Window

St. Monica church

This window was donated to the St Monica's church by Edmund and Mary Margaret Herrick in the 1940's or 50's.   The window still hangs in place within the Catholic church of Mishawaka Indiana.  The photo as recently taken by relatives on Mary's side.  Both Ed and Mary are from Cork Ireland, but married in Boston Massachusetts in the early 1900's.  I don't know if they knew each other back in Ireland, but chance they might.  Ed and Mary lived a number of years in the eastern city of Cambridge MA, with brother James¹, sister Mary M² and cousin James J Herrick³ near by before heading west in the 1930's to Indiana.  Ed and Mary settle in the Mishawka area and became members of their community and St. Monica church.

They both rest today in the Fairview cemetery of Mishawaka in an unmarked plot.   Ed is the brother to George Francis Herrick⁴ my great grandfather on my mother's side.  To read more about the Herrick see the link below.

I must give thanks to Aaron D. and the Thornton relatives for this picture and the other data that will be posted on later date.

Update:

Recent communication with a member of the church, I learned that Ed and Mary also donated the window that is above the choir's section and greets the parishioners as the come for service. Click each image to see a larger view.

This is the St Monica Church is Mishawaka Indiana.  The large circle shaped window above the doors is the window above the choir section.

Window above the choir!

Interior view of the St Monica Church and the choir section

Links:

More Herrick stories

Superscript: 

1 James arrived in the USA in 1897
2 Mary arrived in the USA in 1906
3 James J (cousin) arrive in the USA in 1897
4 George Francis Herrick arrived in the USA in 1873 and settled in Illinois


Update 29 Oct 2018

Edmund's and Mary's grave sites have been located in the Fairview Cemetery Mishawaka Indiana. The plot locations in the cemetery are  Lot #468 for Mary and Lot #439 for Edmund.  You can find their memorial at FindaGrave

Cork to America

This story was going to be about just one individual's trek to the states from Ireland, but it started to exploded on me as I gathered the information I wanted to share.  Also, in the process of gathering my notes, I started discovery more information that I didn't have and so the story grew and now much bigger than a few lines.  This story is now about the John and Mary Herrick family of Cork Ireland. Here is what  I know..........

Our story begins In the early 1800's with the marriage of John Herrick and Mary Cronin, both of Cork.  I should say at this point that the name of Herrick is not original to Ireland, but rather they came from England to rule over the Irish, but this was many many many years prior to our story at hand. John and Mary married around the year 1860.  John was about 21 and Mary 19 when they wed. The best I can tell the family was Catholic and their first born was my great grandfather George Francis Herrick, in 1863.  John and Mary had quite a few children that followed after George, it must have been hard raising children through the potato famine years in Ireland, but they did!  I don't know John and Mary's social status, but the Herricks' at one point time were landowners in County Cork, so there may have been some assistance afoot.  George's siblings were;  Hannah 1866, Henry 1868, James 1871, Mary 1872, Edmund 1874 and Bridget 1877.  I believe that were more children that didn't make it past babes.  Now, John and Mary lived into the seventies and never left the Emerald Isle, however many of the children did.  George being the first.

George F Herrick (I)

In 1873, yes at the age of 10, George is reported to have migrated to the states.  Why would anyone allow a ten year to travel to another world by himself is unknown to me, he may have traveled with relatives or the report date is incorrect.  But, he reported to the 1900 census taker that he was in country at that time.  At some point George makes his way to Freeport Illinois.  Here he meets his future wife; Mary Clement Kennedy.  Margaret is the daughter of Michael and Margaret Kennedy. Michael is a railroad man and works for the Illinois Central Railroad company.  Margaret Kennedy is called Maggie by most and keeps a good house for her husband and children; Mary and John and her mother; Catherine Welsh at Monterey St in Freeport Illinois.   Michael and Mag are both from Ireland and have been in country prior to 1860.  How Michael kept himself out of the Civil War is another great mystery as many Irish were ushered straight into the war right off the ships.  Maybe, it was cause the main push of the war was a year or two away.  A priest by the name of Father Mangan of St Mary's Catholic Church in Freeport held the marriage ceremony for George and Mary on 16 February 1887.  George being 24 years of age and Mary was 18 at the time of their marriage.  Our new formed family got down to business and had their first child in April of 1888.  Unfortunately, the child Margaret Mary didn't live past July of the same year.  Her obit reads as "Obit 20 July 1888 Freeport Weekly Democrat. A daughter of George Herrick died today, aged three months and eleven days. The funeral will occur tomorrow morning. Mr. and Mrs Herrick have the sympathy of their friends in their sad bereavement."  It 's sad thing to loose a child.  It had to be specially hard for Mary loosing her first born as it would be for any young mother.   Being young and a good catholic family and the fact live moves along, another baby soon appears.  In May of 1889 Edmund J is born and then George Francis (my grandfather) comes along in March of 1892.  Shortly thereafter, the family moves to the Chicago area and by the 1920 onto Tampa Bay Florida.  George and Mary did have a total of eleven children; Mary Margaret, Edmund J, George Francis (my grandfather), Leo J, Mercedes, Henry J, Mabel, Bernice, Robert, Cyril Paul, and Adelaide was the last child born to this family.  Adelaide came along  in Dec of 1910.  As with George's parents, many of these children didn't past babes.  The children's names were shared in a letter from Adelaide to my mother, Mary Margaret Reynolds, in the 1970's that came to my hands upon my mothers death.   George and Mary rest in Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Tampa.  After reaching Florida the family prospered and many of their children are still living in the Florida area.  


