Derry, New Hampshire History Mural

This mural was painted last year on the wall of the Cask and Vine at 1 1/2 East Broadway in Derry, New Hampshire.  You can see it well from Merchants Row, or the veranda in front of Sabatino's North Italian restaurant (in the old train station).

This mural, showcasing historic buildings and sights in Derry (some now gone), was done by The Wall Dogs mural company.  Last year, in 2019, was the 300th anniversary of the settlement of Nutfield, which became the towns of Londonderry and Derry.  The "Spudcrows" (scarecrows with potato heads) project funded the mural art, and a Facebook page "Downtown Derry Murals" is following the project.  Check out the Facebook page for photographs of local people (and their dogs) in front of this mural!

There are plans to continue fundraising for additional murals on this wall.  More Spudcrows are being sold, and there is a plan to include donor names in the cobblestones of a painted street, or even the likeness of donors walking through the scene. The new mural will include Benson's Hardware, the Frost Farm, the Firehouse, a Hood's milk wagon, and other New Hampshire symbols including some native Abenaki images. See the link to the Union Leader or Derry News articles below for an artists rendering of the new mural.

For the truly curious:

The Wall Dogs Murals website:  http://thewalldogs.com/ 

The Downtown Derry Murals Facebook group:   https://www.facebook.com/derrymurals

Ryan Lessard, Union Leader Correspondent, "Residents can get their likeness, or their pet, immortalized in new Derry mural", New Hampshire Union Leader, August 27, 2020,  https://www.unionleader.com/news/local/residents-can-get-their-likeness-or-their-pet-immortalized-in-new-derry-mural/article_22b63ddf-48a8-5968-a0e9-c84d1caa4fb4.html?fbclid=IwAR1jlvwwZnFoHLwEu54LzUx4Qto4-N-Cvf8M7AUWimH-MRlsv3y-00-y8FU 

Julie Huss, "History continues in next phase of Derry mural project", Derry News, August 26, 2020  https://www.derrynews.com/news/history-continues-in-next-phase-of-derry-mural-project/article_b502a121-b196-52de-9fb0-9f46d3da3d24.html 

Watch the Wall Dogs paint this mural at this video, from Derry Community TV!
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=342233093113070   

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Cite/Link to this post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Derry, New Hampshire  History Mural", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 8, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/10/derry-new-hampshire-history-mural.html: accessed [access date]).

A Simple Arrow - Weathervane Wednesday

We were wandering the back roads of Loudon, New Hampshire looking for a small family burial ground when we happened upon this old weathervane...  

Loudon Center
Freewill
Baptist Church
Loudon
Town Hall
1779

This historic building is on the corner of Clough Hill Road and Youngs Hill Road in Loudon, New Hampshire.  It was originally built in 1779, yet revised and added on over the years.  It was the first civic building in Loudon, constructed for religious services.  It served as the town hall until the 1970s.  The Freewill Baptist congregation still holds services here, and the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

This simple, gilded arrow is one of the most plain weathervanes I have ever photographed for "Weathervane Wednesday".  These very old, and very simple weathervanes are beautifully appropriate for the simple, New England rural areas they represent.

Click here to see over 400 other "Weathervane Wednesday" blog posts:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday

Some examples of other simple arrow weathervanes:

Bedford, New Hampshire:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/06/weathervane-wednesday-simple-weathervane.html

Cambridge, Massachusetts:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/08/weathervane-wednesday-above-harvard.html

Dunbarton, New Hampshire:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/weathervane-wednesday-old-new-england.html

Lincoln, New Hampshire:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/09/weathervane-wednesday-above-train.html

Newport, New Hampshire:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/04/above-methodist-church-weathervane.html

Plymouth, Devonshire, England:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/01/weathervane-wednesday-seen-on.html

Sturbridge, Massachusetts:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/12/weathervane-wednesday-behind-tavern.html

The Loudon Center Freewill Baptist Church Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Loudon-Center-Freewill-Baptist-Church-562803033773684/ 

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Simple Arrow - Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 7, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-simple-arrow-weathervane-wednesday.html: accessed [access date]).

Please Volunteer to Transcribe Honor Rolls for Veterans Day 2020

The American Legion Edward Peterson Post
Rockport, Massachusetts

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.  We now have contributions from nearly all the United States, and from five other countries.  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 Veteran's Day, Monday, November 11th.  All contributions will be permanently available on the Honor Roll Project website at https://honorrollproject.weebly.com/    Every November for Veteran’s / Armistice Day I publicize this project for more volunteers and contributors, and again in May I publicize the project for Memorial 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.  Or contact your favorite genealogy blogger, and they would be happy to post your photo and transcription, too. 

