More about Grand Uncle John Grovenberg

12/11/2005
Wow! Talk about the power of the internet! After posting my pictures of Uncle John, I got terribly busy with my life, doing things like dishes, and housework, and cooking, and all the daily things that are busy work. I did manage to do some updating on my genealogy, but just hadn't taken the time to add to my blog. One day last week I was sitting here in upstate NY, scanning some pictures for our website, when I got a phone call from a lady in Idaho about my Uncle John! She referred me to a cousin of hers, who has the genealogists information on the Grovenbergs. He e-mailed me. They are tracing from a John Grovenberg from NY, but much earlier than mine. Who was mine, and was he related? I didn't know.
I was delighted to talk, and e-mail with them, and promised some more pictures, when my daughter http://northviewdiary.blogspot.com/ suggested I put them on the blog for everyone to see. So....I am following her suggestion.
I happened to go to the library today (aren't we lucky to have a library that is open on Sunday) to pick up some adventure fiction for my gout inflicted husband, when I got the idea of looking Grovenberg up in the card catalog for genealogists which the Johnstown Public Library has kept for at least 50 years. (I was able to find a lot of good information about my Wilders there years ago) However, there was very little on Grovenbergs, none that I knew, not even Uncle John.
So..back to my Mother's little yellow box. There I found his obituary, which I now post here.
Taken from the Saturday, November 18, 1939 paper..either the Leader Republican or The Morning Herald

Body of John Grovenberg is Found in Cayadutta Creek

Well Known Teamster Believed to Have Fallen While Taking Short Cut Home Last Night Along the Railroad Tracks

The body of John Grovenberg, 44, 120 West Fulton Street, well known local teamster was found this afternoon about 1 in the waters of the Cayadutta Creek a few feet from the railroad bridge which crosses the stream between West State and Washington streets.

Beleived to Have Fallen

The discovery was made by an employee of L. L. Streeter & Sons, who notified the police. Officers William Laird and Donald Patterson responded and Patterson donning rubber boots pulled the body to the bank.

Although no definite information could be secured, it is believed Grovenberg fell into the creek some time last night and the body remained unnoticed until this afternoon.

Inquiry among his friends and acquaintances disclosed, so far as is known, he was last seen alive in Charlie's Grill, 17 1/2 West State street, last night about 11:30.

He had been drinking and it is thought he started for home by taking a short cut along the railroad right of way and lost his balance while crossing the bridge or became confused and walked along a stone abutment which starts at the north end of the bridge.

The point at which the body was found is shallow and barely covered the body which was found face down on the creek bed.

Dr. Frank G. Calder, coroner, was called and after viewing the remains and securing an identification ordered the body removed to the Fulton County Laboratory for an autopsy.

Served in World War

The victim of the mishap was born in the Town of Johnstown February 16, 1895, son of Charles and Elizabeth Jackson Grovenberg and was a lifelong resident of this section.

He was in service during the World War and was well known and liked among a large circle of friends who mourn his tragic death.

The survivors are his widow, Lulu, parents and one sister, Mrs Amy Lingenfelter, residing on the Fort Johnson road and one brother, William, of the Town of Johnstown.

The funeral arrangements had not been completed and will be announced later.

Clyde, John, and Mitzi...all in uniform

Horse and pony pictures

Uncle John and foal

Uncle John pony and pug

Main St. Johnstown, NY circa 1920, Uncle John driving his big greys.

Grand Uncle John Grovenburg, circa 1920

My Mother Was a Saver

I have just spent much of the last two days going through my Mother's little yellow box.
This delightful little box with a brass clasp and shiny brass innards houses her collection of newspaper clippings.
I have had a wonderful trip down memory lane reading some of the various news stories about weddings, births, showers, deaths, automobile accidents, family reunions, The County Bicentennial, and more. I have used the dated clippings to update my genealogy program with births and weddings.
The obituaries of my Grandparents and Grandaunts and Uncles were also included. I found that my Great Grandfather was the last living Civil War Veteran in the County. He served in the 29th Ohio, fought at Gettysburg, and died in 1913 at 72 years of age of pneumonia.
One of my grand Uncles was killed by a freight train, while walking along the tracks. He was dragged for quite a distance....and garnered large Headlines. Another grand Uncle, one I remember dearly, fell from a railroad trestle, and drowned in the creek it spanned, while making his way home. He was a very special Uncle. He was a teamster. Not the union, the Horses. He had a beautiful team of dapple grey horses. He hauled anything that needed hauling in the early days of the 20th century. His team appeared in every parade decked in bunting and polished highly. He and my Father took me to the barn to see the horses whenever we visited. When the family gathered at my Grandmother's, for happy occasions (usually every Sunday), and the men settled down to a little liquid libation and some card playing, and the little ones were piled like cordwood on the beds, and the ladies in the kitchen swapping tales and recipes, Uncle John would sit in the big old maple rocker with the pressed carved decoration in the center of the back, and watch the game. He didn't like to play. When I got restless, because I was a big kid and there was no bed space for me, he would take me on his lap, in that big old rocker, and rock us both gently while the game progressed. He smelled like tobacco, and Burma shave, and maybe a little horse, but he was warm, and kind, and he loved me. And I loved him. After he fell from the trestle and drowned (Some say he was pushed, and rolled for the large sums of money he often carried), he was laid out in the parlor of my Aunt's home. My Mom and Dad, and older Brother and I went to "see" him. It looked like he was in bed, but it was a big shiny metal box bed. My Mother said,"Go ahead you can touch him." So I took one of his big gnarled hands, the hands that had held me while he rocked. It was icy cold. His eyes were closed, and his lips stern. I realized then what dead meant. My dear Uncle John was gone. He wasn't here anymore...and I cried.. and I knew why my Aunt cried. But he still lives. As long as there is a memory alive he will live.
I was just over five years old when he died in 1939
Not all memories are sad. One funny one was about a Pet contest held at the Fonda School summer program. Children brought pets and prizes were given to the longest tailed cat, and the best groomed dog, etc. etc. My youngest won a prize for the smallest pet.....a caterpillar.. and of course his grandmother clipped the article in the paper, and kept it in her beautiful yellow box.

THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE

Just Beginning

Grandpa Joseph and Grandma Julia Wild Lachmayer in front of the house they built circa 1915
This is Grandpa and Grandma McGivern taken before the Senior Ball 1950

I think a lot about the past, and how fortunate I was to have such a happy childhood. I had parents who loved me, my brothers and sister, and each other. The depression was a hardship, a challenge, but it didn't dominate our lives. Hope did. "When our ship comes in" was a frequent statement at our house. We didn't wait at the dock, we enjoyed each day as it came.
We had three grandparents, who were very precious in our lives. Our paternal grandfather had died before our parents were wed, so we only had pictures of him. We had numerous Aunts and Uncles, all contributed a measure of love to our environment. Our father was one of five, our mother one of nine.
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