Digging Down East: Lovell Alice

Showing posts with label Lovell Alice. Show all posts

Saturday, December 13, 2014

52 Ancestors: #48 Mark Samuel Leighton (1885-1970)

Mark Samuel Leighton, my great grandfather, was born on this date in 1885 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the second child of Enoch Oscar Morse Leighton and Lillian Brackley, and their only son.

By the time Mark was 14 years old, in the 1900 Census, he was living on Sherwood Street, in Portland, Maine, with his mother, his older sister Maud, his grandmother, Mattie Crilley, and a 16-year old cousin, Alice Lovell (transcribed as Lover), the daughter of his aunt Louisa.

Five years later, the two first cousins, Mark and Alice found it necessary to marry, as Alice was expecting a child. They traveled to Berlin, New Hampshire, to do so.

The marriage appears to have been simply a formality, to legitimize my grandmother's birth. Mark did not stay with Alice, but instead seems to have had a desire to abandon his daughter Mattie Louise, who was born January 5, 1906. He was listed in the 1910 Portland (Me.) City Directory, a carpenter on the Grand Trunk Railroad, as having moved to Winnipeg, Canada.

Once in Canada, Mark became a Canadian citizen, and went to work for the Canadian Pacific Railroad. After a few years, he appears to have reconsidered, and filed a Declaration of Intent to become a U.S. Citizen, but he never followed through with it.

He did, however, return to the States in time to serve in the United States Navy during World War I. He remained stateside, serving on ships in Boston and Hingham, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut.

After the war, he married Corrinnabelle Hicks, another Navy veteran, in Durham, Maine, on May 21, 1921. Together, Mark and Corrinna had four daughters and a son:

Merlyn, b. 1923

Arlene, b. 1927

Jeannette, b. 1928

Bertha "Betty", b. 1933

Donald, b. 1940

Mark, Corrinna, and their family settled in the Durham, Maine, area, with Mark working at various carpentry jobs. During the Depression, he worked for the WPA. According to his obituary, he was also a shipfitter at the Bath Iron Works.

Sometime in the 1960's, Corrinna extended an invitation to my grandmother and my father's young family. I have a memory of attending a large summer gathering as a child, of meeting Corrinna, but not my great grandfather. Perhaps this was some kind of reconciliation, since, up to that time, my grandmother had not been acknowledged as a half-sister. Being almost 20 years older, she was often referred to as "Aunt Mattie."

Mark passed away on July 7, 1970, at the VA Hospital (Togus), in Augusta, Maine, and is buried next to his wife Corrinna, in the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in Augusta.

Sources:

1900 US Census; Census Place: Portland, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: 591; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0077; FHL microfilm: 1240591.

1920 US Census; Census Place: Portland Ward 9, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: T625_640; Page: 18A; Enumeration District: 62; Image: 1020.

1930 US Census; Census Place: Falmouth, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: 830; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 12; Image: 355.0; FHL microfilm: 2340565.

1940 US Census; Census Place: Durham, Androscoggin, Maine; Roll: T627_1469; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 1-21.

Ancestry.com, Maine Military Men, 1917-1918 (Provo, UT, USA, The Generations Network, Inc., 2000), www.ancestry.com, Database online.. Record for Mark S. Leighton.

Ancestry.com. New Hampshire, Marriage Records Index, 1637-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 (Beta) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Maine Department of Health and Welfare, certificate of death 70-05916 (1970), Mark Samuel Leighton; Office of Vital Records, Augusta.

“Maine, Marriage Records, 1705-1922,” Ancestry.com(http://ancestry.com : accessed 20 Jan 2013), marriage record image, Mark Samuel Leighton and Corrinnabelle Hicks, 21 May 1921.

"Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KG9Q-CRN : accessed 9 December 2014), Mark Samuel Leighton, 11 Jun 1917; citing Military Service, United States, State Archives, Augusta.

Maine State Archives; Cultural Building, 84 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0084; 1908-1922 Vital Records; Roll #: 33.

Mark S Leighton tombstone, Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Augusta (Kennebec County), Maine; photographed by Pamela Schaffner on 22 August 2011.

“Mark S. Leighton,” obituary, Portland (Maine) Press Herald, 9 July 1970.

Mark Samuel Leighton declaration of intention (1916), naturalization file no. 1470, District of Maine.

Marriage certificate, prepared by Isabella S. Macduff, Clergyman. September 24, 1905. Berlin, New Hampshire.

National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006 (Provo, UT, USA, The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), www.ancestry.com, Database online.. Record for Mark Samuel Leighton.

"New Hampshire, Marriage Records, 1637-1947," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLHP-B7L : accessed 06 Oct 2013), Mark Leighton and Alice N. Lovell and , 1905.

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This is the 48th in a series, “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks,” coordinated by Amy Johnson Crow at

No Story Too Small.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Maritime Monday ~ Lawrence Olsen, Merchant Marine Navigation Student

Pasted to the front cover of a scrapbook once belonging to my grandmother, Mattie Leighton Seavey (1906-1987) was this undated clipping from the Portland (Me.) newspaper, depicting a navigation class for would-be officers in the Merchant Marines.

According to the U.S. Merchant Marine website, this World War I training program began in June 1917, with headquarters in Boston. Within months, there were 43 schools in seaports from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon.

A 6-week program trained 1,500 deck officers during the first 10 months. However, as depicted in this newspaper item, a land-based, 4 -week course was offered to train engineering officers. A total of 14,000 men received officer training between June 1917 and October 1920.

Among the students pictured in this photo is Lawrence Olsen (spelled Oleson in the caption), in the foreground on the left, my great grandmother and Mattie's mother, Alice Lovell Olsen's second husband.

I haven't found any evidence that Lawrence ever served in the Merchant Marine. The 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses all list his occupation as "house painter."

From left to right, the men pictured are:

Augustus A. Scofier

John A. Peterson

Morris Kent

Frank W. Johnson

William H. Mason

Charles A. Gilmore

Capt. Frank A. Wilson, Instructor

Lawrence Oleson (sp?)

William A. McLean

Horace D. Griffin

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Travel Tuesday ~ The Canadian Pacific & Grand Trunk Railroad OR How My Great Grandfather Became a British Subject

The early years of my great grandfather Mark Leighton's life seem to have been turbulent at best. The 1900 Portland, Maine, Census lists him, at 14 years old, living at home on Sherwood Street, in East Deering, but also lists his 16 year old cousin Alice Lovell at the same address. Five years later, he was marrying Alice, in order to give my grandmother's birth, in January 1906, legitimacy.

A more thorough investigation into Mark's life turned up a curious chapter, and one which I could not let go of.

Amongst all the birth, death, marriage, and census records, I found the following on Ancestry.com:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Indexes to Naturalization Records of Federal Courts, Portland, Maine, 1851-1955 (M2083); Microfilm Serial: M2083; Microfilm Roll: 2.

I knew this was my great grandfather, by the address, but why would he have to apply for citizenship? All indications were that he was born in Massachusetts in 1885. My next step was to contact the regional office of NARA to get the full record. Unfortunately, the "full record' contained simply his Declaration of Intent from 1916, which only added another layer to the story.

Mark Samuel Leighton declaration of intention (1916), naturalization file no. 1470, District of Maine.

Buried in the handwriting on Mark Leighton's first papers was the following:

"I emigrated to the United States of America from Bow Island, Province of Alberta, on the Canadian Pacific & Grand Trunk Railroad, na [sic] Montreal, P.Q.; my last foreign residence was Bow Island, Province of Alberta, Canada.

Petitioner was naturalized and became a British subject in the District Court, District of Letherbridge, Province of Alberta, Canada, Dec 31, 1912."

To further substantiate this information, I returned to the 1910 Portland City Directory, on Ancestry.com, and, sure enough, he had, in fact, left for Canada:

The Canadian Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad was in expansion mode in the early 1910's, endeavoring to extend their lines to the Pacific Ocean. Construction had begun in the Canadian Prairies in 1905, the same year the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were established. However, the GTPR never realized the traffic potential its developers had hoped, and it became obvious by 1919 that it was not paying its way. It eventually defaulted on repayment of all of its construction loans, was nationalized, and taken over by the Canadian government.¹

So perhaps my great grandfather was taking advantage of an offer of steady employment far away from home and the troubles he wanted to leave behind. It was probably quite an adventure for a young man in his mid-20's, from Portland, Maine, to work on the railroad in the Canadian wilderness.

