Mabel Emma "Mae" FARR [Parents] [scrapbook] 1 was born 2, 3, 4, 5 on 24 Jan 1876 in Cavendish, Windsor, Vermont, United States. She died 6, 7 on 31 Aug 1968 in Ludlow, Windsor, Vermont, United States. Mae married 8, 9 Charles Clinton PARADY "Charlie" on 18 May 1897 in Vermont, United States.
Mae resided 10 in 1880 in Cavendish, Windsor, Vermont, United States. She resided 11 in 1900 in ED 271 Cavendish Town, Windsor, Vermont, United States. She resided 12 in 1920 in Greenfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States. She resided 13 in 1940 in Greenfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States.
From the research of Linda Farr Welch:
News of Auntie May: -Proctorsville, 14 Aug., 1891: “A curiosity of the vegetable kingdom was found a few days since, by Mabel Farr, while preparing some old potatoes for cooking. As she cut open one, she found imbedded in the center a new potato as large as a walnut, and as perfect in appearance as if dug from the ground.” - 3 Feb., 1893: “About twenty-five of the young people, friends of Mabel Farr, gave her a surprise party Wednesday evening, Jan. 25th, to celebrate her seventeenth birthday.” -2 Feb., 1894: “About twenty young people met at the home of Russell Farr one evening last week to celebrate the 18th birthday of his daughter, Mabel.”
-20 Sept., 1895: “Miss Lillie Piper and Mabel Farr went to Burlington as delegates to the State meeting of the Christian Endeavor society.”
-18 May, 1897: “a pretty home wedding took place at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Russell Farr on Tuesday evening at 6 o'clock when their daughter Mabel was married to Charles C. Parody. The ceremony was performed by the past of the Methodist Church, Rev. W. N. Roberts, in the presence of about fifty relatives and friends. The house was prettily decorated with plants and cut flowers. After the ceremony refreshments of cake and coffee were served. Later in the evening, the young couple were driven to Ludlow, where they were the guests of their friends, Mr. & Mrs. W. P. Bowman at the Gill Home. They took the noon train for Claremont where they will spend a few days after which they will return to Proctorsville. The presents were numerous and beautiful and attested the high esteem in which the bride and bridegroom are held. We are pleased to learn that Proctorsville is to be their future home.”
We learn from the Vt. Tribune that Mabel was “in the hospital at Rutland for treatment and is getting along well at the present time 9 Feb., 1900, and Mr. & Mrs. Russell Farr went to Rutland Saturday morning, returning Monday evening to visit with their daughters.” -9 March, 1900: “Mrs. Mabel Parody came home from Rutland last week and is gaining slowly.” - 31 Aug., 1900: “Mr. & Mrs. Parody, who had been spending the summer at Middletown Springs, returned to town last week.” -7 Dec., 1900: “ The many friends of Mrs. C. C. Parody will be glad to learn that she is gaining as fast as could be expected. Mr. Parody, who has been with his wife at Burlington, returned home Saturday night.” -22 Feb., 1901: “Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Parody have moved into the upper tenement of Mr. Eddy's house. Mr. Parody's mother is with them for the present.” -29 March, 1901: “Everyone rejoiced last Sunday to see Mrs. C.C. Parody back in the choir of the Methodist church. Mrs. Parody has been absent a long time from the choir on account of ill health. - 5 April, 1901: “Charles C. Parody went to Brattleboro last week Friday where he has secured a position in the insane asylum.” ” - 3 May, 1901: “Mrs. Parody, who has been at her son's for some time, returned to her home in Middletown Springs last week Thursday.” - 10 May, 1901: “C. C. Parody went last Friday to Bellows Falls where he had secured a position in a machine shop.” -4 Oct., 1901: “Charles Parody of Bellows Falls is spending a week's vacation in town. At the end of that time he and his wife will return to Bellows Falls where they will remain all winter.” -22 Nov., 1901: “Mrs. Mabel Parody of Bellows Falls came to town Friday last and will visit her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Russell Farr until after Thanksgiving.” -5 June, 1903: “Alice Davis, who is well known in this vicinity, and who has spent some time here of late in company with Frank H. Whitney of Springfield, started Wednesday morning for Bellows Falls, where at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Parody, she and Mr. Whitney were united in marriage by Rev. W. N. Roberts.” -21 Aug., 1903: Mrs. Mabel Parody of Bellows Falls came to her father's R. H. Farr's on Wednesday to spend Old Home Day.” -27 Nov., 1903: “Mrs. Mabel Parody of Bellows Falls came to her father's R. H. Farr's Saturday to spend Thanksgiving. She was joined Wednesday evening by her husband, Charles Parody.” -29 April, 1904: “Mrs. Parody of Middletown, on her way to Essex Jct., stopped over Sunday with her sister, Mrs. Miner, who is quite sick.” -Proctorsville, 13 May, 1904: “Mr. & Mrs. Charles Parody were in town to attend the funeral of their aunt, Mrs. Ellen Miner. ["Mrs. Ellen Miner, who has been sick for several months with heart trouble and dropsy, fell from her chair, dying suddenly, Monday morning, 9 May, 1904. The funeral was held Sunday afternoon, Rev. McKenzie officiating. She is survived by a daughter and two sons, who were present at the funeral. The sons returned to their home in Danby Monday, taking their sister with them.”]
-10 June, 1904: “Mrs. Mabel Parody came last Wednesday to her father's R. H. Farr's called here by her mother's illness.” -15 July, 1904: “Mrs. Mabel Parody returned Monday morning to her home in Bellows Falls after a six weeks' stay at the father's R. H. Farr's, assisting her mother.” -22 Sept., 1905: “Charles Parody and wife of Bellows Falls came Saturday for a few days' visit with her parents, R. H. Farr, and wife, on their way to Rutland and Middletown Springs.” -29 Nov., 1906: “Mrs. Mabel Parody came Saturday from Middletown Springs to her father's R. H. Farr's where she will spend Thanksgiving.” -6 Dec., 1906: “Charlie Parody joined his wife at her father's, R. H. Farr's on Wednesday night to spend a few days, returning to Bellows Falls the last of the week.” -Proctorsville, 5 Dec., 1907: “Charles Parody and wife of Bellows Falls, spent Thanksgiving at her father's R. H. Farr's, the whole family being all together for the first time in seven years.” - 25 May, 1911: “Mrs. Mabel Parody has gone to Greenfield, Mass., to visit her husband who is now working there.” - 10 Sept., 1914: “Mrs. Charles Parody stopped at her father's R. H. Farr's last week on her way from Middletown Spa to her home in Greenfield, Mass.” When the 1920 census was taken, Charles and Mabel were living in a rented house on Davis Street in Greenfield, Mass. Charles (age 47) was employed at the Tap & Die Corporation at the time. Mabel (age 43, was keeping house). When the 1930 census was taken, Charles (age 57), was working as an assembler in the tool factory. Mabel F. Parody (age 54), was not working, just keeping house.
Memories of Linda M. Welch: "My Auntie Mae was a stately proud and petite woman- but she had the Irish gleam in her eyes! We all called her "Auntie Mae". We never knew Charlie Parody, he died before I was born, but Auntie Mae would always talk about him with pure love in her eyes. My earliest recollections of Auntie Mae were visiting her on Sundays at the Gill Odd Fellows Mansion in Ludlow. To me, it was where she must have always lived, because I never saw her living in any other place. But she, of course - had. Her husband was a mechanic of sorts and when they lived in Greenfield, Connecticut, he worked for a machine company. After he died, she sold her house and gave her money to the Gill Odd Fellows and was given a home for life in Ludlow in that stately old place! What a simply wonderful place it was! Victorian to the ultimate and mahogany wood carving throughout! The staircase to me was like the grand staircase in "Gone with the Wind" and my twin brother and I used to have fun sliding down the banister before we were caught by someone and told to sit down and be quiet. There were usually elderly people in the 'sitting room' downstairs, playing cards or putting together puzzles on the big wood tables. The place always smelled of cinnamon and apples. They must have had a wonderful cook. Auntie Mae's room upstairs was cozy- she had a most wonderful bright-colored bed quilt. Her bed was high and had four posts- I think it must have been made of cherry wood. Her dressers and bed were part of a set. She had all kinds of fancy shawls and embroidered sweaters and beads I used to put on at her insistence when we all went to visit. She was not an invalid- I never remember her being so. She was able to get up and around with her cane and would get into the old elevator and go down to the ground floor with all of us at times. Her hair was always in a beautiful little pulled back bun with a hairnet covering it. She would take us to the adjoining rooms on the floor to visit other old folk. One woman I remember in particular was "Nellie", but I never knew her last name. Nellie was a joker and always had a funny story to tell. She and Aunt Mae were friends. My Daddy loved Aunt Mae. He always had tears in his eyes when it was time to say good-bye and come home. Of course, he loved Ludlow anyway, some of his best memories were spent in that town- but Auntie Mae had a special place in his heart being his deceased father's sister. She never wore a hearing aide and she was, at times, hard of hearing- that I do remember. I so wish I was smart enough then, on those visits, to have sit myself down with pencil and paper and asked Auntie Mae about the recollections of her own life. She would have told me everything I am so curious to know today and will probably never have the chance to learn now. Auntie Mae died when I was nineteen years old. I was not able to attend the funeral as I was on Monhegan Island in Maine working for the summer. However, one never forgets the image of childhood of someone who holds such endearment. I shall always remember her dignity- the way she carried herself and how she kept her faculties right up to the end. And I shall never forget the Gill Home in Ludlow- the old Gill Home that was a showplace, standing on the hill with its wide porches and rounded side widows- the winding road that took us up there in our old jalopy while I gazed out the window to catch a view of the place from the bottom of the hill. The Sunday afternoons visiting this place filled me as a child, with special memories of what it must be like to grow old and how much I was looking forward to it and especially spending my last days at the Gill Home where Auntie May lived! But alas, they tore the place down and now modern buildings dot the landscape of where once stood the most picturesque place in the town of Ludlow. I am grateful that my grandmother Farr gave me my Auntie May's small gold locket with her initials engraved on the front "MEP" in calligraphy. Inside the locket is a picture of my great grandfather Farr and great grandmother Susie McNulty. I will always treasurer it as a permanent loving connection to my Auntie May Parody."
My Auntie Mae and her husband Charlie Parody lived in Bellows Falls, and Greenfield, Conn. Charlie died in Connecticut, 22 April, 1942. Mae removed back to Ludlow, lived at the Gill Odd Fellows Home there until her death on 31 Aug., 1968 (age 92).
