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February 4, 2012

US Battleship Texas Picture on a 45 Star Flag


US Battleship Texas
1895-1911

45 Star US Flag
When going through my uncle's things after he died, we found what looked like an old flag in a box addressed to my grandmother, who was born in 1884. I don't think that any of us took the flag out of the box at that time. Months later when I did take the flag out of the box I found that it was a 45 star flag with a picture of a battleship on it. At first I thought that it was a picture of the Battleship Maine. On studying various images of battleships of that era online I concluded that it was the Battleship Texas, commissioned in 1895 and in service by that name until 1911. Later I noticed that there is a faint inscription at the bottom of the picture that reads "US Battleship Texas". I am curious about whether there are more flags like this, for the Texas or other battleships, and how the flag was used. My first thought was that it was some kind of Spanish American War memorabilia perhaps sold to raise funds for some related cause. Hopefully, I will find more information about this.
Flag Box
to Miss Kate Strickland

US Battlship Texas 1895-1911
Posted by pbm at 9:45 AM

February 4, 2012

Spanish American War Soldier's Letter


Fort McPherson
Atlanta Georgia
June 27, 1898

John Reeves
7th Infantry
This Spanish American Soldier's letter was found in a box of things belonging to my grandmother, Kate Strickland McBride (1884-1978). The writer and addressee are not known to me. The letter is from John Reeves, a recently enlisted soldier, to his "brother" Thomas Kineary, in South Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. John Reeves was stationed at Ft. McPherson, Georgia, with the 7th US Infantry. The letter is written on stationery of the Army Christian Commission of the International Committee, Young Men's Christian Associations, 3 West Twenty-ninth Street, New York City.
Cover Front
To: Thomas Kineary
Care Mrs. W.K. Jones
S. Wolfeboro NH

Cover Back
Wolfeboro NH
June 30, 1898
Posted by pbm at 9:45 AM

June 22, 2011

Franklin Pierce Daguerreotype Presidential Campaign Badge 1852


Franklin Pierce 1852
Presidential Campaign Badge
The Gen. Frank Pierce for President daguerreotype campaign badge was found in the cellar of my recently deceased uncle's house in December 2010. The oval metal badge is 2.125" by 2.5", with a reddish brown back. The daguerreotype image is about 1.25" by 1", a 1/16th plate. The metal front has a .125" border with a pattern of flowers and leaves on a ribbed background. The border is gold colored, but the gold color has worn off on the higher points of the flowers and leaves. The .625" to .5" metal rim has the words "FOR PRESIDENT" above, and "GEN.FRANK PIERCE" below. The surface is rough and there is some verdigris corrosion on the right lower quadrant of the rim. As Pierce was not a candidate for president prior to the start of the convention, the badge would have been made sometime between the end of the convention in June 1852, and the election in November 1852.

To date, this is the only Pierce Daguerreotype campaign badge that has been found. Similar badges are known from the previous election The overall appearance of the badge is similar to a mourning badge for Daniel Webster who died on October 24, 1852. It has a similar rim around the edge, but the pattern is different. It is gold colored over the full surface. There are several known very good examples of the Webster badge. The Webster badge may have been intended for use in his 1852 presidential campaign, but he failed to win the Whig party nomination.

The Pierce badge was in a box of my grandmother's mementos. In addition to grandmother's things there were some things that had belonged to her mother and a small box containing letters, a diary, and other things belonging to her grandmother, my great great grandmother Sally York Horne Fernald (1818-1894). The badge was in my great great grandmother's box.

The diary for 1874 belonged to her daughter Melissa Cora Horne (1858-1875) who was a mill worker who turned 16 that year. As it turned out, that was the last full year of her life.

The letters were mainly correspondence with her son, Herbert Melvin Horne (1852-1926) and daughter-in-law Adelina Blake(?). The letters from 1878 to 1884 usually mentioned trying to get a pension for her based on her husband's Civil War service (Thomas Ricker Horne 1824-1868, 12th Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers, Company K).

The year of the badge, 1852, is significant to Sally and Thomas Horne, as their son Herbert Melvin Horne was born that year.

The Gen. Frank Pierce For President badge sold at the Hake's Americana & Collectibles auction on June 22, 2011.

Back
Posted by pbm at 9:30 PM

August 20, 2006

Sarah Frances Horne Edgerly Strickland Moody


Mrs. S. F. Strickland
1902, Age 55

Kate or Sarah?
The framed portrait at the left was thought to be of Kate Matilda Strickland McBride. However, the portrait has a lot of similarities with the recently found photo of her mother, Sarah Frances Horne Edgerly Strickland Moody. What do you think?

A portrait of Kate's daughter Velma is on the right.

Velma Irene McBride
Posted by pbm at 4:30 PM

February 1, 2006

The Electric Farm, Minot, Maine


Electric Farm, Minot, Maine
Dora Hayes married Ralph Osgood Russell. The name Osgood seems to have come from his great aunt Lucretia York's husband, Osgood Ramsdell. Osgood and Lucretia were the parents of Edgar Ramsdell who wired up his Electric Farm in Minot Maine. Ralph and his sister Beulah visited the farm many times while they were children, but by the time DHR visited it as a young boy in the early 1920's it was no longer in operation.
Article by DHR [1] [2] [3] submitted to Yankee Magazine.
Article by Dick Murray in Lewiston paper.

Edgar Ramsdell's Electric Farm
Posted by pbm at 2:00 PM

January 22, 2006

Walnut Hill Farm


Walnut Hill Farm
The Hayes family lived at Walnut Hill Farm near Portland Maine. George E. Hayes grew up here, and used to swim near the covered bridge. These photos are from an album he took with him to South America in 1906.
Covered Bridge
Posted by pbm at 2:00 PM

January 22, 2006

South America 1906-7


South America 1906-7
The George, Kate, and Dora Hayes lived in Buenos Aires, South America from 1906 to 1907. The photos are from an album of photos taken there. Their return trip in 1907 was on the S.S. Byron.
S. S. Byron
Posted by pbm at 3:00 PM

October 23, 2005

Strickland


Strickland Wallet

The wallet on the left contains some letters written in 1879 to 1884 by Matilda Strickland (shown at the right) in Brigus, Newfoundland, Canada to her brother John W. Strickland in Wolfeboro NH. John was probably from Brigus, as his mother (Cate Butler Strickland), father (William Strickland), an Antie Milk(?) and possibly a brother James were living there during that period. His mother, father, and Antie Milk all died during that period. John Strickland was the father of Kate Matilda Strickland McBride. Several of Kate's report cards are in the wallet from about 1898 to 1903 including two from Brewster Free Academy.


Matilda Strickland
Posted by pbm at 11:30 AM

October 23, 2005

More Frederick Major Russell Woodcarvings and a Painting


FMR woodcarving

Three more woodcarvings and one painting by Frederick Major Russell were added to the Art Gallery.


FMR painting
Posted by pbm at 11:00 AM

April 10, 2005

Pond Panorama


Ariel View

On the left is a view from the air probably taken about 15 years ago. I don't know who took the picture.

On the right is a panorama from photos taken November 14, 2005.


Panorama
Posted by pbm at 9:30 PM

March 27, 2005

Nature


Doll's Eyes
Here are some photos of plants and animals, etc. On the left are Doll's Eyes, and on the right is Rhodora.
Rhodora
Posted by pbm at 4:00 PM

March 24, 2005

Oak Mission Style Furniture

Frederick Major Russell made several pieces of oak Mission style furniture. This desk is an example. In the photo on the right the items on the desk are Doris' Girl Scout bugle and some items probably from South America: an aboriginal axe with obsidian points, a carved gourd, and a water jug. He also made this oak settle.
Posted by pbm at 9:30 PM

March 21, 2005

Paul Hayes Family Bible

Paul Hayes was born in Alton on January 29, 1800. He married Polly Otis Bailey and lived near Brooks Maine. Polly and her parents Abner Bailey Jr. and Polly Otis were from Scituate MA. From the records of Scituate, they "removed eastward". Her parents are buried in Swanville ME. Paul and Polly's last child was George Nathaniel Hayes. The year that his wife died, Paul Hayes bought this bible, as indicated in the inscription. In the bible are recorded the birth and death dates for himself, his wives, and his children. On a separate page are the marriage dates for some of his children. The bible contains a bookmark and the Photographic Section of the Boston Sunday Journal for December 11, 1898 featuring photos of "The Lost Steamer Portland". The surviving portion of a letter from Aunt Molly refers to her grandfather, Paul Hayes, and his daughter Sarah Ann Hayes.

Posted by pbm at 8:30 PM

March 19, 2005

Souvenir of Victoria Brazil, 1907

Although Dora comments in her journal that there didn't seem to be any souvenirs for sale, they apparently did find this primitive carved and painted spoon. The front has a face with the very faint words "Souvenir", "Victoria Brazil". On the back is a drawing of a crab.


