Happy Times & Sad Time

It is Saturday, October 6th, 2018.
Social media and Facetime is a buzz with well wishes as my Aunt Jeanette (Dodge) Howie celebrates her 95th birthday! A great time for all the family to get together this weekend, just days before Jeanette will turn 95 on this coming Wednesday the 10th.

Jeanette & Arthur Howie  (c. 1982)

Jeanette Dodge was born in Lombard, Du Page, Illinois; also on a Wednesday, October 10, 1923.
That is one of the fun things about this date.  It is the same calendar as today!  Yes, the same calendar she was born on repeated this year!
Many notables were born on this same date.  My favorite being Helen Hayes the actress.  There was also my doppelganger Sir. Winston Churchill.
In 1964 the opening ceremony of the summer olympics in Tokyo, Japan was broadcast live over satellite for the first time in history.

Jeanette Howie and all her family 2012.

October 10, 1923 Birthday Facts:
Here’s a quick list of all the fun birthday facts about October 10, 1923. Celebrities, famous birthdays, historical events, and past life were excluded.
Day index: 283rd day of 1923
Day of week: Wednesday
Day of week birthstone: Amethyst
Week index: 41st Wednesday of 1923
Next same calendar year: 2018
Day of week this year: Wednesday
Day of week next year: Thursday
Day of week in 2020: Saturday
Days until next birthday: 4 days
Age on next birthday: 95 years old
Days since birth: 34,695 days
Days spent sleeping: 11,565 days
Years spent sleeping: 31.66 years
Part of life spent sleeping: 33%
Full moons since birth: 1,175
Next full moon: October 24 at 16:46:00 GMT – Wednesday
First one billion seconds: Sometime on June 18, 1955
Age in dog years: 443 dog years old using a Pointer breed
Life path number and meaning: 8 – It represents experience, authority and endeavour. You are gifted with natural leadership and the capacity to accumulate great wealth.
Western zodiac sign: Libra ♎ (The Scales)
Western zodiac element: Air
Western zodiac sign quality: Cardinal
Western zodiac ruling planet: Venus – the planet of love and beauty
Western zodiac gemstone: Chrysolite
Eastern zodiac animal: Pig
Eastern zodiac element: Water
Modern birthstone: Opal
Mystical birthstone: Jasper (based on Tibetan origin)
Birth flower: Cosmos for constancy
Best compatible birthday: March 7, 1944 (+136)
Worst compatible birthday: April 13, 1934 (-177)
Popular girl’s name: Mary – 71,635 babies
Popular boy’s name: John – 57,472 babie

Jeanette Howie and her boys 2012.

When Jeanette Dodge was born on October 10, 1923, her father, Glenn, was 37, and her mother, Stella, was 37. She married Arthur England Howie, (My uncle) on December 21, 1947, in Sierra Madre, California. They had five children during their marriage. She had two sisters.

At the young age of just 7 years, her family: Father, Glenn Waterman Dodge, Mother, Stella Elizabeth (Gardner), and her two sisters: Elizabeth Marie Dodge, and Dorothy R Dodge.  Sorry I don't know her middle name.  Were all living in Chicago, Illinois.  On Fulton Street!

Her father Glenn was a teacher, as many of the family followed that profession.

This was also the time of the great depression.  Hopefully the family didn't need to flock to Al Capone's soup kitchen in downtown Chicago.

By the time of age 12 years,  Jeanette, her parents, and sister Betty had moved to Canyonville in Douglas County Oregon.  By the age of 53, her father Glenn had retired from teaching, and bought a farm in Oregon.  Then on April 22, 1947, her father Glenn, age 61, a carpenter was returning to Oakland California after being shipped off to Manila, Philippines as a US Naval Seaman. It is unclear to me if he was drafted at age 61, or if he volunteered.  Good thing he got back, as Jeanette married my uncle Arthur Howie in Sierra Madre, Los Angeles, California that same year.  On December 21, 1947.   Jeanette and Arthur moved to Willits, Mendocino, California.  Here they had their first child, Ronald Jon Howie.   The family: Arthur England, a school principle, Jeanette, and baby Ronald Howie were then shipped off to Truk, Micronesia. They embarked and returned from San Francisco California,  to Agana, Guam in 1950.

In December of that same year the family moved to Myrtle Creek, Oregon.  Where their second son, Michael was born.  The entire family of four left and returned again to Truk, Micronesia in 1951.  Both Ronald & Michael were both just babies at the time.

Her father Glenn Waterman Dodge died, June 25th, 1952 in Canyonville, Douglas, Oregon at the age of 65.   Her mother Stella Elizabeth (Gardner) Dodge died, January 25th, 1961 in Clatsop, Oregon.  Glenn & Stella were then buried with her parents.  Their final resting place together with the Gardner family in Leon Cemetery, Leon, Decatur, Iowa.

Jeanette and her family then moved to San Diego, California where Douglas, Lawerence and Kenneth were born.  The family lived there for approximately twenty years before moving to Selah, Washington in the 1980's.

Jeanette has, five sons, and I believe eleven grandchildren. Not to mention many great-grandchildren which I probably am not aware of at this time.

Her husband of sixty-four years, and my uncle, Arthur England Howie left us all on September 18th, 2011.

Her eldest sister, the world traveler, Dorothy R. (Dodge) Wickert died at the age of 78.  In Meridian, Ingham, Michigan, on Monday, March 16, 1992.  Her sister "Betty" Elizabeth Marie Albright died in her 93rd year, on March 19th, 2012, in Moro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California.  Leaving three sons.

HAPPY 95TH BIRTHDAY JEANETTE!

I will finish here unfortunately with some sad news!

Martha Louise (Lecka) Johnson

My aunt Dorothy May (Howie) was as you all know, married to James Louis Lecka.  His last surviving sister being my sister-in-law of my aunt,  Martha Louise Lecka; has just recently past away.
Martha was the middle child.  The eldest being Maria, who died before my uncle in 1991.
Like Jeanette, Martha was also born in 1923.  She was born September 13, 1923, in Johnson City, Washington, Tennessee.  Her father Louis was 34 and her mother Willie was 30 at the time of her birth.  Martha remained her entire life in the city of her birth.

Martha Louise Lecka

Her brother James "Jim" Louis Lecka was born in 1927.  The same year as the Great Mississippi Flood!

The rain began in 1926, and by Christmas day in 1926 the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee had crested at 56 feet! A HORRIBLE event for the Lecka family, and for the Nation!

The family was originally from Albania.  Their father Louis immigrated during Victorian times, and began a very thriving restaurant in Johnson City.  By 1940, Louis & Willie were living separately.  Willie and her three children were living with her sister Pauline Rowena (Pritchard) Clabo and her family.  Pauline was a stenographer for a lumber company, and her husband Albert Clabo was in the U.S. Navy at the time.



In 1942, Martha age 20 was at college.  She enrolled in Milligan College, in Elizabethton, Tennessee.  Where she was voted most studious!  She got her B.S. in Business Administration and went on to work for the United States Government.
This is about all I knew about Martha.
I didn't know Martha Lecka. My eldest sister Kathy might have met her when she went back to stay with the Lecka family.
I will end here with a obituary.

Martha Louise Lecka

Her obituary is as follows:

MARTHA (LECKA) JOHNSON

JOHNSON CITY - Martha L. Johnson, 95, passed away on September 19, 2018. A native of Washington County, TN, she was born on September 13, 1923 to Louis and Willie Lecka.

She was a graduate of Science Hill High School and Milligan College. She worked for the U.S. Government for many years, retiring in 1984 from the Social Security Office in Morristown.

Martha was an avid bowler and began her bowling career at the Mountain Home bowling alley. In the early 1960s, her official, sanctioned bowling career began with her being the first Secretary of the Johnson City Women’s International Bowling Association and later, becoming the Tennessee State Secretary of the Bowling Association for many years which to Martha was an honor. Martha was a member of the 600 Club and celebrated in 2015, 50 Years of bowling the National Tournaments. Martha had many lifetime friends that she loved and who loved her too. Martha also was a voracious reader and loved to travel. Say the word “GO” and she was ready!

Martha Louise Lecka

In addition to her parents, Martha was preceded in death by her sister, Mrs. Maria L. Kegley and her brother, James L. Lecka.


Those left to cherish her memory are two nephews, James L. Lecka and J. Kerby (Kristina) Lecka and great-nephews, Jack (Dakota), Trevor, and Liam Lecka, all of Newbury Park, California, and special friends and caregivers, Tom and Vicki Webster of Johnson City.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday in the East Chapel of Appalachian Funeral Home.  The family will receive friends for 10:00 A.M. until the service hour.


Graveside services will follow the service at Oak Hill cemetery in Johnson City.

MAY Queen!  Martha Louise Lecka

1947 Milligan College
Martha Louise Lecka
B.S. Business Administration

Martha Louise Lecka

Elaine Rider Gleim

Hello, here I am again to bring you another interesting story and family connection.  I don't often add obituaries to this family blog site, as if I did, I would not have enough room nor time. I wish I could.


This obituary caught my eye though, on account of a shared interest in white water river rafting I found between one of my 8th cousins, Elaine Rider Gleim and myself.


I will just let the obituary tell most of that story here.

Elaine Rider Gleim

A few years back, I had no knowledge of this branch of my family.  I know eighth cousin is a reach for people to stay in contact.  I am still continually amazed that I find cousins who live, or have lived in the same city, or areas which I have lived over the years.  I discovered this family just by chance on Facebook years ago.  Someone I use to follow on Facebook posted old photos of VENTURA. He once posted a photo of Harold Melcher Rider standing next to an automobile in Ojai, California.  I quickly then went into research mode, and discovered him in my tree.  Unfortunately, went I went back looking for the photo on Facebook, I couldn't find it again.

Elaine & Edward Gleim in his U.S. AirForce Uniform.

Elaine Rider and Edward Gleim were married at 149 N. Lomita Ave., Meiners Oaks, Ojai, CA.  In her parents home where she was raised.  Her parents being Harold Melcher Rider (1892-1985) and Frances (Fannie) Elizabeth Hulburt (1893-1965).

This branch of the family also made their way west from New England to California via Colorado, living in Grand Junction, Mesa Co. Colorado, for many years.  In fact, Harold being the first born, his sister Bertha Louella (Rdier) Barnett (1896-1987), Richard Merritt Rider (1898-1991), Clarence Burton Rider (1900-1902) and finally Gertrude Edith (Rider) Weaver (1905-1952).  Were all born in Grand Junction.  Harold and his sister Bertha went west to California.  Where Richard and his sister Gertrude went to Salt Lake City, Utah.

She is a descendant of John Rider of Yarmouth, Massachusetts (1664-1718), and of Hester (Hall) Rider his wife (1672-1719).  Many have tried to link him to Lt. Samuel Rider, but this isn't possible with the age gap.  Infact anyone with a John Rider it seems has tried to connect to Lt. Samuel Rider. 

A LETTER NEVER SENT

Rev. Clarence Philo and Nettie Martha England

Hi again, I'm still here!  Saying that I've been very busy is an understatement.  As you may have read in one of my recent posts; It was recently passed onto me, the box with my Great Grandmother's Journals.  Yes, there is an entire box full of journals.  She made journal entries continuously for over thirty years, beginning in 1930, and she continued until her death!  I believe I have over 1300 images scanned so far.  The bad part for me, is that I hold too much interest in the subject matter.  So, I am reading and researching, more than I am scanning.  Tucked within the pages of the journals, I found that she used sewing pins to attach some newspaper articles, and other notable items.  Which also includes a four page folded letter which was never sent.  I learned so much just from this one letter, you can just imagine how much I have been learning from each and every page of the journals as I scan them.  These journals are an amazing treasure I hope to be able to share with you all very soon.

Nettie Martha England
nee Smith. Aka Grandma E.

My Great Grandmother, Nettie Martha Smith is the real author of todays blog posting.  I'm still unsure if her birth name was Janette, or Charlotte.  Usually Charlotte becomes Lottie for short, so I am thinking that Janette has become Nettie.  I Googled this question, and Google says that Nettie is short for Annette.  I'm not convinced this is true for that day-and-time.  I don't find any Annette's back in the 19th century in my family tree. So, I will just continue to leave her name as Nettie as it has been all along.

When Nettie Martha Smith was born in-between Missisquoi Bay and the border with the United States; in North Pinnacle, Saint Armand, Quebec, Canada, on August 7th, 1870.  Her father, Luther Rominor Smith Sr. was 56 years old, and her mother, Chestina, was 39.  Nettie was the eighth of nine children born to her parents Luther & Chestina Smith. Her mother began having children at 21 years of age, and finished twenty years later in 1872 at the age of 41 years. Nettie followed in her mother's footsteps. She was the wife of a Baptist Pastor, Clarence Philo England, whom she called C.P. They married on June 30, 1892, in Dunham, Quebec, Canada. Also at the age of 21 years. Together they had six children in twenty years.  Nettie lost her first and her last children. Both at young ages.  She died just one year after she wrote this letter. Passing away on January 22, 1963, in Sutton, Quebec, Canada.  She lived a long, happy and healthy life to the age of 92 years.

Rev. Clarence Philo & Nettie Martha England
The year of the photo is unknown to me at this time.
Photo probably taken by their son, Gordon Philip England.