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

The Honor Roll Project Page:  https://honorrollproject.weebly.com/  

Romanus Emerson's Obituaries, 1852

Richmond Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia) 21 October 1852, page 1

Romanus Emerson, born 1 September 1782 in Townsend, Massachusetts, and died 10 October 1852 in South Boston, Massachusetts was a curious character.  His parents, John Emerson and Katherine Eaton, were quite religious.  John was a deacon, and Katherine’s lengthy obituary was written up in the August 1809 magazine, The Panoplist and Missionary Magazine United (a religious tract).  They had eleven children, including eight boys (seven lived to adulthood).  Of those seven living sons, five became ministers.  You can read her obituary HERE.

The Emerson family was from a long line of ministers that go back to Rev. Joseph Emerson, born in England about 1620 who was a minister in Mendon, Massachusetts, and several other towns.  He married Elizabeth Bulkely, the daughter of Rev. Edward Bulkely (1614 – 1696) the first minister of Concord, Massachusetts. This is the family of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882), son of a Concord minister, who studied for the ministry at Harvard, yet later reconsidered religion and became a transcendentalist philosopher.

Romanus Emerson, my 4^th great grandfather, and cousin to “The Sage of Concord” Ralph Waldo Emerson, also studied for the ministry like his brothers.  Somewhere along the way he changed his mind about religion, too, and began to espouse atheism.  It was quite shocking for his time period, and he was well known in Boston, being a founding member of the Boston Infidel Society.  But he was also an ardent abolitionist, and a member of the Humane Society, and other progressive organizations that made him a popular, but controversial, figure in Boston society.  Emerson Street in South Boston was named for him, since he had his house and land there before it was developed into a neighborhood of Boston and all the surrounding streets are named for numbers and letters of the alphabet. 

I was surprised to learn that Romanus Emerson’s obituary was carried in newspapers across the United States in 1852.  When I used Genealogy Bank and put in his name and didn’t limit it to Massachusetts, results poured in from all over. Five years ago, the last time I had searched his name in newspapers I had limited it to just Massachusetts.  This was a big shock to learn that news of his death was carried outside of New England!

“Richmond Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia) 21 October 1852, page 1

"Romanus Emerson, Esq., an old citizen of Boston, died a few days ago. He was, it is said, a confirmed infidel, and the main support of all the infidels in that city.  His dying request was that no clergyman should officiate at his funeral, but that an address written by himself, avowing his principles, should be read.  This request was not complied with."

The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky), 22 October 1852

"Death of an Old Resident - Romanus Emerson, Esq., one of the oldest residents in South Boston, died on Saturday last, aged 70 years.  Mr. Emerson, in 1809, took up his residence in South Boston, and built a house on the old road, just before Mt. Washington, in what is now known as the Lower Village.  In this house he continued to reside until his death, a period of 43 years.  When he first lived in South Boston, there were but about six houses in the place, and he has lived to watch the rapid growth of the place until he had gathered about him a population of 15,000 souls.  In early life, Mr. Emerson was a firm Baptist.  about 18 years since, he suddenly became infidel, and continued so until his death, avowing to his end that there was no God, no Heaven, no Hell, and denying the immortality of the soul.  He has been for some time the main supporter of the infidels in this city. His dying request was that no clergyman should officiate at his funeral, but that an address written by himself, avowing his principles, should be read.  This request is not to be complied with, and he was buried yesterday afternoon from the Hawes place church.  Boston Times, October 14."

Romanus never traveled, and he was not famous, so I do not know why he was in the out of state newspapers except for the curious fact that he was an “infidel” or an avowed atheist.

Finding all this interesting information on my ancestor, Romanus Emerson, also sent me back to Find A Grave to re-search his name in the Boston Cemeteries.  I had read some of the Boston obituaries years ago, and like above, they all mentioned the Hawes Burial Ground in South Boston, not far from where his house stood.  I had searched this cemetery on foot and not found any Emersons.  But, according to Find A Grave I finally found him!  "Gravesite details - AE 71 y, 1 m, 9d (b. 1781?) orig. interred at Hawes Cemetery, re-interred Nov. 1852 at Mount Hope"  No photo, but I put in a photo request and hope to visit Mount Hope when the pandemic is over.

Thus, it paid off well to re-search for Romanus Emerson twice where I did not expect to find him!

For the truly curious, I did a series of blog posts on Romanus Emerson back in 2010:
Part 1 - "The 'Odd' Romanus Emerson"
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/03/madness-monday-odd-romanus-emerson-part.html

Part 2 - "Romanus Emerson Died an Infidel"
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/03/amanuensis-monday-romanus-emerson-died.html

Part 3 - "Romanus Emerson buried in a Christian Cemetery, whether he liked it or not!"
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/03/tombstone-tuesday-romanus-emerson.html

Part 4 - "Romanus Emerson, in his own words" (He wrote his own eulogy which was NOT read at his funeral):
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/03/romanus-emerson-in-his-own-words-part-4.html

Part 5- "Romanus Emerson, a few words from the Infidels":
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/03/romanus-emerson-in-his-own-words-part-4.html

Romanus Emerson's 1852 Last Will and Testament blog post:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/09/romanus-emersons-1852-last-will-and.html 

My Surname Saturday post about my EMERSON lineage:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/01/surname-saturday-emerson-of-ipswich.html

UPDATE 2 February 2021

I published some of the Boston Obituaries for Romanus Emerson! Lots of good biographical information for Romanus were included in these newspaper articles...

