Sunday Search: Missing Documents

 

Over the past few months there have been moments when I have made surprising progress researching my family trees and there have also been instances when I have hit some pretty significant walls. No matter how hard I have tried to hit the brick or how heavy the hammer, the structure remains solid. While there is still some small glint of hope that these records will turn up, it is not an endeavor that will likely produce significant results anytime soon… I guess I will have to get the chisel out and try to find the answers that way.

After all, that is how I found the few details that we know about John Uttley’s service in the Philadelphia Police Department. After dozens of calls and many hours leveraging various resources I was able to find out that while the full personnel files have long since been destroyed, there are pieces (i.e. rank, badge number, date of swearing in, rank, accounts in the newspaper) scattered across multiple sources. It isn’t much but it is a heck of a lot more than we have had in the past. Other endeavors haven’t even produced this level of information.

My great grandparents (William Edgar Yeagle and Bessie Wirth Uttley) divorce is something that is still interpreted different ways depending on with whom you speak. His first family, which is my line, sees the dissolution of marriage in one way namely that it was his drinking and abuse that caused the divorce. However, his second family, according to his granddaughter with whom I briefly spoke a couple of years ago, sees things a little differently in that it was my great grandmother that caused the issues in the marriage. When I called the court records office in Philadelphia City Hall (where they got divorced), there was little information that they could share as the records have long since faded and the only information on hand was that of the actual decree (without mention of cause). But at least that record can be produced unlike some others.

The marriage certificate of Paulus Redcross and Frances Beverly continues to be one record that we are continuing to search for through various offices, depositories, and whatever other means out there. It is something that we know exists as it is recorded in the Amherst County, Virginia ledger but the actual document seems to have disappeared. Not faded or destroyed (as far as we know) it is just gone. No one has been able to provide any definitive explanation although there are plenty of theories out there which is a completely separate topic altogether.

All of these documents have the potential to provide my family with a wealth of information (and answers) beyond what the existing documents ever could but there is significant doubt as to whether we will ever be able to read them. While we will continue seeking answers to other questions and look to fill in the family tree, these are things that we will always be looking for even if the possibility of finding them is slim. While these situations may be a deterrent for some, it only serves to motivate me to find and write the story without them (or at least try).  

TMI Tuesday: Where Am I?

Before our recent long vacation we had spent a few nights in hotel rooms here and there with our son. Basically, we used those weekend trips to get him used to traveling and sleeping at night in the pack and play. He seemed to be fine for a night or two so we were feeling pretty good about this little adventure. In fact, he enjoyed being out and on the go during those brief periods.

Our Virginia trip consisted of nine nights across four different hotels. A big change from a night or two over the weekend. However, each night he went right to bed with nearly the same effort as at home and every morning he would wake up early looking for mommy and daddy with only the slight hint of “where the heck are we” on his face. Once he caught a glimpse of us he would settle right down and almost seemed eager to begin exploring again.

Of course, those were the mornings and with as many miles as we put on the car (about 2,500 total), it was the car seat that he began getting tired of rather than the sleeping arrangement. Once we got somewhere and pulled him out of the car so he could stretch a little bit he liked to look around and take in the different people and places around him. He still had those same looks on his face of curiosity and wonderment that he did in the morning but as long as he had his mommy and daddy (or grandmom and granddad) he was okay.

Actually, I really enjoyed bringing him to these different places both the ones that I haven’t seen in decades and also the one that I was seeing for the first time right along with him. And the same can be said for all of us on this exploration. Being able to share that rediscovery with my dad going to the different towns and places (both on road and off road) is something that I will never forget. Having my son with me and having my dad share these place with him was one of the highlights of the trip.

In the end, while we were pretty sure of it before. We know for a fact that our son likes to travel. Actually, it was pretty funny when he had that same expression of “where the heck am I” when he woke up yesterday morning in his own bed. I guess we will have to start planning some more trips in the near future.

Slowing Down In Colonial Williamsburg

On Thursday we drove across Virginia following the James River (via the highway) from the mountains to the coast (at least near the coast). We arrived at the Williamsburg Lodge late in the afternoon, unloaded the car, and made our way (albeit a little slower than previous days) into Revolutionary City for the evening. A little weary from our travels, I didn’t take many pictures that night. At least none that are worth posting. It was a temporary mental block as I wasn’t even conscious of the camera strapped across my chest for much of the evening.

However, with season passes in hand (an extra bonus included with our rooms), a good night sleep behind us, and an over the top complimentary breakfast in our bellies, we spend the next day and a half exploring the living history that is Colonial Williamsburg. In addition to the numerous old…

…and new shops…

…lining the streets there we also numerous places where we were able to learn a little bit about colonial life.

One of those I wrote about yesterday but there were also other locations were people specialized in woodworking and brick making.

Of course, being a tourist destination, there were also other amenities available to us including a spa across the street from the lodge where I sent my mom and my wife during our last morning in town. Although modern, the structures still seemed to fit in.

However, the majority of our time was spent walking around enjoying the lacework of picket fences... 

...the flowering summer gardens…

...open spaces...

…trees…

…and the interplay between nature and architecture.

Anyone who has been here before, and it has been a long time since I last walked these streets (at least two decades), knows that there is always something going on, there is always some kind of event or activity taking place. This times around, especially given the heat and humidity, we simply wanted to enjoy our time there and soak in the atmosphere. It was a nice change from the packed schedule earlier in the week which allowed us to take our time, look around, and watch as the air cleared…

…the street lights turn on…

…and the sky slowly change from blue and white…

…to orange reflecting off the wood houses…

…to the amber and gold blanket welcoming the warmth of the night.

We couldn’t have asked for a better way to end our only complete day at Colonial Williamsburg and, while not as interesting as our previous activities, it was a much needed respite from the constant activity. At this point, with one more night and a long drive remaining, we are all looking forward to our final stop of the vacation. With that said, there are a lot of things that I wasn’t able to see that will certainly keep me from waiting such a long time before our next visit. Given the ties to our family history, maybe we will even add Yorktown and Jamestown in the future.