Sentimental Sunday :: In Memory of Grandma Phebe

Phebe Ann Morse Tripp nee Merrill

1824 :: Run Over by a Loaded Wagon

On this date in our family history . . . the 26th day of February . . . in the year 1824 . . . Levi Merrill dies somewhere in Maine (probably in York County) . . . according to The Ancestry of Walter M. Thurston, Levi was "killed by being run over by a loaded wagon" . . . as of this date, his burial location is unknown to this Texas branch of the family . . . this Levi is a 5th great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . 

1694 :: Fined for Fornacation

Three hundred and twenty years ago today . . . on the 5th day of September . . . in the year 1694 . . . "Daniel Merrill & Hester Chase, now Married were fined 40s each for fornacation" . . .


In Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Superior Court of Judicature for the State of New-Hampshire, 1827, it is stated that an "adulterer and adulteress shall surely be put to death" . . . the same book has the following to say regarding fornication . . .

By an act of the colony of Massachusetts, passed in 1642, it was ordered, "that if any man commit fornication with any single woman, they shall be punished either by enjoining marriage, or fine, or corporal punishment." Col. and Prov. Laws 115.

By an act of the province of Massachusetts, passed in 1692, it was enacted, "that if any man commit fornication with any single woman, upon due conviction thereof, they shall be fined, &c. not exceeding the sum of five pounds, or be corporally punished by whipping, not exceeding ten stripes apiece." Col. and Prov. Laws 239.

As of this date, no record has been found of the date and place of their marriage . . . but the birth of their son, Joseph, was recorded as being the 28th day of May in that same year . . . this Joseph is a 7th great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . bet his parents never thought this tale would still be being repeated three centuries after-the-fact! . . . and don't you have to wonder who had the job of keeping track of dates of marriage as compared to dates of birth?!?

1762 :: Birth of Jerusha Milliken

On this date in our family history . . . the 15th day of June . . . in the year 1762 . . . it is said that Jerusha Milliken is born in Cumberland County, Maine . . . her parents are Edward Milliken and Elizabeth Harmon . . . Jerusha grows up and marries Rufus Levi Merrill in 1781 . . . and they become the parents of multiple children, including Phineas Merrill . . . Jerusha is a 5th great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog . . .

 

1864 :: Letter to his Daughter

On this date in our family history . . . the 20th day of April . . . in the year 1864 . . . William Thurston Merrill pens a letter to his daughter, Phoebe . . . at that time, William is sick in the U.S. Hospital at the New Orleans Barracks in Louisiana . . . and Phoebe is at home in Maine . . . this William is a great-grandpa, and Phoebe is the maternal grandma, of Elizabeth Marilla Henry nee Smith (1912-1932) . . . who is the maternal grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog . . . special thanks to our cousins, Ariana Bratt and Susan Snow, for sharing the following info regarding our William and his letter . . .

William Thurston Merrill went into the Civil War in 1861. He was a member of H Company 30th Volunteer Maine Regiment, which was engaged in Louisiana at Sabine Cross Road on April 8, 1864, Pleasant Hill on April 9, 1864, and Cane River Cross on April 23, 1864.

Williams's last battle was at Pleasant Hill, where 11 of his regiment were killed, 66 wounded and 71 missing. By the end of the war, his regiment lost 34 from wounds and 256 of disease. William, my (Ariana's) great-great-great grandfather, was one of those who escaped bullets and imprisonment to nearly die from disease.

William Thurston Merrill sent a letter to his family on April 20, 1864 as he lay in a hospital in New Orleans suffering from hepatitis at age 48. It is written with phonetic spelling which demonstrates that his hard life as a farmer left little time for formal schooling.

I now Seat myself to let you that I am hear and Best I found yet I have A nuf to eat and a good clean bed. I was in the Batle on the 9 and 10 at the plesent hill the hardest famr Battle yet the bulits flue Around my head like Hale Stones. We hed A March of 22 days was 400 Miles. We fell back toGrand dy chore red river. Was the gun boats loude. I hed the yellows and toock of dierre and one More man from Saco left on the 13 toock the boat for New Orleans I am gitting Smart

I hope you are all well. We left the riedg in line of battle. Have ben fiteen sens they ar havein A hard time. I think myself luckey to get Away and you may be so glad that bet like A fool I have rote once before tell Mouther to mind her calf done yet lousezy. Tell Daniel to plant all the potatoes he can and make the pig groe to 500 and fat the black cow. I will come home and help you eat it tell John I will rite to him soon tell if oald dick has so old me his farm And how kimpcy getting Along. I done want to foss is dog to bite my cows. You beter get tham in father pasture. You mite try the black cow and heffer A spell in the commons but loock out and have a pasture enny way. Daniel better help his grand father wat he can. I think he will fare the Beter. Kiss all the family for me so I must close new good by this from your father.

William Merrill

Direct to New orlons LA Barrecks US hospittle.

Now done give yourself No on car nie About me. I am doing fust rate. I come hear my 48 birthday [i.e., born April 4, 1816 so came there on April 4, 1864]

give my love to all the folks.

1717 :: Will of Daniel Merrill

On this date in our family history . . . the 12th day of July in the year 1717 . . . the will of the late Daniel Merrill is probated in Essex County, Massachusetts . . . this Daniel is a 9th great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . the will itself is transcribed in full in A Merrill Memorial which was published in a very limited edition in 1928 by Samuel Merrill (1855-1932) . . . this Samuel is a fifth cousin five times removed to the Keeper of this blog . . . a different publication has the following to say regarding said Daniel . . .



Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Volume 3 (Google eBook)
Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs
Lewis historical publishing Company, 1909 - Maine

• Sergeant Daniel, fourth son of Nathaniel and Susanna (Jordan) Merrill, was born in Newbury, August 20, 1642,
• and was admitted freeman, May 7, 1684.
• March 22, 1677, Moses Pilsbury and Daniel Merrill were chosen fence viewers "at the farter end" of the town of Newbury.
• In 1665, Daniel Merrill was one of those who were called upon and did take the oath of allegiance to the King, in a modified form.
• His name again appears among those who took the oath "as it is by law established within the Kingdom of England," in 1678.
• In the "Invoyes" of August, 1688, Daniel Merrill's list enumerates two heads (persons); two houses: twelve acres plow lands; two horses; two oxen; five cows; eight younger cattle; thirty sheep and six hogs; showing him to have been in very comfortable circumstances.
• In 1689 he was chosen "Way Warden."
• He was admitted to Newbury church in 1681, and to the Salisbury church later.
• He died June 27, 1717, in Salisbury.
• His will, made May 10, was probated July 12, 1717. In it his wife Sarah is mentioned, and "cousin" Thomas Merrill, to whom he gave land in Haverhill.
• Daniel Merrill married (first) May 14, 1667, in Newbury, Sarah Clough, who was born June 28, 1646, and died March 18, 1706, at Salisbury, Massachusetts.
• He married (second) May 29, 1708, Sarah, who was born October 14, 1650, in Salisbury, daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Clement) Morrill, and widow of Philip Rowell and of one Siphorus Page. They had Daniel, John, Sarah, Ruth, Moses, Martha and Stephen.

1694 :: Birth of Joseph Merrill

On this date in our family history . . . the 28th day of May . . . in the year 1694 . . . Joseph Merrill is born in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts . . . his parents are Daniel Merrill (1671-1725) and Esther Chase (1674-1751) . . . and his birth can be found recorded in Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 . . . the pages in the collage are from that database . . . this Joseph is a 7th great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . .

1646 :: Birth of Sarah Merrill nee Clough

 

On this date in our family history . . . the 28th day of June . . . in the year 1646 . . . a baby girl is born to John and Jane Clough in Massachusetts . . . this baby girl is given the name of Sarah . . . and would grow up to marry Daniel Merrill . . . this Sarah is a 9th great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . FYI . . . clicking on the above image will take you to the full page in the book, The Genealogy of the descendants of John Clough of Salisbury, Massachusetts . . . where that entire book can be read online . . . or downloaded to your preferred reading device . . .

