Wordless Wednesday--It's all in the name

Tombstone Tuesday--Jacob Hiser and Catherine Eisenhauer

Jacob Hiser, son of George Heiser and Christina Filbs, is my husband's great great great grandfather. Jacob was born in Pennsylvania on August 27, 1804 and died in Sandusky County, Ohio on December 18, 1878 at the age of 74 years 3 months and 21 days.

Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord

Catherine Eisenhauer Hiser was the daughter of Peter Eisenhauer or Peter Eisenhour and Anna Margaret Early or Anna Margaret O'Early. She was born in Pennsylvania on February 15, 1808 and died on February 22, 1872 in Sandusky County, Ohio at the age of 64 years and 7 days.

The Hiser's are buried in Woodville Cemetery, Sandusky County, Ohio.

Geocities to Yahoo Migration--Take Two

Following a couple of very frustrating days of attempting to build my new home page on Yahoo, I decided that the better option would be to begin downloading all the pages--both the real page and the html version. Since geocities is closing at the end of October, less than a month away, saving all my written research became the most important task. This has taken me a week of work in between my employment and the daily household chores.

Now, I have my entire geocities home page saved in my computer and on an external hard drive. All surnames are in individual files. Actually, I am more organized than I have ever been with my website!

While downloading, I have noticed how outdated much of this published research is. And, the quality of the photos is dismal. Perhaps in the end, this has been beneficial. It will give me the opportunity to rewrite many of the biographies and update them with new research. Now that I have a newer scanner, the photos will all have to be rescanned and edited.

It looks like my next step will be back to the work of building the pages on Yahoo. I have downloaded their site builder program. I have to play around with it to figure out how to use it. I have noticed that when I tried to build a page directly from the Yahoo file manager, that I was not able to edit it. In the past, I built all my own pages in file manager using html and when I wanted to change or update, it was a simple process....just click edit and make the changes. The new file manager does not allow this. The little edit icon did not appear beside my designed page, but it does appear beside pages created with the site builder program.

Is there anyone else out there migrating their websites?

More work is needed. Stay tuned!

Yom Kippur

Treasure Chest Thursday--A Clown

This handmade treasure belongs to my oldest son. It was made for him and given to me at a baby shower back in 1978. My son's paternal great grand aunt Leta Burkett Tate, at age 85, made this cute little clown as a gift to the yet unborn baby. Oddly, as a child and even now as an adult, he is not fond of clowns. Probably why this little stuffed one does not show any wear and tear.

I featured Leta and her husband Ray Tate on Tombstone Tuesday this week and more of her story is there.

This photo of Leta was taken at the baby shower and I cropped her out of the group shot. Sorry for the poor quality photograph--it's the only one I have of her to share.

Wordless Wednesday--MOTOWN

Tombstone Tuesday--Ray and Leta Burkett Tate

These folks are on my husband's side of the family tree. Ray is my husband's maternal granduncle.

Charles Ray Tate was born on January 14, 1889 in Spencerville, Allen County, Ohio to Charles Henry Christian Tate and Ida Mae Hess. He married Leta Alolla Burkett on June 19, 1915 in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio. Leta was born on October 5, 1893 in Ohio and was the daughter of Frank Burkett and Mary Matilda Barkman.

The Tates lived in Elyria and Bucyrus, Ohio during their marriage. Ray died on September 23, 1963 in Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio and Leta on July 28, 1981 in Marion, Marion County, Ohio.

They are buried in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio in Greenlawn Cemetery.

Website Migration--OMG

Too bad graphic is not doing its animated thing. This is currently the inner workings of my brain. Who knew migrating a website from one place to another would be SOOOO FRUSTRATING!

I have had a genealogy website on geocities for probably over a decade and geocities is going the way of the dinosaur. Even though geocities has been under the operating arm of yahoo for several years now, setting up a new site is like venturing into unknown territory. The file manager seems the same.....but isn't. Putting in the links is different. This old dog just isn't learning these new tricks.

I have now spent my morning putzing around my new website, with little accomplished. Disappointed.....her name is LINDA.

Graveyard Rabbits--Funeral Cards

The call for submission from the The Association of Graveyard Rabbits this month is funeral cards.

This funeral card (actually made of paper) is from the service of my maternal grandfather, Charles Edward Stark. As the oldest grandchild, I made up the cutesy familiar names for all the grandparents—Grams, Pop Pop and Teek. Grandfather Stark did not have one—he died before I was born. I know of him through the stories and memories of his daughter, my mother.

Charles was the oldest son and child of Charles Stark and Wilhelmine Catherine Schwarz. Born in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, he lived his entire life in the Pittsburgh area. A numbers cruncher, he was employed in the Traffic Department of U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh. As I understand from my mother, he was the head of the department. There were many nights that he brought the books home and worked on them at his desk in the living room, doing the math in his head.

Grandfather Stark was a well loved and respected father, husband and member of the community. His passing took everyone by surprise as he was rarely sick. It saddens me as I never had the opportunity to know him personally.

SNGF--Ahnentafel Roulette

Once again, Randy over at GenaMusings has come up with something fun for Saturday night. 1) How old is your father now, or how old would he be if he had lived? Divide this number by 4 and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number." 2) Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ahnentafel. Who is that person? 3) Tell us three facts about that person with the "roulette number." 

     My Dad, George VanGilder Hughes, was born on July 1, 1921, sooo he would have been 88 this year thus the ahnentafel number I am looking for is 22. And the winner is......my paternal great great grandfather, Sampson Frum Pool. 

     Sampson was the son of William Lanham Pool and Ann Louise Frum. He lived his entire life in the Morgantown, West Virginia area. He was born on February 20, 1843 and died on December 14, 1909 in Sabraton, outside Morgantown. He was moved to his daughter's home in Sabraton, my great grandmother, Jessica Pool VanGilder, so he could be closer to medical help. 

     He is buried beside his wife, Sarah Harner Pool in Mt. Union Cemetery, north of Morgantown, West Virginia. 

     Sampson served during the Civil War as a private with Captain L.S. Hayes "B" Company, West Virginia Union Militia. I have a letter written for him while he was stationed in Martinsburg. He had a farm north of Morgantown near coal mine#5, which he worked until his death. In other Pool genealogical work, I have seen him referred to as "Bub" Pool. 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2009, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

ROSH HASHANAH

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Treasure Chest Thursday--Frederick Sterling Silver Opera Purse

When my Grandmother Stark aka Teek, Martha Marie Frederick Stark, died a small treasure of antiques and memorabilia came my way. Some were found in an old Joseph Horne's from Pittsburgh box....the box now would be an antique. Among the jewelry were several metal mesh purses and this sterling silver purse. For lack of a better name, I am calling it an opera purse.

It has the initial "F' on the front and inside is a place for each type of coin, a little mirror that opens and inside is a tiny powder puff. On the opposite side is a place for paper money. When I opened it up, the money clasp (which has the sterling silver mark) held a calling card for my grandmother.

I have no idea if this antique belonged to my great grandmother (Lucinda Orr Frederick) or my grandmother....both would have the initial "F". The question that begs to be asked here is--where did they go that they needed such a fancy purse?

Dating it, I would estimate anywhere from the 1890 to 1910. My grandmother married in 1914, so the ititial would have then become an "S". Regardless, it is a beautiful piece of my genealogical history and one that I treasure.

Wordless Wednesday

Tombstone Tuesday--Eglise Saint Alphonse Church Cemetery, Nova Scotia

Once again Flipside is privileged to present some cemetery photos taken by Paul E. Sanderson. In August Paul took a motor trip to Nova Scotia. Of the numerous small towns and fishing villages he passed through, Saint Alphonse and the Eglise Saint Alphonse Church caught his attention. Located on the Arcadian west coast, north of Yarmouth, the parish of St. Alphonse was established in 1922 when the present church was built.

Paul was particularly taken with the “simplicity of the construction of the church and work of the local craftsmen who built the wooden altar and grotto”. The grotto, located inside the church, is a replica of the Notre Dame de Lourdes grotto. Beautiful intricate murals depicting scenes from the New Testament which were painted by a local artist, Pius LeBlanc, adorn the walls. Paul was not able to get inside the church to photograph the grotto or the murals, so I have, quite shamelessly, borrowed them from a website ;-) The photos are small, however they do give an idea of the workmanship and detail in the grotto, murals and altar.

Paul has captured the diversity of tombstones found in the church’s cemetery…from the simple wooden crosses to the more modern photo like engravings.

Rosary made of glass floats

Lucy Comeau 1886-1951

En Memoire
De
Wallace
1945—1883
R E P
SAULNIER

MARIE SAULNIER
DEC
19 JAN
1938
AGE 82
ANS

R.I.P.

Photography: Paul E. Sanderson
Research: Paul E. Sanderson and Linda Hughes Hiser

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun --Trading Card

This Saturday's edition of Saturday Night Genealogy Fun over at Randy Seaver's Gena-Musings is to create your own trading card. I had seen this earlier this week and thought it would be a fun idea. I'm glad that Randy suggested it for Saturday night.

Carnival of Genealogy 80th Edition--Family Fun

Research an event your ancestor may have attended. Did your ancestor live within a few blocks of the parade route for the annual Fourth of July parade in the town where they lived? If your family lived in a rural area, perhaps they attended a county or state fair. If they lived in a big city, perhaps they attended a play or movie opening. Was there an amusement park or traveling carnival near the area your family was from, one they might have visited? Were there fireworks displays in the town your family was from? How much do you know about the types of entertainment your ancestors might have enjoyed? This "fun" edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be hosted by Jasia on the Creative Gene.



My family had the good fortune to live fairly close to one of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania amusement parks—West View Park. During the 1950’s, when I was an elementary school student, our annual school picnic was held at West View Park located in West View, Pennsylvania. How we looked forward to that special day spent at the park—riding the various rides, spending money in the penny arcade, eating hot dogs and cotton candy and wandering aimlessly around the midway with school friends. West View Park is no longer there. The grounds have been turned into a shopping center. Long gone is the park however, my memories of the Dips (that famous wooden roller coaster), the Racing Whippet, Kiddieland and the beautiful carousel are etched in my mind.

I digress....this blog is not about me, but my paternal grandparents, George Henry Hughes and Sarah Margaret VanGilder Hughes. They also lived near West View Park in Avalon, and then Bellevue, Pennsylvania. The amusement park was built in 1906. No one in the family knows if George and Sarah spent a Saturday afternoon strolling about West View Park. During the 1930’s and 1940’s there was a building in West View Park called the Dancing Pavilion. During the Great Depression and following, dancing was held everynight except Sunday. Charles J. Jacques, Jr., in his book, “Goodbye West View Park Goodbye,” explains that, “Dancing helped keep West View Park afloat during the Great Depression” and “West View Park started importing big name bands like Ted Fiorite, Tommy Tucker, Ace Brigode, Don Bestor and others.”

My grandparents were dancers. According to my Aunt Faith, her folks (my Grams and Pop Pop) would go to Danceland, almost weekly. Often there were dance contests and Grams and Pop Pop would win a prize and occasionally it was first prize!

Dance must have been genetic as both my father and his sister, Faith loved to dance. Faith was given a full tuition scholarship to what was then called Carnegie Tech after her dance audition. She continued to teach dancing well into her 70’s. My brothers and I enjoy dancing although I’m certainly not in the prize category ;- )

Notes:

Charles J. Jacques, Jr., “Goodbye West View Park Goodbye,” Amusement Park Journal, Jefferson, Ohio, 1985.

Remembering 9/11

Treasure Chest Thursday--Ceramics by Grams

Treasured ceramic items that are still in the Hughes Family are pieces made by my paternal grandmother, Sarah Margaret VanGilder Hughes aka Grams. She began ceramic classes in the mid 1950's and would give her pieces as gifts. I can remember the ceramic Christmas green holly shaped dishes that my mother would use every holiday to serve cheese and crackers or chips and dip.

Over the years they have been lost or broken, but I still have some of Grams' art work. There are two versions of the Christmas carolers. The multicolored one pictured above always had a prominent place in our home during the Christmas holiday. At one time it was all in one piece like the pink one shown below, but over the years the base was lost as was the little light pole and the dog. The angel is a piece that my Aunt Faith gave to me several years back, also made by her mother and my Grams.

I think that the pink caroler piece was given to my Cousin Karen or to her mother, my Aunt Faith. Aunt Faith, repainted it, but when it came into my possession, I cleaned the paint off to show the original colors.

Wordless Wednesday--George and Sarah VanGilder Hughes

My paternal Grandparents

Christmas, 1963

Tombstone Tuesday--Grover Cleveland and Mildred Tate Smith

Buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Seneca County, Tiffin, Ohio are Grover Cleveland Smith and his wife Mildred Claudene Tate Smith, my husband's maternal grandparents.

Grover was a prosperous truck farmer in Clinton Township, Seneca County, Ohio until his untimely death from a toxic goiter, at age 45, leaving his wife and seven young children.

Grover Cleveland Smith

son of John Andrew Smith and Helena Fredericka Oster

Born: Mar 19, 1885 at Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio

Died: Mar 5, 1931 at Clinton Township, Seneca County, Ohio

Mildred Claudene Tate Smith

daughter of Charles Henry Christian Tate and Ida Mae Hess

Born: Feb 19, 1895 at Spencerville, Allen County, Ohio

Died: Feb 9, 1964 at Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio

HAPPY LABOR DAY

I hope all Flipside readers have been enjoying their Labor Day weekend here in the states. I decided to celebrate by listing the type of employment of several generations of my ancestors.

George VanGilder Hughes—My Father
Physician, Internal Medicine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

George Henry Hughes—Paternal Grandfather
Draftsman, American Bridge Company
Ambridge, Pennsylvania

Charles Edward Stark—Maternal Grandfather
Accountant, Traffic Department, United States Steel Company
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

John George Hughes—Paternal Great Grandfather
Foreman and millwright, J & L Steel Company
Woodlawn (now Aliquippa), Pennsylvania

George Ethelbert VanGilder—Paternal Great Grandfather
Elected Official, Assessor
Morgantown, West Virginia

Jessica Pool VanGilder—Paternal Great Grandmother
Cook and Boardinghouse Proprietress
Morgantown, West Virginia and greater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area

Alfred Frederick—Maternal Great Grandfather
Brakeman and Conductor, B& O Train
Columbiana, Ohio and various towns in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area

Charles Stark—Maternal Great Grandfather
Shoe Salesman
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

George Henry Hughes—Paternal Great Great Grandfather
Puddler, Iron Works and Green Grocer
West Hartlepool, England

Mary Ann Storey Hughes—Paternal Great Great Grandmother
Baker and Green Grocer
West Hartlepool, England

Christian Invart Olesen—Paternal Great Great Grandfather
Ship’s chandler and seaman
West Hartlepool, England

John Oliphant VanGilder—Paternal Great Great Grandfather
Chair maker and Farmer
Morgantown, West Virginia

Sampson Frum Pool—Paternal Great Great Grandfather
Farmer
Morgantown, West Virginia

Joseph C. Frederick—Maternal Great Great Grandfather
Cooper
Franklin Square, Columbiana County, Ohio

William Morlan Orr—Maternal Great Great Grandfather
Farmer
Elkrun Township, Columbiana County, Ohio

Now, in celebration of Labor Day….I’m off to work!!

Smile for the Camera, 17th Edition "School Days"

The word prompt for the 17th Edition of Smile For The Camera is "School Days." It is September, historically the month when a new school year begins. We all have images of the days spent in school. The barefoot children gathered together with their teacher in front of the rural school your ancestors attended. Children at their desks, children at play in the school yard, and those obligatory school photographs - one for every year. Show us your family memories of school days. Thank you to Shades of the Departed for hosting.

Three Avalon, Pennsylvania school days chums from first grade through high school and then from college through medical school are my parents: George VanGilder Hughes and Martha Jean Stark Hughes and Joseph Nathan Arthur, Jr.

My parents and Joe Arthur attended Avalon public schools from grade school through high school. My Mom decided on Wooster College in Wooster, Ohio for further education and Dad and Joe attended Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania. Following their college years, both attended the University of Pittsburgh Medical School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and after graduation served their internship at McKeesport Hospital. Dad and Joe did go into separate medical fields; Dad specialized in Internal Medicine and Joe in Urology.

A first home for both the Hughes and Arthur families was on Washington Drive near Perrysville, Pennsylvania. We lived two doors away. We spent a lot of time together and for years, took our family vacation in Stone Harbor, New Jersey usually sharing a duplex. The next generation (that would be mine) developed a close friendship.

Around 1960 we both moved from Washington Drive to other parts of the greater Pittsburgh area. We kids drifted apart, going to different schools, but the fond memories remain. The adults remained in close contact until my parents divorce. I guess the bond between my Mother and the Arthur’s was the strongest as she remained in contact with them until their deaths. In fact, my Mom and I visited Peg Arthur in Pittsburgh several weeks before she died.

Avalon Elementary School class photo.

The photographer was Alfred Walter Stark, my Mom's paternal uncle.

YAHOO--5,000th visitor to Flipside

Who knew I'd reach 5000! In all honesty probably 1000 are me checking the blog, making edits and seeing the comments ;- )

THANK YOU for your support and please keep coming back. You readers rock!

American Liver Foundation--Cleveland Walks 2009

I'm almost a week late in posting this photo blog, but as Flipside readers know, we have had quite a liver week!

Last Sunday, August 30, 2009, my son, Aric, his fiancée, Jeannine, Ted and I, plus our in absentia friend Paul, walked in the American Liver Foundation walk at the Cleveland Metropark Zoo under the name of "Liver Rejects." The day began dark and drizzly, but as the walk began, the sun pushed those nasty clouds away and we had a wonderful morning for the fund and fun raising effort.

The team who coordinated the Cleveland walk did an outstanding job...great music, food, raffle and fun.

Join the "Liver Rejects" on our walk for Aric and others waiting for their liver transplant. It was all happenin' at the zoo!

Registration for the walk

Support for the liver walk by The Brewery!

Ready to walk

In front of the pavillion --Aric and J-9

With ALF (American Liver Foundation) mascot

The walk begins

Pointing the way

Walkin' Happy

With Mom

With Dad

Walk completed--Aric and J-9

Looking at the raffle tickets

The winners of two tickets to Blossom

Photography by Flipside and Jeannine