Street Signs

Sometimes when a family is well-known in the community and lives there for several generations, a street gets named after them.  Here are some street signs named after my family members that I've come across in my ancestry road trips around New England.

1. Webber Road, Brimfield, Massachusetts

Charles Arnold Webber and family lived on this property in Brimfield for many years in the 1800s.  I'm holding his picture under his street sign and he is my 2x great-grandfather.

2. Morse Street, Putnam, Connecticut

Just over the border of Woodstock, Connecticut is Morse Street.  The Morse family lived in Woodstock since the 1600s. Peter Morse, my 8x great-grandfather, was one of the original settlers of Woodstock.  

3. Peake Brook Road, Woodstock, Connecticut

Sarah Peake is my 7x great-grandmother she was one of the first generation of settlers born in Woodstock whose parents were originally from Roxbury, Massachusetts.  Sarah Peake lived to be 99 years old (1702-1801).  Peake Brook Road was named after their family.

4. Harris Road, Cumberland, Maine

The huge Harris family lived in Cumberland and North Yarmouth, Maine for several generations in the 18th and 19th centuries.  Harris Road is just a couple miles from Turkey Lane and Gray Road, where other Harris family members lived. Amos Harris was my 5x great-grandfather. 

"Captured by the Indians"

Living in newly settled territories in the 1600s was not without danger. John Harris and his wife, Amy, were some of the early settlers of North Yarmouth, Maine after moving there from Charlestown, Massachusetts.  That area of Maine, which is just north of Portland, was already known for raids by Native Americans.  John became a victim.  

Family member name: John Harris
Years of life: 1630 - 1695
Tree branch: Pearson

Places lived: Charlestown, MA; North Yarmouth, ME
Relation: My 8x great-grandfather (my dad's dad's mom's dad's mom's dad's dad's dad's dad's dad)

See the highlighted section of the Harris Family portion of the book "Old Times in North Yarmouth, Maine".

Yes, my 8x great-grandfather was captured by Native Americans in 1688 when he was about 58 years old.  At that same occurrence, a prominent citizen named Capt. Walter Gendall was killed.  Grandpa Harris was not the only one captured that day, it seems he was one of many.  

What was it like to be captured?  We don't know what it was like for Grandpa John.  At that time, Native Americans killed the majority of their victims.  Many were held for ransom or sold.  But interestingly, many captives were adopted by the tribe.  Adoption was practiced on a large scale by Native Americans in order to produce peace between the tribe and others. Part of the adoption ceremony stated "you are now one of us" and they were treated as family from then on.  Several firsthand accounts of captured colonists relate that, when given the opportunity to return to their English family, they actually preferred to stay with their new Native American family.

We don't know if Grandpa John was ransomed, let go, escaped or rescued by force.  We don't know how long he was in captivity (days? months?) or how much suffering it involved.  But it is possible that his captivity with the Native Americans in Maine was not torturous, but instead peaceful.

Grandpa Harris passed away seven years later in Rowley, Massachusetts in March, 1695, which is 326 years ago this month.

Sources:

Book "Old Times in North Yarmouth, Maine" by Corliss

Captured by the Indians: 15 Firsthand Accounts, 1750-1870 

Experience Stone's fire

The kitchen is the heart of the home.  As true as that is today, imagine what life was like without our fancy granite-laden, stainless steel clad (not to mention electrified) HGTV kitchens.  

Before the modern stove and indoor plumbing, life revolved around the fire, and homes were built around chimneys and fireplaces.  All cooking was done over the fire.  Taking a bath this week? No fire meant you got a cold bath.  Cold hands and bodies stood by the fire.  Hot coffee was not a push of a button.  Who's gonna wake up early, pump the water then start the fire to get that water boiling?

If the fire went out, your day was ruined.  Families could not leave the fire unattended for very long.

This short post is to imagine my 5x great grandmother, Experience Stone, and all the time she spent at her hearth.

Family member name: Experience Stone (best name ever)
Tree branch: Pearson
Lifetime: 1757-1827
Relation: My 5x great grandmother (my dad's dad's mom's dad's mom's mom's mom)

Not only did she have a husband and 10 children to feed, but they also fed hungry travelers.  Around 1800, they built their new home in Falmouth, Maine and turned it into a tavern.  It was called the Hall Tavern.  Nicholas Hall was her husband.

The Hall Tavern became an Inn.  Over 200 years later it is still an inn, now a historical landmark and called the Quaker Tavern B&B, since the Hall's were Quakers.

Quaker Tavern B&B

It was a gorgeous autumn weekend in 2016 to spend the night at my ancestor's home.  I woke up in their freezing cold bedroom, which is the true Maine experience.  I walked up and down their perfectly creaky stairs. I looked out their original lead-glass windows to see the gorgeous colored leaves, maybe even falling from the same trees.

And I sat at my grandmother's hearth. The fire was out.  But I could see her there, being the best mom and business owner she could be.

Experience Stone's hearth at the Quaker Tavern B&B

Experience Stone's view.

Dowry or trousseau?

