Posts from category "Misc"

     When first researching the Margaretta Bowen Wissler letter, I originally thought the letter was written by Wissler's niece, Margaretta Kendlehart (1847-1934). As such, I began to explore the Kendlehart family and found the Gettysburg family fascinating. I've included some of that initial research (below), which stemmed from the search for Margaretta Kendlehart. 

       Like his father, John Kendlehart, David Kendlehart (1813-1891) became a shoemaker. In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, David built a successful general boot and shoe store in which he both manufactured and sold footwear. In 1841, he married Eliza Ann Bowen (1815-1902), daughter of James Bowen.The store was successful enough that it sustained his family for forty years and allowed David and Eliza to retire in comfort. 

     David was also civic-minded and served as the president of the Gettysburg city council, among other positions for which he received no pay. Kendlehart was serving in this capacity when Confederate General Early, made demands upon the borough to provide his army with money, clothing, and food. As stated in The History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania,

This was the first sight of an army that had come to destroy and subdue, and no one but those who were here enjoying the fruits of their hard labors, can express the prevalent feeling when asked to surrender their own to the would-be destroyers of our Government.*

      Kendlehart maintained his cool in the face of the intruders and in a letter dated June 26, 1863, he responded to Early's peremptory request:

"Gen. Early,

     Sir: the authorities of the borough of Gettysburg, in answer to the demand made upon the same borough and county by you, say their authority extends but to the borough; that the requisition asked for can not be given, because it is utterly impossible to comply. The quantities required are far beyond that in our possession. In compliance, however, to the demand, we will request the stores to be opened and the citizens to furnish whatever they can of such provisions, etc., as may be asked. Further we can not promise. By authority of the council of the borough of Gettysburg, I hereunto, as president of said board, attach my name. D. Kendlehart

      On July 4, 1863, Kendlehart in company with his sons John and James William and George Arnold, Esq. were able to get through Union lines to General Meade where they supplied as much information as they could about Early's army.

      This incident was not the only event which lends to describing Kendlehart's character.  David Kendlehart was out-spoken against slavery and the following anecdote demonstrates his commitment to his beliefs. A Mr. Hartman drove into town and asked Kendlehart where he could find a Justice of the Peace. Kendlehart heard that Hartman was holding an African American with the intent of returning her to her owner. Once Hartman was involved with the JP, Kendlehart persuaded the woman to run. When Hartman came out and began looking for the escapee, Hartman sent him looking in the wrong direction. It was rumored that she met up with her husband, who had escaped a short time before her own flight. Due to Kendlehart's actions they were able to break "their chain of slavery." Best, Pat

     In 1841, David Kendlehart married Eliza Bowen (d/o James Bowen). They had the following children:

     Mary C. Kendlehart

Sarah L. Kendlehart

Margaretta B. Kendlehart (married William P. McCartney)

John L. Kendlehart

J. William Kendlehart

*All of the research was found in  History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Warner, Beers & Co. Chicago, 1886 pp 357-358

By Sam Escobar for Good Housekeeping

1926: BROWBAND

A thin, sometimes jeweled piece of fabric worn around the forehead, this style was dubbed the "headache band" — not exactly an appealing accessory nickname, but it looks so chic! Read More (and Pictures)

Amanda Macias for Business Insider

Shortly before committing suicide in his underground Führerbunker, Hitler stepped outside with an SS officer to survey nearby bomb damage from Allied forces.

On April 30, 1945, Hitler learned that Berlin had fallen into Allied control and that his Third Reich, after 12 years, would inevitably be destroyed. Read More

  Thompson Hudson, Jr. married Anna Cooper in 1877. Together they had nine children. 

I. Rachel Hudson2. Dickey Hudson3. Mary C. Hudson4. Keziah H. Hudson5. Margaret S. Huson6. Bessie R. Hudson7. Ida C. Hudson8. Martha A. Hudson9. Thompson Hudson III 

This had just enough historical content to make it here onto Passed Time. Besides, who doesn't love "The Shining" and a good haunting? Enjoy, Pat

Johanna Li for Inside Edition

One man thought he photographed an empty lobby, but the image he uploaded shows a scene straight out of The Shining.

Henry Yau, a publicist from Houston, said he was inspired to visit The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado after hearing stories of its paranormal past.

According to the website, the hotel had been "collecting spirits" since 1872, ....Read More 

By Alan Taylor for The Atlantic

SAN FRANCISCO MISSION DISTRICT BURNING IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906. THE ORIGINAL CAPTION READS: “PROBABLY FULTON STREET, NEAR GOUGH. THIS WAS THE EDGE OF THE FIRE DISTRICT.” Read More

By Alex Arbuckle for Mashable

In the last decades of the 19th century, lower Manhattan was a densely packed collection of slums. With waves of immigrants entering the city and land at a premium, landlords bought up buildings and subdivided them into ever smaller partitions, housing dozens of people together in squalid, dark, unventilated rooms. Buildings often covered 90% of a standard 25-by-100-foot lot, with windows and ventilation only at the front and back. Read More

    These were found on the same page in the scrapbook as the obituary of Sarah Miles Hanna (see front page, the obituary with an actual photograph of Hanna). It is our hopes that the ring was found and the reunion was a success. Although, I do not know about the ring, I suspect the reunion was quite the party as the Whitcraft family had many reunions throughout the years. Best, Pat

This is the first page of the Whitcraft scrapbook, filled primarily with poems of interest to the creator of the scrapbook (I know, I know--master of the obvious). Two articles on this page are copyrighted, "1893" and "1894," yet, the next page has a handwritten note of "1892." Overall, the items in the book appear to be fairly chronological, but this might signify small breaks in chronology.  I will try to post pictures from the scrabook, occasionally. Keep checking back. Best, Pat

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email: pcsuter@hotmail.com

As promised, here are more pictures of the Whitcraft family scrapbook. Although I am not as fast as I would like to be, check back often. I will try to occassionally post pictures from the interior. Best, Pat

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? email me at pcsuter@hotmail.com

A homemade book cover, encases the cover of the Whitcraft scrapbook. It was once a cheery blue, but now is faded, torn, and stained. 

An index card found loose in the scrapbook. Was the scrapbook a gift from the family? Or was this card from something else, which George Eli Whitcraft (or another family member) cherished?