Tuesday, January 27, 2009

A treasure found in family history


Boutwell Family History
By
Edna Boutwell
My great Aunt

My grandfather at one time owned a great deal of land in Woburn Massachusetts (The blueprints are now with an uncle.

My grandfather, Edward Boutwell, died of a broken jaw (done by the dentist giving him lock jaw) He was 23 years old. He had two boys-my father, Herbert, and George. The mother wished to marry again, her husband, now Garfield, did not want the two boys. When she appealed to their grandfather, Charles Boutwell, He was angry. He said if she tried to take the boys, she would not see them again. They both grew up believing their mother cared nothing for them.

Charles Boutwell was a hard man but a brilliant man. mathematics was his forte' For example, he would offer a 100.00 to anyone who could give him a problem he couldn't solve. When his 1st wife died, he married Olive Larrabe of Peabody. He "bound" his two grandsons to him until they were 21, and then they were given what was called their "freedom papers".
My father loved all children very much and was always wonderful to all of us, maybe because he and George had so little happiness. He and my mother always had surprises for us even though they had very little money. One Christmas when we were small, my parents told us that Santa had forgotten to stop at our home. They said if we dressed and had breakfast we would go in search of him. In those days we lived in Winn Park, we had no furnace, so it was very cold. My father produced a key to one of the rooms that we always kept the door closed to, to save on heat. When he opened the door, there was a lovely Christmas tree, and presents for all.

I loved my fathers brother, my Uncle George, very much. He was an engineer on the Boston & Maine railroad. He was married to Annie Ross of Nova Scotia, and they had two sons. They lived in Greenfield, Mass. Uncle George died when he stepped off a train, and lost both of his legs. Aunt Annie died, and later her to sons, Ross, and his wife, and Harold Boutwell.

My father, Herbert Boutwell, had three half sisters, in the Garfield Family. One of them Velma,
married one of the Dennison's of the Dennison Manufacturing Company.
We were also related by marriage to President Garfield.

My father always regaled us with stories that happened to the Larrabee's One was in the civil war, and became crazed with fever, and deserted his post. He made his way home to Peabody, Mass. His mother knew the soldiers would come for him, so she put him in her big bed, and covered himwith a mattress. The soldiers did eventually come. In those days 12 soldiers would come for the deserter, with orders to shoot. All but one rifle would have be loaded, so as not to know which bullet killed. As they were about to fire, a rider rode up at full speed with a pardon from President Garfield. The poor man only lived to more months, but did not have a record as a deserter.

We lived in Melrose when I first attended school. My grandmother, Sarah Amanda Amelia Chapman Boutwell Garfield, lived there. She had a beautiful home, and were always nice to me.

My father became a solder, in the Spanish-American war of 1898. He was a great cook in the Army. He recieved a pension from the military, and many years later was buried in the soldiers lot in Woodbrook cemetry, with full mititary honors.
Woburn, Massachusettes.

The Boutwells originally came from France. They were French hugenots and during the war between the protestants and the catholics, the Boutwells, (protestant's) fled for their lives to England. In 1642, two brothers left England, and came to Lynn, Massachusettes. They had money, and were given a title of freemen, along with 100 acres of land. Some years later one decendant came to Reading Mass, and then to Wilminton. (see pictures of Boutwell home built during the 1700s by Mr. Witcher of Woburn). In Wilmington today there is a Boutwell School house, and a Boutwell road. Govenor Boutwell was a member of the Boutwell family in Wilmington. His mansion at Groton Mass, is open to the public, and a portrait of Gov. Boutwell hangs in the library there. There is a large bust of the Govenor in the State house in Boston Mass, and there is also a portrait of the Sherriff Boutwell in the Logan Airport.

Govenor Boutwells daughter, Miss Georgianna Boutwell, that as a child she was often held on Abraham Lincoln's knee. Govenor Boutwell was a school teacher before he became govenor, and he also wrote two books. In the library of the town of lyme, New Hampshire, they have a great deal of history on the Boutwell's.

The Boutwell home is in Reading Mass, andis where my Aunt, Parthina, lived. She married a Smith, and became the mother of Burton Boutwell SSmith, Minister of the large Hope Congregational Church, in Springfield Mass. Their decendants still live there.

There is also a coast gaurd cutter named "The Boutwell"
Boutwells also married into the well known and wealthy Hood family, who own the Hood dairy company.
We are also related to the Manning's, of Billerica. They owned the Famous old house and eating establishment.

My Grandmother Sarah, is buried in the sleepy hollow cemetry, at Concord Mass, and she was Herbert Josiah Boutwells mother. (my father).

There is also a history of the Boutwells in the Lynn Massachusettes public library.
I became a historian.
My father married Margaret Etta McCallister, and they had five children.

My mother, Marjorie Frances Quimby, is George Boutwell's grandaughter.
She married my father 55 years ago, and resides now in Kirkland Washington.

The Quimby, Boutwell inheritance was fought and lost by my mother. George Boutwell had left all he owned to her, and she was an only child. Her father Nelson Lord Quimby, left her at the age of 5, and went to New York City. George and Edna, and other Aunts, raised my mother, after her mother died from walking pnuemona when she was 10.

Katrina Surdyk Barton





Sunday, January 25, 2009

Romantic nod to the past

With a look back at the past in yesterdays auction at the auctionwally booth on bonanzle, I found a bit of history that has not been in my collections.
I have always been attracted to photos from the past, and the people who are in them. I find that having a variety in my business, has helped tremendously with the clientele I attract, and also with my own knowledge of whats what.
I am adding a new section to Gypsy Trading Company, and I will keep you informed on detail, and content.
I want to say, the format that I experienced yesterday, could not be repeated elsewhere, and I commend the brains behind the idea! It was a blast, and look forward to the next round!
Thank you to Walt Kolenda for making the experience wonderful, and my first with a top auctioneer!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Antiques and Collectibles

Clio the 'glorious one' muse of history
The Definition of my muse is part of history. Antiques, and that is why I am where I am.
I bring to you the beauty and richness of the past.

Antiques sustain us, and will always be in our lives. They are the embodiment of the worlds history. Recording a past that keeps us rooted to who we are, and preserving a future to those who come after us. Whimsical and romantic, we see in them where they came from, who held them and loved them, the tragedy of why they are here, and the owners are no longer.

Each day of our journey through life, we come in contact with something that impacts our lives in many different ways. These things can be small or large. The changes we choose to make determine the imprint of our life on someone else.

My collections, public and private, have shaped who I am. It is helping me to shape my children and grandchildren.

Bringing my public collections to you, gives me great pleasure. Gypsy Trading Company offers a variety of Antiques and collectibles. I carry china, and bisque, linens, and leather. Hand tooled items, and hand crafts. I have vintage clothing, and random vintage items. Costume jewelry and real jewelry. Most of my collections come from estate sales, and some family. I have rare music, and beautiful buttons! Silver and more.....Stay tuned for updates. I will be adding weekly and cannot wait to see what interests I share with others.
Gypsy~