Yes Keith Academy was the old jail building. I graduated from Keith Academy in 1957. We used to joke about going to school in the jail. When I was there if you went down in the basement of the building there were still cells there. Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 11:01 AM Subject: [MAMIDDLE] "Keith Academy" / "Lowell Jail" > Hello again, > > Continuing to read this morning's "Lowell Sun," I found a real estate ad > for a Condo at the former "Keith Academy." That was the name I couldn't > think of -- for the building which is being discussed (other postings) as > the "former Lowell Jail." > > I just found the web site for the former "Keith Academy," and it offers a > "brief history" .. > > http://64.227.220.246/KeithWeb/indexKeithAcademy.htm > > > A BRIEF HISTORY OF KEITH ACADEMY > > William Cardinal O'Connell opened Keith Academy at 201 Thorndike Street in > Lowell, Massachusetts as an educational monument to the city of his birth. > The funds to open Keith Academy and it sister school Keith Hall came from a > bequest from B. F. Keith who was a theater magnet and left the funds in > memory of his mother. > > > > I checked the picture of the "Keith Academy" and the picture on the "old > postcard" of the old "Lowell Jail" and they are the same building ! It > doesn't say so in the above "brief history" - but did "Keith Academy" take > over the old "Lowell Jail" building in 1926 ? > > > > Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >

That must be the rectory/office address, as the main entrances to the edifice were directly on Branch St. as indicated in the paragraph below I used to walk by it on my way to and from high school,We lived in the Highlands (That was before everyone got bused to school ) I was shocked when I returned to Lowell some time later and found that it had been torn down, What a shame.............. Edd ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: "edbld" <ees@prodigy.net>; <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 4:45 PM Subject: Re: [MAMIDDLE] French-Canadian Church in Lowell > Hi Edd, > > I just did a quick search and found this web site mentioning the church is > on Smith Street. I checked my map and Smith St. is off of Branch St. > > http://ecommunity.uml.edu/scouting26/church/ > > Here's another page which gives a better description of the church's > history: > > http://ecommunity.uml.edu/scouting26/church/ndlvisitors.html > > Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish was founded in 1908 in order to minister to > the > Franco-American Catholic who had settled in the South Common (lower > Highlands) area of the city of Lowell. Our first church building was > located > on Branch Street in what was formerly the Branch Street Baptist Church > (Tabernacle Baptist Church). Since our foundation our parish has been > staffed by the members of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the > Northern Province (St. Jean-Baptiste Province.) Our first house of worship > was blessed on August 6, 1908, the feast of the Transfiguration. At the > time > of our foundation there were about five hundred families in the parish, > and > our first pastor was Rev. Michel Dubreuil, O.M.I > > > > Here's the beginning of an article which seems to have been published in > "the Boston Herald" in 2004: > > Four Catholic Lowell churches receive their orders to close > > Monday, June 28, 2004 > > > E-mail article View text version View most popular > > There's been plenty of room in the pews at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in > Lowell for years, but official word that the parish would be closed along > with three others in the city still hurt, its pastor said yesterday. > > > > ``The attendance has been way down for probably the last 10 years. It > was obvious... > > > Betty > > P.S. I did a Google search for just "church, Lowell, Massachusetts," > and found a page mentioning the Baptist Church in Downtown Lowell, and it > looks like it was opened the first year Lowell was incorporated as a > separate town ! > > http://www.fubc.org/ > > As I said in a previous posting, the men who originally designed the > "planned Mill Town" in what was to become the Town of Lowell - wanted all > the millworkers' needs met ! So, they arranged for churches to be built, > also ! But, that area was already (what was then) the "East Chelmsford" > part of the Town of Chelmsford, so there was probably already a church or > two in that neighborhood. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "edbld" <ees@prodigy.net> > To: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net>; <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 4:17 PM > Subject: Re: [MAMIDDLE] French-Canadian Church in Lowell > > > Hi Betty and all listers: > When I was growing up in Lowell and attending LHS class of '50 There was a > "French Church" on Branch St, east of School St., where it connects with > Middlesex St. and opposite the park that is now called Clemente park. > > I think it was called Notre Dame De Lordes. (spelling ????) > > Edd Sinnett > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> > To: <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:42 AM > Subject: [MAMIDDLE] French-Canadian Church in Lowell > > >> Hello, >> >> Within the past month or so, someone was asking about a Catholic Church >> in >> Lowell which was for the French-Canadian population ! >> >> In this morning's "Lowell Sun," there is an article, entitled "Acre >> group >> staying positive in bid for church." >> >> www.lowellsun.com >> >> The article starts out: "Officials from the Coalition for a Better >> Acre, a local neighborhood activist group ... are continuing to press >> their bid to acquire the closed 'Nuestra Senora del Carmen Church' from >> the Archdiocese of Boston. ...." >> >> Further on, the article says, "Opened in 1890, Nuestra Senora del Carmen >> was previously known as t. Jean-Baptiste and was Lowell's first >> French-Canadian parish. It was rechristened as the Archdiocese's >> first explicitly Hispanic church in 1994. Archdiocese officials >> closed the church in Aug. 2004. >> >> The huge granite edifice on the fringe of downtown, its ornately painted >> interior hall and its soaring, tiered balconies are considered cultural >> icons to many in the city, particularly in the French-Canadian community. >> ....." >> >> >> I don't think you can see the photos which go along with articles in "The >> Lowell Sun" via the on-line version, but there is a picture in the >> newspaper. >> >> I am familiar with this church as it sits right beside the "St. Vincent >> de >> Paul" thrift shop which I shop in occasionally. It's quite a large >> church situated directly next to the sidewalk on Merrimack Street. >> Continuing down the street (away from Downtown Lowell), you come to the >> intersection with Pawtucket Street - where the buildings formerly housing >> "Saint Joseph's Hospital." And, taking a left on Pawtucket, you will >> shortly arrive at the long-standing, still open French-Canadian grammar >> school ---- which I can't think of the name of right at this second. >> >> (The "French-Canadian area" of Lowell was larger than people might >> realize.) >> >> Betty (near Lowell, MA) >> >> >> >> >> >> ============================== >> Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the >> last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: >> http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx >> >> >> >> -- >> Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/147 - Release Date: >> 10/24/2005 >> > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/147 - Release Date: 10/24/2005

Hi Betty/Listers: To the best of my knowledge that was the history of the building when Keith Academy opened ..........Edd ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 11:01 AM Subject: [MAMIDDLE] "Keith Academy" / "Lowell Jail" > Hello again, > > Continuing to read this morning's "Lowell Sun," I found a real estate ad > for a Condo at the former "Keith Academy." That was the name I couldn't > think of -- for the building which is being discussed (other postings) as > the "former Lowell Jail." > > I just found the web site for the former "Keith Academy," and it offers a > "brief history" .. > > http://64.227.220.246/KeithWeb/indexKeithAcademy.htm > > > A BRIEF HISTORY OF KEITH ACADEMY > > William Cardinal O'Connell opened Keith Academy at 201 Thorndike Street in > Lowell, Massachusetts as an educational monument to the city of his birth. > The funds to open Keith Academy and it sister school Keith Hall came from > a bequest from B. F. Keith who was a theater magnet and left the funds in > memory of his mother. > > > > I checked the picture of the "Keith Academy" and the picture on the "old > postcard" of the old "Lowell Jail" and they are the same building ! It > doesn't say so in the above "brief history" - but did "Keith Academy" take > over the old "Lowell Jail" building in 1926 ? > > > > Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > -- > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/147 - Release Date: 10/24/2005 > >

