By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | October 6, 2019
In this year, we encounter the annual ice harvest, a poultry farm for sale, another train death, the police chief hospitalized, an ice worker returned home, a barber sought, ice horses auctioned, a grange meeting, a Rochester fire truck’s response, a drowning death, a dancing policeman, another visit from the fisher queen, Rev. H.E. Whitcomb visits Haverhill, the death of “ice king” John O. Porter, Kittery Boy Scouts camping, a fruit farm for sale, a barber sought still, the Grand Master Workman’s visit, hound dogs for sale, Rev. H.E. Whitcomb returned from Haverhill, Rev. Newell W. Whitman called away, a Milton Mills fire, and NH scholastic test scores.
Warmer weather in greater Boston again favored Milton’s ice industry, which “enjoyed” zero weather.
NEW HAMPSHIRE ICE FOR BOSTON. Harvesting Begins This Week on Milton Ponds. Lakes Frozen to Depth of About 12 Inches. Product Will Be Shipped in Freight Cars. Special Dispatch to the Globe. MILTON, N.H., Jan. 19 – For the next few weeks there will be more than usual activity in the ice harvesting business in this town and Sanbornville by reason of the very thin ice on the ponds in the Bay State, causing dealers to look elsewhere for their supply. To relieve the situation in Boston it is planned to ship ice by freight to the city not only from Milton Three Ponds, and Sanbornville, but from Mt. Major and other points along Lake Winnipesaukee. Ice in this section is about a foot thick, and ice cutting will begin the coming week. With good weather and normal conditions the work should be completed in a month or six weeks. Hundreds of men will be employed among the Boston firms which will harvest ice in this vicinity are the Boston Ice Company, Metropolitan Ice Company and the Porter Milton Ice Company. There has been some zero weather the past few weeks, and many mornings the thermometer has registered only a few degrees above that point. Fifteen inches is the desired thickness for ice cutting (Boston Globe, January 20, 1924).
William Sears Perry sought to sell his Milton poultry farm on the [Nute] Ridge Road in West Milton.
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS. BUYS FOR OCCUPANCY. The E.A. Strout Farm Agency, Inc., reports the sale of the 40-acre poultry farm of Willard S. Perry on the Ridge road at Milton, N.H., to Elizabeth A. Varney. There is a six-room frame house with modern improvements, a large barn and several other outbuildings. Included in the sale is a large amount of machinery, tools and other personal property. (Boston Globe, February 7, 1924).
Willard S. Perry, a general work laborer, aged fifty-three years (b. MA), headed a Bridgewater, MA, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Clara L. Perry, aged forty-five years (b. MA), and his children, Evering E. Perry, aged fifteen years (b. MA), Lillian E. Perry, aged eleven years (b. MA), Charles T. Perry, aged ten years (b. MA), and Walter L. Perry, aged seven years (b. MA). They owned their house at 314 Pine Street free-and-clear.
Willard S. Perry died in Brewster, MA, September 11, 1925. Clara L. (Howland) Perry died in West Milton, NH, February 23, 1955.
A Boston Ice Company worker was killed while crossing the railroad tracks. (A Porter Ice Company foreman met a similar fate in 1916).
SNOW-BLINDED MAN KILLED ON CROSSING. Melville Cameron, Lynn, Train Victim. Special Dispatch to the Globe MILTON, N.H., Feb 10 – Blinded by snow, Melville Cameron, 60, of Lynn, Mass, walked onto a crossing near the ice house of the Boston Ice Company this afternoon and was killed by a train. Cameron was walking with two other employes of the ice company: Eli Doucette and John Goode. Doucette got across the crossing safely. Goode drew back just in time.
LYNN, Feb. 10 – Melville Cameron, who was killed today when struck by a train in Milton, N.H., had been a resident of this city three years, coming here from Wakefield. He lived at 52 Waterhill st. with his daughter, Gladys (Boston Globe, February 11, 1924).
Melvin Cameron appeared in the Lynn city directory of 1920, as a driver, rooming at 700 Western avenue. A Melville Cameron, with a house at 52 Waterhill street, appeared in Lynn city directories of 1921, 1923, and 1924.
According to Milton vital records, Melvin Cameron, an ice plant worker, aged fifty-eight years, died accidentally when he was “struck by R.R. train,” February 10, 1924. He had resided in Milton for two weeks; his previous residence, i.e., his actual residence, being Lynn, MA. M.A.H. Hart, MD, reported the death. Cameron was buried, at least temporarily, in a receiving tomb in Rochester, NH.
Police Chief Arthur F. Remick was hospitalized from injuries he sustained in felling a tree.
