Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Monthly Reports on Sections

From Capt. W. DeF. Bigelow to the Chief of Service, on September 30, 1918.

580 - On very active service especially since Sept. 25 and constantly changing quarters. At present living in dug outs. Cars and equipment in good shae wth exception of a few details easily remedied. Drivers doing good work.

Not much to report for Herb's Section. On the 30th Section 580 was in Sommes Suippes, Marne. Herb at least had had a chance for a little R and R.



Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Llamas at the Festival!

I probably spent an hour talking with the owners of the llamas. These were the same llamas as last year... and of course I did not catch the llamas' names. Nor did I catch the last name of the owners, Steve and Denise. They have 8 llamas, four males and four females. And of course they both have day jobs; this is a hobby.

Me and the admiring children all wanted to pet the llamas, but the llamas would have none of it. Steve told me that they will put up with it some times, but mostly the animals were dodging our hands as we reached in to lovingly touch them. Finally after I had been with them for the better part of an hour Steve gave a child some pellets to feed them. I was like - 'WHAT! How come you didn't offer me any pellets to feed the llamas?' He had two responses, the first I don't recall, and the second was that I wasn't six. Hmmmm. I should probably learn from that.





Monday, September 28, 2015

Felting

Apparently I was drawn to felting this year. As I was last year.

Last year I made a bold move and bought my brother a felted Santa and Mrs. Claus. I was delighted by what I had seen at the Fiber Festival, but you know how it is when you see something and you think of someone, but they don't have the same experience and are wondering why the heck you bought it for them. Kinda like when you bring home wooden clogs from Holland for someone who wasn't on the trip with you. They're like 'gre-at'. But you had a wonderful time, you were surrounded with tourist shops selling wooden clogs, you love your friend, you were thinking about them; everything is all wrapped up warmly in your mind, but they are like, 'WTF?'

Well, my brother assured via text me while I was standing in the booth that his daughters loved the Santa and Mrs. Claus, so I bought them some more. Not quite as seasonal this time, but I am sure they will be brought out at the same time, as who wants to have gnomes as a center piece all year round?

The felters I enjoyed the most were Jen and Melissa Van Sant of Going Gnome. Here is their post card:





I was very saddened to read the back which communicated the passing of their Mom.

Of course, as experienced artists, they make felting look very easy. I thought I would try my niece out with the gnome project. They assured me she could do it. I bought a magazine, a video tape, a kit and a felting cushion. I thought she might like the green gnome.



After buying everything for my niece I realized that it is really I who wants to try my hand at felting... I don't even really get to shove my niece out of the way and take over her project because she lives in Wyoming and I on the East Coast. So, I broke down and bought myself a pumpkin making kit from Decadent Fibers. Wish me luck.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival!

Yesterday was a spectacularly beautiful day and the festival was a lot of fun. This year, in addition to the llamas, I seemed to be interested in the rabbits. $150 for a doe! And I saw some bucks for $75. Apparently one needs to brush them regularly.

I did see some folks spinning their hair in with some wool, but it wasn't a whole heck of a lot. Seems easier to deal with alpaca, llama and sheep, but what do I know?





Saturday, September 26, 2015

Harry Enlisted!

OMG, I don't think I knew that Harry enlisted until I found this letter. I don't believe I found this until intentionally searching for it.



And apparently I spelled Paul's name wrong, but I found him. He attended Dartmouth.



What a handsome young man. They called him 'Red' and apparently he was a very fine athlete.



Herb must be sleeping at the Hopital Miomandre. While researching the hospital I came across a book written by a guy, Dr. Richard Derby, who served as a surgeon in France - "Wade In, Sanitary!": The Story of a Division Surgeon in France. I would like to read it, though a quick look through the index did not pop up anything about Section 580.

July 28, 1918
Dear Mother,

I’ve had one letter from you this week – it was dated June 24th.

I really wasn’t much surprised to hear what Harry’s been up to. I’ve been expecting as much for some time. I know it will be hard for you, Mother dear, but it can’t be helped. It’s a nasty business and everyone ought do his share. As for me, I’m right proud of the kid. A slacker is about the meanest thing on two feet, and I’m glad we have none in the family.

It’s good to hear of Dad’s increase. Certainly it was needed and it’s little enough.

Do you know that darned package from Wannamaker’s hasn’t turned up yet. I haven’t given up hope yet, though.

Things are pretty quiet hereabouts though there’s plenty doing on other parts of the line I guess the Kaiser must be laughing out of the other side of his mouth at the Americans.

Those clippings you send are very interesting. Of course I got a look at a paper once or twice a week and the troops usually hear the daily communiques but I never see any worthwhile editorial comment.

They’ve brought a number of Polish troops up here. Most of them come from the States but they were recruited by the French – something on the plan of the Foreign Legion – and wear the French uniform except for the Polish square topped hat. They seem to be pretty good too – brought in quite a few prisoners the other day.

We’ve had quite a bit of rain lately but the weather is fine on the whole and not too warm.

Did I tell you that we’re quartered in a field hospital now. They aren’t using it now so we’ve moved in to one of the huts. It’s quite the best barracks we’ve ever had – it has regular beds in it with springs and honest to goodness mattresses. I’d almost forgotten that there were ever such things as bed springs.

If Harry’s ordered out anywhere give me his address so I’ll be able to write him.

Your affectionate son
Herb

Friday, September 25, 2015

I found several letters which I hadn't transcribed....

I am working on a project with the letters and I am confirming that I have made a copy and transcribed all the letters. I am delighted that I am being so diligent because of course I have discovered several that I overlooked.

I still don't know Karolyn's last name, though; that is still a big mystery. (I tried to find a Karolyn White, but no other pieces fell in to place - no brother Edwin. I am thinking maybe Herb met her at Syracuse... was Syracuse coeducational at the time? I just emailed an Archivist at Syracuse who helped me in the past; I am hoping she might have some time again now... I do recognize that the semester just began, but my fingers are crossed. I sent her a picture of handsome Herb, so I am hoping that will tug at her heartstrings!)

I did learn that Syracuse accepted women in the 19th century, so there is a chance Herb met her there. Wouldn't that be great?

Section 580 are in Suippes when Herb writes this letter.

Doctor Fairlee performed Herb's mother's wedding and Herb's baptism.

This is my first time seeing the names Buddha Weed and Paul Londen - I guess some research is in order....

July 21, 1918
Dear Mother,

This has been the most satisfactory week since I struck France. The war begins to look as if it might end after all. Of course we had been expecting something round here, but it came with something of a surprise. I woke up in the night when it started, out of dreaming that I was going to New York on the night boat. You know how the engines sound when one is down below – that tremendous vibration that one feels more than hears. Well, that’s just how the barrage sounded and it went on for hours. It was awful. Already there were shells dropping in the town – far back as we were – but very few, only one every ten or fifteen minutes and small ones at that. All the ambulances that were in started out right away. I stayed behind with the kitchen, etc. I was damned glad of it too, because I had had diarrhea the preceding day – in fact I had it for the next day and a half. I blame it on the water in the village. Lord knows it tasted bad enough to have caused anything. However it went away and I’ve felt fine ever since. The next day we moved up and established headquarters in a field hospital. The drives did wonderful work – traveled back + forth through that barrage just as if it weren’t there at all. The American troops in the line stood to it like veterans – the French men were crazy about them – and the line here held like a rock. By now of course it’s pretty well died out, except for the artillery activity at night. And I think Jerry won’t try any more funny work in this sector. The miraculous part of it is we didn’t have a single man hurt in the Section.

I had a letter from Doctor Fairlee several days ago. I must write him. I also had a very cheerful letter from Tom and was very glad to hear from him. Bhudda Weed and Paul Londen have been to see him while in England. I’d like to see him myself but it can’t be done.

The weather is fine – though we’ve had several bad storms. I’m in the pink – as usual. The worst is over, here at least and I don’t expect that anything further will develop in this Section of the front. Jerry had his lesson here – the dead are piled up in mounds on the Germans side, and he’s going to need all the strength he can muster at other points. I’ve seen a good many German prisoners. They don’t look much cast down. On the other hand, they don’t seem to be starved to death – but they were from picked divisions.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Rethinking the burger

Taken from the September 11th edition of The Week Magazine:

People might scoff at spending more for organic groceries, but when it comes to ground beef, it might be smart to fork over a few extra dollars. Consumer Reports researchers tested 300 packages of ground beef—equal to about 1,800 quarter--pounders—from 103 stores in 26 American cities. The results showed that conventionally produced beef, made from cattle that are fed antibiotics and other drugs to boost growth and prevent disease, is twice as likely to contain drug-resistant superbugs as beef raised without drugs or in more sustainable ways, such as grass-fed and organic. The best weapon is a meat thermometer, food safety specialist Urvashi Rangan tells CBS News. The more thoroughly your burger is cooked, the safer it is. With a steak, the bacteria are on the surface; with ground beef, you’re grinding those surface pathogens right in, Rangan says. “You’re really moving all that bacteria all around.” So it’s especially important to cook ground beef to 160 degrees, “to be absolutely safe.”

Monday, September 21, 2015

Gut Microbiome

I am so excited! I only learned about it this morning, and the course has already begun - a free on-line course on Coursera about the human gut microbiome. Of course the lead professor is from Australia (I assume from his accent) because that is where I originally heard about 'transpoosions'. On a Radiolab podcast interviewing folks in Australia who were doing leading edge research on the bacteria in our digestive tracks.

I spend a lot of time now experimenting with fermenting foods. I have some pickles going right now, plus some yogurt and some asparagus. I recently read that asparagus is particularly good as a pre-biotic, the food we eat which our gut microbiome wants as their food. Other prebiotics include foods such as Jerusalem artichokes and raw onions. (I have been adding raw onions to my salads much to the dismay of my house guests.)

I just found this list of prebiotic foods:

Dandelion greens.
Garlic and onions (and any vegetables in that family, e.g. leeks)
Asparagus.
Bananas.
Chicory (used in coffee substitutes)

We need to find a lawn with lots of dandelions now, don't we?

Here is a link to one of the Radiolab podcasts on the subject. Poop the Magic Gut Cure I am not sure this is the one I first heard, but I love Radiolab, so I am sure it'll be a great listen.

The course is based out of Colorado.



And here one can see the pickles, the asparagus, the kombucha and my attempt at hard cider....

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Back on Duty

When Herb returns he finds himself with his Section at Sommes Suippes, Marne.



Friedman was his boss in Manhattan,

I love how Herb thinks we all should have a profession. Such a forward thinking man. :)

Dang I wish I could find Karolyn. And even more I wish I could figure out why they didn't marry.

Harry, of course, is Herb's younger brother.

The Shermans are Herb's mother's sister's family.

Now, aunt Anna.... Hmmm. I might have to figure that one out. Nellie Jane only has one sister. Oliver has a brother and a sister, Ida, but no Anna. So, she could be a friend of Nellie Jane's. Not sure on that one.

I think we tried to research Nellie Graham before....


September 20, 1918

Dear Mother,
I arrived safely back at the front several days ago and was overjoyed to find that a good many letters had accumulated in my absence. There were several from you and Karolyn, of course. One from Tom, one each from Mr. + Mrs. Friedman and one from Miss Seeger who is Mr. Friedman’s stenographer. (She used to be partly mine.)

Tom seems very cheerful and has been around several times on crutches. The doctors tell him that eventually his legs will be as good as ever though it will, of course, take time. At any rate, he’s perfectly cheerful about it all and that’s a strong point in his favor. I certainly hope, though, that he will be sent back to the States.

Mr. Friedman and Miss Seeger between them retailed me most of the news around the office. Among other things, it appears that my successor has himself been succeeded. Just in time he picked himself onto a good desk job in the Navy. He used good judgment.

I of course knew that Karolyn intended to go back to Bridgeport. She wrote me all about it and put it up to me as to whether she should go on or stay. I gathered that she wanted to go so of course I was quite willing she should. I’m inclined to think she has the right idea, at that. Every girl ought to have some sort of trade or profession, just as every man should. One never knows what circumstances may arise that might make it her salvation. It’s very comforting to me to know that you get along together so nicely. She’s quite crazy about you all and naturally I’m delighted with that.

When I came back I found the section had moved back into the lines again. Things are quiet. We have a very comfortable billet here, much better than a good many we’ve had. The weather, however, is bad – wet and quite cold.

I don’t think I told you that I saw young Kenneth Lavin from the “Burgh” on leave. He came over last year with a Syracuse Ambulance Unit. Herb Blake and he are in the same Section. I saw him several times and we gossiped together like a couple of old women. Between his accounts and those of Maxwell MacDowell I think I’m fully in touch with all Troy and Lansingburgh news.

The war continues to go pretty well from my point of view and it begins to look as if there might be some end to it.

I hope Harry will be able to get in for that Photographic Service. I know he’d be crazy about it and I think it would do him a lot of good. However if he can’t there’s no use worrying about it. These are bad days for worrying.

Remember me to the Shermans and Aunt Anna, and also to Nellie Graham when you see her.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Beadlite Bag & Charles R. "Bob" Bard

I have been watching some home movies and seeing Olive in action. She is truly a lovely woman. She has a beautiful smile.

I began to think about her and why she didn't marry. She was definitely a career woman, but was that by choice? Was there an expectation she would take care of her parents as they aged? Was she gay? Certainly her mother was a big part of her life for Nellie Jane's entire life.

I found this beadlite bag with all the other memorabilia. I don't know to whom it belonged. I made the assumption it was Olive's, but it could have belonged to anyone. Maybe Margaret asked Olive to hold on to it on the sly as she married Myron in the mid-30s. Maybe Olive was engaged but he died before their wedding - I never, ever heard anything like that story, but who knows. Maybe it is not something you mention again when your sister looses the man she loves.





Hmmm.

I guess Bob didn't die. We find him at West Point in the 1930 Census, age 24. Oh, and look at this! We find him in the West Point Year Book. (All this courtesy of Ancestry.com)



I assume we found the right man, or right "sweetheart", but to which woman? I am going to operate under the assumption that Bob was Olive's Beau.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

A Permission

Oops, I was asleep at the wheel. I had this letter in my files.



We learn about Herb's little vacation here.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

William A. Kirkpatrick

I'm not sure where he might fit in my tree, but his death caught my eye so I did a tiny bit more research and found the follow article which I clipped from Newspaper.com.



We met William here. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, NY. Poor William was only 32 years old. What a tough way to go.


Saturday, September 12, 2015

A little Vacation for Herb in Aix Les Bains, France

Seems that Aix-les-Bains was/is quite a nice little resort town. Currently one can visit some of the sulfur baths here and the Casino here.


September 12, 1918
Dear Mother,

I’ve been here in Aix-les-Bains now six days, although this is the first time I’ve written you. I caught some sort of a rotten cold or la grippe or something on the way down – we were three days getting here – and up till yesterday I felt pretty rotten. I wasn’t seriously ill at any time but I certainly did feel all dragged out. Naturally my leave hasn’t been a very exciting affair. I’ve lounged around mostly and taken things easy so as to get better and today I feel quite myself again. Of course I went to the Doctor and he gave me some pills which seemed to help me. I also took several of the natural hot sulfur baths they have here and I think they helped to drive it out of me.