There is no evidence to suggest that Mark Leighton ever followed through with his application to become, again, a United States citizen, although he did serve in the United States Navy during World War I. But that's a blogpost for another day.

¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Trunk_Pacific_Railway

Top photo credit: Whitby Archives via photopin cc

Bottom photo credit: Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL via photopin cc

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Fearless Females Blog Post: March 9 ~ A Necessary Marriage

[ This post originally was written for Digging Down East

on May 25, 2011
for Wedding Wednesday]

When this couple "had to" get married around the turn of the century, it took a trip to New Hampshire to tie the knot. The whole episode was hushed up all around, and there were doubts over the years about whether it had really taken place. One small proof existed, however, and she was my grandmother.

You see, Mark Leighton and Alice Lovell were cousins. Mark's mother Lillian and Alice's mother Louisa were sisters.

The 1900 Portland, Maine, Census shows that they lived together at 221 Sherwood St., in the East Deering neighborhood of Portland.

"Lillian Leighton, Head of Household, age 35
Maude Leighton, age 17
Mark Leighton, age 14
Mattie Crilley (Lillian's mother), age 56
Alice Lovell, age 16"

Five years later, in 1905, Mark was 19 and Alice was 20, and Alice was pregnant. The child, my grandmother, was born January 5, 1906.

I am fortunate to have in my possession the original "Certificate of Marriage," and have been able to corroborate it with another record of the marriage, from New Hampshire Marriage Records, 1637-1947.

Both Mark and Alice went on to re-marry, Mark in 1921 and Alice in 1909. Both of them had large families their second time around. My grandmother, Mattie Louise Leighton (1906-1987), was left to be raised by her maiden aunt Pauline. Because she was older than her step-siblings, they assumed/were told she was their aunt.

A bittersweet wedding tale to be sure.

Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist blog is presenting her Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month series in honor of National Women’s History Month.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Fearless Females Blog Post: March 1 ~ Favorite Female Ancestor

Pauline Lovell (1880-1958)

It only stands to reason that my favorite female ancestor would be one whom I have written about before. I have referred to my great grand aunt Pauline Lovell in earlier posts, but have now picked her out of the line as my favorite female ancestor to celebrate Women’s History Month 2013 (a daily blog prompt launched by Lisa Alzo, the Accidental Genealogist).

I am drawn to Great Aunt Polly because of her impact on my father in his youth, and by the fact that, as a single woman living around the turn of the century, she seems to have been indispensible to so many family members in their hour of need.

She, along with my great grandmother Alice, was born in Lewiston, Maine, on April 3, 1880, the eldest daughter of Wallace Lovell and Louisa Brackley. By 20, however, she was a maid for the Herbert Harmons of Noyes Street in Portland, and domestic work seems to have been her lot in life.

By 1910, she was still in Portland, but an important event had occurred in those intervening 10 years. A child had been born to her sister Alice, and this child was my grandmother Mattie. The reason this is significant is that Pauline would play a major role in Mattie’s life, almost from birth, and this influence was evident to me even in my own childhood.

You see, Alice and their cousin Mark Leighton were Mattie’s parents, and because of that circumstance, Mattie was practically abandoned by her mother. It was Pauline, or Polly as she was known, who, for all intents and purposes, raised Mattie to adulthood and beyond, with the attention being returned in kind to her in her later years. The proof lies in the census record for 1910, showing Polly living with her own grandmother and little Mattie, age 4, on Olympia Street, in East Deering, in Portland.

Although I have few records of where she lived and/or worked for the following 20 years, I have to assume that she was assisting greatly in the upbringing of my grandmother. Her own mother, Louisa Washburn, widowed from her third husband, was living in Portland in the 1920 census, and would die later that year. But Pauline was not living with her at this point. I am told she worked as a housekeeper for several doctors' families in Portland. I believe she made frequent trips to New York City, where her mother lived for a time. Some signers in an old autograph book of hers that I found attest to friends she had there. There is no evidence that she ever married.

Thanks to the digitized 1924 Portland Tax Records, I did find that she owned a residence in 1924, in East Deering at 36 Olympia Street, and I believe this is the house my grandmother called home. My grandmother reminisced quite often about swimming in the nearby water off East Deering as a child, and she instilled a love of swimming in my dad, my aunt, and us grandchildren.

Pauline Lovell's
36 Olympia St.
Portland, Maine
1924

These may have been difficult “mothering” years, since family lore says Mattie was sent to St. Joseph’s Convent in Portland at one point. This move wasn't permanent, however, because, by 1930, Mattie had met and married Howard Seavey, and my father was born in November of that year.

I have always heard that Mattie’s 50-year-old Aunt Polly came with the marriage, moving in and living with Mattie, Howard, and their two children for the rest of her active life. By the 1940 census, they were all living at 81 Pine St., in South Portland. My dad remembered her living with them at an earlier (1936-37) address at 77 Deake St. in Portland,

I can only assume that this was “pay back” on my grandmother’s part. My father remembered Aunt Polly chewing tobacco, which I think is wonderful. What a household it must have been to grow up in. She was also diabetic apparently, and this left a deep impression on my dad. In his later life, when he acquired this disease, memories of his aunt’s suffering haunted him.

Pauline Lovell, 77 years old, sunk into a diabetic coma at Maine General Hospital and passed away on February 23, 1958, just shy of my 3rd birthday. I am sorry I have no personal memories of this strong, determined woman who played such a crucial role in the lives of my grandmother and my dad.

Mattie Leighton Seavey with her Aunt Polly
circa 1930

Sunday, July 10, 2011

A Penny Postcard for Her Thoughts

I love this postcard from Alice Leighton (my great-grandmother) to her mother, Louisa Spalding (my great-great-grandmother). Alice had recently given birth to her first child, Mattie Louise, on January 5, 1906.
She had married her cousin Mark Leighton the prior September out of necessity. By this time, her mother had married her second husband, Fred Spalding, and was living in Brooklyn, New York.
The picture is captioned:

After the Theatre, Riverton Park

Greetings from Portland, Maine

Her note across the top reads:
“With Love from Daughtra (sic) Alice. You will get baby’s pictures this week coming.”
It is postmarked in Portland on May 5, 1906, so her baby was 5 months old, having been born on January 5th. It was again postmarked in Brooklyn on January 15th.

I can only imagine Alice’s feelings as she lived through a very difficult time. She would not stay married to Mark very long, and would remarry in 1909, to a Norwegian immigrant named Lawrence Olsen, and have seven more children.
Louisa would eventually marry a third time, and is buried with Alice and her Olsen family in Forest City Cemetery in South Portland, Maine.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Wedding Wednesday - Bittersweet Union

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Madness Monday - The Perils of Pauline

One of my most intriguing ancestors has been my Great Aunt Polly (1880-1958). What I have been told about her makes me want to know more about her life. My dad remembered her as "coming from New York" to live with them when he was a kid. Or perhaps it was that my grandmother, Mattie, always felt some degree of gratitude to Polly, as she had helped raise her, once her own mother, Polly's sister Alice (1886-1957), remarried and began a new family.

I have heard mentions of her working as a housekeeper and as a secretary to a doctor. She never married, but may have had a few gentlemen friends. In any event, I will always be fascinated by the kind of life this woman led.

Recently I came across a scrapbook of my grandmother's, which contained several pictures from her childhood. I am pretty convinced that this is Alice and Pauline, probably from the 1920's or so.

I was so thrilled to find this clipping of her obituary from the Portland Press Herald just the other day. I suppose she will always be a woman I wish I knew more about.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - The Lovell-Olsen Lot

I grew up always knowing this as Aunt Polly's grave. Dad and Mom were sometimes the only ones who tended to it, putting red geraniums in the urn. The urn has cracked now, and is quite pitiful looking. This is Dad, last summer on one of our last cemetery visits. On that day I was able to find out from the cemetery office that there are eight people buried on this lot in Forest City Cemetery, South Portland, Maine:

1. Mattie (aka Martha and Matilda) Packard Brackley Crilley, Pauline and Alice's grandmother (born a Packard - hence my father's middle name - he was not named for the car!)
2. Louisa L. Brackley Lovell Spalding Washburn, Pauline and Alice's mother
3. Pauline M. Lovell, who never married, as far as I can tell
4. Wallace Olsen, son of Lawrence and Alice
5. Lawrence B. Olsen, Alice's second husband
6. Alice N. Lovell, her sister, and my great-grandmother
7. Fred Olsen, son of Lawrence and Alice
8. Lawrence Olsen, Jr., son of Lawrence and Alice