Clarissa & Robert

WRITTEN BY Patricia Perry MacLean

Belfast’s first settlers arrived by sea, they were a colony that originally came from a company of Scots whom ancestors pulled up roots in the early 17^th century, enticed to northern Ireland by an offer of land from King James I, the English way of prevailing over the upstart Irish. But the Scotch and the Irish shared neither culture nor language kinship nor religion. Both groups were known for their fierce loyalty and volatile tempers this company of Scots “experienced many embarrassments “ in Ireland and fed up, 100 of them came to Boston with their families in the autumn of 1718, in search once again of a place to call home. The following year 16 of these men who still had not found a hospitable place to settle, found their way to Londonderry; N.H. then in the wilderness; there they thrived, but 50 years later about 30 of their numbers left to found the city of Belfast Arriving in what would be come Belfast Harbor. On a Sunday afternoon 1770 most of the settlers came ashore on the west side of the Passagassawakeag River somewhere below the present Union St. They brought with them common sympathies customs and etiquette; they were an independent minded lot. Boisterous, bullheaded and often contrary; with one another’ the community thrived. A vigorous cross-grained commonweal was the legacy these 30 settlers gave to the community that followed them. In the year 1775 to 83 America fight for independence from England; 1775 Mainers capture the English ship Margarette at Machias in the first sea battle of the Revolutionary War; by 1783 The United States wins its independence from England, and 1820 Maine becomes the twenty-third state. On March 15^th; and in the year 1853 Belfast Maine became incorporated. In 1900, Belfast was the third largest shipbuilding center in the state of Maine, behind Bath and Waldoboro. The Bangor –to- Boston paddle steamers made six stops a week in Belfast by 1882, By1888 the huge lower Steamboat wharf, or Sanfords at the foot of Commercial Street, had been built, allowing spaces even for large oceangoing steamships to dock and turn around. In 1901 Charles Wyman Morse, a wealthy Bath ice magnate, consolidated the three major coastal steamer lines running east from Boston into the Eastern Steamship Lines, and Belfast was established as a major center of commerce on the west side of Penobscot Bay. Also want to tell you about something very special happening in Belfast in the year 1900, when I read about it, it was titled “Hussey’s Historic Ride” Shortly before nine o’clock on the morning of July 25, 1900 Waterville attorney Charles W. Hussey lights the boiler of his new steam-powered automobile manufactured by the J.W. Skene Cycle Company of Lewiston, Maine, leaving Waterville, has chosen to drive to Belfast, he has taken the stage trail through Fairfield stopping briefly to visit his family in Albion and thence to Freedom, the steep rutted hill in Knox gives him little trouble for the weather has been dry lately, Rumbling on to Morrill, there he encounters local traffic he pulls over to help hold the reins of the passing horse, frightened by the noise and the steam. Runaways are a danger, and he doesn’t want to be the cause of a disaster. On to Poor’s Mills and from there downhill, turning left onto Belmont Avenue, where my mother and I were born on a dairy farm in Belfast, then on past the trotting park and shortly before noon, two hours and fifty minutes after, leaving Waterville. Mr. Hussey sputters to the crest on Main Street, over looking the city of Belfast. He will be the first to arrive in the city by auto. But in the month of June1909 the newly christened steamer Belfast sailed down from Bath, on her maiden voyage, the 320 foot triple – screw steamship was the last; the biggest and in many ways, the greatest of the Eastern Steamship Company’s “ Great White Flyers” Any city would be honored to share her name. She and her slightly smaller sister The Camden; replaced the side-paddle steamers in use until that time. For the next 26 years, except for a brief lull, “ The Twins “ provided overnight steam service between Penobscot Bay and Boston departing Belfast at dinner time, tables set and lights lit. Her grandeur reflected a community that was handsome, prosperous and busy. For years the Belfast and the B & ML” Bangor and Moosehead Lake” Railroad provided connections to the world, that were direct and accommodating, than any city would know for the next century. The train and the ship were products of the modern industrial age, as they were still using stagecoach service in a regular schedule, into the countries interior. Belfast was well connected to the first third of the century. A national movement took place in Belfast by 1910, there were literally thousands of municipal reforms and community improvements carried out by women’s clubs across the country, in education, public health, recreation, housing, social service, race relations correctional institutions and public safety. Belfast was in the forefront of this movement. Although small, Belfast was an industrial city and had problems in common with larger urban centers. Its direct steamship links with cosmopolitan centers such as Boston and Portland brought new ideas to the community wealth from 19^th century shipbuilding had allowed a century to flourish. In the year 1911, January 31^st.my mother Clarissa was born, Clarissa was in her natural house when she was born January 31, 1911 which means, Aquarius is ruled by Uranus and her moon is Saturn “ In the spring, when woods are getting green. I’ll try and tell you what I mean. In summer, when the days are long Perhaps you’ll understand the song. For this must ever be. A secret, Kept from all the rest, between yourself and me.” Her mind and body must both be as free as the wind. To try to pin down the Aquarian is to try to stabilize the butterfly, to stuff a spring breeze into a closet or confine a winter gale in a bottle. Though she is so far ahead of her time The magnetic majesty of eight bolts of brilliant lightning reflected in the Aquarian sapphire, can split open her secrets for those who seek to know her but for an instant, can see into her lonely heart. Aquarius belongs to mankind. She represents its truest hopes and deepest ideals. In a large country home on Belmont Avenue, on a route that would take you to central Maine and to the state capital, Augusta. The dairy farm “her parents and grandparents owned,” was 2 miles out from the post office square in Belfast. Clarissa was so small when she was born, at 41/2 pounds. I remember her telling me that they put her in a small box filled with soft cloth and laid it behind the wood stove to keep her warm, on that very cold night in January. In the year 1904 a Belfast hospital opened its doors to patients, by 1910; Elizabeth Barnes and her family gave Waldo County Hospital five hundred dollars allowing another floor to be added to the maternity annex but still a great number of women still would have their babies born at home. There on the dairy farm my mother thrived and grew just fine with four adults watching and caring for her, Clarissa never did have a sibling to share this big

farm with, for her beautiful Mother Eva Abbey Harriman died at 27 years with the decease called tuberculosis, when Clarissa was only four years old. The animals on the farm became her friends, she had a pony at a very early age, and then a horse, she often spoke of her horse “white beauty” telling how she played with him, she learned to do tricks on his back when he was moving, she would stand on his rump and hold the reins with him trotting. She had different wagons he would pull and I remember a ride in a sleigh with white beauty she used in the winter. Clarissa was raised in a very strict manner, and her grandmother Annie was now her mother, and she was very particular who Clarissa was allowed, to associate with and who she could see after school and in the summer months, it was hard to be so isolated and alone with no friends or relatives to play with, because of this, it made her life very lonely and subdued. She promised herself when she grew up she would have a large family and she did fulfill that dream for she had seven sons and two daughters. But that is getting far ahead of the story of Clarissa & Robert. Clarissa started school in the Common school on Church Street between Spring Street and Miller Street in the fall of 1916, the grammar school was built in 1827; it was removed in 1922, to make way for a very badly needed new high school. The year 1919 Women achieved the right to vote, and there were six major church congregations in Belfast The North Congregational church had the largest attendance, with 250 members. The Universal Church with 193 members. The Methodist had 153, The Baptist Society 120. Unitarians at the First Parish Church numbered 75. St. Francis of Assisi Catholic 100. In the fall of the year 1921 is when Clarissa was transferred into the elementary Pierce school, and was now in the Fifth grade; her teachers name was Miss Coombs, In October of 1921 of that year mother became very ill, they called a Dr. to the farm house and an emergency appendectomy was done on Clarissa on the kitchen table, her life was saved but it was going to take a while before she would be up about and back to school, they were so concerned about her recovery that they called in a health nurse to come and live in, and during her recovery period, a letter was written to her; from her teacher Miss Coombs, which I found in my mothers memoirs, it was dated November 3,1921 this probably was two to three weeks after her surgery guessing from how sick she was, and it read My dear Clarissa: Your dear little letter came while I was in Portland, and I was just delighted to hear from you, also that you are gaining so rapidly. The girls got your letters today. Susan brought them in to me and I gave them out as soon as the children came. They were just as happy as you can imagine with them and all thought you had good courage to write so many. Of course, some of the boys were disappointed, but I told them theirs were coming later, so they felt better. All of the girls let me read their letters and I thought them very interesting. (More interesting than mine will be.) Of coarse, you have heard of the sadness in the school by now. Miss Sargent , the teacher at the Pierce school died in Portland , while attending convention. The flag is half mast and we have taken a collection for flowers in all, Common school $11.39 At the Pierce school, we got $20.00 among the children, school closes at noon tomorrow. We all feel very sad, did you ever have Miss Sargent for a teacher? I would like so much to come out and see you but it seems a long walk from my home and I really have not the courage to start out. I would love to see you, as I miss you so much in school I think of you every day and night and inquire for you from Susan. The reason for my not calling on the phone is because it is such a bother for people to answer when there is illness in the home. Well Dearie, be a good girl and write me again if you feel able. I always remain your loving teacher. Miss Coombs Now I remember; Mother telling me, about her father and grandparents had to hire a nurse full time to come and stay at their home and care for her, until she was fully recovered. And a romance occurred between Clair and Olive; Clair had been a widower; for six years and Olive a young women who had her nursing training and was now out working with patients in her private practice, had met, and was now living daily in the same farm house; as she was caring for my mother in this healing phase. Olive stayed with my mother for three months, and became pregnant with Clair’s child, and of course falling in love, Clair wanted to marry Olive; and have their baby, and continue to have a family and live his life their on the farm along side his parents, for there were two separate apartments in the large farmhouse. But for some un known reason Mother said; that her grandparents disapproved, and after the time needed for her nursing she returned to her home town Millinockett, Maine; where at some time later on, in Clarissa’s life she got back in touch with Olive and they stayed in touch for many years, and Clair was never married again after Eva passed away, but you see Mother had a half brother named William, who was killed in the second world war in 1941 and William was only 20 years old. I found a letter that Olive had written to her regarding a trip, my mother and father were planning on taking up to Millinocket, to visit with Olive and William and it was addressed in the year 1935, and William would have been about 14 years old. My mother named one of her 7 sons after her brother, and we all called him Billy, and the letter read. Millinocket Me. Sept. 11, 1935 Dear Clarissa, Your letter came this morning and I’m answering right away, to tell you how happy I am that you really want to come and see me, I’m not making any apologies for things but if you can take things as they are, you and Bob and the babies are more than welcome. I am working at the store and have to have a housekeeper and everything looks and is so different than I like them, but it can’t be helped and I hope you will understand. It will be just wonderful to see you and we will have so much to talk over. I can hardly wait and will be expecting you sometime Sat. If you are coming by car do drive carefully there have been so many terrible accidents. Not knowing just when you will arrive I shall probably be at the store, which will not be hard to find, on the right side of Main St. about in center of town, and I’ll probably have my face in the window, watching every car. What a lovely name your baby has, hope you are planning to bring them. (Hope your Dad is well.) Must leave you now, and looking forward to seeing you soon. Love, Olive. In the spring of 1923 when Clarissa was in her six grade year of school, it was reported in (The History of Belfast in the 20^th Century) that the building of Crosby High School in 1923-24, was Belfast’s crowning achievement of the third century, though needed for more then 50 years and delayed for both political and economic reasons, the imposing building re-established Belfast’s place among the more progressive communities in Maine. Also reported at this time, RCA opens an experimental station on Congress Street for sending and receiving radio signals to and from Europe, and The Business and Proffessional Women’s club is founded. In the fall of 1924 Governor Baxter dedicates the new Crosby High School, at the site of the old school Common. And in London England, Senatore Guglielmo Marconi presses a button that sends a signal, from Carnarvon, Wales, to the RCA station in Belfast, Maine. The signal relayed to New York City, lights a huge American flag, triggering the opening of the National Radio Show at the Grand Central Palace. The Opera House was the setting for choral programs, plays, romances, boxing matches and light operas, like the “Pinafore.” Director Elbridge Pitcher and his wife Emma had dedicated themselves to the

Pinafore production, but to music education, in all spheres. Their contribution combined with those of their daughter, Gladys; spanned more than a century of musical life in Belfast. Elbridge moved from Waldoboro to Belfast and he made a living building and repairing pianos, but most of all he was a facile teacher and talented musician. He participated in countless community musical endeavors including plays, concerts, band recitals and impromptu sing-a-longs in their summer home at the battery. Another talented man that made a summer home in the Battery was Ben Ames Williams, it was written that he fell in love with the battery, he was famous because he authored 40 books, hundreds of short stories, many of them prize winning, edited three volumes, Williams best-known work is Come Spring, a historical novel about the settlers of the St.Georges River in Revolutionary War times. And “Leave her to Heaven” which was made into a movie, in Hollywood in the year 1942. Ben Ames Williams was a big man; who loved to hunt, fish and curl. His year round home was a lovely farm named Hardscrabble Hill out to the village of Searsmont, between Belfast and Appleton where he had a studio in the large barn, and living in that area also gave my grandparents The Perry’s from Appleton a chance to get a acquainted with him, I began to notice that the Battery was a place where people of money and talent had made, their summer homes, about a mile or so out of the town of Belfast, sitting on the banks, over looking the Belfast Bay, Now this is where my mother spoke of how she took voice lessons at the Battery, she spoke of it as summer homes or cottages and this is where a Dr. Barnes spent his summers, being from New York City, gave piano lessons, Mother spoke of the Battery many times to me, so being very curious of where it got its name, I had to do some research to find why they called this area The Battery, so I found the location of the Belfast Historical society and was printed out four pages of information, upon asking about the Battery Area, seeing how; for as far back in the Belfast history that I had been reading about, it seemed to be a residence of summer homes; and the answer to my question was: Battery means, where they kept five guns and ammunition to protect the city of Belfast , during the Civil War in the years 1863, 1864, 1865. Adjutant –general’s report: The following is a statement of ordnance and ordnance stores issued for the Guards 200 friction primers, 1 box fixed ammunition, 50 Windsor rifles bayonets, 500 rifle ball cartridges, 500 percussion caps, 3 packing-boxes, 800rifle-cartridges, 10 6-pound canister shot, 25 6-pound cartridge. Well-founded rumors of piratical craft being seen along the coast of Maine, and the capture, on the 26^th of June, of the revenue cutter “Caleb Cushing,” in Portland Harbor, by the rebels, rendered the best possible military preparations for defending the municipal towns. Two pieces of artillery were sent here from the state arsenal at Augusta and were kept constantly shooted, in readiness for any hostile demonstration that might be made. Companies of volunteer militia, composed men over forty-five years of age, denominated “Coast Guards,” were authorized. Such an organization, numbering one hundred members was formed in Belfast in July of 1863 and supplied with arms. On July 25^th, Captain Thomas L. Gurney, of the regular army, arrived at Belfast to make arrangements for the purpose. He selected sites for two batteries, one the eastern shore, opposite Steele’s Ledge, and the other on land about a mile below the city. Work was immediately commenced by Axel Hayford, the contractor, under the superintendence of Mr. Francis E. Appleton, of the United States Engineer Corps. Both works were completed in the following November. They were constructed with two faces and one salient angle, the principal fronts facing the bay, and the others in range of the city. The length of each battery was one hundred and fifty feet. The parapets, or ramparts, were eight feet high, eighteen feet wide on the top, and twenty-eight at the base. Earth and stone pounded into a solid mass constituted the materials, and the whole was covered with turf. Five guns were mounted on each work, -three thirty-two-pound casemates, and two en barbette, all rifled, and having a range of two or three miles. About forty feet in the rear of the parapets were located the magazine, built in a pyramidal form, of logs, earth, and stone, with walls and top ten feet thick, and designed to be bomb and ball proof. Wooden barracks, one story in height was provided for officers and men. The appearance of these batteries was decidedly warlike, and under their crossfire they were supposed to fully protect the harbor against any vessels except monitors. The national thanksgiving, appointed on the 6^th of August 1865 by President Lincoln, for recent effective victories both on land and sea, was duly observed at Belfast. After the surrender of Lee, the draft for district was suspended by orders from the war department. Early in May, the military supplies remaining here were removed, and most of the clerks and attaches’ of the provost -marshal’s office discharged. The office was not finally closed until November 2. Company A, Coast Guards, Captain Charles Baker, which was organized here, in March; 1864, and had been on duty at Fort Washington, returned here on the 27^th of May. Company F, stationed at the batteries, was mustered out of service July 7. A squad of eight men, four on each side of the river, was detained to guard the government property. In December, the guns were removed to Fort Knox, and the batteries dismantled. Description in the “Progressive Age” One of the barracks at the eastern battery was burnt on the evening of April 11, 1870. At some time in History the city must of sold off the land at the western shore and it started to develop the summer homes for people that could afford shore property in the Penobscot Bay and that amount of acreage, the name; remained the same, The Battery. Clarissa enters Crosby High School, the fall of 1925 many of the Belfast streets are tarred, that fall. Maine Central Railroad tells the city it will not renew its lease on the city-owned Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad. The city decides to manage the railroad alone. The Belfast Rotary Club holds its first meeting and elects Lynwood Thompson to be its first president. Clarissa is growing up in a city that has ambitious goals, citizens setting standards, seeking out every job possibility to make a city work and grow for people, to become successful and stay on into another generation and live in this beautiful place snuggled in tight, in the Belfast Bay. Clarissa has been attending the Methodist Church, and singing in their choir and in the fall of the year 1926 Clarissa entered the sophomore year of Crosby High School, now her life has picked up a different pace then she had ever none, for many reasons, like her voice is beginning to bring on more activities, she is getting recognition for this lovely voice that she has; and can use in church choirs, the school choral society, and at any time the Opera House would put on a play or a Minstrel Show, Clarissa seized the opportunity to participate in musical performance where she would get a chance to perform. In the spring of the year 1926 Bert Stevens has a 67-page story in National Geographic, “Exploring the Valley of the Amazon in a Hydroplane.” George Darby’s ice cream store installs the only soda fountain in Maine. The Opera House opened its doors, for roller skating, in the fall of the year and Clarissa talked her family into allowing her to participate in this exciting new sport and she could meet with some of her in-town friends, at least once a week. Her father would take her down by horse and buggy, there were; automobiles in Belfast but very few and if her friend Ruth Simmons got a chance to

