John Albee
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John H. Albee (1833 - 1915)

Reverend John H. Albee
Born in Bellingham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , and
Husband of — married 1 Sep 1864 in Boston, Massachusetts, USAmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , and
Died at age 81 in Washington, District of Columbia, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 7 Oct 2016
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Contents

Biography

Notables Project
John Albee is Notable.

Origins

John H. Albee was born about April 3, 1833 in Bellingham, Massachusetts.[1][2] His parents were John Albee and Esther Thayer.[3] John was described as being five feet eight inches tall with a dark complexion and dark hair.[4]

His childhood memoirs[5] describe the many sacrifices his mother made to raise her children after his father died.

Education

In the early 1850s, John was sent to the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts[6] to study under Dr. Samuel Taylor.[2] He was later admitted to Harvard Divinity School, taking a job in a store to support his studies, and graduated in 1858.[2] He had been living with his mother, now sixty-three, and his sisters Elizabeth and Rhoda.[7][8]

Vocation

John Albee trained to be a Unitarian minister, but his heart wasn't in it. In his diary, he wrote: " "I take no interest in the education or teaching of people. . . . I have nothing to say on the common topics of Christianity or religion. But this morning I go to Walpole to preach!" (21 May 1859)[6] Eventually he left the ministry and settled in New Castle, New Hampshire, as a gentleman farmer.[9] It was later said that he withdrew from the rest of the world and dedicated his life to "contemplation and study".[2]

Friendships

John Albee was acquainted with several of his contemporary writers, including Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Celia (Laighton) Thaxter, Alexander Graham Bell, Mary Morse (Baker) Eddy, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.[1] In her memoir, his daughter LouLie recalls the following.

“Alexander Graham Bell was another friend who came often to New Castle. He was young and at that time teaching in a deaf mute institution. He was living in the throes of inventions that he had no money to further. I can see him now arriving with two tin dippers attached to a long string,”
According to Loulie, Bell asked Albee to stand next to the well as he stepped back about 50 feet, pulled the string taut, and spoke into the metal dipper. “I hear you perfectly!” John Albee shouted, the other metal cup held to his ear.[1]

John became particularly fascinated with Transcendentalism after reading the Emerson's works as a student, and cites Emerson as a major influence in his decision to leave the ministry.[10]

Marriages and Children

John Albee's first wife was Harriet Ryan, a Boston nurse,[1] whom he married in 1864.[11][12] He and Harriet purchased the "old Jaffrey Cottage" off Wild Rose Lane in 1864.[1][2] They had four children: Harriet, Esther, Robert, and Louisa "Loulie".[13][14] John was listed as a thirty-seven-year-old farmer in New Castle, New Hampshire in 1870.[15] Harriet died in 1873, at the age of forty-four years, one month, and twenty-eight days.[16] Cause of death was listed as Phthisis (tuberculosis).[16]

  1. Harriet Albee b. 1865, d. 14 Jun 1865
  2. Esther Albee b. 14 Jun 1866[15][17][18]
  3. Robert McDonald Albee b. 23 Feb 1867, d. 26 Oct 1869[19]
  4. Louisa Shaw "LouLie" (Albee) Mathews b. 1873,[15][17] m. Edward Roscoe Mathews 14 Sep 1899[20]

John lived in New Castle, New Hampshire in 1880.[17] He was forty-six years old and working as a farmer.[17] Esther (14) and LouLie (10) both attended school.[17]

In 1894, John remarried to Helen "Nellie" Rickey, of Ohio.[21] They made their home in Tamworth Town, New Hampshire.[22][23]

Death

John H. Albee died on March 24, 1915 in Washington, D.C., just shy of his eighty-second birthday.[2][24] His remains were interred at the D. C. Crematorium two days later.[2]

Selected Works

  • Diary of a young Transcendentalist (1853-1861)

Research Notes

The Official Blog of the Massachusetts Historical Society contains some interesting speculation on John Albee's relationship with Louisa May Alcott, derived from his diaries referenced above. It also claims that he survived all of his children, but this is not true. His youngest daughter, Louisa "Loulie" Shaw Albee Mathews, lived well into her 90s and has living descendants. - Freeth-52 23:49, 6 October 2016 (EDT)

Some online trees list a "Edmund Howard Albee", born about 1862, amongst his known children. While Edmund did exist, and his mother's name was Harriet Albee, that family lived in a different part of New Hampshire (and his mother lived well into the 20th century). - Freeth-52 16:20, 8 October 2016 (EDT)

J. Dennis Robinson will be publishing a hardcover book with illustrations on the history of New Castle, New Hampshire (~ Dec 2022). There will be a full chapter on John Albee and his family.(13:04, 28 June 2022 (UTC))

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Robinson, J. Dennis. "'Mr. Albee, can you hear me?'" 20 September 2018, SeaCoastOnlineNH, as viewed 28 June 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Obituary - "John Albee". The Portsmouth Herald, March 29, 1915. Accessed on October 7, 2016. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=6926353
  3. ↑ Listed on marriage and death records; see below.
  4. ↑ Crew List: "Salem and Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S., Crew Lists and Shipping Articles, 1797-1934", Massachusetts, Salem and Beverly Crew Lists and Shipping Articles, 1797-1934. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: FamilySearch, 2016. Selected Passenger and Crew Lists and Manifests. National Archives at Boston; FHL Film Number: 100788102, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61858 #175981 (accessed 28 June 2022), Name: John H Albee; Age: 30; Birth Date: 1834; Birth Place: Hollowell; Arrival Date: 1864; Arrival Place: Massachusetts, USA; Ship: S E Fabens.
  5. ↑ Albee, John H. Confessions of Boyhood. R.G. Badger, 1910. Accessed on October 7, 2016. https://www.scribd.com/document/2339537/Confessions-of-Boyhood-by-Albee-John-1833-1915
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Albee, John. Diary of a young Trancendentalist, 16 May 1853 - 24 Jan 1861. Abstract on RareBooks.com http://www.rarebookhub.com/auction_lot_books/3506046/print?key=8c74c0be7e01dd4d42d85a5793349c6910bd2144
  7. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD9Z-PWQ : 22 December 2020), John W Albee in household of Esther Albee, Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  8. ↑ "Massachusetts State Census, 1855," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ4D-YX4 : 11 March 2018), John W Albee in household of Ester Albee, Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 953,963.
  9. ↑ Robinson, J. Dennis. "Seacoast Poems of John Albee." SeacoastNH.com. 1996-2016. Accessed October 7, 2016. http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/poetry/seacoast-poems-of-john-albee/
  10. ↑ Albee, John. Remembrances of Emerson. R.G. Cooke : New York, 1903. Accessed on October 7, 2016. https://archive.org/details/rememberemers00alberich
  11. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4SK-DRJ : 17 February 2016), John Albee and Harriet Ryan, 01 Sep 1864; citing , Boston, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,433,022.
  12. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHST-XVW : 4 December 2014), John Albee and Harriet Ryan, 01 Sep 1864; citing reference 1746; FHL microfilm 817,618.
  13. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH52-Y9D : 17 October 2014), John Albee, New Hampshire, United States; citing p. 17, family 170, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,346.
  14. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHRG-5QX : 11 August 2016), John Albee, New Castle, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States; citing enumeration district ED 216, sheet 242A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0767; FHL microfilm 1,254,767.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH52-Y9D : 29 May 2021), John Albee, 1870.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NW9J-MJY : 2 March 2021), John Abbee in entry for Harriet R. Ryan Abbee, 02 May 1873; citing Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, v 258 p 94, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 960,203.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHRG-5QX : 14 January 2022), John Albee, New Castle, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
  18. ↑ "New Hampshire Birth Records, Early to 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL2X-9LT : 23 February 2021), John Albee in entry for Ester Albee, 14 Jun 1866; citing New Castle, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,000,480.
  19. ↑ "U.S., Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885," database with images, Ancestry (Ancestry.com : accessed 28 June 2022), entry for Robert Mcdonald Albee b. 1868, d. Oct 1869; citing New Castle, Rockingham, New Hampshire Mortality Schedules. [Note: Cause of death was "Disease of Brain"]
  20. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH18-YPJ : 28 July 2021), Louisa Shaw Albee in entry for Edward Roscoe Mathews, 1899.
  21. ↑ "New Hampshire Marriages, 1720-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDVS-34D : 31 December 2014), John Albee and Nellie Rickey, 15 Feb 1894; citing reference p 33; FHL microfilm 989,196.
  22. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3Y9-PQR : 20 January 2015), John Albee, Tamworth Town, Carroll, New Hampshire, United States; citing sheet 10A, family 239, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,944.
  23. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLZM-YH7 : 29 October 2015), John Albee, Tamworth, Carroll, New Hampshire, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 25, sheet 11A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,873
  24. ↑ "District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7RH-2YM : 3 December 2014), John Albee, 1915

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