Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1726 Gushee dairy again

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1726

 A couple of weeks ago, we had information about the Gushee dairy on Fuller Street.

 From Dan Jenkins:

Here is a photo of 104 Fuller, formerly 92 then 95, sent to me by the family historian, a cousin to the living grandchildren of Almond Shaw Gushee and Ida [Smith]— I am guessing pre1900.  I have suggested that the photo be enlarged professionally at Staples on photo paper the maybe the people could be identified.  It may have been taken about when Charles H. was born and the younger men are his older half-siblings.

To summarize what I have learned:

David and Henri Gashet, brothers, arrived at Taunton, mid 1600s.  A grandson married Hannah Staples, great-grandaughter of Myles Standish in 1741 and raised a large family.  The family removed to Appleton [McLain’s Mills], Knox , Maine  and established a large presence there at Gushee’s Corner. Many were Quakers and later converted to Baptists.  Almond Shaw Gushee was born at Appleton in1856, son of Jonathan Shaw Gushee.  He married Ida [Smith] at Union, Maine, in 1880, and they removed to Dorchester, where he established the Gushee Dairy.

They had 3 sons, Almond Elwood, Chester Ward, and William.  By 2nd wife Therese Louise Peters, he had Charles H. who attended Harvard as did son William.  Charles H. became a financial advisor and publisher.  William became a grocer.

So the cows were originally pastured at Fuller St. per photo the at some point, moved to 79 and 93 Hillside St., Milton where Almond E. had 11 acres of land , formerly part of the Samuel Russell  Estate.

I note in the 1899 map of Fuller St., that Samuel S. Russell owned a large parcel on the opposite side of the street from Almond Gushee—maybe a family connection that I am not aware of yet.  Almond Shaw Gushee deceased 1922.

At this point looks like after several subdivisions and re-numberings, Chester is left with house at 104 Fuller St., the bottling plant, and an area of vegetable garden and roadside stand.  The Depresssion put family fortunes on a decline.  Almond E. sold off  most of the Hillside farm to Mary Hogg now #93  leaving himself with #79 and 1 acre, having to rent pastureland for the cows.  Both properties now owned by the Whiteside family.

I hope to visit them and inspect the dairy barn which I think is still standing.   The Fuller Street bottling plant  was destroyed in an explosion  about 1941, and that ended the Gushee Milk Company.

Dave Gushee has revealed that his father Almond E. ended his days as a deliveryman for White Brothers Milk.  I may have even met him as a boy, as we got White Brothers Milk.  I knew both the late White brothers personally.  As a chef with Silent Chef Caterers we did a lot of family functions for them. 

Almond S. helped found the “The Gentlemens Driving Club of Dorchester” [available to read online] and was quite active in it.   I have not learned what became of Chester as yet.  Quite an interesting family, whose members are eligible for Mayflower, DAR, and Sar Societies.

Dan J.

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