Fearless Females--#5 How Did They Meet

The Marriage of Christian Invart Olesen and Ferdinande Weiss
West Hartlepool, Durham County, England
There are no pictures or stories that have filtered down through the years that I am aware of. Great Great Grandmother Olesen did come to the United States and lived with my Great Grandmother Hughes until her death. I have been told some stories and memories of "Granny Olesen" by my Dad and Aunt....however, none of her husband and marriage.


Looking at the the 1871 England census, Frederick was deceased and Ferdinande had opened up their home as a boarding house. Note that Christian Olesen was a boarder in the Weiss home....maybe the romance began there ;-)

© 2011, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

Fearless Females--#4 Marriage Records

This has been a good one for me to do. After searching around for marriage records and reviewing my previous blogs, I noticed that I have never posted the wedding information of my paternal great great grandparents, Christian Invart Olesen and Ferdinande Weiss. When I opened their file in my laptop....it wasn't in there! I had never scanned it.

Christian Invart Olesen, son of Ole Tonne Olesen of Denmark, was a master mariner and ship's chandler. At the time of their marriage, Christian was eleven years older than Ferdinande. Ferdinande, daughter of Frederick Heindrich Adolph Weiss and Ferdinande Lehman, had lived in West Hartlepool, England for almost fifteen years before she married. Frederick was gainfully employed as a banker or broker.


The wedding took place on August 30, 1874 in the parish church in the area where they lived in West Hartlepool....Christ Church. The church is still standing; however, it now houses an art museum.

Both of my great grandparents were literate and were able to sign their names. The witnesses were: Adolph Herman W. Weiss, Ferdinande's brother and Mary E. Middlemiss, the woman that Adolph would marry.

© 2011, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

Fearless Females--#3 What's in a Name?

   

     Queen Elizabeth Frederick....how regal is that! Queen is my maternal first cousin twice removed. Born on May 31, 1877 in Indiana, she was the daughter of William Jackson Frederick and Emma Hipkins.

     I was able to find this listing of school graduates for Queen and her sister, Edith.

     Queen's father was a well known and respected citizen in Garrett, Indiana. He served as mayor for a time. They had a nice lifestyle with a home in Garrett and a summer retreat at Oakwood Park on Lake Wawasee, Indiana. Queen was at her father's bedside during an illness as evidenced in the news clipping above.

 

     From various newspaper articles that were sent to me, it appears that the Frederick family remained close although separated by distance. There were family reunions and visits to the family homes. Apparently my maternal grand uncle, William Walter Frederick (known as Walter) was a visitor to his uncle William Jackson Frederick's home in Garrett, Indiana and was close with his cousin Queen and her sister Edith.  The newspaper clipping above shows that the two girls took a train to Youngstown to be with Walter when he became ill, only to arrive to late as he died from typhoid fever on February 24, 1899. 

     On October 26, 1901 in Auburn, DeKalb County, Indiana, she married Charles Henry Abell. Two sons were born to this union; Charles Frederick Abell, born on November 8, 1909 in Garrett, DeKalb County, Indiana and William Frederick Abel, born on December 5, 1914 in Garrett, DeKalb County, Indiana. William died two years later and is buried at Lake View Cemetery, Kendallville, Noble County, Indiana. 

     Charles Henry Abell was gainfully employed in Garrett as a coal merchant. He served on numerous town committees and events. The family had a summer home in Rome City, Indiana on Sylvan Lake where they entertained family and friends. On May 28, 1928 at the age of 48 he died and was buried at Lake View Cemetery, Kendallville, Noble County, Indiana.

Photo used by permission of Kennetta Lemon      

     Queen died on 15 Jan 1978, at the age of 100 at Marion, Grant County, Indiana. She is buried at Lake View Cemetery, Kendallville, Noble County, Indiana along with many family members.

-Queen Elizabeth Frederick Abell on Find A Grave 

-Biography of Queen's father, William Jackson Frederick 

© 2011, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

Fearless Females--#2 Photo of Ancestor

I have gone back through two years of blogs and don't think I have posted this photo in the past. Pictured in a glam pose is my mother, Martha Jean Stark Hughes, on Palm Sunday, 1945. The photo was probably taken in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, perhaps on the University of Pittsburgh campus as Dad was finishing up medical school there at that time.

Unlocking a memory: I note that Mom is wearing a corsage to mark the day. Throughout all my years Growing Up Hughes, there was always a corsage from Dad.....special occasions deserved to be celebrated with flowers. If Mom and Dad were going out....church or dinner, it was a corsage, if not, then a bouquet. And, when I was old enough, I had a corsage to wear too.

