Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Mountain, Waterfalls, Flowers, Snow, It's Time to Visit Mount Rainier, Part 1

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Back in July of 2013, yes, 3.5 years ago, Man and I were 8 months into our 10 month winter get away and tour of the US.  Now, please read that date again,   2013.

I take lots of photos, too many.  I have too many interests.  Life gets active.  And, blogging falls so far behind I cannot imagine I will ever catch up.  I may not. But, I have all this I want to preserve for my grands, so, here we go again.

For July 4th week, we had no reservations, no place to park.  Man, after a hard search found a campground in Packwood Washington, in the shadow of Mount Rainier, to park for a week.  There was no cell phone, no campground WiFi, I found myself basically disconnected.  That said, it was gorgeous, we met some great people, and we had a wonderful time.

The first day there, we drove to Mount Rainier National Park on route 52, via Gifford Pinchot National Forest, stopped at Paradise Ranger Station and eventually found Stevens Canyon.  Yea, how fun is that.

The day started out with a great bridge:


Did not take long before we started spying water falls, some tucked so deep in the mountain side they did not photograph well, but, I took photos anyway:


A nice first view of Mount Rainier:


We stopped frequently, and yes, I found flowers:


And, this was all BEFORE we even entered the park:


Another view, by the way, Mount Rainier tops off at 14,410 feet above sea level.


At one of the pull offs, we find people exploring the river bed of the Nisqually River:


Christine Falls gave us another chance to stretch our legs, the road crossed the water and the falls area.


This was very close by, but, I believe was another falls.  OK, after 3.5 years, I cannot be sure.  Sorry.


Rock slides.  Mother Nature, she really never fails to astound, I can only image the forces, the sounds when this happened.


A small cloud, and the mountain goes higher yet:


A few more miles and we stop at Narada Falls:


Yes, that is a rainbow:


I went down the steep path to capture the falls from below.  That fuzzy look to the left of this photo is mist created by the force of the falling water of the falls.  I kept the camera under my jacket until the last moment, shot a few photos, and stuck it right back under my jacket.


On the hike out, I found some flowers, identified as yellow wood violets.


Another water fall, name not recorded, just along the roadside.


Later I put the zoom to work, capturing the snow pack:


Arriving at Paradise, elevation 5420, this creature was snooping around the parking lot:


Walking on the snow pack (possibly the remnants of a "glacier"), families enjoy doing so in their shorts!  A glacier needs to be serious snow pack/ice that MOVES down the mountain.  Not all snow pack is a glacier, even up here.


We had a bit of picnic lunch here and after visiting the Visitor's Center, looking around, and stretching our legs, once again, we climbed back in the truck and headed home.  I have this many photos again to share with you soon about the second half of our day.




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Saturday, January 28, 2017

International Holocaust Remembrance Day - - Roswell Museum & Art Center

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Yesterday has been reported to be International Holocaust Remembrance Day.  This afternoon, as part of the computer organization project, I started renaming photo albums.

I came to some photos we took at the Roswell Museum & Art Center, Rosewell, New Mexico on our trip south this last fall.

I'm going to refrain from any other comments, just present the art as I photographed it. Some parts were hard to capture, as the artwork was pushed up against the wall.  The photos are presented, just as I was able to manage.










Peace,



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Friday, January 27, 2017

Loving Review and Chancery Cases - - Mills Norsworthy Turns 21

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

The review, consolidation, linking process with the data base continues.  Tonight, I re-discovered this little tidbit.


This is from the Isle of Wight Virginia Chancery Case, found at the Library of Virginia web site.  It is labeled as case # 1884-010.  It is a case concerning Norsworthy and Pittman, covers 80 some pages and tells us the names of the surviving children of William G. and Sarah Dianna (Pittman) Norwsorthy.  

I had never processed this case, even tho I have downloaded it.  In my quick review tonight I found the married name of one of the sisters, and within minutes I found her death certificate, burial place, name of her husband and a possible list of her children, thanks to the Find A Grave memorial for her.  One of the brothers, Richard Elliard Norsworthy, I discovered his approximate birth date from another affidavit signed by William G.  And, I discovered the approximate birthday of Mills, who was the first hubby of my great-grandmother Lorena.  (Some of you may remember Lorena, she had 5 hubbies and my daddy used to tell me he thought she fed them poisoned mushrooms. NO, she did not, but, you know dad's - - - - )

Rough transcription:

I solemnly swear that my son Mills Norsworthy attained twenty one years of age on the 14th day of March 1882 - - -

(next line looks like it fell along a fold line, and is a bit hard to read)

??? & Wilmoth Pittman the grandmother of said Mills, widow of Thomas H. Pittman died sometime in the year 188?

Signed Wm. G. Nosworthy ( by his mark X)

Yes, I love review and Chancery Cases.




*  Please read my Disclaimer page, just in case you don't remember that I pay for my usage of many web sites and they don't care if I mention them or not.  And, I use a lot of free genealogy web sites too.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

John Eley, Jr., 5th Great-Grandfather, In the News in 1767

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Now and then, when I find something that sparks my interest, I share. Now is then.


From the Virginia Gazette, Publication date November 12, 1767, page 2, column 3. Published by Purdue & Dixon.


ISLE of WIGHT, October 26, 1767

ON Saturday the 24th of this instant I went to the house of Robert Coggen, soon after which came a lusty well made man, who appeared to be 25 years of age, with a lightish coloured coat, black velvet waistcoat, leather breeches, wore a watch, and seemed very fond of gaming; upon which, as no body there knew any thing of him, I told Jethro Gale, one of the Sheriffs of our county, to desire him to come before me, and I would ask him some questions, as I did not think he was there on any good design.  Immediately on the Sheriff's acquainting him of the same he run off without his hat, leaving a bay mare, about 14 hands high, with a large white spot in her forehead, paces well, and branded on the rear buttock (a mark which I cannot reproduce here was in the article, see image above)   saddle and bride, New-market coat, linen wallet, with a linen shirt and a pair of black stockings therein.  He calls himself sometimes William Stevenson, at other times William Stevens; and as the above mare is supported to be stolen, the owner may have her on proving his property, and paying the charge of this advertisement, by applying to    JOHN ELEY, Jun.




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Monday, January 16, 2017

Uz Jaquis, A First Look at Your Probate Files

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

More from the consolidation, linking, review, projects ongoing here at Reflections.

Uz Jaquis is a son of Benjamin and Mary, or at least that is how he currently resides in my data base, you may remember.  He is listed as child number 7.


I am now processing his probate file found online at Ancestry dot com.  There is also a file for his wife, Lucy.  I'll work on that soon, possibly next.

I have picked out some points of interest from Uz's probate, they are:


This states, I believe (corrections always appreciated with my fondest thank yous):

Uz Jaquis who died testate at Parishville aforesaid on the 2nd day of June 1876, leaving a will which ....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Of interest in this tidbit are the names Julia A. Cady and A.A. McDonald.  Need to determine/discover who these two are. Seems Julia resides at Willmar Minnesota and A. A. McDonald at Cornwall Canada.  In his will (see below) Uz names Julia A Cadby (or is that Carby) as his step-daughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And, this says Uz's wife has now also passed.

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Lucy Jaquis, widow - - check
Bertha Ann M???his ??? on that spelling - - Reported in other documents to be Uz's sister.  Research will be needed here.
Jane Chamberlain - - a sister - - I know her name and have done some research on her - - check.
Almyra Skiff - - who??
Ermma or Emma J. Ormsby - - who??
Julia Ormsby - - who??  
Elizabeth Shaw - - know the name - - check
Elihu Jacquis, always found spelled Jaquis- - oh, yes, know this one - - check
Inbinda (?) known as Icabinda Ann Suttle - - know the name - - check.
Mary Mason - - know the name - - check
Sarah J. Stanton - - that be Sarah J. Stanley I believe, will follow through.
Mary M. Jaquis - - know the name - - check
Benjamin H. Jacquis - - know the name - - check
John E. Jacquis - - know the name - - check
Martha J. Jacquis - - know the name - - check
Daniel E. Jacquis - - know the name - - check
Davy M. Jaquis - - know the name - - check
(Note:  Mary, Benjamin, John, Martha, Daniel and Davy, surname usually found spelled Jaquis.)
Enoch Jacquis - - know the name - - Uz's brother - - check.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A few more names to check out, Myrna (?) Jacquis and Wesley R. Howe.  I have seen the name Howe, believe he may be a step son of Uz's.  More research required.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


This mentions William N. Jacquis (need to find out who this is).  And, Mary M. Jacquis, Benjamin H. Jacquis, John E. Jacquis, Martha J. Jacquis, Daniel E. Jacquis and Davy M. Jacquis, all minors.  I have researched them, know parents, know some descendants, yep, know them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And, last, but, not least, Uz's Last Will and Testament:


Mentions:  Age of 52 in the year 1875, giving approximate year of birth as 1823, my data base has 1826.  I'll take it, so close.

Wife, Lucy;  After her demise, to his sisters, Bertha Ann Meedis (???) and Jane Chamberlain.  I know Jane, I know NOTHING about Bertha, she may be Ann in my data base.  Also names step-daughter Julia A. Cadby or is that Carby or Carlry or what??  Further mentions William N. Jacquis, Myron (?) J. Jacquis and Wesley R. Howe.

And, NOW the work begins.  I am headed for a research deep rabbit hole.



*  Please reference my Disclaimers page for my relationship with Ancestry.com  (hint - - there is none!)

**If you see something that I have messed up, please let me know, it takes a village.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Where is Lizzie Catherine May Buried??

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

The clean up project always brings more questions.  Deal with one document, visit multiple web sites, ask many questions, sometimes there are no answers found.

Such is the case for Lizzie Catherine May.

Her death certificate from the Commonwealth of Virginia, states she was buried at Timberville Cemetery, Rockingham County, Virginia.



The  Harrisonburg - Rockingham Historical Society maintains a wonderful cemetery inventory as well.  She is not included in their list of burials.

So, Lizzie, where ARE you buried?




*  My interest in Lizzie, is of course, her mother Mattie L. Fawley, who is the half-sister of Charles Gratton Trumbo, my great-grandfather.

** I strongly suspect she has no headstone.  Lizzie's father had passed in 1898 and her mother in 1911.  She was not married.  I will need to research the informant on her death certificate, James May, as I am uncertain who he is.

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Monday, January 9, 2017

Delete, Add, Delete, Add.

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Yes, I am still cleaning up old files, notes, and linking documents to the family research data base.  Let's be honest here, I will be at this cleaning linking thing for months and years to come.  Whew, there, I said it!

I flit from web site to web site, delete some email, work on files on the computer, work on the backlog of OneNote clips.  Back and forth I go, frequently diving into deep rabbit holes of research.  I am supposed to be deleting stuff, and instead, I add more.

The other evening in an attempt to toss out one, just ONE, OneNote clip, I wandered over to the Chancery cases at the Library of Virginia.  I don't remember if I knew this or not, but, Rockingham County Virginia cases are now scanned and loaded to the web site. Hours later I had downloaded so many files I lost count.  Some of the files had over 200 pages EACH!  The greatest thing tho, the Library of Virginia web site now allows you to download all 200 pages at one time.  You know I had fun.

No, I have not read each and every page of all those files. But, I did do a bit of looking before I downloaded, to be sure the "Trumbo" person was someone I was seriously interested in.  I tend to "grab" the most important stuff first, just in case the rest goes MIA on the internet later.  Because that MIA thing happens.

The other night was a bonus research night - - I found these three really fun facts.  To fully document and utilize this information will take some time, of course.

Here is a document that states that Catherine V. Fawley departed this life on the ...day of ... of 1888.  Now, Many researchers would be disappointed to only find the year, but, Catherine has been a difficult subject to research.  I have one other reference to her passing, which seemed to indicate she passed in 1889.  The glory of this chancery case is that it states her clear relationship to the rest of her family, including her surviving children, one of which is a Charles G. Trumbo (my great-grandfather).  Oh, by the way, that middle initial, "V", for Catherine - - new to me!


Soon another chancery case revealed this little tidbit of joy in which we learn that Milton May's widow died in March of 1911.  Milton's widow is the half sister of one, C. G. Trumbo, AKA, Charles G. Trumbo.  I did not have this information.  I have something to follow through on now.


Last, not necessarily least, as they say, is this "drawing".  This came out of a case that is a mere 258 pages.  Nope, did not read a lot of this one, as it was getting late and my eyes were starting to cross.  It seems the school district was building a new school building and a number of citizens, including, yes, that Charles G. Trumbo, were objecting to the building.  I think I shall need a couple of glasses of wine when I sit down to read this one. Can't wait to see what else it will reveal.


You too can have fun in the Chancery cases at the Library of Virginia.  Click here.

And, now, back I go to linking, deleting, building, learning - - family history rocks!




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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Benjamin H. Jaquis, The Father and His Wife, Mary, err, Rachel, err???

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence


I only found those interesting California probate files because I was looking for Benjamin H. Jaquis, the father of the disappearing Benjamin.

I have a cache of files and documents that are waiting to have the information mined and then attached to the data base. I have additional probate info, this time from the state of New York for one Uz Jaquis, yes, that IS his name, and another for one Lucy Jaquis.

As I was inspecting these files, I of course traveled to my fav research web sites, Ancestry dot com, Family Search, Find A Grave.  At Find A Grave I found some interesting memorials.  I hoped to turn up more probate files for some of the Jaquis clan I have researched.  As you know from reading about the "disappearing Benjamin" I did indeed find more files.

From my work on Find A Grave:  Here is a link to the Hillcrest Cemetery, Parishville, St. Lawrence County, New York, for just the people buried there with the name Jaquis, spelled just that way.

The probate file I have for a Lucy Jaquis is most likely for a Lucy who died in 1878. Note she is the wife of Uz Jaquis, whose memorial is here.  She is also a Jaquis, born to Enoch and Lucy.  I'll admit that Enoch confused me for a while, but, note his birthdate is 1786.  Why was I confused??  Because I have another Enoch in my data base, born about 1823.  Sometimes it takes a while to sink into my thick skull.

When I visited Uz's memorial, I note a link to a mother named Rachel.  Her memorial is here.

So, let's stop here a moment and look at the family as it currently is in my data base:


This is Benjamin the father and Mary, who I have as his wife and the mother of his children.  Note, no Rachel.

Benjamin, first born, born 1810ish, is the man who disappeared from the California Gold Rush.  Uz is there, born about 1826, Enoch is there, born about 1823 and several other children.  

You can see by looking at the date range that I do not have death information for Enoch or Sarah. And, there is Uz  - this screen shot taken before I found Uz at Find A Grave.  I need to enter that information into the data base.  The children continue, Ann, Mary, Emily and John.  I am not even really sure that Emily or John are related. It's been a tough search, one that I have abandoned more than once. And, now, I am back at it once again due to all these probate files.

I spent a good number of hours this last 10 days or so looking for Rachel Jaquis.  So far, I am not finding her.  I really had hoped to find her in the 1860 census since she died in 1861.  At the age of 79 we would hope to find her in a household with some others, possibly children.  I could not find her in the 1855 New York State Census either.  Ditto, 1850 census.  The search will continue by getting creative with spellings.

However, I did find some decent copies of the 1855 new York State census online.  First image is the headings/questions asked.


This image is Benjamin, and Mary, and children of Benjamin.  Note, they do not claim the children to be of Mary, but, of the head of the family.


We have:  Benjamin(e) Jaquis, age 65, born New Hampshire
Mary Jaquis, age 68, wife, born New Hampshire
Ebenzer Jaquis, age 46, child, born Vermont
Enoch Jaquis, age 39, child, born Essex (County in New York)
Mary Jaquis, age 34, child, born Essex (County in New York)
Ann Jaquis, age 27, child, and in the place of birth column:  School teacher
Jame Jaquis, age 25, child, and in the place of birth column:  School teacher
Irving Jaquis, age 10, child, born Essex (County in New York)
Almira Jennings, age 8  , granddaughter, born Essex (County in New York). Granddaughter? Yes, follow up research is indicated as I have none of the daughters married to a Jennings.

What a wonderful thing this 1855 state census is.  I'll be revisiting it for additional family members.

In the meantime, I have not found any other record of Rachel.  At this point, I don't believe she is the mother of any of Benjamin's children, but, in research we must keep an open mind.  I'll be working on any possible connection of Enoch born 1786 and my Benjamin born about 1790.  Other researchers have them as brothers. Then, there is the John Jaquis died about 1832, who is buried at Haselton Cemetery in Essex County, New York, at 54 years of age at his death, he would have been born about 1778.

Onward goes the research - - - 


* Ancestry.com is a pay service for researching.  I use, I pay, I have not been asked to use it, to review it.  Please refer to my Disclaimers page.  Find A Grave is currently a free site to use and contribute to, they are owned by Ancestry.com.  Family Search is a free site for all to use.

**Note:  The 1855 census images for Essex County New York were far superior at FamilySearch.  The same images at Ancestry dot com I could not read, nor manipulate with digital editing enough to read.

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Monday, January 2, 2017

Benjamin H. Jaquis, The Disappearing Benjamin

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Gonna put this out here as a bit of cousin bait, and to help me organize some new, confusing and fun things that are happening in the research of the Jaquis clan.

My initial interest in this clan came from the intermarriage of Benjamin Jaquis (born 1810ish) to one Fannie Lashbrook (1819-1893).  Benjamin, born 1810ish, according to family tradition, went west in 1849, participating in the California Gold Rush.  Again, according to family tradition, he eventually made a nice strike. However, on the way back home (about 1854) to his family who had remained in Illinois, the ship he was traveling on sank and he died.  Juicy material to research, I was hooked!

At some point, I was told a great-great granddaughter of Benjamin's, made a cassette tape of her remembrances of her family and named the ship that Benjamin died on as the Yankee Blade.  Oh, yes!  I had a field day researching this sinking in New York City newspapers. I never heard the tape, but, sometimes you just go hunt up the info anyway.

I eventually found a report on the sinking of the Yankee Blade, which reported, in part,   "A body was seen on the beach, the pockets of the pants taken off and cut open, and another with a money belt around him, which was cut open and the contents abstracted." I found the report of the money belt to be interesting, as the family tradition (written about in the book referenced below) reports that Benjamin wore money belts.

I even found a drawing of the Yankee Blade, in the work,  "Early American Steamers" by Erik Heyl, published 1953.


Of particular interest in the next part of this post is the fact we can place Benjamin in a specific place in California. In the small charming family history, "The Gold Moon", which a family member so graciously shared with me years ago, it is reported that there is a letter from Benjamin.  Said letter came from Benjamin from "Oregon Gulch, Bute Co., California" and was dated December 25, 1853.  The letter was from Benjamin to his brother-in-law, John Lashbrook, who had inquired about coming west to hunt gold.  Benjamin discouraged John.

Years pass, I research other families, other clans.  Then the other evening, while snooping around on Ancestry dot com, looking for Benjamin H. Jaquis, the father of Benjamin (born 1810ish), I found some very interesting references to Benjamin (yes, the one born 1810ish), back in California. Trouble is, the references are well after our poor Benjamin's ship sank??

Benj S Jaques
 in the 1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Benj S Jaques
Age: 49
Birth Year: abt 1811
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Vermont
Home in 1860: Eureka, Butte, California
Post Office: Thompsons Flat
Family Number: 1392
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Geo Carper 34
Benj S Jaques 49  occupation:  Miner

The birth year for this Benj S. Jaques is close, birth place of Vermont cannot be discounted, as I have seen his birth place reported as Vermont, New York, and France. Same county as the transcribed letter came from. 

Next I found:

B H Jacques
 in the California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898
Name: B H Jacques
Residence Year: 1867
Residence Place: Butte, California

Again, same county.  And then: 

Ben Jafuas
 in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Ben Jafuas
[Ben Jaquis] 
Age in 1870: 60
Birth Year: abt 1810
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1870: Ophir, Butte, California
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Oroville
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Ben Jafuas 60  occupation:  miner

Again, the birth year is within reason, in fact, perfect.  Birthplace of Illinois, I won't even argue, as Benjamin left his family in Illinois when his journey to find gold began in 1849. And, as we all know, spelling just does not count in this sport.  And, as in all of these finds, this Benjamin is residing in Butte County.

However, this set of records is by far the most interesting.

Benjamin H Jaquis
 in the California, Wills and Probate Records, 1850-1953
Name: Benjamin H Jaquis
Probate Date: 18 May 1874
Probate Place: Butte, California, USA
Inferred Death Year: Abt 1874
Inferred Death Place: California, USA
Item Description: Journal, Vol 5, 1879; Orders, 1915-1937; Bonds and Letters, 1862-1881

Benjamin H Jaquis
 in the California, Wills and Probate Records, 1850-1953
Name: Benjamin H Jaquis
Probate Date: 23 May 1874
Probate Place: Butte, California, USA
Inferred Death Year: Abt 1874
Inferred Death Place: California, USA
Case Number: 537
Item Description: Case Files, 526-541, 1874
Table of Contents 16 images
Cover Page 1
Administration Papers 2
Petition Papers 3'965
Account Papers 6'967
Administration Papers 8'9610
Petition Papers 11'9613
Order Papers 14'9616

One thing these documents do reveal is that a man named Benjamin H. Jaquis, died in Butte County, California on July 18,1872, intestate.  (Not having made a will before one dies.) Not one heir is listed in these 18 pages of probate records.  In fact, in this file, I did not see any reference to heirs being searched for.  I have to ask, are these all of the probate papers concerning Benjamin?   

I need to study this more, is this Benjamin who died in 1872 in California the same Benjamin that wrote home in 1853 from the same county in California?

I have yet to find more, nothing on Find A Grave, nothing more on Ancestry dot com or on Family Search.  The search continues - - 

Next I'll tell you a bit of why I was even looking for a Benjamin Jaquis.



* Ancestry.com is a pay service for researching.  I use, I pay, I have not been asked to use it, to review it.  Please refer to my Disclaimers page.  Find A Grave is currently a free site to use and contribute to, they are owned by Ancestry.com.

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