On September 4, 1979, thirty-three years ago today, Delmar Clair Kernan (1908-1979), my paternal great grandfather, died in Sherwood, Washington Co., Oregon at the age of 71. Delmar’s funeral was held on September 7, 1979 at St. Francis Catholic Church. He was buried on September 7, 1979 in the Garden of the Last Supper at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon.
Delmar was born in Portland, Oregon in 1908 the son of George Edward Kernan (1884-1960) and Maudena Elizabeth Stearns (1885-1936). In 1929, he married Maxine Elizabeth Davis (1912-1992), with whom he had two children (Deldalyn and William) before their divorce. In 1950, Delmar married Pauline Katherine (Rains) Rowlands (1913-1997). Before his retirement, Delmar was a salesman of prefab-homes.
A recent post from A Hundred Years Ago asked the question, “What Courses Did High School Students Take a Hundred Years Ago?” Although she did not attend high school a hundred years ago, this made me think of my paternal great grandmother Alice (Wellin) Graber (1916-1985) and what education she had.
Alice Wellin’s 1931 Certificate
Although I do not have every detail of Alice’s education during her high school years, I do know that in 1931 she completed a course of training in “home hygiene and care of the sick” through the American Red Cross under the auspices of the Girl’s Polytechnic School in Portland, Oregon. In the 1940’s and 1950’s, the Girl’s Polytechnic High School was a technical school for girls who were trained to work in in-demand occupations. At the time my great grandmother attended the Girl’s Poly, it appears they trained young women not only in certain occupations, but also provided training that would be termed “home economics” today.
According to the course textbook, American Red Cross Textbook on Elementary Hygiene and Home Care of the Sick (Delano and McIsaac, 1913), the home hygiene and care of the sick course was established to provide the necessary knowledge and skills for not only what Florence Nightingale once said that “nearly every woman at some point in her life is obliged to act in,” that of “the capacity of a nurse to the sick,” but also “the continued good health of the well,” with particular attention to enabling woman and girls “to prevent the conditions in their own homes which undermine the health of their families.” This was achieved by fifteen lessons, which included: a discussion of bacteria and its relation to health and disease; causes and transmission of disease; proper care of food, water, and ice; proper care of air, ventilation, heating, lighting, soil, sewage, and garbage; the proper arrangement of rooms and furnishings in the home; the care of the home, including laundry, the cellar, plumbing, cleaning of the home; personal hygiene; hygiene of infancy and childhood; proper care of beds, mattresses, pillows, and bedding; bed making; general care of the sick in their own homes; general care of patients; sick room appliances; symptoms of disease; and the household medicine closet.
I am certain that my great grandmother was taught other subjects in high school, but it is fascinating to learn that at the young age of 15 what kinds of information she was expected to learn in high school and how it differs from today. When I was in high school in the 1990’s, a course in home economics was not offered, though I did take a semester of it in junior high. We did not cover a fraction of what my great grandmother was expected to learn. I kind of enjoyed the course. I wish I knew what Alice thought of hers.
About a year after Alice’s completion of this course, she married Theodore Alexander “Ted” Lapham (1910-1955), with whom she had three daughters: Gloria, Margaret (my paternal grandmother), and Jacqueline. Alice and Ted’s two eldest daughters also attended the Girl’s Polytechnic School in Portland.
On August 6, 1918, ninety-four years ago today, Willard Pershing Graber (1918-1988), my step-great-grandfather, was born on the Chamberlin Farm just outside Cooperstown, Griggs Co., North Dakota, USA.
Willard was the tenth child born to Kit Carson Graber (1875-1960) and Iva Mae McKeehan (1879-1950). According to Iva’s extensive diary, Willard weighed seven and a half pounds when he was born, making him Kit and Iva’s fourth largest baby, and tying him with his brother Gail. At about four months old, his parents moved their family to Iowa, before returning to North Dakota between 1922 and 1924. As a sharecropper, Kit often had to move his family around at this time, particularly as the Great Depression set in and the droughts took their toll on farms in the Midwest.
Between 1932 and 1934, Willard completed two years of high school at Grilley High School. By 1936, the Graber family was struggling in North Dakota and decided to move west, settling in Albany, Linn Co., Oregon, USA in that year. Iva, Willard’s mother, kept an extensive account of their trip by car. In 1937, Willard, at the age of nineteen, enlisted in the Oregon National Guard, which he served in until 1940. The following year, he married his first wife, Mae Houser (1923-1989), with whom he had one son before their divorce in 1945. In 1943, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II, and began his training to be a pilot (the war ended before he finished his training).
In 1947, Willard married my great grandmother, Alice Lucretia (Wellin) Lapham (1916-1985), who was recently divorced from her first husband, Ted Lapham (1910-1955).
On July 22, 1985, twenty-seven years ago today, Alice Lucretia (Wellin) Graber, my paternal great grandmother, passed away at the age of 69 in Westminster, Orange Co., California, USA.
Alice was born in 1916 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon the only daughter of Wilhelm Percy Wellin (1895-1977), a Swedish émigré, and Lois Beatrice Agee (1897-1983). She first married Theodore “Ted” Alexander Lapham (1910-1955) in 1932 in Portland. After which, they had three daughters, Gloria Lois Lapham (1933-2008), Margaret Ann Lapham (1936-2004), and Jacqueline Lapham (LIVING). Alice and Ted’s marriage ended in divorce in 1944. In 1947, Alice married Willard Pershing Graber (1918-1988) in Portland. After which, they had two daughters, Sharolyn Iva Graber (1948-1970) and Marla Jean Graber (1952-2007).
Headstone of Alice Graber
Alice was buried in Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster, Orange Co., California. Her grave is beside her second husband, Willard, who followed her in death nearly three years later. Her headstone is inscribed, “Beloved Wife and Mother.”
On July 11, 1988, twenty-four years ago today, Willard Pershing Graber, my step-great grandfather passed away in Westminster, Westminster Co., California at the age of 69.
Willard was born in 1918 in Cooperstown, Griggs Co., North Dakota, the son of Kit Carson Graber (1875-1962) and Iva Mae McKeehan (1879-1950). He married my paternal great grandmother, Alice Lucretia Wellin in 1947 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon. After which, they had two daughters, Sharolyn Iva Graber (1948-1970) and Marla Jean Graber (1952-2007), half-sisters to my paternal grandmother. Before his marriage to Alice, he had been married to Mae Houser (1923-1989), with whom he had one child before their divorce, Roger Victor Graber-Hayes (1942-1997). After Alice’s death in 1985, Willard married for a third time, to Dorothy (Prescher) Hastings (1926-2010).
Willard Graber’s Headstone
Willard was buried in Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster, California, next to Alice. His headstone is a military headstone, as he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.
Although Willard has “no direct relationship” to me, I knew him as my great grandfather (actually “Grandpa Graber”), and I remember him fondly. He would always tell me “tall tales” from American folklore (like the one about Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe), when I wandered away from where us kids were supposed to be playing and found my way to the bar area in my grandparents house during their Christmas parties. I suppose he told me these stories because I believed every word of them.
On June 30, 1897, one hundred and fifteen years ago today, my 2nd great grandmother Lois Beatrice (Agee) Wellin (1897-1983) was born in Wilbur, Douglas Co., Oregon. Lois was the first of four children born to Otto Agee (1868-1904) and Tirzah Stephens (1873-1967).
On December 2, 1914, she married Wilhelm Wellin (1895-1977) in Vancouver, Washington. Together, they had four children, though only three lived to adulthood.
Lois Wellin (ca. 1980’s)
Although I never had the chance to get to know her, I am told by many that she had a bright and happy personality, and a wonderful gift for playing the organ, particularly during family gatherings in Oregon when she would play songs such as “Alley Cat.” Lois passed away in 1983 just before her eight-sixth birthday.
Lois is particularly interesting to me not only because she seems like she was a really fun, full of life person, but because she was born on the same day as me (and my faternal twin brother); and she is one of two 2nd great grandparents and the only 2nd great grandmother that were still alive in my lifetime.
Exploring your own family history inevitably leads you to go through boxes of old photos and personal items that once belonged to your grandparents, great grandparents, or other relatives, a process that usually uncovers certain family treasures, or heirlooms.
Heirlooms are tangible pieces of our family’s past, linking generations together in ways far beyond the objects physical value. They often become cherished reminders of loved ones that have passed away. More often than not, they also have a story behind them and why they have been passed down from generation to generation.
When I began looking into my own family history, it wasn’t long after that I uncovered several heirlooms and that these items have special meaning. I recall the expression on my grandmother’s face when she unpacked her father’s wallet, as well as her grandfather’s, and how she held them. Although they were old wallets of no real value, they had significant sentimental value to my grandmother. I also recall how my great grandmother always wore the same small, flower-sapped earrings with small stones in them, because they belonged to and reminded her of her mother. Since her passing, they are worn by my Mom.
WWII Ruptured Duck Pin & Patch
Here is a list of some of the heirlooms I uncovered belonging to various relatives in my own family:
A small diamond and sapphire broach belonging to a 2nd great grandmother
A ring belonging to a 2nd great grandfather
A pair of earrings belonging to a 2nd great grandmother
A pair of eye glasses belonging to a 2nd great grandmother
A hand made quilt made by a great grand aunt
A wallet belonging to a 2nd great grandfather
A miner’s lantern belonging to a great grandfather
In addition to my great grandmother Goldie, this year also marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of my paternal great grandmother, Maxine Elizabeth (Davis) Smith (1912-1992). It also marks the 100th anniversary of her adoption, and 20th anniversary of her passing.
Maxine was born on January 25, 1912 in Portland, Oregon the only child of George Beeney (1890-1970) and Gladys Cook (1894-1957). George and Gladys’s marriage was not a happy one and it ended in divorce about a month after Maxine’s birth, with Maxine being put up for adoption. She was adopted by a couple that always wanted a child but up to that point did not have one of their own, William Davis (1876-1960) and his wife Mary “Linnie” Williams (1883-1968). They adopted Maxine on February 29, 1912.
In 1929, Maxine married Delmar C. Kernan (1908-1979) in Portland, Oregon. Together, they had two children, a son named William and a daughter named Deldalyn (or Del for short). Like her biological parents, Maxine and Delmar’s marriage wasn’t a happy one, and it ended in divorce in about 1948. In 1951, she married Oscar Smith (1902-1976), a World War II veteran who had also been previously married. After their marriage, they moved to Vancouver, Washington.
Weathered Copy of “Mr. Fixit’s Column”
Growing up, Maxine didn’t know she was adopted until she came across her adoption papers while helping her mother clean out a closet. Putting it aside in her mind, she didn’t think about it again until she was about 43 years old. Having little else than the name of her parents (George and Gladys Beeney), which William and Linnie told her, Maxine turned to the “Mr. Fixit’s Column” in the Oregon Journal, sending a letter containing what she knew about her biological parents and the circumstances of her adoption, leaving out specific names.
In the letter she stated that she had “wondered about the mother who had given her away, but it was not until she was married and had two babies of her own that she realized what that gift must have cost and wished she might find out who and where the mother was who had made such a sacrifice.” Soon after its appearance in the Oregon Journal, Maxine was notified that her biological mother (Gladys), who was remarried with two children, had responded to the paper, and a meeting between them took place soon afterwards. By all accounts, the meeting was a “joyful reunion.”
Maxine (center), Gladys (right), and Linnie (left)
Wanting to meet her biological father, Maxine took the opportunity to ask questions and learned a few details about him, but Gladys did not keep in touch with him. From that point on, Maxine kept searching for her biological father, but never was able to find him or learn anything about his family. I suppose she didn’t know that he had left Oregon and returned to his home state of Ohio, where he died in 1970. Six years after his death, as irony would have it, she moved with her daughter and her family to Springfield, Ohio, which is about 86 miles away from where George had died and was buried in Newark, Ohio.
Maxine passed away from pneumonia in 1992 in Phoenix, Arizona. She was buried next to Oscar in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.
Happy (belated) 100th Birthday Great Grandma Maxine!
In 1965 what could be best described as a rare moment occurred in my family, with the taking of a photo that went on to be published in a local news paper in Oregon, USA. The article was entitled “Six Generations of First Daughters,” as the photograph consisted of six generations of women in my family that were first daughters. The following photograph is the one that appeared in this article.
Six Generations of First Daughters
Seated in the front row from left to right are: Crystal (Graber) Friederich, Tirzah (Stephens) Martin, Gloria (Lapham) Graber, who is holding Tracy Friederich. Standing in the back row from left to right is Alice (Wellin) Graber and Lois (Agee) Wellin.
The Six Generations of First Daughters is as follows:
Tirzah Olive (Stephens) Martin (1873-1967), who first married Otto W. Agee (1868-1904) and later John Martin (1865-1931), her third husband. Tirzah and Otto had four children together: Lois, Althea, Clarence, and Leonard.
Lois Beatrice (Agee) Wellin (1897-1983), who married Wilhelm Wellin (1895-1977), a Swidish émigré. Lois and Wilhelm had four children together: Alice, William, Calvin, and Herbert.
Alice Lucretia (Wellin) Graber (1916-1985), who first married Theodore Lapham (1910-1955) and later Willard Graber (1918-1988). Alice and Theodore had three children together: Gloria, Margaret, and Jacqueline.
Gloria Lois (Lapham) Graber (1933-2008), who married Daniel Graber (1930-2009), the nephew of Alice’s second husband. Gloria and Daniel had two children together: Crystal and Steven.
Crystal (Graber) Friederich (1950-2011), who first married Armo Friederich and later Rodney Major. Crystal and Armo had one child together, Tracy.
Tracy Lynn Friederich (LIVING).
I’ve always liked this photo because not only is it unique, but it also shows my great grandmother (Alice), my 2nd great grandmother (Lois), and my 3rd great grandmother (Tirzah) all in one photo.
This past May 15, 2012 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of my maternal great grandmother, Goldia Mae “Goldie” (Worthington) Hamilton (1912-2006).
Goldie was born in Harrison, Boone County, Arkansas the daughter (and only surviving child) of Ernest Jacob Worthington and Mae Josie Gifford. In 1933, she met and married Harry Carl Hamilton, a World War I Vet originally from Ohio who was ten years her senior. Together, they had seven children, five of which lived to adulthood. Soon after the birth of their second child, they left Arkansas for Oklahoma, where she and Harry spent the rest of their lives. She passed away in 2006 at the age of 93.
Goldie’s life was frequently filled with hardships, such as the abandonment of her mother when she was a little girl, living through the Great Depression, loosing two of her seven children soon after their birth (one of which was her only daughter), having a son go to prison, wanting to riase a grandchild but having to watch him be given up for adoption, and the death of her husband when she was only 48. Despite these hardships, Goldie always found a reason to smile and laugh. She found tramendous comfort and joy in simple things, particularly her many pets that she loved very much.
Although I never had the chance to get to know Goldie (she lived so very far away), my Mom has always told me that I would have liked her; and from what I have learned about her I agree. She was a strong person that never let the difficulties and challenges of life keep her from seeing the silver lining in any dark cloud.
Happy (belated) 100th Birthday Great Grandma Goldie!
Among My Branches 