Memorial Day Memories

The Cubbages moved from Pittsburgh to New Providence in 1953. My grandfather's slide collection has many pictures of my father and uncle in the annual Memorial Day parade in New Providence. An earlier post shows my father, Corky, marching in the parade with PAL baseball in 1957.

My uncle, Jeff, is holding the flag on the left in 1954.


My father, Corky in holding the flag and wearing a yellow neckerchief. This is also in 1954 and was their first Memorial Day in New Providence.


This picture was taken in 1955. Uncle Jeff is in the front on the left (by the balloon) and Corky is to the right, behind the boys with the yellow neckerchiefs. We can see the Presbyterian Church in the background.


Fast forward 25 years ...this a picture of me with my siblings and cousins sitting on the curb in New Providence watching the parade in 1980.


We all decorated our bikes and then rode down from my grandparents house to Springfield Avenue to watch the parade. Wonderful memories!

A Trip to Ellis Island

I had the pleasure of being one of the chaperones on my son's class trip to Ellis Island. The sixth graders had been studying immigration and Ellis Island in Social Studies class and in Language Arts class through the novel Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch.

I had been to there many, many years ago (and well before my interest in genealogy) and even though we don't have any ancestors who came through Ellis Island, I was excited for the trip. We left the school very early so that we could be on the first ferry. There were about 160 students and I had 7 boys in my group. As the ferry docked at Ellis Island, we were given a small glimpse of what it was like to arrive there (and more so as we stood in a crowded line in the rain for a return ferry!).


It was clear that the boys had been studying Ellis Island for some time and knew about most of what we saw. We all enjoyed seeing the "treasures from home" and those items that were brought from their homeland. The medical instruments were a bit frightening and they had fun answering some of the Citizenship test questions. We were all impressed by the graffiti left on the walls - names from over 100 years ago.


While not all of the boys were very excited about all of the displays, they all enjoyed our stop in the library (surprising, right?). I paid the $5 for 30 minutes on the computer and they all took a turn looking up their ancestors. Some were even texting their parents to get the names or spellings so they could search for them. It was clear that finding someone related to them was the most exciting part of the day. My son took home the names and is planning to finish searching for them (he is my budding genealogist). It was a tiring but fun day! I am glad that we live so close to Ellis Island and that our children can see and experience what immigration was like for so many people during that time.

Tombstone Tuesday - Christian Linneman

Grandview Cemetery
Monessen, PA

Christian was my great grand uncle and this follows a recent post on his military service. Christian rests near his mother, Elisabeth Nilkowski Linneman, his father, Gerhart, and his brother George in a beautiful plot overlooking the Monogahela River.

Church Record Sunday - The Baptism of Minnie Cubbage

I had contacted my second cousin to see if she had any pictures or genealogical information for the Cubbage family. She sent me a few pictures, plus the Certificate of Baptism of her grandmother Minnie.

This is the transcription:
Minnie Buelah Cubbage
Child of Mr. Charles A. Cubbage
and his wife Maine Cubbage
born at Swissvale, PA
on the tenth day of January 1908
was baptised in the Name of
The Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
on the thirty-first day of January 1909
by Rev. H C Erdman
Sponsors were [blank]

Baptized in St. John's Lutheran Church
Swissvale, PA

This is wonderful to have because I now have the name of the church that they attended while living in Swissvale. Minnie was the fourth of eight children, so I am hoping there will be more records for the Cubbages.


This is the oldest picture that I have of Minne, which is from her high school yearbook in 1925. Minnie was a Senior at Monessen High School.

Frank F. Speck

My great grandfather, Frank Friedrich Speck, was born today, May 21st in 1887. While Frank's early years are still a mystery to me (I have yet to find anything about him prior to 1915), I have learned much about him through The Daily Independent, the local newspaper in Monessen, PA.

Frank was a proprietor of a moving and storage business in Monessen. He was partners with John Bwash when they owned Marple Transfer. The Specks lived next door to the Marples in 1930, but I do not know the connection between them, other than the company name.


