And Now, The Mattsons and McCrillus.

From the Fortress of Solitude

Family,
This evening we peer into the past, capturing visions of ancestors long dead. Tonight we meet John Albert Mattson, my Great Grandfather and father of Walter Mattson (Luella's father). He was born August 6, 1873 in Fjaras, Halland Sweden. He is 16 years old in this picture, taken in 1889, the same year South Dakota was made a state. The picture was taken in Scranton PA.

John Albert Mattson. Age 16
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John Albert Mattson. Age Unknown
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This picture is of John Albert and his wife Ida was taken on the Mattson ranch in Montana. They moved from Lead where they owned 5 houses. They sold the houses, bought a homestead in Montana and moved the family. The homestead was one mile from the town Pinele. Our grandfather Walter was 10 years old when they moved. Walter was their only child.

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This was written on the back of the picture. It is written in his own hand in Swedish. I'm guessing it was written to his sister Josephine in Lead.

John Albert Mattson died on May 16, 1955 in Belle Fourche South Dakota.

John Albert came over from Sweden when he was 16 years old. He didn't speak English. His family came over one at a time. One would come and get a job, save money, send the money back to Sweden so another family member could come. His oldest sister was the first to come to America. He saw a fruit pie for the first time in America and thought it was an omelet. He helped in the San Francisco 1906 earthquake recovery. He eventual moved to Lead South Dakota. He met his wife in Lead and that's where they settled.

He moved to Spearfish with mom and the family in 1954. He lived with them until he died. He was 72 when he died of Leukemia.

Also Tonight you are fortunate to meet Isabelle Deanora Helgerson McCrillus. She was Grandma Mattson's Grandmother, my Great Great Grandmother. She was born in 1851 in Vermont and died the day after Christmas in 1896. The McCrillus line is where we trace most of our royal blood all channeled into your bloodstream by Great Great Grandmother D. Bell (as she was known).

She was married before to a Helgerson. Later she married John Dennis, mom's Great Grandfather. He worked on the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

Now, we end for the evening. There will be more to come.

Simply,
Victor

Janice and Jon Join the Williamson Family. 1963

Hello Family,
This picture was taken in 1963 just after Jon and Janice were born. Kim was 6 years old. I was 5 and Kevin was 3. This picture was taken at our home at 39 East Signal Drive, Rapid City. We just came home from church. Notice how nicely Kim and Kevin are dressed. Now notice what I'm wearing. Yea, let's let the 5 year old wear whatever. How typical. Its the story of my life - always getting the shaft. Ah, give him whatever, it doesn't have to match and who cares if the shirt doesn't even fit! :)

Mom was 26 years old with five children when this picture was taken. No one gave mom a baby shower for Jon and Jan so she had to make do with two outfits apiece, at least for awhile. One outfit was in the wash while the other was on their backs.

I predicted the birth of twins before anyone else, including the doctor. I also predicted they would be a boy and girl. I had unique powers of observation even at the young age of 5. I mean how hard was it to see that mother looked like she had swallowed several basketballs. She was huge.

We had an oversized playpen for the twins. You see, in those days the play pen was your home. You got fed, you got your nappy changed and then straight into the play pen to entertain yourself with whatever was tossed in, a bowl a cup a stuffed animal, whatever. Mom remembers Jon and Jan loved their play pen. She also remembers they played nicely together. They were really good babies. Kim took it upon herself to help with Janice. I took responsibility for Jon. As for Kevin, he spent most of his time trying to escape. Every time the front door was opened little 3 year old Kevin made a break for it - out the door and running down the street as fast as his little legs would carry him.

Simply,
Victor

Jilane's Birthday Party and a Christmas Shot. 1972 - 1973.

Hello Family,
More pictures taken at 2214 38th Street, Rapid City. I'm guessing these pictures were taken in 1973. I'm basing the guess on Lisa's age. I'm sure Jilane recognizes everyone in this picture. There are a few I know. I see Janice and Jilane. In this series of pictures I feel it necessary to apologize for Jon. Enlarge the picture by clicking on it and look at him. Yes, I'm sorry for Jon.
I think Paula Thomas is in these pictues. I think I see Shelley Burnett as well.


Here's a question for my 7 siblings. Do you recognized the KoolAid tupperware container? We kept that filled. It was our watering tough. We drank the stuff by the gallons. What else do you remember about these pictures? What else comes to mind when you see them? Send along your comments.

Lisa

And Another Lisa

And a picture of the famous heater vent in the living room. Lisa is just learning to walk.


Wow! This may be the only picture left of our 1958 blue station wagon with the hole in the floorboard. This is the car mom and dad used a vice grip to shift gears with. We held the windows up with clothes hangers. It's horn blew everytime you turned a corner. It belched poisonous clouds of blue oil smoke. And in its last days it wouldn't reverse. Ah memories.....
Christmas 1972. Look at Kevin's clothes. Such style! I'll bet he won't show this picture to anyone. Quick, copy it, call him and ask for money or it gets distributed.

Simply,
Victor

And Now, a Drop of Scottish Blood. Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, Our 20th Great Uncle

Robert the Bruce, our 20th Great Uncle

Hello Family,
For today's journey in our family Way Back Machine we travel to Scotland. Before we do, let's review what we know about our ancestors so far.

• We have several English Kings and Queens in our ancestral line.
• We discovered we are descendants of Roman Emperors.
• We are descendants of Holy Roman Emperors.

I'm currently researching direct family ties to Irish and Welsh Royal lines but while I do that let's meet someone from our royal Scottish family line.

His name is Robert the Bruce. He is, without a doubt, one of Scotland's greatest historical figures, a George Washington of Scotland so to speak. Robert is our 20th Great Uncle. His sister Marjoie Bruce Princess of Scotland is our 20th Great Grandmother.

This is therefore our Bruce family Scotish tartan:

This is our Bruce Family Coat of Arms: Fuimus means "We Have Been"



And Now, a bit of the Bruce Family History:

Robert I, known as Robert the Bruce, was the king of the Scots who secured Scotland's independence from England.

Robert was born on 11 July 1274 into an aristocratic Scottish family. Through his father he was distantly related to the Scottish royal family. His mother had Gaelic antecedents. Bruce's grandfather was one of the claimants to the Scottish throne during a succession dispute in 1290 - 1292. The English king, Edward I, was asked to arbitrate and chose John Balliol to be king. Both Bruce and his father refused to back Balliol and supported Edward I's invasion of Scotland in 1296 to force Balliol to abdicate. Edward then ruled Scotland as a province of England.

Bruce then supported William Wallace's uprising against the English. After Wallace was defeated, Bruce's lands were not confiscated and in 1298, Bruce became a guardian of Scotland, with John Comyn, Balliol's nephew and Bruce's greatest rival for the Scottish throne In 1306, Bruce quarrelled with Comyn and stabbed him in a church in Dumfries. He was outlawed by Edward and excommunicated by the pope. Bruce now proclaimed his right to the throne and on 27 March was crowned king at Scone. The following year, Bruce was deposed by Edward's army and forced to flee. His wife and daughters were imprisoned and three of his brothers executed. Robert spent the winter on the island off the coast of Antrim (Northern Ireland).

Returning to Scotland, Robert waged a highly successful guerrilla war against the English. At the Battle of Bannockburn in June 1314, he defeated a much larger English army under Edward II, confirming the re-establishment of an independent Scottish monarchy. Two years later, his brother Edward Bruce was inaugurated as high king of Ireland but was killed in battle in 1318. Even after Bannockburn and the Scottish capture of Berwick in 1318, Edward II refused to give up his claim to the overlordship of Scotland. In 1320, the Scottish earls, barons and the 'community of the realm' sent a letter to Pope John XXII declaring that Robert was their rightful monarch. This was the 'Declaration of Arbroath' and it asserted the antiquity of the Scottish people and their monarchy.

Four years later, Robert received papal recognition as king of an independent Scotland. The Franco-Scottish alliance was renewed in the Treaty of Corbeil, by which the Scots were obliged to make war on England should hostilities break out between England and France. In 1327, the English deposed Edward II in favour of his son and peace was made with Scotland. This included a total renunciation of all English claims to superiority over Scotland. Robert died on 7 June 1329. He was buried at Dunfermline. He requested that his heart be taken to the Holy Land, but it only got as far as Spain. It was returned to Scotland and buried in Melrose Abbey.

Janice and Steve Cover Under the Milky Way Tonight

The Williamson Family Reunion 1975. And Other Things.

