Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 52

In the early 1900s, before automobiles were parked at nearly every home, travel of any distance was typically by train. Postcards featuring trains and the depots were very common. Train depots were often elaborate buildings, making them an attractive postcard subject. Travelers who wanted to let the family back home know how their trip was going would purchase a postcard at the depot while the train was in the station and send an update. Postcards were also used to pen quick notes, such as this one from the collection of Edith (Duffield) Sisson.

This card was sent as a thank you note by a woman named Daisy Haywood. It features a depot in Kinsley, Kansas for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF). This depot was built in 1887 and was used first for the AT&SF and later the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. The small building next to the depot was used a freight house. The buildings were demolished in 1999.

A. T. & S. F. Depot, Kinsley, Kans.

Postmarked in Kinsley, Kansas, September 1911

Addressed to:

Mrs. Edith Cisson

Marcy St.

Ottawa

Ills.

9/2/1911

Mrs. Cisson,

Dear friend: - I rec'd a letter from

the folks telling how pleased they 

were on finding things so well taken

care of in their absence and I

take this way in thanking

you, which is but a weak

way of putting it, for the kind-

ness that you have shown

them. We all fully appreci-

ate the kindness.

Your friend Daisy Haywood

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 51

I got sidetracked from this collection several months ago after posting #1-50. That was only the first half of this wonderful collection of postcards saved by Edith (Duffield) Sisson (1864-1926). The postcards were found in the Sierra Madre, California home of her grandson, Warren Brown, after his death in 2015. They were stacked and tied up with string, then tucked away in a box of photos and other memorabilia. This one is extra special because the note on the back was from her husband, Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927).

65. Interior of Big Pavilion, - Saugatuck, Mich.

The Big Pavilion was built in the Spring of 1909 as a dance hall to entertain the families vacationing for the summer in Saugatuck. It was situated on the banks of the Kalamazoo River and not far from Mount Baldhead (if you wanted to climb more than two hundred steps to the top). Wealthy and upper-middle-class families flocked to the resort from Chicago, St. Louis and the surrounding areas for vacations. Some very wealthy drove themselves, but most came by train or by boat across Lake Michigan. They could then either drive or rent a horse and carriage to take them to the beach on Lake Michigan. Some families rented canoes and paddled the river, or fished from the docks. Many, though, came for the dances and concerts in the Pavilion. Saugatuck was in the "dry" county of Allegan, so refreshments at the pavilion were limited to soda, lemonade and perhaps an ice cream or some popcorn. Young men wishing to meet and dance with unescorted young ladies had to first be introduced by the Master of Ceremonies.

Addressed to:

Mrs C. H Sisson

Dear Madam this is

from your old man

Fennville Mich July 31 -11

Dear Edith i got here

safe and sound also 

right side down, at

two oclock in the

morning. Had a nice 

trip the lake was 

as smooth as glass

the smoothest i ever

saw it. the folks are

all well this is all this time

P(ea) S(oup) i think i will be

Home thursday

night on the CRI

There isn't a postmark, full address, or a stamp, so I think it's safe to say that this card was sent in a package or another envelope. The Sissons lived in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois. His message offers a glimpse of Charles's personality. The "Dear Madam this is from your old man", "right side down", and "P(ea) S(oup)" for postscript are all fun little touches that show he was a good-natured man. 

Charles parents, Luther and Mary Jane (Bassage) Sisson, lived just west of Fennville, Michigan. In 1910, they had two grown children, James and Dora, living with them, too. James helped his father with the farming on land that they owned.  The town of Saugatuck, with the Big Pavilion pictured on this postcard, was less than ten miles from the farm. 

About 1900, Fennville, Michigan
Left to right: Belle Adora "Dora" Sisson, Dora's daughter Beulah, Mary Jane (Bassage) Sisson - seated, Emma Lucinda (Sisson) Buchanan, James Sisson, Luther Sisson - seated, and Emma's daughter Lizzie.

Charles traveled across Lake Michigan by boat, probably from Chicago, on his trip to Fennville. He likely returned the same way, but then had to get from Chicago to Ottawa. We know from his postscript that he planned to take the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, called the Chicago Rock Island, or the CRI, for short. His old lady may have been waiting for him at the station that Thursday night.

Erastus Caleb Aplington - Farmer, Public Servant, Miner - 1852-1897

A gentleman should be an honest, hard-working member of society, a faithful husband, and a good provider for his family. He should treat others with kindness and respect. He should educate his children and pass on to them his strong moral values. Erastus Caleb Aplington was a gentleman.

Erastus Caleb Aplington
Photo taken after 1873
Courtesy of Rene Rodgers

He was born on October 12, 1852, in Deposit, Broome County, New York to James Page Aplington and his wife, Sarah Jane Anthony. The youngest of 8 children, he joined five older sisters (Catharine 17, Charlotte 16, Murietta 13, Sarah Anne 11 and Helen 7) and two older brothers (Nathan  9 and Lewis A. 5). When Erastus was a toddler, his family moved west, settling for a time in Buffalo, Ogle, Illinois near his Uncle Zenas Aplington's family. It was here that his sister Charlotte met and married her husband, Cyrus Doty, and here she remained while the rest of the family traveled further west to Butler County, Iowa where James Aplington bought some land and began farming.

Erastus and his brothers helped their father with the farm work while the girls helped their mother with the housekeeping. Weddings seemed to always be on the horizon as his older siblings reached adulthood. Murietta was married in 1862, then both Catharine and Nathan in 1866, followed by Sarah in 1867. This left Helen, Lewis, and Erastus at home with their parents when, in the fall of 1867, tragedy struck the family. Father James died at the age of 53. Fifteen-year-old Erastus now had to work even harder to help his widowed mother. It would be several years before there was another wedding as the family struggled to survive without James' guidance. Sarah must have been quite savvy because the farm flourished with her at the helm. They weren't rich by any means, but they were much better off than some of their neighboring farmers. During these early years, Erastus was very close to his sisters and his mother who taught him to respect all women. He also learned the value of hard work as he worked alongside his family members to become a successful farmer.

In the early 1870's, Erastus met a young woman named Affa Harding Goodsell and the two fell in love. Soon, the Aplington family was planning another wedding. On November 13, 1873, the young couple was married in what would be one of the last things Erastus did in Iowa.

Soon after the wedding, Erastus, Affa, his sister Helen, brother Lewis A. and mother Sarah prepared to move. They sold the farm and packed up their belongings. Erastus's married siblings Catharine, Murietta, Sarah Anne, and Nathan went too, as did Affa's brother Ansel. All of these families made the 500-mile journey to Norton County, Kansas, a trip that probably took a few weeks or longer. They settled in an area close to the town of Almena along the county line between Norton County and Phillips County. Catharines's husband Isaac Hall was a minister, and the other families took up farming.

Sarah (Anthony) Aplington homestead in Northeast Norton County, Kansas, circa 1890.
Photo shared 24 Nov 2008 on Ancestry.com by user Richard_Pittaway_1954 

Near Almena, in August of 1874, Erastus and Affa had their first child, a daughter they named Anna Claire. Two weeks later, Erastus's sister, 33-year-old Sarah Anne Stevens died, leaving a husband and small children. For the next several years, Erastus and Affa were very busy caring for a farm and a growing family. Daughters Maretta (1876), Ella May (1878), and Katherine Irene (1880) and son Guy (1881) joined their big sister Anna. Once again, though, a life ended too soon. This time it was little Guy, dead in 1883 at barely 18 months old. It is so difficult to lose a parent. Then a siblings death brings one's own mortality front and center. Guy's death, however, would surely have left a big gaping hole in Erastus's heart. Parents are expected to die before their children. Thankfully, there was some joy to be found when another daughter, Mary Edna, was born later that year. Followed by more sorrow when his mother Sarah passed in 1884. And then joy again when two more sons, James William and Erastus Clifford, were born in 1886 and 1888, respectively.

29 Oct 1885, Norton Courier, Page 4
clipping from Newspapers.com

These joys and sorrows, a roller-coaster ride of emotions, were surely all felt deeply by Erastus and the impact of these events would have a profound impact on him. He was a very busy man. He became more civic-minded, joined clubs and ran for public office. Twice (1885 & 1886) he was paid for assessing Almena township at census time. He was elected a County Commissioner on the Democratic ticket in 1886 and opened a restaurant in Almena. He ran for County Treasurer in 1887 on the Union Labor ticket.

26 April 1888, Almena County Plaindealer, Page 3
clipping from Newspapers.com

He was a member of the GAR (though I'm unaware of any military service)  and the Knights of Pythias, where he held the second highest position in the local lodge, the Keeper of Records and Seal. To become a member of the Pythagorean Brotherhood, Erastus's character had been rigorously tested and he was found to be of the highest moral character. He was appointed to a committee on credentials for the Phillips County Farmers Alliance in 1890.

But Erastus was also a risk-taker. Perhaps to put money away for his family in case he should die young like his father. Or maybe there was a bit of gambler in his personality. He invested in a very expensive Percheron horse which the local paper wrote about. A show horse, or a stud horse, the nature of the animal is unknown. They were very large, tough animals often used in farming.

2 April 1886, The Alma Enterprise, Page 1
clipping from Newspapers.com

A few years later, in 1892, Erastus was named in a lawsuit - a foreclosure action brought against him, Affa, and his sister Catharine Hall for almost $1600.00. He and Affa had transferred a parcel of land to Catharine previous to this, and it may be that parcel in question. The outcome of the lawsuit is not known.

10 March 1892, Norton Courier, Page 4
Clipping from Newspapers.com

Did he lose money on the horse and/or the lawsuit? Did he lose credibility as an honorable man because of these or other events? While his financial and social positions at the time are unknown, something persuaded him to take his family to Park County Colorado by 1895 and try his luck at mining. Erastus signed his daughter Rena's (Katherine Irene) autograph book in Alma, CO.

Oh may your life like a beautiful day
Be ever one bright morn
May you pluck lifes blossoms with gentle hands
And avoid its bitter thorns
Is one of the dearest wishes of your Father
EC Aplington
Alma Colo Feb 3. 1895
Courtesy of Rene Rodgers

In September of that year, his daughter Ella May married Joseph Warden in London Junction, near Alma. During the next two years, the family lived in the bustling mining community situated at the highest elevation of any town in the country. I imagine hard winters, some lawlessness they must have encountered, and the fear that Affa surely felt each day as her husband headed out to do dangerous work. Her fears were realized with the devastating news on November 22nd, 1897 that Erastus had perished in a mine accident. His loss was an enormous blow to the family. He was adored by his children and his wife, and he was their provider. The community also felt the loss. Though the family had been there for just a short time, Erastus had made many friends among the miners and their families. He worked hard, doing whatever was necessary, even in the face of extreme danger, and by doing so he had earned the respect of the mining community.

Shared on Ancestry.com by user plantdude3441 on 31 Mar 2013.

Affa was able to call on the Woodmen of the World to pay the funeral and burial expenses for her husband, thanks to his forethought in purchasing insurance through the fraternal organization. Erastus was buried in Buckskin Joe Cemetery in Alma, with a stately headstone, courtesy of the Woodmen.

Like many mining communities of the period, Alma is now virtually a ghost town. The cemetery remains, though, and Erastus's stone stands tall and proud, as he did in life.

Gravesite of Erastus Aplington.
Photo courtesy of Rene Rodgers.

Shadrack Holdaway, born 15 October 1822

Much has been written about Shadrack (also Shedrick, Shadrach) Holdaway, one of my husband's 3rd Great-Grandfathers and a Mormon pioneer who helped to establish the city of Provo, Utah. Today is his birthday, 196 years ago.

Shadrack Holdaway
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9351805/shedrack-holdaway
Photo added by Colleen Koelliker on 29 Jan 2006

Shadrack was born on 15 October 1822 in Hawkins County, Tennessee to Timothy and Mary (Trent)  Holdaway. The family moved from Tennessee to Indiana and later to Illinois, a common migration path of the period. On 30 April 1843, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and, a few months later, went to Nauvoo, Illinois, a town established by Joseph Smith for Mormon followers to escape conflict. After Joseph's death in 1844, violence against the Mormons became increasingly worse, until they were driven out of Nauvoo. Eventually, most of those that fled would settle in the Great Salt Lake region of Utah, but along the way, the church leaders were asked by President Polk to provide a volunteer battalion to fight in the Mexican-American War. They were offered compensation for each soldier, and it was decided that the volunteer's wages would go into a general church fund to finance the trip west. Shadrack was one of more than 500 men to volunteer when he enlisted on 16 July 1846 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. A member of Company C of the Mormon Battalion, he marched almost 2000 miles to San Diego, California where he was discharged a year after enlisting. 

From the Mormon Battalion Memorial
in San Diego, California.

Gold fever struck in California at about the same time and Shadrack didn't miss his opportunity to do a little mining on his way to join the saints in Utah. He left the American River with three thousand dollars worth of gold dust, and arrived in Salt Lake Valley on 24 October 1848. He was the first man to pay his tithings to the church in gold dust. Two months later he married Lucinda Haws, the daughter of Gilberth and Hannah (Whitcomb) Haws.

Following are some excerpts from Lucinda Haws Holdaway autobiography, as dictated to Etna H. Foulger in 1907:

"The following March, 1849, my father and family, together with thirty other families, were called to go south to Utah Valley to settle up that part of the country. I did not go as I intended going back to the States with my husband in May to get some machinery for making woolen goods. We left Salt Lake City in company with thirteen others, among them Brother Lorenzo D. Young and wife and Doctor Bernhisel who was going to Washington, D.C., on business. Ten men of the company intended to stay at the upper crossing of the Platte River to run a ferry to help the emigrants across the river. Brother Young and wife went with us. One day our little company stopped for noon at a place called Independence Rock east of Fort Bridger."

"We journeyed on to Green River. Previous to leaving Salt Lake City we had prepared a watertight wagon box. We ferried ourselves across the Green River with oars in the wagon box. It served a very good purpose. We reached Platte River which we had to cross on a raft. Here ten men of the company stopped to help ferry Saints across the river. Brother Young and wife, Doctor Bernhisel, my husband and myself went on to Fort Laramie which was then an old government station. The second day after we left the company we began to meet train after train of gold seekers going to California."

"We traveled along alright, until my husband and I took sick with cholera. I came very nearly dying; but he was able to drive."

They made stops in Missouri and Illinois (with family for the birth of their first baby - a son who lived only four months), and finally Kanesville, Iowa where they purchased the woolen mill machinery before heading back to the Salt Lake Valley.

"After the cholera died out, we got along real well without an accident for several hundred miles. We had all the buffalo and antelope meat we wanted and some deer meat, which we got in the Black Hills. The Company dried a lot of it and it came in very well, for we needed it when we got out of the buffalo country."

"My husband was on guard at night and during the day he walked ahead and drove the stock. He shod the horses and was looked to as a kind of overseer of the Company."

"We were now getting into the mountains on this side of the Sweetwater River. Our wagons were loaded with machinery and our horses were just about given out. Our bread stuff was all used up except some whole corn which I made hominy of and we lived on this until we reached the Salt Lake Vally in September 1850. Here and there in the little city were patches of grain and vegetables. We lived in our wagon until my husband managed to get the walls of a small adobe house up. We put a portion of our things in the little house and stretched a domestic wagon cover over the place where the bed stood which would shelter us for awhile until my husband had time to put a roof on it. He had to get the wagons unloaded and haul hay and wood for the winter. We were living in Big Cottonwood Creek at this time. There was no floor, no roof and no door in the house. It had been raining for three days - was still raining - and in the midst of this, on November 4, 1850, my second baby was born. Everything in the house was wet through and streams of water poured through the wagon cover onto my bed. We set pans to catch the water. The baby, which we name Timothy, loved but a few minutes and I came nearly dying also."

"On the 28th of December we left for Provo. I drove in an open wagon all the way. It was just about the coldest weather I ever experienced. We camped out two nights and reached the Fort on the last day of December, 1850. We could not get a house to live in, except an old log cabin with just the walls and a dirt floor. It wasn't very good for winter use but we fixed a roof on it and stayed there until March, 1851. We then built us a log cabin on the other side of Provo River. It was neither chinked nor plastered, but it was a paradise compared with the ones we had lived in before. Next, my husband built a machine shop and set up the first carding machinery brought into this country. Bishop David Evans helped to put it up and in October it was ready to begin work. Brother Evans first took charge of running it and then my husband. Soon after, he built a blacksmith shop."

In December of 1851, their son William Shadrack Holdaway was born. This child lived and was the beginning of a large family.

Lucinda had a sister, Eliza Haws, who was married to George Pickup. They had a son, George Pickup, Jr. Eliza claimed that George was intolerable to live with and divorced him on 3 September 1852. She claimed that he thought she was entertaining other men in their home and would hide outside behind trees at all hours of the day and night watching the house. When she became so scared that she couldn't stand it any longer, she divorced him. In November, she married Shadrack as his second wife in a plural marriage. Shadrack and Eliza had two children, a daughter that died in infancy and a son, Marion Haws Holdaway. Marion was born on 28 February 1855 and Eliza died just 5 days after his birth. Marion was my husband's second Great-Grandfather.

Shadrack and Lucinda had added to their family during that time. Amos David was born in January 1853 and John Madison came in April 1854. When Eliza died, there were four children under four years old in the household. The Indians were becoming more hostile and Shadrack feared for his families safety when he wasn't there, so he built a little house in town where he his family felt more protected. Shadrack was always busy doing what he could to provide not only for his family but for the community. He and his brother made a threshing machine from scrap iron, he helped lay out and build a logging road in Provo Canyon, and in the Spring of 1859, he built a sawmill. The children continued to come - five daughters and four more sons were born by 1870. In all, he fathered 16 children. Of those children, ten lived past infancy and are pictured in the photo below.

Shadrack Holdaway Family
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9351805/shedrack-holdaway
Photo added by Sunflower Lady on 29 Feb 2012

In 1873, Shadrack settled a piece of land near Vineyard, Utah and established a ranch. He laid out an irrigation canal that was used for several generations, maybe still today. This was remarkable for a man with very little formal education. He was always off building roads, canals, ditches or working in the sawmill. When home, he developed an orchard and raised cattle. His motto was, "I never expect more out of this old world than I put into it."

Shadrack was also a man of deep religious conviction. He read his Bible diligently, was a member of the 31st Quorum of Seventies and a High Priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

A week before his death, he is said to have cut down twelve big apple trees on his property before catching a cold. That cold developed into pneumonia and he died on his 54th wedding anniversary, 24 December 1902. The funeral was held in the Provo Tabernacle and he is buried in the Provo City Cemetery.

My husband has done an Ancestry DNA test and we are amazed by the number of matches he has descending from Shadrack and from the Haws family. Prolific Mormons, right? Anyway, Happy Birthday, Shadrack. Thank you for your contribution to the world.