Note: The following is a section of a family history compiled by Herbert Armstrong Poole between 1905 & 1960, transcribed by AAA Maitland 1998. Subject numbers are HAP's originals. HAP's page divisions are shown: after subject page numbers are complete document page numbers in brackets and issue dates. The original text had generations indented in turn: here, generation numbers are added to each individual: the children of the title subject are "1/--". Subject 4 Page 1. 27/6/1955 (51) AUGUSTUS POOLE was born at Herricks, Queens County, L.I., on April 12/1820 and died at Beloit, Wisconsin, on April 6/1855, at the early age of 33 years, and only five years after he was married. He the was the 4th son and 5 th child of Samuel and Sarah (Cheesman) Poole of Hempstead, LI. He was born sixteen years after his parents' marriage, see subject 8. I believe he died of tuberculosis. As Augustus died when his son Otis A. Poole was only four year old, my father knew little about him. Augustus was educated in Hempstead after which he went to Buffalo and worked in his brother Rushmore Poole's office for a few years, and then emigrated further west to Beloit with his brother Benjamin Tredwell Poole. The following entry appears in the diary of Sheridan Poole, when he was 16 years old, son of Benjamin Tredwell Poole:- February 25/1853. "Uncle Guss has been ailing ever since Christmas: he and Oty are spending the day here (probably Beloit). I took Uncle Guss out this morning: he had some fever. We have had a very pleasant winter so far: it is quite warm and springlike today. I go to school to Mr. James and study arithmetic, history and Physiology." Augustus married at Utica, N.Y., on September 20/1847 Maria Bishop Manchester, born at Utica, N.Y. December 15/1828, died at Beloit March 5/1873, of cerebro-spinal meningitis. She was the eldest child of Otis and Hannah (Ingols) Manchester, his second wife: Maria was named after Otis' first wife, see subject 10. The death of Maria in recorded thus in the diary of Mrs. Julliet (Thompson) Poole, wife of Benjamin Tredwell Poole:- "Died March 5/18735, Maria Bishop Manchester Poole aged 50. Her disease was cerebro-spinal meningitis. Doctors Merriman and Cary attended her. She was sick to her bed but three days. Present at the dying scene were her father, daughter, sister, sister in law, Hitchcock, Miss Anna Keep and others. Her funeral took place on April 7th from her house, Rev. Fayette Royce officiating. The weather proved quite rainy a part of the afternoon, but ceased as the procession moved to the cemetery. There, all that was earthly of our dear Maria was buried from our sight, but she, the real woman, the animating life force, the true Maria with all her lovely characteristics, is more alive than ever, since she has escaped from the cloy of clay that so heavily pressed upon her when it became diseased. I do not doubt that she was happy to escape from the fetters that confined her spirit body. I had forgotten to mention that her son Otis arrived from Chicago in time to witness a few of her last respirations." The following letters written by Augustus Poole and his wife Maria Bishop Manchester, give some details of their lives: Beloit. February 4th, 1847. Sister Martha dear:- (actually his sister in law, wife of Rushmore Poole). It is so long since I have received a word from Buffalo that I almost doubt whether I ever had any acquaintances in such a city, and I am aware that it is my fault only, for I always get letters called "answers" enough when I can so far forget myself as to believe I can write a letter that will not be considered worthless mail encumbrance. But the longing desire to hear from the friend of my boyhood, can no longer be contained, so I have ventured to unburthen myself to you Martha, knowing that you were the lightest hearted and therefore less likely to be vexed by a trifling scrawl like this: still hoping that the troubles and vexations such as all are likely to encounter during the journey through life may have left you the same happy 'two and six'. You will hardly believe me when I tell you that I have received but one letter from Buffalo during the whole year Subject 4 P2 (52) of 1846 A,D,, and that one, of the compassionate Good Samaritan sort, the contents of which was swallowed like the inebriate's first sciddum, and like that one, created a thirst for more, which is yet unquenched. Now I must have a letter from somebody, and I can't think of anybody who can write about everything, just to please such a body as myself, so as well as you: only one, if I can't get more.. Think of how little I ask for: only one to sustain me through the whole of the year 1847, but don't let it be one of the lean and hungry kind - a good long one I want, The subjects I would have you treat of are the progress and