A Londonderry NH Haunted House: The Ghost That Banged At the Door

Posted on 30 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Portion of 1892 map of Londonderry NH showing the location of the “M. Morse Estate.”

Somewhere in Londonderry New Hampshire, along “the road leading from Nashua to Derry Depot” reportedly is a haunted house. In 1882 the old Barker Farm was owned by one Moody Morse who put it up for sale, because reportedly he’d been unable to keep it rented for long. George C. Butler of Pelham purchased the place in 1882, and almost immediately he became aware of a ghostly presence. At least this is what the newspapers claimed. Continue reading →

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Poem: A Ghost Story

Posted on 29 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Just a prohibitively pithy poem about periodic dyspathy in time for Halloween.

A GHOST STORY.

“Out of their dark abodes
I have roused up the screech-owls.

 

Through the rents
Of the gray mouldering walls they
are fled out,

Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Groton

Posted on 28 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Old Postcard Greeting from Groton NH. Property of J.W. Brown.

Groton is a small, bucolic town in Grafton County New Hampshire that includes the village of North Groton. Groton had about 250+ permanent residents during the WWI era (ranging from 319 people in 1910 to 199 by 1920). Of these less than 2% percentage of their population was sent to service (this was not unusual among the smallest towns, and really the majority of NH towns provided the same amount). Not all the young men who left for military service would return–Napoleon Houle and Fred Arthur Marshall being two.

My personal thanks to Elizabeth Jesperson of the Groton Cemetery Committee, and Kathy Sobetzer of the Groton Historical Society for going above and beyond to help me to write this article.  In addition Elizabeth graciously provided some of the photographs you see here. Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Wolfeboro

Posted on 27 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Pre-WWI postcard of view in Wolfeboro NH. Courtesy of J.W. Brown

At least one hundred and ten men by the count on the Wolfeboro WWI monument, went off to serve in the United States military in various branches during World War I. When the war ended, not all would return, for three died in service — Harry A. Harriman, Fred Pearson and Samuel Valley. Each of their names is marked with a star on the WWI Honor Roll. Continue reading →

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WWI Hero of Manchester New Hampshire: Frederick Parker Perkins (1897-1941)

Posted on 26 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Croix De Guerre

Frederick Parker Perkins is twice a hero.  He served twice during World War I, first in an American ambulance company before the United States entered the war, and again in Headquarters Company, 77th Field Artillery, 4th Division with the United States Army.

In this second service he saw action at some of the major battles of that terrible war: Marne-Aisne, Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives.  He was also (probably) the first New Hampshire man to be awarded the French Croix de Guerre during WWI for bravery under fire while driving an ambulance in 1917. Continue reading →

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