Treasure Chest Thursday: Whirlwind of Treasure in Carnegie

In the last week or so, there has been a flurry of activity on the DOOLITTLE family of Carnegie, Allegheny, PA.  It all started when I wrote a post on August 3 about cousin William James GLENN.  Little did I know finding the Civil War personal war sketch at the  CarnegieCarnegie site of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie, Allegheny, PA, could make me so happy.

Emails have been flying around since then from a descendant of Jacob DOOLITTLE (1809-1891) asking if I could assist with more documentation about his wife, Sarah CUBBAGE, and her family.

Sarah CUBBAGE was the daughter of Irishman George CUBBAGE and his wife, Nancy CALDWELL.  I have not yet been able to find evidence that Nancy is one of my CALDWELL clan, but her 1791 birth in the same general neighborhood as my documented 1830ish births make it likely.  To read more on CUBBAGE family, go to St Clair Cemetery.

The cool find for me in the email was the noting of the final resting place of Nancy CALDWELL CUBBAGE. She is listed at Venice Presbyterian Church Cemetery in McDonald, Washington, PA.  Of more interest was noting Nancy's final resting spot uses the surname of her first husband, George CUBBAGE.  My notes and research indicate she married Alexander EWING after the 1826 death of George.

A quick check with the descendant of George and Nancy confirmed what I thought I knew on the marriage to EWING.

To my knowledge, Jacob DOOLITTLE and Sarah CUBBAGE had five daughters.  Two of them are of special interest to me.

Susan Belinda DOOLITTLE married into the LEA family--  that is, J W LEA of Carnegie.  The LEA family was the neighbors, friends, and sometimes, spouses of my blood line.  See a recent posting on Cassius M LEA, the husband of my 2g aunt. 

The other daughter of Jacob and Sarah who married into my family was Martha E DOOLITTLE (1842-1907.)  Martha was the wife of William James GLENN (1839-9018.)

Maggie (ah, how I love THAT name) of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie also contacted me to see if I could identify any of the gents in the picture they have of the Thomas Espy GAR Post as I have several cousins in that group.  I took a quick look at the photo and realized that the odds of me recognizing the older men in full beards was basically little to none.

So, I started on a new journey of looking through old files and records to see if I could locate any pictures of some of these men when they were younger.  I guess the folks at the library have most likely identified cousin George B FORSYTHE as my dearest cousin, his granddaughter, (yes, I know her) recently donated some more Civil War relics to the post. 

I've also seen pictures of some of the GLENN men when they were younger.  Could I see enough family resemblences in the pictures as they aged?  I think not.

BUT-

I dug around and found some living descendants of William James GLENN!  After making a phone call and leaving a message, it was now time to wait.

Today, I got the phone call.  After speaking with the gentleman who confirmed his identity and his love of genealogy, my heart experienced a whirlwind of activity.  Another connection to the past established!  He has pictures!  He has stories!  And he has a cousin that he works with to research the past!  Oh, glorious day!

Click to read the post that is causing such a whirlwind of activity:  http://genitalesga.blogspot.com/2010/08/tombstone-tuesday-simply-i-am-survivor.html

Special note to Maggie at the library--  I hope to have some photo ids for you soon.

Ahh, genealogy.  What treasures a whirlwind of new finds can be!  Sometimes, it takes just a nudge from someone new to bring new energy to the hunt. 



©2010 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: TNT Chemical Blast in Aetna and an Old Headstone Found

"Probing Fatal Blast at Aetna Chemical Plant" is declared in bold print on the front page of the December 6, 1917, Pittsburgh Press.

The article hints of German or Austrian agents "doping" the tanks of the TNT.  The Secret Service was suspicious of the blast.  The world was at war and now, a huge explosion in Heidelberg, Allegheny Co, PA, struck fear and despair into the local residents.

The plant manager thinks it was only an accident.  What caused it?  I don't know, but the list of the dead includes an extended family member.

