“We need to get together more often and not at a funeral.”
How many times have you and a cousin said that? Funerals are much like a family
reunion. You can learn a lot about a family just by looking at who showed up. Using
my grandparents’ guest books and sympathy cards, I’ll be exploring “Who came to
the funeral?”
is for Alvin Russell Marshall Sr.
Alvin attended the funeral for my maternal grandfather
Orvin Owen Davis (1899-1963) held in Shenandoah, Virginia in October 1963. Alvin and Orvin were first cousins. Alvin’s
mother Zibiah Saloma Davis Marshall was an older sister of Orvin’s father
Walter Davis.
Alvin was born September 30, 1895 in Rockingham County,
Virginia, the second of six children of John Lewis and Saloma Marshall. According to the 1910 census, the family lived
along Simmons Gap Road, just across the ridge from Beldor, home of many in the
Davis line. Alvin was a farm laborer,
likely on his parents’ farm
In 1917 Alvin registered for the draft. How interesting
to learn he was tall and had grey eyes. It appears his father was the
registrar. I have found no records to
suggest that he ever had to serve.
 |
| 1310 Q St NW Washington D.C. Boarding house where Alvin and Edith met |
Still single in 1920, Alvin earned a living driving a
fire truck in Washington D.C. He was one
of nineteen boarders at 1310 Q Street NW.
Most of the residents were clerks and stenographers for the Treasury Department and War
Department. One of the boarders caught
his eye: Edyth Terwilliger of
Pennsylvania.
Based on the 1930 census for Washington DC, Alvin and
Edyth married in 1923. They had twin
boys, Alvin and Lewis. Alvin Sr. was a
fireman earning a respectable salary allowing the Marshalls to own their home
at 806 Decatur Street.
In 1940, Alvin made room in this house for his widowed
father, John Lewis Marshall. Edyth had
returned to work as a typist for the Veterans Department. Alvin remained a fireman until
retirement.
Alvin died in August 1979.
I advise you to advance to the A to Z April Challenge
where you are assured of amiable company among the most affable artists and
authors.
© 2015, Wendy Mathias.
All rights reserved.
Loved the post. I know it was about Alvin - but I actually LOVED the spelling of 'Edyth'. Don't know why - it just appealed to me. Look forward to reading more of your posts in the A-Z Challenge!
ReplyDeleteRos, visiting from GenWestUK
And I just like saying "Terwilliger." Thanks for reading and commenting.
DeleteIt's nice to see that people don't get forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Thanks for the visit and comment.
DeleteA is for Alvin; you are off to a great start!
ReplyDeleteAlways reminds me of the Chipmunks. Thanks for the visit, Colleen!
DeleteGreat start to your A-Z challenge, love all your family names. I'm not doing the challenge this year due to work and family but will follow whenever I can.
ReplyDeleteAw -- shucks, I'll miss the alphabetical stories and poems. But I understand taking a break from this commitment.
DeleteYour opening struck a chord with me, as it was at my mother's funeral I met her cousins who I had not seen since my childhood. We exchanged memories, anecdotes, photographs and other memorabilia which mean such a lot to me - and provided much source material for my blog. Your family have such wonderful, inspirational names and I look forward to reading more about them. .
ReplyDeleteMeeting family really puts the "fun" in "funeral."
DeleteOops, are we supposed to use the banner and icon in each post? I will have to fix that.
ReplyDeleteIt is fortunate to have family history and records to know where you came from.
No worries -- that's just my style. I think the AtoZ leaders simply asked for the badge in the sidebar. You're fine. Thanks for the visit.
DeleteGreat start! This is going to be fun to learn about the people in Granddaddy's life.
ReplyDeleteWhen do you want to drive to Beldor? I have only been once.
Bobbie thinks it's scary to go back there. I don't know.
DeleteIt is a great start! I picked up on the grey eye thing. I have quite a few ancestors who are listed on CW records or various records as having grey eyes and yet I have to say I have never seen anyone that actually has grey eyes. What's up with that? Weird comment, I know, but something that has struck me several times in my own research.
ReplyDeleteI bet those eyes were really just a dull blue. I'm usually struck by how short the men were.
DeleteMeeting long lost relatives or reconnecting with one's seldom seen does put the fun in funeral. What a great idea to use the register for collateral relatives you might not otherwise have known about. I sure liked Alvin. His mother sure had an unusual name that probably made your wheels start turning for the letter Z. Alvin must have been an interesting guy...firefighter and 'Beagle' expert. Amazing what you learn from an obituary and funeral registry. Awesome start for the challenge.
ReplyDeleteSue at CollectInTexas Gal
AtoZ 2015 Challenge
Minion for AJ's wHooligans
Yeah -- that Z is going to be a killer because there were no Z's at the funeral (although my younger daughter is a Z, but I don't want to write about her).
DeleteWhat a great idea! Not many of us have these resources, but it is a great way to explore your family history.
ReplyDeleteI'm learning a few things but nothing major to advance my research. It's more interesting to me "just because." However, I'm loving figuring out how people were connected to one another.
DeleteI can tell you enjoy your research and putting all the pieces together to tell a story about a person. Those are wonderful talents and skills to have.
ReplyDeleteAw what a nice thing to say. I do enjoy the research, I must admit. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
DeleteHahaha, love that alliteration at the end (hee hee A is for alliteration). What a great story about Alvin. I attended a funeral just last week and it is fascinating to think that someone someday may find out about my life because I signed the guest book...
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what kind of paper trail we are leaving doing just ordinary things -- signing guest books, posting reviews of products on Amazon, engaging with others on Facebook. Thanks for the visit and comment.
DeleteFascinating... You have brought him back to life.
ReplyDeleteOnly 25 to go!!!
Wendy at Wendy of The Rock
Thanks -- yes a big 25! Thanks for the visit and comment.
DeleteMore twins! That boarding house is beautiful, and I enjoyed this post very much.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Kathy M.
Yes, it's a handsome house, indeed!
DeleteNow I'm wondering who kept the books from my grandparent's funerals. I've never thought of it before but what a resource to find people who were part of their community and life. I'm afraid they are long gone or I would have seen them over the years.
ReplyDeleteKristin
I'm sure every family struggles with what to keep and what to toss. I wonder what the criteria were that sent these cards and guest books to the Keep pile.
Delete