23 July 2010

Gravestone Photographic Resource (revised 7/26)

The blog GenWestUK just posted info on Gravestone Photographic Resource.  It seems to be a very thorough site and has super potential as the contributions increase.  The goal is worldwide, but at least for now, most entries seem to be UK related.

Their database includes entries for George Causier (1854-1916), his wife Jane Elizabeth (Pearce; 1864-1934), and two of their children: John & May.  They are buried in the Municipal cemetery of Linthorpe, Yorkshire.  Apparently, their names are on one monument. George is a great-grandson of my 4th-great-grandparents, Sacheverell Causier & Sarah Hunt.  I was able to fit George's family in my lines because of all the work Cousin Val has done and kindly shared.  I must reconnect with her!

Conclusion:  Uh oh, catching up on reading blogs can seriously add to the ToDo pile....  I won't run any of my other Yorkshire surnames now, but posting this resource should make it easier for me to remember to get around to it!

It's nice to have at least one, moderately unusual surname in my Carr/Causier line!

Thank you, GenWestUK!

18 July 2010

1928 in St. Charles, Idaho: 1st and 2nd Grades

This photo of the thirty-four 1st & 2nd graders of the 1927/28 school year completes my little series: these four class photos of Wilson Grade School in St. Charles, Bear Lake County, Idaho, are the only ones I have.  The school is not named, but again, the building matches that of the well-labeled 7th/8th grade photo.  The teacher is Mrs. Bowman and there are no individual student grade levels indicated.    This photo is unique in that, for the first time, the names on the back are in two distinct hands and not all children are fully named.  [Again, I've used brackets below for my comments.] 
  1. Reed Pugmire
  2. Mark Pugmire [name in different handwriting]
  3. Darl Transtum [surname in different handwriting]
  4. Maretta [may have originally been 'Marie'; written over in different handwriting] Crossly
  5. Lilias Pugmire
  6. June Wilhelmsen
  7. Erma Peterson
  8. Elzo Bunderson
  9. Dean Pugmire
  10. Ardy Bunderson
  11. Averill Pugmire
  12. Rex Arnell
  13. Lelia Hegwer [about age 6 1/2 at the time of the photo]
  14. Oral Pugmire
  15. Lavon Calton
  16. Rula Bunderson
  17. Nora [Nona?; no surname]
  18. [blank]
  19. Leah Pugmire
  20. Oreal Linford
  21. Doris Transtrum [last syllable of surname in different handwriting]
  22. Armond Windly
  23. Rao Floyd
  24. Virl Rich [Vearl Rich--see reader's comments below]
  25. La Ree Laker
  26. Dale Brewer
  27. Rex Linford
  28. Cecil Windly
  29. Boyed Colton
  30. Ross Bunderson
  31. Jennie Mickleson
  32. Estella Peterson
  33. Fawn Hill
  34. Mong Pugmire
It bothers me that two of the children are not fully identified; perhaps someone can help.  And, I wish I had the time to put all of the children of Wilson Grade School into family groups.

Related Posts:
3rd & 4th graders

15 July 2010

1928 in St. Charles, Idaho: 3rd & 4th Grades

Here are the 3rd and 4th graders at Wilson Grade School in St. Charles, Bear Lake, Idaho for the 1927/28 school year.  As with the previous photos, the names are annotated on the back on the photo, but this time, grade level for individual students is missing.  The school name is also absent, but the front of the building is clearly that of the well-labeled 7th/8th grade photo.  The teacher is labeled as 'Miss Grojean.'  Note that both the photo and the listing on the back have consecutive students numbered as #3.

1.  Rex Wilhelmsen
2.  Junior Pugmire
3.  David Micklison
3.  Billie Wilhelmsen
4.  Stanley Mickleson
5.  Noel Linford
6.  Delmar Arnell [originally posted as 'Ginell;' please read the comments below]
7.  Rondle Peterson
8.  Cortney Brewer
9.  Laura Stewart
10.  Leora Pugmire
11.  Leona Peterson
12.  Clea Wendly
13.  Wane Pugmire
14.  Marion Pugmire
15.  Jessie Stewart
16.  Sterling Rich 
17.  Marion Brewer
18.  Labore Lovar Pugmire
19.  Ray Hegwer  [Ray would have been about 11 1/2 when the photo was taken.]
20.  Ione [Jane?] Rich
21.  Presely Floyd
22.  Ephrian Croossly
23.  Oran Peterson
24.  Robert Minor Pugmire

