Wilbur Dunbar Grindstaff and Anna Belle Harrison

My grandmother's natural parents.  Photos recently found.

 

Knut Rockne autograph

Going through what is probably the last of my grandparents' mementos, I found a few gems.  One is very likely to be Knut Rockne's autograph.  The top portion was written by my grandmother.

Knut and Wendla Gafvert

After a visit the McKeesport-Versailles Cemetery I drove up O'Neil Blvd.  I found the home of my great-grandparents, Knut and Wendla Gafvert.  My Uncle Ken and Aunt Doris were born there at 1110 O'Neil Blvd.  Tried to find 1919 Butler Street where my father was born, but the block was an empty field.

Then, I drove along 5th Ave, McKeesport, PA.  The Johnston's Maytag Store was located at 1013 5th Ave.  The "Warehouse" Building is #1003.  The 2 story red brick building is #1017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who are Christina Nelson's parents?

I recently discovered a hint to a 3g-grandmother's family.  Christina Nelson has been one of my brick walls.  Who are Christina's parents and siblings?

 

Irvin and Christina (Nelson) Johnston had 5 children survive to adulthood:  William Alfred, John Wesley, Thomas Franklin, Henry Howard, and Mary Malissa (Mollie).  Christina Nelson was born 7 May 1825 and died in Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania on 22 Nov 1895.

 

Mollie married William H. Baumgardner on 18 Mar 1879.  Her marriage occurred between the death of her father on 29 Nov 1878 -

 

"Irvin Johnston of the township of West in the county of Huntingdon… To my beloved wife Tiney Johnston, all my household furniture that is now in my house and in my possession, also my horse, carriage and carriage harness, two cows, three young cattle, six heads of hogs and three hundred dollars of money out of the sale of my personal property…Executors will lease my farm on which I now live for the sum of three years after my decease and then put it to sale.  My wife Tena Johnston to remain in the house until the expiration of the lease…bequeth to my wife Tenay Johnston five hundred dollars out of the sale of the farm to be invested in a homestead…I do hereby bequeath to my son Wesley Johnston three hundred dollars…the balance of my money…shall be equally divided between the following names heirs:  Alfred Johnston, Wesley Johnston, Franklin Johnston, Howard Johnston, and Molley Johnston, my five children" - 

 

- and the recording of the completed Executor's report in 1881 -

 

"Irvin Johnston’s five children, as listed, W. A. Johnston, T. F. Johnston, Howard Johnston, J. Wesley Johnston, and Mary M. Baumgardner."

 

 

 Mollie and William H. Baumgardner lived in Fulton Co, PA and had 3 children:  Maude, Harry, and Paul.

 

Through an online digital newspaper website, I found the following article from the Bedford Gazette, Bedford, PA; Friday, Jan. 3, 1903:

 

 The Hon. and Mrs. John Nelson, of Cessna, celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a party of Tuesday, December 30, 1902.  Judge Nelson was born at Spring Mill, Centre Co., Pennsylvania on June 9, 1821.  His father was a tailor.  In 1840 Judge Nelson moved to Neff's Mills, Huntingdon Co.

Among the guests celebrating was "Mrs. Mollie Baumgardner, Wells Tannery, niece to Judge Nelson, and her daughter Maud".

 

Just might need to visit my alma mater for a few days to research in Centre Co, Pennsylvania!

 

Death of John L. Spring, 1871

John L. Spring, my 4xgreat-grandfather, was born in Massachusetts on 12 February 1794.  He has been the subject of several posts:  Nov. 14, 2011 - his will from Vigo Co, Indiana admitted to Probate 3 January 1872; Nov. 15, 2011 - my known info on John; and Nov. 17, 2011 - Family Group Sheet with both his wives.

Today, on Newspaper Archive, I found several items related to John's death, at age 77.  Originally, it was thought he was a victim of murder. 

 

 

Discovered on Christmas morning, died of natural causes.

 

 

Misreported John's last name, included a possible motive for murder -which previously was reported in error.

 

 

Dawson or Dillon Unidentified Photos, Part 4

Dawson or Dillon Unidentified Photos, Part 3

On sand. Beach?  Dixie Morrow Dillon?

 

"This was my washing uniform at Houston that they snapped me in."
?Julia (Thompson) Strange?

