Gene Notes

Some random and some not-so-random thoughts on family history.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Sympathy Saturday - Rev. Antoni Haremza

This is one of DH's line.  Father Haremza was a first cousin three times removed.



Dziennik dla Wszystkich [Everybody's Daily], Buffalo, New York, 1 November 1948.


Reverend Antoni Haremza

On Saturday, October 30, 1948 at 3:30 pm, the late Reverend Antoni F. Haremza son of the late Jozef and Jozefa (Siekierski).

The late Reverend Antoni was born in Poland and at the time of his death he was 63 years old.  He belonged to an Association of Polish Priests.

His body will be taken from home located at 31 Easton St. by Bailey Avenue on Tuesday at 3:30 pm to the Saint Jan Kanty Church at 4 pm.

The funeral will be held Wednesday, November 3, at 10 am at Saint Jan Kanty Church and then will proceed to the Saint Stanislaw BM Cemetery.

All relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend by the grieving family members.



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, October 29, 2010

Cousins to the Nth Degree

Wednesday, Unmitigated (AKA one of my sisters) asked me to comment on what makes cousins beyond first and to explain the "removed" part. I will try my best.

John & Mary Percival have sons, we will call them John and Frank, get married and have children. John has 3 children and Frank has six. The children are first cousins or "cousins."

Frank's oldest daughter has a daughter; John's oldest daughter does too. These new additions to the family are second cousins to each other, but John's granddaughter is a first cousin once removed (a generation removed) to Frank's children. The same for Frank's new granddaughter, she is a first cousin once removed to John's children.

Skip ahead 20+ years and those grandchildren of John and Frank have children. They are third cousins to each other, but John's great grandchildren are 1st cousins twice removed from Frank's children and 1st cousins once removed from Frank's grandchildren.

To put it more succinctly, the original set of first cousins are 1st generation, their children are second cousins, their grandchildren are third cousins, etc. The removed part is the generation "removed" from the original generation of cousins. Click on the image to see a larger view.


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thriller Thursday - The Drowning Deaths of Emma Roeschel Courtney and her Daughters

While these people aren't related to me, they are related to the Holt family of Ray county, Missouri. My great-great grandmother, Susan Davidson Percival took as her second husband, Thomas Holt. It is more convoluted than that, but there is a connection to his family. The incident happened on August 10, 1905.

DROWN AT BOONVILLE

MRS. WM. COURTNEY AND TWO DAUGHTERS AND YOUNG LADY VISITOR LOSE LIVES IN RIVER.


Four persons were drowned at 8:45 o'clock last night in the Missouri River at Boonville, Mo., through the overturning of a gasoline launch. Several others had narrow escapes. Mrs. Wm. Courtney of Sedalia, Mo., chaperones a party of nine young men and ladies on an outing to Chouteau Springs. It was while they were attempting to effect a landing that the boat was overturned in striking a pier of the Boonville bridge.

The launch was about six or seven feet from shore when it capsized. Mrs. Courtney, her two little daughters (author's note: Catherine & Helen ages 6 and 8 respectively) and Miss Nellie Varney, the latter of Boonville, Mo., were those drowned.

The others in the boat were Miss Mabel Roeschel, a niece of Mrs. Courtney's; Miss Kate Heighberger, Ernest Roeschel, Harry Miller, Richard Smith, and a Mr. Churchill. The young men in the boat succeeded in rescuing Misses Roeschel and Heighberger.

Mrs. Courtney was the daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. William Roeschel. A brother is a well-known druggist of Sedalia. Mrs. Courtney was about 32 years of age. She and her daughters had been in Boonville three days visiting her parents. She was the wife of a Sedalia shoe manufacturer.

(Moberly Evening Democrat, Moberly, Missouri, 11 August 1905.)


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wedding Wednesday: Chinn & Walker

From the multitude of Missouri Chinn families, Luella aka Ella L. Chinn who married Ira N. Walker, were married on this date in 1880. Luella "Ella" was my 4th cousin, 3 times removed. 

Hopefully, clicking on the image will bring a larger view of the record. I actually had to reload the preview page to enlarge it. Thanks Blogger.


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

It Was Nice While It Lasted

We here in mid-Tennessee have been having some phenomenally beautiful weather lately. In fact, it is hard to believe it is late October. Earlier in the month we had a couple nights where we had to run the heat because it went below 40, but since then we have been toughing it out. The bad thing about the last 30 days is that we have had very little rain. Earlier on Sunday, while DH and I took a walk it was windy enough that acorns and walnuts falling on some of the tin roofs around here sound like baseballs. I'm thinking a hard hat would be nice to have on some of our walks.

Looks like that is changing and we are finally getting some rain. Hope it tamps down the fire warnings we have been getting.

I was thinking what it was like 100 years ago for my various ancestors. The Percivals in Missouri were no longer farmers, Great-Grandpa John "Henry" Percival by this time was a traveling salesman and sold plumbing supplies. The Zimmeths in Michigan were still farmers. At least my great-grandfather was. While most of the kids had either died or flown the coop, daughter Josephine brought her husband to live with the family along with their six kids; son George with his wife and son Leo, daughter Rose - a typist for a publishing company and son Joseph, yet unmarried all lived with the family. So I am sure in October of 1910, they were all busy putting up the crops, canning and preserving for the winter. The Zimmeths resided near the eastern shore of Lake Huron and I can bet their falls were spectacular. I hope they had the time to enjoy them.



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, October 25, 2010

Morris Kervoal Where Are You?

There is a great little database on Ancestry that I have been working through called Maine Marriages 1892-1996. I have been attempting to put all these Percival lines together. Sometimes that requires looking at the census to find out to which Percival line they belong. For the most part it went okay except when you would come across this type of relationship on a census - boarder. Sometimes it was necessary to trace back to the grandparents to make sure you had the right relationship and sometimes you would get lucky and the grandkids would be living with the Percival grandparents and that relationship would be denoted as grandson or g-son.

The fellow who gave me the most trouble was Maurice Benjamin Percival. First of all, the only document I find him listed as Maurice is his World War I draft record. All other records he is listed as Morris B Percival (not to be confused with Morris B Percival, son of Daniel G Percival.) I had found the family in 1900, and 1910 but on the 1920 census he was nowhere to be found. Time to search by first name only. Sure enough I found him indexed as Morris Kervoal. Clicking on the image below will show you Ancestry's image.


As if that isn't bad enough, Heritage Quest has him indexed as Resiwal. And Family Search has Ancestry's version of Kervoal. I was able to match every person on that record to my database, so I am sure I have the correct person. I made the correction on Ancestry's database. 
Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Happy Birthday, DH!!

Today my DH is one year closer to Social Security! As I slaved and toiled over his birthday card (made with Cricut and The Print Shop) I was reminded of the first birthday card for him that I signed. It was on our Thursday Night Singles league and I had to ask who Mr B was. Little did I know that several months later we would be an item and that just short weeks after the end of the league, we would be engaged.


For the first of his birthdays since our marriage, we were on our slightly delayed honeymoon in Vegas. It was his big 3-0. Many wonderful years have passed since then.  Happy Birthday!



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Sympathy Saturday - Josephine Zimmeth Whiteside

This was my grandfather Zimmeth's oldest sister, affectionately known as Phene. She was born in 1876 and grandpa in 1888.

From the Big Rapids (Michigan) Pioneer, April 17, 1972:

Josephine S. Whiteside, 95, R. 2,Stanwood, died Sunday afternoon at Community Hospital. She was born in East Tawas, and had resided in the Stanwood area for the last six years. She was preceded in death by her husband, George in 1940. They were married in 1901.

Mrs. Whiteside was a member of St. Apollina's Catholic Church, Morley. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Georgiana Bradley, and Mrs. Virginia Hall, both of Newaygo; three sons, Emery, Oliver, both of Stanwood; and Glenn, San Gabriel, Calif.; eight grandchildren; 30 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren and a brother, Charles Zimmeth, Pinconning.

 The picture on the left was taken on the occasion of my grandfather's 74th birthday. Phene would have been 86. They were the last two surviving children of the eleven born to August and Augusta Zimmeth.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, October 22, 2010

It Only Took Me Fifteen Years!

Fifteen years ago when I still had a Detroit Freenet account (aq335@detroit.freenet.org) I corresponded with a couple Percivals. At the time we exchanged lineages, but still couldn't connect. They could only trace back to their ancestor, Gilbert Percival and he really looked like a brick wall. These two Percivals I corresponded with were David Percival who once worked at Wright-Pat AFB in Dayton, Ohio, and his sister Teresa Huffman. I no longer have current email addresses and am going to try the snail mail address that they had in 1996 when we visited her in Missouri. I really hope they may see this posting and respond.

At any rate, I have ruled out the Gilbert Percifield and Perciful that I found on Ancestry, and found a marriage record to Maria(h) Perry in Indiana in 1864. I found them on the census in 1870 and then unfortunately Gilbert dies and Maria(h) remarries. I DO have a Gilbert Percival in my database, and the 1870 census says he was born in Ohio. So was the Gilbert Percival, son of Olney & Lavina Ford Percival. I feel very confident that this is the fellow. So David, Teresa, if you are out there, I hope you find my blog!



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Thriller thursday - The Drowning of David Barrow

The accidental drowning of a young man is reported in The Lexington (Kentucky) Herald of July 27, 1914. This is a line collateral to the Bowmans.

SEARCH FOR BODY OF DAVID BARROW, JR., IS FINALLY REWARDED

Found Five Miles From the Point in Lake Michigan Where Popular Lexington Boy Lost Life.

TELEGRAM TO FATHER ENDS THE SUSPENSE

Brother Will Bring the Body Home Tuesday for the Final Tribute.


After a search of twelve days the body of David Barrow, Jr., who was drowned in Lake Michigan, near Ludington, Mich., was found early Sunday morning by the life savers patrol about five miles from the point at which he lost his life. Mr. Barrow, the son of Dr. David Barrow, was rowing in a canoe near Ludington with E. C. Leavenworth, July 14, when the canoe capsized.  Mr. Leavenworth decided to swim to the shore for help leaving Mr. Barrow clinging to the canoe. But when Mr. Leavenworth returned with a boat Mr. Barrow had disappeared from sight.

The alarm was given immediately and the beach was patrolled for fifty miles, but the searchers were unsuccessful until Sunday morning.

Brother Reports Finding Body.

Mr. Barrow's brother, Dr. Woolfolk Barrow, and his brother-in-law, commissioner of Public Safety Waller B. Hunt, went to Ludington the day after the accident, but Mr. Hunt returned to Lexington several days ago with the word that the body had not been found, but that all were hopeful that it would come to the surface soon.

Dr. Woolfolk Barrow remained at Ludington and early Sunday morning he sent his father the following telegram:

"Ludington, Mich., July 26, 1914.

Dr. David Barrow, Lexington, Ky.

"Dave's body was found this morning."

"Woolfolk."

Body Will Be Brought Home.

The body will be brought to Lexington by Dr. Woolfolk Barrow Tuesday and will be interred in the family lot in the Lexington Cemetery.

The death of David Barrow, Jr. caused wide-spread sorrow in Lexington, where he was born 19 years ago and where he had lived all his life. He was a young man of sterling qualities, an able student, a promising athlete and a most lovable youth.

When it became known yesterday that the body had been found many persons called The Herald for details of the discovery and expressed relief that his body had been recovered.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Wedding Wednesday - Percival & Stevens

Part of what I found last week, is this marriage record between Morris B. Percival and Josephine Stevens. Morris was born in New York and Josephine in Massachusetts. They were married in Jackson County, Missouri, which was a long way from New York and Massachusetts.



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Percival-Perciful-Pursiful - A-Hunting We Will Go!

I almost never lack for topics for this blog. Usually one of the genie sites will hand me a topic on a silver platter. Or someone will comment on one of my blog posts. Today's post handles both those.

Last week someone commented that she went to school with a Percival. In Missouri. Well, I know there are other Percivals in Missouri, so I went a-hunting on Missouri Digital Heritage for death certificates to try and isolate the Percivals maybe connected to the line from James of Sandwich, Massachusetts. Here is what I found.

1. Joseph/Joe Percival married Martha Hurst, from Kentucky. When you get into Kentucky the family name is Purcifull (second "l" optional.) Now, my Percival line was a wandering one, migrating from Cape Cod to Connecticut, New York, back to Massachusetts, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri and finally Michigan. Joe's second wife was Anna Bird. They are in Missouri up to and including the 1920 census (January 1920) and then they disappear. No death records in Missouri for either of this pair. However, moving back into Kentucky I find Joseph Pursifull/Purcifull with his parents, Jacob and Nancy Pursifull, also from Kentucky. I haven't been able to take them back any further than that.

2. Daniel G. Percival and his wife Emmeline Pittinger both are buried in Forest Hill cemetery in Kansas City. Along with their son Morris B. Morris married Josephine Stevens there and they had two children before he died an untimely death in 1903, Sybil and Gordon P. Sybil married George Bramman, had three children and then George disappears. Their children were David Bramman, Martha Bramman Jennison and Sally Wells Bramman. David & Sally died young in 1975. Martha died in 2004. Then Sybil married her first cousin, Kenneth P. Bowen. This line of Percivals traces back to our common ancestor of John Percival & Hannah Whitmore, my great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents.

3. Another line is that of Robert Olivar Percival, son of Gilbert and Marie Percival. Only when I went searching for them in 1880, I find that Marie/Maria has remarried and her children are listed as step-children in the 1880 census. Well, fine, I should be able to find a couple of the children in 1870, since Robert was born in 1871. Nope. Back to doing a Soundex search, I find Gilbert & Maria Priceville with their children Sherman and Lerina Perciville. Oh, and Gilbert is from Ohio. Should that Lerina really be Lavina? I do have a Gilbert Percival, born in Ohio circa 1836, a son of Olney Percival & Lavina Ford. OMG, can this be him? It's obvious more work will need to be done to prove this.

4. Then there is the line of John Franklin Percivall. He died in Kansas City, Missouri in 1943. His father was John Percivall supposedly born in Indiana. This was another tricky line to search because the family moved and their name was recorded as Perciful and Percful. John F. may have been born in Indiana, but he was raised in Kansas. I think I was able to trace his father back to 1850 and while Ancestry's index says he was born in Iowa, the actual transcription says VA, not IA. Since I've never been able to link the Massachusetts Percivals with the Virginia Percivals that line is a dead end for me.

There were other Percivals in Missouri, some out of England which I ignored. The other Percival was my great grandfather.

So, out of the four I have mentioned above, one is a positive and one is a hopeful. Not bad for a day's work.


(More on this later in the week. My OCFRD is kicking in.)

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, October 18, 2010

Tackling My To-Do List

In the course of genealogical events, it is sometimes necessary to think outside the box. To find other resources to use and to knock of those To-Do List items. Such was the case the other day. I had several books on my list that I wanted to take a look at.

The first one I got from Ancestry and was the National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. The person it was in reference to was Edward Rumsey Wing. He was the youngest head of a foreign mission, appointed when he was just 24. Apparently it was a bit too much for Edward or E. Rumsey Wing as he was also known, because he drank himself to death. Nice story, eh? Got that tidbit from the State Department archives. Unfortunately, he is not in volume 5 of that book, so it got removed from my list. In stumbling around the web, however, I find that he was considered the worst diplomat of all time, first trying to annex Ecuador to the United States and then trying to assassinate the British Ambassador. Guess it was a good thing for the United States that he drank himself to death.

Then I had a couple people in Lee, Massachusetts that I wanted to check out and the book needed was Vital Records of Lee Massachusetts to 1850. That was accomplished by downloading the PDF of the book. I think that cross off four more items.

I had hoped to find the rest of the books on the web, but no luck. So those items will remain on the list a little longer. It just is so easy to forget to Google your relative's name. And it is so much easier to do if you leave a little reminder for yourself!

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Sympathy Saturday - Mary Elizabeth Chinn Bowman

These are from the Higginsville (Missouri) Advance from March 3 and 4th, 1904.  Mary Elizabeth Chinn was born November 2, 1821 in Bourbon county, Kentucky the daughter of Dr. Joseph Graves Chinn and Barbara Garland Graves. She married John Parker Bowman September 26, 1837 in Fayette County, Kentucky. She was my great-great grandmother. 

March 3, 1905 (This date is taken from the Ancestry database: Lafayette County, Missouri Obituaries, 1891-1920. It's wrong. I actually found it in 1904, which is when she died.)

Died,  at her home on Fair Ground avenue, in this city, February 28, 1905, Mrs.  ____ Bowman, aged 82 years.  Funeral service was held at the residence Thursday Morning and interment made in the city cemetery.

March 4, 1904

Died in Lexington, February 26, 1904, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Bowman, aged 82 years. Mrs. Bowman has resided in Lexington since 1844. She was an exemplary Christian lady most highly respected by her many acquaintances. Funeral services were held at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon from the home of G. M. Mountjoy.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, October 15, 2010

Following Up


You might recall at the end of the summer, I was working on a calendar project. You can see those posts here, here and here.

Today I decided to revisit that project, now just searching for people born between 1900 and 1920. The one thing I do have is a reasonably certain birth date on these people. Which is really helpful when you are searching, because it gives you just one more tool.

One of the families I picked up on this latest go round of October birthdays is Lydia Maybelle Wheatley, who was born October 27, 1908. Now, I doubted that she was still alive, but you never know. A search for Lydia Wheatley produced no results, so the next thought was to put her birthday in and the first person who came up was a Lydia M.Adler of Jacksonville, Florida. I looked back at my genealogy of the family and oh, look, Lydia's mother died in Jacksonville in 1963. Okay this was looking really good. Back to Ancestry to see if I could find a marriage for Lydia Wheatley in Florida. Sure did. To Benjamin Highsmith in 1931. Another check of Ancestry showed a divorce for the Highsmiths in 1939. A check for Clarence Adler showed a divorce for him in 1943. A search for a marriage for Lydia Highsmith came up empty. Well, at this point I put in Clarence Adler and B-I-N-G-O, Lydia's name was spelled wrong. Not the Highsmith, but Lydia was spelled Lydua. Darn typos. My next search would have probably been for Lyd* Highsm* which would have picked up the misspelling.
Clarence & Lydia Adler, Riverside Memorial Cemetery


The point is, that I didn't give up, crossed another person off the search list and found this nice bonus thanks to Lulabell on Find-A-Grave. The memorial is for Clarence & Lydia Adler, Riverside Cemetery, Jacksonville, Florida. I found this by utilizing the tools I have at hand: Ancestry, Find-A-Grave, and my genealogy program's Calendar function.



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thriller Thursday - The Cleveland Clinic Explosion May 15, 1929


I'm stretching on this one. The two women connected with the family were sisters-in-law of Andrew Meyer, one of my mother's uncles. Their names are bold in the listing.

 From The May 16, 1929 Benton Harbor, Michigan News-Palladium
  
CLEVELAND HOLOCAUST STRUCK WITHOUT WARNING, SPREADING POISONOUS GAS.
 
FIRE QUICKLY FOLLOWS IN WAKE OF DEADLY FUMES.

SECOND EXPLOSION SPREADS TEROR AS PEOPLE FALL IN THEIR TRACKS


DOCTORS, NURSES AND PATIENTS OVERCOME AND DIE IN AGONY AS GAS KEEPS RESCUERS FROM COMING TO THEIR AID -- MOST DREADFUL DISASTER EVER KNOWN IN CLEVELAND -- DEATH LIST GROWS AS VICTIMS SUCCUMB IN HOSPITALS.

Cleveland, May 15 -- (AP) -- Poison gas and two explosions which followed burning of X-ray films in the Cleveland clinic today claimed nearly 100 lives.

Tonight there were 98 known dead and hospital authorities worked desperately to administer artificial respiration to 43 others who were overcome. Victims of the disaster were dying at short intervals and physicians sent out appeals for additional oxygen in the fear that the supply in the city might prove insufficient. Oxygen is declared the only effective means of overcoming the gas burns.

Nearly all of the deaths were attributed to the deadly gas which filtered through the four story brick building slowly at first and then, augmented by a second and greater explosion than the first, rushed up from the basement and cut off escape down the stairways and elevators.

Survivors said those asphyxiated were dead, their faces turning yellowish brown color within two minutes after inhaling the gas.

The fumes were given off by fire of undetermined origin which destroyed X-ray films in the basement. Some pharmacists said it was bromine gas, while DR. WILLIAM E. LOWER, one of the founders of the clinic, said it resembled the deadly phosgene gas employed in the World war.

It was ironic that the disaster occurred in the very place where the most advanced instruments and laboratories of science had been turned against pain and death. The clinic was owned principally by DR. GEORGE W. CRILE, nationally known physician, who was too occupied with relief work to comment of the catastrophe.

Despite the heavy loss of life, firemen estimated the property damage at only $50,000.

The dead were patients, doctors, and nurses who filled the four-story structure at 11:30 o'clock the busiest hour of the morning.

The first explosion came when X-ray films stored in the basement caught fire releasing deadly fumes. The fumes penetrated to the waiting room on the floors above.

The hollow center of the building soon filled with gases. The intense heat below sent the fumes swirling upward. Before any one had opportunity to escape a second blast blew out the skylight and filled every corner of the building with the deadly bromine gas.

Occupants had no way of escape but the windows, and few were able to reach them. These were enveloped in the fumes which hung about the building and they collapsed.

The two street entrances were choked, and the stairways leading to the roof were heavy with fumes. Every piece of fire apparatus available was centered at the clinic and every vehicle possible was commandeered to remove the bodies. An hour and a half later all had been taken to nearby hospitals.

The first blast was heard by Police HENRY THORPE, walking two blocks away. He immediately turned in an alarm and ran to the building, at Euclid avenue and 93rd street.

A block away he was blinded by the gas. The first firemen to arrive turned in a second alarm and police, hospital and county morgue ambulances were concentrated about the building.

Battalion Fire Chief JAMES P. FLYNN, with his driver, LOUIS HILLENBRAND, were the first to enter the building. They reached the roof and chopped a hole leading to a stairway, then dropped a ladder to the fourth floor landing. Below they found sixteen bodies, one a doctor and another a nurse, strewn along the staircase.

The physician, DR. J. L. LOCKE, was taken out first and was revived. Five of the others were taken to the roof and carried down ladders as arriving firemen battered in windows to reach those inside.

Ambulances and taxicabs were used to take them to hospitals. DR. GEORGE W. CRILE, head of the clinic, gave orders that all victims be taken to the closest source of oxygen, their only hope of life.

Some were taken to the Cleveland clinic hospital, adjoining the clinic building. The others were taken to Mt. Sinai, Huron Road and Charity hospitals.

Emergency equipment was set up outside the building as the fumes lifted and permitted rescuers to work in safety. Police lines were thrown about the district to reroute traffic and hold in check a crowd of several thousand onlookers.

Inside the building firemen found many lying in the spot where the blasts found them. Rooms set aside for clinical examinations were occupied by patients and physicians. Some sat in chairs of the waiting room, overcome as the first cloud of gas swept up from the basement. Others in the front of the building were stretched along the stairs.

The rescuers found evidences of the suddenness with which disaster came to those inside the building on every hand. Hats and shoes were scattered about abandoned in the flight of those able to fight off the fumes long enough to make a frantic attempt at escape.

Surgical equipment lay ready for use in the examining rooms. In the X-ray developing room a roll of film was stretched to dry. A wheel chair with the blanket thrown aside blocked a balcony overlooking the waiting room. A stenographer's half finished letter was found in an office.

Everything was abandoned as the victims realized too late that the brown fumes curling through door casings and along the halls carried death.

Most of them were to make no attempt to save themselves. No bed patients were kept in the clinic and many of those there had appeared for medical examinations, were able to attempt escape. But so sudden was the catastrophe that none had time to reach the open air and safety.

Emergency provisions were made at the hospitals and as these became overflowed a residence near the clinic was made into a temporary first aid station. Cots were set in halls at Mt. Sinai hospital and as fast as the victims succumbed they were removed for the oncoming line of ambulances. The unknown dead were taken immediately to county morgue, which was taxed as never before. Anxious relatives who arrived at the clinic to learn that members of their families had been removed gathered at the morgue and the hospitals to learn their fate.

Identification was slow. As rapidly as the names of the victims were learned they were posted at the morgue and police established another bureau of information at central station.

The work of identification went or tonight. Police declared it might require several days to complete the roster of those who were killed.

Discoloration hampered identification of some, although none of the bodies were disfigured otherwise.

The blasts shot through the building with an intensity of heat which even the masonry could not resist. As the fumes leaped from the compression of the narrow quarters in the basement they scarred the woodwork and charred stair rails.

Hardened plaster was blistered and peeled from the walls. A steel floor was blown in and the fumes filling a hollow compartment between a balcony roof and the roof of the building, ripped out the brick and mortar as if it had been pasteboard.

Steel network of the plastering was peeled from the walls and hung along the balconies. The casings of the skylight buckled and warped under the force of the explosion and the broken glass was rained on the floor of the waiting room three floors below.

The suction after the explosion shattered glass doors reinforced with steel. Compression in the hollow center of the building packed air into the halls and staircases and when this force was released by the blast the air rushed back into the center of the bulding smashing the doors with the force of battering rams.

Heavy fumes hung about the building and for two hours after the blast rescuers were unable to remain inside for long intervals.

The explosion came at a few seconds past 11:30 A. M. A clock on the third floor balcony stopped at that time.

The fumes were so strong as to act almost instantly. Pedestrians caught outside the building fell to the ground and lay unconscious until dragged to safety when the gas lifted. One woman smashed a third floor window and was preparing to leap as firemen spread a life net. She stood poised, the amber gas swirled about her shoulders, and she collapsed, falling inside the building.

Some at unbroken windows, pounding wweakly against the glass, and then dropped from sight as the gas choked them. Most of the victims lay clutching their throats, stifled and fighting at the last for air.

STEPHEN WEIZER, elevator operator, was in the car in the basement. He shot the car to fifth floor penthouse and escaped with burns about the face and hands. Two workmen in a coal bin below the X-ray film storage room were jarred but not otherwise injured.

Some of those given oxygen immediately after their removal were expected to live. Hope was despaired of for others where noxious poison had destroyed the membranes of the lungs.

One policeman described the scene as worse that his experiences in the world war. He had carried out 25 bodies, he said. DR. CARL HELWIG an intern at another hospital, went to Mr. Sinai hospital to aid in resuscitation and came upon his wife who had gone to the clinic for examination. She died as he worked to save her.

LOUIS SOBOUL, whose appointment was cancelled, walked from the structure an instant before the double explosions. SOBOUL said he turned to see victims with their clothes torn away, fighting at the windows for air. Billows of gas swept about them and he fled to Huron road hospital to spread the alarm as the fumes filled the street.

The Cleveland clinic was established by DR. CRILE a few years ago and rapidly rose to a place of prominence in the city's medical centers. The surgeon, noted for his operations for goiter, associated himself with other physicians in the Cleveland clinic foundation and in 1924 a hospital was build for the care of patients.

Official inquiry into the causes of the blast was opened immediately after the bodies had been cleared away.
Coroner A. J. PEARSE prepared plans for an inquest as fire department officials attempted to learn the origin of the fire.

POLICEMAN GIVES LIFE SAVING 21

Cleveland, May 15 -- (AP) -- Policeman ERNEST STAAB, 30, of Number 1 emergency wagon, sacrificed his life to achieve the removal of 21 persons from the blazing gas filled Cleveland clinic. STAAB arrived while the fumes still clogged the entrance but time after time pushed his way into the darkened halls, facing almost certain death.

Some of those he removed were alive tonight, some died as he carried them to open air. But STAAB worked away as the fatal gas slowly destroyed his lungs. The policeman collapsed after carrying out his twenty-first burden. He followed those he rescued to an emergency cot and died a few hours later.

Plattsburgh, New York Sentinel May 17, 1929

NEW LIST OF CLINIC DEAD AND INJURED.

(By Associated Press)

Cleveland, May 16 -- Revised list of dead and injured in Cleveland Clinic disaster:
 

Dead:
DR. HARRY ANDISON, Cleveland Heights, staff physician.
PHILLIP BADER, Cleveland.
MAX BARTHOLOMEW, Medina, Ohio, sketch artist.
EVELYN BERNLER, clinic employe.
R. E. BISSELL, Cleveland Heights, engineer and patient.
DR. JOHN BORELLO, staff physician at clinic.
DR. ROY A. BRINTNALL, Lakewood, physician on Clinic staff.
WILLIAM J. BROWNLOW, East Cleveland, artist at the clinic.
W. W. BUSBY, Indianapolis.
MRS. W. W. BUSBY, Indianapolis.
MRS. CARL, Cleveland.
MRS. MAY B. CARSE, Cleveland.
ROMEO CASINIO, Cleveland.
MRS. ROSA CASINIO, Cleveland.
RICHARD COLLINS, Cleveland.
MISS MINNIS COSTLEY, Cleveland.
HELEN CHARLOTTE DE HART, Clinic nurse.
MISS FANNIE DEMBROW, Cleveland.
MRS. FLORENCE EPSTEIN, Chicago.
MISS ZANNA FAHEY, technician in X-Ray department at Clinic.
MRS. EVELYN FAYDUER, Akron, Ohio.
HUGO FIELDS, Akron, O.
LILLIAN FIELT, Franklin, Pa.
VIRGIL FLEMING, repairman, Cleveland.
MISS GEORGEIANNA FOWLER, clerk at clinic.
MRS. JOSEPH FRANK, Dunkirk, N.Y.
HERMINE FUERST, East Cleveland, patient.
R. B. FULTON, Cleveland, patient.
MISS GLADYS GIBSON, telephone operator at clinic.
MINNIE GLUMPLIN, Cleveland.
MISS GWENDOLYN GREET, Cleveland.
SAMUEL HAAS, Cleveland Heights.
MRS. CARL HELWIG, Cleveland.
LENORA HOLLENBECK, Middlefield, Ohio, patient.
JEANETTE HOROWITZ, Cleveland.
DR. EDWIN S. HUNTER, staff physician at clinic.
NATE HURD, Cleveland.
MRS. ROSE KAUFMAN, Cleveland.
MISS BERTHA KEMINSKY, Akron, Ohio.
MRS. SAM KORNISISKI, Lakewood.
HENRY LANE, Cincinnati, Ohio.
DR. CHARLES E. LOCKE, Cleveland Heights, brain specialist.
FRANCES LOGAR, Eucil Village.
C. H. LONG, Barberton, Ohio.
MRS. C. H. LONG, Barberton, Ohio.
MRS. FRED LONG, Parsons, W. Va.
MRS. HOPE NADTIER, Youngstown, Ohio.
MARY E. MARKELL, Madison, Ohio.
CLIFFORD E. MARKEL, Madison, Ohio.
MISS SUE MATZ, Rochester, N.Y., nurse at clinic.
MISS MARGARET McKENNA, East Cleveland.
ELTO MOELLER, Elyria, Ohio.
CHARLES MOORE, Cleveland.
MISS EDITH MORGAN, East Cleveland.
MRS. W. C. MULCAHY, Cleveland.
MRS. FLORENCE E. MULLEN, Cleveland. (Florence Henry Mullen - left three small children)
MISS HELEN O'CONNELL, Elyria, Ohio.
MRS. MARY O'KEEFE, Rome, Ga.
MISS LITTA PERKINS, Lyndhurst, executive secretary of clinic.
DR. JOHN PHILLIIPS, co-founder of clinic and one of its directors.
MISS META PRIMO, address unknown.
MRS. ALICE QUAYLE, Mississippi.
JOHN RALSTON, Wellsville, Ohio, patient.
MRS. HARRY RAMASK, East Cleveland, patient.
C. K. REESE, East Cleveland.
JAMES T. REESE, South Euclid, Ohio.
MRS. FRANCES T. REESE, South Euclid, Ohio.
MRS. FRANCES RICH, New Brunswick, N.J.
MISS MARY RICHARDS, Ashtabula, Ohio.
PATRICK ROGERS, Cleveland, Iceman.
WILLIAM T. ROGERS, Cleveland.
PAUL ROQUEMORE, East Dallas, Tex.
MOLLY ROTHSCHILD, Cleveland.
C. E. SCHERBARTH, Lakewood.
MRS. C. E. SCHERBARTH, Lakewood.
MRS. THEODORE SCHILL, Pittsburgh, Pa.  (Loretta Henry Schill, left two young children.)
MISS FRANCIS SERTELLE, Cleveland.
CHARLES SEWALD, Williamsport, Pa.
MRS. ELIZABETH SEXAUER, Akron, Ohio.
MISS MARY SCHAEFFER, East Cleveland.
MRS. ALMA SHERMAN, Cleveland.
J. BARKER SMITH, secretary and general manager of the Cleveland Athletic club.
W. L. SPELLMAN, Forest, Ohio.
MRS. CHARLES STAGE, Cleveland.
MRS. ANNA STAHL, Youngstown, Ohio.
MRS. MAZIE STEELE, Erie, Pa.
HARRY STEINBERG, Denver, Colo.
GEORGE STRAPP, Cleveland, fireman.
MISS JULIA SZUBRA, Cleveland.
FABRICO TANGLEDO, Minnesota.
ADAM TIGHT, Sandusky, Ohio.
ARTHUR TIGHT, Sandusky, Ohio.
DR. VANDUSEN, address unknown.
CHARLES WARD, Cleveland.
MRS. NIXON WALFORD, Emienton, Pa.
JOHN WARD, Cleveland.
MRS. MAY WARDEN, East Cleveland, nurse.
MRS. MAY WASHBY, East Liverpool, Ohio.
RUTH WILDEY, Boulder, Colo., employe.
BLANCHE YOUNGE, employe of clinic.
MISS MABEL YOUNG, East Cleveland.
LUELLA SCHOEN, Cleveland.
MISS PORTER, address unknown.
OSCAR BIELFHEIT, address unknown.
MAX ENGELMAN, Cleveland.
AGNES LOGAN, Cleveland.
MARY MULLEN, Cleveland.
MISS MARGARET MULLEN, Cleveland.
SAMUEL NUCCIO, Cleveland.
MISS MINNIE PONTIUS, Cleveland.
MISS LAURA ROBERTS, Cleveland.
MISS FAY F. ROSS, Ashland, Ohio.
NIXON WALFORD, Emlenton, Pa.
M. R. SHAW, address unknown.
MILO ALTRO SCHRIEBER, address unknown.
MRS. H. L. MORTON, Cleveland.



