_George John BECK _______
| (1853 - 1939) m 1882
_Arthur Addison BECK _|
| (1893 - 1928) m 1918 |
| |_Saloma HEITZ ___________+
| (1862 - 1894) m 1882
|
|--Arthur Addison BECK Jr
| (1920 - 1924)
| _Archie Harwood HILLARD _
| | (1874 - 1938) m 1897
|_Alice Mary HILLARD __|
(1898 - 1928) m 1918 |
|_Blanche FARINGTON ______+
(1875 - 1904) m 1897
_Allen CONVERS ______+
| (1556 - 1639) m 1586
_Edward CONVERS _____|
| (1589 - 1663) |
| |_Joanna _____________
| (.... - 1602) m 1586
|
|--Josiah CONVERS
| (1618 - 1691)
| _John PARKER ________+
| | (1560 - 1613)
|_Sarah PARKER _______|
(1596 - 1625) |
|_____________________
_John DETHICK the second_+
| (1719 - 1793) m 1740
_Ananias DETHICK ____|
| (1750 - 1827) m 1771|
| |_Anna DODGE _____________+
| (1722 - 1770) m 1740
|
|--John Turner DERRICK
| (1776 - 1841)
| _________________________
| |
|_Mary Ann WELCH _____|
(1750 - 1793) m 1771|
|_________________________
[3941] John Turner never maried.
_Stephen GATES ______+
| (1599 - 1662) m 1628
_Thomas GATES _______|
| (.... - 1726) m 1670|
| |_Ann VEARE (Hill)____+
| (1602 - 1682) m 1628
|
|--Joseph GATES
| (1680 - ....)
| _John FREEMAN _______+
| | (1600 - 1648) m 1643
|_Elizabeth FREEMAN __|
(1648 - 1723) m 1670|
|_Elizabeth NOYES ____+
(1624 - 1649) m 1643
______________________________________
|
_James William GRAY ___|
| (1881 - 1958) m 1908 |
| |______________________________________
|
|
|--Richard R. GRAY
| (1920 - 1920)
| _Ferdinand Heinrich Wilhelm KLEASNER _+
| | (1856 - 1933) m 1885
|_Iola Minnie KLEASNER _|
(1887 - 1952) m 1908 |
|_Elizabeth Marie MIDDLEBERGER ________+
(1866 - 1942) m 1885
_Edmund JEAN De L'Etacq___+
| (1597 - 1674) m 1638
_John GUSTIN ________|
| (.... - 1719) m 1677|
| |_Esther LEROSSIGNOL ______+
| (1612 - 1672) m 1638
|
|--Ebenezer GUSTIN
| (1696 - 1794)
| _John BROWNE _____________
| | (1628 - 1702) m 1654
|_Elizabeth BROWNE ___|
(1657 - 1720) m 1677|
|_Esther\Hester MAKEPEACE _+
(1634 - ....) m 1654
_Charles STEVENS ______+
| (1829 - 1917) m 1864
_Edmund STEVENS _____|
| (1871 - 1926) m 1899|
| |_Catherine PATRIQUIN __+
| (1835 - 1920) m 1864
|
|--Harold Balis STEVENS
| (1908 - 1955)
| _John Charles BALIS ___+
| | (1848 - 1887) m 1872
|_Flora Lulu BALIS ___|
(1876 - 1951) m 1899|
|_Mary Lorinda DERRICK _+
(1853 - 1886) m 1872
[4]
Harold Balis Stevens
by Granny Stevens
26 February 2004
Dear Children,
Today I am writing to you about your grandpa's daddy. His name is Harold.
Harold Balis Stevens was born 25 Aug 1908 in Redfield South Dakota. He was the third child of Edmund Stevens and Flora Lulu Balis, joining his sister Kathryn Harriet who was almost 8 and his brother Paul, age 6. The Stevens had been in the Brodhead area of Wisconsin since 1878. But in the spring of 1908, Edmund and Flora, pregnant with Harold, decided to try their luck farming in South Dakota. They had planned to go west with Edmund's sister and husband, Ina and Lennie Dedrick of Brodhead, but the Dedricks never showed up. Edmund and Flora stayed for six years homesteading and living in a sod house in Spink County near the town of Redfield. About 1914 the family returned to Footville, Wisconsin. I have a postcard that Flora sent to her sister Hettie in California. It's dated March 2, 1914 and postmarked from Brodhead.
