Saturday, November 19, 2011

1880s Autograph Book of Maria Moulton of Sebec, Maine


Maria Moulton was born 30 March 1852 in Maine, the daughter of William R. and Marie Louise (Bunker) Moulton.


Maria's paternal grandparents were Jeremiah and Rachael (Sawyer) Moulton, born in New Hampshire and Maine (possibly Durham) respectively.  

Her maternal grandparents were William and Ruth (Miller) Bunker, both Piscataquis County natives.

Maria's father, William R. Moulton, her sister Nellie (Ellen) and several Bunker, Bennett and Allen relatives of Maine, New York and Pennsylvania signed pages in her album.

I believe this is the signature of Maria's father

Maria's sister Nellie

Uncle Benjamin Bunker, who lived at Prentiss Vale in McKean County, Pennsylvania

Benjamin Bunker's wife Hannah

Below, pages signed by Maria's Bunker cousins:




Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania was founded by Arthur Prentiss of Maine.  He was born in 1808 at Paris, Maine, and moved to Pennsylvania at the urging of friend Hermon Strong to engage in the lumber business.  

I'd love to know what drew the Allens, Bennetts and Bunkers came to that area.  Perhaps Arthur Prentiss publicized the availability of work in Maine newspapers.

On 31 October 1889 at Dover or Foxcroft, Maine, Maria married Elmer A. Bolton.  I've seen his name also spelled as Elma.  He was born 23 July 1859 in Maine, the son of Charles Vaughan Bolton and his wife Ruby, whose maiden name I haven't yet determined.  Hopefully a reader will have information on Ruby.

Elmer A. Bolton's paternal grandparents were Oliver and Mary A. (Ward) Bolton.  

Old Sturbridge Village has an archive of letters written by Oliver Bolton, his father Nathaniel and other family members, viewable online here.  Some of them are grim in their news of death.

Elmer and Maria settled at Foxcroft, Maine, where they raised at least one child, a son Charles.

Folded in the autograph album was this certification of membership in the Kineo Lodge, Odd Fellows, of Dover, Maine, of Charles Bolton.


I found a tidbit online that ties the Moulton family to a John Greenleaf Whittier poem.

For Bomazeen from Tacconock 
Has sent his runners to Norrigewock,
With tidings that Moulton and Harmon of York.
Far up the river have come : 
They have left their boats, — they have entered the wood, 
And filled the depths of the solitude 
With the sound of the ranger's drum. 
"Ha Bomazeen ! — In God's name say, 
What mean these sounds of bloody fray?" 
Silent, the Indian points his hand 
To where across the echoing glen 
Sweep Harmon's dreaded ranger-band, 
And Moulton with his men. 

"Where are thy warriors, Bomazeen ? 
Where are De Rouville and Castine, 
And where the braves of Sawga's queen? 
"Let my father find the winter snow 
Which the sun drank up long moons ago ! 
Under the fall of Tacconock, 
The wolves are eating the Norridgewock ; 
Castine with his wifes lies closely hid 
Like a fox in the woods of Pemaquid ! 
On Sawga's banks the man of war 
Sits in his wigwam like a squaw, — 
Squando has fled, and Mogg Megone, 
Struck by the knife of Sagamore John, 
Lies stiff and stark and cold as a stone." 

For more information on Maria Moulton and her husband Elmer A. Bolton, see their page at the Maine and Maritime Canada Genealogy network.

Alphabetical list of signers in Maria's autograph album:

Alice R. Allen of Prentiss Vale, McKean County, Pennsylvania, Maria's cousin
W. L. Allen, presumably also of Prentiss Vale, McKean County, Pennsylvania
Emily Bennett, possibly of Eldred, Pennsylvania, cousin
Walter A. Bennett of Eldred, Pennsylvania
Effie M. C. Briggs of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
M. Anna Briggs of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
Orpha Briggs of Black Creek, New York
Minnie Brown of Portville, New York
Hannah Bunker of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania, Maria's aunt
Benjamin Bunker of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania, Maria's uncle
L. D. Bunker of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
Mattie P. Bunker (Martha) of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania, Maria's cousin
May Bunker of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
Naomi V. Byther of East Eddington, Maine (Mrs. William Byther)
F. M. Coon of Ceres, New York, signed at Prentiss Vale PA
Aggie E. Dimock of Sackville, New Brunswick, signed at Sebec, Maine
H. J. Doolittle of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
Belle Freeman of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
N. E. Freeman of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
Benjamin L. Glover of Sebec, Maine
Mrs. Mary P. Glover of Bowerbank, Maine
Sarah F. Glover of Bowerbank, Maine
Clarie E. Holmes of Eldred, Pennsylvania
J. Holmes of Eldred, Pennsylania, Pastor
Alma M. Ireland of South Sebec, Maine
Carlotta Ireland of South Sebec, Maine
E. S. Ireland of Sebec, Maine
Mrs. C. L. Ireland of South Sebec, Maine
Alice G. Kent of Sebec, Maine
Lizzie Levensalor of Sebec, Maine
? Look, a friend
Joseph D. Lyford of South Sebec, Maine
Joseph G. Lyford of Sebec, Maine
Mrs. Lettie M. Lyford of Sebec, Maine
Nettie M. Morse of Prentiss Vale, Pennsylvania
Maria Moulton
Nellie Moulton (Ellen Moulton of Sebec, Maine)
William R. Moulton of Sebec, Maine, Maria's father
Sarah Rich of East Eddington, Maine
Jennie C. Smith of Barnard, Maine
M. A. Strickland
Susie, Maria's cousin, possibly Susie Bunker of Prentiss Vale, PA
Lizzie Wing of Sebec, Maine
Mrs. E. Wolcott of Eldred, Pennsylvania

To see scans of the autograph album's pages, click here.

A map of Sebec, Maine: 


View Larger Map

Thanks for stopping by!

No comments:

Post a Comment