Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen, Massachusetts -- Genealogy and History Section

Nevins Library, Methuen, Massachusetts

Built 1883, another library that expanded.

I love the older section of the library, the beautiful stained glass and oak everywhere. You can see how beautiful it is. The only problem with taking pictures in a library is, I have to rely on their lighting, sometimes there is too much (as with the sun through the windows), and sometimes not enough.

  

New section of the library, and below are the genealogy books.

General collection of genealogy books and below are some that pertain just to Methuen.

New England Church, Ipswich, MA

The Methodist Church, 1859

Ipswich, Massachusetts

This is an unplanned post, but because Heather Rojo wrote a nice piece at Nutfield Genealogy blog, on Planning a Genealogy Photo Trip to Ipswich, Massachusetts, I thought it would be perfect to put her link with this photo.

Advertising for Prince Spaghetti

Above is a paper place-mat.

They were given out when large groups were having spaghetti meals for a fund raising event.

Here is an iconic ad: Prince Spaghetti commercial, starring Anthony

UPDATE for February 3, 2016: The mother from the classic Prince pasta commercial has died (click on the link to read the article about her death. "Mary Fiumara, the woman who shouted “Anthony! Anthony!” in an iconic Prince pasta commercial, died on February 2 at 88 years old.

Prince Spaghetti began 100 years ago in Boston, MA, this week, and later moved to Lowell, MA. I was lucky to have a great job working directly under the Plant Manager and was able to have all the spaghetti I wanted.

 The small book, Prince Treasury of Italian Recipes has 305 pages.

The above items were used for advertising the Prince Spaghetti Company and Restaurant in Lowell, Massachusetts. The large paper place mats were still given away at the time the plant closed in 1997, 10 years after Borden, Inc. bought them out (my check came from Borden, employees always called it Prince). The bottom two items are much older things from Prince's past. I have a few other items, taken at the time the company closed, which I'll have to dig out and post some day.

UPDATE:  I located a pen with Prince advertising, and decided to post here on this page for Prince products.

Originally posted January 12, 2012.

An Ancestor, FB friend Pam, and the Cincinnati Library, 1874

On June 5th, I wrote Facebook and blogger friend, Pam Seavey Schaffner (blogger of Digging Down East, who currently lives in Cincinnati to see if she could help me out. Earlier that day, I discovered on a google search, a historical marker is in front of the Cincinnati Library, and it mentioned my 2nd great-grandfather! I wondered if Pam would be able to take a photo of the marker. The next day, she did as well as other photos, which are below. Thanks, Pam.

Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County's new Main Library that opened in 1955 at the corner of Eighth and Vine was post-war America's first major central public library. It was dedicated as a memorial to the servicemen and women from Hamilton County killed while in the Armed Forces. Its boldly modern "International Style" exterior was the work of local architect Woodie Garber, and its consumer-oriented "department store of knowledge" layout was the creation of Librarian Carl Vitz. The 1955 "New Main" garnered national attention and architectural praise for its sidewalk "store" entrance, generous use of glass, bright colors, rooftop terraces, and serpentine brick garden wall. Additions in 1982 and 1997 quadrupled the size of the Main Library. 

 Books in the park, located in front of the Library.

Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Among the first in America, Cincinnati's public library dates from March 14, 1853. A public reading room opened in 1856, but funding remained a problem until 1867 when local school board president Rufus King II secured legislation for a renamed Cincinnati Public Library. In 1869, King lured leading librarian William Frederick Poole to organize Cincinnati as a national model for the growing public library movement. Poole designed 19th century America's most advanced library at 629 Vine Street, which fully opened in 1874. Becoming a countywide system in 1898, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County was a pioneer in the 20th century with special services for the blind and for children, bookmobile services, and circulation of audiovisual materials. (continued on other side)

Above photos taken by Pam Seavey Schaffner

In addition, I ordered the book, "Free and Public: One Hundred and Fifty Years at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, 1853-2003" by John Fleichman. Thanks, Pam for suggesting this.

Speaking of books, my above ancestor wrote, "The Construction of Library Buildings" now a Google book, for free.

