Those Places Thursday - Only in Small Town America

I have been very lucky to visit one of my favorite cousins this past week in Homer, Cortland Co, New York. It is so relaxing. The weather is great and a little rain at night. The country side and all lawns and trees are wonderful shades of green - all shades of green NOT BROWN or YELLOW! OMG it is so green here, so beautiful, so green. Did I tell you how green it is here?   AND there are no fences.

I am staying with my cousin Barb (Barbara June Little Bean GEBHARDT). We have lived day by day, relatives and neighbors coming and going visiting, sitting on the front porch watching the world go by.

I was reading the local newspaper "The Homer News" (July 3, 2014 page 2) while drinking my homemade lemonade. (N o I am not sucking on a piece of straw)
The Letters to the Editor column caught my eye...... and after I read it I said to myself 'this would only happen in small town America.............. titled:

"THANK YOU FOR HELP WHEN POWER WAS OUT".......
To the Editor:

Last Thursday and Friday, along with many other Village residents, we experienced the longest power outage that I have experienced in 25 years of being in business, Outages never exceeded
4 hours or so even during the storms in the late nineties.  Our losses were significant and we must make preparations for occurrences to happen more frequently.

Gone are the days when the linemen from Niagara Mohawk lived and worked in the communities they serviced. Those days, the local workers knew the power grid inside and out, prevented problems and would be proactive at the first indicator of a problem.  Our aging electric infrastructure is now owned by a British Company and they rely on crews from up to hundreds of miles away.
When news of the long term outage began to spread, contrary to the reports from National Grid, we began to make preparations to move much of the savable product to off-site locations. We were able to accomplish this because of the kindness of local businesses as well as friends and staff. An enormous amount of work was completed in a very short amount of time, enabling us to reduce our losses.

We would like to than Laurence Beaudry, Kathy and John Sears and Gerry Contento for offering us the use of their refrigerators and freezers. Thanks also to Fran Endler and the folks at Contento's who dropped what they were doing and began work on obtaining a generator large enough to power a store, and to the many friends who were able to lend a hand moving product.
People say living/working in a small community where news travels fast and everybody knows everyone's business can be a drawback. Sometimes..... its a blessing.

Debbie and Kevin Williams

Travel Tuesday - My New Buddy- Miss Mabel Flip Pal

I am in the State of New York, County of Cortland, Village of Homer. I have been here almost a week and am loving it - except for the humidity. Everything is green, green, green all shades of wonderful green........ NOT brown or yellow!

Isn't there a way of piping the excess water across country to help the Midwest and the western states ? I can see that happening why aren't we building it? They can build that pipe all the way from Alaska we can build one across the country...........  transferring water wherever/whenever it is needed. Problem solved.

I have spent several evenings going through my cousins family albums and scanning pictures, obituaries, and some documents. Everyone was very impressed at the simplicity and ease while scanning the pictures and items........  can you guess what I used? Yes, my trusty little FLIP PAL. This was a good purchase.  It was a little work horse for several days through about 7 albums. Even I am  very impressed. I even scanned the backs of most pictures too......  don't want forget names and dates. Anyone thinking about a FLIP PAL go for it , get off the fence and buy it, it is worth every penny. I have not done large items that you can stitch it back together,  but I will ............ my friend Marilyn  has used that feature and love it. More to learn. I did buy rechargeable AA batteries so I always seem to have one set in the charger while using the other set. The batteries seems to last quite a long time which does make it very portable and good for traveling. Good for libraries and courthouses and visiting with other family members.  Are you thinking you can't live without a FLIP PAL? Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society has a link for information and purchasing and Yes if you purchase thru that link we receive a little back in our account............ thank you.

I am collecting my stories for the LITTLE and BRISTOL family's (New York and England) It is so great to be able to put a name to a face in the photos- a lot more personal and adds a little more personality to the bones.

 So much work to do when I do get home.

AND tomorrow is another laidback day..............  ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Sympathy Saturday - More About Elizabeth Dietz Gardner

Great Grandmother Elizabeth DIETZ GARDNER

                                                                on my fathers side
                                      Death Certificate from Ohio Department of Health

Elizabeth DIETZ GARDNER

Death Certificate........   Ohio Dept of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death 34820
Red Dist No. 1356 Primary Reg Dist #8545 Registras No 102

Place of Death.. Wayne Co                Usual Residence:   Ohio, Wayne Co.
City:  Wooster       Length of Stay: 15 yrs             city: Wooster
Full Name of Hospital/ address if not in hospital: 928 N Grant St.   (same address if rural state location)
Name of Deceased:  Elizabeth Dietz Gardner     Date of Death:  May 2 1951
Sex: Female       Color of Race: White       Status: Widowed    date of birth: July 10 1864
Age at death: 86 y 9 m 22 d             Business/ home          Birthplace: Baltimore, Md USA
Fathers Name:  George Dietz          Mothers Maiden Name: Caroline Noel
Never in US Armed Forces / no SS #   INFORMANTS NAME: Margaret Schultz
Disease or condition: Cerebral hemorrhage 10 days
                  antecedent causes: arteriosolois & hypertension 7  years
No Autopsy
Doctor attended from March 1951 to death and death occurred at 9am on date stated.
Paul K Jentus MD -- Medical Arts Building  date signed 3 May 1951
Burial May 4 1951 Alliance City Cemetery, Alliance Oh
Embalmer: Russell Smith A3665 Lic#
Date Rec by Local Reg: 5-3 51 Betty Jane Keister
Funeral director: Cassaday & Tinkle lic# 2455 Russell Smith


NOTE: this gives me her birth date, place of birth, death date, age at death, widow, cause of death,  fathers name and mothers maiden name - YES her mother's maiden name.
It does not answer the question of what type of treatment she went to Battle Creek Michigan for in 1920! I guess it could have been for High Blood Pressure......  but Alliance OH and Battle Creek Michigan are quite a distance..... why did they travel so far for treatment (?) for Elizabeth?
[Hypertension: High Blood Pressure  --  Arteriosclerosis: Narrowing of the arteries]

Surname Saturday: Timeline: Harry B and Elizabeth (DIETZ) GARDNER

Timeline:  Harry B GARDNER

Great Grandfather

on my fathers side

11 Nov 1863 Harry B......  Born, Glasglow Scotland
11 Jul 1864    Elizabeth .... Born Baltimore MD
1864+/-         Harry Immigrated with parents George & Jane Gardner

1870C           Census - did not find George, Jane or Harry
1872              Birth: brother John Gardner/ New Jersey
1874              Birth: sister  Margaret Gardner/ Ohio
1874-78        Father George Died or Left Family
1874-78        Mother Jane remarried John Douglass
1878              Birth of step sister: Mary Douglass/ Ohio

1880C           Census -John DOUGLASS & wife Jane + 4 ch OH Columbiana Co Middleton
1881-84         Marriage of Harry & Elizabeth (Dietz) GARDNER
1884              Birth of first son: George A/ Pennsylvania
1886              Birth of first daughter: Nettie K/ Pennsylvania
1888              Birth of son: John P / Ohio [my grandfather]
1890              Birth of daughter: Margaret J/ Ohio
1892              Birth of daughter: Caroline / Pennsylvania
1894              Birth of son Harry B II/ Ohio
1900C           Census- Harry B & Elizabeth Gardner/ + all 6 children Allegheny City, Allegheny PA
1908              Marriage of daughter Nettie to Edgar Hartzell/ Alliance OHIO
1909              Marriage of daughter Margaret J to Frank Schultz/ Alliance OHIO
1910C           Census- Harry & Elizabeth Gardner  + 3ch Lexington Twp, Stark C. OHIO
1911              Marriage of son John P to Margaret Branfield/ Alliance OHIO
1916              Marriage of son Harry B II to Clara George/ OHIO
1920C           Census -Harry & Elizabeth Gardner +mother Jane - Canton City Stark Co OH
1926              Death: Mother Jane passes- Alliance City Cemetery, Alliance,  Stark Co., Ohio
1929             Marriage: son George A & Rebecca/ Illinois
1930C           Census- Harry & Elizabeth Gardner - Plain, Canton City, Stark Co OH
1930C           Census- Retirement - from no occupation on census
1933              Marriage of daughter Caroline to Donald Boyd/ Missouri
1936 -           Death:   Harry died - Alliance City, Lexington Two, Stark Co OH
                           Alliance City Cemetery, Alliance Stark OH

1938            Death of daughter Nettie Hartzell/ OHIO
1951            Death of wife Elizabeth / OHIO - she lived 15 years after her husband passed away.

I did not include Grandchildren, just gets to lengthy and complex.

I thought I was pretty set with this family but I can see once I have everything written out in front of me that there is a whole lot of work to do on this family........  too many holes and too many questions.

Immigration to America. Where did they emmigrate from? Scotland? I have a British Presenter laugh at me when I told him that my GARDNER's are from Scotland. They say that this is not a Scotish name but more a English name. I don't know, I only know what the paper trail is saying...  and it is saying Scotland.

I have not found anyone in the 1870 US Census yet. They should be in America by now and I think it should be in the census.

Need to find marriage of George and Jane and then marriage of John Douglass and Jane.
Have not found out anything about Harry's brother and sisters........
.......and so many more questions to answer

Treasure Chest Thursday - My First "Last Will and Testament"

Locating one of my first "Last Will & Testament's" .......... it all started with a trip to Salt Lake City and ending at a courthouse in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio. YIPPPEY!! 

Lucky me, while in Salt Lake City at the Family History Center I located the case# for Harry B Gardner's Last Will and Testament. I held on to this information till I visited the courthouse in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio 2004. It was in the court house building,on the second floor,  in a back room where the oldest microfilm reader/printer I have ever dealt with .......... after dozens of dozens of sheets of paper later I was so excited........... but I have only copied a small piece of it here that shows the wife and children and where everyone was living. Yes I was thrilled about that. Now I have some new places to check for a grand uncle (George) & his wife, plus where they lived, and a married name for my grand aunt (Carolyn) and two new locations for her.


ESTATE Records case file # 28197 (66 pages copied) R R Denny Clunk, Probate Judge........

Last Will & Testament for Harry B Gardner of Alliance Stark County Ohio- died 22 January 1936
wife Elizabeth Gardner receives ALL until death or remarriage ... then it will be distributed equally among children and to children of any deceased children
Elizabeth Gardner is Executrix with no bond -- if Elizabeth is deceased Nettie Hartzell [daughter] of Alliance Ohio will be executrix if neither are available then son John Gardner then Margaret Schultz. [dated 24 Aug 1934]
Elizabeth Gardner declines executrix and requests Nettie Hartzell /executor
Nettie presents Application to Probate Will in the probate Court, Stark County Ohio
Harry B Gardner left Elizabeth Gardner widow of 2242 s Linden Ave, Alliance Ohio and the following persons:
John Gardner / adult / son / Beaver PA
Caroline Boyd / adult/ daughter / Miller MO
Harry Gardner / adult / son / Edinburg O
George Gardner / adult / son / Milwaukee Wis
Margaret Schultz / adult/ daughter / Wooster O
Nettie Hartzell / adult / daughter/ 2242 S Linden Ave., Alliance O

etc etc etc................

NOTE: The list below was at the very end of the document. I will need to sturdy this further because Harry B Gardner died in 1936 and my parents (John & Mary Jane Gardner) weren't married til 1943 but they just met in Jan/Feb of 1943.....  Was it in probate that long or what is the purpose of the list? It is helpful but what is the purpose? I did not find another date or a later date. Now I guess I need to find out the final date of the will. 

Nettie Hartzell (daughter) accepted the task of being executrix after her mother declined. Looking at the timeline: Harry B Gardner died in 1936, Nettie died in 1938 and my parents didn't even meet till early 1943. Did the court process slow down because of the death of the executrix Nettie? OR was every handle by the time of her death? 

John & Margaret Gardner/ 2214 S Linden Ave, Alliance O                          [grandparents]

Caroline Boyd/ Hygea Hall, Wooster College, Wooster O                            [grand aunt]

Harry and Clara Gardner/ Edinburg, RD 1, Ravenna O                                 [grand uncle]

George and Rachael Gardner/ 2936 Kilborn Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin     [grand uncle]

Margaret and Frank E Schultz/ 928 North Grant St, Wooster O                   [grand aunt]

Walter G and Dorothy Hartzell/ 2242 S Linden Ave., Alliance O                  [1st cousin once removed]

Helen Hartzell and Fredrick Workman/ 1009 Main St., Coshocton, O          [1st cousin once removed]

John Jr and Mary Jane Gardner, 1411 Parkway Blvd, Alliance O                 [ my parents-married Apr1943]

Vancil and Flora Gardner / Orville, O                                                          [uncle]

Lois Ann Gardner (a minor) / 2214 S Linden Ave., Alliance, O [born 1929]  [aunt]

Warren and Helen Gardner / 1956 High St., Columbus O                             [1st cousin once removed]

Harry Jr and Maureen Gardner / 756 Armoured Tank Div, Battalion School Training, Ft Benning, GA                                                                                                                               [1st cousin once removed]

Wade Gardner (a minor) Edinburg RD 1, Ravenna O           [born 1932]      [1st cousin once removed]

Nancy Gardner (a minor) Edinburg RD 1, Ravenna O          [born 1935]       [1st cousin once removed]

Dr William and Helen Schultz / 523 College Ave, Wooster O                        [1st cousin once removed]       Robert and Elizabeth Schultz / RD 1, Wooster, O                                         [1st cousin once removed]

Obituary - Elizabeth DIETZ GARDNER

Great Grandmother Elizabeth DIETZ GARDNER
on my father's side

looks like I found all of Elizabeth's Obituary and Funeral Notices

OBITUARY - May 2 1951 Alliance Ohio, Review  "Deaths"
Elizabeth D GARDNER........  Mrs Elizabeth Dietz Gardner, 86, widow of H B Gardner and a former Alliance resident died at 9am Wednesday at the home of her daughter, Mrs Margaret Schultz in Wooster after an illness of one year. Her husband died in 1936.
A native of Baltimore, MD, Mrs Gardner was a resident in Wooster 15 years. She was a charter member of the Eastern Star Chapter here and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in this city.
She is survived by another daughter, Mrs Caroline Boyd of Wooster; two sons, John T [P] Gardner of Alliance; and Harry B Gardner of Ravenna; a brother Cris Dietz of Pittsburgh and 11 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. A daughter, Mrs Nettie Hartzell and a son George a Gardner preceded her in death.
The body is at the Cassaday and Turkle Funeral Home pending arrangements.
====================================

May 3 1951 Thursday The Alliance Review page 6
GARDNER SERVICES
Funeral Services for Mrs Elizabeth Dietz Gardner of Wooster, former Alliance resident, will be held at 1:30pm Friday at the Cassaday and Turkle Funeral Home.In charge of Dr J V Stephens Jr., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church Friends may call from 7 to 9pm Thursday at the funeral home. Interment will be made in the City Cemetery.
===========================

May 3 1951 Thursday, The Alliance Review page 6 - 
Cassaday & Turkle funeral service information  phone 6143
GARDNER, Mrs H. B.  1:30 pm Friday funeral home. Friends call at funeral home Thursday 7-9pm Eastern Star service tonight at 6:45.
=================================

NOTE: I have tried locating a birth certificate for Elizabeth in Baltimore Maryland but the year for beginning to collect them was several years after she was born. Have tried newspapers but no luck yet. I have been trying to locate port of immigration for her parents and wondering if it was through Baltimore Maryland since Elizabeth seems to be the first born child after her parents arrived in the USA. No luck yet.

I didn't realize she lived in Wooster so long. So doing the math, she moved in with her daughter Margaret after her husband passed on in 1936........

I would like to see if I can find out anything about her time in the Eastern Star. I can't decide if the obituary is referring to her being a charter member of the Eastern Star chapter in Alliance not Wooster. But I wonder if she transferred her membership to Canton and then Wooster? Not sure where to go or who to contact for this.
Other items I want to check out...........

• brother Cris Dietz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 
• any more information at the Cassaday & Turkle Funeral Home- may have info about Eastern Star Service.
• contacted the First Presbyterian Church in Alliance Ohio about a possible marriage for them but have not heard back yet.

Fridays Faces from the Past - Where is George GARDNER?

                                                 

Second Great Grandfather George GARDNER

                                                                   on my father's side

1835 +/-    Birth- George in Scotland
1838          Birth - Jane Smith in Scotland
1856 +/-    Marriage-  Jane Smith in Scotland
1861          UK Census - DID NOT FIND THEM LISTED (but still looking)
1863          Son Harry B born in Glasgow Scotland
1870          DID NOT FIND THEM in US census
                  Immigration to America
1872+/-     Son John born in New Jersey
1874+/-     Daughter Margaret born in Ohio
1876+/-     Dies or leaves the family   
1878+/-     Jane remarried - John Douglass
1878+/-     Daughter Mary born in Ohio to the John & Jane
1880         Census- John, Jane, Harry, John, Margaret, & Mary living in Middletown Twp, Columbiana, OH

As you can see there is not a lot I know about George or Jane in Scotland. And certainly less about George in the United States.
I have not found any death records, certificate or tombstone for George or John Douglass either.
Jane is buried with her son Harry B and wife Elizabeth in Alliance Stark co., Ohio. No mention of either husband in her obituary. (very odd)
I did not find them in the 1861 UK Census. Assuming that they married before Harry was born, they may have only married in 1860-61 and not 1856 (1856 was a guess just putting it at 20 years after his birth - but that is up in the air too)
Jane's second husband John was born in 1825 so George could also be a lot older than I think. I used 1835 so that he was older but closer to Jane's age.........  I know I know assuming!!!
When did they come to America? When? and through what port? I am thinking New York or is there a port in New Jersey? Second child was first child born in America and of all places but New Jersey. So I need to review the ports of entry and see what might work for this family.............

So many questions and no answers yet................

Wishful Wednesday - Battle Creek, Michigan??

Great Grandparents 
Harry B and Elizabeth (DIETZ) GARDNER

In the news......... taken from the Alliance Review June 10, 1920 - Alliance, Stark Co., Ohio

.........and it says:

PERSONALS
Mr and Mrs H B Gardner of Canton formerly of Alliance left Tuesday for Battle Creek, Mich., where Mrs Gardner will take treatment for a while.

Short and sweet........... and more questions: I wonder why? what was wrong? what treatment?

Sunday's Obituary - Death Record & Certificate But NO Obituary

Great Grandfather HARRY GARDNER

                                                              on my father's side
How odd, I was looking for my great grandfathers obituary to share with you and I don't have one. I find that odd that I didn't notice that I didn't have one............ I do have his Death Records (not certificate) taken from the FamilySearch Records Pilot - Death Record.


Harry GARDNER

.........born 15 Nov 1863 Glasgow Scotland,
  Residence: Canton Oh  Occupation: worked for Railroad  Assist Road Foreman/RR
  Died 22 Jan 1936 in St Petersburg, Pinellas, FL
  Burial: Alliance Oh 24 Jan 1936
  Wife: Elizabeth Dietz Gardner
  Mother: Jane Smith, born Scotland
  Father: George Gardner, born Scotland
72 y 2m 7 d

(I think these are both the same just taken at different times - above it is during a beta time on FamilySearch and below is after the beta period was over- no document available but it does tell the film number so I will add this to my list of TO-DO's for next time in Salt Lake City)

Harry B Gardner  Florida Deaths 1877-1939
event date: 22 Jan 1936
Event Place: St Petersburg, Pinellas Florida
Gender: Male
Race (original) White
Race: White
Age: original 72y 2 m 7d
Birth date: 15 Nov 1863
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Dietz Gardner
Father's Name: George Gardner
Father's Birthplace: Scotland
Mother's Name: Jane Smith
Mother's Birthplace: Scotland
Occupation: Asst. Road Foreman, Railw
Residence Place: Canton Ohio
Burial Place: Alliance Ohio
Burial Date: 24 Jan 1936

GS file# 2135878        Reference ID: cn1616
Citing this Record: Florida Deaths, 1877-1939 index, Family Search (https://familysearch.,org/pal/MM9.1.1/FPCR-6cf: accessed 30 June 2014) Harry B Gardner, 22 Jan 1936; citing St Petersburg Pinellas, Florida, reference cn1616, fhl microfilm 2135878 

NOTE: need to look for an obituary from St Petersburg, Florida and Alliance Ohio. 

AND I need to look for an actual death certificate.... St Petersburg Florida- I have a copy above but need to see film in Salt Lake City. 

Family Friends Friday - Happy 4th of July - Freedom for All

Greetings for a Happy Fourth of July 

from my family to yours