Week 52 - Memorable - Conner/Us

This was a tough one - there are so many memorable moments in my mind from the past. The one I keep going back to is our honeymoon (after the fact) trip to Disneyland in California. We were married in July 1974, but as Dan had just transferred to Flint, Michigan with North Central Airlines in April he wasn't able to take any vacation time at that point. He was only able to get a couple extra days off that weekend. He had bid his vacation for October so that was the 'big trip' of the year.

We spent a lot of time planning our honeymoon trip to California. Back then we could get passes on other airlines, so he had set us up on United Airlines to Los Angeles. And with a few extra dollars, we had First Class from Chicago to LA. 

What a flight! Drinks were plentiful, the meal was stupendous. The Stewardess wheeled a cart down the aisle with a huge beef roast that was cut at our seat. Vegetables, potatoes, gravy, rolls and butter. I can see why we were dressed to the nines! Me in a dress, nylons and heels and Dan was in a three-piece suit. We were treated like royalty, and we felt like it.

After the service and we had settled down to relax a bit, the Captain came on to inform us that we were getting ready to cross the Grand Canyon and he was going to give us a tour of it.  After he promised us that the plane would NOT fall out of the sky because of tilting it, he tipped the wings to each side so the passengers could look directly into it. We had an 8mm Brownie movie camera that we were able to video the view. Then the film ran out, and we had to 'turn it over'. That was a mess - back then you had to be in a darkened area to handle the film or there would be areas of the film that would be ruined. 

Arriving in Los Angeles, we took a shuttle to the Fantasy Motel - a small two-story facility that was located directly across the road from the entrance to Disneyland. 

Fantasy Motel in Anaheim, California 1974

The next day we purchased our admissions to Disney at the gates, and they gave us coupon booklets for access to the different attractions. Walking through the entrance to the theme park you entered by going through the gates of Cinderella's Castle. And as you entered, you were suddenly 10 years old and ready to see and do everything that were within those walls. And we did. There wasn't a corner that wasn't seen, touched, enjoyed and absorbed.

Disneyland October 1974

After five days of Disneyland, Universal Studios and Knott's Berry Farm we boarded our return red-eye flight. I immediately fell asleep, but Dan wandered upstairs to the lounge on the Boeing 747. He met another guy up there who was shuffling a deck of cards. That night Dan learned how to play Cribbage. They sat up through the whole flight, drinking and laughing. 

When we landed in Chicago, Dan fell asleep on a set of seats while waiting for our connection. When we finally arrived back at the airport in Flint, Michigan the car wouldn't start. 

Dead battery. And we were dead tired. 

We can look back on that now and laugh, but at the time it was stressful and not a fun return home. But it sure made for a memorable trip.

Barbie

Week 51 - Musical - Conner/Us

My first major musical that I attended happened on December 20, 1980, in Detroit, Michigan. My husband and I had moved to Romulus, Michigan the previous October when he had taken a promotion for his job at North Central Airlines. Our second daughter had been born in February, and not only did we not know very many people, but for a night out we also had to find a babysitter for two children under the age of three.

On top of that, money didn't grow on trees obviously and we were a one income family.  So, to find the extra dollars for babysitter, dinner and tickets was a chore all in itself. A fellow employee Craig and his wife Karen who also had small children at home were interested in attending with us. After some conversations, it was decided we would do a night out on the town just before Christmas.

We picked the national touring company that was showing the Neil Simon play 'They're Playing Our Song' at the Fisher Theater in downtown Detroit. The music was written by Marvin Hamlisch, and the main performers were Victor Garber and Marsha Skaggs. 

The Detroit Free Press Wed, Dec 10, 1980, pg. 67

Getting the tickets at a local grocery store that was a ticket outlet for the theater, we settled on the final night of the performance, front row balcony, and spent a whopping $10.00 on each ticket. Next, we were able to find a babysitter who was the niece of a neighbor of ours. We were all set and ready to celebrate.

Now in 1980, going to the Fisher Theater in downtown Detroit was an exciting time. The guys dressed up in their three-piece suits and we ladies dug deep in our closets to find dresses and shoes that would do them proud. My memory doesn't extend far enough back to remember where we had dinner before the show, but I'm thinking probably it was at Leonardo's Italian Grille in Romulus. The restaurant is still open today, just at a different location. They have awesome Italian food.

Arriving in downtown for the show, we obviously gawked at the fanciness of the Fisher. The marble, the plushness, the gold-leaf decorations, the women in their mink stoles! It was mind-boggling. We found our seats and settled in. Long before intermission the men had hung their suitcoats on the seats, unbuttoned their vests and were wondering how much longer before they could go find a drink in the lobby.

My mind doesn't remember every detail, but it must have been important enough to me that I saved the tickets. We have laughed often remembering that night over the last 45 years. It remains a good memory; I can still see the guys with their shirt sleeves rolled up and vests unbuttoned.

Barbie

Week 50 - Family Heirloom - Sheridan

Memories alone are family heirlooms to be cherished. But when it comes to tangible items, I have many different ones. 

Although I have nothing in my collection that are tied to a famous person, artist or philosopher, to me they are priceless. I have a few antiques, school memorabilia from previous ancestors, and some letters and autograph books. Mainly items that are tied to a specific person or era of our family.

One of my favorite items I am the keeper of is a Sheridan family bible. It seems so innocent of an item, yet it connects to our immigrant ancestor Michael Sheridan, Sr who traveled from Cloncovid/Clonkiffel, County Cavan, Ireland to America in the early 1800's.  

Written in pencil on the inside cover is "Michael Sheridan Bible 1845".

The publication is a Douay Catholic Bible. The bible was published in 1839 in Philadelphia by Eugene Cummiskey. He was an Irish immigrant also, active in printing and bookselling and one of the first American publishers to produce Catholic Bibles domestically, reducing the reliance on imports from Ireland or England.

The front pages are missing and if there were any family pages, those are also gone. Ah, to have a crystal ball and see who may have removed those original writings and where they might have ended up. Luckily there is a title page for The New Testament section, and it shows the 1839 publish date so I can connect it to the first Michael Sheridan. 

His first wife had died in Ireland (Mary Healey) before he had immigrated in 1827. His sons Michael, Jr and Patrick immigrated ca 1832. Following Michael, Sr's death, his sons then came into Michigan.

Michael Sheridan, Sr married his second wife Mary Kane in New York in 1838. By April 1849, they were the parents of six children. Mary died in August of 1849 following the birth of twins William and Joseph. Michael died 15 months later in November of 1850 leaving the children orphans. Two sons (James and Thomas) came to Michigan to live with their half-brothers, Michael and Patrick (my 2x great grandfather).  

The others (John, Ellen and the twins) were probably apprenticed out or adopted. I have never found mention of them.

James married twice - Kate O'Brien who died in 1884 following the birth of her last child and 2nd Francis Kelly. He had six children: Paul H, Joseph, William, Emmit Frances, Agnes and Peter Eclestine with Kate and then four children with Francis: Eva, Helen, James and Prudence. They settled in Muskegon, Michigan.

Thomas married Esther Tinkler and had seven children: Ella (Eloise), Mary Agnes, Rosa Belle, Kate, John James, Teresa Cleo and Henry Thomas. They settled in Jackson, Michigan.

And just that quick our cousin base doubles with many half-cousins. And we all connect back to that original 185-year-old family bible.

Barbie

Week 49 - Written - William and Carrie Porter

This week's prompt is WRITTEN. Don't always believe what is written - not all things are cut and dried.

This picture came to me from my Aunt Phyllis (Porter) Drummond. She was my dad's older sister.  My dad, William (Bill) Porter was born 10 October 1917, the youngest of three children of Harry Edward and Nellie Irene (Dillingham) Porter. Dad had an older brother Harry Edward, Jr born 31 March 1916 and his older sister Phyllis was born 20 Feb 1915.

Aunt Phyllis remembered a lot about growing up and residing in Flandreau, SD where my dad was born.  She and Harry were born in Manning, Iowa. 

Now my grandpa Porter always went by Ed - never Harry. His son Harry always went by Harry. and my dad William always went by Bill.  And dad had a grandfather named William. You can see the confusion already.

Here is the line:

Bill Porter>Ed Porter>William Porter>John Porter>Aaron Porter

So, looking at the enclosed picture, you would figure that it is of Aaron Porter and his wife Lavina (Chapman) Porter based on the fact of what Phyllis wrote. The great-grandparents of Ed.

But and it is a fairly large 'but'...Aaron Porter died in 1845. While living in the wilds of Iowa, before it became a state. When it was the Iowa Territories. Would it have been feasible that he and Lavina would have had their picture taken? Photography didn't really develop until Civil War times. I really don't think so. I am so not feeling it.

I believe the picture is of John Porter (1818-1885) and his wife Margaret (Matter) Porter (1833-1901). I don't have any other pictures of John Porter, but I do have this one of Margaret.

Any input is always welcome. Research has shown that the clothing in the first picture is dated 1860-1870's. Long after Aaron Porter died. Thoughts?

Barbie