The Neukomment Files

Hilda Pauline (Raymond) Erbes (1913 - 2006)

2011-11-23T23:07:00.001-05:00

Mrs. Hilda P. Erbes, age 92 of Grant, died Thursday, March 23, 2006 at the Fountainview Retirement Village in Grant. She was born Hilda Pauline Raymond in Pittsford, Michigan the daughter of Ivah Leota (Britton) and William Henry Raymond on September 19, 1913. She married Elmer Earl Erbes on June 10, 1936 in Bailey and he preceded her in death on May 13, 1995. She was a Homemaker all her life. She was a member of North Casnovia Baptist Church.

She is survived by her sons Paul & Norma Erbes of Grant, Stephen Erbes of Santa Anna, CA, Daniel Erbes of New Mexico, 12 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, several great-great-grandchildren . She was also preceded in death by son Thomas Erbes, daughter Pauline Erbes, and granddaughter Cynthia Erbes.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 P. M. from the North Casnovia Baptist Church, Bailey on Sunday, March 26, 2006 with Pastor Kelly Carlson officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service. For Memorials please consider Hospice of Michigan-Newaygo County, North Casnovia Baptist Church Building Fund, and/or Alzheimer's Disease Association. Please sign the online guest book at www.mckinleyfuneral.com.

McKinley Funeral Home, Grant, 231-834-5613. http:\\mckinleyfuneral.com

Hilda was my mother's 1st cousin. Hilda's mother Ivah (Britton) Raymond was sister to my Grandmother Dolly (Britton) Bavin.

Neukomment News Update

2011-08-27T20:25:00.002-04:00

After about six years, during which my only computer access was a company issued laptop from my place of employment, I now have my very own personal Toshiba laptop PC.

This means I can now load and use software that I could not load and use on the company laptop.

I have downloaded and installed Brother's Keeper. Fortunatly I found my former back up files from BK and was able to reload the database. Over the last few days I have been updating that data as I have time.

I am hopefull that sometime in the next few months I will be able to update the files I have on my Rootsweb site. Stay tuned...

Helen E. (Britton - Moore) Fowler

2011-08-27T20:08:00.003-04:00

Eagle Funeral Homes: Obituaries

Helen E. Fowler

Written by eagle on July 31, 2011

August 17, 1922 - July 30, 2011

Location: Eagle Funeral Home in Hudson

Visitation: Tuesday, August 2, 2011, from 6-8 p.m.

Graveside Service: Wednesday, August 3, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at Leonardson Cemetery

Cemetery: Leonardson Cemetery in Pittsford

Contributions: Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility

---------------------------

Helen E. Fowler, 88, of Hillsdale, Michigan passed away Saturday, July 30, 2011, at Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility. She was born August 17, 1922 in Pittsford Twp., Michigan the daughter of Cleo and Edith (Cousono) Britton. She married Milford Moore September 13, 1941, and he preceded in death in 1974. She then married Orin D. Fowler on July 3, 1976, and he preceded in death in 2003.

Surviving Helen is one son, James I. (Evelyn) Moore of Osseo; one sister, Glenda (Richard) Harvey of Hillsdale; sister in-law, Ruth Britton; three grandchildren, Carolee (Steve) Hartman of Fayette, Ohio, Larry (Marie) Moore of Abilene, Texas and Sandra Brummel of Kyle, Texas; seven great grandchildren, Jessica, Jordon and Jacob Moore, Tyler Brummel, Elisha, Taylor and Zachary Hartman and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, one brother, Elihye Britton, a great grandson Joshua Moore and a sister in infancy.

Graveside services for Helen will be Wednesday, August 3, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at Leonardson Cemetery in Pittsford, Michigan with Dr. Rev. Samuel E. Wickard officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Eagle Funeral Home in Hudson.

Those planning an expression of sympathy may make memorial contributions to Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility.

Helen was my mother's 1st cousin. Her father Cleo Britton was my Grandma Dolly (Britton) Bavin's brother.

RIP

Mary M. (Ruffer) Bauerle (1946 - 2008)

2011-08-27T19:45:00.006-04:00

Roper and Sons: Obituaries

Mary M. Bauerle

Lincoln, died Saturday (03/29/08). Born May 4, 1946 to Lawrence and Florence (Newcomer) Ruffer at Saginaw, Mich. Mary worked in Public Relations for Martin Luther Homes. Member: Southwood Lutheran Church. Active in the following church ministries: Director of Children's Choir and member of Adult Choir. She helped start the church's Stephen Ministry; taught Adult Sunday School; and worked with Parish Education.

Visitation: From 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday (04/01/08) at the funeral home.

Service: 10 a.m. Wednesday (04/02/08), at Southwood Lutheran Church, 9300 S. 40th St., Lincoln, with Pastors Greg Olson, Sara Spohr, and Michael Ryan officiating.

Family Gathering: Family will greet friends from 6 - 8 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home; and one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.

Cemetery: N/A
Memorials: Southwood Lutheran Church.

Survived by: husband, Robert A. "Bob"; sons and daughters-in-law, Dane and Trish, San Antonio, Texas; Jon and Deana, Fort Worth, Texas; granddaughters, Hannah and Addison; sisters, Nancy Ries, Archibald, Ohio; Anne Lehman, White Fish Bay, Wis.; brothers and sisters-in-law, David and Marilyn Ruffer, Zionsville, Ind.; Herb and Sherry Ruffer, San Padre, Calif.; nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her parents.

Mary was my first cousin. I remember her as vibrant and energetic. I remember our going as a family to a church in Archbold, Ohio to attend Mary and Bob's wedding. There was also the time when Mary, my siblings and myself went to the movie theater in Archbold and watche To Kill a Mockingbird; a movie I will ever forget.

It was hard to read the reports of the progression of the illness that ended up taking her from this world.

RIP my dear cousin...

38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division US Army - World War I

2011-05-27T20:29:00.012-04:00

In my previous post (immediately below this one), I mentioned how I found out my Grandma's brother, George Britton, was in the 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. I did a little research on the 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division and found the following:

The 3rd Infantry Division was activated in November 1917 during World War I at Camp Greene, North Carolina. Eighteen months later, it saw combat for the first time in France. At midnight on 14 July 1918, the Division earned lasting distinction. Engaged in the Aisne-Marne Offensive as a member of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe, the Division was protecting Paris with a position on the banks of the Marne River. The 7th Machine Gun Battalion of the 3rd Division rushed to Château-Thierry amid retreating French troops and held the Germans back at the Marne River. While surrounding units retreated, the 3rd Infantry Division, including the 30th and 38th Infantry Regiments, remained rock solid and earned its reputation as the "Rock of the Marne". The rest of the division was absorbed by the French Command until brought back together under the Command of General Joseph T. Dickman and by 15 July 1918 they took the brunt of what was to be the last German offensive of the war. General "Black Jack" Pershing said the Division's performance was one of the most brilliant of the United States' military history. During the war two members of the division were awarded the Medal of Honor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)

3rd Division Campaigns - World War I, 1918

http://www.warfoto.com/3rdsociety3.htm

Aisne; May 27 – June 6
Champagne-Marne; July 15 – 18. “Rock of the Marne”
Aisne-Marne; 18 July-6 August
St. Mihiel; September 12–15,
Meuse-Argonne; September 26–November 11

We do not know what Uncle George's specific role was as a Private in the 38th Regiment. We do know the 38th Regt. played a critical role in the first phase of the 2nd battle of the Marne in July 1918. In what way and how much Uncle George was involved in that action again is not known.

Here are excerpts from an account of the Champagne- Marne phase of the battle:

At midnight, July 14/15 the artillery crashed and the last German push of the war started. As predicted, it was a drive to get across the Marne [east of] Chateau-Thierry...[From Chateau-Thierry east were] the Third American Division...where they'd been ever since their machine gunners had come charging up the riverbank six weeks before. Then came another French outfit and next the pea-green Pennsylvania National Guard -- The 28th Division -- which had no line time even in a quiet sector. They were fed in by companies to fight with the French. Farther east {of Reims] there was the veteran 42nd Division, the Rainbow...That night and the next day the 38th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division, made a stand that deserves to rank with the famous ones, and it won.

The 38th was in line just west of where the Surmelin River flows north into the Marne. The Surmelin runs northwest and down either side of its gentle valley there ran two good roads which went south into the main Paris highway. This was to be the main German track, the route by which guns were to move south and help exploit a breakthrough.

[Westpointer, Colonel Ulysses Grant McAlexander commanded the 38th.] Down by the [Marne] river he put Major Guy Row's 2nd Battalion. The 1st Battalion, only half strength, was farther back in the support, and the 3rd Battalion even deeper in reserve.

Along the river Row's men had three companies in line...from left to right -- each with two platoons dug in down on the riverbank, two more about three hundred and fifty yards back behind the embankment of the east-west Metz-Paris railroad. The railroad was raised up on a constructed embankment about nine feet high and so wide it was very difficult to fight from behind it.

The story continues with a firsthand description of the defense along the River Marne by Captain Jesse Woolridge of Major Rowe's battalion:

"...Newly captured prisoners began to give real information - a grand offensive was to be made [where] the Marne was only about 50 yards wide...We had 600 yards of [this] front all to ourselves...[When it began] it seemed [the Germans] expected their artillery to eliminate all resistance...French Officers attached to our Brigade stated positively there was never a bombardment to equal it at Verdun.

At 3:30am the general fire ceased and their creeping barrage started - behind which at 40 yards only, mind you, they came - with more machine guns than I thought the German Army owned...
The enemy had to battle their way through the first platoon on the river bank - then they took on the second platoon on the forward edge of the railway where we had a thousand times the best of it - but the [Germans] gradually wiped it out. My third platoon [took] their place in desperate hand to hand fighting, in which some got through only to be picked up by the fourth platoon which was deployed simultaneously with the third...By the time they struck the fourth platoon they were all in and easy prey.

It's God's truth that one Company of American soldiers beat and routed a full regiment of picked shock troops of the German Army...At ten o'clock...the Germans were carrying back wounded and dead [from] the river bank and we in our exhaustion let them do it - they carried back all but six hundred which we counted later and fifty-two machine guns...We had started with 251 men and 5 lieutenants...I had left 51 men and 2 second lieutenants..." Capt. Jesse Woolridge, 38th Inf., 3rd Division.

"SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE"; The Story of the American Expeditionary Forces (Doughboy Center; http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/2marne.htm

It was this action that earned the 3rd Division the name of "The Rock of the Marne". It was 3 months after this action, during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, that Uncle George was killed on October 21, 1918.

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive:

Here are some excerpts regarding the Meuse-Argonne Offensive which started on September 25:

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the greatest American battle of the First World War. In six weeks the AEF lost 26,277 killed and 95,786 wounded. It was a very complex operation involving a majority of the AEF ground forces fighting through rough, hilly terrain the German Army had spent four years fortifying. Its objective was the capture of the railroad hub at Sedan which would break the rail net supporting the German Army in France and Flanders and force the enemy's withdrawal from the occupied territories.

3 October 1918 To the west, the Lost Battalion of the 77th Division is surrounded. Things are bogged down along the line. Pershing shuffles his divisions for a renewed assault. The new order of battle includes [west to east]: I Corps - 77th, 28th & 1st Divisions; V Corps - 32nd & 3rd Divisions: and III Corps - 4th 80th and 33rd Divisions.

22 October 1918 By the 22nd of the month III and V Corps had secured the Bois de Foret and Bois des Rappes and had pushed to the norther and westen limits of the Bois de Bantheville. First Army prepares for final assault on Sedan.

THE BIG SHOW - THE MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE: The Story of the American Expeditionary Forces (Doughboy Center; http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/bigshow.htm )

We learn from the above account that the 3rd Division which included Uncle George's 38th Regiment was part of the V Corp. It was the V Corp along with III Corp that by October 22 had secured Bois de Foret and Bois des Rappes and had pushed to the norther and westen limits of the Bois de Bantheville.

Pvt. George Britton was killed on October 21. His death occurred during the operations around Bois de Foret and Bois des Rappes. Eight days before he was killed, Cunel and Romagne in the central Argonne had been captured. Romagne would become the site of America's largest overseas military cemetery and Pvt.George H. Britton's resting place.

What do we conclude?

Whatever Uncle George did or did not do on the battlefield, we can believe he was a faithful soldier, obeying orders, and doing his duty just like every other soldier who was in the 38th Regt. at that time. We can surmise that he very probably saw some horrific fighting in those three months from the Marne to the Argonne. He very probably saw comrades killed or wounded in battle. And on that day, by bullet, shell, or whatever, he joined those comrades in the Bivouac of the Dead. RIP

Pvt. George H. Britton

Private George H. Britton, U.S. Army 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division is buried at: Plot G Row 35 Grave 22 in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France. There is also a memorial stone in the Britton Family Plot in the Leonardson Cemetery, Pittsford Twp, Hillsdaale County, Michigan. A World War I memorial in the Leonardson Cemetery also bears his name along with others from the Pittsford, MI area who were killed in the war.

That Grave in a Far Off Land

2010-11-16T17:50:00.018-05:00

In a previous post, I talked about my Great Uncle, Pvt. George H. Britton who was killed in France three weeks before the Armistice in 1918.

There is a memorial marker for George Britton in the Leonardson Cemetery, Jefferson Twp., Hillsdale Co., Michigan, but Uncle George Britton's buriel was actually in France. Until very recently I did not know where in France he was buried.

A year or so ago I sent off to the National Archives for a copy of his military records. I was disappointed to find out that a great number of WW I military records had been destroyed in a fire, so there was no record of Uncle George.

Late last Saturday night I found out Ancestry.Com had a special going where the public at large could do searches on military records in the Ancestry.Com databases. It was a limited time offer set to expire on Sunday, Nov.14. That left me little time, so I dove in and did a search on Uncle George Britton.

