Wordless Wednesday - Seavey Children of Bridgton Maine

Back: Gladis Ardell, Cora Florence

Front: Howard Clarence (my grandfather), Blanche May, Beatrice Louise, Lena Evelyn

circa 1900

Sunday's Obituary - Harlan Roscoe Mason

 

Boston Daily Globe, 25 May 1916

According to Edna Warren Mason, on p.311 of her Descendants of Capt. Hugh Mason in America, (New Haven, Conn.:Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, 1992):

   "Harlan Roscoe Mason (Capt. Hugh, John, John Jr., Jonas, Ebenezer, Willard, Samuel), son of Samuel and Jennet (Warren) Mason, born Buckfield, Maine, March 19, 1840, died Brockton, Mass., 1921*. Married North Bridgewater, Mass., March 1, 1869, Anna J. Seavey, born Bridgton, Maine, March 3, 1841, died Brockton, August 10, 1925, daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Blake) Seavey.
   Mr. Mason was a last maker, in politics a Republican, in religion a Universalist.
   No children."

Mr. Mason enlisted on July 22, 1864 and was mustered out on November 11th of the same year, according to U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, available on Ancestry.com.

Anna J. Seavey was actually born Julia Anne, the 6th child, and 4th daughter, of my 2nd great grandfather and his first wife. She married Mr. Mason in 1869, after the Civil War had ended
(Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915)

The mystery of his daughter, mentioned in the obituary, is still to be solved.

*Discrepancy in year with Globe article.

Wedding Wednesday - Depression Marriage

The Wedding of My Paternal Grandparents 

January 30, 1930

Chestnut Street Methodist Church*

Chestnut Street Parish House

 

  "The marriage of Miss Mattie L. Leighton of Deering Street to Howard C. Seavey of Brackett Street will be solemnized at 8:30 o'clock this morning in the parish house of the Chestnut Street Methodist Church.  The Rev. Ralph Stoody will use the double ring service and the couple will be unattended.

  Miss Leighton's gown will be of independence blue crepe with hat and shoes in harmony. She will wear a corsage of Ophelia roses and pink and orchid sweet peas.

  Miss Leighton, who has made her home with her aunt, Miss Pauline M. Lovell of Deering Street, was graduated from the Portland public schools and is employed by the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company.

  Mr. Seavey was graduated from the public schools of Bridgton and is employed at the postoffice (sic).

  Following a wedding trip to New York, Mr. and Mrs. Seavey will make their home at 271 Brackett Street."

 

Marriage Solemnized

   "Mr. and Mrs. Howard C. Seavey (Miss Mattie L. Leighton) were married Thursday morning in the Chestnut Street Methodist Church parish house** by the Rev. Ralph Stoody.***"

*  Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. No longer a place of worship, but the home of Restaurant Grace.
**At that time, Rev. Ralph Stoody's Chestnut Street Church had a large and affluent congregation. To be married in the church may have been beyond Howard and Mattie's means.

*** Stoody later became quite prominent in the United Methodist Church in the area of church public relations (the Stoody-West Fellowship for Graduate Study in Journalism is named for him and Arthur West.)

Thrifty Thursday – Housewife Feeds Six for $25 Per Week

One day in the Spring of 1967, our mother told us that my sister Robyn, aged 10, and I, about to turn 12, would be included in a picture taken by a photographer from the Press Herald.  The reporter, a feature writer by the name of Lyn Liljeholm, had come by the house to interview her about raising a family of six by shopping and serving meals within a budget.

This picture brings back such wonderful memories!

The mirror where we always checked our appearance before heading off to school, the many “dish nights” in front of the kitchen sink (“do you want to wash or dry?”), the plaid thermos bottle Dad took in his lunchbox, the Peter Pan collars, the barrette in Robyn’s hair, even the old pencil sharpener (can you spot the handle?).



The article appeared on Page One (!) of the Portland Press Herald in April 1967 (this original glossy is stamped THU APR 13 1967, PRESS HERALD), but I only have the continuation:




It is a fascinating article to read, so I hope you take the time to do so. I’ve just re-read it to Mom, and she still has a great many of these recipes in her head. Who knows, it may provide some guidance in these tough economic times! As for me, I remember all the canned goods stored in the cellar way, and which we were sent to retrieve before supper. Desserts were always on hand (especially cookies), and many of her casseroles I still make today!