Margarite Rose Blish Mallette Rash 1895-1973



This is a picture I received today of my great grandmother from my newly found cousin. Since my mother did not have contact with her father or his side of the family after he and my grandmother divorced she never knew her grandmother or had any pictures of that side of the family. Margarite divorced my great grandfather John Paul Mallette. With the exception of my grandfather Lloyd George Mallette, their three girls were sent to live with other relatives. One of the girls Lenora Mae Mallette, a year older than Lloyd, was my cousin's grandmother. My grandfather stayed with my great grandfather, eventually they moved to California where my great grandfather remarried a divorcee with a daughter.

Gathering Puzzle Pieces

There is confusion about Hiram. Was he a Graham or a Wood? My great grand father Lester Garfield Graham (LGG)  refers to him being from the Graham side of the family in his memoirs.  However, the more I look into various resources I am wondering if he was really a Wood. In the 1830 Middletown, Delaware, New York Census there is listed Grove Graham, Benjamin Wood, and Hiram Wood [and a Hezekiah Wood and a Andrew Graham]. It shows there are only two people in the household, Hiram and a wife. This would match with LGG's account that Hiram was older than Benjamin and that he and his wife had no children when they left New York for Illinois together.  Could Hiram have been a cousin?  According to another distant cousin, it is believed Betsey had a brother named Benjamin and she and Grove gave this name to their son - my great great Grandfather Benjamin Nelson Graham.  Nothing definite here at the moment, just putting thoughts to electronic paper...kind of like thinking out loud....way out loud on the www. Who knows, maybe brainstorming and thinking out loud will spark a memory of some sort with someone else who can help with this road block.  I'm gathering puzzle pieces. Anyone with any other pieces out there?

Cousins

I just found a new cousin, Terry. Her grandmother, Lenora Mae Mallette, was my mother's aunt on her fathers side. She passed away 13 Mar 88. I have knocked down a portion of the road block to the Mallette side of my tree....more to come.

The Cullimore Family Tree - the tree that started me on my story telling journey for my family.

Like Father Like Son - In the Navy

I digitally scrapbooked this page of my Grandfather Albert Weigandt,

and my dad, Stephen Baylor Weigandt.

In this photo is my Great Grandmother Mary Vogel Weigandt, on her lap is Mary Helen (Helen), standing on the table is my Grandfather Albert Weigandt and next to him is my Great Grandfather Jacob Weigandt. My Great Aunt Helen is not sure of the time when this photo was taken, but it has to be before Feb 1921 as that is when my great grandmother passed away. She says she was two when her mother died, so she thinks the photo was taken around 1918/1919.

Katherine Ruth Graham Weigandt

A digital scrapbook page I did of a photo of my grandmother.

"Historical and Biographical Sketches of Washington County Kansas" 1883 -- John W. Cullimore

"...The same year [1869] came J.W. Cullimore to open his pioneer hardward store...."

"Knights of Honor. -- Keystone Lodge, No. 1,473, was organized March 12, 1879, with twelve charter members and H.C. Sprengle, dictator. At present (Sept 1882) the membership of the lodge is twenty-five, and the officers are as follows: T.M. Achenbach, dictator; J.M. Welch, Vice-dictator; J.W. Cullimore, assistant dictator; Jacob Miller, reporter; Frank Road, financial reporter; Thomas Haak, , treasurer; H.C. Sprengle, chaplain; D.M. Evans, guide; J. Deniston, guardian; J.B. Baumbarger, sentinel; E.N. Emmons, past dictator.
"Historical and Biographical Sketches of Washington County Kansas" 1883

1372 Sixtieth Congress. Sess 1. Ch 196. 1908, page 1372 - John W. Cullimore

“The name of John W. Cullimore, late second Lieutenant Company F, First Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, and pay him a pension at the rate of thirty dollars per month in lieu of that he is now receiving.” United States Statutes at Large Vol 35 Part 2

 

 

Logtown, Hancock County, Mississippi

My mother's grandparents - Henry Laurence Mays and Bertha Snow Mays both worked in Logtown. Bertha was the postmistress in the post office.

This old town is located just south of NASA’s Stennis Space Center east of the Pearl River and south of Picayune. On a 1938 map, it is shown north of the junction of present I-10/SH 607. (GBS)

Logtown was established in the early 1800s.  This once booming town actually got its name from the logging industry and supplied logs to New Orleans.  The unnamed location was known as “The Log Town,” and the name stuck. The town operated along the Pearl River as part of large chain of lumber mill industries, which boomed after the Civil War and became one of the largest lumber industries in the world. With the coming of the Great Depression, many of the mills closed, except one that was located on the Pearl River at Gainesville. The town was alive until it was sold by the state to NASA in 1961. In the end, Logtown and five of its neighboring towns were bulldozed into the ground, sparing only the cemeteries and roads.

 Contributed by Patrick Duhe (Nov 04, 2003)

Hiram - are you a Woods or a Graham?

Lester Garfield Graham (LGG), my great grandfather, writes in his memoirs about his father Benjamin Nelson Graham (BNG) moving from Middletown, Ulster County, New York, with his brother Hiram to Illinois. There is no mention of a last name for Hiram and census back then does not show names of everyone in the house, just head of household and the number of people/children by age group. When they moved, LGG notes that Hiram was married so he couldn't have been a youth. The road block takes me to the Woods side of the family. Elizabeth "Betsy" Wood Graham was BNG's mother and married to Grove Graham his father.  Was Hiram Betsy's brother - BNG's brother in law? I think it is very probable that he is his brother in law. I find vague references to a Hiram Dustin Wood born around 1805 in the same county.  More research to do on this.

LLoyd George Mallette - 21 Jun 1941 - 4 Apr 1961

LGM was my mother’s father. She never knew him or had any information about him other than the information that appeared on her birth certificate. My grandmother, Viola Louise Mays Mallette Timm (VLMMT), refused to talk about him, even to me, and all my mother new is that they divorced. He never remarried.  At the time of the divorce, there were two children, Barbara Jean Mallette Weigandt (BJMW), my mom; and, her brother George. I have done some research on LGM and have found the following:

--He was born in Bonners Ferry, Idaho (today known as Bonner).  He had a least one sister (I think she moved to live with other  relatives in Washington, possibly a maternal grandparent). Census shows one child in household aprox 1 year older than him and there may have been one more born after him.  His parents, John Paul Mallette and Margaret Rose Blish Mallette divorced or his mother died. I’ve found census records that listed his father as widow and as divorced. I have seen more references towards divorced. His father moved to California and remarried to a divorcee with a daughter, LGM moved with him. LGM had siblings but the only children census records reflect are him and his step sister living with his father and step mother. His father moved from Michigan where he was born to Idaho to work in the lumber industry…one of the largest in the US at the turn of the last century. Logging became the major industry over gold mining.  It is assumed he meet LGM’s mother after moving to Idaho since records for Michigan show him as being single.  LGM’s mother was born in either Washington or Wisconsin. LGM’s birth certificate lists his mother’s birth place as Wisconsin and his death certificate lists her birth place as Washington. They also spell her first name differently. The area was harsh in winters and violent crime rampant between competing lumber companies. Lumber camp houses were small and roughly put together. Life pre-WWI in Bonner Ferry was inhospitable at times in log camps, and not a place one would think to raise children.

--LGM is buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery, plot 2944, 7 Apr 1961, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California. Veterans records list him as divorced, no dependents, two children. At the time of his death his occupation was listed as cabinet maker, manufacturer, Pacific Woodworking Co.

--He enlisted into the Army Air Force 12 Dec 1941 and his service number was 19013836. His civilian occupation at the time of his enlistment was listed as gas man with 3 years high school.

