Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wordless Wednesday :: Stone's Trace
The Tavern at Stone's Trace. Built in 1839. South of Ligonier, Indiana.
Bartering at the encampment.Photographs taken on September 6, ...
Copyright © .. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Gretton - Deene - Bulwick - Gretton
Just over 10 miles. With Barry, Eddie, Gordon, Maureen. Weather dull, but fine. We did the route from last week in reverse. No garmin track - I hadn't charged it up.
From the village hall, take Southfield Rd and the unsurfaced Fullen Lane track to the gate then down the hill to the four stiles, diagonally uphill to the right to the broken stile above Kirby Hall. Down through the gate next to the shop and entrance to the Hall, then along the road, over the cattle grid, past the car park and up to the entrance gate on Kirby Lane. Cross the road - go through the deer-proof gate, and follow the path downhill until another path crosses at right angles. Turn left along this path and follow the signs a fair way above the brook. There is another deer-proof gate. Go through this and cross a narrow band of trees - the path is visible across the field, no need to go too close to the wood called the Rookery.
The path leads to the corner of an outbuilding of Home Farm.
Join the farm road and walk through the gate, past some metal sheep pens, and out on to the village street. Follow this as far as the old school - now part house, part village hall.
Over a stile and up across the field towards the 'tea-pot' (Aladdin's Lamp?) monument. (I'm told the man to whom this monument is dedicated loved his cups of tea!) After this you cross a couple of fields with stiles, and come to a boggy section with a small building near by. The path leads through trees and over three footbridges to the A43.
Cross the A43 and a very short walk to the right (towards Corby) brings you to the somewhat hidden footpath sign.
The path follows the edge of the field, by the woods, and then over a stile to some pasture with trees. Don't be tempted (as we were last Thursday), by the gate and bridge.
The path continues through the field, where there are a lot of bumps, which are probably the remains of a settlement deserted by the eighteenth century. [DMV = Deserted Medieval Villages. The DMV we passed on the way into Bulwick was called Henwick and is one of the 75 DMV' s in Northampton. Pronounced Henick it is a farm/landwhere hens were kept. Bulwick, (yes you guessed it correctly) was where bulls were kept. Info from Peter Hill, via Barry - many thanks!]
The path emerges into Bulwick over a stile between some houses and the Queens Head pub.
We took a break at the church - the village shop which sells food and coffee is almost opposite.
From the church we turned downhill past the old school, past the Mill House, and turned left into Red Lodge Road. We followed this across the bridge over the A43, and then turned right along a bridleway. This climbs gradually, then turns left. At a hedge it runs right again, climbing a little more. Laxton church spire comes into view ahead. The path runs left and crosses a couple of fields to meet the road from Deene to Spanhoe. Cross the road and continue bearing very slightly to the right. After crossing two fields you arrive at the lake at Harringworth Lodge. We saw plenty of birdlife today, including two or three herons.
From here the path follows a track alongside woods, past a field of cows. The track turns right, but the path continues along the grass. Just after the end of the woods you turn right to join a track by what appears to be a disused railway cutting.
This turns right, and you go through a gate and across a large field. The path passes through two gates in the corner of the next field, and then across two arable fields, through gates. Finally you cut across the corner of another field, near some agricultural buidlings, before turning right along a track which leads to Gretton's Kirby Road. Turn left here and continue to the village hall.
(in reverse)
From the village hall, take Southfield Rd and the unsurfaced Fullen Lane track to the gate then down the hill to the four stiles, diagonally uphill to the right to the broken stile above Kirby Hall. Down through the gate next to the shop and entrance to the Hall, then along the road, over the cattle grid, past the car park and up to the entrance gate on Kirby Lane. Cross the road - go through the deer-proof gate, and follow the path downhill until another path crosses at right angles. Turn left along this path and follow the signs a fair way above the brook. There is another deer-proof gate. Go through this and cross a narrow band of trees - the path is visible across the field, no need to go too close to the wood called the Rookery.
The path leads to the corner of an outbuilding of Home Farm.
Join the farm road and walk through the gate, past some metal sheep pens, and out on to the village street. Follow this as far as the old school - now part house, part village hall.
Over a stile and up across the field towards the 'tea-pot' (Aladdin's Lamp?) monument. (I'm told the man to whom this monument is dedicated loved his cups of tea!) After this you cross a couple of fields with stiles, and come to a boggy section with a small building near by. The path leads through trees and over three footbridges to the A43.
Cross the A43 and a very short walk to the right (towards Corby) brings you to the somewhat hidden footpath sign. |
| Looking back to where the Willow Brook goes under the A43. |
The path continues through the field, where there are a lot of bumps, which are probably the remains of a settlement deserted by the eighteenth century. [DMV = Deserted Medieval Villages. The DMV we passed on the way into Bulwick was called Henwick and is one of the 75 DMV' s in Northampton. Pronounced Henick it is a farm/landwhere hens were kept. Bulwick, (yes you guessed it correctly) was where bulls were kept. Info from Peter Hill, via Barry - many thanks!]The path emerges into Bulwick over a stile between some houses and the Queens Head pub.
We took a break at the church - the village shop which sells food and coffee is almost opposite.From the church we turned downhill past the old school, past the Mill House, and turned left into Red Lodge Road. We followed this across the bridge over the A43, and then turned right along a bridleway. This climbs gradually, then turns left. At a hedge it runs right again, climbing a little more. Laxton church spire comes into view ahead. The path runs left and crosses a couple of fields to meet the road from Deene to Spanhoe. Cross the road and continue bearing very slightly to the right. After crossing two fields you arrive at the lake at Harringworth Lodge. We saw plenty of birdlife today, including two or three herons.
From here the path follows a track alongside woods, past a field of cows. The track turns right, but the path continues along the grass. Just after the end of the woods you turn right to join a track by what appears to be a disused railway cutting. This turns right, and you go through a gate and across a large field. The path passes through two gates in the corner of the next field, and then across two arable fields, through gates. Finally you cut across the corner of another field, near some agricultural buidlings, before turning right along a track which leads to Gretton's Kirby Road. Turn left here and continue to the village hall.
(in reverse)
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Children of Sophia Hazlett and James Dunfee
I thought that before going further back in time, I'd provide a brief synopsis of what is known of the (presumed) children of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee. If you are a descendant and you see this, you will contact me, won't you? Please leave a comment or send me an email at kinexxions “at” gmail “dot” com. Especially if you can provide additional clues on the parents of James Dunfee and Sophia Hazlett. Future posts will provide details on these families.
This chart, created by my grandmother in the 1960s, shows what she knew of the family of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee and was the starting point for my research.
In the 1882 biography of Jonathan S. Dunfee it stated that he was one of 13 children. I am fairly confident that the 10 listed below are the children of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee though I have found no substantiating “proof” for several of them. I am "missing" 3 children. If anyone knows who they are or where they lived, I'd appreciate hearing from you ;-)
A letter, written in 1849 by Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee to William and Catherine Dunfee mentions six family members, presumed to be their children: George, Mary, Jonathan, Henry, Lucy, and Sarah. And of course, the letter confirms that William is their son, giving us the names of seven probable children. The letter also states that William's baby was their 21st grandchild. I have found 16 of those 21 grandchildren who were born by the time the letter was written. In all, I have found 58 grandchildren of James and Sophia, born 1837-1879!
For additional information see Dunfee Family :: Index to Posts
This chart, created by my grandmother in the 1960s, shows what she knew of the family of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee and was the starting point for my research.
In the 1882 biography of Jonathan S. Dunfee it stated that he was one of 13 children. I am fairly confident that the 10 listed below are the children of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee though I have found no substantiating “proof” for several of them. I am "missing" 3 children. If anyone knows who they are or where they lived, I'd appreciate hearing from you ;-)
A letter, written in 1849 by Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee to William and Catherine Dunfee mentions six family members, presumed to be their children: George, Mary, Jonathan, Henry, Lucy, and Sarah. And of course, the letter confirms that William is their son, giving us the names of seven probable children. The letter also states that William's baby was their 21st grandchild. I have found 16 of those 21 grandchildren who were born by the time the letter was written. In all, I have found 58 grandchildren of James and Sophia, born 1837-1879!
- Eliza Dunfee. Census records put her year of birth at 1811, 1813, or 1815 and place of birth in Maryland or Pennsylvania. Eliza married Aquilla Hoff on September 4, 1851 in Ashland County, Ohio. They were the parents of one son. A little over a year ago I wrote about a response I received on an 11 year old query posted on Eliza and Aquilla. In the 1850 census of Ashland County, Eliza Dunfee was residing in the household of Jonathan Hazlett. Eliza Hoff died on August 6, 1876 in Lagrange County, Indiana. I have no “proof” that Eliza is a daughter of James and Sophia. The fact that she was living with Jonathan Hazlett in 1850 is really the only connection.
- George Dunfee was born November 22, 1814 in Pennsylvania and died November 3, 1871 probably in Dekalb County, Indiana. He is buried in Corunna Cemetery, Fairfield Township, Dekalb County, Indiana. His wife's name was Nancy and they were the parents of five children. On February 21, 1848, Jonathan S. Dunfee of the county of Holmes, State of Ohio, sold 160 acres of land in Dekalb county, Indiana to George Dunfee of the county of Ashland, State of Ohio for $600. (NW 1/4 S24 T35N R12E). This land was not far from that of David and Sophia Dunfee McNabb.
- Mary Dunfee was born March 19, 1816 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. She was first married to Isaac Bonnet on March 25, 1836 in Wayne County, Ohio. He died on February 2, 1846. Two years later she was married to James Hanson Lovett. Mary Dunfee Bonnet Lovett died on March 25, 1900. She is buried in the Pioneer/Old Sixteen Cemetery in Lake Township, Ashland County, Ohio next to her first husband. Mary was the mother of eight children, five with Isaac Bonnett and three with James Lovett.
- Catharine Jane Dunfee (known as Kitte Jane according to my grandmother's notes) was born April 13, 1818 in Pennsylvania. She married Moses Tryon on December 29, 1836 in Wayne County, Ohio. She died January 5, 1893 in Noble County, Indiana and is buried next to her husband in Allen Chapel Cemetery in Allen Township, Noble County, Indiana. They were the parents of ten children.
- William Hamilton Dunfee was born April 10, 1822 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Catherine B. Jones on March 5, 1848 in Whitley County, Indiana. He died May 29, 1888 in Columbia Township, Whitley County, Indiana. William and Catherine are my 3rd great grandparents. They were the parents of seven children of whom only three survived to adulthood. Their second child was Sophia Elizabeth Dunfee (named after her grandmother, Sophia Elizabeth Hazlett). Sophia Dunfee married William Pythagrus Wise. They are my 2nd great grandparents. They named their fourth and last child Hazlette, turning a surname into a first name - and, my grandmother was also named Hazlette.
- Sophia Dunfee was born August 13, 1824 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. She married David McNabb on October 18, 1842 somewhere in Ohio (no record has been found in the areas where the family lived). They moved to Dekalb County, Indiana prior to 1850 and were the parents of eight children. Sophia died on December 31, 1905. She and David are buried there in Corunna Cemetery in Fairfield Township. The 1885 biography of David McNabb (History of Dekalb County, Indiana Vol 2, Interstate, p577-578) states that she is “a daughter of James and Sophie (Hazlett) Dunfee who moved from Adams County, Pa., to Ohio in 1833.” In addition, the WPA publication of Dekalb County Death Records 1899-1920, p214 gives her father as James Dunfee, born Pennsylvania, and her mother as Sophia Hazellet, born Pennsylvania.
- Jonathan Smith Dunfee was born June 9, 1826 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was married on October 19, 1848 in Holmes County, Ohio to Mary Ann Quick. They moved to Whitley County, Indiana prior to 1860 where they raised their family of seven children. Jonathan died on April 22, 1900 and he and Mary Ann are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Jefferson Township. The 1882 biography of Jonathan (Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana; Goodspeed, 1882 p394-395) states that he “is a son of James and Sophie (Hazlett) Dunfee.” His death record lists his parents as Jas. Dunfee and Sophia Hazelot.
- James Henry Dunfee (aka Henry or J. Henry) was born about 1828, probably in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was married on June 25, 1854 to Elizabeth Moores (Moor in the marriage record) in Ashland County, Ohio. They moved to Whitley County, Indiana shortly after their marriage but at some point moved to Aboite Township, Allen County, Indiana where he died on July 3, 1872. James Henry and Elizabeth are buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Columbia City, Whitley County, Indiana. They were the parents of eight children. A land transaction links James Henry to James and Sophia but does not conclusively prove that he is their son: James H. Dunfee and his wife Elisabeth sold two acres to James Dunfee for $10 on March 15, 1855.
- Lucy Dunfee was born September 17, 1834 in Ohio. She came with her parents to Whitley County, Indiana about 1855. She died there on December 28, 1870 and is buried near her parents in Evergreen Cemetery, Jefferson Township, Whitley County, Indiana.
- Sarah Ann Dunfee was born August 27, 1839 in Ohio and also came with her parents to Whitley County, Indiana about 1855. Sarah was married to Charles Henry Gillespie on August 7, 1862 in Whitley County and they had one child. It is not known what happened to Mr. Gillespie but on June 8, 1873 Sarah was married to John Robinette in Whitley County. They were the parents of three children. Sarah died on August 8, 1914 and is buried next to husband John in the Sandbank-Jefferson Chapel Cemetery in Jefferson Township, Whitley County, Indiana. The transcribed Whitley County, Indiana Death Records for Sarah Robinette gives her father as James Denfen and her mother as Sofia Hasht. I viewed the record book but was unable to obtain a copy of the record. The names looked to me like James Dunfee and Sofia Haslet.
For additional information see Dunfee Family :: Index to Posts
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Fall in the Park
A handful of climbers
every week are still attempting summits. and while the challenges of colder weather, shorter days and thin snowbridges make travel a bit more difficult, some are still making it to the top.
Posts will become less frequent during these winter months. Be sure to check out the weather and avalanche conditions when planning a trip to the mountain this winter. Also, regulations for climber registration change, roads will close, and visitor center hours switch as the park prepares for winter. Check out the links to keep current.
Beginning on November 1st the road gate at Longmire will be closed each evening (at 6pm) and the road will be opened again each morning after the Road Crew has finished its prep. We have an excellent crew who do their best to keep the road passable, but there will be a handful of days this winter when conditions are so bad the road to Paradise will not open.
Have a fun and safe winter!
every week are still attempting summits. and while the challenges of colder weather, shorter days and thin snowbridges make travel a bit more difficult, some are still making it to the top.Posts will become less frequent during these winter months. Be sure to check out the weather and avalanche conditions when planning a trip to the mountain this winter. Also, regulations for climber registration change, roads will close, and visitor center hours switch as the park prepares for winter. Check out the links to keep current.
Beginning on November 1st the road gate at Longmire will be closed each evening (at 6pm) and the road will be opened again each morning after the Road Crew has finished its prep. We have an excellent crew who do their best to keep the road passable, but there will be a handful of days this winter when conditions are so bad the road to Paradise will not open.
Have a fun and safe winter!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Exit The Gun Show ..
Steve and I were not feeling up to the rematch with Dreamer. (Two days earlier I had the long damp hike to Thompson, and on Sunday he was crashing, I mean jumping BMX bikes. So we canceled. I called Adam to see if he was still available and we made a plan to head to Exit 38, the Gun Show area. (Perhaps named for the numerous steep routes there?) We were heading there to climb a slab route and get on some other routes that perhaps we could.
First stop was Endless Bliss. When Steve led this and I followed it earlier this year, I knew I wanted to come back and lead it. I was hoping to do so on Thursday night with Sammy and crew, but things have been falling apart for Thursdays and this was an opportunity to do it in the afternoon, and surprisingly with no one else on route. (I have said it, and it is close to true, but it is the best route at Exit 38.) We geared up at the base and I was off. The climb can be done in two pitches, but we opted for the single long pitch. I led off and everything was going well until around the crux. I went to clip a bolt with a Yosemite draw and the biner came off with the rope. This sketched me out pretty good and I ended up placing another draw rather than attempt to reconnect the biner. The next few clips were high drama (in my head at least.) The second half of the climb is easier. And with my more settled head, I finished up the route.
