Author Archives: wonderfulstoryphotos

How old was I when that family event happened? A partial list…

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I am a 69 year old woman who loves to reflect on the history of her family throughout my lifetime.

Spending time thinking about how old I was when something happened helps me contextualize and process events in my life’s timeline. It also helps me to reflect on my own growth, and how events may have influenced my life and perspective. It can also aid me when I am discussing and sharing memories with others who were present at the time, helping me create a more accurate narrative of the past.

So here is a short little “how old was I” chart. My sisters can just do some simple math (is there simple math? LOL) to calculate their age at the time of these events.

1954

I was born. My father was 29 and my mother was 28 years old. My older sister was 2 years old. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the president. When I was born, my Grandma Pet was 68 years old. Bones was 44 years old and Madalyn was 37 years old. My paternal grandfather, George Sr. was 63 years old and my paternal grandmother was 60 years old.

1955

I was 1 year old when my great grandmother Grayer, (Amelia Louise Grayer nee Wisthoff) died on 1 May 1955.

1957

In February of 1957, my older sister and I visited our paternal grandparents in Benton Harbor. There are photos of that event.

In November of 1957, my younger sister was born. I was 3 years, 9 months and 16 days old.

My brother-in-law, Chris, was born on 23 Apr. 1957 – (of course, it would take me years to meet him!)

My father began his work overseeing work at Willow Run Labs.

1961

My family and Aunt Babe took a trip out west to the Badlands, Cooley Dam, Mt. Rainer, San Francisco, Disneyland, Yellowstone Park, Knott’s Berry Farm, Marine Land. I was 7.5 years old.

1962

My family and Aunt Babe took a trip to Virginia – Williamsburg. I was 8.5 years old.

1964

This is the year of our house construction on Danbury Lane. I was 10 years old.

1964 and 1965: Robert Hess served as the personal representative of the U.S. Army’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence and led teams of scientists through a field review of the Army’s Combat Surveillance capabilities in Europe and in Korea.

Gretchen coordinated the successful Christmas program at BUCC with an international theme.

1965

On 13 Feb 1965, our beloved Grandma Pet suddenly passed away. She was 79 years old. Mom was 39 years old. Uncle Bob was 47 years old. I had just turned 11 years old.

In August of 1965, Dad traveled to Japan.

1966

1 Jul 1966: Robert Hess receives 2nd highest Army award

Robert starts with HSRI – I was 12 years old.

Robert is Chairman of the building committee at BUCC and the new Addition is completed.

18 May 1966 – My great uncle Herman passed away. He was 88 years old.

1968

MAW had her brain surgery in 1968. I was approx. 14.5 years old and she was 16.5 years old. (I am not certain of the exact dates- please correct me on this date if necessary.)

1970

In 1970, I was 16 years old and I got my driver’s license.

31 May 1970: Robert Hess took me on a European trip.

President Nixon named Dad to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee for 3 years.

December 1970 – this could be a possible date for MAW’s trip to Moscow.

1972

On my birthday in 1972, I turned 18 years old. I met Jack either that day or the week of my birthday. I graduated from Pioneer HS.

Tim’s father passed away on 6 Jul 1972. He was only 48 years old.

On 20 Jun 1972 my Great Aunt Minnie passed away. She was 93 years old.

1973

Mary Ann was living in France. Tour d’Aygosi 7, Aix-en-Provence 13100, France

Robert Hess was the Consultant of the Secretary of the Army’s Scientific Advisory Panel 

April – Mary Ann is getting ready to return to America after a year abroad

Jack is at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX (August 24th)

Jack is at the Defense Language Institute in Washington DC

Briarwood Mall opened in October

1974

11 Feb 1974: Linda Claire turns 20 years old

March 1974: Linda visits Jack in DC for spring break

3 Apr 1974: tornado in Hillsdale

April 1974: Khaki takes trip to Germany

4 May 1974: Mary Ann graduates from the University of Michigan

1 Sept 1974: Andrew Jacob Wiesner is born in WI (Of course, I would not meet Drew for quite a few years!)

Claire and Hillsdale friends spend spring break in Washington DC

18 Nov 1974: Jack Groshans has honorable discharge from the US Air Force

1974: This could be a possible date for Dad’s trip to Venezuela for the Pan American Health Conference.

1976

15 May 1976: I graduated from Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI. I was 22 years old.

20 Oct 1976: My great aunt Lucy (Grover’s sister) passed away. She was 89 years old.

1977

February 1977 to April 1982: Jack Groshans worked for the US Postal Service

13 Aug 1977: Groshans Wedding in Ann Arbor, MI – I was 23 years old.

1978

July 1978 I was the Sales and Catering Manager for Weber’s Inn until March of 1980

1981

My amazing daughter was born on 3 Jul 1981 at 7:11pm. We were living at 1460 Bemidji Street, AA. I was 27 years old.

1983

Madalyn died on 21 Jan 1983. Madalyn was only 65 years old. I was 28 years old.

September 1983- December 1984 Jack Groshans attended Washtenaw Community College

1984

I worked at Chi Systems as Fulfillment Manager for Hospital Purchasing Management publication.

17 Mar 1984: Robert Jack Groshans died (paternal grandfather of my children) he was only 57 years old.

8 Apr 1984: My niece Kristy is born

19 Jul 1984: This was my hire date at the Ann Arbor Inn as their Conference Manager

20 Sep 1984: Henrietta Spruhan Hess dies in Kissimmee, FL (mother of Robert Hess). She was 90 years old. I was 30 years old.

1986

3 May 1986 My great Aunt Babe passed away. She was 95 years old. I was 32 years old.

1989

8 Jan 1989: My nephew Charlie was born. I was 34 (almost 35 years old)

1 Apr 1989: My younger sister married Chris. I was 35 years old.

May 1989: I was hired at the Radisson as the Conference Manager.

1991

8 April 1991: I had genetic counseling and Chorionic Villus sample because of pregnancy risk factors at Hutzel Hospital while 3 months pregnant. Dad accompanied me to this series of tests.

2 May 1991: Blake is born

31 May 1991: Robert Hess retires and is named Professor Emeritus. He was 66 years old.

Aug 1991: Linda Claire Groshans left job as Conference Manager at the Raddison on the Lake

August 1991: Amy and I went to Valley View condos at Grand Traverse Resort with Grandma and Grandpa. Jack joined us for the last weekend. The Whitmers also joined us. Our family had a 16th floor brunch at the Grand Traverse.

31 Oct 1991: My amazing son was born at 3:25pm. I was 37 years old.

28 Nov 1991: My uncle George died at age 69 (born in 1922)

1995

I was divorced from Jack. I was 41 years old.

8 Aug 1995: Bones died. He was 85 years old.

1996

I started work at First Congregational Church. I was 42 years old.

1997

15 Aug1997: My nephew Kevin was born

1998

1 Apr 1998: Linda Claire Groshans purchases 2725 Yost Blvd (and sells house at 5431 Pratt Road, AA, MI)

2004

My Uncle Bob passed away on 9 Dec 2004. He was 87 years old.

2005

I started employment at BUCC and stayed until 2010. I was 51 years old.

2006

1 Jan 2006. Family friend Winnie Martin passed away. She was 92 years old.

25 Jan 2006: Aunt Ginny passed away. She was 83 years old.

My mother Gretchen passed away on 1 Nov 2006. She was 81 years old. I was 52 years old.

My vintage Ginny Vogue doll and her vintage clothing – early 1960’s

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My childhood Madame Alexander doll in a dress made by my Great Aunt Helen Mayer Grayer

I was born in Ann Arbor, MI in 1954. My childhood dolls have always been precious possessions for me. I have kept my dolls for all of these years, because they offered me lovely memories of a cherished time in my life. I have lots of happy memories of playing with my dolls in the attic or basement play spaces of my family homes. Playing dolls was an activity that helped expand my imagination. My dolls went to pretend parties, overnights, the theater, tea parties, and endless fashion shows. It was a time to just make believe. Even after all these years, I remember each of my dolls and each of their many outfits. My daughter also played with many of my dolls and that delighted me too.

My Great Aunt Babe (Helen Mayer), my mother (Gretchen Ream Hess), and family friends (Madalyn Klotz and Winnie Martin) made clothes for my dolls to supplement the ones we purchased at the toy store. I adore looking at the handiwork and the vintage fabrics that were used to create these outfits. The store bought doll clothes came from a toy store that was located at the corner of Main and Madison called “Kiddie Korner.” https://aadl.org/taxonomy/term/125969 The shopping trips to the toy store felt magical.

This fancy dress appears to have been purchased from the toy store.

I am not certain in this dress was homemade – I adore the vintage fabric and the little floral pin
Look at the hand knit dress and sweater. I love the vintage fabric bunny print dress.
The bunny dress next to a little wooden bunny from Germany and a crochet snowflake from my sister.
This dress was on a preprinted fabric to just cut out and stitch together.
A beautiful robe that was sewn by my Great Aunt Helen Mayer- love the rosebuds!
A nightgown that is hand sewn.
A Ginny Vogue Doll

Antique collection of miniature pitchers

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A recent photo of the little pitcher collection

Grandma Pet was my maternal grandmother. Her name was Amelia Grayer born in Scio Township, MI on 14 Sep 1885. She spent most of her life living in Ann Arbor, MI where she had a tourist home at 520 N. Main Street. Amelia married my grandfather, Grover Cleveland Ream on 26 Sep 1912 in Ann Arbor, MI when she was 27 years old.

photo of my Grandmother Amelia Grayer Ream of Ann Arbor, MI

I was born in 1954 and also lived in Ann Arbor, MI. I visited Grandma Pet’s home regularly and was always delighted to be there. Grandma was an exceptionally loving and kind woman and adored all 5 of her granddaughters.

A visit to her home usually included watching the Lawrence Welk show. We especially liked the Lennon Sisters who would often make a guest appearance on that show. Other shows included seeing Minnie Pearl on a show called “Hee Haw.”

Grandma’s large front porch housed several rocking chairs. As young girls, we could sit on the front porch and watch the parades that came down N. Main Street including the marching French Dukes. A riddle jar made for lots of fun. Grandma saved jokes by cutting them out of the newspaper and putting them into a glass jar. We could reach our hand into the jar and read our joke out loud. We loved to laugh. Grandma loved to laugh.

Food on the porch might be a purple cow (a vanilla ice cream float with Grape Nehi soda.) Grandma delighted in making the foods that each granddaughter liked the best. For me that was her french fries – she would make those while also making Nifflies (a German noodle dumpling of sorts) for my sisters.

Spending an overnight at Grandma’s house was special. We would sleep together in her bedroom off of the dining room and each evening, Grandma would recite the 23rd psalm in her sweet soothing voice.

We all knew we were loved.

In the Dining Room at Grandma’s house was a large piece of furniture referred to as a high-boy. Above the high-boy was a curio shelf that housed her collection of miniature pitchers. We did not play with these, but we were often held up high enough to look at them. The other items of interest on top of that high-boy were candies. I especially remember the Neapolitan coconut candies that were strawberry, vanilla and chocolate flavored. Yum!

The little pitchers ended up in my possession. For many years, they have remained packed carefully in a box between wood shavings. Recently, I opened the box and picked several to put out in my tiny house. Good thing they take up so little real estate. I am also excited about giving some to my sisters and cousins. We all loved Grandma Pet. She was magical.

The front porch was a great place for a row of rocking chairs facing N. Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI Grandma lived next door to Bones and Madalyn who were like a bonus extra grandparents.
I found these photos on the internet in 2012 – much of the house had remained the same as I remember it from the 1950’s and 60’s.

Some of my ancestors who were born in June with their homelands

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Willaim Fred Wisthoff was my 2nd great grandfather. His birthday was 30 Jun 1833. His daughter was my great grandmother “Grandma Grayer.” William was born in Prussia. Later, in sources relating to his burial, it is stated that his birthplace was Germany.

Christian Fike was my 4th great grandfather. His birthday was 3 Jun 1760. His direct descendant was Hattie Fike who married Benjamin Ream. He was born in British Colonial America.

George was my 4th great grandfather. My ancestry records from Ancestry.com show his birth was 18 Jun 1729 in Broetzingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. One of his descendants was my great grandfather, Juan Hess. (note that the birthplace listed above is from Family Search)

Alexander Jackson was my 5th great grandfather. He was born on 12 Jun 1729. He was born in Ireland. One of his descendants was my great grandfather, Juan Hess.

