New Hampshire’s First Flights and Early Aviators

Posted on 5 January, 2018 by Janice Brown

Photograph taken in 1911 from the Boston
Journal of pilot Harry N. Atwood and a map
of stopping places along his
flight route.

A story on aviation was reported in the Portsmouth Herald on 13 September 1940.  At that time the New Hampshire State Planning and Development Commission for state airport development provided a basic listing of aviation firsts along with their recommendations for the site of future airports.

Using this information I have researched and compiled what you now read. In addition I’ve incorporated some aviation firsts written about previously here. And yes, I do know that there are other aviation firsts in New Hampshire, including Alan B. Shepard’s space flight in 1961,  and Christa McAuliffe’s space shuttle tragedy in 1986.  The present article is instead about New Hampshire’s earliest fights and milestones. Continue reading →

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100 Years Ago: WWI and the New Year (January 1918)

Posted on 1 January, 2018 by Janice Brown

Cold Weather Headline from Portsmouth
Herald of 31 December 1917

In most New Hampshire places newspapers were not published on New Year’s Day, however many were printed on New Year’s Eve 1917, and January 2, 1918. The following compilation is gleaned from those publications.

New England was in the grip of “the coldest weather on record” as the new year of 1918 dawned. Boston was reported 14 below zero (Fahrenheit), while Northfield Vermont shivered at 40 below and claimed to be the coldest spot in New England. Areas in New York State were reporting 69 below in some places. Continue reading →

Posted in History, Military of New Hampshire, NH WW1 Military | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Portsmouth

Posted on 29 December, 2017 by Janice Brown

Christening of Submarine 01 at Portsmouth NH
Navy Yard. She was launched 9 July 1918.
Photograph from Life Buoy magazine.

The Portsmouth Navy Yard was an important center of ship building during World War I, with the principal focus being the construction of submarines and small boats and repairing of warships.  The book, New Hampshire : a guide to the Granite state written by Workers … Federal Writers’ Project, states: ” When the World War broke out, the Navy Department became interested in submarine construction, formerly monopolized by two private companies, and elected to construct the first one in Portsmouth.” Continue reading →

Posted in History, Military of New Hampshire, NH WW1 Military | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

A Genealogist’s Christmas Tale

Posted on 25 December, 2017 by Janice Brown

The blog editor’s son
aged 4 years with “Santa.”

I recently binge-watched the entire television  series “Lie to Me.” It is a crime-drama series about a brilliant though blunt man who is a deception expert. He looks into peoples faces and notices the almost invisible twitches, tics and involuntary body language that shows him when or if people lie.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a similar “truth test” for genealogy? But first a question–is there a need for one? Genealogists always tell the truth. At least I do. Well, I mostly do. I confess that I may, from time to time, not reveal certain things I discover. Is that the same as lying? Continue reading →

Posted in Genealogy, History, Holidays, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Blog Caroling: WWI–The Song That Stopped The Fighting

Posted on 20 December, 2017 by Janice Brown

This blog article was written to celebrate fM’s Annual Tradition of Blog Caroling. I’ve been participating for several years now, and appreciate that she continues it, as she says with  toddy in hand, clad in flannel jammies and  with furry slippers on.

Thankfully she has spritely fingers too that would be the envy of any elf.  If you would like to join in, there still is time to. Continue reading →

Posted in Carnivals and Memes, History, NH WW1 Military, Not New Hampshire | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments