This Blog is to Inform, to Discuss, and to Show/Provide as Truthful of an Accurate Awareness Documentarily of what has been and is happening in N'dakinna (Vermont, N.H. etc), by those claiming to be Allegedly Vermont or New Hampshire Abenaki, etc.
I was fortunate to grow up with two parents who were storytellers and so I heard family stories. My father had gone back into the military after World War 2 because the job market was hard right after people got home from fighting, and so he went to school for a little while and then he went back into the military.
So, I grew up being an Air Force brat and moving as we were called in the service, “brats” moving all over the world
So here I am the child of New England parents, and was born in Wichita, Kansas.
My sister was born there too; and we lived in the Philippines and in Germany and France.
And Ohio and Maryland; we lived all over the place but they my parents grounded us in our families and in New England with the stories they told.
But they were stories generational stories of our family of course.
They also took us camping all the time and so I learned how to, you know, live and balance what to do what to do in nature, how to be in touch with nature.
Because even when we lived in big cities my father and my mother always took us camping everywhere
So that we would have a sense of what, you know, what we needed to know what the earth, you know, really was … which not the big cities and the cars and the towering buildings.
But I didn't know the traditional stories the way you know Louise had such the bounty of being able to hear those and learn them from her grandmother and from other elders.
So, for me, I became a storyteller myself when I became a parent, when I became a mother.
I really, you know, I think we all do, you know.
We think about, what kind of parent do we want to be and what information, you know, what do we want our children to really know that's important to us and for me, you know, I have English Scottish Irish Welsh …
I'm told German and one Swedish great- great-great-great-grandmother who somehow moved to Maine and got into the family tree ...
But here is where I live, and our Abenaki heritage is / was very important to me.
I always knew about it because my mother would tell me and what her grandfather had taught her.
It seemed very close to me because I knew him until I was about 10 years old.
His mother was Abenaki ...
Here is where we live ...
I live here in the Northeast ...
I live in New England and here's where I’m raising my children ...
Not in Europe ...
And so, I knew they would hear all those stories I wanted them to learn the stories of the Abenaki people.
And also, the Mohawk people.
My husband has mohawk heritage.
I started looking around, you know, where was I going to get this information and here I have to give great thanks, you know, kchi wliwini to Joseph Edward Bruchac III, who is an amazing Abenaki storyteller.
Just about the time I was trying to learn how to tell these stories in the early 1990’s
he began to publish a series of books with his partner Michael Caduto and the two of them were Keepers of the Earth and Keepers of the Animals and Keepers of Life and Keepers of the Night.
His voice as a storyteller was so touching to me even just written that I then I had to go seek him out and then I found every storyteller I could find and went and listened. I apprenticed myself to go hear the stories because it's hearing the stories that you can become you can internalize them and start to become a storyteller and every storyteller I've ever met is gracious and wants to pass the stories on, you know, the stories are living entities and they need the breath of life in them they need to be shared they need to be passed on and this is one of the things that I learned from hearing other storytellers; and I was so grateful to be able to share that with my daughters and have one of my, you know, my daughters are in their 30’s now.
I have granddaughters who love to tell those stories, you know, with my younger granddaughter in kindergarten, you know, they were giving everybody their best this award and best that award and little Marilyn came home with the best storyteller award I didn’t even know they had a storyteller award. It was delightful to see that going on my younger daughter Amanda she did some time at Montezuma's Castle, out in Arizona as a park ranger and what she did was tell stories, you know, instead of just giving statistics she had gone with me and she had apprenticed herself to me when I was going out telling stories when she was growing up, and she found that rhythm and that cadence and so when she was in Arizona she found, you know, the people there, the indigenous people, and asked if there were stories that she could share, you know, so it's something that you learn from other storytellers and then it becomes stronger the more stories you hear.
I also remember hearing 'Wolf Song' a.k.a. Rickie Douglass Provencher (1953-2000), who was a wonderful Abenaki storyteller from MaineVermont who passed on, too young, too early, but he gave that gift of stories and that lives, he lives with them, you know, through them, through us sharing and remembering. I want to thank the two storytellers so much, kchi wliwini, and thank all of you for coming. Please visit the Center for the Humanities website, that will be posted in the chat and the recording for tonight's event will also be available soon at that same website.
Thank you thank you it's been an honor.
(Rickie Douglass Provencher had legally changed his name to 'Wolf Song' in the 1990's ...)
Anne Richardson (nee: Sylvester) Jennison, an "Abenaki"? Really? When? Where? How?
Perhaps someone could ASK her, and provide my person the objective answer. I doubt she would provide me the answers.
Or she'd reply with the Go_To_Answer ... that her ancestors were all "hiding in plain sight" and there is NO OBJECTIVE evidence to her "Abenaki" ancestry.
OK so trying to ascertain the alleged "Abenaki" ancestor in this one was like TRYING to find "Waldo" in the red and white knit hat in NY City, NY.
Anne's mother Barbara always knew about it (the Abenaki) because Babarba would tell her daughter and what Barbara's grandfather had taught her. It seemes very close to Anne because she knew him until she was about 10 years old. His mother was Abenaki" ...
That alleged "Abenaki" being Alice M. Turner, or Mary Esther Boyden.
Find Waldo.
(It will be easier to find than the alleged "Abenaki" I assure you!)
In all of her storytelling, Anne Sylvester - Jennison NEVER mentions specifically WHO that "Abenaki" was in her ancestry. NEVER the Living Relations or COMMUNITY, in which her ancestor lived. WHY not? I surmise it's because she's using a remote ancestor SHE HERSELF CLAIMS was "Abenaki" in which to promote herself.
As for her husband Charles Jennison being of "Mohawk" "heritage" again, it's very likely so remote of an ancestor, if at all ever existed in the first place. AGAIN, what COMMUNITY? CLAN? Mohawk names? I found NOTHING ...
Just more storytelling and self-promotion by her, a white woman Playing "Abenaki" in New Hampshire (?) like so many others in VT/NH.
I did like the "My husband is of Mohawk heritage" comment in her presentation. That was what, 15 years of genealogy to "discover" before that was announced by her? Or was it some storytelling going on from one of his parents too, about some 9th generation "Mohawk" alleged ancestor, due to the 'romantic' notions, much like Joe Bruchac claiming he too was an Iroquoian Indian, legitimizing his Iroquoian storytelling for $$$$$?
Find the Mohawk. It might not be as easily found as finding Waldo in a book.
Anne Jennison is listed on the N.H. Traditional Artists Roster as a traditional Abenaki Storyteller & craftsman.
Anne Jennsion is also a member of both the N.H. Commission on Native American Affair of New Hampshire and Indigenous N.H. Collaborative Collective. Additionally, Jennison is an affiliate faculty member for the UNH Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Minor and a co-creator of the “People of the Dawnland” interpretative exhibit about the Abenaki/Wabanaki people at Strawberry Banke Museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, For more information about Anne R. (nee: Sylvester) Jennison, go to www.annejennison.com
A Facebook Social Media member recently contacted my person, inquiring if I had ever checked out Monique Fordham. I had been informed that she had been one of the original people who fought for Vermont State Recognition of the “Abenaki”. This person who inquired had long suspected Fordham of being a fraud, yet Fordham had been working for the Federal Government, out of Vermont. I was informed that Monique had been “good friends” with Charles Lawrence “Megeso” Delaney Jr. who also claims to be “Abenaki” and a Judge, but he is neither, according to the informant.
Thus, began my curiosity as to who Monique Fordham was, where she came from, her ancestors, and her own “Abenaki” claims. A simple google search for her began subsequent to the Facebook communication to my person. Monique had been one of the co-founders of the Friends of Wissatinnewag (FOW), now the Nolumbeka Project, along with Howard Clark. Knowing that the Nolumbeka Project had given space, platform and benefit to Vermont “Abenaki” groups.
Monique Fordham piqued my interest, yet had not been on my investigative research ‘radar’ previously. Thus began my own research into Monique Fordham:
Using google search, I quickly learned that Monique had a number of “footprints” across the internet in varied website pages:
Monique Fordham - Native American Program Specialist
Monique Fordham (Abenaki) is a freelance videographer, radio producer, and University of Massachusetts alumna.
1993 -
Monique Fordham (1993) states that “The quest by Indian peoples for religious freedom often seems like an unending one. For Native Americans incarcerated in U.S. prisons, it has often been a struggle waged in imposed silence. However, the voices of Indian people inside the “iron houses” across the country are finally being heard, and their right to exercise their traditional religions in dignity is slowly being recognized as a pressing concern by peoples of all races and faiths” (p. 170).
1998 -
The Politics of Language and the Survival of Indigenous Culture: From Suppression to Reintroduction in the Formal Classroom
Equity & Excellence in Education, Vol. 31, No. 1, Special Issue, 1998, pp. 40-47. Monique Fordham
Monique Fordham
Native American Program Specialist on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Washington, District of Columbia, United States
2009-
Monique Fordham, who has been working with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), is our new Program Specialist, starting on January 19, 2009. Ms. Fordham received her
Master of Education degree in Cultural Diversity/Curriculum Reform from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1998. She received her Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Environmental Law degrees from Vermont Law School in 2004, where she was President of the Native American Law Society and worked under Professor Dean Suagee in the school’s Indian Country Environmental Justice Clinic. She also worked as a legal intern at the Association on American Indian Affairs on sacred site issues. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2004. Ms. Fordham is the founder and president of Friends of Wissatinnewag, Inc., an all-volunteer non-profit organization that worked for several years to successfully purchase and protect the site of the ancient Pocumtuck village known as Wissatinnewag in order to save it from proposed development. Located in western Massachusetts, Wissatinnewag was the site of one of the earliest massacres of non-combatants in the colonial history of the northeast, when over 300 Native women, children, and elders were killed there by a colonial militia.
Ms. Fordham has worked closely with the Tribal Historic Preservation Office of the Narragansett Indian Tribe on the protection of Wissatinnewag and surrounding properties for over a decade.
She is the author of published journal articles on the reintroduction of Native languages into primary educational settings, and on the struggles of incarcerated Native Americans to practice their traditional religions in prison. During the 1990's, Ms. Fordham worked as a “stringer” reporter for National Native News, and hosted a weekly Native music and affairs radio program, “Kita,” on WMUA radio in Amherst, MA.
Ms. Fordham is of Western Abenaki descent from Quebec and the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Three Native American speakers will give 20-minute presentations on these impacts specific to their Tribes and regions, as well as perspectives on the significance they have on tribal spiritual practices and how this affects the first Peoples of our country. The Panel will be moderated by USGS National Tribal Liaison Monique Fordham, Esq. (Nulhegan Abenaki).
F. Eligible U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Programs
The mission of the USGS is to collect, analyze, and provide information on biology, geology, hydrology, and geography that contributes to the wise management of the Nation's natural resources and to the health, safety, and well-being of the American people. This information is usually publicly available and includes maps, data bases, and descriptions and analyses of the water, plants, animals, energy, and mineral resources, land surface, underlying geologic structure, and dynamic processes of the earth. The USGS does not manage lands or resources. Self-governance Tribes may potentially assist the USGS in the data acquisition and analysis components of its activities.
For questions regarding self-governance, contact Monique Fordham, Esq., Tribal Partnership Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192, telephone (703) 648-4437 or fax (703) 648-6683.
Taking the genealogical investigation one step further back, Monique Allyn Fordman’ father had been the late Robert Austin Fordham (1928-2016), and within his obituary, it had been shared that he had been “proud of his Abenaki heritage”. Her mother, and his wife (at the time of Monique’s birth December 27, 1960) had been Ingrid (nee: Palmberg) from Finland. The alleged “Abenaki” ancestor came through paternally, not maternally to Monique Fordman it had had been quickly ascertained. Monique had two younger sisters, Sonja Viveka (nee: Fordham) born in 1964 and Robin Annika (nee: Fordham) born in 1967, both at the Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington, Vermont, to Monique’s parents Robert and Ingrid.
In a matter of steps, Robert Austin Fordham’s parents were detected. Austin Lyle Fordham (1891-1943) and Marjorie Jane (nee: Spaulding) (1899-1949). Doing the genealogical mapping at this point was simply a matter of putting each ancestor into their respective order, and creating a folder of vital records, and misc. as I moved backwards through Monique’s father’s ancestors, both paternally, and maternally. Again, using google search and Ancestry.com it was within a matter of a day, and I had already ascertained and mapped into a genealogical program RootsMagic, a genealogy software program, Monique’s paternal ancestry.
Marjorie’s husband, Austin Lyle Fordham (1891-1943) had ancestry who derived out of Brooklyn, New York, on both sides of his parentage who ‘identified as’ and/or were ‘identifying as’ non- Indigenous. Thus, I began to focus on Marjorie Jane Spaulding (1899-1949) and her parentage and ancestry. Her parents were Frank Ellsworth Spaulding (1861-1927) and “Adoree” (Dora) L. Astle (1864- 1887).
Dora’s mother had been Rachel Olney (nee: Nutting) who had married to James Thomas Astle on December 12, 1843, in the Congregational Church in Shipton, Richmond, Le Val-Saint-François, Québec, Canada. Using google search once again, I found other descendants of Rachel Olney Nutting having retrospectively researching genealogically.
Subject: Olney, Nutting, Astle/Doying Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 23:47:36 -0500 From: Monique Fordham maf@nativenewengland.org Reply-To: maf@rickbragg.net To: j_olsson@pacbell.net [Joan Hersey Olsson of Hayward, CA 94541-3223] Hi Joan, I was pleased to find your records since I feel somewhat exhausted in my search for more info about my great-great grandmother, the "other" Rachel Olney Nutting (of John Jr, who is son of John and Rachel) ... she was born circa 1827, and was adopted by John Jr. and Hannah Doying, who lived in Shipton/Warwick, Quebec, Canada. My ancestor Rachel married James Thomas Astle (marriage certificate in Drummondville, PQ, I believe it was 1843 or so...); they had some kids in Quebec and others when they moved to Lower Waterford, VT about 1861, where they are both buried. One of their daughters was Amanda Astle who married Alphonse Brooks in Sheffield, VT. I was contacted by one of their descendants if you are interested in that information. I'm a granddaughter of Amanda's sister, Adora. While I've tracked down descendants of some of the other siblings (one sister who married a Babcock, a brother Ashley) I'm still looking for descendants who married Mitchel and Brown. Our histories agree that Rachel was an adopted Abenaki (which makes sense since the Odanak Abenaki Reserve is not too far away from Shipton/Warwick) - I've searched and searched but have never found a birth or baptism certificate for her. Know anything about this? I'm sure you've bumped into Barbara Doying and others who have cornered the market on Astle/ Doying/Olney/Nutting info, but my branch seems to be a mystery.... I certainly can provide that info on Alphonse/Amanda for you if you'd like!
More on Ancestry.com Tree from vam5506:
Indian origin: For some reason, apparently the Veazy's had asked Richard de Gruchy to search for info that Abigail Doying was the Indian connection. He did not find any connection to her.
Report of hired genealogist Richard De Gruchy of Canada dated 4/4/1995. Author: 4328 Parthenais St in Montreal Quebec H2H 263
Date of Adoption: Family tradition has her as being an Abenaki Indian adopted by the Nutting family.
Cousin Monique Fordham believes the "adoption" had occurred in Wheelock, Vermont but found that all records were destroyed by fire in 1857. The marriage records of Sarah (nee: Doyen) Nutting shows her as the second daughter of John Nutting, so I presume that the "adoption" occurred after that date - or at least the "adoption" was not recognized by the church at the time of the wedding.
Adopted by John Nutting and Hannah Doying from the St. Francis mission from Abenaki parents who died in the cholera epidemic. (According to David A. Babcock)
June 04, 2011
The Babcock family in Vermont
By Virginia (vam5506)
1. I am a descendant of Jason Badcock whose baptism was recorded in the Diary of Rev. Parkman
as an illegitimate boy presented for baptism by a man named Joseph Wheeler in 1726 at Marlborough MA. The same Joseph Wheeler mentions Jason in his will as the "boy he brought up". The same Jason apparently later lived in Athol, MA. This Jason was my 4th Great Grandfather. Jason's descendants later lived in Concord VT and my father's family lived in St Johnsbury, Caledonia County VT. My Daddy was born there in 1895. I have DNA for the male Babcock's. I would like to compare it to another Babcock DNA. Any takers?
2. My Daddy's maternal tree goes from Adwina Minerva Babcock back to James Thomas Astle (my Great Grandfather) born about 1819 in Warwick Quebec Canada. James Thomas married Rachel Olney Nutting.
The family tradition is that Rachel Olney Nutting was an Abenaki Indian girl adopted by Hannah Doying and her husband John Nutting. We believe Rachel was born somewhere around 1827.
Many different branches of the family who only recently re-connected each have passed down the same tradition. I read recently a posting made several years ago made by someone trying to trace a Native American and Babcock connection. Does this fit anyone's searching?
Virginia (nee: Babcock) Myers piqued my interest. Who was she? How was she related to, in genealogical descent, etc., to Monique Fordham of Vermont (and her sisters Sonja and Robin) as well my curiousness as to whether or not Rachel Olney Nutting (ca. 1825-1883) had been, in fact, of Abenaki descent.
(Warwick, Arthabaska, Canada East, Canada) Mrs. R. Aslle
1870 United States Federal Census: (Littleton, Grafton, New Hampshire, USA)
Rachel (Nutting) Astle: WHITE (as were her children)
1880 United States Federal Census:
(Waterford, Caledonia, Vermont)
Rachel (Nutting) Astle: WHITE (as were her children)
All Vital Records for all of Rachel and James Astle’ ten children and grandchildren indicated they had been non-Indigenous identifying. No discerned Abenakis had died of cholera within the area of Shipton, and Warwick, had burial records within the Congregationalist Churches of the area in which Rachel had been born (July 17, 1825, calculated as per her age as provided at her death).
I then proceeded to calculate mentally how I could discern Rachel’s true parentage. Was there a way to do it, without depending on a multiple set of persons descended from Rachel? Had the descendants of Rachel considered or had already genetic tested themselves to attempt confirmation of her alleged indigenous descent? And if so, how were I to go about detecting such testing, of her descendants, without being detected? I proceeded to ‘think-out-side-the-box’ regarding genetic testing.
IF Rachel’s parent’s descendants had been genealogically mapping in Ancestry.com, I surmised they would have Trees of their genealogical descent from Rachel and her husband James, as would the descendants of her alleged white “adoptive” parents John Nutting (1794-1870) and Hannah Doyen/Doying (1805-1880).
Having initiated genetic genealogical testing and learning the processes of research in such field, I had a list of genetic testers within AncestryDNA I could ‘see’ if they genetically matched to the descendant of John and Hannah, and or Rachel. And perhaps even their genetic percentile predictions given by the DNA testing company, in comparative to another genetic tester.
As luck would have it, a descendant (Phillips’ descendant) did in fact match to John and Hannah, at 9 cM (centimorgans) across 1 DNA segment, a small amount of genetic contribution. Enough to make the match between Kristy and the Phillips descendant. Kristy was the 2nd great-grand niece of Rachel Olney Nutting and in fact Kristy is a 3rd great-granddaughter of John Nutting and Hannah Doyen/Doying.
The Phillips descendant is a ‘cousin’ of Donald Warren Stevens Jr., orchestrator of the CPAIN group created in 2004 that became the Nulhegan-Coos, in Orleans County, Vermont.
I had tested genetically this particular Phillips descendant, and their sibling in pursuit of Don Stevens Jr.’s ancestor Peter Phillips Sr.’ paternal ancestry several years ago.
Kristy has descended from John and Hannah’s daughter Lois Philura (nee: Nutting) 1837-1922 and Charles Stoddard (1840-1910), to their son Frederick Eugene Stoddard, to his son Charles Matthews Stoddard, to his son Richard Armand Stoddard, to (of course) Kristy herself.
I began to formulate a ‘working theory’, that (as yet) I didn’t know would work (or not). As a genetic genealogical researcher, if wondered if WITHOUT Kristy or Virginia sending me access to their DNA Matches, could I discern A. Whether one or the other, or both, had done a DNA test through AncestryDNA B. If I could discern their ethnicity prediction percentiles C. Detect if both of them matched to one another within AncestryDNA.
I have no access to Kristy’s AncestryDNA Matches within any genetic testing company at any time. From Kristy’s genealogy mapped tree, I could see she did not have the Astle surname in her ancestors.
Kristy was perfect to begin testing my ‘working theory’ in my attempt to confirm or deny the subjective ‘oral tradition’ within several lines of Rachel’s descendants, that she (Rachel born in 1825) was either adopted by a white couple (John and Hannah) or had been actually their daughter.
Following my steps in a "working theory" ...
I found within an Ancestry.com Tree a woman named Virginia (vam5506) an email from Monique Fordham dated March 07, 2002 [See above dated communication to Joan Hersey Olsson] and thus I began research and comparatives within Ancestry.com, the same as I had done regarding Kristy.
I discovered to my surprise, that my two siblings and I, matched to Virginia (nee: Babcock) Myers (vam5506) within AncestryDNA at 9 cM across 1 DNA segment. Thus, providing the necessary awareness that Virginia had also done a AncestryDNA test as well.
I also have no access to Virginia's AncestryDNA Matches within any genetic testing company at any time.
Doing an ethnicity percentile % comparative between Kristy and the Phillips descendant, I could see that the percentile for Kristy, of John and Hannah’s daughter Lois P. (nee: Nutting) had added up to 100% percent. Adding up the numbers, 3% + 63% + 4% + 19% + 7% + 4% = 100%, there was no genetic contribution in Kristy’s DNA ethnicity result prediction indicating Indigenous Native American DNA percentile and that piqued my interest.
Though Kristy is a 3rd great grand daughter of John and Hannah, as such, I surmised she might have at least shown indication of very remote Indigenous % contribution, yet it was ZERO %.
John Nutting was son of John Nutting (1770-1844) and Rachel Olney (1775-1865).
