BESSIE (APPLEBACH) DOSTMAN 1880-1969

Elizabeth "Bessie" APPLEBACH was born in 1880 in Lancaster, PA to Abraham and Elizabeth (LITTLE) APPLEBACH.  She was the second known child.  Her older brother was born in 1878 and was blind.

The first mention I found of Bessie (she appears to always have been known as this, even in official documents) was in the Lancaster newspaper on Dec. 24, 1889 (source: Chronicling America) in an article (sorry, I accidentally cut off the title) listing all the kids in school that were preforming in a Christmas production and that she was singing "All Contrary".  She would have been 8 or 9 years old.

In the 1897 Lancaster Directory, Bessie is listed as living at 421 Concord and was a box paperer in occupation.

Bessie apparently was living elsewhere, or married William DOSTMAN between 1897 and 1900 because she disappears out of the directories under the name APPLEBACH.  William and Bessie's one known child, Robert, was born in 1900 and died in 1904. According to the Mennonite Vital Records, Robert was the child of Wm. DOSTMAN 1879-1919 and Bessie (1880-1969).  Robert's dates are listed there as July 31, 1900 to Feb. 28, 1904. 




(Source of above photo: Find a Grave)

In the 1900 census, William and Bessie DOSTMAN are listed as living on Gilbert Street.  It says they married in 1900, and that she has 2 living children.  My note here is that the census taker was at this house prior to the birth of Robert, because that would have made 3 living children, as she had 2 children prior to marrying William.  However, her second child, Lester SPEISS age 2,  was living with William and Bessie. Her oldest child was living with her parents under the name of Violet APPLEBACH.

In the 1910 census, William and Bessie live on Church Street. They have been married 10 years and have 2 living children - obviously Robert is dead, which leaves her 2 children from prior to marrying William. 

The census lists Bessie occupation as a "stripper" for Laborer Fait - in other words, she worked for one of the numerous Lancaster factories of this time as a tobacco stripper. William is a painter, and Violet is a "tipper" meaning she works in one of the umbrella factories in Lancaster. Lester is probably a student. Both Violet and Lester (SPEISS) are listed with the last name of DOSTMAN. However, Violet is listed as living with her grandparents as Violet SMITH in the same census.

In the 1920 census, Bessie is listed as living with son Lester and his family:

Source: Ancestry

In the 1930 census, Bessie is still listed as living with son Lester and his family:

Source: Ancestry

There is some thought that Bessie may have been married to _______ SPEISS and widowed shortly afterwards, leaving her pregnant with Lester or as an infant.  Her gr-grand-daughter told me that Bessie was married, had Lester, and was widowed in a year's time.

Violet's story is unknown to me other than the few censuses and her death certificate. 

I believe she was illegitimate and at this point the father is unknown.  However, apparently Wm. DOSTMAN allowed her to use his last name, and maybe even had adopted her. Bessie would have been 14-15 years old when Violet was born.

Update12/30/2024: It is implied and possible in some documents that I have run across that William DOSTMAN could be the biological father of Violet. William and Maggie (Taylor APPLEBACH's first wife) were siblings. Hence, the DOSTMAN and APPLEBACH families would have known each other. It is entirely possible that William and Bessie had a relationship, broke up, and then married after she was a widow of _____SPEISS.

Another topic to research...

Violet's death certificate 1930 from Ancestry

 According to the Lancaster Directory for 1933, 1935, and 1937 Bessie lived at 522 S. Plum, Lancaster.

 In the 1950 Lancaster Directory, she is living at 8 Chester in Lancaster.

According to the 1955 Lancaster Directory, she was living at 407 S. Shippen St. in Lancaster.

This is the info I found on Ancestry for the SS Index:

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

FRANK & BERTHA RESSLER FAMILY PHOTOS

1937:

Reba (RESSLER) GARNER was pregnant and the doctor said she would not survive the pregnancy, so a family photo was taken with all 9 children

1950 or 1951:

Back (L to R): Clarence, Anna, Mary, Reba, Emma, Martha, Andy
Front (L to R): Charles, Frank, Bertha, and Victor

Feb. 7, 1952:

Bertha and Frank in the front.  Children: Mary, Clarence, Emma,
 Anna, Andy, Martha, Charles, Reba. Vic is missing - lived in Texas and may have been in military at this time.

Source: all photos from my personal collection

EMMA MAE (RESSLER) REESE 1906-1989

Emma RESSLER's birth certificate - note that her name is not actually filled in but the date, place, and parents are correct.  So the name is missing - was the doctor in a hurry? Or since birth certificates were a new thing in Lancaster County in 1906 was the doctor just not used to filling them out? Or had Frank and Bertha not decided on a name for their new daughter?

Source: Ancestry

I have a couple photos of Emma as a young woman:

Tom and Emma were engaged, the diamond engagement ring was inherited by my sister.

Tom and Emma are also in this family gathering photo, so Tom must have been seen as part of the family.

I do not know what caused the engagement of Tom ROSS and Emma RESSLER was broken off.  I do remember comments from grandma that Aunt Emma had been engaged twice before marrying John REESE.

John REESE and Emma RESSLER were married on July 6, 1929.

 Their marriage appeared neither happy or unhappy to me.  I remember Uncle John as being kind and quick to laugh.  As I got older, I heard the quiet veiled comments that he was bi-sexual.  Whether he was or not, his many kindnesses to me and his laugh are what I remember. He died of cancer.

I remember Uncle John and Aunt Emma living at 525 Manor Street in Lancaster.

Feb. 16, 1938 Emma Reese and Pauline Garner

At the Frank Ressler farm in New Providence, PA

Aunt Emma died in January 1989.  She and Uncle John never had children, and she always seemed so bitter and angry.  I think she was very lonely as she aged. By the time this photo was taken, she was blind or almost blind from diabetes.

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

MATSON, WILLIAM THOMAS "TOM" 1890-1938

"Tom" MATSON was married to Amanda GARNER, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (MUSSELMAN) GARNER. Per the 1920 census for Lancaster County, PA - Tom, Amanda, and children were living on the farm.  Per the 1930 census, Tom was an inmate at the Almshouse, and Amanda and children were still living on the farm.  

I remember rare comments about "crazy" Tom MATSON at family get togethers. I have no idea what exactly was wrong with him and I don't remember anyone ever saying anything specific.

Several months ago, I was looking on Ancestry for various members of  Charles & Elizabeth's family and ran across Tom MATSON in the census at the Almshouse, which brought back old memories of comments about him. I contacted a couple distant family members, and their memories were like my own - him being called Crazy Tom but no specifics.

My curiosity kicked in, and I contacted the Lancaster Archives, which have been such a help in the past.  After several days, the response was no one had ever asked them for those records and after searching around, the answer was they did not have them.  Per their suggestion, I contacted the facility that now handles those needing inpatient mental help.  They have no records back that far, and no idea what to suggest except that I contact the Lancaster County Historical Society (LCHS).  

The third time is the charm I guess, because the  LCHS was able to locate an old log-in book that actually had Tom's check in info (what there is of it).  I was told that this was all the info they could come up with - I am guessing those records are long gone.  

HIPAA and record retention were not a priority in the 1920's and 30's.  If he was committed by the family, there maybe no other records, even at the time.  If he was committed by the state, somewhere there should be court papers.

Below is what I have managed to collect on him:

Tom's WWI draft registration.  As far as I know, he did not fight in WWI, but maybe that should be a search for another day. (Source: Ancestry)

Tom MATSON - June 23, 1923 at Garner Reunion (source: Ron SCHNEIDER)

                                                           

The log in book from the Almshouse that shows he was admitted to the hospital, discharged, and admitted to the Almshouse in Aug. 1929. (Source: Lancaster County Historical Society)

His death certificate (source: Ancestry)

Tom's gravestone in Mechanic's Grove Church of the Brethren Cemetery (Source: Find A Grave)

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

Amanda and Katie GARNER were the daughters of Charles and Elizabeth (MUSSELMAN) GARNER.

Katie (GARNER) LIGHTCAP 1901 - 1975   
FAG memorial #32505284

Amanda (GARNER) MATSON, MORRISON 1894 - 1970  
FAG memorial #32505304

Source of photo: Lancaster County School Students circa 1890's to 1960's compiled by Brenda Creasy pg. 44

______________________________________________________

Edna STOVER was the daughter of John J. and Mary Ida (WOLF) STOVER.

Edna (STOVER) 1899 - 1986
FAG memorial #169889327

Source of photo: Lancaster County School Students circa 1890's to 1960's compiled by Brenda Creasy pg.167

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

GRANDMA GARNER - SOME MEMORIES OF HER

Last night after the DAR meeting several of us were discussing the large families of yesteryear, and we wondered how in the world they managed to feed and clothe so many children.

