[Gordon Pratt > Harriet L H Eldredge > Joshua C Eldredge > couple 19]
Joshua Walsh Eldredge
BIRTH: 22 September 1834, Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
DEATH: 19 April 1915
Priscilla F Small
BIRTH: 11 Jul 1834, Chatham,Barnstable,Massachusetts
DEATH: 5 MAR 1914, Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Joshua W Eldredge
Joshua Walsh Eldredge was born the fifth of eight children to Reuben Eldredge (1796-1878) and Catharine Taylor (1801-1851).
As of 1850, his father was 55 and had quit sailing. Instead, Reuben worked as a laborer, perhaps to take care of Catherine who would die later the next year. Joshua had attended school within the past year, but was still working as a sailor.
As of 1855 census (age 21), he was still living in the household of his father, Reuben. His mother Catherine had passed away in 1851.
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| Joseph Atwood House (no direct relation), built c 1752. Read about it here, and more here. |
Siblings of Joshua W Eldredge
1. Sabrina T (1825-1888) (housekeeper, died single at age 63, "accute softening of the brain")
2. Reuben (1828-1872) m 1851 Celestia F Hammond (1830-1870)
3. Franklin (1830-1877) m1. 1854 Mercena J Small (1832-1873) m2. 1875 Phebe E Howes
4. David (1832-1848) (died of "Lung Fever" at age 16)
5. Joshua Walsh (1834-1915) m 1854 Priscilla F Small (1834-1914)
6. Catharine (1838-??)
7. Susan F (1840-1906) m 1878 Albert W Smith (1839-??)
8. Andrew J (1842-1858) (died at 18, single, of dysentery)
By 1860, Reuben was living with just Susan (his 21 year old daughter) in his household, as his other children had married or passed away.
Eldredge Public Library was funded by Marcellus Eldredge in 1896, a Chatham native (second cousin) who made his fortune as a brewer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Priscilla F Small
Priscilla was born in the 3rd of 7 children to Nathaniel Small (1801-1855) and Hannah F Gould (1803-1885) of Chatham, Massachusetts. They had been married in 1830 in Chatham, MA. As of the 1850 Census, Nathaniel was a sailor.
Siblings of Priscilla
1. John W Small (1830-1902) m 1853 Juliann Jordan (1835-??)
2. Mercena J Small (1832-1872) m 1854 Franklin Eldredge (1830-1877)
3. Priscilla F Small (1834-1914) m 1854 Joshua Walsh Eldredge (1834-1915)
4. Barbara T Small (1837-1880) m. 1858 Nathaniel Hamilton Rogers (1834-1910) m2 1865 Henry Baker Rogers (1837-1914)
5. Nathaniel Small (1839-1911) (died age 71, single, died of cardiac dilatation, reported by Priscilla)
6. Emma Rily Small (1842-1875) m 1865 Albert W Smith (1839-1920)
7. Ahina Small (1847-1847)
Father Nathaniel died in 1855, and was buried in Seaside Cemetery in Chatham.
Life Together
On 2 November 1854, Joshua W Eldredge married Priscilla F Small. He was a mariner.
By 1860, they had one living child, Addie C (1), and had already lost an infant, Andrew C.
Together, they raised 6 children, including a pair of twins:
Children
1. Andrew C (1858-1859)
2. Adelaide Clayton (1858-1931) m. 1878 Collins E. Kendrick (1855-1928)
3. Joshua Clarence (1862-1949) m 1896 Clara Burgess (1868-1941)
4.Wallace Church (twin 1870-1944) m Marietta Elizabeth Jeffrey (1876-1912) m Lillian S Hood (1887-1957)
5. Walter W (twin 1870-1955)
6. Reuben Ainsmith (1871-1954) m 1896 Charlotte Marie Thacher (1873-1913) m2 1916 Bertha Eunice Holland (1886-??)
1870 Census
Josh and Priscilla had four kids at home including the new twins, Wallace and Walter! In fact, when the Census taker came through on 24 August the 4 month old boys hadn't even been named yet (born 1 May). The census also says they were born in April, but by the time they went to record the birth they had chosen the May 1 birth date.
From family stories, according to Gordon Pratt: "Joshua Clarence was a cabin boy on his father’s {Joshua Walsh's} vessel at the young age of something like 12 {1874ish}, I think it was, and made several trips to
From researcher George Ganaway:
"The 1800s mechant vessel of shipmaster Joshua Eldredge (Josh Clarence's father) was an hemaphrodite brig named the "Danzig." He made several tips to China in the 1800s, and it is my understanding that because of this he was the original one to acquire the nickname, "China Josh." It's certainly possible that his son Josh may have inherited the nickname as well if he made trips to China with his father as cabin boy. One story passed down in my family about the elder Captain Joshua Eldredge is that on one of his voyages he was attacked by Chinese pirates, and as the only survivor aboard, he managed to sail the Danzig back to New England by himself. This is not entirely out of the question, as the rigging of the hermaphrodite brig is such that it requires fewer crew members to manage the sails. Only the foremast is square-rigged, with the mainmast being fore-and-aft rigged like a schooner. "
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| Example book illustration of English ships vs. Chinese Pirates of the 19th Century, from here. |
1880 Census
Joshua (45) was working as a mariner, while and Priscilla (45) ran the house which included Addie C (21) and her son-in-law Collins Kendrick (25) and granddaughter, Bertha R (1). Her other children, Joshua C (18, mariner), Wallace C (10), Walter W (10), Reuben A (8), were also at home.
By 1900, Joshua (64) and Priscilla (64) Eldridge had been married 42 years. They had borne 6 children, five of whom were living. Walter W (30) still lived at home, but Addie C (41) lived next-door with Collin Kendrick (43, a galley cook) and their 8 kids (four had passed away). Joshua was a sea captain of a Yacht, and owned his house free and clear.
1910 Census
Addie (51) and Collin Kendrick (55) are down to 4 kids at home, and Priscilla (74) still lives next door with Walter (39, Single) at an unnamed/unnumbered road. She is listed as a widow. Walter is a fisherman on his own boat.
Notwithstanding her widow status, the gravestone at Seaside Cemetery says that Joshua Walsh died on 19 April, 1915.
Priscilla died at age 80 in 1914 as a result of vascular disease of the heart. She was removed to the Methodist Church in Chatham for burial services.
Joshua died in 1915, and was buried at Seaside Cemetery. (findAgrave)
History of Chatham
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