"Dear Sister. We are here and we are settled but we are all too tired to think of writing much. Harold has been quite sick with grippe and is very miserable with it today. The rest are well. It seems nice to be home again. We found everything in fine shape and the house extra clean. Write when you can. Love from all - Flora"
Whether this card refers to their arrival in Brodhead from South Dakota or from a shorter trip we do not know. But we do know they were back in Brodhead by the spring of 1914. There Harold's dad farmed for several years, raising tobacco and other things. Here is what Harold's sister, Kathryn, wrote to her great niece, Dawne Stevens, about their days on the farm.
"There we did not have electric lights but kerosene lamps. Washing them was a daily chore. A large kerosene lamp was used for our reading and study work. We drove to Brodhead and back each day with a horse and buggy... While we were living on the farm near Brodhead, my mother had taken us in the buggy to Brodhead. A car had gone from Janesville to Brodhead. The store people told (Mother) not to go home until she knew the car had gone back. I remember seeing that car."
After several years the family gave up on farming. By the 1920 census the family is living in the town of Footville. They bought a house across the street from the grade school.
Ed set up a blacksmith shop on the back of the lot behind the house. Being a kind hearted person, Ed found it hard to press people to pay their bills if he knew they were in difficult financial circumstances. Flora helped out by taking in boarders, school teachers from the school across the street. Harold went to Janesville for high school - Janesville Craig. He rode to school everyday with a group of boys. Again from Kathryn's letter,
"(Harold) and Paul had one of the first autos in Footville."
In April of his senior year, Harold's father died. The Great Depression that was to come had already hit the farm communities of the USA. There were not many jobs to be had in Brodhead or surrounding communities. So Harold did what many young men of his time, out of work and looking for adventure and opportunity, did. He rode the rails. He became a hobo. Now a hobo was not a tramp or a bum. Dr Ben L. Reitman stated: "The hobo works and wanders, the tramp dreams and wanders and the bum drinks and wanders." Hobos rode the freight trains as they roamed the country looking for work. Harold was one of them. He rode around the country in railway freight cars. He would stop in a town and work for a while and then be on his way again.
One time he worked on a chicken farm. Every night the farm wife would fix chicken for supper. But she knew how to fix it so many different ways that Harold never grew tired of it. Another time Harold worked for the circus, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey, as a roustabout. The circus would come into a town on the railway, set up a tent city on the edge of town, give several shows, then take everything down and move to the next town. The roustabout was the guy who put it up and took it down. That was Harold.
Another time when he was riding the freight cars he woke up to find a dead man in the car with him. He reported this fact in the first town he came to, but nevertheless, the authorities kept him in town for a week until they had run an autopsy and determined that the man had died of natural causes.
After several years of being a hobo Harold came back to Wisconsin and lived with his mother in Janesville. For a while he worked in a grocery store. About this same time he developed a disease called recurring erysipelas. The disease started with a strep infection (Just like Thelma DeMouth's rheumatic heart disease). Then it progressed causing a high fever and pain and swelling in the legs. The famous French philosopher and poet, Voltaire, also suffered from this disease. Recurring erysipelas no longer bothers people in the USA because we have penicillin. But at that time, for Harold, the disease was incapacitating. Several years earlier his mother, Flora, had suffered from an incapacitating infection in her right arm. She never had total use of that arm again. Beset with both of these problems, Flora and Harold decided to move to Waukegan, Illinois where Kathryn was teaching school. That year was 1929. The year the Great Depression began in earnest.
The Depression was a terrible time in American history. There was hardly a soul in the country who wasn't affected in a bad way. The official beginning was the stock market crash of 1929. Many banks lost all their money and so the people who had put their money in banks suddenly had no money. People lost their jobs. Many lost their homes. Farmers went bankrupt and lost their farms. Some people starved. In cities great long lines of people would wait for free food at soup kitchens. This is when our two sickly ancestors chose to transplant themselves to Waukegan.
What could they do? Fortunately Flora had been very careful with her money since her husband had died and had enough to buy a big old house right near downtown Waukegan on Utica Street and she took in boarders, mostly school teachers, just as she had done in Brodhead. Harold enrolled in a two-year accounting program at the Walton School of Commerce in Chicago, hoping that when he graduated he would qualify for a less physically demanding job. It was obvious he was not going to be working as a roustabout anymore.
When he graduated from the program the depression was in full swing. Good jobs were very hard to find. Any job was hard to find. For the next several years Harold worked at whatever he could. He worked in a grocery store again; he worked for the Diamond scrap yard; he ran a poker table; he worked for the Mordhorst Moving Company.
In 1933 a young second grade teacher from Whittier School came to board with the Stevens' Family. She had already been teaching in Waukegan for four years. Her name was Helen Frances White and she soon began dating Flora's son Harold.
On Harold and Helen's first date they rode the North Shore Line, an electric train, to Chicago to see a hockey game. Harold did not have a good enough job to support a wife, so, they dated for five years. During that time they went to see every movie that came to town for 15 cents a show. Finally, Harold got a job at Abbott Laboratories allowing the couple to marry on January 1, 1938 at the Stevens’ home in Waukegan. Shortly before this marriage, Harold's sister Kathryn, had married Arthur Blanchard and they had moved to Maywood, Illinois. So as soon as Harold married, Flora moved to Maywood and lived with her daughter and son-in-law.
After the marriage Helen was allowed to keep her job only until June, because at that time in Waukegan married women were not allowed to hold teaching jobs. When June came both Helen and Harold lost their jobs.
In September Helen got a job teaching at Spaulding School which was outside the Waukegan district and had different rules. She was given a class of 47 first and second graders. At home she had a husband plus two roomers to cook and clean for. Life seemed very hectic.
Meanwhile Harold got a job at the TB Sanitorium. His boss suggested he bring his wife in for a screening. It was then discovered Helen had had TB in both lungs. After that Harold insisted his wife take life a bit easier which became more possible as Harold was once again employed by Abbotts and became the Paymaster
Their first home was an apartment on Sherman Place. There Paul Robert was born on April 6, 1940. Then they moved to 1501 Ridgeland, where Lois was born on June 19, 1942. In late summer 1945 they moved to 220 N. Butrick. In 1946 they purchased a large Dutch colonial at 28 N. Elmwood for $13,000.
Paul remembers his dad as a good-natured man. This quality shines through in a tale told by his wife, Helen. Paul was a very bright inquisitive child. One day he went through the house removing every door knob he could find. His mother became very excited. It was not happy excitement. But when Dad (Harold) got home he calmed the situation right down with the comment, "Well, I reckon he learned quite a bit from that."
Harold was a wonderful provider for his family. Struggling through the Depression, scrambling for every job he could find, no matter how menial, had taught him the value of a good job once attained. He wasn't home much. His Abbotts job paid very well but demanded a lot of time. It also kept Harold out of WWII. Being a pharmaceutical industry it was vital to the war effort. The new wonder drug, penicillin, was saving lives as never before. He always came home for dinner, but his life revolved mainly around his job.
He had learned from his own father to be handy with tools. He had a wonderful table saw and knew how to use it. It now belongs to his son, Paul. Sometimes he went bowling, and when tropical fish became available, he got an aquarium set up and shared that hobby with Paul. He was treasurer of the Lake County Tuberculosis Association and also of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ denomination) where he attended with his family.
Paul remembers his dad never drank. Harold's mother's family had been big in the Temperance movement, which may have influenced him. Occasionally he would have friends over to play poker. He kept a bottle of whiskey for his friends at those times. Paul says as far as he knew that one bottle lasted Harold's whole life.
Harold's own father had died at the age of 54 leaving his widow in somewhat fragile financial circumstances. Partly because of this experience and partly because of living through the Great Depression, and partly because of his own good sense, Harold bought a generous life insurance policy - just in case. And it was very fortunate for his family that he did so.
In the spring of 1955 Harold became ill. His doctor put him in the University of Chicago Billings Hospital. Three weeks later, on June 5, 1955, he was dead from pancreatic cancer and Helen was left with two children.
So this was your great grandfather, Harold Stevens. He was born in a sod house on the prairie. He rode the rails with the hobos. He survived the Great Depression and saw American through many changes in her standard of living, from kerosene lamps and horse and buggy travel to electric lights and automobiles. He made an important contribution to the country's war effort through his pharmaceutical company job. He was good-natured and kind. He was a very good provider for his family, providing for them even after death. You can be proud to have Harold Balis Stevens in your family tree.
Here's how you're related to Harold Balis Stevens: Harold married Helen White and they had Paul Robert Stevens. Paul married Dianne Zimmerman and they had Dawne Stevens. Dawne married Jason Pamplin and they had Sara, Hannah, Timmy and Becky Pamplin!
So hooray for Harold Balis Stevens!
