Reading the Small Print

Copyright 2022, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Surfing newspapers archives can be and is addicting. I spend hours surfing those archives.  So much fun. Such a bonus and advancements in my data base.  Yes, some of my finds are tragic and so very sad.

Then, there are others.  Frankly, I was a bit surprised when this one was picked up by the indexing software.  

See that pale yellow highlighter?  That's my great-grandmother from my paternal lines.  I know it is not her hubby, as his initials were R. E.  And, the fact that this is from a 1935 newspaper.  Other research seems to indicate that he had passed about 1930. I would love to prove that, and, maybe some day I will.

I suspect this is an advertising "game", where they printed names of customers throughout the newspaper and if you found your name, you were awarded some small prize, like $5.00 of groceries, or some such.  No, I am not positive, that's a guess fueled by other similar finds over the years.

Small print, such fun.

* 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 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.

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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks -Week 10: Strong Woman

Copyright 2018, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This post as part of my participation in Amy Johnson Crow's 2018 version of the 52 Ancestors meme. This weeks prompt is, "Strong Woman - - what female in your family tree has shown remarkable strength, either physical or emotional?"

Man and I have been suffering from colds for a couple of weeks.  Sapped my will to do anything other than sleep and play solitaire.  I know better than to think I will ever catch up, but, patching sometimes will slow down the floods, eh??  Therefore - - 

I have written so much about some of my strong women in my ancestry here on Reflections.  So, when this prompt came up, I went, oh, dear.  And, so, I am going to take the "easy" way out once more.

So for this prompt, I choose to highlight once again, Lorena.  My great-grandmother.  My dad's grandmother.  He told me on more than one occasion that maybe she "poisoned" her hubbies with mushrooms.  She had 5 and they all died or disappeared from our family history. Needless to say, 5 marriages, 2 children by her first marriage, 6 children by her second marriage, and the mystery surrounding the passing of several of her hubbies, well, can we say, post fodder?  Oh, yes we can.  I have written about Lorena and her extended family well over 30 times here on Reflections.

So, without further ado, here is a link to the search of Reflections for the keyword, LORENA.  

Here she is just months before her passing, with, yeppers, yours truly as a wee bit of a babe.  To the left, my father. Sitting on the right arm of the chair, his mother, Florence.  And, ya, I have written about those two a time or two here on Reflections as well.

*  #52ancestors

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Loving Review and Chancery Cases - - Mills Norsworthy Turns 21

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

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

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

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

Rough transcription:

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

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

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

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

Yes, I love review and Chancery Cases.

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

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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.



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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.

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Robert Emmett Lenahan, A Bio of Sorts, The REALLY Good Stuff Found, Part 3

Copyright 2013, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

OK, even I will admit that Part 2 of this series was a bit dry.  Timelines don't make the most fascinating reading, but they do tell the story.

Here is the fun part.

I have know about Robert for well over 20 years.  He evaded me at every turn for many of those years.  It was recently that some new data bases became available and new avenues of research were revealed.

The most exciting part of this process was receiving the pension application papers from the National Archives.  I had a professional researcher pull the files.  His knowledge of how the system works was worth the small fee I paid him to pull and mail me the file.

The file contained 18 pages.  Three of those pages contain information that took my breath away.

First of all I got signatures.  Four of them.  Robert's of course, and Lorena's (of course, whispered with a giggle, because, I am pretty sure I do not have hers).  I also found that two of her witnesses on her application were her daughter and daughter's husband.

And, Lorena's signature, and that of her daughter Rena and Rena's husband, Robert Nunnally. Since I knew Rena personally, I recognized her handwriting immediately.  How fun!

Robert's application is dated April 22, 1922.

Robert claims that between the 12th of May 1898 and sometime in September 1898 he served as a Civil Engineer for the Cuban Army 3d Regiment 3d Division 3 Army Corp at Santiago Cuba.  He states he lived in Memphis and Norfolk since his service.

Additionally Robert swears that:

1.)  He was born January 1, 1861 in Memphis Tennessee.  (NEW!!)

2.)  His first wife was one Lizzie Snograss, whom he married on September 13, 1896 and divorced in 1904 at Memphis Tennessee.  (Maiden name NEW, divorce data NEW)

3.)  His second wife, my ancestress, is Lorena Lenahan, maiden name Lorena Eley, whom he married on August 20, 1918 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.  (Place of marriage, VERIFIED!)

This pension application then gives information about Lorena and her prior marriages, and this is when my heart stopped.  I have looked for some of this information for over 20 years.  Looked and looked and looked some more.  Many research hours spinning microfilm.  Sometimes spinning the same film time and time again.  Phone calls, personal visits, volunteers helping me time and time again.  And, despite ALL this effort the dates and places I wanted, evaded me.

1.)  Lorena's first husband was Mills Norsworthy, whom she married at Chuckatuck (Virginia).  Mills died, (be still my heart), July 20, 1886.  (NEW!!!!) (I have yet to locate this death date despite years of looking.)

2.)  Lorena's second husband was W. H. Dews (my direct ancestor) whom she married October 27, 1887 and who died on December 31, 1906.  (NEW!!!!) (My heart took another jump, as I have been looking for the actual date of his death for years.  His burial place is family tradition, the church burned in 1943.)

3.)  Lorena's third husband was James Harlow, whom she married April 5, 1910 at Berkley Virginia and divorced in 1915 at Norfolk.  Sadly, Lorena seems to have reported the marriage date wrong, as I have her marriage certificate from the Commonweath of Virginia, it is dated April 4, 1911.  But, the year of divorce matches the divorce data I received from the City of Norfolk.

Lorena applied for a Widow's pension on March 31, 1931.  From that application we learn:

1.) That Robert Emmitt (sic) Lenahan died January 18, 1930 in New Orleans.  (Full date NEW!)

[She restates that she married Robert August 20, 1918 in  Elizabeth City, North Carolina, her previous husband had been James Harlow whom she had divorced.  That Robert had been previously married to Lizzie, whom he divorced in 1910 (note year conflicts with the data that Robert gave in 1922).]

Two legal sized sheets of paper loaded with information I had been searching for since 1991, give or take.

I have not stopped happy dancing!

As I continue to review and study the pension applications, I may discover some more little tidbits of data.  That said, I am ecstatic with the death dates of Lorena's first two husbands, and that of Robert and the signatures!

*  The disclaimer, I have a subscription to Ancestry.com for which I pay the current fees.  They have not asked me to review their services, good or bad.  Please refer to my Disclaimer page.

** Graphic courtesy of danhortonszar.com

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Robert Emmett Lenahan, A Bio of Sorts, The Time Line, Part 2

Copyright 2013, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

After reading the wonderful letter shared with me by Jonnie, and after reviewing her family tree at Ancestry I set out to dig out what I could find out about Robert Emmett Lenahan.  The following time line was constructed from Jonnie's information, census enumerations, marriage records, city directories and Robert's Pension Application (for the supposed service in the Spanish American War).

First note, a surname with a vowel every other letter will challenge your creative spelling.  Lenahan, Linahan, Linehan, Lanahan, and so forth - -  thank goodness for wild cards.

So, lets see if I can build a time line for Robert, more information on the sources available upon request.

1861, Birth, full date of January 1, 1861 and conflicting information of birthplace of Memphis Tennessee from the Pension Application.

1870 U.S. Census of Range 5, Marshall, Mississippi, Post Office: Byhalia, Robert E. Lenahan, age 10, born Mississippi is found in the household of Henry and Maria Lenahan, both of whom were born in Ireland (noting that the enumerator first indicated that Henry and Maria were both born in North Carolina.)  This information matches that from Jonnie's uncle Benjamin's letter, that they were born in Ireland and that they lived in Byhalia.

1880 U.S. Census - - still hunting for him.

From the data base at Ancestry: U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 (all further references to directories came from the same data base.)

1888, Memphis, Tennessee: Robert E Lenahan, 176 Linden, occupation, fireman stmr.  Noting, he was not living with any other Lenahan family members.  Also note, occupation shown as fireman, which matches Jonnie's uncle Benjamin's letter.

September 29, 1896, marriage to one Mrs. Elizabeth Finley in Shelby County, Tennessee.  She will later be identified in Robert's pension application as Lizzie Snodgrass.  (Shelby County has lots of wonderful records online, digitized, ooo, laa laa.)

1897 Memphis, Tennessee, City Directory, Robert E Lenahan, 34 Exchange extd S, occupation: Laborer City Eng Dept.

1898 Memphis, Tennessee, City Directory, Robert E Lenahan, 82 Robeson, occupation: Laborer

1900 United States Federal Census, Memphis Ward 18, Shelby, Tennessee, Robert E Lenahan 39, birthplace, Mississippi and Lizzie 44.  Marital Status:Married, Marriage Year: 1896, Father's Birthplace: Ireland; Mother's Birthplace: Ireland

1902  We find a reference to Robert Emmett in the data base at Ancestry called UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960.  The data base comes from the National Archives of London, England.  This reference is to a passenger list from 1902 where a Robert Emmett Lenahan, electrician, aged 39 is aboard the ship Southwark, headed back to New York City.  If you check the dates of the Boer War, which Jonnie's uncle Benjamin mentions in his letter, you will find that the end date is 1902. Here is a short page at Wikipedia.

