WTC Work Space 11 Interesting Finds

Date: 2022 [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Interesting Finds

(~~~) = (Silva-1055)

(~~~~) = (Silva-1055 12:34, 9 June 2022 (UTC))

(~~~~~) = (12:34, 9 June 2022 (UTC))

List interesting finds to share with the guest at the end of the week

1. Kevin's relative Henry Mitchell Watson served as a Representative from Pennsylvania in the United States Congress from 1915 until his death in 1933. (Homer Thiel)
2. A banker and manufacturer, Robert Charles Schmertz (1829-1888) was a self made millionaire when he died in 1888 per his Obituary. (Marta Johnson)
3. Charlotte Bartlett knwon as Madam Varian Hoffman, was a stage singer. Her son by her first marriage was a Mormon pioneer, whilst her daughter born in Italy was a stage actress. (Kaitlyn Emmett)
4. Kyra Sedgwick uncle's uncle married former figure skating champion Joan Tozzer. Joan was set to captain the 1940 Winter Olympics figure skating team in Sapporo, but the Olympics were cancelled due to the onset of World War II. Joan's father Dr. Alfred Tozzer was a Harvard anthropologist who studied Mesoamerica and the Mayans, but he lies in the seventh degree from Kevin Bacon. (Karen Lowe)
5. Kyra Sedgwick's great-grandfather Endicott Peabody founded the prestigious Groton School. Endicott (through his mother) was first-cousin with U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt's first wife Alice Hathaway (Lee) Roosevelt. Many Roosevelts attended Groton School, including TR's sons TR Jr., Kermit, Archibald, and Quentin, as well as U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his sons James and FDR II. (Marta Johnson)
6. The brother of Kyra Sedgwick's great-grandfather, George Lee Peabody, divorced his wife in 1907 due to her desertion. He became engaged to Miss Edith Deacon and set a wedding date for 15 September 1910. He became ill in August, with various causes proposed including a hunting accident, sunstroke while playing tennis, or perhaps being hit by Edith's tennis racket. He developed a brain tumor, and the wedding was postponed at least three times during his treatment. His ex-wife called him the "best man that ever lived" and praised his fiancée as well. George wrote a will leaving his estate (valued over $500,000) to Edith Deacon, but was too ill to sign it. He died before they could marry, and she was unable to collect on the will. Edith's sisters had misfortunes of their own: Dorothy became a princess when she wed Prince Albert Radziwill, but their marriage was annulled in 1922. Edith's sister Gladys was once pursued by the Crown Prince of Prussia, but fell in love with the 9th Duke of Marlborough, whom she was unable to marry until his divorce in 1921. Postscript: when Edith was five her father killed her mother's lover in Cannes, causing an international sensation due to their prominence in society. Her father became insane and died in an asylum. (Karen Lowe)
7. Kyra's father is first-cousins with Edie Sedgwick, an "It Girl" in the 1960s, who was described as Andy Warhol's muse, and who also dated Bob Dylan. "Just Like A Woman" and "Like a Rolling Stone", among other songs, were said to have been inspired by Edie. (Marta Johnson)
8. I don't know if I'd say it's "interesting", but more like morbid/sad: John Anderson, the father of Kevin's 2x Great Grandmother's sister-in-law, was stabbed while working as toll collector on the Upper Allegheny Bridge in Pittsburgh in 1844. He later died of his wounds. The man who attacked him eventually won his appeal with the Supreme Court on a technicality because the court records didn't prove that he had been present for all parts of his trial. (Christy Melick)
9. Kevin's 1st cousin, 7x removed was John Woolman II. John Woolman II , was a New Jersey farmer, zealous Anti-Slavery journalist and traveling Quaker preacher (1720-1772). His influence and reputation was worldwide. Some sources attach a nickname John "The Journalist" John also lead the work of the Friends with the American Indians. John's father was Samuel Woolman, who was the brother of Kevin's 6th great grandmother, Elizabeth (Woolman) Paine, Hunt, Harvey. (Shonda (Sayers) Feather)
10. There's a lot of interesting people in the Osborne family of Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, who are the family of Kyra Sedgwick's aunt's husband: Note: The aunt's husband is still living, so can't be mentioned. His ancestors can.
    • His father Arthur Lithgow Osborne (1892-1980) was an American diplomat, eventually becoming Ambassador to Norway. While working at the embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, he met and married the daughter of a Danish count, Frederik Christoffer Otto Raben-Levetzau (1850-1933). (Elizabeth Steen)
    • There were three generations in a row of Osborne men who served as mayor of Auburn, New York: David Munson Osborne (1822-1886), Thomas Mott Osborne (abt.1859-abt.1926), and Charles Devens Osborne (1888-1961). (Christy Melick)
    • Thomas Mott Osborne (abt.1859-abt.1926) was also renowned for being involved in prison reform efforts, advocating for an increased level of self-governance in prisons and viewing prison as a means of rehabilitation more than punishment. He voluntarily spent a week living in the Auburn Prison to get a better idea of what changes needed to be made and wrote a book about the experience. (Christy Melick)
    • Slightly outside of the six degrees to Kevin Bacon, this line goes back to well-known abolitionists and suffragettes Lucretia (Coffin) Mott (1793-1880), Martha (Coffin) Wright (1806-1875), and Eliza (Wright) Osborne (1830-1911). (Robert Ward)
11. George Campbell Duff (abt.1800-), Kevin's 3rd great-grandfather, is listed consistently in multiple censuses as a watch-maker and his birthplace always as Ireland. He appears to have married multiple times. (M. Mcclure)
12. 7 degrees from Kevin, Franklin Frederick Peek (1832-1905) donated his land for an orphanage and the Methodist Church ran the Peek Home Orphanage from 1916-1961. Nearly 300 children were housed there over those years. Our historical society recently did a program on it. (Judi Stutz)
13. The first son of Charles Spining King is named Cash Spinning King on the birth record. However he later used Charles or Karl as first name. (Guillaume Albasini)
14. Rev. Charles Adams was a Methodist pastor. Born in New Hampshire, he studied in Maine and worked in Vermon, Massashusetts, New hampshire, Ohio and Illinois before retiring to Washington DC. Despite all this travels he had the time to write 14 books. (Guillaume Albasini)
15. 6 Degrees from Kevin are 3 sisters who survived the Titanic! Malvina Helen (Lamson) Cornell (1856-1941), Caroline Lane (Lamson) Brown (1852-1928) & Charlotte (Lamson) Appleton (1858-1924) escaped in lifeboats while returning home from the funeral of a fourth sister which took place in England. (Donna (Tucker) Baumann)
16. 5 Degrees from Kevin is a notable relative, Malvina Cornell Hoffman (1885-1966). She was an American sculptor and author, well known for her life-size bronze sculptures of people. She also worked in plaster and marble. Hoffman created portrait busts of working-class people and significant individuals. (M Cole)
17. 4 Degrees from Kevin is Samuel Comly (1835 -1923) a Quaker from Philadelphia who moved in 1863 to Port Chester and filled until 1882 the position of secretary of the Russell, Burdsall and Ward Company in their large bolt and nuts works. The idea of sending men out over the country to sell the products of the Company was first conceived by Samuel Comly and his master salesmanship was predominant in the bolt and nut industry of America. Samuel Comly then became one of the largest stockholders of the Port Chester Bolt & Nut Company, one of the largest manufacturies of the kind in the country, giving employment to many men. (Guillaume Albasini)
18. Hugh Evans (1681-1772), Kevin's sixth great-grandfather, was born in Wales, and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Provincial Assembly, in 1722, and from 1746 to 1755 continuously. (Pre-challenge info) (Heather Jenkinson)
    • "At Our Monthly Meeting held at Gwynedd the 27th of 10th mo 1715 2nd ly Our Friend Hugh Evans who lately took a trading voyage to Great Britain being returned brought a Certificate from Haverford-West which was read and Gave a Good account of his life and Conversation while in them parts was well read"
19. Samuel Atkinson Jr (1722-1781), Kevin's 5th great-grandfather, wrote his Will in 1780. He left bequests to his wife, brother, and children. Additionally, he stated: (Milton-1294)
    • "If my servants Adam and Uz become unable to maintain themselves, my children shall bear an equal share in their support."
20. Barzillai Newbold (1710-1757), Kevin's 5th great-grandfather, build the "Bowne House" (formerly Barzillai Newbold House) in 1740, with later ancestors adding to it twice. The original family owners added their initials and dates in the gable. It was a design recommended by William Penn. Barzillai was a blacksmith and held many public offices: collector, overseer of the poor, freeholder. He was born in Springfield, Burlington, New Jersey. He settled in Mansfield Township, New Jersey (Pre-challenge info) (Shawn Ligocki connection)
21. Michael Newbold (1667-1721), Kevin's 6th great-grandfather and Brazillai's father, was the progenitor for the Newbold line. He migrated from Eckington, England to Springfield, New Jersey. Michael owned the Oneonickon property, which has remained in the hands of his descendants ever since. He served on the traverse jury for years, and was a justice for Burlington County. He served on the bench until six months before he died. He became an extensive landholder and at the time of his death was one of the largest landed proprietors in New Jersey. He was recognized as one of the most influential men of his day in Burlington, New Jersey. (Pre-challenge information) (Shawn Ligocki connection)
22. In 1919, Walter Missildine Failor (1877-1961) was president of the Southern Dyestuff & Chemical Company, in Charlotte, North Carolina but some years later, Failor's business ended in business failure. (Guillaume Albasini)
23. Christoph Ludewig Schmerz was a sixth generation town musician of Barntrup. (Florian Straub)
24. Mary Jellett (Duff) Smith (1834-1885) had an extensive Will when she died. Along with the usual bequests to her father, children and grandchildren, she stated the following: (M. Mcclure)
    • It is my purpose during my lifetime to dispose of my wardrobe and wearing apparel and my jewelry and personal ornaments in case I do not so dispose of the same or any part thereof then the same shall pass under this will.
25. David Alexander Skinner has a very unusual occupation written on the 1910 Census in Puerto Rico. He was "Supervisor del Censo". He was the guy in charge of the 1910 Census in Puerto Rico. (Guillaume Albasini)
26. Notable John Deere (1804-1886) the tractor manufacturer is a part of the Bacon Tree. He's 8 degrees from Kevin Bacon! (??)
27. Sarah Rowland Bowman of Pennsylvania (6 degrees from Kevin) was an artist. She donated 17 portrait tiles to Chester County Hospital, including one of Oliver Wendell Holmes. (Deb (Ellingson) Johnston)
28. Kevin Bacon is a direct descendant of William I, King of Scotland "William the Lion" Dunkeld-2, d: c1214. (??)
29. Kevin Bacon has a family connection to the current royal family through his 6th great-grandfather Michael Newbold which he shares as a common ancestor with Princess Diana. (??)
30. Kevin Bacon has a close connection to President Barack Obama through their common ancestor of Shubael Smith. (Ellen Smith)
31. Kevin Bacon and his wife Kyra are 9th cousins, 2 times removed through their common ancestor of Samuel Hinckley. They also have kinship to his infamous descendant John Hinckley, Jr., who shot President Ronald Reagan. (N Gauthier)
32. Wilhelm Emmanuel Erwin (Schmerz) Schmertz (1826-1893) was born in Prussia and migrated to Pennsylvania. He had a "long and honorable" career until a few years before his death. The failure of a business led to the quick decline in his health. He died in 1860 at the age of 67. His estate was seized as he gave away large benefits when insolvent, and took out a larger total of life insurance policies than was legal. (News Clipping - Business decline & News Clipping 2 - Creditors Charge Fraud)sevelt-1|U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and his sons James and FDR II.