Reflections From the Fence: July 2014

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Bitter Sweet Memories, The History of a Family Home

Yesterday, four years to the day of Man's mother's passing, the family home was sold.

There is no doubt it was bitter sweet. Man's parents purchased the home, brand spanking new, in 1952, four years later, we have this photo. That is Man and his Mother on the front porch.

About five years later, Man's father built a detached garage, framing in place.

The finished garage, although, not sure there are windows?? Do love the clothes line in the foreground, don't you?

About 1970, photo from old slide. Shutters gone, house had been painted white. Seems Man's father liked to take photos of the house in the winter/snow.

About 1980, window and porch awnings have been added, new screen door, new siding, eagle on the peak. Interesting, there is what looks like a step ladder on the ground, wonder if that was used for installation of the eagle?

Since 1980 new shrubbery was planted, and it too has grown large. New windows were installed, new doors. The last photo, taken yesterday after the closing. Our last drive by.

Man lived in this home from the time he was about 4 or 5 till he left for college. We stayed there a few times for weeks and/or months when we were "between" homes, like when he was in boot camp, or traveling to Morocco.

We brought our first born son home to this house after his birth. Man's mother gave him baths in the kitchen sink. Awww. (Note the platex bottle system in the background.)

We celebrated births, deaths, and a marriage or two at this home. There are many memories, family visits, sad and happy.

This was Man's family home for well over 60 years.

Yesterday was bitter sweet.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 30, Laura Mary Catherine Sonntag Pickleman Steinbach

This is week 30 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.

Laura Mary Catherine Sonntag was born April 18, 1898 at Brookfield Township, Huron County, Michigan to John Andrew Ernest Sonntag and his wife Mary (nee Gerth) Sonntag.

Photo of Laura provided by Man's mother.

Laura was a cousin of Man's mother. Millie had fond memories of Laura when they were young, so she asked me to find out what happened to Laura. Some research hours later I was happy to provide her with the facts.

Laura married Erwin C. Pickleman on June8, 1919 at Kilmanaugh, Huron County, Michigan. The image of their marriage record as recorded in Huron County has been digitally edited, no facts have been changed. The record comes from a 2 page record book, page 2 is the bottom half of this image.

Wedding photo of Laura and Edwin courtesy of Erma Kuehn Callahan (now deceased).

Laura and Edwin had five children that I have recorded in my data base:

1.) Edwin J. Pickleman
2.) Lucinda M. Pickleman
3.) Marie E. Pickleman
4.) Harley C. Pickleman
5.) Loretta E. Pickleman

Edwin died in 1944. Laura married second, John A. Steinbach (also found spelled Steinbeck) on June 17, 1950 (place not known at this time.)

Laura died on August 4, 1954 at Saginaw County, Michigan.

Laura's obituary appeared in the Thursday, August 8, 1954 issue of The Saginaw News, Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan:
"Steinbach, Mrs. Laura M.
5465 (or 5463) State Street
Wife of John A. Steinbach, passed away suddenly at St. Luke's Hospital at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday. Age 56 years, Laura M. Sonntag was born April 18, 1898, in Huron County, and was married there to Erwin Pickelman, June 1, 1919. Shortly after their marriage they came to Saginaw. Mr. Pickelman passed away Sept 18, 1944. On June 17, 1950, she was married to Mr. Steinbach. The deceased was a member of Peace Lutheran Church and its Ladies Guild. Besides her husband, she leaves three daughters and two sons, Mrs. Jack A. Thompson, Mrs. Stewart Spyker, Mrs. Richard Collison, Harley C. and Edwin J. Pickelman, all of Saginaw; five grandchildren; also one brother, Leonard Sonntag, Lennox, Mich.; her step-mother, Mrs. John Sonntag, Sebewaing. Funeral service will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday at Peace Lutheran Church. Rev. Lorenz Weber and Rev. Lorenze Speckman will officiate with burial in Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery. Friends may call at the Case Chapel after 10 a.m. Friday until 11:30 a.m. Saturday, and from 1 p.m. Saturday until time of service at the church."

Laura's Find A Grave memorial is found here, you can see a photo of her headstone there. She was buried at Bethelehem Lutheran Cemetery, Saginaw Township, Saginaw County, Michigan on August 7, 1954.

Wish list for Laura: Copy of her second marriage. Further information about her second husband, he may be connected to this researchers data base in more than one relationship. His death data has not been found, there is a headstone for him with no end date at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan.

* 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.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

World War I Soldier :: Roscoe Clyde Lashbrook

Bill West, of the blog, West in New England, is hosting the First Geneablogger's First World War Challenge, which reads:

Where your ancestors were in 1914, and what effect the war would have on their families?

Did any of them see military action? Were any family members killed? Do you have any photographs of them in uniform?

Did the War force your ancestors to leave their homes? Was it the reason they emigrated to another country? Where did they go?

Write a blogpost on any of the above, or something else about World War 1 and your family. When it's posted, send me the link. If you have already written a blogpost that you'd like to use, then send me the link to that post.

The deadline for submissions will be July 29th, 2014. I'll publish the list of links here a week later on August 5th.

See Bill's post here.

This is my entry.

Roscoe Clyde Lashbrook was born Feb 21, 1896 at Swanton, Butler County, Iowa to Moses Lashbrook and his bride, Mary R. (nee Moran) Lashbrook.

In 1914, Roscoe was living with his parents, somewhere in Butler County, probably very near New Hartford. Not much is known about his childhood, his father was a farmer up to at least 1910, so, we can imagine that Roscoe grew up helping his parents around the farm.

On June 5, 1917 we find Roscoe registering for the draft. The registration states he was born on February 21, 1896, in Parkersburg, Iowa (Butler County). He was a "creamery employee" for Albion Creamery Company, was single, was tall and of slender build with brown eyes and dark brown hair. He registered at Albion, Butler County, Iowa.

I have been able to trace Roscoe's entry into the service via the Iowa Recorder, published in Green, Butler County, Iowa. Ancestry.com has a great collection of the papers, I spent hours searching, reading, and collecting articles about Roscoe.

In the July 18, 1917 issue of the Iowa Recorder, Greene, Butler County, Iowa appears a list of "Registration Names and Serial Numbers", the list is a list of men eligible for the Army draft of World War I, which list includes R. C. Lashbrook, Parkersburg, number 1267.

In the July 25, 1917 issue of the Iowa Recorder, Greene, Butler County, Iowa appears the following:

"Draft Numbers for Butler County

The following list is not absolutely correct but it is as correct as was possible to make it. It was compiled from the early telegraphic reports and therefore is not official. Errors were made in sending the numbers over the wire, some numbers were omitted and some were duplicated. Watch the official posting of the list by the county examining board. This list should be posted at least by Thursday or Friday.

The first number shows the order in which the drawing was made in Washington and the second number is the registrants serial number and is the number you should look for on the official list. If your number is not among the first 300 names you will likely not be called in the first call for the 687,000 men. If your number is not on the list as published below, it may, however, show up among the first 300 on the official list.

141 1267 R.C. Lashbrook, Parkersb'g"

From the August 1, 1917 issue of the Iowa Recorder, Greene, Butler County Iowa:

"268 Must Appear

For Examination

Will be Held at Allison

August 3, 4, and 5

Claims for Exemption Must be Made

Within Seven Days After Date

Of Posting Notice

Following is the official "Notice for Physical Examination: as sent out by the county auditor. The first 90 will be examined Friday, August 3, and those from number 91 to 179 on Saturday, August 4, and the last group, from number 180 to 268, on Monday, August 6. The notice follows:

The following-named persons are hereby notified that, pursuant to the Act of Congress approved May 18, 1917, they are called for military service of the United States by this Local Board.

The serial number and the order number of each of such persons is shown below. They will report at the office of this Local Board for physical examination on the 3rd day of August, on the 4th day of August, and on the 6th day of August, 1917, at 7 o'clock a.m., according to the three groups below.

Any claim of exemption or discharge must be made on forms which may be procured, or the form of which may be copied at the office of the Local Board, and must be filed at the office of this Local Board on or before the seventh day after the date of posting of this notice.

Your attention is called to the penalties for violation or evasion of the Selective Service Law approved May 18, 1917, and the Rules and Regulations which may be consulted at this office.

Friday, August 3, 1917

18 1267 - - R.C. Lashbrook, Parkersb'g."

Below, the banner for the September 12, 1918 issue of the Iowa Recorder. Note the article heading at the far left of the paper, column 1. See next image.

This column mentions R. C. Lashbrook of Parkersburg. The article reads:

"Butler County Will

Send 53 More Men

Will Probably Be Called To

Report Next Wednesday.

County Auditor Has Not Yet Received

Official Notice to Make Call.

----Expects it Soon.

Although the local board of Butler county has not yet received official notice to make the call it is generally understood from previous reports from higher officials that the second apportionment will be called to report Wednesday, September 19. This call will be 40 per cent of the quota or 53 men from Butler County.

If the present plan will be carried out the first 53 in the list below will be called to report at Allison next Wednesday morning. This is the entire list of those who have so far been passed by the local and district board and are certified as selected for military service and not exempted or discharged.

18 1267--R.C. Lashbrook, Parkersb'g"

From the September 19, 1917 issue of the Iowa Recorder, Greene, Butler County, Iowa this detailed article describing the soldiers "shipping out" :

"Conscripts Honored

At Allison Tuesday

Fifty-Four Leave For Camp

Dodge Today.

Thousands of Butler County People

Pay Tribute To Our Boys - - Largest

Crowd Ever in Allison.

Tuesday afternoon at Allison was held a great Patriotic demonstration and the people turned out from all sections to honor the occasion at which time 54 of Butler County's young men appeared before the local board for military service, registered and were ready to entrain on Wednesday morning for their respective training camps where they will be prepared to serve in defense of their country.

Allison was not only crowded with people, there was a perfect jam and a recording breaking crowd.

The monster open air gathering held on the Court House grounds was addressed by Judge J. J. Clarke of Mason City and Attorney C. G. Burling of Clarksville, both speakers demanded the closest attention and gave good addresses.

The program as given was as follows:

Invocation, Minister from Parkersburg.

Spokesman, State Senator W. T. Evans

Music, Ladies quartet from Clarksville.

Address by Attorney C. G. Burling, Clarksville.

Song, "The Long Long Trail" by Mrs. Hunter of Allison.

Address of the day by Judge J. J. Clarke of Mason City.

Benediction, Rev. Lilly, Bristow.

Seven Bands in Attendance.

To say there was band music galore is putting it mildly. Greene, Clarksville, Shell Rock, Allison, Bristow, Parkersburg and Aredale bands were all present and there was music in the air in every direction.

Mayor Geo. Wilson of Greene was flag bearer and led the bands through Main Street. At the closing of the program five bands formed a circle under the large flag hanging over Main street and played in unison the "Stars Spangled Banner."

Reported this Morning.

Following is the list of those who reported for duty at Allison and left for Camp Dodge this morning:

R.C. Lashbrook, Parkersburg."

And so, Roscoe went off to war. I have no knowledge of his next year and a half, but, we do have this tidbit, again from the local newspaper.

In the April 9, 1919 issue of the Iowa Recorder, Greene, Butler County, Iowa appears a list of "Discharges Recorded, Following Soldiers and Sailors Have Had Their Discharges Recorded From March 8, to April 5, 1919, Roscoe C. Lashbrook of Shell Rock appears on this list.

Roscoe is the only World War I solider I have been able to follow in this manner. I found the news articles to be fascinating.

Several years after the Great War, Roscoe married and had one son. Roscoe died on December 20, 1970 at Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa.

Roscoe's obituary was published in the Monday, December 21, 1970 issue of the Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa:

"Roscoe C. Lashbrook

New Hartford- - Services for Roscoe C. Lashbrook, 74, who died Sunday evening at the Veterans Hospital in Knoxville, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in New Hartford in New Hartford; burial in the Oak Hill Cemetery; survivors include a son, Clyde of New Hartford; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren."

I maintain Roscoe's memorial at Find A Grave.

Thank you Roscoe Clyde Lashbrook for your service.

* 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.

.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 29, Richard Lashbrook (Junior)

This is week 29 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.

Richard Lashbrook, Jr. was born about 1822 in Devon England to Richard Lashbrook and his wife, Ann (nee Newcombe) Lashbrook. Richard Jr. was christened May 19, 1822 at Thornbury, Devon, England

Baptismal record provided by the late George Lashbrook of Somerset England.

Richard traveled with his parents and siblings to Canada (around 1830) and then on to New York state. Richard applied for naturalization while he lived in Clinton County, New York. He was granted citizenship on October 4, 1842. He signed the paper work as Richard Lashbrook Jr, with an "X" mark, which tells us he could not write.

Richard married (no proof) one Betsey Ann Mitchell (maybe Mitchell, fairly sure, could use some more solid proof on this one.) Date and place of marriage unknown, most likely somewhere in New York state around 1840-45.

Richard and Betsey had 11 children that we are aware of, they were: William M. Lashbrook, Royal Lashbrook, Fannie (Fanny) Lashbrook, Edgar Lashbrook, Emma Jane (Emily) Lashbrook, Francis A. Lashbrook (died at age 1), Nellie Lashbrook, Cora Stella Lashbrook, Lina (Galina) Lashbrook, Galinus "George" Lashbrook and Emergency Lashbrook (and no, I am no way near positive that Emergency was HER correct name, she is a brick wall of sorts in my Lashbrook research.)

On the 20th of December 1848, Richard Lashbrook, Junior, was the grantee of a warrantee deed from Alexander and Harriette Brand for land located in McHenry County Illinois. He paid $80.00 for the property which contained 80 acres, the land was described as the E 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Section 13, Township 45.

Richard is enumerated in the 1850 US census for Hartland, McHenry County, Illinois as follows: Richard, age 28, inn keeper, born England; Betsey, age 27, born NY; William, age 7, born NY; Royal, age 5, born NY; Fanny, age 3, born NY; Emily, age 2, born NY; Edgar, age 10 months, born NY. It is indicated that Richard and Betsey both can read and write.

Richard is listed on the 1851 Town of Marengo Election list. Said election was held November 4, 1851. It appears they voted for a Treasurer, Surveyor, School Commissioner and "for and against the general banking law". Thanks to the McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society for publishing this list in their April 2002 issue of their newsletter.

Richard appears on the 1860 US census for Marengo Village, McHenry County, Illinois as follows: Richard, age 37, day laborer, born England, cannot read or write; Betsey, age 36, born New York; Wm (William), age 17, born New York; Royal, age 15, born New York; Fanny, age 13, born Illinois; Emma, age 12, born Illinois; Edgar, age 10, born Illinois; Emigene, age 9, born Illinois, Eliza age 5, born Illinois, Carrie, age 3, born Illinois; 2 infants (twins), age 1 year, one boy and one girl, born Illinois. This census enumeration is the last documentation I have found on Richard Jr.

Richard was not named in his father's will (1882). In the settlement of his mother's estate (1883) he is listed as deceased and that there were 10 living children, although the administrator could only locate 8. The children were not named. However, when Richard's brother John died in McHenry County (1891) and his estate went through the probate process, all 10 of Richard's living children were named. One of Richard's daughter's, Emma, signed an affidavit stating her father had died "about the year 1862" and named the children.

Wish list for Richard Lashbrook, Jr.: Marriage record. Discover place and date of death and burial.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Four Generations

Yes, indeed, we got a four generation photo! (Plus one very very old yorkie!)

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 28, Cynthiann (Nee Riddle) Trumbo

This is week 28 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.

Cynthia Ann (nee Riddle) Trumbo was born on December 21, 1827 in Brocks Gap, Rockingham County, Virginia to John H. Riddle and his wife Sarah (nee Byrd) Riddle.

On May 18, 1847 she married Benjamin Trumbo in Rockingham County, Virginia.

Marriage bond, courtesy of Alva Trumbo Wood (deceased), from her work "Benjamin Trumbo of Brocks Gap, VA", published 2002, at Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Cynthia and Benjamin had 7 children: Zachariah Z., Sarah Elizabeth, Aurilla Ann, Fayette "Layfayette" Franklin, Dorothy Ella "Ella", John Riddle, and Cynthia Ann Rebecca.

