East Brownfield

Maine, 1916

Mr. MacAlaster is here visiting his son, Nelson MacAlaster.

Mr. Frank Philbrick arrived in town Monday.

Brownfield high school opened Monday morning with Mr. Brown of Island Falls as teacher.

Miss Lula Bennett returned home from Sebec Lake Saturday night and is working at Pine Grove Inn.

Mrs. Abbie Rogers is entertaining her sister, Mrs. Bailey.

Charles D. Fessenden passed his eightieth birthday at his home in East Brownfield, on the Fryeburg road, Thursday, the 14th. In the evening a few of his friends and neighbors gave him a surprise party, which he greatly enjoyed. They carried refreshments of ice cream, cake, cookies and saltines. Besides the family those present were: Mr. and Mrs. John Hodsdon, Mr. and Mrs. Irving Hodsdon, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bickford, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Zenas Wentworth, Granville Mansfield, Mrs. Etta Sanborn, Mrs. Abbie Boynton, Mrs. Mary Gatchell, Miss Flora Gatchell, Miss Georgia Gatchell and Edwin Poor. The evening was spent in general conversation and telling stories, which caused much merriment. After wishing Mr. Fessenden good health and many returns of the day, they left at a late hour with many memories of the evening.

—The Fryeburg Post, Fryeburg, Maine, Sept. 26, 1916, p. 3.

Three Days Too Late

1901

The Duke of Cumberland, whose reconciliation with the kaiser is said to have taken place, is a man of whom English people know little, though he might now have been the first personage in the empire had his father been born a week earlier than he was. He missed the throne of England by three days, having been born on May 27, 1829, exactly 70 hours after Queen Victoria. Had the duke's father been born before the queen he would have been king of England instead of merely king of Banover.

Balky Horse Starts a Blaze

1920

Kicks Off Hot Shoe, Sets Blacksmith Shop on Fire

SANDFORDS MILLS, N. Y., Feb. 26. — Upon his arrival in town, Abner Gesner, who lives near here, led his horse into W. A. Wirts' blacksmith shop to be shod. Mr. Wirts prepared the horse's feet without trouble. When he raised the left hind foot of the horse it resented having the red hot shoe applied to its hoof and began jumping and kicking. The horse kicked the hot shoe into a pile of shavings at the end of the shop, igniting them. Wirts had to call out the village fire companies to extinguish the flames.


Blind Coroner Enters Vaudeville

ATLANTA, Ga., Feb. 26. — Paul Donchoo, Atlanta's widely-known blind coroner, has gone into vaudeville. Besides being a coroner and a lawyer, Donchoo is an accomplished musician.


Take 585 Gallstones From Man

HAZLETON, Pa., Feb. 26 — Five hundred and eight-five gallstones were removed in an operation from John Koda, at this place. The man felt much relieved after the operation.


At 91 He is a Movie Fan

CALDwELL., N. J., Feb. 26. — Augustus Bogert at his home in Hanford place, Caldwell, passed the 91st anniversary of his birth. Mr. Bogert was born in New York. He is a movie fan.

Centennial Anniversary of William Abbott Holcomb, Ohio

Article from Leon, Iowa area, 1904

Mrs. Helen J. Close has returned to Mt. Pleasant recently from Ravenna, Portage county, Ohio, where she attended the family reunion and one hundredth birthday anniversary of her relative, William Abbott Holcomb, which was celebrated on Monday, September 5th. Mrs. Close writes that she has just completed a delightful two weeks' tour through the state of Ohio and after a few days' rest at the home of her sister at Mt. Pleasant she will leave for a brief visit at the St. Louis Exposition.

The Ravenna Republican contains a well written account of the Holcomb reunion and picture of Mr. Holcomb and some of his descendants. From this article we learn that William A. Holcomb was born in Westfield, Conn., Sept. 5, 1804. His great-great-great-great grandfather was Thomas Holcomb born in Devonshire, England, in 1590, and afterwards became one of the founders of Dorchester, Mass. Caroline Holcomb married John G. DeWolf and died in 1891.

When William was 18 years old he set out afoot for the Ohio wilderness carrying on his back an 18 pound package containing all his earthly possessions. He remained one year in the wilderness and then returned on foot to Westfield. He worked as a brick mason and also in the iron works. On Sept. 24, 1826, he married Lydia Olmstead, a demure Quaker maiden. They emigrated to Portage county, Ohio, where Mr. Holcomb engaged in farming and later on as a railroad contractor. He built Hiram College in 1840. In 1865 he moved to Ravenna and purchased residence property. Besides his elegant city home he owns a valuable farm of 205 acres near Ravenna.

Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb were the parents of ten children, only two of whom are living. The wife died in 1894. The living descendants of this remarkable centenarian number two children, 17 grand-children, 25 great-grand-children, and one great-great-grandson.

Frances Hodgson Burnett, 66 Today, Has Been Writing 50 years

Nov. 24, 1915

Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett, who, in private life, is Mrs. Stephen Townsend, will pass her sixty-sixth milestone today. The popular novelist was born November 24, 1849, in Manchester England, and her maiden name was Frances Eliza Hodgson.

It was just half a century ago that the family moved to Knoxville, Tenn., and shortly after this the girl began the career as a writer which has made her name famous throughout the English speaking world. Although she is now well advanced in years, she has maintained her youthful spirits in fullest measure as evidenced by her latest book, "The Lost Prince," which fairly bubbles with the exuberance and romance of youth. Perhaps Mrs. Burnett has discovered on her annual pilgrimages to "the fairy isles" of Bermuda, the fountain of perpetual youth.

Mrs. Burnett — or Miss Hodgson as she then was — had the joy of seeing her first stories in the magazines when she was only seventeen years old, and ever since she has been a prolific writer. In 1873 she became the bride of Dr L. M. Burnett, and the young couple settled in Washington, which city Mrs. Burnett has since made her home when not in Bermuda or abroad. After a married life of twenty three years Dr. Burnett and his gifted wife agreed to disagree, and Mrs. Burnett obtained a divorce in 1898. Two years later she married another medical man, Dr. Stephen Townsend, an English surgeon, with whom she collaborated in the writing of "Nixie," "A Lady of Quality," and other plays.

Mrs. Burnett's first novel, "That Lass o' Lowrie's," was published in 1877, after she had served a long apprenticeship in writing short stories. Several other volumes followed, and in 1886 she attained an international deputation with her "Little Lord Fauntleroy." "In Connection With the DeWilloughby Claim," "The Dawn of Tomorrow," "A Little Princess," and more than a score of other novels, as well as a number of dramas, have added largely to her army of devoted admirers. Her latest novel, "The Lost Prince," is a fairy tale, breathing chivalrous romance, and a delightful refuge from the workaday world. — By O. Terrence, The Human Procession.

A Little Hostess at Her Seventh Birthday Party

Georgia, 1896

A Little Hostess

Josephine Davis Entertains Friends on Her Seventh Birthday

On the afternoon of Saturday, the 14th instant, from 3 to 6 o'clock, Josephine Davis, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Allan P. Davis, entertained her little friends a "pink heart" party, in honor of her seventh birthday.

After playing many interesting games beneath the softened luster of light falling through delicate pink shades, refreshments were served to the guests from a table exquisite in every appointment. In the center a large mirror represented a lake, upon whose waveless surface a heart-shaped cake rested, and sustained seven lighted candles, while beautiful smilax fell in graceful folds to the water's edge. A fairy lamp shone on a large smilax heart, which depended from the chandelier. At one end of the table seven La France roses wafted their perfume to seven pink carnations at the other side.

One of the most enjoyable features was the cutting of the birthday cake, containing a beautiful diamond ring, the fortunate winner being George Everett. As each little guest departed, leaving many wishes and expressions of a most delightful time, he or she was presented with a souvenir basket of bon-bons, daintily tied with pink ribbons.

