Wordless Wednesday – Ernest Ward

Passport Photo of Ernest Ward, dated May 1918

My husband's grandfather.

2012 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Amanuensis Monday – Encouragement from Leivers of Eastwood

“An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them.”

This letter is one of a few letters in our possession in which Ernest’s rights to his adoptive father, William Ward's estate are challenged. Previous letters have been posted regarding his adoption by William and Hannah Ward of Nottingham. (Ernest Ward is my husband's grandfather.)

Here, Lily Leivers (Hannah’s niece) sends words of encouragement to Mrs. Smith (see previous posted letter) and support for Ernest’s legal rights.

[Stationary Heading]

 

MEMORANDUM

From W. LEIVERS, STAR LIVERY STABLES, VICTORIA STREET, EASTWOOD, NOTTS. Telephone No. 1 X 2, Langley Mill.

Oct 21 1913 To Mrs Smith

[Letter]

Dear Mrs Smith.

Mrs Naylor came in last night and brought the letter which you sent her, and we were surprised to hear contents.  I being a cousin to Ernest Ward thought I would write and ask you to tell him he must not doubt in the least that he is not Mr Ward's son for all his relations here always have said that Mr Ward was Ernest's own Father so that he must say he is his own son and he will have just as good chance as Mrs Ward for if they say he must prove it, they will have to prove he is not, so I thought I must write and tell him he must not doubt for one moment but why he is son to him, and in the meantime we will do what we can to try and find out all.  I think it would be best to engage a lawyer.  If we knew what his mother's name was?  Where he was born?  And his age?  We could certainly get his birth certificate, but we will certainly do what we can for him and let you know.  Mother and Father both join with me in love to Ernest, with best of wishes and yourself.  Trusting we shall get to know something satisfactory but he must be sure to not doubt at all about the matter.

I remain

Yours very sincerely

Lily Leivers

[Diagonal note]

acted as nurse from time taken till they left old country.

This is the same Leivers family who started the “Star Livery Stables” on Victoria Street, in Eastwood, Nottingham, England and next door to the birthplace of the author DHLawrence.

As the back drop for his characters and settings, Lawrence employed his birth place of Eastwood, which he disguised as ‘Bestwood Hill’ in his book, Sons and Lovers. In it, he recreated the mining countryside and the mining communities of his youth.  Lawrence incorporated the fictional names of Leivers’ cab and Leivers’ Garage from the William Leivers’ Star Livery Stables next door.  This family business of Star Livery Stables would evolve to become ‘The Eastwood Funeral Partnership’ of today.

Additional information on some of the Leivers family, Eastwood, and mining can be found at Miners and Their Families.

A Leivers family outing in front of DHL's birthplace. 
Evelny is standing on the step and her sister and mother are seated in the carriage.
Photo from article Lord and Starbuck Families 

 ©2012 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Amanuensis Monday – Proving the Entitlement a Son

“An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them.”

This letter is one of a few letters in our possession in which Ernest’s rights to his adoptive father, William Ward's estate are challenged.   Previous letters have been posted regarding his adoption by William and Hannah Ward of Nottingham.  (Ernest Ward is my husband's grandfather.) 

[Page 1]

[Page 2]

[Page 3]

[Page 4]

[Page 5]

 Letter Transcription:

[Page 1]

May 28th 1914

Abbott and Pearce

Attorneys at Law

Dear Sirs

I certainly hope that my letter will be of some help to you in helping Mr Ward to prove his true relation to Mr Ward his father now deceased.  I have know(n) Mr Ward (Ernest) for many  years also his mother and father. Our home was their home on many occasion.  During the time they lived in Chicago we were more or less together as Mr. H. Ward was unemployed for some time and that made it so they were to my house considerably.  We were always the best of friends and being of English birth we enjoyed each (of) them very much and exchanged our confidences with each other. Mr. H. Ward always spoke of Ernest as his son to everyone that I ever heard him speak to.  Mr and Mrs Ward were devoted to their son Ernest.  We were not friends of Mr Wards at the time he was adopted and I do not know the name of the town w(h)ere they were at the time.

[Page 2]

I do know that Mr and Mrs Ward said it was a country town where they were and that Ernest was born there and finally they left that place and went to Eastwood his mother's home town and stayed there for a while and left there so that they might cover up the mistery of Ernest birth as His father and mother were very careful to have it known that Ernest was their child.  Mr and Mrs Ward told me that they had papers written and all kept ready to give to Ernest when the proper time came.  Mrs Ward told me that they had everything arranged so that if anything happened Ernest would have the letters and all that they had was to be Ernest.

