02 April 2025

The Missing Link: The Sole Record Connecting Huldah Rowley to Her Father, Hopkins

 

Source: The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York: An Historical and Genealogical Study of All the 18th Century Settlers in the Patent by Frank J. Doherty (Volume X), p85.

GPT 4o Transcription     The Rowley Family

adjoins the Nine Partners Patent and is adjacent to the CT border. On 1 May 1759 the rent book reads: "This farm is cleared of rent by a bond given by Daniel Rowley and Jonathan Rowley for £45. Each has now half the farm, see p. 163 and 164." The rent book, page 164 reads: "Jonathan Rowley lot 15, 100 acres, rent begins 1760 at 11 bushels per year. Now Garret Winnegar, gave bond for Jonathon Rowley his part of the bond remains £28/18/7. Dan'l Rowley paid his part by Davis last April & interest to now is 2 & 3 years back rents is 33 bushels of wheat @7/bushel £11/11, net together is £41/16/2, so the bond is £41/16/2, which clears this farm to May last 1763, which farm now belongs to said Winnegar." Jonathan was still of Beekman when on 22 Feb. 1764 he bought 100 acres in Mount Ephraim. He sold 40 acres of this to Daniel Rowley 10 July 1766 when both were living Richmond, MA.

On 16 Jan. 1801 Samuel Hake of Rhinebeck, merchant mortgaged several parcels to John S. Jones of New York, merchant. The second parcel is described as: In lot 15 SW corner Daniel Rowley. Bounds Christopher Elliot 100 acres. Leased May 1 1750 to Jonathan Rowley, wife Elizabeth and son Hopkins.^(50) On 13 May 1808 Samuel Hake and his wife Elizabeth sold this 100 acres to James Grant of Pawling for $1,062.50. The deed noted that Josiah Wheeler was then on the farm formerly Daniel Rowley, that had been leased to Jonathan Rowley 1759.^(51)

Jonathan Rowley was in Pittsford, Rutland Co., VT in 1790 at 2-3-3 and died, probably at Pittsford, between 4 March 1805 and 25 May 1806.

Children: (by Elizabeth)^(52)
i. Hopkins, b. 18 Dec. 1758; m. Elizabeth Stewart, b. 1770, d. 1825.
He was in Pittsford Town, Rutland Co., VT in 1790 at 1-0-2 and is buried as a Revolutionary War Patriot in Shoreham, VT. He died 1 Sept. 1831. They had dau. Huldah b. at Pittsford, VT 18 March 1789 who married Daniel Fenn 28 Feb. 1808 at Shoreham, VT.^(53)

ii. Mary, b. ca. 1759; m. John Mott. They went to OH.

iii. Jonathan, b. 1760-61; he was killed and scalped on a military scouting mission in May 1779.

iv. Joseph, b. ca. 1762-63; m. 1st unk., 2nd Content Randall. He is said to have died in War of 1812.


Footnotes:
^(50) M 8:386.
^(51) D 20:457. A map drawn 1795 by Will Cockburn shows that Josiah Wheeler is on a 100 acre farm in the north-east corner of lot 15. A road goes through the west center of the farm and the house is on the road, just north of the southern property line. Daniel Rowley's farm was just to the west of Jonathan's.
^(52) Children by Elizabeth from Mayflower Families through Five Generations, Volume Six, Stephen Hopkins, p. 401-2.
^(53) Link to ancestry record. See following for others in his family: http://www.flint.com/rowley/Biographies/1790/1-6.0149_hopkins.htm.

Unraveling the Hopkins-Huldah Rowley Connection

In over fifteen years of researching the Rowley family, one sentence from The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York: An Historical and Genealogical Study of All the 18th Century Settlers in the Patent by Frank J. Doherty (Volume X) remains the only direct link I've found tying Huldah Rowley to her father, Hopkins Rowley. The passage simply states:

"They had dau. Huldah b. at Pittsford, VT 18 March 1789 who married Daniel Fenn 28 Feb. 1808 at Shoreham, VT."

It’s just one piece of evidence, but it’s the strongest I’ve found among dozens of secondary records. Unfortunately, after evaluating the source, it proves unreliable, as it does not cite the origin of the information when referring to the source in (53) above. Despite years of research, I’ve come up empty-handed when it comes to primary sources that confirm this connection. The fact that the family was Baptist adds to the challenge—without baptism records to consult, proving this link feels nearly impossible.

Is this brief mention, combined with other circumstantial evidence, enough to confirm Huldah's parentage? That’s the question I continue to explore.

I consulted GPT-4o to assist in planning future research. The prompt I used was: "Plan for future research to prove that Hopkins Rowley is Huldah Rowley's father." and added to the transcription response. Below is the response generated from that prompt. My findings, or lack thereof, are indicated in bold text.

