Lucy A. Cross "sweetest, kindest and most charitable of dispositions" -- Obituary

Death of Mrs. Cross.

"Lucy A. Cross, widow of the late Albert S. Cross, died at her home in Northfield Falls, Wednesday the 25^th. She was born May 29, 1831 in Orange. Her family removed to Northfield Falls in 1842, when she was ll years of age and has since resided on the farm then purchased.

            Mrs. Cross was one of the oldest residents of Northfield. She had been in feeble health for several years. She was greatly attached to her home, clinging to it to the very last. It can be said that her’s was one of the sweetest, kindest and most charitable of dispositions, putting the comfort and happiness of others above her own. In her days of health she ministered to those in sickness and trouble.

            In spite of her manifold and arduous duties at home she always found time to be a neighbor in its old and truest sense. She loved peace and used every effort to prevent and heal animosities. “Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God.” These characteristics tell the story of her life. They were constant and unremitting through a life of toil and many adversities. She loved work.

            Mrs. Cross was a devoted wife, a loving mother, kind and obliging neighbor who will be sadly missed by many friends, relatives and the community in general.

            The funeral services were held at her late home, Saturday afternoon, Rev. Mr. Fortier officiating. Mrs. Fortier sang two beautiful selections. There was a profusion of beautiful flowers. She leaves three children, Attorney Herbert N. of Springfield, Mass., Ernest L. of Northfield, and Estella L. Riley of Springfield, Mass. Besides her children and grandchildren, she leaves a sister Helen M. Robbins of Montpelier, who spent much time with her in her last few months helping to care for her. A niece, Celeste A. Robbins, of Athens, who loved her as her own mother. Among the grandnieces and nephews lose to her in her last years were Editor Luther B. Johnson of Randolph, Maud I. DePutron of Montpelier, Eugene H. Robbins of Springfield, Mass., and Kate E. Terrill of Montpelier all of whom she dearly loved and was loved and ministered to by them and they were a part of her family live.

            Those present at the funeral from out of town besides those mentioned were Mrs. Martha Perrin, Arthur Martin, cousins of Barre, Willis E. Terrill of Montpelier, John B. Riley, husband of the daughter and Mary Dunsmoor a neighbor who, was one of her great comforts and ministered to her as only a near relative could."

 

From Northfield News, Jan. 31, 1911.

Thanks to Larry McGrail (cousin) for sharing the obituary.
Lucy was the wife of my 1st cousin 5 times removed.

Obituaries -- Lowell Massachusetts

The below listed names were taken from The Lowell Sun newspaper's obituary section. The names are often printed on two days, I am only listing them once.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
PAUL J. SURETTE, RAYTHEON RETIREE; PEPPERELL AUX. AND SPECIAL POLICE OFFICER
WILLIAM F. WILDE, OF PEABODY, MA; TIES TO LOWELL, WWII VET; 80
MARILYN J. MASKER, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LOWELL; 71


TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011
JOAN (THIBEDEAU) AMIRAULT, OF LITTLETON; 75
DR. RICHARD CONANT CHASE, OF TEWKSBURY, MA; 78


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011
CECILLA A. (WARD) HEALY, OF WESTFORD; FORMERLY OF LOWELL; 91
ALI PHOMSOPHA, PRESIDENT OF WAT LAO TEMPLE OF NEW ENGLAND - LOWELL
RUTH J. (CADDELL) JOHNSON; LONGTIME RESIDENT OF LOWELL; OWNED JOHNSTON'S BAKERY
MICHAEL J. MALANEY OF TEWKSBURY, FORMERLY OF ARLINGTON
MARTHA (BURNS) (BARRETT) VEREKER, OF N. CHELMSFORD, MA
JOSEPH ROCCO CATANZARO, OF HUDSON, NH; 76
KATHERINE L. "KAY" KIERNAN, OF LOWELL; 76
ROSE I. "JOANNE" ELIAS, FORMERLY OF LOWELL; 90
REGINA (BORODOWKA) BELL, OF DRACUT
PRISCILLA M. COLBY, 1929 - 2011, BORN LOWELL, OF SALEM, NH
BARRY L. CUMMINGS, BORN GROTON, MA, OF PEPPERELL, MA
MARIE (KENNY) GUILLEMETTE, OF LITTLETON, MA; 80


