Blog Caroling, 2016

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

footnoteMaven has started the songs again, the joy of music of the season. It's Blog Caroling time again.

For at least 4 years, I have posted Little Drummer Boy by John Denver.

However, this year, I heard bells, the clear tones of handbells.  Off to YouTube I went. I found bells.  Trouble is, there were soooooo many videos and that was just of "Carol of the Bells".  I had been hearing that song in my minds ear for weeks.

So, here are just a few different versions of "Carol of the Bells", just bells, no song.  Bells ringing clear and with tones never to be denied, beautiful.

The first example is the first I found.  There is a bit of background noise, but, it is delightful, simple, perfect.  Handbell Choir of First Baptist Church Eastman, GA. , performs Carol of the Bells.

This version is much more professional, and should be, it is by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

This version is for the visual as well as the music.  Actually, the visual might be better - - you judge.  Carol of the Bells (handbell choir in black lights), posted and performed by Northside Baptist Church.

This is a nice presentation, "Carol of the Bells" by Impulse Handbell Ensemble.  Note: They have a Facebook connection.

I did find a flashmob presentation of the work, in Hawaii.  Played by the Aloha Ring 2015 Workshop players who surprise Safeway shoppers.  They win for having the true spirit of the season.

Possibly the most unusual I found was Carol of the Bells by  Cast in Bronze. It's a mobile carillon, wait till you see this.  Do note the musician and his "costume".

And, yes, I did do a bit of research on carillon and found:  "A carillon is a musical instrument composed of at least 23 carillon bells, arranged in chromatic sequence, so tuned as to produce concordant harmony when many bells are sounded together. It is played from a keyboard that allows expression through variation of touch. The keys are struck with the half-closed hand."

I hope you enjoyed this years submission to the Blog Caroling Carnival of 2016.

Happy Holidays to all.

.

A Holiday Story, Of A Different Sort

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

If you have diabetes or know someone that does, you know that part of the challenge is the highs and lows. For me, the lows are more physically challenging, I shake, and feel like crap.

I will say, the new regiment of shots and pills, and such, I don't have nearly the issue with lows that I did before. It's been pretty good.

BUT, now and then - - WAM!!

Today, I had a wam! I tanked. And, it was fast. Which is of course, a nasty part of the equation.

I ended up walking into a coffee shop (not naming on purpose, the name would add nothing to the story or discussion).

I said to the young man/clerk, "I am tanking, what might you have that is sweet?"

He took one look at me and said,"hold on". He came back with some yummy to the tummy desert, and said, "I paid for this myself, see if it helps."

I said, "I have money", he said, "nope, just feel better".

I ate, I felt better.

Just so happened I saw him about 30 minutes later as he was taking the trash out. He yelled over, "was it good??" I said, "it was!"

I proceeded to thank him again and gave him a big ole hug!

Then, he tells me, "my parents are both diabetic, I knew what you needed and how fast."

I'll tell you, those parents raised a special young man.

Gave me a huge hunk o 'holiday' spirit, let me tell you.

Happy Holidays to all.



.

Tis the season - -

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

I’ll fess up, I have had a rough time writing my annual holiday letter this year.  2016 has been full of ups and downs. It was full of losses and happy days.

A summer wedding of nephew.  Lovely, beautiful people and family.  Beautiful setting. May they continue to radiate the true meaning of love and happiness.

We helped orchestrate the sale of a family home.  Lots of decisions had to be made in a timely manner.  But, it allowed me the fabulous opportunities to visit the home where my grandmother grew up, and several cemeteries I had been hunting for.  It was the right time to visit those cemeteries, kismet abounded.

Man and I are gaining in years, and thus, we are facing more health issues.  Happens. My own, the Demon diabetes, is a buggar, and I have now added shots to the mix of drugs that attempt to keep it in control.  It is a constant battle.

One of the issues that has been stressful was the bullying and stalking (perceived or otherwise) I experienced over the last year or so.  Sadly, I have said good bye to many peeps with whom I had friendships and acquaintances. In the end it was a good decision/act on my part, as it freed me up from much stress.  It was something I had to do for ME.  So, I did!  I am using the “free” time and less stressful life to concentrate more on research and hopefully will get back to posting here on Reflections more often. I have so many travel photos/stories I would love to review and share, over 3 years worth!  YIKES!

