Sunday, November 16, 2025

November Birthdays, November 16 - 30

 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 November    
1776       Christianna WOLF, born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Johann Jonas Wolf &                             Appollonia Dick.
1902       Madrlyn LONG
 1927       Mary Arline Parker FRAVEL

17 November    
1872       Sarah Agie NEE, daughter of  Henry Nee & Matilda Millan. 

18 November    
1849       Abraham Martin MARK, son of Abraham MarkMary Isabella Heffelfinger
1864       Annie Idelia McCLENDON 
1879       William J. F. FORTENBERRY was the son of William Jackson Fortenberry & Elizabeth Rebecca Pigott. He married Annie Myrtis Ellzey. William died in 1966. 

19 November    
1799       Jacob RITTER, son of Johannes Ritter Jr. 
1825       Rebecca WOLF, daughter of Frederick Wolf & Louisa C Goetz
1899       Freddie Beatrice  SMITH, daughter of Elvin Dennie Smith & Nancy Cordelia Smith; wife of Hubert Allen Brown; mother of 6 children 
1903       TWINS: Mellie Arlene JOLLIFF & Nellie Irene JOLLIFF,  b in Ohio, daughters of Samuel Martin Jollliff & Margaret Maude Mark. Mellie married Karl Jackson Miller. They had one child. Nellie married Ralph Alvin Parker and had three children. Nellie lived to be 90 years old and Mellie lived to be 91 years old.

20 November    
1820       Henry H. WOLF, born in Pennsylvania, son of John Frederick Wolf & Esther Barbara Schaffer. They had four children. 

21 November    
1770       Catherine WOLF, daughter of Johann Jonas Wolf & Appollonia Dick
1821       Solomon B. RITTER, born in Pennsylvania, son of Martin Ritter & Anna                             Margaret Bogert. He married Amanda M. Rumfield.
1845       Sarah Lucy BRUMFIELD, daughter of Nathaniel BrumfieldCharlotte Temple Ott

22 November    
1894       Grace Eleanor SMITH, daughter of Walter Lorraine Smith & Emma Julia                         Warren. 

23 November    
1812       Isabella FORTENBERRY, daughter of William Jasper Fortenberry 
1836       Sarah Jane SMITH, daughter of Elias V. Smith & Ann Crews
1858       Catherine WOLF
1865       Mary Magdalene GRUISSY was born in Ohio, daughter of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Mary Ann Everett. In 1889 she married Albert F. Lutz. They had no children. At one time they ran a restaurant in Medina, Ohio.
1934     Jeanette Rose Brown, OH. Daughter of Roy Jessie Brown and Ivy Regina Mark. The family moved to New York State circe 1940.Mother of four.  My aunt

24 November    
1870       Michael COYLE was born in Ireland, son of Patrick Coyle & Margaret Brady. He came to the USA in 1885. In 1895 he married Mary Josephine Mullane in New York City. They had seven children. He was a Baker. He was my great grandfather. He was last seen by his family about 1927, when his wife died. I would like to know what happened to him.

25 November    
1792       Edwin Barksdale ALFORDborn in North Carolina, son of Jacob Alford & Elizabeth Bryant. In 1818 he married Martha P. Smith in Mississippi. They had 13 children, all born in Mississippi. He was my 3x great grandfather. He died in 1878. 
 1876       TWINS: Emma D. RITTER, &  Nora Gelaina RITTER, daughters of John William Ritter & Ruth Anna Scott. Emma lived 92 years. Nora's death date is unknown to this researcher. 
  1903       Edna FORTENBERRY, daughter of Joseph Gazie Fortenberry & Corine McDaniel

26 November    
1812       Frederick RITTER, son of Johannes Ritter Jr. 
1824       James MORRIS
1859       Conrad HERBST
1909       William REAM
1912       Vera Mary HURD was born in Michigan, daughter of Roy Hurd & Mona D. Morrison. Vera married Herbert Dunsmore. They had two sons.

