Photo 77-OAR-16

Comments

Bernard howes was mcnallys I believe

Location 423 Masardis Road, Ashland, Maine
This is the McNally/Howes residence-Built in 1896 by Moses McNally, a Canadian immigrant from Keswick ridge area of New Brunswick. He married Sarah Clark of New Brunswick. She came to America by oxcart entering the Houlton area, while just a girl. The foundation hole of their pioneer homestead , (built in the 1840's/50's) is evidenced by a rectangular hole (dip in the front lawn) approx. 12' by 16' in dimension.. There is a hump of dirt from the first well, is just behind the pioneer foundation hole. Moses was major logging (stumpage) contractor in the woods West of Ashland in the late 1800's and prospered very well. The house was the first in Ashland to be wired for electricity, even before public service, as it had a gasoline powered generator to power the lighting. The barn is gone now, but it was massive, a full three stories, with a wide ramp to drive teams pulling hay wagons into the loft. Moses McNally was born in 1828 and died in 1904. His wife Sarah was born in 1838 and lived in this residence until 1930 (over 90 years old) and died a venerable citizen of the town. Her obituary lists her thoughts and fascination having to do with the changes in living styles over nearly an entire century of living. They are buried in the Ashland Municipal Cemetery. We purchased the house in 1996, when it was 100 years old, from Moses McNally's Great Great Grandson and his wife, Christopher and Charleen McNally. They were raising their first child here when they moved. Caitlin Nicole McNally was the 6th generation of the family to live in the homestead. When we bought the house, Caitlin's Great Grandmother Margaret McNally told me that "the only thing that blocks the winter wind on that old house is the the North Star....." Indeed, quite a history for a drafty old house in the middle of a potato field in Northern Maine. I hope you enjoyed reading a bit of it.
Bernie Howes February 1, 2015.

Chub and Margret McNally were my uncle and aunt and as a child I spent many summers visiting my cousins and enjoying the rope swing in the old barn as well as fishing and just enjoying the great outdoors of Maine. Heard many stories from my father who grew up there and was the son of Myles and grandson of Moses. Still recall my great uncles Will, Wallace and Charlie sitting around the potbelly stove back in the 1950s. Many great old memories!

The small two room house at the front of the lot at the left of the driveway was called the little house by my parents, Elbridge and Shirley York. We lived there for a while until I was ?3? My grandparents lived there while they built their house just south past the unmarked House cemetery .

Your Comment

Do you have a connection to this photograph? Maybe you grew up here or know someone who did? What has changed in the 59 years since this photo was taken? Tell us!