Wordless Wednesday - Lander Camping Trip



  Camping at Pismo Beach, California in 1919

(Left to Right) Herschel, Warren, Lois (4 yrs. old), Florence Lander

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Tombstone Tuesday - Pelatiah and Elizabeth “Betsy” WATSON

Family history handed down from my husband’s side of the family has a Pelatiah WATSON married to “Betsy” (*maiden name was unknown), and they are parents of four children:  James, Louisa, Candace and Sally.

What I have found (still pending primary sources) is Pelatiah WATSON, born in 1776 in Vermont.  This Pelatiah was married to Elizabeth FLETCHER, who was born 1786, and was also from Vermont.  This couple had at least four children (the four previously mentioned) and two more: John and Henry. 

If this is our family (which I am almost certain), then, thanks to Find A Grave, I found Pelatiah and his wife, Elizabeth's tombstone in the Trenton Cemetery, Trenton, Dodge County, Wisconsin.

Pelatiah (1775-1857) and Elizabeth “Betsy” (1786-1863) WATSON

Trenton Cemetery, Trenton, Dodge, Wisconsin

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Military Monday - School, Wedding, and Korea

June 27, 1950. Truman orders troops to South Korea to participate in a UN force that will help repel North Korean troops from the country, the beginning of U.S. involvement in the Korean War.

One year later, on June 30, 1951, Frank Andersen, U.S.M.C., takes a short break from his Communications studies in Quantico, Virginia to marry Betty Cosby in her home town of Richmond, Virginia.  He returns to his studies and graduates in August.

August 1951-Communications School Graduation-Quantico, VA

Frank Andersen (third row back, second from left)

The following month, Frank ships out to Korea.  He will be stationed there as a communications officer from September 1951 through June 1952.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Church Record Sunday - Emmerson and Gilman in Washington D.C.

Once I was aware of the information contained in the little marriage book (see previous post), I then sent for the official Washington D.C. marriage record.

To any Minister of the Gospel authorized to Celebrate Marriages in the District of Columbia:

You are hereby LICENSED to solemnize the RITES OF MARRIAGE between
George B. Emmerson, of Washington D.C. AND Alice H. Gilman, of Richmond, Va. if you find no lawful impediment thereby; and having so done, you are commanded to appear in the Clerk’s Office of the Supreme Court of said District and certify the same.
Witness my hand and seal of said Court this 18 day of July, 1874
I, Jn. C. Smith, Minister of 4^th Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C., hereby certify that, by authority of a License of the same tenor as the foregoing, I solemnized the marriage of the parties aforesaid on the 18^th day of July, 1874, at parsonage Washington in the District of Columbia.
John C. Smith

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Surname Saturday – Emmerson

According to ancestry.com and the Surname Database, this surname comes from the English name "Emery", itself derived from a Germanic personal name Emaurri, which is composed of the elements amja meaning 'busy' or 'industrious' and ric meaning 'power'.  The name was introduced into England from France by the Normans.  The first recording of "Emery" as a surname dates from about 1182, when a Roger Hemeri was listed in the Cartulary of St. Mary, Clerkenwell (Essex).  Thus, "Emerson", i.e., "the son of Amery or Emery", is first formed as a surname in records in the early 14th Century.

The surname is recorded as Emerson, Emberson and Emmerson in the modern idiom. The marriage of Anthony Emmerson and Margarett Myles was recorded on November 1st 1584 at St. Giles', Cripplegate, London, and one John Emmerson was an early emigrant to the American colonies, leaving London on the "Abigall" in July 1635, bound for New England. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Emryson, which was dated circa 1300, Yorkshire Records, during the reign of King Edward 1, "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 – 1307.

However, our family picks up at George Benjamin EMMERSON.  George was born about 1852 in Richmond, Virginia.  

The particulars have been lost when George met Alice Hannah GILMAN, also of Richmond, but the couple received a small marriage book which shows the record of their union on 18 July 1874 in Washington D.C.  This is the first source I have on this family line to date.

This certifies that George B Emmerson and
Alice H Gilman were by me
United in Marriage according to the Law of God and of the District
of Columbia at Washington
City this 18^th of July 1874
John C Smith
Pastor Fourth
Presbyterian Church

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Workday Wednesday - Surveyor for C & O Railway

About 1928-30, after attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute, (VPI) and receiving a degree in civil engineering, Grayson COSBY goes to work for C & O railway as a surveyor.

Grayson Cosby at Work

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Military Monday - and Sports: USMC Camp Pendleton Football



1967 5th Service Batalion 5th Marine Division Football Team

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved



Sunday's Obituary – James Buchanan Murphey

James Buchanan Murphey
April 1857 – March 1942

Obituary news clipping from Ward Family Archives

First Hollywood

Merchant Dies

James Buchanan Murphey, 84, the first postmaster and owner of the first general store at Prospect Park, which later became Hollywood, died Saturday at his home, 5430 Cartwright St., North Hollywood.

Born in Iowa, Mr. Murphey came here 51 years ago.  In addition to his other activities in this area during its early existence, he served as clerk on the school board of the Hollywood Union High School.

In recent years he has made his home in the San Fernando Valley where he was a plastering contractor.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Steen Chapel, North Hollywood.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Alice Murphey; two daughters, Mrs. Grace Sanford and Mrs. Florence Lander, and a son, Earl Murphey.

J.B. Murphey, Cheap Cash Store & Post Office
 at Prospect Park, California, abt. 1900

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Cupid Goes to Berkley

Thanks to Betty’s Boneyard Genealogy Blog for posting Tuesday’s Tip: The California Newspaper Digital Archive, I have found a great article on a couple of early Hollywood, California relatives.  The article appeared in the Los Angeles Herald, Volume 33, Number 328, 24 August 1906.

CUPID STEALS
COLLEGE GIRL

INVADES GATES OF NORTHERN
UNIVERSITY

Los Angeles Attorney and
One of Hollywood's Fairest Daughters
Wedded — Couple Find Separation
Is Simply Unbearable

  Even the most steadfast ambitions of a maid with inclinations toward a college education cannot withstand some of the onslaughts of Cupid when the little blind god makes up his mind.

This was proved to a large circle of friends of Miss Florence Murphy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Murphy, and Warren James Lander, a prominent young attorney, yesterday.

Two weeks ago Miss Murphy, now Mrs. Lander, packed her trunks and started north, bound for the freshman class at Berkeley.

That was two weeks ago yesterday.  Whether it is that there is really some truth in the saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder is not clear, but the truth remains that Mr. Lander was able to stand the separation not quite one week.

The following Wednesday evening he took the train for San Francisco and Thursday morning arrived there.  He went to Berkeley and found Miss Murphy installed in the apartments which she had taken for the fall term.

Perhaps absence has much the same effect on a young woman as it does on a young man. Just what words the young man used to convince the young woman that he could no longer live in Los Angeles while she lived in Berkeley no one but Mr. and Mrs. Lander and the four walls of a room know, and they will not tell.  Certain it is that his language was persuasive, for before nightfall the girl had decided that a course in managing a pretty little home in Hollywood would be quite as beneficial to her mental and spiritual development as a course in the University of California.

That night they went to Oakland, where they paid a visit to the First Congregational church, and with the assistance of the minister they banished all further thought of colleges and careers.

Mrs. Lander again packed her trunks and for a week a very happy bride and bridegroom enjoyed the pleasures of Santa Cruz and Del Monte.  Yesterday they came home and moved immediately into a pretty house opposite to the home of the bride's parents.

Eight years ago, when Florence Murphy and Warren Lander were 13 and 14 years of age respectively, they were sweethearts.  Ever since that time they have been the closest friends, and it was understood that when Miss Murphy had received enough of college life she would become his bride.  Before she went away to college Mr. Lander tried to persuade her that she did not want to go, but he did not succeed. There is evidently nothing like trying and trying again if you would win the heart of a lady fair.

Miss Murphy is a graduate of the Los Angeles high school and a talented pianist.  She is an attractive girl with blonde hair and blue eyes and a graceful slender figure.  Mr. Lander is a graduate of the law school of the University of Southern California and is looked upon as a clever young man.  The wedding came as a big surprise to the friends and relatives of the young people.

Warren and Florence at Berkley, ca. 1906

 

I always wondered why their wedding took place in Oakland when they both lived in Hollywood. 

Thanks again Betty! 

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Mystery Monday - The Preston Cosby (Virginia) Connection?

There is a popular "assumption" that Preston Cosby is the father of Azgad Cosby (1800-1854, Gum Springs, Louisa, Virginia) and Anne Booker.  To my knowledge, this assumption has been based on the book, “My Wife’s Family,” by Noah H. Bradley.

p. 302 states the following:

AZGAD NAPOLEON BONAPARTE COSBY

Azgad Napoleon Bonaparte Cosby was the son of Anne Booker Cosby.
Anne Booker Cosby lived in the Louisa-Goochland County area of Virginia, where all the Cosbys living in the area were related. By the process of elimination, it seems possible that the husband of Anne and the father of Azgad was Preston Cosby (#111122416353). In 1829, evidently Anne was a widow, as she transferred by deed property to her son Azgad.

Also, page 270 lists Preston Cosby as :

#111122416353 Preston Cosby b cl777 (in Louisa Co 1797)

...the son of Peter Cosby (1754-1814 Louisa Co VA) a soldier in the Revolutionary War, who married Ann Eggleston.

While, I'm sure much of this book has valid data, the author used deductive reasoning to match a man called Preston as the father of Azgad Cosby; son of Ann Booker Cosby.  Unfortunately, the evidence is unclear of a Preston Cosby; in fact, I do not see a Preston at all in this area.  To complicate things further, public trees have gone rampant with this connection allowing this Cosby family line to erroneously trace back centuries earlier.

Did I miss something?

This is what I have, based upon a Virginia cousin’s research of the Cosby family:

Azgad COSBY, son of Mr. COSBY (no further details) and Anne BOOKER, was born in May 1800 in Louisa County, Virginia.  He died in May of 1854 in Gum Spring, Louisa, Virginia the age of 54, and was buried in the Cosby Graveyard of Gum Spring. 

Research has not produced a father for Azgad, however, evidence points to Anne Booker Cosby as Azgad's mother.

Anne Booker Cosby's first recorded purchase of land in Louisa County took place 20 February 1810, when she and Elizabeth Jackson Cosby purchased a parcel of about seventy-six acres.  Anne Cosby later sold her 56 1/2 acre parcel to her son Azgad for the consideration of one dollar: 

"Know all men by these presents that I, Anne B. Cosby of the County of Louisa for and in consideration of the care and affection which I bear of my son Azegad Cosby of the County of Louisa as well as for the further consideration of one dollar to me in hand paid by the said Azegad Cosby at or before the ….my seal this 31st day of July 1829."

[Signed] Anne B. Cosby
Proved and recorded 12 August 1830 Louisa County [S:271]

The transfer was also recorded in the Louisa County Minute Book:
"A deed of gift from Ann B. Cosby to Azegad Cosby was fully proved in the said office on the 12^th day of April 1830 by William S. Walton the third witness thereto and admitted to record. [1826-1831:471]

Preston Cosby has been a mystery to me.  If anyone knows of a viable connection that links him as the father of Azgad Cosby, please let me know!

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

New Found HOPE

Today is an exciting day! I have found the reason for HOPE!

The family often speculated that our (adopted Ward) ancestor was a descendant of the Hope diamond family or some other famous family.  When I started actively researching our family genealogy, I followed a link in our local (NSDCGS) genealogy newsletter to access the British Archives.  It was there I found a record of his birth.  His name was listed in the Pancras birth registry as Alexander Ernest Hope, his father was not listed, and his mother was listed as Marie Brennar.

For three generations this Hope surname had been a mystery.  In recent years, we've used DNA testing and compared the results with those in Hope data bases and, it is clear, there is no Hope in this family line.

Yet today, thanks to the internet and genealogy message boards, I have found a missing piece to our family puzzle.  Hope is not a surname at all!  It comes from where he was born.  His 1879 birth registry along with family letters indicate that he was born at 4 Regent Square in the sub-district of Gray’s Inn Lane in Pancras, in the county of Middlesex, England.

At the same time, there was a charitable institution called "Homes of Hope" which occupied three houses, No. 4, No. 5, and No.6, in Regent Square. This was a place where 'fallen women' could go to have their children if they had no one else to turn to.  Servants who had been 'taken advantage of' were segregated from prostitutes, etc.  Their slogan was "for the restoration of the first fallen and the protection of friendless, young women."

According to the Rootsweb message board, the three buildings (circa 1891)
were divided as follows:  No. 4 was devoted exclusively to the reception of young women about to become mothers, No. 5 was for young women in danger of being led astray, and No. 6 was a Reformatory Home for industrial training of penitent young women and girls.

London's  Global University has more information on the Homes of Hope within their UCL Bloomsbury Project.

So, even though we have yet to discover Alexander's natural father, connecting the Homes of Hope at 4 Regent Square, with his birth registry, and family letters, we now know where the Hope name came from.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved