Mae Belle Ford

1874 - 1948  (73 years)

• Name	Mae Belle Ford  [1]
  Birth	1 May 1874	Newbury, Vermont, -USA   [1]
  Gender	Female
  Note	Originally the spelling was May, but when her elementary schooling was over (in 'Newbury Seminary and Ladies' Institute' and Manchester High School) she preferred the spelling of Mae by which she was known the remainder of her life. She graduated as Valedictorian from Newbury High School in 1891. She taught in the public school for several years and as music teacher in the schools of Haverhill and Newbury. As early as her high school days, she was the organist for the Congregational Church in Newbury. She went to the N.E. Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1900 at the head of the Organ Dep't - and as a reward for her high scholastic attainment and musicianship was chosen to represent her teacher at Tremont Temple, at the graduation exercises with organ recital.
  Note	In 1902, she graduated again, this time as piano-forte teacher. Her summers in this period were spent earning money for her education - by giving private piano and organ lessons. (She had a regular circuit through New Hampshire and Vt., and went by horseback, arriving many times before her pupils were up or dressed).
  Note	For nine consecutive summers she acted as chorus accompanist for a week of Sacred Concerts in Knowlton and Waterloo, Que. Also accompanist for similar group of choirs in the Conn. Valley. From 1910 to 1923, her winters were spent in Portland Maine with her family. She joined the Rossini Club (the country's oldest music club for women) in 1911. (In Jan. 1948, she was elected an honorary member for her long period of active service.) In 1923 she began and conducted the Rossini Club Orchestra. At the time she was a student at the Conservatory, the American Guild of Organists was formed; she remained an active member from near its beginning, occupying many positions in the local Maine chapter.
  Note	When she became a permanent resident of Portland in 1923, she joined the Longfellow Garden Club as one of its charter members. Ten years later she was voted Honorary Life Membership in appreciation of her active interest. Besides her private pupils in music, she always had a church position as director of Music and Organist. After 1932, when her health prevented her from participating as an organist, she turned to her life-long interest, Hymnology.
  Note	She began writing articles which were accompanied with their tunes, as features in the Portland paper for Easter and Christmas; under the title, 'Hymns - Old and New'. The first twenty five were published in book form (to sell for .50 each. Half of the sum whent to the buying of church music for choirs in Maine, the other half to the cost of the publication). Two copies are in the Library of Congress - by request. Later these stories of hymns became a regular feature of the Sunday Paper, under the caption; Hymns - New and Ancient. Her personal collection of fine old American Hymn Books were given to the Victoria Society, Portland, Maine, at her death.
  Note	Her interest in Hymnology and authority became wide spread - and nationally known. She became national Chairman of Church Music in the Hymn Society of Am. LIkewise, from 1932, on until her death she was State (of Maine) Chairman of Church Music for the National Federation of Music Clubs. Under the auspices of this Federation she conducted many Choir festivals - for several years. All her life, music was her subject talent for teaching and ability for organization inspired many people to a life-time career and love for music.
  Note	In 1942, she became interested in founding a Museum dedicated to women of achievement. With Dr. Holmes, a retired New York teacher, they established the Victoria Society of Maine Women - with headquarters in the baroque mansion of the Victorian era, in Portland. In Spring of 1948, the reception room was dedicated to these two, as founders, and in memory of them.
  Note	Line 143 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: HIST Haviland Genealogy, compiled in 1949 by William Ford Haviland (son of Mae Belle Ford); owned by Christopher Sirmons Haviland.
  Name	Mae Belle Haviland  [1]
  Death	8 Feb 1948	Portland, Cumberland, Maine, -USA   [1]
  Burial	Haviland Lot, Glens Falls   [1]
  Person ID	I22965	HHTT
  Last Modified	1 Jul 2022

  
  

  Family	Foster Lane Haviland,   b. (SEENOTES), Glens Falls, New York, -USA d. 15 Jul 1937, Portland, Cumberland, Maine, -USA
  Marriage	6 Aug 1902	Newbury, Vermont, -USA   [1]
  Children	1. Charles Valentine Haviland,   b. 6 Jul 1903, Ford Homestead, Newbury, Vermont, -USA d. 17 May 1993, Venice, Florida, -USA (Age 89 years)   2. John Morgan Haviland,   b. 6 Mar 1906, Newbury, Vermont, -USA   3. William Ford Haviland,   b. Between 1 Jul 1910 and 1911, Newbury, Vermont, -USA
  Family ID	F5435	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	1 Jul 2022

  
  

• Event Map

  Burial - - Haviland Lot, Glens Falls  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S118] Lorinda Stover Steadman 'Lori' (Reliability: 1).