We are still Rving whenever possible.  This summer, in a 6 week blitz, designed to keep us off the internet grid, we made a bucket list trip to Nova Scotia.  Man’s grandmother was born there and we had long wanted to visit.  The research did not tell us why she cannot be found in any records from Canada or the USA from 1901 till 1918, but, we enjoyed the time away. Nova Scotia is wonderful, like Maine, but, on steroids! This is the view from Tana's desk at one of our stops.  It's a miracle we came home.  

This winter we will be spending our time in Arizona, or that is the plan.  You know us, we drift with the wind, dust and sea mist.  No sea mist here, but, we have wind and dust.  And beautiful desert, mountains, and saguaro and the SUNSETS!!!  

We have continued to enjoy Winston, AKA, Sir Winston, the sweet and sassy yorkie.  He is quite the character and has his own “page” at Facebook, “Winston’s Wonderful Wanderings”.

We end the year thinking of the many dear friends and family that are also facing health issues.  You know what they say - - Getting old taint for sissies - - Isn’t that the truth??

To all of our friends that celebrate during this season, Christmas or another holiday, we wish you all the same, a holiday full of family, fond memories and great food, celebrating your reasons, your beliefs.

.

Living the Dash - - Isolde Ingeborg Hagen Bock - - RIP

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Though you deserve your rest our hearts are overflowing with sorrow. 
 Seeing you suffer and not being able to help you was our greatest pain.

 We say goodbye to my beloved Isolde,
 our mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law and friend

                            lsolde Bock
                            Nee Hagen

       09 September 1946 - 31 October 2016

 In affection

 The funeral will be held on Tuesday, 8 November 2016 at 2 pm at Korntaler
 Cemetery.

On October 31, 2016 our family lost another.  Isolde had suffered and fought cancer for a number of years.  She will be dearly missed by her husband, two children and five grandchildren.




*My profound apologies to the family for the unforgivable delay in publishing this post.

** My sincere thanks to internet friends who helped with the top photo and who helped me translate the German death notice.

.

A Story of RV Door Locks and Storms - - From the Dark Ages, 2007

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

In between life, death, doctors, shopping and other stuff, I am still cleaning out old emails and files.  This story is from 2007, found buried in old emails.  I have edited out portions, as looking back, reading with almost 10 years distance, I am not willing to share my observations made while under a lot of stress.  I was not totally kind.  Blue font is from the original email, black font are editorial comments added for this publishing.

April 17, 2007

Left Texas, weather overcast, get to Arkansas. (Town name removed for protection of the innocents that may live there now.)

Campground is in the back of a hotel, no biggie, been there, done that, okkkk.

Owner speaks English as a second language, makes conversation a challenge.

No wifi, no cable, electric 50 amp does not work, sewer connections broken, Man decides we are not gonna hookup water either (only to discover later that our onboard water has been used up, so, we have NO water at this point.)

OKKKK, we pull in, start getting set up and it starts raining, only rains when we set up these days.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Do our set up, and unload truck, including dogs, feed dogs, go to walk dogs (it has stopped raining for the moment) and find the place is invested with the biggest hills of fire ants I have ever seen.  Yipppeee, this makes my day, NOT!

Okkkkk, about 2 hours later, I have 3 dogs in my arms that need to take a quick potty break and I go to get out of Tana, and the door lock breaks.  Anyone remember our story from New Orleans, same thing, sorta, different failure, same result, we are LOCKED IN TANA!!!!!!!!!!!!  No, I am not kidding.

Man had the phone number of the park/campground office on his cell phone, so, calls this guy who seems to understand us, but whom we cannot understand, and he tells this guy, come down here and see if you can open the door from the outside.

He sends his son, who drives around looking for us (Looked like he thought we should be standing out there waiting for him???? WELL DUHHHH, we are locked in!!!)

Anyway, Man sets off the alarm on Big Butt, to attract his attention - - it did.

But, then Man is yelling thru the door, please try to open it, and the damned alarm is still going off.  DUHHH, Man, turn off the alarm!  (>G>)

So, the guy gets the door open,  offers to call a locksmith, nice offer, this is NOT a stickbuilt house, no locksmith is gonna be able to help us, thanks anyway. 

OKK, Man takes apart the lock, it is broken, a part falls into his hand.

Now, we cannot close the outer door, because we cannot get out again.  We are in a less than stellar park, kinda a creepy one, and we have to sleep with only the screen door closed, the main door remains hooked in the open position.  OKKKKKKK - - 

Skip to middle of the night, ohhhhh, midnight or so.

