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Thank you for visiting my blog!

This blog is used to share information I find about the families I am researching. To see these family names click on the "My Families" tab. Please feel free to make comments, corrections, and ask questions here or on my Facebook page or go to the "About Me" tab to send an e-mail.

Reading this Blog

My posts can be accessed by the date posted from the column on the right. Blog posts containing specific surnames can be found by clicking on the names in the left column.

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Monday, December 31, 2018

#52ancestors Post #52: The Last One



The writing prompt for #52ancestors during this last week of the year is Resolution. I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions, but I will make a few related to genealogy as I have some definite goals. Here are a few of my goals for 2019. 

#1. Find more information about Mayflower descendant, Peter Reed. I would like to prove my 5th great-grandfather, Benjamin Reed is his father. 

#2. Post more of the information found in Marguerite Cook Clark's wonderful collection. 

#3. Learn more about the siblings of George L. Giddens and the siblings of Mitchell Giddens in hopes of finding more family and family documents or photos. 

I will not be participating in #52ancestors in 2019. I enjoyed #52ancestors when I posted in 2014. Posts involved 52 Hairston ancestors. I learned much and enjoyed the research. 

This year (2018), while following writing prompts, some posts were about family I had not previously pursued (a good thing). Many required out-of-the-box thinking (a good thing). Other posts had very little substance as they needed more thought and research (not so good).  I learned that I did not need the writing prompts to post regularly.  However,  if you need motivation and ideas for posts #52ancesters is an excellent way to start. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 


Diana

© 2018

Friday, December 28, 2018

#52ancestors Post Fifty: Naughty in Seymour Texas



The writing prompt for #52ancestors post fifty was naughty so thought I would relay a story told to me by my father. 

My father, Whit Criswell Bryan, was born in Seymour, Baylor County, Texas in 1920. He spent his first nine years living in Baylor County. I have never been able to positively say my grandparents owned the home above. However, the photo was found in the family Bible and I did find information in the Baylor County Banner indicating this may have been a home modified/built by my grandfather, Redic E. Bryan. See my post Family Photos: The House in Seymour – Part II


Dad said his only recollection of the house was sitting on the front porch while trying to open his father's pocket watch at the age of 5 or 6. The watch had belonged to his grandfather, Terrell Bryan. Unable to open it, he used a hammer thus destroying the watch. Dad said there was a pile of wood on the porch and when his father saw the watch, his father picked up a piece of wood and chased my father. The expected paddling didn't happen as his older sisters intervened. 


The watch case was kept in a jar with other odds and ends on
Dad's workbench. I saw the actual watch parts years before
Dad passed away, but don't know what happened to them.
The case was made by 
Fahys Watch Case Company in New York City.
The markings on the inside of the case indicate the silver case was
produced about 1893. 


If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Fahys Watch Case Co. - Pocket Watch Case Trademarks. Pocket Watch Database. Web. 28 Dec. 2018. <https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guide/case-companies/fahys-watch-case-co>

Quinn, Diana Bryan. Family photos and documents. 

#52ancestors Post Thirty-Eight: Unusual Sources









I am trying to finish the writing prompts for #52ancestors (in 52 weeks). There are only 3 days left in the year and I have three posts left. 

I postponed the completion of post-thirty-eight as I had a particular topic in mind to match the writing prompt Unusual Sources; however, the topic will take much research, some letter writing, and too many hours to complete this year. 


My most unusual source and unbelievable find was a photo of a Confederate soldier on Facebook that matched an unidentified Confederate soldier in a photo shared with me. I wrote about that find in 2016 - Friday's Photo: Thanks to Facebook, a Confederate Soldier is Identified.






Until that valuable find, Facebook was not on my go-to list of sources. This find showed me the value of Facebook in my genealogical searches. Now, when searching for a particular person, I always look for their surname on Facebook as there may be Facebook Groups or Facebook Pages devoted to that family. 

I created Facebook Groups for descendants of my Hairston, Bryan, Giddens, and Quinn/Murray families. This is a good way to get other family members interested in family history and also a way to share information.  

Looking for Facebook groups or pages related to a locality is also a great way to learn new information and find others researching your families. You might find a Facebook page for a genealogy society or historical society related to a particular location. 

Cyndi's List has a wealth of good information about using Facebook for Genealogy. 

Check out Katherine R. Wilson's Genealogy on Facebook list. This 300+ page document, containing more than 13,000 links related to genealogy and history, is organized by topic (location, surname, etc.) and has an easy to use clickable table of contents. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 


Diana
© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission.

Photograph of John Lawson Wimberly from the collection of Ken Shively. Used with permission. 

Thursday, December 27, 2018

#52ancestors Post Forty-Eight: Next to Last - Bryant Rustus Giddens

This photo was taken between 1910 and 1918. If Mildred and Albert were already married when this photo was taken, the photo would have been taken after the marriage of the
Northcutts in 1917 and prior to the death of Cleo Patra Giddens O'Cain in 1918.
Click on the photos to see a larger version. 

The writing prompt for #52ancestors, post-forty-eight is next to last. Bryant Rustus Giddens was the next to last child of Mitchell Giddens and Letisha Britt of the North Carolina. Bryant Rustus Giddens was probably born in Duplin County. According to Bible records, he was born on September 2, 1851. His father was living in Duplin County when recorded in the 1850 census and appeared to remain in Duplin until at least November 1852. 

Monday, December 10, 2018

#52ancestors Post Fifty-One: The Second Anniversary of Mobile Hospital No. 2, Pearl Harbor - August 1943

The writing prompt for post fifty-one of #52ancestors is nice

Friday was Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - 77 years since the bombing on December 7, 1941. My father was there at the Mobile Naval Hospital #2 and last week, I was contacted by two nice people sharing information about their fathers who also served in the Mobile Naval Hospital #2. 

I thought it would be nice to share a copy of a program celebrating the second anniversary of the Mobile Naval Hospital No. 2.  The names on this copy are very difficult to read. I have transcribed as many as possible in hopes that others looking for information about family members who served in the Mobile Hospital No. 2 may find this list. 

If you can fill in any of the blanks or correct any of my transcriptions, please don't hesitate to contact me by email or on my Facebook page. 


8-18-41                     8-18-43
Second Anniversary
USN
Mobile Naval Hospital
NO 2

L.N. Hart, Captain, Commanding Officer
Paul E. Spangler, Commander, Executive Officer
Clarence W. Ward, Ensign, Commissary Officer

U. S. N.
Mobile Hospital
NO. 2
August 18, 1943

MENU
Fruit Cocktail
Stuffed Celery          Stuffed Olives
Rice Turkey Soup
Roast Young Tom Turkey
Giblet Gravy           Oyster Dressing
Baked Spiced Ham
Cranberry Sauce          Buttered Asparagus
Candied Sweet Potatoes          Creamed Peas
Pineapple               Cottage Cheese Salad
Hot Rolls
Homemade Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream
Apple Pie
Butter            Coffee
Cigarettes



COMMANDING OFFICER
Captain Lynn N. Hart

EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Commander Paul E. Spangler

STAFF OFFICERS
Lt. Comdr. Joseph B. Stevens
Lt. Comdr. Charles Gartenlaur
Lt. Comdr. William F. Holcomb
Lt. Comdr. John L. Barnett
Lt. Comdr. Joseph E. N______
Lt. Comdr. John P. Davis
Lt. Comdr. William F. Green
Lt. Comdr. Clarence W. T_____
Lt. Comdr. Lewis Rector
Lt. Comdr. Henry F. Page
Lieutenant Francis G. S_____, Jr. 

Lieutenant Frank J. __________
Lieutenant Barry O. C________
Lieutenant (jg) Oliver C. Simpson
Lieutenant 
(jg) Edwin Shoemaker
Lieutenant 
(jg) Harden J. Killiam
Ensign Clarence W. Ward
Ensign Ray W. Lewis
Pharmacist James R.  Ch________
Mechinist Charles C___________


TEMPORARILY ATTACHEDLieutenant Mervyn Shoor
Lieutenant Edward H. Vincent
Lieutenant E P. H_____________




Roster of Enlisted Personnel

Chief Petty Officers

CPh
                                                             Carter, William O.                                                             
Colt, Herbert W.
Howells, David H.
P_______, Thomas R.
S_________, Robert L.
Smith, Allen N.
Watkins, Roy G.
_________, Arthur
Artificer
Santomernio, John A.
Pepper, Kenneth
Suszczynski, Stanley J.
Finley, Eugene
Ellison, Hollis
Rosenwinkel, Ralph N.
Moore, Millard
Moss, William

Petty Officer First Class
Anderson, Robert R.
Arnold, Keith R.
Baird, Elton R.
Barrett, Gus
Reedy, Vernon LeR.
Blazenski, Stanley J.
Boatright, James
Bragg, Charles
Brown, Robert
Brunner, Robert R.
Bryan, Whit C.
Chaplik, Peter
________, Robert I.
F_________, Jules
Funkhouser, David
Gibson, Billy
Gillmore, James D.
Hall, Max Edward
Henderson, George
________, Peter Paul
Johnson, Robert C.
Ler__ck, Norman G.
Olszewski, Eugene F.
Popps, Glenn L.
Rohre, Walter R.
Ross, William LaV.
Rossi, Paul J. Jr.
Sorensen, William H.
Sowles, George
Tippin, Thomas
Willi, John H.
Williams, Bernard,
Wr____ski, Joseph
Phoenix, John H.
Bollinger, William H.
Rachels, Casey
Black, Dwight
Ellis, George
Phillips, John
Warren, Joseph T. 

Artificers  3/C
Hayes, Thomas P.
Fuel___, Thomas M.
Tw_____, John Jr.
Sing, John C.
Li______, Edwin H. Jr.
Dill_______, Harry J.
Kr__s, Vernon
D_____sky, Pete
McKenna, William J.
Thompson, David W.
Cail, James R. Jr.
Myers, Lawrence E. 

Petty Officers Second Class

Arden, William T.
Arnold, Russell,
Atchley, Bob N.
Blanck, Vernon L.
Borges, Robert
Christopher, Wiley S.
C______, Calvin C.
Comrey, William H.
C______, Harold P.
C_______, John M.
D_______, Sam J.
Flock, William D.
Forst, Bernard
Gast, Carl
Gown, William A.
Gookin, Jay
H______, Daniel J.
Holloway, Jesse R.
Holt, Fred Jr.
Horton, Arthur S.
Hughes, Howard R.
King, Raymond L
L______, Robert C.
Laughlin, ______ K.
Lovell, John
Mantel, Vincent N.
McCarty, Curry W.
McLain, Wilfred D.
M_______, Ceril C.
Morris, Clarence
Mueller, Ario R.
Mullins, Luther C. Jr.
_______, David C.
Norton, Paul H.
O'Donnell, Jack
C______, Robert R.
__________, Ralph R.
__________, Harry S.
Blakely, Ted S.
Peters, Phillip J.
P______, Maurice M.
Prince, James T.
Quinn, James
Rice, James
R____sky, Mike
Rice, Earnest P.
Rid______, Burl
R_____, Ralph C.
Robertson, Robert F.
S_____, ______
S______, Fredrick M.
S_______, David
S________, Woodrow
T________, James J.
T______, Louis A.
V_______, Louie J.
W_____, Bernard
W____, Robert A.
W______, Edward
W______, Earnest
Wolf, Jay


Petty Officer Third Class
PhM3c.
Black, James D.
Cowan, S. G., Jr.
Edwards, R. J.
Fallgren, J. R.
Fonti, J. A.
Houlahan, P. H.
K____y, H. J.
Kerr, F. L.
L______rran, J.
Lusk, D. F.
Mansfield, R. L.
Martin, E.
Martinez, L.
McBride, R. S.
Moe, W. R.
Moore, C.
Palmer, J. J.
Ralji, C. J.
Rollins, M.
Roth, C. J.
S_____, F. H.
Shiffer, M. G.
Smith, V. N.
Spence, C. A.
Thompson, T. C.
Turner, H. B.
Welch, C. _. R.
West, T. T.
Williams, A. R.
McKeever, J. E.


Artificers  Third Class
Applegate, J. C.
Beaman, R. L.
Batson, C. R.
Buda, A. S.
Knurr, L. J.
Lisincki, H. G.
K___nko, S. D.
Przyrylo, C. S.
Pass, J. J.
Griffin, W.
Beck, L.
Hansen, D. F.
Luce, I. L.
Zupan, A.
Goorey, R. F.


Non-Rated MenHAlc.
Fel_ck, R. A.
Brown, V.
C_sp_d_s, D. T.
Dougherty, J. P.
Ellsworth, J. M.
Fine, P. J.
Ficy, W.
F________, __
McGriffin, C.
Patterson, J. H.
Price, L. N.
Pr_eau, G.
P_____er, R. W.
Schreck__gast, H.
Synac, J. P.
Smith, F.
Smith, J. M.
Soll__, S. M.
Tidball, D. B.
Vanhook, C. R.
V_____, F
Volkman, B.
Walker, __
Westin, __
Wittsill, J. D.
Willden, C.
Wilson, E. A.
Witchey, D. R.
Wright, J. F.


