My Paternal Grandmother, Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver (1882-1962)

 Alma Bessie Richmond was born on 16 February 1882 in Killingly, Connecticut, the seventh child and fourth daughter of Thomas and Julia E. "Juliette" (White) Richmond.[1-3]  The family was active in the Episcopal Church in Killingly and Putnam, and had a rich musical tradition and abilities. 

Thomas Richmond was a worker and then a foreman in a textile mill, first in Burrilville, Rhode Island, then in Putnam and Killingly, Connecticut and finally in Leominster, Massachusetts, residing at 42 Summer Street in Leominster.

In the 1900 United States Census, the Thomas Richmond family resided at 42 Summer Street in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts.[4] The family included:

• Thomas Richmond -- head, white, male, born Jun 1848, age 51, married, for 31 years, born England, parents born England, immigrated in 1856, a resident of the US for 44 years, a naturalized citizen, an overseer of a woolen mill, rents a house
• Juliette Richmond -- wife, white, female, born Sep 1848, age 51, married, for 31 years, 9 children born, 1 living (obviously an error), born CT, parents born RI
• Grace Richmond -- daughter, white, female, born Aug 1876, age 23, single, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, a shirt maker
• Emily W. Richmond -- daughter, white, female, born Jan 1879, age 21, single, born CT, father born England, mother born CT
• Charles E. Richmond -- son, white, male, born May 1880, age 20, single, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, a painter
• Alma B. Richmond -- daughter, white, female, born Feb 1882, age 18, single, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, housework
• Edwin T. Richmond -- son, white, male, born Dec 1883, age 16, single, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, a laundryman
• James H. Richmond -- son, white, male, born Nov 1886, age 13, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, at school

According to her daughter, Geraldine ("Gerry"), Bess had exceptional musical talent, and was taught by her father, who was a choir director and tenor singer, and her mother, who was an organist, piano player and alto singer.  As a pianist, she played very difficult pieces, especially Chopin, her favorite composer.  After taking organ lessons, she played the church organ as a teenage girl at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Leominster for several years before her wedding in 1900. After her marriage, she stopped playing the organ because of family responsibilities (seven babies in 17 years).  In about 1923, she again was organist at St. Marks until 1941 when her husband became ill.[5]

She married Frederick Walton Seaver on 21 June 1900 in Leominster, Massachusetts,[6-7] the son of Frank Walton and Hattie Louisa (Hildreth) Seaver, who resided in Leominster at 149 Lancaster Street.  

The wedding announcement in the newspaper said:

"GOWNED IN SWISS MUSLIN

"Alma Bessie Richmond Became the Wife of Fred W. Seaver

"Fred Walton Seaver, son of Frank W. Seaver, and Miss Alma Bessie Richmond, daughter of Thomas and Julia Richmond, were united in marriage last evening at 6 o’clock at the home of the bride’s parents, 42 Summer Street. Rev. Frank A. Brown officiated, using the full Episcopal church service with the ring. The bride was given away by her father. The couple were otherwise unattended. The room where the ceremony was performed was very prettily decorated with laurel daisies and roses. The wedding march was played by Miss Jennie Marcy. The bride was handsomely gowned in Swiss muslin, trimmed with Valenciennes lace and white satin ribbon. She wore pink roses and carried a white bound prayer book.

"Only the immediate relatives and friends of the family, to the number of about 25, witnessed the service. A short reception was held, afterwards followed by a wedding supper. Mr. and Mrs. Seaver went immediately to their new home at 149 Lancaster Street.

"The contracting parties are very well known in town and have the good wishes of a large number of friends."

Frederick Walton and Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver had seven children, all born in either Leominster or Fitchburg:

• Marion Frances Seaver (born 9 November 1901 in Leominster, died 6 March 2000 in Clinton, South Carolina), married (1) 25 August 1928 Irving Braithwaite (born 9 June 1902 in Clarenceville, Quebec, died 1 July 1966 in Maitland, Florida); (2) 8 June 1970 in Stonington, Connecticut, Russell Hemphill (born 4 October 1893 in Westerly, Rhode Island, died 17 October 1976 in Pawcatuck, Rhode Island). One daughter.

• Evelyn Seaver (born 13 March 1903 in Leominster, Massachusetts, died 11 June 1978 in Methuen, Massachusetts), married February 1926 in Leominster to Walter Hazelhurst Wood (born 24 August 1893 in Fall River, Massachusetts, died 15 August 1966 in Seekonk, Massachusetts). Two sons and one daughter.

• Stanley Richmond Seaver (born 20 October 1905 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, died 24 April 1910 in Fitchburg, of scarlet fever).

• Ruth Weston Seaver (born 9 September 1907 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, died 21 September 2000 in Sun City Center, Florida), married 14 June 1930 in Leominster, Massachusetts to Bowers Arnold Fischer (born 20 December 1906 in Leominster, Massachusetts, died 27 July 1988 in Sun City Center, Florida). Two daughters.

• Frederick Walton Seaver Jr. (born 15 October 1911 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts), died 26 May 1983 in San Diego, California of a heart attack), married 12 July 1942 in San Diego to Betty Virginia Carringer (born 30 July 1919 in San Diego, died 4 January 2002 in El Cajon, California). Three sons.

• Edward Richmond Seaver (born 28 August 1913 in Leominster, Massachusetts, died 14 February 2004 in Mesa, Arizona), married 10 August 1940 in Leominster to Janet Arlene Roukes (born 7 February 1913 in Leominster, died 9 September 2002 in Sun Lakes, Arizona). One son, one daughter.

• Geraldine "Gerry" Seaver (born 18 May 1917, in Leominster, Massachusetts, died 26 April 2007 in Augusta, Mine, married 27 June 1970 in Newton, Massachusetts to James Howard Remley (born 21 January 1912 in New Castle, Pennsylvania, died 1 November 2007 in Augusta, Maine). No children.

After their marriage, the Frederick Walton Seaver family lived for a short time in Leominster MA at 149 Lancaster Street (with his parents and grandmother Hildreth), where their two oldest children, Marion and Evelyn, were born. Fred was working in a comb-making factory in Leominster.[5]

In about 1905, Fred became a superintendent at a  factory in Fitchburg. The family lived at 56 Linden Street there, where son Stanley was born. Later, they bought a house at 116 Lawrence Avenue in Fitchburg where Ruth and Frederick were born, and the older children went to school at Highland Avenue School, then Maverick Street School, and finally Goddard Street School.[5]

In the 1910 United States Census, the Fred W. Seaver (it is indexed as Leaver in the census record) resided at 116 Lawrence Street in Fitchburg Ward 6, Worcester County, Massachusetts.[8]  The family included:

• Fred W. Seaver -- head of household, male, white, age 33, married once, 10 years, born MA, father and mother born MA, speaks English, superintendent in a comb shop, a worker, owns home, with a mortgage, can read and write
• Bessie A. Seaver -- wife, female, white, age 28, married once, 10 years, 4 children, 4 living, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, speaks English, no occupation, can read and write
• Marion F. Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 8, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attends school
• Evelyn Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 7, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attends school
• Stanley R. Seaver -- son, male, white, age 4, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attends school
• Ruth W. Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 2, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attends school
• James H. Richmond -- brother-in-law, male, white, age 23, single, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, speaks English, comb-maker, in a comb shop, a worker, 24 weeks out of work in 1909, can read and write

In about 1911, Fred was offered a position as superintendent at the Paton Manufacturing Company in Leominster, which made hairpins from celluloid material. The family moved to a large house on the factory site at 290 Central Street, where Edward and Geraldine were born. The house was on the main road from Leominster to Sterling and Worcester, with streetcar tracks in the middle of the road. There were several smaller buildings around the house, including a barn which was used as a garage, chicken coops and rabbit hutches. A brook ran beside the house to the factory. The house was heated by warm air from the factory.[5]

In the 1920 United States Census, the Frederick W. Seaver family resided at 290 Central Street in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts.[9]  The family included:

• Frederick W. Seaver -- head of household, male, white, age 42, married, born MA, father born MA, mother born MA, superintendent of a comb shop, a salaried worker, rents home, able to read, write and speak English
• Bessie R. Seaver -- wife, female, white, age 38, married, born CT, father born England, mother born CT, no occupation, able to read, write and speak English
• Marion F. Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 18, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attending school, able to read and write, and speak English
• Evelyn Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 16, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attending school, able to read and write, and speak English
• Ruth W. Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 12, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attending school, able to read and write, and speak English
• Frederick W. Seaver Jr. --  son, male, white, age 8, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attending school, unable to read and write, able to speak English
• Edward R. Seaver -- son, male, white, age 6, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, attending school, unable to read and write, able to speak English
• Geraldine Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 2, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, unable to read and write, unable to speak English

Gerry says "...her life was pretty hectic trying to take care of all those kids.  The thing that saved her was the fact that she had the piano.  She would go to that piano right after dinner, I remember very well.  She would go religiously, and leave the dishes for the girls, and sit down and play the piano for at least two hours, sometimes longer... many a night I have gone to bed and listened to the strains of Chopin coming from downstairs."[5] 

During the 1920's, Fred and Bess bought a cottage on the shore of Whalom Lake, between Leominster and Fitchburg. The family spent summer weekends there. Summer vacations were taken at Cape Cod on occasion.[5]

In about 1927, the owner of the Paton Manufacturing company, Barney Doyle, sold the factory to the Dupont Company, and the site closed on Central Street. Fred worked at the main Dupont plant in Leominster, and was superintendent of the toothbrush division there until his retirement in 1941. The family bought a house at 20 Hall Street in Leominster which was across the street from Leominster High School.[5] 

In the 1930 United States Census, the Fred W. Seaver family resided at 20 Hall Street in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts.[10]  The household included:

• Fred W. Seaver -- head, own home, worth $5,000, owns a radio set, male, white, age 52, married, first at age 25, can read and write, born MA, father and mother born MA, speaks English, superintendent in a celluloid company
• Alma B. Seaver -- wife, female, white, age 48, married, first at age 18, can read and write, born CT, father born England, mother born RI, speaks English
• Ruth W. Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 22, single, can read and write, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, speaks English, teacher in a public school
• Frederick W. Seaver -- son, male, white, age 18, single, can read and write, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, speaks English
• Edward R. Seaver -- son, male, white, age 16, single, can read and write, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, speaks English
• Geraldine Seaver -- daughter, female, white, age 12, single, attends public school, can read and write, born MA, father born MA, mother born CT, speaks English

Bess was not enumerated in the 1940 United States Census, although her husband and daufghter Geraldine were enumerated in Leominster.  

Frederick Walton Seaver died on 13 March 1942 in Lawrence, Essex County, Massachusetts at the home of his daughter, Evelyn (Seaver) Wood.  

Bess and her daughter Geraldine traveled by train to San Diego, California in July 1942 to attend the wedding of her son, Frederick Seaver.[5]  

After her husband's death, Bess moved with her daughter Geraldine to Northampton for a time where Geraldine was a music teacher.  After about two years, she moved back to an apartment in Leominster to be nearer family and friends, and took jobs as music director and organist at a Methodist church in Fitchburg and as the organist at the Episcopal church in Whalom.   Gerry says"She played music instinctively... she memorized so quickly that she could play one thing after the other without any music in front of her because she'd memorized it."[5] 

In the 1950 United States Census, Alma B. "Seaber" resided at 91 Merriam Avenue, 3rd Floor in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts.[11]  The household included:

• Alma B. Seaber - head, white, female, age 68, widowed, born in Connecticut, keeping house.
• Dorothey L. Yockey - lodger, white, female, age 31, never married, born in Texas, worked last week, worked 40 hours last week, in assembling, worked in plastic factory, a private company. 

All of her children that survived childhood married and five of them had children, thereby producing 11 grandchildren to love and cherish, with three of them in California and the rest in New England.  Bess loved seeing the grandchildren grow up and enjoyed all of the family events - birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, marriages, Christmas, Easter, 4th of July and more. 

In 1959, Bess accompanied Walter and Evelyn (Seaver) Wood to California, driving from and back to New England.  This was the only time that Bess saw her three California grandsons.

Her son, Edward Seaver, described his mother:  "My mother was a very beautiful woman, my early memories of her were with beautiful black hair with a swatch of white coming right up the middle.  I used to love to watch her sitting at the vanity combing her hair.  She was a very nice looking woman.  As the family grew up and expanded and the grandchildren started to come, she just adored every one of them, and they, in turn, thought the world of her.  She was always attentive to the children, always listening to their problems."