Hi Betty and all listers: When I was growing up in Lowell and attending LHS class of '50 There was a "French Church" on Branch St, east of School St., where it connects with Middlesex St. and opposite the park that is now called Clemente park. I think it was called Notre Dame De Lordes. (spelling ????) Edd Sinnett ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:42 AM Subject: [MAMIDDLE] French-Canadian Church in Lowell > Hello, > > Within the past month or so, someone was asking about a Catholic Church in > Lowell which was for the French-Canadian population ! > > In this morning's "Lowell Sun," there is an article, entitled "Acre group > staying positive in bid for church." > > www.lowellsun.com > > The article starts out: "Officials from the Coalition for a Better > Acre, a local neighborhood activist group ... are continuing to press > their bid to acquire the closed 'Nuestra Senora del Carmen Church' from > the Archdiocese of Boston. ...." > > Further on, the article says, "Opened in 1890, Nuestra Senora del Carmen > was previously known as t. Jean-Baptiste and was Lowell's first > French-Canadian parish. It was rechristened as the Archdiocese's > first explicitly Hispanic church in 1994. Archdiocese officials > closed the church in Aug. 2004. > > The huge granite edifice on the fringe of downtown, its ornately painted > interior hall and its soaring, tiered balconies are considered cultural > icons to many in the city, particularly in the French-Canadian community. > ....." > > > I don't think you can see the photos which go along with articles in "The > Lowell Sun" via the on-line version, but there is a picture in the > newspaper. > > I am familiar with this church as it sits right beside the "St. Vincent de > Paul" thrift shop which I shop in occasionally. It's quite a large > church situated directly next to the sidewalk on Merrimack Street. > Continuing down the street (away from Downtown Lowell), you come to the > intersection with Pawtucket Street - where the buildings formerly housing > "Saint Joseph's Hospital." And, taking a left on Pawtucket, you will > shortly arrive at the long-standing, still open French-Canadian grammar > school ---- which I can't think of the name of right at this second. > > (The "French-Canadian area" of Lowell was larger than people might > realize.) > > Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > > > > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > -- > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/147 - Release Date: 10/24/2005 >

Hello I wonder if someone could check and see if they could find either a Birth or Death Record for me. The name as it was written on the 1880 Census is Maggie ROLAND. I think that she was born either 1862 or 1863. After the 1880 census she disappears, no one seems to know where. The family name as most did has various spellings(these are the main ones that I have found: ROMAN RONAN RONEN RONIN ROMAINE ROWAN ROHAN Thank you in advance for your help and I am hopeful that someone can help find her. Most Sincerely Peggy

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Clark, Smyth, Carroll, Rigney in NYC, Patterson, Brosnahan, Kemmedy, Cronin in Boston Area Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/AFB.2ACE/1702 Message Board Post: William Kemmedy [not Kennedy] born c 1825 in Ireland, died 6 Apr 1878, married three times. Child Ellen by second wife, c 1850. Third wife Cronin, Margaret E, b c 1845 in Boston, died bet 1909 - 1920; children Winnifred [1872]; Margaret [1875] and Agnes Monica [1878]. Agnes died in Brooklyn, NY 1971. Margaret Cronin had 3 husbands: First = UNKNOWN Ryan, Second = Kemmedy [above] and third = O'Connell, John J. Two sons by O'Connell: Charles P [2/1880] and Francis W [9/1886] Winnifried married UNK Ladd; Margaret married Charles Sanderson, stockbroker in NYC, lived in Brooklyn, NY Winnifred and Charles had 4 children, Margaret E.; Winnifred K.; Kathleen J.; and Frederick W. Margaret and Kathleen may have been school teachers in NYC. Seeking info on Kemmedy descendants as well as descendents of O'Connell.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/AFB.2ACE/1650.1.2.1.2.1.2 Message Board Post: Hi Bill. Thank you. Just an FYI is that I checked a map and Dutton St. and Cushing St. do not intersect, but they both are off of Fletcher St. a short distance apart. However, there is a chance that the path of Cushing St. was changed; it might have intersected Dutton in the early 1900's. So, the "jail" might have been on that side of Fletcher St. right where Dutton and Cushing used to intersect. I'm trying to remember what sits there right now. There are a lot of old buildings on Dutton St. to the left of Fletcher St., but a lot of old buildings have been taken down on the right of Fletcher. (Interestingly, that is where the "Registry" used to be - the far end of Dutton St.) The next time I'm out driving in Lowell, I'll check around to see if there are any "signs" as to where the Jail might have sat ! An FYI for others is that, if you take Fletcher St. to the other end, you will come to Pawtucket St., and the area where "the French-Canadians" lived. (And, I just remembered the name, "Franco-American School.") Another FYI is that Pawtucket St. is on the southern shore of the Merrimack River, and a little farther down - just past Varnum Ave. is the Pawtucket Blvd. on the northern shore of the Merrimack River. (I don't know how the "enhanced 911" system allows this.) Another FYI is that Dutton St. is where the entrance to the parking lot for the "Lowell National Historical Park" is. The (pedestrian) entrance for the "Visitors' Center" is around the corner on Market St. Another FYI is that very first Jail would not have been in the middle of the "downtown Mill section" of Lowell. It was off to the left in the neighborhood where people had homes, and the "North Common" is just up Fletcher St. from there.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Flanders/Stevenson Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/AFB.2ACE/1650.1.2.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Betty, I thank you for your input on this subject. Several have been so helpful sending me sites to visit in my research. I will check all of them out. June

