New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Lincoln

Posted on 6 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Photograph of World War I and World War II men who served from Lincoln NH. Courtesy Richard S. Marsh, used with permission.

The town of Lincoln, Grafton County, New Hampshire lies nestled in the White Mountain National Forest area, with much of the town within the Forest. Between 1910 and 1920 there were about 1,200 year-round residents.

If the town WWI honor roll is correct, about 51 local residents (all men) went into service during that war. On 4 July 1976 during the United State’s bicentennial celebration, the Town of Lincoln NH, in cooperation of the New England Pulp and Paper Corp., dedicated Bicentennial Park. This park is located at 121 Main Street in Lincoln not far from the entrance to Loon Mountain. Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Belmont

Posted on 4 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Belmont NH WWI monument. Photograph courtesy of Eileen Gilbert, Belmont Library.

For a small town Belmont New Hampshire’s veteran organization, the Charles Kilborn Post #58 American Legion, is amazingly active and continually vigilant to local veterans, and patriotic causes. To honor the local veterans, for many years the members of this American Legion Post has  traditionally placed “both a flag and a floral tribute on the grave of every Belmont veteran on Memorial Day.” Continue reading →

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Ashland New Hampshire’s Famed Miniaturist Painter: Bertha Loraine (Webster) Starr (1886-1966)

Posted on 2 October, 2018 by Janice Brown

Photograph of B. Loraine Webster taken in 1909 for her Vassar College yearbook.

A miniaturist artist is known as a “painter in little.” This style of painting began to thrive in France and Italy during the Renaissance. Later miniature portraits of the saints were hand-painted in missals, and the tiny portraits of the popes or royalty of Europe were popular. The Court of Henry VII appointed a miniaturist painter, and succeeding monarchs also sought their talents. In the United States, Edward G. Malbone and Edward Miles were early famous miniature painters.

Ivory was often used as the base on which to paint. A sketch was made first, lightly applied with a hard pencil. The miniaturist generally painted from life, in oil, watercolor or enamel, but mainly in watercolor.  Bertha Loraine (Webster) Starr was one such artist. Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Enfield

Posted on 30 September, 2018 by Janice Brown

Enfield World War I Honor Roll, Veterans Park, Rourte 4.

The Town of Enfield holds an annual Memorial Day Parade. This year (2018) there was also a short ceremony and laying of a wreath at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery following by a special ceremony at Oak Grove Cemetery by Tim Jennings, Lt (jg) USN who commemorated the 100th anniversary of World War I. There were two volleys and a presentation of TAPS by the MVRHS Band.

One hundred years ago the town had about 1500 citizens. Of these Enfield sent its full quota of young men and women to military service. Forty-seven names appear on the plaque, though I believe the number should be closer to sixty-two. Three soldiers did not return home.  When the war ended the Town of Enfield had a plaque made and laid in granite, placed in a square of land on Route 4 now called Veterans Memorial Park. The transcription of that plaque follows, the stars indicating that the soldier died in service. Continue reading →

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100 Years Ago: The Leviathan–Transport Ship of Death

Posted on 28 September, 2018 by Janice Brown

Watercolor of the SS Leviathan at the National Archives.

On the 29th of September 1918, the transport ship Leviathan left the docks of Hoboken New Jersey on its voyage to Brest, France carrying troops and medical personnel. The problem started even before the ship departed, the passengers became victims of the dreaded influenza. This vivid story found in Vermont newspapers is a well-documented first-hand account of how quickly and ruthlessly the “Spanish flu” took the lives of previously healthy soldiers during WWI. Continue reading →

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