Happy birthday to my father, George Elmore Rogers, Jr. (1914-1985)

 (a repost about) 

My Father was born Nov. 9, 1914, Galveston TX.

I was so loved by him, and I loved him in return, always trying to be his "good girl."
I really don't remember him ever disapproving of me, or saying no.  He would just say, you have to check with your mother on that.

What have I not yet shared about his life? (After all he lived a lot of it without me around!) (Here's another blog I posted around 2016)

 All the people around him usually had positive things to say about him, and would smile and joke with him, as I remember.

Above was a photo of our Studebaker besides our first house we owned in St. Ann, MO, probably around 1956.  My parents had owned a home in Dallas TX and Houston TX before we moved to St. Louis MO where we lived in apartments for the first 7 years there.

My dad was an accountant, and a devoted Christian Scientist who didn't go to church much.
    
His father had been a bookkeeper before him.  I guess that's why I always felt pretty secure about math.

Chauncey, Zulie, Alex, and George, Kansas City, Mo 1918  George was 4 as they visited their mother's sister's family.  Zulie was a cousin while Chauncey and Alex were his older brothers.

December, 1921, George in sailor suit at age 7, Chauncey sitting next to him with Alex in the back.

James (baby in this photo) had been born in January of 1922, and mother, Ada Rogers ("me") and George standing behind on porch wearing something on his head.  This house burned before they built a new one out of brick which was photographed in 1927 (see below).  They lived in the garage while Poppy built the new home and probably worked his full time job as well in the packing company in Fort Worth, TX.

12/26/36 Junior (George E. Rogers Jr.) at Dumble's ranch

My father's parents, George (Sr.) and Ada Rogers had married at the home of the bride's parents in Galveston, Texas, They resided in Galveston in the home built by George Sr. until 1918, at which time they moved to Meadowbrook Drive in Fort Worth, Texas, where he was employed by the Fort Worth Packing Company as office manager. This began a friendship with the company manager, Norman Dumble that lasted twenty-five years.  They would go hunting on his ranch (as in photo above.)

Poppy (George Sr.) on l, Chauncey in rear, Alex, and George Jr. on r.  

His father had been 37 when George Jr. was born. Very few photos exist where Poppy didn't look old, but he certainly was an active father all his life. 

My father never saw a doctor in his life.  His family always called him Junior with the Texan accent sounding like "Joonie."

I remember how when he'd retired from the Mother Church (of Christ Scientist in Boston, MA) and moved to Houston again, he worked part time in an Ace Hardware store.  Most of my information came through letters from my mom.  He apparently had trouble with his feet working in the store, and I suggested one of those foot-baths...which weren't at all medical.  I don't know if he ever used it.

I wasn't able to go see him in his last months, and was sorry in many ways.  But also I was unable to move beyond the strictness of the Christian Scientist refusal of medical treatment.

And my mother had always been the gatekeeper of information, which she slowly designated my sister to do...and that was not a good thing.  I got mis-information as much as truth as far as their conditions.  I'd been given sunny reports for months, and then someone else would let me know that he was dying.  Then I'd get another letter saying "they don't want you there."  This was probably because I might try to push them to get medical help.

So when he was leaving this life 32 years ago and my parents chose to have no memorial service or funeral - I sat in his memory in meditation for 40 days, and I went out to Houston from FL (after being invited) and mother gave me some of his things, like a lot of baby food jars full of screws and nails. Today the remaining screws are still in my own toolbox (but the baby-food jars are now gone.)  

I took the bus to Houston after he died, because he'd left their car to me...an older Pontiac sedan, which had supposedly been checked over by a mechanic, but had been sitting in the garage for a few months. My mom was effectively blind with cataracts untreated at this time. (When she later had a stroke, she was hospitalized and had surgery with my sister's direction so she could again see.)

I started home to FL, never having driven the old Pontiac before, and got on the bridge over the bayou near Louisiana and had a tire blow-out, and no idea how to jack up this new to me old car, or change a tire...while semi's were zooming past about 2 feet away from me (no shoulder to speak of, and of course it was driver's side rear tire.)  Some kid stopped and helped me change it, and I went and bought tires in the next city.

And there was the Civil War

 It wasn't so civil...we've all got to remember. War is war.

I recently read a beautiful but harsh book "When the Crows Took Their Eyes" by Vicki Lane, another blogger. She is an accomplished mystery writer from nearby Marshall, NC. This book is historic fiction about the Shelton Laurel Massacre during the Civil War...with wonderful characterization of some of the real people who lived and died in that area, as well as one fictional character. It is griping, and I couldn't stop reading it, and indeed, I want to reread it again soon.

I'm reposting a post of 2017 in which I looked at the area of Georgia some of my relatives came from. My great grandmother (Zulieka Granger Phillips Swasey (Dear Nan)(1858-1935)was born in Fort Gaines GA, though her parents were settling in the east Texas area on the Sabine River called Town Bluff TX.

Fort Gaines GA ancestors

The Queen City loaded with bales of cotton, near a covered bridge, Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines

I've been researching how my ancestors from the south lived and died during the years of the Civil War and following.
So to talk a bit about Fort Gaines GA, where my ancestors the William Phillips Sr. and Samuel Gainer family lived as of 1850. Before looking at 1850, here's some background of the location.

History lesson about Fort Gaines Georgia:

Located in southwest Georgia, on the Chattahoochee River in Fort Gaines was a smallish city where cotton had been shipped down river to the Gulf of Mexico prior to the Civil War. There were three forts built at that location, with the earliest having been a frontier fort to protect settlers from Indians. (The Indian culture had been established in that area for 2000 years, and included building Kolomoki Mounds nearby.) 

The First Fort:  Fort Gaines was established in 1816 by order of Gen. Edmund P. Gaines, commander of a large district, who used this as his headquarters. Containing two blockhouses, the 100-foot square fort was enclosed by a stockade eight feet high. During 1817, when Indians were active in the area, settlers look refuge in the fort, garrisoned by Federal troops under Gen. John Dill.  (Incidentally, a 100-foot square is 100 feet on each side, not 10 feet which brings a 100-square foot size.)

  

The Fort at Fort Gaines, and to the right, the railing overlooking the Chatahoochee River/ 

Frontier village restoration at Fort Gaines GA

The Second Fort: In May of 1836 the 88th Regiment of the Georgia Militia built a small fort in anticipation of an attack by the Creek Indians. The Steamer Georgian had arrived crowded with women and children fleeing from the Indian uprising at Roanoke upriver. The Steamer, Anna Calhoun was pressed for 5,000 pounds of bacon and 8 barrels of flour in order to feed the refugees and militia. 

The uprising was quelled before the fighting reached Fort Gaines. This was one of the last major insurgences of the Creeks before their removal to the West by Andrew Jackson. That was also known as the Trail of Tears.

Two Covered Bridges

 A covered bridge near The Queen City loaded with bales of cotton

Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, Early County GA

I think these are 2 different bridges, based on the height over the water surface.  And the Queen City paddlewheeler (Steamer) is probably in the Chattahoochee River, not a creek! Early County later was divided into other counties, and Fort Gaines now is the county seat of Clay County.


Today's quote:

Be humble for you are made of Earth. Be noble for you are made of stars.

Happy birthday Martha Poor Granger Nov 4, 1654

Yesterday was also her birthday.

She was part of a post a couple of years ago, HERE. 

-------------A repost from...Monday, January 22, 2018

Distracted but back to Grangers, Poors, and Farnums

I admit, I've been happily following those green leaves (hints) over on Ancestry, and also have succumbed to their sending me emails of new additions to the people on my trees.  Oh my goodness, I'd never heard of some of them, but then there were others...and so I've gotten distracted. Remember I've got around 3000 people on my three trees. Sorry.

Now back to the Swasey family roots.  

Martha Poor Granger  1654–1723

Birth 4 NOVEMBER 1654 • Andover, Essex, MA

Death 4 DECEMBER 1723 • Andover, Essex, MA

Martha Poor's father Daniel, has 30 hints that I have to weed through before I can tell you about him. He was one of those early immigrants to Essex County MA.

Martha's mother was Mary Farnum Poor (we've heard of the Farnum (Farnham) name before in the Andover area.  Mary Farnum Poor only got 5 hints on her name, so let's see what we can find about... 

Mary Farnum Poor  1628–1713

Birth 13 JULY 1628 • St Nicholas, Rochester, Kent, Eng

Death 3 FEB 1713-1714 • Andover, Essex, Mass

Mary Farnum was born in England, the eldest of the Farnum children who came with their parents on the ship "James" to Boston in 1635.  Her parents were Ralph and Alice Farnum.  (On checking with Wikipedia, there were several ships named "James" during the reign of King James.)

Martha Poor Granger's father was:

Daniel Poor Jr  1624–1689

Birth 1624 • Marlborough, England

Death 8 JUN 1689 • Andover, Essex, Mass

Mary Farnam and Daniel Poor married Oct. 20, 1650.  He also had been born in England, and they married in Andover, MA. 

He was a "youth, aged fourteen years, whose name is on the list of passengers in the ship "Bevis," from Southhampton, England, in 1638, and his name is there written Dayell Poore, that he came with his sister Alee, or Alice, aged twenty years, and his brothers, Samuel, aged eighteen years, and John, all under the designation of servants of Richard Dummer." 

From: 

GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS - Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. PREPARED UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION Of WILLL\M RICHARD CUTTER, A.M, VOLUME I.NEW YORK, LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1908

To continue:

" In 1644 he became one of the original settlers of Andover and spent the greater part of his life in that town, where he acquired a large estate in lands and other property, which at his death in 1713 was appraised at eight hundred pounds. He also became prominent in town afifairs, held several important offices and served as selectman eight years. His farm and home in Andover were on the east side of Shawshin river, near where now stands the station at the junction of the Boston & Maine and Essex railroads. Daniel Poore married Mary Farnum, who bore him eleven children."

"One of their sons, Daniel Poore, III, born in Andover, Massachusetts. 1656, lived on the old homestead in that town. He married Mehitable Osgood, and by her had nineteen children."

Daniel Poore Jr (the father) left a will giving land to his eldest son.  But his will also mentions daughter Martha, "to whom he gave 20 acres of land."  As several of his other daughters are specifically mentioned as unmarried, it must be assumed that Martha was married when he wrote his will in 1689.  And this is substantiated in other records, that she married Captain John Granger in 1679.

Martha, it seems, was listed in the Andover Births Record as Matthew, a daughter, (sic) on her birthdate of Nov. 4, 1654. and as "d. of Daniell Pore, Jr and Mary."  

But Matthew isn't mentioned in the will of his father though all the other children are.   

(So now I'm checking the 18 hints on Matthew Poor's name at Ancestry.  He has no records apparently, besides those which Ancestry has devised, no death date on Find a Grave, no marriage, no children, and the unfortunate copying of non-information over and over again, as a result of being listed as a daughter at this birthdate.  Half of the listings for his name are actually for his sister Martha, or mother, Mary.

So I am thinking at this point that Martha was the only one born on that date (since there are many records with her birthdate corroborated, like marriage, death, etc.) and perhaps she would have been named Matthew if she had been a boy.  Or perhaps there was a twin who died at birth.  Who knows.  For now I'm marking Matthew as just listed as "d" under his name.  If you do count a Matthew as a real person, then there were 11 children born to Daniel and Mary Poor.  Otherwise it comes to just 10. 

--------------

Who was Martha Poor's husband?

She married (Feb 7, 1679) to Capt. John Granger when she was 24 years old, and he was 25.

They had 8 children, one of which became my ancestor...Samuel, born 1701...when she was 46 years old.

