My Trails into the Past

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. Z is for Zilpha “Mama Zip” Johnston Zilpha was the second wife of my great grandfather, Thomas N. Johnston. They married 12 December 1931 in Stephenville, Texas. This was the second marriage for both of them; he was a widower and she was divorced.  She had previously married Walter Burford and in 1920, they lived in Fort Worth, Texas. He worked for the railroad as a receiving clerk and she was a telephone operator for a hardware company. I found her in the 1930 census and she worked as a PBX operator for a lumber company. She was divorced sometime between 1920 and 1930. I bet she worked at the same lumber company as Thomas N. Johnston! She was the only grandmother my mother knew. She called her “Mama Zip.” A cousin of my mother wrote: She “was a grandmother to die for. She was very neat about everything. Dressed really wel...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. Y is for Elizabeth Young Elizabeth Young was my 4th great-grandmother. She married Dempsey Welch on 21 Jan 1821 in Clarke County, Alabama. I scanned a copy of their marriage record from microfilm today. 1821 Marriage for Dempsey Welch & Elizabeth Young Not long after marrying, Dempsey got land in Copiah County, Mississippi where they lived until their deaths.  They had possibly sixteen children, depending on the sources. I have records for seven known children. Here is the only census record with Elizabeth’s name on it. In 1850 it was the first federal census that listed everyone in the household. Dempsey was a planter, not just a farmer, and his property was worth $2400. Perhaps they also had a large house and Elizabeth had household slaves. The Melissa A. that is 10 years old was my 3rd great-grandmother, who marrie...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. X is for the Cross of Churches I have no ancestors with the first or last name starting with X. I could have shown the X-ray of my back but that’s pretty boring. Yes, I have scoliosis just like my grandmother. So I thought about all of the churches my ancestors have attended. My dad’s side of the family was Roman Catholic; all the way back. I’ve collected some photos of churches my families have attended, and some were captured from Google street view. St. Mary's Church, Walnut Creek I was confirmed and married here. Two of my siblings were baptized here. St. Peter Martyr Church, Pittsburg My first communion was here and three of my siblings were baptized here. Queen of All Saints, Concord My parents were married here and I was baptized here. St. Patrick's Church, Butte, MT My grandparents, Wm Cyril Hork ...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. W is for William Joseph Hork William Joseph Hork was born 23 April 1930, just days after the 1930 census, so he wasn’t listed. His parents were William Cyril Hork and Anna Marie Sullivan. As a child he was called Billy and he was the youngest of four children. I think his older three sisters probably doted on him a bit. His sisters still called him Billy. He was young when his parents separated and was ten when his mother moved the family to Napa, California. There he served as an altar boy at St. John’s Catholic Church and was in Boy Scouts. In high school he played football. He once told me he could throw the football with either hand, and it was a clever deception to the other team. Although he was left-handed, he could print very well and if the times had been better, perhaps he would have worked as a draftsman or even an arc...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. My dear Aunt Virginia passed away this past week so I changed the focus on my V ancestor to honor Virginia. My Dad's three sisters: June, Lorene, Virginia when living in Napa She was my father’s sister and one of four children born to William Cyril Hork and Anna Marie Sullivan.  She was well-loved by all and a sweetheart to everyone. She had such class as well as being very beautiful.  Before her marriage she worked as a stewardess for Western Airlines and was once a contestant for Miss Aviation. She met her future husband, John H. Gertridge while flying. They married 19 August 1950 at Carmel Mission and had four children. June, me, Virginia I always enjoyed visiting my Aunt Virginia and we had such a wonderful afternoon together on our last visit talking about family both past and present. I will miss you, Aunt ...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. U is for Urselle Hork Urselle Clementine Hork was my paternal grandfather’s sister. She was born 23 March 1892 in Portland, Oregon and was the ninth child of Johan Anton Hork and Julia Ann Sievert. [1] She grew up in Hamilton and took part in activities at the Catholic church. In December 1909, she participated in the comic opera “The Mikado” as a member of the chorus. [2] Before her marriage, she worked as a telephone operator for the Montana Independent Telephone Company. [3] She married Bernard V. Schwalen on 25 June 1913 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Hamilton. [4] The Missoulian newspaper gave a wonderful story about the announcement of their marriage: "Miss Urselle Hork To Be Married in June" Well-known young lady of Hamilton to wed Bernard V. Schwalen.    Hamilton, May 20--(special)--At a party given last ev...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. R.D., my grandmother’s brother, was born Rayburn Dinion Lancaster on 3 July 1920 in Erath County, Texas to George Warren Lancaster and Lela Ann Loveless. [1] He attended Tarleton Agricultural College where he was editor of Grassburr and president of the Press club. World War II started before he finished and he was exempt from taking finals. [2] He joined the Army Air Corps on 14 January 1942 and trained in Chickasa, Oklahoma. [3] By November 1943, R.D. was a Captain and had completed 50 combat missions in a P-40 Warhawk in the European theater. [4] After World War II, R.D. remained in the Air Force and served as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. As a major, he commanded the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Itazuka Air Base. [5] He also participated in the Vietnam war. By the time he retired in 1972, he was a colonel. R.D...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. P is for Martha Jane “Mattie” Polly Martha Jane Polly, called “Mattie,” was born to Nathan H.O. Polly and Lydia Margaret [--?--]  in Texas. She was my third great grandmother. She was born in August, though the year is not certain. Early census records give ages that make 1854/55 being likely, [1] but her later census records indicate a later date around 1856/57. [2] Her death certificate gave her birth as 26 August 1856. Her family was living in Montague County in Texas in 1860, but since her father was a minister, they might have been living elsewhere.  She was the third daughter of seven children, with only one boy. At the age around sixteen or seventeen, Martha married George W. Lancaster in Kaufman County, Texas on 25 October 1871. [3]   1871 Marriage between George W Lancaster & Martha J Polly They would ...

I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (April 2016), where we write 26 blog posts featuring each letter of the alphabet. O is for Olivia Jones Johnston When I discovered that my second great grandfather, Reuben Mack Johnston had married Olivia Jane Jones, I had about cried.  Johnston was hard enough to research but now I had a Jones. Would I ever find her parents? Question: Who were the parents of Olivia Jones Johnston? R.M. Johnston married Miss Olivia Jones on 23 Dec 1879 in Erath County, Texas. [1] 1879 Marriage R.M. Johnston to Olivia J. Jones What I learned about Olivia and her family came from an article in the Comanche Chief about her son, O.D. Johnston, nicknamed “Pig.” [2] He was interviewed by the newspaper when he was 81 years old and the paper printed photographs of the family. Reuben & Olivia Olivia Jane Jones was Reuben’s second wife, his first wife dying between 1877 and 1879.  She helped raise the three da...