The Death of Miss Addie Dyer Plays Out in the Newspaper

Newspaper articles provide some of the richest information when it pertains to our ancestors.  This was certainly true when I was researching Adeline Lavina Dyer. Adeline, who never married, was the daughter of William B. Dyer and Susanna 'Anna' Wootten.  She was the niece of my second great grandmother, Adeline L. Dyer, who married Samuel Stillman Glover, Jr.  Was she named after her aunt, or was there another Adeline, in the family, that I have yet to discover?

Unfortunately, the articles I found were an accounting of events leading up to her death.  The first article found in the 7 January 1903 Adrian Daily Telegram, Adrian, Lenawee, Michigan was about a sojourn to Colorado for health reasons and its outcome: 

The friends of Miss Addie Dyer will be sorry to learn that her sojourn at Arvado, Col., is not proving a curative measure for her ailment, and that she will probably return home in a month's time.

Next, the 18 March 1903 article was informing readers of Addie's return to Adrian, Michigan:

Miss Alice Dyer and sister, Miss Addie Dyer, are expected to arrive in the morning. Miss Addie, it will be remembered, went to stay the ravages of tuberculosis, but the trip did not have the desired effect. She is now unable to walk. 

The next three articles dated the 9th, 11th and 15th of May, 1903 are about Adeline's death.  I imagine those who read of Adeline's illness started out with hope that her illness could be helped, but within four months they are reading of her death.

The death of Miss Addie Dyer, occurred this afternoon at 1:30 o'clock at the home of her father W.B. Dyer, in this city.  Miss Dyer had been a sufferer for some time past, with consumption and had but recently returned from Colorado, where she went with her sister in hopes of recovery.  Funeral notice will appear later. (9 May 1903)

The funeral services of Miss Addie Dyer will be conducted at her late home at 2 o'clock standard time Tuesday.  Miss Dyer will be greatly missed.  She was superintendent of the primary department of the Bible school until failing health required her to give up this work which she did so faithfully and zealously.  She was greatly beloved by those under her care. (11 May 1903)

 

IN MEMORIAM.

ADELINE LEVINA DYER.

On Saturday, May 9, occurred the death of Adeline, daughter of William B. Dyer and Susanna Dyer, deceased. Death was due to tuberculosis, from which she had been suffering the past year. The burial took place from the home Tuesday, May 13, with interment at Oakwood. Reverent C. W. Stephenson officiated.

Adeline Lavina Dyer was born in Adrian, December 15, 1878. She was a graduate of Adrian high school, having been a member of the graduating class of 1899. Teaching was her chosen profession, and she was engaged in that work until March 1902, when failing health forced her to resign her position. During the past year she has been sojourning in Arvada, Denver, and Montclair, Colorado hoping that the climate of that state might benefit her. A marked improvement was noted in her condition at first but during the latter part of the winter she failed so rapidly that her return to Michigan in March was necessary. The decline since the arrival home has been scarcely perceptible to her hopeful friends, and the news of her death comes as a shock to all.

Deceased was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church of this city and long and active worker in the Bible school of that church, in the primary department of which he acted as superintendent until ill health made her resignation obligatatory.

Together with her father, William B. Dyer, two sisters, Jesse Nina and Alice M. Dyer, survive her, with one brother, Edward L Dyer, of Walkerville, Ontario. Her loss will be keenly felt not only in this thrice bereaved home, but in this city and every other community where her exalted Christian life has exerted its influence.  (15 May 1903)

Adeline was only twenty-five years young when she died from tuberculosis.  The above articles provide a story of a young woman who was educated having graduated from Adrian High School in 1899.  She was a teacher, which I had written about here, until illness forced her to resign in March, 1902.  Following her resignation she spent the next year looking for relief from her illness.  Unfortunately, she didn't find one and died fourteen months after resigning her teaching position.

Although these articles have a sad ending, they provide details of her life.  Her obituary states, "thrice bereaved home".  Adeline's illness and death followed her brother's death, in December of 1901 and her mother's death in March of 1902. The Dyer family suffered three deaths of family members in a short seventeen month period.

Don't over look newspapers to fill in the details of an ancestor's life.  They are rich in information.

Source: All quoted articles are from

• Adrian Daily Telegram, Adrian, Michigan (dates cited with article transcription), online images, Genealogy Bank (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 10 March 2015), Historical Newspapers.

Military Monday: World War I Draft Registration for Warren Fenn

I don't have very many ancestors to research in my home county of Calhoun, in Michigan, but Warren Fenn is one.

