Family News of Interest

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Dear Clan,
Ashly is back on Dancing with the Stars! Ashly Costa is the daughter of Kim Williamson Delgrosso, Grandaughter of Charles and Luella and Great Granddaughter of Charles Williamson.
She is rehearsing with Buzz Aldrin (second man to walk on the moon) in New Zealand at the moment. The press release is below. Be sure to watch the show and vote for Ashly.

Simply,
Victor

DANCING WITH THE STARS - BUZZ ALDRIN - Astronaut, scientist/inventor, bestselling author, advocate for man's future in space, Buzz Aldrin is considered one of the greatest heroes of space exploration. He partners up with ASHLY COSTA (formerly DelGrosso), who returns for her fourth season. The all-new cast of celebrities and their professional partners hit the dance floor on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" with the highly anticipated two-hour season premiere, MONDAY, MARCH 22 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/RICK ROWELL) BUZZ ALDRIN, ASHLEY COSTA

Recent Family News of Interest

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

This is Bob's newest painting finished over Christmas. Bob is married to Lisa Williamson Coronato, daughter of Charles and Luella and granddaughter to Charles Williamson. His commentary of the painting is below.

Russell Means
Lakota name: Oyate Wacinyapi "Works for the people"
"An upside down flag is an international signal of distress... now we, the Indian nations, are in distress. I will wear this flag upside down as long as my people are in distress!" R. Means
by Bob Coronato
size 36 5/8 74 1/4
Oil on Canvas

I have been researching and planning this painting for over 10 years. I First heard about Russell Means when I moved into the Black Hills and learned how much controversy there was around him in the "Hills". There were some that viewed him negatively and there were those that held him as a hero. I wanted to learn more for myself because it was a dramatic chapter in the history of the west that took place in my lifetime. With the rise of AIM, the American Indian movement, was critical in changing the lives of many. The armed Siege of Wounded Knee in 1973, was truly the last of the Indian Wars, and Russell and several hundred others along with him, fought the Government in a armed stand off, prepared to die as free people, just as there ancestors had.
I was inspired 15 years ago by my best friend, and artist Tom Waugh, who talked about Russell Means, Dennis Banks, The yellow Thunder case and all the different American Indian Movement activities. Tom was closely related to that time because he was married at the time to a woman that was Sioux and involved with AIM, and he was the chief of police at Hot Springs at the time of AIMs rise. He had valuable insights into both sides of the conflicts, and protests. Tom was First law enforcement on the scene of the federal Agents murder, and fired upon at Jumping Bulls Camp. Tom boxed, partied, and lived with AIM members and others that were closely related to the people involved with wounded knee 2. This first hand resource was inspiring to me, and He encouraged me to follow my heart, research the subject and paint about that time. As I traveled with him through different saloons in the Black Hills, heard the stories, met the people involved, I wanted to record in paint some of the leaders of this movement.
I began to research in-depth the entire AIM movement, I really wanted to meet Russell Means and paint his portrait. I didn't want to paint him as an "Pop Icon" like Andy Warhol, but as a revolutionary and important leader of his people, in a traditionl portrait.
Tom and I have an American Indian Museum in Hulett Wyoming, and we started a section in our museum dedicated to AIM. As I searched out Artifacts from the time, and followed the path to finding things from the Wounded Knee takeover in 1973, I met and talked to lots of the individuals involved on both the Feds side and AIM. eventually AIM members came in to see it and shared there thoughts. It created quite a stir, and evoked many passionate conversations pro and con, depending on the person. This was very valuable in understanding the time, the struggle and what changes were made.
Russell Means as well as others in the movement, stood up for unfair racism, and abuses against Indians and made definitive stands against the tierney of the cops, government, racist judges and citizens who felt that Indians were second class. Meeting the people involved gave me a very clear view of how the events of the 70's and the American Indian Movement had a very deserved place in history of the West. Russell Means is one of a group of people who really changed the way American Indians are treated.
The Black Hills of SD/Wyo is the heart of the Lakota lands, their "sacred lands" and living there in a time that is only 100 + years after it was Indian only, gives me a very clear picture of what developments the last 100 years brought. Wounded knee in 1890, is memories of the grandparents of the people currently living on pine ridge. The stories and wounds are still felt. Even as an outsider, I run into people that share stories and have strong feelings about the entire mishandling of the Indian People.
I was very persistent, and passionate about researching and digging for info, even going to remote places in the Hills to find people involved, meet with anyone that had an opinion about what transpired and even getting my nose broke around 2008. I remember one time in 2007 breaking a guys nose in the Ponderosa Saloon because I was talking to some people about AIM and how I was very excited because I just found a 30-30 carbine used at wounded knee 1973 and how I would incorporate it in a painting. I bought the gun from a family member of the owners of the wounded knee trading post that got burned down buy AIM, and I dug it out of a trunk, in a old barn, still with the FBI tags on it from the court case. Apparently the subject is still touchy and some cowboy didn't think it was something to paint about and away we went.
If Russell was not completely appreciated in this era because the fresh feelings of those hurt by the armed rise of AIM, surely, history would hold him in high regard.
I finally tracked down Russell and shared in an e mail my desire to paint him in a traditional manner as a important historical figure. It took several years, but eventually I got an invite to come to his house and prepare for a portrait. I had to drive to his house on Pine Ridge because he had an arrest warrant in Rapid City at the Time. We talked for a few hours about politics, reservation life, and what kind of thoughts that I had for the portrait. Russell seemed worried that I wanted to put him in a war bonnet and paint him as if he was living 100 years ago. I explained how I would use imagery that was very specific to "his time." He said to me "Im a late 20th century Indian" and "that's how I want to be portrayed." I was on the same page, and incorporated the traditional vest, hair pipe choker and the watch as the description of his time. Russell grew up in a time when as a kid, they still used horse and wagons on the reservation, (he was born 1939) elders who remembered the old ways were still alive, and he had seen tremendous change from the time of the elders, to the current. He was sending a tweet out on his twitter page as we talked. He is in a Limbo of those that grew up in a time where few traditional practices were left because of the governments attempts to squelch a people and a time where some had the desire to return to the some more traditional ways. The watch and tee shirt describe how Indians are not the idea of old Hollywood westerns or to be thought of as "in the past" but a people very much of today, and with a rich history.
The L.A. Times referred to Russell Means as the most important American Indian since Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. If your not familiar with all the things he helped change along with the other members of AIM, I highly recommend his Autobiography Where White men fear to tread. He inspired and lead people to stand up be proud to be Indian, and fought for the rights of All Indian people. After years of fighting the uphill battle of many of the injustices, and failures of the U.S. government, AIM made some strong headway to improving how Indian people are treated today. His Life is one of sacrifice, giving up freedom, personal relationships, family and selflessly fight for the rights of Indian people. although the situation still needs to be improved His efforts have had great impact for posative change.
In 1972 in Gordon Nebraska, Russell remembered how in high school he had done a report that described how the upside down flag was used by the navy as a distress signal, and in a AIM protest he decided to wear it and hang all the flags in town upside down, as AIM went there to protest the miss-handleing of the murder of an Indian, where the police were going to mearly slap the wrist of the white boy that killed him. This upside down flag left such an impression it soon became a symbol of AIM and was used everywhere they went. I said to Russell "you got approached by a woman that thought it was anti government and you explained how it was a signal of distress and that your people were in distress" I asked how he felt today.....
He looked out the window of his house at Porcupine and with a saddend voice said, "my people are still suffering." I asked if he would wear the flag for the portrait, and he agreed.
The failures of the US government have not been fully addressed or repaired, but Aim, Russell means, Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellecourt and many others started many policy's that have lead to more freedoms and sovereignty for Indian nations around the country. AIM demanded that the Us government honor, and live up to its own laws, treaties and agreements with its people.
The ideas of AIM were critical in changing the oppressive ways that were excepted in the early 1900's up until the 1970's. Russell and Aim fought then and he fights today for the government to allow the Indian people to be "free and independant, free to be responsible"
In the words of Chief Joseph, the credo of the American Indian Movement and words held dear to Russell Means,... Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade were I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk , think and act for myself--- and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty.
It was a highlight in my life to meet, become friends with and paint one of a few revolutionaries in US history. A true icon and leader Russell means is a person that history will hold in high regard.
All Rights Reserved to the Artist
Bob Coronato

Hans George Frederick Pfluger, Our Common Williamson Grandparent Leaves Germany.

Pictures from Wiernsheim, Germany. Our Ancestral Home for the Pfluger Name.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove.

Dear Williamsons,
Tonight I present a bit of information taken directly from the following web site on Pfluger family history. http://www.phlegar.org

This information tells the story of our common ancestor Hans George (spelled many ways) Pfluger, my 6th Great Grandparent as illustrated in the line below. You will find your own tie by replacing your Williamson grandparent with mine (Charles). Of course we all have a common Grandparent in William Jonathan Williamson.

Hans George Frederick Pfluger (6th Great Grandparent to my generation) to George Frederick Plieger to Abraham Pfleger to Anabella Phlegar to Margaret Ann Willis to William Jonathan Williamson to Charles Williamson to Charles Williamson to Me (Victor).

And now information from the web site mentioned above. I've taken the liberty to shorten some of the information in the interest of your time.

In 1700, in the countryside between Pforzheim and Stuttgart, there was a village by the name of Wiernsheim near the Schwartzwald or "Black Forest." In that town lived a Pflüger family: the father was Hans Jerg Pflüger, and the mother was Maria Hübsch. Hans Jerg and Maria had five children, all of them today listed in the town's Church Register (Kirchenregister). They named their first son Hans Jerg (Hans George) my 6th Great Grandfather, after his father and perhaps other ancestors. He was born in 1703, on the first of January. After the younger Hans George reached maturity, when he was 22, he married Anna Elisabeth Strobel. Hans George and wife Anna Elisabeth soon had two children of their own: Anna Elisabeth, born 27 August 1726, died 7 January 1807 and Ursula Catharina, born 22 August 1728, died 10 March 1772 Entries for the children of Hans George and Anna Elisabeth end here in the Wiernsheim Kirchenregister. At the same time, a strange entry for a marriage attributed to Hans George the elder, presents a puzzle: Hans Jerg to Eva Franzisk Jost (my 6th Great Grandmother) from Pinache, another neighboring village. The solution to the puzzle may be explained in the events that followed the marriage of Hans George to Eva. On the Kirchenregister Pflüger family page it says that "nothing more is known about the son Hans George Pflüger, linenweaver in Wiernsheim." This comment is similar to others in the Palatinate area of Germany when young men suddenly disappeared. The young men could not leave their community without permission of their sovereign because they were required to serve in the militia of their province. So, many young men disappeared one day, gone forever. Their families surely knew the circumstances, but how sad for these families. How sadder still for the Pflüger family. Hans George was 27 or 28 years old. He had remarried after his first wife died in 1728 to a woman named Eve (our great grandmother) (the name found on the 1731 ship's manifest). When Hans George and Eve left, they also left behind the daughters born to Hans George and Anna Elisabeth Strobel. The circumstances and reasons for leaving these daughters behind are lost in time. Those reasons may have been the best of reasons: ship voyages were very risky; the Pennsylvania frontier looked idyllic in the brochures being distributed in the Palatinate, but it was unknown and foreign; the devastated Strobel family may have pleaded for their granddaughters to remain behind. The Journey Begins The Neckar River runs past Wiernsheim and empties into the Rhine. A boat voyage down the Rhine was the easiest way, though not the cheapest way, to get to Rotterdam where so many ships departed, filled with German emigrants. Perhaps Hans George and Eve, and now a Maria Barbara, chose one of the Rhine vessels headed for Rotterdam. Even once they arrived in Rotterdam, they may have had a long wait to board a ship headed first to England—required by the British government—and eventually to America. Finally, in August 1731, the Ship Samuel landed at the port of Philadelphia. The ship's manifest (list of passengers) duplicated the list presented to the colonial government in Philadelphia. It included four Pflüger passengers: Hans Georg, Eve, Maria Catarina, and Maria [suspected to be Maria Barbara]. Maria Catarina was the surprise voyager, but she was the daughter of Hans Georg and probably of his wife Eve, a fact we know because Maria Catarina was named in Hans George's later Will. Both Marias were listed with the children on the passenger list. Maria Catarina may have been a toddler when she left Wiernsheim with her parents or she may have been born enroute.

To Learn More about the Pflugers, please visit the following web site from which this information was taken: http://www.phlegar.org

Simply,
Victor

Our Confederate Cousin

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

A Confederate Soldier in our Extended Family.

Tonight in our virtual family reunion we honor our 1st cousin, 3 times removed, Archer A Phlegar. His father was Eli Phlegar, my Great Great Great Uncle. Eli was the brother of Anabella Phlegar my Great Great Great Grandmother. Anabella was the mother of Margaret Ann Willis who was the mother of William J. Williamson who was father to the Williamson brothers and sisters of which my Grandfather Charles was one.

Archer was one of the South’s most distinguished lawyers and jurists. He was the head of the law firm of Phlegar, Powell, Price and Shelton. He was appointed by Governor Hoge Tyler to a position on on the Virgina State Supreme Court. Archer was born on February 22, 1845. He was 68 when he died on December 22, 1912.

He left Washington and Lee University to enter the Confederate Army. He served as a soldier in the 54th Virginia regiment of which his uncle was colonel. He entered the army as a corporal and finished as a lieutenant. The 54th Infantry Regiment was organized in October,1861. It was ordered to Kentucky and took an active part in the engagement at Middle Creek. Later the unit was assigned to Trigg's, Reynolds', Brown's and Reynolds' Consolidated, and Palmer's Brigade, Army of Tennessee.

The 54th participated in many battles from Chickamauga to Atlanta, endured Hood's winter operations, and fought in North Carolina. This regiment sustained 47 casualties at Chickamauga, totalled 390 men and 329 arms in December, 1863, and had 128 present in December 1864 and 212 in January 1865.

After the war Archer practiced law. He served as a member of the Virginia State Senate in 1881. He was reelected in 1903. Between that year and 1905 he had a primary hand in shaping the legislation necessary to make the code of Virgina conform to the new State Constitution. He was the President of the Virgina Bar Association.

Archer was the teacher of the men’s bible class in the Presbyterian Church. He was the vice president and a director in the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway Company. He was president of the Bank of Christiansburg.

Judge Phlegar was especially noted for his philanthropic work. He was a trustee of the Thronwell Orphanage at Clinton South Carolina. It was a rule of his life to contribute ten percent of his earnings to charity. He insisted that nothing be said concerning his giving.

Judge Phlegar was a proud Southerner in our extended family.

Simply,
Victor

Come Celebrate Kevin's First Birthday!

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

In today's virtual family reunion we take the Way Back Machine to Kevin Williamson's 1st Birthday Party, June 1962. We lived at 39 East Signal Drive in Rapid City South Dakota.
Kevin is the third child of Charles and Luella Willamson. He currently lives in Los Angeles and has celebrated 47 birthday's since these pictures were taken.

In this picture you see me (Victor, 4 years old) on the left, then mom (Luella 23 years old) with Kevin (1 year old) on her lab. Kim (5 years old) is at the end. Kevin's angel food cake is there on the blanket with one candle ready for lighting.

You'll see Kevin's play pin in the background. Lovely things those old play pins. I think they've been banned in all nations today except China. I guess there were problems with kiddies getting their heads stuck between the bars. They didn't seem to worry about things like that in the early 1960's. Come to think of it, its a miracle any of us survived childhood at all!

I remember that TV very well. In those days you used to turn on the set and wait for the vacuum tubes to warm up before you'd get a picture. If you were late getting up, or took a bit too long walking home from school (yes I said walking home from school - something many of you younglings don't know anything about today) you'd miss the first part of your cartoon while you waited for the stupid tubes to warm up and the picture to evolve onto the screen. I remember sanding there jumping up and down many a time trying to get the set to warm up with my own enthusiasm. I'm sure mom mistook my jumps and running in circles as needing to go to the bathroom. That set had this gigantic channel knob on the front. It went from 1 to 13. We only needed three of them. Not that much to watch in those days.

That old set was a pain sometimes. The picture would get fuzzy at the worst time, you know, just when the show was getting interesting. You'd have to stand up, walk over to the set and adjust the rabbit ear antenna on the top in an attempt to get better reception. It was either that or the channel knob would slip a bit so you'd have to fiddle with it until the picture came in clear again.

Yes, there's dad (Charles, age 26) tormenting me by holding two of the old style camera flash bulbs to my face. Kevin is looking to see if he'll be next. Kim is sweltering in the the July South Dakota heat. Of course we didn't have air conditioning. This was 1964! We may have had a fan but even that was doubtful. We toughed it out in those days. You just let the kids run around half naked.

Here we are with Grandma and Grandpa Liessman (Dad's mom and step father). Notice I'm not smiling in any of these pictures. Maybe I'm upset my third birthday (which would have been held a week earlier) wasn't celebrated with such a gathering. Perhaps I was disgruntled because I wasn't the center of attention. Actually, Kim was always the Center of Attention. I was her Charlie Brown side kick and of course Kevin, being the baby and all, was the spoiled one; at least until the twins were born.

Notice that mom has Kim and I dressed the same in the unisex fashion of the nearly poor except my shorts are shorter. I guess you could say for awhile Kim and I could wear the same clothes!

As always, more to come tomorrow.

Simply,
Victor

A Revolutionary War Soldier on the Williamson Line

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

This Sunday I decided to search out the Williamson line for a grandparent that served in the Revolutionary War. It took some time but I managed to find someone. This gives us a Revolutionary War tie on the Mattson and Williamson lines! I guess you’d call us the proud descendants of good Revolutionary Stock.

John Conrad Nossaman is my 5th Great Grandfather. He was born about 1750 in Kassel, Hessen Lande, Germany. He died around 1820 in Giles, Virginia. His wife’s name is Cathrina.

He had left Europe from the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands on the ship Snow Sally in 1773. The ship made a stop at Portsmouth, England, and arrived at the Port of Philadelphia in the Colony of Pennsylvania on August 23, 1773. Johan Conrad Nossaman took the oath of abjuration on that date. By taking the Oath of Abjuration, John renounced his German citizenship and swore allegiance to the King of England. Less than one month later, John Conrad Nossaman was indentured to Jacob Cose of West New Jersey for a period of six years.

An indentured servant was a laborer under contract to an employer for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for their transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities. Unlike slaves, an indentured servant was required to work only for a limited term specified in a signed contract.

If John served the full term of this indenture he would have become a free man on or about August 23, 1779.

This is interesting. This is the actual text of the advertisement from the ship Snow Sally offering indentured servants in the Philadelphia area. This would have been the sale our Great Grandfather was in. Notice the ad says there were Palatine (Germans) in the sale.

Just imported, on board the Snow Sally, Captain Stephen Jones, Master, from England, A number of healthy, stout English and Welsh Servants and Redemptioners, and a few Palatines [Germans], amongst whom are the following tradesmen, viz. Blacksmiths, watch-makers, coppersmiths, taylors, shoemakers, ship-carpenters and caulkers, weavers, cabinet-makers, ship-joiners, nailers, engravers, copperplate printers, plasterers, bricklayers, sawyers and painters. Also schoolmasters, clerks and book-keepers, farmers and labourers, and some lively smart boys, fit for various other employments, whose times are to be disposed of. Enquire of the Captain on board the vessel, off Walnut-street wharff, or of MEASE and CALDWELL.

When a buyer was found, the sale would be recorded at the city court.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR SERVICE.

It is known that John served in the 7th Class of the 5th Company of the 7th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia" for several years during the Revolution.(Curt Sytsma, March 2003)

The next record of John is the 1789 purchase of land. The transaction is listed below:

1789 PURCHASE OF LAND. John 'Nosman' purchased 216 acres from Francis McNutt in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now Monroe County, West Virginia). The land was adjacent to Thomas Wright, and the price was 5 shillings. SOURCE: Oren F. Morton, A History of Monroe County, West Virginia (The McLure Company: Staunton, Virginia 1916) at page 98." (Curt Sytsma, March 2003)

This is the family line to John Conrad Nooseman

John Conrad Nossaman (5th Great Grandfather)
to
Catherine Nossenman (4th Grandparent)
to
Jonathan Willis (3rd Grandparent)
to
Margaret Ann Willis (2nd Grandparent)
to
William J Williamson (Great Grandfather)
to
Charles Williamson (My Grandfather)
to
Charles Williamson (Dad)
to
Me.

Simply,

Victor

Today's Weather, from the Fortress in the English Style

Sunday's Weather as seen from the Fortress overlooking the valley of the Pleasant Grove.

The sky hangs dark in gray and white, undecided on moisture yet the possibility is real. Umbrellas would be a wise choice for the church goer. Winds will remain restrained but at times gusting. The sun, hidden in the A.M. will emerge in the afternoon after tea, leaving a late afternoon walk quite enjoyable.

Side Note.... When I was in England as a missionary I enjoyed listening to the English weather reports on the BBC. They were quiet different from the forecasts I heard in Rapid City on KOTA television. The English had a way with words, making hearing the weather a more enjoyable experience.

I wrote the above weather report this morning after stepping out onto my deck, licking my forefinger and holding it up into the air. I wanted to give you a taste of reading my take on Pleasant Grove's weather written in the English style - and you all know if its English I'm all over it.

Simply,
Victor

The Gathering of the Cousins in 1967

The Cousins Gather at our home at 210 N. 42nd Street Rapid City.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

We moved from our hilltop home on Signal Heights in 1966 and moved to South Canyon area of Rapid City. At some time in 1967 the cousins gathered for a picture in our living room. Aunt Linda was up visiting from New Mexico along with her three boys. Linda was married to Sam Dennis at the time. Pam and Marvin Mattson's eldest daughter Shelley is balancing on Jon's leg. Don't know how she's staying upright.
Brian was three in this picture, Patrick was five and Michael was four.

So in this picture we have from the left to the right on the back row Kim (10 years old) partially hidden by Jilane. Then me (9), then Kevin (6) with this toothless smile then Patrick (5 years old).
On the front row we have from left to right we have Jilane (2) on Kim's lap, then Michael (4), then Brian (3) followed by Janice and Jon (both 4) then Shelley (18 months) with the cute round face.

This was one of the few times we saw our cousins from New Mexico.

Our time living in South Canyon was the happiest in my childhood. We had awesome friends and a neighborhood full of places to explore. We had the Monkey Village, an overgrown gully with a creek and trees with plenty of swinging ropes.

Every morning we'd be off to South Canyon Elementary. After school we came home, did our chores and headed outside. Our play radius consisted of several blocks. Mother never worried about us. We took care of ourselves. We'd play until twilight then head home for supper and a bit of black and white TV then bed. Bewitched was one of our favorite shows. We liked The Wild Wild West also.

The three boys had our own room in the basement. I remember it took some time before we built the courage to sleep in the basement. At first we refused. It wasn't until Dad took us downstairs and walked us through the furnace room (the scariest place in the house) that we felt comfortable with sleeping down there on our own.

Well, I'm coming down with another cold. First it was a cold at Christmas time followed by strep throat. Now another cold. What am I doing wrong this year? Maybe its all that hand sanitizer I use. Of course if could be the 70 hours I work each week. Yea, crazy isn't it?

Stupid comes to mind.

Simply,

Victor

A Few Pictures from the Mattson Ranch

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

For Tonight's Virtual Family Reunion,

We've heard many stories about the elderly (snickering) Mattson sibling's time on their Montana ranch. You're wondering where the pictures are illustrating these tales of poverty, hard work, blowing dust, ravaging locusts, prairie fires, miles of walking in waist deep snow and sugar cubes dipped in whiskey. Tonight we gather around our screens and look into the faces of the Mattsons of Eastern Montana.

