Sports Center Saturday - Grandpa Bill and his fish

My Grandpa Bill (born William George Wickenkamp) was an avid fisherman. Here he is with one of his catches. This photo was taken at Waitts Lake in Stevens county, Washington. 

Census Sunday - 1870 US Federal Census - Milford Twp., Iroquois County, Illinois - Francis M. Smith

Page 22, Schedule 1. - Inhabitants of the Township of Milford, in the county of Iroquois, in the state of Illinois, enumerated by me on the 9th day of August, 1870. J. A. Holmes, Ass't Marshal. Post Office: Milford.

















Line 1 155 156 Aaron G. Daisy 34 M W Farmer 3.840  1.000 Indiana
Line 2               Dorcas Daisy    27 F W Housekeeper               Indiana
Line 3               Chas     Daisy   8  M W                                        Indiana
Line 4              Flora J Daisy      6 F W                                         Indiana
Line 5              Alto M Daisy     4 F W                                          Indiana
Line 6              Clinton F Daisy 4/12 M W                                   Illinois     
Line 7              Francis M Smith 16 M W                                 Indiana           
Line 8               Alice Pearce           19 F W                                Indiana

In 1870, at the age of 16 Francis Marion Smith, my 2x great grandfather, was living with his sister, Dorcas (Smith) Dazey in Milford, Iroquois, Illinois. The story goes that his parents died when he was young and he was raised by a sister. I believe he may have been raised by two sisters, since in a previous post I showed him living with sister, Martha in 1860.

World War II Letters Home March 19, 1939 - Estelles Wickenkamp

SUNDAY, MARCH 19TH

Now to continue, Friday after tea Doug and I and 2 other Canucks borrowed a car and went into Hull.  We were wandering around and came to a store (shop) where they sell all Canadian foods - so we bought a can of tomato juice, some cheese, maple syrup - we're going to get the chef to make us some pancakes, and a can of sauerkraut which we shall also eat.  We sure had a lot of fun buying this stuff.

After we had supper we looked around for a dance hall and found one quite nice inside.  it cost us a bob (1 shilling) to get in.  Well, I never saw such a terrible looking bunch of bags in my life.  It took me nearly half an hour to steel my nerves up enough to go and dance.  So I picked up the best looking bit of fluff I could see and went at it.  Then i got my next jolt - when they talk such Yorkshirish accent I couldn't understand what it was all about.  After i got the drift it wasn't too bad.  In spite of their looks the girls up there are quite sociable and very talkative.  On the average they are quite short - about 5 feet tall.

I think I'll have to call it quits for this time as I want to write a letter home tonight too.

Right at present conditions Europe don't look very pleasant, but only time will tell what is to happen.

I hope you are getting more exercise now and getting well again.

                                                                                                     With Love Your Brother,

                                                                                                        Estelles

World War II Letters Home March 18, 1939 - Estelles Wickenkamp

                                                                                                  Royal Air Force
                                                                                                  Catfoss, Nr. Hull
                                                                                                   March 18, 1939

Dear Esther:

I guess I won't need to tell you that I am at Armament Camp - the bright letterhead advertises itself.  The whole Senior Term is up here.  Some came by car, some came by rail and the rest including myself flew our "kites" up here.  Each pupil brought an airman mechanic or rigger as passenger in the plane.  We cam up in formations of 3 planes at a time - altogether 22 aircraft left B.N. in a period of about 2 hours.  The clouds were quite low and visibility was poor - you know, fog and smoke- we also went through a bit of rain.  It was about 160 miles from B.N. to here.  We cruised at 150 m.p.h in the Oxfords but the Hawker Harts and Audox cruised at about 110 to 120 m.p.h.  I got up there Tuesday noon and here it is Saturday and none of us Oxford pilots have been up yet to do any bombing at targets on the ocean.  You see, we have to do our bombing from 5,000 and 6,000 feet but on account of low clouds and fog we have just been sitting around patiently waiting.

We are well out in the sticks here (there aren't any forest or big trees though).  Hull which is a seaport on the Humber River is about 18 miles away.  It is just a dirty old English city with lots of factories and smoke filled with  Yorkshire people that talk with a peculiar accent.  The place is more or less filled with filthy pubs and horrible dirty looking pros.

Do you go to many 'flicks' at N.B.?  I have seen a few at Oxford.  I saw Spencer Tracy in "Boys Town" - it was real good - also "Spawn of the North".

Oh yes, I have something to tell you about a formal evening I spent.  The way it started was like this.  Joe Fraser - an English pal of mine who is a real good sport had some friends to tea at the camp - 2 ladies and a daughter (a very nice one too).  Well we had tea in the guest room and they invited us over to their estate for dinner that evening.  They waited while we got dressed (this is the highlight) in tails.  I had to borrow a set of monkey tails but that didn't matter.  Boy, I wish you could have seen me in tails - fit for a queen. We went to their place - an old stone house with a courtyard, etc. and sat around talking etc. for a while and met the other daughter.  During this time the dames got into their evening gowns (mind you) and we had dinner a la mode - about 5 or 6 courses including sherry.  As there was horse racing  at Cheltenham, about 20 miles away, there was a grand 'ball' dance on.  So we took their car and the girls and went to this dance (dawnce).  it cost us 1-2s for 4 tickets - which was very reasonable indeed!  (after thought).  Anyhow, this has been an elaborate affair - a large floor with balconies all around it and a lounge, tea rooms and bar off to the sides.  We alternated dancing and quick-ones (drinks) so I had a real swell evening.  I can't go into details too much.  Everyone was in evening dress - the ladies with the long frocks - I made a mistake before - I called a dress a gown - over here it is frock.  There were over 800 people there.  Joe and I and the girls were the centre of attraction at times with our clowning, big apple, etc. but everyone was happy so it didn't matter.

After the dance was over the girls took us back to camp and gave back our pound (1) - they insisted the party was on them.  I would say that the whole affair was "a bit alright", don't you think so?

Well. it is tea time now so I'll have to leave this for a few minutes.

(this letter is continued on March 19)

Census Sunday - 1860 US Federal Census - Springfield, Illinois - Francis Smith; 1850 US Federal Census Attica, Indiana - Robert Weast (Whiste)

Schedule 1 - Free Inhabitants in Dist. No. 16 City of Springfield in the county of Sangamon State of Illinois enumerated by me, on the 19th day of July 1860. J H Currier Ass't Marshall.

Line 20 1305 1306 Robert Whiste 35 M Machinist $50 Germany

Line 21                   Martha  " "       22 F                         Ind

Line 22                    Francis Smith 6 M                            "

Francis Smith was born in 1853 so the age of 6 is about right. I also have a marriage for Martha Smith and Robert Whiste in Fountain county, Indiana.

 Schedule I Free inhabitants in Logan Township Fountain county in the state of Indiana enumerated by me, on the 30th day of Sept 1850 John McCall Ass't Marshall.


Line 8 Robert Weast 26 M Machinist Germany

I am pretty confident that Robert Weast in 1850 is the same as Robert Whiste in 1860. Martha was living with parents in 1850 in Warren county which is very close to Fountain county. So I believe that Francis Marion Smith's sister Martha is the Martha that is married to Robert Weast (Whiste).

World War II Letters Home - March 6, 1939 - Estelles Wickenkamp

                                                                                                     No. 2 Flying Training School
                                                                                                     Royal Air Force
                                                                                                     Brize Norton,
                                                                                                     Canterton, Oxford
                                                                                                     March 6, 1939
Dear Esther:

I was just going to hop into bed but I thought that I had better write a few lines to you.  I hope by now that you are back to work again, as I can imagine how tiresome it gets lying in bed for so long.  I haven't any pictures to send this time and I am afraid i haven't any news either.

This week we are getting ready to go to Armament Practice Camp.  I will be flying down.  Those that aren't going by car or plane have to go on the train. It is about 200 miles from here.  I think I told you is near Hull.  We won't be there quite 4 weeks; we leave here on the 13th and return on the 8th of April.  Then I get 9 or 10 days leave (I hope) before we go to Manston.

Oh yes, about this Selzgerber fellow - I looked in the air force list which has every R.A.F Officer's name in it, and I can't even find his name. Either he was kicked out or else he is just an Airman.  He is definitely not an officer at present or his name and date of commission would be there.  Find out from her where he is, and I'll look it up again.  I have had a few letters from Emery Fennell, Canora.  he is in Yorkshire in a Heavy Bomber Squadron.

I went to a dance in Cheltenham last Wednesday and had a most wonderful time.  Twelve of us hired a bus to take us up there; it cost us 2-5-0.  It's about 30 miles away.  the dance hall is a huge place with a balcony and all kinds of heavy curtains around the floor,  where they dance there is a sort of cafe, lounge rooms, etc. and also a large bar which stays open until 2:00 a.m.  We are all feeling pretty good and going strong so we picked out some swell "bits of fluff" - (as girls are known here).  We got home about 3:00 a.m. and gosh was I tired the next day.  but still we are thinking of going up there this coming Wednesday again.  I think Cheltenham is a much better place than Oxford!

the Junior Term are night flying tonight, so about every 5 or 10 minutes a plane roars overhead as they take off.

This isn't much of a letter but it's the best I can do tonight.

                                                                                                  Best Wishes and Love

                                                                                                  Your brother,  Estelles
P.S. Send my mail here. I'll have it forwarded to me. Oh yes - will you save Canadian stamps of different denominations for me.  One of the doctors, wing commander wants them.

Census Sunday - 1860 US Federal Census - Joseph Smith - Attica,Fountain county, Indiana

 Schedule 1. -- Free inhabitants in Attica Logan township in the county of Fountain State of Indiana enumerated by me, on the 29th day of July 1860. W Trullinger Ass't Marshall. Post Office Attica  Page 112

Line 22 Joseph Smith 44 M Ferryman $1000 $150 IN
Line 23 Celia    " "      37 F                                      IN
Line 24 Isabel Dixon  16 F                                      IN
Line 25 Hannah          16 F                                     IN
Line 26 George Dixon 9 M                                     IN
Line 27 Mary A  Smith 1 F                                     IN

I believe that this is my Joseph Smith. In the 1850 Pine Twp. Census, he was 33 and a blacksmith, ferryman is the same thing. Also in the 1850 census Hannah was 6. If my theory is right Mary Ann died in April of 1856 and Joseph and Celia were married in July of 1856 in Fountain county, Indiana.  Also, Hannah was 6 in 1850. The big question is, where is Francis Marion Smith? He was born in 1853 so he would be 6. Well I did find a Francis Smith age 6 living with a sister, Martha in Springfield, Illinois. However, this Martha was married to a Robert Whist. Then there is a Mary A Smith age 1, named after first wife?

Stay tuned to Census Sunday were I will have another "Smith" census to try to piece my Joseph Smith family together. I just hope I have the right Joseph Smith.

Those Places Thursday - Goose Egg Ranch, Wyoming

Goose Egg Ranch was located on the rise directly north of the river at Bessemer Bend, near Casper, Wyoming.

Visit the link below for more information on the Goose Egg Ranch

http://wondersofwyoming.com/goose-egg-ranch/

The above was written by my mother in 1986. I have always heard of Goose Egg Ranch near Casper, Wyoming. As stated on the photograph, Charles E Koch is my great grandfather and my mom's grandfather.

Census Sunday - 1850 US Federal Census - Joseph Smith - Pine Twp. Warren County, Indiana

Schedule I. Free Inhabitants in Pine Township in the County of Warren State of Indiana enumerated by me, on the 11th day of Sept 1850. (cant't read name) Ass't Marshal.

line 23 Joseph 33 M Blacksmith $300 OH
line 24 Mary 32 F                                 "
line 25 Martha 12 F                              "
line 26 Darcus 10 M                             "
line 27 Hannah 6 F                              IN

Joseph Smith is my 3x great grandfather. He was married to Mary Ann Best they had 3 daughters. Darcus was actually Dorcas Ann and she was a female and born in Indiana. My 2x great grandfather, Francis Marion Smith, was born in 1853.

Through DNA, I finally broke through a brick wall that has plagued my Smith line for years. It appears that I have found parents and siblings and as I said other children of Joseph and Mary Ann.  So stay tuned for more information.

Sibling Saturday - Francis Marion Smith and his sisters

My Great Great Grandfather, Francis Marion Smith, had three older  sisters. Martha, Dorcas and Hannah. I don't know which sister is which. I do know that Martha is the oldest, and Hannah is younger of the three. There parents were Joseph and Mary Ann (Best) Smith. I do know that Dorcas married Aaron Dazey and in 1900 Martha was living with her brother in Stockland, Illinois.

If anyone can identify these women or has any other information on them I sure would love to know.