Descendants of Alvin Samuel Borden 1837 Charleston, Delmar, Tioga County, Pennsylvania

Descendants of Alvin Samuel Borden

Generation No. 1

1.  ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹ BORDEN  (ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 1837 in Charleston, Delmar, Tioga Co. PA, and died Aft. 1907 in Stokesdale or Wellsboro Pa Possibly Corning, Steuben Co. NY.  He married EMMA CALLENDER PRATT.  She was born 03 March 1835 in Addison or West Burlington, VT.

More About ALVIN SAMUEL BORDEN:

Burial: Delmar

       

Children of ALVIN BORDEN and EMMA PRATT are:

                  i.    BETTY²⁰ BORDEN.

                 ii.    NATALIE BORDEN.

2.             iii.    JULIAN G. BORDEN, b. June 1860.

3.             iv.    JULIAN BORDEN, b. 1861, Tioga Co. PA.

                 v.    ANNA ELIZABETH BORDEN, b. 22 May 1863; m. DEVILLE DEXTER.

                vi.    RICHARD C. BORDEN, b. 1866, Delmar, Tioga Co. PA; d. 23 October 1869, Delmar, Tioga Co. PA at age 3 yrs 2 mo 22 days.

4.            vii.    MYRON ROCKWELL BORDEN, b. 09 August 1869, Delmar, Tioga Co.  PA; d. 09 May 1930, Catlin Hollow,  PA.

5.           viii.    WALTER F. BORDEN, b. 1873; d. 1915.

Generation No. 2

2.  JULIAN G.²⁰ BORDEN (ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born June 1860.  He married ADDIE WILSON, daughter of BAXTER WILSON and MARTHA KENNEDY.  She was born 1865 in Delmar, Tioga Co.  PA.

       

Children of JULIAN BORDEN and ADDIE WILSON are:

                  i.    FLORA²¹ BORDEN.

                 ii.    BERNARD BORDEN.

                iii.    NATALIE BORDEN.

3.  JULIAN²⁰ BORDEN (ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 1861 in Tioga Co. PA.  He married ADDIE WILSON, daughter of BAXTER WILSON and MARTHA KENNEDY.  She was born 1865 in Delmar, Tioga Co.  PA.

More About JULIAN BORDEN:

Occupation: 1897, Blacksmith according to Tioga Co Birth Recs

Residence: 1897, Delmar, Tioga Co. PA according to Tioga Co Birth Recs

       

Children of JULIAN BORDEN and ADDIE WILSON are:

6.               i.    RUPERT VANTILE²¹ BORDEN, b. 24 May 1893, Little Marsh, Tioga co. PA; d. 30 December 1982, Wellsboro, PA.

                 ii.    CARL B BORDEN, b. 16 September 1888, Draper, PA?; d. 23 November 1973, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital, Wellsboro,Tioga Co, PA.

Notes for CARL B BORDEN:

BORDEN

Carl B. Borden, 85 of Crooked Creek RD 1, Tioga County, died Friday, Nov. 23, 1973, in Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital, Wellsboro.

He was born in Draper on Sept. 16, 1888, a son of Julian and Addie Wilson Borden.

Mr. Borden was a retired farmer.

Surviving are a sister, Mrs. Natalie Hilborn of Jersey Shore and a brother Ruppert Borden, of Crooked Creek.

The funeral was held Monday at the Tussey Funeral Home, 139 Main Street, Wellsboro, with the Rev. James Snyder, pastor of the Holiday Baptist Church, Holiday, officiating. Burial was in Holiday Cemetery.

From: http://www.rootsweb.com/~srgp/clippings/tcobt179.htm

More About CARL B BORDEN:

Burial: Holiday Cemetery

Residence: 1973, Crooked Creek, PA

                iii.    NATALIE BORDEN, m. MR. HILBORN.

                iv.    UNKNOWN BORDEN, b. 13 September 1897.

4.  MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰ BORDEN (ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 09 August 1869 in Delmar, Tioga Co.  PA, and died 09 May 1930 in Catlin Hollow,  PA.  He married ORILLA DAVIS 24 March 1901 in Little Marsh,  PA, daughter of ALFRED DAVIS and CARRIE BREWER.  She was born 04 July 1884 in Little Marsh, Tioga Co. PA, and died 11 January 1947 in Olean, NY.

More About MYRON ROCKWELL BORDEN:

Burial: Keeneyville

Census: 1920, 47 Jackson Creek Road listed as mortgaged owner of house aged 49 , nephew Homer D. Borden lives with them Orilla D. is age 35, Carrie C. is age 15, Alvin J. is 7, Homer is 21

Occupation: 1920, listed as Blacksmith with own shop

More About ORILLA DAVIS:

Burial: Keeneyville Cem

Inheritance: Aft. 1942, Fur coat (black seal) Won money at the movie theater show, they had a drawing, she had always wanted one, so she had it and wore it until she passed on, and it was passed on to Genevieve, Suzan, Carol then passed it to Peggy Staples Bailey.

       

Children of MYRON BORDEN and ORILLA DAVIS are:

                  i.    ANOTHER CHILD²¹ BORDEN.

                 ii.    RICHARD G BORDEN, b. 1906, Morris, PA; d. 16 August, Corning, NY.

More About RICHARD G BORDEN:

Burial: Keeneyville Cemetary, PA Dysentery

7.             iii.    CARRIE CALLENDAR BORDEN, b. 17 April 1904, Corning NY; d. 24 March 1945, Ithaca, Tompkins Co. NY.

8.             iv.    ALVIN JAMES BORDEN, b. 18 July 1912, Corning NY; d. 19 May 1967, Arnot-Ogden Hospital in Elmira NY.

9.              v.    GENEVIEVE EVELYN BORDEN, b. 09 February 1920, Erin, NY Breeseport, NY, Horseheads Twp.

5.  WALTER F.²⁰ BORDEN (ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 1873, and died 1915.  He married (1) GERALDINE.    He married (2) MARGARET M.. 

More About WALTER F. BORDEN:

Burial: Kennedy Cemetary, Delmar, Tioga Co. PA

       

Child of WALTER BORDEN and GERALDINE is:

                  i.    EMMA²¹ BORDEN.

Generation No. 3

6.  RUPERT VANTILE²¹ BORDEN (JULIAN²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 24 May 1893 in Little Marsh, Tioga co. PA, and died 30 December 1982 in Wellsboro, PA.  He married (1) ADDIE.    He married (2) EVA MAE LEWIS 23 December 1919, daughter of ERVIN LEWIS and NETTIE HOLLIDAY.  She was born 19 April 1901 in Crooked Creek PA, and died September 1986.

More About RUPERT VANTILE BORDEN:

Burial: Holiday Cemetary

Residence: November 1973, Crooked Creek, PA

       

Children of RUPERT BORDEN and ADDIE are:

                  i.    WAYNE²² BORDEN.

                 ii.    WADE BORDEN.

                iii.    VELVA BORDEN.

                iv.    GERTRUDE BORDEN.

       

Children of RUPERT BORDEN and EVA LEWIS are:

10.            v.    EVA MAE²² BORDEN, b. August 1927, Crooked Creek PA; d. September 1974, Brockport, NY.

11.           vi.    VELVA MAE BORDEN, b. 02 January 1924, Crooked Creek PA.

7.  CARRIE CALLENDAR²¹ BORDEN (MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 17 April 1904 in Corning NY, and died 24 March 1945 in Ithaca, Tompkins Co. NY.  She married ALVA ARNOT STAPLES 1923 in Elmira, NY, son of HERBERT STAPLES and IDA MAY.  He was born July 1899 in Erin, Chemung Co, NY, and died 18 August 1949 in Erin, Chemung Co, NY.

More About CARRIE CALLENDAR BORDEN:

Burial: Scotchtown Cemetery

More About ALVA ARNOT STAPLES:

Burial: Scotchtown Cemetery

       

Children of CARRIE BORDEN and ALVA STAPLES are:

                  i.    MARJORIE DORIS²² STAPLES, b. 1925, Elmira NY; d. 11 March 1926.

More About MARJORIE DORIS STAPLES:

Burial: Scotchtown Cemetary

12.            ii.    MYRON DONALD STAPLES, b. 21 January 1927, Elmira Hts, Chemung Co. NY.

                iii.    SHIRLEY ELLEN STAPLES, b. 1928, Etna, Freeville, NY; d. 21 October 1935, Polio.

More About SHIRLEY ELLEN STAPLES:

Burial: Scotchtown Cemetary

13.           iv.    CARL HERBERT STAPLES, b. 29 November 1936, Etna, Freeville,  Tompkins Co, NY.

14.            v.    XXXX XXXX STAPLES, b. August 1939, Freeville Farmhouse NY.

15.           vi.    ELLEN DORIS STAPLES, b. 1935; d. 1986, Elmira, NY.

8.  ALVIN JAMES²¹ BORDEN (MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 18 July 1912 in Corning NY, and died 19 May 1967 in Arnot-Ogden Hospital in Elmira NY.  He married VELVA MAE BORDEN February 1947, daughter of RUPERT BORDEN and EVA LEWIS.  She was born 02 January 1924 in Crooked Creek PA.

More About ALVIN JAMES BORDEN:

Burial: Union Cemetary, Middlebury, PA

Occupation: Employed for 20 years at the main plant at Corning Glass Works

Residence: 1967, Painted Post, RD 2

       

9.  GENEVIEVE EVELYN²¹ BORDEN (MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 09 February 1920 in Erin, NY Breeseport, NY, Horseheads Twp.  She married JAMES DEFOREST DEANE 16 May 1937 in Port Allegany, PA, son of FRANK DEAN and JESSIE EVANS.  He was born 16 May 1915 in Redhouse, NY.

More About JAMES DEFOREST DEANE:

Occupation: 04 April 1924, Editor of Kinzua Weekly World, Kinzua PA. (Helped by Mama, Jessie Mary Evans Dean)  personals: states that Mrs. M.F. Evans of Salamanca, NY is in Kinzua caring for her daughter, Mrs. F. C. Deane, and a newly arrived son.

       

Generation No. 4

10.  EVA MAE²² BORDEN (RUPERT VANTILE²¹, JULIAN²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born August 1927 in Crooked Creek PA, and died September 1974 in Brockport, NY.  She married MYRON DONALD STAPLES 1947 in Pt. Allegany PA, son of ALVA STAPLES and CARRIE BORDEN.  He was born 21 January 1927 in Elmira Hts, Chemung Co. NY.

More About EVA MAE BORDEN:

Burial: May 1975

       

11.  VELVA MAE²² BORDEN (RUPERT VANTILE²¹, JULIAN²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 02 January 1924 in Crooked Creek PA.  She married ALVIN JAMES BORDEN February 1947, son of MYRON BORDEN and ORILLA DAVIS.  He was born 18 July 1912 in Corning NY, and died 19 May 1967 in Arnot-Ogden Hospital in Elmira NY.

More About ALVIN JAMES BORDEN:

Burial: Union Cemetary, Middlebury, PA

Occupation: Employed for 20 years at the main plant at Corning Glass Works

Residence: 1967, Painted Post, RD 2

12.  MYRON DONALD²² STAPLES (CARRIE CALLENDAR²¹ BORDEN, MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 21 January 1927 in Elmira Hts, Chemung Co. NY.  He married EVA MAE BORDEN 1947 in Pt. Allegany PA, daughter of RUPERT BORDEN and EVA LEWIS.  She was born August 1927 in Crooked Creek PA, and died September 1974 in Brockport, NY.

More About EVA MAE BORDEN:

Burial: May 1975

13.  CARL HERBERT²² STAPLES (CARRIE CALLENDAR²¹ BORDEN, MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 29 November 1936 in Etna, Freeville,  Tompkins Co, NY.

       

Children of CARL HERBERT STAPLES are:

                  i.    XXXX²³ STAPLES.

                 ii.    XXXX STAPLES.

                iii.   XXXX STAPLES.

14.  XXXX XXXX²² STAPLES (CARRIE CALLENDAR²¹ BORDEN, MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born August 1939 in Freeville Farmhouse NY.  He married LOIS. 

15.  ELLEN DORIS²² STAPLES (CARRIE CALLENDAR²¹ BORDEN, MYRON ROCKWELL²⁰, ALVIN SAMUEL¹⁹, ANSIL¹⁸, SELDON¹⁷, SAMUEL¹⁶, SAMUEL¹⁵, JOHN¹⁴, JOHN¹³, MATTHEW¹², THOMAS¹¹, WILLIAM¹⁰, EDMUND⁹, WILLIAM⁸, JOHN⁷, THOMAS⁶, HENRY⁵, THOMAS⁴ DE BOURDON, RICHARD³, FRANCIS² DE BORDON, SIMON¹ DE BOURDON) was born 1935, and died 1986 in Elmira, NY.  She married HENRY BAILEY. 

More About ELLEN DORIS STAPLES:

       

Children of ELLEN (called Peggy) STAPLES and HENRY BAILEY are:

                  i.    XXXX²³ BAILEY.

                 ii.    XXXX BAILEY.

Note:  had six kids total

Memory of Memorial Day

In my childhood I had never lost any close relatives to death. Except for my grandparents who had died long before I ever had a chance to know or love them. Yet, a palpable emptiness existed in my life in reserve for them.

My first real  understanding of death came when I was about three years old. My nine year old brother, Davy, told me most reverently, that he was not my only brother. Not quite believing him, I questioned my mother, and in a matter of fact manner, she verified it.  The year before Davy was born, 1938,  she had a stillborn baby boy, and she named him Lee Borden Deane.  No one ever behaved uncomfortable about it,  the only attitude was one of respect for the dead and a long ago sense of loss. And so, another palpable space occupied my life, labeled “Baby Lee.” He seemed so wise to me as he watched over us in heaven since he was older than Davy.

By the time I was seven, I had younger brother and sister who easily made up for any sense of missing family members. Our lives were quite busy and full.

We made yearly pilgrimages on Memorial Day to Baby Lee’s unmarked gravesite. About 1957, during my early adolescence, I  remember one particularly miserable trip from Niagara Falls to Tioga County, Pennsylvania. I did not understand what was bothering my mother, but I  was very aware that she was especially grouchy. My brothers, sister and I thought she was being mean towards us kids during that trip.  We wondered is she was mad at one of us, but dared not ask. We felt trapped in the car; and sullenly sat in silence, not daring to move.  We couldn’t wait to arrive, and  run off into the woods to explore and play, working up an appetite for the picnic that was planned for later.

Mom and Dad stayed near the grave, pulling weeds and arranging flowers.  Later, I wandered back to see if it was safe to get near them without suffering my mother’s wrath.  As I came out of the thicket, I saw their backs were turned to me, surprised to see my father’s arm around my mother’s shoulder, I couldn’t remember ever seeing any show of affection between them. I stopped in my tracks, curious. Then, I noticed my mother’s shaking shoulders.  She was sobbing bitterly. I wondered if she was feeling bad about the way she had treated us kids earlier. I sorely needed an apology or at least a kind word.  I wanted to feel forgiving toward  her.  My Dad glanced back and saw me.  Alarmed, I whispered, “What’s wrong?”

Mom, ignoring me, broke away from Dad and walked away, studiously pretending to look at some other dead person’s gravestone.   Dad came toward me, blocking my view of her, and answered, “Your mother is crying for Baby Lee, because he died and she doesn’t have him here with us.”

I felt as though I had been slapped across the face. A burning resentment of the dead baby filled me, and suddenly, I decided I hated my mother. For the first time in my life I felt true rage. Like a child size volcano, I exploded. “Why is she crying about a baby who died ......How many years ago?..... Why does she care so much about that one and not about us?  She has all four of us, alive and living with her everyday and she treats us so mean!! What about ME?” I sobbed. “What about Dave, Roger and Wendy?

As my father looked around to see if any strangers visiting the cemetery had heard me shouting, I turned and ran with my anger, back into the woods. After a while I calmed down and wandered aimlessly, looking at all the wild green things growing. I felt alone and unloved. Many times throughout the rest of the day, I heard my brothers and sister occasionally calling me. Whenever they came near, I ducked behind the nearest big tree trunk and they would miss me.  I even, purposely ignored them when they yelled for me to come and eat. Their searching for me was sporadic and I knew my parents were not too worried about me, or they would have participated in the search. I was too hurt and resentful to allow myself to enjoy the picnic, or to let go of my self pity.

By the time the sun began to set, Dave climbed a nearby mountain, and was able to spy my hiding place. Not alerting me to his search, by calling for me, he silently came through the woods right to my location, and resigned, I walked out of the woods with my brother. I was no longer in a rage, but feeling whiney, I asked the same questions of Dave as I had screamed at my father. He let me know he was just as unhappy about it as I was. But, he was not angry. He  tried to explain to me that I should try to be more understanding. I didn’t know how to do that. Yet, I became somehow strangely comforted to know that he shared my feelings.  The burden of it was no longer so painful to me, and I forgave Baby Lee for abandoning us so long ago.  It was many years before I ever got to a place where I understood my mother’s behavior and no longer  held it against her.

Your Mother Is Always With You

Your Mother Is Always With You

My Grandson and Me

Your mother is always with you...
She's the whisper of the leaves
as you walk down the street.

She's the smell of bleach in
your freshly laundered socks.

She's the cool hand on your
brow when you're not well.

Your mother lives inside
your laughter. She's crystallized
in every tear drop...

She's the place you came from,
your first home.. She's the map you
follow with every step that you take.

She's your first love and your first heart
break....and nothing on earth can separate you.

Not time, Not space...
Not even death....
will ever separate you
from your mother....

You carry her inside of you....

- Sherry Martin

The One Who Knows

I first saw him
while driving
up the highway near the old railroad tracks,
walking fast
alongside the ditch
with purpose,
obviously
a goal in mind,
wearing a cardboard box on his head
covered with aluminum foil.

I made a U-turn
and pulled into the parking lot
of a roadside stand
selling organic vegetables
and homemade jellies.
I grabbed my camera
and surreptitiously snapped away
at his quickly retreating figure,
then headed in to buy peaches.

Putting them into the car,
I could feel him
standing behind me
before he tapped me on the shoulder.

"You owe me some money" he said,
"for taking my picture".

Surprised, shaken, tight chested,
I turned, mouth open
ready to say I didn't know
what he was talking about.

"I know what you did... they told me.
They told me, your camera clicking away...
you owe me money," he said.

My mouth dry,
bravado covering my discomfort,
"And how much do you think I owe you?"

"Twenty dollars!"

I gave him peaches, instead.

Years later,
he no longer fervently walked
with aluminum foil on his head.
He lived upstairs
in the apartment above me.

Different priorities controlled him.
Demons needed destroying.
He fought the battles
to save the world.

Every day.
Every night.
He swung his machete through the air.
He climbed
onto his kitchen counter
and leaped to the floor,
CRASH!
Thump... thump... thump.
my chandelier swinging from the ceiling

Then preached the words from
the Good Book,
memorized in measured rhythm
with his machete.

When I saw him yesterday
and asked if he got the note
from management,
he didn't seem to
know what I was talking about
at first.

When I told him
that the patio balconies
were going to be repaired,
he nodded with assurance,
"They are trying to steal our souls!"

Descendants of Levi Hardy and Sally Borden

This picture was originally a daguerreotype
of which a photo was taken.

