Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Collection of Rewards of Merit presented to Mary Ella Tabbut, "Mamie", of Columbia Falls, Maine, with Teachers' Names


Collection of Reward of Merit cards presented to Mary E. Tabbut, "Mamie", by several of her teachers in Columbia Falls, Maine.  See more cards below.

Teachers' names:
  • H. A. D. - I'm tempted to think that the initial D stood for Drisko but am hoping that a reader will recognize the initials as belonging to someone who had a stint as a teacher at Columbia Falls, Maine.
  • Laura B. Drisko - Laura Isabel (Drisko) Drisko (1862-1937), who would marry her fellow teacher Raymond Chandler Drisko.
  • Raymond C. Drisko - Raymond Chandler Drisko (1852-1937) who would marry his fellow teacher Laura Isabel Drisko.
  • Priscilla Farnsworth - Priscilla B. Farnsworth (1858-1941), daughter of Joseph W. Farnsworth and Elizabeth (Pineo) Farnsworth; Priscilla would marry Seth C. Bryant. 
  • J. S. Moore - if you have information on J. S. Moore, who could have been a male or a female, please leave a comment.  
  • Bertie Puffer - If you have information on Bertie, who could have been a male or a female, please leave a comment. 
  • Cilla C. Puffer - presumably Priscilla Charlotte Puffer (1858-1920), daughter of John Jr. and Mary Ann (Tibbetts) Puffer; Cilla would marry John V. Newbury. The FindaGrave memorial linked to her name has a photograph.
  • Sarah J. Sweeney - presumably Sarah J. Sweeney (1855-1924), daughter of Charles W. and Elverner/Alvena Josephine (Ingersoll) Sweeney; Sarah would marry Stillman Magee Dorr on 14 May 1877 at Columbia, Maine. They moved to California where Sarah was a noted Temperance leader.

One of the cards has the name of Mamie's father on it; on the reverse is text showing that he presented it to his daughter.  The teacher was the unknown H. A. D.



From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]

Mary Ella Tabbut (1868-1899) was born 28 April 1868 at Columbia Falls,  Maine, the daughter of Abijah Worcester Tabbut and Aurilla (Floyd) Tabbut.  Abijah is credited with the invention and manufacture of the blueberry rake, a tradition carried on by his grandson Clarence Holmes Drisko, Mamie's son.

On 27 July 1892, Mamie married William Pitt Fessenden Drisko (1869-1901), son of Joseph W. and Isabella Frances (Farnsworth) Drisko.  He was born 1 December 1869 at Jonesboro, Maine.

Mamie and William had six children before her untimely death on 19 July 1899 at Centerville, Maine.  Her death occurred a few days after the birth of her twins, so it's presumed that Mamie died from complications of childbirth.  Their children:
  1. Clarence Holmes Drisko (1893-1991), born 30 September 1893 at Jonesboro, Maine
  2. Frank Eugene Drisko (1894-1995), born 20 December 1894 at Jonesboro, Maine
  3. Melvin Tabbut Drisko (1896-1982), born 16 January 1896 at Jonesboro, Maine
  4. Edna Farnsworth Drisko, born 17 May 1897
  5. Marion Drisko (1899-1993), twin, born 12 July 1899 at Centerville, Maine; married Edward Payson Tucker
  6. Mary Ella Drisko (1899-1936), twin, born 12 July 1899 at Centerville, Maine; married Marvin Franklin Hall
Mamie's widower William Pitt Fessenden Drisko married Rose Mae Bagley, daughter of Richard and Sophronia Bagley, on 7 June 1900.  They had a daughter Ruth before William himself died young, I think from Tuberculosis, on 7 August 1901.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the teachers, please leave a comment or contact me directly.



































Thanks for stopping by!

1 comment:

  1. Hi Pam!
    I'm interested to know much it would cost for these items? Mamie was my great, great grandmother on my mother's side -- her oldest son, Clarence, was my great grandfather, and my grandfather, William Henry Drisko, was Clarence's eldest child.

    I look forward to hearing from you!
    Amy@newleafspeakers.com
    Amy Gray
    Marblehead, MA

    ReplyDelete