go on the same evening, they would get a ride home together, for Ruth lived out 31/2 miles from Post Office Square. Ruth’s parents at this time had an automobile. Clarissa’s junior year at Crosby 1927 & 28 is the year that she heard about a Dr. Barns in the battery, gave piano lessons, she had none that a Mrs. Emma Pitcher that lived in the battery was the first to introduce music into the public schools of Maine and the supervisor of music, for the Belfast public schools; a high office for a women to hold and had devoted her life to the teaching of music. She was inquiring at school, that she would like to start piano lessons because she had a piano at home, and played it by ear. Clarissa wanted to learn the notes so she could play along and sing at her own pleasure. So she was told that a Dr. Bares down at the battery came in the spring of the year and stayed late fall, before returning to his home in New York City. So Clarissa told her Grandmother Annie about this, and explained; how she would love to study the piano. So plans were made with Dr. Barns for Annie, had raised Mother in a very strict manner and only wanted the very best for her, especially where she seemed so talented in music, and this is where Clarissa started her music career. In the winter of 1928 Clarissa’s grandmother passed away, leaving Clarissa the only women to help with the big dairy farm. It was a hard life for a girl, in high school; she loved her Papa, (she called him) and her grandfather, she had lots to do after school and they help her with her animals for her grampa Charles had been a blacksmith, and had his blacksmith shop on Washington Street before they had bought the dairy farm and had a milk route every day. So her grandfather kept her white horse Beauty in great shape and shod, they also had a large pair of work horse’s that were used at different reasons, like in the summer Clair would have them haul a large hay wagon, and hay the fields for the cows and horses to use all winter, they also had to haul wood out of the forest with the team which were named, Mack and General, to keep the farm house warm for the winter. Of coarse there were many other chores, the workhorses did, but these were reasons enough to keep a pair of horses of this size. The milk room was on the end of the ell shape of the house where they had a kitchen, from the milk room, you would enter into a shed area before the big tie up, for the 100 head of cows they would milk every day, and they could use one or both of the large black horses to run their milk route daily. I remember mother telling that she worked in the milk room, of coarse; she would have to take over some of her grandmothers daily routine, she told me her father taught her to make buttermilk biscuits, and in return she taught me how to make them. Clair also taught her to make pie crust, but Clarissa learned a lot around the farm house from her grandmother and she had to put it to full use daily; for she was the only women on the dairy farm now. In this year 1929 was the year the stock market crashed, it happened so fast, that it took people by surprise, the Republican Journal writes, Not a crash but a stock market “episode” is mentioned in passing, but it took its toll, and Belfast hunkered down, people needed success, but my mother talked, about how hard it was, for when the stock market fell, people across the country that had their savings in the bank lost it all, and of coarse her family saved, and had it in the bank therefore; it was gone, this was the beginning of the hard years ahead of them. Clarissa’s senior year of school came very fast with all there was to do, practicing piano daily, requests for her to sing at weddings, even the Presbyterian church in Belfast would call and ask her to sing at a special occasion they might have, and would pay her, now she began to earn money with her talent, as her senior year progressed, she had many decisions that had to be made; she had a boy friend and his name was Charloner, and his parents wanted her to start college in Washington DC with Charloner, she wanted to go to a college that she could study her music, but it was hard to think of leaving her father and grandfather with out her help there, with so much to do every day, so as the time approach her graduating from high school, she had decided, to spend another year with them before going off to a music college far away, Charloner was very disappointed but this is what he had to do, so they went their separate ways, In Clarissa’s memoirs I found her graduating program, and it read on the front cover Graduation Exercises of the class of 1929 William G. Crosby High School Belfast Maine High School Auditorium Wednesday, in opening it up, to the Program No. 6 read; Vocal Solos: “ Call Me Back” & “Good- By” Clarissa Dora Harriman, on the following page was the list of the graduates which were 74, on the back page was the Class Ode: I was pretty excited to of found this document, showing proof that Clarissa was using her voice, at her high school graduation. The fall of 1929, Clarissa wanted to further her education, and found that you could go back to school and study a post- graduate coarse and you could stay in high school one extra year. So she figured another year I will be able to leave my father there on the dairy farm with her grandfather alone with out any women in their lives. There were lots of different subjects and classes she could study and prepare her self for, in order to further her education, and of coarse she certainly had the time; for she wasn’t very serious about Chaloner, she really like him for a friend, and they intended to stay in touch and write one another. Of coarse there is something going on constantly in Clarissa life at this time, she is being asked to sing solo at many functions, on March 7^th 1930 she sings solo of a cantata before chorus, April 8^th try out tonight at Bangor to sing on the radio, at school function April 1, sang solo, these are all recorded in her diary that was given to her on her 19^th birthday. On April 7^th Clarissa writes, got on the honor roll, have all year so far. April 10^th she recorded that she went to Bangor with Mr.& Mrs. Smith and sang on the radio from WLBZ radio station. The Song, “Oh Danny Boy,” and said received many compliments for radio singing. Also recorded May 13^th 1930 Mr. Chapman and I went to Bangor, and I sang on the radio at the Atelier for the Kent Radio Contest. In the year, Clarissa was born 1911 the telephone was a necessity, so the dairy farm being a business, had to have a phone so in the spring of 1930, Ruth called Clarissa on the old black wooden crank telephone, Ruth’s mother was a nurse at the old Waldo County Hospital, of coarse she had to have a telephone also, so the two friends were able to stay up to date, on the goings on; with their daily lives and Ruth told Clarissa she had met a guy named Norman Perry at the fire- mans ball out to Searsmont on Saturday night and Clarissa told her that she had Beauty out for a sleigh ride in the afternoon after school also mentioned that Mrs. Nickerson asked her to form a company with her and Ellen Fernald. So Clarissa took Louise Nickerson in the sleigh and rode over to Ellen Fernald’s and talked over the matter. Also feeling that a music company at this time was a bit much for her, perhaps when she has completed her school year and freed up some of her time. She went on to tell Ruth that when she had last seen Dr. Barnes for her piano lesson, before he had left to go back to New York for the winter, that he had told Mother that one of his close friends was a Dr. Walter Damrosch a conductor, hosted NBC’s popular “ Music Appreciation Hour,” on the radio from 1927, was planning a summer vacation at the battery the following summer and when he would return that, Dr. Barnes asked Clarissa if she would sing for him, for he could see that Clarissa had an extraordinary voice and wanted another opinion .So now in the spring of 1930 this was

on her mind for it soon would be time for the Barnes to return to their summer home, and for her to resume her piano lessons. In her diary on May 22, Clarissa wrote, performed in a musical this evening, and sang “When the Heart is Young”, and Alla Stella Confidente with cello accompaniment. Dad and Grampa were there. On May 23, 1930 Mother writes of driving a car and getting it stuck in the mud in Montville, and June 4^th today I went to graduation, and also spoke of going to Bangor to pick up a new blue dress for the ball. Clarissa had made the honor roll all this Post Graduate Year. July 5, 1930, Saw Dr. Barnes and his family and was told that Dr. Walter Damrosch was here for the summer and wanted Clarissa to sing for him and made the appointment for July 7^th, at the Battery, mother wrote in her diary that she rode her horse white beauty to start music school and was very excited about singing for Dr. Damrosch, his report to her, was that she had an exceptional beautiful voice and a complete range in the music scale that he could make her one of the greatest opera singers in our country. Now Clarissa is on her way. She could have a complete career in the music world if she wanted it .A lot of decisions have to be made. And soon, is about to meet Robert Perry. About 2 million years ago the Ice Age had begun, and the state of Maine was covered by glaciers. Much of Maine’s coastland sank under their weight. Some hilltops became offshore islands. Glaciers also scooped out holes in the ground. As the glaciers melted, these holes filled with water. They became lakes. This was written in the Sea to shining Sea book authored by Dennis Brindell Fradin. This was the introduction, I needed to begin my story about Appleton, where Robert was born, for it explains how the Mountain range starts at the edge of the Atlantic ocean in Camden and was named, Mt. Battie, the Mountains form a wonderment landscape, People come from all over the world to see this area, Mt. Battie rolls on the right into Mt. Megunticook, here lies a beautiful Maine lake, where people have cottages and year round homes, the water is so clear and blue that with swimmers and sail boats, it’s a perfect picturesque post card. On the left of this, is Bald Mountain. Still on the right side of the rolling hills, Moody Mountain comes up in the town of North Hope, and North Appleton, where coming off Bald Mtn head straight towards the Hatchet Mountain and rolling up beside the Town of Hope, into Philbrick Mountain and Simmons Hill, this makes up the Appleton’s East ridge. Appleton is the northernmost town, in Knox County. It is about 15 miles inland from Penobscot Bay and coastal towns such as Camden and

Rockland about 30 miles, east of the state capital of Augusta and 60 miles southeast of Bangor. Appleton is a small part of the area, granted under the Muscongus Patent on March 2, 1630. A few early explorers came up from the trading posts at Thomaston and Warren and in the 1700’s forest surveyors scouted the area for masts for the British Navy. Actual settlement did not occur until the beginning of the Revolutionary War, about 1775-1776. The eastern part of the general region was settled by people coming in from the coastal area of Camden and became known as Barrett’s or Barrettstown after the largest owner. Later this was named Hope. The western region became known as Appleton Plantation. The source of the name, Jose Appleton was one of the original twenty associates and the ancestor of many later Appleton’s. The eastern border of the plantation was halfway up the east side of Appleton Ridge, between the St. George River and the Ridge Road. Appleton was incorporated as the 283^rd town in Maine on January 28,1829 Later families in the St. George River valley petitioned the Legislature, to have their section annexed to Appleton from Hope. This included settlements at McLain Mills with many businesses of that day flourishing The Georges Canal built in 1845 to 1848 from Thomaston to Searsmont, carried products to market during its few years of operation. The lumber boom in Maine brought the highest population of 1,727 in 1850. During this productive period there were sawmills, planning, shingle, stave and heading mills, cooper shops making barrels for coastal lime, fish and local apples, a gristmill, a carriage maker, tannery, mines, blacksmiths, a hotel, and many other merchants. Agriculture in the form of truck gardens, strawberry farms, dairies, cattle and pig farms and orchards, was carried on in all parts of town. The Union Church built in 1848, was constructed for all denominations except for the Baptist, (which had there own church,) in order to build it, people had to donate money and in return; you would get your name put on a pew. So in the Union Meeting House, which it is called; as of today, there is a Pew with the name Perry engraved in a brass plaque. “The meeting house,” is owned by the Appleton Historical Society today, but it has served Quakers and Congregationalst and during the 1930’s the Pentecostals for a while. It now is used for musical programs a funeral and or a wedding now and then. It is a large church and looks the same as when it was new. It has colored glass windows a large balcony, and a white steeple that has been the first sight to greet the eyes as homecoming natives neared their destination. On the East Ridge on a country road called Gurney Town Road, is where Robert Edward Perry was born, on September 10^th 1909, at the base of Moody Mountain at Grandfather Grahams farm, my grandmother Hazel Graham Perry and grandfather Perley, named my father after the Engineer Robert E. Peary, he was the first man to reach the North Pole, on April 6, 1909, so at that time the U.S. N. placed him on the retired list of the Navy, with the rank of Rear Admiral, the ship The Roosevelt, that took him to reach the north pole was built on Verona Island right here in the state, In 1904-05 the company called Dix of New York, began building ships for the artic. The man that designed her, Charles Dix was not only a ship builder, but; a seaman himself, an artic traveler who knew what a vessel should have in order to survive in the ice. He gathered his material from as far as the Rio Grande. The keel was constructed of an oak wood, which had been soaked in ocean water for 25 years at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was covered with steel braced trussed and bolted to the utmost. Her sides were about three feet thick. She had five watertight bulkheads and a deep well that was so, a sea diver, could go down and make repairs. The theory was that she would rise under pressure and not cave in. The Roosevelt was the last ship built at Verona Island. Robert being born on September 10, made him a Virgo, A fresh breeze blows through the dream of a Virgo, sweeping it free of wisps of wild, inaccurate fancies. Once he’s learned to master them, he can shape his own destiny with more certainty than any other Sun sign. The wistful smile of Virgo hides a secret or two. Both the

quicksilver of Mercury and the distant thunder of Vulcan run through his quiet blood. Underneath his serious manner lies the alluring aura of the Virgin-purity of thought and purpose, symbolized by the Virgo hyacinth. Robert was the oldest of three children born to Pearl and Hazel, and my uncle Norman was their second child, and then a girl, they named Marie. Robert was a beautiful baby and remained very handsome, all his life, like Clarissa he also was born with talent, not necessarily; the kind that you could use for a career, like; my mother had, but the kind that entertained and filled in areas that are fun and positive, In this story you will learn all about them. Appleton Ridge rises along the center of town, about 300 feet above the average level of the village section, with the highest elevation behind the Pitman Farm 652 feet above sea level. The St. George River extends through the eastern part of town, flowing into Sennebec Pond. Pettengill Stream drains the area west of Appleton Ridge and east of Guinea Ridge, which has its highest elevation of 460 feet just north of Proctors Corner. The Medomak River has its headwaters in the western part of town. There are numerous other ponds and streams throughout the town. The many rock walls indicate the original condition of the soil. The once-cut forests are returning in large stands of pine, spruce, hemlock, birch, oak and maple. Pearl Perry had a small farm that he worked and made his living that took care of his family, he raised strawberries in the summer months when they were in season, they were harvest by the women and they received (1) cent a quart, and he also raised produce of all kinds, and then, this was all put in crates, that could be shipped by train; out of the town of Union, to Thomaston, then off to Boston, to be sold at Nathanael Hall Market, on this little short train as Robert, would refer to it as being; they would carry the milk and cream containers, in an ice car, to Boston, to sell on a daily basis to the Boston area. The Pearl Perry family were moved from the East ridge, to the West ridge of Appleton, in the year 1914, when he reminisced about this move, he spoke of, how they transported their house hold belongings by horse and wagon and made many trips, as Robert told his story of the big move from one ridge to the other ridge, he remembered of a large eagle that circled over there heads as they traveled along the dirt road through the little village of Appleton and crossing over the bridge of the rushing waters of the St. George River, it seemed to bring back a very fond memory for Robert, he was raised in a loving home, with not only parents, that took such good care and time for him but had a brother and a sister to grow and interact with, he was full of fun and started to show an interest of show business, I have a picture of him, all dressed up in a very outstanding costume that he created him self, when asked about this picture, upon; the first time I saw it, Robert told me a very interesting story about the day his parents took the train, at the depot of the Georges Valley Railroad in Union to Bingham, Maine. He also expressed, that was a little short train. They traveled on a Saturday, to spend the week-end with Hazel’s mother and step father, and this is where Robert said, that they went into an antique shop and while his parents were looking around and shopping, he found a few items and put them over his own cloths, to show his parents, and Hazel had her camera and snapped a picture, of this costume. He had found a large sweater, it looked like it was probably brown, for; you see this is a black and white photo and on the sweater there is a large price tag hanging down, from the neck area. On his hands he has on a pair of large leather gloves, and in one hand is a big dark umbrella, and the other hand he has a very large attache’ case, something that a traveling salesman might use or a doctors kit, but its very large for a seven year old to be using and, too top it off, he has put a very pretty ladies hat on his head with a large feather blowing in the wind, they must of stepped out side, for the picture; for it looks as if its, in the town square, with a water fountain for a background. He also mentioned that his father, bought automobile, a Ford, from Hazel’s mother and step father, and they drove it home on Sunday, and Robert went on to say, and do you know what my father did with that car, when we got home; he drove it into an old building by the barn, shut the doors and nailed them tight, and never took that Ford car out again. Here, in this snapshot, I saw someone who likes to entertain and at a very early age. When Robert lived on the West Ridge of Appleton, on the West Ridge road, his parents would take him by horse and buggy, to the town of Union, in the year 1916 they had a country store to pick up your goods, that you would need to run a house hold and a small farm, this little village, also had a drug store; with an ice cream parlor, and I remember, him telling me that the gentlemen that ran the drug store would always ask you, when you were having a dish or cone, what kind of ice cream do you want, and Robert would say, what kind do you have and the drug store man would always say chocolate. Chocolate was the only kind that he ever carried in his store. Robert found that very amusing. Here in Union they also had a community center, it was called The Old Town House and they would show, silent films on Saturday’s, so Robert was taken to the movie theater at a very young age. On the East ridge when his mother Hazel was a girl, of 12 years old, she had told him; one day she had left her friends home and was walking to her home in a valley, which we can not find the road to that valley, anymore, I guess it grew up with tree’s and shrubbery and the farm is no longer there, but as she was walking in that direction, an Indian came out of the woods and walk behind her, but they did not know of where he came from or where he went. Of coarse there were many Indian tribes that lived through out Maine for thousands of years, The first Mainers were the ancestors, of the American Indian, they picked berries and hunted deer in the woods. They fished in Maine‘s rivers. Later, these Mainers grew corn and beans. By the 1400s, several Algonquian Indian tribes lived in Maine. Place names show where they lived. The Passamaquoddy Indians lived around Passamaquoddy Bay. The Penobscot and Kennebec Indians lived along the rivers named for them. In this region of Appleton and Union is famous for the Mic Mac Indian tribes. Of coarse at that time Hazel being about

twelve years old, would have been in the year 1901, at the turn of the Twentieth Century, and in the book Ben Ames Williams wrote, (Come Spring) and in this novel he tells of how the area in Union and Appleton came to be settled by white- man. Not only were there Scottish, Irish and French in Maine but after the Revolutionary War in 1815, and the British had lost the battle and were returning home, some jumped there ships and took to the deep Maine woods, to start over and build a home in the wilderness, to get away from paying taxes, as they would have, had to of done; if they returned to England, so at this time the Indians, were starting to feel; white man, not only up and down the coast, but also; reaching deep within the state, on the rivers. The West ridge of Appleton, has a panoramic view that is so spectacular, that it often gets sight seers, or tourists to the area, especially in the fall months of the year, when the leaves are at their peek, for the rolling hills and back drop mountains take your breath away. Living on this beautiful, hillside; Robert had to be taken to school every day by his mother or father with the horse and buggy, to the village in what they called a common school, living a mile and a half from the village was not so far, as when he got to be eight and nine he could walk in the fall and spring, but with his father working his small farm, he could take time to get his son to school. Robert reminisced about the many gatherings they had at the Riverside hall, in the Appleton village, how people came together for suppers every Saturday night and put on the entertainment, in a small group; playing their music instruments, singing; putting on skits. It also was where the Rebecca’s held their meetings and other organizations, like the Odd Fellows. So the Appleton village had a lot going on, in the years that my father was growing up, they had the beautiful Sennebec Lake there for them to swim, in the summer months, and the winter months, they had the long hills in which they could ride their sleds. Robert started high school in the spring of 1925, and always was very interested in any of the, plays and vaudeville shows, performing on the stage and entertain for the parents and village people. The school holding elementary and high school that he had always attended burned in 1927, Robert and his best friend Frank Meservey graduated at the Riverside Hall in Appleton. I asked Robert how he got back and forth to high school and he told me that his teacher lived in a home on the west ridge about a half a mile up the road beyond there farm and that she, Ms Maude Fuller had her own car and that she would pick him up every day, on the way to school and that he would ride back with her after school and that Ms Fuller taught him to drive her car and then allowed him to drive her back and forth his senior year, so when Robert graduated in the spring of 1929 from high school, he bought his first car, a pea green Chevrolet, called a touring car; for it was extra long, Richard Meservey, Franks brother was eight years younger; reminisced with me one day, I visited him and his wife Fran at their home in Appleton, and Richard said that Frank often spoke of that day they graduated, and with several other class mates, like Roberts cousin Merton Wadsworth, Robert drove them to Mount Dessert Island and to Cadillac mountain, and that Frank would always bring up the story of the long trip up the mountain a foot. This is the spring of 1929 and Robert, has started to think of his future and how he would make his living now that he has graduated from high school, he has started to do landscaping for different people around the village, he would build rock walls, groom lawns, do repairs on houses, paint houses and outer buildings, also barns that might need a fresh coat. This kind of work seemed to be of an interest to Robert at the age of 18 and 19, and on June 15^th1930, Norman came to pick Robert up where he was working on landscaping project for Ereha Dyer, a local artist; it was a very hot summer day and Norman was working on road construction for a company out of Pittsfield called Cianbro, and decided it was such a very hot day on June15, 1930 knew where his brother Robert was working and drove to pick him up, said to Robert, this is Sunday; lets take the rest of the day off, and go for a swim, Robert said but I don’t have my swimming trunks and Norman told him neither do I but, no one will be down to the Lily Lane side of the lake, we won’t need them, so they headed for Sennebec Lake, they drove over to the East ridge and caught Lily lane down to the lake and no one was there, so Robert decided to go in with no cloths on, but while they were swimming, some one had come along, and for a joke took Roberts cloths, and hid them, in the bushes. Meanwhile earlier in Belfast, Clarissa and Ruth and a couple of guy friends decided it was very hot and they headed out to Appleton for a swim and they drove down Lily Lane, and thought that they would take a swim in the Sennebec Lake. Meanwhile Robert could not find his cloths, and heard an auto coming down the lane, so he had no choice but to jump into an empty barrel that they used for the cows and horses to drink from, while his brother Norman was dressing into his cloths, Clarissa and Ruth and guys got out of the car and Norman went up to greet them, for he recognized Ruth, she had met him at a fire-mans ball about a year before and was really taken with her, but never found out much about her that evening, for Ruth was not allowed to go out on a date, at that time, so Ruth remembering Norman, introduced Norman to the others and in return, Norman introduced Robert to Clarissa, as he stood in the water barrel. “Of coarse Robert and Clarissa’s four children love this story.” In Clarissa’s diary she wrote on this date. I met Robert Perry today, nowhere in her diary, had she ever written; that she had met a gentleman before, and at 19, Clarissa had many pursuers. On June 18^th Clarissa writes Robert a letter, and this is what it said, Dear Robert, Just a few lines to you. If you will go along the shore where we were at Sunday until you come to an opening to a field, you will find a handkerchief that belongs to me. Find it or not as you please. Ha Ha. Anyway I rather like you or did last Sunday. I am as ever, Clarissa. On June 20^th Clarissa receive a letter from Robert, Dear Clarissa, I was pleased today receiving your letter, thanks to the name card, it was of some use. I have been looking for a letter from you some how, and yet I don’t know why I should. Do you?

Today I went to the lake but could not find your handkerchief, neither have I found the key yet, ha ha. You probable thought I was fooling about that at the time. I’m sorry I did not get your letter sooner in the week, for I might have been out to see you, with last Sunday in mind, I wonder how I happen to be so lucky as to meet you. It isn’t often that I get the chance to talk with a girl that I could enjoy the deep insight of conversation as I did from you. I think if I saw you, you would understand why. Ever yours affectionately, Robert P.S. Do write me again Clarissa. June 26, Bob Perry picks Clarissa up, and takes her on there first date to a graduation ball out to the village of Searsmont, June 29^th Bob and his brother Norman come into Belfast and pick Clarissa up, to take her out to the Appleton Lake for a swim in the afternoon, and then they took her to meet their Mother and have dinner at the Perry farm up on the Appleton Ridge. The next day, Clarissa invites one of her friends Alice Coombs, they go and find Bob and his brother Norman and the four of them go swimming, Clarissa is falling in love with the beautiful scenery of the Appleton hills and the big lake and totally infatuated with this charming and a very charismatic man. Clarissa writes Bob a letter on July 8^th and tells him, Dad is milking, and have a chance to send you a short letter, I am leaving soon for summer school but have Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday afternoons off, Sundays I will be singing and leading the church choir also will be doing the responsive reading. But will be waiting to see you Wednesday evening and looking forward to going to the movies, with you. As ever, Claire P.S. I am keeping my promise O.K . Fun to keep it too. Bobs note back to her was, The Hours I spent with you dear heart, Are as a string of pearls to me. I count them over everyone apart, for they make me as happy as can be. And true it is. Affectionately, Bob Clarissa and Robert are seeing one another as often as they can, Clarissa is feeling much better about her life, although she is very busy with a full schedule every day, they write notes back and forth from Belfast to Appleton and try to date two or three times a week. July went by very fast with music lessons, swimming at the lake, going to the Colonial theater, to see the great movies that were being shown, singing where ever she could earn a little money, Clarissa spoke of going to Camden with Dr. Barnes to see the Regatta, and she wrote that two boats tipped over and that one sank. Many of her girl friends are around, so they make plans to either go horseback riding, or get aboard the Boston boat for a trip to Bangor to shop, or going to a dance somewhere. July 29^th Clarissa wrote in her diary, Went to school in the morning, home at 12 pm, Out to Ruth Simmons farm in evening. Bob and Norman called in at 9pm at Ruth’s, for half -hour and we planned a picnic out to Sennebec Lake, then July 30^th she spoke of school all day and out to the lake for evening for hog dog roast and in the lake swimming. July 31^st writes Grandpa very sick. They think he has had a stroke. August 4^th Clarissa and Bob went out for the day together and when Bob brought Clarissa home, he met Clair her father, for the first time, and Clair was not nice to him at all, blamed him for keeping her out to long and her Grandfather was ill, but Mother wrote Bob a letter the very next day and explained that she did not realize how bad her grandfather was. She went on to say, I do not know when I will see you again, I can’t possibly come out this week, I did not go to school to day I am waiting for Chrystal now. I hope she calls in, and I will give her this letter, so you will receive it tonight. I would like a reply from you, soon. I shall miss you terribly until I see you again. Don’t worry about me. I love you. Clarissa P.S. I will be at my cousin Ora’s a week from Tuesday, come in the afternoon if you can make it. August 20^th, Clarissa puts down in her diary, went to the city horseback, at noon; received a special delivery letter from Chaloner, he is in Boston. August 22nd, was home all day, started to choir rehearsal this evening, met Chaloner Barnes and he told me that there wasn’t any rehearsal so we went for a ride. Back home at 8pm. Chaloner came by the next evening and they went to the movie threater and saw The Last Jeppalin .In the diary on August 24^th sang in church. Went on the class reunion at Swan Lake. Had a wonderful time. Bob came up about 4:30 pm, I was home at 10:20. Back to the movies, the next day with Choloner, movie was “Mamba” it was good. Chaloner and I went for a walk after, and he told me, that he loved me. I was so surprised. August 26, Dear Diary, Took music lessons of Dr. Barns today, home at noon. Went out to Bobs in pm, went in bathing, Lovely time, home at 8pm. August 30^th. I find am in difficulty as to Chaloner and Bob. September 2^nd Went out to Bobs in pm home at 8;30. Chaloner was there, visiting with my father; we decided to take a walked to the head of the lane and talk. She told Chaloner she was in love with Bob Perry, he did not answer. Clarissa has been helping with the haying that the men folks have been working on for the season. Mother helped with different kinds of farm chores, she told me of driving one of the big work horses Macks, with a harrow and turn the ground in the spring, for the new gardens. In the month of June, in her diary she told of how many boxes of strawberries she would pick, sell them and make the strawberry jam for the men folks and eat their strawberry shortcake with the real thick yellow cream, that was sat out in a large pan as so it could be skimmed off, the top and then whipped into a beautiful soft whipped cream. September12th, she wrote that Chaloner came out in the evening and had supper with them and that she walked part way home with him and that they talked and that they will always remain friends. September 13^th Clarissa went out to Bobs house in Appleton and spent the afternoon and wrote in the diary, we are too much in love, some how she has to work him into her life, and get her fathers approval. It is way to hard on her that she has to go to other places to meet Bob. September 14^th, Chaloner shows up at the farm again stayed for supper, and when he went to leave, he kissed me for the first time. Chaloner returns the next day, September 15^th, She wrote Chaloner woke me, in the morning, he came into my room and told me he loved me. Chaloner was back out to the farm on September 18^th and asked me down to the Battery for dinner, that Dr. and Louise Barnes and their son

Chaloner would be leaving, that evening, for their winter home, they gave me presents and Chaloner braided a leather Bridle for my horse beauty. After dinner we walk to the Belfast Mariner and they caught the Boston Boat, all Mother could think about was how much she missed Bob. September 29^th, 1930. Dear Bob, I have just finished my breakfast. It is 9:00 a.m. I am going to the city with Beauty to get some butter and do a few errands and will mail this. I got home fine, all was o.k. I had a lovely time yesterday, too. I hope you are feeling better. I don’t know what afternoon to ask you out because I never know when I’ll have to help hay. I’ll be some glade when it’s over, I’ll say. How ever, lets go to the movie’s Thursday evening. The picture is, “This Mad World.” I guess it is about the best of any this week. Try and bring another couple with you, maybe two couples and make it a nice theater party. It would be fun. I have been, looking for the poem, I wrote called, “The Mystery” She came and asked me, if I’d walk with her neath the pale moon- light. She told me nothing of her self, Nor why her robe was of pure white. I did not question her at all. About the mystery, I understood and smiled content. She was myself to be. C.D.H. I rather like that poem. I get a great thrill out of writing poems like that. Here is another. “Beauty” The moon’s pale glimmering meshes make mystic veils o’er land and sea. I’ve heard strange voices call to me. Call from out the depths of the sea. There is no beauty I do not see. There is, no dull life awaiting me. I find in life a tenderness. That turns to love and happiness. C.D.H. I hope to see you Thursday night at 6:30 or 6:45 pm at Ora’s, until then. Lovingly, Clarissa PS. Comment on poems please. Friday Bob called me asked me to go to the Union fair with him, I could not go today, but will be able to tomorrow, I have to help hay today, and get it in before the rain. Saturday, we hayed all day, and Bob came and picked me up to go to the Fair, had a lovely time. Went on everything, rode ponies, home at 10:30, guess I love Bob allright. On October 4^th, Clarissa wrote, started out to Bobs at 10:00 am, there at 12:15, on horseback. Left at 4:30, got home at 6:30. Lovely ride. Had lots of fun out there. November 5th, Robert writes Clarissa a letter, Would you like to come out to the high school socials and dances each week, and was thinking how much I would love to come to your house, I wish your father knew me, if we could get acquainted I think it would help. November12, Mother replies to his letter saying she has a big surprise the next time she sees him. She also mentions that her Grandpa bought her a beautiful wool blanket. Clarissa seems very happy. December 4^th, 1930. My dear Clair, I’m sorry you don’t look forward to my coming out, after you planned for me so interestingly. Nevertheless I’ll try not to make it known but I’m afraid of what is to face me, “soon”. Man’s love is of man’s life a thing apart, Tis women’s whole existence. A poem Robert wrote to her “I wonder” I do not know where my road may lead, a year or two from now. What part of earth or friends I need, living where or how. All I know, your love is with me, quideing my path the whole week long, either by land or sea, during my life of song. With your protection and love, when tired of earth’s care’s I’ll think of you, as like him above. And know he hears my prayer.’ So singing my way along, with love of duty content, to have one joyous song, and a life well spent. “Bob” Clarissa and Bob are struggling with this new found love that neither has ever known before, they want to be together, but her father Clair wants her to go on and get three more years of her education, but its to late, for she can only think of one thing these days, how and when will I see Bob, she no longer wrote in her diary, but found the letters, that they were, staying in touch on a daily bases; when they could not be together. Finally in the month of January 1931, Bob asked Clarissa if she would marry him and she set the date on her Birthday January 31, 1931, she turned 20, Clarissa and Robert were married at his parents house on the Appleton ridge, and she recorded in her diary on that date, I was married to-night to Robert E. Perry. I am very happy. Received many gifts, 46 present at wedding, Crystal stood with me. My father came out, to Appleton with my horse “Beauty in the sleigh”. Now Clarissa starts to write daily in her diary again. Now life begins with a whole new meaning for the two of them and first have to find a place to make their home. Robert came home with the news one day when he had been at work, down in the village, across the St. George River, climbing the hill to the towards the east ridge, a house has come up for sale, on the left side of Mills Road, asking Clarissa if she would like to go to look at it. Thinking about that, she began to think of how nice it would be to live right in the village of Appleton. How convenient for the two of them. So plans were put in place for Clarissa and Robert to take a tour thru the house. They both thought that this would make them a wonderful home, here on the side of the big hill, a view of the St.George River, the old grist Mill, and Gushee’s country store close by, could walk to all of these areas, also a Town Hall, where so much activity for the village, would be just down the street, sitting their on the river. So pretty of an area, simply had to have that house to start their new life. Once they got settled and decorated and suitable to there needs they began to discuss other ways they could bring more funds for their household needs. So they started planning how they might work up a vaudeville act together and perform Saturday nights at the Riverside Hall. “American Vaudeville” by Douglas Gilbert. This book I found in the Waterville Library. I needed to get right into the core of what Vaudeville meant and what it did for entertainment for these years, before and during the beginning years of the movie industry. It started out to say. In 1932, when the New York Palace Theater became a “grind,” vaudeville gasped its last; and with it ended an authentic chapter of American life, characteristic and loveable. Throughout a half century alternately rowdy, and genteel, vaudeville reflected the manners and attitude and expression of the times. And it did so with far greater accuracy than the movies and the radio do today; for its entertainment was intimate and topical, while the self-imposed censorship of the mass entertainers now permits no caustic cracks or satire. The specialty show has existed for centuries, and an imaginative mind may,

