Betty White Connections

Last week we lost the beloved Betty White. Known to make people laugh through her work on Golden Girls and Mary Tyler Moore, most people don’t realize she was a pioneer in TV. She and the late great Irma Phillips laid the foundation of TV’s daytime landscape; Betty White helped found daytime talk shows, while Irma Phillips is the mother of daytime soaps creating Guiding Light ranks as the longest running scripted show. GL aired for 72 years before going off the air in 2009. To celebrate our feat, the Daytime Emmy’s asked Betty White to introduce the Guiding Light tribute at the 36th Emmy Awards. This week I began reading When Women Invented Television: The Untold Story of the Female Powerhouses Who Pioneered the Way We Watch Today by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong which profiles both of these great women. Granted I’m only a couple of chapters in, but it is a fascinating read.

WikiTree believes we are all connected so of course I had to check out how I might be connected to Betty White. According to their calculation I am 19 degrees from her connecting through my mom’s brother’s wife’s line to Allen Lunden, Betty White’s husband.

Family Christmas Connections Part 2

On this Christmas Eve, I thought I’d share my WikiTree connection to the beloved The Christmas Song crooner Nat King Cole. My parents loved that big band and smooth singing of Nat, Frank and Dean. Their songs became the background music of my childhood. Natalie Cole’s tribute to her daddy, Unforgettable always brings a smile to my heart and a tear to my eye.

Nathanial Adam Coles was born 17 Mar 1919 to Perlina Adams and Edward James Coles in Montgomery, Alabama. The Reverend Coles moved to a new church in Chicago, IL when Nat was 3. Nat and his brothers, Ike, Eddie and Freddy, got their music start thanks to their choir director mama. By age 14 Nat had formed his first band. He hit the charts with his next group the King Cole Trio, penning several of their hits. As his fame grew, he moved into a solo career and starred in his own TV show, The Nat King Cole Show. A chain smoker, he died of lung cancer. Posthumously he gained a new generation of fans when daughter Natalie with the help of modern technology recorded several duets with her father.

Missing my daddy, I can only imagine the heartache in the Cole family that February 1965 when first Grandpa Coles passed on the 2^nd only to be followed by his famous son thirteen days later. The last of the Cole brothers, Freddy Cole, past away a few months ago at age 88.

Family Christmas Connections Part 1

This morning I received an email from WikiTree showing how I am connected to several famous singers known for some of my favorite Christmas tunes. Over the next few days, I will be sharing these finds. 

“Bing’ Harry Lillis Crosby Jr, [born May 3, 1903, Tacoma, Washington, U.S. – died October 14, 1977, near Madrid, Spain]. Harry became known as Bing as a young kid; after his favorite comic strip, The Bingville Bugle. The Academy Award winner starred in song filled movies including Going My Way, High Society and White Christmas.

The Crosby family has long ties in America. Great Grandfather Captain Nathaniel Crosby #3 on the chart [1810-1856] moved the family from the east coast to the west coast to capitalize on the California Gold Rush shipping timber to China. Bing’s 3^rd great-grandfather Private Nathaniel Crosby, #5 on the chart [1733-1827] fought in the American Revolution. The first Crosby immigrant, Simon Crosby emigrated to New England in 1635 aboard the Susan & Ellen.

 

Bing Crosby’s co-star in White Christmas, Rosemary Clooney is also a WikiTree connection. A 6^th generation Kentuckian, Rosemary [23 May 1928 in Maysville, Kentucky – died 29 Jun 2002 in Beverly Hills, California] has family dating back to the beginnings of the state. Her 4x great grandfather Colonel William L. Farrow arrived with his widowed mother to the Kentucky frontier in the summer of 1784.

Rosemary began her show biz career singing with her sister Betty. Primarily known as a singer, her hits include Hey There, This Ole House, Half as Much and Tenderly; she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 10th President of the United States has a Grandson Still Living in 2020!

Cool Historical Fact Learned Today

10th US President John Tyler

The 10^th President of the United States has a grandson still living in 2020! President John Tyler [1790-1862] served as President from 1841-1845. Vice President John Tyler became President after William Henry Harrison’s death only one month into his presidency. While President, John married for the second time at age 54 to twenty four year old Julia Gardiner. President Tyler only served on term then moved he and Julia moved back to Virginia.¹ John and Julia had seven children:

David Gardiner Tyler [12 Jul 1846 - 5 Sep 1927]
John Alexander Tyler Jr [7 Apr 1848 - 1 Sep 1883]
Julia Tyler [25 Dec 1849 - 8 May 1871]
Lachlan Tyler [2 Dec 1851 - 26 Jan 1902]
Lyon Gardiner Tyler [24 Aug 1853 -12 Feb 1935]
Robert Fitzwalter Tyler [12 Mar 1856 - 31 Dec 1927]
Margaret Pearl Tyler [20 Jun 1860 -30 Jun 1947]²

President Tyler died in 1862 when Lyon was only eight. Like his father Lyon married twice. First to Anne Tucker, then at age 70, to Sue Ruffin. Lyon and Sue had three children:

Lyon Gardiner Jr. [3 Jan 1925 – 26 Sep 2020]
Harrison Ruffin Tyler [ 1928 - ]
Henry Tyler [18 Jan 1930 - 26 Jan 1930]³

Little Harrison was only seven when his father Lyon Sr died, his mother passed away when he was 25. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and great-grandfather, Harrison graduated from William and Mary in 1949 with an engineering degree. Cool side note, Harrison’s great-grandfather Virginia Governor John Tyler⁴ was college roommates with Thomas Jefferson. Father, Lyon Sr did not attend William and Mary however was the college’s President for 34 years from 1888 to1919. Back to current day, Harrison’s brother Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr recently passed away in September 2020⁵, leaving Harrison, at age 91, the last of President Tyler’s grandchildren still living.