1896 :: Birth of Little Helen

On this date in our family history . . . the 18th day of November . . . in the year 1896 . . . probably somewhere in Maine . . . a baby girl is born . . .

She is raised as Helen F. Brackett, and is said to be the daughter of Peter Brackett (1838-1927) and his wife, Elizabeth J. "Lizzie" Merrill (1841-1911). At the time of Helen's birth, Peter is 58, and Lizzie is 55 years of age.

For many years, it was believed that Peter and Lizzie were the birth-parents of Helen's older "sister" -- Eva May Smith (1874-1936) -- until the family lore from Maine was passed on to the Texas descendants that Eva May was actually the daughter of Lizzie's younger sister, Phoebe (1848-1927). Eva May is a maternal great-grandma of the Keeper of this blog.

Even before receipt of this info -- due to the age of Peter and Lizzie at the time of Helen's birth, as well as the gap of almost 23 years between the birth of their two "daughters" (and only children) -- there were questions about Helen's true parentage.

She is enumerated on the 1900 census as 3-year-old Hellen Brackett. And there is a small grave-marker for this little one sitting beside the tombstone of Peter and Lizzie. Engraved on it are the following words :-


Helen F. Dau. of
Peter & Lizzie J. Brackett
Nov. 18, 1896.
May 31, 1906.
Darling, we miss you.
That is all we know at this time. Little Helen needs to be researched further . . . her findagrave memorial page


begotten and not forgotten . . .

Tombstone Tuesday :: Snow at Laurel Hill Cemetery

This is a snowy view of the Smith burial plot and the area surrounding it in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, Maine . . . the snow photos were taken in March of 1998 . . . click on the photo to enlarge it . . .

1848 :: Birth of our Phoebe

On this date in our family history . . . the 1st day of November . . . in the year 1848 . . . a baby girl is born in Scarborough, Cumberland County, Maine . . . she is the 4th child, and 3rd daughter, in this New England family, and is given the name of Phoebe / Phebe . . . seven more children will join the Merrill household following the birth of this little one . . . Phoebe is a younger sister of Elizabeth J. "Lizzie" Brackett nee Merrill (1841-1911), who for many years was assumed and believed to be the maternal grandma of my maternal grandma, Elizabeth Marilla Henry nee Smith (1912-1932) . . . but . . . according to the family lore passed on to us in the past decade from some new New England cousins, tis this Phoebe, instead of Lizzie, who is actually the ancestor of the Keeper of this family history blog. . . .

For more details on this story, take a look at Ripples in the pool of life . . .

1808 :: Wedding day of Phineas Merrill and Lucy Thurston

On or about this date in our family history . . . somewhere in Maine . . . on the 21st (or 23rd) day of October . . . in the year 1808 . . . Miss Lucy Thurston (1791-1821) becomes the bride of Phineas Merrill (1787-1865) . . . their son, William Thurston Merrill, (1816-1898) is the paternal grandpa of Eva Mae (1874-1936) . . . who is the mother of Elizabeth Marilla Henry nee Smith (1912-1932) . . . who is the maternal grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog . . .

Girls and their pearls

"After all," Anne had said to Marilla once,
"I believe the nicest and sweetest days
are not those on which anything
very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens,
but just those that bring simple little pleasures,
following one another softly,
like pearls off a string."
Anne of Avonlea
by
Lucy Maud Montgomery

 

The portrait of the ladies on the right . . . all wearing pearls . . . is of three of the daughters of William Thurston & Olive Jane Merrill . . . Phoebe (1848-ca. 1930) & Nell (1860-ca. 1950) & Lucy Emma (1855-1938) . . . the lady wearing pearls in the photo next to Phoebe is Phoebe's daughter, Eva Mae (1874-1936) . . . the young lady wearing pearls in the lower left corner is Eva's daughter, Elizabeth Marilla (1912-1932) . . . this Elizabeth is the maternal grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog . . .





The Loves of the Angels



Then too the pearl from out its shell
Unsightly, in the sunless sea,
(As 'twere a spirit, forced to dwell
In form unlovely) was set free,
And round the neck of woman threw
A light it lent and borrowed too.

by Thomas Moore





This blogpost was originally composed in 2009 for . . .

