Ted Wallace

Ted Wallace, an inmate of the state reformatory died suddenly today. 

The cause of his death was not known. He was received from Coffey County Nov. 25, last for grand larceny. Officials of the institution are endeavoring to get in touch with relatives. He is believed to have a mother living in San Francisco.

Hutchinson News 

Wednesday, February 25, 1931, Page 2

In an attempt by person(s) unknown to keep the simple stones marked 2 now have Ted's name on them at the same Reformatory Cemetery on the present day prison. How sad that no family was found or claimed his body.

Dirge for a Young Girl

Arlington Cemetery
Reno County, KS

I photographed this little marker on a previous visit because I love finding the zinc monuments on my cemetery walks. You can find other posts on White Bronze and zink by using the labels on this post.

I recently had an opportunity to visit the cemetery again and decided to use my glove as a reference of size.

When I find any stone with an epitaph I tried to find the source: Scripture, poem, song, etc.

This epitaph is from the poem "Dirge for a Young Girl" by James Thomas Fields. {source}

Underneath the sod, low lying,
 Dark and drear,

Sleepeth one who left, in dying,
 Sorrow here.

Yes, they 're ever bending o'er her,
 Eyes that weep;
Forms, that to the cold grave bore her,
 Vigils keep.

When the summer moon is shining
 Soft and fair,
Friends she loved in tears are twining
 Chaplets there.

Rest in peace, thou gentle spirit,
 Throned above;
Souls like thine with God inherit
 Life and love!

Frank Bick

 

Massey Stones Undamaged

Earlier this year I posted a short blog about the vandalism at a local cemetery. This cemetery is one that I've been working on since 2006. I helped another person digitize the interment records for the city. And, recently I decided to blog the project I'm working on to photograph each lot. You can read the details on the about|contact page on the blog.

A few weeks ago I received an email from someone asking about the damaged stones at Eastside and if there was a list. She was concerned about the stones of her great grandparents, Charles Christopher and Eliza Jane Lattimer Massey. I told her I would check on the stones on my next visit.

I was happy to report they are fine and not in the area where most of the damage occurred. I hope she will share information on them for the Eastside blog.

Massey Stones
Eastside Cemetery
Lot 1144

Remembered on Memorial Day

A few days after Memorial Day I had to go out to Penwell Gabel (formerly Memorial Park). I took the long route around and made my way to the office. Before I got there I had to stop and get out to look at this lot. It has to be the most decorated lot I've seen. 

Cemetery vandalized

Last week Eastside Cemetery was vandalized. I took it personally. I have been working on recording and preserving the records and lives of those resting at Eastside since 2006. 67 headstones were toppled with some of them breaking.

Here is a photo of a section of Civil War veterans that had their stones broken. After Memorial Day I will do a thorough walk through with the sexton and record the damage. Thankfully I had already photographed most of the 21 broken stones.

Ready for Memorial Day

Today, with Barry's help, the interment list for Wildmead Cemetery was updated. I have one empty panel that I hope to fill with interesting information and photos.

Our contribution to pay it forward.

The kiosk, memorial stone and benches were added in 2010.

Saw Lee surrender

He saw Lee surrender

One Hutchinson Veteran Found Who Was It At Finish

One Hutchinson veteran has been found who was at Appomattox when Gen. Lee’s army surrendered to Grant. George W. Lester was there, and was close enough to see Lee hand over his sword to Grant.

Mr. Lester was in a Pennsylvania cavalry regiment, which happened to be stationed not far away, when the historical incident occurred. He secured a piece of the wood of the famous apple tree under which the surrender took place.

Hutchinson News

April 14, 1910

Lot 374

 .................................................

• Factual reporting?
• The surrender took place where?
• What did he see? If anything?
• Was he there?
• George’s headstone shows his service as Co A, 3 NJ CAV
• George’s obituary lists 3 Cav and 25 Cav, both Co A
• Ancestry.com records list 3 Cav Co A and 25 Cav Co I
• Where is the wood today?

An urge for momentos now possessed the men of both armies. The unfortunate Wilmer McLean was besieged by Yankee officers who made off with many items from the surrender room. A few tried to assuage their consciences by forcing a payment upon the reluctant host, but the fact is that nothing was taken with his willing permission. The apple tree where Lee had rested while he waited to hear from Grant also paid for its notoriety. "Our men wanted pieces of wood from the tree under which General Lee sat," a Pennsylvania soldier explained. "They began breaking twigs and then everyone wanted a piece of the tree for a souvenir. Before they finished they had cut down five large trees."

 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/civil_war_series/6/sec6.htm

 …and in certain areas of popular imagination it may prove far more difficult to dislodge or qualify than the story that Grant and Lee signed the surrender papers under an apple tree, a legend that arose after Lee spent time waiting for Grant on April 9 in an apple orchard.

http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Surrender_at_Appomattox

 New Jersey Cavalry - 3rd Regt

Organized at Camp Bayard, Trenton, N.J., and mustered in by Companies as follows: Company "A" January 26, Company "C" January 22, Company "E" January 4, Company "F" January 12, Companies "G" and "H" January 6, 1864; Company "D" December 2, 1863; Company "B" January 29, and Companies "I," "K," "L" and "M" March 24, 1864. March to Annapolis, Md., April 5-7, 1864. Guard Orange & Alexandria Railroad April 29-May 5. Attached to Cavalry, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac and Middle Military Division, to June, 1865. Defenses of Washington, D.C., to August, 1865.

SERVICE.--Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 12, 1864. Wilderness May 5-7. Near Germanin Ford May 5. Picket on the Rapidan May 6. Guard pontoons May 7. Expedition to Fredericksburg May 8-9. Spotsylvania May 9-12. Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21. United States Ford May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Mechump's Creek May 31. Ashland Station June 1. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Totopotomoy, Gaines' Mill, Salem Church and Hawes' Shop June 2. Hawes' Shop June 3. Bethesda Church June 11. White Oak Swamp June 13. Smith's Store, near St. Mary's Church, June 15. Weldon Railroad June 20. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. Milford Station June 27. Picket duty at City Point until July 16. Duty at Light House Point July 16-25. Before Petersburg July 25. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Cos. "A" and "E"). Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Winchester August 17. Summit Point August 21. Middleway August 21. Near Kearneysville August 25. Abraham's Creek, near Winchester, September 13. Battle of Winchester September 19. Near Cedarville September 20. Front Royal September 21. Milford September 22. Waynesboro September 29. Bridgewater October 2. Tom's Brook ("Woodstock Races") October 8-9. Picket at Cedar Creek until October 13. Cedar Creek October 13. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Newtown (or Middletown) November 12. Rude's Hill, near Mr. Jackson, November 22. Expedition from Kernstown to Lacey's Springs December 19-22. Lacey's Springs December 21. Sheridan's Raid from Winchester February 27-March 24, 1865. Occupation of Staunton March 2. Action at Waynesboro March 2. Occupation of Charlottesville March 3. Near Ashland March 15. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Dinwiddie Court House March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Namozine Church April 3. Sailor's Creek April 6. Appomattox Station April 8. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Expedition to Danville and South Boston April 23-27. March to Washington. D.C., May. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out at Washington, D, C., August l, 1865.

http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unnjcav.htm

...............................................

Hutchinson News
1/14/1918

Hutchinson News
1/15/1918

The obituary calls him an old settler. He was in Reno County as early as the 1880 Federal Census.

1880 Reno Co., KS Federal Census

Clue to mystery

There is nothing I love more than a good mystery.

There is nothing I hate more than not solving a good mystery.

I have been bothered by these headstones since discovering them in 2005. How can you order a headstone and not know the persons name? My guess is they were ordered long after they died.

Unnamed Crithers & Unnamed Crouch

These two soldiers are buried in the Wildmead Cemetery where I own my burial plots. Recently I was preparing an updated list for the kiosk to post before Memorial day and my thoughts went back to them. So much so that it kept me awake.

Lying there I wondered "does the government keep the paperwork submitted for headstone requests?" "Where could I look?"

Today I thought I'd work on the names, even though I have more projects than I will ever finish in my lifetime, and hadn't worked on these two in a long while. I typed them into Ancestry.com, adding a military event with the state of service. I hadn't discovered anything, nada, nothing about them... until today. It's not much...but I'll take it.

What this record doesn't tell me:

• When they died
• Name of the person requesting the headstone

What this record does tell me:

• They died BEFORE 1901, which narrows my search since records of any kind for this county start in 1872.

I'm searching the state and federal census but I'm wondering if the spelling is correct on Crithers. I have found Crouch families in the area later than 1901.

I've run out of time for now. Wish me luck!

Mary Hill's Autograph Book - Part 5

Part 5 and final post.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

This will conclude Mary Hill’s autograph book posts. What a treasure that became separated from its family.

These pages of the book, in my opinion, are the best. One from her mother and future husband. Throughout my research I found the name of Mary’s husband spelled so many ways. Even his headstone doesn’t match how he spelled his name in the autograph book.

 Hutchinson Kan June the 14th 1883

It is not just as we take it

This mystical world of ours

Life’s field will yield as we make it

A harvest of thorns or flowers

Your Affectionate Mother

Mrs. D. F. Swander

 It is not much the world can give

With all its subtle art

And gold and gems are not the things

To satisfy the heart

But, O, if those who cluster round

The alter and the hearth

Have gentle words and loving smiles

How beautiful is the earth

Robison Bramwell 

Robison/Roberson and Mary Hill Bramwell

Fairview Cemetery [Elmer]

While researching Mary's brother, Samuel, I found a school teacher listing for Mary A. Hill for the years 1884-1886 and believed this was my Mary. One of the pages in the autograph book says "dear teacher" and dated 1883. She married in 1887 and no listing is found under her married name so perhaps she settled down to be a farmer's wife.

In the 1885 state census her brother Samuel was listed as a teacher. Taking a second look at that census I now see the ditto ["] marks under his occupation that would also be for his sister, Mary below. I was tickled with this discovery! [School records 1884 to 1966]

Mary's siblings:
1. Samuel
1858 - Died between 1926 to 1930
1926 newspaper article about him visiting family in town.
1930 wife is a widow
Moved to Oklahoma in 1901 [article about his land purchase and upcoming move]
Most likely buried in Garfield County, OK
Samuel was a school teacher [as noted in the census] in the 1880's and 1890's. He was later the superintendent and a school was named after him: District 147 in Castleton Township.

He married Sarah E. Jones
11/3/1889 at the brides parents
Reno County, Kansas

Half Siblings:
2. Jessie Viola Swander Williams
1872 - 1919
Married Warren F. Williams
Buried Laurel Cemetery, Reno Co., KS

3. Daisy Mabel Swander Chittenden
1875 - 1954
Married Llewellyn Chittenden
Died in Los Angeles, CA

4. Otto Fave Swander
1879 - 1881
Fairview Cemetery

The Hutchinson News

12/21/1936

The Hutchinson News

12/21/1931

75 cent stones

Did they ever purchase them?


Hutchinson News 3/12/1896


I don't think so because the original potter's field is pretty bare.

Eastside Cemetery

Wiltse Children

In lot 1125 of Eastside Cemetery are the unmarked graves of siblings Edward [1914-1916] and Erma May [1920-1921], children of Earl and Emma Wilson Wiltse. The Wiltse family later moved to California.

Sadly, unmarked graves are a common find among the nearly 13,000 burials here. Last night we took a drive to enjoy the cooler weather and I made a quick stop to visit the children.

I was able to find a brief mention of their deaths -


Hutchinson News
4/10/1916
I didn't find another notice and he was interred
the next day according to the cemetery records.



Her name is Erma May



Hutchinson News
7/8/1921


Isn't this a beautiful photo of Edward!?

The only census that Edward will be found in:

1915 Reno County, Kansas State Census

My thanks to fellow RCGS member, Kathy Floren, for granting me permission to use Edward's photo in this post. She shared her Wiltse family with me for use in our society quarterly.

Marion Bailey - The Photographer

Marion Bailey - Part 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marion Bailey - Part 2 [final]

Ethel, Marion, Edna, Mary, Edith

Ellsworth / Dukelow Lot

Eastside Cemetery

William Ralph Ellsworth 1884 – 1919

Lillian R. Peck Ellsworth Bovee 1888 – 1970

Thelma M. Rittgers 1908 – 1995

William T. Dukelow 1943 –

Evelyn C. Ellsworth Dukelow 1910 – 2008

Samuel G. Dukelow 1917 – 2003

Remembering Walter

In the Old Langdon Cemetery lies a crumbled tombstone. Thankfully, someone placed a metal marker on the grave so that we would know the person resting there.

Usually I will see an interesting or sad headstone and look for an obituary or other record to learn more about the person. This time I came across the obituary and checked to see if our genealogical society had the death recorded and if I had a photo since this cemetery has been completely photographed. And my answer was yes to both of those questions.

We know his name is Walter from the marker. Perhaps the original stone also had his name on it. This little guy died a horrible death.

Obituary of Walter Dillard

G. M. Dillard’s little boy, about sixteen months old, pulled a bowl of boiling turnip broth over into its face, on last Monday, and was so badly scalded by it that he died on Wednesday. The mother had just set it out of his reach, as she thought. He was buried in the Langdon cemetery on Thursday. Dr. A. B. Fryrear preaching his funeral. The bereaved parents have the sympathies of a large circle of friends. B. P. Hanan, April 12, 1880.

The Hutchinson News
April 22, 1880

Antioch Dedication Memorial

I finally got out to see the dedication stone. I would like to see this happen to more of our rural cemeteries. And, I'm glad that I was a part of it. I'd like to think we had the opportunity to leave it better than we found it.

Revisiting Antioch Cemetery

I've blogged about this cemetery before. August 2009 and  March 2010.

A little history...

I coordinate the cemetery projects for my genealogical society. The society compiled and published a cemetery book a couple of years after it was established in 1978. On the list was a cemetery without a name. Just listed with its location. It was listed as overgrown with few visible stones.

That wouldn't do. In my research I found an obituary that called it Antioch Cemetery. After discussion with the [self-nominated] caretaker [since 1980] we decided this was its name. Keith Neuway had cleared the site and installed a flag pole with a visitor's book tucked away in the box on the pole. Over the years he and neighbors have cared for the cemetery. The grass is always mowed and the flag on the pole at appropriate times of the year.

Mary's Autograph Book - Part 4

Death of Mary's son, Warren Fay.

Recap of Mary's children:

• Helen V.: 1891 – 1891 [in same lot with Mary, Robinson & Warren]
• Sidney Hill: 1888 - 1976
• Warren Fay: 1892 - 1909 [drowned]
• Leo Vern: 1894 - 1979

Drowns in the Pond

W. F. Bramwell Sinks While Friends on Shore Look On

At Stevens Place Saturday Evening, Occurs First Fatality in Fifteen Years

Brave Attempt at Rescue

Owner’s Son Jumps in, Clothes and All, But in Vain

A Poor Swimmer, the Boy Loses Plank, Use While in Deep Water

Watching over me

Wildmead Cemetery

I am learning to use Photoshop Elements 8. And in doing so how to add textures to my photos. I am loving it and how it can transform a photo. You can see more on my photo blog Digital Photo Walk.

Mary's Autograph Book - Part 3

While researching Mary's brother, Samuel, I found a school teacher listing for Mary A. Hill for the years 1884-1886 and believed this was my Mary. One of the pages in the autograph book says "dear teacher" and dated 1883. She married in 1887 and no listing is found under her married name so perhaps she settled down to be a farmer's wife.

In the 1885 state census her brother Samuel was listed as a teacher. Taking a second look at that census I now see the ditto ["] marks under his occupation that would also be for his sister, Mary below.

I was tickled with this discovery!

[School records are 1884 to 1966]

Mary's Autograph Book - Part 2

I found a few treasures inside the autograph book last night. I can't wait to share them with you in a future post.

I wish Mary Hill was my ancestor. What a treasure this little book is. It saddens me that it found its way to an antique store. Most likely the result of an estate sale clean-out. [Just an assumption]

Today I am sharing an outline of her family and census abstracts. I love being able to fill in all the years available with the Kansas federal and state census. Census are one of my favorite research tools for genealogy. Snapshots in time.