Not once, but twice the William Hawley family was devastated by fire. The logging industry was a primary industry in Northern Michigan in the late 1800s and early 1900s. William Hawley's family was no exception.
William moved his family from upstate New York to Long Rapids Township, Alpena County, Michigan in about 1867.
Although William classifies himself as a farmer on both the 1870 and 1880 US census, his family, being in the mostly unpopulated area of Long Rapids Township, was surrounded by the logging industry
In May of 1874, William was living in Long Rapids Township with his second wife Sara Ann Healy, and their five children; From William's first marriage Franklin Hawley, Charles Hawley, and Minnie Hawley, and from his marriage to Sarah were Ellen and William.
The great influence of people during the logging era, and the large areas of dry pine slash increased both the possibility of fire and the intensity of those which occurred. Many reached tremendous proportions, burning unchecked for weeks or months through slashings, standing timber, cities and settlements, causing human misery, death, and waste. There is evidence to show that these lumbering era fires destroyed more merchantable timber than was cut.[zref]HSRBI9B5[/zref]
On Saturday, May 12th, 1874 tragedy struck William's family in the form of a forest fire.
[zref]"The Fires in Alpena County," Article, Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, 14 May 1874, In the Township of Long Rapids, , p. 1, col. 8;; online images, Newspapers.com (www.Newspapers.com : Downloaded 9 January 2019); https://www.newspapers.com/image/118157662/?terms=The%2BFires%2Bin%2BAlpena%2BCounty%2BHawley.[/zref]
[zref]"Long Rapids," Article, Alpena Argus, Alpena County, Michigan, 13 May 1874, Details about fire at residence of William Hawley Family; online images, Newspapers.com (WWW.Newspapers.com : Viewed 19 April 2021). Page 3.[/zref]
From these two newspaper articles, one from the Detroit Free Press and the other from the Alpena Argus, we learn that William Hawley and his family suffered a catastrophic loss. The family lost two houses, all household goods, two barns, and all that was inside of them.
But even worse than the financial and structural loss was the personal loss. The Hawley family barely escaped with their lives. The children were all injured in some fashion. The heroine of the story is Mrs. Sarah Ann Hawley. While trying to save her son William Martin Hawley who was 10 months old, Sara's dress caught fire and she was only saved by tearing it off.
21 years later, the family was once again devastated by fire. on September 11th, 1898 fire once again destroyed their property. The family was living in Rust Township in the Village of Hillman, Montmorency County, Michigan.
[zref]"Forest Fires in Hillman," Article, Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, 13 September 1895, p. 3, col. 2, William Hawley; online images, Newspapers.com (www.Newspapers.com : downloaded 10 January 2019); https://www.newspapers.com/image/121684334.[/zref]
This time, the fire destroyed the Hawley barn and everything inside it. The total loss caused by the fire, including the Hawley property, was $3,000. That would be a value of $94,598.93 today.
The Hawley family continued living in the Hillman area until about 1909 when they moved back to Alpena County to live in Ossineke. To my knowledge, the eager enemy called fire did not strike the family again.
In previous posts, I wrote about my great grandmother Mae Arla (King) McKenzie and the letters she wrote to her daughter Cora.
As in everything, timing and context are important when analyzing the lives of our ancestors. To catch up on the life of Mae and her family thus far, take a moment to read my previous blog posts.
I have also included a timeline of the events in Mae's life, in the left sidebar or at the bottom of the screen if you are using a mobile device.
In this post, I am going to share two letters written ten days apart. Both letters are written from Mae to Cora. The first letter is written on March 18th, 1943, only seven days after Donna's letter to Cora. The next is written on March 28th, 1943.
What struck me the most about these letters was the feeling you get for what life was like for the people at home battling their own struggles created by the war going on overseas.
There is one front and one battle where everyone in the United States - every man, woman, and child - is in action and will be privileged to remain in action throughout this war. That front is right here at home, in our daily lives, and in our daily tasks.
---President Franklin D. Roosevelt, April 28th, 1943
One common theme in these two letters is the struggle to financially make ends meet.
WWII started right after "The Great Depression" had ended, leaving many households, especially farming households, struggling with finances. I can imagine this was even more difficult for the McKenzie family because Mae's husband Orlie was having a difficult time finding and keeping a job due to the trauma caused by his time served during WWI. Today we would refer to this as PTSD.
If you would like to learn more about Orlie's life, please read some of my previous posts.
We have all heard about how hard the depression era was on our ancestors and the hardships that followed during the war years, but have you compared their struggle to your life today?
If you know me, you know that I have a degree in accounting and love budgets. So I decided to see if I could create a monthly budget for the McKenzie family based on what I found in these two letters and historical research.
This can not be considered an all-inclusive budget or a 100% historically accurate, but I do think it will provide us with a glimpse into what the letters can tell us about life and Mae's financial struggles.
We can see from Mae's letters that she did the washing and ironing for local women and neighbors.
Below are three examples of the type of work that Mae was doing to help provide for her family. Two examples are from letters she wrote in March of 1943, the other is from an earlier letter written in July of 1941.
I don't know if Mrs. Smith will give me more then six days (?) this month or not.
---Letter - 07/10/1941
As I did laura wash & ironing this week that will give me 75¢ to $1.00.
---Letter - 03/18/1943
I am doing the washing a week for Weaver & I got me a new hat & I gave Donna half of the money for doing the ironing.
