First Parish Church of Derry, about to be raised for foundation repairs

The First Church of Derry, New Hampshire photographed 12 May 2016

The First Parish Church of Derry is undergoing extensive renovations in a major restoration before the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Nutfield settlement in 2019.  The congregation was founded in 1719 when Rev. James MacGregor of Aghadowey, Northern Ireland gathered his flock on the banks of Beaver Lake to found the Nutfield settlement.  The first meetinghouse was built in 1722. This current building was erected in 1769, and is much loved in the Derry community.

These huge steel beams were slid under the church, and will be raised up high

so contractors can build a new foundation. The church will be lowered back down and then extensive

repairs will take place to address structural issues.  This process will take about two years.

The actual lift will probably take place Monday, May 16th, starting in the morning and it will last for several hours.  It should be a fascinating sight to see this old church being lifted from her foundations.

In this photo you can see that the old granite foundation was no longer adequate

for the size and weight of the old church building.

First Parish Church of Derry, rear view, 12 May 2016

This photo was taken last September 2015 when the steeple tower was removed for restoration.

You can read more about this photo at this link:

http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/09/steeple-renovations-for-first-parish.html

The congregation is still meeting in the church hall,
which is behind the old First Church building

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "First Parish Church of Derry, about to be raised for foundation repairs", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 13, 2016,  (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/first-church-of-derry-about-to-be.html:  accessed [access date]).

EuroDisney Opening Day ~ 12 April 1992

EuroDisney opened in Paris on 12 April 1992.  My husband was lucky enough to be over there on a business trip, so he made sure he got over to the new Disney park for this historic moment.  He was greeted in a very Parisian way by Minnie Mouse!

Ooh La La!  Bonjour, Mademoiselle Mouse!

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "EuroDisney Opening Day ~ 12 April 1992", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 13, 2016, (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/eurodisney-opening-day-12-april-1992.html: accessed [access date]).

Would you like to contribute to the Honor Roll Project for Memorial Day 2016?

Veteran's Park, Hooksett, New Hampshire

Please join me in the Honor Roll Project.  Volunteers are taking photos of war memorials and honor rolls, posting them on their blogs and websites, and transcribing the names of all the people listed.  These transcriptions make the names available for search engines, and the names will be available for people searching for family, ancestors and friends. 

I started this project in 2010 with the photos of the Londonderry Civil War monument, and then followed with the other war monuments on the town common, Derry’s MacGregor Park and other local honor rolls.  Other bloggers and photographers were invited to participate.  The email and comments I have read are truly inspiring, and it makes it well worth the effort to transcribe names when you read how family members found their fathers and grandfathers online, or how families searching their family trees find ancestors who served in the Civil War or World War I. 

"I never knew my ancestor was in the Civil War until I Googled his name and found it on your blog! Thanks so much for your project - Charles Chase" 13 Dec 2011

" Thank you! Aina Bernier- daughter of Ernest Albert Bernier, Jr." 27 Jan 2011

If you would like to participate this year, I will be posting a compilation post of all the participating bloggers on Memorial Day, and I will also make those posts permanently available at the new website for the Honor Roll Project. http://honorrollproject.weebly.com/   Every May I publicize the project for Memorial Day, and again every November for Veteran’s / Armistice Day.   

To participate, leave me a comment below or an email at vrojomit@gmail.com   All you need to do is photograph a local honor roll or war monument, and transcribe the names.  If you have a blog, post the story, photos and transcriptions and send me the permanent link for the Honor Roll Project.  If you don’t have a blog, I can post the photo and names for you and add it to the Honor Roll Project, giving you full credit for the photography and transcription.

This is a simple way of saying “Thank You” to all the veterans in our communities. 

The Honor Roll Project:  http://honorrollproject.weebly.com/   

Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Weathercock from Down Under!

Today's weather vane post is number 260!  I'm celebrating by posting a weathervane from way down in Australia!   Can you guess the location?

I post a series of weather vane photographs every Wednesday.  This started with images of weathervanes from the Londonderry, New Hampshire area, but now I've found interesting weather vanes all across New England and across the globe.  Sometimes my weather vanes are whimsical, or historical, but all are interesting.  Often my readers tip me off to some very unique or unusual weathervanes, too!  If you know a great weather vane near you, let me know if you'd like to have it featured on this blog.

Today's weather vane is from a city in Australia... perhaps the most distant weathervane I've ever posted at "Weathervane Wednesday".

Do you know the location of weathervane post #260?  Scroll down to find the answer.

This weathercock was photographed by genealogist Helen Smith from Brisbane, Australia.  She went on the fantastic Unlock The Past genealogy cruise to New Zealand and Australian ports three months ago.  The cruise ended in Perth, where this weather vane caught her eye.  

This weathercock is located atop the steeple of the Uniting Church in the City, on William Street in Perth, Australia.  This congregation came together in 2003 uniting three other communities of worshipers from Ross Memorial (Presbyterian),  Trinity (Congregational), and Wesley (Methodist).  You can read more about this church at the link below.

Weathercocks are very popular for church steeples, and there is a very good reason.  In the 9th century Pope Nicolas I decreed that all churches must show the symbol of a cock (rooster) on its dome or steeple.  The tradition lives on.  The cock is one of the oldest Christian symbols.  Do you remember the bible story of St. Peter, who denied Jesus Christ three times before dawn when the cock crowed?  (Luke 22:34).

Thanks, Helen!

The website for Uniting Church in the City   http://www.perthunitingchurch.com.au/

Helen V. Smith's Genealogy blog   http://helenvsmithresearch.blogspot.com/    

Click here to see all the previous Weathervane Wednesday posts!

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Weathercock from Down Under!", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 11, 2016, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/weathervane-wednesday-weathercock-from.html: accessed [access date]). 

Ten Places to Peruse when you Visit Your Ancestral Home in New England

My daughter at Patton Park (yes, that's Gen. Patton's tank!)
in Hamilton, Massachusetts, where her grandmother
and great grandparents lived on Roosevelt Avenue. 

Every month on the 10th day I publish a "Top Ten" list pertaining to genealogy and family history.  In no particular order here are my top ten suggestions for places to visit when you return to your ancestral hometown in New England to search for your roots…

1.) The Old Burial Ground.  Not, the new cemetery on the edge of town where folks are planted nowadays.  Go find the old colonial churchyard in the center of town.  Usually behind the Congregational church (but not always!).  Visit Find-A-Grave at home so you have an idea of what you are looking for and who is buried there when you get to your New England hometown.  If not, ask the cemetery department or the local historical society for a few clues before you leave home (sometimes they have plot plans and maps).   Don’t forget your camera and bug spray.

2.)  The local coffee shop/ pub.  This is especially fun if it is an old establishment. Some towns in New England still have the old tavern from the 1700s, or the chrome diner where your grandpa took grandma on dates for milkshakes and burgers.  Hang out and ask questions.  Ask the bartender, barista or counter servers if anyone with your surname lives in town.  We did this once and the guy in the next booth shouted out “That’s me!”

3.)  The local public library.  Ask the reference librarian if there is a historical or local history section. Sometimes she will take out a big key and bring you over to a locked room full of local goodies – vertical files, town clerk records, grave yard inventories and genealogies.  Sometimes it is just a shelf or two of local history books.   Ask for the phone book to see if you still have living cousins in town.

4.)  Make an appointment to meet up with someone from the historical society.  Not every town has a building or museum for the local historical association, so sometimes whoever is in charge will meet you at the town common and you can just chat.  If there is a museum, you’ll get a personal tour. If you tell them the families of interest, they can pull materials or research ahead of your visit.  You never know what will happen next if you make an appointment!

5.)  Visit the church where your ancestors worshiped.  Usually it is still standing. It may not be the same building, or it might still be the same building standing from the 1700s.  Even if the building is newer, the congregation is probably the same and the records will be there. Make sure you make an appointment because not all churches are open on days other than Sunday.  Note: many Congregational churches have historians you can consult, and they can show you old records. 

6.)  Go see the school your ancestors attended.  This is New England so lots of school buildings are over 100 years old.  And we tend to recycle old schools into condominiums, senior centers, libraries or what-have-you.  One or two room school houses might now be private homes.  You may not be able to see inside, but it’s still fun to see where great grandpa went to high school, or the one-room school house your great grandmother attended. 

7.)  Find the old homestead.  The historical society or county registry of deeds can tell you where your ancestors lived, or if the house was moved to another part of town. Maybe all that is left is the old stone wall and pasture.  Or there might be a new house on the property.  It’s worth checking out!  If it’s an older house there might be a plaque with your ancestor’s name- something like “Francis Wyman, circa 1666”.  Chat up the homeowners, because they might let you take photos or peek inside.

8.)  Visit the places of employment.  Did your ancestors work in the millyard?  Farm a local pasture?  Own a business downtown?  Work in the railyard?  Teach school?  Use Google maps satellite view or an old city directory to find out where these places of employment were located and if they still exist.

9)  Visit town hall.  Remember that in New England most records are kept at the town level, not at the county courthouse.  If it is a very small town, the town hall might only be open a few days a week, so research the schedule ahead of time.  Or call the town clerk to find out if you can peek at the records.  This is especially exciting if your ancestor was a town clerk or selectman- because some of the records might be in their own handwriting.  Even if your ancestor was a regular Joe, ask to see the actual handwritten birth, marriage or death record in the books.  It’s much more exciting than seeing it online or on microfilm!  Most town clerks are friendly people, and you can judge that if you made a phone call ahead of time.  Bring cookies, flowers, or donuts for the friendly ones and you will have made a good friend you can call up in the future (someone who can look up something for you!).

10)  Did you bring your kids or grandchildren?  Make the trip more fun by including them in on the planning.  What do they want to see?  Even in colonial times the children had fun, so maybe you can research the local swimming hole (kids used to swim there in the 1600s, too).  Find the local playground or park and see who it is named after.  Give them cards with the surname in bold letters and let them loose in the cemetery (prizes for the one who finds the name- be prepared to bring lots of prizes).  Pose in funny postures in front of the civil war statue on the town common.   Find a living history museum (there are so many in New England you can always find one within an hour’s drive).   Buy bonnets and tricorn hats and wear them all weekend.  Eat the local specialties (if you are from away, try the fried clams. lobster bake or the bean hole supper at the fire department on Saturday night).  Don’t forget to have fun!

Enjoy your trip to New England!

UPDATE!  June 24, 2016 -  There is a new group on Facebook
"Heritage Travel for Genealogists".  It's worth joining to learn more!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/geneatravel/  

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To Cite/Link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo,  "Ten Places to Peruse when you Visit Your Ancestral Home in New England", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 10, 2016,  (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/ten-places-to-peruse-when-you-visit.html: accessed [access date]). 

The Mayflower II under renovation at the Mystic Seaport Shipyard

The Mayflower II undergoing repair at the shipyard at the Mystic Seaport Museum

Anyone visiting the wonderful museum at Mystic, Connecticut called Mystic Seaport can see the Mayflower II at the Henry B. DuPont Preservation shipyard undergoing repairs.  This is the historic vessel preservation shipyard in New England.  However, this weekend a small group of lucky members of the Plimoth Plantation Museum (home of the Mayflower II) were able to tour inside the ship while it was under renovations!

Here we are next to Mayflower II

Genealogy blogger June Butka joined us for this very special tour.  Tickets for this event were sold out weeks ago.  We met up with the tour at the Mystic Seaport visitor center and headed over to the shipyard where we heard from Quentin Snedicker of Mystic, and from Whit Perry, the associate director of the Mayflower II maritime preservation project for Plimoth Plantation, and also from Richard Pickering, the deputy director of Plimoth Plantation, about the repairs underway on the Mayflower. 

