Saturday, November 27, 2010

RPPC of V. R. Nason and Son Mill, Howland, Maine



Vintage Real Photo Postcard showing the V. R. Nason and Son Mill in Howland, Maine.  The card was sent to Miss Marion Rawding in Calais, Maine, and was found in a collection of postcards addressed to Marion in the 1910s and 1920s era, before she married Alton Dinsmore.  Unfortunately, I can't make out the cancellation on this particular card.






Researching online, I found that V. R. Mason was Van Rensselaer Nason, who was born 15 September 1844 in Maine, the son of Beniah and Dianna (Inman) Nason of Howland and Maxfield, Maine.   According to a Nason researcher, misinformation about this family abounds in online trees.  It's very likely that Robert Nason was the grandfather of Beniah Nason, whereas many online trees have him mistakenly as Beniah's father.


Also unsourced, but likely, are Duty and Sally Antoine (Lachance or Lashon) as the parents of Dianna Inman.


Van Rensselaer Nason's first marriage, to Josephine Kneeland, ended in divorce.  She died in Washington state in 1925.  


In 1878 Van Rensselaer married Etta J. Phillips, who was born March 1862 in Maine, the daughter of Russell and Julia (Whitney) Phillips.  Etta's paternal grandparents were William and Betsey (Stetson) Phillips.  Her maternal grandparents were Reuben and Mary Whitney.


Van Rensselaer and Etta  J. (Phillips) Nason had at least three children:

  • Franklin Nason, born about 1879; married Beatrice N. Mills
  • Eugene Russell Nason, born 14 July 1889; married Sybil Rose Blethen
  • Nellie Mason, born about 1891; married Mansil Winfield Gillis



If you have any corrections, additions or insights to add to the information presented above, please leave a comment or contact me directly. 


I'd especially like to know where in Howland this mill was located.  Howland, situated at the confluence of the Piscataquis and Penobscot Rivers, has many suitable locations for a mill.


A map of Howland, Maine



View Larger Map





Thanks for stopping by!

2 comments:

  1. My Great-Grandmother Roxie Nason-Cox was born in Howland 1897. Where can I find research on the Nason Family

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    Replies
    1. There's a Maine Marriage record for the Sept 7, 1914 marriage at Bangor, Maine, of Roxie M. Nason of Howland, born about 1894, daughter of John and Hannah (Craig) Nason to Frank C. Cox of Bangor, son of Thomas Cox and Annie (Buckley) Cox. Try FamilySearch.org - it's free and quite extensive. Another avenue is Ancestry.com, but it costs - though you can access it for free at most local libraries and at Family History Centers (operated by the Mormon church). Ancestry has several family trees uploaded by subscribers; one has a photograph of John and Hannah (Craig) Nason and family. You could contact the owner through Ancestry. It says that Roxy's middle name is Merle. Good luck!

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