Week 39: #52 Ancestors – Road Trip By Eilene Lyon The Putterer’s great-grandmother, Mary Frances (Stephens) Gee, was orphaned at a young age. She was the eighth of nine children of Granville Allen Stephens Sr. and Sarah Poor. (Sarah was a descendant of Revolutionary War patriot, Amos Poor.) Mary Frances had seven brothers and only... Continue Reading →
From the Vault: Woolly
By Eilene Lyon Breaking up is sometimes made more difficult by the fact that, just because you want to lose the partner, you don't necessarily want to lose their parents, too. I met Doug in the Mountaineering Club at The Ohio State University. By the time I graduated, we'd gotten engaged. It was a spur-of-the-moment... Continue Reading →
Adorable Dorothy
Found Photo Project #4 By Eilene Lyon Postscript on #3 – Fort Wayne Stenographer I was able to track down Jessie Armstrong McDonald’s granddaughters. I sent one of them the photograph of Jessie taken about 1920. We had a nice chat on the phone. After Jessie’s husband died, she went to live with her daughter’s... Continue Reading →
The Drought Diaries: Lawn Begone!
By Eilene Lyon While I wouldn't say our decades-old drought is over, we had an unusual amount of moisture this past summer. We got over an inch of rain just last week. Normally August and September are what I call "brown season." The grasses and forbs have died or gone dormant by then. Even today,... Continue Reading →
It’s Complicated!
Week 36: #52 Ancestors – Exploration By Eilene Lyon On any given day, I can go on a major expedition—without leaving my desk. Family history is like that. You might be tempted to call it a “rabbit hole,” and it does involve many diverting side trips, but it is goal-oriented. Unlike building a pedigree, as... Continue Reading →
The Palace Restaurant–RIP
By Eilene Lyon This is the second in my series about historic buildings on Main Ave. in Durango, Colorado. I earlier covered the unique Durango Depot. Few buildings remain in the 500 block of Main Ave. from Durango’s earliest days, and this area was known for many years as the seedier side of town (south... Continue Reading →
A Warm Congregation
Week 31: #52 Ancestors – Help By Eilene Lyon It has been a while since we had a story from my Grandpa Smith’s memoirs. He doesn’t mention the year this took place, but based on his Life Summary, I believe it was 1941. Below, I’ll share a bit about my research into the church and... Continue Reading →
Frémont’s Missouri Misstep
By Eilene Lyon August 30, 2022 On this date in 1861, Major General John C. Frémont, commander of the Department of the West, issued a proclamation declaring martial law in the State of Missouri, and that those in open rebellion against the Union would forfeit their personal property, including enslaved persons, who would be emancipated.... Continue Reading →
Emma Does Her Duty
Week 34: #52 Ancestors – Timeline By Eilene Lyon The Putterer’s great-great-grandfather, Henry Bower, passed away March 24, 1916 in LaMoille, Bureau County, Illinois, at the ripe old age of 92. His wife, Hannah Mueller (Miller) predeceased him at age 78 in January 1908. They were the parents of seven children, of whom, six married.... Continue Reading →