Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts

Monday, December 5, 2011

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories – Our Outdoor Tree

This is a continuing post for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which is hosted by GeneaBloggers as a means to encourage family historians to write about their holiday traditions. Today’s prompt is Outdoor Decorations.

I'd say that our old neighborhood had a nice distribution of holiday decorations.  Some eaves were lined with colorful lights, an occasional lighted star, or windows frosted with canned snow.  A good portion of our neighbors got into the spirit of outdoor Christmas décor, but it would actually be our house that would become a beacon in our neighborhood.

I don't know if the trees were originally on the property or whether they were planted when the house was built in 1947, but when Mom and Dad purchased our California home in the early 1960's, the driveway wrapped around two very tall trees: one pine and one eucalyptus.  The house was positioned on top of a small hill and Dad thought it would be great to string Christmas lights on the pine tree to give a festive touch to our house and our neighborhood.

My Kids Playing with the Old Outdoor Lights

Dad commandeered help from my brothers since they were light and agile and could easily climb up the tall metal ladder that was braced against the tree. The strands had the large orange, red, green and blue painted glass type bulbs; the kind that got very hot within a couple of minutes.  I’m not sure how many strands were used but it was quite a sight once lite and could be seen a couple of neighborhoods away.

Dad installed the lights so that they could be controlled by a switch in the garage.  After New Year's he would disconnect the cord but leave the string of lights up in the branches of the tree.  Each year following, my brothers were sent up to secure the strings and replace any burnt out blubs and any that had lost their colorful paint. 

 
This ritual went on for several years until eventually the follow-up bulb replacement activity ceased and Dad decided to switch the tree lights on during other times...middle of summer, Super Bowl evening, or whenever the festive mood struck him.  As a teenager this became kind of awkward…but, on the brightside (pun intended) we could always find our way home.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Military Monday - Herschel Lander with the 4th Corps Balloon Group


Corp. Herschel S. Lander, World War I
My husband's great uncle, Herschel S. Lander
(23 Jun 1890-28 May 1940), son of Warren and Annah Lander, was in France during World War I with the American Expeditionary Force, 4th Corps Balloon Group.

On back of World War I Postcard Photo reads the following:

Mr. W. J. Lander & Family
A Merry Xmas
  &
A Happy New Year
Corp. Herschel S. Lander
Headquarters Co. Balloon Group
4th Army Corps
Am. E.F.
A.R.O.775.

World War I Balloon units of the U.S. Army:
  • 1st Corps Balloon Group consisted of the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Balloon Companies.
  • 3rd Corps Balloon Group consisted of the 3rd, 4th, 9th, and 42nd Balloon Companies.
  • 5th Corps Balloon Group consisted of the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 12th Balloon Companies.
  • First U.S. Army Balloons consisted of the 1st Corps Balloon Group which consisted of the 11th and 43rd Balloon Companies.
  • 4th Corps Balloon Group consisted of the 15th, 16th, and 69th Balloon Companies.
  • 6th Corps Balloon Group consisted of the 10th Balloon Company.
Air Service World War I posters fromWikipedia
For more information, go to www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

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

Monday, August 15, 2011

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, August 14, 2011

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

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

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

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Dick Ward,Coca-Cola Driver

Richard "Dick" Ward (4th from right)
Driver for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Venice, California
©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, Hollywood Cemetery, and Blogging

Last weekend I attended the 42nd Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel.  This was my third time going to this event and I was not disappointed.  My weekend was filled with great instruction from top notch speakers, cruising (and purchasing) throughout the exhibit hall, and exchanging stories with other family historians.  I had a great time.
 
There were two highlights of the event for me.  The first was that I got to tour the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where my husband’s great-grandmother, Annah E. Lander, was interned in 1935.  And the second was to attend at the Genealogy Bloggers Summit I where I found instruction and encouragement to start this blog.

1935 Newpaper Obituary from Family Scrapbook
The Hollywood Forever Tour was fantastic.  I had forgotten my research data at home so I had to go to the office to look up where Annah was located.  The girl in the office leafed through an old log book and she found the information I needed.  Annah was in the Cathedral Mausoleum, Crypt 75, at the far end of the cemetery.


Hollywood Cemetery Cathedral Mausoleum
Photo taken June 10, 2011

Annah Elizabeth Watson Lander



Born March 2, 1849 in Newbury, Sank County, Wisconsin
Died1935 in Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California

I know this blog is a little rough and bumpy but I'm encouraged by the community and support that is available and look forward to hearing from you. 

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved