The Williamson and Mattson Children. Rapid City and Spearfish.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Family,
Gather around and hush up, its time to get together in another virtual reunion to visit, ponder, reminisce and chuckle at a few treasures pulled from the yellowing, cracking pages of yet another of Grandma Violet's photo albums.

Scanning pictures from aging albums can be a tricky exercise, especially old albums with sticky pages covered by a sheet of clear plastic. Over the years the photos cement to the sticky pages. Surgery is the only way to separate them. Someday I'll post a picture of me in full surgical garb operating on one of these pages with scalpel and tweezers. If I'm not careful I can rip a picture with one tug, sending a beautiful pristine image to an early death.

Today we will walk down Memory's There and Back Again Lane to the late 1960's. The place, South Dakota (yes it was a part of the United States back then and no, contrary to what you may have heard, we lived in a real house with indoor plumbing and electricity). We will make two stops during our stay. 1. Rapid City and the home of the Williamsons at 2214 38th Street. and 2. Spearfish at the home of John and Beverly Mattson.


We start with the eldest of the six Williamson children in residence. Kim Williamson (now DelGrosso) was 12 years old when this picture was taken in September 1969. Notice how perfect. Notice the posture. Notice the smile. Notice the hair. Luella actually took her time with Kim's hair. The rest of us got the tale end of her patience on hair cuttin day, and believe me that is not where you wanted to be when Luella was holding sharp clippers.

Anyone passing the house on hair cuttin day would have heard lots of "Oops!" then screams then slaps on exposed thighs (her "giving us something to cry about") then more screams because she'd actually carried through with her threat and given us 'something to cry about', then the inevitable "Live with it," to shut down any further objections to the crop circle she'd executed on your scalp.

Did the Princess ever have to wear a cap for a month or so to hide the train wreck hidden underneath her cap? No.

I give you Princess Kim, the darling of the family, practically perfect in every way...........

Now guess, who was lucky enough to follow Madam Kim in the birthing order?


Me! This is Me in September 1969. I'm eleven years old. It seemed Fortuna, the Goddess of Fortune and Luck had it in for me from the moment I was born. Notice the glasses. I got them in 4th grade. Who gets glasses in the 4th grade!? Mind you, they are good lookin for 1969.

Aw, who am I kiddin. Let me tell you about those glasses. I got marched into Standard Optical in Rapid City and told to sit down while Luella surveyed the wall of frames for something she could afford.

"Got anything made of tin foil?" she asked the optician. The optician laughed.

"How about frames made of pipe cleaners?" he chimed in not realizing Luella wasn't joking about the tin foil.

"Good Grief," I sighed and sat under a table.

"These are all too expensive," she pronounced after a two minute ponder. "No glasses for you. Tell the teacher you need to sit in front of the chalkboard and stay in from recess so you don't get hit in the head with a ball."
She took my hand to leave. The optician stopped her.

"Lady, I've got some hand me down frames. Would you like to see them?" He pulled out a box of used glasses kept under the cash register. The box was labeled, "For the Unfortunate Dakota Children. Love, Your Friends in Africa". He handed me the pair you see in the picture above.

"Those glasses once belonged to a Swahili Chief," he said. "He was very brave. He killed many lions and tigers and bears."

"There are no bears in Africa," I replied.

"Well, Giraffes then." He was frustrated.

"If these were his glasses, then why do I have them? What happened to him?" I asked.

"A lion got him. Didn't see it coming, did he?"

"Good Grief," I said looking through the crooked glasses. I suddenly felt very much like Charlie Brown.

By the way, go back and look at what I'm wearing in the picture. That shirt is 100% polyester. It snagged every time someone sneezed within 4 feet of me.

Notice I'm a few pounds overweight? My five brothers and sisters were bone skinny. What happened to me?

I wasn't stupid. I knew we didn't have a lot of money. I knew every meal might be our last for several days. I was a survivalist. I realized eating a few extra calories when food was available might be the difference between living to the next meal or starving to death under a pile of clothes in the jungle we called The Utility Room. If it was in the cupboard and eatable, I ate it.
It was "Every Man for Himself!" at the dinner table in our family. I was not going to go hungry, especially if I was the only one who had to wear glasses, and that's for damn sure.

Kevin Williamson, 8 years old in September 1969

Kevin Williamson, 9 years old. September 1970

Kevin came next in the birth order. Notice he got school pictures two years in a row. What's up with that? I got a school picture in 1969 and another when I graduated from High School in 1976 (and I had to pay for that one myself!).

Notice his hair in both. Didn't I tell you Luella and clippers were a dangerous combination when her patience was "shot to hell". You could tell what kind of hair cut you were going to get on Hair Cuttin Day (which came the day before bath day) by looking into her eyes. If her eyes were normal, you might walk away with a hair cut that let you blend in with the other home hair cut kids who sat in the back of every classroom in the 1960's.

If Luella's eyes were partially blood shot then the sides might look OK but the top might come out lopsided (a sneeze of hair on one side of the head, and a mop on the other). This wasn't good for Kevin because he loved to run. A lopsided top meant extra hair on one side of his head. The extra weight caused him to run in large, wide circles. Very amusing to the rest of us, especially at supper time.

"Kevin, its supper time. We called you and you didn't come. There's hardly anything left!"
Imagine a kid with a lopsided hair cut, running in large circles trying to get into the house before all the food was gone? Ah, those were good times.

If Luella's eyes were completely blood shot then there was no hope. You either ran away as fast as your little legs could carry you our you resigned yourself to a fate worse than death.

In case you were wondering, boys buttoned their dress shirts all the way to the top back then. I don't know why, but we did.

Finally, notice the large gap between Kevin's teeth in the 8 year old picture? I thought I'd point that out.


This is 6 year old Janice Williamson (now Burrows), Canyon Lake Elementary's Little Miss Congeniality in 1969. She nearly drove the photographer to drink.

"Smile," he'd say. Janice sat motionless, staring blankly into the camera.
"Come on honey. Give us a smile."
"I am," Janice responded in a monotone voice.
"Think of something happy," Janice's teacher suggested hoping to get her off the stool so the line of waiting children would start moving.
"What have I got to be happy about?" Janice was our optimist. Never a dull moment around her.

I'd like to point out something interesting. If you look closely at Janice's picture (click on the picture to enlarge if you want) you'll notice the faintest sign of a smile on both corners of her mouth. In my humble opinion, this picture of our sister Janice was the photographer's Mona Lisa.


Look, the smile is the same! That vacant, "no one is home" look is THE SAME! This picture of Janice is pure gold. It needs to be properly framed and donated to a local museum so future generations can admire it's beauty and hidden, very hidden qualities.

By the way, Luella's eyes were completely blood shot on the day Janice got her 'Picture Takin Day' hair cut and bath. Janice survived the ordeal. Her secret was the dress. Notice the hypnotic pattern of geometric shapes and colors? The dress kept people's eyes away from her face and hair. The dress mesmerized them. She wore that dress off and on until her graduation from High School.

6 year old Jonathan Ray Williamson in 1969

7 year old Jonathan Ray Williamson in 1970

Janice's twin. Our brother Jonathan also got his picture taken two years in a row. Is it just me or does it look like Jon didn't age that year?

Jon and Janice were opposites. Janice made a great place holder if you ever needed someone to keep your place on the couch while you went to the bathroom. Jon was full of personality and cheer. He loved strangers and spoke to them whenever he had the chance.

"Where's Jonathan," mother would ask at 11:00 P.M.
"He's outside talking to another stranger," we'd reply, and he most likely was.

Strangers gave Jonathan the love and attention he didn't get from the rest of us, being the kid stuck in the middle of a large family of six children. Of course in those days strangers weren't as dangerous as they are today. Besides, we all carried pocket knifes and could kill, skin and cook a bear in one hour - no problem. Remember, we're talking about South Dakota. You never knew if an Indian would break into the house and try to get you to part with your scalp in the middle of the night. Everyone carried some kind of weapon (Dad had his 22 pistol. Luella had her clippers).

Jon usually fell asleep in front of the TV late at night. Waking him up for bed was the family's real entertainment for the night.

"Jon, get up!" He wouldn't move.
"Jon, wake up!" Jon would sit up and look blankly around the room. "It's time for church. Mom's waiting for you in the car. Hurry."

Jon did just what you told him to do. He went outside in the winter at 10:00 P.M, opened the door of the Rambler, got in and sat - waiting for mom to take him to church.

Life was good in those days.



Jilane Williamson (now Bodily) was the youngest in 1969. She was five in the picture above. She needed glasses because of her wandering eyes. I believe her glasses came from the Swahili Chief's wife.

Because of her wandering eyes, you never knew who she was looking at. One eye pointed north while the other pointed south. She made an excellent compass if you ever got lost in the woods. For many years Jilane thought our family was composed of twin dads, twin moms and 12 brothers and sisters. She thought she had a twin double because of the double reflection she saw whenever she looked into the mirror. She spoke to her twin for many years. The neighbors suggest we institutionalize her. She had surgery to correct her vision when she was young. She was traumatized by the loss of her double.

Poor Jilane, she was always the last to get her hair cut. She was young and it really didn't matter what she looked like.

We called her Tootie back then. UNDER PAIN OF DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CALL HER TOOTIE TODAY. She will kill you, then hunt down your children, grand children and will stay alive out of sheer spite to get your great grandchildren.

I wish we would have kept those glasses. I'd pay real American money to get them back if they ever turned up on Ebay or something. Priceless, that's all I can say.


AND NOW, SPEARFISH.

The following pictures were taken at the home of John and Beverly Mattson when they lived in Spearfish South Dakota. The home used to belong to Grandma and Grandpa Mattson.

Uncle John Mattson and 5 month old Gina.

2 year old Kirk Mattson entangled with 6 month old Gina.
Gina knew how to handle herself then and that hasn't changed one bit today.
To this day, Kirk still stays at least one arm's length away from Gina.
She never forgets a wrong done. Never.

Two year old Kirk and 6 month old Gina in their Spearfish home's kitchen.
I remember that kitchen well. Kim and I used to spend a week with Grandma and
Grandpa during the summers. I loved that kitchen. It had a real automatic dishwasher!

OK Folks. That's enough for today. Thanks for reading and spending some time down 'There and Back Again Lane'.

Simply,
Victor

Sir Thomas Chamberlayne, Ambassador to Spain from the English Court

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove.

Hello Williamsons!
A short historical footnote about our 10th Great Grandfather Sir Thomas Chamberlayne. Sir Thomas was the English Ambassador to Spain during the reign of Henry VIII, his son King Edward and his half sister Queen Elizabeth. This put him squarely in play during the tulmulchious reign of Henry VIII as he quarrled with many of Europe's crowned heads and the Pope over border disputes and of course, marriage.

There is one letter from our 10th Great Grandfather that survives today. He wrote this letter to Henry VIII's son King Edward and the Privy Council (the King's Cabinet) in February 1553. The letter is diplomatic in nature and written in the English of the day. You'll find it difficult to read and understand, nevertheless an excellent document to have in our family history. The letter is below.

Simply,
Victor

Relationship Chart

10th Great Grandfather
Sir Thomas Chamberlayne and Elizabeth Luddington
to
Edmund Chamberlayne adn Grace Strangeways
to
Edmund Chamberlayne and Eleanor Coles
to
Thomas Chamberlayne and Mary Wood
to
Rebecca Chamberlayne and John Williamson
to
Cuthbert Williamson and Elizabeth Allen
to
(?) Cuthbert Williamson and Susanne White
to
Matthew Williamson and Selina Dandridge Jeffries
to
George Matthew Williamson and Margaret Ann Willis
to
William Jonathan Williamson and Effie Helen Victor
to
Vennie, Ima, Inez, Lille, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles and Maurice
to
Us

SIR THOMAS CHAMBERLAYNE
TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL.

Please your most honourable Lordships to be advertised how that since the Emperor's arrival here hath occurred no matter of moment worthy to be certified, every man attending to hear wherefore the estates of these Low Countries were called; and on Tuesday last the same were assembled in Court, where the Emperor and his sister, the Lady Regent, were present. As I do learn, his Majesty, first of all, gave them all hearty thanks for the good towardness that he had always found in them to assist him in the defence of themselves and those countries, and so told them that he had no less confidence that at this time they would be as willing to give him aid in their defence against such an enemy as the French King is, who forced him to these wars when his Majesty least looked for the same; consequently, it is said that his Majesty's sister made a like demonstration, and, as it were, a declaration how obedient and willing subjects she had found them in his Majesty's absence; exhorting them so to continue.

Then, as it is told me, the President of the Estate made a certain rehearsal of the great charges the Emperor had been at in these Low Countries, giving to understand that such sums as had been levied were already consumed by the wars; reporting the same unto the Treasurer, then present, who affirmed the same, and, therewithal, the proportion for the purpose at this time, being put in writing, was by some of the Secretaries read unto the States there gathered, which, as I can learn, required for aid 6000 guilders of Brabant only, 9000 of Flanders, and 3000 of Holland, and of the other countries after like rate, whereupon the Commissioners of each country are departed home, for to make demonstration to the people, to see how the same may be levied, and so to make answer. The States of Brabant do remain here, setting about the levying of their part, which declares that the grant is made of the demand. The Spirituality, as I understand, must give the half of their revenues for this year, as they did the last; so that there is great likelihood that by this means, and by great loans made his Majesty of late in Antwerp, he shall want no money to make the French King a good war this summer to come, which the people do wish to be better than that is past hath proved.

I am informed that knowledge is come hither of certain conclusions lately taken by the Princes of the empire, at a diet by them holden; and amongst all other, it is said that the Count Palatine is appointed to come unto the Emperor for Commissary touching the same conclusions; and to require the Emperor, in the name of the rest, to be content (considering his present weakness, and lack of power to follow the wars himself) to allow the King of Bohemia for his coadjutor in the empire; and, upon that condition, they will be content to take the wars wholly upon them that way, and seek for to make the French King restore all that he hath wrongfully usurped since the beginning of these wars, belonging to the Empire; meaning that his Majesty should but defend these Low Countries, and keep the French King occupied this way, if he think good; and for this purpose it is said that the Count Palatine is looked for to be here very shortly.

A bruit goeth that the Emperor, by some intelligence out of Italy, is in great jealousy of the Venetians, who, as I am informed, have lately made the Duke of Ferrara their General; whereof I doubt not but Mr. Morysin, by his conferences, is able to certify your Lordships more than I can. The Emperor demands of these Estates payment of the one half at the end of this next month, and the rest within four months after, for which is great care taken, because there is so little money stirring. Somewhat like to part of the afore written, here is now a bruit spread that a son of the King of the Romans doth come shortly hitherwards. Which is the sura of our present occurrences; and, therefore, I will leave to be molestious unto your most honorable Lordships, beseeching Almighty God long to continue the same in health and honour. From Brussels, the 20th of February, 1553.

Your Lordships' most bounden at commandment,

T. Chamberlayne

Sir Thomas Chamberlayne, of Prestbury, in Gloucestershire, Knight; who, having served the late King in several foreign negociations, seems to have been now appointed to succeed Sir Richard Morysin as Ambassador-Leger at the Court of Brussels. In 1559—60 he was deputed to Spain by Elizabeth in the same capacity, but was revoked in October, 1561, after which time we have no intelligence of his public life.

Our 8th Great Grandfather Samuel Sherburn. Tavern Owner. Casualty of the King William's War.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Today we switch lines and revisit the ancestors of our Great Grandmother Vesta. Along these lines we meet our 8th Great Grandparents, Samuel Sherburn and Love Hutchins.

Our story today involves our Great Grandfather Samuel. The setting is New England, the time 1691.

We begin with the Relationship Chart.

