Sunday's Obituary-John McFadden

From the Charleroi Mail 20 July 1909,  Charleroi, Pennsylvania

     The body of John McFadden aged 22 years of Roscoe, who was drowned in the Monongahela river at Duquesne  yesterday morning, was brought home last evening and the funeral will be held at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon from the Roscoe Catholic church.  The interment will be in Calvary cemetery, Charleroi.  The parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis McFadden, three brothers and three sisters survive.
     McFadden was employed by his uncle.  At 2:30 o'clock he left to take the numbers of several cars in a train, and a flat boat.  He was not see (sic) since that.  The body was recovered at about 11 o'clock yesterday.

Wednesday’s Child-Bertha and Ella E. McFadden

Bertha- born 1886 Apr 26 died 1886 Aug 1
Ella E.- born 1886 Apr 26 died 1886 Sep 10

Both are buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Coal Center, Pennsylvania.  The story I have heard is that they died from the 'sleeping sickness' which hit the community along the Monongahela River. 

These were my great grandparents (Dennis and Elizabeth Neuland McFadden's) first born.  So far, I have been unable to locate any additional information on their deaths or what the 'sleeping sickness' was.

Mystery Monday-interesting photograph

While scanning some negatives, I came across this interesting picture.  At first I thought this was an early movie theater because of the sign on the back wall with Episode no. 2 on top of the frame.  The kids could have been dressed up for the serial (like an early The Rocky Horror Picture Show). 

I quickly dismissed that idea and my second thought was this is a school and the kids are putting on a play.  The two kids in back (at first I thought they might be teachers) look like they could be the king and queen.  The kids in the front couple of rows could be subjects, wizards or other fairy tale characters.

There is some writing on the left of the theater which I have been unable to make out.  Also, behind the "king and queen" it looks like a box office. 

This picture raises a lot of questions but the main ones I am interested in are:
1.  What is the play?
2.  Where and when was the picture taken?
3.  Who are these kids?  Is it a school group?
4.  What is the show being advertized on the right?  Is it or whatever survives available on DVD?

ProGen Study Group

I am currently working on a contract for research and a fee schedule for my ProGen Study group. 

Our assignments for this lesson are:

· Chapter 6 – Executing Contracts by Patricia Gilliam Hastings J.D.

· Chapter 10 – Setting Realistic Fees by Sandra Hargreaves Luebking

Unfortunately, I can't seem to get these finished as early as I'd like to, although in my defense I did just get back from Michigan for a wedding so things have been a bit hectic of late.

The first thing I plan to do is come up with a simple contract.  Most of the examples I have seen divide general research and speaking duties, but to save time I may include them both in one form and see how it flies with the group.

Next, I need to identify my annual salary needs by determining billable hours, calculating the hourly fee and profit margin. The formula for setting fees is: Hourly Fee = (Salary + Expenses + Profit) / Billable Hours.  

Since I am not currently considering quitting my job and relying only on genealogical research for my living, this is more of an exercise for the future, but at least I'll have something to draw on when the time comes. 

Possible photo of great great grandmother

I came across a site that has this photo attached to the record for Dianacy "Dicy" WALLACE Autrey (1829-1925).  Dicy, I believe is the mother of Sealy "Celia" AUTREY Sample (1860-1907) but so far have been unable to verify their linkage, as described in previous posts. 

There is also a smaller head shot of this image on this site.  I did try to contact someone at the site but so far have not received a reply.  I would like more information on this picture such as when it was taken, who has the original, if it still exists and if there are others of her and her family. 

Playing with the image, adjusting tint, darkness etc. it does appear she is standing in front of a brick wall.  At the bottom by her left leg there is a round object but so far I have no clue what it could be. 
Finally, there is something about the way she is posed that makes me think this could be a post mortem photograph even though 1925 seems a little late since the practice had fallen off during the 20th century.

Another mystery to work on that hopefully does have an answer out there somewhere.

Houston Family History Expo 2012

Just returned from the Houston Family History Expo.  I go back tomorrow bright and early for day two.  So far, I have really enjoyed it.  At first when I arrived this afternoon I was a little disappointed because the main course I wanted to attend was cancelled.

Fortunately the other sessions I attended more than made up for it.  I am very jazzed now to try some new things that I learned about today.

Hopefully tomorrow will be just as informative, but even if it isn't, it has been well worth the time and headache of dealing with I-45 traffic.

Fearless Females Blog Post: March 20: Elusive or Brick Wall Ancestor

I have posted about my paternal great grandmother Sealy Elizabeth AUTREY Sample before.  So far, she just seems to have appeared out of no where and married my great grandfather Joseph H. Sample.  I have put together a timeline (which was an idea I got from a webinar by Marian of Marian's Roots & Rambles) to organize what I have and to plan for a future research trip to Arkansas and Louisiana where I can hopefully either prove or disprove what we believe about her.

9 Mar 1860 is the birthdate listed on her headstone in Lee Cemetery, Saline County, Arkansas. 
     Birthplace is unknown-census records list it as Union Parish, Louisiana.

1860 US Census-Union Parish, Louisiana.  This is the family which we think was Sealy's.  It's the
     household of:
          Jno Autry (born in Alabama) head
          Dianacy  (born in Mississippi) wife
          M. F. -7 daughter
          Jane P. -6 daughter
          Thos. M. -4 son
           E.P. -2 son
           C.E.-3 months daughter

1870 US Census-Union Parish, Louisiana- the household has a 10 year old daughter named Elizabeth.

7 Jul 1878- Lincoln Parish, Louisiana-marriage certificate for Sealy E. Autrey and J.H. Sample

1880 US Census-both are living in 6 Ward, Lincoln Parish, Louisiana.

      Household:

          Joseph H. Sample 31

          Clie E.  20

          Mary E. 5

          Lucinda 4

          Dora C. 7m

          Jesse 23 (servant)

1900 US Census-family now in Benton, Saline County, Arkansas

          J.H Sample 51

          Celia 40

           Katie 21

           Susie 19

           Palvin 15

           Lillian 13

           Minnie 11

           Joe 5

           Paralee 2

15 Jul 1907 Benton, Saline County, Arkansas death date inscribed on headstone.

My plan is to visit Union Parish, Louisiana and Saline County, Arkansas and try to find legal, property or other type records that may shed some light or indicate if this is the right trail.