Discover Maine details story of Levant chair

One hundred twenty-eight years ago, the coldest day of the winter may have been Jan. 5, 1874.

At least, that’s what Daniel Bartlett McLaughlin claimed on the day he and wife Rachel welcomed their newborn son in Levant, Cyrus Ladd McLaughlin.

We know this because of “Gramp’s Chair: Treasured by Each Generation,” the story Katy Perry wrote in the Greater Bangor Region issue of Discover Maine, billed as Maine’s History and Nostalgia Magazine. It’s the blue-covered magazine you often see in stacks of free publications in book and convenience stores.

Cyrus brought the chair – finished just before his birth – to his marriage to Perry’s mother, Elizabeth, in the 1940s. The item even survived being thrown out the window during a house fire, thanks to some repair by Cyrus.

Two things will stay with me about this story. One is that Perry made the effort to write about Cyrus McLaughlin, though he was her stepfather, not a blood relation. Many of us have been blessed with special step-relatives, in-laws and other kinds of kin. We would do well to record their lives too.

The other point is that the Perry and McLaughlin families recognized the historical significance of the chair and offered it to an appropriate facility – in this case, the Maine State Museum. I hope the museum displays it often.

Speaking of “other kinds of kin,” readers surely have picked up on the kinship I feel for both librarians and teachers.

Two of the first librarians in my children’s lives were Dot MacCrae and Mona Miller, retired teachers who volunteered in the library at Newburgh School. Both of these dear women had a love of history.

I bring this up because Diddy MacCrae died on Jan. 12 at 91. One of her daughters, Martha Stepp, teaches fourth grade – including history – at Weatherbee School in her hometown of Hampden.

A granddaughter, Melissa MacCrae has written books with a bearing on history, including one with a Civil War locale, “No Place for Little Boys.” MacCrae – Joyce Howe’s daughter, for the genealogists keeping track – will be one of the speakers for “Bangor Reads,” a program with many activities at Bangor Public Library through Feb. 16. Her talk is at 2 p.m. Feb. 4.

A love of history is one of the best things we can pass on to the next generation.

Back to that issue of Discover Maine – Charles Francis has his usual collection of fine stories, including “The Penobscot Valley in the Civil War” and “Canaan’s General Isaac Bangs.”

Born in 1823 in Canaan, Bangs was an eighth-generation descendant of Edward Banges, who arrived at Plymouth, Mass., in 1623. Isaac Bangs also was a second cousin to Commodore Edward Preble, captain of the USS Constitution.

Other Francis subjects include the tarring and feathering of Father John Bapst, Brewer sculptor Charles Tefft, the invention of the peavey, and the Bangor Mudlarks – the stevedores who loaded and unloaded ships in the Queen City.

In addition, Francis wrote about John Butler Ayer, a Bangor native killed during World War II while flying in the American Eagle Squadron for the Royal Air Force.

John, Frederick, Winslow, Dorothy and Frances were the children of Frederick Rollins Ayer and Frances (Butler). Frederick Rollins Ayer and his father, Frederick W. Ayer, were presidents of Eastern Manufacturing Co. in Brewer.

This tale of the American who flew with the RAF was a fascinating story, one Francis wrote with contributions from Norman Houle of the Maine Aviation Historical Society. For information on the society, call (800) 280-MAHS or check www.acadia.net/mahs.

A few months ago, I picked up a copy of the Discover Maine for Washington County, featuring pieces such as Connee Jellison’s “Tales of Old Route 9,” and Charles Francis’ “Lubec’s Hopley Yeaton: America’s First Commissioned Seagoing Officer.”

An earlier issue, 2000-2001 Katahdin Moosehead Region, offered articles such as Connee Jellison’s “Maine’s Hallowed Grounds: Obituaries Tell Intriguing Tales.”

The focus is Alonzo C. Buck, born 1836 to Cyrus and Betsy (Brock) Buck of Lincoln. Alonzo married Mary Wotton of Enfield, and they had seven children, including Adria and Everett.

You can receive all 12 Discover Maine magazines each year by sending a check for $25, made out to CreMark Inc., in care of Discover Maine, 10 Exchange St., Suite 208, Portland, ME 04101. Jim Burch is the publisher, and Dick Charron is the editor.

On another topic, the committee that has been working on the celebration of the 175th anniversary of the town of Abbot will kick off activities with a potluck supper at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Abbot Town Hall. A whole weekend of events will be held in July – more about that later.

3165. EICHEL-MCKEE. Looking for information on family of Harris Melvin Eichel, b. May 4, 1885, Canada, son of Stephen Eichel of Germany and wife Elizabeth Lowes McKee. She was daughter of Stephen McKee of Holland. Harris md. Waite J. McKee, b. 1897, Upper Northfield, Nova Scotia. Harris Eichel d. 1935, Livermore or Livermore Falls. Waite Eichel d. Sept. 14, 1949, CMG Hospital, Lewiston. Children of Harris and Waite Eichel: Mary, b. 1916, Canada; Clarence, 1922, Canada; Irene, 1926, Livermore or Livermore Falls; Steve, b. Jan. 25, 1928, Livermore or Livermore Falls, d. Jan. 23, 1999, Augusta. Another son stayed in Canada. Eleanor Patrick, 24 Main St., Fort Fairfield, ME 04742; or call 472-3603.

Send queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net.