This year’s Article 13 should seem familiar to you. It appeared just last year, in exactly the same form (including even the same typos), but was known then as Article 17. It failed then with 345 (45.2%) in favor and 418 (54.8%) opposed.
Article 13: Establishment of Independent Capital Improvement Program Committee. Shall the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to establish an independent committee pursuant to NH RSA 674:5 to prepare an amend the recommended program of Capital Improvement Projects and to make budgetary recommendations to the Board of Selectmen? The Committee, to be known as the Capital Improvement Program Committee, will have five (5) voting members to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen, and shall include at least One (1) member of the Planning Board. (Majority Vote Required).
Recommended by the Planning Board (7,0,0). Recommended by the Board of Selectmen (3,0,0).
It is apparent that the Town government is determined to have its “independent” CIP Committee. It would be independent only in the peculiar sense that its members would be selected by the Board of Selectmen, rather than elected by the voters. What could be more independent than that?
It was a bit of a speed bump when the voters “chose poorly” last year. Might the boards seek another, better solution? No, there must be an independent CIP Committee. Put it on the ballot again. We can keep doing it until the voters get it “right.”
This sort of thing is sometimes known as the “manufacturing,” “fabricating,” or “engineering” of consent.
We have seen this technique employed here before, most recently in the School Board election of last year. The pay raise measure on the School ballot was rejected then, but reappeared magically on the ballot in the very next election – the more lightly-attended September primary election – when it passed. That was some nice engineering. Not very subtle, perhaps, but it worked.
It is perhaps a bit disheartening that this little Article 13 “do-over” on the Town ballot has been recommended unanimously by both boards.
Now, the question on the ballot might be read as: “Are you as easily gulled as we think you are?” I hope not. I hope they are as wrong in this as they have been about so many other things. (Nil desperandum).
Vote “No” again, just as you did before but, if the measure should be rejected again, do not expect to have heard the last of this.
Government, therefore, should be open, accessible, accountable and responsive. – Article 8, NH Constitution
Back in 1967, the NH State Legislature undertook to pay 45% of the pension costs of city and town employees. After about a decade, they dropped their contribution down to 35%.
It is no great secret that “You get more of what you subsidize and less of what you tax.” The cities and towns hired more employees, paid them more, and pensioned them at higher levels, then they had ever been able before. One might say that – flush with state subsidies – they took on more, much more, than was traditional, more than was strictly necessary, and certainly more than was fiscally prudent or sustainable.
About eleven years ago, the NH Legislature ceased paying their 35% subsidy. They just did not have the money to keep it going. Their stated legislative intent at the time was that the cities and towns should cut back also.
Many – including Milton – did not choose to “rein in” their spending and instead increased property taxes. They have by now increased them far beyond our ability to pay. The spenders have been enabled by Federal inflation of the money supply, which drives up valuations of the properties taxed, although the incomes of the taxpayers have lagged behind. (Inflation benefits most those closest to its source). The increasing gap between the inflated valuations and incomes has become unsustainable, especially for those starting out in life (“Why, oh why, are the young people leaving?”) and for those at the other end of life who are living on fixed incomes.
Article 5: Employee Retention Plan. To see if the Town will vote to adopt the Employee Retention Plan, which establishes a Grade and Step Plan for classes of employees of the Town of Milton. If approved, any scheduled increases, as laid out in the Plan and approved by the Board of Selectmen, will be incorporated into the operating and default budgets in subsequent years starting with 2022. No funds shall be raised in 2021. (Majority Vote Required).
Recommended by the Board of Selectmen (3,0,0). Recommended by the Budget Committee (7,1,0).
It was explained at the Deliberative Session that the “Plan” would be updated at five-year intervals. That means two selectmen in the rotation could spend their entire three-year term, and the third one most of their three-year term, without ever actually having to vote on this. Future boards can be “dumbfounded” that salary and pension expenses keep rising and that those rising costs have crowded out other expenditures. Increases would be out of their hands, they would be unaccountable. That is, even more so than now.
It was an especially sardonic touch that this measure is entitled the “Employee Retention Plan.” Town officials have been bleating for years about their desperate employee retention measures. (The Police Department retention bonus scheme of several years ago would seem to have been only partially effective).
Labor is a commodity too. Right now, with government-induced Covid unemployment running 10% (at least), wages are falling. When and how did ignoring market prices in favor of “retention” ever become our top priority? No one voted for that.
The Town does not seem to understand the simple fact that Milton is (and always has been) a “starter” town, which is unable to outbid larger and better appointed places. It is monumental folly to even attempt to do so.
Even those larger entities have reached the end of their tether and will not be able to go much further. Some pushed hard – one might even say desperately – for a NH House bill (HB274), which sought to reanimate the corpse of state pension subsidies (at the 5% level) for cities and towns. (Who is dim enough to suppose it would ever stop at 5%?) That attempt failed last week in a 189-168 vote. The coffin lid was nailed down hard with a reconsideration vote. As they say, “that dog won’t hunt.”
Basically, this warrant article is a misguided attempt to place pay and pension increases first in future budgets – “all other priorities are rescinded” – and to do so with precious little accountability. (It would in that sense be a suitable sibling to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) plan, which has for some years placed other expenditures on their own upward conveyer belt).
Just say “No.” (And perhaps – depending upon their rationale – give a tip o’ the hat to the lone member of the Budget Committee that voted not to recommend this monstrosity).
When you ask them, “How much should we give?” Ooh, they only answer, “More! more! more!” – CCR
Moses K. Cowell was born in Lebanon, ME, February 22, 1823, son of Ichabod and Rebecca (Clark) Cowell. (Date arrived at by computation from death record).
Ichabod Cowell, a farmer, aged sixty-one years (b. ME), headed a Lebanon, ME, household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Rebecca Cowell, aged fifty-six years (b. ME), Moses Cowell, a farmer, aged twenty-five years (b. ME), and Sewell Cowell, aged twenty-two years (b. ME). Ichabod Cowell had real estate valued at $1,500, Moses Cowell had real estate valued at $500, and Sewall Cowell, had real estate valued at $500.
Ichabod Cowell, a farmer, aged seventy-three years (b. ME), headed a Lebanon (“Lebanon Centre P.O.”), ME, household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Rebecca Cowell, aged sixty-six years (b. ME), and Moses Cowell, a shoemaker, aged thirty-four years (b. ME). Ichabod Cowell had real estate valued at $1,000 and personal estate valued at $200, while Moses Cowell had personal estate valued at $100.
Moses Cowell, of Lebanon, ME, aged thirty-five years (b. ME), registered for the Class II military draft in 1863.
Ichabod Cowell, a farmer, aged eighty-three years (b. ME), headed a Lebanon, ME, household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Rebecca Cowell, aged seventy-five years (b. ME), and Moses Cowell, a farm laborer, aged forty-four years (b. ME). Ichabod Cowell had real estate valued at $500 and personal estate valued at $225, and Moses Cowell had personal estate valued at $1,000.
Young Acton, ME, diarist Ida Isadore Reynolds (1860-1946) mentioned Moses Cowell as being a customer of her seamstress mother, who made him a pair of pants in May 1873 (Heirlooms Reunited, 2019).
Saturday, May 3, 1873: Snowed. Mother made Moses Cowell’s pants. Mr. Hilton here. Edward did not go away.
She encountered him again in his capacity as physician, in February 1874, when he treated her for catarrh.
Tuesday, February 24, 1874:Fair and Cold. I had a very bad pain in my side. I knit some. Father not very well. Mother got a bad head ache. She spun Five skeins of yarn. Moses Cowell here. He left me some medicine to Purify my blood and some for my throat and some powder to blow down my throat. This is all for Catarrh. Clara Prescott and Enoch Sherman here.
M.K. Cowell appeared in the Milton business directories of 1875, 1876, and 1880, as a Milton Mills physician.
Moses K. Cowell, aged fifty-one years (b. ME), headed an Acton, ME, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. Moses K. Cowell owned his house, free-and-clear. His household appeared in the enumeration between the households of Gilbert H. Welch, a farm laborer, aged twenty-nine years (b. ME), and Margarette Ploude, keeping house, aged fifty-seven years (b. Canada).
M.K. Cowell appeared in the Milton business directories of 1881, 1882, 1884, 1887, and 1889, as a Milton Mills physician.
Moses K. Cowell, M.D., reported to the NH State Board of Health on his contagious disease cases in Milton Mills in 1888.
Milton Mills. MOSES K. COWELL, M.D. Typhoid Fever – Four cases, one fatal; two, with the one fatal, in town; one in Lebanon, Maine; one in Acton, Maine. Polluted water in all cases, to which I attribute the disease. Diphtheria – Three cases, none fatal; two in town, one in Acton, Me. Bad sanitary conditions in all cases. Think polluted water the most common source of the disease (Clarke, 1888).
Moses K. Cowell, a physician, aged seventy-six years (b. ME), headed an Acton, ME, household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. Moses K. Cowell owned his house, free-and-clear. His household appeared in the enumeration between the households of Francis Coffrin, a farm laborer, aged seventy-one years (b. NH), and Edward J. Brierley, a grocer, aged fifty-one years (b. MA).
Moses K. Cowell appeared in the Milton directories of 1902, and 1905, as having his house at the Acton bridge, in Milton Mills.
Moses K. Cowell died of senile gangrene in Acton, ME, July 8, 1905, aged eighty-two years, four months, and six days. (Dr. W.E. Pillsbury signed his death certificate).
I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed – and gazed – but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.
(Ed.: William Wordsworth would seem to have been a favorite poet of Milton’s Rev. Newell Wordsworth Whitman, who chose it for his middle name (As Walt Whitman was apparently another favorite poet)).
March 2 – Mercury will shine brightly as it moves to half phase.
March 5 – The Moon will be in its last quarter.
March 6 – Mercury will be moving away to its furthest place from the Sun.
March 9 – The Moon and Saturn will rise and travel close to each other.
March 10 – The Moon and Jupiter will rise together.
March 19 – The Moon and Mars will rise closely to one another.
March 20 – This is the first day of spring when everyone both in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres have close to equal 12 hours of daylight as well as 12 hours of night. The Sun makes it’s annual trip through the Constellations bringing it across the celestial equator.
March 21 – The Moon will be at first quarter.
March 28 – The Moon will be full. It will appear larger and brighter and will be high in the sky. There are many Moon names, but this one, whereas it is the first occurrence of a full moon following the spring equinox, may be referred to as the Egg Moon. Venus will delight us for being at its brightest.
The following two news articles emerged while researching Milton’s Railroad Station Agents. They fall a bit beyond the time frame with which we have concerned ourselves so far, but they do throw some light on the ultimate fate of Milton’s Railroad Station or Depot building of 1873.
And our readers seem also to retain a considerable interest in and affection for Ray’s Marina. (The marina would rise from the ashes to close finally forty years later).
Ray’s Marina Fire of Monday, December 11, 1972
Fire Destroys Milton Marina. Damage Estimated at $200,000. MILTON – An exploding snowmobile has been listed as the cause of the major blaze which destroyed all by the offices of Ray’s Marina in Milton Monday afternoon. According to Ray Lamoureux, owner of the marina, an employee was working on a snowmobile in one of the bays when a spark set off the fire.
Milton Fire Chief Herb Downs said the fire spread rapidly from the working bay to the upper floor of the structure and then the most of the other building. Firemen from Milton, Farmington and Rochester worked for nearly three hours to put out the blaze, which according to Mr. Lamoureux caused an estimated $200,000 worth of damage.
On Tuesday Mr. Lamoureux surveyed the damage and indicated that he intended to start rebuilding immediately. For the time being the marina will continue operating out of the American Service Station next door with offices in a cottage on the other side of the structure. Mr. Lamoureux noted that although the telephone lines were destroyed in the fire and new homes [phones?] were installed on Tuesday, the numbers will remain the same, they are 332-1511 and 652-4523.
Prior to the location of Ray’s Marina at the site, the area served for nearly 100 years as the Milton Railroad Depot. Several years ago the facilities were moved to Rochester and the building lay abandoned for some time until Ray’s took over in 1963. During his ownership Mr. Lamoureux built onto the original structure and added a showroom and office space. The railroad depot was kept and converted into a repair shop. It was the railroad depot section of the building which was destroyed (Farmington News, [Thursday,] December 14, 1972).
The article was illustrated with four photos, which will not copy well. Their captions appear below.
Ray’s Marina Advertisement of October 1972 (Portsmouth Herald, October 6, 1972)
[Photo Caption:] AS THE BURNT OUT, caved in shell of Ray’s Marina in Milton was being cleaned out on Tuesday, the day after one of Milton’s worst fires, Ray Lamoureux, owner of the Marina, was already making plans for rebuilding. For the time being, the Marina will be operating out of a cottage on one side of the building with their repair shop located in an American Service Station on the other side of the structure. (Photo by AEW).
[Photo Caption:] EVEN THOUGH the flames spread fast through Ray’s Marina in Milton all employees managed to get out of the building safely. According to Mr. Lamoureux, the owner of the business, no employees will be out of work because of the fire. He said, “It will be business as usual” (Photo by AEW).
[Photo Caption:] THE MONDAY AFTERNOON fire, which destroyed Ray’s Marina in Milton, was started when a snowmobile (pictured above) exploded and spread flames racing through the structure that once served as the Milton Railroad Depot (Photo by AEW).
[Photo Caption:] AS THINGS CALMED DOWN on Tuesday, the written location remained on the chalk board at the Milton Firehouse to tell where the fire had done $200,000 worth of damage the day before. (Photo by AEW).
Ray’s Marina Fire of Tuesday, October 30, 1973
Ten months later a Ray’s Marina boat storage building in Lebanon, ME, burned also.
Marina Blaze. WEST LEBANON, Maine (AP) – A fire here Tuesday leveled a storage building and destroyed its contents, about 65 motor boats and a fork lift truck, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze is undetermined and is under investigation. No injuries were reported. Fire fighters from several surrounding Maine and New Hampshire communities responded to the alarm. The storage building, the property of Ray’s Marina of Milton, NH, is on the Maine side of Milton Three Ponds. The marina itself is on the New Hampshire side (Portsmouth Herald, [Wednesday,] October 31, 1973).
Hugh Duncan Grant was born in Canada, December 31, 1870, son of Duncan and Eliza (Graham) Grant.
James McKay, a physician, aged forty-one years (b. Canada), headed a Potsdam, NY, household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of eleven years), Mary McKay, aged thirty-four years (b. NY), his servant, Marc[e]lina LaPoint, a housekeeper, aged twenty years (b. NY), and his boarder, Hugh Grant, a physician, aged twenty-eight years (b. Canada). James McKay owned their house at 89 Market Street, free-and-clear. McKay was a naturalized citizen, having immigrated into the U.S. in 1885, while Hugh Grant was still an alien, having immigrated in 1893. Mary McKay was the mother of two children, of whom none were still living.
CUTTINGSVILLE. Dr. Fiske is entertaining a former classmate, Dr. H.D. Grant of Malone, N.Y. (Southern Vermont Mirror (Danby, VT), June 10, 1904).
NORTHERN NEW YORK. Dr. H.D. Grant has gone down to Dundee, P.Q., to spend two weeks (Burlington Free Press (Burlington, VT), July 2, 1904).
BARTON LANDING. Dr. H.D. Grant of West Derby will take charge of Dr. Parlin’s patients, while the latter is away for the winter (Orleans County Monitor (Barton, VT), October 24, 1904).
BARTON LANDING. Dr. H.D. Grant, formerly of this place, has opened an office at Derby Line (Orleans County Monitor (Barton, VT), April 10, 1905).
Hugh Duncan Grant married (1st) in Newbury, VT, October 12, 1905, Martha Katherine “Mattie” Hamm. He was a physician, aged twenty-five years, and she was aged nineteen years. Congregational Rev. J. Alphonso Belanger performed the ceremony. She was born in Haverhill, MA, July 2, 1886, daughter of Charles W. and Susan L. (Marston) Hamm. (She died in East Hartford, CT, August 18, 1971).
DERBY LINE. Dr. H.D. Grant has closed his office in the studio building and intends locating in the West (Burlington Free Press (Burlington, VT), October 19, 1905).
Dr. Hugh D. Grant, like Dr. Weeks an alumnus of Baltimore Medical College, began practice at this [Milton Mills, NH] place during the latter part of the summer of 1907, and has resided here since that time (Mitchell-Cony, 1908).
Hugh D. Grant appeared in the Milton directory of 1909, as having his house at 12 Springvale Road, Acton Side, Milton Mills.
James Russell Grant was born in Acton, ME, January 2, 1909, son of Hugh D. and Martha (Hamm) Grant, as reported by physician H.D. Grant of Milton Mills, NH.
GROWING GIRLS NEED RED BLOOD. Pallor and Lack of Blood Should Be Corrected to Secure Proper Development. The pallor and lack of blood so often noted in the case of school girls, as well as young girls employed in stores and factories, if not corrected by proper tonic treatment, may reasonably be counted upon as a source of suffering and annoyance until the age of forty is reached. It indicates a lack of blood and with the blood deficient the growing girl cannot properly develop. It is a time when good red blood is urgently needed and the fact cannot be too strongly impressed upon parents. The disease is easily recognized by the yellow-green pallor, breathlessness and palpitation of the heart upon the least exertion, and sometimes, but not always, a tendency to faintness. The one remedy perfectly adapted for the cure of this condition is Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills. Mrs. H.D. Grant of Milton Mills, N.H., whose husband is a physician, says: “When about twelve years of age I began to decline in health and at last became so weak that I could not walk across the room without taking hold of something to steady myself. I don’t know what was the cause of my sickness unless I played too hard and grew too fast. I was very large for my age but extremely pale. I had headaches almost constantly and the only way I could sleep was by taking some sedative. I could not walk upstairs without my knees trembling. My appetite was poor and capricious. My heart seemed to be in my throat. I was thin and fainted frequently. During this time I suffered from weakness common to my sex. “I was treated by three physicians for anæmia but was given up by them and as a last resort tried Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills. I didn’t have any faith in them at first but I took them regularly and soon realized that they were doing me good. I gained in strength and weight, my appetite returned and I am now in good health.” Dr. Grant added: “My wife is a well woman today. She has a good appetite, sleeps well and does her work without any assistance.” Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills are sold by all druggists, or sent postpaid, on receipt of price, 50 cents per box, six boxes for $2.50, by the Dr. Williams Medicine Co., Schenectady, N.Y. (Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME), January 21, 1910).
H.D. Grant, an M.D. doctor, aged forty years (b. Canada), headed a Bowdoinham, ME, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of five years), Mattie K. Grant, aged twenty-three years (b. MA), and his children, Herley G. Grant, aged three years (b. NH), and James R. Grant, aged sixteen months (b. ME). H.D. Grant rented their house on Brooklyn Street. He was an alien, who had immigrated in 1887.
NORTHERN NEW YORK. Dr. H.D. Grant of Bowdoinville [Bowdoinham], Me., is the guest of his brother. Dr. J.A. Grant (Burlington Free Press (Burlington, ME), July 24, 1911).
DESCRIBE VISIT OF MASKED MEN. Dr. and Mrs. Grant in Bath, Me, Court. Frank P. Brown, Bowdoinham, Held tor Supreme Court. Contents of Threatening Letter Divulged. BATH, Me, Feb 27 – Alleging that a party of 15 or 20 masked men called at his home last Tuesday night about 9 o’clock to hand him a threatening letter and that one of the party struck him, Dr. H.D. Grant of Bowdoinham appeared in the Municipal Court today against Frank P. Brown, also of Bowdoinham, whom he charged with assault and battery. Judge Keegan found probable cause and young Brown was bound over to the May term of the Supreme Court in sureties of $500, which were furnished by his father, George W. Brown of Somerset Junction, and by James H. Millay of Bowdoinham. Dr. Grant was the principal witness. He said that last Tuesday night he was notified by telephone that a delegation was then on its way to give him a letter warning him that he and Mrs. Grant had better drop an action which Mrs. Grant is planning to bring against another woman in Bowdoinham, A group of masked men soon called and one handed him a letter. The doctor attempted to pull the man’s mask from his face, he said, and the man shot out his fist, striking him under his eye. He had succeeded in so removing the mask that he recognized the wearer as Brown, he said. In the scuffle others jumped at him, Dr. Grant testified, and he fell into a ditch. Dr. Grant’s testimony was corroborated by Mrs. Grant, who said she followed her husband out of the house in an attempt to remove the masks from as many others as possible but she only succeeded positively in identifying three members of the party. She said they are prominent citizens of Bowdoinham. She handed a revolver to her husband, who fired it in the air, causing the party to flee. Dr. and Mrs. Grant testified that one of the party was Charles Berry, their next-door neighbor. Young Berry denied that he took any part in the affair. He said he was playing the piano at his home when he heard a woman’s scream. Rushing out in the direction of the sound, he saw two figures in the ditch and from their voices believed them to be Dr. and Mrs. Grant. He saw a group of men, then more than 200 feet away, running down the street. A moment later a shot was fired and he became so frightened he ran back to his home. The letter handed Dr. Grant and read before the court read, “Since your arrival in this town our citizens have been subjected to many odorous episodes because of your presence. From time to time our peace-loving citizens have conferred together as to the advisability of purging our town of your presence. “But their good old New England blood coursed slowly through their veins and no one could take the lead in a plan to eliminate you. At frequent intervals since you came here you have succeeded in bringing your own and your wife’s misdeeds into the limelight and allowed their poisonous influences to be disseminated among our young people. “Recent events disclose the fact that you are preparing again to bring an obnoxious matter before the public, and for that purpose have instituted a civil suit against one of our old and respected citizens. Patience has ceased to be a virtue, and we therefore take this occasion to advise you to withdraw same on or before March 10, 1915, reminding you that you have too much to lose and nothing to be gained by your failure to do so. “We as citizens respect your rights as a citizen, and believe you should seriously consider the situation and respect our rights, upon which we assure you we shall insist. “Twenty Citizens of Bowdoinham.” (Boston Globe, February 28, 1915).
St. Johnsbury Locals. Dr. and Mrs. H.D. Grant of Bath Maine, and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Heath of Bowdoinham, Maine, were the recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. A.F. Houghton on their way to Montreal on an automobile trip (St. Johnsbury Republican (St. Johnsbury, VT), May 23, 1917).
Hugh D. Grant received a commission as a 1st Lieutenant in the Medical Section of the N.G.R. [National Guard Reserve], February 8, 1918. He was attached to the Third Maine Regiment.
Hugh D. (Martha K.) Grant appeared in the Bath, ME, directory of 1919, as a physician, with his office and house at 82 Pine street.
Hugh D. Grant, a general practice physician, aged forty-nine years (b. Canada), headed a Bath, ME, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Martha K. Grant, aged thirty-one years (b. MA), and his children, Hurley G. Grant, aged eighteen years (b. NH), and James R. Grant, aged eleven years (b. ME). Hugh D. Grant owned their house at 82 Pine Street, free-and-clear. It was a two-family residence, which they shared with a tenant household, that of Mary E. Wright, a housekeeper, aged twenty-eight years (b. ME).
Dr. Hugh D. Grant of Bath, Me., is suffering from a burn on his left arm sustained in a peculiar manner. He was driving his car on Sewall’s hill, Washington street, when he noticed steam coming from the radiator, which he believed had gone dry. Removing the cylinder cap his movement was a trifle awkward because of his heavy fur coat and before he could withdraw the cap, from the opening, the hot steam quickly went up his sleeve, scalding the arm from the hand to the elbow (Fall River Daily Evening News (Fall River, MA), December 8, 1921).
Hugh D. (Mattie) Grant appeared in the Bath, ME, directories of 1922, and 1924, as a physician, with his office and house at 82 Pine street. They would seem to have divorced between 1924 and 1925.
Hugh D. Grant appeared in the Bath, ME, directories of 1926, 1928, and 1931, as a physician, with his office and house at 141 Front street. (His son, Hurley G. Grant, a student in NYC, had his home residence at 141 Front street in 1931).
Hugh D. Grant married (2nd) in Portsmouth, NH, June 7, 1934, Hazel [Abbie] ((Jaquith) Holland) Gwynn, both of Bath, ME. He was a physician, aged fifty-eight years, and she was a bookkeeper, aged thirty-eight years. They were both divorced; it was his second marriage and her third marriage. Peter J. Hickey, justice of the peace, performed the ceremony. She was born in Durham, ME, March 19, 1896, daughter of Horace G. and Abbie E. (Littlefield) Jaquith.
Dr. and Mrs. Hugh D. Grant will leave Wednesday morning for a two weeks’ trip to Montreal and Ottawa (Bath Independent, October 11, 1934).
NEWLY WEDS TAKE UP RESIDENCE IN BATH. Mr. and Mrs. Fred P. Wilson, whose wedding took place Nov. 3 in Topsham, where Rev. Harry W. Chamberlin officiated at the single ring service, are making their home at 805 Washington street. Attending the couple were Dr. and Mrs. H.D. Grant. The bride, formerly Mrs. Ruby H. Avery, wore brown matelassé crepe and carried bronze chrysanthemums. Mrs. Grant wore a purple gown and carried pink chrysanthemums. The bride’s gift to her attendant was a double compact and the groom’s gift to the best man was a leather bill fold. A wedding supper followed the ceremony. Mrs. Wilson is employed at the Commercial Trading Company and Mr. Wilson is employed by the A. and K. Street Railway (Bath Independent, November 14, 1935).
H.D. Grant was elected Vice President of the Sagadahoc Medical Society at its meeting in the Hotel Sedgwick in Bath, ME, November 16, 1937.
Cyrus Russell Grant, beloved husband of Annie Margaret Gage, died at his home in Dundee Center, Québec, age 78 years. He was born in Russell, ON, on December 14, 1861, and came to Dundee at the age of 21. He is survived by his widow, one son Hugh at home, one brother, Dr. Hugh D. Grant of Bath, ME, three sisters, Mrs. Johnna Kirschner of Ottawa, and Misses Matilda and Ellen Grant of Montreal. Three grandchildren and four nephews, Harley and Russell Grant of Bath, ME, and Kenneth and Howard Grant of New York. He has lived here ever since [—-]. On February 8, 1888, he was united in marriage to Miss Annie Margaret Gage of Dundee who survives him, one son Hugh was born to this marriage. Funeral was held from his late residence to Zion United Church, in Dundee, service conducted by the Rev. J.B. McLean, D.D. of Huntingdon, assisted by the Rev. J.H. Woodside of Kensington. Interred in the Zion Church Cemetery ([Southwest Quebec] Gleaner, December 20, 1939).
Hugh D. Grant, a doctor, aged sixty-eight years (b. ME), headed a Bath, ME, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Hazel Grant, aged forty-nine years (b. ME), his stepson, Norman Grant, aged fifteen years (b. ME), and his lodger, Arthur Eller, a restaurant owner, aged forty-five years (b. Greece). Hugh D. Grant rented their house at 141 Front Street, for $25 per month. He had attended seven years of college, Hazel Grant had attended four years of high school. The family had resided in the same house in 1935, while their lodger had resided elsewhere in the same place, i.e., Bath, ME. (Arthur Eller appeared in the Bath, ME, directory of 1936, as proprietor of Arthur’s Lunch, at 136 Front street, with his house at 133 Front street).
Hugh D. Grant appeared in the Bath, ME, directory of 1949, as a physician, with his office and house at 141 Front street.
Hugh D. (Hazel A.) Grant appeared in the Bath, ME, directories of 1951, 1953, 1955, and 1957, as a physician, with his office and house at 3 Linden street. (Mrs. Ruth Grant, appeared as a registered nurse (Brunswick), with her house at 26 Liberty street, in 1951. His ex-wife, Mrs. Martha K. Grant, also a registered nurse, boarded with her, in 1951, and had her house at 14 Liberty street in 1953).
Dr. Hugh D. Grant is in Augusta where he is attending the training school of the officers of the Third Maine regiment of the Maine National Guard (Bath Independent, August 21, 1958).
Hugh D. Grant died in Bath, ME, September 29, 1958, aged eighty-eight years. Hazel A. ((Jaquith) (Holland) Gwynn) Grant died in Volusia County, FL, April 29, 1980.
Milton’s original railroad station stood on the other side of the Salmon Falls River. It was within Milton still, but on that side of the river that was called the “Lebanon side.” The Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway Railroad (PGF&C) corporation ran things initially from that original station that stood on the Lebanon side. (See Milton’s Railroad Line).
The railroad station depicted in the picture postcards, i.e., Milton’s second railroad station, was built on the Milton side over twenty years later in 1873.
Milton’s B&M Railroad Station, circa 1905 (Per A.J. Cate). Note the floral “Milton” letters to the left, as remembered from childhood by poet laureate Louise Bogan, and the weathervane atop the station
There seems to have been a career progression, at least in later years, from telegrapher to freight agent and, finally, to station agent. At least some of those working “on the ground,” as opposed in the train crews, seem to have been managed by the station agent. These might include baggage handlers, flagmen, freight agent, telegrapher, and, possibly, section hands.
The Milton railroad station agents (or depot masters) of this period or, at least, those that have been identified so far were: Charles A. Sawyer, F.A. Crocket, Daniel Corkery, William T. Wallace, John E. Fox, and Hugh A. Beaton. (Whoever replaced Hugh A. Beaton, after his 1940 death and until the station closed, has not yet been identified).
Charles A. Sawyer – 185?-1874
Charles Augustine Sawyer was born in Wakefield, NH, March 1, 1825, son of William and Mehitable “Hettie” (Richards) Sawyer.
Charles A. Sawyer married in Farmington, NH, May 1, 1853, Amanda M.F. Horne, he of Wakefield, NH, and she of Farmington. Rev. D.D. Tappan performed the ceremony. She was born in Dover, NH, July 24, 1834, daughter of John and Tryphena (Perkins) Horne.
Son George E. Sawyer was born in Milton, in March 1858.
Charles A. Sawyer, a R.R. agent, aged thirty-five years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton P.O.”) household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included A.M. [Amanda M.] Sawyer, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), E.A. [Ella A.] Sawyer, aged five years (b. NH), and George E. Sawyer, aged two years (b. NH). Charles A. Sawyer had real estate valued at $1,000 and personal estate valued at $500. His household was enumerated between those of Hazen Duntley, a blacksmith, aged fifty-five years (b. NH), and Stephen W. Dearborn, a box maker, aged forty-five years (b. NH).
Charles A. Sawyer of Milton registered for the Class II military draft, June 30, 1863. He was a depot master, aged forty-one years.
Daughter Ella A. Sawyer died in Milton, April 30, 1866, aged eleven years. (She is buried in Portland, ME).
PGF&C Railroad Whale Oil Lantern, 1869 (Willis Henry Auctions)
Charles A. Sawyer, a R.R. station agent, aged forty-five years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Amanda M. Sawyer, keeping house, aged thirty-five years (b. NH), Anna M. Sawyer, at school, aged twelve years (b. MA), and George E. Sawyer, at school, aged ten years (b. NH). Charles A. Sawyer had real estate valued at $800 and personal estate valued at $650. His household was enumerated between those of William H. Jones, a shoe factory worker, aged thirty-one years (b. ME), and Robert Miller, a shoe factory worker, aged thirty-six years (b. MA).
Son John G. Sawyer was born in Milton, August 19, 1870, the third child of Charles A. and Amanda Sawyer. Charles A. Sawyer was a station agent.
C.A. Sawyer appeared in the Milton business directory of 1873, as the Milton express agent. (C.H. Looney appeared as the Milton telegraph agent).
Charles A. and Amanda M. (Horne) Sawyer, and family, left Milton for Portland, ME, circa 1874.
Chas. A. Sawyer, a confectioner, aged fifty-four years (b. NH), headed a Portland, ME, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Amanda M. Sawyer, keeping house, aged forty-four years (b. NH), his children, George E. Sawyer, a confectioner, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), Anna M. Sawyer, at home, aged twenty-one years (b. MA), and John G. Sawyer, aged nine years (b. NH), his servant, Costella Ashlund, a servant, aged nineteen years (b. ME), and his boarders, Fred Sawyer, a confectioner, aged nineteen years (b. NH), and Elmer Spinney, an apprentice, aged nineteen years (b. ME). They resided at 321 Congress Street.
Charles A. Sawyer appeared in the Portland, ME, directory of 1883, as a confectioner at 419 Congress street, with his house at 321 Congress street. George E. Sawyer appeared as running a wholesale and retail confectionary at 309 and 315 Congress street, and 419 Congress street, with his house at 311 Congress street.
