Tombstone Tuesday: Eilert & Anna Heerten

Eilert and Anna Heerten are buried in the Ainsworth Cemetery, Ainsworth, Brown County, Nebraska.

Eilert was born in Hanover, Germany, 21 Jan 1846 or 1847, and in 1869 he came to the United States as a stowaway on board the vessel "New York", which sailed out of Bremen. Son of Silas Heerten, who remained in Germany, we know that he had at least one brother remaining in that country at the time of his death in 1929.  Originally settling in Pettersburg, Illinois, he also lived in Woodford and Mason counties, and could be found in Illinois at least through 1890.  On 7 Dec 1874, he married Amke "Anna" Dirks Rademacher in Tazewell County, Illinois, the daughter of Dirk Harms Rademacher and Aaltje Frerichs Buhr. She was born 30 Oct 18 in Zwischenbergen, Hanover, Germany, and arrived through Baltimore on 28 Oct 1867. By 1868, the family had settled in Pettersburg, Illionis.

In the 1900 census, he was listed as a farmer in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, and that is where he remained. His descendants can now boast a long line of residency in that county.  He appears in Keya Paha County as early as 1885. Having moved to Nebraska with three children, they spent their first winter in a 12x14 sod house shared with two other families: the Olaf Nelson family and the Frank Dixon family. Over the course of the summer months, three frame houses were built, and each family claimed their homestead.

Well known in the community, and seemingly hard working farmers, the Heerten's were the first to purchase a steam engine and threshing machine in the area, from J.I. Case Company. They would eventually hire son John as a traveling repair man, and he gained quite a reputation as an unmarried good looking fellow. He did eventually marry at the age of 41 to Emma Anna Koehnken of Natrona, Illinois. On 18 April 1913, a dark grey horse was foaled and named "Patsy." This animal is listed in The National Register of French Draft Horses (#26156), and was owned by Eilert Heerten of Norden, Nebraska.

Eilert and Anna had seven children through their married life; John, Dick, Annie, Herman, Frank, Edward and Bessie, most of which remained in Nebraska. Ed was a veteran of WWI.

Eilert died in 1929 and Anna in 1928, her death coming after an extended illness. The family oral history tells us they had a good and happy marriage, and their children and grandchildren remembered them fondly.

Cemetery Tool Kit

During the long winter's in the Rocky Mountains, I get a lot of time to think. One thing that is in continuous development and evolution is my cemetery tool kit, and that got me wondering... what does the rest of the world take with them to a cemetery?

Here's a look at mine.

Right now, I use a simple canvas bag to carry all this in, but I'm looking at investing in a canvas tool bag instead: bigger, more pockets, better organization, and sturdy as hell. Something along the lines of the Great Neck 21042 Essentials Around the House tool bag. I considered a back pack, but then I'm constantly taking it on and off, and that would be troublesome. This bag has great features, and I like the idea that I can safely stash things like my cell in easy to reach pockets. Another reason I like this model is that it's designed for women; it's smaller and lighter than other tool bags I have seen, and the handles are narrow, making it easier for smaller hands. (You can find the Great Neck Essentials bag on Amazon.com.)

Inside my bag, you will always find:

1. Pen and Paper.
2. Camera with extra battery and neck strap.
3. Gardening gloves.
4. Garden shears and small gardening shovel (for those hard to remove weeds and overgrown graves).
5. Garbage bags. I like to remove litter as I go through the site.
6. Small spray bottle of water.
7. If available, a map of the cemetery and/or plot map.
8. List of any specific names I might be looking for.
9. Snack.
10. Drinking water.

In my car, you will always find a good cemetery conservation guide book (discussed in previous posts), another snack, and an extra layer of clothes, including fresh socks. You just never know what the weather is going to do around here (my local cemetery sits at 9,600 feet), and those are items that are generally in the car year round anyway. In the summer months, I throw in my good rain gear, as we get a decent thunderstorm nearly every day. 

Our cemetery season, as I like to think of summer, is short here. I might be able to get through the snow pack in May, but its typically mid to late June before I can really spend any significant time out there. Snow starts falling again in late September - mid-October. Most years, you will find me exploring cemeteries as late as November 1, before the snow really begins to accumulate and headstones become hidden under a soft white blanket once again. 

So, I'm curious. What's in your cemetery tool kit? I try to keep it light, but I certainly don't want to miss anything good. Comments are invited. 

Thanks for reading... 

jen

Washington High School photos ca. 1935-1940

From a family with nine children, a lot of memorabilia gets collected. In the collection from my father received during the holidays this past year, I was able to locate several high school senior photos from Pierce and King Counties in Washington State. Some have first names, some have years or schools identified, some have nothing. I would love to identify these folks and get the pictures back to their rightful owners.

Update 13 Apr 2012: Many of these young folks have now been identified thanks to the searching of family archives by many of my own kin. I now have "The Cardinal", yearbook for Orting High School in Orting, Pierce County, Washington, from years 1933 - 1936. See photo captions for names. 

"To my beloved cousin Midge, '36" (Midge would be my great-aunt, Hazel Brown. Orting High School, Orting, Washington. Photo taken by Hartsook Studio, Tacoma.

"Sincerely Dayton" The O on his sweater implies Orting High School, Orting, Washington. Photo taken by Hartsook Studio, Tacoma. UPDATE: Aaron Dayton

"Your Friend Griffi (?) '35" Photo taken by Hartsook Studio, Tacoma. UPDATE: Robert Griffith, Class President, 1936, Orting High School, Orting, Washington.

"Love Helen" Photo taken by Hartsook Studio, Tacoma. UPDATE: Helen Dillon

No identifying marks. Photo taken by The Arntzen Studio, Seattle, Wash.

"Love Mary" Photo taken by Camera Club Studio, Tacoma.

"Lovingly Maybelle '35"  "OHS" in bottom right corner, indicating Orting High School. Photo taken  by Hartsook Studio, Tacoma.  UPDATE: This young woman has been identified as Maybelle Humphries, class treasurer, 1936, Orting High School. 

"Pesky (?) Good Luck, Midge '35" Photo taken by Hartsook Studio, Tacoma. Because this was given to Midge (above), it is probably from Orting High School, Orting, Wash. UPDATE: Lester Harpst

Insignia at bottom "SHS", indicating Sumner High School, '34.  Photo taken by Hartsook Studio, Tacoma

Handwriting on back of SHS photo. "Given to me by Norman on July 15, '34 at his place at Lake. Day of I.A. E. picnic."

Update: on 27 Feb 2012, I contacted the Orting High School Librarian and the Pierce County Library System. Hopefully someone in that arena can assist, or possibly provide a way to get to a high school year book(s) from the era.

They Are Out There... Just Waiting For Me: My Top 10

In just under 30 days, the 1940 US Census will be released, and there are so many of us just itching to get to it. Midnight on April 2 is a hefty deadline.

I started preparing for this major records release a few weeks ago, by gathering names, enumeration districts, dates and information from the 1930 census; all designed to aide in my search. Since the 1940 US Census will not be name indexed upon release, there is some basic information that is essentially required knowledge to get to what you want. Unless, of course, you are willing to spend countless hours scrolling page after page. I just don't have that kind of time.

The first person I am going to try to find is my father. I've never been able to find a still living member of my family in a census before, so it would be quite something to see his name listed. Since he was born in early June of 1940, he really shouldn't be there. Enumerators were supposed to record the family as it existed on April 1 of the year of the census. Which means, even if he knocked on my grandparents door on the first of July, technically, he should not have written down my father's name. We'll see. I have other records from 1920 and 1930 where the enumerator documented someone outside of the instructions. This of course means that Grandma Elsie and Grandpa Harley are persons #2 and #3 on my list. They'll be in Orting, Pierce County, Washington.

It's a strong potential that my great-uncle, who is also still alive, will be on the same page as my grandparents household. He's person #4 to find.

#5 Emma Brown, also a resident in the same town, and likely listed in the same household as my great-uncle.
#6 Charlotte Anderson (Andersson), mother of Emma, Orting, Washington.
#7 The Heerten's of Keya Paha County, Nebraska. They'll all be together. They always are.
#8 Mortimer J. Brown and wife Ethel in Lake County, Oregon. Mortimer died in 1941, so this would be a potential last known document on his life.
#9 Warren L Brown and wife Sousie, possibly on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Klamath, Oregon. After 1930, I lose track of them almost completely.
#10 Summit County, Colorado. I have been so engrossed in researching my new environment, I just can't leave them out. Family names that have absolutely zero biological connection to me (at least, not yet) and I am really anxious to find out who stayed in the area during the depression and who didn't. That era was tough on Summit County; after mining, before skiing. Many left.

I will say this. Don't try to communicate with me on April 2, 3 or 4... I'll be busy.

You can find resources and helpful tools on the 1940 US Census release here: http://the1940census.com/. The project is also seeking volunteers to help index, you can find that information on the above site, also.

Headstones

There are numerous resources available on the iconology of headstones, and even more websites. I prefer to use the tried and true... here are a couple good ones:

Stories Told In Stone: Cemetery Iconology by Gaylord Cooper (MOTES Publisher, 2009)
Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography. Keister, Douglas (photographer) (Gibbs Smith Publisher, 2004).

In my experience, you shouldn't be surprised at anything you see in a cemetery. Headstones are often designed to reflect the life of the deceased, or the emotions of those in the family left behind. Here are some typical and not so typical examples I have come across.

The lamb is typical of a child's grave.

Standard and simple flat headstone 

 

One example of a photo headstone.

Full grave marked by a headstone and a toe stone.

Ornate and large marker. This example is about 6 feet tall.

The rock. Often used in mountainous environments.

Another rock example.

Engraved picture, personalizing the marker.
This one with a snowboarder image.

The gates typically represent the entrance to heaven.

Military marker.

Older military marker.

Religious symbolism.

Heart shape on pedestal.

This is much more unique, designed to look
like a BLM marker. 

Top of BLM style marker.

One plaque, three names, with a rock to represent each individual. 

Headstone and "assumed" toe stones,
with a large gap in between and a drainage ditch of sorts.
The grave does not appear to extend from one side to the other. 

Another rock, but this one is quite large.
Approx. 4 feet across, and 2 feet high.

One of the few wooden markers I have seen with  surviving inscription.

A bench near a family plot, without engraving.
Intended just for sitting and remembering -
an invitation to those left behind.

Engraved bench memorial.

(All of the photos were taken at Valley Brook Cemetery, Breckenridge, Summit, Colorado. Photographer: Jen Baldwin. Copyright 2011, published.)

Cemeteries: Valley Brook Cemetery

Valley Brook Cemetery is located in Summit County, Colorado, in the town of Breckenridge. It lies not far from the main downtown area, across from a daycare. It's truly a beautiful location, set on a hill with tall trees and gorgeous wildflowers during the summer months.

One of the unique features was the trend of putting ornate gates and fences around grave sites and family plots during the Victorian Era.

Last summer I spent several hours photo documenting the gravestones, and I estimate to be about 75% finished with the primary cemetery. The Breckenridge Masonic Cemetery is immediately adjacent, and I plan to finish Valley Brook and the Masonic section this coming summer. It is truly a peaceful and inspiring place, and one of my favorite locations in Breckenridge.

Funeral Card Friday: Sarah Alice Brown

For years, we have known that Oscar F. Brown of Colfax County, Nebraska was buried alongside an infant daughter. Until recently, however, we did not know who she was. This funeral card, found in the collection from the Carlyle Family of Washington State, identifies that daughter. 

"Died.

On the 18th of February, 1881, at 11 o'clock a.m., Sarah Alice, daughter of F.E. and O.F. Brown, aged seven months and five days."

The card was printed with a poem, and was signed Mrs. S.E. Lawrence. This is Sarah's grandmother, who lived in the area at the time. Her name was Sarah (Evans) Lawrence, wife of John Horatio Lawrence, and mother to Frances Elizabeth (Lawrence) Brown, wife of Oscar. After raising her children in Ohio, Sarah moved to the Colfax County area to live near her daughter, and eventually moved into her son's home in Denver, Colorado, where she died. Sarah and her husband John were separated in Ohio, reunited in Nebraska, and separated again, living in two residences on either side of the county. John died in Nebraska.

Oscar and Sarah were left in unmarked graves for many years. Descendants put a headstone on the site for Oscar within the last decade, but Sarah remains unknown. I have no doubt that her grave will be appropriately remembered before too long, now that we know who she was. Mystery solved.

Emma Hiller

Wordless Wednesday

The New York... mode of transport for Eilert Heerten. 

First of the family to come to the U.S. from Germany and a stowaway!