Sentimental Sunday: Happy Halloween

When my children were younger I loved Halloween.  My favorite part of Halloween was creating, with their input, costumes for them to wear.  Here are a few of my favorites, handmade with love by me!

 My darling daughter, the clown

1987



 My sensational son, Dick Tracy

1990

Princess Daughter

1988 

 Where's Waldo?

1992



My All Time Favorite

'Hocus Pocus' Witch and Jafar from 'Aladdin'

Treasure Chest Thursday: Hattie's Doilies

You may have read about Hattie's Bible and what a wonderful gift I have been entrusted with.  Now, the same generous woman gave me doilies handmade by my great grandmother, Hattie Fenn Glover.  Hattie's great great niece, CBR, sent them to me with this note:

"Brenda,
When my mother(MLFB-name withheld to protect privacy) was a little girl, her family drove up to Munising to visit Fenn family.  Aunt Hattie was crocheting every day as older women often did then.  She crocheted these 3 doilies out of string (all they had at the time) and gave them to my mother for her "hope box".  Mom had a small box with just a few special items in saved for her future.  From about the time when mom was on her own (18 yrs. old) until now (93 yrs. old), she has used these doilies without ever putting them away.  They always reminded her of her aunt and grandfather Tully, who she traveled with.  From her great-aunt Hattie, my mother passes these to a great-granddaughter.  As told to me by my mother, CBR-name withheld to protect privacy)"

I am emotional just writing this.  I look at these white doilies and envision my great grandmother's hands as she crocheted.  Was she left or right handed?  I crochet left handed.  I haven't decided the best way to display these wonderful hand made heirlooms.  They have been very well taken care of and are in excellent condition.  Based on the age of Hattie's great niece, I would say they were made in the early 1930's. 

Wordless Wednesday: Apple Picking

Travis(I can do it myself)-October 1990

Hillcrest Orchards, Augusta, Michigan



Kirsten (with help from Dad), October 1990

Hillcrest Orchards, Augusta, Michigan



Talented Tuesday: Kirsten Lendyke

I suppose technically I shouldn't use a living person for my 'Talented Tuesday' post as it is meant to share information about talented ancestors, but I am a proud mom.  My husband and I had the pleasure of seeing Kirsten perform in Carmen with the Lyric Opera of Chicago this past weekend.  What a joy it was to see her living her dream.

My husband and I started talking to our children about what they wanted to be when they grew up in 6th grade.  I remember Kirsten saying she wanted to sing and act.  This was a career I knew absolutely nothing about.  I can't even carry a tune!  I knew it would be a tough career to undertake, but supported her fully.  I knew Kirsten was dedicated to pursuing this career path by the time she was in eighth grade.  I had found a book, "Acting Professionally" and bought it.  I told Kirsten if this is what she wanted to do she needed to go into it with her eyes wide open.  I gave her the book to read.  I think one of the reasons Kirsten has a career in this field is that she is determined and dedicated to her craft, in addition to being talented.  She never wavered from this path throughout high school.  

We supported Kirsten with voice lessons, dance, sending her to a fine arts camp and other ways when we could.  Kirsten graduated from Millikin University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre.  She is currently a performing artist in Chicago.  Every time I attend a performance Kirsten is in, just as the lights go down, I get a little emotional and I am thankful for the opportunity of seeing Kirsten perform.  And Saturday night was no exception. 

(Note:  I didn't misspell my daughter's last name!  She has chosen the spelling Lendyke for her professional name to make it easy for people to pronounce. )

Ancestor Biography: Katherine McGee Watt

Katherine McGee, my paternal great grandmother, was the oldest of four children born to Richard McGee and Sarah Jackson.  Katherine was born on 2 September 1862 in Collingwood, Grey, Ontario, Canada.  (Note:  In 1862 Collingwood was part of Grey, it is currently part of Simcoe county)  Other children born to Richard and Sarah were:

1. Isabella McGee:  Born 1 October 1868, Collingwood, Grey, Ontario, Canada.  She married Richard Simmons in 1896 and eventually moved to Duluth, Minnesota.
2. William John McGee:  Born 10 July 1871, Collingwood, Grey, Ontario, Canada.  He married Laura Kirby in 1900 in Thornbury, Grey, Ontario, Canada.
3. James McGee:  Born 25 February 1877 in Ontario, Canada.

The Richard McGee family can be found in the 1871 Canadian Census:

1871, Collingwood, Grey North, Ontario, Canada, district 37 Grey North, subdistrict Township of Collingwood, division 1, p 78, Family Number 282, Richard McGee ; digital images, Ancestry.com, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 October 2010); Roll C-9953.

Katherine was 14 when her mother, Sarah, died in 1877.  I often wonder if Katherine had to take on the duties of mothering her siblings as they were 9, 6, and 2 months old at the time.  Very little is known of Katherine during her youth and teenage years. 

Between 1877 and 1881, her father, Richard, married Mary May.  Richard was twenty four years older than Mary.  They had six children:

1. Margaret in 1881
2. Mabel in 1883
3. Samuel Zachariah in 1885
4. Hibernia in 1887, who married William H. Heighes
5. Laura Myrtle in 1890, who married Arthur W. Reid
6. Edna May in 1893, who married James Francis Charles Boell

The David and Katherine Watt Family

First Row: (L-R) David, Burton, Katherine, Mary

Back Row: (L-R) Sarah (my grandmother), Jean, John, Eva, Florence

(A son, David, died at the age of 14 months, in 1888.)

Katherine McGee married David Watt on 16 May 1883 in St. Ignace, Mackinac, Michigan.  They settled in Marquette, Marquette, Michigan where they had eight children.

1. John Richard (23 August 1883-27 October 1959)
2. Sarah Lilla (23 November 1884-31 March 1965)
3. Jean Ethel (4 March 1886-1914)
4. David A (24 August 1887-28 November 1888)
5. Eva May (June 1889-January 1921)
6. Florence Isabel (17 December 1890-?)
7. Burton Lewis (10 December 1892-6 March 1994)
8. Mary Katherine (27 August 1894-?)

Katherine Watt, with grandchildren Richard and Warren Watt

David and Katherine Watt lived and raised their children in Marquette, Michigan.  They can be found in the 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 U.S. Federal Census for Marquette, Marquette, Michigan.  The 1910 Census is below:

Source:  1910 U.S. Census, , population schedule, Ward 4, enumeration district (ED) 191, p 8B, dwelling 174, Head of household-David Watt; digital images, ancestry.com (: accessed 8 October 2010); Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910. T624, 1,178 rolls..

Mrs. David Watt Obituary

The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan

 23 January 1932 page 2, Column 3

Katherine Watt died on 22 January 1932 in Marquette, Michigan at the home of her son, Burt.  She had been ill for 18 months.  I ordered a copy of her death certificate and with further research discovered a few errors on it.  The following information is in error:

• Marital status:  Widow  Correction:  Katherine was married at the time of death.
• Surname before First Married:  Catherine Jackson  Correction:  Surname was McGee; Jackson was her mother's maiden name.
• Father's Name:  Richard Wallace  Correction:  Father's name was Richard McGee

Park Cemetery (Marquette, Marquette, Michigan, USA) 

Photo by Brenda Leyndyke. Personal Visit. July 2009.

Katherine McGee Watt is buried in Park Cemetery, Marquette, Michigan in the Watt family plot. 

Alexander Glover's Will

My new found 'Glover' cousin shared Alexander Glover's will with me.  Alexander Glover is my paternal 4x great grandfather (Alexander, Samuel S., Samuel S., Jr, Frank, Harry, Bruce, Me)  First of all I would like to thank Jared Willson, Esquire, for his superb handwriting.  This is one of the easiest to read wills I have seen.   