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2021/02/romanus-emersons-boston-obituaries-1852.html 

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Cite/Link to this post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Romanus Emerson's Obituaries, 1852", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 1, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/10/romanus-emersons-obituaries-1852.html

October 2020 Genealogy and Local History Event Calendar

 

October is National Family History Month!

For this October I have combined the virtual and "in-person" events in this one blog post.

Scheduled virtual events are listed first in chronological order, followed by a short list of "in-person" events, and ongoing programs are listed at the bottom (just scroll down).  Some events are free, and some have fees. Most are open to the general public.  At the time of publication, this was the latest information I had on whether or not some of these events were happening "in-person".  Please check with the host organizations and don't forget to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

For last minute additions, please email me at vrojomit@gmail.com and I can edit this post, and also check the Nutfield Genealogy Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/nutfield.gen/  

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September 30, Wednesday, 6pm, It’s Not About the Stuff:  Stories Revealed at the Intersection of Genealogy and Archaeology, hosted by the Boston Public Library, and presented by the Boston City Archaeologist Joe Bagley on a talk about recent discoveries from Boston sites whose true meaning was revealed through genealogical research.  This event is happening over Zoom. Register here:  https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/5eebcea4651c5f45004fd4a1

September 30, Wednesday, 7pm, Online Local History Talk:  Ornithological Devotions of Celia Thaxter, hosted by the Portsmouth, NH Public Library.  Free to the public. Presented by Dr. Ellen M. Taylor. No registration is required.  Connect with this link (the password is 3GWdHC)  https://zoom.us/j/9491308975?pwd=RFl4THdMQnR4VGIrbmdRVEpGMjcwZz09#success

October 1, Thursday, noon, Rule Britannia: Imperial Patriots and the Siege of Louisbourg of 1745, an online program presented by the Massachusetts Historical Society via Zoom. Presented by Amy Watson of the University of Southern California. See this link to register: https://www.masshist.org/2012/calendar/event?event=3376 

October 1, Thursday, 5:30pm, Political Cartooning, hosted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, and presented by Paul Szep, two time Pulitzer Prize and Thomas Nast Prize winner; and best selling historical fiction author William Martin.  This event will be held via Zoom. Registrants will receive email instructions:  https://masshist.org/calendar/event?event=3350

October 1, Thursday, 6pm, David Hill with The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America’s Forgotten Capital of Vice, this online event is presented by the American Inspiration Author Series at the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  Free to the public.  Register here:  https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S-ixnBUTQTWyFT4KRVUr-w 

October 1, Thursday, 6pm, Welcome to the Graveyard: A Virtual Tour of Cemetery Art, History and Symbolism with Brenda Sullivan of the Graveyard Girls, hosted by Kings Chapel, Boston, Massachusetts.  Register here:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/welcome-to-the-graveyard-with-gravestone-girls-tickets-122101138793?fbclid=IwAR0lGxz7Ez6lOk2W9nbbC8rHYBn1cifr6VPaEd5G-KZkcRc4cFg3z2tzZXY   

October 1, Thursday, 8pm, Author Jane Hampton Cook and her new book Resilience on Parade, hosted by the History Camp via their Facebook page. The story of women’s suffrage. See this link:       https://www.facebook.com/HistoryCampOfficial/?fbclid=IwAR25WAiW60zBX0h0imJI1OezXze6DsK6dXsTok2K-9fN0RGS5ed3zbKtgHM

October 3, Saturday, 9:45am, “Finding My Ne’er-do-well Scoundrel Swedish Grandfather” hosted by the Worcester Chapter of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists.  Presented by Greg Paris.  Please register here to receive an email with information on how to join the online meeting:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3963479243056931595

October 3, Saturday, 1pm, Finding Early Plymouth: An Archaeological View of Burial Hill, hosted online by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society with Facebook Live.  Fee to the public. Presented by Dr. David Landon, Archaeologist. https://www.facebook.com/plymouthantiquarian 

October 6, Tuesday, 5:15pm, “Our Turn Next”: Slavery and Freedom on French and American Stages, 1789 – 99, an online program by the Massachusetts Historical Society via Zoom.  See this link for more information and to register:  https://www.masshist.org/calendar 

October 6, 7pm, Virtual Class: Packing Away and Caring for Textiles, hosted by the Vermont Historical Society.  Free via Zoom for VHS members, $10 class or $20 for the series of classes for non-members.  Register here:  https://vermonthistory.org/calendar/virtual-class-packing-away-and-caring-for-textiles 

October 7, Wednesday, 7pm, Quebecois Journalist Patrick White’s “The Exodus of French Canadians to New England: The Story Behind the Story”, hosted by the Rhode Island Historical Society via Zoom online. Please register by emailing mowc@rihs.org

October 7, Wednesday, 7pm, Partnership of the Historic Bostons Presents: A Tale of Two Colonies.  Will be presented online via Zoom.  Free to the public, donations accepted. Registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-tale-of-two-colonies-tickets-117341522653

October 8, Thursday, 3pm, A webinar What’s New at AmericanAncestors.org?  sponsored by the New England Historic Genealogical Society of Boston, Massachusetts.  Free to the public. Register here:  https://hubs.americanancestors.org/newamericanancestorsresources  

October 8, Thursday, 6pm, East Boston Through Time, hosted by the Boston Public Library as part of the Local & Family History Lecture Series.  Presented by author Anthony M. Sammarco.  Free to the public, please register here for this online event: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/5e95eb3ada783a2400583137 

October 8, Thursday, 6pm, David Michaelis with Eleanor, presented online in partnership with the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the State Library of Massachusetts, and Porter Square Books.  The first single volume biography of Eleanor Roosevelt in six decades.  Register here:  https://www.crowdcast.io/e/eleanor/register  

October 8, Thursday, 6pm, Lecture and Conversation with Alan Taylor “Liberty Men, Great Proprietors, and Main Today”, hosted by the Maine Historical Society online via Zoom. Free and open to MHS members only.  Not a member? It is easy to join!  Register here: https://www.mainehistory.org/events/event/988/signup?popup=1 

October 8, Thursday, 7pm, The Salem Witchcraft Hysteria: A Caldron of Religious, Economic, Social, and Political Ingredients Gone Awry, hosted by the Massachusetts Society of Genealogist online.  For members only, but it is easy to get membership!  Presented by John Putnam.  https://www.msoginc.org/msogwp/ 

October 8, Thursday, 7pm, Explore Your DNA with Elizabeth Handler, for the Newton, Massachusetts Community Education. Register for this class at this link:  https://registration.xenegrade.com/nce/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=15325&fbclid=IwAR3PmAlXgE4y-Rw9FMvbmCiQLShSrlzkdI_U-_hq38SoSoM2RXf9TJHdkHQ

October 8, Thursday, 7pm, Brown Lecture Series: Kenyatta Berry, a virtual event sponsored by the Enoch Pratt Free Library.  Kenyatta Berry will present her work and contributions to the 1619 project. See this link for virtual log-in information:  https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/brown_lecture_series_kenyatta_berry_the_family_tree_toolkit_a_comprehensive_guide_to_uncovering_your_ancestry_and_researching_genealogy?fbclid=IwAR0mjHWwyNDMLGKRJqyTiPSnWVTlknadA6_ZeCXcCH_COeUtMM_1v6OysaM#.Xw5guyhKiUm

October 8, Thursday, 7pm, Fur, Fortune and Empire: An Epic Story, hosted by the Alden House with support from the Duxbury, Massachusetts Cultural Council. This virtual event will be live streamed via Zoom. Free to the public, and presented by author Eric Jay Dolin who will chronicle the rise and fall of the American fur industry from its beginnings with the Pilgrims and early explorers to the conservation movement in the late 19^th century. Register here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N0k4UHVBRe2ylABvekmswg?fbclid=IwAR0BreE3-m_OQE6-Wa4w74VK6YH-jiErttFK9uDs3C8DdZfvnPgYpjE8b0E

October 8, Thursday, 8pm, Charles Fishman author of One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon, hosted by the History Camp via their Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/HistoryCampOfficial/?fbclid=IwAR25WAiW60zBX0h0imJI1OezXze6DsK6dXsTok2K-9fN0RGS5ed3zbKtgHM 

October 9, Friday, 2pm, Tour of Boston Monuments, an online program hosted by the Massachusetts Historical Society.  Presented by summer intern Eleanor Citron. Free to the public. See this webpage for more information and registration:  https://18308a.blackbaudhosting.com/18308a/Tour-of-Boston-Monuments 

October 10, Saturday, 10am, Mt. Calvary Cemetery Tour, sponsored by the Manchester Historic Association of Manchester, New Hampshire. This is an interactive tour with live actors from the Majestic Theatre telling first person accounts of Manchester's most prominent citizens including sculptor Lucien Gosselin, Mayor George Trudel, and photographer Ulric Bourgeois. Meet at the parking lot of the cemetery office across the street from 474 Goffstown Road.  Guests will be divided into small groups for social distancing. Masks required. $10 Manchester Historic members, $15 general public.  Tickets are available through www.mancheterhistoric.org  

October 10, Saturday, 10:30am, Preserving Your Ancestor’s Textiles and Handmade Treasures, hosted by the Middlesex Chapter of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists.  Presented via GoToWebinar by Melissa Barker. Free to the public.  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1892885543102553614?fbclid=IwAR0hbdqjYY5YY9Ea-751iBpQFATJHY1YhnliEB-07BZHrJlGAhWqeZ66DWc

October 11, Sunday, 7pm, Halloween Through History, hosted by the Salem Witch Museum, Salem, Massachusetts. $10 via Zoom.    https://salemwitchmuseum.com/event/halloween-through-history/

October 12, Monday, 2pm -   The Virtual 2020 Conrad E. Wright Research Conference “Shall Not Be Denied”: The 15^th and 19^th Amendments at the Sesquicentennial and Centennial of their Ratifications, hosted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, and presented by Ellen DuBois of the University of California Los Angeles, Thomas Dublin of SUNY Binghamton, N.Lynn Eckhert of Partners Healthcare International, and Manisha Sinha, University of Connecticut.  Please register for each of the five conference sessions you would like to attend.  Free to the public. https://www.masshist.org/conferences 

October 12, Monday, 7pm, Cultural Appropriation + Being and “Ally” to Indigenous Nations, hosted by Haus Witch of Salem, Massachusetts, and presented by Claudia Fox Tree.  $7 via https://hauswitchstore.com/collections/virtual-workshops/products/oct-12-cultural-appropriation-being-an-ally-to-indigenous-nations-w-claudia-fox-tree  $7 to register, see the website.

October 13, 20 and 27th, Tuesdays, 4pm, An Explosion of Beauty: The Art, Architecture, and Collections of British Country Houses, Part 1, a three part class of 90 minute sessions presented live online by Curt DiCamillo, FRSA, Curator of Special Collections at the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  Register here:  https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/6289477400252472833 

October 13, Tuesday, 5:30pm, A People’s Guide to Greater Boston, hosted online by the Massachusetts Historical Society.  Presented by Joseph Nevins of Vassar College, Suren Moodliar, and Eleni Macrakis.  Free to the public. See this link for more information and registration:  https://www.masshist.org/calendar 

October 13, Tuesday, 6pm, Maine at 200 Series: A Talk with Leland J. Hanchett, Jr. on Connecting Maine’s Capitals by Stagecoach, hosted by the Maine Historical Society. Free to the public. Registration required:  https://mainehistory.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YC3RO5IHTxiZmnh9dtGvtA

October 13, Tuesday, 7pm, Partnership of the Historic Bostons: Every Thing Proved a Staple – Colonial Boston and the Commerce of Empire, hosted via Zoom. Registration required:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/every-thing-proved-a-staple-colonial-boston-and-the-commerce-of-empire-tickets-117145783191

October 14, 21 and 28, Wednesdays, 6pm, Adoption Research, presented online by the experts at American Ancestors/ the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Cost $85 for three live sessions.  Register here:  https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/4622596882002690561 

October 14, Wednesday, 4pm, John Collins Warren: Man of Science, Faith, and Influence, hosted by the Boston Good Neighbor Series online via Zoom.  A panel discussion about the 19^th century figure who founded the Massachusetts General Hospital.  Please register here:  www.eventbrite.com/e/john-collins-warren-man-of-science-faith-and-influence-tickets-115526560051

October 14, Wednesday, 6pm, Maine at 200 Series: A Talk with John Bunker “An Apple History of Maine”, hosted by the Maine Historical Society.  Free to the public via Zoom.  Register here:  https://mainehistory.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S4zyVTFITVm0A1qTyxIqSA

October 14, Wednesday, 7pm, Webinar:  The First American Jewish Woman Novelist:  Uncovering the Story of Cora Wilburn and her Spiritualist Novel, Cosella Wayne (1860), hosted by the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  Presented by Jonathan D. Sarna. Free to the public.  Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Bffv1uqoQqareUhw5gzxwA

October 15, Thursday, noon, Third Thursday Lecture Series:  Governor Phil Hoff and the Election of 1962, hosted by the Vermont Historical Society. Presented by Tony Lopez.  Held via Zoom at this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88630118646?pwd=WlM4dDdHK1Bob2dJblI5Z2l6aXNZZz09#success 

October 15, Thursday, 3pm, Using Bank Records in Family History Research, a webinar presented by Eileen Pironti from the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, Massachusetts. Free to the public. Register here:  https://hubs.americanancestors.org/bankrecordswebinar 

October 15, Thursday, 4pm, Witch Trials and Salem: Then and Now, hosted by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts.  A virtual program via Zoom.  Hear from a variety of perspectives, including the Salem Wiccan community, local historians, and a third generation witch healer.  Panelists include Kristin Harris, Erica Feldmann, Juliet Diaz, Margo Shea, and Fara Wolfson.  Q& A to follow the conversation.  Register here:  https://my.pem.org/12885/13053

October 15, Thursday, 5:30pm, Thomas Nast: The Father of Modern Political Cartoons, hosted online via Zoom by the Massachusetts Historical Society.  Presented by Fiona Deans Halloran and Pat Bagley.  See this page for more information and registration:  https://www.masshist.org/calendar

