February 27, 2026
Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry concludes her story about an abandoned baby found in the woods of Mashpee, Massachusetts, in 1935. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
Today I conclude my story on the abandoned six-month-old baby girl discovered in the woods of Mashpee, Massachusetts, on 17 July 1935. The event made newspaper headlines for weeks – and the blue-eyed tot with blonde hair won the hearts of many and became known as Cape Cod’s “Babe in the Woods.”
Only by a one-in-a-million chance was the infant found alive by summer motorists Mr. and Mrs. Harry D. Kirkover of Williamsville, New York, who were traveling along the Forestdale Mashpee Road to Oyster Harbors, Massachusetts.
The couple informed George Perlat of the Hotel Attaquin in Mashpee, and he reported the matter to State Police trooper Kenneth Bailey. The child was brought to Cape Cod Hospital. Below is a photo from the Boston Herald of the baby with nurse Hilda Slater while being cared for at the hospital.
Dr. John Peter Nickerson (1870-1950) of West Harwich, Massachusetts, opened his home for the child until a legal adoption was made.
Dr. Nickerson was born to John Wixon Nickerson and Mary Adelaide (Howes) Nickerson, and was a direct descendent of Mayflower passengers William Brewster, Mary Brewster, Stephen Hopkins, Elizabeth Hopkins, Thomas Rogers, Joseph Rogers, John Tilley, Joan Tilley, Elizabeth Tilley, and John Howland.
He married Ruth Myrick Covell/Covelle, born to John and Elizabeth (Doane) Covell/Covelle of Barrington, Nova Scotia, and a direct descendant of Mayflower passengers Elder William Brewster and his wife Mary Brewster. After Ruth died, Dr. Nickerson married Jessie M. Phillips in 1949.
Several reports reveal the little tot was quite pleased with her living arrangement. Below is a photo of the Nickerson home (top) and Miss Esther G. Nickerson, daughter of Dr. John P. Nickerson, holding their little temporary resident (bottom left) and the little lass amusing herself in a chair in the Nickersons’ parlor (bottom right).
While authorities investigated and made a great effort to locate the identity of the birth parents the community rallied, raising funds, toys, and clothes.
This article reports:
At the Hotel Belmont here a party was given today for the benefit of the baby by children of the guests. From wealthy summer residents in other parts of the Cape have come generous donations and in nearly every village in this section of the Cape, mothers have contributed toys and clothing.
In addition, scores of couples came forward to adopt the little lass, and almost a month later she was adopted and placed in a permanent home. The Boston Herald covered the story.
This article reports:
The blue-eyed seven-month-old baby girl found abandoned in the Mashpee woods nearly a month ago will be adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Louis A. Girard of Buzzards Bay, it was announced yesterday.
Selected by the state from several hundred applicants, the couple will come to Boston tomorrow and take the girl to their home on Cape Cod, despite previous announcement that the child would be removed from that part of the state in which she was found.
Dr. and Mrs. John P. Nickerson of West Harwich cared for the child immediately after the finding. She later was brought to Boston and placed with a family, the identity of which has been concealed in accordance with the rules of the state division of guardianship.
Girard is employed as a dispatcher at the United States government engineer’s office at Buzzards Bay. He is president of the Southeastern Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and is active in civic affairs in Buzzards Bay. His wife, Esther, is in charge of the Western Union telegraph office there and the couple’s only child, Henry, 18, is employed as her assistant.
The couple have been interested in the abandoned baby since she was found and were among the first to make application to care for her. In accordance with state regulations, adoption of the girl by them will not be allowed for at least two years.
The identity of the child is still a mystery, despite the continued efforts of state police to trace her through investigation of hospital and birth records throughout this and neighboring states.
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Note on the header image: a photo of Cape Cod Hospital nurse Hilda Slater holding the abandoned baby discovered in the woods of Mashpee, Massachusetts, published in the Boston Herald on 19 July 1935.
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