Bess died of gall bladder cancer on 29 June 1962 in Leominster, Massachusetts.[3]  She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Leominster with her husband, young son, Stanley, and daughter Geraldine (Seaver) Remley.[12]

An obituary was published in a local newspaper (publication and date unknown), which says:[13]

"Mrs. Alma B. Seaver

"Mrs. Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver, 80, at 119 Helena street, died yesterday at Leominster Hospital after a long illness.  The widow of Frederick W. Seaver, she was born in Killingly, Conn. and lived here most of her life.  

"She was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church and was organist there for many years.  A retired organ and music teacher, she had been organist at the First Methodist Church in Fitchburg for 10 years and organist at All Saints Chapel in Whalom for three years.

"She leaves four daughters, Mrs. Marion Baithwaite of Maitland, Fla., Mrs. Evelyn Wood of Seekonk, Mrs. Ruth Fischer of Sterling, and Miss Geraldine Seaver of Newton; two sons, Frederick W. Seaver, Jr. of San Diego, Calif., and Edward R. Seaver of Leominster; two sisters, Mrs. Emily R. Taylor of San Diego, Calif., and Mrs. Grace R. Moody of Norwood; 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

"The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at St. Mark's Episcopal Church with Rev. Richard A. Hennigar officiating.  Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.

"Calling hours at the Silas F. Richardson and Son Funeral Home will be from 2 to 3:30 and 7 to 8:30 p.m. tomorrow."

SOURCES:

1. Killingly, Connecticut, "Killingly Births, Marriages and Deaths" (Register at Killingly Town Hall, Danielson, Connecticut), Volume 3, page 4, Alma Bessie Richmond entry, 16 February 1882.

2. Connecticut. Windham County. Killingly. Town Registrar's Office. Birth Registrations, Birth Certificate, Alma Bessie Richmond, Registrar's Office, town of Killingly, Connecticut (certificate dated 13 December 1946).

3. Leominster, Massachusetts, Death Certificate, Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver, entered 17 September 1962; City Clerk's Office, Leominster, Mass. (certificate dated 10 September 1996).

4. 1900 United States Federal Census, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster; ED 1644, Sheet 4B, dwelling #63, family #88, Thomas Richmond household; online database, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T623, Roll 692.

5. Geraldine Seaver (1917-2007) Memories, on 4 audio cassette tapes recorded 1989, transcribed by Randall J. Seaver in 1992, in possession of Randall J. Seaver.

6. "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915," digital images,  New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (https://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Marriages: Volume 502, Page 297, Leominster: entry for Frederick W. Seaver and Alma Bessie Richmond, 21 June 1900.

7. Leominster, Massachusetts, Marriage Certificate, Fred Walton Seaver and Alma Bessie Richmond, 21 June 1900; Town Clerk's Office, Leominster, Mass. (certificate dated 17 September 1990).

8. 1910 United States Federal Census, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Fitchburg; Enumeration District 1745, Page 193, Sheet 6B, dwelling #82, family #125, Fred W. Seaver household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T624, Roll 608.

9. 1920 United States Federal Census, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster; Supervisor District 3, Enumeration District 102, Sheet 14A, dwelling #175, family #288, lines 1-7, Frederick W. Seaver household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T625, Roll 747.

10. 1930 United States Federal Census, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster: Enumeration District 226, page 3A, dwelling 44,  family 69, Fred W. Seaver household; online database, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T626, Roll 964.

11. 1950 United States Federal Census, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster, ED 14-246, Sheet 73, Household 233, Lines 11-12, resided 91 Merriam Avenue, 3rd floor, Alma B. Seaber household; indexed database with record images, U.S., National Archives, "1950 Census"  (https://1950census.archives.gov/ : accessed 1 April 2022).

12. Find A Grave, indexed database and digital image,  (https://www.findagrave.com), Evergreen Cemetery, Leominster, Mass., Alma Bessie Richmond Seaver (1882-1962) memorial # 44596445.

13. "Mrs. Alma B. Seaver," undated clipping, 30 June 1962, from unidentified newspaper; Geraldine Seaver Remley Papers, in Geraldine (Seaver) Remley papers given to Randy Seaver in 2007; privately held  by Randall J. Seaver; died 29 June 1962.

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