NaSummer Reading Challenge for Families
Woman Honor Dead by Cooking the Recipes Found on Their Gravestones - I have been following Rosie on Instagram ghostly.archive. I am excited about the book
Literary Tourism National Parks
Inappropriate Thoughts
I was contacted about a branch of the Liston's I knew very little about. There is a method in genealogy called the FAN - Friends, Associates, and neighbors. I thought I would do a little bit of that type of research with this branch.
Let me introduce to you some of this Liston branch of my tree. The head of this mini branch is Jacob H Liston and his wife Rachel Fulton. Jacob was born in Pennsylvania and Rachel Fulton was born in Ohio. Jacob Liston is a Civil War veteran for the Union. He was wounded in the left shoulder. Rachel and Jacob were married in 1865. Jacob and Rachel had their oldest daughter, Maggie" in Illinois. Eventually they moved to Iowa. They lived mostly in Cass County, Iowa. We know this from census records. Jacob and Rachel had 5 children:
Mary Margaret "Maggie" Liston 1865-1931 (unmarried)
Benjamin F Liston 1871 -1960 (Rose W Liston)
Samatha J Liston Purdy 1874-1910 (John F Purdy)
Evelyn L Liston Spies 1879-1964 (Louis Peter Spies Jr)
Jacob Harrison "Harry" Liston 1881-1962 (Margaret Moat)
In 1895 Iowa Census there were 123 Liston's or variation of Liston's listed in this census. In 1895 Jacob Liston passed away. He was the father of Maggie. Roy Cecil Liston shows up in the Census often with Rachel and Maggie Liston. In 1910 they show up in the census with my Great Uncle Charles Liston they are living in the same household. Charles Liston had lost his wife in 1909, and they had 3 young children. Most likely they were there to assist him in running his farm and household. Rachel and Maggie Liston show up in this 1910 census as housekeepers and Roy as a hired man for Charles Liston. 1910 is also the year that Samatha, daughter, of Rachel died from Scarlett fever along with her young daughter and unborn child.
In 1917 Maggie's brother, Harry Liston, and my great grandparents, Reason Hoyt and Joseph Liston, are basically living in the same neighborhood. Those circled on this map Union 1917 Farmers Map are related to me. The star is Jacob "Harry" Liston's property.
Rachel dies in Yuma, Colorado in 1929 and the body is shipped back and buried in Newlon Groves Cemetary in Cumberland Iowa. Both Ray and Maggie are mentioned as accompanying the body. Maggie dies in Yuma, Colorado at her brother's house, Harry, and the body is sent to Cumberland.
Secondly, I recognized a surname that is not a relative but related to an incident that occurred in 1900. My relative Reason T Hoyt was involved in Hattie Spies' death in 1900. Hattie's brother is Louis Peter Spies Jr. who married Maggie's sister Evelyn. Reason Hoyt's son Delbert Devere Hoyt married Marvel Liston. Marvel and Delbert are my grandparents. This is a possible cause of the estrangement.
My next part will be Roy Cecil Liston's story or what I know of his story.
Hidden Treasure Hikes - You know how I like to hunt for treasure
New Mexico Chipmuck to be put on endangered list
Inappropriate Thoughts
Deep Thoughts
A family member reached one year of sobriety a couple weeks ago. They were doing a follow up appointment with their care provider, and I realized this is a huge milestone. I am so proud of them. Fighting addiction is hard. I am glad they decided to fight.
I read Everything is Tuberculous by Green and I had remembered that Fort Stanton had been home to a TB hospital. So, we went on Flag Day. This time my husband and son got to raise the flag.
I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy. I am enjoying my summer reading. Yes, summer reading is for adults! Check out what everyone else is reading.
The books I read this time I feel like I share a very personal connection with.
This was a book I read for book club. I had no idea that this would be so interesting. I thought this fascinating. I don't think most people realize that TB is the world's most deadly disease. It is also a curable disease. The book follows Henry in Sierra Leone and his journey with having TB. You can't help to fall in love with Henry. Another interesting aside and related "Everything is Tuberculosis" that the New Mexico basically became a state so people could seek the cure. I visited Fort Stanton that was many things but also served as a TB hospital for Merchant Marines.
I have a personal connection to TB. My dad was treated for latent TB. This was written before USAID was cut.
I thought this was a good book but took me a few chapters to get into it. This is based on a true story about the American Library in Paris.
"In the Paris Library, inspired by the true story of librarians at he the American Library in Paris during World War II, two women come of age under very different circumstance - one in occupied Paris and one in rural Montana some forty years later."
My personal connection is that my husband's grandmother, Nanna, was in Paris during WWII and she was also a war bride. I kept thinking I wonder if she was a subscriber(patron) of the American Library. She worked at the Department of Education in Paris. Nanna was multilingual.
Zebra Captured After 8 days - Can you believe "Ed" was on the loose for 8 days! Ed got to go for a ride
This is my new hobby. I have been doing it for a month. I have received 1 postcard and 3 of my 8 postcards sent have been registered - 2 US, and 1 Germany. All my outstanding cards were sent overseas from Malaysia to Australia. You get the gist. It is a slow hobby as it takes a while to receive a postcard.
10 Reasons I love about Postcrossing
Below is the first post crossing postcard I received. It was from a Postcard meet up. I thought it was interesting.
Below is some of my stats that Postcrossing provides for the Month of May.
I am using prompts from Amy Johnson Crow 52 ancestors in 52 days. This week's prompt is Weddings. I don't know about you, but I love a good wedding story. This is about my first cousin 3 times removed.
Let me introduce the Bride, Laura Martin Castill, her second wedding was in the Newspapers with headlines like "Balked at the "Obey Part" published in the Downs Times Thursday, March 2nd, 1911.
Laura Martin was born in Preston West Virginia, October 15, 1866, to Jacob and Abby Martin. Jacob her father was a Civil War Veteran. Laura migrated to Cass County Iowa as a young girl with her parents. Laura married Harvey Cassill a few months after her 17th birthday.
For some years, Laura kept company with a wealthy merchant and lumber dealer Charles Gillette of Osborne, KS, and in February 1911 they decided to get married, she at age 45 and he at 57. After obtaining a marriage license in Kansas City, Judge Cassimer Welch came to perform the nuptials. What transpired next was covered in newspapers throughout Kansas including the Wichita Daily Eagle, Chanute Daily Tribune, Beloit Daily Call, Topeka Daily Capital and others.
"Will you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to love and cherish---," Judge Welch repeated.
"I-I do," Mr. Gillette answered.
"Will you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband, to love, honor and obey?"
"Obey him? Him? No, sir!" Mrs. Cassill interrupted with emphasis.
The judge hesitated.
"You won't obey him, you say, Mrs. Cassill?" he asked.
"No, I won't obey that man."
"Then this marriage is off," Judge Welch announced.
The clerk looked at the judge. The judge looked at the clerk. Then the license was torn up by the clerk. Judge Welch reached for his hat and coat. Then the bride-to-be realized what was happening.
"But I want to marry this man, judge. Marry us."
Mrs. Cassill was almost pleading now, but it was too late. Judge Welch stepped into his motor car and drove away.
"She's a good woman and I'm glad it's over," Mr. Gillette said later in the light. "I'm married to her. Of course she's my wife. That judge didn't have any business saying we were not married."
After the refusal of the judge to finish the ceremony, Mr. Gillette took his intended to her room at 903 Wyandotte street. He went across the street to his room in the Orient hotel. He was quite happy about it but she locked the door of her room and said she wanted to think it over. Article from Minerd
According to the article in The Down's Times published March 2, 1911. They married again the next day with a new license. There is a record of one license.
The Groom is Charles Gillette, and he was indeed a well off merchant and lumber dealer. Charles was born in New York state. He was a widower when he met Laura. At his death in 1919 no mention was made of his marriage to Laura. So, I have no idea how long this marriage actually lasted. Charles was buried next to his first wife, Harriett Bennett. (See Obituary Below)
Osborne County Farmer, Osborne, Kansas, Thursday, April 17, 1919, pg 1
Charles J. Gillette, from 1878 to 1910, one of the leading business men of Osborne, died in Chicago Saturday last. Word was received in a telegram to W. P. Gillette Sunday morning from C. M. Bristow. Mr. Gillette was overcome by gas, but the particulars have not been received up to the time f the Farmer going to press. The body arrived in Osborne yesterday on the Missouri Pacific and services were held at the cemetery, conducted by Rev. H. J. Lorenz of the M. E. church, and interment made beside the wife, who passed away Jan. 29, 1900. Mrs. Chas. B. Gillette arrived from Kansas City on the same train to attend the funeral. Her husband is with the American army in France. He is now the only survivor of this one time prominent Osborne family. The other son, Harry Gillette, died here last October. Chas. J. Gillette was born in Orleans county, New York, July 28, 1854. He was married in Osborne April 30, 1883, to Harriett Bennett. Deceased left Osborne in 1910 and had not been back since, making his home with his sons in Kansas City and Chicago.
A little bit more about Laura is that she ran at least two different boarding houses in Kansas City MO. She died of lobar pneumonia with secondary cause being chronic alcoholism. Laura died in 1934.
