertisement of all is good food, quick service, and home atmosphere. As you leave our little tea room, you will see in the guest book the names of friends from all over this country and the old world; and if ever you come to see us, we hope you will agree with the English gentleman who wrote after his name: “A delightful place to stop for a dainty lunch.” ELSYE WALLACE OSTERMAN

Boston attorney Robert G. Dodge and his wife, Alice W. (Childs) Dodge, stopped at the “Ragged Robin, Milton, N.H.,” on their silver wedding anniversary, September 11, 1925, and posed for photograph there (Spieldenner, 2011 (p. 287)).

Elsye M. Osterman of Milton divorced Rolf A. Osterman of Milton in Strafford County, NH, October 19, 1928. She accused him of adultery. She had her name changed back to Elsye M. Wallace in Strafford County Probate Court in 1929.

Afterwards

Rolf A. Osterman appeared in the Milton directory of 1930, as having a house at Union, R.D. [Rural Delivery]. Elsye M. Wallace did not appear in 1930, nor did Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop. Her sister, Alice J. (Wallace) Kimball, and mother, Addie M. (Gilman) Wallace, were living in Bristol, NH, clear across the state.

Philip Kimball, a physician, aged forty-one years (b. NH), headed a Bristol, NH, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of ten years), Alice J. Kimball, aged thirty-seven years (b. NH), his child, Wallace O. Kimball, aged eight years (b. NH), and his mother-in-law, Addie M. Wallace, a widow, aged eighty-one years (b. NH). They resided in a rented household, for which they paid $20 per month. They had a radio set.

Dr. Phillip A. and Alice J. (Wallace) Kimball, their son, Wallace O. Kimball, and her mother, Addie M. (Gilman) Wallace, moved from Bristol, NH, to Union village, in Wakefield, NH, before November 1933. Addie M. (Gilman) Wallace died in Wakefield, NH, November 16, 1933, aged eighty-four years.

Rolf Alexander Osterman of Milton registered for the WW II military draft in Milton, April 27, 1942. He was aged fifty-one years and employed by Mr. William Stanton, 114 Charles Street, Rochester. His mailing address was the Scenic Theater, Rochester, NH. He was 5′ 4″ tall, weighing 174 pounds, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion.

Elsye Wallace Osterman, of Milton, NH, sold her Ye Ragged Robin Tea Shop property to Harold E, and Elvira E. Raynor, both of Malden, MA, for $1 and “other valuable considerations,” October 9, 1947. (The US Revenue Tax on the transaction was $3.30). It was described as “a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon, called the ‘Tea House,’ situate in said Milton on Plummer’s Ridge, so called” (Strafford County Deeds, 552:129).

Elsye M. Wallace appeared in the Boston directories of 1947, 1948, and 1953, as having a house at 1435 Commonwealth avenue in Allston, Boston, MA.

Ralph Osterman appeared in the Rochester directory of 1948, as an employee of the Colonial Theatre, with a house at 6 North Main street (apartment 206).

Elsye M. Wallace submitted a claim to the Social Security Administration, April 11, 1950. She died December 21, 1953.

Rolf A. Osterman died in Rochester, NH, in June 1969. Alice J. (Wallace) Kimball died in Springfield, MA, July 1, 1971.

References:

Find a Grave. (2011, September 6). Addie Mary Gilman Wallace. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/76091487/addie-mary-wallace

Find a Grave. (2013, August 4). Alice Wallace Kimball. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/114908331/alice-kimball

Find a Grave. (2013, August 4). Elsye Wallace. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/114938019

Find a Grave. (2011, September 6). William F. Wallace, M.D. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/76091489

Musical Courier Company. (1908). Musical Courier: A Weekly Journal Devoted to Music and the Music Trades. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=pS5MAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PR13

Spieldenner, Sharon (2011). Guide to the Greenwood Farm Collection, 1840s to 1993. Retrieved from thetrustees.access.preservica.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/72/2018/03/GFMSCOLL1_findingaid.pdf

Town of Southbridge. (1908). Reports of the Town Officers of Southbridge for the Year Ending February 1, 1908. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=DelOAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA50

Weirs Times. (2017, August 24). Homecoming Day Came to Stay in New Hampton. Laconia, NH: Weirs Times

Wikipedia. (2019, September 24). Lychnis Flos Cuculi. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lychnis_flos-cuculi

Woman’s Home Companion. (1922, April). Making a Living in the Country. How These Women Met the Opportunity. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=Euo9AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA36