New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Exeter

Posted on 10 April, 2017 by Janice Brown

Circa 1910 postcard of Exeter New Hampshire’s Town Hall. The upstairs of this building was renovated in 1919 as a place for World War I military veterans to gather.

At Exeter New Hampshire’s town meeting of March 1919, a committee was appointed to consider the building of a memorial to the soldiers and sailors of the town. They recommended a sum not to exceed $10,000 be appropriated to remodel the upper story of the Town Hall building “to fit it for the use of said soldiers and sailors.” This remodeling would be overseen by a committee with the following members: Albert E. McReel, John A. Green, Albert J. Weeks, Thomas Smith and Thomas McLaughlin.

Also recommended was the employment of noted local sculptor Daniel Chester French, who would design and construct a “suitable memorial to Exeter’s soldiers and sailors” not costing more than $20,000. The committee to oversee this memorial would be John E. Young, Wendell B. Folsom, Albertus T. Dudley and James W. Bixler. Both sums were raised by means of town bonds, with an additional $3,000 raised as part of the town tax for that year. Albert E. McReel, Secretary for the Committee submitted this report. Continue reading →

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100 Years Ago: NH Headlines of April 6 1917–U.S. Enters World War I

Posted on 6 April, 2017 by Janice Brown

April 6 1917 Headline from the
front page of the Nashua Telegraph newspaper (Nashua NH)
stating that war had been declared.

The New Hampshire newspaper headlines of April 6, 1917 greeted readers with bold announcements that the United States was now at war. The Nashua Telegraph added a slightly smaller headline at the top of the front page “McElwain Co. To Have Big Addition” then posted two rows down “President Signs War Proclamation.” On that day the addition of new jobs to Nashua would have felt more important than the conflict in a distant land. Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Phillips Exeter Academy Infirmary Nurse Katherine Patterson Irwin (1870-1918)

Posted on 4 April, 2017 by Janice Brown

Memorial photograph from The Pean, the 1919 graduate yearbook of Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter New Hampshire.

She was born Katherine Patterson Irwin on 14 March 1870 in Dayton, Montgomery County Ohio, the daughter of Andrew Barr & Jane (Schenck) Irwin. Her family nickname was “Kitty,” as shown in the census, and she grew up in Dayton, attending the local schools.

What is known is that she served as a Red Cross Nurse for the A.E.F. in Europe from April 1918 to 24 June 1918  when she died of spinal meningitis,  in Evacuation Hospital, at Baccarat France.  The disease was probably contracted from one of her patients.  It is also known that prior to her enlistment she worked as a nurse in the infirmary (Hooper Building) at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire.  Her photograph (as shown at right) was published in the 1919 graduate yearbook The Pean.

She is not acknowledged (though she should be ) on the WWI memorial plaque in the New Hampshire State House NOR at the memorial of the University of New Hampshire.   She is listed in W. M. Haulsee, F. G. Howe, A. C. Doyle, comp., Soldiers of the Great War, vol. 2 (Washington, D. C.: Soldiers Record Publishing Assoc., 1920), under those from New Hampshire who died from Disease, Rank Nurse. Continue reading →

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The Many Faces of General John Stark of Manchester New Hampshire

Posted on 1 April, 2017 by Janice Brown

Silhouette of John Stark, from A Life of General John Stark by Howard P. Moore, Internet Archive.

New Hampshire residents traditionally celebrate John Stark day on April 25th each year.  This celebratory date is set by New Hampshire Revised Statutes 4:13-l – General John Stark Day, that designates the fourth Monday in April as such.

“And the governor …. shall urge cities and towns throughout the state to observe this day in commemoration of General Stark’s gallant and illustrious service to New Hampshire and his country.” Memorial and commemorative events are held in Manchester (at Stark Park), Dunbarton, Derry, New Boston and Goffstown, New Hampshire. Other events may be held in the Bennington Vermont area.   You need to check local newspapers in these places for details. Continue reading →

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Librarian and Innovator of the ‘Bookmobile’: Farmington New Hampshire’s Mary Lemist Titcomb (1857-1932)

Posted on 28 March, 2017 by Janice Brown

Mary Lemist Titcomb.
Photograph courtesy of the
Washington County Free Library System,
as cited on Western Maryland’s
Historical Library online.
Used with permission.

In 1905 it was an ground breaking idea to bring books directly to people who had trouble getting to the library. Mary Lemist Titcomb was passionate about reading, and making books available to everyone in Washington County, Maryland.

She started off by creating book collections in local public spaces such as churches, schools and post offices until there were 66 of them. A delivery truck would refresh and exchange the books on a regular basis. Then feeling she could reach more people, she began using a book cart to deliver books to families.

At first using a horse-drawn “Library Wagon,” and later a motorized vehicle the program expanded its services beyond library buildings to stopping at schools, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and anywhere people lived or met. “No better method has ever been devised for reaching the dweller in the country. The book goes to the man, not waiting for the man to come to the book,” Mary stated in her “Story of the Washington County Free Library.” Continue reading →

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