Fortunately for us, Martha Hale Shackford included a photograph in her August 2, 1922 application for a passport. Her application states that she was planning to depart on the Arabic for a pleasure trip to Italy, Switzerland, and England. She also lists Egypt followed by a question mark.
Martha's application is full of information about her: her birth date (August 25, 1875), her father's name (Charles B Shackford) and her mother's name (Caroline Cartland Shackford), that she already traveled overseas, and that she is a teacher at Wellesley College. We also learn that her passport was to be sent to 7 Midland Road, Wellesley, that her brother Samuel B. Shackford was an attorney at law working for the Stafford Bank was in Dover, N. H., and that Martha tends to lift her left eyebrow.
As we review the passport applications, we notice that Martha's long term housemate, partner, and companion, Margaret Pollack Sherwood with whom she frequently traveled applied for a passport on the same day.
Martha's Passport Application
No 210171
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
State of Mass
County of Suffolk
I, Martha Hale Shackford (single), a NATIVE AND LOYAL CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, hereby apply to the Department of State, at Washington, for a passport.
I solemnly swear that I was born at Dover, in the State of New Hampshire on 25 August 1875, that my father Charles B Shackford was born in Barrington, N.H. and is now deceased, that I have resided outside of the United States at the following periods in Italy & England for a period of 14 mos in 1899-1900 and that I am domiciled in the United States, my permanent residence being at Wellesley in the State of Massachusetts, where I follow the occupation of teacher, Wellesley College. I am about to go abroad temporarily; and I intend to return to the United States within one year with the purpose of residing and performing the duties of citizenship therein; and I desire a passport for use in visiting the countries hereinafter named for the following purpose:
Italy, Egypt (?)
Switzerland, England Pleasure Travel
I intend to leave the United States from the port of Boston
sailing on board the Arabic on August 27, 1922.
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
Further, I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; So help me God.
Martha Hale Shackford
Sworn to me this 2d day
of August 1922
Helen I Tweedy
Deputy Clerk of the U S Dist Court at Boston
DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT
Age 46 years Mouth Medium, normal
Stature 5 feet, 6 1/2 inches, Eng. Chin squarish, with dimple
Forehead medium Hair dark brown, beginning to grey
Eyes blue gray Complexion average
ose aquiline Face rather long
Distinguishing marks hair straight, tending to raise left eyebrow
Aug 2, 1922
I, Benjamin M Guennery, solemnly swear that I am a native citizen of the United States; that I reside at Wellesley Mass; that I have known the above named Martha Hale Shackford personally for 18 years and know her to be a native citizen of the United States; and that the facts stated in her affidavit are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Benjamin W Guernnery
Mgr Dept Old Colony Trust
17 Court St Boston Mass
Sworn to before me this 2d day
of August 1922
Helen I Tweedy
Deputy Clerk of the U S Dist Court of Boston
Applicant desires passport be sent to the following address:
7 Midland Road
Wellesley
Massachusetts
S. B. SHACKFORD
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Strafford Banks Building
DOVER, N. H.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: -
This is to certify that
Martha Hale Shackford, of 7 Midland Road, Wellesley,
Massachusetts, was born in Dover, New Hampshire, on
August 25, 1875, the daughter of Charles Burnham Shackford
and Caroline Cartland Shackford, American citizens of
American parentage.
Samuel B Shackford [signature, jsp]
State of New Hampshire
County of Strafford ss:
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day
of July 1922, and I am personally aware that the facts
set forth above are true
Charles S Cartland [signature, jsp]
Notary Public.
SOURCES
United States Pasport Applications, 1795-1925, M1490, Roll 2076, 1922 Aug, certificate no 209850-210225, Image 552, Martha Hale Shackford, passport application, 2 August 1922; digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2185145 : accessed 8 January 2014).
U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, , Margaret Pollack Sherwood, 4 August 1922; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 December 2013).