into the mind of a teenager ... 100 years ago

Odin in 1906, from his high school year book

My great-grandfather Odin Wadleigh was born in 1888 in Cannonsville, New York. He spent his youth in Buffalo, Deposit and Binghamton, New York. He kept a diary for the entire year 1906, which has been passed down in the family and survives as a priceless heirloom.

The diary was written when he was 17 and 18 years old. It describes - among other things - the end of his senior year in high school, applying to college, moving away for his first job, his relationship with his girlfriend and his appendicitis.

If interested, you can read the entire diary on my website.

The following are some excerpts from his diary:

On his girlfriend Eva ...

January 17, 1906: "This noon I went over to speak with Eva and she did not speak. I felt pretty much put out and was mad for a while."

February 11, 1906: "Eva is as prim as ever. I wish she would come down just a little and let me kiss or hug her just once. I don't see what harm it would do for I am no stranger to her."

February 14, 1906: "I as usual acted up and Eva was rather disgusted."

March 2, 1906: "I wrote a note to Eva and apologized for my conduct. She would not answer. I was on the anxious seat all day for E is too good a girl to lose."

July 28, 1906: "Eva was a little cross all the morning. In the PM, I plagued her until she cried.  Then she was mad the rest of the day. So was I. It was mostly my fault anyway."

December 25, 1906: "I cuddled Eva some and teased (and stole) 4 dandy kisses. I like Eva better all the time. I could love her if I don't already."

(Odin and Eva continued to date until they were married 6 years later in 1912. They had two sons, Eric and Gerald. Sadly, Eva committed suicide in 1921.)

On high school ...

February 19, 1906: "Studied like all, all day long and went to bed with a raging headache."

March 9, 1906: "We had a trig review and although I knew the proofs perfectly, I hurried so I only got 71. It made me mad."

June 22, 1906: "Graduation exercises this evening. They went off fine. Got my diploma and now I am an alumnus."

(In his senior year of high school Odin took English, Trigonometry, German, Chemistry and History.  In his diary he mainly mentioned his Trigonometry and German classes.)

Odin, Eva (center) and an unknown friend, in about 1912.

On applying to college ...

February 9, 1906: "I got a letter from Cornell in which I found that I can not enter with my present subjects. So I decided to give up Cornell and work for Syracuse. Between my disappointment and my temper I had no dinner nor breakfast."

June 28, 1906: "Well I got a letter from Syracuse this a.m. which said my scholarship was not good for engineering. It broke me all up. I could not work all day."

(Although Odin did not get into Cornell University or Syracuse University, he did not give up.  He eventually attended the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he graduated in 1910 with a degree in electrical engineering.)

On working ...

August 31, 1906: "Went down to the G. E. Works.  Mr. Whimple gave me a place in the testing room at $7 a week to start with. I am much pleased.  There were about 100 waiting for a job."

September 14, 1906: "Got my first pay from G.E. today, $5.57.  After paying my board I had $1.25 left, $2.00 on hand, making $3.75."

September 17, 1906: "Worked until 9:30 today and got 15 hrs."

(Odin worked for General Electric for about two years.  He then moved to New York City and worked as an engineer for a railway company.  Then in 1912 he moved to Indianapolis and became an engineer for the Sanborn Electric Company, and eventually became its president.)

On family ...

September 1, 1906: "After supper Mother and I went out shopping and got some things for me. This is the last time we will poke around together. I kinda hate to go."

September 3, 1906: "Mother, Gerald and I had a little cry together. Father went to the train with me."

(Gerald was his little brother. Odin was moving to Schenectady for his new job.)

On visiting relatives ...

February 17, 1906: "We are all glad Inez has gone. Benjamin Franklin said fish and visitors stink in 3 days. He got it right."

(Inez was his aunt from New Hampshire.)

On current events ...

April 18, 1906: "There was a terrible earthquake in San Francisco this A.M. It killed 3,000 persons and destroyed many buildings. Fire broke out and because the water works and pipes were destroyed, could not be stopped. They are having an awful time. We do not know all about it yet."

On food ...

February 24, 1906: "Had some grape fruit for breakfast, the first I ever ate."

July 31, 1906: "Menu for the day.   Breakfast: sliced bananas and cream. fried eggs. coffee. Supper: boiled potatoes, cold ham, black berries, lettuce, ice coffee, bread.

On quitting smoking ...

June 30, 1906: "Eva would not tell me to stop smoking, but said she wished I would. I will smoke once more and quit for as long as I can."

one of the pages from Odin's diary
on his 18th birthday

July 6, 1906: "Stop smoking makes my head ache."

On losing his temper ...

March 10, 1906: "I have become so in the last six months that if I am beat or bested or disappointed in any way it makes me mad. It is foolish I know but I am trying to overcome it."

On an appendicitis ...

January 20, 1906: "About two AM I awoke with terrible cramps in my stomach. Nothing did any good and I was in agony the rest of the night. About 9 mother sent for the doctor. He gave me two hypodermics of morphine. I went to sleep and slept till 2 in the PM. When I woke I felt fine and the pain was gone."

November 26, 1906: "Sometime in the night my old ache back back to me and it is the worst yet. I had Dr MacDuval and he called it appendicitis and recommended an operation as soon as I was able."

December 2, 1906: "Had a little pain in my side. It scared me so I had to come home. Said good bye to Eva because I may never see her again."

December 4, 1906: "This morning Dr. Beardsley gave me chloroform and I did not know anymore until 11:30. The operation was over and I was very sick to my stomach, which pained me very much due to the ether gas."

pioneer feminist

Josephine Martin Plymale in about the 1870s, at the
time she was most active as a Women's Suffrage Activist.
Photo courtesy Southern Oregon Historical Society

My great-great-grandmother Josephine Martin was a fascinating woman and an early feminist.  She was born in 1845 in Missouri and crossed the Oregon Trail with her family in 1846, spending the formative age of 10 months to 15 months living in a covered wagon.  The family settled in Oregon where they lived in Lafayette (1846-1851), Winchester (1851-1859), Roseburg (1859-1861) and Myrtle Creek (1861-1862).  In about 1862 (at about 17 years old), Josephine left her family and moved to Jacksonville, Oregon, where she became a school teacher.  She also lived briefly in Josephine County, Oregon. She was married to William Plymale in 1863.  They lived on a farm in what is now Medford, Oregon from 1863 to 1875.  Between 1875 and her death in 1899, they lived in Jacksonville, Oregon.

Josephine "Josie" was first and foremost a wife and mother of 12 children. She was also a Women's Suffrage activist, a Temperance activist, a newspaper writer and journalist, a noted speech giver, a candidate for political office, an orchardist, a farmer's advocate, a school teacher, a member of various civic organizations, and a town clerk employee.

Women's Suffrage Activist

Josephine was documented as being an activist of the Women's Suffrage movement, but her specific contributions are not known.  In 1875, she was elected as a vice president of the Oregon State Women Suffrage Assocation. In 1879, she was described as "one of the most active workers in the Women Suffrage field whom we have met anywhere."  At some point during the 1870s, Josephine had acquired use of her church (Methodist) for use as a meeting for women's suffrage activists, but was later locked out by her pastor who got wind of the scheme.  Later, a scene was described where Josephine and her husband were too afraid to leave their house because of a violent mob in the street that was protesting against women's rights.  Most of Josephine's involvement in the women's suffrage movement probably took place in the 1870s, when the movement began to gain momentum in Oregon.  Women did not gain the right to vote in Oregon until 1912, many years after Josephine had died.

Josephine was also an activist of the Temperance movement, which was against the excessive consumption of alcohol.  In 1885 and 1886 she was treasurer of the local branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. In 1885 she was described as having "always been an active and able advocate of the temperance cause."  Apparently, the Temperance and Women's Suffrage movements went hand-in-hand during that time period. Ironically, her husband had at one time been given a license to sell liquor.

Her later actions also show that Josephine was a dedicated advocate for farmers, journalists and educators.

Politics

Josephine was born into, and married into, families that were heavily involved in politics in Oregon.  Her father, William Martin, served as representative in the Oregon Provision Legislature from 1848-1850 and then as a representative in the Oregon Territorial Legislature from 1850-1852.  Later, he had the political offices of Indian Service Agent (early 1850s) and Receiver of the Land Office (1856-1861). Josephine's husband, William Plymale, was an elected member of the House of Representatives of the Oregon State Legislature from 1874-1875. He also had the political office of Jackson County Surveyor (1865-1873), Deputy County Clerk (1860s-1880s), and Justice of the Peace (1880s-1904).

