William Washington Gant and The Texas Declaration of Independence

One day when my husband visited the Alamo museum, he saw a letter addressed to Mr. William Washington Gant. The person who wrote the letter in 1836, informed that he was taking Mr. Gant's gun and coat to Alamo.

Later, my man used to joke, "There were no Gants among the Alamo defenders but at least a Gant's rifle fought there". Nothing did he know about the family relationship between W.W. Gant and him then. A few years ago when we went to the museum during our honeymoon trip, we did not know about that either. At that time, hubby wanted to show me that letter but, regrettably, it had been removed from the display.

While studying our family ancestry I learned that William Washington Gant was the second son and the third child of William Gant and Leah Norwood. He was born in January 1809 in Maury County, Tennessee. William Washington's great-grandfather was Isham Gant (our great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather's brother) which makes William our second cousin five times removed.

William Washington came to Texas on 21 April 1835. He obtained some land in Washington County.
In November 1835, William Washington Gant helped his friend Asa Walker to relocate to Texas. He covered the cost of it, which was $35.87.

Later, when Asa joined the Texas Army and went to defend the Alamo, he took William's rifle and overcoat with him. Asa was in such a hurry that he had no time to ask the owner of those items for permission. Instead, he left a letter in which he explained why he had done that.

William was a very active man. Supposedly, he was a doctor. On 27 Feb. 1836, he joined the army and with Capt. Robert J. Calder's Company fought at the battle of San Jacinto. William ended his military career on 29 May 1836 and was granted 320 acres of land (Bounty Certificate No. 2066) for his service.

Together with Mr. Andrew J. Greer, William Washington Gant published a newspaper in 1836. It was called The Texas Reporter. I have found an article in one of the Washington-on-the-Brazos papers, in which our cousin and Mr. Greer announced that The Texas Reporter would be issued weekly (see the first column on the left).

If you look at the date when the paper was published, you can see the date: Wednesday, 2 March 1836. The day when the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed.

Independence Hall. Replica of the building where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

The inscription says: "Here a Nation was born."

William Washington Gant represented Washington County at the first Congress of the Texas Republic which took place in Washington-on-the-Brazos.

The room where the building where the Independence of Texas was declared on 2 March 1836.
Our cousin William Washington was there as well. 

Cousin William was also the County representative during the second and fourth Congress of the Republic. He finished his political career on 5 Feb. 1840.

Four months later, on 18 June 1840, William married Mrs. Harriet Eliza Hoke (nee Smith). Harriet was the daughter of  James McConnel Smith and Mary Polly Patton. Harriet Eliza was widowed by her first husband H E Hoke.

Sadly, William and Harriet were married only for a few months. William Washington died on 18 October 1840 in Washington County. His body was later buried in Navasota, Grimes County, Texas.

Credits:
Pictures
The newspaper image:
by  The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History in partnership with The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the University of North Texas Libraries.

Independence Hall: By Noconatom - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51404045

The room: By Reading Associate 17 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50471585

Gravemarker: Vanessa Burzynski

Information
San Jacinto Museum website
Handbook of Texas

Annie Jewell Jackson, Porter Oather Rippy and President Andrew Jackson

Time for another "presidential" ancestry post. Andrew Jackson (born 1767/d. 1845) is one of the persons whom we are indirectly related to via Miss Annie Jewell Jackson and the Rippy family.

Annie was born on 15 January 1894 in Dallas, TX to Caleb William Jackson and Eva Green Crosby.
Caleb's father, James Everts Jackson was one of the Dallas County pioneers who came to the Peters' Colony area in 1846. James Everts Jackson was 20 years old then.

James Everts married Diana Jane Davis on 10 December 1849. Annie's father Caleb was born in 1866.

Anyway, in 1900 little Jewell lived with her parents in Justice Precinct 2 (east part) which was in Dallas, TX (1).

Jewel Jackson
United States Census, 1900
Name: Jewel Jackson
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1900
Event Place: Justice Precinct 2 (east part), Dallas, Texas, United States
Gender: Female
Age: 6
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race: (Original) W
Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Daughter
Birth Date: Jan 1894
Birthplace: Texas
Father's Birthplace: Texas
Mother's Birthplace: Mississippi

Household  

Kalup Jackson, Head, Male, age 35, born in Texas
Eva Jackson, Wife, F, 27, Mississippi
Wilferd Jackson, Son, M, 9. Texas
Hinton Jackson, Son, M, 8, Texas
Jewel Jackson, Daughter, F, 6, Texas
Benjaman Jackson, Son, M, 5, Texas
James Jackson, Son, M, 3, Texas
Not Named Jackson, Daughter, F, 0, Texas

Ten years later, Annie's family lived at Framers Branch, Dallas, Texas (2).

Household

Capa Jackson, Head, Male, age 43, born in Texas
Evie Jackson Wife, F,  37, Mississippi
Willie Jackson, Son, M, 19, Texas
Henson Jackson, Son, M, 17, Texas
Jewel Jackson, Daughter, F, 16, Texas
Ben Jackson, Son, M, 14, Texas
Jim Jackson, Son, M, 1, Texas
Fanney Jackson, Daughter, F, 10, Texas
Winnie Jackson, Daughter, F, 8, Texas

At the age of (almost 23) Annie married Mr. Porter Oather Rippy (born in 1889 in Tennessee), our 3rd cousin once removed. Porter's mother was Mary Frances Rippy (nee Gant), our second cousin twice removed.

Porter was a farmer, a man of a stout figure, medium height. His yes were brown and his hair was dark brown (3).

Here is our Porter Oather Rippy's family line*

⇒ his mother Mary Frances Gant (b. 1 Jan. 1866, Sumner Co. TN/d. 8 March 1943)
married Robert Sydney Rippy (b. 14 March 1866) on 1 August 1888 in Dallas County, TX (4,5,6).

⇒ her father Jacob Mason Gant (b. 1 Dec 1849, Sumner Co., TN/d. 8 Feb. 1914, Richardson, Dallas Co., TX) + wife Mary Jane Graves (b. 24 July 1850, Allen, Kentucky), the daughter of  Wiley Graves and Mary Ann Charlton. Jacob and Mary married on  19 Jan. 1868 in Sumner, TN (7).

⇒ his father Benjamin Thomas Gant (b. 1812, Orange, NC/d. 1865, Sumner, TN) - on 20 May 1883 (8), he married Miss Mary (Polly) Tarpley (b. 6 Dec. 1812 in Orange, NC), the daughter of  Mason Tarpley and Elizabeth Cooke.

⇒ his brother Jacob Rippy Gant, our great-great-grandfather.

Where is President Andrew Jackson in that all?

Andrew Jackson - portrait by Ralph E W Earl

Annie was a direct descendant of Andrew Jackson's grandfather's brother, Samuel William Jackson (born in Carrickfergus, Antrim, Ireland, in 1737). In other words, Mr. Andrew Jackson was Annie's cousin four times removed.

Carrickfergus Castle, drawing from circa 1840

And this is how Annie Jewell Jackson's ancestry line goes*

⇒ her father Caleb William Jackson (b. 1866, Dallas, TX/d. ≈ Oct. 1949, Richardson, Dallas Co., TX)

⇒ his father James Everts Jackson (b. 1 April 1826, Blount, Tennessee/d. 16 July 1903, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas) married Diana Jane Davis (b. 14 Feb. 1831, Harrison, Charles, Virginia) on 10 Dec. 1849 in Dallas, TX.

⇒ his father John Hays Jackson (b. 17 April 1798, Blount, TN/d. 5 Sept. 1875, Audelia, Dallas, Texas) + wife Eliza Brown (b. 26 July 1802, Blount, TN). They married on 4 July 1822 in Blount County, TN (9).

⇒ his father Andrew Jackson (b. 7 March 1761, Carrickfergus, Antrim, Ireland/d. 31 Jan. 1815, Blount, Tennessee) + wife Jean Sloan - they married on 8 June 1797 in Blount, TN (10).

⇒ his father Samuel William Jackson (b. ≈ 1727, Carrickfergus, Antrim, Ireland/d. 1814, Augusta, Virginia) + wife Martha Vateau (b. about 1739, Dublin, Ireland) - married on 22 Jan. 1791 in Middlesex, Virginia (11).

⇒ his brother Andrew Bennett Jackson (b. 20 July 1737, Carrickfergus, Antrim, Ireland/d. 1 March 1767, Waxhaw, Lancaster, South Carolina) + wife Elizabeth Hutchinson

⇒ his son Andrew Jackson

Annie Jewell and Porter Oather Rippy had seven children - four girls and three boys.
Annie lived 70 years and one day. She died in Garland, Texas on 16 January 1967, a day after her 70th birthday.