Adam passed the crux on Endless Bliss
I brought Adam up and he fell and hung around the crux with his calves burning. (Just before the short fall, I could see him trying to shake his legs out.) One you get to this difficulty of slab climbing, usually it is better to move through the cruxes fast and get your rest later (or before.) I think that is what sketched me out when I had the draw mishap. After Adam reached the top, I lowered him off and proceeded to complete the two raps to the base. I looked at the next route left of Bliss and decided I really wasn't interested in leading it today.
So we walked over another route to the left. This is a two pitch route, that is rated 5.10-. The first bit is steep and blocky but appears to ease off after the first three bolts. (Generously placed in the first 15'.) Adam said if I lead it, he'll follow. So I started up. Two clips up I couldn't seem to find an adequate hold and hung a bit. I lowered off and tried again. Same issue. I hung a bit more until I figured out the moves and I was off to slightly less steep ground and a few feet to the next bolt. This lower angle (read 89°) section was the easiest of the pitch, and I should have relished that. However, I cruised up higher through steep moves before hanging again at a point where the route went right. Once again, I couldn't seem to find a hand hold. I hung a bunch of times, I tried to go straight up, but I couldn't seem to make the move. I finally tried moving a little right before up and right but my feet weren't right. I hung again, and the next attempt the feet seemed right and for some reason, I was an inch higher and was able to grab a nice hold that I didn't know existed earlier. After that I sailed through the next few bolts to the anchor.
Adam hangdoggin' on Elation...
I brought Adam up who struggled on the first three bolt section and then seemed to cruise the rest of the pitch. Unlike Endless Bliss, this pitch was a real arm burner. However, things were about to change. The second pitch is a slab, not unlike Endless Bliss. I handed the lead over to Adam who led up hanging on a few bolts, and grabbing a couple more. I followed and found the crux of the second pitch to be a touch harder than Endless Bliss. After this calf burner we rapped off.
Adam rapping the first pitch of Elation...
Once at the bottom we figured we were a little spent to keep climbing the harder routes there and moved on to Squishy Bell to finish up the day.
After the hike up, Adam led the 5.6 on the left side, and then the 5.8 next to it. I followed both routes climbing in my new approach shoes. The shoes climb better than I may have hoped. Although they will take a little getting used to and trusting before I lead climb something hard in them. While I had no issues on the 5.6, the 5.8 required some smaller footholds that I was thinking the shoes would blow off of. Each time I told Adam to watch me as I thought my foot would blow off, he said before he could take up any slack, I was already above the move. So it may just be a trust issue, but they sure are comfy to climb in. Hurrah for light comfy approach shoes I can climb in. I can't wait to see how they feel with a crampon on a glacier!
Overall a nice half day out. It was fun to lead Endless Bliss. However, Elation at the End of Eternity was an equally nice climb with the added bonus of having a completely different character from one pitch to the next. Although it doesn't have the same wonderful position of Endless Bliss. It was nice to get to work out my new approach shoes as well on some easier stuff. Most of all, it made me glad Steve and I didn't attempt Dreamer, as I wasn't in top form, and Dreamer is probably going to require that of me.
First stop was Endless Bliss. When Steve led this and I followed it earlier this year, I knew I wanted to come back and lead it. I was hoping to do so on Thursday night with Sammy and crew, but things have been falling apart for Thursdays and this was an opportunity to do it in the afternoon, and surprisingly with no one else on route. (I have said it, and it is close to true, but it is the best route at Exit 38.) We geared up at the base and I was off. The climb can be done in two pitches, but we opted for the single long pitch. I led off and everything was going well until around the crux. I went to clip a bolt with a Yosemite draw and the biner came off with the rope. This sketched me out pretty good and I ended up placing another draw rather than attempt to reconnect the biner. The next few clips were high drama (in my head at least.) The second half of the climb is easier. And with my more settled head, I finished up the route.
Adam passed the crux on Endless BlissI brought Adam up and he fell and hung around the crux with his calves burning. (Just before the short fall, I could see him trying to shake his legs out.) One you get to this difficulty of slab climbing, usually it is better to move through the cruxes fast and get your rest later (or before.) I think that is what sketched me out when I had the draw mishap. After Adam reached the top, I lowered him off and proceeded to complete the two raps to the base. I looked at the next route left of Bliss and decided I really wasn't interested in leading it today.
So we walked over another route to the left. This is a two pitch route, that is rated 5.10-. The first bit is steep and blocky but appears to ease off after the first three bolts. (Generously placed in the first 15'.) Adam said if I lead it, he'll follow. So I started up. Two clips up I couldn't seem to find an adequate hold and hung a bit. I lowered off and tried again. Same issue. I hung a bit more until I figured out the moves and I was off to slightly less steep ground and a few feet to the next bolt. This lower angle (read 89°) section was the easiest of the pitch, and I should have relished that. However, I cruised up higher through steep moves before hanging again at a point where the route went right. Once again, I couldn't seem to find a hand hold. I hung a bunch of times, I tried to go straight up, but I couldn't seem to make the move. I finally tried moving a little right before up and right but my feet weren't right. I hung again, and the next attempt the feet seemed right and for some reason, I was an inch higher and was able to grab a nice hold that I didn't know existed earlier. After that I sailed through the next few bolts to the anchor.
Adam hangdoggin' on Elation...I brought Adam up who struggled on the first three bolt section and then seemed to cruise the rest of the pitch. Unlike Endless Bliss, this pitch was a real arm burner. However, things were about to change. The second pitch is a slab, not unlike Endless Bliss. I handed the lead over to Adam who led up hanging on a few bolts, and grabbing a couple more. I followed and found the crux of the second pitch to be a touch harder than Endless Bliss. After this calf burner we rapped off.
Adam rapping the first pitch of Elation...Once at the bottom we figured we were a little spent to keep climbing the harder routes there and moved on to Squishy Bell to finish up the day.
After the hike up, Adam led the 5.6 on the left side, and then the 5.8 next to it. I followed both routes climbing in my new approach shoes. The shoes climb better than I may have hoped. Although they will take a little getting used to and trusting before I lead climb something hard in them. While I had no issues on the 5.6, the 5.8 required some smaller footholds that I was thinking the shoes would blow off of. Each time I told Adam to watch me as I thought my foot would blow off, he said before he could take up any slack, I was already above the move. So it may just be a trust issue, but they sure are comfy to climb in. Hurrah for light comfy approach shoes I can climb in. I can't wait to see how they feel with a crampon on a glacier!
Overall a nice half day out. It was fun to lead Endless Bliss. However, Elation at the End of Eternity was an equally nice climb with the added bonus of having a completely different character from one pitch to the next. Although it doesn't have the same wonderful position of Endless Bliss. It was nice to get to work out my new approach shoes as well on some easier stuff. Most of all, it made me glad Steve and I didn't attempt Dreamer, as I wasn't in top form, and Dreamer is probably going to require that of me.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Whitley County - A Place Some Ancestors Called Home
My grandmother, Hazlette Brubaker, was born in Lorain County, Ohio but her parents were born in Whitley County, Indiana. All four of her grandparents were either born in the county or came here as young children with their parents. Seven out of eight great-grandparents came to Whitley County as young adults; the eighth great-grandparent lived in Huntington County, which borders Whitley on the south. Of her sixteen great-great-grandparents, nine lived in Whitley County. In addition, three 3rd great-grandparents also lived in the county.
In 1823, the county of Allen was created in the relatively young state of Indiana. Within that territory was the land that would, in 1838, become Whitley County. Four years previous, it had been put under the jurisdiction of Huntington County. All of that area was once the domain of the Miami Indians. The earliest white settlers came to the area about 1827 and by 1838, the population had grown sufficiently enough to be allowed to govern themselves. The first tax assessment, made in 1838, included the names of 136 men. How many women and children were living here at that time is not known. By 1840, the number of households had grown by 60% as shown by the Federal Census that year, which listed 219 households, and the total population of 1,237 for the county, which was comprised of 338 square miles. To say that it was sparsely populated would be an understatement!
It was in August of 1838 that the first of my ancestors came to Whitley County. These were the Goodrich and Joslin families and they purchased land in the northwest portion of the county. About 1843, Grandma Jones came to Columbia City. With her were her parents, Conrad and Mary (Swigart) Helms, and several brothers (you can read about the brothers in the post on Hell's Half Acre). They settled in Columbia Township. Also coming to Columbia Township at about the same time were Henry and Anna Robison. And William Hamilton Dunfee. His parents, James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee would follow a few years later though they lived in Jefferson Township on the eastern side of the county, bordering Allen county. By 1850 the population of the county had reached 5,190.
In 1851, eight year old William Brubaker came with his step-father and mother, George and Sarah (Foster) Parkison. The next year, Conrad and Indiana (Sisley) Stem arrived on the scene as did their daughter, Malissa, and her husband Jacob Wise. They lived in Thorncreek township, north of Columbia City. In addition to my grandmother's ancestors, my grandfather and his parents, Henry and Susie Phend, moved to Columbia City about 1898. In 1900, there were 17,328 people living in the county. As of .., the population was 30,707 which was predominantly white (98.37%). Native Americans constituted 0.36% while 0.19% were African Americans and 0.18% were Asian.
Of the actual homes of my ancestors, their physical houses, the only one that remains that I am aware of is the Brubaker home at the Goose Lake Farm. The old Scott School that my grandmother and her siblings attended is still standing, though abandoned long ago and now used for storage.
Whitley County has been, and still is for the most part, an agricultural community. There is some industry, mostly in Columbia City and along U.S. Hwy 30 which runs east-west through the center of the county. The other major highway is U. S. 33 which cuts through Churubusco in the northeast corner of the county connecting Fort Wayne with Goshen.
The landscape is nothing spectacular though it is quite pleasant. Rolling hills and flatlands, fields of corn and soybeans, along with lots of trees, wooded areas and a few lakes. I don't think there is a lot of tourism, other than people passing through on their way to someplace else. There are historical markers which note some events and people of the past, but there is really nothing to see at most of the markers, other than fields or trees.
Perhaps the most impressive landmark of the county is the courthouse in Columbia City, which was designed by Brentwood S. Tolan, of Fort Wayne. It was built about 1890 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The surrounding town square was added to the register in 1987.
In 1823, the county of Allen was created in the relatively young state of Indiana. Within that territory was the land that would, in 1838, become Whitley County. Four years previous, it had been put under the jurisdiction of Huntington County. All of that area was once the domain of the Miami Indians. The earliest white settlers came to the area about 1827 and by 1838, the population had grown sufficiently enough to be allowed to govern themselves. The first tax assessment, made in 1838, included the names of 136 men. How many women and children were living here at that time is not known. By 1840, the number of households had grown by 60% as shown by the Federal Census that year, which listed 219 households, and the total population of 1,237 for the county, which was comprised of 338 square miles. To say that it was sparsely populated would be an understatement!
It was in August of 1838 that the first of my ancestors came to Whitley County. These were the Goodrich and Joslin families and they purchased land in the northwest portion of the county. About 1843, Grandma Jones came to Columbia City. With her were her parents, Conrad and Mary (Swigart) Helms, and several brothers (you can read about the brothers in the post on Hell's Half Acre). They settled in Columbia Township. Also coming to Columbia Township at about the same time were Henry and Anna Robison. And William Hamilton Dunfee. His parents, James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee would follow a few years later though they lived in Jefferson Township on the eastern side of the county, bordering Allen county. By 1850 the population of the county had reached 5,190.
In 1851, eight year old William Brubaker came with his step-father and mother, George and Sarah (Foster) Parkison. The next year, Conrad and Indiana (Sisley) Stem arrived on the scene as did their daughter, Malissa, and her husband Jacob Wise. They lived in Thorncreek township, north of Columbia City. In addition to my grandmother's ancestors, my grandfather and his parents, Henry and Susie Phend, moved to Columbia City about 1898. In 1900, there were 17,328 people living in the county. As of .., the population was 30,707 which was predominantly white (98.37%). Native Americans constituted 0.36% while 0.19% were African Americans and 0.18% were Asian.
Of the actual homes of my ancestors, their physical houses, the only one that remains that I am aware of is the Brubaker home at the Goose Lake Farm. The old Scott School that my grandmother and her siblings attended is still standing, though abandoned long ago and now used for storage.
Whitley County has been, and still is for the most part, an agricultural community. There is some industry, mostly in Columbia City and along U.S. Hwy 30 which runs east-west through the center of the county. The other major highway is U. S. 33 which cuts through Churubusco in the northeast corner of the county connecting Fort Wayne with Goshen.
The landscape is nothing spectacular though it is quite pleasant. Rolling hills and flatlands, fields of corn and soybeans, along with lots of trees, wooded areas and a few lakes. I don't think there is a lot of tourism, other than people passing through on their way to someplace else. There are historical markers which note some events and people of the past, but there is really nothing to see at most of the markers, other than fields or trees.
Perhaps the most impressive landmark of the county is the courthouse in Columbia City, which was designed by Brentwood S. Tolan, of Fort Wayne. It was built about 1890 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The surrounding town square was added to the register in 1987.
Making a Bicycle Your Own
When getting a bicycle, whether new or vintage, it can be nice to personalise it - to make alterations here and there, so that the bike feels distinctly "ours". I am often asked for advice regarding various aspects of this process, from budget, to component choices, to colour coordination. And while these things are highly personal, there are several general points that I propose keeping in mind.
1. Address functionality and comfort before looks. Prior to buying colourful panniers and covering the bike with flower garlands, make sure the saddle position and handlebar height are properly adjusted for your proportions and postural preference. You may be surprised how much just that factor alone can change the "personality" of the bicycle. And this, in turn, will better inform subsequent aesthetic choices.
2. Personalising the looks of your bicycle need not involve buying lots of costly accessories. Some of the most delightful decorations are also the least expensive. Consider that things like ribbon,faux florals,twine, and stickers can cost mere pocket change. A simple bow in your favourite colour on the handlebars, or some flowers along the edge of your basket, will create an instant, lively transformation. And if you have an old bicycle with scratched up paint? You could turn it into a "zebra bike", "tiger bike", or "bumble bee bike" by wrapping appropriately coloured electrical tape around the frame to create stripes.
Of course, with an older bicycle there is also the option of using paint. You could trylug outlining, hand-painting small panels, or even paintingyour own designs along the entire frame. In Europe I see bicycles hand-painted with flowers, polka-dots, zebra stripes, peace symbols, lady bugs, and all sorts of other simple motifs.A paint pen for lug outlining will set you back around $2. Enamel paint will cost around $6 for a small can.
3. Avoid formulaic accessorising. If you saw it in a magazine or on a popular blog, chances are that so did hundreds of others. Do you really want to spend all that money on limited edition saddles, deluxe grips and exotic tires, just to end up with a bicycle that looks identical to lots of other bikes? Take the time to consider what combination of things would suit you individually, rather than trying to recreate a popular look.
[image via Boston Retrowheelmen]4. Explore ways to trade and barter with other bicycle owners. The components you no longer want might be just what another person is looking for, and vice-versa. This is considerably more affordable than buying everything new, and can yield interesting results. I acquired some of my best stuff via trades, including saddles, dress guards, a rack, and even an entire bicycle!
In the end, the bicycles that are the most striking and feel the most "yours" are those that reflect your personality - regardless of the budget that went into achieving that.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Cycling and Hairstyles: Long vs Short
This morning I received an email from a reader asking whether I prefer long or short hair for cycling. Short answer: Long!
Last summer I chopped my hair for the first time in nearly two decades. While I didn't do it for the sake of cycling, I did expect short hair to be easier to manage for someone who rides a lot compared to my previously unruly mane. Surely it would feel lighter, be less prone to getting disheveled and sweaty, be easier to comb. Lots of active women have short hair, so this logic made sense.
But oh how wrong I was.You know how sometimes you have a bad hair day? I feel like I've had a bad hair year.While I like the look of my bob and it was nice to have a change, as far as cycling it's been annoying and fussy. Not long enough to fit into a pony tail, it is long enough to fly into my eyes when I ride unless I use lots of pins. This includes the times I am roadcycling and wearing a helmet - loose strands won't stay under the helmet, but fly in my face unless I remember to pin them down. Post-ride maintenance is harder as well. When my hair was long and it got disheveled or tangled after a ride, I could simply put it up in a "messy bun" and it would look decent enough. With short hair there is no way to hide the mess; looking presentable after a sweaty or windy ride is a challenge.
So while it may seem counter-intuitive, my experience as a cyclist has been that long hair is easier to deal with: With or without a helmet, I can just tie it back or braid it and forget about it. Now that mine fits into a pony tail again, I am ecstatic and feel like I need to write a note to myself with a reminder to never cut it again. I could see how a buzz-cut or pixie cut would be low-maintenance, but my chin-length bob has been anything but.
What are your thoughts on hair maintenance and cycling? Have you changed or tweaked your hairstyle as a result of riding a bike?
Coast Live Oak
Coast Live Oak, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.
Here's an example of the coast live oak, a rustic and beautiful California tree. This one, in the hills above Cal Poly, marked the beginning of a small grove of the trees. You can find them all over the California coast ranges.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Lees Ferry
Early on the morning of Wednesday June 2nd, I left Jacob Lake and headed east on Alternate US 89 passing by the Vermillion Cliffs and on to Lees Ferry.
The Colorado River at Lees Ferry.
It was surprising how calm the river was here. Just around that bend up ahead is the Paria Riffle. Too small to be called a rapid, it is the first turbulence that rafters encounter on their journey down the river and through the Grand Canyon.
These outfitters were making preparations for a trip through The Canyon. That's something I've always wanted to do, but you need to plan about a year in advance and I'm just not very good about planning things too far ahead.
Looking back towards Lees Ferry (a mile or so around the bend) from the Navajo Bridge.
The Colorado River at Lees Ferry.It was surprising how calm the river was here. Just around that bend up ahead is the Paria Riffle. Too small to be called a rapid, it is the first turbulence that rafters encounter on their journey down the river and through the Grand Canyon.
These outfitters were making preparations for a trip through The Canyon. That's something I've always wanted to do, but you need to plan about a year in advance and I'm just not very good about planning things too far ahead.Looking back towards Lees Ferry (a mile or so around the bend) from the Navajo Bridge.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Greetings from Texas :: Albeit Somewhat Belatedly
On December 7th I left Arizona, drove through the southwest corner of New Mexico and entered the great state of Texas! Yes, I've been here a week already... I stopped off for a few days at one of my favorite spots in Texas – Davis Mountains State Park – way down in the southwest corner of the state a few miles from Fort Davis.
Mother Nature was still throwing a hissy fit as far as the weather was concerned with colder than normal temperatures. However, there was one very nice day while I was at Davis Mountains – the thermometer actually reached 62 degrees! And there was sunshine and blue skies. It was quite nice, to say the least. Then the clouds and cold temps rolled back in that night... I left Davis Mountains on the morning of December 10th with the area enshrouded in fog and temperatures in the low 30s. The fog and low temps followed me eastward all day long...
Photos taken on December 8, .. from the top of Skyline Drive, Davis Mountains State Park. Overlooking the valley below. The campground is nestled between the hills on the left side of the photo.
This past spring and into early summer, parts of western Texas were ablaze with wildfires. Davis Mountains suffered some damage - most of the shrub trees in the upper areas of the park were blackened by fire and there was more extensive damage in the isolated areas.
The sunset wasn't the prettiest I've seen. But it wasn't bad either ;-)
Mother Nature was still throwing a hissy fit as far as the weather was concerned with colder than normal temperatures. However, there was one very nice day while I was at Davis Mountains – the thermometer actually reached 62 degrees! And there was sunshine and blue skies. It was quite nice, to say the least. Then the clouds and cold temps rolled back in that night... I left Davis Mountains on the morning of December 10th with the area enshrouded in fog and temperatures in the low 30s. The fog and low temps followed me eastward all day long...
Photos taken on December 8, .. from the top of Skyline Drive, Davis Mountains State Park. Overlooking the valley below. The campground is nestled between the hills on the left side of the photo.
This past spring and into early summer, parts of western Texas were ablaze with wildfires. Davis Mountains suffered some damage - most of the shrub trees in the upper areas of the park were blackened by fire and there was more extensive damage in the isolated areas.
The sunset wasn't the prettiest I've seen. But it wasn't bad either ;-)
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Miss Mercian: Then and Now
One of the things I was very much looking forward to on my trip to New York last week, was visiting Justine of Midlife Cycling. Justine is a fascinating, generous and knowledgable person and we have lots to talk about outside the world of bicycles. But more pertinently to this blog, Justine is known for her small, exquisite collection of Mercians. And so I happily found myself in Astoria, Queens, in an apartment that was eerily similar to my own in its proportion of total living space to the space devoted to bikes. Nothing wrong with that at all.
When I firstwrote about Justine and her Mercianstwo years ago, she had three of them - all custom made and painted the same stunning shade of "flip-flop purple green" (more on this later). One of these is a geared roadbike, the second is a fixed gear, and the third a Miss Mercian step-through. Subsequently, Justine unexpectedly acquired a fourth Mercian secondhand - an earlier Miss Mercian model, from an era when the design was still a classic mixte with twin lateral stays. Knowing this, I was looking forward to seeing the two generations of Miss Mercians side by side, and excited when Justine offered me to test ride both bicycles and compare my impressions. While her diamond frame bikes are too big for me, the lower step-over of the Miss Mercian frames enables me to try them.
Through the quiet streets of Astoria, we rode to the Socrates Sculpture Park to photograph the bicycles along the East River. The park is small, but very pleasant, with a cobblestone path along the water and views of Roosevelt Island and passing boats in background. It was a cold and windy morning, but at least the sun was out, bathing the bicycles in a golden light.
This is Justine's current production Miss Mercian, named Helene. My understanding is that Mercian switched to this frame style for their Miss Mercian model, because they only use Reynolds tubing and Reynolds stopped making the tubes suitable for classic mixtes a few years ago. I will be honest that I am not a fan of "angled step-through" frames. But the lugwork, the colour scheme, and Justine's very personal build make this bicycle rather charming.
One of my photographic goals for this bicycle was to capture the flip flop purple green finish in action. The beauty of this colour is hard to describe, but basically it's as it sounds: Under some lighting conditions it looks purple, under others it looks green. Seeing the colours change takes my breath away. Above I captured it in a very purple state, though usually it looks like a much more subdued silverfish lilac.
And here you can see what happens when the colour flips to green.
Neat, huh?
Flip-flopping in the sunlight! I love this colour and might have used it for my own bike were it not so distinctly Justinish in my mind. It is certainly one of the most unique paint finishes available.
But all right, there is more to this bike than its paint colour. Like Justine's other custom Mercians, the frame is lugged and made of Reynolds 631 tubing.
Helene is set up with Porteur handlebars, inverse brake levers, bar-end shifters adapted as "thumbies," side pull brakes, pedals with classic toe cages, hammered fenders, rear rack, a Brooks saddle and a
Carradice saddlebag.
Justine rides this bicycle in her regular clothing - skirt, heels, the whole deal - and it is her fast, responsive commuter. The geometry, which Justine specified, is pretty tight and aggressive, and she likes it this way. For her this is an upright, but maneuverable and go-fast bike.
Justine lowered the saddle for me and switched out the pedals to platforms, so that I could comfortably ride the bike around the unfamiliar-to-me area. When I rode this bicycle, the geometry - not the frame style, but the angles and proportions - struck me as an exaggerated version of my Royal H. mixte. My positioning on the bike was very similar as well. Unfortunately the angled step-through frame and I did not get along when it came to mounting and dismounting the bike: I found the top tube too high for me to comfortably climb over and kept banging my knee. I was also a little uncomfortable with the amount of toe overlap, and between this and the high top tube I felt oddly trapped by the frame, as if everything was too tightly spaced. Of course this says more about the difference between my and Justine's geometry preferences than anything else, but I was a little nervous on this bike as I followed her up the winding bridge ramp to Roosevelt Island. I did not want to crash the bike or to knock it over while attempting to dismount. Thankfully, nothing of the sort happened and we had a nice ride with scenic water views. As we rode, I noticed that the frame flexed for me a bit more than I would have liked, which is odd because Justine describes it as stiff. The subjectivity of this sort of thing is amazing.
Stranger still, is that Justine describes her older Miss Mercian as more flexible than the current model, whereas I found it to be stiffer. How can this be? Are we simply associating different sensations with the terms stiff and flexible? It's a mystery.
The day did not warm up despite the sunshine, and even though I had donned every single pair of stockings I'd brought with me to New York (three pairs!) I was uncomfortably cold. Between this and having to be across town by early afternoon, our ride was not very long. Still, I feel that I got a fair sense of the difference between the two bicycles - although since both of these are custom bikes made for specific people, I am not sure how generalisable my impressions are to Miss Mercians at large.
Overall, I felt more comfortable on the older (1994) Miss Mercian - with its longer wheelbase, lower stand-over and greater toe clearance. I also preferred this bicycle's ride quality and handling, which to me felt a bit cushier and more stable. None of this necessarily has to do with the styles of the two frames; it is more about geometry really. Still, I lamented that Mercian no longer makes the classic twin stay mixte - it was oh so elegant.
Justine's 1994 Miss Mercian is named Vera, and the original owner ordered the frame in English Racing Green with gold lug outlines.
The Reynolds 531 frame was built for cantilever brakes, and eyelets for fenders and front and rear racks.
The cable routing is kind of interesting, integrating nicely with the twin lateral stays,
then "climbing" up the seat tube. I have never seen this kind of routing on a mixte before, but I think it works well.
One of the cool things Justine has got on this bicycle, is this green and gold crankset with built-in chain guard. I have never seen one like it before, and it certainly makes the bicycle stand out as her unique creation.
I tried the MKS Lambda pedals for the first time and liked them a lot, even though I did not think I would. They are grippy, and not as sharp as MKS touring pedals.
Justine set up the older Miss Mercian similarly to the newer one, but with a front rack in addition to the rear, a single instead of a double chainring, North Road handlebars instead of the Porteurs, and flat pedals. This bicycle is a little more upright and relaxed, and set up to carry more weight than its sportier room-mate.
Justine has been riding bicycles for decades as a messenger, racer, cyclotourist, commuter - you name it. And she has owned an untold number of bikes over this time (I believe the estimate she gave me was 60?... but no, that can't be right!) This makes it all the more fascinating, that all of her current bikes are from the same manufacturer. Is it the Reynolds 631 tubing Mercian uses that she finds so agreeable? The way they put together frames? Do their notions of optimal geometry agree with her own? Whatever the answer, Justine seems to know what she wants and she is happy with her choices.
Of course I am trying to convince her now that she also needs to add this bike to her Mercian collection, then let me test ride it extensively. Fingers crossed!
For the entire picture set, please see here. And I thank Justine profusely for allowing me to try her beautiful bikes!
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