Oliver Holt and Nellie Hall (Couple 5)

[Jen's paternal GGGrandparents]
[Marylou Holt > William Holt > Arthur Holt > couple 5]

Oliver D Holt
BIRTH: 2 August 1849, Norway, Oxford, Maine
DEATH: 16 August 1897, Mechanic Falls, Androscoggin, Maine

Nellie A Hall
BIRTH: 1861, Norway, Oxford, Maine
DEATH: before 1900

Oliver Holt

Oliver Holt was born to Darius Holt (1820-1875) and Mercy Ann Lord (1828-1902) in Oxford County Maine.  He was the second of eight children, and was raised on the family farm owned by his grandparents, Joseph and Abigail Holt, and his aunts and uncles.  The farm was valued at $500 in 1850.

Oliver's Siblings

1. Charles Holt (1848-??)
2. Oliver D Holt (1849-1897) m. 1879 Nellie A Hall (1861-1900)
3. Mary A Holt (1854-??) m 1872 Frank E Harmon (1853-bef1930)
4. Martha Holt (1856-about 1925) m 1871 Henry Lamb (1853-aft1930), paper mill, a milk dealer, chemist)
5. William E Holt (1862-1900)
6. James L Holt (1867-??) m. Bertha E (1868-??), papermaker in 1904, Bucknam St
7. Joseph B Holt (1869-aft1920) m 1894 Eliza Ann Somerset (1871-1912) (did 10 years prison time, manslaughter, child, ref.)
8. Emma J Holt (1873-abt1915) m.1892 Edwin Dudley(1868-aft1920), teamster, True St.

His father, Darius, had been in the Union Army during the Civil War, a Private in the infantry, Company A, Regiment 30 of Maine, which served primarily in Louisiana, Washington DC, and Savannah.  His enlistment papers note the 15th of December 1863, through 10 June 1865.

While his father was serving in the war, it is likely that Oliver and his elder brother Charles attended to farm duties, and worked for his grandparents.

Nellie Hall
His second wife, Nellie was born in 1861 in Norway, Maine, the second child of Charles Hall (1835-??) and Mary (1840-??).  Charles "worked in the woodshed" (1870 census).  

Siblings of Nellie A Hall

1. Frank William Hall (1858-??) m 1892 Kate Maria Lander (1858-??)
2. Nellie A Hall (1861-1900) m 1879 Oliver D Holt (1849-1897)
3. Charles E Hall (1868-??)
4. Bertrand Hall (1870-??)

Mechanic Falls, 1878, central part excerpted from the Bird's Eye Map.

Life Together--or the complicated backstory.
Oliver married Julia A Duran twice.  First on 14 February 1871 in Minot, Androscoggin, Maine, then a second time on 29 December 1882 in Poland, Androscoggin, Maine.  This was Julia's first marriage (daughter of David O Duran and Mary A Smith).  Together, they had two children, at first, under their first marriage.

1J. Frederick Amos Holt (1872) m 1892 Emma Irene Rosamond Herrick (1872-??), 1904, lived on Spring St with 6 kids
2J. Eva Marie Holt (1874) m 1896 George Aaron Hanscom (1872-1928)

At some point in the subsequent years (between 1875-1878), Oliver and Julia separated.  The 1880 Census shows Julie with her two children, and her listed as divorced.

On 28 February 1879, Oliver married Nellie Holt, no doubt a charming 18 year old.  They are listed together in the 1880 Census together with their 4 month old Edwin (born Jan 1880).  Oliver is a farm laborer.   They had moved to Minot, Androscoggin County, Maine.  Arthur soon followed (24 April 1882).

1N. Edwin Clarence Holt (1880-??) m1. 1901 Gertrude Emma Elwell (1878-1902) m2. 1904 Bertha Maud Larrabee (1888-??)
2N. Arthur Holt (1882-1951) m. 1906 Roxcillanna Elliott (1892-1939)

Oliver married Julia Duran again in December (29 December 1882) of that year, which may indicate that Nellie Hall had passed away during childbirth or in the subsequent recovery.  At any rate, no further documentation for Nellie can be found.  When Edwin married Gertrude Elwell in 1901, Nellie was listed as deceased.

After Oliver and Julia were married the second time, they had the following children:
3J. Lucy Holt (1885-1924) m 1904 Wallace Irwin Corbett (1885-1942)
4J. Grace Holt (1888-1958) m 1907 Millard Dustin Martin (1878-??)
5J. George O Holt (1890-??) m 1916 Edith Maude Strout (1888-1928)
6J. Earnest Holt (1892-1958) m 1918 Hazel W Chaplin (1894-bef1940)

When Arthur was married, he declared on his marriage license that his father, Oliver, was a stationary engineer as his profession.   This probably would have involved servicing and maintaining mill equipment and the like.   Mechanic Falls was the home to paper mills, which industry first began in 1850.  The Historic Society has more information.

1896 Flood in Mechanic Falls, Maine

Arthur died in 1897.

The 1900 Census declares Julia as widowed, and that she has 6 living children.  Living with her at the time were Lucy (15), Gracie (12), George O (10), and Earnest (8).

The 1904 Town Register notes that Julia lives on Judson with Fred, Eva, Lucy, Grace, George O, and Ernest.

In 1908, she married Henry Joseph Shackley (1843-1918).  He was a veteran of the Indian Wars, and had a pension.

In 1910, Henry and Julia Shackley lived in Mechanic Falls with George O and Ernest, Julia's youngest boys.  The Census indicates that this was both of their second marriages, and that Henry was retired.  George O worked as a machine tender at the paper mill.

In 1920, Julia was in Mechanic Falls, a widow, living with her nephew Herbert Duran at 15 Jordan Street, Mechanic Falls.  Earnest (son) and Hazel lived next door)

In 1930, Julia was living with her son George O Holt, also a widower, and an odd-job laborer.  Next door was her son, Earnest (a finisher at the paper mill) and Hazel.

Julia passed away in 1931, and was buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Mechanic Falls, Maine.

Interesting article on the closure of the last paper mill in Mechanic Falls, ME.
And a 1921 newspaper published by the paper industry.