The Plague Struck our Ancestors. Terrible Sadness (Williamson Line)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Everyone,
I walked six miles today and am proud of that fact. With the coming of Spring, I’m feeling the need to try to work off a bit of winter’s providence. In other words, my belt is too tight and its time to work off a few pounds. Will the drive to trim continue or will it evaporate with tomorrow’s alarm in the early hours of the morning? I’m not sure; the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

In my researching I came across an something sadly interesting about our 12th Great Grandparents on the Williamson line through the Willis family and with that, something to celebrate with our 11th Great Grandparents.

Relationship Chart

12th Great Grandparents. Robert Atwaters (1479 - 1565) Esquire and Catherine Bright (1470-1565)
to
11th Great Grandparents
Mary Atwaters and Robert Honeywood
to
Katharine Honywood and William Gent Fleete
to
Mary Fleete and William Willis
to
Henry Willis and Mary Pease
to
John Willis and Ester Brinton
to
Henry Willis and Mary Rachel Underwood
to
John Willis and Phebe Bennett
to
Bennett Willis and Katherine Nosseman
to
Jonathan Willis and Anabella Phlegar
to
Margaret Ann Willis and George Matthew Williamson
to
William J. Williamson and Effie Helen Victor
to
Vennie, Ima Della, Inez, Lillie Ethel, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles, Maurice.
to
US

Robert Atwater married Catherine Bright of Royton shortly after 1500. They had 12 sons and 2 daughters. The sons all died of the plague before the birth of the daughters. Their daughters were Joyce, who married Humphrey Hales only son of Sir James Hales of The Dungeon, Canterbury, and Mary the youngest born in 1527 who married Robert Honeywood of Henewood in Postling in Kent.

Imagine living at this time in history, never knowing when a terrible plague would strike. They all knew of the black death. Outbreaks occurred on a regular basis throughout Europe. All they could do was pray and hope God would spare them. Well, according to family history our Great Grandparents were not spared. Imagine the grief at losing twelve sons knowing the importance of sons in society at that time. Life was not easy. It was a daily challenge to live.

Dying of the plague was gruesome. This is a description of the course of the disease:

The symptoms of the Black Death included high fevers, fetid breath, coughing, vomiting of blood and foul body odor," says Rebecca Ferrell, graduate student in anthropology. "Other symptoms were red bruising or hemorrhaging of skin and swollen lymph nodes. Many of these symptoms do appear in bubonic plague, but they can appear in many other diseases as well.

Our Great Grandfather and Grandmother survived the plague and prospered. Robert Atwater became a man of fortune and a Justice of Peace in the County. In the list of tenures and in the histories of the County of Kent, Robert Atwater appears as owner of the following Manors during the reign of Henry VIII.

Puttwood in Osprings, Providers in Norton
Bewley in Boughton, Malherbe in Charing
Pette in Charing, Newcourt in Charing
Downcourt in Lenham, Royton in Lenham.

Of course there was some happiness in the Atwater family, which brings us to the story of Mary Atwater.

Our 11th Great Grandmother, Mary Atwater was the youngest of the two daughters of Robert Atwater and Catherine. She was born at Royton in 1527. When she was 16 year old she married Robert Honeywood of Postling in Kent in Feb of 1543. She was given the following Manors from her father: Pette and Newcourt in Charing and Dawn Court and Royton in Lenham, which became the property of her husband as soon as she married according to law.

Mary and Robert resided at Royton in Lenham and Pette in Charing. Robert died in 1576 and was buried in the Church of Lenham. They had 16 children, 2 died young.

The following is an extract from an article entitled "Posterity of Mary Honeywood by her son Robert.

"My father married my mother in 1543" .. "my mother departed this life at my house in Markeshall upon Tewesday ye 16 day of May, 1620 in ye 93 year of her age and according to her desyer was buryed in Lenham Church in ye County of Kent, uppon Saturday then following" . Mrs. Homewood lived to see three hundred and 67 of her descendants, 9 of them in the fourth generation.... ("a dinner was once given by her to a family party of two hundred of her descendants").. who had at here decease ... descended from her 367childern, 16 of her own, 114 grandchildren, 228 in 3rd generation, 9 in 4th ... on many accounts distinguished, but chiefly for her Christian character.

Life continues with all its ups and downs. I'm hoping this post finds all of you on the upswing.
Enjoy your day!

Simply,
Victor

Charles and Joel Williamson. First Cousins. September 1942.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

When dad was a young boy he and Grandma Elda took long 3 mile walks from Lead to Deadwood in the afternoons to visit their Williamson relatives. Some days they visited Walt and Francis. Other days it was Morris and Josie. Grandpa Charles picked them up when he got off work in Deadwood and drove them back to Lead at the end of the day.

One warm September afternoon in 1942 Elda checked dad out of first grade to take the walk.
"I remember that day," dad said. "I remember it because she checked me out of school. We walked the three miles to visit my Uncle Morris and Aunt Josie."

The picture above was taken that afternoon. Dad is pictured holding Joel Williamson, his first cousin and firstborn of Morris and Josie. Joel was six months old in this picture. Morris and Josie lived on William's Street in Deadwood.

"That house is still there today," Dad said. "Its about four or five houses south of our house on William's Street." (referring to the vacation home Dad, Kevin and I own in Deadwood).

"I remember something else that happened that very day," Dad said when I asked him about this picture. "They had a thermometer on their front porch. I though that if I bit on the red end of the thermometer it would force the mercury to go up." Dad, the ever curious, took the thermometer's bulb in his mouth and bit. The bulb broke and he had his first taste of mercury.
"Everyone panicked," Dad remembered. "They thought I was going to die."

Dad told me that Grandma Elda and Great Aunt Josie were the best of friends. When they got together they'd practice smoking while walking their young sons down Deadwood's main street.
"Everyone smoked in those days," Dad said.

On another visit Dad recalls they visited the Railroad Car Cafe in Deadwood. He and Grandma Elda sat down in a booth. Aunt Josie made an attempt but couldn't quite squeeze in. He said that Elda and Josie laughed about that experience for years afterwords.

Joel Williamson died of colon cancer in 1992. He was 50 years old.

Simply,
Victor

Saint Helena, Roman Empress, Mother of Constantine. Our 46th Great Grandmother

St. Helena, our 46th Great Grandmother
Her Catholic Feast Day is August 18th.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello to Everyone,
Tis gloomy outside. Rain again and low gray clouds swirl around the Fortress up on the mountainside. I sit by my reading lamp to write tonight's post on our 46th Great Grandmother, St. Helena. She was the mother of the Emperor Constantine (see the post of May 10th)

The Empress Helena was one of history's remarkable women. We owe her a great debt of gratitude for her work to uncover the history of Jesus in Jerusalem and her work to establish Christianity as the Roman religion.

St. Helena was the daughter of an innkeeper in England, and despite her lowly station, was married to Constantius Chlorus, a Roman general. They had one son, Constantine. After 22 years of marriage, her husband was named Caesar under Emperor Maximian, and immediately divorced Helena to marry Maximian's stepdaughter for political gain. Fourteen years later, Constantius died, his son was proclaimed Caesar, and 18 months later, Emperor. Constantine made up for the neglecte his father paid to St. Helena, ordering all honor be paid to the mother of the sovereign. She converted to Christianity about the same time, when she was 63 years old, in the years 312-313.

It was her son who issued the now famous "Edict of Milan", permitting Christianity in the Empire. Constantine sent his mother Helena to Jerusalem to try to find the cross on which our Lord was crucified. When she arrived, she bade all the Jewish Rabbis of the whole land gather to meet her. Great was their fear. They suspected that she sought the wood of the cross, a secret which they had promised not to reveal even under torture, because it would mean the end of Jewish supremacy. When they met her, sure enough, she asked for the place of the crucifixion. When they would not tell, she ordered them all to be burned. Frightened, they delivered up a man named Judas (not Iscariot), saying that he would tell. She gave him his choice of telling or dying by starvation. At first he was obstinate, but six days of total abstinence from food brought him to terms, and on the seventh he promised. He was conducted to the place indicated, and in response to prayer there was a sort of earthquake, and a perfume filled the air which converted Judas. There was a temple of Venus on the spot, which the queen had destroyed. Judas set to digging vigorously, and at the depth of twenty feet, found three crosses, which he brought to Helena.

The true cross was tested by its' causing a man to rise from the dead, or according to others, by healing a woman, or according to others, by finding the inscription of Pilate. After an exceedingly vigorous conversation between the devil and Judas, the latter was baptized and became Bishop Cyriacus. Then Helena set him hunting for the nails of the cross. He found them shining like gold and brought them to the queen, who departed, taking them and a portion of the wood of the cross. She brought the nails to Constantine, who put them on his bridle and helmet, or according to another account, two were used in this way, and one was thrown into the Adriatic Sea.

At 80 years old, St. Helen went to Palestine where she found the True Cross. She built Churches in Bethlehem, Egypt, the Mount of Olives, and Mount Calvary, and died in Palestine during these activities.

St. Helena's Mausoleum

St. Helena's Chapel in Jerusalem

She was buried in a mausoleum attached to the basilicas of Sts. Marcellinus & Peter. Her remains are now located in the Vatican Museum. Although St. Constantine does not appear on the Roman calendar, he is recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

Statue of St. Helena at the Vatican

Relationship Line

46th Great Grandmother Empress Helena and Emperor Constantius Chlorus
to
45th Great Grandfather
Constantine and Fausta
to
The Elder Theodosius
to
Honorius the Emperor of Western Rome and Maria
to
Flavius Eparchius Avitus and Clodereius Avitus
to
Papianilla of Rome and Ferreolus Tonantius
to
Miss Tonantius and Sigimaerus I Bishop of Auvergne
to
Ferrolus Duke of Moselle and Wambertus Duchess of Moselle
to
Ausbert of the Moselle and Berthe Queen of Kent
to
Arnoldus of Saxony and Oda De Savoy
to
Ansigisen Mayor of the Palace of Austriasia and Beggue of Landen
to
Pepin Li D’Heristal and Adpaide Concubine of Austrasia
to
Charles Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia and Rotrude Duchess of Austasia
to
Aldane (Aude) d’Heristal and Theuderic Duke of Toulouse.
to
Comte William Toulouse and Waldrate de Hombach
to
Cunigunde De Gellone and Bernard Di Italia King of Italy
to
Pepin II De Vermandois, Count of Senlis and Countess of Vermand
to
Hubert Count of Senlis and Countess de Senlis
to
Sprote De Bretagne and Longsword William
to
The Fearless Richard I, Duke of Normandy and Gonnor De Crepon
to
Richard Il “The Good” Duke of Normandy and Papie Duchess of Normandy
to
Guilaume De Normandie and Miss De Ponthiue
to
Leceline and Baron William Pantulf I
to
Robert Pantuff and Wife
to
Ivo De Pantulf 3rd Baron and Alice Verdon
to
Emma Pantuff and Robert Corbet Baron of Caus
to
Margaret Corbet and Prince Owain Gruffydd of Powys
to
William De La Pole and Elena Rotenhering
to
John De La Pole and Mabilla De La Poyle
to
Margaret De La Pole and John De Gaynesford
to
John Gaynesford and Christina
to
Sir John Gaynesfor and Margaret Elizabeth
to
Margaret White and John Kirton
to
Stephan Kirton and Margaret Offley
to
Helen Kirton and Richard White
to
Robert White Jr and Bridgett Algar
to
John White and Lucy White
to
Ann White and William Thompson
to
John Thompson and Sara Woodman
to
Sarah Thompson and Samuel Hill
to
Benjamin Hill and Betsey Dudley
to
Betsy Hill and Nathaniel Dearborn
to
Deborah Dearborn and Phinas Swift
to
Almira Swift and Joseph McCrillis
to
Isabel Deanora Helgerson McCrilles and John Mayberry Dennis
to
Vesta Althea Dennis and Walter Edwin Pierce
to
Violet May Pierce and Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, John, Linda, Marvin
to
US

Our 45th Great Grandfather, Constantine The Great, Emperor of Rome (Mattson Line)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Tonight we become reaquainted with someone we learned about in our elementary, junior high, high school, and religious schools. He is St. Constantine The Great, Emperor of Rome. He legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire and stopped the persecution of Christians. He embraced the new faith and made it the state religion. Constantine is our 45th Great Grandfather (my generation) on the Mattson, McCrillis line. How does one begin to write about someone so famous in history that hundred of books have been written about him? That alone could be a seperate blog unto itself.

