The Furber Family of Londonderry New Hampshire

Posted on 14 December, 2016 by Janice Brown

john-w-furber2-watermarkedMany of my stories originate from photographs, and this one is no different.  I purchased two of the Furber family of Londonderry, New Hampshire.  Both are tin type photos in a paper jacket, probably taken around the time of the Civil War, in the mid to late 1860s.  The boys pictured are both sons of John S. Furber, a prominent manufacturer of water pumps.

The first photograph is of John W. Furber.  Sadly he died in 1885  at the age of 39.  His younger brother, Elbridge W., died in 1881, aged 18.  Both of these men died from consumption (tuberculosis), a common killer of both young and old in those days. Continue reading →

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The Face of Zora (Drown) Dodge of Piermont New Hampshire (1838-1872)

Posted on 10 December, 2016 by Janice Brown
Zora Drown, later Zora Dodge of Sheffield VT and Piermont NH. The photograph is dated to the years of the Civil War.

Zora Drown, later Zora Dodge of Sheffield VT and Piermont NH. The photograph is dated to the years of the Civil War.

She was born Zora Drown in the village of Sheffield in Caledonia County Vermont, the 8th of 12 children born to Amos & Olive (Crouch) Drown. She married George Dodge, a farmer, and moved with him to Piermont in Grafton County, New Hampshire.

Even today that town has a small population, only 790 residents. During the summer, and also during the autumn tourist season, the population swells a bit.

Zora would have lived in Piermont before New Hampshire really even had a tourist season. In 1850 the town had 948 people, a drop of 10% from the year before. By 1860 the town had only gained one person to 949. By 1870 numbers dipped again to 1792 and the census continued its downward trend to 1970 when it saw 475 people. Continue reading →

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New Hampshire’s First Woman Governor (Acting), Politician, Civic Leader, and Campaign Advisor: Vesta Maurine (Coward) Roy (1925-2002)

Posted on 7 December, 2016 by Janice Brown
Photograph of Vesta Coward from her high school yearbook.

Photograph of a young Vesta Coward (later Vesta Roy) from her high school yearbook.

She was born Vesta Maurine Coward on 26 March 1925 in Detroit, Michigan, the only daughter of  Percy A. & Mildred J. (Paterson) Coward.  She had three siblings, Thomas, Richard, and James. In 1940 her father was an inspector in an automobile factory (per U.S. census).  She attended school in Dearborn, Michigan, including graduating from Fordson High School where she was a member of both the student council and the girl’s field hockey team.

Vesta attended Wayne State University (Biographies differ, one stating she graduated, and a second stating she left college prior to completion to serve in the military during WWII, the latter probably being accurate).  When the United States military deemed her too young, she became a radio operator with the Royal Canadian Air Force (from 1943 to 1945). Continue reading →

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The Face of Eldred Louis Sanborn of Sanbornton NH (1890-1967)

Posted on 4 December, 2016 by Janice Brown
Eldred L. Sanborn of Lochmere, NH

Eldred L. Sanborn of Lochmere, New Hampshire

A 1917-era postcard shows a handsome young man seated before a table. He is dressed in a WWI uniform. On the back of the card in dark ink is inscribed: “Eldred L. Sanborn, Lochmere, N.H.” Lochmere, for those not well versed in the many villages of rural New Hampshire, is an unincorporated community in the towns of Tilton and Belmont in Belknap County, New Hampshire. This gave me a clue as to where to start researching my latest eBay photo find.

The New Hampshire College, (now called the University of New Hampshire) school newspaper of 14 June 1916 shows that Senior student Eldred L. Sanborn received a gold Chase-Davis Memorial Medal. This was a medal awarded by The Glee Club, the gold one going “to the senior who has won his N.H. and stands highest in his studies.” He graduated from the school that same year (1916). The following year he registered for the WI Draft, which brings me to the clothing Eldred wears in this photograph. Continue reading →

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New Hampshire’s December Receipts [Recipes] of 1882

Posted on 1 December, 2016 by Janice Brown

LATEST RECEIPTS. [1882]

white-fruitcake2GINGER CUP-CAKE. A nice ginger cupcake is made of two cups of powdered sugar, stirred to a cream with two cups of butter. The butter may first be warmed until it is soft, but not melted; and three well-beaten eggs, a cup of molasses, four cups of flour, a table-spoonful of ginger, and one of soda, the soda dissolved in a little hot water. Mix well, and bake in buttered gem-pans, in a moderate oven.

WHITE FRUIT CAKE. One cup of butter and two cups of white sugar well beaten together; one cup of milk, two and a half cups of flour, the whites of seven eggs, two even spoonfuls of baking powder; beat all well before adding fruit. Take one pound each of raisins, figs, dates and blanched almonds, and one-quarter of a pound of citron; cut all fine. Stir fruit in last with a sifting of flour over it. Bake slowly. Continue reading →

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