We didn’t have the good luck to get a good hotel, but drew a sort of second rate boarding house instead. Honestly the meals we regularly get at the front are much better. However, it’s been a relief to be in a really quiet place for one thing and the Y.M.C.A. has quite a few stunts and concerts to amuse the boys so it isn’t a bad place altogether. There are quite a few civilian visitors here – mostly women, but of course it’s nothing like it was before the war, when it offered summer attractions like those of Monte Carlo in the winter. My cold and general languid feeling kept me from going up the mountain here to look over at Mt. Blanc but I’m not losing any sleep over that.

I ran over Maxwell MacDowell here three or four days ago and have seen him several times since. We had a fine time talking over the good old days in the High School and swapping gossip about everyone we used to know. Kenneth Lavin from the ‘Burgh is also here and I had a nice long talk with him last night. He’s in the same Section with Herb Blake. There are quite a few Ambulance Service men here and I’ve seen a lot of the boys I knew in Allentown. We’ve had a fine time relating experiences.

Tomorrow we start back and will probably be back with the Section in a couple of days providing they’re still in rest billets. If they’ve moved we will of course have to follow them. I hope there’s lots of mail when I get there.

With love to all,
Your affectionate son,
Herb

We can see that Herb Blake and Kenneth served together in Section 630. Maxwell, however, is a different matter... He seems to have joined the Ambulance Corps while he was in Paris. Could that be right? Of course it could be.... I wonder why.











I have found Maxwell in the 1920 Census and he has no profession... which is unnerving. I hope he did not suffer from the war. WAIT! I have found another document - Maxwell was awarded the French Croix de Guerre and a silver star.

I took this description from wikipedia:
The 3/16 inch Silver Citation Star to the World War I Victory Medal was authorized by the United States Congress on 4 February 1919. A silver star was authorized to be worn on the ribbon of the Victory Medal for any member of the U.S. Army who had been cited for gallantry in action between 1917 and 1920. In 1932, the Silver Citation Star was redesigned and renamed the Silver Star and, upon application to the United States War Department, any holder of the Silver Citation Star could have it converted to a Silver Star decoration.



And now look what I have found... a passport photo of Maxwell.



What a handsome young man. It appears, if my research is correct, that he went on to be a lawyer, got married and had children. I'm pleased.

OK, And I just keep going... to answer my own question about this chap Maxwell... Look what I found with his passport application:





Friday, September 11, 2015

The William Arthur Ferguson Story

Quickly compiled to see what I 'knew' about my cousin Bill. Unfortunately, because he was born in 1935 it is harder to gather lot of information, for privacy reasons. His obituary was a source of most of the flesh on the bones provided by the original documents.

A fitting day to remember someone who served.

William “Bill” Ferguson was born to Norman C. and Helen Sherman Ferguson in Westchester County, New York on June 3rd, 1935. By April 1, 1940, Bill was living with his parents at 157 Hunter Street in Mount Pleasant, Westchester, New York, which the parents indicate they were living at the same location in 1935. They own their home, valued at $6,500 in 1940.

Helen and baby William Arthur

Norman and son William Arthur

According to the 1940 Census, Bills parents had a diverse level of education; Norman had four years of college, but Helen only an education to 8th grade. I would surmise based on what I know about the rest of the Sherman-Kirkpatrick family that that information is incorrect about Helen.

At the time of Bill’s early development, Helen is staying at home with him and his father is making $2,800 a year working as a teacher in the Public School System.

By 1944 the Ferguson family had moved to 55 Sagamore Street in Glens Falls, New York.

Bill at age 12

Bill graduated from Queensbury High School in Queensbury, New York. Bill was probably in the class of 1953.

By 1959, the Fergusons had moved around the corner to 170 Sanford Street in Glens Falls. Though Bill is listed as living there, the directory also indicates that he is serving his country with the Navy.

From 1944 on, Norman is listed as working at the Glens Falls Insurance building either as the building manager or the building superintendent.

After returning from the Navy, Bill worked as a stone mason and then later as a bartender.

Bill’s father died in 1993, at the age of 93, when Bill was roughly 58 years old.

His mother passed when she was very old, at 104 years old, in 2005.

Bill was known to his many friends as "Fergie" and they remembered his devotion to his parents, his kindness to his friends, his interest in all things and his love of conversation on a wide range of subjects.

Bill died of cancer on February 17, 2010 in Glens Falls, New York. He had been being treated at the Veterans Hospital in Albany. “He never complained and brightened the lives of friends and the hospital staff with his wonderful spirit and his ability to go forward, in spite of the overwhelming medical challenges he faced every day.”

Tombstone photograph taken by Donald Martell, from Findagrave


Thursday, September 10, 2015

You know what Makes Me Sad?

What makes me sad is knowing that Ada Kirkpatrick Sherman had only one child, Helen Sherman Ferguson, and Helen had only one child, William Arthur Ferguson, and he had no children. He is the end of that line. I recognize we have so many people on the planet and we certainly don't need more, but when my cousin died in 2010 he was the end of the mingling of histories and DNA.

When Ada and William got married, as announced here, they didn't know what their legacy would be... I pray that they were happy together.

I have a number of photographs of Ada's family. I wonder what happened to William's things when he passed. I feel blessed to have the photographs I do have in order to remember my cousins.

Helen was clearly a good friend to Olive and Margaret.

Helen Sherman Ferguson as a baby

Helen and baby William Arthur

Your verbose blogger and Helen Sherman Ferguson in 1999 in Glens Falls, NY

we have seen this photo before - Olive, Helen and Margaret on Lake George


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival

This will happen on September 26th and 27th this year. (The card below is old! I had picked it up in 2014, but was unable to attend.)
I went in 2013, but not since. It is a small festival, but growing, I am sure.
Check out their web site to get more information.



The Washington County Fairgrounds are only 30 miles from Troy, NY - where Herb grew up.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

More Kirkpatricks at Oakwood Cemetery

OMG - I had no idea....

I just discovered a list of Oakwood Cemetery interments, 1851 - 1872. So easy to search through. I can find my earlier Kirkpatrick relatives... and all the others. And this lists parents of the deceased! What a gold mine!

So, my missing grave entries...

826 01/07/1856 Rachel Kirkpatrick Lansingburgh, N.Y. 17y 2m 7d Lansingburgh, N.Y. Consumption Andrew Kirkpatrick Jane Kirkpatrick A19

I can now tie her to her parents in Findagrave!

828 03/05/1858 James Kirkpatrick Lansingburgh, N.Y. 1y 7m Lansingburgh, N.Y. Inflamn of Bowels James Kirkpatrick Mary Jane Kirkpatrick ?

1250 05/03/1861 John J. Kirkpatrick Green Island, N.Y. 4y 2m Green Island, N.Y. Drowned John Kirkpatrick Sarah J. Kirkpatrick S106

1884 07/13/1864 Andrew Kirkpatrick Lansingburgh 22y Lansingburgh Fever Andrew Kirkpatrick Jane Kirkpatrick A19

This is the Andrew who died while serving in the Civil War.

2447 07/11/1866 Lotta Viola Kirkpatrick Green Island, N.Y. 1m 12d Green Island, N.Y. Whooping Cough Samuel E. Kirkpatrick Charlotte Kirkpatrick G133

2506 01/22/1850 Arthur (Snr) Kirkpatrick Ireland 58y Saratoga Coy, N.Y. Consumption Henry Kirkpatrick Mary Kirkpatrick K40

2507 02/15/1855 Margaret Kirkpatrick Ireland 70y Schuylerville, Sara. Co, N.Y. Old Age . . K40

2508 01/29/1847 Arthur Kirkpatrick Ireland 19y 7m Troy, N.Y. . Arthur Kirkpatrick Margaret Kirkpatrick K40

2870 01/06/1868 James Kirkpatrick Canada 38y Green Island, N.Y. Consumption Joseph Kirkpatrick Grace Kirkpatrick S106

2926 04/11/1868 Lillie Kirkpatrick Aspinwall W. S., Columbia, S.A. 4y Wilmington, Delaware Scarlet Fever Saml E. Kirkpatrick Charlotte Kirkpatrick G133

2978 07/11/1868 Lottie V. Kirkpatrick Green Island, N.Y. 1m 21d Green Island, N.Y. Hooping Cough Samuel E. Kirkpatrick Charlotte N. Kirkpatrick G133 Died July 11, 1866

3661(2) 07/22/1871 William A. Kirkpatrick Reading, N.Y. 32y 7m St. Albany, Vt. Railroad Accident John Kirkpatrick Jane Kirkpatrick N44

Monday, September 7, 2015

Oakwood Cemetery Section A, Lot 14 - Alex Kirkpatrick's family

Here we begin to see some married names of the daughters.... the Groesbecks and the Neals for example. William Groesbeck's parents - Gates B And Ella F. Kirkpatrick Groesbeck - are in this plot. We met cousin William with Herb here.

In Section A, Lot 11, bought by Alex Kirkpatrick on April 6, 1859, we have the following people:

Burial Number       Grave Number       Interments
827                                1                      Andrew Kirkpatrick, age at death 3-1/2 (This child was named                                                                  after his grandfather.)
7113                              2                      Jane Ann Kirkpatrick, age at death 22
12253                            3                      Alex Kirkpatrick age at death 59
13438                            4                      Morris K. Groesbeck, age at death 7 mos.
                                      5                      Maria w. FredK A Neal, age at death 23
19317                            6                      Agnes w. Alex Kirkpatrick, age at death 72
25639                            7                      Gates B. Groesbeck, age at death53
                                      8                      Morris E. Kirkptrick, age at death 75 (later moved to Section                                                                   13)
38281                            9                      Ella F. Groesbeck, age at death 70

I believe this Alex is the oldest brother of William, discussed here.

So, why did Alex buy this plot in 1859? His first child, Andrew, seems to have passed a couple years before. And where would this child have been buried first, if not here? No mention is made about a re-interment.

The second burial is Jane Anne Kirkpatrick and we know she was 22, but we know very little else about her. I assume she was not married... but, that could also be her married name.

The purchaser of the plot is the third to be buried there.

I had to look up: Mitral regurgitation is leakage of blood backward through the mitral valve each time the left ventricle contracts. A leaking mitral valve allows blood to flow in two directions during the contraction.










This is what I have put together in Ancestry.com about this group of people who share a burial plot. I am not saying it is right, but it's what I found and it can be found here for more review and analysis.



PS - Happy birthday, Frances!




Sunday, September 6, 2015

More Dead Kirkpatricks - the Plot thickens...

Well, I say 'the plot thickens,' but all I really mean is that we have another plot at the Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, NY with more people.

In Section H, Lot 168 , bought by William Kirkpatrick on July 28, 1873 (see Chas Kirkpatrick 246 Second Avenue) we have the following people:

Burial Number       Grave Number       Interments
4255                             1                       Hattie W. d. Wm Kirkpatrick d. 7/27/1873, Cholera Infantium, age at death 1y, 10m, 14d
4290                             2                       Freddie S. Kirkpatrick
3508                             2                       Still born of Kirkpatrick 4418
13437                           3                       Samil Kirkpatrick 58 (Samuel?) d. 8/13/1892, died of Bright's Disease, father Andrew Kirkpatrick, mother Jane Kirkpatrick, age at death 58
19420                           4                       Geo H Kirkpatrick 28 d. 1/9/1905, died of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, William Kirkpatrick, brother, age at death 28 and single
19459                           5                        Chas Kirkpatrick 42 d. 2/1/1905, died of Pulmonary
Tuberculosis, age at death 42
21023                           6                        Wm. Kirkpatrick 64 d. 12/4/1907, died of Chronic Bright's  Disease, Charles Kirkpatrick, brother, age at death 64 and married
29846                           7                       Lottie A. Kirkpatrick 73 d. 9/18/1923, died of Chronic Bright's Disease, daughter, Mrs. Emery Williams, age at death 73 and a widow

According to Wikipedia, Bright's Disease is:
a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. It is typically denoted by the presence of serum albumin (blood plasma protein) in the urine and is frequently accompanied by edema and hypertension.

Poor William Kirkpatrick must have gone out and bought the plot because his beautiful daughter, Hattie W., died of Cholera Infantium the day before. My goodness, your daughter dies and then you have to go spend $37.68 for 304 SF of space in a cemetery. (I can't calculate today's equivalent because the CPI calculator I found doesn't go earlier than 1913.)

We see that two other children also passed, one still born and the other, Freddie S., we don't know, but we have each child's burial sequence... it looks as thought the still born child died first, and was then perhaps re-interred as burial number 4418 in this Kirkpatrick plot.

On the bottom of the form provided to me by the cemetery, it seems that the cemetery did ask for the names of the parents of the deceased before 1900; after 1900 a relative or friend's name could be provided.

William Kirkpatrick died in 1907, at which point I assume that Charles takes over the maintenance of the plot. It seems that it is Charles who informs the cemetery of the passing of William.

I think it is interesting that both George and Charles died of Pulmonary Tuberculosis only a couple weeks apart, though the records indicate that George was living in New York City when he died and Charles was living in Troy.

I found this on Harvard University Open Collections Program web site:

Tuberculosis, also known as “consumption,” “phthisis,” or the “white plague,” was the cause of more deaths in industrialized countries than any other disease during the 19th and early 20th centuries. By the late 19th century, 70 to 90% of the urban populations of Europe and North America were infected with the TB bacillus, and about 80% of those individuals who developed active tuberculosis died of it.

Causes of Tuberculosis

For most of the 19th century, tuberculosis was thought to be a hereditary, constitutional disease rather than a contagious one. By the end of the 19th century, when infection rates in some cities were thought by public health officials to be nearly 100%, tuberculosis was also considered to be a sign of poverty or an inevitable outcome of the process of industrial civilization. About 40% of working-class deaths in cities were from tuberculosis.

Robert Koch’s identification of the tuberculosis bacillus in 1882 helped to convince members of the medical and public–health communities that the disease was contagious. Preventing the spread of tuberculosis became the motivation for some of the first large-scale public health campaigns.

Sanatoria

The sanatoria movement, which began around 1880, was an attempt to cure tuberculosis naturally and to prevent its spread by moving patients into quiet environments, isolated from normal life, where the air was pure and freely circulating. Major sanatoria included those in Davos, Switzerland, and Saranac Lake, New York.

At a sanatorium, rest in the open air was of paramount importance, and special houses, porches, and cabins were built to allow easy access to the outdoors. Because the sanatorium cure involved long periods of separation from home, work, and family, it was sometimes avoided until the disease was well advanced. Cost also was a deterrent.

The sanatorium model was adapted for use in urban environments, and dispensaries, free public clinics for the poor, also advised patients using the sanatorium model. However, following the dispensary’s advice was often difficult because of urban living conditions. If a patient had the means and the opportunity, moving to a different, more beneficial climate was another way to attempt a cure.









Saturday, September 5, 2015

Sherman-Kirkpatrick wedding - March 1899

My goodness... you'd think listing all the gifts would just be an invitation to those who intend evil....

But, it's nice to know that there was "overwhelming proof of the popularity of the young people."

We can see Oliver and Nellie Jane Lee in attendance... the bride is her sister, after all. So, are Mr. & Mrs. Lee Oliver's parents? We will never know, will we? I have seen some Lees in the same Cemetery as Oliver and Nellie Jane are buried. Wow, is there any possibility that the Troy Lees are related to my Lees?

And who are all those other people? Obviously friends and family... so, who are family and who are friends? Perhaps I should go back to that church record in Philadelphia and look at some of the baptismal records; that might be give me a clue. I see all those people with the last name Wright - where do they fit in? They have to be related, right? Ada Belle's mother is a Wright...