Relationship Line

45th Great Grandfather
Constantine and Fausta
to
The Elder Theodosius
to
Honorius the Emperor of Western Rome and Maria
to
Flavius Eparchius Avitus and Clodereius Avitus
to
Papianilla of Rome and Ferreolus Tonantius
to
Miss Tonantius and Sigimaerus I Bishop of Auvergne
to
Ferrolus Duke of Moselle and Wambertus Duchess of Moselle
to
Ausbert of the Moselle and Berthe Queen of Kent
to
Arnoldus of Saxony and Oda De Savoy
to
Ansigisen Mayor of the Palace of Austriasia and Beggue of Landen
to
Pepin Li D’Heristal and Adpaide Concubine of Austrasia
to
Charles Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia and Rotrude Duchess of Austasia
to
Aldane (Aude) d’Heristal and Theuderic Duke of Toulouse.
to
Comte William Toulouse and Waldrate de Hombach
to
Cunigunde De Gellone and Bernard Di Italia King of Italy
to
Pepin II De Vermandois, Count of Senlis and Countess of Vermand
to
Hubert Count of Senlis and Countess de Senlis
to
Sprote De Bretagne and Longsword William
to
The Fearless Richard I, Duke of Normandy and Gonnor De Crepon
to
Richard Il “The Good” Duke of Normandy and Papie Duchess of Normandy
to
Guilaume De Normandie and Miss De Ponthiue
to
Leceline and Baron William Pantulf I
to
Robert Pantuff and Wife
to
Ivo De Pantulf 3rd Baron and Alice Verdon
to
Emma Pantuff and Robert Corbet Baron of Caus
to
Margaret Corbet and Prince Owain Gruffydd of Powys
to
William De La Pole and Elena Rotenhering
to
John De La Pole and Mabilla De La Poyle
to
Margaret De La Pole and John De Gaynesford
to
John Gaynesford and Christina
to
Sir John Gaynesfor and Margaret Elizabeth
to
Margaret White and John Kirton
to
Stephan Kirton and Margaret Offley
to
Helen Kirton and Richard White
to
Robert White Jr and Bridgett Algar
to
John White and Lucy White
to
Ann White and William Thompson
to
John Thompson and Sara Woodman
to
Sarah Thompson and Samuel Hill
to
Benjamin Hill and Betsey Dudley
to
Betsy Hill and Nathaniel Dearborn
to
Deborah Dearborn and Phinas Swift
to
Almira Swift and Joseph McCrillis
to
Isabel Deanora Helgerson McCrilles and John Mayberry Dennis
to
Vesta Althea Dennis and Walter Edwin Pierce
to
Violet May Pierce and Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, John, Linda, Marvin
to
US

I thought it best to find an article online that sums up this great grandfather's life. Take a moment to review what you learned about this famous ancestor by reading the information below.

Simply,
Victor

CONSTANTINE THE GREAT
Constantine, Roman Emperor from 306 to 337; was born in 274, at Naissus in Upper Moesia, a son of Constantius Chlorus and Helena, and was, after the death of his father at York (July 25, 306), proclaimed emperor by the legions of Gaul. He immediately took possession of Britain, Gaul, and Spain; and after a series of brilliant victories over Maxentius, ending with the bloody battle at the Milvian Bridge, just under the walls of Rome, he also became master of Italy (312). He now ruled over the ‘Western Empire, as Licinius over the Eastern: but war broke out between them in 314; and in 323, after the battle of Chalcedon, in which Licinius was killed, Constantine became sole lord of the whole Roman world. He died in 337, at Nicomedia.

Tradition tells us that he was converted to Christianity suddenly, and by a miracle. One evening during the contest with Maxentius, he saw a radiant cross appearing in the heavens, with the inscription, "By this thou shalt conquer." The tradition is first mentioned by Eusebius, in his De Vita Constantini, written after the emperor’s death. This miracle has been defended. with ingenious sophistry by Roman-Catholic historians and by Card. Dr. Newman (Two Essays on Biblical and on Ecclesiastical Miracles, 3d ed., Lond., 1873, pp. 271 sqq.), but cannot stand the test of critical examination. Constantine may have seen some phenomenon in the skies; he was no doubt convinced of the superior claims of Christianity as the rising religion; but his conversion was a change of policy, rather than of moral character. Long after that event he killed, his son, his second wife, several others of his relatives, and some of his most intimate friends, in passionate resentment of some fancied infringement of his rights. In his relation to Christianity he was cool, calculating, always bent upon the practically useful, always regarding the practically possible. He retained the office and title of Pontifex Maximus to the last, and did not receive Christian baptism until he felt death close upon him.

He kept Pagans in the highest positions in his immediate surroundings, and forbade every thing which might look like an encroachment of Christianity upon Paganism. Such a faith in such a character is not the result of a sudden conversion by a miracle: if it were, the effect would be more miraculous than the cause. Judging from the character both of his father and mother, it is probable that he grew up in quiet but steady contact with Christianity. Christianity had, indeed, become something in the air which no one occupying a prominent position in the Roman world could remain entirely foreign to. But the singular mixture of political carefulness and personal indifference with which he treated. it presupposes a relation of observation rather than impression. He knew Christianity well, but only as a power in the Roman Empire; and he protected it as a wise and far-seeing statesman. As a power not of this world, he hardly ever came to understand it.

Constantine's Arch in Rome

His first edict concerning the Christians (Rome 312) is lost. By the second (Milan, 313) he granted them, not only free religious worship and the recognition of the State, but also reparation of previously incurred losses. Banished men who worked on the galleys or in the mines were recalled, confiscated estates were restored, etc. A series of edicts of 315, 316, 319, 321, and 323, completed. the revolution. Christians were admitted to the offices of the State, both military and civil; the Christian clergy was exempted from all municipal burdens, as were the Pagan priests; the emancipation of Christian slaves was facilitated; Jews were forbidden to keep Christian slaves, etc. An [547] edict of 321 ordered Sunday to be celebrated by cessation of all work in public. When Constantine became master of the whole empire, all these edicts were extended to the whole realm, and the Roman world more and more assumed the aspect of a Christian state. One thing, however, puzzled and annoyed the emperor very much, - the dissensions of the Christians, their perpetual squabbles about doctrines, and the fanatical hatred thereby engendered. In the Roman Empire the most different religions lived peacefully beside each other, and here was a religion which could not live in peace with itself. For political reasons, however, unity and harmony were necessary; and in 325 the Emperor convened the first great oecumenical council at Nicæa to settle the Arian controversy. It was the first time the Christian Church and the Roman State met each other face to face; and the impression was very deep on both sides. When the emperor stood there, among the three hundred and eighteen bishops, tall, clad in purple and jewels, with his peculiarly haughty and sombre mien, he felt disgusted at those coarse and cringing creatures who one moment scrambled sportively around him to snatch up a bit of his munificence, and the next flew madly into each other’s faces for some incomprehensible mystery. Nevertheless, he learnt something from those people. He saw that with Christianity was born a new sentiment in the human heart hitherto unknown to mankind, and that on this sentiment the throne could be rested more safely than on the success of a court-intrigue, or the victory of a hired army. The only rational legitimation which the antique world had known of the kingship was descent from the gods; but this authority had now become a barefaced lie, and was difficult to use even in the form of a flattery. At Nicæa, however, the idea of a kingship of God’s grace began to dawn upon mankind. Constantine also met there with men who must have charmed and awed him by their grand simplicity, burdened, and almost curbed, as he was by the enormous complexity of Roman life. After the Council of Nicæa, he conversed more and more frequently and intimately with the bishops. his interest in Christianity grew with the years; but, as was to have been foreseen, he was sure to be led astray, for the needle lacked in the compass. He was more and more drawn over to the side of the Arians, and it was an Arian bishop who baptized him.

The Man Who Might Have Been our Grandfather......

Click to Enlarge

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Another mystery solved. Grandma Elda's First Husband has been found. He name was William John Zderick, someone she rarely mentioned or spoke about except to say that he was a good man. There is nothing more about their marriage except they divorced or perhaps the marriage was annulled.

Grandma Elda Vercellino around the time of her first marriage

This is the marriage record of his second wife, Ida Werlinger. Notice that he is listed as a Bachelor (noting the option of stating he was divorced). Again, this leads me to think their marriage was annulled. I think I remember Grandma mentioning that. Anyone else know of anything she said about the subject?

Simply,
Victor

An Update:
Our cousin Tharon was kind enough to shed new light on Grandma Elda's first marriage in an email received after reading this above entry.

Victor,
William "John" Zderic was born January 5, 1909 in Lawrence County. His parents were John & Anna, immigrants from Austria. He was 1 of 10 children. Grandma (Iris) Vercellino always said Aunt Elda married John to spite her mother. John's family were devote Catholics, so he wanted the marriage anulled. He married Ida Werlinger on July 4, 1936 in Dewey County (Timber Lake). John died in Las Vegas in December of 1984. They also lived in Washington State. Ida died December 2, 1999 in Bellingham, WA. Grandpa (Ed) & Grandma (Iris) Vercellino always received Christmas cards from John. I always remember going from Deadwood to Lead and Grandma would always say, "There's were Elda and John Zderic lived." It wasn't very far from where Mom, Uncle Danny, Grandma & Grandpa lived in Deadwood.

Tharon

A Day Out With Mom 1969

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

One hot summer day in 1969 mom made an announcement. If we got our jobs done around the house without complaining, we would go to Canyon Lake Park and Story Book Island in Rapid City. I'm sure we cleaned in record time. Day trips were a treat and the alternative was a day out on our bikes, playing at the dirt hills down Cottonwood Lane or walking to the swimming pool.

What a Beauty, a 1958 Rambler Station Wagon. Sweet Memories.....

Our preferred mode of transportation in 1969 was the family's blue 1958 Rambler Station Wagon. It was a car with a personality. Mother shifted gears with a pair of vice grips, a hole in the back seat floorboard let you see the passing road as you traveled and at least one of the windows was held up with a bent clothes hanger. It honked by itself every time mother turned a corner and the car was always followed by a trail of blue smoke from its exhaust.

Our day out was captured by photographs. I debated posting these considering their non flatteringness but, in the interest of family history, decided to humiliate us all at the same time (sparing Lisa and Annette. It was before their time).

This was the old Storybook Island, pre 1972 flood. Kim is standing, then left to right are Kevin, me, Jilane, Janice and Jon.

I want to remind you that this was the late 1960's and this was how we dressed. I don't know why we were dressed up to go to the park and I don't know why someone didn't tell me to unbotton that top button. Can you look any more nerdy I ask? And yes, even I thought it would be cool to be a fireman when I grew up.

And just so you didn't think it was me, notice Kevin also has his shirt buttoned all the way up. It was the style, at least until Uncle John pulled me aside one day when visiting from Spearfish.
"Leave your top button unbottoned," he said. And so I did ever since.

And to spread the joy even further, I present Janice Williamson in front of the Little Bo Peep display. Don't know why many of the displays were fenced off. All we wanted to do was get inside those tiny buildings and play.

Here we are together on the dragon. Kim, Jon, Jilane, Janice, Me, and Kevin. Maybe this was after church. Storybook Island was across the street from our LDS meeting house so that could explain our attire. I mean, we had play clothes in 1969, tshirts and jeans and that's what you'd normally wear on an outing.

Kim chose to have her picture taken in front of Cinderella. Yes, her prince eventually found her (JD) and they've reach the point in their lives where I think I can say they are living happily ever after.

Here we are on the shores of Canyon Lake. We're showing signs of exhaustion in this picture, especially Janice. Jilane is confused, Jon can't remember where to look for a proper photo, I'm dying in the heat with that buttonup shirt, Kevin - bored of course. Kim seems to be the only one of us still in a friendly mood, of course she always looked that way when a camera was around.

And finally one of my favorite pictures of my twin brother and sister, Jon and Janice sitting above Canyon Lake in Rapid City.

They were happy times. Thanks mom for the day out and thanks for remembering to bring the camera. There aren't many pictures of us as kids so every one is precious.

Happy Mother's Day to All our Mom's Out There!

Simply,
Victor

Two More Pictures From the Montana Ranch

From the Fortress Of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Happy Friday!
Yes, to some Friday is a happy day. You're off work for the weekend. Then there are those of us that have to work for a living and don't get home from Space Camp until Saturday evening 6:00 P.M. leaving Sunday as the only day off. We are those who toil for our daily bread. We are those who dream what it might be like to have two days off a week.

Anyway, let's put an end to the ramblings of self pity brought on through one's own decisions. It is time to post a couple pictures from the Montana ranch before heading back down to the school for Camp.

This is a picture of Grandma Violet with her first born daughter Luella taken in 1939. Luella thinks it may be a first birthday picture with her first doll. I like this photograph. There is an excellent mixture of white and dark and the subject matter couldn't be more appropriate for Mother's Day this weekend.