Related photos/posts

11 July 2010

1928 in St. Charles, Idaho: 5th & 6th Grades


The reverse side of this photo is labeled as Grades 5 & 6 of St. Charles, Idaho 1928-27.  It certainly appears to be the same school (Wilson Grade School in St. Charles, Bear Lake County, Idaho) as in the more specifically labeled photo of the 7th & 8th graders.  The teacher is identified as Jack Wright.

The numbering on the front goes left to right, beginning with the boys kneeling in the front and proceeding up to the back row, and ending with #29.   There is a #6 at the end of the kneeling row and again at the beginning of the second row.  I do not know who made the annotations but it appears to be by an adult.  The names on the back are in numerical order with each one labeled with grade level; there are no other annotations.  [I've used these brackets below for my comments.]
1.  James Pugmire 6B
2.  Max Williamson 6B
3.  Lamel [Laurel?] Pugmire 6B
4.  Alfred Keetch 6B
5.  Claude Willianson 6A
6.  Weldon Peterson 5A
[a second #6 at the beginning of second row]6.  Elmer Transtrum 6A 
7.  Cloyd Minor 6A
8.  D'Orr Bunderson 6B
9.  Myrtle Pugmire 6B
10.  Effie Hymas 6A
11.  June Bunderson 6A
12.  Irene Peterson 65A
13.  Lamel [Laurel?] Windly 65A
14.  Melba Pugmire 5A
15.  Ben Bunderson 5A
16.  Preston Booth 6A
17.  Dannie Benson 6A
18.  Helen Hill 6A
19.  Venice Pugmire 6A
20.  Verla Pugmire 6A
21.  Aseal Rich 5A
22.  Billie Floyd 6A
23.  Carl Clark 6A
24.  Murnell Michaelson 6B
25.  Jack Wright -- Teacher
26.  Lawand [Lawang?] Michaelson 6A
27.  Enid Peterson 6A
28.  Chloey Floyd 6A
29.  Margaret Hegwer 6A [My Aunt Margaret is about 13 here; she died about 18 months after this photo was taken.]

Related Posts
7th & 8th graders
3rd & 4th graders
1st & 2nd graders 

05 July 2010

1928 in St. Charles, Idaho: 7th & 8th Grades


 
This is one of the photo scans I brought home from my visit with my aunt in March.  As you can see, it is labeled as the 7th & 8th grade class of Wilson Grade School in St. Charles, Bear Lake County, Idaho.  I have no idea who did the typing or annotations.

If you look closely, you can see that each of the students has been 'numbered'  left to right and in sequence: top row 1 to 9, second row 10-17, third row 18-27, and front row of kneeling boys 28-34.  Mr. Ralph Brimhall, principal & teacher, was annotated on the back by name and as "the old man."

On the back of the photo, each numbered student is listed in a column by grade level.  The writing on the back is apparently one handwriting but with two differently colored inks, perhaps written at two different times.  The names are in blue but annotations and marriages are in black. 

Here is my best guess at transcribing the names and notations on the back.  I can send a scanned copy to anyone who is interested.

Eight
2 Dewedle Peterson
3 Harold Peterson
4 Preston Michilson
8 La Preal Pugmire
9 Or Reta Rich
14 Preston Pugmire
16 Cleone Widely
18 Myrna Wilks
19 Vernon Rich
20 Valois Arnell
22 Virginia Bunderson
23 Lillan Bunderson
24 Lee Bunderson
25 Almer Peterson
26 La Preal Brewer
27 Corrine Wilermian
28 Alfred Peterson
34 Lester Wilermiam Clark ('Clark' and the strike-through in black)
35 absent Dora Allred
36     "     Emma    "

Seventh
1 Beatrice Michilson
5 Principal
6 Herbert Hegwer
7 Myrle Linferl
10 Agnes Croseley
11 Donald Stewert
12 Andrew Michilson
13 Lowell Floyd
15 Winona  "
17 La Ree Peterson
21 Fern Hill
31 Reed Laker
32 Adriaen Stewert
33 Man Cleavland
30 Elden Even Pugmire
29 Evan Allred

Married
OrReta Rich -------------------
Myrna Wills  -------------------
Virginia Bunderson now Mrs Devirl Wittington -- 1932
Lee Bunderson -- married Margaret Grandy, Paris -- 1935
La Priel Brewer  --  "        Jullian Thornoch, Bloomington -- 1931
Corine Wilskilmson xxxx " Cleneta Arnold, St. Charles about 1932
Dora Allred            "  Andrew Thompson, Bloomington - 1935
Beatrice M.            "  -------------------------
Agnes Crossley       "   ------------------------
Winma Floyd         "    Bob Rosen, Paris
LaRe Peterson        "   Emmet "Hum" Monson, St. Charles 1933
Erma Allred            "  Curtis Pugmire                    "           1934

The ditto marks are clearly for the word 'married' in the Married section.  I interpret the lines after the names as meaning that the writer knew the person was married but did not know to whom.  I cannot read the marks after Corine Wilskilmson; I think it originally said "(dead)" but was later written over as "deceased."

My dad is #6.  He would have been 14y 5m when this was taken.  He did not start school until 1923, but was promoted quickly to finish 3rd grade by the end of the school year 1923-24.  Dad frequently talked about 'Junior' Pugmire being his best friend in St. Charles.  I wonder if that is one of these Pugmire boys?

I also have scans of the 1st/2nd, 3rd/4th, and 5th/6th classes of that year.  I'll get them into the blog shortly.  I do so hope someone will find these all useful!  Have a great day!

Related Posts

02 July 2010

First Friday Folder: Asahel Davison & Lucy Wait

Asahel DAVISON and Lucy WAIT are my great-great-great-grandparents in my Porter line.  I selected this folder this month because Lucy is my 'most recent' brickwall in this line; I mean that my Porter pedigree is solid until I reach Lucy.  Actually, Lucy is more of a 'climbing wall' than a  brickwall: there seem to be many clues as to her ancestry and I'm fairly confident that I just need to find the right combination of 'handholds and footholds' to climb my way to her....

The organization of the folder was in pretty good shape.  There was just one duplicate to discard and a family group sheet to print out for (collateral) son Wait's family.  The most glaring problem is that I really, really need a detailed, specific research plan!

Asahel Davison
Asahel was born 4 June 1769 in Pomfret, Windham, Connecticut, the fourth child of Dea. Dan Davison and Martha Goodell [2].  He died in April 1813 during his first month of service in the 11th regiment of an infantry company in the War of 1812 at or on Lake Champlain [3].  I think it was a state militia group, rather than US forces.  I have not yet found any record of any pension for his family. Perhaps the very short duration of his service did not qualify him for any benefits?

He appears in town records of Bethyl, Windsor, Vermont from 1794 through October 1897. [4] (His father was in nearby Hartland from the 1780s to his own death in 1821.)    But, Asahel's second and third children may have been born in Waterford, Caledonia, Vermont during that time period.  Later children were more certainly born in Waterford, Caledonia, Vermont [5].  For the 1810 census, Asahel is in Milton, Chittenden, Vermont with a listing of males and females that matches his expected family composition.

A compiled genealogy lists his wife as Lucy WAIT, but I have not found a marriage record or location.  There are also several unsourced, online family trees that say WAIT.  But, I believe I need to be open to her having a different surname.

Lucy Wait
Lucy appears only in the 1850 census of Fairfax, Franklin, Vermont as Lucy Stoddard, giving an age of 81 and birthplace of Massachusetts.  Son Titus is the only child who I've found who lived to the 1880 census, where he listed both parents as born in Vermont.  Given that Asahel definitely was born in Connecticut, Vermont could also be an error for Lucy. 

It's a bit hard to read here, but her gravestone gives 1769 as a birthdate, matching the 1850 census data [1].  The stone shows Lucy with her second husband, Benjamin Stoddard.  This engraving is actually on the back side of the stone for her son Wait Davison in the Fairfax Plains Cemetery in Fairfax, Franklin, Vermont.

Clues to Lucy's Ancestry
Son Wait Davison married an Almira Wait of Highgate, Vermont [6].  WAIT is a somewhat common surname in Vermont, so this could be a coincidence, but I think tracing Almira could be the missing foothold.

Vermont State Index Cards include a card of a Lucy Wait, born 27 Apr 1769 in Rockingham, Vermont, with parents John & Sarah.  However, reviewing original Rockingham records, there are a number of records that seem to preclude this Lucy being the one who marries Asahel.  Also, none of Lucy & Asahel's children were named John or Sarah.

A John Wait of Milton was appointed as one of the administrators of Asahel's probate [3].  This John has left precious few records in Milton and I really don't know anything about him.  Clearly, this lead has the be more fully investigated!

There is a record of a Lucy Wait born to Moses & Hannah WAIT  3 April 1769 in Springfield, Massachusetts [7]. I've done a bit of looking in Springfield records, but I have seen nothing that allows me to accept or discount this record.  Lucy and Asahel did not name any sons 'Moses' but there is a daughter 'Harriet.'  I wonder if this Moses had a son John who could be the administrator of Asahel's estate?

There are several Lucy Davisons in this time period.  However, it seems too much of a coincidence that Hartford, Vermont has a "warning out" issued 4 Nov 1817 for "Lucy Davison and family" [8].  Could the young widow, with 7 children under 17, have moved to a new, nearby town and received the notice?  If so, did she have family there?  I need to check original Hartford, Windsor, Vermont records. 

And, there should be a long trail of guardianship records somewhere for all of Asahel and Lucy's young children.  Perhaps the relationship to John Wait is explained there.

Research Plans
In addition to following each of the clues above, I need to:
  • track more fully all of Asahel's 5 siblings to see more places where his marriage might be recorded.  The marriages of 3 of his siblings were recorded in 1790, 1793, and 1795 in Hartland, Windsor, Vermont.  There were WAITs in adjacent Braintree & Tunbridge in the 1790 census.  So, Hartland seems like a good place to start.
  • track more fully all 11 of their children & spouses, with Almira Wait being a priority
  • map all of the known 1760-1810 locations for Asahel, his father, and known WAIT census listings to identify surrounding towns/counties that I might otherwise miss
  • make a formal, specific research plan
Conclusions
Again, at first glance, the folder and family group sheets look pretty good, but then I see that I need some critical primary sources.  The most glaring problem is lacking a marriage record for the couple.

I think I have several very solid, potentially rewarding clues to follow.  There are certainly clusters here to follow.  I think that using different formats (maps, charts, tables, etc.) than I commonly use may help give me a new perspective so that something wonderful will jump out at me!

I need a specific plan.  I need to concentrate on following the plan and not let my self be distracted by research on other lines or in other places.  [But what fun is that?!  I have to think that I am after success and that being more organized here will be the fun!]

Any and all suggestions will be gratefully considered! Have a great day!

Sources
[1] Photo by MHD in 2004.  Parts of another image at findagrave.com by Bev Destromp are a bit better.  Her image of Wait's side is far superior to my photos of that side.
I have additional and more complete source citations for most of the data above, and they are available upon request.  Briefly:
[2] Connecticut, Pomfret: Vital Records of Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, (at SLC FHL), p. 93.
[3] (among others) Chittenden District Probate Court, Vermont, FHL# 28,033; Vol. 5, pp. 38-39
[4] Eldest son Cyrus' birth record -- Vermont, Bethyl: Records of births, marriages, and deaths, 1769-1997, (at SLC FHL). FHL# 27,911; Item 3, Bethyl VR Vol I - 1785-1857; p. 4.  Asahel in town records --  Bethyl, Vermont. Town Records, 1782-1886, p. 7 & p. 46, (at SLC FHL), FHL # 0982506.
[5] Vermont, Waterford: Vital Records of Waterford, Vermont, p. 11 & etc., (at SLC FHL), FHL # 29,053. Dated: 1809-1931.
[6] Vermont General Index to Vital Records, Office of the Secretary of State, (at SLC FHL). Films are of cards alpha order. All are very clearly written.  FHL# 27,528
[8] Alden Rollins, Vermont Warnings Out, Vol. 1: Northern Vermont  (Camden, Maine: Picton Press, 1995), p. 337.