Category Archives: History

He Kept New Hampshire Beds Warm: Concord’s Louis F. Gillette (1857-1937)

Posted on 12 January, 2017 by Janice Brown

In the early twentieth century most New Hampshire homes did not have central heating, and warming pans were in common use. These devices warmed up the sheets, and also kept the bed warm at least for a few hours, especially … Continue reading →

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Faces of the BEAN Family of Brentwood, Deerfield and Derry New Hampshire

Posted on 8 January, 2017 by Janice Brown

The BEAN family arrived early in the colony of New Hampshire. They came from Scotland and made Exeter their home. This story is not an attempt to trace all of the Bean progeny, just that of one John Lyford Bean … Continue reading →

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Concord New Hampshire’s Famed Spiritualist, Medium and Clairvoyant: Sophia (Bradley) Woods Craddock (1837-1909)

Posted on 4 January, 2017 by Janice Brown

This story about Mrs. Sophia (Bradley) Craddock (or her preferred “S.B. Craddock”) started with my purchase of a photograph. Shown here to the left, it was taken in Maurice S. Lamprey’s Washington Square studio in Fisherville, New Hampshire. I can’t … Continue reading →

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2017 — New Hampshire’s Hourglass Has Turned

Posted on 31 December, 2016 by Janice Brown

The hourglass has turned; the last few sands That marked the Old Year now have slipped away, And in his outstretched hand the New Year holds The future of a twelvemonth’s span. Then hail New Year! We bid thee welcome. … Continue reading →

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The Farm Boy Who Built New Hampshire’s Only Silver Industry: Concord’s William Butler Durgin (1833-1905)

Posted on 28 December, 2016 by Janice Brown

William B. Durgin’s silver flatware and serving pieces are today still very much collectible and in demand. During the company’s heyday his Fairfax silver pattern was the leading one in the entire United States. But William Butler Durgin was not … Continue reading →

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