Author: lbutler

An amateur genealogist who loves the challenge of the hunt and the thrill of discovery.
Serendipity!

Serendipity!

by lbutler ♥ 1 Comment

Ser-en-dip-i-ty:  noun.  The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

James and Mary Carpenter family - circa 1903
James and Mary Carpenter family - circa 1903

Last night while doing some random internet searching for the Carpenter family, I entered the name “James Buchanan Carpenter” into the search bar at ancestry.com.  James B. Carpenter is Don’s maternal great-grandfather (Leona’s grandfather) and he lived with Leona’s family when she was a little girl.    Using the site as a non-paying guest, I knew that if any possible matches came up I could go to the public library and look at the records.  Only the index of records is available to non-subscribers, but it’s a good place to start.

You can imagine my surprise when the first hit was a tiny thumbnail picture labeled “James and Mary Carpenter and family” – WHAT?  Somebody else knows these people?  And has pictures of them? I could see a young boy in the front of the picture and was quite certain that it was Ream Carpenter, Leona’s father and Don’s grandfather.  As I’ve been assembling the Carpenter genealogy binders, I’ve realized that we have almost no pictures of the Carpenter family; if any ever existed, they have been lost or destroyed over the years.  And although I get excited about a census or a birth record bearing an ancestor’s name, a photograph truly adds reality to a family history.

I let out a squeal of excitement, and I felt a little like the featured celebrities on “Who Do You Think You Are?” who always find cool things in their research.  However, my delight quickly turned into a groan of dismay when I realized that the picture was only available to members.  I didn’t want to wait until the library opened  Thursday morning, and I wasn’t even sure that the library edition of ancestry would allow me access to family pictures that someone else had posted.  Well, it didn’t take me long to decide that I was changing my status from guest to subscriber, and I whipped out my credit card and established a user name and password right then!

Some further clicking around  (I have a lot to learn about using ancestry) produced this additional picture of James & Mary Carpenter.  She died in 1916, and Leona had never seen a picture of this grandmother.  We were thrilled!

James Buchannan and Mary Adeline Parker Carpenter
James Buchanan and Mary Adeline Parker Carpenter

A huge thanks goes to a kind soul – who is most likely a distant relative – for sharing pictures.  And a huge thanks to ancestry.com for providing the vehicle for this connection.  They haven’t paid me a thing for writing this, and I’ll have to continue to pay my subscription, but these two pictures are well worth the money spent!

Watch for further posts over here as I continue this journey.

Daddy, I hope this is a nice letter

Daddy, I hope this is a nice letter

by lbutler ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Emily wrote this letter to Don in August, 1979.  He was working and living in Saudi Arabia, and the kids and I were waiting for housing and visas so we could join him.  We finally got there in January, 1980, and were so happy to be a family again.

Family Portrait
Family Portrait

August 13, 1979

Dear Daddy,

I colored this picture.  Mommy did the letter for me.  I wish you were here.  Mark is getting bigger.  I think we’ll bring our bikes.  Daddy, I hope that you’re safe.  I say my prayers some nights, but not every night.  I hope that you have choosed us a nice home.  My mom bought me some gum and Nate is getting four pieces of his.  Daddy, I hope this is a nice letter.  Markie is not being good, but he’s being good.  On Saturday night we picked up our legos and straightened our room.  This is the end of my letter.

sc0007088b_3

I went to Mr. Steak tonight.  I had big French fries – bigger than McDonald’s.  I had shrimp and I gave my mom one piece, but I ate half and she ate the rest of it all gone.

I had to write a little more, but I said this is the end of my letter.

*   *   *   *   *

4 year old art work
4 year old art work

I love memories from my kids’ early years.

Early Memories

Early Memories

by lbutler ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

My first childhood memories are connected with our home at 1117 Phelon Street in Saginaw.  In 1956 we moved to that home from our little country house and lived there until 1958.  For most of us, any memories from our preschool years are vague, but a few things have stayed in my long term storage – perhaps only because I’ve heard my parents tell those stories.

David in front of 1117 Phelon Street - about 1957
David in front of 1117 Phelon Street - about 1957

I have a fuzzy memory of the front porch of this house.  Did we play there?  Sleep there in the summer?  I can’t recall details, but it’s interesting that the porch is the only part of the house that I remember!  Our landlords were Bea and Murray Muellerweiss who lived around the corner from us, and with whom my parents remained friends for many years after we moved away.  I recall that they had a long, tall wooden stairway leading to the second story of their home.  Maybe they rented the upstairs to another family?

My most significant memory of this house and neighborhood still has an impact on me today.  One day while outside with my mom, a large – maybe German Shepherd – dog came bounding towards me. He was not vicious, just happy, friendly, and looking for a playmate. Because of  his substantial size, my skinny little body was no match for his energy, and he knocked me to the ground in his excitement.  His enthusiasm to play was obvious as he licked my face all the while jumping around and wagging his tail!  I can only imagine my shrieks of terror, but Mother has described them as loud, long, and impressive.  When she was finally able to get to my rescue, in probably only a matter of seconds, she pulled me to safety and assured me that I was fine.  I suffered no cuts, bruises or scrapes – just a little dog slobber on my face!  But to this day I have a “healthy respect” for large dogs and avoid them whenever possible!

As a child in the 1950’s, I spent many  hours playing outside.  Because of my naturally darker skin tone (and the lack of sunscreen), the summer sun tanned my skin to a deep shade of brown.  My elbows and knees were particularly dark, and no amount of scrubbing with Comet cleanser would clean them up!  Mother had to resign herself to the fact that I just looked a little unkempt during the summer.  However, in the mid 1950’s segregation was still an issue, and one of the neighbor girls refused to play with me, because she didn’t want to play with “that little colored girl.”

1117 Phelon Street - Saginaw, Michigan
1117 Phelon Street - Saginaw, Michigan

August, 2010
August, 2010

This house now sits in a run-down and somewhat questionable neighborhood, but after 50+ years I guess that’s to be expected.

A tragic ending

A tragic ending

by lbutler ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Remember those lovely letters requesting and granting her hand in marriage?
My continued sorting uncovered the sad news of a very short marriage.

The Northern Budget (newspaper)
Troy, Rensselaer, New York
23 September 1850

DIED
In this city [on 22 September], of the congestion of the lungs, Mrs. Caroline W. Pratt, wife of B.P. Pratt age 23 years.  Her funeral will take place at 11 o’clock tomorrow the 24th from the residence of B.P. Pratt – 69 N. 2nd Street.  Friends and acquaintances are invited to attend.

From this marriage came my great-great grandfather, Lansing Taylor Pratt,
born 21 June 1850 -just three months before his mother died. 

Family Friend

Family Friend

by lbutler ♥ 2 Comments

susan_b_anthony

When my mom turned 50 years old, we had a family party to celebrate the major milestone.  One of the gifts we gave her was 50 shiny, new Anthony dollars.  These coins had just been released in July of that year, and not only were they the first dollar coin to be released in a long time, but Susan B. Anthony was the first women to be honored by having her “picture” on a US coin.

Susan Brownell Anthony was an influential American civil rights leader who played a crucial role in the women’s rights movement in the 1800’s.  She was arrested in 1872 for voting illegally, but her influence eventually led to the adoption of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution which gives women the right to vote.

However, in spite of all Miss Anthony’s accomplishments, the dollar was very unpopular because of its similarity to a quarter in both size and weight.  In spite of the government’s best efforts in promoting the coin, it never really became mainstream and eventually was replaced with the golden dollar coin – so you probably haven’t see very many of them.

Interesting, but what does this have to do with me or you?

This past week while continuing my genealogy organizing project, I came across a piece of paper that caught my eye.  My mother had in her files a letter from the Fort Edward, New York Historical Association which was a response to her request for information about the marriage of Benoni Pratt and Caroline Taylor – my 3rd great grandparents.  Mr. Paul McCarty, director of that organization, wrote that he had been unable to find any information about the marriage, but did have some additional information on the Taylor family.

Susan B. Anthony - really?
Susan B. Anthony - really?

“However, I do wish to convey to you some additional information on the Taylors.  Lansing Taylor built a large home on the corner of what is today US Route #4 and Patterson Road at Moseskill, which is very near Fort Miller.  The house has since been destroyed by fire and the location is today occupied by another house.

“Susan B. Anthony was employed by Lansing B. Taylor for a period of two years after 1839, most likely Caroline was one of her students.  Miss Anthony’s  family lived in nearby Greenwich, New York.”

A little searching on the internet produced this information from Wikipedia:

“In 1837, Anthony was sent to Deborah Moulson’s Female Seminary, a Quaker boarding school in Philadelphia. She was not happy at Moulson’s, but she did not have to stay there long. She was forced to end her formal studies because her family, like many others, was financially ruined during the Panic of 1837. Their losses were so great that they attempted to sell everything in an auction, even their most personal belongings, which were saved at the last minute when Susan’s uncle, Joshua Read, stepped up and bid for them in order to restore them to the family.

“In 1839, the family moved to Hardscrabble, New York, in the wake of the panic and economic depression that followed. That same year, Anthony left home to teach and pay off her father’s debts.”

And that would have taken her to my great-great-great grandmother’s home!

Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony

February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906

An old fashioned engagement

An old fashioned engagement

by lbutler ♥ 1 Comment

My 3rd great grandfather, Benoni Preston Pratt, asking Lansing Gaylor Taylor for the hand of his daughter,
Caroline Wing Taylor, in marriage.

They were married 30 August 1849.

May I please marry your daughter?
May I please marry your daughter?

(On) July 14th 1849

L.G. Taylor Esq

Dear Sir

I have the consent of the hand of your Daughter Caroline should it meet the approbation of the parents.  Will they favor me with an early reply.

I await their pleasure

very Respectfully

B.P. Pratt

the parents cheerfully consent
the parents cheerfully consent

Fort Miller 14 July 1849

Mr. B.P. Pratt

Dear Sir

Your note dated 14 July came to hand this day and in reply to the matters set forth in the same I would say that the parents of Caroline cheerfully consent and hope that the arrangement may prove ( ?) happiness to all the parties concerned it it.

Yours

Truly

L.G. Taylor