Do you recognize me?

My name is Verturia Platt. I lived in New Haven, Connecticut sometime during 1917-1930 maybe longer. Marcia Stoddard used to call me Aunt Verturia, but I don't believe we are actually related... probably just good friends of the family. Marcia's daughter Sally, the author of this blog, would love to know more about me. If you are related to me, or know me at all, please leave a comment. You will make her day!

One way to get the point across...

While I was rummaging in a closet that doesn't see much daylight, I rediscovered the Dikeman family bible that I received from my mother years and years ago. Either I never bothered to look at it (not likely as I am a very curious sort of person), or I completely forgot the treasures inside (sigh, the most likely scenario).

This collection of pictograms were among some treasures kept within the covers of the bible. I haven't gotten it all worked out yet, and I'm not sure who sent it, or to whom for that matter. But I will. Someday. These are the first four pages out of the 12 that make up the message. Click on any photo to see a larger image.

Does anybody know what a Waumbek is? 

I do, because I googled it. It is a mountain in the Pliny Range located in Coos County, New Hampshire. That is a very helpful clue, I think. Certain family members lived in NH. Some, who lived in CT, traveled often to NH for holidays. I hope there are more clues embedded in this letter!

Stay tuned for part two...

Synchronicity... you have to love it.

I scanned some more photos yesterday. This batch came from Mom's desk. Again, most are identified, but some are not. I sat down this morning to look them over and rename the photos - somehow I don't think scan0013 is going to be descriptive enough.

I picked out a photo at random, which turns out to be a picture of Amelia and Henry Stoddard having a meal at the dining table. Breakfast I think, since Henry appears to be reading the newspaper, and there is a lot of light streaming in from the outside.

Henry and Amelia Stoddard's dining room

I was looking at the picture, noticing that Amelia didn't look all that happy about having her picture taken, then the chandelier caught my eye ... lovely shaped glass covers... and the bas relief frieze above the fireplace mirror. Traveling around the picture my eyes settled on the chair by the window. Oh! I've seen that chair before!

A couple of days ago Alex's issue of Fine Woodworking came and guess what is on the back cover?

How is that for coincidence? The article is about a student of Boston's North Bennet Street School (known for producing very fine woodworkers) and his reproduction Federal-era heartback chair. The article continues to describe how Steve Brown found the chair in a book, tracked it down to the Philadelphia Museum of Art where he was permitted to take measurements and trace the original. Heartback chairs were popular in Philadelphia around 1800.

You just never can predict where you will find something interesting about your family.

The next photo may the one we will never figure out. Let me know if you have any ideas...

If all else fails, there is a woman, Maureen Taylor, who specializes in identifying old photographs. Maybe I will send it to her to help us figure it out.



Cheers!

Who is this fine fellow?

Shhhhh.
I've started a new project (don't tell Alex!).

Yesterday, I scanned the photos from Mildred Dikeman's photo album. Yay grandmother Mildred! She actually identified every photo but two. So, now we know who these fantastic people are.

Or do we? His name is Rufus G. Russell. I did not even know he existed until I started the photo project. So, last night I started poking around in ancestry.com and found out that he is Mom's great grandfather:

Marcia Stoddard (Mack) Ahlefeld > Mildred Dikeman Stoddard > Lillian Adella Russell > Rufus G. Russell.

Rufus was married to Elizabeth, and they lived in New Haven, Connecticut in 1880.

Lillian's brother is Byron G. Russell:

He was a minister in Rockport, Massachusetts in 1877. He was married to Sarah E.

It is so tantalizing to learn a few little facts... but even with these tidbits of information we can now dig a little deeper and find out more about them...

Elizabeth Ann Sanford Russell.

I wonder if this is Rufus's wife Elizabeth? I'm thinking it might be, but I haven't found proof of her other names. I need to find the marriage and death records - places where the parent's information would often be listed. The only identification of the photo was her name.

And does anyone know where this lady fits into the Russell family?

Loly Tirrell Russell wife of Ransom R Russell.

The inscription on the border of  the album said Mildred's great-grandmother. Rufus's mother I suppose. Unfortunately I can't tell from the U.S. Census reports from 1850, Prospect CT. The family is listed as:

Ransom Russell, 54
Lola, 48
Edwin, 20
Henry, 19
Caroline, 15

My guess is that Rufus is already out of the house - he would be about 22 at this time. I found Rufus on an 1880 U. S. Census, New Haven, CT ...

R. G Russell, 51
Elizabeth, 55
Oscar Dikeman, 33
Lillian A. Dikeman, 30

So let's do the math. 1880-1850 = 30 years ... Lillian is 30 years old. So it is likely that Rufus Russell is married to Elizabeth by 1850 and probably enjoying fatherhood as well. If we add in the birth dates of Byron was born in 1846, and Lillian born in 1849... well, I believe we have our answer.

It would be good to get the marriage and death records to verify this information. They are probably located in New Haven, or maybe the records are old enough to be in the Connecticut State Archives Library in Hartford.

Do you see why I'm hooked?