1890 Graduation Exercises Program of Bath High School at Bath, Maine

Program for the Graduating Exercises of the Class of 1890 at Bath High School at Bath, Maine. Sheet of paper approximately 11-1/2" x 8-1/2", folded into four pages.

This program was found in the 1850s autograph book of Ellen Augusta Crooker of the Bath, Maine area, with many inscriptions gathered while she was a student at Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Kents Hill, Maine. Ellen later married Hiram C. Cornish, who was born February 26, 1844 at Bowdoin, Maine.

Transcription of the cover, above:

Graduating Exercises of the Class of 1890
BATH HIGH SCHOOL
at the WINTER STREET CHURCH
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1890, AT 9.00 A.M.
TEACHERS
Herbert E. Cole, Principal
Mr. James O. Lincoln
Miss Bertha L. Soule
Miss Maria F. Upton
Miss Viola G. Hogan

SUPERINTENDING SCHOOL COMMITTEE
George E. Hughes, Esq.
Dr. Edwin M. Fuller
Mr. John G. Richardson

Order of Exercises

Music
PRAYER
Salutatory, John Ernest Quimby
Our State, Elinor Frances Hunt
Woman's Influence, Lillian Grace Wescott
Madame Roland, Mattie Aurelia Montgomery
Lessons from the Rocks, Jennie Williams
Unintended Influence, *Amy Reed Morse
The American Navy, Ernest Linwood Stinson
Recollections, Emma Victoria Matson
Music
The Magnetism of Words, Hattie Maria Brown
July, Katherine Theresa Madden
The Demands of the Age, Herbert Langdon Spinney
Living for Something, Mary Norcross Gilmore
A Leaf from Memory's Tablet, Cynthia Grafton Worth
A National Hero, Llewellyn Drew Rogers
Knots, Mary Augusta Blasland

Music
All Right, Fannie May Moulton

Henry M. Stanley, *John Parks Chase
My Bouquet of Life, Maude Carleton Worth
Self Praise, Margaret Florence Farrell
Old Letters, Lillian Augusta Soiett
India, Fred Fuller Blaisdell
She Hath Done What She Could, Christena Hanson
Music
Class History, Annie Turner McDonald
Class Prophecy, Jessie Christine Carter
Valedictory, Henry Francis Palmer
Music
Presentation of Diplomas
Singing of Class Ode
Benediction

*Excused

Class Ode
Written by Elinor Frances Hunt
Air - "Shells We Gathered Long Ago"

The hour has come when we must part;
Then let us all assembled here,
Drive ev'ry sorrow from the heart,
And brush away the silent tear.
The happy days that have been ours
Should cause nor sorrow nor regret,
Our pathway, ever strewn with flow'rs
Has teemed with joys we'll ne'er forget.

CHORUS

Banish from these parting hours
All gloomy cares and fears today
We'll stew life's pathway with the flow'rs
That we have gathered on our way.

The buds of promise open now
Upon our vision clear and bright;
And joyous hope, on every brow,
Weaves garlands of supreme delight.
The way of wisdom lies before,
Whose portals we're but entering,
And as we con her lessons o'er
We'll ever gladly, gaily sing.

CHORUS

Banish from these fleeting hours, etc.

Times Print, Bath

1905 Program of Memorial Day Exercises of G.A.R. Sedgwick Post #4, Bath, Maine

1905 Program for the Memorial Day Exercises of Sedgwick Post #4, Grand Army of the Republic, at Bath, Maine.  This item was found in the 1850s autograph book of Ellen Augusta Crooker of Bath, Maine.  Ellen, who married John Nicholas Blaisdell of Harpswell, Maine, had died in 1893, so presumably one of her children placed the program in her album.

Transcription of the Program:

MEMORIAL DAY EXERCISES
Under the Direction of Sedgwick Post No. 4, G. A. R., Bath, Me., Tuesday, May 30, nineteen hundred and five.


The procession will form on Front street, right resting on Elm Street, at 2 P.M. sharp, in the following order:
Marshal, JAMES JONES
Aids, JOHN WILSON, DANIEL GUTHRIE
PLATOON OF POLICE
BRUNSWICK BAND
Co. C.N.G.S.M.
SONS OF VETERANS
POST SEDGWICK, NO 4
KENNEBEC NAVAL VETERANS


