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: Several folks have asked what we have at the museum:
:
: briefly
:
: the museum is above the police station , which was the fire station, later
: the municipal building.This building is just past the RR Depot.
: ( I have read that Irving S. Chase built it.)
:
: The holdings are amazing, really.
:
: there is a kitchen, parlor with most of the objects made or used here in
: Randolph. Many things from the original houses, such as a "Partridge"
: Fireplace, a door frame from the Nutting family, also an original door
from
: the RR depot. All of these things were installed as part of the rooms,
etc.
: themselves.
:
: There is a complete drugstore... the Leonard Drugstore which was in
: operation for three generations of Leonard's. Sarsaparilla, anyone?
: Things which were made here include: Harlow Baskets, Nutting's pump
organ,
: violin, stoves from Kelly and Carter >> Sargent Osgood & Roundy >> VT
: Castings.
: Many old farm tools and implements.
: Many paintings, pictures of the schools, old street scenes, oodles of
people
: and merchants.
:
: Paper documents include: diaries, ledgers, letters and old newspapers.
: Just yesterday I came upon what I think is the earliest letter and rather
: significant.
: Written in 1781 by Huldah Pember to who was to be her sister in law. Her
: brother, Thomas Pember was killed during the "Royalton Raid" ....
: That is the very time and conditions under which Randolph had its
: beginnings!
:
: Again,this just briefly lists.
: < Harriet >
:
Very nice site Colonel. I was particularly interested in the
Mason-Chace Cemetery listings and other Chace/Chase cemetery listings at
this site.
Name, M/F, Date of Death, Plot?, Grave?, Cemetery, Comment.
http://www.swanseamass.org/history/cem1970_a_d.html
Chace Amy - - - - - - -1951 93 822 Asa Chace
Chace Amy F 03/05/1857 71 822 Asa Chace
Wife of Asa
Chace Andrew W M - - - - -1941 86 823
Mason-Chace
Chace Asa M 10/20/1858 80 822 Asa Chace
Chace Barney M 10/13/1816 20 828 Chase
Chace Barney M 10/13/1816 20 823 Mason-Chace
Son of Reuben & Betsey
Chace Betsey F 09/02/1811 38 828 Chase
Chace Betsey F 09/02/1811 38 823 Mason-Chace
Wife of Reuben
Chace Betsey F 03/17/1849 72 815 Town Hall
Wife of Phillip
Chace Charles M 08/16/1823 17 815 Town
Hall Son of Richard & Eliz.
Chace Clarabell F 12/18/1875 3m 823
Mason-Chace Dau of Sylvanus & Mary
Chace Cora M F 02/14/1895 21 823 Mason-Chace
Dau of Sylvanus & Mary
Chace Deliverance F 12/30/1819 88 828 Chase
Chace Deliverance F 12/30/1819 88 823
Mason-Chace Wife of Enoch
Chace Elias M 06/14/1875 78 823 Mason-Chace
Chace Elias B M - - - - -1908 72 823
Mason-Chace
Chace Elizabeth F 10/29/1858 89 823
Mason-Chace Wife of Reuben
Chace Emeline - - - - - - -1922 77 823
Mason-Chace
Chace Enoch M 09/- -/1805 80 828 Chase
Chace Enoch M 09/- -/1805 80 823 Mason-Chace
Chace Henry C M 12/16/1915 15 823
Mason-Chace Son of Sylvanus & Fannie
Chace James W M 09/- -/1842 6m 823
Mason-Chace Son of Elias & Lavina
Chace John E M - - - - -1920 73 823 Mason-Chace
Chace Joseph H M 11/26/1868 24 823
Mason-Chace Son of Mason & Lorana
Chace Labybon M 05/15/1864 03 823
Mason-Chace Son of Mason & Lorana
Chace Laroy M 04/19/1857 05 823 Mason-Chace
Son of Mason & Lorana
Chace Lavina F 06/10/1888 84 823 Mason-Chace
Wife of Elias
Chace Leroy J M - - - - -1923 66 823
Mason-Chace
Chace Lester W M - - - - - - - - - - 823
Mason-Chace Son of Leroy & Mary
Chace Lorana P F 04/19/1895 72 823
Mason-Chace Wife of Mason
Chace Mabel M F 05/13/1902 14 823
Mason-Chace Dau of Andrew & Mary
Chace Marcy F 01/28/1870 85 824 Mason-Horton
Wife of Weston
Chace Mary F 10/23/1860 65 815 Town Hall
Wife of Samuel
Chace Mary Ann F 01/28/1869 63 824
Mason-Horton Dau of Weston & Marcy
Chace Mary E F - - - - -1932 68 823 Mason-Chace
Chace Mary E B F - - - - - - - - - - 823
Mason-Chace Wife of Leroy
Chace Mary Ella F 11/07/1880 25 823
Mason-Chace Wife of Sylvanus, more
Chace Mason M 02/18/1871 54 823 Mason-Chace
Chace Rachel C F 10/16/1892 01 823
Mason-Chace Dau of Andrew & Mary
Chace Reuben M 03/27/1851 80 823 Mason-Chace
Chace Reuben M 11/08/1866 22 823 Mason-Chace
Son of Mason & Lorana. . .
Chace Rhoda Kelton F 06/10/1906 78 822 Asa
Chace Wife of William T.
Chace Samuel M 10/26/1872 93 815 Town Hall
Chace Sophronia P F 02/15/1809 02 815 Town
Hall Dau of Richard & Eliz.
Chace Susan Ann F 10/15/1843 02 812 Lee
Dau of Jos. G & Susan
Chace Sylvanis M 03/29/1847 11m 823
Mason-Chace Son of Mason & Lorana
Chace Sylvanus J M 03/22/1914 65 823
Mason-Chace
Chace William T M 10/06/1863 46 822 Asa
Chace
Chapman William Jr M 03/16/1753 25 808
Old Smallpox
Chase Abigail F 06/03/1852 50 828 Chase
Wife of John Chase
Chase Elizabeth F 05/09/1883 81 828 Chase
Chase Nancy B P F 10/31/1874 85 815 Town
Hall Wife of Richard
Chase Rebecca F - - - - - - - - - - 824
Mason-Horton
Chase Rebecca C F - - - - -1865 25 824
Mason-Horton Wife of Benjaman, more
Chase Reuben II M 03/08/1919 85 815 Town
Hall
Chase Richard M 05/22/1816 71 815 Town
Hall
Chase Susan M F 09/07/1915 73 815 Town
Hall Wife of Reuben II
-----Original Message-----
From: Stub53usmc(a)aol.com [mailto:Stub53usmc@aol.com]
Sent: zondag 10 april 2005 16:10
To: CHASE-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [CHASE-L] Swansea, Mass
Enjoy youself.. while visiting my home town..
Colonel Chace
Just click on this...
http://www.swanseamass.org/history.html
==== CHASE Mailing List ====
To unsubscribe from the Digest send a request here
Chase-D-request(a)rootsweb.com and put the word unsubscribe ONLY in the
subject and message box.
I neither condemn nor condone anything in the following article. It's
just very intriguing. Immortalized cells? Sounds pretty weird to me.
Jeffrey Chace
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New York Times
April 13, 2005
Geographic Society Is Seeking a Genealogy of Humankind
By NICHOLAS WADE
A five-year project to reconstruct a genealogy of the world's
populations and the migration paths of early humans from their ancestral
homeland in Africa will be started today by the National Geographic
Society and I.B.M., the society said in a statement.
The goal of the program is to collect 100,000 blood samples from
indigenous populations around the world and analyze them genetically.
Researchers at 10 local centers and at the National Geographic Society
in Washington will then assign the people who give blood to lineages
that trace the routes traveled by their early ancestors.
The program is an effort to accomplish the goals of the Human Genome
Diversity Project, an initiative that was proposed by population
geneticists in 1991.
That project ran into a political furor that prevented it from receiving
substantial government support. It was denounced by some cultural
anthropologists, who said that looking for genetic differences among
populations was tantamount to racism. And advocates for indigenous
peoples portrayed it as a "vampire project" for extracting valuable
medical information from the blood of endangered tribes while giving
nothing in return.
The proponents viewed their plan as complementing the Human Genome
Project, then getting under way, because it would show how the sequence
of DNA units in the human genome varied from one population to another.
The project did proceed on a more modest basis, eventually collecting
blood samples from 52 populations that were converted into 1,000 cell
lines. The first major analysis, published in 2002, showed that the
subjects' genomes fell into five major clusters corresponding to their
continent of origin and, in effect, to their race.
This and many other studies have established that the branches of the
human family tree on different continents coalesce to a single root, the
ancestral human population that began to migrate from northeast Africa
some 50,000 years ago. The routes of this migration are known in general
outline but many details remain to be filled in.
The National Geographic's program, if it succeeds, will create a
collection of blood samples 100 times larger than the Human Genome
Diversity Project did. Dr. Spencer Wells, a population geneticist at the
society who is leading the program, said he hoped to head off charges of
exploitation by offering money to the tribes for education and cultural
preservation.
Many indigenous peoples believe their ancestors have always lived in
their home territory, a credo that will not be supported by genetic
analysis of their blood samples. Dr. Wells said that he would "tell
people up front" that some of the results may contradict what they
believe. "The idea that we have all come on a journey from a common
origin is intriguing to people," he said.
The program will cost at least $40 million over five years, a National
Geographic Society spokeswoman said. Sources of support include the
Waitt Family Foundation of San Diego and the income expected from
members of the public, who will be encouraged to send in cheek swabs and
learn for $99.95 which male or female lineage they belong to.
Male lineages, based on the Y chromosome, and female lineages, based on
mitochondrial DNA, are mostly confined to specific continents,
reflecting the fact that until recently people mostly lived and
procreated in the place they were born.
Dr. Luca Cavalli-Sforza, the Stanford University population geneticist
who was a leading proponent of the Human Genome Diversity Project, said
the National Geographic effort would "be a major addition to our
knowledge." Dr. Cavalli-Sforza, a pioneer of population genetics, is an
adviser to the program.
But Dr. Kenneth Kidd, a population geneticist at Yale University,
expressed reservations about the plan to preserve the blood samples as
raw DNA. Because the DNA is finite, it cannot be shared with every
scientist who may ask for some. In the Human Genome Diversity Project,
by contrast, white blood cells from a sample were made essentially
immortal before storage. Though it would cost an additional $200 to $300
to immortalize each sample, the cells last forever and the supply is
inexhaustible.
The National Geographic program will develop a lot of useful information
"but to me it is not a properly and fully developed kind of study"
because the samples cannot be made available to everyone in the
scientific community, Dr. Kidd said.
Dr. Wells said a large amount of DNA would be available from the 5 to 10
milliliters of blood drawn in each sample. He cited the extra cost of
making permanent cell lines and also said that some indigenous peoples
opposed the notion of having their cells live on after their deaths.
Besides tracing the routes of early human migrations, the National
Geographic program will study other questions of population history like
the origin of the Han Chinese, the lost homeland of the Indo-European
languages and whether a genetic trail was left by the armies of
Alexander the Great.
Jeffrey Chace
http://www.chace.demon.nl
Did Hiram Chase really have no relatives? Seems a shame all of this fortune
went to the County.
"He leaves a fortune of $50,000, which will go to the County Treasury, as he
was without known relatives and left no will."
WARNING - This story is quite graphic. Please do not read with children.
Sacramento Evening Bee
Wednesday, April 19, 1905
WESTERN NEVADA STATE NEWS
Burned Off His Hands As The Spirit Ordered
Death at Elko of Man Who Deliberately Mutilated Himself Many Years Ago
ELKO (Nev.), April 19 - Hiram CHASE, aged 70 years, one of the oldest and
most eccentric citizens of this place, is dead. He leaves a fortune of
$50,000, which will go to the County Treasury, as he was without known
relatives and left no will.