Alexander's Will:
In the name of God Amen!  I Alexander Glover of Phelps county of Ontario and state of New York considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound and perfect mind and memory, blessed be Almighty God for the same, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say.  First I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah Glover all my personal property of every description whatsoever, except the farming utensil and one home  And I do further give and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah all the rents issues profits and income of all my real estate for her own benefit and to be at her own disposal during her natural life.  And I also give and bequeath to my son Charles Williamson Glover all my real estate together with all and singular the hereditaments and appurtenances there unto belonging or in anywise appertaining and to have full possession there of at the decease of my beloved wife Sarah on this express condition that he shall and will pay or cause to be paid the following legacies vis.  to my son Philander one dollar. to my son Alexander one dollar, to my son George Whitfield one dollar. to my son Samuel Stillman one dollar.  to my grandson Cotton Crittenden five dollars. to my grandson William Salisbury Crittenden five dollars in one year after the decease of my beloved wife Sarah.  To my daughter Elizabeth Melvin one hundred dollars. to my daughter Sophronia Powell one hundred dollars. to my daughter Polly Glover one hundred dollars. to my daughter Milly Eddy one hundred dollars to be paid to my four daughters in three equal annual installments after the decease of my beloved wife all of which legacies aforementioned  I do give and bequeath unto each of the legatees severally as above mentioned to be paid out of my real estate if my son Charles Williamson Glover refuses or neglects to comply with the condition herein contained.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twelfth day of March one thousand eight hundred and twenty  Alexander Glover Seal

Alexander's belief in God and love of his wife, Sarah was evident in his will.  I have found 12 children born to Alexander and Sarah (Salisbury) Glover:  Philander, Sarah, Elizabeth, Alexander, Sophronia, Rachel, George Whitfield, Charles Williamson, Samuel Stillman, Polly, Amelia, and William Salisbury.  Alexander's will lists nine children.  The three not mentioned are Sarah, Rachel, and William Salisbury.  I know that William Salisbury Glover died at the age of 1.   I have often wondered about the middle names of the children in my Glover family.  A few times I have found surnames as middle names, I wonder how many of Alexander's children's middle names have clues in them.

Happy 184th Birthday, Great Great Grandma Fenn

Elizabeth Ann Poor was born 18 October 1826 to Samuel B. Poor and Eleanor Begole, in New York.  She married Daniel C. Fenn sometime between 1848 and 1850.  Elizabeth died 20 September 1894 in Hersey, Osceola, Michigan.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun-Who's To Blame?

Randy Seaver at Gena-Musings posted his Saturday Night Genealogy Fun assignment.  This is my first time to participate, so here goes.

Randy writes:  Hey geneaphiles - it's Saturday Night, time for more Genealogy Fun for all Genea-Musing readers.  Your mission, should you decide to accept it (and we need more of you to do this, otherwise it may end...), is to:

1) Read Brenda Joyce Jerome's post Who or What Do You Blame? on the Western Kentucky Genealogy blog. She asks these questions:

* Can you identify person or event that started you on this search for family information?  My introduction to genealogy came when my dad decided to write his autobiography.  He knew very little about his family.  He knew his parents and grandparents names and that was about it.  I thought this might be fun to try and help him discover who and where he came from.  My initial goal was to fill in a five generation pedigree chart.  Who could stop at that?  From there I have researched many, many generations.

* Did you pick up researching where a relative had left off? No one else in the family had done any research.  I had to start from scratch.

* Did your interest stem from your child's school project on genealogy? No, but I do remember my daughter asking her dad's mother a few questions for a school project once.  I saved the letter her grandma wrote to her and it helped when I researched my husband's side of the family.

* If you have been researching many years, it may be hard to pinpoint one reason for this journey. The main reason I undertook this journey was to help my dad find his past.  Over the past few years of researching I have found lots of interesting information to share with him. 


2) Write your responses on your own blog, in a comment to this blog post, or in a note or comment on Facebook.   See above.

Thanks to Randy and Brenda for the Saturday Night Fun.