Relationship Chart
8th Great Grandparents.
Samuel Sherburn (1638-1691) and Love Hutchins (1647 - 1739)
to
John Sherburn and Jane Drake
to
Margaret Sherburne and Henry Dearborn
to
Nathaniel Dearborn and Betsy Hill
to
Deborah Dearborn and Phineas Swift
to
Elmira Swift and Joseph McCrillis
to
Isabel Deanora Helgerson McCrilles and John Dennis
to
Vesta Althea Dennis and Walter Edwin Pierce
to
Violet Mae Pierce and Walter Albert Mattson
to their children
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin
to
Us

Grandfather Samuel fought and died during the King William's War (1689-1697). This war was the first of the French and Indian Wars. This war was fought between England, France and their respective American Indian allies in the colonies of Canada (New France), Acadia and New England.

Below is an account of what happened to our Grandfather Samuel, a soldier and owner of the local tavern.

KING WILLIAM'S WAR and our 8th Great Grandfather Samuel , 1689-1698

The Eastern Indians generally appear to have observed the treaty made at Casco, in 1678, conducting themselves for several years peaceably towards the English settlers, who, in the meantime, had been gradually recovering from their losses in the late disastrous war; but, partly through fault of the English themselves, the peace was at length broken and ravages committed, beginning with several places in the province of Maine. The first sufferers in New Hampshire were in Dover, on the 28th of June, 1689, when the aged Major Waldron and more than a score of others were killed, and nearly thirty were taken captive. About a month later the savages fell upon the settlement at Oyster River also, and killed or carried off nearly twenty persons.

On the 8th of July the town of Hampton voted "that all those who were willing to make a forti fication about the Meeting House, to secure themselves and their families from the violence of the heathen, should have free liberty to do it." A fortification was accordingly built, which, about three years afterward, the town voted to enlarge so as to afford room "to build houses in it according to custom in other forts." How many houses were built is not known, but it was voted that a small house (14 by 16 feet) should be built there for the use of the minister, and when not occupied by him to serve as a schoolhouse.

From information derived from one who had been in captivity among the enemy, fears were entertained that an attempt would be made in the latter part of September to destroy the towns of Hampton, Exeter, Salisbury and Amesbury, and it was said that four hundred Indians were to be sent for this purpose. In confirmation of the report in circulation, Indians ("skulking rogues," as they were termed) were seen in these towns almost every day, sent, it was thought, to reconnoiter (scout).

Whether they found that their design had been discovered, and that the people were too much on their guard to be easily overcome, or whether the rumor of their intended attack was unfounded, is uncertain; but the month of September wore away, and the four towns still remained.

In March, 1690, the military officers in commission before Cranfield's administration, were restored to office. Those for Hampton were: Samuel Sherburne, Captain; Edward Gove, Lieutenant ; John Moulton, Ensign. During the month of July more than thirty persons were killed by the savages, in Exeter. Thus far no attack had been made upon any part of Hampton, but the people were living in constant dread. So secret and so sudden had been the movements of the enemy, that none knew where to expect their next assault. The men dared not go abroad to their ordinary labors without being armed. Their families were collected in the forts and in garrisoned houses, which were carefully guarded. On the Sabbath, indeed, they ventured to attend public worship, but, as we have seen, the meeting house was surrounded with a fortification, the men went armed, and sentinels were stationed to give an alarm if the enemy should appear during the services.

At a town meeting held the next winter, Mr. Henry Green, Capt. Samuel Sherburne and Henry Dow sent out two men, as scouts, to see what they could discover, so long as they could go upon the snow, or so long as the neighboring towns sent out; and so much of their wages as should not be paid by contribution, was to be paid out of the next town rate. The committee was also directed to keep an exact account of what the town or any of the inhabitants would spend in carrying on the war. This vote suggests what was then considered the most effectual method of preventing the Indians from committing depredations, viz.: the employment of scouts to be constantly scouring the woods, to discover them, if possible, in their lurking places.

Still, besides scouts, a large number of soldiers were employed on different occasions, and sometimes for several months in succession, under officers of skill and experience. But, notwithstanding the vigilance of the scouts, the Indians sometimes succeeded in finding hiding places, even in the immediate vicinity of a garrison, where they lay concealed, watching the movements of those belonging to the garrison, ready to seize the first opportunity t o kill or capture anyone who might happen to venture a little too far away.

An instance of this kind occurred in Salisbury, adjoining Hampton, on the 23d of June, 1691. About half an hour after sunset, one John Ring went out of Jacob Morrill's garrison, to drive in a cow, and was captured within a little more than twenty rods of the garrison. The next day a great many men of Salisbury and Hampton went into the woods to search for him, but, as some one wrote at the time, "with very little hope of recovering him." Justly did the same writer add: "The truth is, we are a distressed people." At the very time of this occurrence, a company of men, about thirty-four in number, under Capt. Stephen Greenleaf, of Newbury, was out in that vicinity searching for Indians. Ring was captured on Monday; Captain Greenleaf's company went to Haverhill on the Saturday previous, came to Hampton on Sunday, and went to Exeter on Monday, in the morning.

A little past midsummer a small army was sent out under the command of four captains, one of whom was Samuel Sherburne, of Hampton. The forces landed at Maquoit, near Casco, and marched up to Pechypscot (now Brunswick, Me.), but finding no signs of the enemy, returned to Maquoit, where they had left their boats. While the commanders were on the shore, waiting for the soldiers to get aboard, a great number of Indians suddenly poured in upon them, and they were obliged to retreat to their vessels; but this was a difficult matter, as the tide being down, the vessels were aground; and before it could be accomplished Captain Sherburne was slain. He had been a resident of Hampton ten or twelve years, and was well known as the keeper of the ordinary, or tavern. He was a captain in the militia; three years a selectman of the town; was once chosen to represent the town in the General Court; and in January next preceding his death, as has been stated, he was on the committee to employ and send out scouts, and to keep an account of the expenses incurred in the war.

Jacobus Schellinger, Our 9th Great Grandfather (Williamson Lines)

Pictures of New Amsterdam (Today's New York City)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons!

Today in our digital gathering we will discuss another family link to the Netherlands and Belgium through the Schellinger family line. In paticiluar we want to learn about our 9th Great Grandparents, jacobus Schellinger and Cornelia Melyn.

Jacobus Schellinger (son of Daniel Schellinks and Constantia van Rijssen) was born
Abt. 1625 in Amsterdam, Holland, and died June 17, 1693 in East Hampton, NY. He married Cornelia Melyn on April 07, 1653, daughter of Cornlis Melyn and Jannetje Van Myert.

Relationship Chart

9th Great Grandparents. Jacobus Schellinger and Cornelia Melyn
to
Catherine Schellinger and Nathaniel Baker
to
Mary Baker and Timothy Woodruff
to
Katherine Woodrull and Benjamin Haines
to
Hannah Haines and Mathias Spinning
to
Mary Spinning and Benjamin Morris
to
Isaac Morris and Sarah?
to
Nancy Morris and Whitty Victor
to
Effie Helen Victor and William Jonathan Williamson
to
Vennie, Ima, Inez, Lille, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles and Maurice
to
US

Notes for Jacobus Schellinger

Old East Hampton was almost purely an English settlement, but for three Holland Dutch names, Schellinger (spelled "Schellinx" or "Scallenger" etc. - thirty different versions have been found in old deeds), Loper and Van Scoy.

Jacobus Schellinger was born in Amsterdam, Holland in 1625 of a family of wealth and position. He came to New Amsterdam (today's New York City) about 1652 as agent for his uncle, an Amsterdam merchant. In 1653 he married Cornelia, daughter of Cornelis Melyn, Patroon of Staten Island and at one time President of the Council of New Amsterdam, and widow of Captain Jacobus Loper. Their marriage was recorded at the Old Dutch Church on April 7, 1653.

Jacobus and Cornelia Schellinger continued to live in New Amsterdam or on Staten Island for twelve or thirteen years after their marriage. In March, 1653, he was assessed 200 guilders when the Dutch were preparing defense against the British; the money was used to construct earthworks topped by a palisade along the northerly side of what is now Wall Street in New York City, from the East River to the site of Trinity Church; it may be Schellingers were living on Staten Island when there were Indian troubles and their house was burned.

The conquest of the Dutch New Netherlands by the British in 1664 put an end to trade between Holland and its colony. Jacobus with his wife and children and step-son James Loper, moved to East Hampton, Long Island to retrieve his fortunes in whaling. His company was called "Whale designe." He arrived here probably 1664, and certainly before October 2, 1667, for he is mentioned in a deed of the latter date. His house lot was the original home lot of Andrew Miller. Through his granddaughter Rachel (daughter of Abraham) who married David Gardiner of Gardiner's Island on April 15, 1712/13, the property went into the Gardiner family and remained there until it was sold to Lawrence Baker in the 1940's.

Dutch Whaling in the 1600's

The "Whale Designe" prospered. Quoting from "Whale Off!" by Everett J. Edwards and Jeannette Edwards Rattray:

"The Dutch led the world in whaling in 1625; it was not until after 1750 that their supremacy began to wane and England took the upper hand. Young Loper (James) and his stepfather -- the only two Dutchman then in the English colony of East Hampton -- took to the whaling industry then flourishing there like ducks to water. They formed a whaling company, employing Indians and early Town records are full of their activities. Their fame spread - - - "

The book goes on to tell how James Loper, in 1672, was invited to settle in Nantucket and teach the Nantucketers how to whale. Loper did not settle there but research seems to indicate that he did go for a time. Jacobus Schellinger & Co. were given a permit to kill whales off East Hampton. By November 18, 1675; they had already been employing Indian crews for eight or nine years.

After the death of Jacobus Schellinger on June 17, 1693, letters were written to his widow in East Hampton regarding the settlement of the estate of his brother Daniel. The joint will of Daniel Schellinks and Constantia van Rijssen his wife, of Amsterdam, Holland, dated May 17, 1698 is in the New York State Library, also copies of three letters written 1704, 1705 and 1706 by an Amsterdam notary to Cornelia Melyn Loper Schellinger.

From another source we read:

Jacobus SCHELLINGER (aka Schellinks or Schellinx) was the second son of Laurens and Catalyntje Kousenaer SCHELLINKS of Amsterdam, Noord-Hollland, Netherlands. Jacobus' actual date of birth has never been recovered, however, records from the Oude Kerk of Amsterdam document that Jacobus SCHELLINKS (aka Schellinger) was baptized in that church on October 16th, 1625. Jacobus SCHELLINGER came to America from Amsterdam, prior to 1650, when he was a "young man of legal age," engaged in the mercantile business. The first notice of him being in New Amsterdam as a dealer in goods was February 24, 1653. He married Cornelia MELYN on April 7, 1653. She was the widow of Capt-LT Jacob LOPER (their marriage only lasted about 5 years) of Stockholm, Sweden. The marriage of Jacobus and Cornelia produced as least five sons and a daughter: William, Catalyntje, Abraham, Daniel, Jacob and Cornelius.

Jacobus SCHELLINGER's life in America was rife with unrest caused by conflict between the English and Dutch colonial powers and personal difficulty, primarily, as a result of the activities of his father-in-law, Cornelis MELYN of Antwerp, Belgium. As a result, Jacobus and his extended family were forced to flee the British military and the personal persecution created by the animus of Petrus Stuyvesant towards his father-in-law. The Melyn and Schellinger families were also forced from their Staten Island home in 1655 as a result of an Indian uprising, fleeing to Connecticut for relief. Jacobus and his wife and children eventually settled in East Hampton, Long Island, NY, ca. 1665, where he, along with others, established a successful on-shore whaling operation known as the Whale Design.

Jacobus died June 17, 1693 at the age of 67 in East Hampton, Long Island, NY. Documentation indicates that both he and his wife are supposed to have been buried in the "old churchyard of East Hampton." At the time of Jacobus' death, East Hampton only had one church, which was the Presbyterian Church of East Hampton. This church was formerly located on the eastern edge of what is now South End Cemetery. So, one would assume that they were both buried there. The East Hampton Presbyterian Church records document that Cornelia SCHELLINGER was, in fact, buried in this churchyard cemetery.

Jacobus SCHELLINGER is generally recognized as the first person to bring the Dutch-Schellinger family name to America; his American descendants (11th generation plus) survive today.

From Grandma Violet Pierce Mattson's Photo Albums. 2

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I'm posting more photographs from Grandma Violet's recently discovered photo albums. If anyone has memories of the events and would like to send a description they would be welcome.
I'll caption each photo with what I know. (Click on each picture to enlarge).

Relationship Chart

Walter Mattson and Violet Pierce
to
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin

Marvin and Pam
to
Shelley and Shane

Marvin and Cindy
to
Luke and Hallie

Aunt Pam and Uncle Marvin's Wedding. September 11, 1965 (?)

Pam and Marvin's wedding. Aunt Pam's sister Carole.

Pam and Marvin's children. Shane (left) and Shelley (Right. Taken in 1971.

Shane and Shelley. Spring 1971.

Shane Mattson. Date unknown.

Shelley Mattson

Hallie and Luke Mattson by Uncle Marvin's Second Wife, Aunt Cindy.

Hallie Mattson

Marvin and Cindy with children Hallie and Luke. Black Hawk, South Dakota

From Grandma Violet Pierce Mattson's Photo Albums.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,

In an earlier post I talked about cleaning out the master bedroom closet and finding Grandma Mattson's old photo albums in a box of her things not looked at since her death. I'm working my way through them, and sadly enough, there are pictures of people I don't know and neither does Luella. That is one of the reasons for this family history blog. I working on this to insure our family's old photos are properly recorded and identified (if possible) so the collection is available to everyone. You future generations of Williamsons and Mattsons can thank me by saying a few prayers in my behalf. Your prayers for my soul will (or so I'm told) shorten my sentence in Purgatory :)

And now, a rather random assortment from Grandma Violet's albums. Please click on each picture to enlarge them.


There are two identifiable people in the photograph above. Grandma Violet is the little girl on the far left. Her brother Walter is the fifth child to the right. The rest of the people are a mystery. This would have been taken in the mid 1920's.


Here is the same group with a better view of Grandma's face. She is looking toward the baby in the man's arms. Her brother Walter is standing beside her separated by a dog.


This is the best picture we have of Great Grandpa Walter Pierce. He was Grandma Violet's father. Their early life was a tragedy (as written about in many earlier posts). He divorced Violet and Walter's mother when Violet was a very young girl.

This is written on the back of Walter Pierce's picture.


A picture of Grandma Violet


A picture of Grandpa Walter Mattson


Grandma Violet had two copies of this photograph. In the picture you see
Grandpa and Grandma Mattson (Walter and Violet). On the left is
Linda. Luella is in the middle. John is being held by Grandma.



Two pictures taken in 1962. John Mattson was visiting his Grandmother Vesta (Violet's Mother) in California




A picture of Luella's brother John Mattson while serving an LDS mission in Southern California.
The photo was taken in June 1966.


A picture of Kirk Mattson, John and Beverly's oldest child, when he was 6 months old. This picture was taken in the Mattson home in Spearfish, South Dakota.


Kirk Mattson and his sister Gina. Gina was 2 weeks old. Taken at Spearfish S.D.



Kirk Mattson and his sister Gina. Gina was 8 weeks old. Taken at Spearfish S.D.


Grandma Violet spilled something on this photo of Gina. Gina is 8 months old.

Our final picture today. Kirk Mattson at 2 years old.

A Short History of our Cantwell Ancestors 6th Great Grandparents to Us. (Mattson - Pierce lines)

6th Great Grandfather William Cantwell's headstone at Mansfield Cemetery, Mansfield Ohio

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Everyone!
I'm taking some time and pushing our family line out a bit more along Grandma Violet's lines through the Pierce family to the George's and finally to the Cantwells. I've posted about our 4th Great Grandmother's brothers and the action they saw in the Civil War in an earlier post in April. This post will talk more about their service.

We will also discover our family's history extends to Ireland through the O'Brien Family of Dublin (6th Great Grandmother Margaret O'Brien).

I extracted much of this information from a Cantwell family history written in 1911. I did not change the language or grammar so you will read it the way it was written. Please note the beautifully written obituary's of our 5th Great Grandparents, William and Nancy Ann.

I realize this looks like a long read, but well worth your time to discover the loves and sacrifices made by the people who's blood flows through your veins.

And now, our Cantwell Family History:

Relationship Chart

6th Great Grandparents. William Cantwell and Margaret O'Brien
to
William Cantwell and Nancy Ann Williams
to
Martha Cantwell and Jacob George (our post below will also discuss Martha's two brothers James and Jacob Cantwell, our 5th Great Uncles)
to
Francis George and Henry Fiddler
to
Eldora Fiddler and Edwin Sherman Pierce
to
Walter Edwin Pierce and Vesta Dennis
to
Violet Pierce and Walter Mattson
to
Luella, John, Linda and Marvin
to
Us.

The Cantwell family has always been characterized by the pioneer spirit. William Cantwell's Father (William) not only came to this country when it was new, but almost immediately pushed out into the "panhandle" of Virginia along the Ohio river when it was "Away out west."

Our family has also rendered great and valiant service in time of war. In the civil war we equipped a regiment with officers and furnished enough privates for a small company. Many of these soldier were severely wounded, but only one, Col. James Cantwell was killed in battle. I have a letter from John Sherman in which me mentions with great commendations the large contributions of our family to the Union cause.

If we seek in William Cantwell and Ann Williams their most valuable contribution to their posterity, I think we will find it in their Godliness.

William Cantwell was the son of William Cantwell and Margaret O'Brien. Margaret was a native of Ireland and was probably born near Dublin. It is not certainly known whether William Cantwell was a native of Ireland, Scotland or England. Some older members of the family remember hearing that he was a native of Ireland. Others remember he was born in Scotland.

Margaret O'Brien was the daughter of a family of great wealth, that William Cantwell was a journeyman shoemaker, that owing to parental objection, the young couple ran away, took passage for America and were married on shipboard by the captain. When the O'Brien estate was settled between 1820 and 1830, it was impossible to prove marriage on account of the death of the captain and the loss of the ship's log. This migration to the U.S. must have taken place about 1770-1776. Different attempts were made to obtain a share of the O'Brien estate, but they all ended in failure.

William and Margaret's first child (William Jr.) was born in Baltimore County, MD. When William Jr. was a boy the family moved to Brooke Co. Virginia, now in West Virginia. Margaret Cantwell is remembered as a woman of great beauty, with small and perfect hands.

William Cantwell Jr. was married in 1797 in Brooke Co. Virginia to Nancy Ann Williams. Nancy Ann was a woman of strong character and had extraordinary intellectual acquirement's for a woman of pioneer days.

William Jr and Nancy Ann had a total of 12 children. William and Ann Cantwell joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Jefferson Co. Ohio in 1804.

Obituary of Nancy Ann Williams Cantwell.

January 4, 1850. Nancy Cantwell, wife of William Cantwell, in the seventy-first year of her age. In her usual health she retired to rest in the evening, and, after a moment's conversation with her aged companion, assumed an easy posture of the body and soon fell asleep. In the morning she was called to breakfast, but could not be awakened - she had slept the sleep of death; apparently, without a struggle, the spirit left the body and passed to its long sought rest. Forty six years had she been a worthy member of the militant Church: and, though her seat in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mansfield, Ohio, is now vacated, and her aged companion, with a large circle of relatives, is left to mourn, she has, without doubt, reached her home in heaven. Calmness, firmness and consistency, marked her Christian course: and the sweet expression left on the cold clay, taken in connection with the uniformity of her life, satisfies all who knew her that her end was peace.

Obituary of William Cantwell. February 18, 1858.

Father Cantwell was emphatically one of the fathers. He was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, November 22, 1776. While he was quite young his father moved to Brooke County, Virginia where he was married to Miss Nancy Williams. November 30, 1797, with whom he lived more than fifty two years, she having departed this life in great peace and good hope of eternal glory on January 4, 1850. In the spring of 1801 Father Cantwell removed into Jefferson County, Ohio whence he came to, or near Mansfield Ohio, where he continued to reside till his death on February 18, 1858 in holy hope of immortal life, having been more than fifty-four years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which he was attached with the ardor of a life - love. He was pre-eminently a working man. Since the death of Mother Cantwell in 1850, his bible has been peculiarly his companion and his religion the solace of his heart. His strength gradually failed, till his benumbed and enfeebled body so affected his mind as to nearly, and in some cased, entirely efface from his memory the recollection of his former friends. But in his most debilitated state, when I visited him, I would introduce the name of Jesus, and immediately his mind would rally, and his soul evince that upon its altar the living fire of God's saving love continued to glow with inextinguishable flame; and thus, in the 82nd year of his natural life, he fell asleep in Jesus and has gone to live with him forevermore.

Martha Cantwell (daughter of William and Nancy) married Jacob George
Marth born September 8, 1802 at Steubenville Ohio. Died February 27, 1879 at Iowa Falls. Married on March 1, 1821.
Jacob George b. November 4, 1800 at Elkton Md. died November 22, 1869 at Iowa Falls.

The Washington Monument in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood in Baltimore Md.
Our 5th Great Uncle helped lay the Foundation.

In his boyhood Jacob George went to Baltimore and learned masonry. He helped lay the foundation for the Washington Monument at Mr. Vernon Place, Baltimore (see photo above) with Sater Stevenson as Master Mason. Later he learned shoe making with his brother at Harrisburg, PA. He came to Ohio about 1820.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. George lived on a farm near Spring Mills, just across the road from Wm. Cantwell's place. In the fall of 1853 they moved wth all of their family in covered wagons to Iowa, spending the winter at Crawfordsville. In the spring of 1854 they settled on a large farm near Iowa Falls. Mr. and Mrs. George and their family were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When they came to Iowa Falls there were no Methodists and no church building of any kind. Mr. George organized his own family into a class, and with the help of his boys and his son-in-law, Henry Fiddler (who married his daughter Francis), built a church at Iowa Falls and gave it to the Methodists. Martha and Jacob had 11 children.

Henry Fiddler and Francis George's daughter Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler , b. Feb. 22, 1859 at Eldora Iowa. Married Edwin Sherman Pierce, stockman. Cascade Springs S.D.
Eldora and Edwin had the following children:

• Walter Edwin. Our Great Grandfather. born August 23, 1885
• Ora Joslyn born June 2, 1887
• Francis Herbert born Feb. 27, 1889
• Mattie May Belle born Feb, 23 1891
• Henry Raymond born Dec. 11, 1892
• Dallas Glenn born Sept. 17, 1894
• Eldora Rose born Feb. 17, 1901

Additional Information on Jacob Young Cantwell, brother of Martha Cantwell. Son of William and Nancy Ann.

J.Y. Cantwell read medicine with Dr. J.W. Chandler of Mansfield and graduated in medicine in 1847. He practiced in Mansfield. On April 15, 1861 he entered the medical department of the Union army as surgeon of the 4th Reg't O.V.I. When his brother, Col. James Cantwell, organized the 82nd regiment, he was made surgeon. He was shot through the thigh at the battle of Cross Keys, VA on June 8, 1862. He was in active service in the field until December 1863, filling the office of Brigade, Division and Crops surgeon. He participated in more than 20 battles, in all of which he officiated as operating surgeon. In January, 1864, he was commissioned by President Lincoln as surgeon of the U.S. Volunteers and was assigned to duty by the Surgeon General as inspector of hospitals with headquarters at Washington. By recommendation of the Surgeon General he was brevetted Lt. Col. for Meritorious Service.

Addition Information on James Cantwell, brother of Martha Cantwell. Son of William and Nancy Ann.

James Cantwell was born near Steubenville Oh in December 1811.
Immediately after his marriage, James Cantwelllived on a farm 4 miles northwest of Mansfield Ohio, near Spring Mills. Later he lived in Mansfield. In 1845 he volunteered for service in the Mexican War. He was elected and served as First Lieut. of the company of which McLaughlin was captain. After the war he represented Richland County in the state legislature, and also represented the district in the Ohio senate.
The second day after Fort Sumpter was fired upon he raised a company of volunteers and went to Columbus, the state capital, April 16, 1861. He was assigned to the 4th Reg't O.V.I and elected Lt. Colonel. Later when the call for volunteers for 3 years was made he organized the 82, Reg't O.V.I of which he was commissioned colonel in October, 1861. His brother Dr. J.Y. Cantwell, was surgeon of this regiment. The regiment was assigned to service in the Army of the Potomac. It is reported that Gen. McClellan said Col. Cantwell was the best drill master in the Army of the Potomac. He was killed at the second battle of Bull Run on August 29, 1862. The ball striking him below the left eye and passing out through the back of his head.

The Mattson in the 1950's. Luella Goes to Prom, Uncle John and Marvin's Sports Pictures and a Picnic

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Yesterday we spent some time with young Charles Ray in the late 1940's. Today we move in time to the 1950's, Spearfish, South Dakota.

I'm on summer break until August 17th. This gives me a chance to clean closets. In one closet I found boxes which hadn't seen the light of day in 18 years. A few of the old dusty boxes had photo albums belonging to Grandma Violet. I'll post pictures from those albums over the next several weeks.

Today we start with a photo of Luella Mattson (the Queen Mother).

Luella is 14 years old and dressed for Prom. The date, April 18, 1953. She was a Sophomore at Spearfish High School.


This picture was taken in October 1955 (Click on the pictures to enlarge). Uncle John played on the Spearfish 7th grade football team. He is 12 years old in this picture. He is sitting on the front row, third from the left.



This is a picture of the Spearfish Spartan Basketball Team. (Click on the picture to Enlarge). Who is that fella, front row far right? Yes, its Luella's brother - Uncle John. This picture was taken in March 1956. Uncle John was 13 years old.


The Spearfish Spartans Football Team (Click to Enlarge). Perhaps 1957. Uncle John is on the top row, far right. Just look for #1. He looks like an 9th grader perhaps. Look at the uniforms. Interesting.....At least they had pads.


Uncle John is #45 in this picture. Second row from the bottom, third from the left. Perhaps a Junior or Senior. This would be 1959 or 1960 perhaps.


Look closely at the young man wearing #3 on the front row. Does he look familiar? It's Uncle Marvin. Once again taken in the late 50's at Spearfish, South Dakota. (Click to enlarge).

Finally, we have a picture taken on July 4, 1956 (click to enlarge). Charles and Luella married a few weeks earlier. Laying down on the far right is Grandpa Walter Mattson. I believe Marvin Mattson is seated next to him. Linda Mattson is in the dark suit kneeling. They're on a picnic with some friends of the family in the Black Hills.

More pictures from the albums to follow in upcoming posts. Please feel free to comment and add information.

Victor