talking with Grandma

As I said in my first post, I love stories. After Grandpa Robert died & Grandma Virginia moved to Spokane Valley, I have had the opportunity to look through Grandma's old pictures & records. And, of course, I've had the chance to ask Grandma questions. Below are two YouTube "videos" of talks that I've had with Grandma. (They were done in 2012 or 2013.) The first is regarding an obit, the second is regarding a photo.

Myrtle Denman Kaelber - obit c. 1943

Bill Fifer - photo c. 1945

Charles Alvin Fifer (1918 - 1919) - Find A Grave Photos

I just added a photo 

to the Find A Grave memorial 

of Charles Alvin Fifer (1918 - 1919).

choir concert & a new app

Today I downloaded a new app - Photo Mapo - for my iPhone.

The choir concert this evening seemed a perfect opportunity to try it out.

Here is one image.

 

 

 

Mrs. Fifer's retirement party

On 15 May 2014,
a retirement party was held
for my mom.

B. Jill (Dyck) Fifer started teaching

at the Inchelium K-12 school around 1980.

While there, she taught high school English,

worked as a school counselor

(after receiving her masters degree),
& then taught 2nd grade.

Before she worked in Inchelium,

she taught high school English

at Kettle Falls School District #212.

* * *

Inchelium is in Ferry County, Washington (State), USA.
Kettle Falls is in Stevens County, Washington (State), USA.

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"Kaelber" is tagged on this post
because my paternal grandma  
- E. Virginia (Kaelber) Fifer -
attended the event.

Forgotten Ashes

While this link does not relate to my family (I hope), I thought that it was worth sharing. According to Forgotten Ashes, "[e]ach and every year, cremated remains go unclaimed at funeral homes, cremation providers, and local-state agencies throughout the United States...." Everyone deserves a proper, respectful burial; families need to know the fate of their relatives. Let's help by sharing this link.

Sinclair family mystery

There is a family mystery that I would like to solve. It involves the relationship between my great-grandmother Mary Ann (Sinclair) Kaelber & her mother Susan (Sylvester) Sinclair or [a possible] step-mother Susan (Morse/Morise) Sinclair.
 

Here is the family lore:

For as long as Grandma Virginia or Dad can remember, my great grandma Mary always said that Susan (or "that woman" as she put it) was not her mom. The legend goes that, as Daniel Sinclair lay dying from blood poisoning c. 1911, he told Mary that "she's not your mom" and that she was to "get out of [there]".

As you can tell from my first paragraph, based upon my research so far, I have come up with two names: Susan Sylvester & Susan Morse (or Morise).

Great Grandma Mary's death certificate (1900-1999) lists her mother as Susan Sinclair. (However, it also lists her occupation as nurse. In searching the Washington State Department of Health's Provider Credential Search, it appears that she was not a licensed nurse or nurse aide.) The death certificate of John Sinclair (1902-1920), Mary's younger brother, lists his mother as Susan Morse. (However, if their older brother Joseph Sinclair [who is listed as "not of sound mind" on his 1917 draft card] were the one who had provided the information, it is possible that it wasn't correct.)

 

Since John Sinclair was born in 1902, one would assume that the 1910 Washington State census could indicate a different woman than did the 1900 Wisconsin census. However, that's not the case!

In looking at this information, one could wonder if Daniel Sinclair had had an affair - and a child - with a woman named Susan Morse ... and that Daniel's statement had actually been about Susan Sylvester not being John's mom (vs Susan Morse not being Mary's mom).

But then what would I make of this 1915 marriage document (from Spokane County, Washington) which lists the bride as a widow named Susan Morse Sinclair? (And Spokane County does not necessarily seem strange, as this page from the 12 June 1915 edition of The Colville Examiner and the 1920 census' [here & here] suggest that Susan was not living with relatives in Ferry County in 1915 or 1920.)

* * *

In order to shed more light on the situation, I need to get the birth certificates for both Joseph Sinclair and John Sinclair. (Mary's birth certificate lists her mother as Susan Salvesta.) I would also like to get the marriage certificate for Daniel Sinclair and Susan Sylvester and the possible marriage certificate for Daniel Sinclair and Susan Morse (although general online searches have not indicated the existence of such a document).

 

 

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If you have any information, please leave a comment on this post

or click on contact Dawn, above.

 

Robert Fifer on Fold3

I recently realized that my grandpa, Robert V. Fifer, is listed on Fold3.

I just added two photos of him, which can be viewed here.

 

Family Photo Friday

Growing up, I attended the Inchelium Community Church

in Inchelium, Ferry County, Washington, USA.

 

I am very thankful that my mom, B. Jill (Dyck) Fifer,

made sure that my sister & I were raised in a faith community.

 

 

our vacation

Last week, my parents, sister, 
son, & I went on vacation 
to the Oregon coast.

I have done a photo book, 
which I will order for the family for Christmas.

I also edited a video (below).

childhood epilepsy?

I just had a conversation with one of my grandmas  and one of my parents about seizures that an aunt/uncle had as a child. I am being a bit evasive in order to protect this (living) relative's privacy. (You will note that I have not "tagged" this post with a last name.) However, I wanted to document the conversation for later reference.

My parent & grandmother remember my grandfather (who would get up very early each morning) turning on the lights, waking my parent & grandmother up. Both my parent & grandmother state that my aunt/uncle was having a grand-mal (tonic-clonic) seizure. According to my parent & grandmother, my grandparents  proceeded to put everyone (my aunt/uncle, my parent, & themselves) into the car to go to the hospital.

Both my parent & grandmother recall this as being a frightening experience. My parent remembers my aunt/uncle making gasping noises & (while in the car) hearing my grandmother telling my grandfather "watch [her/his] tongue." (I assume that my grandmother was driving.)

According to my grandmother, my aunt/uncle had previously had occasional "accidents" during the night, which promptly ceased once my aunt/uncle was placed on medication for the seizures. My aunt/uncle's seizures only happened during the night or in the early morning while my aunt/uncle was sleeping or just waking up & had apparently had had some previous seizures (causing the "accidents") without anyone even knowing it.

My aunt/uncle remained on medication until she/he was in her/his 20's, at which point she/he decided to stop. My aunt/uncle has not had seizures as an adult, although she/he had several more during childhood.