52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 4: "Invite to Dinner"

Copyright 2018, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

2018, and I am giving a shot at Amy Johnson Crow's "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" project. Due to time and internet connectivity issues, I am keeping my responses rather short.  Now, if you think this looks long, well, it's a cheat short.  LOL I am simply updating a prior post.

I did a challenge meme for the Book of Me, Written by You, back in January of 2014. When I saw this weeks meme, I went right back to that post. First to review what I wrote. Second to see if ANY of those peeps would still be on the invite list. Yea, they still are, ALL of them. So, I am going to use that list again and will make any additional comments/changes/discoveries/further frustrations in red.

For a family dinner, I would invite:

1. Archibald Norman Lashbrook, aka Arthur Norman Stevens, Sr. My favorite research dude, and oh, I have questions for him! Like, what is this second marriage to Dorothy Davis? She is a mystery lady. And, that FBI report I got with so much marked out with large black marker. What is THAT all about? Oh, and that uniform photo, IS that Civil Defense or not? I have some other pointed questions for you my dear, we have a lot of chatting to do.

2. Edna May Fenton Stevens. Wife of Arthur Normal Stevens, Sr. Ok, Edna, where WERE you between 1901 and 1918? Hmmmm? Did you marry someone, like I suspect, but, cannot prove? We will be having a very long chat too.  I have recently discovered that Edna did in fact marry in Nova Scotia, read all about it here.  

3. Charles Gratton Trumbo. WHO is your daddy? And, by the way, where and exactly when DID you marry?? And, why is it that neither your birth or your marriage are recorded ANYWHERE???? We do have this tidbit about your marriage, derived from two of your daughter's delayed birth certificates.  In case you cannot read it, it says, date and place of marriage was 1/16/1895 at the home of John F. Driver.

4. Anna Susan Holsinger Trumbo, wife of Charles Gratton Trumbo. How many family Bibles did you have? Truth now. Those dates recorded in what was represented as your family Bible, I am not buying all that. Why didn't you record the births of some your children with the civil authorities? And, that reported twin, that all the family says you had, the twin that died at birth. You did not record anything about that in your Bible. Why not?

5. Joseph Eugene Bowen. SOOO, you have lots to tell me, and I am ready to listen. And, ohhh, Joseph, did you EVER have a photo taken of yourself? You did not die until 1948, there just HAS to be at least one photo somewhere. So, where is it? I think I have figured out why you died in Savannah Georgia and not near Norfolk Virginia where you lived the later years of your life, but, wow, what a chase you led me on.

6. Richard Lashbrook. Your story is another of my favorites. Born in England, died in McHenry County Illinois at the age of 88. Now, I know that there must have been a photo of you as well. You did not leave this side of the gates until 1882. You seemed to have done pretty well for yourself once you reached Illinois, I believe there was enough coin laying around for a visit to the local photographer.

7.) Ann Newcombe Lashbrook, wife of Richard. How many children DID you bear? And, where were the last several that family tradition names, but, for which I find NO records, no church, no civil, no nothing! I would love to give Jacob and Elizabeth some substance in my data base. And, mmm, same question for you, where is your photo?

8.) William N. Lashbrook, son of Richard and Ann. Wanna let loose with the name that goes with that middle initial "N"? And, I know this is hard for you to tell me, but, mmm, where are you buried? No headstone, eh??  I do have the following obituary for William, and until something further comes up, I am going with he is buried at the Willow Lawn Cemetery, Plainfield, Bremer County, Iowa.  

     From the Waverly Democrat, Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa, published May 21, 1891, page 4, column 4:

          "Wm. Lashbrook, brother of Thomas Lashbrook, of this city, died at his home in Plainfield, Iowa, on Sunday night.  Deceased was born in Devonshire, England, March 27, 1826, his age being 65 years 1 month and 20 days.  He moved to America with his parents when a small boy and settled in Clinton county, New York.  From there he moved to Illinois, and afterward to Madison, Wisconsin, coming to Iowa and settling in Bremer county in 1858.  His death was caused by la grippe.  He leaves a wife and two children, two boys and two girls, to mourn his loss.  The funeral services were held at his residence in Plainfield, on Tuesday, May 20th, the Rev. Mr. Sanford officiating.  The remains were interred in Plainfield cemetery."  [Note:  this is the only reference to the place William's remains were interred that I have found.]

9. Richard Lashbrook son of Richard and Ann, brother to William N. When did you die? Where did you die? Where are you buried? And, which plats of land were yours in McHenry County? Real difficult to determine with land grants and such. A "Junior" would have been VERY helpful, eh? Did you make the move to Iowa with your brothers and sister?

10. Catherine "Kate" Dove Fawley. We need to have a bit of a chat too. Just WHERE did you die and why is there no record of it that I have been able to discover? And, while we are at it, where are you buried? I have a few other questions about your relationship with the father of Charles Gratton Trumbo, yep, I wanna scoop the, well, mmmm, dirt.  We have been able to more or less figure out you died sometime in 1889, thanks in part to some genie angels providing a transcript of "Church Proceeding Singers Glen Circuit UB Church for Conference year of 1889."  The transcript in part reads (only part because I am not sure of copyright issues):

     "Broadway Feb. 11th 1890.  Called to order by Pastor J.D.D.  ... the roll was called and all members passed favor with the following references, name No. 10 Sister Kate Fawley had died in the year.  So far as evidence could be gathered She died in Peace and hope of Salvation through Jesus Christ."

11. William Kessler. AKA, Wilhelm Kessler, and possibly AKA William Henry or Henry. WHERE did you go? The land records dry up, I never did find you on the 1840 census as a head of household. Ditto for the 1850 census, no William anywhere. No death records, no burial records, no newspaper notices, nothing. No guardianship records have been found concerning your two daughters. WHERE are you?

12. Susan Miller Kessler, wife of William. You go missing as well. And, just WHO is YOUR daddy? And, of course, since I am asking, who is your momma? What happened to you Susan? What is your story?

So, as you can see, I did make a few chips in the walls.  Chip, chip.  Review, review.  Chip, chip.

I was not going to chat about what to serve, but, on reading my piece from 2014, I have to say, YEA!! THIS!! SO:

So, what shall we serve? Well, how bout we do not serve bull. I have had all the bull I want to eat for some time. SOOO, I think this dinner shall become a cocktail party, with lots of finger foods. You can talk around finger foods better than a heavy full 7 course meal. I shall offer many choices of drink, but, since I want a bit of "loose lips sinks ships" attitude, I sure hope you all like a good strong whiskey. Just saying, it is time we talk and I am not shy about taking whatever steps may seem necessary to get to the truth!

#52ancestors

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