I wrote about a tour we did with Plimoth Plantation of the Mayflower II when she was in drydock inFairhaven in 2014.  Some of those repairs were found to be inadequate when Mayflower II was in Mystic's shipyard for a short time in 2015.  The new plan is for a complete restoration of the ship at a total cost of $9 million.  This will make the Mayflower II seaworthy, and authentically restored according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects.  Unfortunately, these massive repairs, which include the keel, might take as long as 30 to 36 months.  The plan is to have her returned to her berth in Plymouth harbor in time for the 400^th anniversary of her famous voyage in 1620.

Vincent and June board the Mayflower II 

Notice that the artisans are using traditional wooden tools

New beams installed on the rear half deck 

The Mayflower II was a gift from England to the United States in 1957.  It was a “thank you” for assistance from the US during World War II.  Since 1957 about 25 million people have visited the Mayflower II in Plymouth and in other ports.  This June Mayflower II will return briefly to Plymouth harbor for the summer season, but the real renovation work will begin next fall back in Mystic.  

42 members joined Mystic Seaport staff for this tour, and see how crowded we were?
Imagine 102 passengers in this space in 1620, plus pigs, chickens and 2 dogs,
plus all their belongings and the shallop! For a 66 day journey! 

Below deck you can see new wood joined with wood
from the original 1957 shipbuilders.

Below deck, where the Mayflower Pilgrims stayed during the 1620 voyage,
Whit Perry describes the 1957 ship and her current renovations.

Mayflower II will be pulled out of the water and raised up in drydock where the Amistad (another famous ship from American history) now stands in the shipyard.  Then the most crucial and extensive repair works will begin and last through 2018 or 2019.  This extensive work means that she will not be available to view in Plymouth, but you can keep tabs on her by visiting Mystic Seaport Museum. 

Quentin Snedicker of Mystic Seaport describes the overhaul, standing next to the Amistad in drydock

If you would like to attend a project update about the Mayflower II, Plimoth Plantation's Executive Director Ellie Donovan is holding a meeting on Thursday, May 12th from 6:30 to 7:30pm at the Plimoth Plantation Visitor Center.  Coffee and cookies will be served.  See this announcement online http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=f3c74e7836&id=56d62792cd&e=8cf6024ba3   

Vincent and I enjoyed our wonderful tour of the preservation project

of Mayflower II ongoing at the Mystic Seaport shipyard

You can help keep Mayflower II afloat!  Every gift makes a difference!

Write a check to the Development Office, Plimoth Plantation, PO Box 1620, Plymouth, MA 02362

Make a donation by credit card at www.plimoth.org or call the development office at 508-746-1622 (ext. 8226)

Richard Pickering, Deputy Director at Plimoth Plantation
gave a passionate speech to us during lunch.  

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For the truly curious:

Watch a video of the restoration of Mayflower II at Mystic Seaport   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-KVZ_dhH1M 

Read my blog post about seeing Mayflower II in drydock in Fairhaven in 2013, when the extent of the repair work needed was discovered by the preservation crew:

http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/05/touring-mayflower-ii-in-drydock.html 

Plimoth Plantation webpage for Mayflower II  http://www.plimoth.org/what-see-do/mayflower-ii

The webpage for donations towards Mayflower II restoration  https://plimothplantation.cloverdonations.com/save-our-ship/

 

Old tools and new tools being used by the
preservation crew at Mystic shipyard

-------------------------------------

Thank you to June Stearns Butka for some of the photography! 

Published under a Creative Commons License

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The Mayflower II under renovation at the Mystic Seaport Shipyard", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 9, 2016, (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-mayflower-ii-under-renovation-at.html:  accessed [access date]).

Family Reunions 2016

The 2015 Wyman Family Reunion
Descendants of Francis Wyman, Burlington, Massachusetts

Summer is the time for family reunions!

