Monday, December 27, 2010

Guess What I got for Christmas!!

Boy, was I a happy camper when I opened this gift!

VuPoint Magic Wand™ Portable Scanner

(I have always wanted a magic wand!)Now I can finally scan legal size documents! It will also come in handy when I go to the library and find precious genealogical materials that can't be checked out!  Now I am really looking forward to a trip to an archive building (whenever that is)!

So here is my first attempt at using the scanner. Said magic wand doesn't have enough magic to ensure that I scan straight, however. (I guess I will have to practice)

The following document is Quit-claim Deed made between Oregon Short Line Railroad Company and James S. Poulsen (my great-grandfather) Jan 21, 1911. As always, click on images for larger view.




That is not the only genealogical gift that I got. I also got the money for a year membership with New England Historic Genealogical Society (now American Ancestors)! The check's in the mail and I can't wait to get full access to their database! I also look forward to receiving the journals in the mail. You just don't know how long I have wanted to own one of those NEHGS journals!


Saturday, December 25, 2010

History 101 - Calvin Buck Smedley

The following history is about my grandpa. I transcribed it from a Ditto copy that I believe was written by my grandmother even though it reads like he wrote it.







History of Calvin Buck Smedley
(Written by Grace Ellen Poulsen Smedley)


I was borned June 4, 1897 Paris, Idaho to Ida Buck and Thomas Joynes Smedley. My Father was a brick maker. He had come from England when a young man with his wife and settled in New Jersey, later he came to Paris, where his wife’s sister lived.  He raised a family of six children.  After they were all married and his wife had died he returned to England to do some family research work.


There he met my mother, she was around 28 years old, the oldest of ten children. My father was around 65 years when he married my mother. He came back to Paris to make brick and start another young family which was very hard at his age.  He worked hard and it seemed like so many people took advantage of him, he trusted people too much. At the time of his death, he still had a book of accounts that people had not paid for their brick. (never did) This made it very hard for my mother she struggled along the best she could, took in carpet weaving. There were six children myself, Lillian, Irva, Ella, Gertrude, and Arnold.


I was the oldest, when small my father would take me to the brick yard.  But I never did much there, never was interested in brick making.  When about 14 years of age, I started helping Heber Smedley my half brother, haying in the summer and feeding in the winter time.


My father was getting old, had a mortgage on the field, I had these five younger brothers and sisters.  Mother wove carpet, and I did not go to school like I should, as I worked to help with the family expense, stayed out too much and got discouraged. Father was not well for several years, he had a slight stroke, which changed him very much. About a year after I was married he died with pneumonia.


While growin up I worked at many different jobs. I had a team of horses, did some construction work. The summer before I was married, I worked at the mine, also did some logging.


In Oct 7, 1920 I married Grace Ellen Poulsen, Bishop Poulsen’s daughter from across the street. After about two months the mine closed down. So for a while, we never had much.  I milked four cows and this was our income for a few months. At this time, we moved home and lived in one room of my mother’s home. At this time we had one baby our oldest daughter Violet was about one year old.


Later we moved up the street and rented 2 rooms in the old Eborn home. We lived there a while, then we bought a little home log house on the corner, at present this is owned by Edna Law. Bur at that time there were just two rooms, this is where Cloree and Darrell were borned.  While living here I worked off and on at the mine for a few years, they did hire a few men, and I was one of them. I got hurt a few times, was gassed once, got my leg and arm hurt another time.


Later we got a chance to buy the house across the street next to Grace’s father. It was a little larger, this is where we lived for several years. James, Beverly, Garna, and Tom were borned while we lived here.


I still milked 3 or 4 cows, run the Smedley field.  After Grace’s father died, we bought his house and field from Aunt Lou. She bought a smaller house and we moved into hers, where we still live.
Calvin in front of the house that Grace's father built




When James was a few months old I took a job feeding cattle for J. Pugmire, this was during the depression years. That winter I fed cattle, for 40 dollars a month. Grace cooked for 3 or 4 men for our board. Some days I would go from 5 a.m. until mine or ten p.m. They fed some cattle in a feed lot, I would have to go up before breakfast, then again at night, besides I had cows to milk night and morning and haul hay the rest of the time. The children would walk two miles to Wardboro to school. Darrell started the first grade there. About ½ way was Camp Stewart, where th Humphrys lived. They had children too, so Sister Humphrys would have them come in and get warm on their way to school, which  made it good for the children. In some ways it was plenty hard but we got by. Grace had to wash on the board, we had the four children when we first went down. We were there back and forth until Beverly was about three years old. We were blessed with good health those years we were there.


After we moved back, we got more cows. Later when we got the Poulsen field I had about all I could do. Darrell was good to help until he joined the Navy for four years.


By this time James was able to help some. During the haying season I changed work with George Hulme and others to get our hay up. Started building up a good bunch of milk cows, horse, etc. and farming. Although I had to do it the hard way.


In 1969 we were called to go on a mission to the North Carolina Virginia Mission. Had been asked two years before, but felt like I could not go. I had been as active as I should have been when the children were growing up. Anyway I thought maybe I would not pass the physical as I had some heart trouble, but I passed alright. I have always been thankful that we went was a wonderful experience for us. We had many interesting things happen to us. Grace kept a diary, which will tell all about it.


A few years after our return, we sold the Poulsen field place to him (Darrell) and Beverly. As I just could not do the work. Darrell also bought the stock. The Buck lot we sold to Tom hoping he could come back someday and build a home. So now all we have is our home here in Paris I am not able to do much work.


On the 16th of November we were driving to Franklin, got a ways up the canyon, when I hit some black ice and the truck rolled over. Other than bruises, and all ahook up, I was okay. But Grace got a fractured leg, broken pelvis and is still in a wheel chair. In time she will walk.


At present time we are here in Buena Park, California with Garna and Douglas, they have done so much for us. Our whole family have been good to us. Hope it won’t be long before Grace can get around better.


We have also been guides in the summer time at the Tabernacle one day a week for the past twelve years.


Also in 1970, we had our golden wedding anniversary. The children gave us a party which was very nice. We are very thankful for our children, grandchildren, also great grand children. At present we have 16 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren including Deby’s.


The summer of 1928 had been a bad drought here in Bear Lake and very little hay was raised in the valley. The government had shipped in cottonseed cake to help feed the cattle the following winter.


That winter I went out to Proverty flat in the east hills to feed Pugmires cattle cottonseed cake and straw. This was the first winter I worked for them. I went out after Christmas, stayed a few weeks, then rode a horse in one night to go to a Relief Society party. I had decided unless I could take Grace back, I was not going to go back.


I made arrangements with her uncle George Price to bring her and the children with him, as he went out once a week to feed his horses, not too far from where I was. 


Violet was in the 1st grade so got mother to keep her. Cloree was around 4 years old, Darrell 17 months younger. The day he brought them out there was a bad blizzard after they left Paris but George had lots of quilts hot rocks in the slay. The horses seem to know the way, and they got there to his house and stayed over night. The next day he took them up to where I was feeding. Was a beautiful cold clear morning. We were there about 7 or 8 weeks, then trailed the cattle in to Wardboro. 


One night that winter it went to 50 degrees below zero, but we did have a good 2 room house, and coal to burn. We were blessed and kept well.


Leslie Ann

Friday, December 24, 2010

Friend of Friends Friday - Rhode Island General Court of Trials 1677



The following transcriptions are from the book Rhode Island General Court of Trials 1671-1704, by Jane Fletcher Fiske.