In this picture we have Grandpa Walter Mattson with an older Luella looking at the family's turkeys. The ranch had everything, turkeys, geese, sheep, cows, pigs etc. The date of the picture is unknown. Luella says it was a "rich life" to be raised on a ranch. The variety of animals and people meant never a dull day.

So today, two pictures for your enjoyment.

Simply,
Victor

Mother and Daughter over the Years

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Everyone,
This is the time of year when I become a bit of a drug addict. And no, a family intervention isn't required. My current drugs of choice are allergy medicines procured through my shady suppliers at the local WalMart and Walgreens. I know the curse of allergies runs in the family so several of you are finding it hard to muster any sympathy for my plight. You're popping those daily antihistamines just like me. How lucky are those not born with a body that is allergic to Spring and Fall.

Tonight post is simple and to the point because I'm feeling drowsy and the pull of my maroon leather sofa is calling with in Siren song.

A week ago the Dowager Empress Luella gave me a clipped fading photograph.
"This is one of my favorite pictures in the whole world!" she exclaimed as she handed it to me. It was in bad shape. It was a photo of my mother and my sister Lisa taken in the mid 70's trimmed from a larger photograph. I was busy and tossed it into the bin with all the other photos that will eventually find their way into this history.

I saw the picture floating on the surface of a sea of black and white photographs every day when I'd sit down to write. Today I decided to post it. It captures a happy moment between a mother and her daughter. So tonight, I give you one of Luella's favorite pictures taken around 1975. Below it you'll see the same mother and daughter taken at the family Christmas party 34 years later in 2009.

Simply,
Victor

Luella and Lisa. 1975

Lisa and Luella. 2009

6 Year Old Raymond Williamson Clifford. A Hero in Our Family.

Six-year-old super hero Raymond Clifford demonstrates how he

saved his grandma's life by picking up the phone and dialing 911.
Pioneer photo by Jaci Conrad Pearson

From the Fortress of Solitude

Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
I've spent a great deal of time searching our family lines for interesting stories about our ancestors. What a refreshing change for tonight's gathering to celebrate a new hero in our family and tell his story.

Raymond is one of our youngest Williamsons and a real hero for saving his Grandma Sandy Williamson's life.
First, my relationship to Raymond so you can see how he fits into the family line.


And now Raymond's story as written by Jaci Conrad Pearson and printed in the Black Hills Pioneer Newspaper.

SPEARFISH -- While most little boys aspire to superhero status, this little guy has actually attained it — and he's only in kindergarten.

When 6-year-old Raymond Clifford of Lead decided in the middle of the night to crawl in bed with his grandmother, Sandy Williamson at her Spearfish home, little did he know that after celebrating the miracle of Easter on Sunday, the two would be celebrating a miracle of their own on Monday.

“I just called 911 because my grandma was real sick. But it's only for emergencies,” Clifford explained.

Lead-Deadwood's very own little superhero saved his grandmother's life by calling 911 at approximately 3:29 a.m., April 5, when he was awakened in the middle of the night to her having a seizure.

“If he hadn't been here, I wouldn't be here any more,” Williamson said. “He's always told me that when he grows up, he wants to be a hero. So I told him 'he's my hero.'”

Williamson said that she suffers from remitting/relapsing Multiple Sclerosis, along with diabetes. When she began having involuntary muscle contractions, stemming from the MS, a deadly cycle was set in play, as the contractions caused her glucose levels to plummet and by the time Clifford actually awoke, she was unconscious.

“He told the dispatcher that his grandmother wouldn't wake up and he didn't know what to do,” Williamson said. “When they got here, they started a glucose I.V. and I woke up. The first thing I said is, “Where's my grandson?”

Spearfish Police Sgt. Steve Hofmann and Officer Katie Allart responded to the scene of the emergency, where they were met at the door by Clifford.

“Sometimes heroes don't know they're a hero and he certainly is,” Allart said. “Raymond is very humble about what he did. The truth is, had he not called 911, his grandmother would not have survived the night.”

Allart said that the most important thing that Clifford did besides calling, was to stay on the phone. Once they arrived to help, he unlocked the door for the officers, showed them where his grandmother was and once the paramedics got there, began watching cartoons.

“He was cool, calm and collected,” Allart said. “He checked on his grandma and once he found out she was OK, he just watched cartoons.”

Hofmann, too, was impressed with Clifford's heroism.