Regarding the book cover picture, Mr. Poole wrote, "3. I object, in the third place, to the shelving of books in galleries under any circumstances, and especially in this instance, where the alcoves are piled one upon another six stories high. I may group my objections under three heads:

(a) Because galleries are a wasteful expenditure of the physical strength of attendants in climbing stairs and of the time of readers in waiting for their books." Thank goodness people listened to him." And, on Page 23, "Mr. Poole's plan of a fireproof library is highly original and deserving of serious consideration by those who have occasion to erect new library buildings.

Update: In June 2014, my above mentioned Pam sent me an online article about the Library, called, "Seriously though, how did the most Beautiful Library in America get Demolished" by MessyNessy, June 17, 2014.

Ed McMahon, Elliot's and Lowell, Massachusetts

37 Elliott Street, Lowell, Massachusetts

My first visit was in August, 2013. The business began in 1920.

 

"Perhaps Elliot's most famous customer, McMahon, the former Lowell resident and Tonight Show sidekick who died last month, stopped in for a dog or two whenever he came back to Lowell." Lowell Sun, 07/28/2009

Ed McMahon getting ready to eat a Elliott's hot dog on his special bench in Lowell, MA

(I hope to take a better photo, when there isn't as much glare.)

Article from Ancestry.com

 

"Ed McMahon the first Lowellian to become a millionaire via TV." The Lowell Sun, October 11, 1972, p. 12.

Burial information found on FindAGrave.
Obituary from the New York Times.

From the 1940 Census. The family lived at 50 20 Street, Lowell.

To Celebrate Labor Day, I Present the Worker

 "The Worker"

Located in downtown Lowell, MA.

Corner of Shattuck and Market Streets

The Worker

In 1821 Hugh Commisky led a 

band of laborers on a trek from

Charlestown to Lowell. With muscle

and sweat they dredged canals in

the soil of rugged farmland. As

others joined in their toil a complex

waterpower system evolved, creat-

ing a new era of textile production.

When one generation had endured

and the clamor of manufacturing

increased, immigrants came by

the thousands seeking labor and

a better life. This fountain cele-

brates workers and their contribu-

tion to industrial and human heritage.

Lowell Heritage State Park

Lowell National Historical Park

ARTIST(S): Elliot Schwartz, sculptor; Ivan Schwartz, sculptor.
DATE: Installed 1985.

From the Lowell Historical Society,

Hugh Commiskey dies, at his home on Adams Street, at age of 82, December 12, 1871. Book about the Irish of Lowell, 1821-1861. Information from Amazon, see link below. Brian C. Mitchell. The Paddy Camps: The Irish of Lowell, 1821-1861. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2006. xviii + 247 pp. $25.00 (paper), ISBN 978-0-252-07338-0. Reviewed by Patricia Kelleher (Department of History, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania) Published on H-Urban (December, 2006) "Mitchell traces the establishment of Lowell's Irish community back to the arrival of Hugh Cummiskey, a labor foreman, and thirty of his charges who had walked from Charlestown to find work on a canal project which was designed to provide water power for the projected mill complex. Lowell's construction work attracted Yankee and Irish laborers throughout the 1820s. At first, Lowell's Yankee planners and officials did not perceive the small and highly transient Irish population as a permanent fixture within their enlightened enterprise. The Irish laborers threw up clusters of shanties for housing (paddy camps). Eventually, the number of women and children increased and a more established neighborhood, the "Acre," emerged. Living conditions were wretched but the authorities did not interfere with Irish folkways. Mitchell offers evidence that indicates that homeland regional loyalties remained strong among the laboring population, as did the use of the Gaelic language. While Mitchell's tenor is sanguine, the situation he describes is stark. The Irish were physically segregated, they were virtually excluded from millwork and, as the term "paddy camps" suggests, anti-Irish prejudice was endemic. However, Mitchell presents the 1820s to the early 1840s as an era of accommodation between the Yankee and Irish middle classes. For the Irish, middle class is a relative term indeed considering the modest resources commanded by that segment. The accommodation Mitchell perceives relates to a level of Yankee support and approval for Irish self-improvement projects such as temperance, for peaceful agitation for Repeal of the Union between Ireland and Britain and, most significantly, because of a compromise which ensured that Catholics would teach in the public schools set aside for Irish children."

Welcome to my Genealogy Blog, Redux

Central Street, Lowell, Massachusetts

It was a nice summer, and I enjoyed my three month break from blogging, except I slipped up recently, and posted a few things because I was itching to do it.

One change I am making is described below, and it will be posted to my heading

description. With over 930 posts written I'd like to ease up on the writing...which I know isn't strong, but will focus on taking the pictures that relate to history in some way.

For four years I've blogged mostly about my personal genealogy in New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire), New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconson, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada. In addition, I have taken a lot of photos to go along with my stories.

After 4 years, I have decided to update my blog, and make it more useful to those who have New England ancestors and want to see the area through photos, I know you don't all want to read about my ancestors. I have always loved photography, and even took 8 cover shots for the DAR Magazine many years ago. Things I’ll include are typical white New England churches, libraries showing their genealogical collection, historical societies, historical sites, cemeteries and war monuments. If something else interests me, I’ll take pictures. I’ll also take some nature shots, like the ocean, flowers, and the lay of the land.

Please check out the labels on the right side for articles. The header tabs at the top are a work in progress.

Church of the Mill Girls, Lowell, Massachusetts

St. Anne's Church, Episcopal, Est. 1824

Lowell, Massachusetts

History of St. Anne's Church and the Mill Girls of Lowell.

Watertown Free Library, Watertown, Massachusetts. -- Remember When it was in the News?

Watertown Free Library

123 Main Street

Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts

Great Library website for doing Watertown genealogy.

This library is my 16th in my series of showing the genealogy collections at some New England libraries. I went to this one soon after the genealogy community, especially those on Facebook, got wind that this library was going to "remove certain historical titles from the library's history room".

The Watertown Free Library (original building, built in 1884 and the new addition) is one of the nicest libraries I've ever been in. The old and new merge beautifully.

Above and below are in the old section. The staircase was closed to patrons.

More of the old section, here I am facing the history and genealogy room behind the doors.

On a Saturday afternoon, we were the only ones there. The genealogy section was packed with books and had very little if any free space for additional items.

Robert Adams Buried in Newbury, MA and a Nice Surprise -- Tombstone Tuesday

One lovely June day, I was in search to find the gravestone of my 10th Great-grandfather, Robert Adams. FindAGrave indicated he was buried in the First Settlers Burial Ground in Newbury, MA.

With directions, we soon spotted the above sign on the side of a street.

Cautiously we walked along the grass path to the opening and although it was about 9:30 am on a Sunday morning, somebody was cutting the grass!

We noticed almost all the cemetery stones were reproductions, very few originals. The grass cutter, who happened to be a trustee, seemed to know where everybody was buried, and pointed out my Robert Adams' stone, also an ancestor of his wife's. He mentioned another old cemetery, which was too hard to find with verbal directions, so he offered to drive there, so we (I) jumped at the chance to follow in our car for five miles. Below is a reproduction stone of my ancestor.

In

Memory

of

Robert Adams

Who Died

October 12, 1652

Aged 80 Years

He knew the roads, and drove mighty fast. Below is the entrance to the Byfield Cemetery. He lead us up the long hill, to the open space and found the much older stone, a memorial to the Adams family. I brought home a souvenir of 13 mosquito bites.
Our guide was a remarkable man, a non-stop talker who filled us in on a lot of information. As nice it was having the kid-glove treatment, a bonus was seeing the most beautiful scenery. A few days later, I received a print-out about the First Settlers Burial Ground.

Mr. Robert Adams,

who came from Devonshire,

England about the year 1629, and;

died Oct. 16 1682. AEt 82.

Capt. Abraham Adams,
his grandson, died April 3, 1768 AEt 87.

Samuel Adams,
his son, died May 8, 1791. AEt 74.

Mary Adams,
his wife, died Nov. 17, 1812. AEt 90.

Joseph Adams,
their son, died Oct 6. 1815 AEt 67.

Mary Adams,
their dau, died Oct 27, 1771, AEt 21.