Hello, The "Tewksbury State Hospital" (aka Tewksbury Almshouse) hasn't been mentioned in a while. But, someone e-mailed me yesterday because she found one of my old postings in the archives of the Tewksbury_Hospital List. When I went to look at the archives of the List to remind myself of what was discussed a few years ago, I remembered the researcher, Jodi, and her hard work of "transcribing records." Her previous web site was no longer available, so I was told the current one: http://www.tewksburyhospitalcemetery.ma-vitalrecords.org/ If you have a relative or ancestor who you are not sure where they died, they could have gone to a State Hospital / Almshouse to be treated and then didn't recover. A quick look at one of the data bases in that web site, and I was reminded how many of the people came from other countries. And that reminded me of all the hard work of the late researcher, Shirley. She had transcribed records in Lowell about "Tewksbury" - but where the people came from Nova Scotia. She placed the information on the Nova Scotia List, and I found it very interesting. It was surprising how many young ladies came down to MA - looking for their husband or boyfriend - because they were pregnant. And many of them ended up at the Hospital and gave birth there. http://library.uml.edu/clh/ www.rootsweb.com Mailing List INDEX or "Find a List" I originally subscribed to this List ~5 yrs. ago because I had finally found out what happened to my ancestor, John DEXTER. Mr./Mrs. DEXTER had come up from CT ~1888 as a couple in their late 50's, and Mrs. DEXTER died in 1899. But for several years I didn't know where he went or died. In 1892, the couple had adopted a little girl, and she lived with them until 1899. But, as a 10-yr-old, she was placed in the "Boston Female Orphans Asylum." Then John went to live in a nearby "boarding house." I think it was a death-notice in a CT newspaper which finally told me where he went in 1904. (I'll mention below some tidbits of the story. Actually, I believe a summary of the story is at Jodi's web site.) Betty (near Lowell, MA) FYI: As I've mentioned on the Lists for several years, I believe that John and Mary (CLARK) DEXTER were the maternal grandparents of my grandmother. I believe their married daughter in CT had a pregnancy outside of her marriage in 1888. That lady went to her dying day proclaiming - NOT ! But, my "very distant cousin" in CT recently received an old photo of Mrs. Dexter, and there is definitely a family resemblance between her and my grandmother. I was able to find descendants of the "hopefully" birth-mother, and wrote to them. But, well over 100 yrs. later, that family won't discuss the possibility. The DEXTER's "knew" who the birth-father was and they never told my grandmother. Some day I will write up a story about my grandmother and find a way to publish it. Anyone know of a "genealoty-story contest" I could enter? By the way, when Mrs. Dexter died in 1899, her remains were returned to CT. In 1905, Mr. Dexter was buried on the grounds of the Hospital. (Adding to the mystery.) -- Remember to check the archives of the Lists and Boards for both your surnames and place-names.
Yes the lady that did many many transcribing died in Lowel, Massachusettes Go to this address and you will find all about her. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=rathbun&GSmid=46839441&GRid=29142994 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: <genmassachusetts@rootsweb.com>; <MAMiddle@rootsweb.com>; <New-England-Memories@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 2:25 AM Subject: [N-E-MEM] Tewksbury State Hospital (MA Almshouse) > Hello, > > The "Tewksbury State Hospital" (aka Tewksbury Almshouse) hasn't been > mentioned in a while. But, someone e-mailed me yesterday because she > found one of my old postings in the archives of the Tewksbury_Hospital > List. When I went to look at the archives of the List to remind myself > of what was discussed a few years ago, I remembered the researcher, Jodi, > and her hard work of "transcribing records." Her previous web site was > no longer available, so I was told the current one: > > http://www.tewksburyhospitalcemetery.ma-vitalrecords.org/ > > If you have a relative or ancestor who you are not sure where they died, > they could have gone to a State Hospital / Almshouse to be treated and > then > didn't recover. A quick look at one of the data bases in that web > site, > and I was reminded how many of the people came from other countries. > > And that reminded me of all the hard work of the late researcher, Shirley. > She had transcribed records in Lowell about "Tewksbury" - but where the > people came from Nova Scotia. She placed the information on the Nova > Scotia List, and I found it very interesting. It was surprising how > many young ladies came down to MA - looking for their husband or > boyfriend - > because they were pregnant. And many of them ended up at the Hospital > and > gave birth there. > > http://library.uml.edu/clh/ > > www.rootsweb.com Mailing List INDEX or "Find a List" > > I originally subscribed to this List ~5 yrs. ago because I had finally > found > out what happened to my ancestor, John DEXTER. Mr./Mrs. DEXTER had > come > up from CT ~1888 as a couple in their late 50's, and Mrs. DEXTER died in > 1899. But for several years I didn't know where he went or died. In > 1892, the couple had adopted a little girl, and she lived with them until > 1899. But, as a 10-yr-old, she was placed in the "Boston Female Orphans > Asylum." Then John went to live in a nearby "boarding house." I think > it was a death-notice in a CT newspaper which finally told me where he > went > in 1904. (I'll mention below some tidbits of the story. Actually, I > believe a summary of the story is at Jodi's web site.) > > Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > > > FYI: > > As I've mentioned on the Lists for several years, I believe that John and > Mary (CLARK) DEXTER were the maternal grandparents of my grandmother. I > believe their married daughter in CT had a pregnancy outside of her > marriage > in 1888. That lady went to her dying day proclaiming - NOT ! But, my > "very distant cousin" in CT recently received an old photo of Mrs. Dexter, > and there is definitely a family resemblance between her and my > grandmother. > > I was able to find descendants of the "hopefully" birth-mother, and wrote > to > them. But, well over 100 yrs. later, that family won't discuss the > possibility. The DEXTER's "knew" who the birth-father was and they never > told my grandmother. > Some day I will write up a story about my grandmother and find a way to > publish it. Anyone know of a "genealoty-story contest" I could enter? > > By the way, when Mrs. Dexter died in 1899, her remains were returned to > CT. > In 1905, Mr. Dexter was buried on the grounds of the Hospital. (Adding > to > the mystery.) > > > -- Remember to check the archives of the Lists and Boards for both your > surnames and place-names. > > > > > > > > > > Please remember that, if you having any problems with this List, you > should e-mail me at: > New-England-Memories-Admin@rootsweb.com > > And to unsubscribe it would be: > New-England-Memories-Request@rootsweb.com > > And, if you would like to respond to just the person submitting a message, > you need to change the TO: line. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NEW-ENGLAND-MEMORIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message