Posted by pbm at 9:00 AM

March 16, 2005

Voyage of the S.S. Byron, 1907

Dora, George, and Kate lived for over a year in Argentina from 1906 to 1907. On their trip back from Buenos Aires, Dora kept a journal. The tintype at the far right of Dora, Kate, George, and ? is probably from that trip.

Posted by pbm at 7:00 PM

March 13, 2005

Early 1900's Photo Album

I originally thought that this was an album of pictures from the time the Hayes family was in Argentina, 1906 - 1907. But I am not so sure. The album has 92 photos glued in with no captions. Almost all of the people and places I cannot identify. The second photo is definitely George E. Hayes' house (before the porch was extended around the side) in the background, with probably Kate Pitman Hayes in the foreground. The previous photo might be a younger Kate and her grandmother, and this might be Kate's graduation picture.

For reference here is a photo of the Hayes Family in Buenos Aires. On the back is the following caption written by ?: "No. 4 Dora Hayes, mother, Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Hartridge, Mrs. Nicholson, Minon Nicholson - the dog, Marie and Lousia Petersen. Taken at Buenos Aires May 7th 1906". The order of the names doesn't match any possible order of people in the photo. But Dora, George, and Kate are recognizable.

Posted by pbm at 2:00 PM

March 13, 2005

Dora and Her Doll

Here is a tintype photo of Dora and her Doll probably taken between 1888 and 1892.

Posted by pbm at 2:00 PM

March 13, 2005

Snow Storm

Two snow storms in the past week left lots of snow on top of the lots of snow we already had.

Posted by pbm at 2:00 PM

March 6, 2005

George F. Getchell Civil War Record

George F. Getchell enlisted August 6, 1862 and was honorably discharged July 8, 1865. The photo shows his civil war service record, epaulets, a card signed while in service, a poem that he wrote in 1860, his obituary, and photos of him and his second wife Emma.

Posted by pbm at 5:00 PM

March 6, 2005

Framed Portraits

Added a second page to the Portrait Gallery with photos of framed portraits.

Posted by pbm at 8:00 AM

March 5, 2005

More McBride Photos

Added two pages to the McBride Gallery. One is more miscellaneous photos and the other is mainly Lyndonville photos.

The pages for all the galleries now have links to all the other galleries.

Posted by pbm at 6:00 PM

February 27, 2005

Ambrotype in Union Case

This appears to be an Ambrotype in a Union Case. The subject is probably Aunt Molly or Aunt Grace.

Posted by pbm at 9:45 PM

February 27, 2005

Daguerreotype in Pinchbeck Frame

This appears to be a Daguerreotype in a Pinchbeck Frame, 2 x 2 1/2". The subject is John F. Leavitt, husband of Mary Ann Dinsmore Leavitt and father of Eliza Ann Leavitt Hayes.

Posted by pbm at 9:45 PM

February 27, 2005

Mary P. Getchell's Gem Tintype Album

Mary P. Getchell's Gem Tintype Album contains 45 Gem Tintype photos of family members and friends (including Abraham Lincoln!). The book is signed by "Mary P. Getchell, Salem" and the photos are labeled in pencil. Unfortunately, some of the photos have apparently fallen out at some point in the past and have been put back in incorrect locations in the book. So you can't trust the names to match the pictures.

Mary P. Getchell was Lizzie Getchell Hayes' sister. Mary died in 1886 and Lizzie died in 1887. Their mother was Martha A. Parsons. The names Parsons, Getchell, Nutting (relatives of cousin Willie Nutting?), and others are in the book.

Gem Tintypes were the very popular instant photos of the time. You could get an iron metal sheet of 16 photos from a shop or a street vendor for very little money. You would use tin snips to cut individual photos from the sheet.

For more information on Tintypes see the following:

A History of Photography, by Robert Leggat - The TINTYPE process
City Gallery - Tintype
Posted by pbm at 3:15 PM

February 21, 2005

Art and Unknown

New Art Gallery with 44 photos of art works by family members. [See the newest Photo and Art Gallery here]
Take a look at DHR with his first oil painting and and here too.
Any more FMR wood carvings out there?

New Unknown Gallery with 30 photos of unidentified people. Any ideas who they are?


Posted by pbm at 11:30 AM - Updated 6/28/07

February 20, 2005

Places

New Place Gallery with 30 photos of places.The last seven photos are unidentified. Any ideas?


Posted by pbm at 9:00 AM

February 19, 2005

Portraits

New Portrait Gallery with 30 family portraits


Posted by pbm at 7:30 PM

February 13, 2005

McBride Photos

New McBride Photo Gallery with 30 family photos


Posted by pbm at 5:30 PM