What does a statue, a street, a parking garage and soon a museum in Worcester all have in common? They are all named after Marshall “Major” Taylor, famed cyclist and world-champion who called Worcester his home. Marshall Taylor was born on 26 November 1878 in Indianapolis, IN to Gilbert and Saphronia Taylor. When a child, Marshall was gifted with a bicycle by a wealthy white … Continue reading The Worcester Whirlwind
Mary was born Mary Carrol in Boston probably around 1815. Her father was Edward Carrol and we only know that her mother’s first name was also Mary. She married sometime prior to 1835 to someone with the last name Williams. I’ve not located that marriage record to date. She married Davenport Augustus Toney on 20 April 1835 in Waltham, MA – a small town not … Continue reading Mary Williams Toney Ford
Some notes on the life of my 2nd great-grandfather- his youngest son Edwin married Nellie Scott born 6 Aug 1834 in Waltham, MA – preferred name was Augustus died 6 Aug 1903 in Worcester at the Home Farm at age 69, paralysis and heart disease. Parents – Davenport Augustus Toney, born January 1803 in Athol/Royalston. died 17 May 1846 in Fitchburg and Mary M. (Carrol) … Continue reading Notes on James Augustus Toney
Jonathan Robert Storms was born in Vergennes, VT to Primus Storms, Jr and Anna Ayres around 1850. He was part of the third generation of land-owning Black farmers in Addison County, Vermont. His free grandfather and enslaved grandmother traveled from Fishkill, NY to Vermont in the late 1700s with Platt Rogers. Jonathan worked as a horse jockey until moving to Worcester with his wife, Orphia … Continue reading Jonathan Robert Storms
Orphia Mason was born on 30 June 1854 into a large upstate NY family. Her father Lafayette Mason was a Black landowner in Elizabethtown, NY. He acquired the land after serving in the Civil War. Orphia’s mother was Mary Wheeler. Three of the Mason sisters married free Black men in Vermont. Thirza Mason married Eugene Storms, Frances married Stephen Bates, and Orphia married Jonathan Robert … Continue reading Orphia Mason Storms Aldrich
My great-grandmother, Nellie Louisa Scott Toney, died during my freshman year in college and I wish almost daily that I had asked her about her family. I loved and respected Grama Nellie, a woman who gave love to her family and always stood strong for them. Nellie Louisa Scott was born in Worcester, MA on 19 September 1887 to Hannah E. Scott of West Boylston, … Continue reading Nellie Scott Toney
Lewis Dominis was born 5 July 1888 to Rebecca Dora Brooks and William Dominis. He graduated from the Worcester Public School system and went off to Boston to attend college. A gifted artist and musician, he graduated from the Massachusetts School of Art (now MassArt) and secured a position as Supervisor of Art in the Massachusetts school system. A job offer from Clark Atlanta University … Continue reading Lewis Dominis
Corrine Eva Chase was born on 28 March 1927 in Providence, RI. She was the daughter of Milton Garrison Chase and Corrinthea Johnson. She moved to Worcester and married Walter A. Bostic in 1953. Corrine was a graduate of Clark University and was an educator, writer and poet. She co-founded the Worcester County Poetry Association in 1971 serving on it’s board until her death in … Continue reading Corrine Bostic
Kenneth Augustus Anderson, was born on 2 March 1899 in Worcester. He was the son of Bettie Sawyer from Beaufort, NC and Joseph Edward Anderson of Worcester. He married Mary F. Schuyler in Worcester, MA in 1919. Mary was the daughter of Rose Bates of Vergennes, VT and Raymond Schuyler from NY. Rose was the daughter of Frances Mason and Stephen Bates. The Schuylers left … Continue reading Kenneth Anderson
Simeon Toney was born about 1785 to probably Susanna Harry and Caesar Toney, Jr. For many years I believed that Simeon was the son of Abraham Toney, Caesar’s brother but I think that his birth year combined with the 1800 census makes me nearly certain that Simeon is my great-uncle not my distant cousin. Simeon was born in Upton, MA at the Toney farm on … Continue reading Simeon and Rhoda Toney
Cheryll Toney Holley 