checking in

I just noticed that the last post on this was last September!! Where the heck does the time go? In case anyone is interested, I'm not dead. Just really busy. Hope to be back blogging soon.....

Dale

introduction to politics

Ok - on this night of the 1st Presidential Debate, I was reminded of this inclusion in the Bangor Daily News when I was a cute 3 years old. I note I was with my mother - hmmm - is that because I was a mommy's boy or just because she has more liberal leanings than dad? Anyway, I learned well.

Oh, and by the way, nice socks mom!

terrill & butler

While researching Guy and Gertrude (Terrill) Butler, I found this adverstisement in a 1910 Old Town city directory.

The relationships: Isaac Anthony Terrill was a brother of my great-grandfather Jacob William Terrill. Guy Warren Butler was married to Isaac's daughter Gertrude.

Gertrude (Terrill) wa born in Argyle, Maine, 26 Sep 1876, the dau. of Isaac and Henrietta (Foster) Terrill. She died in Old Town, Maine, 11 Jul 1961.

Guy W. Butler was born in Cumberland Center, Maine, 28 Jan 1874, the son of Edward and Etta (merrill) Butler. He died in Old Town, Maine, 5 Nov 1945. Interestingly, his obituary doesn't mention this endeavor, but includes a long list of employment, as follows:

He first started his life work at the age of nine as a telegraph operator for his father, a station agent for the Maine Central Railroad company. He attended Farmington schools and later was a telegraph operator in Old Town for many years. He was also employed as a bookkeeper for the T. R. Savage company in Bangor. He later went to Millinocket during a typhoid fever epidemic where he became assistant bookkeeper for the Great Northern Paper company. After that Mr. Butler was employed in Waterville for the Central Maine Power company, as a bookkeeper and was also an accountant for several different firms. While living in Old Town, Mr. Butler assisted Thomas Clark, a hydraulic engineer, in his work, the study of which became a hobby with Mr. Butler. After his work in Waterville, he became immigrations, customs and naturalization officer and held this position for 16 years. He received his training for this work in Montreal. Part of his work took him into Canada, while the other part was in the United States, and he resided in Vanceboro. Due to ill health he retired from active work and returned to his home in Old Town two years ago last May. Although having lived in Farmington 24 years, he held his residence in Old Town for the past 38 years. Even though his work took him to many places his home and his thoughts were always in Old Town. He had the honor of having worked to the top in the work and position which he held for so many years.

Guy W. & Gertrude (Terrill) Butler are buried in Old Town's Lawndale Cemetery, as are Isaac Anthony & Henrietta (Foster) Terrill.

mower pleads guilty - shot his wife

I discovered this interesting piece of family history last night while i was surfing around old newspaper sites. It concerns Walter Jabez Mower - he being my my 2nd cousin 3 times removed, his great grandparents being John and Elisabeth (Edwards) Mower. John you may recall from a couple posts back is one of my Revolutionary War ancestors.

First I found The North Adams Transcript of 21 Feb 1899 reporting the following:

Somerville, Mass., Feb. 21. - While temporarily deranged, owing to a severe attack of the grip, Walter Mower of this city shot his wife in the right breast yesterday. The chances are in favor of her recovery. Mower, it is said, has been partly insane for a days [sic] or two, and imagined that there was an attempt being made to send him to an insane hospital. He became more violent yesterday and procured the weapon with which he attempted to kill his wife.

Further surfing brought up an article in the 22 Feb 1899 issue of the Boston Daily Advertiser:

MOWER PLEADS GUILTY

Walter Mower, who shot his wife at their home, 82 Marshall st., Somerville, Monday afternoon, was arraigned in the district court yesterday. Mower pleaded guilty to assault with intent to kill his wife, Addie Mower. His bearing was calm and he appeared very much at ease, no trace of nervousness over his position being apparent. He was held by Judge Story in $5000 to appear before the June grand jury. Being unable to furnish the required bonds, Mower was driven in a hack to the East Cambridge jail. While lodged in the Somerville police station Mower's only request was that he be allowed more air. He was taken into a corridor by an officer and allowed to stand for some time near an open window. For this he seemed very grateful. His bearing throughout has been calm and dignified, as though he was totally unaware of the enormity of his offence.

