Our First House

House in Bridgewater, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Olive Tree Genealogy Blog's Lorine has great blog post starter ideas and this week sounded like something I should work on.

Sharing Memories (Week 48): First House

 

Until we moved from this house in Bridgewater, MA to the condo where we presently live, this front to back split, was the only house we lived in. We were supposed to be relocated several times by the time my husband retired. Every day, I waited for the phone call telling us we had to move. It bothered me a lot.

 

We had to live with family (in Marlborough) for about seven weeks as my husband got word that he got the job he applied for. He gave his notice and worked for two weeks and then he was going to be sent to North Carolina for training for a MONTH. 

 

We came back from our honeymoon as struggled to find an apartment "within the circle". His regional manager took out a paper map and drew a red circle on it and we had to live within its perimeter! It did not extend to the Rhode Island border enough for me to keep my job. I still dream about the red circle.

 

I remembered a place called Bridgewater, which looked equidistant between two hospitals, so that was going to work for me but I didn't own a car of my own. So, we went to Bridgewater and found a brand new apartment complex and rented an apartment. The next year, we moved into a 2 bedroom because my husband was supposed to have a home office. (There was a lot they "forgot" to tell us when he was hired.)

 

Another year later, we bought this house for $29, 900. My parents were horrified at the price. It was 14 months old and very dirty. It took quite a while for us to get it cleaned up and the yard to look like it does in this photo. In the meantime, the company stopped moving people to North Carolina because all the new men had "working wives" and the salary offered did not meet their income. That feels so antique now. 

 

So, here we stayed. Hubs took a deal to retire at fifty and got a job with another company whose main area was the same as the one we had in the beginning. So, I began to save up for a retirement home instead of moving to another, bigger house in Bridgewater.

 

I always felt isolated in Bridgewater. It was an hour drive to take care of our elderly parents and it was hard on us to do that for so many years. Our daughter moved to the area we are in now and the time driving to both areas made me decide to move here near her. She wanted us to move nearer. She could take the traveling back to Bridgewater either. She began to scope out places for us to live. Living in a trailer in senior housing was out. (I sure was glad about that!)

 

Hubs wanted to work another year but they offered him a great deal. So, we moved leaving our old house behind. The town made us pay for an expensive septic system. Trees kept falling on the roof. There was mold in the attic. Even my next door neighbor moved after we did. I was glad we moved when we did. A nice couple bought our house. Things seemed to be balancing out.

 

This will always be our little house in the big woods....

 

Celebrations and Rest!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend. I am preparing to celebrate my birthday in early December so I will be busy trying to get my holiday preparation underway for the upcoming week or so. I haven't forgotten to be thankful for those who read my blog but I need a little time off. See you soon!

Happy Thanksgiving

Pilgrim Mother Monument, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Pilgrim Women

Symbol of the Families Who Came on the Mayflower

One of the four adult women to survive the first winter of 1620-21 to be able to make the harvest meal in the fall of 1621 was my ancestor Eleanor Billington. We don't know her maiden name.

I doubt that she looked anything like this demure woman as the Billingtons were a rough and hardy family. This monument called The Pilgrim Mother, erected by the DAR, is one of my favorites in Plymouth, MA. She looks solemn and is holding a Bible.

I like to think about how those women must have felt preparing and serving food (for several days) to all those men and the Native American men too. No matter how hard we work at a meal; they worked harder.

Pause for a moment  today and remember your ancestors and give thanks for all that you have. Blogging will resume next week!

Myles STANDISH

Myles Standish, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Although he is not a proved ancestor of my husband, I have always been intrigued by "Capt. Shrimp" and his life. This is quite the military section of this burying ground which is named for him. [More photos are here]

I need to try to figure out why hubs family says they are his descendants. Myles first wife died that awful first winter and he married again. He died in 1656. 

Pilgrim Village Family Sketch of:  Myles Standish
MayflowerHistory.com: Myles Standish 
The Courtship of Myles Standish

Elizabeth TILLEY

Elizabeth TILLEY, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Elizabeth Tilley

wife of John Howland

Buried in Rhode Island
in present day East Providence (Penrod Avenue)
used to be Swansea, Massachusetts

in the neighborhood where my husband grew up!