October 15, Thursday, 7pm, Explore Your DNA with Elizabeth Handler, for the Needham, Massachusetts Community Education. Register for this class at this link: https://www.schoolpay.com/parent/mip/Mdud?fbclid=IwAR3PmAlXgE4y-Rw9FMvbmCiQLShSrlzkdI_U-_hq38SoSoM2RXf9TJHdkHQ

October 17, Saturday, 11am, Where are the Cemetery Records and What Will They Tell Me? A virtual program hosted by the Bristol Chapter of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists. Presented by Beverly Baker. Free to the public.  Pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/BROct2020

October 18, Sunday, 2pm, Online Genealogy Workshop: Past the Cemetery Gate with the Graveyard Girls, hosted by the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Public Library via Zoom.  Registration is required.  https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/library/genealogy 

October 18, Sunday, 7pm, Virtual Tour of Salem, Massachusetts: Charter Street Burial Ground, Howard Street Cemetery and Historic Sites,  hosted by New England Curiosities. Conducted via Zoom. An email link and password will be sent to all registered participants. https://newenglandcuriosities.com/activities/virtual-tours/

October 19, Monday, 6:30pm, Maritime Ghosts and Seafaring Spirits Presentation, hosted by the Langley-Adams Library of Groveland, Massachusetts. Presented virtually online by Roxie Zwicker.  Free to the public. 

October 20, Tuesday, 6pm, Claire Messud with Kant’s Little Prussian Head and Other Reasons Why I Write: An Autobiography in Essays.  Free to the public. Presented in partnership with the New England Historic Genealogical Society, The Boston Public Library, and the WGBH Forum Network.  Register here:  https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_w1sp55HQSQGkNAmRNTxjzw 

October 20, Tuesday, 7pm, Home Collections Care: Virtual Class Handling and Cleaning Wooden Furniture, hosted by the Vermont Historical Society. Presented by VHS Executive Director Steve Perkins. Free to VHS members, or $10 class/ $20 series for non-members.  Register here:  https://vermonthistory.org/calendar/virtual-class-handling-and-cleaning-wooden-furniture

October 21, Wednesday, 6pm, Rainsford Island: A Boston Harbor Case Study in Public Neglect and Private Activism, hosted by the Boston Public Library as part of the Local & Family History Lecture Series.  Presented by author Bill McEvoy.  Free to the public.  Please register here for this online event:  https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/5e95eb405ac6772f00100ab7

October 21, Wednesday, 7pm, Revolver: Sam Colt and the Six-Shooter That Changed America, hosted by the Connecticut Historical Society.  Presented online via Crowdcast by author Jim Rasenberger.  CHS members free, $10 for non-members. https://chs.org/event/author-talk-and-book-signing-jim-rasenberger-revolver-sam-colt-and-the-six-shooter-that-changed-america/

October 22, Thursday, noon, The Confederation Period Origins of American Migration Policy, hosted online via Zoom by the Massachusetts Historical Society. Free to the public.  Presented by Cody Nager, CUNY.  For more information and registration see this link: https://www.masshist.org/calendar

October 22, Thursday, 4pm, Virtual Library Presentation: Elizabeth Corwin, Her Book: Uncovering Women’s Accounts from 17^th Century Salem, Massachusetts.  Presented by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, with Caylin Carbonell, Ph.D. candidate from William and Mary. For information and registration https://my.pem.org/12885/13115 

October 22, Thursday, 5:30pm, Hamilton the Musical, hosted online by the Massachusetts Historical Society.  Presented by Richard Bell, University of Maryland who will explore the marriage of history and show-business. Free to the public.  See this webpage for more information and registration:  https://www.masshist.org/calendar

October 22, Thursday, 6pm, Maine at 200 Series: A Talk with Liam Riordan “Becoming Maine”, hosted by the Maine Historical Society. Free to the public via Zoom online.  Register here:  https://mainehistory.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cRPTkW2QQeadJBL27jUiyA

October 25, Sunday, 7pm, Stranger than Fiction: Chilling and Thrilling Stories, hosted by the Salem Witch Museum of Salem, Massachusetts, and presented by Jill Christiansen and Rachel Christ.  Stories related to the Salem Witch Trials, and eerie experiences by researchers.  $10 tickets through the website:  https://salemwitchmuseum.com/event/stranger-than-fiction-chilling-and-thrilling-stories/ 

October 27, Tuesday, 6pm, History of the Hub: Resources for Local and Family History at the Boston City Archives, hosted by the Boston Public Library. This online event is presented by archivist Marta Crilly.  This event will happen via Zoom, please register here:  https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/search/fq=program:(5a7375b7352af53f00f267d9)/event/5eebcef576fb0f2f00569e83 

October 28, November 4, 11, and 18, at 2pm, 17^th Century English Research, sponsored by the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  Presented by Else Churchill, Genealogist of the Society of Genealogists (UK). Cost $115. Register here:  https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/1642824713310095873 

October 28, 5:45pm, Virtual lecture “Winning the Vote with Words” with Claire Jerry, hosted by the Rhode Island Historical Society.  Will be presented via Zoom, please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpd-qpqjspGd0tOSGNoQBYoSCx0m6GodXo

