This 145-year-old Book is Now My Favorite!

This beautiful book has adorned my bookshelf for 30 years, after I purchased it from a Used Book Sale at the Union Printer's Home in Colorado Springs, CO. It's titled "Revised New Testament and History of Revision" and was published in 1881 by Hubbard Bros. Publishers, and Compiled by Professor Isaac H. Hall, LL. D.

My copy of the book shows this autograph on the first page by "J. D. Spitler, May 3rd, 1881". 145 years ago! It contains 496 pages and each page is gold-edged!

As I opened the book, I discovered this envelope and letter inside, with this information:

"Mr. L. M. Spitler, Sullivan, Ills

Dear Sir:

Our Tea Expert and Salesman, Mr. McHugh will call upon you next week prepared to give you the latest China news and to show examples of our resent importations, among them some excellent bargains. To raise the enormous indemnity China will have to pay as a result of her late insurrection, a heavy tax may be placed on tea and other products exported from that country, greatly increasing their cost here.

Mr. McHugh will advise you as to the exact present condition of the market and we ask for him your attention and an offer for the teas you will need during the winter and Spring.

Awaiting your valued favors, we are,

Yours very truly,

John B. Brown & Co."

Being the Genealogist that I am, one who loves discovering CONNECTIONS to the people I research, I had to look into both the man who autographed the book, L. M. Spitler and the man who published it, Isaac H. Hall. 

I discovered that the book belonged to Levi M. Spitler, and his son Jefferson Dennis Spitler is the 5th cousin 4 times removed of my husband, William L. Thompson!

Then I discovered that Isaac Hollister Hall, who authored the book, is MY 5th cousin, 5 times removed and is also a 3rd cousin, 5 times removed of my adopted son!  

 I'm proud to own this book and have a better understanding of its meaning and connection to my family. And now I've added it to my "to be read" list!

My Flanders Connection to Architect John James Flanders

  A few days ago my cousin Veva Young posted the photo below at left and asked if we were related to John James Flanders, the famous architect in Chicago, Illinois. The chart I drew up shows our relationship.

Cemetery Photos Bring Me Cousins and Stories

My husband and I frequently visit nearby cemeteries to photograph headstones that I add to individual accounts on FamilySearch. Recently as we were slowly driving through the Weiser, Idaho Cemetery, I noticed this small headstone with the name "Mudd Main" on it. 

I was intrigued that a mother would name her son "Mudd"! As I reviewed the family as listed in FamilySearch, I discovered several more intriguing facts. Andrew Parker Main (1849-1932) and Sarah Elizabeth Hack (1853-1912) were the parents of 12 children. Notice their names:

Odus Olen, Lonnie Loren, Byard Bolen, Made Marian, Nina Noble, Harry Harmon, Carry Clifford, Flo Fountain, --Main (1891-1891), Rell Rencie, Mudd Marble, and Eela Elas. 

I don't think I've ever seen that pattern in naming each child with the same letter starting the first and middle names. 

The "Memories" on Family Search offers this photo of Mudd Main, at left with his brother Flo at right.

Further digging into the "Memories" of the family revealed a very sad story involving another brother of Mudd, namely Carry Clifford Main. Here's the story: 

Isn't this a sad story? The children of Carry (1885-1943) and his wife Lily Jones (1888-1934) were:

Cecil (1908), John (1910), Kenneth (1912), Gladys (1914), Clarence (1917), Claudia (1920), Elmer (1921), Laura (1922), Pearl (1924), Clifford (1028), Edith (1929), and Beulah (1933-1934).

So when Lily and her 11-mo-old daughter Beulah were burned to death in the house fire, their 11 children, ranging in age 26 to 5, lost their mother. And if the 4 oldest were out of the house, living on their own, that still left 7 children at home for the father to care for. 

I don't know the family's circumstances, but this story really hit me hard. When we see headstones in the cemetery, we see only a tiny fraction of the family's story!

As I reviewed the pedigree charts of the family members, I discovered that this Lily Jones Main who died at age 46 was the half-6th cousin, two times removed of my husband, as shown in the chart. 

And I discovered that I'm an 8th cousin, once removed of Mudd Marble Main, as illustrated in this chart. 

Perhaps this is why his headstone caught my attention! But now I know a new story about one of my distant relatives and that make the family seem more like "family" to me. 

Another Sterling Sill Book Reveals a Cousin Connection

I seem to be on a roll here with Cousin Connections discovered in my purchases of books by Sterling W. Sill. During my most recent visit to the Deseret Industries Thrift Store in Nampa, Idaho, I found 3 books by Sterling and of course grabbed them up at $2.00 each. In my previous blog post I explained my discoveries from my research into a book's former owner, Ross E. Butler. 

Today I'm sharing what I discovered from my purchase of the book The Upward Reach. 

Amazon offers this introduction to the book: This volume is made up of fifty-two different, interesting, uplifting and highly motivating discussions based on Victor Hugo's thought that, "Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come." It is thought that for many people who are interested in raising the spiritual level of their lives and in bringing about a more substantial general success, that a regular weekly association with this stimulating book will prove most valuable.

After I lifted the book from the bookshelf, I opened it to leaf through it. I saw this name label inside: 

I recognized the Fullmer name as one I had entered into my genealogy database. Of course I could hardly wait to look into the connections when I got home. 

Sure enough I found a connection! This chart shows that I discovered that my (adopted) son is a 4th cousin, two times removed of Darrell D. Fullmer.  

I know this won't strike most people as significant. But I'm always easily amazed when I discover "Connections"!