Great Grandma England's Journals

I had heard of journals that my great grandmother had written and I have waited a very long time in anticipation of finally getting to see them.  Back when I first heard of them in 2007 I mentioned that I would have them professional scanned to not only archive them, but to make them digitally available to anyone to read that wished to do so.  Well, now that I finally have the box of them, I plan on still doing just that.
My great grandmother Nettie Martha (Smith) England began to journal when she was fifty nine years old, and kept at it until her death, January 22, 1963 at the age of 92 years!  They cover a period of more than thirty years of family history.  After her death the journals were in the possession of her son Gordon England.  Then in 1978 my aunt Helen Ruth (Howie) Lorimer, the first child born to Ruth Augusta (England) Howie who was in turn the first daughter born to Nettie Martha (Smith) England traveled back to the homeland with Ellsworth Lorimer her husband.  Gordon then passed them down to her.  They then were passed down to her daughter Janice who then began the circulation to the family in 2007 to share our heritage.  In the box were more than just ten journals.  There is also a map, and a few pages from a photo album that reflects some mile stones for Rev. C.P. England and Nettie.  To include anniversaries, a birth of a grand-daughter, and the trip of the seven Howie grandchildren to California.  From what I can gain from the slow travel of the box of journals is that not everyone was able to get a chance to see them before their own deaths which is unfortunate.   Rev. Clarence Philo England and his wife Nettie Martha (Smith) England had six children.  However, only one of these, my grandmother Ruth Augusta (England) Howie had children.  My grandmother Ruth A. Howie died before her own parents.  The seven grandchildren of Nettie then moved to California in 1936 with their father William Rider Howie.  I found the journal entry of his long drive across the United States, but have yet to find mention of the drive moving the children.  Nettie had twenty-eight great grandchildren.

Here are images of the box and the contents.

White felt box

On top HOWIE cookbook

A letter from Janice to explain the contents

A list and description of the 10 journals

A map of Canada to locate areas mentioned in the journals

10 Journals over 30 YEARS from 1929 to 1963

I have so far got the photographs scanned which I will include in later posts to my blog, and looked through the journals for specific dates of interest to read.

I am now in pursuit to find a company to scan these into a digital e-book for everyone.

SOPWITH AVIATION COMPANY

WOW! What a weekend... I totally got lost chasing the rainbow, but I found the pot O' GOLD!

I really let my nose follow the money, and had a grand adventure that I hope you too will enjoy the story.

This isn't exactly a story of our genealogy, so if you are just here to read my blog to discover more family roots, then you may not be interested in this story...
but you just might.

With well over 30,000 + names in my tree now, there are so many famous folks with great stories to tell, I could spend twenty four hours a day, everyday writing.  I'm going to take this story in a different direction from the norm of my past writings.  This past weekend, I was on one of my so called wealthy branches.  Not that the farmers and the teachers and the preachers didn't have stories to tell.  Just the wealthy people got their names in the newspapers so much more, and make for some terrific reading.  I just get lost thinking of what it might have been like to live that life.  The life of the uber wealthy.  I know I have found one when they have more than one ocean voyage in a year, and this goes on year after year.  I know I have found one when the journalist only needs to address them by one name.  You know, like Beyonce, or Kardashian!  They are just that famous.  
So first off, I guess it is obvious that this story is on my paternal branch of my tree.  I wish I could find out more about my maternal branch, but so far there aren't as many online resources to search for newspapers and other documents from Europe as there are in the United States.  Well, that I have found anyway.
So, the year is 1934, and the newspaper, The Cincinnati Enquirer.  I just happened to be researching the wife of the brother-in-law to my 9th cousin, once removed.... YES! You got it, Violet Dorothea Grubb, and I found this article.  

Sunday, September 9th, 1934

I had just learned through research that Violet once greeted President Woodrow Wilson by inviting the President upstairs to meet her doll. After graduating from St. Mary's Hall in Burlington, New Jersey, a private finishing school for girls; Violet was presented in London to the King of England. I'm unsure of the year, since it wasn't given, but I found her in attendance in 1915, so, it had to have been either King Edward VIII, or his father King George V.   Most likely King George V.  Since his son, Edwards' reign was short lived. On April 21, 1928, Violet married James Imbrie, a New York investment banker, as was his father James Imbrie, Sr.. The 1920 U.S. Census for the Imbrie family in Manhattan, New York City, shows eight servants: beginning with a Swedish cook, followed by a Swedish kitchen maid, Swedish laundry maid, Danish waitress, Swedish nurse, Finnish chambermaid, and finally an English nurse.  James Imbrie Jr. & Violet Grubb had one son, James Imbrie III, born on July 21, 1929.  While it appears that James III was actually blood of James Imbrie Jr., he ends up taking the name of his step-father, and goes on to be James Joseph McLean the entirety of his life.  James Imbrie & Violet divorced on March 24, 1933. Violet then married James McLean and raised her three sons in Darlington, Maryland.  

That little newspaper clipping above grabbed my eye.  Keywords being Newport, MUG, and yacht races.  Yes!  You got it, 1934 and the America's Cup!  So who was this "Tom", the man with one name? 

T.O.M. Sopwith c. 1890

T.O.M. Sopwith is a play on names.  Actually, Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith.  Born January 18th, 1888, in Kingston, London, England.  His sister was Violet Sopwith who married  General Edward Burd Grub.  They were the parents of Violet Dorothea Grubb.  He is the pot O' GOLD at the end of my rainbow.   He actually is not a blood relation, he is so far removed I don't think I can even count all the people in between he and I.  Katherine Stone Mather (1912-1977) is my 9th cousin once removed.  Her mother was Katherine Boardman Hoyt (1887-1965).  Her daughter Katherine Stone Mather was the wife of Edward Throckmorton McLean, who was the son of Alice McLean.  His brother was James William Tinker, who by the way took the name of McLean.  This James T. McLean married Violet D. Grubb, the relation to T.O.M.  Whew!  Did ya get all that?!?!?

So, back to "Tom". 

T.O.M. Sopwith

A young lad from England who had a need for speed!  He liked racing cars at a young age, and quickly met some boys by the name of Wright.  They were a few years older than he, but since his father was an engineer he had the smarts and quickly blended in.

I'm sure if you would ask a Brit who invented flight they just might mention Tom Sopwith.  While here in the United States we would say the Wright Brothers.  

Here, I don't want to tell his story, let "Tom Sopwith" tell it himself.  Click on his name to view a terrific thirty minute documentary from 1984 of him from his first plane made from a tractor to the HARRIER which can fly up-down-backwards, and STOP in mid air.  Tom Sopwith was the TRUE aviation pioneer! 

T.O.M. Sopwith 1934
Americas Cup

Anytime I find the name VANDERBILT in my research, I know I have an exciting story to behold. Harold Vanderbilt and Thomas Sopwith raced for the America's Cup against one another.

Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith 1984 England

As you see from the video, Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith built the planes of WWI, and was apart of the inspiration for the planes of WWII and beyond!  He lived to the age of 101, passing on January 27, 1989 in Somborne, Romsey, Hampshire, England.

I hope you enjoyed this brief story.  Now back to the race of the America's Cup in 1934.  Click here!

Violet Dorothea and her mother Violet Sopwith

Katherine Stone Mather, remember our 9th cousins, once removed.  Well, she was the daughter of Amasa Stone Mather (1884-1920), and grand-daughter an heir to Samuel Livingston Mather (1851-1931).  A steel industrialist.  When he died he was known as the wealthiest man in Ohio.

MUDSLIDE ~ January 10, 2005 ~ Casitas Springs

The Heavy equipment arrives in Casitas Springs
Coming down HWY 33

When the devastating Thomas Fire of 2017 swept through Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties just last month, on December 4th, 2017, I had a horrible feeling.  Call it PTSD!  Today is January 10th, 2018, and the news headlines are already talking about Montecito California rebuilding. The above images are NOT from Montecito California today.  These images are from thirteen years ago. Images from Highway 33 where it passes through the small hamlet of Casitas Springs California.  The date was January 10th, 2005.  Thirteen years ago to the day.  It then had been raining for two weeks, and 27 inches of rain had already fallen. At its peak, the Ventura River which forms the northern boarder of Casitas Springs was running at over 32,000 Cubic Feet per Second.  There were hill slides all over Ventura County being reported in the Los Angeles Times newspaper. Three hill slides were in the hills that surround Casitas Springs.  No one seemed to know that one of these slides had blocked a small canyon holding back the heavy rain water until it burst, flooding the town.  It didn't capture much news.  Headlines read, "HWY 33 Closed due to water!"  The BIG news was on the other side of the hills.  The La Conchita landslide where 10 People had lost their lives that early morning.

La Conchita California, January 10, 2005

I was not in the area at the time.  I was then living in Davis California.  I had just been home to visit and spend the holidays with my family, and had already returned to Davis.  My father was a patient at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, and my mother was in a wheel chair recovering from a horrible work related fall.   I had been hearing on the news about the rain, and the evacuations in Ventura County.  My mom was sheltering in place. Each phone call she would tell me about the rocks and boulders rolling down the creek behind her house.  I kept telling her she had to get out of there, but she kept insisting she was fine.  Then the day before the mudslide I was somehow able to get her to leave and go stay with Bernice Johnston in Camarillo.  Bernice was also in recovery mode, and I had somehow convinced my mom that she could go stay with Bernice and they could help take care of each other as they both recovered.

Bernice Johnston & June Howie

Then the mudslide hit overnight.  The next day, my sister Kathy and her husband Greg went to check on our parents home. She then called me to tell me of the slide, and the devastation.  I had left all my personal possessions and my car at my parents house.  She told me everything was under mud and water, and that my car was buried.

FEMA photo by John Shea  15 JAN 2005  Standing on Sycamore Drive, Casitas Springs five days after the slide capturing the corner of the house at 8282 Edison Drive.

I don't know how I got there, but I rented a white 4X4 truck and headed for Casitas Springs in the middle of the night.

I know I drove down the 101 freeway, and can vaguely remember driving around signs and barriers warning of the road being closed.  It didn't really get bad until Foster Park.  I had to put the truck into four wheel drive.  It was dark, and all I could see was wet mud.  I couldn't tell if I was on the road or not.  It was like the world had come to an end.   I got to Sycamore Drive, but the street was blocked by heavy equipment.  I went down one more street and turned onto Ranch Road.  I pulled the white rental truck safely in the driveway next to my Chrysler Sebring which was buried and full of water.

The white rental truck, my dads Datsun in the garage, and my Chrysler.

Corner of Sycamore Dr. & Edison Dr.

8346 Edison Dr.

Days later and there was still mud everywhere.  The days, rolled into weeks, which rolled into months.  All the neighbors and the community coming together to dig out, and try to get life back to normal.

Wayne Anderson - Edison Dr.

The mudslide of Casitas Springs went into the history books to be forgotten.  But for those of us who lived it, we will never forget.

As I write this story, my heart and prayers go out to everyone in Montecito California.  The news is reporting fourteen people have lost their lives from the mud, rocks and water that swept down the canyons, and down Hot Springs Road.  More than 24 hours later, and rescue crews still cannot get to all the homes, so more people are thought to be lost.  It is so tragic.  The Santa Barbara Sheriff is reporting that over 80% of the residents sheltered in place.  Meaning they didn't evacuate. What I experienced in 2005 is nothing like what has happened in Montecito yesterday.  I see the images on TV and I am just shocked.  I am very familiar with the area.  Montecito was my weekend playground in my teens and twenties.   The reporters just have no idea of the loss as they report it.   I can tell you, it took years for Casitas Springs to get back to normal.   Unfortunately, it is January and the rainy season has just begun.  The hills are bare from the recent fires.  Montecito is not going to be an easy fix.

99 Sycamore Dr. January 2005

Thirteen years later!

Google image

369 Hot Springs Road Montecito California.  Google Image

A very sad update to my post from earlier tonight.  It is with a very heavy heart that I have just  learned that a friend of mine Peter Robert Fleurat was one of the victims of this tragic mudslide. He was in his home at 369 Hot Springs Road in Montecito California when the slide came down the creek at 3AM. The house and cars were swept away with Peter inside.

Peter Robert Fleurat

His body was recovered a mile downstream at HWY 101.

Peter lived a great life to the fullest.  Very active, always hiking, mountain biking, and river rafting. He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy A Best the widow of the late, famous artist Daniel "Dan" Stookey Lutz.  Peter and Dorothy married, February 7th 1981 in Santa Barbara and they remained married until her death on June 12, 1990.  They shared the home together of the late artist Dan Lutz, and the home was full of his beautiful works of art.  I am told that the home at 369 Hot Springs Road was washed away.  Taking the life of Peter along with all the priceless art that Dorothy had kept of her late husband Dan Lutz.