1910 United States Federal Census, Civil District 6, Shelby, Tennessee, Robert E. Lenahan, age 46, Birth Year: 1864, Birthplace: Mississippi, Single, living in the household  of Madison F. Mathews, occupation, hired man, Father's Birthplace: Ireland; Mother's Birthplace: Ireland.  Note, Lizzie (Elizabeth) is not living in this household.

1904 to 1910 We also learn from Robert's Pension Application that Robert and Lizzie are reportedly divorced, either in 1904 or in 1910.  We find listings for Lizzie, or Elizabeth Lenahan, WIDOW in Memphis Tennessee directories from 1904 through 1933.  In the 1934 directory she is listed as Mrs. Elizabeth Lenahan with no reference to Robert.  Records for a said divorce have not been searched for.

1918 Robert E. Lenahan marries my ancestress, Lorena Estelle Eley Norsworthy Dews Harlow, their marriage has been found on two indexes, one for Norfolk, Virginia and one for Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, North Carolina.  The Pension application papers claim that the marriage took place in North Carolina.  This marriage record will be ordered soon, certified, directly from the county, as soon as I can get a money order procured.

1920 U.S. Census, Washington Magisterial District, Norfolk County, Virginia as follows:  Robert Leenahan, age 59, married, born Tennessee, parents both born in Ireland, laborer, public works; Lorena, wife, age 53, married, born Virginia, both parents born Virginia, running boarding house.

1930 to 1931.  Lorena's Widow Pension Application in 1931 reveals that Robert E. Lenahan died in New Orleans, Louisiana January 18, 1930.  Several searches of indexes covering this area have not revealed any death, various spellings have been checked.  Either the death was not recorded, it was recorded with a spelling I have not hit upon yet or he did not actually die in New Orleans.  But, her application does match the family tradition revealed in Jonnie's uncle Benjamin's letter.

We have yet to discover a burial place for Robert.

For the record, Robert's pension application was denied on grounds that his service could not be proven.  Of course, Lorena's widow's pension application was also denied on the same grounds.

*  The disclaimer, I have a subscription to Ancestry.com for which I pay the current fees.  They have not asked me to review their services, good or bad.  Please refer to my Disclaimer page.

** The research continues, I am sure there will be new findings, and/or findings reported here that may be proven in error.  Such is the nature of research.  One step forward, 1.5 steps sideways.

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Robert Emmett Lenahan, A Bio of Sorts, The Beginning, The Hints, Part 1

Copyright 2013, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

On November 10, 2013 I wrote, Military Index Cards - - Lorena, I Don't Believe You Fed Him Poisonous Mushrooms, the beginning of the breakdown of a research wall that has been solid brick for over 20 years.

A few more days of research, including hiring some work done in the National Archives and the sharing of a family letter/story with me, and now, I am going to try to paste together a bit of Robert Emmett Lenahan's life story.

First, a correction or note about my previous post.  It seems after receiving and studying Robert's pension file, his application for a pension was denied, as no proof of service could be found.  So officially, he did not serve.

During my research binge on Robert I contacted a lady with a family tree on Ancestry.  And much to my total delight, she responded.  With great stories.  And, those stories had research hints/leads.  Let's start with some of my conversations with Jonnie.  She has given permission for me to share.  Bless her.

"I have a letter written by my uncle, Benjamin Frank Court, that lists his mothers brothers and sisters and there is one on the list, Emmitt, that he called  "Uncle Em".

Uncle Frank, did not know the names of his mother's mother and father, but said they migrated from Ireland and settled in Byhalia, Mississippi and  his grandfather was a shoemaker, but that was all he knew about them.

I find a Robert E. Lenahan marriage to Lizzie Lenahan in 1896 but nothing else about a family. Uncle Frank never mentioned a family, but that doesn't mean there was not one. Uncle Frank was over 90 years old when he wrote the information down for me, and did pretty good remembering as much as he did. Uncle Frank's letter said that "Uncle Em" moved to New Orleans after his mother, Grandmother Rose died and and when Uncle Em died, died, "Uncle Jim" oldest boy, went New Orleans and took [care] of funeral and buried him in New Orleans."

Jonnie actually shared images of two pages/portions of the letter written by her uncle Benjamin.  Here is part of one page.  I cropped this section out of the full page and digitally tweaked it a bit for ease in viewing. Two words from a previous thought/paragraph were removed, again for clarity purposes.  I cannot thank Jonnie enough for sharing and allowing me to use her information and image.

Jonnie also provided transcriptions of parts of her uncle Benjamin's letter, as follows:

"Uncle Emmett, we called him Uncle Em. He joined the fire dept. He was a fireman. He was on a (???) story building. The floor burned our. He fell through, stuck a hot nail in his foot. Was off work for awhile. Was on another building, on the roof. It was on an alley, the wall caved in. He fell and caught the roof on a building across the alley.

When the English went to war with the Boars in South Africa, for the diamond money, he went to England and joined the English army. Went to South Africa, fought the Boars. Was a Captain in the English Army. When the war was over, he came back.

"He was a traveler from place to place. When Christmas came, regardless of where he was, he would send to his sister, my mother, a Christmas card. He would appear sometimes, have dinner with us, go see his brother, Jim, come back, tell his sister good by. We would not see him for a long time. When he got old, he came stayed with us. When mother died, (Aug. 27 1919) he went to New Orleans, later died there. Uncle Jim, oldest boy, went to New Orleans and took care of his funeral. He is buried somewhere there."

As with all letters and family traditions and stories, there are a few small errors, but, a tremendous amount of insight.

Next, a timeline of sorts, some dates/facts from new discoveries, some dates/facts from prior research and information I had on Robert and Lorena.




* The disclaimer, I have a subscription to Ancestry.com for which I pay the current fees.  They have not asked me to review their services, good or bad.  Please refer to my Disclaimer page.

**Note spelling of "Boar" is that of Jonnie's uncle Benjamin.  The actual spelling is "Boer". Thanks John for the heads up on the spellings.

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Military Index Cards - - Lorena, I Don't Believe You Fed Him Poisonous Mushrooms

Copyright 2013, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

My great grandmother, Lorena Estelle/Estella Eley Norsworthy Dews Harlow Lenahan Collins was married FIVE times!  Lorena outlived each and every husband.  All FIVE!  My father used to tell me she must have fed them poisonous mushrooms. He was just kidding - -

Her fourth hubby, Robert E. Lenahan has been a bit of a brick wall (so was hubby number 1, Mills Norsworthy, but, this is about Robert).

Years ago, early in my research, I found a marriage index for what was then, Norfolk County Courthouse at Portsmouth Virginia.  Year, 1918.  I tried to find that marriage license, it was even given a number in that index.  I tried several times, in all courthouses in the Norfolk area.  I also tried from the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The effort was a total fail.  I was always more than befuddled by that failure.

Recently, I found another marriage index, this time over in North Carolina for the same couple and the same date, right to the very day.  For a variety of reasons, that marriage record has not yet been procured, but, that will change soon!

This weekend while cleaning email and working diligently on the family history data base, I wandered in and out of Ancestry, FamilySearch, Fold3 and Find A Grave.  And, I found, this!

Over the last couple of days I have (along with the help of some good genie angel researching friends) discovered some more about ole Robert here.

So, Happy Veteran's Day Robert, thank you for your service (which happened between May 12, 1898 and September 1898) during the Spanish American War era.

I am not sure I have any other Spanish American War vets, you may be my first.

Now, I am off to learn some more about Robert.  And, I have some pension files to try and get copies of.




* The required disclaimers: I am a user of Ancestry, FamilySearch, Fold3 and Find A Grave.  I pay the required memberships to access those that require fees.  I have not been asked to chatter about their services, good or bad.  I refer you to my Disclaimer page.

**  Ohhh, and there is this family tree I discovered on Ancestry, that shows Robert living around Memphis Tennessee for a number of years, with a wife, Lizzie.  Yep!  Am I surprised??  Not much, remember, I have been researching Archibald Norman Lashbrook, aka Arthur Norman Stevens for years!

*** This also pretty much busts up a family tradition/story that Robert just up and disappeared one day and that 7 years later she had him declared dead.

**** By the way, Robert died in Louisiana in 1930 per another index card I found.  Lorena resided in the general Norfolk area all of her adult life.  I may get another surprise or two when and if I get the pension application file, but, somehow Dad, I don't think she fed him any poisonous mushrooms.

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