by GF Herrick

Georg F Herrick (II)

George did follow the main family group with his wife Grace R Herrick nee Whitfield to Florida, but then followed a calling to head west.  George and Grace through their travels had five children; one in Chicago; Grace Francis, one in Utah; Ruth M  and three in Tacoma Washington; George Francis (yes another one), Mary Margaret and Cyril Robert. George was 25 and Grace was 21 when they married in Chicago Illinois, Jun 1917.  By September 1918 Grace F Herrick was born. By the 1920's we find George and Grace are also in Florida with the rest of the Herrick family.  They stayed for a short period of time before start their way west.  While in Tampa George worked for the Altantic Tire Company from which a short story was written on company letter head.  You see, George fancy himself as a writer of sorts and actually wrote many story shorts that was collected in a loose binder.  Once reaching Washington they stay, but for a few journey here and thar, but returning to Tacoma. George and Mary lived out their years in Washington.   George rests in the Calvary Cemetery in Tacoma Wa. and Grace rests in the Oakwood Hill cemetery also of Tacoma.  George was both an enlisted soldier and officer in the US Army Guard during WWI.   I don't believe he was called up for overseas duty. As a side note; for some reason George had everyone believing he was born in the state of Washington, but rather it was Illinois.  Many of George's decendants still live in the Washington area.

Umbria

Jumping back to those that left Ireland for the states, James Joseph Herrick, brother of George F. Herrick (my great grandfather) was at the age of 25 when he decide to leave his home country of Ireland. According to the Umbria ships manifest, James is heading for Monterey St., Freeport Illinois, the home of his older brother, George F. Herrick.   James for whatever the reason, settled in the Cambridge Massachusetts area.  Did James ever visit George as the ships manifest states?  Well to this point there is no evidence that he went any further west than that of Massachusetts.  None the less, in 1897,  James departs Ireland at Queenstown, on the ship UmBria.  And after six short days upon the waters of the north Atlantic, the Umbria docks at New York.  As the 1900 census taker makes his rounds in June, we find James and his cousin living as boarder in the house of John Bradley; 662 Cambridge St., Cambridge Ma.  As a side note, John Bradley is also of  Ireland.  James J and his cousin James are laborers in local factories.  When the census taker next catches up to James, in 1910, we find that James is hosting his brother, Edmund and sister, Mary and cousin James, in his house at 157 Spring Street Cambridge Ma. By the 1920, James (cousin) is married as is Edmund, but James and Mary (sister) are still share a residence, 375 Portland St., Cambridge Ma.  So, we now have George, James J, Edmund, Mary Herrick and cousin James Herrick in the USA.  James J and sister Mary stays in Cambridge Ma. where I loose track on them in the 1930's.  The best I can tell at this point, neither got married.

S.S. Saxonia manifest

We know Edmund came to the states in 1903, crossing the Atlantic abroad the ship;  SS Saxonia. He only had $20.00 in his pocket and was coming to see his brother in Cambridge MA.  In 1915, Edmund marries Mary Thornton in the big city of Boston.  Yes, Mary Thornton is of Ireland too.  We know this is the same Edmund as he listed his brothers address as residence on the marriage register.  Jumping ahead a little, Edmund and Mary will relocated to Mishawka Illinois in 1941. I have not found any records of any children born to this couple.  I have talked with Thornton researchers and they agree that there were no children.  Edmund passed away in 1957 and rests in the Fairview Cemetery in Mishawka Il.  At this point I haven't found Mary Thornton after Edmund's passing, but I am guessing she is near by her husband and other Thornton relatives that rest in the cemeteries of Mishawka.