In 1922, there is a notice in the newspaper about the dissolution of their partnership when John Bwash retires. By 1924, the company is known as Speck Transfer and Moving Company.

I also was able to learn a little about Frank from deed records in Westmoreland County. From 1918 to about 1920, Frank (and his wife Elizabeth) bought several homes and/or lots and resold them for a profit, usually within about a year. I believe that they did live in some of these homes, as their address changed quite a bit during these years. Others were bought and sold with a WH Keefer. During this time, Frank worked at the Foundry (Census and Draft Card) and was not yet in the moving business.

Look for another post about Frank's life in the 1930s.

Wordless Wednesday - My Grandparents

Agnes Speck and Art Cubbage
circa 1938

Military Monday - Christian Linneman

Christian (Christ) Linneman was my great grand uncle and served in World War I from July 1918 to January 1919. According to his Record of Burial Place of Veteran from the PA Department of Military Affairs, he was a Private in the Army, 3rd Company 1st Battalion 155 DB.

This is a picture of Christ, probably taken in 1918. It was in a folio with the name B. Krasinski and Monessen, PA inscribed on it, which was probably the photographer. After the war, Christ was active with the VFW and the American Legion Posts in Monessen.

I learned recently from his birth record that Christ was born Christian Fasel and his father died a few months before he was born. His mother Elisabeth then married Gerhard Linnemann. All records I have found for Christian list him as Linneman. Christ never married or had any children and lived in Monessen with his brother Gerhard and mother Elisabeth and later his sister Elizabeth Linneman Speck.

Happy Mother's Day!

Better late than never. Here are a few pictures of the mothers of my family with their children. Happy Mother's Day!

My mother, Brigitte, with her mother, Elise Gegenheimer Haberkern, in Stein Germany, 1945.

My father, Corky, with his brother Jeff and his mother, Agnes Speck Cubbage, in Pittsburgh, 1945.

This is my great-grandmother Elisabeth Linnemann Speck, with either her daughter Agnes (1915) or son Frank (1918), probably in Monessen, PA.

This is my great-grandmother, Maine Swank Cubbage, with her daughters Marian, Marge and Babe, with another woman.

My great-grandmother Elisabeth Nilkowski Linnemann, with her children Christian, Gerhard, George, William and Elisabeth, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 1904.

Wordless Wednesday

This picture was with a bunch of old family photos (click on the image for a larger view). I don't know who this woman is, but I love the picture. The old car is great (and huge - the hood is almost as tall as she is) . I like the Gulf sign in the corner and that she appears to be dressed up. Sadly, we may never know who she is!

Amanuensis Monday - German Marriage Record

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them. Amanuensis Monday is a popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.

A few weeks a go I posted the Marriage Record for Elisabeth Nilkowski that I received from Germany. Elisabeth is my great-grandmother and was marred to Christian Fasel. He died in 1887 and Elisabeth later married my great-grandfather Gerhard Linnemann.

Many thanks again to Robert for translating this record for me:

No. 195
Gelsenkirchen, 4 November 1886

1. The miner Christian Fasel, personally known, of the Roman Catholic faith, born on 31 December 1860 in Himburg, Disrict of Montabaur, residing in Gelsenkirchen, Kesselstr. 13, son of married couple oven maker Johann Fasel and Maria Margaretha, née Henrich, both deceased, last residing in Himburg, District of Montabaur, and

2. the housemaid Elisabeth Barbara Nilkowski, personally known, of the Roman Catholic faith, born on 15 April 1865 in Alt Muensterberg, District of Marienburg, residing in Gelsenkirchen, Bochumer Str. 28, daughter of married couple laborer Johann Nilkowski and Maria, née Schild, residing in Braunswalde, District of Stuhm,

appeared today before the undersigned Registrar for the purpose of entering into matrimony.

Present as witnesses were:
3. Miner Hermann Strohm, personally known, 23 years of age, residing in Gelsenkirchen, Kesselstr. 13, and
4. Carter Wilhelm Henrich, personally known, 21 years of age, residing in Gelsenkirchen, Hochstr. 46.

In the presence of the witnesses, the Registrar asked the couple individually, one after the other, if they wished to enter into matrimony with each other.

The betrothed answered in the affirmative. The Registrar by the power vested in him by the Civil Code then pronounced the couple man and wife.

[signed -- the signatures of all four]

The Registrar [signature]

Funeral Card Friday - Barbara Black Cubbage

This is yet another wonderful item found in the file of photocopies that I just received from my father. I'm not sure if this is exactly a funeral card or if it was printed in the newspaper, but it does contain a lot of information about Barbara's life and children.

Wedding Wednesday - Marriage Certificates

So in this wonderful file of genealogy goodies that I got from my father last week, there are photo copies of two marriage certificates. The first one is for the marriage of Charles Swank and Marian Burd, my great-great grandparents. They are listed as Charles Schwenk and Mary Ann Burd. There is no county or location specified, but is probably Allegheny County and I will check with the Orphan's Court records.



The other certificate is for the marriage of William Arthur Speedy and Margaret Swank, who is my great grand aunt and the daughter of Charles and Marian Swank whose record is above. They are listed as William A. Speedy and Maggie A. Schwenk. It was filed in the Orphan's Court in Allegheny County and lists their marriage in Braddock.



It is interesting that both father and daughter are recorded as "Schwenk", but most other records after this time are as "Swank". I will need to do more searching for Schwenk in the Pittsburgh area to see if I can find any connections.

Happy Easter ... a Little Late!

The kids are back in school after spring break, so I can get back to my blog again. I had hoped to post this for Easter, but the week off got the best of me (we did have fun though, right boys?).

Here are a couple of pictures of my father, Corky and his brother Jeff on Easter after they moved from Pittsburgh to New Providence, NJ.


This is a picture of Corky and Jeff (ages 14 and 11) with neighbors on their front stoop on Easter in 1955. If you look closely, there are two baseball gloves and two dogs (Skippy and Topper). I'm guessing the brothers were playing catch before or after church.


This is a picture of Corky and Jeff on Easter in 1956 (ages 15 and 12). The slide had a lot of red spots on it, so I turned it into a sepia image to hide them a little bit.


This is a close-up of Corky and Jeff, again in 1956. Happy Easter!

Sunday's Obituary - Leah F. Cubbage

About a month ago, I wrote a Wednesday's Child post about Leah Cubbage, my grandfather's sister. In that post, I noted two possible causes of death, but had no further information at the time. I just received a file of old Cubbage records and early genealogy research that was started by my father! In it was a photocopy of Leah's obituary, I am assuming from the Daily Independent in Monessen, PA.



This obituary confirms some things that we know, but also has some information we didn't know too (like that Aunt Mag [Mrs. Speedy] was living in Florida at the time) This file also had a sheet of paper with a list of birth, death and marriage dates in my grandfather's handwriting. It lists that Leah was born on June 16, 1906 and died on July 12, 1921 which we didn't know. These dates may not all be correct or exact, but it gives me a starting point for some of them which is great.



This photocopy of a picture of Leah was in this Cubbage file too! I have a picture just like it of my grandfather by the same chair with the same dog. I'll be posting more of these wonderful finds as I sort through them, as well as updates to previous posts as I confirm or disprove other findings in the Cubbage tree.

Scout Saturday

My father Corky and his brother Jeff spent a few years as Boy Scouts after they moved from Pittsburgh to New Providence, NJ. This is a picture of Corky's Bobcat pin. Their father, Art, was a Boy Scout for many years in Monessen, PA and was a Life Scout (the second highest scouting rank).










Below are some pictures of Corky (age 13), Jeff (age 10) and their parents Art and Agnes Cubbage in front of their home in New Providence before the Memorial Day parade in 1954. They had just moved to New Jersey about eight months before.

Above is a picture of Corky at Scout Camp in the summer of 1954. He is in the back row, the third boy from the right.

