by Barbara Wood
I have a beautiful gold pocket watch. I don’t actually keep it in the “attic.” Rather, it now occupies a lovely spot in my living room. Looking at it reminds me of the past generations of my family. The watch belonged to my great grandmother, Ella Louise Clough Moores. Ella Louise lived in Carroll, Maine with her husband Gideon Moores from her birth in 1854 until her death in 1919. She died about six months before her daughter Grace gave birth to a little girl. That child was named after her, Ella Louise. As her namesake, she inherited her grandmother’s gold pocket watch. My mother, Ella Louise, left it in my care. She knew it would be safe with me. Since she placed such trust in me, I put it away for safe keeping while I was the mother of young children. Well, as you know the best laid plans can, and, often do, go astray. One day, a curious five year old searched through a cabinet and came across an interesting looking box. She became more enchanted when she opened the box and found a beautiful gold case. It looked as if the case could be opened so that five year old worked very hard to do just that. Then it happened…the cover of the case snapped off! Since the five year old was very, very smart she knew she was in trouble. The watch was returned to its box and the box was returned to the cabinet. Like most five year olds, this five year old had a very serious conscience. By bedtime, the secret came out. I retrieved the box and looked inside. The case cover of the watch had been snapped off but the hinge remained on the watch. How would I tell my mother? She trusted me. This watch had survived the past 90 or so years, but it didn’t survive in my care. I did what most responsible, heartbroken adults would do…I stuffed it away and hoped it would repair itself. It remained in that secluded state for several years. Then I met a jeweler who specialized in pocket watches. I brought the broken watch to him. He examined it with care. Then he suggested that it probably dated to the mid 1880’s or so (I felt even worse). Next he said he thought he might be able to repair the cover of the case, but the mend might be visible. I left it in his care, relieved that at least it could be put back to one piece, even if a scar remained. Several months passed. Then he called me to come for the watch. I went to his shop. He again admired the piece. With pride he told me how he worked with a jeweler friend to find the right color of gold for the repair. Indeed, the repair is totally invisible. He continued on to say that he had cleaned the works and it was now, not only fully restored, it was also a working pocket watch. Now that it was restored, I told my mother about the misadventure. She was glad it was back together and suggested that it should be handed down to the five year old who was so enchanted by it. That is the plan, but for now it is displayed where I can see it everyday. Ella Louise Clough was a descendant of the Cloughs who migrated from the Salisbury, MA area to the Hampton, NH area, Gilmanton, NH to East Montpelier, VT, and finally to the Springfield and Carroll area of Maine (they were John, John, Aaron, Simon, Edward, and Edward). Ella and her husband, Gideon, lived in a small hamlet of Carroll, ME. It was called “In Behind the Mountain.” They had six children; five boys and one girl. Her descendants, over four generations, carry the family surnames of Moores, Blaisdells, Webber, Goodwin, Breton, Sylvester, Bonney, Rayner, McPeck, Flick, Palarmo, Mingo, Clark, Johnson, Corson, Williams, Pelletier, Stevens, Hardy, Black, Draznick, Quinn, Wood, Gomes, Rogerson, Dearborn, Dawes, Lavoe, Triconi, Kinney, Kitchen, Umel, Dunn, Walls, Leary, Arnold, Carlile, Sellers, and Summerton (I apologize for any omissions).