PHOTOS FROM THE GARNER FAMILY 1940's

PHOTOS FROM THE GARNER FAMILY 1940's

I have been trying to utilize the last few days while required to stay home (due to corona virus pandemic) to go thru family photos and papers.

It seems a good idea to share a few photos from the 1940's from my album of photos for the Ben GARNER family.

Clyde GARNER died in 1956 from cancer.  His widow was Martha (LANDIS) GARNER and their two children were Linda and Larry.

Pauline (GARNER) APPLEBACH/HAHN 1937-2016 was four years old in the above photo.  Several photos were taken the same day so I think there must have been a family gathering at my grandparents house.

The note on the back of the above photo says it was taken at the Ben GARNER farm - 1943.

This photo was taken in the backyard at 1747 Temple Ave, Lancaster, PA in 1944 or 1945 from the size of Jerry.  The small white building to the left of the photo was the old chicken house converted into a "play house" for the children of the growing family.  

The family story is that the doctor was drunk when he delivered Uncle Jerry, and there was some never discussed injury to grandma. The apparent fear was that grandma would not be able to have more children. Three more were born after Jerry: Darlene, Cheryl, and Gloria. Also there was never any discussion that I remember of stillborn or miscarried babies.

The above photo is unusual because Grandma did not like her photo taken, she preferred to be taking the photo.  I remember her using a brownie camera until she could no longer get film for it, then she finally had to switch to another camera, I believe a Kodak Instamatic. 

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Note: I have been asked if I still have the original photos unlabeled - yes. All these photos are scanned into the computer, and those are backed up on an external hard drive.  Plus, I still have the original photo in my possession. If you are a family member who wants a copy of the original, please contact me directly.

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

PHOTO: MARY, BEN, AND CORA GARNER

This photo is of Mary, Ben, and Cora GARNER.  No date written on photo but from clothing guessing in the late 1940's or early 1950's.  The scenery could be the Ben GARNER farm.

Mary was the oldest daughter of Ben and Cora (GROFF) GARNER.

Photo given to me by R. SCHNEIDER, who was the grandson of Mary (GARNER) SCHNEIDER, who was the sister of Ben GARNER.

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

RESSLER, FRANK AND FAMILY 1952

FRANK RESSLER AND FAMILY 1952

This picture was take on Feb. 7, 1952 for Frank's 65th birthday. 

Frank and Bertha had nine children.  I never heard any talk growing up about stillborns, miscarriages, or small children who died - so as unusual as it is, I have to believe there were only nine children and all grew to adulthood.

Seven of the nine lived their entire lives in Lancaster County, PA.  The exceptions were Victor who remained in Texas after the Army, and Martha "Mart" who was a registered nurse and spent many years in California. Martha is buried in Lancaster County.

I do not remember ever meeting Uncle Vic, but saw Aunt Mart many times on trips to Lancaster County.

Frank RESSLER sold the farm in New Providence, PA in Dec. 1944.  My understanding was Frank and Bertha moved into a house in New Providence, but I have done no research yet to find out where they moved after the farm was sold.

The girls all married local men (including Aunt Mart).  Their married names were: 

1. Mary MILLER (married Harry MILLER) and after she was widowed she married a first cousin Clair RESSLER - Harry and Mary had three boys.

2. Emma REESE (married John REESE) - no children.

3. Anna HESS (married James HESS) - two children

4. Martha BERBERIAN (married Dr. _________ BERBERIAN) - one child.

5. Reba GARNER (married Ralph GARNER) - 5 children. 

Note: I also have the original unlabeled photo above in my personal collection. 

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

APPLEBACH, ABRAM (or ABRAHAM) - 1860 AND 1870 CENSUS

APPLEBACH, ABRAM (or ABRAHAM) - 1860 AND 1870 CENSUS

Abram/Abraham APPLEBACH was born between 1848 and 1851 depending on the document you are looking at. His father was definitely Henry APPLEBACH.  His death certificate says his mother was Catherine STAHR, which is entirely possible.  However, I have also seen her name as Catherine CORNER.

His death certificate says he was born in  Feb. 1851 and he is not on the 1850 census. His mother appears to disappear from sight about the time of his birth.  His siblings appear in the 1860 census as living with other people.

In 1860, Abram was living with Samuel and Harriett MILTENBERGER in Monroe County, PA. He is listed as 10 years old and has been in school that year.

Source: Family Search

In 1870, Abram is listed as living in Northampton County, PA with Sam and Catherine SHIMER.  He is 22, and a farm laborer.

I do not have any information yet on how Abram APPLEBACH ended up in Lancaster County, PA by Dec. 1872 when he married Elizabeth LITTLE in Lancaster, PA. They would live the remainder of their lives in Lancaster County, PA.

