Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Funeral Book — 2

This entry is part 2 of 8 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Funeral Register

In the front, a poem, and the basic facts of my grandmother’s life and death.
3

In Memory
Winnie Alice Kaiser Yearnd
Place of birth Cadillac, Mich

Date of Birth July 19, 1885
Deceased
Date December 10, 1957
Place Cadillac, Michigan

I do not know who wrote this information in the book, the handwriting is not that of my Mother or Father.

I do remember being told about my Grandma’s death. The story is a simple one, of my parents glancing at each other over my shoulder, and seeming quite uncomfortable. They really didn’t need to worry, death was a comfortable companion of this undertaker’s child. Years later, my mother told me that I was the last person who saw my grandmother alive. Perhaps she met the last family member.

I was allowed to visit Sweetie only when Pauline was there. Pauline was a cleaning lady who worked for grandma, and later my family. I remember her better than I remember my grandma, since she was around through my teen years. I know that if I visited Sweetie, it was Pauline’s day. According to Winnie’s death certificate, she died at 5 p.m. on 10 December 1957, of coronary thrombosis, one hour after the event. She was 72 years, 4 months and 21 days old. Perhaps I was there visiting there that day, if Tuesday was Pauline’s day.

Family Tree Magazine’s 40 Best Genealogy Blogs

voteforablog

I was truly surprised and amazed to find my little log of pontification listed among the nominations for the Family Tree Magazine’s 40 best Genealogy Blogs. Around my household, we get a little tired of those who know everything, and want to share it with everyone. It is no wonder I started writing about my genealogical research, the household residents have heard it all, and they are not impressed. My oldest daughter has asked (more than once), “So, do we have any relatives who are living?”

I do spend too much time moaning about missing people, and their missing events, facts, residences, births, deaths, and burial places. All this moaning, combined with tons of surfing for ancestors, and library, archive and courthouse trips, led me to wonder if anyone else in this mortal world was also searching for the same elusive documentation.

A blog is an easy way to share information, and my everyday personal blog was soon filled with information about my genealogical research. One day, I woke up and noticed that the personal genealogical blogs I was reading did not usually combine personal and genealogical topics, at least to the extent mine did. After digesting that revelation, I started a new blog, named it, and copied my genealogical posts to it. Build it and they will read, or something. And it seems to me that a few people have been marred, scarred or perhaps impressed with my little effort, at least enough to type the name of this blog into nomination for the Top 40 honor.

I appreciate the nomination more than anyone could realize. Reading down the list of nominations on the ballot brings the realization that the majority of the nominees are seasoned writers, researchers and educators. I feel a little out of place among such lofty competition. It turns out that I am a little out of place; my blog has been categorized in the “Cemetery Research” section. According to the Genealogy Insider, “Cemetery – These blogs focus on cemetery research, gravestone photos and the like.” I digested what I think is a mis-categorization for a few days, and on April 5th, posted a comment on the Insider blog at Family Tree Magazine. Here is my comment, and the follow-up comments which are displayed with the post announcing the opening of voting:

Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:12:43 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

As much as I appreciate the nomination for “Top 40”, I am surprised to see my Family History Blog classified as a “Cemetery Blog: These blogs focus on cemetery research, gravestone photos and the like”.

I checked, and 59 of my 475 published posts relate to cemetery research and gravestone photos. The balance also uphold my stated purpose which is posted at: http://xrl.in/39ye, “I’m researching my way through local records, near and far, in a quest to find out about those that come before me on this earth, in a effort to understand more about them, and more about me. What you find here may be useful, interesting, or just a documentation of that effort.”

