Mystery Photo Monday #18

As you can see, this photo is labeled "Johnny, Chester Cousin". This might be Alvord John Carson Skinner, born in 1916, he was the son of Saddie Carson and a man who's last name was Skinner. Saddie was one of Chester's aunts.

Does anyone have more information on "Johnny"?

John and Delilah Mills thru 1860

John H Mills was born on the 6th of February in 1821, somewhere in North Carolina. His future wife, Delilah A Robbins, was also born in North Carolina on the 4th of March in 1823. The date of their marriage is not known.

In 1860, John and Delilah’s young family lived in Town Creek. The enumerator listed their home in early June of that year. John was 39 years old, and worked as a Shoe Maker. His wife was 36. They had five children in their home: Antoinette (12), William W (10), Mary E, Ann M (later called Mariah or Myra, age 6), and Benjamin (4/12th). The value of their personal estate was listed as $91.


An extract from the 1860 US Census from Town Creek, N.C.

John H Mills & Delilah Robbins

John H Mills and Delilah A Robbins were Great Grandparents of Kathleen Rogers.

Here is the lineage:

• John H Mills and Delilah A Robbins
  
  • Thomas Franklin Rogers and Mariah A Mills
    
    • Lloyd Franklin Rogers and Blanche May (Mazie) Wheeler
      
      • Kathleen Rogers

Town Creek, where John and Delilah appear to have spent the vast majority of their lives, is now one of six townships of Brunswick County, North Carolina. Located at the southernmost tip of the state, Brunswick County was formed in 1764 from New Hanover and Bladen counties. The Atlantic Ocean, the Cape Fear River, the state of South Carolina, and Columbus, Pender and New Hanover counties form its boundaries. William Hilton, sent by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1862 to explore the lower region of the Cape Fear River, found favorable conditions here. New Englander’s soon came to establish a settlement.


Above: A view of Brunswick County, N.C., showing Town Creek Township (red star), the Mill Creek, the Town Creek, and the Cape Fear River.

Introducing... Do you know who? #6

Once again it's time to see how well you know your family. Read the facts given below, then see if you can guess the subject of this week's trivia!

• I picked my future Navy husband up at the local skating ring.
  
  
• I have been married 42 years! I have two children, three grandchildren & three great grandchildren.
  
  
• I am a professional caterer.
  
  
• My hobbies are traveling, candle making, & cooking.
  
  
• North Carolina is my favorite state. What's yours?

Can you guess who I am before Tuesday?

It's Jeannie!

Jeannie in an undated photo

The ROGERS Brick Wall

I have now posted information on every link in the Rogers ancestral chain that I know. This is another of the chains of which only a few links are known. The direct family members are: Kathleen Rogers, her father Loyd, and his father Thomas F. Obviously, their husbands and wives are also full members of our family. As for direct decendents of members of the Rogers surname, this is all I have for certain. I have notes that suggest the next step in the Rogers chain was Thomas Rogers and his wife Amanda J , but no solid evidence for this.

If you have been reading along, then you know that I just completed a series on Loyd Rogers and his wives, Blanche and Nolena. Next I will cover Kathleen and Chester. I had previously posted all that I know about Thomas F. and his wife, Mariah. You can read those articles by clicking on the following hyperlinks:

Thomas Franklin Rogers and Mariah A Mills

Thomas and Maria Rogers in 1900

Thomas and Maria Rogers in 1910

Final Tidbits for Thomas and Maria Rogers

Update on Thomas F Rogers and Mariah Mills

Last week I discovered additional information on the early lives of Thomas Franklin Rogers and his wife Mariah (maiden name Mills). To refresh your memory: Thomas and Mariah were grandparents of Kathleen (Rogers) Carson.

On 16 June 1880, Thomas and his household were documented as part of the U.S. Census. Thomas was apparently using his middle name, Franklin. He worked as a cooper (One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves & hoops, such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc. A stave is one or more thin slats of wood forming the sides of a barrel or bucket).

Thomas lived with his wife Mariah, and daughter Katie D, in the Southern portion of Town Creek township, in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Thomas is 35, Mariah 20, and Katie is 9-months old (born September, 1879). The record provides no assistance in determining the names of Thomas's parents. However, it does indicate that each of them was born in North Carolina.


A portion of the 1880 US Census record for (Thomas) Franklin and Mariah Rogers.

Mystery Photo Monday #17

Once before we tried to identify the folks in two photos who were caring for a pet racoon. Here is another that I found. This woman does not look like either of the women in the photos posted earlier. The concensus for the earlier photos was that one of the women was W.L. Carson's wife, Ethel. You can view the earlier photos here.

Does anyone know who this is? Does this new photo tickle anyone's memory as to who the other two women may be?

Resting Together at Fort Lincoln

After he died, on January 7, 1978, Chester was buried at Fort Lincoln Cemetery, in Bladensburg, Maryland. This location was the closest large cemetery to their home, and they had plots provided by their son-in-law, Eddie.

Kathleen passed away three short years later, on February 7, in Pompano Beach, Florida. She is buried next to Chester.


33rd Wedding Anniversary, 1959


Kathleen and Chester (undated photo)


Kathleen and Chester (undated photo)


In their Brentwood home (undated photo)

More Memories of Kathleen

Kathleen worked hard outside the home. For a time she worked the 3 to 11 evening shift at Greyhound Garage. She would gas up the Greyhound buses, and do whatever else needed doing in the "pit." She began having lots of problems with her throat (because of the diesel fumes) and had to quit before she accrued much retirement. After that she ironed clothes for various people, watched kids and cleaned office buildings.



She was fun, happy, friendly, outgoing and carefree. Bernice once said, “Don’t go Christmas shopping with her; she could walk your legs off!.” She loved to dance, and she loved country music. She liked to go crabbing and fishing. Sometimes the only thing she wanted to eat was hamburgers, they were her favorite.


Kathleen dances with her grandson Bernie at her 50th wedding anniversary celebration

You might recall her working around the house wearing a neatly folded cloth on her head. Underneath, her hair would be bound in tight spirals with bobby pins. Or you might remember that she would almost always appear at some point with a camera in her hand, taking pictures of her children and grandchildren.

Whenever her grandchildren left the house, she would stand at the door on the porch by the driveway and say “See you later, alligator.” The children knew to reply, “After while crocodile.” She would then call out a final reminder to “Lock your doors!”

Christmas was her favorite time of year. It took her two months to decorate her house. There would be reindeer and Santa Claus on the roof; giant candles; garland and beads; and the tree would be decorated from top to bottom with bubbling lights.

She spent the last years of her life in Florida, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law. She sorely missed her husband, and suffered from a long-term illness, but she never lost her joy or her love for her family.


Grandma loved her ride on Roy's motorcycle


Patti, her grand-daughter, captures one of Grandma Carson's joyful expressions

Introducing... Do you know who? #5

Time for some fun! So, you think you know who you are related to? Let's see if you can identify this relative:

"I learned American Sign Language (though I've probably forgotten 75% of it) when the company I worked for assigned a deaf employee to my team. An interpreter was available, but only part time.

Try and follow this one: When I graduated High School the man who handed me my diploma would (10 years later) become my brother's father-in-law. At the time, my brother did not know his future wife, and we did not discover this connection for 21 years!

I once hitch-hiked a ride from Oklahoma City, OK to Dulles, VA, on a private jet, with Steve Case, the Chairman and CEO of America Online.

I met my future wife while working at a computer programming help desk at college. We have two children and have been married for nearly 24 years.

I was once in a motorcycle accident where I was treated and released for my injuries, but both occupents of the car which caused the accident sustained injuries that were life-threatening.

Over the past 18-months, I learned how to play the guitar, and I am now a member of our church Praise Band.

My son would have picked very different facts to put here ;-)

Do you know who I am?"

It's Steve!

William, Mollie, Alyse, Me on the Appalacian Trail (Fall 2004)


At Alyse's High School graduation (May 2005).

Memories of Kathleen

Whereas Chester might sneak off to his easy chair and quietly read, or wander out to the porch to sit and simply watch the goings-on of their back street Brentwood neighborhood, Kathleen was always around the people in her home.

Grandchildren loved to visit. They all knew that she would make them feel like they were the most important person in the world. The basement was a wonderland to explore. Her home-cooked meals were always delicious. She had a porch to sit on, and a yard to play games in. You could eat pears from the tree on one side of the house, or eat grapes and spit out the seeds on the other side. She would sit and talk to you, or you could just watch her sway or dance to music on the radio.


Jimmy and his Grandma Carson

She would talk about everything and anything. She was strong willed and had strong opinions on independence and self-reliance. She also treasured time in her yard, and tending to her flowers.

At family gatherings she would always appear with her camera in hand and snap a few photos of her children, grandchildren, or other guests.


Four Generations: (Left to right)
Bernice, Blanche (Wheeler) Rogers, Kathleen, and probably Jeannie

Memories of Chester

Chester at various ages

One daughter recalled that Chester loved to play cards. “Any time he could get 4 people together a card game would be called.” Chester was serious when playing cards. He preferred to play Spades or Wisk, both of which complimented his ability to count cards (remembering which cards have been played). This skill sometimes led him to become annoyed with a partner who would make a play that he considered a poor choice.

Chester also loved to fish. He could not afford to own a boat, but he did own a motor. He would take it with him, and use it to power rented rowboats. The motor was not new, and not the most reliable source of propulsion. I’m sure that many family members recall being rowed, or rowing, back to the dock.

Once a fishing trip was underway, there was little that would cut it short. Joanne recalls a time when her leg became entangled in the anchor line, and she went overboard. Unable to swim, she was lucky to quickly climb back into the boat. Safe again, the fishing continued.

Chester’s was an experience fisherman and, just as with less experience card players, he might judge a fellow fisherman harshly if they required too much assistance, or committed the cardinal sin of losing a fish that should have been landed. As for the fish: if it was caught, it was headed for the pan. There was no selectivity or throwing back a fish others might consider too much trouble, or not the best tasting.


Chester after a successful fishing trip in Florida

The length and depth of his schooling are not known, but he loved to read. He liked westerns and history: especially English history. He did not like poetry. He told many stories. One set of stories told many times was about his ancestors the James’. His daughter Bernice recalls: “He wanted the James family remembered. He told me there were 12 James boys, but I don’t know if they were sons, nephews or cousins. It was important to him that I know the James’ came from England on a grant from the King.”

He was a skilled carpenter, but did not pursue the monetary rewards he could have. He was also a democrat, and was always proud that he supervised the work crews who helped to build the Inauguration Stands for Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy.


This chalk drawing of Chester hangs in Bernice's home.

Memorable Photo Monday #10

In this photo, taken in the spring of 1975, Kathleen and Chester are shown with their children, and their spouses. The photo was taken at Kit and Nancy's, near Annapolis, MD. I believe the family was celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary (they were married June 5, 1926), can anyone verify or clarify this?


Left to right, standing: Eddie, Mary Anne, Joe, Joanne, Bernie, Helen, Kit, Bernice.