Taken from the Fitchburg Sentinel, Dec 28, 1946:
Miss Alice Blanche Cochlin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Cochlin of 12 Jerry Street, and Richard Edward Houle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Houle of 67 Falulah Road, were married this morning in St. Bernard's Church by Rev. Donald F. Mullen.
Mrs. Marjorie Davies was her sister's attendant, Clarence H. Houle was his brother's best man. A reception at King's Corner restaurant followed the ceremony. The couple will make their home at 106 Whalom Rd.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
A brief history of Fitchburg
Fitchburg Mass was and is home to many of my Houle's, Seguin's and Coughlin's.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FITCHBURG
The Land surrounding Turkey Hills was a wilderness until 1718. Records of 1663 indicate that an absentee proprietor purchased this wild country and in ensuing years this property changed hands many times. Conflict with the various Indian tribes discouraged settlements in this area any closer than Lancaster. The Nashaway Indians who had never settled permanently in the vicinity fled almost completely after the unsuccessful war of King Phillip in 1675. The sparsely populated region was rich in game and provided fine hunting for Indians and whites alike. In 1718, Samuel Page cut the first clearing in what is now Groton, but it was not until 1735 that his son headed west and built his garrison in Fitchburg. The frontier was settled very slowly as hostilities between England and France encouraged Indian bounty hunters to attack isolated garrisons. In 1748 Indians carried off John Fitch and his family to Canada; the father and children returned from captivity the next year. The bloody war between France and England with its corollary of Indian hostilities lingered on until 1761. By this time the people were ready to turn their hearts and hands to peaceful productivity on their farms.
Settlers in the westerly part of Lunenburg, Amos Kimball, Samuel Hunt, and John Fitch, sought for three years to incorporate as a separate township. In 1764 this was accomplished and the name of Fitchburg -"a synonym for heroism" - was chosen. Farmhouses from this era, such as the Gibson Garrison on Pearl Hill, still stand.
Fitchburg's tranquil development was shattered by the advent of the Revolution. With a total population of about 800, at least 169 Fitchburg men joined the Continental Army and fought in the battles for independence from England. Many of the soldiers faced worse economic tyranny and poverty in their return home. Many residents moved on; -many more moved into Fitchburg. It was a time calling for fresh energy and new ideas.
Shortly after the Revolution, Fitchburg citizens were embroiled in a debate over where to locate the town center - either on the fertile Dean Hill or along the Nashua River. The river location was finally chosen when Captain William Brown donated his land for the town meeting house. This turned out to be a wise decision since the river was to play a major role in the development of Fitchburg in the 1800's.
As early as 1750 the value of the river had been recognized. The Kimball brothers used the river by constructing a dam to power their Gristmill and saw mill. Slowly, other mills were established along the river, including the third cotton mill in the United States. Generally, the mills were diversified in activity and owned by local residents: Brown's Clothier Works , Farwell's Scythe Shop, Kimball's Fulling and Carding Mills, and Burbank's Paper Mill. Factory Square., located near the current site of the Fitchburg Savings Bank was the center for the bustling industrial community. Many of these mill buildings and workers' housing still stand as witness to Fitchburg's industrial heritage.
Soon after his arrival in 1823, the young paper manufacturer, Alvah Crocker, foresaw Fitchburg's potential as a water-powered industrial city. However, transportation of goods over Fitchburg's rocky and hilly terrain was a serious drawback: he was determined to construct a railroad and by 1845 the track reached Fitchburg from Boston. This ushered in three-quarters of a century of industrial expansion, rapid growth, prosperity and fame for Fitchburg.
Fitchburg was somewhat unique in that a number of local people discerned the city's potential, and with their own resources and creative inventions spurred the rapid development of a great and diversified manufacturing city. Large quantities of paper, textiles, machines, saws, chains, guns, axle grease, bicycles, and shoes were produced. Alvah Crocker again helped the local industries when he initiated and advocated the extension of the railroad to the West by drilling the Hoosac Tunnel. By 1875, Fitchburg was linked to the vast western markets by direct rail connection, and industry was thriving.
Along with the growth of industry came the growth of neighborhoods. Most buildings were built during this Victorian era. This was directly related to the rapid population growth from 3,883 people in 1845 to 31,531 people in 1900. Different industries and different decades of time attracted various ethnic groups. These people settled either near particular industries or in certain neighborhoods. The older New England families had already established themselves near the downtown. The Irish and later the Italians lived near Water Street. The Finnish lived near Mechanic Street and the Greek neighborhood was on W. Main Street. The English, many of whom worked in the Crocker-Burbank Paper Mills, lived in West Fitchburg, while the French-Canadians settled in Cleghorn. Churches and small commercial businesses became the focal point of the neighborhoods.
During this time of materialistic prosperity, Fitchburg was not without its social reform movements. The issues of child labor, prison reform, women's suffrage, temperance ( of alcohol and tobacco) and slavery, as well as ethnic prejudice within Fitchburg were important topics of conversation and action. The Underground Railroad was supported by many prominent people in the city. A whole group of Fitchburgers set off to Kansas to insure that that state would enter the Union as a Free State. Fitchburg lost 142 soldiers in the Civil War. Fitchburg, industries were pouring out products - shoes, uniforms, blankets and guns - for the war effort. The Civil War soldiers returned to a situation of expanding productivity, especially in the direction of mechanized industry. Joe Cushing's grain business, Rodney Wallace's paper mills, Ebenezer Butterick's pattern making company, Iver Johnson's arms shops, Burleigh and Brown's engines and Simonds' manufacturing products were solid ventures in the city's productivity.
Fitchburg became a city in 1872. The major commercial area in the downtown flourished, and the primary institutions such as the courthouse, hospital, library, opera house and municipal buildings were nearby. The pattern of the built environment was simple and clear. Factories were next to the river. The residential neighborhoods grew on the slopes of the hills near to the river. The commercial areas developed between the residential and industrial areas, especially where the floor of the river valley was wide. Transportation affected the development. There were no automobiles, so everything was situated compactly for one walking to shop or to work. Major roads and rail lines followed the river. Later, the streetcars followed the river with loops extending into the more built up neighborhoods.
Industrial expansion and growth continued until shortly after the turn of the century. By 1900, the major growth in the country was occurring further west. Fitchburg's growth leveled off. The "Golden Years" of the city came to a close.
In the 1900's, the upper middle class began to move out to more "suburban" homes. This was in part made possible by the advent of the car. Neighborhoods began to lose their economic diversity and stability. Neighborhoods left with a poorer population began to decline. Later in the 1900's, the local industries began to-change ownership. Local owners sold out to national corporations. The industrial leadership which for so long had controlled much of the city was passed on to a leadership which had limited interest in the city other than those things directly connected with their industries.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FITCHBURG
The Land surrounding Turkey Hills was a wilderness until 1718. Records of 1663 indicate that an absentee proprietor purchased this wild country and in ensuing years this property changed hands many times. Conflict with the various Indian tribes discouraged settlements in this area any closer than Lancaster. The Nashaway Indians who had never settled permanently in the vicinity fled almost completely after the unsuccessful war of King Phillip in 1675. The sparsely populated region was rich in game and provided fine hunting for Indians and whites alike. In 1718, Samuel Page cut the first clearing in what is now Groton, but it was not until 1735 that his son headed west and built his garrison in Fitchburg. The frontier was settled very slowly as hostilities between England and France encouraged Indian bounty hunters to attack isolated garrisons. In 1748 Indians carried off John Fitch and his family to Canada; the father and children returned from captivity the next year. The bloody war between France and England with its corollary of Indian hostilities lingered on until 1761. By this time the people were ready to turn their hearts and hands to peaceful productivity on their farms.
Settlers in the westerly part of Lunenburg, Amos Kimball, Samuel Hunt, and John Fitch, sought for three years to incorporate as a separate township. In 1764 this was accomplished and the name of Fitchburg -"a synonym for heroism" - was chosen. Farmhouses from this era, such as the Gibson Garrison on Pearl Hill, still stand.
Fitchburg's tranquil development was shattered by the advent of the Revolution. With a total population of about 800, at least 169 Fitchburg men joined the Continental Army and fought in the battles for independence from England. Many of the soldiers faced worse economic tyranny and poverty in their return home. Many residents moved on; -many more moved into Fitchburg. It was a time calling for fresh energy and new ideas.
Shortly after the Revolution, Fitchburg citizens were embroiled in a debate over where to locate the town center - either on the fertile Dean Hill or along the Nashua River. The river location was finally chosen when Captain William Brown donated his land for the town meeting house. This turned out to be a wise decision since the river was to play a major role in the development of Fitchburg in the 1800's.
As early as 1750 the value of the river had been recognized. The Kimball brothers used the river by constructing a dam to power their Gristmill and saw mill. Slowly, other mills were established along the river, including the third cotton mill in the United States. Generally, the mills were diversified in activity and owned by local residents: Brown's Clothier Works , Farwell's Scythe Shop, Kimball's Fulling and Carding Mills, and Burbank's Paper Mill. Factory Square., located near the current site of the Fitchburg Savings Bank was the center for the bustling industrial community. Many of these mill buildings and workers' housing still stand as witness to Fitchburg's industrial heritage.