The weather radio starts going off, warning, watches, blah blah.  I get out maps, turn on the computer, pull up Streets and Trips, try to find a station on the shitty tv that will show me one of those warning maps.  30 minutes later, and it is going off every 5 minutes, Man wakes up!  Or, at least gets up.  Maybe he was awake, don't know, did not ask him.

Now, we cannot sit through a rain storm with just the screen door, even with the storm inserts we have, because it isn't water proof. IF it rains, rain is gonna come in.  Cannot shut the door or we are locked in again.  I volunteer to sit out any upcoming rain in the truck.  SIGHHH  (Thought was, I could shut the door, keep water out of Tana and let Man out in the morning.)

Nother thing, they are saying 60 mile an hour winds and hail.  I start to prepare to pull the slides in, 60 MPH winds are a bit much to sit through in a storm,

A hour or two later, I fall back asleep (as in passed out from exhaustion), Man sits up for I don't know how long. (No, I never did go sit/sleep in Big Butt, the worst of the storms passed us by.  Thankfully.)

Cut to the AM.  Got out of this town/campground.  Blechhhhh

(As Man drives) Carol gets on the cell phone and calls the lock manufacturer, the nice gal there helps me find a few numbers of RV dealers in Little Rock and in Jonesboro that might have the lock, she does not know for sure, but will ship me one, IF I can stay or be somewhere specific, to accept delivery on Monday.  SIGHH, let's try the dealers.

I call the first dealer, she stops me short, we don't sell that kind of RV, just the things that go in the back of a truck, they do not have the same door, "here are a couple of other numbers."

I end up with about 5 or 6 numbers, and most say they don't carry that brand of lock.  The gal in Jonesboro, asks me what kind of rig, I say, Montana, she says, "we DON"T WORK ON MONTANAs" and she was not real nice about it.  I asked her, not so nice about it, "YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU WON'T SELL ME A PART?????"  "OHH", she comes back, "hold on", then comes back and says, sweetly, "no we don't have that lock". DUHHHH

So, I go thru all the phone numbers, and finally find someone who actually knows what he is doing.  He has the lock, it is shiny silver, not black and he knows that the inside numbers don't mean much, and that it will fit.  Several of the other dealers, don't know about the numbers, they are key codes, NOT model numbers!  (2016 I have deleted purple words from 2007 version of this tome.)

So, he gives me great directions in, and he isn't chewing while he is on the phone with me, like one of the other guys I had previously spoken with.  I say, HOLD THAT LOCK FOR ME.

We pull in, directions were great, lock had our name on it, price was right, took our credit card, very nice people, and they don't sell Montanas, they sell Jaycos.  OKKKKK, we go out in the parking lot, Man takes the old lock off, puts the new one on, and in ohhhhh 30 minutes we are back in business.  Thank them again. and off we go.

Found lunch, late lunch on the north side of Little Rock, Waffle House!  Pigged out, smiled at our luck, no rain, no wind and a new lock on Tana.

Get to Jonesboro, campground is not much better than the last one.  Ewwwwwwwwww, but I want to be here for research, so we grin (????) and bear it.

Go to set up, and even tho the day had been delicious, sunny, wonderful, guess what - - 

IT RAINS ON US!!!!!!!!!!  No, I am not kidding.

Life is grand, eh??

I am not proof reading this, nor spell checking, cell phone connection is too lousy.

Thus ends the story of the broken RV door lock and the storms.  Cannot make this stuff up.  Man and I love the RVing life, but, there are days that are not fun.  Thankfully, there are not many of these.

Footnotes:  The research in Jonesboro was good, goals were accomplished and a few extra goodies were found as well.

We were able to get out of Jonesboro before the next major rain storm came, we ran 90 miles to a campground we knew had concrete everywhere and sat out the storm, wet, but, not muddy up to our armpits.

My memory says the door lock has never broken again and has only needed minor adjustments since.

Another day, another trip, another city, another saga.  Nope, you cannot make this stuff up.  When it rains it pours!

*  Image found online via Google Images search.  Source information was not recorded, I simply forgot to do so.  It's a typical RV lock.

.

Another Adventure - - Comes in the Middle of the Night - - a RVing Story - - From the Dark Ages (2007)

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

I have been spending some time lately cleaning old email. As I confessed on Facebook, it is becoming more and more obvious that I am a Email hoarder. I have email going all the way back to 2004 in one account, and 2005 in another. I know, I know.

Well, I have good reasons.
1.) I am lazy.
2.) I am too busy. (In other words, I choose NOT to deal with this stuff when I receive it)
3.) I just don't bother.
4.) Upon receipt, I know I want to keep it, but, I am too tired to decide what to do with it.

Whatever, I am attempting once again to deal with some of this mess. I figure if I deal with 100 emails I am 100 ahead, ya know??

Tonight, I found this one, dated April 7, 2007. No, I don't know why it is still hiding out in my email account, but, it is. And, so, I have decided that what I am going to do with it, is share it here, right now! Thus:

"Well, now, adventure??????????? comes to us in the middle of the night!

I woke about 4:30/5:00 AM. What woke me was this very very very loud shhhhhshhhhhhing noise.

After I stumbled around in here trying to find the source of this loud shhhhhshhhhing, I went outside to find a LAKE!! In our campsite and a stream of water rushing down the road behind us."

The water supply had sprung a leak. OUR water supply. Thinking it was our hose, I mucked over and shut off the faucet thingy. No change. Turned it the other way, thinking I turned the wrong way, (I was still not awake), and back the other way, several times.

STILL SHHHHHHSHHHHHHING. LOUDLY!

So, I go back in and wake Man and he tells me to turn off the faucet, well DUHHH, I am not that sleepy. So, he takes the flashlight and out he goes.

HMMMM, Man comes back in several minutes later and tells me, yaaa, the supply line is busted.

So, I call the office figuring I will get a answering machine and no more sleep, cause the SHHHHSHHHHING is so loud there is no way I am going back to sleep.

Some lady answered, heeellllloooooo, you know the one with the sleepy sound!??!??!??!??! <G>

So, I tell her we are leaking, and it is running down the road. She sounds VERY awake when she asks, what site???

Bout 10 to 15 minutes later some guy shows up with a bunch of wrenches, takes off the trap to the supply area, gets soaking wet, but shuts off the water.

So, now, we have no water, cept what is on board. They promised to come back when the sun comes up (sun is up, he can come anytime) and fix it.

He said it was extremely high water pressure and it blew off some fitting.

Never a dull moment??? HA HA"

(I did note in the email that the water was repaired and turned back on, so, all turned out just fine, thank you.)

Now, dear readers, please note that now I have one less email in the hoard and one more blog post. Also, note that I have discovered that this was written from somewhere around Burleson Texas and I have ABSOLUTELY no recollection of the event. So, I guess it can be a good thing, saving all those emails, right?

I mean, we are all laughing at Carol right now, right??  Ya, I knew you were.  Tis OK.  I'm laughing at me too!!




* Photo courtesy of Pixabay member Wokandapix.
CC0 Public Domain
Free for commercial use No attribution required

.

OH, Richard. I just know this is you even tho proof eludes - -

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

While cleaning email accounts the other night, I ended up over in a newspaper site for which I have a subscription. Of course, I typed in the surname "Lashbrook".

And, I found this very sad article, from the Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa, publication date: 1 December 1903, article heading:  "Iowa 42 Years Ago".  A bit of rough quick math tells me this tragic event would have originally happened about 1861.

Because of the "researchers knowledge" I have on this clan, it did not take me long to consider that the Mr. Lashbrook in this article, even though his given name is not stated, (nor the name of the boy), is this Richard Lashbrook Jr., son of Richard Lashbrook and his wife, Ann. Here is his baptismal record.

Here is just about everything I know about Richard Lashbrook, Jr. from my data base:

Not a lot there, here is what I have in my text notes:

"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.

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.

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.

Richard was not named in his father's will.  In the settlement of his mother's estate 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 and his estate went through the probate process, all 10 of Richard's 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."

That last sentence, died about the year 1862, and then, this article from 1903, but referencing 1861??

Yes, I know, the article is Iowa and it appears that Richard was in McHenry County Illinois for years.  From my years of research, I am also aware that several of the Lashbrook clan moved together, around 1855-1860 to Bremer County Iowa.  His widow, Betsey is enumerated in 1870 in Bremer County Iowa.

I know it's you Richard, I just know it is.

* I have written about Richard before, you will note, I had a wish list,

"Discover place and date of death and burial."

This is the first crack in that wall in over 2 years.

.

Building a House for $1,175.00, The Garage Will Cost Ya Another $30.00

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

The purging and cleaning of the offices goes on and on and on.  Headway, is slow, but, it is headway.

Today's find, agreement between builder/contractor and my great-grandmother Lorena for building of a home, 1924.  The contractor to furnish labor for all wood work, brick foundation, two flues, lathes and plaster, slate and shingles sufficient to cover house and porches, paint house two coats inside and out (color may be selected by owner). Contractor to furnish nails, electrical wiring.

Owner to furnish  lumber, brick, lathes, sash and doors, also a "pump drove", sand, lime for brick work and sand for plaster.  However, the contractor to supply the plaster for the interior.

Ah, the simple times.



.

The 4 Generation Photo:: 1948

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

And, the cleaning, organizing, purging of the offices continue.

Cept for a small issue of the scanners being all messed up.  Athena the computer is pitching hissy fits.  And, so, is Carol.  Man has uninstalled and reinstalled software, and still Athena is not a happy lady.

That said, I have managed to scan a few things, here and there.  Today, I somehow managed to review, and scan a few photos out of an album so I can "stow" it away.

Today's find, a 4 generation photo I do not remember scanning before.

This was taken around the holiday season, late 1948.  From the left the adults are my father, Donald Eugene Bowen I, his grandmother, Lorena Estelle Eley Norworthy Dews Harlow Lenahan Collins, his mother, Florence Ruth Dews Bowen.  On Lorena's lap, is yours truly.  Lorena would die in February of 1949.

Cleaning, organizing and purging has benefits other than simple cleaning and reducing clutter.  Sometimes it is re-discovering a 4 generation photo.

.

So, You Want to Publish Your Family History:: Some Random Thoughts, 1997 Style

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

So, Carol is on another cleaning frenzy.  This time it is old 3.25 inch floppy discs.  I found a few stacks.  I did not count, but, I believe I have reviewed 30 to 50 of them.  I have actually retrieved a few things.  This happens to be one of them.  It is part of a presentation I did for a local genie society in 1997 after I published my first family history. So, I thought I would share it here.  You have permission to adjust the terminology to 2016.  

So, you want to publish your family history? Here are some random thoughts, which may or may not help you along the way:

Study other family histories.  What do you like?  What don’t you like? My don’t likes: Hard to read due to font style or the size of the print.  Not sourced.  No places stated, only the dates.

Decide the scope.  Do you want to include photos?  Do you want to include documents? Include only documents of those who have passed?  Do you even want to include any living souls?

Do it YOUR way.

Give yourself plenty of time.  You will still be printing and organizing 12 hours before the book is due at the printers!

The ONLY way you will ever do this is to JUMP in with both feet!

It is gonna be scary!

Pace your self, this is going to take awhile.

Ladies, forget doing housework.

Get organized.  Or try!

Be nice to your significant other BEFORE you start this project.  You will need their support and understanding throughout the entire process!

Backup your data base constantly.  This cannot be repeated enough.  Back it up daily, or more frequently if you are doing a lot of input.  Make SEVERAL copies of your backup data.  Keep a copy near the computer.  Keep a copy somewhere else.  Send copies to friends for safe keeping.  BACK UPS ARE VITAL!!

Get on good terms with your computer hacker person BEFORE you start this project. You will need to turn to this person when the computer freezes while printing the last page of the index and in your panic you are not sure you have saved the document.

Get on good terms with your data base programmer.

Be on friendly terms with your postal carrier.

Try not to work when you are tired, that is when you make really big mistakes.  If you set a date for publication you will be working when you are tired.  SO--try not to set a publication date.

DO, set a deadline for submissions of data, photos, documents.  Submissions WILL come in AFTER the deadline and in fact will come in up to and after the date you have forwarded your book to your printer!

Try to use everything submitted.  However, I would suggest cropping photos depicting bras hanging on doorknobs. Crop the bra out of photos.

Remember, this is your family’s book.  You are ONLY the compiler.  This ain’t no novel, you probably will not win a Pulitzer Prize for this work.

Treat the family and all those that contribute to your work with respect--they are sharing themselves with you. Don’t take credit for other’s work!  Praise them for their assistance, remember this work would not happen without all the help they are giving you.

You won’t make everyone happy.

Have plenty of office supplies IN the house.  Ink for your printer--you will run out in the middle of your final print! Pens, paper--reams of it, sticky notes in several sizes, envelopes in several sizes.

Donate copies to libraries and historical societies in areas your ancestors lived in.  Future generations will look there.  Donate copies to the best research libraries in your country. Here in the US, that list would include the Family History Center, Salt Lake City.  Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Mid-Continent Library, Independence Missouri.  No, that is not an inclusive list.

When mailing, seal up the envelopes at all corners.  Require a signature when returning documents and photos that were so generously loaned to you for the book.

Be creative, be serious, be lighthearted, be generous.

Maintain balance about the project.  Maintain your sense of humor.  Have fun!

Expect everything to go wrong---it will at least once. But, HAVE FUN!




