Photograph, possibly Graduation Photograph of Matthew Chambers

Photograph, possibly a graduation photograph, of a young man identified on the reverse as Matthew Chambers.  I'm guessing that he was born between 1870 and 1890, but I'm no expert at dating photographs.

Unfortunately, there's no studio imprint or other information that might help further identify Matthew.  If you recognize him from your family albums or research, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  

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Photograph of Toddler Nellie Pike, by a Westfield, Massachusetts studio

Cabinet photograph taken by the Coleman studio of Westfield, Massachusetts, of a young child identified on the reverse as Nellie Pike.

It's possible this Nellie Pike was the daughter of Francis Monroe Pike and Augusta (Strong) Pike, born about 1880 in New York.  

Her father was born at Southborough, Massachusetts, son of Nahum and Sally Sophia (Collins) Pike.  I haven't found out more information about Augusta (Strong) Pike, other than that, like her daughter, she was born in New York.  Their other children were James Clarence Pike and Maggie Pike.

If you have can corroborate this identity and add to it, or if you feel that the child is another Nellie Pike, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Westfield, Massachusetts


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Photograph of Betsy Chesley Hartwell; by a Lyndonville, Vermont, studio

Photograph of an elderly woman identified on the reverse as Betsy Chesly Hartwell.  The photograph was taken by a Lyndonville, Vermont, studio.

From online research, I believe this woman is Betsy (Chesley) Hartwell, born 7 August 1838 in Vermont.  Originally I had thought the woman in the photograph was born earlier than 1838, but perhaps the photograph is younger than I originally assumed.

One of several online trees has a photograph of this particular Betsy (Chesley) Hartwell, taken when she was perhaps twenty years or so years younger, and I can see a resemblance.  Hopefully it's not just a family resemblance.

Betsy's parents were Joel and Betsy (Jenness) Chesley, born in Barrington, New Hampshire, and Sheffield, Vermont, respectively.

Betsy married George Alfred Hartwell, son of Rufus and Nancy (Haynes) Hartwell.  George was born 23 November 1835 at Colebrook, New Hampshire.  Betsy and George settled at Compton, Quebec, and raised, I believe, six children.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or if you feel the the woman in the photograph is a different Betsy Chesley [or Chesly] Hartwell, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Lyndonville, Vermont [A] and Compton, Quebec [B]


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1890s Autograph Album of Georgia E. Harvey of Winn, Maine

[Note: this post was updated in December 2013 to reflect the fact that more of the album pages were located.]

Autograph album that was presented to "Georgie", Georgia E. Harvey, by her friend Cassie A. Brehaut on 24 December 1890.

The album is approximately 6" x 4" with puffy red velvet covers and the sentiments of nearly 70 of Georgie's relatives and friends from Maine and New Brunswick.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

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

Georgia E. Harvey, "Georgie", was born at Winn, Maine, about 1881, the daughter of Francis and Julia A. (Brown) Harvey, who were born at Saint John, New Brunswick, and Enfield, Maine, respectively.

Presumably the signer below, Julia Harvey, was Georgie's mother Julia A. (Brown) Harvey.

I don't have information on Georgie's father Francis Harvey, other than that I believe he was born in Saint John, New Brunswick.  

Georgie's mother Julia A. (Brown) Harvey was born about 1855, the daughter of John Buck Brown and Lorana (?) Brown.  John B. Brown signed a page in Georgie's album on December 28, 1891.

I believe Lorana had died by the time Georgie started compiling her album.  John married Electa L. P. (Dunbar) Witham in 1875.  Electa and former husband George W. Witham had divorced in 1872.  Electa signed a page on December 28.  Someone later penciled in 1890, which may have been in error, as her husband John B. Brown signed on December 28, 1891.]

Three of Georgie's uncles signed pages in her album.  Uncle Walter S. Brown of South Winn, Maine, signed a page on February 12, 1891.

Uncle Elbridge Miles of Lowell, Maine, signed a page on May 21, 1893.

Uncle J. W. Brown signed a page on June 11, 1891.

Georgie's cousin Dellie Folsom, or Delia V. Folsom, signed a page at Winn, Maine, on April 5, 1891.  She pasted a Victorian scrap over her name.

On 10 November 1902, Georgie married Herman William Johnson.  According to their marriage record, he was the son of David and Isabel (Carle) who were natives of Dallas, Maine, presumably the township near Rangeley in Franklin County.  Herman was born at Dallas, Maine, about 1881. 

[Note: a family member believes that the notations of Dallas on the marriage record are incorrect.  The family believes that Herman was born at Rollingdam, New Brunswick.]

They lived in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, and Penobscot County, Maine, and raised three, or possibly four, children.

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

Alphabetical list of the signers: [Note: given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

• Ellen R. [Hearst" ?] signed at South Winn, Maine
• Aunt Minnie, signed at Burlington, Maine, on September 10 [no year written]
• John, signed on September 13, 1893
• Carrie
• Clara, signed on July 10, 1895
• Rosabella, signed at Winn, Maine, on December 31, 1890; perhaps Rosabella Davis, born in 1861 at Lee, Maine, daughter of Stillman and Adalaide Davis.
• Sadie, signed at Winn, Maine, on May 12, 1894
• E. E. C., signed at Chester, Maine, on August 23, 189 [not sure of last digit]
• Mrs. Mamie Atkinson of Enfield, Maine, signed at Winn, Maine, on March 30, 1891
• Cassie A. Brehaut; she presented the album to Georgie on 24 December 1890
• Mrs. Hannah E. Brehaut of North Lincoln, Maine, signed on January 1, 1891; Elizabeth Hannah (Brooks) Brehaut, widow of William J. Brehaut
• Wellington E. Brown, signed at Winn, Maine, on December 13, 1891
• John B. Brown, signed on December 28, 1891; Georgie's maternal grandfather
• J. W. Brown, signed on June 11, 1891; Georgie's maternal uncle
• Fannie Brown of Mattawamkeag, Maine, signed on September 1, 1895
• Walter S. Brown of South Winn, Maine, signed on February 12, 1891; Georgie's maternal uncle
• Electa L. P. Brown, signed on December 28, 1890.  She was Electa L. P. (Dunbar) Witham, stepmother of Georgia's mother Julia (Brown) Harvey.  Electa and John B. Brown were married 4 April 1875, according to a database of Lincoln, Maine, marriages.  She was divorced from previous husband George W. Witham in 1872.
• Minnie M. Bruce, signed at Winn, Maine, on January 2, 1891
• Bertie D. Bruce of Winn, Maine, signed on January 2, 1891
• Minnie E. Burke of Lee, Maine, signed at South Winn, Maine, on November 6, 1896
• Lottie Coombs of Winn, Maine
• Stella M. Dennis signed a page on 26 May 1894
• Blanche DeWitt of Winn, Maine, signed at Winn on January 28, 1891
• Gertie DeWitt of Winn, Maine, signed at Howland, Maine, in 1891
• Harry F. DeWitt, signed at Winn, Maine, on February 5, 1891
• W. S. Dunbar of Winn, Maine
• A. W. Fayle of North Lee, Maine, signed on August 1, 1894; perhaps Alfred W. Fayle
• Sydney P. Fayle, signed at North Lee, Maine, on July 15, 1894
• Frank E. Flower, signed on June 15, 1893
• Dellie Folsom, signed at Winn, Maine, on April 5, 1891; Georgia's cousin Delia V. Folsom
• Mrs. Lydia Gordon of Winn, Maine, signed at Winn on March 30, 1891
• Celia R. Gordon of Winn, Maine, signed on October 14, 1894
• Minnie E. Gordon of Winn, Maine, signed at Winn on March 30, 1891
• Silas M. Grant of Port Lorne, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, signed on March 12, 1893
• Mae E. Hare of North East, signed on November 18, 1900.  Perhaps North East referred to Northeast Harbor.
• Georgia E. Harvey, "Georgie", of Winn, Maine; album owner
• Julia Harvey; presumably Julia (Brown) Harvey, Georgia's mother
• Sadie May Haynes of Winn, Maine, signed on January 28, 1891
• Herbert Haynes of Winn, Maine, signed on March 16, 1891
• Mr. Orrin H. Hunt of Winn, Maine, signed on June 26 [no year written]
• George E. Hunt of Winn, Maine, signed on April 23, 1891
• Sarah Hunt, signed at Winn, Maine, on December 13, 1891
• G. W. Johnson of Carroll, Maine, signed on July 11, 1891 at Winn, Maine
• Rosa Kelley of Winn, Maine, signed on February 12, 1892; Georgie's teacher
• Grace V. Lombard, signed at North Lincoln, Maine, on October 19, 1893
• Maggie M. Lynch of Lincoln, Maine, signed on May 23. 1893
• Minnie F. Manchester of North East Harbor, Maine, signed on November 18, 1900
• Billy McGee, signed on February 2, 1894
• Elbridge Miles of Lowell, Maine, signed on May 21, 1893; Georgie's uncle
• A. Louise Miller, signed at North Bangor, Maine, on December 28, 1900
• Johnnie W. Myrick of Saponac, Maine, signed on July 6, 1916; presumably the John W. Myrick born 18 May 1889, son of John and Minnie Myrick.
• Sadie Norton, N.E.H.; possibly the same Sadie Norton of North Esk, New Brunswick, who signed another page.
• Sadie J. H. Norton of North Esk, New Brunswick, signed on October 3, 1900; possibly the Sadie Norton who signed another page.
• Florence Pelkey of Winn, Maine, signed on February 19, 1893
• Flossie B. Pratt of Winn, Maine, signed on February 22, 1891
• H. P. Pratt
• Mrs. G. S. Ranney of Winn, Maine, signed in June 1891; presumably Caroline (Thompson) Ranney, wife of George S. Ranney
• Irvin Scott of Chester, Maine, signed on February 5, 1894
• Marilla Snow, signed at Winn, Maine, on October 29, 1893
• Mrs. Snow of North Lincoln, Maine, signed on October 29, 1893; given name is possibly Sara.
• Jenny F. Twombly of Lee, Maine, signed on March 30, 1892' Georgie's teacher
• E. B. Whitney of Winn, Maine, signed on March 28, 1891
• Emma J. Whitney of Winn, Maine, signed on March 27, 1891
• Bertha A. Wyman of Winn, Maine, signed on June 3, 1893
• Tina L. Wyman of Winn, Maine, signed on June 2, 1893
• C. Wyman
• P. E. Young, signed at Winn, Maine, on July 8, 1891

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1803 Portland, Maine Handwritten Promise to Pay; Names Cobb; Paine; Garland

Promise to Pay dated November 28, 1803 at Portland, Maine.  Promise to Pay Nathaniel Cobb $88.09, signed by Jonathan Paine, Jr., for Daniel Garland.  The reverse shows dates that payments were received.

Transcript

For value Rec. 88.09 we promise to pay Nathanial Cobb on order Eighty Eight dollars & Nine Cents in four Months, Interest after.
Portland, Maine, Nov. 28, 1803.
Jonathan Paine, Jr.
Daniel Garland

The bottom front and reverse top half detail load payments.  It seems to have taken until 1805 or beyond for the load to be paid in full.

From brief online research, hopefully correct - corrections and additions requested:

Nathanial Cobb may have been the Rev. Nathaniel Cobb (1783-1873).  He married twice: 1) Anna Mitchel; 2) Betsey Poole.  A History of the Cobb Family, by Philip Lothrop Cobb, published in 1907.

Jonathan Paine, Jr., may have been the Jonathan Paine, Jr. (1772-1823) who married Aphia Richards in 1821. Jonathan died in 1823 at the age of fifty-one and is buried in Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine, with Aphia, who died in 1850.

Daniel Garland may have been the Daniel Garland who was married to Phebe H. (Paine) Garland, presumably related to Jonathan Paine. Daniel and Phoebe are buried in the Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine.

If you have information on Nathaniel Cobb, Jonathan Paine, Jr., and/or Daniel Garland, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!


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1858 Somerset County, Maine, Teachers Convention catalog

Catalogue of the Teachers' Convention, for the County of Somerset, 1858.  Held at Hartland, Maine.

See a post featuring the 1859 Teachers' Convention here.

Catalogue of the Teachers' Convention, for the County of Somerset, Held at Hartland, September 14th, 15th, 16th & 17th, 1858.  
M. Littlefield - Printer, Skowhegan, 1858

Superintendent Mark H. Dunnell, Norway, Maine

Board of Instruction
In Arithmetic, Grammar & School Management
Professor Harry Brickett, Hillsborough, New Hampshire
Professor P. A. Chadbourne, Williams College, Massachusetts

Lecturers
Professor Harry Brickett
Professor P. A. Chadbourne
Hon. Mark H. Dunnell

Note: The teachers' names listed on the next pages are not in perfect alphabetical order, so you may have to hunt a bit for a particular name.

Gentlemen
Name; P.O. Address

E. P. Baker; Bingham
A. W. Bickford; Hartland
Calvin Bigelow; St. Albans
I. A. D. Blake; North Carmel
M. S. Blunt; Bingham
Alonzo Boothby; Athens
Henry W. Boston; St. Albans
Daniel C. Bowman; St. Albans
H. C. Brown; St. Albans
Leander F. Butler; Norridgewock
Jesse W. Chandlers; St. Albans
A. F. Church; Hartland
J. F. Clement; Detroit
J. Henry Davis; Hartland
Albert R. Dyer; Harmony
T. V. Eaton; Plymouth
Thomas S. Emery; Harmony
C. A. Farewell; East Pittsfield
T. M. Farrand; Mercer
J. P. Folsom; Hartland
Leighton J. Folsom; Hartland
Hiram S. French; Cornville
John Finson; Hartland
David Given; St. Albans
David N. Grant; St. Albans
S. H. Hamilton; Cambridge
J. K. Hamilton, M.D.; Hartland
P. T. Haskell; Hartland
M. V. B. Hawes; Corinna
Samuel S. Holbrook; St. Albans
Samuel S. Hackett; Detroit
Arthur A. Holmes; Brighton
G. L. Holmes; Hartland
Mark E. Hanson; Newport
Calvin S. Ireland; North Newport
Orin Junkins; Palmyra
Thomas H. B. Lenfist; Palmyra
Daniel W. Lothrop; St. Albans
Philip L. Lowell; Hartland
D. C. Lyford; St. Albans
A. B. Matthews; St. Albans
Ira I. McFarland; Hartland
P. Merrill; St. Albans
A. O. Miller; Palmyra
O. F. Millet; Palmyra
G. H. Moor; Dexter
G. W. Morse; St. Albans
Llewellyn Morrill; Hartland
T. G. Moody; Hartland
George N. Page; Norridgewock
F. C. Rand; Canaan
Joseph H. Rines; Athens
G. S. Robinson; Skowhegan
Daniel Robinson; Palmyra
J. W. S. Robinson; Skowhegan
Charles Rowell 2d; Hartland
J. B. Shurtleff; Winslow
T. W. Smiley; Hartland
A. Stedman; Hartland
John Steward; St. Albans
Jonathan A. B. Soule; Waterville
Herbert Stinchfield; Hartland
V. D. Sweetland; Palmyra
J. S. Towle; Hartland
S. J. Watson; Hartland
Murray B. Watson; Hartland
Luther H. Webb; Hartland
S. H. Willard; Mercer
George W. Williams; Hartland

Ladies
Name; P.O. Address

Sarah J. Atwell; East Pittsfield
Mary E. Bartlett; Harmony
Lizzie W. Bunker; Corinna
Carrie W. Brown; Hartland
Persis Blake; Hartland
Viola Barrett; Canaan
Irene M. Brackett; Detroit
Emily H. Baker; Bingham
Marcia L. Clark; Corinna
Lydia A. Church; Hartland
Julia A. Cook; Plymouth
Emma F. Church; Hartland
Sarah J. Church; Hartland
Martha Church; Hartland
Sophia F. Chapman; Hartland
Ellen F. Cushman; Palmyra
Eunice W. Davis; Palmyra
Diantha P. Emerson; Harmony
Eveline Elliot; Hartland
Achsia E. Elkins; Palmyra
Louisa V. Folsom; Harmony
Angeline Flanders; Cornville
Mary E. Folsom; Hartland
Clara S. Folsom; Hartland
Frances A. Fish; St. Albans
Jane C. Furbush; Palmyra
Mary Fuller; Hartland
Rebecca Fuller; Hartland
Lodoski M. Fletcher; Corinna Centre
Lydia A. Givin; St. Albans
Caroline Grant; St. Albans
Eliza F. Graves; Hartland
Melissa S. Goodale; Canaan
Eva P. Goodrich; Bingham
Elizabeth M. George; Newport
Laurie B. Hawes; Corinna
Sarah E. Hawes; Corinna
Hannah E. Hilton; Corinna
Hannah M. Holway; St. Albans
Sarah J. Hall; Athens
Angela L. Ireland; North Newport
Eliza A. Ireland; Bloomfield
Adelaide Ireland; Hartland
Caroline M. Johnson; Orono
Rosan M. Keene; Palmyra
Josephine Lenfist; Palmyra
Ellen S. Lambert; Hartland
Bettie E. Lancy; Hartland
Esther E. Lothrop; St. Albans
Sarah J. Labree; Hartland
Sarah D. Lewis; Hartland
Hannah Merrill; St. Albans
Eliza Merrill; St. Albans
Nancy C. Merrill; St. Albans
Amanda J. Mitchell; Hartland
Helen M. McFarland; Hartland
Sarah J. R. Moody; Hartland
Nancy Morrill; Hartland
Lydia Merrow; Hartland
Lodisa F. Pratt; Corinna
Rachel P. Parker; Bloomfield
Emily Page; St. Albans
Mary E. Page; Norridgewock
Wealthy Page; Hartland
Mary S. Page; Hartland
Mary E. Palmer; Hartland
Eunice L. Parlin; Concord
Mary Prescott; St. Albans
Mary Robinson; Palmyra
Hannah C. Rines; Athens
Laurinda Richardson; Canaan
Amanda Ransom; St. Albans
Almira D. Shean; Hartland
Amanda Stewart; Hartland
Susan C. Spaulding; Anson
Henrietta Stinchfield; Hartland
Caroline Stinchfield; Hartland
Emma S. Smiley; St. Albans
Ellen J. Smiley; St. Albans
Emily S. Starbird; Hartland
Lydia S. Towle; Hartland
Ann E. Towle; Hartland
Berthena Towle; Hartland
Abby Towle; Hartland
Mary E. Tenny; St. Albans
Samantha P. Tuttle; Athens
Elizabeth H. Taylor; Athens
Fidelia Totman; Pishon's Ferry [in Hinckley/Fairfield area]
Helen Underwood; Fayette
Adelia S. Watson; Palmyra
Abby Webb; Hartland
Clara A. Webb; St. Albans
Samantha E. I. Williams; Palmyra
Rachel Warren; Hartland

Especially interesting among the Resolutions was that to thank "those  members of the Legislature who voted for the establishment of a Normal School in this State last winter".

If you have information to share on any of the people mentioned above, please leave a comment for the benefit for other researchers.

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Obituary of James Berdan, Class of 1824, in 1885 Yale College Obituary Record

Obituary of James Berdan, Class of 1824, included in the June 1885 edition of the Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale College. He had a law practice and served as a County Judge at Jacksonville, Illinois.

The last few pages of this booklet are a summary of the deceased graduates and an index, all pages of which appear at the end of this post.

Transcript:

James Berdan, son of David and Sarah Berdan, was born in the city of New York, July 4, 1805.

He studied law in New York City, where he was admitted to the bar in 1827. He began the practice of his profession there, in connection with his brother-in-law, Pierre M. Irving, but in 1832 removed to the West. In 1833 he settled in Jacksonville, Ill., and there opened a law office. He was twice elected Judge of the County Court, serving from 1849 to 1857. In all places of trust, public and private, his course was highly honorable to himself and satisfactory to his constituents.

He died at his home in Jacksonville, August 24, 1884, at the age of 79.

He married, June 27, 1848, Jane P. Simms, daughter of J. R. Simms, of Jacksonville, who survives him, with an adopted daughter.

If you have information to share, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers.

Index

Augustus H. Abernethy, Class of 1864
Adolph Asher, Class of 1872
Robert M. Baker, Class of 1856
T. Jefferson Bassett, Class of 1853
Henry C. Beardslee, Class of 1826
Lewis S. Benedict, Class of 1834
Michael D. Benedict, Class of 1836
Theodore H. Benedict, Class of 1840
Frederick N. Bennett, Class of 1841
James Berdan, Class of 1824
George W. Blagden, Class of 1823
David Booth, Class of 1819
Marius Brandegee, Class of 1843
C. Lewis Brent, Class of 1849
Daniel Chadwick, Class of 1845
Henry Childs, Class of 1846
James H. Clendenin, Class of 1872
George H. Coffey, Class of 1859
Thomas Cowles, Class of 1829
S. Sherwood Day, Class of 1827
Sherman Day, Class of 1826
John DeForest, Class of 1826
James T. Dickinson, Class of 1826
Richard V. Dodge, Class of 1840
George B. Dusinberre, Class of 1855
Aaron R. Dutton, Class of 1837
Barnabas M. Fay, Class of 1833
George W. Fisher, Class of 1859
Samuel A. Fisk, Class of 1844
Samuel H. Fletcher, Class of 1824
Thomas E. Franklin, Class of 1828
William Frazier, Class of 1832
Theodore Gilbert, Class of 1825
George Goodyear, Class of 1824
John M. Gordon, Class of 1830
George M. Hanners, Class of 1823
Winthrop B. Hawks, Class of 1882
Thomas R. Hubbard, Class of 1829
William Hutchison, Class of 1854
Joseph H. Isham, Class of 1865
Thomas H. Jackson, Class of 1850
Barclay Johnson, Class of 1882
Ross Johnston, Class of 1870
Francis E. Kernochan, Class of 1861
Alfred Lambert, Class of 1843
Frank A. Langworthy, Class of 1872
Cortland L. Latimer, Class of 1832
Edward A. Lawrence, Class of 1884
James N. Lea, Class of 1834
Charles A. Lewis, Class of 1829
Allyn C. Loomis, Class of 1883
Oliver E. Lyman, Class of 1876
Darius Mead, Class of 1828
Timothy T. Merwin, Class of 1827
Charles L. Mills, Class of 1835
Hiram Moses, Class of 1825
George C. Murray, Class of 1845
William Norton, Class of 1829
John J. Orton, Class of 1842
Lewis R. Packard, Class of 1856
Francis H. Palmer, Class of 1847
David C. Perry, Class of 1833
Stephen T. Robinson, Class of 1827
Charles M. Runk, Class of 1845
William H. Russell, Class of 1833
Murray C. Shoemaker, Class of 1864
Benjamin Silliman, Class of 1837
Jonathan Silliman, Class of 1817
Elbert J. Smith, Class of 1847
Charles G. Southmayd, Class of 1856
John B. Staples, Class of 1827
Hezekiah Sturges, Class of 1841
Frank H. Taylor, Class of 1878
John L. Taylor, Class of 1835
Chauncey M. Thompson, Class of 1854
Albert Todd, Class of 1836
Charles Tracy, Class of 1832
Alexander C. Twining, Class of 1820
David A. Tyler, Class of 1844
Leonidas C. Vinal, Class of 1880
Jonathan Wales, Class of 1871
Jacob K. Warner, Class of 1850
D. Ellis Willes, Class of 1850
William L. Williamson, Class of 1853
Leonard Withington, Class of 1814
Dexter Witter, Class of 1824
J. Hampden Wood, Class of 1866
Robert W. Wright, Class of 1842 Edward Wurts, Class of 1832