Source: Bing clip art

My comments revolved around my Grandma GARNER and a conversation she and I had when I was a mom with one toddler on this very subject.  She had a hernia plus my uncle's birth had been very difficult (and the doctor was drunk) and after 2 children (my mom and uncle) the doctor told her no more children.  She had 3 more. 

 I asked if they tried any form of contraception, and she stated that she did not ask or expect Pappy to sleep on the couch the rest of their lives.  I asked why she didn't buy condoms, after all they had been available for many years prior to the 1940's.  Her answer after she stopped chuckling was, "I had plenty of food to feed more mouths, but I didn't have cash money to go to the drug store with."

Several of the older women who were in on this conversation last night smiled and nodded in agreement - they understood exactly what my grandma meant. 

 The Great Depression was just ending, and we were in WWII - cash money was just not available to most working people after paying for the necessities. Back in the day, most people had a vegetable garden, a few chickens, and maybe even a milk cow and a pig.  While food variety might not have been great, most people, especially in rural areas had food.  Both Pappy and Grandma GARNER's parents were alive and still on the farms.  My grandparents had a large home vegetable garden (I can remember Grandma still tending one in the 1970's).

Source: Bing clip art

Grandma often spoke of how during all the rationing of WWII, she took in laundry and ironing to help meet the cash needs of her growing family, while Pappy delivered milk for Moore's Dairy and later worked for Bushon Feeds. Grandma did not drive, and the car had to get Pappy to work and back anyway. 

Source: Bing clip art

Gas was rationed and in order to go to church on Sunday and to their own family's farms after church they did no running during the week.  Whichever of their parents farm they went to on a given Sunday for lunch and visiting also stocked them up on eggs, fresh milk, cider, and other items that Grandma & Pappy either didn't grow themselves, couldn't get in Lancaster, or did not have enough ration cards for. It was a hard time for many people, but I don't remember my grandma really complaining about it - they toughed it out.

A side note of this is that my mother had bad teeth, by the time I can remember she already had false teeth.  My sister asked me about it and in my opinion, it may have been caused by a lack of milk or other dairy products in her early years while she was really growing.

I remember Pappy talking about how they bought the house at 1747 Temple Ave in Lancaster in 1937.  They had lived in downtown Lancaster, not far from John and Emma (RESSLER) REESE, however, when Grandma became pregnant the decision was made to find a house on the outskirts of Lancaster. 

I don't remember all the details anymore, but I believe the house was purchased from 2 brothers for $4,000.  Pappy said when they paid it off, it actually cost them $6,000 with all the interest they had to pay. When Grandma sold the house in the mid-1990's it brought $61,000.  I wonder what Pappy would have thought of that. The reality is that $4,000 in 1937 was a huge amount of money to a regular working person.

When I was in Lancaster this past August, my sister and I went by and looked at Grandma & Pappy's old house on Temple Ave.  It looks totally different with siding and fencing.  But what sticks in my mind is how small it actually is - somehow with all the love and good memories that were produced in that home, it always seemed so big.  My sister and I drove thru the alley and actually got caught by the current owner as we were peeking over the back privacy fence!!  He was actually the person who purchased the house from Grandma, and once we explained who we were was very willing to talk to us about the house.  The back yard was tiny - how in the world did we play games and have so many family meals and picnics in that tiny yard !!!!

Source: Redfin

This is 1747 Temple Ave., Lancaster, PA looks now. In my memories, the house was white with dark green trim. The front porch had a metal swing and a couple of metal chairs. Lots of visiting and waving at folks going by happened from that porch. 

The yard was small, but from my current perspective it is tiny. It must have been all the love and good memories in that home that made it, and the house seem bigger. How we got so many people crammed in there for Sunday meals and holiday dinners is beyond me, but we did.

After those big meals, people scattered into the living room, porch, back yard, or on neighborhood walks to visit or play games. Good memories happened during any or all of that.

NOTE: THE PHOTOS USED IN THIS BLOG ARE IN MY POSSESSION UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.  THE WRITTEN CONTENT IS MY OWN UNLESS NOTED.

MY ORGANIZATION SYSTEM

 I was recently contacted and ask how in the world I actually keep track of all this stuff??? My system is anything but perfect and generally pretty low tech.  However, keep in mind, that I like stuff being where it belongs - and that means any item you care to name. 

 I work the paperwork side of medical (HIM) and a definite mind set to being successful in this is simply being organized. Another common personality quirk in this field is liking mysteries and/or puzzles. I spend all day digging thru medical records and doing research, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I have no issues about coming home and spending time digging thru more records trying to solve genealogy mysteries.

That being said, as a teen when I started on this family history journey, I recycled a bunch of old manila file folders.  On each I put the name of a person, their birth and death years, parents names, and known spouses.  Inside I just stuck anything I found that fit that person. I was happy to just have it in one spot. Each person had a file, ok, some people ended up with 2 or 3.  They continue to look the same:

 

As I collected more and more info and documents, I added 3 ring binders for direct ancestors that I was specifically looking for and so had lots more stuff (remember the people who had 1 and more files).  I put the documents in date order and use plastic acid free sheet protectors to put these in.  

If the paper is double sided, then it is in the sheet protector by itself - if it is a single side then I put 2 in. This way I can simply flip thru and see what I have - it kind of works like a timeline. I am very visual, so this allows me to see what is there.  I also highlight with a yellow marker dates and names so they stand out.

 I recently started making a binder for all the known children of a set of parents (excluding the one who is actually a direct ancestor and has his/her own binder). I simply take the manila folder that the papers were in inside the file cabinet (I have 2 four drawer ones for genealogy), punch 3 holes in it and put all that person's papers behind it.  I put the children in birth order.  

On the folder for my direct ancestor I write somewhere to "See Binder" because everything for that person has been moved to a personal binder.  While not actively searching out all the various children and their descendants, I do end up finding stuff on them as I search for my own ancestors so this allows me to have plenty of room for this extra info. Again, all the papers are in sleeve protectors. (Tip: the local Goodwill here tends to have 3 ring binders and for 49 cents each I get lots of them.)

 As I research now, I save a copy of what I find onto my computer and also print off a copy that will go into that person's binder or file.  Yes, it is a little bulky, but it is what works for me.  I then back up all my computer files onto a very large external hard-drive.  The external hard-drive is kept in a fire proof safe.

     I also purchased 2 techie items that I feel are very important:

• A good quality scanner - mine does negatives, slides, photos and documents.  It also has a labeling program for the photos, so I can label the photos right on the front (no more unlabeled photos or lost postie notes).
• A high end digital frame that I can put several thousand photos on.  It is in the living room and I have a really nice way to display so many of the old photos that are now in my possession. 

 Please realize that I have thousands of photos and documents and the scanning project is a long way from being complete, however, it is in progress.  Each day sees a few more items scanned in and saved on the computer. 

I end up having 2 complete sets of photos in the computer because I keep the original, plus the photo that is labeled on the front. Aw yes, and let us not forget the actual printed photo that was scanned in to begin with. Many of these have been given to other family members who will also appreciate them.

 So how to I store the photos?? Well the first thing I did was took them out of those old sticky "magnet" photo albums that were so popular in the 1970's and 1980's.  If they weren't labeled, I took a few with me every time I visited with family and tried to find someone who knew who, when, and where. 

For many years I felt like I really was drowning in photos and it was an overwhelming project.  I still have boxes of photos that are not scanned in.  However, as I scan them in and they get labeled, they they go into acid free photo boxes by year.  I don't know that I will ever get them put into some form of photo albums, but at least they are in one place.  I know those acid free photo boxes can be a little pricey, but for me they are worth it.

 So below is a shelving unit that is neat and tidy.  More important, I can find the people or photos I am after without a lot of muttering and frustration.

     I keep reference books in one certain spot, however, they are in no particular order:

 I recently went on a research binge, so now I am catching up on my filing again.  It's ok though, because all of it has a spot to go to when I get to it.  I guess my advice is to simply find or make a system that works for you and then stick to it.  If I (or you) can't find the documents or photos they are not doing any good for family history.

A side note: figure out how you are going to label your individual documents or files on the computer and then be consistent.   I tried several different naming systems over the years and when I finally settled on a way that I really liked, I had to go back thru years of files and rename all of them consistently.  It took weeks and turned me into a blithering idiot for the time I was working on it. I am now labeling my computer documents like this: surname_first name_date_place_item

Years ago, I saw somewhere a suggestion to use colored file folders for the various branches of a family tree.  Since I was (and still do) use recycled manila file folders, they are all that lovely off white color. 

So, I bought cheap star stickers in blue, green, red, and yellow.  I put a colored sticker beside the name on each file or binder that are my direct ancestors. The colors to me mean:

• Blue = my father and his paternal line
• Green = my father's maternal line
• Red = my mom and her paternal line
• Yellow = my mom's maternal line  

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.