GrannyPam

Monday, October 12, 2009 5:51:53 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

Hello,
I wanted to e-mail you to make sure you’d see this, but was unable to find your address on your blog. When we looked through the nominations and did categorizing (at the very end of September), we included Granny’s Genealogy in the cemeteries category because almost all the posts for August and September were cemetery-related. There definitely were some difficult categorization decisions, and I hope you’ll still enjoy being among the Family Tree 40 nominees. Congratulations!
Diane

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 3:31:46 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

Thanks for the reply, Diane. I will move my contact link so it is more prominent, that is certainly a great suggestion.
GrannyPam

So what happened here? I started the year with some resolutions, among them was the one in which I promised myself, “I will finish posting all the data from my “old” genealogy site to Granny’s Genealogy.” Just before some of my blogging buddies submitted their nominations, I finished a very long series about the items in Belle’s Box. Remembering my goals, I turned my attention to the data from my old genealogy site, and started at the top, as I often do. Magically (and alphabetically) first was the folder labeled “cem”, and contained all the photographs and information from the cemetery section of my old site. You can see the results above, Family Tree Magazine took a look at my recent activity, concluded that my blog was about cemeteries, and categorized me that way.

All this got me thinking about the way we find information on a bog. More specifically, how my readers might be finding information on my blog. Watch for more on the fascinating topic of organizing blogs. I’ll get to it as soon as I organize my thoughts.

And even though I am filed under cemeteries, I would appreciate your vote, and I know the all the other worthy bloggers on the ballot would, too!

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Funeral Book — 1

This entry is part 1 of 8 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Funeral Register

In addition to my grandmother’s wedding book, I also am the custodian of the register created at her funeral. I will also post all the pages, with comments when I feel may be relevant. Here are my first two scans, the cover and the first two pages.
1

This page brings memories for me, since this book came from my father’s funeral home. You can click on the thumbnails to see the full size scans.
2

Until about a year after Grandma’s death, our family lived over the funeral home my father ran at 115 Stimson Street, Cadillac, Michigan; with the Baptist church on one side, and C.L. Bendle Memorials, who sold and engraved of tombstones on the other. Currently, a addition to the First Baptist church occupies the property where father’s first funeral home stood. My brother and I took enforced naps during funerals. I now know this was to prevent distracting footsteps from disrupting the services. I remember sitting quietly on the floor at my bedroom window at the front of the house and watching people enter and leave by the front door. Many waved at me, and I waved back.

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book – 9

This entry is part 9 of 10 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book

I am posting every page of my grandparents little wedding register, even though there is not genealogical information on every page. I am proud to own it, and am carefully considering who should have custody when I leave this world. These are the last 3 scans in the series.
20

21

22

I have enjoyed reading this little book and sharing it with you. I especially enjoyed the poems and the wonderful illustrations. I hope my readers have enjoyed it, too.

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book – 8

This entry is part 8 of 10 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book

This page contains the last of the genealogical information in my grandmother’s little wedding book.

19

“Married at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, 1908. Set at 7:10 for Grand Rapids, Remained over night at “The Morton” and left next day for Detroit. Returned home Monday, April 13th and began keeping house at 449 E. Cass St.”

Here is a news clipping.
William Yearnd 2 wedding

The train must have been the “seven-ten”. It sounds like there was a mess on the platform after the train departed. There is a discrepancy in the account, the writer for the newspaper must have assumed a trip of a week, when it was really a long weekend jaunt.

I find it interesting that the couple went to Detroit. My grandfather was a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he received a law degree in 1905. His parents were residents of Howell, Michigan where he was born. I wonder if William and Winnie visited his parents while on their trip? I wonder if his parents were not able to come to Cadillac for the wedding, for reasons of health or finances? I don’t believe that William and Winnie were estranged from the family, since he was the executor of his father’s estate in July, 1911.

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book – 7

This entry is part 7 of 10 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book

I am posting the pages from my paternal grandmother’s wedding book. The little book has given me a little window into one event that shaped the the lives of some members of my family. These pages do not contain any genealogical information, but are of interest as a part of the whole. So, without further comment, my scans 15-18. You may click the thumbnails if you wish to view the text and beautiful illustrations.

15

16

17

18

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book – 6

This entry is part 6 of 10 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book

The guests! You may enlarge this thumbnail to see view the file.
14

I am going to list the guests, and their relationship to my grandparents.

Mother and Father Kaiser: William and Delia Conway Kaiser, Winnie’s father and step-mother.

Bertha and Austin Kaiser: Winnie’s half-siblings, the children of William Kaiser and Delia Conway Kaiser. Austin William Kaiser was born in 1896 and died in 1920. Aunt Bertha was born in 1893 and died in 1981.

Augusta and Frank Yearnd: Two of the four siblings of William Yearnd who were alive at the time of the wedding. William’s parents apparently didn’t attend, although both were living at the time of the marriage.

Grandma Kaiser: Elizabeth Long Kaiser, William Kaiser’s mother. William Kaiser, Sr. died in 1907.

Mr. and Mrs. E.G. Rice: Amelia “Millie” Rice was Winnie’s aunt, a sibling of her father.

Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Johnston and Rae: James Johnston was Winnie’s uncle, a sibling of her mother, Jane “Jennie” Johnston. His wife Elizabeth (Kaiser) was an aunt by marriage and blood, a sibling of William Kaiser. It is said that Winnie stayed at the Johnston’s home frequently after her mother’s death in 1888. Rae was their son, a cousin.

Mr. and Mrs. Geo Johnston and Doris: George Johnston as a cousin of James and Jane Johnston, according to an old family history. I have not been able to document the relationship. My father always referred to Doris as “Cousin Doris.”

Mr. and Mrs. John Phillips and Willy and Leslie: Annie (Kaiser) Phillips was another sibling of Winnie’s father. Their children, William and Leslie were Winnie’s cousins.

Mary Garvin and Roy and Pearl: Mary Ann (Kaiser) Garvin, another Kaiser sibling, Roy and Pearl, more cousins.

Austin Thompson: I have no idea how or if Austin is related. This is a mystery, if you know please contact me.

Mrs. Ed. Cox and Gertrude: I learned about how the Coxes were related about ten years ago, a revelation! I could write a book about this one, but I’ll try to simplify. Winnie’s grandfather, William Kaiser, 1837-1907, had a sibling named Sarah. William’s wife, Elizabeth Long, 1834-1921, had a sibling, Nicholas Long.

Nicholas Long and Sarah Kaiser married, and eventually ended up in Minnesota. Nicholas used the name “Lang”, a pronunciation which might be truer to the Long’s French origin. Ellen or Helena Lang, who was their daughter, married Edward Cox. The Coxes somehow made their way to Michigan, where the resided first in Cadillac and then in Big Rapids. So, Mrs. Ed “Ellen” Cox was William Kaiser’s first cousin, Winnie’s first cousin once removed. I have heard the term “double” cousin used to describe a relationship like this, when siblings marry siblings. My genealogy program simply says “first cousin” and lists both sets common ancestors.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Long: More cousins. There were a lot of Joseph Longs in my 2nd great grandmother’s family. The Joseph who was the correct age, and in the correct location to have attended this wedding was Joseph Long, b 1877 in Canada who married Alice Gibbs. He was the son of another sibling of (Elizabeth Long) Kaiser, Joseph Long, ca 1938-1909 and Fredericka Schnack, and Winnie’s first cousin, once removed.

Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Johnstone: More properly Dr. or Rev., Johnstone performed the wedding ceremony. I have no evidence that he was related.

Mrs. Maria Caulkins and Mamie and Elsie: Maria (Conway) Caulkins was Delia (Conway) Kaiser’s sister. She was not related to Winnie, but was Winnie’s father’s sister-in-law. Mamie and Elsie were her daughters. It took me a long time to figure this out, but eventually, I did.

Mr. and Mrs. M.M. Snider: I cannot identify the relationship of the Snider’s to Winnie at this time. The Snider family, which resided in York, Ontario at the same time as Winnie’s Kaiser ancestors may be connected in some way by marriage.

It was interesting to see that three friends of Winnie crashed the wedding. Their names: Kate Heath, Bess Methenay and Edna Saw.

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book – 5

This entry is part 5 of 10 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book

About the wedding, a clipping from Grandma’s scrapbook.

William Yearnd 1 wedding

UNITED LAST NIGHT
—–
MISS WINNIE A. KAISER BECOMES
THE BRIDE OF WILLIAM H. YEARND
——-
WAS A PRETTY HOME WEDDING
——–
Only Near Relatives of the Bride and
Groom Were Present at the Wed-
ing Ceremony.
——–

Miss Winnie A. Kaiser, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Kaiser, and William H. Yearnd were united in marriage last evening at 5 o’clock at the bride’s home at 448 East Chapin street. Only the near relatives were in attendance, it being a quiet home wedding. Miss Kaiser, the bride, accompanied by her father, marched from upstairs and were met at the archway leading to the parlor by Mr. Yearnd, who escorted the bride to a position in the front parlor directly under a bell of carnations and smilax and in front of a bank of palms, where the ceremony was performed. Rev. Dr. A. W. Johnston, pastor of the Presbyterian church, officiated, the Presbyterian ring service being utilized. Miss Gertrude Cox presided at the piano and rendered Mendelssohn’s wedding march. Little Doris Johnston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Johnston, was the ring bearer and carried the ring in an Easter Lily. Both the bride and groom were unattended.

Immediately following the marriage ceremony and after the young couple had received the congratulations of the assembled relatives, a four-course wedding dinner was served. The dinner room was tastily decorted (sic) with American Beauty roses and white carnations. Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Rice were the master and mistress of ceremonies.

Mr. and Mrs. Yearnd are both very well and favorably known in this city, the home of the latter for most of her entire life. Mr. Yearnd came to this city about three years ago and no further comment of his standing in the community and his ability need be made other than that he has won the confidence and respect of the people of this city and county which was evidenced in their selecting him as prosecuting attorney in which office he is serving his first term.

Out of town relatives in attendance at the wedding were Austin Thompson, of Petoskey, Miss Yearnd, of Howell, Frank Yearnd, of Kalamazoo, Mrs. Edward Cox and daughter, Miss Gertrude Cox of Big Rapids.

————–

The first thing that stands out to me in this is that Winnie was the daughter of William Kaiser, but also the daughter of his first wife, Jane “Jennie” Johnston. The Mrs. Kaiser mentioned in this clipping was William’s second wife, Delia Conway Kaiser. Second, the date is not written or printed on the clipping; my grandparents were married on April 8, 1908. The marriage record lists Mildred and E.G. Rice as the attendants. Perhaps they were the most likely candidates for the blank spaces.

The big mystery of the wedding clipping is how all the guests are related, making this clipping both a genealogists dream, and nightmare. For what is solved, and what is not, watch future posts.

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book – 4

This entry is part 4 of 10 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book

There is no genealogical information on these, but I am posting all the pages to this book.

10
11
12
13

Tomorrow: about the wedding.

 

 

Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book – 3

This entry is part 3 of 10 in the series Winnie Kaiser Yearnd Wedding Book

18

This page lists wedding gifts. I sure wish it had told who gave what, but some things are left for me to imagine.
9

Dining Table
Set of Dishes
Two Rocking Chairs
Cut Glass Berry Bowl
Cut Glass Celery dish
Two sets cut Glass Creamer & Sugar
Cut Glass Water Glasses and Pitcher
Sherbet Dishes
Cut glass Comport Jelly dish
Knives and forks
Table Spoons
Desert Spoons, Four Plates, Bullion Spoons, Vinegar Cruet, Embroidered towel & pillow cases, Carving Set, Berry spoon, Butter Knife, cream ladle and sugar spoon, Gravy ladle, Tooth pick holder, cut glass olive dish, fruit knives, Jelly knife, card dish, Hall chair, Three pictures, Meat Fork, Salad Bowl. Hemstiched table cloth.

Written in the same handwriting but added on with a different colored pen, Rocking chairs. I don’t know if rocking chairs were given twice, or if they were just listed twice.

Some of these items have survived, and I will post pictures of them later.