My Children's Family Tree   

woman‎Florence Brown‏‎, daughter of Josiah Brown and Abigail Weeks‏.
Born ‎28 Jun 1880 at Kirby, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States, died ‎30 Aug 1930 at Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States‎, age 50 years, cause of death: Apoplexy, buried at Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. Occupation: Housekeeper

Marriage invitation from Florence’s Aunt and Uncle “Mr and Mrs N. M. Ward.”

1900 census has Nathaniel M Ward in St Johnsbury, VT (wife Clara M - 1860), dob Jul 1847, in VT.

According to Pauline, she was scandalous for the time - possibly unstable: left husband and grandpa, at some point moved to south Florida, where grandpa would go to visit during summer break.

I wonder if history of mental illness comes from her side of the family.

Married ‎22 Oct 1901 at St Johnsbury, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States, age 21 years
Divorced from:

man‎Willis Conner‏‎, age by marriage 25 years, son of Franklin Horace Conner and Julia Belinda Leach‏.
Born ‎17 Nov 1875 at Irasburg, Orleans County, Vermont, United States, died ‎22 Sep 1949 at Lyndonville, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States‎, age 73 years, buried at Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. Occupation: Manager, Lyndonville Creamery
‎1st marriage (divorced) to: Florence Brown, ‎2nd marriage to: Ethel Watkins Chapman

Manager of the Lyndonville Creamery in 1920

From Pauline:
The creamery was located on the Passumpsic River - darned cold in winter, but Dad walked to work - a mile each way, came home for dinner, and went back in the afternoon. It was a corporation and consisted of plants in Lyndonville, Watertown, Ma. and several other towns I can't recall at the moment. They bottled milk, also condensed milk which was shipped as far as Chicago. They had several tank trucks to take the milk to Ma., an ice cream plant - the name was Lyndonville Creamery Assn. and the logo was "Speedwell Farms". It was started by TN Vail, vice pres. of Bell Tel. who had a mansion on the hill above town. His wife had teas etc. when they sent the coach and livery for the ladies of the town to come join the lady of the manor. Mom said it was very formal and elegant.

A representative for Lyndon in the Vermont State Legislature, 1945.
(Photo from Grandmother’s collection)


Florence may have been a little unstable- left when grandpa was still young.



Some Notes On The Creamery:
(From https://www.gluseum.com/US/Lyndon/223096411737571/Lyndon-VT-Historical-Society)

"In 1890, W. Irving Powers, clerk and treasurer & farm manager of Vail's Speedwell Farms, organized the Lyndonville Creamery. The creamery became part of a chain of 14 creameries in Vermont and New Hampshire, as well as a large branch in Boston..." W. Irving Powers,1861-1915."

"A Lyndonville Company started by T.N.Vail on what is now the LSC Campus and then moved to Lyndonville. W.C. Conner 1875-1949 was General Manager of the Creamery. In 1947 the Creamery has 150 employees and 60 trucks.
From Pauline: (Pauline E. Conner a daughter of W.C. Conner)
"The creamery was located on the Passumpsic River - darned cold in winter, but Dad walked to work - a mile each way, came home for dinner, and went back in the afternoon. It was a corporation and consisted of plants in Lyndonville, Watertown, Ma. and several other towns I can't recall at the moment. They bottled milk, also condensed milk which was shipped as far as Chicago. They had several tank trucks to take the milk to Ma., an ice cream plant - the name was Lyndonville Creamery Assn. and the logo was "Speedwell Farms". It was started by TN Vail, vice pres. of Bell Tel. who had a mansion on the hill above town. His wife had teas etc. when they sent the coach and livery for the ladies of the town to come join the lady of the manor. Mom said it was very formal and elegant."
(It should be noted that T.N Vail was President of ATT.)


Separated/divorced before grandpa graduated from high school (not sure how old he was). Pauline said she was a bit wild.
Children:
1.
man‎Franklin Howard Conner‏‎
Born ‎06 Aug 1906 at Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States, died ‎07 Oct 1962 at Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States
Death certificate notes occured from 2nd floor window of private residence

Living in Revere, MA at the time‎, age 56 years, cause of death: Suicide, buried at Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. Occupation: Office Manager (‎7 Oct 1962)

Franklin was my great-uncle and I man I never met.

As I wrote this an increasing number of states had legalized gay marriage. President Obama was just beginning his second term when he announced his support for gay and lesbian rights, following a tipping point in public opinion, and followed by a sea change of opinion by our elected officials. As I wrote this I wished I could reach into the past and bring Franklin back with me. You see, the “good ‘ole days” weren’t so good for my uncle. The so called greatest generation fought a just war overseas, only to return and go along with the long fought war against people who stood out as different. In my uncle’s case, it was people born inside a trap of shame, hiding, ridicule, harassment, and ugly prejudice due to sexual preference. From what I can tell half a century later, he was a funny, kind, loving and good man - but also a lonely, isolated, and gay man. He killed himself after half a century of life in his world.

The world we live in is far from perfect but for Franklin I think it would be a huge improvement. I can’t tell you with certainty why he killed himself, but I can’t help but wonder if his world was a big part of it, and my world might have saved him.

2.
woman‎Charlotte Conner‏‎
Born ‎17 Mar 1910 at Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States, died ‎20 May 1910 at Lyndonville, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States‎, age 2 months and 3 days, cause of death: Pertussis / Whooping Cough, buried ‎22 May 1910 at Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States

3.
man‎Wendell Conner‏‎
Born ‎18 Apr 1911 at Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States, died ‎29 Nov 1976 at Danvers, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States‎, age 65 years, buried ‎30 Nov 1976 at Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. Occupation: General Electric - Electrical Engineer

Graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in engineering.

According to Pauline...
Parents always thought he underachieved, took job below his degree. Dated a girl parents really liked, everyone thought they'd marry - but who he stopped seeing around the time he met grandma. At the time, everyone thought grandma was too aloof.

Had heart disease, died after severe stroke.

I remember not being allowed to go to his funeral. My only memory of him was when he installed a handle bar device on my bike. You twisted it and it would make a reving sound, like a motorcycle. I think it was called "Raw Power."

Address in Danvers: 1 Linden Dr, Danvers, MA, 01923-3516

Obit
Wendell B. Conner
Danvers, MA - Wendell B. Conner, 65, of 1 Linden Drive died Monday at Hunt Memorial Hospital. He was the husband of Elizabeth (Knights) Conner, formerly of Wardsboro, VT.
He was born in Lyndonville, VT, son of Willis and Florence Conner. A Massachusetts registered electrical engineer, he was a graduate of Northeastern University and worked 35 years for General Electric Co. in the instrument department at Lynn and the aerospace division in Wilmington, MA. He retired in 1971.
Mr. Conner was a frequent visitor to Vermont, especially Wardsboro and Vernon.
Besides his widow, he leaves a stepsister, Mrs. Pauline Christy of Winter Haven, FL; a daughter, Mrs Kathryn Kauffman of Billerica; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Peterson's Funeral Home, Danvers, where friends may call this evening from 7 to 9.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mr. Conner's memory may be made to the Heart Fund.

Obit:
Wendell B. Conner, 65, of 1 Linden Drive, husband of Mrs. Elizabeth (Knights) Conner, Died Monday evening in Hunt Memorial Hospital.
Born in Lyndon, VT, he was the son of the late Willis C. and Florence E. (Brown) Conner.
He received his education in the schools of Vermont and Florida and was graduated from Northeastern University.
A registered engineer, Mr. Conner had been employed by the General Electric Co., both in its West Lynn and Wilmington plants for 34 years.
He was a member of Crescent Lodge, No. 66, A.F. & A.M., in Lyndonville, VT, and the West Lynn Trowel Club.
Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. James W. (Katherine) Kauffman of Billerica; Two grandchildren, a step-sister, Pauline Conner Christy of Winter Haven, FL.
Funeral services were held today (Thursday) with the Rev. William U. Conway of the First Church of Danvers, Congregational, officiating.