This picture was taken in 1953. The Mattson Field of Glory.

In this picture we see Grandma Vesta Logan, Violet's mother on the left and Violet (Grandma Mattson) on the right. They're standing behind the family car. Mom's faulty memory recalls it could have been a Packard. Those of you with an interest should do a bit of research and let us know. Great Grandma Logan came to visit the ranch a few times from her home in Pamona California. Imagine the cultural shock! Modern California to the 1850's of Montana, Kerosene lamps and all. Vesta's mother was Dee Bell McCrillis. Grandma and Great Grandma are standing in the corn field. Mother thinks Great Grandma Vesta looks a lot like Janice's daughter Jordan.

Mom remembers it was always a special time when Grandma Vesta came to visit. Her visits included picnics, outings and trips to Belle Fourche.

Grandma Vesta was tall. She always dressed nicely with jewelry. She was very stately, always standing with excellent posture. She had the most beautiful curly hair her whole life and was always fussy about her hair.

Every Sunday afternoon the family got in the car and drove "around the fields" to see how they were growing (as you can see in the picture above). They always stopped at the Sheep Wagon to visit with the sheep herded and all around hired hand Alec Winger.

One day, Violet thought to get pictures of the children in their Sunday best. All four were scrubbed. Luella and Linda had their hair curled. They washed their hair from the rain barrel. The picture above is of scrubbed and cleaned Marvin taken in 1950. He's wearing his chaps and cowboy hat.

Here you see all four children that same day in March 1950. From left to right in this heavily damaged picture you see Marvin, Linda, Luella and John.

Luella is 11 years old. Linda is 8, John is 7, and Marvin is 5. There was one baby boy born between Luella and Linda. His name was Walter Albert Mattson Jr. Mother remembers he was born on October 15, 1941. He died of pneumonia on December 15, 1941 in Grandma Mattson's arms as she and Walter raced to Belle Fourche's hospital on that cold winter morning.

Well, Time to head back to the school. Overnight camp tonight.

Simply,
Victor

Tonight We Travel Back to Spearfish South Dakota. Spring time 1958.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Overlooking the Valley of the Pleasant Grove

Tonight's Family Reunion,

Once again we all gather around our computers for our evening Family Reunion. Its as if we step through the looking glass into a time nearly forgotten except for fading photographs and fading memories. As always I thank you for stopping by and sharing these family treasures with me.

Tonight we venture back to Spearfish South Dakota. It is the Spring of 1958. We're gathering at the home of Walt and Violet Mattson with their children John, Linda and Marvin on 5th Avenue. Luella married two years earlier to Charles.

Our first picture is of Violet and Elda (Dad's mom). Kim is the young lass. Not one yet.

This is the young Charles Williamson family. Luella is pregnant with me. Mom and dad lived in Sturgis at this time on Lazell Street. These pictures were taken just before the family moved to Sidney, Montana in June of 1958. Mom is 19 years old in this picture. Dad is 22. Kim isn't one yet. Mom and dad are new converts to the church. They join the church in December 1957.

Luella is enjoying the sun on the front porch. I remember Grandma's house well. I remember that rickety old mail box near the door.

Here we see Kim in the back yard with her teddy bear. She's enjoying life as an only child. Her joy is soon to be shattered with my birth.

This is a picture of Aunt Linda with the family dog Baron. Linda was 17 years old in this picture.
Mom says Baron was a good dog except he had a real problem with the mailman. He could never get close to the mailbox. It was a never ending struggle.

And one final picture of Linda on the slide at Spearfish Park, just below the family home. The building in the background was a large dance hall. Every Friday night Spearfish hosted a dance in the pavilion. Mom and her girlfriends attended most of the dances. Mom and dad knew each other as children and renewed their friendship at the dances. Mom remembers her great love of dancing and singing. Thanks to the dances they got together again - which resulted in all of us!

And so we close tonight's reunion in Spearfish South Dakota in the Spring of 1958.

Simply,
Victor