Charles A. Sawyer appeared in the Portland, ME, directory of 1886, as a confectioner at 419 Congress street, with his house at 11 Fessenden street, D. [Deering]. George E. Sawyer appeared as running a wholesale and retail confectionary at 309 and 315 Congress street, and 419 Congress street, with his house at 15 Fessenden street.
Charles A. Sawyer died of chronic nephritis in Deering, ME, February 11, 1893, aged sixty-seven years, eleven months, and eleven days.
Amanda M. Sawyer appeared in the Portland, ME, directory of 1897, as the widow of Charles A.,, with her house at 11 Fessenden street, Oakdale. George E. Sawyer appeared as a wholesale and retail confectioner, at 309 to 323 Congress street, and 465 Congress street, with his house at 14 Wilmot street. John G. Sawyer appeared as a salesman, at 315 Congress street, with his house at 11 Fessenden street, O [Oakdale].
Amanda M. (Horne) Sawyer died of chronic nephritis at 33 Fessenden Street in Portland, ME, March 14, 1916.
F.A. Crocket – 1874
F.A. Crocket appeared in the Milton business directory of 1874, as the Milton express and telegraph agent.
Daniel Corkery – 1874-c1884
Daniel Corkery was born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, circa December 1842, son of Daniel and Mary (Blake) Corkery. (His parents were natives of Ireland).
Daniel Corkery came to the Milton area from California, in or around 1865.
Daniel Corkery married Martha E. “Lizzie” Felch. She was born in Reading, MA, circa 1848, daughter of John B. and Martha A. (Lewis) Felch. (Her parents married in Lowell, MA, February 1, 1847. Her father worked there as a mechanic for the Middlesex Manufacturing Co. woolen mill. Her mother died of consumption in Clinton, ME, in August 1849, aged twenty-eight years (after one year’s illness)).
Daughter Annie I. Corkery was born in Milton, circa 1866.
Daniel Corkery, a sawmill laborer, aged twenty-eight years (b. New Brunswick), headed a Wakefield (“Union P.O”), NH, household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Lizzie Corkery, at home, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), and his child, Annie I. Corkery, at home, aged four years (b. NH). His household appeared in the enumeration between those of James Tucker, engine house superintendent, aged forty-seven years (b. MA), and Edwin W. Junkins, freight master, aged thirty-two years (b. NH).
Daniel Corkery, then of Union, Wakefield, NH, was working as a freight conductor for the Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad when he lost his right leg below the knee in a workplace accident.
NEW HAMPSHIRE. Daniel Corkery, conductor on the Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway freight train, was seriously injured at East Wakefield, Saturday afternoon, by being run over by the engine of his train, which passed over the right leg below the knee. He was carried to his home in Union, and his leg amputated. There is very little doubt whether he will survive the operation (Boston Globe, February 3, 1873).
After recovering from his injuries, Daniel Corkery succeeded Charles A. Sawyer as the Milton station agent.
RAILROAD NOTES. The extension of the Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad to connect with the Portland & Ogdensburg road, has been completed, and the cars are now run to Upper Bartlett. More than a thousand men are at work on the mountain near the Willey House (Vermont Journal (Windsor, VT), January 16, 1875).
Eliza M. Corkery was born in Milton, August 22, 1875, daughter of depot master Daniel Corkery and his wife, Lizzie M. Corkery. (She appears to have died prior to the Tenth (1880) Federal Census).
Daniel Corkery appeared in the Milton business directories of 1875, 1876, and 1880, as the Milton express and telegraph agent. He appeared in the Milton business directory of 1877, as a flour and grain dealer.
Two men from Great Falls, Somersworth, NH, stole flour and grain from Daniel Corkery at Milton Three Ponds, and a horse and sleigh from George H. Jones in which to escape.
NEW HAMPSHIRE. In default of $2000 bail, George Whitehouse and Richard Pine of Great Falls were committed to jail Wednesday to await trial for stealing a sleigh, harness and robes from George H. Jones, and a quantity of flour and grain from Daniel Corkery at Milton, Sunday night (Boston Post, [Thursday,] January 30, 1879).
Summary of News. George Whitehouse and Richard Pike, of Great Falls, N.H., were last week arrested for breaking and entering a storehouse at Milton Three Ponds, and stealing therefrom several barrels of flour, the property of Daniel Corkery. They also stole a horse and pung to carry away their plunder, but the heavy load broke down the pung, and hence their arrest (Argus and Patriot (Montpelier, VT), February 5, 1879).
The two thieves went to prison. George L. Whitehouse at least received a pardon from NH Governor Natt Head in the following December (Boston Globe, December 19, 1879).
Daisy G. Corkery was born in Milton, circa January 1880, daughter of Daniel and Lizzie Corkery.
Daniel Corkery, depot master, aged thirty-nine years (b. New Brunswick), headed a Milton household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Lizzie A. Corkery, keeping house, aged thirty-two years (b. MA), Annie I. Corkery, at school, aged fourteen years (b. NH), and Daisy A. Corkery, aged four months (b. NH (January)), and his helper, William T. Wallace, assistant station agent, aged nineteen years (b. NH). His household was enumerated between those of George Blake, a day laborer, aged sixty-seven years (b. NH), and Huon L. French, a shoe worker, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH).
Kate Corkery was born in Milton, January 25, 1881, daughter of depot master Daniel Corkery and his wife, Lizzie Corkery.
Daniel Corkery appeared in the Milton business directories of 1881, 1882, and 1884, as the Milton express and telegraph agent.
Daughter [Annie] Isabel Corkery died of consumption in Milton, December 28, 1883, aged seventeen years, and ten months. (Her death was recorded also in neighboring Lebanon, ME: Annie I. Corkery died in Milton, December 29, 1883, aged seventeen years, ten months, and twenty-three days. (She is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery, in Lebanon, ME)).
Some Railroad Literature. CONCORD. N.H., June 9. – The secretary of state has received for record in the office, a copy of the proceedings of the meeting of stockholders of the Boston & Maine railroad relating to the purchase of the roads, franchises and properties of the Eastern, and of the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway railroad, together with certificates of sale (Boston Globe, June 10, 1890).
Daniel Corkery appeared in the Milton directory of 1900, as a shoe beater out, with his house on Main street, near the Post Office. (A shoe “beater out” was one that tended a shoe leveling machine. It shaped and smoothed leather insoles and outsoles, especially imperfections arising out of other assembly operations). Daughter Daisy G. Corkery appeared also as a milliner on Main street, near the Post Office, boarding at the same location.
MILTON. Daniel Corkery, who has been on a trip to Roxbury, Mass., has returned home (Farmington News, April 6, 1900).
Daniel Corkery, a shoe shop hand, aged fifty-seven years (Canada (Eng.)), headed a Milton (“Milton Village”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirty-five years), Martha Corkery, aged fifty-one years (b. ME), and his children, Daisy G. Corkery, a milliner, aged twenty years (b. NH), and Katy D. Corkery, aged seventeen years (b. NH). Daniel Corkery owned their house, free-and-clear.
MILTON. Kate Corkery is home from a month’s visit in Boston (Farmington News, September 6, 1901).
MILTON. Miss Daisy Corkery is remodelling her house. The upper rooms will be used for millinery. A large bay window is to be added to the lower part for the display of goods (Farmington News, September 27, 1901).
Daniel Corkery died of pyaemia in Milton, September 15, 1902, aged fifty-nine years, eight months, and sixteen days. He was then a flagman (M.A.H. Hart, M.D., signed the death certificate).
Martha E. Corkery of Milton made her last will, apparently in Milton, December 1, 1903. After the payment of her just debts, if any, and funeral expenses, she devised all the rest of her estate, both real and personal, to her two daughters, Daisy J. Corkery and Kate D. Corkery, who she named as joint executors. Harry L. Avery, Henry H. Wentworth, and Louisa M. Wentworth signed as witnesses (Strafford County Probate, 134:25).
Daughter Daisy G. Corkery married in Milton, August 28, 1905, Harry A. Perkins, both of Milton. She was a milliner, aged twenty-five years, and he was a salesman, aged twenty-seven years. Rev. Myron P. Dickey performed the ceremony. Perkins was born in Kenduskeag, ME, circa 1877,son of Charles B. and Abbie (Wentworth) Perkins.
Harry A. Perkins appeared in the Lynn, MA directory of 1907, as a salesman, with his house at 19 Allen avenue. His sister-in-law, Catherine Corkery, appeared as a shoemaker, boarding at 19 Allen avenue; and his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Corkery, widow of Daniel, appeared as having died there January 21, 1907.
Martha E. “Lizzie” (Felch) Corkery died of valvular heart disease in her home at 19 Allen Avenue in Lynn, MA, January 21, 1907, aged fifty-nine years. (She was buried in Milton, NH).
Daughter Catherine D. Corkery married in Lynn, MA, February 21, 1909, Douglas W. Hendry, both of 19 Allen Ave., Lynn, MA. She was at home, aged twenty-five years, and he was a machinist, aged twenty-five years. Rev. Mary E. Miars performed the ceremony. Hendry was born in Boston, MA, circa 1883, son of George and Mary (Tweedie) Hendry.
[WOMAN PASTOR TO WED. Reported in Lynn That Rev. Mary A. Miars Will Be a June Bride and Leave Friends’ Church. LYNN, May 3 – Several weeks ago it was announced that Rev Mary A. Miars, pastor of the Friends’ church, Silsbee st., was to sever her connection with that church. It is now understood that she is to be a bride in June, and will probably never enter the pastoral field again in Lynn. Miss Miars refuses to affirm or deny the report of her coming marriage, and will only say that everything will be made known when the proper time arrives. It is said that the man she is to wed is a resident of Ohio, which is also her native state. Miss Miars has been connected with the Silsbee-st., church for the past 10 years. A few years ago Miss Miars became prominent when she interested herself in Edgar Meikel, the Lynn boy who was arrested on the charge of killing his father, but who was subsequently acquitted. It is understood that when Miss Miars closes her engagement with the Lynn church she will go directly to her home in Washington, O. [Ohio] (Boston Globe, May 4, 1909)].
The last will of Martha E. (Felch) Corkery was proved in a probate session held in Farmington, NH, August 16, 1910 (Strafford County Probate, 134:25).
William T. Wallace – c1884-1891
William T. Wallace was born in Middleton, NH, circa 1861, son of John and Dorothy (York) Wallace.
Daniel Corkery, depot master, aged thirty-nine years (b. New Brunswick), headed a Milton household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Lizzie A. Corkery, keeping house, aged thirty-two years (b. MA), Annie I. Corkery, at school, aged fourteen years (b. NH), and Daisy A. Corkery, aged four months (b. NH (January)), and his helper, William T. Wallace, assistant station agent, aged nineteen years (b. NH). His household was enumerated between those of George Blake, a day laborer, aged sixty-seven years (b. NH), and Huon L. French, a shoe worker, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH).
William T. Wallace married in Milton, May 20, 1885, Sarah F. Downs, both of Milton. He was a station agent, aged twenty-four years, and she was a lady, aged twenty-eight years. Rev. Frank Haley performed the ceremony. She was born in Milton, June 2, 1856, daughter of James and Abigail “Abby” (Ware) Downs.
