James Joslin :: 1837 Sale of Land to Jonas Jr.

On January 10, 1822 Jonas Joslin Sr. and his wife Ruth sold 100 acres of land to James Joslin and Jonas Joslin Jr. with the stipulation that Jonas Sr. and Ruth would have use of the land during their lives. In 1822, James would have been about 26 years old and Jonas Jr. was not quite 15 (he was born on February 25, 1807).

Probably in preparation for moving his family to Whitley County, Indiana early the next year, James sold that same land to Jonas Joslin Jr. on October 28, 1837. It does not contain the clause giving Jonas Sr. and Ruth use of the land. I'm wondering now if I didn't miss a land record. It seems odd that the amount of land in this 1837 transaction is 100 acres, the same as in 1822. Perhaps, it is because James and Jonas Jr. owned the land jointly. The important thing, for me at least, is that the record still shows that James Joslin's wife was named Nabby! This 1837 record was found in Delaware County, Ohio Deed Book 16, pages 249 and 250.

[Bottom of page 249]

Filed & Recorded 28th Oct 1837
A Picket [?] Sr. Recorder. Delaware County Ohio
James Joslin deed to Jonas Joslin Jr.}

Delaware County Ohio, to wit; Know all men by these presents, that we James Joslin and Nabby Joslin, wife of said James Joslin of Liberty Township, Delaware County and State of Ohio for and consideration of the sum of Five Hundred Dollars paid (or Secured to be paid) by Jonas Joslin Jun'r of Liberty Township County and State aforesaid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have remised, released and forever quitclaim unto the said Jonas Joslin Junr his heirs and assigns all the estate, right, title and interest whatsoever, both in law or equity which we the said James Joslin and Nabby have in and to the following described land namely, lot No Sixteen, in the East tier of lots in the fourth section of the third Township in the Nineteenth Range of the United States Military lands and within the said County of Delaware, supposed to contain one hundred acres more or less, so that we nor either of us, our heirs or assigns or any other person or persons in trust for either of us or them, shall or will have any claim, right, title or interest in and to the same or any part thereof, but that we the said James Joslin & Nabby Joslin our heirs and assigns and every of them from all estate right, title and interest in and to the Same, shall be by these presents forever debarred. In witness whereof the said James Joslin and Nabby Joslin have here

[Top of page 250]

unto set their hands and seals this twenty ninth day of August Anno Domini Eighteen hundred and thirty seven.

Executed in presence of
P. E. Buell
William Hills

[signed by]
James Joslin {seal}
Nabby Joslin {seal}

State of Ohio Delaware County SS. Personally came James Joslin and [blank space] Joslin his wife signers and sealers of the above instrument and acknowledged the same to be their voluntary act and deed for the purposes therein expressed. The said [blank space] Joslin wife of the said James Joslin being by me first examined by me separate and apart from her said husband and the contents of the above deed by me made known to her, declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same and that she is still fully satisfied therewith. Witness my hand this twenty ninth day of August AD. 1837.
Philaster E. Buell. Justice of the peace
A Picket. Jr., Recorder, Delaware County, Ohio
Filed and Recorded 28th Oct. 1837.

Cabin & Truck

In this shot you can see the logs that were part of the log cabin and an old rusted out Model T truck that was near the cabin.

Baby barn swallows

Juvenile Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica

It's that time of year, when baby barn swallows are out of the nest and zooming around with the adults, catching bugs and generally having fun. Looks that way, anyhow.

It was a good year for them here. I counted 60 on the wires near the pond. I haven't figured out where they nest -- maybe in the neighbor's actual barn. But they definitely like to spend their days here after the babies have fledged.



At first I thought they were begging, but then realized it must have been the gular fluttering that Swamp Things told me about a while back.



Sadly, most of the Google searches concerning Barn swallows that the blog receives are along the lines of "how to get rid of barn swallows". I can't help but wonder why you'd want to! I guess they can be messy if they're nesting over your front door, but...

1) They're not going to be there that long. Eggs hatch in about 14 days and the young fledge about 3 weeks after that. When they're gone from the nest, you can tear it down and put a rubber snake in its place if you don't want them to return the next year.

2) They eat bugs! Lots and lots of bugs!

3) Watching them fly around, swooping and diving in search of insects, is a sure-fire natural blood pressure medicine.

Twins in the family - Maude and Maurice Wise

This picture shows my Great-Grandmother Maude Wise Brubaker Yontz and her twin brother Maurice James Wise.

They were born on December 9, 1877 in Whitley County, Indiana. There is no date written on the back so I don't know when the picture was taken but based on several other photographs of Maude, it was probably in the mid-late 1920s. Maurice died on July 25, 1943 in an automobile accident in Elkhart, Indiana. He was 65 years old.

This is a very nice picture but it has an amusing aspect as well, at least to me. Looking at this picture, you wouldn't know that Maude stood just a little over 5 feet tall, perhaps 5'3" at the most, while Maurice was 6'2" tall (according to my mother). You can distinctly see the height difference in the Wise family photograph included in the biography of their parents, William P. Wise and Sophia Dunfee. (Scroll about halfway down the page.)

At the time of his death, Maurice was living at 103 North Nottawa Street in Sturgis, Michigan and was the owner of the Wise Restaurant in Sturgis. His obituary said he was active in civic affairs at Sturgis and had been living there for six years. Again, according to my mother, Maurice had never been married and didn't have any children. I really don't know any more about him, I'll have to ask my mother and her sisters again, but in the past all they have said is that he owned a restaurant and was much taller than his twin sister.

Yeah Baby! Transportational Elegance Reigns at Interbike

As I was setting off for Las Vegas, those who'd been to Interbike before warned me that 90% of what I'd see there would be completely irrelevant: that the road, mountain bike and BMX industries would rule the floor, with city bikes and classic bicycles making up a tiny fraction of the offerings. So what surprised me the most about my first Interbike, was that this was far from the case. The upright, step-through city bike was downright ubiquitous: From exclusive European makers such as Cicli Montante (above) to mainstream giants such as Trek (see my post about their "Dutch bike" here), it seemed that anyone who is anyone had one on offer.



I start with the Italian Cicli Montante, because it's companies like theirs that really set the pace. Montante city bicycles are unapologetically opulent, bombastically over the top - and I think it's good for the industry to have a manufacturer who is willing to exhibit such showmanship and attention to detail.



Old school touches such as newspaper racks, satchel-style panniers and leather-shod rod brake levers are victoriously exhibited with little concern for weight reduction.



Every component is pantographed with the company name; everything is covered in leather and dripping with colour. It's too much for me, but I am glad companies like Montante exist and I hope they find a North American distributor.

But if you are looking for a more accessible burst of colour, you will be pleased to hear that Bobbin Bicycles are coming to the North American market. Distributed by Fourth Floor in Canada, they should soon be available at bike shops.



Bobbin are offering a full line of classic city bicycles and accessories in a multitude of colours and for what look like fantastic prices (sub-$1,000 on all the models, as far as I could tell).



Here is their Birdie model in sky blue and yellow.



And here is a more sombre model in black, with full chaincase and dressguards.



Bobbin also introduced a number of pannier prototypes, including this leather satchel. I think the satchel is stunning, but I am wary of the snap-closure attachment system.



Here is a handsome canvas and leather one as well. I've spoken with the Bobbin representatives and may get to test ride one of their bicycles - fingers crossed.



It is also official now that standard production Bella Ciao bicycles (i.e. not just the Superba) will be available for sale in North America - distributed by BoxCycles/ the Nordic Bike Project.



Here is the men's model suspended from the ceiling. I can also tentatively announce that there may be a new line of Superba bicycles (ladies' and men's!) in and I hope to have details on that shortly.



Pilen had their classic Lyx models on display,



as well as a beautiful raw finish prototype with a SRAM automatic 2-speed hub. I have mentioned before that I think Pilenframes are unusually well finished for their price category, and the unpainted model really shows this off. I am picturing a swan-frame version with cream tires and feeling a little light-headed.



Pashley did not disappoint with their multiple booth display that was like a cozy clubhouse. I found myself falling in love with them all over again, returning repeatedly to take more photos and speak with the reps.



What appeals to me about Pashley is not only the beauty of their products, but their genuine commitment to making their bicycles on a small scale, in England, by the same people who've worked for them for years - despite external pressure to produce more volume. Though I ended up selling my Princess a year ago (see my review here), I wish that Pashley would do some research on how to tweak its geometry or tubing so as to make it a bit faster and more responsive - perhaps a loop frame version of the Guv'nor (come on, wouldn't a Reynolds 531 loop frame be awesome)? I truly want to support them as a business and to ride one of their bikes, as the Co-Habitant still happily does (see his review here).



In addition to having their range of loop-frame models on display, Pashley introduced the Parabike. My understanding is that this model is similar (or identical to?) the Tube Rider, but with a vintage military colour scheme of dusty slate blues and sage greens. I had not known the history of this frame style before, and it was explained to me that the bicycles used to be disassembleable, and British paratroopers would jump out of airplanes with the bikes strapped to them - then assemble them on the ground and ride away. Clearly Pashley needs to make at least a promotional prototype of a version that actually disassembles and film someone jumping out of a parachute and using it in this manner!



On board with the elegant transportation trend, Velo Orange had more than half of their display models set up with upright handlebars, which I thought was interesting. Does this reflect the preference of their customers?



The new green Polyvalent looked stunning and very inviting with its chaincase, Porteur handlebars and sizable front rack.



Happy to see the Sturmey-Archer 3-speed trigger shifter - not only on this bicycle, but on many others at Interbike.



Finally, the new colour they chose is a very pleasant shade of green, with a touch of soft gray mixed into it. Lovely all around. I am hoping VO will re-release their mixte in with a similar set-up and a softer colour scheme than their previous model.



One thing VO did I thought was interesting, was put small handlebar bags on upright bikes. I sometimes get emails asking whether I think this would look good and my instinct is usually "no," but this set-up is quite nice. I think the harmonious paring is largely due to the shape of the handlebars here, so that's one factor to consider. Another view of this set-up here.



The trend for colour was prominent among all city bicycles on display, and this pair of Gazelles illustrates nicely the two categories the colours seemed to fall into: vibrant "candy" shade, such as yellows and pinks, and subdued "vintage" shades, such as slate blues, creams, and sage greens.



Though I've focused on what I found to be the more interesting and trend-setting offerings, I cannot stress enough how popular the city bike was. There were so many, and from such a large number of manufacturers, that featuring them all would have been akin to posting a laundry list.



They came in all shapes and sizes, with the common design themes being a step-through frame and upright handlebars. Here is one from Benotto - an entire range actually.



The new city bike from Terry - the women-specific roadbike manufacturer.



And here is what looks like an Electra-imitation from Shanghai Forever.



A Pedersen-esque contraption from Virtue Bikes.



A couple of readers asked me to stop by the Linus booth and determine to what extent their mixte is lugged, so here are my findings. The front end is completely lugged (including the split lug for the mixte stays!), but is paired with a unicrown fork. And the seatcluster is welded.



Somewhat to my surprise, e-bikes were a huge trend at Interbike - I mean huge. I did not photograph many only because they do not interest me, but there must have been over a dozen manufacturers selling some version of an electric assist bicycle. This one is a Zoomi Monterey.



And here is an Achiever PedElec tricycle with enormous wicker baskets that make it resemble a laundy-getter. I spoke with a couple of the e-bike representatives, and each mentioned their belief that e-bikes need to look more classic and not so "techy" in order for the demographic they are trying to reach (read: women) to find them appealing. I agree.



Though this post is ridiculously long as it is, I can hardly neglect to mention folders. As with e-bikes, there was a huge folder epidemic - including electric folders. However, I am sorry to say that most of them were not easy on the eyes or simple to operate at all, and I will leave it to other blogs to post photos of them. Of course, the ever-practical and attractive Brompton was there, the rep tirelessly folding and unfolding it for awed spectators.



And Moulton wowed everyone with the limited edition stainless steel F-frame bicycle. As I understand it, this was actually made as a gift for a long-time Moulton employee upon his retirement, which is pretty amazing.



There were also miniature non-folding bicycles, such as the Bobbin Shopper - reminiscent of the Raleigh Twenty, outfitted with a rack and basket, and reasonably priced. The more folders and miniature bikes I try, the more convinced I am that they are a great solution for those who make relatively short trips and share bikes in the family, as well as for still-growing children and teenagers. Problem is, that not every manufacturer makes these bicycles equipped (or even compatible with) racks, which essentially kills their versatility. I am glad to see more models that do take this factor into consideration.



One aspect of the transportational bicycle trend that I noted was lacking at Interbike, were "box style" cargo cycles. There was the Christiania and I think the Gazelle Cabby, but I am pretty sure that was it. The Yuba, the Surly Big Dummy, and other long-tails were on display, but not the large, Dutch and Scandinavian bakfietsen and long-johns. It may be simply a matter of the design being difficult to replicate and "Americanise" by manufacturers, or perhaps it's just too much of a specialty item for Interbike at this stage.



So where does all of this leave us? The variety of designs and price points in the "city bicycle" genre, as well as the sheer number of models, are an encouraging sign, to say the least. But do you think this is a sign that we - and by "we" I mean those who have been stressing the need for user-friendly city bicycles that can be ridden while wearing regular clothing - have arrived? Is the industry showing its commitment to catering to transportation cycling, or merely testing the waters? Your thoughts appreciated.

GreeK Easter

Easter-another big event in our family- at least on the Greek side. When I was growing up, I always got an Easter basket on American Easter Day because my mom is not Greek, but usually Greek Easter falls on a later Sunday. The Orthodox calender follows a different schedule, but what it usually means is that the Greek Easter bunny gets to hit the half price candy. This year, however, much to the dismay of cheap Greeks everywhere, both fall on the same day.

My father recalls the fasting which lasted until the Saturday night before Easter Sunday, then everyone went to church- a midnight mass of sorts, and the fast ended with a huge meal in the middle of the night. A lot of people think of lambs turning on spits when they think of Greek celebrations, and I did, too, but I was lately informed that our Yiya always did a leg of lamb, and the lamb thing wasn’t done until my Uncle Mimi moved to Chevy Chase in the late forties. Yes, as Thanksgiving is my parents’ holiday, and Christmas falls to my Uncle Nick, Easter was my Aunt Catherine and Uncle Mimi’s event. Baseball in the side yard, and tables set up outside on the back terrace. I remember doing the Twist for the first time in their basement, and watching the Wizard of Oz on TV. (It must have rained that year) But the biggest kick for kids at our Easter has always been the tradition of the Egg War.

All Greek Easter eggs are dyed a deep red for Christ’s blood. Some use food coloring. My Yiya used to use red crepe paper. (Go figure- but it worked better than anything these days.) All symbolism aside, the seemingly sole purpose that I, the torch bearer, boil up a vat of red dye each year to color a gazillion eggs is to destroy them. The point is you take your egg, hold it in your fist with one end showing, and hit your opponent or be hit. The egg that cracks is the loser, and the victor goes on until all eggs are broken- usually on both ends- and only one champion egg is left. If you cheat like my father and uncle, you might slip in your thumb or, if really prepared, a marble substitute.

These days my cousins, Dean and Ann have taken on the daunting task of having the hoopla at their house which is a frightful distance from Washington. They keep moving farther away, but it does no good. Many of us are well known for not missing a meal. Some of my family can’t find their way out of a paper bag so they tend to travel in tribes with those that can. The number of children attending this party is alarmingly high,almost out numbering the adults. Egg count this year is up to about 45, and the forecast must have my poor cousins contemplating moving out of state...but until that happens we will persevere. I’ve got to go hit the Safeway and get the eggs. Cronya Polla, y'all.

Still Climbing

So as many of you might have noticed our updates have been kind of few and far between lately. We've had some pretty hard times this summer and this site has felt the effects of tired rangers. We as a group definitely want to extend our thanks to everyone that has supported our program and what we do here at Rainier throughout this summer. Your positive support is greatly appreciated!



As we enter the backside of August, a time when climbers start to shy away from Rainier for many reasons, we just want to say that Rangers are still up there climbing, staffing high camps, training (still) with some new and very exciting rescue techniques and pretty much around to serve you for a while still. The standard routes are holding up great right now, with the DC staying as direct as it can for late August and the Emmons holding solid all the way up the Winthrop. Many of the non standard routes such as Mowich Face and Edmunds Headwall, to name a couple, seem to be in really good shape up high still, access over the bergschrunds seem to be the major cruxes. The weather looks good for a late summer adventure, so come on out and get some!