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Flanders/Stevenson Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/AFB.2ACE/1650.1.2.1.2.1.1 Message Board Post: Bill--Thank you so much for this information. I will certainly check it out. I am so grateful! June

Hello again, Continuing to read this morning's "Lowell Sun," I found a real estate ad for a Condo at the former "Keith Academy." That was the name I couldn't think of -- for the building which is being discussed (other postings) as the "former Lowell Jail." I just found the web site for the former "Keith Academy," and it offers a "brief history" .. http://64.227.220.246/KeithWeb/indexKeithAcademy.htm A BRIEF HISTORY OF KEITH ACADEMY William Cardinal O'Connell opened Keith Academy at 201 Thorndike Street in Lowell, Massachusetts as an educational monument to the city of his birth. The funds to open Keith Academy and it sister school Keith Hall came from a bequest from B. F. Keith who was a theater magnet and left the funds in memory of his mother. I checked the picture of the "Keith Academy" and the picture on the "old postcard" of the old "Lowell Jail" and they are the same building ! It doesn't say so in the above "brief history" - but did "Keith Academy" take over the old "Lowell Jail" building in 1926 ? Betty (near Lowell, MA)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/AFB.2ACE/1650.1.2.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Hello. In this morning's "Lowell Sun," I found an ad for the sale of one of the condo's in Lowell, and was reminded that this condo-complex is in the building for the former "Keith Academy." I found a web site for the school where the "brief history" says that the school opened in 1926. http://64.227.220.246/KeithWeb/indexKeithAcademy.htm The "history" doesn't mention that the building was formerly used as a "Jail," though. But, the opening of the school in 1926 coincides with the opening of the "House of Correction" in Billerica in 1929. So, maybe the "Lowell Jail" closed around 1920-1925. If that is true, then you would probably find "inmates" in the Lowell Jail in possibly the 1900, 1910, and 1920 Census, but not in the 1930 census. I don't know how to find Census information by "street" but you would be looking for a building on Thorndike Street. (This morning on-line I have seen a photo of the old "Keith Academy" and the old "Lowell Jail," and they are the same building.)

Hello, A discussion has been started on when Jails were built in Middlesex County - probably in mid to late 1800's. In another posting I mentioned that my friend and I needed to drive in Cambridge and Boston a few days ago, and we noticed that the old "Charles Street Jail" was being "gutted" - thinking it would soon become Condos ! Out of curiousity, I just did a Google search and found out that the Jail is "coming down !" And, it was built in 1851 ! http://www.demolitionx.com/mon_demo3c.asp Part of the article states: The plan to build the jail was prompted in the 1840's by numerous complaints about the 1822 Leverett Street jail. The prison was built to comply with the so-called Auburn Plan for prisons developed in New York in the 1820's. This system was based on the premise that prisoners should not be kept in continuous solitary confinement. Individual cells should be for sleeping only; a prison went the argument, should provide room for communal work and exercise. The established practice at the time, known as the Pennsylvania System, as followed in the Leverett jail, was that prisons house inmates in individual cells opening into individual exercise yards. Little useful work could be induced from prisoners under this system, and the Quaker ideal of solitude inducing contrition (the basis for the system) did not work in fact. The results were poor physical and emotional health for the inmates, and a high price for the taxpayers. The "Jail" is also mentioned on this web site, which states that the land will become "a new wing" of M.G.H. http://www.bostonpreservation.org/whatsnew.html http://journalism.emerson.edu/jr610/spring03/cit/beaconhill/jail.html It seems there are many web sites which mention the "infamous" Charles Street Jail: http://www.iguanaphoto.com/portfolio.html The "Middlesex County House of Correction" in Billerica is mentioned on this web page: http://www.ehka.com/current.htm As a member of a neighborhood civic group in Billerica in the 1970's, we "toured" part of the original building of the "House of Correction." It was one SCARY and depressing and ugly .. place ... meaning the "antiquated building" - not the prisoners ! ** Oh, here we go, the original "House of Correction" (for northern Middlesex County) was built in 1929 - to house 300 prisoners ! http://www.middlesexsheriff.org/about_newbhoc.htm The top left photo on this page .. shows the buildings now. The far left of the set of buildings shows the original building which is up on a hill facing down on Treble Cove Road ! The bottom of the hill was originally "farmland" where veggies were grown, etc., and directly across the street was where the cows grazed ! (Originally, a "prison farm.") Hope this is of interest ! Betty (near Lowell, MA) P.S. I just remembered that someone was asking about the old "Lowell Jail." Someone responded that the building still sits on Thorndike Street in Lowell, and it is now "Condos." I knew I had heard of a "Lowell Jail" someplace, but couldn't remember where. But, I'm pretty sure I heard of it because of "old postcards" being sold on eBay. I just did a Google search for "Lowell Jail," and found a list of "old postcards" on this site, and the "Lowell Jail" is mentioned: http://www.middlesexsheriff.org/about_newbhoc.htm It is also mentioned here: http://library.uml.edu/clh/LIS/LIS97-98.htm Aha ! Here's an interesting web site. Along with other information about "jails" in general, there is an old photo of the "Lowell Jail." http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/Ja/Jail.html One of those "old postcards" is on eBay right now: http://cgi.ebay.com/County-Jail-Lowell-Mass-Circa-1906-Near-Mint-Cond_W0QQitemZ6245805160QQcategoryZ20215QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hello, On the web site for the "Center for Lowell History," I went to the Special Collections page, and it mentions that they have some diaries from a "Sheriff." http://library.uml.edu/clh/Collect.Html Bancroft Collection Jefferson Bancroft was the mayor of the City of Lowell in the 1840s. He served as Sheriff during much of the mid 1800s. This collection contains Bancroft's personal and business correspondence. In addition, there are a large number of Sheriff's records including foreclosures, auctions, and other legal actions. I was wondering if anyone had ever looked at the information to see if there was data about when jails were built, etc. It would also be interesting to see when the first, official "Police Stations" were built in the Greater Lowell area. One of the last pages in the General section of the "History of Billerica" is information on the 1880 census, where "The occupations of the people are thus reported: ... Men: Clergymen, lawyer, physician, actor, teacher, chemist, domestic, nurse, boarding-house keeper, dealer in fish, butcher, grocer, store-clerk, RR employee, teamster, telegraph employee, salesman, peddler, milkmen, merchants-lumber, drugs/medicine, manufacturing-official, insurance-official, agent, gardener, farm-laborers, farmers, stock-herder, hostlers, florest, logwood-mill, chemical-works, pianomaker, building-mover, gluemaker, machinist, shoemaker, printer, painter, mason, carpenters, cabinetmakers, blacksmiths, baker, woolen-mill-operative, wheelwright, upholsterer, paperhanger, marble and stone cutters, iron-foundry-operative, gold and silver worker, dyers, bleachers and scourers, building and contractor, brass founder/worker, medical student, apprentice, engineer, manufacturers, laborers....." No mention at all about "police" or "jailkeepers." .. Does anyone have "the History of Middlesex County" and could look to see if it mentions when the first jails were built? By the way, we drove through Cambridge and Boston the other day and discovered the old "Charles Street Jail" has been literally "emptied out." My friend thinks that they are probably going to make Condos out of that building, too ! (His former church in Cambridgeport will become "Condos" within the next few years.) And, a long-standing "Long's Funeral Home" in the Porter Square part of Somerville .. has just been transformed into what appear to be "office Condos." Betty (near Lowell, MA) P.S. The church in Lowell which was originally known as St. Jean-Baptiste .. will probably become Condos within the next few years !