© 2011, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

Lost and Found--May Hicks and Margaret Hicks Devine

May Hicks sitting and Margaret Hicks Devine standing

May Hicks and Margaret Hicks Devine pictured in this photo postcard, perhaps circa 1925 as both ladies appear to have wedding bands on their ring finger. The Hick's sisters were daughters of William Stidger Hicks and Samatha B. Fletcher. Eva May was born on February 26, 1895 and Margaret (Maggie) on November 9, 1897, both in Cameron, Marshall County, West Virginia. The Hicks lived on a farm in Cameron, Marshall County, West Virginia in the 1900 and 1910 census. By 1920 the family had relocated to Liberty, Ohio County, West Virginia.

 

The children of William Stidger Hicks and Samantha B. Fletcher;
1. Eva May Hicks
2. Margaret B. Hicks
3. John W. Hicks
4. Elmer C. Hicks
5. Rhea M. Hicks


Margaret Hicks married John Garfield Devine on April 9, 1921 at Woodsdale, Wheeling, West Virginia. The 1930 Pennsylvania census lists the couple living in Waynesburg, Greene County, Pennsylvania. The Devines are listed as having a daughter, Harriet Devine, age 19. From various records I have been able to locate, it appears that John had a first marrige to Jennie Fordyce on February 16, 1907 in Monongalia County, West Virginia and Harriet is his daughter from that union. John is employed as a drilling contractor with an oil and gas company.


Eva May Hicks married Luster Parsons on January 19, 1923 at Cameron, Marshall County, West Virginia. The Parsons settled in Cameron, Marshall County West Virginia, where Luster farmed. On the 1930 West Virginia census, the Parsons have a daughter, Freda Virginia born on December 30,1926 in Cameron, Marshall County, West Virginia.

Photo postcard was purchased at an antique store in Cheat Lake, West Virginia on a vacation, July 2010. I am not related to this family.

Sources:
-1900 West Virginia Census, Cameron, Marshall, West Virginia; Roll: T623_1765; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 67

- 1930 Pennsylvania Census, Waynesburg, Greene, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2044; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 29. (for John Garfield Devine)

-1930 West Virginia Census, Cameron, Marshall County, West Virginia; Roll: 2543, Page: 8A;
Enumeration District: 2. (for Luster Parsons)

-Birth Records, Cameron, Marshall County, West Virginia.

-World War I Draft Registration, Monongalia County, West Virginia; Roll: 1992863; Draft Board: 0.

-World War II Draft Registration, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; State Headquarters: Pennsylvania; Microfilm Series: M1951; Microfilm Roll: 71.

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.

© 2011, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Fearless Females--#1 Favorite Female Ancestor

Lisa over at The Accidental Genealogist is once again sponsoring Fearless Females honoring female ancestors during Women's History Month. Thank you Lisa.

     This year I have decided to honor my maternal great grandmother, Lucinda Bell Orr Frederick as my favorite female ancestor. I never knew Great Grandmother Frederick and have never talked with anyone who did. Her youngest daughter, Martha Marie Frederick, my maternal grandmother, saved photographs and perhaps some of her mother's jewelry. The photos picture a woman with an engaging face, always beautifully dressed and one shows her holding a small kitten on her lap. What's not to like about that! ;-)

     The Frederick's were the very first branch I researched when I began my genealogy obsession back in the 1990's. Frankly, they were pretty easy. Both the Frederick and Orr families were from Columbiana County, Ohio and that area had a VERY active genealogy club with numerous publications, even back in 1990.

     The marriage record for Lucinda Orr and Alfred Frederick was listed in one of the books as was their final resting place. Columbiana County, Ohio is only about a two hour drive from my house and it wasn't too long after learning more about them, that I was on my way to Columbiana, Ohio.

Lucinda Bell Frederick Orr
Carte d'visite circa 1860

     Lucinda Bell Orr was born in Elkrun Township, Columbiana County, Ohio on June 29, 1844. She was the daughter of William Morlan Orr and Nancy Cannon. Lou was the youngest child and joined a brother, Matthew Thomas Orr and three sisters; Elizabeth, Mary A. and Margaret C. The Orr's lived on a farm which was part of a parcel of land owned by William's father, Joseph Orr.

