Local News Column 1890

I like reading obituaries for their information and often for their wording.  How many ways can you say someone has died?  This was not meant to be an obituary, it was just in the local news column, but the wording is not what we would use today.

“The aged wife of Mr. Thomas Duncan who has been with her son, Dr. Duncan at LaMoille, had a stroke of apoplexy recently, but the Gazette reports her as improving.  Dr. F. Duncan, formerly of this city, is one of her sons.
Since writing the above we learn that the old lady died.”

Mrs. Duncan is Eliza Cation Duncan.  She died 9 Dec 1890.  LaMoille is in Illinois and was the home of Dr. James C. Duncan.

 

 

Ruth Bressler Claycomb Tri Delts

My grandmother, Ruth Bressler Claycomb, was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Fraternity (yes, although we would now call it a sorority) in 1909 at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher, son of John and Martha Gallagher, was the second husband of Cassie Ann Rosenberry, my great great grandmother.  Her first husband was Orson Patchen (Patchin) with whom she had two children, Edgar and Nettie.  Nettie (Annette MaryJane Patchen) was my great grandmother.  Orson Patchen died in the Civil War.  Cassie then married Michael Gallagher.  They had no children.  Michael also died in the war and Cassie applied for his widow’s pension.  These are some of the forms from that file.

Civil War pension files can have wonderful information in them.  In this one, it lists parents’ names, verifies the marriage, and indicates no children.  The best tip I learned about getting the file was to request the entire file to be copied.  Otherwise someone is going to choose which pages you get.  Disclaimer:  I got these files many years ago, so the procedure might have changed.

As Michael’s widow, she did get a pension of $8.00 per month.
These are the proofs offered in her claim.
This page has great information on it – parents, dates, marriage!
And more info here.
My favorite part is seeing her signature on the sheet above.

 

Duncan English Smith & Byington

Sounds like a law firm, but it’s just more photos from these families.  Previous photos here.

Samuel English, father of Lyman and Frank English. Frank is seated and his brother is standing.

Mamie English and Allen Smith

Allen & Mamie Smith with their sons, Myron English and Harold Allen

Belle English and John Byington.

Front: Harriet Byington and Eliza Duncan English. Back: Belle English and John Byington.

Eliza Duncan & Frank English Family

Eliza Duncan is the daughter of our immigrant ancestors, Eliza Cation and Thomas Duncan.  She married Dr. Frank English.  They had two daughters, Mamie and Belle.  Mamie married Allen Newcomb Smith (two sons: Myron English and Harold Allen).  Belle married John Edward Byington (no children).  Myron provided these photos.  Part of his story is here.  The family lived in the Dixon, Illinois area.

Eliza Duncan English

Dr. Frank English

Frank, Eliza, Mamie, and Belle English.

Mamie and Belle English

Mamie and Belle English

Mamie English

Thomas Duncan Obituary

Thomas Duncan was our Duncan immigrant ancestor.  More of his story is here.  This is his obituary from The Palmyra Enterprise (Wisconsin).  My favorite part is the mention of being the head of the Duncan family in the US and how this is now transferred to his brother William.