OUR FAMILY IN MEMORY AND IN REALITYThe family researcher must always be careful to pay attention to the difference between memory and reality.
Case in point. I always get a big kick out of the movie, The Christmas Story. There is a scene in the movie where the main character, a 10-yr old boy, receives a gift from his aunt. The gift is a pink bunny pajama suit. This isn't just pajamas. It is fuzzy suit that completely covers his head, has big floppy ears and two giant bunny feet. He is mortified and does not want to wear it. His parents tell him to try it on and he does. His father calls it a "pink nightmare" and it is.
I always laugh at this scene because I always distinctly remember my brother Charlie wearing just such an outfit when we were kids. It was for Halloween, I think.
This is where memory and reality collide. I was going through some old family photos and came across the picture you see above.
The reality is that it is me in the bunny suit.
Reality hit again when my sister gave me a doll replica of the boy in the movie as a Christmas present. It sits in my breakfront as a constant reminder to check the facts before believing anything, even my own memory.FAMILY IN THE NEWS
One of the most interesting parts of doing family research is finding new "tidbits" of information that help us paint a clearer picture of our ancestors and their lives. In addition to births, marriages, and deaths, we sometimes find glimpses into the past and how they went about their business of daily living.
Burton H. Humphrey, Sr.
Burton was the son of Charles O. Humphrey and the grandson of Elinas and Nancy Humphrey of Waterbury, VT. He was born in 1868 and he and his family in lived in Barre, VT in the late 1800s. The U.S. Census tells us that he drove an ice cart and was the manager at an ice company.
The Argus and Patriot newspaper was a major source of news for the general area around Waterbury and Barre.
December 12, 1891 tells us: "Burton and his brother Charles went home (to Waterbury) for Thanksgiving day. "
On November 16, 1892 : "George McFarland has sold a half interest in his ice business to B. H.
Humphrey."
On Dec. 14, 1898, same newspaper reported: "Bert Humphrey was thrown from his wagon on South Main street last Friday morning and quite badly shaken up. His nose was broken, a big gash cut in his head and he was otherwise bruised."
Ann Humphrey
Sometimes the news was about a death; but, an obit was sometimes more than just names and dates. Ann Humphrey was the daughter of Elinas and Nancy Humphrey. She was always a little bit of a mystery to us. She never married. The U.S. Census shows her at various times living as an adult with her parents, living with her brother Charles O. Humphrey, and working as a servant in the Fullerton household.
The Waterbury Weavings column in the Argus and Patriot of November 29, 1882 ran the following:
"Miss Ann Humphrey left a line in her room at the hotel Sunday night, saying that she had no home, was not well, her head felt bad, was discouraged and they would find her body in the river near the upper bridge, and another letter to her brother, with directions about her funeral. Monday morning they found her shawl and gloves folded on the bank, then tracks to the edge where she plunged into 12 feet of water. Her body was found a few rods below, in shallow water, frozen to the ice. The deceased was at work in the kitchen of the hotel, and had about $1,000 left her by her father several years ago, which had been used up for her support. She was not very strong."
Ann was 46 when she died. She is buried in the same plot in Hope Cemetery in Waterbury with her mother, father and sister Juliette.
The Telephone Comes to Waterbury
Argus and Patriot, June 6, 1883: "The telephone reached Waterbury last Saturday, but the office was not finally decided on up to Monday morning. An office has been opened in Arms & Haines' store and another is talked of at the corner, perhaps it will be at Evans'drug store. Waterbury can now talk with Montpelier, Barre, Williamstown, Middleses, Moretown, Waitsfield and Warren."
Rev. Calvin Moody
Argus and Patriot, September 10, 1879: "Rev. Calvin Moody, son of George Moody (note: husband of Lucia Eddy Moody, niece of Nancy Eddy Humphrey) a graduate of Middlebury College, now at the Theological Institute at Andover, Mass., supplied the Congregational pulpit Sunday and preached an able sermon. "
Argus and Patriot, May 25, 1881: "Rev. Calvin E. Moody, a native of Waterbury, preaching a very acceptable sermon from the text, :Strive to enter in at the strait gate,". Mr. Moody has been preaching about two years, and is at present supplying a pulpit at Center Harbor, New Hampshire, the old and longest know summer resort on Lake Winnipisseogee (sic.), at the north-western end."
Charles O. Humphrey
Argus and Patriot, June 27, 1894: "Charles O. Humphrey, after a long and painful illness, died at his house near the Center last Wednesday. He was a soldier in the late war, a member of Co. I, 13 Vt Vols, and held the rank of Corporal when honorably discharged at the close of the war. He was a member of Edwin Dillingham Post, Grand Army of the Republic and a respected citizen, whose decease will be sincerely mourned by his family and many friends. Mr. Humphrey was 53 years old and leaves a wife and six children. "
Horace Humphrey
Argus and Patriot, July 20, 1881: "C. C. Warren has bought for $250, it is reported a chestnut gelding 16 hands high and weighing about 1,000 pounds of Horace Humphrey, keeper of the poor farm." (Note: this is interesting because we never knew that Horace ran the Waterbury poor farm. It is even more interesting to note that a man named Ira Humphrey took over the running of the poor farm after Horace. We cannot find a family relationship between the two; but, you can bet that we will keep looking. Seems like a big coincidence.)
Ira Humphrey
Argus and Patriot, March 19, 1884: "Ira Humphrey, who is in charge of the town farm, is reported to have been married at Brookfield a week ago last Sunday, to Miss Ida Shonio of Duxbury." (Note: this is interesting because we have family who married into the same Shonio family.")
Argus and Patriot, November 8, 1899: "Divorces Granted, Ida Humphrey, Waterbury, vs. Ira Humphrey; intolerable severity."
LATE APRIL BIRTHDAYS
20 Jennifer Humphrey, Joseph Corbonara
21 Sabina Walsh McDonnell, Rachel Roadcap
22 David H. Salyers, Gretchen Evirs, Edward Purvee
24 Jenifer Purvee, Brent Mingus
25 Nicole St. Hilaire
26 Phyllis Purvee
27 Kenneth Humphrey, Kenneth Clark
30 Shelton Silverman, Kristine Frankel, Ashley Morgan
MAY BIRTHDAYS
Date unknown: Thomas Jefferson Mansfield, William Evirs, Squire Harper Davis, Orissis DesLauriers.
1 Susan T. Robinson, Irene (Humphrey) Kelley, Susan Tolle
3 Caitlin Purvee
4 Vera Shonio, Rosa Davis
6 Celina DesLauriers, Alma Humphrey
7 Ralph Humphrey, William Rand
8 Ashley Frankel, Lucia Eddy, Thomas Rand
9 Aimee (St. Hilaire) Hutchinson, Nettie Everett Humphrey
10 Maura McNamara
11 Ryan Robinson, Mark Huse Moody
12 Nicholas Mansfield
14 Howard E. Humphrey
17 William Eddy (221 years old today!)
18 Kaithlin Corbonara
20 Chloe Nelson
21 David Vine, Gayle Brewer
22 Edith Nelson, Pamella Nelson
25 Scott Mansfield, Charles Carroll Humphrey
26 Clifford Shonio, Robert Kenneson
27 Francis Rand Humphrey
30 Donna Morgan, Jennifer Turcotte
31 Prosper DesLauriers
NEWEST LEAVES ON OUR FAMILY TREE
Asher John Keltner born February 7, 2008, 8 lbs, 1oz. Parents: Nathan and Anna Keltner.
Jake Paul Pugh born March 11, 2008, 6lbs, 14 oz. Parents: Eric and Wendy Pugh.
OTHER RECENT DISCOVERIES
1. Marriage record for Thomas Astle and Jane Byrne, June 15, 1886 in Angelican-Danville in Canada.
2. Lowell Sun, 1942: First Communion announcement for 109 children at St. Michael's church in Lowell, MA. Among those listed: Paul J. DesLauriers.
3. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment List, 1862, Waterbury, VT. William Humphrey, a one horse wagon worth $75.00 was taxed $1.00.
4. Charles O. Humphrey and Mason Humphrey of Waterbury, listed as part of the junior class of Barre Academy in 1857.
5. Charles O. Humphrey listed as a male member of the Classical Department of People's Academy in Morrisville, VT.
6. Ann M. Humphrey, brother Morton, his wife Ellen, and sister Juliette listed as parishioners of the First Congregational Church, Waterbury, in 1868.
7. Morton Humphrey listed as as a parishioner of Bethany Church, Montpelier, in 1876.
Cousin Richard Evirs and I welcome your comments, suggestions, stories and pictures. If you have information you would like to share, please send it to sastle@comcast.net.
