Stokes Elementary Education Scholarship

The Stokes Elementary Education Scholarship was established by Dick Stokes to memorialize his wife Margaret's love of teaching (Margaret Stokes passed away on April 20, 2016). This scholarship will provide resources for future teachers. Margaret's passion for teaching will be remembered by hundreds of her students, and her legacy will live on through this scholarship (For more information contact the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation).

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2018 Recepient Joy Kriss (Mt. Pleasant High School)
2017 Recepient  Kiara Briggs (Mt. Pleasant High School)

Note: This post will be updated with names of future recipients.

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Night Duty

When day has spent her justly time
And night has come at last
I am weary and footsore
And think my duties past.

Then on my pillow, soft and cool
My head I long to lay
So I make plans, as shoes slip off
To swiftly hit the hay.  

Yet ere I reach my haven sweet
To get much needed rest,
A loud cry, "Drink Mom," in my ears
   puts my nerves to a test.

I totter in with glass in hand
And stumble o'er the toys
That should have been in proper place
Yet boys will e're be boys.

As I dispose of each tiny car
or block, until the dawn,
I can't help think, with heavy heart--
How I'll miss our boys when they're gone.

By Treva E. Stokes (1912-1980)


 

To Marie Haynes

Could I, with this pen, convey to you, dear Marie,
Not of my liking, but my love- no less.
Of what your warm friendship's come to mean to me.
And that it's brought me a genuine happiness?
Would that I could but find the words, dear one,
To tell how you're endeared within my heart.
Tho I have other friends, it's really true
That you are something special, set apart.
Oft times the skys seem, oh so grey,
And I feel so lonely, sad, and blue-
That is when I need most of all, dear friend,
An understanding soul like you.
So I will not wait until the curtain falls, dear one
For either you or me.
But, I must need write now these hurried lines
Of my love for you, for you to see.

By Treva E. Stokes (1912-1980)

4th of July Parade

We come early to get just the right place
And we wait as people file in around our space.
All the time praying the rain will not come,
Because Dad left the umbrella at home.

Miniature American flags were given away,
But the little boy didn't have anything to say,
He just took the flag and waved it around,
As he took in the new sights and sounds.

There will be many more parades for a boy,
But may the parades of his life be full of joy,
And as a child marches on to become a man,
May his steps all fit with God's perfect plan.

By Alan T. Stokes   
July 4, 2007

This poem was written after Jonathan Stokes went to his first parade. The parade was held in Lansing at the Capital of the State of Michigan.

Of Preachers and Preaching

Our preacher is a goodly man,
Real righteous, kind and true.
Yet he can smile and laugh and joke
'Long with the best of you.

Yet long with that jokin' man
Some phrases often spoken,
"Believe in the Lord and you'll be saved-"
And believe me he's not jokin'.

"Lay your all on the altar, friend,
Confess all and pray thru."
He speaks thus not to just one friend
But, to the lot of you.

Sometimes the sermon sets with one
And then again another.
Who knows when sin is easily hidden?
Sometimes one, sometimes 'tother

Yet gently, kindly, he does preach.
If the shoe fits, then wear it.
Don't be ashamed to confess your sin,
Jesus will help you bear it.

By Treva E. Stokes (1912-1980)

Senseless in San Diego

Where does the blame rest?
With those who poked fun?
With those who heard the jest?
With those who owned the gun?

Everyone wants to know why
Life at school is so bitter cruel.
To early the young say goodbye,
To classmates left in a bloody pool. 

With seasonal shootings to recall,
Softer we dare say, "Never again."
Harder it is for the tears to fall.
Shorter is our attention to the pain.

We find ourselves in a perfect storm,
Where unresolved anger and guns
Can so unexpectedly transform
The power of the unrestrained ones.

Working for a superior gun control law,
Wanting all our youth to know real love,
Like Titanic our dreams have a key flaw.
Within one must live a trust in God above.

By Alan T. Stokes  March 7, 2001

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Note: This poem is dedicated to Randy Gordon and Bryan Zucker who died on March 5, 2001 after being shot by a classmate (See Scars of the Santana High School Shooting - 10 Years Later, San Diego Union-Tribune, March 4, 2011).

Gmail Upgrades

I'm a happy owner of a Gmail account. I first signed up for it in 2010, because I realized that I didn't want to change my email address anytime I changed internet service providers. I have tried other web-based email over the years and keep one as a backup, but nothing changes my first email love for Gmail.

Gmail has announced a major upgrade to their product this week. Some of the features include:

• Allowing users the option to designate an expiration date on emails at which they will self-destruct and disappear from the receivers account. 
• Giving clearer notification on suspicious emails to improve security.
• Using a nudging technique to remind people when they haven't responded to emails.
• Adding a smart-reply function to it's web-based email.
• Giveing high priority notifications.

See Edward C. Baig, USA Today, April 25, 2018 for more information on exciting new features available to anyone with a Gmail address.

Gmail is a Google product. These improvements will make their free email even better.

Working For Him

If you have gained one friend today
By being a "friend in need,"
If you've helped the traveler on his way
By kind look, word or deed,
If you've brought a smile to someone's face
And did his burdens share,
If you have fed the homeless waif
And taught him-someone cares,
If you have done any of these
God's working in your heart
And helping you to share with your fellowmen
The love He willingly imparts.
So keep walking ever in the light
Down the pathways when He'd have you trod
And before the dawning of another day
Try bringing a soul to God!

By Treva E. Stokes (1912-1980)

Closing the Camp Gate

Many nights my body is tired,
And I wish my camp gate was wired.

The often cold and lonely walk that lies ahead of me,
Is something few others will ever praise or see.

But it's a journey I will loyally make,
For security at the camp on Silver Lake. 

My dog will be in a very happy state,
When he walks with me to the gate.

I just hope B.J. is a good and clean dog,
And doesn't go in the pond after the frog.

As I'm on my journey I never know what I'll find,
And simple lights left on drive me out of my mind,

When it's late at night and I want to be in bed,
But I'm sidetracked from my walk to the gate instead.

Sometimes after I finish closing the camp gate,
Someone will call me saying they've arrived late.

Then I retrace my steps and open the gate for the guest,
And accept the fact that tonight I'll lose some rest.

There are many times I wish we didn't need to lock the gate,
But I know that there are people in the world who rob and hate.

So I thank God that my two feet are those of a healthy man,
For I do this for my family, my dog, and the entire camp clan.  

By Alan T. Stokes  August 20, 2000

At Silver Lake Camp there was a 1/4 mile walk to the gate which was manually closed every night by the camp director at approximately 11:00pm CST. This is a task that Alan instituted in 1998 to improve camp security after he became camp director.

The Song of a Poet

Death makes poets rife,
But death gives the poet life. 

The loves of youth make each one a poet,
But the children’s heritage inspires the poet.  

Teachers expect all their students to write,
But from within a true poet the words must ignite.  

From the hidden tree the robins cry,
“Record my purposeful song before I die.”

From the quiet cemetery the stones contrive,
“Remember our song while you strive.”

Life makes people regret their words,
But life gives flight to the poet’s words.
  
Fame beckons people to guard their words,
But anonymity lets a poet find the words.  

From the burning hearth the embers speak of,
“Sharing the best song with those you love.”

Health encourages a person to ignore death,
But pain gives a voice to the poet’s breath.

In a hectic hospital the air mimes,
“You are not alone in these times.”  

When the tide arrives at sunset,
Will there be peace or regret?

How can one look at silver water,
And not smile with a mother’s daughter?

Sin makes the heart miss the free,
But forgiveness helps the poet see.  

The sunrise calls with a new days notch,
“Put on your Father’s gold watch.”

It is not losing what is in the hand,
But forgetting what is in the sand,

That is each generation’s commotion
Of looking below the deep ocean.  

Death makes poets dearth,
But death gives the poet birth.    

By Alan T. Stokes  April 11, 2004

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This poem is dedicated to Mrs. Pat Seiter, my favorite teacher at Mt. Pleasant High School, who taught English and Literature with the passion of the sea.

Letter to Mom (2 Years in Heaven)

Dear Mom,

A lot has happened since you left us two years ago. I'll try to bring you up to speed.

Snow and ice storms are happening in April. Two of my former teachers (Hudson Keenan and Ted McIntyre) actually kept a log of all snow days called for Mount Pleasant Public Schools since 1960, and we have never had school cancelled due to snow or ice as late as April 17.

They closed the Kmart in Mount Pleasant that we use to go to all the time. Remember we would eat in their cafeteria in between shopping. They are closing department stores and bookstores at a fast pace, and I think the change of finding a place we use to take him to all of a sudden shuttered is quite hard on Jonathan. He doesn't quite get any enjoyment out of shopping online yet. We have found Baker Book House in Grand Rapids that may be positioned to keep standing for years to come and we will visit there tomorrow. 

Donald Trump has been President now for 15 months. Contrary to the gloom and doom predictions of some the world hasn't ended. Life is much the same for the average folks like us. Old people like Billy Graham, Barbara Bush, and Uncle Tom are still dying. Young people are still getting autism without us knowing the cause and youth are still taken away to early from gun violence. There are still wars, abortions, suffering and injustices in every corner of the world. Those of us who have faith can hold on to the hope that God will bring peace someday.

I'm still seeking to promote the positive of politics as unusual and autism heroes through blogging, although the time available for me to write is increasingly less these past few years. The older I get the more I believe we all have a darker side and a lighter side available to us each day, and we need God's grace to help to walk in the light. 

I remember all the times when we would watch television together. Hearing the Rondeau theme of Masterpiece Theater still reminds me of the time we would spend watching shows in the evening.

A new show out there called Timeless is about time travel and watching it makes me long to be able to go back to days of yesteryear when we could be together again.

I'm taking Jonathan on a trip around Michigan to visit every YMCA in the state. When we visited the Jackson YMCA, I brought Jonathan by the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson and a local couple on their regular walk through the cemetery helped us find the graves for your parents and maternal grandparents, since I knew the plot was in section 31. Tell Grandma and Grandpa hello for me. I captured this candid photo of Jonathan kneeling at their graves.

Your family is all doing well, but we miss you often and no more than on this day. Next month your three boys will be together at the Mount Pleasant Community Foundation dinner as they give out your scholarship to a student aspiring to be a teacher like you. Your love for teaching lives on through that.

When the times are tough the memories of you bring a smile. I will remember you with smiles, because I know that is the way you will always remember us.

I like to say that, "Nothing is as good as it seems or as bad as it seems." Except that doesn't hold true regarding where you are today. I'm sure things are beyond what we could have imagined up there. As 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "But as it is written:

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love him.

Love,

Your son always.

Rhonda Dragomir's Healing from Crohn's Disease

My wife's cousin, Rhonda Dragomir, received miraculous healing from Crohn's Disease. An article appeared in the Jessamine Journal on March 1, 2018 about this miracle. We rejoice in what God has done in her life and hope it will be an inspiration to others who suffer.

Link: https://www.jessaminejournal.com/2018/03/01/incurable-disease-to-miraculous-healing/

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More Information on Rhonda Dragomir

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Facebook Page: To connect with Rhonda Dragomir (Author, Speaker) you can follow her Facebook Page.

Other Blog Posts: Poetry by Rhonda Dragomir has been previously featured on this blog. See all posts on this blog about Rhonda Dragomir by searching with the label Rhonda Dragomir.

Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

What would it be like for our tomorrows if every day we did something that our future self would thank us for. This might be something we will be grateful for at the end of this day, week, month, or year. Or it might be something we will be pleased we did 30 or 40 years from now. It could be business decisions like buying life insurance, health decisions like eating less processed sugar, or even acts of kindness toward others that we can smile about in reflection in our future lives.

Ancestors of Alan Stokes - Generation B

Ancestors of Alan Thomas Stokes

Generation B

Parents

Father Richard Allen Stokes [2] (Living-Private Records)
Mother Margaret Ann Ebersol [3] 
(1939-2016)

Margaret Ann Ebersol was born November 4, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan to Henry David Ebersol and Doris May Hutchens.  She married Richard Allen Stokes on June 9, 1962. She worked as an elementary school teacher for 35 years. She had two sons, Alan and Michael. She received her undergraduate degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and earned her Masters of Education from Michigan State University. She enjoyed making afghans, ceramics, studying the Bible, serving at her church (Mount Pleasant First Church of the Nazarene), and spending time with her family.  She died on April 20, 2016, at her home following a steady decline from the effects of dementia. Her obituary is online at Legacy.com. Her interment is in the Memorial Gardens in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. 

Ancestors of Alan Stokes - Generation F

Ancestors of Alan Thomas Stokes

GENERATION F

Paternal  Great Great Great Grandparents

PARENTS OF THOMAS NEWTON STOKES 2222

KINCHEN STOKES 22222 

(1780-1863)

Kinchen Stokes was born in 1780, in Virginia to Christopher Stokes and Jane Davis . He married Nancy Newsom on December 13, 1802, in Rowan County, North Carolina. They moved to Tennessee to start their young family. He died on October 3, 1863, in Tennessee.

NANCY NEWSOM 22223 

(1782-1868)

Nancy Newsom was born in 1782, in North Carolina to Lewis Newsom and Mildred Vick . She died on July 4, 1868, in Tennessee.

STOKES/NEWSOM CHILDREN

1. Susan Stokes 22223a (1805-1863) Susan Stokes was born in 1805, in Virginia. Susan Stokes married Ignatius F. Woods. They had 4 children: Unknown (b. 1825), Louisa Jane Woods (b. 1827), Mary Ann Woods (b. 1829) and Sophronia Woods (b. 1831). Susan Stokes died in 1863, in Bedford County, Tennessee.
2. Mary Ann Stokes 22223b (1808-Before 1863). Mary Stokes was born in 1808. She married Edward Smith. They had the following children: Jasper Newton Smith (b. 1828); Caroline Smith (b. about 1830); Nancy Ann Smith (b. 1833); and Mary Elizabeth Smith (b. 1836). Mary Ann Stokes died before 1863.
3. John Mumford Stokes 22223c (1814-1878). John Mumford Stokes was born on September 15, 1814. He married Rebecca Gant (1812-1875). They had the following children: Anne Stokes (b. 1838), Horatio Kinchen Stokes (b. 1842), Henry Clay Stokes (b. 1844), Micajah C. Stokes (b. 1848), Southern C. (Suds) Stokes (b. 1850), William George Stokes (b. 1852), and Sallie Stokes (b. unknown). After Rebecca Gant died (August 12, 1875), John Mumford Stokes married a lady named Nannie (1848-1910). They had a daughter named Lucy Stokes (b. 1877). John Mumford Stokes died on August 5, 1878, and is buried in the Stokes Cemetery in Tennessee.
4. Elizabeth Jane Stokes 22223d (1816-1888). Elizabeth Jane Stokes married Thomas Jefferson Brown.
5. Micajah Stokes 22223e (b. 1823). Micajah Stokes married a lady named Sarah (b. 1833). They had the following children: Sarah Stokes (b. 1851), Mary Stokes (b. 1853), Lucinda Stokes (b. 1855), Kinchen Stokes (b. 1858), and David Stokes (b. 1859).
6. THOMAS NEWTON STOKES 22223f (1825-1877) Direct Descendent - See Generation E.

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PARENTS OF FRANCES ELIZABETH MOORE 2223

COL. JOHN AUDLAND MOORE 22232 

 (1798-1868)

Col. John Audland Moore was born on September 28, 1798, in Rowan County, North Carolina. On April 1, 1823, he married Nancy Yell.  He died on July 11, 1868, in Bedford County, Tennessee.

NANCY YELL 22233 

(1803-1883)

Nancy Yell was born on July 13, 1803, in Jefferson (Dekalb County), Tennessee. On April 1, 1823, she married John Audland Moore. Nancy Yell died on March 27, 1883.

MOORE/YELL CHILDREN

1. Frances Elizabeth Moore 22233a (1829-1901) Direct Descendent-See Generation E.
2. Mary Catherine Moore 22233b (b. 1833)
3. James A. Moore 22233c (b. 1835)
4. Archibald G. Moore 22233d (1838-1915). Archibald Moore was born Aug. 3, 1838, in Bedford County, Tennessee. He married Mattie J. Tune, who was born on January 27, 1849, in Bedford County, Tennessee. Archibald G. Moore died on June 11, 1915, in Bedford County, Tennessee.
5. John F. Moore 22233e (b. 1841) John F. Moore was born in 1841 in Tennessee.
6. Nancy C. Moore 22233f (b. 1844)
7. Andrew Moses Moore 22233g (1846-1910). This was taken from the Shelbyville (Tennessee) Gazete, January 20, 1910. Dr. Andrew Moses Moore, a surgeon in the U.S. Navy, retired, died January 12, 1910 in Naples, Italy. Born in Bedford County near Shelbyville in 1845. His wife, former Miss Jennie Nixon Fite, daughter of Jacob C. Fite and Mary Coldwll Fite, was with him at his d e a t h. Burial in Naples, Italy. In the process of research this e-mail message was received from the Ulysses S. Grant Association regarding Dr. Andrew Moses Moore.

"Dear Alan T. Stokes, All we have about Dr. Andrew M. Moore, without checking intensively, is information that on March 29, 1869, Grant sent a message to the Senate nominating Moore as assistant surgeon. This was his initial appointment in the Navy. If you are successful in finding out more about Dr. Moore, please share the information with us. We are always eager to enhance our resources. John Y. Simon Ulysses S. Grant Association Morris Library Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Ill. 62901"

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PARENTS OF JOHN THOMAS BOMAR 2232

JOSEPH B. BOMAR 22322 

(1825-1897) 

Joseph Bomar was born on March 6, 1825, in Bedford County, Tennesse to Elijah Bomar and Frances Harris . He died on January 6, 1897.

FRANCES "FANNIE" HURT 22323 

(1827-1902)

Frances "Fannie" Hurt was born on November 12, 1827 in probably Bedford County and died on April 19, 1902, in Beford County, Tennessee.

BOMAR/HURT CHILDREN

1. Mary C. Bomar 22323a (1851-1909). Mary Bomar was born in 1851 and died in 1909. She married a William H. McGee.
2. Joseph Henry Bomar 22323b (b. 1853). Joseph Henry Bomar was born in 1853 in Tennessee.
3. William J. Bomar 22323c (b. 1855). William J. Bomar was born in 1855 in Tennessee.
4.  Eliza J. Bomar 22323d (b. 1858). Eliza J. Bomar was born in 1858 in Tennessee.
5.  Mary C. Bomar 22323e  
6.  John Thomas Bomar 2232 (1860-1935) Direct Descendent - See Generation E.
7.  Fannie Hannah Bomar 22323f (b. 1863). Fannie Bomar was born in 1863 in Tennessee.
8.  Robert Bomar 22323g (b. 1867). Robert Bomar was born in 1867 in Tennessee.
9.  Ursala Bomar 22323h (b. 1869). Ursala Bomar was born in 1869 in Tennessee.

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PARENTS OF ALTONA CATHERINE MOORE 2233 TILLMAN TENNESSEE MOORE 22332 

(1827-1883)

Tillman Tennessee Moore was born on May 20, 1827, in Bedford County, Tennessee to Green M. Moore and Sarah Cooper. There marriage date is unknown but they were listed as a household in the 1850 census and lived next door to Green M. Moore household. Tillman Moore died on January 6, 1883, in Bedford County, Tennessee.

MARY FRANCES HOLT 22333 

(1833-1915)

Mary Frances Holt was born on March 6, 1833, in Bedford County, Tennessee to Henry Holt and Elizabeth McGuire. She died on March 18, 1915, in Bedford County, Tennessee.

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PARENTS OF ISAAC GILRUTH WOTEN 2332

EDWARD BELL WOTEN 23322 

(1823-1908)

Edward Bell Woten was born on September 21, 1823, in Jackson County, Ohio to Samuel Woten and Hethy Hughes. He married Mary E. Porter on May 24, 1848 in Indiana. Aftter his wife Mary Porter died in 1861 he married Mary M. Hunter on July 26, 1863 in Jay County, Indiana (Mary M. Hunter was born on March 7, 1832 in Vermillion County, Illinois). Edward Bell Woten had served as a private in the Civil War. He died on October 26, 1908 and is burried in the Salmonia Cemetery in Jay County, Indiana. The following is a photo of his grave submittd to Find a Grave.

MARY E. PORTER 23323 

(1833-1861)

Mary E. Porter was born in 1833 in Randolph County, Indiana to George Porter and Elizabeth Steel. She married Edward B. Woten on May 24, 1848 in Indiana. Mary E. Porter died on July 17, 1861, in Jay County, Indiana. Her Find a Grave site has more information on her.

WOTEN/PORTER CHILDREN

1. Elizabeth H. Woten 23323a (1851-1880)
2. George Washington Woten 23323b (1850-1886). George Washington Woten was born on March 30, 1850 in Indiana and died in 1886 in Chicago. 
3. Samuel V. Woten 23323c (1853-1855)
4. Sarah J. Woten 23323d (b. 1857)
5. Isaac Gilruth Woten 2332 (1860-1943) Direct Descendent - See Generation E

Edward Woten had 5 more children with his second wife Mary Hunter for a total of 8 children. 

WOTEN/HUNTER CHILDREN

1. Edward Frank Woten 23322f (1864-1871)
2. John Wesley Woten 23322g (1866-1930)
3. Nathan Benjamin Woten 23322h (1869-1891)
4. James Harlin Woten 23322i (1873-1890)
5. Flora Bell Woten Farber 23322j (1873-1953)

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PARENTS OF SUE ELLEN MAST 2333

JOHANN GEORGE MAST 23332 

(1828-1909)

Johann was born on April 1, 1828, in Wirlenberg, Germany. Johann married Maria Catherine Motteller on October 1, 1853, in Union County, Ohio. Johann George Mast died on March 23, 1909, in Jay County, Indiana.

MARIA CATHERINE MOTTELLER 23333 

(1832-1870)

Maria was born in April, 1832, in Wirlenberg, Germany. Maria married Johann George Mast on October 1, 1853, in Union County, Ohio. Maria died before 1870, in Union County, Ohio.

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Maternal Great Great Great Grandparents PARENTS OF HENRY EBERSOL 3222

JOHN P. EBERSOL 32222 

(B. about 1788-D. about 1868)

John P. Ebersol was born about 1788 and died about 1868. John's parents were Jacob Ebersole and Unknown . He married an Elizabeth Minich. (Source: E162 Database). They lived in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

ELIZABETH MINNICH 32223 

Elizabeth Minnich was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth's father was John Minnich .

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PARENTS OF JOSEPH SHOOK 3232

HENRY SHOOK 32322 

(1818-1884)

Henry Shook was born on January 22, 1818 in Pennsylvania and died on November 23, 1884. He is buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.

CHARLOTTE GOODMAN 32323 

(1815-1900)

Charlotte Goodman was born on February 24, 1815 in Pennsylvania. She died on February 5, 1900 in Pennsylvania. She is buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.

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PARENTS OF CLARA GAMBLE 3323

THOMAS GAMBLE 33232 

(1824-1892) 

Thomas Gamble was born on Aug. 2, 1824, in Groveland, Livingston, New York to David Gamble and Rebecca Carrell. At some point as a young man he moved to Michigan to start his young family in Hillsdale County. His occupation was as a farmer in Somerset Township of Hillsdale County in Michigan. He married Rebecca Kuder about 1845, in Hillsdale, Michigan. His name is listed on the bottom of page 494b of the 1850 Census of Hillsdale County, Michigan . Thomas Gamble died on Nov. 25, 1892 and is buried in Pease Cemetery in Wheatland Township, Michigan.

REBECCA KUDER 33233 

(1827-1916) 

Rebecca Kuder was born on Sept. 19, 1827, in New York to John Kuder and Catherine Lorish. Rebecca married Thomas Gamble about 1845, in Hillsdale, Michigan. Rebecca Gamble is listed on the top of page 495a of the 1850 Census of Hillsdale County, Michigan . Rebecca Kuder died on April 13, 1916, in Somerset, Michigan and is buried in Pease Cemetery in Wheatland Township, Michigan.

GAMBLE/KUDER CHILDREN

1. Edward Frank GAMBLE (Frank) 33233a (1848-1905). Edward Frank Gamble was born on Nov. 11, 1848, and died on Feb. 12, 1905.
2. Sarah Catherine GAMBLE (Kate) 33233b (1850-1918). Sarah Catherine Gamble was born May 17, 1850, in Somerset Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan. She was known as Kate. She married Amos H. ROSIER in 1866. She and Amos Rosier had two children: 1. Nettie Adelaide ROSIER (born Dec. 25, 1867 and died Feb. 7, 1917), 2. Clarence ROSIER (born Aug. 9, 1872 and died in 1924). After Amos Rosier's death, Kate married Jonas G. Helfield in May, 1910. They had no children. She died on March 1, 1918 in Addison, Lenawee County, Michigan.
3. Eugene GAMBLE 33233c (1853-1939) Eugene Gamble was born July 4, 1853 He married Ellen Isabella Gregg. He and Ellen Gregg had the following four children: 1. Nina D. GAMBLE( born Aug 1, 1879 and died Sept. 28, 1886). 2. Loretta Naomi GAMBLE (born Dec. 8, 1885 and died Jan. 22, 1916) 3. Zaida Merle GAMBLE (born Oct. 20, 1889 and died Nov. 28, 1938). 4. Marian E. GAMBLE (born Dec. 12, 1891 and died unknown). Eugene Gamble died March 24, 1939.
4. Clara GAMBLE 33233d (b. 1856). Direct Descendent- See Generation E.

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PARENTS OF SILAS MARION GIFFORD 3332

JOHN GIFFORD 33322

(B. 1803)

John Gifford was born in 1803 in Vermont to William Gifford and Elizabeth. He married Clarissa Walker on September 14, 1826 in Harbor Creek, Erie County, Pennsylvania and they had 9 children. After 1857 when his wife Clarissa died, he moved to Michigan, remarried and had one son, according to Eugene Gifford (Possibly, Ernest, born 1858).

CLARISSA WALKER 33323 

(1807-1857)

Clarissa Walker was born April 2, 1807. Clarissa Walker married John Gifford on September 14, 1826 in Harbor Creek, Pennsylvania. Clarissa Walker died April 16, 1857 and is buried in South Harbor Creek Methodist Cemetery.

GIFFORD/WALKER CHILDREN

1. Justus W.H. Gifford 33323a (1828-1855). Justus Gifford was born October 4, 1828 and died March 15, 1855. He is buried in South Harbor Creek Methodist Cemetery.
2. Milton M. Gifford 33323b (1831-1887). Milton Gifford was born in 1831. He married Mary A. (1839-1910). He was a farmer in the North East township of Erie County, Pennsylvania. He had the following children: Benjamine F. Gifford (b. 1869); Clara B. Gifford (b. 1879); and Albert J. Gifford (b. 1863). All of his children died before their father. Milton Gifford died in 1901 and is buried in South Harbor Creek Methodist Cemetery.
3. Nancy M. Gifford 33323c (B. abt. 1834). Nancy Gifford was born about 1834. She married a man with the last name Dyke. In 1887, she lived in the town of Farmington, County of San Joaquin, California and had no children.
4. Albert Gifford 33323d (B. abt. 1836) He lived in California. He was killed by a runaway team. He had one son.
5. Orson Frank Gifford 33323e (1839-1925). Orson Frank Gifford was born November 28, 1839 in Harbor Creek, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Orson Gifford married Elizabeth Davis on May 3, 1870 in Wattsburg, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Orson Gifford was a Justice of the Peace in Greenfield, Erie County, Pennsylvania and in Findley Lake, Chaut. County, New York for a total of 50 years. Orson Gifford died on May 16, 1925. He is buried in Mina Corners Cemetery in Chautauqua County, New York. They had four children: Clarence Eugene Gifford (1871-1960), Frank Algernon Gifford (1873-1937); Royal Robert Gifford (1875-1942); and Clarissa Charlotte Gifford (1878-1895). Orson enlisted in the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment, Aug. 5, 1861. During the Battle of Gaines Mill, he received a gunshot wound to his left arm disabling his elbow. My father remembered his grandfather would lift his left arm onto the edge of the table which acted as the fulcrum and then he was able to use his left hand. His pension record states that he was 23 years old, 6 ft. 4 in. in height, of light complexion, with black eyes and black hair, when he was discharged. Story from Martha (Gifford) Harris, a great granddaughter of Orson through his son Frank A. Gifford. The following is a photo of Orson Gifford from rootsweb. 

   

   Uncle Orson Frank Gifford

6. Silas Marion Gifford 33323f, 3332 (1841-1885) Direct Descendent - See Generation E.
7. Mary Suzanne Gifford 33323g (B. abt. 1844). Mary Gifford was born about 1844 and died August 8, 1929.
8. Louis Gifford 33323h (B. abt. 1846). Louis Gifford was born abut 1846. Louis Gifford lived in California. He was a carpenter.
9. George B. Gifford 33323i (B. abt. 1849-1917). George Gifford was born about 1849. He married a Lula M. (she was born in 1852). George B. Gifford was a farmer and a Freewill Baptist Preacher. He had 2 sons in oil work in West Virginia and Oklahoma. A grandson, George III was a telegraph operator in Toledo, Ohio. George B. Gifford died in 1917 and is buried in the South Harbor Creek Methodist Cemetery in Erie County, Pennsylvania. His wife Lula M. is also buried there.

---

PARENTS OF MARY E. WHEELOCK 3333

ORVILLE WHEELOCK 33332 

(1826-1862)

Orville Wheelock was born on May 30, 1826 in Pennsylvania to Alden Wheelock and Elsie Morey . Orville Wheelock married Anna A. Cornell on May 1, 1851, in Ionia County, Michigan. He had a daughter named Mary Wheelock on August 14, 1853. Orville enlisted in the Civil War at Jackson, Michigan on September 23, 1861 as a seargeant in Co. K. 8th Reg't Michigan Infantry. On September 9, 1862, Orville Wheelock died in the Battle of Chantilly of the Civil War. He is buried in the Alexandria Military Cemetery in Virginia.

ANNA A. CORNELL 33333 

 (D. After 1890) 

Anna A. Cornell married Orville Wheelock on May 1, 1851, in Ionia County, Michigan. She had a daughter named Mary Wheelock on August 14, 1853. It is not known when Anna passed away, but according to information in 3 Jackson, Michigan Directories from 1887-1890, Anna A. Wheelock was living during these years and had her official residence at the address of 711 Blackstone or on the northeast corner of S. Blackstone and W. Biddle in Jackson, Michigan.

16 Ways to Save Money in 2016.

One of my heroes of the Christian faith, John Wesley said in his The Use of Money sermon in 1744,
"Gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can."
For me saving money is both a spiritual exercise, a fun hobby, and a way to obtain a tax free raise to support the cost of living.

Here are some ways I came up with to save money in 2016. You don't have to do them all at once and some may not be practical for you at this time in your life. Please leave your suggestions in the comment section of this blog post for additional ways you know of to save money.

1. Give things a second life: Purchase things you need at reduced price from a thrift store, yard sale, or on a resale website like Craig's List.

2. Conserve energy and utilities in your home: Turn the lights off when you leave a room and especially whenever you leave the house, don't turn lights on when sunlight will be sufficient, and turn the thermostat down in Winter and up in Summer a few degrees at night.

3. Rewards Credit Card: Use a money back or rewards credit card to purchase necessary items such as utilities and groceries, as long as you pay it off each cycle before you are charged interest.

4. Couponing: Use paper or electronic coupons when you go out to eat or to the grocery store. Some valuable coupons can be received via email from popular restaurants.

5. Flexible Spending Accounts: If available from your employer, take advantage of a flexible savings account for medical expenses or dependent care expenses during the year.

6. Rewards Programs: Sign up for rewards programs at businesses you frequent and take advantage of discounts and rewards for accumulative spending during the year. Some I have found very lucrative are MPerks at Meijer, Kroger Rewards at Kroger, and Speedy Rewards at Speedway.

7. Gasoline Reduction: Use a free GPS App on your smart phone like Waze or Google Maps to navigate in your car and find the route that is the shortest distance from point A to point B.

8. Purchase Gift Cards and Use them for Regular Spending: Stores like Speedway and Kroger regularly offer bonus points when you purchase gift cards from them. Before buying from a business consider if there is a gift card available for that store where you can get rewards for purchasing, and then use a gift card you bought for yourself to make the purchase. Another way is to purchase gift cards at a discount from the face value at a free smart phone app such as Raise.

9. Cut the Cable Connection: Cut your cable service and watch television with options like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, or by using an antenna to access free local channels.

10. Find the Cheapest Gas: Use a free App like Gas Buddy to find the cheapest price of gasoline for your vehicle available in your community at any given point in time. Sometimes their can be quite a difference when prices are in a state of changing at different businesses.

11. Groupon: Use Groupon to find discounts of around 40-50% on services and goods. I use them routinely for restaurant coupons and especially oil changes for my automobile.

12. Amazon: Use Amazon.com to purchase some items you need at a discount. If you purchase over $35 of qualifying items in each order you will get free shipping, as long as you can wait about a week to get the goods.

13. Cancel Magazine Subscriptions: Subscribe to Texture or Readily (both are a type of Netflix for Magazines) and read your favorite magazines electronically from a smart phone or tablet.

14. Purchase less Bottled Beverages: Reduce the number of of bottled beverages you purchase each week, and instead drink from a drinking fountain or a filtered water device.

15. Eat Out Less: As expensive as groceries are in 2016, you still usually get more for your money than you ever will by eating meals out at restaurants.

16. Don't Waste Food: Monitor expiration dates on perishable food in your cabinet and refrigerator and make sure you use them up before they become fodder for the trash heap.

16 Minimalist Ideas for 2016

I believe striving to be a minimalist is a lifelong process to reduce things that clutter life and distract from peace and tranquility. As a Christian I think it is to live by these verses in the Bible, 

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20)."

Here are some steps on the road to being a minimalist that one can try. You don't have to do them all at once and some may not be practical for you at this time in your life.

1. Eliminate 16 pieces of clothing from your wardrobe. 

2. Eliminate 16 files from your paper filing cabinet and put contents into Evernote. 

3. Eliminate 16 unhealthy foods from your diet. Here is a list of 33 for some ideas. 

4. Unsubscribe from 16 email subscriptions that clutter up your email inbox. 

5. Remove 16 apps from your smart phone. 

6. Get rid (donate, sell, dispose) of 16 unnecessary items from your garage, basement, or attic. 

7. Use a GPS App like Waze or Google Maps to find the shortest route and drive approximately 16 fewer miles per month. 

8. Eliminate 16 pieces of incoming postal mail by removing your name from mailing lists. 

9. Cut your cable service and watch 16 hours less of television per month. 

10. Find 16 types of items you can routinely reduce, reuse, or recycle your consumption of. 

11. Share 16 experiences during the year with people you cherish. 

12. Take 16 pictures over the course of the year of things you like but don't own and don't need to own. 

13. Cancel 16 magazine subscriptions and subscribe to Texture or Readily (both are a type of Netflix for Magazines). 

14. Read 16 books during the year that you can borrow from your public library or a friend. 

15. Set aside $16 per week in a savings account (that's just $2.28 per day) and leave it alone and you will have $832 at the end of the year. Then give that to someone or some organization to bless others in some practical and minimalist way. 

16. Spend 16 minutes per day in prayer for what matters most in your life, because in the end the person who dies with the most toys doesn't win. 

God's Care in the Air

Preparing to board the airplane my fears run wide,
What danger might some sinister stranger hide?
Am I spiritually prepared to enter eternity today?
For Divine safety and salvation I fervently pray.

I hurriedly eat an overpriced and average meal,
Resting from the strain of walking on my heal.
Shuffling past dozens of empty plane seats,
Wishing I could keep my feet on level streets.

A turbulence is like an earthquake in the air,
And I’m so glad I’m under a loving God’s care.
Flying brings me personally closer to heaven,
With memories today of September eleven.

While my ears hurt during the shaky descent,
I hope my faith in God is as strong as cement.
For as I return quite safely to the good earth,
Before me lies a vision of tremendous worth.

By Alan T. Stokes

November 19, 2001

Note:  Written on my first plane ride after 9/11/01 as I was headed to Orlando, Florida. 

Cell Phone Usage Safety

Here are two tips for reducing one's exposure to potentially dangerous cell phone radiation.

1. Use ear buds when talking on the phone instead of holding the phone close to one's ear (Note: The speaker mode works too but that may annoy others and will make the conversation not so private).
2. Keep the phone at least 3 feet away from your head at night (Note: This helps make it a more effective alarm clock too, if you have to actually get out of bed).

Anyone know of other suggestions. Leave a comment on this post. We will add to it in the future.

Goodbye to Youth

I cannot capture youth again,
My heart for it crys out in vain
But hears no echoing reply,
Old age is here, and youth's gone by.  

By Treva E. Stokes (1912-1980)