Senecal-Votraw Wedding - 1936

Well September is turning out to be the WEDDING month for my family!! Here is the wedding announcement for my paternal great aunt and her husband:

The Adirondack Record
Au Sable Forks, NY
Thursday, October 1, 1936

Votraw-Senecal

During the celebration of a nuptial mass by Rev. James J. Gainor at Holy Name church Monday morning at 6 o’clock Miss Doris Senecal, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Senecal, became the bride of Morris Votraw, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Votraw.  The bride was attended by Miss Catherine Votraw, a sister of the groom, as bridesmaid, while the groom had as his best man Raymond Senecal, a brother of the bride.  Both the bride and groom are well known in Au Sable Forks and are extremely popular.  After a short bridal tour the young couple will make their home in this village.

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Doris Senecal Votraw (1909-1981) was my grandfather's only sister.  She and her husband, Morris Votraw (1896-1979) were married for 43 years. 

Happy Anniversary!!

Duprey-Durgan Wedding - 1918

From the Adirondack Record, October 4, 1918:

Miss Anna Duprey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Duprey of Swastika, and Leonard Durgan of Cadyville were united in marriage at the Holy Name church by Rev. W.A. O’Connor on Thursday, Sept. 26.  Mr. and Mrs. Durgan will reside in Cadyville.  Their many friends wish them a long and happy life.

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Anna Duprey Durgan (1897-1987) was my maternal great aunt.  She and her husband, Leonard Durgan (1894-1974) were married for 56 years! 

Happy Anniversary!!

All Clinton County Team - 1931

From the pages of the Plattsburgh Daily Republican on Wednesday, September 23, 1931:

AUSABLE FORKS CAPTAIN PICKS ALL COUNTY TEAM

Captain “Red” Senecal of the Ausable Forks baseball club volunteers to pick an All Clinton County Nine.  None of Guy’s players are on his club.  Only one Post player is on the team which is made up of mostly of Rouses Point, Ausable Forks and Lyon Mountain players.

            Here is his choice:

            J. Pessulla, Pitcher, Ausable Forks

            Weatherwax, Catcher, Rouse Point

            Pattno, First Base, Ausable Forks

            English, Second Base, Lyon Mountain

            Bergeron, Shortstop, Rouses Point

            Covalosky, Third Base, Lyon Mountain

            Roark, Center Field, Ausable Forks

            Farrell, Left Field, Lyon Mountain

            Neyrey, Right Field, Post

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I had to laugh when I saw this.  It was published in the "Big City" paper and obviously my maternal grandfather, Ernest "Red" Senecal, did NOT chose "their" players.  I always love reading the old papers with their non-apologetic hometown bias!!

Duprey-Willis Wedding - 1922

From the pages of The Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post dated Friday, September 22, 1922:

The Record-Post
Friday, Sept. 22, 1922

Thomas Willis, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Willis, sr., [sic] and Miss Mamie Duprey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Duprey of Swastika, were married at the Church of the Holy Name at 6:15 o’clock Tuesday morning of this week, Rev. Clarence A. Kitts officiating.  They were attended by Miss Grace Dukett of Saranac Lake and James Willis, brother of the groom.  The bride was attractively gowned in a blue suit with hat to match and carried a boquet [sic] of carnations.  Immediately after the ceremony they left for a short honeymoon which will be spent in the northern part of the state, after which they will return to Au Sable Forks.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Willis are extremely popular here and have the best wishes of many friends for a long life of happiness and prosperity.

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And here is one of my favorite pictures of the happy couple who married on September 19, 1922:

Mamie Duprey Willis (1895-1978), my maternal great aunt, with her husband of 54 years, Thomas Willis (1893-1976).

Of course I had to laugh when I saw that they honeymooned in "the northern part of the state"....they were already in the northern part of the state!!!

Happy Anniversary Aunt Mamie and Uncle Tom!!

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!!

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!!

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!!