The Mary Mansfield House

 

I would guess that most people were unaware that one time there was a house next to the old town hall on Main Street in New Ipswich, NH The house belonged to Mary Mansfield. Mary was grandmother of Mrs. Allen Balch. The house torn down by Ms. Phillip Gordon. Photo was taken by Leon R. Willard, the New Ipswich town photographer and donated to the New Ipswich Historical Society by Mrs. Allen Balch.

The Town Hall Corner

This photo which I took in February 2018 provides a bit of perspective as to the location of the house. It was right next to the old town hall (left side of photo).

This is an older shot of the same corner, also without the house. I have no dates for this photo but obviously it was taken after the house was torn down.

Mary Louisa Mansfield

I was curious if there were  any photos of Mary Mansfield. I found this one of a group of bicyclists in front of the house on Taylor road in Smithville.

Cyclists at the home of Charles Taylor in Smithville. (Left to Right) - Daniel Maynard, Ralph Taylor, Warren Taylor, Archie Eagleson, Harriet Taylor, Mary Mansfield, Philip Taylor, Frank Hardison, Charles Hardison, Matie Hardison. Photo given by Philip W. Taylor.

The Locke Picnic

Mary also appears in a photo of a picnic held at the Locke Farm. Good luck finding her.

Picnic at Mary Locke Shattuck in New Ipswich taken in 1893 or 1894. Oliver Brooks, Charlie Wilson, Abbie Wilson, Will Coleman, Winona Coleman, Mary Bucknam, Mrs. Marcellus Robbins, Mrs. Russell Farewell,G. Hastings & Mildred, Mrs. Charlie Wheeler, Mrs. Bucknam, Mrs. Marie Field, Ella Beard, Nellie Mansfield, Mary Mansfield, Mrs. Ferrine, Mrs. James Neuvis, Mr. Addison Wheeler,Mrs. Crockett, Bert Howe & Milton, Mrs. John Black, Lizzie Crowell, Mr. & Mrs. Bucknam, Kate Bucknam, Mr. Augustus Wheeler, Barclay Lanahu, Mrs. Russell Farwell, Two Raymond Boys, Charlie Tobey, Mansfield Boy, Marman Crowell. Photo given by Herbert F. Preston, NIHS no. 62.629.

Corrections and Omissions

One of the challenges with working with these photos from the New Ipswich Historical Society is deciphering the names scrawled on the back of the photos. They usually quite faded and written in cursive which sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish whether a letter is a "r" or "n". It is especially hard with names. If you have any corrections, please leave a comment.