Ancient Little Neck Cemetery RI Historical Cemetery #5  

Find a Grave photo: Ancient Little Neck Cemetery 

Pilgrim Village Sketch: Her father John Tilley

John HOWLAND

John Howland, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

John Howland's Memorial Gravestone

Download this photo for your own purposes

Burial Hill, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Find-A-Grave page: Burial Hill, Plymouth

Priscilla MULLINS

Priscilla MULLINS [memorial stone], a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Priscilla Mullins's Memorial Gravestone 

Download this photo for your own purposes 

South Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts

[Old Burying Ground or Myles Standish Cemetery, South Duxbury Cemetery]
Chestnut St. South Duxbury

Priscilla Mullins Alden's Find-A-Grave photo: Myles Standish Cemetery

John ALDEN

John ALDEN [memorial stone], a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

John Alden's Memorial Gravestone

Download this photo for your own purposes

South Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts

[Old Burying Ground or Myles Standish Cemetery, South Duxbury Cemetery]
Chestnut St. South Duxbury

John Alden's Find-A-Grave page: Myles Standish Cemetery 

NEHGS Pilgrim Village Sketches: John Alden

George SOULE

George SOULE, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

George Soule's Memorial Gravestone
Download this photo for your own purposes

South Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts

[Old Burying Ground or Myles Standish Cemetery, South Duxbury Cemetery]
Chestnut St. South Duxbury

George Soule's Find-A-Grave page: Myles Standish Cemetery

Our Mayflower Story

Mantel Left, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

The Forefathers

My husband and I are both descendants of some of the people who arrived in America on the ship the Mayflower in 1620. As life-long New Englanders, we weren't surprised to discover that we are related (cousins) by having common ancestors. However, finding out the connections needed to prove that we are descended from those people is quite a journey in itself.

As a genealogist, proving my lines of descent is an everyday job. As a small child, we celebrated this holiday with my maternal grandparents. When I was about six years old, I remember the grownups raising their glasses to "our pilgrim ancestors". I knew what an ancestor was but I didn't know they were Pilgrims! I asked which Pilgrims and they didn't know. But, I do know now.

In my great grandfather, Charles E. Stewart, scrapbook journal, I found this newspaper clipping. I knew then, I should start with my 3rd great grandparents Issac Denison and Levina Fish and work my way backwards in time. My grandmother's connection was more difficult. It meant I was going to have to know more about my French ancestors and that I was going to need a lot of help. So far, this was the most challenging.

My husband's line was not as clear. One photograph in his family states they are descendants of Myles Standish but I have yet to prove that. But, along the way, I discovered one line where people were connected to Aldens and Soule. It still was hard to prove but we did it!

This week, I will show you where I found some of the memorial gravestones of some of our Mayflower passengers.  

 

Original Headstone Plaque

Original Headstone Plaque, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Below the plaque on the front side of the Ward monument is this tiny matching plaque next to Deacon William Ward's wife.

It reads "original headstone". That is great news for any New England gravestone hunter.

Erected 1923

Erected 1923, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

On the reserve side of the granite monument for the plaque of Deacon William WARD is this matching plaque which reads:

Erected 1923 by Artemus WARD of the Seventh Generation.

I returned to the Marborough Cemetery Inscriptions book and looked for any mention of this plaque and the one on the reverse side. The book is copyrighted 1908. I found no mention of it so we can be reasonable sure that this plaque's date is correct.

It pays to photograph everything on all sides of a grave. You never know what you are going to have to use for evidence.

Zelotes WHITCOMB

Zelotes WHITCOMB, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Tombstone Tuesday

 This headstone sits all alone at the Spring Hill Cemetery
in Marlborough, MA.

Zelotes should be remembered for his service to our country.
 Mass Soldiers and Sailors tell us this! Could there be two men with this name?
 

Grandson's Baptism

This is one of those family history moments. Our grandson, born last June is baptized. It was a great ceremony at a local church. The after party went well. All of us are exhausted! The great news is that there is leftover food for us to eat for supper.

