29 August 2013

50th Anniversary of Dad's Accident and THAT Tree

From the front pages of the Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post on Thursday, August 29, 1963:




Jay Youth Hurt In Car Accident

Thomas Coughlin, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Coughlin of Jay, is resting comfortably at the Champlain Valley Hospital, recovering from injuries sustained in a single car accident Sunday night on the curve on the Jay-AuSable Forks highway near the residence of Henry Lincoln, while he was driving to his home from AuSable Forks.

He fell asleep at the wheel and was alone at the time of the accident, the car leaving the highway and hitting a tree head-on.

Young Coughlin sustained a slight back injury, scalp wound, laceration of shoulder, elbow and hand. His condition at the hospital was described as good Tuesday.  He was taken to the hospital in the Zaumetzer-Sprague ambulance.

The car was a complete wreck and towed to the premises of Sid's service station at AuSable Forks.

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Where to begin.  First, this "da#%^" tree.  When I visited in 1992, I heard about this tree from EVERYBODY.  Everybody. My talkative aunt, her quiet husband (at least compared to the Coughlins!!) and people I didn't know. It was hilarious!!  I have no idea if this poor tree is still standing as the area was hit hard by Hurricane Irene in August 2011 but if it is, I know several people who would still be able to point it out!!!

The ambulance company...also the local funeral home.  Didn't know they had an ambulance at one time!

Let's just say this was a wake up call of sorts for my father as he joined the Navy shortly thereafter. I heard a couple of good versions from my father, grandmother and uncle but there are still statues of limitations in place on family stories :)

Here are some photos.  I know Daddy said at one point these were from one of his car wrecks.  Not sure if these are from this accident but here they are anyway:


When I first started in genealogy I thought the fact my parents were from small towns in northern New York that I would find a lot of information.  Thanks to power of the internet and online newspapers (see Website Wednesday for my love of this!!), I am finding out all sorts of little details about my parents and relatives that I never thought I would!!

14 August 2013

Happy Birthday to Linda!

Today would have been my cousin Linda's 56th birthday.  So to Linda Jeanne Coughlin O'Hara I say "Happy Birthday" and send some winning lottery numbers down to us :)


Here's a picture of Linda reading the comics with her mother, Eola "Lee" Duprey Coughlin (1932-2004), and her sister Connie (who is rocking the red socks & boots!!!)

Happy Birthday Cuz!!

07 August 2013

Au Sable Forks High School Baseball Team 1920-21

I always love it when I am looking for something and find something that relates to what I either just blogged about or that I am researching.  

I present to you the 1920-21 Au Sable Forks High School Baseball Team:



And the Lineup included:



1920-21 AFHS Baseball Team Lineup
1.  Ernest J. Senecal     Second Base
2.  Emmett Ryan              Right Field
3.  Daniell T. Manning      Catcher
4.  Clarence Votraw        Third Base
5.  Chauncey Kinney       First Base
6.  Riley Hamilton            Left Field
7.  Francis Murphy          Center Field
8.  Thomas Manning        Short Stop
9.  Chapell Rhino             Pitcher
10. Julius Tellier               Pitcher

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Ernest "Red" Senecal (1905-1967) was my maternal grandfather. A summer filled with baseball....what could be better!!

05 August 2013

Au Sable Forks Cresents - Baseball

Another "Newspaper Nugget" from the pages of the Adirondack Record, August 5, 1921:

A baseball team has recently been organized by a number of the younger Babe Ruths of the village and is known as the Crescents. The boys have played six games of which they have lost but two.  On Saturday of last week they defeated the Wilmington team by the score of 8 to 9 and on Sunday again won, their opponents being a team from Keeseville. The was 6 to 5. Following is the lineup: Dan Manning, catcher; Chauncey Kinney, 1st Base; Red Senecal, 2d base; Riley Hamilton, short stop; Clarence Votraw, 3d base; Chester Rhino, right field; Wolcott Gilmore, center field; Aubin, left field; Tellier and Chap Rhino, pitchers. A game will be played on the local field this week Saturday.