May 06

Here Come the Brides

Elizabeth Scaer, nee Schinnerer

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was just a week ago and the details of Catherine’s wedding gown were probably the best kept secrets of the entire event. The secrecy surrounding that information could rival that of any of classified military operation.

Catherine’s gown was indeed elegant and timelessly beautiful. As soon as she stepped out of her royal limousine numerous wedding gown designers began cutting and sewing knockoff gowns. In New York at least one knockoff gown was finished just a few hours after the ceremony. Knockoff gowns should be available in a couple months and will undoubtedly be very popular this year.

Watching highlights of the royal wedding made me wonder about wedding dresses of the past. What was the fashionably well-dressed bride wearing over a century ago? What types of wedding attire did my ancestors wear? I pulled out some old photos, looking for wedding pictures.

Unfortunately, I have very few wedding photos of my ancestors. I do not have one wedding photo of either of my grandparents. I don’t know if they had photos taken on their wedding day or if the photos did not survive. I do have one wedding photo of my maternal great grandparents, John Scaer and Elizabeth Schinnerer, married 15 April 1894 in Van Wert County. (Vol. 8:287) Although the church records say they were married at Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, couples back then were often wed during an informal ceremony at the home of the bride. Their photo shows them sharing a nice friendly handshake. It looks like they were sealing a business agreement instead of committing their lives to each other. “A handshake instead of a kiss.” I remember that line from an old TV commercial. (photo: Longsworth & Agler, Van Wert).

John Scaer & Elizabeth Schinnerer (15 April 1894)

Most of the wedding dresses that my ancestors wore were probably home made. In the 1800s my Mercer, Van Wert and Jay County kin didn’t have the luxury of shopping at the nearest David’s Bridal or commissioning a designer to make their special dress. The bride, a family member, or a good seamstress often made the dress. Or, she may have worn the best dress that she had at that time. Her wedding dress could later be altered and worn again for other events. Sleeves could be shortened and necklines changed. I’m sure my ancestors were very practical in that respect.

During the second half of the 19th century wedding dresses were not necessarily white or ivory. They were often made with colored fabric, even floral and striped fabric. Brides chose just about any color, although green was considered unlucky. White was a symbol of purity and virginity and was thought to ward off evil spirits. Wedding dresses were often brown or gray or even black. Such dresses could not only be used as a best dress but could also be a traveling dress. After all, a colored dress would not show dust, dirt and stains as much as a white dress. Again, practicality and cost won out. Materials ranged from printed cotton to lightweight wools combined with silk.

Believe to be Birt Balyeat & Emma Schinnerer (26 Oct 1898) Rank photo, Van Wert

Unknown from Schinnerer/Scaer album; Longsworth & Agler photo, Van Wert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bridal veil was an important accessory years ago. It was often the fanciest part of the bride’s ensemble. Even if the bride had to make her own dress she might be able to afford a white wedding bonnet that she could keep as a special memento. Veils consisting of artificial white orange blossoms were also popular in the late 1800s.

Believe to be Henry Schinnerer & Louise Schumm (1 May 1892) Rank photo, Van Wert

Unknown from Schinnerer/Scaer album; Rank photo, Van Wert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of these photos are of unidentified relatives on their wedding day. These photos were in an old album that contained both Schinnerer and Scare photos, but mainly Schinnerer photos. If anyone can identify these Schinnerers or Scaers, please contact me. Some of them were Friedrich Schinnerer’s children. I tried to compare facial features to identify them, but please let me know of any corrections.

Many hats were worn at the Royal Wedding last week. I’m not sure if hats have made a comeback or if they were worn because the Queen always dons a hat. A few of those hats were quite unique last week and I wondered how some women kept them attached to their foreheads. Below is a nice photo of some classy hats from the Schinnerer/Scaer album.

Unknown ladies from Schinnerer/Scaer album; Longsworth & Agler photo, Van Wert

Below is an old poem about the color of a bride’s wedding dress and the luck it might bring:

Married in white, you will have chosen all right.
Married in gray, you will go far away.
Married in black, you will wish yourself back.
Married in red, you’ll wish yourself dead.
Married in blue, you will always be true.
Married in pearl, you’ll live in a whirl.
Married in green, ashamed to be seen.
Married in yellow, ashamed of the fellow.
Married in brown, you’ll live out of town.
Married in pink, your spirits will sink.

May 03

Tombstone Tuesday-Elvira Reid

Elvira Reid, nee Headington, Green Park Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana

This is the tombstone of Elvira Reid, nee Headington. The gravestone is located in Green Park Cemetery in Portland, Jay County, Indiana. The tombstone reads: REID—Elvira 1839-1911, Her Son Harry 1878-1910.

Elvira was my third great grandmother, born 17 April 1838 in Knox County, Ohio. She was the daughter of William and Mary Ann Headington, nee Cotterell, and the mother of William W. Reid.  Elvira married Daniel Jacob Reid 27 April 1856 in Jay County, Indiana. (Book B:256) Family history says that Daniel (c1826-1879) died somewhere in Kansas or on the way there while traveling with his family. I do not know exactly when Daniel died or where he is buried. Elvira can be seen in the five generation photo featured in last week’s blog.

Elvira’s Obituary:  Body Brought Here for Burial–Remains of Mrs. Reid will lie in state at home of her sister Mrs. John Huey–The remains of the late Mrs. Elvira Reid, who died at the home of her son Lowell Reed (sic) at Muncie, early Sunday morning were brought to Portland on the 3:35 train Monday afternoon and taken to the home of her sister Mrs. John Huey, East Walnut Street.  Mrs. Reid has been in poor health all winter suffering from liver trouble, which with a complication of jaundice finally caused her death.

The deceased was born in Knox County, Ohio, February 17, 1838, and was the daughter of William and Mary Headington. Nearly all of her life was spent in this city.  Since three years ago, she has resided in Hartford City and Muncie.  Her husband Daniel Reid died 31 years ago on the same day of the death of her father.  Six sons survive being Lowell Reid of Muncie, at whose home she died, Charles of South Bend, Andrew of Richmond, James of Kansas City, Missouri, Roland and Albert of Indianapolis.  Four children are dead, her son, Harry having died within the last year.  Three sisters and one brother also remain, Mrs. John Huey and Wesley Headington of this city, Mrs. L.V. Ogden of Toledo, Ohio, and Mrs. Lu Sanford, of Johannesburg, South Africa.

The funeral services will be held Tuesday morning at ten o’clock at the Methodist Church.  Interment will be made at Green Park Cemetery. (source: Commerce Review, Portland, Indiana, 1 May 1911)

Again, there is a discrepancy in the records. Records created at the time of her death indicate that Elvira was born in 1838, but the year 1839 is carved on her tombstone. Her age varies with the census records, too. This is common with census enumerations since you don’t know who gave the information to the census taker.

Elvira and Daniel Reid had 10 children: William W., Andrew Jackson, Charles, James, Minnie M., Albert, Lowell, Frank, Roland, and Harry. Elvira was left to raise most of their children by herself after Daniel’s death.

Elvira Reid, nee Headington (1838-1911)

Apr 29

A Snapshot of the Past-Five Generations of My Family

Front: William Reid, Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, Mary Ann (Cotterell) Headington. Back: Pearl (Reid) Brewster, Elvira (Headington) Reid. c1898

This five generation photo is one of my favorites. William Reid, featured in my latest Tombstone Tuesday blog, is the man seated in the photo and is my second great grandfather. The little girl in the photo is my grandmother, Gertrude Miller, nee Brewster. Her mother, Pearl Brewster, nee Reid, is standing on the left. William was Pearl’s father. William’s mother, Elvira Reid, nee Headington, is standing on the right. Elvira’s mother, Mary Ann Headington, nee Cotterell, is seated on the right.

This photo and accompanying story was reprinted on 18 April 1957 in The Graphic, a newspaper published in Portland, Indiana. The original story was published 21 Feb 1903. The article states that the photo was taken in 1903, but my grandmother was born in 1896 and she doesn’t look as though she was 6 or 7 years old in the photo. I would guess the photo was taken about 1898. The article:

PIONEERS IN PORTLAND—Mrs. Mary Ann (Cotterell) Headington, of West Main Street, here, boasts of living representatives of five generations, and she, the head of the list, carried her 87 years with an easy grace that marks her as an altogether unusual type. She is the widow of William Headington, a brother of Judge JW Headington and Col. Nimrod Headington, citizens prominent in all the best enterprises of Portland since first they cast in their lot with the struggling Hoosier hamlet on the Salamonie.

William and Mary A C Headington came west fifty-two years ago, leaving the old home in Baltimore, Maryland, on their wedding morn and making the long journey overland in an old-time “prairie schooner,” capacious and comfortable. Their wedding trip occupied fourteen days.

When they first arrived in Portland, the place was but a small village, the log houses nestling down among the forest trees. Mrs. Headington is remarkably bright, active and light of foot, and takes great pride in attending to her household duties. The reason for this young-old lady’s vigorous intellect, sunny, helpful character and strong body may be found in the fact that she has always faced life with cheerful heart, absorbing its sweetness and light and touching lightly its bitterness and shadows.

Her reminiscences of the early years in Portland are exceedingly interesting and inspiring. She has helped into life, and prepared for burial more people than did any other person who has ever lived in Portland. A call came for her one night in the long ago when the waters were up from Meridian Street to Pleasant Street. Her husband was away from home at the time, but she turned the key in the door, leaving her four little ones asleep, mounted her trusty horse and drawing her feet into the saddle went through the waters to the house of death, prepared the body for the coffin and was back at home before daylight.

Thirty-eight years ago Mrs. Headington saw a snow storm on the 4th of July which bowed the wheat crop to the ground. She gathered her first mess of green peas of that season from under the snow. Two of her daughters went to a Sunday School picnic that day dressed in white, wearing blanket shawls. Their escorts wore white duck pans and black coats.

January, 1903, Mrs. Mary Ann (Cotterell) Headington has seventeen living grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, ten great-great-grandchildren, and ten great-great-great grandchildren. Few mothers live to see ten children of the fifth generation.

This article was written by a special Star correspondent, Charlotte Archer Raney.

Caption under photo, 1957: Edith L. Stroube, 615 West High Street, Portland, submits this “Old Album” shot of a five generation picture of the Headington family, starting with Edith Stroube’s great grandmother, Mrs. Mary Ann (Cotterell) Headington, seated right. Identifying the generations, seated left to right, are William Reid (father), Gertie (Brewster) Miller (niece), and Mrs. Headington. Standing left to right are Mrs. Pearl (Reid) Brewster (sister), and Mrs. Elvira (Headington) Reid (grandmother). This picture was taken in January 1903 and, appeared with an interesting story of the Headington family in “struggling Hoosier hamlet on the Salamonie.” (source: The Graphic, Portland, Indiana, 18 April 1957)

I have used this photo and the accompanying article as proof of descent for several lineage applications, including a DAR application. It is interesting to note that Elvira, William, Pearl, and Gertrude were the first born in each of their families. The article states that William and Mary Ann Headington came west 52 years ago, which would be 1851. I believe they meant that the couple came to Portland or Jay County in 1851. Their daughter Elvira was born in Knox County, Ohio, about 1838, according to her obituary. William and Mary Ann were living in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1840 and in Franklin County, Ohio, in 1850, according to census enumerations.

Mary Ann (Cotterell) Headington passed on 19 June 1903, just a few months after the article was written. Here are the vital dates of those in the photo: Mary Ann (Cotterell) Headington (1816-1903); Elvira (Headington) Reid (1838-1911); William Reid (1855-1905); Pearl (Reid) Brewster (1880-1962); Gertrude (Brewster) Miller (1896-1973).

Apr 26

Tombstone Tuesday–William W. & Emily E. (Bryan) Reid

William W. Reid & Emily E. nee Bryan, Green Park Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana

This is the tombstone of William W. and Emily E. (Bryan) Reid, located in Green Park Cemetery, Portland, Jay County, Indiana. William and Emily were my second great grandparents. The marker is inscribed:

REID
William W. Reid
1855-1906
Emily E. His Wife
1856-1940

William (2 February 1855-2 February 1905) was the son of Daniel and Elvira Reid, nee Headington. Emily E. Bryan (8 May 1856-24 June 1940) was the daughter of John and Hannah Bryan, nee Huey. William married Emily E. Bryan on 30 June 1878 in Jay County, Indiana. (Vol. D:442)   Emily remarried to Abraham C. Bisel on 20 December 1913 in Jay County. (Vol. 9:99) William and Emily had seven daughters: Pearl, Laura, Minnie, Zorpha, Edith, Hannah, and Gladys. I descend from Pearl.

Obituary:
WILLIAM REID DEAD–Wm. Reid died at half past six o’clock Thursday evening at his late home in Portland, from a lingering illness of creeping paralysis. The deceased leaves a wife and six children. For many years Mr. Reid and his family were residents of near New Corydon, and moved to their home on Water Street, about a year ago.  He was born February 2, 1855, and at the time of his death was fifty years of age. Eight brothers and sisters survive, whose names are C.T. Reid, of South Bend, Albert, Roland and A.J. Reid of this city, Harry Reid and Mrs. Minnie Borden of Hartford City, James Reid, of Kansas, and Lowell Reid, of Muncie.  The funeral service took place Saturday afternoon at two o’clock at the Evangelical church, conducted by the Rev. W.S. Tracq. Interment in Green Park Cemetery. (source: The Geneva Herald, 16 Feb 1905)

Obituary:
EMILY E. BISEL DIES MONDAY-Flu and Complications Fatal to West Water Street Resident-Emily E. Bisel, 84, resident of West Water Street, died Monday morning at 5 o’clock at the Jay County Hospital following an eleven week’s illness of flu and complications. She had been a lifelong resident of Jay County. Mrs. Bisel was born May 8, 1856, in Jay County, daughter of John and Hannah (Huey) Bryan. Her first marriage was June 29, 1878 (sic), to William W. Reid, who died February 9, 1903 (sic). She was later married Abram C. Bisel, now deceased.  Surviving are five daughters, Mrs. Pearl Brewster of New Corydon, Mrs. Minnie Brockway of Portland, Mrs. Zorpha Lawrence of Fort Wayne, Mrs. Edith VanSkyock and Mrs. Gladys Lare of Portland; 30 grandchildren; 42 great grandchildren and one sister, Mrs. Ernest Schmidt of northeast of Portland. Two daughters are deceased. The body was removed to the Baird funeral home where friends may call.  Funeral arrangements have not been completed. (source: clipping from unknown newspaper, dated June 1940, obtained from Hazel Brewster in 1999)

As so often happens, there are a couple discrepancies among the records. William and Emily’s marriage return shows they were married on 30 June, not 29 June, as stated in Emily’s obituary. The year of William’s death is incorrect in Emily’s obituary. He died in 1905, not 1903. William’s death record from the Jay County Health Department and Emily’s obituary both state that William died on 9 February, but the JL Baird Funeral Home Records show that he was buried on 4 February. I checked a 1905 calendar and both February 2nd and 9th were on a Thursday, which agrees with William’s obituary. His obituary states only that he died on Thursday. Is the funeral home record wrong or is the Health Department record wrong?  We have to remember that there can be errors in any record. Therefore we have to carefully study all of the information, take into consideration the events that were occurring at that time, and consider who may have provided the information in order to determine what is most likely correct.

William W. Reid (1855-1905), photo c1898

Emily E. Reid, nee Bryan (1856-1940)

Apr 22

I’m My Own Grandpa

Unknown tintype; a Schinnerer?

“I’m My Own Grandpa” is the title of an old song that my parents used to have on a 78 Rpm record. The song was written by Dwight Latham and Moe Jaffe back in the 1940s.  It was from the same era as another silly song, “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?” They don’t write songs like that anymore and they don’t make 78 Rpm records anymore either. Ray Stevens rerecorded the grandpa song a few years back and some of you may be familiar with it.

“I’m My Own Grandpa” tells the tale of tangled relationships in a family and how a man ended up being related to himself. It seems this fellow married a woman that had a grown daughter from a previous marriage. That fellow’s father married the daughter, making his father his son-in-law. Sort of. I guess to be genealogically accurate they should have used the term “step” throughout the song, as in step-daughter. But that would have thrown off the meter of the song.

My Tombstone Tuesday blog, featuring Barbara Anna Schumm Buechner, nee Pflueger, brought this song to mind, although our family genealogy is not quite as intriguing as the one in the song. In my family no one ended up being their own grandpa, but there are a couple minor twists and turns.

I knew that my Grandpa and Grandma Schumm were related by blood before they married. Louis and Barbara Schumm, nee Pflueger, were the common ancestors of both Grandpa and Grandma. Grandpa descended from their son Louis and Grandma descended from their daughter Elizabeth, who married Friedrich Schinnerer.

People did not go very far to find a mate in the 19th century. They often married someone within three miles of where they lived. The Schumms and Scaers lived just down the road from each other.

My grandparents were first cousins once removed. Another way to look at it would be to marry the son or daughter of your first cousin. Isaac and Rebeckah, of Biblical fame, were also first cousins once removed. Several notable people married their first cousin, including Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, and Queen Victoria. First cousin marriages are fairly common throughout the world, making up about 10% of all marriages. But remember, my grandparents were first cousins once removed. There is an extra little buffer in there. Theoretically, that would be half as risky as marrying your first cousin, if you are concerned about passing on a genetic disease.

I was surprised a few years ago when one of my relatives, Milton Schumm and his wife Betty, came to the funeral home after the death of Joe’s grandmother, Goldie Helen Roesner, nee Lee. As we talked with them we learned that not only had they been acquaintances of the Roesners, but one of them was related to Joe! Immediately I wondered if Joe and I were somehow related. As soon as I got home I delved into my genealogy information to see just what their relationship was to us.

I discovered that Milton Schumm was my 2nd cousin once and twice removed. I’m related to Milton twice because of that Louis and Barbara Schumm thing again. Louis and Barbara are the common ancestors of Milton and me.

It turns out that Joe is related to Milton’s wife, Betty, nee Ross. Joe and Betty are 1st cousins once removed. Their common ancestors are Dietrich and Christine Roesner, nee Schoor. Dietrich and Christine Roesner had 8 children. Among them were Edward Roesner, Joe’s grandfather and husband of Goldie Helen Lee, and Elizabeth Louise Roesner, who married Leo Ross. Louise and Leo had 4 children and one of them was Betty Ross, who married Milton Schumm. It turns out that Betty is the niece of Edward and Helen Roesner.

Joe and I are not related by blood. As for our son Jeff, he is of course related to both Milton and Betty. He is a 2nd cousin twice and three times removed to Milton and a 1st cousin twice removed to Betty. I could go on and give Jeff’s relationship to Milton and Betty’s children, but this first, second cousin, once, twice removed  thing is making my head hurt. Thanks to Roots Magic and its Relationship Calculator, which makes figuring out these family relationships very easy.