William WARD

William WARD, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Deacon William WARD was one of hubs 8th great grandparents. According to the reference below (on page 58) he was buried here at Spring Hill Cemetery and when his wife (his second) died in 1700, she was buried here too. His great-grandson erected this stone for him as apparently he had no marker.

The William Ward Genealogy
Ancestry.com. The William Ward genealogy : the history of the descendants of William Ward of Sudbury, Mass., 1639-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.
Original data: Martyn, Charles,. The William Ward genealogy : the history of the descendants of William Ward of Sudbury, Mass., 1639-1925. New York: Artemas Ward, 1925.

Ward Monument

Ward Monument, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

This is the monument we went to this cemetery to see. It was more interesting than I expected.

George W. WALKER

 George WALKER and his first wife Abigail Harriet ARNOLD were the parents of Angeline Sophia Walker, second wife of Abraham HYDE. Although she is not directly related to my husband, Angeline raised Abraham's children after Elener/Eleanor PARMENTER died. She went on to have more children with him. I must applaud her!

Yesterday, I tried to find all of George W. Walker's wives. Apparently there were 4 of them! His second wife Elizabeth is buried here but I didn't take a photo of her stone. I can't find out who wife number 3 is. Wife #4's marriage record will be a post for another day.

Edward Hutchinson's Gravestone

Capt. Edward Hutchinson
 Killed During King Phillip's War
 

I certainly was surprised to find that the actual gravestone of 1675 did not look like the photo in the Marlborough Cemeteries book. 

It seems that the DAR Chapter listed on it must have "rescued" it around 1921. 

As you can see the original top part (which was above ground) seems intact and the part below the year, that used to be below ground must have been cleaned and the DAR chapter and date inscribed on it. 

Then, they embedded it in the rock and put it back in the cemetery. 

This Web page reports that Edward's mother was the Anne Hutchingon that was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay colony. The story of Captain Edward Hutchinson is widely known and there is a page about him authored by by John Buczek. (Wikipedia page)

Oldest Gravestone in Spring Hill Cemetery

Note the date on the photograph: November 6, 1906!

Compare this View

Looking North, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Compare this view of the Spring Hill Cemetery found in the Marlborough Inscriptions book to the photos I took of the overall cemetery. Do you see the Tablestone as it looked in 1908?

I don't often have the opportunity to see cemetery photos taken in the past but I just love it when I do!

Spring Hill Cemetery Overview

Spring Hill Cemetery Overview

I took several photos of the cemetery as an overview. The top one shows how hilly this ancient burying ground and how great the foliage looks at the perimeter. The bottom photo shows the oldest section (where many people of the RICE and WILLIAMS surname are located. Notice the table stone (it looks like a regular gravestone with legs).

Because I research any graveyard I visit BEFORE I get in the car, you will remember that I blogged about the Marlborough Cemetery transcriptions ebook a couple weeks back. This is the first page of the book as written by Franklin P. Rice in 1908. I quickly looked up Hudson's History of Marlborough as referenced here:

As you read, here, the gravestone of Captain Hutchinson is the oldest in the cemetery and is dated 1675. As this is quite early even for a New England gravestone, I decided to see if I could find it. Another valuable piece of information is the mention of early records being "missing".

Steep Hill at the Entrance

Steep Hill at the Entrance, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Spring Hill Cemetery in Marlborough, MA

This is the view from just inside the gate. 

Up ahead are the burial vaults. I was already out of breath from the steep hill.

The cemetery crew was cutting the grass but we stayed in the section they had finished. No one bothered us so I started taking photos. 

We walked right up to my husband's ancestors as I had already checked Find a Grave for what the monument looked like. 

Having the cemetery transcription in an out of copyright book is going to make this a fun research (and easy) adventure.

 

Spring Hill Cemetery 1675

Spring Hill Cemetery 1675, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Oldest cemetery in Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts

This burying ground is a New England cemetery for the textbooks. Hard to drive to, no where to park, steep hill and oh, yes, uneven ground and sink holes.

I love it. I can't wait to go back.