ASK, RANT OR PRAISE, BUT NEVER IGNORE

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HISTORY WRITERS LOVE WEB
Thanks for this wonderful article, (Seacoast History Blog) and for the great insight into how the internet has changed the history writer’s craft. We all know that the internet is an invaluable resource for so many people in search of a wide range of information. But reading the specifics of individual situations is a great reminder of how quickly this relatively new tool has become critically important to so many people’s work. Thanks also for the cautions (specifically, in regard to Wikipedia), and the reminder that not all internet investigations will yield useful nuggets. One of the things I like best about internet searches, aside from the wealth of information that is available for the taking, is that one never knows where they will be taken on those journeys. One of my sorrows is that I don’t have more time to wander down all those paths, just to see where they lead.
Jay Diener

DE ROCHEMONT SOUVENIRS
Read the story about De Rochemont in the Herald last week. I have four Cinerama souvenir programs, including "Holiday" and "Windjammer". You can have them if you just send me a snail-mail address. If you already have one, you should have a backup. I really need to eliminate clutter!
Steve Ratigan

EDITOR’S REPLY: Someday we hope to spark a de Rochemont exhibit at the Portsmouth Historical Society. Until then the collecting goes on. Donated items to our collection will find their way to local historical societies and, eventually, to this web site. Thanks.

BRODERICK AT BUNKER HILL
I am from Charlestown MA. I was reading the article on your web site regarding NH contributions to the Battle of Bunker Hill. I am trying to find some more information on a NH Soldier that was killed at the battle.

One of the NH Soldiers that died that day was named Joseph Broderick. I don't believe he is a relative of mine, but since my young son is named Joseph Broderick, I feel a kind of kinship with the fallen soldier and I would like to pay my respects to his gravesite. I know Joseph Broderick was with the Moore Company from NH, which was lead by Col Stark. I have done some preliminary research, but I have not had any luck. Any help that you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Kevin Broderick

EDITOR’S REPLY: We have no more info here. The article you noted was written three decades ago for a bicentennial booklet edited by Peter Randall. Having recently been to the new Bunker Hill Monument museum (across the street) in your town, I’d start there. Tease out the docents who are most interested in genealogy and see if anyone has already done this research. There is also a small library in the basement of the Col. John Stark House in Manchester, NH that may have more on the members of the brigade. More likely you will find something at the Tuck Library as part of the NH Historical Society in Concord, NH. Also, I suggest checking with the many brigades / militia groups who study and re-live the Revolution. You may find that some member has adopted the character of your namesake. Also (and this may cost a few bucks in membership) check with the genealogy web sites like Ancestry.com where the genealogy people live. Again you may find someone who has done the heavy lifting.

WANT LOST BOUNDARIES
The articles written by J. Dennis Robinson on the history of this area are very interesting to me. My mother and father moved their family to Portsmouth in 1945 from Reading Massachusetts. I remember vividly the exciting trip on the big noisy train filled with young sailors and soldiers. That began a long love affair with the history of the area. I remember everything about those halcyon days of early Portsmouth by the sea.  

I would really love to obtain a copy of Louis de Rochemonts movie "Lost Boundaries", if there is one left. My dad, Albert Wennberg, later became the Planning Director for Portsmouth. He had a small part in that wonderful movie and my siblings and I would love to see it again. Please keep the articles coming; they are wonderful.
Gail Hogan

EDITOR’S REPLY: Thanks for the compliment and, yes, you can buy Lost Boundaries. Last I knew it was commercial available on Amazon.com and any nummber of film web sites, hopefully in DVD, but certainly on VHS like the one I have (actually "had" since I loaned it and the movie never came back). Also, I mentioned your dad in my book on the history of Strawbery Banke Museum since he played a small role in the 1950s. Small world. You can get that too on Amazon.com.

STEAM TRAIN ON THE SHOALS
Dennis, Great picture of the steam train in the 2/5/09 Portsmouth Herald. I'm wondering, if you have all manner of historical photos of the area, would you happen to have a photo from (I think) the late 20s/early 30s of the causeway at the Isles of Shoals under construction. The picture would show a tiny steam locomotive and a handful of men on the causeway. I've already inquired with the Isles of Shoals Historical Research Association, and can't even get anyone to respond to my questions. The reason this photo intrigues me is that my grandfather was one of the men in the picture, and we have very few shots of him. Any light you can shed on this would be much appreciated.
Skip Downing

EDITOR’S REPLY: The ultimate photo resource is the Star Island photo collection that is archived at the Portsmouth Athenaeum. I believe most of the collection (thousands of images) has been digitized. StarIsland.org recently noted the collection will be available online. Have not seen that yet. Some of the images may be on the Portsmouth Athenaeum web site.

PULL AND BE DAMNED
Hi Dennis, In the March issue of our little online magazine "Rye Reflections," in the section called "New Castle Saltines," I did a little bit of history of Pull-and-be-Damned Point. In the process it turned up the confusion that has existed as to which point should bear that name ... in one of your Seacoastnh.com pages about blowing up Henderson's Point, you say it was another name for Henderson's Point. While that is stated in some other places, like an edition of the American Coast Pilot, I'm convinced that the local consensus was to apply it to the ledge on the easterly end of Goat Island. In the process of all this I found the first and only map I've ever seen with the point so-identified. You can see my several paragraphs on this on the web site, if you scroll down to the section titled "The Wayback Machine: Profanity Point"
Jim Cerny, Rye Reflections

SHOUTING ONLINE
sir, i enjoy your web site immensely and thought that with your knowledge of wordly things i thought i would ask this question. i have been told that if I type in capitols it is called shouting. who came up with this idiotic idea? i know you have been kind to me in the past when i have sent you articles about Gillies and Dorothy Vaughan in capitols and never admonished me. I’m too old to shout and it's so much easier to type in CAPITOLS [sic]. just curious. i have just realized that i should have put this in your readers mail for FEBRUARY. continued success with your web site.
Bfharrington

EDITOR’S REPLY: Yes, that is the current etiquette. If you use all caps, most readers will assume they are being yelled at. Don’t know the literary origin of this practice. Seems pretty obvious, since caps are a way of getting attention on the page. A lot of people write to us in all lower case as well, which I assume means you are whispering. We often correct letters before printing them here, but also, on lazy days, just let the actual punctuation, spelling, and capitalization ride. Point is, we publish them either way, in the interest of giving our readers maximum feedback. 

SINGING WITH CELIA THAXTER
I am a composer, searching for information on the copyright status of the works of Celia Thaxter. I wish to use one of her short stories as the subject matter for a new composition. I should be most grateful if you could furnish me with any information. With grateful thanks,
Dr. Jennifer M. Barker
Associate Professor of Music Theory/Composition
University of Delaware

EDITOR’S REPLY: Far as I know anything published before 1927 (someone correct me on this if I’m wrong) is in the public domain which would include anything by Celia. I've talked to her descendants and the publishers of her reprinted works and don't believe there is any surviving copyright or royalties paid these days. I happen to have a copy of the sheet music for "Good Night Sweet Day" with lyrics by Celia herself.

FREE NEWSLETTER NOW BIMONTHLY
Miss your monthly newsletter! I can understand how, after 13 years, you need an occasional break to look up new stuff -- and old stuff -- to keep us coming back. Take care, and hope your lovely spring comes soon.
Margaret Fish, formerly of Madbury, now of Reno., NV.

RELATED TO WENTWORTHS
hello, my name is lois michaud i live have in acton maine. i have been doing all kinds of re-looking for my family and the wentworths are a directly related and i will give you the jest of it to my knowledge; 

i'll start with myself: 

then my mom, she is evangline m. mee, (she married 2x's, 1st my dad last name martell, then my stepdad labrecque) 

her mom was louise i. pillsbury ( she married a mee) 

then her dad was george pillsbury (married 2x's also) 

his mom was augusta a. wentworth (she married levi) 

her parents are ephraim and martha (grant) wentworth 

his dad is ephraim and mary (miller) wenthworth 

his parents were "elder" william wentworth and annie h.(thompson) wentworth 

and so it goes i just want to let you all know it was nice of the author and yourself to be so kind and write about them and it makes me glad that I’m related, i have read what i can find especially about wm and the gov.'s there are missed feelings but over all really interesting. 

just thought that i would let you know there are still family out there and that enjoy the works that others do.

lois michaud

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