McMurray Family (Click for Family Tree)

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. 1930s Kilgore “Invincible” 6.5″ Repeater Cap Gun, painted cast iron with holster, owned by Edward A. McMurray, Jr. who was born in 1924 to Edith (Roberts) [McMurray] Luck and Dr. Edward A. McMurray, Sr. It is unknown as to whether or not the holster was a part of a set with the cap gun, but we have not found another similar holster in our research. Currently, the value of the cap gun itself is approximately $50.
2. Kilgore was, at one time, the largest producer of cap guns and the caps they used. The company was started in 1912 and was still in business in the 1960s- it is likely that Ed’s children played with caps and toy guns made by Kilgore! See http://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=1317 for a history of the Kilgore company, which also was involved with making real military pyrotechniques (including signal flares)- and they almost built Thompson machine guns.
3. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Kilgore-Invincible-6-5-Painted-Cast-Iron-Repeater-Cap-Gun-c-1930-H/292380643055?hash=item44133e8eef:g:0qAAAOSwUYNaIbbi
   eBay item number:

   292380643055

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

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

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

Buyers have long traveled to New York City, the capital of fashion, home decor, and other products. Due to its ports it offered a wide variety of goods, and buyers would make the pilgrimage by train or airplane in order to learn the latest styles and to place orders so they could provide the latest to their customers.

These notices were actually provided to the paper by the buyers themselves, so we can be reasonably sure about their accuracy. The entries tell us the city, name of the company/store, buyer’s name, what items the buyer was interested in, and even the NY hotel they were staying in! (In the above case, it was the Broadway Central.) Wholesalers could easily contact the buyers with this information available.

Directly below this listing was “Buyers’ Wants,” which included “cotton goods” and “SILKS Wanted.” Below that, “Offerings to Buyers” were such items as “1,200 Oxford Gray Camp” blankets, as well as help wanted ads for ‘buyers of silks and dress goods,’ a manager for a knitting mill, salesmen, dictaphone operators and stenographers, etc. Wholesale beer was big business in NYC, and still is!

Buyers generally made 1-2 trips per year to NYC.

It is interesting to look at other headlines in the papers at the time, to see what was happening in the world and in the US, as well as to see the ads for various clothing items and home fashions.

In the 1917 paper, for instance, one headline on the front page was, “England Moves to Block Egress of Enemy Ships into North Sea”- this of course refers to World War I, which the US would not get involved in until April of that year. Another headline stated “Pershing Retiring; Villistas Advance.” Brigadier General John J. Pershing had taken troops to Mexico to capture Pancho Villa, a Mexican revolutionary who commanded forces that murdered 16 American Nationals, then crossed into the United States and attacked Columbus, New Mexico and the Army Camp there.

Some things never change: “House in Debate on Revenue Bill…Fight Opens the Week.” Other headlines show us how far we have come, such as “Mrs. Byrne Now Fed by Force; Birth-Control Prisoner, Near Collapse, Revives After Food is Administered.” Mrs. Ethel Byrne was in the workhouse serving a sentence for her protest, had gone on a hunger strike, and was force-fed. At this time 100 years ago, women did not have the right to vote and this was happening to those who protested the inequality, however Mrs. Byrne’s transgression was insisting that women should have control over when they got pregnant. Mrs. Bryne’s sister was the more famous birth-control advocate, Mrs. Margaret Sanger.

People still wanted the newest styles for themselves, their families, and  their homes despite the latest news. Buyers like Sam Broida, of Broida Brothers Jobbing Company, worked hard to provide the nicest products for the customers of their St. Louis store.

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. See captions.

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

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

The Winter of His Discontent: Casimir Pulaski’s Resignation as Commander of Horse

McMurray Family (Click for Family Tree)

Sorting through notes and saved files about Henry Horn, we are reminded that Henry served in the American forces under Casimir Pulaski, a nobleman who had led Polish rebels in his own country to overthrow the king. Pulaski was exiled for his actions and lost all his titles, property, and money in Poland. He then came to America to fight in the Revolutionary War, as he believed in the cause of freedom for the people.

The Journal of the American Revolution has a few articles about Casimir Pulaski, so they are another great resource for learning more about the context of Henry Horn’s service.

Casimir Pulaski’s Difficulties in Recruiting his Legion

We are still trying to pinpoint exactly when and where Henry served, but we do know that he was with Pulaski at Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey on 5 October 1778.

The Affair At Egg Harbor: Massacre Of The Pulaski Legion

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. Journal of the American Revolution— allthingsliberty.com

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

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

, Cooper Family (Click for Family Tree)

Three years ago today I posted some images along with lyrics from Brad Paisley’s song, “Two People Fell in Love.” Seemed like that was just not enough pictures of our ancestors who fell in love, so we decided to provide Part 2 and make it a series, as wonderful pictures become available.

Of course, the secret to a good marriage is making every day a day to celebrate your love, not just a day in the midst of February. Our ancestors probably struggled with this concept like we sometimes do, especially when the mundane gotta-dos of life get in the way. Many of them had long, loving marriages though, and they were good role models for their descendants of today.

Please enjoy these lovely people on this Valentine’s Day of 2018 !

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. “All because two people fell in love” HeritageRamblings.net post, 14 Feb 2015– http://heritageramblings.net/2015/02/14/all-because-two-people-fell-in-love/
2. “Two People Fell in Love,” song by Brad Paisley- see above article for more information.

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

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

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

8 Fast Facts About Hessians

McMurray Family (Click for Family Tree)

Tuesday’s Tip: When you find a resource that lists your ancestor, or has information to add context to his/her life, “mine” it for more information than just the first page that came up in a search engine.

Finding new information about an ancestor, their time, or the places they lived is always exciting! But don’t stop with the first item that comes up on a website search or when checking the index. Look through the information, using a variety of search terms, to see what else might provide more information. Browse through a Table of Contents or go page by page through a document. Important-to-you items can get missed by an indexer, spelling can be off, and sometimes titles are misleading, or the article has more than suggested. This tip will help “put flesh on the bones” of an ancestor, and help you to understand more about the context of their life.

Using references, notes/footnotes, and bibliographies can point a researcher toward more pertinent information as well.

The Journal of the American Revolution is a good example. After finding the items that were listed in yesterday’s post, another search on the website, this time for “Hessian,” brought up more interesting articles that are useful as background for understanding the early years and military service of Henry Horn:

“The Sale of the Hessians” and the Franklin Legend

The Hessian Jägerkorps in New York and Pennsylvania, 1776-1777

Hessians: Mercenaries, Rebels, and the War for British North America

More to come about Henry Horn as we complete more research.

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. How are we related? One of the sons of Henry HORN and Elizabeth (PRETZMAN) HORN was Frederick P. HORN (1796-1867). One of his daughters with Hepzibah (CLARK) HORN was Mary Ann HORN (1824-1891), who married Henderson McMURRAY (1819-1906). Their son Frederick Asbury McMURRAY (1850-1929) was the grandfather of Edward A. McMURRAY, SR. (1900-1992).
2. Journal of the American Revolution, allthingsliberty.com.

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

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