(Many thanks to GenDisasters for putting all this information at my fingertips. There are many many articles out there on the web, but this was the most concise description of events. This originally appeared on GenDisasters on Nov 12 2007 and was transcribed by Stu Beitler.)

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wedding Wednesday - Percival & Smith

Aurelia Percival, the bride, was my fourth cousin five times removed. Our earliest common ancestor is that of the earliest known to me, James Percival and Mary Rainsford. For a frame of reference they are my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents and the earliest Percivals I can connect to.  On the other hand, James & Mary are Aurelia's great-great-great grandparents. Lucky for them, they all lived on Cape Cod.

Aurelia Percival was born Sept 25, 1827 in Barnstable, Massachusetts. On December 15, 1853, she married Samuel Smith in Barnstable. He was born in 1825 also in Barnstable.


Samuel died in 1858, leaving Aurelia and a daughter. Aurelia then married Thomas Hinckley September 8, 1866. He was born in 1825 in Marstons Mills, also on Cape Cod.


I think it was nice that whoever recorded this second marriage, so noted it for the record.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

My Brick Wall: That Six Generation Chart

Of the sixty-three people who should be listed on my six generation pedigree chart, I am missing four. And not surprisingly, they are almost all women. I say that because of the time frame of my sixth generation.

1. Elizabeth Custis Carter was born February 26, 1834. Her father was Edwin Carter born about 1813 in Virginia. By 1850 Elizabeth's parents are nowhere to be found. Elizabeth was married in 1853 to John Garland Webb in Lafayette County, Missouri. Somewhere between 1834 & 1853 something happened to her folks. I found a Lizzie Carter in Lafayette county in 1850 living near the Webbs. I can't positively say this is my great-great grandmother or not.

 2. My next hole is the mother of my great-great grandmother, Philomena Beckmeier. Philomena married Henrich Anton Meyer in 1859. I don't even know if she was in the United States in 1850. For all I know, she might have been married prior to 1859.

3. If you actually looked at my 6 generation chart, you would say, "Those are out of order." And you would be right. The last hole is actually a couple. That couple are the parents of Christine Wilhelmine Zabrack Cleasott. I have a birth and death date for Wilhelmine (The Christine comes from a death record of their youngest daughter, Charlotte) and just about nothing else. She was from Prussia. Gee that narrows it down. Since the Klevesaat/Kleesaat/Cleasott line is from Mecklenburg-Schwerin, I can't vouch for the accuracy of that Prussia location. Surely, I have NEVER been able to find anything on the Zabracks prior to some who emigrated to the US in the late 1800s. Wilhelmine and hubby Christian Cleasott emigrated in 1854. I have been told by a researcher more experienced than me that Zabrack is probably incorrect. Who can say. I got that from her adult daughter's baptismal record. So while it gives me a clue to my g-g-g grandfather's surname that's all.

Can anyone say BRICK WALL?











Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, October 11, 2010

Limited or Limitless

Intriguing? Years ago, and I've mentioned this before, I knew a gentleman who only worked on the male lines of his family. His reasoning was since only the males carried on the family name, the women weren't important.

When the RED cleared from my eyes and my blood pressure returned to normal, I asked him if his mother wasn't important and if his wife wasn't important in his lineage and that of his children. He was speechless for a few minutes, because few people left him speechless, and I was just getting started on my own genealogical journey. Of course, I often have that effect on people, but this man was really speechless. When he recovered enough to answer my query, he admitted I was right and what was he thinking. Fortunately he had collected that information, just didn't think it was important to put it in his genealogical database.

So when I see someone who claims to be doing a "surname study" I sigh. I roll my eyes. And if I can control my tongue so that I don't sound snide, I ask "Why would you limit yourself that way?" I've gotten answers that range from "Well, if I can identify all the male Smiths in the United States, I can find their common ancestor." Or I get the answer my friend above gave me over 20 years ago. I will confess that I have no idea why only one surname in someone's family is important enough to research. I suspect these people are name collectors and not researchers at all.

If I had limited myself to just my maiden name, there is so much I would not have learned about all the other ancestors who are responsible for me. Besides the Percivals, there are Bowmans, Chinns, Kirtleys, Davidsons, Webbs, Zimmeths, Meyers, Knosts, Kettlers, Cleasotts, etc. who all contributor to my DNA. If I limited myself to the male Percivals, would I have cared about the dozens of letters written by my ancestor Susan (Davidson) Percival later Holt wrote to family members? Would I have cared that at a time when the average woman was illiterate my great-great-great grandmother, Sarah Ann (Kirtley) Percival later Webb could read and write and relate the news of the war around Kentucky to relatives in Missouri? These are women whose husbands died way before their time, one in an accident and one during the War Between the States, and incidentally were daughter-in-law and mother-in-law to each other. Would I have cared that my great-great-great grandfather, Joseph Graves Chinn, a Kentuckian by birth, couldn't live in Missouri because he was so opposed to slavery that he returned to Lexington, Kentucky where he took up a pro-Northern stance and still was elected Mayor in the late 1860's. If I limited myself to Percival research, intriguing though it might be, would I have learned what a character my ancestor Alexander Oliphant was? Would I have cared about the hardships the Maitlands and Skirvings endured after emigrating to Canada?

Instead I embrace the eccentric along with the intelligent, the adventurous and the reticent. I don't care if I am connected to George Washington, I care more that it is through my illegitimate line of Chinns. Are there Kings in my ancestry? You know, honestly, I don't care. I care more that people who had nothing in their home countries of Scotland, France (Alsace), and Germany left families behind and ventured to those far flung places like Plymouth Plantation, Virginia and Canada to perhaps make a better life for their children.

Those wonderful ancestors of mine have given me dozens of mysteries to solve, many leads to chase and many hours of scratching my head trying to figure out where to go next.

Proudly researching: *Beckmeier, Boegler, Bowman, Carter, Chinn, Cleasott/Klesat/Kleesaat, Davidson, Estes, Graves, Kettler, Kirtley, Knost, Kreyenbrok, Lacher, MacMekin, Maitland, Meyer, Moerschel, Oliphant, Parker, Percival, Puttmann, Reker, Schacht, Skirving, Webb, Zabrack, Zimmeth. (Those are all my surnames going back for six generations. I am missing 3 people in my six generation chart.)

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Sympathy Saturday - Mary Grieves Oliphant Maitland

A very fragile obituary which I transcribed rather than scanned.  Mary G. Oliphant Maitland died May 1, 1922.This is the usual type - no date or paper cited.

MRS. ALEX MAITLAND DEAD ------ Prominent Ray County Woman Died Monday --- Funeral was held Tuesday ---

     Mrs. Mary G. Maitland, the aged wife of Alexander Maitland, and one of the prominent women of Ray County, died at her home north of Richmond at an early hour, Monday morning. Her death came after a long illness.  The funeral was held, on Tuesday afternoon, from the home, by Rev. C. C. Clark, pastor  of the Millville Methodist church.  Owing to the fact that one of Mrs. Maitland's children did not arrive until late Tuesday evening, the burial in the Sunny Slope Cemetery in Richmond was postponed until Wednesday morning.

Mary Grieves Oliphant Maitland
     Mrs. Maitland was formerly Miss Mary G. Oliphant, and was a daughter of Alexander and Martha Oliphant, who were among the early settlers in this part of Missouri.  She was born in Clay County on March 8, 1839, being past eighty-three years of age at the time of her death.  The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Maitland took place on March 4, 1865, the day that President Lincoln was inaugurated for his second term.  Besides her husband Mrs Maitland is survived by eight children, Alexander, Jr., Geo. F., Mrs. J. H. Percival, and Mrs. John W. Shackelford of Kansas City; Mrs. Martha Watkins and Mrs. William R. Ballinger of Richmond; Mrs. Henry A. Booth of Pacific, Mo.; and Miss Johanna Maitland of Dallas, Texas.

     Mrs. Maitland was a Christian woman of the highest type, and she was loved by countless friends in all parts of the county.  Her death removes one of the finest women that it has ever been the privilege of the people of this county to know, and it brings sadness to the hearts of many who unite in sorrowing with the members of her family.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, October 8, 2010

How Will We Be Remembered?

Over the last few weeks DH and I have been dealing with his father who has been showing his cantankerous side a lot more. Granted, he fell and broke his hip, and I understand that is painful and difficult for a 91-year-old, but his mental faculties may have contributed to the fall.

I remember both my parents in different aspects. First in their healthy aspect and then in their not so healthy aspect. I think my dad mellowed with illness, my mom didn't deal so well with her incapacity. My mother had been a very active woman, who until the final problem with her back, really enjoyed life. My parents were really enjoying their retirement until then.

Going back another generation, my grandparents were largely "unknowns" to me. I had step-grandmothers instead of grandmothers. My grandfathers were both sort of distant. Although, since transcribing all the letters from my paternal grandfather to my grandmother, I think I have a better idea of what they were like.

Our kids had the benefit of really knowing their grandparents. We lived in close proximity to his parents and my parents. In truth, our parents only lived a few short blocks apart. I am sure my children saw a warmer side to their grandparents than I ever saw with mine.

So what will our kids remember of their mother? That she was silly? That she enjoyed crafting, even more with her children.  That she was a voracious reader and a great researcher? Will they appreciate the care and concern their father gave our finances as well as theirs? Will the appreciate the thought he gave to all our futures? I'm sure they will remember the warm and loving home they grew up in and how much their parents loved for them.

Sadly, there are no letters to leave behind, although there are a few sentimental cards DH and I have exchanged over the years. I hope our daughters will find we left them with many happy experiences.



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thriller Thursday - The Tragic Death of Rosina Paul Knost

This is a very tragic account of the death of Rosina Paul Knost. She was the wife of my great grand-uncle, Martin Knost (KaNost).

October 27, 1943

Tragic Death of Mrs. Rosina Knost at her home on Washington Street.  Result of Burns Sustained while disposing of leaves in the yard.

Funeral services for the late Mrs. Rosina Knost, 77, widow of the late Martin Knost, were conducted Sunday afternoon at the Gilberg and Hegemeier Funeral Home, by the Rev. J. C. Melchert and burial was made in the German Protestant Cemetery.  She is survived by two brothers and two sisters and many other relatives and friends.  The brothers are Jacob Paul, Lima, and Ed Paul of Botkins; the sisters are Mrs. Minnie Fritz, east of New Bremen, and Mrs. Ed. F. Milliette, Wapakoneta.

Mrs. Knost met a tragic death, Thursday last week, about the noon hour, the details of which have been learned only in a general manner.  She had been seen sweeping leaves in her back yard, and when neighbors next saw her she was sitting on the steps of her back port virtually enveloped in flames.  It is believed, as was her custom, she had lighted old newspapers while in the house preparatory to starting the pile of leaves outside, but on stepping on the porch a gust of wind caused the flames to ignite her clothes.

Mrs. Alinda Wiemeyer, a next-door neighbor, smelling what she thought was burning clothes, stepped outside and to her amazement found the lady with most of her clothes consumed and her body, face and hands burnt in a frightful manner.  Medical aid was at once summoned, and the unfortunate woman taken to the Sidney Memorial Hospital where death ensued at 6:30 in the evening.

A daughter of the late Jacob and Catherine Purpus Paul, the decedent spent a number of years of her life in the family of the late Mr. and Mrs. Herman Laut, the latter being a sister to her mother; since she was 13 years old she was considered virtually a member of the Laut family.  Since the death of her husband, Martin Knost, 21 years ago, she had resided alone in her dwelling on Washington Street where she led a quiet and peaceful life, a kind neighbor and respected citizen.

Besides her brothers and sisters Mrs Knost is survived by a number of cousins and an only uncle, the aged Theodore Purpus, New Bremen's oldest citizen.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Wedding Wednesday: Percival & Hyde

I'm stretching way back for this one. Frank Erving Percival & Anna Hyde were married on this date in 1870 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Frank and I have common ancestors James Percival & Abigail Robinson.

Massachusetts marriage record
Unfortunately due to vagaries with Blogger, you won't be able to enlarge the image.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Sloppy Research, Sloppy Indexing, Sloppy Other Stuff


After working through a lot of DAR lineages recently, I've decided that there was a lot of sloppy work done. It's crazy. I can see why there are messages not to let anyone join on specific records because the original work is awful and quite simply WRONG.

Then I moved on to death certificates. I will say I really hate South Carolina death records because there are so many I should find that I can't. For instance, why can't I find the death certificate on Ancestry.com for William S. Percival who died Dec 13 1952 in York county, South Carolina. He's listed in the death index after all. Gee, there is a certificate #018219. What if I put that in the keyword field and search only York county? BINGO. Instead of William S. Percival, ANCESTRY.COM has him indexed as Percival S. William. Absolutely unforgivable. Clicking on the image should make it larger.

My third example is with Find-A-Grave. And yes, I know how easy it is to transcribe the wrong info, but, absent an image of the headstone, I would use the death certificate date which is 1931 and not 1930. They can't bury you without a death certificate, so I am betting on the official document and not someone's reading of a cemetery record or a stone.

I could go on ad nauseum about these errors. All it takes is one person to get the information wrong, then they feel the need to post it online so that other so-called "researchers" can copy this erroneous information. And they never bother to source it other than Ancestry World Tree submitted by ...

All these little sloppy things are really making it difficult for me to get my OCFRD* into high gear.


*Obsessive Compulsive Family Research Disorder.
Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, October 4, 2010

Fall Finally Hit Tennessee

I love autumn. I love the cooler days, and for a while it seemed those days would never get here. Those 90+ degree days we had through the spring and summer seem determined to linger into fall. At long last, however, we've had a bit of a cool-down and it is much appreciated. There is a ton of stuff to do around here, cut back the dead stuff, mulch the flower beds and figure out how many more bags of mulch we need out front. Nothing compared to the harvesting our farmer ancestors had to do.

Did you ever think what it was like for the women left behind during the Civil War, to have to continue to run the farms? They had to continue to try to grow crops just to be able to eat. My own great-great grandmother, Susan (Davidson) Percival ended up leaving Missouri and living in Kentucky after 1862. She had one small child at the beginning of the war and another one by the end of February 1862. I'm thinking she and husband John Stearns Percival had one heck of a farewell! Out of curiosity, I had my RootsMagic genealogy program show me all the people born in 1862. I quit looking in the "Bs" because there were way too many. I see a future project down the line to see if I can find civil war records for them.

While I contemplate my fall "projects" inside and out, I can't help feel grateful for the abundance I have been granted. While I am not harvesting crops, I certainly can appreciate what my ancestors worked and fought so hard for.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Sympathy Saturday - Alexander Maitland

My great-great grandfather, born in Toronto, died in Missouri. Someone in the family collected all these bits and pieces of obituaries and then didn't attribute them. Fortunately, I've been able to source some of them.

Kansas City (Missouri) Star, Wednesday, April 23, 1924.

Alexander Maitland, Sr.,Dies.
Death of Missouri Pioneer, 84, Caused by Heart Disease.


    Alexander Maitland, Sr., 84 years old, a retired farmer and pioneer of Missouri, died last night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. H. Percival, 704 East Forty-first street.

     Mr. Maitland was the father of Alexander Maitland, 3801 Tracy avenue, chairman of the former bipartisan water commission and member of the firm of Fuller & Maitland, engineers.

     Mr. Maitland died from heart disease at 9:45 o'clock following an illness of several days.  Mr. Maitland was born in Toronto Canada, April 13, 1839.  He came to Missouri with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Maitland when he was 13 years old.  The family settled near Lexington, where the elder Maitland engaged in the milling business.

     Under the administration of Governor David R. Francis, Mr. Maitland was appointed a member of the state board of agriculture. He served sixteen years in this position and became widely known in the state.

     Mr. Maitland's wife, Mrs. Mary Oliphant Maitland, whom he married March 4, 1865, died on the Maitland farm near Richmond in May, 1922. After her death, Mr. Maitland came to Kansas City.

     Besides Mrs. Percival and Alexander Maitland, Jr., Mr. Maitland is survived by a sister, Mrs. W. J. McDonald, Fowler, Col., another son, George F. Maitland, 1735 Houston avenue, and five other daughters, Mrs. M. M. Watkins, Caldwell, Tex.; Mrs. H. A. Booth, Pacific, Mo.; Mrs. D. B. McCammon, Dallas, Tex.; Mrs. J. W. Shackelford, 820 East Forty-first street, and Mrs. W. R. Ballinger, 2928 Forest Avenue. He also leaves twenty-two grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

     Funeral services and burial will be held tomorrow at Richmond.


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, October 1, 2010

Much Confusion Here

I wasted spent a good hour looking for Dudley Bowman Moore on the 1900-1920 censuses the other day. I looked for Dudley Moore, D. B. Moore, Moore born in Kentucky circa 1874, etc. I finally found him by searching for one of his children. Even that didn't gel right away, but the wheels in my head finally turned around the thought that Bowman was indeed Dudley BOWMAN Moore. In 1900, as far as I can tell, he was the only Dudley Bowman Moore in Kentucky. So why use Bowman? Not only that, but while Ancestry had him indexed as Boman Moore in 1910, they didn't actually have him linked to the correct page.  Paging backward and forward did not find the correct page - it was missing. Fortunately, our library here in Tennessee subscribes to Heritage Quest and I was able to find the missing page on their site. Aren't there enough obstacles when researching that we don't really need to any more?






Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes