WINDHAM AND THE SUMMIT
The Armstrong Homestead on Londonderry Road, was adjacent to the Clarke Farm.
Eugene Armstrong
Eugene Armstrong was I believe, a cousin of Mattie Clarke, her mother being Deborah Armstrong. The Armstrong and the Clarke families lived on adjoining farms on Londonderry Road, in Windham. You may notice that I have changed the spelling of Clarke by adding an “e” to the end as carved on the family gravestone, not as spelled in Morrison’s History of Windham which eliminated the “e.”
Eugene Armstrong owned the store at Windham Depot for a number of years. In an Exeter Newsletter column written by William Harris . October 1, 1915, it says, “Eugene C. True of Derry, has bought of Eugene W. Armstrong the store, property and business at the Depot which the latter has conducted for a few years past. It is the stand formerly for a long period occupied by the late Edwin N. Stickney. Mr. True has been employed for some years in the furniture store of L.H. Pillsbury & Son, in Derry and is highly spoken of by those who know him.”
We also learn in The News-Letter, in November of 1912 that, “Fred S. Webster, Republican, was chosen representative by 60 votes to 41 for Eugene W. Armstrong, Democrat. Not known to me, was that Eugene Armstrong was also an engineer on the Cog Railway on Mount Washington. He was born in Windham on December 23, 1865. Tim “Jitney Jr.” Lewis says that he worked on Mount Washington from 1885 through 1908. “Eugene Armstrong is noted as a Mount Washington Railway engineer in 1907. ‘Engine No. 4 of the Mount Washington Railway, which has been in the shops at the Base for repairs, came up with freight on Saturday (August 17, 1907) for its trial trip and was put in regular service the same night, in charge of Engineer Armstrong.’ ” He was 12 years younger than his neighbor (cousin) Mattie Clarke. He worked twenty-four summers on the Mount Washington Railway and spent six winters working for Anderson and Price at the Ormond Hotel in Florida. He purchased the store in the Depot in 1910. He passed away on August 24, 1925 in Windham.
…Still looking for photographs of Mattie Clarke and Eugene Armstrong for Tim Lewis.
Windham NH History 
Thanks for continuing to help in my quest for an image of both Mattie & Eugene. I’ve since found a copy of Among the Clouds that lists Armstrong as a Cog Railway engineer through 1910. And for those who are interested I finally launched my online Cog Roster database at https://mtwashingtoncogroster.pointinspace.com – You can search for Armstrong and Clarke and get some of their stories OR download the latest PDF manuscripts of the Jitney Years project. Again thanks for your continuing interest in Windham’s connection to Mt. Washington Cog Railway. rgds, Tim
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Hi Tim,
I found all of the information about Mattie and Eugene, and the life on Mount Washington very fascinating. Keep up the good work in bringing it to light for your readers. Best Regards.
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