My Worst Christmas: 1961

My History
By Don Taylor

I’ve seen several blog posts from folks about their best Christmas family experiences. So, I thought that I’d go against the grain and write about my worst Christmas. It was 1961.

It had the potential of being the best Christmas ever. My mother married Budgar on December 8, 1961, and the two returned from a short honeymoon on December 10th. For Christmas, we were going to have a family get together. Budgar’s daughters, my new stepsisters, were coming and my grandmother was cooking a turkey with the fixings. Eleven-year-old me, had a hard time waiting until my stepsisters got to our house, but we waited so we could open presents together.

We opened our gifts and everyone was pleased. I’m not sure I remember exactly what my big present was. It might have been a “Paladin gun with holster,” maybe it was a toy “Rifleman cap gun,” I’m not sure which year I received which. I’m sure though I received new army men to play with; I received army men every year for several years. My stepsisters, ages 11 and 10, were especially excited about their new Barbie dolls and a Barbie game – The Barbie Game: Queen of the Prom – “A fun game with real-life appeal for all girls.”

After a short while, my stepsisters wanted me to play their new game with them. I said, “No.” I was 11 and enjoyed playing with my toys by myself, as I had done in previous years. Besides, I wasn’t about to play a “girlie game.” They insisted and then whined to their father, Budgar, that I needed to play with them because the game “wasn’t any good for just two.” They needed at least three players. So, Budgar took me away from my new toys and made me play the Barbie Game with his daughters. I was mortified.

Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and my grandmother’s cake put me in a better mood later that afternoon. She was an excellent cook and an amazing baker.

 

 

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Donna in the News – Sweet Voice at the Orpheum

Vaudeville
Donna Darling Revue

“Donna in the News” is my reporting of newly found newspaper articles and advertising regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and aka Donna Darling). I am always excited when I find a new venue of my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s. 

This week article and advertising are from the Tulsa Tribune (Tulsa, OK) newspaper dated December 14, 1923 (Page 14)

Article

Theaters

Theater: Broadway Orpheum. Vaudeville and Photoplay

… Donna Darling, the headliner, with a pair of snappy young dancers, presented a delightful musical comedy medley. The Darling’s voice was sweet and the setting and costuming of the act rich and beautiful. The soft show dancing of her partners and Darling’s singing were quite pleasing….

Advertising

Advertising on the same page showed that Donna’s show included Murry Earle, “Her Dancing Fool” and Tod Watson, “Her Beau Brummel[i].” Also on the bill with her were:

      • Burns & Lynn – Tunes, Tickles and Taps
      • Four Bellhops – Comedy Novelty
      • Williams & Clarke – “Happiness”
      • The Luster Bros. – In a Unique and Extraordinary Novelty

There were three vaudeville shows each day – 3, 7, and 9 p.m.

The article and advertising are available via Newspapers.com.

Because of those newly available online articles, I was able to add another venue for Donna’s show business career.

December 13-14, 1923 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – Broadway Orpheum – Donna Darling and Revue. 


Endnotes

[i] A “Beau Brummel” is a dandy and a “dandy” is a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance. Source: “Beau Brummell.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Beau%20Brummell.  Accessed 22 December 2019.

 

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Rufus Darling and the First Train in Kalamazoo

Darling
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.Finding stories about the lives of our ancestors is always a joy. In this story, my wife’s 2nd great aunt, Emma Darling, relates the story of the arrival of the first train to Kalamazoo.  The sound of the shrill whistle, certainly heard for the first time by many of the townspeople, created excitement that emptied the churches on a Sunday. Besides that story, more information about my wife’s 2nd great grandfather, Rufus Holton Darling and there is even a brief mention of my wife’s 3rd great grandfather, David Swayze.


Kalamazoo Gazette (Kalamazoo, MI) 9 July 1916, Page 6

Transcription by Don Taylor

Miss Emma Darling has invitation sent her father for Railroad banquet in 1846 

“On the Southeast corner of Main and Burdick streets was the old and well-known dry good stand of Goss and Darling (with the Gazette office upstair)” so says the late George Torrey in his history of Kalamazoo. Continuing Mr. Torrey states “next was the dry goods store of Clark and Kendal, (Foster and Underwood, tailors upstairs; father down was Farrell’s shoe store; then came Benj. M Austin’s jewelry shop; next to the Wolverine exchange kept by the indomitable Col. Hosea B. Huston with Patrick’s restaurant underneath it; next east was the “New York store,” kept by Camp and Company I think.” 

All this was in September 1844 when the Michigan Telegraph, edited and published by Henry B. Miller made its first appearance. These were early days in the history of Kalamazoo and it is only a few who now remember that the first store built in Kalamazoo was that of Goss and Darling on Main and Burdick street, built by Rufus H. Darling and David Swayze. This corner was at that time only a wooded spot.

Within a short time, this corner will meet another change when the present brick buildings will be razed that a handsome new building may be erected for the First National bank.

Miss Emma Darling, who still resides on a portion of the land purchased by her father, Rufus H. Darling, at Cedar and Rose streets has many interesting souvenirs of the early days of Kalamazoo.

Has Railroad Contract.

“My father,” said Miss Darling, “had the contract for building the Michigan Central railway from Michigan City through to Grass Lake and on its completion a banquet was given for which I have the original invitations sent to my parents. I had it framed that it might not be destroyed and it reads thus:

Kalamazoo. February 5, 1846

Sir

The Central Rail Road having been completed to Kalamazoo, and our citizens being desirous to furnish to its friends a supper. You are respectfully invited at the Kalamazoo House, on Wednesday Evening, Feb 11th.

Committee of Arrangements

      • A. Edwards             M Binsddill
      • Anthony Cooley    S. Trowbridge
      • D. S. Walbridge     Milo J. Goss
      • S. B. Davis               J Burdick
      • I. Moffatt, Jr.         Chas. E. Stuart
      • D. B. Webster         R. S. Gage

“Nearly everyone has heard the story of the arrival of the first train in Kalamazoo on a Sunday,” said Miss Darling “and of how everyone on the toot of the whistle jumped from their seat at church service and went to investigate the noise.”

First Train Arrived.

In connection it might be well to quote from the diary of Alex. J. Sheldon, many of his notes being included in the Torrey History:

Tne “St. Joseph” — First Train to travel from Detroit to Kalamazoo.

Monday, February 2, 1846 — A most lovely day. This morning the cars, which came in on Sunday (yesterday) commenced their regular trips. I forgot to mention that a car was run upon the wood to this place last Sunday week. At about half-past two o’clock p. m. on that day, just after divine service had commenced in the churches, the shrill, loud and prolonged shriek of the coming locomotive startled the congregation, producing a sensation of the liveliest character. The sanctity of the day and the place, the eloquence of the preacher, were in a moment forgotten in the excitement of the occasion and the yearn which possessed the heart of every villager to see “the cars”– and took but a short time to transfer the audience from the sanctuaries to the show-ground, where the locomotive, “St. Joseph” and a single car stood revealed to the astonished and delighted people. This afternoon and old barn near Sheldon’s bookstore was fired but Ghoh Glynn and myself put it out. Aleck Sheldon and Clem McNair went around this evening and got a call signed for a fire company.”

Feb. 11–Railroad celebration and supper at Kalamazoo House.”


Facts:  

  • 1845 – Rufus Darling had the contract for building the Michigan Central railway from Michigan City through to Grass Lake.
  • 5 Feb 1846 – Rufus Darling was invited to attend a railroad banquet on February 11, 1846.
  • 1844 – the Goss and Darling dry good store was the first store built in Kalamazoo.
  • 9 Jul 1916 – Emma Darling lived at Cedar and Rose streets.
  • 2 Feb 1846, the first train arrived in Kalamazoo.

Sources

Article: Kalamazoo Gazette (Kalamazoo, MI) 1916-07-09, Page 6 – “Darling has Invitation sent her father for Railroad Banquet in 1946.” Accessed 18 Dec 2019 via Genealogy Bank.

Train image. “Kalamazoo Railroads, Interurbans, Buses, and Transit History,” 2019. Migenweb.Org. Accessed 19 December 2019. https://www.migenweb.org/kalamazoo/railroadsinterurbThe back of this photograph identifies the subject as a locomotive built in 1836 that was the first steam engine to run from Detroit to Kalamazoo…. Date and location of the photo not given.”

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Ancestry – December Sale!

Ancestry® December Sale

AncestryHealth® is on sale for $99* (originally $149)
AncestryDNA® is on sale for $59.
Ancestry® Gift Subscriptions are also 20% off.

Sale ends at 11:59 pm EST on Tuesday, December 31st.

This is a great time to get the AncestryDNA® test kit you’ve been wanting.

 *Not available in NY, NJ or RI.


I have purchased several AncestryDNA® kits for family members and I pay for an annual subscription to Ancestry.Com World.  The use of these links will allow me to receive a small referral fee from Ancestry which I use to help pay manage this website. Please see my disclaimer page.

– – – – – Disclaimer – – – – –


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The Haley Brick Wall

Roberts/Scott/Haley
By Don Taylor

I hate to ever admit it but, I think I may have hit a brick wall on my Haley line. I think I’ve followed all the reasonable paths and I’m down to speculation and looking to see if I can find any evidence to support or conflict with my speculation.

My Speculation

1860 Census[1]

The 1860 Census indicates that living with my third-great-grandparents (Andrew & Malinda Haley) were Benjamin and Nancy Haley (ages 81 and 70 respectively) were both born in North Carolina. Andrew as only 23-years-old during 1860, so it is unlikely that Benjamin and Nancy are his parents. More likely, they are his grandparents; but they could be related in some other way. Through this post, I’ll consider facts that may confirm or refute this speculation/hypothesis.

1850 Census[2]

An Ancestry search of the 1850 Census resulted in finding four individuals named Benjamin Haily (or Haley or Hailey) who were born in North Carolina. Ancestry indicates birth years for the four as, 1802, 1805, 1818, and 1830. None of these seemed to fit my Benjamin Haley. I then searched Family Search using the same criteria. There, the same four individuals were presented, however, the one identified as born about 1830 is identified as being born about 1780 which fits my Benjamin Haley. Looking at the image carefully, it is not clear if the entry is 20 or 70. In my opinion, many of the other twos on the page support the idea that this entry is a 70. If this is the case, then the household would consist of

Clay County, Kentucky – Enumerated 24 Aug 1850 – Dwelling & Household 383, Lines 30-36.

  • Elizabeth Haily       Age 44 North Carolina (cannot read or write)
  • A??zy  Jr.                    Age 14 Tennessee
  • Edward                       Age 12 Tennessee
  • Solomon                    Age 8   Tennessee
  • Sarah                           Age 5   Tennessee
  • Asa                               Age 7/12 Kentucky
  • Benj.                            Age 70 North Carolina (cannot read or write)

It is my sense that this is my Benjamin and he is living with his daughter-in-law and her five children.

1840 Census

My Benjamin Haley should be about 60 years of age during the 1840 Census. A review of the census indicates there are two Benjamin Haley’s enumerated in Tennessee. One was in Madison County and appears to be between 30 and 40 years of age[3]. This is clearly not my Benjamin Haley.

The second Benjamin is in Henry County[4]. He is between 20 and 30 years of age. Clearly not my Benjamin Haley either. So, the question is, is he with a son and daughter-in-law or could he still be in North Carolina.

Conclusion

I feel I’ve come against a brick wall. I am not finding any records which are shedding light upon any of these individuals. I think I’ll set this family line aside for a while and come back to it afresh later.

My speculation is that the parents of Andrew J. Haley (1836-1905) are unknown. I believe Andrew’s grandfather was Benjamin Haley (1779-c.1860). I suspect that Benjamin’s apparent wife, Nancy,  during the 1860 census is a second wife and not Andrew’s biological grandmother.[5]

If you have evidence which supports Andrew J. Haley’s parentage or evidence with contradicts this conclusion, I’d love to hear about it.  Please use the comment form below. Continue reading

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