John Nutting (Lois P.’s father) had descended from the surnames of Nutting, Pickman, Pasca, Woods, Spaulding, Barrett, and Lindall.
Rachel (nee: Olney) Nutting (born in 1775) had descended from the surnames Olney, Dexter, Young, Coggeshall, Smith, and Reynolds. These ancestors all were from Europe.
Rachel (Olney) Nutting husband John’s ancestor, that being Elizabeth (nee: Pasca) Pickman (ca. 1714-1761), had been born in Tortoia, British Virgin Islands, baptized in 1715 at Saint Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney Parish, Tower Hamlets, Middlesex, England, and died in 1761 in Salem, Massachusetts.
Hannah (Doyen/Doying) 1805-1880, had been the daughter of John Doyen (1781-1814) and Mary P. Rollins (1785-1854).
John Doyen’ parents had been Francis Doyen and Mary (nee: Fife). John Doyen’s grandfather Francis Michel Doyen had been born in 1701 in Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France, marrying in Haverhill, MA, and dying ca. 1774 in Pembroke, N.H., having married Abigail (nee: Whittaker) in 1726.
Mary P. Rollins had been descended from Rollins, Sanborn, Cram, Sherburne, and Drew ancestors. All coming from Europe.
In the ancestry of neither parent of Lois Philura (nee: Nutting) there had been no surname Astle ancestor. This was important to ascertain genealogically for my ‘working theory’ to function.
Virginia (vam5506), as previous mentioned, descended from Rachel Olney Nutting (1825-1883) and is a great-granddaughter of Rachel herself. Virginia, as aforementioned, also matched to my two siblings and myself, within AncestryDNA genetic testing. I could also do an ethnic percentile % of Virginia in comparative to myself (as well as my two siblings).
Virginia (vam5506) had 27% + 37% + 5% + 26% + 5% = 100% to European Ethnicities, leaving no room for genetic contribution indicating Indigenous Native American DNA percentile.
I found this to be quite intriguing, in light that Monique Fordham seemed, in early March of 2002, convincing herself she was of Abenaki descent. That, since she stated, in light of some of or most of Rachel’s descendants’ familial oral “tradition” had been that Rachel herself “was an adopted Abenaki” used PROXIMITY between Odanak (formerly known as the Saint-François-du-Lac / “St. Francis” Mission of Abénaquis / Abénakis) and Shipton and Warwick, PQ as “proof” to her (Rachel) allegedly being Abenaki and thus Monique herself, of Abenaki descent.
Remember Kristy the 3rd great-granddaughter of John and Hannah who tested through AncestryDNA, that matched to the Phillips descendant, who had also tested through AncestryDNA at a mere 9 cM across 1 segment match?
As part of my “working theory’ I proceeded to communicate through Ancestry.com’ messaging system with Kristy, knowing she was a descendant, not of Rachel (b. 1825 d. 1883) but of the alleged “adoptive” white parents, John Nutting and Hannah (nee: Doyen).
December 09, 2021
“Has anyone from Rachel done DNA testing Kristy, to substantiate that Rachel Olney Nutting b. 1825 was Indian? I am studying this woman and her ancestors from Smithfield, RI.?”
“Do you have any matches from Rachel Olney Nutting (1825-1827) descendants? There is a "tradition" that she was Indian, but IF the woman's descendants are matching to you from Rachel ... Hoping to hear from you. I would love to solve this mystery about Rachel...”
Kristy replied back: “I haven't found anything about Rachel Olney Nutting if she was Indian. I tried looking up it and only found what the Babcock family of Vermont had wrote. John and Hannah’s daughter Lois is my 2nd great grandmother on my father side.”
December 10, 2021
I had inquired yet another question of Kristy:
“vam5506 ... do you (Kristy) have this DNA tester in your matches? She matches to my sister, my brother and myself.”
December 11, 2021
Kristy responded: “Yes, vam5506 shows up as my 4th cousin, with 53cM across 2 segments.”
BINGO! My ‘working theory’ genetically was functioning perfectly, though I had no access to either Kristy or Virginia’s AncestryDNA Matches to do my own direct comparatives with either of their genetic matches.
I subsequently proceeded to begin communication with Virginia (Babcock) Myers (vam5506), her being a great-granddaughter of Rachel “the Abenaki Indian” “orphaned due to a Cholera epidemic” “adopted by a white family (John Nutting and Hannah Doying” ...
I asked her if she had any objective evidence of Rachel being an Abenaki Indian? Did she have Odanak Abenaki surnames (such as Obomsawin, Sadoques, Watso, Benedict, et al) within the AncestryDNA Matches genealogically mapped trees of whom that she shared genetic contribution with?
December 11, 2021
Virginia (Vam5506) replied: “Douglas: I am an 87-year-old widow living in Texas. I really don’t do much work on my family tree anymore, but I have not lost any of my interest. So, I was excited to get your message, however, I quickly scanned my DNA matches and did not see your name. I am curious to know the names of your siblings.
Bottom line is that I have spent hours and hours researching whether there is any substance to our family legend that we are descended from an Abenaki child who was adopted by a couple in Canada. To hear that you have done a lot of research into the Abenaki Indians seems like a dream come true.
I also have another cousin, Monique Fordham (whom I originally met due to our mutual interest in tracing our Indian heritage) who has actually spent an immense amount of time on this very subject. She Monique Fordham, too, will be excited over knowing what you can add to our knowledge of our Indian heritage.
I invite you to find out more about me by looking at my public tree on Ancestry. You will see there that my own Father (William Albert Babcock) was born in St Johnsbury VT. His mother was Adwina Minerva Astle and she was born in Arthabaska County, Quebec, Canada. Adwina’s father was James Thomas Astle, and her mother was Rachel Olney Nutting.
We believe Rachel was an Abenaki Indian child who had been adopted by Hannah and John Nutting. The amazing thing is that as my cousin Monique Fordham and I have discovered various descendants of Rachel who are living today, and we have found that fragments of this same legend abound all through our families that have long since lost all communication with each other. I would love to communicate further with you.”
MY Conclusion:
My ‘working theory’ had worked quicker than I had anticipated in confirming (or contradicting) the Nutting – Astle Familial legend / “oral tradition” having been passed down amongst the descendants of Rachel Olney (nee: Nutting) Astle (1825-1883) being allegedly an “Abenaki Indian” “orphaned due to a Cholera epidemic” “adopted by a white family (John Nutting and Hannah Doying” ...
For (Kristy) ... Lois Philura (nee: Nutting) Stoddard’s 2nd great granddaughter to have genetically matched at 53.4 cM across 2 DNA segments to (Virginia Myers) as a predicted 4th Cousin, via Rachel Olney (nee: Nutting) Astle’ daughter Adwina Minerva (nee: Astle) Babcock (1851-1926), Rachel (born in 1825) had to be passing down to Virginia (nee: Babcock) Myers, the genetic contribution, not from the Abenakis, but rather from John Nutting and Hannah Doyen/Doying’ ancestors!
The genetic contribution could have been coming from James Thomas Astle’ mother, Abigail Doyen, granddaughter of Francis Doyen Jr. and his wife Mary (nee: Fife).
Abigail’s father Daniel Doyen (1763-1851) had been an older sibling of John Doyen (1781-1814). Thus, the genetic contribution between Kristy and Virginia could likely have been inherited from the Doyen and Fife shared ancestry.
For Virginia to match with my two siblings and myself, it was Hannah (nee: Doyen) husband John Nutting’s mother Rachel (nee: Olney) Nutting’s maternal grandfather, James Young, who had been a sibling brother to Ann Young (ca. 1709-aft. 1762), of Providence, Rhode Island who had married to Thomas Woodward (1702-1779) in 1727.
It was through James and his sister Ann’s parents, Robert Young and Sarah (nee: Reynolds) that Virginia Myers and we three siblings of the Buchholz cluster, are genealogically 7th cousins 3-times- removed-related, thus accounting perhaps for the 9 cM across 1 DNA segment. In AncestryDNA, Virginia Myers and myself are predicted to be 5th to 8th cousin relationship.
Though how I digress.
No. 1
IF Rachel Olney Nutting were ‘brought into’, becoming the ‘adopted’ daughter of the Nutting-Olney couple, to her alleged “Abenaki parents having died from Cholera”, then those two Abenaki parents would have been very likely recorded within the Catholic diocese in or around Shipton/Warwick, (or within a 52-mile radius from Odanak) one would surmise.
Abenakis within Odanak were predominantly of the Catholic faith, that is, until Henry Lorne Masta’ father, Pial Pol Wz8khilain had, after 1829, brought Protestantism into Odanak from Dartmouth College, and establishing both a Protestant church and an English-speaking school for the Odanak Abenakis.
Remember, Rachel had been born just before John Nutting and Hannah Doyen had married in August 1825 in the Saint Georges Anglican Church, in Drummondville, Arthabaska County, Québec, Canada.
It was not unheard of, that a baptismal record for a daughter born before the parents had been officially married, would not have been made, because of the stigma of illegitimacy. Certainly, it was not that uncommon for a new couple to start having children before they could get married, because of the lack of priest or preacher within a geographical area in those times.
The proximity of Shipton-Warwick to Odanak (approximately 52 miles distance) did not make Rachel Olney (nee: Nutting) Astle an Abenaki Indian. Nor did her having lack of a birth/baptismal record ca. 1825 to her marriage in 1843.
To imply that such dynamics eluded to her being an Abenaki, along with an ‘oral familial tradition’, is merely a John Scott Moody tactic.
No. 2
The reason Rachel O. Nutting (born approximately July 27, 1825 BEFORE her parents John Nutting and Hannah Doyen's marriage the following month) did not have a Baptismal Record on or after birth, was there are TWO dynamics that have been going on: Traveling Preacher for the Congregationalists of the area, and he wasn't around, or lost the book and/ or Reason No. 2, is that if Rachel was born before the parents had married, then that meant recording such birth would have very likely labeled Rachel as "illegitimate" (which had implications for not only themselves as a couple but for their daughter as well). Therefore the likely the parents didn't bother to have a baptismal record made for their first born daughter, Rachel, was negated.
No. 3
IF Rachel Olney (nee: Nutting) Astle was the daughter of John Nutting (1794-1870) and Hannah Doyen/Doying (1805-1880), that would make perfect sense, genealogically speaking, because Rachel was John and Hannah’s first-born daughter, thus being named after John’s mother Rachel (nee: Olney).
Also, it must be mentioned that Rachel (1825-1883) had a paternal aunt, Rachel Olney Nutting (1808- 1905) who had married to Gaby Guy Richardson, the first day of January in the Protestant Church of Louisville, in Trois-Rivières, Saint Maurice, Québec, Canada.
No. 4
IF Rachel Olney (nee: Nutting) Astle was indeed an Abenaki, most assuredly, Virginia being Rachel’s great-granddaughter, would have genetic ethnic detected % percentile and showing matches to indigenous surnamed (and or descendants thereof) within her own AncestryDNA matches.
No. 5
IF Rachel Olney (nee: Nutting) Astle was indeed an Abenaki, then her great-granddaughter, Virginia (nee: Babcock) Myers, would NOT genetically be matching in AncestryDNA to Kristy Leigh (nee: Stoddard) Allard at 53 cM across 2 DNA segments predicted to be a 4th cousin.
Kristy and Virginia are 3rd cousins once removed to one another, genealogically speaking.
According to DNA Painters tool, Shared cM Project 4.0 tool v4, the percentile cM at 53 is 22% likely to be a predicted genetic relationship between the two testers being 3C1R, dependent on how the DNA has been recombined and inherited through each line of descent, and of course the dynamic of endogamy has to be considered in these Nutting-Olney-Astle ancestral dynamics as well.
Obviously the DNA testing proves that Rachel had not an Abenaki Indian, contrary to passed- down oral stories and long-held beliefs that were shared amongst descendants of Rachel Olney (Nutting) Astle.
Monique Fordham apparently post-2011 (or before) sought membership in the Nulhegan group led initially by Luke Andrew Willard and then followed by Don Stevens Jr. She also seemingly sought to benefit from such membership in her career within the Federal Government. These varied agencies subjectively also concluded that she was of Western Abenaki descent, based on her getting that membership card from the Nulhegan.
Question is, was Rachel Olney Nutting who married James Thomas Astle an Abenaki Indian girl, adopted by the white couple of John Nutting and Hannah Doyen, or was she their daughter, before they had legally been married by the Church of their faith in 1825? And if she was Abenaki, WHY does the DNA contribution cause the DNA match in Ancestry with both Kristy and Virginia?
If Rachel were indeed "Abenaki" these two, Kristy and Virginia would not be matching (yet they do); Virginia would have Indigenous Ethnic Prediction percentile % (yet she doesn't) and importantly, there ought to be DNA matches to people who have Abenakis from and of Odanak showing up in Virginia's matches per the AncestryDNA (yet she doesn't).
The following research exposé is simply to educate people, whether they are Native, Indigenous, Native American etc or non-natives ... one does NOT have to lie or deceive about one's ancestors in order to be a helper to Native Peoples. Having a remote ancestor who was Native, doesn't not make the descent, an Indian or Abenaki or Cherokee etc either.
I re-discovered Sally through a google alert from the article after she'd died, and finding her in my genealogical database here at home. I was aghast that she went to such lengths to imply that she herself was Abenaki without , without objective evidence to back up what she was saying. Apparently no one around her, out in Minnesota, etc had bothered to ask her for that objective evidence of having such implied "heritage" to the Abenaki. So as follows are the pieces I have gathered, regarding the late Sally Auger.
The book "Recovering the Sacred" (2005) byWinona LaDuke
Sally Ann Auger
Sally Auger, an Abenaki native ... (really?)
Sally Auger and Hope Flanagan
Nothing with what she endeavored to do to help the Native people out in St. Paul, MN etc, she did what she loved to do.
But since she was claiming to be Abenaki, a definite question comes to mind:
WHAT did Sally do to help the ABENAKI, since she was so PROUD of claiming that identity for herself ????
WHAT legit poor struggling ABENAKI COMMUNITY DID SHE COME FROM?
I seriously DOUBT Dakota - Mdewakanton descendant, author Diane Wilson (or even Winona Laduke), have ever been to Groveton, New Hampshire ... let alone examined/evaluated the late Sally Ann Auger's narrative for legitimacy. Perhaps they thought they never needed to do so, being naive to the race shifting dynamics here in the Northeast.
'North Country' author Jamie Sayen has written a terrific new book, "You Had a Job for Life: Story of a Company Town" which is a richly reported history of the mill from its beginnings in 1891 to its abrupt closing in 2007.
Maybe, by knowing Sally Auger indeed had kith and kin, had been born and raised, married and had two sons in Groveton, NH ... and knowing that Groveton is in fact, situated in ancestral Abenaki territory ... and that the Paper pulp mill had permanently closed down in 2007, the town was, after the closing, poor and struggling?
Also, perception being that Groveton, N.H. was 'a Canadian border town', if one was from Minnesota (looking at a map of New Hampshire) is contrary to the folks who live here. Canaan, West Stewartstown, Clarksville, and Pittsburg are Canadian border towns ... but Groveton is well, not-so-much such. But to Diane Stewart it would seem that the town of Groveton appeared to be 'close" to the U.S./P.Q. Border.
Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life (2011) byDiane Wilson.
November 30, 2011
In the very beginning of this video, one hears from the late Sally (nee: Auger) as an elderly woman, proclaiming/ stating:
"My name is Sally Auger and I'm an Abenaki Indian and I came from the Canadian border in New Hampshire and Vermont. I moved to the city (St. Paul, MN) 30 years ago ..."
I've held off doing this post due to taking the time to gather further objective and subjective documentation, but suffice it to say that circumstances such as the following linked article 'pushed' me to get busy and compose this blog post, sooner than later.
"Sally Auger (Abenaki)" came into my awareness doing research in mid to late July of this year (2021) and even then, at first, I'd put the 'google alert' I'd received by email one morning from an associate, aside. I had been busy at -the-time with other matters of researching other endeavors. One evening, I decidedly looked at the google alert link and actually read the article in its entirety. Not the one above, but another very similar, by Diane Wilson.
There was "something" in that particular article that caught my attention, not so much about the content of this article in early July 2021, but rather, it was HER NAME; it seemed (or so I thought) I had heard before, in my days of researching my own Woodward Ancestors laterally, here in northern New Hampshire. So I went digging into my own genealogical research of kith and kin.
Sally Ann Auger had passed away on November 19, 2020.
Sally Auger had been born on December 18, 1938,"in a poor, struggling Abenaki community near the Canadian border in New Hampshire".
"Her grandmother was a medicine woman whose gift with plants laid the foundation for Auger ’s later work."
December 03, 2020
It is with heavy hearts, we are saddened to share the news that Sally Auger has passed on to the spirit world on the morning of November 19, 2020.
Sally Auger (Abenaki) was a beloved friend of ours and the Founding Director of Dream of Wild Health. It was Sally's dream that our youth alumni would eventually come back as interns and staff. We are forever grateful that she was able to see that vision come to fruition the last two years. We are thankful that she was able to spend some time with us at the farm this summer.
Sally was so proud of how far this organization has come and especially of all the young people who are making this a way of life for themselves. When she heard about all of the things DWH has been doing recently, she was overjoyed with laughter.
Dream of Wild Health will carry on Sally's legacy and vision for our future generations.
There is a beautiful video DWH interview with Sally Auger dated November 30, 2011 (above).
The Seed Keeper (2021) by Diane Wilson.
"In memory of Ernie Whiteman and Sally Auger"
The Authors Note section is quite informative; as well as the Acknowledgment section also again acknowledges Ernie White man, Hope Flanagan, and (of course)Sally Auger as part and parcel of people of Dream of Wild Health, Inc.'d
~~~~~~~~~~~
OK, I said to myself, there are enough "footprints" in the above material to work with, to get further answers as to WHAT "poor, struggling Abenaki Community near the Canadian border in N.H." was Sally supposedly from?
Questions on the table: Was Sally Auger actually an Abenaki, if so, who, when, why, and how. And if not, why was she claiming such Abenaki Indian identity?
ANSWER:Groveton/Northumberland, Coös County, New Hampshire, a small former mill town, 8 miles north of Lancaster, in the same county.
Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire
So, residing in Lancaster, N.H. ... I easily went 8 miles north to Groveton, this (quoted) "poor struggling Abenaki community" from which Sally Auger had been born in (and raised in) by her father, Albert Felix Auger ... (and for a wee time) by her mother, Rose Margaret (nee: Spaulding), having been born in mid-December of 1938.
I had already, by then opened up my genealogical program and found Sally therein, with the same birth day/month/and year exactly. I KNEW why I had "recognized" her name years ago ... then I went looking at my documents ... and there Sally was, in her father's obituary of March 2008. Her stepmother, Flora Ella (nee: Cass) had married to Albert Felix Auger, in 1944, after (apparently) he'd divorced Sally's mother!
I had Albert Felix Auger's obituary of 2008 in a three-ring binder along with other Woodward/Cass Ancestral/Descendant documents etc. Albert and his 2nd wife, Flora Ella (nee: Cass) had married in 1944 and raised both of his daughters, Sally Ann and Marlene Rae up to adulthood. I found Sally Auger in the Groveton Public High School Year books for 1954 and 1955
Sally Auger
1955Year Book
10th Grade
(Sophomore)
Groveton High School
Sally Auger
1955Year Book
Basketball Team
11th Grade
(Junior)
Groveton High School
Sally Auger 1955 Girls Chorus
1955Year Book
Groveton High School
Sally Ann Auger
Junior Class
1955 Year Book
Groveton High School
I went to the very kind Town Clerk in Groveton and began pulling the necessary records. I had not previously pulled them, because Sally, wasn't necessarily on-my-genealogical-radar, either genealogically-speaking nor in regards to the post-2005 'race shifting' research pertaining to the "Abenaki" in Vermont/or New Hampshire. But she became so, in early to mid-July of this year though.
First, I need to 'back-track' a bit so as to inform the reader of this blog, that, I had been in contact some years ago, in the mid-1990's with Sally's stepmother's kith and kin, "aunts" by-way-of-marriage, there in Groveton, N.H. By July 09, 2007, I had drafted a letter-of-request to the power-of-attorney, for Elizabeth "Kitty" (nee: Cass) Arsenault, who happened to be Elizabeth "Kitty" Arsenault' daughter, Elizabeth "Beth" A. (nee: Covell) 1m. Libby 2m. Bean, of Bethel, Maine. This request was to get a notarized document, from Kitty Arsenault, in order to access and obtain Birth-Marriage-Death Records held by State Agencies, as representative/ genealogist.
On July 17, 2007 elderly Elizabeth (nee: Cass) Arsenault and her daughter Beth (as Power of Attorney) readily arrived in Lancaster, in my company, to get the necessary Notarized document signed at the bank. Subsequently, I did continue my research, after both "Kitty" and (sadly) her daughter too, were to become inevitably deceased.
Kitty died a year later in 2008, and her daughter Beth died in 2016.
Yet, in Elizabeth 'Kitty' M. Arsenault's communications with my person, she had conveyed 'as-much-as-she could-remember'. In an interview on November 19, 1996, I sat down with her to record her recollections as follows:
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenualt: These are the things I remember about my grandmother Flora Ella Woodward.
When we used to go up there, my sister Ruth and I, she'd use to take us out in the field to get different herbs to put in the basket she used to carry stuff in ... and I remember one thing in particular. It was a plant about, oh, probably 15" to 16" inches high; had 3-leaves on it; and on the bottom it had these white roots, and she (Grammy Flora Ella) had us eat those and they were very good. It made you feel good afterward after you ate them. She (grandmother) said everybody should have that. She (grandmother Flora Ella) dug up other things, but we never paid much attention to them, but we did that, because we'd ate 'em, so I remember that.
Grammy used to have all kind of rooked rugs in her home. Upstairs, she had a large bedroom and it was just covered with hooked rugs; all outside pictures/ all outside scenes and different things and she had some downstairs too. All over her wall, her rugs. They were very beautiful, but we never got any of them. I don't know where they went to, but we never got any of them.
Grammy had this pipe. Every time after she ate ... (she only smoked after she ate) with a long pipe, long stem to it, and where you put your tobacco, it was oh, quite high, at least about 5" or so, at least that.
She'd sit in her rocking chair and she'd look right straight ahead. She wouldn't make a sound and she'd puff, a 1-2-3 ... and little small circles of smoke would come out and on top of over our heads. And when they'd start to disappear, then then she would start doing it over again ... 1-2-3 and go right over the top of our heads.
And on the pipe, near the bottom of the stem, was these green ribbons. And on the end of these green ribbons was a green bead. We've often wondered what that meant, the way she'd Grammy Flora Ella did that, the way sh'e would blow those smoke rings over our heads. The only other person I knew who smoked like that was my father, James Henry Cass, Sr. Flora Ella Woodward was his mother, and Parker was her father. Darius Woodward's son Anson married to Flora. They were cousins.
They had these children, twins, Anson and Emerson Cass. One of the twin's died on their way to Stratford Hollow, N.H. from Island Pond, Vt. Sometimes they would go to and from Newport, Vermont, where their home was, was Stratford Hollow, walking back and forth.
Grammy (Flora Ella) used to take care of the sick, up around that part of the country. One person, the first person that she ever took care of, she was a great friend of Grammy's, and the doctors had given her up, so one of the boys, one of the neighbors, finally come up and asked Grammy, to see if she could do anything for her, since the doctors gave her up. So Grammy (Flora Ella) closed up her home, and she walked down ... and she asked this woman if she wanted her to doctor her. Grammy said she'd have to because she'd never doctored a white person before. And this woman said she'd like her (Flora Ella) Grammy to.
So Grammy stayed there, oh, for at least a month or more taking care of her. My father (James Henry Cass, Sr.), Jimmy, my sister Ruth ... we went to see her when she was sick. They had to help me up the step because my legs were all so short, only had two steps. And they went in the room, over on the right-hand side, Grammy had this woman's head up, and (Flora Ella) was giving her some stuff out of a spoon. She had a big pot of something on the stove, and then there was another big pot where she had this beef stew. They called it beef stew but it was bear stew.Was it ever good! We ate a lot of bear stew, when we were kids, when we were up to Grammy's.
She used to make these biscuits, they'd be so high, oh gosh, about 4" inches, oh yeah, at least that high.
Grammy had what she called her 'food room' ... and of course nobody went in there but Grammy, but when she'd open the door we could see these rows and rows of sliced apples, right across the whole length of the room; and there's be, sitting in boxes, of kegs of stuff, but we never knew what they were. And that floor must have been soft wood, though we think of what it was at the time, it must have been, because that floor was as white as could be. And no one went in there but Grammy.
Anson Woodward Jr., he was quite a hunter and trapper. He was known for being a big hunter around this part of the country, and a trapper. He had furs of all kinds, on boards, all along his house there, and out in the yard.
I can remember one time, it was around Thanksgiving, that my father, my oldest brother Jimmy, and Anson ... they went across this long field from Grammy's house, then they went to stick woods, it wasn't too long we saw each of them coming back, all three of them had a deer dragging the deer, across that long field. It was quite a thing. Anything one would want to know about the woods or animals, Anson could tell you; he was quite the man for that.
Douglas Buchholz: Did he (Anson Jr.) mention anything about his mother (Flora Ella Woodward), being Indian or anything like that?
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenault: He (Anson) might have, but me being small, you know. I wish I could remember, because Grammy (Flora Ella) use d to talk about when she lived in what, these wigwams, and I remember my father said... he could remember how cold it was ... when they lived in these barns ... it was very very cold. Father said it was very very cold in those barns.
There was a sister Nellie. She was a great piano player I heard somebody say one time. We had her picture at home, but of course our home burnt and we lost all that stuff.
There was Osman ... my Uncle Osman ... went by the name of Cass; all of them did.
The father said it that name really wasn't Cass, but Phillips. That was our real name he always told us, but they took the name of Cass, when he was small, in this country. He might have said why, but I don't remember why.
Douglas Buchholz: What could you tell me about any kind of documents that might have been held by Flora Ella Woodward?
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenault: Jeesh, I couldn't tell you anything. Grammy (Flora Ella), in her bedroom, she had this great big black trunk, and whatever was in it in that, of course, we never saw. You never went into Grammy's bedroom; you just went into the kitchen. It had big wide black straps on each end, and it's quite high, it's real high. But us children often wondered what was really in that trunk.
I did hear that Grammy once had a lot of nice jewelry, but where it went to when she died, we don't know.
After doing the dishes, Grammy or whoever, at breakfast or whatever, would turn the plates and cups right side up on the table on the table, already set out, because it saved a lot of work, instead of having to put them in the cupboard and later, haul them out again ... al lot of people did that back then.
Grammy used to wear one slip, and she'd wear two pairs of wool socks, because she was so thin, and two aprons too.
She had two Bibles. One was a regular Bible, and she had what they called an "Indian" Bible, that's what we called it; and one of them had something in it about the stars. But we don't know what ever happened to them. Like I said, we never got anything from Grammy after she died. I would have liked to have that pipe, as that really fascinated me, when she'd smoke that pipe, because it was so funny.
Douglas Buchholz: Did Ruth (nee: Cass) Platt (Elizabeth's sister) get the Bible that your Grammy had?
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenault: Anson Cass/Woodward Jr. was supposed to give Ruth the "Indian" Bible of Grammy's but he gave it to her brother Thomas, to look at it. He (Thomas) kept it a long long time, and she was pretty mad; and I told her I too wanted to see that Bible. Ruth said when she got it back from Tommy, she'd show it to me; but she'd said (she was so mad), she'd had a good mind to burn it. So I don't know if she ever burned it or not, but I never saw it.
Douglas Buchholz: Did your Grammy have any baskets or anything like that, in her home?
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenault: She has some in the bedroom on the bureau; they were way over. Like I said, we never went in Grammy's bedroom, we didn't go in there. They (the baskets) were different colors on them, what we could see of them, just glancing into the bedroom. We could see three of them, and they were tan, red and green in color.
Anson Cass/Woodward Jr. had a twin. He was a twin, but the other twin died on the traveling from Vermont down to Stratford Hollow. All I know is what I heard. And what they said was that he died. I don't know if he was buried around that part of the country or not, I don't know as I never heard anybody say. Grammy went to the healing springs quite a bit. She went in the winter, pretty sure it was January. They call it Brunswick Springs, that's where the Indians went to be healed, right there at Brunswick Springs. There's seven of them. When I was a kid, we used to up there a bit ourselves. From what I understand there are many Indians buried there. Anson' twin Emerson Cass, I heard, was buried there too. They called it an Indian Burial Ground as I understand it. Years ago, there was a beautiful hotel there and it burnt down, and they built another one at the Brunswick Springs and that one burnt down too. So they never built anymore. When I was a kid, I'd heard some of the old people talk about something about a white man did something to a chief's daughter, and he put a curse on that land, and never never would there be a building stand on it, and there never has been. This was long before I was born. It was all long before I was thought of. I don't know what they did to this Indian Chief's daughter, but some white man did something. When there was a CC camp there, I heard, the boys sure dug up a lot of bones. Grammy was long gone before the CC camps were here.
Grammy worked in a lumber camp. She cooked in the camp, worked in the woods too. She was born in Fitz or Fitch Bay, Canada. Beth (her daughter) had a paper saying that's where Grammy was born. She lived up in East Stratford on land that a man name of Shannon now owns that land, he bought it; he's a young fella. He was going to build a house there. Now whether he did or not, I don't know, but that's what he wanted the land for.
When Grammy died in January 1935, they had to put her body on a sled because the snow was so deep, just to get her to the main road. She had pneumonia. People that lived down the road, and Grammy bucked up a cord of wood to help them out and she caught it, and died. She was always helping someone.
Douglas Buchholz: Whatever happened to Grammy's belongings, after she died?
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenault: Well, somebody said a lot of her stuff was burnt right there, by Anson, her son. All of her stuff was burnt. I don't know how true that was either. Including the trunk too I would imagine. There must have been a lot of stuff in that trunk, of when she (Flora Ella) was young.
Douglas Buchholz: Did you ever hear of your grandmother being a Blackfoot Indian or allegedly what tribe (or tribal affiliation she'd had) that was said Flora Ella Woodward had come from?
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenault: Well no, no it wasn't Blackfoot. They all said she was an Abenaki ... a full-blooded Abenaki Indian; And some where, I think, Beth has something somewhere ... where it's got where it said that, on Grammy's side, it goes way back, a long long time, all Indian. So evidently, she was all Indian. We take it from that. My father said she was a full-blooded Indian; And my oldest brother (James Henry Cass Jr. 1907-1986) said she was. Plus the older people that knew her, had said she was a full-blooded Abenaki Indian, but of course, they are all gone (deceased) now too.
Douglas Buchholz: What were their last names?
Elizabeth (Cass) Arsenault: Ah, hmm. Oh gosh I'm trying to think of those who she'd helped before the died. Grammy was the one who took care of Forrest 'Mickey' Maguire's mother, Rilma (nee: Prince), the sickly woman I mentioned earlier, that Grammy took care of, back years ago. The folks that had pneumonia didn't live too far from her, before Grammy herself got it and died. I can't think of any other names, except maybe the Stones, could be them who knew Flora. My older brothers Jimmy and Avery lived up to Stratford too.
Levi and Flora (nee: Barron)Portigue knew Grammy. They lived down by that iron bridge where you take that turn up the steep hill. They might have got some of Grammy's stuff, because they didn't live too far from her; and I am sure the Maguire's got some of Grammy's things; but what I don't know. Mrs. Rilma (nee: Prince) Maguire, she lived in a trailer, and that burnt up quite a few years ago;so what she had of Grammy's, went with in that fire too. That's Forrest 'Mickey' Maguire's mother Rilma (nee: Prince).
Years ago, Mrs. Maguire (Rilma) before the the talking movies came around, she used to play the piano, for the sound and pictures. I'm sure they had some stuff of Grammy's and I know the Portigue's did too, but, like I said, us children ... we never got anything of Grammy's.
When Uncle Osman (Cass) died in 1954, he owned three farms in Vermont, and some of that stuff was supposed to go to my father, but pa didn't get it. This is what pa's father (Hayden Harley Cass) left to Osman, because in his (Hayden's) later years, he lived over to Vermont with Osman (Cass) until he died in 1907.
He had three farms over to East Haven, Vt., that were left to him; Osman and his wife Iola (nee: Rollins) then sold and drank up the money from selling the two farms, and there was some money in the bank too. They said they drank that up too; and when they done that, then they came to town (Groveton, N.H.) ...and Osman looked at his brother James Sr. a long time and Jim looked a Osman a long time too; then Osman asked Jim if he was still mad at him? Pa said no, he wasn't mad at him anymore ... and so Osman had replied he'd come into the house then.
Going over to in East Haven, Vt., cousin Lewis Cass was supposed to have things/stuff on/of Grammy Flora Ella's. He was Osman's son, living with Osman. Ruth (nee: Cass) Platt (sister to Elizabeth) had said she'd seen something of Flora Ella's she'd never seen before over to Lewis's. But what it was I don't know. Ruth used to go over there quite often to uncle Osman's, visiting them in East Haven.. There's quite a few Cass's buried right there where Osman lived. He was buried there. I don't know if Lewis is still alive or not. There was a son John, and he was out in California, but he died. I remember when I was a kid, seeing them both, John and Lewis, when we 'd gone up to Grammy's,but they were older than us kids.
Somebody had sent word down to my father about Grammy Flora Ella had distant relatives visiting, that she hadn't seen in years. and they wanted my father to go up to Grammy's. Ruth and I, and my oldest brother Jimmy Cass, and our father, went up to Stratford, like I said, and we went into the house. There was a woman, quite large, and her name was Daisy, and then there was some other man on that side of the room; there were three of them. I don't know who they were. They'd come from quite a ways, pa said, and Grammy hadn't seen her relatives for years, but whether they were from the Woodward or Sawyer families, I just don't know. Ruth might have remembered who they were, but she is gone now. My sister, Ruth, died in 1967 at 48 years of cancer; both my brothers and my mother died now too. Of course, mother came from England. That's about all I can remember about anything.
There is one more thing I'd like to say about Anse (Anson Darius Cass/Woodward Jr.) ... Going upstairs, on the fourth step up, he would pick the step right up (it was on hinges) and that's where uncle Anse kept his homemade beer. He made homemade beer and every time we'd go upstairs, we'd step on it, but I remember that. where he'd have his hide bottles of beer. No would have figured it was there, but that's what I recall of uncle Anse.
As follows is another audio interview with Elizabeth 'Kitty' (nee: Cass) Arsenault of Groveton, NH (sister to Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger of the same community, was recorded as to the family beliefs and perceptions in retrospective of what was told to them, regarding Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) ...
Elizabeth "Kitty" Arsenault Obituaries
July 23, 2008
When I retrospectively went to "Kitty" Arsenault' home many times, in Groveton, to talk with her, about the dynamics of her family, as well as simply to say hello, I had interviewed her on tape, regarding her grandmother, Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass, Elizabeth's parents, James Henry Cass, and Sarah Anne (nee: Emery), including her numerous siblings in the area. I also drove to Maine, where her daughter "Beth" (Elizabeth) Libby - Bean resided, and obtained many documents pertaining to Beth and her own mother's research over the years stretching back years, and others, going back even farther into the 1970's, and sometimes even into the 1940's!
Included in this documented research of Elizabeth "Beth" (nee: Covell)Libby - Bean's was the following sheets of type-written information:
Sally Ann (nee:Auger) was identified as the birth daughter of Albert Felix Auger and Rose Margaret (nee: Spaulding) by her stepmother Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger's sister's daughter, Beth Libby, in November 1982.Beth had questions regarding the time she'd spent one Christmas with Sally and Marlene, as well as about the summer that they had spent at Seymour Lake, in Vermont wherein Sally & Marlene and Beth were all together in one camp.
Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger was a sister to Elizabeth "Kitty" (nee: Cass) Covell - Arsenault, whose daughter was Beth (nee: Covell) Libby.
Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger Biographical History
By Beth Libby
November 1982
I recall quite distinctly going through photographs at Beth's residence there in Maine, and Beth sitting there with me, saying, "don't mind this Sally Auger ... she's not a Woodward nor a Cass descendant, so there's no need to include her in this research," and so I didn't duplicate the photographs of Sally, as a young girl, since there seemed (at the time) no reason to duplicate photographs of her. I now wish I had!
And here: http://reinventedvermontabenaki.blogspot.com/2011_01_26_archive.html (just scroll down) one will see Sally's alleged "grandmother" that is mentioned not-by-name in The Circle of early July and the early August Indian Country Today articles (linked above), and you can see Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger's father James Henry Cass along with his brother Osman Cass, et al. Even a photograph of my own 3rd great grandmother, Charlotte Maria (nee: Robinson) 1m. Asa Rollins - 2m. Alonzo John Woodward, who BTW was SAID to be "an Indian" too, yet her father was born in England!
Side note:
Alonzo J. Woodward's descendant
Louise Bryson (nee: Tuttle) had heard that
Mary Hawley (nee: Sawyer) Woodward
was supposed to be part an Indian
= subjective
Just because someone SAYS it, or WRITES it down
IMPLYING an ancestor MIGHT BE an Indian
doesn't make it true.
Belief and Perception
(subjective)
v.
Reality and Truth
(objective)
How I digress ...
Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) Platt (left), Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger (middle), Elizabeth "Kitty"Ann (nee: Cass) Covell – Arsenault (right) ca. late 1920's in Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire.
From Lt. to Rt.
Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger, her sister Elizabeth “Kitty” May (nee: Cass) Covell – Arsenault, and another sister Mary Mertie (nee: Cass) Stinson. All three were the daughter’s of James Henry Cass and James H. Cass Sr.’ 2nd wife Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) Briggs – Cass.
James H. Cass (Sr.) had previously married to Emily/Emma Jane (nee: Baird) who was daughter of Avery William Baird and Minnie Isobel Vida (nee: Woodward), daughter of Charles E. Woodward and Amanda A. (nee: Brown). From this marriage, they had 1. James Henry Cass (Jr.), 2. George Lewis Cass (died young from a gunshot wound), and 3. Avery William Hayden Cass. #1, 2, and 3 have no Vital or Census Records identifying them as Indians or Abenakis.
Avery William Hayden Cass
Birth Record
November 02, 1911
Groveton-Northumberland, Coös County, New Hampshire
Clearly, Avery W. H. Cass was WHITE
As were his parents, per the birth record
Avery William Hayden Cass
Groveton-Northumberland, Coös County, New Hampshire
Avery William Hayden Cass also known as “tinker” or “Tinker Cass”
(a) Avery W. H. Cass was the son of James Henry Cass and Emily Jane (nee: Baird) Cass.
(b) James Henry Cass (Sr.) was the son of Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott – Cass- Wood(w)ard.
(c) Emily Jane (nee: Baird) Cass was the daughter of Minnie Isabelle Vida (nee: Woodward) Baird (etc.) and Avery William Cass.
(d) Minnie I. V. (nee: Woodward) Baird was the daughter of Charles E. Woodward and Charles' first wife Amanda Ann (nee: Brown) Woodward.
(e) Charles E. Woodward (Sr.) was the son of Darius A. Woodward who was a brother to Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) 1m. Elliott – 2m. Cass – 3m.Wood(w)ard.
Avery William Hayden Cass
Gertrude Gladys (nee: Colby)
Marriage Record
March 04, 1950
Tilton, Belknap County, New Hampshire
Avery William Hayden Cass and his parents were identifying as White
Avery William Hayden Cass, son of James Henry Cass and Emily Jane (nee: Baird), married Gertrude Gladys (nee: Colby) Estes on March 04, 1950 in North Stratford, Coös County, New Hampshire.
Avery William Hayden Cass
Obituary
November 1974
Stratford, N.H. - Avery W. Cass, 63, died at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover, N.H. on November 06, 1974, after a long illness.
Born in Groveton he had been a longtime resident here. He was self-employed as a television service and repair man.
The family includes his wife, Mrs. Gertrude (nee: Colby) Cass of Stratford, a son, Lee Cass of Haverhill, Massachusetts; a stepson, Theodore Estes of Groveton; stepdaughter, Mrs. Evelyn Hartien of Kidderville; four brothers, James Cass of Stratford, and Elmer Cass, Robert Cass and Thomas Cass, all of Groveton; three sisters, Mrs. Mary Stinson of Stratford, Mrs. Flora Auger and Mrs. Elizabeth Arsenault, both of Groveton, and nieces and nephews.
Services were held Saturday afternoon at the Groveton Methodist Church. Burial was in Columbia Cemetery.
Avery W. H. Cass' mother Emily's sister was Katherine "Katie" (Amanda) Beatrice (nee: Baird) 1m. Ball 2m. Herson 3m. Dingman, and she lived also in Groveton and Lancaster, N.H.
Katie and Emily (sisters) were the daughters of Avery W. Baird and Minnie I. V. (nee: Woodward)
Minnie Isobel V. (nee: Woodward)
(1871-1933)
Her siblings were:
Alvin Darius m. Sweeney
George Elmer m. Emery
Mary Ann (May) m. Powers
Sarah Jane m. Heath
Emma Matilda m. Chase
Vila Lucinda m. Baird
Edith Ethel 1m. Miner 2m. Brown
Frank Edward m. Sylvie Heath
Cora Etta 1m. King 2m. Corey 3. Mclong
Minnie I. V. (nee: Woodward)
Minnie married to Avery William Baird July 16, 1888, and apparently Avery Baird had separated, broke up, parted ways with her, and she went to Danville, Caledonia County, Vermont to rent a room on the Jack Hunt Place, only later to met up with Arthur C. Dodge (he died Feb. 23, 1917 in Northumberland, Coös County, New Hampshire). Not sure if they actually got married or not but if they did it would have been about March 1914, then she married to Leon Paige February 18, 1918 in Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire, and her fourth husband was Horace M. Stiles whom she married July 19,
1924 in Whitefield, Coös County, New Hampshire.
July 14, 1998
A paternal descendant of Minnie I. V. (nee: Woodward) Baird ... through Raymond "Sammy" William Baird Jr. (1926-1989) began communicating with one of Uriah Sawyer's descendant, Marshall Kirk, on Rootsweb' online message board at the time in 1998, exclaimed to him regarding how she'd delightedly just received and was thrilled to have received such a photograph of Minnie, their ancestress.
Oh those high cheekbones!
And that high forehead!
Those stereotypical facial zygomatic arches in human facial features, of an Indian!
Iron Eyes Cody would have so PROUD to have Minnie as an ancestress ... he would have been so PROUD he would have believed he was John Wayne!
Of course the descendant was round faced, blond haired and blue eye'd, yet THRILLED "possibly" to be descended from "a real Indian", and they now had a photograph to "prove it" now ... in-hand! Minnie had no "French" ancestry/heritage. None. But again a lot of the narratives were/are subjective.
(In the middle) Katie Amanda Beatrice (nee: Baird) Ball, Katie’s sister (on the right holding the black puppy) Emily “Emma” Jane (nee: Baird) Cass, the woman on the left remains unidentified who is holding the kitten, though it could possibly be their other sister Martha Arwilda (nee: Baird) 1m. Lareau/ Larue 2m. Martin.
November 11, 1914
Avery William Baird (standing left in the photograph), Edwin Edward “Eddie” or “Eddy”
Ball, son of Winifred Elizabeth Ball, and Edwin Edward Ball’s wife Katie “Amanda”
Beatrice (nee: Baird) Ball 2m. Herson 3m. Dingman, daughter of Avery William Ball and
Avery’s first wife Minnie Isabel. V. (nee: Woodward) 1m. Baird 2m. Dodge 3m. Paige Stiles/ Styles.
On Katie's lap is her daughter Martha Elizabeth Jane (nee: Ball) 1m. Spencer 2m. Whittum
(ca. 1914 or 1915) on her lap.
Photograph was in a large oval wooden photograph frame in concave glass, in the possession of Katie (nee: Baird)'s grandson Myrlin “Buddy” Richard Roy Ball of Lunenburg, Essex County, Vermont.
Katie (nee: Baird) Ball - Herson - Dingman
1964
James Henry Cass' first wife Emily “Emma” Jane (nee: Baird)Cass
June 1914
James Henry Cass Sr. and his 2nd wife Sarah A. (nee: Emery) Briggs
James Henry Cass Sr. and his 2nd wife Sarah A. (nee: Emery) Briggs
Groveton-Northumberland, Coös County, New Hampshire
Throughout his lifetime, he was consistently identifying/identified
as WHITE.
Osman Henry Cass
Osman had learned what he could as a young age and went from the Stanstead area of Lower Quebec, Canada. It was only later that he'd found his father Hayden Harley Cass. After Osman's marriage to Iola Rollins, most of his father's days were spent at his son Osman's place in East Haven, VT. until Hayden died in 1907.
Haden Cass
St. Albans Daily Messenger Newspaper
April 12, 1907
The St. Johnsbury Caledonian Newspaper
April 17. 1907
Hayden Harley Cass
Death Record
April 07, 1907
East Haven, Orleans County, Vermont
In evaluating this Death Record of Hayden Cass, he was indicated to be White. Divorced. Born October 15, 1804, and died at the age of 102 yrs., 5 months , and 24 days. His birth place was subjectively "New York"... his wife was Flora E. Cass ... yet confusion on the part of the informant (his son Osman) seems to have become apparent, in that he indicated on the record that his father's mother was Flora E. Woodward born in Canada which would be the SAME as Osman's mother! I also surmise that the age at death had been "increased" to a greater degree than Hayden's accurate age in reality.
Again "facts" on a Vital Record, aren't always 'factual' or 'objective', but could merely have been based on the informants beliefs and perceptions which indeed could have been faulty, 'blind', and or misconstrued, by either the deceased, the informant's remembrances, and or the person filling out the document, in what they were told or thought they'd heard from someone else.
Vermont Union Journal Newspaper
April 10, 1907
In East Haven, just before or after the death of Hayden Harley Cass, as reported in the newspaper, Dexter's wife, Lillian Martha (nee: Hosford) Woodward of Lyndon, Vt., had indeed been visiting her friends. Her father Henry "Harry" Tylor Hosford had died two years before in East Haven (and number of her siblings had born and died in East Haven as well).
Lt. to Rt. Raymond, Lewis, Osman Cass w. John, Iola w. Harry, Daisy, Andrew Cass
Daisy-Iola-Osman-Andrew Cass
August 1942
Left to Right:
Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton, her uncle Osman H. Cass, her other Uncle James Henry
Cass Sr., and Osman’s wife Iola (nee: Rollins) Cass.
Lillian Patton was the granddaughter of Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott – Cass – Woodward. Lillian’s mother was Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) Nason, daughter of Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass and Flora’s 2nd husband Hayden Cass. Iola Rollins was the daughter of Mary Jane (nee: Heath) Rollins
and Rodney Rollins. Mary Jane (nee: Heath) Rollins was the daughter of Alonzo James Heath and Sibbel/ Statira (nee: Hartwell) Heath.
James Henry Cass Sr. and his brother Osman Henry Cass
Birth Record: Sarah Ann (nee: Emery)
in England
Death Record: Thomas Isaac Emery
in England
Osman Henry Cass
Death Record
May 13, 1954
Newark, Vermont
Osman was identified as Caucasian (White)
April 1918
Divorce Petition
State of New Hampshire, Superior Court of Coös County April Term, 1918.
Sarah Ann Briggs (Libelant) vs. Fred Arthur Briggs (Libelee): Sarah Ann Briggs of Groveton, New Hampshire in the town of Northumberland, County of Coös, State of New Hampshire, complains against Fred Arthur Briggs of Franklin, County of Merrimack, State of New Hampshire, and says that she was lawfully married to him at Mooers, County of Clifton, State of New York, on the ninth day of July, A.D., 1910 by Reverend Mr. Ogle, a Methodist minister of said Mooers, N.Y.: that she has always behaved as a dutiful wife, faithful, and affectionate wife: that after said marriage she lived with the said Fred Arthur Briggs at Frontier, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, at Andover, County of Merrimack, State of New Hampshire, and at Groveton in the town of Northumberland, County of Coös, State of New Hampshire: that she has resided and made her home within this State one year or more next preceding the beginning of this action.
And furthermore that your said Libelant had three children by the said Fred Arthur Briggs and who are now living, to wit,-Leila Ann Briggs age 07, Wilbur Wesley Briggs age 04, and Fred Arthur Briggs age 02. Yet the said Fred Arthur Briggs, wholly regardless of his marriage covenant and duty on the 16th day of February, A.D. 1918, at Franklin, County of Merrimack, State of New Hampshire, committed the crime of adultery with one Mrs. Annie Dexter, and on divers days and times to your libelant unknown committed the crime of adultery with the said Mrs. Annie Dexter at Franklin aforesaid, and at other places to your libelant unknown. Wherefore, the said Sarah Ann Briggs prays that a divorce form the bonds of matrimony between herself and the said Fred Arthur Briggs may be decreed: that the custody and education of the said children, Leila Ann Briggs, Wilbur Wesley Briggs, and Fred Arthur Briggs may be committed to her: and for such other relief as may be just.
Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) Briggs - Cass was employed at the Eagle Hotel in Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire. The Johnson family owned it at the time.
HER SISTER:Beatrice Ann (nee: Emery) at the age of 14 years arrived in the Province of Lower Quebec on the 17th of June 1894 after having left the port of Liverpool, England on the 7th of June 1894. A Mrs. Berts of Knowleton, Quebec, Canada was her destination. Her siblings Sarah Ann Emery age 08 years, and William Wesley Emery age 11 were also on the Ship S.S. Parisian with their sister Beatrice Ann Emery.
Beatrice Ann (nee: Emery), daughter of Thomas Isaac Emery and Mary Ann (nee: Pedlar) had married to George Elmer Woodward, son of Charles Ernest Woodward and Amanda Ann (nee: Brown) on September 01, 1901 in Derby, Orleans County, Vermont. This marriage resulted in 9 children, and they divorced in 1919, neither parent able to care for their children. Suspected of TB and the father George, being on the Town coffers in 1919-1921, resulted in the children being "parted out." George then "gypsing" around between Magog, Quebec, Danville-Peacham, VT and Groveton, NH etc. with his horse "Mary" (named after his sister, who resided up on East Hill, in Peacham, VT).
George E. Woodward and his horse "Mary"
This children of George and Beatrice were by 1920 into 1930 Census records, thus documented in the Pembroke Sanitarium in N.H. as well as the Nashua, N.H. Orphanage, including the Eugenics Survey of Vermont of the 1920's and 1930's. Some of these children and their children I have interviewed. All are deceased now. Two children, after having been in the Pembroke Sanitarium for years since childhood, left that institution in the 1930's, had indeed been sterilized (as that was the N.H. law at the time in order to leave the institution ... NOT because they were "Abenakis"), and these two children (Sadie and George Jr. had indeed married, and relocated to the Lancaster-Jefferson area. They had no children. Other siblings like William Wesley Woodward and Hilda did. They were baptized in Groveton, N.H. in the Saint Marks Church, on May 25, 1919.
George Elmer Woodward Sr. with Smith kids
Lancaster, Coös County, N.H.
Sadie Ada (nee: Woodward) Gonyer
Lancaster, Coös County, N.H.
Amanda (nee: Brown) and her husband Charles E. Woodward
(Tin-type from his Civil War File)
Charles Ernest Woodward
Obituary
September 10. 1926
The Caledonian Record Newspaper
(Son of Darius D. Woodward and Sophronia Sophia Ann (nee: Robinson)
Edith Ethel (nee: Woodward) 1m. Miner 2m. Brown (Rt.)
with her daughter Effie Clara (nee: Brown) (Lt.)
Edith Ethel's brother was Charles Emery Brown of Warner, N.H.
Edith Ethel (nee: Woodward) Miner
Death Record
July 27, 1958
Rochester, Strafford County, New Hampshire
Color or Race = White
George Elmer Woodward Sr.
(having a bit of fun in Danville, VT)
A bit about George (Sr.):
Sherbrooke daily record, 1897-1969, dated October 22, 1932:
Mr. George Woodard, of Bradford, Vermont, is visiting his nephew Mr. Roy Heath, son of Sarah (nee: Woodard) and Albert Anson Heath. Together they attended the Waid-Griggs wedding at Granby, Quebec on Saturday, October 08, 1932.
Now what was he doing traveling up to the Eastern Townships: Hmm. Evading Harriet E. Abbott very likely, when she would, on behalf of the V.E.S. (VT Eugenics Survey), travel to Groveton, NH, and Danville-Peacham, VT areas, HUNTING for information!
A bit about George Elmer Woodward Jr.'s sister Mary Ann ("May") (nee: Woodward) Powers:
Lt. to Rt. Unknown woman (possibly daughter to Mary Ann (nee: Woodward) Powers, Mary Ann (nee: Woodward) Powers (daughter of Charles Ernest Woodward and Amanda Ann nee: Brown – Woodward), Rachel Freda Woodward (daughter of William Wesley Woodward and Armine Dame (nee: Jones) Woodward, and another unidentified young girl. Photograph taken in East Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont at the Frank Ingalls Powers Home ca. 1945 or 1946.
Isaac Phillips, son of Peter Phillips (ca. 1830-1906) and Peter's second wife, Eliza (nee: Way) had resided a good majority of his adult life with Mary (nee: Woodward) and Fred Ingalls Powers.
November 18, 1914
Among the minor infractions of the law were a case of drunkenness and another of breach of the peace.
Bazil Proulx is accused of intoxication, being arrested Saturday afternoon and Isaac Phillips of Peacham is awaiting a hearing on the latter charge. Both of these cases will be disposed of by Judge Porter today.
July 29, 1918
Barre Daily Times Newspaper, Page 08
Young Man of Determination Gets Into the Service
Isaac Phillips of Peacham has been enlisted at the Army Recruiting Office here. His case has interested many because of the determination he has displayed to into service. He was born in Cabot some 18 years ago. There are no records in the Town Clerk's office or Secretary of State's Office and the physician who cared for him. The Army regulation set forth that a birth certificate must be provided. Isaac Phillips' parents died when he was an infant.
For 11 years the Town of Peacham cared for him, then he shifted for himself, until four years ago, when he went to Fred I. Powers' in Peacham to live. Every way seemed to be blocked until Mr. Powers obtained information relative to his birth and then was appointed the guardian, certifying to the birth within a few days of its actuality at least, and the young man has enlisted in the Infantry.
February 20, 1919
The Evening Caledonia
Howard Powers, who has been working for Wallace Powers, son of Fred Powers and Mary (nee: Woodward), sawing wood, went home the last of the week and Isaac Phillips is working in his place.
Fred Powers hurt his back quite badly last week by falling in the sugar house and striking against the woodpile.
Isaac Phillips (on the left) and Hollis Way (center foreground) ... chopping wood on the Woodward farm.
Isaac Phillips Burial Stone 1992
Mary Ann (nee: Woodward) Powers was a sister to William Wesley Woodward’s father George Elmer Woodward. According to the May 03, 1930 Federal Population Schedule Census for Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont, George Woodard, and age stated to be 61 years, “Cousin” “Divorced” was residing on the farm of Adelbert M. Woodard (actually Adelbert Merton Woodward) and Adelbert’ wife Bertha Jane (nee: Goss) Woodward.
Adelbert M. Woodward was the son of Stephen Jackson Woodward and Sarah A. nee: Porter. Stephen J. Woodward was the son of Ebenezer Woodward and Locada nee: Peterson.
Ebenezer Woodward was the son of Darius Woodward and Nancy (nee: Taylor) Woodward whom “took in” Parker Preston Woodward and Royal William Woodward, sons of Apollos Woodward and Rachel (nee: Reynolds/ Runnells) ca. 1816 – 1824.
George Elmer Woodward was the son of Charles Ernest Woodward. Charles E. Woodward was the son of Darius Anson Woodward and Sophronia Sophia (nee: Robinson). Darius Anson Woodward was the son of Parker Preston Woodward and Sarah Pilsbury (nee: Sawyer) Woodward.
William Wesley Woodward ca. 1929, age 18 years, with two horses in East Peacham, Vermont up on Cow Hill, while at Fred Ingalls Powers and Mary “May” A. (nee: Woodward) Powers Place, William Wesley Woodward’s Aunt (his father’s sister).
William Wesley Woodward ca. 1929, age 18 years, opening a suitcase in East Peacham, Vermont while at Fred Ingalls Powers and Mary “May” A. (nee: Woodward) Powers Place, William Wesley Woodward’s Aunt (his father’s sister). The man next to vehicle door, and the two children holding the reins of a horse, are unknown. He had sought out family relations in Groveton, and had two "Daily" books that had the names and addresses of family in Groveton, NH.
William Wesley Woodward ca. 1929, age 18 years, opening a suitcase in East Peacham, Vermont while at Fred Ingalls Powers and Mary “May” A. (nee: Woodward) Powers Place, William Wesley Woodward’s Aunt (his father’s sister). Men next to vehicle door, and the two children holding the reins of a horse, are unknown.
More on Minnie (nee: Woodward) Baird:
Minnie (nee: Woodward) Baird had also resided in North Peacham, VT on the Jake Hunt place ca. 1914-1916, up on Cow Hill (it's documented IN the family, and in the land records in Danville, VT) as did her father Charles E. Woodward, et al.
Also living in Groveton-Northumberland, N.H. was another relative, Minnie (nee: Woodward) 1m. Baird 2m. Dodge 3m. Paige 4m. Stiles (of which in the above URL, I have shown her photograph, along with her daughter, Katie).
Minnie, in her elder years, had a hysterectomy, in Concord Mental Hospital in 1918, NOT because she was "Abenaki" or "Indian" but because Katie had a newborn, and Minnie had either been in menopause, or she had cancer of the uterus, which caused concern of her daughter Katie (nee: Baird) Ball who was worried about her mother's behavior around the child/grandchild.
So, suffice it to say, I have quite the awareness and documents regarding the Woodward and Cass Family branches, but getting back to Sally A. Auger (1938-2020).
OK, so let's take a necessary examination of the Vital Records for Sally Auger and her stepmother as well as Sally's people:
Albert Felix Auger
Margaret Rose Spaulding
Marriage
June 27, 1928
Groveton, Coös County, N.H.
Both of Sally Ann Auger' parents are
WHITE, as were both sets of their parents
Birth Certificate: Sally Ann Auger
December 18, 1938
Groveton, Coös County, NH
She was bornWHITE
Her parents were WHITE
Albert Felix Auger
Flora Ella (nee: Cass)
Marriage
October 13, 1944
Lancaster, Coös County, New Hampshire
Both Albert and Flora were WHITE
Both of their parents were WHITE
Albert Felix Auger
WW2 Draft Registration Card
Albert Felix Auger identified himself as WHITE
Their daughter Marlene Rae Auger was born
December 12, 1949
Lancaster, Coös County, New Hampshire
AGAIN, both parents are identified/identifying on the record as WHITE.
Marlene Auger
1957
Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire
Albert Felix Auger and Flora Ella (nee: Cass)
1943
Elizabeth (nee: Cass) with her 2nd husband Perry Arsenault (Lt.),
and her sister(Lt.) Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger
and husband Albert Felix Auger.
David Delmar Parks
Sally Ann Auger
Marriage
June 30, 1955
Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire
Both David and Sally were WHITE
Both Parents of each were WHITE
Sally A. Auger was 16 yrs. of age when David D. Parks married her.
David was 22 yrs. of age.
Her sole custodian was her father Albert Felix Auger, on June 25, 1955.
Yet, from about 1943 to 1955, Flora E. (nee: Cass) Auger had raised BOTH daughters of her husband.
NO WHERE, was Sally Ann Auger (nor her birth parents and/or her stepmother) identified on ANY Birth-Marriage-Death or Census Record, as "Indian", let alone identifying themselves as "Abenaki" at all.
Everything pointed to the reality that these people were WHITE. There is no indication that she or they interacted with any Abenakis inside or outside of Groveton, or Lancaster, Coös County, New Hampshire, as friends, family, or in business transaction with one another, at any time.
Sandy Lee Parks
(a.k.a. David Lee Parks)
BIRTH
February 15, 1956
Lancaster, Coös County, New Hampshire
Sally Auger was identified as WHITE
Marty Ray Parks
BIRTH
February 16, 1957
Lancaster, Coös County, New Hampshire
Sally Auger was identified asWHITE
In doing the necessary research genealogically-speaking, as to Sally's "Abenaki" claims, I mapped out her parents ancestors.
Her mother, Margaret Rose (nee: Spaulding) identified as WHITE on any records I found, as did her siblings, and parents and ancestors from Prince Edward Island (English and Irish).
Her father, Albert Felix Auger, identified as WHITE on Birth-Marriage-Death, Census records, as well as WW2 Registration Draft Card. His parents also identified as WHITE. Going back genealogical farther, I did locate an Algonquin woman in the 1600's.
1. Gisis Bahmahmaadjimiwin Nipissirinienne, (Amerindienne woman) born ca. 1602 and married Jean Nicolet
2. Marie Madeleine Euphrosine (nee: Nicolet)
3. Marie Madeleine (nee: LeBlanc)
4. Louis Pichet dit Pegin
5. Louis Pichet
6. Françoise (nee: Pichet)
7. Marguerite (nee: Aubért)
8. Charles Carrier
9. Louis Carrier
10. Clara (nee: Carrier)
11. Alma Marie (nee: Jalbert)
12. Albert Felix Auger
13. Sally Ann (nee: Auger) 1.m. Parks 2m. ? 3m. Eichhorn
How does this make Sally A. (nee: Auger) an Abenaki from and of Groveton, N.H.?
NOTHING regarding either paternal grandparent of Sally's indicates ANYTHING but WHITE for their identity (i.e. Birth-Marriage-Death nor Census Records).
So WHO was this "grandmother" Sally made mention of, who was a "medicine woman" whose gift with plants laid the foundation for Sally Auger ’s later work?
Sally Auger could have been speaking of her paternal grandmother, Alma Marie (nee: Jalbert) Auger born January 10, 1884 in Compton, Qc. married January 11, 1904 in Ste. Philippe de Windsor Mills, Richmond County, Québec, Canada to Léon Joseph Auger. She died in September 1977 in Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire. But, nothing indicates she was working with plants for medicines, or 'doctoring' people.
More likely, since Sally had been raised for a number of years by Flora Ella (nee: Cass) I surmise she was speaking of her stepmother's paternal grandmother, Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass.
But let's start with the stepmother first:
Flora Ella (nee: Cass)
BIRTH
February 07, 1914
Northumberland, Coös County, New Hampshire
Flora E. Cass was WHITE.
Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger
DEATH Record
April 30, 2021
(No Ethnicity was given)
Flora Ella (nee: Cass) Auger
Obituary
May 05, 2021
(Notice that the date of death in the obituary was incorrect)
Essex County Herald Newspaper
June 11, 1880
Anson Darius Woodward (Sr.) had left town very suddenly a few days ago for parts unknown.
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward)
1m. Elliott - 2m. Cass - 3m. Woodward
3rd MARRIAGE
December 29, 1894
North Stratford, Coös County, New Hampshire
Both Anson Darius Woodward and Flora wereWHITE
BOTH their parents were WHITE
Anson Darius/Aidrias Woodward
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass
(her son) Anson Darius Cass / Woodward (Jr.)
(a.k.a. Anson Woodward)
Stratford, Coös County, New Hampshire
Home up on the Cross Road / Stage Coach Road
Anson Cassand (twin) Emerson Cass
Birth Record
August 15, 1885
Derby Line, Orleans County, Vermont
Name: Anson Darius Woodward
U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Race: White
Birth Date: August 03, 1881
Residence Date:September 12,1918
Residence Place: Coös County, New Hampshire, USA
Physical Build: Medium
Height: Short
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Light Brown
Relative: (mother)Flora E. Woodward
Anson D. Woodward
Probate Court Name Change Petition
October 22, 1948
Newport City, Orleans County, Vermont
Clearly, "Anse" "Woodward" knew he'd been born in the town of Derby, VT sometime around August 03, in the mid-1880's or so. In 1948 after some years going by the surname of his mother's husband Anson Darius Woodward (Sr.) and not having been raised by his father, Hayden Cass, Anse petitioned the Orleans County Probate Court to change legally his surname to Woodward. Anse Jr. had documented that his mother, Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) had been born in Canada, and that she'd been a resident of Derby, Vt., was a housewife in her own home, and that his mother and Anson Sr (his stepfather) had been married in North Stratford, New Hampshire.
That the color (ethnicity) of both of his parentswas __white__ (he being the 6th child of his mother)
Flora Ella Woodward
(Up on the Cross Road)
East Stratford, New Hampshire
Flora Ella Woodward
Flora Ella Woodward
(ca. 85 years of age)
"Flora E. Woodward; Just as suggested in a recent issue of the Homestead all of the good old young people are not men. The women folks haven't been idle all these years. The accompanying picture of Mrs. Flora Woodward was taken at the age of 82. She is now 85. When this was taken she did three or four washings a week besides her own and, did all her own work, went berrying, canned those berries, worked out now and then for the neighbors, took most of care of the garden and helped her son peel pulp to sell in Groveton. They have a home of their own and need not work so hard but Mrs. Woodward says she won't wear out as fast as she would sitting around doing nothing. The home is in North Stratford, N.H. Are there any others that can beat this? She raised a family of six children and is still going strong doing more than many of the young women. G.C.S."
SOURCE: The Homestead (Journal?) Magazine/Periodical.
Beverly Ruth (nee: Lanpher) Bryant
(standing in front)
Beverly's mother, Florence Alice (nee: Reed) Lanpher - Crooker
(to the right of Beverly)
Florence's mother, Nellie Maude (nee: Cass) Reed
(behind Beverly)
Nellie's mother, Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott- Cass - Woodward
Stratford, Coös County, New Hampshire
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass
99 years of age
ca.1934
Her son Anson Darius Cass
(a.k.a. Anson Woodward)
Stratford, Coös County, New Hampshire
Home up on the Cross Road / Stage Coach Road
On the reverse side of the above original photograph:
Flora Ella Woodward
age 99 years
Died January 23, 1935
age then 100 years 2 days
Born January 21, 1835
Mother of James Henry Cass, Sr.
Anson Woodward stands on piazza.
He was Mr. Woodward's youngest child - a twin
other dead.
(Beth Libby of South Portland had written on it, after-the-fact)
PAY ATTENTION: I am going to later show the reverse side of this SAME image yet ****duplicated photograph of Anson and his mother Flora when she was 99 years of age, in Beth Libby's pen script from years later.
January 02, 1935
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. George Baird came on Sunday to see Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward, who is quite sick."
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward)
Death Record
January 23, 1935
North Stratford, Coös County, New Hampshire She was identified as WHITE
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott - Cass - Woodward
Obituary
January 21, 1935
Coös County Democrat Newspaper
Vol. 99 No. 5.
(front page)
Stratford Woman Dead at 100 Years of Age
Mrs. Flory Ella Woodward died at her home in East Stratford last Wednesday morning. Mrs. Woodward was the widow of the late Anson Woodward Sr. who died several years ago since which time she has lived with her son, Anson Cass"Woodward" Jr. She was born in Fitz [Fitch] Bay, P. Q. on January 21, 1835, this making her 100 years and two days old at the time of her death, the eldest resident of East Stratford. With her husband, she moved to Stratford from Canada 52 years ago and has been a resident of East Stratford since that time. Mrs. Woodward during her entire life has been an extremely healthy and robust character and had often helped her husband with his outside work, always willing and able to perform services which she was called upon to do. She was a very likeable, quiet, and unassuming person and wherever she came into contact with her neighbors was very kind and friendly. Her death at this time, although at a very advanced age, came as a shock to the people of the community.
Funeral services were held at the home Friday afternoon at 1 o'clock, Rev. Clyde Kimball of Groveton, N.H. officiating. She was buried in the Center Cemetery north of East Stratford, beside her husband. She leaves to mourn her loss two sons, Osmer [Osman] and James Cass, by a former marriage, and Anson Woodward, with whom she has made her home.
January 30, 1935
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Stratford' section
Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward, a long-time resident of East Stratford, died at her home Wednesday morning. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at the home. Rev. C. E. Kimball officiating. Internment was in Center Cemetery beside her late husband Anson D. Woodward, Sr.
Not a mention of her (or her son "Anse") being Indian or Abenaki nor Algonquin in ANY newspaper or magazine write-up's. One would surmise THAT (in that day and age) such would have been 'of note', 'interesting' (perhaps even 'exotic') to the readers. But not a peep, mention or indication whatsoever.
There is some indication that Flora Ella (nee: Woodward had been born in Vermont, propbably Cabot or Walden, in the year 1844.
Common was it to "make a person 'older' when they died, for example, when Isaac Phillips father, Peter "Black Jack" Phillips had died in Peacham, VT in 1906, he was said to be older than he actually was; the same happened when Peter's father Antoine Philips Sr. died in September 1885; and so too, when Antoine Sr.'s father Peter Phelps had died in November 1865. The age's at the time of their death's had been 'exaggerated'/ 'increased'.
The same was very likely true of her (Flora's) age when she had passed in 1835.
Anson D. Woodward
Death Record
April 07, 1958
Whitefield, Coös County, New Hampshire
Anson was identified as White
Anson Darius Cass / Woodward
Obituary
April 16, 1958
Coös County Democrat Newspaper
(Page 5)
Funeral services were held on Thursday afternoon at the Methodist Church in Stratford for Anson Woodward, who passed away at the Morrison Hospital Monday, April 07, 1958. Rev. Maurice Porter officiated. There were beautiful floral tributes from friends and relatives. He had been ill four years.
Bearers were Bert Stinson Jr., James Cass Jr., Elmer Cass, Thomas Cass, Charles Stinson and Forrest Leith Maguire. Burial was in the Stratford Center Cemetery.
Mr. Woodward was born in Derby, Vermont, August 08, 1880, the son of Anson and Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott Cass Woodward. He lived as a child in Stratford and attended schools there. He made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Harry Leonard Maguire and Rilma (nee: Prince) parents of Forrest Leith Maguire for the past 15 years. He was an outdoor man and his interests and hobbies were hunting and fishing; also trapping. Many are the young men he has show the way to good hunting and fishing grounds and taught them the "tricks" of these sports.
He was a most kind and thoughtful friend, and neighbor. He several nieces and nephews.
Again, there had been no mention or indication that Anson Darius Cass / Woodward Jr. was an Indian/Abenaki or that his deceased mother Flora Ella had been an Indian either, per his obituary.
Nellie (nee: Cass) Reed
Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton's aunt Nellie (nee: Cass) Reed born May 07, 1875 had died on January 18, 1947 and was buried in West Derby, Vermont. Lillian, Osman, James et al attended the funeral. She (Nellie) had been brought up to adulthood by the Fields or Lewis family of Newport, Vt. Nellie had 3 children: Florence, Frank and Katherine.
Nellie Maude (nee: Cass) Reed
Obituary
ca. January 18, 1947
Frye, Maine
No mention of her or her mother Flora Ella being an Indian or an Abenaki
Brenda (nee: Bryant) Hackett, in December 2000 emailed a correspondence from May 2000 to Douglas Lloyd Buchholzhad stated that Priscilla Maude (nee: Cass) Rossier, regarding information on Priscilla's and Brenda's shared Woodward and Cass ancestry and relatives.
Priscilla was a granddaughter to Osman H. Cass and Iola (nee: Rollins).
Brenda Bryant was a great-granddaughter of Osman's sister, Nellie Maude (nee: Cass) Reed.
Priscilla had shared that her parents were Winnifred Rozina (nee: Woodward) and Dale Ralph Cass, thus she was related/descended both maternally and paternally from Parker Preston Woodward and Sally Sawyer. Including the ancestral surnames of Pratt, Hosford, Walter, McMillan, Lee, Rollins, Heath, Cass and Turner, Adams, and Hartwell (to name some of the surnames in Priscilla's ancestry).
She'd stated to Brenda (nee: Bryant) Hackett, at-the-time, that she did not know where Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass came from. Her parents Winnifred and Dale had said "Flora Ella was a full-blooded Indian". They remembered "Flora Ella sitting in a rocking chair on her porch and smoking a corn cob pipe". Priscilla didn't know what "tribe" Flora Ella subjectively had come from.
Priscilla, as a child, had known her paternal great-grandparents, Osman and Iola, who were wonderful people. Iola used to make doll clothes for Priscilla's dolls and they had a playhouse where she'd play and a pond on the other side of their house where lots of family members had went fishing.
[Copied by 'Beth' Libby - Bean (Elizabeth 'Kitty' Arsenault' daughter) in 1982]
Osman Henry Cass and his wife Iola (nee: Rollins) had told LPN (Lillian Maud (nee: Nason) Patton) in 1947:
According to Osman Cass, Lillian's grandmother Flora Ella and grandfather Hayden Harley Cass had separated when their children were young; Lillian's grandmother had later married her nephew - Anson Darius Woodward. He Anson Sr. was somewhat younger; a lazy 'good-for-nothing' and she Flora Ella did all the work - farming; working out. In later years they bought and paid for a small farm outside of Island Pond, Vermont.
Osman and Iola told the story to Lillian of the two twin sons allegedly born of this union, and that they were so hard up financially on that occasion (just after the twins were born, in August 1885) that they had started for some other destination, walking with a baby in each arm and .50 cents in their pockets. When they reached their destination in North Stratford, New Hampshire, they'd only had the one child, named Anson "Woodward, Jr."
Lillian's aunt Iola (nee: Rollins) Cass had said, "I always said they had disposed of the smart one and kept the foolish one."
Upon questioning as to what Iola had meant, and thinking she'd meant that they'd left one of the twin boys Emerson for adoption somewhere, she'd replied that no one knew. Yet Iola had felt they'd had disposed of one of the boys Emerson then dryly said, "He Anson D. Woodard "Sr." was so lazy, they'd started out with one baby each and he probably got tired and they ended up with but one at their destination."
At the point of telling (in May of 1947) Lillian's cousin Katherine (nee: Reed) Dodge had spoken up about a Hazen Woodward, who had been of the image of Uncle Osman and said that her mother (Lillian's aunt Nellie Reed) always wonder if he Hazen might have been the missing twin. Hazen was supposed to have never known who his parents were.
[Mrs. Emma (nee: Woodward) Rollins of Rock Island, P. Q. on November 04, 1971 had told Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton that the above mentioned trek was from Rock Island or Beebe, to Groveton, N.H.]
The living son in 1947 (Anson, Jr.) was described as "bright enough but very queer/strange." He was very lazy and only earned enough to keep himself going, by working in the woods. In 1947, Lillian's uncle Osman had thought Anson, Jr. might be around 57 years of age and living around Island Pond, Vermont. Anson, Jr. had since died.
Lillian's uncle Osman also had said that Hayden Cass had deserted my grandmother Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) and their children; then shortly afterwards Lillian's grandmother Flora Ella had deserted her five children as well, on the advice of her brother Benjamin Sawyer Woodward. She'd gone to Newport, Vermont and chopped wood for a living. When Lillian's grandfather Hayden Cass had learned where Flora was, he had gone back to Fitch Bay, where all of their children had been born, and who were still living there, subsequently putting out their two daughters up for adoption. Lillian's mother Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) had been adopted by the Lincoln's in Newport, Vermont. Lillian's aunt Nellie had been either brought up or adopted by the Field's in Newport, Vt. as well.
Lillian's cousin (Nellie's daughter) Florence (nee: Reed) Crooker had told Lillian that her brother Frank had visited their grandmother Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) about 13-14 years ago (ca. 1923-1924), and offering to go outside to bring in a pail of water for her, she'd been aghast at the suggestion, her exclaiming "I've not yet reached the point of where I can't get my own water!"
Lillian's Osman had said to Lillian as he'd left that day, "Remember your grandmother Flora Ella was a mighty hard working woman, and was never afraid of work."
November 01, 1971
At some point in early October 1970's, they became aware of Avery William Hayden Cass, and his father James Sr. (et al) over in Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire by way of James Sr.'s obituary from 1953 while visiting Osman's son Lewis Cass; most certainly by November 01, 1971 Lillian and Iva became aware of their kith and kin in New Hampshire. These two sisters, now women, had sought out Avery Cass, son of James Henry Cass and Emily (nee: Baird) and he (and his wife) corresponded frequently until Avery's death on November 26, 1974.
Ivah's husband, Harley Davis Ames, Ivah herself along with her sister Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton had driven to Groveton, North Stratford and Stratford Hollow, N.H.
They had tried to find Myrtle (nee: Cass) Stinson, wife of Charles Stinson, daughter of Lillian and Ivah' uncle James Henry Cass Sr.
Myrtle lived in Stratford Hollow, N.H. A neighbor had said that they had driven into Groveton.
Ivah and Lillian then tried to find James Henry Cass Jr. in Stratford Hollow and found his home, but found a note on the door that said he'd gone to their other home in Northumberland, N.H.
They set out for Northumberland and found him, after a trying time to locate it.
James Cass Jr. had bought a place there in Northumberland and was in the process of fixing it up. His wife was back from the hospital 2 weeks previous from operation and she still looks very ill. We didn't seem to feel he could answer our queries as well as his brother Avery William Hayden Cass, so the trio had telephoned Avery to expect them.
The trio had stopped at the Groveton cemetery first and then ate lunch in the car, subsequent t to driving to Avery Cass's place.
Avery W. H. Cass' wife Gertrude (nee: Colby) 1m. Brown 2m. Estes 3m. Cass had been very ill as well her being an epileptic, as well have been in a bad accident in Colbrook wherein a car ran her down, with injuries to her legs, etc. The nice-appearing wife of her son Theodore Estes was there at Avery and Gertrude's too.
Iva and Lillian's cousin Avery seemed a very fine man. Lillian felt a strong mutual "family love" for him. The trio (Harley, Ivah and Lillian had been there visiting from approximately 12:30 p.m. until around 4:00 p.m. or a bit later. Avery had palsey in his right hand.
The gist of his story to the trio:
Avery W. H. Cass had said that when his father James Henry Cass Sr.'s estate had been settled, Avery had given his older brother James Henry Cass, Jr. most of the family pictures, and other data since Jimmy had more room to keep them.
There was one large picture of some of the family, etc. and it was suggested he and James, Jr. got together, to sort out much data, and let Ivah and Lillian know. Then maybe they could come out to Derby Line, Vermont with what Iva and Lillian would need. Lillian could take a picture with her camera of some of the larger pictures, etc etc. Must follow through.
Iva-Lillian and Avery's grandmother Flora Woodward had married 3 times: Her first marriage was to William R. Elliott, but that was a short-lived marriage when she was 16, which ended in divorce or separation soon thereafter marriage. Her second marriage was to Hayden Harley Cass (Ivah and Lillian's grandfather). Her third marriage was 'forced' to Anson Darius Woodward, her nephew.
Avery W. H. Cass said that Flora Ella must have lived to be a 100 years old.
Avery, being quite the storyteller himself, SAID that Flora Ella (nee: Woodward), his paternal grandmother, came from a family in the Magog District, had "lived among the Indians in their tepees, and that she was part-Indian herself". He had also SAIDthat "back then that many whites and Indians intermarried and lived together in tribes"?
Avery said there was one time that he had been up to his grandmother's (Flora Ella) with Ivah and Lillian's uncle Osman Cass and aunt Iola, where young Anson Cass/Woodward and a couple of friends from East Haven, Vt. Young Anson ...
... played the harmonica and of the friends, the "fiddle". All danced for a long time, but Flora Ella out-danced off the others and could have continued on.
(For interesting stories and anecdotes of Flora Ella, it was mentioned to go see Perley Hapgood of Stratford, who's in his 60's probably)
Another time Avery W. H. Cass was there at Flora Ella Woodward's, Osman cam in and seen her reading her Bible, in fine print (which she'd read daily), and he'd gone out and bought her a very large Bible with many colored reproductions therein and larger print which she'd treasured. This Bible was with her always, and probably disposed of when Young Anson had died.
In one of Avery W. H. Cass's talks with his Dad James Henry Cass, Sr. he'd been told by his father before he'd died that Avery's paternal grandfather Hayden Harley Cass' surname was really not Cass, but Phillips who'd came from England.
There were 3 boys had been sent over from England, because of some epidemic there, and brought up by a Cass family in New York.
One of the brothers got "fouled up" in New York, and took off for Canada. The other brother took off "for some place in the mid-west or western states" and the third brother was (of course) Hayden Harley Cass, Ivah and Lillian's maternal grandfather.
The "three brothers" myth apparently was invented and repeated by lazy genealogists who could not be bothered to find the truth. Be cautious of the 3 brothers myth. 99.9% of the "three brothers" stories are very likely fictitious.
Yet in 1907, when Hayden H. Cass had died, it had been put down on the Death Cert. that he'd came born or from the state of New York.
As for Benjamin Sawyer Woodward, Avery had said that Ben Woodward Sr. was approximately the same age as his own father James Sr.
Benjamin Harrison Woodward Jr. had been in his 30's-40's or early 50's when he'd died.
Writing to the Department of Vital Records in Reedley, California, Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton proceeded with her work on the familial genealogy of her paternal Cass family here in the East, which there were many links, since her Grandmother and Grandfather had separated after their children had been born, in the 1880's probably. The two girls Lillian and Ivah having been adopted by other families and the boys having looked after themselves with their father.
Lillian had reiterated the subjective narrative she'd been told, in particular, that her maternal grandmother Flora Ella Woodward (deceased in 1935 nearly 100 years old) had been "brought up in an Indian tribe" in or near Magog, P.Q. and that Flora had told some of her sons that she waspart Indian herself ... which (according to Lillian) meant that "her mother must have been an Indian".
Lillian and Ivah had visited a tiny cemetery just outside of Fitch Bay, past the Rider home on the road to Crystal Lake, near "Burton Drew's old home (now razed). See the round stone building next to the cemetery, finding a stone that had been inscribed "Our mother, Nancy Woodward, wife of William Davenport, May 1851 Age 38 years.
Both sisters had called at the home of a Frank Ernest Woodward (name in phone book) on a farm for any information that he could give the two women. His home was full of children, all eating dinner, and the men were in a hurry to continue hunting, while his wife was sick in bed. He'd said his father was an Frank Edward Woodward who had married to a Sylvie Jane (nee: Heath) died in Magog, and she had been buried in Fitch Bay.
Frank Ernest Woodward had thought his grandfather's name as Parker, but then was unsure and said "maybe Charles" [thinking of his father's father, who was a grandson of Parker Preston Woodward and Sarah Pilsbury Sawyer] but suggested we call at Mr. Waide's home, about 3 or 4 farms down the highway, and that he could give the two sisters details. They did, but gained nothing much, the only thing they had said, was that there was a Ray or Roy Anson Heath, whose mother was the daughter of Charles Ernest Woodward, named Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward) Heath. And that the old Osman Cass home is now inhabited by a man named Tetreault, who lives there.
Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton had begun genealogically mapping out the relative kith and kin.
November 09, 1971
Writing to Florence Alice (nee: Reed) 1m. Lanpher 2m. Crocker (mother of Beverly Ruth (nee: Lanpher) Bryant; and a sister to Katherine (nee: Reed) Dodge, Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton began disclosing and detailing her genealogical journey into their shared/intermarried Wood(w)ard-Cass kith and kin (ancestry) and relatives.
Lillian had informed Avery William Hayden Cass that if he would look after ordering a burial stone for their grandmother Flora Ella up in Stratford, N.H. that she would gladly have paid a goodly portion of the cost. Lillian hoped he would look into it. Lillian indicated that Avery W. H. Cass knew of a Benjamin Woodward, and mentioned other relatives Amos, Nelson, Herbert, Edmond and a sister Myra, who married a Frank Lee.
She also reiterated the subjective narrative that Flora Ella had been brought up in an Indian Camp, that her grandmother Flora Ella had Indian relatives. Yet Lillian seemed doubtful, in subsequently writing, "If so, it must mean that her mother was a Squaw since she carried the name Woodard; and that surely isn't Indian".
[This is where it gets interesting and revealing ...]
Lillian remembered that as a little girl at maybe 8 or 9 years old (ca. 1910-1911) ... that her stepmother had told Lillian, that her "birth mother Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) Nason had been part Indian." Lillian went on to explain to Florence ... that her stepmother's disclosure had been at the time of the first movies being shown; and how Lillian had just loved the Indian pictures and was so proud of that she had some Indian blood in her.
November 24, 1971
Per a telephone call to Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton from Avery W. H. Cass:
Clearly Lillian knew of Dexter Woodward, and his children; and Lillian had communicated with his daughter Dorothy Lillian (nee: Woodward)
Also mentioned was Katie (nee: Baird) Dingman as well as Edward Woodward in Fitch Bay, Quebec, Canada. Katie was a daughter of Minnie I. V. (nee: Woodward) and Avery William Baird.
As well as Lewis Venus Cass (Osman and Iola' son) who had married Evelyn Louise (nee: Daigneault). Evelyn had married to Raymond Darius Woodward in December 1923.
Raymond Darius Woodward was the son of Herbert Chester Woodward and Prudence Rozina (nee: Hosford).
Herbert Chester Woodward had been the son of Darius Anson Woodward (widow of Sophronia Robinson 1m. Craven 2m. Woodward) and Darius' 2nd wife Lucy Ann (nee: Pratt)
Avery W. H. Cass very likely had been 'pseudo-remembering' (confused) as to Lewis Cass' wife's maiden name. It had been Evelyn and Raymond's daughter Winnifred Rozina (nee: Woodward) who had married to Dale Ralph Cass, son of Andrew Melvin Cass and Maude Evelyn (nee: Lee).
Andrew was son of Osman and Iola (nee: Rollins) Cass.
Winnifred Rozina (nee: Woodward ) Cass
Obituary
July 13, 2007
The Caledonian-Record Newspaper
No Mention of her or her kith and kin being "Indians or Abenakis"
Ca. January 21, 1972
My dear cousin Avery W. H. Cass and family ...
The night before, Lillian Nason ) Patton had been up until midnight having studied the charts that Avery had mapped for her (and sent to her) just before Christmas 1971. Lillian had talked with Emma Esther(nee: Woodward) Rollins, who happened to have worked with Lillian in Spencer Supports (Canada) Ltd. in Rock Island.
Lillian (Nason ) Patton had sent along with her letter of January 21, 1972, to Avery W. H. Cass in Groveton, N. H., her own 'numbered (detailed) research steps, to inform him (et al.) of the new findings she had been making.
Lillian had discovered through the North Stratford 'forced' marriage record of Flora Ella (nee: Woodward and Flora' nephew, Anson Darius Woodward, the parentage of both bride (Flora) and groom (Darius).
Classic genealogical research in the early 1970's prior to the age of the internet & computers, Family Tree DNA, Ancestry.com /AncestryDNA, etc. that she was doing step by step. Clearly she was looking for any sign of the rumored Indian blood, regarding her maternal grandmother's ancestry ...
... while watching on television, the news and happenings out in Wounded Knee, South Dakota, along with seeing "Iron Eyes Cody" (really Espera Oscar de Corti) with his repetitive t.v. commercial 'tear-down-the-eye' saying he was Cherokee or Cree. Hollywood television (and even some books) had indoctrinated and desensitized the white American masses that it was O.K. to pretend-to-be-Indian, to dress-as-Indians, and to BECOME "Indian" ... normalizing 'race shifting' as we know the dynamic today in 2021.
It was suddenly "cool" to try and find an Indian ancestor by 1971-1972! Even better if it was one's own grandmother!
As one can discern from the documents above, Lillian Maude (nee: Nason) Patton, and her sister Ivah in the 1970's of Derby Line, Orleans County, Vermont (along with her sister Ivah Gertrude (nee: Nason) Ames had begun to do 'genealogical research' and sort out questions regarding their ancestry, and sought out answers from their by-birth 'blood'/genetic living relatives. Both sisters were daughters of Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) Nason.
Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) Nason
Their mother Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) had been born November 30, 1878 in Fitch Bay, Quebec, been adopted by the Lincoln's in Newport, Vermont, married November 27, 1900 to William Henry Nason in West Derby, Vt., died on July 28, 1908 of Tuberculosis (T.B.) in Derby Line, Vt., when her daughters, had been quite young. Their father William had died shortly after his wife did, in 1915.
Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) Nason
Death Certificate
Minnie Marcella Nason was identified on the record as WHITE.
Minnie Marcella (nee: Cass) Nason
Obituary
The Stanstead Journal Newspaper
July 30, 1908
(No mention of her being an Indian/ Abenaki!)
December 19, 1971
The following pages were provided to Lillian by way of her relative Avery William Hayden Cass:
1. My [Avery W. H. Cass] birth certificate shows Stanstead, Quebec as the birth place of James H. Cass Sr, son of Flora Ella.
2. Flora Ella Woodward gave birth to twins before her removal to Stratford, N.H. and marriage to Anson Woodward (Sr.) in 1894. (a) She told me of Little Anse (Anson Jr.) becoming tired, so she'd carried him. When I was 14 years old, Anson Jr. told me he was 45 years old, I remember. I was 14 on November 02, 1925. The following summer; that was 1926, Anse told me. That would be *1880-1881-1882 that Anson, Jr. was born. He could have been born at Derby, Beebe, Brighton, Vt. or again, Stanstead, Quebec, were I to look for proof of birth.
(b) She [Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott - Cass] also told me she saw the stars fall, showing me a picture in her illustrated Bible, that occurred, I think, during 1843. In order to see that event her birth date could have been 1835. She would been 45-46-47 years of age when she gave birth to Anson Jr. and his twin brother.
She was unusually robust and a healthy female. The age of menopause for females (human) I think is 38 to 50 average (a possibility).
A story I recall (whether from Flora Ella Woodward, or other source) is that Flora Ella Woodward carried Anson Jr. and Anson Sr. had carried the twin. The twin (I do not recall his name, but perhaps I'd never heard) had been sickly ... and as a bridge had been crossed Flora Ella still carried Anson Jr. but Anson Sr. had disposed of the twin. Also some where in memory is the story that after Flora Ella and Anson Sr. had arrived in Stratford, N.H., the authorities [William Fuller, Town Clerk of No. Stratford, N.H.] had requested their marriage.
3. The names Parker Woodward and Sally Sawyer are not strange to me, but I cannot recall why, when or where. As soon as I read the names, I tried to remember, yet to no avail.
4. Anson Woodward Sr. died [March 30, 1916] the year after Emily (nee: Baird) Cass [Avery W. H. Cass' mother] had died [September 06, 1915]. Maybe at Groveton or Jefferson, N.H. I never knew where, but I do know death came to him shortly after the death of Emily.
5. Charlie [Charles Ernest Woodward] and Dexter Woodward were half-brothers, according to Katie (nee: Baird) Dingman and Dorothy Lillian (nee: Woodward) Ball (Dexter's daughter who thought also that Anson Sr. was a half-brother to Dexter).
Dorothy Lillian said that Frank Smith Woodward and Herbert Chester Woodward were her uncles and ...
... that Millie Marcella (nee: Cass) Nason was Dorothy Lillian's aunt. When I asked her uncle or aunt or great-uncle or great-aunt, she said she did not know. She said Flora Ella Woodward was her great-aunt, to whom they referred to as "Aunt Ella." I thought Mrs. Tóth (Charlie Woodward's daughter by his second wife, Nellie (nee: Larue) might clear the issue. Also in the matter as to the names of Dexter's father and grandfather.
6. The name of Charlie Woodward's father's name (Katie's grandfather) is unknown to us. His wife's name was Mary Alger (or Elgar), according to Katie (nee: Baird) Dingman.
Katie said Charlie's second wife [Nellie nee: Larue] had a daughter "Safona" who calls herself "Edna" (Mrs. John S. Tóth). Could be the right name is "Sophronia," after Sophronia Robertson, wife of Darius Woodward. A glance through the family tree shows instances of Juniors and several grandfathers as namesakes of grandsons. That is: "Safona" might be Sophronia's granddaughter. Hence; Darius Woodward was father of Dexter Woodward and Charlie. I have heard of Darius Woodward, but can recall nothing on him.
--- The above was written during the last work of January 1972 --
7. See (2b) Your letter of February 04, 1972. Anson Jr.'s birth of August 08, 1880, which would correct Flora Ella's estimated age at the time of Jr.'s birth as 45 years.
8. The Indian blood was most likely introduced into the Woodward Family prior to the generation of Flora Ella(nee: Woodward) Elliott - Cass. Names, by and large, are meaningless when a blood relationship is to be determined; unless pure-blood strains are a known or possible fact.
Flora Ella's general appearance - nature, body, facial.
Anson Jr. - A naturally-born hunter, trapper, woodsman.
My sister Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) Platt, from school age, her friends called her a "squaw" because of her dark complexion, black hair, etc. She appeared more Indian than did Cochise.
Incidentally, her mother [Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) 1m. Briggs - 2m. Cass] was of English descent - first generation in this country.
So Ruth could be referred to as a "throwback" to her paternal grandmother Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott - Cass - Woodward and before that age / generation. Also Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) was very proud of her Indian resemblance.
A. Charlie [Charles Ernest] Woodward's second wife, Nellie (nee: Larue) was a sister to Cora's husband, Henry Larue. [Again, this is incorrect; Henry Lareau (1891-1940) indeed was Nellie's brother, but he had married to Martha Arwilda (nee: Baird), daughter of Avery William Baird and Minnie I.V. (nee: Woodward). Minnie was a daughter of Charles Ernest Woodward and his first wife, Amanda (nee: Brown) Woodward]
B. Herbert and Millie of previous or second generation. Dorothy Lillian, Dexter's daughter) told of uncle's Charlie, Frank, Herbert, and aunt's Millie and Ella.
When asked about Flora Ella she said, "That's Aunt Ella, my father's aunt. We always called her "Aunt Ella" She thought Anson Woodward Sr was a half-brother to Dexter Woodward [indeed they are, because their father Darius had married twice] She [Dorothy Lillian] did not remember any Benjamin , Amos, Nelson, Edmond, or Pamela Woodward.
Katie (nee: Baird) Dingman recalled a Ben Woodward as possibly a brother to Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliot - Cass ... a "could be" only.
Katie said Flora Ella was aunt to her (Katie's) grandfather, Charlie [Charles Ernest Woodward] and that Dexter was brother to Charlie. She did not know of Charlie's father; but she said his wife was Mary Algar (or Elgar)
[Again, this is incorrect; Martha Corsinda (nee: Alger) had married to Horace Wellington Fletcher Baird in June 1870, and she was the mother of Avery William Baird, who had married to Minnie I.V. (nee: Woodward), daughter of Charles and Amanda (nee: Brown) Woodward]
C. Edwin Edward Ball, Katie's first husband, was a cousin to husband [Wilbur Wesley Ball] of Dorothy Lillian (nee: Woodward), Dexter's daughter, through Edwin Edward Ball's mother Winifred Elizabeth (nee: Ball) and Wilbur Wesley Ball's father Lucius Wesley Ball] from father's line and was a half-brother to Rachel Della (nee: Bronson) daughter of Reuben Bronson and Winifred Elizabeth (nee: Ball), wife of Raymond William Fletcher Baird, son of Avery W. Baird and Minnie (nee: Woodward, from Edward's mother's line.
D. Cora married to Henry Larue ... divorced, married again, and after the death of her second husband, she remarried Henry Larue, about 25 years after the time of the first marriage.
[Incorrect: Cora married to Walter B. Corey on Jan. 17, 1909 in Groveton, N.H.; Henry Larue married Cora Etta Belle's sister, Martha Arwilda (nee: Baird), daughter of Avery William Baird and Minnie I.V. (nee: Woodward). Minnie was a daughter of Charles Ernest Woodward and his first wife, Amanda (nee: Brown) Woodward]
In like manner, Evelyn Gertrude Joy (nee: Ball), Katie's daughter, had married Merlyn Sheldon Welch, divorced, married a second time to Tulio Pontacoloni and 14 years after the first marriage, she remarried her first husband, Merlyn Welch.
E. Do not confuse Hersom with Herson [the 2nd husband of Katie (nee: Baird) Ball-Herson-Dingman]
Note: Dorothy Lillian (nee: Woodward) Ball spoke of Iola (nee: Rollins), for a sister of Dexter.
Katie spoke of Iola (nee: Rollins), as being the wife of Osman Henry Cass [son of Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott and her 2nd husband, Hayden Harley Cass]. Katie said she had worked for Dexter Woodward for some time when she was a young girl.
Benjamin Harrison Woodward (1869-1957), son of Benjamin Sawyer Woodward and Melvina (nee: Rollins)and thereby a nephew t o Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) you found could well be a generation or two later than Flora Ella Woodward. James Cass, Sr, and Anson Darius Cass(known as Anse Woodward) Jr. always referred to the Ben I met as "Young Benny." The Ben I knew was maybe 20 years younger than James H. Cass Sr.
(a) Sarah Ann (nee: Emery), 2nd wife of James Henry Cass Sr., was a sister (the wife of George Elmer Woodward Sr.) to Beatrice (nee: Emery).
(b) Avery William Baird, Emily's father, was a great-uncle to Lillian (nee: Roberts) Hopps (3rd wife of James Henry Cass Sr. Her first husband was William Hopps.
(c) Geneva Marie (nee: Christie) sister-in-law to Avery W. H. Cass, and wife of his older brother James Henry Cass Jr., was an older sister to Barbara Olive (nee: Christie). After Geneva passed away in 1944, James Jr. had remarried to Geneva's younger sister Barbara in 1949.
Items on Recall regarding Flora Ella Woodward:
She [Flora Ella] had told to a heart condition during her early childhood. She had been taken to three doctors of that time who had agreed that Flora Ella could expect to live no longer than six months. As she would tell it, her mother [Sarah Pilsbury (nee: Sawyer) Woodward] had taken her to an Indian "doctor" who gave her medicines of roots and herbs. Because ONLY white folks are really genuine doctors ... not "Indians"?. Later her condition disappeared and she would then say, "I am still liviing and the doctors all died many years ago." She would tell this story most times when she heard of a doctor's opinion expressed.
This might be why I learned of her being in an Indian Village. Surely Flora Ella's later years proved it so. She was remarkably well-informed as to herbs, roots and animal oils, etc. I have seen her extract skunk oil and render bear grease. She taught much of this to Anson Jr.
Only on one occasion did I know her to offer a medicine:
Martha McGuire (nee: Dennis), wife of Henry McGuire, had been sickly for some time. Doctor's Brown and Gilbert had both administered treatment for a period of several months, to no avail. Martha would be up for only a short times and would then return to bed. She had lost much weight.
I remember one afternoon young Anse (Anson Jr.) had come into Martha's kitchen where he removed from his jacket pocket, a long root and several shorter roots. Anson told Martha, "Ella (Anson always spoke of his mother as "Ella") said to have you steep these and drink half a cup of the tea, morning and night, and she said it might help you."
Martha thanked him and after washing the dirt off the roots she'd brewed them on the stove. Several weeks later Martha nearly returned to her normal condition of health.
At the time I lived at Martha (nee:Dennis) Maguire's doing chores, etc, and finishing the eighth grade of school, I was 13 years old. Martha was 64 or 65 years of age at that time. [See the **August 19, 1925 and ***May 19, 1926 'East Stratford' sections of the Coös County Democrat Newspaper articles]
** East Stratford, N.H. - "Avery Cass is working for Mrs. Martha Maguire"
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott - Cass - Woodward worked in the woods through the years of marriage to Hayden Harley Cass and Anson Darius Woodward Sr., as well as later, with her son Anson Darius Cass (who went by his stepfather's surname of Woodward).
Also she would work at washing, housework and care for the sick. Once she told of a childbirth after she had been caring for some woman who had some difficulty giving birth. She claimed there was nothing to it. "I was working in the woods when my time came. I went behind some bushes, gave birth to a daughter, with no trouble. I wrapped the baby in my frock (a type of jacket) and took her home."
That is as near as I recall her words. She was very strong, healthy, and a robust woman.
Her cooking utensils were an iron kettle, pot with cover, frying pan, and enameled plates for pies and table use. The cutlery was the old iron knives and forks. She told me she had had her dishes, etc since her first housekeeping.
She and Old Anse (Anson Adrias/Darius Woodward Sr.) came to Stratford from Bebee Plains, Vermont. Flora carried Little Anse and Anson Sr. carried the twin [Emerson Cass]. The twin [Emerson] was very sick. Flora never said the twin brother's name and the only reference I heard was the above written and when she once said she had had eleven children, then Flora Ella had twins, "then I quit!," she'd said.
Her family contacts were her sister in California, Osman and James, and in later years, there was Nellie Maude (nee: Cass) Reed. Anson Jr. spent several week each year (more or less) at Dexter Woodward's home in Riverton (between Lancaster and Jefferson, N.H.).
Flora Ella and Emily (nee: Baird) Cass (James H. Cass' first wife) were close friends. From Katie (nee: Baird), who was also close to Emily, and others. Flora and Anson, Sr. were often visiting James and Emily. In later years I came to realize this to be the main cause of Flora Ella Woodward's apparent resentment of Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) Cass, second wife to James H. Cass Sr.
I never knew Flora Ella to speak "dirty", swearing or off shade, nor did she quote from or preach from the Bible teachings. Her script was of the 'old school' type and until some learning, it was difficult to understand.
Her writing was clear, plain and sensible - just the type of script from years of past generations.
A new minister came to Stratford Hollow, N.H. and after several weeks in-residence, the minister had called at Flora Ella's. The short conversation was on this order:
"Good afternoon Mrs. Woodward. I am the new minister Rev. _____________, I stopped to see if I could help you?"
"Thank you," said Flora Ella, "I got along alone all these years without your help and I think I can do without it."
On that note, the minister made his hasty departure.
She had no objection to religion or its teaching, but she liked not the preying of churches on its people.
Reverend Clyde Kimball (in services, during WW2 he was killed) told me that he never knew Flora Ella during her lifetime, but from what he had been told, he thought her a great woman. He said the day of her funeral, the day was wild with snowstorm and the temperature had been near minus 20 degrees outside. The Rev. Kimball (about 25 or 30 years) had a great reputation from his work in Groveton, Stratford and Stark, N.H. That was the only time I knew Flora Ella to go to Church.
Woodward Chart Page 1
Created by Avery William Hayden Cass in 1972
Woodward Chart Page 2
Created by Avery William Hayden Cass in 1972
Letter to Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton
From Avery William Hayden Cass
March 28, 1972
North Stratford, N.H.
Dear Cousin Lillian,
3/28/72: We moved from Groveton to Stratford Hollow, N.H. late last month. Our address now is R.F.D. North Stratford, N.H. 03590, and the phone # is 603-636-1445.
The house is on the right side of U.S. Route #3. The first one after passing "The Home/House of Little Men", also on the right side of the highway when traveling north to south toward Stratford Hollow, N.H.
My brother Elmer "Dubby" Frederick Cass is doing well. Although not yet returned to work, he is healing well and he has no stomach discomfort since his operation, for which we are all glad.
James Henry Cass Jr.'s wife recovered very much and except for a marked weakness of her left arm and requiring daily medicine, she has recovered to her former health.
My sister Mary "Mertie" (nee: Cass) Stinson lives about 250' feet straight across U.S. #3 now old highway from us.
Gertrude Gladys (nee: Colby) and I are as well as can be expected and since our new home is quiet, without children and others, we find life more pleasant and less distraction of purpose.
4/4/72: James and wife were here for a visit the other day. He said we would wait for the snow to leave before checking for the pictures. The pictures are stored in his barn and there is deep snow all around.
Sorry to hear of your ex-husband's passing and its emotional drain, making it so hard on you. Sincerely hope all turns well for you.
Our regards and best wishes to Ivah and family.
Affectionately,
Avery W. H. Cass
March 28, 1972
Avery W. H. Cass replying to questions from Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton:
The quotation was from Whittier-Grey's' was "The Boast pf Hearldly, etc."
The individuality of the Woodward Line - Independence = The Natural and Normal Attitude. Arrogance = The attitude in case of dislike, disgust or anger at persons or conditions - that is: The greater degree =the more arrogance shown.
1. Hayden Harley Cass: His father and two brothers (names unknown by me) came from England and were born surnamed Phillips. They lived with a family named Cass and so assumed the Cass surname.
One brother stayed in New York; one went West (in the U.S.) and the other went to Canada.
My father, James Henry Cass Sr., told this many times. Common myth making to "fill-in-the-blanks" in many families i.e. "3 brothers syndrome and they all went different directions, after getting off the boat" (which of course is subjective narrative) ...
In the letter dated November 01, 1971 here in this post above, Lillian stated "in one of the Avery W. H. Cass's talks with his father James H. Cass Sr., Avery had been told by his Dad (before his death in 1953) that Hayden H. Cass's surname was really not 'Cass', but rather, 'Phillips' from England. Purely subjective. It's a possibility that James H. Cass Sr. (elderly as he was) had dementia, or was confusing bits and pieces of information, due to the fact that his second wife Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) had come from England herself.
There might be a record of Phillips boys being indentured to a Cass family in New York, let us say, about ca. 1790. Of course, we could assume an adoption as another line of possibility. The name Phillips could also be spelled with one "L" [Philips].
Actually Hayden Harley Cass was born October 15, 1835; married Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliot on October 05, 1867 in Derby, Orleans County, VT; and died April 07, 1907 in Newark, Orleans County, VT ... the son of Gilman Lyford Cass (1809-1892) and Martha B. Turner (ca. 1813-1897).
2. That Benjamin Sawyer Woodward must be "Old Ben", as opposed to "Young Benny" [Benjamin Harrison Woodard].
Benjamin Sawyer Woodward Sr.
ca. 1843-1904
Married Melvina (nee: Rollins)
Benjamin Sawyer Woodward
(brother to Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliot - Cass - Woodward)
ca. 1843-1904
Death Record
November 06, 1904
Walden, Caledonia County, Vermont
Benjamin S. Woodward identified as White
Benjamin Sawyer Woodward
Obituary
November 23, 1904
St. Johnsbury Caledonian Newspaper
Page 05
Died in Walden, Caledonia County, Vermont
No mention of Flora Ella (nee: Woodward)'s brother Benjamin being Indian / Abenaki
Melvina (nee: Rollins) Woodward
(1843-1906)
Benjamin Harrison Woodard
According to his daughter Emma Esther (nee: Woodard) Rollins - Packard (1907-1991)
Emma had told Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton ... that her father had said to his family that"he had some Indian blood in him."
It's a common MYTH-making narrative in the Northeast.
Emma Esther (nee: Woodard) Rollins
(1907-1991)
Daughter of Benjamin Harrison Woodard
and Mabel Frances (nee: Shepard)
with her husband Forest James Rollins
(1900-1972)
Emma Esther (nee: Woodward) Rollins - Packard
(1907-1991)
Obituary
Benjamin Harrison Woodard
(son) Gilbert "Bink" Noel Woodard
(wife) Mabel (nee: Shepard) Woodard
Georgeville, Quebec, Canada
Benjamin Harrison Woodard
Blacksmith Shop
Georgeville, Quebec, Canada
No mention of "Benny" Woodard Jr. his father, or his relatives being Indians
Benjamin Harrison Woodward and Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) Platt with children
Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) Platt with Barbara Isobel (nee: Hyatt) Woodward
(Barbara on the Rt. was "Young Benny" Woodard's daughter-in-law)
Barbara was spouse (wife) of Gilbert Noel Woodard (1915-1987)
The photo itself is labeled "Ruth" (family name unk.)
Cousin of Gilbert "Bink" Noel Woodard
Photo taken in Georgeville, Quebec, Canada
By the late-1950's, James H. Cass' daughter Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) Platt had known about, and visited her paternal grandmother Flora Ella's nephew, Benjamin Harrison Woodard up in Georgeville, Quebec, Canada. She'd also visited frequently with Osman, her uncle in East Haven-Newark, Vermont area.
April 17, 1972
Writing a 'reply-letter' to Madeleine Wilkinson of Montpelier, in mid-April 1972, Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton, Lillian proceeded to "factualize" the subjective narrative that she'd been told by Avery W. H. Cass, writing to Madeleine Wilkinson that it was was a fact that Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) had grown up in an Indian village, and Flora herself had Indian blood, pointing out that some of Flora's nieces in particular had definite Indian features.
Espera Oscar de Corti a.k.a. "Iron Eye's Cody" had definite "Indian" features too, though he was 100% Italian! Just saying ...
Lillian Maud (nee: Nason) Patton
(1902-1977)
Death Certificate Record
May 09, 1977
Newport Center, Orleans County, Vermont
She was identified as White
James Henry Cass (Sr.)
2nd Marriage
Identified as WHITE
Flora Ella Woodward = White
Hayden Cass = White
November 13, 1918
James Henry Cass Sr. visiting his brother Osman Cass
Vermont Union Newspaper
November 01, 1916
East Haven, Orleans County, Vermont
Osman Cass taking his mother Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) home
East Haven, VT to Stratford, NH.
