The Williamson's Gather for Thanksgiving and Life in a Wyoming Ranch House.

The Williamsons gathered for Thanksgiving Dinner. This picture was taken at Alfred and Inez Mauch's ranch in Sundance Wyoming in 1942, 43 or 44.
From Left to Right the feasters are

• Walt Williamson (Dad's Uncle partially blurred)
• Gene Madison
  
• Lester Mauch is next. He was dad's first cousin and son of Inez and Alfred. (The baby in Lester's arms is Pat Williamson, Walt and Francis's girl).
• Francis Williamson, Walt's Wife.
• Inez Mauch.
• Teresa Madison.
• Grandma Plato (Francis's mother)
• Woody Williamson (little boy in front of Grandma Plato). Woody is Walt and Francis's son.
• Elda Williamson (Dad's mother)
• Esther Mauch
• Mystery Woman
• Tracy Martin (man in the back. He is Vinny Martin's son. Dad's first cousin)
• Vinny Martin (Dad's aunt)
• Alfred Mauch
• Charles Williamson (Dad's dad).
• Dad, in the very front standing in front of Vinny.
• Mystery man in the suit and glasses.
• Grandma Williamson (Dad's grandma. Effie Helen Victor Williamson)
• Gayle Williamson (in front of the suited man. Daughter of Walt and Francis)
• Finally, Maurice Williamson. He is wearing his Conoco Service Station Uniform. Their station was closed just for Thanksgiving Dinner.

The home had no electricity, no running water and used wood to heat the home. There was no bathroom. They used an outhouse. It was a two holer, the holes were side by side. Only the high up ranch homes had two holers. There was no toilet paper. You used the Sear's Roebuck Catalog. Or there was always the corn cob. Every bed in the home had a chamber pot for nighttime peeing. In the morning you threw it out. They had a pot to pee in and a window to throw it out of. The outhouse was 50 feet or so from the house. In the winter you didn't stay too long.

The fire was always going in the cook stove. Not only did they cook in the stove but they used it to heat the iron for ironing. There were always two irons on the stove. The well was inside the house. They had a pump in the kitchen. You pumped your water. Nice ice cold water dad remembers.

Clothes were washed by hand. Once a week they made butter using an old churn. What was left on top was sweet cream. Once in a very great while they made ice cream. They'd go to town to buy ice and rock salt.

Dad stayed there one summer in 1945. He rode their horse all summer. He remembers they drank raw milk. Dad had a room all to himself upstairs. You went to bed at sundown. If you wanted to read you needed the kerosene lamp. In the winter you went to bed early. They had an old Victrola record player that had to be cranked to work. As the spring unwound the music played slower and slower so you'd have to recrank the machine.

Comments:

Thanks for the memories. Inez and Alfred's home didn't change from the 1940's to the 1950's. I recall the chamber pots under the beds and the hand pump in the kitchen as a child. We loved to spend the night at Grandma's (Inez) in the early l950's. A note of correction: Their ranch was not "sold", it was divided amongst their children, Esther, William, and Lester. The property is still owned by their descendants.

Posted by Cheryl (Mauch) Bullock, Lester's daughter

I have a house, about a 135 ft, from the old house, where my grand parents, Alfred, and Inez lived. My brother Dennis, has a house on the old Hoffer homestead, that my great grand father, Lorenz, had purchased for pasture, and has been a part of the place since the early 1900's. The only part we don't still have in the family, is the acre, that Aunt Mary sold, with the house she and Bill built, in the old corral spot. Everything else is still in tact, it just has several of us owning smaller parts.
A Post Update from Steve Mauch

A Small Family Gathering in Sundance.

Hello All on a cold January evening in Utah. Just got back from school. This was our first day back from Christmas Vacation. You could tell, the kids were in their new clothes Santa brought them. Several had new shoes and of course, what they got for Christmas was the primary topic of conversation.

My advance math kids were sharp and on the ball. They said they were happy to be back to school because they missed math. Ahhhhh, how I've taught them well. They know that if I'm in a good mood I give less homework. Bless their hearts.

Well, Here is this evening's picture from the past. This picture was taken in 1942 or 43 according to dad. It was taken on the Mauch Ranch near Sundance Wyo.
The people are, from left to right,
Maurice Williamson, Dad's uncle. Josie Williamson Maurice's wife. Charles Williamson, dad's dad. Sitting on top of the car was none other than our dad Charlie at the ripe old age of 6 or 7.
Then Alfred Mauch and his wife Inez. Finally we end with Grandma Elda, dad's mother.

Inez Mauch was dad's aunt. The sister to dad's dad - Charles Williamson. She was older than Charlies. Maurice was the youngest. The Mauch's owned 640 acres, including Sugarloaf Hill. The ranch is gone, sold several years ago. Inez died in 1955. They had 3 children,Lester (everyone called him 'Buster'), William (Bill), and Esther. Esther is the only one still alive of the Inez children. She lives in an assisted living home in Spearfish. Her married name is Esther Mauch Acerman. She and her husband had a ranch around Aladdin Wyo. Her son runs the ranch now. Her daughter Judy owns a chain of Taco John's throughout South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming.

For your information, here are the Williamsons,
Parents: William Jonathan Williamson, and Effie Victor
Josie Williamson
Ethel Williamson
Della Williamson
Vennie Williamson
Inez Williamson
Emmett Williamson
Walt Williamson
Charlies Williamson (Dad's Dad).
Maurice Williamson

Rapid City 2nd Ward Camp Out. August 1975. Sheridan Lake

Now this is something you didn't see often. The Williamsons on a family outing. The Rapid City 2nd Ward had a camp out. Don't know why but I remember it was at Sheridan Lake. For some strange reason we decided to go up as a family. Now you wonder why that was odd. Because we normally didn't do things like that. Both mom and dad worked and it was difficult to organize something that involved more than a few hours. If we did go anywhere as a family it was usually church on Sunday and, the occasional trip into the Hills whenever company came to call.

A few things to ponder.

What happened to that deformed cake pan that haunted us our whole lives growing up? Does someone still have it? (By the way, Jilane has the handleless, warped pan we always used to pop dad's popcorn at night).

Look at the pop cans. Yes they have the pull off tabs that eventually were banned because of small animals and littering. Notice the brand? Remember "Cragmont Soda", the generic Safeway brand? I remember my favorite was Grapefruit Soda. Mother was on her Weight Watchers diet. Notice her pop is Weight Watchers.

And now the names. Let's start on the left at top. Dad, then Jon - enjoying his soda, and finally Janice - the one all blurred out. On the right from the top. Kevin, his friend Brad Haugen, Jilane - with her pretty pink hat and watch, and finally mom, eating her half of tomato. Look how skinny she is. Dad is 39 years old. Mom is 36.

We were enjoying some of mom's fantastic fried chicken. I know mom didn't cook much in the 80's and 90's but she really knew how to make a really good fried chicken. I most likely made the cake. The rest of the clan ran through the house raising cane. Missing from this picture is our older sister Kim. She was married to Mike Hendrickson at the time and had one baby, Forrest. Religion wasn't her thing back then. Neither were family get togethers. No Annette either.

Now, Lisa is another story. Where is she? I know we took her on this outing. Ahhh. there is she, we are eating and she is out enjoying the sun on the lake front. Lis is three in this photo. She's the one pulling her little air mattress across the water

Oh, wait, there she is again. Hanging around other people's tables and food. If you look closely you'll see here on the right of the picture eating away. Funny I seem to the be the one looking out for her. Everyone else enjoys their lunch while Victor is watching Lisa and taking the pictures.

And one last thing. Who of us can ever forget our yellow Rambler Station Wagon with wood panelling?

Well, here it is again. Ah yes........... Remember riding in the back of that thing? Come to think of it, it really wasn't that bad, was it? At least it made it up the hills, didn't honk when you turned corners, and didn't give away as it went down the road by leaving thick blue smoke! Oh, and you couldn't see the road through its floorboards either. That car was Williamson luxury at its best. We'd made it to the big times.

Simply,
Victor

Charles Williamson, the Infant

Hello All,
This picture was taken at the 322 Smith Apartments in Lead, South Dakota in 1936. Dad is a new born so I'm assuming the picture was taken in June or July. Quite the nappy he is wearing. I'm guessing Grandma didn't want spillage.

Now for your reference. Besides the birth of Charles Williamson, the following minor events also transpired in 1936.

• German troops occupy the Rhineland.
• Italy completes conquest of Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
• Hitler and Mussolini agree Rome-Berlin Axis.
• Spanish Civil War breaks out when garrison in Spanish Morocco revolts.
• Abdication crisis in Great Britain, when Edward VIII resolves to marry Mrs Wallis Simpson.
• Olympic Games held in Berlin. African-American athlete, Jesse Owens, wins 4 gold medals.
• The Hoover Dam is completed.

Annette Williamson Enjoys the Yard

Hello All,
And here we have a picture of little Annette taken by yours truly in 1978 (?). She's outside in the winter in her snow suit. I'm guessing we were about to go somewhere. I had my camera and thought I'd shoot a memory. It's either that, or she was out of control, driving Ma crazy leaving me no choice but to bundle her up and get her outside if we wanted to have supper.

Some fun things to notice....

• Look closely in the bedroom window. What do you see? Bring back memories?
• Look in the living room window. Remember that old lamp? Yes, here come the memories.

You know, that house was small at 2214 38th Street but we all got along pretty well. The only time things got 'heated' was in the early A.M. when we would fight for the most coveted place in the house, the furnace vent in the living room. We'd huddle around it, several at a time, in an attempt to ward off the bone chilling cold of a South Dakota winter.

That furnace vent was our fireplace (at least until Dad came up with the brilliant scheme of warming the house with a Kerosene heater, sat right down in the center of the Living Room). You know, isn't it a wonder we are all alive today considering how easily we could of snuffed it due to carbon monoxide poisoning?

Remember the place you never wanted to be on a cold winter's night? Did you say "The Kitchen"? Yes you did. Now remember, that kitchen wasn't heated by the furnace. It was an add on after the home was built. The Kitchen had its own heater that worked on natural gas. Now I said 'worked'. Let me adjust that slightly. It worked for the first few years we lived in the house. And then, only if you babied it, caressed it, and struggled to light it's pilot light when it went out every time the wind blew.

I just remember that kitchen floor was cooooold! I remember how often the pipes froze. I remember running the kitchen sink all night long in a steady but small stream of water to try to keep it from freezing.

Anyway, on this cold winter's night in Utah I send you all my warmest greetings. Take a second and join me right now back at 2214 in front of that furnace vent. We're laying down on stomach first on the carpet. Everyone else is walking over us to get to the bathroom and the bedroom. It's dark outside. Mom's in the kitchen cooking up her famous potato soup (boiled potatoes, condensed milk and onions.... Oh, lots of salt). Dad is home. In the bathroom of course and we are watching our old, mud encrusted color TV (rescued from the 1972 flood). Every time someone comes into the house they bring with them the cold, so we're up and sitting closer to the vent.

Now look around you. Look how far you've come since those simple days. Look how easy your kids have it.

Wow.......


Simply,
Victor

Vercellino Geneology. Grandma Elda's Father.

Hello All,

I want to thank Tharon Peterson (Family Tie: Son of Karen who is the daughter of Ed and Iris Vercellino, Elda's youngest brother) for sending the following information on John Vercellino (Family Tie: Father of Elda).


John (Giovanni) Vercellino

His Father: Giovanni Domenico Vercellino, born 21 May 1830 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

His Mother: Catterina Gianetto, born 2 Dec 1835 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

Their Children:

Giovanni Vercellino

b. 13 Sep 1858 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

d. 14 Sep 1858 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

Giovanni (John) Vercellino (Family Tie: Elda's father)

b. 6 Aug 1860 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

d. 24 Nov 1924 Lead, Lawrence, South Dakota

This is a charcoal etching of John Vercellino done by his brother Antonio. He is in his Italian Military Uniform

Photograph of John Vercellion in his Italian Uniform.

Fidele (Fred) Vercellino

b. 23 Jul 1863 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

d. 14 Sep 1914 Lead, Lawrence, South Dakota

Antonio (Tony) Vercellino

b. 23 Jul 1863 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

he lived in Lead for awhile, but moved back to Italy

d. 18 Jun 1928 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

Onorata (Elearnora) Vercellino

b. 06 Jun 1868 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

d. 03 Apr 1892 Lead, Lawrence, South Dakota

Cecilia Vercellino

b. 01 Sep 1872 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

d. Abt 1892 Lead, Lawrence, South Dakota (Suicide)

Margarita Vercellino

b. 12 Jun 1875 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

Maria Antionette Dominique Vercellino

b. 12 Oct 1877 Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy

d. in France

Grandma Elda and Great Uncle Ed.

And now, another picture of Grandma Elda and Great Uncle Ed taken in 1909. I'm assuming the picture was taken in Lead, South Dakota.

Grandma Elda was a fireball and very true to her Italian heritage. I remember Uncle Ed as a very cheerful and gentle man. I remember alway thinking that Elda and Ed were very close.

The Early Pictures. The Vercellinos.

1912. Lead, South Dakota

The young lady in white is Dad's Mother. Her name was Elda Vercellino. Isn't she a pretty 7 year old? Behind her is Elda's mother, Marie. Standing on the chair is Elda's brother Ed (age 5). He had polio. If you look closely you'll see is left arm is shorter than the right. Uncle Ed owned the grocery store in Belle Fourche. Remember our visits? They lived in the apartment over the store. He married Aunt Iris. Karen was their daughter.

Finishing off the family is Great Uncle Ray (age 14). He worked for Western Union as a telegraph operator in Deadwood. When Elda got older she worked for him as a telegraph operator. Ray moved to Columbus, Ohio and eventually became a Vice President of Western Union. They had two children, Patricia and Raymond. His wife's name was Lakota. She hated the name. She was a society lady. Lakota was an Indian name. He loved Italian food but his wife hated garlic. If he wanted Italian food he cooked it himself downstairs so the garlic smell didn't permeate the house.

More information on Elda's mother:
Maria Maddalena Gertrude Viano was born November 15, 1879 in Cuorgne, Torino, Piedmont, Italy, and died November 01, 1937 in Lead, Lawerence, South Dakota. She married Giovanni (John) Vercellino 1894 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, son of Giovanni Vercellino and Catterina Gianetto. He was born August 06, 1860 in Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy, and died November 24, 1924 in Lead, Lawerence, South Dakota.

Marie Viano Vercellino

Marie Viano Vercellino in the late 1930's

John and Marie Vercellino's Wedding Picture. She was 15. He was 36.

Their Children:

Raymond Domenic Vercellino:
Born: December 04, 1898 in Salto, Torino, Piedmont, Italy.
Died: October 29, 1992 in Columbus, Ohio

Ray Vercellino

Elda Kay Vercellino.
Born June 24, 1905. Trojan, Lawrence County, South Dakota
Died: August 17, 1995 in Bismark, North Dakota

Grandma Elda. We called her Grandma Leissman. Picture taken in Bismarck ND.

Edward Daniel Vercellino:
Born: April 24, 1907 in Trojan, Lawerence, South Dakota
Died: February 24, 2002 in Belle Fourche, Butte, South Dakota

Ed Vercellino

We now that the children were born in Trojan, Lawrence County, South Dakota. Trojan is now a ghost town near Lead.

Just a few interesting facts.

Missing in the picture at the top of the post is John, Dad's Grandfather. Why? Who knows. If he's anything like Dad I'm guessing he was working :)

Elda was usually dressed in white. Marie was clean freak. In the mornings Elda would get up to go to school. Marie and John fought. Marie was known to throw herself on the floor and kick and scream. John threw vinegar in her face to pull her out of it. These morning episodes upset Elda. She sometimes threw up at school. Elda had a very kind teacher (Mrs. Williamson) that would clean her up and make her presentable.

Marie was a wonderful person according. She had a wonderful sense of humor. Loved to crack jokes. Always had cookies for the children.

Ed was teased by the neighbor bullies because of his crippled arm. Elda was his protector. The bullies called them both "Garlic Eaters" and "Waps" (the sound of poop hitting a wall). Ed retorted by calling them "Potato Eaters" in a very small, petite voice. Elda fought all of Ed's battles.

One time Elda took a bully named Junior down, sat on his face and farted. Most likely still wearing her white dress. Once she was invited to stay overnight with a friend. While at the home she saw the husband kiss and hug his wife. Elda ran home and reported the incident to her mother. She'd never seen that kind of affection between a husband and wife before.

Once Elda was given a quarter and told to go to the shops to pick up a few items for her mother.
While on her way to the store she dropped the quarter through the boards in the boardwalk (no sidewalks then). She thought Marie would kill her. She knocked on the door of an home nearby and asked the lady for an axe to cut up the boardwalk to find her quarter.

Many of the Italians in Lead couldn't speak English. As a girl Elda was used extensively as a translator. She spoke Italian and English very well.

When they were young Maria would wake the children up in the morning after the train went by to pick up pieces of coal to hear their home. They also loved mushrooms. In the spring and summer they took hikes as a family to find mushrooms in the forests around Terry Peak.

When Elda was old enough to go to dances she would be accompanied by her to the dances as her chaperon. Elda would have none of that. She'd sneak into the bathroom and sneak out the window to go with her friends.

Once when Elda was a teenager, her boyfriend had a car. They were a new couple and she was doing everything she could to impress him. She flirted and flirted as they drove through Spearfish Canyon. They stopped for a Coke. She stuck her finger in the top of the bottle and got it stuck. To get her finger out they had to break the bottle.