Disabled Comrades in Carriages - Children of Bath Military and Naval Asylum - Mayor - Chaplain - Orator of the Day - Members of the City Government
The procession will pass over the following route: Up Front to Summer, to Winter, to Middle, to North, to Oak Grove Cemetery, where the Memorial Services will be held at the G. A. R. Monument.  Music.
The column will then reform and pass through Lincoln street to Green, to High, to Soldiers' Monument; thence through Centre to Front, to Post Hall where the parade will be dismissed.
Flower Service at City Landing, by Kennebec Naval Veterans on the return of the procession from the Cemetery.  Music by Brunswick Band.
The following exercises will be held in the Wesley M. E. Church, at 7:30 P.M.
Music ..........................................................................Brunswick Band
Call to order...............................................................Commander
Reading to Orders......................................................Adjutant
Welcome.....................................................................Commander
Introduction of Mayor Crosby as presiding officer
Singing by School Children ......................................Miss Lillian Woodside, Directress
Prayer.......................................................................Rev. A. L. Gerrish
Reading of Lincoln's Address at Gettysburg............Past Dept. Commander Snipe
Reading of Roll of Honor.........................................Mayor Crosby
Singing, School Children.........................................Miss Lillian Woodside, Directress
Address....................................................................Rev. D. B. Holt
Benediction .............................................................Rev. A. L. Gerrish
Music.......................................................................Brunswick Band
      We would earnestly request of our citizens the observance of the day in a manner fitting to the memory of fallen comrades who endured hardships and death to maintain the unity of the Republic.  Let us recall the fact that we are beneficiaries of all that nobility of action, and of its long line of marvelous achievements of the broadening of the way down to our time.
     We respectfully ask that all business be suspended on Memorial Day, as a special mark of respect for the day by our citizens.
     All veterans, Army and Navy, in the city on this day, are cordially invited by Post Sedgwick to join with us in these exercises.
     Contributions of flowers will very materially aid us in performing the beautiful custom of the day.  All flowers designated for particular graves will receive our special care.  All decorations should be sent to Post Hall, Tuesday, forenoon, May 30.
                     Per Order,
                  COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS



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c1948 Clipping about the Genealogy of the Crooker Family of Bath, Maine

Clipping found in the autograph book of Ellen Augusta Crooker of the Bath, Maine area, featured in another post.   She would marry John Nicholas Blaisdell of Harpswell, Maine.   The signatures in the autograph book date to the 1850s, but there are some newer items, like this clipping, tucked inside.



The clipping discusses a genealogy of the Crooker family then in the works and a legend of the original Crooker settler that the author was debunking.   See the transcription near the bottom of this page.

If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented here, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Transcription:

LOCAL TRADITION ROMANTIC BUT IS LACKING IN TRUTH

Genealogy of the Crooker Family in Preparation

By Henry W. Owen, Jr.

Man people in this locality will no doubt be interested to know that a genealogy of the Crooker family is in preparation, which will include the Bath branch represented by the descendants of Isaiah Crooker, who settled in Bath about 1750, founding a family which has played an important part in local history.  The gentleman who has undertaken this task is William A. Walter, 35 Livingston Street, Bridgeport, Conn., who is himself a Crooker descendant, though not of Bath's Isaiah.

One important result already of Mr. Walter's research is proof of the error of a local tradition which was romantic indeed, but for many reasons seemed improbable.  This old story was to the effect that five Crooker brothers emigrated from Scotland to Cape Cod, whence three of them sailed in company for Maine, but after being shipwrecked on or near Seguin, became separated, Isaiah settling in Bath and the other two elsewhere.  An incredible feature of the story was that Isaiah, who had barely if at all attained his majority, arrived with $10,000 in his pocket.

In-so-far as the origin of the Crookers is indicated by evidence, it was Welsh, and not Scotch.  Moreover, Isaiah, instead of himself having been an immigrant into New England, belonged to the fourth generation of the family in New England.

The original immigrant was one Francis Crooker, born in Britain about 1622, who settled in Marshfield, Mass.  His wife was Mary Gaunt, and of three known sons, one was born about 1654 and named Jonathan.

Jonathan Crooker, the son of Francis, lived his life in Marshfield, where he married Mary Burroughs and they had a family of 10 children of whom the fifth in seniority was named Francis for his grandfather.  This second Francis married twice and his second wife was Patience Childs, whom he wed in March, 1723.  This family were in Marshfield up to 1750, after which Francis' name disappears from the records.  Mr. Walter has not as yet located him elsewhere, but thinks it likely he removed to Maine.  The eighth of 11 children of Francis was Isaiah, whose birth Jan. 28, 1729/30, is recorded in Marshfield.  This coincides with the age at death of Isaiah Crooker of Bath as recorded on his tombstone in the old cemetery at Witch Spring.  The concensus of the best opinion is that it was this son of Francis who came to Bath to make his home.

It seem probable that the romantic wreck at Seguin resulted from a remarkably similar event which befell in the same place some of the Harding family to which Isaiah's second wife belonged.

Mr. Walter has a probably complete list of the children of the sons of Isaiah Crooker of Bath, and of the children of all but one of Isaiah's daughters, also most of the grandchildren (Continued on Page Four.)

LOCAL TRADITION LACKING TRUTH

(Continued from Page One)

and has been able to follow some of the lines down to date.  As in the case of most old families, there have been in the course of two centuries intermarriages with many other families, so that there are doubtless today as many if not more descendants of Isaiah Crooker wearing other family names than those to whom the male lines have transmitted the original sur-name.  Many of the descendants in the distaff lines, as well as those in the male lines, are well known in local history.

Some of the Bath families into which Crooker daughters or granddaughters have married and now have descendants are to mention a few: Whitmore, Lunt, Webb, McCobb, Babb, Foster, Hodgkins, Scholfield, Sewall, Bosworth, Blaisdell, Jackson.  It is an endless task for a genealogist to make contact with representatives of such families now living, many of whom might have records or other data which the genealogist would like to have, to supply the want of adequate public records.

Another difficult is that genealogical data collected by some known previous worker in the field have become lost to view.  One such case that Mr. Walter has encountered is that of one Zenas Crooker of Waterville, who is known to have gathered Crooker family data years ago, recent search for which has been entirely fruitless.  

No doubt Mr. Walter would welcome communications from any person who have any genealogical date which ought to be Crooker family.

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Photograph of Young Man Charles M. Coy, b. 1893, Monson, Maine

Photograph of a young man identified on reverse as Charles Coy, brother of Leona Richards.  The photograph was taken by the Spurling studio of Dover, Maine.

From online research, hopefully correct:


Charles M. Coy was born 22 June 1893 at Monson, Maine, the son of Forrest H. Coy and wife Martha "Mattie" Bennett (Drake) Coy.  His paternal grandparents were Charles Melvin Coy and Elmira S. (Bean) Coy.  His maternal grandparents were Elhanan Gay Drake and Delana Snow (Strout) Drake.

On 27 June 1928, Charles M. Coy married Marion E. Chandler.  She was born 24 January 1903 in what is now Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, the daughter of Franklin E. Chandler and Mabel E. (Brown) Chandler.  Her paternal grandparents were James and Sarah Josephine (Hurd) Chandler.  Her maternal grandparents were Lysander C. Brown and Annie Rose (Haskell) Brown.

Marion was a teacher in Dexter, Maine, as I've heard from a reader, one of her former students.

I'm not sure if the couple had any children or not.  In the 1930 Census, they're in Dexter, Maine, and have no children living with them.

See an obituaries for Charles M. Coy and Marion E. (Chandler) Coy.  Note that Charles' sister Leona (Coy) Richards, the sibling mentioned on the reverse of his photograph, survived him.

If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented here, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

For more information, see the page for Charles M. Coy and Marion E. (Chandler) Coy at the Maine and Maritime Canada Genealogy network.

Map of Piscataquis County, Maine: 

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1856 document: agreement between Philip Coombs, Bangor, Maine & Joseph Brown or Joseph Brewer, Brewer, Maine

1856 or 1836 document detailing an agreement between Philip Coombs of Bangor, Maine, and Joseph Brown, or Joseph Brewer, of Brewer Maine.

Transcription:

Agreement between Philip Coombs Esq of Bangor and Joseph [Brown or Brewer] of Brewer -  the said Joseph [Brown or Brewer] agrees to sell to the said Coombs a lot or parcel of land on the front of his farm -
containing 6 or 8 acres more or less - at 500 dollars per acre $500 down and $500 next May 1856 [or 1836] with interest.  the remainder in 4 annual payments with interest annually
Depending on the date of this document, there are several possibilities for a Philip Coombs. If the date is 1836, there are three options, a grandfather, father and son, successive generations of a noted Bangor, Maine family.

From brief online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions requested!]

Philip Coombs (1), son of William and Jane (Greenleaf) Coombs, was born 10 July 1770 in Massachusetts and died November 13, 1848 in Maine.  Philip married Elizabeth Harrod, who was born January 15, 1775 at Newburyport, Massachusetts, the daughter of Banjamin and Mary (Morrill) Harrod.  Philip and Elizabeth had a son Philip Henry Coombs (2), born February 21, 1803 in Massachusetts.   By about 1814, the family had moved to Bangor, Maine.

In 1836 Philip Coombs (1) donated land originally called Coombs City Common and now known as Chapin Park; it's located on Bangor's east side.

Philip Henry Coombs, who came to Bangor, Maine, with his parents about 1814, married Eliza Webster Boardman, the daughter of Jonathan Boardman Jr. and Sarah (Horton) Boardman.  Eliza was born August 26, 1805 at Massachusetts.

Philip Henry Coombs and Eliza had a son Philip Coombs (3), born August 5, 1833 at Bangor, Maine.  Philip Coombs (3) married Sarah Forbes Woodhull, who was born January 14, 1830 in Maine, the daughter of Richard and Sarah (Forbes) Woodhull.

Philip Coombs (3) and Sarah had a son Philip Henry Coombs, but he wasn't born until 24 December 1856 at Bangor, so could not be one of the parties of this document.

Hopefully a reader will come forward to give an opinion on the date of the document and, more importantly, on whether the other party is Joseph Brown of Brewer, Maine or Joseph Brewer of Brewer, Maine.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information presented here, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

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Ephraim Sinclair and wife Ethel H. (Stafford) Sinclair; Harmony, Maine; in group photo

Ephraim and his wife Ethel H. (Stafford) Sinclair in a group photo that includes husband and wife couples of John Lee Collins and wife Fannie Emmie (Mitchell) Collins and Alton Chadbourn and wife Ida M. (Gray) Chadbourn.  


Ephraim is the man sitting in front, with wife Ethel at his left, as viewed in the photograph.  The photograph was taken by the Dinsmore studio of Dover, Maine, which is near the Harmony, Maine area in which the couples lived.

From online research, hopefully correct:


Ephraim Henry Sinclair was born March 1870 in Maine, the son of Martin Van Buren Sinclair, born in Dennysville, Maine in 1847, and his wife Eliza L. (Cook) Sinclair, born in Corinna, Maine, in 1851.  Ephraim's paternal grandparents were Thomas Shaw Sinclair and his wife Ruth B. (Cook) Sinclair.  


Thomas Shaw Sinclair's father was George Amesy Sinclair, who was born in Hallowell, Maine in 1793.  I believe "Amesy" was a nickname for Amasa, so perhaps he was George Amasa Sinclair.  He had a son by the name of Amasa, so perhaps it was a family name.  I haven't yet learned the names of George's parents.  I would love to know what drew him to Washington County, Maine.


I believe the parents of Ruth B. (Cook) Sinclair were Samuel and Lydia Cook.


On 8 April 1896 in Harmony, Maine, Ephraim Henry Sinclair married Ethel H. Stafford.  She was born in July of 1873 in Maine, the daughter of Franklin Joseph Stafford and wife Abbie (Brown) Stafford.  Her paternal grandparents were Obadiah Stafford and Rebecca (Gray) Stafford.  Her maternal grandparents were Richard L. (possibly either Llewellyn or Lord) Brown and wife Mahala (Watson) Brown.


Ephraim and Ethel raised a family of, I believe, three children in Harmony, Maine.  Ephraim died in 1954, and Ethel in 1938.


For more information, visit the page at the Maine and Maritime Canada Genealogy network for Ephraim Henry Sinclair and wife Ethel H. (Stafford) Sinclair.


If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented here, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!


A map of Harmony, Maine:



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Map of Dennysville, Maine:



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Alton Chadbourn & wife Ida (Gray) Chadbourn in group photo, Harmony, Maine

The group photo above shows three couples.  The people standing and sitting at right are Alton Chadbourn and his wife Ida (Gray) Chadbourn.  


They were photographed with friends John Lee Collins and wife Fannie Emmie (Mitchell) Collins and Ephraim Sinclair and wife Ethel (Stafford) Sinclair.  The photograph was taken at Dover, Maine, by the A. H. Dinsmore studio.  The couples lived in the Harmony, Maine area.

Alton Chadbourn was born 20 December 1872 at Harmony, Maine, in Somerset County, the son of Lorin and Vesta A. (Stafford) Chadbourn.  His paternal grandparents were Isaiah and Irene Dearborn (Leighton) Chadbourn.  His maternal grandparents were John M. and Mersoe or Minerva S. (Littlefield) Stafford.


On 22 December 1895 at Wellington, Maine, Alton Chadbourn married Ida M. Gray.  She was born 2 June 1878 at Harmony, Maine, the daughter of Andrew and Ella (Davis) Gray.  Her paternal grandparents were Abraham or Abram and Mary (Smith) Gray.  I don't yet have the names of Ella Davis' parents.


Alton and Ida Chadbourn raised a family of at least four children in Harmony, Maine.  For more information, see the page at the Maine and Maritime Canada network for Alton Chadbourn and Fannie Emmie (Mitchell) Collins.


An earlier post discussed John Lee Collins and Fannie Emmie (Mitchell) Collins.   


If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented here, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!


Map of Harmony, Maine:



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