William T. Wallace appeared in the Milton business directories of 1887, and 1889, as the Milton express and telegraph agent.
William T. Wallace appeared in the Milton business directory of 1892, as a Milton grocer.
Burglars invaded the Three Ponds grocery store of William T. Wallace, as well as the clothing store of Henry F. Mason, in April 1898.
Burglars at Work in Milton, N.H. MILTON, N.H., April 19. The stores of H.F. Mason and W.T. Wallace were entered by burglars last night. At Mason’s a quantity of boots, shoes and clothing was taken, and at Wallace’s a small amount of change from the money drawer (Boston Globe, April 19, 1898).
MILTON. Deputy Sheriff William T. Wallace is attending the supreme court in Dover this week (Farmington News, March 23, 1900).
William T. Wallace, a grocer, aged thirty-nine years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of fifteen years), Sarah F. Wallace, aged forty-three years (b. NH). William T. Wallace owned their house, free-and-clear. Sarah F. Wallace was the mother of no children. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Frank S. Lee, a housepainter, aged fifty-four years (b. NH), and Frank Thompson, a day laborer, aged twenty-four years (b. MA).
Red Men Meet. Last Wednesday night at the regular council of Chocorua Tribe No. 6, I.O.R.M., a class of eleven palefaces was admitted to membership in the order, the work being exemplified by the degree staff of Madokawando Tribe No. 21 of Milton, which is considered one of the leading teams in the state, and certainly does first-class work under the direction of Charles A. Gilmore, formerly a resident of this town and a member of the tribe here. At the conclusion of the ceremonies attending the conferring of the degrees, all marched to the banquet hall to do honor to “corn and venison” prepared and waiting, and to listen to speaking by men prominent in the affairs of the order, and among them were George F. Hersey of Dover, grand sachem of the state, and William T. Wallace of Milton, a chief of the great council of New Hampshire, the sachem and several past sachems, of the Milton tribe, George H. Demeritt, sachem, and other members, old and new, of Chocorua tribe. At an early hour in the morning the company dispersed, each feeling that much had been accomplished in the fostering of good fellowship, and the raising of the local organization towards regaining the eminent position once maintained in the community. It is hoped that soon this tribe can boast of a degree team which will do credit to the order and its home town (Farmington News, April 5, 1907).
William T. Wallace, a shoe factory bookkeeper, aged forty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton 3-Ponds”) household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-eight years), Frances Wallace, aged fifty-three years (b. NH). William T. Wallace owned their house, free-and-clear. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Edward Cestrau, a leatherboard mill beater man, aged thirty-two years (b. Canada), and Charles W. Evans, a shoe factory picker, aged forty-two years (b. NH).
Installation. Officers of Minnehaha Council, D. of P., were duly installed by District Deputy Grand Pocahontas Hattie Palmer of Rochester, assisted by past deputy Mrs. Allen of the same city. The ceremonies took place in Grange hall last Thursday evening in the presence of a large attendance of members a delegation of 18 members from the Milton council, including Past Great Sachem William T. Wallace and Past Grand Pocahontas Ina Drew. Chiefs who were raised up are as follows; Prophetess, Melissa Corson; Pocahontas, Edna Hanson; Wenonah, Addle Ham; Powhatan, Ernest Blaisdell; K. of R., Mamie Gate; K. of W., Jennie Marston; C. of W., Nellie Sanders; third trustee, Emma Bradshaw; first scout, Rosa Fall; first warrior, D.W. Cate; second warrior, Everett Corson; third warrior, C.W. Marston; fourth warrior, George Ham; guard of tepee, Emma Bradshaw; guard of forest, C.W. Whitehouse. A social hour, with banquet, concluded a most enjoyable affair (Farmington News, January 19, 1917).
William T. Wallace, a leatherboard shipper, aged fifty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Frances S. Wallace, aged sixty-three years (b. NH). William T. Wallace owned their house on Upper Main Street in Milton Village, free-and-clear. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of George F. Downs, a meat market owner, aged sixty-three years (b. NH), and Edward A. Connell, a Milton Ice co. laborer, aged twenty-nine years (b. MA).
Milton Leatherboard employee, William T. Wallace, was seriously wounded in a freak accident there on October 31, 1928. He died that same day in the Rochester hospital following an operation there, aged sixty-seven years, and nine months. His Rochester death certificate (signed by Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton) explained that he had been …
Struck by a flying blade from a heavy steel fan in the drying room of the Milton Leatherboard mill on the side of his abdomen causing the bursting of a section of the intestines. He was taken to the Rochester Hosp. and died after his operation before recovering from the anesthetic.
LOCAL. Many local friends, and especially the orders of Red Men and Pocahontas throughout the state, regret the tragic and untimely death of William S. Wallace of Milton, who died at the Rochester hospital last Monday as the result of injuries while at his employment at the Dawson paper mill last week. Mr. Wallace was a past great sachem of the Red Men of New Hampshire. For many years he was an employee of the Boston and Maine R.R. as the station master at Milton Also he was a former business man of Milton (Farmington News, November 9, 1928).
S. Frances Wallace, a widow, aged seventy-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. She owned her house on North Main Street, which was valued at $1,400. She had a radio set.
Sarah F. (Downs) Wallace died of an intestinal obstruction (and bowel cancer) in Milton, January 2, 1939, aged eighty-two years, and seven months. M.A.H. Hart, M.D., signed the death certificate.
John E. Fox – 1891-1904
John E. Fox was born in Tuftonborough, NH, May 30, 1845, son of George and Drusilla E. (Hersey) Fox.
John E. Fox married in Brooklyn, NY, December 25, 1872, Abbie Frances “Frances” Woodman, he of Tuftonborough, NH, and she of Brooklyn. The ceremony took place “at her Father’s house.” John L. Page and N. Hubbard Woodman, Jr., appeared as witnesses. She was born in Tamworth, NH, circa 1847.
George Fox, a farmer, aged seventy-three years, headed a Tuftonborough, NH, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Drusilla E. Fox, keeping house, aged sixty-nine years, his son, John E. Fox, works on farm, aged thirty-five years, his daughter-in-law, Abbie F. Fox, works in house, aged twenty-six years, and his grandchildren, Alice E. Fox, aged three years, George N. Fox, aged two years, and Sadie M. Fox, aged three months.
John E. Fox was a Tuftonborough, NH, Selectman in the years 1880-85.
MILTON. Station Agent John E. Fox is proving a very popular man in that capacity (Farmington New, September 4, 1891).
Daughter Lillian E. Fox was born in Milton, July 13, 1893, fourth child of John E. Fox (station agent, aged forty-three years (b. Tuftonborough, NH) and Abby F. Woodman (aged forty-one years, b. Tamworth, NH).
John E. Fox appeared in the Milton business directories of 1894, and 1898, as the Milton express and telegraph agent.
NEWS AND NOTES. Mr. John E. Fox, station agent at Milton, who had his leg broken two or three months ago, has had to have it amputated (Farmington News, September 14, 1894).
MILTON. Men are at work on the railroad repairing damages done by the freshet. No trains went north of here for two days. The track was a foot under water and washed away in some places. The smaller dam at the shoe shops was blown up to prevent the water from rushing through the shop. It was a question whether even that would keep the shop from being washed away (Farmington News, April 26, 1895).
John E. Fox, a R.R. station agent, aged fifty-five years (b. NH), headed a Lebanon, ME, household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-eight years), Frances A. Fox, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), his children, Alice E. Fox, a teacher, aged twenty-three years (b. NH), Sadie N. Fox, a milliner, aged twenty years (b. NH), and Lillian E. Fox, aged six years (b. NH), and his brother, Henry L. Fox, a paper mill laborer, aged sixty-four years (b. NH). John E. Fox owned their house, but with a mortgage. Frances A. Fox was the mother of four children, of whom three were still living.
John E. Fox appeared in the Milton business directories of 1901, and 1904, as the Milton express and telegraph agent.
MILTON. The New England Telephone Company is to place long distance telephones at the store of Avery, Jones & Roberts, and the meat market of G.E. Wentworth, and the residences of H.B. Amey, Hazen Plummer, D.A. Whitehouse, H.F. Whitehouse, Station Agent J.E. Fox, and D.W. Beede the miller. This will make an appreciable addition to the Milton exchange (Farmington News, October 25, 1901). (See also Milton Gets the Telephone).
MILTON. John E. Fox has returned to his duties as station agent, after a vacation of two months (Farmington News, March 4, 1904).
MILTON. John E. Fox sold his house to Mrs. Belle Penney, and is to move to Derry (Farmington News, May 6, 1904).
John E. Fox was a Wolfeboro Selectman in the years 1906-08.
John E. Fox, a home farm farmer, aged sixty-four years (b. NH), headed a Wolfeboro, NH, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirty-seven years), Frances A. Fox, aged fifty-seven years (b. NH), his children, Alice E. Fox, a day school teacher, aged thirty-three years (b. NH), Sadie M. Fox, a bedding company bookkeeper, aged thirty years (b. NH), Lillian J.E. Fox, aged sixteen years (b. NH), and his boarder, Julia C. Dore, aged seventy-one years (b. NH). John E. Fox owned their house on North Main Street. Frances A. Fox was the mother of four children, of whom three were still living. Julia C. Dore was the mother of five children, of whom three were still living.
Abbie F. (Woodman) Fox died June 15, 1915, aged sixty-two years.
John E. Fox, a widower, aged seventy-four years (b. NH), headed an East Kingston, NH, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. He rented his house on Depot Road.
John E. Fox died October 3, 1923, aged seventy-eight years.
Hugh A. Beaton – 1904-40
Hugh Arthur Beaton was born in Jefferson, OH, October 8, 1873, son of Charles and Eliza A. (Hill) Beaton.
Hugh A. Beaton married in Lancaster, NH, August 19, 1894, Myrtle F. Hartshorn, both of Whitefield, NH. Rev. R.T. Wolcott performed the ceremony. Beaton was a laborer, aged twenty-one years, and she was a domestic, aged nineteen years. She was born in Lunenburg, VT, circa 1875, daughter of Vernon E. and Edith (Tyler) Hartshorn.
Daughter Ione Edith Beaton was born in Lunenburg, VT, December 30, 1894, daughter of Hugh Arthur Beaton, a telegraph operator, aged twenty-one years, and Florence Myrtle Hartshorn, aged nineteen years. (The record was amended in 1952 to correct the mother’s name from “Abbie” Beaton to Florence Myrtle Hartshorn).
Hugh A. Beaton, a telegrapher, aged twenty-six years (b. OH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of seven years), Myrtle Beaton, aged twenty-five years (b. VT), and his children, Ione Beaton, at school, aged five years (b. VT), and Hazel L. Beaton, aged three months (b. NH). Hugh A. Beaton rented their house in Milton Village. Myrtle Beaton was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living.
Daughter Hazel Leola Beaton was born in Milton, February 4, 1900. She died of cholera infantum in Milton, September 21, 1900, aged seven months, and seventeen days. (M.A.H. Hart, M.D., signed the death certificate).
