Mildred Perfield was born around the turn of the century to parents who lived at Hastings Center, a tiny hamlet at the geographic center of the town. There the family operated a "home farm" and ran a general store. Like her older brother and sisters, she attended the nearby district school, took care of her younger siblings, milked the cow and "worked the muck" - planting, hoeing and harvesting the large vegetable garden that sustained the family. Sundays, she attended services with the family at the Central Square First Baptist church, traveling by horse and buggy. Her parents never owned a car.
Mildred's parents encouraged their seven daughters to obtain post-secondary education and qualify for a career. All of the girls attended either teacher training or nursing school. For Mildred, it was teaching. After completing so-called "normal school", the usual training program of the time for teachers, she taught in local one-room classrooms, riding the family horse to and from work when the job wasn't within walking distance. As the school system became more sophisticated, Mildred continued her education, obtaining a bachelor's degree from SUNY Oswego. She taught for many years in the APW (Altmar, Parish, Williamstown) district.
Her marriage to high school sweetheart Howard Bonney resulted in two children, Lois and Richard. Howard was a Type I diabetic at a time when the disease was poorly understood. Further, he could not afford insulin. He died in his 50's from complications of chronic illness. But love came along again for Mildred in the form of a valued neighbor, Norm Brown. They married, and she moved into his large comfortable home with the cottage garden. The couple traveled and enjoyed their home together for more than 15 years, until his death.
Mildred lived alone for the next ten years, finally moving to Ogdensburg to live with her daughter. She passed away peacefully at the Ogdensburg hospital.
Mildred was a generous, kind and warm grandmother. She instilled in her daughter a love of the family history and genealogy, but she also knew how to keep a secret. She made a great strawberry shortcake.
Mildred's parents encouraged their seven daughters to obtain post-secondary education and qualify for a career. All of the girls attended either teacher training or nursing school. For Mildred, it was teaching. After completing so-called "normal school", the usual training program of the time for teachers, she taught in local one-room classrooms, riding the family horse to and from work when the job wasn't within walking distance. As the school system became more sophisticated, Mildred continued her education, obtaining a bachelor's degree from SUNY Oswego. She taught for many years in the APW (Altmar, Parish, Williamstown) district.
Her marriage to high school sweetheart Howard Bonney resulted in two children, Lois and Richard. Howard was a Type I diabetic at a time when the disease was poorly understood. Further, he could not afford insulin. He died in his 50's from complications of chronic illness. But love came along again for Mildred in the form of a valued neighbor, Norm Brown. They married, and she moved into his large comfortable home with the cottage garden. The couple traveled and enjoyed their home together for more than 15 years, until his death.
Mildred lived alone for the next ten years, finally moving to Ogdensburg to live with her daughter. She passed away peacefully at the Ogdensburg hospital.
Mildred was a generous, kind and warm grandmother. She instilled in her daughter a love of the family history and genealogy, but she also knew how to keep a secret. She made a great strawberry shortcake.
Mildred Perfield was born around the turn of the century to parents who lived at Hastings Center, a tiny hamlet at the geographic center of the town. There the family operated a "home farm" and ran a general store. Like her older brother and sisters, she attended the nearby district school, took care of her younger siblings, milked the cow and "worked the muck" - planting, hoeing and harvesting the large vegetable garden that sustained the family. Sundays, she attended services with the family at the Central Square First Baptist church, traveling by horse and buggy. Her parents never owned a car.
Mildred's parents encouraged their seven daughters to obtain post-secondary education and qualify for a career. All of the girls attended either teacher training or nursing school. For Mildred, it was teaching. After completing so-called "normal school", the usual training program of the time for teachers, she taught in local one-room classrooms, riding the family horse to and from work when the job wasn't within walking distance. As the school system became more sophisticated, Mildred continued her education, obtaining a bachelor's degree from SUNY Oswego. She taught for many years in the APW (Altmar, Parish, Williamstown) district.
Her marriage to high school sweetheart Howard Bonney resulted in two children, Lois and Richard. Howard was a Type I diabetic at a time when the disease was poorly understood. Further, he could not afford insulin. He died in his 50's from complications of chronic illness. But love came along again for Mildred in the form of a valued neighbor, Norm Brown. They married, and she moved into his large comfortable home with the cottage garden. The couple traveled and enjoyed their home together for more than 15 years, until his death.
Mildred lived alone for the next ten years, finally moving to Ogdensburg to live with her daughter. She passed away peacefully at the Ogdensburg hospital.
Mildred was a generous, kind and warm grandmother. She instilled in her daughter a love of the family history and genealogy, but she also knew how to keep a secret. She made a great strawberry shortcake.
Mildred's parents encouraged their seven daughters to obtain post-secondary education and qualify for a career. All of the girls attended either teacher training or nursing school. For Mildred, it was teaching. After completing so-called "normal school", the usual training program of the time for teachers, she taught in local one-room classrooms, riding the family horse to and from work when the job wasn't within walking distance. As the school system became more sophisticated, Mildred continued her education, obtaining a bachelor's degree from SUNY Oswego. She taught for many years in the APW (Altmar, Parish, Williamstown) district.
Her marriage to high school sweetheart Howard Bonney resulted in two children, Lois and Richard. Howard was a Type I diabetic at a time when the disease was poorly understood. Further, he could not afford insulin. He died in his 50's from complications of chronic illness. But love came along again for Mildred in the form of a valued neighbor, Norm Brown. They married, and she moved into his large comfortable home with the cottage garden. The couple traveled and enjoyed their home together for more than 15 years, until his death.
Mildred lived alone for the next ten years, finally moving to Ogdensburg to live with her daughter. She passed away peacefully at the Ogdensburg hospital.
Mildred was a generous, kind and warm grandmother. She instilled in her daughter a love of the family history and genealogy, but she also knew how to keep a secret. She made a great strawberry shortcake.
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