Soon after his arrival in 1823, the young paper manufacturer, Alvah Crocker, foresaw Fitchburg's potential as a water-powered industrial city. However, transportation of goods over Fitchburg's rocky and hilly terrain was a serious drawback: he was determined to construct a railroad and by 1845 the track reached Fitchburg from Boston. This ushered in three-quarters of a century of industrial expansion, rapid growth, prosperity and fame for Fitchburg.
Fitchburg was somewhat unique in that a number of local people discerned the city's potential, and with their own resources and creative inventions spurred the rapid development of a great and diversified manufacturing city. Large quantities of paper, textiles, machines, saws, chains, guns, axle grease, bicycles, and shoes were produced. Alvah Crocker again helped the local industries when he initiated and advocated the extension of the railroad to the West by drilling the Hoosac Tunnel. By 1875, Fitchburg was linked to the vast western markets by direct rail connection, and industry was thriving.
Along with the growth of industry came the growth of neighborhoods. Most buildings were built during this Victorian era. This was directly related to the rapid population growth from 3,883 people in 1845 to 31,531 people in 1900. Different industries and different decades of time attracted various ethnic groups. These people settled either near particular industries or in certain neighborhoods. The older New England families had already established themselves near the downtown. The Irish and later the Italians lived near Water Street. The Finnish lived near Mechanic Street and the Greek neighborhood was on W. Main Street. The English, many of whom worked in the Crocker-Burbank Paper Mills, lived in West Fitchburg, while the French-Canadians settled in Cleghorn. Churches and small commercial businesses became the focal point of the neighborhoods.
During this time of materialistic prosperity, Fitchburg was not without its social reform movements. The issues of child labor, prison reform, women's suffrage, temperance ( of alcohol and tobacco) and slavery, as well as ethnic prejudice within Fitchburg were important topics of conversation and action. The Underground Railroad was supported by many prominent people in the city. A whole group of Fitchburgers set off to Kansas to insure that that state would enter the Union as a Free State. Fitchburg lost 142 soldiers in the Civil War. Fitchburg, industries were pouring out products - shoes, uniforms, blankets and guns - for the war effort. The Civil War soldiers returned to a situation of expanding productivity, especially in the direction of mechanized industry. Joe Cushing's grain business, Rodney Wallace's paper mills, Ebenezer Butterick's pattern making company, Iver Johnson's arms shops, Burleigh and Brown's engines and Simonds' manufacturing products were solid ventures in the city's productivity.
Fitchburg became a city in 1872. The major commercial area in the downtown flourished, and the primary institutions such as the courthouse, hospital, library, opera house and municipal buildings were nearby. The pattern of the built environment was simple and clear. Factories were next to the river. The residential neighborhoods grew on the slopes of the hills near to the river. The commercial areas developed between the residential and industrial areas, especially where the floor of the river valley was wide. Transportation affected the development. There were no automobiles, so everything was situated compactly for one walking to shop or to work. Major roads and rail lines followed the river. Later, the streetcars followed the river with loops extending into the more built up neighborhoods.
Industrial expansion and growth continued until shortly after the turn of the century. By 1900, the major growth in the country was occurring further west. Fitchburg's growth leveled off. The "Golden Years" of the city came to a close.
In the 1900's, the upper middle class began to move out to more "suburban" homes. This was in part made possible by the advent of the car. Neighborhoods began to lose their economic diversity and stability. Neighborhoods left with a poorer population began to decline. Later in the 1900's, the local industries began to-change ownership. Local owners sold out to national corporations. The industrial leadership which for so long had controlled much of the city was passed on to a leadership which had limited interest in the city other than those things directly connected with their industries.
Fitchburg, Mass
parade, Fitchburg Fraternal Order of Eagles marchersprobably in the 1940s
Main St.,Fitchburg
Thursday, July 26, 2007
More on Maximillian
Name is Von Wille Maximillian...not sure on the spelling. Supposedly Von Willie (just a guess on the spelling according to how it sounds) is the first name. He was born in Berlin. Died about age 55 and buried in Ky.
I sent away for the divorce cert, hoping that answers some questions and hoping the death records of a Max Wille, died 1934, age 55 in Jefferson Kentucky gives me alot of info to go on.
I sent away for the divorce cert, hoping that answers some questions and hoping the death records of a Max Wille, died 1934, age 55 in Jefferson Kentucky gives me alot of info to go on.
Guilleaume Seguin-Isaie's father
Federal Census of 1871 (Ontario Index)
SEGUIN , GUILLEAUME
Sex:
Male
Age:
55
Birthplace:
QUEBEC
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Origin:
FRENCH
Occupation:
FARMER
District:
PRESCOTT ( 075 )
Sub-district:
Alfred ( F )
Division:
0
Page:
65
Microfilm reel:
C-10,011
Reference:
RG31 — Statistics Canada
SEGUIN , GUILLEAUME
Sex:
Male
Age:
55
Birthplace:
QUEBEC
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Origin:
FRENCH
Occupation:
FARMER
District:
PRESCOTT ( 075 )
Sub-district:
Alfred ( F )
Division:
0
Page:
65
Microfilm reel:
C-10,011
Reference:
RG31 — Statistics Canada
Isaie Seguin born 1862 South Plantagenet
Isaie Seguin is my great, great grandfather.
South Plantagenet Township
This township is bounded on the north by North Plantagenet, east by Caledonia, south by the counties of Stormont and Glengarry, and west by Russell. The land is level, and in most parts the soil is good. Considerable attention has been given in past years to hop-growing, but owing to the present low prices of hops, a number of the farmers have decided to abandon this industry. There are thirty hop-yards in the township, raising annually from one to six tons each ; the largest hop-field comprises 14 acres. There are ten cheese factories in this township. A peculiarity in the physical features is a Ridge a few feet in height, which crosses the township from east to west, varying but little in altitude the whole distance. The soil on the Ridge differs materially from the lower land, and for this reason is adapted to the raising of different crops.(a description from 1896)
South Plantagenet Township
This township is bounded on the north by North Plantagenet, east by Caledonia, south by the counties of Stormont and Glengarry, and west by Russell. The land is level, and in most parts the soil is good. Considerable attention has been given in past years to hop-growing, but owing to the present low prices of hops, a number of the farmers have decided to abandon this industry. There are thirty hop-yards in the township, raising annually from one to six tons each ; the largest hop-field comprises 14 acres. There are ten cheese factories in this township. A peculiarity in the physical features is a Ridge a few feet in height, which crosses the township from east to west, varying but little in altitude the whole distance. The soil on the Ridge differs materially from the lower land, and for this reason is adapted to the raising of different crops.(a description from 1896)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Could this be my Maximilian breakthrough?
Still not sure, but I did find this divorce, which looks promising:
In Dade County Florida, 1930
Nell Marie Wille divorced Maximilliam A. Wille
I hope that is the one...it would solve a big mystery!
In Dade County Florida, 1930
Nell Marie Wille divorced Maximilliam A. Wille
I hope that is the one...it would solve a big mystery!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Help, I've hit a brick wall!
Not sure where to go from here. My brickwalls name is Maximilian. Don't know his first name and my mother is sure that his LAST name is Maximilian. He is my g grandfather. All I know is that he is German, was a bookie for Al Capone, was shot and killed by Capone's mob and is buried in Kentucky. He married a Nell M Foley (My g grandmother). She was born in Illinois in 1906. They had a daughter named Patricia Ann born 1927 in Dade County Florida. Nell and Patricia are on the 1930 Florida census listed as Wilson. Sometime between 1927-1930 she divorced Maximilian and married Wilson, whom she remained married to for the rest of her life, moving from Florida, to Maryland, then to California. Maximilian supposedly threw Nell out of a window for not giving birth to a boy. He also spent some time in jail.Nell was a journalist in Florida.I have found Nell on the 1910,1920 and 1930 census but cannot find a record anywhere linking her to a Maximilian.How do you suggest I find info on my Maximilian?
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Who is Maximilian??
First name unknown, last name is Maximilian, dob unknown and place of birth unknown. All I do know is that he was married to Nell M Foley who was born in Illinois in 1906. Together they had 1 child, a girl, Patricia Ann born 6NOV1927 in Dade County, Florida. Maximilian was a bookie for Al Capone and later was gunned down and killed by Capone's mob. He is buried somewhere in Kentucky.
Nell divorced Maximilian shortly after the birth of Patricia. Maximilian had thrown Nell out a window for not having a boy. Nell remarried a man by the name of James Wilson and the family moved to Maryland, then later to San Diego. Maximilian and Nell would be my bio great grandparents.
Nell divorced Maximilian shortly after the birth of Patricia. Maximilian had thrown Nell out a window for not having a boy. Nell remarried a man by the name of James Wilson and the family moved to Maryland, then later to San Diego. Maximilian and Nell would be my bio great grandparents.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Patricia Ann Foley or Wilson?
Looking for any info on Patricia Ann Foley or Wilson. Not sure which is the correct maiden name. She was born 6NOV1927 in Dade County Florida. Rumor has it her fathers name is Maximillian and he was a bookie for Al Capone. Supposedly he threw his wife out a window (Patricia's mother) and she remarried a man who moved them to Virginia where Patricia was raised. I see a Patricia Ann Wilson on the 1930 census, but not sure if it is this one.
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