Monday, May 26, 2014

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 3

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 3 (UPDATE AT BOTTOM)

EJ Mendenhall (1857-1927)- My 6th Cousin, 5x Removed

~I chose to write about this person because of his vagrant life-style and because he died in my hometown, Prescott, Arizona.


Birth:           1857            Iowa

Parents:       James E. Mendenhall (1834-1857) &
                              Ruth Jane Edgar Barnett (1829-1903)


Residences and Occupations

1860 (age 2) - Newton, Jasper, Iowa

1880 (age 23) - Oskaloosa, Mahaska, Iowa
          Occupation- Farmer
1884 (age 27) - Moved to Arizona

1900 (age 43) - Coconino, Arizona Territory
          Occupation- Laborer on Farm

1920 (age 63) – Phoenix, Maricopa Co., Arizona- EJ was living at the Kersting Hotel in Phoenix- 135 S. Central Ave
          Occupation- Brakeman at Railroad

28 Nov 1922 (age 65) – Prescott, Arizona- EJ was living at the Arizona Pioneers’ Home, Resident #239.
          Occupation- None


Marriage: 
EJ never married or had any children. He lived from place-to-place throughout his entire life. He lived in hotels and as a roomer on peoples' farms. He never seemed to have a steady home-life.


Arizona Pioneers’ Home:
Arizona Pioneers' Home Ca. 1911


EJ arrived in Prescott, Arizona in 1927 and by June 18, he was a resident of Arizona Pioneers’ Home. The home was established to provide retirement housing for early Arizona pioneers. It was originated by three prominent Arizonans: A.J. Doran, Johnny Duke and Frank M. Murphy. It opened in 1911 for men only. 

Then in 1916, it expanded for a women’s wing that could house 20 women. The building was then opened to disabled miners in 1927.

Its history is well known as the place where Big Nose Kate died in 1940. She was the common-law wife of Doc Holliday and later gained notoriety as the madam of a brothel.

Arizona Pioneers' Home Ca. 2012



Illness & Death:
At the age of 70, EJ died on 18 Jun 1927 in the retirement home. He suffered from heart disease.

Death Certificate of EJ Mendenhall 



Burial:
EJ is buried in the Arizona Pioneers Home Cemetery in Prescott Arizona: 
          Plot: Row K, Grave 11



UPDATE: 

Read update here


Friday, May 23, 2014

James Marsden Doppelganger

Good morning everyone! Happy Friday!

A Doppelganger is a fictitious or folklore- someone who looks like someone else.  It's become more popular recently because of the show The Vampire Diaries on CW- no explanation needed if you watch the show and too much of an explanation if you don't. :) BUT, here's a picture:

So, long story short, same actress plays 3 characters throughout series- Elena, the main character is on the left and her two doppelgangers Tatia and Katherine on the right. This is easily done with a quick hair style change!

Here are a few examples of doppelganger images off of Google:




Recently, I came upon this picture of my 1st cousin, 3x removed on my dad's side.

                                      
                                                           Samuel Anthony Trick
                                                            20 Feb 1889     Dayton, Ohio
                                                            16 Sep 1958     Dayton, Ohio


Samuel was married to Marie Margaret Brinkman (1887-1936), (whom I'll write about later in a different post- 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks).

Samuel, in my opinion looks just like this actor:
James Paul Marsden
18 Sep 1973     Stillwater, Oklahoma

(Also known as the wonderfully handsome war hero in The Notebook)

Here's a pic of them side-by-side:







Thursday, May 22, 2014

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 2

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 2


Clara M. Clough (1913-1979)- My 8th Cousin, 4x Removed



Birth:           28 Sep 1913- New York, New York

Parents:       Carleton Mendenhall Clough (1885-1950) &
                    Marie Zeiner (1885-1954)


Residences:

1915 (age 1)- 259 Carlton Ave Brooklyn, NY
                    


1920 (age 7)- 184Hollis Ave, Apt. 157 Queens, NY

1925 (age 11)- 171 Lindin Blvd, Brooklyn, NY
                    


1930 (age 17)- 1611 N. Hudson Ave, Apt. 261 Los Angeles, Ca

1979 (age 66)- Northridge, Los Angeles, CA



Acting Career:

Clara was an actress in both New York and Los Angeles. Sometime after moving to Los Angeles, Clara changed her name to Claire Carleton (Stage name), using the Carleton in honor of her father, who was also an actor in New York. Claire mostly played small roles, but between 1933 and 1969 she was in over 100 films.





Claire on “The Three Stooges”:
          Title: Fright Night; Released 06 Mar 1947; Role: Kitty Davis
          Title: Fling in the Ring; Released 06 Jan 1955; Role: Kitty Davis





Biography from Fandango.com:


Brassy, bleached-blonde Claire Carleton was a reliable supporting actress on Broadway, in films and on TV for nearly thirty years. Carleton’s New York stage credits include The Body Beautiful, 20th Century and The Women. In films, she was usually cast as “B”-girls, strippers, gum-chewing manicurists and divorce correspondents: her character names were generally along the lines of Mamie, Tessie, Nellie or simply “The Blonde.” She was afforded leading roles in the two-reelers of such comedians as the Three Stooges and Leon Errol, entering into the slapstick proceedings with relish and abandon: in the 1946 Columbia short Headin’ for a Weddin’, Carleton has a light bulb broken in her mouth, and in the final scene engages in a knock-down, drag-out fight with star Vera Vague. A frequent TV performer, Claire Carleton co-starred as Mickey Rooney’s mother (she was eight years older than he!) in the 1955 sitcom Hey, Mulligan!, and played Alice Purdy on the 1958 western Cimarron City.



Marriage: After 1940, Claire married Fred E. Sherman (1908-1969)- they didn't have any children.


Illness & Death:
Claire died of cancer (type unknown) on 11 Dec 1979 in Northridge, Los Angeles, California.



Obituary in the New York Times (1979):

Claire Carleton

Claire Carleton, an actress on Broadway and in films, died of cancer at her home in North Ridge, Cali., on Dec. 11. She was 66 years old.
Most of Miss Carleton’s stage appearances were in the 1930’s and 40’s. The most successful play she had a role in was her last on Broadway, “Clutterbuck,” a 1949 production. In 1932 she appeared as the leading lady opposite Paul Kelly in the Billy Rose production of “The Great Magoo,” which was written by Ben Hecht.
In films, Miss Carleton performed with Ronald Coleman in “A Double Life,” in 1948. She also acted in “Born Yesterday,” “Death of a Salesman,” “Witness to a Murder,” “The Buster Keaton Story” and other films.


Burial:

Claire and her husband are buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California- Plot: Columbarium of Remembrance, Niche G-60463.



Saturday, May 17, 2014

Saturday Night Fun


Happy Saturday Everyone!



I saw this on a friend's blog-- http://networkedblogs.com/WYGaj- already posted my answer to their Facebook account, but thought I'd also share it on my own blog!


Saturday Night Genealogy Fun- What Happened on Your Mother’s Birth Date?

My mother was born on 19 Feb 1957 in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. It was a Tuesday.

Significant events that have occurred on 19 Feb: (used HistoryOrb.com)

1. 1819- British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands, and claims them in the name of King George III.
2. 1831- 1st practical US coal-burning locomotive makes 1st trial run, Pennsylvania
3. 1932- William Faulkner completes his novel “Light in August”
4. 1970- USSR launches Sputnik 52 & Molniya 1-13 communications satellite
5. 2013- 12 people are killed and 11 are injured after Yemeni Air Force plane crashes in Sana’a


Famous people born on this day: (used Google)

1. Flaco, Austrian Singer
2. Lorianne Crook, Television Personality
3. Ray Winstone, British Actor
4. Dave “Smoke” Stewart, Pitcher

5. Paul Dean, Guitarist 

Monday, May 12, 2014

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 1

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 1

Paul George Jeckering (1925-1954)- my paternal grandfather


Birth: 19 May 1925- Dayton, Ohio

Paul was the 1st of 8 children.

Parents: Gerhard Cletus Jeckering (1900-1967) & Josephine M. Alexinas (Dabuliewicz)(1906-1965)

In 1940 (age 14), the Jeckering family lived at 2334 Newport Ave in Dayton.



Picture above:
(Back) Josephine, Gerhard, Paul, Richard 
(Front) Rosemary, Joanne, Rita, Joseph 


High School:  
Paul went to Chaminade-Julienne Catholic High School, located at 505 South Ludlow St. in Dayton, Ohio.

He played in the school band, although I don’t know what instrument he played. He did earn a letter.




1944- Graduation
For a picture of Paul’s high school yearbook photo:

Link:
 issuu.com/cjeagles_archives/docs/cjhsar_chs_yb_1944?e=0/7825730
Page 37/103


Military:

Before Paul even graduated from high school, he enlisted in the army.


Enlistment Date: 14 Sep 1943
Active Duty: 05 Oct 1943
Honorable Discharge: 15 Feb 1946

During his time in the Army, Paul earned the Philippine Liberation, Bronze Star Metal.







Marriage:
On 02 Aug 1947 (age 22)       Dorothy Jean Hendricks
                                                  09 Jun 1926- Jeffersonville, Indiana
                                                  02 Aug 2010- Dayton, Ohio




Between 1948 & 1954, Paul and Dorothy had 4 children.

Paul, Dorothy and their 4 children lived at 336 North Upland Ave in Dayton.







Illness & Death:

Around 1948, Paul was diagnosed with Lupus erythematosus with terminal uremia, which eventually killed him on 11 Jan 1954, a couple months before his fourth child was born.

This picture was the last family picture- Christmas 1953:



Paul is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio
          ~Section 1, Lot 17, Space 8


Sunday, May 11, 2014

Challenge Accepted!

Hello! Happy Sunday everyone!



Recently, I came upon an interesting challenge from a fellow blogger. (I found out it is originally from an Ancestry.com blog, written by Amy Johnson Crow).The challenge is titled: “The 52 Ancestors Challenge” and the idea is to write about one ancestor each week for an entire year.

When I read this challenge concept, I was instantly intrigued and I knew putting it into a blog was the only way it would work! So, therefore, I created the Under the Nut Tree Blog.

For about two days now, I’ve been debating in my mind about which ancestor I should start out with…I have so many whom I love so very much! It was a trying decision, but it just came upon me that I HAVE to start with my grandfather. His story has, and still does, fascinate me and I don’t even really know why.


I hope you all (who are actually reading this) really enjoys reading about the people of the past and I hope it inspires you to do the same with your own family tree- whether in a blog or a personal notebook! J



A little bit about myself…

Hello! And welcome to my first post in my new blog!

Even though this blog is genealogy-focused, I thought I’d start out by introducing myself.

I am an avid genealogist- even though it’s not my profession. I have been researching my own family tree for about 6 years now. It started with one page of names- a pedigree chart of my dad’s side of the family, and I think it went back maybe 3 generations. Now, after all of the research I’ve accomplished and adding a whole new family by getting married, I have over 13,000 people recorded in my Ancestry.com account!

Family is very important to me. I am the wife of a wonderful, loving husband (Jim) and the mother of an adorably lovable son (Jack) and a six year old lovable puppy (Roxy). They are my world. (We also have 3 very shy fish!). Outside of our little fortress here in Fort Collins, I also have a large family back in Arizona- including 4 sibs and 13 nieces and nephews!


Aside from taking care of my baby boy Jack and looking up dead people, I really enjoy writing, bike riding, and watching movies!