Reunion 2006:
Closing activity after the Saturday evening meal
and presentations
If you have attended any recent meetings of Nims
Family Association in Deerfield, MA or at our regional meetings, you will
certainly recognize people shown in the photos on our web site pages. But we also want
you to meet earlier generations in our Nims Family.
This page will be devoted to
glimpses of ancestors from the four branches: Ebenezer, Thankful, Abigail and
John. You will meet a few that are well-known, and lots of others who were like
most of us are, hardworking, honest, contributing members of the society in
which they lived. Check back here occasionally to meet additional members of our
family.
LESLIE ADAMS NIMS (1874-1954)
Godfrey-Ebenezer-David-Zadoc-Calvin-Daniel
Adams-Alanson Augustus Nims
Leslie began work at what was later known as the
Hitchcock Shop in Aug 1892 in Ashburnham,
Massachusetts. It was then a grocery store owned
by the Parker Brothers. In 1919 Leslie bought the
business and continued under the name of Leslie A. Nims General Merchandise until he sold it in 1950
to Billie Viefeld, who carried on under the trade
name of Nims General Store.
Changes in the last 50 Years---By Leslie A. Nims,
1951---“When I went to work there was no
refrigerator; butter, lard, cheese, potatoes,
molasses and kerosene oil were all down cellar, so
for every sale of these articles we had to make a
trip down stairs. You would not be surprised now
if you saw how the treads to the stairs are worn
out. Now they have a big McCray refrigerator, a
refrigerated meat counter, and an ice cream
cabinet.
Bill Sheldon, Leslie Nims, Mary Mack, in front of Nims Store,
(now Creative Connections) in Ashburnham.
The heating unit was a big pot bellied stove that
stood in the middle of the floor, was later
replaced by a one pipe furnace. It had a ring of
chairs around it. Gus Whitney, the Ashburnham to
Fitchburg stage driver, would come in evenings and
swap stories with Walter Parker. That was where I
got most of my ancient history of the town, some
of which it would not do to print.
For lights we had four large kerosene lamps that
in summer time would radiate heat enough to drive
the customers as well as the help into the street.
Our first electricity was furnished by the Green
Electric Co. with the power station in Blackburn
Village. Later the town took it over and as
business increased they bought power from the New
England Power Co. The only telephone in town was
in Wm. Richardson’s Insurance office, now there
are approximately 675.
Leslie Nims delivering groceries
The job we all tried to shy clear of was running
the hand coffee mill. Those days we sold six
pounds of coffee for one dollar and the Finnish
people would buy 6 pounds every other week. Now
most of the coffee comes in cans; if not, all they
have to do is press the button and lean up against
the counter until it is ground. At that time we
had three kinds of cereals; Pettijohn, wheat germ
meal and pinhead oatmeal. Crackers came by the
barrel and sold for 3 cents a dozen.
Saturday nights we had to put up cream tartar,
tea, raisins, sugar, flour, and potatoes for the
next week. Salesmen came every other week. The
goods were shipped by railroad and we had to haul
it from the station. Now they come every week and
deliver by truck at the back door.”
Celebrate Silver Wedding--news clipping "Mr. and
Mrs. Leslie A. Nims celebrated the
25th anniversary of their wedding Saturday at
their home on High Street. The occasion
was an
informal 'at home' and between the hours of 3 and
9 o'clock about 175 guests were received. Mr. and
Mrs. Nims were assisted in receiving by Mr. Nims'
sister, Miss Mary E. Nims and by Miss Lena Shearer
of Goffstown, NH, a sister of Mrs. Nims. Acting as
'pudding sticks' were Mrs. James Vose, Mrs. Carl
Whitney, and Miss L. Mabel Nims of Ashburnham.
Music was furnished by the Athalia trio, violin,
cello and piano, of Fitchburg. A delicious
luncheon was served in buffet style and included
chicken salad, rolls, coffee, salted nuts, ice
cream, fancy wafers, and punch. The refreshments
were served under direction of the Ladies Aid
society of the Federated church, in the charge of
Mrs. John L. Livesey.
Leslie Nims & Grace Shearer wed - 1902
In deference to the expressed wish of the couple,
no gifts were presented to them, but about the
house was a profusion of beautiful flowers sent in
honor of the occasion, and they received many
congratulatory cards. One of the rooms was set
aside for the display of 'the gifts of 25 years
ago', and the dainty wedding gown of white point
d'esprit made in the style of a quarter of a
century ago was an object of interest to the women
present.
Mr. Nims is proprietor of the general store in
Ashburnham. Mrs. Nims was, before her marriage,
Miss Grace Shearer, and was graduated from Cushing
academy in the class of 1899."
In 1936, Leslie A. Nims served as president of the
Nims Family Association, and the annual meeting of
that group was held at his summer camp on Old Nims
Road in Ashburnham.
ELINOR NIMS
(Norman Granville-6, Albert Gilman-5, John Taylor
"Gilman"-4, Matthew-3, David-2, David-1) was born
on 20 May 1898 in Malden, Essex, MA. She lived in
Wesley Manor Retirement Village, Jacksonville,
Duval, FL in 1981. She died on 22 Apr 1994 in
Jacksonville, Duval, FL.
