Bonnie Brae
New Ipswich Historical Society
Who, What and When
You need to be a detective to be a member of the Historical Society. Who are these people? When did this happen? What am I looking at? We face this problem with every photograph and document.
Bonnie Brae
The "Bonnie Brae" was the home of Ralph Parker, but it was unlikely that he gave it that name. Gilbert Thomson came from Scotland and also lived here. “Bonnie Brae” is Gaelic for “pleasant hill”.
The Society has this photo of the front porch. Ethel McKown Parker, Hattie McKown, Samuel Gates holding Donald Parker, Ralph Parker. I believe this might be the oldest of the three photos from the clothing styles.
Destroyed by Fire
Ruins of damage ell in fire at "Bonnie Brae" Jan 11, 1939. At that time owned by Gilbert Thomson. Thus photo taken by Mrs. Albro L. Balch.
What is the Timeline?
There are no dates on the first two photos. Can we assume the second photo with Ralph Parker was taken before the property was called “Bonnie Brae”? Apparently Gilbert was the last owner. What was he like? We have a photo which was probably taken in the 1920s. How old was he when he bought the home? How did the fire start? More questions than answers.
James Roger diary entries
25th October 1912 (Friday)
Rainy, dirty day, wind easterly. David went to depot and met Hamish and fixed some of our apples, also lit furnace for Mrs. Spofford, who comes tomorrow. I fixed hall for lecture tonight. Masonic installation tonight. 7 present, Mr. Blanchard did installing. Him and I left at 11pm.
I loved Bonnie Brae. I would have been overjoyed to move there. It was a charming house with beautiful rolling hayfields, set privately upon a knoll. My maternal grandparents for a while lived nearby across the road in the “Skinny Cat Wilson” place. The Rauhalas mentioned by Linda Kivela were my first cousins. The mother, Judith Somero Rauhala, was my mother’s eldest sister. She was so incredibly smart as a child that the old Finn ladies told my grandmother, Arline Somero, that her daughter Judith wouldn’t live very long. They were wrong, of course. I think the Rauhala family’s youngest child, my cousin Dwight, was born while they lived there at Bonnie Brae but I am not sure of that.
Gilbert Thompson sold Bonnie Brae and moved across the street on Temple Road. My dad, Walter Somero, was a caretaker at Bonnie Brae. In the 1950s the home was owned by the Rauhalas. They had two children Sheryl and Freddie. Mrs. Rauhala was a Somero. Fred and Arlene Somero's daughter. In the 60s the Simpson bought Bonnie Brae. They lived in Massachusetts and used Bonnie Braie as a summer home. John Simpson, known as "Simmie" played baseball with my brother John and my husband Bill.