Wedding Wednesday - Elisabeth Nilkowski's first marriage

I made some great progress on my great-grandmother's (Elisabeth Linnemann) family in the past few months, thanks to some documents I received from Germany. It started with her birth records and those of her siblings, which gave me the names of her parents. I also learned that her mother (Elisabeth Nilkowski) was married to Christian Fasel before she married Gerhard Linnemann. Christian died shortly before their son, Christian, was born. I requested the marriage records for both of Elisabeth Nilkowski's marriages from the city of Gelsenkirchen (where all of the children were born).

No record was found for Elisabeth and Gerhard Linnemann, so I will need to still keep digging there. Below is the record for her marriage to Christian Fasel.

I have asked someone to translate it for me and I will post the full translation when I receive it. What I think I have deciphered is that Elisabeth Barbara Nilkowski was born near Marienburg, which is currently in Poland in what was the former West Prussia Province. It looks as if her parents live in Braunwalde, near Marienburg. If this is correct (my German translation isn't great), then I can look further into her side of the family in Poland. Her husband, Christan Fasel, would not be one of my ancestors, but it does not look like he is from Poland, but from near Montabaur which is in the Rhineland-Palatinate state.

Here is a picture of Elisabeth Nilkowski Linnemann taken around 1903 or 1904 in Gelsenkirchen. Her husband Gerhard left for America in 1903 before she and the children followed in 1904. In the picture with her are her children Christian (Fasel), Gerhard, Wilhelm, Georg and Elisabeth.

Amanuensis Monday - A Sad Letter

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them. Amanuensis Monday is a popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.

Below is a letter from Maine (Swank) Cubbage to her sister Margaret (Swank) Speedy about the illness and death of her son George. I don't know who has the original letter, but my mother transcribed it many years ago.

George Cubbage was about two years old and died on Christmas day. He was buried on December 26, 1921 in Braddock Cemetery. Maine and Charles's daughter Leah had died a year and a half earlier in 1920. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for them. The letter mentions Charles (Charlie), some of their children (Lester, Marian, Minni, Artie) who were between ages 7 and 17. The letter also mentions Art (Margaret's husband) and Bill, who was Maine and Margaret's cousin who had lived with Charles and Maine for most of his life.