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
JOHN "JACK" F. HORAN, FORMER BILLERICA POLICE OFFICER, FIRE FIGHTER AND FOUNDER OF MR. JACK'S CATERING
ELLA R. THOMAS, LIFELONG TEWKSBURY RESIDENT; 87
SUZETTE SIMOES OF LOWELL; 85
KATHRYN (SULLIVAN) (KOZACKA) SARGENT, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF GROTON, MA; 58
PUNDY KHOEUN KHATH OF DRACUT
GEORGE T. ASHE, JR. SEPTEMBER 5, 2011, OF PLAISTOW, NH
MARIA FERREIRA  OF LOWELL; 95
IRENE M. (DIPROFIO) LHERAULT OF LOWELL, MA
LINDA J. (GAGNE) HEBERT OF LOWELL; 46
ROSEMARY "ROSIE" (RYAN) CARR, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF LOWELL; 72
JOSEPH ISENBERG OF AYER; 17
JOSE E. 'JOE' SOUSA OF LOWELL; 60
KATIA CABRERA-GONZALEZ, RESIDENT OF DRACUT; 32

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
JOSEPH A. AUBUT, FOUNDER AND OWNER OF AUBUT'S LIQUORS; 84
PAULA C. LEGG OF WESTFORD; FORMERLY OF KITTERY, ME
BARBARA A. (DEAN) WILLETT OF DRACUT; 88
YUMA S. DEACKOFF, RETIRED HONEYWELL EMPLOYEE; AGE 87
VANN CHOUP OF LOWELL, MA


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
DOREEN (PAQUIN) OAKLAND, LOVING WIFE, MOTHER, DAUGHTER AND SISTER; 54
THERESA B. (L'ECUYER) (LONGSJO) BRACKETT, CO-FOUNDER OF THE LONGSJO BIKE RACE
RALPH F. McCANN OF PELHAM, NH, WWII VET; 85
FRANCISCO G. VALADAO OF DRACUT, LOWELL CHURCH MEMBER; 74
FLORENCE M. BASTIEN, FORMER LONGTIME RESIDENT OF LOWELL; 93
EMILLA H. RAMALHO, OF LOWELL, HOLY TRINITY CHURCH MEMBER; 95
ALICE R. ROY, 1922-2011 OF LOWELL, MA
MONA P. (McCARTHY) BURTON, 1936 - 2011, BORN ARLINGTON, MA OF BILLERICA, MA


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2011
MARIA daSILVA, FORMERLY OF METHUEN, MA; 63
ROSARIO A. BELLEAU, 1937 - 2011, OF DRACUT, MA
ELIZABETH A. BROWN, 1932 - 2011, OF BILLERICA, MA
LORETTA M. BORDELEAU, 1919 - 2011, OF LOWELL, MA

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway -- Boston, Massachusetts

All photos taken Sept. 16, 2011.

The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway (see website) is a series of 5 parks through different neighborhoods in Boston. It's a roof garden atop the I-93 highway tunnel, that connects people and the city with beauty and fun. My photos begin with Chinatown (first two photos) and ends 1.5 miles later near the North End area. For more information see the Big Dig project and the Greenway. Since you don't see any of old Boston, I've included photos at the end.

I-93, now under the city, part of the Big Dig.

View of the Leonard P. Zakim bridge.

Nearby is the old North End, with great restaurants and shops, and historical sites.

"We have now developed an interactive Google Map to help you travel to The Greenway and enjoy a visit to the park." I copied the map above, but to see what is along the trail, click on the link above.

Stevens-Coolidge Estate -- North Andover, Massachusetts

The Stevens-Coolidge Place (more) of North Andover, Massachusetts is rather close to where I live. My husband and I made our first visit there recently in 2011. The estate grounds, 91 acres, were free and open for all to visit. You can bring a lunch and eat on the grounds. A special treat was seeing the rose garden, of which I limited myself to showing only two rose photos. We can't wait to go back.

Rose Garden and below

From Wikipedia is this description, "The Stevens-Coolidge Place 91 acres, formerly known as Ashdale Farm, is a garden and historic home located at 139 Andover Street in North Andover, Massachusetts. Helen Stevens Coolidge's family first acquired the farm in 1729, and from 1914-1962 it was her summer home with husband John Gardner Coolidge, diplomat, descendant of Thomas Jefferson, and nephew of Isabella Stewart Gardner. It is now a nonprofit museum operated by The Trustees of Reservations.

Between 1914 and 1918, architect Joseph Everett Chandler remodeled two late-Federal period farmhouses to form today's house. Chandler also enhanced the design of the landscape, which eventually included a perennial garden, a kitchen and cut flower garden, a rose garden, a French potager garden with a brick serpentine wall, and a greenhouse complex. The house's collections include Asian artifacts including Chinese porcelain, American furniture, and European decorative arts."