Non-Rated MenHA2c.
Bolon, J. F.
Davison, C. D.
Dillon, H. L.
Duckworth, E. W.
Ewing, C. E.
Fritsch, W. J.
Grigliert, G. J.
Hazelton, J. E.
Heine, R. H.
Hermsen, J. D.
Hollfelder, J. P.
Jones, E. L.
Lyman, R. C.
Manfra, V. L.
Marino, J. A.
Mustola, T.
Rosenthal, W. H.
Thomas, R. E.
Trail, R. H.
Vaiha, J. V.
Wait, R. C.
Weidner, G. H.
Woods, R. C. 


Slc.
Banda, I. E.
Barnes, S. T. Jr.
Bartholomew, B. B.
Beasley, G. E.
Bruen, K. W.
Dooley, W. P.
Hendricks, J. G.
Mannion, T. J.
Rawlins, J. B.
Ringgenberg, K. L.
Rose, A. S.
Sellhausen, H.
Snowgren, V. C.


S2c.
Brown, W. M.
Conner, D. E.
Daily, C. D.
Dinger, W. J.
Fuerstenberger
Gaunt, G. P.
Goodell, S. T.
Grillo, W.
Manlon, W. J.
Taylor, E. L.
Hayes, C. A.
Heaton, J. E.
Johns, R. E.
Ke_____, D. K.
Lovejoy, R. E.
Marusic, F.
Mazeau, D. T.
Mazzuca, R. F.
McComish, E. P.
Mesko, G. Jr.
Therrien, W. E.
Minthorn, C. E.
Moeller, J. L.
Monastesse, N. M.
Morris, V. L.
Nesbitt, J. H.
Morberg, J. J.
Ninnery, R. W.
Rawlins, E. D.
Reedy, T. A.
Rieser ,B. H.
Vota, J. H.


Messman Branch
Hatchett, Gust D.
Sasser, Vance A.
Loston, Hardy
Dagdagen, Alfonso, A.
Nolasco, Marcelino
Aguinaldo, Luis
Brooks, Henry T. Jr.

Plank Owners
August 18th, 1941   - - -   August 18th, 1943
Officers and enlisted personnel who were at the
commisioning  ceremony and
who are still attached to hospital staff.

Officers
Lt. Comdr. Charles Gartenlaup
Lt. Comdr. Joseph E. Nunes
Lt. Comdr. William F. Green
Lt. Comdr. Lewis Recter
Lt. Comdr. Henry F. Page
Lieutenant Francis G. Soul, Jr.
Lieut. (jg) Oliver C. Thompson
Pharmacist James R. Charless

Enlisted Personnel
Winton, Arthur,
Smith, Allen N.
Shriver, Robert L.
Berody, Thomas P.
Wrobleski, Joseph
Popps, Glenn L.
Blazenski, Stanlev J.
Brunner, Robert R. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018 Sources Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn

Friday, December 7, 2018

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - Dad was stationed at the Mobile Naval Hospital #2 in Aiea Heights, Territory of Hawaii

Dad and his friend, John Dale Dickerson, at Pearl Harbor. They look so young!
Dad was 20 years old when he saw the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 


Current Google Map of Pearl Harbor showing Aiea Heights. 

Dad was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. He was stationed at the Mobile Naval Hospital #2. I find bits and pieces about the hospital in oral histories, newspaper clippings, and on the web, but never thought to find the exact location until today. 

In an interview with John Lorange found in a long-lost NC newspaper clipping, Mr. Lorange described the location of the hospital as Aiea Heights. 

View from the Aiea Naval Hospital {Mobile Naval Hospital #2} of anti-aircraft bursts nearly forming an umbrella over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii during the Japanese air attack, 7 Dec 1941. The thick smoke, center, is from the USS Arizona.

These past posts tell much more about Dad's time in Hawaii.
If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Aiea Heights Dr - Google Maps. Google. Web. 4 Dec. 2018. <https://www.google.com/maps/place/Aiea+Heights+Dr,+Hawaii+96701/@21.3887715,-157.9501276,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x7c0068d1eec07e05:0x3575905dbf656875!8m2!3d21.3887703!4d-157.9151085>.

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

World War II Database. United States Government - Public Domain. Web. 4 Dec. 2018. <https://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=26853>.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

#52ancestors Post Forty-Six: My Web Site

The writing prompt for #52ancestors, post forty-six, was Random Fact so decided it was time to tell a few facts about my website. 

In the late 1990s, I had my first website at AOL Hometown. I used it to post unidentified photos of family in hopes of matching these photos to names on my family tree. My ambitions grew, technology improved, and I moved those photos, along with much-found information and transcriptions, to a Rootsweb Freepages account in 2004.  Last year, Rootsweb struggled with security issues and removed all accounts. My site returned to the Internet a few months ago. 

Although I haven't updated the site since 2012, you might want to visit it if you are connected to any of my families. There are at least 70 pages of family trees, photos, and document transcriptions. 

The site was built when many were still using dial-up, screens were smaller, and photos had to be reduced in size. If you see a photo or document you need, send me an email, I can send you a better copy. 

I don't plan to update it. I don't know Rootsweb's plans and it's much easier to add to my blog. And, most of those pages will eventually become part of my blog. 

Below are photos of my Table of Contents page. Click here to access the actual Table of Contents. 

  




If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn

#52ancestors Post Forty-Nine: A Quinn Honeymoon at Mirror Lake Inn






The writing prompt for #52ancestors for week forty-nine is winter

My in-laws, Bill Quinn and Doris Staubach, were married on January 3, 1953. These photos, taken on January 6, 1953, must be photos taken on their honeymoon. The original photos are very tiny and Doris and Bill could not be recognized until the photos were scanned and enlarged. 

The Mirror Lake Inn is near Lake Placid, New York. See the current inn and read it's history by clicking here


If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 


Diana

© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

#52ancestors Post Forty-Five: Is This Benjamin Franklin Thomas of Northwest Lousiana?

These men appear to have the same build, hairline, nose, and mustache and beard growth pattern.
Could they both be Uncle Frank Thomas? 

When I saw the writing prompt, bearded, for week forty-five of #52ancestors, I immediately thought of these photos from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. I actually think these are photos of the same man. 

The first photo is clearly labeled Uncle Frank Thomas and was taken by a studio found in New Orleans. Knowing the photos were passed down from Sarah Wimberly Bryan, I checked the Wimberly Family History and found Benjamin Franklin Thomas. In the book, he was once referred to as Frank. Could this be B. F. Thomas? 




This photo, taken by B. & G. Moses, was taken
sometime between the Civil War and the late 1800s. 

Benjamin Franklin Thomas was born in Mississippi in 1832. He was the son of Tristram Thomas and Mary Hill Brown.  In 1855, he married Fanny Louisa Wimberly, daughter of William Wimberly and Lucy Smith Lawson in Bienville Parish. After Fanny's death in 1903, Benjamin Franklin Thomas married Nancy Wimberly, half-sister to Fanny. 

B. F. Thomas, as he is frequently seen, and Fanny had three children. Sarah Franke Thomas, Elizabeth L. Thomas, and John T. Simmons Thomas.

Sarah Franke married Rueben S. Collier in 1879. Sarah died in 1881 and her sister, Elizabeth, married Ruben in 1882. Rueben was a Methodist minister in Louisiana and in 1899, transferred to the Texas conference where he was assigned to churches in Milam County. 


This second photo was taken by a studio found in Waco, Texas. On the back is written For Cousins Alice and Sarah Bryan. Sarah and Alice were Wimberly sisters who married Bryan brothers. They were two of  Frank's wife's older sisters actually making them Frank's sisters-in-law, not cousins. 

I did find a Frank Garrett Thomas, a distant cousin who lived in Georgia. If not B. F. Thomas, could this be Frank G. Thomas? 





Someone attempted to label his photo as ______ Hunter on the back. I was not able to find substantial information about any Hunters connected to the Bienville Parish Wimberlys. 

B. F. Thomas' only daughter lived in Texas, I could easily see him visiting his daughter - especially if there was a grandchild. Waco is in the vicinity some of Ruben Collier's churches.  However, at the time his daughter was in Texas (about 1899), he would have been about 67 years old. He doesn't look that old in this photo. 





Is Benjamin Franklin Thomas your ancestor? If so, do you have photos? Are you a Wimberly? Are you able to help with any information leading to the idenification of this photo? 


If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

"A history of the expansion of Methodism in Texas, 1867-1902 [microform]; being a continuation of the history of early Methodism in Texas : Phelan, Macum, b. 1874 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive." Web. 25 Nov. 2018. <https://archive.org/details/MN5075ucmf_1/page/n453>.

Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006.

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission.

Langdon's List of 19th & Early 20th Century Photographers.  Web. 27 Nov. 2018. <https://www.langdonroad.com/>.

Wimberly, Vera. Wimberly Family History: Ancestors, Relatives, and Descendants of William Wimberly, Pioneer from Georgia to Louisiana, 1837. Houston, Tex.: D. Armstrong, 1979. Print.