There is oral history of a visit by Mary Herrick and a sister visiting the Herrick famiy in the Tampa Bay area.  After which they returned to Cambridge Ma.  I know that Mary Herrick came to the states in the early 1900's and lived with her brother for many a year.  Thus far a date of arrival to the state for Mary has yet to be found, but from what I can tell it wasn't to long after the arrival of Edmund. 

I will end this story now, as its starting expand beyond what it already has and what I intended.  I will, however continue digging into the Herrick tree.  If you are interested in learning more about any of the Herrick's in this story, please feel free to contact me.  Also, if you have information to share, I would love to include your information.

Hodge!

Not long ago I posted about finding what happened to my grandfather; George H Reynolds.   The posted include the marriage certificate between George Reynolds and Edith R Heaney, on which I noticed that this was George's second marriage.  I am pretty sure that I noticed when first I received the document, but it didn't stick, but this time it did.  So, tonight I was browsing through documents for Lowell Massachusetts looking for James and hit on a record for a marriage between George and a Margaret L Hodge, 27 Jan 1915.  George is listed a railroad man and his mother is listed as Hannah E Watters.  Ugh, back to the two "T"!   Now, if you have been following along, George marries my grandmother in November of 1916.  So, what happened to Margaret?  You guessed it... more digging required!

The entry is about 7th from the bottom.

Well, I have found more information about Margaret L Hodge this year in the Lowell Sun Newspaper.

   Matrimonial

REYNOLDS - HODGE

A pretty marriage took place Wednesday afternoon at 6 o'clock when George H Reynolds 

and Miss Margaret L. Hodge were united in the bonds of matrimony, the ceremony being  performed by Rev. Henry A. Cornell at his home 21 Blossom street.  The bride wore a gown of imported ivory silk over ivory liberty satin and carried a bouguet of bride's roses.  She was attended by her sister, Miss Jessie E. Hodge, who wore a similar gown to that of the bride.  The best man was Rev. Reginald G. Tulleck, acting pastor of the Immanuel Baptist church of which the bride and bridegroom are members.  Miss Harriet  Gellrelt  acted as ring-bearer.  After the ceremony a reception was held at the home of the bride's mother, Mrs Jennie Hodge, 11 Main Street.  The users at the house were Thomas S Gellrelt and William Kershaw.  The happy couple left in the evening for Westville, Nova Scotia, where they spend their honeymoon.  They will at home to their friends at 77 Main Street after Feb 20.

Here is the cutting from the Lowell Sun Feb 1916.

Unfortunately, nine months later, Oct 28, 1916, Margaret passes away at home.  Though the obit, below, doesn't say it, I think Margaret passed in childbirth.

 

Recently discovered that Margaret passed due the Lobar Pneumonia which was quite a problem in 1915-1916

Grandfather found!

George H. Reynolds
circa 1940

I've been looking for my grandfather, George Henry Reynolds, since beginning this ancestral quest started ten plus years ago.  Recently, I was given a newspaper clipping of an obit that had some details about my grandfathers passing, from which I was able to extract a few hints. 

First, George was the second son to George H Reynolds and Elizabeth A Waters, of whom I have written about in earlier posts.  His date of birth is 27 April 1891.  It is said that he was born in Providence Rhode Island, but there is no records confirming this as of yet.  I did find his folks in Woburn Massachusetts where his sister Flossie was born in 1892.  At the turn of the century, George's father was no longer in the picture.  At this time, the family unit consisted of Elizabeth, James, George and Flossie and were now residing in Lowell Ma.   You can read more about Elizabeth Watters Reynolds; Waters or Watters. This seems to be starting point of the this Reynolds family in Lowell.  However, there are other Reynolds of similar first names living the area.  I wonder if there was a reason for the move to Lowell, either family or ethnicity. I was able to track the family forward to the year 1907, where Elizabeth is remarrying to a James McArdle of Lowell Ma.  And then again I found them in the 1910 census, where young George and Flossie are with their mother Elizabeth and step-father James in Lowell.  Then, in the winter of 1916, George gets married to Edith Ruby Heaney.  Edith is daughter of one William Heaney and Margaret Caldwell of Chelmsford Ma and Ireland.  This is George's second marriage according to the marriage certificate of 18 Nov 1916.  I have no record as of yet of George's first marriage, but I would think it would be in Lowell also, more research needed. Updated Aug 2012, read more about first marriage here; Hodge.  Well, shortly after my grandparent marriage, my uncle George came along.  Yes, another George!! Then in 1919 uncle E. Arthur and then my father William Caldwell in 1920.  I am sure you can figure out where my father got his name from... So, all the way up through to the 1930 the family is together, then George (my grandfather) is out of the picture.  Why,  I don't know, divorce I guess.  The three boys were were enumerated in the Ayer home for boys in Lowell on, 2 April 1930 as Wards of the state.  Then, but a few days later on the 8 of April 1930 they were enumerated again at home with their mother on Bleachery street in Lowell. 

So, what happen to George H Reynolds?  Up to this point, I found bits and pieces, some possible hits, but nothing to solidify his where abouts. Then a week ago or so, a cousin told be that he had moved to New York state and was working in a hospital.  Quite a change in careers, as George started or at least for awhile was a railroad man.  He worked for the Boston and Maine Railroad company at the time of his marriage to Edith.  Did he start there cause of his father?  Hmm, something to ponder!  Ok, back to the hospital job.  I had discovered a George years ago working in New York as an Orderly.  Is this him?  Then, the same cousin sent me an obit for George that she dug up in her files.  The obit didn't have a date or a newspaper name, but it did have a funeral home name, a city and state, and a cemetery name. I was had enough to start digging again for George.   All weekend I searched and searched the city records, but nothing except dead ends.  The cemetery didn't have a contact point like the Edson cemetery in Lowell, so I moved onto the funeral home.  This morning, after some simple digging for a Burnette Funeral Home of Middletown NY, I found a reference to a Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home.  They had change their name from Burnette in the early 1960's.  I found a contact email address to which I sent a request for record and confirmation that it was the same funeral home.  I was told that it was and that the records back int he 30's 40's and 50's were sparse.  So, at this point I am waiting for something more from the funeral home.  But, in the meantime, I chatted with a few genealogy researcher from the Middletown area and we came up with the same obit that was earlier mention, plus another clipping from a different newspaper that reported the death of George.

I have three clippings below.  

Middletown Times Herald

 Thursday 17 Oct 1946

Middletown Times Herald

Friday, 18 Oct 1946

Middletown Times Herald

Friday, 18 Oct 1946

Funeral Announcement

There are no markers for George in the Hillside Cememtay according to the management office. The grave is located at Section 5, Single Grave 310 in the Hillside Cemetary, Middleotown NY.

Get photo of plot

More information updating record for George.  According to the above mentioned death, George passed away in Middletown New York.  The death accouncement suggests that George worked in the Middletown State Hospital, as an ordealy I assume. During this period of time (1940s) George was documented in WWII draft records for older men.  His listed his mailing address as Camp LaGuardia Chester NY and living in a shelter in Middletown NY.  His place of death was in a restaurant on Centre Street in Middletown NY called Long's Restaurant.  I should mention that Long's Restaurant no longer exists.

Camp LaGuardia was a woman's prison 1914-1934 called Camp Greycourt prior to NY purchasing the prison an thus renaming it in honor of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia.

Get photo of camp

Winter's a long time going!

A line from of one of my favorite movies; Jeremiah Johnson.  Over a fire, a rabbit roasts! Johnson ( Robert Redford) asked Bear Claw (Will Geer) what month it was down below. Bear Claw seeing the wear on Jeremiah's face says; Winter's a long time going!  Right now, I am feeling a bit like Jeremiah, with this winter slowly waining away.  Winter has come early to this area and has stayed much too long, hovering zero for what seems like months, driving us all indoor.  So, indoor winter time activities fills our days and night this time of year.  For me this year it has been blogging, photography, raising chickens, movie watching and searching for ancestors.

Recently, I've connected with long lost family members of the east coast clan.  Though time and distance our paths have moved apart, gaping over the years.  Now, the threads have started growing again and with time will solidify.

I've been working a bit over ten years seeking out my ancestors, collecting data such as; where did they come from, where did the go, and who did the marry?   Though I've not found anything that would be called exciting, but I have from that many of my ancestors come from a little island in the North Altantic called; Ireland.   I've found out the my grandfather, on my motherside, likes to write stories.  I've found that many on the men in my tree spend time in the military, serving their country and others worked in the coal and gold mines of Nova Scotia.  I've found that many of children had short lives and many others were long in the tooth. I've found that some didn't know when or where they were born, some didn't know their own age. I've found some with different spellings of the same name, though lack of literacy, thick accents or poor communication skills, Walter, became Waters and/or Watters.  I've heard stories the we were related to an important Penacook chief and President that kept Cuba at bay, but none of this has come to pass.  Stories are just stories unless solidified with the glue of facts.  All in all, we just another family making its way through the small amount of time we have to spend on earth.

This morning, as I was going through old letters from my grandmother Grace to my parents, I found the following passage.  "I thought of a small fact in regards to your family tree. The only grandfather I ever knew was August Fenske, who is a step grand father as my grandmother married a second time after Otto Grothmann died of T.B..  So, while August Fenske has no real connection, he was a member of the family.  He was very German, never could read English.  He had a son Harry and a daughter who live on that island off south France, where he went after my grand mother died in 1915, I think it was."

All the data I have found about the Grothmann family, was Otto was the son not the father.  His name was Louis or Lewis depending on the census record you read.  I can find August with Rosalie (ggrandmother) in Wisconsin up to 1910, but then gone.  So, if Rosalie did died in 1915 and August took off for the island, that would explain the lack of data... another project for another day.

I also like to photo Mother Nature in all her glory, so will all the projects... winter will pass in good time and we can again spend time swatting skeeters.

I will leave you with a picture of my other winter projects, the Blue Jay.  I hope you enjoy.  The following links will take you to my flickr account with many more photos.

Wildbirds
Minnesota
Wildlife
Wildflowers

New Pictures

The year is 1957  and I can only guess that Ruby is showing off her new washing machine with a ringer.  

Arthur and Ruby sharing a moment and possing for the camera, 1960.

William and Arthur, 1947,  dressed pretty smart.

Will!

This morning was early for me.  At 4:30am my mind woke me with all the recent events bouncing around in my brain.  After finding Wendi a first cousin once removed, I started chatting with her mother.  Ruth has shared with me a few documents of our ancestors and added a few names to my growing database of family names.  Its now 7am, this same morning, a pot of coffee gone and tired eyes, which have been pouring over the emails and documents received.   The attached document, of which I have never seen before, has a new name for the family; Maud Heaney.    The date of this record is 6 August 1926, which is the activation of the Will appointing John Heaney the Executor.

Hannah or Anna?

Or is it Elizabeth?  When I started looking for this person almost ten years ago now, the oral history was, I should be looking for Hannah E Reynolds nee Waters.  But, as I soon learned, her name was Elizabeth Anna Waters of St Mary's River Nova Scotia Canada.  Elizabeth came to this country, with child in tow; James W Reynolds, in the 1891.  She was married at the time to George Henry Reynolds, who I don't have much information about.  After moving to the US, I found them in Woburn Massachusetts (MA), where George Henry Reynolds and Flossie Jane Reynolds were born.  In the 1900 US Census, I found Elizabeth, son George and daughter Flossie living in Lowell MA, at which time I lost James. This record show that she is going by Elizabeth. Were other records reflecting that she was going by name of Anna E. Reynolds.  She remarried in 1907 as Elizabeth A. Reynolds nee Waters to a James P McArdle of Lowell Ma.  Now, today, we found her plot record listing Elizabeth as Hanna MacArdle.  She was buried in the Kershaw family plot in the Westlawn Cemetery in Lowell Massachusetts.  Hold on to your shirt, I will tell you!  Elizabeth's daughter Flossie (Florence) married a William E Kershaw of Lowell and so the reason for resting in a Kershaw plot.  I don't know the where about of George Henry Reynolds, her first husband or James P. McArdle.  YET!

As I was writing the blog this evening, I received information from my cousin Wendi that she has information where George H Reynolds is resting.  I hope to investigate this information further and will report my findings.  But, I am sure Wendi's info is accurate.

Now, I can't take all the credit for locating Elizabeth, Anna, Hannah.  My cousin Wendi helped quite a bit and has told me as of today, 1/11/11, the genealogy bug has been at her house and is now infected.  The other person in the puzzle is Jade Oxton, Head Clerk at the Edson, Westlawn Cemetery.   Poor Jade looked for Elizabeth by way of many combination of the known names and finally after going back and forth with me in email found the record for Hannah, but only after Wendi revisited the plot site.  Now, notice she was buried in a family plot of Kershaw, and the last name of McArdle is spelt different. We were mainly looking for either Elizabeth or Anna but found her as Hannah.  Oh my!  Names and date can be all over the place when digging roots.  Many thanks to the both of you.  

So, Hannah, as the family must have known her, died in 1919, just prior to my father's birth.  This explains the oral history information I first received.

Through Death!

Recently, I found my Grandmothers resting place again, she is resting in the Edson Cemetery in Lowell Massachusetts!  I say again, because the last time I was there was 1968 when we laid to earth Edith Ruby Reynolds nee Heaney, I was about 12 years then.  What I didn't know was that Edith Ruby was buried in a family plot next to her father; William Heaney, her mother; Margaret J Caldwell and her son; E Arthur Reynolds and his wife; Daisy M. Reynolds nee Ritchotte.  Upon finding the resting place through the Edson Cemetery Management office, I was able to get copies of the plot records.  Nothing really out of the ordinary was found on the records, so I put them aside for future reference.  Shortly there after, a researcher for the Ritchotte posted an obit for Jeanne Reynolds, who was the daughter of Arthur and Daisy Reynolds.  While reading the obit a name popped up that I had just recently read on the plot record for William Heaney.  So, I started searching for a Wendi.  I found her in living in Lowell Massachusetts.  We started to correspond with each other about family history and just a reconnecting a lost family link.   Through our talks, finding my Great Mother Elizabeth Waters resting place is possible.  And a new mystery of  two unknown child who also buried the Heaney family plot.

Elizabeth was born in Nova Scotia Canada and came to this country in 1891.  I found Elizabeth and her family in St. Mary's River, Nova Scotia and again in the 1900 US census in Lowell MA, where she is a widow with three children. Her husband ,George Reynolds, apparently died between the years of 1894 and 1907.  I haven't found what happen to George as of yet.  But, in 1907 Elizabeth remarries to a James P McArdle of Lowell.  From there I loose her trail until now.   I hope to have the details of Elizabeth resting place later this week.

The children I didn't know about until Wendi asked me about them and she knew very little.  Not knowing, I again contacted the Edson Cemetery in hopes they had information.  Yesterday, I got a reply from their office.  The children, which there are three are; 

10/24/1876  Ann. J. Heaney    2years.7 months
11/30/1876 Walter Heaney     4 years 5 months
7/28/1980 Ellen May Heaney  2 months 16 days  Correction: 7/28/1880

What does this mean?  Well, it means more digging on who these children are and how the are connected to the Heaney family.  New stuff all the time.

And through death, a connection with lost family ties have started to reconnect.  I look forward to find more of the Reynolds family back east..  Thanks Wendi!

Tex an' the Sheriff's Gal.....................pt3

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

“Don't try hit, Tex," wuz whut he said;

"Why: yo're only a right young lad.

If I hed tuh smoke up on a boy,

Hit would shore make me feel bad. ,

“A thousand gold is a heap, jest now,

But I aint a gettin’ mine thet way.

Yo‘re safe with me, if yo' want a job;

An' I hope thet yo’ll want tuh stay.“

I wuz a ridin' with him when he got his;

We wuz trailin' a ruetlin’ gang,

when suddintly, they cut hell loose.

The slugs shore whined an' sang.

I fought like hell an' brought him in,

In the night when they couldn't see.

Hit wuz the night thet I told yo' of,

when he turned the ranch tuh me.

I want tuh tell yo' thet I love yo', Nell;

Thet’s a part of my story, too;

But hit aint a part thet yo' must take

with the ranch thet I turn tuh yo'.

I owed yore Dad the years I gave.

Tuh my bargain I hev been true.

Hit's only a part of the life I hev,

An' am willin' tuh give tuh yo'.

I’ve heered yo' say: “I love yo', Tex.“

Soon yore Dad frum the Great Corral

Will come tuh the ropin’ at Laramie

Of Tex an' the Sheriff's gal.



Tex an' the Sheriff's Gal...............pt2

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I reckon I'll take the southwest trail

Fer the sand blown lone star state,

Fer tuh see my pals an' Texas gals,

But I reckon I'm ten years late.

I feel like hell when yo' cry, Miss Nell;

Whut's a makin' yo' feel so sad?

Thar, thar, little pal, Jim Mackay's gal,

I only paid whut I owed yore Dad.

I've heered yo' say fer me tuh stay,

An' I reckon I've been right blind;

But I want tuh tell yo' a story, Nell,

Then p'rhaps yo'll change yore mind.

Before yore Dad cashed in his chips,

I came tuh the ranch one day,

Plum' hungry an' tired frum a desert ride,

Up frum down Arizony way.

I ast fer some chuck an' got hit.

Yore Dad wuz the sheriff then.

He took me in an' picked me out

Frum his pictures of wanted men.

An' thar, shore enuff, I saw hit,

Frum a Sheriff down Big Bend way.

A thousand dollars alive or dead,

Wuz the amount they offered tuh pay.

I came clean then an' told hit all;

Hit’s the tale thet I'm tellin' yo',

Of two guns bark an' the Sheriff's son

Layin' dead; I hed bored him through.

Fer my sister an' pal, jest a little gal,

Who at home on her sick bed lay,

I paid in full with thet gun O’ mine

The debt thet she couldn't pay.

Then I rode like hell fer the desert,

An' I made hit clean away,

Only tuh run plum' intuh the law,

when I came tuh yore ranch thet day.

I made up my mind tuh make a play

When I found thet yore Dad wuz law.

I wuz a calkerlatin' about the chance

Of my beatin’ him tuh the draw.

To be continued.....

Frozen world!

With cup in hand I stand looking out my window, passing from warmth to a frozen world of white and gray.  Winter has locked the world as we know it away.  But, yet there is life about;  Chickadees, Redpolls and Nuthatch in flight from pine to feed.  Cottontail tracks giving clue to their presense during the night and a Raven calls some distance away.  Though the north is held prisoner by frost and cold, life is all about.  Stand still for but a moment and witness the Aah of Mother Nature...

Tex an' the Sheriff's Gal... pt1

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I'm glad tuh see yo' back, Miss Nell;

Yo' shore hev grown quite tell.

I sent fer yo' tuh come back home,

Fer the ranch is yorn this fall.

I’ve missed yo' a heep back thar tuh school;

I hope yo' hev missed me some.

Hit’s hard tuh believe that yo'll soon be

Growed up an' twenty-one.

Hit’s ten years gone since yore Dad passed on:

Yo' war a gal past ten;

I wuz right young, only twenty-one,

But he picked me frum older men.

I remember his words, as he took my hand,

an' looked me plum' in the eye:

“Look after the ranch fer that gal o' mine;

I'm a leavin' ’er, Tex, good-bye.”

I've run the outfit as best I could,

An’ hit’s made some money, too;

Hit‘s all thar in the big tin box,

An' hit all belongs tuh yo'.

Five thousand head of beef's out thar;

Thar a present frum yore Dad,

Thar's five times more’n he hed then,

An’ I shore am mighty glad.

Next Monday week, we're a ridin’ in;

Hit’s the day yo' come of age.

We leave the ranch fer Laramie

On the early mornin' stage.

Yc’re a right smart gal, little Nell,

An’ yo're right smart purty, too;

I reckon yo' wunt need Tex, no mo'

Fer tuh run the ranch fer yo'.

So I'm a leavin’ yo' all next Monday week,

when the lawyers an' courts air through;

When I’ve checked up whut yore Dad left me

Fer tuh keep all safe fer yo'.

to be continued......

I can't change what has past!

I can't change what has past, I can learn from it the best that I can and move on. For if I dwell too long on yesterday, I will end it and never more be. I choose to live each day and help as many as I can in my own way... nothing more nothing less. -Liam McRaghnail

At some point!

At some point last night the weather came in and left behind several inches of new snow. 

It was well after dark when I told Trish that we might have had dodge the second storms too.  The weather forecast was for two storms to hit this region, one after the other. What a way to end and then start a new year.  However, the first storm dipped south of us living on the northern prairie, but it did the wind, she did blow and rearrange the snow we already had.

Trish and I settled in to watch a movie called The Cove, which was about the plight of dolphins in Japanese water. My, what a story!  After a bit, I got up to get something to drink or head for the turlet. I don't remember for sure which it was.  However, upon reaching the kitchen, I looked out into the darkness lit by a yard light high on a pole.  The wind was wiping the snow all about and a fair amount was falling from the sky.  Nope, we didn't get missed.  Old Man Winter decided to come a callin and left behind several  inches of new snow and drifts that are now clogging my driveway. 

Its early morn now, the first day of the new year.  The wind she still blows, but the snow has stopped for now.  I will have to wait until morning break to see how much snow we actually got.   However, I can see that the coop will need shoveling before I can open the door.  The path leading from the house to the cars is no more.  The small watering hole that the geese created, is now flat covered in snow.  The geese will now have to wait til spring the bathe again.

The morning light is coming up and the Chickadees are digging for seed in the feeder.  I will have clean out some snow for them to feed. There are few woodpeckers out there braving the wind and snow too.  They feed on the fat I harvested off the deer this fall.  There are drifts all about and the drive is clogged like I thought it would be.  The snow is again falling, but the flakes are small.

Its time to go check on the critters and shovel snow.  After which, I will make breakfast of fresh eggs, onions and venison burger for Trish and I......

Grinding Day!

