Monday, October 31, 2011

Some Halloween Tombstones For Your...uh hm.. Pleasure!

In old Middletown Cemetery in Winona, Montgomer County, MS is a stone engraved with Walter Ghoul, 1804 - 1891. While I couldn't locate a photo of this stone, I still found it a ghoulish good way to start off our little hunt!


Here is James Pumpkin. Died 1864. He is buried at Fort Scott National Cemetery in Kansas.

Here is Peggy Pumpkin, buried at Fisher Cemetery, Yonkers, Oklahoma.

Although I don't have a photo, there is a William Witch buried at Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum, Saint Louis, MO.


Here is Philip Ghost, buried at Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant, Iowa.


John Spook, buried at South Hart Cemetery, Hart, Michigan.


Frank Skeleton, who is buried at New Jerusalem Cemetery, Leithsville, Pennsylvania.

Let me leave you with a few scary tombstone images:


...wh want this scary gargoyl looking over their grave!


...I can't bear to look at the snakes!



...busting out!


...busted out!

And last but not least...



...you just might see gostly images walking trough the cemetery at night!








Mystery Monday

I have decided to once again return to my "What Is It?" probing for Mystery Monday, only somewhat related to the blogging of the same name as prompted by GeneaBloggers, my Mystery Monday will ask you what something is. I'll give you 24-hours from the time of my post to use Your research skills to determine what the item is!

Simple enough. Right?

Well... here is your first item to identify...

You have 24-hours to identify!
Leave your finds below in the comments.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Sentimental Sunday


Emmette Lorimer Beane
12 July 1910 - 20 May 1988
Son of John Monroe Bean [1866-1954] and Ada Burdette [1883 - 1929]
Married to Elizabeth "Betty" Miller.
No children.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Shopping Saturday

Having already discussed my Grandpa Bean and his owning a General Mercantile, I thought I would touch a bit on my memories of shopping when I was a child.

Being that my Dad was in the US Navy, we did most of our grocery shopping at the Naval Base's Commissary.


Since when I was very young Dad only got paid once a month, we went grocery shopping just once a month. Meats and breads were immediately put into the freezer. Mom purchased powdered milk so as not to have to run to the store frequently [I didn't have real milk at my house until 1998 when I married Texican! He insisted on the real stuff. Now I can't even imagine going back to powdered milk!] Even margarine was stored in the freezer until ready to use!

Once I became old enough to get a Military ID card, I was brought along with Mom to do the shopping, which had by this time increased to twice per month.

I was first used to simply push a second grocery cart so Mom could get everything she needed. [Usually there was one cart filled with the items that could mash or "smoosh" up, such as breads, eggs, and the like. The second cart would carry canned good and meats.

After a while, Mom decided that this was an excellent time to teach me abit about household economics. I began to help her make a grocery list [when using a grocery list, one seldom spends more than their budget!]. I began learning about comparison shopping, checking the prices of one brand against another. This was at a time before the comparative labels were put on grocery shelves! [You know those little labels that will tell you how much you are paying per ounce, pound, container, etc.] So, Mom had me practicing mathematics at the grocery shelves! "See Cyndi, this one is 6-ounces for $1.00, but if we look over here we get 12-ounces for $1.50. So which one is the better price per volume?" She also taught me how to check eggs before buying them, as well as tell when bread was fresh. As I got older she would hand me the money to pay for the groceries and it became my job to make sure the groceries came to the estimated amount we had planned on, and that the cashier gave me the correct amount of change.



All in all, it gave me an excellent education on grocery shopping that had me prepared for a tight financial budget when I first married [I was still a teenager!].

Today it is simply second nature to me [I've been using these practices, along with couponing, for over 40 years!], and many times it has been the difference between getting by and doing pretty good, simply because I knew how to budget and prepare a shopping list.

Did you help with your families grocery shopping when you were a kid? Do you do the shopping today?

Friday, October 28, 2011

Family Recipe Friday - Aunt Veda's Oatmeal Pie

Here's a recipe I got from my gr-aunt Veda [my Grandma Bean's sister]. Aunt Veda was a wonderful country cook! No one could beat anything she made! From her homemade fluffy biscuits, to her red-eye-gravy, and her delicious homemade sausage! [Well, no one but maybe my Aunt Mildred, my Uncle John's wife. But Aunt Mildred holds her recipes tight to her apron!]

This recipe is one Aunt Veda used to make and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. It's especially yummy when autumn's cooling breezes begin to blow! I eat mine plain these days. Just enjoying the delicious richness of the pie by itself!


Ingredients

    • 1 (9 inch) pie crusts
    • 4 eggs
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup light corn syrup
    • 1/8-1/4 cup melted butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal ( uncooked)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Beat eggs until frothy.
  3. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.
  4. Add eggs; mix well.
  5. Add corn syrup, melted butter, and vanilla.
  6. Mix oatmeal.
  7. Pour into uncooked shell.
  8. Bake for 45 minutes.


Yum Yum!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Those Places Thursday

I never got to meet my Grandpa Bean. He died several years before I was born, when Dad was just a teenager. But I feel like I have come to know him so very well through my Dad's recountings of him, as well as my Aunt Rita's and Aunt Margaret's. Both of these aunts took the time to answer a young girls querying mind, and gave me insight into a man I so long to meet when I get to heaven!

Grandpa Bean was born 1866, just a year after the Civil War ended. His mother followed his father to Ohio in the middle of the War. So, Grandpa was born in Cincinatti. Shortly after he was born on the 15th of December, the family packed up their belonging, and with their 5 children headed back to West Virginia in an oxen pulled wagon. It was so cold that they say Gr-Grandma Bean carried newborn Johnny inside the bodice of her dress to keep him warm. All of Grandpa's brothers were big, tall men. However, Grandpa stood only 5'7" and was slight of build. It is said that Grandpa used to tease and say that traveling in the cold weather as newborn stunted his growth!

Grandpa tried several different business ventures during his lifetime, but seemed to really enjoy being a merchant. He owned stores in both Waiteville, in Monroe County, and in Gap Mills, just across the mountain from Waiteville. The store that he owned in Gap Mills remains standing today, and is still in business! Although it is no longer a "General Mercantile", but is owned by the local Mennonites and sells a wide assortment of handmade furniture and quilts an wide array of other handmade items.

The outside remains the very same as when Grandpa owned it!


This building was built before 1870. When I can earliest recall visiting here, there was even a hitching rail out front of the store from the old days!


The porch floor looks just as ancient as the store!


This slot was used to collect money for IOU's. Customer's could slip an envelope and money thorugh the slot when the business was closed. It was used into the 1970's when it was owned by the Patton family and was still a mercantile.

Inside the store has gone from three rooms, a center mercantile with storage rooms on either side, to one very large room.

Here my lovely cousin, Janie, visits the store and is standing in the middle of the large room.



This old counter is original to the store and was used when my grandfather owned the establishment.

And here is an old Coke cooler, straight from the 1950's. While not there when my grandfather had the place, I still find it a fun item to have in the store today!

Whenever I visit the store I feel a strong bond to my grandfather, simply knowing that at one time he owned the business. That feeling was much stronger and more pronounced before the renovations of the building and it was still used as a General Mercantile, but it still remains!

I am blessed that I live amongst the areas that my grandfather lived and spent most of his life at. Many of our local families are the same families he knew. As a teen I often talked to older adults who knew him well, and was able to glean what the community thought of the man. It was always favorable, and I found he was well respected and a likeable person.

Grandpa first married in 1895. He had 3 children with her, and then she died from complications of tuberculosis. He next married in 1907, and he had 9 children with his second wife. Unfortunately, following the birth of the last child, she died with complications from toxemia, in 1929. Lastly he married my Grandmother in 1935, and had 3 children with her.

All total, Grandpa was the father of 15 children and their births range from 1896 to 1943! He was actually in his 70's when he fathered the last 3 children with my grandmother!

As an old man he shared his lifelong memories with one of his sons, my Dad. And because of this, I've had wonderful insight into his life. I've also been able to find proof of many things with the family, simply because he told Dad so many wonderful stories!

Is there a special place from one your ancestors that you have visited? Or one that you would like to visit?

My dream is to one day find the proof that my gr-gr-gr-grandfather came from Ireland, and just where it was. Lastly, I'd like to visit it before it is too late for me!


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Tombstone Tuesday - John W. Bean


"JOHN W.
BEAN
Born
DEC. 1, 1849
Died
Oct. 1, 1899
In hope of eternal
                  life."




John is buried here, at Byrd's Prairie Cemetery, Tupelo, Coal County, Oklahoma.

John was the son of Archibald Marmaduke Bean [1826-1899] and his wife [abt 1826- abt 1852].
John was married to Lenora Hyre [1851-1909]. And the father of:
Luther [1869- abt 1885]
Charles Edgar [1871 - 1909]
Amos Ward [1873 - 1953]
Minnie [abt 1974 - abt 1915]
Minnia [1880 - 1910]
Fred [b. 1884]
Frank [b. 1891]

Monday, October 24, 2011

Amanuensis Monday - Leon's WWI Draft Registration


Unfortunately for us, there is very little we can make out of this 1918 registration.

We are able to make out his name, Leon Earl Loper.

Moving down, we are able to just make out his birthdate, 04 March 1900.

We can tell that there is a mrk of some kind under RACE in the WHITE box.

Unfortunately for us, nothing else is legible down to his signature, which we can just make out.

We can see that [on the back of the card], he is a man of medium height, slender build, with brown eyes and dark hair.

Lastly we able to see that the card was filled out on 12 September 1918 in Craford County, Pennsylvania.

Leon died 19 July 1946.

He was the husband of my Aunt Margaret. He ws the father of two children, Mary Ann [1941-2010] and Robert Leon "Bob".

He is buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Aunt Margaret is now 97 years old and resides with in Ohio.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sharing Memories: Week 43 - Childhood Pranks

Lorine McGinnis Schulze over at Olive Tree Genealogy  has issued us a new exercise for the week!

It's Week 43 of our Sharing Memories - A Genealogy Journey Please join us each Sunday as we share our memories of childhood. Your descendants will be thankful that you did! Share a memory here as a comment, or on your own blog, or in a private journal, but write! Leave a legacy for your children and grandchildren.

I couldn't wait to delve into this one!

It was really quite bad of me, but after years of hearing my Mother talk about doing the same thing when she was younger, I once tricked my two younger brothers into "planting" a whole box of Cheerios breakfast cereal. Why, you may ask? Well... it could be that I might have, sort of, told them that a ... a donut tree would grow from them. [I know... totally shameful of me!]

And once, well, I hid a a soda bottle in our garden and slid a just sprouting cucumber into the bottle, growing a cucumber into the bottle until it filled the entire bottle. When it was so full I was afraid the bottle might burst, I picked the cuke, brought the bottle into the house, filled it with vinegar and then put a cork stopper into it. And it might be that I told my brothers... the pickle queen brought us pickles this way. And who is the pickle queen, they asked. I might have replied... she's a fairy queen who lives under the cabbage leaves.

And one last garden prank. I had my brothers plant a whole pound of uncooked spaghetti once. Why? Well... it might be I told them.... licorice plants grow from it.

Yes... I know! It might be that I was a little wicked in doing these things [I was 15 years old!]. Then again, it might be... I was simply a creative mind!!!

Take Me Home

A wonderful song that certainly brings to mind those many years I spent away from my own home while traveling.

Sentimental Sunday - Mollie Clements Thompson


Mary Ellen [aka: Molly] Clements Thompson
[1870 - 1959]
Molly was the daughter of Emanuel Jefferson Clements [1840 - 1918] and Rachel Hollabaugh [1846 - 1907].

Molly was born 1870 in Tennessee. She married Andrew Jackson Thompson [1860-1941]  and the couple went on to have 10 known children: Mary Azlee, Susan, Alex, Cass, Cora, Nora, Mary Lou, John, Laura and Jameson.

Molly died in Hill County, Texas. She is buried at Ridge Park Cemetery, Hillsboro, Hill, Texas.

[Looking at this pic... don't ya just love the fur stole?]

Saturday, October 22, 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Week #43 Worst School Subject


Week #43 – Worst School Subject
Week 43. Worst School Subject. What was your worst or least favorite subject in school and why?

My worst subject, in all my school daze, was chemistry. I simply could not remember even the basics! The Periodic Table remains a great mystery to me to this very day!

I once tried to make a volcano that erupted for class display. I watched as three other students did the very same project, with huge success! When it came time for me to show what I had done... well, let's just say over half the class went home with a little more on them than the clothes they left for school with that morning! [A horrible sticky, purplish goo that was stubborn and didn't come off easily!]


I was so bad at this that after I became an adult with a home of my own... I even exploded my own bathroom toilet!


"How?", you ask.

Answer: Very simple really. Simply stand back and pour into the toilet bowl about a gallon of bleach, a can full of Ajax, and then a little degreaser for good measure. Like I said stand back!

KABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[I had to call the fire department out at 10 o'clock in the evening to come shut off the water main! My neighbors, all attached to the same line, were not impressed. Neither was my landlord!]

On a different note... when cooking and baking, chemistry is most definitely involved! But then again, I've baked bread that came out like crackers, and donuts that were harder than the crackers!

Nope, I definitely failed in the chemistry department. And even forty years later... I still make my boo-boo's! [Honey.... better not put the lid down on the toilet! I've been cleaning again!]

SNGF - CBH Has Logged Off

In response to both GeneaBloggers contest for the ObitKit, and Randy Seavers' Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge I bring forth my own obituary and humbly submit it for review [aw heck! I'm dead!!!]


Logging on in the small town of New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana to processors Walter Beane and Lois Dreher Beane, Cyndi began life with no memory at all. After all, there being no memory prior to logging on for the very first time!

At the age of two, the processors added another drive to their system and named it Eydie.

Separating her drive from the processors in 1975, Cyndi joined up with another drive, Andy, and they wrote five new programs: Chris, David, Debbie, Mike and Crystal. In 1990 after much hard drive abuse Andy disconnected with Cyndi and the little programs they had written together.

But the gods of storage were not finished with Cyndi yet! In 1998 she added another drive to the system when she joined with Johnnie, and from there many, many memory banks have been added to their joint drive. All containing years of joyful love and happiness.

Cyndi's greatest passion was adding information into her genealogy program and researching for more. She always said the story would never be complete.

This morning however, with a failing hardrive, but full memory, Cyndi logged off and went to the big program writer on high. She leaves behind generations of programs that she helped to write through influence, and love.

A memorial service will held to honor Cyndi this afternoon, after which the system will be rebooted  and Cyndi will be re-incarnated into a lighter, trimmer, shorter model.

A Little Song by Celtic Thunder

In honor of the Clan McBean, and in honor of all those with Scottish ancestry, I simply had to share this wonderful, witty song...

Surname Saturday - Who Was Fannie?

Texican never knew his father. His Mother and Father were divorced when he was about 2 years of age. He never heard anything nice about his father, his mother was so distraught from the brief marriage, which resulted in the births of Texican and his deceased brother, Allan Ray [1950-2001]. So the only information we have regarding his father, or his father's family, is that which we've managed to extract from records since we began our genealogical journey together, research beginning in 2001.

Texican's great-grandmother remains a mystery. [Although several online trees give her a surname, proof has not been satisfactorily met yet].

GENERATION 1
1.
Johnnie Lee HENRY was born in San Antonio, Bexar Co, TX. He was the son of 2.

Joseph Wright HENRY and 3. Betty Louise Rotge. He married Cynthia Ann BEANE

in Covington, Alleghany Co., VA, daughter of Walter Maxwell BEANE and Lois Velleda DREHER. She

was born in New Albany, Floyd Co., IN.



GENERATION 2
2.
Joseph Wright HENRY was born on 20 Sep 1927 in Fulton County, KY. He died on 16 Nov 1993 in

Batesville, Panola, Mississippi. He was the son of 4. William Lee HENRY and 5. Emma Louise

PETTIE. He married Betty Louise Rotge on 30 Jul 1947.

3.
Betty Louise Rotge was born 30 Aug 1930 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. She died 05 Jul 2003 in

Jourdanton, Atascosa, Texas. She was the daughter of 6. John Cornelius ROTGE and 7. Ora Lee

Sparks.



GENERATION 3
4.
William Lee HENRY was born on 17 Jul 1892 in Cayce, Fulton, Kentucky. He died on 24 Jan 1965 in

Fulton, Fulton, Kentucky. He was the son of 8. Sterling Price HENRY and 9. Fannie UNKNOWN. He

married Emma Louise PETTIE.

5.
Emma Louise PETTIE was born 16 Jun 1895 in Columbus, Hickman, Kentucky. She died Aug 1985

in Fulton, Fulton, Kentucky. She was the daughter of 10. Timothy Martin PETTIE and 11. Elizabeth

Ann WILLIAMS.



GENERATION 4
8.
Sterling Price HENRY was born in Apr 1862 in Kentucky. He died on 16 Jul 1914 in Fulton County,

KY. He was the son of 16. Strother F. HENRY and 17. Lucinda Josephine WADE. He married Fannie

UNKNOWN.

9.
Fannie UNKNOWN was born Oct 1865 in Illinois.

And this is as far as we have determined, with proof, for Fannie.

We keep plogging along, and have all hopes of one day uncovering exactly who this lady was!

Do you have a grandparent [or great-grandparent] that you have been unable to determine their surname on? What course of action have you followed so far? How do you plan to procede?

Friday, October 21, 2011

Family Recipe Friday - Mama's SOS Gravy


Mama's SOS Gravy

This was one of those dishes that Mama made frequently. And it was actually one of those dishes that she excelled at! [Mama didn't let any of us go hungry... but her culinary skills left much to be desired for!] This is one, however, that I sincerely doubt anyone could do better than Mama!

This delicious gravy can be served over toast, over biscuits, over regular bread, over rice, over egg noodles, or even over linguine! And I've not met a kid yet that won't eat it!

You can substitute the ground beef with dried beef, which can be kept on the shelf, which makes this a great pantry staple meal!!!

As for the name of the dish? It's an old US Army dietary staple. The SOS comes from the use of dried beef in the recipe, which leaves the dish resembling shingles on a roof when put over toast. Thus the SOS stands for "Sh*t On a Shingle". [Believe me... it tastes so good you'll simply remember it as "that great gravy recipe"!]

Enjoy!!!

Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cube beef bouillon
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper
  • 2 1/4 cups milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

  1. Brown beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in flour, bouillon, salt and pepper. Saute all together for about 5 minutes or until flour is absorbed. Gradually stir in milk and Worcestershire sauce. Bring all to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Treasure Chest Thursday - Bill Beane's Furlough


In 1938 William "Bill" Beane was granted a 7-day furlough to visit his family while he was enlisted in the US Marine Corps.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Tombstone Tuesday - Betty Bean Hedrick


ELIZABETH B. HEDRICK
JUNE 25, 1862
SEPT. 20, 1952

Born Viranda Elizabeth Bean and known simply as "Betty", she was the fifth born child of William McHarvey Bean [1832 - 1890] and Margaret Smith Perkins [1826 - 1891].