?Buddy Dillon?

Dawson or Dillon Unidentified Photos, Part 2

Whose homes?

 



 

 

Side of house with view of a mountain

Dawson or Dillon Unidentified Photos

I've scanned in more photos.  I think they are from either my Dillon or Dawson lines.  One photo previously identified as Dudley Dawson was included in the envelope.  There was also a post card of The Robinson Art Shop, Clovis, New Mexico where the Dillons lived.

I lean towards Dillon in this photo.  My brother Kenneth in written on the reverse.  In the 1930 Federal  Census, the two sons of Jennie D. (Dillon) Scott were living in Wyoming (Clarence) and Illinois (Kenneth).  Car aficionados:  are those vehicles close to 1930 cars?



Reverse side "My brother Kenneth"

 





?World War 1?
 



Alba Ernest Craft
Edited based on identification.  Thank you.
 

Sharon Anne Hogan, 1945-2002

While researching my Dawson line, I came across these on-line memorials to my Second Cousin Once Removed, Sharon Anne Hogan, the daughter of Elta (Dawson) and Everett C. Hogan.  Sharon was a university librarian at the University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as vice provost for information management.  She was in the forefront with bringing libraries into the electronic-age.

Sharon in 1973 from my collection



The New York Times, May 4, 2002
www.nytimes.com/2002/05/04/us/sharon-anne-hogan-57-a-leading=librarian...

http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index

Sharon Anne Hogan, 1945-2002

Happy Mother's Day, 2014

Happy Mother's Day!  These are some of my female ancestors in photos.



My mother.

 

 

 

 



4xGreat-Grandmother
Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger

 

 

 

Unidentifed Family in a 1916 or 1917 Maxwell

Trying to identify this family.  Possibly taken in the Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois area.  Notation on the reverse side of the photo says 1916 or 1917 Maxwell.

 

 

 



This is a 1970s photocopy.  Probably of the couple in the car above.



Unidentifed Photos - Dawson, Rodenberger Spieth? Part 2

Terrence Maddock

Possibly Pat Dawson

 

Dudley Dawson

Bowman Studio

Danville, Ill.

The following two photos could possibly be Lowell Dawson (Judge Lowell Dawson).

Lowell Dawson

Francis Taylor Dawson

 

 

Edited May 4, 2014 with photo identifications.

Unidentified Photos - Dawson, Rodenberger, Spieth?

Edited May 4, 2014 with names to match some of the faces!  Thanks, Sheryll.  This photo of Alba Doyne Craft was the second photo in the original post as mentioned in the comment.  When I added the caption, the photo jumped to the top of the page and I wasn't able to adjust it.

Alba Doyne Craft

On Monday, April 23, 2012, I post four unidentified photos from my mother's collection.  Yesterday, a third cousin of mine contacted me and was able to identify three of the photos:  her grandmother and uncle!  They are descendants of William Wesley Dawson - Thomas Lewis Dawson - William Taylor Dawson - Judge Leighton Dawson.  In hope of more identifications, here are some additional photos. 

Wolf's Studio
Hillsboro, Ill.

 

Helen Maddock

Magniez

Westerville, Ill.

Handwritten on lower left corner of cardboard frame, is the name Helen.

 

Marriage of James Taylor and Leah Rinehart

While researching in Dayton, Ohio last June, I photographed the marriage record for James Taylor and Leah Rinehart.  At the Montgomery County Records Center in the Reibold Bldg., the records were removed from the bound record books and encased in archival protectors.

James and Leah were married 27 January 1822 in Montgomery County, Ohio.  Many family trees have an erroneous date of 1828.

James Taylor was born 23 April 1797 in Orange Co., Virginia. I have seen James' father listed as both Francis and John Taylor.

Leah Rinehart was born 23 Dec. 1793 in Botetourt Co., Virginia.  Her father was John Rinehart.  Most descendants report that her mother was Barbara Warren, but Mary Lossing questioned that belief in 1971.  Mary found a Deed from Botetourt Co, Virginia that was signed in 1793 by John Rynhart and Barbara Nuesfal. 

 

Married on the 27 day January last James Taylor and Leah Rhinehart.
Feby 8th 1822 John Brower