Leominster Public Library, Leominster, Massachusetts -- Historical & Genealogical Collection

Leominster Public Library, Leominster, Massachusetts

I have never been to Leominster but heard that they had a nice library and a great genealogy collection. I was not disappointed. As with many of the other libraries I've been to, the old building gained a new addition, and as always I love seeing how they did it. When I mentioned my appreciation to a librarian, she said they hired an expert architect who specialized in libraries. These photos (above and two below) were taken in the old section.

The main collection is in the larger of the genealogy two rooms, shown below.

Old Leominster city directories.

The photos below are of the second genealogy room.

Some specific books for Leominster history and to the left, is a row devoted to Johnny Appleseed, who was born in Leominster.

The Roll of Honor for the War of 1861-1865 was recently moved to the first floor and because of the lighting, I wasn't able to get a good picture. When I mentioned that fact to the librarian, Jeannine T. Levesque, she quickly showed me the book where all the photos were, with the soldier's names and a short bio, including the cause of death. A photo of the book is "Leominster Historical and Picturesque" by William A. Emerson (google book, the below photo is on page 53.

A. W. Cowdrey

Capt. C. H. Stevens

J. F. Crosby

Lieut. A. R. Glover

A. B. Osborn

J. B. Foster

G. H. Gallup

J. G. Snow

W. H. Johnson

A. H. Carater

J. F. Owens

E. Hardy

F. Gardner

J. Q. A. Tripp

J. M. Mellen

C. H. Derby

A. L. Wilder

A. W. Johnson

Capt. Jorgensen

G. E. Wilder

J. E. Marshall

H. K. Derby

J. McDonough

M. L. Jordan

C. A. Lamb

C. B. Wood

J. C. Ready

L. Goodrich

D. Butterfield

J. M. Lewis

E. B. Rollins

R. H. Carter

C. H. Sinclair

L. R. Gallup

E. A. Ellick

L. Richardson

Side photo of the Library, with the oldest section at the front right.

Civil War Memorial, Lancaster, Massacusetts

That Our Posterity May Also

Know Them

And The Children That Are Yet Unborn.

George Wright Cutler

Willard Raymond Lawrence

James Gardner Warner

Luther Gerry Turner

Franklin Hawkes Farnsworth

James Burke

Robert Roberts Moses

Ebenezer Waters Richards

George Lee Thurston

Henry Maynard Putney

David Wilder Jones

James Dillon

Charles Timothy Fairbanks

Henry Albert Cutler

Oscar Frary

Stephen Adams Keyes

Walter Andrew Brooks

John Patrick Wise

John Chickering Haynes

Stephen Wesley Gray

James Andrew Bridge

Henry Jackson Parker

Sumner Russell Kilburn

Solon Whiting Chaplin

William Dustin Carr

Samuel Mirick Bowman

Caleb Wood Sweet

Edward Richmond Washburn

Horatio Elisha Turner

William Schumacher

Frederic Fordyce Nourse

Geoerge Walton Divoll

John Louis Moeglen

Oren Hodgman

Luke Ollis

Fordyce Horan

Francis Henry Fairbanks

Edward Russell Joslyn

Francis Washburn

This large Civil War Memorial is in the Memorial Building and Town Library in Lancaster, Massachusetts.

(The lady sitting didn't mind having her photo taken.)

The Patriot and the Sculpturer, Both are Well-known. One Didn't Come Back

Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial

During the fall, I took a detour from my own research of ancestors to that of finding out about some important people I've learned about through my New England travels. Three individuals were highlighted in a museum or a National Historic site. The first of these was Augustus Saint-Gaudens, of whom I blogged about his fabulous summer home and studio in New Hampshire. Because of his sculpture of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial also known as the Shaw Memorial (see left and below) in Boston, a piece of work that I had seen, now suddenly interested me enough to learn about Robert Gould Shaw (the officer on the horse). The trail of Mr. Shaw took me from New Hampshire to several places in Massachusetts, a nice hands-on method of learning.

I soon learned the history of the 54th, through reading and getting out the movie, "Glory" to watch. Eventually, I discovered that "When Shaw was five the family moved to a large estate in West Roxbury, adjacent to Brook Farm." That in its self was enough to excite me, because two months prior I wrote about my 2nd great-grandfather surveying Brook Farm. I wonder if my ancestor ever saw young Robert Gould Shaw.

Apart from his young life, I was curious as to where Robert Gould Shaw was buried. A discovery thanks to Find A Grave led me to Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts brought a huge smile and I knew within a few days, I would find his tombstone. Photos are below. 

The names of his parents, wife, and other family members are engraved on the back of the stone.

On the grounds of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' property is a near replica of his memorial in Boston.

While preparing this post, I realized I didn't have a photo of the original, in Boston. I have been by it many times, but there were always too many buses and tourists around. So on a very cold December day, my husband and I went to the city just so I could take the above picture. It was quite overcast, and this is definitely not my best shot. I'll try for another one, maybe when the trees are green.

The above photo of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial may be seen out this window. Behind it is the Boston Common. This was taken from inside the State House. No, I couldn't believe my luck when I looked out the window.

Links to Robert Gould Shaw's life and the Massachusetts 54th Regiment are below.

Thanks to Pam Seavey Schaffner for posting on Facebook a video done by the American History channel called American Artifacts Preview: Shaw Memorial.
.

http://www.masshist.org/online/54thregiment/essay.php?entry_id=528

http://www.nps.gov/boaf/historyculture/shaw.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gould_Shaw_Memorial

http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=157

Farmon, twin of Harmon, Scramlin Obituary

Copy of obituary from Gary Hanna (March 2013)

Farmon Scramlin was my first cousin 4x removed.

          Mr. Farmon Scramlin died at the

home of his son-in-law, Jay Sanstrom,

Thursday forenoon, June 30, at about

9:15. Mr. Scramlin was at work hoeing

among the out door plants at the

greenhouse Tuesday forenoon, and was

apparently in his usual health. At

about 11 o’clock he was seen at work,

and a short time later he was found

lying on the ground in an unconscious

condition. He was carried to Mr. A.

Melby’s residence where his son-in-

law lives, and medical aid summoned

all that could be done was restore

consciousness, but without avail, and

he gradually failed and he breathed

his last at the hour above stated.

Mr. Scramlin was born in Charleston,

Michigan, May 11, 1841, and in

1850 came to this county with his

parents. In June 1864 he enlisted in

Co. H, 76^th Ill. Inf., and went to the

front. He served with his regiment

through the war, and at Ft. Blakely

was wounded in the right arm. At

the close of the war he returned here

and took a position as clerk in Patterson’s

hardware department, learning the tinner’s trade.

In 1871 he formed a partnership with W. Astle

in the hardware business. Later the

partnership ended and Mr. Scramlin

went into the same business in Grant

Park, remaining there seven years; he

then traveled for two years for the

Temple Pump Co. He then engaged

in farming, which he followed until

1888, when he moved into town.

During his long residence in this

city he made many friends who deeply

regret his sudden death. He was a successful

man in business as well as in farming,

and only gave up the latter when

compelled to do so on account of

the weight of years and ill health.

On October 3, 1872, Mr. Scramlin

was married to Miss Mary Lamport.

To them one daughter was born, Lura

M., the wife of J. Sanstrom. The wife

also survives him.

            Mr. Scramlin was a Mason, being a

charter member of the Grant Park

lodge, and was also a member of Worcester

Post, No. 627 G. A. R. In his death

these societies have lost a most

consistent and valued member.

            The funeral services will be held

from his late residence on West Fourth

Street tomorrow, Saturday, afternoon

At 2 o’clock.

Acton Library, Acton, Massachusetts -- History and Genealogy Room

Acton Memorial Library 1889

Built as a memorial to those who died in the Civil War.

Addition at the entire back and side. The circular addition is a teen reading area.

Photo of original library.

The locked cubicles is where the genealogy material is kept. 

Massachusetts "Tan Books" may be seen (births, marriages, and deaths to 1850).

Quite a large Civil War exhibit, with a lot about Acton soldiers.

*See flyer about the Library's Civil War website, at the bottom .

Microfilm Room (above)

Original fireplace and front door at left.

Below is a shot looking out the front entrance, next to door.

