Great-Grandma Made the Funnies (sort of)

While searching through the newspaper collection on Ancestry.com in the Anderson Herald of Anderson, Indiana for mention of my maternal great-grandmother, Edna Muriel WRIGHT, I came across the following panel from the Mary Worth strip from 1963.


I wonder how many friends and family members may have cut this out of their papers and sent it to my great-grandmother.  

Pallbearers similar to baptismal witnesses

Pallbearers are similar to baptismal witnesses in the sense that they are usually close relatives.  When you find them listed in funeral notices in newspapers, checking out the family dynamics can lead to further clues regarding relationship, residency, etc.


A recent example I discovered was the notice of the funeral of Miss Nellie Fox in the Anderson Herald (Indiana) published December 14, 1954:

ALEXANDRIA - Last rites for Miss Nellie Fox, formerly of this city, were conducted Saturday in the Gipe, Williams and Kyle Chapel. The Rev. Robert T. Huber, First Christian Church pastor, officiated the services.

Pallbearers were Welcome Tuxford, Fred King, Fred Wright, Virgil Wright, Chester Wright, Herman Pierce. Burial was in Park View Cemetery.

 Nellie Fox was the daughter of Thomas A. and Daisy L. (WRIGHT) FOX.

 Fred King was the son of Suman Douglas and Amanda Louisa (FOX) KING, and a 1st cousin to Nellie.

 Fred Wright was the son of Charles R. and Bertha C. (LEONARD) WRIGHT, and a 1st cousin to Nellie.

 Virgil Wright was the son of John W. and Ellen (KING) WRIGHT, and a 1st cousin to Nellie.

 Chester Wright was the son of John W. and Ellen (KING) WRIGHT, and a 1st cousin to Nellie.

 Herman Pierce and Welcome Tuxford were not related by blood to Nellie Fox.  However, Herman Pierce was the brother-in-law of Virgil Wright.  I'm not sure who Welcome Tuxford was.

Family Milestones: September 25th

My paternal 2nd-great granduncle, Abel Woolston CHEW, married on this date in 1862 in Greenville, Darke County, Ohio to Salome H. HOLDEMAN.  Abel was the son of Dr. Ezekiel Cooper and Caroline Bishop (WOOLSTON) CHEW, and the older brother of my Mary Keziah CHEW.  Salome's parentage is unknown.  Abel was born November 11, 1843 in Blackwood, Gloucester County, New Jersey.  Salome was born November 1844 in Ohio.  Abel was a teacher and farmer.  They raised 10 children and lived in Charlevoix County, Michigan.  Abel died January 6, 1903.

My maternal 3rd-great grandaunt, Clarissa A. WRIGHT, married on this date in 1878 in Brown County, Ohio, to William Henry BALLEIN.  Clarissa was the daughter of John and Anna (WARDLOW) WRIGHT, and the younger sister of my Joseph W. WRIGHT.  William's parentage is unknown.  Clarissa was born March 29, 1856 in Brown County, Ohio.  William was born January 1847 in Ohio. They had 2 children and lived in Brown County, Ohio.  William last known living after 1900 census in Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio.  Clarissa died September 27, 1884 in Brown County, Ohio.

My paternal 2nd-great granduncle, Hosea Tillson SMITH, was born on this date in 1849 in Cass County, Michigan.  Hosea was the son of William P. and Prudence (MAXSON) SMITH, and the younger brother of my Olive Jane SMITH.  Hosea served in the Civil War in the 11th Indiana Cavalry.  He married Mary ______. Hosea died in Jackson County, Oregon.  Nothing further is known at this time.