#12 A Horse 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks!

The challenge this week was the number “12”.   What  could I write about for 12?  Ancestors, days, marriages, children???  Nothing seemed to work until I thought of 12 as midnight.  We don’t have a midnight in the family but we had 11:30!  A horse!

A horse!  A horse that meant a lot to my Dad, my grandfather, my sister and I.  You see, we are a ranching family and horses are like family and many lived out there life on the ranch.  He was named “11:30” because he wasn’t dark or black enough to be midnight!

My dad acquired “11:30” in 1964 when he bought his ranch from his brother, George.  With the land came 4 horses to mount the “cowboys”.  Dad got “Stubby”, Grandpa got “11:30”, my sister Gail got “Pal” and I got my cousin Donnee’s horse Poquito.  These were older reliable horses for the “cowboys”.  Grandpa was 77 years old, my sister was 10 and I was 14.  We were Dad’s crew!  The horses had some age too.  We think “11:30” was 14 when he came to our ranch.  He lived until his 20’s.

I suspect Grandpa had ridden “11:30” before at his son’s ranch and I suspect Uncle George was hoping to pass Grandpa off to us along with his horse.  Grandpa was a great man but sometimes he considered himself the boss!  I mean after all, he was 77 years old and the patriarch!  If he wasn’t helping the sons in Beaverhead County, he was helping his son, Dean, in Missoula!  We all have stories of Grandpa’s help.  Some good, some funny and some not so good.

“11:30” was a big stout Morgan gelding raised in the Rocky Hills on Grasshopper Creek and around Bannack, Montana.  Probably the only negative point was his fear of barbed wire, or a stick that looked like barb wire or a shadow that looked like barb wire.  You learned to move with him when he jumped to go around the stick or fall off!

Gail riding "11:30".  She inherited the horse from Grandpa

 Grandpa Shaffner

This is not "11:30".  

I am still looking for the picture of Grandpa on "11:30"!

One day my dad gave me instructions of where to find cattle on the creek and a directions of where to move them from the creek to higher country in an effort to get them from the riparian areas and willows.  Grandpa, a neighbor girl, Cathy, and I were to start early before the summer day got hot, gather and move the cattle.  I don’t remember if we got an early start, gathering cattle in willows is hard in summer heat and when we started out it was getting warmer.  I knew the way, but was overruled by Grandpa as he knew a “shortcut”.    I knew we were going the wrong way and a difficult trail uphill.  But after all, I was a kid and a girl, so what did I know!  As Cathy and I worked and pushed the stubborn cows, Grandpa had the “lead”.  I knew the trail we were going and it was the “long way” to the water trough.  As we started up the last steep hill, at the farthest fence to the south of the ranch, the dogs quit us!  They were hot; well so were we! In fact, the dogs ran home!  Which was several miles but I would imagine they laid in the water of Grasshopper Creek to cool off.  When we finally reached the top, Grandpa said; leave ‘em here and they will find the trough.  I knew the trough was back down another coulee!  We left and of course the cows found water.  Dad was a livid with Grandpa.  And we now laugh about the day the day the dogs quit!

Another trip Grandpa took with my sister Gail and my Dad to move some cattle on the creek resulted in Grandpa becoming lost.  Since Dad had a Veterinary Hospital, work on the ranch was often done after work at the Veterinary Hospital was completed.  It was an evening ride to gather cattle and move them.  It was near dark when Dad & Gail headed home and Grandpa took off  on one of his shortcuts.  Since he was on a fast walking horse, we figured we was ahead of us.    “11:30” was noted for his gait and fast walk so it was surprising that he wasn’t at the cabin when they arrived.  It was now dark and where was Grandpa?  The fear was “11:30” had shied at some perceived wire & Grandpa had fallen off & gotten hurt.  

After searching for several hours and going back up the creek with a car and headlights, still no Grandpa.  Dad left him a note and told him to call when he got to the cabin.  Finally Grandpa called that he was in.  Come to find out, Grandpa had gotten off and walked, leading “11:30”, because he was afraid of running into wire in the dark.  Grandpa swore he feel down a prospector’s hole (more likely a deep ravine), & he had to crawl up the reins to get out.

 Grandpa knew the ranch like the back of his hand and if he had given the horse his head, the horse would have returned to the corral.  But Grandpa was a bit headstrong and stubborn and sometimes cranky.  

“11:30”, the horse not black enough to be called Midnight, is a huge part of the Shaffner oral history-just like our ancestors.

#11 Large Family 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks

#11 challenge was to blog about a large family.

I married into a large family.   Where I was raised, families were not this large.  There were a few, yes, but not 13 children!  When I married and moved to a farming community there were many  Germans from Russia, mainly the Volga region.  And they were farm families.  And they needed children to work.

Henry & Mabel Grosskop Gabel on their wedding day

8 February 1920

Huntley, Montana

Henry and Mabel had 13 children.

As in many large families, there are lots of personalities.

There are 13 sons and daughters, with 1 daughter absent at a reunion about 1985.

There are 5 living today.

The first child was born in 1921 and the last born in 1939.

They were a farm family with sugar beets as one of the main crops.

They lived in various locations depending on rented ground.

Celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 1973.

Henry and Mabel left a legacy of hard work to all their children.

Both Henry and Mabel immigrated to the United States from Russia. Unfortunately I haven't been able to learn much about that history.  It seems that it wasn't talked about to many of the children.  And now when we wonder, we wish we had asked questions.

  

What a legacy they left.

13 sons and daughters (1absent from the reunion)

Their children with spouses

Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren 

of

Henry and Mabel Grosskopf

About 1985

 The reunion pictures were about 1985 or 1986.  And since this picture, there are more grandchildren and great grandchildren!  And many more, great great grandchildren!  I can't keep track!

#10 Uncle #52 Weeks Charles C. Lloyd

Bachelor Uncle was the topic for this week's challenge.

Charles Crittenden Lloyd was a bachelor uncle, in fact, my great grand uncle.  He was the son of my great great grandparents, Albert G. Lloyd and Lois Jasper Lloyd.

Charles was born 10 July 1867 in Waitsburg, Walla Walla, Washington.  The family lived on a farm and I assume Charles grew up doing all the farm boy activities.  He appears on the census of 1870 and 1880.

I've always wondered where the middle name Crittenden came from.  It doesn't seem to be a family name.  Charles was and is a mystery.

Charles died 11 October 1891 at the age of 24 in Texarkana, Arkansas.

Why did he leave home?   Why was he in Texarkana?

I have been unable to find information through online sources about Charles.

In the local paper of Waitsburg, The Times,  on October 16, 1891, a newspaper article stated that "the Hon. A. G. Lloyd, received a telegram from Arkansas on Wednesday bringing the sad news that his son Charlie was dead.  He died last Sunday.  No particulars, he died at Texarkana, a town of 1500 inhabitants, the county seat of Miller county in the southwest corner of the state.  At the time of his death, Charles was 24 years, 3 months and 2 days old.  Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd have the sympathy of all in their sad bereavement".

His obituary read: Died-At Texarkana, Ark., Charles C. Lloyd, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Lloyd, at the age of 24 years.  Died from congestion of the bowels.  Was buried at Rosehill Cemetery, October 13, 1891.  This clipping appeared in the Pioneer Portraits of the The Times under 50 years ago, in the 1941 section.

His name is on a tombstone, along with his brother William's name,  at the cemetery in Waitsburg, Washington.  His tombstone is in Block 56, Lot 3, Space 2 of the Waitsburg City Cemetery.  To my knowledge, his body was not returned to Washington.

In his genealogy file, complied by Helen Lloyd Shaffner, she wrote that she thought he went south because of his health.  I vaguely remember the story that after he died somebody contacted his parents and said she was his wife, but since they had never heard of her before, they decided she was "a gold digger" so ignored the letter.  In all of the Lloyd memorabilia, I have never found the letter.

Charles Crittenden Lloyd

1867-1891

There are no dates on the pictures, but I assume they were taken in the 1880's

Funeral Card

Headstone with name

#9. #52 Ancestors--Courthouse

The challenge for #9 was Courthouse.  

Genealogy records are found in a courthouse; records like birth, death, marriage, and probate and land ownership records.  Any trip to a courthouse can be interesting or challenging.  The most helpful people to genealogists are those behind the counter of a county office.  They deserve kudos to the assistance they give to genealogists.  Often time’s genealogists don’t know the dates necessary for a record search and are grateful for the guidance and assistance of clerk.  But searching and asking for records takes some finesse and talents so I volunteered to drive 2 genealogists (who shall remain nameless) to a courthouse in Montana so I could learn from the best.  And what an experience I had!

Driving 100 miles to the courthouse was a piece of cake.  The rest of the day got much more interesting!  I am not sure the clerks were ready that morning for 2 knowledgeable genealogists who “knew the ropes”.  Armed with candy to sweeten the clerks, the search began.  With so many requests for different types of records, the clerk gave up and ushered us into the vault and turned us loose.  Those ladies had a list of what they wanted! Since I was the “go-fer”, I was delegated to go to another floor for marriage records.  The list overwhelmed the clerk and she was more concerned who was going to pay the $1.00 for each record.  I assured her; you pull them; they will pay! Back down the stairs I went and informed them of the cost.  As I recall, it may have been $10.00 for the marriage certificates found.

Meanwhile the ladies had discovered the ledger books.  I don’t recall what was in the books but they were huge.  By then the clerks realized these people know what they are doing so we were allowed to use the copy machine and copy the needed pages from the ledge books.  Sounds simple, right?  The books were huge and heavy.  It took the 3 of us to manhandle those books on the copy machine!

And as we were walking out the courthouse, the Superintendent of Schools office was discovered.  I may have been tired, but not those 2!  Sprinting into the office, they inquired of school records.  We were told to go to the basement!  And there in the dusty basement on shelves were disorganized school attendance books. 

My only find that day were school attendance records for my husband’s ancestors!  

I finally looked at my watch and panicked.  It was after 5 P.M.  I had visions of being locked in the courthouse for the night.  

#8-PHOTO #52 Ancestors Grosskopf or Grosskop

Grosskop, Grosskopf, Grosscup.  Many different variations of spelling.

While thinking of photos for this week's challenge, this one immediately came to mind.  It is one of the few pictures/memorabilia from this family line.  My husband’s grandmother was Maria Barbara (Mabel) Grosskop. It is a picture that invokes many questions.  

Grosskopf Family

Back row:  A cousin

Middle Row:  Maria Barbara (Mabel), Katherine with baby Katharine, Konrad,  and Konrad’s brother and his wife.

Front row:  Conrad, Carl (Shorty), Fred, John and the children of the brother-a boy, baby girl and girl.

The family were, Germans, living in Russia in the colony of Frank.  Frank was a Volga German colony founded 16 May 1767 by families from Mecklenburg, Pfalz, Saony and Dermstadt-Isenburg regions of president-day Germany.  The Russian name is Medvyeditskii Krestovyi Buyerak.

The information I have found on Ancestry passenger lists state that  Konrad and Katherine Grosskop, (which are my husband's great grandparents) and family left Liverpool, England on 5 April 1911 on the passenger ship “Friesland”.  They arrived in Philadelphia on 16 April 1911.  They had $120 when they arrived in the United States.  When they arrived in Philadelphia, the family included a toddler,  Alex, age 2..   Maria Barbara (Mabel), Leroy's grandmother, would have been 14.   They were going to a brother-in-law, Johann (John) Reinick in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The passenger list states that Katherine was pregnant.  Katherine had a baby boy, Jacob, on 9 September 1911 in Ballantine, Montana. 

I question if this picture was taken on the dock in Odessa.  Obviously Alex is not in the picture.  And Mabel doesn’t look 14.  Katherine was born in 1906 and in this picture appears to be less than a year old.  Estimating the picture from age of children, I think the picture is about 1907.  How did they get from Frank, Russia to Odessa, Ukraine/Russian on the Black Sea and then to Liverpool, England?  Maybe there is a passenger list, so far I haven’t found one.   

And how did Konrad have $120 when he arrived in Philadelphia?

Why did I use this picture in the challenge?  

I hope that someone can help in identifying and providing more information on this trip.  I wonder if this picture is the possession of other family members (other than the immediate family).  Does the brother’s family have the picture with more information? Can anyone identify the man in the back row?

And does anyone know of the travel or passenger lists from Odessa, Russia to Liverpool?

Maybe somehow, someday there will be answers to the questions! And a family story will be retold and mystery solved.

LOVE. #7 #52 Ancestors

#7 LOVE  #52 Ancestors

Contemplating the topic of LOVE and deciding what to write has been a challenge!

I don’t know of any outstanding love stories, although I know that many of the ancestors of both my husband and mine were married for 50 years, one for 57 years.   I haven’t found any steaming love letters either!

I do know that my ancestors LOVED family history; both maternal and paternal.  Through their collections I learned to love family history.  Was it love or genetics?  The collection includes family group sheets, pictures (before 1900), letters from 1820, funeral cards, and newspaper clippings.  At least 5 generations loved family history enough to keep the memorabilia.  

The other constant love through many generations of both my husband’s and mine has been land.   I have documented land ownership to the 1820’s.  Why did they own land? Was it a way to get ahead or survive?  Leaving land in Missouri and crossing to Oregon on the Oregon Trail in 1845 meant the availability of obtaining more land. Moving to Washington in 1859 meant owning their farmland.  Moving to Montana in 1916 to homestead meant free land to ranch.  

Why own the land?  I think it meant control of your life and income and subsistence from the crops you raised to feed your family.  There had to be love in order to continue to battle the harsh life of agriculture and deal with the issues of weather, price as well as the hard work.  

I am the 7^thgeneration to own land following the footsteps of my maternal ancestors.  We continue the love of agriculture raising crops and cattle.   My other family lines (including my husband’s) also owned land, but I have not documented them for as many generations.  

When does it become love or genetics?

#6 Surprise-DNA Match . #52Ancestors

#6 – Surprise   #52 Ancestors A DNA Match        

Surprise! Genealogy is always a surprise when you open up records and read the information!    DNA matches seem to bring the biggest surprises.

Who is that name listed as a first cousin to my husband’s DNA?  The name was totally unknown and since I research his family; I was familiar with names.  Surprise!

A contact was made with the administrator of the DNA.  The story unfolded that the DNA was from a woman who was adopted 71 years ago.  Surprise.  And she had information indicating who her mother was.  Surprise.  But the location of the birth was a surprise as it was not in the birth mother’s family’s location.  Obviously the mother had been sent away in 1947 to have a baby, but the location was odd.  And then a surprise clue from my mother-in-law led me to include more family on the Ancestry tree.  And sometimes those shaky leaves in Ancestry are helpful! Surprise!  Unbeknownst to many, there was a relative living in the birth location as the public records on Ancestry led to the residence of an uncle of the birth mother.  None of us knew that the birth mother had lived with her aunt and uncle. 

Since all the players are deceased in the story, it was difficult to learn or trace.  The mother has numerous siblings and surely one of them knew.  There are only a few left and all claimed not to know a thing.  One even denies that DNA works!  But surprise—I received a call to tell me that she was told by one of the birth mother’s siblings that she had given birth to a daughter. 

The biggest surprise was who the birth mother was.  I would never have considered her without the information from the adoptee.   I would have liked to connect the birth mother with her daughter.  I can’t help but think that the birth mother would have been overjoyed. 

 

I haven’t given names, as there are living people still involved.  Many of the family have yet to learn of the story.

I created a collage of family pictures, including the new cousin, and the family resemblance is remarkable.

It was a pleasure to confirm her birth mother and give her family history; something she has been seeking for 71 years. 

We plan to meet the “new 1^st cousin” in 2019.