September 2008 Letters

ASK, RANT OR PRAISE, BUT NEVER IGNORE

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From Our Readers This Month

SEEKING GARDNER FAMILY
I happened across your Web site researching my Great Great Grandfather Andrew Milton Gardner. I saw the articles about Major William Gardner. I have been searching and searching for information about the Gardner Family,got as far as Andrew Milton Gardner,then the trail went cold, only to pick it up again when I found Major William Gardner,His Father and siblings. After making some phone calls to the Local library there, there is still 1 possibly 2 generations of the family missing.... I am looking for Andrew Gardner(A.M Gardner's Father) I found him in many census records, but nothing of birth or marriage. I found in Brewster's Rambles that Benjamin Gardner(Major Wm. Gardner's Brother)was father of Andrew, at this i don't not have proof of this as being fact...Is there anyone that many be able to help me find info or someone that could help me with my search?Thank you for your time.
Angela

FROM SANDRA RUX: Andrew Gardner born Jan 6 1806, bapt Feb 16 1806 North Church Portsmouth. Son of Benjamin Gardner (born about 1773) and Elizabeth Parks (5th of 5 children). His mother died before 1816 when his father married 2nd wife Elizabeth Clark. Benjamin, the youngest brother of William Gardner, died between 1821 and 1827. Andrew inherited William Gardner's farm on Peverly Hill Rd (half of income to go to William's widow Sarah during her lifetime) in 1834--Andrew had been running the farm prior to William's death. Andrew married Almira Lang of Rye about 1835. March 1895 Andrew deeded the farm to his son Benjamin Franklin. Andrew died in 1896 and his wife two years later. They are buried in the Gardner family plot (#913) in the Harmony Grove section of South Cemetery. Andre Milton was the second son of Andrew and Almira.

Benjamin Gardner (as well as William and several others) was son of John and Elizabeth Gardner; John baptized Nov 20 1715; married Elizabeth Perry June 30 1739. He was a tailor, lived in a house on Buck St. John died in Portsmouth Jan 1797 and is buried in St John's Cemetery. John was eldest son of David Gardner and Margaret Cate--they were married in the North Church June 11, 1713. David was a tailor.
Museum and Collections Manager
Portsmouth Historical Society and
Wentworth-Gardner and Tobias Lear Houses Association

ORKED AT WENTWORTH BY THE SEA
Hope you can help settle this matter. Our family history says that my paternal grandmother Flora Jane Cousins (Richardson) prior to her marrage to my grandfather James A. Spead in Aug. 1984 was

said to be well-known in seacoast NH as the head chief at the renowned Wentworth By The Sea resort in New Castle, NH. Don't know if this really true or not and am hoping that in your research for your book you may have come across some information on this subject. Would greatly appreciate knowing if you have any knowledge. Thanks so much.
Best Regards,Jon W. Spead

EDITOR’S REPLY: Sorry, doesn't ring any bells with me. The WBS "Smith Collection" is archived at the Portsmouth Athenaeum. You might poke around in there. And the other alternative is the New Castle historical society. I didn't bump into her in my research. If you find anything out, let me know and we can possibly add a profile to the WBS web site section. I'll post the info in our mailbag and see if anyone responds. -- JDR

DEATH OF CELIA THAXTER
Dear Ms. Mandel, my family owns a house on Cutts Island, where the Champernowne Farm is/was; I used to go to the Shoals as a child and know the area well; I also knew Rozzie Thaxter and would go visit her on Cutts Island. Good luck with your biography. I have always been curious as to why Celia died so suddenly, and reading your timeline, the thought came to me, that perhaps she had committed suicide. In literature I have seen, no cause has ever been attributed to her death, though I honestly cannot remember Rozzie's own "take" on this in her biography. Perhaps you can ferret out the truth, if it does need ferretting.
Anita Baldwin

EDITOR’S REPLYL Norma Mandel’s biography BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE came out in 2004. The author notes that Celia was increasingly ill in the final four years of her life. Celia herself described her condition as "nervou s prostration". Her death was sudden in that she died among friends after an evening of reading poems. In the morning, according to biographer Rosamond Thaxter, she asked a friend to open the shades so she could see the sunrise. When the friend did so and turned around, Celia was dead.

REMEBERING POET ROBERT DUNN
Dennis - That was beautiful. Thank you for writing it. Many of us didn't know him as well, but that doesn't mean we didn't fall in love with him, just the same. Thanks again. for this editorial and all you do to capture our tiny seacoast. in words no one else seems to be able to match.
Joann D.

I read your piece on Robert and thought it was ABSOLUTELY wonderful. My hat is off to you. Fine work.
Ronan Donohoe

MAD AT SEAPOINT BEACH, WON’T SHOP IN KITTERY
I was given a 50 dollar parking ticket for parking at seapoint beach for which my family has been going to for since the 1940s. The town has made a very unfrienldy move banning nonresident parking sothat the locals can have a place top run there dogs to deficate on the sand. My family owned propertyies on Government street for years and we all went there a few times a year. My [unclear] was in the Navy there and my grandfather worked in shipyard there I spent many summers for a few hours there. I have many fond memories of my family and this place. BUT now I Cant git thar from here. Maine was Vacationland. But Kittery does not want us to enjoy ourselves there after we eat at Bobs clamhut or Warrens Lobsterhouse. Just spend your money here The beach is off limitsw except for pooping dogs. I will never go back to Kittery until I can go back to the beach. No factory stores or restaurants will I patronize in the unfriendly town. I was amazed at how many tickets were given out there. Shame on Kittery and the city council.
Micheal Fuller in Nashua, NH

NEW TO THE SEACOAST
My family enjoys your website, I recently purchased property in bBrrington and every chance I get I come to Portsmouth and the coast to enjoy the surroundings. Thank you.
Michael R. Magliola

LIVED IN CHASE HOUSE
Dear Mr. Robinson, Back in March, I visited the Strawbery Banke web site and found your book. Which I bought. I would like to buy another copy as a Birthday gift for my sister. Can we somehow arrange to ship it directly to her address? (Without the enclosed receipt, of course because it is a gift.)

I’m attaching a picture that may be of some interest to you. It’s of my mother, grandmother, sister Marla and myself, sitting in front of the living room Chase House fireplace, where we lived from 1942 until around 1949. Note the fresh Lilac’s on the mantel. We had huge Lilac bushes in the backyard, so big that I climbed them like small trees! Yes, we were Puddle-dockers! As I recall, we rented that house for around $50.00 a month, while my Dad was overseas in Europe, WWII. Bert Berry

EDITOR’S REPLY: Thanks for your second order via PayPal. A signed, inscribed copy is on its way.

THE OTHER GEORGE FISHLEY
Saw an interesting article on George Fishley's very early photograph. We've been researching a contemporary, also [named] George Fishley, in North Devon UK, which is quite a rare surname, so it's possible they are connected. It struck us that he looked physically quite similar to your George Fishley, (who's family were mariners and potters),
John Jones in the UK

EDITOR’S REPLY: Our Goerge Fishley is in the Portsmouth Historical Society and buried in South Cemetery here in NH. We have not added genealogical date, only the photo and the article. Suppose a connection is possible since so many of the original settlers here came from the Decon area, but that was a century or more earlier. Since they both have the same name and are from the same era, we can’t imagine what the connection would be.

SEACOAST AQUARIUM?
im not sure but i thought i heard about an aquarium we could visit while in n.h but i cant find anything we will be bringing our grandchildren from new york and any ideas on were we can bring them thank you
Mike

EDITOR’S REPLY: Sorry, no aquarium. Never happened. We suggest the Seacoast Science Center in Rye as a fun alternative.

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