Henry Phend Celebrates 92nd Birthday

For quite some time, I've known that the Whitley County Historical Museum had several file cabinets full of newspaper clippings dealing with the families of the county but I just hadn't taken the time to check for my families. On Monday, we were working in the room where these file cabinets are located so I opened the "P" Surname drawer and there was a file for the Phend family. The clippings in that file ranged from the 1930s through the 1970s and covered topics such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and family reunions, among other tidbits. A date was hand-written on most of the clippings but the name of the newspaper was not. I know that there were other articles on the Phend family in the newspaper during this time period that aren't included in the clippings file. I don't know where the clippings came from or what the criteria was for whether something was included or not. There are other family surnames that I'll look for in the files in the near future.

This is just one of the 74 news articles that I scanned today, it is dated 11-9-57. Click on the image to view a larger version.

Henry Phend Is At Son's Home on 92nd Birthday

Henry Phend, who has been a patient at the Irvin Nursing home for nearly two years following a hip fracture, was pleasantly surprised on his 92nd birthday Thursday when Stuart Smith and Robert Erdmann called at the Nursing home and took Mr. Phend by ambulance to the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Phend, 412 South Elm street. While Mr. Phend was in the ambulance Mr. Smith and Mr. Erdmann graciously motored him around town so that he was able to see some of the changes that had taken place during the past two years.

When he arrived at the Gerald Phend home he found waiting for him a decorated birthday cake and supper, which Mrs. Phend had prepared. Pictures were taken while Mr. Phend was at his son's home, cards and letters he had received were read and members of his family and friends visited him.Mr. Phend was born November 7, 1865 in Marshall county, seven miles east of Bremen. He was married to Susie Yarian in 1892. Mrs. Phend died on April 29, 1956.

Mr. Phend and his son's, Gerald (Dufty), Virgil and Donald, have built many homes and business places and have installed more than 30 store fronts in the city. His other sons are Victor, Larwill, who operates a typewriter repair shop in Fort Wayne; Cecil, operates an auto repair garage at Merriam; Russell, has a filling station at Tarpon Springs, Fla., and Paul, Antwerp, Ohio, who owns and operates a genera repair shop. His daughter, Bernice Turner, lives at Temple City, California.

Last Woman Standing

Pushing my bike uphill, I am high off the ground and high on happiness.




"Look, look! I can stand out of the saddle!"




My riding companion's face registers confusion, then bewildered comprehension.




"Oh my God. You mean all this time you couldn't?!"

"Nope!"




Funny that she hadn't noticed - although many people I ride with don't seem to notice my deficiencies in cycling skills; I guess I find ways to disguise them. But privately I remain acutely aware of those deficiencies. And ever since I started riding as an adult, I've been trying to master this particular "skill" - something most riders seem to take for granted as just being part of riding a bike. Standing up when a gear feels too high is simply the natural thing to do for them. Pedal sitting, pedal standing, what's the difference?




For me there was a big difference. Since childhood, I've had problems with balance and proprioception (the awareness of one's body in space), both of which made riding a bike in anything but a rudimentary manner seem unattainable. 4 years ago, I could hardly swing a leg over a top tube without toppling over. But my irrational love of cycling made me persistent. Things are much better now than they used to be, to the point that I can almost pass for "normal" on a roadbike - all the more reason my few remaining difficulties are so frustrating.




So what was the problem getting out of the saddle?.. The physical memory is disappearing now, but try to imagine this: Whenever I'd try to stand up, I would lose the sense of where I was in relation to both the bike and the ground. Not only did I have no intuitive notion of how to hold my body up when no longer seated, but I'd start to experience general disorientation and mild vertigo. Not surprisingly, these sensations would make me anxious, which in turn made the whole thing worse; a vicious cycle.Verbal instructions from well-meaning riding companions did not help. This was obviously just something I needed to work on myself. And I did keep trying.




But the first break-through came when I wasn't trying at all. It was a couple of months ago. I was riding an Xtracycle Radishone day, up a gentle hill. Just before I was about to reach the top, I stood up and leaned forward instead of downshifting. My mind was elsewhere and the whole thing was unintentional; it just happened. After I realised what I'd done, I was so happy I almost had to pull over on the side of the road to laugh or cry or something. My mind was blown!I tried it again later, this time intentionally. It was not quite as natural as the first time. I was jerky in my movements and my legs grew tired quickly,but for a few pedal strokes at a time it worked.




Several days later came the 300K brevet. I was losing time on a long climb, and in a moment of frustration I tried standing up again so that I could push a bigger gear. This did not feel the same as it did on the Xtracycle and I nearly fell off my bike. After that I decided to give my standing attempts a little rest.




And I did, until one day - on my roadbike in Northern Ireland - it "just happened" again on its own. I simply stood up, absent-mindedly on a short hill. This time I decided to harness whatever impulse had enabled me to do this. Continuing to ride on rolling terrain I stood up again and again, rather than switching gears, until I began to trust that I could do it. After a week of this, I was no longer hesitant or nervous to stand up at will.




A few days ago I pedaled over to County Tyroneto visit a friend. It was a 100 mile day with around 6,000 feet of climbing over the "shoulders" of the Sperrins mountain range. I stood up whenever I wanted, and finally, in the course of this ride, it began to feel as I imagine it's felt to other riders all along - normal.




One thing I realise now, is that in addition to whatever balance issues were involved, another problem was weak legs. At first my legs would start to quiver after just a short time out of the saddle; I felt like one of those newborn colts learning to walk. On a serious hill, I still get worn out quickly when standing. So even though thebalance and proprioceptionproblems are gone, I continue to practice just to develop more leg strength. And finesse. At the moment, my technique is not exactly elegant. I don't throw the bike from side to side needlessly, but my pedal strokes are jerky and awkward compared to how I pedal seated.




As my last two years of roadcycling have shown, it is possible to do even long distance rides without ever standing out of the saddle. And there are, after all, experienced riders who simply prefer not to stand. I do not know whether I am one of them yet. But once I form a preference, it will be exactly that - a preference, and not a limitation.

The Brinker Kinexxion

The following Deed Record was found on June 7, .. at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. It was the occasion of an extremely happy “Happy Dance” for me, as reported by Carol several days later. You see, it had been many, many years since I've been able to add a new ancestor to my pedigree chart.



I was ecstatic, to put it mildly. I had finally found the maiden name (as well as the actual first name) of the mother of Elizabeth (Switzer) Yarian – Catharine Brinker – and the name of Catharine's father, Andrew!



Not only had I added a new ancestor, but, I didn't know it at the time, I would have the Brinker lineage several generations back to the early 1700s in Switzerland. It seems that extensive research has been done on the Brinker family by two ladies who have documented Andrew's parents and grandparents!



In addition, at least one book has been published on the Leatherman/Lederman family – the wife of Andrew Brinker was Barbara Leatherman.



Yes, those last two days before I left Salt Lake City on June 9th were filled with amazing revelations and I was busy gathering as much information as possible, barely even reading most of it at the time!



And this document, a Quit Claim Deed dated the 11th of August in 1849 was the catalyst for that research frenzy... the heirs of Catharine Sweitzer were “selling” 213 acres in section 12 Fairfield Township, Columbiana County, Ohio to Thomas McCoy for which he gave one dollar to each of them. I've added emphasis on specific "important" portions...

Daniel Deemer, etal to Thomas McCoy.

Know all men by these presents the we Daniel Deemer and Susan Deemer his wife, of the county of Columbiana, Jacob Mondwick and Barbara Mondwick his wife of the County of Portage, Peter Bubecker & Rebecca Bubecker his wife of the County of Mahoning, Jacob Yarian & Elizabeth Yarian his wife of the County of Portage for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar each to us severally in hand paid by Thomas McCoy of the county of Columbiana the receipt whereof is hereby Acknowledged, have remised, released, and forever quit claimed... all our right, title and interest both legal and equitable in and to the following described premises, situate in the county of Columbiana and state of Ohio, and being the South East corner or part of section number twelve, in township number twelve, in range number two in the district of land offered for sale at Steubenville. Beginning at the South East corner of said section then on West with the line of the same thirty chains and seventy five links to a post, thence North fifteen degrees West fifty chains and fifty nine links to a post on Peter Firestones line thence East thirteen chains & twenty five links to a post, thence North ten chains and eighty seven links to a post, thence East thirty chains to a post, on the Eastern boundary line, thence South with the section line fifty nine chains and seventy four links to the place of beginning. Containing two hundred & thirteen acres and forty two hundredths, be the same more or less. It being the tract or parcel of land willed & devised by Andrew Brinker late of Columbiana County, deced, to his daughter Catharine Switzer & her heirs & deeded by the executors of said Andrew to said Catharine. To have and to hold the aforesaid described premises with all the privileges and appurtenances unto the said Thomas McCoy his heirs and assigns forever, so that neither we the aforesaid grantors above named nor our heirs nor any other person or persons claiming by through or under us shall at any time hereafter by any ways or means have claim or demand any right or title to the aforesaid premises or appurtenance or any part thereof. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this eleventh day of August A. D. 1849.

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of us

Samuel Entrilkin

George W. Entrilkin

The deed was signed by Dr Daniel Deemer, Susannah Deemer, Jacob Morndick, Barbary Morndick, Peter Buckecker, Rebecca Buckecker, Jacob Yarian, and Elizabeth Yarian.



Received for record January 30th, 1850. And recorded on the second day of February following.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

But there was one thing that really, really puzzled me about this transaction. Did you notice that I put the word selling in quotes in the paragraph prior to the deed transcription?



Why was the land sold to Thomas McCoy for so little – just one dollar paid to each of the heirs?



It seems I had overlooked another earlier deed recorded in volume 41, page 818. I had made note of it but not the name of the purchaser and I hadn't taken the time to view it while in Salt Lake City – I was concentrating on deeds that included “etal” with the grantors name! On my visit to Columbiana County I looked up the record and found that Jacob and Catherine had actually sold the land for $5,000 to Thomas McCoy. However, I neglected to write down the month and day of the transaction (I got in a hurry because the Recorders Office was extremely busy). The year was 1849. Most likely earlier than August 11th since it was recorded in an earlier volume than the other deed.



So, why?. If Jacob and Catherine sold the land to Mr. McCoy earlier in 1849 then why was there the second transaction with her heirs signing off on a Quit Claim deed? Catharine was still living – she didn't die until 1852. So, why?



I don't have an answer to that question. I'm just very glad that they did, otherwise I still might not know that Catherine Brinker was the mother of Elizabeth Yarian. Nor would I now have several more generations added to my ancestral pedigree chart!





Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 42, bottom of page 596 (FHL Film 926947)



Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 42 page 597 (FHL Film 926947)

Leavenworth ..

Ian, Lori and I headed up the Icicle to get some late season cragging in. Ian was interested in leading Classic Crack and we were all going to top-rope it. Slightly cold but decent weather was in store, and on a Tuesday in October, we could pretty much guess there wouldn't be a line at Classic Crack.

We climbed most of the routes on the 8-mile rock. Lori and I were disappointed with our attempts at the old school 5.8 Classic Crack, after we cruised the 5.7 Givler's Crack a few weeks earlier. We were expecting our performances to be better. My morning performance was really weak as I couldn't even manage a clean ascent of the 5.7 Mickey Mantle. I felt somewhat redeemed when I was able to climb Twin Cracks (5.8) fairly easily as our last attempt at 8-mile rock. Ian lost a #1 C4 Camalot deep into Classic Crack. A NOLS group showed up and they said they would attempt to retrieve it. (They were unsuccessful.)

We then hiked up to Be-Bop Rock where Ian and Lori both led Bit of Heaven, a slabby 10a. I gave it a go on top-rope, then led the uninspiring 5.6 Junior's Cookin'. At that point, the sun went behind the ridge, and it was time to head home.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience of finally trying to climb Classic Crack. I was hoping for a better performance, and I'm not going to let that get me down.

Ian and Be-Bop Rock.

Autumn in the Icicle.

Hiking out.

Lori's pics are here.

Highway Sights

These are sights seen going down the highway on the way home after being on Mt. Tayler for the day. Some are blurry as they were taken from the pickup truck window as we were going about 70 mph. Some of the lava rock beds that are near the highway. Good for another days outing. Again there were lots of big trucks on the road. There was a cute little church on a hill of a village that I would really like to check out some day. The Sandia mountains hiding Albuquerque as we came in from the west. And last a truck that said England on it. Was it lost? If so it was a long ways from the country. An ocean away.

Roadrunner & Horned Toad

This is the full view of the roadrunner with the horned toad climbing up the tree truck.

RAIN! RAIN! Finally

On July 20th we had the first major rain we had had in about a year. My rain gage showed just under an inch. We have been needing rain despertly and finally we got some. The whole state of NM has been in a drought for several years that had got really bad this summer. But in July what is called the monsoon rains started slowly inching their way into the state. Each afternoon we would hear of some little bit of rain somewhere. Many times we watched the clouds come in and could see some rain falling in and around the Albuquerque, Bernallio, Corrales areas, and even in down town Rio Rancho but not exactly where we are. This is when we have big, beautiful white thunderhead clouds come rolling in with a lot of them over the Sandia Mountains. The ones in these photos arn't as good as some of them but they were the ones that brought us the rain this day. We didn't really expect to get anything but a few drops as is normal when it first started and then it turned loose and became a gully-washer. A male rain as the Indians call it.If you had been in an arroyo or ditch it would have been a nasty flash flood. It is amazing how much water can come down to only be listed as less than an inch on the rain gage. The photos showing big puddles of water were quickly soaked into our thirsty ground.
The next day we got some rain again but it was only a light rain, the kind we really need so it can soak in instead of running off. A female rain.
But no where in the state have we had enough to get us back up to a decent leval of water in the rivers, creeks, and underground water table. It has been good for helping with the fires but not enough to put out that big fire that is still burning west of Los Alamos.
We are hoping for more.

Blue Ice gear is here again!

If you live in North America and have been looking,I have a limited stock of Blue Ice,Octopus packs, the Chouca lwt mountaineering harnessand a few dozen of the Boa ice tool leashes now in stock and ready to ship. Sorry, the Warthogs are sold out again!



details here:



http://coldthistletools.blogspot.com//04/blue-ice-gear.html

Leics Round 6 - Mkt Bosworth to Bagworth

With Marta. We deviated from the route a couple of times, and altogether walked perhaps two miles more than planned. A fine day, but with the cold north/ northeasterly wind still blowing. Snow lay on the ground in sheltered places, but there were also plenty of muddy and boggy patches. Most of the fields we had to cross were fairly dry. About 12 miles in all. A surprising amount of uphill, though none steep.





We park at the Country Park.More info about Market Bosworth Country Park andwalks from there, and information about the memorials to horses in a nearby field.

We walk into the town centre - it looks old-fashioned with its veg shops, cafés and pubs, and is still commemorating the Battle of Bosworth.





More info about Market Bosworth Country Park and walks from there, and information about the memorials to horses in a nearby field.



We walk down Back Lane, past some interesting buildings







and fairy-tale gardens.



Then we go across a field, making our way to the far right corner, where we meet a lane and turn left.









The next section of reclaimed land is being developed as a golf course. The path keeps fairly close to the left hand edge, and continues in the same direction until we turn right over a footbridge.

The path crosses the bridge - not sure why the sign points left

The simplest way from here is cutting the corner of the field to where there is a waymarker part way along the hedge. Signs are a little confusing, though not seriously misleading. The path leads directly to the edge of Carlton village, which we can see over the fields.





When we reach the road we turn left, then right along Shackerstone Walk, past the old school.

Sir Wolstan Dixie, of Market Bosworth appears to have endowed several schools. One of these baronets was a 'colourful character'

We walk past the green, and follow our footpath as it turns left behind some huge barns. At the end of the field we turn right and walk along the field edge to a footbridge, then uphill.

Colourful characters of the ovine kind

The signs are clear along by some hedges until we reach some very open fields - again the path is clear, and the mud is fairly dry today. We reach Keepers Cottage on the road, and this is where our diversion to avoid the closed footbridge starts.

It would save hassle if the diversion was posted up here to help walkers who may not have consulted the Leicestershire Round website for updates.

Turn left and follow the road over the railway line and take a footpath to the right just beyond.



We stopped at Shackerstone for a much needed lunch. Walking was quite tough today, because of the wind, and the occasional muddy sections.

We liked the roof!

The Ashby Canal at Shackerstone

Better than a guard dog?

We walked for a short distance along the canal, then turned right as instructed and crossed the disused railway line, then it's over the stream, and under a second railway line. We follow the waymarkers and the hedge and join a muddy field road. We turn right here.

The field road carries on for a fair distance, climbing gently but persistently until it passes Odstone Hall, with it's fenced ha-ha, perched high with wide views.





We pass the hall and Ivy House Farm and come to the road to Barton in the Beans - I love that name. The road goes downhill for about 400 yards, and wings to the right. Just here there's a footpath to the left, and another field track/mud-bath leading up. There are electricity pylons mentioned in the LR book, but they may have been rerouted - we saw none.

We have a slight problem with signage here - and walk two sides of a field to reach the footbridge down to our right. When we've crossed that all is crystal clear again as we follow signs through fields and uphill until we see Nailstone Church spire directly ahead of us.

It's just a question of aiming for that - but the paths are obvious - and not wet.

We decide we deserve another break after the last three huge and windy fields, so we take shelter by the hedge before we cross the A447.

This road does need care - partly because the steps down through the hedge are worn and seem to want to throw the unwary straight on to the carriageway!

Over the A447 and along Vero's Lane - the name is marked at the other end. We pass Nailstone Church, and are almost tempted to walk along the footpath opposite. For once we're awake, and realise we need to turn left and then right at Manor Cottage.

The way is clearly marked and the book's instructions are good.

After a couple of miles we pass the Underhills Wood scheme where land is being reclaimed under the auspices of the National Forest.





Nailstone church is still visible on the skyline.

A short distance to go and we're back in Bagworth.

Bagworth church - no, it doesn't really bend.

This wasn't the most exciting stretch of the Round, though the wind may have prejudiced us slightly!

Big Rocks

This big rock was along the steep hill going into or out of Ghost Canyon. Because it is fall the leaves were gone on the aspen trees and we could see the rocks better than we would have been able to in the summer. The rocks on this portion of the road were the biggest we saw.

Best Wishes...

The past few days I've been a bit under the weather... until I get back, please check out the posts my fellow genea-bloggers have contributed to the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories that has been hosted by Thomas MacEntee. I know that it has been a lot of work for you Thomas, but the time you spent putting it all together has been appreciated. Thank you Thomas! I have certainly enjoyed reading all of the articles. Thank you to everyone who participated.



To each and everyone, I wish you the best Christmas ever and may the spirit of the season be with you.

If you are in need of a good laugh (and aren't we all at some point during the holidays?) Janice Brown's video cartoons of GeneaBlogging Elves Running Amok will certainly cheer you up!

The Keweenaw Peninsula :: Is it the End or the Beginning?

The end of the road.



The road simply loops around this sign stating it is “The Beginning of US 41”





Over the years, I've driven on sections of US 41 in all the states it goes through except for Wisconsin. I've been at the beginning on the Keweenaw Peninsula and near it's end in Miami and many points in between...

The Patagonia guide book!

This is the coolest thing I have seen in awhile. Click on the link below but plan on spending some time there. It is an amazing resource for the community and a innovative format. "Bravo" on the idea and follow through for all involved!



Make sure to dbl click the 3 enclosed topo photos for full value and an idea of the scale of this project!

http://www.pataclimb.com/



"The Chaltén Massif was once a faraway land, a place where mountaineers could live a simple and adventurous life in the wild. Until the early eighties few expeditions visited the area every year but soon, due to a sharp rise in popularity and the advent of the town of El Chaltén for geopolitical reasons, things changed. The bridge over Río Fitz Roy was the first step, which was followed by roads, services, pavement, infrastructure, weather forecasts, etc. In spite of these changes the beauty of the peaks is still the same and Patagonia’s most precious treasure: its fierce winds and storms, continue to blow through the land as strong as ever, reminding us of our insignificance."





http://www.pataclimb.com/

What a Delight They Are!

Today at The Library, I met the You Go Genealogy Girls! They are delightful ladies, fun to talk with, and boy do they have some stories to tell... I saw Ruby at one of the microfilm scanner stations and thought she looked familiar (I did know they were coming here – after all, I do read their blog). So I went up to her and asked if she was one of the YGGG. (Thank goodness she was, I sure would have felt silly if she hadn't been.) We had a nice conversation then a few minutes later she brought Cheri over. To make a long story short, we snagged someone at the microfilm readers to take a photo of the four of us. The one the lady took with my camera was way out of focus but I think Carol has a good shot of all of us that she will post soon. [added May 27th - photo posted by Carol. Very good.]





Cheri Hopkins YGGG#2 and Ruby Coleman YGGG#1

Taking a tip from Carol, I decided to scan microfilm images of estate and probate records for several ancestors today. Back in the late 1980s I had taken a research trip to Ohio and had photocopied the “important” papers (those naming heirs) but that was it. I was able to find the estate records for three ancestors and scanned them. I'm hoping to get some clues from the names of the people who purchased some of the goods from the estates. And it's nice to have copies of all of the information from the estates.



There's still another week left! And I'm still hoping for that “Happy Dance” moment!

Ankle Brace

Oh the problems of getting old. Mother Nature doesn't want me to have fun anymore. Has anyone else had experence with these braces?

So after many years of having doctors tell me there is nothing wrong with my foot I went to another podiatrist the other day and she said my foot hurts because I have bad nerve and tendon damage as well as lots of arthritis in it. Especially the tendon that runs down the inside of the leg and across the ankle bone. I thought my ankle was broke the way it hurt. She said it is just the ravages of age and I need to wear this brace. It does go in a tennis shoe so can wear shoes with it. Also she will do ultrasound and then maybe injections or physical therapy.

This seems to be the result of genetics and many, many years of standing on my feet all day on concrete floors as a cashier. And doing lots of yard work. There were several times when I dropped something heavy on my feet and ignored the bruises. this is on my left foot. Already had the bunion removed from it about 12 years ago but it only helped the witht of my foot. Not the pain. The right foot needs the bunion off but not until this foot is better. Also right knee has a problem with arthritis and trys to dislocate sometimes. So we will see if this thing helps.