Showing posts with label Dow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dow. Show all posts

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Treasure Chest Thursday - The Book of Dow

You know you have partially succeeded as a family historian when some member of your family recognizes you as one.  One such moment happened for a me a few years ago when my aunt passed on to me a piece of family memorabilia.  It is a copy of The Book of Dow that was originally in the hands of my great Uncle Omar.  Omar Dow was born to Isaiah & Emily Dow on September 29, 1877.  He died February 7, 1953, a few years before I was born.



I don't know whether he purchased the book himself but I think he might have because he did begin the inscription on the inside cover when he passed the book on to my grandmother Mrs. Ross (Beatrice) Hannon.  She in turn passed it on to her daughter, my aunt Gloria, who passed it on to me.  Here is the inside cover with dates blocked out (not very neatly but...)

 

Besides the information this book contains, I am a sentimental sucker for these kind of things.  Omar held this book, poured over its contents, perhaps along with another relative or two. Then my grandmother probably did the same and on to my aunt.  Now I hold the very same book.  There are a few notes inside on the pages relating to our common Dow line.  I haven't yet tried to figure out who wrote each of them, but I know that those that held this book before me also wanted to know and remember our ancestors.  I love it.  It is sort of like the feeling I have when standing in front of the grave of an ancestor.  I know that other ancestors stood there, perhaps overcome with grief, perhaps fondly remembering.  Right in the very same spot.  What can be better than that or a treasure like this book!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Oliver & Elizabeth Dow

Calais Cemetery
Calais, Washington, Maine


Oliver Buffum Dow
Born: December 27, 1802 Vassalborough, Maine
Died: June 13, 1874 Milltown, Maine
&
Elizabeth Milburn Dow
Born: June 18, 1811 Winsyke, Durham, England
Died: August 8, 1857 Milltown, Maine


Love always to 
my third great-grandparents.




Saturday, February 27, 2010

Surname Saturday - Dow

On my maternal grandmother's side, we find the Dow surname.

Her mother, my great-grandmother was Leilia Elva Dow. Leilia was born January 11, 1881 in Danforth, Washington, Maine.  In the 1900 census her occupation was listed as music teacher.  I guess that helps explain her daughter Beatrice's  (my grandmother) amazing musical talent.  She could play any song she had heard.  My mom has found memories of her playing songs they had heard on the radio.  But back to Leilia.  She was the second wife of Allen Hall who she married on November 30, 1904 in Bradford, Penobscot, Maine.  Tragically, she died shortly after giving birth to a second daughter Ruby Virgie. Leilia died April 24, 1912.  The baby died May 18, 1912.  They are buried next to each other in Peter's Cove Cemetery, Orient, Maine

 
Leilia Dow Hall


Leila's father was Isaiah Lincoln Dow who was born June 3, 1839 in Danforth, Washington, Maine. He was a carpenter, building more than half the houses in Danforth during his 40 years residence there.  He married first Sarah Maxwell about 1865.  They had a son Willard Jefferson Dow.  Sarah died and Isaiah married her sister Emily Judson Maxwell.  They were married on December 22, 1871.  Isaiah died on April 7, 1918 in Danforth.  He is buried in Maple Cemetery, Danforth, Maine. 

Oliver Buffum Dow was born December 27, 1802 in Vassalborough, Maine  He was a millwright, constructing and maintaining mills and their equipment.  He and his family moved about the mill towns along the Maine and Canadian border. Oliver married Elizabeth Milburn on October 6, 1831 in Hopewell, New Brunswick, Canada.  He died June 13, 1974 in Milltown, Washington, Maine and is buried in Calais Cemetery, Calais, Maine.

Oliver's father was John Dow who was born June 4, 1771 in Berwick, York, Maine.   He married Zilpha Lincoln on February 22, 1797 in Vassalborough, Maine.  John and Zilpha were members of the Quaker monthly meetings in Vassalborough.  In March 1803 they requested a removal certificate as they moved on.  The 1820 census shows them in Harlem, Kennebec, Maine.  The 1830 census puts them in Sidney, Kennebec, Maine.  The family finally settled at Branch Mills, pioneers of the town, a hamlet made by clearing the forest.  There was a 30 mile horseback trail to Augusta, marked by blazing the trees, and for some years it was the only way to civilization.  John and Zilpha had ten children.

Moses Dow was born January 7, 1733/34.  He married Hannah Gove on December 8, 1756 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts.  He was admitted to the Quaker Meeting of Dover on December 2, 1759.  He later moved to Berwick, Maine.  Moses died October 31, 1816 in Berwick, Maine. 

Moses was the son of John Dow born about 1698.  He married Patience Swett on April 20, 1731 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts.  He died about 1767.

John Dow was born December 12 1665 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire.  He married Hannah Page on November 27, 1696 in Hampton.  John died November 28, 1744 in Kingston, Massachusetts.

Joseph Dow was born1638 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts.  He was the first Dow born in America.  He was a quaker, a farmer, a trapper and a surveyor.  He married Mary Sanborn on December 17, 1662 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire.  He was appointed to survey the Exeter-Hampton (NH) line in February 1669.  He also led the rebuilding of the municipal sawmill in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire in 1680.  Joseph died April 4, 1703 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire.

Henry Dow, the immigrant ancestor, was born October 6, 1605 in Ormsby, Norfolk, England.  He married Joan Nudd on February 11, 1630 in Ormsby.  In 1637, Henry and Joan came from England to American. Henry died April 21, 1659 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Best 2009 Genealogy Moment

What was my best genealogy moment in 2009?  

I think it has to be yet another photograph (see previous post) sent by a cousin.  I have been participating on www.findagrave.com for almost 8 years now.  I have created memorials for many of my relatives and have added records and/or pictures of headstones for some of the cemeteries near where I live.  Like many of my fellow genealogists, I am somewhat of a graveyard nut.  

This year,  a cousin saw my memorial for Isaiah Lincoln Dow, my great-great grandfather on my mother's side.  She had added a memorial for Isaiah's mother and father,  Elizabeth Milburn Dow and Oliver Buffum Dow.  She emailed me and told me that she had added Isaiah's parents (my 3rd-great-grandparents) including pictures of their headstones and a picture of Elizabeth herself!  She graciously sent me a copy of the photo.  



On the left is my Elizabeth Milburn Dow and the right is her sister Mary Milburn.  I wonderful photo that I could only have dreamed of having.  And what makes it extra special for me is that I think my mom looks alot like Elizabeth.  I'm not sure she agrees but there you go.    What do you think?





I can't thank Lisa enough.  She created Elizabeth's memorial, added a picture of the headstone, added a picture of Elizabeth and then had the kind and generous idea to email me because she could tell I was a relative.  Aren't cousins great!

To see Elizabeth's memorial,  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=29450639