New Hampshire WWI Military: Corporal Odilion Gagne of Berlin NH (1894-1918)

Anseline Odilon Gagne was born 13 December, 1894 in the quaint village of St. Anselme, PQ, Canada to Leon & Louise (Gosselin) Gagne. His siblings included Alice, Napoleon, Lumina, Clarida, Arthur, Lea, Elmire, Marie Louise, George, Maria Anne, Erneste, and Alyre.

He grew up in St. Anselme, moving to Berlin, Coos County, New Hampshire, USA between 1911 and 1917, where gagne-odilon-corp-2-watermarkedhe filled out a WW1 registration form. Although his name in earlier records is “Odilon,” he signed his name as “Odilion.”

This same form shows that he was of medium height and build, with light brown eyes and black hair. In 1917 he was residing at 54 York Street. Continue reading

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World War I Memorials in Concord New Hampshire

Photograph of Commemorative boulder in front of Guyette Pool aka Rolfe Park Pool. Copyright Debbie LaValley, used here with her permission.

Photograph of Commemorative boulder in front of Guyette Pool aka Rolfe Park Pool. Copyright Debbie LaValley, used here with her permission.

Concord, New Hampshire has seven (previously I stated six) memorials to the heroes of WWI and yet many city residents are unaware of them. (There are eight if you count the memorial in Doric Hall of the NH State House). This story, hopefully, will provide knowledge of these tributes, and where they are located so that both locals and descendants can find them.

The list of Concord New Hampshire’s World War I monuments/memorials are:
1. Memorial Field, 70 Fruit Street, Concord NH. Engraved WWI memorial and flag pole.
2. Fletcher-Murphy Park (now called Fletcher-Murphy Play Lot) at 28 Fayette Street in Concord NH.
3. American Legion Post #31 World War I Memorial, 11 Charles Street, Penacook NH.
4. Joseph Guyette Swimming Pool Memorial at Rolfe Park, end of Dolphin Street, Concord NH.
5. Sydney Beauclerk Jr. Monument at Concord Municipal Airport, at the main entrance to the airport, just south of the intersection of Old Turnpike Road/Regional Drive and Airport Road.
6. Brigadier General Charles Doyen monument (used to be a monument and park).
7. WWI Monument to Company M New Hampshire State Guard – White Park

The Concord City web site has general photographs of the three parks, but sadly does not show the monuments, mention any of these memorials, nor cite their location. I welcome comments and additions if you know of more commemorative plaques or memorials that are not mentioned here. Continue reading

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2016: The 8th Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge

Oil Painting: Old woman in apron and shawl, c1876-1909; Otto Henry Bacher; Library of Congress.

Oil Painting: Old woman in apron and shawl, c1876-1909; Otto Henry Bacher; Library of Congress.

Each year for the past seven, genealogist bloggers have been invited to post a bit of poetry about a region, historical event, legend, or a person related to one of their ancestors. If you would like to participate, you can read more about the challenge on Bill West’s blog, “West in New England.”

Although National Poetry MONTH in the United States is in April, today (October 6th) is National Poetry Day in the United Kingdom [per another friend Heather Wilkinson Rojo] I am posting my poetry submission today in honor of poetry and poets everywhere.

Here is the West In New England wrap up post with all the folks who participated in the challenge. Always fun to read them!
Continue reading

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Private Orrin H. Edwards of Antrim NH (1893-1918)

edwards-orrin-pvt-watermarkedOrrin Herbert Edwards was born 26 May 1893 in Derby, Orleans Co. Vermont, son of Gertrude Edwards. It is unknown whether any siblings survived him. Orrin grew up in Sheffield, Vermont, removing to Antrim, New Hampshire between 1910-1914 where his mother lived. Orrin also lived briefly in Hancock NH around this same time.

Orrin’s World War I Draft Registration of June 5, 1917, indicates he was married and living in Hancock, New Hampshire, working as a farmer for Morris Fairfield of the same town. Orrin’s photograph is unusual in that he appears to be wearing distinctive dark glasses. [Editor’s note: this photograph was untouched from the original 1918 one, with the exception of adding my blog URL as a watermark]. Continue reading

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Concord New Hampshire’s First Female Physician: Dr. Lucinda S. (Capen) Hall (1815-1890)

I searched for over two years for a likeness of Dr. Lucinda Capen. Not finding one I settled for this sketch from The story of American heroism, by Lew Wallace, 1897 Medal Winners and Roll of Honor Men (Civil War)

I searched for over two years for a likeness of Dr. Lucinda Capen. Not finding one, I settled for this representation, a sketch from The story of American heroism, by Lew Wallace, 1897.

Mrs. Lucinda S. (Capen) Hall, M.D. was not only Concord, New Hampshire’s first woman physician, but she also was the first woman to receive a medical degree from a New England institution, graduating from the Boston Female Medical College in 1848 and the Worcester Medical College in 1852. She practiced both midwifery and medicine in Worcester and Lowell, Massachusetts,  and Concord, New Hampshire.

[Editor’s note: The first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States was Dr. Elisabeth Blackwell who was born in England, and graduated from the Medical Institution of Geneva College in NY in 1849, see other Women’s Firsts in Medicine].
Continue reading

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