The dead listed in the article include:

SPROULS, E age 28
MENTE, Andrew age 25
MENTE, Steve
unidentified white man, abt 25
LEA, Ellis  age 28
PORTONA, Tony age 28
PETER, Steve, age 36
MONTAGUE, Chester, age 20
KALE, J B
four unidentified men

I became interested in the LEA family while looking deep in early Allegheny Co, PA.  We were friends.  We were neighbors.  We attended church together.  We married.

I have an old picture from 1871 on which the name of the young man is written. Also written is to whom the picture was given.  This was my first clue over a decade ago as I searched for more genealogy finds.

The picture was Cassius Monroe LEA and he gave the picture to his mother-in-law, Margaret Henry SIMMONS.  The young bride of Cassius died in late 1872 as a result of childbirth complications.  Her obit is interesting as it details she died of a "broken heart" after the death of her newborn daughter.  Click here to read more on Maggie's story.

The young Ellis LEA who died in the TNT blast was the son of Cassius LEA and his second wife, Mary HICKEY.  Cassius is buried at St. Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA, with both his wives and his infant daughter.

We knew where the plot was thanks to an old map, but had not located any headstone.  We knew Cassius was there thanks to a really old cemetery census published by a genealogy society.


Two events happened yesterday to render me speechless, or rather, wordless.

1- I stumbled across the marriage of the Ellis's widow, Beatrice H, to Cloud BRYAN.  A quick look at ancestry has now led me to send an email to a descendant of his.

2- Another email arrived yesterday asking if I was sitting down.  And it was from the Historical Society of Mount Lebanon's Margaret Jackson. I became friends with Margaret when I assisted her in writing a booklet on the cemetery and its inhabitants back in 2004.  You can see this great booklet  now at www.stclaircemetery.com.

They uncovered the headstone for Cassius and his second wife, Mary!  And it was exactly where I had said it should be!!!!  So cool!!  

I am guessing this was found as they are preparing for some new gravestones for Civil War vets to be installed.  And yes, Cassius is getting a new veteran headstone, along with my Uncle Henry.  Wonder where they will place it now?

I am just so thrilled to see his gravestone!  Will they find one for Maggie and their infant daughter right next to it?  Can't wait to hear!

Update 10 Aug 2010:  The middle name for Cassius has now been confirmed as "Monroe" by an article in the Sept 24, 1905 "Leader" and was sent to me by the g-granddaughter of Mansfield B Lea (brother of Cassius.)


©2010 AS Eldredge

A Good Reputation

I recently came across the obituary for Robert S PEARSON, son of Nathaniel Plummer PEARSON of St Clair Township, Allegheny Co, PA. While the obit does not detail where young PEARSON would rest, I believe he is in my "family" cemetery, otherwise known as the St Clair Cemetery in Mount Lebanon, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

Young Robert is not listed as being in the cemetery, but let's look at the circumstantial evidence to support my theory.
1- His grandparents were part of the early Associate Reformed Church of Saw Mill Run which is now known as the Mt Lebanon United Presbyterian Church.
2- His parents were also members there.
3-His grandparents and parents are both buried at the St Clair Cemetery.
4-By tradition, young Robert would have been buried in the family plot.

I have no doubt that many of my blood line kin were there as they, too, were neighbors and members of the same church. I have no doubt that young Robert was mourned. I also am of the belief that the closeness of the two families, in proximity in the neighborhood (and census records) and in the same church, would have young Robert as the probable best friend of William, my 2g grandfather, and perhaps a suitor for the hand of one of William's sisters. After all, they were the proverbial girls next door.

We remember you, young Robert.

Here is his obit along with a poem that was published with his obit. I don't know who the author was but I like to think it was someone special to the family.

Died on Friday evening, the 19th instant, of a pulmonary complaint, Mr Robert S PEARSON, of St Clair Township, son of Nathaniel P Pearson, in the 19th year of his age. This young man sustained a good reputation, and was highly esteemed by those who knew him. His illness, which continued for six weeks, he bore with fortitude and Christian patience. For the last two weeks of his life appeared ebbing out, and the vital spark dimmer; still for some days before his death, he appeared deeply concerned about his salvation. That he obtained peace with God is believed, from that calmness of mind he maintained from the hopes of better life, which sustained him, and from the declarations he made to his friends of his willingness to submit to the Divine will. But he is gone, and has left a long train of mourners to lament the sad bereavement.

Hark, a voice it cries from Heaven,
Happy in the Lord who die,
Happy are they to whom "tis given
From a world of grief to fly;
They indeed are truly blest,
From their labors then they rest.

All their toils and conflicts over,
Lo they dwell with Christ above;
Oh what glories they discover
In the Saviour whom they love.
Now they see him face to face.
Him who saved them by his grace.

"Tis enough, enough for ever,
"Tis his people's bright reward;
They are blest, indeed, who never
Shall be absent from the Lord,
Oh that we may die like those
Who in Jesus then repose.

Source: The Daily Pittsburgh Gazette, Feb 25, 1836

Got to love digging up those genealogy roots of times past!

Start the New Year on Fire!

Tis the new year and time to revisit some old stumbling blocks to see what new information has been placed online.

Since the beginning of the new year, I've been deep into genealogy.

On one of the groups on which I lurk and comment, the big news right before Christmas was the addition of some more old newspapers from Pittsburgh. So, I've been searching the Pittsburgh Press through Google Archives just to see what I can find.

Every now and then, shouts of glee have bubbled right out of my mouth. So far, I have been able to view some new (or rather, old) obits of my family. I found my great grandma's obit. The obit itself wasn't new as a copy of it had been placed in the family Bible. What was new was the newspaper it came from and the date it was published. I also found the obit of some cousins and of my great grandma's sister.

Feeling like I'm on fire on this extremely cold winter day, I even found a fire. The fire was at the James RITCHIE Lumber Yard in Mt. Washington, Allegheny, PA on April 17, 1909. The fire was reported to be" one of the most spectacular ever seen in Pittsburg" with flames almost 20 feet high. Although an engine (fire) house was adjacent to the property, lack of water pressure made it impossible to fight. The home of James RITCHIE was also adjacent to the property. It was badly scorched and smoking.

By the way, James (1840-1922) was married to a cousin of mine, Anna Elizabeth NEELY (1842-1912) and both are buried in my "family cemetery" known as the St Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, PA. James was born in Ireland but spent most of his life in Allegheny Co, PA. After marrying Anna in 1861, he mustered into the Union Army and served in Co. K of the 49th Regiment, PA Volunteers.

It was cool to see both his obit and the article of the fire. I also have sent them on to his great grandson. I suspect I'll hear from him soon. After all, it's been some time since we were to talk all day in the cold. Click here to read more of our last visit.

Guess I'll stop looking for fires and just use some hand warmers.

Wordless Wednesday: Memory of a Revolutionary War Dedication

The family of Revolutionary War Patriots James Glenn and John Henry gathered at the site of their final resting places in the old St. Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, PA, in August 2005 for a dedication of new headstones. Five generations of descendants honored the contributions of these men in the quest to win freedom.

How fitting to have our Scot Irish roots honored after so many years. The bagpipe music was soulful and so very fitting.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Digging in the Graveyard

It's a cold blustery October day in Pittsburgh. An unexpected early snow flake or two can be seen in the air as everyone's bones are not quite used to the rapidly dropping temperatures. A small old graveyard is across the street from the church that is getting ready for a big celebration. For it is this year the church celebrates its 200th anniversary of its founding. Inside, the members are getting ready for the dinner which will honor the Founding Families as well as other people who have contributed to the church over the years.

Strangers appear in the door where preparations are being made for the festivities. The strangers, who are covered from head to toe in winter gear, ask for a shovel. A shovel? Absolutely. The strangers have some digging to do in the cemetery and time is of the essence for death is on the way.

Does this sound a little strange? Well, this is no story as it really happened back in 2004 at the Mt Lebanon United Presbyterian Church in Allegheny Co, PA.

The minister was perplexed when he heard that someone had come in looking for a shovel to dig in the cemetery. He looked across the road and saw people digging in the graveyard and he just knew who the strangers were, and he wasn't about to stop them.