The surviving records infer that Josephine held the opposite political values of both her father and her husband.  Through most of her adulthood, her father and husband were Democrats whereas Josephine was a Republican (which tended to be the more liberal and progressive party of the time). In August 1888, Josephine named her youngest son after Benjamin Harrison, a Republican who was elected president of the United States three months later.

In 1892, Josephine entered the candidacy under the Republican ticket for election as Jackson County Recorder.  Apparently, the suggestion that she would consider running for office was unprecedented.  In a newspaper article, her candidacy declaration was responded to with: "That is right, Sister Plymale; if you never ask for an office you will never be refused one."  Unfortunately, she dropped out of the race or was denied inclusion by her own party.  In May 1892, the Republican Part of Jackson County instead officially nominated her nephew, Robert Armstrong, for that position (Robert later lost the election). 

In 1893, Josephine was a committee clerk for the legislative assembly of the Oregon State Legislature in Salem.  Later, in 1895, she again traveled to the State Legislative Assembly in Salem where she "was employed in the senate chamber" and brought her two youngest daughters, Emma and Marie, with her.

In 1898, Josephine performed the duties (copying records) of the Town Clerk of Jacksonville, while the clerk was absent. As part of that job, she became a notary. 

Josephine Martin Plymale, c. 1880s
Photo courtesy Southern Oregon Historical Society

Journalism and Writing

Most sources agree that Josephine was a gifted writer. She put her talent to use as a journalist. From the 1870s until the late 1890s, Josephine was a correspondent and writer for at least two newspapers: the Ashland Tidings (in Ashland, Oregon) and the Oregonian (still the major newspaper of Portland, Oregon).  Her newspaper writing that I have seen includes editorials and obituaries. In 1885, she was hired as an editorial writer for The Prohibition Star newspaper.  She was also a vice president of the Oregon Press Association and a member of the National Press Association.  Her dedication to the newspaper industry must have rubbed off on her family because two of her sons (William and Louis) also became journalists and worked for newspapers.

Aside from her journalism, Josephine was also a gifted writer in other ways.  She did a large amount of freelance work; writing essays and tributes. 

Public Speaker

Josephine has been described in contemporary records as a noted speech giver and public speaker. A few of her documented speeches are: In 1875 she gave the inaugural address to the Grange in Jacksonville. In 1877, she gave the annual address to the Siskiyou County Agricultural society in Yreka, California. In 1879, she gave a reading at a meeting of the Teacher's Institute in Jacksonville.  In 1880, she gave a speech at the Legion of Honor in Jacksonville.  In 1896, she gave the Occasional Address at the reunion of the Oregon Pioneer Association.

Farming

Josephine was raised on farms for the entirety of her childhood and youth.  When she married William Plymale in 1863, she immediately moved with him to his family's farm and ranch.  Southern Oregon is famous for its fruits (notably pears) and the Plymales had some kind of fruit orchard along with their stock farm and ranch.  On the family farm, we can assume that her husband was the better stock raiser while Josephine was the better orchardist.  Although they only farmed for about 12 years, Josephine remained a lifelong advocate of farmers and agriculture.

Josephine was a faithful member of the Grange and the Jackson County Agricultural Society.  At various times she was publicly thanked for delivering pears to fellow citizens.

Other Involvements

Josephine was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church.  She was also a dedicated member of various civic organizations including the Madrona Lodge Order of the Eastern Star (female version of the Masons) and the Ruth Rebekah Lodge (female version of the I.O.O.F. - the "Odd Fellows").   Josephine was especially prominent in the Rebekah Lodge, and served as its General Secretary, which required her to travel throughout Oregon state.  In 1890, she was elected as a delegate to the organization's national convention in Topeka, Kansas; but it is unknown if she made the trip. Additionally, she was a member of the Southern Oregon Pioneer Association and the Oregon Pioneer Association.

For a short time period in her youth (from about 1862 to about 1863), she taught school in Jacksonville.  Although she only taught for a short time period, the stint must have made its mark on her students, because more than 30 years later she was said to have "rendered very valuable service to the young people who were growing up around her."

In 1875, when Josephine and her family moved to Jacksonville, Oregon, they took over the Excelsior Livery Stable business, located in the city center (the business has previously been owned and operated by William's brother Sebastian Plymale).   They successfully operated the business for about 15 years, where they provided transportation for fellow citizens by driving and renting out horses and buggies to paying customers.  Josephine assisted with this business enterprise and must have been quite good with horses.  She herself even drove horse teams for clients on occasion.  She was described on one occasion by a customer as a "gallant lady pilot proving efficient and successful at her business."