Elda's strongest belief about herself was that she should never gotten married or had a child.


Extended Geneology on the Viano's (Family Tie: Elda's Mother)

Catterina Maria Carmerlo (Maiden Name). Catterina Carmerlo Viano (Married Name). Elda's Maternal Grandmother
This was picture of Marie Viano's Mother, Catterina Carmelo Viano. In the corner, the Photographer was in Coal City, Illinois

Catterina Maria Carmerlo (Pietro², Pietro¹) was born February 26, 1853 in Cuorgne, Torino, Piedmont, Italy, and died 1916 in Coal City, Grundy, Illinois. She married Giovanni Viano, son of Giovanni Viano and Margherita Savi. He was born February 27, 1857 in Cuorgne, Torino, Piedmont, Italy, and died Bef. 1894 in Joliet, Will, Illinois.

Children of Catterina Carmerlo and Giovanni Viano are:

		i.		Julia Viano. She married Nicholas Bonomo.
		ii.		Joseph Viano, born November 24, 1873; died December 12, 1932 in Coal City, Grundy, Illinois.
		iii.		Ellen Viano, born Bef. 1879 in Cuorgne, Torino, Piedmont, Italy. She married Michael Marietta Bef. 1894.
		iv.		Fannie Viano, born Bef. 1879 in Cuorgne, Torino, Piedmont, Italy. She married Davis Bef. 1894.
+		v.		Maria Maddalena Gertrude Viano, born November 15, 1879 in Cuorgne, Torino, Piedmont, Italy; died November 01, 1937 in Lead, Lawerence, South Dakota. (Elda's Mother pictured above).
		vi.		Dolph Viano, born March 04, 1883; died April 1966.

Pietro Carmerlo (Pietro) He married Terese Cortese, daughter of Michele Cortese.

Child of Pietro Carmerlo and Terese Cortese is:

+

i.

Catterina Maria Carmerlo, born February 26, 1853 in Cuorgne, Torino, Piedmont, Italy; died 1916 in Coal City, Grundy, Illinois.

Pietro Carmerlo

Child of Pietro Carmerlo is:

+

i.

Pietro Carmerlo. (And that is the end of the line as far as I can find)

---

Dad's Grandfather, Guiseppe Vercellino, became a naturalized citizen of the United States on October 29, 1900 in the US District Ct., Deadwood.

John (Guiseppe's) brother Fred (Fedile) was naturalized on November 2, 1888 at the same location.
Fred Vercellino, owned a saloon at 114 W. Main in Lead.

We Have a Story to Tell.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

I’d like to say that our family story started with a log cabin in the back woods of Kentucky or a canvas tent in the 1930’s on some dusty prairie in the Westerns of South Dakota. All families would like to trace their roots to such humble beginnings. But if I did, it would be a lie. I could attempt to spin a yarn so sad that Heaven's angels would weep at its telling. But if I did, it would also be a lie. So, how do I start a manuscript detailing the life and times of a seemingly average, run of the mill, Dakota family?

Carefully, very carefully. We are all strong personalities in this family called Williamson. Some might react explosively if their portrait was painted in harsh oils. Others might seek to steal the brush from my hand if I don't paint them in forgiving colors, leaving all blemishes and flaws out of sight and therefore out of history.

Let me assure everyone that I understand clearly the fact that this family is, like the Poppins of England, Practically Perfect in Every Way. Of course, the devil is in the details....... and in the word ‘Practically‘ ;)

I believe the solution is to simply paint what I’m told, what I saw, what I see, and what I shall see. I elect myself "filter" - he who focuses the wizardry of words onto this large blank digital canvas. All I ask from my siblings, nephews, nieces and cousins is your assistance in the form of digital scans of our family pictures from our times together at the places we called home since the founding of our family that June day in 1956:

1. A small apartment at 17 Lazale St, Sturgis.
2. A small upstairs apartment in Sidney, Montana.
3. A dry parked trailer in Glascow, Montana.
4. A trailer parked behind the Mattson home at 365 5th Street, Spearfish.
5. A trailer parked at Piedmont's Trailer Park.
6. A duplex at 39 East Signal Drive, Rapid City.
7. A rented home at 210 North 42nd Street, Rapid City.
8. And finally our home at 2214 38th Street, Rapid City.

So, I’ve the oils at hand and the brushes at the ready. Enya plays on the stereo. A gentle snow hopes to steal away my attention, but try as it does, it shall not. I’m here, able and willing.

Shall we tell the story of our Dakota Family?

Simply,
Victor