Grandaddy's thoughts on being in the news:
"You should only be mentioned in the newspaper three times in your life: when you are born, married and dead."
Guess he felt that way since his family kept showing up in the newspaper of the times-- allegedly as killing or being killed. Way too much action going on in Berkeley Co, SC, during Prohibition and the making of "Berkeley Bourban." Shootouts as the train passed, shootouts over who controlled the home style business of the time, shootouts on fence borders ------ and on and on........
Now, if I could only find the recipe for the alleged family business! Tis said that Al Capone liked "Berkeley Bourban" and had it shipped by train in barrels labeled "potatoes."
Ahhh, genealogy. Gotta take the more flavorful elements along with the good. Besides, they are more fun to talk about!
©2010 AS Eldredge
Ahhh, genealogy. A glimpse of the past shows of what I am made.....
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Walter's 1889 Obit Found
I've been the coordinator for the old newspaper vitals project going on for Allegheny Co, PA, since the beginning of the "tired finger" band of volunteers started transcribing them in January of this year. We've been going strong-- to the tune of over 40,000 death entries and almost 9000 marriages.
For the last month, one member of our group has concentrated on 1889. This is so important as we genealogy buffs feel the pain of the missing 1890 federal census.
Just last week, my sweet Walter's obituary was transcribed. I thought it appropriate to feature sweet Walter today with his obituary and a photo I have of him. I suspect he was around 10 or so when this photograph was taken. That makes the date around 1880.
SIMMONS- On Tuesday, March 12, 1889, at 8:30pm, Walter Glenn, son of Addison and Hannah G Simmons, in the 18th year of his age.
Funeral from the parents’ residence, near Banksville, on Thursday, 1th at 2 pm. Carriages will leave T B Hersberger’s, undertaker, West End, at 10 am. Friend of the family are respectfully invited to attend.
Pittsburgh Dispatch, Mar 13, 1889, page 5
Walter is buried in the Mt Lebanon Cemetery, Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA with his parents. I look at this sweet face and wonder how he died just as his life was beginning. Walter was one of three children in the family and the only son. Only one sister of his survived to adulthood, married, and had children. Oh, can you imagine the heartbreak of the family upon his death? Can you imagine the heartbreak felt in so many families as so many young children didn't survive? It's hard to believe that death of the young was so very common at that time.
Ahhh- genealogy. Sometimes you just gotta sit quietly and reflect on the past.
©2010 AS Eldredge
For the last month, one member of our group has concentrated on 1889. This is so important as we genealogy buffs feel the pain of the missing 1890 federal census.
Just last week, my sweet Walter's obituary was transcribed. I thought it appropriate to feature sweet Walter today with his obituary and a photo I have of him. I suspect he was around 10 or so when this photograph was taken. That makes the date around 1880.
SIMMONS- On Tuesday, March 12, 1889, at 8:30pm, Walter Glenn, son of Addison and Hannah G Simmons, in the 18th year of his age.
Funeral from the parents’ residence, near Banksville, on Thursday, 1th at 2 pm. Carriages will leave T B Hersberger’s, undertaker, West End, at 10 am. Friend of the family are respectfully invited to attend.
Pittsburgh Dispatch, Mar 13, 1889, page 5
Walter is buried in the Mt Lebanon Cemetery, Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA with his parents. I look at this sweet face and wonder how he died just as his life was beginning. Walter was one of three children in the family and the only son. Only one sister of his survived to adulthood, married, and had children. Oh, can you imagine the heartbreak of the family upon his death? Can you imagine the heartbreak felt in so many families as so many young children didn't survive? It's hard to believe that death of the young was so very common at that time.
Ahhh- genealogy. Sometimes you just gotta sit quietly and reflect on the past.
©2010 AS Eldredge
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
First African American in Georgia to be Inducted into National Society Sons of the American Revolution
Last winter, some 200 Americans gathered for the first Sons of the American Revolution Grave Marking for a black man in Georgia. Black men and women did provide service to the colonies during the time of the colonies' quest for freedom from England. If I recall correctly, some 20,000 black men served during that time. Some were slaves who served in the place of their owners. Others were slaves who were promised their freedom if they fought. Still, others were free black men who chose to fight.
Click here to read more of the grave marking for Austin Dabney.
It is more of a task for the descendants of black patriots to prove the early lineage lines due to a lack of documentation. Michael Henderson's patriot was a French National who had a relationship with a former slave in Louisiana.
Ahh, Creole genealogy. Now there's a fun look into different bloodlines.
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
The following announcement was written by the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution:
Atlanta, GA (June 15, 2010) -- On Tuesday, June 29th at 11:30 a.m., history will be made as the first African American in the state of Georgia will be inducted into the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR). In a ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol, Lieutenant Commander Michael Nolden Henderson, a retired U.S. Naval Officer and graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, will be acknowledged by induction into the Button Gwinnett Chapter, the Georgia Society SAR for his efforts in tracing his Louisiana Creole ancestry to an American Revolutionary War patriot.
Michael N. Henderson, USN Retired
Henderson, a native of New Orleans, La. who currently lives in metro-Atlanta, discovered his unique lineage while researching his French ancestry. His fourth generation great-grandfather, Mathieu Devaux, a French National, served as a militiaman under the command of the Spanish Governor General Bernardo de Galvez, who led troops in several major battles in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. Devaux had a relationship with his former slave, Agnes Mathieu, in Spanish Colonial Louisiana. Henderson is descendent from one of their seven children, all of whom were born free prior to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Henderson first learned of the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution in 2006 when Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University, discovered his own ancestral link to the Revolutionary War and one year later was himself inducted into the national lineage organization.
"I'm the first in my family to pursue membership in the NSSAR, so the process was especially detailed for me," says Henderson, who had to compile birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as other documents from the 1700s and 1800s to prove his connection to Devaux. "It was truly a labor of love and it's an honor to have my family tied to an American Revolutionary War patriot. I'm proud to be an example to others that they too can be a part of the narrative of America's history."
The story of Henderson's fourth generation great-grandparents and their connection to General Galvez is the subject of an upcoming segment on the PBS series "The History Detectives."
Click here to read more of the grave marking for Austin Dabney.
It is more of a task for the descendants of black patriots to prove the early lineage lines due to a lack of documentation. Michael Henderson's patriot was a French National who had a relationship with a former slave in Louisiana.
Ahh, Creole genealogy. Now there's a fun look into different bloodlines.
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
The following announcement was written by the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution:
Atlanta, GA (June 15, 2010) -- On Tuesday, June 29th at 11:30 a.m., history will be made as the first African American in the state of Georgia will be inducted into the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR). In a ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol, Lieutenant Commander Michael Nolden Henderson, a retired U.S. Naval Officer and graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, will be acknowledged by induction into the Button Gwinnett Chapter, the Georgia Society SAR for his efforts in tracing his Louisiana Creole ancestry to an American Revolutionary War patriot.
Michael N. Henderson, USN Retired
Henderson, a native of New Orleans, La. who currently lives in metro-Atlanta, discovered his unique lineage while researching his French ancestry. His fourth generation great-grandfather, Mathieu Devaux, a French National, served as a militiaman under the command of the Spanish Governor General Bernardo de Galvez, who led troops in several major battles in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. Devaux had a relationship with his former slave, Agnes Mathieu, in Spanish Colonial Louisiana. Henderson is descendent from one of their seven children, all of whom were born free prior to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Henderson first learned of the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution in 2006 when Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University, discovered his own ancestral link to the Revolutionary War and one year later was himself inducted into the national lineage organization.
"I'm the first in my family to pursue membership in the NSSAR, so the process was especially detailed for me," says Henderson, who had to compile birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as other documents from the 1700s and 1800s to prove his connection to Devaux. "It was truly a labor of love and it's an honor to have my family tied to an American Revolutionary War patriot. I'm proud to be an example to others that they too can be a part of the narrative of America's history."
The story of Henderson's fourth generation great-grandparents and their connection to General Galvez is the subject of an upcoming segment on the PBS series "The History Detectives."
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Sweden Family History Soon to be Part of Ancestry.com
The following press release caught my attention. Since I spend so much time searching in Sweden, I find this of immense interest. Perhaps, you will as well.
Ancestry.com to Acquire Sweden's Genline.se
Leading Swedish Family History website
26 million pages of family history records, 16th-20th century
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM), the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced that it has agreed to acquire the leading Swedish family history website Genline.se.
Total consideration for Genline is approximately US $6.7 million, to be paid in cash at closing. The offer has been accepted by Genline’s Board of Directors but remains subject to approval of Genline Holding AB’s public shareholders and other ordinary course closing conditions.
Genline expects to provide proxy materials to shareholders immediately and hold a Special Meeting of Stockholders shortly to vote on the transaction. Genline trades on the Stockholm exchange AktiTorget under the ticker symbol GENL.
Upon completion of the transaction, Genline will join Ancestry.com’s family of nine web properties globally, which together serve more than 1.2 million subscribers and host over five billion historical records and 17 million family trees containing 1.7 billion profiles.
Genline currently has more than 17,000 paying members with access to 26 million pages of digitized Swedish church records spanning more than 400 years from the 16th to the 20th century.
Josh Hanna, SVP and General Manager, International, Ancestry.com Inc., comments: “The Genline.se transaction, our first international acquisition, represents an exciting opportunity for Ancestry.com to access Sweden’s avid family history community and to provide Ancestry.com subscribers of Swedish heritage in the U.S. and other markets with access to important historical content.
"For Genline members, the millions of US and Canadian records with Swedish relevance will provide many new opportunities to discover North American ancestors."
Mikko Ollinen, Genline AB Managing Director, comments: "We are delighted that Ancestry.com sees the potential of Genline. Together we look forward to continuing to grow our business in Sweden and to making new and exciting historical records, both local and international, available to our members."
Ancestry.com expects to acquire all shares of Genline AB for approximately 53 million Swedish kronor with an adjustment for net working capital. Based on a June 11, 2010 exchange rate of SEK7.94 to US$1.00, the net purchase amount approximates US$6.7 million
Genline’s 2009 reported revenue was $2.4 million. Ancestry.com does not expect the acquisition to have a material impact on its financial guidance as issued in connection with its first quarter earnings release on April 29, 2010.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "appears," "may," "designed," "expect," "intend," "focus," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "should," or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements include statements describing our subscriber base, our activities to enhance subscribers' experience and our business outlook. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond our control and that could materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements.
Factors that could materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and our ability to execute on our business strategy include those listed under the caption "Risk Factors" of the Ancestry.com Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.
We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Ancestry.com to Acquire Sweden's Genline.se
Leading Swedish Family History website
26 million pages of family history records, 16th-20th century
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM), the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced that it has agreed to acquire the leading Swedish family history website Genline.se.
Total consideration for Genline is approximately US $6.7 million, to be paid in cash at closing. The offer has been accepted by Genline’s Board of Directors but remains subject to approval of Genline Holding AB’s public shareholders and other ordinary course closing conditions.
Genline expects to provide proxy materials to shareholders immediately and hold a Special Meeting of Stockholders shortly to vote on the transaction. Genline trades on the Stockholm exchange AktiTorget under the ticker symbol GENL.
Upon completion of the transaction, Genline will join Ancestry.com’s family of nine web properties globally, which together serve more than 1.2 million subscribers and host over five billion historical records and 17 million family trees containing 1.7 billion profiles.
Genline currently has more than 17,000 paying members with access to 26 million pages of digitized Swedish church records spanning more than 400 years from the 16th to the 20th century.
Josh Hanna, SVP and General Manager, International, Ancestry.com Inc., comments: “The Genline.se transaction, our first international acquisition, represents an exciting opportunity for Ancestry.com to access Sweden’s avid family history community and to provide Ancestry.com subscribers of Swedish heritage in the U.S. and other markets with access to important historical content.
"For Genline members, the millions of US and Canadian records with Swedish relevance will provide many new opportunities to discover North American ancestors."
Mikko Ollinen, Genline AB Managing Director, comments: "We are delighted that Ancestry.com sees the potential of Genline. Together we look forward to continuing to grow our business in Sweden and to making new and exciting historical records, both local and international, available to our members."
Ancestry.com expects to acquire all shares of Genline AB for approximately 53 million Swedish kronor with an adjustment for net working capital. Based on a June 11, 2010 exchange rate of SEK7.94 to US$1.00, the net purchase amount approximates US$6.7 million
Genline’s 2009 reported revenue was $2.4 million. Ancestry.com does not expect the acquisition to have a material impact on its financial guidance as issued in connection with its first quarter earnings release on April 29, 2010.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "appears," "may," "designed," "expect," "intend," "focus," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "should," or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements include statements describing our subscriber base, our activities to enhance subscribers' experience and our business outlook. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond our control and that could materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements.
Factors that could materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and our ability to execute on our business strategy include those listed under the caption "Risk Factors" of the Ancestry.com Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.
We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
NARA Provides Life to the Dead
Last month, I finally got around to ordering the pension file for one of my Civil War gramps. It seems like I would have done this years ago since I am so deep into learning of the past and my family's role in the history of our land. Well, don't judge me quite so fast on this one.
It wasn't until this year that I stumbled on the little fact that 2g granddpa George was even in the Civil War. He was born in 1834 in Pennsylvania, and was married with a growing family by 1860. For whatever reason, it just didn't occur to me that he would have been in the Civil War. I guess I thought he was too old and settled to go off and fight for the Union.
Guess I was wrong! I really hadn't been looking for him lately as I thought I had found most of what I could locate. On a whim, I decided to go back and check one of the paid sites just to see if there was anything new on several members of the family. While checking on Uncle Addison and a veteran census, I saw the name George W CALDWELL blaring off the page. What?
So, I let my fingers do some walking and found where he had been in a Home for Veterans in Dayton, Ohio. Ohio?
I just had to contact NARA and see what they had. That's a big jump for me as they had nothing on my grandfather from World War I.
Just this week, the small envelope arrived with a CD. In to the computer it went. For the next several days I poured over each and every word. Then, I had to go and research more.
Grandpa George was a volunteer in the PA 102nd Infantry Co. E. Of added interest was the fact his brother-in-law, Ben F HUNNEWELL, was also in the same unit. Anyway, he was down at Fair Oaks when he was discharged with a surgeon's certificate.
First question--- what was Fair Oaks? The Battle of Fair Oaks took place May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico Co, VA. It seems like both sides claimed victory for that battle although they both sustained fairly equal casualties. General Johnston was wounded in this battle. General McClellan is reported to have written to his wife that he was getting tired of all death and suffering of the troops on the battlefield.
Second question-- Was Grandpa George wounded in the battle? Alas, the answer to this one is no. He was moving some heavy rations, and fell on a box which caused some type of internal damage to his kidney. He was in the hospital for three weeks, and then he was discharged.
Grandpa George returned home where he spent the next 40 years or so disabled. He apparently suffered a great deal from that fall and lost the majority of his hearing during the war.
The best part of the pension papers came with the date of his marriage to his lovely bride, Mary Jane HUNNEWELL. Yes! She has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. I knew her name. Her birthdate came from a Bible in the HUNNEWELL family. Her death date is unknown. She disappears after the 1870 census. I suspect she died after the birth of a child. The big confusion with her is I have a letter from my great grandmother in which she writes to the daughter of George and Mary Jane and mentions she had just seen "your" mama. The letter is from the 1890s. Hmmm......
But wait---- there's more to be found in the pension. Grandpa George states that they had 5 children. What? I only knew of 4. More life to be found! And Grandpa George tells where a son of his has moved! And--- all of his children married.
Previously, I only knew of two of the children marrying. So, life continues in the family!
The other "aha" moment in the pension file is the naming of the preacher who married him. By coincidence, it is the same name as the man who his half sister married. Gee, I didn't know he was a preacher. I only knew he was older and died before they had any kids. The lovely widow goes on to marry again- this time a widower who lived across the street from other family members.
Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes the dead can come to life when we explore deeply enough into their lives.
©2010 AS Eldredge
It wasn't until this year that I stumbled on the little fact that 2g granddpa George was even in the Civil War. He was born in 1834 in Pennsylvania, and was married with a growing family by 1860. For whatever reason, it just didn't occur to me that he would have been in the Civil War. I guess I thought he was too old and settled to go off and fight for the Union.
Guess I was wrong! I really hadn't been looking for him lately as I thought I had found most of what I could locate. On a whim, I decided to go back and check one of the paid sites just to see if there was anything new on several members of the family. While checking on Uncle Addison and a veteran census, I saw the name George W CALDWELL blaring off the page. What?
So, I let my fingers do some walking and found where he had been in a Home for Veterans in Dayton, Ohio. Ohio?
I just had to contact NARA and see what they had. That's a big jump for me as they had nothing on my grandfather from World War I.
Just this week, the small envelope arrived with a CD. In to the computer it went. For the next several days I poured over each and every word. Then, I had to go and research more.
Grandpa George was a volunteer in the PA 102nd Infantry Co. E. Of added interest was the fact his brother-in-law, Ben F HUNNEWELL, was also in the same unit. Anyway, he was down at Fair Oaks when he was discharged with a surgeon's certificate.
First question--- what was Fair Oaks? The Battle of Fair Oaks took place May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico Co, VA. It seems like both sides claimed victory for that battle although they both sustained fairly equal casualties. General Johnston was wounded in this battle. General McClellan is reported to have written to his wife that he was getting tired of all death and suffering of the troops on the battlefield.
Second question-- Was Grandpa George wounded in the battle? Alas, the answer to this one is no. He was moving some heavy rations, and fell on a box which caused some type of internal damage to his kidney. He was in the hospital for three weeks, and then he was discharged.
Grandpa George returned home where he spent the next 40 years or so disabled. He apparently suffered a great deal from that fall and lost the majority of his hearing during the war.
The best part of the pension papers came with the date of his marriage to his lovely bride, Mary Jane HUNNEWELL. Yes! She has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. I knew her name. Her birthdate came from a Bible in the HUNNEWELL family. Her death date is unknown. She disappears after the 1870 census. I suspect she died after the birth of a child. The big confusion with her is I have a letter from my great grandmother in which she writes to the daughter of George and Mary Jane and mentions she had just seen "your" mama. The letter is from the 1890s. Hmmm......
But wait---- there's more to be found in the pension. Grandpa George states that they had 5 children. What? I only knew of 4. More life to be found! And Grandpa George tells where a son of his has moved! And--- all of his children married.
Previously, I only knew of two of the children marrying. So, life continues in the family!
The other "aha" moment in the pension file is the naming of the preacher who married him. By coincidence, it is the same name as the man who his half sister married. Gee, I didn't know he was a preacher. I only knew he was older and died before they had any kids. The lovely widow goes on to marry again- this time a widower who lived across the street from other family members.
Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes the dead can come to life when we explore deeply enough into their lives.
©2010 AS Eldredge
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tombstone Tuesday: Gone but Not Forgotten
Back in 2004, descendants of John Henry (1750-1838), an Irishman who came to the colonies and later fought for the colonies, gathered for a party in the St. Clair Cemetery in Allegheny Co, PA. We gathered for the dedication of two new headstones for our grandpas John Henry and James Glenn (1750-1813). Even though both of these men have been dead for many a generation, their faith still speaks to the descendants today.
Recently, my buddy, Margaret Jackson of the Historical Society of Mt Lebanon contacted me to let me know the original headstone of John Henry was located. In addition, a fieldstone with the initials J G has also been located.
So very cool.
Ahh, genealogy. It's greatly satisfying when the gone and not forgotten do something to make us think of them and their contributions to this great nation of ours. And the blood goes on and on........
©2010 AS Eldredge
Recently, my buddy, Margaret Jackson of the Historical Society of Mt Lebanon contacted me to let me know the original headstone of John Henry was located. In addition, a fieldstone with the initials J G has also been located.
Ahh, genealogy. It's greatly satisfying when the gone and not forgotten do something to make us think of them and their contributions to this great nation of ours. And the blood goes on and on........
©2010 AS Eldredge
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Old Pittsburgh Newspaper Index Just Grows and Grows
As you know (or at least you do now,) I spearheaded a project to index old Pittsburgh newspapers vital statistics in January. I trust that this project will be appreciated over time by those genealogy buffs who are searching for their Pittsburgh area roots.
Update as of Thursday, May 19:
36065 death entries
3865 couples announce wedded bliss
446 couples are not so happy (divorce)
386 photo entries
If you are new to genealogy, then please realize that there is an immense amount of time and effort given to the cause by the volunteers. We do the best we can. Yes, sometimes errors and typos happen. We do correct them when they are brought to my attention.
The treasure chest of genealogy love going into this project will help you in your quest to learn more. Just remember, this is not a substitute for going and digging around in the archives or libraries in the area. While I enjoy gleaning more family tidbits from the comfort of my home, I love going to Pittsburgh and honoring my family while I tend to their graves, visit with cousins or just walk the land that my ancestors walked.
In case you want to check it out to see if you have roots in "Da Burgh," here is the link: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm
©2010 AS Eldredge
Update as of Thursday, May 19:
36065 death entries
3865 couples announce wedded bliss
446 couples are not so happy (divorce)
386 photo entries
If you are new to genealogy, then please realize that there is an immense amount of time and effort given to the cause by the volunteers. We do the best we can. Yes, sometimes errors and typos happen. We do correct them when they are brought to my attention.
The treasure chest of genealogy love going into this project will help you in your quest to learn more. Just remember, this is not a substitute for going and digging around in the archives or libraries in the area. While I enjoy gleaning more family tidbits from the comfort of my home, I love going to Pittsburgh and honoring my family while I tend to their graves, visit with cousins or just walk the land that my ancestors walked.
In case you want to check it out to see if you have roots in "Da Burgh," here is the link: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm
©2010 AS Eldredge
Treasure Chest Thursday: Wonderful Glimpse of History Through Letters
Just this morning, a cousin of mine suggested I look at the Letter Repository. The Letter Repository has "lots" of old letters which have been transcribed. There are letters from Americans, English, Irish and Scotsmen.
While it is not searchable by name and thus of limited use to genealogists, it still is interesting to take a glimpse into the past and see what folks were writing about. The letters cover a range from the 1700s up to, and including, the American Civil War, World War I and and World War II.
The site has been live for about one year and is focusing efforts on letters written in English. According to the site, they are hosted by an Irish company and are Irish owned.
So, grab a cup of Joe and relive some of the past through the words of those who were living it. Jump on in: http://letter.ie/
Guess I'll be digging out my old family letters today and reliving the past of my family.
Ahh- genealogy. Gotta love it!
HT to Susan for the suggestion!
©2010 AS Eldredge
While it is not searchable by name and thus of limited use to genealogists, it still is interesting to take a glimpse into the past and see what folks were writing about. The letters cover a range from the 1700s up to, and including, the American Civil War, World War I and and World War II.
The site has been live for about one year and is focusing efforts on letters written in English. According to the site, they are hosted by an Irish company and are Irish owned.
So, grab a cup of Joe and relive some of the past through the words of those who were living it. Jump on in: http://letter.ie/
Guess I'll be digging out my old family letters today and reliving the past of my family.
Ahh- genealogy. Gotta love it!
HT to Susan for the suggestion!
©2010 AS Eldredge
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Treasure Chest Thursday: One Stitch in Time
Can you imagine what it was like for our female ancestors when all sewing was done one stitch at a time? Can you imagine the glee when sewing machines were invented? Seems that owning one of these miracle machines could really make a difference in the lives of women. I wonder if my seamstress kin enjoyed having the new contraption or were they forced to continue to sew by hand.I thought that today would be just perfect for sewing, and then I thought, that, maybe, just maybe, I would rethink that thought. After all, looking at my old family machine might be more fun. And by my family machine, I mean family.
I do have an old Eldredge sewing machine built by the company of Barnabus Eldredge (1843-1911). This company, which also got into the business of bicycles and automobiles, was only in business under the Eldredge name from 1869-1890. In 1890, he changed the name of the company to the National Sewing Machine Company.
Of interest to me is that Barnabus's grandfather is also the 3g grandfather of my spouse. Barnabus's earlier family came over on the Mayflower voyage, although the Eldredge line itself were actually latecomers-- arriving in 1635. The Mayflower Connection even has one of his grandpas as the 17th signer of the Mayflower Compact and arriving in 1620.
I also have a card on the Eldredge Sewing Machine. My machine is a different model as mine is a rotary machine. But the overall case and design of the metal work is essentially the same. (Note the pic depicting the name change on the pedal.) It's neat to think that ole Barnabus was of the opinion that a job with him was a job for life. He didn't fire people when they got old. He just left them on the payroll. I bet that made for some loyal employees especially during the Great Depression!
Click here to read more about the business itself.
Guess I'll have to find some more of these old machines so each of my kids can take a tangible, metal piece of family history with them.
Ah, genealogy. Just a stitch in time.
©2010 AS Eldredge
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Wordless Wednesday: Gee, An Award?
A couple of weeks ago, I received an unusual email regarding the GeniTales Blog. It seems as if MyHeritage was trying to contact me about an award. I was suspicious, but here is the essence-- my ramblings on genealogy were liked and noticed.It's cool to have the roles of my family in history read about today. I just hope that those of you readers who are my cousins enjoy reading about our family as much as I enjoy researching them. For you "others," I hope my tales have inspired you to learn more about your own roots.
Thanks! Ahh- genealogy. It's a hoot!
On a sidenote, my death indexing project from old Pittsburgh papers is still growing strong! At the last update, we had:
32382 death entries
3387 marriage entries
350 couples divorced
312 old photos
In case you want to check it out to see if you have roots in "Da Burgh," here is the link: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/death-index.htm
©2010 AS Eldredge
Saturday, April 24, 2010
When the World is Covered in Gray
My dear sweet cousin who shares my addiction to searching our past in genealogy to try and catch glimpses of ourselves wrote this poem and I just love it! So, with John's gracious permission-----
When the World is Covered in Gray
In a thousand years from hence,
there may be no more trees.
Will concrete cover the world of sense
and obscure the seven seas?
Do! Environmentalists criticize the type
and thickness of the stuff,
which caused this great unworldly hype!
We thought you a bit more tough!
Is the mathematical limit of our quest
to find the Truth, the Light---
Or a barren earth with no more zest,
for FREEDOM, no more fight?
Will love then disappear
from minds and hearts in spring---
Or will the grayness of it all,
teach us, at last, to Sing!
Leaders! Trust your faith to find the way,
to seek the One Who saves.
He's at the end of time, they say.
At the end there are no graves.................
J A Williams
©2010 J A Williams
----
©2010 AS Eldredge
When the World is Covered in Gray
In a thousand years from hence,
there may be no more trees.
Will concrete cover the world of sense
and obscure the seven seas?
Do! Environmentalists criticize the type
and thickness of the stuff,
which caused this great unworldly hype!
We thought you a bit more tough!
Is the mathematical limit of our quest
to find the Truth, the Light---
Or a barren earth with no more zest,
for FREEDOM, no more fight?
Will love then disappear
from minds and hearts in spring---
Or will the grayness of it all,
teach us, at last, to Sing!
Leaders! Trust your faith to find the way,
to seek the One Who saves.
He's at the end of time, they say.
At the end there are no graves.................
J A Williams
©2010 J A Williams
----
©2010 AS Eldredge
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Treasure Chest Thursday: What's Your Heirloom?
Earlier this week, I attended a lineage society meeting at which heirlooms were brought, displayed, and lovingly discussed by the attendees. I saw pictures of great grandpa's bed, grandparent wedding gifts, grandma's teaching certificate, old photographs, etc.
What is a heirloom? Is it valuable?
Today, the use of the word "heirloom" designates personal property, sometimes antique, that is passed down through the generations. It provides a glimpse either into the personality, the travels or the economic status of the beloved ancestor.
In old England, and according to old law, a heirloom had to be given either to a family member or left in the estate to the family. It would not have been sold out of the family.
The treasures we have most likely have little or no monetary value. Instead, seeing the treasure invokes loving memories or traditions passed down from one generation to another.
Just recently, I showed my children the Kiddy Pop box. The lollipop or Kiddy Pop box was one my mother kept hanging in the kitchen and it was always full of lollipops. Of course, these lollipops were given out only when a good deed was done. I always looked forward to being rewarded with a lollipop from the wooden box. My children also know the joy of being told to "go get a lollipop" for a deed well done.
Is this valuable? If I took it to a shop, they would most likely tell me "no." However, for me, everytime I look at the lollipop box which hangs in my kitchen, I think of my mama. Not only do I think of mama, I can hear her voice and I remember so many little things about her. Tis valuable, I'd say.
So, while you genealogy buffs are scrambling around digging up the old family tree, be sure to include some great memories of the loved ones who are gone. You just might be creating a super heirloom for your kids and grandkids.
©2010 AS Eldredge
What is a heirloom? Is it valuable?
Today, the use of the word "heirloom" designates personal property, sometimes antique, that is passed down through the generations. It provides a glimpse either into the personality, the travels or the economic status of the beloved ancestor.
In old England, and according to old law, a heirloom had to be given either to a family member or left in the estate to the family. It would not have been sold out of the family.
The treasures we have most likely have little or no monetary value. Instead, seeing the treasure invokes loving memories or traditions passed down from one generation to another.
Is this valuable? If I took it to a shop, they would most likely tell me "no." However, for me, everytime I look at the lollipop box which hangs in my kitchen, I think of my mama. Not only do I think of mama, I can hear her voice and I remember so many little things about her. Tis valuable, I'd say.
So, while you genealogy buffs are scrambling around digging up the old family tree, be sure to include some great memories of the loved ones who are gone. You just might be creating a super heirloom for your kids and grandkids.
©2010 AS Eldredge
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Tombstone Tuesday: Happy Birthday, Cuz Pres
"There is nothing stable but Heaven and the Constitution." - James Buchanan
April 23rd is the 219th birthday of James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States, and my cousin. While Buchanan served his country during a most difficult time in American history as the War of Northern Agression, (or the War Between the States as some are wont to refer to it), he supported the Constitution completely. Buchanan is reported to have believed slavery was morally wrong, but thought the Constitution prohibited the federal government from interfering in a matter he thought to be states' rights.
James apparently never got over the loss of his fiance after her death, thus he remained single. He was gracious to his family and cared for the orphan children of his siblings. A nephew of his (his sister's child) was his Personal Secretary while Buchanan was in the White House.
I am fortunate to have contact with descendants of his nephew as they are all my blood cousins. Early sources found in PA for the Reverand Robert Henry (1801-1838) and Harriet E Buchanan (1802-1840) tell us that James was a frequent guest in the home of the family and was quick to raise their young son after they passed.
Buchanan is buried at Woodward Hill Cemetery near his country home in Lancaster Co, PA.
I wonder what the family thought about James becoming President? So far, I have not seen anything that could provide any clues as to this puzzle.
Ahh, genealogy. Tis so much fun to find interesting facts about the family. I guess that and a dollar might buy a cup of coffee!
Photo Source: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=143&PIpi=76078, Photo by Stew Thornley, 2001.
April 23rd is the 219th birthday of James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States, and my cousin. While Buchanan served his country during a most difficult time in American history as the War of Northern Agression, (or the War Between the States as some are wont to refer to it), he supported the Constitution completely. Buchanan is reported to have believed slavery was morally wrong, but thought the Constitution prohibited the federal government from interfering in a matter he thought to be states' rights.
James apparently never got over the loss of his fiance after her death, thus he remained single. He was gracious to his family and cared for the orphan children of his siblings. A nephew of his (his sister's child) was his Personal Secretary while Buchanan was in the White House.
I am fortunate to have contact with descendants of his nephew as they are all my blood cousins. Early sources found in PA for the Reverand Robert Henry (1801-1838) and Harriet E Buchanan (1802-1840) tell us that James was a frequent guest in the home of the family and was quick to raise their young son after they passed.
I wonder what the family thought about James becoming President? So far, I have not seen anything that could provide any clues as to this puzzle.
Ahh, genealogy. Tis so much fun to find interesting facts about the family. I guess that and a dollar might buy a cup of coffee!
Photo Source: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=143&PIpi=76078, Photo by Stew Thornley, 2001.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Nation's Death Rate on the Rise Reports Census Bureau
While searching some old newspapers from 1944 in Pittsburgh, I came across this article. Fascinating! I wonder how that death rate compares to today- especially now that we have better health care. If you will take note, health care insurance was not a factor in the 1918 or 1944 dates mentioned in the article.
Nation's Death Rate Still Climbing Sharply
171 out of every 10,000 Population Die During Christmas Week
"The fourth consecutive week of a sharply mounting death rate claimed an average of 171 lives for every 10,000 persons in the country during Christmas week.
The Census Bureau reported the figures today-52 more deaths than normal for each 10,000 population......"
The article goes on to report the flu epidemic was mild. With some other statistics comes the final one- "One week of the 1918 epidemic had a death rate of 380 percent above normal."
To read the entire article found in the January 1, 1944 Pittsburgh Post Gazette, click here and enter page 4 in the box.
Ahh, genealogy, it's such a fun read!
Nation's Death Rate Still Climbing Sharply
171 out of every 10,000 Population Die During Christmas Week
"The fourth consecutive week of a sharply mounting death rate claimed an average of 171 lives for every 10,000 persons in the country during Christmas week.
The Census Bureau reported the figures today-52 more deaths than normal for each 10,000 population......"
The article goes on to report the flu epidemic was mild. With some other statistics comes the final one- "One week of the 1918 epidemic had a death rate of 380 percent above normal."
To read the entire article found in the January 1, 1944 Pittsburgh Post Gazette, click here and enter page 4 in the box.
Ahh, genealogy, it's such a fun read!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Wordless Wednesday: Marking a Patriot's Grave in Fayetteville, GA
Gathering to celebrate the life and patriotic service of James Waldrop, a private in the American Revolution.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Follow Friday: Parrall Mine Men Rescued February 10, 1906
With the horrendous news this week of another mine disaster in West Virginia, the thoughts and prayers of the country are with the families as they struggle to wait patiently for news of their loved ones.
Sometimes, there can be encouraging news in mine disasters. A case in point is the Parrall Mine, near Oak Hill, Fayette County, WV. There was an explosion in February 1906, and it was believed there were 31 men trapped in the mine.
The following names are taken from the February 10, 1906, Pittsburgh Press newspaper article.
Rescued:
F Z FITZGOULD
Robert PRATT
Ervin RIGGS
Rodman OPINEKI
F P ZARK
Robert GILL
Donald BELL
Jule NEAL, colored
Charles MATTHEWS, colored
Herbert CALLOWAY, colored
Bodies Recovered:
George MORRIS
Ike SPEARS
Hans COVIA
Joseph HUNTER
one unidentified
The article indicates the recovery of the other missing bodies is still in progress.
When you've got some time, be sure to read old newspapers. They are a great source for genealogy and for history. Google has been a great job of getting them online for us all to enjoy.
©2010 AS Eldredge
Sometimes, there can be encouraging news in mine disasters. A case in point is the Parrall Mine, near Oak Hill, Fayette County, WV. There was an explosion in February 1906, and it was believed there were 31 men trapped in the mine.
The following names are taken from the February 10, 1906, Pittsburgh Press newspaper article.
Rescued:
F Z FITZGOULD
Robert PRATT
Ervin RIGGS
Rodman OPINEKI
F P ZARK
Robert GILL
Donald BELL
Jule NEAL, colored
Charles MATTHEWS, colored
Herbert CALLOWAY, colored
Bodies Recovered:
George MORRIS
Ike SPEARS
Hans COVIA
Joseph HUNTER
one unidentified
The article indicates the recovery of the other missing bodies is still in progress.
When you've got some time, be sure to read old newspapers. They are a great source for genealogy and for history. Google has been a great job of getting them online for us all to enjoy.
©2010 AS Eldredge
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Treasure Chest Thursday: Two Beautiful Girls Photograph in New York abt 1885
Recently, I was intrigued by the photo album shown here. What is its origin? How old is it? To whom did it first belong?
Inside the photo album were two pictures. The first I could identify as my husband who was at the Seattle World Fair wearing a mis-buttoned sweater and a cowboy hat.
The treasure was a photograph of two beautiful girls. Who are they? I took a digital photo and have now made an educated guess on the possible identity of the girls.
How did I do this? I first investigated the name and location of the photographer, F T Talbert. Mr. Talbert, b. 1841 was a photographer in W Winfield, Herkimer Co, NY, around the turn of the century (20th, that is.) Herkimer County is near Albany NY. Guess what! My husband's family were residents of the general area at that time, although they were residents of Sharon Springs in Schoharie Co.
Who were the young girls in the family at that time? There were five of them with the birth years ranging from 1868 to 1873.
What ages are the girls in the picture? Can their clothing assist us? Can someone who knows old photos and clothing help me in this quest?
What a great find this was in my never ending journey of feeding my genealogy addiction!
©2010 AS Eldredge
The treasure was a photograph of two beautiful girls. Who are they? I took a digital photo and have now made an educated guess on the possible identity of the girls.
How did I do this? I first investigated the name and location of the photographer, F T Talbert. Mr. Talbert, b. 1841 was a photographer in W Winfield, Herkimer Co, NY, around the turn of the century (20th, that is.) Herkimer County is near Albany NY. Guess what! My husband's family were residents of the general area at that time, although they were residents of Sharon Springs in Schoharie Co. 
Who were the young girls in the family at that time? There were five of them with the birth years ranging from 1868 to 1873.
What ages are the girls in the picture? Can their clothing assist us? Can someone who knows old photos and clothing help me in this quest?
What a great find this was in my never ending journey of feeding my genealogy addiction!
©2010 AS Eldredge
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Georgia's Virtual Library Just Keeps Growing
Have you visited the Digital Library of Georgia recently? This worthy ongoing project has resulted in adding numerous old items of genealogy and historical value to readers everywhere. There is no cost to use the service, although a plug in (free) may be required to view some of the collections. It's been about a year since I spent time on the DGL and now I think I waited about 11 months too long to go back!
Recently added are old Atlanta newspapers which span the War of Northern Aggression time period. For those who are not familiar with the Recent Unpleasantness, the history books refer to it as the War Between the States.
Here is Dick Eastman's tidbit on the Atlanta collection.
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
Historic Atlanta Newspapers Online
A new digital database providing online access to 14 newspaper titles published in Atlanta from 1847 to 1922 is now available through the Digital Library of Georgia, housed at The University of Georgia Libraries. The Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive (http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/atlnewspapers) contains more than 67,000 newspaper pages and provides historical images that are both full-text searchable and can be browsed by date.
The archive includes the following Atlanta newspaper titles: Atlanta Daily Examiner (1857), Atlanta Daily Herald (1873-1876), Atlanta Georgian (1906-1911), Atlanta Intelligencer (1851, 1854-1871), Atlantian (1911-1922), Daily/Georgia Weekly Opinion (1867-1868), Gate-City Guardian (1861), Georgia Literary and Temperance Crusader (1860-1861), New Era (1869-1872), Southern Confederacy (1861-1864), Southern Miscellany, and Upper Georgia Whig (1847), Southern World (1882-1885), Sunny South (1875-1907), Weekly Constitution (1869-1882).
You will note that the above list includes a lot of Civil War newspapers. They should provide valuable information to historians, genealogists, reenactors, and many others.
The Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive is a project of the Digital Library of Georgia as part of the Georgia HomePLACE initiative. The project is supported with federal LSTA funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
Other newspaper archives available through the Digital Library of Georgia include the Macon Telegraph Archive (1826-1908), the Columbus Enquirer Archive (1828-1890), the Milledgeville Historic Newspaper Archive (1808-1920), the Southern Israelite Archive (1929-1958, 1984-1986), and the Red and Black Archive (1893-2006). These archives can be accessed at: http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/MediaTypes/Newspapers.html
My thanks to Jean Cleveland for letting me know about this valuable new resource.
Recently added are old Atlanta newspapers which span the War of Northern Aggression time period. For those who are not familiar with the Recent Unpleasantness, the history books refer to it as the War Between the States.
Here is Dick Eastman's tidbit on the Atlanta collection.
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
Historic Atlanta Newspapers Online
A new digital database providing online access to 14 newspaper titles published in Atlanta from 1847 to 1922 is now available through the Digital Library of Georgia, housed at The University of Georgia Libraries. The Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive (http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/atlnewspapers) contains more than 67,000 newspaper pages and provides historical images that are both full-text searchable and can be browsed by date.
The archive includes the following Atlanta newspaper titles: Atlanta Daily Examiner (1857), Atlanta Daily Herald (1873-1876), Atlanta Georgian (1906-1911), Atlanta Intelligencer (1851, 1854-1871), Atlantian (1911-1922), Daily/Georgia Weekly Opinion (1867-1868), Gate-City Guardian (1861), Georgia Literary and Temperance Crusader (1860-1861), New Era (1869-1872), Southern Confederacy (1861-1864), Southern Miscellany, and Upper Georgia Whig (1847), Southern World (1882-1885), Sunny South (1875-1907), Weekly Constitution (1869-1882).
You will note that the above list includes a lot of Civil War newspapers. They should provide valuable information to historians, genealogists, reenactors, and many others.
The Atlanta Historic Newspapers Archive is a project of the Digital Library of Georgia as part of the Georgia HomePLACE initiative. The project is supported with federal LSTA funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
Other newspaper archives available through the Digital Library of Georgia include the Macon Telegraph Archive (1826-1908), the Columbus Enquirer Archive (1828-1890), the Milledgeville Historic Newspaper Archive (1808-1920), the Southern Israelite Archive (1929-1958, 1984-1986), and the Red and Black Archive (1893-2006). These archives can be accessed at: http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/MediaTypes/Newspapers.html
My thanks to Jean Cleveland for letting me know about this valuable new resource.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
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
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 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 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
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tombstone Tuesday: Finding a Brahm in Pittsburgh
The subject is the Brahm family plot in Uniondale Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA.
While this is not my direct line, it is the direct line of a cousin of mine. One of the BRAHM sons married into my YOUNG family.
Roy M BRAHM (1898-1974) married Mildred M YOUNG (1899-1971). Roy and Mildred are both buried at the St Clair Cemetery(aka lovingly as my family cemetery) in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA.
I don't know why Roy and Mildred are buried at St Clair rather than with his family at Uniondale. The plot in which Roy and Mildred are buried was purchased by her grandfather, Edward J YOUNG (1835-1905), and is the plot where Mildred's mom is resting. I am making an educated guess that Mildred's dad, George Fleming YOUNG (1850-1912) is probably also buried in the plot although there is no headstone. EJ is also buried at St Clair but he is further down the line in another plot he owned. This other plot was between his two aunts.
Ah- grave shots can be so beautiful. Not only do they bring back precious sweet memories, they also can be such an art form for genealogy buffs.
©2010 AS Eldredge
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