prospects of the sons and daughters under thirty five, and the biography of particular individuals in your city of Buffalo. I would specially have remembered my little niece City, and the trinity Jane, Aley and Jeanetta. What is going-on in the social line this winter? Who are giving the largest parties. who are flirting. who are going to marry each other, &c? Any kind of such information will be particularly interesting to me, an exile. With me the prospect is anything but propitious: our business is of the small potato kind, and in the social line there is not anything to do, but now and then to get up a sleigh ride. However, our village has, through the past season, received the addition of a dozen or more real cute 'gals' from New Hampshire and Maine, such as are not to be sneezed at: they help drive dull care away. I must tell you of one choice spirit from Utica, N.Y., only spending the winter west with her brother. I am slightly acquainted with her, and I should be after making love to her if I only knew how, and circumstances had no particular objections. But there it is, prospects won't listen to it. She sings so prettily, and then we seldom hear such in this wilderness. Is it not discouraging: Miss Manchester is her name. She is acquainted with Miss Campbell that was, and Miss Wright, that used to be in Williams Seminery on Pearl Street. Our sleigh ride parties are generally on a grand scale and require some skill and management to get them up. I think you would laugh to see us out with all styles of sleighs, from the large lumber with seats on the sides, omnibus fashion, down to the dry goods box on hickory poles, with the marks still on, viz, "Western Line - this side up with care" all heaped up running over with girls. We generally go to Janesville, a neighboring village, have a supper, dance all night, and get home by morning if we don't get lost on the prairie, which we sometimes do. We have had extreme cold weather from January 1st at which tine we had a heavy snowstorm and there is no prospect of its going for a month to come. For twentyfour days the thermometer ranged from zero down to 25 below. I used to write to Henry Kipp occasionally but since he ceased to be one of us, I have been rather afraid to do so. Tell him when you see him that I hear from John quite often and that he is yet hammering for a lead with undiminished faith. Offer my regards to the Pickerings, Charles Peck, Mrs. Starkweather, Mrs. sterling and the Perkins, the three afore-mentioned, and of course others too numerous to mention. Yours sincerely, To Mrs. Rushmore Poole, Buffalo. Augustus Poole. --------- Beloit, February 9th, 1847. My very dear Parents:- I presume that you are prepared for the subject of this letter by what has already been written by Mr. Reynolds and Clark Manchester, and are perhaps surprised that I so long delay giving you my confidence and Subject 4 P3 (53) asking your advice when I so much need it. It is true that I have given my heart's beat affections to one who, four short months ago, was an entire stranger to me, when we first came here, an intimacy sprang up between my brother Clark and Augustus Poole and they have ever since been like brothers. I studied his character very closely at first, because I wished to know under what influence my brother was placed: as far as I could judge found him to be a person of good principle, and one with whom a sister would be willing and pleased to have a brother associate: I have seem him a great deal this winter. I received his attentions for some time as a compliment to my brother, but my heart has long told me that he was more then a brother's friend to me, although I did not know his intentions until a week before last. He has since then spoken more plainly to me and I have promised to be his wife, provided I have my parents' approbation and consent to our union for without that I should not be happy. He asked at first for permission to speak to my father when he came out in the spring. I gave it to him, and until then we shall form no plans, nor come to any decision. I do not feel that I have acted rashly in this affair, I think I know my own heart and that I love him well enough to leave all for him, and I place implicit confidence in the affection he has professed for me. It is very pleasing to me and I presume it will be to you, to know that my friends, Mr & Mrs Reynolds and Mr. & Mrs. Keep, are satisfied with the step I have taken, and think that we are suited to make each other happy. He is one whom I hope and think you will be willing to receive as a son and grant a share of that love you have ever bestowed upon me. He is pleasing in his personal appearance, gentlemanly in his manners, and kind and affectionate in his disposition. He is not wealthy, but has enough of this world's goods to satisfy me. Our engagement is suspected here but not known by any but the family. I do not wish it to be, until father comes on and his advice is given. Also I would rather, my dear parents, that it should be known by no one but yourselves at home, for the present, at least. So often, mother, during the past week, I have wished that you were here to be my adviser: I feel more than ever, the need of a mother's counsel. I do not feel that I love you, my dear father and mother, any the less because I have learned to love another, nor that I shall be loved the less by you because I ask you to bestow a share of your parental affection upon that other. I shall expect to hear from you soon. Can you tell me, father, when you expect to be here? Feeling confident that we shall have your blessing and your prayers, I remain your affectionate daughter, Maria. ---------- Dear Sir:- Beloit, March 23rd, 1847. Being an entire stranger to you, it is with some feeling of awkwardness that I address you upon a subject deeply interesting to your daughter Maria and myself, and has, and no doubt will, cause you no little anxiety. You have had from her an acknowledgement of our mutual protestations, and it is natural that you should want to know all about the man with whom she has consented to unite her destiny. I shall be as frank to you concerning my prospects, as I have been to her. That her circumstances will be bettered by the union, I am not sanguine enough to believe, for were I anywhere else than in the west, I could not marry: my circumstances would not permit. But for the time I have been in Beloit, I consider my business sufficiently encouraging to warrant me in saying that I can support a wife, not in luxury, but comfortably, as most men in Subject 4 P4 (54) Wisconsin can, where are all new beginners like myself, poor. Had all men had good prospects east, the west had never been settled, and I am emboldened by the example of many others that have had to commence the world as I have done and obtained competence, and I am encouraged by the hope that with patience and economy, I shall have like success. That she may be happy, I shall never cease to strive. Of my character and principles, I can say nothing, for in speaking of myself, little shall I grace my cause. Your approval is not to be obtained by my professions unless substantiated by the opinion of others. My father was a farmer and merchant in Hempstead, Long Island, where my mother now resides in humble circumstances, but respected, whose aim was to know what was right and practice what he knew, He died fourteen years ago, leaving us children to commence the world as he had done -without anything. I left home in 1835 at fifteen years of age, and went to Buffalo in a store with my brother who is still there, where I was a resident eight years until 1843. If you have any acquaintance in that city I trust you will make enquiries, and I feel sure that my reputation will appear unsullied. Since leaving there I spent nearly two years in St. Louis, Missouri, and have been established here since October 1845. Such is a brief account of one who asks a father the best gift he can bestow. At first it was thought better to defer any arrangements in regard to the finale of our present wishes, until I had had the pleasure of meeting you face to face, as it was your intention to be here in the spring. But now, our plan agreed upon is this - Maria will return to Utica with you, and in the fall I will come after her , provided the stranger shall be approved: and in the interim you will have learned more about him. Respectfully To Otis Manchester. esquire Utica Augustus Poole Issue:- 1. Otis Augustus Poole. Born at Beloit, Wisconsin, December 20/1848, died at Berkeley, California, April 1/1929 of a heart attack. He married at Chicago, on February 17/1876, Eleanor Isabella (Armstrong) Young, born at Leitrim, Ireland, August 14/1841, died at Yokohama Japan, June 4/1918 of cancer, daughter of John and Eleanor Isabella (Wilson) Armstrong, see subject 6. Eleanor had married, 1st, at Arcola, Ill., on November 7/1871, Colonel John Washington Young: they were divorced in 1872, see subject 3. See subject 2 for issue and further particulars, 2. Antoinette Manchester Poole. Born at Beloit, May 24/1851, died there October 22/1922. She married on January 12/1882, Louis M. Husted, born September 9/1850. They were divorced in 1890 and had no children. He married again, since which time nothing is known about him. 3. Sarah Cheesman Poole. Born at Beloit, August 29/1852, died there January 1/1862. Added to HP4: IGI 3/11/93, file ref MANCH01: MANCHESTER, Maria B M: 27 Sep 1847 Spouse: Augustus POOLE Utica, Oneida, New York MANCHESTER, Maria Bishop C: 1 Jan 1825 Father: MANCHESTER First Presbyterian Church, Utica, Mother: Oneida, New York