Chase was of a peculiar make-up. In the Winter of December 1872, he was
employed at a sawmill on the Humboldt River and one evening, while in his
cups, he said that he was confronted by a spirit that commanded him to burn
off both his hands. He complied and when he came to his senses found himself
fearfully mutilated. He never drank again, but obtained a drygoods box and
opened a peanut stand on a street corner of this city. From this small start
he grew to opulence and owned one of the largest stores in eastern Nevada
when he died.
In speaking of the strange visitation as a result of which he burned off
his hands he said recently:
"I was sitting in my cabin near the upper bridge across the Humboldt,
before the fire, early in the morning of December 13, 1872, when a man, or
what seemed to be a man, came in and took a seat beside me at the fire. He
said to me, ëThose hands of yours belong to me and I desire to burn them.
You will please put them in the fire.' Although the language was mild, the
tone was that of an order. I was loth to comply with the demand, but I had
not the power to resist, and accordingly put them in the fire as directed. I
held them in that position as long as I could. It was very painful at first,
but I kept them in the flames, finally taking them out and dipping them in
melted grease which I had in the cabin. I then placed them in the fire
again, the stranger closely watching me all the time. I continued the
process of dipping my hands in oil and putting them in the fire until the
fingers and the greater portion of both hands were entirely consumed and
dropped off. At this juncture the influence of the irresistible stranger was
withdrawn together with the stranger himself, and at once I recovered from
the spell."
After seeing how fearfully he had mutilated himself, Chase went to the
home of a man named BOOZARTH and begged to be killed, but his request was
denied. He was taken to the County Hospital and both arms were amputated
near the shoulder. His disposition underwent a complete change from that
time and he ultimately became one of the most influential residents of Elko.
At his funeral to-day all of the school children were present and every
store in the city closed.
After many years of research, I have finally found the family I have been looking for. However, there is one person missing and he is one of my main interest.
Wallace Fairbanks Chase was married to Margaret. I do not have her maiden name.
Per the 1920 census : Wayne, Detroit City, Michigan
Wallace F. Chase b/abt. 1880 in Maine, father born in Maine, mother born in Germany- Occp. of Wallace was a motor starter at an auto factory. In 1920, they lived in Wayne, Detroit City, Michigan
Margaret his wife b/abt. 1881 in Nova Scotia, both of her parents were born in Nova Scotia
William - son- b/abt. 1904 in Massachusetts - he was serving his country in 1920
Charles - son- b/abt. 1908 in Oregon
There was also a boarder in their home by the name of Bankham, Stanly H. b/abt. 1907 in Canada with both parents from Canada
Per the 1930 census: Wayne, Detroit City, Michigan
Wallace is no longer in the picture
Margaret is listed as Head (H) rents, but listed as married
William - son - listed as central Tech. R.R.
Charles - son - listed as information clerk - depot
Her is my dilemma - Wallace married my g-grandmother in 1948, St. Louis, Mo. at the Odd Fellows. The two witness for Wallace and Mamie Elizabeth Smith, were the two sons of Wallace and Margaret. (I have a copy of the marriage license and certificates of marriage). Wallace (it is told) died several years after the marriage to Mamie, but I can find nothing on Wallace and his death date, not any records in Missouri where they were living at the time of his death. It is assumed that Wallace must have died between 1951-1954, based on post cards from Mamie with no mention of Wallace, only that she was trying to get assistance from SS or any other means to help with her support after her return to Maryland.
If anyone would know about this family, the death date and place of Wallace F. Chase, it would really help to solve many questions and complete my search for Wallace.
You may e-mail me off list : leta.sheaffer(a)verizon.net
Many thanks for any help provided,
Leta
http://groups.msn.com/RandolphConnects/westrandolphacademy185060.msnw
Click on above for names of student, faculty, school board etc. of "West"
Randolph of 1850 & 1860.
Many students from out of state and all around.
Info thanks to the Randolph Historical Society.
Harriet Chase
For those of you that know or remember Harriet M. Chase or remember the
first part of her E-mail address, <hatchasse>......... She has just been
elected curator of her local historical museum.
Congratulations Harriet!!!