---Letter - 03/28/1943
We know from previous letters that Mae was receiving money sent home from Alex's work at the C.C.C. camps. At the time of these letters, we know that Alex was no longer working in the C.C.C. camp but was serving in the Navy and Garnet had a job away from home. We can assume that both boys were sending money home to help with expenses. I am also going to assume that Orlie was bringing in some income made from the odd jobs he was able to find.
Based on the information from the letters and my assumptions, I figure that the McKenzie family's monthly income was about $10.00. Today that would amount to $152.06.
| Income | 1943 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Mae's work doing laundry and ironing | $6.00 | $91.23 |
| Other Income (From Orlie, Alex, and Garnet) | $4.00 | $60.82 |
| Total Income | $10.00 | $152.06 |
Now that we have a general idea of the family's income, let's take a look at their expenses.
| Expense | 1943 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 lbs of Granulated Sugar | $0.75 | $11.40 |
| 2 Gallons Vitamin D Milk | $1.24 | $1.99 |
| 1 lb bacon | $0.45 | $3.99 |
| 3 lbs of Fresh Ground Beef | $0.90 | $11.97 |
| 2 Dozen Eggs | $0.42 | $5.98 |
| 3 Loaves of Fresh Bread | $0.30 | $8.97 |
| Total | $4.06 | $44.30 |
As you probably noticed, the amount of food included in the budget above was probably not enough to support a family of seven. During WWII, families used several other methods to supplement their food supplies. Some of these included victory gardens, home canning, and wartime recipes.
Use the buttons to the right to learn more.....
People were encouraged to grow their own food And these homegrown victory gardens helped lessen the negative effect of war rations. Individual homeowners and governors of public land all planted and tended these small plots. In addition to letting more of the overall food supply go to the troops in the war trenches, the victory gardens ensured that growing children would get enough servings of fruits and vegetables.
Victory Garden Promotion in the Saturday Evening Post
Home canning soared during World War II, reaching its peak in 1943, with over 4.1 billion jars canned in homes and community canning centers (Bentley, 1998).
Due to food shortages and rationing, families needed to be creative. War recipes were published and distributed to help.
War Cake Recipe from 1918
Using up Stale Bread
We had a very bad storm yesterday. Had to go to town to buy two new window glasses as our front dining room window blew out, broke all to pieces.
---Mae McKenzie
I made an assumption about the size of the window glasses that Mae had to replace, based on the standard windows in my 1950's home. It was almost impossible to know what someone would have paid in a small northern Michigan town. I used the next best thing available to me, The Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Catalog.
Based on the 1943 catalog, it may have cost about $.36 per window pane. Having to replace two window panes, it would have cost Mae about $.73.
Donna said I bought a new cost. Yes it is new to me, but I only gave 75 cents for it. It is all wool navy blue crepe has 6 buttons down the front princess style with a white collar. I bought it at Red Cross store it is second hand. I also bought your dad a pretty good pair dress shorts for 25 cents.
--Mae McKenzie
The coat pictured to the right is similar to the one that Mae bought second hand at the Red Cross.
I wished I could go and pick me out a new Easter outfit. But I will have a part of one I am going to try buying me a new hat.
---Mae McKenzie
Garnet wants a clock as he cannot get up in the morning. I don't know where to get him one. He has had a raise & a new boss & does good.
---Mae McKenzie
Mae mentions that her son Garnet, who is working away from home, would like an alarm clock. Although this seems like a simple request, it wasn't that simple during WWII.
I attempted to find the cost of an alarm clock in the Sears, Roebuck catalog but found an asterisk instead. When looking further down the page I realized why...
The asterisk indicated that it wasn't possible to purchase an alarm clock due to "the shortage of critical materials or manufacturing facilities".
Mae also talks about having to spend money, that she didn't have, to get her daughter Cora's dog fixed because it seems they couldn't keep the male dogs away. Reading her comments below, this seems to be an interesting story in and of itself.
I took your dog to Dr. Carney Tuesday to get operation as we have been having a terrible time with her. Carl Rises dog stayed here continuously & then someone shot him. Of course there was just I and the children home at that time but I felt as though they blamed me as Ida came up & asked about him. I think the game wardens got him as they have been killing dogs that are running deer. He said it was $5.00 to operate on her.
---Mae McKenzie
Mae speaks about wanting to get her sons each a suit for Easter. She talks about getting sport suits for the older boys and a navy blue sailor suit for her youngest boy Clayton.
I am going to try & send for each of the boys, a Easter suit those sport kind & Clayton I think a navy blue sailor suit.
---Mae McKenzie
| 1943 | 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Household Expenses | |||
| 2 new window glasses for the front window | $0.73 | $11.10 | |
| Used coat for Mae from Red Cross | $0.75 | $11.40 | |
| Used pair of dress short for Orlie from the Red Cross | $0.35 | $5.32 | |
| Vet bill for Cora's dog | $5.00 | $76.03 | |
| Total Household Expenses | $6.83 | $103.85 | |
| Wish List | |||
| Easter Dress | $3.00 | $45.62 | |
| Easter Hat | $2.50 | $38.01 | |
| Alarm Clock | |||
| Easter Suits for Vern and Herb | $14.00 | $212.88 | |
| Sailor Suit for Clayton | $5.00 | $76.03 | |
| Total Wishlist Expenses | $24.50 | $372.54 | |
| 1943 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income | $10.00 | $149.52 |
| Monthly Food Costs | $(4.06) | $(44.30) |
| Household Expenses | $(6.83) | $(103.85) |
| Income after necessary expenses | $(0.89) | $1.37 |
| Wishlist | $(24.50) | $(372.54) |
| Income after Necessary Expenses and Wishlist items | $(25.39) | $(371.17) |
Seeing the financial struggles that Mae and her family faced in this format gives me a greater respect for her and the strength that she possessed. We take so many little things about the way we live today for granted. I believe that a little dose of historical reality helps put things in perspective.
I truly believe that by gaining a better understanding of our ancestors we also gain a better understanding of ourselves. I feel that these cherished letters help me to better understand my great grandmother, her life, and the impact that she had on future generations.
In previous posts, I wrote about my great grandmother Mae Arla (King) McKenzie and the letters she wrote to her daughter Cora.
As in everything, timing and context are important when analyzing the lives of our ancestors. To catch up on the life of Mae and her family thus far, take a moment to read my previous blog posts.
I have also included a timeline of the events in Mae's life, in the left sidebar or at the bottom of the screen if you are using a mobile device.
This next letter was written on March 11th, 1943, 11 months after the last letter I shared, which was written on March 29th, 1942. It was written by Donna McKenzie to her older sister Cora.
In the first part of this letter, Donna speaks about how wonderful it was to get a letter from her sister Cora.
However, the letter doesn't stay positive for long. Donna quickly begins to relay news about their father Orlie Charles McKenzie
I suppose you have already heard that dad is home again, got a job but didn't keep it.
---Donna McKenzie
In my blog post Thriller Thursday: The Tragic Death of Orlie Charles McKenzie I wrote about my great grandfather Orlie and his troubled life.
Orlie was a WWI vet. His struggle with alcoholism after the war eventually led to his tragic drowning death on July 30th, 1948.
This letter provides us with an interesting insight into how his family felt about his ongoing struggles to find and keep steady work in efforts to support the family.
My heart goes out to his children. It must have been very difficult to see daily the impact that this had on their mother Mae.
In the next part of the letter, Donna talks about the blouses that her and her mother made. Mae's blouse was yellow and Donna's was green.
Although, we don't know exactly what the blouses that Mae and Donna made looked like, they may have looked similar to the styles shown here that were popular in 1943.
Donna goes on to talk about their brother Garnet.
We haven't heard from Garnet since he went back but Johnny (?) got a letter from him.
---Donna McKenzie
At the time this letter was written Garnet would have been a few months shy of 17 years old.
I'm not sure where Garnet "went back" to. I know that he had not yet joined the military and by this time the C.C.C. camps, that I spoke about in my previous blog post, were no longer in operation. Could he have been working away from home to provide additional income for the family?
Donna makes reference to Johnny, could this be the Johnnie that we heard about in the letter from my last post?
Donna also asked her sister if she has heard from Fred yet. I have not yet figured out who Fred is. However, in some later letters there is mention of a Fred Milliron. Could this be who she is referring to?
In this part of the letter, Donna talks about the recent weather. As typical in northern Michigan, it can change at a moments notice.
Gee it snowed here all day and was it ever warmer. A nice day for once, Hope it rains tomorrow.
---Donna McKenzie
In this part of the letter, Donna talks to Cora about school.
Our school gets out the twenty ninth of May. When does youre's get out?
---Donna McKenzie
At the time of this letter, Cora was 21 years old and Donna was just shy of 15. Donna was probably attending the local high school. Cora, who had received her teaching certificate the previous year, was either teaching at a local school in Gladwin, Gladwin County, Michigan or continuing her own college education.
Somethings in Michigan never change. As a parent from Michigan, I am very familiar with late winter / early spring flu season.
Here Donna talks about flu that is making the rounds at her school. Luckily it is only lasting a couple of days.
Seems as through every one is having the flu around here. It only lasts for about one or two days. Almost all the kids in school have had it.
---Donna McKenzie
Donna closes her letter by telling her sister that she was listening to the radio while writing the letter and hopes that Cora is able to read it.
Hope you can read this, as I am trying to listen to the radio too.
---Donna McKenzie
The letter was written on a Thursday. The image below shows the possible programs that Donna may have been listening to while writing to her sister.
The Radio Guide / Movie Radio Guide published listings network radio programming schedules and programs with articles about the stars, stations, and networks. Issued weekly from October 30, 1931, to February 1943 and then monthly until November 1943.1
It is very interesting to browse through this guide. The effect of the war on everyday life is obvious.
I find joy in reading the words of my ancestors. It is like listening to them tell me their story.
Although these letters may not have any significant historical value, they allow me a peek inside the daily lives of people that I barely knew, but because of their daily survival in tough times, I am here today to be able to share their stories.
I am thankful for the little pieces of history that they left behind for me to find.
In a previous post, Letters From Home: Mae McKenzie I wrote about my great grandmother Mae Arla (King) McKenzie and the letters she wrote to her daughter Cora.
As in everything, timing and context are important when analyzing the lives of our ancestors. To catch up on the life of Mae and her family thus far, take a moment to read my previous blog post.
I have also included a timeline of the events in Mae's life, in the left sidebar or at the bottom of the screen if you are using a mobile device.
The letter I am going to share today was written on March 29th, 1942, and was written from Mae to her daughter Cora. The letter is written 8 1/2 months after the last letter I shared, which was written on July 10th, 1941.
In those eight months, some changes have happened in the family. It is hard to tell for sure, but I don't believe that Orlie is living in the household with his family. He may still be staying at the VA hospital in Bedford Township, Calhoun County, Michigan or he may be living somewhere else.
Mae and Orlie's son, my grandfather, Alexander Orlando McKenzie is no longer working at the C.C.C. camps, instead, he has joined the U.S. Navy. Alexander enlisted on December 18th, 1941 and at the time of this letter is serving aboard the U.S.S. Merrimack.
