Saturday, October 15, 2011

Lawrence Family Legacy

Thanks to a distant cousin of Les', Barbara (Lawrence) Witham of Maine, Eileen and I recently received new images of family members not seen before.  Amongst the pictures were images of Eileen's great-grandparents Laban and Clara.  Posted here for all to enjoy.  Thanks again Barbara for sending these.

Oct 1966 - Thelma & Cyril Lawrence, Cape May, N. J.  Dog Angie is 20 years old.

c. 1950;  Leslie Lawrence & his mother Thelma

Standing L-R; Bliss B. & Leslie A.;  Seated; Cyril & their mother, Clara Lawrence Harris in Beverly, Mass.

Clara and Laban Fremont Lawrence

Grandma Clara Lawrence Harris with son Cyril and dog in Beverly, Mass.

                             George & Clara Lawrence Harris' home on Liberty St., Rockland, Mass.                                                        (I think that Un. Cyril and Aunt Thelma are standing on the right side)

George & Clara Lawrence Harris' home on Liberty St., Rockland, Mass. - side view  George Harris probably did some of the building as he was an excellent carpenter.  The little extension on the side was Grandma's idea - it was built so the iceman could put ice in the icebox, but not get into the kitchen.

Brothers - Bliss & Leslie Lawrence in Beverly Mass.

L-R; Bliss B., Clara Lawrence Harris, Leslie & Cyril in Beverly, Mass.

Cyril Laban Lawrence taken March 15, 1941

Clara (Bowser) Lawrence Harris

Cyril, Bliss & Leslie Lawrence

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Sackville Trip Part Two

As part of our Sackville, NB trip, Eileen and I also visited the Westcock Cemetery which is on the outskirts of town heading toward and area known as Woodpoint.  At first we got a little lost, but thanks to a local who was passing by on the road, we finally found the cemetery.

Westcock Cemetery
Barren Ground Hill Rd.
Woodpoint

Directions; Take Route #106 towards Dorchester – once out of town, at fork in road, take Route #935 toward Woodpoint (aka Woodpoint Rd.) – after immediately crossing RR tracks take a right turn onto Brittish Settlement East Rd. -  Follow until first(?) left; Barren Ground Hill Road.  Cemetery will be towards the top of the hill on the Left.  The Barnes/Lawrence plots are in the closest section near the road (upward on the hill).



Here lies the body of
John Barnes 
Who died April 18, 1815
In the 77th year of his age
Mark from the tombs a
Doleful sound my ears
Attend.  The cry ye living
Men come view the
Ground where you must
Shortly lie

This stone is erected by
Oliver Barnes
In tribute of filial
Affection to Departed
Worth

In Memory of
Martha
Wife of John Barnes
Who departed this life
January 1, 1824 in the
82nd year of her age
Jesus said unto them
I am the resurrection
And the life.




The image to the left was one I found online prior to our visit to Westcock Cemetery.  It was no longer there … the stone above must have been put there in its place – history unknown at this time.       








In Memory of
George Lawrence
Died
Oct. 4th 1870
Aged 66 Years

We wait for thy loving kindness
O God in the midst of thy people

Jacobina
His Wife
Died June 4, 1874
Aged 60 Years

Our prayer is to God!




Memory of
Mary J.
Daughter of George &
Jacobina Lawrence
Who Died
Sep. 30 1852
Aged 19 years















In Memory of 
George Lawrence
Died
Oct. 29, 1910
Aged 70 yrs.

His Wife
Mary E. Purdy
1843 - 1929


Monday, August 29, 2011

Trip to Sackville to find the "Lawrences" part one

July 27, 2011

This was a long day trip from Frenchville, Me … Eileen and I left at 5:45 am and arrived in the area Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada around 11:00 am.  It had rained on and off all day … a very wet day.  After arriving in the area we first got a bite to eat then headed for a cemetery (not knowing what or where it was) that was listed on an copy of a 1862 map that I had come across.  I thought it might be the Four Corners Burying Ground, but as it turns out it was the Old Methodist Cemetery.  There were two cemeteries that we knew we wanted to visit as they would contain the remains of family members. 

So listed below are what we found in the  Four Corners Burying Ground

Four Corners Burying Ground
137-163 Church Street
Middle Sackville, NB.
GPS N45.93529 W64.34015
Aka Upper Sackville Cemetery (Doug Ayers) and Tantramar Cemetery (W.C. Milner)
Church Street

Section 3


         Sacred                                        Sacred
 To the memory of                        To the memory of
        William                                       Sarah
      Lawrence                                    Wife of
Who departed this life                 William Lawrence
      April 7 1857                        who departed this life
  In the 86th year of                        Nov. 21 1855
         his age                                   (aged 80 yrs)

                       


















                        Erected
                           by
William, George & James Lawrence
                      In Memory
                    Of their father
               William Lawrence
  Who departed this life July 2nd 1822
                      --------
 Our father, dear long struggled here
       His years will tell four score
    Hope and trust he’s now at rest
         Trouble knows no more.



 The record below was found at the Boultenhouse Heritage Museum.  I didn’t take a shot of the stone as I couldn’t read it. The stone should be the third from the left in the picture below.

            Erected in memory of
      Huldah, the wife of William                                      
       Lawrence and three of their
     Children who lie near this stone
Their Son David November 27th 1777
          Aged 7 month; died and
 Their Daughter Huldah died March
         23rd 1782 Aged 3 years.
  Their Son Nathan died April 25th
          1795 in his 20th year.
 And Huldah Lawrence the mother
  Departed this life January the 14th
   1803 in the 57th year of her age.

(also) D.L., H.L., N.L., and H.L., [footstone]
Did not see these … maybe under turf – future excavation?


       Nathan Lawrence
                 Died
           April 21 1875
                AE 74
           Also his wife
                 Ann
        Died June 7, 1844
                AE 39

           Martha Ann
                 Died
            March 1847
                 AE 9
          Thos Ansley
       Died Oct. 16 1848
                                                         AE 22
                                               Children of N & A                         
                                                      Lawrence

NOTE:  I think this is part of the family of George and Mary Eddy Lawrence, but not sure as the record that I have of their ‘Nathan’ is born  in 1820 … according to the tombstone, he would have to be born in 1801.


The text below from records in Boultenhouse Heritage Museum … Stone is too covered with moss to actually read at this time – need to be cleaned in the future.


   Eddy Lawrence
            Died
December 20th 1818*
           AE 19



George Lawrence                Joseph Lawrence
          Died                                        Died
   Sept. 1, 1829                          April 7, 1860
  Aged 57 Years                        Aged 46 Years

        Mary                                Eddy Lawrence
   His wife died                                   Died
  Sept 19, 1867                           Dec 20, 1834*
  Aged 91 Years                          Aged 19 years

* I believe this date as recorded on the monument stone is in error if one compares it to the Headstone for ‘Eddy' [Confusion of year w/ Sibling Olive?]

 
Olive Lawrence
          Died
    Dec. 23, 1834
   Aged 29 Years

 Mary Lawrence
          Died
    June 6, 1830
  Aged 11 Years

Rebecca Bulmer 
(Rebecca Lawrence)
         Died
   July 9, 1859
 Aged 40 Years

                                          John & Nelson
                                                 Died
                                               Sons of
                                        Rebecca Bulmer


       Sacred to the Memory of 
                 Elijah Ayer
  A Native of Norwich Connectcut
   Who died the 16th Nove, 1799
              In his 73rd Year


                         (Thomas Ayer is also next to Elijah)
                                          Thomas Ayer
                                               Died
                                         May 24, 1829
                                        Aged 62 years














Taken from records at Boultenhouse Heritage Museum as stone is too deteriorated to read …


                [In Memory of]
                       Mary
     Daughter of George & Mary
    Lawrence who died June 6th
      in the 11th year of her age
                   And also
                     Olive
    Their daughter who died [in]
1834 in the 23rd year of her [age]





Nelson Lawrence
    1815 - 1897


               J. Elizabeth
                     Died
               April 5 1878
            Aged 4 yrs, 9 mos.
                Little Mary
                     Died
              April 13, 1878
           Aged 2 yrs, 2 mos.
          Children of Jane &
           Nelson Lawrence

                    Four lines of epithet – need to be cleaned
                                    So it can be read – Future Trip

   Sarah Jane
      Wife of
Nelson Lawrence
   1842 - 1919










Section 4                            


Laben Lawrence  (This Eileen's GG-grandfather)
         Died
  July 17, 1875
   Aged 69 yrs



Elizabeth (1st Wife)
                                                                                       Wife of
                                                                                Laben Lawrence 
                                                                                         Died
                                                                                   Nov 17 1864
                                                                                  Aged 58 years

  Lucretia A. (2nd Wife)
             Life of
     Laben Lawrence
        1828 – 1909





Look for more to come in part two ... Westcock Cemetery

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Bostonian History

I've been reading a biography of Benjamin Franklin, by Walter Isaacson over the past few months purely for my own edification.  A few weeks ago I finished it.  In the epilogue, I found one entry that was simply amazing to me.  Beside the American persona he has become, he was first and foremost a business man.  Of course, history tells us he resided mainly in two cities during the course of his lifetime ... Boston and Philadelphia.  At the time of his death in 1790, he left an unusual provision in his last will and testament.

He noted that, unlike the other founders of the country, he was born poor and had been helped in his rise by those who supported him as a struggling artisan.  "I wish to be useful even after my death, if possible, in forming and advancing other young men that many be serviceable to their country."  So he designated the £2,000 he had earned as President of Pennsylvania - citing his often expressed belief that officials should serve without pay - to be split between the towns of Boston and Philidelphia and provided as loans, "at 5 percent per annum, to such young married artificers" who had served apprenticeships and were now seeking to establish their own businesses.  Isaacson, Walter; Benjamin Franklin, An American Life; pg 473 & 474.

Isaacson goes on to say that these funds were not completely exhausted until 2001!  For some reason that fact stuck in my mind and I put the book away on my library shelf

Well ... jump to a few weeks later ... I have been going over the Winnek Genealogy again.  As I was reading the notes regarding John Winnek, my 4th Great Grandfather, in Kelly McGean's "Genealogy of Some Descendants of Frederick Winnek ..." (*), I came across the following note.

"Boston City Document 81" is a report of the Trustees of the Franklin Fund and their efforts in support of young mechanics.  On page 20 of that document the following is written.  "It appears from the Book of Applications to the Franklin Fund that the following young mechanics, many of whom were enrolled among Boston's most honored citizens, applied in the year 1791 for the benefit of this donation, and were its first recipients ... May 31, 1791, John Winnek, Saddler, granted 120 dollars."

It seems that my great grandfather was one of the first recipients of Benjamin Franklin's gift to the city of Boston!  Who knew?!


John Winnek




* on a sad note ... as I was interested in knowing more information regarding this publication, I reached out to contact Kelly McGean.  Unfortunately, as of late March, he and his wife were traveling in Europe and died in a plane crash.  On behalf of the family, I have sent our condolences to his son James and family.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day 2011

  

On this day let us stop and remember those who have 
served our country in times of war and peace, 
both living and departed.  

We salute you!

Leslie deMille Lawrence
Spencer O'Neal
William M. Schuessler
Burton Bair
Henry 'Hank' Schuessler
William Clinton O'Neal
Micheal Shouse

 I know that there are many other family members to be recognized on this 
Memorial Day 2011

We also recognize ...

Steven deMille Lawrence
Craig Martin Lawrence
Matthew Steven deMille Lawrence
Cyril Lawrence

Family members ... if you have a photo of a family member listed or not-listed above,
send it to me and I'll add it.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Old Photos - Paul and Alice (Nanny) Muller

Haven't posted in a while due to a lot going on at school ... end of the year stuff.  So here are some flashback memories of Nanny and Grandpa Muller ... and then some :-)



Thanksgiving at Lucretia and Spencer O'Neal's - 1967 
 (from L-R) Lois Muller, Dorothy Parker, Alice Muller, Brian Muller

Paul Earnest Muller - (Grandpa) - Gebweiler - c.1902?


Richmond Versatile Orchestra
Paul Muller at the Piano

Meurot Club Orchestra
 Paul Muller at the Piano

Jim Mahoney Orchestra
 Paul Muller at the Piano

Alice R. Muller (nee Rasmussen)

 I believe both this picture and the one below are taken at 
Castleton Avenue, Staten Island

Thomas Rasmussen, Alice R. and Paul Muller
Thomas was a big man, but this picture also shows that Paul was not that tall.  
(hmm, maybe that's why I'm so short!)