Turning to page 3 of the Grant & Lilley Family Reunion Guest List, we are starting to see more direct Gardner relatives, as well as unknown relatives. The last few names are not currently on my extended family tree and will be interesting at best to research.
41. Mr. & Mrs. John Gardner
This is the couple that prompted me to start this blog and all this research into the Grant and Lilley families. John and Martha (Colby) Gardner are my 2nd great-grandparents. John is the older brother of Nellie O. (Gardner) Lilley, Lydia A. (Gardner) Hughes, and Hannah L. (Gardner) Gerrish Hall. I have to believe that their presence in the photograph is a main reason why my Grandfather LeRoy would have it hanging in his main sitting room. My only problem is that I cannot find any type of direct connection for either John Henry or Martha Sophronia Pearson to either the Grant or the Lilley families. I keep hoping that as I research the other names on the list, a direct connection to my GGrandparents will appear.
In the meantime,
John Henry Gardner was born on 15 Mar 1842 in Corinna, Penobscot County. He was the second child born to George Washington and Tabitha (Roberts) Gardner. Like his siblings, he would remain with the family through the various moves as George W. and Tabitha and family migrated further north.
The 1850 U.S. Federal Census is the first one John Henry appears on. The family has moved from Canaan, Somerset County to Corinna, Penobscot County, a small farming community approximately 25 miles northeast of Canaan. Living with the Gardner family is Lydia (Burrill) Humphrey. [Note: for approximately 20 years of my genealogy researching of my immediate family, I had no clue who Lydia Humphrey was. The search for Lydia Humphrey will be covered in a much later blog.]
By 1860, the family has again relocated, this time to Brooks, Waldo County. Tabitha (Roberts) Gardner was born and raised in Brooks, so it is believed that the Gardners have moved to be closer to her family. Interestingly enough, the 1860 U.S. Federal Census has no occupation listed for the 18 year-old John Henry or his 20 year old brother Enoch. This is rare in my family, as by this time many of the eldest sons of the family are either on their own farms or laborers on a nearby farm.
John Henry Gardner enlisted in the Union Army on 15 Jun 1861 and served for exactly 3 years, being honorably discharged in 15 Jun 1864. He was part of the 4th Maine Infantry, Company F and found in many of the well-known battles of the war. Included are the battles of 1st and 2nd Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, among others. Upon his return from the war, John Henry established himself as a worker in a saw mill in Waltham, Hancock County.
It was in Waltham that he met and married Martha Sophronia Pearson Colby, the daughter of Eli Colby and Loretta (Giles) Colby. They were married on 4th of March 1869. Mattie was the second of five children born. John Henry and Mattie were the parents of 4 daughters: Alice Mae (my great-grandmother), Clara “Carrie” E., Susan “Susie” E., and Bertha L. The 1870 U.S. Federal Census has the newly married couple living with Mattie’s family in Waltham on the Colby family farm. John Henry, however, is not working as a farmer, he is listed as working in a local Saw Mill. Mattie is listed as ‘cleaning house’, most likely for private families.
The 1880 U.S. Federal Census shows that the family is still living in Waltham, but by now they are in their own home. John Henry is listed as a Laborer, but no industry is listed, so I am assuming that he is still working at the Saw Mill. Mattie is listed as keeping house, because by this time 3 of their 4 daughters were born.
Sometime between 1880 and 1890, John Henry, Martha and their 4 daughters relocated one last time to Merrill Plantation, located approximately 150 miles north of Waltham. Here John Henry is reunited with his parents and his siblings, Enoch, Ernest, Hannah, Lydia and Nellie. The 1890 Civil War Veteran Schedule has John Henry living in Merrill, and is listed as a Mill owner. It was in Merrill that John Henry and his older brother Enoch decided to open their own Saw Mill. The Gardner Saw Mill was in operation from 1890 until about 1915. The mill was damaged by fire in February, 1900 but according to both the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Federal Census, John Henry Gardner was co-owner of a Saw Mill with his brother.
By 1922, John Henry had retired from the Mill business and he and Mattie were living alone in Merrill. Three of their 4 daughters had died young: Carrie E in 1892; Alice May in 1901, leaving a young son, LeRoy George; and Susie E. in 1911. leaving her husband, Ernest with 4 children. Ernest and his 3rd wife, (Susie’s younger sister) Bertha were profiled as family #30 in Part 6 of the blog.
Martha Sophronia Pearson Colby was born on 6th of November 1846 in Waltham, Hancock County. As stated above she was the daughter of Eli Colby, Jr and Lorinda (Giles) Colby, the eldest daughter and 2nd of their 5 children. She spend her entire childhood in the Waltham area, only leaving after marrying John Henry Gardner.
I have found no direct connection to either the Grant or Lilley families for either John Henry or Mattie. There are numerous indirect connections (marriages of siblings, etc.) but I am not yet convinced that this was the reason for their attendance. John Henry and Martha Sophronia Pearson Gardner appear on the guest list for the Grant & Lilley Family Reunion at # 41.
Note: There is a second John Gardner living in Smyrna Mills at the time of the reunion: John Watson Gardner, son of Enoch Gardner and Harriet Adelide (Lilley) Gardner. The only reason I do not believe it is him on the guest list is because the list clearly states that it is Mr. & Mrs. Gardner attending and I have found no proof that John Watson was married prior to the reunion. He married Marguerite Nickerson but not until December 16, 1926.
42. Mrs. C.A. White & children
Although there are a number of C. A. White’s living in the Smyrna area at the time of the reunion, I have determined that Mrs. C. A. White and family of Island Falls is Mrs. Calvin Augustus (Mina Gertrude Lilley) White. She, her husband Calvin and their 5 daughters lived their entire lives in Island Falls, which is where the guest list indicates this family was from. Mrs. White is listed on Ancestry.com as the niece of the husband of my second Great-Grandaunt. In other words, she was the niece of George Frederick Lilley, who was married to Nellie Orend Gardner.
Mina Gertrude Lilley was born on the 26th of March 1879, in Dyer Brook, the eldest daughter of Sidney Joseph and Frances Pippen (Grant) Lilley. She lived with her parents in the area until the 10th of October 1895 when she married Calvin Augustus White, the youngest so of Charles and Sarah (White) White. The newly married couple moved to Island Falls, where Calvin started his career in the Lumber business. It was here they raised their 5 daughter; Eva Myrtle (1898-1919), Gertrude Lilley (1902-1998), Millicent (1905-1991), Clarice Mildred (1910-1991) and Hilma Dean (1913-2006.
At the time of the reunion, Eva, who had married in 1916, had passed away and Gertrude, who had married in 1918, was living with her husband and 3 children. It is unclear if all three of the remaining daughters (Millicent, Clarice and Hilma) attended the reunion with their mother. Since the guest list has children listed, I believe that at the least, the youngest two daughters attended with their mother.
43. Mr. Arnold Webb
Although Arnold Webb is not a name I expected to be at the Grant & Lilley reunion, once I started profiling him, it became very clear why he was in attendance. According to Ancestry.com, Arnold Webb is the great-grandnephew of the husband (George Frederick Lilley) of my 2nd great-grandaunt (Nellie Orend Gardner). In other words, was the grandson of Mina Gertrude (Lilley) White (see above), the son of Eva Gertrude (White) and John E Webb. Because his mother died when he was only 2, he was raised by his grandparents, Mina and Calvin White.
Calvin Arnold Webb was born on the 24th of November 1917 in Island Falls to Eva Myrtle White and John E. Webb. His paternal grandparents were Andrew S.Webb and Elizabeth May (Porter) Webb. After the death of his wife in the 1918-1919 Flu epidemic, John Webb returned to live with his family, as seen on the 1920 U.S. Census. The 2-year-old Arnold is living with his maternal grandparents and 4 aunts. His aunt Gertrude was back home with her 1-year-old daughter, so it makes you wonder if that is why Arnold wasn’t with his father.
Arnold remained with his grandparents until his first marriage in 1939. Most likely he attended the reunion with his grandmother Mina.
44. Mr. William McGinley
The next name on the guest list is Mr. William McGinley of Smyrna Mills. After rigorous research into multiple parts of the McGinley family, the only connection I can currently find for William is that he is the father of Alice Maud (McGinley) Grant, who was the wife of George Washington Grant. Alice Maud (#14 on the guest list) and a number of her children attended the reunion. Ancestry.com lists William McGinley as the great grandfather of the wife of the 2nd Cousin 2x removed. In other words, one connection is that he is the great grandfather of Phyllis (Grant) McDonald, the wife of Mark McDonald, who was the son of my 2nd great aunt, Inez S. (Gardner) McDonald.
William McGinley was born the 28th of April, 1935 in Tipperary, Ireland. It is believed he immigrated to the States in approximately 1850, to join his brother, George and uncle John Porter and their families on the rich farmland surrounding Houlton, Maine.
Although I could find no specific date, it appears that William was married to Margaret A. Graham before he immigrated to the states in 1850. William and Margaret were the parents of 9 children: William Herbert (1859-1883); Bertha L. (1860-1885); Edith (1860-1860); Maggie B. (1862-1864); Alice Maud (1864-1939); Frank G. (1867-1869); Frank P. (1869-1870); T. Beecher (1871-1936) Guy Edward (1873-1963).
William was a Blacksmith, Carpenter and Farmer and remained in the Houlton area his entire life. His first wife, Margaret, died in 1876, leaving William with a 3-year-old son, Guy. On 05 March 1877, he married his second wife, Isabelle Stewart. They had 2 children together: son Harry (1881- ) and daughter Florence Faith (1888-1968). Unfortunately, Isabelle died in 1906, again leaving William alone, with his young daughter.
On 11th of December 1911, William married his third wife, Isabella E. Cone, they had no children together. Isabella died in 1921, leaving William alone, one last time.
He appears on the 3rd page of the guest list, so it is apparent he did not attend with his daughter, but separately.
45. Mr. & Mrs. Thad Grant & son
The family listed at number 45 is Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Grant of Houlton, Maine. They attended the reunion with their eldest son, Oscar. Thad, was the son of Oscar C. Grant and Augusta M. Larlee, the grandson of Chelsey O. Grant and Frances Lilley. According to Ancestry.com, he is listed as the 1st cousin 1x removed of the husband (George F. Lilley) of my 2nd great-grandaunt (Nellie O. Gardner).
Thaddeus “Thad” Rex Grant was born on the 2nd of October 1889 in New Limerick, Aroostook, Maine, the 2nd child and only son of Oscar Chelsey Grant and Augusta M. Larlee. The family moved to Houlton, while Thad and his sister, Lucy were still quite young. Thad would remain in Houlton, the remainder of his life. The 1900 and 1910 U.S. Federal Census has Thad living with his parents, and lists his occupation as a student.
On the 22nd of September 1915, Thad married Carmilla Louise Robinson, daughter of Joseph E. Robinson and Grace A. Gerow. Carmilla was born 31 Dec 1889 in Vanceboro, Washington County, Maine. The couple was the parents of two sons; Oscar R., born in 1916 and David P., born in 1926. Both boys were born in Houlton. The 1920 U.S. Federal Census has Thad, Carmilla and their son Oscar R. are living in Houlton. Thad is listed as working as a salesman for a Fruit Confection. By 1930 he was the proprietor of an Ice Cream Bar.
As stated before, Thad, Carmilla and Oscar are listed as attending the Grant-Lilley Family Reunion.
As we continue down the final page of names, the families are becoming more difficult to research, as their connections to the Grant and Lilly families are not as obvious.
Finding My Family Tree 