Category Archive: Remembering Ancestors

Ancestors of Linda Woodward Geiger

May 08

Tribute to My Mom

Categories:

Perkins Family, Woodward Family

May 8, 2011

Josephine Emma Perkins (1917-1993)

My Mom, Josephine Emma Perkins, met my father, Oscar Herman Woodward, Jr., when he returned to the home of his parents when he completed a tour of duty with the U.S. Army. His parents had recently moved to a house in Loudon, New Hampshire, that was directly across the street from the home of mother and maternal grandparents. Rev. H.F. Parker married Jo and Herman on 21 September 1940 in Chichester, New Hampshire. [1]

Mom served as the Town Clerk of Walpole, New Hampshire, from 1949-1951. Our living room had been converted to the office. I remember that on the first day of hunting season and the first day of fishing season she would be ready to issue licenses to the community and this was a service highly regarded by the busy farmers.

Following her service as town clerk, part of our living room and dining room (connected by a wide arch) became her paint studio. For many years she was a decorative painter for the local florist Herman Woodward (no relation) and his son Elliott who had a woodworking shop. Things got particularly crowded in our little house during the Christmas season.

Mom was creative and really enjoyed design. I think some of her best work were the design creations that she adapted for trays, boxes, chests, etc. using metallic powder stenciling and tole painting.

When I was a freshman in college, when back to college to finish her teaching degree. She taught English to junior high and high school students for years. Some of her best friends during retirement were former students and fellow faculty members.

Mom was an inspiration and I’m thankful for that. She passed away on the 2nd of January 1993.

© Linda Woodward Geiger. All Rights Reserved.
Linda@Linda Geiger.com

[1] Marriage Record of Oscar Herman Woodward Jr. and Josephine Emma Perkins, New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Hazen Road, Concord, New Hampshire.

 

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May 01

Urban Ancestors: Obtaining EDs for the 1940 Census in One Step

Categories:

Lorusso Family, Massachusetts, U.S. Census

May 1, 2011

As you will notice, as of this date, the National Archives website provides five topics for the 1940 census: 1) General Information, 2) How to Start Your 1940 Census Research, 3) Indexes and Other Finding Aids, 4) Videos, and 5) Informative Articles and Online Data.

True confessions—When I discussed a process of finding urban families in my post dated the 26th of April I was hasty. I had not explored all of the avenues and suggestions on the National Archives website. Fortunately, Dr. Joel Weintraub noticed my shortcoming and he took the time to comment on that post and offer an easier alternative. The strategy that I had offered was based on suggestions offered in section 2, “How to Start Your 1940 Census Research.” So, like any good student, I went back to the drawing board and looked at all of the offerings on the National Archives website.

My goal is to find the families of 1) Nicholas Lorusso, residing in Worcester, Massachusetts, probably at 615 or 606 Franklin Street, and 2) Anthony Lorusso residing at 24 Orton Street.

“Indexes and Other Finding Aids”

Let’s zero in on the alternative, “Find Census Enumeration District Numbers” using Stephen P. Morse’s 1940 Search Engines”

 

 

Using “Obtaining EDs for the 1940 Census in One Step,” by Morse, Weintraub and Kehs,  I filled in the blanks as indicated below, I very quickly received the ED for 24 Orton Street, Worcester, Massachusetts.

I used the same procedure to obtain the 1940 ED for the address of for Franklin Street in Worcester. This was did not go quite as quickly—Orton St. is a short road (unpaved in 1970), but Franklin St. is a major artery in the city of Worcester encompassing ten EDs in 1940. Locating an intersecting street near 606 Franklin (Google maps quickly provided a couple of options: Putnam Lane and Villanova St. In 1940 Villanova St. was called “Villa Nova.”

By the way, the 1910-1940 Census in One Step also provides NARA microfilm series and reel number.

Most readers will be familiar with the wonderful website, One-Step Webpapes by  Steve Morse. The image below shows the current finding-aids available for the U.S population schedules for 1790–1940.

© Linda Woodward Geiger. All Rights Reserved
Linda@LindaGeiger.com

 

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Apr 26

Getting Ready for the 1940 Census

Categories:

Lorusso Family, U.S. Census

April 26, 2011

It is almost time! The 1940 U.S. Population Schedule will be released in a little under one year (April 2012). In order to use the new record well, we need to study the parameters of the record as well as finding aids that will be available for us.

Did you know that the National Archives website has all of that information ready for our use as well as a blank copy of the 1940 census form? I’m using the information to begin constructing my research plan. What do I need to know before I tackle the records?

  • Who do I expect to find?
  • Where does each individual or family reside?
  • What is the enumeration district in which they reside?

My plan for locating my son’s paternal grandparents will contain the following:

Parents: Anthony and Loretta (Curran) Lorusso
Children: Nicholas, Shirley, Anthony, Peter, and Barbara
Address: 24 Orton Street, Worcester (Worcester County), Massachusetts
Note: Anthony and Loretta were married shortly after the 1930 census, so are not listed in a household together at that time. However, their sons  Nicholas and Anthony both told me that they had always lived at 24 Orton Street. I will need to explore the National Archives microfilm T1224 (Descriptions of Census Enumeration Districts, 1830-1950) to learn the number of the enumeration district.

Anthony Lorusso’s parents, Nichola and Antoinette resided at 606 Franklin Street, Worcester, in 1930. Since they were still living in 1940, I expect to find them at the same address. In 1930, 615 Franklin Street was in enumeration district 14-58 (the 14 represents Worcester County). In 1920, the family had resided at 606 Franklin Street, enumeration District 246. It is unknown whether the family physically moved between the 1920 and 1930 census or whether the street numbers were changed.

Stephen P. Morse (with Drs. Joel Weintraub and David Kehs) has a splendid tool called “Converting between 1920 and 1930 (or 1930 and 1940) Census EDs in One Step.” Using this conversion tool, if Nichola Lorusso resided in ED 14-58 in 1930, then I expect to find him in one of these three enumeration districts in 1940: 23-79, 23-80, or 23-81.

It will take a little work, but I expect to be successful!

© Linda Woodward Geiger. All Rights Reserved
linda@lindageiger.com

 

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Apr 11

Military Monday: Daniel Russell Woodward in Co. E, 16th N.H. Regiment

Categories:

Merrimack Co., New Hampshire, Military Pension, Record Types, Woodward Family

April 11, 2011

My Great Grandfather Daniel Russell Woodward served with Company E (Captain Jonathan P. Sanborn’s Company) in the 16th New Hampshire Regiment, N.H. Volunteers. According to his Certificate of Disability found within his pension application [file #WC-711-973, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]. Daniel R. was enlisted by Sanborn on 12 September 1962 to serve 9 months. Following an accident in camp where he fell on a tree stump, he was listed as unfit for duty and and given a certificate of disability for discharge on the 27th April 1863 at New Orleans, Louisiana, where he received a disability discharge from A.W. Smyth MD.

 

© Linda Woodward Geiger. All Rights Reserved.
linda@lindageiger.com

 

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Apr 06

Tartan Day 2011

Categories:

MacDougall Family

April 6, 2011

Sara (Waddell) Woodward, was my paternal grandmother. Before her death in July 1955, she related some stories of her youth in a letter to her grandchildren. Within the letter she states, “I do not remember much about my grandfather who was William MacDougall from Scotland. He passed away when I was quite young. I do remember that he built sailing vessels.”

I’m posting the MacDougall tartan as a tribute to my 2nd grandfather, William MacDougall

Linda Woodward Geiger
linda@lindageiger.com

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Mar 30

Wordless Wednesday: Church Choir

Categories:

Walpole, Woodward Family

March 30, 2011

3 generations of Woodwards sang in the choir, 1959

Copyright. Linda Woodward Geiger. All Rights Reserved.
linda@lindageiger.com

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Mar 28

Military Monday: World War II, Old Man’s Draft

Categories:

Merrimack Co., New Hampshire, Woodward Family

March 28, 2011

On the 12th of September 1918, my grandfather, Oscar H. Woodward, Sr., registered at Local Board #2 in Franklin, New Hampshire,  for the World War I Draft [WW I Draft registration Card of Oscar H. Woodward; RG 163, Selective Service System (World War I), National Archives-Southeast Region, Morrow, Georgia]. At the time of registration he was thirty-eight years old and resided in Franklin.

World War II Draft Registration Card of Oscar Herman Woodward

On the 25th of April 1942, he again when to his local draft board to register. This time he was enrolling in the fourth draft registration for World War II [World Wr II Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) for the State of New Hampshire, Record Group 147, Records of the Selective Service System 1940-; National Archives micropublication M1963, reel 19]. At this time, he was sixty-two years of age and resided in Loudon, New Hampshire.

Grand Dad was not called to military service on either of these occasions, nor did he volunteer.

Copyright. Linda Woodward Geiger. All Rights Reseved.
linda@lindageiger.com

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Mar 25

Family Recipe Friday: Quiche Lorraine

Categories:

Lorusso Family, What's Cooking

March 25, 2011

Quiche Lorraine

This recipe for Quiche Lorraine was given to me years and years ago by my son’s aunt, Penny (Rose) Lorusso. This is a terrific tasting and filling dish.

9” pastry shell; prick and bake in 400º oven 8-10 minutes.
Sauté 1 medium onion until tender and place on the bottom of the pre-cooked pastry shell.
In blender [or food processor] coarsely grind
½ lb Swiss cheese cubed
3 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
dash of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
Gradually add 1 cup of hot milk.
Pour mixture into pre-cooked pastry shell and bake at 350º for about 35 minutes.

[I generally add ¼ lb cheddar cheese and for variations, include 3-4 slices of coarsely chopped bacon, and/or ½ cup coarsely chopped blanched broccoli.]

Copyright. Linda Woodward Geiger. All rights reserved.
linda@lindageiger.com

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Mar 18

Family Recipe Friday: Sweet Red Pepper Relish

Categories:

What's Cooking, Woodward Family

March 18, 2011

I can’t wait for  August. Yesterday I finished my last jar of Aunt Virginia’s Sweet Red Pepper Relish. I”ll have to put up the full recipe this year instead of cutting it in half like I did the last time.

Get Ready!

Recipe for Sweet Red Pepper Relish made annually by Virginia (Woodward) Smith

Sterilize 24 pint jars and lids

20 medium-size onions
20 medium-size green peppers
20 medium-size red peppers
1 quart vinegar
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons salt
2¾ cups sugar

Get Set!

Put peppers and onions through food chopper, using coarse grinder. Cover with boiling water.

Let stand 5 minutes. Drain. Cover with boiling water again, let stand another 5 minutes, and drain.

Add sugar, vinegar, and salt. Boil mixture 15 minutes.

Pack in jars and seal.

[In addition, I give the jars a ten-minute hot water bath]

yield: 24 pints

 

Go!

Copyright. Linda Woodward Geiger. All rights reserved.
linda@lindageiger.com

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Mar 17

Two Special Women: Alice & Virginia

Categories:

Childhood Memories, Perkins Family, Woodward Family

March 17, 2011

Today I mailed three quit blocks for the quilt to be raffled off at the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree on Saturday 11 June 2011 at the Marriott Burbank Conference Center. The block challenge is being sponsored by Genea-Quilters with the assistance of the Glendale Quilting Guild.

My three blocks were inspired by my maternal grandmother Alice (Brown) Perkins whom we called Nana Perkins, and my father’s sister, Virginia (Woodward) Smith.

I grew up in rural New Hampshire where I never knew anyone to produce a quilt that was not made from scraps left over from sewing clothing. The backing was generally a sheet, and instead of batting, the innards were generally two sheets that had been patched and/or very worn. It wasn’t until I left rural New Hampshire that I learned there were delightful block patterns and that some folks actually purchased fabric just for quilt making and that cotton (and later polyester) batting was available for loft and warmth. Nana Perkins started me off quilting, but we never used a particular pattern or “block design.” We did pre-determine the size of the squares and the width of piecing strips and the number of square we’d need for a particular project. Our blocks were built from non-descript strips and sometimes with embroidered elements (generally inspired by Aunt Virginia who did lots of hand embroidery and crewel work).  The squares I’ve submitted reflect the teachings of the two special women in my life, Nana Perkins and Aunt Virginia.

The first full size quilt I made for my son was a combination of embroidered and appliquéd squares of our favorite things. As I had been taught, the back was a sheet and the interior layer was a couple of worn sheets.

Copyright. Linda Woodward Geiger. All rights reserved.
linda@lindageiger.com

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