Today, Trish's kitchen turned into Bill's venison processing center.  Earlier this year Mother Nature allowed me to take two of her critters for food.   After the intial processing, we ended up with six to eight package of meat meant for grinding, which was set off into the freezer waiting for further processing.  Well, today was the day to start the project of turn meat to burger with a newly gifted grinder attack for a Kitchen Aide blender machine.  The grinder attachment connects to front of the Kitchen Aide mixer, worked very well, until I started loading too much meat at once.  After learning the proper size of meat and how fast I could load the hopper, the grinding went very quickly.  After cleanup, which took longer that the grinding, Trish got her kitchen back, only to learn that tomorrow I will set upon the kitchen for more grinding.

A storm is promised!

My knee, this morning which doesn't bother me much, is paining today as a winter storm bears down on us in the Northern Plains!  Freezing rain, many inches of snow and the wind is to drive the moisture into every nook and cranny.  There are very few tree on the prairie to knock down the wind, so the snow is pushed into great drifts, which can be many times larger than the actual amount of snow that fell from the sky.  Prairie Home is located in on the eastern side of a small wooded lot of less than one hundred acres.  But, it is enough to protect us from the full strength of the wind.  Once the storm is to pass, below zero temps are to settle in and test our winter steel.   We survive the cold, dark winter with projects that are put aside in the warmer weather and picked back up again when Mother Nature sends Old Man Winter back in for another long visit!

Digging Irish roots!

This weekend I was scanning some old documents that my grandfather wrote many many years before.  After scanning quite of few files and uploading them to a new blog, I got a bit bored with this project and set it aside for the moment.  Instead, for whatever the reason, I opened the Family Search website to start searching data.  I know, I know, scanning and upload files isn't much different than searching data.  But, it was a change of pace and thought processes that I was looking for.  Upon opening the Family Search website, I notice that they had made some major changes to the appearance to the site.  I was hoping that they changed the search engine too... I entered the search data and was surprised with amount of data that came back.  I then tweaked the search data a bit and BANG, I found a record I hadn't found or seen before.  Upon opening the record, I verified the information I had just discover.  It was another piece to the puzzle of where George F Herrick's birth place was actually located.  George for some reason had told his family that he was born in Washington state.  In which, it could have been Port Angeles or Bellingham Washington.  I have records stating such locations, but when I tried to get a birth certificate, none are available.  Which is not uncommon, since record keeping has not been of great importance in the past.  So, I have always been, since 2001, suspect of his actual birth location.

Here is my evidence, thus far, for a totally different state for his birth.

1869  his mother is born in Freeport Illinois.
1873 his father arrives from Ireland and settles in Freeport Illinois.
1887 his parents marry in Freeport Illinois.
1892 his birth according to US census of 1900
1900 US census for Freeport Illinois, has him and his older bother being born in Illinois.  His is eight years old at this point, so I am pretty sure his parent knows his birth place.
1910 US census April, he was enumerated in Hawaii while at boot camp.  This is the first record of stating he was born in Washington state.
1910 US census June, he was enumerated again at his parents house in Chicago Illinois. This census records his birth place of Illinois.
1917 he marrys Grace R Whitfield of Chicago Illinios in Chicago Illinois.
1918 birth of his first born, Grace F Herrick in Illinois
1920 US census state his birth is Washington state. But, both Graces are born in Illinois
1930 US census state his birth is Washington state.  This is, thus far, the first evidence I have with George actually being in Washington state.

I have presented my evidence and conclude that George was born in Freeport Illinois in the year 1892.  I will continue to dig for his birth record.  I am hoping other family members who read this can shed some light to this puzzle from the past. 

What say you?

The Desert Rat

The Desert Rat

by George F. Herrick

circa 1930s

A stake of grub and a heavy pack

A desert trail and a long eared jack

No human friend, but for all of that

I'm contented to be a desert rat.

A shelter of rock and a grease wood fire

A mountain peak for my temple spire

My alter of worship a sage brush knoll

Where the Great Voice speaks to my faltering soul.

The evening stars in the firmament

Speak to me when day is spent

In a language that I learned from them

Not spoken by the tongues of men.

The book of life is mine to read

It speaks not of a sect or creed

Therein is writ in prose and verse

The secrets of the universe.

I follow the trail long ages old

Toward the rainbow's end and the pot of gold

Though failure is mine for my labor spent

I am recompensed; I am content.

Cold Morning!

A cold clear morning after a frosty night!  This westward view, out the bay window, over looking the waiting garden is one of the many special treats that awaits those that care to look .  As all things that stand still during the night was coating with a layer of frost from the cold night air.  And with the rising of the sun, we are in proper position for a bright  display only Mother Nature can provide.