 

1911 :: Burial of Lizzie J. Brackett

*Is this the Lizzie who was married to Peter Brackett?

On this date in our family history . . . the 28th day of July . . . in the year 1911 . . . Elizabeth J. Brackett nee Merrill is laid to rest in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, York County, Maine . . . familiarly known as Lizzie, she is an older sister of Phoebe, who is a 2nd great-grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog, AND . . . this Lizzie is the woman who raised Phoebe's daughter (my great-grandma), Eva Mae, as her own child . . .

Biddeford Daily Journal
Friday, July 28, 1911

Service Largely Attended

Funeral of Mrs. Lizzie J. Brackett Was This Afternoon

Funeral services for Mrs. Lizzie J. Brackett were this afternoon at 2 o'clock in her late home on Beach Street, Saco, and were largely attended by relatives and friends. The service was conducted by Rev. H.R. Simonds, pastor of the Advent Christian church, this city, and the singing was by a quartette from the same society.

About the casket were many beautiful flowers, which bore silent testimony to the high esteem in which Mrs. Brackett was held. Among these was a cushion from Mr. and Mrs. T.W.A. Smith, this city, which bore the word "mother." There was also a spray of roses from Mrs. Brackett's little grandson, Thomas W.A. Smith. Besides these there were many other set pieces from the societies to which Mrs. Brackett belonged as well as from relatives and friends.

Interment was at Laurel Hill. The bearers were four members of the Advent church.

Biddeford Daily Journal
Wednesday Evening, July 26, 1911 

DEATH OCCURS AT 70 YEARS

MRS. BRACKETT ILL BUT A FEW HOURS

The death of Mrs. Lizzie J. Brackett, wife of Peter Brackett of Saco, occurred at her home, 74 Beach street, about 5 o'clock Tuesday night at the age of 70 years and four months, after an illness of comparatively a few hours. Mrs. Brackett, who had been one of the most active and interested women in patriotic circles, was stricken with apoplexy Monday, since which time until her death Tuesday evening her condition was most critical.

She was born in Scarboro, and was the daughter of William T. and Olive J. (Goodwin) Merrill, and was the oldest of a family of 11 children. Mrs. Brackett had lived for many years in Biddeford and Saco, where she has been a prominent member of the Pythian Sisterhood, the Golden Cross. She was also a member of the Christian Advent church on Hill street. She was possessed of most generous characteristics and was a friend in time of need.

Besides her husband Mrs. Brackett leaves three brothers, Daniel H., George and Fred of Pine Point, and three sisters, Mrs. Phoebe Tripp of Gorham, Mrs. Nellie Sullivan and Emma Snow of Pine Point. The funeral will be Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the late residence. Relatives and friends invited without further notice.

*The image of the lady in the collage (above) was shared by a cousin in Maine . . . this woman was identified as "Lizzie Merrill" but the cousin is not sure if it is the Lizzie who married Peter Brackett . . . please do contact benotforgot if you are able to positively identify this woman.

Tombstone Tuesday :: Wm. T. Merrill

Ariana Bratt wrote that,
"This is William Merrill
on the wagon where he suffered a fatal accident."
Ariana is a 4th cousin who descends from William Merrill's daughter, Lucy, who is a younger sister to my 2nd great-grandma, Phoebe, as well as to Elizabeth, who is the woman who raised Phoebe's daughter, Eva, as her own. Eva is my Mom's maternal grandma who helped take care of Mom and her brother during the first years of their lives following the death of their Mother. The two photos of William Merrill used in the above collage were shared by Ariana's mother, Dr. Susan Snow, of Maine. The upper left image is cropped from a poorly-done :( tombstone photo I took in 1998.

Biddeford Daily Journal. Biddeford, Maine, Friday Evening, June 17, 1898. William T. Merrill died Thursday at his residence at Pine Point, aged eighty-two years and two months. He was one of the oldest inhabitants of Scarboro. Four sons and four daughters survive him. The funeral will be held Sunday at 2 o'clock at his late residence.

Biddeford Daily Journal. Biddeford, Maine, Monday Evening, June 20, 1898. The funeral of William Merrill took place at his residence yesterday. Rev. Mr. Goodwin of Pine Point conducted the service and selections were sung by a quartet from Dunstan church. The attendance was large, and many beautiful flowers were given. The entertainment [sic] was at the Dunstan Corner cemetery.

Newburyport Transcript, June 24, 1898. Pine Point, Maine. Mr. Wm. Merrill who fell from his work cart Tuesday, the fourteenth, died at his home Thursday night. It was thought at first he had received no injury, but at midnight he grew worse and continued to fail until Thursday night when he passed away. Mr. Merrill was eighty-two years of age, an old and respected citizen. He leaves eight children to mourn his loss, four sons and four daughters. His funeral was Sunday. Mr. Merrill’s wife died about two years ago.

100 years ago ... for Saturday Night with Randy ...

For tonight's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun, Randy Seaver -- my new-found distant cousin!* (clarify :: didn't just find HIM but did just find that we are related!) -- says that "Tonight's Genealogy Fun is to tell --

Which of your ancestors were alive in 1909? Where your ancestral families were living in 1909. What country, state, county, city/town, etc. Who was in the family at the time? Use the 1910 census as "close enough."

On the 6th day of June in the year 1909 . . . on my Dad's side of the family . . .

• His father, Jacob Edmund Forrest POUNDERS (1902-1957) -- who is one of twelve children -- is a month shy of his 7th birthday and living in Manor, Travis County, Texas with his parents, James Madison POUNDERS (1867-1942) and Mary Susan [CAIN?] POUNDERS (1873-1950). Also in the house in 1909 would have been these siblings -- Zula Rodoski (1889-1968), Margaret Darthula (1891-1963), James Thomas Luther (1893-1984), William Rufus Oscar (1895-1979), Anna Virilla (1896-1978), Minnie Ruth Estelle (1899-1976), Fannie Myrtle Lee (1904-1947) and Everett Franklin (1908-1910). Bernice (1913-1999) and Freddie Benjamin (1916-1987) came along later.
  • The widowed mother of James Madison POUNDERS -- Nancy Virilla (QUINN) POUNDERS (1847-1930) -- is living in Franklin County, Alabama, with her married daughter, Annie (POUNDERS) GRISSOM and her husband, John Wesley, and three of their children -- Luther Wesley, Rutha and Eva.
  • And while I have not been able to find the widowed mother of Mary Susan (CAIN?) POUNDERS on the 1910 Census, it is said that Susanna (HOLLAND) CAIN came to Texas ca. 1896 with her daughter and family and lived with them until her death in Texas in 1930.
• In 1909, Dad's mother -- Ima Lois (MUSTON) POUNDERS -- is only 3 years old and would have been living with her parents, Charley MUSTON (1882-1815) and Emma Patience (NETTLES) MUSTON (1882-1964), in Lee County, Texas. Ima is the 2nd of seven children -- all girls -- Erma Audrey (1904-1991), Ima Lois (1906-1999), Mollie Gertrude (1907-2002), Stella May (1909-2001), Nona Amy (1911-2002), Gladys Coreen (1913-2007), and Pauline Lucille (1915-2004).
  • Charley's widowed father, William Alexander MUSTON (1854-1936), is living with his son in Lee County, Texas.
  • Emma's widowed mother, Mary Annie (WEST) NETTLES (1852-1939), is also living in Lee County in 1909 -- with her unmarried son, William Edward Nettles (1874-1947).

On the 6th day of June in the year 1909 . . . on my Mom's side of the family . . .