Miss Annie Louise Dennis delighted the company with a waltz, finely executed, while little Miss Wright, from Rome, reminded every one of a French marquise with her dainty little figure robed in filmy white, her hair like prisoned moonbeams in the light, and dark, shining eyes.

There were present: Athena Hill, Lillian Woodside, Claud Patterson, Nannelle Crawford, Alice Ormond, Laura Witham, Nellie Bell Catlett, Helen Ware, Annie Louise Dennis, Alberta Orr, Fannie Peck, Jennie Hutchins, May Robson, May Van Devender, Clara Hutchins, Minneta Hill, Josephine Davis, Jennie Butler, Mata Woodward, Addle Wright, Clarence Davis, Emerson Peck, Paul Orr, Harold Fuller, Fred Patterson, George Everett, Clayton Orr, Hoyt Peck, Wilson Sheldon, Stewart Witham, Starr Peck, Reid Ware, Johnny Woodside, Roger Gardien, Donald Fuller, Dan Woodward, Charley Randall, Alf Ford, Wayne McDonald, Dawson McDonald.

The little hostess was the recipient of many beautiful gifts.

—The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, March 22, 1896, p. 3, children's pages.

Hale, Hearty on 86th Birthday, Pretty Good "For One So Old"

New York, 1911

HALE AND HEARTY ON 86TH BIRTHDAY

Mrs. Elizabeth VanKeuren, of 235 Monhagen avenue this city, recently celebrated her eighty-sixth birthday anniversary. Mrs. VanKeuren's old age does not stop her from being quite active. When the Times-Press representative called upon her she had just finished peeling potatoes for dinner.

"I am in perfectly good health with the exception of an occasional attack of rheumatism," said Mrs. VanKeuren.

Her hearing, for one so old, is excellent, the only sense which seemed to be impaired is her seeing, she being totally blind in one eye.

Mrs. VanKeuren's husband, who died a few years ago, lived to reach the ago of ninety years, and every member of Mrs. VanKeuren's family lived to be older than eighty-four years of age.

—Middletown Daily Times-Press, Middletown, NY, Aug. 5, 1911, p. 5.

Busy Stork Brings Fourteen More to Virginia

1909

Busy Stork Brings 14

DANVILLE, Virginia — Two sets of triplets, three pairs of twins and two single babies, born to seven families in the same neighborhood on the same day, is the unprecedented record of Schoolfield, a suburb of Danville, in one day.

Mrs. John W. Yancy gave birth to triplets, two of which are living; Mrs. Jacob C. Brown, triplets, two of which are living; Mrs. J. W. Barber, twins, girl and boy; Mrs. Jane Anderson, twins, both boys; Mrs. P. P. Gridder, twins, boy and girl, and two other women, daughters.


99 Candles on a Cake

WHITTIER, California — Ninety-nine candles, indicating the age of a charming Quaker, Mrs. Lydia Sharpless, blazed on the birthday cake which graced the center of a large table set in the dining room of the Friends' Church. Seventy-five of her descendants were present to offer congratulations to the lady, who clings to dress, manner and speech of the Friends of other days, but keeps informed as to events and movements of the present. She was born in Middletown, Ohio, but have lived in this city for many years.


Please, Mr. Comet, Don't You Kill Us

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island — Frank E. Seagrave, a Providence astronomer, whose calculations relative to Halley's comet have attracted widespread attention, announces that the correction of a slight error in the calculations of the comet has developed the discovery that on May 19, 1910, the comet will reach the same plane as the earth in its orbit. It is thereby determined that the tail of the comet will sweep across the plane instead of clearing it. The earth and comet will meet on the same plane, but not in the same path. There will be a distance at the nearest point of 13,000,000 miles between the two.


16,000,000 Cents Coined

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With a total value of $929,269, there were 16,91,875 pieces of coin executed at the mints of the United States during September. Almost 16,000,000 1-cent pieces were turned out.


