Messages

1

The Monson Blog / Re: Treasurers Come and Treasurers Go

« on: March 27, 2012, 09:29:00 PM »

Roger, your discussion reminded me that trying to determine who may have been in Monson or related to one another may be assisted by the work I did a couple of years ago.  I transcribed the Monson Census records from 1850 to 1930 with all the associated data - occupations, etc.

2

The Monson Blog / Re: I have a piece of slate under my coffee cup

« on: February 04, 2012, 02:09:25 AM »

I just joined the blog when I saw your post.  I have been looking at the Town of Monson web site, trying to figure out how to maintain it.

3

The Monson Blog / Re: I have a piece of slate under my coffee cup

« on: February 03, 2012, 12:59:08 AM »

Thanks Roger.  I transcribed the Monson Census from 1850 to 1930 and I do not believe there were any Monson residents listed as black.  I will check to make sure.  The whole indexed census is available at the historical society.

4

The Monson Blog / Re: I have a piece of slate under my coffee cup

« on: February 02, 2012, 02:29:29 PM »

Cliff, your suggestion regarding Williamsburg is right on.  I have a copy of the book "Maine's Visible Black History" by H. H. Price and Gerald E. Talbot and on pages 25 and 26 the book details the black workers who came  to Williamsburg to work in the A. H. Merrill quarries.  One of the workers was Aleck Turner and his wife Sally.  They had a grandson J. Bruce Turner who recounted the following:
"Grandfather worked for Merrill in Williamsburg, Maine in his slate quarry. He had brought a number of former slaves and relatives to Williamsburg to be with him while he was working in the quarry. During the evening he would teach the former slaves how to read and write and figure. They earned as much as $.50 a day. When these workers went down into the quarry they could be seen wearing a pencil behind their ear which was an indication that this was a tool that they could use in addition to the drills and this hammers which were used in the quarry."