Ancestors - Taft Side

This is Elizabeth Graves born 17 Oct 1824 in PA. and her husband Alanson Taft. Born 3 Sep 1817 in NY.

This is Absalom Taft, their son and

part of his family. He was born 27 Mar 1841 in Mercer County, PA.

This is his son, Ruel Taft with his

granddaughters. My mother, Shirley Ann Taft is the last little girl on the right.

This is Beverley J. Taft, her father Harley Taft (son of Ruel Taft and Myrtle Roghers), Hazel Copus Taft and my mother, Shirley Ann Taft.

Frank B. Houck

Found this website with information about Frank B. Houck, Leah's grandfather.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=69955574

There's a photo of his marker and a short obituary...rather interesting. Enjoy!

Ellsworth M. Kutz and his patent

I have been working tonight at the family history center. I found out that Ellsworth M. Kutz, Rob's great grandfather had a patent (#628,584) for a combined chair and cane. Here is a link so you can see the design and patent.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=w5pKAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false
Pretty exciting I think! Enjoy!
Filing date: Apr 5, 1899 Issue date: Jul 11, 1899

Family

Was able to visit with Holli's family for Thanksgiving as everyone knows. I felt humbled that another generation knows "Aunt Lissie". What a great blessing it has been to me in my life to see the Eberly children grow when they were wee ones! I love seeing their children growing now too! I actually forgot about this blog and came across it when I was looking up Ida Leah Adam and Dewey D. Houck today! I will try to post new information on the ancestors here as I find it!

Photos of Mom

Here are a few photos I found of Mom...I hope you all enjoy them.

Memories of Dad

Mom wrote this poem at the passing of Grandpa Harley Taft...it seems appropriate for her as well:

Memories of Dad

He lay alone,

Tho we were there,

And dealt with shadows

And despair.

Who knows what thoughts

Filled his mind,

As death sought

To break the ties that bind.

In agaony,

We watched him there.

We held his hand

And stroked his hair.

There was so little

We could say

As we sat beside him,

Night and day.

He grew weaker

As each day passed.

Till his gentle smile

Was stilled, at last.

We weep,

Because he's here no more.

Yet, know he's safe

On that far shore.

Where all is bright

And, oh so fair!

I know one day

We'll meet him there.

A Poem Mom wrote fro

Poems From Long Ago

The Gospel

by

Anne Virgil

The Gospel has been taken to all the Earth

Yet there are many people who

Still don't know the worth

of the dear Prophet, Joseph, who for

The Gospel gave his life.

And the courageous Latter-day Saints,

Who endured so much strife.

Would that we could, make all people understand

The glorious thing that happened,

Here in this choice land.

But, the day will come when they

Will know the things we've tried to say

That they will then accept the Gospel,

I must humbly pray.

And for those of us who know it's true

It is my humble prayer,

That we testify to them by the things

We say and do.

Diet Blues

by

Anne Virgil

Dieting is such a bore,

Counting calories quite a chore.

Passin' all those goodies by

Leaves me askin' myself "Why"?

Why does my food turn to fat

While others eat and end up lookin' like Jack Sprat.

"Fat is Beautiful" isn't true,

This diet thing just leaves me blue.

Thoughts of You

by

Anne Virgil

I'm sitting here,

pen in hand,

thinking thoughts of you

wondering...

If you were here with me

what would we find to do?

Would we listen to records on the phonograph

and talk of days gone by?

Or maybe we'd walk by the river's edge

and look at the sun-streaked sky.

Maybe we'd stroll through the snow-hushed park

and build a snowman just for a lark.

Or get in the car and go on jaunts

to some of our ancestors former haunts.

But what does it matter

what we would do?

For all of the pleasure

is in just being with you.

Snow

by

Anne Virgil

Every winter I wish for snow

And why I do it, I don't know.

True - it's very pretty stuff

But driving in it is kinda rough.

Still and all it's kinda nice

Heaven knows tho, I don't wish for ice.

It's fun to watch the snowflakes drifting down

Until pretty soon they cover the ground.

Christmas isn't Christasmasey if it isn't white

And Santa's sleigh won't run quite right.

So really, it's nice to have some snow

Tho we don't need blizzards that rage and blow

But lazy snowflakes drifting down

Until they softly cover the ground.

Seasonal Tapestry

by

Anne Virgil

The seasons weave a tapestry

as the years go quickly by

The designs are by a Master hand

that paints the Earth and sky.

Winter blusters in all its might

snow falls heavily thru the dark of night.

The day dawns cold and gray and drear

in this most miserable time of year.

The pure white landscape's beauty redeems

all the inconveniences of the long, cold winter, it seems.

Springtime comes as a great relief

with misty beauty beyond belief.

The pungent smell of rain-washed Earth

in this wondrous time of its re-birth.

The leaves unfold, the flowers grow

then dims our memories of the snow.

Summer bursts upon the scene

and the Earth is dressed in shades of green.

Long days spent in the golden sun

soft, purple twilights when day is done.

All too soon it passes by

and migrating birds fill the sky.

Autumn steals across the land

with glorious color by the Master hand.

And so to winter, once again

to dream by the fire of what has been.

God, our Father, in his majesty

weaves for us this tapestry.

I Would Walk With Thee

by

Anne Virgil

I would walk with thee,

barefoot in the sand,

at the ocean's edge

strolling hand in hand.

Listening to the roar,

the mighty ocean's sound,

watching birds o'er head,

wondering where they're bound.

Marveling as the setting sun,

streaks the sky with gold

walking hand in hand thru life,

til we've both grown old.

I would share with thee,

all the joys and sorrows of this life,

laugh at all the funny things,

comfort thee in strife.

I would share with thee

the beauty of nature all around

share a book, a painting,

the tender feeling in a love song's sound.

Walking hand in hand thru life,

sharing is pure gold.

Loving, caring, together

til we've both grown old.

Touching

by

Anne Virgil

For a time our lives touched,

there was a closeness,

mind meeting mind...thoughts shared.

There was a laughter, and it was like sunshine.

The beginnings of a love, which was not to be

a parting

and now thoughts on paper

and memories.

My Prayer

by

Anne Virgil

Father, I have lost my way

Wilt thou hear my prayer today?

Thru thy spirit wilt thou guide

wilt thou stay close by my side?

Show me Father, which way to go

help me, so that I may grow.

Let me always strive to be

the kind of child that pleases thee.

Let me pray both day and night

to keep thy pathway in my sight.

Father wilt thou grant me strength

that I may overcome at length

all my earthly cares and woe

til home to thee I may go.

A Time and a Place

by

Anne Virgil

There's a time and a place for everything,

when one's at the table, one mustn't sing.

Cracking jokes is against the rule

when one's attending Sunday School.

Eating crackers when one's in bed,

well, really, shouldn't you eat them at the table instead?

Using one's knife when one's eating peas

is almost certain not to please.

When one is alone, out in a crowd,

one only draws stares by laughing aloud.

Slurping one's soup isn't quite right

and drinking from one's bowl is impolite.

One mustn't giggle our use a loud voice

when one's at the library for books of one's choice.

There's lots and lots of things one shouldn't do

But, I sometimes do them...do you?

Hot Air Balloon by Shirley Ann Taft

This photo was taken in May of 1953.

I gazed in wonder and delight

To see a sight so fair

Great gaudy stripes

Against the sky

Held aloft by air.

Skimming o'er the treetops

You must feel fine and free

With a bird's-eye view of the world below

It's a lovely place to be.

Another Poem by Shirley Ann Taft

Aunts and uncles

And cousins galore

A wonderful assortment

of food in store.

Lots of talk and laughter

As we whiled the hours away.

The men pitching horseshoes

As the children

Engaged in play.

Mom's Poetry

End of Autumn

Autumn is flinging her colors around

Leaves thickly cover the ground

It's cold and gray and the trees look bereft

Wearing only the few leaves the wind has left

Undecided

When the heat of the summer was upon me,

I thought I would wither away,

And I vowed to myself, not to grumble

When the days turned cold and gray.

But summer's heat is gone and forgotten

The days are windy and cold

As i shiver away, I rue the day

I complained of the summer's gold.

Remembrances of Vivian Copus Price

I received a letter from Aunt "V" dated Oct. 5th, 1983 here is what she wrote:

(Aunt V was born 1 Feb 1905)

I've been thinking about Grandma Miller, trying to remember all I could about her. Her name as you know was Hulda Orlane Welsh.(born 11 Oct 1852) I remember her well from about the time I was five and she would have been close to sixty years of age. At that time she was tiny-about five feet tall but she may have lost a couple of inches with age as we all do.

She was never fat but had a huge tumor on her abdomen. Thirty five pounds of fluid were drawn off once but it soon came back and she never did any more about it and in the end it burst and killed her. At the time she was living with her son Tom in Michigan.

Mother had twelve children but I am the only one who got Grandma's characteristics and looks. When I was little I was so strong willed and so was she, that we often had our differences and Mom would say, "No wonder -you are just alike".

Grandma loved to do things for anyone in need - I believe she bought all of the material for our clothes which Mom made. She couldn't get money from Grandpa because he was a tight Dutchman(he really is of German descent) and besides he didn't have much-all the income he had was $55.00 per month pension plus he did work off and on in later years. Grandpa (Miller) was a carpenter in his younger days. He was a Civil War Vet. That $55.00 went as far in those days as $550.00 would now however - so in order to have money she would go out and work. Usually for families where the mother had a new baby. In those days a woman was kept in bed for ten days.

She would leave Grandpa at home alone to fend for himself. Sometimes she would go far enough that she would have to go on the train. But she had a compulsion to get out and work and also to have money. I understand her so well because I am the same way.Luckily I married a man who lets me do whatever I want to do. Grandma was just born about 75 years too soon.

I did spend more time with her than the others did as I was the oldest girl. She taught me so many things as she lived by little rules like (Ben Franklin sayings mostly) waste not - want not, a stitch in time saves nine, make hay while the sun shines, God helps those who help themselves, if you want a thing done well do it yourself. But the most important thing she taught me was, "Where there is a will, there is a way." She repeated that so many times and I never doubted her.

It has worked for me all my long life. I never failed in anything I wanted to do in all these years. It never even occurred to me that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to if I worked hard enough at it. I always figured if someone else could do it, I could too.

I don't think Grandma was too happy with Grandpa. We children never cared much for him as he was so gruff with us. She may have gone to work and stayed longer for that reason. Finally he got tired of her being and staying away for months and divorced her.

She did help a lot of poor people with her little earning though.

this letter is several pages long. I will divide it up by the people she wrote about.

Dewey Daniel Houck and Ida Leah Adam

This is Dewey Daniel Houck and Ida Leah Adam. They were married 26 Oct 1918 in Kutztown, Berks, PA. He was born on 5 Apr 1898 at Oley, Berks, PA and died 19 Jun 1978. His parents were Frank Benjamin Houck and Hannah Hunter. She was born on 12 Dec 1897 and died 22 Nov 1932. Her parents were Howard C. Adam and Rosa Hinterleiter.

Their children are:

Harvey Houck - born 13 Feb 1917 - Berks County, PA

Paul Houck - born 17 Aug 1919 - Berks County, PA

Anna Ruth Houck - born 31 Jan 1921 - Kutztown, Berks, PA

Barton Houck - 19 Aug 1922 - Berks County, PA

Dewey Houck Jr. - born 9 Jan 1924 - Berks County, PA

Maryln(?) Houck - born 20 Apr 1925 - Kutztown, Berks, PA

Leah Rachel Houck - born 11 Apr 1930 - Wernersville, Berks, PA**

Joshua Faulkner

Joshua Faulkner

This is from a letter written by Aunt V. (Grandma Taft's sister...Vivian Copus Price)

• Joshua Faulkner was born in Union County, Ohio, 3 April 1831 to Samuel and Ida Minerva Martin (or Jordan) Faulkner. He was married to Charlote Calist Coleman, daughter of Nathan and Mary Tilberry Coleman. To them were born two children, Ida and Hiram. They probably lived on our Grandpa George Copus's farm since that land was purchased by Calista's father and given to her. She died in June of 1864 when Hiram was two.
• On March 20, 1865 Joshua enlisted for one year in the Army. According to his record he had blue eyes, brown hair, and ruddy complexion. he was five feet seven inches tall. He was musterred out of the Army July 14, 1865 near Jeffersonville, Indiana. A neighbor cared for the two young children during his absence. Side note: he was actually drafted...he didn't enlist.
• He later married a widow I believe, and they had one son. After her death he married a young woman named Emma Totlin and they had a very large family. His last child was born when Joshua was 69 years old. They may have lived in Sand Creek until after a teenage son and teenage daughter of George and Ida (George and Ida were Grandma Taft's paternal grandparents) were struck and killed by a bolt of lightning as they were closing windows during a storm. One was upstairs and one down. That was 23 June 1897.
• After that Grandma Ida refused to live in that house so I would think that is when Joshua gave the farm to Ida since it belonged to her mother. He bought a farm near Soldier's Grove on County Trunk X and lived there until they moved west.
• Aunt Garnie said he moved to Bellingham, WA because he was determined one of his young daughters would marry an old man with a lot of money. The grown up children were so against it that he sold up and moved and the old man went also. The daughter married him in Washington. The married children stayed in Wisconsin, one was Calista Potts. Uncle Edgar stayed although he wasn't married at the time.
• I think maybe Joshua didn't have much of a sense of humor. Aunt Garnie told me about one he walked into their house and rapped on the door. Grandma Ida didn't know who it was, but she called out, "Come in if your nose is clean." He was insulted and started to leave, but she soothed him down.
• I think he must have moved West shortly before Grandma Ida died since the family group picture was taken before they left showed the youngest son to be about 3 or so. Ida died in January of 1904. The boy was born in 1900.
• Joshua died 22 April 1911 and two of his sons brought his body to Wisconsin for burial. He was buried in the Whiteaker Cemetery in Clayton Township, Crawford, Wisconsin. It was about a mile and a half from the old farm, but the road that went to it then is no longer there.
• Teddi, Jenni, Robby, Holli, Joshua, Amy, Andrew, Shea
• Denise Virgil/Felice Vigil
• Shirley Anne Taft
• Hazel Agnes Copus
• Leroy Copus
• Ida Faulkner
• Joshua Faulkner

I have pictures of Joshua I will have to post when I can get them scanned.

Hazel Copus Taft

Hazel Agnes Copus was the sixth child of Leroy Copus and Julia Miller. She was born 16 March 1914 in Gays Mills, Crawford, Wisconsin. She was three years old when her father died. Leroy and Julia had seven children when he died. Julia married Royal Marlette on 19 August 1918.

Grandma wrote her life story some time ago...I wanted to share some things you probably never heard of before...

We used to pick berries and get a few blue berries and cranberries. We didn't go to the back of our first farm as it was a marsh...think cranberries grew there but probably not many.

Dodd (one of her brothers) and I used to hunt on Saturdays, would wade snow clear to our waist-got rabbits and partridges - it all helped. We'd really be wet when we got home. He was only 13 and shouldn't have been hunting.

Millie (a sister) and I stayed with Alf (a the oldest of the 7) and Amelia (his wife) on the first farm the folks had. Dodd had been down to the place 3 miles south to see about it and didn't come home when Amelia thought he should so she sent me to look for him on horse back. It was below zero and I was afraid to get off and walk because of wolves. It was night-I went 4 miles and didn't see him, so went back home. He had cut across and was there when I got there. I frosted my feet-had big blisters on them for a few days. They bothered me for many years.

Finally in January (year?) we all went to Madison - the folks were living in two rooms so you can imagine what it was like - Alf and Amelia went on to Iowa then. There was a fair sized closet and us kids slept on a cot in there.

Theda got pneumonia and then I did. I didn't go back to school that year. Anyway I was suppose to be in 8th grade and the school near us only went to 6th grade so guess where I went.

I didn't get over the pneumonia like I should have so the doctors thought I should go to the country. i went to Aunt Cora Whiteakers - near Soldier's Grove. She had had an operation and wasn't supposed to do heavy work, so I did the scrubbing, etc. I got there on a Saturday, went down on the trail to Boscobel, and Sunday morning at 5 o'clock they got me up to teach me how to milk. I milked my 4 cows night and morning. They were good to me, but I didn't get the rest I should have had.

On March 1, 1928 I went to Rocky Knoll San at Plymouth, Wis. Went on the bus and they met me from the San. March 16th I was 14 years old. At the San they had entertainment every one . If a church or school put on a play they would bring it out for the patients to see - had band concerts some in the summer.

One Christmas the patients put on a play and the big shots were invited, trustees, etc. I gave a reading and others acted out the birth of Jesus. They always had a banquet at Christmas - really put on a feed. The dining room was filled - it was a pretty room with a living on one end.

The first Christmas I was supposed to go home to Madison but the folks decided they couldn't afford it so I had to stay. Anyone what was up was allowed to go home for a week. There wasn't anyone to eat in the dining room so I had a tray in the ward. There was twins there about a year or a year and a half - they let me play with them while everyone was gone - otherwise we weren't allowed near them. The mother was a patient there so they had the children for awhile to make sure they didn't have it too.

In the two years I was there, Mother was there twice....

Maximiano Vigil

Maximiano Vigil was born on 20 September 1891 at Turkey Creek, Huerfano, CO to Jose de la Luz Vigil and Maria Dolores Gallegos.

Maximiano died on 27 May 1935 at Alhamabra, Los Angeles, CA.

Maximiano was married twice. He was first married to Maria Jacinta Trujillo on 21 Jan 1909 at Turkey Creek, Huerfano, CO.

Maria Jacinta Trujillo was born on 13 September 1896 to Maria Edwigen Trujillo at Turkey Creek, Huerfano, CO.

Maximiano and Jacinta had a son, Jose Tobias born on 17 December 1909 at Turkey Creek, Huerfano, CO.

Their second son was Andres, born on 20 January 1911 at Pueblo, Pueblo, CO.

It appears Jacinta and Tobias died in 1911. Maximiano left Andres with his half-brother, Juan Quintana and his wife, Nicolasa Trujillo. She was Jacinta's aunt. Andres (Andy) was basically raised a Quintana, though he did spend time with Maximiano and his second family.

Maximiano joined the Army was sent to Camp Cotton, Texas. Camp Cotton is at El Paso. Tradition has it that he was with General Jack Pershing in the expedition to go into Mexico and get Pancho Villa.

It was at this time he met Maria Juana Ortiz. They were married on 15 November 1915 at El Paso, El Paso, TX.

Maximiano worked for the Union Pacific railroad and so they moved a lot. To this union was born ten children.

Rogelio (Roy) born 21 Oct 1915 at El Paso, TX

Tobias (Toby...named after his son who died) born 21 Aug 1917 at Pueblo, CO

Maximo born 21 May 1919 at Fresno, CA

Arthur born 25 Jan 1921, Pixley, Tulare, CA

Jacinta (Jessie...named after his first wife) born 3 Jan 1923 at Ogglesby, CA

Dolores born 19 Jan 1925 at Colton, CA

Rita born 1 Sep 1927 at Sloan, NV

Samuel born 15 Oct 1928 at Sloan, NV

Margaret (Maggie) born 2 Mar 1930 at Pico, CA

James born 8 Aug 1932 at Whittier, CA

SIDE NOTE: I did not know about Maximiano's first family. While living in Spartanburg in 1993 I was at home while Frank was at work (he worked in the evenings). I could feel someone there. It was funny because I knew who it was. He came to me because he wanted to be sealed to his first family too. It was very soon after this I was contacted by Sharon Halverson, one of his great granddaughters. She wanted to find out more about his first family...the one she came through. Together we were able to find out a lot of information. It was after that I was able to find a lot of genealogical information on the Vigil's too. It seemed like the flood gates opened. It was a real testimony to me that the folks on the other side of veil know who we are and are aware of what we are doing.

Maria Clemente Josefa Hortiz Rodriguez

This is the only picture we have of Clemencia Ortiz.

***

Teddi, Jenni, Robby, Holli, Joshua, Amy, Andrew and Shea

***

Denise, Felice, David

***

Arthur Virgil/Anne Taft

***

Maximiano Vigil/Maria Juana Ortiz

***

?/Clemencia Ortiz

Tradition says Maria Juana's father was Antonio Saenz. In fact, we grew thinking her name was Maria Juana Saenz...until I tried to find her in the parish records and civil registration. No Maria Juana Saenz. I talked to Uncle Sammy Vigil who said, "Oh, didn't you know she was illegitimate?" The answer was "No!" I went back to the film records and found her birth/christening a year later than when she was born. Hence, the question mark next for the "spouse" of Clemencia Ortiz.

I have been told Clemencia was a very kind person. She was also blind.

The man in the picture's last name is Chano Saenz.

Maria Clemente Josefa Hortiz Rrodriguez was the daughter of Jose Brigido Ortis Santiesteban and Maria Toribia Ynes Rodriguez Chavez. She was born 26 Nov. 1861 in Santa Barbara, Chihuahua, Mexico. It appears she was third of seven daughters.

Unfortunately, I don't even know how many children Clemencia had. She died on 30 June 1954 at Belvedere, Los Angeles, CA. The informant for the information on her death certificate was Felipe Saenz. It says she was divorced.

Clemencia is buried at Calvary Cemetery 4201 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Photo of Absalom Taft

Absalom Taft was born 27 Mar 1841 in Mercer County, PA.

He died 8 Jan 1932 in Crawford County, WI

This is his second wife, Mary Pittsley.

We have other photos of him when he was younger... his first wife, Emeline Coleman died in 1888

Photos online of Ruel Taft and his family

I found these photos of our ancestors...Jon Walton is the son of Agnes Taft Walton. Agnes was Grandpa Taft's sister.

Here are the links to the photos...enjoy!

http://personalpages.tds.net/~jonwalton/TaftA/Taft4.html

http://personalpages.tds.net/~jonwalton/TaftA/TaftA.html

http://personalpages.tds.net/~jonwalton/OldTimers.html

http://personalpages.tds.net/~jonwalton/TaftC/TaftC.html

http://personalpages.tds.net/~jonwalton/TaftD/TaftD.html