Death Records & Modern Medicine

It is both interesting and heartbreaking to browse (or find) death records.  So many causes of death are preventable in our day and age but would wipe out most of a family before modern medicine.  It just makes me wonder about the mother who lost THREE children from Scarlet Fever in less than a month, what she would have risked or given to have been able to prevent that tragedy.

1872 Michigan death record: King children age 9, 12 and  6

It is easy to blame vaccinations for this happening or that, but it really comes down to is poor Margaret King would have jumped at the chance to prevent this kind of tragedy or many others like it.  (Scarlet fever doesn't have a vaccination but is curable today.)  The type of disease that vaccinations due work against are NOT as severe as they once were because modern medicine is much better at treating the symptoms.  But we shouldn't loose sight of the tragic past we can find in the old records which show us just how deadly they once were.

Wedding Wednesday: Gradus Lubbers and Dina Sneller Ball

Gradus Lubbers and Dina Sneller Bol where married March 14, 1896 in Fillmore Township, Michigan.  Three children total born to this couple, one set of twins.

It's curious how little anyone in the family knows about the courtship and marriage of our ancestors.  So write down your own story to save it for the future generations!

Wedding Wednesday: Naber & Lubbers

Walter Naber and Priscilla Lubbers married February 14, 1918 in Fillmore Township, Michigan. Together they had 11 children, 2 who died young.  Walter Naber is credited by family with saving some of his younger children who were very small.  He setup a little incubator at home for the newborns, keeping them warm like little chicks!  Their youngest daughter was actually born at the hospital at a time when very few babies were not born at home because of the high risk birth.

Wedding Wednesday: Brandt & De Vries

Jeanette De Vries and Otto Brandt married October 31, 1918 in Zeeland, Michigan.  I don't have a newspaper clipping describing the dress but the story goes that Otto and Jeanette had a shotgun wedding.  She was pregnant (first child born April 1919) and her brothers (she had six of them) chased Otto down, forcing him to marry her.  They ended up with 11 children, two who died very young.

Wedding Wednesday: Brandt & Naber

I love old wedding pictures!  I have tried to locate direct line ancestor's wedding pictures and have only been partially successful.  So I'll share the ones I have, starting with my maternal grandparents.

Gertrude Brandt married Gordon Naber on September 26, 1941 in Holland Township, Michigan.

From the newspaper: "A pretty wedding took place Friday evening at 8 o'clock in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Brandt on route 2 when their daughter Gertrude, was united in marriage to Gordon Naber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Naber, of route 5.  The bride was gowned in white silk marquisette, princess style with a train.  The yoke of the dress and the upper sleeve were trimmed in lace.  She wore a fingertip veil and carried a bouquet of lilies, delphiniums, pink gladioli and baby breath."

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #32

Egbert and Hermina (Beld) Boes were married November 21, 1858 in Zeeland, Michigan.  Egbert Boes was born July 2, 1819 in Zweelo, Drenthe.  Hermina Beld was born March 16, 1836 in Bentheim.  Together they had 12 children.  Egbert died at the age of 92 on May 30, 1912 in Zeeland, Michigan.  Hermina died at the age of 83 on February 12, 1920 in Jamestown, Michigan.  They are both buried in the Zeeland cemetery, Zeeland, Michigan.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #30

Jan and Trientje (Koenes) Meulenbelt were married September 24, 1862 in Aduard, Groningen.  Together they had five children.  Jan Meulenbelt was born November 21, 1839 in the Netherlands and died June 2, 1925 in Michigan at the age of 85.  Trientje Koenes Meulenbelt was born April 1840 in the Netherlands and died March 21, 1917 at the age of 76 in Michigan.  They are both buried in the Grandville cemetery in Grandville, Michigan.  There is no headstone.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #28

Reijer and Jentje (Bouwman) Sneller were married February 20, 1864 in Heerde, Gelderland, Netherlands.  Reiner Sneller was born in 1839 in Oldebroek, Gelderland.  Jentje Bouwman was born abt 1842.  Together they had seven children.  Jentje died in April 1877 at the age of 35 in Michigan.  Reijer died March 3, 1906 in Michigan at the age of 67.  He is buried in the Bentheim cemetery, Overisel Township, Michigan.  I could not find a headstone.

Blue Willow Love

I always have liked the blue willow pattern.  No, I didn't grow up with it in my house and I don't
remember any of my grandparents having it either.  I did have a friend in grade school whose parents owned a nice house (at least it was to me) and had a beautiful side board with china.  I think that is where I saw it and remembered it in part of my mind.

When I really look at the pattern now, I like the boarder with the geometric shapes and the two birds flying free plus the bright blue color (that's the dutch side).  I also have a fondness for willow trees.  We had two in our yard as a child that we used for swings and they were beautiful.  But there were many things I never noticed about it also.  I never looked at the buildings and thought China or saw the three men charging over the bridge.

I bring this up now because we are moving stuff out of my father-in-law's house due to a move to a different state.  I kept on coming across pieces of the blue willow here and there, a lot of it damaged.  Then there was a WHOLE box full of it.  It was covered in dust and a few pieces cracked but still beautiful.

Out of all the different patterns and types of china we are uncovering, this one seems unloved and unappreciated, even though someone else must have loved it too, at one time.  I think it is time that it was loved and had some tender care.  And hopefully my children will love and care for it as well.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #27

Hendrik and Zwaantje (Schrotenboer) Lubbers were married October 9, 1865 in Fillmore Township, Michigan.  Together they had 15 children.  Hendrik was born January 30, 1838 in Bentheim and died February 4, 1865 in Fillmore Township, Michigan.  Zwaantje was born October 10, 1847 in Fillmore Township, Michigan and died February 17, 1904 in Fillmore Township.  Together they are buried in the Graafscap Cemetery.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #26

Johannes and Geertje (Bos) Hellenthal were married March 26, 1842 in Overijssel, Netherlands.  Johannes was born February 26, 1816 in Overijssel and Geertje was born about 1811, also in Overijssell.  Together they had 7 children.  Johannes died September 28, 1889 and Greet died September 16, 1894, both in Zeeland, Michigan and both are buried in the East Holland Cemetery.  (Stone is very faded but can make out parts of the writing.)

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #25

Johannes and Anna (De Vries) Naber were married May 17, 1843 in Ulrum, Netherlands.  Together they had 7 children with only 1 living to adulthood.  Johannes was born May 17, 1813 in Groningen, Netherlands and died October 6, 1892 in Michigan.  Anna was born February 7, 1813 in Warfhuizen, Netherlands and died July 17, 1893 in Michigan.  They are both buried in the Pilgrim Home Cemetery in Holland, Michigan.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #24

Albert and Anna Aletta (Weertman) Maarlink were married April 29, 1863 in Assen, Netherlands.  Albert was born August 31, 1834 in Assen, Netherlands.  Anna was born May 14, 1836 in Coevorden, Netherlands. Together they had seven children.  Albert died April 7, 1911 in Borculo, Michigan at the age of 76.  Anna died May 19, 1919 in Borculo, Michigan at the age of 83.  They are buried in the Zeeland Cemetery, Michigan.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #23 & #31

Jan Kornelis and Luiktje (Mulder) De Vries were married June 6, 1850 in Leens, Netherland.  Jan Kornelis was born November 13, 1816 in Hornhuizen, Netherlands.  Luiktje was born January 29, 1822 in Leens, Netherlands.  They had four children together.  Jan died January 20, 1892 in Zeeland, Michigan at the age of 75.  Luiktje died April 1893 in Zeeland, Michigan at the age of 71.  They are buried in the Beaverdam Cemetery.  (The stone above is for their daughter, Jan & Luiktje do not have a stone but they are in the same area as Jantje.)

