Elizabeth according to Diantha

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[/url] & Eva M. Smith are enumerated as living at 23 Prospect Street in Biddeford. Included in their household is their 5-year-old son, Thomas. Thomas' little sister, Elizabeth -- maternal grandma of the Keeper of this website -- would not arrive until October of 1912. Thomas and Eva are both listed as "florists."

Ten years later, on the 1920 census, Zelma D. Nield is enumerated on the 9th day of January as 9-year-old Dianthe Z. Nield. Elizabeth M. Smith appears as a 7-year-old living with her parents, her brother Thomas, and her maternal grandpa, Peter Brackett. Elizabeth's father is shown as having no occupation -- he has been in failing health, and unable to work.

One month later, on the 12th day of February, little Elizabeth's father "asphyxiated himself with gas at his home . . . His lifeless body was found by his wife, sitting in a large easy chair, with gas escaping from a rubber tube, which was connected with the gas range in the kitchen and held close to his mouth. The end of the rubber tubing had been tied by Mr. Smith on his breast with the end about half an inch from his mouth. The end attached to the gas range had also been tied on, as Mr. Smith, who had made two other attempts to end his life, it is claimed, evidently wanted to make sure he would succeed this time."

Diantha's mother died not long after, and in the days and weeks and years that followed, Diantha and the slightly younger Elizabeth began to "chum together." One of their pastymes was the seasonal gathering of pawpaws. According to Diantha, that's exactly what they were doing (autumn of 1927 or 1928) when they struck up a conversation with two handsome young men on leave from the Navy -- Win Hooper (from Maine) and Robert Henry (from Texas).

• In 1927, Robert E. Henry enlisted (in TX)
  
• In 1927, Peter Brackett died (in ME)
  
• In 1929, Elizabeth married Robert E. Henry (in MA)
  
• In 1930, Robert E. Henry, Jr. was born (in MA)
  
• In 1931, Diantha married Winfield Kearns Hooper (in ME)
  
• In 1932, Alice Hooper was born (in ME)
  
• In 1932, Roberta Henry was born (in MA)
  
• In 1932, Elizabeth Marilla (Smith) Henry died (age 19 in MA)
  
• In 1933, Elizabeth Hooper was born
  
• In 1934, Tom Smith, Jr. married Barbara Watson (in MA)
  
• In 1934, Robert E. Henry married Anne Howard (in MA)
  
• In 1936, Eva May (Brackett) Smith died (in MA)
  
• In 1940, Winfield Kearns Hooper died
  

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[/url]. Betty & I went up with her mother & stayed in the cottage one weekend. I too have since been back to try to locate the cottage. I had forgotten that that was where they honeymooned Win & I honeymooned at our old family cottage at Hills Beach at the mouth of the Saco River and that was a disaster. Rained incessantly all the time. Roof leaked, stove smoked and we lived on bananas, no handy stores or restaurants nor money either in those days.

I was surprised to know Bob came back to Lynn but logical to suppose he would have married a native. Win died in Nov. 1940 -- I wonder did your father ever know? As I said we did have a postcard that you'd all gone to Texas and I can recollect no further word. Tho some how I feel I know Thomas (as we called him) had married. When did he marry? How old is his daughter?

I had forgotten the family name of Brackett, but remember Betty�s grandfather Thomas Wardwell [sic -- Warren] Atwood [sic -- Alonzo] Smith [Peter Brackett] � same as your Uncle Toms. Called Twazy Smith I had a nickname for Thomas derived from those initials T.W.A.S. Yes Fred Stackpole was the 1st buyer of the house he was our mailman too and brought years of letters from the USS Sturtevant. Old Twazy Smith [Peter Brackett] had a back problem and was bowed way over � he had a great full long white beard.

The whole block from Foss St to Prospect street was filled with gardens & greenhouses I remember from a little girl � walking by to my aunts & grandmothers. My mother died when I was 13 in 1923 � and my father moved us back to the old homestead I was an only child on the corner of Summer & Fall St. I went to Emery Grammar School and started chuming with your mother in 1925 or 26. Your Grammy Smith used to take us to affairs at the D.A.R. hall. You have ancestors in the Army of the Republic or American Revolution. . . .

What was Bob�s second wife�s 1st name � also did she happen to know your mother some way. If not how could she tell you much about her? When were she & your father married? When was Thomas and Barbara married � a girl from Lynn I suppose.

On Memorial Day 1932 � your grandmother & Tom had driven to Saco � to the cemetery and they had you with them. Robert was not there as I recall - & they stopped by my house � not coming in � you were in the back seat of the car 4 month old & so tiny. I myself was just able to walk � and skin & bones weighing 85 lbs � having just gotten out of from a hospital stay of 2 months. Ruptured appendix and typhoid fever My Alice was so big & fat compared to you but I was a stranger to her & she cried when I was near her I could only sit beside her & hold her bottle � no strength to pick her up. Your Grammy Smith looked dreadful then � believe she had cancer � and it already had a hold on her. . . .

I�ve been thinking over the past 46 years � and truly Roberta I can�t think of a time that was better to find each other than right now. I am free now for the 1st time in my life to pursue the drawing together of our lives � I have taken a new lease on life in the past two weeks. I was so excited and expectant upon hearing from my cousin. (If you could have reached Alice & thru Alice me (Mildred Boyer said you & she phoned her � no answer) I would have flown to Maine immediately) Then as time passed and again all seemed at a dead end. I actually was on my knees at my bed several times praying that some way you could get thru to me � or that I�d find away. Then that Thursday night before you phoned I had that dream and it was so real and made me so happy. Then by Sat. I said well Lord I guess that is it and I will never see her in this life. Then that unexpected phone call Sunday morning! . . .

Love to you and Robert

Auntie Di.
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[/url] with me. Her lot is right across from the Brackett lot and of course she’s been there many times over the years.

Like myself Kay had thought of you and Robert many times in the past 46 years and wondered what had happened to you. She was surprised to know Bob was back in Mass – and for so many years. . . .

Lovingly

Auntie Di –

Kay was please to see your picture and that of your lovely family & saw a strong resemblance to Betty but thought Bob Jr. looked like his father when we first knew him –
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