What is it & Where is it?

This was found on an exterior wall

of a building in Evansville, Indiana.

I know what it is and what it is for, do any of our bloggers know?

Where is it?  It can be seen from the street.

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest

Mystery at Oak Hill Cemetery

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Chris Cooke, Superintendent of the Oak Hill Cemetery, asked me to drop by when I got a chance to take a look at some small sawhorses that he found in the Administration Building basement. They had the letters "G.A.R." on each one. I counted at least nine of them, but there might have been a couple more; some were being used like stands for some planks that were marked "Oak Hill Cemetery." Chris speculated that the planks were used to stand on when lowering a coffin into the grave... that was just a guess. All of them had water stains on the legs and were dirty from being stored in the basement undisturbed for many years! Below is a picture of one of the legs with the letters stenciled on it with the "G" being at the bottom.
We used a 16"x 25"x 1" filter to show the approximate size. They were about 12 to 15 inches tall and about 15 inches long.

Photo above shows how most has been used in this storage area in the basement. The planks with the stands made a nice shelf to store some of the cemetery's wreaths.

The mystery has four parts. Why are they so small, why do they have the letters "G.A.R." on them, what does "G.A.R." stand for, and what were they designed to be used for?

The initials, immediately, point to the "Grand Army of the Republic." Or could they be the initials of someone or a funeral home (or even a vault company)?

The small size might be to use as a platform or even a stage. Maybe they were used like barricades to block off some of the streets during some funerals or special ceremonies. They seem too short for using as benches.

Were they donated to the cemetery or simply just abandoned? Anyone have any ideas, let us know, please!

- Photos taken & submitted by JGWest

"The Mystery of the Crystal Chandeliers"

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This mystery of the missing crystal chandeliers...

might be like any mystery that would catch the fancy of any historian or genealogist. Researching the past starts as a great mystery or a story to be solved. Some time back on this blog I reported on the fabulous Crystal Room of the Acme Hotel and its beautiful crystal chandeliers. I photographed the two chandeliers that are in the C. K. Newsome Community Center. During my research I learned that there were four chandeliers, but I had only found two. So, the mystery was: where were the other two? What happened to them? Asking around about the other two, most said that they only knew of the two (that I photographed). I was simply amazed when one day at the Community Center as I was going downstairs to the Evansville City Parks & Recreation Department offices, right in front of my eyes above the midway landing hung chandelier #3. I had seen it many more times than I had looked at the others! I decided to look all through the Community Center... looking in every room.

But, alas, that fourth chandelier was not to be found anywhere. I gave up assuming that it might have been broken or, as people often say, "it sprouted wings and flew off." This past weekend, Becky & I spent some time visiting zoos and museums. At the Evansville Museum, I found that chandelier #4. I recognized it immediately, excitedly telling Becky that it was the "missing" chandelier from the Acme Hotel! There was a little sign indicating that it was indeed the fourth chandelier from the Hotel with the other three at the Community Center. Finally, the little mystery of the crystal chandeliers was resolved and this historian/genealogist can relax until the next mystery case evolves!

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest. Blog written by JGWest.

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

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Photos with a horse were very common in the early 1900's as was someone holding a pistol or rifle.

The photo below was given to me by a cousin from the John Logan Long family (brother to my ancestor, Byron Allen Long). We do not know who this is... he may be from the Long line or the Gardner line. John's wife was Ruby Gardner.
If anyone should happen to know, please let us know!

- Submitted by Lori Hanes

Paddling Back Up-River - Article Follow-Up

This is a follow-up of the Actor Frank Vincent Kiefer article. Nora Smith was one of the genealogical researchers, besides Brenda Jerome, to answer the challenge to learn more about this mysterious local actor. Nora sent me a lot of data with references, although some was from other people's research that did not have all of the sources listed. I will attempt here to briefly summarize what she sent me... with the hope others will help to unravel the mystery further.

Frank Kiefer is found in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census as being born in May 1874 (Indiana) living in Pigeon Township of Evansville, Indiana. By 1910, he was living with his brother-in-law's family (Edward Rabin) where he was listed as an Actor (age 38, single, both parents born in Germany). Then in 1920 U.S. Census, he was 44 with spouse Mary (Mary Josephine Haag, dau. of Peter Haag). Mary Haag Kiefer 1872-1948. There is another Kiefer that was an actor also.

Nora said she could not find a Frank Vincent Kiefer in Ancestry.com, but did find a Vincent Kiefer in 1880, Mt. Vernon, Indiana born about 1872.

The Frank that died in 1955 and buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville was the one that was married to Mary Haag (and listed as "Frank W.") and apparently not the same one with tombstone at Oak Hill Cemetery that died in 1833! So, who is he in relation to our actor Frank? From a scrapbook of Anna Thomas Loehrlein, there is newspaper clipping "Aged Man Kills Self with Gun: Health Blamed." What the clipping says is not available at this time!

According to Ancestry.com "One World Tree:" Mary Josephine Haag (wife of Frank W. Kiefer) is buried at St. Joseph Cemetery & had 3 children - one William Kiefer owned Terry's Steak House. Some information from the Browning Database.

- Submitted by Nora Smith... Compiled & edited by JGWest

"The Kiefer Mystery Case"

Frank Vincent Kiefer

Yesterday for Tombstone Thursday we featured the grave marker for Frank Kiefer. Several odd pieces of information has made him a bit of a mystery. The marker states he is an actor... so one would wonder, what type of actor - and was he local, regional or on a larger stage? That is just mere curiosity, however. The mystery is a little more than that. His marker states he was born on"Friday May 26, 1873" & died on "Friday May 26, 1933" - for any genealogist this looks suspicious and sticks out like a sore thumb! One of those "Friday May 26" engravings is probably incorrect! Now, Brenda Jerome reported that the 1930 Census lists a Frank Kiefer who would be about the right age living with his family on Emmett Street in Evansville, Indiana. Now, in the Browning Obits Database there is a Frank Kiefer age 79 that died in 1955 with the similar survivors as the Keifer family in the 1930 Census living at 1303 Emmett Street. At age 79 in 1955 (if that is the right age) this Frank Kiefer would have been born about 1876 (close enough to suspect he is the same man).

So, what is the scoop on this guy? Genealogists, historians, mystery lovers... I challenge you to unraffle this man's life so we will know his story! Write to me or comment on this blog. Here is my email addy: jgw.mylines@gmail.com

- Submitted by JGWest

"Poeny Flatt"

The cry of warning for the last several years has been to beware of the Internet because so much of the data does not have any documentation. To many who are worried about beginners losing there way, this is the biggest genealogical crisis of our day. It is important to have the source of your information listed with your data. This allows others to check your findings and to be able to determine the weight of the source as to its probable reliability. What about other media that publish genealogical data like books and newspapers? Much of it is also undocumented and sometimes not accurate. Often there are errors in books that are published transcriptions of original records. There are the obvious “human errors” of typo errors, skipped data, transposing letters or the ever tempting error of correcting the spelling or errors in the records. And, of course, there are errors in original documents – some are falsified records for whatever reasons. I think the biggest error is interpreting handwriting over the ages in addition to the faded or stained condition of the records.

I have an example of a reliable transcriber who has published many genealogical research books. This one is about “Poeny” Flatt. The Flatt families were heavily concentrated in New Jersey in the 1700's. They began migrating together with the oldest seeming to be three brothers: John, Henry and the oldest Benjamin. Location and record after another these three and others could be found as they migrated from place to place. One time though it appeared that Old Benjamin must have died as he was not listed with the others. There were several “new” Flatt men that must have come of age during this time and one had an odd name that the transcriber just mentioned decided that the name was clearly spelled “Poeny” Flatt. Later in another location Old Benjamin shows up again, he did not die afterall. I suspected that he was just missed in the transcribing from the original record. So, I got the microfilm of it and went through it... I did not find a Benjamin either. I took a close look at the name “Poeny” and became suspicious of the beginning of his name and I found another man with the first name that almost looked like “Poeny” except the first letters looked kind of like it could be one letter a “B.” Then I found a family “Butler” that had a similar “B” that could pass for “Po” if you were not careful. I went back to the Poeny Flatt and noticed that the “y” looked more like a “j” to me. I thought about this for a few seconds and realized that the letters were actually “B-e-n-j” WOW it was the abbreviation of Benj. Mystery solved. I sent this around to everyone that I could find that had “Poeny” Flatt. Amazing that now we see Benjamin as having a nickname of “Poeny” which many has insisted is a spelling error for the nickname of “Poney” or “Pony” with at least two insisting that he was named after the flower “Peony.”

- Submitted by JGWest

NOTE: The Benjamin "Poeny" Flatt that has been transformed into "Poney" is a transcription error for the name "Benj." I have seen the microfilmed copy of the records that list old Benjamin as "Poeny" - the "P" & "o" combine to form the capital letter "B" and the "y" is the letter "j" which all put together is "B+en+j" = "Benj." the common abbreviation for the name "Benjamin". This is my favorite example I use in my "Old Handwriting" sessions I present at our genealogical library and for members of my genealogical society and to the 4-H kids I help in their genealogy projects. JGW

Mystery - "The Agoga Bible Class Fountain of 1929"

Yesterday morning (Saturday), I went over to Oak Hill Cemetery to find a few grave sites to take photos of the grave markers for “Find A Grave” requests of individuals living away. I had searched for one on late Friday after work and could not find it... so I was hoping the office would be open on Sat. to look at the plat sheets in the office showing all of the burials. Chris Cooke, the Superintendent of the Evansville City Cemeteries (Locust Hill & Oak Hill), was manning the office. He helped me locate the graves I was looking for and we talked about some interesting things concerning the cemetery and he showed me a photo on his cell phone of a plaque on the back side of a large monument that he was curious about. (See their huge database for both cemeteries http://www.evansvillegov.org/cemeteries/ )




The above plaque (click on images to enlarge) is on the back of James Monroe Crowder's monument (below) at Oak Hill Cemetery. It apparently was used in 1929 as a memorial to Crowder when they were dedicating a fountain at the Agoga Tabernacle. At least, I suspect that the fountain was at the Agoga Tabernacle.

Agoga Tabernacle images of exterior & interior from Willard Library Photo Gallery http://www.willard.lib.in.us/online_resources/photography_gallery_detail.php?ID=14

Donahue Studios http://www.donahuestudiosphotographs.com/documents/Donahue_Studios_Church.pdf
Text taken from negatives for a brochure, probably around 1955.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH [Edited by JGWest]
The formation of First Baptist Church, 04 July 1847. Services were held in a small church on Second & Clark Streets until lots on Third & Cherry were purchased for $800.00, and a brick church built there in 1868. A call was extended to Rev. J. Frederick Rake of St. Louis in 1916. The present church on Fourth & Cherry was built and dedicated in 1922. The next year, the Agoga Bible Class erected the Tabernacle on the corner across the street. In 1944, the church purchased the Welborn-Walker Hospital changing its name to Welborn Memorial Baptist Hospital. December of 1951, Dr. Rake resigned after fifty years in the Ministry. Rev. Dallas J. West [no relation to me – JGWest] was called to succeed him.

Indiana History by Ralph D. Gray, Published by Indiana University Press, 1994
ISBN 025332629X, 9780253326294
442 pages (article by William E. Wilson pp. 292-302) Page 294: “As we approached a large vacant lot [on Fourth Street - JGWest] we saw that a crowd was gathered under floodlights, and a fiddler's contest was in progress on a platform in the blue haze of a pit barbecue. My father [U.S. Congressman William Edward Wilson of Indiana's 1st. District, D-Evansville - JGWest] said, '... The Agoga Bible Class is raising money to build a tabernacle on that lot. They outgrew the Strand Theatre and moved into the Victory Theatre, and now they've outgrown it. They gave the preacher an automobile last month.'”

From my limited research which included the Browning Genealogical Database of obituaries http://browning.evcpl.lib.in.us/ and newspaper articles http://local.evpl.org/ and Google & Yahoo web searches, I think that the fountain was completed about the time of J. Monroe Crowder's death in 1928. It appears that the Agoga Bible Class dedicated the fountain in 1929 about 4 to 6 years after the Agoga Tabernacle was built. The memorial plaque would have been placed on the fountain or nearby. I am not sure when the Agoga was razed, but I believe the fountain went with it and someone salvaged the plaque and had it mounted to Mr. Crowder's Monument. His wife Mary Lou (nee Coomes) next married Carl H. Blum and she was a long-time Chief Clerk of the Vanderburgh County Probate Court, ending a 43-year career at the time of her death in 1962. She is buried next to her first husband J. Monroe Crowder. - Compiled by JGWest
[Anyone with additional information concerning this Agoga Fountain, please contact me: jgw.mylines@gmail.com ]

"The Daniel Hicks Mystery"

This blog was not created for queries; however, I will review any interesting story or intriguing mystery that anyone wishes to submit. But, be advised that unless I have nothing else to say (which is very rare!), I generally will not publish such material. This one caught my fancy and I thought many of the TSGS "research detectives" might give all of us some ideas to solve this mystery... just click on "COMMENTS" at end of this article (after the time stamp) to make your ideas known. JGW

Mr. West, I am not sure whether the following story would be properly posted to this blog, so I hope you review it before being "officially posted." - CW

I am trying to locate more information on DANIEL HICKS who was the father of my great-grandmother, Nancy Caroline Hicks. All I know about him is the following: Pope County, Illinois Marriage Book A, page 504 -- Daniel Hicks to Martha Ann McCurdy on 9 Feb 1849; shortly after the birth of their daughter Nancy in May of 1850 Daniel disappeared and was never seen again; Martha and Nancy, but not Daniel, were listed in the Pope Co., IL, 1850 U.S. Census in the home of Martha's sister and brother-in-law, James and Nancy King; Martha got a divorce between May 1850 and Sept 1851 in Pope Co., IL. My grandmother (Nancy's daughter, Mary Adella Smith Knauff) told me: "My grandfather Hicks was a mystery, one of those things never solved. He and grandmother was at her father's visiting shortly after the birth of Nancy and decided to move to their neighborhood (William McCurdy lived in Pope County, IL, probably near Wool) and he told her she could stay and he would go back and move their things (where these things were located is not known, probably in Pope Co., IL or in Kentucky where Daniel was from - also unknown). He kissed her goodbye and drove away in the wagon expecting to be back with their furniture and he was never heard of again. They never knew if he met with foul play or what. They knew of no relatives of Daniel." Nancy Caroline Hicks (who married Joseph Smith) gave Kentucky as the birthplace of her father on the 1880 U.S. Census: Franklin Co, IL, Eastern twp, E.D. 15, p. 79, Household #265, Joseph and Nancy C. Smith.

I would be so happy if someone knows of Daniel Hicks' life before or after 1850 and could tell me what happened to him. Carolynn Waldon -- Waldonhaus at aol dot com

The challenge is on, what genealogical sleuth will be first to resolve Carolynn's mysterious disappearance of her great-great-grandfather Daniel Hicks? Send your comments to me or just click "comments" after the time stamp: "Posted by Tri-State Genealogical Society at 6:15 AM 0 comments."