Wordless Wednesday (Almost) - Typical Japanese Shop

My grandfather, Merrill Haskell, was on his way back from Vladivostok, Russia in February 1920 and stopped at Kyoto, Japan. This photograph was labeled "Typical Japanese Shop, Kyoto Feb. 1920"

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Newspaper Clipping - Engagement

Transcription of newspaper clipping in Grace Ware (Holbrook) Haskell's scrapbook. Handwritten in pen at the top of the clipping is "1926". No newspaper name is provided.

Engagements of Interest in Various Cities

     Mrs. Frederick Holbrook of Brattleboro, Vt., announces the engagement of her daughter, Miss Grace Ware Holbrook, to Mr. Merrill Haskell of Portland, Me. Miss Holbrook, who attended Milton Academy and was graduated from the Lowthrope School of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture for Women, is a member of the Sewing Circle of 1913. No definite date has been set for her marriage to Mr. Haskell, who received his degree from Dartmouth College in 1915.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Treasure Chest Thursday - Kashima Maru Passenger List

When my grandfather, Merrill Haskell, went to Vladivostok, Russia in 1919 he sailed out of Seattle on the S.S. "Kashima Maru". He saved a copy of the passenger list, which provides details about the ship, the itinerary, and a list of the passenger. He is listed as a Saloon Passenger on page 4 as "Haskell, Mr. M., New York, N.Y.". The others he was traveling with, include "Norwood, Mr. R., New York, N.Y." on page 5 and "Wood, Mr. E.P. and Mrs., New York, N.Y." on page 6.

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© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Treasure Chest Thursday - Grandpa's Mandolin

My grandfather, Merrill Haskell, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1915. I found a note in my grandmother's address book that said he was in the Mandolin Club when he was at college. Here is a photo of his mandolin, which we found in the attic of his house when he passed away. The bowl-back mandolin was made by C. F. Martin & Co. Looking inside the bowl, I found the serial number (3112), which after a little Internet research, I was able to determine that the instrument was built in 1911. This makes sense, as my grandfather would have started college in 1911. It seems that mandolin's were all the rage around the turn of the century. This article at the Mandolin Cafe gives a brief history of the instrument.

Research action items - Make a research trip to the Dartmouth College Library in Hanover, NH and see if I can find any photos of the Mandolin Club between 1911 and 1915.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Trip to Vladivostok, Russia - Post 1

My wife, son and I made a trip to Vladivostok, Russia this summer, leaving Maine on July 25, 2010 and returning home on August 6, 2010. The trip was our first overseas and was quite an adventure. This all started with a box of almost 500 photos that my grandfather took in Vladivostok back in 1919-1920. He was there for six months with the YMCA as an accountant in their International Hut (corrected on 11-10-2010; his office was not in the International Hut). My wife scanned all of those photos and shared them with several historians in Vladivostok. They found the photos so interesting that they published a book about them. We decided that this was the right time to go meet the authors visit the city.

Will (me) and my son Jack at the Vladivostok Train Station in 2010

Merrill Haskell (my grandfather) at the Vladivostok Train Station in 1919

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Trip to Vladivostok, Russia

My family and I will soon be headed to Vladivostok, Russia. This is family history-related trip that came about by my wife organizing and sharing over 400 historic photographs that my grandfather (Merrill Haskell) took in Vladivostok back in 1919-1920. My wife shared these photos with several folks in Vladivostok and they wrote a book (after clicking the link, scroll to the bottom of the page), Vladivostok in the photos of Merrill Haskell. August 11, 1919 – February 23, 1920. Another summary of the book can be found here (again scroll to the bottom of the page). More coverage of the book is found in a photo gallery on the US Consulate's website.

My grandfather was a young accountant (27 years old) when he went to Vladivostok as an accountant with the YMCA. He traveled by boat from San Francisco to Japan and then on to Vladivostok, with three others from the accounting firm (Niles & Niles), where he was working for in New York City. He voyage also took him to Yokohama, Japan.

More to come about my grandfather's adventure and ours when we return....

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Merrill Haskell Family - Ancestral Chart 17

Ancestral Chart No. 17, continuing Merrill Haskell's direct family line, compiled by Grace Ware (Holbrook) Haskell's. Chart 17 continues from Chart 1 with Mary Woodman (wife of Eliphalet Haskell). I have done very little research on the Woodman and associates lines - I've got some work to do!

 

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Wordless Wednesday - Merrill Haskell's Silk Baby Mitttens

circa 1892

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Merrill Haskell Ancestral Chart 16

Ancestral Chart No. 16, continuing Merrill Haskell's direct family line, compiled by Grace Ware (Holbrook) Haskell's. Chart 16 continues from Chart 1 with Eliphalet Haskell back to William Haskell who was born circa 1617 in Charlton-Musgrove, Somerset, England. It appears that William and his older brother Roger, younger brother Mark, and younger sister Joan sailed for American circa 1635. They landed at Salem in Massachusetts and settled in Cape Ann (Beverly and Gloucester).

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Merrill Haskell - MCS Degree at Amos Tuck School

After receiving his BS degree, Merrill Haskell continued on and received his Master of Commercial Science Degree at the Amos Tuck School of Administration and Finance (at Dartmouth College) on 21 April 1916. Here is an image of his diploma.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Merrill Haskell Ancestral Chart 1

My grandmother's (Grace Ware (Holbrook) Haskell) genealogy research includes several binders of notes, ancestral charts and other family history information. Here is one of her ancestral charts documenting five generations starting with my grandfather. I am in the process of documenting the data that she gathered and providing sources for her research. The numbers on the far right of the page correspond with the next chart in the series going back in time.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Merrill Haskell - BS Degree at Dartmouth

Merrill Haskell graduated from Dartmouth College with a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in 1915. My Dad recently found a copy of his diploma while cleaning out some old files at home.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Merrill Haskell

My grandfather, Merrill Haskell was b 6 Feb 1892 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine. In this photo with his mother, Clarissa Hollingsworth (Merrill) Haskell, he is 8 months old.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell