Vintage Photograph: Dewitt Alford

 

Vintage photographs are like little windows looking back in time.

A Window into the Past

Dewitt William Alford

29 Oct 1874 LA - 24 May 1942 LA

Son of Seaborn S. Alford MD & Anice Ball

Husband of Ina Lucille Brown

Father of 7 children

My 1st cousin, 3x removed

A few other Vintage Photographs:

• Alberta Joy Gardner Brown
• Elma Patrick
• Helen Coyle Gardner
• The Mark Family, 1930 OH
• Seth Benner Morrison
• 5 Morrison Sisters
• Emily Benner Morrison
• Bruce Alford
• Martin & Dollie Brumfield
• Cecil C. Fortenberry 
• Borden Hamilton Brown

August Birthdays, August 1 - 15

 Is your birthday coming soon? Happy Birthday!

Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family who came before. Look below and see. I posted this series back in 2011. This version has been updated with more information. I hope you find it as much fun as I do.

Even if it is not your birthday, look at the highlighted SURNAMES. Maybe you will see a name from your family & learn a little more about them.

Click on the links to learn more about the people & places.

1 August    

1920     Roy Elmer MAURER was born in Ohio, son of Elmer Maurer & Pauline Morrison. He married Betty Mae Stimson. Roy died in Ohio in 1997.

2 August    

1830    Jeptha Josephus ALFORD, MD was born in MS, son of Edwin Barksdale Alford & Martha P. Smith. He married Fanny Roberts. He is buried in  the Silver Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.

1832    Saloma Anna RITTER, daughter of Daniel Ritter & Lydia Knauss

1878    Henry Chesterfield ARNOLD

3 August    

1823    William Henry Harrison ALFORD, son of Edwin Barksdale Alford & Martha P. Smith, husband of Mary Martha McDaniels

1919    Thomas James COYLE was born in Connecticut, son of James Joseph Coyle & Madeline Herbst. In 1944 he married Roseanne S. Vozella. They had five children. 

1935    James RODGERS

4 August    

1758    Johan Daniel RITTER, son of Caspar Ritter

1859    Luke T. FORTENBERRY, son of Burrell Taylor Fortenberry & Eliza Jane Ellzey

1867    Mary Josephine MULLANE was born in Clonmel, Tipperary, Ireland, daughter of Daniel Mullane & Brigid English. She was my great grandmother. She married Michael Coyle in NYC in 1895. She had seven children. Mary Jo died in 1927. 

5 August    

1868    Alvira E. BROWN, daughter of Allen Moses Brown & Emmaline Melica Smith

1892    Bertha FORTENBERRY was the daughter of Howell Fortenberry & Mary Ann Alford. She married Grady Henry Ellzey. Children: Wesley, Odean, Carell & Ellen. 

6 August    

1836    Jonas WOLF, son of Andrew Wolf & Catherine Dick

7 August    

1855    Charlotte Angelina BRUMFIELD, daughter of Elijah Brumfield & Charlotte Temple Ott, wife of Eli W. Brock

1921    Olgee Sheline BRUMFIELD was the daughter of John Edward Brumfield & Ada Beatrice Fortenberry.

8 August    

1771    Johannes RITTER Jr., son of Johannes Ritter Sr. & Maria Elisabeth Keck

1846    Martha Elizabeth ALFORD was born in MS, daughter of Edwin Barksdale Alford & Martha P. Smith. She married Jessie A. Brumfield. They had eight children. She was my 2nd great grandmother.

1865    Rosa HAHN

1875    Charles A. WOLF, son of Peter Alfred Wolf & Mary Elizabeth Adams

1875    Sarah Emma WOLF, daughter of John W. S. Wolf & Elizabeth Jane Anderson

1881    Mona D. MORRISON, daughter of Seth Benner Morrison & Margaret Jane Gruissy, wife of Roy Hurd

1888    Thomas Clarence WILSON

9 August    

1906    Boyce Boo MORRIS was the son of George A. Morris & Mary Louise Fortenberry. He married Carrie Lee. They had four children. Boyce died in 1995.

10 August    

1840    Thomas Jefferson MARK died in the Civil War. He was born in Ohio, the oldest son of Abraham Mark & Mary Isabella Heffelfinger. Thomas was in the 118th Regiment, Company E of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He died 16 January 1863 in Kentucky. 

1871    Martha Ann NEE

1911    Onice Odwell CUTRER

11 August     

1860    Webster FORTENBERRY, son of William John Fortenberry & Elizabeth Martha Ann Cutrer, husband of Nannie Ellzey

1917    Odean ELLZEY was the daughter of Grady Henry Ellzey & Bertha Fortenberry. She married James Lemar Simmons.

12 August    

1848    Marion MARK served in the Civil War. He was born in Ohio, son of Abraham Mark & Mary Isabella Heffelfinger. He married Jennie.

1857    Canolia A. SIMMONS

1875    Barney Pipkin ALFORD, son of Needham Edwin Alford & Mary L. Stafford

13 August    

1861    Mary E. BROWN, daughter of Allen Moses Brown & Emmaline Melica Smith

1876    Lulu BLADES

1918    Hanzel Eileen MESSMORE was the daughter of William Henry Messmore & Susan Isabel Ritter.

14 August    

1738    Appollonia DICK was born at sea, from Germany to America, daughter of Johan Adam Dick & Anna Ottilla Knack. She married Johann Jonas Dick. They had ten children all born in Pennsylvania. She was my 5th great grandmother.

1802    Louisa WOLF

1823    George WOLF, son of Andrew Wolf

1834    John KRICK

15 August   

1761    Jacob ALFORD, son of Julius Alford & Lucy Newton; my 4x great grandfather

1834    Seaborn S. ALFORD MD was born in MS, son of Edwin Barksdale Alford & Martha P. Smith. He married Anice Ball. Seaborn died in 1906.

1868    Julius Wesley ALFORD

To learn more about my family's branches

order & read the Books I have Written.

Our Browns Roots

&

Remembrances

Wedding: Ritter & Eberwine, 1895 PA

 

Irene M. Ritter

Daughter of Samuel Ritter & Hannah E. Koch

My 4^th Cousin, 3x removed

&

Charles William Eberwine

A Minister Weds 

A pretty wedding took place near Iron Bridge on Tuesday afternoon, when Miss Irene M., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Ritter, was married to Rev. Charles William Eberwine, a Lutheran pastor of Port Carbon, Schuylkill county. The ceremony was performed by Rev. J. D. Schindel, of this city. The wedding march was played by Miss Emma Bower, of Catasauqua. The bridal couple was preceded by Miss Minia Titter, sister of the bride, as flower girl. After the wedding dinner Rev. and Mrs. Everwine left for Port Carbon.

The following guests were present: 

F.W. Koch and wife and daughter Anna,

H. B. Koch and wife,

O. H. Laub and wife,

George Leh and wife,

Mrs. Emma Williams,

B. F. Kuhns and wife,

J. J. Hausser and wife,

John Ritter and wife, [probably the bride's brother]

Mrs. Daniel Kershner,

The Misses Mohr,

Mrs. Martin Ritter, Allentown;

Ferdinand Eberhard and wife,

William J. Evans and wife,

Irwin Bieber and wife,

William Evans, Jr.,

Miss Emma Rower,

The Misses Troxell, of Catasauqua;

Alexander Guth, wife and daughter, of Guth’s Station;

William Eberwine and wife, of Mechanicsville;

Robert Eberwine and wife, of Mickey’s;

Willoughby Guth and wife, of Litzenberg;

Milton Hoffman and wife, of Siegersville;

Robert Ritter and wife, of South Whitehall;

Jacob Geiss, wife and daughters of Iron Bridge.

Do you know this family or any of the guests?

 

Source:

Newspapers.com

The Morning Call, Allentown, PA

28 November 1895, page 1

Related Posts:

• Wedding: Brumfield & McSpadden, 1957 GA
• Wedding: Brumfield & Rodgers, 26 Dec. 1937, MS
• Wedding: Fortenberry & Ellzey, 2 Sept. 1932 MS
• Marriage: John Wolf, 1833 PA
• Wedding: Fortenberry & Edwards, 1946 MS
• Wedding: Mark & Moyer, 1950 OH

 

 

Vintage Photograph: John Wolf, PA

 This photographs shared with several years ago. I do not know the date but it must have been taken before 1891. 

Vintage photographs are like little windows looking back in time.

A Window into the Past

John Jonas Wolf

29 Jun 1811, Adams PA - 16 Feb 1895 York Springs, Adams, PA

Son of John Frederick Wolf & Esther Barbara Shaffer

He was my 4x great uncle. 

His wife

Sarah Ann Chronister

14 Apr 1824 - 1891

A few other Vintage Photographs:

• Alberta Joy Gardner Brown
• Elma Patrick
• Helen Coyle Gardner
• The Mark Family, 1930 OH
• Everett Earl Brown
• Martin & Dollie Brumfield

July Family Birthdays, July 16 - 31

 Is your birthday coming soon? Happy Birthday!

Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family who came before. Look below and see. I posted this series back in 2011. This version has been updated with more information. I hope you find it as much fun as I do.

Even if it is not your birthday, look at the highlighted SURNAMES. Maybe you will see a name from your family & learn a little more about them.

Click on the links to learn more about the people & places.

16 July        

1805    Gasua Chapman FORTENBERRY was born in South Carolina, son of William Jasper Fortenberry & Violette Kennington. He married Sarah Brown. He was a farmer.  They had nine children. Gasua died in 1884 in MS.

17 July        

1893    Frederick Isaac RITTER was born in Ohio, the son of Anthony Casper Ritter & Emma Alice Mowrer. He married Ella Mae Sprankle. Their children: Kathryn & Dean Ritter.  Frederick Isaac Ritter served in World War I.

18 July        

1867    Rose Ella BRUMFIELD lived in MS, daughter of Jessie Alexander Brumfield & Martha Elizabeth Alford. She married Jasper Pascal Brown in 1887. They had nine children. Rose was my great grandmother.

1925    John SNYDER

19 July        

1879    Thomas Kenneth MARK lived his life in Ohio. He was the son of William Mark & Elidia Rebecca Ritter. He was a farmer & a carpenter. He married N. Regina Gruissy in 1903. They had seven children, all born in Ohio. He lived to be 95 years of age. He was my great grandfather. 

1916    Gladys May MOORE

20 July        

1746    Anna M. GERMANTOWN

1852    William Franklin ELLZEY was born in MS, son of John Shaffer Ellzey & Saryntha Smith. He married Mary Elizabeth Gatlin. They had eight children. He was a farmer on a general farm.

21 July         

1815    Martin B. RITTER

1845    Frederick Jacob WOLF, son of John Jonas Wolf & Sarah Ann Chronister

 1882    Nathaniel GARDNER was my maternal grandfather. He was born in New York City, son of Leopold & Florence Gartner. He worked for the Western Union Telegraph Company for over 50 years, beginning as a messenger boy and becoming a branch manager. On 9 May 1921 he married Helen Francis Coyle. They had one daughter, Alberta Joy (Gardner) Brown.

22 July        

1914    Marian Louise MOORE

24 July        

1747    Casper RITTER

1866    Martha A. ALFORD married William J. Smith, son of William J. M. Smith & Rachel Ellzey. She had seven children. She died in 1926.

1914    Marian Louise MOORE

25 July        

1929    Everett Leroy WILSON was the son of Thomas Clarence Wilson & Euna Clarabelle Fortenberry. He was my 4th cousin, 1x removed.

26 July        

1806    Edward S BROWN, son of Moses Brown & Sarah Robertson, husband of Mary Polly Spurlock. He was my 3x great grandfather.

1808    Theobald RITTER

1867    Samuel J ELLZEY

 1878    Dixie Irene SMITH was the daughter of Adolphus Scott Smith & Julia Jane Simmons. Adolphus Smith was a dentist. She married Hugh Algernon Brown. 

1928    Mavis Addie DYKES

27 July        

1766    Nathaniel RITTER

1780    Johann Philip RITTER

1851    John H. WOLF

1855    Robert R. RITTER

1905    Vera Victoria MARK

1928    Delbert Keith BROWN was my father. He was born in Ohio, the oldest child of Roy Jessie Brown & Ivy Mark. On 8 August 1948 he married Alberta Joy Gardner. They lived in Germantown, NY. Delbert was a mechanic & trucker.

28 July        

1915    Clarence William WILSON was the son of Thomas Clarence Wilson & Euna Clarabelle Fortenberry.

29 July        

1842    John D. BRUMFIELD , born in Louisiana, son of Nathaniel Brumfield & Charlotte Temple Ott. He married Zadie Martin. Children: John D. T. & James H. John was a farmer in Washington Parish, Louisiana.  He died in 1903.

1912    Marshal HEIGLE

1922    Eugene C. PIGOTT

30 July        

1854    Elidia Rebecca RITTER, daughter of Isaac Ritter & Isabell Fisher, wife of William Mark. She was my 2x great grandmother. 

1872    Cora Bell MARK was born in Ohio, daughter of William Mark & Emma Abeline Flory. She married Edward Newell. Children: Edna and Maude. She died in 1905.

1889    James Ray MILLER

31 July        

1915    Ruth Geneva JOLLIFF was born in Ohio, daughter of Samuel Martin Jolliff & Margaret Maude Mark. She married Herbert Phillip Mullen, Sr. in 1936. Their son is Herbert Phillip Mullen, Jr. She was my 1st cousin, 2x removed. We corresponded at one time and she shared some genealogy information. She died in 1997.

To learn more about my family's branches

order & read the Books I have Written.

Our Browns Roots

&

Remembrances

'Our Brown Roots' on the Shelves!

My book, 'Our Brown Roots,' is now on the shelves in the 

Virginia Room of the Fairfax Regional Library, Virginia.  

Virginia Room 

City of Fairfax Regional Library

10360 North Street

Fairfax Virginia 22030

Shelley Cox, Administrative Assistant at the library kindly sent me photos of my book, after it was processed, in place at the library. 

I am excited to know my book can reach out to others who may be members of our family's branches or to others who may be researching their families.

I hope to visit the library during my next visit to Virginia, where our daughter's family lives. I hope to take my grandsons with me to see my book on the shelf!

You may purchase a copy through Troy Book Makers.

Related Posts:

• Never Underestimate a Library
• A Time to Write: Charts 
• A Time to Write: Edit, Edit, Edit
• A Time to Write: The Most Elusive People 
  
  

Revolutionary War Soldier, Johannes Ritter

Johannes Ritter, Sr.

17 Feb 1743 Milford, Bucks, PA - 27 Feb 1743 PA

Son of Heinrich Ritter & Maria Elizabeth Tutt

Husband of Maria Elisabeth Keck

My 5x great grandfather

Revolutionary War Soldier

 

There are many resources for discovering if your ancestor was a Revolutionary War soldier. For example:

Fold3

Daughters of the American Revolution

Sons of the American Revolution

 

Sometimes you can find information in an unexpected place. I was searching Newspapers.com for my Ritters in Pennsylvania. Using the surname, Pennsylvania and a wide range of dates & looked to see what I could uncover. 

Selinsgrove Times - Tribune, Selinsgrove, PA

29 August 1935, page 1

 I found my ancestor in a list of soldiers from the county who had served in the war.

I had already learned that Johannes was a soldier in the Revolutionary War but it is always nice to have another source to confirm my findings.

Read more about Johannes Ritter, Sr.

More Revolutionary War Soldiers in our family:

• Johann Jonas Wolf
• John Hollis
• William Hollis
• John Brumfield
• Martin Ritter 
• John Kennington
• David Faulkenberry
• Jacob Ott, II
• William Stark Kelly
• Casper Ritter

 

 

July Family Birthdays, July 1 - 15

  Is your birthday coming soon? Happy Birthday!

Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family who came before. Look below and see. I posted this series back in 2011. This version has been updated with more information. I hope you find it as much fun as I do.

Even if it is not your birthday, look at the highlighted SURNAMES. Maybe you will see a name from your family & learn a little more about them.

Click on the links to learn more about the people & places.

1 July                     

1876       Clementine Florence WOLF b. in Ohio, daughter of Joseph Wolf & Anna Eliza Kohr

2 July                     

1865       Amanda Adarene FORTENBERRY b. in Mississippi, daughter of William J. Fortenberry & Elizabeth Martha Cutrer.  She married William S. Ellzey c. 1883. Amanda was the mother of ten children. She died in 1949.

1881       Edith Edna RITTER

3 July                     

1825       Rees P. BROWN b. in Mississippi, one of seven children of Moses Brown & Nancy Perkins.  Children: Samantha & Anna Brown.

1866       Elizabeth Ellen NEE

4 July     Independence Day                

1823       Nathan RITTER, son of Jacob Ritter, husband of Hannah Schantz

1940       William Andrew MARK b in Ohio, son of Charles Forest Mark & Bertha Flickinger. Married Linda Lou Danner. Children: Robin, Michelle & William Mark. 

5 July                     

1879       William Isaac RITTER b. in Ohio, son of John William & Ruth Anna (Scott) Ritter. He married Louise Sophia Schultz.  They had six children.

1885       Spencer Sylvester McDANIEL

6 July                     

1753       Elizabeth RITTER

1879       Willie Edgar SMITH  was the son of Walter Lorraine Smith & Emma Julia Warren. He died in 1879 at the age of 13.

1927       Vern James SIMONS

1935       Virginia Burton NEE

7 July                     

1831       Richard WOLF, son of Andrew Wolf

1884       George B. WOLF

1900       Lola Dean FORTENBERRY was the daughter of Joseph Gazie Fortenberry & Corine McDaniel. 

1920       Elnora Marie RITTER

8 July                     

1800       Hollander SMITH

1857       Alfred FORTENBERRY Jr.

1889       Carrie Belle WOLF

1937       James Paul BALL b. in Louisiana, son of James Alton Ball & Mildred Olga Brown. He married Wreatha Jean Sorrell. Children: David, Roger, James & Lisa Ball. 

9 July                     

1852       Albert Harrison BALLIET b. in Pennsylvania, son of Stephen Ballet & Ann Lowrey. He married Josephine Edna Ebert. He died in 1907 in New York State. 

1870       Joseph Gazie FORTENBERRY

1939       Frederick Ralph BROPHY

10 July                   

1795       Lydia KNAUSS, wife of Daniel Ritter

1894       John Ellsworth HAWK b. in Ohio, son of William Hawk & Elizabeth Ritter. He married Ethel Miller. 

11 July                   

1787       Jonathan RITTER, son of Johann Daniel Ritter 

1852       Eliza H. MORRIS

1878       Mayme Indiana SIMMONS

1894       June THORNHILL son of James Miles & Violette Eliza (Fortenberry) Thornhill. June died in 1910 at the age of 16 in Mississippi.  

12 July                   

1789       Needham Judge ALFORD

1872       Louis Flemon ALFORD b. in Louisiana, son of Needham Edwin Alford & Mary Luzina Strafford. He died in 1938.

13 July                   

1938       Charles Philip MORRIS

14 July                   

1864       John BRADY b. in Cavan, Ireland, son of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney. He married Mary McCartin. Children: Thomas, Bernard & John Brady all born in New Jersey. John Brady was my 2^nd great grand uncle. 

1891       Irene Elizabeth ELLZEY 

1915       Ruth Ann RITTER

15 July                   

1816       Mehala SMITH

1842       Mary Elizabeth FORTENBERRY

1872       Catherine BRADY

1875       Helen E. VOELKER

1920       Jerry Sidney COMEAUX

1932       Patricia Ann BROCK lived her life in Mississippi where she married Fay Seward Smith, son of Denny Herbert Smith & Mavis Marie Brown. Their children: Patricia, Michael & Kim Smith. Patricia & Fay were warm, generous people who showed us hospitality when we visited them in Mississippi. Patricia helped with my genealogy research & with the Alford Family Association. 

To learn more about my family's branches

order & read the Books I have Written.

Our Browns Roots

&

Remembrances