John W. Straw

  General Notes:

http://vermonthistory.org/documents/findaid/StrawJohn.pdf
John Straw (1832-1911)
Diary, 1853
MSA 757
Introduction
This collection consists of the 1853 diary of John Straw of Stowe, Vermont, as well as
additional supplemental material about the Straw family. The collection was given to the
Vermont Historical Society by Stephen H. Straw in 2016 [s/o Max and Betina (Hunt) Straw]. It is housed in one archival flip-top
box and consumes .25 linear feet of shelf space.
Biographical Note
John Straw of Stowe, Vermont, was born on 8 September 1832. The son of Phebe
Downer Wilkins and Thomas Akeley Straw, he was a wheelwright, woodworker, inventor, and
employee in the family business operated by his father. In addition to his occupation as
woodworker, John Straw, together with E. S. Wilkins, patented an invention of a mop-squeezer
in 1867.
The Straw family business was a mill owned by John Straw's father, Thomas Akeley
Straw, on Waterbury's Little River. Thomas Akeley Straw was also a cabinet and chair maker
and manufacturer of doors. The area locally known as "Straw Corner" is named after the Straw
family and the mill.
John Straw married his first wife, Sophia C. Farnsworth, in 1859. After her death in 1892,
he remarried to Elnora "Dora" Marshall in 1893. John Straw died at age 78 on 16 May 1911.
Scope and Content Note
This collection centers on a diary kept by John Straw from January to the end of
September in 1853. Included with the original diary are photocopies and transcriptions of all
diary entries. The diary entries consist of brief notes about daily activities, especially ongoing
woodworking projects and trips to Moscow (Stowe, Vt.) and elsewhere. Notably, one job
mentioned with some frequency is making runners for sleds.
Another recurring theme appears to be a Harriet Wilkins Straw (1810-1900), probably the
widow of one of John Straw's uncles, Samuel Straw, who later remarried to Thomas Akeley
Straw around 1857. John Straw would help her in a variety of ways, including renting a horse
and buggy to pick up her children and bring them home from school. John Straw's sister, also
named Harriet Straw, died on 8 June 1853 and is also sometimes mentioned.
In addition to the diary, the collection includes a genealogy of the Straw family and a
color photocopy of a tintype of a John Straw. It is unclear if the subject of the tintype is John
Shaw (1832-1911) or a son or other relative also named John The original tintype can be
found in the collections of the Stowe Historical Society
Inventory
MSA 757:01 Diary, 1853
:02 _____, _____, photocopies
:03 _____, _____, transcription
:04 Copy of tintype of John Straw
:05 Straw genealogy

The Burlington Free Press (Burlington, Vermont)26 Jan 1907, SatPage 31
Born in Stowe in 1833 he grew up and was educated in this village....

The Burlington Free Press (Burlington, Vermont)20 Sep 1909, MonPage 9
Came to Stowe in 1844



Vermont Watchman and State Journal, (Montpelier, VT) Friday, September 30, 1859; Issue 45; col D
Marriages
"In Stowe, Sept 14th Mr. John straw and Miss Sophia C. Farnsworth both of S(towe)."

census 1860 Stowe, Lamoille County Vt
John Straw c1833
Sophia c1834

The Burlington Free Press (Burlington, Vermont)15 Aug 1868, SatPage 4
Sets of Croquet manufactured by John Straw of Stowe, VT...rock maple and put up in boxes with locks at $5.50

1870 Stowe, Lamoille, VT
John Straw age 37 VT; chair maker [1833]
Sophia C. Straw age 36 VT [1834]
Rebecca Wilkins age 72 NH [1798]

Stowe Cemetery records indicate John Straw is owner of lot 21

Census 1880 Stowe, VT he is age 47 (b c 1833( ; a chair maker; married; both parents born VT with wife Sophia C. and bro in law David Farnsworth

Census Stowe, VT 1900 he is age 67 and married c 1893 to Dora/Nora (Marshall) who was born Oct 1861 and is age 38 years; his occ: manufacturer and inventor.