FALLING TREE STRIKES MILTON POLICE CHIEF. Rochester, March 3 – Chief of Police Arthur M. Remick of Milton is in a serious condition at the Rochester hospital with his name on the danger list as the result of an accident. He was at work felling a large tree and misjudged the direction in which it fell, with the result that he was struck in the face and pinned underneath the tree (Portsmouth Herald, March 3, 1924).
Arthur F. Remick, a house carpenter, aged thirty-eight years (b. MH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Angie E. [(Page)] Remick, aged thirty-one years (b. NH), his children, Anly D. Remick, aged eight years (b. NH), Florence M. Remick, aged six years (b. NH), Marguerite E. Remick, aged four years (b. NH), Bessie M. Remick, aged one year (b. NH), and his grandfather, Charles H. Durrell, a widower, aged eighty-four years (b. NH). Arthur F. Remick owned their house on Lower Main Street in Milton Village.
Another recently-married young Kittery man spent some time in Milton’s ice industry. (Similar to his neighbor, Allen Barker, in the previous year).
KITTERY NEWS. Myron Woods has returned home from several weeks at Milton, N.H., where he was employed on the ice fields (Portsmouth Herald, March 4, 1924).
Charles M. Woods married in Dover, NH, May 6, 1922, Dorothy A. Bowdoin, he of Boston, MA, and she of Kittery, ME. He was a student, aged twenty-one years; and she was aged twenty years.
C. Myron Woods, a navy yard electrician, aged twenty-eight years (b. ME), headed a Kittery, ME, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Dorothy A. Woods, aged twenty-seven years (b. ME), and his children, Mary E. Woods, aged six years (b. ME), and Barbara L. Woods, aged four years and five months (b. ME). They rented their part of a two-family dwelling at 34 Whipple Road, from his parents, Charles E. and Julie E. Woods, both aged fifty-three years.
Charles L. Burke advertised still for a barber, as he had in the previous year. His offer now included a commission. He was still looking in September.
MALE HELP WANTED. BARBER WANTED – First-class, good wages and commission. C.L. BURKE. Milton, N.H. 3t* mh27 (Boston Globe, March 27, 1924).
Milton ice companies typically sold off their horses once their annual ice harvest was complete. (Similar auction sale advertisements may be seen in 1912, 1914, and 1918).
AUCTION SALES OF HORSES AND CARRIAGES. MCKINNEY BROS. Brighton Sale and Exchange Stable Draft. Business, Family and Saddle Horses and Pony Outfits. 421 MARKET ST., BRIGHTON. TELEPHONE BRIGHTON 0058. ONE LOAD of good Indiana horses in matched pairs and single horses, varying In weight from 1300 lbs. to 1800 lbs., as good as can be found; 10 head of good acclimated horses, weighing from 1300 to 1600 lbs., ready for hard work. REGULAR AUCTION SALE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, AT 1 P.M. 75 head of good second-hand horses of all descriptions, consigned by teaming, trucking and expressing firms in and around Boston; some very useful horses among these consignments; wagons, tip carts and harness of all descriptions. AT 3 P.M. 12 head of horses from the Porter Milton Ice Co. that have been used this Winter at their plant at the Weirs and Milton, N.H.; some extra good horses in good condition. D.L. McKinney, L.L. Hall. Auctioneers (Boston Globe, March 30, 1924).
The regional grange held a meeting at the Lewis W. Nute Grange in Milton. Baptist Rev. George H. Chambers gave an opening prayer and Grange Master Leroy J. Ford gave a welcoming address.
Leroy J. Ford, a farmer, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Ella B. [(Bliss)] Ford, aged thirty-four years (b. CT). They resided in a rented house at the Plummer’s Ridge Road.
EASTERN N.H. POMONA GRANGE MEETS AT MILTON. MILTON, N.H., April 24 – Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange met today with Lewis W. Nute Grange, with a large attendance. A public session was held in the afternoon and was opened by singing by the patrons of the local lodge, followed by prayer by Rev G.H. Chambers of Milton and the addresses of welcome by Leroy J. Ford, master of Lewis W. Nute Grange. The response was by Past Master James B. Young of Rochester, after which the following question was discussed: “Resolved, that the State and Federal acquisition of forest lands should not be encouraged or permitted unless means are provided for the annual payment of taxes thereon to the towns, equaling the rate of tax levied under the same valuation as if privately owned.” The disputants were Charles D. Colman, Jr., Charles W. Varney and Charles H. Ward of Rochester and Albert H. Brown of Strafford. There was an address on “Neighbors” by Mrs. Edna Crewe of Dover, director of the Dover Neighborhood House; vocal solos by Harold Lincoln and Miss Agnes Rogers of Rochester, readings by Arthur W. McDaniel of Nottingham and the reading of the “Cornucopia,” Pomona Grange paper, by John S. Kimball of Rochester. A closed session was held in the evening, when the fifth degree was conferred (Boston Globe, April 25, 1924).