Mr Ward took a trip to England several years ago and on his return he came to visit us in Kansas City and stayed several weeks just before he left he went to his trunk and took a chamois bag which contained the jewels of his dead wife and told me to take my choice of one of the things which I did and then he said what was left were to be for his son along with whatever other worldly goods

[Page 3]

he possessed as Mother and I have worked hard for that boy of mine.  In answering question (4) all I know which are facts enough in themselves are Mr Wards own words in speaking of Ernest as my son.  Mr Ward was a devoted father to Ernest.  I remember at the time they lived at Willow Springs Ills Mrs Ward told me it almost broke their hearts to have to tell Ernest he had been adopted   I believe he was 18 years old then. I cannot express my self in writing as to their love and devotion to Ernest.  I do wish you might get the letters and papers that Mr Ward had kept for Ernest as I am sure they would tell us everything we want to know Do you know whether the lady he married has the letters and papers which Ernest ought to have as his own property.  I wish I were in England right now I know I could get all the information we need.  I would go on to Eastwood and from one to another I would get the needed information.

[Page 4]

They need a little more energy and get up to them if they had it would not take long to straighten this problem out.  There are so many times I might relate to you as to how Mr Ward would say that boy of mine and the mother would just look with her sweet expression as though Ernest was the only boy in the world.  Question (6) Mr Ward said that the reason they came to America was to stop the talking of a number of old women over there (England) as there was no telling what they might tell Ernest __ if there is to be any telling I want to be the one to tell it and who should tell it but his father and when he get ready to tell it he shall know it all even though he might suffer untold pain. At that time I did not pay much attention to that as I never thought anything like this might come to Ernest.  I do hope you will be able to help Ernest in obtaining his rights as I am sure his father never intended that Ernest could not have what was intended for him.  Would like to hear of a favourable outcome of this matter. 
Yours respectfully Mrs. Thos. Smith,

over

[Page 5]

Have you written to Mrs Leivers at Eastwood she might be able to help in some way to get you in touch with she right person that could give the name of the town where Mr and Mrs Ward were at the time they took Ernest, but then all the people in Eastwood know Ernest as the son of Mr Ward.  So I do not know wether it would be of much use to take up that time.

Mrs Thos Smith

119 E. 25^th Street

Little Rock

Ark

I hope you will be able to understand my letter as it is somewhat disconnected.

©2012 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Surname Saturday – Lander

This apparently simple surname is in fact one of complex origins according to the surname data base. It may be a development of the Olde French "Lavendier" which was usually anglicized to Launder and Lander, and describes one who owned the local laundry, and was therefore occupational.  The same word was confusingly applied to a textile worker who washed the cloth after dyeing.  However, a larger number of British name holders will have a Germanic or Anglo-Saxon origins, and sometimes with a later 17th century Huguenot entry as well to thoroughly mix the brew.  In this case the name is topographical and describes a countryman, one who lived on the land, as opposed to a city dweller.

Bleaching Ground by de Momper and Jan Brueghel II,
early 17th Century

Another origin of the name traces to the town of Landau in Germany, but I, at this time, do not think this family branch goes back in this direction.

It’s interesting to note here, that during my research, I have found this surname spelled many other ways.  This may have occurred when the information was gathered during the time of the census, or the transcriber may have translated the script differently than what was actually written.  Some other examples found besides the ones listed above include Landess, Landere, Landes, Lanner, Landis, Lauder, Larder, Landry, Landers, Landen, Alander, and Sander to name a few.

In any case, I have had to be very open to misspellings for this surname.  It has also been helpful to seek the same document (i.e., census record) but indexed by different organizations, such as Ancestry vs. Heritage Quest.

My husband’s known family history (handed down) begins with Warren LANDER and Trypheni/Tryhphena BILLINGS of Brighton, Somerset, Maine.  I spent a lot of time searching for Billings and I now believe that the evidence points to Tryphena PICKERING and that Billings was probably her middle name.  If this is true, then they married in 1836 in Brighton, Maine and my husband’s great grandfather was one of at least five children (four girls and one boy) from this union.

It was 3 November 1845 that Warren and Trypheni became parents of a son whom they named Warren James LANDER.

“At an early age he removed with his parents to Kingston, Wisconsin.  When he was seven years of age his father died.

In the autumn of 1865, Warren entered Lawrence University at Appleton and graduated as Bachelor of Arts in the summer of 1869 as valedictorian of his class.  He was admitted to the bar in Outagamie County in 1870 and in 1871 took up his residence in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Soon after he settled in Green Bay, he was elected city attorney for Fort Howard and filled this position for six years.”

