Vintage Photograph: Browns, 1944 NY

This is a rare photograph which shows my paternal grandparents with all their seven children. 

Vintage photographs are like little windows looking back in time.

A Window into the Past

From left to right:

Jeanette Rose Brown, 23 Nov 1934 OH - 13 Jul 1986 NY

Genevieve Audry Brown, 3 Oct 1932 OH - 18 Jan 2015 NY

Larry Lee Brown, 16 Feb 1937 OH - 29 Apr 2004 NY

Delbert Keith Brown, 27 July 1928 OH - 24 Oct 2000 NY

Leo Dwight Brown, 20 Sep 1930 OH - 26 Oct 2017 NY

Robert Allen Brown (little boy in front), 17 Apr 1939 OH - 2 Jul 2017 NY

Roy Jessie Brown, 8 Mar 1902 MS - 12 May 1956 MS

Ivy Regina Mark, 8 Jun 1908 OH - 18 Sep 2003 NY

William Lane Brown (baby) 

A few other Vintage Photographs:

• Alberta Joy Gardner Brown
• Elma Patrick
• Helen Coyle Gardner
• The Mark Family, 1930 OH
• Augustus Ceaser Gruissy
• Bruce Alford
• Hubert & Mavis Brown

Merry Christmas from my Grandpa Brown

 This is an interesting Christmas card. It shows my paternal grandfather and his two daughters but none of his five sons or his wife. There is no date on this card, possibly mid 1940s, in New York State.

Roy Jessie Brown

8 Mar 1902 MS - 12 May 1956 MS

Son of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield

Husband of Ivy Regina Mark Brown

and

Genevieve Audry Brown Wieland Schaperjahn

and

Jeanette Rose Brown Sparks Wager

Do you want to learn more about the Browns?

Buy my book.

Contact me: cgbp@nycap.rr.com

$95.00 + $10.00 shipping & packaging

My Aunt’s 1942 Autograph Book

My first cousin kindly shared his mother’s 1942 Autograph Book with me. The book belonged to Genevieve Audry (Brown) Wieland Schaperjahn. It was given to her by her aunt and uncle, Roy Edward & Isabell Esther Mark Nee. 

                Genevieve Audry (Brown) Wieland Schaperjahn

3 Oct 1932 OH - 18 Jan 2015 NY

Daughter of Roy Jessie & Ivy Regina Mark Brown

Genevieve, her parents and her siblings had lived in Wayne County, Ohio but moved to Columbia County, New York circa 1940/41. 

The book was signed by many of her Ohio relatives as well as her family and friends in New York. It is wonderful to see the handwriting, messages & signatures of many family members.

 

·      “Grandma” N. Regina Victoria Gruissy Mark, 1879 – 1959. Wrote: Roses are red. Violets are blue. I can’t think of Another To Write to you.

·      “Your Grand Dad” Thomas Kenneth Mark, 1879 – 1975. Wrote: Roses is Red and carrot is Sweet and so are you.

·      “Your aunt Isabell Esther” Isabell Esther Mark Nee, 1903 – 1984. Wrote: Dear Genevieve; I hope you enjoy filling out this book with names of your new friends. 

·      “Roy E. Nee” her uncle, 1878 – 1963. Wrote: Nov 16 – 42  Hello Blondie. How’s the girl?

·      “Paul” cousin, Paul Kenneth Nee, b 1934. Wrote: I love you little. I love you big. I love you like a little pig. 

·      “Your Aunt Blanche & Uncle Owen” Owen Andrew & Blanche Bowers Mark. Wrote: 1942 Dear Genevieve: - We think of you quite often, You think of us we know, And we just thought ‘twould be kinder nice to write & tell you so. 

      "Uncle Clarence" Clarence William Mark, 1917 - 2006. Wrote: Genevieve Autry Brown took her hat and went to town, the wind blew strong and hard, her hat flew up and landed in the yard.

·      “Jeanette Brown” Genevieve’s sister, Jeanette Rose Brown Sparks Wager, 1934 – 1986. Wrote: Dec. 26, 1942 The valley is green. The hills are bare. I love you and I hope you care.

·      “Leo Brown” her brother, Leo Dwight Brown, 1930 – 2017. Wrote: I love coffee. I love tea. I love the girls and they love me.

·      “Dad”  Roy Jessie Brown, 1902 – 1956. Wrote: To my little fat stuff. Genevieve, The sea is wide and you can’t step it. I love you and you can’t help it.

Thanks to my cousin, Mike, who shared this wonderful time capsule with me!

     

 

Graduation 1951 Hudson, NY

Graduation Time

May & June is time for graduations. It seems like a good time to share these mementoes of my aunt's graduation. She was the third of her siblings to graduate from the high school. I wonder how my grandparents celebrated her graduation. After high school she attended the New York State University at Utica where she studied to be a teacher. 

Genevieve Audry Brown Wieland Schaperjahn

3 Oct 1932 OH - 18 Jan 2015 NY

Daughter of Roy Jessie & Ivy Regina Mark Brown

Class of  1951

Hudson High School

Hudson, Columbia County, New York

Genevieve is in the lower right of the class photo, taken with the high school in the background. 

This is her yearbook photograph. 

Ann Palilla Pasquale, born 100 years ago

My mother - in - law was born 100 years ago today. She was 99 when she left us. However, we are left with many happy memories and her love remains with us.

Grace Angelina 'Ann' Palilla Pasquale

23 February 1924 NY - 17 April 2023 OK

Daughter of Charles Palilli & Grace Brigandi

Wife of Thomas F. Pasquale

Mother of two children

Grandmother of Five children

Great Grandmother of Eight children

Happy Birthday, Ann!

Learn more by reading Ann's Obituary.

Dinosaurs! Jonas Studios & Family Connection, 1964 NY

 Louis Paul Jonas, 1895 - 1971, was an American sculptor. He built full sized dinosaurs for the Dinoland exhibit at the 1964 World's Fair. His studio was in Hudson, Columbia County, New York.

How does this connect to our family?

First,

In 1964 the dinosaurs were set in a rural area north of Hudson where final assembly was done. My paternal grandmother's family came to visit us in NY. My great grandfather, Thomas Kenneth Mark, two of his daughters and his son - in - law, came to visit our family in Columbia County. His daughter, Ivy Regina Mark Brown was happy to have her family visit all of us. We gathered together to talk, eat and laugh. And the family saw the huge dinosaurs.

The photograph, above, shows the family looking at the Jonas dinosaurs.

In the photo, left to right: 

Ivy R. Mark Brown, 1908 OH - 2003 NY;

Wava A. Mark Braun, 1919 OH - 2011 OH;

Isabell Esther Mark Nee, 1903 OH - 1984 OH;

 Thomas K. Mark, 1879 OH - 1975 OH & 

Alvin Braun, 1915 OH - 2000 OH

Second,

I was a Brownie Girl Scout at that time. Our local scouts had no summer camp location but Jonas let us use his land for two weeks of summer  fun. I was a camper in 'Camp Jonas.' We learned outdoor skills and we were allowed to see all the dinosaurs. 

Once the dinosaurs were moved to new York City and the World's Fair opened, our parents took my brothers and I to the fair. The Dinoland exhibit was sponsored by Sinclair Oil Company. Of course, I had already seen the huge creations. 

Book Report: Deacons’ Accounts 1652 – 1674 Beverwijck/Albany

In researching various branches of my family I have to travel or reach out to places far from my house. However, when I learned more about our  Fortenberry/Van Valkenberg family the search came closer and closer to home. I only have to drive across the nearby Hudson River to go to the one time home of my 9^th great grandfather, Lambert Jochemse Van Valkenberg.

 

Growing up in the Hudson River Valley of New York I have known that we were settled by the Dutch. New York was New Netherland. Albany was Fort Orange with the village of Beverwijck surrounding it. I have been excited to learn my family was a part of those early days. 

 

 

 

Deacons’ Accounts 1652 – 1674 Beverwijck/Albany

 

Janny Venema,

Translator & Editor

 

Picton Press, 1998

 

This book is a “translation of the account books, which were kept between 1652 and 1674 by the deacons of the Dutch Reformed Church, Albany’s oldest church.” 

 

Contents

 

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Glossary

Key to Abbreviations

Deacons’ Accounts

Bibliography

Index

 

 

In 1930 a small folio of 250 pages was found in the Dutch Reformed Church, the oldest church in Albany, NY. It was “bound in vellum with buckskin thongs.” This book is a transcript of that precious folio. 

 

The Dutch Reformed Church had a “consistory, consisting of a minister, elders and deacons.” (p ix) The deacons’ records show the church took care of the people in many ways. The poor were given medical care. Money was given for education of poor children. Needy people were boarded out or their rent was paid. There were provisions for coffins and funerals. Food and clothing was distributed. In April 1660 my ancestor, Lambert, was given “some bacon and meat.” (p 71) In November of that year he was given a blanket. (p 77) In June 1661 he was given “one schepel of corn.” (p 85) He continued with hard times. In December 1664 Lambert was given a pair of shoes and his wife was given 5 pounds of butter. (p 119) His name is included in these records until 1669.

 

Lambert Jochemse Van Valkenberg

c 1616 Netherlands – c 1685 NY

Son of Lambert Jochemse Van Valkenberg

 

 

My copy of this book has many bright colored sticky notes for book marks. I have scribbled in the margins and rejoiced over the discoveries. I am very grateful for the discovery of that ancient folio in 1930.

Related Posts:

• January Anniversary: Lambert Van Valkenberg & Annetjen Jacobs, 378 Years Ago
• William Jasper Fortenberry
• Euseba Fortenberry Smith

 

 

 

Columbia County Historical Society Library

Do not overlook your local resources. As I have posted I am in the final section of my book, Our Brown Roots. This section is about my paternal grandparents and their children, my father and his siblings. I am learning new things about the lives of those closest to me. 

 

When Roy Jessie and Ivy (Mark) Brown left Ohio circa 1940 they moved to rural Columbia County, New York with their six children. (A seventh child would be born in NY.) Roy had worked in mills in Ohio and did the same in New York. They settled on Kinderhook Creek in Stockport. They lived there about 15 years, c 1940 – c 1955. That is a small window to work with but I have found a few things.

 

I have become a member of Columbia County Historical Society and last weekend I took a short drive to use the library there. The friendly environment led to discovering a couple helpful resources.

 

Book: Looking for Work: Industrial Archeology in Columbia 

County, New York: The Emergence and Growth of Local 

Industry as Revealed in Surviving Sites and Structures 

by Peter H. Stott

 

This book includes several towns in Columbia Cunty and the employment opportunities that once existed in those towns. The town of Stockport in included and details are given about the mills where my grandfather worked. The information helped me to write this and more:

 

The Eureka Paper Mill on County Route 25 along the Claverack Creek. The mill had been constructed in 1862. In 1878 the mill had the largest daily production of any mill in the county.[i]

 

The mill had a capacity of three to four tons of paper every 24 hours and was equipped with three 400 – lb. engines and 62 – inch and 68 – inch cylinder machines.[ii]

 

The Eureka Mill was initially owned by Henry S. Van De Carr and later by Vincent Muesaman of Queens who formed the Stockport Paper Company.[iii] Roy Brown was a master mechanic in charge of repairs for the entire paper mill with a staff of eight men. Leo Brown said his father “did some blacksmithing things working at the mills.” He was the operational manager.[iv] Roy continued to work at that mill until it was destroyed by fire.

 

Website: Fulton History, fultonhistory.com

This website looks like it is all about historic postcards but look at the search box on the left. You can search over 51 million newspapers in USA & Canada.

I cannot find these newspapers on Newspapers.com. This website includes newspapers that are local for my family. I found several items that help to fill out our history. For example, a local newspaper listed those drafted during World War II. Roy J Brown was listed and classified as “4H” which means he did not serve because his family needed his support. With seven children at home he was certainly needed. 

 

Do not overlook your local resources.

 

 

 

---

[i] Stott, Peter H. Looking for Work (Kinderhook, NY: Columbia County Historical Society, 2007) 291.

[ii] Stott, Peter H. Looking for Work (Kinderhook, NY: Columbia County Historical Society, 2007) 291.

[iii] Stott, Peter H. Looking for Work (Kinderhook, NY: Columbia County Historical Society, 2007) 291.

[iv] “Interview with Leo D. Brown,” August 2004; audio recording and transcript held by author.

Closed on Christmas

 My father, Delbert Keith Brown,

 ran a Shell gas station in Hudson, Columbia County, New York.

It was called Del's Shell by the Park.

Each Christmas Eve he cleared out the bays where auto repairs were normally done and he gave a party for customers with lots of food and beverages. On Christmas Day he closed the gas station. This 1964 clipping lists his reasons for closing as our mother and us children.

Above: 1964 Hudson Register Star Newspaper clipping

Above: Photo of my father working under the hood of a car at his gas station

Above: blank receipt from the gas station.

Related Posts:

• DK Brown 90th birthday
• DK Brown Wedding Day
• DK Brown 1939 Christmas gift

Library Research

 Researching in person, in the places my ancestors lived is my favorite type of research. I like being in the places my family once lived. I like uncovering yellowed documents and reading books that were written decades ago. Touching these things makes me feel a strong connection to the past. Usually this type of research means I pack my car and head to the southeastern states. Recently, I only had to head south for an hour.

 

Hudson Area Library

51 North 5^thSt., Hudson, NY

History Room

 

I am trying to learn more about people close to me, my father and his siblings. When their parents moved the family from Ohio, they moved to Columbia County, NY and Hudson is the county seat. I have my father’s high school year book which told me what year he graduated and had his photograph. If I could find the yearbooks of his siblings I could learn the same about them.

 

I looked at the library’s website and discovered they have a History Room with yearbooks. I was able to make an appointment to see those books. I called my older brother who was very interested in joining me.

 

We found one of our uncles and two aunts in those slim volumes of the “Blue and Gold”.

 

Leo D. Brown graduated 1949 from Hudson High School.

 

Genevieve A. Brown graduated 1952 from Hudson High School.

I had not known that my aunt liked art & had considered that as a career. 

 

Jeanette R. Brown graduated 1953 from Hudson High School.

I had not known my aunt was called "Netzi".

Whenever you have the opportunity to visit a library, an archive, a courthouse or a church where you family lived. I suggest you go. Not all records are on the internet. 

Who knows what you will discover?

MY LIBRARY

At the top of this blog, click on My Library for many books that I have found useful for genealogical & historical research.

Related Posts:

• Delbert Keith Brown
• Leo Dwight Brown
• Roy Jessie Brown