* Photo courtesy of Pixabay and Unsplash.  Photo is CC0 Public Domain, Free for commercial use. No attribution required.

.

.

Remembering: Tecumseh Spanish-American Memorial, Tecumseh, Lenawee County, Michigan

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Located at Brookside Cemetery, Union Street north of M-50 (Chicago Boulevard), Tecumseh, Lenawee County, Michigan.

In front of this monument are 3 cemetery stones, veterans of the Spanish-American War:

Jacob J. Yakle
Co. M 11 Inf.
Sp. Am. War

John J. Blessing
Co C
31 Mich. Inf.
Sp. Am. War

Fred J. Nobles
Co. C
31 Mich. Inf.
Sp. Am. War

The monument itself appears to be constructed of brick that has been painted.  It has a eagle at the very top. Each side has a brass plate with inscriptions.

On the front (east) is written:

In Memory of All
USWV
1898-1902

On the north side is written:

Dedicated to The
Area Residents
Who Served and Gave
Their Lives

World War II                               Korean War
1941-1945                                  1950-1953

On the back (west side) there is an American Eagle with flags. The inscription reads:

“We here highly resolve
that these dead shall
not have died in vain”
Abraham Lincoln

Edward Brazee        1934
Orville Gove             1931
Jack Hammel          1939
Nelson Hoekstra      1939
James O’Neil           1942
Gale Taylor              1943
Lester Wahl             1938
Donald White           1937
Charles Wilson        1933

Placed by
“Senior Echoes” staff, 1946
to honor alumni who gave their
lives in World War II

South side has a very unusual plate, which was cast in 1913 from metal recovered from the USS Maine, which was sunk in the Havana Harbor in 1898.  The plate holds the likeness of a lady with her arm outstretched, holding a shield that has the engraving of an eagle, itself holding a shield.  Above the eagle is the word Patriotism, below is the word Devotion.  The inscription of the plate reads:

IN MEMORIAM
USS MAINE
Destroyed in Havana Harbor
February 15, 1898
This tablet is cast from metal recovered from the USS Maine.

In the lower right hand corner of the plate is the letter c encircled, followed by CHECK SC, 1913 Cast by Jno. Williams Inc., NY.

This post is part of Heather Wilkinson Rojo's Memorial Day project,  The Honor Roll Project.

.

The FIRST Camping Vaca:: 1973

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Man and I have been camping a long time. Since 1973.  After his stint in the U.S. Navy, back home stateside, we had 2 weeks summer vaca from his job.  His parents had camping equipment.  We had very little money and two kids and a collie dog.  We decided that camping may afford us 2 weeks away, frugal and doable.  So, we borrowed a utility trailer from my dad, the camping gear from his parents, loaded up and we were off!

His parents joined us for some of the time.  It rained. And, rained.  And rained.  It rained about 75 % of the 2 weeks.

The "Tent" was 9 foot by 20 foot.  We called it a "army" tent.  If it was, I really am not sure. It was heavy! It had 4 ridge poles.  Lots of guide wires/ropes.  Lots of stakes.  Lots of work.  Took us 45 minutes to put it up, on a good day.

Cut to 2016, I have a new slide scanner I am testing out this weekend.  The first cube of slides contained 1973 camping photos.  Oh, yea!!  So, here are the first attempts with the new scanner and here we are camping in 1973.  Here is the tent, Carol at the picnic table, Man dumping water from the cooler, his Mom and son # 1.  The yellow things to the far right, are the boys Tonka truck collection.  

We had campfires when the rain was not putting them out.  This shot at night round the campfire.  Son # 2 in his yellow rain coat.  I am in a rain coat too, kinda an olive color. And, of course, Man, never chilly, just in the short sleeved shirt.

For years, I have had a memory of a photo from this vaca of me huddled by a campfire in that green rain coat, fire roaring, with the rain coming down.  I have yet to find a photo just like my memory provides, but, this one is close. I am huddled, hoodie up.  Man's mother has her hair covered with a rain cap.  Man, no jacket, of course.  The other gentleman, must have been a camper we met, do not recognize him.  If you look close you can see the campfire, pretty good one going.  Not sure you can see, but, on my computer with the ability to enlarge the photo a lot, there is rain dripping off of everything, the table, that bench on the right.  (Hey, as a reminder, if you click on the photo, it will open to a larger view, and I think you will see the rain drops on the bench that way!  LOL)  I am amused by my smirk.  I guess I was enjoying, even with the rain?

Our first camping trip.  1973.  Mid Michigan.  Rain.  Rain. And, more rain.  And wonderful memories.

And, I could not wait to go again in 1974.  

*  If you want to see our camping rigs, the full history via photos, you are invited to one of my other blogs/web sites, Reflections Goes RVing. This page has the images.

.

Mystery Ship, Aground Somewhere in the Outer Banks, North Carolina :: But WHERE? WHEN? SOLVED!

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

(Less than ONE hour after publishing this post and sharing it on FB, two Facebook friends had found the answer.  One happens to be a distant Lashbrook cousin of Mans.  The other is just a great virtual friend.  I have said it frequently, it takes a village.  And, the village rocked it this time.  Thank you both.  For the rest of my great readers:

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LST-292

~~~~~~~~~~

Cleaning, reviewing, sorting, scanning, questioning, researching, start again and again. Such is my life as a family researcher.  I learn something each time, I find new hints, I find stuff in files and in piles that I remember, but, never fully dealt with.  Yes, it is fun.  For me.

Recent find/review/question/research/frustration:

This little book of photos, from my grandmother Florence.  It measures about 4 inches by 4 inches.  (A quick Uncle Google search failed to present information on this name, or at least information that made sense to me at the time of the search.)

Inside the photos are of what appears to be a ship wreck.  Now, anyone who knows anything about the Outer Banks is well aware that there have been shipwrecks.  LOTS of shipwrecks.

Some of these photos scanned and cleaned up better than others.  I have no idea who this gentleman is.

I have no idea who this lady is either.

This one is horribly out of focus:

I find this photo interesting, as they captured a plane passing nearby:

This one, is very out of focus as well.

In this photo, my grandmother is wearing the peddle pushers.  Her clothing is darker in color than what the other 3 ladies are wearing. You can see numbers on the hull, 292. Note the open bay doors and the ramp.  I presume (??GULP??) this is some kind of a transport ship?

This is the last photo in the group, appears to be the last taken, it is the  last in the "book". As far as I know, that is the Cape Hatteras lighthouse.  My grandmother, Florence is the person in the middle of the back seat.

If you can help me figure out what the name of this ship is, and when it ran aground, please give me a yell.

.

Brain Storm Fizzled Out

Copyright 2010, err 2016 CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Now and then, I stop, I review old files and folders and usually find some little jewel. Today, I found this post I wrote in 2010, and never published.  Nope, I do not remember why I did not publish.  Just happened.  So, here it is, some six years later.  I have not worked on this name confusion in some time. So, for the most part, what I wrote six years ago stands, and so the confusion continues.

On September 18, 2010 I chatted a bit about a brain storm idea I had when ordering Social Security SS5 Application forms.

Well, it sorta fizzled.  Sorta.

Here is a bit of the back story.  Man's great-grandmother, Charlotte Louise Gehrke, born, well, see, that is the problem, she could be a Gruneman (Grunman) or a Grunbaum, or as I dubbed her, Charlotte Louise Gruendemann-Grunbaum. 

Why the confusion over one name??  This family is Lutheran, and I love Lutheran church records, well, for the most part I do, one EXCEPTION is when it comes to her name!  What follows is exactly what I have written about Charlotte in her text file on my data base:

"Her maiden name is given as Gruendemann and Grunbaum in church records of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pigeon/Linkville, Huron County, Michigan. On April 5, 1912 her children Carl (Charles) and Paul were confirmed, the pastor entered her maiden name as Grunbaum. On the 7th of April 1912, just two days later, Charlotte's sons John and Frank were confirmed by the same pastor. He gave Charlotte's maiden name as Grunbaum in John's record and as Gruendemann in Frank's record. The records appear on the same page of the record book. On April 12, 1914 the same pastor (August Deichmann) confirmed Charlotte's daughter, Julia and recorded Charlotte's maiden name as Gruendemann. The Lihue Lutheran Church of Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii records for the baptisms and confirmations and deaths of Charlotte's children all show her maiden name as Grunbaum."

Here is the confirmation record image for sons John and Frank:

 SEE, who wouldn't be confused??  She (that she would be me) asks while her head spins yet again.  It should be noted that the pastors of the church in Lihue and in Michigan were German, could read, write and speak it.  One allows, of course, for dialect differences.

Charlotte only spoke German according to her granddaughter (Man's mother).  Charlotte lived in their home for a number of years, Millie had strong memories of Charlotte. 

