James M Shackford (1836-1913)
James was the second child of Thomas H and Polly (Mead) Shackford born in Bartlett, New Hampshire in June 1836. According to Passaconaway in the White Mountains, James' father, Thomas was an early settler in the Albany Intervale "who by homestead right, acquired land" in the area where he built the Passamaquoddy House shown in an earlier blog. We find James in the 1850 and 1860 census at age 14 and 24 living in his father's home on a farm in Albany, New Hampshire. In 1862, his elder brother Hiram joined the 1st Regiment , New Hampshire but we believe that during the civil war, James remained at home - possibly to care for his father who died in 1864.
After his father's death, James increased the size of the family home which became an inn which he called Paccaconaway House and sometimes the Shackford House which we find advertised as a summer boarding house in multiple New Hampshire Registers. In 1867, James married Hannah E Nason, the widow of Orin H Chase. In 1870 we find James, Hannah, James' mother Polly, and Edgar Chase, Hannah's son living together in Albany. Shortly thereafter, James was elected an Albany Selectman and served in this position in 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1876, 1879, 1880, 1882, 1883, 1884, and 1890 while also serving as a New Hampshire Representative in 1876-1879. He also served on the Town School Committee in 1897.
Multiple sources mention that President Grover Cleveland was a guest at James' summer home but we have not found any specific references to verify that information although the Capitol Confidential does state that on July 22, 1886, President Grover Cleveland visits Albany to help mark the city's bicentennial. Perhaps he stayed at the Paccaconaway House during that visit.
During 1886, James' mother Polly who had been living with him or his sister Laura died leaving an estate which seems to total $972 in cash and livestock to heirs James Shackford, Laura A Littlefield, and Hiram Shackford of Minnesota.
By 1900, James (also known as Jim) listed his occupation as Hotel and Farmer in the annual census and listed two servants the Abbots as servants living in the home. The Passaconaway was listed in multiple annual directories. It was also listed in the 1907 Boston and Maine Railroad listing of New England Vacation Resorts which showed mentioned it had 25 rooms at a daily rate of $1.50 or a weekly rate of $7.00 to $9.00. That year, James sold the hotel to Alfred Povall, who maintained the property as a hotel until it was a chimney fire destroyed it in February 1916. The Shackfords moved into Conway for five years. James died of pneumonia at the age of 76 in February 1913 followed by the death of his wife Hannah nine months later of old age. They are both buried in the Conway Village Cemetery.
James's will which was dated Dec 1900 designated his wife his administrator, left a $10 to his sister Laura and everything else to his wife Hannah. Hannah died before completing the administration of the estate and her son Edgar Chase hired Nathaniel I Churchill to complete the probate process. Edgar died of apoplexy in December 1913.
We're hoping to visit the Albany Invervale to see this beautiful place which is now part of the White Mountain National Forest. Perhaps we can visit the Albany Historical Society Museum to see if they have any additional information about James, learn who else may have stayed at the Shackford Hotel, and just enjoy this beautiful place.
CHILDREN:
Edgar P. Chase (1859-1913) - son of Hannah E and her first husband Orrin H Chase.
SOURCES:
1850 United States Federal Census, Carroll County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Albany, page no 235 (penned), 118 (stamped), dwellling 66, family 69, Thos H Shackford; digital images, Family Search (http://familysearch.org : accessed 16 January 2015.
1860 United States Federal Census, Carroll County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Albany, Page No 87-88, dwelling 667, family 661, Thomas Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 January 2015).
1900 United States Federal Census, Carroll County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Albany, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 13, Sheet No 8, dwelling 36, family 37, James M Shackford; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 January 2015.
1910 United States Federal Census, Carroll County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Conway Village, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 19, Sheet No 4B, dwelling 81, family 94, James M Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 January 2015).
Beals Charles Edward, Jr, Passaconaway in the White Mountains (Boston: Richard G. Badger, 1916), page 236-236; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 16 January 2015
Find A Grave, Find A Grave, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 July 2014), James M Shackford, Find A Grave Memorial# 54441762
Journals of the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the State of New Hampshire, June Session, 1878 (Manchester: John B Clarkes, 1878), page 275; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 16 January 2016
Merrill Georgia Drew, Editor, History of Carroll County (Boston, Mass: W. A. Fergusson & Co, 1889), page 787; digital images, Google Books (http://books.google.com : accessed 17 January 2015
New England Vacation Resorts Boston and Maine Railroad Season 1907 Issued by the General Passenger Department (1907), page eighty-five; digital images, Google Books, https://books.google.com (: accessed 17 January 2015
New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, James M Shackford Case 7931; "New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, 1769-1936," digital images, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 16 January 2015); >Carroll>Case no 7881-7964 1840-1936>Image 1024, No 7931
New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, Polly C Shackford Case No 4559; "New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, 1769-1936," digital images, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 16 January 2015); >Carroll>Case no 4506-4594 1840-1920>Image 852-860
New Hampshire, Death and Disinterment Records, 1754-1947, , Edgar P. Chace, d., 21 December 1913; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 31 January 2014); New England Historical Genealogical Society. Citing New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records, Concord, New Hampshire
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947, , James M Shackford, d., 10 February 1913; digital images, FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947 (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 31 January 2014.
New Hampshire, New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FSVP-QB2, Hannah E Shackford, 10 September 1913; index and digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ : accessed 20 May 2013).
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Marriages, 1720-1920, , James M Shackford Hannah Chase, 23 July 1867; database, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 15 January 2015).
The New Hampshire Register and Farmers' Almanac for 1872. (Claremont N.H.: The Claremont Manufacturing Company,, 1872), page 105; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 15 January 2015
The New Hampshire Register Farmer's Almanac and Business Directory for 1901 (Concord, N. H.: New Hampshire Register Co, 1901), page 41; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 17 January 2015
Northern New England Villages (http://northernnewenglandvillages.com/ : accessed New Hampshire: Kancamagus Highway 16 January 2015), mentions Jim Shackford
Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Being the Forty-Ninth Report Upon the Public Schools of New Hampshire (Concord: Edward N Pearson, 1897), Appendix; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 17 January 2015
US GenWeb Archives - Albany, Carrol Co., NH Business Directory (http://files.usgwarchives.net/nh/state/history/directories/1881Business/albany.txt : accessed 17 January 2015), J. M. Shackford, proprieter Shackford House