Anniversary: Mark & Gruissy, 1903 Ohio

 This wonderful photo was taken at the 50th Anniversary of my great grandparents. They were married 28 January 1903 in Medina, Ohio.

 

Thomas Kenneth Mark & 

Nancy Regina Victoria (Gruissy) Mark

 

This photograph shows Thomas & Regina with six of their seven children. They were a close family with most of their homes in Ohio. They were also a long lived family, as you can read below. 

Left to right:

1.              Viola Cathern (Mark) Nothstein, 1913 OH - 2004 FL, 91 years

2.             Thomas Kenneth Mark, 1879 OH - 1975 OH, 95 years

3.             Owen Andrew Mark, 1915 OH - 1993 OH, 78 years

4.             Nancy Regina Victoria (Gruissy) Mark, 1879 OH - 1959 OH, 80 years

5.             Ivy Regina (Mark) Brown, 1908 OH - 2003 NY, 95 years [my paternal grandmother]

6.             Clarence William Mark, 1917 OH - 2006 OH, 89 years

7.              Wava Alice (Mark) Braun, 1919 OH - 2011 OH, 92 years

8.             Isabell Esther (Mark) Nee, 1903 OH - 1984 OH, 80 years

Not in Photo:

1.              Vera Victoria (Mark) Ballard, 1905 OH - 1995 FL, 89 years

Related Posts:

·                Thomas K. Mark, carpenter

·                An Ohio Christmas with the Thomas K Mark family

·                N. Regina Gruissy Mark

Anniversary: Fortenberry & Dunn, 1945 MS

 Weldon Willis Fortenberry

b 21 June 1920 Osyka, MS

Son of Willis Franklin Fortenberry & Ivy May Smith 

 

Married 27 January 1945

Malissia Dunn Bride of Sergeant Weldon Fortenberry

 

 

Progress, Feb. 2 – A wedding of much interest in Progress and surrounding communities was that of Miss Malissia Dunn, of Bode, Miss., to Sgt. Weldon W. Fortenberry.

 

The double ring ceremony was said briefly and impressively at the First Baptist parsonage Saturday, January 27 at 6:30 o’clock in the evening, with the Rev. Wyatt R. Hunter officiating.

 

Attendants were Mrs. M. H. Blackwell of McComb, sister of the bride, and Miss Pansy Fortenberry of Jackson, Miss., sister of the bridegroom.

 

The bride was lovely in a becoming white wool crepe frock with which she wore black accessories.

 

Mrs. Fortenberry is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Dunn of Bode, Miss., and has been employed at the Gulf States Utilities in Baton Rouge during the past eighteen months.

 

Sgt. Fortenberry is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Fortenberry of Progress, is now enjoying a furlough home after serving for three years in the South Pacific.

 

After his furlough the couple will go to Miami, Florida, where Sgt. Fortenberry will be given a new assignment.

 

Source: Malissia Dunn Bride of Sergeant Weldon Fortenberry. (McComb, MS: Enterprise – Journal, 2 Feb 1945) 6; digital image, Newsspapers.com: accessed March 2021.

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

Anniversary: Van Valkenberg & Jacobs, 1642, Netherlands

 

Lambert Jochemse Van Valkenberg

1616 Netherlands – c 1685 Albany, NY

Son of Lambert Dryskens Van Valkenberg

&

Annetjen Jacobs

1622 Netherlands – 17 September 1704 Albany, NY

Daughter of Arnold & Elizabeth Jacobs

My 9th Great Grandparents 

Married 19 January 1642, Netherlands
384 Years Ago

He was 26 and she was 20 when they married.

Netherlands, Select Marriages, 1565 - 1892 digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed July 2019) Lambert Van Valkenborch.
U. S. and International Marriage Records, 1560 – 1900; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed July 2019) Van Valkenburg & Jacobs.

Parents of:

Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg

Anna Lambertse Van Valkenberg Sickles

Rachel Lambertse Van Valkenberg Redcliff

Lambert & Annetjen were the first of their families to cross the Atlantic to come to New Netherlands. He worked for the Dutch West India Company, at first in New Amsterdam [New York City] and later in Fort Orange [Albany]. Lambert was a sergeant, a law enforcement officer who kept the peace in Fort Orange and surrounding Beveryck. He also did odd jobs for the Dutch Reformed Church. Despite these two jobs his family was often the recipients of charity from the church to keep them fed and clothed. 

