An email from Ancestry.com sent me off on an unexpected online journey today. One little "Possible Record Matches" email and a couple of shaking leaves inspired me to clean up the Armstrong branch of my tree.
Years ago when I first started researching my genealogy, I contacted a distant Armstrong cousin who shared her Armstrong/Hudspith Family Tree with me, but made me promise not to put it on the Internet. I kept this promise, but in doing so, I neglected that branch almost completely. All these years later, with the help of my Ancestry World Edition, I have discovered that much of that tree was incorrect/incomplete anyway.
Even with the multitude of international records at my fingertips, I am still brickwalled with my third great grandfather Thomas Armstrong. He was reportedly born 1 Feb 1801 in Brampton, Cumberland, married Dorothy Hudspith in 1829 and then moved to Canada. I attempted to wade through all of the many Armstrong families in England, but was soon overwhelmed. I had better luck finding him later in life in the Canadian censuses and I was also able to follow many of his children and their descendants forward in time. After a couple of hours, my Armstrong branch (at least below Thomas) was pleasingly full and healthy.
Kudos to Ancestry.com for pointing out the error in my ways, but they better not do it very often or I won't get anything else done!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Amanuensis Monday - More Letters from Great Aunt Cleo, Part 2
Continuing Cleo's letter from last week:
That summer I worked in a camp across the road from our place. We had thirty boarders for meals the first one at six a.m. when they came home from working the night shift. They were mostly engineers and supervisors. They were putting a tunnel under Lake Youngs which was to be a reservoir for the City of Seattle. It was fed from the upper Cedar River. Below where the tunnel came out there was another camp of over one hundred men. My dad had built the mess hall and many other cabins for the thirty men to live in. We owned forty acres there.
For the four months that I worked there, I made enough money for my first year of college. I received one dollar a day working from six until nine in the evening. I was supposed to get two hours off in the afternoon but didn't always get it. I made two cakes a day and put up thirty lunches after the last dinner. Mrs. Cummings and I did all the work. In four months the only day I had off was the fourth of July.
The tuition at what is now Western Washington University was fifteen dollars a semester so outside of my two weeks in the hospital I had enough money for two semesters. It was the quincy that put me in the infirmary. Of course, I worked for my board and room. One place the man of the house was Bellingham's head detective. The second was head of P.A.F. Cannery. They went to Alaska every spring so I moved across the street for the rest of that year and all of my last year. There I built the fire in the furnace and cook-stove, took out the ashes, cleaned the chicken roosts and cooked breakfast before going to school. Twice a week I wiped down four flights of stairs because the doctor was coming to give Mrs. Getty her therapy to help her recover from her stroke. She was seventy three years old. The 48 and 50 year old Getty girls worked in Bellingham's leading department store. I had dinner ready the minute they walked in the door six nights a week.
The second year I got ten dollars from my dad a few times for books. All the money I made that summer was from pitting pie cherries across from the Panther Lake school.
I taught two years above Wenatchee the first two years I was out of college. It was impossible to get into King County without experience. At that time there were two thousand trying for those positions and practically no openings. Then I got hired at Panther Lake teaching the first three grades. I received 105 dollars a month for twelve months and lived at home for 25 dollars a month. I had only received 100 dollars on Badger Mt. for the actual months that I taught and paid 30 a month board which wasn't all that great. The board I mean.
After one year at Panther Lake Mom died of a strangulated hernia. I stayed home and kept house for Pop and Chick. My dad died three years later and Chick lived with me on the ranch. Violet [Jurstrum] stayed with me too. When the ranch was sold we moved to Renton renting a house from brother Ray. Violet taught in a school a few miles farther on so we drove together.
After six years at Panther Lake I got a teaching position at Lake Meridian where I received quite a raise and in addition a teachers cottage with light, water, fuel and telephone free. It was here I saved most of my money. After three years I got married to John B (Bennie) Cavanaugh and gave up teaching.
We moved into the house I was born in. I had loaned my folks money and at my father's death received property as payment. Eleven months after we were married Jack was born.
When he was two and one half we moved to Richmond Beach where Myrna was born three months later. Then we moved back to Seattle into another house I owned. It was next to the home place. My dad had built this house too. After a year we sold it and moved to the Mt Baker district into a house I had bought and rented out. Here we lived for twenty years. The children finished grade and high school and the UW while here. After Jack had one year at the U and Myrna was a junior at Franklin High I went back to teaching at Panther Lake. The first two years I taught kindergarten and the next ten years first grade.
For nine years I drove out from Seattle sharing rides with different people one of them being Violet. Then we bought a new large eight room house with two baths upstairs and a powder room on the first floor. We have really made money here since we paid somewhat over twenty six thousand cash and now 25 years later is probably nearer to one hundred seventy five thousand. We are less than a mile from the home at Star Lake where I lived as a child and attended Star Lake school. We are still here at 26511 Highland Ave. Kent as of Feb 1991...
When Jack was twelve and Myrna nine we drove through Yellowstone Park and on to Denver. We camped most of the way cooking out. Myrna was mostly responsible for the camping- she loved it. This could have been due to her scouting experiences. On the way there she wanted to stop at every river, irrigation ditch and mud puddle to go swimming. Her dad being a long distance truck driver wanted to plow right through and we made record time. In Denver we stayed a motel for a couple of days. Aunt Bess [Travis Gordon] had us for meals. We saw my cousin Paul and wife Ruth and their two children Richard and Lilah. Richard was fifteen and Lilah perhaps twenty, married with a small daughter...
Since we moved here I have lost four brothers, Everett in 1974 at seventy one years of age. He had cancer of the lungs. His two girls are Jean Hewitt at Salt Lake and Janis Moore in Vista Cal. Charles or Chick as I called him died in 1986 at 77 of Emphysema. He never married. Brother Namond or Ray as we called him died in 1987 at 86 or nearly so of strokes. He has three girls. Dorothy Snider of Bellevue, Doris Ann of Kent and Shirley Barger of Seattle. Roy the last of my brothers died in 1987 also. He had cancer of the lungs. He was eighty years old. I am left without siblings to reminisce with about my early years. Roy has five children.
I have a number of health complaints all of which have been in an acute stage for some time. They are diverticulitis, thalacemia with anemia, a severely degenerated lower back and an enlarged weak heart. None of these things seem to be bad enough to do me in...
After retiring about twelve of the teachers I taught with got together every two months for lunch in each other's homes. Also about the same number from my high school at Kent did the same. The last couple of years due to deaths, health problems and some who don't drive anymore we have given up the lunches. I still see a couple of the teachers I taught with in Auburn at retired teachers. I still keep up with a few of my high school chums. Namely Joyce, Thekla, Marguerite Gross, Helen Zanzow and Ruth Hoban...
I am one of those few people left who remember their first car ride and also remember seeing their first airplane. I remember the depression before World War One and how we lived mostly on eggs, milk, apples, potatoes all of which were from our own place. In the summers there were vegetable from our garden. My dad had four houses he rented out in Seattle but no one could pay their rent. After the war everyone paid their back rent.
I remember how worried we all were that brother Ray might have to go to war. If the war had lasted one more year he would have been old enough. My folks were so much against the army. It was probably due to their hearing so much about the Civil War. The Spanish American War could have had some influence on their concerns. My folks were even against the boy scouts because they felt it was somewhat in preparation for the army. Their dress was similar at that time or I should say uniform. All this probably influenced my aversion to making a career out of learning to kill people. My folks talked and discussed very openly things of a political and religious nature all our lives. I think this is partly responsible for my independent thinking...
The depression of '29 didn't have much of an impact on me personally but I sure saw it on so many of the people around me. I was teaching in Kent and had a steady income. Ray and Everett had good jobs with the City of Seattle. I stayed home. My dad's renters couldn't pay their rent again.
I love to dance and when Violet and I lived together we went dancing every week in Seattle. Mostly to the Trianon where Vic Meyers had a twelve piece orchestra. Violet liked to go to the Swedish Hall sometimes. I'm ashamed to say we even went in the middle of the week sometimes to do the shodishes, polkas and hambones. We always came home alone. One sure wouldn't dare do that now..."
For the rest of this letter, Cleo discusses details of her later life and other subjects not relevant for this blog. I have really enjoyed transcribing her letters, greatly appreciate her efforts and hope that more like these will surface in the future.
That summer I worked in a camp across the road from our place. We had thirty boarders for meals the first one at six a.m. when they came home from working the night shift. They were mostly engineers and supervisors. They were putting a tunnel under Lake Youngs which was to be a reservoir for the City of Seattle. It was fed from the upper Cedar River. Below where the tunnel came out there was another camp of over one hundred men. My dad had built the mess hall and many other cabins for the thirty men to live in. We owned forty acres there.
For the four months that I worked there, I made enough money for my first year of college. I received one dollar a day working from six until nine in the evening. I was supposed to get two hours off in the afternoon but didn't always get it. I made two cakes a day and put up thirty lunches after the last dinner. Mrs. Cummings and I did all the work. In four months the only day I had off was the fourth of July.
The tuition at what is now Western Washington University was fifteen dollars a semester so outside of my two weeks in the hospital I had enough money for two semesters. It was the quincy that put me in the infirmary. Of course, I worked for my board and room. One place the man of the house was Bellingham's head detective. The second was head of P.A.F. Cannery. They went to Alaska every spring so I moved across the street for the rest of that year and all of my last year. There I built the fire in the furnace and cook-stove, took out the ashes, cleaned the chicken roosts and cooked breakfast before going to school. Twice a week I wiped down four flights of stairs because the doctor was coming to give Mrs. Getty her therapy to help her recover from her stroke. She was seventy three years old. The 48 and 50 year old Getty girls worked in Bellingham's leading department store. I had dinner ready the minute they walked in the door six nights a week.
The second year I got ten dollars from my dad a few times for books. All the money I made that summer was from pitting pie cherries across from the Panther Lake school.
I taught two years above Wenatchee the first two years I was out of college. It was impossible to get into King County without experience. At that time there were two thousand trying for those positions and practically no openings. Then I got hired at Panther Lake teaching the first three grades. I received 105 dollars a month for twelve months and lived at home for 25 dollars a month. I had only received 100 dollars on Badger Mt. for the actual months that I taught and paid 30 a month board which wasn't all that great. The board I mean.
After one year at Panther Lake Mom died of a strangulated hernia. I stayed home and kept house for Pop and Chick. My dad died three years later and Chick lived with me on the ranch. Violet [Jurstrum] stayed with me too. When the ranch was sold we moved to Renton renting a house from brother Ray. Violet taught in a school a few miles farther on so we drove together.
After six years at Panther Lake I got a teaching position at Lake Meridian where I received quite a raise and in addition a teachers cottage with light, water, fuel and telephone free. It was here I saved most of my money. After three years I got married to John B (Bennie) Cavanaugh and gave up teaching.
 |
| Cleo and Bennie, 1934 |
We moved into the house I was born in. I had loaned my folks money and at my father's death received property as payment. Eleven months after we were married Jack was born.
 |
| (Right) Cleo holding Jack and my grandmother Aune holding my mom, 1939 |
When he was two and one half we moved to Richmond Beach where Myrna was born three months later. Then we moved back to Seattle into another house I owned. It was next to the home place. My dad had built this house too. After a year we sold it and moved to the Mt Baker district into a house I had bought and rented out. Here we lived for twenty years. The children finished grade and high school and the UW while here. After Jack had one year at the U and Myrna was a junior at Franklin High I went back to teaching at Panther Lake. The first two years I taught kindergarten and the next ten years first grade.
 |
| Cleo's students |
For nine years I drove out from Seattle sharing rides with different people one of them being Violet. Then we bought a new large eight room house with two baths upstairs and a powder room on the first floor. We have really made money here since we paid somewhat over twenty six thousand cash and now 25 years later is probably nearer to one hundred seventy five thousand. We are less than a mile from the home at Star Lake where I lived as a child and attended Star Lake school. We are still here at 26511 Highland Ave. Kent as of Feb 1991...
When Jack was twelve and Myrna nine we drove through Yellowstone Park and on to Denver. We camped most of the way cooking out. Myrna was mostly responsible for the camping- she loved it. This could have been due to her scouting experiences. On the way there she wanted to stop at every river, irrigation ditch and mud puddle to go swimming. Her dad being a long distance truck driver wanted to plow right through and we made record time. In Denver we stayed a motel for a couple of days. Aunt Bess [Travis Gordon] had us for meals. We saw my cousin Paul and wife Ruth and their two children Richard and Lilah. Richard was fifteen and Lilah perhaps twenty, married with a small daughter...
 |
| The Gordons |
Since we moved here I have lost four brothers, Everett in 1974 at seventy one years of age. He had cancer of the lungs. His two girls are Jean Hewitt at Salt Lake and Janis Moore in Vista Cal. Charles or Chick as I called him died in 1986 at 77 of Emphysema. He never married. Brother Namond or Ray as we called him died in 1987 at 86 or nearly so of strokes. He has three girls. Dorothy Snider of Bellevue, Doris Ann of Kent and Shirley Barger of Seattle. Roy the last of my brothers died in 1987 also. He had cancer of the lungs. He was eighty years old. I am left without siblings to reminisce with about my early years. Roy has five children.
 |
| The Proctor boys |
I have a number of health complaints all of which have been in an acute stage for some time. They are diverticulitis, thalacemia with anemia, a severely degenerated lower back and an enlarged weak heart. None of these things seem to be bad enough to do me in...
After retiring about twelve of the teachers I taught with got together every two months for lunch in each other's homes. Also about the same number from my high school at Kent did the same. The last couple of years due to deaths, health problems and some who don't drive anymore we have given up the lunches. I still see a couple of the teachers I taught with in Auburn at retired teachers. I still keep up with a few of my high school chums. Namely Joyce, Thekla, Marguerite Gross, Helen Zanzow and Ruth Hoban...
 |
| Cleo, Thekla and Roy in Bellingham |
I am one of those few people left who remember their first car ride and also remember seeing their first airplane. I remember the depression before World War One and how we lived mostly on eggs, milk, apples, potatoes all of which were from our own place. In the summers there were vegetable from our garden. My dad had four houses he rented out in Seattle but no one could pay their rent. After the war everyone paid their back rent.
 |
| Cleo, 1926 |
The depression of '29 didn't have much of an impact on me personally but I sure saw it on so many of the people around me. I was teaching in Kent and had a steady income. Ray and Everett had good jobs with the City of Seattle. I stayed home. My dad's renters couldn't pay their rent again.
I love to dance and when Violet and I lived together we went dancing every week in Seattle. Mostly to the Trianon where Vic Meyers had a twelve piece orchestra. Violet liked to go to the Swedish Hall sometimes. I'm ashamed to say we even went in the middle of the week sometimes to do the shodishes, polkas and hambones. We always came home alone. One sure wouldn't dare do that now..."
For the rest of this letter, Cleo discusses details of her later life and other subjects not relevant for this blog. I have really enjoyed transcribing her letters, greatly appreciate her efforts and hope that more like these will surface in the future.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Sepia Saturday #72 - A Trick of Time
I was very surprised to see this photo because I feel like I am looking at myself in a wig. In reality, this is a photo from 1939 of my grandmother Aune Reini Proctor holding my mother (left) with my Great Aunt Cleo Proctor Cavanaugh holding her son Jack. I have never thought that there was any resemblance between us, but the likeness is undeniable here. Strange!
Just a quick entry for this week's Sepia Saturday.
Remembering My Dad, Tony Moore, on his 76th birthday
When my father passed away in 2008, I wrote an obit for him, but was unable to publish it in full. In remembrance, I am posting the unedited version here:
Anthony "Tony" Michael Moore passed away on August 1, 2008 at his home in Vista, surrounded by his wife and children. Born April 29, 1935 to Fred and Wanda (Allen) Moore, Tony spent his youth in and around the Seattle, Washington area. He received a degree in business from the University of Washington, where he met his wife of 50 years, Janis Proctor. They married in 1958. Shortly thereafter, the US Navy relocated the young couple to Southern California where they settled and raised their family. A longtime resident of both Rancho Bernardo and Vista, Tony was in management for JCPenney's for over 25 years and in 1988, with his wife, opened his own business - Ear Labs Hearing Aid Centers (Escondido, Vista, Lake San Marcos), retiring in 2005. He was a wonderful, loving husband and father and will be remembered for his strength of character and kindness by all who had the honor of knowing him. Other than spending time with his family, he enjoyed gardening, tennis and the LA Dodgers. His sister says that when he was a little boy, his most ardent wish was to have a family of his own. As a dedicated family man, he certainly accomplished this. He is survived by his wife Janis, his daughter Erin Huffer and husband John; daughter Ann Gingrich; daughter CeCe Moore; son Anthony Moore, Jr and wife Yukari; sister Yvonne Hawkins and husband Vern; brother Sid Moore and wife Shirley; seven grandchildren- Amber, Ashley, Courtney, Rochelle, Paige, Hiro and Nicolas; and two great-grandchildren Harrison and York.
He is greatly missed.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Martin A. Moore of Bad Axe, Michigan (1919-2010)
I was sorry, but not surprised, to see that my fourth cousin once-removed Martin Moore had passed away a few months ago. My latest correspondence to him was unanswered and I feared this was the reason. He had been a genealogy enthusiast up until a few years ago and kindly shared with me his research about our shared (3rd and 4th) great grandfather Henry Moore (1771-1827) of Beverley, Ontario, Canada. (I am descended from his oldest son John and Martin was descended from his youngest son William.) He even sent me a photo of himself standing at Henry's grave in Sheffield Cemetery, Ontario, Canada.
Published in the Huron Daily Tribune on October 1, 2010:
Martin A Moore, 91, of Bad Axe, died Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010 at Courtney Manor of Bad Axe with his daughter by his side.
He was born Feb. 16, 1919 in Cass City, to the late Phillip and Eva (Martin) Moore.
He was united in marriage to Helen Mae MacLachlan on Nov. 6, 1945 at the Elkton Methodist Parsonage. She preceded him in death May 13, 2010.
He was a graduate of Cass City High School. He also was a member of the Bad Axe First United Methodist Church. Martin farmed near Cass City of many years. He also was employed by Active Industries of Elkton as a production worker until his retirement.
He is survived by, one daughter, Florence Welch and her husband, William, of Attica; one brother, Stanley (Terri) Moore of Bowie, Md.; five nieces, Connie (Chuck) Parker of Charlotte, Ann (Bill) Gotham of Sevierville, Tenn., Joan (Bill) Holda of Dewitt, Cindy Freland of Bowie, Md. and Lisa (Charley) Sandberg of Ellington, Conn.; two nephews, Larry Moore of Alexandria, Va. and Tom Moore of Bowie, Md.; eight grand-nieces, Bethany (Eric) Thomas of Clearwater, Fla., Amanda (James) Brokow of Knoxville, Tenn., Alisha and Lauren Gotham both of Sevierville, Tenn., Lara Sandberg of Ellington, Conn., Alysia and Audrea Freland, both of Bowie, Md. and Sarah Moore of East Lansing; seven grand-nephews, Philip Moore, Portland, Maine, Andy Moore of Alexandria, Va., Kyle Sandberg of Ellington, Conn., Brad Holda of Clarksville, Tenn., Brian (Shana) Holda of Grand Rapids, Jeff (Jennifer) Parker of Okemos and John (Tracie) Parker of Hudsonville; three great-grand-nieces; and two great-grand-nephews. He also is survived by Helen’s two nephews, William (Judy) Britt and Douglas (Connie) Britt all of Cass City; seven great-nieces and nephews; and 15 great-grand-nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his wife, Helen; his parents, Philip and Eva Moore; one brother, Lawrence Moore; one sister, Ina Bissett; two brother-in-laws, Jack Wendell and Glen Bissett; and a sister-in-law, Ellen Moore.
Funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday Oct. 2, 2010 at MacAlpine Funeral Home “Mac Chapel” with the Rev. Jean Love, pastor officiating. Burial will take place in Colfax Township Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 until 7 p.m. Friday at MacAlpine Funeral Home “Mac Chapel” in Bad Axe and from 9 a.m. until the time of service Saturday.
Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Bad Axe.
Goodbye, friend.
 |
| Martin standing by the headstone of our great grandfather Henry Moore/More with our cousin Shirley McAndless, 1987. Courtesy Martin Moore |
Published in the Huron Daily Tribune on October 1, 2010:
Martin A Moore, 91, of Bad Axe, died Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010 at Courtney Manor of Bad Axe with his daughter by his side.
He was born Feb. 16, 1919 in Cass City, to the late Phillip and Eva (Martin) Moore.
He was united in marriage to Helen Mae MacLachlan on Nov. 6, 1945 at the Elkton Methodist Parsonage. She preceded him in death May 13, 2010.
He was a graduate of Cass City High School. He also was a member of the Bad Axe First United Methodist Church. Martin farmed near Cass City of many years. He also was employed by Active Industries of Elkton as a production worker until his retirement.
He is survived by, one daughter, Florence Welch and her husband, William, of Attica; one brother, Stanley (Terri) Moore of Bowie, Md.; five nieces, Connie (Chuck) Parker of Charlotte, Ann (Bill) Gotham of Sevierville, Tenn., Joan (Bill) Holda of Dewitt, Cindy Freland of Bowie, Md. and Lisa (Charley) Sandberg of Ellington, Conn.; two nephews, Larry Moore of Alexandria, Va. and Tom Moore of Bowie, Md.; eight grand-nieces, Bethany (Eric) Thomas of Clearwater, Fla., Amanda (James) Brokow of Knoxville, Tenn., Alisha and Lauren Gotham both of Sevierville, Tenn., Lara Sandberg of Ellington, Conn., Alysia and Audrea Freland, both of Bowie, Md. and Sarah Moore of East Lansing; seven grand-nephews, Philip Moore, Portland, Maine, Andy Moore of Alexandria, Va., Kyle Sandberg of Ellington, Conn., Brad Holda of Clarksville, Tenn., Brian (Shana) Holda of Grand Rapids, Jeff (Jennifer) Parker of Okemos and John (Tracie) Parker of Hudsonville; three great-grand-nieces; and two great-grand-nephews. He also is survived by Helen’s two nephews, William (Judy) Britt and Douglas (Connie) Britt all of Cass City; seven great-nieces and nephews; and 15 great-grand-nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his wife, Helen; his parents, Philip and Eva Moore; one brother, Lawrence Moore; one sister, Ina Bissett; two brother-in-laws, Jack Wendell and Glen Bissett; and a sister-in-law, Ellen Moore.
Funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday Oct. 2, 2010 at MacAlpine Funeral Home “Mac Chapel” with the Rev. Jean Love, pastor officiating. Burial will take place in Colfax Township Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 until 7 p.m. Friday at MacAlpine Funeral Home “Mac Chapel” in Bad Axe and from 9 a.m. until the time of service Saturday.
Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Bad Axe.
Goodbye, friend.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Amanuensis Monday - More Letters from Great Aunt Cleo, Part I
I came across another letter from my Great Aunt Cleo Proctor Cavanaugh. It was written on July 1, 1991. She reminisces about her childhood (as written with my notes in brackets):
Cleo Ruth Proctor was born Mar. 15, 1905 in Seattle at 4221 Ferdinand St in Seattle. It was the first house my dad Daniel Hewitt Proctor built after coming out here from a farm near Sidney, Iowa where he had lived with his mother, brothers Charles, William, George and one sister Sallie. He was sixteen at the time. They had lived in Equality, Ill. before that time where his dad had owned and operated a livery stable.
My first and only memory of the home place was when I was three years old. Ray, Everett and I were playing across the street at the Myers with their little boy who was my age. Ray had put up two saw horses with a heavy plank across them and one plank going up to the saw horse and one going down. We ran up across and down this until our mother called us for dinner. I remember saying as we left we'll be back tomorrow and Ray, no we won't we're moving tomorrow.
Brother Roy was born and the two bedroom house had become too small. We moved to an old ranch west of Rainer [sic] Avenue where we stayed until I was five. Three things stand out in my memory there. The house was large, cold and drafty and one morning I came to the top of the stairs with my eyes stuck shut with pus from a cold. Mom as we called our mother [Millie Travis Proctor] was getting Ray and Everett ready for school. I can picture them so well in their little wool suits with the knicker pants of dark blue surge even though I couldn't see. Mom told me to sit down right there till she could get to me. There were no railings on the staircase.
Another memory was when my 19 year old cousin Kate Travis came to visit from Iowa. I was so jealous of her. One time I was in the out house when Mom and Kate came out to go. They called me to hurry several times but I just sat there burned to a crisp. Of course Mom was interested in catching up on the news of her dad, brothers and sisters in Iowa. That with the new baby Charles was leaving me out in the cold.
I remember the day Charles was born and seeing him wrapped up and lying in a big rocking chair. Aunt Sallie Proctor was helping out. Mom had had such a difficult time with his birth. She got a rupture in the navel and had to wear a trust until I was fifteen at which time she had it operated on.
From there we moved to a nice home on Ferdinand St. west of Raineer [sic] Avenue. It was across from the Lees. They became my folks good friends which we kept until my folks died. I and Margarite Lee Smythe were good friends until she died a few years ago. At this time only 3 of the eight children are living. I don't know them as well as the older ones.
From here we moved to a one room shack my dad had built on a lot he had bought. There were two tents joining the shack. We stayed here for a year. It was there I started the first grade but due to measles, tonsilitis [sic], bad colds and what not and with slow recovery I missed most of the first grade so was only given credit for one half year. Seattle schools had half grades at that time. Next we rented a nice home back of the shack. The bedrooms were all upstairs. From seven until eight years of age Roy and I shared a large double bed in my folks room. The room was large and Chick had a cot in the room too. At eight years old my folks moved me to the head of the stairs to a room meant for a bath room. The plumbing was roughed in. It was large enough for a cot and a night stand. I think Everett was jealous of me because I had my own room, because he said robbers would get to my room first if they came but I reminded him the doors were locked but then he reminded me they would come through the bathroom window which opened out on the roof of the one story kitchen so every night for four years I went to sleep watching the window for robbers.
When I was nine years old we moved to Star Lake to a house that was part log. The large kitchen and three bedrooms were added on to the large log living room.The south end of the log part was covered by a beautiful wisteria vine. My bedroom, which was in the middle, had a beautiful honeysuckle bush out my window. We owned ten acres. It was mostly in the apple trees. My folks made considerable money from the apples. I had my favorite tree in the back yard with a good seat among the branches and where I hid to dread such books as Uncle Toms Cabin, Rex Beaches books on Alaska and all of Zane Grey's books. My favorite was John Halifax Gentleman by whom I do not remember. Also there were magazines I got from my Uncle Fargo who worked at Fort Lewis and brought them home. My folks weren't hap[y about the magazines. True Story was one and I think there was the Red Book too.
We walked about a mile and a half to a one room school which is still standing at 272 and Military Road. All five of us kids attended the first year we lived at the ranch. Ray in the eighth grade and Chick in the first. That first year was cold with lots of snow. Pop as we called our dad made a sort of sled using two small longs crossing them with boards. Our two good horses Topsie and Bird pulled us to the school. I think Ray and Everett walked. That year the stock well froze over after it had flooded out of its bank. It was here I had my first of four severe falls on my back. We ran down the slope and shot out over the ice which was frozen very thick. I slipped and landed on my back. It really shook me up, especially my back. The next two falls were when I was fourteen and jumping my horse over a log to head off cows I was trying to bring home for milking. This time I broke my arm. I was knocked unconscious from the fall. When I came to, Kate, my horse had come back over the log or come around it and had her head down in my face nuzzling me. The strap on the saddle had broken. I and the saddle was on one side of the log and Kate on the other.
The next fall was from a high rope swing in the school yard. I had pumped up so high standing up that the swing instead of going back in its ark [sic] dropped straight down causing the rope to break. I landed on my back and as usual was knocked out. When I came to Roy was leaning over me yelling, "Are you dead Cleo, are you dead." I had hit my head on a rock and cut a place on the back of my head. The blood ran down the back of my dress. I didn't even tell the teacher. I was either tough or dumb I guess. It's been only in about the last twenty years I guess that a piece of the scalp wasn't raised.
The last fall was when I was sixty two. I was sailing down between the two rows of 35 kids in my first grade room when I hit some spilled milk from the thermos of one of the kids. I fell flat on my back so fast. It's no wonder after these falls my back is severely degenerated.
We had to take state eighth grade exams to enter high school at this time. I passed with flying colors.
At this time we sold the ranch- trading it for a house in Ballard in Seattle and one thousand dollars in cash. We moved into the house which still stands at 2820 W 71st. I attended Ballard high school which at that time was the largest high school in the city. We stayed here for a year and we all enjoyed our first full bathroom. We then moved to Swan Lake on the Seattle pipeline. The first year my dad drove Chick, Roy and I three miles in our seven passenger Buick to meet the school bus to Maple Valley school. There were only forty high school students the rest were grade school children. We picked up a couple of other kids on the way.
Next year Ray and Everett were driving to Seattle to work so we rode to Renton to school with them. We sure got to school early. Only the janitors were there. The next year Ray and Everett got work with the city of Seattle's water department and my dad got the Kent school bus to come within a mile or so of our place so I graduated in 1924 from Kent High School.
To be continued...
Cleo Ruth Proctor was born Mar. 15, 1905 in Seattle at 4221 Ferdinand St in Seattle. It was the first house my dad Daniel Hewitt Proctor built after coming out here from a farm near Sidney, Iowa where he had lived with his mother, brothers Charles, William, George and one sister Sallie. He was sixteen at the time. They had lived in Equality, Ill. before that time where his dad had owned and operated a livery stable.
My first and only memory of the home place was when I was three years old. Ray, Everett and I were playing across the street at the Myers with their little boy who was my age. Ray had put up two saw horses with a heavy plank across them and one plank going up to the saw horse and one going down. We ran up across and down this until our mother called us for dinner. I remember saying as we left we'll be back tomorrow and Ray, no we won't we're moving tomorrow.
Brother Roy was born and the two bedroom house had become too small. We moved to an old ranch west of Rainer [sic] Avenue where we stayed until I was five. Three things stand out in my memory there. The house was large, cold and drafty and one morning I came to the top of the stairs with my eyes stuck shut with pus from a cold. Mom as we called our mother [Millie Travis Proctor] was getting Ray and Everett ready for school. I can picture them so well in their little wool suits with the knicker pants of dark blue surge even though I couldn't see. Mom told me to sit down right there till she could get to me. There were no railings on the staircase.
Another memory was when my 19 year old cousin Kate Travis came to visit from Iowa. I was so jealous of her. One time I was in the out house when Mom and Kate came out to go. They called me to hurry several times but I just sat there burned to a crisp. Of course Mom was interested in catching up on the news of her dad, brothers and sisters in Iowa. That with the new baby Charles was leaving me out in the cold.
I remember the day Charles was born and seeing him wrapped up and lying in a big rocking chair. Aunt Sallie Proctor was helping out. Mom had had such a difficult time with his birth. She got a rupture in the navel and had to wear a trust until I was fifteen at which time she had it operated on.
From there we moved to a nice home on Ferdinand St. west of Raineer [sic] Avenue. It was across from the Lees. They became my folks good friends which we kept until my folks died. I and Margarite Lee Smythe were good friends until she died a few years ago. At this time only 3 of the eight children are living. I don't know them as well as the older ones.
From here we moved to a one room shack my dad had built on a lot he had bought. There were two tents joining the shack. We stayed here for a year. It was there I started the first grade but due to measles, tonsilitis [sic], bad colds and what not and with slow recovery I missed most of the first grade so was only given credit for one half year. Seattle schools had half grades at that time. Next we rented a nice home back of the shack. The bedrooms were all upstairs. From seven until eight years of age Roy and I shared a large double bed in my folks room. The room was large and Chick had a cot in the room too. At eight years old my folks moved me to the head of the stairs to a room meant for a bath room. The plumbing was roughed in. It was large enough for a cot and a night stand. I think Everett was jealous of me because I had my own room, because he said robbers would get to my room first if they came but I reminded him the doors were locked but then he reminded me they would come through the bathroom window which opened out on the roof of the one story kitchen so every night for four years I went to sleep watching the window for robbers.
When I was nine years old we moved to Star Lake to a house that was part log. The large kitchen and three bedrooms were added on to the large log living room.The south end of the log part was covered by a beautiful wisteria vine. My bedroom, which was in the middle, had a beautiful honeysuckle bush out my window. We owned ten acres. It was mostly in the apple trees. My folks made considerable money from the apples. I had my favorite tree in the back yard with a good seat among the branches and where I hid to dread such books as Uncle Toms Cabin, Rex Beaches books on Alaska and all of Zane Grey's books. My favorite was John Halifax Gentleman by whom I do not remember. Also there were magazines I got from my Uncle Fargo who worked at Fort Lewis and brought them home. My folks weren't hap[y about the magazines. True Story was one and I think there was the Red Book too.
We walked about a mile and a half to a one room school which is still standing at 272 and Military Road. All five of us kids attended the first year we lived at the ranch. Ray in the eighth grade and Chick in the first. That first year was cold with lots of snow. Pop as we called our dad made a sort of sled using two small longs crossing them with boards. Our two good horses Topsie and Bird pulled us to the school. I think Ray and Everett walked. That year the stock well froze over after it had flooded out of its bank. It was here I had my first of four severe falls on my back. We ran down the slope and shot out over the ice which was frozen very thick. I slipped and landed on my back. It really shook me up, especially my back. The next two falls were when I was fourteen and jumping my horse over a log to head off cows I was trying to bring home for milking. This time I broke my arm. I was knocked unconscious from the fall. When I came to, Kate, my horse had come back over the log or come around it and had her head down in my face nuzzling me. The strap on the saddle had broken. I and the saddle was on one side of the log and Kate on the other.
The next fall was from a high rope swing in the school yard. I had pumped up so high standing up that the swing instead of going back in its ark [sic] dropped straight down causing the rope to break. I landed on my back and as usual was knocked out. When I came to Roy was leaning over me yelling, "Are you dead Cleo, are you dead." I had hit my head on a rock and cut a place on the back of my head. The blood ran down the back of my dress. I didn't even tell the teacher. I was either tough or dumb I guess. It's been only in about the last twenty years I guess that a piece of the scalp wasn't raised.
The last fall was when I was sixty two. I was sailing down between the two rows of 35 kids in my first grade room when I hit some spilled milk from the thermos of one of the kids. I fell flat on my back so fast. It's no wonder after these falls my back is severely degenerated.
We had to take state eighth grade exams to enter high school at this time. I passed with flying colors.
At this time we sold the ranch- trading it for a house in Ballard in Seattle and one thousand dollars in cash. We moved into the house which still stands at 2820 W 71st. I attended Ballard high school which at that time was the largest high school in the city. We stayed here for a year and we all enjoyed our first full bathroom. We then moved to Swan Lake on the Seattle pipeline. The first year my dad drove Chick, Roy and I three miles in our seven passenger Buick to meet the school bus to Maple Valley school. There were only forty high school students the rest were grade school children. We picked up a couple of other kids on the way.
Next year Ray and Everett were driving to Seattle to work so we rode to Renton to school with them. We sure got to school early. Only the janitors were there. The next year Ray and Everett got work with the city of Seattle's water department and my dad got the Kent school bus to come within a mile or so of our place so I graduated in 1924 from Kent High School.
 |
| The Proctors- Sallie, Cleo, Millie, Roy, a friend, Chick, Dan |
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Washington State Archives
Washington State really does have an amazing service for us genealogists. Through their Ask An Archivist program, I have received so much valuable information about my family. They recently photocopied and mailed me the entire file from my Moore grandparents' divorce in 1947, as well as the property records from one of the houses that my great grandfather Dan Proctor built - all for just the cost of photocopies and mailing ($8.50). In the past, they have located marriage records and death records that I was unable to find. For anyone who is doing family history research in Washington State this is a resource that should not be overlooked.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)