Monthly Archives: December 2013

New Hampshire’s Famed Checkerologists of the 19th & 20th Centuries

Posted on 28 December, 2013 by Janice Brown

Interesting stories, photographs and genealogical material can be gleaned from  the unlikeliest of sources. In this case it an  antique booklet about American checkers (the game is called draughts in Europe) that caught my eye. Who would have know that … Continue reading →

Posted in History, New Hampshire Men, Really Old News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

New Hampshire’s Santa Claus of 1863

Posted on 24 December, 2013 by Janice Brown

Santa Claus Here comes Santa Claus, with fur-trimmed coat and cap, and beard of icicles! Many a mile he has traveled this Christmas Eve, and many a toy-shop emptied, and father and mother consulted for the children’s sake. How splendid … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Holidays, Really Old News | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Cow Concerns: Is Hotcha Music Bad for Bovine Health?

Posted on 15 December, 2013 by Janice Brown

The federal department of agriculture has gravely suggested that those farmers who have installed radios in their barns to delight the livestock should tune in on softer gentler music. Cows give more milk when contented, it seems, and no cow … Continue reading →

Posted in Cow Stories, Really Old News | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Christmas Doings – Portsmouth NH of 1876

Posted on 10 December, 2013 by Janice Brown

Christmas passes off very quietly here. The break of day was ushered in by the English carolers, who favored the waking residents with their music, while the Kearsarge Fife and Drum Band serenaded many citizens with some equally choice music. … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Holidays, Really Old News | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

New Hampshire Glossary: Tableaux

Posted on 5 December, 2013 by Janice Brown

Also called “Tableau” and “Tableau vivant“, these words describe a custom posed scene consisting of actors (either amateur or professional), often in costume with backdrops, created for  entertainment purposes. One of the most popular stage entertainments of the nineteenth century … Continue reading →

Posted in History, New Hampshire Glossary | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments