ASK, RANT OR PRAISE, BUT NEVER IGNORE

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READING OUR BLOG FROM NV
Just letting you know that I can't do without your site -- and how will I get from 2-month to 2-month between newsletters now? Well, I've "favorited” your SeacoasBlog.com, anyway .... that'll help.
 
So much of my history is in your area, learned during the 18 years I lived in Madbury. My history there, of course, started with the arrival of the "Pied Cow" -- but I never knew it until I visited cousins I found in St. Stephen, N.B. and Calais, Maine..
Peggy Fish, Reno, NV (out here only because I was turning allergic to the east coast humidity.)

ALL WET PATES ARE FLIPPED
Was admiring the great image you have of Portsmouth Revolutionary War hero George Fishley.    But like many others isn't this a FLIPPED image?
Remember as a small child that most of those were FLIPPED images.
The cockade being on the wrong side and what looks like a watch being
in the left vest when they were usually in the right side? Just an observation as the image clearly appears flipped.
Donald Gradeless, Registrar
Sons of the Revolution-Indiana

PHOTOGRAPHER THOM HINDLE RESPONDS: All wet pate images,  dags, ambros, tintypes are reversed. They are right out of the camera, unlike a negative that has to be printed.  remember from you large format photography camera days...when you look under the darkcloth the image is upside down & backwards.

SEACOAST HISTORY BLOG LOGO
Just clicked on the new Seacoast history blog.  Got distracted from reading anything by the icon in use, i.e., the red brain in an Elmer Fudd profile ... what is the significance of that?? Is it a generic placeholder, with the red indicating that on an MRI scan the whole brain would be active when discussing Seacoast history?
Roscoe Gort

EDITOR’S REPLY:  OK, ok, we give in. The red-brained cartoon has been replaced by a mini version of our SeacaostBlog.com logo, part of an illustration created years ago by Robert Squier. No more Elmer Fudd MRIs.  

WHAT IS A PORTSMOUTH CLOCK?
My Mother lives in West Palm Beach and recently attended an Antiques auction.  She indicated that they were auctioning off a Portsmouth Clock.  When questioned, the auctioneer stated it was made in Portsmouth NH and referred to as the "Portsmouth Clock". Have you heard of this?  If so what information can I obtain.  I may be interested in buying it if it is legit.
Steve Arnold

AN EXPERT REPLIES: I don't think this is a reference to Portsmouth, NH. There were only three clockmakers who worked in our Portsmouth and none of them were good enough to develop a type that would be identifiable by name. This may also be a reference to a town clock, which is also something our Portsmouth never had.

LOST MEANING OF THANKSGIVING
many years ago i was moving some old furniture with my cousin. the furniture belonged to our great grand parents. i noticed some papers that were mostly hidden in the back of a dresser. after i removed the papers i was amazed to find two identical newspapers, both with the same date, july 17 1863, this newspaper has a letter from abraham Lincoln proclaiming thanksgiving a national holiday. i used to read it every thanksgiving, prior to eating, but have since stopped. it seemed to me that thanksgiving day has morphed its meaning into a more profitable definition rather than its heartfelt predecessor.
John

SOMETHING ABOUT A TRUNK
pls do assist Prof. Pat Morse about history of saratoga trunks i.e plc of manufacturing & company as well .
Pumeza Mntonintshi

MORE ON HONTVETS
I was reading your letters (Smuttynose Murders section ) and was intrigued by the letter from Chris, Mass.  Chris states that Clara was the daughter of John and Maren.  I am the family genealogist and I sometimes stray from my own because I like the history of people in general, so I decided to look it up.  He is correct.

John and Maren are in the 1880 census of Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire with their daughter Clara.  John is 38 years old, Maren or Marie (who in this census is listed as Mary E., which is not uncommon to write Mari-E that way since the census taker wrote it the way he heard it).  She is 44 and Clara is 3 years old.

In the 1900 census of Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire John shows up with a new wife named Annie.  John is listed as being born in Feb. 1842 and his new wife born in Aug. 1847.  Annie was born in New Jersey and the census states that they were married in 1888.  They also have a 9 year old son named after his father John C. Hontvet born 1891 in New Jersey.

It appears that John likely went back to Norway and after his wife died he probably came back to the US, landing at New Jersey or New York.  There he met and married his second wife and their son was born there.

I cannot find what happened to his second wife or his son after his death in 1904.  

P.S. Clara married Larits Lowe and named one of her daughter Maren S. Lowe.  It appears Clara died as a result of childbirth in 1914, since her youngest son was born 10 days before her death.
Kristie in West Virginia

ROYAL ARCANUM RECEIPTS OWNER
Dennis I loved the write-up and think that's a great story, funny too
because I once heard from Richard Candee that the house was built
by a black family that came in to work at the stocking mills, something
which I need to do more research on.
Birgit Christiansen
Seaport Travel, Inc.

MORE OR LESS ON BLACK BEARD
To Whom It May Concern, You are working hard at finding BB's treaseure and historical evidence of Blackbeard on the Shoal's. I have a book coming out which gives new information on Blackbeard. I am a researcher and I have uncovered alot of information regarding Blackbeard that will not be put in Book 1; I will put in Book 2.
Lady Selah'

CONTEST R.I.P.
Hi.  Do you still have a valid drawing each month.  There is no longer any link on your page directing someone to the drawing; however, I had an old link which still says October drawing.
Danny Goode

EDITOR REPLIES:  After more than 140 consecutive monthly contest, we have put this feature to rest. New features are planned for the rejuvenated SeacoastNH.com that will focus on local history.

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Hi Dennis, It was good to see some familiar faces (in Historic Portsmouth photo of Puddle Dockers) from many years ago. I remember the ladies in particular.Aunt Hazel making arrow quivers for a couple of, would be, Robin Hoods shooting at targets in the basement of the Connie Bean Center. Aunt Mildred giving a pair of baseball spikes her son had outgrown for use in the Portsmouth Big League and his Mom helping a kid find a summer job at a laundry. Sherm did return and always had a minute to talk with the neighborhood kids. Good people and pictures - keep em coming.
Thanks and regards, Jim