Levi Hardy (June 25, 1787 in MA - September 18, 1859 in PA)

Sally Borden  (September 9, 1791 in NH - February 27, 1860 in PA)

Levi B Hardy and Sally Borden were parents of:

Anna Borden Butler Hardy who married (her first cousin once removed), Ansil Borden

They had:

Alvin Samuel Borden who married Emma Callender Pratt

They had:

Anna Elizabeth "Betty"  

Natalie

Julian G.

Richard "Riche" C.

Myron Rockwell

Walter F.

Then, Myron Rockwell Borden married Orilla Davis

and they had: Genevieve Evelyn

Halloween Costuming 1977, a Story

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love to go “all-out for it.  My best friend, Linda knew this about me and took advantage of my enthusiasm by asking me to dress her up and do her make-up for a Halloween party she'd been invited to attend at her husband’s work.  I was glad she decided to be a Witch. (one of my favorite characters to enhance), cause I hate doing clowns.

On the agreed upon time, Linda and Bob showed up at my house carrying large plastic garbage bags of possible costume combinations.  “What’s going on?” I asked Linda.

“We brought a bunch of stuff ‘cause we didn't know what you would want to use for us.” She replied

“What do you mean, US?” I asked. “I thought I was just doing you!”

“Aw! C’mon!” she wheedled. “You know I can’t go to that party as the perfect Witch, if Bob goes in an average sort of get-up.  Besides, they have prizes for the best couple and we want to win!”

“No, No, No.” Bob piped in. “I don't want to impose. I can do my own make-up. you girls just do your thing.”

Linda started to object.

“Linda! I can do it myself.” Bob insisted good naturedly. And with that, he grabbed a plastic bag and went into the other room. So, I began painstakingly mixing iridescent green eyeshadow to a flesh toned make-up base and applied it to her face, neck arms and hands.  Tearing several black dresses to shreds, I hung them on her body. The ragged death-shroud fashion fit her perfectly. She began cackling hysterically as I finished her off. I could barely do my job, as I was giggling.

In the midst of our jolly mood, Bob entered wearing his costume.  My laughter increased to guffaws and my belly was in spasms.  He looked absolutely ridiculous! There was Bob, naturally built like a feather-weight, wearing a nurse’s uniform, cap and shoes carrying an old-fashioned metal bed pan and enema pack.

“You’ll make a better Witch than I!” Linda shrieked. Bob, at first laughed along with us. But, as the moments passed, he got red in the face, as I pointed out that he did not fill out his dress properly. He almost squirmed as I suggested that we enhance his beauty. But he consented to a make-up job.

Even though he had shaved earlier, pan-cake was the only thing that could cover his thick black whiskers.  We all grew quiet as I concentrated on heavily applying lipstick, rouge, mascara, and eyeliner. Pretty soon his face was transformed into a believable woman. Linda, sat staring at him, mesmerized. Once I was finished with his make up, I ran to my closet and pulled out an eight inch Auburn Afro Wig. It was a relic of the 70’s. I had thought I was so cool to wear that, then.  I  brushed it out to its complete fullness and carefully placed it on Bob’s head and accessorized his look with a pair of earrings.

Bob had no mirror to see what I was doing. So, when I was finished, Linda and I took him to the full length mirror in my hallway. For a brief moment, he looked like he was going to cry.

“Oh, my God!” he moaned. “I look exactly like my mother!” That had us in stitches another twenty minutes. Then, Linda and I were able to convince Bob to wear padded buttocks and bosom. I grabbed some small pillows from my sofa and squished them tightly into his bra. Er, I mean, my bra. When I told him to hike his skirt so I could stuff his panty-hose, he adamantly refused.

“I barely have a shred of dignity left!” He protested as he went into the bathroom to do it, himself. Linda and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Had we taken this thing too far? We decided to behave more respectfully.
“Otherwise, we won’t win!” Linda whispered. “He looks great! You did a good job” She patted me on the back. I smiled.

“I almost wish I could go with you.” I said.

Just then, Bob opened the bathroom door and stuck his head out. “How in God’s name do you women tolerate wearing this stuff? I am sweating like crazy!” He was about to wipe an arm across his forehead.

“Oh, No!” We both piped in at once. Linda grabbed a Kleenex and dabbed lightly at her husband.

“You don't want to smear it.” she admonished. Bob just rolled his perfectly done eyes, and sighed. His head was still sticking out from behind the bathroom door and the rest of him was hidden.

“What’s wrong, Bob?” I asked, fearful that he had changed his mind and I would have to do a clown costume and make-up instead.

“Uh. Well, I don't know how to make them line up with each other.” He said. Linda and I had all we could do to maintain straight faces. “Will you come in here and help me?” he asked his wife.

I was grateful as she went to his rescue. I gripped my belly as I bent over laughing. I could hear them tussling in the bathroom.

“Hold Still!” she said.

“It tickles!” he responded, giggling uncontrollably.

A few shrieks of laughter later, they came out of the bathroom with Bob’s bottom in proper position. It stuck out just fine! With his tiny waist, he made a very shapely nurse. Linda and I just stared at our creation with envy in our hearts, but silence on our lips.


The next day they came over to return my underwear and wig. They had won the contest for the best couple, a dinner out on the town in a fine restaurant. They joked continuously with me about all the fun I had missed. Apparently, a gentleman at the party found Bob quite attractive and followed him about like a puppy dog. Bob grew more and more uncomfortable with the situation.

“I want to tell you two something. I owe you both an apology.” Bob said. I couldn't imagine what he was talking about. “In the past, I have ridiculed you. But no more. I now know how it feels when guys look at you in a disrespectful way or hit on you. And from now on I will take it seriously if anyone ever bothers either of you, again.”
My mouth hung open in disbelief as Linda just knowingly nodded.

I have bruises on my pectorals and gluteals where guys grabbed at me last night” he said.
“But how could that be? You had all that padding” I said

"That’s just the point. Since they were squished up in such hard balls, over time they grabbed at me, it was like having a cannonball hit me.”

We sat in silence as we pondered this.

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Note: the pictures are only representative of Linda and Bob

Grey Water Gardening

What plant safe laundry detergents and soaps should I use for  my homemade grey water system?

Because of the drought, I don't want to use the hose to provide moisture to my garden. In the past, I totally got rid of grass and just started planting drought friendly plants. (except for my Myer lemon tree) Keeping a grass lawn takes a lot of water to keep it green all year in California. And what a waste of money paying someone to mow it regularly! Certainly with a yard full of grass during a drought, there is no green. Ugly! This year the drought is severe. So, I chose to just let the garden go. Live and let live... the plants that survive will be fine. The plants that need water will die.

It's funny how things work out. When the washing machine drains into the plumbing, it goes out, and down into the sewer. But, recently my plumbing got clogged. The washing machine water was backing up into the kitchen sink. At first it wasn't too bad. I just had to not leave any dirty dishes in the sink and the water would slowly drain. For a while, dumping baking soda and vinegar into the sink seemed to loosen things up a bit. But, after a while, it got to the point that I could only wash small loads because the sink would back up so much there would be no doubt it would overflow onto the floor if I washed a larger load.

One might ask... well why don't I hire a plumber? Simple... I have very little money. I have someone in my life who volunteered to run a "snake" tool into the plumbing, but because of back surgery, that got put off.

I thought about when I was a young mother and had an old fashioned wringer washer. Just like washers today there was a large pipe connected to it that would be able to drain into the plumbing. However, back in those days, I could lay that hose down and let it drain out the back door into the back yard. Wringer washers had legs and rollers on them. As I thought about that, I realized I could do the same today with my modern washing machine. The only problem with it was the pipe on the back of the washer wasn't long enough to get it out the back door and of course, the washer is wieldy. That's when my friend connected a garden hose to that pipe. We ran it out beside where the dryer vent passed through the wall. Today the garden hose leads out to the front yard garden.

When thinking of laundry water going into the soil, I wanted to make sure that any detergent I might use would be friendly to plant life and the soil. Obviously big brand detergents are not a wise choice. I've learned that the various so-called detergents, even ones marked “biodegradable”, are not always appropriate for the soil because they are essentially salt-based. And salt is BAD for the soil. Surprisingly, even Seventh Generation brand laundry detergent is NOT a good choice according to the research I did.

Now that I've been washing my clothes this way (in cold water) I've tried using less detergent. It's amazing how soft my clothes have become. I'm glad I made the switch.

With a little research, I came across this list of safe laundry detergents for grey water use:
Oasis laundry liquid
Bio Pac Laundry Liquid
Biokleen Laundry Liquid
Ecos Laundry
LifeTree Laundry Liquid
Ecover Laundry Wash (some salt)
Mountain Green Laundry Detergent
Vaska Herbatergent

Here is a list of ingredients to avoid in grey water:
boron/borax (toxic to plants)
sodium and ingredients with the word "sodium" in them
chlorine bleach (acceptable alternative: hydrogen peroxide)
sodium perborate
sodium trypochlorite
peroxygen
petroleum distillate
alkylbenzene
water softeners (contain sodium chloride or potassium chloride)
anti-bacterial soaps & cleaners
"whiteners",
"softeners"
enzymes (enzymes in biological washing powders break down protein or fat stains on clothes)
titanium oxide
chromium oxide
artificial colors; FD&C colors
synthetic fragrance
artificial preservatives

NOTE: Most "popular" detergents do not even have their ingredients listed.

It's a Lovely Day in the Neighborhood

Yikes, I just accidentally came across a site that has "offenders" listed for my city.

Directly across the street is one. I had no idea.

Now I wonder what the crime was. How long ago was it committed? Is the perpetrator rehabilitated?

Perhaps that explains the arrest I saw going down last spring in the middle of the street right near where the "offender" is mapped out to be residing.

No more to say about that. I've got to let it go. Be aware, be alert, but let it go.

Two of my neighbors have had yard sales for the last couple weeks in preparation for moving.

One of the neighbors is a genuine Hoarder, and had a garage full to the ceiling of "stuff". Seriously! No kidding!

I saw how emotionally difficult it was for her to let go of her years worth of collections. Her husband had to keep reminding her that they had no choice. They had to move. They had just a few weeks left to get out. I gave her a hug when she started to cry after someone bought up her collection of Mr. Rogers books. I wonder what causes people to hoard. I wonder what's the difference between my too many things, and a hoarder's way to much overabundance of stuff.

It was my understanding that they had already been living in a trailer because there was no more room in their house to get around safely. Now they were moving to another house, smaller than the one they are in.

It made me realize just how much junk I have sitting around that I don't really NEED!

My local Project Purr is holding a giant Rummage sale this month.

I've managed to clear all this stuff off the dresser!
Except for the cats. They are permanent fixtures!

I'm donating directly to them. They use the funds they raise from their twice a year sale in order to rescue feral cats. Some they can tame and place for home adoptions. Some they can place with people who can maintain them without expecting them to be tame.

I love the fact that I can help cats this way. I already took one carload over to them last week.

My car is half packed right now with another load. When I feel better, I hope to finish and take more extraneous belongings away.

It's nice to have reminders from the examples of others how I can improve my lifestyle.

Cab Driver

I realized I was not as honest with myself in this soulful concept as I thought I was, when the man who picked me up in his taxi wore prison gang tattoos on his scalp, face, arms and hands.

I struggled not with fear, but with revulsion, and judgementalism. Though he chatted nicely and I soon learned he had seriously left his criminal life behind, his exterior appearance got in the way of my seeing his inner light.

Now I understand how my father was able to perform his prison ministry when I was so angry with him for doing so.

I didn't believe prisoners, especially rapists and murderers deserved forgiveness. I still have that hump to clear. But have learned a lesson that some people can be rehabilitated and deserving of the same respect as anyone can have. I wonder how others would feel to discover that their cab driver was an ex-con.

It was very thought provoking and soul searching experience for me.

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Note: I borrowed the picture of the "prison sleeves" from a site that sells them. Guess what! They are not tattoos at all!