If a man is honest, you can always tell it by the way he doesn't talk about it.

She's Going To Be 100 — Gets to Bed Early, Doesn't Dance

Syracuse, NY, 1918

Go to Bed Early, Don't Dance and Don't Worry and Live to Be 100

Mrs. Ann Land, Who Will Celebrate 100th Anniversary Next Saturday Says People To-day Are in Too Great Haste.

Says Too Many People Get to the Other Side of the Hill Without Any Reserve to Hold 'em Back.

Mrs. Ann Land of No. 1210 Grape street will celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of her birth next Saturday.

"All my life I've followed a set of rules," said Mrs. Land. "They are: Go to bed early. Eat carefully. Don't dance. Don't worry. It's because I've followed them that I'm going to have a birthday it is given few women to have.

"Young folks in this country live in too much of a hurry while they are young. Then when they get onto the other side of the hill they haven't anything in reserve to hold 'em back. They just slip down and get to the bottom quick."

Mrs. Land wasn't born in this country. She came here when she was 35, a bride. Her husband had a brother in this city and Mr. and Mrs. Land came directly here. She has lived in the little house in Grape street sixty-five years.

For thirty years she has been an invalid. Stepping from a street car in the days when the motive power was horses instead of electricity, the car started too soon. She was thrown violently to the pavement and her spine was injured.

But the fact that her legs have been helpless all these years has not impaired her usefulness. She does all the mending for herself and daughter, Mrs. Sarah Henry, who lives with her. She sews rags for carpets and makes ironing holders.

She has never worn glasses and just of late she has confessed to a growing dimness of sight.

"I'm only bothered in threading needles," she added hastily when she told of this affliction. "Sarah threads a lot of them for me and when I've used 'em all I call her to thread more."

She has been a widow since 1864, when her husband, John Land, was killed in the Battle of The Wilderness. She had four children, but all have died excepting Mrs. Henry.

It has always been a source of grief to her that she did not receive sufficient education in her youth to enable her to read extensively.

"In the old country large families educated their boys in those days, and let their girls shift for themselves. I had eight brothers," she concluded simply.

Mrs. Land likes to talk of the days in the old country, when, as she grew old enough, she filled positions as cook in the homes of various personages of high degree, lords and such.

She likes to tell of her trip across the Atlantic, which was her wedding trip, and attended by so many disagreeable occurrences that she never wanted to go back.

"In the first place I was seasick every inch of the way until we got near enough the shores of New Jersey to smell the peach orchards, which were in bloom," she explained.

"There was mutiny on board. A lot of sailors had been shipped at Liverpool and paid full wages for the trip. A day out we ran into bad weather and they made trouble. My husband saved the captain from being shot by knocking down a man who had a pistol pointed at his head. Those men made the remainder of the trip in irons. Maybe a trip isn't so difficult now, but I don't want to take it."

She doesn't understand why the world is at war.

"War is bad business," she said shaking her head. "It makes so much unhappiness and is so useless. It made a widow of me."

She hasn't any ambition to "live to a great age," she declares, but "rather expects she will."

My grandmother was 104 years old when she died. My father was nearly a hundred. All my people lived to be old, so I may as well be resigned," she said.

—The Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, NY, June 23, 1918, page 17.

Machinist Given Surprise Birthday Party, Receives New Pipe

Indiana, 1906

BOLINGER WAS SURPRISED

Carl Bolinger, a machinist at the Pennsylvania round house, was greatly surprised Wednesday evening, when fifteen of his shopmates marched in upon him unawares and announced that they had come to celebrate his birthday anniversary. As soon as the callers were divested of their overcoats they surrounded Mr. Bolinger and one of their number, speaking in behalf of all, presented him with a handsome and costly pipe. Games, music and luncheon followed the presentation and the guests declare they never had a more pleasant time.

—The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, January 19, 1906, page 11.