Warren Fenn is the grandson of my second great grandparents, Daniel C. Fenn and Elizabeth Poor Fenn.  He was living in Ceresco, Calhoun, Michigan when he registered for the World War I draft. His draft registration record is below:

Source:  "World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," [database on-line], Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 June 2014), entry for Warren Orlo Fenn; United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

Tri-River (MI) Historical Museum Network Offers Free Admission

Historic Charlton Park, Hastings Michigan

Michigan has a lot of historical museums in its state, but none are better than those of the Tri-River Historical Museum Network.  The best news is that the first weekend in May, every year, they are open and free.  "Spring Into The Past" featuring "America's Pasttimes" will be held Saturday, May 2nd and Sunday, May 3rd, 2015, from 11 AM to 5 PM.

26 museums, historical villages and historical societies located along the Flat, Grand and Thornapple Rivers in Southwest Michigan host this annual open house when the museums are all open on the same days and hours for free.  Many small town museums and societies, located in Barry, Ionia, Kent and Montcalm counties, are part of the Tri-River Historical Museum Network. They are: 

1. Alton Historic Church Museum – in old church, north of Lowell 
2. Ada’s Averill Historical Museum – house and barn 
3. Belding Museum & “The Bel” – in Belrockton Silk Mill Dormitory 
4. Boston/Saranac Historical Society – a depot museum in Saranac 
5. Bowne Township – museum, carriage house, school – near Alto 
6. Cascade Historical Museum – in old township hall 
7. Cedar Springs Museum – in Morley Park, local artifacts and research 
8. Charlton Park Historical Village – a 300 acre complex with museum, reconstructed village and recreation area near Hastings 
9. Clarksville/Campbell Historical Society – has no museum as yet 
10. Bolthouse Agriculture Building, Farmall Acres Farm Museum - Clarksville 
11. Fallasburg Historical Village – near covered bridge, north of Lowell 
12. Fighting Falcon Military Museum – Restored CG 4-A glider, and military exhibits honoring local veterans from Greenville 
13. Flat River Historical Museum – with Danish charm - in Greenville
14. Freeport Historical Society – located in the old Masonic Temple 
15. Grattan Township Historical Society – in a restored 1853 structure west of Belding 
16. Ionia’s Blanchard House and Museum – in a stately Victorian Mansion  
17. Lake Odessa Historical Society Depot Museum – displays, archives 
18. Lowell Area Historical Museum – in old home with Victorian flair 
19. Lyons/Muir Historical Museum in Lyons – newly redone in old store 
20. Oakfield Pioneer Heritage Museum in Podunk – west of Greenville 
21. Old Fence Rider Historical Center in Edmore – barbed wire and more! 
22. Pine Forest Historical Museum – variety in an 1881 Edmore church 
23. Plainfield Charter Township—Hyser Rivers Museum – northside Grand Rapids 
24. Portland Area Historical Society — no museum but memorabilia is housed at the Portland Area Library 
25. Rockford Area Museum — exhibits early life in Rockford 
26. Welch Historical Museum – in former hardware store in Sunfield 

Visitors will find old churches, historical homes and barns, one room schoolhouses, railroad depots, restored rural villages, and more during their travels.  All of these unique museums are maintained and preserved by local historical societies.

A full .pdf booklet with information on each site and a map can be found here.  This would be a great activity for the whole family.  Gas up your car, grab grandma and grandpa or the grandchildren, and discover the rich history that Pure Michigan offers.

Last Day Local: Historic Michigan Railroad Depot Now a Restaurant

Source: "Michigan Central Depot Post Card Battle Creek MI" by Unknown - postcard. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan_Central_Depot_Post_Card_Battle_Creek_MI.jpg

The Michigan Central Depot in Battle Creek, Michigan opened in 1888.  The Romanesque style station remained operational until the early 1980's.  Thomas Edison, Presidents William Howard Taft and Gerald Ford visited the depot at one time. During war time it was heavily used for transporting soldiers who had trained at nearby Fort Custer. 

Michigan Central Railroad sold the station to New York Central Railroad in 1918; who sold it to Penn Central in 1968; who sold it to Amtrak in 1970.  The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Penn Central Railway Station, in 1971.

Currently, it is a beautiful restaurant, Clara's on the River.  Clara's opened in Battle Creek in 1992. As you can see from the pictures, much of the charm has been retained.  The red brick exterior with the replicated clock tower rises from downtown Battle Creek.  The interior showcases how much care was taken to restore this piece of Battle Creek history. Original brass lanterns greet one at the entrance, restored white oak ceilings and red oak wood trim are seen throughout the restaurant. The huge fireplace is much as it was when travelers used it to warm themselves. Tiffany style lamps, cozy nooks and antiques showcasing Battle Creek's history adds to the charm of this local favorite.

The Clock Tower, looking North.

The tree lined sidewalk is where the original tracks were.

 Walk through the arches across the river to Clara's.

 Michigan Historic Site Plaque, looking toward the river.

Clara's on the River, looking south.

Last Day Local is a blog prompt I use to celebrate the history of Battle Creek, Michigan, my hometown for the past 26 years.  I try to post one article on the last day of the month about the heritage and history of Battle Creek, The Cereal City!

Fredricks Family Memories

Left to Right: Uncle John, Uncle Richard, Aunt Lola, Aunt Jeannie, Audrey, my mom

My research has taken a different direction lately and instead of wanting to collect names and add facts to my database, I want to hear stories.  The best way to hear stories is to visit your relatives.  I wanted to hear these stories when there was about two feet of snow on the ground and traveling was out of the question.  I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity as my aunts and uncles are getting older. I wasn't sure how this project would be received so I opted to mail my aunts and uncles instead of calling them.

My mother, Audrey, was one of twelve children born to Otto and Daisy (Graf) Fredricks.  She has two brothers and two sisters living.  The Fredricks family has a reunion every year in July and I try to go, but this year I won't be able to because of other plans.  The reunion is a great time to catch up with people but it is hard to spend a lot of time with any one person.

A couple of months ago, I decided I was going to write my mom and my aunts and uncles asking for Fredricks family memories.  I typed up eight questions and asked them to answer them.  I included a self-addressed stamped envelope so they could mail them back to me.  I heard from four of the five I sent.  I can't wait to see my aunts and uncles again because their answers left me with many more questions about their memories.

I plan on sharing their stories on my blog, one question at  time.  If you haven't heard the stories of your family, don't wait any longer.  Step away from your database and ask questions. I am so happy I did.

Question 1: What is your earliest childhood memory?

• Aunt Lola: I remember my mother churning butter.
• Uncle Richard: During the depression, in 1929, you couldn't get any decent flour.  It was always mixed with vetch or mouse droppings or who knew what else.  Every loaf of bread you tried to make was like a brick.  My mother (Daisy Graf Fredricks) was always complaining about her dull kitchen knives. "You could ride to Germany on them and never feel it." she said.  Pa (Otto August Fredricks) always kept his knives very, very sharp for the pig butchering.
• Audrey, my mother: I remember going to school my first day and walking down a sandy lane to get on the bus, crying.
• Aunt Jeannie: I remember swimming at Bear Creek and Don Joswick saved me.

What wonderful memories!  I didn't know my Uncle Richard was such a great storyteller. I had to look the word 'vetch' up as I hadn't heard that before. It is a plant that is used to feed farm animals.  I can see my Grandma standing in her kitchen in her apron, she always wore one, and saying that about her knives. I can hear her laugh, she had a great laugh. I can see her churning butter on the family farm, that has been in the family for over a hundred years.  I know of the sandy lane and creek that my mother and Aunt wrote about. I have swam in that same creek, it runs behind the farm.  These stories have triggered memories of my own and that was something I wasn't expecting.

There is nothing better than family stories.  Don't you agree? 

My Ancestry and a German Script Cheat Sheet

Julie Cahill Tarr has been writing her blog, Gen Blog, since 2008 and I have been a reader for awhile now.  It was only recently that I discovered her post, Tips for German Research-Write it out in GERMAN! and what a helpful post it was. I have always wanted to have someone who knew how to write in German do this for me.  Now, I can do it myself.

Julie explains about the German alphabet and how difficult it can be to try and read it using handwriting guides. Julie gave an excellent tip and the links for creating your own cheat sheet using the German names in your family.  I followed Julie's tip and created my own table:

Ancestor	Fraktur	Sutterlin
Johann August Fredrich	Johann August Fredrich	Johann August Fredrich
Christoph Fredrich	Christoph Fredrich	Christoph Fredrich
Susanna Koenig	Susanna Koenig	Susanna Koenig
Louise Fredrike Zastrow	Louise Fredrike Zastrow	Louise Fredrike Zatrow
Casper Graf	Casper Graf	Casper Graf
Mary Wrightweasner	Mary Wrightweasner	Mary Wrightweasner
Johann Philipp Graf	Johann Philipp Graf	Johann Philipp Graf
Sophia Kolter	Sophia Kolter	Sophia Kolter
Heinrich Kolter	Heinrich Kolter	Heinrich Kolter
Anna Susanna Denzer	Anna Susanna Denzer	Anna Susanna Denzer
Johann Caspar Graf	Johann Caspar Graf	Johann Caspar Graf
Katarina Margareta Philip	Katarina Margreta Philip	Katarina Margareta Philipp
Johann Philipp Graf	Johann Philipp Graf	Johann Phillip Graf
Maria Catharina Geffinger	Maria Catharina Geffinger	Maria Catharina Feffinger
Johann Caspar Graff	Johann Caspar Graff	Johann Caspar Graff
Anna Cecilia Colter	Anna Cecilia Colter	Anna Cecilia Colter
Johann Nickel Grav	Johann Nickel Grav	Johann Nickel Grav
Anna Christina	Anna Christina	Anna Christina

Now, I have a useful cheat sheet to help me with Fraktur and Sutterlin handwriting. If you would like to download the fonts for your use, check Julie's blog post where she has written about this.  Thank you, Julie for the excellent tip.

The Death of Zalton Fenn

My great grandmother, Hattie Fenn Glover, had an older brother, Zalton.  They were the children of Daniel C. Fenn and Elizabeth Poor Fenn.  I found Zalton's death certificate and noticed that his brother, Tully, was the informant.  

Further research shows that Tully knew what he was talking about when he gave information on this death certificate.  

• Zalton's name is spelled correctly.  
• The birth date is accurate, 19 November 1850. 
• The parents names are given, including mother's maiden name: Daniel Fenn and Elizabeth Poor.
• The parent's birthplace is accurate: Daniel in Vermont and Elizabeth in New York.

This isn't always the case and one needs to analyze death certificates to determine the accuracy of the information.  I have found more errors than accurate information on death certificates.  This time I got lucky and the information provided was verified by other records.

Zalton Fenn died 15 December 1908 in Big Rapids, Michigan, at the age of 58.

Source: State of Michigan, "Death Records 1897-1920," database, State of Michigan, Seeking Michigan (http://seekingmichigan.org/discover-collection?collection=p129401coll7: accessed 20 September 2011), certificate of death for Zalton Fenn; citing Michigan Department of State, Lansing, Vital Statistics Division.

Veterans Stories at Grand Valley State University, Michigan

Grand Valley State University(GVSU) in Allendale, Michigan has been preserving oral histories since 2006.  The history department and GVSU library in partnership with the Library of Congress have been collecting the stories of combat and non combat veterans and civilian witnesses over the past nine years.

The Veterans History Project is a digital collection of interviews with people who served during war time, whether one saw combat or not.  It includes veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars.  Civilians have been interviewed as well.  Stories have been collected from workers in the war industry, aid workers, peace activists, and civilian contractors.

Interviews have been conducted throughout West Michigan.  All interviews have been videotaped and are archived at Grand Valley State University and the Library of Congress.  The Library of Congress has other oral histories besides the ones from the GVSU project.

Currently, Grand Valley State University has conducted over 1200 interviews, most which are available at their website under digital collections.  Some of the interviews are available on I-Tunes, as well.

The Veterans Collection is another digital collection that is available at Grand Valley State University.  This collection has papers pertaining to World War I and World War II.  This collection was gathered, in part, through the work of the Veterans History Project. Information found in this collection includes, photographs, correspondence, and a scrapbook,  This is an ongoing project of Grand Valley State University.

The oral history interviews has led Grand Valley State University into creating documentaries.  There are three documentaries so far:

1. Nightmare in New Guinea is the story of those who served in the 126th Infantry, 32nd Red Arrow division during World War II in New Guinea.
2. Up from the Bottoms is the story of the migration of African Americans to Muskegon, Michigan during World War II.
3. A Team of our Own is the story of the All American Girls Profession Baseball League, that played from 1943 to 1954.  47 oral histories were conducted with for this documentary.

Another part of the Veterans History Project is education outreach to schools. Training is provided to students who are interested in learning how to conduct interviews.  Plus, presentations and materials are available to teachers interested in including Veterans History as part of their curriculum.

Currently, there are 23 digital collections available at Grand Valley State Universities website, many of them that would be of interest to family history researchers.  I have written about three of them. Some of the other collections include Civil War and Slavery Collection, Grand Valley State University photographs and publication, 15th Century printing, Navy Recognition Training Slides, Grand Rapids Oral Histories, other photographs and more.  

Often researchers don't think of university collections unless our ancestors attended that school.  That is a mistake when the resources are as rich as the ones provided by Grand Valley State University. Be sure to check your local university for collections that might help in your research.