Wordless Wednesday -- I love tomatoes!

Taken at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Beauty and Hurricane Damage -- Tombstone Tuesday

Three days after Hurricane Irene hit the Lowell Cemetery in Lowell, MA, the cemetery finally opened, after downed trees and limbs were all removed. I quickly went and took photos, then showed my husband. The other day, we were in the cemetery and he wanted me to find the location where the tree fell in order to see the tombstone in the background. (He saw the tombstone and I saw the uprooted tree, so two pr. of eyes are better than one.) The cemetery is quite large, with many old trees and lots of hills. Finally, we found where the tree was and the tombstone. He was quite taken with the lovely lady and I am too. The sad thing is, I believe Sarah Elizabeth Adams probably died of the flu.

In memory of

Sarah Elizabeth

Wife of Landon Adams

(Per 1900 census, she was born July 1847, Rhode Island)

Oct. 8, 1918

Landon Adams

(Per MA Vital Records, he was born July 12, 1845, Lowell, Massachusetts)

(Son of Landon and Mary Frances)

July 6, 1925

Leslie Adams

Jan. 31, 1882

May 16, 1938

Died in Iseltwald Switzerland

Mary Dean Adams

Lowell, Mass.

May 15, 1876

Palma De Mallorca, Spain

May 26, 1955

Obituaries -- Lowell Massachusetts

The below listed names were taken from The Lowell Sun newspaper's obituary section. The names are often printed on two days, I am only listing them once.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2011
HELEN N. KOSKI, LIVED IN SHIRLEY FOR SIX DECADES; 83
NEIL J. ANDERSON, OF CHELMSFORD, KOREAN WAR VET; 81
CATHERINE HALYCHYN, FORMERLY OF YONKERS, NEW YORK
ANDREW F. DI GRAZIA, OWNER OF AD PLUMBING AND HEATING
HOWARD R. "HOWIE" CHAPUT, AUTO MECHANIC AT CHAPPY'S AUTO REPAIR FOR 55 YEARS


TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2011
GEORGE THOMAS BELT, WWII VETERAN; OF NORTH CHELMSFORD
LT. COL. STAANLEY KROL, JR., U.S. ARMY, RETIRED; OF PEPPERELL; 75
TRUDY F. MILLER, LOVING GRANDMA
VIRGINIA B. 'GINNY' HOGLE OF WOBURN
ELLEN M. MEEHAN, RAYTHEON EMPLOYEE


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2011
ISABELLE A. WESTOVER, OF LOWELL; 87
ELSIE (BROWN) REID, FORMERLY OF W. GROTON; 95
FRANCES E. STECKIEWICZ, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF PELHAM
GERALD D. TONKS, RETIRED CHELMSFORD FIREFIGHTER, ARMY VET; 78
ROBERT J. CLOUTIER, OF LOWELL; 79
MICHAEL J. MERCURI OF WILMINGTON
NATHAN ROGER LAURIN, OF LOWELL; INFANT SON
KATHLEEN F. (McCLUSKEY) SULLIVAN, R.N., "KAY"
RAYMOND A. DELUCA, OF LOWELL; 84
MADELINE E. STREM, DEVOTED WIFE, MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
JULIA FRANCES CONNORS, MEMBER OF A WELL KNOWN LOWELL FAMILY
HELEN (SIRIGOS) HOUSIANITIS, OF SALISBURY BEACH; FORMERLY OF LAWRENCE; 79
JEAN SMITH, OF METHUEN; FORMERLY OF CHELMSFORD; 89
MICHAEL 'BUTCH' MATTE, OF LOWELL; FORMERLY OF DRACUT, 51


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2011
ELMIRO 'EL' REIS SILVA, "BELOVED HUSBAND AND FATHER"
ROSALIE R. FOCOSI, FORMERLY OF BURLINGTON, MA; 88
ROBERT J. MILLER, SR., RET. GENERAL ELECTRIC ELECTRICIAN AND TEWKSBURY WIRING INSPECTOR; 90
BOB AMICO; FORMERLY OF BILLERICA, MA; 72
MICHAEL P. ZEPKOSKI, "BELOVED FATHER, GRANDFATHER AND GREAT-GRANDFATHER"


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER  10, 2011
RICHARD F. KELLY, U.S. VIETMAN WAR VET; LONGTIME LOWELL YOUTH HOCKEY COACH; FOUNDER OF BANNER PEST CONTROL COMPANY
ROBERT M. LAGE SR., 1938 - 2011
PRISCILLA MARION, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF TYNGSBORO, 84
CMDR. ROBERT P. MORAN, USN, RET., FORMERLY OF LOWELL
FREDERICK J. TIERNEY, SR., OF NASHUA, NH, LOWELL, MA NATIVE; 80


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011
ADRIAN A. LUZ, PROMINENT LOWELL BUSINESSMAN; WWII VETERAN
SVEN HAROLD GORANSON, CONCORD NATIVE; 65
KAYDEN PHILIP LAGASSE, INFANT SON OF LOWELL PARENTS
FAITH HOPE KILEY, INFANT DAUGHTER OF LOWELL PARENTS
MARGARET 'PEGGY' KATIBIAN (SISTER OF GLADYS PICANSO), OF CALIF., BORN LOWELL

It Won't Rot Clothes -- 1897

Whenever I look at an old newspaper, the entire page gets read. In the case of the article below, I was copying an obituary, and found the serious letter about soap rather amusing.


Letters to Northfield People.

MR. J. C. DONAHUE, Northfield, Vt.

DEAR SIR :--One of the things against which you grocers must contend in introducing our Harmless soap is the price.

Most people think soap is a thing they ought to buy cheap.  They think low priced soaps are economical, and high priced are extravagant. Never was the truth more completely turned around. The soap that costs most by the pound costs least by the year for two reasons.

First reason : They won’t use so many pounds of it.

Second reason : It won’t rot clothes.

To convince customers that a high priced soap costs no more than lower priced, you may sell Harmless on a positive guarantee that one bar (8c.) will out-wash two 5c. cakes. If they say it doesn’t, give them back 3c. on each bar and charge to us.

                                                                         Yours truly,

                                                                         C. H. Post & Co.,

                                                                         Newburgh, N. Y.

From: Northfield News, February 2, 1897

Are You Visiting NEHGS? #1

99 - 101 Newbury Street

Boston, Massachusetts

NOTE:  I wrote this in 2010. Many changes have been made in the building.

What and where is the NEHGS? From the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) website, they state they were "Founded in 1845, NEHGS is the country's leading resource for family history research. We help build knowledge, skills, and understanding of your family and its place in history." It is located in Boston, not far from the Boston Public Library and Copley Square. Members and non-members can find useful information from this at the above site.


I decided to put together a few bits of information to help a new visitor to the facility. There are seven floors, but several are off-limits to the researcher. The photos below are in order, beginning with floor 1 to floor 7. Because there were other researchers there, I opted not to take every photo possible. There is a very small lunchroom, a tiny refrigerator, and vending machines. Restrooms are on each floor, there is an elevator, and two copy machines, copies .25 and you need to first purchase a copy card for $1. Best to bring change, as there is no change machine. You may want to bring your camera for copying pages, no portable hand-held scanners are allowed. Wireless internet access is available, and you need to restrict your cell phone use to outside the reading rooms.


Before arriving at the Library, if at all possible, you should use the Card Catalog for www.AmericanAncestors.org (Website for NEHGS), this will enable you to see the holdings in the Library. I will do a post on this in a few days.

The first thing a visitor does is sign in with the receptionist. There are a lot of restaurants around, some inexpensive, some not. However, are all crowded at lunchtime. If at all possible bring a lunch and eat there in the tiny lunchroom, or carry it to the lovely park at Copley Square. If you have free time, I would suggest you walk two blocks to the Boston Public Library and check out their main reading room.

First floor, inner room. Many international books are on this floor.

On the 4th floor is the Microtext floor. The reception desk is seen as you get off the elevator. Here you will find microform, CDs and map collections.

Employees behind glass panel.

 

 Work stations, above and below.

Some cabinets in the Microtext room, filled with microfilm, mainly probates, deeds, and vital records.

 

The 5th floor houses the Local and state histories and records.

Above are some of the stacks in the reading room, the back room is shown below.

 7th Floor reading room (partial shot). The reference desk is in the center. in front of the wall. Dress is casual.

First Floor book store.

In the past, I've written several articles about the library, the two below might be of interest to you.

• New England Marriages Prior to 1700  (A very useful resource, and not online.)
• Ellis Island Dress and American Jewish Historical Society (The dress is currently in storage.)

Tombstone Tuesday -- Young Children

Young daughters of William Frederick Poole and Fanny M. Gleason

Buried at Harmony Grove Cemetery, Salem, Massachusetts

Fanny

Born:  17 Jan. 1862

Died:  18 Aug. 1864

Daughter of

William F. and Fanny M. Poole

Eliza

Born:  18 Dec. 1865

Died:  26 Sept. 1871

Daughter of

William F. and Fanny M. Poole