BINGO!

I found a listing of where he was buried in France:

George H. Britton
Private, U.S. Army
38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division
Entered the Service from: Michigan
Died: October 21, 1918
Buried at: Plot G Row 35 Grave 22
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery
Romagne, France

I also found a listing for Uncle George from the Soldiers of the Great War Volume 2 "Soldiers of the Great War Michigan" (WW I Casualty Listings), as well as a copy of the draft registration for George's brother, Cleo Elihue Britton.

That was pretty neat, but it is not the end of the story.

Last night I did a Goggle search on "American Military Cemeteries in France", and came across the The American Battle Monuments Commission. I did a search on their World War I database and found the listing for Pvt. George H. Britton. I realized it was this database from which the Ancestry.Com search had pulled from.

But there was more.

I checked out the "Services Available" at the ABMC page, and found out it is possible to get photographs of Uncle George's headstone in France. I sent off an e-mail to them, and today received a reply. In about 6 weeks, I should be getting those photos.

But there is one more thing before I close.

I went to Goggle Map and zeroed in on Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France. I then turned on the satellite view and found the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery
.

Honestly, I was in tears thinking about it. Grandma's little brother will not be forgotten.

Someday I want to go to France, and go to the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery. I want to go to Uncle George's grave, put flowers on it, and let the world know he is not forgotten.

RIP

The Newcomer - Tedrow Family

2010-10-12T20:56:00.019-04:00

It has been my intent for some time to write a post about the Newcomer - Tedrow connection, with a special reference to the Newcomer - Tedrow - Oates line.

Mary I. Newcomer was born on July 6, 1886, the youngest child of George D. Newcomer and his second wife Malinda (Mikesell) Newcomer. She married Clair Tedrow, and I have record of three sons:

Robert Wave Tedrow (Nov 26, 1909 - May 28, 1996)
Roy Earl Tedrow (Oct. 6, 1911 - Jan. 4, 1940)
George Monroe Tedrow

My father's dad was Mary's brother, Guy Vernon Newcomer. I have memory as a young lad of our going to visit one of dad's Tedrow cousins on their farm near Delta, Ohio.

Robert Wave Tedrow married Julia Elisabeth Willeman. They had five children:

Paul Eugene Tedrow
Dorothy Jane Tedrow
Mary Ann Tedrow
John Robert Tedrow (1940 - 1969)
Thomas Clair Tedrow

Roy Earl Tedrow married Eunice Johnson. They had two sons:

James Earl Tedrow
Richard Clair Tedrow

George Monroe Tedrow married Helen Garber. They had four children:

David Tedrow
Michael Tedrow
Jerry Lee Tedrow
Carol Tedrow

The above gives a basic outline of the Tedrow families connected to my Newcomer line. I now want to look at the Tedrow - Oates part of the family, as I have a particular connection with the Oates family.

Dorethy Jane Tedrow, daughter of Robert and Julia (Willeman) Tedrow, married Raymond Oates. They had a farm just north of Hartley Rd. on US-127 (Meridian Rd.) near Waldron, Michigan.

A big part of Raymond's farm business was selling hay to horse farms in the south; North Carolina sticks in my mind as one of the places he shipped hay to. He would go to local farmers in the area and cut a deal to buy the hay out of their field. He did the cutting and the baling, then would load the hay on semi trailers to be hauled to the buyers down south.

In 1967, the summer after I had graduated from high school, Raymond had bought some hay out of one of my father's fields. As it was, I needed a summer job to fill in until I went off to college in the fall, and Raymond needed an extra hand. So it was I spent the summer working in the hay fields, loading wagons, off loading into semi trailers, or stacking bales in the barn hay loft. By the end of the summer I was in the best physical shape of my adult life.

It was also in that summer I got to meet their children; Betty, Barbara, Ron, Bonnie, Beth, and Brenda. They were pretty young then, and I suspect they don't remember who I was. For myself, though I knew we were remotly connected somehow, at the time I didn't make the connection that "Mrs. Oates" was my 2nd cousin, and all these little kids were also part of "my family".

I went on to college and the rest of my life. Those "little kids" grew up, and recently I connected with Betty via Facebook. That summer job working for Raymond Oates was my first "real" job outside of our farm. It marked a turning point in my life as I transitioned from my high school teen years to adulthood.

The Newcomer - Ost Connection

2010-06-19T22:22:00.026-04:00

Donald A. Ost

February 7, 1928 - June 17, 2010

Donald A. Ost, 82, of Pittsford, Michigan passed away Thursday, June 17, 2010, at Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility. He was born February 7, 1928, in Adrian, Michigan the son of Martin A. and Clare (Newcomer) Ost. He married Esther Baker in Manchester, Michigan on September 22, 1948, and she survives.

Don retired from the maintenance department of Hillsdale College in 1988, after 10 years of service and he previously owned and operated Don's Garage in Pittsford for over 30 years. He graduated from Addison High School Class of 1945, served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and enjoyed woodworking.

Surviving Don besides his wife, Esther is one daughter, Kay (Tom) Sharp of Pittsford; one son, David Ost of Pioneer, Ohio; four grandchildren, Michelle (Bruce) Sharp of Hillsdale, Jennifer (Louie) Lamoth of Mosherville, Jason Sharp of Pittsford and Brian and (Danielle) Sharp of Ransom; four great great grandchildren Kimberly, Wyatt, Carter and Ellie. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Bonnie Valandra and one brother, Melvin Ost.

Graveside services for Don will be Monday, June 21, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. at Rome Center Cemetery with Dr. Rev. Samuel Wickard officiating. Visitation will be Saturday from 6-8 p.m. at Eagle Funeral Home in Hudson.

Those planning an expression of sympathy may make memorial contributions to Pittsford Jefferson Fire Department.

http://www.eaglefuneralhomes.com/Obituaries/dost.html

After my Great-grandfather George Debolt Newcomer returned from his service in the Union Army after the Civil War, he married Clara Poorman on Dec. 28, 1869. George and Clara had one son, Frank Melvin Newcomer (1870 -1923). Clara (Poorman) Newcomer died in May 1875 when Frank was 4 years old.

George Newcomer remarried in Dec. 1875 to Malinda Mikesell. The offspring of that second marriage was two daughters, Ethel and Mary, and one son, my Grandfather Guy Vernon Newcomer.

Frank Melvin Newcomer married Myrtle Kessler. Our family records indicate Frank and Myrtle had two daughters, Eva and Louise. It was "Louise" who married an Ost and had three childrem, Yvonne, Donald, and Melvin.

Then tonight I came across Donald's obituary as copied above. In the above obituary Doanld's mother's name is "Clare (Newcomer) Ost". At that point I went to the Social Security Death Index Search at Rootsweb.com and did a search on "Clare Ost", and got no results.

I tried another search for "Claire Ost" and got a bingo:

"Claire L. Ost" Birth: May 7, 1907. Death: Oct. 6, 1995. Last residence: Ottawa Lake, Monroe County, Michigan.

I have a dollar bill that says the middle initial "L" is for Louise.

But an educated hunch, no matter how probable, is not proof. What I need is objective documentation that this Claire Ost is indeed Frank Newcomer's daughter. That documentation will have to wait until I come up with the $ 27.00 to send off to the Social Security Administration for a copy of Claire Ost's application for a Social Security number.

This is a situation that illustrates some of the pitfalls of genealogical research. I have a name, but it may prove out that name was a middle name. The name given in an obituary is different then the name I have and is spelled slightly different from the name found in the SSA Death Index.

The other issue is where my data says Donald's sister is Yvonne, the obituary calls her Bonnie. We have another discrepancy that calls for investigation.

Check, double check, and recheck, and even then there is an outside chance you get it wrong, and future genealogists will pick up on your work and perpetuate your mistake.

Addendum February 16, 2011

Esther Lou Ost
March 15, 1931 - February 6, 2011

Esther L. Ost, 79, of Pittsford, Michigan passed away Sunday, February 6, 2011, at Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility. She was born March 15, 1931, in Somerset Center, Michigan the daughter of Floyd and Josephine (Spencer) Baker. She married Donald A. Ost in Manchester, Michigan on September 22, 1948, and he preceded her in death on June 17, 2010.

Esther retired as an auditor from Hillsdale College in 1988, after 25 years of service

Surviving Esther is one daughter, Kay (Tom) Sharp of Pittsford; one son, David Ost of Pioneer, Ohio; four grandchildren, Michelle (Bruce) Sharp of Hillsdale, Jennifer (Louie) LaMoth of Mosherville, Jason (Kimberly) Sharp of Nelsonville, Ohio and Brian Sharp of Ransom; four great great grandchildren Kimberly, Wyatt, Carter and Ellie; one sister, Harriet (Donald) Dear of Sarasota, Florida. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and two brothers, Leo and Larry Baker.

Graveside services for Esther will be Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at North Rome Cemetery with Dr. Rev. Samuel Wickard officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at Eagle Funeral Home in Hudson.

Those planning an expression of sympathy may make memorial contributions to Alzheimer's Association.

http://www.eaglefuneralhomes.com/Obituaries/eost.html

Martha (Lee) Gray & her Daughter Sadie

2010-06-18T21:07:00.003-04:00

This picture is a scan of one of a series of tintypes that are in my father's possession. The families pictured in the tintypes are of the Gray and Lee families. In the majority of them we can only conjecture who the people in the picture are. This one we are pretty sure of.

The little girl is my Grandmother Sarah (Sadie) Elizabeth Gray with her mother Martha (Lee) Gray. This picture would have to have been taken relatively shortly before Martha passed away Feb, 12, 1886 at the early age of 26. Sadie was only 4 1/2 when her mother died. Sadie's older brother had died in infancy in 1880.

Seven months latter in Sept. of 1886, Sadie's father Francis (Frank) Gray remarried to Mary Herriman. Frank and Mary had seven children, giving Sadie 5 brothers and two sisters.

(The Lee/Gray Tintypes can be seen on my Rootsweb site.)

The Lee - Borton - Clark - Ladd Connection

2010-06-15T21:37:00.011-04:00

My paternal Great-grandmother, Martha Jane Lee was born in 1860, and married Francis (Frank) Gray on Feb. 4,1875. Her only surviving child was my Grandmother, Sarah (Sadie) Elizabeth (Gray) Newcomer. Martha had just turned 26 years old when she died on Feb. 12, 1886. Little Sadie Gray was only 4 1/2 years old when her mother died. Her father remarried, and she was raised by her step-mother.

Martha (Lee) Gray had an older sister Mary Ann Lee (1844 - 1923) who waa married to Silas Borton. Mary and Silas had a daughter, Ella May Borton (1870 - 1943), who married Edwin Elmer Clark.

It was through Edwin and Ella's daughter Ida Jane Clark (1897 - ????) the connection was made to the Ladd family. Ida Clark married Ernest Efflin Ladd.

Ernest and Ida's son, Ernest Lavoy Ladd married Elizabeth Wiederkher. This is the Ladd family that lives near Waldron, Michigan on the Meridian Rd. (US-127). If I have this figured out correctly, Ernest Lavoy Ladd is my third cousin.

I know Ernest and Elizabeth's sons, Stephen and Mark, through our time together at the Waldron High School. I had been told we had some "shirt-tail" cousin relationship, and it was a desire to pin down that relationship that led to this posting. If you are keeping score, I and my siblings are related to Stephan and Mark as 3rd cousins, once removed.

She had a "Baby" Brother

2010-06-09T22:40:00.039-04:00

Joy Anne Newcomer

December 28, 1943 - June 2, 2010

Joy Newcomer, 66, of Waldron passed away Wednesday, June 2, 2010, at home. She was born on December 28, 1943, in Hudson the daughter of Rex & Mildred (Bavin) Newcomer.

Joy lived most of her life in the Waldron area where she was a graduate of the Waldron High School. Joy earned a teaching degree at Eastern Michigan University. She retired from the Lakeville Community School (near Flint) in 1997, after thirty years of service.

Survivors include her parents, Rex & Mildred Newcomer of Waldron; a sister, Carol (Mike) Newcomer-Cox of Morenci; two brothers, John (Carol) Newcomer of Chantilly, Virginia, and Bill (Nancy) Newcomer of Ada; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be on Monday, June 7, 2010, at 11:00 AM at the Waldron First Church of Christ with minister Don Crain officiating. Burial will follow at the Waldron Cemetery. There will be a visitation on Sunday from 4 until 8 PM at the church.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Waldron First Church of Christ or to the Waldron District Library.years old,

Arrangements were through the Eagle Funeral Home-Charles Fink Chapel in Morenci.

(http://www.eaglefuneralhomes.com/Obituaries/jnewcomer.html)

On one of the bookshelves in our parent's house are three pictures together in a tri-fold picture frame. The picture on the right is a young boy about 2 1/2 years old. The center frame holds a picture of a young girl about 4 years old. There are two people in the frame on the left; a young girl about 6 years old is holding a bottle in her right hand for the baby laying on the pillow. Her left elbow rests on the pillow as she rests her head in the upheld hand. Her hair is long, hanging down below her shoulders.

The young girl holding the bottle for her baby brother is my sister Joy. The story is that at a very early age I worked hard at putting the grump in "grumpy". The only way they could get my picture taken was to have Joy give me the bottle. She was the oldest of the four of us and I was the youngest. The girl in the center picture was my other sister Carol, and the picture on the right was of my brother John.

This was during our early years when we lived on the Newcomer farmstead on Tuttle Rd. near Waldron, Michigan scarcely a few miles north of Ohio state line.

It was at this house where the alleged hammer incident took place. Joy and Carol had been playing on the enclosed porch. There was a little fuss about something or another, and all of a sudden a hammer was flying through the air and into the kitchen door window, breaking said window. That alleged incident aside, the two sisters remained friends.

The years went by. We now lived around the corner, down the road on the Hartley Rd. farm. Joy, being the oldest, was the first to get her drivers license. Dad didn't have to drive us kids to all the various things we needed to go to. Somewhere in those years, both Joy and Carol had been involved in 4-H. Joy had played clarinet in the band until she had to have braces. She then was in the percussion section.

I was now in Junior High. We had a study hall, and there were some Senior girls in that study hall. Joy was one of them. She was graduating from high school. At the Commencement program, she walked across the stage and received her diploma. There was an open house reception at our house afterwards.

Another four and a half years, and I sat with mom and dad at the commencement program at Eastern Michigan University. We watched Joy again cross a stage as she received her college diploma.

Joy never married. I remember her having one date with some brainy intellectual guy, but nothing came of it.

She loved her nieces and nephews who came along over the years, but her main legacy lives on in the children that passed through her 2nd grade classroom during her 30 some years of teaching. I find myself wondering how many of them went on to be doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers, etc. She was at the same. school long enough to have some students who were children of previous students.

Eventually she retired and moved back to the Waldron area. She became involved in her church, helping out with the food pantry and Bible studies. She and a few of her friends would get together and they learned how to play Bridge. Her friend Sue mentioned to me about how Joy would trump her ace, keeping a straight face, then with a chuckle and grin playing the trump card.

Over the past year her health deteriorated. It became clear this was going to be it. She began to put her affairs in order. She told us she had made her peace with God, and was ready.

When we heard she had become bedridden, we changed our plans for the Memorial Day weekend, and went down home a week early. We visited with her knowing it was probably the last time we would see her alive in this world. We said our goodbye.

A week and a half latter while at work, I got the call...

One November Day

2010-04-06T19:33:00.006-04:00

(Though I've published this elswhere, it fits well with the memoiers intent of this site.)

As I remember it, that autumn had been relatively mild. By mid-November most of the corn fields had already been picked. The leaves on the trees had dropped some weeks before. It was a time in that interlude when the high school football season, for better or for worse, was history, but the basketball season was yet to start.

For those of us in our relatively quiet rural Southern Michigan community, it was a time of routine leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Our community was somewhat off the beaten path; a good hour away from any big cities, and not on any major highways. There was a certain degree of isolation. TV, radio and the newspapers were the vehicles that brought the outside world into our midst. There were the vacations that would occasionally take us outside our normal boundaries. Also from time to time there might be a day trip to Toledo or Jackson, or maybe even Fort Wayne, but for most of us growing up in that rural area, the rest of the world was "out there".

That Friday started off like any other normal Friday. I got up early and went out to do what farm chores needed to be done. Sometime or other in the course of the usual morning ritual, I had breakfast, and got ready for school. Then it was off to school. The morning classes went by, and the lunch hour came. So far it had been a pretty ordinary normal day, one among the many others at that time of our lives.

Sometime around 1 PM or so, I and my fellow high school Freshmen classmates were in our Science class. For some reason our regular teacher was out for the day. Mrs. Welling was filling in as the substitute teacher. Mrs. Welling and her husband were retired teachers. Sometime in her life Mrs. Welling had received a certain amount of musical training. She directed one of the local church choirs, and occasionally sang special numbers. She was a petite slender lady which contributed to the nickname of "Mrs. Canary Legs" which we students sometimes callously called her, but not ever to her face or in the hearing of other adults. In truth she was a pretty nice lady. In all the times she substituted for the teacher in any of my classes, I never remember her saying any unkind words to any student, or ever in any way speaking sharply or roughly to any class at large.

I do not remember what the exact time was. It most probably was around 1:45 PM our local EST. I have no memory of what we were specifically doing in class at that time. Mrs. Welling may have been speaking to some aspect of Science, or we may have been doing some in class study time. We heard the school PA system come on. The PA system was always used for announcements of some kind or another related to school activities. In my mind, that was the expectation at that time. However, what we heard was something much different then anything we had ever heard on that PA system before. We realized the voice we were hearing was not that of the high school Principle, or the Superintendent, or any of the teachers. It was a voice on a radio. I don't remember the exact words, but to the best of my recollection they were:

"......We repeat. President John F. Kennedy has been shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.... At approximately 12:30 PM local time, the President of the United States was shot...."

We sat there as the radio broadcast continued over the PA system. It took several minutes to process the meaning of the words we were hearing. Assassinations are things that only happen in history, such as in the Lincoln assassination. They are not suppose to happen in our United States of America of 1963. How could this be? What was going on? Even then there was a certain detachment from what we were hearing, as though listening to some kind of fictional account.

But it was not fiction. It was real. It was actually happening! Any thought of continuing with the Science class was totally erased from everyone's mind. We just sat there listening. It was about 20 minutes after we first heard the news of the shooting when the voice on the radio announced a news update bulletin had just come in.

"President John F. Kennedy died at approximately 1 p.m. Central Standard Time today here in Dallas. He died of a gunshot wound in the brain."

We were stunned. Mrs. Welling had tears in her eyes. In the wisdom and perspective of her older years, she much more fully comprehended the meaning, importance, and impact of what we were hearing. She had already in her lifetime witnessed December 7, 1941 when the shocking news came through that Pearl Harbor had been attacked. In contrast, we as students in our youthful inexperience and naivete could hardly comprehend the tragic historic moment we were listening to over that PA system.

At some point the buzzer rang to signal the end of the class session. We left the classroom as in a daze. Any conversations in the hallway were subdued. We were struggling to comprehend what we had heard, what it all meant, and what was going to happen.

My last class of the day was Phys. Ed. We went to the gym, but no one bothered getting ready for gym class. We just sat there on the bleachers or wandered around the gym aimlessly, talking quietly among ourselves. At one point one of my classmates, in a demonstration of youthful folly, made a smart-aleck remark about cancelling school because the President was shot. The Phys. Ed. teacher angrily and curtly told him to just shut up.

Finally the school day ended. We headed home. My mother was a teacher at the school, so she had heard the news in the same way we had. My dad had also heard the news. The normal afternoon TV shows we liked to watch were cancelled. All the TV and radio stations were focused on the assassination. We started hearing the name Lee Harvey Oswald mentioned. He was now in the custody of the Dallas Police Department. President Kennedy's body was being flown back to Washington, DC aboard Air Force 1. Lynden Johnson had taken the oath of office, and was now President of the United States.

Saturday morning dawned. We did our usual farm chores, but I don't remember doing much else that day. The news came that President Kennedy's funeral would be on Monday, and there would be no school that day. Lee Harvey Oswald was still in the custody of the Dallas Police Department. The only thing else I remember about that Saturday was that it was sunny with mostly clear skies.

In looking back at that time, it's the routine details of your life you don't remember. Sunday morning came. I had probably gone to church that morning, but have no memory of it. I would have got back home a little before Noon, our local EST. What I do remember was watching the TV coverage of the assassination, funeral preparations, the public viewing of the closed casket in the rotunda of the Capital building, and all the rest.

Then the network broke away to the coverage in Dallas, Texas where the Dallas police were about to transfer Lee Harvey Oswald from the police headquarters to the county jail. There on the black and white screen in front of me, I saw police officers escorting a man into the basement of the police headquarters. Then another man stepped quickly forward and shots rang out. It was 11:21 am local CST, Sunday, November 24, 1963. As he was about to be taken to the Dallas County Jail, Lee Harvey Oswald was fatally shot before live television cameras in the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters by Jack Ruby. I was watching the whole thing on TV. I along with millions of other Americans saw it happen right before our eyes. It was surreal, as if in a dream.

Ruby was immediately taken into custody. What was going on? This stuff happens in fictional movies and TV shows, but this was real life. Two murders in two days! I don't remember watching any more TV that day. I may have, but that scene from the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters remains etched forever in my memory.

Monday November 25, was President John F. Kennedy's funeral. In our part of Michigan, it was another sunny day with mostly clear skies. I may have watched bits and pieces of the funeral on TV, but I remember very little. A few years in the future, in 1969, my college roommate and I would visit Washington, DC. While there, we would cross the Potomac River to the Arlington National Cemetery and visit the grave site where the eternal flame was burning. But that is another story for another time.

After the President's funeral, at some point school resumed. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays came and went. A new year began. We would go on with our lives, but for each of us who lived through that tragic historical time, our lives would never ever be the same after that one tragic fatal November day in 1963.

(Written by J. William Newcomer. Copyright © April 2010. All rights reserved.)

Remembering Mickey Mantle's Big Hit

2010-03-02T20:51:00.005-05:00

(This is being reposted from one of my other blogs. I think it is a story that fits well with the intent of "The Neukomment Files".)

Late August 1961, it was the summer between 6th and 7th grade, and my last summer of Little League Baseball. That day all us Little League ball players from our small rural Southern Michigan town packed into the school bus and were off to Tiger Stadium in Detroit to watch our favorite Detroit Tigers take on those NY Yankees.

That small rural town was several hours from Detroit, and as such, it was a rare treat for any of us to see a Major league baseball game first hand. We listened to the Tiger games over the radio with George Kell and Ernie Harwell calling the games. Those were the years when Al Kaline, Rocky Colavito, Norm Cash, Jake Wood, and Jim Bunning, among others were our heros.

That summer of 1961 was also the time when Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris were chasing Babe Ruth's home run record.

When we got to the stadium we were seated out in the center field section of the stands. The Yankees were out warming up, and there he was right in front of us; Mickey Mantle! And over in right field was Roger Maris! The two guys who all season long had been hitting all those home runs!

We started yelling "Hey Mickey!"... He turned and waved. He caught a ball, (it must have come from Yogi Berra in left?). We called out to him to throw the ball up to us. He made a motion like he was going to do just that but that ball returned to his glove and Mickey returned to his warmup. We were in awe. What a guy!

The game started. In the course of the game both Mantle and Maris hit home runs. I don't rememeber what inning it was when Mickey was at bat and hit that 2nd (as I rememeber) home run. I can still hear in my mind the crack of his bat hitting that pitch. We heard that crack all the way out in the center field stands. We watched the ball rise as it headed out towards right field. It keep going up and up and up. It was over the outfield fence and still going up. It cleared the stands and even then was still going up.

Was it going to hit the wall? No!!!

It cleared the wall and was out of the stadium! Mickey Mantle had just hit a home run out of Tiger Stadium, and from our center field seats we had the perfect view of it all the way up and out!

As I recall, the Yankees won the game and afterwards we climbed into the school bus and headed back to our small rural Michigan community. The memory of Mickey interacting with us during the warmups; the memory of that "out of the stadium" home run remain in my memory to this day. We had seen someone who was to us, one of baseball's larger then life heros. And even though most of us remained loyal Tiger fans, Mickey Mantle had a special place in our hearts and memories.

I am well aware that in latter years, after his retirement from baseball, Mantle had some struggles and failures in his personal life. For myself, those things do not take away from who he was as a major league baseball player, nor from what his presence met for the game. For us who as youngsters saw him play the game, Mickey Mantle was and remains a great baseball player and hero.

RIP

Official Mickey Mantle Website

(Up to 1961, the Detroit stadium had been known as Brigg's Stadium. 1961 was the first year it went by the new name of Tiger Stadium.)

Guy Vernon Newcomer (1879 - 1940)

2010-02-27T18:24:00.016-05:00

OBITUARY

Guy Vernon Newcomer was born August 17, 1879 near Wauseon, Ohio, the son of George D. and Melinda Newcomer.

In 1901 he was married to Miss Sadie Gray of Fayette, O. To this union were born five children. The first ten years they made their home near Wauseon. In December 1910 they moved to the present home near Waldron, Mich.

He was an active member in the Masonic lodge and for four years was worshipful master of Leonard lodge No. 266, F. & A. M. At the time of his death he was a member of the school board of the White district.

After an illness of several months, he passed away Tuesday, May 7, 1940, age 60 years.

Survivng him are his widow, five children, Mrs. Clare Merrifield, Montpelier, Ohio; Mrs. Nathan McCully of Midland, Mich.; Mrs. Lawerence Ruffer of Waldron and Rex and June at home; two sisters, Mrs. E. C. Lee of Waldron and Mrs. Clare Tedrow of Delta, O., and nine grand children and many friends.

_______________

CARD OF THANKS

Words fail to convey our appreciation of the many beautiful things done for us by our friends in this our last sorrow.

Mrs. Guy Newcomer and family.
_________________

This obituary of my Grandfather was transcribed from a copy my sister Carol sent me. There is no indication on that copy of which newspaper the obituary was originally published in. The Card of Thanks did appear under the obituary. Grandpa's mother was Melinda (Mikesell) Newcomer. It is through Melinda that our line of Newcomer is connected to the Mikesell and Bayes families.

The Family of Orendo Wilber Britton & Angelia Elizabeth Sloan

2010-01-12T18:58:00.045-05:00

Orendo Wilber Britton was born October 20, 1852 at Mt. Tabor, Rutland Co., Vermont. His parents were Lucius and Phebe (Hart) Britton. He was the youngest in the family, having four older brothers, and one older sister. One brother had died in Vermont, and his only sister, Louisa, died in Michigan in 1857 at the age of 16. Wilber was only a few years old when the family left Vermont and moved to Hillsdale County, Michigan, settling on a farm in Ransom Township.

Angelia Elizabeth Sloan, daughter of James (II) and Amerilla (Holden) Sloan, was born March 14, 1857, in Hillsdale Co., Michigan. Her father's family roots go back to the early New England Sloan and Beal families.

O. Wilber Britton and Angelia Sloan were married on December 1, 1875, in Hillsdale Co., Michigan. Wilber farmed and also operated the grist mill that was south of the town of Pittsford on Pittsford Rd. in Hillsdale County.

Britton Mill, Pittsford, Michigan

A total of thirteen children would be born to this marriage. Not all survived to adulthood.

Oma L. Britton: 15 Nov 1876 - 31 Aug 1953
Glenn Abner Britton: 1 Oct 1878 - 23 Jun 1907
Leda Vera Britton: 12 Jun 1880 - 11 Nov 1957
Orlie Ellis Britton: 19 Jan 1883 - 26 Apr 1948
Ora Nellice Britton: 19 Jan 1883 - 1 Jan 1929
Harley Wilber Britton: 21 Feb 1887 - 26 Oct 1907
Nina June Britton: 12 Jun 1888 - 9 Aug 1980
Dollie Lucy Britton (*1): 15 Aug 1889 - 24 Jul 1974
Geneva Britton: 11 Dec 1890 - 21 Sep 1891
George H. Britton(*2): 11 Dec 1890 - 21 Oct 1918
Ivah Leota Britton: 15 Oct 1893 - 12 Jul 1979
Cleo Elihue Britton: 30 Aug 1895 - 26 Jan 1972
Ephraim Britton: 1897 - 1897

Orendo Wiber Britton died on June 11, 1917. Six years latter Angelia (Sloan) Britton died Aug 1, 1923. Both were buried in the Leonardson Cemetery just south of Pittsford in Hillsdale Co., Michigan.

(*1) Dolly (Britton) Bavin was my grandmother.

(*2) George Britton was killed in France in the Argonne Forest during WW-I, exactly three weeks before the Armistice of Nov. 11, 1918 brought the war to an end. He was buried in France. A memorial marker was erected in the family plot at the Leonardson Cemetery, Jefferson Twp., Hillsdale Co., Michigan.

Sources:

"Britton Family Records"; Un-published records and notes collected, verified and compiled by Carol M. Newcomer.

I have personally verified the facts mentioned in this post relating to the Lenordson Cemetery in Hillsdale County, Michigan.

Seeking Michigan Archives

2009-11-30T16:38:00.004-05:00

There is an on-line site that has Michigan documents that may be of interest to the genealogicl minded. One of the collections is Michigan death records from 1897 to 1920. I've been able to mine a few docuemnts related to my Bavin, Gray, Sloan, and Beal connections.

Seeking Michigan

Virginia McCully Ortiz Huff : 1946 - 2005

2009-11-28T21:42:00.005-05:00

"Huff, Virginia McCully Ortiz, Saginaw, Michigan. Passed away Friday, April 22, 2005 at home. Age 59 years. The daughter of the late Nathan and Gladys McCully, Virginia was born February 19, 1946 in Saginaw. She was married to Pablo Ortiz in April of 1966 and he preceded her in death in 2003. Virginia had been employed by West Side Decorating of Saginaw as a Professional Design Consultant, and had also been employed by Camille's Costume Shop in Bay City. She was an active member of Saginaw Valley Community Church where she also served as an usher. Surviving are a daughter, Cynthia Ortiz of Saginaw; a son, Richard Ortiz and his wife, Maria, of Tucson, Arizona; a very special granddaughter, Ciara Reed Ortiz; and three sisters, Kathleen Mertz and her husband, Lauren of Saginaw; Doris Hicks and her husband, Fenimore of Roscoe, Ill.; and Norma Kracko of Clio; and several nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral service will take place 11:30 a.m. Monday at Saginaw Valley Community Church, 3660 Hermansau Drive. Pastor Richard Sayad will officiate. Friends may call at the Cederberg & Brietzke Funeral Home, 403 N. Michigan Ave. on Saturday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. Visitation continues at the church on Monday from 10:30 a.m. until time of service. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to the Family Discretionary Fund or to Saginaw Valley Community Church Memorial Fund."

(Published in the Saginaw News on MLive.com from 4/23/2005 - 4/24/2005.)

Ginny was my 1st cousin; her mother, Gladys (Newcomer) McCully, was my dad's sister. The last time I saw Ginny was at her mother's funeral. I remember Ginny as a goofy, fun loving kid. She always had a smile, and was full of ginger. When I was still a lad, it was Ginny that told me about peanut butter. You know.... How do you get peanut butter off the roof of your mouth? You don't remember that one? Boy I do, and it it was Ginny that told me about it. I never forgot, but when I reminded her about it the last time I saw her, she denied all memory.

RIP

Guy Vernon Newcomer Remembered

2009-11-26T19:08:00.012-05:00

My Grandfather, Guy Vernon Newcomer, died about nine years before I was born. My mother’s father had died from complications while recovering from a farm accident when my mom was only seven years old. Thus it was in God’s providence I never got to know either of my Grandfathers. Back in 1988 I asked my Aunt Florence (Newcomer) Ruffer to write about what she remembered of her father, my Grandfather. The following is what she wrote in December 1988:

Guy Newcomer 1880 - 1940

“No one can tell me much about our father so what I write is my remembrances of Guy Vernon Newcomer.

Our mother was the dominant figure in our home so I remember Dad as a quite, gentle man. He had many friends and was a good neighbor. Dad did not attend church. Would he have if Mother would have gone to the Methodist church? We’ll never know.

I can see Dad, at 6 P.M., sitting beside the Atwatter Kent (radio) listening to Lowell Thomas’ newscast. He never failed to listen to his favorite newsman. I also can picture him with the cigar in his mouth as he drove the horses or car. Also, driving the horses attached to the bobsled as he picked us up from school on snowy days. Often he took all the kids home around the square mile. No, he didn’t smoke the cigar at that time.

He loved his Masonic lodge and was a loyal member of the Waldron lodge. He had a wry sense of humor for instance; mother’s W.C.T.U. (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) was, to him, the “Women’s Continual Talking Union” and lodge members who only came for the “eats” were the “belly members”.

Ruth Merrifield Suffel (his grand-daughter), says he always took them with him to the mill and he always bought them candy. I recall the ice cream cones he always bought us on the Saturday night town trip.

Dad always rested his horses at noon - he also rested on the couch on the back porch. He always fed milk to many barn cats. that feeding always came first.

Dad graduated from the eighth grade and I believe he should have gone to college but destiny said “he a farmer”. He could have been a surveyor or some trade similar.

Dad was a good man, as I recall him. I remember going to the Fulton County fair with him and the many friends he also had in Wauseon.”

[Florence (Newcomer) Ruffer, December 1988]

The school Aunt Florence mentioned was the old White School on Hartley Road just west of Tuttle Road. A house now sits where the school building once was. My grandparents moved to Waldron, Michigan about 1911 from the Wauseon, Ohio area.

My father says that in the late 1920’s Grandpa had to take off-farm work to make ends meet. He got a job in Toledo, Ohio. Toledo is about 50 miles east of Waldron. He would stay in Toledo during the week, then come home for the weekend. At that time one could catch the train in Fayette and ride in to Toledo and back.

Letters from Aunt Gladys (Newcomer) McCully

2009-11-18T23:00:00.010-05:00

In February 1995, my Aunt Gladys (Newcomer) McCully sent me a letter with some memories of her father and her early years. This letter of Aunt Gladys’s helped me much better understand some of the things I’d observed about my Grandmother when I was a child. She writes (italics are my own notes):

“........I remember my father as being a quit man - a hard worker - kind. I never saw him abuse his animals. We girls never had to work in the fields or do heavy chores as many farm girls did. As I look back I think we should have. He was interested in knowing what was going on in the world by both the Toledo Blade (Toledo, Ohio newspaper) and radio, that wonderful exotic invention that brought Lowell Thomas and Amos and Andy. I also remember the sleigh rides.

My mother was not a farm girl and I think missed many of the amenities that might have been hers elsewhere. I thought of this when I was volunteering at the Historical Museum (in Saginaw, Michigan). I was working on an exhibit portraying life in the early 20th century. There was a difference between the farm home and the town or city home! I have to describe my mother as being “straight laced” which was not unusual at that time. On the lighter side - she enjoyed music and had some training. Her alto voice was often used in the church choir and as a soloist. She was excellent as a reader of prose - not poetry.

Dad was a Mason and both parents were Eastern Stars. These organizations (and the Gleaners) provided the social life for them. Dad did not go to church, but mother was very active in the aid Society and the Temperance Union.

On Saturday night we went to town in the surrey. I don’t remember fringe on the top! This was quite an occasion - the band played in the village square - later there were free movies (we took our own seats). Of course we had an ice cream cone too. 5 cents each! Dad often bought some peanuts which we sprinkled on our oatmeal Sunday morning.

By the way, my dad enjoyed the threshing time. It was long hard work but the companionship was important.

My parents moved to Michigan a few years later then you said. (I had originally thought it was in 1908.) My birth certificate shows that I was born in Ohio Feb. 26, 1908. I have always understood that they moved to Michigan when I was about 3 years old.

I recall so many things about W.W I. At first I had no idea what a war was. My parents explained it. It was so far away across the ocean but by the time the United States was involved I was old enough to appreciate the bond sales - Red Cross Days - etc., etc. Then dad received a questionnaire from the draft board, but fortunately the Armistice was signed. It was celebrated with great jubilation. Waldron really shook that day!!

It was a big decision when my parents decided to build the new house. First they built the new granary. This would serve as our sleeping quarters. Then the kitchen from the old house was moved next to the granary. It continued as the kitchen. Many meals that summer were served on a table under the two maple trees in the yard. Wonder of wonders - the new house had a furnace to supply central heat AND we had a bathroom with a flush toilet!......................”

In another letter from Aunt Gladys, received in February 1997, she relates some more memories of the Tuttle Road farm near Waldron, Michigan..

“..This farm of 80 acres was bisected by a fairly wide lane which gave my father easy access to any of the fields or the woods., which was at the far end of the lane. Near the woods was a wooden bridge over a ditch which went the width of the farm.

About a third of the way back on the left side of the lane was an area of wetland called a swale. Dad wanted to drain this. This would call for hand labor- no equipment available such as we have today. Sam Flowers and son (or sons) were experts in the tiling business. They lived about a mile North of us. To lay the tile the ditch had to be a precise depth and evenness. I used the term ditch, but really it was a long narrow channel as a trough for the tile. Sam Flowers was the best! Hard work? You bet!

Across the lane and a little further back, the land was a little higher. I remember Dad removing some stumps from this area. In my mind is a remark dad made one time when my older sister Martha and I were helping(?) dad chop down thistles in this area. He said that at one time there had been a log cabin there. Some years latter I asked my sister Florence if she knew anything about it. She said no. I don’t know the early history of the area or the farm, but I believe the story could be true. Michigan was part of the Northwest Territory and was slow to be settled, partly because of swampy land, and was not easily accessible until after the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. Then settlers began to arrive in Detroit, and fan out into the southern part of what is now Michigan state.

Bernice Chappel has written several excellent novels about this part of our history. In my opinion one of the best was “Reap the Whirlwind”. Other titles were “In the Palm of the Mitten”, “Bittersweet Trail”, and “Blowing in the Wind”. We used to sell them in the Museum Store. [The local history museum in Saginaw, MI.]

All or most of the lumber for the new house came from the woods on the farm. I don’t remember the kinds of trees, but I do remember going nutting with mother. We gathered hickory and butternuts. Closer to the house was a huge black walnut tree. There were some fruit trees near the buildings - apples, sour cherries and plums. One lazy summer day we children were lying on the ground under the trees when my brother, then a small lad, quietly and seriously asked, “Is there an engine that pulls the sun across the sky?”

Our black and white cows were all named (Mary, Daisy) as were the horses (Mutt, Bill, Dan, Jack, etc.). Babe, a grey mare, was the mother of Jack. when Jack was full grown, he was kicked by another horse. Lockjaw resulted. Lacking modern medicine, Dad had to put Jack away. I can still see him leading Jack down the lane.

There were many small animals. Lots of cats. We were always excited when dad came in to announce a new calf, pigs, or kittens. One year I had a pet lamb. I think that was the only year we raised sheep. We had to take the runt pigs into the house to be babied and give them a good start and then out they went.

In Robert Schuler’s biography he tells about being sent out into the pig lot to gather corn cobs, (This was Iowa), to be used for fuel in the house. We never had to do that, but there was a pig lot west of the barn. We always had a swill pail by the back door!

I didn’t intend to write so much - just got carried away! I will celebrate my 89th birthday next week. I have had time this past year to think about what happened years ago. I am thankful for good health, a wonderful family and that we enjoy each other...

[At the end of this letter Aunt Gladys adds this PS.]

During W.W.I my sister Martha and I drove a horse and spring wagon to town to deliver the milk for dad and neighbors, Mr. Bradley and Mr. Moyer. We were paid a small sum for doing this. We used the money to buy war savings stamps. We also drove Bill about the area to sell tickets for the benefit of the Red Cross. I must have been about ten years old. G-

Aunt Gladys grew up and went on to become a teacher. She married Uncle Nathen and they lived in Saginaw, Michigan where they raised a family. Aunt Gladys passed away in 2003.

Gladys N. McCully February 26, 1908- December 18, 2003

2009-11-10T22:32:00.007-05:00

[Copied from the memorial bulletin for the worship service in honor of God and in celebration of the life of Gladys N. McCully, held on Saturday, December 20, AD 2003, at the First Baptist Church in Saginaw, Michigan.]

"Gladys Newcomer McCully was born to the late Guy and Sadie (Gray) Newcomer in Wauseon, Ohio. She married Nathan J. McCully on June 19, 1932 in Waldron, Michigan. He preceded her in death on November 19, 1988.

