Heather's Genealogy Spot: February 2017

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

A Mt. Lowe Historical and Descriptive Souvenir

This photo is part of a private collection. Click here for the collection of Robert H. Wilson, and Orpha M. Spencer.
** Click here to get to the Mt.Lowe Preservation Society***

Someone put an x in blue ink next to Norman's picture.

There is a Fire Warning on front of the car that is too small for me to read.

The sign in the photo says
Pacific Electric R'Y. CO.
YE ALPINE TAVERN
5000 FT.
ABOVE THE SEA.
MT. LOWE 6100 FEET.
ECHO MOUNTAIN
35[0?] FT.
ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

The image on the right is the back of the photo.
it says mama's father in blue ink.
Under that it says
A Mt. Lowe Historical and Descriptive Souvenir.
there are photos of CIRCULAR BRIDGE, YE ALPINE TAVERN, and GREAT MT. LOWE RAILWAY INCLINE.

The main body of text will be at the bottom of this post.

The Mt. Lowe Division of the Pacific Electric Railway, for safety, speed and comfort, is foremost amongst the scenic mountain railways of the world, offering to the pleasure seeker an ideal trip for sightseeing and recreation surpassed by none. Originated and built by Prof. T.S.C. Lowe and opened to the public July 4th, 1893, on which date the first White Chariot ascended the great Cable Incline, 3000 feet in length over a maximum grade of 62 percent and a direct ascent 1,325 feet to Echo Mountain, an altitude of 3,500 feet. Here the incline machinery is located and open to the inspection of the public. Here also is located the 3,000,000 candle power searchlight and the Great Lowe Observatory. The safety appliances, among which may be mentioned the great tensile strength of the pulling cable, tested to a strain of 100 tons, whereas the actual load never exceeds five tons. The secondary, or safety cable with its automatic devices, the speed indicator, and automatic brakes, combined with extreme operative care, provide that security of travel attested by the fact that no accident has ever marred the history of its operation. From Echo Mountain extendind 5v miles through the Sierra Madre mountains the trolley winds its way up Mt. Lowe to Alpine Tavern. The line, a marvel of engineering and creative skill, entailing the construction of 20 bridges and 127 curves, winding its way to Alpine Tavern 1100 feet below the summit of Mt. Lowe The Tavern is now open everyday of the year and first class meals are furnished at reasonable rates, and good comfortable accomodations by the day or week. Hereone can rest in the quietness ofthe surroundings or find enjoyment in the feeding of frienndly birds and squirrels of the forest or ascend the summit on horse-back and from an altitude of 6100 feet view mountain valley and sea, an inspiring sight indeed.

Monday, February 27, 2017

Image of Norman Spencer

This photo belonged to Orpha M. Spencer. It is of Norman S. Spencer (her father). Click Here to access the private collection of Robert H. Wilson, and Orpha M. Spencer.

The bottom left of the photo says Lacey, the right bottom says Angola IND
I assume it means Angola, Indiana.

In the Center there are 3 initials superimposed on one another. There is a L, A, and the last initial is either a C or G.

The image on the left is the back of the photo, which reads.
Norman Spencer
(Orpha May Wilson's Father)

Private Collection of Robert H. Wilson, and Orpha M. Spencer

Letters from Florence Wilson to Julius Spencer
10 October 1905 Postcard from Florence Wilson to Julius H. Spencer
10th Tuesday Post Card from Florence Wilson to Julius H. Spencer
October 1905 Letter from Florence Wilson to Julius H. Spencer
13 February 1906 Letter from Florence Wilson to Julius H. Spencer Florence's father and cousin die
30 April 1906 Envelope from Florence Wilson to Julius H. Spencer
19 July 1906 Letter from Florence Wilson to Julius Spencer

Business Cards
M. A. CARL Ice Cream Parlor and Lunch Room

Image Of Tin Type Of Leah Stutes

This tin type is part of a private collection. Click here for the Private Collection of Robert H. Wilson, and Orpha M. Spencer.

When we found it, it had a folded piece of paper around it that said Mom's Mom and Dad.
My grandmother said the writing was her mother's writing.

If that is correct, that the woman in the photo is Leah Christina Stutes (Orpha May Spencer's mother).

She originally married Norman Spencer, who was almost 10 years older than her. They had a few children, married other people, were both widowed, and then ended up together again, in Redondo Beach, Ca. before they passed.

Her second husband was Richard Combs (who was a few years younger than her). I believe this is Richard in the photo.

The image of the left is the back of the tin type.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Willis Hembre Wilson Obituary

This news clipping is part of a private collection. It is in a photo album that belonged to Helen Spencer Barnum McCoy Carson (maiden name Wilson) This is a direct transcription of the obituary for Willis Hembre Wilson. It will be followed with a photo and some more information. I don't know the paper it was taken from, since it is only a clipping from the news paper. My gg grandmother subscribed to the Redondo Reflex, so it may be from the Redondo Reflex.

Saturday, March 20, 1
Willis H. Wilson,
Redondo, Killed
In North Africa

Another Redondo Beach family
felt the grim hand of war today
with the announcement that
Willis Hembree Wilson, 27, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Wil-
son, 214 South Helberta, was
killed at sea while in the line of
duty. Wilson was a member of
the U.S. salvage forces in African
waters.
His death came as a great shock
for he was widely known through-
out the entire South Bay district.
Most of his life was spent in this
area, while he also attended the
local grammar schools and Re-
dondo Union High School.
According to a government
cablegram to the Wilson family,
death came on March 10.
Wilson joined the salvage serv-
ice after being rejected by the
army, navy, and marine corps be-
cause of defective eyesight. He
volunteered his services in the
most hazardous corps of them all
and then gave his life doing even
more than his country asked of
him.
His twin sister, Mrs. Winnie
Freeman, has left for New York
to meet her husband, who is slated
to return soon from the African
theater.

According to family, Willis H. Wilson was serving in So. Africa with Dobbin Freeman, his brother in law. This article seems to corroborate that. It was Dobbin's opinion that Willis was murdered. My grandmother Willis's neice said she was told his body was found hidden under a boat.

On Ancestry.com I found a document titled Reports of Deaths of Americans Citizens Abroad, 1835 - 1974. Below is portions of the document excerpted.
Source, and citation information will be at the very bottom of this post.

Dated April 10, 1943, from James Orr Denby, American Consul, at Cape Town South Africa, on the subject of Transmitting the Report of Death of Willis Hembre Wilson, American Seaman.

Willis Hembre Wilson Occupation: Oiler
of 214 S. Helberta Avenue, Redondo Beach, Califonia
Date of Death: Unkown - Presumed Feb 26, 1943
Place of Death: Victoria Basin, Cape Town Harbor, Cape Town, South Africa

Cause of Death: Unofficially stated to be "accidental drowning"
Buried: March 12, 1943 in Grave No. 97048C. Woltemade Cemetery, No 4, Cape Town South Africa.

Local law as to disinterring remains: In case of death from other than infectious disease, local authorities refuse permission to disinter before expiration of two years.

Disposition of the effects: Returned to Johnson, Drake and Piper Inc.; 86 Trinity Place, New York City

Informed by Telegram
Johnson, Drake, and Piper, employer
Orpha Wilson, mother

Remarks: Mr. Wilson disappeared Feb 26, 1943, and his body was discovered in Victoria Basin March 10, 1943 no evidence suggesting foul play was discovered, and it was presumed by the authorities to have been the result of an accident.

*****I called Pacific Crest in Redondo Beach, and asked if he was interred beneath his head stone. He is, but his body finally arrived in 1949. I have no idea if his employer, the government, of my gg grandparents paid for those expenses.*****

Source
Title: Transcription / image of Willis H. Wilson, Redondo, Killed in North Africa unidentified newspaper clipping, and image of photo of Willis H. Wilson
Transcriber / photographer: Heather Wells

The original sources of images shown here are part of a private family collection in Redondo Beach. Please consult me before reproducing / publishing any of the images published here.

Source
Title: Deaths of American Citizens Abroad, 1835 - 1974
Author: Ancestry.com
Publisher: Ancestry.com operations Inc.
Publisher Date: 2010
Publisher Location: Provo, Utah

Citation
Detail: National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.;General Records of the Department of State; Record Group: RG59-Entry 205; Box Number 1156; Box Description 1940 - 1944 British South Africa D - Z

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Image of Fannie McCoy

This is a photo of Fannie McCoy. Ernest's Clement McCoy's sister. The original photo is tiny, maybe half a wallet size. I took the photo of it with a macro lense. It is the only photo we have of her.

She never married, She didn't have children. She lived in Los Angeles for a time.

The orginal is part of a pivate family collection in Redondo Beach, California.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

New York Counties

I am actually unsure how the Counties and Boroughs work in NewYork. As I come across any areas in my documents, and historical data, I will link them below to the corresponding area in New York.
Here is a list of the Counties in New York. If I have any more posts on a particular county it will be a live link. Click here for the list of States in the United States. Click here for a post explaining how to navigate this blog.

Albany
Allegany
Bronx
Broome
Cattaraugus
Cayuga
Chautauqua
Chemung
Chenango
Clinton
Columbia
Cortland
Delaware
Dutchess
Erie
Essex
Franklin
Fulton
Genesee
Greene
Hamilton
Herkimer
Jefferson
Kings
Lewis
Livingston
Madison
Monroe
Montgomery
Nassau
New York
Niagra
Oneida
Onondaga
Ontario
Orange
Orleans
Oswego
Otsego
Putnam
Queens
Rensselaer
Richmond
Rockland
St. Lawrence
Saratoga
Schenectady
Schoharie
Schuyler
Seneca
Steuben
Suffolk
Sullivan
Tioga
Tompkins
Ulster
Warren
Washington
Wayne
Westchester
Wyoming
Yates

States

Here are a list of the states that I have at least one city referenced in a letter, roster, photo, directory etc. As I continue adding more information, I will add new cities, counties, and states. Click here for an explanation on how to navigate this Blog.

Arkansas
California
Illinois
Missouri
New Jersey
New York
South Dakota

How To Use This Blog

The goal of this blog is to help you in your genealogy endeavors. The blog is currently in it's infancy. I chose a blog format, because I find google blogger very easy to use, and you can edit, and add information to any post easily and quickly. I intend to add images, and transcriptions of letters, images, news articles, old rosters and directories. I am starting with my own family resources. After that I will be adding other historical resources.

This blog is best navigated by locality. You start by clicking on the state of your ancestor. You will then click on the county, then city. At the top of the city page you will see a link that goes to rosters, letters, images, etc. that reference that city. There is also a basic timeline, and useful resources at the bottom of each city page.

I don't want to lead anyone to believe I have information on states or communities I don't have documents, article, letters etc. from. I will only add states, if there is some something that references a city in that state.

Here are a few examples of the type of items that will be linked in cities.
Helen McCoy's letter to Willis H. Wilson written May 29 and April 10 1942. Helen was living on a farm that Japanese Americans, or Japanese Immigrants were displaced from.

Roster
Roster
Department of California and Nevada
Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Organized April 15, 1909 at Pasadena, California
1947

Redondo Congregational Church 1888, 1894, 1932 Anneversary Directory

Buena Park, California Timeline

This is a very basic timeline that lists a few events that may have affected your ancestors lives. Click here for letters, rosters, documents, etc. that reference Buena Park. Click here for cities in Orange County. Click here for counties of California.

1542 The official discovery of California by Spain

1545 Typhus and other European diseases start killing larges amounts of native populations in Cuba, and New Spain

1579 Sir Francis Drake claims some land north of San Francisco for England

1633 - 1634 Small Pox

Spanish missionaries start settling California in the 1700s

1775 - 1783 Revolutionary War

1776 Declaration of Independence signed

1793 Yellow Fever

1812 Russian fur traders build Fort Ross just north of San Francisco

1820 American Trappers start arriving from the East

1820 - 1875 Texas - Indian Wars

1821 Mexico gained independence from Spain

1832 - 1866 Cholera

1846 - 1848 Mexican - American War

1848 California is ceded to the United States by Mexico

1849 The Gold Rush begins

1850 California becomes the 31st State

1858 Scarlet Fever

1861-1864 The Civil War

1862 The Great Floods

1863 Emancipation Proclamation

1877 Jim Crow Law enacted till 1950s

1882 The Chinese Exclusion Act

1887 Buena Park Founded

1898 the American Anti-Imperialist League formed

1900 Oil discovered in California

1905 Japanese and Korean Exclusion league formed in California and gained 80,000 + members

1906 San Francisco Earthquake and fires

1906 - 1907 Typhoid

1910 Angel Island opens (West Coast’s Ellis Island)

1913 California Alien Land Law

1914 - 1918 WWI

1915 - 1955 Polio Outbreaks

1918 - 1919 Spanish Flu Pandemic

1920 ACLU founded

1920 Women get the right to vote

1920 - 1933 Prohibition

1921 - 1925 Diphtheria Outbreaks

1924 United States gives citizenship to some Native Americans

1929 Beginning of the Great Depression

1933 The Long Beach Earthquake

1939 - 1945 WWII

1941 Pearl Harbor

1942 President Roosevelt Signed Executive Order 9066 (Feb)

1942 General Dewitt issued Public Proclamation No. 1(Mar, internment camps)
1953 Buena Park Incorporated

Useful Resources
Buena Park Historical Society facebook page

Buena Park, California Letters, Documents, Etc.