At a Genrl Court of Tryalls held in his Majties 
Name at Newport the 7th of May 1677


Whereas James Case was bound for the appeareance of Salvadore a Negro at this Court and the said Case haveinge brought into court the said Negro and desireinge to be Released of his Bonds: The Court doe see cause to Release the said Case, and doe com[m]itt the said Negro Salvadore to the keeper of the Jayle to be secured till cald for by the Court. (pg 53)


Upon an Indictment by the Genrl Aturny against Joseph a Negro, for that the said Negro was suspected to have a hand in burninge the wind-mill, and cutting the sayles from Thomas Goulds boate. The said Negro beinge a prisoner and brought into the court and his charge read unto him, and askt whither guilty or not guilty, pleads not Guilty. The Jurrys verdict not Guilty. Cleerd by proclamation in open court paying ffees. (pg 54)


Upon an Indictment by the Genrl Aturny against Salvadore a Negro ffor ffelloniously takeinge two bags or sacks, and cuttinge Thomas Goulds sayles and Burninge the windmill -- The said Negro beinge brought into the Court, and his charges read unto him, and he askt whither Guilty or  not Guilty pleads not Guilty: The Jurrys verdict not Guilty -- cleerd by proclamation paying ffees. In this tryall John Woodman was on the jurry insteed of John Easton Junr (pg 54)




Sunday, December 19, 2010

Sunday's Obituary - Roy A. Ellison

Courtesy of Virginia Monnich

Surnames: ELLISON WILLIS PEACOCK MCKAY


Ray is a first cousin 3 times removed of my children. Their common ancestors are James K "Baldy" and Katherine Madelyn Phillips Ellison.





Friday, December 17, 2010

Advent calendar of Christmas Day 17 - My Grab Bag of Memories




As I reach into my grab bag of Christmas memories I could pull out a favorite toy, an experience, or even an incident.  Which ever it may be, it is without a label of date,time or order (that's how jumbled my memory is). What? It happens.


One of my earliest favorite Christmas toys was the Fisher Price circus ring.


And then there was the Sprirograph and Easy bake oven.


I remember one year my little brother got a Whirly Bird for Christmas. You know, the little helicopter hooked to a battery operated thingy by a foot long black plastic piece and you pushed a lever and it flew round and round in a circle.  He and my dad sat on the kitchen floor and played with it. Mom's got a picture of it (dang, I wish she had a computer).  I thought it was cool, dad sitting on the floor playing with toys. Come to think of it, Santa might have given that to dad.


I loved Christmas mornings! Not only because of the neat stuff that Santa brought, but the fact that we had breakfast together. Dad would make pancakes. A couple of Christmases he had to make potato pancakes.  The second time he did it I thought to myself, please dad -- don't ruin Christmas by putting potatoes in my pancakes -- yuk!!  But really, there is nothing better than Christmas pancakes.


Monday, December 13, 2010

Blog Caroling 2010


Footnote Maven has invited us to go caroling!  I am so excited!  I haven't been caroling in years! As a matter of fact, it was 13 years ago in a small town called Inkom in Idaho.


So what do ya say? I am sure someone around here has a horse and wagon we can borrow, and I saw some hay bails down the street.  You might want to bring your favorite Snuggie and don't forget your ear muffs; it's pretty windy out there.  After we have caroled our hearts out, we can have the driver stop at Starbucks or the local pub for a hot toddy (majority rules).  Who's with me?


Here's the song I want to sing:

Up On The Housetop


Up on the housetop reindeer pause
Out jumps good old Santa Claus
Down thru the chimney with lots of toys
All for the little ones
Christmas joys

Chorus
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Up on the housetop
Click, click, click 
(this is where you snap your fingers)
Down thru the chimney with
Good Saint Nick

First comes the stocking
Of little Nell
Oh, dear Santa
Fill it well
Give her a dolly
That laughs and cries
One that will open
And shut her eyes

Repeat Chorus

Next comes the stocking
Of little Will
Oh, just see what
A glorious fill
Here is a hammer
And lots of tacks
Also a ball
And a whip that cracks

Repeat Chorus

Are you snapping your fingers?



Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sunday's Obituary - Clarence E Gray

The Roanoke Times, Tuesday, November 2, 1971


Clarence E. Gray


     Clarence E. Gray, 74, of
2721 Garden City Blvd., SE,
died Monday in a Roanoke
hospital.  He was a retired
employee of Roanoke Electric
Steel Corp.
     Surviving are his wife, An-
nie Brown Gray; three sons,
Marvin K. Gray, Clarence R.
Gray, Edward H. Gray, Roa-
noke; four sisters, Mrs. Berta
Tench, Mrs. Lena Turner, Ro-
anoke, Mrs. Mattie Reed,
Mrs. Mary Brook, Winston-Sa-
lem, N.C.; a brother, Walter
Gray, Hampton.
     Oakey's Funeral Home, Ro-
anoke, is handling arrange-
ments.


Clarence Edward Gray is hubby's great-granduncle.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Friend of Friends Friday - Rhode Island General Court of Trials 1673



Yesterday I finally received the book "Rhode Island General Court of Trials 1671-1704", transcribed by Jane Fletcher Fiske and published in 1998 that I had ordered through the Inter-Library Loan (ILL) department. While skimming through the book last night I found a few entries that would be fitting for for an AFoF post.


At the Generall Court of Tryalls Held for the Collony at Newport the: 12th of May 1673


Upon an Indictment by the Generall Solicetor against Jobba a Negro woman servant to Mr Caleb Carr for that the said Jobba about the latter end last had Carnall Copulation with James Gray - she being mandamassed and in court Cald apeared, pleads Not Guilty and Referrs her selfe for Tryall to the Cuntry: The Jurry sent forth on the case: The Jurrys Verdict Not Guilty. The Verdict accepted by the Court: The Court order she be cleerd by proclamation payinge ffees. (page 20)


Upon Indictment by the Genrl Solicetor against George a Negroe servant (belonging to Mrs Sarah Davis) for com[m]ittinge ffornication with Maria Negro servant to Mr ffrancis Brinley, the said Negroe being Mandamassed and in Court Cald apeard: his charge beinge Read and he askt whether Guilty or not Guilty - Ownes: Guilty. The Court doe centance him to be whipt with fifteene stripes.(page 21)


Upon Indictment by the Generall Solicetor against Maria a Negro woman (servant to Mr ffran. Brinley) ffor com[m]itting ffornication with George a Negro servant to Mrs Sarah Davis, the said Negro beinge mandamassed, and in Court Cald apeard, and beinge askt whether Guilty or not Guilty owned Guilty. The Court doe centance her to be forthwith whipt with fifteene stripes.(page 22)


Upon Indictment by the Solicetor against Hope a Negro woman (servant to Mr William Coddington) for com[m]ittinge the act of ffornication with James Parr. The said Negro beinge Mandamassed and in Court Cald apeard, and her charge read, and she askt whether Guilty or not Guilty. Ownes Guilty.
The centance of the Court is That the said Negro be forthwith whipt with fifteene stripes or pay fforty shillings to the Generall Treasury. (page 22)



For those unfamiliar with legal terms (like me):


Mandamassed [i.e. served with a writ of mandamus]
writ of mandamus (which means "we command" in Latin), or sometimes mandate, is the name of one of the prerogative writs in the common law, and is "issued by a superior court to compel a lower court or a government officer to perform mandatory or purely ministerial duties correctly"



Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Advent Calendar December 8 - Christmas Cookies




Christmas cookies - I remember those! How I miss making them with mom.  We used to make raisin filled and iced cookies. 


Mom would sprinkle flour on the kitchen table and we would throw a big blob of cookie dough on the flour and roll it with the (Tupperware)rolling pin.  Us kids would use the Santa, Christmas tree, and gingerbread man cookie cutters from Tupperware and mom would use a glass to make round shapes (I don't know why she just couldn't use the cookie cutters).


She would spoon the raisin filling on the cut dough (mostly the round ones)and cover them with a matching one. We would cover the other ones with frosting after they cooled off.


It has been ages since I have had a raisin filled cookie! I may just have to make some this year.  As a matter of fact, I just got off the phone with mom and she gave me the recipe. Oh, do you want to make some too?  I guess I could share it with you.


Raisin filled cookies


Ingredients:


1 cup sugar    
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg & 1/2 cup sour milk creamed together


Filling:


1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tbs flour
1 cup of ground raisins


Combine filling ingredients and heat on stove until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and set aside. 


Roll out dough, cut with cookie cutters or top of a drinking glass. Put desired amount of filling on cut dough and top with another, pressing sides to seal. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.



Mmm.....I can taste them now.


Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sunday's Obituary - Charles R. McCullough



Charles R.
McCullough
Dies in T.F.


Charles R. McCullough, 55,
died Wednesday morning at his
home, 821 Main avenue west,
after a long illness.


He was born Jan. 15, 1908 at
Tarkio, Mo., and married Minnie
McClain Sept. 9, 1927, in Mount
Zion, Mo.  They moved to Twin
Falls April 1, 1947, from Spring-
field, Mo. He was a steam elec-
tric engineer for Amalgamated
Sugar company until he retired
11 months ago due to poor
health. He was a member of the
Twin Falls Southern Baptist
Church.


Surviving besides his widow,
are two sons, Dwain McCullough,
Pocatello, and Dearl McCullough,
Fairfield; three brothers, Earl
McCullough and Orville McCul-
lough, both Springfield, Mo. and
Arthur McCullough, Sparta, Mo.;
two sisters, Mrs. Ada Brazel,
Springfield, Mo., and Mrs. Zola
Allen, Ava, Mo.; his mother, Mrs.
Lola McCullough, Springfield, 
Mo., and six grandchildren.


Funeral services are pending 
at White Mortuary.






Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Carnival of Genealogy, 100th Edition - There's one in every family!

The topic for this 100th edition of the COG is "There's one in every family!", I have been pondering this statement for a couple of weeks now. What is there one of in my family?


There is no black sheep, lone wolf, or blue-ribbon cook, and I only wish there was a story-teller. I don't think there is a geek, but my nephew called me a computer nerd once.


As for a family recipe, there really isn't one, however mom's barbecue is way better than Manwhich. I couldn't share that recipe with you because then I would have to kill you (actually, I don't know the recipe). I have never made it. Hubby doesn't like barbecue or any kind of sloppy joe stuff. (I know, that's almost un american!)Sister makes it all the time though.


So here's what I came up with. Every family has an inherited trait or characteristic, or even a family resemblance, right? The most prominent family trait we have, I call -


The PRICE lips, courtesy of my 3rd great-grandfather, Simon Price. Just check out the seven generations of full, voluptuous lips:


(Don't pay attention to my drawing.  I couldn't draw a straight line if my life depended on it!)


The SMEDLEY calves - Sister and I have these big solid thick calves. I mean, knee socks - it ain't happenin'. Dad would always say, "You girls have the Smedley calves.  I have never actually seen or checked out any of my aunt's calves so I am taking his word on this one.

Then there's the PIGGOTT walk - Mom, sister, brother, and I all walk the same. If I recall, I think one of my aunt's has this same walk. Picture this, years ago when mom worked at the Holiday Inn my step-cousin's husband gave her the nickname "Daffy" because of her "waddle". Let me tell ya, we sometimes get grief from our spouses.

Check out these family resemblances:



I found this fun little Family Traits Trivia game.  

Can you roll your tongue? Do you have a hitchhiker's thumb or a widow's peak? Check out these Myths of Human Genetics

Well I am going to take my big calves and waddle on out of here (I need some chapstick).