1. Reevaluate and Analyze Existing Evidence

  • Review Secondary Sources: Reassess all secondary records you've gathered, looking for overlooked details or indirect evidence that could strengthen the connection. DONE
  • Cross-Reference Timelines: Create detailed timelines for both Hopkins and Huldah, focusing on overlapping locations and events. This may reveal patterns or gaps to guide further research. (Need to do)
  • Evaluate Witnesses: Review marriage, land, or probate records for witness names that could indicate familial or community connections. DONE

2. Focus on Land and Probate Records

  • Land Deeds and Transfers: Search for property transactions in Pittsford, Shoreham, and surrounding areas. If Hopkins transferred land to Huldah or her husband, Daniel Fenn, it could indicate a familial relationship. (I have found that Daniel Fenn received six $100 promissory notes from Hopkins Rowley 31 Aug 1815 in Shoreham Vermont. I feel this is important and ties Daniel Fenn to the Hopkins Rowley family. Why else would Daniel be lent $600 which in today's money is a little over $12,000. )
  • Probate Records: Investigate wills, estate inventories, or guardianship records for both the Rowley and Fenn families in Rutland County, Vermont, and any nearby counties. Look for mentions of Huldah or her husband. (Hopkins Rowley probate records were involved in a fire and the remnants that I looked at holds no information. I have not found Daniel Fenn's probate record which could be in Michigan.)
  • Neighbor and Associate Research: Trace families living near Hopkins Rowley and Daniel Fenn. Neighbors often appear in legal records and can provide context for family connections. (Completed)

3. Church and Religious Records

  • Baptist Church Membership Records: Even though baptism records are unlikely, Baptist churches may have kept membership rolls, marriage records, or minutes. Check for records in Pittsford, Shoreham, and nearby communities. (Have not found any for Vermont areas; I found Lima Township Michigan ones where they were members.)
  • Minister’s Journals: If a local minister officiated Huldah's marriage, their journals or records may mention family connections. (None found)
Other research I have conducted includes researching Huldah's brothers and sisters to establish connections among them and to Hopkins. I have researched Hopkin's family but nothing ties Huldah to Hopkins directly.

I have searched for Huldah's release of dower but have been unable to locate it. Although I do not have definitive proof that Hopkins Rowley is the father of Huldah Rowley, who married Daniel Fenn, I believe this to be the case based on dozens of indirect secondary sources. These include census records, school and land documents, military records, and town history books. However, the research I have conducted has not been accepted by the DAR to establish the connection between Huldah and Hopkins. 

Do you have a father-child connection you believe to be true but no direct evidence proves it? Share your stories in the chat, please.

AI Disclosure

This blog post used the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Specifically, GPT4o was used to transcribe the book page and to check spelling and grammar. 

GPT4o was asked to plan future research based on the transcription it provided. 

GPT4o suggested blog post titles based upon my writing and ideas and I selected the one with edits to enhance the blog experience.

31 March 2025

Tips for Researching Postmaster's in Federal Records

Source:  Mural "Ben Franklin, colonial postmaster," by George Harding at the Ariel Rios Federal Building in Washington, D.C
 from Wikimedia Commons, in the public domain.

The United States Postal Service was established in 1775 under the Second Continental Congress, with Benjamin Franklin appointed as the first Postmaster General.

Postmaster records can be found at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. (Archives I) and College Park, Maryland (Archives II). The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. holds some relevant materials. Personnel Records are available through National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Most publicly available postal records are part of Record Group 28 (RG 28) at the National Archives catalog.

Records of the United States Postal Service 

  • Civilian Personnel Files: For individuals no longer employed by the Postal Service, personnel records prior to 1951 are considered archival or open to the public. These records, covering the years 1919–1951, are housed offsite at the National Archives Annex in Valmeyer, Illinois. Records after 1952 are not available to the public. Contact the National Archives-St. Louis for requests. In person access requires an appointment.
  • Appointments of Postmasters: Records include names, places, and dates of appointment of postmasters. Postmaster appointments for 1789-1832 are found in seven volumes and have been digitized and are available onlinePostmaster appointments for 1832-1971 have been reproduced as Microfilm Publication M841Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832–Sept. 30, 1971 (145 rolls). These records are arranged alphabetically by state, then by county, and by the name of the post office. . A limited index is available at Family Search.
  • Reports of Site Locations: Reports covering nearest post office to current site, location of the current site, nearest railroad and station for deliveries, railroad name, and maps. The National Archives Identifier Number is 608210 The records are organized by state, county, parish or district. This series if digitized and available online.
  • Substitute Mail Carriers: Registers of substitute mail carriers from 1885-1903 and divided into two volumes. Volume I and Volume II are digitized and available online.
  • Rural Main Records: A number of records are available in RG28. They pertain to correspondence, inspection reports, and route information. They can be found in 28.3.5 and 28.7. Maps can be found in 28.6.2.
  • Railway Postal Clerks: One roll of microfilm, M2077, holds three indexes to rosters of railway clerks, ca. 1883-ca. 1902. These records are part of Record Group (RG 28), Records of the Post Office Department, and are designated as Entry 118 in Preliminary Inventory (PI) No. 168, Records of the Post Office Department. The indexes show postal routes arranged by cities and names of clerks arranged alphabetically by the first couple of letters of the surname.
  • Official Register of the United States, 1816-1959: includes postal records listing the names of postmasters, mail carriers, and other postal employees. A two-volume set covering 1879–1911 specifically compiles these records. An excellent resource on the register, written by Don Heller, is available on the Pennsylvania State University website and provides links to post office records.
  • Star Routes: Contract Route Registers or "Star Routes" have registers for the years 1814-1817,1824,1828-1870, and 1917-1960. Included are the names of the stops along the routes and names of bidders for the contracts. These records can be found in Record Group 28.4.3
A comprehensive list of what is included in Record Group 28 (RG28) at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) can be found here. Click on "Search this record group in the National Archives Online Catalog" to access the catalog, which contains over 17,000 records. More than 6,000 of these records are digitized and available online.

Family Search: Additional postal resources can be found in the FamilySearch catalog by searching the keyword United States Post Office. A recent search returned over 500 items, covering topics such as postmaster appointments, record cards, lists, Benjamin Franklin’s ledgers, and more. Not all records are digitized.

US Postal Bulletin: Digitized copies of the U.S. Postal Bulletin (1880–2016) are available online at USPostalBulletins.com. Published daily except Sundays, the Bulletin focused on USPS business operations. The archives are fully indexed and searchable by full text. The website also includes a list of post offices.

Credit: The Library of Congress from Detroit Publishing Company photograph collection in the public domain. A circa 1900 photograph of Saginaw Michigan Post Office.

Library of Congress: The nation's main library in Washington, D.C., holds a vast collection of postal references, including original records, photographs, manuscripts, and other historical materials. A search of its catalog recently returned over two million resources, many of which are available online. Users can narrow their search by state to refine results; for example, a search for Michigan yielded over 18,000 records. These records include newspapers, photographs, prints, drawings, manuscripts, narratives, films, books, and more.

Many books and magazines are written about the United States Postal Service. Check Hathi Trust or World Cat to see what is available. They cover a variety of topics about the United States Postal Service.

Digging into postal records can reveal  insights into the history of the U.S. Postal Service and the individuals who contributed to its operation. Whether you're researching a relative who served as a postmaster, seeking historical mail route maps, or investigating the records of railway postal clerks, there are numerous resources available. Digitized records are now available online, and finding this information has become more convenient than ever. From the National Archives to FamilySearch and the Library of Congress, a treasure trove of knowledge awaits your exploration. So, if you have a passion for postal history, begin your search, you might just stumble upon some captivating details!

NOTE: I cannot end this blog post without acknowledging Michael Strauss, AG for his excellent coordination of the "Guide to Treasures Found in Federal Records" at Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburg (GRIP 2022), now the GRIP Genealogy Institute. 


Photograph taken at the conclusion of the class.

I had and still have many sticky notes to follow up on. The session, Postmasters and Letter Carriers: Records of the U.S. Postal Service was used as a reference for this blog post. Additionally, I spent many hours at the NARA website. Thank you Michael for the excellent presentation.

I used Michael's information to research one of my postmaster ancestors and wrote about it here.


26 March 2025

Genealogy Clues in Susanna Koenig Fredrich’s Death Certificate

 

Source: Susana Fredrich, death certificate (digitized copy) Number 858 (5 December 1905, stamped), Michigan, Department of State-Division of Vital Statistics, Archives of Michigan, 702 W Kalamazoo St, Lansing, MI 48915, at Michiganology.org Accessed 8 March 2025

Susanna Fredrich (née Koenig), my second great-grandmother, left behind a death certificate filled with clues that helped me learn more about her life and connect her to other family members.

Every family history researcher should know what clues to look for in a death certificate. However, the information is only as accurate as the person providing it. In this case, the informant was Susanna’s son-in-law, August Guhse, who was married to Ottilie Fredrich.

Here are some key details from Susanna’s death certificate and how they contributed to my research:

1. Full Name and Variations: Susana Fredrich

The name listed on a death certificate may include middle names, initials, or alternate spellings. Comparing it with other records can confirm identities and reveal new leads. I have found Susanna’s name spelled as Susana, Susan, and Suzanna. I have chosen to use Susanna, as found on her baptismal record.

2. Date and Place of Death: November 4, 1906, at 187 Lincoln, 1st Ward, Manistee, Michigan

This information helps locate obituaries, cemetery records, and probate files, which may provide more details about the deceased’s family and final years.

I found Susanna’s obituary in the Manistee Daily News on November 4, 1906, at the Manistee Public Library. The obituary states she died at the home of her daughter, Ottilie Fredrich Guhse. I haven't looked for her probate file.

3. Birth Date and Place: December 28, 1808, in Germany

Birth details can lead to earlier records such as birth certificates, church records, or census entries, helping track an ancestor’s early life.

I have found Susanna’s baptismal record, census records, and immigration papers. Her baptismal record states:

"Entry of birth of Susanna Koenig, birth and baptism on January 4, 1810, in the afternoon at half past two, in Wolfhals. The inhabitant Friedrich Koenig and his wife, Catharine (born Burger), had a daughter who was baptized Susanna."

This suggests a discrepancy between her reported birth year and the actual record.

4. Parents’ Names and Birthplaces: King (Koenig) and Unknown in Germany

Parents' names are crucial for identifying previous generations. Be sure to check maiden names, as they can open doors to new family branches.

The death certificate lists her father as "King" from Germany and her mother as "Unknown." Her baptismal record provides both parents’ names: Friedrich Koenig and Catharine (born Burger).

5. Spouse’s Name: Not Stated

A spouse’s name can confirm marriage records, track family movements, and lead to additional documents like census records and wills.

The certificate states that Susanna was widowed, but it does not list her husband's name. Further research shows that Susanna Koenig married Christoph Fredrich.

6. Cause of Death: Senile Debility

While cause of death is primarily a medical detail, it can hint at hereditary health conditions and lead to medical records for further insight.

Susanna’s cause of death was listed as senile debility, not surprising at the age of 96. Imagine the life she witnessed: born in 1810, she lived through nearly a century of changes before passing in 1906.

7. Informant’s Name and Relationship: August Guhse

The informant is often a close relative, which helps verify family connections and can lead to further research into their lineage.

Susanna’s informant was August Guhse, her son-in-law, who was married to her daughter Ottilie Fredrich Guhse.

8. Place of Burial: Oak Grove Cemetery, Manistee

Cemetery records provide additional clues. Visiting the grave or checking burial records may reveal other family members buried nearby.

Oak Grove Cemetery in Manistee, Michigan, does not have a record of her interment. Find a Grave does not list a Susanna Fredrich or Koenig or King buried in Manistee County. Despite this, her obituary confirms that she was buried in Oak Grove.

Obituary (Manistee Daily News, November 4, 1906):

"Mrs. Susanna Fredrich, a widow, died today at the home of her daughter, Mrs. August Guhse, 187 Lincoln Street, at the age of 97 years and 10 months. She leaves other daughters, Mrs. Engelhuber, Mrs. John Zobel, and Mrs. Radtke, and one son. The funeral will be held at the Guhse home Wednesday at 2 p.m., with burial at Oak Grove."

Further research into her burial location could involve checking funeral home records or a burial permit.

9. Occupation: None

An ancestor’s occupation can lead to employment records, union records, or historical context about their trade.

I have never found a record indicating that Susanna worked outside the home.

10. Address at Time of Death: Not Stated

Knowing where an ancestor lived can direct research to local archives, newspapers, and city directories for further insights into their daily life.

Although the death certificate does not specify where Susanna lived at the time of her death, one can infer she was living at 187 Lincoln Street with her daughter, Ottilie Guhse.

The 1900 U.S. Census lists her living with the Guhse family at 185 Lincoln Street, Manistee. Checking Manistee City Directories from 1900-1906 could clarify whether the two addresses were the same or if one record contained an error. A quick Zillow search shows that 187 Lincoln was built in 1900, meaning both addresses could be correct.

Final Thoughts

Susanna Fredrich’s death certificate provided numerous clues about her life. While some details raised new questions, such as her burial location, it confirmed important connections and led to further research opportunities. Death certificates are powerful tools in genealogy, when cross-referenced with other records, they can eliminate doubt in your research. 


24 March 2025

Military History of the Upper Great Lakes


The Upper Great Lakes has a rich military history and one of the most comprehensive resources on the topic is 
Military History of the Upper Great Lakes (MHUGL) website. Professor Steven Walton of Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan developed the website as a class project for his Military History of United States students.

The website states that it explores the "places, people, and objects that together tell the story of military activity in the Upper Great Lakes from first contact to now." One of its features is The Big Board, an interactive map that resembles History Pin. This map displays military sites across the Upper Great Lakes with color coded pins, covering aircraft, artillery, battles, installations, monuments, naval activity, and notable people. With over 450 pins, the map is densely populated, and one needs to zoom in to see them. Clicking on a category or a specific pin leads to detailed articles about each topic.

I could spend hours learning more about Michigan's military history. Of course, I had to click on the pin for Fort Custer! Clicking on the pin gives you a pop up of what articles can be found on the website. 

If you prefer to search by topic, the website provides articles organized by subject. These include major conflicts such as the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and Vietnam, as well as thematic categories like aircraft, artillery, battles, installations, monuments, naval history, and key historical figures.

    There are pages and pages of articles capturing the Upper Great Lakes military history. MHUGL provides a valuable tool for both casual history enthusiasts and serious researchers. Whether you are exploring broad topics or diving deep into specific events, like Fort Custer’s history, the website is informational. For anyone interested in the military past of the Upper Great Lakes, this site is a must-visit.



    21 March 2025

    44 Years of Love, Life, and Music

     44 Years of Love, Life, and Music

    Today marks 44 years since we said, "I do." It's hard to believe how fast time has flown. We've been through so much together—laughter, tears, adventures, and everyday moments that somehow became the best memories.

    One thing that has always been a constant in our lives is music. No matter where we were or what we were going through, there was always a song playing in the background, marking a moment in time. So, as we celebrate this milestone, I thought it’d be fun to take a trip down memory lane with some of the songs that were popular back when we were dating and newlyweds. These songs take me right back to those early days and remind me just how lucky I am to have spent all these years with you.

    🎶 "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" – Queen 

    Love is wild, unpredictable, and sometimes downright crazy—but in the best way. This song always makes me smile because, in many ways, that’s exactly what those first few years of marriage felt like—exciting, fun, and full of adventure.

    🎶 "It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me" – Billy Joel 

    Trends come and go, but some things never change. That’s how I feel about us. No matter how much the world has shifted around us, we’ve always stayed true to who we are. Like Billy Joel says, "It’s always been the same old scene"—and that’s just fine by me.

    🎶 "Working My Way Back to You" – The Spinners

    Marriage isn’t perfect. We’ve had our ups and downs, busy seasons, and times when we our marriage took a back seat to kids activities. But no matter what, we always found our way back to each other.

    🎶 "Lost in Love" – Air Supply 

    This one takes me right back to the early days—when we were young (at least I was-LOL), in love, and just figuring out life together. Sometimes, love can feel overwhelming, it's a feeling like no other. I think that’s what makes it so special.

    🎶 "With You I’m Born Again" – Billy Preston & Syreeta 

    Through the years, we’ve grown and changed, but every new chapter in our life together has felt like a fresh start. That’s the beautiful thing about love—it doesn’t stay the same, it deepens, evolves, and gives us new beginnings over and over again.

    🎶 "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" – Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer 

    Let’s be real—sometimes marriage means standing your ground and speaking your mind! We’ve had our fair share of moments, but in the end, love always wins. And sometimes, all it takes is a good disco anthem to remind us that we can get through anything together.

    🎶 "Fame" – Irene Cara 

    Life is an adventure, and I love that we’ve always encouraged each other to chase our dreams. Whether it was big career moves, personal goals, or just trying something new, we’ve been each other’s biggest cheerleaders.

    🎶 "Hurt So Bad" – Linda Ronstadt

    Love isn’t just about the happy moments—it’s about sticking together through the hard ones, too. There have been times when we’ve had to be strong for each other, when life didn’t go the way we planned. But through it all, we’ve never let go of each other.

    🎶 "Lady" – Kenny Rogers 

    This song says it all. No matter how many years go by, you are still the love of my life, my best friend, and my home.

    🎶 "Hungry Heart" – Bruce Springsteen 

    Marriage is a journey, and looking back, I love all the twists and turns we’ve taken. We’ve built a life together that’s been full of adventure, and I wouldn’t change a single thing.

    44 Years and Counting

    It’s amazing how a song can bring back a feeling, a moment, or a memory. These songs remind me of our journey—how we started, how we grew, and how we’ve held onto each other through everything.

    Kirk and I were getting together at the end of the disco movement and while that movement was fun at the end of my college career my music choices became more nuanced. Kirk was more of a Linda Ronstadt fan and I was more of a Queen fan. I guess the saying "opposites attract" is true. 

    44 years later, and I still wouldn’t trade this crazy little thing called love for anything.

    What songs bring back special memories for you? Let me know—I’d love to hear them!

    AI Disclosure 

    I got ideas for this blog post using ChatGPT. I selected the song titles  and AI wrote the descriptions underneath each song title. I proofread and edited it and wrote the ending . The music notes are from AI.

    19 March 2025

    The Gift of an Autobiography: My Dad's Journey through College

    L-R: Bruce Glover, David Watt, his grandfather, 
    Frank H. "Hank" Glover, his brother
    From the personal collection of Brenda Leyndyke


    My dad's autobiography has taken us from his childhood to high school and World War II. Now, we’ve reached the section where he attended college on the GI Bill. Once again, sports played a major role in his life—no surprise, as he later became a coach.

    Sports have always been a strong thread in our family. My son, Travis, was also a sports guy. Whenever the family gathered for meals, he and my dad would sit next to each other, deep in conversation about sports. While Travis didn’t follow in my dad’s footsteps as a coach, he earned a degree in Sports Administration and now works in the industry with the Houston Dynamo soccer team.

    I also graduated from Western Michigan University, but my decision to attend had nothing to do with my dad being an alumnus. To be honest, I chose Western because it allowed me to step away from my responsibilities at home and gain independence.

    Today, my husband and I live in Kalamazoo, and I’ve enjoyed learning more about my dad's time here. I chuckled when I read his description of Milham Golf Course as being "in the middle of nowhere, out in the country." That’s certainly no longer the case, which is a testament to how much Kalamazoo has grown over the years.

    Western Michigan University—known as Western State Normal School when my dad attended—has changed a lot since I graduated. However, many of the places he mentioned are still here, including Oakland Gym, Vandercook Hall, Walwood Hall, and Waldo Stadium. Today, this area is known as East Campus. West Campus, where I took most of my classes, has since become the larger part of WMU. The fieldhouse, named after Coach Buck Reed, is now known as Reed Fieldhouse. 

    I hope you enjoy reminiscing with my dad and I about our time at Western Michigan University. Go Broncos!

    THE COLLEGE YEARS 1946-1950

         That summer before entering Western Michigan on the GI Bill I enjoyed a couple of months of complete freedom.  Gord McIlvride and I played a lot of golf together and surprise of surprise we jointly took dance lessons at Arthur Murray studios in Detroit.  After each dance session we would go over to Don McIlvride’s house and practice our dance steps with Don’s mother “Birdie.”  I think she enjoyed it as much or more than we did.  Neither Gord nor I had a girlfriend and thus if it hadn’t been for “Birdie” that summer we never would have been able to practice the dance steps we were trying to learn.

        


         In the fall of 1946, I set out for Kalamazoo and 4 years of Higher Education.  I had made up my mind I wanted to get a major in Physical Education and become a Coach.  My folks would take me to enroll and occasionally pick me up when semester breaks, etc. came along but for the most part I would get a ride with other students who lived nearby or hitch hike back and forth.  In those days, a good number of college students especially used this method to get to and from college.  Today it is unthinkable to hitch a ride and unsafe to pick up a hitch hiker. In those days we followed highway 12 to Kalamazoo as Interstate 94 was not yet built.  One of the highlights when Mom and Dad drove to get me was to stop at Schuler’s Restaurant in Marshall to enjoy a sumptuous meal.  It was and still is considered one of the top restaurants in Michigan.

         My freshman year was pretty much without highlights.  I remember doing very well scholastically especially pulling a B plus-A minus in Rhetoric (freshman English) which was a complete surprise to me as English was not a strong point for me in high school.  To recount my college years in any organized sequence is almost impossible for me to recall having occurred over 50 years ago so with the reader’s indulgence I will present memories of my college years in no order as I best remember them.

    Athletics

         My first year I thought I’d give baseball a try as a call for candidates was issued and over 100 students turned out in a dingy, musty, dirt floor room in the basement of the old gym on Oakland Drive, on a cold January day.  The first day we played catch back and forth and that was pretty much it.  The second day we got to field 3 ground balls and fire them back to the catcher standing next to the instructor hitting the grounders.  That was it and they invited 5 or 6 guys for further tryouts and the rest of us were free to give it another shot when they started outdoors.  I could see the handwriting on the wall and that ended my baseball career.  Western had a fantastic baseball team in those years and regularly played top teams in the Midwest including Michigan, Michigan State, and Notre Dame.   One of their outstanding players was 2nd baseman Wayne Terrwilliger who later played some ball for the Minnesota Twins and became a Manager and coach serving several Major League teams in a career that spanned over 50 years.

         I tried out for the golf team as a freshman but was unsuccessful in this also.  I played intramural golf for a couple of years on the old Gateway College 9-hole course until it was abandoned to make room for the new campus being built to the West of the present one.  I played a lot at Milham Golf Course which was out in the middle of nowhere in the country.  One year I missed the championship flight of the City tournament by 2 strokes and was ousted 2 and 1 in the first flight semi-finals after winning my first two matches.

         During the winter season I participated in intramural bowling one year, but my biggest enjoyment came in attending the basketball games in the old Oakland Gym.  Buck Reed, one of my favorite teachers and coaches of all time, was the basketball coach and the Broncos played some of the top college teams in the country every year and appeared every year in a game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Teams that appeared regularly on the schedule were Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Loyola of Chicago, Bradley, and Michigan.  Some of the top individuals I saw included Pete Elliott and Mack Supranovich, of Michigan, one of the first 7-foot big man of his day from Bowling Green, and Arnie Ferrin, an All American from Utah, who appeared in Kalamazoo the year after they won the National Championship.

        The one game that stands out to me in my 4 years in Kalamazoo was an early January game when Michigan, with one of their best teams in years, visited Western.  Harold Gensichen was a 5-10 guard from Indiana in his senior year for Western who scored 30 points against the Wolverines in a 2-point win for the Broncos.  Gensichen went on to play professional ball for a couple of years but contracted a fatal disease and died early in life.  He is a member of the Western Hall of Fame and I think was the greatest player inch for inch I have ever personally seen.  I attended many practices to bone up on my coaching skills, but also to marvel at Gensichen’s fantastic skills.

        Buck Reed was not only a great coach but a tremendous teacher. He had a master’s degree in English from Columbia University in New York and served a term as President of the College Basketball Coaches Association.  I especially enjoyed when he was invited to our education classes and expounded on his theory that students should be treated with “An Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove.” This was in an era when progressive education was the vogue in which everything was student centered and in essence the student could do no wrong.  Good old “Buck” drove the education experts crazy with his iron fist theory and had the know how to back his argument up in convincing fashion.

         The last couple of years I bowled with a town team on Friday nights in Galesburg. Bill Kampen, who worked in an office in Kalamazoo, and I met somewhere along the way and he introduced me to the other guys on the bowling team.  Bill and I also formed the battery on a predominately Greek softball team in the summer.  I pitched; Bill caught.  Bill and I also attended several of the Sutherland Paper Company’s Amateur baseball team games that represented Kalamazoo in the National Tournament held in Battle Creek in those days.  Sutherland won the tourney one year and always was in contention.  They had some college stars as well as former minor league players on their team.  After the softball games several of the players would gather at the Victory Grill in downtown Kalamazoo to drink beer, down some food, and play table shuffleboard which was the rage in those days.  The owner of the Victory Grill was a roly, poly Greek named George who was a spitting image of Lou Costello of Costello and Abbott fame. Other good friends we met because of our softball caper were Gus and Midge Chumas.  Gus was owner of his own business, Chumas Electric, and the couple had a son Paul then a 14–15-year-old first baseman.  Paul whom I hadn’t seen in 45-50 years is a member of our present (2007) church, St Michael’s in Portage.

         Another spring activity that was school related was working at some of the track meets Western hosted as part of our Track Theory course I was taking.  The one competitor I remember most was Hayes Jones of Eastern Michigan who later became an Olympic Hurdles Champion.  Also, I never missed a home football game.  Western struggled in football during my four years there.  They had perhaps their best team one year when they traveled to Illinois, the 2nd or 3rd game of the season, and were annihilated 69-13 and lost their best player Chuck Schoolmaster, a 255# linebacker, for the season with a broken leg and the team went downhill the rest of the season. I never could figure why Western insisted on playing out of their class then as now, but “Money Talks” and smaller schools can make enough money in one trip to a major school than they might make in 2-3 home games.  One of the stars on the football team in those days was Allen Bush who later became Director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association which overlooks the athletic program for the 700 plus high schools and junior high schools in Michigan.  Another classmate of mine was Verne Norris who replaced Al Bush when he retired.


    Housing and Social Life

         The first two years I roomed in a home, off campus, across the tracks near Kalamazoo College.  My roommate was a tall stricken from Cadillac MI named Arden Tiley.  Although he was almost an exact opposite of me especially where sports were concerned, we got along very well usually always eating together, going to movies, and the like.  Speaking of eating, our favorite place was Schensul’s Cafeteria. For lunch we could get a good meal for 35cents believe it or not.  In the evening we would frequently go to the Rex Café located next to the State Theater.  This was another Greek Restaurant that served excellent meals at a very economical cost.  On weekends we would scour the local paper for Church dinners of which there were many.  We especially liked Lutheran Church dinners which featured the best of German food.  The third year I roomed in temporary barracks west of town on the new campus being built. I remember one week we were quarantined because an outbreak of a communicable disease, which I’m not sure was Scarlett Fever, Chicken Pox, something like that.  My senior year I moved into Vandercook Hall, the principal boy’s dorm on campus, where several of my friends resided.  Don McIlvride my old high school friend, Ora Weeks, Carl Ruff, Jim Egner, and Roger Semrau to name a few.

         I dated a couple of gals from the girl’s dorm, Walwood Hall, down the street from Vandercook, but nothing serious as I kept busy with the above activities when I didn’t have to study.  As far as studies, I had a great deal of trouble with science classes such as Kinesiology, Biology, Anatomy, etc. which were necessary for a Physical Education Degree. I breezed through the Social Science classes and the Physical Education classes with A’s and B’s.  My average in the science course was C or worse.  I ended up with a PE Major, a Social Science Minor, a Biology minor, and a BA degree.  The only science classes I taught were Jr. Hi health classes.  No way was I qualified to teach any other sciences.

           My junior year when I was bowling with Bill Kampen and the town team, they scheduled a match with a woman’s team that some of the guys were acquaintances with.  I don’t remember the outcome of the match, but I struck up a friendship with one of the women, Stella Manski, a good ole polish gal, who was not only a good bowler, but a good golfer who later after I graduated became a legend in Kalamazoo Women’s golf and was several times City Women’s champion not to mention an attractive lady.  I dated her quite steadily through the remaining year and a half I was in Kalamazoo. I still didn’t drive, and she had a Plymouth convertible and would pick me up at Vandercook and take off.  Our dates were mostly on Saturday nights and a favorite place of ours was the Gull Lake Casino where we would eat and then dance to a live orchestra.  This was really the first time I was able to put my dance lessons to use.  I never did learn to do the jitterbug dances but was decent on a fox trot and waltz.  Stella taught me to do the polka and it remained a favorite dance of mine through the years.  After graduating I returned to see her once, but we never got together again and although she is still living and resides west of Portage on a lake, I’ve never run into her in the 16 years I’ve retired and moved to the area.  We parted on amicable terms (I think?) and it was more of a friendly relationship and never a romantic one at least on my part.

         One event which took place each winter and I almost forgot about was an Annual Milk Fund basketball game involving the Harlem Globetrotters and a local All Star college team from Western, K College, Hope, Calvin, Michigan State, and a few other area colleges.  When Harold Gensichen played the All Stars defeated the Globe Trotters.  Gensichen poured in 30 points and the Globetrotters were forced to play a serious game which limited their antics considerably.


    Graduation 

         Well, the Day of Graduation arrived one June Saturday in 1950, which I almost missed.  The ceremonies were held in Waldo Stadium next to Vandercook Hall and I guess I celebrated too much the night before and the Band marching into the stadium woke me up.  I don’t recall that I even bothered to shave as I scurried around to dress and take my place in the graduate’s line.  I made it and received my diploma and as I recall stopped at Schuler’s in Marshall on the way home for a post graduate feast.


    Summertime 1950

         The summer following graduation I decided to go to summer school and work on my graduate hours as I needed ten hours in the first five years to retain my teaching degree.  Also, I didn’t have a job and figured I’d have a better chance at a job by staying in school and checking the placement bulletins in the placement office.  As it turned out I was taking a course with Bob Dunnavan, Superintendent at Brethren, MI, a tiny town located between Manistee and Cadillac and 45 miles south of Traverse City. I found out he was looking for a social studies teacher and assistant coach in Basketball and Varsity Baseball coach and gladly accepted the job when offered to me at a salary of $2700.  So, on a Sunday in late August I set out for Kalamazoo to meet another first-year teacher, Sherwood Suter, who was an Art Teacher.  Still not owning a car, I was dependent on my brother, Hank, to get me to Kalamazoo and Sherwood to get me to Brethren.


    First Job

         When we arrived in Brethren it had a couple grocery stores, a gas station, a post office, a couple of bait shops, a high school, and an elementary school.  We met our third roommate, a first-year science teacher, Bill Makosky, from Walled Lake area of Michigan, and rented a house next to the post office owned by long time Brethren Junior High Teacher Gladys Flaherty.  On Wednesday morning around 8 AM I was shaving in preparation for the first day of teacher meetings when Supt. Dunnavan knocked on the door and informed me he had some bad news.  My Dad died last night, and I was to meet my mother in Marquette.  What a shock.  I had no idea he was anywhere near death, although he had been forced to leave his job and was ailing at home the past couple of months. When I said goodbye to him the previous Sunday it was like any other time that I left home to tromp off somewhere.  Mrs. Dunnavan drove me to the bus station in Manistee where I hopped a Greyhound for Marquette.  This was not the way you want to start a teaching career, but life goes on.

    16 March 2025

    Obituary of Walter Frederick "Freddie" Brown Jr.

     

    My cousin, known to me as Freddie, passed away on October 25, 2020. He was the son of my mother's sister, Lola Fredricks Brown. I had seen Freddie just a few months earlier at another cousin's funeral. The older generation is almost gone and now my generation is passing. I remember Freddie as a very intelligent man. I believe he lived a good life.   


    Obituary-Walter Frederick “Freddie” Brown Jr., of Onekama, passed away at home on Sunday, October 25, 2020, at the age of 71.  He was born in Manistee on August 6, 1949, to the late Walter F. and Lola M. (Fredricks) Brown Sr.

    He was a graduate of Manistee High School, class of 1967.  He was a US Naval Reserve veteran, a graduate of Great Lakes Naval Academy.  He worked several years at Jebavy-Sorenson Orchards, Shell Oil, and retired from Mark West Oil.  As a no fuss, no muss guy, he was an avid reader and loved to watch classic TV and Westerns.

    He is survived by: his loving wife, Janet; step-children, Heidi (Mark) Ingalls, Shanda Sedelmaier, and Sean (Tricia) Springborn; step-grandson, Michael (Megan) Socher; step-grandchildren, Jocelyn and Austin Teter; sisters, Bertha Asiala of Brethren and Faith Brown of Manistee; brother, John (Sue Flater) Brown Sr. of Manistee; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and an uncle.

    He was preceded in death by: his parents, Walter and Lola Brown; his paternal grandparents, Edward and Bertha (Tritten) Brown; his maternal grandparents, Otto and Daisy (Graf) Fredricks; several aunts, uncles, and cousins; and his brother-in-law, Philip Asiala.

    Per Walter’s wishes, cremation has taken place, and no funeral services will be held.

    The Terwilliger Funeral Home, in Kaleva, is in charge of arrangements. 

    Source: "Obituaries," online obituary, , Terwilliger Funeral Home (http://www.terwilligerfuneralhome.com/ : accessed 20 February 2025), citing the death of Walter Frederick "Freddie" Brown, Jr.

    Photograph source from the personal collection of Brenda Leyndyke.


    14 March 2025

    Jack Tyson, Field Artillery Paratrooper Called Home

    Source: Field Artillery Paratrooper, Battle Creek Enquirer and News, Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States, 28 March 1944, accessed online at Willard Library, Battle Creek, Michigan.


     Transcription: 

    News of Our Men In the Services

    The Enquirer and News will be glad to receive news from and about men in service from this territory.

    Field Artillery Paratrooper

    Pfc. Jack Tyson, a field artillery paratrooper, was called home from Camp Polk, La., because of the serious illness of his father, Victor Tyson. A telegraphic order to return awaited him when he arrived. He stayed overnight and flew back to his base. His wife, Rosaleen, lives with his parents at 1833 West Goguac. Private Tyson was captain of the Lakeview football team in his senior year, graduating in 1942. He was inducted in February, 1943, while in the employ of United Steel & Wire Co. His brother, James, a signal mate, third class, in the navy somewhere in the South Pacific, has just been advanced to his present rating from seaman, first class. He left Lakeview high school to enlist in September, 1942, and he has been across 13 months.

    One of the advantages I had when I was living in Battle Creek and having a Willard Library card was access to historic newspaper articles like the one above.

    Battle Creek Enquirer and News had a regular "News of our Men in the Service" section. This edition had a paragraph on my first cousin once removed, Jack Tyson. He was the son of Victor and Adeline (Glover) Tyson.

    Jack was called home due to a serious illness of his father, Victor. Victor Tyson died in August 1944 from pneumonia, heart disease, and hypertension.

    I did transcribe the rest of the article and it is below for your information.

    Honor Graduate

    Pfc. Orvis L. Berry was graduated recently from the headquarters technical school of the Army Air Forces training command at Truax Field, Madison, Wis. He was one of the honor graduates of his class. Private Berry is being assigned duties in connection with radio activities of one of the air forces units. His wife, LaVon, lives at 12 Edgemont. He is the son of Burr M. Berry, of 93 Garrison avenue.

    On Rescue Ship

    Theodore F. Skowron, electrician’s mate, third class... (text cut off in the image).

    Commissioned in OCS

    William H. Long, son of Mrs. Mildred H. Long, teacher in the Northwestern school, has completed officer candidate training at the coast artillery school at Fort Monroe, Va., and was commissioned a second lieutenant on March 17. His wife pinned his bars on him during the ceremonies. He is visiting here with his wife, the former Miss Helen Cawood, at the home of her parents, 44 Dunning avenue, where she has been residing since he entered the school.

    Lieutenant Long has been in the army since June, 1941, and has spent 17 months in Chile on coastal defense and in instructing Chilean soldiers in gunnery. He has successively been to Camp Callan, Cal., Fort Cronkhite, Cal., Chile, Camp McQuaide, Watsonville, Cal., and Fort Monroe. He married Miss Cawood last July in Battle Creek while on furlough here. Long worked in the sales department of the Battle Creek Prod Co. in civilian life.

    A sister of Mrs. Long, the former Miss Margaret Cawood, is also visiting with them on leave with her husband, Lieut. John F. Doyle, from Camp Shelby, Miss., where he is stationed in the infantry. Lieutenant Doyle was stationed at Fort Custer, went to Iceland, and returned in January, 1943, for inf... (text cut off in the image).