FITZDALE. Mrs. Hugh Beaton of Milton, N.H., is visiting her mother, Mrs. V.E. Hartshorn (St. Johnsbury Republican, February 25, 1903).
Daughter [Gladys Marjorie] Beaton was born in Milton, June 17, 1903, daughter of Hugh A. Beaton (telegraph operator, aged twenty-nine years, born Jefferson, OH) and Myrtle Hartshorne (aged twenty-seven years, born Lunenburg, VT).
MILTON. Mrs. Hugh Beaton started Monday for a visit to her old home in Vermont (Farmington News, April 8, 1904).
H.A. Beaton appeared in the Milton business directories of 1905-06, and 1909, as agent for the American Express Company.
RAILROAD NOTES. An extra eastbound freight passed through here [Portsmouth, NH] on Tuesday with fifty empty cars for the Conway branch, to be used for ice shipments (Portsmouth Herald, May 23, 1906).
Hugh Beaton, a B&M Railroad station agent, aged thirty-six years (b. OH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of fifteen years), Mirtle F. Beaton, aged thirty-six years (b. VT), his children, Iona Beaton, aged fourteen years (b. VT), and Gladis Beaton, aged five [six] years (b. NH), and his boarder, James Hayes, aged eighteen years (b. NH). Hugh Beaton owned their house, free-and-clear. Mirtle F. Beaton was the mother of three children, of whom two were still living. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Joseph Avery, postmaster, aged sixty-five years (b. ME), and Charles Houston, a B&M freight agent, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH). (Next beyond Houston was The Sampson hotel).
CONCORD. Ione Beaton of Milton, N.H., is visiting Miss Grace Smith (St. Johnsbury Republican (St. Johnsbury, VT), July 27, 1910).
Rochester Div., No. 65. Bro. H.A. Beaton, agent at Milton, has just recovered from a severe attack of blood poisoning. He was relieved by Bro. C.L. Beaton, while incapacitated for duty (Order, 1910).
Union brother C.L. Beaton was Hugh A. Beaton’s actual brother, Charles L. Beaton of Portsmouth, NH.
The case of Myrtle G. Bodwell vs. the Boston and Maine railroad, which was tried at the February term and resulted in an $1800 verdict for the plaintiff, then opened for retrial, the verdict having been set aside because of newly, discovered evidence. The plaintiff seeks $5000 damages for injuries alleged to have been sustained from being thrown from a platform at the Milton station through the sudden starting of a crowded train, Aug. 12, 1910 (Portsmouth Herald, October 3, 1911).
H.A. Beaton appeared in the Milton business directories of 1912, and 1917, as agent for the B&M Railroad and the American Express Company.
Rochester Div., No. 65. Bro. H.A. Beaton, Milton, has a new Ford runabout. Wish we all might “of-ford” an auto this year (Order, 1912).
Hugh A. Beaton of Milton had a 22½ horsepower Ford automobile registered (as #2182) between January and August 1912.
WRECKERS BUSY ON RAILROAD. Mixup in Local Yard and Another in Milton on Conway Branch. After working for four hours or more to replace a 125-ton locomotive on the rails near the Green street crossing on Thursday Afternoon, the wrecking crew of the Boston & Maine railroad were ordered to Milton on the Conway branch where they worked all night to clear the tracks of two ice cars, one of which tipped over after leaving the rails. They arrived back at 8.30 this morning (Portsmouth Herald, December 12, 1913).
LOCAL. A fine time was enjoyed at the Thanksgiving ball given under the auspices of Charity Temple No. 44, Pythian Sisters, at A.O.U.W. hall, Milton, Tuesday evening of last week. About 75 couples were in attendance. The grand march was led by Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Hodgdon, the next in order being Mr. and Mrs. E.A. [H.A.] Beaton. Music was furnished by Peerless orchestra of Rochester. A fine supper was served and all in all a good time was enjoyed by everybody. About $64 was cleared, which fund is to be used for the new shoe firm which is to locate in Milton. Ralph Whitehouse was the successful contestant in the silver service contest. The committee of arrangements consisted of Mrs. E.A. Hodgdon, Mrs. H.A. Beaton and Mrs. S.G. Blaisdell (Farmington News, December 4, 1914).
Daughter Ione E. Beaton married in South Berwick, ME, March 18, 1915, Edward A. Connell, she of Milton and he of Littleton, MA. He was an iceman, aged twenty-three years, and she was a house worker, aged twenty years.
Hugh Arthur Beaton of Milton registered for the WW I military draft in Milton, September 12, 1918. He was a B&M R.R. station agent & operator, aged forty-four years of age (b. October 8, 1875). (For some reason, he clipped two years off of his age). His nearest relative was Myrtle F. Beaton of Milton. He was of a medium height, with a stout build, blue eyes, and brown hair.
EAST CONCORD. Mr. and Mrs. Vern Hartshorn have returned home from an extended visit with their daughter, Mrs. Hugh Beaton at Milton, N.H. They were accompanied home by Ed. Cornell (Caledonian Record (St. Johnsbury, VT), September 3, 1919).
B&M Station Agent Cap, circa 1915 (Per B&M Railroad Historical Society)
Hugh A. Beaton, a Boston & Maine R.R. station agent, aged forty-six years (b. OH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Myrtle F. Beaton, aged forty-four years (b. VT), and his child, Gladys M. Beaton, aged sixteen years (b. NH). Hugh A. Beaton owned their house on Lower Main Street (at its intersection with Silver Street), free-and-clear.
RUNAWAY HORSE STOPS TRAIN. Becoming frightened when his heels hit the sleigh behind him, a horse belonging to Edward Hammond of Rochester ran away down the Boston & Maine railway tracks in that city toward Milton yesterday afternoon. At the Milton station a north-bound passenger train was about to start, and word was sent to the engineer to look for the horse and sleigh. The animal had become entangled in a culvert cover however, and had a broken leg, before the train approached it, the engineer stopped the train and the horse was shot (Portsmouth Herald, January 24, 1923).
WEST MILTON. … one hundred dollars was appropriated to beautify the grounds near the railroad station at Milton, the work to be done under the direction of the Womans’ club (Farmington News, March 23, 1923).
PERSONAL. Mrs. H.H. [H.A.] Beaton and family party were in [Farmington] town from Milton Tuesday (Farmington News, August 24, 1923).
WRECKING CREW SENT TO MILTON. The local wrecking crew of the Boston & Maine Railroad were sent to Milton, on the Conway branch, today, to replace a buggy and one freight that became derailed on a siding (Portsmouth Herald, October 4, 1923).
BRING IN TWO B&M WRECKED ENGINES. The two locomotives No. 919 and 1376 which were wrecked in a collision between a snow plow train and a passenger train on the Conway branch near Milton last Wednesday were hauled to Portsmouth by the Portsmouth wrecking train and are now on a side track in the roundhouse yard. They will be held here until orders are received from the motive power department to send them to shop at Billerica, Concord or Somerville. The front end of both engines is badly damaged (Portsmouth Herald, February 24, 1924).
Daughter Gladys M. Beaton appeared in the Portsmouth, NH, directory of 1928, as a teacher at the West Junior High School in Portsmouth, with her residence at Milton. Her paternal uncle, Charles L. (Annie H.) Beaton, appeared as a ticket agent for the B&M R.R., with his house at 50 Orchard street. (In 1930, she resided with her uncle and aunt at 50 Orchard street (See Milton’s Hare Road Teachers, 1890-26 for a fuller account of Charles L. and Annie J. (Horne) Beaton).
Hugh A. Beaton, a railroad station agent, aged fifty-six years (b. OH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirty-five years), Myrtle F. Beaton, aged fifty-four years (b. VT). Hugh A. Beaton owned their house on South Main Street, which was valued at $1,300. They had a radio set.
Daughter Gladys Marjorie Beaton married in Chocorua [Tamworth], NH, June 27, 1931, Edgar Brown Bruce, she of Milton and he of Lebanon, ME. He was a teacher, aged twenty-four years, and she was a teacher, aged twenty-eight years.
Hugh A. Beaton was assessed for Milton property in 1932, which was valued at $1,100, and for which he was taxed $27.52 (Milton Town Report, For the Year Ending January 31, 1933). (A mil rate of $25.02 per thousand).
BATCH OF SMILES. “Aunt Sarah Shapleigh,” a jolly old soul, once well known to Milton people and who resided for some years in the house now owned and occupied by station agent Hugh Beaton, once told this little anecdote: A young girl who was deficient in her orthography was one day studying her spelling lesson and called to her mother in an adjoining room saying, “Marm, what does t-h-e spell?” Her mother impatiently answered, “Dod zounds, Suzette, ain’t I told you a thousand times and more that t-h-e spells feledelfy’?” – Rochester Courier (Boston Globe, April 10, 1933).
The former occupant of Beaton’s residence, “Aunt” Sarah (Bragdon) Shapleigh, widow of Richard Shapleigh, died in Milton, December 26, 1893, aged eighty-seven years, one month, and twenty-six days.
MILTON. Mrs. H.A. Beaton is in Springfield, Mass., visiting her daughter [Ione E. (Beaton) Connell] (Farmington News, November 30, 1934).
Station Agent James A. Reed of Wakefield, NH, received a visit from Station Agent Hugh A. Beaton of Milton.
UNION. Hugh Beaton, station agent at Milton, called on James Reed, Sunday (Farmington News, September 25, 1936).
Hugh A. Beaton, station agent at Milton, NH, appeared in the B&M Railroad employee’s magazine of December 1937, as being on the sick list.
ALTON AND ALTON BAY. Mrs. and Mrs. Charles [Hugh A.] Beaton of Milton are guests this week of their daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Bruce (Farmington News, February 24, 1939).
Hugh A. Beaton died suddenly at the B&M railroad station in Milton, at 3:30 PM, February 12, 1940, aged sixty-six years, four months, and four days.
Strafford County medical examiner Forrest L. Keay, M.D., viewed the body and determined that Beaton had died from “Some form of heart disease. He had walked up the R.R. track about 50 yards from the station and dropped to track and died there.”
Was Brother Of Local Man. Hugh A. Beaton, 67, station agent at Milton for many years, and brother of Charles L. Beaton, agent at the Boston & Maine station in this city, dropped dead Monday while at his work (Portsmouth Herald, [Tuesday,] February 13, 1940).
IN MEMORIUM. Hugh A. Beaton. Announcement of the sudden death of Station Agent Hugh A. Grant at Milton on February 12 brings sorrow to many friends and acquaintances in this locality. Mr. Beaton dropped dead while about his duties in the B&M railroad yard at Milton, Monday afternoon. The deceased was 67 years of age, and had been in the employ of B&M for about 45 years. For nearly 40 years he had held the position of station agent, freight agent and telegraph operator at Milton, and was widely known among his townsmen and to the traveling public. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a brother Charles Beaton, also a railroad man of Portsmouth, and one sister, for all of whom much sympathy is expressed. Funeral was held Wednesday morning at the Baptist church in Milton, with services in charge of Fraternal Chapter, No. 71, A.F. & A.M., of which he was a member (Farmington, February 16, 1940).