Hope this not repitious:
139. Micajah Chase (George4, Joseph3, William2, William1)
os Swansea, was born in Swansea. He married 9 Sept 1779 to Hannah Shove born
8 April, 1751 daughter of Nathaniel and Hannah (Baxter) Shove
Children
i Lydia m 30 Sept 1804 her 2nd cousin Oliver Chase son of Samuel and Mary
(Earle) Chase of Swansea
ii Mercy d. unm
iii Nathaniel of Uxbridge b12 July 1784 d 6 July 1885 m 4 Sept 1809 Sarah
Colvin
iv Josiah of Conventry RI m29 1816 Charity Fuller
6. Louisa b 1Mar 1825 m 13 April 1850 Morey B. Alger
141 Samuel Chase (Moses4,Joseph3, William2, William1)
of Swansea. was born in Swansea. He married (intention recorded at Dartmouth,
13 Dec 1773 Mary Earle born about 1750, daughter of Joshua and Alice
(Sherman) Earle
Children
i Oliver m30 Sept 1804 his second cousin Lydia Chase daughter of Micajah and
Hannah (Shove) Chase of Swansea
Ref: Some of the Descendents of William Chase of roxbury and Yarmouth, Mass
Frank Chace
Jeffrey,
Thank you for the write-up of your recent hunting trips to Boston &
Providence! You are truly a dyed-in-the-wool genealogical
researcher--braving pelting hail to search a cemetery! Also congratulations
on your wonderful Chase site. I looked at many of your pages & found some
really great things. From the looks of it, I think we have some common
ancestors. I am a descendant of: (William 1, William 2), Joseph & Sarah
(SHERMAN) CHASE, through their son George, and his wife Lydia (SHOVE) CHASE,
then through their son Micajah. Micajah CHASE was b. abt. 1760, in Swansea,
Bristol Co., MA. I haven't been able to locate anything concrete regarding
his birth info. The NEHGS Register in its "Some Desc. of William Chase"
(Publ. Yr. 1933, Vol. 87, Pg. 135) just states that George & Lydia had a son
at Swansea named Micajah.
I have found a marriage intention record for Micajah CHASE & Hannah
SHOVE, on 14 Aug 1779, at Dighton, Bristol Co., MA, and a marriage record
for them on 9 Sep 1779, at Swansea, Bristol Co., MA. Their marriage was
solemnized by Levi WHEETON, Justice of the Peace. Hannah SHOVE was born on 8
Apr 1751 in Dighton, to Nathaniel & Hannah (BAXTER) SHOVE. These are FHL
references to "extracted records." If anybody has these VR books, or access
to them, I would love to have a verification of these records.
There may be a possible kinship between Micajah's wife, Hannah, and
George's wife, Lydia SHOVE. I have no info to show that however. Micajah &
Hannah had 4 children: Lydia, Mercy, Nathaniel & Josiah S. Lydia m. Oliver
CHASE, son of Samuel & Mary (EARLE) CHASE, on 30 Sep 1804 at Swansea, MA.
Mercy died young, unmarried. Nathaniel m. Sarah COLVIN, on 4 Sep 1809, at
Swansea, MA. They had a son named Andrew CHASE who was b. 15 Apr 1810, at
Swansea, and went to sea at the age of 24, never returning, and probably
lost at sea.
Josiah S. CHASE, my ancestor, was born abt. 1786, in Yarmouth,
Barnstable Co., MA. He m. Charity TILLEY, not FULLER, on 29 Feb 1816, at
Douglas (VR), Worcester Co., MA. She was b. 7 Aug 1798, at Douglas (VR),
daughter of James & Sarah (SMITH) TILLEY. Josiah & Charity had 9 children. I
am descended from their sixth, Louisa S. CHASE. She was b. 1 Mar 1825, in
Uxbridge, Worcester Co., MA. She married Mowry B. Alger (Sr.), on 12 Apr
1851, in Burrillville, Providence Co., RI.