     Lucinda's father died on February 11, 1849 when she was only five years old. About one year later, her mother married a farm hand, Elijah McCormick. On March 24, 1859 Lou's sister, Mary died. She was buried beside their father in Carlisle Cemetery, Elkrun Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

     When interviewing various Frederick family members over the years, I did learn that the Orr and Bell families were once friends. They both lived in Elkrun Township in the mid 1800's. Lucinda is enumerated with a Bell family on the 1860 census and it has only been recently that I found out that her middle initial "B" stands for Bell.

Alfred F. Frederick and Lucinda Bell Orr FrederickCarte d'visite circa 1880's
     On October 22, 1868, Lucinda married Alfred F. Frederick in Columbiana County, Ohio. The couple settled in Franklin Square, Columbiana County, Ohio and began to raise a family, Albert L., William Walter, Robert Bell, Edna May and Martha Marie (my maternal grandmother).

     Alfred was gainfully employed with the railroad most of his adult life. The Frederick's seemed to enjoy a good life. Photographs show nicely dressed individuals and I have a collection of engraved sterling silver spoons that may have been used for tea. There are also numerous pieces of engraved jewelry, pocket watches and glassware.

     I was told by one of my Frederick cousins that Lucinda had an entire collection of Three Faces (also known as Three Sisters, Three Graces, and Three Fates) glassware made in Pittsburgh by the George Duncan and Sons....now highly collectible. When Lucinda died, the collection was given to her son, Robert. His wife did not want the glassware and packed it all up and gave it to the Salvation Army!


     Lucinda never worked outside the home. It is said that she was a good cook and I have a hunch she was also an excellent seamstress. The detail work on all the women's clothing in the family photographs indicate that she was a superior dressmaker. Lucinda's mother, Nancy Cannon Orr, earned a living as a tailoress and her paternal grandfather, Joseph Orr, was a tailor. I know, first hand, that her daughter, Martha, was an excellent seamstress as she sewed for me.

Lucinda and kitten  
     Between 1896-1898, the Frederick family moved from Columbiana County, Ohio to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

     In 1898, Lou's husband was involved in a train accident in Youngstown, Ohio, losing one of his legs. Alfred did survive. The following year, the Frederick family suffered a great tragedy on February 24, 1899 when William Walter, known as Walter, died in Youngstown, Ohio from typhoid fever. He is buried near his parents in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio.



     Lucinda died on December 15, 1909 in Bellevue, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania from heart disease and bronchial asthma. She is buried beside her husband at Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio (formerly known as Firestone Cemetery).

     I wish I could have known her.

Other Blogs on Flipside regarding Lucinda:
-Tombstone Tuesday: Alfred and Lucinda Frederick
-Frederick Spoon

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.

© 2011, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Tombstone Tuesday--LeBon

I am hoping to make more short trips to the Forest Park Cemetery (formerly known as Waldheim Cemetery) in Forest Park, Illinois. I have never found so many of these tree shaped tombstones in one place.

I visited a week ago and the ground was snow covered. A little research on this tombstone--A Lebon--proved to be Alexander LeBon. I was able to locate his death certificate on Family Search and then jumped over to ancestry to find out some additional information.

There is a family tree out on ancestry and the owner has posted photographs of the smaller tombstones located in front of the tree marker. Had I been able to see them (remember they were covered in snow), my research would not have been necessary ;-)

Credit to Mary Walker who has taken the photos of the two individual markers.


ALEXANDER LEBON
Born: February 5, 1858, Couillet, Belgium
Died: March 27, 1925, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Alexander was the son of Bask Elima Lebon and Mary Karece, both born in Couillet, Belgium. Alexander was employed with the Chicago Public School system as a janitor. He was buried at Waldheim Cemetery, now Forest Park Cemetery on March 30, 1925.


CLARISSE ROBERT LEBON
Born: March 1858, Belgium
Died: 1927, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Clarisse, known as Clara, does not have a very long paper trail to follow. Although her place of death is listed as Chicago out on ancestry, I was not able to locate a death certificate for her. I did try various spellings of Lebon, which did not prove to be helpful. Her maiden name, Robert, was also taken from the family tree information posted on the net. Clara was listed as a dressmaker on the 1900 and 1910
Illinois census.

Alexander and Clarisse were married in Belgium in 1883 and immigrated to the United States on the ship Noordland arriving on November 14, 1884 from Antwerp, Belgium. They made their home on Robey Avenue, in Harvey, Thornton Township, Cook County, Illinois.

Sources:
-Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947, Family Search on line, Digital Folder Number: 4152610, Image Number: 1665, Film Number: 1877718, Volume/Page/Certificate Number: rn 9022.

-Ancestry.com family tree of Mary Walker.

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.

© 2011, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser