New Hampshire Legislator, Senator, Civic Leader, Postmaster and Registered Nurse: Edith (Bumpus) Gardner of Springfield and Gilford (1899-1966)

Photograph of Edith (Bumpus) Gardner from the NH Manual of the General Court.

She was born Edith Bumpus, daughter of Bradford Allen & Alice (Holt) Bumpus on 1 January 1899 in East Wareham, Mass. She was educated in Wareham, MA schools and was a graduate of Nashua Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. She worked in nursing for many years including a supervisor of obstetrics at Polyclinic Hospital in Harrisburg, PA. Notre Dame College in Manchester awarded her an honorary doctor of law degree.

She resided 15 years in Springfield New Hampshire and more than 30 years in Laconia New Hampshire. Her civic involvement was extensive as she provided leadership on the local and county levels as president of the Laconia Hospital Nurses Association, president and director of the Gilford Historical Society, president of the Belknap County Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and a member-for-life of the Laconia Business and Professional Women’s Club. She was a president of the National Order of Women Legislators and the Republican Women’s Club.

She went on the record as saying she did not like to think of herself as a politician. She was postmaster of Springfield NH. Then in 1943 she ran for the New Hampshire legislature, serving there for 10 years (5 terms). This was followed by her election to the Senate for a record breaking additional 20 years (10 straight terms), serving under 10 governors.

She also served as delegate to New Hampshire’s state constitutional convention (from Springfield NH) in 1948, and delegate to New Hampshire state constitutional convention (from Gilford NH) in 1956. When interviewed in 1977 she said that she thought the main factor that more and more New Hampshire women were in elected offices because
“we have more time, and I think women are more interested in politics.” She died in a Newport New Hampshire Nursing home at the age of 97 years.

======PARTIAL GENEALOGY OF EDITH (BUMPUS) GARDNER=====

BUMPUS FAMILY

Edouard & Hannah (Annable) Bompasse London England > Marshfield MA
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34833800/edward-bompasse
John & Sarah (Hunter) Bompasse
John Bumpus & Hannah (Morey) Bumpus Jr.
Jonathan & Mary (Hoskins) Bumpus
Noah & Elizabeth (Perry/Parry) Bumpus

Noah Bumpus Jr., b 18 Sep 1763 Wareham MA, d. 14 Dec 1836. He m. 10 Feb 1778 in Rochester, Plymouth Co. MA to Mercy “Mary” Haskina.

Johnathan I. Bumpus, son of Noah & Mercy (Parry) Bumpus b 1800 Wareham MA, d. 9 May 1883. He m. 17 May 1821 in Wareham MA to Ruth Pierce. She was b. 1802 and died 1866.
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Children of Jonathan & Ruth (Pierce) Bumpus:
1. Etsil PierceBumpus, b. 13 July 1822 Wareham MA
2. Martha Bumpus, b 9 June 1826 Wareham MA
3. Louisa Bumpus, b 25 April 1828 Wareham MA
4. Lyman Bumpus, b 24 April 1830 Wareham MA
5. Arah A. Bumpus b 1834, d 1889
6. Abraham Bumpus b 1835 d 1854
7. Susan Ruth Bumpus b 1837
8. Amy Ann Roman Bumpus b 1839 d 1867
9. Ezra Bartlett Bumps b 1840
10. Samuel S. Bumpus b 1844, d. 1855

Etsil/Etsel Pierce “Jack” Bumpus b. 13 July 1822 at Wareham MA, son of Jonathan & Ruth (Pierce) Bumpus and d. March 1847. He m. 24 May 1844 at Wareham MA to Nancy S. Bumpus, daughter of Barzillai & Data (Weeks) Bumpus. He lived at Wareham MA. He was a sailer and mariner. Bradford Allen, b. May 19, 1872, s. of George Washington says his grandfather d. at sea when George Washington was 19 months old. Bradford Allen says his grandfather, Etsil was known as “Jack”. His widow Nancy married 2d) 2 Jan 1851 to Leonard Barker, son of Leonard & Clarissa (Bumpus) Barker. He was b. abt 1830 in Wareham MA and d. 13 Feb 1896 in Wareham MA.
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Children of Etsil “Jack” & Nancy S. (Bumpus) Bumpus:
1. +George Washington Bumpus, b. 23 Aug 1845 Plymouth MA
2. Alonzo Bumpus b 4 September 1847 Wareham MA
Children of Leonard & Nancy S. (Bumpus) Barker
3. Leonard E. Barker, b. 1851, d. 1899
4. Anna N. Barker, b 1854, d. 1924; m. Octavo Allen Andrews.

George Washington Bumpus, son of Etsil P. & Nancy S. (Bumpus) Bumpus was b 23 Aug 1845 in Plymouth, Plymouth MA, and died 1933 in Plymouth MA. . He married 12 Nov 1865 in Wareham MA to Mary J. Andrews, daughter of Allen & Daria (?) Andrews. She b 6 May 1849 in Plymouth Co. MA and d 1932 in Wareham MA. In 1880 occupation: works on the railroad
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1880 US Census > MA > Barnstable > Sandwich
George W. Bumpus 31
Mary J. Bumpus 30
Bradford A. Bumpus 8
Harry F. Bumpus 3
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Children of George W. & Mary J. (Adams) Bumpus:
1. +Bradford Allen Bumpus, b 19 May 1872 Sandwich MA
2. Harry Carter F. Bumpus, b. 9 July 1877 Sandwich MA. He m. 25 Oct 1901 to Pearl G. Oshley.  Buried Agawan Cemetery.

Bradford Allen Bumpus, son of George W. & Mary J. (Adams) Bumpus was b 19 May 1872 in Sandwich, Barnstable ;MA, and died 4 October 1964 in Wareham MA. He married 16 Aug 1893 in Wareham MA to Alice S. Holt, daughter of James W. & Lydia J. “Lizzie” “Liddy” (Bonnell/Brenwell) Holt. She was born January 1896 in Nova Scotia, and died 27 January 1909 in Wareham MA. They are buried in Agawam Cemetery, Wareham MA
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1881 Canadian Census > Nova Scotia > Hants > Maitland
James Holt 30
Liddey Holt 26
William Holt 7
Alice H. Holt 5
George Holt 5
David Holt 28
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1900 US Census > Wareham MA
Brad Bumpuss 28
Alice S Bumpuss 24
Laura J Bumpuss 4
Edith E Bumpuss 1
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Children of Bradford A. & Alice (Holt) Bumpus:
1. Laura Janet Bumpuss, b. 22 Jan 1896 East Wareham MA. She died in 1969. She is buried in Agawam Cemetery, Wareham, Plymouth Co. MA. She married Walter Leon Bryant, son of Charles H. & Lena S. (Meyers) Bryant. He served during WWI in the U.S. Army, Battry B of 301st Field Artillery, sent overseas.
2. +Edith Allen Bumpuss, b 1 Jan 1899 Wareham MA
3. Lena Nye Bumpus, b. 26 Jan 1901 in Wareham MA, and d. 11 June 1992 in Wareham MA. She m. James Leon Ravenscroft.
4. Everett Allen Bumpus, b 8 Nov 1903 in Wareham MA, d 1946; he married Marie I. Biron.

Edith Andrews BUMPUS, [this story is about her, see above],  daughter of Bradford A. & Alice S/L. (Holt) Bumpus was born 1 January 1899 in Wareham MA. She married 1st) abt 1922 to Gilbert F. Brown, son of Francis & Rosa (Kessler) Brown, grandson of Clark & Ellen Elizabeth (Morgan) Brown. He was abt 1902 in Baltimore MD. Divorced in 1929.  She m2d) 2 May 1931 in Newport NH to John M. Philbrick, son of Elwin F. & Ella M. (Sargent) Philbrick.   She m3d) 9 April 1934 in New London NH to Walter C. Gardner, son of Guy H. & Cora (Cutler) Gardner. He was the proprietor of a Lumber Company.  [His genealogy is detailed in this post]
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Biography of Edith B. Gardner in NH Notables
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Society Notes, Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg PA
9 Aug 1933 page 7
Society Notes 10 Years ago
Mr. and Mrs. Gibert Brown, 1705 Penn Street announce the birth of a daughter, Margaret Gohl Brown August 5, 1923. Mrs. Brown was formerly Miss Edith Bumpus, Wareham, Mass.
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1930 US Census > MA > Plymouth > Wareham > 17 Depot Street
Gilbert F Brown 30 Head M W m at age 22 (8y) MD PA PA House Painter
Edith A. Brown wife W F 31 m at age 23 (8y) MA MA Can-Eng prof. nurse
Margaret A. Brown daughter F W 6 single PA MD MA
Bumpus, Everett A. brother M W 26 m18y MA MA Can-Eng chauffeur, truck
Simpson, Nettie, boarder F W 78 single MA MA MA
Edith A Brown 31
Margaret A Brown 6
Everet A Amper 26
Nettie Simpson 78
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Name: Edith A Brown
Marriage Date: 2 May 1931
Event Type: Marriage
Marriage Place: Newport, New Hampshire
Birth Date: abt 1899
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Father’s name: Bradford A Bumpus
Mother’s name: Alice S Holt
Spouse Name: John M Philbrick
Spouse Age: 33
Spouse Gender: Male
Spouse Father’s Name: Elwin F Philbrick
Spouse Mother’s Name: Ella M Sargent
FHL Film Number: 2069873
She was b. in East Wareham MA, 2nd marriage, divorced NURSE
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Children (by Gilbert F. Brown):
1. Gilbert F. Brown, b 11 Sep 1922
2. Margaret Gohl Brown, b. 5 Aug 1923 Harrisburg PA; d. 1 Jan 1999. She m July 1940 to Robert Skinner. Buried North Goshen Cemetery, Goshen NH.
Children (by Walter Gardner):
3. Walter Cutler Gardner III, 26 Aug 1935 (died 1953)

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