52 Week Challenge: #2 Julia Maria Mosher Gaffney

JULIA MARIA MOSHER

 Julia was the youngest child of Walter Mosher and Eliza Magee Mosher.  She was born on the 10th of February in 1841 in Leroy, Lake County, Ohio.  Lake County butts up to Lake Erie and is quite close to Pennsylvania.  Julia had two older brothers, Hugh Wesley Mosher and Norman Goodwin Mosher, both of whom fought in the Civil War.  There were two other children born to Walter and Eliza, but Marintha Mosher and Lucian Mosher did not live to adulthood.  A cousin of Julia's was also raised in her family home, Sally Mosher's father, Henry had died and Sally made her home with Walter, Eliza and their family.

I don't know much at all about Julia's youth.  Her grandparents lived close by, as did many aunts and uncles.

A gentleman by the name of Patrick Henry Gaffney came into Julia's life, and a romance ensued.

  

"Family traditions and stories can often be, well, a bit far from the truth sometimes.  It is interesting to learn the bits and pieces of the true course of events, and put them up against the lovely family stories.

A favorite family story is one of my Maternal Grandmother's Grandmother and Grandfather, and how they met and fell in love.

Growing up, we were told how our Grandfather Patrick Gaffney was befriended by the two brothers of our Grandmother, Julia Maria Mosher.  Her brothers were Norman and Hugh Mosher.  They had both fought in the Civil War, for the Union side.  The story goes that after the war, as they were making their way home to Leroy, in Lake County, Ohio, they happened upon a Southern Gentleman in Virginia.  They became fast friends, and encouraged their new friend to come along with them.  [Some cousins remember hearing that this Gentleman (our own Grandfather Patrick Gaffney) had fought for the Confederate Army during the War Between the States.]  So, Patrick decides to go along with Norman and Hugh, back to Ohio.  The trio at last reached Leroy.  When Julia meets Patrick Gaffney, it is apparently "love at first sight" for both of them.  They married not long after.

As I began trying to research our Gaffney line, I came across several documents that began to clarify some of the details of our own "family fairy tale." 

Patrick Gaffney and Julia Maria Mosher were married on the 31st of December in 1859.  Hmmm, a few years before the Civil War began.  Many of the documents that I have found state that Patrick was born inIreland, so while he may have had the manners and bearing of a Southern Gentleman, he was apparently an Irishman.  Some information leads me to believe that Patrick came to Painesville with some of his siblings, at least with a brother Edward/Edwin.  They were in the boot/shoe making business together.  Norman and Hugh may have made a new friend in Patrick whenever they met him, and they may have brought him home.  Quite possibly Julia and Patrick did indeed fall in love at first sight. . . .  At least I like to think that they may have!  

It is good to have a few fairy tales in our family stories, and to have bits of mystery that provoke our imaginations! "  2011 by D.Biggs

The  photo above is presumed to be the wedding photo of 

Julia Maria Mosher 

and 

Patrick Henry Gaffney

What a handsome couple!

The top entry of this above document is the Wedding Record for Patrick and Julia.

Julia and Patrick had eight children that we know of: 

William "Will" (my Great Grandfather)

Mary Eliza "Aunt Liz"

Edward

Stephon

Henry P.

Katie Estelle

Cora May

and 

Walter Stephon Douglas.

The sons Edward, Stephon and Henry P. were all born in the mid 1860's

and all died prior to 1870.  

They are buried in the North East Leroy Cemetery.

This is a photo of Julia (on the right) with 2 of her

daughters, Cora and Katie Estelle.

In 1897, Julia's husband, Patrick, was hospitalized with mental illness.

He was in the Newburg State Hospital in Cleveland.  It was there he died in 1901.

I can only imagine the strain and the pain Julia must have went through.

In May of 1904, Julia and Patrick's eldest child, William suffered the loss

of his wife, Ettie Flood Gaffney.  Will and Ettie had a little two year old

daughter, Evelyn Frances Gaffney, my Grandmother.

Evelyn went to live with her Grandmother Mosher in Painesville.

She lived with her Grandmother for six years. 

Evelyn often spoke of those years with Julia and said that they

were the happiest years of her life, until she met and married

my Grandfather, Frederick August Dostal.

She felt wrapped in love and completely cared for.

She said that her Grandmother was unselfish with her love and with herself.

On the 18th of March, 1910, Julia Maria Mosher Gaffney

passed from this world to the next.  

Among those who mourned her loss, was a little eight 

year old Evelyn, who had now lost her 2nd mother figure in her

short little life.

The legacy of love that Julia passed to her children and to Evelyn

lives on and on through passing generations.

Julia is interred in Evergreen Cemetery next to her husband Patrick.

Winter In Texas . . . . .

January 7th, 2014, sunset view from our trailer

One of Bob's favorite things about Texas, next to our Kiddos and GrandKiddos being here, is the weather in the winter!

We have our cold days, even below zero, 
sometimes snow or sleet.

In early December of this winter, we had a sleet storm.  There was tiny bits
of snow mixed in, but what you see is sleet.

 Grizz gets excited and romps around like a pup, grabbing his leash and
trying to chomp at Bailey or Bob's flanks!
He LOVES snow and winter weather!

Sleet does not deter Bailey from being on "squirrel  alert!"
There are tons of squirrels in the park, so she doesn't relax much if she is awake.

It looks like Bob is trying to encourage Bailey to hurry along!

The poor Silverado! The door was frozen
 shut for a few days!  We stayed very cold
for nearly a week--unusual for here.

Cold, yes . . . .  but oh so beautiful!

Here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the cold is usually pretty short lived.
As you can see, we were right up to shorts weather in
a short bit.

This was such a lovely evening . . . . the sun was showing off

God's works of art!

Nearly at that magical time between day and night . . . . .
I love the colors of dusk, the softness and the depth, 
it's as though every color is magnified.

 

Last night we had a freeze again---it was down to 16 degrees this morning.
And, tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 60's and on 
Sunday, the 70's . . . . . Then another cold front comes in on
Monday.  
Winter in Texas . . . . . 

Until later Y'all!
~smile~

A Teeny Bit of Biggs Family History: 52 Week Challenge: #1 Green Biggs

A few steps into the past . . . . .

Bob and our grandson Mace beside the memorial stone for their Great Grandmother and Great x3 Grandmother Olive Young Biggs, and her son, little Almer Biggs.  This was in Floral Hill Cemetery outside of Hoopeston, Illinois.

As I work through our families' histories, every so often, I come across relatives that I am researching that take a special hold in my heart.  That was certainly so with Green and Olive.  They had captivated me even before I knew much about them.  So often, events in the lives of our ancestors, how those events shaped their lives and their responses to them, touch our lives even today and add a bit to who we are.  

Green Biggs was born to Reuben Biggs and Olive Wilson Biggs on January 12th in 1835. Reuben and Olive were separated at the time of Green's birth, and they were divorced the next year. Both Reuben and Olive were living in Fountain County, Indiana at the time of his birth, but Olive was living with her parents when Green was born. Records show that on the 8th of November in 1836, Olive Biggs married Benjamin Jones in Fountain County, Indiana, but it does not appear that Olive and Benjamin took little Green to live with them. Green was raised by his grandparents, John Wesley Wilson and Lydia Ellen "Lida" Green Wilson and can be found with them in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census.  On the 13th of May in 1856, Green married Mary Goings in Clay County, Indiana. They were only married briefly, and divorced in 1860.  I have a transcription of their marriage, and in Green's military enlistment interview, he states that he is divorced.

Green's gravestone was in 3 levels, This level shows his military Company and Regiment.

According to Green's Military Service Records, Green was a farmer by trade---following in his father's footsteps and his father's before him. I was able to order the Military Service Records for Green from the National Archives.  It was amazing to read all the documentation enclosed.  Green Biggs was in the 60th Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry and the Indiana Veteran Volunteers, in Companies D and K during the Civil War.  His health was effected by his time of service in the Civil War.  After his discharge from the Union army, Green met and married Olive Young, the daughter of Jesse Young and Sarah Jane VanCamp Young.

Above: the front side of Green and Olive's marriage license and Below: the back side, with the note from William Glaze.

Green and Olive were married on the 20th of April in 1865 in Rossville, Vermillion County, Illinois. On the back of their marriage license, is a note written by Olive's brother-in-law, William Glaze, stating that Olive had lived with them in the Vermilion County, Illinois area for about 3 years.  Green and Olive's union was blessed with 5 children (that we are aware of), 2 of them a set of twins. Their children were: William Sherman (26 Feb 1866 - 1 Jul 1927), Jesse Grant (26 Sep 1867 - 20 Feb 1955), Elias Martin (28 Aug 1869 - 12 Jan 1940), and twins Almer (15 Sep 1878 - 14 Mar 1882) and Alma Jane (15 Sep 1878 - 7 Apr 1946).  (Green's obituary also speaks of a son, Francis, but I have found nothing at this point concerning him---it may have been and error in the information given to the paper.)  

The small headstone for young Almer Biggs.

Olive Young Biggs and Almer Biggs grave marker

Green apparently got "Kansas Fever" and took his young family by wagon westward. The twins were born along the way in Missouri Valley, Iowa. They family ended up in Prairie Dog, Kansas. They lived in a sod home, by the river.  Shortly after arriving, Green's wife Olive became gravely ill with what turned out to be cancer. She ended up having to take the twins and young Elias and go back east to Hoopeston, Illinois to her sister and brother-in-law's home (William and Isabell Glaze). She would have the care of her sister and doctors.  She died there a short time after arriving, and little Almer, one of the twins, just four years old, died a few months later of diphtheria. Green must have been heartsick, plus had his hands full with the daily care of the home and the older boys and trying to "prove up" on the land.  The west was still fairly wild and the challenges were daily for the little family group. It appears as though Elias and Alma Jane stayed east with Olive's family, not returning to the west with their father.  Green's son Jesse was later interviewed by a reporter for the Journal and Courier, the Lafayette, Indiana newspaper about some of his memories of life on the prairie. 

A close up of the engraving on Olive's side of their marker.

Green's grave marker is straight ahead, just to the left.

Green Biggs' grave marker in Armstrong Cemetery

Green eventually ended up moving back to Indiana. His health was failing him as time moved on, losing all of his hearing in one ear and much of his hearing in the other. His pension file includes reports from his physicians, they state he had much suffering from heart issues as well. Green Biggs died on the 27th of October in 1918 in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. He was 83 years old.  He is buried in Armstrong Cemetery close to his son Jesse Grant Biggs.

Bob, his brother Ed, and our grandson Mace . . . .
some of Green Biggs and Olive Young Biggs descendants.

Till next time . . . . .

Beautiful, Beautiful Mountains . . . . .!

A few weeks ago,
Bob and I had the blessing of being able to spend 4 days in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

We stayed at a beautiful campground in Maggie Valley, North Carolina.

We had a gurgling stream right outside our back window, and the mountains on all 4 sides of us!

There were lovely tall trees and we were even treated to a very heavy frost one morning!  :-)
We love the mountains!!!  Some years ago, when Mama and Daddy moved
back to Michigan from Washington state, Mama had called to apologize
to me for the move . . . . . I told her that I was thrilled that they would be back "home"
and asked why on earth she would apologize . . . . .   She said that she knew how much Bob and
I loved the mountains, and she was sorry to be taking that trip away!!!!
What an amazing Mama---she always put our likes and loves above her own . . . .

This was the view directly behind our trailer . . . . . love the smokey mist in the mountains!  (Hence, the Great Smokey Mountains . . . .)

This a a shot of the campground and the mountains to the front of us.

Another shot from the campground ---- every view was so beautiful!

Above:  Home Sweet Home!

We  were in Maggie Valley the first week in November, and the tourist season was ended, so we did not have the traffic and tourist busy-ness to contend with, it was nice being able to enjoy the beauty at a slower pace and not be rushed along.

The photos above and below are taken on the outskirts of Maggie Valley, and are said to be the "most photographed area in the Smokey Mountains."

While in Maggie Valley, we had the Great Smokey Mountains National Park very close by, and also the Blue Ridge Parkway, so we took advantage of our proximity!  

_____________

Both the park and the parkway are amazing to visit . . . .. we had not been to the park since 1973 and the parkway since 1998---the beauty seemed to have multiplied!

The park has a few entrances, we entered from the Cherokee, North Carolina point, and went on over to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, got fuel in Pigeon Forge and then exited back in Cherokee.

This pioneer village is at the visitor center in the park.  On our way back to Maggie Valley that late afternoon, we saw around 6-8 elk in the open meadow area right by this village---unfortunately it appeared as though everyone in the park had all stopped to watch and take photos, so we missed our 

photo . . . . .  Next time!

The drive we took followed this lovely stream much of the way . . . . . it was wonderful to just listen to the gurgling and the rushing!  What a delightful sound!

Usually I am the one behind the camera lens, but Bob changed 

spots with me, he indicated we needed some visual proof that I was there too!  :-)

"The mountains are calling, and I must go."  John Muir

Grizz and Bailey really enjoyed being out in nature, the smells, the sights, the TREES that must have squirrels!!!

They would have preferred to be able to be out of the truck at all times, and to run free with no leash . . . .  Bailey would have had her nose to the ground and off on a hunt   :-)

I could never grow tired of this view!  I imagine that the Lord

smiled when he created this area, knowing how the views, the power of being surrounded by

His workmanship, would render us speechless.

There was no view that was unappealing

Such a lovely contrast of colors. . . . .

Out for a bit of a walk . . . . .

As you can see, the day was amazingly beautiful!  (This is one of my favorite photos)  The temps were cool, I had to stop and 

get a sweatshirt on the way---but it felt so good, so very refreshing!

The road was chiseled into the mountainside!  Look how this rocky overhang looks like 

a face . . . . .  see his eyes looking down to the road, or further on down the 

mountain  . . . . . .

This is in Cade's Cove, a very popular area of the park.  There were beautiful meadows, old, old churches and homes---much history!

One of the old cabins in Cade's Cove.  This one belonged to Carter Shields.

"Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God."
George Washington Carver

These peaks are called "Chimney Rocks"

This was taken on our drive back to the trailer.  There was so much I wanted to capture with
my camera, but time moves on, and the veil of evening's darkness falls much more
quickly in the mountains
.
So, we made our way back to Maggie Valley, both exhilarated and exhausted!

The next outting was to the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Till next time dear family and friends . . . . .
Bob and Deb

In September, Bob and I had the treat of being able to help Jason, Kerry, Danny, Karen and Ashley Mae move from the San Antonio area to Burkburnett, Texas.

Jason just retired from 20 years of service in the U.S. Air Force!  We are very proud of, and grateful for, his service to our Country. 

 ***Let me take just a minute here to thank each and every one of you, and of your family members, who are reading and who are serving, or have served,  for the sacrifices that you both made, and were willing to make, for each and every American. Freedom comes at a high price, and far too many citizens do not understand or appreciate the cost.  We thank you!***

Jason is finishing his Master's Degree and hopes to begin his Doctorate's soon after.  Kerry is about to graduate with her Bachelor's Degree in Education (she is carrying a 4.0 + average and will graduate with honors!) and hopes to be teaching soon in the Burkburnett school system.  Before being transferred to San Antonio, Jason was stationed at Shepperd AFB in Wichita Falls (10 miles from Burkburnett) for several years.  They loved it there, and that is where they decided to retire.

So, it is fun for them to be able to see friends that they made while they were there, and the kiddos are not entering a school system that they are unfamiliar with . . . . . . .  

LABOR DAY COOKOUT AT THE CAMPGROUND

We camped at Fort Sam Houston, an Army Post in San Antonio while we were there.  It was a great campground, clean, good sized lots, very nice folks . . . . .

Labor Day, we had a cook out there by the camper.  The canopy worked great to help keep the sun and heat off of us . . . . . . that is, until a great gust of wind tried to take it away!  Bob and Jason moved quick as a flash and grabbed the poles!   . . . . . . Making Memories . . . . .    :-)

Danny on the left, Robert and Karen on the right.

Tex, alias Jason, or J.D.  

Kerry and Duke . . . . .

Kerry was telling us a story . . . . .

Our Ashley Mae----our Cowgirl   :-)

Karen keeping the text messages going good . . . . .

Danny is growing into such a young man . . . . . .

Duke, or the Dukester!

Bob giving Jason some OJT on retirement!!!!

The colors of the sunset were so vibrant, I couldn't capture the colors very well, but it was a beautiful ending to such a wonderful day!

This is amazing to be able to be able to pull up stakes and head south to be available to Jason and Kerry!  In the past, with work, the flexibility just was not there.  We are so thankful!

Plus, it is great to get them closer to the DFW area once again!

Blessings and Hugs----till next time!
Bob and Deb