October 11, 1922
Vermont Union Newspaper
James Henry Cass Sr.
Lillian Sarah (nee: Roberts) Hopps
Marriage Record
August 04, 1941
Newark, Orleans County, Vermont
Again, James H. Cass Sr. is identifying as White
James H. Cass Sr. Death Record #1
James H. Cass Sr. Death Record #2
James Henry Cass Sr.
Death Record Certified
(W = White)
Obituary of James Henry Cass Sr.
May 13, 1953
Groveton-Northumberland, Coös County, New Hampshire
No mention of James Sr. being part Indian or Abenaki
Or that his mother Flora Ella having been Indian or Abenaki
[Corrections/editing made for clarification]
Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church at 2 p.m. on May 04, 1953, for James Henry Cass Sr., who passed away at his home on May 01, 1953. Reverend Normand Langmaid officiated. Mrs. Harry Maguire[father of Forrest "Mickey" Lionel Maguire] was organist and Elton Bennett soloist.
The bearers were Bert Blay, George Benoit, George LaTourneau, William Lankin Sr., Phillip Ernst, and Orrin Knowlton.
Burial was in Potter's Cemetery in Northumberland.
Born April 09, 1869, in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada, he was the son of Hayden Harley and Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass.
He was a sulphite worker for Groveton Papers Company until his retirement.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Lillian (nee: Roberts) Cass; Five sons: James Cass Jr., of Stratford, and Avery William Henry Cass, Thomas Henry Cass, Elmer Cass, and Robert Cass of Groveton; Four daughters, Mrs. Frank Platt (Ruth Lillian Cass), Mrs. Perry Arsenault (Elizabeth "Kitty" Cass), Mrs. Albert Auger (Flora Ella Cass) - all of Groveton, N.H., and Mrs. Charles Stinson (Mary Myrtle Cass), of Stratford, N.H.; and a brother, Osman Henry Cass, of East Haven, Vermont.
Among those attending the services were Benjamin Harrison Woodard and Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Noel & Barbara Isobel (nee: Hyatt) Woodard, of Georgeville, P.Q. (Quebec, Canada)
Continuation of Avery W. H. Cass's write-up to Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton:
5. Thomas James Cass hates to write. My sister Mary Myrtle "Mertie" (nee: Cass) Stinson was here the other day - she spoke of the Bible and told me Anson Woodward Jr. had given the Bible [that of Flora Ella Woodward's possession] several years ago.
My sister Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) Platt "raised the roof" (so to speak) since she was the oldest and claimed Anse [Anson Darius Cass/Woodward] should have given the Bible to her.
March 25, 1972: I called Tom at his home. He said he had received your letter and asked me who you were - I explained. He further stated that because the dissatisfaction of Ruth, that he had given the Bible back to Anson Jr. Tom surmised that Anse then gave the Bible of his mother's Flora Ella to Ruth.
At this time (now), both Ruth and her husband are deceased. They had two daughters Saran (Sandy) Mary (nee: Platt) Holden(b. 1939) and Cheryl Charlene (nee: Platt) Roy (b. 1946). I have asked Saran about this but have no reply as yet.
Christine Lena (nee: Sheltry) and Thomas James Cass
Thomas was the son of James Henry Cass and Sarah Ann (nee: Emery.)
Thomas James Cass (son of James Henry Cass Sr. and Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) Briggs –
Cass) with his wife Christina Lena nee: Sheltry)
March 03,1984
Lancaster Congregational Church
Lancaster, Coös County, New Hampshire
Thomas James Cass (son of James Henry Cass Sr. and Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) Briggs –
Cass) with his wife Christina Lena nee: Sheltry)
Thomas James Cass
Birth Record
February 09, 1923
(He is identified as White, as were both of his parents)
Brenda Lee Stone
Father is listed as Thomas Cass of Groveton, N.H.
Birth Record
(Thomas is identified as WHITE on the record)
Thomas James Cass
Death Certificate
October 16, 1996
Groveton, Coös County, New Hampshire
Notice that though highly unusual in the Ancestry 'box'/section it states on the Death Certificate that Thomas James Cass' ancestry was believed to be "English/Indian".
Indeed his mother Sarah Ann (nee: Emery) had been born in England
James Henry Cass Sr. (Thomas' father) BELIEVED and had TOLD his family that Flora Ella was "an Indian".
Yet the beliefs/ perceptions were purely of a subjective narrative
Even the 'ancestry' on this 1996 Death Certificate
was subjective as to the "Indian ancestry" narrative
Continuation of Avery W. H. Cass's write-up to Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton:
6. James Henry Cass Sr. and Lillian (nee: Roberts) Hopps were licensed to marry at Newark, Vt., I think. We stayed at Osman Henry Cass' at East Haven, Vt., so the tow nof East Haven might be part of Newark, Vt., as a village. Osman and Iola (nee: Rollins) were witnesses and I gave the bride away. --- Could have born 1943-1944 at Newark, Vt.
7. "Cochise" was an Apache Chief, who was peaceful ... as opposed to Apache Chief "Geronimo" -- I only used "Cochise" as a comparison, of appearance, to my half-sister, Ruth Lillian (nee: Cass) Platt.
I have always thought the Indian strain had been introduced through a brand of the Algonquin Tribe (?).
I would try the Abenakis (St. Francis), as a possibility.
Stanstead County (Magog Twp.) is the district of which Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott and Hayden Harley Cass had resided. Could be their children had been born there (James H. Cass Sr. recorded Stanstead, Que. as his birthplace).
4/4/72: The Northumberland, N.H. Town Clerk said on James Henry Cass, Jr.'s birth certificate, and also on James Henry Cass, Sr.'s marriage license, that James Sr. had claimed Stanstead, Quebec, as his place of birth.
P.S. As an after-thought, we could assume Hayden Harley Cass to be one of the Cass or Phillips boys. Let us say [as in, conjecture] the one who stayed in New York. Then his birth date couild be more or less of his New York beginnings.
I do not recall James, Sr., or his mother Flora Ella having spoken of any brother or sister of Hayden Cass; so the story of the Phillips brothers might be the story of Hayden Cass and his brothers, or Hayden Cass could have been the brother that immigrated to Canada.
James Henry Cass Sr. had also had correspondence with Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton on December 20, 1971 as well.
Some further genealogical interconnections regarding Iola (nee: Rollins) Cass:
Iola (nee: Rollins) Cass, was the daughter of Rodney Rollins and Mary Jane (nee: Heath) 2m. Hudson - 3m. Hudson. Rodney Rollins was the son of Anthony Rollins and Nancy (nee: Adams). Mary Jane (nee: Heath) was the daughter of Alonzo James Heath and Sibel Statria (nee: Hartwell). Rodney Rollins was a 'distant' relative to Asa Rollins, who married Marie Charlotte (nee: Robinson), who when widowed after Asa had died, remarried to Alonzo John Woodward, son of Royal W. Woodward and Mary Hawley (nee: Sawyer). Alonzo being a first cousin to Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass, since Royal was a brother to Parker Preston Woodward, and Parker's first wife, Sarah Pilsbury (nee: Sawyer) being a sister to Mary Hawley. Both Sawyer sisters being daughters of Benjamin Sawyer and Betsey (nee: Taylor). Royal and Parker being sons of Apollos "Thomas" Woodward and Rachel (nee: Runnels).
Mary Jane (nee: Heath) was an younger sister to David Anson Heath (who married Tryphenia Waid) whose son Albert Anson Heath had married Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward). Albert and Sarah had a son Roy Anson Heath who married to Iva Mae (nee: Mosher). Roy and Iva had a daughter Ella Sarah Ruth (nee: Roy) Hamilton.
Back row:
Addie Waid and Hattie Waid who were daughters of Orville Waid and his wife Georgianna (nee: Heath), Orville Waid, Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward) Heath, Sarah’s husband Albert Anson Heath.
Front row:
Georgianna (nee: Heath) Waid, wife of Orville Waid and her sister Sylvie Jane (nee: Heath) Woodward, wife of Frank Edward Woodward (sitting to his wife’s left). The man in the lower right corner in the photograph is unidentified. Frank Edward Woodward, was the son of Charles Ernest Woodward and Charles' first wife, Amanda Ann (nee: Brown)
Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward) and Albert Anson Heath
Roy Anson Heath
Iva Mae (nee: Mosher)
Marriage Record
July 15, 1916
Newport Center, Orleans County, Vermont
Both Roy and Iva had been identified/were identifying as White
Roy Anson Heath and Iva Mae (nee: Mosher)
Iva (nee: Mosher) Heath
Roy Anson Heath
holding David Broomhead
Roy Anson Heath and Iva Mae (nee: Mosher)
In all the write up of Roy Anson Heath's obituary
Not a mention of Roy being an Mohawk or an Abenaki
Well, as his younger sister Alice implied ...
Apparently it was a BIG SECRET
Here, that a write-up regarding Albert and Sarah (nee: Woodward) Heath
and Fred Huse and Irene (nee: Heath) et al. appeared.
(Iva (nee: Mosher) Heath had also worked at Spencer Supports
in Rock Island, Quebec, as did Emma Rollins and Lillian Patton)
Yet no mention of being Indians, associating with Indians
Or being Abenaki or associating with Abenakis
Alexander Hamilton
Ella Sarah Ruth (nee: Heath)
daughter of Roy heath and Iva May (nee: Mosher) Heath.
Roy Anson Heath's Laurentian Alliance of Metis Card
His daughter Ella (nee: Heath) Hamilton's Laurentian Alliance of Metis Card
Andrew Hamilton's Laurentian Alliance of Metis Card
(All 3 Membership cards issued in the the early to mid-1970's)
Mary Jean (nee: Hamilton) Broomhead's Metis Nation of Ontario Card
(Issued March 29, 1996)
This document that had been created and sent by Althea Dianne (nee: Hamilton) Rickman on February 24, 1996 to her sister Mary Jean (nee: Hamilton) Broomhead. Both sisters were daughters of Ella Sarah Ruth (nee: Heath) Hamilton; they were granddaughters of Roy Anson Heath; and thereby great-granddaughters of Albert Anson Heath and Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward).
Photocopies of Althea Dianne (nee: Hamilton) Rickman’s Metis Nation Of Ontario Membership Card #96-2859, Mary Jean (nee: Hamilton) Broomhead’s Metis Nation Of Ontario Membership Card # 96-2469, Ella Sarah Ruth (nee: Heath) Hamilton’s Laurentian Alliance of Metis and Non-Status Indians Inc. Membership Card #15-07, Roy Anson Heath’s Laurentian Alliance of Metis and Non-Status Indians Inc. ID Card #15-16, Andrew Hamilton’s Laurentian Alliance of Metis and Non-Status Indians Inc. Membership Card #15-19.
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
This document that had been created and sent by Althea Dianne (nee: Hamilton) Rickman on February 24, 1996 to her sister Mary Jean (nee: Hamilton) Broomhead. Both sisters were daughters of Ella Sarah Ruth (nee: Heath) Hamilton; granddaughters of Roy Anson Heath; and thereby great-granddaughters of Albert Anson Heath and Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward).
Obviously 'someone' in the family was trying to fit the genealogical pieces together.
Notice that George Elmer Woodward Sr. was known to have been living in Groveton.
"That poor, struggling Abenaki community."
Canadian Metis Women’s Circle 1999-2000 Calendar Project
regarding Alice Mary (nee: Heath) - Hawley – Duncan. Calendar sent to Douglas Lloyd Buchholz, by Elzie
Hartley of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 2001.
"During our project work in 1999, we met and worked with many metis women. Our contacts help to grow and expand the Canadian Metis Women's Circle. One of these women was Metis Elder, Alice Duncan. Before we finished the project, Alice passed over to be with her Ancestors. her vitality, wit and humor will be missed by those who knew and loved her. We dedicate our first calendar to Alice.
Alice Mary (nee: Heath) Hawley - Duncan (1912-1999) had been the daughter of Albert Anson Heath and Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward) and the youngest sister to Roy Anson Heath.
Alice Mary (nee: Heath) Hawley - Duncan had been written up in a Metis Women's Circle 2000 Calendar resulting from a 1999 project. Alice had been identified as a "Metis" Elder.
Source:Elize Hartley of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8P 2H4
This story was shared by Alice Mary Duncan (Hawley) nee: Heath. Birth date August 05, 1912. Youngest of 9 Children and last living member of the family. According to her sisters and brothers, their father Albert Anson, is Mohawk and mother, Sarah Jane Heath, nee Woodard (or Woodward), is Algonquin. They lived in the Fitch Bay are of Eastern Townships, Quebec, before marriage. Alice believes, but is not sure that parents were married in the Episcopal Church (Anglican) in Fitch Bay. Mother died in 1929, father died 1944. Both buried [in] Pine Hill Cemetery in Magog, Quebec.
Alice remembers at the ages of 4-9 seeing her paternal grandfather in his 70's when he came to live with her family. He made medicines for the family - salves, soaps, ointments, headache medicines, etc. using natural plants, i.e., Bark, herbs, berries gathered in the woods. So did Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott - Cass - Woodward in East Straford, New Hampshire.
She lived on the farm with her parents and siblings making just about everything consumed, worn and household furnishings. They hooked and braided rugs which they traded for items such as flour, salt and baking soda. Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Elliott - Cass - Woodward in East Straford, New Hampshire hooked braided rugs too.They also made Native soup and deep-fried bread.
Around 1916, Alice's second cousins visited in the summer, walking to the Grandfather's farm and returning to Caughnawaga Reserve. Alice was not able to authenticate Native status as she was the youngest of 9 children and the topic was taboo. They were not allowed to tell anyone of their Native ancestry, not even discuss among themselves. her sisters and brothers kept this fact hidden from their children.
We have asked cousins of Alice's children if any aunts or uncles were registered as Native Indians with intense secrecy for so many years and the belief there is a stigma to being Indian, it appears that no one was ever registered as a status Indian."
August 09, 1977
Alice Mary (nee: Heath) Hawley - Duncan 's brother Roy's daughter Ella Sarah Ruth (nee: Heath) Hamilton (et al) had taken a road-trip vacation to Colebrook, New Hampshire on August 09, 1977 (with her son Grant Kimble Hamilton having accompanied his mother).
It had been said/impliedthat Grant's grandfather Roy Anson Heath's great-great uncle was Louie Métallic(also spelled Mattallak), as told to Alice Alice Mary (nee: Heath) Hawley - Duncan was Roy Anson Health's younger sister.
November 07, 1994
Grant Kimble Hamilton of Oxford Mills, Ontario had requested registration as an Indian in October of 1994. Yet with the information he had provided the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, such agency could not establish his entitlement to Indian Status under the Indian Act. They needed additional information on his ancestors who had been registered or had been entitled to be registered, as well as the band with which they were affiliated. The name of his ancestral band was necessary. before the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada could proceed with Grant's request.
Yet the subjective narratives, based on belief and perceptions of Mohawk and Abenaki ancestral identity, had been were set on a collision course with reality and truth.
March 27, 2001
Source: Email Communication
From: "Metis Women's Circle"<metiswc@hwcn.org>
To: Douglas Lloyd Buchholz
Subject: Alice Duncan
I am sorry to tell you that all audio tapes done for the project Song of the Metis Women were destroyed according to the agreements with the interviewee. We were sorry that Alice passed on to the Spirit World so soon after our taping. We would have like her to give permission to give her tape to her sons. However at the time she said she wanted the tape destroyed. I have in the files a letter written by Alice of the life and ancestry. I would be happy to send you a copy if her son Wendal Hawley could call me and give his permission.
Meegweetch,
Elize Hartley
Wendal Hawley to Douglas Buchholz Communication:
Obtained a CMC Membership-ID Card #9900264 Tribal Roll #01006C from the Canadian Metis Council in Britt, Ontario. Alice (nee: Heath) Hawley-Duncan (Wendal Hawley' mother) also obtained her CMC Membership-ID Card #9900139
Michael Edward Woodard, son of Frank Edward Woodard and Sylvie (nee: Heath) had obtained an Laurentian Alliance of Metis and Non-Status Indians, Incorporated membership card BEFORE May 24, 1975. As did some of his relatives. Mike had two brothers: Lovell O. Woodward, and Frank Ernest Woodward. Mike and Frank had married two Fitzgerald sisters.
Someone (probably Audrey McLaren-secretary & Carl Lariviere-President) came to the house there in Underbunker Hill, where Ella Hamilton (Roy and Iva May Mosher's daughter) was residing. They were from the Sherbrooke area and part of a "metis" organization called the "Laurentian Alliance of Metis and Non-Status Indians Inc. (Quebec). She lived there twice and needed a new furnace and some new windows too.
Apparently these metis folks, were out attempting to locate other metis people in the Township's, and help out the metis people with such things as 'weatherization" of metis homes. Ella Hamilton did get that new furnace and windows from this metis organization. She obtained a Laurentian Alliance of Metis Card No. 15-07 signed by both the secretary Audrey McLaren and President Carl Lariviere.
Apparently, after Ella (nee: Heath) Hamilton received her Metis ID Card from this organization so too did the rest of her family relatives Andrew Hamilton (No.15-19), Irene (nee: Heath) Huse, Irene's husband Fred Huse (No. 15-15), Roy Heath had a Metis ID Card No. 15-16.
Roy's father, Albert had a younger sister Sylvie Jane (nee: Heath) had married to Frank Edward Woodward.
Clarence Huse' father Fred's Laurentian Alliance of Metis and Non-Status Indians, Incorporated membership card.
March 21, 2007
From: Clarence Huse
Hi : Douglas Buchholz
Answer to your questions, It was my Grandfather Roy AnsonHeath in conversations through out our lives that would say "my mother Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward) Heath was a full blood Indian".
To my knowledge, it was "Tunker" a.k.a. Alfred Heath Jr. who organized the meeting to get the Laurentian Alliance of Metis and Non-Status Indians, Incorporated membership Indian cards. The photo of Sarah Jane Woodward & Albert Anson Heath is the same as I have.
Alfred "Tunker" Heath Jr., was the son of Alfred Lorel Heath and Margaret Estella (nee: Chase) of Magog, Quebec. Alfred Sr. was a younger brother to Albert Anson Heath, and Sylvie Jane (nee: Heath)
Albert Anson Heath and Sylvie Jane married to Sarah Jane (nee: Woodward) and Frank Edward Woodward, respectively-speaking. [In essence, two siblings of the Heath family married two siblings of the Woodward family]
March 22, 2007
Hi: Douglas Buchholz
I cannot remember Grampy [Roy Anson Heath] ever saying what tribe.
My Grandmother Iva (nee: Mosher) Heath was not well, and my Mom & Dad moved home to be with her & Grampy when I was about two years old. My Dad Fred Huse & Grampy Roy Heath did everything together, It was a partnership. I lived to home until I was married when I was 22. I was very lucky I had two sets of parents.
Clarence Huse
Whatever Avery W. H. Cass had shared with Lillian and her sister Ivah had been of a purely subjective narrative/dynamic. Flora Ella Woodward, may have went to an "Indian Doctor" who had given her medicines of roots and herbs. But again, this information was merely subjective.
Avery W. H. Cass, had heard that his paternal grandmother Flora allegedly being in an Indian Village. She may have been remarkably well informed as to herbs, roots, and animal oils, etc. She may have extracted skunk oil and rendered bear grease. And she (Flora) may have taught these skills to her son Anson Jr. (actual Anson Darius Cass). It had been documented in the Coös County Democrat newspaper that indeed Flora had given her son Anson, whom lived with her, a long root, to take over to Martha McGuire, who had been sickly for some protracted time. With it were smaller roots, and Anson had instructed Martha to steep them and drink half a cup of the tea morning and night.
Most folks in the remote parts, had to relay on quick thinking, when sickness came around, due to being poor, and unable to afford the costly doctor visit from some distance (Groveton, N.H. or from Colebrook, N.H.).
Doingsuch alleged activities was not objective evidence that Flora Ella Woodward (or anyone else for that matter) were Indians, descendant of Indians, or even Abenakis.
July 03, 1929
The Vermont Union Journal Newspaper
Newark, Orleans County, Vermont
WOODWARD FAMILY REUNION
A reunion of the Woodward family, fifty-three being present, was held at the old Darius Woodward farm in Newark Sunday, June 23, 1929. Rev. Amos Woodward, a cousin of the Woodward family, held a short service on the grounds, and many of the old hymns were sung. Mr. Woodward's daughter, Mrs. Louis Aulif, sang "If you love your mother meet her in the sky," which was much enjoyed by all.
Several pictures were taken during the day. One who was greatly missed was Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward, who is in very poor health and confined to her bed most of the time.
Aunt Ella, as she is affectionately known, is ninety-three years of age. Her father, the late Parker Preston Woodward, lived to be ninety-nine. She makes her home with her son, Osman Henry Cass of Newark, Vt., where she is tenderly cared for by her daughter-in-law [Iola (nee: Rollins) Cass].
A picnic dinner was served at noon under an old maple tree, which was planted by Bennie[Benjamin Harrison]Woodward and Mrs. Etta Currier when they were children. The water for the lemonade was taken from the boiling spring on the farm.
The following were present:
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lee and little daughter, and Rev. and Mrs. Amos Woodward, all of Fitch Bay, P. Q., Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Harrison Woodwardand daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John Hood, all of Riverton, N.H., Mrs. Etta Currier of Seakonk, Mass., Mrs. Mabey Dennis of East Providence, R.I., Anson Darius Cass/Woodward, of Lancaster, N.H., Mr. and Mrs. Louis Aulif, Mr. and Mrs.William Woodward, of Danville, Vermont, Miss Doris Woodward, daughter of Nelson Woodward, and her friend, Limon McIntyre, of Fitch Bay, P. Q., Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Woodward, Frank Smith Woodward, Mr. and Mrs. Hosea Walter, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Walterand son, Herman, Mrs. Louise Gardner, all of Lyndonville, Vermont, Mr. and Mrs. Osman Cass and son Louis, Newark, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Woodward and daughter, Hattie, Robert Woodward, Frank Woodward and friend, Lillian Daigenault, of Burke, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Woodward and family, Mr. and Mrs. John Gardner and family, all of East Burke, Louis, Herbert and Nelson Woodward and their sister, Mrs. Etta Currier, were all born on the old home farm. It is hoped to hold one of these reunions every year.
The boiling spring, mentioned above, has been on the old farm for many years.
The Rev. Amos Woodward ............................. brother of Nelson Woodward.
It was a very happy reunion, all enjoying meeting each other and recalling to memory happenings of years ago.
As the road from Mr. Hudson's was badly washed out, the men secured shovels and soon had the road fixed so that all cars could get over it with the people and loads of good things to eat.
Following are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Darius Anson/Aidrias Woodward:
Frank, Louis, Dexter, Etta, Herbert, one daughter, the mother of Mrs. Dennis of East Providence, R.I., dying some years ago. Several of the family were unable to attend and it is hoped they can be at the reunion next year.
[Not even a mention of Indians / Native blood / Native ancestry/ Native heritage / not even an Abenaki, hiding-in-plain-sight.One would surmised that such would be of INTEREST]
July 02, 1930
Coös County Democrat Newspaper
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward went to East Charleston, Vermont, Saturday, to a family reunion."
July 02, 1930
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass sat dressed in white
Woodward Family Reunion in Newark, Orleans County, Vermont.
(Some people are identified; and some are a mystery)
Woodward Family Reunion
Elizabeth (Beth) Ann (nee: Covell) 1m. Libby- 2m. Bean then, in the early 1980's, began "carrying forward" the narrative from her relatives, from Avery W. H. Cass, and from Lillian (nee: Nason) Patton, and her mother; Beth subsequently attempted to (hopefully) find "evidence" of the alleged "Indian" connection regarding Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) 1m. Elliott - 2m. Cass - 3m. Woodward.
The 'layered' oral history was/is all very subjective.
March 03, 1996
[The following two pages were written by Sharon (nee: Deering) 1m. Savage 2m. Maguire, 2nd wife of Forrest "Mickey" Maguire, son of Harry Maguire and Rilma (nee: Prince), originally of Stratford, N.H., for him, on behalf of Douglas Lloyd Buchholz during a visit in March of 1996]
Forrest Leith Maguire (1920-2002) of Groveton, N.H. used to hunt and fish with Anson Woodward Jr.
Anson Jr. could pick his way around the woods easily and it seemed that he knew nature very well.
Anson D. Woodward Jr. lived on Bog Brook Road, two and a half miles on the left up to Cross Road about a half mile in a small house.
Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) was a stern woman, very outspoken and told you what she thought. She also smoked a pipe.
There's a story about one remark she'd made "I don't ow him [Levi Hoskins, a prominent man in Stratford] a penny, only love and good will, and goddamned little of that!
Forrest Maguire made mention of Thomas Cass, of 29 Hillside Avenue in Groveton, N.H. with his telephone # (603) 636-1370
He'd stated that Flora's second marriage was to Anson Woodward Sr.. Forrest understood that at one time, Flora had worked in the woods with her husband Anson Sr.
It was said that Anson D. Woodward Jr. may have had Indian blood.
Anson took Forrest Maguire hunting when he was a young child (9-12 yrs. of age)
Anson Jr. had mentioned Indian blood many times to various families (i.e. McMann, Hapgood, Stinson and Stone).
Flora Ella Woodward worked with a lot of plants and gardening.
Another narrative provided by Forrest:
Osman had 'jacked' a moose, behind Forrest's grandmother's Martha (nee: Dennis) Maguire house on Tetu Road. Grandmother had called Anson Woodward Jr., (who then called Osman Cass) who shot the moose.. Everyone in Stratford got some meat. The warden tried and could not find out who did it.
May 03, 1903
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Stratford' section
"Avery W. Baird moved his family to Groveton, N.H. and is working in the paper mill."
June 01, 1904
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Stratford' section
"Jimmy Cass is stopping with his mother Mrs. Flora E. Woodward in East Stratford."
April 12, 1905
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Maidstone, Vt.' section
"Anson Darius WoodwardSr. of Stratford has moved his family to Maidstone where he has a big job pealing pulp for Will Guptill."
April 19, 1905
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Maidstone, Vt.' section
"Anson Darius WoodwardSr. of Stratford has moved his family onto the Booth place."
July 05, 1905
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Jim Cass and Avery W. Baird moved were up from Groveton, N.H., Sunday, to East Stratford.
September 27, 1905
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Anson Darius WoodwardSr. was over from Maidstone, Vt., Sunday."
"Jimmy Cass and Avery W.Baird up from Groveton, were visiting."
October 04, 1905
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Maidstone, Vt.' section
"AnsonDarius Woodward Sr. finished a job in Maidstone and has returned home to Stratford."
October 11, 1905
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Maidstone, Vt.' section, Page 02
"AnsonDarius Woodward Jr. shot a big bear.
November 15, 1905
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Stratford' section
"James Henry Cass and Avery W. H. Baird were up from Groveton, N.H."
"AnsonDarius Woodward Sr. finished shot a nice deer recently."
November 21, 1906
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section, Page 03
"AnsonDarius Woodward Jr. got two deer with David McMann."
"Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ernest and Nellie (nee: Larue) Woodward were keeping house for Richard Hapgood."
January 23, 1907
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. Averyand Minnie I. V. (nee: Woodward)Baird were up from Groveton, Sunday to Stratford."
February 20, 1907
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Stratford' section
"Jimmy Cass was up from Groveton, Sunday."
"AnsonDarius Woodward Jr. got and John Portigue have gone to Percy to work for the Percy Lumber Company."
January 22, 1913
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"AnsonDarius Woodward Jr. of East Stratford is fitting timber for Harold Stinson.
February 05, 1913
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. Anson Darius (Sr.) and Flora EllaWoodward entertained friends from Groveton last week."
February 26, 1919
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Anson Woodward(Flora Ella) has been cooking in the logging camp for Bert Stinson on the Kugleman farm, formerly the George M. Johnson farm."
March 31, 1920
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section, Page 8
"Anson D.Cass/Woodward Jr. and Elwin Hapgood are helping Bernie Boudle during sugaring."
"Harry Maguire passed away quietly at his home early Tuesday morning , March 23, 1920, after a few hours' illness. Harry was the wife of Martha (nee: Dennis) Maguire, and they were the grandparents of Forrest Maguire.
July 14, 1920
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward returned on Sunday from a two weeks' visit with her son, AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. , in East Haven, Vt."
August 18, 1920
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Anson Cass/Woodward Jr., returned home from East Haven, Vermont."
January 05, 1921
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Anson Cass/Woodward Jr., was hurt quite badly in the woods working for E. C. Brown."
January 20, 1922
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Anson D.Cass/Woodward Jr., a lad of seventeen, went fishing the first of the week near the Locke Works and also had a rifle with him. He saw a bear and two cubs. The old bear and one cub ran into the woods and other cub climbed a tree and was soon captured by the brave lad. He took him to his home in East Stratford at Calvin Hapgood's. All boys at seventeen beat that if you can and if you succeed in doing so I'll try again."
June (15-30), 1923 -
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward and Mrs. Julia Young have been caring for Mrs. Martha(nee: Dennis)Maguire during her illness. Mrs. Maguire is now on the gain."
May 14, 1924
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. captured a large bobcat recently."
February 27, 1924
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. and FrankOmega Stone went to Riverton, Sunday."
Unknown Date -
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - ''Riverton' section
"Dexter Woodward's aunt Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) and cousin Anson Cass/Woodward Jr. of Stratford visited him on Sunday."
"Mrs. Dexter WoodwardLillian Martha (nee: Hosford) was struck by a falling tree in the woods last Wednesday. She was thrown several feet, dislocating the bones of her wrist and otherwise bruising her. She is visiting her daughter in Littleton this week."
February 11, 1925
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. captured a large lynx, Friday."
April 01, 1925
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. has bought the Julia Young house from Harry Maguire and he and his mother Flora Ella Woodward will move there."
June 24, 1925
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Stratford' section
"Avery W. H. Cass is spending a part of his vacation with his grandmother, Mrs.Flora Ella Woodard"
August 12, 1925
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Levi Hoskins has been very sick, but is convalescing."
"A daughter of Mrs.Flora Ella Woodward came last week from her far distant home to visit her mother. It was a happy meeting, for they have not met before since the daughter was a little child."
October 14, 1925
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. is running a strong race for champion bear hunter and unless Andy Damon gets busy he will lose out to a younger man.
Anson lives near the base of "Sugar Loaf" Mountain. He brought in three pelts in for bounty last Wednesday and tells the community that bobcats and bears are causing havoc with the deer. He recently shot a bear just finishing a meal from the carcass of a fawn of tender months. Sheep, deer and back orchards are his (the bear's)weakness.
Last winter, one solon introduced a bill into the N.H. legislature protecting these pets" and placing a fine for killing them."
October 21, 1925
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"The rifle and ammunition used by AnsonCass/Woodward Jr., the champion bear hunter of the Northern New England, was purchased of the Hutchins Company and is very reliable."
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. has the new champion bear hunter of Northern New England, brought in two more pelts for bounty last Thursday morning. As stated in last week's Democrat newspaper, Mr. Woodard lives in the wild country of East Stratford near Sugar Loaf Mountain, and the highest peak between the White Mountains and the St. Lawrence River. He informs us that bear are very plentiful and doing much damage. As yet his traps have not yielded any bear this season - but all have been brought down with his trusty rifle and his unerring aim. As feed becomes more scarce his lynx and bobcat traps will be prolific."
January 25, 1926
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - ''Riverton' section
"Dexter Woodward is confined to the house, suffering a bad strain, having torn the ligaments from his leg while at work in the woods."
March 03, 1926
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward, has has been sick, is better."
"Fred Anderson, who has been trapping at Sugar Loaf, closed his camp and came in, Friday."[See mention of Fred Anderson in the newspaper clipping dated October 24, 1928]
May 19, 1926
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Martha (nee: Dennis) Maguire, who has been very sick with the grippe (flu/ Influenza), is convalescing. Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward is helping care for her.
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. as gone to Riverton to work for Dexter Woodward."
June 30, 1926
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward is visiting in East Charleston, Vt."
June 30, 1926
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"James Cass Sr. and children visited, Friday, at his mother's Flora E. Woodward"
November 10, 1926
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Recent guests of Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward, were Mrs. Nellie(nee: Cass) Reed, son Frank Reed, and Mr. and Mrs Violet and granddaughter, Mr. and Mrs. Osman Cass, four sons and granddaughter."
"RilmaE. (nee: Prince)Maguire was at Mrs. Martha(nee: Dennis) Maguire's, Thursday.
February 02, 1927
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. FloraElla Woodward and son, AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. , wish to thank their neighbors for the kindness shown them in their recent illness."
"Levi Hoskins has returned to the Lancaster Hospital for further treatment."
February 09, 1927
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. Henry Styles were guests of Mrs. Flora E. Woodward, Sunday."
April 27, 1927
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Peck visited Flora Ella Woodward on Friday of last week"
July 20, 1927
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr., who is working in Groveton, spent the weekend with his mother, Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward."
June 29, 1927
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward, who has been visiting her son, Osman Cass, in East Haven, Vt., came home on Friday."
October 19, 1927
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - ''Riverton' section
"Mr. HerbertWoodward moved his family to Lunenburg, Vermont from Riverton, N.H."
Herbert Chester Woodward had married to Prudence Rozina (nee: Hosford), thus Herbert was brother to Dexter; and Prudence was sister to Dexter's wife, Lillian Martha (nee: Hosford)
March 07, 1928
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward was in Groveton one day last week having some dental work done."
"AnsonCass/Woodward Jr. has been home a week from his work on account of illness."
May 23, 1928
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Anson Cass/Woodward Jr. is working in the woods for Harry Maguire."
October 24, 1928
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Anson Cass/Woodward Jr. is among the lucky hunters. He caught a bear cub in a trap and shot the old one."
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward had for weekend guests: James Cass and friends from Wilmington, N.H., Mr. and Mrs. Osman Cass and family, Fred Anderson, Alice and Lilla Davis of East Haven, Vt."
April 03, 1929
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. FrankOmega Stone Isabel (nee: Sargent/or Sweetser) moved Monday onto the Bert Stinson farm, formerly known as the Oscar Blodgett farm."
Anson Cass/Woodward Jr. is helping Harry Maguire to sugar."
June 12, 1929
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward, who has been very sick for the past week, was taken to her son's home, Osman Cass, in East Charleston, Vt., and will be cared for by Mrs.Iola (nee: Rollins)Cass. Her many friends disliked to see her leave but hope for a speedy recovery when she may return home again."
May 14, 1930
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Flora Ella Woodward visited friends in Littleton last week."
May 21, 1930
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Anson Cass/Woodward Jr. is working for Dexter Woodward in Riverton, N.H."
June 18, 1930
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward, who has been visiting her son, Osman Cass, in East Charleston, Vt., came home, Sunday."
Unknown Date -
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Dexter Woodard and Clifford Levee have taken a pulp job of Frank Omega Stone."
October 15, 1930
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. Osman Cass motored from East Charleston, Vt., Friday, taking his mother, Mrs. Flora E. Woodward, and her other son Anson, back with them to make a visit."
June 10, 1931
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'North Stratford' section
"Anson Cass/Woodward Jr., the bear hunter of East Stratford, landed a fine black bear last week. Mr. Woodward states that he has been after bruin for some time. He has been doing considerably damage in the locality to live stock and he and the community feel relieved to have his pelt nailed to the barn door."
July 08, 1931
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"One of our spry old ladies is Mrs. Flora Ella Woodward, aged 87 years. She and her son, Anson, live together and she does all her own work.
These were her visitors and callers during the week: Mrs. Lucy Shoff of Stark, Mr. and Mrs. Osman Cass and granddaughter of East Charleston, Vt., Fred Anderson and Lewis Cass, George Lord and his lady friend, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Corey and Miss Emma Gray of North Woodstock, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Stinson, daughter Gloria and Mrs. Vine Chapman."
July 22, 1931
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. Earl Brown and Mrs. Charles Willy called on Mrs. Flora E. Woodward."
September 23, 1931
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mr. and Mrs. Osman Cass of East Haven, Vermont, were at his mother's, Mrs. Flora E. Woodward, recently."
September 30, 1931
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'North Stratford' section
"Claims were that the bears are very plentiful and are simply ruining the orchards on the back places.
AnsonCass/WoodwardJr., the undisputed champion bear hunter of Stratford, brought in to the Selectman's office Monday morning three bears for bounty. Two of them were shot at daylight that morning in an old orchard in East Stratford. Two of the bear were small, probably this year's cubs. The old bear was perhaps three or four years old and weighed some 150 lbs. Mr. Woodward is a dead shot and one of the best hunter in the country."
October 07, 1931
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'North Stratford' section
"AnsonCass/WoodwardJr. of Stratford may be an ambitious hunter or just plain lucky. But he turned in a claim dated September 28, 1931 for the bounty , for killing three bears for a total of $15.00. The bounty was unpaid by the state (or town coffers), due to insufficient funds allocated by the N.H. legislature ."
November 25, 1931
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs.David SweetserChristie (nee: Phillips) and children of Littleton were visiting at her daughter's, Mrs. Frank Omega StoneIsabel Sargent/Sweetser, Sunday."
"Richard Hapgood, while hunting here recently, stayed at Mrs. Flora E. Woodard's."
February 15, 1933
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs. Flora E. Woodward is convalescing slowly from her recent illness."
May 24, 1933
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Riverton' section
"Harris Drown of New Sharon, Maine is a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Woodard."
May 24, 1933
Coös County Democrat Newspaper
Obituary -Minnie I. V. (nee Woodward)Baird Styles
The death of Mrs. Minnie Baird Styles occurred at her home, Saturday, after an illness of over two years. Mrs. Styles was in her 62nd years and is survived by her husband Horace Styles, and five children by a former marriage to the late Avery William Baird.
Services were held Monday at St. Mark's Church. Sympathy is extended to her husband and children, Mrs. Katie Ball, Milo Baird, Raymond Baird, George Baird, all of town Groveton, N.H. and Mrs. Martha Arwilda (nee: Baird) Martin of Lincoln, N.H. Burial was in Northumberland Cemetery."
June 07, 1933
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Riverton' section
"Mr. and Mrs. John Ruggles and family were weekend guests of their cousin, Mrs. Enman Maude Evelyn (nee: Woodard), in Stark, Maine."
"Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur BallDorothy Lillian (nee: Woodard) and children of Guildhall, Vermont were recent guests at the home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Woodard"
"Mrs. Dexter Woodard Lillian Martha (nee: Hosford)spent the weekend in Maine, visiting her daughter Mrs. EnmanMaude Evelyn (nee: Woodard) and family"
"Harris Drown returned to his home in Stark, Maine, Saturday, after several weeks' visit with Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Woodard."
June 27, 1934
Coös County Democrat Newspaper - 'Riverton' section
""Mrs. Enman Maude Evelyn (nee: Woodard) and family of Stark, Maine are spending a week with Mr. and Mrs. John Hood Mina Lucy (nee: Woodward)."
"Mrs. Hazel James Hazel Chastina (nee: Woodard) and children of Whitefield are guests of Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Woodard
Maude, Mina, and Hazel were sisters; daughters of Dexter Woodard and Lillian Martha (nee: Hosford) Woodward)
September 05, 1934
Coös County Democrat Newspaper 'East Stratford' section
"Mrs.Flora Ella Woodward, son Anson, and son, Osman Cass and family of East Charleston, Vt., went to Canada last week to visit their old home town."
February 06, 1940
Coös County Democrat Newspaper
LIBERATION NOTICE
"This is to notify the public that I James Henry Cass Sr. have given my daughter, Flora Ella Cass, her time to act and trade for herself, that I shall neither pay any of her debts nor claim any of her earning after this date."
February 22, 1956
Coös County Democrat Newspaper, Page 05
Obituary - George Baird
Funeral services were held at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Groveton, Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., for George J. Baird, who passed away at Stewartstown, N.H. on February 11, 1956. Rev. William H. Crouch officiated.
Mr. Baird had been born February 02, 1903 in East Charleston, Vermont, the son of Avery Baird and Minnie (nee: Woodward).
He is survived by one sister, Mrs. Katie Dingman, of Stark, N.H.; one brother, Milo Baird, of Groveton; and a nephew, Raymond "Sammy" Baird, of Lancaster, N.H.
Bearers were Forrest Maguire, Thomas Cass, James Cass and Albert Blay. His body was placed in the tomb.
REMEMBER that particular **** photograph (above) of Flora (at 99 yrs. of age) and her son Anson standing on the piazza (porch) of their home ... that I mentioned previously had been duplicated?
Beth (nee: Covell) Libby - Bean had written on the back that Flora Ella (nee: Woodward) Cass (her great-grandmother) had been age 99 years (?)"pure Algonquin Indian" and "from the north of the St. Lawrence River" ... was she quesetioning the age of her great-grandmother Flora Ella?
So, the "evolution" of Flora Ella (nee" Woodward) Cass subjectively being "part Indian" over the years eventually turned into her being a "pure blood" "Algonquin Indian" without so much as ANY objective evidence whatsoever, from anyone, based purely on subjective oral narrative passed from one relative to another, through the years.
OK, let's take some steps back farther, with the following documents:
This is Page 294 of the Volume 1 Book held at the Danville, Caledonia County, Vermont Town Clerk's Office, in the vault. This Book and all original records volumes are "restricted" now from usage by the public. They have apparently color-copied the pages from the old record books and direct the public to use those, instead of handling the original volumes/books.
In this particular page one can see Benjamin Sawyer and Betsey (nee: Taylor) Sawyer his wife and their children ... born in Danville, Caledonia County, Vermont.
Salley Pilsbury Sawyer born March 09, 1807
Elizabeth Stevens Sawyer born October 18, 1810
Harriet Taylor Sawyer born April 2nd, 1813
Mary Hawley Sawyer born May 30, 1816
In addition, their son Uri Babbit Sawyer died February 07, 1854 at the age of 32 years.
Benjamin Sawyer died July 05, 1941.
NOTICE that these are people who had (in the late 1700's)migrated up into Danville, VT (as did other "settler" families), and Benjamin Sawyer and his family lived just above Deweysburgh, or "The Boot" as it was called, south of the Danville township and just northwest of Keiser Pond.
The Woodward brothers and their widowed mother, Mary (nee: Britton) widow of Nathaniel Woodward had settled just south of the Sawyer family, in Deweysburgh.
Two Woodward brothers: Parker Preston Woodward and Royal William Woodward had married to Sarah Pilsbury Sawyer and Mary Hawley Sawyer respectively. The two brothers were sons of Appollos "Thomas" Woodward and Rachel Runnels/Reynolds. Appollos (b. 1785) being the son of Jeptha Woodward Sr. and an unknown woman, before his marriage to Persis in 1801. Jeptha being the son of Nathaniel and Mary (nee: Britton) Woodward from Smithfield, R.I.
January 27, 1837
I don't know of Abenakis doing such advertisements as such, in Vermont ca. 1837. A lot of English settlers did though, once settled in Vermont.
November 10, 1841
December 31, 1847
Aft. October 09, 1881 -
CONCLUSION:
Sally Auger clearly claimed she was an Abenaki ...
Let me clarify that the late Sally Auger did wonderful endeavors, yet she had NO OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE that she descended from the Abenaki.
And yes, I know of one Woodward - Cass descendant woman, who did in fact, based on the above information, believing that there was "Abenaki" in the family ancestry, and they got a Clan of the Hawk Indianist group's membership card years ago, from the late Ralph Skinner Swett.
