Sentimental Sunday: Bronzed Baby Shoes from 1951

After I grew out of my first baby shoes, my mother had them bronzed. I recall that they originally were attached to a picture frame, but the frame did not survive. One shoe had my first name inscribed on it.

On the other shoe was my date of birth.

Well over fifty years old, these poor old shoes are quite worn and dusty, but I appreciate my parents' sentiment in preserving them! My mother was very sentimental, and she kept special cards, school projects, and decades of photograph albums. Our family's heritage is richer because Mom was such a "keeper." Thanks Mom!

Below is a picture of me and my parents from 1952. From that year forward, for many years, Mom had a family photo taken for our annual Christmas cards.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Treasure Maps in the Library of Congress

Above is the title page to a resource entitled: TREASURE MAPS IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: AN ANNOTATED LIST. One of the individuals who compiled this list was my second cousin twice removed, J. Douglas Hill. This item is available full-text online at the Haiti Trust. James Douglas Hill was the son of Dr. Lyle Steen Hill and his wife, the former Helen Wilson. The treasure maps listed include a variety of sunken vessels, many which were thought to contain treasures.

How I wish I could have gotten to know J. Douglas Hill! I have worked in libraries for over thirty years, and I would love to have asked him questions about his experiences as a long time employee of the Library of Congress! 

According to his death certificate, James Douglas Hill was born on May 31, 1915, and he died in Reston, Virginia on November 15, 1993. His occupation was listed as retired map processor for the Library of Congress. James Douglas Hill was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Court 3, Section HH, Column 13, and Niche 4. His burial record at Arlington National Cemetery indicates that he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Thanks my distant cousin for your contributions to the annotated list of Treasure Maps in the Library of Congress!

James N. Paul: "At Rest"

James N. Paul was born March 6, 1807. In 1870, James N. Paul was living in Sandusky, Erie County,  Ohio, with his wife, listed only as M.A. Paul, and their children, Charles, Harry and Alice. James worked as a ship carpenter. By 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Paul had in their household their son Charley, and two grandsons. James N. Paul died on December 29, 1893, at the age of 86 years, 9 months, and 23 days. At the very base of Mr. Paul's tombstone are the words, "At Rest." James N. Paul was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. A brief obituary for James N. Paul appeared in the January 1, 1894 issue of the Sandusky Register.  Funeral services for Mr. Paul  had been held at the residence of his son Charles Paul on Meigs Street, with Rev. P. F. Graham of Trinity Methodist Church officiating.

SNGF: December 27, 2014

Randy at GeneaMusings asked us what Genea-Santa brought us this year.  My favorite gift from Genea-Santa was a hug from my nephew Matthew, who came to the family Christmas all the way from Georgia! Matthew is named after my brother (his uncle) who is also named Matthew. Here is a photo of my two Matthews on Christmas Day.

Photo by Kellie K. (Young Matthew from Georgia at the left)

Thanks for the hug from Georgia! I sure do love my family!

Wordless Wednesday: Oakland Cemetery

Edmund H. Zurhorst

Hewson Peeke, in his STANDARD HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, wrote that "On the business history of the City of Sandusky there appears the name of Edmund H. Zurhorst written in bold and legible characters." Edmund Zurhorst was born in June of 1845 in Montreal, Canada, to William H. and Letitia (McKenna) Zurhorst. The family moved to Ohio in 1849.

Edmund Zurhorst found employment on lake and ocean vessels as a young man, and served in the United States Navy during the Civil War. After the war, he built and operated two steamers on the Great Lakes. Branching out into many different businesses, he became associated with the railroad, a lime company, and several other local businesses. During President Arthur 's administration he held the office of assistant in the New York office of the U.S. Customs House, and he has also acted as deputy collector of internal revenue for the Northern District of Ohio and as collector of customs for the Sandusky, Ohio, District. He was very active in the Republican Party.

Of Mr. Zurhort's family, Peeke wrote: "On September 23, 1874, Mr. Zurhorst was united in marriage with Miss Harriet West Keech, daughter of the late C. C. Keech, of Sandusky, Ohio. She died January 29, 1890, leaving three children: Christopher C., William K. and Mary L. William K. Zurhorst died October 28, 1902, as a result of disabilities received while serving as a soldier during the Spanish-American war in Cuba."

Often Edmund H. Zurhorst and his wife wintered in Hollywood, California. Edmund became ill in December of 1923, and he died on December 19. A lengthy obituary for Edmund H. Zurhorst appears in the 1923 OBITUARY NOTEBOOK, housed in the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library. The title of the article refers to E. H Zurhorst as an "Old School Politician." The obituary begins: "One of the picturesque personages of partisan politics of Sandusky and vicinity 20 to 30 years ago, was Col. Edmund H. Zurhorst, 78, taken by death Wednesday at Hollywood, Cal." Zurhorst was regarded as a relentless for in his political involvement, but in later years he took pride the "machine like" methods used in the old days. The article continues, "They called me a boss,...but I wasn't. I used to have the boys gather around me and then I'd tell 'em how I thought things ought to be done. They just generally agreed with me, that was all there was to it." Among the personal friends of Mr. Zurhorst were President Arthur, President McKinley, and the late Senator Marcus Hanna.

Edmund H. Zurhorst, and his wife Harriet, who died in 1890, are both buried in the family lot at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. A funeral took place for Edmund H. Zurhorst in Hollywood, California, conducted by the Knights Templar of Hollywood. Many former Sanduskians attended the funeral.

For more information about Edmund H. Zurhorst, read about him in the HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE, available at most larger Ohio libraries, and appearing online at Google Books.

Halsey Chapman Post

Halsey Chapman Post was well known merchant in Sandusky, Ohio. Mr. Post was born in Clinton, Connecticut in 1813. He moved to Sandusky, Ohio in the 1850's, and soon after settling in Sandusky, Ohio, Mr. Post became engaged in the lake fish business. He continued in that business until his death. H.C. Post was also associated with several other local business ventures, including the Sandusky Tool Company, the Sandusky Electric Light Company, and the White Line Street Railway.

On July 3, 1902, Halsey C. Post passed away at his home at the corner of Wayne and Madison Street. Rev. E. A. Steiner conducted funeral services at the Post residence, and burial was in Oakland Cemetery. Six employees of the Post Fish Co. served as pallbearers for H. C. Post. Honorary pallbearers were: Watson Hubbard, James E. Marshall, A. W. Prout, and George W. Paine. Mr. Post's wife, Sylvia, and his son, Lewis Post, had preceded Halsey C. Post in death. Mr. Post was survived by three children: Mrs. M. D. Leggett, Mrs. S. P. Brownell, and Joseph W. Post. Obituaries for Halsey C. Post appeared in the July 6 and July 7, 1902 issues of the Sandusky Register.

Several pages from Sandusky of Today related to the history of the fishing industry in Sandusky are found at the Ohio Memory Collection website.