The following list of family reunions and family association meetings are taking place in New England, or are families descended from New England settlers.  If you know of one I didn’t list, please email me at vrojomit@gmail.com or leave a message in the comments:

In chronological order:

DOANE see the website  http://www.doanefamilyassociation.org/dfacalendar.html

WILSON - May 20, at Topsham and Harpswell, Maine, contact Delia Wilson Lunsford of Virginia and Terry Wilson of Maine via Facebook.  Registration link online: http://teamwiztech.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=fc5d41525a3483ab03059dc5b&id=582114a098http://teamwiztech.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=fc5d41525a3483ab03059dc5b&id=582114a098

DODGE Family Association Reunion, May 21, 2016 in Simi Valley, California. For descendants of William Dodge who came to Massachusetts in 1629.   Please contact Judy at raganje@aol.com

WINCHESTER Family Reunion,  June 17 – 19, 2016, at Digby Pines, Digby, Nova Scotia.  For descendants of Nathan Winchester, who came to Nova Scotia from Framingham, Massachusetts about 1760.  For registration and schedule of events contact Jim Greenwood at thewinchesterreunion@gmail.com and for genealogy information contact Mr. Schani Biermann at ussenterprise1701@accesscomm.ca

WING Family National Reunion, June 24 – 26, in Holmes County, Ohio.  For descendants of the Rev. John Wing and his wife Deborah of Sandwich, Massachusetts.  http://www.wingfamily.org/reunions.html

THAYER Family Reunion, July 1 – 4, 2016 at the historic Thayer Hotel at West Point, New York.  http://www.thayerfamilies.com/   

STILES Family Reunion, July 7 – 10 at Himrod, New York, Showboat Motel at 3434 North Plum Point Road.  http://www.stilesfamilyofamerica.org/reunion/

BEARSE/ BARSE Family Reunion  - July 9 at the Pine Ridge Campsite, Westville, NY.  A Catered lunch will be available $8.50/plate ($4.25 for children under 12) Contac the reunion committee for a from at barsereunion2016@gmail.com or call Matt or Caroline at 518-483-7029.  Come spend the day, the weekend or the week www.pineridgeparkcampsite.com  Forms must be returned by June 1, 2016. 

ADAMS Family Reunion, July 17, at the the Kineawatha Park in Wilton, Maine.  For all the descendants of Martha and Moses Adams. Potluck.  See the website http://www.adamsfamilyassociation.info/

GOODENOW –GOODENOUGH- GOODNOW Family Reunion, July 17 – 24, 2016 at the Doubletree Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona.  For the descendants of Thomas, Edmund and John Goodnow of Sudbury, Massachusetts.  Contact Kathy Truesdell at bktrue@roadrunner.com or go to www.goodenowfamily.org

FOLSOM Family Association of America, Annual Reunion, July 26 – 31, 2016 at Birmingham, Alabama.  For descendants of John Foulsham and his wife, Mary Giilman, who came to Hingham, MA and Exeter, NH. See the website for more information http://www.folsomfamily.org/Other%20Pages/National%20Reunion%20and%20Conference.html

The Thomas STANTON Society Runion, Session I July 27 - 28, Hartford - Ancillary program to Official Reunion (July 28 Afternoon, drive from Hartford to Stonington),  July 29 - 31, Stonington - Official Main Reunion.  See the website for more information http://stantonsociety.org/

28^th FELTON Family Reunion, July 29 – 30, 2016 at the historic Felton Site, in Peabody, Massachusetts.  For descendants of Nathaniel Felton.  http://www.feltonfamily.org/Events_and_Products.html

GEER Family Association National Triennial Reunion,  July 29 – 31, 2016 at GeerCrest in Silverton, Oregon.  For descendants of the brothers George and Thomas Geer who settled in Ledyard, Connecticut in 1638.  http://www.geerfamily.org/GFA9.htm

HATCH Family Association Reunion, July 29 – 31, 2016 at Salt Lake City, Utah.  For details see http://www.hatchfamilyassoc.org/reunion.htm

VICKERS family reunion, July 30, noon - 5pm,  at the Westville Lake Recreation Area, Sturbridge, Massachusetts.  Descendants of Christopher Vickers, Martha Vickers and Samuel Vickers of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.  Contact Cheryl Watching Crow Stedtler for more information https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.stedtler?fref=ufi or projectmishoon@aol.com

Clan MUNRO USA Gathering 2016,  August 4 - 7, to be held in New York City. Annual meeting on Friday the 5th followed by a scenic dinner cruise around Manhattan.  Saturday the 6th will be a trip to Liberty State Park and Ellis Island, followed by an evening banquet at the Crowne Plaza in Englewood, New Jersey.  Sunday the 7th will be the Kirkin' o' the Tartan at the local church.  Contact cmagathering2016@gmail.com  or see this link  https://www.facebook.com/ClanMunroUSA/photos/ms.c.eJw1ycEJADAIA8CNSmIk6v6LFaR9HudBAOVUTgWP102CVuu79onncbkF5QWV3gyy.bps.a.690184637684667.1073741834.325842590785542/690200764349721/?type=3&theater

Descendants of Philippe du TRIEUX, August 5 - 7 at the Desmond Hotel & Conference Center, Albany, New York,  See the reunion brochure http://philippedutrieux.com/reunion2016.pdf

GRISWOLD Family Reunion, August 5 – 7 in Boston, Massachusetts.  http://www.griswoldfamily.org/events.html

OLD BROAD BAY FAMILY HISTORY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING, August 6, 2016 in the Lower Conference Room of the Knox-Lincoln County Extension (University of Maine), at 277 Manktown Road in Waldoboro, Maine.  For the descendants of the 150 families and individuals from Germany who emigrated to Broad Bay, Massachusetts (now Waldoboro, Maine).  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~meobbfha/

BULL - August 5th and 6th, at the Bull Stone House, 183 Country Route 51, Campbell Hall, New York  for descendants of William Bull and Sarah Wells.  See the website for more information http://www.bullstonehouse.org/   Friday the 5th is "History and Genealogy Day", and Saturday the 6th is the family picnic.

47^th KIMBALL Family Association Reunion, August 12 – 13, 2016 at the Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.  For descendants of Richard Kimball who came to Watertown and Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1634.  See this link for more information:  http://www.kimballfamilyassociation.com/ 

125^th Annual LOCKE Family Reunion, August 12 – 14, 2016 at The Caboose Motel, Titusville, Pennsylvania.  The Locke Family will march in the annual Oil Festival parade to celebrate Jonathan Locke, who made the drilling tools for the famous Drake Oil Well.  See the Facebook page for more information https://www.facebook.com/groups/lockefamilyassociation/   

FAIRBANKS, August 13, for members of the Fairbanks Family in America, Inc. at the Fairbanks House, 511 East Street, Dedham, Massachusetts  781-326-1170  homestead@fairbankshouse.org

63^rd COLBY Clan Reunion, August 19 – 20, 2016 in Providence, Rhode Island at the Aldrich House, headquarters for the Rhode Island Historical Society, located at 110 Benevolent Street in Providence.  For descendants of Anthony and Susannah Colby.  See the website for details.  http://www.colby-family-association.org/

GALLUP Family Association Annual Reunion, August 20, 2016 on Gallup Hill Road, Ledyard, Connecticut.  Contact gallupfamilymembership@gmail.com or see www.gallupfamilyassociation.com

KALLOCH Family Reunion, August 20, 2016 at the Finnish Congregational Church in South Thomaston, Maine.  For the descendants of Robert Killough of South Uist, Scotland and County Antrim, Northern Ireland who came to Boston in 1718, and settled in Worcester, MA.  See the website http://kalloch.org/ or the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/Kalloch-Family-Reunion-Association-163290497023722/?fref=nf

