Family Recipe Friday - Pumpkin Squares

When I pull out a recipe that a friend or family member has shared, I always think about that person and the fun times we have had. It seems an appropriate time of year to share Aunt Vilma Hill’s Pumpkin Squares recipe.  

Aunt Vilma (in pink sweater) with her loving family

Vilma Maki Hill was the daughter of Emil and Eva Nara Maki.  It wasn’t until she had passed away that we found out her real name was Wilma.  She did not like her name, and so at an early age she decided she wanted to be called Vilma. Since her sisters were Vieno and Violet, Vilma’s choice of name was accepted by family, friends and even her teachers!  Our Aunt Vilma was quite a character; she had a great sense of humor!  We miss her, but she remains close in our hearts through her wonderful recipes.

Pumpkin Squares

1 Cup four                                                                        ¾ Cup white sugar

½ Cup oats                                                                        ½ Tsp. salt

½ Cup brown sugar                                                         1 Tsp. cinnamon

½ Cup butter                                                                    ½ Tsp. ginger

2 Cup pumpkin                                                                ¼ Tsp cloves

1 – 12 oz Can evaporated milk                                       2 Eggs

           

Topping

½ Cup chopped walnuts                                                2 Tbsp butter

½ Cup brown sugar

Combine flour, oats, ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup butter in a bowl. Mix until crumbly.  Pour into 13x9x2 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, ¾ cup white sugar, salt and spices. Pour into crust. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Combine chopped walnuts, ½ cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp butter. Sprinkle over filling and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

Note: Pumpkin Pie Spice can be substituted for spices.  Eliminate walnuts from topping if serving to those with allergies.             

Sunday's Obituary - Donald S. Cutter

Donald was the only son of Delos and Lina Brown Cutter.  He graduated Valedictorian of his 1905 Newfield High School class.  It was through Lina Brown that the deadly Huntington’s Disease gene entered the Cutter family line. 

Tuesday's Tip - Developing a Personal Style Sheet

Because I thought I was close to the production stage with the Hardenbrooks of Seneca County monograph, I pulled from the bookshelf my copy of Producing a Quality Family History, by Patricia Law Hatcher, CG. 

I first learned that my title was inadequate.  Ms. Hatcher advises that family histories should include: who, when and where in the title. My title is missing dates. Reflecting on that, I realized my title is also misleading, since I track the Hardenbrook family through Seneca, Cayuga, Tompkins and Steuben Counties. Back to the drawing board on that one. 

Although I have my Chicago Manual of Style close at hand to guide me on the use of en dashes, etc. Ms. Hatcher points out there are genealogy related writing issues in which personal decisions have to be made.  Consequently, I should have developed a Personal Style Sheet much earlier since I write my family history as I research.  I now have to go back and make sure I am consistent with such things as: date format (June 1, 1830 or 1 June 1830), page formatting and layout, name spelling (sometimes your ancestor was called Mary, other times Polly), abbreviations (do you use “birth” or “b:”? does “prob” mean probably or probate?), and women’s names (how to refer to the women in your book – by maiden name or married name, or both? Should you put maiden names in parenthesis?).

The first decision a writer has to make:  Who is the audience?  This decision will help answer some of the questions for developing your style sheet.  Will your audience be professional genealogists or “cousins” and others interested in reading a good story?  Ms. Hatcher suggests you spell out as many terms as possible as it makes for much easier reading.

And before I "publish" I shall have to acquire a copy of Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. 

I prefer to write up my research findings as I go because it helps me identify missing information.  Either way, it is a good idea to develop your own style sheet sooner rather than later.

Sunday's Obituary - Gertrude S. Decker

Gertrude Howell Decker
Cutter Farmstead, Newfield, New York

My husband’s great-grandmother was Gertrude Howell Decker. She was an interesting lady. One story told about Gertrude was that when she didn’t get her own way, she threw a tantrum, even as an adult  One time when this happened she threw herself on the floor and appeared to be passed out. At that point the housekeeper threw a bucket of cold water on her!  That got Gertrude’s attention. 

Gertrude, born 4 November 1872 in Sullivanville, New York, was the only daughter of Isaac Howell and Mary Bates Howell. Maybe that is why she always got her way. Of her four brothers, one, sadly, committed suicide. 

Gertrude’s obit reads: Mrs. Gertrude S. Decker, 79, widow of Arthur Decker, died at her home on the South Road, Newfield, Wednesday afternoon, September 10, 1952 after a short illness.

She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Marie Cutter, 2 grandsons, Kenneth and Paul Cutter, all of Newfield, 2 granddaughters, Mrs. Elmer Maki of Newfield and Mrs. J.R. Maki of Ithaca; 10 great grandchildren; a brother, Frederick Howell of Syracuse, nieces, nephews and cousins.  She was a member of the Newfield Baptist church and the Tompkins County Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Burial in Woodlawn Cemetery. 

Funeral Card Friday - Arthur Decker

Arthur Decker was my husband’s great-grandfather. Arthur was one of five sons of Myron and Olive Fitzgerald Decker.

Gertrude and Arthur Decker in a happier time

Arthur worked in the Elmira (NY) Correctional Facility, until he was hurt and subsequently disabled. At that point he worked as custodian at the new Newfield High School, as well as serving as Newfield’s Justice of the Peace. Arthur and Gertrude Howell were married in 1893 and had one daughter.

Tuesday's Tip - Beware! Online Cemetery Transcriptions

The title of this blog is a bit alarmist, but I wanted to get your attention.  Today’s tip is just a reminder that cemetery transcriptions are not always complete.  That is especially true of those such as Find A Grave.

There are reasons for this, and a couple are:  the deceased person’s card or record was missed when the transcription was done as was the case with Lafayette Cutter in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Newfield, NY; there may be older cemetery transcriptions on websites that have not been updated, as was with Enoch and Emma Hardenbrook in the Ovid Union Cemetery in Ovid, New York, or it was not recorded because the transcription was done from reading the stones, and either the stone had disintegrated or your ancestor did not have a stone (again the case with Lafayette Cutter).

I was searching for Nathaniel Simpson’s date of death.  Nathaniel and his wife, Mary, raised my great-grandfather Enos Hardenbrook.  Although his wife, Mary Simpson, is buried in Trumansburg’s Grove Cemetery, Nathaniel was not listed, nor could I find him in any of the local Ulysses cemeteries.

The Index of Trumansburg Newspapers 1827-1940 by Bernece B. Weitzel, stated Nathaniel died in January 1930.   I had the opportunity this weekend to view the 31 January 1930 microfilm of the Free Press and Sentinel at the Ulysses Philomatic Library in Trumansburg, New York. There I found Nathaniel’s obituary that stated Nathaniel died 28 January 1930 and he was indeed buried in Grove Cemetery.  We did not have time to visit the cemetery, but I will be in contact with the sexton and verify the location of Nathaniel’s grave.

A reminder – don’t take the online lists as “gospel.”  Check with the cemetery sexton or the town clerk in the locality where the cemetery is located to verify the burials in the particular cemetery in which you are looking.  

As a postscript: my husband recently purchased a stone for Lafayette Cutter. My husband located Lafayette's grave in April 2011, exactly 100 years from Lafayette's date of death.  Lafayette was the only one in that family plot without a stone. The stone is lovely, as close as possible in keeping with the other family stones.

Wordless Wednesday - TFI 1950s Menu

In finishing a monograph on the Hardenbrooks of Seneca County, I am writing about my grandmother, Maude Emma Hardenbrook Agard. In that process I came across an early and rare menu circa abt 1950s for Taughannock Farms Inn. Readers may remember that Maude and Merritt purchased this property on her 40th birthday, 16 May 1946. I say "rare," because anyone having the opportunity to dine at TFI knows that there were no menus - the waitresses recited the choices, beginning with appetizers through desserts. The later menus, all designed by Maude Emma, were much more extensive than this one, but it certainly provides a nostalgic moment.