1869 Handwritten Martha Safford Letter & Envelope
1869 letter to Martha Safford of Farmington NH, sent from her sister Bella. The letter is written on plain paper, with black ink. The handwriting is a beautiful script, but grammar slips sometimes and there are several writing cross outs.. The letter opens with pleasantries and regret for having not written Martha sooner. In the document she discusses Martha going to school, boarding with her aunt, a sister Marie, and coming to visit Bella and her mother.
Condition: Good. Paper is in good condition, but the ink is beginning to noticeably fade.
Size: 4"x5"
FHS-Kyle Leach
Bella Safford
1869
The Family History Of Benjamin And Abigail Pray Ham 1644-1940
A bound 48 page book detailing the family history of Benjamin and Abigail Pray- Ham of Farmington. Typed mostly on onion paper and with photos added throughout. Complied in 1940 by their granddaughters Louise (Stone) Jones and Katherine Ham Stone. The book also had a two sided note which has been included as a separate file. Presented by the author to the Farmington NH Historical Society in January of 1953.
Size: 9" x 11.5"
FHS-Kyle Leach
Complied in 1940 by their granddaughters Louise (Stone) Jones and Katherine Ham Stone
Complied in 1940 by their granddaughters Louise (Stone) Jones and Katherine Ham Stone
1940, the books covers 1644-1940
Donated by Lorraine Meyer
1880 Graduation Exercises Farmington High School Booklet
A bi-fold booklet of the 1880 Graduation Exercises of the Farmington High School. The event was set for eight o' clock, Thursday July 1, 1880 at the Congregational Church in Farmington, NH. Music was planned, as well as eleven speakers, including the Salutatorian and the Valedictorian.
FHS-Kyle Leach
Farmington High School
Farmington High School
1880
Donated by Lorraine Meyer 2018
Article Lucy Dodge Death Memorial Farmington News, Page2, 1896-07-31
Lucy Dodge death and memorial article from the Farmington News, Page2, July 1896. Lucy Dodge was a well known figure during her life in Farmington and is one of the most notable black historical figures in the local record. <br /><br />Note this article cotains biases from the period.<br /><br />The article reads:<br /><br /><p><em>The death of Mrs Lucy Dodge, after</em><br /><em>a long period of ill health daring which</em><br /><em>she was most carefully attended, re-</em><br /><em>moves one of whom can be said "She</em><br /><em>hath done what the could."</em></p>
<p><em>A forlorn little black child, the was</em><br /><em>brought from Virginia in the latter part</em><br /><em>of the civil war, by the late Mrs James</em><br /><em>B Edgerly who was formerly Miss</em><br /><em>MarthaE. Fernald of South Berwick</em><br /><em>In the Fernald home Lucy wsa given</em><br /><em>a kind and amiable training, in. all</em><br /><em>available ways, and up to the time</em><br /><em>when her mind grew clouded by disease</em><br /><em>she was a loyal and loving servant to</em><br /><em>the misstress by whom she was regarded</em><br /><em>with affection, arnd to be her family She</em><br /><em>became in 1877 a member permanently</em><br /><em>of the household mi Mr James B. Ed-</em><br /><em>gerly of North Main Street.</em></p>
<p><em>Religion was a great deal to Lucy,</em><br /><em>and the was made early in her Northern</em><br /><em>life a member of a church in South</em><br /><em>Berwick She enjoyed contributing</em><br /><em>toward the maintenance of worship and</em><br /><em>the auxiliaries of local church work,</em><br /><em>and it gave her greet pleasure to make</em><br /><em>holiday or birthday gifts to her friends</em><br /><em>among those with whom she was asso-</em><br /><em>ciated</em></p>
<p><em>She had no acquaintance with people</em><br /><em>of color but was devoted to “her family "</em><br /><em>Of the household of her happy home</em><br /><em>there remain only Mr Edgerly and his</em><br /><em>younger daughter to sorrow for the loss</em><br /><em>of one so true and faithful , yet there</em><br /><em>is content in view of her merciful release</em><br /><em>on last Saturday, from imminent suffer-</em><br /><em>ing</em></p>
<p><em>The funeral took place on Tuesday</em><br /><em>afternoon to charge of Mr J P Tib-</em><br /><em>betts. Fitting remarks were made by</em><br /><em>the Rev S. H Goodwin, and appro-</em><br /><em>priate singing waa given by Mr and</em><br /><em>Mrs. )D W. Kimball. Mrs. A E. Put-</em><br /><em>nam, and Mr E. E. Carlloo Inter-</em><br /><em>ment waa made in the Farmington</em><br /><em>cemetery, beside the grave of Mrs</em><br /><em>Edgerly.</em></p>
<p> <br /><br /><br /></p>
FHS-Kyle Leach<br /><br /><br />FHS-Kyle Leach
Farmington News
Farmington News
1896-07-31
Black & White Portrait Pike Sisters Farmington NH
A black & white portrait of the Pike Sisters of Farmington, NH smiling and standing together, finly dressed in day attire dresses. A back of a chair is being used as a prop to the right of the sisters. The photocard is quite elaborate with a marbled effect and an inner decorative frame around the photo that seems to pull from the Art Nouevou period.<br /><br /><br /><em>From Forgotten NH:</em><br /><br /><em>Ellen (Pike) Murphy (1912-1948) and Madeline (Pike) Clarke (1911-1996) were born in Farmington, New Hampshire to parents John and Elizabeth (Cloutman) Pike. </em><br /><br /><em>Biddeford-Saco Journal (Biddeford, Maine): "Mrs. John Murphy Dies At Age Of 35. Mrs. Ellen Pike Murphy, 35, wife of John P. Murphy, died Sunday at the Glencliff sanatorium, Glencliff, N.H., after a long illness. She had been in failing health for the past 15 years, and had been at Glencliff for two years. She was born in Farmington, N.H., the daughter of J. Elver and Elizabeth Ellen C. Pike. She graduated from Farmington high school, and Hesser Business College, Manchester, N.H., and the New England School of Fine Arts. She came to the city in 1930 and was employed as a secretary-stenographer until they move to Farmington. She married in 1936 and has one son, L. Michael, 6. Besides, her husband and son, she is survived by her father; a sister, Mrs. John L. Clark., this city; a brother, John E. Pike, New York City, and a nephew and three nieces. Funeral arrangements will be announced later."</em><br /><br /><em> Madeleine Pike was married twice—to John Lewis Clarke (three children) and Gerald E. Miller. Records indicate that she was a student nurse in 1930, worked as an attendant floor lady in 1940, and as an office worker for an automobile salesman in 1950.</em><br /><br /><em> I purchased this well-preserved portrait taken at a studio in Biddeford, Maine at an antique shop in Scarborough, Maine several months ago. The Pike Sisters’ excited cousin in T</em>he Granite State will be receiving their photo this week! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is a digital file and does not reside in the physical museum collection.<br /><br />FHS- Kyle Leach<em><br /></em>
H.P. Poisson, Photographer, Main Street Biddeford, ME
Digital File Forgotten NH
H.P. Poisson, Photographer, Main Street Biddeford, ME
Digital File Forgotten NH
Early 20th Century
H.P. Poisson, Photographer, Main Street Biddeford, ME
Digital File Forgotten NH
Wedding Photo Cheryl Dee Whitten and James Lewis Mitchell, III Puddledock Press June 1986
Cheryl Dee Whltten, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dean Whitten.Sr., of Farmington, and James Lewis Mitchell, III, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Lewis Mitchell, Jr., of Farmington, were united in marriage on May 3, 1986, in a ceremony at the First Baptist Church in Farmington. Reverend Harold Richards officiated. The couple plans to reside in the Lee - Durham area.
These photos are stored together. They are from different periods of time. Last pulled together for possible use in May 1986.
RKL-FHS
Photo by J. McCoy
May 3, 1986
2018 Announcement of the Goldie Goslin Boston Post Cane Presentation & Photo of Goldie Goslin & Her Family
2018 PDF version of the announcement of the Goldie Goslin Boston Post Cane & Photo of Goldie Goslin & Her Family at the Presentation.<br /><br />The text of the document reads: <br /><br /><em>Boston Post Cane Presentation</em><br /><br /><em> Goldie Goslin became the 34th recipient of the Farmington Boston Post Cane on February 9, 2018. </em><br /><br /><em>An official ceremony was held on April 13, 2018 in the Selectmen’s Chambers. In attendance were her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and extended family. Lots of pictures were taken. It was a family reunion! Town Officials, representatives of the Police and Fire Departments and Town Offices were also in attendance. Town Administrator Arthur Capello presented Goldie with a replica of the Boston Post Cane inscribed with her name and date of initiation. </em><br /><br /><em>Goldie was born on November 26, 1919 and according to her daughter it was somewhere in Northern Maine in a place they called Frenchville. We now know it as Ashland Maine. Goldie and her husband Victor moved to their home in Farmington over 70 years ago. They had seven children. Sadly Goldie lost one of her children, a son, early in his life and Victor died in 1989. She worked in local shoe shops but her main focus in life was raising her family. To this day Goldie still lives in the same house. </em><br /><br /><em>Congratulations to Goldie!</em> <br /><br />FHS-Kyle Leach
The Goslin Family
The Goslin Family
April 2018
Donation by The Goslin Family
Framed Photograph Westbury Gates Hodgdon
Westbury Gates Hodgdon Enlisted Dec. 9, 1861 as a private in the 8th Regiment N.H. Volunteers. Discharged Natchez, MS January 15,1865. This item is a digital file and is not in the physical museum collection
FHS-RKL
Unknown
Kathy Blair (granddaughter to Maud Hodgdon)
Photograph Maud Hodgdon & Friends
Maud Hodgdon & Friends with bicycles. This is a digital file and cannot be found in the physical museum collection. Cyclists are identified as Bessie Scruton, Maude Hodgdon, Jessie Harrison and Minnie Pinkham
Unknown
Kathy Blair(granddaughter to Maud Hodgdon)
Henry Wilson-Commissioned Child's Rocking Chair
Jeff Durell of Barrington has loaned this item to the Farmington Historical Society for viewing and we now have digital photos of the chair that we will keep in the online museum. It is a small child's rocking chair, purportedly commissioned for Henry Wilson's niece by Henry Wilson himself. While there is no documented proof, he has anecdotal information and letters from Senator Wilson in his possession which substantiate the claim. He is related to Wilson by marriage and has genealogical documentation.
FHS-RKL
Unknown
Unknown