HARLOW Family Association Reunion, August 27 – 28, at the Beal House in Kingston, Massachusetts.  For descendants of Sgt. William Harlow.  See this website for more information:  http://www.harlowfamily.com/current_events.htm

SHELDON Family Association Reunion, August 28 – 30, 2016 at Utica, New York.  See the website for more information http://www.sheldonfamily.org/2016%20Reunion.html

NICKERSON Family Reunion, September 9 – 11, on Cape Cod at Falmouth and Chatham, Massachusetts.  For descendants of William Nickerson (1604- 1689), the founder of Chatham.  See this link for more information:  http://nickersonassoc.com/2016/03/falmouth-reunion-promises-loads-of-fun-sept-9-11/

HARRIMAN Family Association Meeting and Reunion, September 10, 2016, at the Visitor’s Center, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  For descendants of Leonard and John Harriman, immigrants to Rowley, MA and New Haven, CT circa 1638. See the March and July newsletters for full details.  http://www.harriman-family.org/

36^th TOWNE Family Association, Inc.  September 16 – 18, 2016 at Providence, Rhode Island.  For the descendants of William Towne and Joanna Blessing of Salem, Massachusetts.  See the reunion details at this link:  http://townefolk.com/testing/TFA_MEET.php

RICH Family Reunion, September 16 - 17, at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For descendants of Dover Point, New Hampshire and Eastham on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. See the website for more information http://www.richfamilyassociation.org/

LEAVITT Family Reunion, September 18 – 19 at Deerfield, New Hampshire.  For descendants of John Leavitt of Hingham, MA and Thomas Leavitt of Hampton, NH.  Registration form here http://www.leavitts.org/reunion_registration_2015-5.pdf

OLD PLANTER Reunion in Beverly, Massachusetts.  September 23 – 25, 2016.  The BALCH and WOODBURY families hold meetings on the 24^th.  Related families are CONANT, CORNING, DODGE, STONE and TRASK.  See www.beverlyhistory.org for more information.

RICE Family Reunion,  September 23 – 24, 2016 at the Doubletree Hotel in Westborough, MA.  For descendants of Edmund Rice (1638).  http://www.edmund-rice.org/reunion.htm

POINTDEXTER Family Reunion, September 29,30 and October 1, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas.  For descendants of the Poingdestre Family of the Isle of Jersey and Normandy., including Henry and Isaac Pendexter of New England. http://www.poindexterfamily.org/reunions/2016/index.html

WYMAN - Family Reunion and annual business meeting, October 1, 2016 at the Francis Wyman homestead in Burlington, Massachusetts.  For more information see the Wyman Association website at this link:  http://wymanassociation.org/

DENISON / DAY – Denison Society Family Reunion, October 8, 2016 at the Denison Homestead, Mystic, Connecticut.  Contact Julie@denisonhomestead.org   See the website www.denisonhomestead.org

CRANDALL Family Association Reunion, October 14 – 15, 2016 in Newport, Rhode Island.  See the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/Crandall.descendants

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Published under a Creative Commons License

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Family Reunions 2016", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 9, 2016, (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/family-reunions-2016.html: accessed [access date]).

Happy Mother's Day 1994!

Four generations of Allen women!

This photo was taken on Mother's Day, 1994 in Hamilton, Massachusetts.

My daughter, my grandmother, my Mom and Me!

We were visiting my Grandmother, Gertude (Hitchings) Allen (1905 - 2001) at her apartment in senior housing.  Not long after this photo, Nana broke her hip and had to move into a nursing home.  It is one of the last photos I have of her living independently.  

It is fun to think that everyone in this photo is now a mother!  My daughter, who was only about seven years old in this first photo, is celebrating her first Mother's Day this year.  

August 2015

----------------------------

Heather Wilkinson Rojo,  "Happy Mother's Day 1994!", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 8, 2016,  (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/happy-mothers-day-1994.html: accessed [access date]).