Members of my family had traveled to Pittsburgh for one of our parties we hold from time to time in the St. Clair Cemetery, which was part of Associate Reformed Congregation of Saw Mill Run. The church was founded in 1804 by a number of men, including two of my 4g grandfathers. The cemetery's first known burial was in 1806 (my 4g-grandmother). Over the years, my family has laid many to rest in the St. Clair Cemetery. Stories from different sources indicate we are buried in layers. One of these sources was my great aunt who paid for the family plot upkeep for many years. While they rest peacefully, I do not.

I am on a mission. I have to know more about them as I am related to over half the cemetery occupants. Over the years, I have been able to assist the Historical Society of Mt Lebanon in providing information on many of the families, participating in resetting tombstones and honoring the contributions these early settlers gave to Pittburgh. Descendants have gathered to celebrate genealogy and our blood. The last reunion we had there in 2005 had descendants from nine states come to honor our roots.

Oh, and who were the strangers? They were my spouse and me. Why the shovel? The caretaker of the cemetery had called me to say he was cleaning up and getting rid of the overwhelming number of daylilly plants on my family plots. When I gasped, he said he would keep some of them and that he would not kill the plants until I got there.

I got there, grabbed the shovel, and dug up plenty of those wonderful daylilly plants. Now these plants grace the yards of several of my cousins-- from Pennsylvania to Florida to Montana.

My treasure is the memory of those wonderful days in the cemetery with my cousins as we celebrated our heritage. All I have to do to remember is to look out my door each day to see the evidence --- in those daylilly plants.

St Clair Cemetery Has More Loving Hands Working to Remember the Fallen

I just love St. Clair Cemetery in Mt. Lebanon in Allegheny Co, PA. Of course I do. The majority of its residents are names that easily fall off my tongue and share my blood.

Last night, I received a phone call from a dad of a Boy Scout who has decided to donate some time in getting new headstones for some of the American patriots at St. Clair Cemetery. This has been done before by another Boy Scout and, of course, by me.

The dad asked if I would be able to assist him with information on some of the patriots of St. Clair and in locating family members. Well, the majority of the names he mentioned were my family. If I am not of direct blood, then chances are I know who is.

The earliest known burial in St. Clair Cemetery was in 1806, if I remember correctly. I know my first family member, a grandma, was buried there in 1807. The names of the residents there echo the early history of the area.

Over the years, I've found many cousins through the St. Clair Cemetery. I've been there several times and hosted parties for my kin, living and dead, at the cemetery. My roots are there and I feel so at home and connected to family when I am there. On our last trip there, one of my children helped to uncover an old headstone. Of course, it was one of our cousins.

Anyway, I am going to dig up my ole partial map of the cemetery as this dad tells me he would like to make a new map of the cemetery. Be still, my heart! That is a project I have been hoping someone up there in Pennsylvania would undertake. I also hope to have ground radar used one day to accurately locate how many graves are there and how deep they go. My great aunt told me that we were buried several deep in our plots.

My friendly words of wisdom today are to take time to adopt an old cemetery. It may be your family cemetery or one in your local area that needs some loving hands. Research the families in it. You just may learn something really fun.

In my case, bring on the continuing work at St. Clair. My thanks to the many hours that Margaret Jackson and Mark Hughey have so lovingly given to the early settlers of Lower St. Clair. Know I am always with you in spirit.

Monday Madness: Oh, Sammy, Where Have You Gone?

Finding information on Samuel Simmons is like looking for the place where the alien ship picked him up in Pittsburgh.

For many a year, all I had to go in my quest for Samuel was the mention of him in a history book in Pittsburgh. I searched high and low in Pittsburgh to find....nothing.

Several years ago, a very kind gent responded to one of my inquiries with some information. See this post from 2006 for some of the background. And, the rest as they say, is history.

Except for Samuel. Samuel was born c. 1788 in New York to John Simmons the younger and Mary Nelson. At least the DAR says her name was Nelson. To date, there has been no proof uncovered. One professional group has even suggested her name was Provost of NJ. Once again, there is no proof and no overwhelming circumstantial evidence.

Samuel is mentioned in the 1794 will of his grandfather, John Simmons the Elder, as receiving some land in Chenango County, NY. Samuel and his wife sell this land while living in St. Clair, Allegheny, PA in 1814. How did they get there? Why did they get there?

Samuel is found in the War of 1812 when he mustered in on September 14, 1812, to an infantry company under the command of Captain James Turbett from St. Clair Twp. He is discharged as a Sergeant in December 1812.

There is a last legal mention of Samuel in 1816 when he sold more Chenango County, NY land.

Poof! He's gone. The 1820 census shows his wife as head of household with the three children and an older female. I'm guessing it is her mother who lives with them. The 1830 census shows the wife as head of household with the three children.

I know names of two of his children. One is William who married and remained in St. Clair for the duration of his life. He is buried at St. Clair Cemetery on Scott Rd.

One of the other names I know is that of Maria as we have a sampler completed by her in 1825.

To date, there has been no other sightings of Maria or her unknown name sister. What happened to Samuel? I suspect he died in Pittsburgh before 1820 but have yet to find him. There is no evidence in the Orphans' Court Records and there was no will.

Oh, Sammy, where are you?

1815 Letter from Pittsburgh Paints Bleak Career Picture

GT Note: This post is from recent correspondence with Susan, a cousin of mine and a descendant of Nathaniel PLUMMER. I thought you'd enjoy reading more about early Pittsburgh. The introductory information of the letter and the letter itself were printed in Vol. 9 No. 1 Issue 18 HCR 72 Box 8350 Chadbourne's Ridge, North Waterborough, Maine 04061 Fall/Winter 1991 ISSN 0741-0360

Hannah PLUMMER was the daughter of Nathaniel PLUMMER who was born in Massachusetts who removed to St Clair Twp in Allegheny Co, PA in the early days. Hannah's second husband was Dr. Ruggles SYLVESYER (1776-1834), one of the earliest doctors in the neighborhood. Sylvester, born in Massachusetts, was educated at Dartmouth. These familes were closely intertwined with my early family in Allegheny County as neighbors, fellow church members of the Associate Reformed Church of Saw Mill Run, and as friends.

Hannah and Ruggles are both buried at the Old St. Clair Cemetery in Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny, PA.

I came across this letter while trying to learn more about Hannah Plummer Fetterman's second husband. The good doctor had received a letter from his Dartmouth classmate, Ichabod Chadbourne, inquiring about opportunities in the Pittsburgh area. The letter obviously did not entice him to the area!

The Uncertain Destiny of Ichabod Rollins Chadbourne

(Career Locations in the Promising 19th Century)

A surviving letter from the letters of Ichabod R. Chadbourne gives us a vista of the uncertain alternatives faced by a capable and promising young attorney in the early years of the 19th century. In many ways, his situation then was the timeless one of those who are well-prepared but who lack either a supportive family stricture or a good connection with the persons or forces that are to shape the future. He did use the obvious "network" of at least one of his college classmates to explore one possible location, but norecord of any of his other inquiries survives.

Ichabod lost his mother when he was 2½ years old. His father, Jonathan C., and his grandfather, Judge Benjamin, both died in 1799 when Ichabod was just 12 years old. Being bereft of these influential men, Ichabod relied on any other contacts he had. His aunt's husband, lawyer George W. Wallingford gave him a helping hand by having him read law in Kennebunk and Boston with Daniel Davis. (Note: Wallingford Hall exists today on Route 1 in Kennebunk.)

After admission to the Suffolk County bar in 1812 or 1814, Ichabod was faced with the responsibility of selecting the place where he should launch his career.

So he wrote a letter of inquiry to his Dartmouth classmate, Ruggles Sylvester, in western Pennsylvania to explore the field of opportunities that might be found there. And this is the letter that he ultimately received in reply in 1815:

(Note: With apologies to Pittsburgh, PA.)

"Dear friend,

If you practice law in this State, you have to again subject yourself to years of study here before you can be admitted to practice. There are no country lawyers, all the business is done in the county towns. Pittsburgh contains by estimation ten thousand inhabitants. You may see its growth has been very considerable since the last census. Much business is done here, both manufacturing and mercantile. Mechanics are in demand and get good wages. They dress like gentlemen and clear ten dollars a week. Perhaps I can give you no adequate idea of the people in this borough, collected from all parts of the world as they are, except I call them `money-making.’ Most of the people are industrious, stirring fellows. The very wealthy are drunk after noon. The ladies are not the most amiable I have seen, although well provided for financially. All the professions get rich in Pittsburgh, but it is not by their professions. The Attorneys are sheep-growers and land speculators. The Physicians are apothecaries. The Reverend ones are placed behind the counter. A graduate of Dartmouth College tells me there is but one first-rate attorney in town, the rest being several young fellows and underlings. I can advise you neither for nor against. This side of the mountains, learned men are neither counted nor courted. Wealth is the criterion of a man's merit throughout the State of Pennsylvania. If you come to this country, you may lay aside all ideas of a pleasant social life among literary men.

This country is more healthy than where you and I have lived, and the soil far more fertile. There is no good sleighing any time in the year for want of snow; no good carriage roads for want of minimum labor laid out upon them. They will never be good the year 'round till they are paved with stone. Heavy wagons with a little rain on this marly soil cut up the roads miserably. Pittsburgh is built mostly of brick, and has not a very pleasant appearance owing to the abundance of smoke generated by the burning of stone coal. Steam engines, foundries, green houses, and blacksmith shops consume immense quantities of this coal, so that the town, in the winter, is a cloud of smoke. The people in the country are considerably inferior to the low classes in New Hampshire and the District of Maine, especially the women, who are beasts of burden in this State. These people are more stupid and unfeeling, but not so vicious as the Yankees. If you come to this country, you have to look for no good society. If you come in the stage from
Philadelphia, you will get a damnable bruising in the little crazy vehicles; and besides, you are to expect the roughest kind of treatment by taverns, stage-drivers, and every other kind of waiters. My method would be to ride on horseback, because those who came by stage report that the people seem to consider it a religious duty to abuse all they can with their tongues those who pass the mountains in the stage. I am told they are more civil to those on horseback. I have given a true picture, however ugly it may appear. If you have plenty of leisure and plenty of pocket money, perhaps you would like the tour, and then you can see for yourself.

Sincerely your friend,
Ruggles Sylvester

P.S. When I am in Pittsburgh, I every day see Yankee people arriving or descending to the West. I ought to tell you that the word "Yankee" is a term of reproach as used by many of the people-but the Yankees generally glory in the name. I can tell you how the women go visiting barefoot to save their shoes till they get within a few rods of the town, and then put on their clean, pretty shoes. The same is true in going to meeting in the country. The women sit in market with butter, eggs, and potatoes, etc. till they get money-then lay it out for a silk gown or a shawl which costs ten dollars."



We know that this letter evidently did not move Ichabod to choose Pittsburgh as his place of residence or business. Soon after this date, he removed to Eastport, Maine, where he built his home and opened his law practice.

Submitted by Tom Eschweiler
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:6jgC7mT9ieEJ:www.chadbourne.org/Piedcows/Issue18.pdf+ruggles+sylvester&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=50&gl=us&client=safari

Cold Outside Means Warm Memories of Cemeteries Past

The cold weather ushered in requests from the Pittsburgh area for some assistance with the Mt. Pisgah Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

I have a couple of tidbits which I passed on the gent who is working on the cemetery listing and sent him the few pictures I have. Amazingly enough, I have more information on people buried there than I realized. I also have more names than headstones that can be read easily.

The last time I was at the cemetery was in August 2005 when the family had gathered to dedicate two new headstones at our "family" cemetery, which most folks just call the St Clair Cemetery. We took some time to stop in at Mt Pisgah to check on the family headstones and see if we could find more family.

The SNODGRASS family had long ties with the Mt Pisgah church, even serving as Ruling Elders way back during its early days. I suspect if I looked long enough, I would most likely find evidence of some of the FOSTER and CRANE families there as well.

Some of the information I located on the church I found in the article I (along with two cousins) published in 2006 on Hannah's 1862 Diary in the WPGS Quarterly. I hope it helps.

Just in case you are interested, the family information I passed on today was on the Robert SNODGRASS and Hannah GLENN family. Some of the information was on several of Robert's siblings. The SNODGRASS family is interesting in that Robert Sr bought his land directly from the PENN family. I even have a copy of the deed somewhere around here.

If you've been to Pittsburgh, no doubt you've traveled on some of our land. Unfortunately, the land is now part of the interstate which goes from the airport to downtown.

Forgive my ramblings, but tis too cold to think clearly today. Guess our ancestors really knew the meaning of cold in their day. They survived it-- so will I. In the meantime, I have my memories of hanging out in the cemetery in the warm sun with my cousins.

Gone, Yet Remembered

I started yesterday with such high hopes. There she was, a cousin of mine who I had just located... even if it is a mere 30 years later.

My efforts of yesterday did pay off. Although not how I wanted.

Mrs. Gordon Charles BROADBENT has been found-- sorta. She was Margie Alberta ADERTON and was born in 1905 in Oregon. Chances of finding her still breathing, kicking and with her memory intact are slim. Actually, I suspect the Margie A BROADBENT who died in 2002 in Oregon is my gal.

Now to see if I can locate her obit. My contact of yesterday hadn't done any research on her lines, but he did send me the files he had. It was those files who led me to locate her death. My contact of yesterday did not know if she had any descendants. Now I will try to determine that. I can also look to her siblings' children and grandchildren to see if they have the genealogy virus coursing through their blood.

Rest Margie-- while I tell you of your roots. Yes, you are descended from Barnet VANDERVORT and Elizabeth HENRY. Elizabeth was the daughter of John HENRY (1750-1838) and his first wife, Sara SMITH, daughter of John SMITH of Hopewell Twp, Washington Co, PA. John HENRY was an early settler of Lower St Clair in Allegheny Co, PA and is buried at the St. Clair Cemetery.

It's a rich history for all of us. Just gotta wonder, is it ever too late for the genealogy virus? I think not.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page

Maggie's Story- Mother, Daughter, and Inspiration 136 Years After Death

The October 1872 obituary read; "Death, in whatever form it may come, or whatever may be its circumstances, is usually distressing in its character..........But a few minutes before her death she wrote the following lines, referring to her child, which had died a few days before."

"Up among the angels, That bright and happy band,
Our own dear babe has gone, To take its harp in hand.
Mother, brothers and sisters dear,
Weep not that she did leave you here;
She has gone to her home, gone to her rest,
Gone where the good alone are blest-
Home in Heaven. Jesus wept with sorrowing friends;
Jesus comforted their soul; Jesus died, He suffered pain,
He died that we might live again for all." -- Maggie

This obituary of Margaret Emma Simmons LEA was one of the many treasures found in her mother's, my great great grandparents', Bible. My heart weeps for Maggie and her loss. I can only imagine how thrilled she was when she married Cassius Monroe LEA (1846-1925) near the end of 1871. I can only imagine her happiness when she realized she was going to be a mother. I can only imagine her despair when the little infant girl died right after childbirth. I can only imagine her young husband's pain and his overwhelming grief when his beloved Maggie died a few days later. Her obituary goes on to relay she died of a broken heart.

I sit and look at the picture I have of Maggie and I cry for her. I mourn her loss and the loss of all the young mothers who also departed life after childbirth. I also admire Maggie's strength as she wrote a poem to comfort her family during her time of grief and rapidly failing health. Her belief was strong. Her belief was real. Her belief is inspirational.

So, sweet Maggie, my great great aunt, Happy Mother's Day. While you sleep peacefully in eternal rest, your words live on forever.

Because I am the story teller of my generation. I am the one who cherishes your memory as well as those of all my family members who have gone. I am the mother whose heart breaks for your loss- even though you've been gone 136 years.

Find those treasures. Honor thy mother. Honor a mother's memory.

Update:  10 Aug 2010-  The middle name for Cassius has now been confirmed as "Monroe" and was sent to me by the g-granddaughter of Mansfield B Lea, the brother of Cassius.  Thanks!


©2008-2010 AS Eldredge