This family record, again, courtesy of Alva Trumbo Wood (deceased), was reported to be in Cynthiann's handwriting. Copied from page 118 of the Benjamin Trumbo work cited above. Copy of the work in the possession of CABS. Only the first son Zachariah's birth is recorded.

Cynthia died on September 25, 1865 (Record digitally edited for my data base and this post. Facts, not altered.)

Cynthia was buried at the Trumbo Family Cemetery at Fulks Run, Rockingham County, Virginia:

Wish list for Cynthiann: Transcribe the above Family Record and a few other documents I have copies of.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

My First Solo Flight, Way Back in the Dark Ages

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

My first solo flight was many many years ago. This is way I remember the day. Memories fade, facts become warped a bit, but the memories are still fond, and they are mine.

I was flying out of Pontiac, Michigan, actually Waterford, Michigan, now known as the Oakland County International Airport. International?? I have to giggle, it was nothing like "international" back in the dark ages. If you want to read all the techy stuff, this AirNav page provides it. A short Wikipedia page is here.

It was a windy day, so my flight instructor took me out first in a Cessna, high wing, with lots and lots of wing span. A Cessna is like a kite, it floats with all that wing span.

Normally we flew my lessons in a Tri-pacer. It does not have lots of wing span, it sinks like a rock when the power is cut back.

I believe my instructor wanted to see how I managed with the kite and the wind.

After a go around or two (memory a little blurry on that) with the Cessna, the instructor said, let's go get the Tri-pacer. And, announced, "today, you will solo".

The solo flight would involve, taxiing out to the end of the runway, running through the normal pre-take off checks, requesting takeoff, takeoff, flying around the airport in the standard rectangular path, request landing, and, land.

Not only was it a windy day, it was quite warm. I had the window beside me open, letting in a bit of air as I taxied.

Went to the end of the runway, did my pre-take off checks, all is well, ask for permission to take off, permission granted. I shut the window, one of those with a snap down type lock thingy, I thought I had it sufficiently shut, you know what I am gonna say, right. Nope, it was NOT shut sufficiently. I rolled down the runway, gaining speed, lift off, and just a few feet off the ground that stinking window popped open. It made a lot of scary noise. I looked over at it, of course. Grabbed the mechanism, snapped it down, really snapped it down and proceeded with the flight. (I tired to find an example of the lock, and failed miserably, this is the closest I could get and it is only vaguely similar.)

The flight path of the day was to do a rectangle around the airport. After takeoff you fly past the end of the runway, you turn left, fly a short distance and make another left turn, now fly parallel to the runway, and then, one more left turn as you line up with the runway for landing. During this flight you must maintain the correct air speed and altitude and check in with the tower to inform them that you intend to land. This procedure can be turned into what was commonly known then as "touch and go" practice sessions. You actually took off again as soon as you touched down, repeatedly going around the airport in your rectangle - practicing take offs and landings.

The day of my solo flight, I maintained the rectangle, but, some how I did not maintain the correct altitude. I was high, seems I was about 500 feet too high when I turned that last left turn. I remember being about 1200 - 1500 feet up, should have been closer to 800 - 1000.

It was windy, I was high, I was flying a little rock named Tri-pacer. I pulled the throttle out and let her sink! I knew I did not have a lot of room to get down to that runway. I needed to get down and fast. So, I played helicopter and down I went. Turned out pretty good, I did not over shoot the runway, in fact, I believe I had to add just a little power at the end to "fly" it in.

Below, in a 1950 issue of "Civil Air Regulations for Pilots", published by the Associated Aeronautical Staff of AERO Publishers, Inc., I found this traffic pattern graphic. This was a recent find in some books we brought home from Man's mother's house. Man's father always dreamed of flying. I was delighted to find a graphic, then, looked closely and discovered the suggested altitudes at each portion of the pattern. Seems my memory of flight altitudes was old and weak and exaggerated. LOL

It seems I was supposed to be closer to 500 feet and that if I was 500 feet above that, I was at twice the suggested altitude. Maybe I was. I am going to guess when I made that last "final" turn I was at least 500 feet above ground, not the suggested 200 feet. Note the statement, "Once the final turn is made only a normal glide and landing is to be used." I guarantee you that helicopter type drop in altitude was not considered normal, in any book, story, or memory. NOT normal!

I made a perfect 3 point landing, not hard, just as soft as a whisper. It was something, let me tell you! I impressed myself, I heard I impressed everyone in the tower, which, unknown to me, included my parents, who were filming this life event! (I would say film at 11, only we do not know if the film has survived.)

I heard there were a lot of people ducking when that window blew open, because I was even with the tower and when I looked at the window, they thought I was looking at the people in the tower! NOT! I was shutting the loud window and trying to settle my rapidly beating heart!

And, that is how I remember my solo flight day.

You can see the Tri-Pacer and the flight log here. Memories.

* You can learn more about landing patterns here, thanks to Wikipedia.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 27, Sarah (Nee Basye) Whitmer

This is week 27 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.

Sarah Basye was born Jan 29, 1843 in Shenandoah County, Virginia to Edmond Washington Basye and his wife, Anna (nee Carryer) Basye.

No marriage record has been found for Sarah, who married Sellestine (also found spelled Sellesteen) Whitmer on May 17, 1866 in Hardy County, West Virginia. A search of Marriage Register Vol 1 of Hardy County, now West Virginia, did not find a marriage recorded for Sellesteen and Sarah. However, it should be noted that they were married in May of 1866 (just after the end of the Civil War) and that marriages were not recorded during the War. The clerk began recording marriages again in June 1866, about 1/2 month after the marriage of Sellesteen and Sarah. However, the marriage was found reported in the Rockingham Register. They were married in the residence of Mr. Abraham Hockman by Rev. John Neff.

Sarah and Sellestine had 8 children (that we are aware of): Sena Catherine, Sarah Ann, Mary (Mollie) Elizabeth, Eliza Jane, Ida Matilda, Minerva (Minne) Frances, John Edward and William Casper.

Sarah is found enumerated on the 1870 U.S. census of Lost River Township, Hardy County, West Virginia: Sellestine, age 32, farm laborer, value of personal property is $300.00, born Virginia; Sarah, age 27, keeping house, born Virginia; Sena, age 3, female, born Virginia; Sarah Ann, age 1, female, born Virginia.

The 1880 census, 1900 census, 1910 census nor 1920 census enumerations have not been recorded in my data base. See Wish list below.

Sarah died on Feb 19, 1922 at Lost River, Hardy County, West Virginia and was laid to rest the next day at the Whitmer Family Cemetery on the land Sarah and Sellestine lived on for many years.

Lyle Whitmer in his work on the Whitmer family (Descendants of the Swiss Immigrant, Sons of John Whitmer: Francis Suffare Whitmer & Sellesteen Whitmer, 1992) provides us with a transcription of Sarah's obituary, no newspaper is stated:

"Death of Mrs. Sarah Whitmer

Sarah Whitmer (nee Basey) was born in Shenandoah County, Va., Jan. 29, 1843, and died Feb. 19, 1922; aged 79 years and 20 days. She was united in matrimony to Sellesteen Whitmer of Hardy Co., W. Va., May 17, 1866, at which place she was living at the time of her death. Her husband preceded her in death nearly three years ago. They had 9 children - 2 sons and 7 daughters, being survived by 1 son and 6 daughters. She leaves three sisters, Mrs. J. D. Stidley and Mrs. John Hepner, of Orkney Springs, Va.; and Mrs. Noah Beedle of Cross Roads, Va. The funeral services were conducted by the Revs. Louis Shank and Joe Siles."

Photo of Sarah's headstone provided by a distant cousin. Man and I have never been to the Whitmer family cemetery, it is located several miles up the "cove". We did manage to locate the general area of the cemetery on one trip, but, the cemetery was far up the mountain, and we failed to find access without some guidance, which we did not have.

Wish list for Sarah: Complete searching and record the census enumerations stated above, 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920. A personal visit to the cemetery.

*Source of the photo of Sarah is unclear, our apologies to the kind soul that shared.

** 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.

.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July from Man and Moi

and Man

* Graphic courtesy of Webweaver.

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