Remembering Simon F Flaugh

Remembering Simon F Flaugh

born 16 June 1852 in Saegertown, Crawford County, Pennsylvania

died 30 November, 1931 in Pagosa Springs, Archuleta County, Colorado

Simon was born 171 years ago last June 16th.  His parents were Frederick and Caroline Elizabeth Easton Flaugh. He was the third of eight or nine children.  There is a Samson Flaugh in some trees that might have been a twin brother who died, or maybe Simon later went by Samuel. Some people have trees with Simon's name as Samson or Samuel.  It is confusing.    Simon married Ida Rust He obviously died a decade plus before I was born, but my Mother-In-Law, Mary Flaugh Humes, grew up around him.  He lived with her family for a few months before the family sent him on to Grandpa Tom Flaugh's brother, James Flaugh. Mary always said he was mean to her and that was one reason Tom sent him on to his brother's home.

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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - 2025 Week 3: Nickname

 I'm in the process of catching up with my writing.   This weeks topic,is Nickname.  In my family most of the nick names were the standard shortened nicknames. My name, Geraldine, ìs Gerry.  my Dad, Melvin was Pat as were several Uncles and cousins whose last names were Patterson.   My husband Cecil was Cece as a young child and Cec as a young adult.   My Daughter-in-law’s family used lots of nicknames, most of which didn’t have much of or anything to do with their given names.

My paternal Great Grandfather had a somewhat unusual name Greenup and apparently was frequently known as Green. His second son was also Greenup Bird Patterson. His oldest grandson in his youngest son's family was named after them and was known by his initials, GB.

My Uncle, known as Kenneth to my Dad and me, was named John Kenneth Eugene Patterson. John was his Great Grandfather's and a maternal Grand-Uncle's name, but I don't know where Kenneth or Eugene came from. According to his obituary Uncle Kenneth was also known as Pete. Maybe there were too many Pat's around and it was kind of close otherwise I've no idea where it came from.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - 2025 Week 2: Favorite Photo

There are so many photos that mean a lot to me. Here is one (the only one I know of that had all of my family in one photo). I wore that sweater in my High School yearbook photo so I'm pretty sure we posed for that photo sometime between the fall of 1960 and 1962. It isn't the greatest photo, but it means a  tremendous amount to me.

Standing Geraldine Ruth Patterson, John Patterson, Seated; Ruth W. Patterson, and Melvin Patterson about 1961 or 62

           

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - 2025 Week 1: "In the beginning"

I have again decided to post as many of these themes as I can. Who knows what I will accomplish; 1, 3, 5, 11,22,33,or maybe 52. This is a program that I've started many times and usually only get 3 or 4 written and posted. As I have said in the past, I believe that however many stories I tell is better than none. If this idea intrigues you, check out Amy Johnson Crow's website at: 52 Ancestors www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks-new" target="_blank">"52 Ancestors

This week's topic is "In the beginning". The instructions for this challenge are "interpret the phrase however you want - you can't be wrong." My interpretation is the beginning of my interest in genealogy

At the age of 81, the specific beginning memories are a little blurry. I know My mother told me some stories of her childhood over the years, and then when I was attending Point Loma High School her mother came out to stay with us for a few weeks or months. I believe it was winter and she came because she needed to get away from the bad weather in Ohio. I know that she had injuries over the years from slipping and falling on icy steps. She may also have needed a break from her husband. I wasn't privy to that information, but I had an impression that he was rather difficult to live with. I remember from my first visit that his daughter's hair was half her height long because he wouldn't let her cut it.

I believe that during her visit, my grandmother told me family stories. She had two sisters living in the San Diego area and these Grand Aunts would pass on information to me. My Aunt Elsie had a collection of scrapbooks that had an enormous amount of information about family and friends from McCreary and Whitley Counties in Kentucky and probably Scott County in Tennessee. My Aunt Vee (Vera) had her parents Family Bible with names and dates.

One of the first things I remember learning were the names of three of my Great Grandfathers names: George Washington Strunk, Abraham Lincoln Weddle, and Thomas Jefferson Jeffers. I was fascinated that all three were named after famous Presidents. I have a vague recollection of doing a family tree for a class, but it might not be accurate.

After we were married in June, 1964, we took a trip of a 3 day honeymoon in Big Bear, then on to Santa Rosa for Cecil to meet his boss in person Mr. Mitchell of Roy F Mitchell and Associates, Public Accountants, along with the other partners and staff, and find a place to live. On the drive home our 52 Chevy had problems. Luckily we were near Glendale where my paternal Uncle Carter and Aunt Mary lived. They took us to dinner, found a motel for us, and we got the car fixed. The rest of that story is for another time.

A year or so later we stopped by my paternal Uncle GB's home near the LA airport. He had his parents Family Bible. I know I copied all the information listed in the Bible. Later I typed it all up, and now I can't find that handwritten list. I believe all my information is correct, per the Bible, but I wish I could verify it with that list. His wife at that time died, and he remarried and as far as I know his third wife probably threw the Bible away.

Well, time to wrap this

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

I just read Randy Seaver's blog for last Saturday's .

"Tonight's challenge: 1) Use the FREE FamilySearch Full-Text Search (https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text) to find a record for one of your ancestors that is new to you. +6 2) Share your results on your own blog or in a Facebook post."

His example of land grants, inspired me to search for my Grandfather, Jasper Patterson's records.

Here is the first item I found: "Caldwell, Texas, United States Deed 1895 …to me ┃ in hand paid by the promissory note of ┃ Jasper Patterson for said sum of Twenty ┃ two Hundred and … …annum from date and ┃ said note is signed by said Jasper Patterson, and the vendor's lien is hereby … …presents do grant sell and convey unto the said Jasper Patterson of the County of Hays ┃ and State of Texas… …thereto in anywise belonging with the said ┃ Jasper Patterson his heirs and assigns forever and ┃ I hereby …"

I knew he lived in Hays County Texas, but didn't know he owned land in Caldwell County. Actually, when reading the complete document, I see his father, G. B. Patterson, is the seller and Jasper had to pay $2250 + 8% interest for the land. He married my grandmother, Katie Tadlock, in Hays County, Texas on 14 Nov 1894 so they were a young family. Per his obituary they moved to Granite, Greer County, Oklahoma Territory in 1901.

website for this document: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3SF-B6BZ? view=fullText&keywords=Jasper%20Patterson&groupId=M9MZ-B3N

Jasper is also mentioned as posting a bond to be a suretie on another person's will in 1910.

Here is the transcription: "Jasper Patterson , being first duly sworn on oath say : That I am one of the sureties whose name is subscribed of the above bond , that I am a resident and householder , and freeholder , within the State of Oklahoma, and am worth the sum of Four Thousand Dollars, over and above all my just debts and liabilities, exclusive of property exempt from execution."

This one is found at: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97G-SYLW?view=fullText&keywords=Jasper%20Patterson&groupId=M99J-C33 December 17, 2024 update: I must have been interrupted and didn't publish this near the time I wrote this. The information is good so am publishing it now.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge Week 2

Well, here I am again starting to participate in this challenge (52-ancestors-in-52-weeks-themes-for-2024/). I didn't get week one done so am skipping it for now. I may get back to it. My record with any of these challenges isn't very good, but I keep starting because I believe some is better than nothing. Theme for Week two is "Origins." There is no right or wrong way to interpret each week's theme. So, my approach is "My Origins." I have names and quite a lot of information on all my ancestors going back to all my 16 Great, Great Grandparents. I believe I have proof of the information I have for these ancestors. I have no Native American DNA, so I know my ancestors were immigrants. Those 16 ancestors and all their descendants were born in the USA. Several of the Greats x2 (my abbreviation) were born prior to 1800, the rest were born before 1825. If other people's trees are accurate, some of the ancestors going back to Great x5th generation were born in the Colonies during the 1700s and a few in the 1600s. I'm fairly sure my Mother's Weddle line goes back George A Weddell.

That is only one of my 5th Great Grandparents. There seems to be adequate proof he is in my line. As all genealogists know, it takes a lot of work to prove things before 1800. I believe I've run out of time to write this. I may edit in the future, who knows.

Some Perspective

 Saw this today on my Facebook feed.  A Sonoma County friend copied it from one of her friends, and I shared it back in 2020.  It is very appropriate still.  I was born during WW II, my mother just before WWI, and her mother in 1894. So very much has changed, and so many have died.

I'm not the originator of this. But I'm passing it along because I think it's important.

For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in 1900. When you are 14, World War I starts and ends on your 18th birthday, with 22 million people killed. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until you are 20. Fifty million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million. When you're 29, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, global GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. When you turn 39, World War II starts. You aren’t even over the hill yet. When you're 41, the United States is fully pulled into WWII. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war, and the Holocaust kills six million. At 50, the Korean War starts, and five million perish. At 55, the Vietnam War begins and doesn’t end for 20 years. Four million people die in that conflict. Approaching your 62nd birthday, you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could well have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening. As you turn 75, the Vietnam War finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you survive all of that? A kid in 1985 didn’t think their 85-year-old grandparent understood how hard school was. Yet those grandparents (and now great-grandparents) survived through everything listed above. Perspective is an amazing art. Let’s try and keep things in perspective. Let’s be smart, help each other out, and we will get through all of this.

Thanks to my friend Vespa and her friend Randy for passing this along.

7/16/2024 update. There have been almost 40 years of wars, pandemics, etc. since 1985. Someone could update this if they had the time.