Saturday, August 18, 2012

1902 Photograph of Mrs. Octavia Buck of Auburn, Maine


December 1902 photograph of an older woman identified on reverse as Mrs. Octavia Buck of 250 Court Street, Auburn, Maine.



From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome]

Mrs. Octavia Buck was born Octavia Gilmore on 23 August 1837 at Turner, Maine, daughter of Adna and Betsey (Keene) Gilmore, who were born at North Raynham, Massachusetts, and Hebron, Maine, respectively.

Octavia's paternal grandparents were Elisha and Sarah (Failes) Buck.  I don't have information on Betsey Keene's parents or whether Keene was in fact her maiden name.

In 1859, Octavia married James Lorenzo Buck, son of James Sullivan Buck and Lydia (Austin) Buck.  He was born 2 October 1828 at Turner, Maine.   I believe Octavia and James had three children together, a daughter, Vertrude Polly Buck, and two sons, Frederick Eugene Buck and Dwight Lorenzo Buck.

The family was living at Auburn, Maine, at the time of the 1870 Census, where James and daughter Vertrude are listed as working at a shoe shop.  James Lorenzo Buck died 11 July 1873.  

By the time of the 1880 Census, Octavia and her two sons were living at Turner, Maine, where Octavia was working as a dress marker and Frederick Eugene in a shoe shop.

In the 1900 Census, Octavia is shown again living at Auburn, Maine, with a servant, and working as a Christian Science healer.

From a listing in the directory section of the Christian Science Journal, Vol. 13, No. 1, of April 1895:




It doesn't appear that Octavia remarried.  According to her death record, she died 28 January 1916.

If you have any corrections or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Turner, Maine [Auburn, Maine, is to the south, located on the west bank of the Androscoggin River, across from Lewiston, which is identified on the map.]


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