27 November    
1858       Emma Julia WARREN, born in Louisiana. She married Walter Lorraine Smith. They had 14 children. 
1906       Maggie Pearl FORTENBERRY, daughter of Joseph Gazie Fortenberry & Corine McDaniel
1915       Wesley P. ELLZEY

28 November    
1829       Willis James FORTENBERRY, born in Mississippi, son of William Jasper Fortenberry & Violette Kennington. In 1912 he married Louisa Blackwell. They had seven children. 

29 November   
1877       Arther SPICE
1927       Joseph James COYLE was born in CT, son of James Joseph Coyle & Madeline Herbst. 

30 November    
1857       Christine WOLF
1908       Duviox B. FORTENBERRY was the son of Lemuel Q. Fortenberry & Lillian Ellzey. He married Gussie Alford. They had four children.




Thursday, November 6, 2025

Vintage Photograph: Coleman & Kilday, CT

 Vintage photographs are like little windows looking back in time.

A Window into the Past


Margaretta E. Kilday Coleman

b 8 September 1889 New Haven,CT

Wife of John Coleman 


John Coleman 



A few other Vintage Photographs:




Saturday, November 1, 2025

November Birthdays, November 4 - 15

   Is your birthday in November? 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.




4 November       
1711       Anna Ottilla KNACK was my sixth great grandmother. She was born in Germany where she married Johan Adam Dick in 1731. They came to America  in 1738 and settled in Pennsylvania. They had seven children, the first three born in Germany and the fourth born at sea while sailing to America. Anna lived to be 70 years old.
  1827       Samuel WOLF, son of Frederick Wolf & Louisa C Goetz. He lived his life in Pennsylvania. 

5 November       
1883       Addie Angeline CUTRER married Walter Lee Blades, son of William Blades & Morgana McDaniel. They had two children: Ira & Velma.

6 November       
1886       Anna Slaby MOORE
1911       Susie SMITH, wife of Alton Woodrow Wilson
1915       Ernest Miles MARK was born in Ohio, son of Amos Martin Mark & Lillian Hoverstock. He married Helen Virginia Sampsel. Four children: Carl, Naomi, Marita & Melvin. He was a farmer in Chester Township and later a custodian at Congress Junior High School. He was my first cousin, twice removed.
 1916       William T. COYLE, son of William Paul Coyle & Lauretta Niail

7 November       
1781       Martin RITTER, son of Martin Ritter & Anna Margaret Steininger; father of 11 children; He lived 81 years.
1927       Jessie Elizabeth OVERBY was born in Kentucky. She married Bernarr Jessee Reynolds in 1950 in Oregon. They had three children: Michael, Rebecca & Patrick.

8 November       
1877       Ralph Clyaton KAUFMAN, husband of Margaret Maude Mark
1884       Clement RITTER, son of Anthony Casper Ritter & Emma Alice Mowrer
 1901       Vernon Arthur SPICE was born in Ohio, son of Arthur Spice & Emaline Floy Moore. Vernon married Gladys B. Johnson. Four children: Loren, Marilyn, Neil & Carol.
 1902       Peter C. MORRISON
  1929       Robert John SOMMER

9 November       
1870       Joseph Martin ALFORD was born in Louisiana, son of Needham Edwin Alford & Mary Louiza Stafford. He died in 1962.

10 November    
1749       Anna Barbara RITTER, daughter of Martin Ritter 
 1749       Martin RITTER, son of Heinrich Ritter & Maria Elizabeth Tutt
 1823       Isaac Nelson BRUMFIELD was born in Louisiana, son of Willis Brumfield & Nancy Virginia Holmes.  He married Sarah J. Smith in 1854 in Mississippi. They had ten children.
 1892       Madeline HERBST

11 November    
1854       Emma Louise WOLF was the third child of Jeremiah Wolf & Eliza Ann Reigle. She died in 1856, only 23 months old.

12 November    
1812       Abraham MARK was born in Corliss, Pennsylvania. He’s my third great grandfather. I have been unable to find any information on his parents or siblings. He married Mary Isabella Heffelfinger. They had eight sons. Four served in the Civil War.
 1912       William Francis BRADY

14 November    
1838       Julius Newton ALFORD, son of Edwin Barksdale Alford Martha P. Smith, husband of Mary Margaret Brumfield. He was my 3x great uncle. 
1874       Marian Francis MARK, son of William Mark & Emma Abeline Flory
1927       John Edward DENISON was born in Louisiana, son of Jimmie Dean Denison& Jessie Ola Hall. He died in 2002 in Germany.

15 November    
1808       Jesse BALL married Cynthia Ann Alford, daughter of Edwin Barksdale Alford & Martha P. Smith
1888       Noah E. BALDES
1909       Lloyd HEIGLE
1913       Isaac Omer CUTRER





Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Forget Me Not: Catharine Wotring Ritter, 1897 PA

This obituary gave me more information than I had before I read it. It was a happy discovery. I am happy when I can blog about someone, like Catharine, to help them to live on and, maybe, for their family to find them.

Jonas is my second cousin, 5x removed.

 

Catharine Wotring 

1824 – 2 July 1897 PA

 

Wife of Jonas Ritter

1805 PA – 1885 PA




 

Mrs. Catharine, widow of Jonas Ritter, died this morning at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Willoughby Heintzelman, at 520 Liberty Street, of apoplexy, aged 73 years. Her husband died 13 years ago at Ballietsville. Three sons and two daughters survive, Henry and Franklin P., of Ballietsville, and I. J. Ritter, Mrs. Heintzelman and Miss Kitty Ritter, of Allentown. The funeral will take place on Monday at 8 o’clock at the house. Regular services and burial will take place at Egypt, Rev. Dr. Hofford officiating. 

 

Source:

Newspapers.com

The Allentown Leader, Allentown PA

2 July 1987, page 4

 




 

 

Saturday, October 25, 2025

VIntage Photographs: Brown & Fortenberry

 

Vintage photographs are like little windows looking back in time.

A Window into the Past



William M. Fortenberry 
28 Dec 1799 SC - 27 Oct 1867
Son of Isaac Fortenberry & Bethany Magee



His wife,
Christian Brown
2 Feb 1805 SC - Sep 1860 MS
Daughter of Moses Brown & Sarah Roberston
My 4th great aunt 








Thursday, October 16, 2025

October Birthdays, October 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 October          
1836       Louisa Ollevia FORTENBERRY, daughter of Gasua Chapman Fortenberry
1868       Margaret NEE
1888       Lucy Viola BROWN was born in Mississippi, daughter of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield. She married Tate Edward Fortenberry in 1908. Their children: Kenneth, Shirley & Cecil.

17 October          
1871       Algedena GRUISSY was the second child of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Esther Barbara Wolf. She died in Ohio the year she was born. Of Esther & Augustus’ five children, three died as children.
1884       Mary C. SMITH

18 October          
1781       John George WOLF, son of Johan Friedrich Wolf
1877       Milton Adolphus SMITH, son of Walter Lorraine Smith

19 October          
1917       Nathalee SMITH was the oldest child of Denny Herbert Smith & Mavis Marie Brown.  She married Jerry Sidney Comeaux in 1941.

20 October          
1794       Susan GREEN
1813       Margaretha RITTER
1860       Gabriella SANDERS
1866       Bartholomew Anthony BRADY was born in Ireland, son of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney. He married Mary Agnes Reddan in 1900 in New Jersey.  Bartholomew was a policeman for East Orange, New Jersey. He retired in 1931.

21 October          
1857       Anna Esther WOLF was born in Iowa. She was the daughter of William Wolf & Sarah Jane Wilson. She married Thomas Filmore Dickson. James Frederick Dickson was their son.

23 October          
1805       Maria RITTER, daughter of  Henry Ritter
1863       Caroline Louise GRUISSY was born in Ohio, daughter of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Mary Ann Everett. In 1882 she married Peter Jonathan Moore. Their children: Emaline, Lillian Vera, Floyd, Frances Gertrude, Elizabeth & Ralph. She died in 1936.
1900       Donna Strom BROPHY
1900       Alva Edwin ELLZEY

24 October          
1824       Henry William Leander LEWIS
1852       Emma Abbline FLORY was the first wife of William Mark. They married in 1870, after he returned from the Civil War. They had two children: Cora Bell & Marian. She died in 1877, at the age of 24.
1863       Martha E. ALFORD, daughter of Hines Berry Alford & Louansa Wadford
1887       Clarence WOLF, son of Frederick Jacob Wolf
1899       George Washington CUTRER

25 October          
1790       Mary Magdelena RITTER, daughter of Johannes Ritter Sr.Maria Elisabeth Keck
1853       Richard FORTENBERRY was born in Mississippi, son of Alfred Fortenberry & Aderine Mary Faulk. He was my first cousin, 4 times removed.
1869       Julius J. ALFORD, son of Seaborn S. Alford MD & Anice Ball
1908       Theodore Roosevelt MORRIS
1909       Delphin Delmus MORRIS

26 October          
1779       Nancy Ann DILLON was born in North Carolina, daughter of Richard Dillon & Anne Lawrence. She married John Stallings. Nancy died in 1869.
 1852       Leah E. BRUMFIELD, daughter of Jesse Kelly BrumfieldHannah Ann Youngblood
 1878       Frank Samuel WEISSBERG, son of Morris Weissberg & Rose Bankin, husband of Florence Gartner. He married my great aunt. 

27 October          
1765       Cornelia KNIGHT
1845       Elias McDANIEL
1888       Frances Gertrude MOORE was born in Ohio, daughter of Peter Jonathan Moore & Caroline Louise Gruissy. She married William Clarence Brophy. Their children: Glen, Caroline & Donald. In 1920 William worked for the Gas & Fuel Company.

28 October          
1877       Jason Abraham ALFORD was born in Mississippi, son of Needham Edwin Alford & Mary Louiza Stafford. Jason lived to be 96 years old.
1896       James Everett MARK, son of William MarkElidia Rebecca Ritter; he is my 2x great uncle. He married Effie Margaret Carter. 
1918       Woodrow Wilson SIMMONS

29 October          
1718       Maria Barbara WOLF, daughter of Johan Jacob Wolf & Anna Barbara Orth
1808       Salome ROTH
1869       Frances Dora ALFORD, daughter of Needham Edwin Alford & Mary Luzina , Stafford. She lived 51 years.
1874       Dewitt William ALFORD, son of Seaborn S. Alford MD & Anice Ball
1909       Shirley FORTENBERRY was born in Mississippi, son of Tate Edward Fortenberry & Lucy Viola Brown. He married Thelma Ginn. They had three children: Charles, Dorothy & Shirlene. 
1929       Barbara A. KOZLAK

30 October          
1875       Clarence Lee Guy WOLF was born in Iowa, son of Isaac Ezra Wolf & Mary Cathrina Wireman. He married Maude E. Collins in 1901 in Oklahoma. 

31 October          
1916       Kathleen Gloria COYLE was born in New York City, the youngest child of Michael Coyle & Mary Josephine Mullane. She never married, living with her sisters.  She died in Arizona in 2007. She was my great aunt.
1919       Selwyn Alex BRUMFIELD, son of John Edward Brumfield & Ada Beatrice Fortenberry
1930       Seth O. DILLON Jr., husband of Bobbye Earl Fortenberry



Friday, October 10, 2025

Vintage Photograph: Rowlee Twins, OH

 These two little boys look adorable, posing outside on a spring day.


                                 Vintage photographs are like little windows looking back in time.

A Window into the Past


Born 3 April 1923, Canton, OH

Milton Paul Rowlee, d 10 Jul 1993 MN

&

Clifford Albert Rowlee, d 16 Feb 1977 MN


Children of

Karl Clayton Rowlee & Florence Vera Morrison