Sources:

1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/john-tyler/ 

2] https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tyler-150

3] https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tyler-149

4] https://www.wm.edu/as/history/news/news-archive/2001-2005_archive/harrison-ruffin-tyler-49-pledges-5-million-to-lyon-gardiner-tyler-department-of-history.php

5] https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/lyon-g-tyler-jr-grandson-of-president-john-tyler-dies-at-95/2020/10/10/6c5825c8-0a60-11eb-859b-f9c27abe638d_story.html

The Life and Times of Isaac Metzker

Isaac Metzker lived his entire life in what is now North Woodbury, Pennsylvania. He was born on January 24, 1809 to Christina Hoover, age 30, and John George Metzker, age 38. The Metzker/Metzger family were early settlers of Bedford County, coming to the area from the Old World in the mid-1700s.

Isaac grew up on a farm learning what would become his trade in then Woodbury, Bedford County. Woodbury became a part of Blair County in 1846 when it was formed from parts of Bedford and Huntingdon counties. Isaac’s farm at that time included 80 acres of farmed land producing: 250 bushels of wheat, 150 bushels of corn and oats each, 100 bushels of rye, 15 bushels of potatoes and 10 tons of hay. On October 1, 2015 the Metzker family was added to the First Families of Blair County recognizing them as original residents of the new county.

By 1879 with son Samuel, the Metzker farm had improved another 20 acres adding an apple orchard sweet potatoes and clove seeds to the mix. Corn became the predominate crop selling 700 bushels. 1879 was also a pivotal year for the family as matriarch Anna Lantz Metzger died of catarrh fever, a disease affecting the respiratory organs in November.                  

Anna Lantz Metzker
incorrect headstone

Not much is known about Anna Lantz and what is known is not set in stone. The US Mortality Schedule gives us the information on her death above, while her headstone lists her death as 26 Feb 1881. As she does not appear on the 1880 census and Isaac is listed as a widower, it appears the headstone is incorrect. Anna was born 8 Aug 1814 in Pennsylvania; who her people were are currently a mystery. She married Isaac about 1832. The couple had 10 children: William, Rebecca, Catherine, Nancy, John, Virginia, Eliza, Samuel, Anna, and Elizabeth in 21 years. Anna was a homemaker and a member of the German Baptist Brethren Church. After her death, widowed daughter Eliza Hudson moved home with her children to help care for Isaac.

Isaac Metzker(Metzger) Farm
Mennonite Cemetery is between 147 and 141

Isaac led a productive life for another twelve years with a prosperous farm which while having passed out of the family, is still in existence today. Two of his children; Virginia Metzker Stoner and Samuel passed before Isaac. He spent his last days at the home of his grand-daughter Charlotte Ebersole McGraw and his great-grandsons Earl & Herbert. He died on September 18, 1891, in his hometown, having lived a long life of 82 years, 7 months and 24 days. Isaac, Anna and much of their family are buried down the road from the farm in the Mennonite Cemetery in Martinsburg.

Note: If you have any information on Anna Lantz Metzker’s ancestors please comment below.

Sources:

1. Non-population Census Schedules for Pennsylvania, 1850-1880: Agriculture (62 rolls); Roll 2: 1850 Agriculture: Blair-Carbon counties; Roll 34: 1880 Agriculture: Blair-Bedford counties

2. U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880; http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=usmortality&h=2420442&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

3. Year: 1880; Census Place: North Woodbury, Blair, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1103; Family History Film: 1255103; Page: 445B; Enumeration District: 174; Image: 0449

4. Isaac Metzker Obituary; Altoona Tribune, 22 Sep 1891 pg 4

5. Findagrave.com; http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=MET&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=40&GScntry=4&GSsr=4481&GRid=27263514&

Today two of my great grandmas celebrate birthdays. Well they would if they were still with us or the keep track of that sort of thing in heaven.

My 2nd Great Grandma Mary A Shoenfelt Ritts was born 181 years ago in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. She married John Ritts and had six children including my great-grandpa Harry.  Mary's life was tragically cut down when the trolley she was riding went off the bridge and plunged into the Juniata River. In the subsequent trial, her husband was awarded $1200. Family Tree of Mary A Ritts

Harriet Slyder lived her life in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Married to Jacob Embich in 1838, Widowed in 1854 at age 37 Harriet was left with six children; John age 13, William 11, Mary 10, Emma 8, Jacob 3 and 2 month old Harriet. The young family survived off of Jacob estate until after the Civil War marched it's way through Chambersburg as part of the Battle of Gettysburg. To defend family and home, son John took up arms joining the Union Army. After the war Harriet took up jobs housekeeping and sewing to support her family. My 3rd great-grandma at age 68 was buried in the First Lutheran Church Cemetery, Chambersburg. Family Tree of Harriet Embich

Happy Birthday Grandmas!