So, last summer when I was ordering some SS5 forms, I realized I had never ordered SS5s for several of Charlotte's children.  What if??  Be still my heart!  What did those forms reveal about Charlotte's maiden name??  I decide to order one for her eldest son and her eldest daughter.  Charlotte had 12 children, 10 of whom I am certain, number 11, I have my suspicions, and number 12 is a total mystery. Of her 10 known children, only 4 survived long enough to have applied for a Social Security number, and one of those is questionable.  The eldest 2 children were my best bet.

So, out came the credit $$ and I ordered those SS5s.  The first to arrive was for the eldest daughter, the one I was stumped on.  The eldest son's application took weeks.  It took so long, I actually called the Social Security Adminstration and asked after it.

The application finally arrived, and it gave her maiden name as Gruneman.  The eldest daughter pretty much wrote down the same thing, it is very hard to read, but, looks like Grunman to me.

At least they both used the basic same name, Grun(e)man. 

So, what is all this Grunbaum stuff in the other church records??  And, Gruendemann??

Fizzle - - - I don't know why I am feeling so let down about this.  I guess it would have been even more discouraging if one had written Grun(e)man and the other had written Grunbaum.  GROAN

Fizzle - - -



* Again, as I frequently do while I am writing a post, I did some more research, this time turning to my son (he is fluent in German) and daughter-in-law (she is German) for a rough translation of the two names.
Grun = Green   baum = tree    Greentree

Gruende = gruenden = establish/found   mann = man     Foundman?  Establisedman?  OK, that one obviously did not translate real well. 

OK, I can almost leap from green tree to green man, but that established/found man thingy has me totally confused.

.

RIP Tommy, He Really Lived the Dash!

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

One of our sweet daughter-in-laws lost her father late last week.  Man and I had only met Tommy a few times, briefly.  We never got to know Tommy very well.

There are many types of grief and sadness.  Today, I feel sadness that I did not get to know this quiet gentle man better.  I know I have missed a great opportunity to learn from him.

He lived that dash, you know, the dash between the date of birth and the date of death.

He excelled at his academic years, partaking of many activities offered by his college.  He served his country well. He raised two gorgeous spectacular daughters.  His step children appeared to have adored him.  His funeral was very well attended.  The church was packed.

Yes, Tommy really lived the dash.  RIP Tommy, RIP.

.

Better Not Ride That Bike on the Sidewalk Young Man

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

From the May 16, 1896 issue of the Michigan Messenger published at Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan.



"The new bicycle ordinance goes into effect tomorrow, May 15 and wheelman must keep off the sidewalks after 6:45 standard time in the mornings.  They can also use the walks after 10 o'clock at night but must carry a bell and a light."





*Graphic courtesy of Clipartheaven.com
.

"Over"?? And - - Review!

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

I have been processing images downloaded from Ancestry dot com.  I still have about 100 or so Virginia vitals to process.  Trouble is, as I work, I process two, which leads me to go look for more, and I end up with 5 more.  It's wonderful to be so blessed.

The other morning, I decided to work on the Darden clan.  I started processing this document:

As I was processing the facts and the image to add to my data base I noticed the large number 036 and the (over), in red.  Yes, I was reviewing as I processed.  Do I have the information off of each line?  No? Well input it silly girl.  Yes. Is it correct?  Next line - - review, review.

That 036 and (over) stopped me in my tracks.  What I did next was to go back to Ancestry and find the document again.  After just about a minute, there it was.

Here is a screen capture from Ancestry.  If you look to the right side of the image, near the top, you will see a small white arrow in a black circle, if you click on that arrow, you will go forward to the next image.  If you look down at the bottom left, you will see an icon for the "filmstrip".

I hover and opened the film strip.  Note the current image is highlighted (for lack of a better description) in the film strip.

I was interested in the next image, wondering, is that THE (over) image??  Boy, it sure looks likes it might be, it is nothing like the rest of the images in that film strip, and why isn't it?  

Yes, I opened that image to full screen, and yes, I was pleasantly surprised with the results, more information on the cause of death of Mrs. Darden:

When you study documents, do you ever wonder, is there more, a second page? Documents such as death certificates do not usually have a second page, but, if they do, it is worth the effort to have a look.  The thing is, you have to review those images carefully, the hint that there may be more information on page 2 is not always easily evident.

Pays to look at the (over) and review, review, review!  (And, that is why I figure I will never finish my research, and, I am so happy, who wants to be done anyway??)

*  Please refer to my "Disclaim THAT! Beholden to - -"  page.  I was not asked to review Ancestry, I pay my fees, they do not give me special deals.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.

.