Funeral Card Friday - Stanley Alvin Rogers 1950 - 1987

My husband's brother Stanley, gone from us too soon.....

Treasure Chest Thursday - The Duchess's Chest

I just love this story that I came across about my husband's great-great-great grandmother, Margaret Ann (Unknown) Hildinger (1795-1880).  She was married to John Hildinger (1794-1848) and they both came to the United States from Württemberg, Germany in 1833 and settled in Armstrong County, PA.  They were the parents of John A. Hildinger (1831-1887) whose youngest son Charles Clark Hildinger (1876-1931) was to found the very successful Hildinger Amusement business in Trenton and feature some of the first moving pictures in Trenton, NJ.  According to her great-grandson, Charles Sweet, in a story in the Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser in which he was talking about the Hildinger movie enterprise, Margaret Ann was a German duchess.  Here is the excerpt:

Charles Hildinger was a character and so was their mutual great-grandmother according to Charles Sweet.  According to family legend the great-grandmother, a duchess in Württemberg, ran away with the court tailor, a Hildinger.  They came from Germany on a sailing ship before 1830.  The ship had extra long paddles to fend off man-eating sharks during the voyage.  The couple bought a large farm in Armstrong County, Pa. and the ex-duchess took over its supervision.

A strong-willed woman, she had a custom with which she allowed nothing to interfere.  She would return from the fields shortly before 4 in the afternoon, dress in the finery from the trunks she had brought from Europe and have tea served to her in the court tradition.  The trunks and the clothes remained in the family for years.

If the story is true (which I really have my doubts), wouldn't I love to get my hands on that treasure chest!

Source:  Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser 22 Aug 1954

Military Monday - Hershel Stanley Hall - The Gallant 30

The Gallant 30 - First Bahamas Contingent to Join British West Indies Regiment During WWI

The following is a copy of a picture taken of the first Bahamas contingent that joined the British West Indies Regiment during World War I in 1915.  This picture was actually taken right before they sailed for England from Nassau on 9 Sep 1915.  My husband's maternal grandfather, Hershel Stanley Hall, is pictured on the far left.  He was just seventeen years old when he left for the war.  His name was spelled on the original roster as "Heisal S. Hall."  He returned home on 19 Jun 1919.  Original source of this picture is unknown, the copy being in my mother-in-law's family possession for many years.

Sunday's Obituary - Alvin Stackhouse Rogers, Jr.

I came across the first obituary for my father-in-law recently, by accident, while doing a Google search.  It was in an Annapolis, Maryland newspaper.  The second is unknown, but most likely from the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.  He was born on 30 May 1926 in Trenton, NJ and died on 11 Jan 1993 in Margate, FL.

Wisdom Wednesday – How to Wear Mourning

I have heard it said many times that our ancestors’ times were easier times.  That may true in some instances, but when it comes to wardrobe, I beg to differ.  When a death occurred, which it usually did at a much higher rate than today, wardrobes were affected by the need to adhere to the strict societal rules of the times.  Today we may wear black to the funeral, if we prefer, or we can wear whatever color and style we want.  Afterwards, well, there are no rules. 

This article from the 1907 Trenton (NJ) Evening Times discusses the “relaxed” rules of mourning and there are so many “suggestions” it makes my head spin!  All relatives of the deceased were expected to wear mourning from the widow to the children to the grandparents to the nieces and nephews and all for varying periods of time.  Even the servants were expected to wear mourning.  Grandparents got off easy with only six months of wear, while the widow was expected to suffer, with what the author calls “fashionable” wear, for eighteen months to two years.  These “rules” didn’t just refer to the dress, but to the hat, veil, coat, embellishments and fabrics.  And the fabrics could have NO SHEEN!

Can you imagine just packing up the entire family's wardrobe and purchasing a whole new one in black?  Think of the expense!  Although black is a very chic color and considered a basic staple, especially to any modern woman's wardrobe, I can't imagine how depressing it must have been to have to be forced to wear it day in and day out for an extended length of time.  AND this was considered "light" mourning!

 Source:  Trenton Evening Times, 11 May 1907

Amanuensis Monday: Eliza M. Johnston - Last Will & Testament

Amanuensis Monday – Eliza M. Johnston Last Will & Testament

Elizabeth Mariah London Johnston

Born:  9 Mar 1834 Luzerne Co, PA

Died:  8 Jun 1914 Clearfield Co, PA

Buried:  Rumbarger Cemetery Find-A-Gave

Father:  Truman Beaman London

Mother:  Sally Maria Slawson

*******

I, Eliza M. Johnston, of Du Bois, Pennsylvania, being of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make, publish an declare the following to be my last will testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

First, I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid and discharged as soon after my decease as may be.

Second, All of my estate, real, personal and mired, of whatsoever nature and wheresoever situate, I give, devise and bequeath, share and share alike, unto my ten children: Mary M. Winslow, Susan C. Weaver, James K. Johnston, David C. Johnston, George McClelland Johnston, William T. Johnston, John A. Johnston, Eva Eliza Lenkerd, Joseph S. Johnston, Charles L. Johnston, and the heirs of my daughter Nancy Johnston Taylor, to wit: - Grover J. Taylor, Bessie Kauffman and Freda Steinmetz, who shall together have one share thereof, or the one-eleventh part.

Third, I nominate and appoint my sons, Charles L. Johnston and Joseph S. Johnston, to be the executors of this my last will and testament, and direct that they shall sell my real estate within three years from the date of my death, at public or private sale and at such price or prices as t them shall seem just and right, and make good and sufficient deeds of conveyance therefor, and divide the proceeds thereof as specified in the second item hereof.

                In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2nd day of July 1909. 

                                                                         Eliza M. Johnston (signature)(seal)

                Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above-named Eliza M. Johnston, as and for her last will and testament, in the presence of us, who, at her request and in her presence, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.

                                                                            Wm. G. Jones (witness)

                                                                            C. P. Hayward (witness

******

Eliza died in June of 1914, but the final accounting was not filed with the Court until April of 1921, nearly seven  (7) years later.  The sale of her real estate did not occur until January 1921 although her will directed it to be sold within three years of her death.  The debits to the estate including the sale of real estate were:

1. Cash on hand - $90.00
2. Cash in Deposit Nat. Bank of Du Bois, Pa - 732.00
3. Notes & Int. of Chas. L. Johnston & Susan C. Beard & J.S.Winslow  - 1705.74
4. Cash in First Nat. Bank of Reynoldsville, Pa -  732.32
5. Cash rec'd from sale of properties as dir. by will - 3100.00
6. Cash sale of stock Reynoldsville Water Co. - 40.60
7. Cash, net rentals after deducting expenses  - 551.38

Total $6952.04
******

The estate expenses including payments to the undertaker ($201.50), tombstone ($115.00) county recorder, cemetery sexton, legal services, medical services and miscellaneous came to $447.50.
******

Payments to heirs on 15 Jan 1921:  Charles L and Joseph Johnston each received $740.52 as their one-tenth share of the estate plus commission as co-executor.  Siblings James, David, George, William and John Johnston, Susan Weaver Beard, and Mrs. J. O. (Eva Eliza) Lenkerd each received $558.48 as their one-tenth share.  Daughter Mary Johnston Winslow died in Jun of 1914 and her children, Bruce, James, William & Merton Winslow, Eva Van Why and Ella Yates each received $93.08.  The children of daughter Nancy Johnston Taylor, Bessie Taylor Hoffman, Grover Taylor and Freda Taylor Steinmetz each received $184.04.

Sunday's Obituary - Mary Elizabeth Hildinger Johnston

My Husband's Great-Grandmother  Mary Elizabeth Hildinger Johnston

Born:  1863 Armstrong County, PA
Died:  1954 Trenton, Mercer County, NJ
Burial:  Ewing Church Cemetery (Find-A-Grave)

Her Mother:  Mary Jane Cochran 1831 - 1891
Her Father:  John A. Cochran 1831 - 1887

Source:  Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser 8 Aug 1954