Monessen Jan 1 1922
Dear Sister
It has been a long time since I wrote to you. and what a lot has happened since then.
Just two weeks ago today I wrote you a long letter and told you all about my trip to Swissvale. George and I went on Friday and stay till monday. and Uncle George got our George a nice pair of tan shoes for his birthday. and he wore them home and that was the last he wore them he called them his pitty shoes. When I was writing that letter he was playing around here as well as he ever was. and him and Lester and Marian and I sat here until after eleven o'clock that night and him and Lester were carrying on high. you know how he was just at the age when he would try any thing or say any thing he saw the rest do. and he always was bright for his age. even the Dr. said he was a wonderful boy. Well we went to bed. and all went to sleep and about one o'clock he wakened me crying to get in my bed and coughed then just like the croup. he dedn't sleep much untill morning about six he fell a sleep and slept until dinner time. I brought him down and he ate dinner with us we had soup and he was always fond of that and he ate some. but I saw what I thought was a very bad cold he was feverish and horse but didn't seem to be sick. I dressed him and he played around a little while and then ask me to by O baby him. and I took him and he went to sleep. and when he woke up I saw he was getting worse. I greased him with campherated oil. but when Charlie got up at four o'clock he said if I were you I call the Dr. and tell him how he is and may be he want have to come so I did. But as soon as I told him he had a high fever and a croupie cough he said why that sounds like diptheria and I will be right over. he came over. he came and looked at him and at his throat and said that is what it is. and he said call up my wife and tell her I won't be home for supper for an hour. he said put him to bed and I will be right back and he went but was only gone half hour and he came with the anti toxine and put it on both of his legs. and watched him for a while and then went but he said before he went he would be back in two hours and he would have to put a tube in his throat for it was closing up fast. he told us to be ready. he said he would have to have three to hold him and he said we would have to do it because we could not call any one else in. so we called Charlie home and we had everything ready when he came back. he looked at George and shook his head and said there is no use waiting. He is changing color now. So I held him in my arms and Charlie held his head and Marian his feet. and he got the tube in all right. and it was wonderful the change that came into his face. when I went out of the room he said if it had been two hours later he would of been dead. Well the next day he put more anti toxine in him and all the rest of them. he said it was the very worst kind of diptheria. it was the black diptheria. he put anti toxine in him four different times and we had to tie his hands down to his sides to keep him from pulling the tube out. he did get it out one night about one o'clock and started to choke right away and Marian called the Dr. and he came so fast. I don't know how he got here - he just threw his over coat on over his pajamas and run. I thought that night he was gone for sure. I didn't think he could stand to have it put in again but he did. Marian and I held him and he went to sleep as soon as it was in again. after that Charlie didn't go to work no more he stayed home and we never left him night or day. he got over the diptheria all right. The Dr. took the tube out on the fourth day and he could breath all right but the next day we noticed he was worse and we called the Dr. to come right away and when he came and examined him he said phenonia had set in. he told us before that we would be lucky if we could get him through with out it. that was on Thursday that he said he had phenonia. well be both worked with him night and day and on Friday evening he turned over on his said and went to sleep and slept for over two hours. he was still sleeping when the Dr. came in at nine o'clock. he said how is he. neither one of use said a word for we didn't know whether that was good or not. we thought he might be in a stupor of some kind. but when the Dr. looked at him he was just tickled to pieces. he said why his pulse is normal and he is sleeping just as natural as can be. we you can guess how we felt. well all day Saturday he seemed to improve and the Dr. was come in about nine o'clock in the evening to see him for the night. he said he is no worse only he was flity. he just talked all the time. well that night we both sat there untill two o'clock and then I laid down across the bed and slept till five and got us and Charlie layed down. and George knew us both all the time. he talked to me. and just coaxed me to take him up. he reached his arms up around my neck. and said by sehlep mama but I told him he would frize if I took him up. and then he said he was freezing just to get me to take him and that is the way he talked on and I gave him watear as he called it at half past six. and then I noticed a change in him and I called Charlie and said this baby is worse or dying and Charlie jumped right up. but George just gasped three times and was gone. the Dr. got here in time to see him breath his last. he said he had phlurises of the heart is what made him go so quick. he heart got paralised. well I have told you the best I could all bout his sickness. but I can't attempt to tell you what a house this is. they all thought so much of him and he was always ready for mischief. I thought it was hard when I couldn't be with Leah when she died. but I found out that is not the hardest part of death. we could fix Leah just the way we wanted to and the kids could all kiss her good by. but as soon as George died, the undertaker came and I got the clothes ready that I wanted on him. but he said. I am very sorry but we are not allowed to dress him. I said well if I had known that I would have dressed him my self but he said he would of had to take them off again. It was the law. he just rapped and rapped him in white muslin and layed him on a stand that he had and left him in the room until the health officer came - and he sealed the room up and disinfected the room body and all and left it that way for two hours and then the undertaker came and put him in the casket with a glass top and all you could see was just his face not even his hair nor his ears nor his hands. it was supposed to be sealed but I found out it wasent. I found the catch on it and opened it. and kissed him. no one knows that but you now. I wish now that I had let the kids kiss him too. I don't think it would of hurt them. we were not allowed to have no funeral just the family and no one was allowed to come in all the time he was sick or we of been fined $50. They allowed the men to go to work but they were not allowed to go near his room. that is why Charlie quit work and stayed home and helped nurse him. We had two large cars. Charlie and I and Lester and Minni and the casket went in one and the rest of them and the minster went in the other one. that roads were awful rough too. Poor Bill is taking it awful hard. he dont cry he just groans and that is worse. They took the sign down yesterday and Charlie is going back to work to morrow and the kids to school. then is when I will miss him more than ever for he was always where I was. Lester and Bill have no work the mill shut down the day before Christmas. I don't think I will ever think the same of Christmas again. The kids were waiting on Christmas they had been saving their pennies to get trimmings for a tree. I had told them if they got enough trimmings I would get a tree. they wanted one so bad for George. Artie had got him a little tin??? as George called them. he was crazy about autos. Bill was planning to go to Pittsburg after Christmas and get him one that he could ride in. but he never saw any thing he got for Christmas. They are all wrapped up yet. I hadent got him anything yet, we had him down street the Saturday evening before he got sick and he saw santa claus. and shook hands with him. I intended to get him a kick a bobcle. we could hardly get him away from them but we didn't get down street again and when I called up the store where they was Friday evening they were all sold. they said they would have some in on Tuesday and Charlie said that would be alright for he would not be able to play Christmas any how. and sure enough he wasn't. I think I have told you all now. if there is any thing else that I have forgot to tell you, why you ask me and I will tell you. I took a wreath down for Leah's grave. I couldn't think of coming away and leaving flowers on one and nothing on that poor lone grave. George dident have as many flowers as Leah had but they looked nice. what he did have Bill got him a pillow that was a great deal bigger than the one Leah had and it said George across the center and Lester got him a big bunch of carnations. I tryed to get a bunch of sweet peas for Leah's grave but I couldn't get them. I am sending you a couple of little yellow flowers off George's pillow. He was always picking dandelions. he said there were a tame dandelion with another name. Well I will close now. we are all well at the present and hope this will find you both the same. Tell Art that we both thank him for his offer. and if we find we cannot squeeze through we will be glad to know we have a friend waiting to help us out.
Good by
Your Sister
Maine

Family Recipe Friday - City Chicken

Here is a family favorite! City Chicken actually isn't chicken, but cubes beef, pork and/veal on wooden skewers (to resemble drumsticks). It seems to originated in Western Pennsylvania, but was popular in other areas of the Midwest. Early recipes for City Chicken show up in the 1930's post-Depression Era. Chicken was costly or hard to find, while the other meats (especially pork) were generally cheaper.

My father remembers his grandmother Mem, Elizabeth Linneman Speck Merz, making City Chicken as a child when they lived in Pittsburgh. She made it with pork, veal and beef. My parents have continued to cook this meal today, although they usually only use pork now. Here is the Cubbage version (there was no written recipe):

City Chicken
1" to 1 1/4" cubes of pork loin (and veal or beef) - put 4 on a skewer
dredge in flour
dip in beaten egg
roll in flavored bread crumbs
brown on all sides
put a grate in bottom of a pot and add tiny bit of water
bake at 400F until the meat is done (not sure how long)- just test it with a fork.

I don't have a picture of our City Chicken (I will be sure to take one next time we have it!). Instead, here is a picture of Mem in her kitchen - probably when she lived on Thelma Street in Pittsburgh.

Wednesday's Child - George Cubbage

Another blogging prompt used by genealogy bloggers is "Wednesday's Child" to post photos of gravestones of children. While sad, it can ensure they are remembered, and it can give life to the stories of these children (if they are known). Today's post is about George Cubbage.



George Cubbage was my grandfather's brother and the youngest of the eight children born to Charles and Maine (Swank) Cubbage. George was born in 1919 in Monessen, PA and died on December 25, 1921 at home in Monessen after having diphtheria and pneumonia. George's older sister, Leah Cubbage, had died just a year earlier in 1920. Next week I will post the heart-wrenching letter from his mother Maine to her sister about George's illness and death. George is buried in Braddock Cemetery in North Braddock, PA. It was also known as Old Braddock Cemetery and Russell Cemetery. He is buried alongside of his parents Charles and Maine, his sister Leah, his uncle William Arthur Speedy, and his first cousin once removed William H. Burd.

Sunday's Obituary - Jeffrey Jay Cubbage

Uncle Jeff was my Dad's brother. He was the son of William Arthur Cubbage and Agnes (Speck) Cubbage. Here is a picture of Jeff and my Dad in 1948.

