Treasure Chest Thursday: Viola G. HELBLING and her Husband Charles CARRIGAN

Viola Gertrude Helbling and Charles M. Carrigan. This picture was likely taken in the 1940s.

HELBLING Family (Click for Family Tree)

Viola Gertrude HELBLING (1913-1971) and Charles M. CARRIGAN (1916-1989) of St. Louis, Missouri, married 27 November 1941, per one researcher, but we have not yet found a record to confirm that date. Perhaps this photo was their wedding photo?

Vi was the daughter of Gerard William “G.W.” Helbling and Anna May (Beerbower) Helbling.

had married previously, in secret, as she was working and helped support her family. (Women sometimes gave up their jobs when they married back then.) That husband passed away, and she later married Charlie. Sadly, they had no children, but they enriched the lives of their nieces and nephews immensely!

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Family treasure chest of photos.

 

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Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 
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Tombstone Tuesday: John S. Roberts of Indiana

Shared headstone of John S. ROBERTS (1805-1875) and his wife Jane (SALYERS) ROBERTS, in West Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Ripley County, Indiana. These photos were taken for the author in the 1990s.

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

The shared headstone of John S. Roberts (1805-1875) is in West Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Ripley County, Indiana. His wife, Jane Salyers Roberts’ inscription is on the other side. This side reads:

JOHN S.

ROBERTS

BORN

Jun. 30, 1805

DIED

Dec. 17, 1875

Aged

70y, 10 m.

17 d.

Detail, headstone of John S. ROBERTS (1805-1875) in West Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Ripley County, Indiana. These photos were taken for the author in the 1990s.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Photos taken for the author in the 1990s. The child is the cute grandson of the photographer, and not related as far as we know.

 

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 
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Sentimental Sunday: Roberts Family Pickle Castor

Likely George Roberts family’s pickle castor.

ROBERTS Family (Click for Family Tree)

So just what IS a pickle castor??

It is a fancy jar for pickles, from back in the day when it was important to set a beautiful table.

Details from (likely) George Roberts family’s pickle castor.

Pickle castors were made of silver or silver-plate, with glass jars about 7″ high to hold pickle spears. The metal frame had a handle for carrying, with a hook for the tongs to use to get a pickle out in a delicate manner. The base was often elaborately decorated, as was the handle and even the tongs of some sets.

Tongs from (likely) George Roberts family’s pickle castor.

Tongs from (likely) George Roberts family’s pickle castor.

The glass jars were most commonly molded in cut glass designs, but more expensive versions used real cut glass. (Many sold today as ‘antiques’ have reproduction jars in them, since that part was often lost to breakage.)

Glass jar from (likely) George Roberts family’s pickle castor.

The Kovel’s Antiques webpage states that, “Castor jars became more ornate each year, and by 1860, they were cathedral-like pieces.” (The handle on this jar definitely is ‘cathedral-like.’) Pickle castors were still popular in 1890, but had gone out of fashion by about 1900.

I believe this pickle castor belonged to the family of George Anthony Roberts and Ella Viola (Daniels) Roberts of Jasper County, Iowa. It was found in the house of their daughter, Edith (Roberts) [McMurray] Luck. If memory serves, it used to be in the old homeplace that Edith’s brother George Anthony Roberts, Jr. lived in while he farmed the land after their parents retired and moved into town. George and Ella married in 1885 in Jasper County, so this could have been a wedding gift. Rural areas change slower in their fashions than in the big cities, so it likely was still popular to have a pickle castor on the table into the early 1900s. There are some dim memories of such pretties in an upper cabinet in that house or another house that Georgie (Jr.) may have lived in. And we know that the Roberts women made fantastic pickles, so it might have been used frequently!

Another possibility is that this belonged to George Sr.’s parents, John Roberts and Elizabeth Ann Murrell Roberts, who married in 1857, when pickle castors were at the height of their popularity. If this is true, and they received it as a wedding gift, it would have travelled by covered wagon from Roseville, Illinois to Jasper County in 1868! They probably wrapped it in cloth scraps that would later be used for mending or quilts, then packed it among clothes and blankets in a box stashed inside the wagon. Elizabeth would have probably feared it would be broken when they arrived, but making the trip intact would have been cause for joy after leaving so many possessions behind.

Of course, this is all conjecture, and Edith may have bought it at an estate sale, where she loved to shop. She would not have gone to the sales for her own home until the mid-1920s, though. Additionally, she was not a woman who enjoyed fancy things, so this does not seem to be the origin of this pickle castor.

The design of this is most likely Aesthetic Victorian- seems a bit flowery to be Eastlake, but expert opinions are welcome.

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Kovel’s website– https://www.kovels.com/price-guide/glass-price-guide/castor-jar/Page-7.html

 

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 
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Those Places Thursday: Westfork Baptist Cemetery and The Roberts Family of Indiana

Christie family member at West Fork Baptist Cemetery, Ripley County, Indiana, April 2015. Posted with kind permission of Doug Christie. (Sarah Christie married William Roberts, son of John S. Roberts and Jane Salyers Roberts, in 1848.)

Christie family member near Preston Christie headstone, at West Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Ripley County, Indiana, April, 2015. Posted with kind permission of Doug Christie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

Westfork Cemetery is in Shelby Township, Ripley County, Indiana. Quite a few of our Roberts ancestors and cousins are “quietly resting” in this hallowed ground.

The RootsWeb description of this cemetery states it is 1 mile east of SR 421 and about 2 mi. south from Rexville, or 2.5 mi. SE of Haneys Corner, Indiana. It is in Sec. 31 of Shelby Twp., and 958 ft above sea level. Current address information is 10468 S County Road 450 W, Madison, Indiana. The phone number is 812-689-3124.

Sign at West Fork Cemetery, Ripley County, Indiana. Posted with kind permission of Doug Christie.

There is an “Old Westfork Cemetery” listed on Find A Grave (both old & new FAG) but it does not have any memorials.

Learning who else is in a cemetery may also give us clues as to relationships and residences of family. Knowing that our Roberts ancestors lived in Shelby Twp. helps to verify that these folks are the correct family, despite the common name.

Six person named Roberts are listed as buried at Westfork:

John S. Roberts (1805-1875), son of Edward Roberts and Rosy Stewart.

Jane (Salyers) Roberts (1806-1880), wife of John S. Roberts.

John B. Roberts ((1858-1880), son of Charles Roberts and Ammarilla (Reynolds) Roberts.

Amarilla ( Reynolds ) Roberts (1828-1880), wife of Charles Roberts (1828-1906) who was the son of John S. and Jane (Saylor) Roberts.

David Roberts (1845-1892), son of John S. and Jane (Saylor) Roberts. Listed as an “idiot” and lived with his sister Quintilla (Roberts) Mitchell and her husband Daniel Mitchell.

Susan M Roberts (1855-1879), daughter of Charles and Ammarilla (Reynolds) Roberts.

Quintilla (Roberts) Mitchell (1852-1887), daughter of John S. and Jane (Saylor) Roberts.

Alta Mitchell, daughter of Quintilla and Daniel Mitchell.

 

**NOTE: Please don’t forget that it takes money, work, and time to maintain the graves of our ancestors! Even if we do not live nearby, a donation, no matter how small, to the cemetery association is a great way to honor our ancestors.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Westfork Baptist Cemetery– http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inripchs/westfork.html
  2. Facebook page for Westfork Baptist Church Cemetery, with photos that include Christie headstones– https://www.facebook.com/pages/Westfork-Baptist-Church/117095501641756
  3. Shelby Twp., Ripley County, Indiana cemeteries- map–http://www.ingenweb.org/inripley/cemeteries/cem_shelby.shtml
  4. Old Westfork Cemetery- need to find out more about this cemetery, as older members of family may be buried here–https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/86280/old-westfork-cemetery/photo
  5. A special thank you to Doug Christie, who posted photos back in 2015 on Facebook (see note 2). He kindly gave permission for us to use his photos in this post. There is a good photo of West Fork Cemetery on Find A Grave as well, but there has been no reply from the photographer concerning my request to use the photo. (I particularly love the grain bins in the background.) See https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1965427/West-Fork-Cemetery?

 

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 
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Mystery Monday: Who is Nathan Roberts of Maryland?

Edward Roberts bio, first paragraph, from Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the Counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana, compiled & published by John M. Gresham & Company, Chicago, 1889.

 

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

“Nathan Roberts, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, a native of Maryland, settled at a point opposite to the present city of Cincinnati before there was any town there. He entered a tract of land, but afterward lost it because of leaving it.”

Just who is this Nathan Roberts? We have not only found him mentioned in this biography, but also on many online family trees, where it is, unfortunately, unsourced.

If this Nathan Roberts was the grandfather of Edward Roberts (1839-1922), son of John S. Roberts and Jane Salyers, he would have been John’s father.  BUT, we have the will of Edward Roberts (1775-1830) and other sources which confirm that (an elder) Edward was the father of John- no mention of the name ‘Nathan’.

Could John’s father actually have been named Nathan Edward Roberts and been called Nathan in Maryland, then he decided to use the name Edward by the time he had moved to Kentucky and/or Indiana?

Checking early censuses for Maryland, there was a Nathan Roberts in Maryland in 1830-1850 in District 1, Caroline, Maryland; see notes below for details. This Nathan would have been born 1770-1775 per the 1830 census, which is about the same year our Edward Roberts (the elder) was born. So maybe they are the same person??

The 1860 Maryland census has a Nathan Roberts who is in Baltimore, too young, a servant, and black, so not the correct person.

Another possibility is that this bio got it wrong- that does happen frequently in these “mug books.” Maybe Nathan was supposed to be listed as the great-grandfather of this younger Edward Roberts. Or maybe they just typeset ‘Nathan’ instead of ‘Edward’.

What do you think? Please share any evidence that you might have to prove the identity of  ‘Nathan Roberts’. Many Roberts descendants would be very appreciative!

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the Counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana, compiled & published by John M. Gresham & Company, Chicago, 1889. https://archive.org/stream/biographicalhisto00inchic#page/n5/mode/2up
  2. Nathan Roberts Maryland Censuses–
    1830– https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPP-Q4V
    (2-page census–1 male <10, 1 age 55-60, 1 female age 24-36 on next page)
    1840– https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHR2-J6B
    (1 male 55-100, 1 female 36-55)
    1850– https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XCHQ-HMJ
    (age 60 and black)
    1860– https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GB9V-PN4?cc=1473181
    (this person is 35 and black, working as a servant in Baltimore; too young)

 

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 
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