Porter passed away ten years earlier on 15 July 1957 due to cerebral hemorrhage. Porter lived 68 years, one month and fifteen days.

Annie and Porter's home was at 310 Sallie Circle, Richardson, Texas then (12). Their house which was built only three years earlier still exists. I googled the address and found out that the house was for sale.

Both Porter and Annie were buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas.

*my MyHeritage research

Resources
1. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3LZ-JYL : accessed 13 June 2018), Jewel Jackson in household of Kalup Jackson, Justice Precinct 2 (east part), Dallas, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 130, sheet 3B, family 55, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,625.
2. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2M3-QFV : accessed 13 June 2018), Jewel Jackson in household of Capa Jackson, Farmers Branch, Dallas, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 81, sheet 5B, family 77, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1545; FHL microfilm 1,375,558.

3. "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXQ-KLX : 13 March 2018), Porter Oather Rippy, 1917-1918; citing Dallas County, Texas, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,953,185.
4. "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNZ1-727 : 4 December 2014), R S Rippy and M F Gant, 01 Aug 1888; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing p. 122, Sumner, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.
5. "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-P56R : 14 October 2017), R S Rippy and M F Gant, 30 Jul 1888; citing Sumner, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 969,862.
6. "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-P56P : 14 October 2017), R S Rippy and M F Gant, 30 Jul 1888; citing Sumner, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 969,862. 
7. "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-GLNB : 14 October 2017), J M Gant and Mary J Graves, 19 Jan 1868; citing Sumner, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 969,853.
8. "North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8YY-7JM : 10 February 2018), Benjamin Gant and Polly Tarpley, 20 May 1833; citing Orange,North Carolina, reference ; FHL microfilm 6,330,298. 
9. "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VN4G-HCT : 4 December 2014), John Jackson and Eliza Brown, 04 Jul 1822; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing p. 95, Blount, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. 
10. "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VN4G-HCG : 4 December 2014), Andrew Jackson and Jean Sloan, 08 Jun 1797; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing p. 95, Blount, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. 
11. "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5B7-S6B : 11 February 2018), William Jackson and Martha Vaughan, 22 Jan 1791; citing Middlesex, Virginia, reference p7; FHL microfilm 32,460. 
12. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K33Z-HT9 : 13 March 2018), Porter Oather Rippy, 15 Jul 1957; citing certificate number 36617, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,135,739.

Credits:
 Portrait of Andrew Jackson:

By Tennessee Portrait Project [1], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15495567

Carrickfergus Castle drawing: By Antiqueportrait - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5344357

Photo of Jewell's gravestone: Jan McKee 

 

Father's Day

Our father Shrader Harold was born on 6 Sept. 1909 in Collin County, Texas. He had three older sisters and three older brothers. In the town of Plano, Shrader grew up, went to school and started his family (in 1939).

Father was a caring parent and a dear husband. He ran a little store in which he worked twelve hours a day to support his wife and children.

Dad was a kind and good man. He enjoyed the great food made by mom. At weekends, when he had some spare time, father liked listening to country and western music on TV.

During WW2, he sold the land in Plano which he had inherited after his parents and moved with his immediate family to Dallas. Dad did not want them to live in the middle of nowhere (which Plano very much was at that time) in case if he got drafted. People meant more to him than money.

Father passed on 12 October 1990. He lived 81 years and 36 days. He found his eternal resting place at Restland Cemetery in Dallas, TX.

Thank you, Sharder Harold, for your son, my wonderful husband.

UPDATE:

Looking through the old Dallas directories I came across Shrader + family's adress in

1956

N Washington 1206 Gant Shrader H 

Source: John F. Worley Directory Co. Dallas City Directory, 1944-45, book, 1944; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth806908/: accessed April 17, 2019), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Public Library.

The directory entry from 1961 includes his position and the Company which he worked for.

Shrader H (Bessie H) control checker Cohen Candy h 1206 N Washington aV

Source: R.L. Polk & Co. Dallas City Directory, 1961, book, 1961; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth806907/: accessed April 17, 2019), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Public Library.

The house in which they lived at North Washington Avenue no longer exists.

Cline/ Klein/ Schuffert Family and Paul Gerhardt

Today I write about one of our side family tree branches which goes to Germany or I maybe should say came from Germany to America. Anyway, it connects us to Paul Gerhardt, theologian and Lutheran pastor, the greatest German hymn writer.

In one of the previous posts, I told you about our great-great-grandfather, Jacob Rippy Gant who moved our family line to Tennessee. Jacob's brother Joshua Allen Gant (born circa 1823 in Orange County, North Carolina) married Miss Mary Jane Cline on 11 Feb. 1861. It happened in Sumner County, Tennessee.

Mary Jane was a daughter of  Mr. Andrew Jackson Cline (born 15 June 1806, Sumner County, Tennessee) and Miss Mary Cynthia Fykes of Tennessee.

Record source: "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-GN7D : 22 December 2016), Andrew Cline and Polly Fikes, 03 Dec 1833; citing Sumner, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 969,845.

Andrew Jackson's father was John Cline whose wife was Miss Rachel Shaver. She was also Andrew Jackson's mother.

North Carolina, Civil Marriages

Name: John Cline 
Event Type: Marriage Notice
Event Date: 5 Nov 1798
Event Place: Cabarrus, North Carolina, United States
Gender: Male
Spouse's Name: Rachel Shaver
Spouse's Gender: Female

Record source: "North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29D-1XXS : 11 May 2018), John Cline and Rachel Shaver, 1798.

And here we reach Germany - John's mother was Anna Katherina Klein (nee Schuffert) born in Lorraine, Germany on 14 Nov. 1732.

On 28 Sept. 1733, Anna came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her parents, Johann Jerg Schuffert and Gertrude Schuffert nee Hubener.

John's father Hans Michael Klein was born in Upper Rhine, Germany on 27 May 1725. He arrived in Philadelphia in 1738. Hans married Anna Katherina Schuffert on 17 June 1750 in Dryville, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Anna's father Johann Jerg Schuffert was born on 1 July 1689 in Langenselbold, Hesse-Nassau, Germany. Her mother was Gertrude Hubener (born on 1 March 1699 in Germany as well).

Johann's mother was Catherine Gerhardt born in Nassau, Deggendorf, Bayern, Germany on 28 April 1656. In 1670 Catherine married Johann's father Michael Schuffert (b. 19 Feb. 1655, Rangsdorf, Teltow, Brandenburg, Germany).

Catherine's father was Paul Gerhardt, son of Ludwig Christian Gerhardt and Anna Dobler.

(12 March 1607, Gräfenhainichen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany - 27 May 1676, Lübben, Brandenburg, Germany).

The house of Paul Gerhardt - Gräfenhainichen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany

"Commit whatever grieves thee into the gracious hands of Him who never leaves thee, 
who heav'n and earth commands. 
Who points the clouds their courses, 
Whom winds and waves obey, 
He will direct thy footsteps and find for thee a way." - Paul Gerhardt

The Paul Gerhardt's line* in short:

➦ his daughter Catherine Schuffert
➦ her son Johann Jerg Schuffert
➦ his daughter Anna Katherina Klein (Schuffert)
➦ her son John Cline
➦ his son Andrew Jackson Cline
➦ his daughter Mary Jane Gant (Cline)
➦ her husband Joshua Allen Gant
➦ his brother Jacob Rippy Gant - our great-great-grandfather

*My MyHeritage research

Credits:

• Picture of Gerhardt:

Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=367908

• Picture of Gerhardt's House: 

Von Doris Antony, Berlin - photo taken by Doris Antony, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4025150

• Quote: http://www.azquotes.com/author/21543-Paul_Gerhardt

Victoria Gant

Victoria Wylie Augusta Gant was the oldest daughter/child of John Lee Gant and Rachel Clementine Howard.
Victoria came to this world on 13 March 1893 in Dallas, Texas.

When she was a young lady, Victoria was an active member of Fannie Harrington Chapel and Bethany Church in Plano. Studying old newspapers, I learned that she also enjoyed socializing, attending parties and meeting other persons of the local society.

 Transcription
Correspondence. Harrington Chapel Items

Bro. Humphries filled his pulpit Sunday at eleven o'colock.

The Children's Day program was to have been rendered last Sunday night was rained out but will be carried out Sunday night beginning at 8:30 p.m. Everybody cordially invited.

Miss Ina Erickson of Allen is the guest of Misses Leone Matthews and Victoria and Viola Gant this week.

The ladies Missionary Society was entertained at the home of Mrs. John Harrington. Several invited guests present were entertained with music by Misses Maud Davis and Leone Matthews, and readings by little Misses Helen Davis and Fannie Lee Harrington. Refreshments served consisted of ice cream and cake.

Sunday School every Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. Everybody come. Junior League at 3 p.m. They are doing a good work with the children.

J. H. Harrington started his thrashing machine Thursday. The big rain Sunday intereferred with the thrasher men.

Mrs. J. V. Brimer has returned home from McKinney where she had a surgical operation on her neck. She is improving at this writing.

Miss Leone Matthews entertained the following to dinner Sunday: Misses Mildred Kennedy, Ethel Howard, Victoria and Viola Gant, Ina Erickson, and Willie Brown of Allen.

Mrs. Lee Howard and children were Frisco visitors Tuesday.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1912, newspaper, June 27, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570549/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Mr. J. H. Harrington was John Huffman Harrington, husband of Fannie, the Fannie Harrington Chapel leader.
• Mrs. Lee Howard (Dora Elizabeth Angel, wife of Robert Lee Howard) mentioned above was Victoria's aunt. Ethel Howard was Dora's daughter, Victoria's cousin. Viola Gant (Viola Winfred Gant, born 1895) was Victoria's younger sister.

🌟

From Harrington Chapel news:
Transcription
Mrs. J. L. Angel who has been sick, is now convalescent.

Miss Tessie Dupree was the guest of the Misses Gant Sunday.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 9, 1912, newspaper, May 9, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570559/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Mrs. J. L. Angel was Mrs. Opal Angel nee Blankenship, wife of James Lafayette Angel. The latter one was Victoria's third cousin once removed.

🌟

Bethany Church news: Transcription

Evelyn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Carpenter, who was operated on for appendictis, was resting nicely at last report.

Miss Lula Brown and sisters, Misses Victoria and Viola Gant, entertained the young folks Saturday night. Games were the diversions of the evening. About thirty-five guests were present and each left thanking these young ladies for such a delightful evening.

Quite a crowd attended the closing exercises of the faulkner school Friday night.

Clipping source:

Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 18, 1912, newspaper, May 18, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570314/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Miss Lula Brown was Victoria's sister. 
• Mr. G. E. Carpenter was Gibson Edgar Carpenter (born 1856 in Plano).  He was our distant relation (related to the Brown and also to the Harrington family). Gibson's wife was Elizabeth Cyrene King (born 1876). Their daughter Evelyn King Carpenter was born in 1899.

🌟

Transcription
Misses Victoria and Viola Gant have returned home to their home at Plano after a delightful visit to their cousin, Miss Nona Porter, of this city.

Clipping: Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 12, 1912, newspaper, September 12, 1912; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth292114/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Nona was a daughter of Jeannie Mae Howard and Thomas Alexander Porter.
• "This city" was McKinney.

🌟

21 Jan. 1915

Transcription

ENTERTAINS

---

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Witt entertained quite a number of young people Thursday night, "forty-two" being the diversion of the evening. Those present were: Miss Nona Porter, of McKinney,; Miss Leone Erickson. Terah Philpot, Etta Grantham, Isabel Beverly, Geraldine Schimelpfenig, Winnie Bourn, Ethel Howard, Lula Brown, Victoria and Viola Gant, Messrs. May-jor Bush, Vennie Tucker, Hendrick, Madingly, Nence Duke, Jess Scott, Cecil Richards, Glenn Dupree, Buster Scott, Estier, Walter Yarbrough, Walter Cocrell, Miss Geraldine Schimelpfenig and Mr. Jess Scott of Allen, won high score.

Clipping: Wankan, Fred E. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 21, 1915, newspaper, January 21, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601768/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

• Mrs. Arthur Witt was Clevie May Brown, Victoria's sister. 
• Cecil Richards was Lenzie Cecil Richards (born 1890), the future husband of Ethel Howard (Victoria's cousin) - the two got married on 2 March 1916.  
• Glenn Dupree was Glenn Brent Dupree (born 1890) - a cousin of Victoria's brother's wife.
• "Forty-two" is a domino game, played like a card game. It requires constant domino dots counting and bidding at the right moment. The game was invented in 1887 by two Texas teenage boys William Thomas and Walter Earl. The youngsters taught their families to play the game, and soon it became a popular pastime activity all over Texas.  You can check on the game rules here.

🌟

Transcription

(...) Mrs. Emma Hart and daughter of Murphy are visiting G. M. Hart and wife. Misses Winnie Bourn and Victoria Gant visited friends south of Plano Sunday.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, May 12, 1916, newspaper, May 12, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601571/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Mrs. Emma Hart (Mary Emma Hart born in 1874) mentioned in the Bethany Itmes was also a relation - she was a sister of Andrew Morgan Gant.

🌟

And the game of forty-two again. This time at the house of Gibson Egdar Carpenter.
Our Victoria must have been very good at that game.

Transcription

MEETING OF APRIL 28

At the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. G.E. Carpenter Friday evening, April 28, 1916, The Idlewise club and a large number of invited guests were most pleasantly entertained by Mesdames H. T. Farrell, J. S. Aldridge, Emma Bishop and G. E. Carpenter, members of the club.

There were fourteen tables of enthusiastic forty-two, a game that never looses its charm.
Miss Victoria Gant, a club member, won high score, having gained twelve games out of fourteen.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 50, Ed. 1 Friday, May 19, 1916, newspaper, May 19, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601603/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Wish I knew what that Idlewise club was. It seems it was not a local thing only as I have found that name in some old newspapers issued in other states as well.

• Mrs. J. S. Aldridge was Annie Bell Haggard, wife James Shelton Aldridge (b. 1866). James was related to our aunt Lula's (Victoria's sister's) father.

The game evening report was not exactly correct - see below.

Transcription

PLEASE MAKE THIS CORRECTION
---
I want to call your attention to a slight error made in last week's account of the forty two party at Mrs G. E. Carpenter's. Instead of Miss Victoria Gant winning twelve games out of fourteen, she won every game played, which was something never done before the history of the club.

A GUEST

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 51, Ed. 1 Friday, May 26, 1916, newspaper, May 26, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601588/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Bravo Victoria! Proud of our aunt Vickie!

🌟

In 1918 Victoria was in a serious car acciden the result of which was her broken back. Victoria recovered and devoted herself to taking care of the family members. She looked after the sick ones, and the children of the family, helped those ones who needed her guardianship.

Aunt Victoria

The people who knew her say she was like a living saint - unselfish and caring, devoting her time helping others.

In 1972, Victoria lived at 3626 Oak Grove Ave in Dallas. The house no longer exists. Victoria passed in DOA Parkland Memorial Hospital on 5 October 1972 at 3:15 AM (due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease). She was 79 years old.

Victoria's body was buried at Plano Mutual Cemetery.

Credits
Photo of the grave marker: mystic75074

Wywiady Klubowe: Rozmowa z Renatą Bang

Dzisiejszy Wywiad to "przystanek Norwegia" i spotkanie z Renatą.
Ach, Norwegia, przynajmniej na chwilę możemy odpocząć od teksaskiego upału... 
Reanata już na nas czeka, witamy się więc i od razu pytamy:


Renato, gdzie jest Twoje miejsce w Polsce, jak dawno temu wyjechałaś z kraju?

Pochodzę z wielkopolski - to piękny region, mimo że nie mamy widoków na morze i góry. Są za to jeziora i mnóstwo lasów, a ja bezgranicznie kocham las. W tym roku mija 20 lat, jak wyjechałam z Polski.

Kraj i przyczyna Twoje emigracji to...

Wyjechałam do Norwegii jako au-pair. Z założenia miał to być krótki wyjazd, tylko na chwilę. Żeby sobie odpocząć, trochę dorobić, zdobyć nowe umiejętności i oczywiście zobaczyć piękną Skandynawię. A po powrocie do kraju, pełna nowej energii, miałam rozpocząć studia. Tak się jednak nie stało. Norwegia urzekła mnie spokojem, wszechobecnie panującą ciszą i pięknem natury. Rwące potoki, tysiące wodospadów, fiordy, lodowce, białe noce, a nawet noc polarna mają tutaj swój wyjątkowy urok, któremu nie zdołałam się oprzeć.

Jakie masz wykształcenie?

Z zawodu jestem pielęgniarką i choć mogłabym z powodzeniem pracować w innym zawodzie, nie zamieniłabym go na żaden inny. Uwielbiam to, co robię, daje mi to mnóstwo satysfakcji, choć łatwo nie jest. Może dlatego każdy uśmiech i słowa wdzięczności usłyszane od pacjenta dodają mi skrzydeł i napędzają do dalszej pracy.

 

Co lubisz robić w wolnym czasie?

W wolnym czasie bardzo dużo spaceruję, spędzam czas w ogrodzie, wybieramy się z rodziną na wspólne wycieczki, by przecierać nowe szlaki. Oczywiście uwielbiam też spotkania z koleżankami przy kawie czy pizzy. Ogólnie rzecz biorąc, okres wiosenno-letni to czas spędzany w ruchu, na świeżym powietrzu. Zimą natomiast wolę zamknąć się w domu. Czytam wtedy mnóstwo książek, produkuję na drutach skarpetki lub szydełkuję. Bardzo lubię też malować, choć ostatnio skupiłam się raczej na pisaniu.

Z czego jesteś dumna?

Jestem dumna, że się odnalazłam w nowej, norweskiej rzeczywistości, że mam wspaniałą rodzinę i dom. Na emigracji zamieniłam nieco sposób myślenia. Ze swojego słownika wykreśliłam słowo „muszę”, a zastąpiłam je wyrazem „chcę”, zrozumiałam bowiem, że aby życie stało się lżejsze, trzeba robić to, co sprawia przyjemność, a nie zmuszać do tego, co „wypada”. Oczywiście te wszystkie „chcenia” trzeba wcielać w życie. Nie wystarczy pomyśleć, by coś się stało. Trzeba jeszcze ciężko zapracować, by coś osiągnąć. Niekiedy, gdy kończą mi się możliwości, przychodzi czas na zmianę priorytetów. Przekonałam się, że słowa mają moc. Najważniejsze to robić swoje najlepiej jak się potrafi i żyć zgodnie ze swoim sumieniem, nie oceniając innych. Ja się do tego zastosowałam i jestem z tego naprawdę dumna.

Kiedy zaczęłaś pisać bloga i o czym piszesz?

Bloga zaczęłam prowadzić niedługo po tym, jak zapisałam się do Klubu Polek na Obczyźnie, bo tego wymagał regulamin uczestnictwa. Tematy tekstów podrzuca mi samo życie. Piszę o emigracji w Norwegii, o moim codziennym dniu, przygodach i wyzwaniach, jakie przede mną stają, o nowo poznanych ludziach, urokach przyrody… o wszystkim, co mnie spotyka i porusza. A ostatnio zdarzyło mi się przygotować też kilka tekstów o książce, którą napisałam.

Czym jest dla Ciebie Klub Polki na Obczyźnie?

Klub jest dla mnie miejscem spotkań wspaniałych osób, które mieszkają w najróżniejszych zakątkach świata. Mam wrażenie, że gdzie bym nie pojechała, to zawsze mogę się z którąś z dziewczyn umówić na kawę, poplotkować i jestem traktowana jak członek rodziny. To trochę tak, jakby cały świat był w zasięgu mojej reki. Uwielbiam te nasze klubowe spotkania i pogaduchy prawie do rana.

Wspomniałaś wcześniej, że napisałaś książkę. O czym w niej przeczytamy?

„Przystanek Norwegia. W poszukiwaniu zorzy” to książka o Norwegii i Norwegach z perspektywy Polki, która mieszka tutaj już od prawie 20 lat. W książce mówię o życiu codziennym i niecodziennych przygodach, które mi się tu przytrafiły. Opisuję spotkania z ludźmi, podróże po kraju, wyprawy pod hytte (domek letniskowy), mój dzień w pracy. Książka powstała z potrzeby serca, bo pomysł wpadł mi do głowy podczas spacerów i kiełkował, aż w końcu uległam namowom przydrożnego kamienia, od którego wszystko się zaczęło. Książkę wydaję samodzielnie, bo bardzo zależy mi na jakości i dlatego sama chcę decydować o tym, jak ma wyglądać okładka (zdjęcie A.K. Gumos, projekt L. Szwabowska), redakcja (K. Kasperek i K. Kołodziejczyk), redakcja i korekta (M. Cyra i A. B. Bittner), jakie zdjęcia i rysunki (Milena Górska) się w niej znajdą etc. W prace zaangażowała się grupa wspaniałych osób, bez których nie byłoby tej książki. Jestem z tego dumna i wdzięczna za okazane mi zaufanie. Książka jest w sprzedaży od 1 czerwca na Polakpotrafi.

RENATA BANG

Strony Renaty:
Blog: Renifer na Emigracji
Facebook: renifernaemigracji 
Instagram: @renifernaemigracji

Renato, dziękujemy za spotkanie i życzymy Ci wszysktiego najlepszego z okazji Urodzin, które dzisiaj obchodzisz! Sto lat i niech się Twoja książka dobrze sprzedaje!


Zdjęcia: Renata Bang