Gladys was a member of the First Baptist Church of Saginaw, Michigan for over 50 years, a member of the Church Reading Circle, the Ames Retirees and Flint Travel Club, the Historical Society and Museum of Saginaw County, a charter member of Saginaw Bowmen and bowled for many years with the Friday Owls. She received the Life Teacher Certificate from Michigan State Normal College now Eastern Michigan University. She then received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Central Michigan University. She was employed as a teacher with Saginaw High School, retiring in 1973 after 23 years of service.

Gladys spent numerous hours crocheting and knitting for the less fortunate. She enjoyed reading, playing euchre and Tiger Baseball.

Surviving are four daughters: Kay (Larry) Mertz, Saginaw; Doris (Fen) Hicks, Roscoe, 111; Norma Kracko, Clio, Michigan; and Ginny Huff, Saginaw; 12 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren; one brother, Rex Newcomer and many nieces, nephews and cherished friends. She was preceded in death by three sisters."

The three sisters mentioned above were Martha (Newcomer) Merrifield, Florence (Newcomer) Ruffer, and June Newcomer.

Pvt. George Britton

2009-11-10T22:14:00.007-05:00

Pvt. George Britton, son of O. Wilber and Angela (Sloan) Britton was killed in the Argonne Forest in France October 21, 1918, exactly 3 weeks before the armistice...

No sons or daughters to morn their dad,
No grandchildren to remember,
In a foreign land he lays
By his comrades in their graves.

Brothers and sisters shed their tears.
A mother's heart was broken.
Of dreams and hopes for one so dear,
Pain and grief is now spoken.

Will we keep his memory?
He paid the ultimate price.
Let us not forget him,
As we live our lives.

(Copyright © August 2009)

There is a memorial marker for George Britton in the Leonardson Cemetery, Jefferson Twp., Hillsdale Co., Michigan. Mildred (Bavin) Newcomer affirms her Uncle George Britton's buriel was actually in France.

My Newcomer Lines of Ancestory

2009-11-09T18:30:00.020-05:00

Bill NEWCOMER

Rex NEWCOMER/Mildred BAVIN

Guy Vernon NEWCOMER(1879-1940)/Sarah (Sadie) Elizabeth GRAY(1881-1969)

George DeBolt NEWCOMER(1844-1931)/Malinda MIKESELL(1850-1903)

John NEWCOMER(1807-1890)/Naomi DEBOLT(1814-1886)

Jacob (I) NEWCOMER(1765-1820)/Mary (I) NEWCOMER(1776-1842)*1

Ulrich (Neukommet) NEWCOMER(1731-ABT Aug 1787)/Magdalena BAUMGARRTREN(1726-1789)

*1 Mary (I) NEWCOMER

Christian(II) NEWCOMER(????-1786)/(Unknown) FURRY

Christian (I) (Neukommet) NEWCOMER

"Resided in Manor Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Arrived in Philidelphia on the ship "Brotherhood" Nov. 3, 1750. The name "Christian" was used much in the early generations of The Newcomer's, and by different branches of the clan."

Our Newcomer Roots

2009-11-07T23:09:00.009-05:00

The First Arrival

In 1750, a Christian Newcomer came on the ship “Brotherhood” to settle in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. This Christian had two sons, Christian (II), and Peter. His wife’s name is not known. Christian (II ) Newcomer married a Furrey, (first name not known). Their children were Christian III (1773-1814), Mary (1776-1842), John, Barbara, and Elizabeth. Our interest in this family centers on the daughter Mary, but before that discussion we need to look at another immigrant family to Pennsylvania.

(Primary source is: “Early Newcomers of Lancaster County” by Virginia N. Lane, Mennonite Family History, Vol. II, No. 3; July 1983)

To A New World

Sometime in 1754, Ulrich Neukom left the Bern Canton, Switzerland and boarded the ship “Phoenix “ at either Rotterdam or Antwerp in Holland. This ship took Ulrich to Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania colony in the New World. There was another Christian Newcomer also on that ship who may have been related to Ulrich. Of that Christian we hear no more.

The story is that Ulrich’s first wife died on board. Ulrich was a Mennonite, and on board ship was a Mennonite lady who was shipping as an indentured servant, probably to pay her passage. The Mennonites made it a habit to redeem the indentures of their own people. According to the story, Ulrich contributed to the fund to pay off the indenture of Miss Magdalena Baumgentern, and they were latter married.

There is note of one child from Ulrich's first marriage. Ulrich and Magdalena had five children. They settled in an area that at the time was Lancaster County, but is now part of York County, Pennsylvania. One of those five children was a son named Jacob.

Newcomer & Newcomer

As mentioned, one of Ulrich and Magdelena Newcomer’s sons was named Jacob. This Jacob married Mary Newcomer, granddaughter of the 1750 “Brotherhood” Christian Newcomer. Thus the two lines were brought together. There are at least two other points where descendants of this Christian, married descendants of Ulrich, but not in our line from Jacob and Mary.

James K. Newcomer, writing in 1882, thought that this Mary Newcomer was possibly a grand-daughter of Wolfgang Newcomer, and thus niece of Christian Newcomer, the Moravian missionary. Virginia Lane’s research clarifies the connection of Mary to the 1750 “Brotherhood” Christian.

According to the family history complied by Jacob’s grandson, James K. Newcomer, Jacob and his wife Mary moved from York County, and crossed the mountains, settling on a farm near Masontown in Fayette County, Pennsylvania in the year 1808. (Masontown is about 40 miles south and a little east of Pittsburgh.) They would have carried with them a baby of about 1 year of age named John. This is the John Newcomer who married Naomi Debolt, and latter moved to Northwest Ohio, eventually settling on a parcel of land which latter became part of the city of Wauseon, Ohio.

(Source: A Record of One Branch of the Newcomer Family by James K. Newcomer (Great Grand Son of Ulrich Neukommer) Urbana, Ohio, 1882)

My Britton Line of Ancestory

2009-10-29T21:11:00.023-04:00

Bill NEWCOMER

Rex NEWCOMER/Mildred BAVIN

Cecil C. BAVIN (1893-1927)/Dollie Lucy BRITTON(1889-1974)

Orendo Wilber BRITTON (1852-1017)/Angelia Elizabeth SLOAN (1857-1923)

Lucius BRITTON (1807-1883)/Phebe HART (1809-1860) *1

Benjamin BRITTON (1769-1857)/Sarah (Maiden name not known.)

William (IV) BRITTON *2 (ABT 1733-1778)/Mary LATHAM (1744-1827)*3

William (III) BRITTON (ABT 1700-1783)/Sarah WOODWARD (????-1795)

William (II) BRITTON (ABT 1671-1725)/Lydia LEONARD (1679-1773)

William (I) BRITTON *4(BEF 1655-????)/Mary PENDLETON(ABT 1652-1732)

*1 Moved from Vermont to Michigan.
*2 William (IV)Britton served in the Revolutionary War
*3 Mary Lathem's family is traced back to the Chilton Mayflower family.
*4 It is the parentage of William (I) BRITTON that was the focus of the "Origins of the New England, Westmoreland, NH, Brittons" discussion posted earlier.

Sources

History of Westmoreland (Great Meadow) New Hampshire, 1741-1970, And Genealogical Data; Westmoreland History Com., Westmoreland, NH; (1976); pgs. 348 - 355, 486 - 488; (Cheshire Co., NH)

Vital Records of Taunton, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, Vol II Marriages; NEGS, Boston Mass; (1928) pg. 69-70

Marriage Record of William Britton & Mary Latham, Aug. 10, 1766, Westmoreland, N.H.

Britton Family Records; Un-published records and notes collected, verified and compiled by Carol M. Newcomer.

Origins of the New England, Westmoreland, NH, Brittons

2009-10-26T20:57:00.024-04:00

Compiled and edited by Bill Newcomer, January, 1998.

(Originally published on Rootsweb. In going over this for publication here, I realized this may appear as a somewhat disjointed summery outline to someone not familiar with our Britton genealogy or New England genealogy. I apologize for that, but also believe this discussion illustrates some of the pitfalls of genealogical research.)

The following is a discussion of our Britton origins that took place via e-mail between Valerie Phillips Gildehaus, Donald Britton Miller, and Bill Newcomer. The discussion does not so much decide what our Britton origins are, but looks at three theories and why they are inadequate and we do not accept them. We recognize there are other theories regarding our Britton origins not discussed here.

Preliminary agreement

The parties to this discussion have not raised any question about the relationship of our New England Britton lines to William Britton and his wife, Mary Pendleton, through their son William (II) Britton and his wife, Lydia Leonard. The question and focus of this discussion of our Britton origins is:
"Who was the father of the William Britton who married Mary Pendleton?"

I. Theories of the Family Origins

"Exploratory Material on Britton Origins"; Elsie (Chickering) Brown; August 1976

This material by Elsie Brown does a very good job of setting forth the different theories of the family origins. The relative merits of these theories are discussed below in context of analysis of the sources. The main theories are as follows:

The James Britton Origin: The family descends from one of the two James Britton's found in early records of Mass. The most probable candidate is the James Britton of Woburn who married the widow Jane Eggleston. This theory says James and Jane Britton are the parents of the William Britton who married Mary Pendleton, and there was another son named Peter.
The Rhode Island Britton’s: There is record of a William Britton who was governor of the Rhode Island Colony in 1666-1668. This William was Elsie Brown’s favorite candidate for being the father of the William Britton who married Mary Pendleton.
The Maryland William Britton: A William Bretton settled in Maryland in 1637 and had a young son named William. This theory speculates that the son, William was the William Britton that married Mary Pendleton.

II. The Sources & Analysis

Genealogical Dictionary: Vol I "A-C"; James Savage; (BFR 1868?) ; page 257

Lists two James Britton's in early 1600's Mass.

1) A James Britton was hanged for adultery on Mar. 21, 1644. (A vivid account of this is cited by Elsie Brown.)

2) The James Britton who died in Woburn May 3, 1655. No mention of wife or children.

"The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Mass."; Samuel Sewall, Wiggin & Lunt, Boston; 1868

In Appendix No. I, pg 529 is a copy of the Orders for Woburn (1640) with James Britton listed as one of the subscribers. In the Appendix on Genealogical notices he mentions James Britton, the material is an almost exact copy of Savage who Sewall cites as one of his sources. He does mention James Britton's wife married Isaac Cole ABT 1658. No mention of any children.

Sewall must have had access to some of the early work of Savage. Indications are from a catalog listing noted by Donald B. Miller, that Savage's work was done over a time period from about 1860 to 1884.

Bill Newcomer's notes:

"...on page 183 Sewall makes a comment that I believe has direct bearing on our discussion of Britton origins.

He is speaking of a Major Convers and of his work as Town Clerk of Woburn. Here is a summery of what was said about Major Convers' work as Town Clerk.

He noticed his predecessors had recorded births, marriages, and deaths on various loose pages of paper that were in sad shape and about to perish. Convers at his own expense bought a blank folio volume, well bound, and transcribed the records, and doing a valuable service in preserving them for posterity. By this work and that of his successor some 50 years of records were preserved. To give time context, this in the latter part of the 1600's.

If a William or Peter Britton was born in Wolburn, we have some very good expectation that the record of that birth was preserved. It is possible there may have been a fragment Convers was not able to transcribe that may have contained records of James & Jane Britton's children, but I struggle with making any claim on the probability of that."

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus comments (Jan, 10, 1998):

"This is the kind of thing that has always bothered me about the James Britton theory. The Woburn History, written before Edward Britton's book in 1901, makes no mention of sons William and Peter.

The Peter issue has always bothered me, too. If Edward Britton just listed a son William, I would assume he just found a likely Britton of the right age, and declared him to be William's father. The addition of Peter makes me think he had some source for this - but what?? I have never found a Peter Britton in any other records."

Donald Britton Miller notes (January 10, 1998):

"I examined the Microfiche which came today and there is no record of births to a Britton in Woburn! [This is as we suspected from other sources.] There is only one marriage and it is Jane's to Cole."

Lewis Fales Britton Manuscript (1822 - 1902)

His great-grandfather was Ebenezer Britton (1715 - 1788). Lewis says Ebenezer's father's name was William. There is then a somewhat cryptic statement that appears to say that this William's father and grand-father were also named William. Taken at face value this means the father of the William Britton who married Mary Pendleton was also named William and not James.

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus comments:

"This may be confused with his maternal line which included 3 Wm.'s in a row prior to Lewis's gr. grandfather Robert Britton."

Bill Newcomer comments:

"Lewis's father and mother were third cousins; her maiden name also being Britton. The document is suggestive, but not at all conclusive due to the maternal connection as noted by Valerie."

Britton Genealogy as pub. by Edward Earl Britton & Caroline Amelia Parker, Jan. 1 , 1901

This work contains the earliest note of James and Jane (Eggleston) Britton having two sons, William and Peter. The son, William is identified as the William Britton who married Mary Pendleton.

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus said (December, 1987):

"In the section on James Britton, Edward cites two sources -Savage and Charlestown Genealogies. These do list James Britton and a wife, but do not mention any sons." (Our copy of the Savage citation confirms the first part. Moffatt concurs with Valerie regarding the Charlestown Genealogies.)

"Edward Britton was not even able to identify his own gr. grandfather, Luther Britton, correctly. He apparently just found a Luther Britton and assumed that was his Luther. Edward's Luther was not son of Ebenezer, but a son of John and grandson of Pendleton (brother of Ebenezer). Edward Britton's line appears to be correctly given in the Westmoreland History and in the computer printout Don sent."

Donald Britton Miller concurs regarding the Luther Britton error per his comments, citing Edward Britton's notes on Luther Britton:

"From this connection which is in direct conflict with the Westmoreland History & Genealogy [ as it relates to LUTHER, son of Ebenezer], his whole Britton line descends.] He claims that his Luther was the 11th son [I think 12th, D. B. M.] of Ebenezer Britton 1715-1788, my relative.

12/28/96 ...... I have found the source of the problem/conflict which made me think that Edward Earl had created a new wife for Luther to create a genealogical file. There is another Luther, son of John Britton and Phebe Hewitt, son of Pendleton and Hannah Sills. Pendleton was the son of William & Mary Pendleton and this William was the son of James Britton."

New England Families Genealogical, Vol III, (1915)

Page 1373, regurgitates the James & Jane, Peter & William connection, and apparently the Luther Britton error.

Donald Britton Miller's notes regarding the Edward Britton's Luther Britton error:

"I discovered the error in Edward's work and tried to inform people about it. The author of the David Freeman book also discovered the error about Luther's. But errors live on and get copied over and over. I informed NEHGS and put info on line about the error ... but no one cared!"

Lineage of Winchester (IV) Britton; Hereditary Member of the Plantagenet Society (Date not known)

Bill Newcomer's notes:

"This chart repeats the Edward Britton error connecting Sebra Winchester Britton to Luther, son of Ebenezer, instead of to Luther son of John Britton, son of Pendleton.

A preliminary analysis of that part of the chart dealing with generations before 1600 indicates data doesn't fit with data on Paul McBride's WWW pages on the English lines of nobility. The chart lists "Sampson Leonard" where we would expect "Henry Leonard" (See Daniel Britton Ancestry Chart.)

This chart is clearly based on the Edward Britton genealogy. Edward was Winchester Britton (III)'s brother. The chart appears to have been compiled by Edyth Clements (Shiply) Britton, Winchester (III)'s wife. She claims to be a "Magna Charta Dame". This is Moffatt's "Mrs. Winchester Britton" (Moffatt & Gilbert, page 38.)

This chart's intent is to show the Leonard connection to the Britton lines and doesn't have any Britton information earlier then William & Mary (Pendleton) Britton's son William who married Lydia Leonard. I am including the analysis of this chart here because I believe it reflects the somewhat casual attitude of the Winchester Britton family towards genealogical research, and thus reflects the relative lower degree of reliability to be given to Edward Britton's work."

"The Ancestors of Daniel Freeman Britton" by Eva L. Moffatt and Geoffrey Gilbert (1953)

Bill Newcomer's notes:

"Moffatt didn't realize there were two James Britton's in early Mass. Confuses the Woburn James Britton with the "hanged" James Britton.

She apparently did not have time to fully explore the Winchester Britton Chart that is mentioned on page 38. If she had, she would not have thought Mrs. Winchester Britton to be "an alert family historian,.." (See notes on Winchester Britton Chart above.) This false lead came from Mrs. Britton's being born in Baltimore, Maryland, and thus the Winchester Britton Charts being given to the Maryland Historical Society. Moffatt's preliminary thought was that maybe the Winchester Britton material might have information connecting the Westmoreland, NH Britton's to the Maryland James Britton.

Moffatt says regarding James Britton of Woburn (page 37):

"..A careful examination of the wills and deeds of Middlesex and Sussex counties, Mass., has failed to bring to light any son of James and Jane, and there is no record of any sons in the vital statistics of Woburn, Charlestown, or Boston."

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus agrees with Moffatt (December, 1997):

"I have found nothing published or written prior to 1901 that mentions anything about either of the early James Britton's having sons Peter and William. My cousin Linda and I spend quite a bit of time at Newberry Library searching for anything prior to 1901 that documents this. Everything published after 1901 that lists these sons has the same information that Edward Britton gave."

Moffatt says regarding the Maryland William Britton:

"A family record which has come down to Charles Ebenezer Shelley of Albany, N.Y.. states that the father of our William was also William." She then mentions the William Britton of Maryland as a possibility.

Bill Newcomer's notes regarding the Maryland Britton Theory:

"In reviewing the Maryland Historical Magazine, Vol 50, (1955) article on William Bretton of Newtown Neck, I find some of my initial reservations being reinforced.

The clue in this article is the account of William Bretton's devout Catholicism. Thus my reservations follow along two lines:

1. Is it reasonable to expect a son of a wealthy respected man in Maryland to leave the mild climate of Maryland for the harsher climate of New England and with no apparent evidence he took much, if any of his father's wealth with him? I suppose this is possible, but don't believe it probable.

2. Is it reasonable to expect a man brought up in a devoutly Catholic home to leave a place where Catholicism was more then just tolerated, (the Maryland colony was established for Catholics), and go to a Puritan Congregationalist New England that was very "anti-papist"? Possible? Yes. Probable? No. On top of all that is the acknowledged silence about William Bretton's son, William. No more is heard. The most probable conclusion is he died young.

On this basis I would respectfully suggest that, unless other evidence is found, the Maryland-Bretton theory of the origins of our New England Brittons, though possible, is very improbable."

Note from Donald Britton Miller, (January 1998):

"You have done a good job of stating the reasons for rejecting that theory. In talking with Dollarhid [who is the 'expert' on migrations to the Americas, he indicates that many could not stand the closed mindedness and rules of the New England pilgrims. They were evidenced by quickly moving out to new towns. This is what James did and evidence suggests he became a Congregationalist. In the Ebenezer era there is nary a mention of Catholicism."

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus said (January, 1998):

"I, also, agree with Bill's analysis of William Britton of Maryland and his son William. The odds are extremely high that William Jr. died young without issue. William Jr.'s being the originator of our line would be a definite long-shot, however, not impossible. If the son of a prominent Catholic family met and married a Protestant from New England, this would probably be sufficient reason to never mention him again - and to ignore any children of such a union. Not likely, but these things did happen."

"Exploratory Material on Britton Origins"; Elsie (Chickering) Brown; August 1976

Bill Newcomer's notes:

It is in Elsie's materials we find mention of the Rhode Island William Britton. She cites a "..History of Middlesex Co., by Hurd (under Groton) Vol ii.." where the name is spelled "Brenton" . She also notes at the time of her writing (1976), "As yet I have been unable to find out who his descendants were, but he is my favorite candidate as father of our ancestor William Britton."

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus said (January, 1998):

"I have looked up the Rhode Island line (very briefly), and the William Britton families for this time period appear to be accounted for, so this is unlikely to be our line."

"History of Westmoreland (Great Meadow) New Hampshire, 1741-1970, And Genealogical Data"; Westmoreland History Com., Westmoreland, NH; (1976); pgs. 348 - 355, (Cheshire Co., NH)

Corrects the Luther connection error. Keeps James and Jane, citing William and Peter as sons.

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus notes (October, 1997):

"I'm quite sure that the information about James from the 1976 Westmoreland History was taken from the Edward Britton book - it's virtually identical."

"A Short History of the Brittons in America" by Maynard H. Mires, MD, pub in 1976

Source cited by Donald Britton Miller. Mires repeats the James & Jane, William and Peter connection.

III. Conclusion

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus said (December, 1997):

" I always try to get as close to the primary source as possible. It's ideal to find the same information from two independent sources. So far, everything that I have found that says James BRITTON had two sons - Peter and William - was written after the Britton Genealogy by Edward Britton, 1901. The existence of two James BRITTONs in early New England seems to be well established, as does the material on one James's wife; however, I can find nothing written prior to 1901 that lists two sons for James BRITTON. I believe all the listings of the two sons originated with the Edward BRITTON book. The problem is: Where did he get this information??? On page 7 of his book he sites two sources: Savage; and Charlestown Genealogies p.229. These sources do document what Edward BRITTON says about James and wife, but neither mention sons Peter and William. My cousin and I searched at some length to find anything prior to 1901 that mentions any Peter or William BRITTON who could possibly be these sons. When I lived near Chicago, I was able to make frequent trips to Newberry Library where there is an outstanding collection of New England material. We could find nothing to document the existence of these two sons."

Bill Newcomer concludes:

"Serious doubt has been cast on the connection of our New England Britton lines to the James and Jane (Eggleston) Britton. Where we should be able to find evidence of this connection in the early records of New England, specifically the records of Charlestown and Woburn, it is not there. Edward Britton's approach to the early genealogy of the family is suspect.

The Maryland William Bretton theory also has some difficulties not easily cast aside.

The Rhode Island theory has more plausibility but again lacks evidence. Valerie's initial investigations along that line are not encouraging.

One possibility I've not seen seriously discussed is that the William Britton who married Mary Pendleton was himself a immigrant from the British Isles. But again that is only speculation without any evidence."

Donald Britton Miller notes (January., 1998):

"I am beginning to agree with you that we must begin our line with William Britton, Sr. 1650-1680 and recognize that the connection with James is improbable. I shall plan to do that with the inclusion of a discussion of the several theories that go before. I shall sit down with Savage sometime and go through it in detail on the outside chance he says something on a different page that sheds light. I too have been through the History of Woburn and wondered that it says nothing. I have ordered Microfiche on Woburn which should list all births, deaths, and marriages. When it comes it will probably confirm what we already suspect." [As noted above, Don confirms there was no record of William or Peter in the Wolburn microfiche.]

Relationship of the participants:

Donald Britton Miller is a 5th cousin, once removed, to Valerie Phillips Gildehaus through Ebenezer Britton, and a 6th cousin, once removed, to Valerie through William (II) Britton.

Valerie Phillips Gildehaus is a 7th cousin to Bill Newcomer through William (II) Britton, and a 6th cousin, once removed, through William (III) Britton.

Bill Newcomer is a sixth cousin, once removed, to Donald Britton Miller through William (II) Britton.

Done With Geocities

2009-10-26T20:33:00.003-04:00

With the publication in my last post of Anna Margaret (Clarke) Spade's obituary, I finished moving the Geocites pages I wanted to save to this blog. There is at least one more article I will posting here that were previously posted on Rootsweb.

At that point I will be looking to publish a number of things I've written in the past, but have not previously published.

One item I need to investigate is if my Great-grandfather George Newcomer was at Cumberland Gap during the Civil War at the same time the Britton Uncles from my mother's side of the family were. That would be a curious coincidence indeed.

Coming next is an extended discussion of the origens of our Britton side of the family originally published at Rootsweb..

Obituary of Anna Margaret (Clarke) Spade

2009-10-24T12:55:00.007-04:00

[ Anna Margaret (Clarke) Spade was my great-great-great grandmother on my mothers side. She was born November 20, 1822, and died October 23, 1890. She and her husband Christopher are buried in West Franklin Cemetary, Fulton County, Ohio. The following was transcribed from "Bavin Beginnings: A History of the Charles Bavin Family" compiled by Carol Sizemore and Mary Byrne (August 1994).]

Obituary of Anna Margaret (Clarke) Spade

By her Pastor, J. W. Lilly

Anna Margaret Spade, nee Clarke departed this life near West Unity, Ohio, Oct. 23rd, 1890, aged 67 years, 11 months and 3 days. The funeral service occured from the family residence, Saturday afternoon conducted by the writer.

Sister Spade was born in Cumberland County, Penn. With her parents she removed to Richland County, Ohio, where in the fall of 1842 she was united in marriage with Christopher Spade, who died two years ago. In the spring of 1843 they located to Williams County, Ohio. The country was new, but the hardships and inconveniences of a pioneer life was patiently shared with her husband, and right well did she perform her part. For forty-six years she resided on the farm about three miles northeast of West Unity. She was converted when but thirteen years of age, and united with the Church of God. In a few years she became identified with the church of the United Brethren in Christ of which she was a member nearly fifty years. She had a clear experience, and the strength of her faith in the Lord, was indicated by her ever Christian life. She was highly esteemed in the community where she live, and exerted a wide influence for good. Always interested in the salvation of others, and the welfare of her own family. Her last moments were spent in prayer and her last words were, "Children I must leave you."

She leaves seven children, twelve grand-children, one great grandchild, one sister, one brother, a large number of near relatives and many warm friends to mourn her departure. The triumphant death of this sainted mother, should be a solace to the sorrowing ones; her hallowed influence a benediction upon their lives, and an inspiration to meet her in heaven.

J. W. Lilly

Copy of will and Memorandum of Ulrich Nekoment of Hellem Twp.

2009-10-24T12:39:00.009-04:00

[This is a transcription from a copy of the English translation from the German. My father got this English copy a number of years ago when in Pennsylvania.]

Copy of will and Memorandum of Ulrich Nekoment of Hellem Twp. [Hellem Township, York County, Pennsylvania]

Ulrich Newkoment, Hellam Twp, Aug. 18 1787, Magdalena Executor, Book "G-203"

"Book - G-203". MEMORANDUM, That Letters Testamentary with original annexed were granted to Magdalena Neukomet, one of the executors of the estate of Ulrich Newkomet late of Hellam Township, deceased. Inventory to be exhibited in the Register's Office at York on or before the eight- eenth day of September next coming, and an account or reckoning on or before the 18th. day of August next or whom thereunto legally required. Given under my hand and seal of office at York, the 10th. day of August A.D. 1787.

N.B. Benjamin Hershey the other executor having renounced.

Translation of will from the German of Ulrich Newkoment.

I Ulrich Newkoment of Hellam Township, York County find myself at present weak and infirm in body yet of sound mind and memory, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die. Therefore I do make this 26th. day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy- seven, my last will and testament as follows;

First, it is my will that all my just debts shall be paid; and

Secondly, I give, bequeath and assign all my movable and unmoveable estate to my beloved wife Magdalena Newkomet for and during the term of her natural life, wherefore she shall mantain and school and otherwise educate the younger children as well her circumstances will admit, this I say, she is to enjoy without any disturbance or interruption of any of my children as long as she lives.

Further, it is my will after my wife's decease, such moveable goods as shall be then remaining shall be divided equally between all my children, and this my dwelling plantation I give, that is to say after my wife's decease, to such or any one of my children whichever of them shall give the most or best price for it, and the amount or price of the plantation, and also all the moveables shall be divided in equal shares amongst all of my children. My first wife's daughter Anna shall have her equal share and no more. Likewise my eldest son Christian shall have his equal share and no more, and also to all my children to each one an equal share.

Further, I do make my beloved wife Magdalena Newkomet and my trusty friend Benjamin Hershey of Lancaster County, executors of this my last will and testament, declaring this and no other to be my will and testament, done the day and year above mentioned.

Ulrich Newkomet (His mark)

WITNESS

Henry Strickler

Bastian Brawie

Christian Newkomet (His mark)

Answering His Country's Call: George D. Newcomer

2009-10-23T21:29:00.012-04:00

George Debolt Newcomer was born April 15, 1844 in Holmes Co., Ohio. When George was only a few weeks old, his parents, John & Naomi (Debolt) Newcomer, moved to what is now Fulton Co., Ohio, and settled on land that is now part of the City of Wauseon. It was in this context of a pioneer family of the Old Black Swamp that George grew to manhood.

On April 12, 1861, just before George's seventeenth birthday, Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter. The next year, on May 28, 1862, at the age of 18, George enlisted in the Ohio Infantry 85th Regiment, Co. G, for a 3 month enlistment. This organization never reached full regimental status, and from time to time different parts of the regiment were detailed to other units. What existed of the regiment did guard duty at the prisoner of war camp compound at Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio.

We have a record of George transferring from the Ohio 85th to the Ohio 87th Infantry, Co. D, in June 1862. George may have latter regretted that transfer. The Ohio 87th was at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia when General Stonewall Jackson (CSA) came to visit in September 1882. The Confederate troops commanded the heights around the town, and the Union troops were soon forced to surrender. George was now a prisoner of war. At this point in the Civil War, prisoner exchanges were more common then in the latter part of the war. A day or two latter George was among those exchanged. It also helped that the term of enlistment for the 87th Regiment had already expired. I always joke with my friends that George had been a "guest" of Stonewall Jackson's for a day.

This event may have been the seed of an erroneous family story from my boyhood. The story was that George had been a prisoner of war and keep at the infamous Andersonville Confederate prison in Georgia. He did do prison camp duty at Camp Chase while with the 85th. He was a prisoner of war at Harper's Ferry, but not detained.

On June 16, 1863, about 8 months after mustering out of the 87th, George signed up for a 6 month enlistment with the Ohio 86th, Co. H. At that time the Confederate Brigadier General John Morgan was raiding through the southern parts of Indiana and Ohio. Under the command of Colonel Wilson C. Lemert, the 86th took part in the pursuit of Morgan.

Co. H of the 86th O.V.I. was from Fulton Co. One of the men in the 86th O.V.I. from the Fulton County area was Thomas Mikesell, son of William and Margaret (Bayes) Mikesell. Thomas had a first cousin, Malinda, that was to become George D. Newcomer's second wife, and mother of Guy Vernon Newcomer, my Grandfather. Another Fulton Co. pioneer family represented in Co. H was the Bayes family.

After Morgan's capture, the 86th was sent to Cumberland Gap as part of a Union force to take control of the Gap from the Confederates. At that time 3,000 Confederate prisoners were taken. The 86th stayed at Cumberland Gap for the remainder of its enlistment time. George mustered out in February 1864. We went through Cumberland Gap in 1993. At the Cumberland Gap National Park, you can still see some of the old gun emplacements up on the mountain. It is a very beautiful spot.

On August 12, 1864, we find George enlisting in the Ohio 182nd, Co. B. for a 1 year enlistment. While in the 182nd he reached the rank of Sergeant by appointment of Col. Lewis Butler on October 27, 1864, and in May 1865 reached the rank of 1st Sergeant.

It was in this regiment that George took part in one of most significant events of his military career. In November 1864, the 182nd was sent to Nashville, Tennessee where Major General George Thomas (USA) was waiting for General John Bell Hood (CSA) to come calling. General Hood was desperate. He wanted to divert Sherman's attention from his march through Georgia to the sea. Hood wanted to bust through Thomas' forces to the Ohio River, then swing east to join up with a beleaguered General Robert E. Lee in Virginia.

In the meantime, Thomas, who happened to be from Virginia, but was a staunch Unionist, was coldly calculating the destruction of Hood's army. General Sherman had confidence in Thomas, but President Lincoln and General Grant were less sure. Thomas wanted more mounted units, and was scrounging the country side for horses. Hood kept coming on, even after being mauled at the battle of Franklin and letting Schofield get away to join up with Thomas at Nashville.

Then the weather turned bad. There was an ice storm. Further delay on Thomas' part caused Grant to seriously consider replacing him. In fact the orders for doing so were on there way when on December 15, Thomas loosed the Union forces on the Confederate positions. The result was what General Sherman called the most decisive battle in the whole war. Union forces opened the battle with an attack on the Confederate right wing. The main Union assault was then made on the Confederate left flank, and it was there that the Confederates were overpowered and routed from the field. Hood's Army disintegrated under the Union onslaught. What was left of it was sent staggering back to Alabama with Union troops in hot pursuit. The Confederate Army of Tennessee ceased to exist. Hood tendered his resignation, and Thomas' place in history was secured.

Sgt. George Debolt Newcomer was there. We are told concerning the 182nd that, "The 182nd took a prominent part in the ensuing battle of Nashville, and behaved handsomely. It did not participate in the pursuit of the enemy, but was retained in Nashville, where it performed guard and provost duty up to the 7th of July, 1865." (Ohio In The Civil War, Larry Stevens' Internet WWW pages). It is not entirely clear to me if the 182nd actually faced the enemy under fire.

In my mind, George stands out among our ancestors. He was a participant in one of the most momentous, watershed events in the history of our nation. What did the young Northwestern Ohio farm boy think of when he heard about the slavery and states rights debate? News of events such as the Lincoln - Douglas debates, the Dred Scott decision, and John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, with the aid of the telegraph, would have gone all over the country in only a few days. How much of his perspective came from his Methodist upbringing? Did he go to war out of a sense of patriotism and concern for the Union, or was it more of a chance for a farm boy to get away from home and see some of the world? Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there are no surviving letters to home, or recorded memoirs. What a find for our family if such were to be found.

George DeBolt Newcomer went home and farmed. December 28, 1869 he was married to Clara Poorman. The fruit of this union was one son, Frank Melvin, born Oct. 28, 1870. Clara died May 6, 1875.

On December 19, 1875, George married Malinda Mikesell, daughter of Adam and Mary (Jones) Mikesell. The children from this marriage were; Susie Ethel, born Sept. 24, 1878, Guy Vernon, born Aug. 17, 1879, and Mary I., born July 6, 1886.

George was active in his community as well. He was a Fulton County Commissioner for seven years, and also served as a trustee for Clinton Twp. He was active in the Grand Army of the Republic, Masons, and from 1890 to his death was member of the Episcopal Methodist Church. He passed away on November 3, 1931. The Wauseon Republican announced his passing in a front page article titled:

UNCLE GEORGE
Fine Pioneer, Brave Soldier
Kind Citizen Dead
Faithful Public Official

Bibliography

History of Fulton County (Ohio); Vol. I; Frank H. Reighard, Editor; Lewis Publishing Co., NY; (1920); photocopy of pages 203-205

Family Records Found in the Family Bible of John Newcomer (1809 - 1890); A two volume set of the "Cottage Bible" owned by John Newcomer & his descendants.

National Archive Records of George Debolt Newcomer, collected and copied by John M. Newcomer, Great grandson of George D. Newcomer.

Synopsis of Regimental histories of the Ohio units were taken from Larry Stevens' Internet WWW pages Ohio in the Civil War (http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/)

Local men who fought in early American Wars ; "Digging for your roots"; Jana Sloan Broglin; The Toledo Blade; May 1997; Toledo, Ohio

Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years And the War Years, Carl Sandburg, Reader's Digest, 1970

Obituary of George D. Newcomer; Wauseon Republican; November 6, 1931; Wauseon, Ohio

Pioneer Family of the Old Black Swamp: John & Naomi Newcomer

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The following material was transcribed from: History of Fulton County (Ohio); Vol I; Frank H. Reighard, Editor; Lewis Publishing Co., NY; (1920); pages 203-205. The second part of this page contains information on the Black Swamp area of Northwest Ohio which includes Fulton County.

[Editor's note: In this first part, I added some extra paragraph breaks for easier reading, and corrected a few spelling errors. I also added in a few notes enclosed in "[ ]"'s.]

This narrative starts on the bottom half of page 203.

John Newcomer and family came in 1844, and settled upon land which latter, as Newcomer's Addition, came within the boundaries of the village of Wauseon. The Newcomers were typical pioneers. John, son of Jacob, and grandson of Ulrich, was born in 1807, states the family genealogy. He married Naomi Debolt in 1831; moved to Holmes county, Ohio in 1837; and in 1844 moved "to the unsettled regions of Western Ohio, and settled in what was then Lucas, but now is Fulton county, and carved out a home from the forests where afterwards was located the town of Wauseon." He died in Wauseon fifty-six years latter, and an obituary gives the following information:

"In the early spring of 1844 he came west, purchased 160 acres of wild land where now (1890) is embraced Newcomer's Addition to Wauseon, and the Northwestern Fair Grounds, and before returning to his eastern home let a contract to clear off 3 acres of ground across the street and in front of his late residence.

In May, 1844, he loaded up a wagon with household effects, and left Holmes county for the new home in the west. The cavalcade consisted of: a covered wagon, pulled by two horses; one extra saddle horse; two cows; two or three head of young heifers; eight or ten head of sheep; father, mother, four children (one a babe of four weeks) and three other people. The trip was made in nine days."

George D. Newcomer, who is still living in Wauseon, was the babe of four weeks of that trip. He says that his mother rode the saddle horse, and presumably carried him also. The eldest of the four children was Solomen, then twelve years old. The two elder boys and their sister made the journey on foot driving the cattle and sheep. The obituary of John Newcomer continues:

"The day after that on which they landed at the William Bayes homestead, Father Newcomer and his two boys, armed with axes, grubbing hoes, and strong will, blazed a way through the wood... and in two days a quarter of an acre was cleared off. In less then three weeks a cabin with 'puncheon floor' was ready for occupancy."

John Newcomer's first log cabin was of round logs, but later he built a large hewn-log house, of two floors. That house was a stopping place for travelers. George D. Newcomer says that when the railroad was being built in 1853-54, they often had forty or fifty boarders all of whom would sleep in the one large upstairs room, sleeping on the floor, and arranging themselves as well as they could around the room, "feet to the center." The small log house was then used as a dining room. The cooking was all done on a spit, before an old-fashioned fireplace.

John Newcomer had a good part in the development of Clinton Township and of Wauseon. He held several local offices, and for nine years was a justice of the peace. "He took a leading part in the erection of the church (Methodist Episcopal) at Wauseon", and was "the first Mason made by Wauseon Lodge, on its organization, 1864."

(Newcomer Plot, Union Cem.
Wauseon, Ohio)

The golden anniversary of the wedding of John and Naomi Newcomer was held in 1881, and on that day 175 friends, most of whom were prominent residents of Fulton county, called to pay "their respects to Uncle John and his bride of fifty years ago." Mrs. Newcomer died five years later, aged seventy-two years, having lived long enough to see a remarkable change take place in the locality to which they had come in 1844.

Of their children, Solomen went to Nebraska in 1856, and in the next fifty years only visited Wauseon twice, once to attend his parent's golden wedding anniversary, and the last time in 1912. He died in Wauseon on this second visit. His life had been an adventurous one, "gold prospecting, and fighting Indians, carrying United States mails, on snowshoes over mountains and barren wastes." In his last years he lived in Idaho.

Anna, or Hester Ann, was born in Clinton Township on February 28, 1846, and was, it seems, the first white child born in what now is within the corporate limits of Wauseon. She married Wesley A. Blake, and in the marital state lived almost fifty years, her death occurring in 1913, just three weeks short of what would have been their golden wedding celebration. She was a staunch Methodist, like her mother, and was an ardent church worker.

George D. , the only surviving child of John and Naomi Newcomer still lives in Wauseon, much respected. His life record has been good. He enlisted in the spring of 1862, and discharged at the end of the war, his service including a brief term as a Confederate prisoner [Harpers Ferry, 1862]. During his life George D. Newcomer has taken useful part in Wauseon and county affairs; he was trustee of the township for six years, and for three terms was a commissioner of Fulton County. [George D. Newcomer died on November 3, 1931 in Wauseon, Ohio.]

Note on The Black Swamp Area of Northwest Ohio

In the book Heritage of the Black Swamp (compiled and written by Cynthia Harger and Norma Snyder on behalf of the Sauder Museum, Archbold, Ohio; 1978), Erie Sauder gives a description of that area west of Sandusky and north of the Maumee River, of which Fulton County is a part. At the time of the early settlement of the area in the mid 1830's it was "..over 2,000 square miles of flat, swampy, unhealthy land..." It was not until the 1850's that a massive drainage project made the place more hospitable, (and some of the richest farmland in the nation). It was the swamp that made this land so cheap that the poorer immigrants found their home here.

Harger and Snyder go on to relate more about the hard times the Black Swamp settlers faced, wolves, floods, hard back breaking work to carve out a home in the wilderness of Northwest Ohio. This is the area John and Naomi Newcomer brought their family to in 1844. They were indeed true pioneers.

Transcribed and edited by Bill Newcomer, great-grandson of George D. Newcomer, and great-great-grandson of John & Naomi Newcomer, December, 1996. Copyright © 1996 by J. William Newcomer. All rights reserved.

My Sultana Connections

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The Compiling of the Sultana Passenger List.

The compiling of the last passenger list of the steamship Sultana began immediately after the tragic explosion of April 27, 1865. One of the primary sources of the list are the Memphis and St. Louis newspapers of the time (The Sultana Tragedy, Jerry O. Potter, pg 195).

In 1892, Chester D. Berry, a survivor of the Sultana, wrote Loss of the Sultana and Reminiscences of Survivors which in Potter's words, "..contained an incomplete list." Gene Salecker is to be credited for his years of research in compiling the names of the soldiers on the Sultana. That list was included in Disaster on the Mississippi : The Sultana Explosion, April 27, 1865, written by Salecker and published in 1996. Potter clearly acknowledges his debt to Salecker, and combined his own research with Gene's to produce the list that appears in the Appendix of The Sultana Tragedy published in 1997.

My Connection to the Sultana History.
My interest in the Sultana is two fold, involving family history and the history of the area of Hillsdale Co., Michigan where I grew up, Wright Twp. near the town of Waldron.

Wesley Lee, my great-great-great uncle on my father's mother's side, enlisted Aug. 19, 1862 in Co. A of the 102nd Ohio Vol. Infantry. Uncle Wesley was captured by the Confederates at Athens, Alabama on Sept. 24, 1864. He was held at Andersonville until the end of the war. He was on the Sultana when it blew up on April 27, 1865 just north of Memphis. Uncle Wesley was one of the first survivors to make it to shore that terrible night. His account of that tragic experience is told in Chester Berry's 1892 book, Loss of the Sultana, and Reminiscences of Survivors. Wesley Lee finally made it home to Holmes Co., Ohio. He did marry and he and his bride settled in Davisess County, Missouri.

Zebulon Gray, my Great-Great Uncle on my Father's mother's side, enlisted August 1884, in the 18th Michigan V.I. and was in Co. G. The Michigan 18th Reg't was recruited primarily from Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Monroe Counties. Family records indicate Zebulon was with that part of the 18th Reg't captured by the Confederates at Athens, Alabama. According to the family story, Uncle Zeb was detained at Macon, and then at Andersonville until the end of the war. His Andersonville imprisonment is confirmed by his pension records. After their release at the end of the war, a number of the 18th Reg't POW's were on the Sultana when it blew up near Memphis, TN on April 27, 1865. Don Harvey has identified 60 men from the MI 18th Reg't that were killed in that explosion. Uncle Zeb's pension records indicate he was not on the Sultana, but he would have known comrades who were. He came home and raised a family.

Phyllis Rickard, an old neighbor of mine from the Waldron, Michigan area, found in her research references to three men of the 18th MI Reg't. from what was then known as South Wright, but is now Waldron, who were on the Sultana and survived; Christian W. Abbaduska, Nathaniel Fogelsong, and Samuel Stubberfield.

At the time Phyllis and I were growing up, there were still families in that area with those last names. All three of these men came back home, and all three are buried in the Waldron Cemetery. A perusal of the rosters of the 18th MI Reg't will turn up a number of familiar last names for those whose roots go back that corner of Hillsdale Co., MI.

A memorial to the men from Michigan who died on the Sultana was dedicated on Veterans Day, November 11, 2001. The memorial is located on the Northeast corner of the County Courthouse square in Hillsdale, Michigan. I hope to have pictures of the memorial up loaded to this page in the near future.

Grave of Christian Abbaduska, MI 18th Inf, Co. F; Waldron Cemetery, Waldron, Michigan

Grave of Samuel Stubberfield, 18th MI Inf, Co. F; Waldron Cemetery, Waldron, Michigan

Grave of Nathaniel Foglesong, MI 18th Inf, Co. A; Waldron Cemetery, Waldron, Michigan

Our Family Civil War Soldiers

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My great-grandfather, George Debolt Newcomer, served in several Ohio Infantry units.

85th Ohio Infantry, Co. G: 3 month enlistment, transferred to the 87th. (June, 1862)
87th Ohio Infantry, Co. D: (June, 1862 - October, 1862)
- Battle of Harper's Ferry

86th Ohio Infantry, Co. H: 6 month enlistment. (June, 1863 - February, 1864)
182nd Ohio Infantry, Co. B: 1 year enlistment. (August, 1864 - July, 1865) George D. Newcomer was promoted to Sergeant, Oct. 27, 1864, and to 1st Sergeant, May 4,1865.
- Battle of Nashville, TN: Sherman called this battle the most decisive in the whole Civil War; the only one where an army was beaten so badly, it ceased to exist as an army.

My great-great-grandfather, Charles Bavin served a 3 month enlistment with the 14th Ohio Infantry,Co. E (April - August, 1861). This unit was in the battle at what is now Philippi, West Virginia. This was the first major land battles of the Civil War. The 14th OVI was involved in other battle including Corricks Ford. After the 3 month enlistment was up, the unit was again organized for a 3 year enlistment, but Charles, along with most of his comrades from the old unit, had enough of the war.

Battle of Corricks Ford, July 13, 1861. (Other sources on this battle call it "Carrick's Ford".) The 14th O.V.I. volleys against the elevated position of the 23rd Virginia while the 7th Indiana conducts a flanking movement. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (Image courtesy of 14th OVI Re-enactment Group.)

Uncles and Cousins in The Civil War

Benson Gray, (Great-Great Uncle on Father's mother's side.)enlisted Dec. 24, 1862 in the 7th Michigan Cavalry; Co. F; (3 year enlistment). This unit was part of the Michigan Brigade that eventually was under the command of George A. Custer. The Michigan 7th Cavalry was involved in the operations around Gettysburg and afterwards. It was at this time, July 1883, that family records say Benson was wounded at the battle of Culpepper, and was discharged Jan. 23, 1864. In October 1864, Benson enlisted in the 18th Michigan V.I. for 1 year, and served until his discharge on June 26, 1865. (See notes below on Benson's brother, Zebulon for information on the 18th MI V.I.) Benson Gray died in Oct. 1920, and his grave is in the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson, Michigan.

Zebulon Gray, (Great-Great Uncle on Father's mother's side, and brother to Benson.) enlisted August 1884, in the 18th Michigan V.I. and was in Co. G. The Michigan 18th Reg't was recruited primarily from Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Monroe Counties. Family records indicate Zebulon was with that part of the 18th Reg't captured by the Confederates at Athens, Alabama. According to the family story, part of which has been confirmed from National Archive records, Uncle Zeb was detained at Macon, and then at Andersonville until the end of the war. After their release at the end of the war, some of the 18th Reg't POW's were on the Sultana when it blew up near Memphis, TN on April 27, 1865. Don Harvey has identified 60 men from the MI 18th Reg't that were killed in that explosion. Uncle Zebulon was not on the Sultana. He did come home and raised a family. Zebulon Gray died in May, 1927, and his grave is in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Wesley Lee, (great-great-great uncle on my father's mother's side) Enlisted Aug. 19, 1862 in Co. A of the 102nd Ohio Vol. Infantry. Uncle Wesley was also captured by the Confederates at Athens, Alabama on Sept. 24, 1864. He was held at Andersonville until the end of the war. Wesley was not as fortunate as Uncle Zeb Gray. He was on the Sultana when it blew up on April 27, 1865 just north of Memphis. Uncle Wesley was one of the first surviviors to make it to shore that terible night. His account of that tragic experiance is told in Chester Berry's 1892 book, Loss of the Sultana, and Reminiscenes of Survivors. Wesley Lee finally made it home to Holmes Co., Ohio. He did marry and he and his bride settled in Davisess County, Missouri.

Christopher Britton and his brother, William B. Britton were my great-great Uncles on my mother's side. Born in Vermont, they came with their family to Michigan in 1855. At the start of the war, both brothers enlisted in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery, Battery G known as "Lamphere's Battery". William was injured by artillery on May 19, 1863, during the operations around Vicksburg, . Christopher was wounded in the thigh during the fighting at Pt. Gibson. Both returned home to Michigan. William settled on the family farm in Ransom Twp., Hillsdale Co., Michigan. He is buried in the Evergreen (Burt) Cemetery in Ransom Twp.

Christopher moved up to Newago Co., Michigan. We think his unmarked grave is in the Whipple Cemetery in Home Twp., Newago Co., and that has been confirmed by the copy we have of his death certificate.

Christopher & William had a younger brother, Quincy Britton. Quincy, born in 1848, could not have been much more then 13 or 14 when he enlisted in Co. D of the Michigan 11th Cavalry. He apparently lied about his age. After the war, Quincy became a successful businessman in Toledo, Ohio. His grave is in the Maplewood Cemetery in Toledo, Ohio. If you are a descendant of Quincy Britton,we very much would like to hear from you.

Some WWW Civil War Resources

Civil War Battles by State (National Park Service)
Michigan in the Civil War: Don Harvey is doing an outstanding job on these pages. Includes Regimental Rosters!!
Ohio in the Civil War: Thanks to Larry Stevens for these excellent pages on the Ohio Regiments.

What is This About?

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A number of strands have come together that have resulted in creating this blog. This blog will be focusing on family history and geneology. Along with that, to a lesser degree, will be some focus on the local history of the area where I grew up.

The family history and stories will focus on the four families of my own ancestory; Newcomer, Gray, Bavin, and Britton, and also the families of my wife Nancy's ancestory; Williamson, Clarke, Jidov, and Morar.

The local area where I grew up is the part of Hillsdale County, Michigan known as Wright Township which includes the communities of Prattville and Waldron. One of the focal points of that local history is the Michigan 18th Infantry Regiment and that regiments connection to the steamship Sultana which in late April of 1865 exploded and sank in the Mississippi River just north of Memphis, TN.

I will be bringing together in this blog a number of things I have previosly published elsewhere on the WWW. Some of those were on my Geocities pages and with Geocities going defunct, I need a new place for those items, thus the creation of The Neukomment Files.

Neukomment is the English transliteration of the German family name we now carry as Newcomer. And with that introduction, here we go....

Sources

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Britton

"Britton Family Records"; Un-published records and notes collected, verified and compiled by Carol M. Newcomer.

"Civil War Pension Records of Christopher Britton, Battery G, 1st Michigan Artillary"; National Archive records.

"Civil War Pension Records of Quincy M. Britton, Co. D, 11th Michigan Cavalry"; National Archive records.

"History of Westmoreland (Great Meadow) New Hampshire, 1741-1970, And Genealogical Data"; Westmoreland History Com., Westmoreland, NH; (1976); pgs. 348 - 355, 486 - 488; (Cheshire Co., NH)

Marriage Record of William Britton & Mary Latham, Aug. 10, 1766, Westmoreland, N.H.

"Vital Records of Taunton, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, Vol II Marriages"; NEGS, Boston Mass; (1928) pg. 69-70

Civil War (General historical sources.)

"Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years And the War Years", Carl Sandburg, Reader's Digest, 1970

Civil War Battles by State (National Park Service) http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp/battles/bystate.htm

Michigan in the Civil War (http://www.michiganinthewar.org/)

Ohio in the Civil War (http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/)

"The Civil War: A Pictorial Profile"; John S. Blay; Thomas Crowell Company (New York; 1958)

Newcomer

"A Record of One Branch of the Newcomer Family" by James K. Newcomer (Great Grand Son of Ulrich Neukommer) Urbana, Ohio, 1882

“Early Newcomers of Lancaster County” by Virginia N. Lane, Mennonite Family History, Vol. II, No. 3; July 1983)

"History of Fulton County (Ohio)"; Vol. I; Frank H. Reighard, Editor; Lewis Publishing Co., NY; (1920); photocopy of pages 203-205

"Local men who fought in early American Wars"; "Digging for your roots"; Jana Sloan Broglin; The Toledo Blade; May 1997; Toledo, Ohio

"Family Records Found in the Family Bible of John Newcomer (1809 - 1890)"; A two volume set of the "Cottage Bible" owned by John Newcomer & his descendants.

"National Archive Records of George Debolt Newcomer", collected and copied by John M. Newcomer, Great grandson of George D. Newcomer.

Obituary of George D. Newcomer; Wauseon Republican; November 6, 1931; Wauseon, Ohio

The Neukomment Files

Hilda Pauline (Raymond) Erbes (1913 - 2006)

Neukomment News Update

Helen E. (Britton - Moore) Fowler

Mary M. (Ruffer) Bauerle (1946 - 2008)

38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division US Army - World War I

That Grave in a Far Off Land

The Newcomer - Tedrow Family

The Newcomer - Ost Connection

Donald A. OstFebruary 7, 1928 - June 17, 2010

Martha (Lee) Gray & her Daughter Sadie

The Lee - Borton - Clark - Ladd Connection

She had a "Baby" Brother

One November Day

Remembering Mickey Mantle's Big Hit

Guy Vernon Newcomer (1879 - 1940)

The Family of Orendo Wilber Britton & Angelia Elizabeth Sloan

Seeking Michigan Archives

Virginia McCully Ortiz Huff : 1946 - 2005

Guy Vernon Newcomer Remembered

Letters from Aunt Gladys (Newcomer) McCully

Gladys N. McCully February 26, 1908- December 18, 2003

Pvt. George Britton

My Newcomer Lines of Ancestory

Our Newcomer Roots

My Britton Line of Ancestory

Origins of the New England, Westmoreland, NH, Brittons

Preliminary agreement

I. Theories of the Family Origins

II. The Sources & Analysis

III. Conclusion

Done With Geocities

Obituary of Anna Margaret (Clarke) Spade

Copy of will and Memorandum of Ulrich Nekoment of Hellem Twp.

Answering His Country's Call: George D. Newcomer

Pioneer Family of the Old Black Swamp: John & Naomi Newcomer

My Sultana Connections

Our Family Civil War Soldiers

What is This About?

Sources

Donald A. Ost

February 7, 1928 - June 17, 2010