Sunday Morning Sunrise

The pictures below are for Susan. As we were having lunch the other day she wondered what pictures I had taken that would show what it was like in Indiana while I was there but at the time I hadn't taken any. These were shot this morning, south of Columbia City on highway nine, as I was driving down the road. A little snow. Lots of cold.




Yes, I went back home for a few days. I had some things to take care of before I got further away. My sojourn in Louisiana lasted two weeks. Thank you very much, Ruth, for your hospitality. It was cold the first week there but we managed a few short outings. The last couple of days in Monroe were quite nice with the temperature reaching 70 degrees. Then I went north. Where the temperature never got above 20 for the week. A big Thank You to my brother Jack and his wife Beesa and to my friend Cindy and her husband Bill for allowing me to invade their homes for a few days.

The journey has resumed. I'm heading south again, still hoping for some warmer weather.

It was out of control...

What was out of control? My blog label list in the sidebar, that's what! It was way too long, making scrolling through the first “page” of the blog tedious. There was also some duplication of similar labels. I had tried modifying the label list so that it would display differently, but somehow just never got it right.

So? I did some organizing. I've created several "categories" or "sections" along the sidebar breaking up the long label list and, hopefully, making it easier for my readers (you) to find things. Now, I realize that many of you (as I do) use a feed reader to read blogs so you seldom visit the actual blog. Therefore, this change won't matter to you. But I was thinking of some family members (there are several who actually do read my blog – yay!) or someone who arrived on the blog through a search query. Perhaps this change will make it easier for them to find a particular surname or topic. I sure hope so because it's taken me much of the last two days to add the sections and clean up that horribly messed up label list ;-) It's better than it was but it's still not quite how I want it to be, so there's some tweaking that needs to be done.

What's new in the sidebar?

• A link in the upper right corner so you can send me an email ;-)
  
• Mom's Ancestors (Replaces the Index Posts that were listed. Separated Mom's and Dad's lines. Depending upon the number of posts, some links go to the Index Posts and some will display all posts with that label.)
• Dad's Ancestors (Links to posts with the selected surname label.)
• Collateral Lines/Related Families (Posts where the surname is mentioned. Families of siblings of my ancestors and other relatives - people connected in one way or another.)
• Resources and Research Tips (Links to posts with the listed labels)
• Other Topics (Links to posts with the listed labels)
• Favorite Family Photos (Links to specific posts, will occasionally change.)
• Selected Posts (Links to specific posts. The posts listed will change periodically.)
• Bits and Pieces of Personal History (More than you ever wanted to know about me.)
• The Journey – Where I've Been (Links to posts that use the various state labels)

You may have noticed that two sections (Collateral Lines and The Journey) are formatted differently than the other sections. That's because Blogger now allows the use of the labels gadget more than once! And, it has an option to use a list or a “cloud” to format the labels. That's nice. So now when I add a new state or surname in the label of a post I'll have to remember to edit that list and specify that the new label should be included. Only takes a second to do so it really shouldn't be a problem and I believe it will be worth the effort.

Ohio Research :: Joslin in Delaware County

In September 2009 I spent several days in Ohio. I didn't do hardly any new research, rather went mostly to cemeteries to obtain better photographs of my ancestor's gravesites, most which I had visited way back in 1986.

The first research stop in Ohio was on September 16th in Delaware (in Delaware County), to see what could be found on the Joslin family that I didn't already have. I really didn't think there would be anything new since my last visit in the late 1980s. At that time I had scoured the library and the courthouse. Cemetery records (yes). Land Records (yes). Estate Records (none). Way too early for death records. No church records.

I made it to the library shortly after they opened at 9 am. It didn't take long to look through their small collection of books. Nothing new, at least not related to the Joslins. But they did have microfilms of the newspapers, even those from the early 1800's. There were two items that had been abstracted and published previously (by Carol Willsey Bell in 1980 and Mary V. Reed in 1992) but I had never written to get the actual copies from the newspapers.

Printouts from the microfilms were terrible. Then I remembered a tip from Jasia about using your camera to photograph the microfilm reader screen. The results aren't great, but they are much better than the printed copies.

The first article was a notice by James Joslin in the Delaware Patron of Thursday July 13, 1826. The abstracts by Bell and Reed were slightly different but basically stated “Wife Abigail left my bed and board at Liberty township, will pay no debts.”

The actual article is a bit more verbose but does not really provide any additional information. From the Delaware Patron [Delaware County, Ohio] July 13, 1826:

Caution. Whereas my wife Abigail Joslin, has left my bed and board without just cause, therefore all persons are hereby, forewarned not to harbor or trust the said Abigail on my account as I am determined to pay no debts of her contracting after this date.
James Joslin.
Liberty, June 30th, 1826
320-3w

Abigail would have been pregnant with her second child at the time. Their first child, Lysander (my 3rd great-grandfather), would have been 14 months old. I still haven't found a marriage record for James and Abigail (Goodrich) Joslin but apparently their separation wasn't too long. They would have four more children, but then James disappears after the 1850 census, so perhaps, all was not well between them.

The other article that was published in abstracts refers to the death of Ruth Dyer Joslin. Both abstracts stated that Mrs. Ruth Joslin died on 27th ult, age 59 years. But the abstract by Bell (correctly) stated that she was the wife of Jonas while the abstract by Reed said she was the wife of Johns Joslin.

The article, from the Ohio State Gazette and Delaware County Journal:
Obituary. Died - - In Liberty township on the 27th ult, Mrs. Ruth Joslin, aged 59 years, wife of Mr. Jonas Joslin.

The Delaware County Historical Society and the Genealogical Society have a combined Research Room that was open from 2-4 pm on the day I was there so I spent a pleasant two hours with them.

The Joslin Family cemetery had been destroyed when developers began constructing homes on the old farm. A few years ago, Jean Oldham Heuman had found the gravemarker for Ruth (Dyer) Joslin and donated it to the Historical Society. However, it is virtually impossible to get a good picture of the stone. It stands in the entryway of the museum along with several other stones. The light is poor and the space is dark. I tried with available light and with flash. Neither way really captured the inscription to my satisfaction.

On the right is the gravemarker for Ruth (Dyer) Joslin.

This is the best image I could capture of Ruth's gravemarker. It has been enhanced a bit with a little manipulation of the contrast and brightness. The inscription reads:

Ruth wife of Jonas
Joslin died Aug.
27, 1830 aged 59
Years

Most of the records held by the society were much too late for my family. Jonas is presumed to have passed away between 1850 and 1860 (he is in the 1850 census but not in 1860) and my James and Abigail had moved to Whitley County, Indiana by 1838.

The society did have the papers submitted by Mrs. Oldham and another lady for Jonas Sr. and Jonas Jr. for First Families of Delaware County. I looked through them but found nothing that I didn't already have that pertained to Jonas Sr. They did have a copy of the booklet that Mrs. Oldham had published on the two Jonas' and they allowed me to scan it to pdf rather than make a copy of it (Jean had told me she didn't think she had any more copies). At 25 cents a page, I was grateful that they allowed me to scan it.

Even though I found nothing new in Delaware County, it was still a worthwhile stop on my journey as I was able to obtain copies of previously abstracted records and get a complete copy of Mrs. Oldham's manuscript.

Cumberland Island :: Sea Camp

After walking along the beach for about a mile and a half, another boardwalk, this one along the Sea Camp Trail, leads you across the dunes.



It seemed like a sudden change, from the brightness of the sand dunes to the darkness of a forest of strangely twisted and misshapen Live Oak trees. The change was startling and it took a little while for your eyes to adjust. But once your eyes adjusted, what they beheld was really quite magical.

Several boys were climbing in one of the larger trees, its limbs going in every direction. There was a sign nearby. Not one that prohibited climbing in the trees, but rather cautioning climbers to wear shoes! Hidden midst the grove of trees were campsites. In the summer this area would provide a welcome relief from the glare and heat of the sun.


I followed the trail through the Live Oak forest on to the Sea Camp Ranger Station and Dock. There was very little wind and the water was as smooth as glass.

It was getting late, close to 4 o'clock, so I followed the River Trail, where I was surrounded by tall, large Live Oak trees, back to the Dungeness Dock. Quite a difference between these trees and the ones at Sea Camp. As I was walking, I kept hearing something moving around in the underbrush. It took a few minutes but I finally saw what was making the noise.

The most common view I had was from behind as I watched it for a short time. It scurried around with its nose hidden in the ground, searching for the next delicious morsel. But for a few brief seconds, the Armadillo stopped and stood on its hind legs.

With my arrival back at the Dungeness Dock, my visit to Cumberland Island was nearly over. The sun was starting to go down and it was getting colder. Along with several other passengers I patiently awaited the arrival of the ferry. This time I opted for the comfort of the warm cabin area. It was standing room only inside but sore feet and legs were a small price to pay for a little warmth. 'Twas much better than sitting outside where it was cold and windy!

There is so much more to see and learn on Cumberland Island. In the six hours I spent there I covered only the southern tip, perhaps 3 miles. It would take several days to explore the entire Island. As well as the miles of beach and trails, there are the other Carnegie estates on the northern end including Greyfield Inn (a luxury hotel) and the restored Plum Orchard mansion. There is the First African Baptist Church (where John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were married). There is the history of the early settlements: the Timucuan Indians, the arrival of the Spaniards in 1566, Pirate attacks, then the English came in 1733, and the plantation owners in the early 1800s. In 1890 a settlement was established for emancipated slaves. For such a small place, it certainly has a fascinating history. I'm so glad that I decided to ignore the weather and visit Cumberland Island!

Other posts in this Series:

• Dungeness
• The Marsh and Dunes
• The Beach

Cumberland Island :: The Beach

The trail meanders through the dunes, alternating between a sandy path and boardwalk. A small forest of scrubby trees and brush seems to create a barrier for the shifting sands of the dunes inhibiting their movement and helping to prevent them from encroaching further inland.

The tide was out so there was a large expanse of beach showing. The group of people off to the south was the first and last group I saw walking along the seashore that day. The building in the distance on the right side of the photo is a pulp mill on neighboring Amelia Island. It is the only “blemish” on an otherwise beautiful and distant horizon.

I had been walking along the hard-packed beach for over an hour and in that time had seen only two other people. Now, I was alone on the beach, listening to the surf moving in and out, watching the clouds go by, and being amused by the Sandpipers that scurried to and fro around the edge of the surf, occasionally stopping to grab a little something to eat.

There was hardly any wind and the sun came out for a short time then disappeared behind a thick layer of clouds. The warmth from the brief appearance of the sun was quite welcome though it was comfortable otherwise, especially with the four layers of clothing I wore. Not too cold, if you kept moving.

I noticed a portion of a large tree lying along the outer edge of the beach, near the dunes, and went to investigate. I don't know if the tree had drifted in from the ocean or what but all of the bark had been removed and only stumps remained where branches had been. Conveniently, one end made a very nice seat with two of the stumps creating a nice backrest. It was early afternoon so I sat down to eat my lunch.

Every so often the sun would pop out for a few minutes, brightening the day. To the north patches of blue sky occasionally appeared through the clouds.

But to the south there was a thick layer of clouds, which would eventually block out the sun for the remainder of the day, but not before providing a wonderful palette of blues and grays, along with some marvelous reflections.

The clouds reflected in the thin layer of water coating the sand appears to be steam rising from the surface, giving the beach that “other world” look.

A delicate white feather provides contrast against the gray, wet sand. Shells and other debris left by nature also “littered” the beach. I saw no man-made trash on the Island, so people seem to be heeding the call to “take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.”

To be continued . . .

Cumberland Island :: The Marsh and Dunes

The Ranger Guided Tour was complete after leaving Dungeness and we were on our own to explore the Island for the next four hours.

In 1971, the Carnegie family donated much of their land on Cumberland Island to the National Park Foundation. Their donation, along with other private funding, helped to create the Cumberland Island National Seashore. Some descendants of the Carnegie family still live there but the National Park Service now owns about 90% of the Island.

The Island is 17.5 miles long. Except for bicycles, which can be rented at the Sea Camp Dock, walking is the only mode of transportation available for visitors. For day-trippers, the amount of time on the Island is governed by the ferry. With a 9:45 am arrival and 4:45 pm departure time, you're not going to cover a lot of ground. I didn't get any further north than the Sea Camp area. There is much more to see on the Island. To fully appreciate it you'd have to stay for several days, but it would be worth the effort to do so.

Continuing on down the road you walk past some of the buildings that housed the several hundred servants and staff that worked for the Carnegie family. There is a band of about 200 feral horses that inhabit the island. They roam at will going wherever they want. The few that I saw were in the Dungeness Ruins area.


A little further, the road turns into a sandy path with trails leading to the marsh on the sound side of the Island and another that goes to the beach on the ocean side. A very nice boardwalk takes you through a portion of the marsh, across the dunes and onto the beach.




To be continued...

Cumberland Island :: Dungeness

The morning of Sunday, December 27, 2009 was another chilly, gray, gloomy, overcast morning; the same as the three previous mornings. I had been hoping for at least a little sunshine and a slightly warmer day but, based on its beginnings, I didn't think that was going to happen. Saturday I had gone to St. Marys to check out the town and find out about the ferry going to Cumberland Island National Seashore. Good thing I did, as reservations are recommended!

So the reservations were made, but not paid. I could still decide not to go. However, I figured with the way the weather had been, it was as good a day as any!

After a short drive into St. Marys, then paying the fees ($17 for the ferry and $8 for the National Park Entrance, the latter was covered by my wonderful National Parks Pass), and listening to a short orientation lecture, I boarded the ferry with the other passengers. I was amazed by the number of people with camping gear, it seemed like about half the people on-board were campers. The campsites on the island are primitive. The only facilities available are showers and restrooms and those only in the main campground areas. You're completely on your own in the backcountry. Whether they are staying in the campground or backcountry, everything that is needed by the camper has to be brought in by them and anything they bring in has to leave with them. I'm not quite prepared, yet, for that kind of camping, especially when the temperatures dip down below the 30s overnight!

There was a heated cabin area on the ferry where some passengers sat during the 45 minute ride out to the island but many, myself included, opted to sit outside in the cool morning air. Refreshing is how some might have described it. Most of the day-trippers like myself disembarked at the Dungeness Dock on the south end of the island while the rest went on to the Sea Camp Dock a mile to the north, where it was a short trek to the campground.

In order to learn a little about the history of the island and its inhabitants, I opted to take the Ranger Guided Tour of the Dungeness Trail. I've since found several websites that give more detailed information and they have added considerably to what I learned that day. Links to those websites will be listed at the end of this post. The Ranger who gave the tour was very knowledgeable and entertaining as well.

The Dungeness Trail leads you to the Dungeness Mansion, or rather, to the ruins of the second Dungeness Mansion. The first Mansion, four-stories high and huge, was begun in 1796 by the widow of Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene and her second husband, Phineas Miller. The mansion was completed in 1803. Shortly thereafter Dungeness became a mecca for the early Georgian high society. After the Civil War the Mansion was not maintained. It fell into disrepair and in 1866 burned to the ground.

About 1880-81 Thomas Carnegie (a brother and partner of Andrew Carnegie) purchased much of Cumberland Island. With his wife, Lucy, Thomas built the second Dungeness Mansion where the first had been. It was a 59 room Scottish-style castle complete with turrets, a pool house, 40 outbuildings, a golf course, and acres of manicured gardens. Thomas Carnegie died in 1886 leaving his wife Lucy with nine children. Over the years, four other mansions were built further north on the Island for use by the children. The house at Plum Orchard has been restored and is open for tours twice a month. It happened to be open the day I was there but I chose to explore the southern end of the Island rather than view the house.

The second Dungeness was used through 1929 then it sat vacant for 30 years. In 1959, it too burned to the ground. All that remains of that magnificent mansion are a few walls, standing like sentinels, guarding the past. Some day, they too will fall.

Left side of the Dungeness Ruins, from the front.

Dungeness Ruins from the front-left corner.

Dungeness Ruins from the rear-left corner.

Dungeness Ruins. Window detail.

The remains of the recreation building.

The Tabby house, which stands off to the right side of the Dungeness Ruins is the oldest house on the Island. Tabby is a kind of concrete made of oyster shells, lime and sand. Built around 1800, it dates from the time of the first Dungeness Mansion. It was the only building in the area that was spared by the Carnegie's when they built the second Dungeness.

To be continued...

See these websites for more information on the history of Cumberland Island and the National Seashore:

• National Park Service
• Outdoor Places
• CNN Article (Posted in 1998, but still valid.)
• Wikipedia

The Children of Samuel and Lucretia (Davis) Fisher

Samuel Fisher was the sixth of nine children born to Michael and Christenia Fisher. Samuel was the brother of my great-great grandmother, Louisa (Fisher) Phend, she was the oldest child in the family. The children of Samuel Fisher, listed below, are my 1st Cousins 3 times removed.

A previous post outlined the little information that is known of Samuel and his wife Lucretia. They were the parents of seven children:

1. Mary Ellen Fisher (1868-1944) married Norval Elmer Stevenson. The 1910 Federal Census for Lone Star Village, Marion Township, Douglas County, Kansas (page 8b) shows that their children were: Mabel I., age 13; Fay F. (daughter) 11; John W., 10; Walter J., 9; Thelma E., 4; and Vera L., 2. A daughter, Ruth, was born in May 1907 and died in June 1907.

Her obituary was published in the Lawrence Daily Journal World on Wednesday February 2, 1944. She had resided for the past 13 years with her brother in Bakersfield, California but she died Tuesday, February 1st at the home of her sister, Mrs. R. L. Seamans at 1308 Massachusetts street [Lawrence]. Burial was in Pueblo, Colorado. Survivors were five daughters and two sons: Mrs. Lila Childs of Lawrence, Mrs. Carl Nieder of Lone Star, Mrs. Walter J. Meade of Anaheim, California, Miss Thelma Stevenson of Pueblo, Colorado, and Mrs. Fred Ulrich of Bakersfield, California, John W. Stevenson of Long Beach, California and Walter J. Stevenson of Bakersfield, California. Other survivors were one sister, Mrs. Seamans, and one brother, W. M. Fisher of Bakersfield.

2. Rachel Catherine Fisher (1870-1943) married Louis Flory after the 1910 census. Her obituary was not found in the Lawrence Daily Journal World. The Family Data Collection on ancestry.com gives her marriage as May 10, 1910 and date of death as October 30, 1943.

3. Dewitt Caswell Fisher (1872-1941) married Florence Johnson about 1918. On Saturday March 15, 1941 the Lawrence Daily Journal World published a notice of his funeral which was to be held in Seattle, Washington where he had died the previous Thursday. Survivors were a daughter Jean and a son Dale as well as one brother W. M. Fisher and three sisters, Mrs. L. M. Flory and Mrs. R. L. Seamans, of Lawrence and Mrs. R. S. Stevenson of Bakersfield, California. According to the 1930 Federal Census for Seattle, King County, Washington (page 33), Dewitt worked for the Internal Revenue [Service] and was a veteran of the Spanish American War.

4. Walter Milton Fisher (1874-???? was living in Bakersfield, California when his sister Mary died in 1944 and when his sister Ruth died in 1955.) The Family Data Collection on ancestry.com gives his date of death as November 14, 1960.

5. John Clayton Fisher (1877-???? was deceased when his brother Dewitt died in 1941). The Family Data Collection on ancestry.com gives his date of death as July 27, 1937. Place of residence is not known.

6. Arthur Garfield Fisher (1881-???? was deceased when his brother Dewitt died in 1941). Place of residence is not known.

7. Myrtle Ruth Fisher (1884-1955) married Robert Seamans (1881-1958). They are interred at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. According to her obituary published on April 14, 1955 in the Lawrence Daily Journal World, Mrs. Ruth Fisher Seamans was born in the Alfred community in Douglas County. Survivors were her husband Robert L. Seamans and a son, David A. Seamans of Pullman, Washington and a brother, Walter Fisher of Bakersfield, California.

If anyone has additional information on these people or their children, please contact me via email at kinexxions@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

Guess What's Three!

Today is blogoversary #3 for kinexxions! Three years. Wow, it sure has been interesting!

This past year has had its ups and downs, same as every other year. But in September, family history research was put on the back burner (or perhaps it was thrown in the back seat) when I started doing a bit of traveling. Along with the reduction in time spent on research was a reduction in time spent on blogging, the number of posts this year dropped from over 300 to not quite 200. And, since September, the majority of posts have dealt with me and my travels with a few research posts thrown in now and then.

What I said last year when kinexxions turned two still applies today: For me, one of the best parts of blogging has been making connections, not only with extended family, but with other bloggers and readers. There is a definite sense of community, a sense of belonging to something good, that cannot be surpassed.

If it wasn't for you - my readers, my friends, my family – there would be no reason for kinexxions to exist. I thank you all for your continued support, for your comments, and for your love and friendship.

Tombstone Tuesday :: Fisher and Davis

On September 11, 2009 I visited the public library in Lawrence, Kansas. Though I was unable to find an obituary for Samuel Fisher – the brother of my 2nd great grandmother, Louisa (Fisher) Phend (they were children of Michael and Christenia Fisher) or for Samuel's wife Lucretia (Davis) Fisher I did locate obituaries for several of their children, which will be the subject of future posts. I also obtained directions to Colyer Cemetery where Samuel and Lucretia are buried. During a visit to the health department to get their death certificates I found out that the records are not available at the local level, they have to be obtained from the State of Kansas.

I had to backtrack south and west of Lawrence for a short distance to get to Colyer Cemetery. It is in a rather remote area which involved traveling a bit on gravel roads and by the time I got to the cemetery, the rear of the van and my bicycle (hanging off the back end of the van) were caked with dust. From the top of the hill where the cemetery sits, you can see for quite a distance. There was a farm to the northwest and another to the northeast but nothing could be seen to the south. Remote, indeed. Very pretty. And very quiet.

The road to Colyer Cemetery, Marion Township, Douglas County, Kansas. Looking to the north.

The Fisher plot, looking to the northwest. The two barrell-shaped stones are for Lucretia and Samuel.

LUCRETIA A. FISHER / BORN AUG. 23, 1845 / DIED OCT. 31, 1909

SAMUEL FISHER / 1840 – 1913 / CO. A. 9 KAS. VOL. CAV.

FOOTSTONE.
SAMUEL FISHER / CO A / 9 KANS. CAV.

A Tale of Two Pensioners chronicles the mix-up of the pension records for this Samuel Fisher and another man of the same name.

In the second photo above, there is a marker to the south of Lucretia, which I am guessing is her mother. According to her marriage record (Douglas County Marriage Book 2 Page 33 Located at the County Clerks Office in Lawrence, Kansas), Lucretia's maiden name was Davis.

See detail below.

OUR MOTHER
GLORIANNE M. / CASWELL / WIFE OF / IRVIN DAVIS
BORN JUNE 10, 1821 / AT WATERTOWN N. Y.
DIED JAN. 30, 1882 / AT LAWRENCE KAN.
ALL'S WELL

Samuel and Lucretia Fisher

Samuel Fisher was the sixth of nine children born to Michael and Christenia Fisher. Samuel was the brother of my great-great grandmother, Louisa (Fisher) Phend, she was the oldest child in the family.

Samuel was born February 24, 1840 probably in Stark County, Ohio where the family was living at that time. When Samuel was just five years old, his father passed away, cause of death unknown. On August 16, 1847 Robert Reed was appointed guardian for Samuel and his minor siblings. For some reason there were no earlier records of guardianship and I found no record of Mr. Reed being released from his duties. However, by the time of the 1850 census, Christenia Fisher was found with five of her children, including Samuel, in Scott Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana (page 311). Two daughters were married and the two younger children were living with their married siblings.

It is not known when or why Samuel moved to Kansas but on May 28, 1863 he enlisted as a Private in Company A of the 9th Kansas Cavalry and served with that unit until his discharge on July 17, 1865 at DeVall's Bluff, Arkansas. Two and a half years later, on November 25, 1867 Samuel was married to Lucretia Davis in Douglas County, Kansas (book 2 page 33). He was 27 years old and she was 22.

Federal Census records of 1870, 1880 and 1900 as well as Kansas State Census records of 1875 and 1895 show that Samuel and his family resided in Marion Township. In each of those records it states that Samuel was born in Ohio and where it gives the nativity of his parents, it shows that they were either foreign born or born in Germany. The 1895 census also states that he came to Kansas from Indiana. In 1910, the widowed Samuel is living with his daughters Rachel and Myrtle Ruth (both trained private nurses) on Connecticut Street in Lawrence, Kansas. His wife, Lucretia, had passed away on November 11, 1909.

On July 24, 1913 Samuel Fisher attended the Phend-Fisher Family Reunion held at McNaughton Park in Elkhart, Indiana. His address was listed as “621 Conne St Lawrence Kan”. Samuel passed away six weeks later, on September 7, 1913. Samuel and Lucretia are both buried at Colyer Cemetery in Marion Township, Douglas County, Kansas.

On a visit to the library in Lawrence, Kansas in September 2009 I was unable to locate an obituary for either Samuel or Lucretia. However, I did locate obituaries for several of their seven children. Additional information on the children will be included in a future post.

1. Mary Ellen Fisher (1868-1944) married Norval Elmer Stevenson.
2. Rachel Catherine Fisher (1870-1943) married Louis Flory.
3. Dewitt Caswell Fisher (1872-1941)
4. Walter Milton Fisher (1874-????)
5. John Clayton Fisher (1877-????)
6. Arthur Garfield Fisher (1881-????)
7. Myrtle Ruth Fisher (1884-1955) married Robert Seamans.

The “Happy 101” Award

The “Happy 101” award is making the rounds in geneablogger land and I'm happy to say that it has been given to me three times! I've received it from Carol at Reflections from the Fence, Harriet at Genealogy Fun, and Bill at West in New England.

I'm also happy to accept the happy award! By accepting it I am obligated to name 10 things that make me happy and pass the award along to 10 more bloggers that brighten my day.

Here are just 10 of the things that make me happy:

1. Being retired.
2. Traveling.
3. Sunshine and blue skies.
4. Meeting geneablogger friends.
5. Keeping in touch with family.
6. Warm weather.
7. Walking in the woods or along the seashore.
8. Writing.
9. Photography.
10. Watching the sun rise and set.

And the 10 bloggers to receive the award are:

• Jasia at Creative Gene
• Apple at Apple's Tree
• Denise at Moultrie Creek
• fM at footnoteMaven
• Ruby and Cheri at You Go Genealogy Girls
• Donna Pointkouski at What's Past is Prologue
• T.K. at Before My Time
• Debra Osborne Spindle at All My Ancestors
• Leah Kleylein at Random Notes
• Greta Koehl at Greta's Genealogy Bog

Greetings from Louisiana :: Shelter from the Cold

Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures forecast to drop into the teens for the next few nights, I considered my options: Continue camping and deal with the cold. Accept the fact that I'm a wimp and get a motel room for a week (or until the overnight temps get back into the 30s). Accept the offer of a friend to go visit them a little sooner than planned.

From the title of the post, you can probably tell that I chose the third option! And so, after traveling 650 miles west and 150 or so miles north from central Florida, I arrived Friday afternoon... in northeast Louisiana!

It's true, it's still cold here too and will be for a few more days (I'm not sure there is anywhere that you could go to escape the cold right now), but good friends warm the heart and soul as well as provide shelter from the cold. And for that, I thank them ever so much.

Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunellon, Florida
January 5, 2010

The Harmon Sutton Family

Harmon Harold Sutton was the son of Bert Alva and Nellie Gertrude (Knight) Sutton. His obituary was published in the Iola Register [Allen County, Kansas] on April 3, 1945

Harmon Harold Sutton was born in Wichita, Kans., April 2, 1902 and passed away March 24, 1945, at the age of 42 years, 11 months and 22 days at his home in Compton, Calif. He moved with his parents to Iola in 1905 where he lived until manhood.

On August 21, 1920, he was united in marriage to Florence M. Wilson who passed away January 7, 1924. To this union two sons were born. James H. Sutton, age 23 years, now attending Merchant Marine Officers Training School at Alameda, Calif., and Kenneth Wilson, age 21 years, now deceased.

On May 14, 1925, he was married to Marjorie Rogers of Moran, Kans., and to this union two sons were also born, Robert Eugene, age 18 years, now serving in the U. S. Navy, and Donald Earl, age 8 years.

The surviving relatives are his wife and three sons, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Sutton of Iola, and two sisters, Mrs. W. H. Saling of Long Beach, Calif., Mrs. Gerald Curtis of Wichita, Kans.

He was a good husband, and an affectionate father, and a friend to all who knew him.

Published immediately beneath the obituary for Harmon Sutton was that of his son:

Kenneth Wilson Sutton was born in Iola, Kansas, November 20, 1923, and was killed in action December 14, 1944. He was serving his country with the 7th Army under General Patch and was a S-Sgt. Of the 36th Division, 143 Inf., Co. L.

Kenneth moved with his parents to Compton, Calif., in 1937 where he attended school and entered the U. S. Army in February 1943. He trained at Camp McCain, Miss., and was later sent to Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, before going overseas in April 1944. He served in Italy and France and it is presumed he fell in action near Strassburg, Germany.

The Sutton family plot in Highland Cemetery, Iola, Kansas. The three stones in front are for Harmon, his wife, and their son.

HARMON H. / 1902-1945

FLORENCE M. / WIFE OF / H. H. SUTTON / 1899-1924

S/SGT. KENNETH W. SUTTON
NOV. 20, 1923 – DEC 14, 1944
CO. L 143 INFT. 36 DIV. 7th ARMY
FELL IN ACTION
IN FRANCE

Obituaries and tombstone photos were obtained September 10, 2009 on a visit to Iola, Allen County, Kansas. I have no information on James H. Sutton or the two children from Harmon's second marriage, Robert Eugene and Donald Earl Sutton.

Bert and Nellie (Knight) Sutton

Nellie Gertrude Knight was the daughter of William and Minerva Fatima (Joslin) Knight. Minerva was my 2nd great-grandaunt. Obituaries and tombstone photos were obtained September 10, 2009 on a visit to Iola, Allen County, Kansas.

Nellie Knight was born on December 22, 1879 near Great Bend, Barton County, Kansas. According to Barton County marriage records, She was married on July 13, 1897 to Bert Alva Sutton. The photo below is a scanned image that I received from one of my distant Joslin cousins. It was labeled Nellie and Bert Sutton, and is presumed to be their wedding photo.


Nellie's obituary, published on July 28, 1947 in the Iola Register [Allen County, Kansas] states that she moved to Iola in 1907 with her husband. At the time of her death, just two weeks after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, they were residing at 201 N. Sycamore Street. It also gave the names of two daughters that survived her.

As often happens, the obituary for the husband contains much more information. Published on February 17, 1964 in the Iola Register.

Bert Alvie Sutton, 90, resident of Iola since 1907, died at his home at 605 North Washington Saturday afternoon after a prolonged illness. He had been seriously ill for more than two months.

Mr. Sutton was born in Princeton, Mo., Sept. 25, 1873, the son of William Turner and Berthena Wall Sutton. He was married to Nellie Gertrude Knight in El Dorado in 1897. She died in 1947.

Three children were born to this union, Mrs. Hazel Sailing of Long Beach, Calif., Harmon Sutton, deceased, and Mrs. Helen Curtis of Wichita. Eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren survive.

Mr. Sutton was twice married. On Aug. 6, 1949 he was married to Eula Geniva High of Ottawa, of the home, who survives, known to her husband, relatives and friends as Polly. He had one step-daughter, Mrs. Ann Melton of Ventura, Calif.

Mr. Sutton grew to manhood on a farm (part of sentence is illegible). He worked for the Frisco Railroad for seven and a half years. He came to Iola in 1907 and was employed by T. B. Shannon Hardware. Then he went into business for himself and operated the Iola Plumbing Co. for 38 years, retiring in November 1948.

Mr. Sutton was a member of the First Christian Church, the Chamber of Commerce for many years, and the Iola Lions and Elks clubs. He was a long-time member of the Kansas Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Association and held an honorary membership in that association from the time of his retirement.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tomorrow at the First Christian Church with the Rev. Chester Werbin officiating. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery. The Waugh Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

The Sutton family plot in Highland Cemetery, Iola, Kansas.

BERT ALVA SUTTON
SEPT. 25, 1873
FEB. 15, 1964

NELLIE G.
WIFE OF B. A. SUTTON
1880 - 1947

Three children were born to Bert and Nellie (Knight) Sutton:

1. Hazel Marie Sutton was born March 2, 1896 and married Mr. Saling. She lived in Long Beach, California when her mother died in 1947 and in 1964 when her father died.

2. Harmon Harold Knight Sutton was born April 2, 1902 and died March 24, 1945 in Compton, California. A future post will provide some additional information on Harmon and his family.

3. Helen Juanita Sutton was born November 29, 1910 in Iola, Kansas and died December 19, 1984 in Wichita, Kansas. She was married in 1933 to Gerald Leon Curtis (1910-1982) and had three children: Judith, Ronald, and Gary.