Wordless Wednesday :: Happy Birthday, Mary Susan

Mary Susan Pounders nee ?Cain?

born 30 Sept 1873 in Alabama

died 21 April 1950 in Texas

1691 :: Brackett Massacre

Upon looking at a calendar from the year 1691 it does appear that the following described "terrible last TUESDAY of September, 1691" was actually the 29th day of that September . . . and in looking around the internet, it was found that some other bloggers, et al are indeed using the 29th instead of the 28th as the date for this event . . . so the date on this blogpost was edited to reflect that info . . . the date was left "as is" in the quotes from historical documents . . .






"The blow fell on Tuesday, September 28, 1691. 

On that day were killed Anthony Brackett and his wife; also on that day were made captives two children of his son, John Brackett." H.I. Brackett, 1907.

• Anthony & his wife [Eleanor?], are 7th great-grandparents to Thomas Warren Alonzo Smith (1866-1920) . . . who is the father of Elizabeth Marilla Henry nee Smith (1912-1932) . . . who is the maternal grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog . . .
  
• This Thomas married Eva Mae (1874-1936) in 1894 . . . who was raised by Peter & Lizzie (Merrill) Brackett . . .
  
• This Peter (1838-1927) is a 3rd great-grandson of the same Anthony.
• Peter's wife was Lizzie Brackett nee Merrill (1841-1911) . . . who was an older sister of Phoebe Merrill (1848-1927) who gave birth to Eva Mae.

According to the Brackett Genealogy published by H.I. Brackett in 1907, the following is one version of the attack that became known as The Brackett Massacre : —

 

The sons of Francis Rand went a fishing; the sons of ould Goodman Brackett were in the salt marsh and with no suspicion of danger. The settlers went about their usual vocations. Early in the afternoon a party of Indians came from the eastward in canoes, landed at Sandy Beach, left the garrison there unmolested, and attacked the homes of the defenseless ones, killing and capturing twenty-one persons.

Among the killed was Francis Rand, one of the first settlers. When his sons came in from fishing they followed the Indians over to Bracketts, fired upon them and frightened them away. The sons of Anthony Brackett who had the guns with them ran to the garrison at Odiorne's Point. . . .

The Keeper of this family history blog descends from Anthony & his wife by way of their son, Thomas Brackett, who had been killed in August of 1676 during King Philip's War. Another of their sons, Anthony, died two years before his parents, in September of 1689.


The full text of Brackett genealogy: descendants of Anthony Brackett of Portsmouth and Captain Richard Brackett of Braintree. With biographies of the immigrant fathers, their sons, and others of their posterity can be found > HERE < and is introduced by H. I. Brackett in the following manner : -

I have observed that old people live much in the past. As I grow older I find myself turning oftener to the days in the old home. I hear the patter and the prattle of childish feet and voice; light step of youth and maid; sober footfall and serious word of man and matron; the slowing step and failing voice of age. All, all are gone! I alone am left of . . .

The dear home faces whereupon
The fitful firelight paled and shown.
Hence forward, listen as I will
The voices of that hearth are still.
How strange it seems with so much gone
Of life and love to still live on.
Mrs. Silence J. Soule.

See also . . . The Brackett Massacre at cousin Heather's geneablog which is aka Nutfield Genealogy . . .

Wordless Wednesday :: 100 years ago today

1964 :: Remembering Grandma Muston

On this date in our family history . . . the 7th day of September . . . in the year 1964 . . . Emma Patience Muston nee Nettles dies in Rockdale, Milam County . . . in the family photo in this collage, Emma is standing between her daughter, Ima Lois Pounders nee Muston (1906-1999), and Ima's son, Forrest Lee Pounders (1926-1996) . . . 

Forrest Lee -- aka Fuzzy -- is my dear Dad, and Ima is the grandma who lived right next door during my entire childhood . . . Ima never learned to drive (though I do have memories of my Dad trying to teach her), and she was widowed in 1957 . . . on Sunday afternoons (after church) we (being the entire family of Mom and Dad and us three girls) frequently took Grandma to Lexington to visit her mother, Emma, and other family members . . . 

Emma and Ima and Fuzzy are all at rest in this little country cemetery, as well as Emma's parents, Joseph Helidorah Nettles (1832-1890) and Mary Annie Nettles nee West (1852-1939), and a multitude of assorted kith and kin . . . 

 

Funeral services for Mrs. Emma Patience Muston, 82, were held Tuesday [08 Sept 1964] at the Phillips & Luckey chapel in Rockdale. Burial was in the Tanglewood cemetery, with Rev. James M. Frazier, of the Methodist Church, Lexington, officiating. Mrs. Muston died Monday [07 Sept 1964] at the Richards hospital in Rockdale. For the past two and one-half years she had been in a Rockdale rest home. Most of her life was spent in the Cole Springs / Tanglewood community and in Lexington. She was born June 18, 1882, in Lee County, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Nettles. She was married to Charlie G. Muston, who preceded her in death when the children were young.

Surviving are seven daughters, Mrs. Joe Tomkins, Mrs. Alvin Jones, Mrs. Ben Reynolds, and Mrs. B. R. Taylor, all of Houston; Mrs. Dean Quinney of Lexington, Mrs. John Taylor of Lexington, and Mrs. J. E. Pounders of Rockdale; and one sister, Mrs. Oscar Peebles of Houston; also 18 grandchildren and 38 great grandchildren. Pall bearers were [grandsons] F.L. Pounders, K.D. Quinney, E.P. Lerche, A.D. Quinney, A.D. Pounders, and S.D. Quinney. Rockdale Reporter, September 1964

Happy Birthday, Georgia Faye

Click > HERE < to read Georgia Faye's story . . . in her own words . . .

Happy Birthday, Uncle George

George Rettig Henry was born on this date . . . the 21st day of August . . . in the year 1897 . . . in Milam County, Texas. He was the 1st-born son of Edgar and Berta Mary (Sharp) Henry . . . the Keeper of this family history blog knew him as "Uncle George" but he was actually a grand-uncle aka older brother of maternal grandpa . . . Uncle George and Aunt Ruth lived sorta catty-cornered behind our house when we were growing up . . . we could walk through the pasture to get to their back door, which was always open . . . Aunt Ruth's coconut pie is frequently requested for family gatherings . . . 

• George Rettig Henry
  born 21 August 1897 in Milam County, Texas
  died 02 June 1977 in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas
• Willie Ruth Henry nee Jennings
  born 05 March 1900 in Hill County, Texas
  died 26 February 1980 in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas  

Their children --  

• Weldon Lee Henry 
• Georgia Faye Kaseberg nee Henry

 

Wordless Wednesday :: Happy Birthday

 

Happy Birthday, Aunt Nellie

   
On this date in our extended family history . . . the 20th day of August . . . in the year 1912 . . . Nellie Josephine Henry is born in Milam County, Texas. This lovely woman I knew as Aunt Nellie was actually my grand-aunt, i.e., she was the youngest sister of my maternal grandpa, Robert E. Henry (1905-1976). 

Nellie was the 8th of eight children known to have been born to my maternal great-grandparents, Edgar and Berta Mary (Sharp) Henry. She was named for both of her grandmothers -- Mary Alexandrien "Nellie" Sharp nee Lemaire (1843-1876) and Josephine Wingfield Henry nee Davis (1842-1899). 

In 1938, Nellie married Alton Brooks Peebles, who happened to be a 3rd cousin once removed to the man Nellie's niece, Roberta, would marry in 1950. (I do not know whether they ever knew they were related!)
 

• Nellie Josephine Peebles nee Henry
  born 20 August 1912 in Milam County, Texas
  died 02 November 1996 in Austin, Travis County, Texas
• Alton Brooks Peebles
  born 17 August 1913 in Lexington, Lee County, Texas
  died 29 July 1991 in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas 

Wordless Wednesday :: Four Generations

Happy Birthday, Becca Mae

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 . . .

 

Wordless Wednesday :: Who is she?

My Ahnentafel for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

Randy Seaver's challenge for this evening is to List your 16 great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places. Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them. Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each. So . . . 


When I get mine all figured out (see the chart and ahnentafel below) it does seem that my "dominant ethnicity or nationality" (based on my great-great-grandparents) is . . . American? . . . with a large helping of the South . . . and just a pinch of down Maine (via my maternal grandma and her ancestors). 


One more generation back might take one branch across the big pond to France, but other than that, all known branches have been on American soil for several more generations, before connecting back mostly to England, with a few from France.


One line, Josephine #25, does appear (at this time) to connect waayyy back to the Kings and Queens of England and France and Ireland and Portugal and Scotland and Spain . . . and even if this potential royal connection winds up being untrue, it sure has been an interesting journey through history to look at these characters as potential ancestors, and real people, instead of just boring names on the pages of a history book.

State	%
Alabama	31.25
Georgia	12.50
Kentucky	6.25
Maine	18.75
Mississippi	6.25
Texas	12.50
Unknown	12.50

This 8.5 x 14 pale green Standard Pedigree Chart (generated by Family Tree Maker) hangs on the bookcase that sits one foot away from my computer perch (not actually a chair, but one of those ergonomic kneeling stool thingies) -- so this version of my ancestor list is always available as a quick reference. And my ahnentafel is on permanent display on one of my other sites (pre-blogspot days) -- gonetotexas.proboards.com. My great-great-grandparents from that ahnentafel (with their actual ahnentafel numbers) --

[16] Joseph W. POUNDERS (c.1822-bef.1880) married before 1867 in Alabama to
[17] Nancy Virilla QUINN (1847-1930)

• Joseph & Nancy were both born & died in Alabama
• Joseph's parents -- Lemuel Samuel Pounders & Mary Margery Holcomb -- were born in North Carolina
• Nancy's father -- John Quinn -- was born in Tennessee & her mother -- Susannah -- in Alabama

[18] Unknown* unknown ? relationship ? in ? Alabama ? to
[19] Sushannah HOLLAND (1841-1930)

• Sushannah was born in Alabama & died in Texas
• her father -- Edward Holland -- was born in Tennessee & her mother -- Mary Annie Fretwell -- in Alabama
• * Great-great-grandpa #18 will probably never be known. The purported father (Isaac Cain) of my great-grandma (the only daughter of Sushannah Holland) appears to have died during the war between the states . . . while "their" daughter appears to have been born in 1873 . . . about 10 years after he died . . . Sushannah drew a confederate pension on the man she claimed was the father of both of her children . . . and it stated that he died during the war (1861-1865).

[20] William Alexander MUSTON (1854-1936) married before 1880 in Texas to
[21] Mary OLIVE (c. 1853-c. 1897)

• William was born in Alabama & died in Texas
• Mary was born in Georgia & died in Texas
• William's father -- William Thomas Muston -- was born in South Carolina & his mother -- Rebecca King -- in Alabama
• Mary's father -- Littleton Olive -- was born in Georgia & her mother -- Clementine Jordan -- in South Carolina

[22] Joseph Helidorah NETTLES (1832-1890) married 1871 in Texas to
[23] Mary Annie WEST (1852-1939)

• Joseph was born in Alabama & died in Texas
• Mary Annie was born in Mississippi & died in Texas
• Joseph's parents are unidentified at this time
• Mary Annie's father -- Richard C. West, Jr. -- was born in Kentucky & her mother -- Sarah Mildred Carter -- in Alabama

[24] William Pascal HENRY (1836-1912) married 1864 in Texas to
[25] Josephine Wingfield DAVIS (1842-1899)

• William was born in Kentucky & died in Texas
• Josephine was born in Georgia & died in Texas
• William's parents -- Thomas Henry & Mary Kirtley -- were born & died in Kentucky
• Josephine's parents -- Milton Grant Davis & America James Fears -- were born in Georgia, where her mother died while her father died in Texas

[26] Samuel Houston SHARP, Sr. (c.1839-c.1885) married 1861 in Texas to
[27] Mary Alexandrien LEMAIRE (1843-1876)

• Samuel & Mary Alexandrien were born & died in Texas
• Sam's father -- John M. Sharp -- may have come to Texas from Tennessee
• Sam's mother -- Mahala Lee Roberts -- was born in Louisiana & died in Texas
• Mary Alexandrien's mother -- Elizabeth A. Waring -- was born in Maryland & is presumed to have died in Texas
• Mary Alexandrien's father is believed to have been born in France, & to have died at sea

[28] Atwood F. SMITH (1837-1907) married 1857 in Maine to
[29] Jerusha Marilla BARKER (1841-1899)

• Atwood & Jerusha were born & died in Maine
• Atwood's parents -- Hiram B. Smith & Betsey T. Flood -- were born & died in Maine
• Jerusha's parents -- Timothy Barker & Jerusha Lakin Hobbs -- were born in Maine & are presumed to have died in Maine

[30] Unknown** unknown ? relationship ? in ? Maine ? to
[31] Phoebe MERRILL (1848-aft.1920)

• Phoebe was born & is presumed to have died in Maine
• both of Phoebe's parents -- William Thurston Merrill & Olive Jane [Goodwin or Mason] were born & died in Maine
• ** Great-great-grandpa #30 will probably never be known. It does appear that Phoebe Merrill gave her baby girl, Eva Mae, to her older sister, Lizzie (Merrill) Brackett, to raise as her own.

1789 :: Birth of Milton Antony

On this date in our family history . . . the 7th day of August . . . in the year 1789 . . . another baby boy is born to my 5th great-grand-parents, James and Nancy Ann (Tate) Anthony . . . given the name of Milton, this baby is believed to be the 9th of eleven known children in this family, the 6th of which is my 4th great-grandma, Nancy Tate (Anthony) Davis (1783-1871) . . . besides being a younger brother of great-grandma Nancy, this Milton is also the father-in-law of my 2nd great-grand-aunt Margaret Frances (Davis) Ant(h)ony (1833-1912), who is buried beside her husband, Dr. Milton Ant(h)ony, Jr. (1824-1885), in the Old City Cemetery in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas (my hometown) . . . regarding this Milton, the following is from the History of the Medical College of Georgia . . .

Despite a limited early education, Dr. Milton Antony began to study medicine at age 16 as an apprentice. He took a course in Philadelphia but could not afford to continue and never received a diploma. He began his practice in rural Georgia, and soon built up a large practice. After seven years, he moved to New Orleans for a short while and returned to Augusta in 1819. He became very active professionally and determined to improve the quality of his profession in Georgia. He was a member of the Medical Society of Georgia and with his urging, the Medical Board of Georgia was established which regulated the practice of medicine. In 1828, Dr. Antony, along with three other physicians, founded an academy of medicine to prepare students for further medical studies, soon expanded to become the Medical College of Georgia. He shepherded the building of a permanent home for the new school, which resulted in an impressive Greek Revival building. In 1836, he and his colleague, Dr. Joseph Adams Eve, began the Southern Medical and Surgical Journal to report the medical advances and practices of the South. Besides Dr. Antony's contributions to the profession itself, he was also a fine surgeon, and reported on his bold surgery to remove a portion of a diseased lung by partially removing the fifth and sixth ribs. Dr. Antony enjoyed an excellent reputation both in and outside the state. As the yellow fever epidemic swept through Augusta in 1839, Dr. Antony became one of its victims. He was buried on the grounds of the original Medical College of Georgia building.

Meanwhile, back here in Texas, there is an article about one of Uncle Milton's grandsons available at The Portal to Texas History, which mentions the following . . .

. . . The elder Antony was an eminent member of his profession, being for years editor of the Southern Medical Journal of Augusta and dean of the faculty of the Georgia Medical Journal of Augusta, of which he was one of the founders. He died in 1839, of yellow fever, making his life the last offering to a profession which he had long adorned. He left a scholarship to each of his sons in the institution with which he was connected, six of whom availed themselves of the privilege and became regular practicing physicians. . . .

Lewis Publishing Company, publisher.. History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties : containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. Chicago. The Portal to Texas History. http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/. Accessed August 7, 2009.

The above postcard collage -- highlighting a postcard showing the Medical College of Georgia -- was originally posted for the 7th of August 2009 edition of Postcard Friendship Friday which was hosted weekly by Marie Reed.








P.S. Click on this image (originally uploaded at flicker.com by National Register) to read more about the Old Medical College.

1842 Wedding Date for Felix & Elizabeth

On this date in our extended family history . . . the 2nd day of August . . . in the year 1842 . . . Felix Grundy Roberts (1818-1901) marries Elizabeth K. Layton (1826-1894) in Kentucky. 

This Felix is the younger brother of my 3rd great-grandma, Mahala Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts (1816-1885). These photos of Felix and Elizabeth were shared by their 2nd great-grandson (and my 4th cousin once removed), Gary Rash, who received them from his mother, Margaret Ruth (Roberts) Rash.

Our Kinfolk on TX Historical Markers

Bell County

Courthouse Marker

(Belton, Texas)

Originally uploaded by

courthouselover

In 1891, Miss Mable Pendleton won a gold medal from the Baylor Historical Society for her essay dealing with the history of Bell County, Texas . . . the following statement is an excerpt from that essay . . .

On July 30th, 1850, Mrs. Matilda F. Allen, nee Connell, conveyed to Bell County out of the Connell League, one hundred and twenty acres of land on which was to be located the permanent county seat of Bell County. It is in this land that Belton is now built. Mrs. Allen was the mother of Mr. John Connell.

This Matilda Connell Allen Allen nee Roberts (1808-1879) is an older sister of Mahala Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts . . . who is a 3rd-great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . Matilda's name is mentioned on the above historical marker which is located near the Bell County Courthouse in Belton, Texas . . .

Wordless Wednesday :: Robert E. Henry

 

• Robert E. Henry in the U.S. Navy
• Robert E. Henry during World War II
• Robert E. Henry at findagrave

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 :: Muston Graves

 

Marion Franklin (Frank) Muston (1886/8 - 1955) is a brother of my great-grandpa, Charlie Muston (1882-1915). Frank married Rosa Elizabeth Morrison (1887-1977) in 1907. Their graves are in the Hugh Wilson Cemetery in Tanglewood, Lee County, Texas.

Festival of Postcards :: Old Orchard Beach

This blogpost was prepared as an entry for the 3rd edition of A Festival of Postcards which was hosted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault. The theme for this edition was Signs, for which we were asked to, "Publish one or more postcards that show actual signs (e.g. road, advertising, storefronts) OR interpret the theme in whatever way you want (e.g. signs of the times)."

My Mom has photos (from the early 1920s) of her mother, Elizabeth Marilla Henry nee Smith (1912-1932), enjoying outings at Old Orchard Beach, and Mom and I spent some time walking that beach ourselves, so I chose to use a postcard from my collection that relates to those family trips. The postcard is captioned, Old Orchard St. and Amusement Center, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and is featured in the following collage. It was purchased during a trip my Mom and I made to Maine, the home of Mom's maternal ancestors. It was printed by Tichnor Bros., Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts, and is postmarked 1959 from Montreal, Canada. The postage stamp in the upper right corner is one the stamps from the actual postcard. Among the SIGNS on the storefronts facing Old Orchard Street in this image are . . . Hotel White-Hall . . . Bus Station / Boston & Maine . . . a diner advertising Coca Cola & Hamburgers & Frankfurts & Ice Cream . . . and in the far right background is visible the Casino sitting out over the water at the end of the Pier.




John Greenleaf Whittier said that, "They seek for happier shores in vain, who leave the summer isles of Maine." 

While Old Orchard Beach is not one of the many "isles" of Maine's Casco Bay, it has long been considered an isle of escape for more than two century's worth of vacationers. It is said that many Canadians come down for summer vacations, and that it is common to hear conversations in French.

Old Orchard Beach has been promoted as a tourist destination since 1631, when its first settler established a Garden By the Sea. In 1829 the first Public House opened, and in 1837 tourists paid $1.50 each to stay at a local farm. Railroad service between Boston and Portland opened in 1842. Over the years Old Orchard developed into a major resort. Airplanes took off from the beach and auto races were held on the sand. Most of the large hotels were destroyed in the fire of 1907.

From Old Orchard Beach by Daniel E. Blaney . . .

From 1631 to the present, Old Orchard Beach has had a singularly rich history among New England's summer communities. Old Orchard was originally a small seacoast farming community nestled on the shore of Saco Bay. When the railroad came in 1873, the coast exploded into one of the grandest Victorian settings in Maine. It boasted famour religious camp meetings, transatlantic flights, big bands, big fires, harness racing, and automobile racing on the beach. The Kennedy family, Bette Davis, Fred Allen, Rosa and Carmen Ponsell, Pierre Trudeau, and Charles Lindbergh all rejuvenated themselves in this community. Old Orchard Beach is still a vacation mecca, and residents and visitors alike will find enjoyment and education within these pages. . . . The pier was built in 1898. On March 17 of that year, actual construction commenced. The original twin pavilion was short-lived. The grand opening was on July 2. On December 4, the end of the pier was swept away during a northeast gale, only 156 days after opening. The ballroom, at the end, featured every well-known East Coast band. The big band era ended in the 1960s with the advent of rock and roll and record hops. Louis Armstrong was among the last big bands to play on the pier. . . .