New Hampshire Glossary: Pop Robin

Posted on 20 July, 2008 by Janice Brown

Pop Robin is a term that used to be popular in New Hampshire’s early days, but one that most of today’s residents may have never heard.

Pop Robin was a type of boiled milk pudding created using a simple recipe. It consisted of boiled milk that was slightly salted, butter added, and then thickened with a batter of wheat flower dropped into it gradually. If available cinnamon was added and sometimes a sweetener.  The lumps of scalded flour formed a “pop” or small buttons in the pudding. Continue reading →

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New Hampshire’s First State Park Administrator aka "Mr. Recreation": Russell B. Tobey (1903-1978)

Posted on 18 July, 2008 by Janice Brown

Russell B. Tobey was born in 1903 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

His family moved to Temple New Hampshire when he was 7 years old. His father Charles served several notable positions including that of New Hampshire state Senator, and governor (1929-31).

Russell graduated from Manchester High School in 1923, Derryfield Academy in 1924 and later attended Dartmouth College. In 1935 he applied for a job looking after New Hampshire’s public recreation areas. He was paid $25 a week and had use of a state pickup truck. He retired 36 years later (in 1970).

In 1935 about 250,000 people visited the recreation areas.  By 1970 almost 4 million people were visiting New Hampshire’s state parks, historic sites and wayside areas. He went from a budget of $11,500 a year to that of $3 million.

Russell Tobey was appointed as New Hampshire’s Director of Recreation on July 1, 1946, and appointed as Director of the Division of Parks April 1, 1962.

According to a 1973 Portsmouth Herald article, he was “a conservationist and a visionary who expounded on ‘optimum’ rather than ‘maximum’ use of the state parks, and he encouraged private campgrounds all over the state. A second article stated, “Tobey hadn’t endeared himself to many people because of his all-consuming interest in the growth and protection of New Hampshire natural resources. To Russ Tobey anyone who encroaches on these gifts from Providence is tempting the fiery coals of Hell and Tobey wouldn’t be hesitant to give them the final push. ” Much of this Parks’ prosperity has been due to Russell Tobey and his “continuing, stubborn battle to give our grandchildren a real heritage.”

He established “New Hampshire Day,” to help acquaint the people of New Hampshire with their state parks. For one day a year free admission was provided to all New Hampshire residents for all day-use state parks and historic sites, bathing beaches and picnic areas.

Due to his efforts, in September of 1969 the first National Conference on State Parks ever held in New Hampshire occurred. The four-day conference hosted by then New Hampshire State Parks Director, Russell Tobey, began September 28th at Crawford House in the White Mountains and ran through October 1st.  About 300 persons from state and private park interests attended.

In 1954 when the Governor Wentworth Mansion was offered to the state of New Hampshire, by Mrs. J. Templeton Coolidge, the main stumbling block to accepting the gift was the stipulation that the state repair and maintain the building.  Russell Tobey who assisted in preparing the survey for the building urged the governor and councilors “that the work could be done piece-meal and in time, the area could become self-sufficient.”

Also in 1954, at the request of State Parks Director Russell B. Tobey, the Old
Man of the Mountain received his second major physical in the 165th year of his known existence. He was also greatly responsible for the state’s eventual purchase of the summit of Mount Washington, and for the conversion of Fort Dearborn to the current Odiorne State Park.

In 1965 he received the Pugsley Medal–a prestigious award to recognize outstanding contributions to the promotion and development of public parks int the United States.

On resigning in 1970 he restated the State of New Hampshire’s need for land to protect its existing parks is critical. “Some were not protected when they were originally acquired, and we may have intrusions that may be detrimental to the state’s investment and to the natural resource,” he said… Tobey said another need is to enlarge the park program to include more of the “nature type of program” with nature interpretation and education for youngsters. [October 1, 1969, page 9, Portsmouth Herald]

If there was any real unpleasantness at all during his regime, it happened over the naming of a park. In 1969 while Russell Tobey was still alive, the New Hampshire’s executive council passed a resolution to rename Bear Brook State Park as the Russell B. Tobey State Park. Although well meaning and appropriate, this action “touched off a controversy among many of the residents of the area, complaining it would be expensive to change their signs and reprint brochures.” The Department of Resources and Economic Development then asked the council to rescind this resolution, which they voted to do.

Russell Tobey died July 1978 in Concord, Merrimack County New Hampshire without being fully recognized for his many years of dedication to the parks and people of New Hampshire.

In 1985 the Visitor Center at Odiorne Point (the former Sugden House) became the Russell B. Tobey Visitor Center. Odiorne Point was his final park acquisition (in 1961), and so this honor was fitting indeed.

And so the next time you visit a New Hampshire Park, and especially Odiorne Point, take a moment to honor Russell Tobey who made that beautiful place available to you, and to all of us.

Janice

*Additional Reading*

-Family Tree of Russel B. Tobey-

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New Hampshire: Let Them Eat Corn

Posted on 16 July, 2008 by Janice Brown

The Native People’s of New Hampshire had been growing corn long before the European settlers arrived (it is native to the Americas).

Archeology studies show that the first “Indian corn” was being grown at least 5000-7000 years ago. The plant’s genealogy itself may have come from an ancient “cross between teosinte and gamagrass” (two grasses). Continue reading →

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New Hampshire: How SMITH Played A Role in the American Revolution

Posted on 14 July, 2008 by Janice Brown

The death of the late Joseph Smith of Chester suggested to Colonel George C. Gilmore of this city the idea of looking up the Smiths who served in the Continental armies from New-Hampshire.  As a result he has handed The Union [newspaper] a partial list.


To begin with, there were no fewer than seventeen Smiths from New-Hampshire engaged at Bunker Hill. These were John Smith of Londonderry, Joseph Smith of Plymouth, who was also with Arnold on his expedition against Quebec; Oliver Smith of Meredith, Alexander Smith of Brentwood, Nathaniel Smith of Epping, Samuel Smith of Goffstown, Jonathan Smith of Dunbarton, also with Arnold; Samuel Smith of Bedford, Joseph Smith of Chester, Biley Smith of Raymond, Ephraim Smith of Hollis, Benjamin Smith of Temple, Joseph Smith of Chesterfield, John Smith, second, of Londonderry, William Smith of Salem, and Wadleigh Smith and Jethro Smith, residence unknown.

[Also See a list of ALL men who participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill, from New Hampshire; and a second list compiled by the National Park Service (pdf). ]

This was a tolerable showing of Smiths from one State in a single battle but they were but a small portion of the number of that name in the army from New-Hampshire in the same year–1775.  These others were William and Joseph of Durham, Samuel of Madbury, Samuel of Effingham, Solomon of Stratham, Cheney of Dover, Pearson and Jonathan of Meredith, Joseph of Sanbornton, Israel of Brentwood, Samuel of Portsmouth–all in Poor’s regiment; Trueworthy, Samuel and Elisha of Exeter, Joseph and James of Plaistow, Samuel of Hopkinton, Edward of Weare, David, Samuel and Joseph of Stratham, Joseph and Eliphalet of Newmarket, and Isaac of Amherst; while among those whose residences are marked unknown were Benjamin, Richard, William, Samuel, Elisha, Joseph, Isaac, James, two Daniels, and two Johns–thirty-four Smiths in the army other than at Bunker Hill, fifty-one Smiths in all from New-Hampshire engaged in the War of Independence in the single year of 1775.

SOURCE: “MANY SMITHS IN THE REVOLUTION;” The Granite State Furnished a Large Number of them; From the Manchester (N.H.) Union; reprinted June 19, 1896 in the New York Times.

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Lebanon New Hampshire’s Inventor, Mesmerist, Mental Healer, and "Father of New Thought": Phineas Parkhurst "Park" Quimby (1802-1866)

Posted on 12 July, 2008 by Janice Brown

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby was born in 1802 to a blacksmith and his wife.


They moved to Belfast Maine when Phineas was two years old, and where Phineas apprenticed as a clock-maker. Otherwise he had very little formal education.

In 1838 he began to study a new technique called “mesmerism.” For several years he traveled with Lucius Burkmar giving exhibitions, and attracting the attention of the newspapers and general public. The “History of the City of Belfast in the State of Maine,” reports (on page 419) “In 1844, a successful surgical operation was performed on a lady while under mesmeric sleep, by Dr. A.T. Wheelock; the sleep having been induced by Mr. P.P. Quimby. An account of the experiment appeared in the “Boston Medical and Surgical Journal’ for May, 1845.”

