Month: June 2021

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Painting the Elite

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How does a self taught artist come to be known as the go-to guy for the rising, middle-class personalities of the day? We don’t know. Family tradition tells us that Patrick Henry Davenport caught the artist bug at 16 years of age when Asa Park, a Kentucky portrait artist, came to his home to paint one of his brothers.

Four years later, at the age of 20, we know that Davenport was signing portraits he painted for some of the most influential people of his community. Although he moved to Illinois in his fifties where he continued painting, he was most famously known as the portrait artist of the Kentucky elite. Governors and their wives would commission him to do their likenesses.

Apparently, the family of abolitionist John Brown hired Davenport to paint him, the result of which is depicted above. For some reason, they never came to collect the painting and it remained in the Davenport family’s care for many years after.

Since the painting was created around 1860, and Brown died a year prior, it is clear that Davenport painted from a photograph (or a number of photographs) of the subject. On the back of the painting, Davenport inscribed, “A Martyr to the Cause of Freedom John Brown, who was hung at Harper’s Ferry, Va. December 21 [Dec. 2], 1859 aged 63 [59] years.” 

It was considered an odd inscription as Davenport himself was a slave owner at the time. Perhaps his views were changing or perhaps he was simply responding to the sensibilities of his patron’s family. It remains unclear as to how he personally felt about the subject he was painting.

Patrick Henry Davenport is the third great-grandfather of my aunt Candy.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Bewitched

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There are some moments in history that are difficult to understand. Long before President Trump complained of the endless media “witch hunts” that he claimed were being perpetrated against him during his administration, there were literal witch hunts being conducted that resulted in unbelievable claims and horrific consequences.

Mary Perkins, a 2nd cousin 13 times removed, was one who became accused of practicing “certain detestable arts called witchcraft & sorceries.” She was arrested in 1692, at the age of 77, and forced to stand trial. Among the evidence against her was the claim that she turned into a blue boar and attacked the house of George Carr. Another witness claimed “spectral evidence” saying that the ghost of George Carr visited them to say that Mary Perkins killed him. The fact that George Carr had, many years earlier, proposed to Mary who rejected him to instead marry Thomas Bradbury, a prominent Massachusetts citizen, did not seem to factor into the final verdict. Nor did the fact that she later denied John Carr permission to marry her granddaughter because she felt the girl to be too young. It appears the resulting family grudge was deeply felt and lasted for decades. Largely due to the Carr family testimony, the 77 year old was found guilty of witchcraft and was sentenced to hang.

This, despite reasoned and passionate pleas from her husband, pastor, daughter-in-law’s father, and 118 neighbors all of whom attested to her Christian character and charity. Everything mentioned thus far is well documented in the archives. What is not is how she managed to escape the noose. Three others convicted of the same crime that day were executed. Somehow Mary avoided the sentence. Some say she bribed the jailer, others point to Bradbury’s high community standing that may have allowed him to use his political contacts to intervene. However she managed it, we know that Mary lived in “exile” for a number of years until the witch hunt fervor died down. She then returned to her home and family in Salisbury Massachusetts where she lived until her natural death in 1700 at the age of 85.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotape, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Hostess With The Mostest

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It is a pity that we in America will sometimes remember people by how they’ve been branded by our commercial institutions. For instance, when hearing the name Dolley Madison, the first thing that may come to some minds is “snack cakes.”

But there is a reason the Dolly Madison bakery co-opted the name (misspelled as it is) of the wife of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. Dolley Madison was known far and wide for her social graces and hospitality. She did much to help define the role of the First Lady during her husband’s two terms and even before as a sometimes surrogate hostess for White House events during the widowed Thomas Jefferson’s term. Her husband served as Jefferson’s Secretary of State before becoming president himself.

Long before “bipartisan” became a concept in people’s minds, Dolley Madison put it into practice by inviting members of both political parties to the popular weekly social gatherings she would host. Prior administrations would only meet with the often dueling parties independently, (first one side, then the other), to avoid contention and open hostility. Dolley helped usher in the idea that people of opposing parties could amicably socialize, network, and negotiate with each other without resulting in violence. She accomplished this through her undeniable skills as a hostess and conversationalist. As one guest reflected, “We have not forgotten how admirably the air of authority was softened by the smile of gayety: and it is pleasing to recall a certain expression that must have been created by the happiest of all dispositions,—a wish to please, and a willingness to be pleased. This, indeed, is to be truly good and really great.”

Dolley finds a place upon our family tree by being the 3rd great-grandmother of John Payne who was the father in law of my nephew’s 4th great grand uncle.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Big Man On Campus

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I have been reaching back through the centuries to draw out stories of old that are somehow related to my family tree. I find them fascinating. But the stories that resonate the most with me are the ones involving family members who are closest to me. And what son would I be if I didn’t brag on my dad just a little bit… especially on Fathers’ Day?

Edward John Ondrasik was quite the “Big Man on Campus” in his day. At Roanoke University, he was a star basketball player, nicknamed “The Big Scoop” for his skills under the basket. He was voted thrice to the All State team and earned a spot on the All Century Team. He was eventually inducted in Roanoke University’s Hall of Fame.

His illustrious playing career was interrupted by a little disturbance most people knew as WWII. He left school to enlist in the Army Air Corps where he joined the 448th Bomb Group of the Mighty Eighth Army Air Force. He originally wanted to be a pilot but on his test run got a little too close to some telegraph wires so he got relegated to the bombardier seat. He flew 24 missions over wartime Germany and thankfully made it back home safely. He later told his family that all 24 wartime missions over Germany had to be flown without the benefit of a parachute because at 6’3” he could not fit in his compartment with it on. 

Upon his return to the states, he completed his education at Roanoke University and even played for another season where he racked up awards, accolades, and the attention of one Red Auerbach who invited him to come play for him. At the time, Red was coaching the Washington Capitols. 

Unfortunately, once my dad graduated and was free to accept the offer, Red had no open positions so he returned to his family home in New Jersey and got picked up by the Paterson Crescents, a team in the American Basketball League. He only played a couple of seasons before he decided to shift his attention and talents elsewhere.

He became the Athletic Director for a Naval Base in Bainbridge MD, and then decided to embark on a career in public education. It was a career that carried him through to retirement age. And he left an indelible impression on scores of children who were fortunate enough to have had him as a coach or teacher.

I still remember walking down a city street as a child with my father at my side only to be continually interrupted by what appeared to me to be grown men shouting out, “Hey, Mr. O!” or “Hey Coach!” Even at my tender age, I could see the love and respect these men had for my father because he had provided them instruction and a role model to emulate when they, as much younger versions of themselves, were his students.

He left an unmistakable legacy… and enormous shoes to fill. I can’t imagine being the man he was. I can only hope to be a son of whom he would be proud.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Shermerville, Illinois

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While researching the ancestry of my daughter-in-law’s family, one name kept popping up in the historical records: Shermerville, Illinois. Apparently, it was in this area that her German ancestors decided to settle when coming to America.

Shermerville was so named after Frederick Schermer who first donated the land to be used for the area’s first railroad station. By the 1870s, it was a thriving farming community with established brick yards that were in much demand during the rebuilding of Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871.

The town was incorporated in 1901 as the Village of Shermerville. It had 60 homes, 311 residents, and a whopping total of five saloons. With those numbers, it is not too surprising that Shermerville was labeled with a negative reputation in its early years for its raucous gatherings held at its various taverns. By 1921, the residents believed that the very name of Shermerville had developed a bad connotation and they set out to do something about it.

In 1923, a petition circulated among the residents asking them to select a new name for the village. The winner, Northbrook, was a name submitted by Edward Landwehr, the US Postmaster and the brother-in-law of my daughter-in-law’s first cousin (four times removed). Later, Landwehr’s contribution was recognized by having a street named after him.

It is hard to measure how much impact the name change had on its public image but as of 2021, Northbrook, a suburb of Chicago, consists of 32,654 people and is widely recognized as a safe, family-friendly area. Filmmaker John Hughes, a son of Northbrook, often used locations of the village in his films including Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Weird Science.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Prisoner of War

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“As we entered the place, a spectacle met our eyes that almost froze our blood with horror, and made our hearts fail within us. ‘Can this be hell?’”

This was the recorded impression of a Union soldier upon entering the infamous Andersonville Prison, a Confederate prisoner of war camp for captured Union soldiers. Of the 45,000 men held there, over 13,000 died, mainly from scurvy, diarrhea, and dysentery. A member of our family was one who survived.

John W. Ward enlisted in the Twenty-First Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1861 and fought in a number of battles. In September of 1863 at Chickamauga, the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War (behind Gettysburg), he was captured by the Confederates. He was then force marched and spent time in a number of camps: the Libby prison at Richmond Va; then at Danville; at Andersonville; at Charleston; and at Goldsboro. 

In February of 1865, Ward became part of a prisoner exchange, effecting his release. It could have been sooner but the prisoner exchange agreement that had been a standard practice since 1862 was suspended by Abraham Lincoln in July of 1863 (two months before Ward’s capture). It was suspended because Confederate forces were refusing to release black prisoners, classifying them as slaves to be returned to their owners instead of soldiers to be released back north. The exchange program didn’t officially resume until January of 1865. Ward was released a month later.

Ward went on to marry Lucinda Larimore in 1866, started farming in the Crooked Creek township in Illinois, and raised five children. He was the step-son of the 3rd great-grand aunt of my niece’s husband. He died in 1933 at the age of 91.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotape, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Engraved In Our Memories

~ michaelhvs ~ 1 Comment
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When researching genealogies, you never know who’ll you’ll find hiding out within the branches of your family tree. I recently became aware of an ancestor who made quite a mark for himself in the mid 19th century practicing an artwork that dates back to around 4000 BC.

Ottavio Negri, the 2nd great-grandfather of my niece’s husband, was a world-renowned glyptic artist, specializing in the creation of intaglios, which are carved images within gemstones. Born in Rome, Negri studied with the celebrated sculptor Augustus St Gaudens, and was soon recognized for his skill in recreating the classic Roman and Greek style of portraiture in stones. 

He spent most of his later years at his studio in New York, where he mentored Beth Benton Sutherland, a young woman who had campaigned to be allowed to work in his studio as an unpaid apprentice. After studying with him for four years, she went to Europe to further her education. She was told to return to New York because “no one in the entire world knew more about glyptic art than Ottavio Negri.” Upon Negri’s death, Sutherland inherited his workshop and stones (both cut and uncut.) She vowed to keep his legacy of individual artistry and craftsmanship alive in a world that was quickly transitioning to commercialized mass production.

Negri’s list of honors includes medals from the Paris Exposition (1879), London Crystal Palace (1888) and Chicago World’s Fair (1889). His engravings can be found in collections around the world including the National Museum in Krakow Poland.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Say “Cheese!”

~ michaelhvs ~ 1 Comment
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The federal census that comes out every 10 years is invaluable to those tracking their genealogies. Not only does it provide evidence of where our ancestors lived or tell us who they were living with, it also gives some insight as to how they lived by providing us with some details of their lives, such as their professions.

Over the last few months, I’ve tracked ancestors from all walks of life; farmers, salesmen, musicians, miners, clergymen, and many more. But I recently ran across an ancestor who was unique in that he listed his profession as daguerreian. Research shows that this particular relative was at the forefront of the photographic age.

John T. Yearout, a distant cousin of my daughter-in-law, made his living taking daguerreotypes of subjects, both living and dead. If you have ever seen “photographs” of people living in the mid 19th century, most likely you were looking at a daguerreotype.

The process works as such: The daguerreian would polish a sheet of silver plated copper to a mirror finish. It would then be treated with fumes to make it light sensitive. Once placed in the camera, it would be exposed while framing the subject for as much time as was needed based on the lighting conditions. The plate would then be treated with a mercury vapor to reveal the image. The resulting image would be sealed behind glass to prevent marring and make it suitable for display.

In 1853, Yearout partnered with TJ Dobyns who was one of the first to begin franchising his brand. Dobyns & Yearout (and sometimes Dobyns, Yearout & Richardson) had operations listed in Nashville, Memphis, and New York City. In 1855 he and Hezekiah Yearout opened a daguerreian studio in Marshall, Tx under the name Yearout  & Co. By 1860, Yearout & Co. had expanded to a Nashville location.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides (as well as daguerreotypes). For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Genealogy Jumble

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It has been said that “everyone with a European connection ends up being related to Charlemagne.” My oldest son sent me that quote after reading my blog where I announced that I, for a day, thought I was of royal lineage. It turns out, maybe I wasn’t so off the mark.

Mathematicians have long concluded that anyone alive 1,000 years ago and who has left descendants is an ancestor of every single European living today. Interesting information, especially in light of a recent discovery made regarding our family tree.

You may remember that I traced my wife’s lineage back to Plymouth Rock. Experience Mitchell married Jane Cooke, daughter of Frances Cooke. His lineage has been traced through the generations until it reached my wife and, of course, through her, our two sons. 

This is where it gets weird. Frances Cooke had other children. And when I began tracing the lineage of Jane’s younger brother Jacob, I discovered that, as we move through the generations, his lineage, which was also passed down from Frances Cooke, ended up at the woman who married my youngest son.

That’s right. My son married a wonderful girl who, as it turns out, was made just for him… by his 14th great-grandfather. Or to put it another way, he married his 13th cousin, once removed. That is not so unusual. The same thing can most likely be said about any couple. If we go back far enough, everyone is related.

It does make me think of a song I heard Ronnie Prophet once sing.  A song dating back to the 1940s that has been covered by many artists including Ray Stevens who you can hear by clicking on the link below.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.