This and that

 This week my post for Sepia Saturday is early...since last week I didn't post till Sunday!

by Hazel Larsen Archer, Black Mountain College Studies Building, c. late 1940s. Black Mountain NC campus. Vintage gelatin silver print. Courtesy of Erika Archer Zarow.⁠

This building is among my 2008 photos on my blog about Lake Eden, also on that campus site.

Albert (no other information known, until you go to Sepia Saturday.)

My paternal grandmother "Gummy" with my cousins, her older three granddaughters, Claudette standing on right of photo. and Sandra standing on the left. Gummy was holding myself, Barbara, age 11 months. So glad she dated this. Gummy would have been 57, Claudette 3 years and 10 months, and Sandra was just 2 years and 7 months. They were about 14 months apart but I could never keep up with my cousins.

“The aim of human life is to know thyself,” says Timothy Leary.

 “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” Will Rogers 

------

Check out my continuing rambles over on Inner Workings. It's allowed me to let my hair down (figuratively) while focusing on beauty, peace and love over here on this blog. I also have begun a new series started this month "Living till Dying."

-----------------

Photo from Google maps...the upscale condos are right next to where these new homes will be built (currently a horse pasture)

A new land trust will be building low and moderate income homes near where I now live. It is presently a horse pasture. My road, Blue Ridge Rd. is soon (whenever the funding comes through) to have an exit from I-40. It will be around 1/2 mile from the new homes. The little road will definitely need to be widened and revamped. Civilization is coming into the country. Here's the article in The Valley Echo.

Meeting cousin John

My friend Helen and I drove to Columbia SC a week ago, to see an exhibit of M. C. Escher's works at the Art Museum there. I'll be sharing my photos from that trip over on my art blog "Alchemy in Clay."

Yet I also knew that a cousin lived there and taught at U of SC...music department. His sisters had shared information on FaceBook about some of his compositions. I'd listened to them at that time. But I hadn't been in touch with him for many years.

Actually I hadn't seen John since he was just a boy, a year older than my oldest son. We camped with his father and next older sister when John was about 12...and they were in a camper trailer, while I was in a camper van with my two older sons, somewhere in Wisconsin. We (my sons and I) were beginning a summer of travel all over the west of the country. We started in FL, where we ended up after putting 10,000 miles on the van (and new tires I think.)

John's family lived in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. His oldest 2 sisters had already married and left home. But since then, I've shared comments back and forth sometimes with the 3 sisters who are my friends on FaceBook...but John doesn't do social networking of any kind.

So I timidly asked his sisters if they thought I should email John and see if I could get together or at least have a phone call with him. Since it was already June, I didn't know for sure that he wouldn't be teaching classes. My email was answered positively and we met for lunch.

It was great to spend two hours getting to know this talented young man (well, in his 50s, but young to me!) 

Here is one of Helen and myself after we had a good lunch, and were about to head home again.

We enjoyed our visit, and have continued to email with John since then, making sure he knows we'd love to have him visit Black Mountain NC.

Today's quote:

Real life most often happens during the in-between times, when we are not celebrating a special occasion.

Ah sweet memories

For Sepia Saturday this week, I'm checking old photos for a shy girl, maybe standing by a wall. Come over HERE to see what other Sepia Saturday-ians have come up with. (I'll add mine as soon as the list is started for this week!)

I've got some old photos I found of myself...back in the dark ages! I don't remember being shy at these times. Maybe earlier I was.

The girl cousins Rogers.  From L to R, Sandra, Patricia, Barbara, Mary Beth, and Claudette. Taken where? Maybe Houston TX at my grandparents?  But Patricia lived in Wisconsin. My sis, Mary Beth and cousin, Patricia were both born in 1946, so they look to be around 3, thus it could have been in 1949.  And I do remember driving with my parents and grandparents and an uncle and my 2 Houston cousins to visit my Wisconsin Aunt Dotty and Uncle Jimmy in 48 or 49.  So since I don't recognize the lawn art or cars, I'm voting on this being in Wisconsin until someone tells me otherwise.

And a few more ancient photos (that happened to be saved in the same folder!)

In 1961 or 62 I was a bridesmaid for my best friend Rosemary.  This house is where my parents lived from 1960 to 1965. Since I was in college at the time, I only lived there during holidays and summers. It never felt like home to me.

While I was in college, I had a part in "The Boyfriend." I had only minor stage fright and forgot my lines once.  I did like wearing that rose velvet flapper dress!

My boyfriend's MG-TD, which drove us from Virginia to New London, CT in the summer of 1962.  He was in the Coast Guard. A year after we broke up, I married another man who was in the Coast Guard (who I'd known before.) Those Coasties had something special, I guess.

My profile probably cut for me in the late 60s or early 70s.

Happy Birthday Gummy

My grandmother, Ada Phillips Swasey Rogers, was born on this day in 1886, 129 years ago.  She lived until 1964.  She was quite a lady...and all her grandchildren remember her fondly.  She spent some time with her great grand children who also lived in Houston where she lived the last 24 years of her life.

She gave birth to 6 children, all except the youngest born in Galveston, TX, where she grew up herself.  But she was born in San Marcos, TX. Her youngest son was born in Fort Worth, Texas.

I wrote about her life in a lot of detail last year for her birthday HERE.

I've been showing some still photos taken from some home movies including my grandmother.

Considering these photos were taken about 1943-46, she didn't look much different to me the last 20 years of her life (but then again, I was much shorter than she was when these were taken!)

The summer of 1949 my parents, my grandparents, my Uncle Chauncey, and my cousins Claudette and Sandra and my sister and myself drove all the way from Houston to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, in two Studebakers. One had a board built across the back seat for us children to play on, or lie down for naps. That's 5 adults and 4 children.


Poppy wanted to see some of the places the Rogers family came from, including some Civil War sites...so the trip was a bit convoluted.  We also went through the Smokey Mountains to see some of the Tennessee sites where the Rogers had originally settled.  The cars over-heated several times in the mountains.  We stayed in small little motels, sometimes each room a tiny little cottage.  There are still some of those little stone buildings standing, but not in business any more.

We also wanted to visit Principia, the school in St. Louis for Christian Scientist children.  It must have impressed my parents, because we moved there to attend that school the next summer.  I met my cousins, Pat and Chris for the first time in Wisconsin, but don't remember many details.  I was only 7 that summer.

Strength and humor are the words that best describe my grandmother, as I remember her.

Another cousin contact

Hi Leslie...this is for you, special.

I am so thrilled to have been contacted by you here...my second cousin I think...cause we have the same great grandparents on my mother's side of my ancestry, Eugenia and Charles Miller!

I hope you got my email.
I did a bit of searching for records for your family, and have at least found some birthdates which I have added to my personal/private ancestry family tree.

I think we met when I traveled one summer with my 2 oldest boys and briefly stopped in San Antonio.

I can imagine you've a lifetime of stories to share, and I will be patient, but do want to hear all!

For my other cousins, who share the same grandparents on my father's side...it's absolutely amazing, Pat, Chris, Cindy, Sandra and Claudette, to connect with you all as well.  I'm not on Facebook as much as I used to be, but am still busy blogging here!

Leslie, if you want me to be your Facebook friend, I would like that also.  The only warning I can give is that I'm a bit "far out" as people used to say in the 70s. In the 21st Century, I don't know how to describe myself.

I've been like one of those lost relations...since I admit I'm the one who never stayed in the same place for long.  Yet now I've lived 7 years in Black Mountain, NC and have met so many people whose entire families haven't moved away from these mountains and valleys.  They are always amazed when I say I was born in Texas, raised in St. Louis, and have spent my adult life between Florida and North Carolina, mainly.

I have been making pottery again since retiring, and occasionally sell some.  I have 3 children spread around (all adults by now) and 6 grandchildren.  I've been single most of my adult life, and love living with 2 cats.  Ahhh, so relaxing to come home and have a quiet house where I can be the introvert that I truly am.  I read a lot, am active in my church, have some friends who also make pots, and some friends who like to take day trips around NC where I take photos for my blogs.

Cousin-making with weddings

Happy ancestor birthday to Annie Elizabeth Williams Webb
born on 20 June, 1862 Columbus, MO,  
Death 8 Jul 1942 in San Antonio, TX
(NOTE: I've edited this post since publishing the link on Sepia Saturday, so the grave photos are now at the end.)

She was the mother of Albert Joe Bud Webb, my grandfather on my mother's side.

I've posted blogs about both Grandma Annie's parents, both born in KY in December, who lived in MO a lot of their lives, then died in Weesatchee, Goliad County, Texas.

Annie Elizabeth Williams married Leroy Frances Webb  at 15 in Weesachee TX.

So a lot of her life is described in my post about him HERE.

I am pretty sure my mother (born in 1917) would have been introduced to this matriarch who lived until the year I was born, actually just a month and a half before.  Surely while her son was alive she saw her granddaughter.  

However I vaguely remember hearing from my mother that she had no contact with her grandmother.  I am pretty sure my grandmother went to her husband's funeral (Bud Webb) and saw her mother-in-law (Annie Williams Webb) there.  My mom's grandfather actually outlived her own father by a couple of years, so the funeral for Bud Webb may have been one of the first in the Webb plot. (Picture at end of this post)

I also remember Mom saying that her grandmother, Annie Elizabeth Williams Webb, had been an heiress to the Woolworth fortune.  And there was some connection with the Little Church Around the Corner in New York City.  I think my mother was bedazzled  by the Barbara Hutton story somehow, the bad girl who got all that money.  She named me Barbara, after all.  Didn't get the qualities of movie star, and certainly never inherited any fortune, but at one time I did have a few men in my life, mmm.


Of little interest to my descendents, unless they somehow find they are cousins to someone named Webb or Cross, Hammerle, Doughty or Meyer, the other children and grandchildren of Annie Webb.

When Grandma Annie's daughter, Marguerite Ellen Webb Carroll (1883-1951) died of a cerebral hemorrhage and hypertension, her sister gave details for the death certificate.  Sister is listed as Mrs. Fred C. Bruce, and her identity was also Clara Bell Webb Bruce (1888-1971).  The Bruces and Carrolls didn't have any children according to Ancestry.

One son outlived Grandma Annie, Thomas Ketch Webb, born 1886 in Weesatche, DeWitt County, Texas, Death 22 Jan 1959, Bexar County, TX.  He married Lenora A. Bilhartz Webb 1896 – 1972 and Ancestry doesn't list any children.

I'm checking Ancestry through all the 6 "surviving to adulthood" Webb children to see if my mother might have had any Webb cousins.  She never talked about them.

Grandma Annie's other children were the three mentioned above and:

James Eugene Webb, who often is listed as J.E. Birth 09 JUN 1878 in Clinton, DeWitt County, Texas Death 10 AUG 1927 in Weesachte, Goliad County Texas. He also died of Cerebral Hemorrhage, and high blood pressure (at age 49), as would his sister Marguerite later.  His death certificate shows he didn't die in Corpus Christi, which is where Ancestry had listed his death.  He was buried in Weesachte Cemetery. He and his wife, Alvina Albrecht Webb (1885-1971) had one daughter, Gladys Webb, b 1908.  Nothing more on Ancestry at this time about Gladys.

John Leroy Webb, Birth 17 MAR 1880 in DeWitt County, Weesatche, TexasDeath 20 FEB 1938

John married Elizabeth Lizzie Hohn Webb (1883-1960), and their children were; Anne Lorraine Webb Cross 1902 – 1949, Hazel Marguerite Webb Doughty Hinds 1908 – 1970, and Pearl Adelle Webb Hammerle 1918 – 2005.  John's death certificate says cause of death was hemorrhage of stomach.  His wife gave the information about him, not knowing where either of his parents had been born.   He was buried in the Mission Burial Park.

L. F. Webb, Jr. 1905-1937. Ancestry doesn't indicate he married or sired any children. (NOTE at the last minute: He did marry, Evelin, and they had a daughter Evelin Webb.)

Pearl Webb married Clarence (Cam) Hamerle (she was daughter of the cowboy John Webb, and she and her husband are buried at Arlington National Cemetery)

So my mother's cousins were Gladys Webb Meyer, Anne Webb Cross, Hazel Webb Doughty Hinds, Evelin Webb and Pearl Webb Hamerle. And it seems most of them were in San Antonio TX also.  And the more I look,  the more information is available about them, their husbands, and their children.   

I'm sharing this post with Sepia Saturday this week HERE.  It may not be exactly on theme of Weddings, but after all, that's how families come together originally and start having a whole new batch of cousins.

a WRONG ratio on this pic made everyone look really fat!

 

Webb family plot, Masonic Garden,, Block 2, Lot 105, San Antonio, Bexar County, TX

Webb marker Mission Burial Park South San Antonio

 

Another Clack connection

Besides the obvious problem with documents frequently confusing the name Clack with Clark, I found this gentleman in early Texas history a few days ago, named Sterling Clack Robertson.
Since the area that Texas History online was talking about was where my Booth ancestors settled, (Hill Country, Texas) I was interested in learning more about its early history.

So I started a new tree over at Ancestry, for the Robertsons.  I just had 2 individuals, Sterling and his son, Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson, and their approximate ages.  So I made up a bunch of things, and punched them in, waiting for Ancestry to provide me source documents as to their real birth dates as well as places they lived.

And they were some kind of cousins of my ancestor Catherine Clack Rogers, who I've spoken about a bit HERE.

I know how unlikely it is that you want to chase various links all over the place, so here's one that I found:

From Handbook of Texas Online:

ROBERTSON, STERLING CLACK (1785-1842). Sterling Clack Robertson, the empresario of Robertson's colony in Texas, was born on October 2, 1785, in Nashville, Tennessee, a son of Elijah and Sarah (Maclin) Robertson. He was given a liberal education under the direction of Judge John McNairy. From November 13, 1814, to May 13, 1815, he served as deputy quartermaster general under Maj. Gen. William Carroll, who went down to fight the British in the battle of New Orleans. After the battle Robertson purchased supplies and equipment for the sick and wounded on their return to Nashville over the Natchez Trace. By 1816 he was living in Giles County, Tennessee, where he owned a plantation. He had two sons: James Maclin Robertson with Rachael Smith, and Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson with Frances King. On March 2, 1822, he was one of the seventy stockholders of the Texas Association who signed a memorial to the Mexican government, asking for permission to settle in Texas. On November 21, 1825, he was one of thirty-two members of Dr. Felix Robertson's party that set out from Nashville, Tennessee, bound for Texas, to explore and survey Robert Leftwich's grant. Robertson remained in Texas until August 1826, when he returned to Tennessee, filled with enthusiasm for the colonization of Texas. He toured Tennessee and Kentucky in an attempt to recruit settlers. In the spring of 1830 he signed a subcontract with the Texas Association to introduce 200 families, and on May 9, 1830, he took in Alexander Thomson as his partner. They brought families to Texas, but they were prevented from settling in the colony because of the Law of April 6, 1830. In 1831 that area was transferred to Stephen F. Austin and Samuel May Williams, but Robertson obtained a contract in his own name in 1834 and served as empresario of Robertson's colony in 1834 and 1835. On January 17, 1836, he became captain of a company of Texas Rangers. Then he was elected as a delegate from the Municipality of Milam to the convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos (March 1-17, 1836), where he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the Republic of Texas. He was stationed at Harrisburg to guard army equipment during the battle of San Jacinto. Robertson served as senator from the District of Milam in the First and Second congresses of the Republic of Texas (October 3, 1836-May 24, 1838), after which he retired to his home in Robertson County, where he became the earliest known breeder of Arabian horses in Texas. He died there on March 4, 1842. His remains were removed to Austin and reinterred in the State Cemetery on December 29, 1935. Robertson was responsible for settling more than 600 families in Texas.

The history of the Robertson colony (or settlement if you will) is pretty long, and here I will give you the link to Texas History Online.

Connection?  Sterling Clack Robertson's mother was Sarah Maclin Robertson, Birth 1758 in Brunswick, Virginia Death 3 Oct 1846 in Nashville, Davidson, TN, and it was noted that she provided the funds for his Texas adventures.

And Sarah Maclin's mother was: Sarah Sally Sary Clack  Birth 1731 in Gloucester, Gloucester, Virginia, Death 9 Mar 1803 in Nashville, TN

And Sally Clack's brother was Col. John Clack,  Birth 9 Jan 1721 in Gloucester, Gloucester, Virginia, Death 1784 in Gloucester, Gloucester, Virginia, who was married to: Mary Kennon Birth 29 JAN 1728 in Gloucester, Virginia, Death 1794 in Brunswick, Virginia

and they were parents of:

Lt Spencer Clack Birth 28 Mar 1746 in Fairfax now, Loudoun, Virginia, Death 09 JUL 1832 in Sevierville, Sevier, Tennessee, who was the father of Catherine Clack Rogers. So does that make them second cousins?  Parents: John & Mary Kennon Clack Children: Lt. Spencer Clack and Sally Clack Maclin  next generation: Catherine Clack Rogers and Sally Maclin Robertson Oh so Sterling Clack Roberson would have been third cousin to Micajah Clack Rogers, the son of Rev. Elijah and Catherine Clack Rogers.  Micajah actually also trooped to Texas with his family...but settled in East Texas rather than the Robertson area in Hill country.

Oh my, all this research into the Robertsons does have a glitch. Mrs. Sarah Robertson has an obit, so she was obviously the wife of father.  But her parents aren't clearly the Maclins in the other sources.  So when I was trying to link Rogers through the Clack connection, there is no Sarah Maclin who married a Robertson.  Shoot. 

But if Texas History Online has the Robertson's connection, and there is obviously the Clack family names in the Robertson explorers, I do believe that connection must exist.  Hi ya cousins, whoever you may be.