Tragedies

In the summer of 1882, a scarlet fever epidemic struck the area and three of Josephine's children were infected with the dangerous disease.  Sadly, her youngest son, McDonough, aged 17 months, died from the dreaded disease, but her other children recovered.

In Jacksonville, Josephine and her family lived next to a furniture factory.  At 3:30 am on September 18, 1888, a fire erupted in the furniture factory and soon engulfed the Plymales' home and it burned to the ground.  Josephine and her large family (which included one-month old baby Benjamin) managed to escape in the middle of the night with only the clothes on their back.  After this, they purchased a house across the street that had been owned by the owner of the furniture factory.

The surviving sources suggest that despite all of Josephine and William's civic involvement and accomplishments, they were never very wealthy and suffered from financial hardship.  When her husband William died in 1904, their house was nearly repossessed because of nonpayment of their mortgage.

Josephine became ill in December 1898 and suffered from an undocumented illness (a "complication of diseases") for 6 months until her death on June 16, 1899, at the age of 54.  Her illness was described as "weeks and months of the most intense suffering."

Personality

The Plymale Cottage in Jacksonville, Oregon, where
Josephine lived from 1890 to 1899.

Clearly, Josephine must have possessed a high amount of energy, motivation, passion and courage.  She defied the standards of her day which required women to be meek and subservient.  In her time, she went up against her father, her husband, her pastor and her community, while still managing to maintain respect and dignity.

In spite of all of her above achievements, Josephine was first and foremost a wife and mother.  Surely, the domestic duties of a housewife and mother of 12 children required huge amounts of energy and devotion.  She and her husband were also dedicated to the education of all of their children.  Even though they were Methodists, they sent their children to Catholic school, which they considered to be the best school in town.  At least 6 of their children eventually went to college.

In 1884, when her mother died, Josephine paid for a headstone for her mother's grave, even though her father and most of her siblings lived much closer than she did.

Josephine must have had a fiery and charismatic personality.  In 1879 she was described as "sharper than lightning."  Descriptions at her death in 1899 included; "she was always ready with a pleasant or witty expression under the most irritating circumstances," "the vexations incident to rearing a large family never soured her naturally cheerful disposition," "she was always indulgent and affectionate," and "she had a kind word for every child that she met."  In spite of all that, she was described by her granddaughter (who was born many years after she died) as merely "a bad mother." She must not have been too bad of a mother though, because three different granddaughters were named after her. 

My descent from Josephine:
Josephine L. Martin md. William J. Plymale
- Benjamin H. Plymale md. Vera V. Merriman
-- Ben T. Plymale md. Patricia J. Bixby
--- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
---- Ryan Wadleigh

the leaning tower of ... Norwich

The Augustine Steward House in Norwich
(built c. 1530). From British Listed
Building's website.

My ancestor, Augustine Steward, was a three-time mayor of Norwich, England.  His house, built in the early 1500's is still standing to this day. 

Augustine Steward was born in about 1491 in Norwich, Norfolkshire. He was the son of Geoffrey Steward, an alderman and merchant grocer, who died in 1504, when Augustine was about 13.  Augustine's mother Cecily remarried to a wealthy merchant named John Clerk.  She later traded under her own registered merchant's mark as Cecily Clerk.

Augustine Steward became a successful merchant and grocer in Norwich.  The house where he lived in Norwich is still standing to this day.  Some sources indicate the house was built in 1530, yet other sources suggest that he was actually born in the house (in about 1491).  Perhaps he was born in a structure that stood at that location, but it was later torn down and replaced in 1530 by the structure which can be seen today.  Apparently because of its uneven foundation, the house has shifted over its 500 years and is noticeably leaning.  It has since been used as a butcher's shop, a broker's shop, an antique dealer's shop, a bookshop and a coffee house.  It is said to be haunted by a 1578 plague victim known as the "Lady in Grey."


Augustine Steward's portrait from the
Norwich Civic Portrait Collection

Augustine was the mayor of Norwich in 1534, 1546 and 1556 and sheriff in 1526.  He was also a Norwich councillor from 1522 to 1525, an alderman from 1526 to 1570, M.P. (member of parliament) in 1542 and a Burgess in Parliament in 1547.  In 1540, Augustine purchased the monastery of Black Friar's Church (St. Andrew's Hall) for the city of Norwich. 

In 1549, Augustine was instrumental in leading peace negotiations during Kett's Rebellion.  He had been appointed deputy mayor during the uprising.  During the rebellion, Augustine also entertained and housed the King's representative, the Marquis of Northumberland (William Parr, brother of Henry VIII's wife Katherine Parr).  The house was also used by the Earl of Warwick as a base from which to squash the rebellion.

In addition to his own service as mayor of Norwich, Augustine's stepfather John Clerk was also a mayor of Norwich.  Additionally, his son-in-law Thomas Sotherton (also my ancestor) was a Norwich mayor, as well as Thomas' father Nicholas Sotherton and various other Norwich men connected by marriage.  Augustine died in 1571.


My descent from Augustine:

Augustine Steward md. Elizabeth Read
- Elizabeth Steward md. Thomas Sotherton
-- Augustine Sotherton md. Ann Peck
--- Elizabeth Sotherton md. Thomas Warner
---- Augustine Warner md. Mary Towneley
----- Augustine Warner md. Mildred Reade
------ Elizabeth Warner md. John Lewis
------- Charles Lewis md. Mary Howell
-------- Anne Lewis md. Edmund Taylor
--------- Mary Taylor md. John Brodie
---------- David Brodie md. Susan M. Sthreshley
----------- Ethalinda E. Brodie md. Thomas A. Jones
------------ Thomas A. Jones md. Lee P. Whitlock
------------- Louetha Jones md. Newell B. Brown
-------------- Bettye B. Brown md. Paul C. Wadleigh
--------------- Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
---------------- Ryan Wadleigh

the first Muslim in America?

My possible* ancestor Anthony Jansen Van Salee was the first known Muslim to live in what is now New York City. Others have suggested that he could have been the first Muslim in the entire New World.

Anthony was born in about 1607 at an unknown location.  Anthony's parentage has not been definitively proven.  It is generally accepted though that his father was an infamous Dutch pirate named Jan Janszoon van Haarlem.  The identity of his mother has never been established, but she is usually believed to be of North African descent, the most prevalent theories being that she was from Morocco or Spain. 

The places where Anthony supposedly lived in his youth.
1. Sale, Morocco, 2. Fez, Morocco
3. Algiers, Algeria, 4. Cartagena, Spain

What we do know is that because he used the name Jansen, Anthony acknowledged being the son of someone named Jan.  Also, as an adult he used the toponymic last name "Van Salee", indicating that he was from Salé, Morocco.  In later adulthood, he also indicated that he was from Fez, Morocco.  When he married in 1629, he was listed as being from Cartagena, Spain.  Many people have accepted this to mean that he was born in Cartagena, and raised in Salee.  Perhaps he was born in neither place, but had spent time living in both.

Contemporary records also indicate that Anthony was of a mixed-ethnic background.  The most common term used to describe him was "Turk."  Other terms were: "Mulatto", "Swarthy" (dark-skinned), "semi-Dutchman", and "Tawny".  There is also a story that when his wife gave birth to one of their children, she asked the midwife whether the baby looked like Anthony or another man (she was apparently having an affair).  The midwife supposedly told her that since the baby was a bit brown in color, that it was likely Anthony's child. 

Still, other researchers have proposed that Anthony was actually white and that contemporary records indicating otherwise was simply slander or an indication that he had lived in Morocco and was not literally mixed-race.  They also propose that mixed-race theory is not possible because of the timeline.  Jan apparently worked for the Dutch until becoming a Moroccan pirate in the late 1610's, apparently indicating that Anthony could not have been the son of a Moroccan mother.  Of course, that does not prove that Jan did not have children by a non-white mother beforehand.  Also, as is stated above, we do not know for sure that Jan was even his father.

As far as I know, Anthony was never identified directly as being a Muslim, but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence which points to it being likely.  1) Anthony was raised in Morocco, where Islam was practiced, and it is unlikely he would have practiced Christianity.  2) There is apparently proof that Jan Janszoon Van Haarlem (who was probably Anthony's father) had converted to Islam, after being captured by Muslim pirates.  3) He was frequently described as "Turk" in contemporary records, which some researchers indicate is a designation of religious affiliation and not necessarily of ethnic origin.  4) An old Qu'ran (Koran) had been passed down in the family for many generations, the story being that it was from a Dutch pioneer of New York who was Muslim. After researchers had discovered Anthony's probable Muslim origins, they identified the Qu'ran as belonging to him.  5) Anthony was frequently involved in disputes with the church in New Amsterdam and was often fined by them.

