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

pets in my family tree

Often, families include more than just biologically related people.  They also include those furry (or feathery, scaley, spiney, etc.) animals that occupy the cherished positions of family pets.  My family tree is no different, and is filled with animals that were doted on and loved.  The following is a short list and photo collection of just some of the pets in my family tree.

In 1867, my great-great-great-grandfather's brother, Albert Jones, died.  His probated estate included an inventory of his personal possessions and assets.  As was usual, the inventory included his livestock holdings.  What was unusual though, is that all of his livestock were individually named in the inventory.  He had cows named: Lucky, Mary, Smith, Julia, Sally, Maria, Lizzie, Jane, Bully, Mollie, Blacky, Aggy and Nora.  He had mules named: Mollie, Beck, Sofa, Cola, Pat, Kit, Dinah, Tiger, Peter, John, and Collie.  He had horses named: Charlie, Jennie, Lightfoot and Billy.

My great-great-grandmother Julia Thurston Bixby had a pet goat that she particularly loved. Although the pet goat was something that many family members remembered, nobody had the common sense to record its name or take its picture.

Wadleigh family gathering in about 1903 with their pet dog pictured in the front.  (My great-great-grandfather Oscar Wadleigh is standing on the far left.  His mother Abbie Wadleigh is seated on the far left and his father John Wadleigh is standing third from the right.)

My great-great-great-grandmother Abbie Tilton Wadleigh and her dog, c. 1910's.

Buster Brown

My grandmother Bettye Brown and her family had a pet Boston Terrier in the 1940's. He was aptly named Buster Brown.

Buster Brown with my grandmother Bettye Brown

and my great-grandmother Louetha Brown.

Mickey

My other grandmother, Patricia Bixby, also had a pet Boston Terrier during the 1940's. 

My grandmother Patricia Bixby (right) and an unidentified friend or cousin, holding Mickey.

My great-aunt Evelyn Bixby holding Mickey, with a cat standing nearby (name of cat unknown).

Mickey at home.

Mike and Josh

During the 1940's and 1950's, my great-grandparents Odin and Louise Wadleigh had a succession of bulldogs.  I only know the names of two of them, Mike and later Josh.

Odin Wadleigh and a bulldog.

Louise Wadleigh and a bulldog.

Odin Wadleigh and two bulldogs.

two more of the bulldogs.

Odin Wadleigh holding a baby bulldog.

Lover and George
During the 1950's, my dad and his family had two pet monkeys.  One of them, a Spider Monkey, was named Lover.  The other, a Cabuchin monkey, was named George.

My great-grandmother Louetha Jones Brown holding the spider monkey Lover.   

Chipper
During the 1960's, my mother and her family had a black standard poodle named Chipper. 

My mom and Chipper in 1964 (the white dog was

a neighbor's dog).

My grandmother Patricia Bixby Plymale and Chipper.

Various pets

My dad and the family's poodle, 1960's.

My uncle George Plymale with the family's pet Parakeet, early 1960's.

My great-aunt Mary Jo Plymale Brown and her cat (Snowball?) in 1972.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby Plymale and her dogs Gus (left) and Ozzie (right), 1970's.

My dad's dog Simone (Shneemyoon?) on top of his car, late 1970's.

My Mom and her pet rat, 1971.

My brother Odin and three of our dogs, Fanny, Fred and Barney.

My cousin Ira (left) and my brother Odin with
two of our Basset Fanny's puppies, 1984.

My grandmother Patricia Plymale's cat Candy, found as an orphan kitten in the 1980's.

My mom with one of our Pygmy Goats, early 1990's.

Some more of our Pygmy Goats (including Bill, Bob and Charleen).

Three more of our pets: Fanny (the Basset Hound), Havoc (the Irish Setter) and Minnie (the cat).

My brother Trevor riding our pony Rocket.

My mom holding our pet caiman alligator, Frank, late 1980's.

My grandmother Bettye Brown Staley playing with my aunt Karen's dog Nelly. (Photo stolen from Leslie Moe.)