I don't know for sure, but I think that Louisa may have been a Quaker
who married out of the faith. Their marriage intention was published at the
public (town) meeting on the same day they were married. Here's the
intention & civil marriage record texts as found in VR of Burrillville, RI,
Vol. 1A, Marriages 1846-1900, Pg. 2, and Town Records of Burrillville,
Providence Co., RI (1806-1881), respectively:
"I hereby certify the Intention of Marriage between Mowry Alger of
Burrillville, RI and Louisa Chase of Uxbridge, MA has this day been
published in public meeting by me the subscribed. Burrillville, April 12th,
1851. Martin S. Salisbury, Justice of the Peace."
"Marriage of Mowry Alger, of Burrillville, RI & Louisa Chase, of Uxbridge,
MA:
I hereby certify that the above named persons were joined in marriage by me
this 12th day of April, AS 1851. Enos Lappan, Justice of the Peace. Received
April 14th 1851 and recorded by John Walling, Town Clerk."
I'm not sure what "AS" means after the date. Could the 'S' be a
misrepresentation of a cursive 'D?' Making it AD for Anno Domini? Would like
to know if you have any insight as to the possibility of the Quaker
connection. Any suggestions on how I should proceed? I would like any
feedback from you or anyone else on the list. Thank you so much for all your
great work for the CHASE/CHACE cause.
Rev. Joel B. Keith
joelk300(a)tampabay.rr.com
Lakeland, FL
Through His death and resurrection, Christ has made the grave a portal; for
through its gates we enter into the Presence of the Living God.
Jeffrey..What a delight!.. Your e-mail on Chace hunting..
Was a trip down memory lane for me... to bad you didn't get over to Bristol
County..ie Swansea..Somerset..Fall River.. and most particularly ..Freetown and
Assonet.. the birthplace of the Ameican Revolution..but doesn't get credit
for it
Colonel Chace
CHASE BURIAL SITE
CHARLOTTE, NY
____________________________________
Members of the CHASE family were told, in the earlier days, of a burying
ground in the Town of Charlotte, on the high knoll north of Cook Road, with
one stone remaining. A stone with information identical to the one described
is located in Evergreen Cemetery in Sinclairville. We are convinced this was
a burying ground but to what extent? Who was buried there?
Captain Stephen Chase was at the battle of Queenston Heights and confronted
General Brock with is militia company.
I am glad that you were able to visit our wonderful hometown of Boston. Yes
there are many exciting places to visit and do. As a Bostonian, I havent even
visited the NEHS yet as I am only a few trains stops away. I am glad you
were able to do alot while you were here..
My gggggrandmother was Mary Ann Chase from England. Came to US with and
married William Cooper here in MA. However, they lived and stayed mostly in the
Springfield, Northampton, and surrounding areas of MA. I havent had a chance
to devote more time in doing my family research..one of these days I will get
on the ball.
Good luck..
Lfelixthekat
Hello All,
I was able to spend some time in Boston, Massachusetts, and Providence,
Rhode Island, at the end of last year and the beginning of this year.
While in Boston, I visited the New England Historic Genealogical Society
which is located at 101 Newbury Street. I was a bit bemused at the
Society being located on this street as it is one of the highest priced
shopping areas in Boston. Beautiful old buildings are pushed up right
next to each other with the Genealogical Society in an imposing old
structure which looks exactly as one would expect as habitation for such
a venerable association.
Two days I spent in Boston, one at the beginning of my trip and one at
the end. I began by taking the "T" to Downtown Crossing Station which
put me directly in the center of the City. From there I wandered around
downtown enjoying happening upon various sights such as the Old South
Meeting House as I wended my way toward Boston Common. Walking down
Tremont Street, I happened upon the Granary Cemetery where lie Paul
Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams and the parents of Benjamin Franklin
- heady company for my first trip to Boston. Approaching Boston Common,
up on Beacon Hill I admired the New State House with its magnificent
golden dome.
I entered Boston Common which was established in 1634 as a military
"trayning field" and "for the feeding of cattell." Today it is a very
spacious city park and I proceeded across it with the brisk December air
scouring my face. According to a transplanted Bostonian friend of mine,
you know it's winter time in Boston when the Frog Pond in Boston Common
is frozen over and open for skating. The crisp cold air accosting me
left me with no surprise upon seeing the happy skaters gliding across
the pond.