Click here for the purpose of this blog, and an example of things you can find here.
Here is where I will keep any letters, documents etc. that reference Buena Park. Click here for the Buena Park timeline and useful resources. Click here for the cities in Orange County. Click here for the counties in California.

Letters
Letter from Helen McCoy to Willis Wilson This link goes to a page with the images of the letter with a transcription. It was written May 29, and April 10 1942. Helen was living on a farm, that Japanese Americans, or Japanese Immigrants were displaced from. right after Roosevelt's executive order 9066

Documents, Letters, Photos, Etc. Relating to Ernest Clement McCoy, and Helen Spencer Wilson

The links below will take you to pages where I have photographed, and transcribe the original documents. Some are in my possesion, others are in private collections, where I have been given permission to photograph and share the information.

Ernest Clement McCoy and Helen Spencer Wilson (Barnum, McCoy,Carson)

Letter from Helen McCoy to Willis Wilson Contains images, and a transcription written from May 29 - April 10 1942. Helen was living with husband Ernest McCoy, son Sonny (Carl Barnum), son Ernie (Ernest Pleasant McCoy), and daughter Orpha May McCoy. The letter was written to Willis Wilson, who was on his way to South Africa, where it is said he was murdered. The letter was sent back to her, because he died in South Africa.

Obituary, photo, and other information pertaining to Willis's death the obituary clipping, and photo are in a photo album that belonged to Helen, and is now part of a private collection.

Photos
Photo of David McCoy 1818 - 1892
Photo of Helen Wilson and Roberta Wilson
Photo of Ernest Clement McCoy and Helen Spencer Wilson
Photo of Fannie McCoy Fannie McCoy was Ernest Clement McCoy's sister.

Helen McCoy's Letter To Willis Wilson

This letter is part of a private collection. The author of the letter is my great grandmother Helen McCoy (maiden name Wilson). The recipient was Willis Wilson, her brother. This letter contains racial slurs. After the information on the envelope this is a direct transcription. I think it is important not to tone down any langauge used in the past. It is a snapshot in time. You should be able to view a larger image of the photos by clicking on them. Click here to view more items privately collected regarding Helen Wilson, and husband Ernest McCoy. I will add a little more information after finishing the transcription.

Post marked - Buena Park
June 11, 1942
6 pm Calif

Pencil - Trinity
Blue ink - this letter cam back after willis was killed
Black ink - Mr Willis H. Wilson
C/O Johnson, Drake & Piper Inc.
C/O Post Master New York, City

Back of envelope

McCoy
RT .1. Box 287 A
Buena Park, Calif

Buena Park Calif
May 29, 1942
Dear Willie
Im all alone as Mac is
still working & it is 10. oclock so thought
I would start a letter to you.
Sure hope you are not home sick & hope
you will write to me, as I will be looking
forward to hearing from you. I have to
go about three quarters of a mile to our
mail box & if I run out of cigs or milk
I am just out, there is a store about 2 1/2 miles
from here & I have no neighbors so you
can see I get pretty lonesome.
We have been moved in here almost
two weeks & you should see our house
or shake really. The japs left us two
dogs & I cant get rid of them I called
the police today & told them to come & get them
and I told him were we live & he got a kick out
of it but can not get them because of house
is in Orange County & our property L.A. County
& when the dogs are under the house they are in
Orange Co & when they are out from under it they
are in L.A. & they cant come into orange Co. so
every thing we do we have trouble on that account
Our phone is Artesia our mail in Buena Park
so we are every ware & no ware

I saw Mama last night, the first time in
two months, she is not a bit well. it
was sure to bad about Bert, she will be home
Monday baring complications
We have about six to eight kids out hear
each weekend to help us but they mostly
play & eat. Sonny sure has got it bad
he is sweet on a giral in town & writes
her to or three times a week & tells
her how much he loves her, he is going to
be like his old man, his first day in school
he came home & said "all the girls keep looking
at me all the time I wonder why mom?" Vain?
The babies are fine & sure eat swell out here, which
is the main reason I wanted to move out here
to get them out of the city into a different
invirnmont & I sure have. I dont seea soul half
the time, The cat had kittens of yes we have too
cats, besides the three dogs & Ernie wanted
to know how the mama made them imagin
4 years old & asking that, he broke a glass
to-day & started crying and said "how hard
are you going to whipe me, so of course I could
not whipe him.
We are going to lose a thousand dollars
on onions becausewe could not borrow
enough money to have them weeded & they have
not matured. Every thing has gone wrong