--He was at Gulfport Field, Mississippi, during his enlistment, exact dates at the moment are unknown. His records just reflect that he was there. Gulfport Army Airfield opened 7 Jul 1942. It conducted technical training and basic training until its transfer to 3d Air Force 31 Mar 1944. At that time it was jointly used by Keesler Army Base. Under 2d Air Force it conducted replacement training for heavy bomber (B-17/B-24) units in addition to B-29 aircrew transition training.  It is assumed while assigned to Gulfport Field is when he met my grandmother since she was born in Gulfport and that is where my mother was born also.

--When he separated, he was a Sergeant with the 450^th AAFBU (Army Air Force Base Unit), Hammer Field, Fresno, California. The 450^th was a combat crew training station-night fighter). It is not known at this time exactly what he did within the 450^th.

--Cause of death was heart related – no, they didn’t have Lipitor back then and ate food cooked in lard. Food tasted so good cooked in lard but we now know it is not all that good for us.

When did my grandparents divorce? I have not been able to determine that as of this date. I hope to determine when she married her second husband Leroy Timm who was an officer in the Navy.  He told me he was a pilot, but I do not remember what airframe he flew. The ones above were not associated with the Navy, that I’m not aware of anyway.. I am wondering if they divorced in California since I cannot find records to the such in Mississippi.  My grandmother’s baby sister once told me, while visiting her in San Antonio in the early 80s, that my grandmother divorced my grandfather who she felt would not amount to much because of his education and being enlisted for an officer who had a higher income and more prestige. When my grandmother did remarry she sent my mom and her brother to live with my great grandparents for awhile in Gulfport.  There are still a lot of clues to research out and this is what I’ve found so far.

 

 

I purchased a copy of this book this afternoon. I also managed to find a copy of the centennial book (1860-1960) that I do know has reference to some of our family members, but I didn't save a copy of the cover. I will have to post that after I get it in the mail. Can't wait for both of them to get here!  :o)

John W. Cullimore Hardware Store

While in Washington Kansas 1-2 Aug 10, I researched the location of JWC's hardware store. After reading through several papers of personal memories of Washington (before and at the turn of the last century), one of the volunteers and I were able to determine the original location of his store.  It was situated at the south east section of the town square. The signage shows this was after he became sole proprietor after buying his brother's (George) interest in Cullimore Brothers.  The store is no longer there and today there is a garbage business where it once stood. The older photo is currently owned by the genealogical society. I propped it up against my purse and took the above photo. I wish I could have found one that completely showed his store. I then went outside and took the lower photo 2 Aug 10. His store stood in the empty lot where the garbage truck is.

Richard T. Hill & the Hill Settle Tobacco Co

Richard T. Hill and the Hill Settle Tobacco Co

 

In a transcribe copy of John W. Cullimore’s (JWC) memoirs, he writes that he “…was absent from home [Washington, Kansas] about 6 years in St Louis where I was with the Hill ??? Tobacco Company, during the last year as manager of the plant.” JWC’s wife Courtenay M. Hill Cullimore was sister to Richard T. Hill (RTH).

 

“The Industries of Saint Louis: Her relations as a center of trade” published 1887 by J.W. Leonard reflects the following:

Page 182: “Hill-Settle Tobacco Company.-Richard T. Hill, President; Thomas T. Settle, Secretary and Treasurer; sole Manufacturers of concentrated Extract of Tobacco, and Extract of Tobacco Salve; 114 Pine street.-This business was established in 1879 for the purpose of manufacturing a patented ‘Concentrated Extract of Tobacco for Sheep dip.’  The firm was originally Hill, Slayden &Settle, and was afterwards incorporated as the Hill-Settle Tobacco Co., in 1882. The company are sole manufacturers and patentees of ‘Concentrated Extract of Tobacco for Sheep Dip,’ which they ship to all sheep raising portions of the country, but more largely to South Africa, South America, and Australia. In addition to the manufacture of the sheep dip they are also sole manufacturers of a ‘Tobacco Salve’ for cuts, wounds, etc., for man or beast, largely used by stockmen, express companies, transfer companies, and livery teaming companies. Another branch of their business is the manufacture of the celebrated ‘Tabacan,’ an infallible remedy for piles, a discovery of their own, and they also deal largely in tobacco stems, which they ship east and as far south as Florida, for fertilizing purposes. The extent of their business in this line is shown by the fact that they bought from Liggett & Myers alone 395,000 lbs. of tobacco stems last September. Their factory is situate on Theresa avenue and Missouri Pacific R. R., and is 50x150 feet in dimensions. Their office is located at 114 Pine street. Their trade is immense in its proportions, their sheep dip being far superior to any other compound manufactured for the same purpose, and their other articles equally meritorious for the purpose for which they are manufactured.  The success which has attended their efforts to introduce these goods has resulted from this excellence, combined with the thorough system pervading their management of their affairs, and fairness and liberality with which they conduct their dealings with their customers in all parts of the world.”

 

“Journal of the American Chemical Society, Volume 2”, By the American Chemical Society, reflects the following patent information:

“229,130. – Concentrated extract of tobacco. Richard T. Hill. The tobacco is extracted with water, and a little acid, at a temperature not exceeding 130 degrees F., and the extract afterwards evaporated to the consistency of a syrup.”

 

“Gould’s Business Directory, of the City of St. Louis for 1890” reflects:

Tobacco Manufacturers. Hill Settle Tobacco Co. 412 N. 2d St. Louis

 

“State Horticultural Society of Missouri, Annual Report, Volume 40” reflects:

“While planting, each young apple tree should have a liberal supply of tobacco dust placed about and over the roots and close up to the body, and a little earth covered over this tobacco….Tobacco dust can be obtained from the Hill-Settle Tobacco Co., of St. Louis, Mo…”

 

“The Missouri Yearbook of Agriculture: Annual Report, Volume 29” reflects:

Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. Total receipts and expenditures, all sources, for the year ending June 30, 1896.

Hill-Settle Tobacco Co, voucher 1007 paid in the amount of $3.25 for sundry supplies.

 

“The Southwestern Reporter, Volume 24” reflects:

Supreme Courts of Missouri, January 1-February 26, 1894. Cases Reported reflects Bauman v. Boeckeler et al. (Supreme Court of Missouri, Division No. 1. Nov 27, 1893) Action by William Bauman, a minor, by John Bauman, his next friend, against Adolphus Boeckeler and the Hill-Settle Tobacco company, for personal injuries. From a judgment for plaintiff, defendants appeal. Reversed and remanded.

 

The “St. Louis City Directory for 1897” reflects Hill-Settle Tobacco Co, 322 Pine St., St. Louis, Mo.

 

Tree

The tree in the header of this blog is a photo I took of a tree on the Graham family homestead outside of Hollenberg Kansas. Don't really know why I took the photo. But, now I wonder how old this tree is, is it from the turn of the last century?

Welcome

Trying to write one's family history can be rather daunting, to say the least. Even more so when your dyslexic and have poor grammar skills. It can be quite exasperating trying to put some simblance of order to the tons of information I've accumulated since I began this journey while living in England in 2004. Should I write a book, use Facebook, use a genealogy website or write a blog? There are so many options, but no matter which avenue(s) I choose there will always be a family member who will not be able to access portions my collection of information and research. What to do, what to do?  Do I do more than one?  Yes. This blog will be my avenue of sharing information, and feelings, as I progress through my mirad of projects such as writing a book and updating my tree on Ancestry.com.  This, I believe, will also allow for sharing of information quicker.  Though they are all different in how they share information, the end goal is to be the story teller for my family.  To tell the stories of generations that came before me, who still walk with me and for the generations yet to be. I welcome your comments and inputs.