Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-17

| dS ouAAL ILL., dLtcIWdTuS1 N1OuuL
Pleasant cemetery.
In the latter part Of her life she
became blind, but continued an active
correspondent with many friends by
the hand of an amenuensis. She
died Feb. 10. 1919, aged 70 years.
l. Emma Huntington Mason
Miss Alice Reynolds read an essay
upon Emma H. Mason.
Among the notable women Of Maine
was Mrs. Emma Huntington Mason, q
rarely gifted woman, an earnest
worker in patriotic societies and q
writer of graceful prose and verse.
Mrs. Mason was born in Hallowell,
Maine, August 6, 1S45, and was the
daughter of Samuel Whitmore Hunt
ington and Sally Ann Mayo, She
was of Puritan descent. On her
fathers side she traced her. ancestry
who cmigrated from Norwich, Eng
land, in 1888. On her mothers side
she was descended from Rev. John
Mayo. who for IS years was pastor
OF the Second Church in Boston,
where Rev. Increase Mather preached
in later days. Through the Mayos
she traced her line of descent back
to Elder William Brewster and Gov.
Thomas Prence of Plymouth. Her
three Revolutionary ancestors en-
titled her to three ba on her D. A.
Il. pin.
/ Mrs. Mason received her carly edu-
cation In the old HalloweIl Academy
and in 1865 was given the degree of
Is. a. by the Maine Wesleyan Female
college at kcnts Hill. Hero she &C
CURED . knowledge OF several foreign
Languages and began an extensive
reading in the literature Of these
countries. Besides her love for
literature she had deep interest in
music and painting and developed
such skill that She did original work
in both Of these arts.
IN the year 1870 she was married
10 Mr.. Charles Fl. Mason and came.
TO Augusta to live. Here for many
years she was identified with the
HE or the place and took an active
part IN the development Of intel
iectuai and patriotic interests. In
1879 she was one, of the charter mem
Defs OF Unity club, a literary society
That fiourished for more than 80
years. She was also a charter men,
Der of koussinoc Chapter, D. A, r,
and was the one to suggest the name
OF the chapter. She was the second
regent OF koussinoc and served as
councillor for many years She was
at one time held the office of State
historian. When the Historical So
clety was formed in Augusta, she be-
came an active member.
Much OF her time, however, was de-
voted to literary work, which an
peared in various magazines or was
published in book form. In 1883 an
E>arcd White Sails" collection of
poems that had been contributed to
st. Nicholas, Wide Awake, and other
periodicals. In 1895 was published
The Tower with Legends and
! Lyrics" poems that appeared in The
Atlantic, Century and other maya
| zines.
After this item she wrote princi-
pally in prose. Her interest in the
carly history of Maine led her to
| work upon old records of the first
! white settlers, of the original Indian
tribes and of colonial life before
Maine became state. This material
she used for magazine articles and
for three books: "Old Colonial Houses
in Maine published in 1908. "Old
Hallowell on the kennebec," pub
lshed in 1909 and 1.-THE Pilgrim
Fathers in Maine" which appeared in
1921.
In her later years. Mrs Mason was
, in demand as a lecturer She spoke
upon her favorite topics, not only in
| many places in Maine, but also in
other New England states.
The last ten years of Mrs. Nason's
life were passed in Gardiner. where
she Gied January II. 1921. Her last
book was in print at the time she
dicl and in the estimation of one who
| loved her. it was of such merit that it
I; made "a fitting climax to her life
and work.
Nurse Martha Moore Ballard
Perhaps of the three mentioned
| ladies, the story of Nurse Martha
core Ballard brings to mind the his
| tory of Augusta in the most delight
| full realism. Mrs. Ella A. b. Smith
| gave q most comprehensive intro
] duction relative to Nurse Ballard
and in closing read extracts from the |
! famous diary which Nurse Ballard
kept.
! In speaking of Nurse Ballard: In
! Martha Moore Ballard we find the
| noblest type of early New England !
i womanhood, whose name is worthy of |
a permanent place i'll the archives of |
! the Daughters of the American
Revolution.
| Martha Moore. daughter of Capt. ,
| Elijah Moore and his wife, Dorothy
Learned, was born in Oxford Mass, !
feb. 70. 1875: died in Augusta, !
Maine, in 1872; married Ephraim
Ballard, Dec. 10. 1855, and according
| to the record in her diary. went to
housekeeping the same day.
! MIR. Ballard, u civil engineer and
surveyor. was employed by the |
| Plymouth Land Company to survey
and map out certain tracts of land
along the kcnncbec river in 1875. |
Accordingly he moved with his family
to Augusta whore he found a home
near Bond Brook and not far from
tho spot where Glen Cottage now
| stands.
Within this humblo home Martha
Moore Ballard performed the duties
! incumbent upon the homcmaller and
mother of sons and daughters. those
homcly household takes often tedious