Samuel's great great grandson, George Granger, married Lucy E. Pulsifer (Pulsipher) the great granddaughter of Ebenezer Pulsipher (whose birthday was also Nov 4 and I mentioned yesterday!

Martha lived her whole life in Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts. She didn't live long enough to see her son, Samuel marry Martha Marston in 1728, and their first child was also named Martha Granger (born 1730).

Happy birthday Ebenezer Pulsifer (1744-1795)

 I posted on his birthday earlier HERE.

Ebenezer Pulsifer
Birth 4 NOV 1744 • Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA

Death 1795 • New York, or perhaps 1780 on a prison ship in NY harbor, (of the English).

married to Sarah Pratt Williams Perkins,  birth1 Dec.1751 • Ipswich, Essex Co., MA

Death Unknown

These Pulsifers were the parents of Capt Ebenezer Pulsifer, mariner

who was the 3rd great grandfather of Ada Phillips Swasey Rogers, my grandmother.

So Ebenezer and Sarah were my 5 times great grandparents.

Following the hints at Ancestry

 I have a new ambition.

I can spend an hour each evening (or whenever I have some time available) to click on all those little hint leaves on my various family trees.

This evening was fun going into trees that go back to Italy and Germany.

I really didn't find any documents from those countries, but I found a few arrival dates for immigrants to our family.

It was gratifying work. And I think I may have made just a few boo-boos. Usually in spelling names.

So if anything comes up that looks interesting, I'll include it here...because it will represent new information about some ancestors!

None for today though.

Visiting ancestors

 Having invited them...they showed up!

I start my morning meditations with imagining myself in a secluded place (as many meditation leaders suggest for a beginning.)

This was a new place...maybe because I have another hour...daylight savings time is finally over! So at 7:30 am the sun was just lightening the sky..and I was ready to start the day.

Part of how I manage to have this time to meditate is having already poured myself a nice hot cup of coffee, which sits under a tiny saucer to keep it warm on my bedside table. And yes, I allow myself a few sips before I settle under the covers sitting at the head of my bed.

Today I took myself to a clearing in a woods...where I saw a circle of stumps with a fire pit in the middle. I imagined someone bringing wood to the fire pit and starting a fire. It was very welcoming, and helped me center myself.

Then I looked at each of the tree stumps in the circle...and each held the spirit of one of my ancestors. I slowly looked at Spritiualist William Booth, and his daughter-in-law Eugenia Booth Miller with her husband Charlie by her. I saw her daughter, Mozelle, and my grandfather who I never knew...and then my mother and father. Next to them was my sister and her son. Then my other grandmother Ada, and her sons, my uncles Rogers. And then her father and mother Swasey. And finally the two who have recently passed this week, Millie and Ronni (a blogging friend.) Behind me stood my imagined own three sons and their children who I've given the same blood to.

I thanked all these spirits for sharing their DNA, and the lives they led with adventures galore. And I wished them all well as they continue to have presence wherever they might be. I asked them if they had any messages for me (of course! what's contacting spirits if you don't ask that question?) 

I won't tell you the answers however, as they are private and for myself only.

I then got up and danced a bit around the imaginary fire...so glad I could still move and listen to music and dance. Having this body is certainly a gift, and my sense of appreciation woke me to the being of here and now.

As I sipped my coffee, I patted my head and face, which somehow helps me come back to today. I will continue celebrating the lives of ancestors. And I will work on this life in ways that I need to.

Happy All Souls Day (or All Saints Day)

All Souls Day

 

For two women who I knew who died last week.

Ronni Barrett and Millie Crozier

Farewell as you go beyond the veil. From time to time I feel the moment for travel has come.

On the day of leaving, cast a veil
of humble sunset-glaze.
Let the time to leave
be quiet, still. Let no pompous memorials
build the hypnosis of grieving.
Let the lines of trees by the departure door
bestow the tranquil chanting of earth
on quiet heaps of leaves.
Let night’s soundless blessing slowly descend,
iridescent offerings of the seven stars. Tagore