Great programming at Lanesville Community Center like this special event next week with a visiting scholar. You can help with research! Check your family libraries:
Cape Ann Finns: A Literary History
Tuesday, July 23rd, 3-5:00 p.m.
Prof. Kirsti Salmi-Niklander of the University of Helsinki will lecture on newly-discovered materials in the rich Finnish-American literary history of Lanesville and Rockport, where Finn Halls and families shared books, newspapers, political broadsheets, poems, and songbooks in Finnish. Salmi-Niklander’s research has uncovered the 1903-1925 issues of the hand-written newspaper Walotar, which would have been read aloud at meetings of the Salon Leimu Temperance Society in Rockport. Also found are an 1899 children’s primary reader and other books reflecting both the immigrants’s strong ties to Finland and their evolving assimilation in America, including the development of “Finglish”, a unique blend of Finnish and English languages. Prof. Salmi-Niklander would also be delighted to see other Finnish-American literature from Cape Ann, so if you have inherited some old books or newspapers and can find them in your attic or on your bookshelf, please bring these along to the lecture. All to be enjoyed with the traditional afternoon coffee and Nisu.
Summer 2019
☀☀🌻🌻🌻HAPPY SUMMERTIME LANESVILLE🌻🌻🌻☀☀
🍦🍦🍦🍦August 4th ICE CREAM SOCIAL🍦🍦🍦🍦
and Childrens Program 4-6pm
Come Enjoy Ice Cream and selected readings from “Life Story” by Virginia Lee Burton
Check out your local weekly classes at the Community Center
☯Power Yoga with Paige Amaral☯
Monday Nights 7-8:15pm
☯Karate with Matt Natti☯
Tuesday and Thursday Nights 7:00-8:30pm
All are Welcome
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In conjunction with the African-Americans and Maritime History Exhibit from the Massachusetts Commonwealth Museum, From Slavery to Freedom, on view in the Matz Gallery, Stephanie Buck, a local expert on Gloucester History, will share information regarding the effects of slavery on Cape Ann.
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Annotated illustration: Note gardens on properties abutting City Hall. William Haskell’s lots spread between Dale and Pleasant (#44 now) streets and beyond where Carroll Steele is located now, numbered 32 Pleasant Street, rear when he lived there. On the 1884 Hopkins and 1899 Stadly maps the lot is identified where the new post office is now.
Another Haskell (Cpt. John Haskell) was associated with 34 Pleasant (former Moose Home*), and Melvin Haskell with 136 Main Street. *The house history trail for 34 Pleasant (THEN 26 Pleasant): Pearce-J. Haskell-Calef-Moose Lodge (razed 2011)-Cape Ann Museum parking lot. This area could be an African American history stop spotlighting both abolitionist and antiabolitionist connections.
Street numbers were shifted. Behind #44 Pleasant Street now (below)
44 Pleasant Street 2018
William Humphrey Haskell
Dates: b.January 23, 1810 – d.August 26, 1902 Parents: Eli (b. 1776 Gloucester, MA) and Lydia (Woodbury Bray) Haskell Brother: Epes Grandfather: Elias Haskell First Wife and two daughters: Sarah Ann Bray (1811-1836) “died September 12, 1836 leaving two daughters* now deceased, one of whom (Sarah*) married a Mr. (Thomas*) Symonds of Reading and the other (Judith*) married Edwin Bradley of Rockport and was the mother of Mr. Edwin Archer Bradley* of Gloucester, Mass.” E Archer Bradley was Captain Sylvanus Smith son-in-law. E Archer Bradley is listed in the 1913 Polk directory as Vice President of the Gloucester Mutual Fishing Insurance Co and Director Rocky Neck Marine Railway Company.
Second Wife and six children: Mary S. Smith (died August 15, 1889) Married July 19, 1838. They had six children: “William G. Haskell of Washington, DC, Col. Edward H. Haskell and Charles A Haskell of Newton, Frank A. Haskell of California and Mrs. Saddie, wife of Samuel W. Brown of this city. One son, Asaph S. Haskell, laid his life on the altar of his country at Morehead City, N.C., September 28, 1863, of yellow fever while a member of Co. C, Twenty-third Regiment, where he had gone awaiting transportation home, his death occurring on the date of the expiration of his term of enlistment.” Raised: West Gloucester, learned the trade of shoemaker according to obituary Gloucester 250th Anniversary: served as Vice President of 250th celebration committee Residences: 44 Pleasant Street (was between Dale and Pleasant streets and beyond where Carroll Steele is located now) formerly address 32 Pleasant Street, rear– either may have evidence Undergound Railroad. Haskell’s lots spread between Dale and Pleasant.* Another Haskell (Cpt. John Haskell) was associated with 34 Pleasant (former Moose Home) and Melvin Haskell with 136 Main Street.
Biographical information I dug up and researched then confirmed at Gloucester Archives August 29th with a special thanks to Sandy and Sarah with Gloucester Achives. I wanted to confirm Haskell’s address and home, because streets and numbers change on maps over time, and because I knew Sandy could help best with tracking down cemetery information about Haskell’s first wife and the daughters’ names missing from records and I wanted to spotlight her dedicated efforts.
Haskell’s first wife is buried in West Gloucester- historic Sumner St. Cemetery. Haskell and his first wife had two daughters. Sarah Ann Frances, born September 28, 1832 in Gloucester, died young, in December 1853. She married Thomas S. Symonds July 1851. (Haskell and his second wife named one of their daughters, Sarah “Seddie” Symonds Haskell, after his first child.) The second daughter, Judith Goldsmith, born February 20, 1836, married Edwin Archer Bradley on November 8, 1854.
OBITUARY WAS FRONT PAGE NEWS
“OLDEST MALE RESIDENT DEAD: William H. Haskell Closes Life at Age of 92 years- An Original Abolitionist and Life-long Republican
Reminder- Dogtown could be eligible for the National Register. A team of archaeologists began surveying and reviewing Dogtown the week of November 13. Come to a special public presentation TONIGHT – November 29th in Kyrouz Auditorium, Gloucester City Hall, 9 Dale Avenue, at 7pm.
Artistic practice inspired by Dogtown takes on many forms across generations and centuries. I’ve shown examples of 20th century artists and writers connected to Dogtown. Here’s a 21st century one to note: Deborah Guertze, Babson Boulders # (Courage), original small and lovely hand colored etching, ed.50. This particular impression is currently for sale at Rockport Art Association.
“Presenters at City Hall on Nov 29th will include Betsy Friedberg from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, who will explain how the National Register program works and what it does and does not do, and Kristen Heitert from the PAL, who will present an initial plan for defining the boundaries of Dogtown as a National Register District. People attending the meeting will be asked to respond to that plan and to express their views about what makes Dogtown special. What should be the boundaries of the proposed National Register District, and what cultural features should be included in it? What would be the benefits of National Register status, and are there any drawbacks?”
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Good Morning Gloucester 