Uncle Peg’s Chronicles
November 30, 2023
“The Fountain Vertigo”
This photo made
me smile this week. It is part of an article to follow.
GRATITUDE
Oh, Jeanni. What more could I ask for? A
wonderful Chronicle. It's as though you were in my kitchen, telling me
all the news.
News From Holmes
Our sympathy to Margie
(Crissinger) Holtzapfel on the death of her brother, Tom Crissinger, on
November 2nd. Margie and her siblings relate to us through the
Fountain, Ketchum and Hoyt lines, so lots of DNA, but no Holmes that I know of.
(I could be wrong.) Way back when, I got in touch with a group called the
Fountain Seekers. We are pretty quiet lately. Perhaps she is the first or one
of the first researchers I befriended that I didn’t know from Adam and Eve.
“Thomas M Crissinger,
Hamilton Township High School graduate, Vietnam veteran, died November 2, 2023,
at home in Lancaster, Ohio, surrounded by his family. Tom, a “south end boy,”
was born in Columbus, Ohio.
He is survived by his wife,
Nancy; his daughter, Kelli Norris, & her sons, Isaiah & Malachi; his
sons, Joshua (Michelle) & James Crissinger & their families; his
granddaughter, Amanda Scott & her family. He is also survived by his siblings,
Margaret Holtzapfel, Mary Ellen (John) Parsons, Paul (Peg) Crissinger, Ann (Jim
Dixon) & their families, Rick (Connie) Manley, and Mike (Linda) Crissinger,
his brother-in-law, John Thornton, & his fur-child Duke. Tom is predeceased
by his parents, Carl & Mary Crissinger, & his siblings Andrew
Crissinger, SaraJane Mylott & David Crissinger.
Tom loved his family &
friends, with all of his being. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to
anyone in need of anything. He enjoyed creating with wood & was a highly
skilled carpenter & a very talented artist. His passions included time with
his family & friends, reading, watching movies, telling a joke, sharing a
toke. He will always be remembered for his extensive collection of Chuck Taylor
Stars (he wore, at one time [or] another, each of his 25 pairs!). His heart
& home were always open.
Thank you to all of the
medical professionals – at the VA, at the local hospitals, his primary care
physicians – who helped Tom as he navigated his health issues. We’d especially
like to thank Dr. Patrick Flannagan & his staff, as well as Dr. Mounir Sanhaji,
Kricket, John & Katie. Thank you, too, to Adam – the best friend-neighbor
ever!
Please do not send floral
arrangements. Instead, please consider making a contribution to the Gary Sinise
Foundation in Tom’s memory at https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/
A gathering of friends &
family will be held November 18, 2023, from 1 pm – 5 pm at the Fraternal Order
of Eagles at 1936 E Main St, Lancaster, Ohio. All are welcome.
After way too many years of
dealing with way too much, the warrier has laid down his shield & is, at
last, at peace.”
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/thomas-crissinger-obituary?id=53524472#obituary
DRAWN FROM A HAT
Featured this week are
Roger Holmes and Mike Moore.
Roger is in the William N Holmes line, and he went, as a boy, to the home and
Los Angeles ‘hood of some of the William N Holmes family – Ernest’s home, as I
recall. He was a great help to Fen by going to the library in Bedford and
looking stuff up for him. I don’t think he had much choice in the matter – I
think Fen used his General voice! He also inherited Daniel’s looks. He is
married to Bonnie and has a son and two daughters, and, as far as I know, one
grandchild. We met Roger and Bonnie at the 2016 gathering.
Mike is my nephew, the son of my brother, and is in the Charles R Holmes
line. He has his own flourishing business. He is married to Tara and they have
two children, both in elementary school but the oldest is moving on up their
quickly. He and Tara spend a lot of time at the hockey rink as his son is a
great hockey player.
That concludes my mini biographies. My hat is empty.
MY GENEALOGY GOALS
- Compile the family Christmas letter.
- Chronicle
several times, and publish on Thursday morning.
- Keep
writing my next article for Generations, which is about the will of
William Lotham. Francis Holmes is mentioned in his inventory both as owing
money and being owed money.
- Spend
a bit of time on Moore family research.
- Find
fourtwoone speaker for January to May of 2024, for the genealogy society. - In
the evening, after chores are done, edit the Maggie Holmes and Billy
Snider family (second child of Daniel and Charlotte) the same way I did
the Louisa, William and Carrie lines. No rush on that.
- Index
old newspapers for NBGS.
Worked on the Moores a bit. Lotham, a bit.
Christmas chronicle, a bit. Indexed, a bit. Went down a Fountain rabbit trail.
Not on the list, but I took my newspaper
clippings that I had saved under “Pictures” and inserted into my ancestry
galleries. Most are for people related to Portage Vale. Ever since Postmedia
removed the archived newspaper articles, I’m afraid of losing them. There are a
bunch of them for Wiliam Oliver Snider, both personal and relating to
Riverbank, in case you are interested and are on Ancestry. Can’t find them?
Just ask.
LOOKING BEHIND
AND AHEAD
1924 to
1928
Those are the
years that our great or great-great grandparents 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 discovered and rediscovered their family ties. And then, one by
one, they died, and many of those ties died with them
2024 to 2028
How easy it is
to lose our history!
Giving Thanks
In the header
photo, you can’t see all their faces, but they are all gathered around the
Thanksgiving table and happy, except for Tom Turkey, of course. Someone always
has to sacrifice. The family gathers but someone can’t make it. Perhaps they
aren’t well, probably they are too far away, maybe they are forgotten. Sometimes,
someone who was there last year has passed on; their chair is empty. This
family gets together often. Sometimes, Glenn and Mitzi join them but it’s not a
quick trip; it’s a flight from Washington to California.
Gathered around
the table are . . .
Left to right:
Andrew Holmes, Michael and Hellen Holmes, Diego Holmes, Abigail Holmes, Michael
and Eric’s mother Debra, (I think,) Aun and Eric Holmes. In the center is
Thomas Holmes.
Glenn Holmes married 1st
Debra Dibbern
Son #1 Michel married Hellen Lopez
Sons Thomas and Diego
Son #2 Eric married Anjana
aka Aun
Twins Andrew and Abigail
They are in the William
Nelson Holmes line.
I look at photos
from previous reunions that I enjoyed over the years, going all the way back in
time to my babyhood. Lots of people are gone, and lots of new ones now attend.
I look at all the people who came to the 1920s gatherings, when only five of
the twelve children of Daniel and Charlotte still lived. All five attended the
one in 1924. At the rest of the gatherings, someone was always missing due to
distance. By the last one, Peter had died. Those original five were James,
William, Carrie, Peter and Charles.
1924, Lincoln, Maine, USA
All the then living children of Daniel and Charlotte Holmes
Charles, Peter, Carrie, William, and James
What are we left with from those ‘20s reunions? Some photos, some
newspapers, a pamphlet and a ribbon, and some history. Kingsley Ballantyne, son
of Robert and Louisa (Holmes) Ballantyne, was the family historian. As I’ve
said before, that family history is flawed in places, but Fen and I pretty much
figured it out.
It took time and effort and for some, very long trips. Emma (Holmes)
Holmes drove all the way from Palms, California, to Hill Grove, New Brunswick,
for the 1925 anniversary party for her parents, Charles R and Phoebe
(McMonagle) Holmes. That was a Charles R family reunion; they hosted the bigger
family group in 1926. Both kinds are good.
A reunion takes much planning. Believe me, I know. Phew. And I had the
availability of email. Imagine writing all those invitations, instructions, and
requests for family updates with a straight pen and a bottle of ink.
Reunions are where memories are made and preserved. Be they small or
large, they create ties that bind. For a while, until the folks are gone and we
are left with photos and pamphlets. That is why I created the Holmes Family
Facebook Group. That’s why I take time out of my research/writing schedule
every week to tell the history and the stories, and write the lists. When I’m
gone . . . who will take up the torch?
A LIST
Here is the
updated list of our family historical researchers that I am aware of – not
necessarily doing Holmes research. I sent emails to everyone I can think of. I
put them in two groups: active and inactive. Active means presently researching
– not necessarily every day. Inactive means not now: might or might not in the
future. But, generally interested and willing to lend a hand to a confused
Uncle Peg. Not everyone has replied to me yet, but I’ve had some catching up,
interesting emails.
If you are
researching and your name is not on the list, please let me know.
For those who
didn’t reply, I reassigned you to where I think you belong. I can change that.
Thanks to
Margie Holtzapfel for her update. Margie shares Fountain, Ketchum, and Hoyt DNA
with us. No, I didn’t know about the Fountain vertigo. But, I have had it and
now I know who to blame.
Yes Peg, I am still researching. I am currently
working on my father’s family line, the Crissingers. I have them back to
1710 in Pennsylvania. Just trying to fill in information on the siblings
of my direct ancestors. They pretty much stayed here in Ohio once they
moved here. So far, I have over 9,000 people in my file so that’s pretty
good. I enjoy it very much and it keeps this . . . mind active. I
don’t hear well at all. You know the Fountain curse of nerve deafness and
vertigo. My daughter also has this, my one brother and my youngest
sister. So, it didn’t pass to us by from Ma.
My brother, Tom Crissinger, passed away on Nov.
2. We had a Celebration of Life for him on Nov. 18th. So
many of our Fountain cousins came in from New Hampshire, North Carolina,
Massachusetts. It was wonderful to see them. I wish I had had my
camera with me. But the best I can do is to ask who took pictures and get
copies. I often save photos off of Facebook when someone posts photos of
family and save them to my file. It’s a wonderful way to keep up with the
younger kids.
I enjoy seeing how active you are on Facebook.
You are remarkable and so sharing. Thank you for keeping me in your
thoughts. Looking forward to seeing your posting.
Love you.
Margie
Active
Brenda Batchelor
Cindy Brignone
Carolyn Brown
Missy Corda
Marvin Davis
Marie Dockter
Annmarie Holmes
Byron Holmes
Kristin Holmes
Paula Holmes
Margie Holtzapfel
Christopher Neel
Peg Vasseur
Ralph Wagner
Jane Williams
Jeanni Worster
Inactive but
Interested
Chris Holmes?
Karl Holmes
Grace March
Brenda Marquez
Ami Slater
Elizabeth Steeves
Eleanor Wilson
Susan Stephens
Other
Doug Holmes offers
technical assistance when I need it.
THIS WEEK’S
CLIPPINGS FROM NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES
Can you picture
this? We know what Daniel and Charlotte looked like later in life, but I wonder
what they looked like in 1836, when they were in their early 20s. I am grateful
that we have photos of them at all. Charlotte probably lived next door or at least
close by her Ketchum grandparents, in Portage Vale. There was no Anglican
church near her home at the time of her marriage, so likely they married in her
house as the 24th of March would have been pretty cold and muddy.
Definition of “ult.”
– in or of the month preceding the present. It is an abbreviation for “ultimo.”
Daniel’s death
announcement was in the “Christian Visitor.”
REQUESTS FOR CHRISTMAS CHRONICLE
I am starting to think about the Christmas newsletter that goes out to
every person for whom I have an email address and will also be in the Facebook
group. I have a theme for our letter, but hey, if you can’t think of anything
to write about, go ahead and write about a seasonal memory from your own
childhood.
For your contributions – the theme this year is “our ancestors’
Christmas.” Memories of our parents and/or grandparents that have been handed
down or written in their own words. If you don’t have those types of stories,
is there a recipe you make at Christmas time that you know came from someone
who came before? Photo of grandparents at Christmas time? Your stories can be
happy, sad, jolly, punny, whatever. Use your imaginations. Of course, if they
didn’t celebrate Christmas, a seasonal memory such as Hanukkah is good, too. I
will be sending out an email or FB post in early December, asking for this. You
get some extra time to think about it. This is for our in-laws’ ancestors as
well.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve told the story before. Family history bears
repeating. Never roll your eyes at the retelling. When those stories cease, you
will miss them. “Around this table we always tell the same old stories.” Credit
to my cousin Sue.
~
My brother, Paul,
will arrive tomorrow for a week-long visit, so I am taking a chronicle break.
If I have time, I will work on the Christmas chronicle, which I know you are
doing as well. I await your tales of long ago and far away. I’ll be back in two
weeks.
In the header
photo, you can’t see all their faces, but they are all gathered around the
Thanksgiving table and happy, except for Tom Turkey, of course. Someone always
has to sacrifice. The family gathers but someone can’t make it. Perhaps they
aren’t well, probably they are too far away, maybe they are forgotten. Sometimes,
someone who was there last year has passed on; their chair is empty. This
family gets together often. Sometimes, Glenn and Mitzi join them but it’s not a
quick trip; it’s a flight from Washington to California.
Gathered around
the table are . . .
Left to right:
Andrew Holmes, Michael and Hellen Holmes, Diego Holmes, Abigail Holmes, Michael
and Eric’s mother Debra, (I think,) Aun and Eric Holmes. In the center is
Thomas Holmes.
Glenn Holmes married 1st
Debra Dibbern
Son #1 Michel married Hellen Lopez
Sons Thomas and Diego
Son #2 Eric married Anjana
aka Aun
Twins Andrew and Abigail
They are in the William
Nelson Holmes line.
I look at photos
from previous reunions that I enjoyed over the years, going all the way back in
time to my babyhood. Lots of people are gone, and lots of new ones now attend.
I look at all the people who came to the 1920s gatherings, when only five of
the twelve children of Daniel and Charlotte still lived. All five attended the
one in 1924. At the rest of the gatherings, someone was always missing due to
distance. By the last one, Peter had died. Those original five were James,
William, Carrie, Peter and Charles.
1924, Lincoln, Maine, USA
All the then living children of Daniel and Charlotte Holmes
Charles, Peter, Carrie, William, and James
What are we left with from those ‘20s reunions? Some photos, some
newspapers, a pamphlet and a ribbon, and some history. Kingsley Ballantyne, son
of Robert and Louisa (Holmes) Ballantyne, was the family historian. As I’ve
said before, that family history is flawed in places, but Fen and I pretty much
figured it out.
It took time and effort and for some, very long trips. Emma (Holmes)
Holmes drove all the way from Palms, California, to Hill Grove, New Brunswick,
for the 1925 anniversary party for her parents, Charles R and Phoebe
(McMonagle) Holmes. That was a Charles R family reunion; they hosted the bigger
family group in 1926. Both kinds are good.
A reunion takes much planning. Believe me, I know. Phew. And I had the
availability of email. Imagine writing all those invitations, instructions, and
requests for family updates with a straight pen and a bottle of ink.
Reunions are where memories are made and preserved. Be they small or
large, they create ties that bind. For a while, until the folks are gone and we
are left with photos and pamphlets. That is why I created the Holmes Family
Facebook Group. That’s why I take time out of my research/writing schedule
every week to tell the history and the stories, and write the lists. When I’m
gone . . . who will take up the torch?
A LIST
Here is the
updated list of our family historical researchers that I am aware of – not
necessarily doing Holmes research. I sent emails to everyone I can think of. I
put them in two groups: active and inactive. Active means presently researching
– not necessarily every day. Inactive means not now: might or might not in the
future. But, generally interested and willing to lend a hand to a confused
Uncle Peg. Not everyone has replied to me yet, but I’ve had some catching up,
interesting emails.
If you are
researching and your name is not on the list, please let me know.
For those who
didn’t reply, I reassigned you to where I think you belong. I can change that.
Thanks to
Margie Holtzapfel for her update. Margie shares Fountain, Ketchum, and Hoyt DNA
with us. No, I didn’t know about the Fountain vertigo. But, I have had it and
now I know who to blame.
Yes Peg, I am still researching. I am currently
working on my father’s family line, the Crissingers. I have them back to
1710 in Pennsylvania. Just trying to fill in information on the siblings
of my direct ancestors. They pretty much stayed here in Ohio once they
moved here. So far, I have over 9,000 people in my file so that’s pretty
good. I enjoy it very much and it keeps this . . . mind active. I
don’t hear well at all. You know the Fountain curse of nerve deafness and
vertigo. My daughter also has this, my one brother and my youngest
sister. So, it didn’t pass to us by from Ma.
My brother, Tom Crissinger, passed away on Nov.
2. We had a Celebration of Life for him on Nov. 18th. So
many of our Fountain cousins came in from New Hampshire, North Carolina,
Massachusetts. It was wonderful to see them. I wish I had had my
camera with me. But the best I can do is to ask who took pictures and get
copies. I often save photos off of Facebook when someone posts photos of
family and save them to my file. It’s a wonderful way to keep up with the
younger kids.
I enjoy seeing how active you are on Facebook.
You are remarkable and so sharing. Thank you for keeping me in your
thoughts. Looking forward to seeing your posting.
Love you.
Margie
Active
Brenda Batchelor
Cindy Brignone
Carolyn Brown
Missy Corda
Marvin Davis
Marie Dockter
Annmarie Holmes
Byron Holmes
Kristin Holmes
Paula Holmes
Margie Holtzapfel
Christopher Neel
Peg Vasseur
Ralph Wagner
Jane Williams
Jeanni Worster
Inactive but
Interested
Chris Holmes?
Karl Holmes
Grace March
Brenda Marquez
Ami Slater
Elizabeth Steeves
Eleanor Wilson
Susan Stephens
Other
Doug Holmes offers
technical assistance when I need it.
THIS WEEK’S
CLIPPINGS FROM NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES
Can you picture
this? We know what Daniel and Charlotte looked like later in life, but I wonder
what they looked like in 1836, when they were in their early 20s. I am grateful
that we have photos of them at all. Charlotte probably lived next door or at least
close by her Ketchum grandparents, in Portage Vale. There was no Anglican
church near her home at the time of her marriage, so likely they married in her
house as the 24th of March would have been pretty cold and muddy.
Definition of “ult.”
– in or of the month preceding the present. It is an abbreviation for “ultimo.”
Daniel’s death
announcement was in the “Christian Visitor.”
REQUESTS FOR CHRISTMAS CHRONICLE
I am starting to think about the Christmas newsletter that goes out to
every person for whom I have an email address and will also be in the Facebook
group. I have a theme for our letter, but hey, if you can’t think of anything
to write about, go ahead and write about a seasonal memory from your own
childhood.
For your contributions – the theme this year is “our ancestors’
Christmas.” Memories of our parents and/or grandparents that have been handed
down or written in their own words. If you don’t have those types of stories,
is there a recipe you make at Christmas time that you know came from someone
who came before? Photo of grandparents at Christmas time? Your stories can be
happy, sad, jolly, punny, whatever. Use your imaginations. Of course, if they
didn’t celebrate Christmas, a seasonal memory such as Hanukkah is good, too. I
will be sending out an email or FB post in early December, asking for this. You
get some extra time to think about it. This is for our in-laws’ ancestors as
well.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve told the story before. Family history bears
repeating. Never roll your eyes at the retelling. When those stories cease, you
will miss them. “Around this table we always tell the same old stories.” Credit
to my cousin Sue.
~
My brother, Paul,
will arrive tomorrow for a week-long visit, so I am taking a chronicle break.
If I have time, I will work on the Christmas chronicle, which I know you are
doing as well. I await your tales of long ago and far away. I’ll be back in two
weeks.
