Sunday, October 26, 2014
Finding Carnie and Vinita
Another picture I came across in the antique store was a picture of a little boy with his baby sister. On the back of the picture were the names Carnie Finley and Vinita Finley. Given that the names were so unusual, I felt sure I might be able to locate descendants of the family. I haven't as yet, but I have been in touch with a man who did know the family. He, in turn, is asking around to get an address or other contact information on the Finley family. He did let me know that all of the immediate family of Carnie and Vinita were deceased, but he thought there was a granddaughter of Carnie's living in the midwest; and a grandson living in New Zealand. Once I made contact with him, I went back to the antique store on another errand; to look for more Steinmetz pictures that I had seen there previously. Lo and behold, I found another picture of Carnie, this time as an infant. Carnie was born about 1909. His sister was born about 1915. I hope that Carnie's descendants can be located, so that these pictures can make their way home to the family. I did post copies of the pictures on the Find-a-grave website for Carnie; along with details of the pictures and that I would like to get these photos back to the family. Hopefully, some descendant of the family will one day contact me.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Returning Mary
Having found Maude and returning her to her rightful family, I just had to go back to the antique store again to see who else I could find. This time, it was Mary Steinmetz, who married William Shearer. Mary lived in Ohio from what I could learn about her. She was the daughter of John and Cora Steinmetz. Again after careful tracing on the Family Trees on Ancestry, I was able to track down the most likely direct descendant of Mary's. This lady, Marcia lives in Ohio; not far from where the Steinmetz family had lived. An email was sent, and communication quickly went back and forth.
Marcia was overjoyed to get a picture of her ancestor. It just breaks my heart to see these old pictures cast aside in some antique store, when they could be treasured by the family. I know how much the old pictures of my ancestors mean to me. I treasure each and every one! Anyway, the photo was mailed off to Marcia. I received an email from her yesterday, letting me know how much the photo had meant to her. She mentioned in her email of how Mary Steinmetz was her third cousin three times removed. Both were descended from Jacob Steinmetz, a Revolutionary War Patriot. Marcia then proceeded to tell me the story of Mary Steinmetz Shearer and her husband, William. It seems that they opened a grocery store and operated that for years until they retired. They had two sons, Howard Hiram and Nelson Elias. Howard and Nelson became partners and took over the running of the store. Nelson, who was called Jack, had married Ester and had one son, Jack Jr. Jack Jr. married Rosemary. Rosemary began making kettle cooked chips and selling them in the store in the 70s, and thus began Shearer Chips. I enjoyed learning more about Mary and her family. Each person has a story to tell. I guess that's why I hate to see these forgotten photos in the stores. Because each photo represents the life of someone who had hopes and dreams; who had families that loved them; who made a difference in this world.
Marcia has taken up the cause to get the picture back to the family, a closer relation than she. She has been reading obituaries and city directories in order to trace the family more. Canton and Massillon, Ohio are not far from where she lives....about an hour and a half away. She mentioned how she wished she was a closer relation to Mary, but said that she would trace the family more in order to get the picture back to the family who would cherish the picture. One thing I do know, is that it sure gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling deep inside to know that the little bit I am doing is making a difference in reuniting these forgotten ancestors with their families.
Marcia was overjoyed to get a picture of her ancestor. It just breaks my heart to see these old pictures cast aside in some antique store, when they could be treasured by the family. I know how much the old pictures of my ancestors mean to me. I treasure each and every one! Anyway, the photo was mailed off to Marcia. I received an email from her yesterday, letting me know how much the photo had meant to her. She mentioned in her email of how Mary Steinmetz was her third cousin three times removed. Both were descended from Jacob Steinmetz, a Revolutionary War Patriot. Marcia then proceeded to tell me the story of Mary Steinmetz Shearer and her husband, William. It seems that they opened a grocery store and operated that for years until they retired. They had two sons, Howard Hiram and Nelson Elias. Howard and Nelson became partners and took over the running of the store. Nelson, who was called Jack, had married Ester and had one son, Jack Jr. Jack Jr. married Rosemary. Rosemary began making kettle cooked chips and selling them in the store in the 70s, and thus began Shearer Chips. I enjoyed learning more about Mary and her family. Each person has a story to tell. I guess that's why I hate to see these forgotten photos in the stores. Because each photo represents the life of someone who had hopes and dreams; who had families that loved them; who made a difference in this world.
Marcia has taken up the cause to get the picture back to the family, a closer relation than she. She has been reading obituaries and city directories in order to trace the family more. Canton and Massillon, Ohio are not far from where she lives....about an hour and a half away. She mentioned how she wished she was a closer relation to Mary, but said that she would trace the family more in order to get the picture back to the family who would cherish the picture. One thing I do know, is that it sure gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling deep inside to know that the little bit I am doing is making a difference in reuniting these forgotten ancestors with their families.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Finding Maude
Finding Maude
My husband and I visited an antique shop recently in Christiansburg, VA. There amongst the assorted furniture and other things from the past was a stack of old vintage photographs. My husband picked up the stack and was leafing through them, when one particular picture captured his attention. He found me in the store, and asked if I had seen the picture of Maude. I replied that I hadn't, and asked for him to show me. He took me to the place where the picture was, and showed me the vintage photo of Maude and her siblings surrounding their mother. There was an arrow pointing to a little girl who looked about the age of eight. On the reverse of the photo was handwritten, Maude Elizabeth Castle Salt. The front of the photo listed the name of the photography studio in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. There was something about Maude that, like my husband, captured my attention. I could not leave Maude to languish in the store, but had to take her home with me. We paid the few dollars for the photo, and left. Upon arriving at home, I immediately went to my computer to find out more about Maude. Searching Ancestry.com, and using the few clues I had from the picture, I learned that she was born about 1882 in Ohio. Her father was Joseph Castle, and her mother, whom I assume is the woman in the photo, was Eleanor Ann Quay. Maude's mother died in 1891. Her father remarried a few years later to a woman by the name of Ada. Maude married Stuart Albert Salt on 3 November 1910 in Ontario, Canada. Later searching revealed that she was the mother of at least four children, the first two were twin girls born in 1911.
My husband and I visited an antique shop recently in Christiansburg, VA. There amongst the assorted furniture and other things from the past was a stack of old vintage photographs. My husband picked up the stack and was leafing through them, when one particular picture captured his attention. He found me in the store, and asked if I had seen the picture of Maude. I replied that I hadn't, and asked for him to show me. He took me to the place where the picture was, and showed me the vintage photo of Maude and her siblings surrounding their mother. There was an arrow pointing to a little girl who looked about the age of eight. On the reverse of the photo was handwritten, Maude Elizabeth Castle Salt. The front of the photo listed the name of the photography studio in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. There was something about Maude that, like my husband, captured my attention. I could not leave Maude to languish in the store, but had to take her home with me. We paid the few dollars for the photo, and left. Upon arriving at home, I immediately went to my computer to find out more about Maude. Searching Ancestry.com, and using the few clues I had from the picture, I learned that she was born about 1882 in Ohio. Her father was Joseph Castle, and her mother, whom I assume is the woman in the photo, was Eleanor Ann Quay. Maude's mother died in 1891. Her father remarried a few years later to a woman by the name of Ada. Maude married Stuart Albert Salt on 3 November 1910 in Ontario, Canada. Later searching revealed that she was the mother of at least four children, the first two were twin girls born in 1911.
I was able to locate a descendant who tied in to Maude's family tree. I contacted him via Ancestry.com's messaging system. I really didn't expect to hear from him anytime soon, since it had been about three months since he had last logged in to Ancestry. I received a reply from him by the very next morning! He told me that Maude was his great aunt. After some exchanging of emails and information, I was able to send the vintage photo back to him. Maude is now safely back in the care of her family. How she managed to get so far from home remains a mystery. The five older girls in the picture also remain a mystery. The woman in the photo, I feel sure though, is Maude's mother Eleanor. The younger three children in the foreground I assume are her siblings. Florence, Stella and William. I made those assumptions from information found on the 1901 census record.
I don't quite know what it is about these vintage photos that speak to my heart. But I know that they do. Behind the eyes of the people in these photos, is a story waiting to be told; and a family waiting to be found. And so begins my quest....to reunite these forgotten ancestors with their families.
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