October 29, Thursday, 5:30pm, Jefferson: Then and Now, hosted online via Zoom by the Massachusetts Historical Society.  Presented by Peter Onuf, University of Virginia and Annette Gordon-Reed, Harvard University.  See this link for more information and registration: https://www.masshist.org/calendar

October 31, Saturday, Annual History Seminar of the Connecticut Society of Genealogists will be presented this year via Zoom. “Webinar: Beyond the Cemetery Gate – The Graveyard as a Genealogical Resource”. A Private member event, but become a member and see this webinar!  See this link for more information:   https://ctfamilyhistory.com/event/annual-history-seminar-save-the-date/  

Future events:

February 25 -27, 2021   RootsTech Connect:  FREE online conference!  Register here: https://www.rootstech.org/?lang=eng  

April 15 – 17, The New England Regional Genealogy Conference NERGC will be going virtual!  Stay tuned for more details:  https://nergc.org/2021-conference-2/  

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In-Person Events 

Through November 21^st, Tours of the Folsom Tavern Grounds, hosted by the American Independence Museum of Exeter, New Hampshire.  See this Facebook page for more details - https://www.facebook.com/events/338725110680684/ 

October 1 - 31, Walk with Hawthorne: It’s Immersive. It’s a Little Scary.  It feels real, hosted by the House of Seven Gables, 115 Derby Street, Salem, Massachusetts.  Accessible via QR code online and on posters throughout Salem, and at the House of Seven Gables.  www.7gables.org 

October 10, Saturday, 10am, A Lovely Autumn Morning Cemetery Tour at Mount Calvary Cemetery, hosted by the Manchester Historic Association, Manchester, New Hampshire.  $10 members, $15 general public.  Buy your tickets online at this webpage: https://www.manchesterhistoric.org/events  

October 10 - 12, Saturday – Monday, Indigenous People’s Weekend, at Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Learn about the Wampanoag people living in the area known as Patuxet.  Celebrate their traditions with song, dance, and craft.  https://www.plimoth.org/calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D141901073

October 13, Tuesday, 7pm, Welcome to the Graveyard! An Eye on Salem, NH Cemeteries, at the Salem, NH Historical Museum at the Old Town Hall, 310 Main Street, Salem, New Hampshire. Presented by the Gravestone Girls Brenda Sullivan.  Free to the public.

October 20, Tuesday, 6:30pm, From Beyond the Grave – Cemetery Stories and Legends, hosted by the Berwick Public Library of Berwick, Maine.  Presented by Roxie Zwicker.  Free to the public.

October 20, Tuesday, 7pm, Welcome to the Graveyard! An Eye on Pembroke Cemeteries, at the Pembroke Public Library, Pembroke, New Hampshire. Presented by the Gravestone Girls Brenda Sullivan.  Free to the public.

October 25, Sunday – October 27, Tuesday, Symposium: Conserving Our Painted Past, hosted by the Doubletree by Hilton, South Portland, Maine.  For more information email info@pwpcenter.org or visit www.pwpcenter.org/symposium

October 28, Wednesday, 7pm, Welcome to the Graveyard!  An Eye on Lexington, Cemeteries, at the Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, Massachusetts.  Free to the public. Presented by the Gravestone Girls Brenda Sullivan.

October 29 – November 1, Indigenous History Conference and Powwow, at Bridgewater State University, 131 Summer Street, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. This four day conference will address the legacy of colonization experienced by the Wampanoag and other native people in New England. Hosted by Plymouth 400.  https://www.plymouth400inc.org/

October 31, Saturday, Annual History Seminar of the Connecticut Society of Genealogists will be presented this year via Zoom.  See this link for more information:   https://ctfamilyhistory.com/event/annual-history-seminar-save-the-date/ 

November 4, Wednesday, 7pm, Welcome to the Graveyard! A View from 1600 to 1800, at the Harvey Wheeler Center, 1276 Main Street, Concord, Massachusetts. Hosted by the Old Concord DAR.  Presented by the Graveyard Girls. Free to the public. https://www.facebook.com/events/811234156059652/ 

November 5, Thursday, noon, Lunch and Learn: Native Regalia and Clothing, at the Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Free to members, and $10 non-members.  How do native people dress now, and what are some of the current and upcoming influences on Native fashion?  A discussion of the importance of Native clothing of the past, present and future.  

November 7, Saturday, 8:30 – 4pm, Annual Meeting 2020 of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc. 45^th Anniversary Year.  Free for Society members. Presentatios from Richard Bell, the author of “Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped Into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home” and Paula Stuart-Warren, certified genealogist, FMGS, FUGA.  Paula will present “DNA Done? Now Find Those 20^th and 21^st Century Relative Connections”. Registration information will be on the members page at www.msoginc.org

November 18, Wednesday, 7pm, Pilgrims’ Progress:  Music of the Plimoth Colony Settlers, hosted by the Plymouth Public Library and Seven Times Salt, at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South Street, Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Free to the public.

November 19, Thursday, 6pm, The Immigrant Experience Concert, at the American Ancestors Research Center, 99 – 101 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.  Featuring Promised Land.  $20 per person.  This is part of the 2020 Four Nation Concert Series taking place in honor of the 400^th Anniversary Commemoration of the arrival of the Mayflower in the New World. 

May, 2021  The Wampanoag Ancestors Walk, originally scheduled for August 2020 is moved to May, 2021.  Final date and details to come.  This walk will be led by the Wampanoag tribes of Massachusetts. Placards will be carried with the names of the original 69 villages of the Wampanoag nation.  Participants will pay homage to Massasoit and King Philip and will stop at designated sites to bless the spots where Wampanoag ancestors walked. The walk will conclude with a drum ceremony, followed by a reception. 

Ongoing programs online:

Ancestry Academy, from Ancestry.com, provides dozens of FREE classes online.  See this link:  https://www.ancestry.com/academy/courses/recommended  

APGen, The Association of Professional Genealogists has several online events coming soon, see the list at this link:  https://www.apgen.org/event_list?current_page=1&sort_type=upcoming&filter%5Bperiod%5D=all&display_type=default

Brigham Young University Independent Study, a variety of courses on family history topics completely free and available online.  See this link:  https://is.byu.edu/catalog/free-courses

Cape Ann Museum of Gloucester, Massachusetts has 71 videos on the history of Cape Ann.  Don’t miss this great collection of tours and lectures:   https://vimeo.com/capeannmuseum 

Family History Library Classes and Webinars, from the LDS church, are listed at this link: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars   and also see this page for dozens of classes online:  https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Classes_in_the_Learning_Center

Wednesdays 4pm (MST) on Facebook Live at Family Search   See this link  https://www.facebook.com/familysearch/   Free online genealogy presentations.

FamilyTree Webinars are free to the public and sponsored by FamilyTree Legacy:  see this link: https://familytreewebinars.com/#   and a list of their top 10 most popular webinars of all time here:  https://news.legacyfamilytree.com/legacy_news/2020/01/top-10-genealogy-webinars-of-all-time.html 

GeneaWebinars, a blog with the latest news on what’s available to view online:  http://blog.geneawebinars.com/  and also, their schedule of FREE family history webinars PDF can be found here:  https://familytreewebinars.com/pdfs/ftwbrochure-1577464068.pdf 

History Camp Boston 2019 – There are links to the 47 different lectures given last year!  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf6zwbpmhjoOKWFBUt5JXJxl3f9UHJfW&utm_source=History+events+in+New+England&utm_campaign=dbda6354ca-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_01_18_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c4221dc88a-dbda6354ca-1210446589&mc_cid=dbda6354ca&mc_eid=6d4fffd2a5     

 Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburg will be virtual this summer. See the website for classes offered June 21 – 26, July 6 -10, and July 19 -24. Some classes are postposed to the summer of 2021.  https://www.gripitt.org/   

The History List has compiled a list of “Learning at Home” at this link:   https://www.thehistorylist.com/resources-for-learning-history-at-home  

Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research 2020 will be held virtually this year 26 – 31 July 2020.  https://ighr.gagensociety.org/   Registration ends 11:55 EDT on Monday 6 July 2020. 

Lexington Historical Society – A page full of virtual tours   https://www.lexingtonhistory.org/virtualtours.html  

Lowell National Historical Park, Lowell, Massachusetts has a page of online videos and resources for students and visitors.  See this link:  https://www.nps.gov/lowe/index.htm 

Manchester Millyard Museum:  A collection of local history videos about Manchester, New Hampshire, please see this link:  https://vimeopro.com/mpts16/john-clayton-presents-manchester-moments

Old Sturbridge Village Museum has “Virtual Village” where the staff will bring the museum into your home with fun facts, activities, recipes, and videos.  You can see it on Facebook, Instagram and at this link:  https://www.osv.org/virtual-village/

 Plimoth Plantation has several online workshops and discussions good for all ages

            People of the Dawn – Wampanoag culture and traditions $10 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-home-people-of-the-dawn-tickets-100175628000

            Fact or Fiction? Investigating the First Thanksgiving, $10 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-home-fact-or-fiction-investigating-the-first-thanksgiving-tickets-100177236812

            Colonial First Families: Their New Worlds and Everyday Lives, $10   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-home-colonial-first-families-new-worlds-and-everyday-lives-tickets-100019129910

            Dressing History – a sneak peek into 17^th century wardrobes, $10 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-home-dressing-history-tickets-101055676248 

 Virtual Genealogical Association - https://virtualgenealogy.org/, has a complete list of 2020 live presentations.  Recordings are available to members for six months after the live presentation, dues are only $20 per year. 

 And, as always, check Cyndi’s List for a complete list of online classes and webinars:  https://www.cyndislist.com/education/online-courses-and-webinars/