New England Victorian families

[DoGeeseSeeGoD]

In his book Lizzie Borden, The Untold Story by Edward D Radin, he opens by talking about the physical attributes of those with a long history in New England. After many centuries of the "old" families inter-marrying, he described some identifying qualities such as the high cheek bones, and deeply creased mouth lines. It seemed to describe the indiginous settlers "new england" look very well. Here is a familiy pic of mine. In the center is Helen Lawton Sisson, my great grandmother, born 1886 in Rhode Island. Next on the right is my grandmother, Marion Lawton Caswell, and finally next right is my mother, still a young girl.
My mothers side of the family has lived in Portsmouth Rhode Island, and Fall River, almost 100% exclusively with only a few exceptions, going all the way back to the pilgrim times. I think you can see those same qualities that Radin described in this picture.

[Kat]

Oh cool! Thanks!!
Those names sound familiar: Caswell, Sisson etc..

[DoGeeseSeeGoD]

heres another pic from my Fall River line. Helen Lawton Sisson. Daughter of Cornelia Lawton and Charles Sumner Sisson. Her father, Charles Sumner Sisson is of Fall River, and has a long history of Durfee's. Her mothers side Cornelia Lawton reaches back to Borden's.

[DoGeeseSeeGoD]

Helen's husband was William Bacheller Caswell - a Mayflower descndant. These familes have lived in Portsmouth since the very begining. Actually the first portsmouth Caswell was Job Caswell, who settled that city with the separtist Anne Hutchinson....a very interesting historical lady.

[Kat]

Oh yes "Caswell." I knew it sounded familiar!
Great old pictures. Helps us to see what locals looked like- thanks!

[StarLordess]

I just recently found out William Bacheller Caswell and Helen Lawton Sisson are my biological great-grandparents. Thank you for sharing all of this information. This is all quite mind blowing.