• Her father, Robert E. HENRY (1905-1976), is living with his parents -- Edgar HENRY (1872-1950) and Berta Mary (SHARP) HENRY (1873-1955) just north of Rockdale in Milam County, Texas. Siblings in the household in 1909 would have included Rubie May (1895-1978), George Rettig (1897-1977), Frank (1899-1952), Milton Edgar (1902-1975), and Oscar Lee (1907-1981). Another brother will be born, and die, on 16 Sept 1909, followed by one more sister, Nellie Josephine, in 1912.
  • Edgar's widowed father, William Paschal HENRY (1836-1912) is living with his son in Milam County.
  • Berta's parents and grandparents are all dead by long before 1909.
• Mom's Mother -- Elizabeth Marilla (SMITH) HENRY (1912-1932) -- is not on the scene yet, but Elizabeth's parents -- Thomas Warren Alonzo SMITH (1866-1920) and Eva May BRACKETT (1874-1936) -- are living at 43 Prospect Street in Biddeford, Maine, where they operate a florist and landscaping business. They have one child in 1909 -- Thomas, Jr. (1904-1959).
  • Thomas' parents are both dead by 1909, but Eva's adoptive parents -- Peter BRACKETT (1838-1927) and Elizabeth J. (MERRILL) BRACKETT (1841-1911) -- are renting at 74 Beach Street in Saco, Maine, while her birth mother -- Phoebe (MERRILL) MORSE TRIPP (1848-bef. 1930) -- is living in Gorham, Maine with another married daughter. The birth father will probably never be known.

*It does seem that Randy and I both descend from the same Aquila CHASE (1618-1670) and Anne WHEELER (1627-1687) -- Randy via their son, Thomas (1654-1733), and his wife, Rebecca Follansbee -- and me via their son, Aquila (1652-1720), and his wife, Esther BOND, whose daughter, Esther (1674-1751) married Daniel MERRILL (1670-1725), and they are 4th great-grandparents of the Phoebe MERRILL mentioned above, who is one of my 2nd great-grandmas.

New England's Dark Day in 1780

The History and Antiquities of New England ...Embracing the Following Subjects, Viz:... Anecdotes, Traditions, Remarkable & Unaccountable Occurrenceswith a Great Variety of Curious & Interesting Relics of AntiquityBy John Warner Barber    
In or near the area of the southern part of Maine were living at this exact time in history certain ancestors of ours, including (but not limited to) . . . Daniel Merrill & and his wife, Hannah Runnels . . . and their son, Levi Merrill & his wife, Jerusha Milliken . . . and Jerusha's father, Edward Milliken . . . and Edward's father-in-law . . . Samuel Nathaniel Harmon. 

Also Thomas Thurston and his wife, Lucy Fenderson . . . and his widowed mother, Martha Piper. 

Also Morrill Hobbs and his wife, Miriam Brackett . . . and his widowed mother, Abigail Urann Hobbs . . . and Miriam's parents, John Brackett and Miriam Thompson . . . and John's father, Samuel Brackett.

The darkness commenced between the hours of 10 and 11 A.M., and continued to the middle of the next night. It was occasioned by a thick vapour or cloud, tinged with a yellow color, or faint red, and a thin coat of dust was deposited on white substances.

The wind was in the southwest; and the darkness appeared to come on with clouds in that direction. Its extent was from Falmouth, (Maine,) to New Jersey. The darkness appears to have been the greatest in the county of Essex, (Mass.) in the lower part of New Hampshire, and Maine; it was also great in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

In most parts of the country where the darkness prevailed, it was so great, that persons were unable to read common print, determine the time of day by their clocks or watches, dine, or manage their domestic business, without additional light; 'candles were lighted up in their houses; the birds having sung their evening songs, disappeared and became silent; the fowls retired to roost; the cocks were crowing all around as at break of day; objects could be distinguished but a very little distance; and every thing bore the appearance and gloom of night.'

The following is an extract of a letter from Dr. Tenney to the Massachusetts Historical Society, giving an account of the dark day of May, 1780.

"You will readily recollect that, previously to the commencement of the darkness, the sky was overcast with the common kind of clouds, from which there was, in some places a light sprinkling of rain. Between these and the earth there intervened another stratum, to appearance of very great thickness. As this stratum advanced, the darkness commenced and increased with its progress till it came to its height; which did not take place till the hemisphere was a second time overspread. The uncommon thickness of this second stratum was probably occasioned by two strong currents of wind from the southward and westward, condensing the vapours and drawing them in a north-easterly direction. I remember this observation was made by an anonymous writer in one of the public papers soon after the event.

As I set out the next day, from my father's at Rowley, to join my regiment in New Jersey, I had an opportunity to inform myself what were the appearances in different parts of the country between here and Pennsylvania. The result of my enquiries, on that journey, and after my return, was that the darkness was most gross in the county of Essex, the lower part of the State of New-Hampshire and the old Province of Maine. In Rhode-Island and Connecticut it was not so great, and still less in New-York. In New-Jersey the second stratum of clouds was observed, but not of any great thickness; nor was the darkness very uncommon. In the lower parts of Pennsylvania, if my recollection does not fail me, no extraordinary appearance was noticed. Through this whole extent the lower stratum had an uncommon brassy hue, while the earth and trees were adorned with so enchanting a verdure as could not escape notice, were amidst the unusual gloom that surrounded the spectator. This gradual increase of the darkness from southwest to northeast, which was nearly the course of the clouds, affords a pretty good argument in favour of the supposition that they were condensed by two strong currents of wind blowing in different directions. To these two strata of clouds we may, without hesitation, impute the extraordinary darkness of the day."

In God We Trust

On this date in our extended family history . . . the 22nd day of April . . . in the year 1864 . . . thanks to the efforts of U.S. Treasury Secretary, Salmon Portland Chase (1808-1873) . . . the motto "In God We Trust" is approved for US coinage (Coinage Act of 1864). 

The first coin actually minted to have the "In God We Trust" motto was the 1864 two-penny piece. 

This Salmon P. Chase is a 4th great-grandson of Aquila Chase (1618-1670) and Anne Wheeler (1627-1687) . . . who are 6th great-grandparents of our Phoebe . . . who is a 2nd great-grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog . . . 

1775 :: Lucy Fenderson and Thomas Thurston

On this date in our family history . . . the 7th day of April . . . in the year 1775 . . . Lucy Fenderson becomes the bride of Thomas Thurston . . . this Lucy and Thomas are maternal grandparents of William Thurston Merrill (1816-1898) . . . who is a 3rd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . .

THOMAS THURSTON (Abner, Abner, James, Daniel), son of Abner and Martha (Piper) Thurston of Exeter, N.H.; born there Jan. 19, 1752; married, April 7, 1775, LUCY FENDERSON, born Dec. 17, 1751. He died in 1830, and was buried on his farm; she died in 1832. Mr. Thurston purchased a tract of land in Parsonsfield, Me., improved it a little, sold and went to Scarboro, Me., and bought land, on which he lived and died. He built a little house on what is called the "ash swamp road," about two miles from Dunstan Corner, in which his wife lived while he was in the revolutionary war. The wolves were numerous then, and used to make night hideous with their howling. After the war he built the old homestead on the "broad turn road," about the same distance from Dunstan. This house was replaced by another, and within a few years a more modern one still has been built in its place. He was also an itinerant shoemaker, as was the custom in newly settled places in those days. . . . Thurston genealogies By Brown Thurston

1927 :: Peter Brackett

On this date in our family history . . . the 7th day of April . . . in the year 1927 . . . Peter Brackett is laid to rest at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, Maine . . . his wife, Lizzie, is also listed on their double tombstone . . . and just to the right of the large double marker one can see a smaller marker, commemorating the short life of a Helen Brackett (1896-1906) who is enumerated on the 1900 Census as the 3-year-old "daughter" of a 59-year-old Lizzie and a 62-year-old Peter . . .





Father - Mother
Peter Brackett
Co. B 5 ME Regt. & Co. B 1 ME Vets
Mar. 4, 1833 - Apr. 4, 1927
Lizzie J. his wife
Mar. 20, 1841 - July 25, 1911
Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep
BRACKETT

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Helen F.
Dau. of Peter &
Lizzie J. Brackett
Nov 18, 1896
May 31, 1906
Darling, we miss you


Both of the above photos . . . one with snow . . . one without snow . . . were actually taken on the same day . . . in March of 1998 . . .