Mrs. Kitty (Stevens) Newell Obituary
New Ipswich Historical Society
November 24, 1916
Mrs. Kitty (Stevens) Newell, a native and former resident of this town, died near Boston, Nov. 24. Her son recently sent word to a lady resident of Greenville. The Stevens' house was on the street opposite the Preston homestead, now the residence of Mrs. Frank W. Preston. After her parents' death the buildings were destroyed by fire. Her father was a blacksmith in Central Village for many years. He first occupied the Josiah Bacheller blacksmith shop. Besides the parents the family consisted of two daughters and two sons.
Editor’s Note
Isn’t this a terrible obituary? It has more information about her house and the Preston family than it does about her. The writer didn’t even bother to learn the names of her children. This obit is unlike any of the others I have transcribed.
Photo Archives
Blacksmith shop near Memorial Field
James Roger diary entry
15th February 1913
Frost; fine day; good sun heat; wind variable. David drawing ice for Hardys; got some hard cider. I took some olive oil today for experiment; fixed Church and lit fire.
Yes it is a sloppy and insensitive obituary and it seems like the paper’s regular obituary writer must have been on holiday.
But what about that experimental olive oil acquired by James Roger?
Thanks for the photo of the blacksmith shop. I always liked looking at it when it was still standing and I would walk past it. I think the blacksmiths were Charles and John Bateman, who bought 3 acres from Silas Wheeler, who owned my family’s farm, at the end of Kangas Road, in 1830. They built a house, which was probably the house opposite the tennis court, or could be Helen Emma’s former house. Charles Bateman later moved to Ohio, and John Bateman sold the property to Thomas Emery, whose house is on the old maps, but I can’t figure out if it’s the house by the brook or at the corner of Kangas Road.