Reflections From the Fence: June 2024

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Hannah Amelia “Millie” Lush, Died 1909, Well, MMM, Newp, Research As it Is Series

This continues a series of posts, done in an efficient (make that speedy fast) manner to share some research on the ancestors. This is NOT intended to be the end all to end all report. It's a work in progress, to show you what I have found, right or wrong. Kind feedback is welcomed via comments.

Let’s begin - -

Meet - - Hannah Amelia "Millie" Lush - -

Two weeks ago in my data base, this was all I knew:

The source for the death information was the Missouri Death Index, pre-1910. There is surely a entry for such a Hannah Lush, mmmmm, ceptttttt, on review of the index and my data base, I remind myself, that the Hannah that died in 1909 was actually one Hannah Jane Alderman, wife of George Washington Lush. George is a full blood brother of Hannah Amelia Lush. So easy to see why researchers have confused the two. Especially when Hannah Amelia has been a bit difficult to chase round the genie globe.

So, after about a week of research (between gardening and such), let us see how Hannah Amelia is represented on my data base now:

From my notes:

Hannah A Lush

in the 1850 United States Federal Census

Name Hannah A Lush

Gender Female

Race White

Age 10

Birth Year abt 1840

Birthplace New York

Home in 1850 Byron, McHenry, Illinois, USA

Attended School Yes

Line Number 15

Dwelling Number 32

Family Number 33

Household Members (Name) Age

Hiram C Lush 45

Jane Lush 33

Louisa Lush 18

Asa T Lush 16

Eugene Lush 15

George W Lush 12

Hannah A Lush 10

Lymon L Lush 8

Lucius Lush 6

Oscar Lush 4

Rebecca Barker 77

SOOOOOOOO use some caution, noting I have not found Hannah Amelia on the 1860 census nor any indexes for 1860 (***** see below for possible info on presumed hubby, Lonson). I found no marriage at the Illinois Marriage Index, Office of the Secretary of State, (online) June 2024, nor any indication of a marriage anywhere else, for that matter:

Milley Manson

in the 1870 United States Federal Census

Name Milley Manson

Age in 1870 30

Birth Date abt 1840

Birthplace New York

Dwelling Number 303

Home in 1870 San Francisco Ward 11, San Francisco, California

Race White

Gender Female

Post Office San Francisco

Occupation Keeping House

Inferred Spouse Lucon Manson

Inferred Children Frank Manson

Ruby Manson

Household Members (Name) Age

Lucon Manson 39

Milley Manson 30

Frank Manson 6

Ruby Manson 4

Paul Albian 19

Millie Manzer

in the 1880 United States Federal Census

Name Millie Manzer

Age 39

Birth Date Abt 1841

Birthplace New York

Home in 1880 San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

Street Pine St

House Number 2730

Dwelling Number 28

Race White

Gender Female

Relation to Head of House Wife

Marital Status Married

Spouse's Name Lonson Manzer

Father's Birthplace New York

Mother's Birthplace New York

Occupation Housekeeper

Household Members (Name) Age Relationship

Lonson Manzer 49 Self (Head)

Millie Manzer 39 Wife

Frank E. Manzer 16 Son

Rubena Manzer 14 Daughter

Minnie Manzer 9 Daughter

Lonson Manzer 1 Son

From the San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, California, published October 16, 1897:

“MANZER - - In this city, October 15, at 1625 Devisadero street, Amelia M., wife of L. M. Manzer, a native of Illinois, aged 58 years.

**Notice of funeral hereafter.”

From the San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, California, published October 17, 1897:

“DIED

(In order to secure absolute correctness in announcements of funerals, friends of the deceased should bring notices to the business office of “The Examiner,” 756 Market st., corner of Grant ave.)

…

Manzer, Amelia H. - - 58 y.

AND:

“MANZER - - In this city, October 15, Amelia H., beloved wife of L. M. Manzer, a native of New York, aged 58 years 3 months and 1 days.

*** Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral to-day (Sunday), at 2 o’clock p.m., from her late residence, 1623 Devisadero street. Interment, Masonic Cemetery.”

Next I chased the 4 children named in the various census enumerations, Frank, Ruby, Minnie and Lonson. For Frank, I found no references to his mother's name. However I did find him living at the same address on Devisadero street in the California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 for the years 1892 and 1896.

Ruby, I found 2 references, one on the Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Mother: Amelia H Lush and in the Nevada Death Index and the death certificate: Mother: Amelia Manzer, maiden name, Lush.

Minnie (oh, we will deal with her in depth in a future post). No reference to her mother's name has been located, but, her obituary does state the names of her siblings.

Lonson (Jr.) I found no reference to his mother's name anywhere. His father is mentioned by name.

So, the results - - mixed - - and yes, that does tend to leave me ever so slightly hesitant.

If we review the last newspaper clipping for Amelia we note the intended burial place, Masonic Cemetery.

I find the following at Find A Grave:

Masonic Cemetery

San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA

Turk, Fulton, Parker and Masonic Streets

San Francisco, California, USA

Coordinates: 37.77670, -122.45040

The Masonic Cemetery (1864-1901) was located between Turk, Fulton, Parker and Masonic Streets on what is today the University of San Francisco. The tombstones were used as fill on the approaches to the Golden Gate Bridge.

In June of 1901 an unknown number of bodies from the Masonic Cemetery were moved to the Japanese Cemetery in Colma.

The rest of the remains from the Masonic Cemetery were moved to Woodlawn Cemetery in Colma.

** Our Hannah Amelia is not listed on Find A Grave in this cemetery as of June 2024.

Per Find A Grave, she is not listed at Woodlawn either, June 2024.

* Disclaimers, I use Find A Grave, Ancestry dot com, FamilySearch, several newspaper subscriptions, free sites, such as Virginia Chronicles, Virginia Chancery Cases online at the Library of Virginia and more to research my ancestors. I pay for subscriptions, full price.

** My judgements may or may not be correct. Transcriptions may or may not have errors.

*** Links, URL's, for the most part will not be included henceforth on my posts, as so many of them change and then I have to come back and try to re-discover and relink. Frankly folks, I have no desire to spend my limited time here on this side of the sod with those kinds of do overs. As researchers, or just members of the internet community, sites such as Find A Grave are easy to find, some are free to use and with the information I am sharing with you, hopefully, you can duplicate the research/findings. That said, I have seen memorials at Find A Grave be removed. If you have questions, I suggest you leave a nice comment for me. OR find the method I have outlined on my blog for contacting me.

**** I hope the usual happens, within hours, sometimes minutes, I do another search and something shows up. Well, I can hope.

***** I did find a Lonson Munger in the 1860 census index for Pine Grove, Sierra, California, which states a gentleman by that name resides there, is 30 years of age, born New York, married (no wife to be found on that enumeration), working in a fruit store. I am treating with reservations. I do note, however, that Lonson Manzer's reported parents are buried in McHenry County, Illinois, Hannah Amelia's home in 1850, this does add to my comfort level on the research.

****** This study is a great example of "spelling don't count". Just sayin - -

Monday, June 10, 2024

Thelma Mildred Fanning, Found Infant, Reunited, Research As It Is Series

This continues a series of posts, done in a very efficient (make that speedy fast) manner to share some research on the ancestors. This is NOT intended to be the end all to end all report. It's a work in progress, to show you what I have found, right or wrong. Kind feedback is welcomed via comments.

Let’s begin - -

Meet - - Thelma Mildred Fanning.

The back story:

For about the last year and a half I have been immersed in a review process, and it is ongoing. It has been a challenge, fun, frustrating at times, productive, worth while and, did I say ongoing?? It started when I decided to go all in with Apple, no more Windows and Parallels add ons on the computers. Well, that was the plan. Cept, I did not plan well, or think it out, and the GEDCOM from Legacy to Reunion went, poorly, to say the least. I lost literally thousands of links to research/multimedia. Sources, I am a lumper, jumped from around 2000 to well over 7000. Of course, I did not realize how bad it was and I started changing the data base by adding peeps, and so forth. I may have tried doing input to both Legacy and Reunion at the same time, I do not advise, it is, or was for me, a nightmare.

I am happy to say that I have made a lot of progress and for the most part, I am very happy with the results. I did say, it is on going, right??

As I work, undoing the messes I made, I tend to do a bit of research along the way. And, thus, I discovered Thelma this past weekend.

Her parents marriage did not last long and both married again. She seems to be an only child.

This is all I could find on Thelma, a short life, no story, just a death certificate.

There is no memorial for Thelma at Find A Grave. No death notice or obituary was found at Genealogy dot com or Newspapers dot com.

So, little, but, welcome home Thelma, found and reunited with your parents, at least on my database.

** My judgements may or may not be correct. Transcriptions may or may not have errors.

**** I hope the usual happens, within hours, sometimes minutes, I do another search and something shows up. Well, I can hope.

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Rosa Isabelle Lashbrook, Died When ? Research Report, the As It Is Series

Let’s begin - -

Meet - - Rosa Isabelle Lashbrook

Rosa has been known to this researcher for many years, here is what we know:

From the Cedar Falls Gazette, Cedar Falls, Iowa, published January 21, 1876:

“Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors

[Continued from last week.]

Wednesday, Jan. 5, 1876.

Board convened pursuant to adjournment. Members all present.

…

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STEWARD OF THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY POOR HOUSE FOR THE YEAR 1875.

…

Rosa and Hattie Lashbrook admitted Oct. 29: discharged Nov. 28, 1875.

…

I find during the year there has been admitted at the pro house, 95; discharged (?? cannot read) … 15; number died, 3; number births, 3; the number weeks of substance furnished, 740 and 4 days.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

H. A. HENDERSON.”

* we note that the article was long and the image was at times difficult to read. Hattie is Rosa's sister.

Rosa Lashbrook

in the 1880 United States Federal Census

Name Rosa Lashbrook

Age 8

Birth Date Abt 1872

Birthplace Iowa

Home in 1880 East Waterloo, Black Hawk, Iowa, USA

Dwelling Number 62

Race White

Gender Female

Relation to Head of House Stepdaughter (Step Daughter)

Marital Status Single

Father's Birthplace Illinois

Mother's Name Lucy A. Cook

Mother's Birthplace Iowa

Household Members (Name) Age Relationship

William E. Cook 51 Self (Head)

Lucy A. Cook 26 Wife

George Cook 20 Son

Rosa Lashbrook 8 Stepdaughter (Step Daughter)

Hattie Lashbrook 5 Stepdaughter (Step Daughter)

I have a death register record out of Black Hawk County, Iowa. That record can be accessed at FamilySearch dot org.

Rosa Isabella Dashbrook, 1880.

Name Rosa Isabella Dashbrook

Sex Female

Age 8

Birth Year (Estimated) 1872

Birthplace Waverly

Death Date 11 Jul 1880

Marital Status Single

Race white

Event Type Burial

Event Date 12 Jul 1880

Event Place Waterloo, Black Hawk, Iowa, United States

Source Details bk1 p1 cn3

Reference Items 3-5

* we note the slight error in indexing her surname.

Recently when digging around in newspaper data bases I found this:

Found in the June 8, 1899 issue of the New Hampton Gazette, New Hampton, Iowa. These three children all died in July of 1880. The newspaper was located via the Community History Archive, Chickasaw Iowa, web site.

“Three Children Drowned.

Waverly Independent: The Daily Waterloo Reporter, extra, published Sunday afternoon, gave an account of the great wreck and storm the night before, and closed with the following paragraph: One of the saddest features of the day was the drowning of three children - - all playing or wading in the various ponds left by the receding waters. Freddie Siberling, son of P. J. Siberling, was wading, in a place at the foot of West Sixth and stepped into water beyond his depth. His only companion was a little six year old boy and he failed to give an alarm soon enough to permit a rescue. Charles Merwin, son of Henry Merlin, was drowned in a sand hole across the Illinois Central tracks on the Independence road, while wading. Cora Lashbrook, a step daughter of W. E. Cook, living about four miles north of town was drowned in a pond while wading in it, and dropping into a hole.”

*We note her given name is said to be Cora, it is not, it is Rosa.

I will confess that I brooded over this article, dated 1899, for a couple of weeks. How could a death from 1880 be recorded in a newspaper dated 1899, as if she had died in 1899? One explanation, in hindsight, is that many newspapers ran "50 years ago" type articles. Or, 20 years ago, or 30 years ago, or 40 years ago. You get the idea.

Now and then, over the last month or so, I searched Ancestry dot com and FamilySearch dot org again, and again, and again. Found : Nadda new. Finally, I reviewed the death records/register of the county (FamilySearch) and all three of these children did in fact die in 1880. Their deaths are all recorded on the same page of the register, recorded as items 3, 6 and 7 of that page. I still have no explanation of this article suddenly appearing in 1899.

I did search for the Waterloo paper named, and found copies of several different papers published at Waterloo via the NewspapersArchive. I finally did stumble upon this (I admit to being quite clumsy using the search facilities of NewsapersArchive.) The search did not find her with the surname Lashbrook as my search querie, but, searching Cook did. (Her mother married William E. Cook in January 1878 in Black Hawk County, Iowa.)

From the Waterloo Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, published July 14, 1880:

“Obituaries

…

ROSA I LASHBROOK

A stepdaughter of Wm. E. Cook, living about four miles northeast of the city, was drowned about half past twelve o’clock Sunday. It appears that the little girl, who was about 8 years, 8 months, and eight days old, went out with another girl to take a walk, and on their way they came to the bank of a creek about one-fourth of a mile south of the house. The water had filled up the banks and gullied out many deep holes. This girl, while walking along the bank, slipped into one of these holes and sank. Her companion ran back to the house and gave the alarm. Mr. Cook went to the place where she was drowned and after considerable effort succeeded in getting the body out of the water. The funeral services were held last Monday afternoon.”

I searched all Waterloo papers at NewspaperArchive for 1899, hoping to find the article referenced by the New Hampton Gazette, so far, nadda.

In review for writing this blog post, I did, once again, visit Ancestry dot com where I located this article, not seen in any of my prior searches. Do overs/reviews can result in "goodies" now and then:

From the Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, published July 16, 1930:

“FIFTY YEARS AGO

Wednesday, July 14, 1880.

Following a cloudburst Dry Run rose to a record height last Saturday night. The fire bell early Sunday morning called the people out of their homes to battle with the rising waters. People living along the run left their homes. Street Commissioner S. M. Hoff estimates 12,000 feet of board sidewalk was either washed away or displaced. Bridges over the run were washed out and plank crossings floated away. The most thrilling feature of the flood was the rescue of marooned persons. Some of these were done at great peril to life.

Three persons were drowned in Waterloo and vicinity last Sunday. They were Fred Siberling, 10-year-old son of P. J. Siberling; Charles H. Merwin, 13-year-old son of Mr and Mrs. H. E. Merlin, and Rosa Lashbrook, young stepdaughter of W. E. Cook, living four miles northeast of here. It was reported that three others lost their lives that day by drowning, John Carney, 17, of Eagle township, and two young children of La Port City, but we have been unable to obtain any particulars.

The body of the Siberling boy was found Sunday afternoon near the foot of Sixth street west. The Merlin boy was drowned in a gravel pit one-half mile east of town along with I. C. Railway and the Lashbrook girl was drowned in a creek into which she accidentally slipped while walking along the bank. She was 8 years old.”

Rosa has no Find A Grave memorial of of June 2, 2024. No memorial found at BillionGraves.

I am left with mixed emotions, it is always fulfilling in a genie kinda way to know more about the lives and deaths of ancestors. It is also frequently very sad, as in Rosa's story.

** My judgements may or may not be correct. Transcriptions may or may not have errors.