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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Boston Athenaeum, What Was in it for Me?

The answers to, The Boston Athenaeum, What Was in it for Me? are two things. First, I saw a large card catalog, a magnet for me, and the second was the masterpiece painting by N. C. Wyeth I had been waiting since June 2016 to take a photo of. I blogged about my tour at the Boston Athenaeum in October 2017 but didn't discuss the two topics mentioned above.

We (my husband and I) began our Open House tour of the six-floor Boston Athenaeum by taking the elevator to the basement. When the door opened, we faced magnificent large-sized oak card catalogs. Since we're on our own self-guided tour of the library, I had to stop, because right in front of me were the drawers to the Ps. Yes, I found my Pooles, both of them, Charles Henry Poole and William Frederick Poole, both my 2nd great grandfathers. Their children married each other.


Both my 2nd great-grandfathers have material in the library. Charles H. Poole has one (above), and William Frederick Poole has 27 (below). All listings are at the end of this post.



On one of the upper floors, I found a set of William Frederick Poole's, Poole's Index to Periodical Literature volumes. The books are also seen below, just above the head on the lady on the right, up from the red books. This was not a new find to me, because I had seen them at the Boston Public Library around 1998.



The above picture was taken from the Athenaeum's web page in 2016, soon after I saw the above painting on exhibit at the Concord Museum in Concord, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed there, so I inquired as to who owned it. I was told it belonged to the Athenaeum, and with that information, I found the above web page and knew I had to be patient because eventually, I'd see it.

During the open house last fall, I searched on every floor and quite by accident, as I walked by the closed darkened membership office on the first floor, there it was! I got to an employee as quick as I could and almost begged to see if she would open the door. She did and remained patient as I took quite a few pictures, turned on the office lights and looked out the window. Outside is the Granary Burying Ground, and this painting was done there by N. C. Wyeth, as he painted Louisa May Alcott's father Bronson Alcott reading a tombstone. Thanks to the cemetery stone in the foreground, with the two skeletons, I was able to find the stone rather easily. (The tree above, is also seen below.)

In June 2016, I wrote, What Did Louisa May Alcott's Father Think About Genealogy? If you are curious, you might enjoy it. Below, is the cemetery stone in the above painting.


From home, you can check their online catalog to see if you too have authors in your family. To do a basic search in the Athenaeum's online catalog, use this link:
https://catalog.bostonathenaeum.org/vwebv/search?searchType=7&searchId=319&maxResultsPerPage=50&recCount=50&recPointer=0&resultPointer=4&headingId=902730
Just follow the directions. I had no problem getting my results, shown below.




An attempt towards a glossary of the archaic and provincial words of the county of Stafford /

  • Main Author:Poole, Charles Henry. 
  • Title:An attempt towards a glossary of the archaic and provincial words
    of the county of Stafford / first brought together by Charles Henry Poole, A.D. 1880.
  • Publishing Details:Stratford-Upon-Avon : Printed at Saint Gregory's Press, [1880]
  • Description:28 p. ; 22 cm.
  • Subjects:English language--Dialects--England--Staffordshire. 

    • Location:Off-site Storage
    • Call Number::YEQStD .P787


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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Old Fort Westesrn is Not in the West But in Maine



When I saw a small write-up about Old Fort Western, located in Augusta, Maine, I knew I wanted to see it. Not sure why, because I've got no western in me, but since it was in Maine, and I'm often in that state, I thought, yes, something new to see. I did some research, and noticed that Wikipedia had a lot of information, and refers to this fort as Fort Western, not Old Fort Western. Augusta, the state capital, isn't new to me, since I've been to the state library, as a tag-along to my husband who was doing his genealogy. I've no ancestors from the state.

We got lost in Augusta and stopped at Lisa's Restaurant at 15 Bangor St. for directions to our destination. So glad we did, because we ate one of the best meals ever, and hope to go back again. We were fortunate to learn that Old Fort Western was within walking distance, but our luck ran out when we got there, they were closed!

Even though the online information stated they were open that day. On our September weekday visit, we learned they had just given their last tour to some elementary students, and were preparing to leave. Upon hearing we were from Massachusetts, one guide, out of the goodness of her heart, took us on a quick tour. We were very lucky.

I took a lot of exterior photos before we were allowed to go inside.
"Old Fort Western, built in 1754, is America's oldest surviving wooden fort." Per webpage of City of Augusta, Fort History.




Looking toward Kennebec River.





This is an original room, later used as a store.








According to the guide, the old fort had been enlarged several times. I love this color, and interesting stair design. She did give us some facts and figures, but after four months, I don't trust my memory to write about the rooms.
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 Updated pamphlet about this site.

From the webpage of City of Augusta, Fort History, see below.

"Old Fort Western, built in 1754 and a National Historic Landmark, is America's oldest surviving wooden fort - a reminder of the great contest between cultures that dominated New England life 250 years ago. The Fort was built by the Kennebec Proprietors, a Boston-based company seeking to settle the lands along the Kennebec River that had been granted to the Pilgrims more than a century earlier. The company and the Province of Massachusetts both were interested in expanding their influence in the area as part of an effort by Britain and her colonies to take final political control of North America and to sever what they saw as the ties between the Abenaki (Maine's Indians) and the French in Canada.

Built at the head of navigation on the river, Fort Western served as a fortified storehouse in support of Fort Halifax, located 17 miles north. Supplies were shipped via sloop and schooner from Boston as many as four times a year, unloaded at Fort Western, then taken by flat-bottomed boat, often against a strong river current, to Fort Halifax.

James Howard's Company garrisoned the Fort and guarded the head of navigation on the Kennebec from 1754 to 1767. A Massachusetts provincial unit, the original garrison was made up of Captain Howard, his sons, and 15 other men, mostly of Scotch-Irish descent, who had first been stationed at Fort Richmond, also on the Kennebec River about 15 miles below Fort Western, then transferred to the storehouse when construction was completed in October.

Fort Western was never attacked directly. Private Edward Whalen, however, was captured in May, 1755, as he attempted to deliver dispatches to Fort Halifax. He spent four years in captivity, first among the Indians, then as a prisoner in France. He was exchanged in 1760. Other garrison members were fired upon as they returned a boat to Fort Halifax in 1757.

Protected behind its four-pound cannon, the garrison spent most of its time doing routine duty, including boat repair, cooking, baking, brewing, and getting wood, in addition to helping re-supply Fort Halifax.

Hostilities on the Kennebec came to a virtual end in 1760 following Wolfe's capture of Quebec but the garrison at Fort Western, though reduced in strength, stayed on station until late in 1767 to help maintain an English presence on the river. Finally, when the last of the garrison was discharged, Captain Howard made arrangements to acquire the Fort's buildings and surrounding lands.

Benedict Arnold used Fort Western as a staging point for his assault on Quebec in 1775 during the American Revolution He stayed in the area for a week or more as his bateaux were completed and supplies loaded. Some of Arnold's officers, including Daniel Morgan, Aaron Burr, and Henry Dearborn, lodged in the Fort's main house. But never again after 1767 would soldiers be stationed at Fort Western. Its future instead played out not in military terms but as civilian store and private residence."