Anthony was probably raised in Salee, Morocco and also lived at times in Algeria and perhaps in Spain. In the late 1620's, he moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he joined the Dutch West India Company and sailed to America in 1630.  Anthony was married to a woman named Grietje Reyniers in or after December 1629, either in Amsterdam or on board the ship en route to New York.  Grietje (or Margaret in English) was an acknowledged prostitute.  Grietje has herself become a legend of American colonial history and has been dubbed "the first lady of the night" of Manhattan and "Manhattan's first and most famous prostitute." 

In 1630, Anthony and Grietje settled in New Amsterdam (now Manhattan in New York City).  During the next nine years, Anthony and his wife had many legal disputes with the church and the town authorities and they were finally banished from New Amsterdam in 1639.  In that year, they settled on 200 acres in what is now Brooklyn (in the Gravesend neighborhood).  Because of this, he is acknowledged by some as the first European settler of Brooklyn.  The farm he settled in Gravesend was called "Turk's Plantation."  Because his farm apparently butted up against what is now called Coney Island, it was for many years called "Turk's Island."  Anthony died in 1676.

* It has not been proven that Anthony Van Salee is actually my ancestor.  My proven ancestor Jacques Barkelow was married to a woman named Jannetje.  It has been suggested (because of Dutch naming customs) that because their second known son was named Barent, Jannetje was the daughter of a man named Barent.  If that is true, one of the strongest candidates for her father is Barent Johnson, the great-grandson of Anthony Van Salee.

My possible descent from Anthony:
Anthony Jansen Van Salee md. Grietje Reyniers
- Cornelia Van Salee md. Willem Janse Van Borkulo
-- Jannetje Van Borculo md. Jan Barentsen Van Driest
--- Barent Johnson md. Maria Stillwell
---- Jannetje * md. Jacques Barkelow (*it is not proven who Jannetje's parents were)
----- William Barkelow md. unknown
------ James Barkelow md. Elizabeth
------- Flora A. Bartlow md. James Murray
-------- Mary E. Murray md. George F. Merriman
--------- Vera V. Merriman md. Benjamin H. Plymale
---------- Ben T. Plymale md. Patricia J. Bixby
----------- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
------------ Ryan Wadleigh

shotgun weddings?

From what I can yet discover, all of my known ancestors were born from parents who were married, but that does not mean that all of their children were conceived after marriage. 

This blog post is the results of my investigations into possible cases of premarital sex resulting in pregnancies and weddings.  I went through my family tree and compared the documented dates of marriage with the documented dates of birth of their first children.  The below examples include just some of the instances when children were born before marriage, or when they were born up to 7 months after the marriage.  All of these oldest children listed below were born alive and survived to adulthood (so it is not likely they were premature births).

It is of course possible for a surviving child to be born after only 7 months gestation, although that would have been less likely in the 1800's or earlier.  The most likely scenario is that these were all examples of conception before marriage. 

Minnie Thurston Hopkins, mid-1880s

---

My great-great-grandmother's sister Minnie Thurston was married to Edgar Hopkins on August 18, 1881 in Chariton County, Missouri.  Their first child, Harry, was born two months later on October 17, 1881. 

Minnie was from Minnesota, but had moved by herself to Wisconsin in her youth to work as a servant.  It was in that situation that she became pregnant by a traveling salesman from a nearby town.  They decided to get married and eloped to Missouri, where Minnie had some relatives.

---

My great-great-grandmother's sister, Mary Kling, gave birth to an illegitimate son on February 27, 1881 in Mankato, Minnesota.  The father of the child is unknown.  The baby was named Fred Kling, and was raised by Mary's parents, Christian and Dora Kling. 

---

My great-great-great-grandparents William Brown and Amanda Stephens were married on December 15, 1859 in Montgomery County, Tennessee.  Their first child, Jesse, was born 7 months later, on July 26, 1860.  Then, in the 1860 census, William, Amanda and Jesse were living in the household of William's parents, suggesting that perhaps they were not prepared to be married. 