Instead of just posting images of the four page letter. I am going to translate the handwritten letter, and make comments along the way to help the reader better understand the context, and also express the information which I have discovered.  I will post images of the letter at the end of this blog post. So if you just want to skip ahead, and just read the letter. Scroll to the bottom.

Now onto the letter! 

Grandma Nettie England, reading a letter on her front porch.

                                                              January 02, 1962, Sutton, Quebec, Canada.

     Dear Helen,
Christmas must be over but I rec'd some cards after the 25th.
     I've written a lot of letters but-haven't answered yours which I was very glad to rec'; also it-was nice for Ruth to write.  Please thank her for me.
       (Note:  Ruth Sylvia, nee Lorimer (Wenham-Haukenfrers)) is the eldest daughter of Ellsworth Leornard & Helen (Howie) Lorimer.

Ellsworth and Helen Lorimer
January 1972
Clipped from pg. 22 of the Howie Family Cookbook.

I am glad she seems to be doing well in her work.
     In fact all your family are very active.
     I used to buy a lot at Eaton's, and think I would enjoy it now if I could have you wait on me.
     Such work now is very common for married women, but really too much for 'real' home-makers.  I wonder if Ellsworth will go to help Clarence, no doubt they are anxious to get their work done.  Sometimes I've imagined that your father would like to get all his children to Calif., but don't you think B.C., just as good a place for your children?  C's and Evelyn's letter was quite interesting and pleasant to hear except about Ralph B's family, although she thought they are doing quite well taking care of themselves.
     (Note: I'm guessing that Ruth might have got a job at Eaton's, I don't think Helen was working there.  The T. Eaton Company Limited commonly known as Eaton's, was a Canadian retailer that was once Canada's largest department store chains.  B.C. is short for British Columbia.  C's and Evelyn is Clarence and Evelyn.  Ralph B's is the Bywater family.  Helen being the first Howie grandchild, Clarence being the second, Arthur the third, and Grace Marion the 4th.  Grace Howie married Ralph Clark Bywater, and she had just past away September 22, 1957, leaving her husband with five young children: three boys and two girls.)
     Those little girls are very young 7 & 9 to do much work.  Do you know when Ralph's wife left him?  Perhaps they are just as happy.  Ralph must love his children as he is determined to keep them all together.  David now 15 grown to be almost on quite a young man is at High School.  He won't for get his mother.  May be a great help to his brothers and sisters.
     I wonder how many of your cousins you remember.
     The Hastings girls are both married and Cristel has boy & girl.  Carol (a daughter) she lives either in Washington or Oregon.
     (Note: I'm on page 3, and have some clues to research.  Who is Cristel and Carol Hastings?  This was not easy at first to find, but once I discovered that Austel Hastings, who was already in my tree should be Cristel.  Then the light went on for me.   She was listed in the 1940 U.S. Census as Austel and I never had anymore on her. I need to go back to the 1940 census and correct her name.  The best clue here being a sister named Carol Hastings.  I then put 2+2 together.  They must be the daughters of Hollis Barnes Hastings (1902-1990).  He was a farmer living in Hillsborough, Somerset, New Jersey in 1940.  He is one of my 2nd cousins 1X removed.   His mother was Myrtle May Barnes (1876 - 1972), she was the daughter of Altha Almeda Smith (1854-1941).   Altha being #2 of Luthor & Chestina Smith's nine children.  Her younger sister being my Great Grandmother Nettie Martha Smith.  So, Altha is my 2nd great aunt.  Hollis Barnes Hastings married Iva Margaret Eastwood, nee Fultz. (1902 - 1981).  Together they had the two girls mentioned in the letter.  Cristel Elizabeth (Hastings) Lucia & Carol Ann (Hastings) Lundy.   Solved that puzzle! Cristel's two children are George Hastings Lucia and Margaret Louise Lucia.  Their father John Donald Lucia unfortunately past away in 1984. I now have some more new cousins. George has a daughter named Carly. I also found some very sad news here. Margaret had a son Ray Mathew Wendel.  He was in a tragic automobile accident at the young age of 16. He was driving and lost control. Went off road and the vehicle turned upside down in a creek where he drowned (1989-2006)).
     Hollis Hastings lives in Richford, but Mary H. Hilgerson has bought a house in Neshanic N.J. and this may be her last year teaching.  A real Yankee now I believe.
     (Note: I just solved above who Hollis Hastings is, but now a new clue.  Who is Mary H. Hilgerson?  I see that she is a teacher in Neshanic N.J. Hopefully that helps!  I looked at the younger sister of Hollis.  Mary M. Hastings.  Sure enough, on the 1930 U.S. Census she is listed as a teacher.   I didn't have any more information on her past 1930.  So, I searched using the parameters: teacher, Neshanic, and Hilgerson.  I found her!  She married Sgt. Douglas C. Hilgerson in Somerset, New Jersey in December 1950.  I wasn't able to find if she was able to retire from teaching in 1962.  I hope so!  She lived till age 70, passing in May of 1976.  Followed by her husband Douglas Hilgerson in August 1982.
     Harvey Clark's Nancy a graduated nurse married a Dr. and lives in North Carolina.
     (Note: Oh boy, the clues are getting a bit more challenging wouldn't ya say?  Who is Harvey & Nancy Clark?  The first born SMITH, of Luther Rominor Smith (1813-1902) was Nancy Viola Susan (Smith) Clark.   She was Nettie's eldest sister . The first out of the nine children born to my second great grandparents Luther Rominor and Chestina (Ewins) Smith.  So this makes Nancy my second great aunt. She married Potter Hazzard Clark, January 14, 1880.  They only had one child before they both past away.  Nancy passing in 1904 in Richford, Franklin, Vermont, age 51.  Potter Hazzard then moved out west to Seattle, King, Washington leaving his young little son with the in-laws, Uncle Luther Rominor Smith Jr.(1861-1927).  Luther Jr. was a farmer, and he sure had more than his share of tragedy in his life. I will share here one such story, but look for more posts in the future. As for Potter, unfortunately life did not get better. Potter caught Pneumonia when he went out west to Seattle.  He died from this illness March 04, 1905, age 53.  Just one year before the Great San Francisco Earthquake.  It was this little boy, left behind with no parents; Harvey Merritt Clark (1896 -1971) that Grandma England is referring too in her letter.  Harvey Merritt Clark worked on his Uncle Luther Rominor Smith Jr.'s farm. He was strong, eager and a healthy young man when he joined the Canadian Military, December 10, 1914 at the age of 18 years, 6 months.  He stood 5'8", had a 38" chest, hazel eyes, and brown hair.  According to the Canadian military records, he was a healthy young man. He earned $15 per month starting in March of 1915.  He was discharged two years later as medically unfit in November 1917. His war ravaged body was left fairly damaged from all that I could dare to read in the medical reports. 
Too many surgery's to remove all the metal pieces.  I also read about fractures healing, loss of sensation in his limbs, a hernia operation and tumors in his scrotum, not to mention a G.S.W to the neck. Wow! The checks were much larger from 1917 - 1919 about $70 per month all going to his Uncle Luther.  I couldn't read it all, it was all too sad.  The good thing is that he did survive the war and all his major injuries. A true War Hero! When Harvey got out of the hospital he married Winnifred, "Winnie" Frances Perkins (1894-1967).  Not sure exactly yet when they got married but I found they did have children, Edgar Miles Merritt Clark born to them in 1920, and now I have discovered "NANCY!"  Yes, I found Nancy the Nurse who married the Doctor and moved to North Carolina.  Nancy Frances (Clark) Jordan.  She married May 18, 1960 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina to Dr. Graham Alexander Bruce Jordan (1931-1979). That was a major sad story, yet a great discovery. More new 3rd cousins yet to discover!
     Your children if they should hear about all of yours and Ellsworth's second & third cousins could say Yes as I know a woman did when visiting a patient whom none but relatives could see.  (4) She told me it was through Adam her relationship came.  We hear quite often about B.C's over the Radio, but not about the fallout shelters like Diefenbaker's.  (Note: she is referring to the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, John Diefenbaker with whom she kept frequent correspondence. I just learned this little tidbit, but read below as I tried to translate the unknown name to Defiant Raker.)
     Has Ellsworth built - any?
     I am old enough not to want one in this world.
     We have a lot of snow, more than last-year.  I don't know whether or not your Uncle Arthur will get here this winter.
     Train service not so good as it used to be, so last-time he came in winter 2 days were spent here and 3 in stations or train.
     I believe they still like N. Liskeard.  As usual on Christmas & Birthdays they have lovely flowers delivered to me fresh from Knowlton.   It is good I have Esther & Gordon with me. They both keep busy.  He typing.  She mission circle, Ladies's aid and other things.  I do hope you and yours will have guidance and help from above for 1962, no matter this page is full.  A whole sheet wouldn't hold my love,
                                Grandma E.

     (Note: so, here I think she is thinking about friends and family who can visit loved ones in the hospital, and is in a way trying to make a lie seem just okay to meet the ends. I have no idea who the friend is, or who Adam was.  I don't know her humor, maybe she is being funny here and remarking on Adam & Eve.  If so, then she is very much like me here in her way of thinking.  Obviously we are all related in some way, form, or fashion. So if you make the trip to the hospital to visit someone, they sure as better let you in to see them, just say; "we are related!"  Hmmmm, B.C's... am I seeing this correctly?  In the military we use to refer to glasses as BC's. Short for birth control on account they made the person wearing them to ugly to ever get a date. I've researched: bombs, and fall-out shelters.  I am just not understanding this term from the 60's as it relates to bomb shelter devices, and what the hell is a raker? Hmmm... you've got me here. Let me know, please, if you know what she is referring to.  (Update: my mistranslation has been solved. She was referring to Prime Minister Diefenbaker. ) As to the times, and her question, "Has Ellsworth built-any?" Remember this is the 1960's, and fall-out-shelters are all the buzz!  Have a quick listen to some music I found from 1962 by Dore Alpert! 
 Here is "Fallout Shelter"!  
As for my Great Grandmother being "old enough" not to want a fall-out-shelter in her world, let us remember, she was born in 1870!  She is 92 years "Young" when writing this letter to her grand-daughter Helen Lorimer. The "Uncle Arthur" here is actually one of her sons. Grandma E. outlived three of her six children. I was fortunate enough to be able to meet Uncle Arthur; Twice!  Once at a family reunion at my Uncle Robert Howie's house in Menifee California, and then again he came to Seattle, Washington once to visit me in the 1990's when I lived there. I'm sorry, I have no clue!  I Googled, N. Liskeard. That is a place in England, not sure if I know here what Grandma E. is referring to.  Esther & Gordon are her remaining children.  Gordon England the famous pulp fiction author, and Esther,  my great-aunt, well, my sister in genealogy!  I will write a story here one day, I hope soon on all her work into family history and genealogy.)

Rev. C.P. and Nettie England

     There we have it, "The Letter Never Sent!"
Are you excited?  I know that I am.  We have just covered I believe from the 1813's through to today.  About 205 years!  We have traveled from the east coast on Canada, and Vermont, to North Carolina in the south, and then out west to Seattle, Washington, in 1905.  Way before the famous Space Needle being built some 56 years later in 1961. In a four page hand written letter you can learn so much, don't you think? This letter has really taken me on a wonderful journey.  Now you can see that if just this one four page letter can do so much, just imagine what journeys I might embark upon as I begin turning the pages of thirty years of my great grandmothers journals.  I hope you have enjoyed this letter as much as I have, and my personal comments I have added for those of you who don't know what or who the heck I am talking about.  Maybe, possibly, I will be able to find and share with you many more great stories from the journals.

I'm sorry that I don't have very many photographs to share here to make this letter, and historical journey more exciting.  I just discovered all of this!  If you are related to anyone in this story, or a child, or grandchild of anyone in this story.  Please contact me, and share any/all family photos you might have! I was going to place a link here to the Howie Family Cookbook for those of you who don't have a copy, but I can't find it right off.  The LDS library in SLC has digitized a copy, and made it available online to read.

Today's story comes from my paternal family line.  More than this, it is my father's, mother's, mother.  Nettie Martha (Smith) England, if we are looking at this from a DNA perspective.  Is up the mitochondrial line from Helen (Howie) Lorimer.  Helen's mother was Ruth Augusta (England) Howie, (1895-1935). Ruth's mother was the author here, Nettie Martha (Smith) England; and her mother was Chestina (Ewins) Smith, wife of Luther Rominor Smith. I haven't yet talked about DNA in any of my blog posts. So today is a good starting point for reference.  The haplogroup for the mtDNA for these women is V15.  That links back to the Sami people of the north. Try Googling Sami People Eyes, just for FUN!

I didn't plan to, but I am going to leave you with a sad ending to this story. I think the greatest part of this entire journey was learning more about our World War I, Canadian War hero; Harvey Merritt Clark.  He fought overseas during war.  Took shrapnel and a bullet, yet survived to raise a family which continues on today.  I hope to one day get a chance to get back and read more in-depth his Military Medical records. By the way, Harvey lived to be 74 years old, with two children that I have found living so far.  He ended up with chronic bronchitis, and chronic emphysema for the last 3-4 years of his life.  The end wasn't so great.  He was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, May 5th, 1971 with severe coughing. While still in the hospital, his heart finally gave out two weeks later, on Tuesday, May 18th, 1971 at 2:50 PM.  I guess he probably knew what to expect.  As his wife, Winnifred, "Winnie"  also died from chronic emphysema just four years prior to Harvey.  Winnie was 72!  She entered the hospital with very similar symptoms as Harvey on Friday, January 27th, 1967.  Winnie also had emphysema for several years.  But there was a medical accident just three days after her checking into the hospital. She died on Monday, January 30th, 1967 at 7:35 PM at the age of 72. The same day the crew of the U.S. Space Mission Apollo 1 lost their lives to a tragic fire in the space capsule.  I could probably locate each of these three men: Lt. Co. Virgil "Gus" Ivan Grissom (Swedish roots), Lt. Col. Edward Higgins White II (Mayflower Connection), and

Robert Bruce Chaffee

Naval commander Robert Bruce Chaffee of Michigan, in my family tree; but I am just going to end with the connection to Cmdr. Chaffee as he relates again to this story.  I believe he is a 7th cousin 2X removed.  We know that Nettie England was my great grandmother, and that her mother was Chestina (Ewins) Smith.  Well my third great grandmother was Altha Strong.  Her son William Prescott Ewins, Chestina's brother, and my 3rd great uncle, married Ruby Lucy Chaffee. If you go up Ruby's father's Chaffee branch in the tree to her 3X great grandfather we get to Jonathan Chaffee (1678 -1766) and his wife Hannah Carpenter (1684-1767). The Apollo 1 naval Commander Robert Bruce Chaffee was, if I am counting down the branches correctly the 8th great grandson of Jonathan & Hannah Chaffee.



Here is a visual to try and make this easier to see:

Here is the letter:

Pg. 1

Pg. 2

Pg. 3

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Family Bibles & George Allen England

I begin this story with a copyright warning. The photos of George Allen England which I am sharing in this story are covered under a legal copyright.  I have received authorization to share these photos with my family on this family blog post.  You may view or use these photos for personal use only. Do NOT copy them to any other online publication nor reproduce them in any manner without first obtaining written authorization as I have done myself.  Now onto the story.

I am often the benefactor of photos, books, portraits, post cards, family letters and journals of family history. For many years people have found me on the internet and reached out to me when they find such items on eBay or in their local antique shop.  I prefer to be a family genealogist, but often seem to take on a role of archivist to boot.

Today I find that I have over 34,000 names in my online family tree on Ancestry.com.  Many famous names.  From actors and authors, to clergy and politicians. Folks who arrived on the Mayflower or died during the Salem witch trials, or traveled west on the Oregon trial or during the gold rush years.  Military privates and seaman to generals. An automobile thief to a number of murders!  If I want a story I don’t have far to look than to turn to my family tree.  I wish I could write about my family full time; unfortunately I can’t.  Genealogy isn’t just about the past for me, I have discovered many new famous contemporary cousins as well. Recently while watching PBS, I discovered that Ashley Judd is my 10^th cousin. A couple years back I enjoyed meeting another cousin in my family tree, singer and songwriter Anna Nalick when she came to Austin Texas to perform.  Genealogy has continued to bring me much excitement and interest.  But none as much as my second cousin; author George Allen England.  

GEORGE ALLEN ENGLAND
14 September 1929
Bradford, New Hampshire

George Allan England poses for Photographer Alton H. Blackington at Camp Sans Souci on the beautiful shores of lake Massasecum, in Bradford, New Hampshire.

I know I have written many times now about this famous author.   I never even knew about him prior to 2010, and now one of my many book shelves in my home is lined with many of his novels.  It all began in 2010 when I was visiting one of my sisters.  Both she and I had been corresponding with Merrick Jarod Belknap who had saved photos and newspaper articles over the years of his great friend, and one of my great uncles; Gordon England. 

Gordon Philip England

That was when I first encountered a folded-up newspaper article which began my journey and discovery into this great author, George Allen England.

No one ever contacts me to send me books or photographs of Robert Louis Stevenson, or the famous poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who are both among the many other famous folks in my family tree.  No, I am always contacted for something related to George Allen England.

A favorite past-time of mine is to go to second hand book stores and look for books with dedications in them.  I then bring the book home and begin my research on the journey of the book and who the owner/s of the book were over the years. When people die their furnishings are often discarded or sold at estate sales.  Family photos are tossed, but books, they live for another day!  Often out living many generations. Time after time, I have found books passed down through inheritance in legal wills.  Bibles too, are often-times left in wills to family members, however lately it appears that more and more of them are ending up on eBay for sale. Some of which are quite old! 

Legal family wills always begin with a sentence similar to this; “I give, bequeath and devise my residence, all my property real, personal and mixed …. To my beloved wife to have and to hold, and the same to her and her heirs forever and ever.” There is never any mention as to what happens to our stuff if there are no heirs, right?

Ana Maria Wehbe

Ana Maria Wehbe (1919- 2009).  I would like to know more about her life story.  She was born in Cuba just prior to the Cuban Communist Party.  From there she moves to Israel and then to Lebanon before moving her family to the United States in 1977 at the age of 58.  

Yolanda Dib Wehbe

Her daughter, Yolanda Dib Wehbe (1941-2012) was born in the Haifa district of Israel before she immigrated with the family to Florida in 1977, age 36 years.   Somehow, I have yet to discover how these two women came into the possession of two old family bibles sometime between 1977 and 1985 when Tiz passed away. Or possibly it was later. They might have found the two bibles at a local garage sale, or flea market.  Now fast forward thirty-three years to 2018 when I am just recently contacted in an attempt to find a living relative to pass the two bibles onto.  I am told that someone dropped off two family bibles, and stated that there were no living descendants. Who dropped them off? It is unclear to me at this point, but I can assume that it was possibly one of the children, grand-children or great grandchildren of the Wehbe woman who saved these bibles in hopes that they get back to their original family.  But now I am giving it my best efforts to find these two bibles a home for future generations.  

Galen Coffin was the middle son of a farmer.  The fourth of seven children of Samuel B Coffin and his wife Elizabeth Pettengill.  Samuel Coffin was born the 12^th of June 1818 in Gilead, Oxford, Maine. He died at the age of sixty-one in Dummer, New Hampshire.  Elizabeth lived on, into her late 80’s.  We find her at age 85, in the 1910 U.S. Census living with the family of Galen’s younger sister Cora Woods in Rumford, Oxford, Maine.  

Galen Coffin married April 10^th, 1875 in Milan, Coos, New Hampshire, Louella Frances Parker.  Louella was born before the civil war, June 19, 1857 in Bartlett, Carroll, New Hampshire to a poor farmer Simon Parker and Lydia Keith.  Galen & Louella were divorced fourteen years later in October 1889.  

They had two children; Elmeda Agnes Coffin, and Bernice Ismay Coffin.  One Bible was that of Galen, the other of his wife Louella.  From there both bibles were passed down to their eldest daughter Elmeda.  Elmeda, or Almeda as it was sometimes written, went just by Meda. As we know Meda was the first wife of author George Allen England.  They were married in Boston Massachusetts September 21, 1903.   

George & Meda had only one child; Isabella Pearl “TIZ” England.  Isabella was born in Woodstock, Oxford, Maine on January 24, 1905.   George & Meda divorced October 21, 1908 when TIZ was only 3 yrs old!  TIZ lived with her father until she left for college to purse her career and become a teacher.  George Allen England then married his second wife Blanche Mildred Porter, July 26^th, 1921. It was a second marriage for Blanche also.  She was first married to William Leo Kennedy.

George Allan England and wife, Blanche Mildred Porter sit on the grass at Camp Sans Souci on the beautiful shores of lake Massasecum, in Bradford, New Hampshire. Photo by: Alton H. Blackington  14 SEPT 1929.

It appears that her mother Meda remained unmarried until her death December 17, 1949.  The death certificate signed by her daughter TIZ.   Isabella Pearl “TIZ” England and Charles Donald Russell were married prior to the death of her mother, but it appears at this time I find no children born to them.   Leaving the two-family bibles somehow in the care and use of Ana & Yolanda Wehbe.

Seeing as I could not find any descendant from TIZ, I looked at the only other sibling of Elmeda, and any descendants from that line.  I know that Galen died in 1902, so the bibles were in probably in his possession for 27 years.  If they were passed directly to his daughter Meda upon his death, then she had them for approximately 47 years until her death in 1985.  The two bibles are now over 168 years old and need to find their rightful home.  While I would love to have these bibles, I was a third cousin to TIZ.  And from what I can tell, not related to this line of the Coffin branch.

Were the two bibles ever in the library of George Allen England?  Probably!  At least for three years, maybe longer.  They have journeyed from Maine to Massachusetts, then to New Hampshire, possibly to New Jersey and Pennsylvania before finally ending up where they are today in Saint Petersburg, Florida.  Who knows where these bibles have journeyed all of these years. I would like to see them both get back to family in Maine where they began.  I am currently in contact with distant cousins in Maine and Florida. Wish me luck in finding a family descendant to care for these bibles for the next generations.

Death of Galen and his daughter Bernice

I'm sure this story will continue as more comes to light of the past journey and the future home.