From this item we learn that Rochester, NH, had now motorized fire trucks, rather than horse-drawn ones, and that they responded to Milton fires.
AMONG THE FIREMEN. At a recent fire in Milton, N.H., the motor trucks from Rochester made the trip at eight miles in record time and laid 3000 feet of hose (Boston Globe, June 29, 1924).
Rochester fire trucks responded also to a serious Milton Mills fire in November.
Elmer John Martin, of 46 Pond Street, Georgetown, MA, aged forty-five years (b. August 28, 1873), registered for the WW I military draft in Georgetown, MA, September 12, 1918. He worked as an ice laborer. His nearest relation was Delia Martin, also of 46 Pond Street, Georgetown, MA. He was of medium height, with a medium build, light blue eyes, and dark brown hair.
DROWNED YESTERDAY IN NEW ENGLAND. JOSEPH P. LUCEY, 25, of Melrose, at Graniteville. JAMES BURBINE, 7, at Andover. ELMER MARTIN, at Milton, N.H. MISS IDA E. FOSTER, 30, at Portland, Me. ANDREW MORIARTY, 12, at Enfield Falls. Conn. THOMAS MORIARTY, 10, at Enfield Falls, Conn. GEORGE MARR, 10, at New London, Conn. (Boston Globe, July 14, 1924).
According to Milton vital records, Elmer Martin died in an “accidental drowning (while in bathing),” July 13, 1924. He was a laborer, aged fifty years (b. Westville, NH), who had lived in Milton for ten [SIC] years.
Rochester’s Ex-City Marshal had been primarily a barber. In this year, he engaged in a dance contest at the Milton pavilion against a much younger railroad signalman. (It brings to mind former White House spokesman, Sean Spicer, and his surprising foray onto “Dancing with the Stars”).
Rochester, N.H., Ex-Police Chief Will Jazz It Up As Result of Challenge. ROCHESTER, N.H., July 22. Tomorrow evening at the pavilion at Milton Three Ponds, there will be a challenge dancing contest between Ex-City Marshal Charles M. Cook and partner and Leo Brennan and partner, as the result of a wager (Boston Globe, July 22, 1924).
Charles M. Cook, a barber, aged forty-six years, headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Nancy M. Cook, aged forty-five years (b. Nova Scotia), and his children, Florence E. Cook, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), Mildred M. Cook, a public school teacher, aged twenty-one years (b. MA), and Edna W. Cook, aged seventeen years (b. NH). They resided in a rented house at 85 Wakefield Street.
Dennis Brennan, a railroad signalman, aged fifty-five years (b. Ireland), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Catherine Brennan, aged fifty-three years (b. NH), his children, Elizabeth Cook, a shoe shop stitcher, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH), Leo Cook, a railroad signalman, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), Josephine Cook, a shoe shop packer, aged twenty-one years (b. NH), and Alice Cook, aged ten years (b. NH), his son-in-law, John Berry, a bleachery bleacher, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH), and his daughter, Mary Berry, aged twenty-six years (b. NH). They resided at 6 Bryan Street, which they owned free-and-clear.
Miss Hazel White, the prodigious eight-year-old angler of September 1916 (now aged sixteen years), returned to Milton for a week’s vacation. (She had visited also in the previous year).
KITTERY NEWS. Miss Hazel White is the guest of friends at Milton, N.H., for the week (Portsmouth Herald, August 7, 1924).
Rev. Harvey E. Whitcomb and his family visited his sister, Bertha C. (Whitcomb) Wells, in Haverhill, MA.
HAVERHILL. Mrs. George Wells is entertaining her brother, Rev. Whitcomb and his wife and daughter from Milton Mills this week (Groton Times, August 8, 1924).
Here we bid farewell to ice magnate John Oliver Porter of Marblehead, MA, who had retired several years previously. His first appearance in a Milton business directory was in that of 1892.
DEATH OF JOHN O. PORTER, MARBLEHEAD BUSINESS MAN. MARBLEHEAD, Aug. 13 – The death of John O. Porter in Boston this morning was received here with great surprise. It was reported that his death was due to acute indigestion, which came on suddenly yesterday. Mr. Porter, who was the head of the Porter Ice Company of this town, was born In Ipswich and received his education there. He came to Marblehead about 55 years ago, and was the owner of much real estate as well as a large livery stable. He was a member of Atlantic Lodge, I.O.O.F., and also the Massachusetts Ice Dealers’ Association. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Porter; one daughter, Mrs. James Skinner, and one son, Charles Porter (Boston Globe, August 13, 1924).
JOHN O. PORTER OF MARBLEHEAD DEAD. MARBLEHEAD, Aug 13 – Stricken with acute indigestion while on a business trip to Boston Tuesday afternoon. John O. Porter, 73, one of the wealthier citizens of this town, died at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital shortly after 1 this morning. He was born in Ipswich, but came to live in Marblehead In 1873, entering the business of harness making in a small shop at the foot of Tucker st. Later he entered the livery business, and in the early 80’s became an ice dealer. Up to four years ago, when he retired, he was one of the leading ice dealers in this section, having large holdings on ice properties in Milton, N.H., and Brookfield. Recently he has been interested in real estate. A wife, a son and a daughter survive him (Boston Globe, August 14, 1924).
DEATHS. PORTER – In Marblehead [SIC], suddenly, August 13, John O. Porter, 73 years of age. Funeral from the Universalist Church, Marblehead, Friday, at 2 p.m. (Boston Globe, August 14, 1924).
The Boy Scouts of America were a relatively new organization. It had been founded in February 1910, and Federally chartered in June 1916.
KITTERY NEWS. The Kittery troop of Boy Scouts will leave Sunday morning at 8 for Milton, N.H., to spend one week in camp (Portsmouth Herald, August 22, 1924).
The Brown Brothers fruit farm on White Mountain “Boulevard” sold to Daniel D. Steele, with all its appurtenances.
THE REAL ESTATE MARKET. OUT-OF-TOWN SALES. An important sale closed at Milton, N.H., is through the Chas. G. Clapp Company. It involves the large fruit farm of Brown Bros, on White Mountain boulevard, there being 150 acres. There is also an apple orchard of 1600 trees and other fruit. The buildings comprise a large mansion house, bungalow, barns, etc. A large amount of personal property was included in the sale. Daniel D. Steele buys for improvement and occupancy (Boston Globe, August 24, 1924).
Barber shop proprietor Charles L. Burke’s “good wages” of March are set forth as being $25 per week, plus commissions. (This represented a 19% increase over the $21 offered in October 1919).
MALE HELP WANTED. BARBER WANTED – At once, must be good workman, steady job, $25 and commission. C.L. BURKE, Milton, N.H. Sud3t* au31 (Boston Globe, September 1, 1924).
Grand Master Workman Thomas H. Canning visited a number of local A.O.U.W. lodges, including Milton’s Strafford Lodge. G.M.W. Canning resided in Boston, MA, and oversaw A.O.U.W. activities in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He had been also a leader for many years in the Knights of Labor.
Ancient Order United Workmen. Grand Master Workman Thomas H. Canning will visit Aurora Lodge of Claremont, N.H., Monday evening. Mt. Support Lodge of Lebanon, N.H., Tuesday evening, Winnipiseogee Lodge of Franklin and Belknap Lodge of Tilton, N.H., Wednesday evening, Granite Lodge of Laconia, N.H., Thursday evening, Strafford Lodge of Milton, N.H., and Rochester Lodge, Friday evening, and Marlboro Lodge, Saturday evening. The Minute Men and Women of Salem and vicinity will hold a demonstration meeting Sept. 17 (Boston Globe, [Sunday,] September 7, 1924).
Two local residents offered hound dogs for sale. (Other residents had sold dogs in 1917 and 1918).
DOGS, CATS, PETS, ETC. FOR SALE. BLUE-TICKED RABBIT HOUND, thoroughly broken; 2 year old; 18 inches high. L.W. WESTON, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, September 14, 1924).
Lewis W. Weston, a farming teamster, aged forty-three years (b. NH), was a hired man in the Milton household of Allie J. Laskey, a general farmer, aged seventy years (b. NH), at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. They resided on Branch Hill Road.
DOGS, CATS, PETS, ETC. COON HOUNDS. GOOD as lives; one pair, fox and rabbit proof; trial allowed; the real goods. A.H. STACKPOLE, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, September 21, 1924).
Arthur H. Stackpole, a salesman, and his wife, Bertha Stackpole, resided in West Lebanon, ME, in 1930.
Rev. Harvey E. Whitcomb returned from Haverhill, MA, to his home at Willow Mills, i.e., Milton Mills.
HAVERHILL. Rev. Harvey Whitcomb, who has been helping at W.G. Atkins’, has returned to his home in Willow Mills (United Opinion (Bradford, VT), October 10, 1924).
Rev. Newell W. Whitman received and accepted a call to a Congregational church in Ashby, MA.
ASHBY. Rev. Newell Wordsworth Whitman, who was recently called to the pastorate of the Orthodox Congregational church in Ashby, has moved with his family into the parsonage. He came to Ashby from Milton, N.H., where during the three years as pastor of the Congregational church he has done constructive work building the church financially and numerically. His most notable achievement was the federation of the Baptist and the Congregational churches in town. Next Sunday Mr. Whitman will preach on “New birth – the greatest fact in a man’s life work. What it is; what it does; how to get it” (Fitchburg Sentinel, November 7, 1924).
Milton Mills suffered a serious fire in the early hours of Thursday, November 20. The Townsend mill firemen and those of Rochester, NH, responded to the fire.
Among the affected properties were those of Milton Mills druggist, E.W. Emerson, and his drug clerk, Fred Carswell. (See more about Eugene W. Emerson in 1913; and Fred Carswell in August 1914).
FIRE SWEEPS MILTON MILLS. Houses Destroyed in New Hampshire Town. MILTON MILLS, N.H., Nov. 20. Several barns and houses, as well as a large pile of lumber, were a complete loss to their owners as the result of a fire in this town at 5 o’clock this morning, which caused a damage estimated at $17,100. Help was called from Rochester, 18 miles away, and the Fire Department at the Townsend Mills in the village also responded and aided the local firemen to fight the blaze. It took the Rochester fire apparatus just 20 minutes to reach the scene. The fire started in a blacksmith shop on Main st. owned by John E. Horn and occupied by Hiram Burrows. Fanned by a strong wind, the wooden building was soon a roaring furnace, and sparks and embers had spread to an adjoining pile of lumber valued at $300, which made ready fuel for the flames. The blaze then spread to a two-story house with a french roof owned by Arthur Flye of Arlington, Mass., and occupied by Fred Carswell and his wife and son. The house was of wooden structure and was soon blazing on all sides and the Carswell family made frantic efforts to move their valuables to the street. The structure was badly burned and the household effects were a complete loss. It is said that there is $1600 insurance on the property. The fire then spread to a barn 50 feet by 40 feet and only a shell was left standing. The flames continued to spread, in spite of the work of the firemen, and caught the buildings owned by Luther B. Roberts, which included a long house and a barn. The house was occupied by George Fogg. The sparks and embers then ignited the cottage house owned by Henry Townsend and occupied by Robert Alexander. The roof and windows caught fire and soon the structure was beyond saving. Another barn nearby, which was stocked with about $200 worth of furniture, the property of E.W. Emerson, also caught fire from the flying burning debris, and that, too, was soon a roaring furnace. At this point the combined efforts of the firemen checked the flames. It was one of the worst fires this town has ever known and the smoke could be seen for miles around. Persons who came to watch the firemen turned firemen themselves and aided the fire-fighters. Although no cause is given, it is said that a fire was left burning in a stove in the blacksmith shop over night, and that in some manner the inside of the structure caught fire. The firemen from the Townsend Woolen Mills ran lines of hose from the mills and pumped water at the rate of 800 gallons a minute onto the burning buildings (Boston Globe, November 20, 1924).
N.H. State News. Milton Mills was visited by a $17,000 fire Nov. 20 which burned down six buildings and damaged three others (Groton Times, November 28, 1924).
N.H. State News. Recent tests in 8th grades in the state schools, taken by 5,000 pupils, showed an average of 67.42 in spelling with 76 towns having an average of 75, or better. Tests in arithmetic showed that 8th graders in New Hampshire this year are better than 9th graders of Springfield, Mass., were in 1846, for they did the same examples and had an average of 49.29 against an average in Springfield in 1846 of 29.41 (Groton Times, November 28, 1924).
In the latest available test results – those of 2016-17 – New Hampshire’s eighth grade reading average was 58%, and its eighth grade mathematics average was 45%. (Milton’s eighth grade reading average was 20%, and its eighth grade mathematics average was 11%, in 2016-17).
Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1923; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1925
References:
Find a Grave. (2013, January 28). John O. Porter. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/104301616/john-o_-porter
NH DOE. (2019). NH School and District Profiles. Retrieved from my.doe.nh.gov/profiles/profile.aspx?oid=&s=&d=&year=&tab=testresults
Wikipedia. (2019, September 24). Ancient Order of United Workmen. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Order_of_United_Workmen
Wikipedia. (2019, September 9). Knights of Labor. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_Labor
Milton Observer 