Because no descendants live in Maynard, there has been a bit
of misconception that there were none. Not true. What did happen was a
combination of dispora and untimely deaths that scattered and ended,
respectively, early descendant branches. Lorenzo, the oldest son, had had five
children, but none of them had children in turn. He had moved to Winchester in
1902, and all of his lineage are buried in the Mount Auburn Cemetery,
Cambridge. The last to die was William H.K. Maynard, 1925. Harlan, the youngest
son, had died of typhus while in his teens.
Photo portrait of Lessie Louise and Harlan James Maynard |
Tomb key. M.S. Peters was Amory and Mary's grandchild, married to Warren Peters. Her daughter, Mary Sanderson (1874-1947), was last Maynard to live in Maynard. |
Barbara (Maynard) Fine, the one great-great-granddaughter
amongst our visitors, traces her lineage from William Maynard to his son Harlan
James Maynard, to Harlan’s son John Maynard, who married Frances Edna de Haro
and had three children: Joan, Diane and Barbara. Apparently, Barbara was the
only descendant who had visited Maynard before, for the interment of cremation
remains of her father, her mother, and her sister Diane. Barbara tells a story
that her father (Amory’s great-grandson) had visited Maynard during the
centennial anniversary year of 1971 and was given a tour of the mill complex by
no other than Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation. For last week’s visit, Barbara was accompanied by her son, Eric Fine, a
great-great-great-grandchild of Amory and Mary.
The five other great-great-great-grandchildren were Merrill
“Merry” (Morgan) Hill, Peter Morgan, Jr., Anne Morgan, Kim (Anderson) Donovan
and Pamela (Morgan) Jull. Their lineage traces from William to his daughter
Lessie Louise Maynard, who married Paul Beagary Morgan, of the Worcester
Morgans. Lessie and Paul had five children, who in turn had children, so there is
a whole passel of Morgans out there.
Ironwork on top of the crypt, protecting the skylight. Click on any photograph to enlarge it. |
The tour went on to several town sites connected to the
family history here: Ben Smith Dam and the Asa Smith house on Summer Hill Road,
where the Maynard family first lived after they moved from Marlborough in 1846;
the pair of houses that Amory and Lorenzo built on Main Street, just west of
the Post Office, and then Lorenzo’s mansion on Dartmouth Street – Beechmont
back then - overlooking the mill from the south side. Amory Maynard had also
constructed a mansion on the hill, but it burned in the 1960s during a planned conversion
to apartments. From there, the tour stopped in the parking lot by Battle Road,
for a view of the mill from across the pond, and then a drive through the
center of the mill, with a stop at the watergate that had controlled flow into the powerplant. [Originally a waterwheel to provide mechanical power, later replaced by a turbine to provide electric power.]
Window added to the Congregational Church rectory by Lorenzo Maynard, circa 1890. |
After the tour, the family retreated to continue their story sharing over a dinner of pizza from Roasted Peppers and ice cream from
Erikson’s Ice Cream.
David - Thank you so much for the opportunity to get an in depth view of Maynard and to meet family members on a beautiful Spring day. Most enjoyable ! - Peter
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful day, and David was such a great organizer, host, and guide. I learned so much, and met new cousins. Thanks also to Jean for her wonderful hospitality. - Merry
ReplyDeleteThank you to David and Jean for hosting such a wonderful event/reunion for Amory and William Maynard's descendants.
ReplyDeleteI'll always remember this event that brought my ancestors to life and gave me a greater appreciation for the town of Maynard with its wealth of history. If my father, John Maynard, were still here, he would have been amazed by this whole experience.-Barbara
Glad there are still family. Can you tell me who DavidMaynards parents Were? He was born in 1716. I'm doing my family tree .Diana in MI
ReplyDeleteYour David Maynard (1716-1791) was son of David Maynard (1687-1761), married to Huldah Treadway in 1713. That David was son of Zachariah Maynard (1647-1724) married to Hannah Goodrich. Z was son of John Maynard (1598-1672) who was an ancestor to Amory Maynard. See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Maynard-2756
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