A 4x6 piece of 200-year-old paper outlines some "money and other things" belonging to my great great great grandmother.  It was found in an envelope labeled by her granddaughter "doubtless the dowry of Miriam Harris".

Family member name: Miriam Hall Harris Pearson 
Lifetime: 1807-1878
Tree branch: Pearson
Relation: 3x great grandmother

dow·ry

ˈdou(ə)rē/

noun

1. property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage.

Dowries are not used much today. In India, dowries were officially outlawed in 1961, but sadly are still used as income for the groom's family. Obviously, they have the negative connotation that a woman is only worth the money she brings into a marriage.

trous·seau

ˌtro͞oˈsō,ˈtro͞oˌsō/

noun

1. the clothes, household linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage

Over time, the tradition of the dowry in the US first evolved into a trousseau or hope chest.  Sometimes a mom or grandma wanted to pass along some family heirlooms for use when her daughter is married, or the single maiden collects or sews handmade housewares for her future married self.  Those articles were added to the hope chest.   Today that tradition has evolved again into online bridal registries.

Miriam Hall Harris was born in 1807 in North Yarmouth, Maine, not far north of Portland.  She married my great great great grandpa Isaac Pearson, a young widower, in 1837. Since she was almost 30, she would have been considered an old maid by that time.  Research suggests that dowries were still in limited use in New England in the mid-1800s.

Dowry or trousseau?  Decide for yourself. (A transcribed version follows the pictures in case the handwriting is difficult to read.)

Memorandum of money and other things for Miriam Harris: Viz (definition: as follows)
Cash one hundred and twenty one dollars. $121.00
2 packed (?) Bed Quilts  16.00
2 Coverleads  9.00 (perhaps coverlet, meaning bedspread)
2 Bed Quilts  9.00
1 Bed Quilt 3.50
1 Bed Quilt 2.33
1 Counterpin 1.50 (definition: bedspread)
2 Bed puffs 3.00
4 pairs of bed blankets 20.50
2 table cloths 3.00
6 table cloths 8.64
2 table cloths 1.00
2 table cloths 2.25
2 Bowler (?) towels 1.20
6 hand towels 2 hand cloths 2.63
6 hand towels 1.50
6 hand towels 1.00
207.05

Memorandum for Miriam Harris continued
Cash Fifteen Dollars 15.00
1 Dineing table 5.00
1 Breakfast table 4.00
1 Light Stand 1.50
1 Bed Stid 5.00 (perhaps a bedstead, meaning a bed frame)
One Silver waist bukel 1.50 (perhaps a belt buckle?)
32.00
Brought over 207.05
$239.05

The only reason I would lean towards this indeed being a dowry is the fact that cash is included in the assets.  A trousseau would not have included cash.  Calculating for inflation, the $136 in 1830 would  be worth $3,515.00 as of 2018.  Not too shabby.  Go Miriam!  No wonder she held out and nabbed a hottie who later became a lawyer.

Here is my great great great grandma later in life.

An unlikely conversation

Family member name: Mattie Ellis Pearson
Relation: My great grandma
Detail: My dad's dad's mom

For many years I wondered where she got her name.  Many children are named after a parent or grandparent. But I could not find an Ellis in the family tree.  Then I found Mattie's father's grave (Greenfield Pearson).  He is buried with his first wife.  Wow! Didn't know he was married before. She died young. Her name was Martha Ellis.  hmmmm

Here are a few completely fictional possible conversations between Mattie's dad Greenfield and her pregnant mom Myra.

Scenario A

Myra:  What should we name our baby if it's a girl?

Greenfield:  I think we should name her Mattie Ellis.

Myra: Wow, that's pretty, but really random.  Where did you come up with that?

Greenfield:  ummm, I don't know.  Just came to me.

Myra:  Well, I was thinking about naming her after my mother or grandmother, but, ok honey, Mattie Ellis it is.  And dear... I love you.

Scenario B

Myra:  What should we name our baby if it's a girl?

Greenfield:  I think we should name her Mattie Ellis.

Myra:  Wow, after your previous wife?  Umm, I don't think that's a good idea.

Greenfield:  Well, her parents made me promise to name a child after her if I ever had a daughter.  And she died young.  Shouldn't we remember her in this way?  Can you please help me keep my promise?  You never knew her anyway.

Myra:  Ok, Mattie Ellis it is.  (Thinks to self... we're probably going to have a boy anyway.)


Scenario C

Myra:  What should we name our baby if it's a girl?

Greenfield:  I think we should name her Miriam, after my mom.

Myra: I think we should name her Mattie Ellis.

Greenfield:  After my previous wife?  Umm, I don't think that's a good idea.

Myra: She wasn't just your previous wife, she was a good friend of mine.  She was lovely person who died young.  We should honor her in this way.

Greenfield: Ok, Mattie Ellis it is. (Thinks to self... we're probably going to have a boy anyway.)

Which scenario do you think it was?  To answer, please leave a comment below, or provide your own scenario - please!

Here is Mattie with her father Greenfield.