Tom & Emily

I'm thinking this week of Tom and Emily Haggerty, who were married in 1971. I had a brief visit with them just after Thanksgiving at their home in NH. Tom was home from a recent hospitalization, still facing some health challenges, but he was in good spirits. It was a pleasure talking with him. Emily served tea, and we had a delightful visit.

Emily is my cousin. She and I both descend from the Andrew Nichols who built "Pine Knoll" in Danvers in 1861. Andrew and his wife Lizzie (Elizabeth Stanley Nichols) had eight children there, including the boys who would became our grandfathers.

Tom and Emily at Glen Magna, June 1971

Emily and I also share a connection to an antique wedding veil. Five brides in this Nichols family had worn that veil, beginning in 1833 when the veil was probably brand new. Emily was the last bride to wear it; she and Tom were married in Beverly, with a reception at Glen Magna in Danvers. I had worn it in 1965, with a reception at my parent's home at Locust Lawn. We each considered passing the veil to our daughters for their weddings, but by then the fabric had become too fragile for active use. In January 2000 Emily and I donated that beautiful veil to the Danvers Historical Society.  Click here for more about this 1833 veil.

This weekend I will see Emily again. We will gather at South Church in Portsmouth, NH,  February 4 at 2:00 pm for a celebration of Tom Haggerty's life. Unfortunately he was not able to regain his health; Tom died January 20, 2017. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, and the many former students who considered him one of the best teachers they ever had. Click here for Tom's obituary.

A scholarship fund in memory of Tom has just been announced:

Winnacunnet Dollars for Scholars, Inc.

P.O. Box 1593, North Hampton, NH 03862-1593.

"Please note in the check memo that funds be should be directed to the Thomas L. Haggerty, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund."