Two Items from Elda Vercellino's School Days.

Today we look at a few items from Grandma Elda's childhood in Lead, South Dakota. Elda Vercellino loved poetry. I learned that after looking through her things after her death. Grandma Elda cut poems out of the newspapers and copied many by hand. This love of poetry started at a young age as we see in this paper from school. The year is difficult to read but I'm guessing it is Christmas 1918 and she is in the 6th grade. (Click to enlarge).




The second item to look at is a souvenir given to her by her third grade teacher dated 1915. This is something quite nice. I'm sure it was expensive to have these printed. Elda was in the third grade. The world was one year into World War I. The Titanic sank three years earlier.

The Front (Click to Enlarge)

The Inside (Click to Enlarge). Notice Elda's name was misspelled and hand corrected.
I'm sure she hated that!

The Back with the Teacher's Own Handwriting.

Relationship Chart

Elda Vercellino married Charles Williamson
to
Charles Ray Williamson married Luella Mattson
to
Kim, Victor, Kevin, Janice, Jon, Jilane, Lisa and Annette

More on our McCrillis Family History. (Mattson - McCrillis Line).

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I'm doing battle with the mother of all colds today. I carry a snot rag with me everywhere I go. I think I might just tie a towel around my neck and let my nose drip to its heart's content. The towel will catch the discharge, sparing my shirt. It started with a nasty sore throat and developed quickly into something that caught my attention. I survived the night thanks to NyQuil. The downside to guzzling NyQuil is the hangover in the morning. I felt like I had Vaseline spread over my glasses for the first few hours I was awake. My hips are bruised from stumbling around WynCo. I might have knocked over a display of Generic Ravioli but I can't be sure.

Today we're going to take a moment to learn more about our McCrillis ancestry.

Once upon a time there lived a gentleman named......

RELATIONSHIP CHART

John McCrellis. b. 1670/75. Northern Ireland. married. Margaret Burnside b. 1675. Londonderry, N. Ireland.
to
Daniel McCleres b. 1707. Londonderry, N. Ireland married Elizabeth Thompson b. Bellewoolen
to
Robert McCrellis. b. 1740 Lebanon, Maine. married Mary Kenney b. 1753 Lebanon Maine.
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John K. McCrillis b. 1775. married Hannah (Betsy) Evans. b. 14 Oct. 1784.
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Joseph E. McCrillis b. 20 March 1808. Orange, Vermont. married Almira Swift. b. 6 Jan. 1809 Corrinth Vermont
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Isabel Deanora Helgerson McCrilles. b. 1851 Topsham, Vermont. married Hohn Mayberry
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Vesta Althea Dennis b. 1892. Hot Springs, South Dakota. married Walter Edwin Pierce. b. 23 Aug. 1885, Cascade Springs, South Dakota
to
Violet May Pierce married Walter Albert Matson
to
Luella, Linda, John and Marvin Mattson
to
US. The Mattson Cousins

John McCrillis was of Scotch ancestry, who emigrated from Scotland to North Ireland about the middle of the seventeenth century (that's the 1600's for those of you that struggle with your years and centuries). He married in Londonderry, Ire., about 1700 to a beautiful (my guess) Margaret Burnside, also of Scotch descent, and settled in Aghadowey near Londonderry.

After all his children were born. His wife Margaret died around 1726. Around the middle of the 1700's he came to America, bringing five of his children leaving behind a daughter, Jean.

Mr. McCrillis sailed from Port Rush, Ireland on 7 Aug., 1726, and arrived at Boston 8 Oct. Imagine spending two months tossing and heaving this way and that on the Atlantic! John moved to Haverhill on 26 Oct. 1726 where he stayed until 19 April, 1727. After that day he moved to Derry.

Later John bought lands in Nottingham, "two home lots" from George St. for £100, on which he settled as early as 1734. Unlike most of the Scotch- Irish emigrants who remained faithful to the Catholic Church, John was a member of the Church of England. The rector of the Episcopal Church in Portsmouth went to Nottingham to baptize his grandchildren. Other Scotch-Irish families such as the McClarys, Harveys, Kelseys and Simpsons came in the same ship with them, all of whom settled in Nottingham. These families did not intermarry with the Irish.

As you well remember from another post some months back in the blog we discussed our 5th Great Grandfather Robert McCrillis, son of Daniel and Elizabeth McCrillis of Lebanon. His father, Daniel McCrillis, the original McCrillis to settle in town was the son of the Scotch-
Irish emigrant John McCrillis who came to Lebanon from the north of Ireland soon after 1745.

This family was probably living in Lebanon before 1750, for on 30 July, 1749, the Rev. Amos Main entered upon the records of the First Parish of Rochester, N. H., the following

"Also Baptized
Robert McCrelis."

At that time the Rochester church was located about four miles from where the McCrillises lived.

Robert McCrillis was a private in Capt. David Place's Company, stationed on Seavey's Island, being named on a return dated 5 Nov. 1775.

On 14 July, 1776, the Rev. Isaac Hasey of the First Parish of Lebanon recorded in his diary as follows : "Bill up by Rob't McCrellis for himself bound into ye Army." His name occurs on a roll dated at Charlestown 27 July, 1776, in Capt. John Drew's Co. raised for Canada out of Col. Evans's and Col. Badger's Reg'ts.

Origin of our Family Name McCrillis
By,O. Jay McCrillis.

Undoubtedly the "Land of Heather" is the birthplace of the name of McCrillis, or of the name from which it has been derived, and the home of those who first bore it. Diligent search has, however, so far failed to reveal the origin of the name and the clan with which the family affiliated.

Little is known of this family prior to the immigration to America, except as they shared the common lot with many others of the same race. The latest investigation indicates that somewhere in the region near Glasgow lived the first who bore the name. It is true that at least one branch of the family, living in America during the last fifty years, traces its ancestry to Scotland by one direct immigration. As many of the Scottish names were materially changed, often for the purpose of concealing identity, it seems probable that this was true of the name McCrillis, and thus the evidence by which the family's history could be traced is lost. The spelling believed to be most ancient is Maccrellish or Maccrillish. The former style of the name is now borne by persons in America, and it is reported that it also appears in Ireland and Scotland. Other spellings now used by different branches are: McCrellis, McCrellias, McGrillis, and McCrillis, of which the last is most common.

The evidence of general history and the traditions of older members of the family, make it certain that, like the ancestors of very many of the best people of our land, those of most of the McCrillis family of this country made two journeys in coming to America. The first was the emigration from Scotland to County Antrim, in the north of Ireland, which is thought to have been about 1680, and the second —that of probably a generation or two later—from Ireland to America.

The first of the name, of whom a record exists in America, is John McCrillis, who sailed with five and perhaps six of his children as a part of a company from Port Rush, near Giant's Causeway, in Ireland, Aug. 7, 1726, and arrived in Boston, Oct. 8, following. He was the progenitor of the New Hampshire and also the Maine and Vermont branches of the McCrillis family in America. The next known authentic records locate another John McCrillis at Coleraine, Mass., in 1747; William McCrillis at Boston in 1740; and Daniel McCleres (known to be a mis-spelling of McCrillis) in Portsmouth, N. H., in 1740. It is now settled that Daniel, the progenitor of the Vermont branch, was one of the sons of the John McCrillis first spoken of. Without doubt, relationship existed between the first John and the two Coleraine settlers—John and William—but just what it was has never been ascertained. Two daughters of John McCrillis, of New Hampshire—Martha and Mary—married Coleraine men. It is believed that the John and William who settled in Coleraine were related as uncle and nephew. William married in Boston, in 1740, and reared a family there during the next eight years, as shown by the records of the old Federal Street (or Long Lane) Presbyterian church. He appears in Coleraine in 1749, buying land. John McCrilis, supposed to have been the uncle of William, must have preceded him to Cole. raine, as he is mentioned there in 1747.

It is very possible that ' these four—the two Johns, Daniel and William—came in 1726, or at different times very near that date, and lived in Boston for some years. There is a persistent tradition in the family that they landed and lived at "Noodle Island," which is now East Boston. The records that most concern this ancestry show definitely that the uncle and nephew, as it is supposed—John and William McCrillis—joined, sometime after 1740, a company of their countrymen who were developing a new town called Coleraine, perhaps from the old city of the name so near their former home in Ireland. The first deed for a lot of land in the town was dated January, 1738, and the first town meeting was held in January, 1741. John "McCrilis," as the name is spelled in his will, and who was evidently the elder of the two of that name, was the first ancestor in America of O. Jay McCrillis.

He was probably born in County Antrim, Ireland, in one of the small towns in the valley of the Bann river, about 1700. His parentage is unknown, as is also the exact date of his arrival in America. As one of the early settlers of Coleraine, he acquired a lot of land in the southeasterly part of the new township, not far from the Green river. There he built a house and reared a family, some of the children of which must have been well grown when they came to live in Coleraine. John McCrilis is said to have been prominent in the town affairs. McClellan's historical address on Coleraine mentions him as a member of a military company, under Lieut. Daniel Severance, which was stationed in Coleraine in 1747 and 1748, during the French and Indian war, to fight the Indians.

The same address also mentions that John McCrilis and others protested against having the master or mistress of the school, which, on March 5, 1753, the town voted to hold, paid by lots, but by the scholars that attended the school. John McCrilis mentions his wife in his will, but her maiden surname is unknown. Their children were as follows: Margaret McCrilis, who married Lieut. Samuel Wells, of Greenfield, Nov. 11, 1751.

More on Henry Willis and Mary Pease. Williamson / Willis Line

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I'm taking a moment during this weekend's Space Camp to post something we may have discussed in the past. The following is an article published in the Quaker Magazine "The Friend". This article is a biography of our Great Grandfather Henry Willis (Along the Williamson line then to the Willis line). Please take a moment and read about these devoutly religious ancestors.

Simply,
Victor

Relationship Chart

Henry Willis and Mary Pease my 9th Great Grandparents.
to
John Willis
to
John Willis
to
John Willis
to
John Willis
to
Bennett Willis
to
Jonathan Willis
to
Margaret Ann Willis - George Matthew Williamson
to
William J. Williamson
to
The Nine Williamson Children (our parents and grandparents)
to
Charles Williamson
to
Me.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,

Of Ministers and Elders, and other concerned members of the Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia. (Continued from page 300.)

HENRY WILLIS.

Henry Willis was born at Westbury, Wiltshire, in Old England, on the 14th of the Seventh month, 1628. We find no account of the character of his parents, nor what religious restraints he was subjected to in youth; but he himself in early manhood had evidently submitted to the cross of Christ. In 1654, he married Mary Pease, a religious young woman, and they both were soon convinced of the Truth as professed by the people called Quakers. In 1660, Henry Willis, going to Salisbury prison to visit some of his fellow professors, who were confined there for their christian testimonies, was arrested and carried before the mayor of that town. He was charged with no breach of the laws, but the oath of allegiance was tendered to him, and as he could not swear for conscience' sake, he was committed to prison.

In the year 1670, he removed with his family to America, and purchasing a body of land on Long Island, he called it Westbury, after the name of the place of his nativity. But persecution was not confined to England, as Henry Willis and his fellow professors on Long Island, found. About the beginning of the year 1680, Henry Willis and John Bowne had each of them a daughter married according to Friends' order. They were probably Henry's eldest daughter Mary, and John's daugh ter Elizabeth. Magistrates and priests were all displeased at the manner of those marriages, inasmuch as they received no fees. This caused them to bring Henry and John before a court of sessions, who fined them each £10. They could not conscientiously pay the fines, and so suffered distraints, as the following petition from them sets forth :—

To the Governor and his Council at New York. The address of Henry Willis and John Bowne concerning the proceedings of a court of sessions against us, who said they fined us £10 apiece, for suffering our daughters to marry contrary to their law. This proceeding, we arc satisfied, is without precedent, and we count it no less, but either a istake or hasty oversight. Though we have enloured for its removal, yet execution is issued and Joseph Lee, under-sheriff, hath seized

equity, where the witness of God may arise m every conscience to testify, whether if such things should go on and be proceeded in, it would not be the ruinating of families, and to the kindling of God's anger against the place or people. This we truly desire may be prevented, by taking away the occasion. Wherefore we make our address to the chief in authority, knowing that the magistrate's authority is to preserve men's persons and estates, but the prerogative of the conscience belongs to God, and we dare not but yield obedience thereunto, as God hath persuaded our hearts, and we do not act, as sometimes resented, in stubbornness, obstinacy, or contempt of authority; but in simplicity, having God's fear in our hearts that we may keep our consciences clear before him, from whom we receive strength to uphold us in trials and exercises. AVe earnestly desire the Lord may persuade your hearts, that ye may remove the cause of this our address, and open that eye in you that can see us as we are, who can pray for those in authority, that under them we may live a peaceable, holy and godlike life.

Henry Willis,
Joun Bowne.

4th of Seventh month, 1680.

We know not whether the fine in the case was remitted or not, but we know that Henry Willis continued to suffer for his testimonies against war, and against hireling ministry. The distraints made on his property for his not training, induced him to address the governor and council, Twelfth month 24th, 1680. The last instance of pecuniary suffering inflicted on him by the magistrates, which I have met with, was a fine of £4 10*. in 1687, for not contributing towards a dwelling-house for the priest.

Henry Willis, pretty early in his religious life, came forth as a minister. We find him in the year 1681, at the first Yearly Meeting held at Burlington, in company with his friend and fellow sufferer, John Bowne. They were appointed by that Yearly Meeting, to request of the Friends on Long Island, that the members of Shrewsbury meeting might in future belong to Burlington YearlyMeeting. He and J. Bowne appear to have generally attended the Yearly Meeting at Burlington and Philadelphia, in the early day. They both signed in 1692 the testimony of the meeting of ministers against George Keith.

About the end of 1699, Henry Willis felt a concern to remove to Philadelphia. His eight children were all grown up, and principally settled, so that it appears he brought none of them with him. His daughter Elizabeth, however, in 1696, had

married William Rakestraw, and resided in Philadelphia.* The certificate granted by Flushing Monthly Meeting for him and his wife Mary, is dated Third mo. 26th, 1700. It certifies of him as " our ancient and dear Friend," and says he had " constantly sought the honour of God and his truth."

Henry Willis was growing in years, yet he appears to have been much dedicated .in visiting neighbouring meetings, and was employed in the business of the Monthly Meeting. In 1702, he

* Elizabeth lived but a few years after her marriage.

Yearly Meeting at Long Island. The record of his visits to meetings within a few miles of Philadelphia, continue abundant through every year until 1708. Early in that year, he requested a certificate for himself and wife, intending to remove to reside with their daughter at Newtown, West Jersey. Before the close of the year, they had removed from Newtown, it is believed, to Long Island, where amid their children and children's children, they might find comfortable and loving attention, during the few days of their earthly pilgrimage yet allotted them.

Here, our trace of this industrious minister of the gospel and labourer in the Lord's earthly harvest field ends. The period of his release from his earthly service was probably not long delayed. He was over 80 years of age, when he last changed, his place of abode. If, in the hour of death, he felt the testimony of the Lord's Holy Spirit, bearing witness in accordance with the declaration of his friends, that he had constantly sought the honour of God and his truth, to the end, he needed nothing more. This was sufficient to sweeten every bitter cup, even the final parting with his long united and tenderly beloved Mary.

September on the Montana Mattson Ranch

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

The colors are changing on the mountainsides above the Fortress. The various shades of green
have surrendered to bright oranges and reds. It is the best time of year.

Today I have a treat for all. Two weeks ago Luella discovered Grandma Ida's (Walter Mattson's mother) photo album amongst her positions. I've decided to post its pictures for the next several days. Today we begin with family pictures on the first page.
This is Great Grandpa Albert (Walter's father) and Great Grandmother Ida (Walter's mother) sitting on a cot outside the ranch house. Three year old Luella is sitting between them. These two pictures were taken in September 1942.
Notice that Great Grandmother Ida is wearing an apron. Luella said that Ida always wore an apron and tan stockings. She always wore a dress. Luella never remembers Ida wearing a pair of pants. They were a loving couple. Albert was an outstanding worker with huge hands. Ida was an excellent housekeeper.

Grandpa Walter in the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp). This picture was taken in the late 1930's. He left the CCC's and married Violet in 1938.

Another picture of Grandpa Walter while in the CCC's. On the back of this picture he wrote:

I'm just as fat as I look. Do you see green grass? Is it pretty? Your Son Walter.

Luella at about 18 months standing by the barn. The posts are holding up the barn wall. Luella's knees are dirty. She'd been out playing. Notice that Luella had blond hair. Luella says that she prayed her blond hair would turn dark like her mother's. It did and she believed her prayer had been answered.

This is a picture of Luella at 2 or 3 years old (1941). It's Easter and she's holding her Easter present. She's sitting on the chair Great Grandmother Ida gave her. She's sitting under a cherry tree.

This is Helen Lidman Rosencranz. Her father was Grandpa Albert's nephew. Albert's sister Josephine Mattson Lidman was Helen's sister. She loved to come visit the ranch. Helen is alive today living on a ranch between Alzada and Ekalaka Montana.

Simply,
Victor

The Vercellino Family, Way Back Then and Not So Far Back Then.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Family,
Today we visit the Vercellino side of our family with pictures. Let's begin with a photo of a Vercellino family gathering at the end of World War 1. After that, pictures of a Vercellino family gathering, compliments of Theran Peterson (Karen Vercellino's son).

The Vercellino's of Deadwood / Lead South Dakota.

Taken in 1917/18 where Lead High School sits.
Click to Enlarge

Persons in this Vercellino Family Reunion.

1. Elda Vercellino (Mother of Charles Ray Williamson. Partially cut off)
2. Edith Giachetto
3. ? 4. ? 5. ?
6. Ed Vercellino (Elda's Youngest Brother. Stricken with Polio. Elda was 18 months older.)
7. Marie Vercellino (Viano) Elda's Mother.
8. Theodore Configliocco (Cousin to Elda)
9. ?
10. Louise Vercellino (Fred Vercellino's Wife. Fred was Elda's Uncle).
11. Danny Vercellino (Fred Vercellino's Son. Elda's first cousin).
12. Giovani Vercellino (far right edge of picture cut off. Elda's father)
13. Sanders Family Friend
14. Minnie Navoros. (family friend)
15 - 18. ?
19. Helen Vercellino (Elda's cousin. Fred's daughter)
20. Helen Lauriten (family friend)

The following pictures were went by Karen Vercellino's son. Thank you.
He also wrote:

After trying to find more about Fidele's family: Catherine & Dan died infancy. Helen had no children. Don't know about Daniel. Mabel has a son Bob Hastie in California, he has 3 children Diane Louise Hoover (b. 25 Feb 1949 in Dallas), David John (b. 05 Nov 1951 in Dallas) & Suzanne Stahlbuhk (b. 05 Nov 1951 in Dallas). Fred had 2 daughters Joyce & Eloise, both deceased. Eloise has 2 daughters Jane Loretta (b. 15 Dec 1950 in Kellogg, ID) & Karen Lee (b. 19 Jun 1952 in Wallace, ID), Eloise Zabel died in Spokane. Joyce Bigley died in Portland, don't know anything about children.

The only one I ever heard tell stories was Evelyn Configliacco. It is fun to listen to her stories because she actually lived in the neighborhood of our relatives. One I remember was that 2 of our family members used a third grade reader to learn English. they were trying to say 30. One said dirty and one said turdy. Evelyn always said "I think I would rather be dirty, then turdy"

Theran Peterson (? on the spelling)

Maria Viano Vercellino (Elda Vercellino's mother). Not Sure about the date of the Picture, But I am assuming it was taken in Cuorgne on a return visit, because she looks older then 14 (age at marriage)


Funeral Card for John Vercellino (Elda Vercellino's father. Charles Williamson's grandfather)

A Small Vercellino Family Gathering with the Configliocco's at Sundance, Wyoming. Relationship Chart for the people in the pictures below (Click to Enlarge).

• A note, the children of Giovanni Vercellino and Catterina Gianelto were all born in Salto, Piedmont, Torino, Italy. Many immigrated to the United States and settled in Lead. From family records we know that Antonio (Tony) Vercellino, born July 23, 1863 married Guglielma Vidano (first) and secondly married Teresa di Michele Brogatti in 1925 and remained in Italy. He is buried in the Vercellino family crypt in Salto Italy.

Charles and Luella Williamson with daughters Lisa and Annette about 1981.

Leslie and Evelyn Configliacco (Brother and Sister)

Grandma Elda with Leiss

Ed Vercellino, Elda and Leiss

Ray Configliacco, Leiss, and Luella Williamson

Daniel Vercellino (Ed's son), Elda, Helen Vercellino Walters (Fred's Daugther)

Ray, Elda, and Lakota Zink Vercellino (Ray's wife). Ray's has scarlet fever when he was 16 years old. His hair turned white after recovering. Ray lived to be 90, Ed lived to be 96 and Elda lived to be 90.

A small family gathering in Bismarck for Karen (Ed and Iris' daughter) and Martin's first anniversary. May 31, 1967 (Iris Vercellino's 58) birthday. Elda, Ed, Martin & Karen Peterson (Ed's Daughter, Leiss' mother, Iris Vercellino, Thelma Vantine, (Leiss' sister) and Bruce Vantine (Thelma's son).

Gerald R. Ford. Our 8th Cousin twice Removed

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
Just a quick post to just make your day and make you feel somewhat special (with a real stretch of the imagination).
Did you know you were related to Gerald R. Ford? Yes the former President of the United States.
He is our 8th Cousin twice removed (my generation of Williamsons). The relationship line is as follows:

There, now I'm off to a family Labor Day picnic. We'll eat and talk and then eat some more and talk more then eat once again and, to top off the night, eat once more.

Simply,
Victor

George Williamson's Homestead Patent

The Family of George and Margaret Williamson.
Our Great Grandfather William is the first on the back row (L to R).

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons!
Today at the Fortress we're going to look at copies of documents graciously sent by cousin Carol Good Stephenson. In the letter accompanying the documents Carol wrote:

A couple of years ago I requested the file for George Williamson's Dakota Territory Homestead Patent from the National Archives. I had taken a class at our community college which showed me how to do that. I thought you might like to read the pages too.

The Homestead Patent is below. Please remember to click on the documents to enlarge. We begin with the announcement in the newspaper. Notice it says "Dakota Territory". South Dakota was made a State in 1889. Williamsons have therefore been a part of South Dakota's history since before Statehood.

And now the Patent. This document was written in George Matthew Williamson's own hand. As a teacher let me say that I'm impressed with his penmanship.




I'd like to thank Carol for sending the this document of family history. If you have photographs or documents relating to family history please send me copies for posting (or have someone that knows computers scan the documents and send the files).

Simply,
Victor

A Short Post on our Great Grandfather Walter Edwin Pierce

One of the few picture surviving of Walter Edwin Pierce
He and Great Grandmother Vesta divorced when Violet and Walter Junior here very young.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove.

Hello All,
This is a short post giving you additional information on our Great Grandfather, Walter Edwin Pierce. Walter was Grandma Violet's father.

Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler and Edwin Sherman Pierce
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Walter Edwin Pierce and Vesta Althea Dennis
to
Violet Mae Pierce and Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, Linda, John and Marvin
to
Us

You'll see in the information below that Walter had several brothers and sisters. You'll also notice that many of them were born in Cascade, South Dakota - just a few miles outside of Hot Springs. I'm guessing that any Pierce found in the Hot Springs area today is a cousin.

Edwin S. Pierce. B. 9 May 1862 in Illinois. Died 1919.
married 31 August 1884 (Hardin Iowa).
Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler. B. 22 Feb. 1859 in Williams Hardin Iowa. Died 2 Sept. 1912 Hot Springs South Dakota.

The Children of Edwin and Eldora:
Walter Edwin Pierce. B. 23 August 1885. Bloomington, South Dakota
Ora Joslyn Pierce. B. 2 June 1887. Bloomington, South Dakota
Frances Herert Pierce. B. 27 Feb. 1889. Cascade Springs, South Dakota
Mattie May Pierce. B. 23 Feb. 1891. Casecade Springs, South Dakota
Henry Raymond Pierce. B. 11 Dec. 1892. Cascade Springs, South Dakota
Dallas Glenn Pierce. B. 17 Sept. 1894. Cascade Springs, South Dakota
Eldora Rose Pierce. B. 17 Feb. 1901, Cascade Springs, South Dakota.

One item of interest is Walter's Draft Registration Card from 1918 pictured below (Click to Enlarge)

A Few Pictures for Your Sunday Enjoyment. (Mattson Family)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello!
Today for our family virtual family reunion we have a mix of photographs from the boxes and boxes of photographs occupying a corner of my living room, all waiting their time on the scanner and then onto the blog for family history and your enjoyment.

This is a picture of Charles Ray Williamson standing beside the pride and joy of his life in the late 1950's (besides his new bride - although I'm not so sure which would come first if he had to choose :)

The car was a red Ford convertible with white wall tires. Charles spent hours a week on that car. It's surface was so polished you could see your face in the shine. Look closely at the picture. Notice the white wall tires. Luella said you didn't want to know how much time Charles took every week keeping them brillantly white! Well, we all know how Charles loved and loves his cars!

Luella believes this picture was taken on Thanksgiving Day 1956. Luella and Charles were already married (June 1956) and were celebrating the holiday with the Mattson family in Spearfish. In the picture Charles is wearing his Car Coat. In those days men and women had "Car Coats".

Grandma Elda and Charles didn't own a car from the time Elda and Grandpa Williamson divorced (Charles was 12 years old at the time) until Charles bought a car in his late teens. Grandma Elda never got a driver's license therefore never bought a car. The single mother and her son relied on other people if they needed to go anywhere their own two feet or a bicycle couldn't take them.

Charles was like Fonz from the TV series "Happy Days" during his high school years at Belle Fourche High. He was very popular at school and was even voted as the man with the most beautiful legs in the entire School (an award I could never win with my bleach white legs complete with overgrown forest of dark hair - which I might add have never, ever seen a razor blade - unlike some of the males in our family that regularly shave their legs for reasons only God and their vanity knows :).

Luella was also very popular at Spearfish High. Everyone admired Charles and Luella during the time they dated. They guys admired Charles because of the eye candy he had sitting next to him in his dazzling car and the girls admired Luella for her sweetheart with the good looking legs, nice car, sweet smile and peachy keen dark Italian looks. Charles hung out at Luella's home in Spearfish every night for the entire year before their marrige.

Charles and Luella first met when Luella was eight and Charles was eleven during several of the Mattson family's visits to Belle Fourche when then lived on their Montana Ranch. They met each other again when the Mattson's moved to Spearfish. They were at a dance and Charles offered to take Luella home. The rest is history.

Luella spent her senior year at Spearfish High engaged to Charles. At the time, Charles worked for the State Highway Department, making $250.00 a month. Luella worked as a waitress at the Valley Cafe in Spearfish making .50 cents per hour plus tips.

"What did you and dad do when he'd come over every night?" I asked Luella.
"Your dad would go outside with John and Marvin and play basketball in the back yard. We also went to every movie that came to town. Movies were .25 cents in those days. Spearfish had a drive in theater and a real theater. We also went to nearly ever dance."

Charles and Luella argued a lot during their courting days. Violet thought their marriage wouldn't last more than a few months, but they hung in there and we are the testament to that. Luella said she could always trust Charles. Charles was as reliable as the rising sun. He always brought his paycheck home - never spending money on himself. Having someone she could count on meant everything to Luella.


This is the Mattson home in Spearfish. The year is unknown. The window on the left was the living room. The window on right was the master bedroom. The home was built from red stone taken from the Spearfish rock formation. Many of the first homes in Spearfish were made of this stone. The home was cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The Mattsons moved into this home from the Montana ranch in 1955.