---

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Jeremiah Tilton and Abigail Freese were married on December 30, 1840 in Deerfield, New Hampshire.  Their first child, Austin, was born 7 months later on July 28, 1841.  Jeremiah later became a Baptist minister.

---

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Isaiah Custer and Elizabeth Salehamer were married on June 5, 1825 in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia.  Their first child, Charles, was born 7 months later, on January 10, 1826. 

---

My great-great-great-great-grandparents James Stephens and Nancy Head were married on March 26, 1823 in Sumner County, Tennessee.  Their first child, Elizabeth, was born 2 months later, on May 26, 1823. 

---

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Antoni Kling and Maren Damm were married on July 13, 1822 in Rise, Denmark. Their first child, Hans, was born 3 months later, on October 13, 1822.

---

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Thaddeus Bixby and Hannah Worrick were married on December 6, 1802 in Guilford, Vermont.  Their first child, Oliver, was born 4 months later, on April 21, 1803. 

There is a story about how their daughter Annis Bixby, came to be married in 1830.  One day, she was outside hanging clothing on a line when a laborer was out working the field.  His gaze found the beautiful red-headed woman, and he decided on the spot that he would come back and win her.  He did.  Perhaps Thaddeus and Hannah met in a similar way?

---

My great-great-great-great-great-grandparents John Hill and Dorothy Allen were married on December 26, 1796 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.  Their first child, Margaret, was born 4 months later, on April 26, 1797. 

---

My great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Carl Lilienthal and Engel Kahl were married on November 9, 1792 in Lutjenburg, Germany.  Their first child, Hans, was already 2 years old when they married.

---

My great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Manassah Bixby and Elizabeth Dunsmore were married on November 12, 1765 in Lancaster, Massachusetts.  Their first child, Manassah Jr, was already 10 months old and Elizabeth was pregnant with their second child, Joseph, who was born 2 months later, in January 1766.

---

My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Peter Helm and Christina Schieffer were married on November 17, 1757 in Claverack, New York.  Their first child, Elizabeth, was born 4 monts later, in March 1758. 

---

My great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Moses Thurston and Hannah Johnson were married on May 29, 1744 in Andover, Massachusetts.  Their first child, Hannah, was born 4 months later, on September 10, 1744. 

---

My ancestors Steven Flanders and Abigail Carter were married on December 28, 1670 in Salisbury, Massachusetts.  Their first child, Thomas, was born 2 months later, on February 17, 1670/1. 

---

Things to consider:
1) It is possible for infants to be born alive after a gestation of 7 months or less.
2) It is possible that the documented dates of marriages or births are incorrect.
3) Even if all of the documented dates are correct, it is does not necessarily mean the couples in question were not married at an earlier date.  There could have been different civil and religious ceremonies, or they could have lost the documentation of the original marriage and been required to officially remarry.

fun at the beach or pool

With the summer drawing to a close, I've decided to look back on warmer weather by putting together this photo collection of my ancestors enjoying themselves in the water.

My great-grandmother Vera Merriman swimming in Lake Michigan
in about 1915, while attending college in Chicago.

The Wadleigh family swimming at an unknown location about 1929.  Back row, left to right: Mabel Wadleigh
(great-great-aunt), Louise Custer Wadleigh (great-grandmother), Gerald Wadleigh (great-great-uncle). Middle row, left to right: Gerald M. Wadleigh (great-uncle), Eric Wadleigh (great-uncle), Charlotte Wadleigh (cousin). Bottom row, left to right: Paul Wadleigh (grandfather), Gerald T. Wadleigh (cousin).

My great-grandfather Odin Wadleigh and my grandfather Paul Wadleigh, 1930's, at
an unknown location.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby burying her sister Evelyn Bixby in the sand on the Oregon Coast, about 1944.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby at the Oregon Coast, 1940's.

My grandfather Paul Wadleigh (far right) and my great-uncle Eric Wadleigh (far left), with two unidentified friends, 1940's, at an unknown beach.

My great-aunt Shirley Bixby (right) and a friend, on the Oregon Coast, 1940's.

My great-aunt Evelyn Bixby, Oregon Coast, 1940's.

My grandmother Bettye Brown Wadleigh, early 1950's, Long Beach, CA?

Left to right: my dad Randy Wadleigh, uncle Mark Wadleigh, aunt Karen Wadleigh, 1953, Long Beach, CA

My great-grandmother Louise Custer Wadleigh (seated on the right) and unknown friends. Vacationing in Hawaii in the 1950's.

My aunt Catherine Plymale and uncle George Plymale enjoying some Pepsis on the Oregon Coast, 1955.

My great-grandparents Odin and Louise Wadleigh, in Hawaii, 1950's.

My uncle Deane Plymale (left), my aunt Catherine Plymale (middle) and my mom Barbara Plymale (right), at the beach in Port Angeles, WA, in 1960.

My grandmother Bettye Brown Wadleigh at an unknown pool, 1950's.

Left to right: my uncle Deane Plymale, mom Barbara Plymale, uncle George Plymale, aunt Catherine Plymale, in 1964.

My uncle Deane Plymale and my aunt Catherine Plymale jumping into the pool, 1967.

At the beach in Port Angeles, early 1970's.  Left to right: Deane Plymale, Catherine Plymale, Barbara Plymale, Doug Wilks, George Plymale.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby Plymale (far right), with a group of her friends at the beach in Port Angeles, 1983.

Left to right: me, my brother Trevor, my brother Odin and my mom, at a beach near Los Angeles in 1992.

me, my brother Trevor and my brother Odin jumping in the pool in San Diego, 1994.

my connection to Abraham Lincoln

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Reuben and Betsy Merriman were born and raised in Connecticut.  They married in 1812, and immediately moved out west, settling in Kentucky.  They remained in Kentucky for 17 years and in 1829, moved to Sangamon County, Illinois, where they remained.  Years later, some family members stated that the move to Illinois was because they did not approve of slavery which was legal at the time in Kentucky.

This story of the Merriman family is similar to Abraham Lincoln's family story.  Abraham was born and raised in the state of Kentucky and in 1816, moved north to the non-slave state of Indiana.  The Lincoln family's decision to move was partially because of their objections to slavery.  Eventually, in 1836, Abraham Lincoln moved to what is now Sangamon County, Illinois (where the Merrimans lived), to practice law. 

My great-great-great-grandfather
William Merriman, who was 16 years old
when his parents died. 

In February 1842, Reuben and Betsy Merriman died within a day of each of from winter fever (pneumonia).  They left a large estate of 830 acres and no will to properly divide their assets.  Also left were seven children to mourn their loss: Lucinda (aged 29), Lavinia (24), George (23), John (20), my great-great-great-grandfather William (16), and twins Francis and Robert (11). 

In June 1842, the older children filed a lawsuit in Sangamon County Circuit Court to equitably divide the estate.  The case was titled Merriman et al vs. Merriman et al, as it was the adult children (Lucinda, Lavinia and George) jointly suing their minor brothers (John, William, Francis and Robert).  The lawyers hired to represent the family's case were none other than Abraham Lincoln and his partner Stephen Logan.  Eventually, all of the family's real estate holdings were ordered sold and the proceeds equitably divided between the children (although the oldest son George did purchase 360 acres from the estate).  The four minor children were also placed under legal guardianships until they attained majority.

Years later, Reuben and Betsy's oldest son George Merriman had become a wealthy and successful farmer, who had a professional presence in the county seat (and state capital) of Springfield, where Lincoln lived and worked. George "had the honor of Abraham Lincoln's friendship."

My great-great-great-grandmother Artinecia Riddle also lived in Sangamon County, Illinois between 1836 until 1851.  Years later, her son said that she was a "personal acquaintance" of Abraham Lincoln during those years and "she recalled memories of the homely barrister who later became one of America's greatest presidents and one of the outstanding human characters in all history."
My descent from Reuben and Betsy Merriman:

Reuben Merriman married Betsy Bennett
- William H. Merriman married Artinecia Riddle
-- George F. Merriman married Mary E. Murray
--- Vera V. Merriman married Benjamin H. Plymale
---- Ben T. Plymale married Patricia J. Bixby
----- Barbara Plymale married Randy Wadleigh
------ Ryan Wadleigh
Sources:

1. Merriman et al v. Merriman et al (June 29, 1842), B, 328-329, Illinois Regional Archives Depository, University of Illinois at Springfield.
2. Portrait and Biographical Album of Sangamon County, Illinois. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1891.
3. Newspaper Article, The Picket-Journal [Red Lodge, MT], Dec. 21, 1933