Uncle Frank Samsel, WWII Veteran

Well, I should have posted this yesterday, but I was a bit preoccupied.  So, better late than never. 

In honor of Pearl Harbor Day (yesterday), this is a picture of one of my relatives who served in WWII. 

This picture was labeled "Corsica, March 3, 1944, Frank Samsel, 3rd from left".  Francis I. Samsel was my Granny's brother, My mom's uncle.  I don't know a whole lot about him, but that he was the son of immigrant parents.  His mother and father came to the United States from Poland at the turn of the century.  Frank was the 2nd youngest of 9 children.  Although, if memory serves me correctly, my Granny mentioned that she had several siblings that died at a very young age.  The WWII record that I found for him states that he was Enlisted in the Army on 27 August 1942 in Philadelphia to the Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA.  It also states that he was only educated to grammar school.  He was single without dependants.  For occuption it just states:  "Unskilled public service occupations, n.e.c.".  He was 5' 5" and 117 pounds.  I'm unsure how long he was enlisted, but I'm proud of him, nonetheless!

Thanks to Uncle Frank and to all those who served and continue to serve our country.

Is that you, Jonas?

The Hunt for Jonas Robinson (My 3rd Great Grandfather)

Me and Pop (and Jake and Emma and Ivan) made our rounds of the cemeteries today, with my new addition, Greenwood Cemetery.  I got a pretty detailed map from a member of the organization that volunteers to help maintain the grounds.  With that, I felt pretty confidant that we could find him (and the other 5 people buried with him).  We drove in past the newly remodeled main building and drove up to a "Receiving Vault"...that's something I've never seen before.  But it was clear that they are making changes to that.  We thought we drove up to about the right spot and got out to start wandering.  However, none of the section markers matched the map...at all!  So, I assume they are reassigning the sections, somehow.  We tried to work out roughly where his section should be and started hunting.  From afar, the cemetery looked well kept, but as we walked, we came across toppled over head stones, others so sunken into the ground that all that was visible was the very top. 

Robinson, Robinson, where is Robinson?  There it was.  And that's all that is says, "Robinson". 

No names, no dates.  A bit of a letdown.  I did wander around a bit more, but no other Robinsons to be found.  I guess I'll have to wait to confirm.  There are plans to reset all of the stones in the future.  You can see the top of at least one headstone in this picture.  I wonder if this is just the top the stone?  Maybe they will reopen the office soon and someone can help me locate it for sure.

The Hunt for Jonas Robinson

He should be easy to find.  He can't go anywhere.  He's been dead for 106 years!

Jonas Robinson was my 3rd Great Grandfather.  Jonas was the father of John Raynor Robinson. John was the father of Thomas Crossley Robinson.  Thomas was the father of Samuel Raynor Robinson.  Sam was the father of Raynor Elmer Robinson.  And Raynor is my dad.  Jonas was born in England and died in Philadelphia.  He moved his family to the US in 1868. 

So, anyway...I wanted to find his grave back at Easter time when I went to the cemeteries with my Dad.  We were going to Oakland Cemetery, which is right across the street from Greenwood.  So, I thought I'd look him up and go find his grave while we were out that way.  I searched for the cemetery and found that it was under renovations.  This is something I've never heard of, but it sounds like a great thing.  The downside is that:   a. There was no office to contact to find out where he is and b. They were not allowing visitations.  So, we made the rounds and I could see the work being done on the cemetery.  They were remodeling the main house on the property.  And I could see that the property really needed some cleaning up. 

Here's a photo of what it looked like:

Well, me and Dad are getting ready to make the rounds again.  Hopefully, this Christmas he doesn't just go do it without me.  We don't call him Quick Carl for nothing!  Based on what I read on the cemetery's website, it seems they are allowing visits, but there is still no office on the premises.  I did, however, find an email address for lookups.  I'm hopeful that they will get back to me and tell me where he is so that we can go find him. 

Maybe my next post will be a picture of his grave.  Wish me luck!

John H Dingler's Obituary

Dingler – Suddenly, on Aug. 29, 1914, JOHN H., husband of Mathilda Dingler, nee Ferguson.  Relatives and friends of the family, also police of the Tenth, Fifth and Twenty-sixth districts are invited to attend funeral services, at 2:30 P.M. Wednesday, at his late residence, 2643 Janney Street, interment at North Cedar Hill Cemetery.

John H. Dingler was my 2nd Great Grandfather.  He was the father of my Dad's Grandmother, Lettie Mae Dingler, AKA Mom Black, mother of Lettie Mae Black Robinson, my Dad's Mom.  This obituary halped me find Matilda(Tillie)'s family.  I didn't have her maiden name before I found this.

Connie, we miss you!

Well, today is the second anniversary of my Mom's passing.  I still have a hard time believing that she's gone.  But, she is.  So, I thought that it would be nice and therapeutic for me to share some pictures and memories.

So, here's a picture of my Mom as close to a baby as I have...isn't she cute?












This is her a little older, in her Kielbasa curls, as she called them.  She reminds me of my niece, Paige, here.

















More Kielbasa Curls!  This was taken in 1948, I think she was in a wedding.

This is her high school graduation picture.  She graduated from Nazareth Academy in 1957 with High Honors.  This was often pointed out when my report card came home!!

This one is a favorite picture of mine.  She is getting ready for her wedding, at my Granny's house and the lovely ladies assisting her are her Mother (my Granny) and my Dad's Mom (Grandmom Robinson).  This was a little over a year after her graduation, November 1st, 1958.

My cute Daddy with my Mom after the wedding!

This one was quite a few years later!  We traveled out west.  That's my Mom holding me up and my brother, Scott standing on the wagon. 











And a few years later, here she is cracking up at Julia!  Jul had a great time smashing up her first birthday cake and my Mom truly enjoyed her grandchildren!!

This is a great one of her and my brother, Scott!!  This was taken at a Mother's Day celebration at my Sister's house!

I'm so glad to have so many pictures to share!  This is me and my Mom at my bridal shower.  We are both cracking up at my wedding cake topper!!









Here she was dancing at my wedding, you can't quite tell, but fingers pointed up was her signature move!  She really had a great time!

Granny and her grandchildren (up until that point...Emma wasn't born yet!)  This was her Birthday celebration.

Here she is with her best friend, Carol.  This was taken at my Dad's 70th Birthday Party.












This is a great one of her swinging on the swings with Ivan.  This was in Ocean City.

Another fav!  Here she's picking crabs apart with Jake.  He just wanted to play with the claws and she was OK with that ;)  This was also in Ocean City.

Emma's First Birthday!  I love this...check out Jake sneaking the icing off the cake!












This one was shot by Jake!  Another Ocean City pic!  Mom and Donna Rae.

Donna Rae, Mom and Me at my Mom and Dad's 50th anniversary party.  She was actually quite angry with us for having it.  She did not like to be the center of attention!  TOO BAD!!!

On the beach in that damned wig!  I am amazed at what she still managed to do while having those chemo treatments!  She was a hell of a roll model!










This one is my Dad's favorite picture.  It was taken at my wedding.  They both had a great time!

And here's the whole crew from our Disney Trip in 2008!  Thank you Mom and Dad!

Funeral Card Friday: Samuel Raynor Robinson, 1899-1980


Samuel Raynor Robinson,
December 29th, 1899 - October 2nd, 1980

Front of Funeral Card

Back of Funeral Card

 

This is the funeral card for my Grandpop Robinson.  I was 7 when he died, and didn't attend the funeral.  I remember him fondly.

Edward Aubrey Lee, Jr, 1904 - 1981

This is the Delaware Birth Record for Edward Aubrey Lee, Jr.  He is the Grandfather of my brother-in-law, Rick Lee.  I was recently adding some information to the tree from his uncle's obituary and it led me to this record on Ancestry.com. 

It has a great deal of good information on it.  Edward was born on March 30, 1904 at 1212 Dupont in Delaware.  His father was Edward Augustus Lee, who was 33 years and a Master Carpenter born in New Jersey.  His mother was Jeannette (not sure of the middle name) Wallace, who was 28 years and born in New Jersey as well.