Harold Jones Letter

Profile manager: Rick Pierpont [send private message]

Other: Sources

The attached PDF file is a photocopy of the original typewritten letter.

Harold Jones Letter

This letter was found in a small metal box in the house on the property of the old "Amherst Turkey Farm", across the street from the Lutheran Church, next to UMASS Amherst, in Amherst, Massachusetts. The box was found in the attic when the Rohde family purchased the house in the early 1960s.

The Rohde family purchased the house from Florence Gaskill (wife of Edward Gaskill) when she moved to Florida. Florence and Edward were the recipients of this letter. Edward had died before Florence moved to Florida.

Florence took "all the good antiques"^[1], but left everything else in the house. Florence was very old at the time and had lived in the house most of her life.

The small metal box contained old receipts, property deeds, wills, and letters, most from the 1800s.

• WikiTree Profiles that use this source

This is the letter written by Harold Jones, June 11, 1939

THE HAY-ADAMS HOUSE

WASHINGTON, D . C.

June 11, 1939

Dear Florence and Ed:

Lesley and I are back in New York, just about finished with sightseeing and ready to start west tomorrow night. While I was at meetings in Washington she stayed with John and managed to visit Mt.Vernon and most of the other leading points of interest. John got a congressman of his acquaintance to give us some special cards of admission to the Bureau of Engraving,the G-men's bureau, and the gallery of the Senate. We covered almost everything except the White House, which was closed to get ready for the King and Queen. Another friend loaned us an automobile and we took a two day trip to the peninsula towns in Virginia and to Williamsburg.

Our New York activities have hit only a few high spots, including the Empire State Building, where Lesley's hat blew off but was stopped by a terrace on the 81st floor. Apparently the most important thing to see at the Fair is the General Motors Building. The Russian building and the Lagoon of the Nations display in the evening are also outstanding. Among other things, Lesley was able to get a front row view of the King and Queens they passed through Central Park, and she feels now that she can go home and rest on her laurels for awhile.

We certainly appreciated all that you did for us in New England; those around her will never hear the last of it, even down to her great grandchildren. This reminds me of a family matter that may be of interest to you. Here is the genealogy of Hannah Ward, who was Gramp's mother:

1. William Warde was born in England in 1603. He came to New England and settled in Sudbury in 1638. His house was near an old Indian trail leading past Baldwin's pond (the trail is still preserved.) In King Phillip's war his house was one of several Sudbury homes which were fitted out as garrisons; it was not attacked by the Indians, but most of the other homes were destroyed, the barns burned, cattle driven off and orchards cut down. About 2-1/2 miles out of Marlboro, along the road to Sudbury, is a hill where William's son was killed by the Indians; this is still known as "Ward's Hill". On the Marlboro road is a memorial to William Ward and his wife, stating that they were the great grandparents of General Artemas Ward, the first commander-in-chief of the American Revolution. Also in the Spring Hill cemetery there is a memorial stone to William and his wife.

2. Obadiah was born in England about 1632, and came over with his father and several brothers before 1632 (1638?). He was assigned land in Sudbury at his coming of age in 1653, and was a representative at the General Court in 1690. He had 13 children, and died in 1718 in Marlboro.

3. William Ward, son of Obadiah, was born in 1670 in Marlboro, and died in 1731 in Union, Conn, where he was a large landowner.

4. William Ward, son of William, was born 1691 and died 1780 in Woodstock, Conn. He was a cousin of General Artemas Ward. He was prominent in the community, and is recorded as "an old man of venerable appearance, universally respected both for his wisdom and his virtues." He had ten children, but his son

5. John Ward, born 1716 in Union, Conn., came through with 16 children. He died 1800 in Belchertown

6. John Ward, son of John, was born in 1749 in Belchertown and died in 1850. He married Bethiah Fuller in Stafford, Conn., and had ten children,

7. John Ward, son of the above, was born in 1787 and married Mary Davison, daughter of Phineas Davison of Pelham.

8. Hannah Ward, born 1807, married Abel Brown in 1829.

Do you know of any Davison family in Pelham? Incidentally, it might be interesting if you called up that old fellow that Jerry Jones spoke of, and tried to find out something about the Broads. All we seem to know is that Parsons Broad married Miriam (or Marian?) Reed, and that he was the son of Enos Broad and Hepzibah Burnham. We don't know anything at all about the Reeds or Burnhams, or Enos Broad came from. Perhaps there are some Leverett town records that would tell more about it.

My bank balance was getting a little thin before the first of June, but I am able to send you now something to cover our share on the trailer insurance. We certainly got far more than value received.

Lesley says Cheerio!

signed: Harold

Citation Formats

• <span id='HBL'></span>[[Space:Harold_Broad_Letter|Harold Jones Letter, June 11, 1939]]
• ([[#HBL|Harold Jones Letter]])
• <ref name=HBL>[[Space:Harold_Broad_Letter|Harold Jones Letter, June 11, 1939]]</ref>

Footnotes

1. ↑ quote from Susanne Rohde