In Stowe business directory of 1883 and 1884 is listed a John Straw - employee of Thomas A. Straw prop. and a cabinet and chair maker, doors, sash and all kinds of job work and farmer ; house Bridge Street.

Groom name John Straw Groom birth date 1833 Groom birth place Stowe, Vt. Groom age in years 60 Bride name Elnora C. Marshall Marriage date 27 Mar 1893 Marriage place Stowe, Vt. Father of groom name Thomas A. Straw Mother of groom name Phebe Batch number M02878-2 Record group Vermont-EASy Film number 540150 Reference number Alpha-S

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1900 Stowe Village, Stowe, Lamoille Co, Vermont
JOHN STROW (Straw) 67 Sept 1832, married 7 years, VTVTVT Manuf & Inventor
DORA , wife 38 Oct. 1861, married 7 years, VTVTVT 0-born 0 living

The Burlington Free Press (Burlington, Vermont)21 Sep 1907, SatPage 11
75th birthday celebration of John Straw..born on the palce of Gold Brick Bridge now owned by A. H. Slayton.....he was the second and surviving child of the nine born to Thomas Akeley and Phoebe Wilkins Straw...worked with brother in grist mill until 35 years of age when he went in to business for himself for a year or two in the furniture trade with a brtoher but soon after taking up the woodworking and repairing business which he conducted for about 40 years in a part of the Straw grist mill, moving to his present location about three years ago....made the first croquet set in the State patterned after a set brought from England by a summer boarder at the old Mt. Mansfield House which cost $22...married in early life Miss Sophia Farnsworth...Mrs Straw died 1888...present Mrs Straw...formerly Miss Eleanor C. Marshall of Waterbury...a half brother A. R. Straw resides in Springfield. OH..another brother H. E. Straw and three half sisters, Mrs M. A. Jenny, Mrs A. E. Douglass and Miss rose Straw live in Stowe...sister Mrs. F. O. Burt died three years ago

1910 Stowe Village, Stowe, Lamoille Co, Vermont
JOHN STRAW 77, married twice, married 17 years VTVTVT Wheelwright
ELNORA C. wife 48, married 1 married 17 years VTVTVT 0-born 0-living

BALTIMORE AMERICAN -8 Aug 1910
John Straw of Stowe, VT who is 79 yrs old, made two ladders, one of them 20 feet and the other one 17 long. this included sawing and turning the rounds and rolling and finishing these off.

Place of burial per research of James W. Straw

Clipped from Burlington Weekly Free Press, 18 May 1911, Thu, Page 3
Mr. John Straw died at 6pm at his home on Bridge Street at the age of nearly seventy years. he had a slight shock in Januar, and about two weeks ago he was hurt in a runaway accident. Although his injuries were not severe, still, on account of his age and weakened condition, they led to fatal complications. Mr Straw was well known in this vicinity. He had followed his trade as wood worker for many years and was active and energic up to the last of his life. He has lived fifty-two years in one house and fifty-five years in this village. He is survived by his second wife who was Miss Elnora Marshall of Stowe, by two brothers Albert R. Straw and Herbert E. Straw and by three sisters, Ms Mary A. Jenny, Miss Rose E. Straw and Mrs A. E. Douglass. the funeral will probably be held at Unitarian Church on Friday.

John married Sophia C. Farnsworth, daughter of Levi Farnsworth and Rebecca Hubbard, on 14 Sep 1859 in Stowe, Lamoille County, Vermont. (Sophia C. Farnsworth was born on 12 Apr 1834 in Wolcott, Lamoille County, Vermont, died on 30 Mar 1892 in Stowe, Lamoille County, Vermont and was buried in Riverbank Cemetery in Stowe, Lamoille County, Vermont.). The cause of her death was heart disease.

John next married Elnora C. Marshall, daughter of Ira A. Marshall and Malinda Cornell, on 27 Mar 1893 in Stowe, Lamoille County, Vermont. (Elnora C. Marshall was born in Oct 1861 in Waterbury, Washington County, Vermont, died Died: 12 Apr 1927 and was buried in Riverbank Cemetery in Stowe, Lamoille County, Vermont.)

  Marriage Notes:

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