Category Archives: Lowery
It Was Right Under My Nose!!
Gladys Marshall Lowery’s Autograph Book
Recently I’ve seen a couple posts about autograph books. Very cool books indeed and I remembered have my maternal grandmother’s autograph book. My mom gave it to me years and years ago. It’s been safely put away for sometime now. My recent blog readings made me hunt it up.
It took only a few moments to pull out my grandmother’s autograph book. I knew exactly where it was. The cover and pages are in really nice shape, it’s just that the binding is broken. So gently and ever so carefully I turn every page.
My grandmother, Gladys B. Marshall Lowery was born in 1892 in Allen County, Ohio. The earliest message in her book is January 5, 1903. Maybe this album was a Christmas gift. She’d have been 10 years old then and I imagine this was a prized possession.
As I look through the pages some notes are signed “your cousin” with vaguely familiar names.
Nov 29. 1909.
Cousin Gladys,
Love your playmates
Love your toys;
But never never love
the boys.
Your cousin,
Ida Kidd
Later my grandmother wrote Battles after Ida’s last name. Thanks grandma for her married name!!
So I need to check these collateral family members out.
Have you seen my Great Grandfather’s cane?
George S Marshall
George was born in 1868 in Allen County, Ohio. He married my great-grandmother Mary Ellen Williams in 1891. They had three children, my grandmother Gladys was the oldest and they lived on a farm that’s only about 20 minutes from me today.
By all accounts life seemed good for the family. They had three children, were farmers and prospered. I have a couple of pictures of George and Mary Ellen in front of their house and on the farm. It was a happy life until 1908 when my great-grandmother died. Consumption was the cause listed on Mary Ellen’s death certificate. It may as well read “Tragic Ending” because George suddenly became a single father of two teenage girls and a small son.
Although not Civil War related I have a hard hitting genealogy question for you!
Photo Credit: stock.xchng.com
I’ll bet you have, haven’t you? It’s happened to me! As I read their account of this wonderful genealogical treasure arriving out of the blue there’s this tiny little voice at the back of my mind that whispers, “Oh man! How come I don’t get my great grandmother’s diary or a family photo album filled with ten generations of photos all identified!”
Now I know we all cheer when a genealogist is contacted by a previously unknown cousin through their blog. Especially when that distant cousin has info about the blogger’s direct ancestors. Lucky dogs! We smile and give them a Hooray! when they receive a package in the mail. One that contains oodles of handwritten family letters loaded with valuable family information or the afore mentioned Bible. We marvel at their luck! We thank the genealogy gods on their behalf and quickly check our inbox for a similar message. I also turn a couple shades of green. I know, I know. Not cool but I wonder, “When is it going to be me?”
Then another small voice (who seems to show up at these times of envy!) reminds me of all the valuable family heirlooms I already have. Like
Women’s History Month – Share a Favorite Recipe or Dish From Your Mom or Grandma
My Mom
Lisa Alzo over at The Accidental Genealogist is posting a series of blogging prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month in March. The daily prompts give us the opportunity to write about our female ancestors. Today’s prompt is:
Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.
Now let me tell you my mom was not the world’s greatest cook. She did all right. Our meals were good but she didn’t have a flair for cooking or the desire to try new or different things. I can say this because I am my mother’s daughter. I cook well enough but I don’t pursue many new recipes or leaf through cookbooks. It’s just not my thing. So cooking or a favorite recipe isn’t something I’d readily associate with my mom. Except for one dish.
My mom’s homemade noodles. Whether it was chicken and noodles or beef and noodles (although I preferred beef and noodles) they were delicious!
I can still see her in the kitchen cracking eggs at the counter. She would separate the egg white from the yolk by pouring it between the two egg shell halves. There would be a bowl where the whites would drop and the separated yolk would go into another bowl. Mom would crack and sift a dozen eggs, then add flour and salt. There may have been other ingredients added that I missed as a kid. My sister has mom’s recipe so I need to get a copy from her.
Mom then rolled that mixture out on the floured counter top adding flour to keep the egg mixture from sticking to the rolling pin.
A Christmas Gift for your Civil War Veteran
Pvt G W Lowery Co. A 81st Penn Inf
You’ve been working hard researching your Civil War ancestor haven’t you? With all the information you’ve found you’re overwhelmed with his sacrifice. You track down where he is buried to pay your respects to your family hero and find he doesn’t have a headstone! No headstone! True story! It happened to me.
My g-g-grandfather George W. Lowery was a private with the 81st Pennsylvania. He fought bravely with his regiment from 19 July 1864 to 7 April 1865 where he was wounded at the Battle of Cumberland Church. Thankfully he survived his injuries, moved to Ohio, fathered three more children and is buried in a small country cemetery about 45 minutes from my home.
I was truly surprised to find