Jonathan Jones was born in 1722 in British Colonial America. One of his descendants was my great grandmother Dorothy “Dora” Bishop Hess who was married to Juan Hess (Dora and Juan were my great grandparents.)

Abigail was born in June of 1640 in British Colonial America. One of her descendants was my great grandmother Dorothy “Dora” Bishop Hess who was married to Juan Hess (Dora and Juan were my great grandparents.)

Deborah was born in June of 1646 in British Colonial America. One of her descendants was my great grandmother Dorothy “Dora” Bishop Hess who was married to Juan Hess (Dora and Juan were my great grandparents.)

Vintage 1950’s homemade doll clothes Ann Arbor, MI

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My 1950’s Betsy Wetsy doll

This story is about the quality and the quantity of doll clothes that I owned during the 1950’s. The doll in the photo above (believed to be a Betsy Wetsy) was one of my 1950’s baby dolls. She is 14″ tall and in remarkably great condition for her age. Many of her doll clothes were handmade by my Great Aunt Babe.

Aunt Babe was actually Helen Mae Mayer (nee Grayer). She was born 20 May 1890 in Webster Township, MI. Her parents had both come to this area near Ann Arbor from Germany.

I am not certain if all of this doll’s clothes were handmade by Helen, but I am fairly certain that most of them were. My Aunt made her livelihood as a seamstress and so it is obvious that she had the materials and the skill to provide a large wardrobe for each of my dolls. I believe that she worked out of her old west-side home in Ann Arbor, MI.

Both of my sisters certainly knew this Great Aunt and also knew that she made doll clothes.

Wedding of Helen Grayer to Walter Mayer 10 May 1911

This is a photo of Walter and Helen on their wedding day 10 May 1911. She was 20 years old. Walter and Helen never had their own children, but they became very much a part of our lives as their grand nieces. Walter passed away in 1957, when I was only 3 years old, so I have no personal memories of him, but I have heard of many lovely stories of his calm and fun nature.

My Great Aunt did quite well in her profession as a seamstress. Her income was good even during the Great Depression. One of her older sisters was my Grandmother, Amelia Ream (nee Grayer).

My Grandmother, was widowed when my mother was only 5 years old. At the time of my Grandfather’s death my uncle was only 13. My Grandmother became a single mother that also cared for my Great Grandmother. Money was very tight for my Grandmother especially during the lean years of the Depression. My Grandmother’s occupation. running a tourist home on N. Main Street in Ann Arbor, did not provide enough income for many of life’s luxuries.

My mother grew up feeling in debt/gratitude to our Great Aunt Helen because Helen had made sure that my mother, as a young girl, could have lovely clothing and toys. Helen provided my mother with those things that could not have been afforded to her otherwise. My mother’s feelings of indebtedness to my Great Aunt were powerful. Later in life, my mother would go on to have to care for my Great Aunt Helen and as she cared for her, my mother never forgot the gifts she had received from her during her childhood.

Our family would spend a great deal of time in the company of Great Aunt Helen. This is probably how Aunt Babe became familiar with our dolls.

I am now an old woman (69) and I want to donate some of the childhood items I have held onto for all these many years. I actually don’t feel attached to this Betsy Wetsy baby doll, but I feel so in awe of some of her clothes. For those of you who know me, you will also know that I am a “clothes horse” and I continue to adore fashion.

I know that my Great Aunt made an impressive number of doll clothes. She also made an impressive number of clothes for me and my sisters. I had a nurse costume (pictured below) and a cowgirl outfit that were part of my personal childhood gifts from her.

Aunt Babe would have been 63 years old at the time I was born in 1954. I believe that by the time she was making doll clothes for my dolls, her workmanship was not the same caliber as in her career days- my mother told me that she had never needed to take measurements for her clients. She could perfectly size them and could begin cutting fabric without even a pattern. I think that some of the doll clothes reflect that she was aging and hurrying to finish projects. Still, the clothing was pretty amazing.

In this close up photo of a snap, you can see that her stitches are not delicate but instead quick and functional.

You can see that the snap is sewn on with large stiches.

Here are some of the clothes that Aunt Babe made for my baby doll.

My 1950’s Betsy Wetsy doll in an outfit sewn by Aunt Babe
A corduroy coat and hat made by Aunt Babe for my Betsy Wetsy doll

I believe that Babe must have loved corduroy because she used it to sew several of our childhood outfits and jackets.

A little blouse for my doll made with lovely vintage print fabric

Look at the fun vintage fabrics and prints! Also, note that the shirt has a collar and a working button!

A nightgown made from another vintage print. It fastens at the back.
A close up view of the fabric of the nightgown
The inside of some of the clothing had rough snips and cuts

This close up photo of the nightgown’s back side shows the linen of the sweet fabric and also the quick sewing job on the snap.

Polka dots with puff sleeves and some smocking

The doll shoes in this photo do not go to this baby doll…I believe they are actually one of the toys that my Great Aunt purchased for my mother in the 1920’s.

These doll shoes belonged to my mother who was born in 1925.
Another example of the amazing prints in vintage 50’s fabrics

This close up photo shows some of the stitching…

Complete with a collar

I know that this fabric showed up in other dresses/clothing during my childhood. It is amazing…right? The other photos show that some of the clothing was prepared quickly and without great precision.

The stitching looks a bit rushed …
This dress resembles my mother’s square dance dress
I believe that my Great Aunt used a pattern similar to this to make a dress for my mother.

This dress resembles a square dance dress that I believe Aunt Babe made for my mother. I am not sure that this doll dress was handmade?

My mother’s childhood shoes are pictured with my doll dress

I think my mother told me that these were her childhood shoes. They may have been purchased for her by Aunt Babe. My mother was born in 1925.

The shoes are very old and obviously well worn…

Below is a doll sized romper and doll socks.

A closer look at these very old doll socks
A handmade doll romper

It was fun to take these photographs of these doll clothes. It will be a nice memory of them as I find the actual clothing a new home.

Relatives at Millburg Cemetery

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I have at least 15 family relatives that are buried at Millburg Cemetery in Benton Harbor, MI.

Dorothy “Dora” Bishop – my Great Grandmother -the wife of Juan Hess. She was born 166 years ago on 22 Mar 1857. She died when she was only 47 years old. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816604/dora-b-hess

Juan James Hess – my Great Grandfather- the husband of Dora Bishop. He was born 173 years ago on 12 May 1850. He passed away at the age of 78. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816609/juan-james-hess

Robert de Montel Hess – my Granduncle was born 141 years ago on 8 Apr 1882. He died at the age of 24. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816612/robert-d-hess

Mary Ann Higbee – My second Great Grandmother who was married to George Waltour Hess. She was born 209 years ago on 12 Dec 1813. She died at the age of 60. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816610/mary-a-hess

Perry B. Hess – My granduncle. He was born 144 years ago on 16 Jul 1878. Sadly, he died at the age of 2 from diphtheria. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816611/perry-b-hess

George Walthour Hess – My second great grandfather. He was born 211 years ago on 10 Dec 1811. He died at the age of 87. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816607/george-walthour-hess

Mary Fenton – My third great grandmother. She was married to James Higbee, Jr. She was born 241 years ago on 8 Apr 1782. She died at the age of 61. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52470624/mary-higbee

Berd D. Bishop – My great granduncle. He was born 154 years ago on 24 Mar 1869. He died at the age of 91. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95738589/berd-d-bishop/photo

Clarissa Hess – My great grandaunt. She was born 183 years ago on 30 Jan 1841. She died at the age of 12.

Sophronia Hess– My great grandaunt. She was born 179 years ago on 9 Oct 1843. She died at the age of 75. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816893/sophronia-m-peters

James Higbee, Jr. – My 3rd great grandfather. He was born 243 years ago on 7 Mar 1780. He died at the age of 64. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52470334/james-higbee

Altavene Hess – my great grandaunt was born 169 years ago on 19 Jun 1853. She died at the age of 87. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95817187/alta-vene-weir

Roxanna Bishop – my 2nd great grandaunt was born 211 years ago on 25 Jul 1811. She died at the age of 54. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816586/roxana-harrington

Myron Higbee – my 2nd great granduncle was born 201 years ago on 24 Sep 1821. He died at the age of 85. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95816625/myron-l-higbee

Urial (Uriel) Higbee- my 2nd great granduncle was born 197 years ago on 4 Apr 1826. He died at the age of 8 Sep 1868 during a Great Lakes shipwreck of the Hippocampus. https://tellinglifestories.org/2021/03/11/a-great-lakes-shipwreck-and-my-family-connection-urial-uriel-higbee-1822-1868/

Addresses of Samuel Barnes

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1931

When Samuel Henry Barnes was born on January 20, 1931, in Lamar, Mississippi, his father, Eugene, was 24 and his mother, Alice “Christine” Thompson, was 25.

1940

In the 1940 US census the address for Sam, who was 9 years old, was 319 Fourth, Hattiesburg, MS. His father, Eugene, was a teacher in a public school. At the time of this census, Sam’s little brother, Thompson Eugene “Genie” was 4 years old. Sadly, Genie would die in 1948 when he was only 12 years old.

1942

Sam’s brother Arthur Dale was born on 18 Jul 1942 in Hattiesburg, MS. (Sam was 11 years old when Dale was born.)

1949 – 1950

In a Hattiesburg directory, Sam is in the US Navy and lives at r114, W. 4th in Hattiesburg, MS.

1952

My notes show that in 1952 Sam was attending Tulane University in New Orleans, LA and was residing there. I think he may have been a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

Sam received his bachelor’s degree

1954

On 30 Nov 1954, Sam married Anne at the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, NY. Sam and Anne moved to Durham, NC.

1956

In 1956, Sam was a Fulbright Scholar and was living with Anne in Paris, France.

Family notes say that Sam was also working on his Doctoral degree at Durham, NC

1957

Chris Barnes was born in Paris on the 23rd of April.

In the Ann Arbor Directory from 1957, Sam and his wife Anne were living on the North Campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His apartment was H2019, apartment A. His occupation is listed as Instructor of Political Science (Actually was an Assistant Professor).

Sam and Anne would go on to spend 33 years together in Ann Arbor, MI as Sam’s career expanded there to finally become the Director of the Program for Political Science. As of the time of this post, Sam is still a Professor Emeritus with the University of Michigan.

Instructor political science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1957-1960

1958 – 1960

According to directories from 1958 and 1960, Sam and his wife Anne were living at H1811 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor – apartment #6. His occupation is still listed as instructor at the U of M.

Michael was born 4 Oct 1960.

Sam was promoted to Associate Professor to the University of Michigan in 1960.

Assistant Professor Political Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1960-1964

1964

Sam and Anne’s daughter Catherine was born on 30 Mar 1965.

1964-1968; Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

1968

Sam was living in Rome, Italy while he worked on an Academic year as a Fulbright Scholar.

1968-1969; Department Chairman, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,

1968-1991; James Orin Murfin Professor Political Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,

1970 – 1975

In 1970, Sam’s residence was listed as 2929 Parkridge Drive, Ann Arbor, MI

In 1970 – 1974, he served as Program Director for the Center for Political Studies at the University of Michigan.

Council Western European Studies (Executive Committee 1971-1972, Steering Committee 1975-1978)

Member American Political Science Association (secretary 1972-1974)

Midwest Political Science Association, International Political Science Association, Conference Group for Italian Polit. Studies (vice president 1975-1977, president 1977-1979).

1977 – 1985

Sam served as the Chair of the Department of Political Science at the U of M.

1977-1982; Research Associate Survey Research Center, University of Michigan

1982-1985; Acting Department Chairman Political Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

1990

Sam retired from active faculty at the U of M. Sam and Anne moved to Washington, D.C. (Sam took a position at Georgetown University. They lived at 1801 Hoban Road, NW, Washington DC.

1995

Sam has a residence in Traverse City (?). His address is listed as 601 Fitzhugh Drive, Traverse City, MI.

2008

Sam and Anne moved to Walnut Creek, CA.

Links

https://prabook.com/web/samuel_henry.barneshttps://prabook.com/web/samuel_henry.barnes/1707986/1707986

Family Notes

In an obituary for Anne Barnes, the family commented on other places of residence: “In the interim, they had made temporary homes in Toronto, Montreal, Paris, Florence, Rome, London, Palo Alto, and Irvine, with briefer sojourns in countless university towns in between.”

Dorothy Rollet Deacon Ewald 1909-1978

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Photo from 10 Feb 1929, St. Louis Dispatch

When Dorothy Rollet Deacon was born on October 17, 1909, in Missouri, her father, Robert Tuck Deacon, was 43, and her mother, Ruth Ethelwyn Allen, was 37.

Dorothy married Sidney Jacob Ewald in 1929. They had two children during their marriage. She died in 1978 at the age of 69.

Dorothy’s children were:

Dorothy Tuck Ewald, born in St. Louis, MO. – 21 Mar 1929 and Sydney Jeanne Ewald, born in Illinois – 13 May 1931.

Gottlieb Jack Groshans 1878-1941

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Linda Claire Groshans digitally enhanced this photo of G. Jack Groshans using AI (artificial intelligence)
G. Jack Groshans was 41 years old in 1919.

When Gottlieb Jack Groshans was born on 10 Mar 1878, in Sundhouse, Bas-Rhin, France, his father, Gottlieb, was 30 and his mother, Salome “Sallie” Lauffer, was 27.

In the 1920 U.S. census Gottlieb Jack (“G. Jack”) Groshans was 41 years old. In this census, he provided the date of his immigration from France to the U.S.A. as 1880 (he was only a toddler.)  “Alsace is located on France’s eastern border and on the west bank of the upper Rhine adjacent to Germany and Switzerland.” At the time of this 1920 census, he listed his occupation as a farmer. He states that his wife Maude was born in Arkansas. Her father was born in Kentucky and her mother was born in Arkansas. Gottlieb Jack and Maude’s home in 1920 was in Winona, Carroll, Arkansas.

G. Jack Groshans received citizenship to the U.S. in 1886 when he was 8 years old. His marriage to Maude Lillian Meador was on 12 Jun 1912 in Carroll, Arkansas.

In the 1940 US census G. “Jack” Groshans lives in the Bruce, LaSalle, Illinois with his wife Maude, daughter Rita and son Robert Groshans.

I noticed that his wife Maude was considerably younger than G. Jack. He was
born in 1878 and she was born in 1887. 

His wife Maude died 17 Jan 1971 in Ypsilanti, MI. She lived to be 83 years old. She had spent 30 years as a widow after his death.

26 Aug 1919 The Times, Streator, IL

Juan James Hess 1850-1929

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Could be Juan and Dora Hess with George Sr yongest in middle of front row
Juan James Hess
Juan Hess pictured with his grandsons … Robert Lawrence Hess on the left and George Kellogg Hess on the right

When Juan James Hess was born on May 12, 1850, in Michigan, his
father, George, was 38 and his mother, Mary Ann Higbee, was 36. He married Dorothy
(Dora) Bishop on October 29, 1874, in Berrien, Michigan. They had four
children in 16 years. He died on January 15, 1929, in Berrien, Michigan,
at the age of 78, and was buried in Michigan.

The children of Juan and Dora:

#1 Hattie Hess 1875-1880
Died of Diphtheria at age 4 yr. 6 mo.

#2 Perry B. Hess 1880-1880
Died at 2 months of age

#3 Robert DeMontel Hess 1882-1907
He had a very quiet wedding on October 22nd, 1904 to Miss Alice King.
The wedding was quiet and had not been announced because of the
bereavement of Robert over the loss of his mother Dora who had passed
away on Oct. 15, 1904. Both Robert and Alice were graduates of Benton
Harbor college. Robert and Alice had a daughter Hattie Lenore Hess who
was born in 1905. In the 1910 census both Alice (now the widow of
Robert) and their daughter Hattie Lenore were living with Alice’s parents.
Robert’s death certificate shows that he died from abscess contributed to
by appendicitis.

#4 George Kellogg Hess, Sr. 1891-1969 (my grandfather)
Birth September 6, 1891 in Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan, USA
Death January 10, 1969 in Saint Cloud, Osceola, Florida, USA
Marriage to Henrietta Spruhan on June 25, 1921. George and Henrietta
had 2 sons…George Kellogg Hess, Jr. and Robert Lawrence Hess

News Articles:

20 Dec 1924 The News Palladium Benton Harbor, MI Juan Hess
20 Dec 1924 The News Palladium Benton Harbor, MI
Jan 15, 1929 Obit for Juan Hess

January 15, 1929, The News Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI

17 Jan 1929 Juan Hess
17 January 1929