“Most kids would've rolled over and slept or gone out on the couch if they awoke to what Raymond did,” Hofmann said. “It's impressive that he knew what to do. The paramedics said that within one-half to one hour, she would have been dead.”

Clifford's mother, Nikki Williamson was made aware of the night's 911 happenings, also with the help of Clifford, who knew her cell phone number and where she worked. He directed the officers each step of the way in finding his mom.

“I got a call that said 'This is the Spearfish Police Department and we're here with your mother as the result of a 911 call placed from her home. Paramedics have been called and she is very ill.' I said, 'Who placed the call?' They said, 'Your son.'”

After composing herself, Nikki said, with tears in her eyes,

“It was the hand of God. His grandma is a big part of his life, a big part of his care-giving. He's with her a lot. His grandma means everything to him. He would be lost without her.”

Nikki said that to reward Clifford for his efforts, she took him to Wal-Mart the next day and said he could have anything he wanted.

“He chose Cheez-Its. That's it,” Nikki said.

Lt. Curt Jacobs of the Spearfish Police Department said that he's been in law enforcement 23 years and he's never seen anything like it - a child this young save a life with a 911 call.

“We're extremely proud of Raymond. He did a wonderful job. It's pretty amazing. For him to wake up, know something was wrong, call 911 and stay on the phone, that's really something. I'm just really proud of him.”

Colleen Adams was the 911 dispatcher on duty when Clifford's call came in.

“He did wonderful,” Adams said. “The way he explained everything, I could tell that something was terribly wrong, and for a child to call at that time of night. ... He stayed on the phone with me too. I don't usually get to see the after-effects or outcome of my work, but this ended just great.”

With several members of the Spearfish Police Department on hand, including Allart and Jacobs, Hofmann presented Clifford with a “Life Saver” award on behalf of the Spearfish Police Department during a ceremony held at Lead-Deadwood Elementary School Tuesday morning.

After relaying Clifford's choice of reward as Cheez-Its from Wal-Mart following his heroism, Hofmann said he decided to ask Wal-Mart for a little bit of an upgrade in prizes for Lead-Deadwood's littlest hero.

He then proceeded to wheel out a brand new shiny bike and helmet, courtesy of the Spearfish Wal-Mart. Clifford soon climbed aboard and Allart helped him take his maiden voyage around the gym.

The big lifesaver who worked in tandem with the little live saver that night was Paramedic Anthony Bopat.

“It's pretty amazing a 6-year-old was heads-up enough to know to call 911 in that situation. He stayed calm and I'm proud of him,” said Becky Binder, Clifford's Lead-Deadwood kindergarten teacher. “Right on, Raymond!”

“He took care of me all the next day. He's a good little nurse. He's my nurse in training,” Williamson said.

Luella Mattson, Homecoming Attendant. 1955/56 School Year.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Everyone!
How about a bit of Autumn Spearfish High School Football! Its school year 1955/56. Its homecoming. Luella is a senior. She moved to Spearfish a year earlier so she was considered the 'new girl' in town. An announcement is made over the school's intercom. Elections were to be held for Homecoming Queen.

On election day everyone in the High School voted. The results were kept secret until a few days before the Pageant. Three young ladies made the first cut. Luella was one of them. She was shocked, considering this was her second year at Spearfish High. The Queen was announced and crowned during the Pageant.

Luella looks a bit disappointed in this picture taken right after the Queen was announced and ascended to the throne. The guy beside her doesn't seem too upset. He's happy to be right where he is :)

Working as a waitress at the Valley Cafe was one of the reasons Luella was well known in the Spearfish of the mid 1950's. She worked for .50 cents an hour and of course got to keep the tips. She remembers the tips were always good. She had a smile for everyone and took an interest in them. Of course her good looks were the other reason she was elected to the Queen's Court. In fact, the very doctor that delivered our cousin Kirk used to visit the Cafe regularly and always made it a point to tell everyone that Luella was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

Although she hates to admit it, Luella enjoyed the attention.

Grandma Violet colored this picture herself by hand. It was originally black and white.

This picture was taken at the homecoming game. The Queen's Court rode around the field at half time in the convertible. Number 42 "Albert", the quarterback, got to give the Queen a hug.

There you have it folks, Luella, as a High School Senior and real heart throb, in a 1950's sort of way.

Simply,
Victor