The previous owners had recently remodeled the home, bringing it up to 1950's standards. The home had a real dishwasher (an amazingly modern appliance for its time). The kitchen had neon lights running across the ceiling, giving it that 1950's diner look. The separate garage was in the back. The cellar entrance was also in the back under the kitchen window. The home had one bathroom right off the kitchen. Luella and Linda shared the master bedroom. Luella and Linda slept in the same bed every night of their lives until Luella married. Violet and Walter slept in the other downstairs bedroom. John and Marvin slept in the large upstairs bedroom. The upstairs bedroom was decorated all in knotty pine. This was the Mattsons first home with indoor running water and an indoor bathroom.

This is a picture of Violet and Walter Mattson on the day they were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple. They're standing in front of their home in Torrence California. This picture was taken in the mid 1960's. Walter was on portable oxygen at this time. He was suffering from chronic bronchitis.
This picture was taken in Brodus, Montana. New students (Freshman) attending Brodus High School had to go through initiation at the hands of the seniors. The seniors drew the names of the freshmen from a hat and got to decide what kind of costume their freshman would wear in the school's homecoming parade. Luella's senior had her wear long johns covered with a swimming suit. She had a bunch of garlic and onions in her hair.

Luella is in the back, first one on the left (not counting the little girls). During the week of homecoming the seniors had permission to paint the freshman's face with lipstick if they were caught anywhere other than school or at home.

This is Grandma Violet holding a baby. Luella thinks it might be her because Violet still had quite a lot of hair. Violet lost hair at each delivery.
"It could have been anyone of us through," Luella said. We're just not sure.

(This is one of Luella's favorite pictures of her mother).

This is a much older Grandma Violet standing in front of the Spearfish home after a large snowfall.


More Pictures to Follow,

Simply,
Victor

An Update from China from Chandler Burrows

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Thought you might be interested in reading about Chandler's experiences in China. As you recall from a previous post, Chandler is spending the next several months teaching English in a Chinese school deep in the midlands of China.
This story involves shopping.

Chandler writes:

So, in Beijing we have been able to do all the fun touristy stuff and it's been really fun. I've seen the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Kung Fu and Acrobat shows, but the craziest experience was when I went to the Markets. So, in China they have markets, which are big 4-6 story buildings filled every inch with knock off merchandise. They set it up so that each booth is only a couple feet long, filled to the top with things to buy. There is a story for jewelery, story for purses and bags, then shoes, makeup perfume, sunglasses, coats, clothes... everything!

So when we go, you walk in and all of a sudden all you hear are broken english phrases such as "Lady, Lady! purse? watch? bag?" Also in China there is no "personal space". They can touch you all they want, and take advantage of it. So as we walk down the small isles, they reach out and grab you, yelling lady, or friend. So these chinese ladies, sometimes men, play the best game with their bargaining. They have calculators, and they say without fail everytime, "beautiful lady, since you are student, and you are my friend, i will give you this price. good price, good price" Then i say too much, they say, "your killing me, or they ask, are you stupid?or are you crazy? " haha. This continues until we get things for almost 1/5 less then when they started. I was having fun, and got a couple things. Then I tried to get True Religion Jeans. The lady was nice and joked around with me in the beginning. I was naming prices, then realized that I said too much after talking to my friend. She got SOO mad. She grabbed my wrist hard and walked me to the back and yelled and yelled. She was saying. "You lied. I hate you. I want to kill you, I'm going to kill you." and repeated this, while hurting me for about five min's. I stayed calm, but i was so scared. I just kept saying, "your hurting me, i dont want your pants. Let me go". My friends came to help saying Bu Yuo, Bu Yuo, but she just hit them with her stupid calculator. Finally they distracted her enough that she let up on my wrist and we ran! Scariest thing ever!! It didnt stop me from shopping, but I realized how important it is to not be alone. Just so you guys know, that was just because those ladies are supposed to be like that, thats the only way they get money. China is so wonderful and I never feel too unsafe like that. Let me know how you guys are doing!!!

love, Chan