Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purposes of review and I have received other books from Genealogical Publishing Company, also for review. However, my opinions are my own and not influenced by outside sources.

Memories of Newburyport, Massachusetts by Henry Bailey Little, 1851-1957, compiled by Margaret Peckham Motes provides an interesting glimpse into the life experiences of an amazing man.

Think about it. Henry Bailey Little was born just as the Industrial Revolution was really gaining steam and he passed away just six weeks before Sputnik brought the birth of the Space Age.

He grew up on a farm at a time when most families produced the majority of their own food, was a teenager during the Civil War and had a banking career that was so successful that he didn’t retired until he was 102 years old.

There was a lot of history seen during those 106 years of life!

I doubt that Mr. Little ever meant for his writings to become a book. It seems more like he kept notes about people and events that took place in Newburyport, Massachusetts from the time he was a young boy until late in life.

His writings were, after his death, compiled into short chapter by Margaret Motes so that some firsthand experiences of the town history would be preserved.

Although I have many early Massachusetts ancestors, I only have one tenuous tie with Newburyport – my 3X great grandfather, from Maine, lived there for several years shortly after he married my 3X great grandmother, his second wife. It is coincidental that their first child, Elizabeth, was born in Newburyport just six months after Henry’s birth.

In spite of not having any direct ties to Newburyport, I found Mr. Little’s memories to be a fascinating look into late 19th and early 20th century life in a seaport town.

At just over 100 pages in length, with nice sized font and interesting photos, this book was a quick, enjoyable read.

Mr. Little wrote about not only his own early memories, but talked about many of the businesses and businessmen associated with town ventures. It’s also quite amazing that he remembers, and personally knew, all the mayors who held office up until 1957.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Henry Bailey Little 1851-1957
Chapter 2 – Memories of Newburyport, Massachusetts
Chapter 3 – Some Recollections of a Long Life
Chapter 4 – Newburyport Shipping As I Remember
Chapter 5 – Business and Banking
Chapter 6 – Some Newburyport Citizens
Chapter 7 – Some of the Seafaring Men Whom I Remember
Chapter 8 – Some of the Seafaring Men Whom I Remember (sic)
Chapter 9 – Commentaries on Henry B. Little in 1956
Chapter 10 – Obituary and Tributes to the Life of Henry Bailey Little
Addendum I – Mr. Little on the Mayors of Newburyport
Addendum II – Newburyport As I Knew It
Addendum III – Oldest Bank President, 99, Proud Boast of Newburyport
Addendum IV – Waldo Pierce, Artist, 1884-1970

Memories of Newburyport, Massachusetts by Henry Bailey Little, 1851-1957, Compiled by Margaret Peckham Motes, was published in 2019 by Clearfield Company, Baltimore, Maryland and can be ordered online for $19.95.