Green Bay and Fort Howard 1867

On 21 October 1875, Warren married Miss Annah Elizabeth Watson, (born 2 March 1849 in Newbury, Sank County, Wisconsin). The wedding took place in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Willard Lamb (Brother-in-law and sister to Annah) in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  From this union they had ten children.

The Lander family made their home in Green Bay, Wisconsin until Warren’s tragic death on 28 November 1892.

Green Bay Lawyer Hangs’ Himself.

Green Bay, Wis., Nov. 28 - Special Telegram.

- Warren J. Lander committed suicide to-day by hanging himself with a clothes line in the attic of his home on Webster avenue.  For several months Mr. Lander, who is a lawyer, has been a sufferer, having only recently recovered from a severe illness, which culminated in a brain trouble. Though suffering considerably he at- tended to his office duties during the past months until a few days ago, when he was again taken severely ill.

Regarding the character of Warren James Lander, it was stated that, “Mr. Lander was a man of more than ordinary intellectual power, he was an able and successful advocate; being of industrious and persevering habits he soon attained a high standing at the bar and acquired a competence for himself and family.”

©2012 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Those Places Thursday – A Day in Hollywood

I gave my husband a slice of family history this year for Christmas:  tickets to see It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Okay, maybe that’s not quite the family history you may think of, but this movie happens to be my husband’s all-time favorite and his family roots stretch into the Hollywood area.  In fact, his family owned a house on Hollywood Boulevard in the late 1800’s.



Lander Home on Hollywood Boulevard, late 1890's

This all started a couple of weeks ago when I was searching for places to visit in the Los Angeles area for a possible family reunion in 2012.  I stumbled upon an article about the recent restoration efforts of the Egyptian Theatre and then happened to notice the list of coming attractions.  I was so excited to see my husband’s favorite on the list.  I called the kids to confirm their availability for the date and then bought tickets.

We had a great time.  First we drove up the coast and saw some of the areas where the film was shot.  My husband got nostalgic and showed us the hill that he, as a kid, used to race down on his Flexy Flyer, and then traveling east on Sunset Boulevard we saw Paul Revere Middle School, his junior high alma mater.

We got to our destination a couple hours early so we could check out some of the sights. 

You can’t step out on Hollywood without stepping on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Once a century ago, sweet citrus trees and palms populated the Boulevard.  Today, this public “monument” now lines the thoroughfare.  It consists of marble and bronze stars embedded into the sidewalk as memorials to individuals who have made an impact on the entertainment industry.

Mel Brooks on the Walk of Fame

As we walked and read the many stars at our feet we completely missed the entrance to the Egyptian Theatre and had to double back.  Registering where it was located, we crossed the street and went to Hollywood and Highland for dinner.

Hollywood and Highland Complex, December 2011

The Hollywood and Highland complex today is home to the Kodak theatre and a shopping complex that wraps around the back of the Chinese Theatre. The elephants and monolithic wall pay homage to D.W. Griffith's Gates of Babylon from his film Intolerance.

The original gates stood a few miles east where Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards (possibly near my husband’s ancestral Lander home) meet in East Hollywood. They stood until, termite infested, they were declared a public nuisance and torn down.

Moving west along the Boulevard, we visited Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.  This landmark theatre was commissioned a couple of years after the success of the Egyptian Theatre.  It opened May 18, 1927, with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille’s film The King of Kings.

Grauman's Chinese Theatre, December 2011

It’s a grand and beautiful structure but the most popular and unique feature is its forecourt.  This area is filled with concrete slabs which display the signatures, footprints, and handprints (even Sonja Henie’s skate blade marks) of popular motion picture personalities through the years.  (Unfortunately, this attraction in later years would pull the attention away from the Egyptian Theatre.)

After lingering on the steps of the Chinese Theatre and trying to fit our hands and feet into the cement impressions, we proceeded east on the Boulevard to the Egyptian Theatre.

The Egyptian Theatre, 1939

The Egyptian Theatre was originally built in 1922 by showman Sid Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman.  It cost $800,000 and took 18 months to construct. Seeing it today, this magnificent theatre has been carefully restored honoring its past and its original Egyptian Revival style - a fad in the 1920’s which was inspired by the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922.

When it opened on October 18, 1922, the Egyptian was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premier, Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks. And, because the original film cost over $1 million to produce, the admission price to the premiere was $5.00. 

The Egyptian Theatre, December 2011

Eighty-nine years later, our family enjoyed our first-ever movie, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World inside this historic theatre at a cost of $11.oo a ticket.  I’d say that’s a great price to pay for a wonderful day of entertainment and a slice of history.

©2012 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved