#52ancestors

Our family has many recipes that have been handed down through at least 4 generations, but the first one that comes to mind is pasties. My first memories of pasties was watching my Grandma, Laura Crawford, making them in my mom’s kitchen. Cornish pasties are basically a meat pie, or as my son-in-law says, the first hot pocket. Miners would carry them into the mine and eat them like a sandwich. Our pasties have a tough pie crust folded over meat, onions, and potato, then baked and served with chili sauce. Learning to make pasties was a bit more of a challenge… grandma didn’t really measure, but said things like “mix the shortening and flour until it feels right…” After some struggles, I could make them proficiently by the time I was 20. Every time I was with grandma, we tried to make them hoping I would get it down.

There were 10 first cousins in my generation, and as adults we lived in CA, SD, ND, CO, IA, and TX. We were gathered at a reunion and discovered we all made ‘Grandma’s Pasties’, but our recipes were different! It turns out that grandma modified the recipe at her convenience or changed it depending on the price of various cuts of meat. The fun part was discovering we all made pasties at home.

In my home we make pasties for Christmas dinner. It is a tradition that started about 22 years ago when our daughter came home from college. Like Grandma, we have learned to modify and adapt. I like my pasty with the traditional beef, potatoes and onions. My husband likes his pasty with venison, potatoes, jalapeños and carrots. Now I enjoy sharing pasties with my grandchildren. Hopefully we will start making them together so at least a few will master the crust and assembly and share it with the next generation.

All eight of my great-grand parents came to the Black Hills of South Dakota by 1890. When my mom started searching the family trees, she found most of our family were known as ‘the ones that went west and were never heard from again.’ I did not know of such things as family naming traditions, although my extended family includes a Paul IV, and I knew my uncle, grandfather and great grandfather were all Robert. I have been amazed, and sometimes frustrated as I work on family trees and encounter these naming patterns.

My great-grandmother, Jennie Griffith, came to the Black Hills from New York by herself in the early 1890’s. She soon married and had two children, Laura Olive Wagner, and William Chauncey Wagner. Grandma Jennie lived next door to my grandparents, and my dad had a very special relationship with her. He often shared how special she was and how much she was the highlight of his childhood. Her daughter, my Grandma Crawford, always said she didn’t know much about her mom’s family in Utica, NY, but their last name was Griffith, and Laura’s middle name was for her Grandmother, Olive. The Griffith family genealogy has stumped both my mom and I, but I have finally found Grandma Jennie’s parents – William Griffith and Olive Dean.

My dad, William Dean Crawford (and Uncle William Wagner) must have been named for Grandma Jennie’s parents! The William for William Griffith who died in 1872, and the Dean for Olive Dean Griffith Fenner, who passed in 1889. This also helps me to understand why Grandma Jennie came west by herself in her early twenties.

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The first personal connection I ever had to history was when my mom told me that we had an ancestor that was in George Washington’s boat when he crossed the Delaware. As a child, I thought this was my personal claim to fame! Isaac Doud III is my 5th great grandfather.

According to his own sworn statement to Judge Davis Dimock, in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, May. 4, 1818, Isaac Doud “did serve in the Continental Army, enlisting in1775 in Nine Partners Township in the state of New York for six months in the company commanded by Captain Herrick, served about four months, took sick and was sent home. He enlisted again in 1776 for one year in Captain Ball’s Company, Col. Shepherd’s regiment. Before the year was out he reenlisted for three years in the same company. That he continued to serve in the said Corps, in the service of the United States until the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, when he was discharged from service at the Highlands, he thinks in Mass, state of – served in all about five years. That he was in the Battle of Trenton and retreat out of New York and taking of Burgoyne, was a prisoner with the Indians and at Frog’s Point.” This statement was given in order to obtain the provision entitled “An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war’. That he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of his country for support.

Again, December 5, 1820, Isaac Doud gave a sworn statement to Judges Davis Dimock and William Thomson: “that he enlisted at the Nine Partners in NY state in the year 1775 for six months nd served until sickness prevented him serving while he was at Lake Champlain – that he engaged afterwords in making military wagons for about three months – that he enlisted again in April 1776 for one year at Granville in Massachusetts, in Capt. Ball’s company, in the regiment of Col. Shepherd in the line of Massachusetts and served the year only – that before the year was out, at Peekskill in N.Y. State he enlisted again for three years in Capt. Ball’s company and Col. Shepherds regiment and line of Mass. and served the time out – was discharged at the Highlands by Col. Shepherd. That he was in the Battle of White Plains; in the rear guard in the retreat out of New York – of Frogs Point – of the taking of the Hessians at Trenton – at the battle of the 19th of September 1777 against Burgoyne and was taken in a scout found after by the Indians and retaken when Burgoyne was taken – and in the Battle of Rhode Island.”

These statements were important as some of the paperwork was not found to prove his service. Isaac said his name was often written Dow or Dowd, which added to the confusion.

It is also stated in various county, state, and family historical documents that Isaac Doud was one of George Washington’s body guards, and was Washington’s farrier. Further research proves that Captain Ball’s company was indeed at Valley Forge, and members of Ball’s company were appointed to be a part of Washington’s Life Guards. March 11. 1776, General Washington issued a General Order to Commanding Officers to select four men from each regiment who would form his personal guard. Washington wanted ‘good Men such as they can recommend for their sobriety, honesty and good behavior…’ So perhaps Isaac Doud III was in George Washington’s boat crossing the Potomac. As for him being in Washington’s Life Guards, perhaps Captain Lebbeus Ball selected him because Isaac was his nephew. Ball’s wife, Thankful Stow(e), was a sister to Isaac’s mother, Phebe Stow(e).

Why did the family pass down through at least 4 generations that Isaac crossed the Delaware River with George Washington, but it was never mentioned that he founded Lennoxville, PA. He was the first settler there, and originally it was called Doud Hollow? Isaac had a gristmill and blacksmith shop there. I think that is amazing itself, and not a family legend.

Bill Crawford had a dream to build 1 vehicle, and ended up making 36 home made VW ‘dune’ buggies.

Bill Crawford, my dad, bought his first Volkswagon bug in 1959 and quickly became a big fan of all VW’s. In the early 1960’s he heard about the EMPI Sportster dune buggy that you could order plans for. He had dreamt of building his own car since he was a boy, and this gave him even more inspiration. He ordered the plans, and then began to modify them, drawing his own version*. He worked on those plans for at least 2 years, all the while trying to figure out how he could build it as he had no metal working tools or metric tools for a volkswagon.

Dad was a music teacher in the small CA Motherlode town of Tuolumne. He didn’t want to take a car to the sand dunes, he wanted to make a vehicle he could take into the woods to take his son, Mike, fishing and hunting. Finally, in 1967, he bought an old volkswagon bug and the dismantling began. He took the chassis to the high school auto/metal shop. After hours, dad cut the chassis to shorten it and the auto shop teacher welded it together. Every step was a learning experience. It wasn’t until the spring of 1969 that the car had an engine, gas tank, brakes and steering wheel.

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Money was tight, and Dad started to build the body, made mostly of 20 gauge metal, buying one sheet at a time. He laid out each piece, cutting it and using the high school metal shop to bend most of the pieces. What our high school shop could not do, dad took took the Foundry in Sonora and asked them to bend the metal. The pieces were put together with tinner’s rivets and bolts. The first buggy was completed in 1971, at least 6 years after Dad started to draw plans.

Dad, my brother, and a few friends, had such a good time driving the buggy on old railroad grades and logging roads, that soon there were more. #2 was actually assembled in the high school shop with student, Brian Cleveland, during spring break. Before long, my uncle, Dick Crawford, a neighbor, Henry Hix, my brother’s boss, Sterling Bigbee, and my brother, Mike Crawford, all decided they wanted to build one. They all built their own with Dad’s help and guidance. With 6 on the road by 1973, people began to ask, “what is that thing?” And the names Crawford’s buggies or Crawford Things began. #7 was built by another student, Tim Robertson, and my husband and I built ours in1975 (thing 8).

The cars became pretty common in Tuolumne County, and we became very familiar with the old logging roads and railroad grades. As they became well known, they also became a help within the county. They helped clear a road to get access to some snowed in miners in the Emigrant Wilderness area, participated in search and rescue efforts for lost hunters and downed airplanes, and parked airplanes at the Columbia Fly In.

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By 1979 Dad had a Regional Occupational Program class for building Crawford things. The students had to cut, weld, wire, build parts, put in the engine, and make sure the vehicle ran and was safe before it was sold to cover the cost and another one was started. The students built at least a dozen buggies, and family and friends built the rest with Dad’s assistance. A total of 36 were built, most stayed in Tuolumne and Stanislaus Counties, but #10, #20, and #30 went to South Dakota. #25 went to Southern California. At least 7 buggies have driven cross country to South Dakota.

The buggies proved to be light weight and fun to drive, although there have been many mishaps/accidents. Inspite of roll overs, being hit by other vehicles and being run off the road and hitting a tree, no one has been seriously injured. Thing 6 rolled over during an August rain, landed on its wheels, and after putting the battery back in was able to drive back into town. The repairs have been done by buggy owners, often working together. Of course, after building the car yourself, you do understand how to fix things. Some of the more remarkable repairs that were made include taking out a blown engine and putting in a replacement within 30 minutes. This was done on the side of the road on Sonora Pass. Another was when someone lost their front wheel bearings out in the woods. My husband, Chris found an aluminum beer can and hand made a shim so the wheel could be put back on and driven into town. It remained important to Dad that the cars be safe to drive no matter what the conditions were.

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As I write this, it has been 48 years since Thing 1 was licensed. At least 4 buggies are still owned by family,, and some friends that were original owners still have their buggy. Many are still on the road, but we have lost track of several others. Not bad for a man with no experience with metal work or mechanics when he built Thing 1.

*If you are curious about the changes Bill made to the plans, just leave me a message.

My Great Grandmother, Jennie Olive Griffith, is still a mystery to me. My dad thought she was the sweetest, most caring person in his young world, and he was devastated when she passed away when he was 10 years old. I also know that my grandmother, Jennie’s daughter, would have done anything and everything for her mom. But in my mind, what kind of young woman would venture out west by herself before 1895? Grandma told me that she went to Hot Springs, SD to be a swimming instructor at Evan’s Plunge, a health resort. How many women knew how to swim in 1893? Where did she learn to swim, and how did she learn about Evan’s Plunge? Why did she leave New York State?e

Jennie Olive Griffith(s) was born in Herkimer Co. New York about 1869. Her parents were William Griffith(s) and Olive Dean. Her father had passed away by the time Jennie was 3 years old, and she and her mother ended up in a boarding house. Her mother remarried in 1886, while Jennie was 17, and then passed away by 1889. Jennie would have been 20 years old, and apparently completely on her own, although she might have had a brother or 2… still not confirmed. We do know that she did have extended family in the Utica area, as I have post cards sent from a cousin to my grandmother.

So, after her mother’s passing, was Jennie just wondering what her future held? Did she see a flyer advertising Evan’s Plunge in Hot Springs, South Dakota? There had to be something that gave her the courage to start out on such an adventure by herself. She travelled by train, bringing a steamer trunk with her. She must have brought a few family mementos too, as I still have portraits of her parents or grandparents. I am not certain of the year she arrived in Hot Springs, or if she really was a swimming instructor, but she did meet and marry Overton Wagner, my great grandfather, in 1895. Overton and at least 2 of his brothers were chefs in Hot Springs. Shortly after their marriage, the Wagners, including Overton’s extended family, moved to the mining camp of Deadwood, SD. The Wagner brothers continued to be chefs at various establishments.

Jenny’s marriage did not last and by 1910 she was a single parent with 2 children. Overton’s family continued to help Jenny and her children, but she struggled to make ends meet being a washer woman in the town of Lead, SD. Was Jenny glad she took the risk of traveling to South Dakota? I wish I knew if the adventure was all she hoped for, but I know that both of her children, Laura Wagner Crawford and Bill Wagner loved her and had the utmost respect for her.

Who doesn’t know their own maiden name? This was my thought when Grandma Ruby told me she didn’t know what her brother’s last name was. As the search for Grandma’s background began to unravel, it became very evident that she truly didn’t. The context of her life explained so very much!

Grandma said her brother’s last name might be Nelson or Wilson or Shaw, she just wasn’t sure and had not seen him since at least 1922. This quest took years to uncover, and 6 of us trying to track this down.

Grandma, Ruby Estelle Nelson, was born a leap baby, apparently being born February 29, 1904 (the date varies on various documents, but always Feb. 28, or March 1. Sometimes listed as 1905, which is not a leap year). She had 5 half siblings, all with the last name Shaw, her mother’s first common law husband. Her mother then married Mr. Wilson in 1900, and no children came from this union. When Ruby was born, her parents were not married, although they were together. In 1908, three of her siblings were removed from the home and put in the State Children’s Home. Ruby herself was removed from her parents’ custody in 1910. The court document says the ‘character of the mother was very bad’. She was put in the state orphanage, and then was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Higgins, where she lived until she was 16.

According to the state census, at 16, she was a maid in a boarding house. Shortly after the census, she married Mr. Vient, a man 24 years her senior. They soon had 3 children and moved to California. Ruby never did return to Idaho or see any of her biological family. Instead, she abandoned her own husband and children and ran off with another man, creating a whole new life. Throughout her life, Ruby was never consistent with listing her maiden name as Wilson or Nelson.

Each step in learning about Ruby’s early years was another eye opener for me. She was removed from her mother’s care at about age 6, so it is amazing that she remembered the last names in her own family – Shaw, Wilson and Nelson. Then after a year or more in the orphanage to have her own last name changed to Higgins and another name change when she married Vient.

This post is just about Grandma Ruby’s first twenty years, but looking at the context of her childhood explains so much about decisions for the rest of her life. The bad choices her own mother made not only affected Ruby’s life, but affected the next generations also.

Uncle Hughe was Great Grandpa Robert F. Crawford’s eldest child. He was born in Kerrville, Texas in June, 1863, to Robert’s first wife, Fannie Hudson. His brother, Richard F. was born in 1865, a sister, Etta, came in 1870, and another brother, Kit, was born in 1872. The Civil War had ended and his father was beginning to get involved in the cattle business.

When Hughe was 17, we find his family in Kansas City, Missouri. The following year we find that his brother, Richard, and sister, Etta, both died. We assume that his mother also died at that time, but have no documentation yet. As for his little brother, Kit, what happened to him is still a mystery. All of this must have been pretty hard on a teenager that had lived a pretty comfortable life up to this time.

By 1883, Hughe had a new step mother who was 2 years younger than himself, and a baby brother, Robert Fulton Jr.! In 1985, another half brother, Paul, was born. While his father and his new young family moved to Spearfish, South Dakota, Hugh remained in Kansas City, although not for long. Hugh joined his dad in purchasing shares in a gold mine in Carbonate Camp, SD.

At the age of 25, Hughe started his own business, James Hughe Crawford Mining Comany in the Black Hills of South Dakota. According to his obituary in the Deadwood Pioneer Times, He was an auditor with Black Hills Traction Company, then with Black Hills Power and Light, and Consolidated Power and light Company. From there he became a member of the U. S. Assay Office in Deadwood, South Dakota. He served as secretary of the Deadwood Board of Education for a number of years.

According to Dr. Frank S. Howe in 1953, Hugh was a member of the Dancing Club in Deadwood, which the Dr. also attended. “Hugh was a dapper young man who cut a fine figure with the ladies.”

Hughe’s health began to fail by the time he was in his late sixties. He lived with my grandparents, Robert and Laura Crawford, until he became too ill for Laura to care for. Sadly he was put in the County Infirmary or ‘poor farm’ in Gayville, SD. He is buried in the Potters’ Field in Mount Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood, SD. His death certificate says he was senile and had cerebral apoplexy.

I have no pictures of Uncle Hughe, but I have been fascinated by his story since my Grandma told me he was given this clock by a member of the Adams family in Deadwood. He was in Deadwood in an era when the Gold Industry was booming, and he was a part of it. He must have been a man in good standing to have served on the Board of Education.

Week 16 #52ancestorsin52weeks

This week’s prompt is about a family member that is out of place in records, location, family or some other way. So, that family member is ME! As a child, I did not look like my family, and it was often commented on. I was the only one with blond hair and the only one with wild, curly hair. We had a blond cocker spaniel that slept with me when I was 4 years old. When people would ask, “Where did you get that blond hair?” Or, “Where did you get those curls?” I would respond, “From the dog.” I didn’t like the reaction that answer got, but I truly thought it was true. Somehow the dog’s blond, curly hair rubbed off on me. I thought I resembled the dog more than anyone else in the family. I was thrilled when a blond cousin was born when I was 8 years old. Finally, there was a relative that I had something in common with.

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As a teenager, of course, I knew that my looks did not come from the dog, but still… We lived in CA, not close to most of our extended relatives who lived in South Dakota. We would go visit various relatives and would hear how much my brother resembled our dad, and how much he resembled my mom’s grandfather, and others. My little sister tho, seemed to remind every branch of the family of some ancestor, in addition to looking like Mom. Everyone would be so pleased that she resembled that side of the family, and there I was, not resembling anyone. I thought this was a terrible injustice and let my parents know this loud and clear. Why did I get all the throwback genes?

Finally, after mom began this geneology adventure, she went to meet my Dad’s first cousin, once removed, Florence Wagner Keene. Florence was 88 years old, and one of Chalk Wagner’s 10 children. Mom called me and said, “You need to come meet Florence. This will be you at 88.” I was doubtful, but did go to meet her. She had a picture of her family – 9 children with dark, neat hair, and in the middle was one with blond, curly, out of control hair. As a child, she did look a lot like me! I just hope that when I am 88 years old, I am as spunky as Florence was.

As I was preparing this post, I looked for that picture of Florence and her siblings, but sadly, I do not have a copy. But what I did find was another girl who looked like me! Ida Wagner, my Great Grandfather, Overton Wagner’s, youngest sister. She was born in 1896, and sadly, Ida passed away at 10 years old in Deadwood, SD. I wish I could have met her.

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As I have aged, I began to resemble more family members, mostly from that Wagner line. I am glad I got the ‘throwback’ genes with the out of control blond hair, and I am thrilled to find that Ida’s features still show in me.