On 01 Jun 1879, Betty married James Joseph Hedrick [1859 - 1934] in Monroe County, WV. He was the son of Moses Hedrick and Mary Elizabeth Chennault.

Betty and James went on to have eleven children:  Bert, Margaret, Clara, Cora, Lulu, Myrtle, William, Clyde, Hazel, Gretna and James.

Betty is buried in the Salem Cemetery, Organ Cave, Greenbrier County, West Virginia.

Betty was my Grandfather's sister.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Amanuensis Monday - Lacy Gordon Hedrick, Jr.


Taken from:

World War II Young American Patriots, 1941-1945
Nationl Publishing Co., Richmond, VA
1946
Ch: West Virginia; Sub Title: Greenbrier; Page 400
"Ens., U.S. Navy. Born Jan. 4, 1922. ENtered service July 5, 1943, Washington, D.C.; Columbia University, N.Y.; Corpus Christi, TX. Attended Bowling Green Business School, Ky. First Presbyterian Church. Son of Mr. and Mrs. L.G. Hedrick, 901 Pocahontas Ave., Ronceverte, W.Va."

Sunday, October 16, 2011

SNGF - Ancestors GeneaMeme

Randy, over at GeneaMusings has offered up another great genealogy challenge for Saturday Night Fun! But like most other Saturdays, I didn't read the challenge until today! So, here I am, late as almost always! But found this another great challenge! Thanks again Randy! And please keep those SNGF challenges coming!
 
 
The Ancestors' Geneameme


The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type

You are encouraged to add extra comments in brackets after each item



Which of these apply to you?


  1. Can name my 16 great-great-grandparents [have known these my whole life! can name them all from memory!]
  2. Can name over 50 direct ancestors [most definitely! have them stored in my genealogy file, not sure I can name them all from memory, but bet I can come close to!]
  3. Have photographs or portraits of my 8 great-grandparents [Have portraits and snapshots of all of my 8 great-grandparents, one taken in 1872!]
  4. Have an ancestor who was married more than three times [haven't found anyone married more than 3 times, but have several who were married 3!]
  5. Have an ancestor who was a bigamist [not that I have found so far]
  6. Met all four of my grandparents [only got to meet my paternal grandmother, and both of maternal. My paternal grandfather died before I was born.]
  7. Met one or more of my great-grandparents [I did not have any great-grandparents living by the time I was born]
  8. Named a child after an ancestor [No.]
  9. Bear an ancestor's given name/s [No.]
  10. Have an ancestor from Great Britain or Ireland [Yes! My gr-gr-gr-grandfather Bean was supposed to have come from Ireland.]
  11. Have an ancestor from Asia [No]
  12. Have an ancestor from Continental Europe [Yes. Maternal gr-gr-grandparents were from Germany and France. 6x-gr-grandparents paternal were from Germany]
  13. Have an ancestor from Africa [Not that I have found to date.]
  14. Have an ancestor who was an agricultural labourer [Almost all of my ancestors were farmers. A few were cabinetmakers.]
  15. Have an ancestor who had large land holdings [My paternal gr-gr-grandfather held over 1,000 acres of land.]
  16. Have an ancestor who was a holy man - minister, priest, rabbi [My grandfather was a Lutheran minister.]
  17. Have an ancestor who was a midwife [Not that I am aware of.]
  18. Have an ancestor who was an author [Not that I am aware of]
  19. Have an ancestor with the surname Smith, Murphy or Jones [There were a couple Smith's and I can readily locate two Jones']
  20. Have an ancestor with the surname Wong, Kim, Suzuki or Ng [No]
  21. Have an ancestor with a surname beginning with X [No]
  22. Have an ancestor with a forename beginnining with Z [No]
  23. Have an ancestor born on 25th December [No]
  24. Have an ancestor born on New Year's Day [No, but my maternal grandfather was born Dec 31st, New Year's Eve!]
  25. Have blue blood in your family lines [Supposedly, if using Plantagenent's Rolls I descend from Kings of England and royalty in Scotland]
  26. Have a parent who was born in a country different from my country of birth [No]
  27. Have a grandparent who was born in a country different from my country of birth [No]
  28. Can trace a direct family line back to the eighteenth century [Yes!]
  29. Can trace a direct family line back to the seventeenth century or earlier [Yes!]
  30. Have seen copies of the signatures of some of my great-grandparents [Yes! I have seen the actual signatures of my paternal gr-grandfather and gr-grandmother, and my maternal gr-grandmother!]
  31. Have ancestors who signed their marriage certificate with an X [No]
  32. Have a grandparent or earlier ancestor who went to university [Yes!]
  33. Have an ancestor who was convicted of a criminal offence [No]
  34. Have an ancestor who was a victim of crime [Yes. My gr-gr-grandfather Bean, as well as my gr-grandfather Bean were both shot in the head, victims of crime.]
  35. Have shared an ancestor's story online or in a magazine (Tell us where) [Yes, I have shared stories of many of my ancestors on my blog http://mountaingenealogy.blogspot.com ]
  36. Have published a family history online or in print (Details please) [Yes, I have published several volumes of family history on both my paternal and maternal lines, all are published through Lulu.com ]
  37. Have visited an ancestor's home from the 19th or earlier centuries [Yes. I have visited the home of gr-gr-grandfather Bean located in Monroe County, WV]
  38. Still have an ancestor's home from the 19th or earlier centuries in the family [Unfortunately no. Were I to win the lottery, that would be one of my first purchases!!!]
  39. Have a family bible from the 19th Century [My mother is in possession of grandfather Bean's Bible, which he received in 1880.]
  40. Have a pre-19th century family bible [No.]

Sentimental Sunday


During a train trip in Germany, I managed to get a pic of the station across the square from the station at the hotel we were staying at.

Isn't this simply gorgeous?

I think this was at Ansbach.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Virginia Historical Society Launches Searchable Online Database of Slave Names

Unknown No Longer: A Database of Virginia Slave Names contains personal information about enslaved Virginians gleaned from some of the more than eight million processed manuscripts in VHS collections.

VHS archivists and historians spent the spring and summer combing through material, such as diaries, letters, insurance papers, wills, freedom papers, receipts, and deeds to extract raw information for the database.

To date, the database includes more than 2,000 names and digital images of hundreds of documents from which the information was extracted.

If you haven't already, I encourage you to visit the VHS website to utilize the free Unknown No Longer database.

Their plan is to continue to review material in the VHS collection and intend to add thousands more names to the database. Please check back frequently to review new information added to the online material.

The nuggets of information found in this database will help us reconstruct the lives of people long gone and will put flesh on those that will be unknown no longer.

Surname Saturday - Surber

Today we will take a look at yet another line of Texican's [my husband], the Surber's.

GENERATION 1
1.
Johnnie Lee HENRY was born in San Antonio, Bexar Co, TX. He was the son of 2.

Joseph Wright HENRY and 3. Betty Louise Rotge. He married Cynthia Ann BEANE

in Covington, Alleghany Co., VA, daughter of Walter Maxwell BEANE and Lois Velleda DREHER. She

was born in New Albany, Floyd Co., IN.



GENERATION 2
2.
Joseph Wright HENRY was born on 20 Sep 1927 in Fulton County, KY. He died on 16 Nov 1993 in

Batesville, Panola, Mississippi. He was the son of 4. William Lee HENRY and 5. Emma Louise

PETTIE. He married Betty Louise Rotge on 30 Jul 1947.

3.
Betty Louise Rotge was born 30 Aug 1930 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. She died 05 Jul 2003 in

Jourdanton, Atascosa, Texas. She was the daughter of 6. John Cornelius ROTGE and 7. Ora Lee

Sparks.



GENERATION 3
6.
John Cornelius ROTGE was born on 16 Jan 1910. He died on 09 Jun 1983 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas.

He was the son of 12. Peter ROTGE and 13. Lillie Mae Surber. He married Ora Lee Sparks in 1930.

7.
Ora Lee Sparks was born 26 Oct 1914 in Bandera, Edwards, Texas. She died Aug 1982 in San

Antonio, Bexar, Texas. She was the daughter of 14. William Jacob Sparks and 15. Laura May

Clements.



GENERATION 4
12.
Peter ROTGE was born on 25 Jun 1872 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He died on 15 Jul 1956 in San

Antonio, Bexar, Texas. He was the son of 24. Jean Rotge and 25. Anna Annette Martin. He married

Lillie Mae Surber on 15 Nov 1902.

13.
Lillie Mae Surber was born 29 Jan 1881 in Texas. She died 26 Sep 1932. She was the daughter of

26. John W. SURBER and 27. Visa Ann SURBER.



GENERATION 5
26.
John W. SURBER was born on 13 Sep 1854 in Kentucky. He died on 13 Nov 1931 in Center Point,

Kerr, Texas. He was the son of 52. Joseph S. SURBER and 53. Reuhama YOUNG. He married Visa

Ann SURBER.

27.
Visa Ann SURBER was born 1853 in Kentucky. She died 20 Apr 1941 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. She

was the daughter of 54. Alexander Campbell SURBER and 55. Emeline WEEKS.



GENERATION 6
52.
Joseph S. SURBER was born on 18 Mar 1809 in Washington County, Virginia. He died on 19 Sep

1874 in Center Point, Kerr, Texas. He was the son of 104. Jacob Campbell SURBER and 105. Mary

WATKINS. He married Reuhama YOUNG before Dec 1831.

53.
Reuhama YOUNG was born Abt. 1811 in Washington County, Virginia.



GENERATION 7
104.
Jacob Campbell SURBER was born in 1784 in Washington County, Virginia. He died on 09 Apr

1844. He was the son of 208. Adam SURBER and 209. Margaret wifeofAdamSurber. He married

Mary WATKINS.

105.
Mary WATKINS was born 16 Oct 1786 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. She died 17 Jun 1853 in

Kentucky. She was the daughter of 210. George WATKINS and 211. Ann REED.



GENERATION 8
208.
Adam SURBER was born about 1751 in Germantown, Pennsylvania. He died on 10 Apr 1833 in

Kentucky. He was the son of 416. Henry SURBER. He married Margaret wifeofAdamSurber.

209.
Margaret wifeofAdamSurber was born 1780 in Culpeper County, Virginia. She died Oct 1822 in

Virginia.



GENERATION 9
416.
Henry SURBER was born between 1710-1718 in Kanton, Aaigon, Switzerland. He died on 28 Sep

1754 in Frederick County, Virginia.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Family Recipe Friday - Granny's Hot Chocolate


WHen I was a little girl, we used to travel from our home in Norfolk, Virginia, to visit my mother's parents in Floyd County, Indiana.

Granny effortlessly blended her heritage of French cooking with my Grandpa Dreher's of German.

On a cold winter's night, Granny wuld slowly make this delicious treat for us. Even now, Texican and I enjoy this late at night, just before bed. We both have wonderful childhood memories of our grandmother's serving this with love!

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cupHERSHEY'S Cocoa
  • Dash salt
  • 1/3 cup hot water
  • 4 cups (1 qt.) milk
  • 3/4 teaspoonvanilla extract
  • Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Directions

  1. Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil.
  2. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired. Five 8-oz. servings.