Scribner photos that are a bit different

Since my last blog post was about family photos, I am going to continue with my usual format of telling a story about one or more of my ancestors, and share a few photos with you that I feel are fun or a bit different.  

In the past I have often bemoaned my lack of an identified photo of Virginia Augusta Hale Scribner, however I do have a generous collection of photos that belonged to Virginia and her husband, Captain David Alba Scribner.   All of the photos in today’s blog are from the collection of photos belonging to them, some coming from a family photo album that belonged to David.  As a ship’s captain in the second half of the 1800’s, David traveled widely and photography was becoming popular.   

 

This photo of a dog, clearly a family pet, was taken in Brunswick, Maine.  It was included in Captain Scribner’s photo album and doesn’t have any information written on it, front or back.  I can only assume that it was a much loved Scribner family pet.  The photo appears to have been taken in a professional photo studio and was probably done when several members of the family went to the studio for photos.  In today’s time, we would think that the dog was just out with the family and a photo of the dog might have been an afterthought.  Yet in earlier days, I doubt that the dog would have accompanied the family to a studio unless the dog photo was intended.  Conclusion, I believe that this dog was a very much loved member of Capt David A Scribner’s family!

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David A Scribner is the dapper looking gentleman leaning on the table.  This photo was taken in Hamburg probably in the early 1870’s.  Captain Scribner, on the right and wearing a top hat, appears to be a young man.  Hamburg was a significant European port, and I suspect that the two other gentlemen in the photo were friends and fellow ships’ captains visiting the city on a day in port.

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Above we see Capt David A Scribner with unidentified people at The Great Buddha of Kamakura located at the Buddhist temple of Kotoku-in, in the city of Kamakura, Japan.  I’ve gotta admit, that I had to search the internet to find the location for this photo.  The Great Buddha is a huge statue first completed in wood in the 13^th century, and later rebuilt in bronze during the 14^th century. 

I believe that this photo was possibly taken in the 1880’s.  And while Capt David is easy to spot in the center position, the others could either be friends, family or crew members.  Virginia “could” even be one of the women in the photo, though beginning in 1880, Virginia stayed in Brooklyn with the children in school so it is doubtful. 

Needless to say, no one would be allowed to climb on this beautiful national treasure in today’s time!

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Ella, Mary & Harry Scribner in front of a Scribner family Topsham, Maine home at 5 Frost Lane, circa 1890.   The original of this photo belongs to a Scribner relative, who sent me the copy because it is a group of my grandfather, Henry (Harry) Scribner and his two sisters, Ella and Mary.  The young Scribner family spent much time in Topsham, Maine when not at sea with Capt David and during summers when they later lived in Brooklyn, New York.  It’s possible that Capt David purchased the carriage on the same voyage to Japan when he also visited The Great Buddha of Kamakura.

The carriage being pulled by the miniature donkey is charming, and can now be found in the collection of the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine. 

https://maritimeme.pastperfectonline.com/bysearchterm?keyword=jinriksha

The carriage, a black lacquered wood jinrikisha rickshaw, was purchased by Captain Scribner in Japan, and brought back to Topsham for the family to enjoy.

__________

 

 

Ella Virginia Scribner.  I don’t have the original of this photo, just a copy from one of my aunts; however she wrote that she believed it to be Ella Virginia Scribner.  And I have always been confused about whether this was actually Ella Scribner because the clothing seemed older than would be right for Ella’s period of time – though she does look much like Ella in other photos that I have.  Thus in 2012, I asked Maureen Taylor, a photo dating expert, for help on dating this photo.

According to Maureen Taylor, this photo is very interesting because she believes that the subject, Ella, is in a costume – possibly for a play or school program.  She feels that the photo dates to around 1900, which would have been when Ella was about 15 years old.  However, Ms Taylor notes that Ella is dressed in clothing typical of the 1820's, and she believes that young Ella’s hair is powdered to look like that of an older woman.  

Ella Virginia Scribner (1885-1935) became a school teacher, and never married.  Ella lived with her parents and sister in their brownstone home in Brooklyn for all of her adult life. 

*  *  *  *  *

Key individuals:

     Capt David Alba Scribner  (1840 – 1911)

     Virginia Augusta Hale Scribner  (1848 – 1940)

          Wallace Flint Scribner  (1877 – 1882)

          Henry (Harry) Dickinson Scribner  (1880 – 1943)

          Mary Islethera Scribner  (1882 – 1959)

          Ella Virginia Scribner  (1885 – 1935)

 

- Jane Scribner McCrary

David Alba Scribner thru Time

If you spend any time working on your family history, then you will understand when I say that finding a photo of an early ancestor is like striking gold.  Prior to mid-1800’s and the advent of photography, the most likely type of an image would be a painting, and that was typically only if your ancestor was wealthy or notably famous, and not likely for most of our ancestors.

By the mid to late 1800’s however we can sometimes find a photo of a family grouping or even a wedding photo.  Each one of those becomes a gem to any family historian.

I am lucky to have multiple photos of one of my ancestors dated from the second half of the 1800’s through the early 1900’s.  David Alba Scribner enjoyed a career as a ship’s captain and we ended up with several photos of him during his lifetime.  I expect that it was a fun thing to visit a photographer when in a foreign port, and am sure that the family left behind was delighted to get a new photo.

Below are some photos of David A Scribner through time.  It is unusual to see how an ancestor aged, and especially how fashion and his facial hair changed over the years.

 

 

*  *  *  *  *

 

Key Individual:

       David Alba Scribner  (1840 – 1911) 

Notes:

If you wish to know more about David A Scribner, there have been more than half a dozen earlier posts on this blog about David and his family and career beginning in August 2020.  

And as I have noted in an earlier blog post [July 30, 2021, Why Can’t I Find a Photo of Virginia], I find it amazing that I have so many portrait or studio photos of Capt David Scribner throughout his life, but none of his wife Virginia other than one poor snapshot that I have been able to identify as her late in her life.  Surely she would have had a portrait taken as a young wife for David to have with him on his many long voyages without her ...

- Jane Scribner McCrary

Our Connection to Nathan Hale – a Patriot

I mentioned in the end notes of the blog story Henry Hale Unsolved posted on September 21, 2020, that verbal family stories tell that “we are somehow related to Nathan Hale” the American patriot and spy who was captured and hanged by the British during the Revolutionary War.  The family’s assumption was that Nathan Hale fit somehow into the family tree of our Henry Hale, my 3^rd great grandfather.  And since I don’t know anything about the parents or siblings of Henry Hale, it was a mystery how our HALE family might connect to Nathan Hale’s family.

In my last blog post, I shared that Henry Hale (b.1773 or 1745 – d.1841) descends through the HAILE family of Baltimore, and earlier of Virginia.  I had previously checked to see how our HALE line might connect to the family of Nathan Hale, but with no luck.  So, maybe Nathan Hale, the patriot, was not related to our line through the HALE / HAILE family at all, but some other way.  Nathan Hale was from Connecticut, and he lived in New London where he worked as a teacher just prior to the beginning of the Revolution.  I decided to check and see if the connection might be through one my many family lines in New London, CT. 

Nathan Hale (1755-1776) was born in Coventry, Connecticut to parents, Deacon Richard Hale and Elizabeth Strong Hale.  He had brothers, Joseph and Enoch, and a sister, Elizabeth. 

     Deacon Richard Hale (1717-1802) m. Elizabeth Strong (1728-1767)

         1) Joseph Hale (1750-1784) m. Rebecca Harris (1746- ? )

         2) Elizabeth Hale (1752-1813) m. Samuel Rose (1748-1800)

         3) Enoch Hale (1753-1837) m. Octavia Throop (1754-1839)

         4) Nathan Hale (1755-1766) never married

Nathan Hale attended college at Yale and graduated when he was 18 years of age.  He then became a school teacher first at East Haddam, CT and next he taught school in New London.  Nathan joined the Connecticut militia in 1775.   And in 1776 he moved with the Continental Army to New York to defend New York City against an anticipated British attack.  George Washington called for a spy to get behind enemy lines and report on troop movement. Hale was the only volunteer.  The British eventually discovered his identity and captured him.  He was only 21 years old when he was hanged by the British as a Colonial spy in New York City.  Nathan Hale’s last words before he was hanged were said to be “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”.

 

I found that our family connection to Nathan Hale probably comes through the HARRIS family of New London.  The HARRIS family links with our ROGERS family line through at least two marriages with everyone sharing decendency from my 8^th great grandparents, James Rogers (1615-1687) and his wife Elizabeth Rowland Rogers (~1620-1709).  Below is the connection that I found with Nathan’s family:

1)  Nathan Hale’s older brother, Joseph Hale (1750-1784) married Rebecca Harris (1746-?).  And Rebecca’s sister, Phebe Harris (1736-1803) married James Rogers (1733-1803).  The Rogers children would have all been 1^st cousins to the Hale children, and Joseph & Rebecca’s children would have also been nieces and nephews to Nathan Hale.

James Rogers (1615-1687)

    James Rogers (~1653-1714)

        James Rogers (1674-1733)

            James Rogers (1704-1754)

                James Rogers (1733-1803) m. Phebe Harris

2) Also Rebecca & Phoebe’s aunt, Grace Harris (1707-1787) was married to a different James Rogers (1701-1754), further blending the Harris and Rogers family relationships. This Rogers line also tracks back to the same early ancestor, our common immigrant James Rogers (1615-1687).

James Rogers (1615-1687)

              John Rogers (1648-1721)

                  John Rogers (1674-1753)

                      James Rogers (1701-1754) m. Grace Harris

By comparison, our Rogers family line runs like this:

James Rogers (1615-1687)

              Joseph Rogers (1646-1697)

                  John Rogers (1675-1739)

                      John Rogers (1716-1779)

                          John Rogers (1760-1796) m. Hannah Smith

[For more information on our Rogers line, see the blog post James Rogers, a very early immigrant, dated July 15, 2022.]

Finding our family connection to the patriot Nathan Hale proves that there is often at least a thread of truth in oral histories and it is sometimes not exactly what is stated or implied.  The verbal history told to me by my father that “we are somehow related to Nathan Hale” didn’t actually mean that our HALE family descended from or shared ancestors with Nathan Hale’s family, but more accurately our family was linked through marriage to Nathan Hale’s family.

A much more remote possibility is that we could also be related through our male HALE line, but it appears that if that is the case, it is probably in England prior to immigration to America and not easily traceable.  One online accounting of Nathan Hale’s family tree takes his family back to an immigrant ancestor named Henry Hale who was born about 1575 in England and died in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1659.  Whereas the HAILE genealogy for our Henry Hale [see the recent blog post titled Henry Hale Unsolved – an update] has the first immigrant ancestor as Nicholas Haile who was born in England in 1645 and died about 1670 in Virginia.  It is always possible that those two immigrant ancestors are somehow related; however I doubt that it can be proven.

As genealogists we must step back and look at our oral histories and verbal tales for clues about what has been said, what it means, and even what it doesn’t say.  It can be hard to pick oral histories apart and research the possibilities – but so very satisfying when you finally do see some truth in them!         

*  *  *  *  *

Key Individuals:

My 8^th great grandparents:

James Rogers (1615 – 1687) born in England & died in New London

Elizabeth Rowland (~1620 – 1709) born in England & died in New London

 

Notes: 

Because so many branches of our early family lived in New London, CT for multiple generations, it is likely that there are plenty more times when our family line intersected with the New England family of Nathan Hale.  Noted below are two times when my research has come across other New London HARRIS family members: 

1)  Temperance Harris married David Bill (1751- ?) in 1776.  Upon their marriage they settled in Boston, MA.  This David Bill was an uncle of our Elisabeth Bill Dickinson; and a brother of Elisabeth’s father, Samuel Bill.  See my blog post dated March 1, 2023 titled The Bill Family for more on this line.

2)  Thomas Harris (dates unknown) was the sole survivor of a July 1796 voyage aboard the sloop Polly that left New London for the West Indies and the port of Hispaniola.  The ship arrived at Cape St Nicholas Mole in Haiti with sickness aboard and it was condemned.  The ship’s captain, James Deshon, died in Cape St Nicholas as did most of the crew.  Nathaniel Dickinson (my 4^th great grandfather) who was also aboard the Polly was taken ill and recovered somewhat.  Later he took passage home on another vessel with Thomas Harris who was the only other survivor of the crew of the Polly.  Nathaniel Dickinson died at sea on that return voyage, making Thomas Harris the only survivor that left New London on the sloop Polly and returned to New London.  For more on Nathaniel Dickinson, see my blog post Aboard a Prison Ship in the Revolution dated June 27, 2020.

- Jane Scribner McCrary

Henry Hale Unsolved – an update

One of my early blog posts, published in September of 2020, was titled Henry Hale Unsolved, and in it I shared all that I knew about Henry Hale who is one of my 3^rd great grandfathers.  Capt Henry Hale married Martha Susannah Hall, often referred to as Susan Hall, in September of 1800 in Baltimore County, Maryland.

While we know that Capt Henry Hale died in 1841, the year of his birth is still very debatable as either 1773 (per his newspaper obituary) or 1754/55 (per his gravestone).  Refer to the earlier blog post for a more in depth discussion of his birth date sources and analysis. 

A couple of census records for Henry’s children tell us that he was born in Maryland.  Beyond the information about Henry Hale as noted above, I have never been able to find anything about Henry’s parents or siblings, and thus I have not been able to solve that brick wall and take our Hale line back any earlier.

There is a HAILE family in the Baltimore area in the 1700’s that I have always considered a possible early extension for our HALE line, but have found nothing conclusive to document the connection to our Henry Hale – until now with DNA – specifically with Ancestry’s ThruLines DNA matches.

First let me tell you about Ancestry’s ThruLines DNA matches.  If you take an Ancestry DNA test, then Ancestry will generate for you a list of other people that have also taken the Ancestry DNA test AND who share with you “some” common DNA.  Also, Ancestry will give an approximate guess as to how close that relationship could be – often 5^th-8^th cousins. 

Next, Ancestry uses a program called ThruLines to compare your online Ancestry tree with the trees of your DNA matches looking for possible common ancestors.   Of course, not everyone who has taken an Ancestry DNA test has built an online Ancestry tree, and some trees are marked private and can’t be viewed online.  Also there is always the fact that some of those trees might simply be wrong.  Thus, the results for common ancestry shown by ThruLines will only be as good as the information that was used to build those trees.  There is a lot of room for error, especially when we are looking back at early generations.

ThruLines has identified that I have as many as 16 matches that descend from a HAILE family line.  That’s a lot of DNA matches!  And most of the matches are small matches indicating a possible 5^th-8^th cousin relationship.  Three of those 16 matches are other descendants of my Henry Hale who died in 1841, and are not new to me.  However, the 13 other matches all tie into the HAILE family of Baltimore one or more generations earlier than our Henry Hale, and that is significant.

Those 13 ThruLines DNA matches all seem flow to relationships with sons of George Haile Sr (1712-1791) who married Elizabeth Chaffinch (1716-1788):  

1a) John Halle/Hale (1734-1817) 1 DNA match*

1b) Capt John Haile (1743-1798) 1 DNA match*

2)   George Haile Jr (1735-1805) 5 DNA matches

3)   Meshack Haile (1738-1834) 6 DNA matches

*The matched DNA Ancestry trees for the two John’s have different dates – so you know that they are either different John's or something is not quite right on at least one of those trees.

While we had DNA matches for descendants of 3 of George Haile Sr’s sons, there were several other children.  The Will of George Haile Sr lists 7 sons and 3 daughters in 1788 when it was written: Henry, Joseph, Nicholas, Abednego, George, John, Elizabeth, Frances and Sarah were named in the will.  And probably there was one other son as he also willed a parcel of land to be split between 2 Haile grandsons, Alexander & Joseph.  It is possible that we didn’t get DNA matches with more of the children because they don’t have current descendants. Another possibility is that there were no descendants of those siblings that have taken an Ancestry DNA test AND have an Ancestry tree for ThruLines to analyze that connects to a Haile tree.  That could change in the future as the Ancestry database grows.

Ancestry’s ThruLines program shows to track our line specifically through George Sr & Elizabeth’s son, George Haile Jr & his wife Nancy Anne Grant (1735-?), but I’m not even sure that is a given.   I think that ThruLines routed my suggested tree through the younger George because the trees of 2 of those 13 DNA matches “seem” to connect thru Nancy Anne Grant who was the wife of the younger George Haile Jr, and for that reason both of those matches are categorized by Ancestry as possible “half” 5^th cousins.  

I strongly believe that both of these Ancestry trees aren’t quite right and that they may have wrongly directed the ThruLines results.  However, in spite of the irregularities in those 2 Ancestry trees, there is no question that the owners of these 2 outlying trees are still a DNA match for me.  Like all of the other DNA matches, their link seems to be through one of the children of the elder George Haile Sr.   Another possibility would be that we might link one generation earlier through a brother of that George Haile Sr.

Making research more difficult is the fact that several names were used in this HAILE family repeatedly over several generations, specifically the names of George, Nicholas and Henry.  There are quite a few Henry’s in the trees for several of my DNA matches, but I found none with documentation clearly indicating a Henry that could be our Henry Hale. 

Also, the Ancestry trees all seem to use the birth date for our Henry Hale as 1755 (the date from his gravestone) which is easily found on the internet — though we know it could have also possibly been 1773 (the date from his obituary).  And with a different birth date, it would be very easy to slot Henry into a tree incorrectly or in the wrong generation.  It also should be noted that several of the individuals on the HAILE family tree did use the spelling of HALE.

Not all of the HAILE sons remained in the Baltimore area.  Several branches of the family moved to either Tennessee or Ohio in the 1700’s.  So there is also the scenario that our Henry might have left Maryland with family and later returned to Baltimore as an adult. 

In the end, we see that DNA definitely gives us matches to the Baltimore HAILE family. ThruLines gives us possible avenues of connection, but the Ancestry trees and documentation don’t really give us any proof as to the specific route our HALE connection takes in the HAILE family.  Now we know that Henry Hale links into the HAILE family, just not exactly how.

*  *  *  *  *

Key Individuals:

    Capt Henry Hale  (1773 - 1841)

    Martha Susannah (Susan) Hall Hale  (1778 – 1858)

 

Notes: 

In researching documents relating to the early HAILE family, I discovered that there are a number of ways that the name has been spelled in various published family genealogy books and articles, specifically as HAILE, HALE and HEALE. 

Most resources that I checked were written in the 1900’s.  They included:

·               1908/1909 - The William and Mary Quarterly Journal; Vol. 17; 1^st series

·               1934 – Hale Family by Edith Whitley

·               1969 – Hail, Haile, Hale by Charles M Bennett

·               1989 – Baltimore County Families, 1659-1759 by Robert W Barnes

·               date unknown - Heale-Hale of Lancaster, VA and Texas

These various resources all agree that the first HAILE immigrant was Nicholas Haile Sr, born in England, and he first arrived in Elizabeth City County, VA in 1645.  In 1648 Nicholas purchased 100 acres of land in York County.  And in 1654 he relocated to Lancaster County, VA where he purchased 500 acres of land in 1655.  Known as a “planter”, Nicholas purchased an additional 500 acres in 1657; and in 1666 he again purchased more acreage in Lancaster County, VA.

1) Nicholas Haile Sr (~1628 - ~1670 in VA) m. Mary ?Travers; they had 3 children, George, Nicholas & Mary

1a)  George Haile (~1647-1698 in VA) m. Ellen ?;  they had 2 children, Nicholas b.1672 and George b.1676

1b)  Nicholas Haile (1657- ?) 

The Baltimore HAILE line descends through a Nicholas Haile that was born in 1672, and died in 1730 in Baltimore.  He is believed to be a grandson of the Nicholas Sr & Mary noted above, and the son of George b.~1647, though some accounts note that he might have been a later son of Nicholas Haile Sr. 

This Nicholas Haile (1672-1730) was a Baltimore landowner and his will was written and probated in Baltimore.  Nicholas married Frances Broad Garrett in 1701.  Their children as mentioned in Nicholas’ will included sons Nicholas, George, Neale, and daughters Hannah, Ann, Millicent, Sabina, and Mary.  Also it is believed there “might” have been another son, Henry, who was not noted in his will.

2a) Nicholas (1700- d.bef 1747) m. Ann Long in 1723; had children:

Nicholas b.1724, Susanna 1727, Ann 1732, Shadrack 1735, Meshack 1738, Abednego 1741, and John 1743

2b) George (1712 -1791) m. Elizabeth Chawfinch in 1735; had children:

George b.1735, Henry, Joseph, Elizabeth, Nicholas, Abednego, Meshack, Frances, Sarah, and John

2c) Neale (1718-1796) m. Sarah Robinson; had children:

Charles, Drusilla, Charcilla, and Neal

2d) Henry? b.1721 possibly died young as he is not in his father’s will;  [or he “might” be the Henry Haile who moved to St George’s Parish; m. Mary Bradley in 1741; had children: Thomas b.1741 and Ann 1744]

I also found a brief printed article, without any documentation, claiming that the first immigrant was a George Hale who arrived in Virginia in 1620 and married Mary Elizabeth Blood in 1626 – both having been born in England.  This HALE line looks similar, a few dates vary, but it seems to push back one generation earlier:

George Hale m. Mary Elizabeth Blood [the first immigrants]

Nicholas Hale (1628-1671) m. Mary ?

Nicholas Hale (1666-1729) m. Frances Garrett

George Hale (1712-1788) m. Elizabeth Chaffinch

            Abednego Hale (1745-1801) m. Ruth

It is complicated because there are so many questions and only sketchy documentation with nothing that specifies how my Henry Hale fits into the Baltimore HAILE family – just that DNA matches indicate that he does.  I welcome your thoughts and any research that you might find about these early HAILE / HALE connections.

- Jane Scribner McCrary

Researching the Dickinson Family Home

Nathaniel Dickinson of New London was a mariner who died at sea in 1797 leaving his estate to his widow, Elisabeth, mother of their 6 small children.  My 4^th great grandparents, Nathaniel & Elisabeth Bill Dickinson lived in New London, Connecticut in the second half of the 1700’s.   In researching the lives of Nathaniel & Elisabeth, I discovered a couple of mentions about their home which led me to try and determine more about their property including specifically where it was located. 

The 1797 probate paperwork completed after the death of Capt Nathaniel Dickinson at sea directed that their present New London family home and possessions would be left to his widow, Elisabeth Bill Dickinson after all outstanding bills were settled.  The last page of the probate inventory for Nathaniel Dickinson’s estate mentions a "Mansion House & lot with a small Old Shop standing thereon situate on the Main Street north of the Bank".  The property was valued at 250 British pounds in the estate. 

There was also a mortgage loan on the home payable to William Stewart that was dated in 1794 for slightly more than 27 British pounds.  The note was paid off when Nathaniel Dickinson’s estate was probated in 1801.  The mortgage statement at the time shows that interim payments had mostly just covered the loan interest. 

One might assume that the home was either built or purchased by Nathaniel Dickinson in 1794, however the original loan amount was only slightly more than 10% of the value of the home.  Maybe the Dickinson home was built in 1794, but it could also have been built earlier and just used as collateral for the 1794 loan.  I wonder why the mortgage was not a bank loan but a loan from an individual; remember that the bank was right next door.  Maybe the mortgage note was actually a business loan for Nathaniel and the home was simply used for collateral.  In addition to being a seaman himself, Nathaniel also did business putting together crews and supplying ships in New London.    

It appears that Elisabeth lived in the Dickinson home for many more years after the death of Nathaniel.  I don’t have any record of Elisabeth’s death, however, I do know that the home was listed for rent in 1819, so she could have died prior to that event or possibly moved in with a family member.

When the Dickinson home was advertised “To Let” in 1819, it was described as “The Dwelling House lately occupied by Elizabeth Dickinson, situated on Main street, near New-London Bank, now under repairs …”

According to letters and notes that were written by Nathaniel & Elisabeth’s son, Capt David Bill Dickinson, he arranged for his brother-in-law, Benjamin Brown, to manage the property.  Benjamin Brown was a well-known businessman in New London; and David Bill Dickinson resided in Baltimore, Maryland spending much time at sea as a merchant ship’s captain.

Since both references to the Dickinson home describe that it was located on Main Street and near the New London Bank, I began to try and figure out the specific location in New London, and see if I could learn more about the home.  First I looked for an early map of New London, and the earliest that I found online was an 1876 chromolithograph map referred to as a “Bird’s-eye view of New London”.  1876, of course, was more than 50 years after Elisabeth moved out of the home.  I wasn’t even sure if the home would still be standing – but it looks to me like it was still there at that time.    

This 1876 pictorial map shows drawn detail for many of the buildings and also had a legend numbering system to denote the names and location for some of the significant commercial buildings.  The map legend noted seven different banks or financial institutions in New London at the time. 

Only one of the banks noted on the map is located on Main Street.  This location was near both the center of the city and also only 3 blocks from the dock area.  According to the map legend, and noted as building 27, the property on Main Street across from the intersection of Main and Masonic is the Savings Bank of New London.  And just to the right of the Bank (which would be north of the Bank as noted in the probate inventory mentioned above) is very possibly the Dickinson home with the small shop in the back. 

We know that Nathaniel was not only a seaman; he also had a shop and business providing goods and services for the ships that sailed from the area. You can tell from his estate inventory and settlement that it was an ongoing business. The lot circled above appears to run from Main Street all the way through to Bradley Street with possibly a 3-story home, an addition, and a small back building that could well be Nathaniel’s shop.  If so, then the Dickinson home stood for 50+ more years until this map was created after Elisabeth moved out in 1819.

Today, when looking at Google Maps, I find that several of the New London street names have changed:  Main Street is now called Eugene O’Neill Drive, and John Street and Bradley Street are now known as Atlantic Street.  But you can see that Masonic Street, State Street and Water Street are all still the same configuration as on the 1876 pictorial map.  As expected, the Dickinson family home no longer stands, and has probably been gone for quite some time.

 

 

I believe that the property where the Dickinson home was located is very likely now part of the parcel where The Savings Bank of New London now sits at 63 Eugene O’Neill Drive; or the adjacent property at the address of 75 Eugene O’Neill Drive where there is now a modern building.

Next, I tried to find out more on the Savings Bank of New London building.  I found information that the Savings Bank building of today was supposedly built in 1852, and expanded with two wings in 1890.  And I am guessing the north wing of the Bank now stands on the former Dickinson home property.  By 1905, the building was completely enclosed by a new structure designed by the New London architect Dudley Saint Clair Donnelly.  

The Savings Bank of New London was incorporated in 1827.   So, it could have been a different bank at that location prior to 1827, or it is possible that it was the same bank but just it wasn’t incorporated until 1827.  Banks often move into locations where previous banks were located because the building typically has at least one large vault or safe.

The Savings Bank of New London failed in 1993 in the wake of a real estate bust when it was shut down by regulators.  The bank was then sold to Citizens Financial Group and operated as Citizens Bank for the next 15 years.  Citizens sold the building, and in 2019 moved their operation to a new facility.  I don’t know if the building is presently occupied, but it is considered a New London landmark building.  It is currently listed for almost $3 million and looks quite lovely inside https://www.uspropre.com/property/63-eugene-oneill-drive-new-london-ct-06320/

I found a small booklet that was printed in 1977 on the 150^th anniversary of the Savings Bank of New London and it had an early photo of the bank, date unknown but after the two wings were added in 1890. 

When I compare this corner of the street to the 1876 map image, it looks to me like the Dickinson home probably came down by the time that the Bank added the wing expansions in 1890.  If that is the case, then the two remaining buildings that are on the far left of the old photo would be in the location of the two buildings on the north side of the Dickinson home in the 1876 pictorial map.  There is a modern office building presently at that location on the corner just north of the Bank building.

*  *  *  *  *

 

Key Individuals:

 

Nathaniel Dickinson (1749 – 1797)

Elisabeth Bill (~1760 – ~1818)

David Bill Dickinson (1787 – 1846)

           

Notes:

Several years ago I sent a letter to the New London City Hall, Land Records Department asking if there might be any deed information on the old Dickinson home or property.  I realize that this was a long shot since it has been over 200 years, and even the street and address names have changed.  The response indicated that there “might” be records, that office staff didn’t perform searches, and that I would need to hire a surveyor or landman to come in and search the old record files.  I tried to contact a person that they recommended, but he couldn’t do it because COVID had shut down visitors to the Land Records Department.  And after COVID lifted, that person no longer responded to my emails.

More recently, I sent an inquiry to the company that presently owns the bank property which now includes the adjacent property to the north as well, but still haven’t had any reply from them.

Maybe one day… as I would love to see copies of the original deed for the Dickinson home, if the paperwork still exists.  I wish I would have figured this all out when our daughter lived in that neck of the woods, and I could have looked into it then!

 – Jane Scribner McCrary