"1933 Memorial Day Service"

The following article appeared in the 28 May 1933 issue of the Evansville Press.

Special tribute will be paid the seven living members of the Farragut Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and members who died during the year, at Memorial Day services in Evansville next Tuesday. Five of the “boys in blue” passed away during the year. They were Julius Tzchoppe, G.T. York, John Ziegler, John Reisinger and Richard Suggs, who was a member of Wagner Colored Post. Only three Civil War Veterans will be able to carry on with the services this year. Major Byron Parsons, William Warren and Robert Witzman will attend services at Oak Hill Cemetery and will occupy a car in the parade. John Smith and Fred Frank, Evansville members of Farragut Post, will not be able to take part in the services. The two other members, Joseph Hunnell and Silas Day, will not be here. Mr. Hunnell lives in Bloomington and Mr. Day at the Old Soldiers’ home, Lafayette. Surviving members of the Wagner Post are Albert Cosby, Fred Gibson, Andrew Stubbins, Moses Slaughter, George Winlock, Simon Walker and Charles Williams. Other war veterans who died during the year were Henry E. Elsea, Edmand Bichlein and Michael Matz, Spanish American War; Russell L. Newbit, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Walter M. Carter, Walter W. Gates, Lucian Gordon, Carl Minch and Frank Daugherty, World War.

Services will be held at McCutchanville Church on Sunday and at Camp Ground Cemetery, Salem. Each of the church services will be followed by the decoration of soldiers’ graves in the church cemeteries. Services will also be held at Locust Hill Cemetery and at Lutheran Cemetery. Line of march for the parade will start at the Coliseum and to Eighth Street. Twenty patriotic and civic groups will be represented. Services at Oak Hill Cemetery will conclude the program.


- Submitted by Brenda Jerome

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday

DAR Marker to Recognize

The Red Banks Trace

For Mother's Day, Becky & I went to Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Indiana and found this marker erected by the Vanderburgh chapter Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution in 1966. It is located near the new zoo entrance on Mesker Park Drive. It is to commemorate to Indian trail known as Red Bank trace.

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest

"Remembering Her Wedding Day... on Mother's Day"

Peggy Gilkey is sharing this great Mother's Day suggestion with us.

************************

Since Mother's Day is coming up, it started me thinking about something Ken and I both did sometime ago. I was visiting with my mom in Kentucky before her death and we spent alot of time talking about her family and going through old family photos. I decided to ask her about her Wedding Day. It was wonderful how she remembered every detail down to the cost of everything, the town and what was happening at the time. I scribbled down everything she told me, dates, colors, prices and places. When I got home I went through my notes and put it all in story form. On my next visit I read it to her and asked if any changes should be made. We did the same thing with Ken's mom when she was in a retirement home before her death. It was amazing how she could remember even the cost of her shoes, where they married, people in the town.


With men it usually is a different story, they do well to remember the date. I think they were so happy to win the girl and that was the thing that was most important to them.


Now both our moms have gone on to meet their ancestors but we still have these wonderful stories of their wedding days to pass on to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If you still have your mom spend some time with her this Mother's Day and learn her Wedding Day story, if she is no longer with you write your own story and give a copy to your children or grand children.

- Submitted by Peggy Gilkey

[NOTE: I was going to use today for some follow-up on our Frank Vincent Kiefer mystery... we have some updates on this local actor. It will be in tomorrow's (Sat.) blog. My apologies to the ones that went to a lot of trouble following up on this, but I will have more time to present it better. Peggy's idea is more timely for today.]

"Laval Block Building - Evansville, Indiana"

Dr. John Laval was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, on the 24th of May, 1826, and had therefore passed the seventy-third milestone on life's journey when he was called to his final rest on the 2nd of September, 1899. His father, who was forest master, died in the year 1841, after which the family removed to the city of Mainz. There he learned the druggist's trade and had gained an expert knowledge of the business when he sought the opportunities of the new world, coming to Evansville in 1849. The following year he opened a drug store on Main street and later removed to the location where the business is still conducted by his sons. For almost forty years he continued successfully in the trade in Evansville, remaining as proprietor of the establishment until 1889, when he retired. He also engaged in the practice of medicine for twenty years and had comprehensive knowledge concerning the use of medicinal properties as well as expert skill in compounding them. In 1870 he was elected treasurer of the People's Savings Bank, which position he filled for seven years. At different times he invested in real estate until he was the owner of considerable property, including two large business blocks which he erected — the well known Laval Block building and another on West Franklin street. He served as county commissioner in the '80s and for four years before his death filled the position of trustee in the Willard library. Mr. Laval was united in marriage to Miss Mary Krou, of Evansville, and they became the parents of eleven children, eight of whom are now living, namely : Mrs. George Brose ; Henry, who is engaged in the drug business ; William, a member of the medical profession ; Mrs. Tom Brose ; Mrs. Fred Geiger, Jr.; Mrs. Ed Nesbit; Otto, who is engaged in the real-estate business; and Ed. One son, Charles F. H., who reached mature years, is now deceased, and George and Emma have also passed away. { HISTORY OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE AND VANDERBURG COUNTY, INDIANA By FRANK M. GILBERT, Volume II [ILLUSTRATED] CHICAGO:THE PIONEER PUBUSHING COMPANY 1910 BIOGRAPHICAL, Page 116 - JOHN LAVAL [as edited by JGWest].}

Happy Valentine Day!

My Mother Selma Inez Rough (pronounced as in cow) Counts was born 1 November 1920 upstairs in the Laval Building. The building was named after Dr. Laval. My Mother's Father Eugene Clifton Rough had a business on the main floor called Home Art. This was a picture copying service. - Submitted by Don Counts (Photos provided by Don Counts... Laval Block Building photo taken by Don Counts.)

"From TSGS to All..."

(Click on photo to get the full-size)

This photo was taken by Doretha Diefenbach-Hines [Copyright 2008 by Doretha Diefenbach-Hines]. It is the 2008 Christmas Eve Sunset - a gift of a beautiful painting from God to all of us. Becky & I witnessed this sunset last night and thought of how great God is. When we saw the sunset, we did not see geese flying across it... this makes Dee's photo even better. The photo was taken from their new home. Thanks, Dee & Kevin for sharing this special moment.

Merry Christmas !!

Happy Thanksgiving!

By 1621, the Pilgrims survived the winter and were at peace with the Indians. Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to celebrate their success, that would be shared by all colonists and their Indian neighbors. Having an annual thanksgiving after the harvest became a custom that continued for many years. Abraham Lincoln was the first President to recognize a National Thanksgiving. In 1863, Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the observance of the last Thursday of November as a national holiday. However, in 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt decreed that the holiday should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month.

On November 20, 2007, President George W. Bush granted a "pardon" to two turkeys, named May and Flower, at the 60th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation, held in the Rose Garden at the White House. The two turkeys were flown to Orlando, Florida, where they served as honorary grand marshals for the Disney World Thanksgiving Parade. The current tradition of presidential turkey pardons began in 1947, under Harry Truman, but the practice is said to have informally begun with Abraham Lincoln, who granted a pardon to his son Tad's pet turkey. In this morning's newspaper, I read that the President pardoned a 45-pound turkey named "Pumpkin."

Part of the above from History.Com - http://www.history.com/

On behalf of the Tri-State Genealogical Society, have a very Happy & Blessed Thanksgiving!

John G. West, TSGS President

STAYING AFLOAT IN THE GENE POOL -
Genetic DNA News

11/12/08 - New York Post: DNA testing is the rage among Latinos: the latest social networking is not on Facebook or MySpace, it's DNA-testing.

**************************************

As of November 27, 2008, Family Tree DNA hits new milestones with 140,809 records in their database of Y-DNA results with 5,132 Surname Projects, which include 85254 unique surnames. And, their mtDNA database has 80,449 results. I want to put this into perspective, the average Surname Project has 25 participants, of course there are many projects with only one or two test results since the project is new or few have taking the test. Some projects are huge with as many as 4,000 participants. The WEST Surname Project has 176 test results.