Atlanta, Michigan
March 29, 1942
Dear Daughter
Will drop you a line. Reach here ok. But those people weren’t Johnnie and you know one has to wait 5 days to get married after they get their license.
In this part of her letter, Mae is talking to Cora about someone named Johnnie and the waiting period to get married after getting a marriage license.
Based on only the information from this letter it is hard to determine who Johnnie is and what his relationship to either Cora or Mae may be. I guess that is the problem with only reading one side of the conversation.
Could Johnnie be a family friend, or is Johnnie Cora's boyfriend getting ready to go off to war? Could Cora be considering a marriage to Johnnie? It sure seems to me that Cora may have been asking for some motherly advice in the letter she had written and that Mae was now responding to.
All are fine and Alice stayed for supper then went home. Say Cora why couldn’t you come home Thursday night with John Weber as he probably will come home then. I hope you feel better. I was anxious to get Alice away as you know how she up set (?) me.
This section bothered me a little bit at first. Mae is talking about her oldest daughter Alice. Then when I thought about it a little more I realized that although we love our children, there will always be times that we don't see eye to eye. That does not mean that we love them any less.
Well I hope it is a nice day tomorrow as I want to wash. This is awful scribbling but I thought I should drop you a letter tonight to let you know about those cars. It is quarter to nine and I am going right to bed. Clayton has gone to bed and Donna is looking at magazines. The other boys are playing out doors yet.
In this part of the letter, Mae sat down at 8:45 PM, just before going to bed herself, to update her daughter on a simple day to day activities. She talks about doing the wash if the weather is nice. She refers to her youngest son, Clayton who is just over 2 years old, saying that he has gone to bed. She also refers to her daughter, Donna, who is a few weeks shy of 14 years old and is looking at magazines. This seems like a pretty typical teenage activity. I wonder which magazines she might have been reading?
Mae also refers to her other children, her four boys, Garnet, Neil, Vernon, and Herbert, who are playing outside.
I can easily picture this scenario. The baby is in bed, her teenage daughter is preoccupied with magazines and her rambunctious boys are outside playing. I'm sure with six children at home, she did not have many free and quiet moments to herself. As a mother of two, I can relate.
Well as you know all the news I will close and hope you are feeling much better. Will close and if you get to lonesome I will send Donna down a day or two this week.
Love from Mother and All
Mae closes her letter with concern for her daughter, both for her health and the possibility of her being lonely. She says that if Cora is feeling lonesome, she will send her sister Donna to come and visit for a couple of days.
So, like every mother, she worries about her children, no matter how old they are or whether they are living at home or away.
Although this letter is only one page and fairly simple in nature, we learn more about Mae and her love for her family and children.
It is the simple things in life that give us an insight into the day to day lives of our ancestors. These moments are just as important as the significant events that we read about in the official documents that our ancestors left behind.
My great grandmother, Mae Arla (King) McKenzie would have been 116 years old today. In celebration of her birthday, I would like to share a letter written by her to her daughter Cora.
Several of these letters, as well as cards and photos, were given to me a couple of years ago by my aunt Betty who received them from Cora's daughter Sandi.
The letters span a time period starting in July of 1941 and ending in December of 1946.
The letter I am going to share today was written on July 10, 1941, from Mae McKenzie to her daughter Cora.
First I would like to set the scene and maybe give you some insight into what Mae's life was like in July of 1941.
Mae was born on May 25, 1903, in Superior Township, Chippewa County, Michigan to Truman Edward King and Loretta Alma Ward.
Mae married Orlie Charles McKenzie on July 1st, 1919 when she was 16 years old.
By July 10, 1941, the date of this letter, Mae and Orlie had nine children:
- Alice - age 20
- Cora - age 19
- Alexander - age 17
- Garnet - age 15
- Donna - age 13
- Neil - age 11
- Vernon - age 9
- Herbert - age 6
- Clayton - age 1 1/2
The family was living in Briley Township, Montmorency County, Michigan. Based on additional research I believe that at the time this letter was written, Orlie was not living at home, but instead was staying at a Veterans Administration Facility in Bedford Township, Calhoun County, Michigan. You can read more about this in my post "Thriller Thursday: The Tragic Death of Orlie Charles McKenzie"
The letter was written in 1941, almost two years after the start of World War II and at the tail end of the great depression. Mae was 38 years old, only a year younger then I am now and presumably raising the six children she had still living at home on her own.
Alice, her oldest daughter, had moved out of the house and had been married in 1939. Her second oldest, Cora, the daughter this letter is written too was not married yet, but appeared to be living in the small community of Alger in Moffatt Township, Arenac County, Michigan.
The letter is three pages long and is transcribed below. I attempted to stay as close to the actual text as possible, adding words only when necessary for understanding and using a (?) for unknown words.
Atlanta Michigan
July 10 1941
Dear daughter:
Received your card today and I was glad to receive. The children all went to a Sunday School picnic at Clear Lake today. Haven’t felt good all day. Don’t think I will get to Alpena as they aren’t going. they (were) working on Donna home yesterday.
I got my check from the C.C.C. camp today what do you think I got only $5.57 that makes only $35.57 to live on this month.
Alexs own check came and it is 4 dollars less then he said he would have. We soon can live with out money if it keeps on. I could have went to the picnic but didn't feel like it. Mrs. Cla…d Sherwood was here lecturing for Mr. Sherwood. Annetta Smith was here after & Donna to go join the 4-H tomorrow. Jack forth were here also. Mrs. Roberts was here last night and Ethel & Chet & Jack & Morgan was over here for supper last night.
