We are going to have a wet day. High 46. Quack, Quack!
Today’s avatar is the Hayden lot at the Albany Village Cemetery which brings me to the tale of the Curse of Mercie Dale:
William Hayden is said to have built the first frame house in what is now Albany, and it is where he raised a son, William, Jr., who went on to become a railroad construction magnate. In 1854 he had this house built by a local contractor, William Steele, using locally sourced bricks. Local lore has it that he had it built as a monument to himself, and “to show the fools in Albany what money could do”. His only son’s heirs squabbled over his estate, which passed out of the family in 1927. It became rundown in the mid-20th century, but underwent a major restoration in the late 1970s, which included a recreation (based on early photos) of the original ell. (Wikipedia)
Mercie Dale a well off widow was William Sr’s mother-in-law and according to the lore William borrowed money from her to build the frame house mentioned above. He never payed it back, even borrowing more at a later time. Frustrated by being unable to recover her money and then becoming ill. She blamed her son-in-law for her decline in health, so angered as to declare she would not be buried in the Hayden lot. As she died Mercie Dale pronounced her curse.
The curse of Mercie Dale: “The Hayden name shall die in the third generation and the last to bare the name shall die in poverty.” And that was exactly what happened. The last Hayden passed away in Waterville, Maine in February 1927 alone and in poverty. The lesson learned: be good to your mother-in-law.
I may do the shopping today so as to be here when the stove gets here tomorrow, I hope, then Monday get it hooked up. (^.^)
Movie “Santa fe Trail” now playing on GRIT, it’s been a while since I’ve seen it.
Hello, all you happy Vagabonds
We are going to have a wet day. High 46. Quack, Quack!
Today’s avatar is the Hayden lot at the Albany Village Cemetery which brings me to the tale of the Curse of Mercie Dale:
William Hayden is said to have built the first frame house in what is now Albany, and it is where he raised a son, William, Jr., who went on to become a railroad construction magnate. In 1854 he had this house built by a local contractor, William Steele, using locally sourced bricks. Local lore has it that he had it built as a monument to himself, and “to show the fools in Albany what money could do”. His only son’s heirs squabbled over his estate, which passed out of the family in 1927. It became rundown in the mid-20th century, but underwent a major restoration in the late 1970s, which included a recreation (based on early photos) of the original ell. (Wikipedia)
Mercie Dale a well off widow was William Sr’s mother-in-law and according to the lore William borrowed money from her to build the frame house mentioned above. He never payed it back, even borrowing more at a later time. Frustrated by being unable to recover her money and then becoming ill. She blamed her son-in-law for her decline in health, so angered as to declare she would not be buried in the Hayden lot. As she died Mercie Dale pronounced her curse.
The curse of Mercie Dale: “The Hayden name shall die in the third generation and the last to bare the name shall die in poverty.” And that was exactly what happened. The last Hayden passed away in Waterville, Maine in February 1927 alone and in poverty. The lesson learned: be good to your mother-in-law.
I may do the shopping today so as to be here when the stove gets here tomorrow, I hope, then Monday get it hooked up. (^.^)
Movie “Santa fe Trail” now playing on GRIT, it’s been a while since I’ve seen it.
To God be the glory, and may He bless us all.
ttfn