Edward Connell, a paper company beater engineer, aged forty-nine years (b. MA), headed a West Springfield, MA, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Ione Connell, aged forty-five years (b. VT), his children, Maynard Connell, a mail clerk for a magazine paper company, aged nineteen years (b. NH), and Shirley Connell, aged seventeen years (b. NH), and his lodger [and mother-in-law], Myrtle Beaton, a widow, aged sixty-four years (b. VT). Edward Connell rented their house at 23 Church Street.
At the conclusion of the Milton School Board’s Deliberative Session of Saturday, February 6, 2021, Budget Committeeman (and ZBA member, and Local Government Efficiency Task Force member) Lawrence D. “Larry” Brown put forward a last-minute resolution from the floor.
Moderator: Does anyone else wish to speak? … Larry Brown.
Larry Brown: This is a … at the end of the Deliberative Session for the Town, I decided we’d had enough and rather than spend more time there, a different meeting. This is the text of a resolution regarding consideration, it requires a simple vote, up or down, no seconds, no amendments:
Resolved. The 2021 Town of Milton School Board Deliberative Session opposes the diversion of public education funding to private purposes and requests their State Representatives to support that position in the debate and with their vote on the House floor.
Moderator: Larry … is that a question, or …?
Larry Brown: That is a resolution to be voted for or against by the Deliberative Session …
The Moderator seemed a bit nonplussed. He referred the request to the School Board’s lawyer, who said it lay within the Moderator’s discretion. The Moderator chose not to take up the resolution.
There were but fourteen voters present in the audience, including the two State Representatives mentioned in Mr. Brown’s proposed resolution – who could hardly instruct themselves – and including also not a few Town officials (apart from the School Board members, Selectmen, Budget Committee members, etc., officiating at the dais).
The voters present made up only 0.4% – i.e., less than half of one percent – of Milton’s electorate.
Had such a resolution actually been voted upon and passed, it might have conveyed some sense of the majority (eight voters or more) of those few present at an underattended meeting (fourteen voters), but could hardly have conveyed any true sense of Milton’s electorate, and none at all of Middleton’s electorate. (The representatives being responsible to both Milton and Middleton).
One is left to assume that Mr. Brown was attempting a little humor or, perhaps, was engaged in a bit of trolling, which some consider to be a form of humor. If so, it fell just a bit flat.
It is a curious fact that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves seriously. –Oscar Wilde
Nicholas L. Mucci was born in Florence, Italy, August 22, 1869. (If, as would seem to have been the case, Angelo P. Mucci of Sanford, ME, was his brother, then both were sons of Iacopo Mucci).
Nicholas L. Mucci married in Florence, Tuscany, Italy, October 16, 1892, Teresa Laurezi (also given as Lorenzi). She was born in Florence, Italy, August 2, 1871, daughter of Joseph Lorenzo.
Nicholas Mucci, a country man, aged twenty-eight years, and his wife, Teresa Mucci, aged twenty-six years, both of Firenze, i.e., Florence, Italy, sailed from Genoa, Italy, April 14, 1898, on the S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm II (1889), arriving in New York, NY, April 28, 1898. They would be joining his brother (her brother-in-law), presumably at their stated “final” destination of Boston, MA.
Nicholas Mucci appeared in the Milton directory of 1900, as running a fruit and confectionary store at 48 Main street in Milton Mills, with his house at Sanford, ME.
Mucci’s fellow countryman, Raffaele A. “Ralph” Ferretti (1864-1931), had opened a very similar establishment in neighboring Farmington, NH, in 1894. Descriptions of his business activities may give us some sense of the “flavor” of Mucci’s Milton Mills store.
LOCALS. Ralph Ferretti has a new cart of attractive appearance which he will keep on the road with fruit and ice cream this summer. He also has recently purchased a gas engine to operate his ice cream freezer (Farmington News, May 17, 1895).
LOCALS. That Ferretti makes caramels of the finest flavor to be found, is the decision of all good judges (Farmington News, November 13, 1896).
In 1899, Ferretti advertised Ice Cream, “Made from the Very Best Cream, with the Highest Quality of Flavoring Extracts. Special Prices by the Gallon;” Ice Cold Soda (i.e., “tonics”), “Flavored with the Best Fruit Syrups;” and Fruit, “of all kinds at the lowest living prices” (Farmington News, May 12, 1899). Five pounds of chocolate might be obtained for $1.
Nicolas Mucci, a storekeeper, aged thirty years (b. Italy), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of six years), Teresa Mucci, aged twenty-eight years (b. Italy), his daughter, Eliza Mucci, aged three months (b. NH), and his boarder, Angelo Lenzi, a storekeeper, aged twenty-one years (b. Italy). Nicholas Mucci rented their house. Teresa Mucci was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living. They had immigrated into the U.S. in 1897. (Their boarder had immigrated into the U.S. in 1895). Their household was enumerated between those of Elisha S. Gerrish, a farm laborer, aged fifty-one years (b. ME), and Elphonzo Pinkham, a barber, aged forty-four years (b. ME).
Nicholas Mucci appeared in the Milton directory of 1902, as running a fruit and confectionary store at 44 Main street (corner of Church street) in Milton Mills, with his house at the same address. F.S. Weeks, M.D., a physician and surgeon, was at 42 Main street (corner of Church street), and W.S. Miller, a furniture dealer, was at 46 Main street.
MILTON MILLS, N.H. N. Mucci, who has been on the sick list, is so improved he is seen at the store again. … Mr. Lindsey, clerk in N. Mucci’s store, was a visitor in Sanford one day last week (Biddeford-Sanford Tribune (Biddeford, ME), March 20, 1903).
N. Mucci appeared in the Milton business directories of 1904, and 1905-06, as proprietor of a Milton Mills fruit, confectionary, and fancy grocery store at 44 Main street, with his house at the same address. Winfield S. Miller, a furniture dealer, was at 46 Main street.
MILTON MILLS, N.H. N. Mucci was severely bitten on the finger by a tarantula, while handling bananas in his store room on Sunday morning (Biddeford-Sanford Tribune (Biddeford, ME), August 3, 1906).
N. Mucci’s Central Square shop frontage was brightly lit (with carbide lamps) in 1907.
Acetylene Rays. At Milton Mills, N.H., several stores on Central square, including the new one of Winfield Miller and that of N. Mucci, are now lighted by acetylene. There are other installations in this town also (Acetylene Journal, 1907).
Acetylene lighting was a type of gas lighting. The storefronts of Winfield Miller and Eugene W. Emerson were also so lit.
N. Mucci appeared in the Milton business directory of 1909, as proprietor of a Milton Mills fruit, confectionary, and fancy grocery store at 46 Main street, with his house at the same address.
Nichla Muci, a general store proprietor, aged forty years (b. Italy), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills”) household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of eighteen years), Teresa Muci, aged thirty-eight years (b. Italy), and his children, Allice Muci, aged twelve years (b. NH), Susan Muci, aged nine years (b. NH), Charles Muci, aged five years, Elenah Muci, aged three years (b. NH), and Fred Muci, aged two months (b. NH). Nichla Mucci rented their house. Teresa Mucci was the mother of eight children, of whom six were still living. They had immigrated into the U.S. in 1898; Teresa Mucci spoke Italian, i.e., she spoke mostly Italian. Their household was enumerated between those of John Howland, Jr., a hotel clerk, aged fifty years (b. Canada), and William Pinfold, a woolen mills napper, aged forty-six years (b. England). (See Milton in the News – 1902 regarding Pinfold’s wife, Annie E. (Lewis) Pinfold, who was a writer of short stories and song lyrics).
N. Mucci appeared in the Milton business directories of 1912, and 1917, as proprietor of a Milton Mills fruit, confectionary, and fancy grocery store at 46 Main street (corner of Church street).
SOUTH ACTON. George Tappan bought a Reo automobile of N. Mucci recently (Biddeford-Sanford Tribune (Biddeford, ME), May 22, 1914).
Nicholas Mucci, a woolen mill washer, aged fifty years (b. Italy), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Th[e]resa Mucci, aged forty-eight years (b. Italy), and his children, Alicia M. Mucci, drawing warp in a plush mill, aged twenty years (b. NH), Susie S. Mucci, drawing warp in a plush mill, aged eighteen years (b. NH), Charles A. Mucci, aged fifteen years (b. NH), Eleanor Mucci, aged twelve years (b. NH), Orlando N. Mucci, aged nine years (b. NH), and Arline L. Mucci, aged six years (b. NH). Nicholas Mucci owned their farm on Church Street, with a mortgage. Nicholas and Theresa Mucci had immigrated into the U.S. in 1898, and had become naturalized citizens in 1908. Their household was enumerated between those of James C. Hawksworth, a woolen mill washer, aged sixty years (b. Nova Scotia), and Elisha S. Gerrish, a teamster laborer, aged sixty-eight years (b. ME).
Nickolas Mucci, a woolen mills finisher, aged sixty years (b. Italy), headed a Sanford, ME, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirty-seven years), Theresa Mucci, aged fifty-eight years (b. Italy), and his children, Alice Mucci, a variety store saleslady, aged thirty years (b. NH), Susie Mucci, a plush mill twister, aged twenty-nine years (b. NH), Charles Mucci, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), Eleanor Mucci, a plush mill twister, aged twenty-three years (b. NH), Orlando Mucci, aged nineteen years (b. NH), and Arline Mucci, aged seventeen years (b. NH). Nickolas Mucci owned their house at 17 Sherburne Street, which was valued at $2,600. They had a radio set. Nickolas and Theresa Mucci had immigrated into the U.S. in 1898, and were naturalized citizens.
Nicholas Mucci, a worsted mills dryer, aged seventy years (b. Italy), headed a Sanford, ME, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Theresa Mucci, aged sixty-eight years (b. Italy), his children, Alice Mucci, a retail furniture saleswoman, aged forty-one years (b. NH), Orlando Mucci, a mohair mills bookkeeper, aged thirty years (b. NH), Aileen Mucci, a retail furniture saleswoman, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH), and Eleanor Downing, a mohair mills mender, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), and his grandson, Roger Downing, aged four years (b. ME). Nicholas Mucci owned their house at 17 Sherburne Street, which was valued at $1,200. They had all resided in the same place in 1935
Nicholas and Theresa (Lorenzi) Mucci celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in Sanford, ME, in October 1942.
Sanford Couple Celebrates Golden Wedding Anniversary. Mr. And Mrs. Nicholas Mucci, Wed In Italy, Have Resided Here 22 Years.Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Mucci of 17 Sherbourne street, for 22 years residents of Sanford, observed their golden wedding anniversary Friday evening at their home where a buffet luncheon was served. A cake decorated with gold, made by Joseph Laflamme, formed the table center-piece and was cut by Mrs. Mucci. The couple received numerous gifts. Mr. and Mrs. Mucci were married Oct. 16, 1892, in Florence, Italy, and came to this country 44 years ago. They located In Milton Mills, N.H., where Mr. Mucci conducted a general store for 22 years. After coming to Sanford, Mr. Mucci was employed the Goodall Worsted Mill retiring about three years ago. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mucci are in excellent health and active. They have four daughters, Mrs. Albert Burke, Mrs. Ford Emery, Mrs. Eleanor Downing, Miss Alice Mucci, all of Sanford, and two sons, Orlando of this town and James of Scarboro. There are five grandchildren and one great grandson. Present at foe observance Friday were: Mr. and Mrs. Harry Soule, Miss Betty Kellett, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Broggi, Mrs. Elizabeth Broggi Miss Joyce Broggi, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sugden, Miss Barbara Ann Sugden, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Daley, Miss Patricia Daley, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Burke, Mr. and Mrs. Ford Emery, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Libby, Mr. and Mrs. John Burke, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Tordoff, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Letourneau, Leon Couturier, Mrs. Alice Stackpole, Mrs. Alice Gowen, Miss Ada Jellerson, Miss Lida Cloutier, Miss Jessie Hogg, Mrs. Eleanor Downing, Roger Downing, Miss Alice Mucci, James Mucci, Miss Gwendolyn Mucci, Thomas Mucci and Orlando Mucci (October 22, 1942).
Nicholas and Theresa (Lorenzi) Mucci celebrated their fifty-seventh wedding anniversary in Sanford, ME, in October 1949.
Sanford Couple Feted On 57th Anniversary. Sanford, Oct. 19 – Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Mucci, of 17 Sherburne Street, observed their 57th wedding anniversary with a family dinner party Sunday at their home. Mr. and Mrs. Mucci, who were married in Florence, Italy, came to this country 51 years ago. They resided for a short time in Sanford and then moved to New Hampshire, returning to Sanford 30 years ago. Mr. Mucci is a retired employee of Goodall-Sanford, Inc. Their entire family, with exception of one grandchild, who is a student at the University of New Hampshire, were with them on this occasion, together with their husbands and wives. The children are James Mucci, Scarborough, Orlando Mucci, Mrs. Susie Burke, Mrs. Arline Emery, Mrs. Eleanor Downing and Miss Alice Mucci. There are five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren (Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME), October 20, 1949).
Nicholas Mucci appeared in the Sanford, ME, directory of 1951, as being retired, with his house at 17 Sherburne street. (Angelo P. Mucci (1873-1962), and his wife, Julia, resided at 31 Sherburne street. He was born in Marliana, Tuscany, Italy, May 23, 1873, son of Iacopo Mucci, immigrated to the U.S. in 1891, and was perhaps the U.S.-resident brother mentioned by Nicholas Mucci at the time of his own 1898 arrival).
Teresa (Laurezi) Mucci died in Sanford, ME, December 2, 1955, aged eight-three years.
MRS. NICHOLAS MUCCI. SANFORD – Dec. 3. Mrs. Theresa Mucci, 84, of 17 Sherburne St., wife of Nicholas Mucci, died last evening at her home following a short illness. She was born at Florence, Italy, Aug 2, 1871, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lorenzo. She came to this country 57 years ago and resided here the last 35 years. Besides her husband she is survived by four daughters, Miss Alice Mucci, Mrs. Albert Burke, Mrs. Eleanor Downing, and Mrs. Ford Emery; a son, Orlando; five grandchildren and six great grandchildren, all of Sanford. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at her residence, followed by a solemn High Requiem Mass at Holy Family Church. Interment will be in St. Ignatius Cemetery (Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME), December 4, 1955).
Nicolas L. Mucci died in Sanford, ME, August 1, 1966, aged ninety-six years.
NICHOLAS MUCCI. SANFORD – Nicholas Mucci, 96, of 17 Sherburne St., died Monday morning at a Portland hospital. He was born in Florence, Italy, Aug. 22, 1869, son of Jiacopino and Asunta Lorenzi Mucci. Mr. Mucci came to this country as a young man and operated a grocery store at Milton Mills, N.H., before moving here 40 years ago. He was employed in the finishing department at the Goodall Worsted Co. until he retired several years ago. His wife Theresa died in 1955. He is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Albert Burke, Mrs. Eleanor Downing, Mrs. Ford Emery and Miss Alice Mucci, and a son, Orlando, all of Sanford; five grand-children and 10 great-grand-children. Funeral services will be at 7:45 a.m., Wednesday, at Winter St., with a Requiem Mass at Holy Family Church at 8:30 a.m. Interment will in St. Ignatius Cemetery (Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME), August 2, 1966).
February 2 is the pivot point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, Groundhog Day. The largest celebration in the U.S. is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where the folklore has it that their groundhog(woodchuck), named Punxsutawney Phil, emerges from hibernation on either a sunny day when he may be able to see his shadow or a cloudy day during which time, poor Phil won’t be able to see his shadow. Accordingly, if Phil sees his shadow, we can expect six more weeks of winter, otherwise spring is on it’s way.
2021 brings us to the 135th year of their celebration which usually draws about 40,000 people. This year during our Covid pandemic, Punxsutawney Phil will be wearing a mask like the others in attendance. No fans will be allowed to attend and the others will be socially distant while the celebration will be held inside behind closed doors.
There are several cultures that celebrate this time of year. Our traditions stem from the Pennsylvania Dutch who immigrated from German speaking countries of Europe. For Christians, February 2, also begins the celebration of Candlemas which is most widely known as a Catholic as well as Lutheran festival who accepted the same folklore as Groundhog Day. For the Celts, it meant looking forward to the birth of farm animals along with crop planting- time of Imbolc. There was a belief that bears and badgers came out of hibernation on this day during the Middle Ages. Many celebrations around the world occur on this date.
Victor Hugo, in “Les Misérables,” (1864) discussed the day as follows:
“…it was the second of February, that ancient Candlemas-day whose treacherous sun, the precursor of six weeks of cold, inspired Matthew Laensberg with the two lines, which have deservedly become classic: ‘Qu’il luise ou qu’il luiserne, L’ours rentre en sa caverne.’
[Let it gleam or let it glimmer, The bear goes back into his cave]” (Hugo, 1864).
At this point, you are probably wondering how Groundhog Day became so popular here, especially in Pennsylvania. Well, the city editor of a publication named Punxsutawney Spirit, Clymer H. Freas, became deeply intrigued by a group of groundhog hunters during the 1880’s. He repeated the folklore every year and embellished it to promote Punxsutawney Phil as the great long range weather forecaster. These stories were told in other newspapers and publications to such an extent that Punxsutawney Phil and his predictions became known throughout the world.
The following two news articles emerged while researching 
Charles A. Sawyer appeared in the Portland, ME, directory of 1883, as a confectioner at 419 Congress street, with his house at 321 Congress street. George E. Sawyer appeared as running a wholesale and retail confectionary at 309 and 315 Congress street, and 419 Congress street, with his house at 311 Congress street.
Hugh Beaton, a B&M Railroad station agent, aged thirty-six years (b. OH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of fifteen years), Mirtle F. Beaton, aged thirty-six years (b. VT), his children, Iona Beaton, aged fourteen years (b. VT), and Gladis Beaton, aged five [six] years (b. NH), and his boarder, James Hayes, aged eighteen years (b. NH). Hugh Beaton owned their house, free-and-clear. Mirtle F. Beaton was the mother of three children, of whom two were still living. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Joseph Avery, postmaster, aged sixty-five years (b. ME), and Charles Houston, a B&M freight agent, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH). (Next beyond Houston was 
Daughter Ione E. Beaton married in South Berwick, ME, March 18, 1915, Edward A. Connell, she of Milton and he of Littleton, MA. He was an iceman, aged twenty-three years, and she was a house worker, aged twenty years.
BATCH OF SMILES. “Aunt Sarah Shapleigh,” a jolly old soul, once well known to Milton people and who resided for some years in the house now owned and occupied by station agent Hugh Beaton, once told this little anecdote: A young girl who was deficient in her orthography was one day studying her spelling lesson and called to her mother in an adjoining room saying, “Marm, what does t-h-e spell?” Her mother impatiently answered, “Dod zounds, Suzette, ain’t I told you a thousand times and more that t-h-e spells feledelfy’?” – Rochester Courier (Boston Globe, April 10, 1933). 
Nicholas Mucci appeared in the Milton directory of 1902, as running a fruit and confectionary store at 44 Main street (corner of Church street) in Milton Mills, with his house at the same address. 
Nicholas Mucci, a woolen mill washer, aged fifty years (b. Italy), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Th[e]resa Mucci, aged forty-eight years (b. Italy), and his children, Alicia M. Mucci, drawing warp in a plush mill, aged twenty years (b. NH), Susie S. Mucci, drawing warp in a plush mill, aged eighteen years (b. NH), Charles A. Mucci, aged fifteen years (b. NH), Eleanor Mucci, aged twelve years (b. NH), Orlando N. Mucci, aged nine years (b. NH), and Arline L. Mucci, aged six years (b. NH). Nicholas Mucci owned their farm on Church Street, with a mortgage. Nicholas and Theresa Mucci had immigrated into the U.S. in 1898, and had become naturalized citizens in 1908. Their household was enumerated between those of James C. Hawksworth, a woolen mill washer, aged sixty years (b. Nova Scotia), and Elisha S. Gerrish, a teamster laborer, aged sixty-eight years (b. ME).
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Mucci of 17 Sherbourne street, for 22 years residents of Sanford, observed their golden wedding anniversary Friday evening at their home where a buffet luncheon was served. A cake decorated with gold, made by Joseph Laflamme, formed the table center-piece and was cut by Mrs. Mucci. The couple received numerous gifts. Mr. and Mrs. Mucci were married Oct. 16, 1892, in Florence, Italy, and came to this country 44 years ago. They located In Milton Mills, N.H., where Mr. Mucci conducted a general store for 22 years. After coming to Sanford, Mr. Mucci was employed the Goodall Worsted Mill retiring about three years ago. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mucci are in excellent health and active. They have four daughters, Mrs. Albert Burke, Mrs. Ford Emery, Mrs. Eleanor Downing, Miss Alice Mucci, all of Sanford, and two sons, Orlando of this town and James of Scarboro. There are five grandchildren and one great grandson. Present at foe observance Friday were: Mr. and Mrs. Harry Soule, Miss Betty Kellett, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Broggi, Mrs. Elizabeth Broggi Miss Joyce Broggi, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sugden, Miss Barbara Ann Sugden, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Daley, Miss Patricia Daley, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Burke, Mr. and Mrs. Ford Emery, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Libby, Mr. and Mrs. John Burke, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Tordoff, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Letourneau, Leon Couturier, Mrs. Alice Stackpole, Mrs. Alice Gowen, Miss Ada Jellerson, Miss Lida Cloutier, Miss Jessie Hogg, Mrs. Eleanor Downing, Roger Downing, Miss Alice Mucci, James Mucci, Miss Gwendolyn Mucci, Thomas Mucci and Orlando Mucci (October 22, 1942).
GROUNDHOG DAY HISTORY
Milton Observer 