As the generations passed this surname became Faulkenberry/Fortenberry. 

I have learned many details of the life of Lambert since I uncovered my connection to him. It has been wonderful to research someone who actually lived in my area. Usually my research is done long distance.

"Our Brown Roots'  details this family & provides sources for the information. To order a copy of my book visit Troy Book Makers.

Other January Anniversaries:

January 9, 1797.   Jacob Ott III & Margaret Jackson   
10 January 1920 MS   Hubert A. & Freddie Smith Brown  
January 11, 1941  OH     Alvin Braun & Wava Mark   
 January 27, 1907 NY    Frank Samuel Weissberg & Florence Gardner 
January 31, 1827      Isaac Brumfield & Elizabeth Holmes  

Anniversary: Brown & Smith, 1920 MS

 Hubert Allen Brown

1 October 1894 MS – 25 November 1971 MS

Son of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield

Freddie Beatrice Smith

19 November 1899 – 21 April 1988 MS

Daughter of Elvin Dennie Smith & Nancy C. Smith

My Great Aunt & Uncle
Hubert & my grandfather, Roy Jessie Brown, were brothers.

Married

10 January 1920 Pike, MS

 Index to Marriage Record, White,Vol I; 1882-1942; Pike County Court House, Mississippi; ; Family History Center Microfilm #0907286; Page 34.  Freddie Smith married 10 January 1920 to Hubert A. Brown.  Book V. Page 129.

Marriage Record; 1920; State of Mississippi, Pike CountyVolume V ; Page 129;  NOTES: Hubert A. Brown and Freddie Smith, Married 10 Jan 1920.

Parents of:

Borden Hamilton Brown

Fred Allen Brown

Thiry Yvonne Brown Fegan

Lynn Holly Brown

Hugh Frances Brown

Peggy L. Brown Alford



Other January Anniversaries:

January 9, 1797.   Jacob Ott III & Margaret Jackson   
January 11, 1941  OH     Alvin Braun & Wava Mark   
19 January, 1642 Netherlands   Lambert & Annetjen Jacobs VanValkenberg 
 January 27, 1907 NY    Frank Samuel Weissberg & Florence Gardner 
January 31, 1827      Isaac Brumfield & Elizabeth Holmes   

Ancestor Anniversaries in January

Happy New Year! Time for celebrations, old & new!

Here are some anniversary celebrations. 

Anniversaries are filled with memories of wedding celebrations, large or small; religious or civil; recent or many decades ago. We can imagine the weddings and the marriages of our family members on their anniversaries. 

When compiling this list I found two brothers who married on the same day. I had never noticed that before. 

Click on the links to read more about these people and, possibly, see a photo. 

3 Jan. 1716, Middlesex, Virginia. John NICHOLS (b 1680 NC) married Elizabeth OSBORNE. John was 36 when they were married. My 8x great grandparents. John was born in 1680 in Chowan, North Carolina. 

 

4 Jan. 1897, Pike County, Mississippi. Jesse Newton BALL married Lovie Elizabeth BRUMFIELD. Jesse was born 22 Dec 1864 MS. Love was born 9 Jul 1875 MS. They were married 19 years. 

 

6 Jan. 1835. Edward Stewart BROWN (1806 - 1856) married Mary Polly SPURLOCK (1800 - 1888). Edward was the son of Moses Brown. Mary was born 1 Jan 1800 in Georgia, the daughter of Allen Spurlock & Frances Traylor. My 3x great grandparents. They had 5 children and were married 21 years. 

 

6 Jan. 1939, West Virginia. Karl Leavenworth ROWLEE (1917 - 1976) & Genevieve Stanley COMBS (1921 - 2005). Karl was the son of Karl Clayton Rowlee & Florence Vera Morrison. They had 2 sons and were married 37 years. 

 

7 Jan. 1869. Needham Edwin ALFORD (1845 - 1937) married Mary Luzina STAFFORD (1850 - 1902). Needham was the son of Warren Jackson Alford. Mary was the daughter of Abraham Stafford. They had 12 children and were married 33 years. 

7 January 1957. William Sherrill WHITAKER married Carol Ann GOOD, daughter of Harold Edward Good and Velma Ellen Hale. They had 3 children. 

 

9 Jan. 1797. Jacob OTT III (1774 - 1836) married Margaret JACKSON (1777 - 1854). My 4x great grandparents. Jacob was born 1774 Orangeburg, South Carolina. Margaret was born 1777 in Orangeburg, South Carolina. They had 8 children and were married 39 years. 

 

9 Jan. 1943. Alexandria, Virginia. Robert James COYLE (1916 - 2012) married Ruth H. POTTLE. Robert was born 27 Apr 1916, CT and was my 1^st cousin, 2x removed. We shared genealogy information about our Coyle family. Ruth was born 14 Sept, MA.  They had 4 children.

 

10 Jan. 1920. Pike County, MS. Hubert Allen BROWN (1894 - 1971) married  Freddie Beatrice SMITH (1899 - 1988).  Hubert was the son of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield. Hubert was my great uncle. Freddie was the daughter of Elvin Dennie Smith & Nancy Cordelia Smith They had 6 children and were married 51 years. 

 

11 Jan. 1774. PA. Brothers married the same day:

Martin RITTER (c1718 - 1789) & Anna Margaret STEININGER. Martin was my 6x great uncle. Martin was born 10 Nov 1749, PA. Anna was born 11 Jan 1752. They had 7 children and were married 53 years. 

 

Casper RITTER (c1720 - 1792) & Hanna Ottilia HERTZ. Casper was my 6x great uncle. Casper was born 1749, PA. They had 8 children. 

11 Jan. 1942. Ohio. Alvin Henry BRAUN (1915 - 2000) married Wava Alice MARK (1919 - 2011). Wava was the daughter of Thomas Kenneth Mark and my great aunt.  They had 2 daughters and were married 59 years. They lived on a farm and always welcomed family members to their home. 

 

12 Jan. 1818. PA. Philip HEFFELFINGER (1787 - 1877) married Elizabeth MOWREY (1799 - 1871). My 4x great grandparents. They were married 53 years.

 

13 Jan. 1850. PA. Samuel WOLF  (1827 - 1894) married Susanne METZGER. Samuel was the son of Frederick Wolf & Louisa C Goetz. They had 8 children. 

13 January 1880. Louisiana. Charles Felder McDANIEL (1860 – 1935) married Letitia Susan BLADES (1863 – 1888), daughter of Benjamin Blades & Hollander Elizabeth Morris] They had  3 children.

 

14 Jan. 1884. MS. Webster FORTENBERRY (1860 - 1938) married Nannie ELLZEY. Webster was the son of William John Fortenberry & Elizabeth Martha Ann Cutrer. Nannie was born Circa 1866, MS. She was 18 when she married. 

14 January 1904. Michigan. Franks Peters (1833 - 1967) married Emily Augusta Morrison (1888 - 1950). She was the daughter of Seth Benner Morrison & Margaret Jane Gruissy.  They had 2 children.

15 Jan. 1845. MS. Elisha BRUMFIELD (1822 - 1859) married Salena Arvozena Jane WARNER (1829 - 1911). They had 2 daughters. 

 

15 Jan. 1897. Pike County, MS. John Benjamin BRUMFIELD (1868 - 1952) married Mary Ellen GENT. John was born 18 May 1868, MS. They had 3 daughters and a son. 

16 Jan. 1895. NJ. John BRADY  (1864 - 1957) married Mary MC CARTIN (1868 - 1958). John was my 3x great uncle. John was born in County Cavan, Ireland, son of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney.  They had 3 sons and were married 62 years.

 

19 Jan. 1642. Netherlands. Lambert Jochemse VAN VALKENBERG (1616 - 1685) married  Annetjen JACOBS (1622 - 1704) My 6x great grandparents.  They moved to New Netherlands (Albany, NY). 

 

19 Jan. 1894. Ohio. William Henry MESSMORE married Susan Isabel RITTER. (1874 - 1918). Susan was the daughter of John William Ritter & Ruth Anna Scott. William was born 19 Mar 1861. They had 6 children.

20 January 1885. Wyatt E. FORTENBERRY (1858 – 1940) married Laura SCHILLING (1866 - 1901). Wyatt was son of William J. Fortenberry & Elizabeth Martha Ann Cutrer. 

 

25 Jan. 1818. LA. Willis BRUMFIELD (1794 - 1833) married Nancy Virginia HOLMES (1797 - 1833). Willis was my 4x great uncle. He was the son of John Brumfield & Margaret Kelly. Nancy was the daughter of Elisha Warren Holmes Sr. They had 10 children and were married 12 years. 

 

27 Jan. 1907. Manhattan, NY. Frank Samuel WEISSBERG (1878 - 1940) married Florence GARTNER (1879 - 1954). Florence was my great aunt. She was the daughter of Leopold & Fannie. Frank was the son of Morris & Rose. (His name is sometimes seen as Samuel Frank). They had 2 sons and were married 33 years. They lived in Buffalo, NY for many years. 

 

27 Jan. 1945. MS. Weldon Willis FORTENBERRY (1920 - 2015) married Malissia DUNN. Weldon was the  son of Willis F. Fortenberry & Ivy May Smith.  They had 2 children. 

 

28 Jan. 1903. OH. Thomas Kenneth MARK (1879 - 1975) married Nancy Regina Victoria GRUISSY (1879 - 1959). Thomas was the son of William Mark & Elidia Ritter. Regina was the daughter of Augustus & Esther. They were my great grandparents. I remember visiting them in OH. They had 7 children and were married 56 years. 

 

28 January 1864.  George Washington WOLF (1842 - 1920) married Margaret Ann CULP. George was the son of Frederick Wolf & Louisa Goetz. 

29 January 1902. Richard Silman BRUMFIELD (1867 – 1949) married Nora Fitzpatrick. Richard was the son of Isaac Nelson Bbrumfield & Sarah J. Smith.

 

29 January 1977. Ohio. William REAM (1909 - 2001) married Isabell Esther MARK NEE (1903 - 1984). Isabell was the daughter of Thomas K. Mark & N. Regina Gruissy Mark. She was my great aunt.

 

31 Jan 1827. Isaac BRUMFIELD (1801 - 1862) married Elizabeth HOLMES (1808 - 1890). Isaac was the son of John Brumfield & Margaret Kelly. Elizabeth was the daughter of Elisha & Sarah. The couple had 8 children. 

Learn more about my family's branches by reading my books.  

 

 

 

Merry Christmas

  

I hope your ornaments sparkle

and your jingle bells rock!

Merry Christmas, Colleen

December Family Birthdays, December 16 - 31

 Is your birthday in December? 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 December     

1872       David J. MCMILLAN

1877       William Calvin FORTENBERRY, son of William Franklin Fortenberry &                             Mariah B. Hall, husband of Hettie Alice Alford

1879       Mary POLLACK was born in South America, daughter of David Pollack & Mary English. She grew up in Ireland and came to the USA in 1885 with her cousin, Mary Josephine (Mullane) Coyle.

 17 December    

1898       Elma M. BLADES

1912       Ross POWELL

1933       Hugh Frances BROWN, son of Hubert Allen Brown & Freddie Smith. He married Frances Birch and had two sons.

18 December     

1918       Arnell Wessie WILSON was the daughter of Thomas Clarence & Euna Clarabelle (Fortenberry) Wilson. She married Eugene C. Pigott.

19 December     

1850       John William RITTER, b OH, son of Isaac Ritter &  Isabell Fisher. Husband                     of  Ruth Anna Scott. He has the same birthday as his brother, Amos. 

 1858       Amos RITTER, son of Isaac Ritter & Isabell Fisher, husband of Emma                             Levina Smith. Amos lived 94 years

1937       Kenneth Leroy MARK, b in OH, one of 11 children  of James Everett Mark & Effie Margaret Carter.

20 December     

1840       Margaret Ellen SWANK

1869       Joseph Davis BRUMFIELD, b in Mississippi, son of Isaac Nelson Brumfield                     & Sarah J. Smith. He married Annie Quinn.

 1877       Alfred M. SCHILLING

21 December    

 1806       Jacob WOLF, son of John Frederick Wolf 

1888       Bridget COYLE was born in Connecticut, daughter of Patrick Coyle & Margaret Brady. She married Bernard William Kelly. They had no children.

 1903       Isabell Esther MARK, daughter of Thomas Kenneth Mark & N. Regina  Victoria Gruissy

22 December     

1856       Olevia Luminda FORTENBERRY married Jeptha Josephus Alford on 18 February 1874. He was the son of Ira Payne Alford & Elizabeth Hope. Olevia and Jeptha’s son was George Howard Alford (1875 – 1958).

 1897       Edna J. FORTENBERRY, daughter of Thomas Benton Fortenberry & Gabriella Sanders

 1902       Elma Grace Pletcher JOLLIFF

23 December     

1773       Jeremiah SMITH,  b in South Carolina, son of Jeremiah Smith & Jemimah Hollis. He married Joanna Dillon on 16 December 1798. They had 13 children. Jeremiah died in 1843 in Mississippi.  He was my fourth great grandfather.

 1840       Rachel Ellzey Smith SCHILLING

 1860       Frederick Jacob WOLF, son of William Wolf & Sarah Jane Wilson; He lived 90 years.

1873       Catherine COYLE, born in Ireland, daughter of Patrick Coyle & Margaret Brady

1882       Celia Euseba SMITH, daughter of Walter Lorraine Smith & Emma J. Warren

24 December     

1835       Warren M. HUFFMAN

1854       James Monroe BRUMFIELD, son of Isaac Nelson Brumfield & Sarah J Smith

1884       Annie Myrtis ELLZEY

1886       Blake H. WALDO

1900       Lyda Mearl Brown PIERCE

1901       Marguerite Christina COYLE was born in New York City, daughter of Michael Coyle & Mary Josephine Mullane.  On 29 December 1933 she married Wilfred Stewart Marshall. She died 13 march 1980 in Arizona.

25 December     Christmas!

1860       Elizabeth RITTER was born in Ohio, daughter of Isaac Ritter & Isabell Fisher. She married William Hawk on 22 February 1880. They had six children, all born in Ohio: Gertrude, Forest, Lulu, William, John and Ruth. She died 1 January 1950.

 1862       Mary Fortenberry ELLZEY

 1870       Thomas MULLANE, son of Daniel Mullane & Brigid English

1881       Mary Louise FORTENBERRY

1901       Luther Vernon  FORTENBERRY

1902       Willie Webb MORRIS

26 December     

1861       Margaret Jane GRUISSY was born in Ohio, daughter of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Mary Ann Everett. She married Seth Benner Morrison on 24 October 1880. They had eight children. Margaret died 8 March 1946.

 1937       Mildred Fay TURNAGE

 1942       Jimmie Joe MORRIS

27 December     

1739       Johann Jonas WOLF, born in PA; son of Johan Jacob Wolf & Anna Barbara Orth; He was my 5x great grandfather. 

1764       John RITTER, born in PA; son of Casper Ritter 

1857       Mary Jane ELLZEY

1863       Letitia Susan BLADES

 1907       Milton Sydney WEISSBERG was born in Buffalo, New York, son of Frank Samuel & Florence (Gartner) Weissberg.  On 26 December 1937 he married Anne Bloom. They had a son and a daughter. Milton was a lawyer. He was my first cousin, once removed.

  1917       Claudia Martha BRUMFIELD, daughter of John Edward Brumfield & Ada Beatrice Fortenberry; wife of Elmo Fortenberry

28 December     

1799       William M. FORTENBERRY, born in SC; son of Isaac Fortenberry; husband of Christian Brown 

1839       Frederick Calvin WOLF was the son of Frederick Wolf & Louisa C. Goetz. He married Eleanor Getz.  Frederick died in 1907.

 1879       Patrick Joseph COYLE, born in Ireland; son of Patrick Coyle & Margaret Brady; husband of Nancy Guilette

 1914       James Albert BRUMFIELD, son of John Edward Brumfield & Ada Beatrice Fortenberry

29 December     

1777       Esther Barbara SHAFFER, wife of John Frederick Wolf. She was my 4x great grandmother.

1874       Susan Isabel RITTER

1886       Martha BRACEY

1890       Ina Lucille BROWN,  born in Mississippi, daughter of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield. She married Dewitt William Alford. They had seven children: Devoe, Doris, Bruce, Zelda, Mary, Louise and Lindy. Ina died in 1972. 

30 December     

1842       George Washington FORTENBERRY,  born in South Carolina, son of Calvin Kennington & Narcissa (Simmons) Fortenberry. He married Emily Pittman. 

31 December     

1763       Appollonia WOLF, born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Johann Jonas Wolf &                     Appollonia Dick. 

1787       Willis D. DILLON, son of Richard Dillon & Anne Lawrence; husband of Mary Jane Smith

1886       Clark Rudy WOLF

To learn more about my family's branches

order & read the Books I have Written.

Our Browns Roots

&

Remembrances