Category: Plymouth

Folklore, Plymouth1 Comment

Tombstone Tuesday: An 18th Century Graveyard “Haunting” in Hingham, Massachusetts

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Advertisements Just in time for Halloween, a bit of historical haunting debunking… By the 1820s, Dr. James Thacher of Plymouth, famed Revolutionary War surgeon and doctor, was on a mission: to provide scientific or medical explanations for superstitions he had encountered. He gathered evidence from medical journals as well as anecdotes from learned friends near and far and compiled An Essay on Demonology, Ghosts and Apparitions, And Popular Superstitions. Also, An Account of the Witchcraft Delusion at Salem, published in 1831. He reported the following story: “Were all the supposed apparitions and spectres to be met with the intrepidity displayed … Continue reading Tombstone Tuesday: An 18th Century Graveyard “Haunting” in Hingham, Massachusetts

Artifacts, Plymouth, Research1 Comment

Amanuensis Monday: The Broken Indenture of Ezekiel Sprague Jr. of Scituate, Mass.

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Advertisements While performing research in Scituate, Massachusetts town records, I came across an unusual record from a town meeting (edited slightly for spelling):  25 May 1767 Upon the Petition & Request of Ebenezer Mott setting forth that he about four years ago took by indenture an apprentice named Ezekel Sprague to learn the trade of a cordwainer & to provide for him til he should arrive to the age of twenty one years he being now about 13 years old but so it is that yt Ezekel has been for some time troubled with uncommon fits and it is doubtful … Continue reading Amanuensis Monday: The Broken Indenture of Ezekiel Sprague Jr. of Scituate, Mass.

Artifacts, Plymouth, Research2 Comments

Treasure Chest Thursday: Framing the Past: Identifying Crapo Family Ambrotypes

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Advertisements I recently had an article published in American Ancestors (published by NEHGS) which explored my journey of identifying a mysterious set of ambrotypes which were found in my grandfather’s workshop. These were the ambrotypes that were discovered tucked away in my grandfather’s desk, placed out of sight for years, which had never been seen by my grandmother: Click on the image below to read the full article and discover how this mystery was solved! As I stated in the article,  Henry Emerson Crapo and Isabella Frances Lannigan’s daughter Ada Marion (Crapo) Howland had three children. So if any cousins have labeled duplicates of these … Continue reading Treasure Chest Thursday: Framing the Past: Identifying Crapo Family Ambrotypes

Artifacts, Plymouth4 Comments

Sibling Saturday: 1860 Letter from Ellen J. Bonney of Hanson, Mass. to her brother Otis L. Bonney of Boston, Mass.

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Advertisements Below are scanned images, a transcription, and explanatory footnotes of a letter written on 18 March 1860 by fifteen-year old Ellen Josephine Bonney (b. 22 Feb. 1845) of Bonney Hill, South Hanson, Mass. to her older brother, twenty-one year old Otis Lafayette Bonney (b. 2 Dec. 1838) who at the time was working for Daniel Allen & Co. in Boston, Mass. They were both the children of Ezekiel Bonney and Angeline White of Hanson, Mass. Three years after writing this letter, Ellen J. Bonney married Noah A. Ford at East Bridgewater in 1863. In addition to reporting local news … Continue reading Sibling Saturday: 1860 Letter from Ellen J. Bonney of Hanson, Mass. to her brother Otis L. Bonney of Boston, Mass.