2
we could not get the japs out & our going

to lose plenty, our lettuce cost of thirty dollars
to thin out & we won't get half that out of it
as it is rotting in the center the celery
on other ranches is doing the same, the gov.
man yesterday said they think the jap did
something to the crops. if you see any of
those squint eyes on the way stick your tounge
out at them for me.
Sonny has learned how to take care & harnes
the horses & plows & cultivates good, he
rides one of the horses a lot, we have two
nice horses, they cost a hundred a piece & sure
do eat. I planted about five hundred tomato
plants las Sun. & hope to plant about nine
hundred more tomorrow, so you can see how
many time I have to lean over. I bet I lose
my tummie, hu? I make apretty good jap
I picked about two hundred head of lettuce in
less than three hours yesterday & and wont get
more than three dollar from it, we are getting
three &half cent a pound for onions which
isa pretty good price from onion we have about
eight acres of them dont know how many
will mature tho? We got two hundred dollars
fromour Caulifloure which is very good, but
our strawberries are not so hot. I bet you
wish you could eat a few, we have them
every meal.

June 10. I have been so busy I could not
finish this letter since Iwrote last
the sugar has been quite a problem we
have somany here It dont last the aloted
time we are alould five lbs ever other week
& are now using what brown sugar & syrup
in our coffee ect, so can't have berries so
often now & they sure are going to waste
I don't know what we are going to do, I realy
think we won't be able the last very
long as Mack can't quit & we can't make
a go of this if it don't the gov. will not give
us money unless they morgage our house
& we won't do that. suppose it will all come
out in the wash
Suppose buy now you are a long way
from no ware I heard Sun. on the radio
soldiers are fighting in S. Africa in 160
heat so guess you don't getall of it
The man said the soldier comein & fall
down uncounsis & are given shrts & sent
back out that must be hell.
We are getting a lot of heat here we are
only twelve miles from Santa Ana.
hope you will write to me will close
now & get to work, I have to pick strawberries
we can sure sell them fast & wish we had more
Love your big Sis Helen.

Writer - Helen Spencer McCoy (maiden name Wilson): Helen was born in St. Louis, MO. in 1905. She moved out to Los Angeles, CA. then to Redondo Beach, CA. with her father Robert Wilson, and mother Orpha Wilson (maiden name Spencer).

I feel Helen was a product of her generation. Children were taught from a young age to distrust and fear the "Yellow Peril".

Recipient - Willis Hembre Wilson: Born 1914 in Redondo Beach, CA. He was part of the Army Corp. of Engineers, working under Johnson, Drake, and Piper Inc.

Helen received the letter back, after Willis died in South Africa. The letter was sent shortly after Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066.

There has been discrimination against immigrants of practically all lands at some point in our nation's history. After adding photos and transcriptions of all my family's documents, letters, etc. I plan on creating a section on this blog just about prejudice and add transcriptions of old news paper articles.

I don't know who lived on the property before my great grandparents. I never knew they lived on a farm for a time. I do plan on finding out, and finding out which camp they were sent to "probably Mazanar" I want to know if they survived. If they ever got any land back, or had any compensation in any way. If I find them, and their descendants I will try to get photos of the Americans, or immigrants that were forced from their home and farm. If I get permission, I will post the photos here.

Here are a few of the laws that racism and fear fueled.
Naturalization Act of 1870
Chinese Exclusion Act
California Alien Land Law 1913
California Alien Land Law 1920
Immigration Act of 1924

Notable things to look up
Chinese Massacre 1871 - in Los Angeles
Asiatic Exclusion League
Anti-Jap Laundry League
Yellow Peril

Source
Title: Transcription / image of Helen McCoy's Letter To Willis Wilson
Transcriber / photographer Heather Wells

The original sources are part of a private family collection in Redondo Beach.
Please consult me before reproducing any images.

Monterey Park, California Timline

Here is a list of events that ma have affected the lives of your ancestors, followed by some useful resources. Click here for any rosters, documents, etc. that reference Monterey Park. Click here for the cities of Los Angeles, California. Click here for the counties of California.

The Native Americans known to have been inhabiting the area were the Tongva