Mabelle Linnea Seeber 1905-1980 (52 Ancestors # 12)

This week’s challenge was to write about an ancestor who is a lot like you. I have to turn it around a bit and write about an ancestor who I continue to strive to be like! 

 My grandmother, Mabelle Linnea Seeber (who I called “Nanya”), gave me many gifts…she was full of fun and always laughing. When she and my grandfather took dance lessons, she always practiced her steps with me…I especially remember the cha-cha! She converted to Catholicism when she married Eddie Murphy, and remained a devout Catholic throughout her life, always sharing her faith with me. She was an avid reader and allowed me to read her copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird" when I was twelve years old. That has remained my all-time favorite book since that time! She shared her family stories with me creating in me an early desire to learn more about the family. She was always crafty and made many, many ceramics that she shared with the family and that I cherish today. 

Mabelle was very civic-minded, and although she did not have a high-school education, she was elected and served as Peoria County Treasurer for years back in the 1960s. 

 The best gift that Nanya gave me was unconditional love. I was the oldest grandchild and we adored each other. I spent one or two weekends a month with my grandparents until I went away to college, and even while in college, I sometimes came home to stay with them. Fifteen years ago I became a grandmother for the first time, and I try to live up to the grandmother standard that she set…she was the very best. 

 Mabelle Linnea Seeber was born in Peoria, Illinois on the 22nd of May in 1905 at 315 Merriman Street to Charles Oscar and Ida Olauson Seeber, immigrants from Sweden. She was their third child, with a sister Vera who was four years older than she, and a brother, Rich, who was two years older than she was. Mabelle’s father worked as a laborer and the family had little. One of the stories that my grandmother would share with me was her memory of going down to the corner tavern at the end of each day to carry home a bucket of beer for her father. Mabelle had another brother, Harry, born two years after she was, and a sister, Hazel, born four years after Mabelle was born. 

By 1910, her father was listed as a woodworker and the family still lived on Merriman Street in Peoria. Mabelle’s last sibling, Earl, was born in 1913 when Mabelle was eight years old. During the early 1920s Mabelle worked as a clerk at a couple of different stores. She was listed as a soda dispenser for a drug store in 1927 before she married. I don’t know how my grandparents met (one of those many questions I regret not asking), but I do know that Mabelle eloped with Edward F. Murphy on the 15th of September in 1927 and took a train from Peoria to Pontiac Illinois, and were married there by Fr. Edward Kelly. Mabelle’s sister, Hazel, and a friend, Charles Becker, also went and were the witnesses for the marriage. Fr. Kelly had been a priest in Peoria for many years at St. Mark’s Parish, which is where my grandfather’s family attended, so I would guess that he was a friend to the family, had been transferred to Pontiac and that’s why my grandparents went there. They may have eloped because it was always said that my grandfather’s family felt that he had married “beneath” him…meaning that my grandmother came from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak. My grandfather’s family lived up on the bluff and were well-to-do at that time. Mabelle’s family lived “down below the hill” on the south side of the city. 

However, Mabelle quickly won the family over, and they were close for all the years left. Mabelle and Eddie quickly became pregnant and their first child, my mother Patricia, was born to them on the 22nd of August in 1928. Their second child, Edward, was born in 1933. I don’t know when but I believe that it was sometime in the early 1940’s Mabelle became quite ill and was taken to Mayo Clinic where one of her kidneys was removed. My mother remembered it as a very stressful time and that they were not sure that Mabelle would survive. It doesn’t appear that Mabelle worked outside the home until about 1948 when she was listed as the Deputy County Treasurer for Peoria County. She was forty-three years old and, at that time, it was fairly unusual for a woman to have a job with that kind of responsibility.

 She went on to become the County Treasurer and I have many memories of going to visit her at the County Courthouse during grade school and high school whenever I was downtown with my friends. Both of her sisters worked there for her, also. 

 Mabelle became a grandmother for the first time in 1949. She had two baby pictures of me up wherever she lived until the day that she died. I have them displayed in the same frames in my study now, reminding me always of her love. 

 Around 1955, Mabelle and Eddie built their dream home on the Illinois River. It was a great place for family to gather. They had several acres and built a huge screened-in gazebo for family and friend gatherings. They also bought a big pontoon boat that would carry a lot of people. Holidays were great fun there. Mabelle was always surrounded by family and friends. As a cousin said, she was the glue of the family, bringing people together. She seemed to always find the best in people. 

 In 1972, Mabelle and Eddie moved to Arizona for Eddie’s health. No one was surprised that some of her siblings went to live there also. I was newly married and missed her terribly. However, there were visits back and forth throughout the time she lived there, with them coming home to visit, or I would go out there with my husband, and soon made a couple of visits out there with my first child. Nanya was thrilled with my having her first great-grandchild. We were blessed to have her know all three of our children! Mabelle and Eddie were in Arizona for four years until Eddie died in 1976. Mabelle then returned to Peoria to live and be with her children and grandchildren, and, of course, her siblings. In 1981 she was diagnosed with stomach cancer, had surgery, and cheerfully went on with life. In 1984, Mabelle moved to a retirement home and both of her sisters went there, also. It was always so wonderful to see how close they were to each other. Sadly, Mabelle’s stomach cancer returned near the end of 1985 and she died on the 26th of January in 1986. She was cheerful and smiling as she died, just as she lived her life.

Mary Alice “Allie” Reade 1801-1880 (52 Ancestors #11)

For the St. Patrick’s Week Challenge I am writing about my great-great-great grandmother Mary Alice “Allie” Reade.She is as far back as I have been able to go with my Murphy ancestry, and she was one of the first I found when I went searching for Murphy relatives at the local Catholic cemetery in Peoria in about 1995.It saddens me that I don’t know a lot about “Allie”. She proved to be one of those elusive women who quietly live out their lives.Yetshe must have been a strong women to endure as she did. Alice was born in 1801 in County KiIkenny,Ireland.It is not known at this time who Alice’s parents were. Known siblings of Alice were Anne, Bridget, Joan, Daniel and Patrick. Alice married James H. Murphy on the 23rd of October in 1831 in Kilmacow Parish, County Kilkenny, Ireland. Alice was thirty years old and James was twenty-eight years old at the time of their marriage. Alice’s sister, Anne Reade, was a witness to the marriage, along with Thomas Holden. James and Alice had seven known children all born in County Kilkenny: Johanna Murphy,born 25 March 1832; James Reade Murphy,born 25 July 1833; Mary Murphy, born around 1837; William Henry Murphy, born in 1838 (my great-great grandfather); Catherine Murphy, born 19 March 1839; Ellen Murphy, born 05 May 1841; and Margaret Murphy, born 8 August 1844. Alice’s sisters, Bridget and Joan, were godparents for two of Alice’s children. Sometime in 1848, James and Alice and their seven children (ages four to sixteen) arrived in the United States in New Orleans, and spent a year there.They then came on to Peoria County, Illinois settling in Kickapoo Township, Peoria County, Illinois. The 1850 Kickapoo, Peoria County, Illinois census shows the Murphy family living with the Philander Chase family.During these times, Philander Chase sponsored families coming over from Ireland.James Murphy ended up working for him for a number of years, as head gardener and opening up a quarry for him. Between 1849 and 1855 some of Alice’s family from Ireland came to the Peoria Illinois area. Her brother Patrick Reade and his children settled in Peoria, and two of her brother Daniel Reade’s children settled in Peoria. Also, her first cousin, Nicholas Reade Henebery settled in Peoria with his family.Alice’s family appears to have been close to all of these relatives as they are involved through the years with each other, as witnesses to various sacraments, etc. Three of Alice’s children married between 1850 and 1860.Johanna married John Ryan in 1852.Mary married James Ryan (brother to John) in 1854 and in 1856, James married Julia Henebery (daughter of Nicholas Reade Henebery, and James’ second cousin). In 1855 James and Alice were listed in Kickapoo, along with one son and two daughters. Living next door to them was their daughter Johanna and her family. It seems that the families stayed in Kickapoo in the same places for a few years as they were listed in the 1860 census still next door to each other. In this census, James and Alice were listed with one son, William, and two daughters, Ellen and Margaret, but also living with them was their daughter Mary and her family.Johanna and her family were still next door to James and Alice. James was listed as a farmer. Over the next ten years the remaining children of James and Alice married: Ellen married Edmond O’Neil in 1861; Catherine married John Dolan and William married Elizabeth Smith, both in 1864; Margaret married Francis Smith (brother to Elizabeth Smith) in 1866.All of the Alice’s children were married in Peoria County, Illinois. So by 1866, after thirty-five years of marriage, James and Alice Murphy had an empty household. By 1869, James was listed as living in Peoria, so he and Alice must have left farming and moved to the city. By then James was sixty-six years old, and Alice was sixty-eight. In the 1870 Peoria Census James was listed as a City Policeman.They were living next door to their son James and his family. James continued to work, and was listed in the 1880 Peoria census as a Policeman for the Depot.In this census, Alice was listed as “Invalid”.The census was taken on the 2nd of June in 1880. Alice died at her son James’ house on the 9th of July in 1880. She was seventy-nine years old.Her cause of death was listed as “Dementia and Old Age”.Obituaries found for Alice included the following: From the Peoria National Democrat--July 10, 1880:"DIED Murphy-In this city at the residence of her son, James R. Murphy, corner 2nd and Merriman streets, Mrs. Alice Murphy, wife of James H. Murphy, in the 79th year of her age; Funeral will take place from her son's residence Sunday, at 2 o'clock pm. Friends and acquaintances are invited to attend." From the Peoria Evening Review-July 9, 1880 "MURPHY-In this city at the residence of her son, James R. Murphy, corner 2nd and Merriman streets, Mrs. Alice Murphy, wife of James H. Murphy, in the 79th year of her age.Funeral will take place from her son's residence Sunday at 2 o'clock pm.Friends and acquaintances are invited to attend." And from Peoria Evening Review-July 12, 1880: "The funeral of Mrs. James Murphy, which took place on Sunday was attended by a large concourse of people. The procession of carriages that followed the remains to the grave was nearly a mile long."I do wonder why there was not a church funeral for Alice.The family had been devout, active Catholics. She was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Peoria,Illinois. She shares a tombstone with granddaughters Alice and Jennie, children of her son James. The tombstone reads: Alice Read Murphy, Alice and Jennie. Her tombstone is next to her son James Reade Murphy' tombstone. Alice’s husband, James H. Murphy, lived for another ten years and stayed with their daughter Ellen in Crescent City, Illinois. James Murphy died in 1890 in Crescent City, Iroquois County, Illinois. He is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Gilman, Illinois with his daughter Ellen Murphy O'Neill and family. This always strikes me as so sad that James and Alice were not buried together after all that they had lived through. Having seven children and moving to a new country, and then having to deal with Alice’s dementia as they settled into older age must have been so difficult. Surprisingly for the times, none of Alice’s children preceded her in death. Alice had fifty-seven grandchildren when she died. Two more were born after her death. Six of Alice’s children had daughters named “Alice” after her. She left a large family who thrived through-out the years. As a side-note: Alice is the first of the Murphy side of the family who I have found with dementia. It has remained constant through-out the years in the direct line through her son William Murphy and his descendants.The family always thought it was from the Murphy side of the family, but actually in our case, it appears that it is Possible that it came from the Reade part of the family.

Patrick Smyth 1809-1861 (52 Ancestors #9)

This ninth week of the 52 Ancestor Challenge is "Close To Home". I chose to write about Patrick Smyth, my great-great-great grandfather. Patrick and his family settled in Kickapoo, Illinois which is about fifteen miles from where I live, making him the ancestor who lived closest to where I live. 

 Patrick Smyth was born on the 23rd of March in 1809 in County Down, Ireland.In 1833, when he was twenty-three years old, he married eighteen-year-old Rosa Kerrott, the daughter of a neighboring farmer. Patrick and Rosa left Ireland for America the day after their wedding. I can't imagine how frightening and exciting the prospect of that journey must have been to the young couple. I wish I knew what brought them not only to the United States but if they knew anyone already here. They first lived in Albany, New York for about thirteen months, then moved to Trumansburg, New York where Patrick worked as a common laborer for four years. It was in New York where their first two children were born. Their firstborn child, Francis, was born in April of 1835 in New York.The second child, Mary, was also born in New York in July of 1836. Baby Francis died in November of 1837 at age 2 1/2 in New York. Patrick, Rosa, and daughter Mary moved to Illinois sometime between November of 1837 and March of 1838. The third child, Catherine, was born in Illinois in March of 1838. It must have been quite a difficult journey to travel to Illinois in the winter back then, especially for a very pregnant young woman already caring for a young child. 

The family “lived a few months in the service of Bishop Chase at Jubilee College and in the fall of 1838, Patrick and Rosa bought their first home- “a log cabin which they occupied seventeen years”. Patrick and Rosa remained living in the Kickapoo, Illinois area throughout their lives. Three days short of one year from when Catherine was born a fourth child arrived. Anna Maria was born in March of 1839. Sadly, at seventeen months old, Catherine died in October of 1839. 

It is hard to imagine how the young family dealt with all of the turmoil and changes that had occurred in their first six years of marriage. Patrick and Rosa had left their families in Ireland and moved to the United States had four children, and had lost two of the children. They moved from one city in New York to another, then from New York to Illinois. By this time Patrick was thirty years old, and his wife Rosa was only twenty-four years old. In 1840 Patrick was listed as Patrick Singch in the Peoria County, Illinois Census with his wife and two female children (Mary and Anna Maria). No records have been found for Patrick between the 1840 and 1850 censuses. However, he and Rosa were busy adding six more children to the family: Francis B. born in November 1840, John W. born in August 1842, Elizabeth born in June 1844 (my third great grandmother), Catherine born in December 1845, James K. born in January 1847, and Edward D. born in November 1848. 

 In 1850, Patrick was listed in the Peoria County, Illinois Census as Patrick Smith, age forty, from Ireland, and his occupation was a farmer. He was listed with his wife Rosa, and eight children (Mary, Ann, Francis, John Betsy, Catherine, Edward, and James). Three more children were born to Patrick and Rosa before the 1855 Kickapoo, Peoria County, Illinois Census. Their eleventh child, Rosa L., was born in April of 1850, William H. was born in August of 1852, and Patrick Maximillian was born in June of 1854. Patrick and Rosa had two more children: Margaret was born in August of 1856 and Charles K. was born in January of 1858, bringing the number of children born to Patrick and Rosa to fifteen. It is rather amazing that back in that time they only lost two of the fifteen children. 

 Patrick was listed in the 1860 Kickapoo, Peoria County, Illinois Census as age fifty, still farming, with his wife and twelve of his children. Patrick was a farmer all of his life, and, judging from the Appraisal Bill filed in April of 1861, he was quite a successful farmer. Patrick’s will was written on the 30th of November in 1859. He died of consumption on the 20 of January in 1861 at fifty-two years of age. In his will, Patrick left “Rosy” three hundred and twenty-five acres, along with all of the livestock and personal property with some exceptions. The will also stated that everything was to go to his seven sons or their heirs upon Rosy’s death. The exceptions were that his six daughters were to each receive $500 when they came of age. His oldest son, Francis, upon reaching the of age 21, was to receive 54 ½ acres in the town of Kickapoo, and the rest of the land in town was to go to Rosy. Rosy was to sell the “Gregory farm” within three years of Patrick’s death, and was to also sell the 32 ½ acres of the “Euyleston farm”. The Bill of Appraisal showed that his livestock, farm equipment, grain, and rent from two others were worth $2193.34. This did not include all of the land that he owned. 

Patrick Smyth’s obituary from the Peoria Daily Transcript stated:

 

“Died, age 52, in Kickapoo, Peoria County, Jan. 20, 1861 of consumption. He came to this country in the fall of 1838 with but limited means. He has left fine property for his family, 14 in number." (PDT 1-22-1861 P4 C6).

 Patrick is buried in the Kickapoo Catholic Cemetery in Kickapoo, Illinois. The tombstone shows his age as 51/10/3 (51 years, 10 months, 3 days). Sadly, Patrick did not live long enough to see any of his children marry, nor to meet any of his sixty-one grandchildren. He left his family well taken care of. His wife, Rosa, continued to live in Kickapoo until she died in 1882.