Monday, February 24, 2014

THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Axel Lindgren Memorial Trail, Trinidad California, Truly Memorial

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

May 22, 2013  This trip MAY extend for well two years at this rate.  LOL  Life keeps gettin in the way, how wonderful!

NOTE:  This post is graphics heavy!

Anywhoooo, Near the lighthouse at Trinidad we found this sign, and the path and decided to go have a lookie see.  I found this article about the trail.  And, you can read more about beaches around Trinidad here.  This second link discusses this trail (top of the page).  As of October 2018 both of these pages had bad links, sorry.


Starting down.  Man is walking to the side because one of the wooden steps is gone and that makes for ONE LONG step.  Yours truly went down the same way, via the round about. Yes, it was as steep as it looked.  See that bench wayyyyyy down there.  We used every one, all the way up and a few on the way down!


When I had the opportunity to shoot over or around the shrubs and trees, I did.


Can it be steeper??  Maybe??  And, why is it that going down is soooooo easy, and going back up, well, NOT so easy!


As we go closer to the beach, (down) the views look the same, but, different due to the vantage points provided by altitude.


A steep left turn - - but still DOWN DOWN DOWN!


Further down yet - -


This is a banana slug.  Only one I saw.  They can grow to almost 10 inches!  Gracious.  This one was maybe about 4 inches.  The Wikipedia page says they can move up to 6.5 inches a minute.  Get outta my way banana!


Almost to the beach.  The last 10 feet of stair well was something I could not traverse. Many of the stairs were washed away.  I probably could have carefully slid or shimmied down.  I just did not feel I could climb out.  So, my journey ended 10 feet above the beach.  Sony Too served me well.


Three sea birds (sorry, don't know what they are), and over there, to the right, just about water level, I believe these are Harbor Seals.


Looking down the other direction of the beach.


That guy or gal on the top, sure looks like he is enjoying his siesta!  LOL


Sony Too zooms to the max.


I swear I see a smile! HAHA, OK, I know animals don't really smile, but, look at that face, will ya?  It spells bliss - - -


I'll just bet there is a special name for that land structure in the background.  Standing so tall.


Time to climb back out.  You can tell from Man's stance this was some good exercise!


He IS smiling.  And, resting!


One last shot of the bay and the fishing boats.


We were tired, and the next day my legs revolted.  The revolt was so worth it.  Younger legs will enjoy this trip to the beach..  Older legs will to, but, may take longer to get back up that hill, and may experience revolt the next few days.  You won't be sorry!

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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 8, Joseph D. Reynolds, Real or Fictional?

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence


This is week 8 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.

Today we examined Joseph D. Reynolds, Physician.  Maybe.  Yes, indeedy folks, we have another brick wall ancestor.  Below is his marriage record, to one D. Ella Trumbo.



Let's take a closer look at Joseph's information, place of residence, age, occupation, place of birthday and parents names.


So, the record reads, Joseph D. Reynolds, residing in Buffalo, New York, age at next birthday 40, occupation - physician, born Steuben County New York, father's name - - Wm. T., mother's name - - maybe May G. Buren.

By the way, the information on our bride, D. Ella Trumbo, is correct, living Washington D. C., father - Benj Trumbo, mother - - Cynthia A. Riddle, born Brock's Gap.  We have much of Ella's story and history, even though we doubt that she always told the truth.  We don't call her Elusive Ella for nothing, eh??

But, for the moment, let's zero in on her groom.  I have been snooping around the internet for him for some time, here, there, everywhere.  I repeat the searches as new information and new data bases are added.

I have not found a Joseph on the 1850, 1860 or 1870 United States Federal Census that makes any sense to me.  Unless, the birth place of New York is reported in error on the marriage record.

I found a Joseph in 1880 United States Federal Census as a boarder in a home with others, including one Samuel Reynolds.  The 1880 reads (extracted): Joseph Reynolds, living New York City, New York, New York, age 32, a carman.  Well, this is still 7 years before the marriage to Della, but, a carman and a physican are just not the same, eh?  (Other 1880 offerings were dismissed on this go around of research.)

I checked several of the New York state census indexes, nadda.  Again, nothing that makes sense with the current known facts, questionable known facts.

Next I went in search of anything that might give me a lead on that physician information. I found this data base:
The Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929 data base (From Ancestry.com) shows:
Name Birth Date Death Date Death Place
1. Joseph M. Reynolds 1847 15 Oct 1923 Redfield, AR
2. Joseph W. Reynolds 25 Nov 1909  New Bridge, MD
3. Joseph Hervey Reynolds 28 Sep 1911 Belleville, PA
(sorry the spacing is lousy on cut and paste)

I examined each entry and found this one interesting:
Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929 
Name: Joseph M. Reynolds
Birth Date: 1847
Death Date: 15 Oct 1923
Death Place: Redfield, AR
Type Practice: Allopath
Practice Specialities: Redfield, AR, Aug 31, 1911
Licenses: AR, 1903, IL, 1883
Practice Dates Places: Redfield, AR, Aug 31, 1911
Medical School: Kentucky School of Medicine, Louisville: Transylvania University Medical Department, 1882, (G)
JAMA Citation: 81:1624
Cause of Death: senility