Elinor Nims Brink
The Keene Sentinel, May 11, 1994—“Elinor Nims
Brink, 98, of Jacksonville, Fla., died April 22 in
Jacksonville after a brief illness. She was born
in Malden, Mass., May 20, 1896, daughter of Norman
G. and ELizabeth (Cass) Nims, graduated in 1919
from Vassar College and held a doctorate in
education from the University of Chicago. Mrs.
Brink taught at Florida State College for Women in
Tallahassee for many years, and later did social
work in Valadosta, Ga., with her husband, Dr.
Fritz Albert Brink, who was a public health
official. The Brinks moved to Jacksonville upon
retirement. Mrs. Brink was an officer and active
member of the American Association of University
Women, and was a founding member of Friends of the
Library of Jacksonville. Her husband died earlier.
Survivors include a stepdaughter, Mrs. Roland
Hedberg of Durham, N.C., and several cousins.
Memorial services were held April 26 at St. John's
Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, where she was
a member. Rev. Rick McIntee officiated. Burial was
in the Nims family lot in Woodland Cemetery in
Keene.
According to the Compendium of American Genealogy,
Elinor received her B.A., Vassar, '19 (Pi Gamma Mu):
N.Y. School of Social Work, 1924-325; PhD., U.
Chicago, 1926. Agent, dept. of child welfare,
Westchester Co., N.Y., 1919-23; instr. sociology,
U.Ky., 1926-27; instr. social economy, Grad. Sch.
of Social Service Administration of U.Chicago,
1927-28; asst. prof. and actg. head of sociology
dept., U. Ky., 1928-29; instr. dept child welfare,
Sch. of Applied Social Sciences of Western Reserve
U., 1929-30. Mem. A.A.U.W. Presbyterian.
Republican. Residence: Cleveland, O.
Quotations from diaries of Elinor Nims Brink,
telling of her attendance at reunions of the Nims
Family Association---
Aug, 15, 1907--"...went to the Nims picnic..."
Held in Keene, NH
Aug. 18, 1910--"Went to the Nims Family Reunion.
There were about 125 present. The speakers were
uncle Granville, Father, Rev. Josiah Seward, Uncle
Dan and Charles Knight" Held in Keene
Aug. 15, 1912--"We went down on the early train to
the Nims Reunion. We went up to Uncle Hiram's and
from there to Wheelock Park. I met Bernice
Butterfield, Helen Price and....."
Aug. 12, 1914--"....started for Greenfield. The
train left North Station at 9:35. Something was
the trouble in the subway and we had a terrible
time trying to get to the train, but we finally
made it. We got dinner in Greenfield and then we
went by trolley to Old Deerfield. We found quite
good accommodations at the Deerfield Inn, then
papa and I went up to Greenfield for our baggage.
Then we went through Memorial Hall which is full
of old historic relics."
Aug. 13, 1914--"Papa and I took the suitcases and
truck to the Greenfield station where we checked
them. I came back on the car with the Nimses who
were going over to the Nims Family Reunion. There
were about 200 present. Papa made a very excellent
speech, in fact, I think his was the best. Then
went to Keene."
Aug. 17, 1922--"Had a slow journey to Keene. Am
rather weary. To Nims Family Reunion (19th). Had
good fun. Drove to Madella's at Roxbury where
we're to stay a couple of days." The journey was
made by train.
In the NFA files are two photographs of Elinor,
this one as a senior at Vassar (she graduated in
1919) and one taken by her husband Fritz on their
wedding day. (photo at the top of this article)
According to a letter from Elinor Nims Brink in
Oct. 1984--"I came to Florida in 1930 to teach at
Florida State College for Women (now FSU) in
Tallahassee. My plan was to remain one year to get
good solid teaching experience as I had been doing
all sorts of odds and ends at various
universities. That was the beginning of the
depression when jobs were in short supply. Also, I
liked Tallahassee. I stayed five years plus summer
teaching for several years after I was married in
1935. My husband was a public health officer
working out from Jacksonville. However, he got
entangled in a miserable political situation so he
was released from his job and ended with the
Georgia State Board of Health where he stayed five
years. He returned to Florida when WW II broke out
and replaced a younger man Health Officer in
Jefferson County. During this time I taught at
Georgia Women's College in Valdosta (now Valdosta
State). My field was social science. I received my
AB degree from Vassar College in 1919 and a PhD.
from the University of Chicago in 1926. I enclose
a picture of myself taken as a Vassar senior and a
snapshot Fritz took of us on our wedding day. More
recent pictures are always in groups."
Fritz Albert Brink
Elinor NIMS and Fritz Albert BRINK were married on
12 Oct 1935. Fritz Albert BRINK was born on 11 Jun
1878 in Delphi, , NY. He died on 22 Feb 1972 in
Jacksonville, Duval, FL. He was a public health
physician. Fritz grew up in Meckling, SD and
attended Yankton College and received his MD from
the University of MI.
