The History Page
The following account of this family history was from conversations I had with Raymond, Ursula, May, and Greg the weekend of Jan. 4, 2001.
I went over to Ray and Ursula's home in Bradford, MA tonight to get some old photos to scan in my computer for the family website. One rare Photo was of William Bayne and grandson Billy circa 1915, and so far the only photo of William Bayne found to date.
We talked a lot about life in Salem when Ray was a lad back in the mid 1930's to 1940's. I also asked about the family history as was told to them. As they recollect on Rays mother Elizabeth's side, her Grandfather Laurence Bayne and Grandmother Maria Bayne (Dempsey) left Ireland and headed for Alexandria Virginia. One stop was Salem, Ma. where they disembarked to give birth to their son William. There stay there was very short and they continued on to Virginia to raise a family. Aunt May seems to think Laurence worked in Salem, lived on North Street and received a job offer in Alexandria, VA to work in a leather factory. Laurence and Maria had three children John, Thomas and William. William was a policeman and a leather worker. He married twice. His first wife gave birth to Maria Josephine Bayne, nicknamed May, in 1886. After his first wife died, he married Nora Sheehy who was born in Limerick, Ireland. She gave birth to Elizabeth Margaret Bayne on Feb. 15, 1890 in Alexandria, VA. My father told me a story that we are related to the woman who ran the boarding house (Norma Surret I think) that housed John Wilkes Booth during the assassination of President Lincoln in 1865. She was hung an has the distinction of being the last American Civilian arrested by the US Military.
Shortly after her birth he was offered a job as a Superintendent at a leather factory in Salem, MA for $10 a week. They must have moved there in 1890 because Ruth told me a story of Elizabeth as an infant almost being washed with the linen during the boat voyage to Salem. More on that from Ruth later. They rented the house on 1 Friend St for many years before purchasing the home for $600 in 1921. Also living with William and Nora was Williams mother Maria, his brother Thomas, May and Elizabeth. His mother died in 1901 at age 63 of Pneumonia. May died at a young age of 17 in 1903 of Typhoid Fever.
Brother Thomas worked as a liquor distributor at the SMOOT Distillers. He was a sickly man with a heart aliment called the dropsy. He died 1900 at age 34
Elizabeth graduated from Salem High School in 1909 and became a bookkeeper at United Shoe Machinery in Beverly. She took the train to work daily from the Carlton Ville station. She used roller skates to move about the factory to collect the time cards.
A favorite story of the time was when her mother, Nora, laid claim to a horse dropping on the street for her flowerbed. (Horses were the primary choice to power various delivery carts around town back then). A neighbor, Michael Cook, was about the take the prize from the street. In her strong Irish brogue she yelled out the window "Michel Cook, you leave it be, that be mine". Michael Cook replied, "That a big one Mrs. Bayne, you must be feeling quite relieved"
William was a large tough man with a thick Southern drawl. He brought with him the southern courtesies and mannerisms that the Irish poked fun at once to often. One day having enough he calmly removed his hat and coat and commenced to teach 5 rude men better manners. Ray remembers him as a tease that would hook the kids with his cane as they walked by. A frequent pass time after supper, relayed to me by May, was William reading stories to his grandchildren. He was well liked by people who knew him. William Bayne passed away in 1929 at age 72 of heart disease. Nora Bayne died a few years after William. May said she lost her desire to live and wanted to be with William. She was a big help to Elizabeth with the chores raising the children when she was in good health.
Elizabeth met Ellsworth Elzear Melanson and married him Dec 23, 1911. He moved in the 1 Friend St home and they raised 11 children there. Friend St was in Irish section of Salem called the Carlton Ville. Ellsworth's family lived across town near Derby Wharf on Kosciusko St. There was a strain in the relationship between Ellsworth and his family, because he had what was considered at the time a "mixed marriage"- French and Irish. The French still harbored resentment from the English speaking people who drove them out of Arcadia (Nova Scotia) in 1755 splitting up many families in the process. There is still friction between French Canadian and English speaking people today, as there is an ongoing separatist movement in Quebec. Another reason for the strain was Docite and Philomina did not speak any English. It very difficult to develop personal relationships without communication.
Now for Rays Fathers Side. Rays grandparents Dorithese (Docite) Melanson and Philomina Melanson (Richard) emigrated from New Brunswick, Canada. Docite had five children by Libby his first wife.
She died and Docite remarried to Philomina 3 years later and they had six childeren - Charles, Joseph, Libby (Lena), Maurice(Morris), Marie Ann died young, and Elzear (Ellsworth). Ellsworth did not have any memories of Canada so its assumed they arrive between 1890 and 1892.` Docite was a fisherman and Philomina was a French language teacher in Canada. They had 5 children that Ray could recall - Ellsworth Elzear, Morris, Joseph, Charles and Lena. I remember Lena, she was close to Elizabeth and came to cookouts at my fathers house in Danvers in the 60's. She was one of the few who accepted the "mixed marriage".
It was said Ellsworth spoke French exceptionally well due to his mothers teachings and used this skill to promote political or labor causes he believed in. He joined several clubs and was a labor organizer for the shoe makers union. His union activities lead him to travel through out New England and New York. one time he received threats on his life in Manchester NH from non union interests and was told not to return to Manchester. With 11 children to fed he heeded those warnings. He would lobby for the French vote for politicians he supported. As a result of his efforts he made connections and got appointed greens keeper at the Salem Municipal golf course for a time. He was an avid fan (and player) of baseball. He organized the Carlts baseball team who played other teams around the Northshore. As Greg put it, with all his social and political activities, he would not be considered a "homebody." A favorite pass time was listening to the Red Sox broadcasts with his crystal radio headset providing a play by play account to his Father in law William, who was an equally enthused Red Sox fan, sitting by his side. I even recall Elizabeth being a big Red Sox fan when I knew her in the 60's.
I can give you first hand information about Elizabeth, she was your classic sweetheart grandmother who apparently took after her farther.
For an early history go to: