Libb(e)y Family Connection to Narcissus becomes Personal

First Congregational Church in Black Point, Scarborough, Maine.

The Black Point area of Scarborough is where John Libby established his

home in the 1630s. W. S. Libbey, the founder of the Portland-Lewiston

Interurban, is a descendant of John Libby. And, "Surprise", so is this

blogger! - image February 22, 1952. PWM

     This blog was created in April 2015 to introduce readers to the Narcissus 1912 Project. The project features the restoration of this National Register of Historic Places vintage electric interurban railway vehicle at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. The blog posts speak to the restoration of 1912, high speed, luxury interurban, its history, and connections to its most famous passenger, Theodore Roosevelt.

This post introduces a connection to Narcissus that is quite personal to this writer.

     The Narcissus was built in 1912 in Laconia, NH, at the Laconia Car Company Works, for the Portland, Gray, and Lewiston Railroad. The PGLRR would later become known as the Portland-Lewiston Interurban, and served communities of, and between, Portland and Lewiston, Maine, from 1914 into 1933. The man behind the construction of the interurban line between the two prominent cities in Maine was W. S. Libbey.

      Early in August 2015, I had the pleasure of meeting family members descended from W. S. Libbey. A copy of a family-produced biography of W. S. Libbey was shared with me. I found his biography fascinating. In his biography, his family wrote of W. S. Libbey, "With the same care and precision he had devoted to all his affairs, Libbey conceived of the Interurban as the fastest, quietest, most luxurious transportation yet available.....Each richly furnished car was given the name of a flower." We are restoring his Narcissus.

     Early in September (2015), I was encouraged to contact the John Libby Family Association (JLFA). W. S. Libbey is a descendant of John Libby (Many Libbys, regardless of whether the name is Libby or Libbey, are descended from John Libby of the Black Point area of Scarborough, ME). The 111th JLFA reunion was taking place later in September. Perhaps I could attend the reunion and have a table with materials explaining the Narcissus project?  I did make contact with reunion coordinators and received an invitation to attend the reunion. The flyer that explained the reunion details included directions to the meeting house at the First Congregational Church in the Black Point area of Scarborough, ME.

     Hmmm....the church? Seems like I know that church? My mother grew up in Scarborough. Sure enough, my parents were married in the First Congregational Church in Black Point!

This blogger's parent's wedding at the First Congregational Church

in Black Point, Scarborough, Maine. L-R, Emily True Morse (groom's

mother), Warren O. Morse (groom), Nancy Hughes Morse (bride), and

Ms. Alphaetta Plummer Hughes (bride's mother). The strong Libby connection

to this blogger is via the Plummer side of the bride's mother :)

image 2-22-1952 PWM

     Now that's a coincidence! My parents were married in the church where the Libby reunion was taking place. I invited two students from the Residential Life program at Thornton Academy in Saco, ME,  to join me at the reunion.

     Allen Humphries is a board member of the John Libby Family Association. Allen had introduced himself to me at the reunion and a few days later, was very kind to share some photographs with me that he had taken at the reunion. As it turns out, Allen had also done some genealogical research on me and my family. He informed me through his research that through my father's side of the family he (Allen) and I were 11th cousins! He went on to say that I was also the 10th cousin of a couple of the reunion attendees. A week later, Allen researched my mother's side of the family and found that through the Plummer side of my maternal grandmother, Ms. Alphaetta, I was descended from John Libby, the Patriarch of the John Libby Family Association. So, I was related to one-third to one-half of all the attendees at the reunion!

No wonder I've been so drawn to the Narcissus :)

Here is the Libby Tree to this writer:

1)  John Libby - b: Abt. 1602 in Broadstairs, Isle of Thanet, Kent, England
2)  Matthew Libby - b: 1663 Scarborough, ME
3)  Matthew Libby - b: Abt. 1695
4)  Zebulon Libby - b: 1737
5)  Robert Libby - b: 1769
6)  Eliza Libby - b: 1804 (married Simeon Clay)
7)  Jonathan Clay - b: 1827
8)  Ms. Alphaetta Clay - b: 1854 (married William L. Plummer)
9)  Clifford L. Plummer - b: 1877
10) Ms.Alphaetta Plummer - b:1900 (married Dean Marcellus Hughes)
11) Nancy Hughes - b: 1932 (married Warren O. Morse)
12) Philip W. Morse

I have sent in membership dues to join the John Libby Family Association. I look forward to learning more about my cousins and in particular, where the W. S. Libbey branch of the family is in relationship to me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We continue the restoration work on the 1912, Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban. 

Click Here: Narcissus Restoration-Related Posts

Being more than a century old, the stately, "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem.  This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including; time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents captivates, fascinates, then generates, interest to learn more 🙋. The majestic Narcissus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Please consider joining the epic journey to complete the Narcissus Project by making a donation today!

Click Here: Donation Options

The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one in a series of captivating stories containing an abundance of incredible coalition of narratives.

Click Here: History-Related Posts - Narcissus and Portland-Lewiston Interurban

     The Narcissus is featured in the national Gold Award-winning novel, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. The "Elegant Ride" is the Narcissus. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914, between Lewiston and Portland, Maine, while campaigning for the Progressive Party candidates.

Click Here: Bookstores and Businesses promoting the Narcissus Project

Independent book publisher, Phil Morse, holding

the Gold Book Award Winner plaque for

 the Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive