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.
Have you ever thought about how your ancestor's possessions would be valued in today's world? I often think about this because it helps me to better compare their situation against my own.
On the 1850 United States Population census individuals were asked about only the value of their real estate. The 1860 US census was the first to ask people to provide information about both their personal assets and the value of their real estate. The process continued with the 1870 census but was removed on the 1880 census. This makes the 1850, 1860 and 1870 census helpful in shining some light on the financial situation of our ancestors.
There is one downfall and that is that Individuals may have hesitated to answer correctly because the values they provided were used to determine the tax they owed.
Because I haven't come across any ancestors that had a large fortune, I decided to focus on those that didn't. I looked into all of my 3rd great grandfathers and what they claimed as the real estate and personal estate value on the 1860 and 1870 census.
I have been able to identify fourteen of my sixteen 3rd Great Grandfathers. six of them were living in the United States and recorded on the 1860 and/or 1870 census. The remaining eight were living in Canada.
One way to better understand the financial situation of our ancestors is to convert income and assets to current day value. This makes the comparison a little easier to understand.
I decided to compare 1860 values to 2010 values and 1870 values to 2020 values. You can see the results in the chart below.[zref]9C974GWN[/zref]
Instructions for Census Taker
1860
[zref]KK5PPK8T[/zref]
1870
[zref]UNWD6M8T[/zref]
In July of 1860 Francis Ward, age 27, was living in Harrison Township, Elkhart, Indiana with his wife of two years Mary Elizabeth and their baby daughter Lucinda Ellen Ward. Francis was working as a farm laborer and had no real estate and $50 in personal assets. In 2010 this would equate to $1,313.59.[zref]United States. Indiana. Elkhart County. 1860 Federal Population Census, population. Digital image. Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7667 : 2017.[/zref]
By July of 1870, Francis, age 37, was living in Concord, Elkhart, Indiana. He and Mary now had 4 children (Lucinda, John, Mary, & William). Francis lists his occupation as a farmer but does not claim any real estate or personal assets. I'm not sure if that was truly the case or if he was trying to sneak out of some taxes.[zref]United States. Indiana. Elkhart. Concord. 1870 Census, population. Digital image. www.ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/19217591:7163?tid=171372097&pid=372223153536&hid=1049480921589&_phsrc=sMi468&_phstart=default : 2021.[/zref]
In June of 1860 George Faught, age 22, was living with his brother William Faught in Lexington, Sanilac, Michigan. Also living with William were his elderly mother Bridget and older sister Ann. George is a farmer and does not report any real estate or personal assets.[zref]1860 Population Census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population, Lexington, 899, Dwelling Number: 452, Family Number: 443, William Faught; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/44736122:7667 : Viewed 26 March 2021); Family History Library Film: 803558.[/zref] However, this doesn't mean he didn't have any. Per the directions given to census takers for the 1860 census, only the head of each household was asked for information about real estate and personal assets.
By July of 1870, George, age 32, is living in Bridgehampton, Sanilac, Michigan with his wife Elizabeth and their daughter Mary Anna. He is still working as a farmer and claims real estate with a value of $800 and $200 in personal assets.[zref]1860 Population Census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population, Bridgehampton, 10A, Household: 14, Family: 14, George Faught; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/44736122:7667 : viewed 26 March 2021); Family History Library Film: 803558.[/zref] Comparatively speaking these assets would be valued at $15,809.29 and $3,951.32 in 2020.
In July of 1860 Thomas Jefferson Burt, age 54, was living in Sciota Township, Shiawassee, Michigan with his second wife Amelia and their five children (Ann, Ruth, George, Pruie, and Nile). Thomas is a farmer and reports that he owns $1,200 of real estate and $400 in personal assets. In 2010, these assets would be worth $39,407.71 and $10,508.72 respectively.[zref]1860 Population Census, Shiawassee County, population, Sciota Township, Dwelling No. 1500 Family No. 1354, Thomas J. Burt; digital image, Ancestry.com (: viewed 26 March 2021); https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7667/images/4232713_00187?treeid=171372097&personid=372223153407&usePUB=true&_phsrc=sMi444&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=45279055.[/zref]
Thomas passed away on June 26th, 1864 at the age of 58, and was not recorded on the 1870 census.[zref]Henry Martyn Burt and Silas Wright Burt. Early Days in New England: Life and Times of Henry Burt of Springfield and Some of His Descendants. Genealogical and Biographical Mention of James and Richard Burt of Taunton, Mass., and Thomas Burt, M.P., of England. Madison, Wisconsin: C. W. Bryan Company, printers, 1893.[/zref]
In July of 1860, John Paul Jones was 34 years old and living in Howell, Livingston, Michigan with his wife Mary Jane and their three children (Delphine, Lucinda, and John Paul Jr.). John is working as a farmer and owns real estate with a value of $550.00 and personal assets of $67.00. Comparatively speaking, this would equate to a value of $14,449.49 and $1,760.21 in 2010.[zref]United States. Livingston County. 1860 Federal, population schedule. Digital image. Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7667 : 2017.[/zref]
By August of 1870, John, age 44, and his family have moved to Sciota Township, Shiawassee, Michigan. Five children are living in the household (John Paul Jr., Lucinda, Merritt, Royal, and Harriet). John now lists his occupation as a mason. The value of his real estate has increased to $3,000 and his personal assets to $326.00. In 2020 this would have been worth $59,269.85 and $6,440.66 respectively. It appears that he significantly improved the financial situation of his family in ten years.[zref]United States. Shiawassee County. 1870, population schedule. Digital Image. Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7163 : 2017.[/zref]
in July of 1860 Sylvester Mason, age 45, is living in Bridgehampton, Sanilac, Michigan with his wife Nancy and their four children (Robert, Silas, Amelia, and Perry). Sylvester is working as a lumberman. On the census, he claims $800 in real estate and $300 in personal property. Respectively, in 2010, this would be worth $21,017.45 and $7,881.54.[zref]United States. Michigan. Sanilac County. 1860 Population Census, population. Digital image. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/44736122:7667 : 2021.[/zref]
By July of 1870 at the age of 54, Sylvester had moved his family to Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa, Michigan. In the household are Sylvester, Nancy, Robert, Amelia, Mark, and Mary). Sylvester is working as a fisherman and does not report either real estate or personal property on the census. This could have been a mistake on the part of the census taker or maybe Sylvester was trying to avoid taxes. We can't know for sure but I assume that he had at least some assets.[zref]United States. Michigan. Chippewa County. 1870, population census. Digital image. www.ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/27281969:7163?tid=171372097&pid=372223153643&hid=1049777162193&_phsrc=sMi491&_phstart=default : .[/zref]
In June of 1860, at the age of 19, William Thomas King was living in Bloom Township, Seneca County, Ohio. William was living in the household of James and Sarah Stinchcomb. William was attending school and working as a laborer. He did not report any personal or real estate assets. This was probably because he was not the head of household and therefor not required to provide this information.
By July of 1870 at the age of 29, William had moved to Portland, Ionia, Michigan. He is living with his wife Catherine and their son Truman. The family is living next door to Catherine's mother Clarissa Coon and her mother's mother Catherine (Macqueen) Goodwin. William does not report any personal assets or real estate.
Summary
Although I have chosen to compare these six men across ten years they aren't all the same. Their ages range from 19 - 45 years of age. This is a range of 26 years. They lived in different states, counties, and cities. They were at different stages of their lives, and had different occupations. Some men were at the beginning of their lives and some nearing the end.
Throughout these ten years, their lives, families, occupations, and fortunes have changed. Being able to create comparisons like this for a single generation of our ancestors helps to put their lives into perspective. Census records contain so much information that allows us to do just that.
Asking the non-typical questions about typical record types will help us better understand and relate to our ancestors which helps us better understand their stories and the circumstances that lead to our lives today. Their successes, and struggles built the foundation for our life today. For that, we should feel fortunate.
I typically research newspapers using the website Newspapers.com to find details about the lives of my ancestors that may not be available in other typical genealogical sources.
When searching for information about my second great grandmother Mary Anna (Annie) Faught, I found information not only about her but also some unexpected results. Annie Faught was born in 1870 and passed away in 1929. During her lifetime she was not the only one to go by the name of Annie Faught.
I found several articles about a boat named "Annie Faught". As far as I know, there is no connection between my second great grandmother Annie Faught and the schooner by the same name.
The schooner Annie Faught was built in the unincorporated community of Lakeport in Burtchville Township, St. Clair County, Michigan in 1872. The 10 ton schooner was owned by John Hoskins. Schooners were built primarily for cargo, passengers, and fishing.
The "Annie Faught", with a cargo capacity of only 10 tons, seems to be on the small end of the schooners typically built during this time.
In general, ships grew larger as shipbuilding technology improved through the 19th century. The dimensions of Lakes vessels were always limited, however, by the shallow connecting channels and harbors. When the infamous shoals were dredged at the St. Clair Flats in the late 1860s, a whole fleet of large schooners was built for the grain and iron ore trades, including 200 big three-masters and a few four-masters. The new schooners, 200 feet in length and drawing 16 feet, were constructed between 1870 and 1874, until a financial panic ended the temporary boom. Only for a little while longer would the large capacities of the new schooners enable them to compete with the growing fleets of steam-powered freighters. [zref]U7BPDN95[/zref]
Below are some of the articles that I found on the schooner named Annie Faught. It appears that luck was not always in her favor.
On 13 May 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that someone had stolen the schooner ANNIE FAUGHT and that John Hoskins, the owner, was offering a reward for her recovery.[zref]Z74UDEQ5[/zref]
A Schooner, a sailing ship rigged with fore-and-aft sails on its two or more masts. To the foremast there may also be rigged one or more square topsails or, more commonly, one or more jib sails or Bermuda sails (triangular sails extending forward to the bowsprit or jibboom).[zref]PZF5E22D[/zref]
Research can take us in some odd directions. Although, I was not able to connect the little schooner name Annie Faught to my ancestor, the research that I did may come in handy someday. Lakeport, where the schooner was built, was only about 40 miles from Sanilac County, Michigan where Annie was born. Who knows....
The theme for week 9 of the 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge is multiples. I was struggling with this theme. Nothing jumped out at me that was interesting enough to write about.
But thanks to Valerie Hughes from the "Genealogy with Valerie" blog, my writers block was cured. Valerie wrote about finding several lines where she descended from two siblings in her blog post Multiple ~ 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks #28. This blog post is not about the same topic, but Valerie sparked an idea. You should check her post out when you get a chance.
My story for you this week is about my 3rd great grand uncle William Faught and his son Francis (Frank) Faught.
William Faught, the brother of my 3rd great grandfather George Faught, was the son of Irish immigrants born in New York in about 1835.
William married Sarah Ann Miller on January 13th, 1864 in Sanilac County, Michigan.
William and Sarah were blessed with their first child Frank Faught in October of 1865 and their second child Philip Faught in 1866. Based on census and death records, it appears that WIlliam and Sarah had two additional children that passed away during childbirth or at a very young age.
Sarah and William moved to Long Rapids Township, Alpena County, Michigan sometime between their marriage in 1864 and June 4th, 1870 when they were recorded in the 1870 census.
Based on an 1889 Alpena City directory, the 1900 US census and newspaper articles about Frank's death, William and Sarah's son Phillip Faught passed away sometime between 1889 and June 26th, 1900. I have not yet found a death certificate for Phillip.
William's wife Sarah passed away on November 16th, 1902. Leaving William widowed.
Based on the 1900 census and the newspaper article that I found, Frank was unmarried and living with his parents on their farm in Maple Ridge Township in Alpena County.
On September 6th, 1909, WIlliam died of heart disease and old age. His death certificate states that he died at the "County House". My assumption is that this was a poor house.
So you are probably wondering what this story has to do with the theme of multiples...
Well, Frank Faught passed away on September 10, 1909, only 4 days after his father. It appears, from the newspaper articles that I found, that Frank died of heart disease while walking down one of the main streets of Alpena.
The death certificates of both William and Phillip are below. You will notice that Frank is listed as the informer on William's death certificate.
I'm not sure that I would have made this connection, but the untimely death of both father and son in the same week from the same disease made the newspaper. Their deaths were reported in both the Detroit Free Press and the News-Palladium newspaper of Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Both articles can be found below.
Interesting enough, when I started this post I was focused on William and Frank Faught. However, while writing it I realized that all four Faught family members, William, Sarah, Frank and Phillip died between 1889 and 1909. So within a 10 year time period every member of the William Faught family had passed. That is definitely multiple deaths in a family in a short time period.
One of the many topics that I have fallen in love with as I have been researching my own family history is the history of my home town of Alpena, Michigan.
Although Alpena was and still is a small town, there is so much history to share. In this blog post I want to dig further into the history of Alpena and how electricity, specifically street lamps, came to this small town.
Anamicke (Native American name for Thunder) was settled around 1840 and in 1843 the small town was given the name Alpena, which is a native American word for partridge or bird. Alpena was officially incorporated in 1871.
Ten years later, in 1881, Alpena Power Company was formed. The first entry in their construction accounts is dated November 30, 1881.
By November 29th, 1882, a special committee on Electric light had been formed and after inquiries into the cost per street lamp in both Bay City and Saginaw, the committee members recommended that the city of Alpena pay $95 per light. This payment was for not less than fourteen lights to be lit throughout the night.
The next article that I found in the "Alpena Argus" newspaper talks about 14 - 16 street lamps to be erected throughout the city of Alpena.
The article below does not only speak to the number and locations of the new street lamps but the author goes into quite of detail about the cost involved in setting up and maintaining the lamps.
In summary, the new street lamps will cost the City of Alpena between $80 and $90 a year. The actual amount is dependent on the number of carbons used by each street lamp
An arc lamp or arc light is a lamp that produces light by an electric arc (also called a voltaic arc).
The carbon arc light, which consists of an arc between carbon electrodes in air, invented by Humphry Davy in the first decade of the 1800s, was the first practical electric light.[1] It was widely used starting in the 1870s for street and large building lighting until it was superseded by the incandescent light in the early 20th century.[1] It continued in use in more specialized applications where a high intensity point light source was needed, such as searchlights and movie projectors until after World War II. The carbon arc lamp is now obsolete for most of these purposes, but it is still used as a source of high intensity ultraviolet light.
In popular use, the term arc lamp means carbon arc lamp only. In a carbon arc lamp, the electrodes are carbon rods in free air. To ignite the lamp, the rods are touched together, thus allowing a relatively low voltage to strike the arc.[1] The rods are then slowly drawn apart, and electric current heats and maintains an arc across the gap. The tips of the carbon rods are heated and the carbon vaporizes. The carbon vapor in the arc is highly luminous, which is what produces the bright light.[1] The rods are slowly burnt away in use, and the distance between them needs to be regularly adjusted in order to maintain the arc.[1]
The location of the new street lamps are as follows:
- One at the corner of Dock (Dock street is now 2nd Ave) and Miller Streets, in the vicinity of the M.E. Church (St. Mary's)
- One at the corner of Dock and Fletcher Streets, in the vicinity of Bolton & McRae's
- One at the corner of Commercial and Oldfield Streets
- One at the corner of Fletcher and Pine Streets, just above the Sherman house
- One at the corner of Water and First Streets, near the brick block of Fletcher Pack & Co,, and will serve to ight up the campus martius, the approach the Fletcher house, the entrance to the steamboat landing and other needed places
- One at the corner of Water and Second Streets, in the vicinity of the bridge
- One at the corner of River and Third Streets, in the vicinity of Engine house No.1
- One at the corner of Chisholm and Second Streets, in the vicinity of the Alpine Block
- One at the corner of Washington Avenue and Second Street, near the Congregational Church
- One at the corner of First and Hitchcock Streets
- One at the corner of Dunbar and State Streets, for the sole purpose of the genius of the organ, to light his weary steps home, after he has had a novel and difficult struggle with an idea - an undertaking not frequent with him
- One at the corner of Dunbar and Second Streets, which will try to abolish darkness in the vicinity of the Central school house
- One at the corner of Washington Avenue and Forth Street, adjacent to the residence of W.H. Potter, and for which our reporter intends to return his thanks if it should do what is expected of it
- One at the corner of Fourth and Lockwood Streets
- One at the corner of Fifth and Chisholm Streets.
- It is also thought that a lamp will be erected for the purpose of demolishing the darkness in the vicinity of the house formally occupied by Mr. Hitchcock.
The map below highlights each of the proposed locations for the new streetlamps in Alpena.
This was an interesting exercise for me. Because I used to live on Hitchcock street between 1st and 2nd street. So one of these new street lamps that the article is referring to was less than one block from my home.
By 1886, the number of street lamps in Alpena grew from under 20 to 67.
I haven't been able to find how many street lamps are located in Alpena today, at least not through my online research. However, we can be sure that it is more than 67.
Thanks for joining me on the journey through the beginning of street lamps in my hometown. I have found several very interesting things during my research for this blog post. I expect you will be hearing more about the history of Alpena, Michigan in the near future.
The source I chose to talk about this week for the 52 ancestors in 52 weeks theme of "Unusual Source" is called "U.S., Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971". These records can be found in more than one repository, I found these records on Ancestry.com.
I'm not sure if this is an unusual source to everyone, but when I found it I was very intrigued.
The description of the source on Ancestry.com is
This collection of 181 volumes of post office appointments and vacancies stretches from 1832 until 1971. The records show the date of establishment and discontinuance of post offices, changes of names of post offices, and names and appointment dates for their postmasters. The database also includes dates of Presidential appointments of postmasters and their confirmation dates by the Senate. Starting in 1870, the records contain names of post offices where discontinued post office’s mail was sent.
From 1832 until 1950, these records were kept by assistants to the Postmaster General. From 1950 to 1971, the Bureau of Post Office Operations compiled the records. Up to 1930, the records are arranged by location and then alphabetically by name of post office. After 1930, there are two types of records. They are arranged alphabetically by name of post office and alphabetically by the appointment’s name. The records include:
- Name
- Appointment date
- Vacancy cause
- Vacancy date
- Post office location
- State
- County
- Volume
I stumbled across this source when researching my 2nd great grandmother's second husband Asahel Atherton.
Asahel Atherton and my 2nd great grandmother Sarah Ann Healy married late in life, after the death of Sarah's first husband, my 2nd great grandfather, William Hawley. Sarah and Asahel were married on October 30th, 1919 In Beaverton, Gladwin, Michigan. I write more about their marriage in my blog post "How Did They Meet?". When Sarah and Asahel married he was 75 and she was 68. They had both been widowed. After their marriage they resided in the community of Hardy in Mitchell Township, Alcona County, Michigan.
16 Years before Sarah and Asahel got married, Asahel was appointed the postmaster of the Moffatt Post Office in Alcona County, Michigan.
As I mentioned, this source provides information on not only the person appointed as postmaster, but also the post office itself. The record provides the following information for Asahel Atherton:
Name: Asahel Atherton
Appointment Date: 10/31/1903
Vacancy Cause:
Vacancy Date:
Post Office Location: Moffatt
State: Michigan
County: Alcona County
Volume: 91
The record also has a notation of "Dis" and a note that says "No Papers" and "Eff Feb. 28, 1907 Feb. 26, 1907"
My assumption is that the "Dis" notation indicates that the post office was discontinued. The "Eff" could indicated an effective date. I'm not sure why there are two dates within a couple days of each other. My assumption is that the "No Papers" comment meant that there was no mail at the Moffatt post office to be transferred to another post office.
I was unable to find a specific location for the Moffatt post office. Based on the information I do know, My assumption is that it was located near Hardy which is located in the unincorporated community of Curran in Mitchell Township, Alcona County, Michigan. All indicators point to this post office being very small and serving the people of a very small community. Asahel Atherton seems to be the first, last and only postmaster for this small post office.
The marriage of Sarah and Asahel is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I know when and where they were married and I think I know how they met. But after that, they seem to fade off into history. I haven't been able to find them on the 1920 census or any other records. Sarah passed away on December 31st, 19254, only five years after they were married, and seven months later Asahel passed away on July 9th, 1925.
Do you have any ancestors that served as a postmaster?
Valentine's day is known for flowery words in beautiful cards, and grand expressions of love. Engagements, weddings, first dates....
However, I came across another way that Valentine's day cards have been used over the years to express the feelings of the sender.
Hint, there were no expressions of love...
Tis a lemon that I hand you and bid you now "skidoo", Because I love another - there is no chance for you!
Valentine, c 1909 - Missouri Historical Society
I'm referring to Vinegar Valentines. Also known as mocking or comic valentines. Vinegar valentines became popular starting in the 1830s and 1840s. There was no better way to let someone know that they were unwanted or unliked than by presenting them with a Vinegar Valentine.
These unwelcome notes could be crass, rude, sarcastic and a bit emotionally damaging but in the spirit of anti valentine's day they got the point across.
The receiver, not the sender, was responsible for the cost of postage up until the 1840s. A person in those days paid for the privilege of being insulted by an often anonymous "admirer." 3
The images below are examples of vinegar valentines. They often made fun of someone's appearance, personality traits, profession, bad habits or inappropriate behaviour. They were also used to dissuade unwanted suitors.
Vinegar valentines weren't just for throwing shade at your enemies. They were also used to dissuade women during an important part of history. During the Suffragette movement, these vinegar valentines were often sent to those women who were campaigning for a woman's right to vote. “it is clear from their context that an interest in women’s rights was [seen as] an inherent part of one’s distorted personality.” 4
I don't know about you but I wouldn't have wanted to get one of these valentines in the mail. I can only imagine the drama these "love notes" would cause today.
So my valentine's day wish for you this year is that you don't receive a vinegar valentine.
It's funny how a single recipe can be such a big part of a family. In our family that recipe is for homemade noodles.
For as long as I can remember when my family thought about comfort food, that meant homemade noodles and lots of them.
Although, I would love to say that this recipe is a family secret passed down through the generations. I can say no such thing. In fact, the recipe for homemade noodles started from the "Betty Crocker Cookbook" on Page 394 in the version of the cookbook that I have in my cupboard.
The difference in our "Family Recipe" is in the details and the fun had in making and eating them.
Although we typically follow the Betty Crocker version of the recipe, there is always something little that is different. It could be a spare can of chicken noodle soup, bouillon cubes, different types of gravy or the amount of salt added. Because with homemade noodles, it is all about the consistency and the flavor.
For instance, I typically use chicken noodle soup rather than cream of chicken soup as my mother suggested in the recipe she sent me.
The method of making the noodles is also important. mixing the dough is always done by hand. You must always use a wooden rolling pin, and the noodles should never be cut too thin. Always cook in a very large pot, maybe two depending on how big of a batch you are making.
The most important part about this recipe has nothing to do with the ingredients or the tools and process used to make them. The most important part is the fun we have. The flour fights, the hours of enjoying the amazing smell of the noodles cooking on the stove, the multiple sneaky trips to the kitchen to steal a noodle that is almost done because you just can't wait. It is also tradition to let the kids cut the noodles. They are usually a mix of thin, thick, and way too thick and none of them cut in a straight line. But of course that is not the point.
Every child has a favorite food that is the only thing that will do for a birthday dinner or to fix a bad day. Mine is homemade noodles and my mother never disappoints.
There have been many years of cherished memories made while making homemade noodles. I look forward to continuing this tradition with my own daughter, as well as, my daughter in law and granddaughter.
This has always been one of my favorite photos, probably because of all the wonderful stories that come to mind when I see it.
This photo is of my second great-grandmother Loretta Alma Ward.
Loretta was born on September 15, 1878, in Stanton, Montcalm, Michigan to Francis M. Ward and Mary Elizabeth DeFord.
Loretta, or Rettie as she was called, lived a controversial life for her time. She was married three times. One marriage lasted less than six months.
One of her marriages was to Lawrence Clayton McKenzie. I wrote more about this interesting story in my post Alexander McKenzie and his Uncle... I mean Grandpa... I mean.... .
I think the main reason that this is one of my favorite photos is because of a story that was passed down to me by my cousin Claudette, one of Loretta's great grand nieces.
In the story, she references that her father, Lynes Hathaway Ward, went up to Michigan's upper peninsula to visit his aunt Loretta. She shares his memories.
You might be interested to know that my Dad went up to the UP a few times to visit his aunt "Rettie" and he said she wore a man's jacket and smoked a corncob pipe and would get up early and go fishing for panfish, bring them home, fix them up and serve them with cornmeal mush or oatmeal every morning for breakfast. He said she was a character (not in a bad way, just funny).
Claudette Filiputti
This little snippet of information adds so much more life and character to Loretta's story. When I look at it, the first thing I think is "That's Rettie, the woman who wore a man's jacket and smoked her corn cob pipe"
I can just imagine that Loretta "Rettie" didn't take any guff from anyone and was a woman who lived her own way, be damned what anyone else thought.
I hope that after reading this story, you may see the character of Loretta Alma Ward in this photo speak to you as well.
Children are often named after their parents, grandparents, close family, or friends. I've even seen children given a name based on the location of their birth. One trend that I noticed in my family tree was naming children after United States presidents. Have you noticed this in your family tree?
The choice of a "Presidential Name" could have been made to honor a current or former president. Other research suggests a name may have been chosen in the hope that the child would display the same honorable characteristics of that President or even to represent a family's tie to a specific political party.
With the upcoming inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris this week, I figured it would be a good time to write about this trend.
With the historical significance of Kamala Harris being the United States' first female vice president, the highest-ranking female elected official in U.S. history, and the first African American and first Asian American vice president, I do wonder if the name Kamala will move up the ranks in popular baby name lists this year.
Searching my family tree I found several familiar "Presidential Names" representing the following United States Presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Rutherford B. Hayes, and William Howard Taft.
George Washington Burt, my second great grandfather, was born on May 23, 1852, in Sciota Township, Shiawassee, Michigan
George Washington Hawley, my second great uncle, was born on September 11, 1881, in Rust Township, Montmorency, Michigan
George Washington
PresidentPresidential term: April 30, 1789 to March 4, 1797
Thomas Jefferson
PresidentPresidential term: March 4, 1801 to March 4, 1809
Thomas Jefferson Burt, my third great grandfather, was born on March 20, 1806, in Chemung, Chemung, New York.
Thomas was born during the time that Thomas Jefferson was president. It is also interesting to note that he named his own son George Washington Burt.
Wesley Madison Hawley, my second cousin three times removed was born on April 8, 1878, in Billings Township, Gladwin, Michigan
James Madison
PresidentPresidential term: March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817
Rutherford B. Hayes
PresidentPresidential term: March 4, 1877 to March 4, 1881
Rutherford Birch Steele, my first cousin three times removed, was born on May 19, 1877, in Day Township, Montcalm, Michigan. Rutherford was born just over a month after President Rutherford B. Hayes took office.
Howard Taft Jones, my first cousin three times removed, was born on October 30, 1908, in Brant Township, Saginaw, Michigan
William Howard Taft
PresidentPresidential term: March 4, 1909 to March 4, 1913
When considering this post I knew of a few instances of children in my family tree named after a president. When I started looking, I found many more than I expected and more than those included in this post.
I would love to hear from you, do you have any ancestors with a Presidential Name?