SERENDIPITY and SIX DEGREES (Or More)??!!

 This is a post I had planned for later… there is a whole list of connections to Mary Ann in which a person can literally drop name after name that would be worth googling.  I planned to list them and touch on each of them briefly, and still plan to do so, but I can’t let this moment go without commenting. 

My intention in my writing this blog is to be brief and concise, but that’s probably not gonna happen too often, as it goes against the grain of every fiber in my being.  (See – there I go – grain?  fiber? being? – so totally unnecessary and non-academic  . . . and is non-academic even a word????)  Yep, I need an editor!  Or I need to take the time and go back and delete . . . but I just stumbled across some information that puts the serendipity in doing research.  And this will be one of those times where I go off . . . rambling.  And I probably won’t be able to explain myself, but I plan to try.

One of the headstones on the Elias Ayers plot in Fairview Cemetery reads “L. M. Hawley – Consort of F. Thurston, who departed this life July 6^th, 1842, aged 29 years.”  I had done some (okay – a lot of) research on the Ayers and Day families and found no connection to Hawley nor Thurston. 

In a separate incident, a few years ago, an early daybook (book of accounts) was located and purchased for its possible and probable historical value, pertaining to the entries that list New Albany’s early merchants.  This was the Daybook of F. Thurston.  From the original brief research, the most interesting connection I found relating to Franklin Thurston was his marriage here to Laura Hawley.  (Although I need to locate my earlier notes, I could be foggy on the accurate details of the daybook, so am only briefly commenting on that, as the source of my initial interest.)  Thurston’s wife, Laura, had died in 1842 and at least by 1844 Franklin had relocated in Muscatine, Iowa, where he remained until his death in 1878.  Laura had been a published poet, of considerable literary ability, writing for newspapers and magazines, using the name “Viola.” Her poems have been included in collections of American poetry. 

But no indication as to why she was buried in Elias Ayers’ plot. 

Fast forward to the research currently being done on Mary Ann’s grandfather, Gold Selleck Silliman.  He had been captured and was being held prisoner by the Tories.  His wife, Mary Fish Silliman, fled to a nearby tavern as the British later set fire to much of Fairfield.  She was pregnant with their child, and gave birth to Benjamin Silliman, America’s first scientist and pioneer in energy [our Mary Ann’s uncle, half-brother of her father, William Silliman, and mentioned here for the "Six Degrees" aspect – more later ], in that tavern.  The tavern was originally the large Colonial home built in 1765 by Ebenezer HAWLEY. 

I know, I know.  I’m not jumping to conclusions.  But I am excited that this could be the connection I’ve been looking for. 

By this time, the building (tavern) was no longer in the possession of the Hawley family, and this Mary Silliman was the step-mother of Mary Ann’s father…. The connection is weak, but it COULD be that Laura Hawley Thurston, who came to New Albany as a single young woman, was taken in by Mrs. Ayers (at that time), as a fellow kinsman with a connection to her family back East. 

Worth pursuing!!!!  Mostly because all other trails leading to Laura Hawley Thurston have led nowhere, I can’t help but think (if only for a moment) how sweet it will be if a connection can be made. 

Just wanted to share.  And, hey, it’s MY blog!!

[ADDENDUM:  The Hawley family who had built the tavern in Connecticut has proved to be the same family that eventually gave us Laura Hawley Thurston, the poet.  However, information garnered since that discovery cannot support nor dispute the fact that Laura Hawley came to New Albany as a direct result of her connection to the Silliman (Mrs. Mary Ann Silliman Ayers specifically) family, from nearby Fairfield.  A short biography in "The Poets of Connecticut" states that Laura had studied at the Hartford Female Seminary and subsequently, "through the recommendation of Mr. Brace, she was invited to take charge of a female school at New Albany, in Indiana."  -- Mr. Brace having been John Pierce Brace, the principal of the seminary.  From this statement it appears that he may have been approached as to who might be a suitable candidate and it was just coincidental that the individual was Laura Hawley.  But very likely, Mary Ann was influential in this appointment.]

New Albany Theological Seminary

Born in a log cabin in 1829 was a Presbyterian seminary.  The location was Madison, Indiana, on the campus of what was then Hanover Academy.  The academy grew, and became Hanover College, while its Theological Department, including the seminary, struggled.  There were financial difficulties, dissension among the Presbyterian denomination and a tornado in 1837 which all contributed to the concerns of whether or not to rebuild the seminary in the rural locale of Hanover.  

Elias Ayers, one of the most active members of the seminary’s board of directors, offered a memorial to the seminary in honor of his son, who had died while studying for the ministry.  The gift of $15,000, which included the land to build a new facility, also included the stipulation that it be located permanently in New Albany.  The seminary was built in New Albany at Sixth and Elm Streets. In November of 1840, classes began.

Elias died in January of 1842, too soon before all his expectations of a successful seminary could be realized.  Elias’ widow, Mary Ann Silliman Ayers, remarried to Rev. Philip Lindsley in April of 1849.  Rev. Lindsley had been acting president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) 1822-1823, and chancellor of the University of Nashville for 25 years.  He had also been a kinsman of Ayers, both being born in Morris Co., New Jersey.  Following his marriage to Ayers' widow, Rev. Lindsley had relocated in New Albany, and was persuaded to teach at the seminary, which he did for two years, without compensation. The school continued to struggle and relocated after the commencement of 1857, to Chicago, and currently is known as the McCormick Theological Seminary. The building in New Albany was utilized as the New Albany Female Seminary, then Tousley's School, and as a Civil War Hospital, and eventually a coffin factory.

Photograph [725 P8 211] used with permission of the Stuart B. Wrege Indiana History Room, New Albany-Floyd County Public Library. Information garnered from documents in VF Schools - Ayers University, particularly “McCormick Theological Seminary: An Informal History” by Marshal L. Scott, and “The McCormick Story – Celebrating 125 Years (1829 – 1955) of McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois." 

On This Date (News or No News??): Duke

                This is the story of a dog – a big gentle bird dog named Duke, and how terrible fright caused him to get into a more frightening situation.  Duke lives with Mr. and Mrs. Fred Meyer, 1621 Ekin Ave., though his real master is Jerry Meyer, who is at present with the Army in Germany. 

                The noisy and thundering storm of last Sunday night terrified Duke.  He had, during a previous storm been close to lightning, and now is unusually scared of storms.  Sunday night Duke became so frantic that he pushed open a screen door and fled outside into the storm like a scared rabbit.  He ran until he found refuge in the fire house at 13^th and Market, a territory unfamiliar to him. 

                Perhaps the big red fire truck there looked like sanctuary to him, remembering his pleasant rides in the trucks Fred Meyer uses in his contracting business.  Wet and soaking he jumped into the driver’s seat, and when pried out by the firemen, hopped right back in, repeating this performance many times.  In desperation the firemen put him out the back door only to have him re-enter when it was opened.  He immediately re-established himself in the driver’s seat.  

                “WHAT WILL we do with him if we get a call?” asked one of the firemen and then the phone rang.  There was a fire at the State Highway Garage.  There was no time to deal with the dog.  As the men hopped on the seat, Duke hopped to the back of the truck.  With sirens screaming and lights flashing the truck tore off. 

                Duke had always howled when a fire truck passed his home but now the hated thing had become his refuge and remained in it.  As the fire truck passed Vincennes and Ekin, Mr. and Mrs. Meyer, who were out searching for Duke, remarked to each other that they hoped the sirens didn’t frighten the dog more. 

                At the Highway Garage, Chief Tom Daniel was surprised to see a big dog emerge with the hose.  But Duke was no help.  With the excitement, noise and activity, he again sought a truck as refuge.  This time under a highway truck, where he remained throughout the night. 

                THE NEXT MORNING when reporting for work, Leo Andres discovered Duke.  Leo called Dr. Hollis’ office and from Duke’s rabies tag was able to learn the owner.  Leo then called the Meyers and now Duke is back home, happily wagging his tail and so glad to be in his own safe place and in the surrounding quiet of the clear sunlight. 

[from New Albany Tribune 20 Jul 1962 – Mary’s Column: ‘Duke’ Poses Problem for N. A. Firemen, By MARY STEIN, Tribune Society Editor]