New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Rye

Photograph of the Rye NH Veteran’s Monument by Richard Marsh. Used here with permission.

On 15 January 1920 a memorial tablet was unveiled in Rye Center, New Hampshire to commemorate those who died during the World War (WWI). Three men paid the ultimate sacrifice, namely: Thomas D. MacLaughlin, Wallace Elroy Rand and Phillip Willard Tucker.

The Portsmouth Herald newspaper of 15 Jan 1920 reported: “FINAL PLANS FOR TABLET UNVEILING IN TOWN OF RYE–“The unveiling of the memorial tablet to soldiers of all wars in which citizens of Rye have served will be a notable occasion in Rye Thursday evening and it is hoped the weather conditions will be favorable. The exercises will open at 7.30 o’clock out of doors with a selection by the Portsmouth Band which will furnish music for the occasion. Three Rye boys made the supreme sacrifice in the world war. Wallace Rand, Phillip Tucker, and Thomas McLoughlin, the latter being a summer resident, but well known. Continue reading

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Physician of Sanbornton and New Hampton NH: Dr. Artemus Lawrence Holmes Carr (1833-1862)

Dr. Artemus Carr of Sanbornton and New Hampton NH

He was only 29 years old when he died, and a youthful but serious face stares out at you from his gem-sized tintype portrait. He was the son of a physician, was well-educated, and married with two children. Those facts did not protect him from death. Did he catch the flu or consumption from one of his patients–we will probably never know.

Artemus Lawrence Holmes Carr was born 28 February 1833 in Sanbornton NH, son of Dr. John & Priscilla (Babb) Carr. He died on 17 May 1862 in New Hampton NH, aged 29 of consumption. He is listed in the 1840 publication of Woodman Sandbornton [sic] Academy as being a male student. The History of Sanbornton NH states that he “was a student in medicine with Prof. Albert Smith of Peterborough (and others), attended lectures at the Dartmouth and Bowdoin Medical Colleges, and graduated at the former 1858…He practiced his profession in New Hampton, with good success, four and one half years till his death…I will not leave you comfortless.” Continue reading

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Whitefield

King Square and Town Common, Whitefield NH
in the 1950s, from an old postcard.

Whitefield New Hampshire had less than 2,000 residents during the World War I era. From that small population the town managed to send slightly more than 86 of its best and brightest young men and women into service. [In 1910 Whitefield had 1,635 residents and by 1920 had 1,935.] Not all of them returned home.

I am grateful for that early Whitefield historian, Edward M. Bowker, who compiled a list of the men in service and included it in the 1919 Town Report. It shows all in military service who were credited from the town, along with providing a list of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Someone, possibly the Librarian at the time, created an amazing collage of photographs of WWI veterans, and that collage can still be found on the wall in the Whitefield Public Library. I am grateful to Sandy Holz, current librarian, and her husband, Stanley A. Holz, for providing information and some of the hero’s photographs that I have included in this story. Continue reading

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The Face of Lebanon New Hampshire’s Lulu Maria (Tucker) Dunn (1880-1965)

Lulu Maria (Tucker) Dunn of Lebanon NH

The lovely face of Lulu Dunn looks out at you from an antique photograph. Her hair and eyes are dark. Her clothing and hairstyle are indicative of the 1890-1900s. The fine handwriting just below the portrait shows it was taken by Kimball photographers, Concord, New Hampshire.

Lulu’s life was complicated. Her son’s marriage record says that Lulu’s birth place was unknown with the notation “Adopted from Orphans Home.” Yet the 1900 census might give us a clue as to her real mother, when she is shown living with her “aunt” Etta, but the relationship is listed as mother and daughter. Her genealogy is shown here as best as I can compile it. Continue reading

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100 Years Ago: Cures for the Spanish Flu

A public health advertisement found in the 11 Oct 1918 edition of the Nashua Telegraph newspaper.

A great deal has been written about the Spanish flu or influenza.  The National Library of Health at the U.S. Library of Medicine web site has a detailed article about this pandemic.

[EDITOR’S NOTE in 2020.  Obviously this story was written in 2017, before we had the slightest hint of the current flu pandemic.  The information on the “cures” listed below were NEVER proven that they helped at all.   Do not rely on this page for medical help.  Instead rely on official U.S. Government information FOUND HERE.

This article states in part: “The 1918–1919 influenza pandemic killed more people than any other outbreak of disease in human history. The lowest estimate of the death toll is 21 million, while recent scholarship estimates from 50 to 100 million dead. World population was then only 28% what is today, and most deaths occurred in a sixteen week period, from mid-September to mid-December of 1918.”

Continue reading

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