Phineas P. Quimby

Phineas P. Quimby

Over time he developed a practice of mentally aiding healing of those with illnesses, opening his own office in 1859 in Portland, Maine. During the last eight years of his life, he treated over 12,000 ill people, using a technique he called “The Quimby System.”

Mary Baker Eddy (founder of the Christian Science movement) was once a student of Phineas Quimby. One source even goes so far to say that Mary Baker Eddy was loaned Quimby’s unpublished manuscripts, and that “after a long and bitter controversy, Mary Baker Eddy returned Quimby’s manuscripts to Quimby’s family, and in 1921 the Quimby Manuscripts were finally published in book form.”

Quimby believed that disease was caused by “wrong beliefs.” His principles and teachings are sometimes called “Quimbyism.”  He died in Belfast, Maine on 16 January 1866 of an abdominal tumor.

*Additional Reading*

–Sketch of Phineas Quimby, by his son George Quimby-

–The Collected Works of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby–

–Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Resource Center–

–The Quimby Manuscripts (PDF)–

–Dr. Quimby’s Discourse on Science–

Janice

The likeness of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby is taken from The New England magazine, Volume 6, Issue 33, published in Boston MA, March 1888, page 261, as part of a biographical sketch written by his son George (see link above).

*************************************************
***GENEALOGY OF PHINEAS PARKHURST QUIMBY**

Robert Quimby, son of William, b. 1625 in Farnham, Surrey, England and d. 7 July 1677 in Amesbury MA. He m. 7 Jan 1653 in Amesbury MA to Elizabeth Osgood. She b. 1643 in Salisbury MA and d. 1694 in Amesbury MA. They had 7 children including +John Quimby, b. 7 Sep 1665 in Salisbury MA

John Quimby, son of Robert & Elizabeth (Osgood) Quimby, b. 7 Sep 1665 in Salisbury MA, Essex Co MA and d. 23 June 1717 in Newton, Middlesex Co MA. He m. 1687 in Salisbury MA to Mary Mudgett, dau of Thomas & Sarah (Clement) Mudgett. She b. 30 Apr 1667 in Salisbury MA and d. 17 Aug 1710 in Salisbury MA. He m2) 1 May 1713 in Watertown MA to Elizabeth Hyde. She b. 12 Dec 1703 in Newton MA and d. 8 March 1763 in Litchfield CT. He had 10 ch by his first wife, including his son, +Robert Quimby, b. 13 Dec 1701 in Salisbury MA.

Robert Quimby, son of John & Mary (Mudgett) Quimby, was b. 13 Dec 1701 in Salsibury, Essex Co MA and d. abt 1747. He m. 16 Dec 1725 in Hampton, Rockingham Co NH to Judith Sanborn, dau of Benjamin & Sarah (Worcester) Sanborn. She b. 26 Oct 1708 in Hampton NH.
Children of Robert & Judith (Sanborn) Quimby [may be more]:
1. Eleazer Quimby, b. 1728 Hampton Falls NH
2. Asahel Quimby, b. 1735 in Hampton Falls NH; father of Bradbury Quimby who m. Sarah Shackford, dau of John Shackford Jr, in in 1778. Bradbury had a ch. Charlotte Shackford who m. 1800 Capt. Noah Weeks.
3. Elisha Quimby, b. 1738 Hampton Falls NH
4. +Jacob Quimby, b. 20 June 1740 in Hampton Falls NH
5. Sarah Quimby, b. 30 Apr 1743 Hampton Falls NH

Jacob Quimby, son of Robert & Judith (Sanborn) Quimby, b. 20 June 1740 Hampton Falls, Rockingham Co NH and d. 11 Aug 1776 Hampton Falls, NH. He m. abt 1766 in Chester NH to Anna Robie, dau of John & Ann (Williams) Robie, and widow of Jonathan Towle. She b. 28 June 1743 in Chester NH and d. 5 July 1808. They lived in Chester NH on No. 63, 2d P., 2d D where — Palmer later lived.
Children of Jacob & Anna (Robie) Quimby:
1. +Jonathan Quimby, b. 18 Sep 1765 in Chester NH
2. John Quimby, b. 8 Aug 1769 in Candia, Rockingham Co NH; brought up by Col. Stephen Dearborn, and went to Stanstead PQ Canada. He married and his widow married James Varnum, son of James.

Jonathan Quimby, son of Jacob & Anna (Robie) Quimby, b. 18 Sep 1765 in Chester NH and d. 29 Nov [or 30 Dec] 1827 in Belfast ME. He m. 23 March 1790 in Chester NH to Susanna White, dau of William and Mary (Mills) White. She b. 21 Dec 1768 in Chester NH and d. 18 Aug 1827 in Belfast ME. The father, a blacksmith by trade, removed with his family to Belfast ME in 1804 from Lebanon NH, when Phineas was about two years of age [1804]. Their house in Belfast ME on corner of High and Spring street, opposite his blacksmith shop.
Children of Jonathan & Mary (Mills) Quimby:
1. William Quimby b 30 Apr 1792; d. 23 Jan 1879; m. Alphia Waton; Had ch: Aurelia Ann, Julia Maria, Mary Elizabeth, Sarah Elizabeth, Francis Augusta, Ellen Adelaide, William Edward, Herbert Converse, Robert C.
2. Daniel Quimby b 1794; d. 23 Sep 1830; m. Alice Towle
3. Sally Quimby b 15 Dec 1795; d. 6 Feb 1874 in Belfast ME; m. John Wales; had issue
4. Betsy Quimby, b. 25 Dec 1797; d. 23 March 1826; m. Job White
5. Johnathan Towle Quimby b abt 1799 Lebanon NH; d. 4 Dec 1842 Belfast ME; m. 1 Feb 1821 Belfast ME to Abigail Buckmore. Had ch: Betsy, Jonathan T. and Martin White.
6. +Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, b. 16 Feb 1802 Lebanon NH
7. Robert White Quimby, b. 11 Dec 1804; m. 30 Oct 1831 Hannah Giles. Had ch: Frances Olive, Susan, Charles Giles, Annie E., and William H.

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, son of Jonathan & Susannah (White) Quimby was born in the town of Lebanon NH, 16 Feb 1802 [his birth was also recorded in Belfast, Maine not an unusual occurrence] and died in Belfast ME 16 January 1866 of “bilious fever and tumor.”   His parents moved to Belfast Maine when he was 2 years old. He attended the town schools irregularly and was apprenticed to a watch and clock-maker and later not only made clocks but became an inventor of some note. “His education, which was supplemented in mature life by reading, was however, for the most part derived from close observation , and from his own original experiments, his active, penetrating and inventive mind leading him to investigate.” He married 23 Dec 1827 in Belfast ME to Susannah Burnham Haraden, daughter of Deacon William White & Mary Mills. She died 19 April 1875. They are buried in Belfast, Maine.
——————-
U.S. Census > 1860 United States Federal Census > Maine > Waldo > Belfast
P.P. Quimby 58 M [occup] M.D. 3500/1500 NH
Susanna Quimby 57 F Maine
Augusta Quimby 26 F Maine
George A. Quimby 19 M Maine
——————-
Children of Phineas P. & Susannah B. (Haraden) Quimby:
1. John Haraden Quimby, b 14 Feb 1829; d. 27 Nov 1899; m. 21 June 1859 Annie Maria Noyes. She b. 1838, d. 1925. Child: William Henry Quimby, b. 12 Oct 1863, d. 1932. He m. 4 Oct 1866 Annie Blodgett. She b. 1863, d. 1920.
2. William Henry Quimby, b. 19 Apr 1831 Belfast Maine; d. 14 Aug 1857
3.  Susan Augusta Quimby b. 26 Maine 1833 Belfast, Maine, d. 1928; she m. James Woodbury Frederick. He was born 1859, d. 1897.
4. George Albert Quimby, b. 8 June 1841 in Belfast ME, d. 1915; m. 8 June 1885 to Adelaide E. Chase, dau of George S. & Ellen M. (Brown) Chase. She b. 8 Apr 1859, d. 1939. Children: Katherine Chase Quimby, b. 22 March 1887 Belfast ME (m. Harry Carter & Harold Hollingshead); Elizabeth Augusta Quimby, b. 21 Apr 1888 in Belfast ME (m. Charles Chipman Pineo)

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