Uncle Peg’s Chronicles
May 1, 2025
“She Came and She Went”
“These were their settlements. And they kept good family
records.”[i]
Don’t forget to look for the title which is embedded in the
chronicle.
GRATITUDE
Thanks to Brenda,
Grace, Gretchen, Janet, Jeanni, Jolynda, and Karl. I appreciate all your
comments and acknowledgements. Thanks also for the likes in the Facebook group.
FAMILY ALBUM
My granddaughter, Eleanor. Books are important in our family. Are they in yours?
Ask for an email if you wish to see the photo.
Ellie did not go to this
Speakeasy, but Amy Davis did! Not sure which banned concoction she ordered. Amy
finds the most interesting places.
1924 to 1928
Those are the
years that our Holmes ancestors spent renewing relationships that had somehow fallen
by the wayside but with organization, letter writing, and challenging travel –
by hook or by crook – they managed to come together again. They reacquainted
and rediscovered their family ties. And then, one by one, they died, and many
of those ties died with them.
2024 to
2028
She came
and she went; a week passes so quickly when you are having fun, doesn’t it. It
took about an hour for my granddaughter, Eleanor, to warm up to this stranger
called Grammy, but after that, she was generous with her hugs and cuddles,
especially if Mama wasn’t around. We ate, we played with toys, we read stories,
we napped, and we went to a restaurant where she behaved very well. And then,
off to the airport she went and since the plane wasn’t full, she got her own
seat. When the plane landed, there was DADA. Daddy’s picture was on the fridge
and we looked at it often.
Matriarch
Janet wanted to hear about my visit. Hence, the header photo.
Those of
you whose children and grandchildren live far away know the joy of the arrival
of children and grandchildren, and the empty feeling when they leave. Imagine,
boarding a vessel in England and landing in the new world, probably
Massachusetts colony, knowing you will probably never see your family again. I
reviewed the life of Francis Holmes (c. 1600 – c. 1675), our immigrant ancestor,
this week. Traipsing by land, maybe on horseback (I don’t know), Francis and
his four children made their way to Stamford, Connecticut, not as original
settlers of the town, but arriving shortly thereafter. We don’t know if his
first wife was with him or not; we know nothing about her. As some of you know,
I call her Mother Holmes, so she has somewhat of an identity.
This week,
I scanned Fen Holmes’ “Holmes Line” and shared it with the members of our Holmespun
group. I believe Fen had a dream and a wish that there would be family members
who shared his keen interest in our family, and that our history would not be
lost or forgotten. It worried him that there might be errors made – I remember his
phone call still, the panic in his voice. He began most of his writing by
critiquing his sources – especially those writings made by family members. It
is important to me, as I follow in his footsteps, to do the same. There is a
difference between critiquing and criticizing – I trust I will never criticize
anyone’s efforts. Fen would want us to straighten out the fallacies to the best
of our ability – to continue on from where he left off.
That is a
process. We do not have copies of his records, but the “Holmes Line” is well
documented with footnotes and asides, and gradually we are finding them.
See the
history lesson at the end of this chronicle for the document Carolyn Brown
shared with us. I have copied it and inserted it into CCC (Colossal
Collection of Cousins for you newcomers), in the chapter I call Cumberland.
If you are
not interested in researching with us, but would like a copy of the document
called “The Holmes Line,” let me know.
CONDOLANCES
Our
sympathy to the Mark and Kaylyn MacKillop family on the passing of Kaylyn’s
grandmother, Janece Herrold. Mark is in the Charles R Holmes line.
Janece P.
Herrold
September 28,
1930 — April 19, 2025
Grass Creek
Janece Rouch Herrold, 94, peacefully passed away
at her home in Grass Creek, surrounded by loving family members, on Saturday,
April 19, 2025. Born
September 28, 1930, to Irene and Lester Rouch, Janece was a lifelong resident
of Grass Creek. She
graduated from Grass Creek High School in 1948, earned her Bachelor’s Degree
from Manchester University in 1956, and earned her Master’s Degree from Purdue
University in 1969. On
May 11, 1951, she married Robert C. “Bob” Herrold, with whom she celebrated 61
years of marriage before his death in 2012. Janece
is survived by her children, Jessica Huffman (Alan) of Brownsburg, Lynne
Dittman (Ron) of Akron, and Dale Herrold (Nancye) of Grass Creek. Janece’s
descendants also include 10 grandchildren: Zach (Beth) Huffman, Alyssa Huffman,
Shannon (Dan) Bayha, Travis Dittman, Troy Dittman, Kacey (Ben) Wright, Tyler
(Genia) Kottkamp, Jennifer (Zack) Swiderski, Kaylyn (Mark) MacKillop, and
Morgan (Brett) Davis. Additionally, her twelve great-grandchildren are Luke,
Drew, and Will Huffman; Ella and Alex Bayha; Addison, Grant, and Logan Wright;
Kylie and Kennedi Kottkamp; and Mary and Daniel MacKillop. Other survivors
include one sister, Carita Brown, and one brother, Gerald Rouch, and numerous
nieces, nephews, and cousins. She
began her long legacy in teaching in Kewanna but spent the majority of her
37-year career teaching home economics and physical education in Caston School
Corporation. She taught countless students to sew and cook and assisted
numerous 4-H-ers with their projects. Her passion for teaching was ultimately
carried out through the lessons she taught her children, grandchildren, and
great-grandchildren. She did not truly retire from teaching until the end of
her life. She was a
longtime member of the Grass Creek United Methodist Church, where she taught
Sunday school, was an active member of the Ladies’ Aid, helped organize and
prepare funeral dinners for many years, was the communion steward, and directed
the Children for Christ program after school. Janece
was active in planning the annual Grass Creek Alumni Banquet. She also was a
past active member of the Kewanna Order of the Eastern Star. She
was an avid sports fan, closely following the Purdue Boilermakers, as well as
all Big Ten and local sports teams, the Cubs, and the NFL. Other interests and
talents were gardening and food preservation, baking cookies for neighbors,
friends, and family, and making innumerable wedding and birthday cakes for
loved ones. Genealogy was another important interest of hers, as was sewing,
including designing and making her daughters’ wedding dresses. Every
year for the past 55 years, she and her extended family looked forward to a
week-long vacation in Ludington, Michigan. She enjoyed the conversation, meals,
visits to the beach, nightly trips for ice cream, sing-alongs, and
uninterrupted time with her family. Family
was everything to Janece. She kept a detailed photographic record of all of her
descendants’ activities, and she wrote a personalized song for each grandchild
and great-grandchild. She kept in touch with family and friends alike with
texts, phone calls, emails, and on Facebook, and each year handwrote dozens of
birthday and Christmas cards. The
viewing will be Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Rans Funeral Homes &
Crematory, Metzger Chapel in Kewanna. The funeral service will be held at 11
a.m. Friday at Grass Creek United Methodist Church with viewing one hour prior
to the service. Burial in Grass Creek Cemetery will follow. Online condolences and
personal remembrances may be made to the Herrold family at
ransfuneralhomes.com.
An
Interesting Obituary
This may
become a regular feature as I am working on the genealogies of Sam Jr’s
siblings. It is not part of News From Holmes
– just obituaries I find that are out of the ordinary. No old
obituaries this week.
FAMILY
HISTORY LESSON
This
lesson comes courtesy of Carolyn Brown, descendant of Zorobabel Holmes. I think
she spent much of her Easter weekend deep in the past. She shared Samuel Holmes
Sr’s American Loyalist claim.
https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/3712/images/40939_307203-00373
We know
that Fen had knowledge of this document, for he discussed it in his “Holmes
Line.” There are still documents to be found. Although we have his finished
typescript, we don’t have his photocopies of all of his actual documents.
Gradually, they are coming to light. Here is Carolyn’s transcription of
Samuel’s request for compensation. The word where she has a question mark is
“Passed.”
Audit Office 13: American Loyalist Claims, Series
II > Piece 026: New Claims, Nova Scotia, page 183.
“Samuel Holmes late of Westchester of the
Province of New York, but now of Cumberland in the Province of Nova Scotia
maketh oath and saith, that he Resided at Cumberland from the 15th of Novm 1783
to the 23th of March 1784 and this Deponent further saith, that he was utterly
incapable of professing or delivering to the Commissioners appointed by Act of
Parliament ? in the 23 Year of his Majesty’s Reign, entitled an Act for
appointing Commissioners, to inquire into the Losses and Services of all such
Persons, during the late unhappy dissentions in America, in Consequence of
their Loyalty to his Majesty and Attachment to the British Government, or at
their Office, any Memorial, Claim, or Request for Aid or Relief, on Account of
this Deponent’s Losses during the late unhappy dissentions in America within
that time allowed by the said Act, for Reviewing such claims, by Reason that
this Deponent, during all such time viz; between the 15th of Novm 1783 and the
23th of March 1784 lived or resided at Cumberland aforesaid.
[signed] Samuel Holmes
Sworn before me at Amherst
March 31st 1786 Wm Black J.P.
No. 563
Samuel Holmes
New Claim
10 April 1786
Rejected 18 Apr 1786”
This ends week eighteen
of our centennial virtual celebration of 1925 - 2025.
To
brighten your day:
Photos available by email.