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

JAMES & VADA APPLEBACH

JAMES & VADA APPLEBACH

Source: Ancestry 09/27/2022

Finally, I found the marriage certificate for my father and his second wife Vada. She was a sweet lady, and I enjoyed her happy spirit. 

My parents divorced on June 24, 1983. James APPLEBACH married again on August 26, 1985 to Vada JONES.

I was no longer in Montana when he remarried and chose to not attend. I find it interesting that they were married by Pastor TANNEHILL, who was a friend of both my parents.  No doubt mom felt very betrayed by that when she did find out.

It is interesting to me the untruths on the certificate that James gave. Birthplace of his father was listed as "unknown" - he was well aware of where Taylor Z. APPLEBACH was born. 

James is also listed as completing high school, but according to the high school records he dropped out during his senior year and did not go back. James did have some college, but it is unclear whether he did finish that. 

James would become an ordained minister in 1964. Mom told me he was always concerned that the lie of him graduating high school would be found out, and he would lose his ordination.

I believe Vada found out very quick that my father was not as nice as he wanted people to believe. He was a difficult person to be around. His siblings all believed that he had some sort of mental issues. 

My personal memories of him are seldom good. However, I find his family history interesting. And it took my ancestors to make me - nice or not.

James APPLEBACH died in January 2005 in Hood River, OR.

Vada died since 2010 in Oregon.  She had remarried so her last name would be changed, possibly to Henry.

Vada is listed on James' death cert as the receiver of his ashes. My sister was able to do some searching around the last time she was in Oregon. She was told that James' ashes were put in the river behind one of Vada's children's homes. 

Original Source: Ancestry

Source: Personal Collection

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

PASTOR JAMES APPLEBACH, KILGORE, NEB.

James APPLEBACH graduated from a Bible college in Omaha, NEB in 1960.  The first church he was accepted at was in Kilgore, NEB in early 1964.

I was actually looking for info on my mother-in-laws family who passed through Nebraska in the late 1800's from Missouri to Montana.  Imagine my surprise when I came across a listing for the church records on microfiche of the Kilgore Baptist Church.  The local library here helped me order it and the below images are mostly from that microfiche of the church records.

Source: Personal Collection

I only found mention of my parents on a few pages in the later part of the records, but combined with photos and documents that I already had, I felt like I knew a little bit more about them at this point in their lives.

 Jan. 26, 1964 if accepted, would church support him?

Feb. 7, 1964 - he is accepted as pastor.  

Feb. 16, 1964 - his first sermon as new pastor. The same day, James' name appears

in the notes for a business meeting.

July 19, 1964 accepted for ordination.

August 30, 1964 pastor asked for raise (my note: expecting baby in Dec.)

The above photo is (L to R) Taylor APPLEBACH, Bill HENDERSHOT, Ralph GARNER and James APPLEBACH in the Kilgore, Neb. 1964

Source: Personal Collection

James APPLEBACH was ordained in Kilgore, Neb. in September 1964. The below picture is my parents at the ordination (mom is noticeably pregnant).  The clipping is from a newspaper in Lancaster that grandma Garner sent to mom.

Source: Personal Collection

The two photos below are of James APPLEBACH behind the pulpit at the church in Kilgore, Neb.

Source: Personal Collection

Source: Personal Collection

Pastor & Mrs. APPLEBACH were made members of this church. I would have thought the church would have wanted the pastor to be a member immediately, not several months after coming as pastor.

Became members on Nov. 22, 1964 and removed from membership on Oct. 2, 1966.

Business meeting on Dec. 9, 1964

Below is the "lengthy and detailed" report mentioned in the above notes: 

Meeting for financial issue connected to building.

Another meeting over finances.

Probably end of year meeting: both Pastor & Pauline are mentioned.

Ending prayer at meeting by Pastor APPLEBACH

Pastor resigned in May 1966 and went to Emmanuel Baptist Church in Roundup, MT.

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

APPLEBACH ITEM IN MY DINING ROOM

Several years ago, my Aunt Fran (APPLEBACH) WOODS asked me if I would be interested in an item she purchased at an auction in Applebachsville, PA many years prior to that.  She thought maybe one of Uncle Varge APPLEBACH's boys would be interested in it as they carry the APPLEBACH name.  None were interested, so I was the next choice.

Of course I said "yes" and the item proudly hangs in my dining room.

I am unsure exactly how the "Minnie APPLEBACH" written on the back relates to me, but the connection is there if I ever get further on the research for the other family lines of APPLEBACH.

Front

Back

I went back to the book "Six Afflerbach Emigrants Who Came To Pennsylvania and Their Descendants 1750-1930" by Jane K. THOMPSON. She lists 3 Minnie's but I am not familiar enough with any of those lines to even make a reasonable guess as to which one this belonged to.

In the meantime, does anyone out there have any ideas?

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