Memories of family by Carol Mitchell Doubleday

Everett Day Mitchell was the oldest child, he was born March 24, 1898and passed away March 19,1981.

Helen was the next to be born. I do not know the exact date. She passed away in 1978.

William Harold Mitchell was the next to be born. I do not know the exact date. He passed away in the summer of 1976.

Richard Bruce Mitchell was the next to be born. He passed away 1955.

The last was Loretta Mitchell. She passed away in the late 40's(Note from Bill. I think she actually passed away in the early 50s)

This is close as I can get.

Aunt Marguerite passed away in 1973.

Aunt Vera(Veronica) passed away July 7, 1986 and was born July 3, 1914.

You know when my Aunt Mary passed away in the nineties right?

Who lived on Russell St? That is where my husband was brought up most of his life. Small world.

Everett Day Mitchell's children order of birth:

Everett Harold was born Nov 18, 1934.

Mary Joan Mitchell was the next: Dec. 26,1938. She passed away Dec. 24, 2007.

Next: Carol Ann Mitchell was born on Feb.4,1943.

Next:John Richard Mitchell was born on April 27, 1944

Aunt Helen's children: I am not sure of I met Bruce Price and he lost a brother in an accident when a cement building collapsed on him.

William Harold Mitchell's children: First born Marguerite Leora Mitchell: where abouts unknown,she would be 82 if still with us.

Then came William Bruce Mitchell last known address in Ipswich, Ma.

Richard Bruce Mitchell's children: Mary Rose Mitchell,Richard Bruce Mitchell and William Mitchell.

Loretta Michell: not sure of her children.
hope this helps
Carol

A search for the past

I have three other blogs concerning the Cafarella and Cincotta side of my family. My mother's side is much easier to follow than my father's. It seems that the Mitchell side of my family has disappeared off the face of the earth.
It was difficult even from the very beginning of my search as my grandfather was adopted and spoke very little about his past. In addition to that, my father died when I was two and a half. As a result, I had much less contact with that side of my family even though I grew up fairly close to my family's assumed origins in New Brunswick. There were also many connections in Northern Massachusetts. I guess all I can do right now is hope that someone might see this blog and begin my journey toward understanding the Mitchell family history.
I am interested in hearing from people from Bradford, Andover and other northern Massachusetts towns with the Mitchell name, as that is where William Everett Mitchell spent his childhood in and out of an orphanage. He had a brother named Edmund or Edward.
My grandmother spent time in northern Massachusetts and the Medford and Malden area. Her name was Henrietta Day from the Hatfield Point area of New Brunswick. I suspect that her Mother's name was Jones, but I am not one hundred percent sure how that Jones name got into the family.
Other members of the family included: Richard Bruce Mitchell, Harold Mitchell, Everett Mitchell, Mary-Joan Mitchell, married to Donald Ross and then there are the Northrups in New Brunswick. My aunt Helen has family in Alberta Canada somewhere, presumably Calgary, though I do not know her married name.
I would welcome any contacts that can give me any information on any of these people.
My sister Mary, brother Richard and I, William, have a background in Littleton and Houlton, Maine as that is where my father brought my mother, Mary Cafarella to live. My Cafarella family including Mary Rose, Philip, William and briefly Lawrence came to join them.

Henrietta Day and William Everett Mitchell

For some time now I have been trying to make sense of my grandfather's records. The story from my mother was that William Everett Mitchell was placed in an orphanage when his mother remarried and his stepfather did not want the child. He told stories about spending Summer vacations in Bradford with family. Yet in the 1880 census, he was in the Episcopal orphanage of St Mary in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was supposedly born in 1874, so that made him about six years old.

I found a copy of their wedding registration in the Massachusetts archives a couple of days ago. On June 3 of 1896, they were married by A.A. Bennett who was the pastor of their church. William E. was registered as a teamster. He was 22 and lived in Malden. He stated he was born in Boston. It is usual in these records to state only the first names of the parents assuming that the last name is the same. In this case, his parents were William E. and his mother was Maggie. Then in a slightly different hand her last name was Patterson. This leads me to several possible scenarios.

1. Maggie was not married when she had him. Her name was Mitchell and that is how he got that last name.

2. Her maiden name was Patterson, they were never married, and the father, William E. Mitchell found his way on to the records to give William his last name.

3. Maggie and William E. were married and he died or they divorced. She then remarried to a Patterson.

Henrietta, sometimes found spelled: Henreatta for some reason, was 18 years old. She lived in Malden and worked as an Operator. What she was operating is a bit of a mystery, though she could have been a telephone operator. She stated that she was born in New Brunswick. Her father's was Henry Day and her mother's name is Celia A.Jones.

William Everett Mitchell and Henrietta Day Mitchell. I presume this is in Canada.

William Everett Mitchell was born in northern Massachusetts. His early childhood was eveidently spent in Bradfod Ma. at least as a Summer residence. As I understand it,he had a brother whose name was Edward or Edmond. His mother remarried and the new husband did not want two children. William was placed in an orphanage. I have seen the records of this, but have not seen them in many years. As a result, I do not remember the details. I believe that the orphanage was a Saint...something, in Methuen, Lawrence or one of the surrounding towns. His mother then evidently left for Canada somewhere. I will try to find out more about this in time. I do have records of him possibly living in a rooming house for some time as a youth as well. He met Henrietta here in Massachusetts when she came here to work.

William Everett Mitchell

The back of this has the most elaborate self promotional print. The address was Florence street Malden, Mass.

William Everett Mitchell-Photo from Joyce Woods 12-13

Again we have the jug ears. No ID.

I am wondering if this might be William Everett Mitchell by the Jug ears, but There is not ID.

Photo from Joyce Woods 10

Henrietta Day, Carol tells me, was originally from Newfoundland. This is a new story for me. It may be that they moved to New Brunswick when she was quite young. Carol distinctly remembers her father Everett talking about this.

Henrietta Day Mitchell

Henrietta Day

This was taken in the same studio as the gentleman in uniform, but I cannot make out the Logo.

Henrietta and Hatfield Point

In the late 19th century, Henrietta Day moved from Hatfield Point to Massachusetts to find work. There she became an operator. This is all that is stated on records of her presence there. I assume that she was a telephone operator.
In Massachusetts she met William Everett Mitchell. They Married in...... They had five children named: Lauretta, Helen, Richard, Everett and Harold. Richard, the youngest was born in the US, so the next episode had to be after 19o8.
In time the family moved to Hatfield Point as Henrietta was very homesick for her home. William was not happy there in Canada, or perhaps there were few opportunities there. In time the marriage soured and William moved back to Massachusetts alone. I assume that he moved to the Malden area. Hatfield Point is on an inland bay called Belleisle Bay northeast of St John, New Brunswick. It is a estuary, though it is certainly a long way from the sea. The land is very open around the bay as I remember it, sloping gently up from the bay on all sides. Some distance from the water, in a wooded area, was a very large field sloping down to the South with a high, wooded hill on the West side and a small road on the East side leading down to the town some distance away, and on beyond the house deeper into the country. A long low Federal Cape style house sat on a crest of the hill about 2/3 of the way from the bottom of the field. This evidently was rented from or purchased from a neighbor. I use the term Federal for lack of a better word as this was Canada. The styles there are somewhat different from the US in appearance as well as name. Along the longer, South side of the house was a porch, enclosed with windows above short walls. There was a distant view of the bay from this porch. In my time there was no paint and as I visited over the years it became more and more dilapidated. This is where Bertha Northrup lived. This was not otherwise a family home. The Northrups, George and Charlie, children of our Aunt Lauretta once took me up to the top of the field and beyond into the encroaching woods. There was the foundation of the older house that I remember them calling the Judge Jones house. This is where the Jones girls lived, and I assume it was where Henrietta's mother as raised. The tradition was that there were five girls, four of whom married Governors of various US states. The truth of that story is completely up in the air. As I understand this, they lived there together till Henrietta's death. The house had burned to the ground many years before I saw it.
As I remember the interior of Bertha's house, it had a center entrance with a steep narrow staircase leading up to the loft past the back of the chimney. I do not remember this being finished space. To the right of the door was an all purpose room with couch and chairs, and a large wood cook stove along the wall to the left as you entered. There was a similar room to the left of the door, but I do not remember it all all.
As the boys grew up, they all moved back to Massachusetts. Richard, My father evidently built a cabin for Lauretta before moving to Littleton, Maine permanently.

Henrietta's Children

Bertha Lauretta married Thomas Northrup. She had four children. They were Charlie(unmarried), Bertha(unmarried), George(unmarried) and Laura who married Sandy Currie and had Joan, James, Joyce Wood and Margaret. Lauretta died in 1952.

Harold married and returned to Massachusetts and went into the building trade on the South Shore. His wife was.... and his children are.....

Everett married Vera who was a good friend of my mother Mary. Their children were: Everett, Mary-Joan Mitchell Ross. Everett moved South also and died in the Derry area of New Hampshire.

Helen Moved west to the Calgary area.

Richard(my father) Married (Vera above introduced them)Mary Carolina Cafarella and had three children: Mary Rose Mitchell Burrill(married to Fredrick W. Burrill) (Three children), Richard B. Mitchell II, (married to Jane Teresa Callnan)(Two children) and William Philip Mitchell (married to Marcia Good)(Divorced) Richard died in 1955. The diagnosis was Bright's disease, but my sister raises some doubt as to the actual cause.

Everett, Richard Bruce(my father), Harold and their father William Everett Mitchell 1939

Not shown are Helen and Loretta.

Everett Day Mitchell, Richard Bruce Mitchell, Mary Carolina Cafarella Mitchell and Veronica Rita Marrow Mitchell.

Richard and Mary married on April 11, 1937 Malden, Ma.

Vera and Everett Mitchell with baby. Not named, but I assume it was Everett.

Everett Mitchell Studying in Revere.

Harold and Marguerite Mitchell by Carol Mitchell Doubleday

It just dawned on me that William harold mitchell lived on Winthrop St in Malden
there he brought up his family, then he bought a small ranch house in Peabody Ma. He and aunt Margurite lived there until she got sick and he sold the house in Peabody and they moved to the cottage in Ipswich until she passed away. Two years later Uncle Harold married a lady named Marion. They were married about thre years when one night uncle Harold got up from supper and he stood up and had cardiac arrest and he was gone. We sure loved him. had to tell dad and he was so sick himself, one of the hardest things I had to do in my life.

Carol

Vera (Veronica) Rita Marrow Mitchell 1942

Vera Mitchell at Harolds patio. Ipswich.

Vera(Veronica) Marrow Mitchell on the County Road in houlton(Linneus) Maine about 1965

Vera, Mary Joan,.....and.....on Harold's patio in Ipswich Ma.

Carol's memories of Mary Joan Mitchell Ross

Everett Day Mitchells’ daughter- Mary Joan Mitchell (Ross) Williams

Mary Joan born December 26 1938-passed away December 24, 2007

Mary Joan was the type of person who always had a smile. As a little girl she looked like Shirley Temple,
Blonde curls and big blue eyes.

She was the type of person who always had something going. At Christmas she would always have us four children put on a Christmas play, I am her little sister, four years difference between us. I was always following her around and I was a pest. I loved her so and admired her. When we had the Christmas play I was always a shephard, with a blanket around me, I guess it was better than a donkey. John was a shephard also. Everett was Joseph and Mary Joan was Mary and my doll was Jesus. She would make it so much fun. Dad and mum would enjoy it so much . She would always show us where Santa hid our toys she was just full of life and mischief. Oh how we misss that.

She always loved children. She would babysit whenever she could as she got into her teens.

She was married at the age of 16. At the age of 17 she had her first son,Donald James Ross Jr, Then came Daniel, Then Darrell, Then, Dana, Then Jody Ann a girl,what A surprise and at last Darren. Six children whom she loved with all her heart, they were her life.

She loved Houlton, Me, she married a man from there and there she stayed most of her life. She is still there and we all miss her . I lived in Mass.and N.H. most of my life so I think of her still there in her kitchen laughing and playing with her children.

I find myself living in PA. now,my name is Carol (Mitchell) Doubleday

Mary Joan Mitchell with her second huband Ernie and her oldst son Donnie.

Mary Joan Mitchell Ross 1954 Jr High graduation in Revere.

Mary Joan Mitchell Ross Williams and her Husband Earnest Williams

Mary Joan Mitchell

Mary Joan Mitchell Ross and her daughter Jody.

Mary Joan Mitchell Ross and Carol in the background.

Mary Joan Mitchell Ross and Carol Mitchell Doubleday in front of the Cary library in Houlton Maine.

Veronica's son Keith Nason and Jody Ross Sinclair

Donnie Ross and his wife

Donnie Ross' Daughter

Donnie Ross' son

Mary Rose Mitchell and Wlliam Cafarella Park Street Houlton Maine. 1958

At the Johnnie Farm Littleton Maine in the 1940s

Mary R. Mitchell Burrill, Frederick Wendell Burrill and Mary R Cafarella...Mary McLaughlin in the background. Mary's wedding reception Bowdoin Street, Houlton Maine...1959

1958 Franklin Avenue Houlton Maine. Mary Mitchell, Dick Mitchell, Bill Mitchell Mitchell and Queenie.

Mary R Mitchell 1957

Mary R. Mitchell ...Caribou, Maine Sweden Street 1951.

Mary R Mitchell Caribou Maine 1951

1958 Franklin Ave. Houlton, Maine Mary R Mitchell

Mary R. Mitchell 1958

Mary R. Mitchell Burrill, Fred Burrill and Richard Mitchell 1959. After he Wedding.

Mary C. McLaughlin and Mary R Mitchell Franklin Avenue Houlton Maine 1958

Marie Moran and Mary R. Mitchell 1957

1958 Mary R. Mitchell and Frederick W Burrill... Park Street Houlton, Maine

1956 Houlton Maine Mary R. Mitchell

Richard Bruce Mitchell on his wedding day. april 11 1937

Richard Bruce Mitchell II and Mary Rose Mitchell. I took the single of this photo of my brother and had it published in the local paper on his 40th birthday.

Richard B. Mitchell and Willam Cafarella.

Richard Mitchell and his daughter Mary with the Stillman barn behind 1940.

Richard Mitchell and daughter Mary 1940.

Rex and the Littleton house in the background.