Excellent site to search for your ancestors if they were from Acton and fought in the Civil War. The records for 374 men include: Index to Soldiers and Sailors, Regimental histories, Pension Files, G.A.R records, Obituaries, Veteran grave markers (with photos), Documents and Manuscripts, and Extensive Bibliography.

http://www.actonmemoriallibrary.org/civilwar/index.html

Civil War Pension Research: Union Soldiers

Union Soldiers

When David Allen Lambert speaks, I listen. He has been an employee of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) for at long as I've been going there, a good 15 years. He knows his stuff, especially cemeteries, genealogy research and military history and records.

Recently he posted a link via Facebook, to his NEHGS lecture titled, "Civil War Pension Research: Union Soldiers," and I immediately asked him if I could copy it to my blog. Without hesitation, he gave me permission to post his talk on researching your Union Civil War Ancestor. There are 26 slides ranging from 16 seconds to 1.39 seconds, each covering a type of document possibly found in the pension file. The pension research lecture starts up immediately and the nice thing about it is, you can start and stop, replay as many times as you like. This makes for easy note taking.


Don't  miss viewing slides #12 and 16, covering Forms 3-447 and 3-389.

The Minutemen of 1861 -- First Soldiers to Die in Civil War Were From Lowell

Ladd and Whitney
Civil War
Monument

Recently, Richard "Dick" Howe Jr.*, the Register of Deeds for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for No. Middlesex County, gave a talk about Lowell's involvement in the Civil War, which included how the first deaths occurred in the war. Two of the first four soldiers who died in the Civil War were mill workers from Lowell, Massachusetts. Luther C. Ladd age 17 and Addison O. Whitney age 22 eagerly signed up with the Massachusetts 6th regiment of Volunteers and traveled south to Baltimore, Maryland to meet their fate. The talk explains the early history of the war, shows a lot of slides and presents a great narrative. If you are interested in the War, you will enjoy this talk, click HERE.



My title, The Minutemen of 1861, was taken from information from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts's webpage. And, some below information from that site is shared below.

"Massachusetts 6th infantry had been organized in January of 1861. They assembled and moved from Lowell to Boston, where they were outfitted; given their charge by Governor John Andrew and set off for Washington, DC on April 17th.

As was customary from the revolutionary war, Massachusetts's Governor presented the sixth regiment with a distinctive flag to carry in battle. The honor of a regiment was bound to its flag.

The regiment passed through New York and Philadelphia by train, reaching Baltimore on April 19th, 1861 -- the 86th anniversary of the "shot heard round the world" in Lexington and Concord. Little did the troops realize that they would fire their own shots heard round the world, and that the first union casualties in the war of rebellion would come from the sixth regiment later that day.

In Baltimore a local ordinance prevented steam engines from operating within city limits. Paul O'Neil, an interpreter for the Baltimore Civil War Museum, explains this ordinance was likely designed to benefit teamsters, who provided horse service through town to connect the city's train stations. So, the sixth regiment rode in train cars drawn by horses from Baltimore's Presidential Station to the Camden Yards station.

Seven of the ten cars carrying the 6th regiment made it before a growing mob blocked the tracks with sand and ship anchors. Once stopped, the soldiers began marching down Pratt Street in formation.

There on Pratt Street, the Civil War began to be fought. The incensed crowd hurled bricks, cobblestones, and any other objects within reach at the troops.

However, the young troops from Massachusetts disported themselves with military discipline. The regimental color was carried by Color Sergeant Timothy A. Crowley of Lowell.

Chaplain Babbidge, who was with the regiment that day wrote, "paving stones flew thick and fast, some just grazing their heads, and some hitting the standard itself." Shots from handguns came from the crowd, the Massachusetts regiment returned fire.

It is believed that 16 people were killed in the melee, including four soldiers - Luther C. Ladd and Addison Otis Whitney of Lowell, a Mr. Needham of Lawrence, and Mr. Taylor, whose history is unknown. These four became the first to serve and die on the 19th of April, 1861."

Photos and write-ups located on FindAGrave.


From Wikipedia, The History of Lowell, Massachusetts provides valuable information.


Another good site.


Finally, from a Google search, using the key words: "Ladd Whitney Lowell Civil War" I found a wealth of information on these men, Lowell and the Civil War.

The actual dedication was moved to June 17, 1865, due to
President Lincoln's death.

 * Dick is also a local historian for the city. Last year, he gave a tour of the Lowell Cemetery, and that was a blog post of mine.

Ladd and Whitney Monument and the Lowell City Hall.