Once through Boston Common, I entered Newbury Street on the far
southwest end of the park. Another quarter mile or so, I found the
NEHGS on the north side of Newbury Street. Having become a member
online at their website at
https://www.newenglandancestors.org/membership/join/ I was able to enter
at no charge which is normally $15 per day. Being that I had very
little time in Boston, I spent the time I had at the NEHGS becoming
acquainted with the facility and the collections and working on a couple
of puzzles with which I had been wrestling with little success for quite
some time.
One of my quests was determining the ancestry of Ilka Chase, the actress
(she was in the original Ocean's Eleven for example, and has a Star on
the Walk of Fame in Hollywood). What little I knew about Ilka's
pedigree was that she was born in New York City, 8 April 1905, and died
in Mexico City, 15 February 1978. Ilka's mother was Edna Woolman Chase,
editor of Vogue Magazine, who married Francis Dane Chase. Edna was born
Edna Alloway on 14 March 1877, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and died 20
March 1957, in Sarasota, Florida. About Francis Dane Chase I knew very
little except that he was born in Boston on 31 July 1873 (from his WWI
draft record). But, who his parents were, I knew not.
Investigating the birth records for Boston for the year Eighteen hundred
seventy-three, I found Francis Dane Chase having been born at Luelner
Place to R. Gardner Chase, born in Nantucket, and Lucy E. Chase, born in
Waterville, Maine. Aha! Now I had something to go on. Having studied
the Barney Nantucket Records quite recently, I knew that Gardner,
Francis's father's middle name, was a very common Nantucket name along
with Chase, Macy, Coffin, Folger and Starbuck.
Going to the Barney Genealogy Master Surname Index at
http://12.46.127.86/bgr/BGR-p/surname_index.htm I proceeded through the
Chases until I found Reuben Gardner Chase born 1836 who married a Lucy
M. Howard in 1859. Reuben Gardner Chase's parents were Obed R. Chase,
b. 20 March 1803, d. 11 November 1878, and Sarah B. Coffin, b. 20 March
1802, d. 2 August 1896. Obed Chase is a descendant of Thomas Chase and
so Ilka Chase's descension is as follows: Thomas, Lt. Isaac, Isaac,
Stephen, Reuben, Obed, Reuben, Francis, Ilka Chase. Mystery solved!
All of you Thomas descendants out there have another illustrious
relative to add to your family.
From Boston, I travelled the one hour journey by train to Providence,
Rhode Island, where I was able to stay two days pursuing my genealogical
quests. Quite different from Boston, Providence is a small city but
with a very imposing State Capitol upon a small bluff overlooking
downtown. Inside the Rhode Island Capitol and on the second floor, I
found a bust of Elizabeth Buffum Chace, wife of Samuel Buffington Chace.
Elizabeth was honored with this installation for her renown as "The
Conscience of Rhode Island" working tirelessly for the abolition of
slavery, she and her husband even opening the Chace Home in Valley Falls
as a station on the Underground Railroad helping runaway slaves reach
Canada. The Chaces would give each freedman a self-addressed stamped
envelope that could be mailed back from Canada indicating to the Chaces
the safe arrival of another soul to freedom. I have posted a photo of
the Elizabeth Buffum Chace statue at my website under the menu item
"Providence, Rhode Island" at the bottom of the left-hand frame.
http://www.chace.demon.nl
Another fascinating aspect of my time in Providence was finding my last
name on a street sign. There is as well as Chace Avenue, a Chace Drive
on the north side of Providence. I have also posted a photo of the
Chace Avenue sign at my website. Chace Avenue was actually quite handy
for me as it is a good way of getting from the Old North Burial Ground
to the Swan Point Cemetery, and in addition, at the corner of Chace
Avenue and Hope Street, there is an excellent Indian Restaurant called
simply, India. I ate there one of the evenings while in Providence and
must say that, although not truly authentic, the food was sumptuous, the
presentation splendid, and the atmosphere very chic. But, my intent is
to talk about Genealogy not Chicken Tikka Massala or Tarka Dahl and Saag
Soup.
On one very dreary day with a cloud-soaked sky, I made my way to the Old
North Burial Ground, located at 5 Branch Avenue, off of N. Main Street.
There was no one to be found at the Office, so I wandered up to the
Greenhouse, and walked in calling out "Hello" every few steps. Finally,
someone answered my hollers and there was a nice woman at the other end
of the structure who was kind enough to help me and showed me a map
taped to the wall there in what must have been some kind of meeting room
for the funerary floral enthusiasts of Providence as there were a number
of folks sitting around sipping coffee. On the map, I was shown the
area of the cemetery where the Quaker Burial Ground was to be found,
said my thanks, and made my exit.
The Old North Burial Ground is the oldest cemetery in Providence and has
existed since 1700. Following the instructions given me in the
Greenhouse, I found the Quaker Burial Ground which has been on the
grounds of the ONBG since 1857 when all of the former graves were dug up
and relocated. Originating in 1786, the cemetery had previously been
situated on Olive Street. As soon as I located the Quaker Burial
Ground, the skies began pelting my balding head with very solidly
compact, wickedly sharp, pieces of water shrapnel, better known as hail.
Ouch. I would not be deterred however as I was searching for the graves
of my Great Great Great Great Grandmother, Rebecca Chace and Great Great
Great Grandmother Lucretia Chace.
Aimlessly walking through the Quaker Burial Ground which contains a mere
350 headstones, the falling frozen water made my task more difficult
than I had imagined it would be. I quickly found the famous Senator
Jonathan Chace and his wife and daughters. Their gravestones are in
fine shape. However, holding to Quaker tenets, the stones are quite
plain, much plainer than would be expected of a US Senator. There were
many Chaces buried within the grounds, but I could find neither Rebecca
nor Lucretia and the hail kept bombarding me. Finally, after walking up
and down each row yet again, my eyes discerned the date 1845 on a fallen
gravestone lying face up as if daring the hail and the elements to
pummel it. Upon closer inspection, I saw a name which looked vaguely
like "Lucretia" but it was badly weatherworn, and was merely a ghost of
a name inscribed on a tombstone, and then just as faintly shone "Chace"
through the 160 years of wear. The age at death was still to be seen
clearly - 31 yrs. 4 mo. & 26 days. I had found Lucretia, but where was
Rebecca? Just a few steps from Lucretia's grave I found her. Rebecca's
gravestone was standing erect, but was even more worn than Lucretia's so
that all that was discernable after 172 years was vaguely her name -
Rebecca Chace. I have posted photos of each gravestone at the bottom of
the Chace Graveyard area of my website.
Having found the graves of Lucretia and Rebecca, I heeded the hail and
exited the Old North Burial Ground and headed toward the Rhode Island
Historical Society Library located at 121 Hope Street. I was eager to
see what new rewards awaited me there, and particularly eager to peruse
the Quaker Records they have there on microfilm. The Library is an
unassuming looking structure and upon entering, there are lockers in
which to place coats, bags, etc. As at the Essex Records Office, pens
are frowned upon and pencils are encouraged for obvious reasons. Entry
is $5.00.
There is quite a bit of material on the shelves which can be perused at
will and they have a very extensive card catalog indexing all items in
the library. If a card in the catalog is marked in red ink, then this
is an item which needs to be ordered from the archive. Once an item is
ordered, there is a document call once per hour.
Finding the Quaker Records for the Providence Monthly Meeting, I found
many of my family members listed therein. Rebecca and Lucretia are
mentioned a few times, and the most interesting of those mentions
concerns their graves. As was already mentioned, the Quaker Burial
Ground was moved in 1857 to its present location. The Quakers having
been sticklers for accuracy in their records, even recorded the
condition of each coffin and/or body dug up and moved. According to the
records, Lucretia's coffin was still intact, but the record for Rebecca
was much grislier - "bones much decayed."
More later.
Jeffrey Chace
http://www.chace.demon.nl