GARFIELD FAMILIES NEWSLETTER MARCH 2005 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: WWW.GARFIELDFAMILIES.COM JIMMY FAGERBURG DICK GARFIELD INACTIVE AT THIS TIME garf6019@yahoo.com |
GARFIELD FARM AND INN MUSEUM One of there days I will get the newsletter out early enough that the Garfield Farm's activities letter won't be old news. Hello from Garfield Farm! Spring officially is just a few days away but it is colder than usual here so maybe this year we will have a more normal spring bloom. For years, my benchmark date for spring flowers was April 15 - one could expect to see bloodroot blooming in the woods. However the last several years, warmer temperatures caused it to be blooming by April 1. That also means some of the weedy invasive plants are getting an earlier start and a longer season to cause havoc. The longer daylight hours means the chickens are producing eggs and Tim Christakos has returned like the swallows of San Capistrano to pick up eggs for Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry's hatching display. Kohl's Children's Museum in Evanston has a weekly shipment of 2 dozen eggs to hatch for their patrons now through May. So speaking of eggs, sign up for Janice Rotramel's class on Pysansky egg decorating for this Saturday Mar 19th. I have the information about the class below. We have scheduled the annual awards dinner for April 21 Thursday evening so save the date. In addition to the groups and individuals who we are recognizing for their preservation/conservation efforts we are also recognizing our members of the 1840s Society, individuals and businesses that contributed $1000 or more in 2004. I am in the midst of writing a Fairfield Campton Crier newsletter that will be in the mail soon to all our donors and members. So as soon as that is done we will need some volunteers to help with the mailing. I am still updating the new computers and the staff has been busy making back up copies of all our historic records but spring won't wait so we will soon be doing more outdoor tasks. It is my day off and I need to get my dogs in for their annual shots so until later - have a great day! Thanks from down on the farm - Jerry Johnson Pysansky Egg Dyeing Class March 19 Janice Rotramel will be conducting a Pysansky Egg Dyeing class on Saturday March 19th from 12:30-4:30 pm at Garfield Farm Museum. As the days grow longer, Garfield Farm Museum's rare Java chickens start laying in a burst of energy. Birds start producing eggs after they have been exposed to longer hours of daylight. Historically, there were very few fresh eggs available in the midst of winter. Only the advent of artificial light could fool birds' bodies into laying during the dark days of December. This all makes sense as only those birds that laid eggs when food and warmer temperatures increased were most likely to have young to survive to adulthood. So with the coming of spring and plenty of eggs, it is a great time to learn traditional methods of decorating this symbol of spring. Rotramel will share the techniques of eastern European egg decoration. This elaborate method of decorating eggs is more than just the use of dyes. Applying wax and selectively removing it allows dye to be taken up in one area and prevented in another. The simple tools to create these designs will be used during the class. Garfield Farm Museum's rare Java chickens are providing hatching eggs to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. There they are displayed as they hatch in the museum's "Genetics, Decoding Life" incubator exhibit. There is $25 fee for the class and space is limited. The class benefits the museum's ongoing restoration. Please call the museum for reservations and more information at (630) 584-8485 or email at info@garfieldfarm.org. Garfield Farm Museum is located 5 miles west of Geneva IL off ILL Rt. 38 on Garfield Road. It is a 370 acre historically intact former Illinois prairie farmstead and teamster inn being restored as an 1840s working farm museum. Save the date now - April 21 Thursday will be the annual awards dinner. If interested in attending email me so I can be sure you get all the information. Advanced reservations required $40. More immdeiately, I have 7200 newsletters to stuff, staple and label so we need help beginning Thursday March 24 at 9 am at Burr House. This one will definitely continue on Friday March 25 and quite possibly on Saturday. So before I fall asleep at this keyboard, I wish all well and hope spring is well on its way for everyone.From Jerry Johnson, Down on the Garfield Farm. YOU CAN VISIT ON LINE THE GARFIELD FARM AND INN MUSEUM AT: www.GarfieldFarm.org GARFIELD HOME (LAWNFIELD) Due to the many activities at Lawnfield this past month (The passing of James R. Garfield, III) their monthy report will be absent this month but we hope to have one for the April's addition of the newsletter. YOU CAN VISIT THE GARFIELD HOME (LAWNFIELD) ON LINE AT: WWW.WRHS.ORG/LAWNFIELD ENGLISH GARFIELDS NEWSLETTER Thanks for the rerun Sylvia, this is much better; Hi all, I thought I'd have another go at sending the 1st will. Dick seems to be having trouble with the way I send the newsletter to him, so I'll try a different way. A search of the IGI has also brought to light a little more information on this family. (My thanks to Anne Weyers) 4 of Elizabeth's children, all christened in Marston Sicca, Gloucester: Maria, daughter of Henrici/Elizabethae christened 25 July 1686 Henry son of Henery/Elizabeth chr 8 March 1690, (Henry may have married Mary Hemming in Chipping Campden 11/07/1730) Ann daughter of Henry/Elizabeth chr 17 Dec 1693 Martha daughter of Henrici/Elizabetha chr 9 Feb 1695 Elizabeth (daughter) married William Gale on 15 April 1718, in Spernall, Warwickshire William son chr 08/09/1704, Dorsington John son possibly chr Quintin 20/07/1697 In Dei Nomine Amen. I Elizabeth Garfield of Dorsington in the County of Gloucester, widow, being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect memory praise be Almighty God, do make and ordain this my present last will and testament in manner and form following (that is to say) first and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God trusting through the merits and death and passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to inherit everlasting life. And my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor herein after named and as touching the disposition of the worldly goods that it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I give and dispose thereof as followeth Item I will that my death and funeral charges be paid and discharged Item I will and bequeath unto my daughter Ann Garfield the sum of ten pounds to be paid by my Executor hereafter named within nest year after my death and my bed and bedstead with brown curtains and all it's (appurtanances?) and a coffer with all that therein is, and standing in the same room with the said bstd (bedstead) Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Garfield the sum of six pounds to be paid within two years after my demise Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Martha Garfield the sum of six pounds to be paid by my Executor within three years after my demise Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Gale the sum of twenty shillings to be paid by my Executor, hereinafter named, immediately after my demise Item I give and bequeath unto my son John Garfield the sum of six pounds to be paid by my Executor within two years after my demise Item I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Garfield the sum of six pounds to be paid by my Executor hereinafter named within two years after my demise Item I give and bequeath unto my son William Garfield the sum of six pounds to be paid by my Executor within two years after my demise All the rest and residue of my personal estate, goods and chattels whatsoever I give and bequeath unto my son Henry Garfield whom I make constitute and appoint full and whole Executor of this my last will and testament contained on two sheets of paper and I do hereby revoke (----?) and make void all former wills by me heretofore made (in witness?) whereof I the said Elizabeth Garfield have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of October in the eighth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &etc Anno Domini 1721 Anno Domini 1721 the mark of Elizabeth Garfield 9th Oct 1722 In the presence of (date of probate) The mark of Elizabeth Morris W. Daniell Can I ask anyone who reads this and has an interest in UK Garfields to leave a message in the Guest Book on the main Garfield page please Happy hunting Check us out and if you have your own English Garfield line you would like to add, histories or stories of your Garfield families or can expand on what we have, please feel free to contact me sylvialagah@hotmail.com or Dick Garfield on the homepage |
DEAR READERS: We have some very sad and shocking news to report this month. Nancy and I had been out of town for about ten days and when we returned home we learned that James R Garfield II, of Mentor, Ohio had passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2005. James Rudolph Garfield, II Husband of Shirley A.(Simmons), dear father of James Rudolph, III (Sally) of Shaker Hts., OH, Edward Dana (Rick Mesnick) of Hillsboro Beach, FL, Dana Alexander (Nancy) of Medina, OH, Timothy Doan (Dana) of Cleveland Hts., OH and Sarah Elizabeth of Corona, CA. Grandfather of James Abram Garfield, III, Tom Edward Garfield, Branden Anders Garfield, T. Ryan Garfield, Steven Coute, Katherine Coute, great grandfather of three. Dear brother of John Newell Garfield, Jr. of Paso de Robles, CA, the late Janet Dodge Garfield, Frances Sutherland Garfield Tillinghast and Douglas Dodge Garfield. Loving companion of the late Nina M. Stevenson. Veteran of WW II, Lt. Col. (Ret.), 1/107th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ohio National Guard, former vice president-secretary of the Cleveland Automobile Dealer's Association. James, was born and lived next door to the President's home in Mentor, OH for many years and if I remember correctly he said that his father cared for the house and land for the President and after his death for Mrs Garfield. I first met Jim quite some time ago at Lawnfield where he was mowing the lawn, this I believe was before the National Park Service acquired the Garfield Home. The next time we met was while the 3rd floor of the Garfield Home was still open and together we looked over the display of the Presidents personal effects from the Civil War. It was then that I discovered that he too was interested in the genealogy of the Garfield Family. We exchanged what each of us had and tried to fill in some of the missing parts. When the NPS took over the home and was about to remodel the house, Jim, at that time sent me a copy of the proposed changes that were going to be made. This must of been in the mid 80's. For the past couple of years we have, along with Allison Sharaba, the on site manager, of Lawnfield who works for the Western Reserve Historial Society the parent managers, and had lunch at the Yours Truly, restaurant in Mentor. If you ever get to Mentor, visit the restaurant and ask to see the protrait of the Garfield Family there on display. Also, if you are a Garfield you will be asked to sign the back of the picture with a gold pen. Jeffery Shibley, owner/manager of the restaurant told me that if anything ever happened to the restaurant he would get the portrait out first because it could never be replaced where other could be. As we all know, life must go on no matter how much we hurt, and I feel very confident that James R. Garfield III, a very capable and sincere man and his wonderful wife Sally, will take over and do a terrific job in keeping the Garfield Family united and Lawnfield the great memorial that it has always been. It was an indeed an honor to have known, talked, and listened, to such a man as James R. Garfield II. |
James R. Garfield, II and James R. Garfield, III |
PICTURE OF THE MONTH |