Well Alex better make good some place as I sure didn’t get much money out of the C.C.C. from him. It would have been better if he had stayed out of there. I don’t know if Mrs. Smith will give me more then six ? month or not. Well I will close with love from all.
Your mother and all
Answer soon
Haven’t saw Alice since she was here two weeks ago.
Although simple in nature, this letter tells so much about Mae McKenzie and her family.
- The war has obviously had an impact upon the McKenzie family, especially with Orlie not working and not being at home.
- Their son, my grandfather, Alexander McKenzie was only 17 and away working for the C.C.C. (Civilian Conservation Corps) and sending the money back home to his family.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men. Originally for young men ages 18–25, it was eventually expanded to ages 17–28.
The CCC was designed to provide jobs for young men and to relieve families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression in the United States.
Each enrollee volunteered and, upon passing a physical exam and/or a period of conditioning, was required to serve a minimum six-month period. Enrollees worked 40 hours per week over five days.
In return they received $30 per month (equivalent to $522 in 2019) with a compulsory allotment of $22–25 (about equivalent to $435 in 2019) sent to a family dependent, as well as housing, food, clothing, and medical care.1
I am going to assume that Alex was paid weekly, which is why the check that Mae is referring to was only $5.57.
I have truly enjoyed reading the letters written by my great grandmother. They provide such a wonderful glimpse into the life of her and her family. I did have the privilege of meeting Mae McKenzie when I was a young girl, however, her letters give me a different perspective on the woman I knew.
I have several more letters that I will continue to share.
This isn't the first time that my great grandfather, Orlie Charles McKenzie, has appeared in a "Thriller Thursday" post. Unfortunately, in this post, things don't turn out well for Orlie.
The story I am going to share today has been repeated many times in my family. There is a little bit of mystery, and quite a bit of tragedy and sadness.
Orlie registered for the WW1 draft on June 5th, 1917 at the age of 23. He was drafted and served time in the US Army, mustering out on May 31st, 1919. You can read more about Orlie's time in the military in my blog post "Orlie Charles McKenzie: WW1 - From Training to the Trip Home"
A few months later, on July 1st, 1919, at the age of 25, he married Mae Arla King in Briley Township, Montmorency County, Michigan. From 1920 to 1939, Orlie and Mae had nine children.
Orlie did not have an easy life and was said to struggle with alcohol addiction for a good part of his life. We can only assume that part of the reason for this struggle was due to his time in the army during WW1.
On May 14th, 1940, we find Orlie listed as a patient at the Veterans Administration Facility in Bedford Township, Calhoun County, Michigan. It seems at the time of the census he was only working about three hours per week.
The effect that Orlie's struggles have on his life becomes even more evident in the summer of 1944 when he and his wife Mae are granted a divorce, less than one year after their youngest child, Clayton D. McKenzie is born.
At this point, Orlie is 50 years old, divorced, unable to hold down a job and struggling with alcoholism.
It seems that Orlie decided that a change of scenery was the best option. Based on newspaper articles, Orlie moved from Briley Township, Montmorency County to East Tawas, Iosco County, Michigan.
The story that I have been told is that Orlie went to Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan looking for work as a cherry picker, in preparation for the National Cherry Festival.
So, why would Orlie go from working as a farmer and in the lumbering trade to picking cherries?
Let me stop my story for a bit and give you some background...
The national cherry festival started out, in 1910, as the "Blessing of the Blossoms", celebrating the blossoming of cherries in May.
In 1926, a local bakery baked a huge cherry pie, 3 ft in diameter and containing 5,000 cherries, and presented it to the standing U.S. president Calvin Coolidge.
By 1931, the Michigan state legislature passed a resolution making the cherry festival a national celebration.
The South has its Mardi Gras, the Pacific Coast its Tournament of Roses and the Middle West it's National Cherry Festival.
---from a 1948 festival board letter
Between 1942 and 1947 the festival was not held due to WW11.
The festival resumed, for the first time in six years, in 1948.
Orlie was living in East Tawas, Iosco County, Michigan and decided to look for work in Traverse City picking cherries. I can only imagine, with 1948 being the first year in a while that the festival was being held, that the demand for labor was high.
The newspaper article to the left, although from 1946, is an example of the type of ad that Orlie, looking for work, may have responded to.
To put the rates, referenced in the newspaper article, into perspective, I have converted them to today's monetary values.
1 lug = 16.53lbs (Average)
Rates being paid (in today's value) were:
Harvest Hands - $6.55 - $8.52 per lug (16.53 lbs) of cherries
or
Processing Workers - $9.17 - $10.48 per hour
Although, the rates were not extremely high, given Orlie's situation, it probably seemed like a good bet for easy money.
I also found it very interesting that the article mentions the availability of tents, cots, and blankets, as well as feeding stations, set up in a tent colony. Keep in mind, this article was published in 1946, a year that the National Cherry Festival was not being held. I can only imagine what 1948 looked like.
Based on the story that was passed down to me, Orlie was found dead on July 30th, 1948, having drowned in Grand Traverse Bay.
The newspaper articles and death certificate I found seem to back up this story.
The death certificate states that Orlie's cause of death was due to accidental drowning. The location of his death is indicated as being the Municipal Bathing Beach in Traverse City.
I attempted to find the "Municipal Bathing Beach", but was unable. My best guess is that he was found at or near the beach at the Traverse City State Park, as shown in the map.
[wpgmza id="1"]
The newspaper article does not go into detail about Orlie's death. However, the article does say that there were 26 deaths that weekend in the state of Michigan.
The story I was told is as follows:
Orlie, although a great swimmer, was found drowned in Grand Traverse Bay. He was found in only his underwear. His clothes had been neatly folded on the beach, his wallet was set on top of his clothes. Found inside his wallet were cash and his most recent paycheck.
His death does not seem to be caused by foul play. We can only assume that he had a little bit too much to drink and while going into the water to either swim or bathe, incapacitated himself in some way, leading to his frowning and death.
Orlie was laid to rest on August 4th, 1948 in the Briley Township Cemetery in Briley Township, Montmorency County, Michigan.
I never had the opportunity to meet my great grandfather Orlie Charles McKenzie, however, his story tugs at my heart.
Some may see it differently, but I see a veteran who struggled to overcome the demons in his life and ultimately lost the battle.
Most of the time every family story has a kernel of truth, even if it is the smallest crumb. The trick is following the trail of crumbs to the truth. Below are a few steps that I have used in the past to help me find and follow the crumbs of family lore...
Ask family
- Family gatherings (Reunions, Holidays, Visits with Parents or Grandparents)
Use the internet
- Personal family history website
- Genealogy message boards
- Internet Searches
Social Media
- Facebook groups for a shared surname or location
Find it on your own
- Take a look at an ancestor that has an interesting gap in his or her timeline or did something that just didn't make sense. Research it. You may discover a very interesting story.
Keep in mind:
- Make it fun for your family to share the story
- Don't discount any story, even the wild ones. Sometimes they turn out to be true
Here are a few examples of stories I have discovered, investigated or verified after talking with family members
- Charles at Large: The Search for Charles Hawley
- Faught Lake: Could it be Foch Lake?
- William Burt: Are we a witness??
- Niergarth School in Rust, Montmorency, Michigan
- The Sad Death of Margaret (McKenzie) Clark and her Children
- Elizabeth Miller and the hope of a cure
- McKenzie Schoolhouse: Two Brothers, One Schoolhouse and Years of Memories
- Family Story Friday: The candy store account
- Boys will be boys and thank goodness for uncles
- A Near Miss and the love between brothers
Start with the key information from the story, even if it doesn't seem possible. Uncle George may have lived in Tibet where he met his 6th wife, you never know...
Create a timeline
- Start your timeline based on the story you were told
- Fill in details that you already know from your genealogy research (Birth, marriage, census dates, children's births, death, etc..)
- Add in historic events that could have affected the person or location in the story
- I have found it helpful in the past to create a comparison timeline in cases where I was comparing two individuals
Start analyzing
- Find the holes in the story (missing dates or dates that don't make sense, duplicate events or locations)
- Write down your questions about the story
Here are a few examples of stories I have discovered, investigated or verified using timelines:
Look for records that can prove or disprove the family story.
Create a list
- Create a simple list of records that may prove or disprove the story
- This may include census records, birth records, marriage records, death records, newspapers, written accounts, or county histories
- Focus on the holes in the story and the questions you came up with in the previous step
Analyze the records you find
- Look closely
- Question everything
- Don't assume the details are wrong because they don't match previous research (that one detail could break the case)
- Compare the information you find to the information you already have
- Ask yourself, does this prove or disprove the story? Why?
- Write everything down
Update your timeline
- Update your timeline with the new information you have found
- Add the contradicting information in, keep it there until you can disprove it
- If needed, create a comparison timeline
Update your list of questions
Hopefully, your list of questions is shrinking, but if your research is anything like mine, it is only growing
- Update or add clarification to existing questions
- Add new questions
Branch out your research to those that lived with or around, worked with and associated with the main character(s) of your story. Researching the lives of our ancestor's family, friends, neighbors and business associates can lead to a more complete and accurate picture of their life. Your ancestors did not live in a bubble. They went to school, work, church, block parties, and other events, and this is where cluster research comes into play.
Family
- Family stuck together
- Siblings struck out to new locations together or followed a sibling that had already immigrated or relocated.
- Children moved to take care of elderly parents
- Parents moved closer to children to help out when a new baby was born or when a spouse passed away
- Looking at your ancestor's sibling can provide missing information, such as:
- Parent's names
- A woman's maiden name
- Possible birth location
Cluster genealogy is a research technique employed by genealogists to learn more about an ancestor by examining records left by the ancestor's cluster. A person's cluster consists of the extended family, friends, neighbors, and other associates such as business partners.
Naming patterns
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- While certain names are popular in different areas at different times in history, the repetition could represent a pattern. Many cultures believe in honoring their elders and do so by naming children after them
- This could help you discover the name of a parent or grandparent
Friends
- Look at baptism, marriage, naturalization, and probate records. Who were the witnesses? How are they connected? Even when there is no obvious connection to the witnesses, you can gain information. Why didn't they have a close friend or family member witness the event?
- Look for the church they attended and those they worshiped with
Neighbors
- Look at census records and land maps
- I have found several examples of neighbors being family or otherwise connected to an ancestor
- If your ancestor was not living with their family, at an age where you would expect them to, ask "Why?"
- Being near family, friends, and neighbors when immigrating or relocating often provided a sense of security and stability
- Family that lived near each other, especially in rural communities, often inter-married. If was very common to marry the girl/boy next door.
- The lines between friends and family can become blurred. “Uncle” Charlie or "Aunt" Molly might not be blood-related at all, but instead an honorary member of the family, or a second or third cousin that is referred to as Aunt or Uncle
- Look at newspapers for local events.
