Martha Jane Tenney
A Tribute

"If it wasn't for Martha Jane Tenney, we probably wouldn't be here today. Because of her many years of dedicated research and letter writing, most of us are able to trace our Tenney lineage back to Thomas & Ann Tenney of Rowley, Massachusetts." 
--Ken Dubke, former TFA President

Hence, we'd like to give tribute to her, and perhaps enlighten others with who she was and the hardships in life she endured. 

Martha Jane's obituary, taken from the Haverhill Evening Gazette March 24. 1910:

 MARTHA JANE TENNEY

Death of One of the older Residents of this City. Miss Martha Jane Tenney passed away at her home on Boardman Street yesterday in her 78th year. Miss Tenney was a daughter of the late Col. A.B.W and Sophia C. Tenney of Newbury, Vt., where she passed the early years of her life on the farm, which is located about half way between Wells River and Newbury village. After the death of her father and mother, she came to Haverhill and made her home with her sister, Mrs. James D. White. Since the death of Mrs. White in 1903 and Mr. White in 1901, she has continued to live at the family home at Locust Hill, always extending hearty hospitality to her relatives and friends.

Miss Tenney has been a great sufferer from asthma all her life and for many years has been unable to leave her home, except for short drives. Notwithstanding her infirmity, she accomplished more during her life than many would have done, blessed with good health. She compiled a genealogy of the Tenney family and after some years she secured the manuscript from the widow of the late Prof. Jonathan Tenney, who had done much work on a Tenney genealogy. With this she revised her original book and published a very complete history of the family. In 1897, she presented to her native town, Newbury, a memorial Library in memory of her father and mother.  

Miss Tenney was reared in the Orthodox Congregational faith and was a member of the Wells River Congregational church, until she came to Haverhill, where she then connected herself with the North Congregational Church, Passing her girlhood on a typical Vermont farm among the best of New England people, she developed a strong character. She was direct, concise, clear and far-seeing in business matters. Intellectually, she was bright and keen with an unfailing memory. Simple in her taste, she deplored anything bordering on ostentation.

She leaves one nephew, A. Tenney White of Manville, R.I. and two nieces Mrs. Charles H. Atkinson of Newburyport, Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Stevens of  North Andover, MA. 

The Tenney Family Archives holds several articles and manuscripts that were written about her. They are as follow:

1. "The History of the Tenney Memorial Library" written by Betsy Rowe 1964; manuscript. The paper relates to "The History of Newbury, Vermont Library, including the biography of the woman who gave the library and of her father, to whom the library is dedicated" . 8 pages. Tenney Family Association Archive # M0003.
2. "Personal Memories of Martha J. Tenney" by Edward Payson Tenney, her first cousin, dated April 15, 1910, sent to the President of the Board of  Trustees of the Tenney Memorial Library, Newbury, VT. He describes his memories about his mother's brother, Col. Abner B. Tenney and his first  meeting of his cousin when she was twelve. He states within this manuscript "Twenty five years after, I found Martha in the same house upon the Connecticut (River), with it's long look over the meadows and the uplands east and south; the same house but not the same. It had been transfigured into the House Beautiful by spiritual life and supreme patience of the invalid mother, who was, day by day, putting off her mortal body and preparing for the realms of light; the House Beautiful, glorified by the devotion of the daughter, Martha, who set aside all youthful ambitions and the aspirations of early womanhood for the single service of acting as her mother's nurse like a ministering angel during a score of years of watching and waiting the final triumphant change from life to life." The rest of the manuscript is very similar to this passage of her life till her death. #M0004
3. An original copy of the 1904 edition of Martha J. Tenney's book. Dedicated to the NEHGS in Boston by E.P. Tenney in 1909. #B0028
4. "Tenney Memorial Library in Newbury, Vt., 10th Anniversary Pamphlet" 1907; goes into great details of Col. Abner Bayley White Tenney, as a man, a neighbor and citizen. A letter from Martha and a check, along with the Anniversary Exercises. # B0002
5. "A Decaade of History in the life of the Tenney Memorial Library" 1907. Out lines the inception, conditions; Officers, needs and other library business. #B013

   

A final note that has not been mentioned, is that Martha was never able to see her dream come true, as ill health kept her from the long journey from Haverhill Massachusetts to Newbury, Vermont to see the Library.  Martha Jane Tenney is buried with her parents in Newbury.

Debby Bianchi - Curator

A2-15  Tenney Memorial Library - Dedicated June 10, 1897

Webmaster notes:  

Visitors to Newbury Vermont should note that the Tenney Memorial Library is only open Tuesdays from 10am to 5pm, Thursdays from 3pm to 8pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.

The book "THE TENNEY FAMILY  Descendants of THOMAS TENNEY of Rowley, Mass. 1638-1904 (Rev.)" by M. J. Tenney can be purchased from the order page on this web site.