Weekly Update

​Greetings one and all!  The winter storm that has paralyzed so much of the south and central United States left little more than a mess here in Easton.  Two days of very light snow amounted to not much more than a few inches here, and there is some blue sky above us.  For those of you who choose to spend winter in much warmer climates, I’ve attached a photo taken this morning of Shovel Shop Pond.  The snow on the trees is certainly a pretty sight.  If you look closely, you can see people ice fishing on the snow-covered pond.  During this past week, temps have been cold enough to freeze the ice thick enough for several ice fishermen, and provided skating opportunities for some pond hockey players.
 
Society member and good friend Rich Eastman contacted me following last week’s update, and after he did a little “sleuthing ” was able to track down D. B. White.  Here is what we have found out since.
 
Daniel Billings White (1828-1920) was the 7th child (out of ten children!) born to Colonel Alanson White (1793-1883) and wife Rebecca (Billings) White (1797-1857).  Colonel (in the Easton Militia records, Lt. Colonel) White was born in Easton and lived for many years in a house near the present 104 Turnpike Street / Marisa Drive area.  Unfortunately, his house and surrounding farm no longer survives.  He fought in the War of 1812, and served as a State Representative in 1850.  He served in the Easton Militia Company for many years, and is one of a handful of Easton men to attain a high rank.  Among the couples large family was Guilford White, who had a very successful Boston legal practice, and Daniel, who must have studied medicine, but where and with whom I have not been able to determine.  By the mid 1800’s Daniel was producing or bottling medicine, probably in a room of his father’s house or in a small building on the property.  He met, and married in 1859 Eliza Hatch (1834-1914) and moved to Marshfield, Ma. where his wife was from.  Rich Eastman found a Marshfield census record for August 1865 that lists Daniel, his wife Eliza, and children Danial (6), Lyman (3), both born in Marshfield, and Ella (1) who was born in Abington, Ma.  In the census Daniel is listed as a “dealer in medicine.”  He appears to continue in that line of work until his retirement.  He died in Braintree, Ma and is buried in Hingham, Ma.
 
I have attached a photo of all three of the D. B. White bottles in the Museum’s collection, all from Easton, and with this new research can be dated to the 1850’s.  Two of the bottles have paper labels, and the third bottle features a beautifully done embossing in the glass, and is probably the earliest of the three bottles.  Thanks Rich, for shedding some light on our Eastondale doctor!
 
Until next week,
Frank