Hi Janice, What is now the City of Lowell was originally part of the Town of Chelmsford. During the 1820's, men came to town and decided that the intersection of the Merrimack River and the Concord River was an excellent place to build a "planned Mill Town." The area was annexed off to become the Town of Lowell in 1826. I just went to the web site for the "Center for Lowell History" and found a page which shows that in 1826, there were only 2,500 people living in the Town of Lowell. But, in 1833, there were over 12,000 people living there. So, within 7 years, almost 10,000 people moved to the "Town of Lowell." In 1850, there were over 33,000 people living there. So, within the next 17 years, another 12,000 people moved to Lowell ! It must have been quite the sight to see ! It must have been - quite the experience - for the people who lived there in 1826 ! http://library.uml.edu/clh/ApA.Html When the businessmen went about creating "the planned Mill Town," they tried to think of everything - including places for the mill workers to live, go to church, eat meals, etc. So, yes, "many" dormitories and boarding houses, etc., were built - to "house" the millworkers. And, many other "places to live" had to be built in order to accommodate "whole families" which wanted to live there ! There are "many" books written about the mills in Lowell, and the "Mill Girls," etc. And, most of the area of Downtown Lowell is now a "National Historic Park" combined with a "State Heritage Park." Please go to the archives of the MAMiddle List, and the GenMA List and do a search for "Lowell" to find a great deal more information ! www.rootsweb.com Mailing List INDEX Betty (near Lowell, MA) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Janice R Freeman" <snibbor13@juno.com> To: <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 9:28 PM Subject: 1850 Lowell Census Question >I found two young ladies, ages 22 and 19, on Image 201 of 656 for the > 1850 Lowell, MA Census. This image and the previous 10 Images had > lists of mostly young ladies from ages 17-25. Every 40-80 there was a > numbered household with the first person listed usually an older female > of 35-60 years old, usually no occupation listed. Sometimes there was > what appeared to be a husband listed first and/or one or two children > with the older female. > > Finally back on Images 190 and 191, I found several families where the > occupation of the head was usually Manufacturer. A few females had > Operative as the occupation and there were a couple of Clerks and an > Actor. > > Were these rooming houses / dormitories for the mills in Lowell during > this time period ? or what ? > > I found this when trying to find where some descendants went when > they disappeared from Maine Census records and apparently went to MA > from ME. > > Grateful for any explanation. > > Janice > > ______________________________

I have directories for Lowell Massachusetts for the years 1903, 1929 and 1937. If anyone would like a lookup,please don't hesitate to ask. Maureen ....Lowell Massachusetts

Hello, Within the past month or so, someone was asking about a Catholic Church in Lowell which was for the French-Canadian population ! In this morning's "Lowell Sun," there is an article, entitled "Acre group staying positive in bid for church." www.lowellsun.com The article starts out: "Officials from the Coalition for a Better Acre, a local neighborhood activist group ... are continuing to press their bid to acquire the closed 'Nuestra Senora del Carmen Church' from the Archdiocese of Boston. ...." Further on, the article says, "Opened in 1890, Nuestra Senora del Carmen was previously known as t. Jean-Baptiste and was Lowell's first French-Canadian parish. It was rechristened as the Archdiocese's first explicitly Hispanic church in 1994. Archdiocese officials closed the church in Aug. 2004. The huge granite edifice on the fringe of downtown, its ornately painted interior hall and its soaring, tiered balconies are considered cultural icons to many in the city, particularly in the French-Canadian community. ....." I don't think you can see the photos which go along with articles in "The Lowell Sun" via the on-line version, but there is a picture in the newspaper. I am familiar with this church as it sits right beside the "St. Vincent de Paul" thrift shop which I shop in occasionally. It's quite a large church situated directly next to the sidewalk on Merrimack Street. Continuing down the street (away from Downtown Lowell), you come to the intersection with Pawtucket Street - where the buildings formerly housing "Saint Joseph's Hospital." And, taking a left on Pawtucket, you will shortly arrive at the long-standing, still open French-Canadian grammar school ---- which I can't think of the name of right at this second. (The "French-Canadian area" of Lowell was larger than people might realize.) Betty (near Lowell, MA)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/AFB.2ACE/1650.1.2.2.1 Message Board Post: Hello. I became curious about the origins of the jails in Middlesex County, MA, and have been doing some on-line investigating this morning. I just now found an "old postcard" of the "Lowell Jail" being sold on eBay right now: http://cgi.ebay.com/County-Jail-Lowell-Mass-Circa-1906-Near-Mint-Cond_W0QQitemZ6245805160QQcategoryZ20215QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I think that's how I originally found out about the old jail. I also found an "old photo" of it on this web site: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/Ja/Jail.html Betty (near Lowell, MA)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/AFB.2ACE/1650.1.2.1.2 Message Board Post: Hi Bill. Thank you for telling us where the Jail was in Lowell ! I knew I had read about it someplace, but couldn't remember anything about it. I know the actual building on Thorndike Street, as I used to see the real-estate ads last year for the Condos which now make up the building. I tried to find a history of the jails / prisons in Middlesex County yesterday (on-line) but was not successful. Because I used to live in the neighborhood, I knew a little about the property in Billerica where the current House of Correction sits. It was a very large farm covering both sides of Treble Cove Road. And, when the Farm was bought so that the "prison" could be built, it became "a prison farm." When I first moved to Billerica in the 1960's, you could see the prisoners "out working in the fields" on one side - and "out tending the cows" on the other side. Some of the farm-buildings still exist. In fact, my new neighbor, an 89-year-old lady, told me a very funny story about an experience she had when she first moved to Billerica in the 1940's. She and her husband came up from Medford/Arlington to buy a small farm on Nashua Road. Actually she told me 2 funny stories ! One day her girlfriend wanted to visit her, and her girlfriend "liked to wear fancy dresses" etc. Well, this lady's husband was using the family-car, so she took the buck-board to go pick up her girlfriend at the train station. On the way down Treble Cove Road back towards the house, the prisoners on the side of the road saw "the fancy lady" and started whistling, etc. Well, the girlfriend was highly indignant - and asked her friend to "hurry up" past the area. The friend (my neighbor) "cracked the whip" and said, "Giddyup" .. and the horses took off -- sending the girlfriend ...off the seat, upsidedown and doing a flip into the back of the buckboard - feet up ! The prisoners got quite a laugh ! Another day, my neighbor (also named Betty) decided to join "the Grange," and "got all gussied up" to attend her first meeting that night ! The next morning (early farmer hour) she discovered that the goat had gotten loose and was up the street in someone else's yard ! In her pajamas, thinking no one would see her, she ran up the street to get the goat back. Well, while leading the goat on a rope, the goat got mad, and "took off" .. sending Betty .. down to the street.. being dragged by the goat - on her backside ! As fate would have it, right at that moment .. the 'head of the Grange" .. came driving by .. and said, "Good morning, Mrs. _____." :o) Anyways, I believe I read someplace that the original House of Correction building was built around 1890. And, this coincides with the fact that no mention of a Jail or Prison is made in the "History of Billerica" which was published in 1883. Betty (near Lowell, MA) (I tried to encourage my neighbor, Betty, and her grown son to "write a book" ... and they don't have the motivation to do it ! They only remained in Billerica for a few years because her husband "had the farming bug" and they moved to Lisbon, NH, and owned a large farm up there ! Betty had 2 sons first ... who gave her "a H... of a time" ... on the farm .. and then they had 2 sweet daughters.) :o)

I found two young ladies, ages 22 and 19, on Image 201 of 656 for the 1850 Lowell, MA Census. This image and the previous 10 Images had lists of mostly young ladies from ages 17-25. Every 40-80 there was a numbered household with the first person listed usually an older female of 35-60 years old, usually no occupation listed. Sometimes there was what appeared to be a husband listed first and/or one or two children with the older female. Finally back on Images 190 and 191, I found several families where the occupation of the head was usually Manufacturer. A few females had Operative as the occupation and there were a couple of Clerks and an Actor. Were these rooming houses / dormitories for the mills in Lowell during this time period ? or what ? I found this when trying to find where some descendants went when they disappeared from Maine Census records and apparently went to MA from ME. Grateful for any explanation. Janice

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Flanders/Stevenson Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/AFB.2ACE/1650.1.2.2 Message Board Post: Paul-I am interested in the jail or whatever house of correction in Lowell in the late 1930s. June