Week 25: #52 Ancestors – Groups By Eilene Lyon You could say that The Putterer’s great-uncle, Aubrey Ralph Lyon, was more than a joiner. He served as group leader and even activist. He was the third of five children, born in 1892, to Arlon F. and Emma (Pierson) Lyon in La Moille, Illinois.1 When he... Continue Reading →
For Whose Excellence We Bear Witness
Week 31: #52 Ancestors – Favorite Name Week 33: #52 Ancestors – Tragedy By Eilene Lyon ho-ri-zon, n. 1. the line marking the apparent junction of earth and sky 2. range of outlook or experience. (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary) The Putterer’s 3rd great-grandfather bore the delightful name of Horizon Jewett Poor. His middle name was the... Continue Reading →
Soda Fountain of Youth
Week 27: #52 Ancestors – Free By Eilene Lyon It’s been a while since we heard from my Grandpa Smitty. The childhood treats he recalls weren’t exactly “free,” but they brought to mind some of his carefree younger days when the taste of a soda pop took you to another realm. Excerpt from “The Changing... Continue Reading →
First Goes the Farm
Week 37: #52 Ancestors – On The Farm By Eilene Lyon I feel compelled to record stories about relatives who, for one reason or another, left no living descendants. One of these is the brother of my great-great-grandfather, Alton P. Crandall. Alton was the oldest child in the family. Next came a set of twins,... Continue Reading →
Rascally Rabbit
Week 5: #52 Ancestors – In The Kitchen By Eilene Lyon Aunt Betty (Lyon) Dremann took the time to write her memoirs before she passed. I wish everyone would do that! However, she only wrote to the point where her sons were of the age to begin forming their own memories, as if her own... Continue Reading →
From the Vault: Swimming Lessons
By Eilene Lyon The “From the Vault” series features an artifact or family photo from my collection to illustrate a tale from my distant past. In retrospect, I’m grateful my parents insisted we learn to swim as young children. That doesn’t mean I enjoyed the process, though. I don’t recall where I first began taking... Continue Reading →
A Father For Cyrus
Week #15: 52 Ancestors – Brick Wall Week #24: 52 Ancestors – Father’s Day By Eilene Lyon Since I’m not doing all 52 Ancestors prompts this year, what the heck, why not combine a couple? Sometimes breaking down a brick wall is just a matter of finding a piece that doesn’t fit properly. Remove it... Continue Reading →
Funny Money
Week 22: #52 Ancestors – Military By Eilene Lyon While labeling family photos recently, The Putterer came across some small bills in odd denominations: 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents. They are called Military Payment Certificates (MPC) and they served as currency while he lived on base in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971. I’d never... Continue Reading →
Where’s George?
Week 21: #52 Ancestors – At the Cemetery By Eilene Lyon Many of my farming ancestors led stable, quiet lives that can be hard to document. But some relatives had a flamboyant existence. One of these was my 2nd great-granduncle, George Albert Cutting, brother of my ancestor Arthur N. Cutting. George’s travels spanned the continent,... Continue Reading →