Sports Center Saturday - PAL Baseball

May 1957

Memorial Day Parade

New Providence, NJ

Since it was Opening Day this week for Major League Baseball, I decided it was time for a baseball post. While this is not opening day, it is a picture of a New Providence Police Athletic League (PAL) team. My father is the player with the gold oval on his cap. Mom told me that the teams were all coached by police officers.

If you look closely (click on the image for a larger view), you can see the different shoes. Some of the boys are wearing high-tops, but many are wearing loafers or dress shoes for the parade. I think about how many pairs of sneakers my boys have, in addition to cleats and dress shoes. They saw this picture and couldn't imagine wearing "church shoes" for a baseball parade!

Treasure Chest Thursday - Cubbage Family Bible

The blogging prompt "Treasure Chest Thursday" challenges us to write about a family treasure, heirloom or other item that is important to our family. Today I will share the Cubbage Family Bible.

This Bible belonged to my great-great grandparents, James Cubbage and Barbara Black Cubbage who lived in Butler County, PA.

The cover is falling off, but is absolutely beautiful! Inside of the Bible are many family treasures: letters, a few pictures, a lock of hair, some dried flowers, newspaper clippings and obituaries, little cards from Sunday School. Some are clear as to which family member they are from, others are not. The biggest treasures inside of this Bible though, are the handwritten pages.

In between the Old Testament and the New Testament are pages that list marriages, births and deaths. The "Marriages" page is blank, but the "Births" page lists the birth dates for James and Barbara's nine children (transcribed below:
Nancy Cubbage was born October the 28 1853
Sarah Cubbage was born March the 6 1855
George Cubbage was born February the 3 1857
John Cubbage was born September 21 1860
Jacob Cubbage was born May 1 1863
James L Cubbage was born October the 19 1865
Mary ann Cubbage was born February the 8 1868
William H Cubbage was born May 1 1870
August the 3 1873 Charles Cubbage was Born (this entry is in a pen that is different from the other entries).

The next page lists two of the children's deaths:
Nancy Cubbage died January the 14 1854
Mary ann Cubbage died November the 20 1882

The information (and handwriting) in this Bible is such a treasure! I will post more about some of the other items with stories about Cubbage family members.

Happy Birthday Uncle Jeff!

Jeffrey Jay Cubbage

March 28, 1944 - March 26, 2007

This picture was taken in Pittsburgh, PA in 1951.

Happy Annversary Mom & Dad!

March 27, 1965

New Providence Presbyterian Church

New Providence, NJ

Wordless Wednesday

I love this picture. I don't know anything about it, but I love it. I love the car, the dog in the front seat, the expressions on their faces. In the back seat is my great-uncle Frank R. Speck, son of Frank F. and Elizabeth (Linneman) Speck. I would guess that this pictures was taken in the late 1930's or early 1940's.

Military Monday - Art's Discharge from the Navy

This is the last in a recent series of posts about my grandfather's Naval service during World War II. William Arthur (Art) Cubbage received his Honorable Discharge from the US Navy on April 9, 1946, just short of two years from when he was inducted. At the time of his discharge, art was a Yeoman Second Class.


Art's Naval Separation paper's had a wealth of information about him at the time, including his address and occupation, both before and after his service, schooling, and Naval insurance and pay.
Art's wife Agnes went to Norfolk at the time of his discharge. Here are pictures of Art's Naval housing and a picture of Agnes in front of his home during his service.


I love this picture of Agnes and Art (except that his eyes are closed!). I found it in a folder from The Windsor House, a restaurant in Norfolk, VA. The date written on the back of the photo is April 9, 1946 - the date of Art's discharge. I can imagine them enjoying a nice dinner together after being apart for two years.
After his discharge, Art, went to Pittsburgh and then back to Akron, OH with his family. They lived at Hillwood Homes which was housing for Veterans, and Art worked for the Railroad again.