So, over to FamilySearch I went:
Joseph M. Reynolds, "Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950"
Name: Joseph M Reynolds
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 15 Oct 1923
Event Place: Jefferson, Arkansas
Gender:
Age (Original):
Race:
Birth Year (Estimated):
Certificate Number: 546
Page Number:
Volume Number: 67
Affiliate Film Number: 19141923

Yep, that is a physician, birth year comes close, the middle initial is not correct, and there are no images online to look at. I did not search any further for the death for the two that died in 1909 or 1911.

So, next I turned to the reported father.  Census examination/snooping turned up nothing that I could say was even close to conclusive.

I found a William Reynold, in the data base "New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952" at Family Search.org.  Here is the full information presented in the index entry:
Name: William Reynold
Gender: Male
Burial Date:
Burial Place: Buffalo, N.Y.
Death Date: 15 Apr 1871
Death Place: New York, New York
Age: 63
Birth Date: 1808
Birthplace: New Jersey
Occupation:
Race:
Marital Status:
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name:
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name:
Mother's Birthplace:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B07500-7
System Origin: New York-EASy
GS Film number: 1671687
Reference ID: p 79

So, is this Wm T. Reynold, reported father of Joseph D. Reynolds?  Conclusion - - totally inconclusive.

I did not even attempt a search on the reported mother of May G. Buren.

So, so far, surfing in and out of a number of our favorite genie web sites, except for that death of a physician in Arkansas with a initial that does not match, I have ZIP.

See, here is the thing.  This is the almost the only time in our many family records that we have this name Joseph D. Reynolds.  Note the date January 2, 1887.  On May 4, 1887 Dorothy gives birth to a son, and names another man as the father.  She names the father as Riley J. Bliss, NOT Reynolds.  She names the child Frank R. Bliss.  Frank believed for many years that his middle name was Reynold(s).  And, family members report Frank's birthday as October 4, 1887, NOT May 4, 1887.  Frank's death certificate states he was born on October 4th.

Here is the index entry for Frank's birth:
"New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962" (FamilySearch.org)
Name: Frank R. Bliss
Gender: Male
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Birth Date: 04 May 1887
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, New York, USA
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Riley J. Bliss
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: D. Ella Trumlo Bliss
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C00411-9
System Origin: New_York-ODM
GS Film number: 1322221

We do have references to J. D. Reynolds and D. Ella Reynolds in some court papers in Rockingham County Virginia.  (I do not personally have copies of these court records.  Cousin Rebecca does.)

If you are not confused yet, I am amazed.  Those of us researching Joseph D. Reynolds, Frank Bliss, Riley J. Bliss and Dorothy (Ella) Trumbo and all those connected to her are constantly confused.  See, Ella, well, she fibbed about stuff.  Frequently.  We suspect she was trying to hide or cover up something.

The question remains what happened to J. D. Reynolds, the physician?  OK, I'll fess up, I have my doubts he really was a physician.  I have nothing to base those doubts on, I just don't buy it.

Some of us think that Joseph D. Reynolds WAS in fact, Riley Jay Bliss, the stated father of Frank R. Bliss.  And, that story is even more confusing and convoluted.  See, Riley Jay Bliss was married, at least a couple of times other than his relationship with D. Ella Trumbo.  And, one of those other wives, was D. Ella's first cousin, Emma Jane Hess.

Wish list for Joseph D. Reynolds.  Anything!  Oh, and since I am spinning wishes, dear Riley J. Bliss, just where did you go on that train and what happened to you?  Ah, a story for a future post I suppose.

Ahhh, the tangled webs we weave.




* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.

** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.

*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site.  Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc.  None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them.  See my Disclaimers page for further details.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

World Thinking Day 2014, My Girl Scout Career

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, of Nutfield Genealogy, has offered up a challenge for today.

"This weekend is Thinking Day! Let's have everyone who was ever a Girl Scout, Boy Scout, Girl Guide or involved anyway in scouting post your memories on Facebook, and post links to your blog stories about scouting! I'll do a roll up of all the blog contributions at the end of the weekend..."

So, here I go.

I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout.  I'll fess up that my specific memories have faded, but, I remember day camp as a Brownie, and sleep over camp as a Girl Scout.  Campfires. Hiking. Learning to cook one dish meals wrapped in tin foil.  Backpacks toting our days supplies into the camp. Learning to swim in the lake (many times in SE Michigan that meant - - brrrrr).  Canoeing lessons.  Large rustic cabins with bunk beds.  Communal dining areas. Some-mores melty, gooie, cooked over the campfire.  Singing Kumbaya around the campfire.

You remember, don't you:

Kum ba yah, my lord, Kum ba yah! 
Kum ba yah, my lord, Kum ba yah! 
Kum ba yah, my lord, Kum ba yah. 
O Lord, Kum ba yah

Someone's crying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's crying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's crying, Lord, Kum ba yah! 
O Lord, Kum ba yah

Someone's singing, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's singing, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's singing, Lord, Kum ba yah! 
O Lord, Kum ba yah

Someone's praying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's praying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's praying, Lord, Kum ba yah! 
O Lord, Kum ba yah

I remember selling cookies, we could go door to door back then and it was safe.  So, I did.  The peanut butter patties were and still are my favorites.

Several of the girls were in Brownies and Girl Scouts together, one I know has passed (she died so young), the other I lost all contact with.

And, then there is the photo, I know you hear the groans of agony.  Gracious, what a hair do.  UGH.  Oh, and the braces too.  SIGH. But, there I am, Troop 265 even.  And, there is a reasonable collection of badges.  (Gracious, I remember sewing badges and patches on the son's Cub Scout uniforms. Now, there is a blast from the memory past!)  






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Monday, February 17, 2014

Crowley Natural & Cultural History Center, Sarasota, Florida, The Children's Discovery Path & Tatum Buildings

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

The rest of the story, our visit to the Crowley Natural & Cultural History Center.


Due to a bit of a wrong turn, Man and I ended up on the Children's Discovery Path.  Sometimes wrong turns are the right turns. The Children's Discovery Path has equipment  for children to use to experience what it would be like to be a local critter, signage, lessons, and some nice wooden carvings of local fauna.  This depicts the Florida panther (subspecies of Puma).


A bit further down the trail there is a eagle nest viewing area.  See that blue disc?  It is a zip line for kids. To teach them how it would feel to be an eagle soaring from it's nest.  The line was about 10 feet off the ground (that is a Carol guestimate.)  By the way, they sit on the disc.


A closer look at the owls.


Nearby, another wooden carving, one of an eagle.


This is the Tatum Ridge school house.  It closed in 1941. 


This is the Tatum house, built ca 1888 - 1892.  It is one of the oldest pieces of rural architecture in Sarasota County.


Inside, period furniture.


Love that big ole knob on the drop leaf table.  Had a drop leaf one time, did NOT have that big ole knob.




School room, attached to the house, not in the old school building.


Step out of the main house, and through another door (believe it was a separate building), a laundry room.  I am not so sure about that ironing board - - balanced on two chairs??  Go ahead - - you try it first.


The wrong turn was the right turn, as by the time we finished the Children's Discover Path and the Tatum buildings my ankle was starting to sting.  It was time to call it a day.

We had a wonderful visit to the Crowley Natural& Cultural History Center.  During our walk we saw no other humans.  Not a one.  During the visit to the entire park we only saw about 6 other visitors.  We understand that the weekend of February 22nd, they are expecting about 3 to 6,000 people to visit.  6 or 6,000, which do you think we prefer?




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Crowley Natural & Cultural History Center, Sarasota, Florida, The Slow Walk

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence


After visiting the Pioneer Museum at Crowley Natural & Cultural History Center, we headed out to the boardwalk for a slow and leisurely walk.

Yes, there were cattle around.  Free ranging.  We did see a couple in the very back of the park.


For the most part, because this is very low and wet ground, swamp land and rivers and creeks, most of the trail was a boardwalk.


Now you know I just loved this part of the boardwalk. All the twists.  Photo does not show the best due to the shadows, there was a twist about every 8 feet.  Made us smile.


Man taking a sit.  We found a bench, we sat.  We listened.  We looked around.  We sat some more.


At the end of the boardwalk we find Selby Tower which overlooks the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh along the Myakka River.

Possibly a red shouldered hawk.  We saw a few herons and egrets.  We were actually a bit surprised we did not see many birds, as this is known as a birding area.  And, yes, we were quiet, and we were looking.  Sony Too had to zoom a LOT to get this photo!


I know, what IS this photo of the iPhone doing here??  We are always surprised when we are out in the middle of nowhere and the messages start coming in.  And, that is exactly what happened here.  I looked and I had the best connection I have had in some time.  Five full bars at 3G.


When you descend from the tower, unless you retreat back via the boardwalk you are put on a ground level, sorta solid path.  Love the color of the water.  And, there is a bench we actually did not sit and rest on.


There had been some rain the week before our visit.  At this point the path was a bit, well, wet.  And, muddy.  We managed to sneak by on the side and the shoes only got a wee bit muddy.  This is the area where the cattle reside, we did see two deep in the foliage.  They were not cooperating, camera shy I guess.


Just a bit down this trail we turned down a side trail and wandered back to the board walk.  We headed back trying to locate another path that went to an area where the Indians used to camp.  The docent had explained it, and it sounded neat.  And, we missed the correct path, ending up instead on the Children's Discovery Path.  Probably a good miss, as by the time we had wandered back up to Jolly my ankle was starting to remind me that I am still healing.

Our last stops of the day were interesting, photos coming soon.




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