The Storer Family Bell
Monday, January 9, 2023
2023 #2 Favorite Photo
Sunday, January 8, 2023
2023 #1 I'd Like to Meet
My great grandmother, Elizabeth Deborah Fletcher, is one of my ancestors that I would love to meet.
Lizzie as she was known, as born 4 July 1858 in Covington, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were John Fletcher and Deborah Theresa Ramsdell. She was the youngest of their 6 children.
My first question would be to ask Lizzie where she met John Martin Shaffner.
John Martin Shaffner, my great grandfather was from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Which is 2 hours and 20 minutes south of Covington or about 138 miles.
Lizzie married John Martin Shaffner on 16 September 1880 in Whitesville, Allegany County, New York. Lizzie was 22 when she married and John, who was 25.
Why did they choose Whitesville, New York to get married?
Whitesville, New York is about 1 hour and 10 minutes or 51.5 miles from Covington, Pennsylvania.
(Google maps provided the distance & time)
John & Lizzie had 6 children. Their first child Willard Fletcher, was in July 1881, Ettie Viola born in 1883, Lida Lorene in 1885, John Fanoit (my grandfather) in 1887, Bert Lawrence in 1889 and the 6th baby, Walter Ruskin was born in 7 September 1899.
Lizzie died 17 November 1899. The death certificate listed her cause of death as kidney trouble and that she was ill for 2 weeks. Elizabeth Deborah Fletcher was 41 years old. Her 6th child, Walter Ruskin was 2 months old.
Lizzie was buried in the plot with her father in law. The location of grave was finally located when I visited the East Harrisburg Cemetery. She does not have a headstone.
My grandfather, John Fanoit Shaffner, was 12 years old when his mother died. His collection of family history, including stories he wrote about his life does not include very much information about his mother. There are a couple of pictures, the death information
and the wedding certificate. There was no information about his mother’s family.
I hope further research will answer some of the questions.
Friday, November 11, 2022
Memories 78 years later of a Veteran
I had my day planned until I opened a tote of family memorabilia. Apparently the angels(thanks Dad & Donnee) have been tapping me on the shoulder again. It is the only explanation today that found me opening this tote. Nor did I intend to spend the day looking & reading all that was in it! It was a tote box that I have been wanting to sort, but certainly didn't anticipate that it would include all these treasures. The tote contained ALL the letters my uncle, Walter F. Shaffer, sent home to his parents during World War II. There was papers, letters and information I have never seen before. Because my grandfather was a telegrapher for the railroad and used carbon paper; he liked carbon copies of EVERY document and he kept every document concerning the death of his son, Walter F. Shaffner. Walter died 1 October 1944 in the battle at Peleliu Island, Palou Islands. There are notice of his death from the Marines, letters of condolences from the Marines, a letter of condolence from Representative Mike Mansfield, railroad bill of lading of his personal effects, telegrams that his parents sent to his brothers, Don & Dean and letters from soldiers who served with Walter. There is correspondence with the military concerning his insurance, headstone, letters from the funeral home in Dillon, letters to/from the military concerning his last pay. There were touching letters from fellow soldiers that he had served with. I haven't had time to go through the letters he wrote home. (and I may need help with that project!)
Monday, September 5, 2022
Lunch at Helen's after the Parade
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Mistake 52 Ancestors in a Year
My mistake involved my ancestor, my Dad. It also involved my sister, Gail, and a neighbor girl, Cathy. This event took place in the late '60's. Maybe 1968.
The cows on the meadow before they began their climb up the hill.
Unfortunately no pictures have been found of the actual event, so similar type pictures on our ranch were used for the story.
We were my Dad’s best hired help, he would often say that he might not have the best crew but he had the best looking. Of course we were always ready to ride our horses and help. While it was upsetting to my mother, who didn’t like horses, and she worried about our ventures in the Rocky Hills south of Dillon, Montana. The Rocky Hills, commonly known as our ranch, had sagebrush, rattlesnakes, rocks and lots of hills. A great playground for children on horses or driving various vehicles, right? But it was our ranch and it was where our Dad taught us many lessons. Mostly how to work! Sometimes the lessons involved solving a problem. Sometimes we created the problem! We were just kids!
This specific instance of a mistake involved trailing cows. Since Dad was a full time veterinarian plus owning a ranch, his cows were taken to another rancher for feeding and calving. And since he had 3 available girls to help, who also liked to ride, it was an easy decision. We were cheap labor while trucking was expensive.
Gail had gone with Dad through the hills in a jeep to survey the route. So she knew the route. The cows had to climb out of the creek bottom up the steep hill in the picture below, following an old cow/horse/deer trail. Dad had told me in previous trails that just follow the cows, they know where they are going. Dad was in the “lead”, meaning he was with the first bunch of cows going up the hill. It was basically single file for each cow, heavy with calf, to lumber up the hill. I was in the middle encouraging the cows up the hill, but they knew to stay on the trail. Cathy was also in the middle, somewhere, following the cows up the hill. Gail was at the drag or at the end of the line of cows, but she was the one who knew the trail! When I got to the top, the cows were still on the trail. But I could not see Dad anywhere. I knew he was riding a colt so the alarm bells went off. Now it was common for Dad to change his mind, so I tried not to worry.
A similar day trailing calves in winter.
After turning the cows in a different direction on a hillside, we made to the correct gate. My mistake cost us a few hours and tired cows. Of course it was cool weather, probably December or January, so we rested the cows at the gate before trailing on down the hillside to the first night camp.
But the cows were OK. Dad was OK, his help was OK. And we learned another lesson or two!
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Conflict-Purple Heart-Walter Shaffner
Monday, February 21, 2022
Landed! 2022 52 Ancestors in a Year
Landed! Who was really on the passenger manifest?
One of the fascinating aspects of genealogy is finding ancestors on passenger lists and immigration information.
The Gabel’s were elusive in searches because of spelling of the name. It could be Gabel, Gable, Goebel, Gebel or various other spellings. Because they were Germans from Russia, it was hard to find them without using wildcards in searches. And because there were no visa’s or information available; what first name did they use when immigrating? What papers did they have when leaving Russia? (I will probably never find that answer!)
Leroy’s great grandfather, Phillip Gabel and family landed in New York at Ellis Island on 10 June 1907. They left Libau, Lativa on 20 May 1907. The ages are correct for each member of the family, calculating their age from census records in 1910. While the first names differ from names used in later life, it was normal for Germans to have 2-3 first names. Another clue on the passenger record was their destination in Lincoln, Nebraska to his brother Heinrich Gebel.
But there was one troubling entry on the manifest of a child Anna, that 11 months old. It appears that a line was drawn through her name, indicating she either didn’t get on the ship or never got off. In research at Ellis Island, the official answer was that Anna never boarded the ship. What happened to Anna?
Passenger manifest for Henrich Phillip Gabel & family
August Gabel and family were also detained at Ellis Island upon arrival on 31 May 1907. The passenger manifest indicates that a telegraph for money was sent to his brother Heinrich Gabel in Lincoln, Nebraska. They were discharged on 4 June 1907. The company owning the passenger ship was charged for 8 breakfasts, 10 dinners and 8 suppers.