Monday, November 22, 2010

Sunday's Obituary - Cecil Kelsey


Cecil's wife was my second cousin once removed.


Surnames: KELSEY MOODY SMITH ROBEBACK MARTIN CONCHOLA PASKELL BEVIN VANWYKE CARROLL


Source: The Salt Lake Tribune, November 15, 1966, page 26.



Tuesday, November 16, 2010

History 101- Blanche Theora Barker PIggott Dunn

The following history was written by my aunt.



BLANCHE THEORA BARKER PIGGOTT DUNN HISORY
Written by a daughter JEAN PIGGOTT PUGMIRE


My roots in Bloomington began when my (great)grandparents moved into the valley from Salt Lake City to first Liberty and then Bloomington. They were William Henry & Elizabeth Cannon Piggott.  He owned & operated a saw mill & 3 daughters when he was called to serve a mission in England.  He was told that when he returned the Lord would bless him with a son.  That is where my grandfather William Cannon Piggott came into the picture.  Elizabeth taught lessons on her melodian & also taught dress making.  When William Henry became too ill to work at the mill he was appointed postmaster of Bloomington.


My grandfather Wm. C. (Bill) was the town blacksmith.  He was a very hard worker & did many jobs & favors free of charge.  He was a kind, jolly man, big in stature both physically & characteristically & he loved to pull jokes on the people that would come to his shop.  Grandma Hazel Rebecca Madsen Piggott was a very good cook & we all enjoyed listening to her play the harmonica.


My father was their firstborn.  My parents are William Madsen Piggott & Blanche Theora Barker Piggott Dunn.  My father was (in Mom’s words) honest, had high ideals & morals & was very ambitious & hardworking.  My mother was very talented & played the piano & organ in many church positions & also in a dance band.  She was a righteous, wise & compassionate woman.  She gave her all to her family & anyone else that needed her.


Mom & Dad were married during the depression & my father had to leave the valley at times to find work.  Later he purchased a saw mill but could not work it till spring so he went to work for the railroad.  Spring came & dad was very sick.  It took months to find out what was wrong with him.  In July they discovered he had leukemia & on July 15, 1945 at age 33, he passed away leaving behind 5 children.  The oldest was 10-Rodney Barker Piggott, Merrill William & Carolyn (Pendleton) twins were 8 years old, Joyce (Smedley) 2 years, 9 months old & Jean (Pugmire) was 17 months old.


With the loss of father, mother became everything.  Her faith & testimony of the Gospel were guidelines for her to live by & to raise her children by.  She was a true mother in every sense of the word.  Mom struggled to make a living for her family.  She cleaned the church house for a while & did typing at home to earn extra income.  Later she got a job as county deputy assessor.  Mom played the piano for people to sing solos & such.  She worked in the MIA & Sunday School & loved those she worked with & the young people whom she taught.


Everyone made her feel welcome at parties & dances, but she said she always felt like a fifth wheel.


For 26 years she was alone & then she met & married a most wonderful man.  His name is Loren Cecil Dunn.  Her dreams had come true, her prayers had been answered.  She finally had a companion she could attend the temple with, go on a mission, work in the temple, & grow old with.  She retired from the assessors office when she we.  Cecil’s grandfather was John Barker, the first baby boy born in Bloomington & mother’s father’s name was John T. Barker.


As children we were anxious to grow up & leave the valley, but as adults we realize that some of our best years were being able to be raised in Bloomington.


The influence of the residents to the children of Blanche was really profound.  They helped to fill the void of dad & we learned a lot from the things they taught us, & the examples they were to us.


I remember the Gold & Green Balls, helping at the Old Folks Parties, the sleigh rides around town & a peaceful feeling inside.  Good town, good people.  I will always cherish my memories of Bloomington.


During Mom’s struggle to raise her family alone there were many townspeople who helped her when she needed it.  To you people she was ever so grateful & we as her children want to “Thank You”.
Jean & Blanche Piggott


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