- Even if you don't find your ancestor, you may find a clue to an event that may have affected your ancestor or influenced a decision they made that didn't originally make sense to you.
Business associates
- Look at land and business records
- Who did your ancestor sell land to or buy land from? Could these people be family?
- Who did your ancestor go into business with or have the same profession as? It could be a family trade or an apprenticeship.
Here are a few examples of stories I have discovered, investigated or verified using cluster research
Genealogy research can often seem like a solitary hobby, but there is power in numbers.
Look for research already started
- Ask around, you may discover a treasure trove of research that has already been compiled by a family member.
- Expand beyond immediate family to inquire about research
- If you find a hidden treasure, keep this in mind
- Be respectful, this research could represent years of your family members time, energy and passion. Treat the document, book, pictures, etc with care. If you disagree with a previous finding share your thoughts but don't discount the work previously completed.
- Don't just take the resource and move on. Take the time to talk to the person that did the research, if you are able. There is most likely research tips, evidence, references and stories that weren't written down or recorded
- Look for sources, not all family histories will be sourced and cited, use the information as a starting point but verify it yourself
- Looking online is not always the best option, most likely the research will be in paper format
Look for groups that are researching the same surname or location
- Check out local historical society in the location you are researching
- Look for message boards (Rootsweb, Ancestry, Family Search, etc.)
- Look for family history websites
- Look for groups on social media. Facebook groups related to genealogy have become very popular. I belong to several and have found it very helpful.
- Check online family trees. Although online family trees can be inaccurate, you may find a story, photo or other research attached that will help
When you feel that you have searched and analyzed all the records you can, DNA might be the next step. DNA research can help you:
- Confirm a connection that you have already discovered by following the paper trail
- Find new possible connections when the paper trail runs dry
- Prove an NPE (Nonpaternal event) that is suspected, but can't be proved through traditional methods. This becomes especially important when researching ancestors who were born before the 20th century.
- Connect with family members, both closely related and distant to collaborate and share information
Here are a few examples of stories I have discovered, investigated or verified using cluster DNA
The hardest part of this journey, at least for me, is getting to a point where I am comfortable and confident in my own conclusion. As soon as I feel I have a solid conclusion about what really happened, I start to second guess myself. What I have learned is that you have to start somewhere. Write out your conclusion and run with it. I typically try to include outstanding questions, concerns or doubts in my conclusion. This provides a place to go back to when you find a new clue or piece of information.
Write it Out and Share
So you have written your conclusion. Hopefully, you are a 100% confidence that you are correct, or maybe you still have some doubts. Either way, share what you have found. There are several ways to do this:
Some examples include:
- Write a blog post - This has been the method I have found the most helpful. Writing the blog post accomplishes several things;
- Allows me to verbally think through my conclusion and understand how others may read and understand it
- Creating a blog post allows for a larger audience to read and share your conclusion
- A blog post will allow other researchers and family members to interact with you through blog comments and email. This can lead to new and interesting discoveries
- Share your story or conclusion using an online family tree. Several family tree sites allow you to upload stories, memories, and documents that can be attached to one or more members of your family tree
- Share it with family or fellow researchers.
- This can be a short document shared by mail, email, or online storage sites. It could be a single word processing document or a collection of documents and stories put together in a binder. It doesn't have to be extravagant or professionally bound to be worth sharing
- You can create a book using genealogy software like FamilyTree Maker, RootsMagic, Legacy, etc
- You can create a book using online software such as Blurb.com, Snapfish.com, or Mycanvas.com
Be Open to Feedback
Most importantly, be open to feedback and comments about your conclusion. Anyone that has taken the time to research and document their family history develops a sense of ownership over their research. This is natural, just keep in mind that not everyone understands the trials and tribulations of researching your family history. Nor do they have a clue as to the number of hours spent in libraries and courthouses, or late nights researching online. However, sometimes the most amazing and helpful information you can receive is from other's who have either no connection to your family, but have dealt with similar situations in their own research or those family members that have no real interest in genealogy, but have that one little tidbit of knowledge that might break the case wide open. Accept all input, feedback, and suggestions with an open mind and a researcher's curiosity. Be gracious when you receive feedback and thank the person providing it. This will create a relationship that may prove to be very beneficial in the future.
Disclaimer
I am not a professionally accredited genealogist, nor do I believe that this post covers all possible methods of researching or sharing your family stories. However, these are some of the tips and tricks that have worked for me over the last 15 years. As I try to take my own advice, I welcome any feedback, suggestions or input regarding tips and tricks that have worked for you. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I look forward to hearing about your own research methods when following your journey to discover your ancestors.
Background
The DNA Connection
Confusion
Sometime between 1902 and 1910, Charles 1 seems to have left his wife and children and moved to California. Sometime between 1910 and 1920, Charles 1 and Sarah are divorced and we know that he was living in Buena Park, Orange, California on August 28th, 1914. This folks has always been the end of the story, as we knew it, for Charles 1.
Comparison
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The first thing I looked at was the birth of the children of Charles 2 and Hattie. Their first child George Russell Hawley was born on April 11, 1913, in Bellflower, Los Angeles, California. This is confirmed based on the marriage record for George.
So it seems that the father of Charles 1, William Hawley, and Charles 2 and Hattie were both living in Bellflower, Los Angeles, California in 1913.
There is one thing that still confuses me a little bit about the birth of George Russell Hawley, the son of Charles 2 and Hattie. If you remember Charles 1 and Sarah Flewelling also had a son named George Russell Hawley, who was born on July 29th, 1902 in Cumming, Ogemaw, Michigan.
My first thought was that these two men might be the same person, but after some research, this doesn't seem to be true.
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Marriage certificate for George Russell Hawley and Mary Alice Heasley
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Family Stories
What my father told me...a little sketchy at best...he said Charles was a strange bird...took off with namesake and the girl down the road? ...worked on the Hover Dam...stayed in California...left wife and rest of his kids in Michigan to fend for themselves...I asked him if he took the girl for himself or namesake...dad didn't know...
I asked my dad about it, he said "Uncle Charley ran off with a younger woman to Las Vegas and then moved to California". He said no-one mentioned him again that he remembers.
The Last Nail in the Coffin
- His name is Charles A. Hawley
- He was born March 14th, 1873 in Rochester, New York
- His father's name is William Hawley
- His wife's name is Hattie Hawley
- They were living at 1015 N. Florence Ave. in Downey, Los Angeles, California
- He passed away on August 28th, 1941
- His cause of death was Hypertension and Chronic Myocarditis
- He was buried in the Park Lawn Cemetery in Commerce, Los Angeles, California on August 30th, 1941
Conclusion
Friday, April 7th, 2017, was the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War 1. This got me to thinking about my great grandfather Orlie Charles McKenzie, who served in the 330th Field Artillery, Battery C, which was a part of the 85th Infantry Division, commonly known as the "Custer Division"
Orlie registered for the World War 1 draft on June 5th, 1917 in Briley Township, Montmorency County, Michigan. At the time, he was 23 years old. He was a single man working on a farm owned by his mother Mary Anna (Faught) McKenzie and stepfather Adam Hoffman.
Orlie claimed exemption from the draft, his grounds for this claim was Rheumatism. This claim was obviously not enough to keep him out of the war.
The 85th Division, the division that Orlie was a part of, was first established as part of the National Army, on August 25, 1917. Organized at Camp Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan, thus the reason it became known as the Custer Division.
The slideshow below gives us a glimpse of what life was like at Camp Custer during the time that Orlie was attending basic training.
After nearly a year's training, the Division embarked for England. From here the 339th Infantry Regiment, with attached engineer and medical units, was shipped to Russia where it participated in bitter fighting against the Bolshevik Revolutionary Army. The remainder of the Division, including the 330th regiment, was moved to France where individual organizations supported the IV, V, and VI Corps. In France the Division served primarily as a replacement depot division, furnishing some 20,000 replacements to other organizations.
The uniform shown in the image to the right is an example of what Orlie's uniform would have looked like. It is a good match for the one that he wore in the pictures above. This image shows the patch designated for the 85th Infantry Division, the "CD" stands for "Custer Division".
At the close of the war parts of the Division served in Germany in the American Army of Occupation. Orlie's regiment, the 330th, most likely did not see any combat.
By August 1919, however, the last elements of the Division had returned to the United States.
This collection contains records of the U.S. Army Transport Service (ATS), which was established in 1899 as part of the Army Quartermaster Department. It was originally created to manage the transport of troops and cargo on Army ships that traveled between U.S. and overseas ports during the Spanish-American War. During World War 1, the Quartermaster Corps managed the Army's deepwater fleet.
Specifically, the records in this collection consist of passenger lists created between 1910 and 1939. These lists recorded details on all persons arriving at U.S. ports on ATS ships. One such set of passenger lists provide details of my great grandfather's trip home.
Below is a map of Orlie's trip from Brest, France to his hometown in Atlanta, Montmorency, Michigan.
Orlie's trip home started in Brest, France on March 31st, 1919. Orlie boarded an Army Transport Ship (ATS) called the S.S. Pannonia in Brest, France, departing for Camp Mills in Long Island, New York.
The maps below show the location of Camp Mills
From Camp Mills, Orlie stayed aboard the S.S. Pannonia and continued on his journey towards home. The passenger list does not specifically state the Pannonia's final destination. My assumption, based on research, is that the troops were taken back to Camp Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan.
The image below is a close-up of the record for Orlie Charles McKenzie. The passenger list shows that he was a private in Battery C of the 330th Regiment. His next of kin is his mother Mrs. Annie Hoffman and his final destination is his hometown of Atlanta, Montmorency, Michigan.
Less than three months after his arrival home, on July 1st, 1919, Orlie married Mae Arla King in Atlanta, Montmorency County, Michigan. His siblings Oral and Cora McKenzie were witnesses to the marriage.
I don't have a great war story to share for Orlie, however, it was very interesting to get a glimpse into his life during this time. Although he did not see combat while serving, he was lucky, at the age of 23, coming from a small farming community in Northern Michigan, to see parts of the world that he otherwise would never have had the chance to see.
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to share the ancestor's behind my Irish DNA.
Based on my Ancestry.com DNA results, I am 31%, Irish and Scottish.
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
Sarah Ann Healy - Paternal 2nd Great Grandmother
Sarah Healy was born in Ireland between January 1st and June 15th, 1851. She immigrated to the United States sometime been 1867 and 1871. Based on census records, both of Sarah's parents, my 3rd great grandparents were also born in Ireland.
Richard Watchorn and Elizabeth Howley - Maternal 3rd Great Grandparents
Richard Watchorn and Elizabeth Howley were both born in Ireland. Richard in 1824 and Elizabeth in 1825. They immigrated to Ontario, Canada sometime between 1841 and 1844.
Frank Faught and Bridget Fogarty - Paternal 4th Great Grandparents
May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.