Mrs. Mower is resting at her home in Marshall st. as comfortably as could be expected. Her physicians say that she will probably recover. Dr. Merrill, the family physician, is in attendance. The bullet which lodged in her neck has been removed safely. Dr. Bell will undertake the removal of the ball under her right shoulder blade. With the bullets removed it is believed her recovery will be a matter of but a few weeks. The operation for the removal of the second bullet will be done with the X-ray to locate the ball.

The Mowers have lived six years an ideal married life. The death of their first-born son two years ago brought them even more closely together. The fact that Mrs. Mower would say nothing as to who her assailant was when questioned in the grocery store Monday was proof of her deep affection for her husband. The Meserves, the wife's family, believe implicity [sic] in Mower's insanity, and yesterday Capt. Perry, the prosecuting officer in the case, was kept busy answering their questions regarding the condition and wishes of the prisoner. For several years the Mowers have lived $5000 a year beyond their income. His health also for the last six months has been very poor. Insanity is known to exist in the family, and only so recently as last Saturday he said to his wife and Mrs. Meserve that he felt at times as though an asylum would be the best and safest place for him.

.

Very interesting!

Well, not quite sure where all the insanity is in the Mower line, but I'm always open to finding more.... maybe that makes me a tad insane ???

it's field hockey season...

Congratulations!

Melissa

Bangor High School

Varsity Field Hockey

....a goalie of course!

Best wishes for a great season

john mower's revolutionary war trunk

Mom, Melissa, Dale & Dad outside the Monson Historical Society

Today, August 9th, 2008, the trek was finally made to the Monson Historical Society. Genealogical friend Tootie Bennett had kindly informed me a couple years ago that included in the society's holdings was the trunk that John Mower had taken with him into service during the Revolutionary War. The trunk featured his initials tacked onto the top of the trunk. So Patti, Melissa and I picked up my Mom & Dad and off we went.

Trunk of John Mower, Revolutionary War Soldier

Grandfather of Sophia Parker Pullen

Donated by Genevieve Beckwith

Sophia Parker was the daughter of Ireson & Pamelia (Mower) Parker, born in Greene on 2 Dec 1821. She married on 8 Mar 1841 Horace Pullen of Monson.

I'm descended through Pamelia Mower's brother, Martin.

I encourage all of John Mower's descendant's to make the pilgrimage to Monson to see this trunk in real life.

elisha and silence (harrington) gibbs

Revolutionary War Veteran Elisha Gibbs and his wife Silence are my 4th-great-grandparents. I found this reference in an article entitled "Historical Sketch of Foxcroft, Maine" in Sprague's Journal of Maine History -

Every year from the beginning of the town's existence liberal provision was made for the poor. For the greater part of the time they were boarded in different families. For instance, in 1833, it was voted "to set up Elisha Gibbs and his wife at auction to the lowest bidder," "After several bids," -- and these are the words of the record, -- "Elisha Gibbs and his wife were struck to Silas Paul for the some of forty-seven dollars and fifty cents for one year, to be maintained free of any expense to the town during said time." Evidently the "high cost of living" was no problem in those days as it is now. For some years the town maintained a poor farm which was on the shore of Sebec Lake near Steadman's Landing.

Of note in this, Silas Paul was their grandson - he was married to two sisters - Roxanna Mansfield and Jane Hosmer Mansfield. Roxanna and Jane were the daughters of Thomas and Hannah (Gibbs) Mansfield, the daughter of Elisha and Silence.
..........
Source: "Historical Sketch of Foxcroft, Maine," Sprague's Journal of Maine History, Vol. V, No. 2 (September 1917): 73.