Love, Granny
Line 16 Dwelling # 28 Household # 28
Stevens, Edmund head OM 48 m n yr? NS NS NS blacksmith
Flora L. wife 44 m WI WI WI
Catherine H dau 19 s WI WI WI
Paul D son 17 s WI WI WI
Harold B son 11 s WI WI WI
Dobrow, Jessie boarder 27 s WI WI WI none
Jones, Brad (?) boarder 19 s WI WI WI store clerk
Line 45 788 S. Main St. Dwelling # 317 Household # 340
Stevens, Flora Head R $48/mo no radio age 53 wd WI WI WI occ: none
Harold son 21 s SD NS WI salesman - grocery store
Kess, Benjamin Roomer 30 S Mo MO MO laborer - Chevrolet motor co.
Line 5 Dwelling 195 Household 195
Stevens, Edward Head age 38 m1 10yrs Can/Eng Can/Eng Can/Fr Occ: Farmer-general
Flora L. wife 32 m1 10 3 ch born/ 3 living WI WI WI
Kathryn dau 9 WI Can/Eng WI
Paul D. son 8 WI Can/Eng WI
Harold son 1 6/12 SD Can/Eng WI
[6269] John was a landowner in Chilvers Cotton in 1492/93.
_________________________
|
_Heinrich C. WEBER _____________|
| (1866 - 1935) m 1892 |
| |_________________________
|
|
|--Frederick W. WEBER
| (1893 - 1918)
| _Christian WINTERMANTEL _+
| | (1842 - 1897) m 1865
|_Matilda Caroline WINTERMANTEL _|
(1868 - 1949) m 1892 |
|_Matilda Ella FEY _______+
(1845 - 1922) m 1865
HEROIC EFFORT TO SAVE CHUM'S LIFE - Fred Weber drowns while trying to ford Naches River at Horseshoe Bend - Though his companion, Samuel Shuman, made heroic efforts to save his life Fred Weber was drowned late yesterday afternoon while attempting to ford the Yakima River at Horseshoe Bend.
When the water at Clear creek, where they were fishing, became muddy early in the afternoon, the two young men started for Yakima in their car. At Horseshoe Bend they saw clear water and decided to try their luck. Weber, lured by a deep hole on the opposite side of the river, suggested fording the stream. Shuman at first objected, but finally expressed his willingness to go. When he was across he saw Weber floating down the stream a distance below him.
HOW IT HAPPENED
"Weber was carried under the water for about 100 feet," says Mrs. George Longmire who was called to the scene of the accident by Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Pontius, the only eye-witnesses."Shuman went after him as fast as he could. Part of the time he went under water. Later he said that he could not have done it at any other time and wondered how he was able to do it at all.
"When he reached the body, wedged in between rocks, he was still 20 feet from the shore. He pulled Weber to the surface, though the current there is strong, and picked him up in his arms as he started to walk the remaining distance. We who watched did not think he could get across at all. The stream is so swift that it is not easy at any time. Hampered by the weight of the body, Shuman staggered slowly along, at times appearing to stand still for several minutes while gathering his strength for another step.
Funeral Services Tomorrow
"First aid measures were tried the minute he reached the shore. B. J. Coe, who had been fishing, and saw Shuman on the rocks, swam across to help; but it was too late. Weber's body had a bad bruise between the eyes and also a bruise over the heart, so it may be that he did not die from drowning at all. He may have slipped as a result of a sudden attack of heart trouble, which he had.
After the unavailing efforts to resuscitate his comrade, Shuman went to Yakima and back to look after affairs. H. A. Shaw, acting coroner, brought the body to Yakima last night. Funeral services will be held tomorrow at the Evangelical Nob Hill Church at one o'clock.
Fred Weber, 26 years old, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Weber of Nob Hill. He and Shuman are neighbors and were chums during their years at the Yakima high school, of which both are graduates. George Longmire, Mr. Pontius, Shuman, and Coe carried the body to the Fechter cabin.
_Johann Christian ZIMMERMAN __________+
| (1800 - 1851) m 1832
_Adam ZIMMERMAN _____|
| (1837 - 1899) m 1868|
| |_Elizabeth Dorothea KNOLL Kneil Knell_+
| (1809 - 1888) m 1832
|
|--John ZIMMERMAN
| (1869 - 1875)
| _Theobald H. BRITZIUS ________________+
| | (1820 - 1896) m 1843
|_Elizabeth BRITZIUS _|
(1844 - 1911) m 1868|
|_Christina Elizabeth MAURER __________+
(1827 - 1902) m 1843
age at death: 6 yrs., 3m, 10das.