Prosper Senecal - Obituary

SENECAL DIES OF INJURIES RECEIVED IN CAR ACCIDENT

Prosper Senecal, 46, of Keeseville, died late Wednesday night of last week [sic] of injuries received in a car-truck collision Tuesday, October 17.

Death occurred at the Champlain Valley Hospital in Plattsburgh, where little hope for Mr. Senecal’s recovery had been entertained.

Mr. Senecal suffered internal injuries when his light truck collided with a sedan operated by Mrs. Thomas E. (Gladys) Bombard, 36, also of Keeseville.

The collision occurred at the junction of the Port Douglas and Mace Chasm Roads.

Mrs. Bombard, also injured in the accident, is confined at the Champlain Valley Hospital. Her major injuries are a knee fracture and arm lacerations.

Mr. Senecal, a native of the Town of Black Brook was born on March 19, 1912, a son of Henry and Ida (Santor) Senecal.

He is survived by his widow, the former May Rushia; one son Gary; two grandchildren, all of Keeseville.  Also surviving is one sister, Mrs. Verla Raby of Plattsburgh.

Funeral services were held Saturday morning in St. Augustine’s Church in Peru.

The Rev. William Laballee, assistant pastor, was celebrant of a High Mass of Requiem.

Bearers were Francis Norman, James Rushia, Ernest Senecal, John Douglas, Roger Senecal and Hector Rushia.

  Burial was in the church cemetery.

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Prosper was my first cousin twice removed.  My maternal grandfather, Ernest Senecal, was a pall bearer.

Article was on the first page of the October 26, 1961 edition of The Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown  Post.

Happy Columbus Day 2012

While looking for a Newspaper Nugget regarding Columbus Day, I came across the following in the

October 7, 1971

local news (aka GOSSIP) section of The Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post, written by my step-paternal grandmother, Helen Torrance Coughlin:

My first thought was Grandma C must have gotten her dates mixed up and it got published incorrectly.  Then I went to the trusty Google search and found out she wasn't wrong (I know~never doubt a grandmother!!).  It was in 1971, at the height of the Vietnam War, that the government decided to make as many federal holidays as possible on Monday (so glad to see where priorities where).  Public pressure changed Veterans's Day back to November 11th in 1978.

So now that we have had a history lesson today (one of the federal holidays I actually get off!!), time to go research, research and find clean clothes for work tomorrow!!

Happy Columbus Day!!!

Pets & Families

Today is the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi and World Animal Day.  I have been accused (and rightly so) of  taking more photos of animals than people.  Going through old family photos, I found that taking photos of animals runs in the family!!

Here's what I found:

My grandfather, Ernest Senecal, with Polly the dog

My grandfather, Ernest Senecal, with Blondie

My mother, Sharyn Senecal Coughlin's cat Fatso est 1950's

And one of my favorites, me and Bippy the cat.  My father found Bippy outside a bar shortly after I was born and brought him home.  Since Bippy and I grew up together, I could do ANYTHING to him per my parents and he would let me. Loyalty and trust.  I think more humans should adopt that attitude these days!!

2012-Fourth Quarter Goals and Status

Well, today is the first day of the fourth quarter of 2012. This year has gone by FAST!! Time to review my 2012 goals and see where I stand.

At the beginning of the Year of KISS (2012 Goals Hopes Reality), I had a few items I wanted to work on:

BLOG:  Try to blog at least 2-3 times a month. 

Didn't get to do this as I had hoped BUT have blogged more than I did the year before :)

BLOG:  Fine tune it the way I want.  

Still working on that but have started.

ORGANIZATION:  I have been in the "gathering" mood for years now.  Time to take stock of what I have and I still need to get. THIS WILL BE MY MAJOR FOCUS THIS YEAR!!

Well still the MAJOR FOCUS but have not made the headway that I had hoped to by this point.  It's amazing how the "real world" can interfere with the pursuit of genealogy!!!

SCANNING:  I really want to step up on this goal in this KISS year.  

I have made process here.  I have also attended Scanfest (hosted by AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors) in August and September.  This has really made me focus on this task if only for one Sunday afternoon a month!! Thank you Miriam for hosting!!!

SOCIETIES:  I belong to 2 local societies and 1 mail away society as well as NGS.  I plan to attend as many of the remaining meetings as possible.  Even though the local meetings are local focused topics for the most part, I am enjoying the fellowship of fellow genealogy addicts lovers and picking up a tip or two on my research areas.

I did make most of the Frederick County Genealogical Society meetings.  I really enjoy this group as they are so friendly and nice and helpful.  Trust me, I don't make the 30 mile journey just for anyone :)

CEMETERY PHOTOS: I have taken quite a few local photos over the past year.  I need to continue posting to Find-A-Grave as well as few other sites I have just discovered.  None of my family is from this area so hopefully someone will be able to benefit from the postings.

I am still taking pictures and travelling to various cemeteries.  I have been able to fulfill some photo requests and create memorials that I have been able to transfer to family members.  I have also had some negative experiences with Find-A-Grave this year that doesn't make me want to go and immediately all my pictures online with them.  But they are still the best game in town.

So the way I see it, I have 3 months to get working on these items.  Especially since January 2013 already looks crazy at work and in my personal life (what little there is!!)

How's everyone else doing for 2012 goals??

Mary Dewan Williams - Obituary

Lake Placid News
September 22, 1916

MRS. MARY DEWAN WILLIAMS

Mrs. Mary Dewan Williams, wife of John Williams, born at Palmer Hill in 1854, died at her home in Lake Placid, September 14, 1916, with heart disease after an illness of two years.  Mrs. Williams was a good and kind neighbor, respected by all who knew her.  She married John Williams January 1, 1869.  Until 12 years ago, when they moved to Lake Placid, they made their home on Palmer Hill.  Mrs. Williams leaves a husband and two daughters, Mrs. George Hoag and Mrs. Daniel Coughlin of Ausable Forks, two sons,  John, Jr., and Edward, and seven grand-children, two sisters and one brother.  The funeral services were Saturday, September 16, at the St. Agnes Church, Father Savage officiating.  Burial was at Ausable Forks.

Mary is my paternal great-great grandmother.
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Would have LOVED if the paper had named her siblings.  This is a line I am not working on actively at the moment but can't seem to get to Mary's parents.  But one brick wall at a time :)

Newspaper Nugget - European War Is Declared

Found this page while looking for something else.  Seventy-three years ago the news of what would become known as "World War II" hit the news stands today:

Plattsburgh Daily Press
Sunday, Septemmber 3, 1939

Eugene Duprey - Picture

Today I participated in the August 2012 Scanfest at Miriam Robbins' blog, AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors.  I was able to scan a few pictures that I hope will be blog posts.  Here's the first one!

This is my maternal great grandfather, Eugene Duprey (1862-1946) with his team hauling lumber.  I know the picture was taken in Au Sable Forks, New York but I was hoping to find the street.

In the right corner you can see an early model car.  My father was a car nut (classic and muscle car) so I estimated the car to be in the mid-1910's time frame.

Then, in the upper left corner you can see the letter "W. Scott" "Dentist".  I did some digging around on my FAVORITE website, Northern New York Historical Newspapers (see my post Website Wednesday) and found that there was a Dr. Joseph W. Scott, Dentist, who began his practice in 1911.  According to an article in The Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post on March 23, 1961 celebrating Dr. Scott's 50th anniversary as a dentist, he had offices over the Meconi's store and Lois P. Meconi, Esq. and then over the second floor of the R.E. Morhouse block over the McCann's Drug Store. So I am thinking Main Street, Au Sable Forks, New York.  I could be wrong the street but not the town!!