Book Review: Memories of Newburyport, Massachusetts by Henry Bailey Little 1851-1957

 Book Review: Memories of Newburyport, Massachusetts by Henry Bailey Little 1851-1957

This book was compiled by Margaret Peckham Motes and published in 2019 by Clearfield Company, Baltimore. It’s a collection of stories written by Henry Bailey Little that were assembled by his daughters for publication in the Newburyport Daily News in 1959. 

Henry Bailey Little lived to the incredible age of 106, working until he was 102! He witnessed so much history and vast change in his long life and wrote about the town he loved. He was raised on a farm in town and grew up to become President of the Institution for Savings. 

He shares remembrances of the small coastal town that was once a commercial port, including stories of seafaring men, town businesses, and the mayors of the town. He writes about childhood clothing fashion, life before central heating, and small sketches of some of the townspeople. The book also incudes tributes to Henry Little after his death.

This slim volume of 104 pages includes vintage photographs, some from the 19th century. I am always so appreciative of people who wrote down their experiences and also to those who came across these writings and share them with the world. Reading books like this are always a wonderful way to foster a stronger connection to the lives our ancestors lived. “Memories,” would be a wonderful addition to the personal library of anyone with 19th and 20th century roots in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It is available to purchase at genealogical.com

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Clearfield Company to review for this blog.