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #16

Ira and Phebe (Bagley) Case were married about 1820.  They had about 9 children together.  Ira was born in 1790 in Connecticut and died after 1870 in Marion, New York.  Phebe Bagley was born August 1798 in New Jersey and died August 1, 1874 in Marion, New York.  Phebe is buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York.  I'm not sure if Ira is buried there or someplace else.  There is no photo of the stone in Mount Hope at this time.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #14

Thank you to Find-a-Grave for picture

Samuel and Margaret (Allen) Geer were married December 2, 1834 in Shefford Township, Canada.  Samuel was born February 13, 1811 in Dunham, Canada.  Margaret Allen was born March 5, 1813 in Shefford Township, Canada.  Together they had 11 children.  Samuel died December 8, 1886 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.  Margaret died August 14, 1885 in Shefford Township, Canada. They are buried in the North Shefford Cemetery in Quebec Canada.

Scrapbooking Update

After much delay and procrastination, I have actually finished my albums from January 1998 to September 2007!  Feeling proud right now to finally have that part of the task complete and my albums are looking very organized right now.  (see above)

Just as a little reminder, I had skipped portions from almost every scrapbook album I had created in order to "keep up", which didn't happen either.  So I had to back track through every album to finish those skipped pages.  Some of the albums had over half the pages incomplete but luckily, the last few were only short a few pages.  In fact, the last one I did, my chocolate 2007 album, there were only four skipped pages and I really have no idea why I just didn't finish them at the time.  Now they all have page protecters and everything!

Summary:
9  - 45 page albums for me complete
7 - 45 page albums for my son PLUS his high school album current to Fall 2014
6 - 45 page albums for my daughter PLUS her high school album ready to add Fall 2014

Since it's Pi day (3-14-15) that makes 990 double sided pages completed!!

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #13

Asahel and Sophia D (Ward) Tillotson were married June 1, 1841 in Ada Township, Michigan.  Asahel was born in 1808 in Middlebury, Vermont and died March 4, 1851 in Hastings, Michigan.  Sophia was born August 2, 1818 in Vermont.  She remarried March 7, 1852 to Bushrod Washington Johnson.  She died June 3, 1897 in Petoskey, Michigan.  Asahel is buried in the Prairie Home Cemetery, Michigan.  Sophia is buried the Greenwood Cemetery, Michigan.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #12

Lewis C and Abigail A (Edgerly) Nuite were married August 28, 1842 in Alton, New Hampshire.  Lewis was born abt. 1823 in New Hampshire and died April 22, 1887.  Abigail was born September 16, 1826 in Gilmanton, New Hampshire and died March 22, 1896 in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine.  Together they had 10 children.  Find-a-Grave has the couple buried in South Dover cemetery and provided the photo above.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #11

Joseph P and Sarah W (Paine) Stinchfield were married June 10, 1846 in Bangor, Maine.  Joseph P was born in October 1822, probably in Maine.  He died September 20, 1849, just a few years after his only son Frank was born.  Sarah was born September 20, 1820 in Pownal, Maine.  She remarried about 1850 to Joel Pain Bell.  Sarah died July 17, 1889 at the age of 68.  Both are buried in Brann's Mill Cemetery in Dover-Foxcraft, Maine.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #9

Soloman and Freelove (Burdick) Vorce were married about 1821.  They had at least four children together, all born in New York.  Soloman was born in 1794 in Buffalo, New York and died around 1877.  Freelove was born February 19, 1796 in New York and died about 1871.  I do not know where they are buried.

Tombstone Tuesday: Great-Great-Great Grandparents #2

Dwight D and Rosa (Gainer) Kidder were married January 1, 1857 in Waukegan, Illinois.  They had three children together.  Rosa was born May 1, 1838 in Illinois and died March 5, 1873 in Michigan at the age of 34.  Dwight Daniel was born February 24, 1839 and married three more times after the death of his first wife.  Six children were born to his second wife before she died in 1886.  Daniel Dwight died December 21, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois.  Rosa and Daniel are buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Michigan.