Tea And Rhubarb in Tamworth, New Hampshire

Posted on 31 May, 2008 by Janice Brown

Tea and Rhubarb will be served at the Remick Museum in Tamworth, New Hampshire–but not at the same time!

29 MAY 2007— Remick Museum offers Victorian Tea, on Saturday, June 7th, 3pm.
Join the Remick Museum for a Victorian Tea at the Captain Enoch Remick House on Saturday, June 7, 2008, at 3pm. Enjoy freshly brewed teas, lavender lemonade, tea sandwiches, and delicate cookies. Learn about the history of tea in the boyhood home of Dr. Edwin Crafts Remick, which contains the family's antique furnishings. The fee is $8.00 per person. There are some spaces left, so call 323-8002 to reserve your space. If you prefer to attend in the fall, Victorian Tea returns on September 20, 2008. The Captain Enoch Remick House is located at 26 Great Hill Road, Tamworth Village.

*************
Attend the Rhubarb Workshop on Saturday, June 7th, 10am- 12 noon.
Come to the Rhubarb Workshop on Saturday, June 7, 2008, from 10am- 12 noon. Learn to make some delicious treats using rhubarb, some historic, some contemporary. The workshop fee is $20.00, and pre-registration is required. Materials are included in the fee.  The Workshop is designed for adults; young people age 16 and older are welcome with an accompanying adult. The Museum can now take a workshop registration over the phone using a credit card. To register, call (603) 323-7591 or (800) 686- 6117.

The Remick Museum Store has fresh rhubarb for sale for $4.99lb. Vegetable and herb plants are also available for $2.50 a six pack. Come see the newly expanded Museum Store!

Photo:  Captain Enoch Remick House Docent, Jill Reynolds, and Curator, Winnie Mitchell, serving tea in traditional dress at Victorian Tea. (used with permission)

I hope you join them for these wonderful programs.

Janice

P.S. For those of you who are rhubarb-challenged, here is an article I wrote about the origin of rhubarb!

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Photograph: Tea Served at Remick Museum

Posted on 30 May, 2008 by Janice Brown

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Randolph New Hampshire’s Wellesley College President and Director of WAVEs: Dr. Mildred Helen (McAfee) Horton (1900-1994)

Posted on 30 May, 2008 by Janice Brown

Mildred McAfee was the daughter of Rev. Dr. Cleland Boyd & Harriett (Brown) McAfee.

Dr. Mildred Helen (McAfee) Horton (1900-1994). She was the first Director of the WAVES (Women’s Reserve of the Navy), and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1945

She was born in Missouri in 1900, and died in 1994 in Berlin, New Hampshire. Mildred graduated from a Vassar College in 1920, and received a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. She taught Economics and Sociology, and was Dean of Women at Centre and Oberlin Colleges.

She was the first woman to receive a naval commission and retired as captain in 1946. During World War II she was the first Director of the WAVES (Women’s Reserve of the Navy), and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1945.

On 10 August 1945 while President of Wellesley College, Mildred McAfee married Rev. Douglas Horton in Jaffrey New Hampshire. (He was a widower with children by his first wife). Their brief wedding notice in Time magazine stated, “The bridal gown had a hint of Navy rank: tailored white crepe with gold buttons and gold belt.”

In 1946, she served as a member of the American Education Mission to Japan. After leaving Wellesley, she served on a number of corporate, civic and educational boards. She was Vice President of the Federal Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, and President of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. She was a member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.

On March 12, 1945 her face and story graced “Time” magazine.

In 1959 when her husband Douglas retired from Harvard, they settled in Randolph, New Hampshire, and started a “retreat center” called Horton Center on Pine Mountain. This center was donated to New Hampshire’s Conference, UCC, by Douglas Horton for use as an outdoor ministry.

In 1963 Mildred co-chaired the National Women’s Committee for Civil Rights, and became a trustee for the University of New Hampshire (which she continued for 11 years, and becoming its first chairman of the board).  Her husband Douglas died in 1968.

Janice

*Additional Reading*

-Vassar College Biography & Photograph of Mildred McAfee–

–Notable American Women: Mildred McAfee Horton–

–Obituary, September 4, 1994–
Mildred McAfee Horton Dies; First Head of WAVES Was 94

***************************************************
**PARTIAL GENEALOGY OF MILDRED H. (McAFEE) HORTON**
***************************************************

–Ancestry of Rev. Dr. Cleland Boyd McAfee–

Rev. Dr. Cleland Boyd McAfee, son of John Armstrong & Anna Waddell (Bailey) McAfee, b. 25 Sept 1866 at Ashley, Pike County, [or Fulton] Missouri. He died 4 February 1944 at Asheville, Buncombe Co. NC.  He married 10 August 1892 to Harriett “Hattie” Lawson Brown. She b. 13 August 1867 in Whitby, Ontario Province, Canada and d. 12 July 1959 in Hanover, Jefferson County, Indiana. For twenty years Cleland McAfee was at Park College in Parkville Missouri serving on the faculty, and as college chaplain and choir director. He “pastored” in Chicago, Illinois and Brooklyn, New York. He was on the faculty of the McCormick Theological Seminar in Chicago fromm 1912-1930 and directed the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions (1930-1936). Near the end of his life he resided at “Four Acres” in Jaffrey New Hampshire, and often presented guest sermons at the First Church, Jaffrey Center. He authored religious music (i.e. “Near To the Heart of God,” and was a public author (i.e. “Study of the King James Bible.”) [More about him]   [photo]
[music]  [online book]
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Historical Newspapers > Fitchburg Sentinel (Fitchburg, Massachusetts) > 1944 > February > 5
Dr. C.B. McAfee Dies in NC, 77–Jaffrey, N.H., Feb. 5 — Dr. Cleland Boyd McAfee, 77, a resident of this town, died suddenly last night of a heart attack in an Asheville, N.C. hospital. He had been a patient in the hospital for a week, but his death was unexpected.
Dr. McAfee, father of Capt. Mildred H. McAfee, commandant of the WAVEs and president of Wellesley college, was a formre moderator of the general assembly of the (Northern) Presbyterian church. He was secretary emertus of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, and was a well-known writer. He maintained offices in New York, but spent some time in Asheville, but his home, where he spent most of his time, was at Four Acres here.
In addition to Capt. McAfee, he is survived by his wife, and two other daughters, Mrs. Albert G. Parker, wife of the president of Hanover College, Hanover, Ind., and Mrs. George W. Brown, wife of the pastor of the Presbyterian church in Binghampton, N.Y.
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U.S. Census > 1900 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Platte > Pettis > District 139
McAfee, Cleland Head W M Sept 1866 32 married 8 yrs Missouri Missouri Missouri Professor, Colelge
McAfee, Hattie wife W F Aug 1867 31 married 8 yrs 3 ch 3 living Can-Eng Can-Eng Can-Eng
McAfee, Ruth M. dau W F June 1893 6 single Missouri
McAfee, Catherine dau W F Dec 1896 3 single Missouri
McAfee, Mildred dau W F May 1900 0/21 single Missouri
Howard, Blanch Boarder W F Oct 1879 20 single Kansas MA Can-Eng at school
Copeland, Effie boarder W F June 1879 20 single Kansas at school
—living next door—
McAfee, Howard, Head W M Dec 1861 38 married 14 yrs Missouri Missouri Missouri, Manager Park ?College
McAfee, Lucy wife W F Sept 1861 38 married 14 yrs 6 ch 4 living Missouri PA KY
McAfee, Paul? son W M Jan 1888 12 single Missouri at school
McAfee, John son W M March 1889 11 single Missouri at school
McAfee, Helena dau W F May 1898 2 single Missouri
McAfee Carolyn daughter W F July 1899 3/12 single Missouri
Cunningham, Anna, boarder W F Feb 1881 19 single Missouri Ire Ire at school
Judy, Francis, boarder W F Oct 1893 16 single IL Indiana KY at school
Youngman, Emma boarder W F Dec 1881 18 single PA PA PA at school
Belden, Della boarder B F Sept 1880 19 single Missouri Missouri Missouri servant (house)
—————
U.S. Census > 1910 United States Federal Census > New York > Kings > Brooklyn Ward 20 > District 471
Cleland B McAfee  W M 43 m1x 17 yrs Missouri Missouri Virginia Minister, church
Harriet B McAfee wife, W F 42 m1x 17 yrs 3 ch 3 living Canada-Eng C-E C-E immigrated 1871
Ruth M McAfee W F 16 dau, single Missouri
Cathrine A McAfee  W F dau, 13 single Missouri
Mildred McAfee  W F 9 dau, single Missouri
Eli Parsons M Black servant, 49 m1x 19 yrs servant NC NC VA butler private family
Dovie J Parsons, Black, servant, 39, m1x 19 yrs 0 ch 0 living NC NC NC
————–
1920 United States Federal Census > Illinois > Cook (Chicago) > Chicago Ward 23 > 1270
McAfee, Cleland B. Head M W 53 married Missouri Missouri Missouri Professor McCormick Seminary
McAfee, Harriet B. wife F W 52 married imm 1870 naturalized, Can-Eng Can-Eng Missouri
McAfee, Katharine dau F W 23 single Missouri Missouri Can-Eng secretary, Railroad
McAfee, Mildred Daughter F W 19 single Missouri Missouri Can-Eng
Wiliber Alexander servant M Black 31 Married KY KY Can-Eng Servant-Private Family
Wiliber Ora servant F Black 29 married KY KY KY Servant-Private Family
——————
Children of Cleland B. & Harriet L. (Brown) McAfee:
1. Ruth Myrtle McAfee, b. 24 June 1893 Parkville, Platte Co. Missouri; m. 15 Oct 1914 to George William Brown. He was b. 10 March 1888 in Harrisville, Butler Co. PA; had issue
2. Catherine McAfee, b. 21 Dec 1896 Parkville, Platte Co., Missouri; m. 10 Aug 1920 to Albert George Parker Jr.; had issue
3. +Mildred Helen McAfee, b. 21 May 1900 Missouri, Parkeville, Platte Co., Missouri; she married in 1945 to Rev. Douglas Horton, former Dean of Harvard Divinity School.

Posted in Genealogy, Military of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Women, Not New Hampshire | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New Hampshire's Decoration Day

Posted on 26 May, 2008 by Janice Brown

New Hampshire, like many other northern states, first started celebrating what we call Memorial Day, as “Decoration Day” in 1868.  The charge of decorating the graves of those slain during the Civil War was then performed primarily by the surviving comrades of the dead–“the men who saw and knew their valor, shared their hardships, rejoiced at their successes, and were their earliest mourners.”

In 1868 the Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), Chief John A. Logan issued an order designating May 30th as a memorial day “for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion….”

This is not the first known incidence of decorating the graves of Civil War veterans in the United States. The custom probably began in the southern states, where it is documented that it occurred even before the end of the war. I have no doubt that decorating graves on a date this early probably began in the south.  Anyone in New England who has seen snow fall on Mother's Day will agree with me that flowers are not a practical decoration even at the end of May. 

And in fact, in the early years of Decoration Day, New Englanders often placed wreaths of evergreens instead of flowers.  In April of 1870 the Bangor (Maine) Daily Whig & Courier complained about the date being set too early causing expenses “greater than they need to be [if held] two weeks later when the supply of flowers for decorating would be much larger.”

In general, the early Decoration Day proceeded as follows: “a solemn dirge, a funeral chant, an eloquent and touching address, eulogistic of the bravery of the fallen, and the distribution of flowers and garlands over the graves.” (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, June 19, 1869, New York, NY). 

One such 'eloquent and touching addresses' appears in the Amherst, New Hampshire Farmer's Cabinet newspaper of June 13, 1876:  “The fires of patriotism are not dead. Our people are neither betrayed nor misled. The spontaneous celebration of Decoration Day is not a merely sentimental observance. Underneath all for the fleeting pomp and florid show there is an honest glow of patriotism which needs only a sudden stress to flash it into life. And it is a good sign that our people are this year turning their thoughts back to the great crises which have marked the beginning, growth, struggles and triumphs of the American Republic. As long as we rightly value the services and sacrifices of our own national heroes and statesmen, now removed from the tumults of life, the age of possible heroism is not past.”

A touching poem-eulogy appeared in the May 31, 1869 edition of the Daily Cleveland Herald as follows:

*********************
“Keep My Memory Green“

Beneath the summer sky,
How peacefully they lie
   At rest from wars;
Oh sacred hold the grave
Of each devoted brave,
Who poured his blood to save
   The Stripes and Stars.

Their marches now are o'er,
They wield the sword no more,
   To smite our foes;
No sound of hostile drum
To their low tents may come,
Or break the silence dumb
   Of their repose.

But grateful throngs shall bring
Each year their offering
   Of grief and love;
Bright garlands should be spread,
And tribute teardrops shed
For patriot heroes dead,
   Their tombs above.

To Thee, oh Lord, our God,
Up from this hold sod
   Our voices rise;
Here freedom's cause maintain
For which our brave were slain
Forbid our making vain
   Their sacrifice.
      *********

Janice

*Additional Reading*

-Memorial Day Observances in NH 2008-

Library of Congress: May 30th, Soldiers' Memorial Day.

-AnceStories–A Civil War Soldier: Pvt. Charles H. ROBBINS (1844 – 1934)–

-Echo Hill Ancestors–Andrew Jackson Boss–

-Small-Leafed Shamrock: A Modern Poet Looks Back on the Civil War–

-Kurious Kitty: Poetry Friday–Thoughts on the Upcoming Memorial Day–

-NPR: Remember the Homeless Vets-

-Atlantic Ave: Another Year, Another Reminder-

–Apple's Tree: Happy Memorial Day–

-Destination Austin Family: Soft Power vs Hard Power–

-GeneaBlogie:The National Cemeteries-

-George Geder: Happy Memorial Day-

-Georgia On My Mind: Memorial Day Observed–

-History is Elementary: Observing Memorial Day–

-Itawamba History Review: Inscribed Names in Monument Reflect Stories of Valor–

-Photo Detective: Military Memories–

-Searching for Family Branches: What Memorial Day Means to Me-

-Millard Fillmore's Bathtub: Memorial Day 2008–

And some articles found here at Cow Hampshire worth repeating:

-The Civil War Nurses-

-New Hampshire Genealogy: The Legend of the Irish Drummer Boy-

-North Barnstead New Hampshire's Harriet P. Dame: the “Florence Nightingale” of The Civil War (1815-1900)-

-Not New Hampshire: Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient: Dr. Mary Edwards Walker (1832-1919)-

Posted in History, New Hampshire Glossary | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Likeness: Harriet McEwen Kimball

Posted on 25 May, 2008 by Janice Brown

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