with justice, seek its origin in the pagan rites of Isis Bacchus, or pre-Christian Rome. “Specialty” shows apparently made early appearance in this country. The first in this country to use the word “ vaudeville” to describe a variety show was John W. Ransone who assembled a specialty group in the eighties and toured the sticks with it; himself playing the Dutch comic. He may have borrowed the name from the “Vaudeville Theater” which was established in San Antonio Texas, as early as 1882. The word derives from the French Val de Vire, the valley of the Vire River in Normandy, where quaint and sprightly songs and ballads were sung. Pastor always insisted that variety shows stemmed from minstrels, a singular viewpoint in the light of his circus experiences in which he himself had taken part in acts closely akin to those of later vaudeville. He was right, however; in that a sort of vaudeville was part of the old minstrel show in which songs, clogs, comedy skits, and one-act abbreviations of musical farces were used to supplement. As Fred Allen performed a one-man act in vaudeville using carefree, irresponsible performer, who presented any ridiculous thing that occurred to him. He would quit off in the middle of a routine, sit flat on the stage, almost in the footlights and read his press notices to the orchestra leader. At one time he used a frightful banjo to accompany and equally wretched song. His dead pan was superb, making the foolish things he did get over for riotous laughter. As great a reflection as the nut acts of the muscle-bulging days of the 1900’s were the “rough,” or “sights,” acts-usually acrobats, straight and comic. America had not yet learned to amuse itself. Sports and exercise were generally taken vicariously and the gymnasts and acrobatic clowns of vaudeville fed this tendency with face-kicking generosity. Usually they worked in teams. Among the most popular at the turn of the century and beyond (you cannot pin a standard act to a definite year,) were Collins and Hart, Hickey and Nelson, Caron and Herbert and Rice and Prevost. Now they have to find away to support their new home and life style. At the Riverside Hall Auditorium where a lot of entertainment is carried on, at a regular basis, in 1931 Minstrel shows, vaudeville acts plays, concerts, home talent performances, and any talent that traveled through Maine are being shown at the, Riverside Hall. Clarissa with her talent for the piano and her beautiful voice and Robert with his perfect timing for a joke and slap – stick comedy, have decided to work up a vaudeville act, and see how they are received as they would be paid according to how many people come to Saturday night shows. So Clarissa would dress in her mother Eva’s wonderful hand sewn, hand embroidered dresses she would have worn from 1903 to 1915 until she died, then Clarissa had a selection from the 1920’s in the flapper era. She would sit at the piano and sing the songs from past experience of audience pleasers, from singing at so many different functions and also from singing on the radio, she could choose and select around the performance that Robert would prepare, he would dress up in his costume, and blacken his face like Al Jolson, using a tambourine, get into his slap-stick jokes. Robert delivered his monologue with dead - pan seriousness. Like Robert standing on a street corner a man came by and asked, how are you Robert, well I’m looking for a job, the acquaintance asked, what do you do for work, Robert replied, I shovel snow, the man said there is no snow Robert, he said I know that’s why I’m looking for a job. Then he would hit his tambourine. Robert always worked in blackface make –up- relied on Clarissa beautiful songs for she had been described as singing like a bird. I guess that’s the highest of complements for a voice like my mothers. Clarissa and Robert did their vaudeville show with a show consisting of comic, theatrical and specialty acts including songs and piano. Another joke Robert told me at the age of 96 years when I was asking for this information. This is how it went .he said he got this one from a Irene Franklin a very early star in vaudeville. One of her earliest bits was the tough streetcar conductor and the timorous passenger who wished to alight at Watt Street – a standard routine today in the honky – tonks: Let me know when we get to Watt Street. What street? Yes Watt Street That’s where I’m going. Where are you going? Going to see my cousin. He lives there. Lives where? Watt Street. How do I know what street he lives on? When vaudeville rounded into its greatest expression in the 1910 period the women performers became more dominant: indeed, in a number of instances outrivaling the men in and appeal. The distaff side had been a steady development, inspired by grand performers, as Irene Franklin and others whose careers have been detailed. Robert would tell some of Moran and Mack tales, also their humor featured a decadent vaudeville, but preserved the comedy elements that made sprightly and effective the variety of a happy day. Moran : I hear you folks are getting rid of all your horses. Mack: Only the white horses, they eat too much. Moran: You mean to say the white horses eat more than the others? Mack: Yes the white horses eat twice as much as the black horses Moran: How do you explain that? Mack There’s twice as many of them. We have four white horses and two black horses. So we’re getting rid of the white horses and are going to get black ones….

Famous Faces of the Thirties: The Depression cast a dark shadow over the 1930’s stifling gaiety and causing the courage of men to flag. Nevertheless, the decade produced a full quota of heroes, artists, clowns, and villains. Such as Comedians in Blackface, Amos’n Andy John L. Lewis, Mae West, Public Enemy Number One, a big-time gangster of Prohibition days Al Capone. Dorothy Parker, “Three be the things I shall have till I die: laughter and hope and a sock in the eye.” New York’s Little Flower Fiorello La Guardia, a mayor that served three terms, retiring in 1945. His administration was one of the most honest New York has ever known. The Brown Bomber, alias Joe Louis’ Clarissa got to sing many of her songs of the times and this kind of exposure, with the vaudeville acts, gave her more opportunity to seek out more work. She got a call to perform at a Normal School. The program read as follows, Musicale at Eastern State Normal School Castine, Maine on Wed April 21^st.Mrs. Clarissa H. Perry Soprano and Mr. Edwin O. Salisbury, Pianist.

“Program:” Kamennoi Ostrow, Op.10, No.28 Rubonstein. March of the Dwarfs, Qp.54, No.9 Grieg. Mr.Salisbury Heart of Gold. Chase Nordman O Promise Me. Clarissa Perry Etude. Op.10, No.3 by Chopin. Now Clarissa sings, four songs in unisonous, Come Beloved, from the opera Atlanta, by Handal. Goodby, by Fopaolo Tosti. The Birth of Morn. By Franco Lenni and Little Lost Youth of Me, Carrie Jacobs and Bond. - Intermission - Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia, Op 27, No 2 in C# Minor by Beethoven Adegio Sos Teruto Allegretto Presto Agitato Mr.Salisbury then Clarissa sings The Star, by James H. Rogers Lady Clo by Clough Leighter Indian Love Call by Rudolf Friml Nightingale by Liszt – Alabieff, Etude in F Major, Op 63, No13 A. by Arensly Rhapsodie H Ongroise N Ob by Liszt Mr. Salisbury and this was the end of the program. But there was another letter that came from The State of Maine Eastern State Normal School Castine, April 22, 1931. Dear Mrs. Perry:

Speaking for the student body and faculty of our school, I want to express our appreciation for the fine entertainment that you and Mr. Salisbury gave us last evening.

We plan to give our students opportunities to listen to musical concerts at least several times during the school year. We thank you for your part in helping us to carry out a part of this plan.

After your party left last evening, I discovered that Mr. Perry had paid admission. We would not have permitted that had we known it. I assure you that our ticket sellers and ushers had no intention of being discourteous. I hope you will accept our enclosure in the spirit that it is sent.

Yours very truly, William D. Hall

Clarissa received a letter in the spring of 1931 from her cousin Ora, and it read, Dear Clair,

Am “ashamed” not to have written before but been real busy since I got back. Virgil and wife are here, also the Watkins man, so you can see what a houseful. Am writing this at Express train rates. John saw your Dad coming up the road and took the bundle out to him. Said Grandpa was pretty bad off, he felt bad. Said, you ought to off gone to school 2-3 years’ more. Mother a little better, able to go up street in the car. No news that I know about. Will try to get Gramp on the telephone and will write you again. I have your Larkin catalogue here, and your turn to send for a premium.

Hastaly, Ora

Clarissa has found that she and Robert are going to have a baby, and isn’t always feeling well and decided to write her grandpa a letter and got a little sentimental expressing her-self and got a reply from Charles Harriman that same week that read.

Dear Clarissa,

I read yours of the 13th, was glad to hear from you. I’m sorry your homesick. I have bin homesick for two years. Don’t hurry matters, your home is open anytime you wish to come. It is lonesome here very. We are alone. We really like to see you very much. Clair seems lonesome, don’t say much. Drop him a line. I am poorly keep having bad spells. Am so shaky Am so shaky. Can’t write.

Lovingly, Gandpa

Clarissa is in need to find a way for her to get her father Clair to at least begin, to except her husband and for all of them, to start seeing one another and have gatherings or at least dinner together for after all she is going to have his grandchild, Grandpa has had a couple of strokes and is not doing that well, Clarissa is sad that they are at odds with one another, and she has now started her summer classes with Dr. Barns and back to her music lessons, and has passed right by, on her way to the battery. So she took her Grandpa’s advice and wrote him a letter and told him of the day and time she would be dropping by. Clarissa stopped by her old homestead and sat with her Papa and explained to him, that when she had decided to marry, Bob Perry, she had to make up her mind what she wanted out of her life, when maestro Walter Damrosch the NBC popular “Music Appreciation Hour” conductor on radio heard her sing and told her he could make her one of the greatest opera singers in this country she was thrilled, thinking of the money and the fame was such a dream, but that was before she had met Bob, and dating him and falling in love, she said I got to thinking, of what was the most important, I could travel and sing, but of the most part, I would be very lonely going from place to place, telling her Papa of her pregnancy for the first time and that he was going to be a grandfather, or I could marry the man I love, we could make us a home, and have a family, and then she went on to explain about how lonely she had been with out her mother raising her and having no siblings, to interact with, growing up. This is the life she had chosen and needed him to support her and embrace their new life with a new member of the family in November, so they could all enjoy being together.

In the 1920’s society was energetic and optimistic. America seemed to be exploding into galaxies of successful new ventures and experiments.

It was into this environment in 1928, and in Waterville, Maine that a young cornettist named Dorothy Harlow newly graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, was invited to establish an instrumental program in the schools of her home - town. Learning of a novel and exciting summer experiment in Michigan, she boarded a train and traveled there to see at first hand what was happening. Dorothy Harlow returned with the conviction that a similar opportunity should exist in Maine. She buttonhold community leaders in Waterville, Augusta, Portland and other Maine cities until she convinced them of the importance of her proposition. In July of 1930 the Eastern Music camps Association (EMC) was born, the second such camp in the United States. A roster of famous musicians names headed by Walter Damrosch of the New York Symphony comprised the Advisory Board. In1931 the Eastern Music camp Association leased property in the town of Sidney, Maine, on the shore of Lake Messalonskee. In the month of August, while she was taking her music lessons Dr. and Louise Barns told Clarissa about the Eastern Music camp for Walter Damrosch had come to Maine, he was staying at the Battery for a couple of weeks , and traveling over to the Eastern Music Camp to participate, on the board of directors.

The first year of operation was a grand musical success. One hundred twenty campers, a faculty mostly from the Boston Symphony, and public concerts of high quality each Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening attracted audiences of about one thousand. The venture was a novelty in those days, a truly exciting, experiment that drew people from all over central Maine, The concerts had little competition, for Maine’s Sunday activities were restricted by blue laws. All stores were closed and there were no Sunday sports or speed-boats. We regularly greeted listeners from Bangor, Bar Harbor, Camden, Lewiston, Portland and of coarse Waterville and other nearly towns.

The camp brought soloists and conductors with big names like Edwin Frank Goldman, Walter Damrosch, Fabien Senitsky, Howard Hanson, and Rudoph Ringwall.

Clarissa and Robert would drive in their 1930 Packard automobile, on a Sunday drive to the Music Camp at Sidney to listen to the classical music and hear the sounds of the big bands.

Clarissa and Robert also had a special spot that they enjoyed the sounds of the big band music and they could also dance, they would also have to go by car, they would drive to Augusta, head towards Winthrope and there was an Island in which you would cross over a bridge to get to what they called Island Park. I had gone there myself to dance in the 1950’s. What a divine place. I cut an article telling in detail the history of Island Park, out of the Waterville Sentinel paper dated Sunday, July 2, 1995. Written by Dorothy Dennett and she wrote, during the mid-1930s and all of the 1940-s Americans danced to the sound of the big bands. They danced their way through the Depression and even through the war years. Radio transmitted live broadcasts from ballrooms in Chicago, New York and the famed Meadowbrook in New Jersey with the Glenn Miller Band.

In Maine, during the summer months, pavilions were very popular. Lakeside dancing areas catered to many generations of summer residents at Lakewood, the Moonglow in Wayne, Tallwood Inn, LakeTacoma, Maranacook, Cedar Grove by the river, and by the ocean, Old Orchard Pier. However, the most remembered pavilion where people came from all over Maine to dance was Island Park. Island Park started with a large hotel which featured home cooked foods enticing summer people to return every year at the turn of the century. In 1901, the Augusta, Winthrop and Gardiner Street Railway Company built a trolley line from Augusta to Winthrop. The trolley would run every hour, which meant businessmen could ride to work on the trolley and their families could remain at the lake.

The trolley company had provided a bridge, a picnic area, a dance pavilion, an open-air theater and bathhouses. All this and a beach for swimming made Island Park the best place to go in summer. And Cay Gallant went on, in her News Paper article, and to quote her. In researching the times and events of Island Park, I found the name of Percy Wenrich, songwriter, who at one time stayed at the Island Hotel. It seems one evening he went out in a canoe on Cobbossee Bay. The moon was full and he could hear music from the cottages. He was so inspired, he came back to the hotel and on the piano in the lobby created, and later published “Moonlight Bay” He was also to write other famous songs, including “By the Light of the Silvery Moon.” In 1920, the island would change owners again but in 1927 William B. Williamson bought Island Park and the dance pavilion to the promotion of a new generation of dancing enthusiasts. As the famed resort entered the 1930s and ‘40s well-known bands increased the success of the pavilion in the pines. These names will be very familiar to the avid dancers so long ago: The band of Vaughn Monroe, the Fenton brothers {who played on radio’s famous Fitch Bandwagon Show}, Lloyd Rafnell, Al Corey, Bob Percival, Leo Doucette and many others. Never did the trolley company ever imagine that the bridge they built in 1903 would accommodate vehicular traffic at 25 cents a crossing. On a Saturday night an average of 1,000 light-hearted dancers would span that historic bridge. There are ongoing reports from people who had cottages at Cobbossee during that era, who tell of sitting on their porches, and listening to the music as it drifted over the waters. Some people would go by boat to the island and sail back to their summer homes after an evening of dancing. Island Park came to an end in 1959. The bridge has gone and only memories of another time prevail. The silent pines of other days, echoes of laughter dancing shadows and only the wind in the trees trying to capture a musical sound that once was. Island Park like a star, had its time of brightness and attention, the light flickered and disappeared. We were sailing along on Moonlight Bay, We could hear voices singing, they seem to say. You have broken my heart now don’t go way; As we sang love’s old sweet song on Moonlight Bay.

September 27, 1931

Clarissa starts to write in her diary again, and she started it off with, out home in am that means, she went to see her father and grandpa’s for a visit, she also wrote went to Bangor and Bucksport.

Took Grandpa along, Horace Gould is married, has gone to school.

September 30^th.

Went to Union fair at 7:30 am for all day. Fire works in evening. Home at 10pm. Very tired had good time.

October 3, 1931

Went out home in evening, for over Sunday. Called on Ora.

October 4,

Out to Dads’ all day, got vegetables

October5,

Crystal came for a visit, read her a story, Bob got grapes for wine.

October 6,

Went to dance in evening we sold refreshments, made $4.40.

October8th, Home all day, went up to other house to stay for week-end.

Hazel went to Palmer’s, Ella Perry went too.

October 10, Cooked, did up work, Crystal up and we practiced. Out to Dot Robbins in pm. Went to Odd Fellows installation in evening.

October 11, Started for Bar Harbor in am at 8:00. Had lovely trip. Went on top of Mt. Dessert, saw thunder hole and etc. Home at 8;30

October 12, Worked and cooked. Had a mean back ache most of the day. Robert at work as usual. Came home in evening. Hazel home at 6;30.

October 14, Dear Diary, washed cloths and kitchen floor in am and made biscuits and etc. Up to Crystals in pm. Home in evening. Bed at 7pm.

October 15, Rained all day. Bob stacked up wood. I went to bed at 5:30. How lazy.

October 16, Bob and I went to Thomaston and Rockland in pm Doctor Plummer said I was unusually healthy.

October 17, Took bath in am then went to Camden and Rockland with Hazel. We had company in evening, I played and sang.

October 18, Up to Hazels and made diapers in am. Bob cut down apple trees in pm. I made baby a dressing table for bedroom in pm.

October 19, Got a great big plant from Hazel today, Bob practised for a play at hall in evening.

October 21, Had “Harvest Home” in evening. Bob did play well, I played for Crystal to sing. Biggest crowd ever for “Harvest Home.”

October 25, Went to church in am. Out home to dinner stayed in pm. Billie up. Had heavy thunder showers.

October 26, Home in am, Up to Mrs. Watson’s in pm, She cut out 3 slips and one night dress for me. Got a gallon of cider at Frank Harts.

October 29, Home all day Ruth Simmons and her friend came in to visit, when he left, Ruth called her father to take her home, we had a nice visit.

October 30, Made 1 dozen diapers, Marie helped sew them, up to Hazels in evening till 7;30.

November 5, Not feeling well.

November 6, Dear Diary, A wonderful son was born to me at 2;30 o’clock this morning, weighed about 71/2 lbs. We named him Paul Harriman Perry Dr. Plummer delivered Paul and my best friend Ruth Simmons mother who is a nurse, was his assisant.

November 8, Robert went after Grandpa and he came out in pm. Louise Barnes out also. Feeling quite good today. Tired at night.

November 25, Robert went to Union to get car fixed. Took baby up to Evelyn’s in am. Marie down in evening. I made a cake and suit pudding to take home for Thanksgiven.

December 31, 1931, Took Paul to baby clinic in pm to Mrs. Hall’s. He is o.k. Seven babies there.

Paul Harriman Perry was now starting a new generation of Harriman population He was born in Appleton, Maine, but very soon moved to the Harriman farm in Belfast. Grandpa Harriman passed away in February 1933.

Clarissa's father, Clair, requested Bob and Clarissa and their sorl Paul, move into the big farm house. Alt nine of Clarissa's children called it The Farm. The farm is where I was born on March 17th, 1935.