Hello Family,
Our first stop in tonight's venture through the Twilight Zone of memory is Spearfish Park in July 1975 for the Williamson Family Reunion. Click on the picture above to enlarge and see if how many of our family you can recognize. Please send me your official entry. I'll post all their names on Monday. No cheating and calling mom or dad. Do this yourself.

Our picnic tables where near Spearfish Creek. I got these two shots of three year old Lisa near the water's edge. I kept telling her to "move closer to the water". She hesitated - remembering mom's warning about staying away from the water. Well, I tried my best but try as I did she wouldn't go just those few extra steps. Darn it. Well, one can only do one's best.

I remember sitting her on this log, right on the water's edge. I planned on taking the picture then shouting "SPIDER!" thinking the sudden shock would send her right over but, darn it, look how cute she was back then. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I had my chance and blew it. Well, Caden, Draker, Aidea and Bob can thank me for it. You four owe me big time!Our final snapshot comes from my old white Polaroid Instamatic camera. Can you see the talent in this snapshot? No... I'm not talking about the malnourished "Feed the Children Poster Children" in the picture above. I'm talking about the professionalism of the picture. Remarkable for one my age. Notice how I caught Kevin in mid swing. Notice I captured Jon with a decent face. That's rare indeed. I apologize, as I always do for Jilane. What can one say. She's just Jilane. Janice tried that cosmopolitan look (notice the slight turn of the head and Mona Lisa smile). Unsuccessful as it was it was still a good attempt from someone that, even on her best days, struggled to make a good picture.

This picture was taken in our back yard at 2214 38th Street. I believe that is Frosty the mutt in the background. Remember Frosty - our street accident of a dog with the matted fur and host to the world's greatest collection of flea circuses? I still laugh when I see that miserable barrier we called a fence. Yes Friends, the boards do go different directions. Sheezzzzze........

I'm guessing this picture was taken around 1973. Kevin looks to be around 11 years old. I love this picture.

Simply,
Victor

Mark Antony, Roman Emperor. Our 58th Great Grandfather

Hello Family,
We've all heard of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Well, now we find that Mark Antony was our 58th Great Grandfather through a line of Kings and Queens tied to Charlemagne. His wife, our 58th Great Grandmother was Octavia Minor. She was the sister of Caesar Augustus (He called the world to be taxed in the Christmas Story). So Caesar Augustus was a Great Uncle. Hold on to your socks on this, but through another line, Caesar Augustus was another Great Grandfather (another post for another day). History suddenly comes alive doesn't it?

Mark Antony (left) on a Roman Gold Coin. Caeser Augustus (Octavian) is on the Right. Two Great Grandfathers on a single coin.

Here is a brief outline of Mark Antony's life:

• 83 B.C.E.—born in Rome
• 54–50 B.C.E.—joins Caesar's staff in Gaul and fights in the Gallic wars
• 50 B.C.E.—Tribune of the Plebeians
• 48 B.C.E.—Serves as Caesar's Master of the Horse
• 47 B.C.E.—Ruinous administration of Italy: political exile
• 44 B.C.E.—Forms the Second Triumvirate with Octavian and Lepidus
• 42 B.C.E.—Defeats Cassius and Brutus in the Battle of Philippi; travels through the East
• 41 B.C.E.—Meets Cleopatra
• 40 B.C.E.—Returns to Rome, marries Octavia Minor; treaty of Brundisium
• 38 B.C.E.—Treaty of Tarentum: Triumvirate renewed until 33 B.C.E.
• 36 B.C.E.—Defeated by the Parthians
• 35 B.C.E.—Conquers Armenia
• 34 B.C.E.—The Donations of Alexandria
• 33 B.C.E.—End of the triumvirate
• 32 B.C.E.—Exchange of accusations between Octavian and Antony
• 31 B.C.E.—Defeated by Octavian in the naval Battle of Actium
• 30 B.C.E.—Antony commits suicide in the mistaken belief that Cleopatra had already done so

Marcus Antonius (Latin: M•ANTONIVS•M•F•M•N)^[1] (c. January 14, 83 B.C.E. – August 1, 30 B.C.E.), known in English as Mark Antony (also spelled Marc Anthony; Latin, Marcus Antonius), was a Roman politician and general. He was an important supporter of Gaius Julius Caesar as a military commander and administrator. After Caesar's assassination, Antony allied with Caesar’s adopted son Octavian and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus to form an official triumvirate which modern scholars have labeled the Second Triumvirate (43–30 B.C.E.). The triumvirate broke up in 33 B.C.E. Disagreement between Octavian and Antony turned to civil war in 31 B.C.E., after Antony formed a personal and political alliance with Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt, and used her support to invade Parthia. Antony was defeated by Octavian at the naval Battle of Actium and then in a short land battle at Alexandria. He committed suicide, and Cleopatra killed herself soon afterwards.

Mark Antony was especially criticized in Rome for betraying his Roman citizenship by forming an alliance with a foreign queen. His plans for collaboration between the Roman Empire and Greece were put to rest by his defeat at the Battle of Actium, and the Roman Empire continued a policy of attempting to bring its neighbors under central control for the next three centuries. Shakespeare made Antony and Cleopatra the subject of his famous tragedy, “Antony and Cleopatra,” and gave him a role delivering the funeral oration for Julius Caesar in another tragedy, Julius Caesar.

Please visit the following link to learn more about this ancestor:

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Mark_Antony&printable=yes

Keep in touch with the blog. There are many more to come.

Simply,
Victor

Charlemagne, The First Holy Roman Emperor. Our 36th Great Grandfather. Born 2 April 742. Died 28 January 814

Hello Family,
Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor was our 36th Great Grandfather. The relation comes through Grandma Mattson and then through her mother Vesta.  Here are the basics on Charlemagne.

I should also come clean about this and tell you that our relation to this very famous historical figure comes through his bastard son (he had two) Hugo "L'Abbe" Bastard of the Holy Roman Empire. Yes, that is his real historical title.  Hugo was therefore our 35th Great Grandfather. Hugo's mother was named Regina. History tells us she never married.

Here is a written description of Charlemagne from one of his associates.
He was heavily built, sturdy, and of considerable stature, although not exceptionally so, since his height was seven times the length of his own foot. He had a round head, large and lively eyes, a slightly larger nose than usual, white but still attractive hair, a bright and cheerful expression, a short and fat neck, and a slightly protruding stomach. His voice was clear, but a little higher than one would have expected for a man of his build. He enjoyed good health, except for the fevers that affected him in the last few years of his life. Toward the end he dragged one leg. Even then, he stubbornly did what he wanted and refused to listen to doctors, indeed he detested them, because they wanted to persuade him to stop eating roast meat, as was his wont, and to be content with boiled meat.

Charlemagne was also called Charles I, Charles the Great (in French, Charlemagne; in German, Karl der Grosse; in Latin, Carolus Magnus) was King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and is generally considered the first Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne consolidated a large portion of Europe under his rule, promoted learning, and instituted innovative administrative concepts.

Charlemagne was the son of Pippin III (the Short), who officially put an end to the Merovingian line of kings when he negotiated with the pope to be crowned King of the Franks. When Pippin died, the kingdom of Francia was divided between Charlemagne and his brother Carloman. Charles proved himself a capable leader from early on, but his brother was less so, and their relationship was tense until Carloman's death in 771.



Once Charlemagne had sole rule of the government of Francia, he expanded his territory through conquest. He conquered the Lombards in northern Italy, acquired Bavaria, and campaigned in Spain and Hungary. Charles used harsh measures in subduing the Saxons and virtually exterminating the Avars of presnt-day Austria and Hungary. Though he had essentially amassed an empire, Charlemagne did not style himself "emperor," but called himself the King of the Franks and Lombards.

Charles was an able administrator who delegated authority over his conquered provinces to Frankish nobles. At the same time, he recognized the diverse ethnic groups he'd brought together, and allowed each to retain its own local laws. To ensure justice, Charlemagne had these laws set down in writing and strictly enforced. He issued capitularies that applied to all citizens, and kept an eye on events in his empire through the use of missi dominici, representatives who acted with his authority.

Though never able to master writing himself, Charlemagne was an enthusiastic patron of learning. He attracted noted scholars to his court, including Alcuin, who became his private tutor, and Einhard, who was his biographer. Charles was responsible for reforming the palace school and setting up monastic schools throughout the empire. The monasteries he sponsored preserved and copied ancient books. The flowering of learning under his patronage has come to be known as the "Carolingian Renaissance."

Charlemagne took his role as a Christian seriously, and in 800, he came to the aid of Pope Leo III, who had been attacked in the streets of Rome. Charlemagne went to Rome to restore order and, after Leo purged himself of the charges against him, the pope unexpectedly crowned him emperor.

According to his biographer Einhard, Charlemagne wasn't pleased with this development, because it established the precedent of papal ascendancy over secular leadership; but though he still often referred to himself as a king he now also styled himself "Emperor," as well.

Charlemagne died in January, 814. His achievements stand among the most significant of the early Middle Ages, and although the empire he built (called "the Carolingian Empire" after him) would not long outlast his son Louis, his consolidation of lands marked a watershed in the development of Europe.

Tonight's Picture Palace Presentation. Before Dad and Dad's Early Years.

Hello Family,
Tonight's offer takes us back to the 1930's for the first picture and then a few other pictures of dad before he started school.

A family photo taken in 1932/33.

The people in this picture are Left to Right, William Jonathon Williamson - Dad's Grandfather.
Francis Plato Williamson, Mary Anne Good (Baby) Aunt Josie Williamson Good's daughter, Walt Williamson - Dad's Uncle and oldest boy born to William Jonathon Williamson. Francis and Walt were married.

This picture was taken at the family's Conaco Station in Sundance Wyoming. The station is on the old original highway through Sundance. It is long gone, replaced by a cleaners.

If you look closely at the gasoline pump you'll see a big long handle. At the top of the pump was a glass tank that held the gas. To fill a car you took the handle and pumped the gas out of the underground tank into the glass cylinder on top of the pump. The glass cylinder is marked by gallon and half gallon. You hand to decided how many gallons you wanted before you started pumping. Then you took the hose off the handle, put it in your tank and my gravity it ran back down the hose into the tank. Of course, you didn't pump your own gas, it was pumped for you by attendants in uniform. One pump was for regular gas and the other was for Ethyl (Premium gas with lead). The attendant also checked your oil and water and cleaned your windshield. If requested they'd check your tire's air.

Dad on a petrified tree stump. This picture was taken in 1942 on the Mauch Ranch in Sundance Wyoming. He's sitting on a pillow but you can tell it isn't that comfortable on dad's skinny butt.




These two pictures are of dad when he was 4 1/2 years old taken in 1940. He is standing on the steps outside the door into the kitchen. Grandma Elda is with him in one. That house was brand new. It was off Porman Road in Lead, South Dakota. It sat at the end of the road. That house was built by Ted Pascoe and Dad's Dad Charlie. It had a living room, kitchen, washroom, bathroom and one bedroom on the main level. Upstairs it had one bedroom (dad's) and storage space. They paid $18.00 per month rent. In the dead of winter the heat bill was $3.00 per month and the lights were $2.00 per month. Dad had a small deck outside of his upstairs bedroom. He used to jump from the porch onto the lawn. He also used to jump from the deck into the chicken coop. Dad watched when they'd cut the chicken's head off to have a chicken supper.

Dad had a cat named Fuzz. She had kittens. Dad remembers his father Charlie sitting on the porch chloroforming the kittens to kill them, putting them in a sack and throwing them into the lake the next time he when fishing. Such lovely memories........

They moved out of the house in 1947 when dad's parents divorced.

Simply,
Victor

The Obituary for Nadine Williamson.

Hello Everyone,
Nadine Williamson Rankin died last week. Nadine's first husband was Delbert Williamson. Delbert was the son of dad's great uncle, Glenn Williamson (brother to his Grandfather, William Jonathan Williamson).

I want to thank Karin Martin for sending this to me. This is Nadine's obituary from the Rapid City Journal.

Nadine L. Williamson-Rankin
RAPID CITY - Nadine L. Williamson-Rankin, 88, Rapid City, died Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010, at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Survivors include seven sons, Leedel Williamson and Denis Williamson, both of Rapid City, Marvin Rankin, North Platte, Neb., Douglas Rankin and Martin Rankin, Gillette, Wyo., Larry Rankin, Lawrence, Kan., and Bill Tolson, Ariz.; two daughters, Inez Maxner, Rapid City, and Debra Newlin, Pine Haven, Wyo.; eight grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Delbert P. Williamson, Tom Tolson and Harold C. Rankin. Services were held Saturday, Jan. 16 at the Free Methodist Church with the Rev. Doug Heck officiating.

Please take a moment and visit the online guest book and memorial to Nadine:
http://obit.wordenfuneraldirectors.com/obit-745632

Published in the Rapid City Journal on 1/17/2010