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Historical Society Fall 2012 Newsletter


 

FOOTNOTES FOR:

"One Man's Dream Is Another Man's Nightmare"  Tracy W Messer, 8/27/12

  1. The original volume of the proprietor's records was last known to be at the Marlow Town Office.  Elgin Jones' transcript of the "Layout Book of Marlow" was to have been lodged in the Cheshire Country Registry of Deeds.  See "Item 16", Last Will and Testament of Elgin A. Jones, File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH.  See also "Chapter XXI/Residents" of Elgin Jones' unpublished manuscript, MARLOW.
  2. "The map that accompanies the story is made from the original layout book, so fortunately preserved to us. The first glance at it would impress one with the idea that it represented a modified Chinese puzzle. Not so. Marlow, unlike all the adjoining towns, was never subdivided into ranges and lots. Each person who owned a share could select land wherever he chose, have a survey made by the committee, a record made in the layout book, and then his title was complete. The irregularity is thus accounted for." See "Chapter XXI/Residents" of Elgin Jones' unpublished manuscript, MARLOW.
  3. His original manuscript may be found at the Historical Society of Cheshire County.  See "Item 18", Last Will and Testament of Elgin A. Jones, File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH . See also Rumrill, Alan F.  Record Group Number 29: Marlow Hand Written History by Elgin A. Jones, Historical Society of Cheshire County, compiled May 1983.  Retrieved 25 August 2012 from http://www.hsccnh.org/ libraryrg/rg29.cfm
  4. In the fall of 1934 he gave his surveying tools, compass, tapes, etc. (but not drafting tools) to Lucien D. Webster of Campello, MA.  See "Item 6", Last Will and Testament of Elgin A. Jones, File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH.  
  5. See http://keenepubliclibrary.org/library/vital-records/deaths-1939-1941
  6. See "Item 18", Last Will and Testament of Elgin A. Jones, File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH.  The text reads as follows: "After paying all my debits, expenses, legacies and all taxes if I have not published my manuscript "Marlow as I know it", and there remains sufficient funds to publish the same, and a letter to my administrator is found with this will containing directions, I hereby authorize and direct him to publish said manuscript accordingly, using such of my estate funds as may be necessary; selling the resulting volume at such reasonable price as will recompense my estate, in part at least, for the expense. If no letter of directions is found herewith, then said Manuscript and map shall be given to the New Hampshire Historical Society. Also the sum of five hundred (500) dollars to pay in part for its being published in its "Collections."
  7. See "Item 19", Last Will and Testament of Elgin A. Jones, File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH. 
  8. See "Item 18", Last Will and Testament of Elgin A. Jones, File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH. 
  9. There are four known copies of this book: one at the New Hampshire Historical Society; one at the Historical Society of Cheshire County; one at the Keene Public Library; and one at the Marlow Historical Society.  It is not known how many copies were printed.  However, the cost for "Sentinel-Jones Marlow History" came to $877.19. See The Account of Orville E. Cain, Executor of the Will of Elgin A. Jones, Late of Keene, Deceased; Paper 6; File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH. 
  10. See Jones, Elgin A. NOTES ON HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MARLOW, N.H. Sentinel Printing, Keene, NH: 1941, page vii.
  11. See The Account of Orville E. Cain, Executor of the Will of Elgin A. Jones, Late of Keene, Deceased; Paper 6; File #510, 8th Circuit Court, Probate Division, Keene, NH.  
  12. There are five known copies of the "MARLOW" typescript: one at the Keene Public Library; one at the New Hampshire Historical Society; one at the Historical Society of Cheshire County; and two at the Marlow Historical Society.
One of the copies at the Marlow Historical Society contains the following typewritten note: "Mr. Elgin A. Jones made a provision that should he die before he had put the History of Marlow in book form and published, that attorney Orville Cain of Keene would complete the task. After the death of Mr. Cain, his office was being cleared out of all unnecessary papers. It is through the thoughtfulness of Mr. Herbert Beard (formerly a resident of Marlow, then of Keene) that these records were saved. He thought I would like to have them. I certainly did want them. They contain valuable information about the beginning of Marlow. I treasure them along with the memory of Mr. Elgin A. Jones. Signed: Mildred Langdon Kinson.                                                                      

The copy at the Keene Public Library contains an original cover letter from Orville E. Cain addressed to the Board of Trustees, Thayer Public Library, Keene, NH dated May 6, 1942.  It reads as follows: Gentlemen: After printing the notes of Elgin A. Jones on the Town of Marlow a manuscript was found which contained much valuable information and this has been mimeographed. I enclose a copy herewith. Yours very truly, O.E. Cain"
 
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
 
  • Allen, Patricia A. An Index to Marlow, NH An Unfinished Manuscript on the History of Marlow by Elgin Jones circa 1925-1930.  Montague, MA: 1996.
  • Batchelder, Elizabeth (Editor). History of Marlow, New Hampshire By: Elgin Jones. Re-Edited 2002 by: The Marlow Historical Society.  [Available for sale through the Marlow Historical Society for $15].
  • "ELGIN A. JONES, LONG ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY, DIES - Well Known Citizen Had Seved in Many Offices; Funeral on Thursday." Keene Evening Sentinel, Tuesday, March 14, 1939, page 1, 5.
  • Foster, Loisanne. "Marlow's First Town Meeting", published online Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:39 pm. Retrieved 25 August 2012 from http://www.marlowhistoricalsociety.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=231#p466 
  • Foster, Loisanne. "Notes on the History of the Town of Marlow, Jones" published online Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:07 pm.  Retrieved 25 August 2012 from http://www.marlowhistoricalsociety.org/phpbb/ viewtopic.php?t=209#p427
  • Jones, Elgin A.  File #510: records pertaining to the estate of the late Elgin A. Jones who died 13 March 1939.  Copied 17 August 2012 from the records of the Cheshire County Probate Court by Tracy Messer.
  • Jones, Elgin A. NOTES ON HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MARLOW, N.H. Sentinel Printing, Keene, NH: 1941.
  • Jones, Elgin A. MARLOW. Unpublished manuscript.  Transcribed (by Charles R. Dresser, circa 1941) from original handwritten manuscript.
  • Messer, Tracy. "Map Lot Supplementary Index to Elgin A. Jones' History of the Town of Marlow, N.H." Unpublished document compiled circa 1995.
  • "Over $17,000 Made in Public Bequests By The Late Elgin A. Jones. Keene Evening Sentinel, Friday, March 17, 1939, page 1.
  • Rumrill, Alan F.  Record Group Number 29: Marlow Hand Written History by Elgin A. Jones, Historical Society of Cheshire County, compiled May 1983.  Retrieved 25 August 2012 from http://www.hsccnh.org/ libraryrg/rg29.cfm
  • Swart, Hon. William P. "AMONG THE LEGISLATORS OF 1911." The Granite Monthly, Vol. XLIII, Granite Monthly Co. Pub., Concord, NH: 1911, page 58 (photograph and biographical sketch of Elgin A. Jones). Retrieved 27 AUG 2012 from: http://books.google.com/books?id=mGESAAAAYAAJ&q=jones - v =snippet&q=jones&f=false

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