July 31
ALLARDS AT THE ISLES
You have a wonderful site. My ALLARD family came from the NH area. They settleled in New Market (now Deavertown) Morgan Co OH. They were suppose to have been ship owners at a place called Isles of Shores. Do you have any information of Isles of Shores (? sp) I can look at on site or recieve by mail? Thank you for any assistance you may be able to offer. I would love to visit your area in the near future.
Judy ALLARD-ALLEN of Crooksville, OH

EDITOR’S REPLY: Do we have info on the Isles of Shoals? Do we ever. Try about 200 web pages of info, and check GOseacoast.com and SeacoastSearch.com after you read the two letters below. And more coming all the time.
http://seacoastnh.com/shoals/

July 31
BABB FAMILY TO RE VISIT HOGG
I am a decendant of Thomas Babb-Va. Also Phillip and elder Thomas Babb. Would like to visit Hog and Appledore Island and would like info on all Islands. Any suggestions.
Jude

EDITOR’S REPLY: That should be easy since Hogg and Appledore are the same Island. All the data is in our popular SHOALS section. Start with the FAQ page for info. Then go to SeacoastSearch.com and search for listing on the Isles of Shoals. You will find the Cornell web site for the Marine Studies program there. You can attend that class or charter a boat like the Uncle Oscar out of Rye Harbor to view the exterior of the island. To get on the island is tricky. Star Island conferees usually take a trip over during a weeklong conference stay. Your best bet is to call the Cornell people via their web site and make arrangements. But don’t say you are related to Babb, the Butcher of the Isles of Shoals, or you might scare people. You might also want to visit Smuttynose which has some Babb history, we think. To start, pick up a copy of the “Lore and Legend” of the Isles by Lyman Ruttledge at any used book web site and read Celia Thaxter’s “among the Isles of Shoals”, remembering of course, that the legend and the facts at the Shoals are hard to pry apart. If you get out to Star during summer conference days, check into the bookstore there as well. You will also want to check with the curator of the Vaughan Cottage Museum on Star Island and, if you can’t get out that far, check the Isles of Shoals Collection at the Portsmouth Athenaeum. For more info on those locations, check GOseacoast.com our travel and touring web site.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/shoals

July 31
CLASSES A LA SHOALS
Hi - I heard there was a program where you could take a course (art?) for a couple of days on the Isle of Shoals. Do you have any information on this?
Helen Langone

EDITOR’S REPLY: There is really only one central source of information on the Shoals, the Star Island Corp web site. All activities on the island are connected to conferences and require advance signup through whatever agency is running the program. There is a summer Arts week and usually a fall weekend for the photo and arts group begun by Peter Randall. The Star and Arts web sites are listed in SeacoastSearch.com (search separately or just look under Isles of Shoals. You can inquire about the fall photo conference by calling 603-431-5667.

July 30
NO PICKING COTTON HERE, WE FEAR
I have just recently come across the name of William Cotton born 1614 in Portsmouth. I would like to know more about this Cotton family and if there are any books or articles written about this particular Cotton family so early in New Hampshire's history. I am finding the early history of New Hampshire very interesting and informative.
Jacqueline C of El Paso, TX

EDITOR’S REPLY: Since the Pilgrim’s didn’t even set foot on American soil until 1620 (NH was founded in 1623) it seems unlikely Mr. Cotton came from these fascinating parts. Best guess is that you are looking for Portsmouth, England that has a history going back a couple thousand years more than us. Let’s remember, of course, that the Native Americans were here at least 10,000 earlier.

July 24
WHERE IS ELY, NH?
I am reading a book called The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve. It is set in a coastal town called Ely in New Hampshire and I was wondering if that town really exists or ever did exist. I am from New Hampshire but have never heard of it and cannot seem to find it anywhere. Thank you for your time and information.
Kristia of Key West, FL

EDITOR’S REPLY: There is no Ely, but sources tell us the town is modeled on Rye, NH. There are a lot of pilot families there. Many of Anita Shreve’s recent books are based in the Seacoast NH area including Fortune’s Rocks and Weight of Water.

July 22
THAT ITINERANT MINISTER WHITEFIELD
I'm currently doing thesis work on the life of George Whitefield and will be visiting your town in two weeks time. I was wondering if you could recommend any historical sites in town that would pertain specifically to the 18th century and any that are directly or indirectly related to George Whitefield's itinerant ministry when he was in the area (circa 1740).
Steven McIntosh

PROF. RICHARD CANDEE RESPONDS: The only place there is a bit of George Whitefield on view in Portsmouth at the moment is an exhibition of portraiture in the Portsmouth Athenaeum, 6-8 Market Square (3rd floor over Foster's Daily Democrat). If you need an elevator, call 1 (603) 431-2538 for access. Otherwise the gallery is open 1-4 pm T & Th; 10-4 Sat. except holidays.

I frankly don't recall where Whitefield preached, but assume it may have been at the South Parish Church -- destroyed 1860s although a view exists in the background of a portrait of the Rev. Samuel Haven (1727-1806; AB Harvard 1749) who later ministered to that congregation. Indeed, all the early churches in Portsmouth are gone now, replaced in the 19th century.

But, in the Samuel Haven papers at the Athenaeum there is a curious medallion or cameo of some unknown patented black material with a shallow bust portrait of a male (clerical?)figure who I've often thought MIGHT be Whitefield. Think you would recognize him in cameo? If so, order it up from special collections and let me know what you think. Do you know any specific places G.W. may have gone in Portsmouth? Only the Warner House (built in 1716 for Archibald Macpheadris, late of Northern Ireland) is still around and open to the public. The Warner House is on Daniel Street, corner of Chapel (just beneath St. John's -- site of Queens Chapel in 1740) just a few short blocks from the Athenaeum. You should see it even though Macpheadris was dead by 1729, the home sometime in the 1740s was home to Gov. Benning Wentworth before he built his (still extant and open) mansion at Little Harbor int he 1750s. They were all Anglicans. There are a few other private homes extant from that time, but I'd have to know who Whitefield may have stayed with or visited to identify any that exist now. You may wish to see my book "BUILDING PORTSMOUTH..." – an architectural history of the city-- readily available at the Athenaeum library or in local bookstores.

July 20
THE ELUSIVE PROF NAKOS
Please ask J.Dennis Robinson to write about Professor George B.Nakos and his scholarship fund.
Charles Burnell of Gainesville, FL

EDITOR’S REPLY: Yes, I should tell you that story, maybe in an upcoming newsletter. Although I haven’t seen Mr. Burnell since 1973, I remember the event well. Frustrated by the apparent randomness of college funding, and driven by my euphoria about graduating from UNH, I staged a fake scholarship fund. Charlie helped me raise real money and give it away to real students courtesy of a make belief UNH English Professor. We even turned a broom closet into an office (like most other prof, Mr. Nakos was rarely ever seen around campus, except by us.). We gave the dough away in a big ceremony that included a brass quintet in which only one member of the group, the trumpeter as I recall, was able to show up – but played solo all the same. The weird part was that the winner actually through Prof. Nakos was real. And I guess, in some ways, he was. Thanks for reminding me, Charlie. And what the heck are you doing in Florida?
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please100497.html

July 20
HER FAMILY COMES FROM THE WILY WATERS
My family originated along the Piscataqua river in Portsmouth, Berwick and on up. I've traced the family back to the Isles of Shoals and back to England before 1625. Thanks for all the information in your newsletter and web sites, and especially for the heads up on the new book featured in your July 2002 contest. If I don't win it, I'll be buying it somewhere to read more about this area!
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, Londonderry, NH
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please062202.html

July 16
LAST FREEZE OF THE PISCATAQUA
Ask the Experts: What was the date of the last full freeze of the river?
John

EDITOR’S REPLY: We checked with author Richard Winslow who referred us to page 114 of his latest book DO YOU JOB, a 200 year history of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The last date we know the salty Piscataqua River froze was February 11, 1918. Photos show that ferry passengers going to work at the shipyard across the river (before Memorial Bridge) had to leave their stranded vessel and walk the rest of the way. The book is available from Peter E. Randall, Publisher.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/weather/index.html

July 16
CAN’T FIND THE CHAMBER
Hello...I'm trying (& trying)to find a Chamber of Commerce number for Porstmouth and/or Hampton Beach. Can you help with that? We want to camp a couple of nights this August & then stay in a hotel a couple of nights....Any suggestions?
Billie Manes

EDITOR’S REPLY: We just reviewed the Portsmouth Chamber. Hampton is harder. Better to go to the HB precinct site, hamptonbeach.org. Out complete list of 50 NH chambers is attached. It can get confusing, so why not just go directly to SeacoastSearch.com and GOseacoast.com.
http://www.seacoastsearch.com/feature11.htm
http://www.seacoastsearch.com/nhlinks/chambers/
http://www.seacoastsearch.com

July 09
WANTS TO DONATE A MORNING STAR
I have an original of an 1841 Morning Star paper published in Dover, NH. It's actually signed by N Brackett who was the first president of Storer College in Harpers Ferry. It was in the attic when I renovated a house many years ago in WV. We would consider donating it to a museum or the like in return for considerations if any one is interested. I would only request that someone on the receiving end be responsible for an appraisal. Please let me know if you know anyone who might be interested. Thanks...
Darren in Oak Hill, VA

EDITOR’S REPLY: Whenever possible we promote the donation of historic items to local archives and museums over the sale of antique treasures. We’ve forwarded this note to four possible local archives that would provide a good home for this item (see article below).
http://seacoastnh.com/blackhistory/star.html

July 09
Friends of Esther
Dennis: This simply to thank you for creating such a vivid remembrance of the “unforgettable Esther”… in your wonderful article about here. (The Unflappable Esther, As I Please). A friend sent the article to me and have read and re-read, and have had such a warm sense in my heart of how much Esther would have loved it.

Don’t we miss her. She had the kind of rarity which always brings a smile and gladness. ..I’ll read your article many more times. ..It so evokes her person. Thank you. You are a most discerning and gifted friend. All who were her friends were blessed. (Abridged from paper letter sent via US Post.)
Marjorie Carter, Dublin, NH
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please031002.html

July 08
NEEDS TO RENT A POP-UP
I'd like to rent a pop-up tow-behind camper ('travel trailer'?) to take my family camping here in New Hampshire. We've camped for years out of various tents, and want to see what it's like to camp out of a pop-up camper. If we like it, we'll probably buy one next year. Problem is, I have no idea where to rent one...you don't find this sort of thing at U-haul or Taylor Rental, do you? We live in southern NH (Dover, NH 03820) and will be camping up in the White Mountains. Do you know where we can rent a camper for a long weekend this summer?
Vic Strawbridge

EDITOR’S REPLY: That one is out of our range, but we’ve forwarded your not to the site that may – NHOutdoors.com. If we get any reader responses, we’ll forward them along.
http://www.nhoutdoors.com

July 07
LOVES OUR HISTORY WEB SITE
I love your website. Until I discovered your site I thought I was the only person who likes trolling through graveyards and taking pictures of historical but not well known places. Many of my friends just don't understand why I would rather be visiting an old battlefield than to be going to concerts or shopping etc.

I think it is wonderful that you are helping to perserve our nation's history. I wish there were more people with your enthusiasm and joy of history.
Amber in Cincinnati. Ohio

July 07
PAUL JONES SHIRTS FOR GIRLS
I CAME ACROSS SEVERAL VERY OLD SAILOR SHIRTS (FROCKS) AT AN AUCTION YEARS AGO AND JUST RECENTLY GOT THEM OUT AND LOOKED AT THEM. ONE OR TWO ARE MADE OF LINEN AND ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD CONDITION. THE LABEL SAYS “PAUL JONES, REGO TRADEMARK MORRIS 7 & CO,INC BALT” (AND THE SIZE BVELOW) THERE IS A PICTURE OF A SAILOR ON THE TOP LINE. CAN ANYONE THERE GIVE ME SOME IDEA HOW OLD THESE SHIRTS ARE OR IF THE FACTORY STILL IS THERE OR WHEN IT WENT OUT OF BUSINESS? ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
JERRY KING (LOCAL HISTORIAN AND FORMER HISTORY

EDITOR’S REPLY: Among our Jonesiana collection is a Vogue magazine ad for exactly these items called Paul Jones Middies from the Baltimore company you mentioned. The date of the magazine is not present, but it sure looks like a 1920s style. The Paul Jones middy and accompanying skirt are described as the highest quality manufacturing of any middy on the market, and great for back to school wear for girls. We’d be happy to add those items to our collection here at the Paul Jones Museum in NH.

July 07
SON NEEDS DINNER AWAY FROM HOME
My son Steve, a trucker, is walking the streets of Portsmouth as I type...any place interesting he may want to dine at this evening? I'll give him a call while he roams the sidewalks of what he said is a "beautiful town and area", and pass the information along...thanks.
Steve's Mom

EDITOR'S REPLY: Readers will be happy to know that we caught Steve's mom in time to email her suggestions about our favorite restaurants from oue Seacoast Dining section, and all is well.

July 07
FIRST SHE SAW A RUSSIAN SUB
I am interested in going thru a American Submarine, I went thru a Russian Submarine,it was great. Could you please tell me if you have any in New Hampshire or close bye.
Marilyn

EDITOR’S REPLY: Now how many towns could say YES to that one? But yes, we have the Albacore. Here is the link to our new web site GOseacoast.com with over 250 places to go in the region and more added each week.
http://www.goseacoast.com/detail.ihtml?lid=131&catID=11

July 07
LOOKING FOR LEAR RELATIONS
I'm a historian out in Washington State working on a biography. I've been trying to find a genealogy of Tobias Lear and perhaps his siblings online. I'm interested in one Major William W. Lear, born in Maryland, who entered the Army in 1812 as a sergeant. In an era when promotions to officer were hard to come by, this man worked his way to major and died in battle in 1846. Since he was born in the D.C. area, and also likely had some type of political 'mentor' to get him promoted as far as he was.......and admittedly grasping at straws......I'd like to see if there might be some familial connection to Tobias Lear. Do you know of any published genealogy for Tobias Lear that might include his siblings and their descendants, as well as his own? Thanks for your time. This is the first site I've found that offered any concrete information on Tobias Lear. Candace Wellman, Bellingham, Washington

EDITOR’S REPLY: Not much likelihood, we think, of a genealogical connection. That end of the Lear line faded with son Benjamin who died childless. Best to contact the docents at the Lear House directly. The only published book on our Tobias Lear’s life is the one by Ray Brighton, available from perpublisher.com. Poor Toby the Vth ended his own life in a garden of his home outside Washington, DC in 1816. His son Benjamin had no heirs, so this side of the Lear family ended there, and never made it as far as Washington State. That's our guess anyway.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/tobiaslear

July 01
TALL SHIPS COMING IN 2002?
I heard Tall Ships are coming to Portsmouth this summer. I have not been able to find out details. sWould you please let me know if you have this information.
Edward, Gail and Matthew Welch

EDITOR’S REPLY: We’ve been out to greet every historic ship coming up the river for the last few years and we’re planning to be there again for the arrive of John Paul Jones’s original US ship Providence. That sloop and the movie version of the HMS Bountry will be here in Portsmouth between July 18 and 29th. We wrote to the Portsmouth Maritime Commission (PMC) and posted their info in our EVENTS section this week as the featured event for July. Our former adventures are posted in “The Shipyard” section of our site. The PMC information line is (603) 431-SHIP (431-7447)
http://www.seacoastnh.com/events/index.html
http://www.seacoastnh.com/navyyard/index.html

July 01
ESTHER BUFFLER ALASKA FAN CLUB
I just read your tribute article to Esther Buffler. Man oh Man! How lucky you must feel to have crossed her path -- more than once. I would love to listen to "High on Poetry." Is it still available?
Jeanne Maltby in Alaska
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please031002.html

EDITOR'S REPLY: Check this month's contest. We hope to award a couple of Esther & Friends CDs in early August to a lucky contest winners.

July 01
FINE WEATHER FRIEND
Hello Ken, I really appreciate having the local forecasts that you provide to the point where I now never bother with the traditional sources (i.e., TV / Radio).
b j. hingos
http://www.seacoastnh.com/weather/index.html

July 01
COMING BACK TO RYE (RESPONSE)
This is regarding the woman who wrote the letter "Coming Back To Rye." (See Rear Our Mail ARCHIVES for June 11, 2002). I can't remember the name of the place, but if you are going south on Ocean Blvd., and make a left at the street just past where Hemmingway's used to be, you'll find a motel up the street on the left side that has some cottages that back up to a salt marsh, and that is within easy walking distance to Jenness Beach. Perhaps that is the place the woman is thinking of. It is the only place I know of that comes close to matching her description/recollection.
Jay Diener in Hampton, NH
http://www.seacoastnh.com/mail/indexarch.html

July 01
THE WINNER PICKS SOME BOOKS
Thanks so much! I am looking forward to receiving the books from Twin Lights Publishing. They look beautiful. I will be sending one to my daughter who teaches elementary school in NC. The kids are always amazed to see what NH is like. (1) Portsmouth & Coastal New Hampshire: A Photographic Portrait (2) The White Mountains: A Photographic Portrait. (plus two MORE). Thanks Again
Karen Biron of North Sutton, NH
http://www.seacoastnh.com/contests/index.html

July 01
DIGGING THE SHOALS
Could you tell me whether there are any archeological digs on any of the Isles of Shoals that would be open to the public to attend? Thanks for any help you can provide!
HMoon

EDITOR’S REPLY: There are no ongoing digs. In fact, the only digs we know of were by Faith Harrington who conducted a long-term study of many of the Isles more than a decade ago. We refer to her report in a previous article, but to date, her comprehensive thesis has yet to be published.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please091000.html

July 01
MORE ON THE BREWSTER FAMILY
I am in the process of researching the Brewster family. Our stained glass windows at the Dobbins Memorial United Methodist Church, Delanco, New Jersey will be 100 years old in 2003. On one of the windows appears the name of Amelia C. Brewster. We cannot locate any information on Amelia in our church records on in census records. The window was placed in memory of Amelia. The only information is a record of correspondence mentioned by Rev. Neal found in our original trustee minutes dated 6/9/1886. The correspondence was from C. W. Brewster. According to a local historian in Riverton, NJ, Charles W. Brewster owned and operated The New Era. It was later sold to Joshua Jeney in 1890.

I have pulled up the information on your website on Charles W. Brewster. Do you have a list of the names of his nine children? Any further information would be helpful as we have exhausted many of our leads in trying to locate Amelia's family.
Rich Smith

EDITOR’S REPLY: We’re clueless about the Brewster genealogy, but here’s a link for you. Almost all of the Brewster’s Rambles on this site were scanned by our friend “Jennie-ology” at the Brewster Family Network. Check there for more info and here for more and more of more than 160 Brewster columns that will eventually populate this web site.
http://www.angelfire.com/mi/brewsterlist/index.html
http://seacoastnh.com/brewster

July 01
HE ACCEPTED THE BRITISH PARDON FOR JPJ
Hello, my name is Stephen Lyons and I am originally from Mexico, Maine. I wanted to let you know that I accepted, on behalf of the United States, a pardon for John Paul Jones from Whitehaven, England on 27 June 1999. I have one of the original signed documents, the other is in the Naval History Museum at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, DC. I am planning a trip to Maine in the near future and would like to visit your location.
Steve Lyons, Columbia College

July 01
WHAT’S UP WITH THE RANGER?
I am interested to discover how the plans are coming along for the building of a Ranger replica. Could you please give me an up-date on any progress.
Nicola Bowman of Carrickfergus, N. Ireland

EDITOR’S REPLY: The organization is till together and you can check their web site at www.RangerFoundation.org. We recently reviewed site and interviewed the president of the organization. No major funds in hand yet, if that is the question, but lots of promotional and educational programs ongoing. Know anyone with $10 million?
http://seacoastnh.com/jpj/rangerinterview.html

July 01
BELAY THAT OLD IRONSIDES CAPTION
Hi everyone, I am emailing this short note first to compliment you folks on the wonderful display of photography of "Old Ironsides", and secondly to critique; The commentary with the photo showing the inside, claims that although the photo is dated 1895,it may more likely be the 1931 return! If close attention is paid, the 1931 return of Old Ironsides was of a no-longer cabbed ship! The photo is of a cabbed ship and the photo is shot standing on the top deck! (The ship has no true" windows" especially facing forward.) Once again, Thanks for the wonderful effort.
Doug Ladd of Middleborough,Mass

EDITOR’S REPLY: Ya, we’ve gotten enough emails to make us rethink this caption, which we will repaid post haste. The photo looked so new and shiny, we thought it could never be that old. Must have been a new copy of an old photo. Don’t you hate when that happens?
http://seacoastnh.com/earlyphotos/ironsides/ph8.html