Saturday, October 4, 2008— Jessica Rose Catherman and Erik Robert Rooks Married!

Jessica is the daughter of Ann Taylor Catherman and Dennis Catherman, granddaughter of Harold and Barbara Taylor. The wedding was in St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Bath, NY.

Our intrepid reporters are Judy Taylor Alberts, Mary Lou Taylor Spears, Kathy Taylor Mills and CB Taylor Kinsella. Any mistakes are to be credited to Ann Taylor Catherman, who persisted in drinking “sex on the beach” drinks while dancing her fool head off. It was hard to get a sensible answer to a question asked her as the evening wore on. (“sex on the beach” drinks consist of orange juice, cranberry juice, grenadine and peach schnaps)

Saturday was sunny but cool, the large stone church beautiful and COLD inside! The organist began playing at 2:45 PM, and promptly at 3 PM, the groom’s mother, Pamela Tuller, was escorted down the aisle by one of the four groomsmen (three of whom were school chums of Erik’s, plus Elliot Catherman, Jessica’s brother. The best man was another best friend from high school). Following her came Ann Taylor Catherman, mother of the bride, on the arm of her son, Ellliot. The first of three bridesmaids came next, two of them Erik’s sisters and one, a close school friend of Jessica’s. Next came a matron of honor, Jessica’s best friend from her school years. Then came a sweet little flower girl (daughter of the best man) and a ring bearer (the son of the matron of honor). Finally came Jessica, a lovely bride, on her father’s arm (Dennis Catherman).

Ann met the two of them at the front of the church and they all stood there with Erik and the attendants arrayed on each side before the altar. When the question was asked, “who presents this woman to be married...?” Ann and Denny both answered, “we will” and sat down. The wedding rites continued.

The bride’s dress was lovely! — white satin, the top fashioned in a halter style and this and the long floor length underskirt were covered with sequins and embroidery. It had a front overskirt open to display the pretty scalloped floor length edge which was drawn back behind into a train three or four feet long. Through the embroidery at the waist, was threaded a crimson sash, lightly tied so as to hang loosely down the back of the dress. With this, the bride wore three inch platform sandals (because the dress was impossible to shorten because of embroidered edge). Her veil was shoulder length worn on a simple circlet.

The matron of honor wore a crimson satin dress, while the three bridesmaids wore black satin. The flower girl also wore a crimson dress and carried a tiny bouquet of a fall colored gerber daisies and other flowers. The attendants carried larger bouquets of the same type, while the bride’s bouquet was gerber daisies and chocolate roses. The men all wore black tuxedos, the jacket cut with a mandarin color over a black vest, while the groom’s vest was white satin. They all wore black and white patent leather shoes. Ann wore a black jersey sleeveless sheath dress with a silvery belt and a hip length jacket to match. The groom’s mother wore a yellow flowered jacket with black slacks.

The reception was held at the Corning Country Club, whose windows opened on a vista of multihued hills beyond the green of its golf course. Tables were decorated with fall leaves and gourds. Each table contained a small frame, announcing that the bridal couple had made charitable donations to honor loved ones unable to join us for the day, Erik’s maternal grandparents, paternal grandfather, a cousin and of course, Jessica’s grandmother, our own Aunt Barbara.

Dinner was buffet style and varied as well as tasty. A lovely new (to me) innovation was the cutting of not a wedding cake, but pies! It seems Erik does not like cake, so they chose to cut and serve apple and pumpkin pies and they were very much appreciated! Dancing went on, with all the usual ones, bride and groom, etc.

We wish Jess and Erik all the best—Congratulations!!

Picture One: Jessica and Erik
Picture Two: Ann and Dennis
Picture Three: Jessica, Uncle Harold, Erik
Picture Four: Elliot and Judy
Picture Five: Kathy, MaryLou, Uncle Harold, Ann and Judy

Taylor Reunion Pictures, Thanks to Kathy Taylor Mills

Could it have been one year ago that we started this cousins blog? Scroll below to find out!

One Year Old--Congratulations to the TaylorBakerCousins Blog!

It was last September 29th that we first began this journey. Seems like we have packed a LOT into this year!!

Thank you to all who have offered pictures, stories, listened to and edited my writings, given me advice and encouragement, written comments on these blog stories, and just read them!!

I hope to bring all of us closer together by sharing pictures, history, stories, legends, people, you name it. My daughter, Alison, asked me via email if we were doing okay with this huge financial chaos descending upon all of us. I answered that we could be doing better in terms of money, but it got me thinking--when all is said and done, it will be our family, our friends, our stories that we have lived and shared, that matter. And, I do not say that to all of you enough. Even cousins I have not met--I love you.

This year's Taylor Reunion showcased that sentiment--so many cousins, and we all kitbitzed (as Ma would say) and hugged with the best of them; those we had seen days before, or decades ago.

Kathy Taylor Mills captured so well what I think we all felt: "We had a lovely time and there were almost 70 people. Best one ever. Perfect weather and lots of food to choose from. Dad was pooped but enjoyed everyone. The memories will be kept for years."

And so, some of Kathy's wonderful Reunion pictures from 2008.

But, a personal note--Last year, in the first blog, I wrote: "For instance, the Red Sox have clinched the AL East division for the first time in twelve years!" As no doubt you ALL have seared into your brains, the Red Sox went on to win the World Series in 2007. Well, now it is October of 2008, and the Red Sox did not clinch the division, but they are in the playoffs, again, versus the Los Angeles Angels. The Red Sox won last night's first game, and if it stretches to four games, Glenn and Nick will see the Red Sox play the Angels in Fenway Park in Boston next Monday--first playoff game for either, and in Fenway!! I'll let you know if the game gets played, and if indeed we win!

More Taylor Reunion Pictures--Group Photos!

Picture One: The Maneys—Jill, Colleen, Jon, Debbie, Richard, Marlene, Kathleen, Michael

Picture Two: The Taylors—Gordie, Kathy, Jonah, Abigail, Carol, Jeff, Uncle Harold, Eric, Jessica, Ann, Dennis

Picture Three: The Kinsellas--First Row: Kristi, Tom, Bridget (lying on grass), Maggie, Cameron, Kelly (orange hat), Maddie, Patrick, Joe Second Row: Pat, Liz, Gina, Kristin, Rose, Uncle Jack, Aunt CB, Jill, Jen Third Row: Glenn, Dan, Brian, Tim Walker, Matt, Tim (sorry, hidden…), Jim, Chris
Picture Four: The Lochners—Laurie, Sarah, Rick, Chuck, Julie, Wes

Picture Five: The Hawkes—Joe, Cindy, Mary, Charlie, Kristi, Baby Jack, Paul, Eowyn

More Taylor Reunion Pictures!

Picture One: Nancy Taylor Wright
Picture Two: Mary and Charlie Hawkes
Picture Three: Glenn Herdeg, Uncle Harold, Chuck Lochner, Matt Kinsella, Tom Kinsella
Picture Four: Mary Hawkes, Jack, Kristi, Eowyn

Aunt Nell, daughter of Leonard and Nancy Baker, sister of Byron Baker (and thus, Aunt to Ethel and Lil Baker), By Aunt CB

Nell, or Nellie Baker Barrows, was as different from her younger sister, Florence Baker Young, as salt is from pepper. Small, quiet and loving, extremely capable, she was married to big, boisterous, good natured Delbert Barrows. He was eight years her junior and was 22 years old when they married.

Dell drove a steam roller and worked on road construction. For a while they lived in Elizabethtown, a community way up in the northeast corner of New York State. They also lived and worked all around in the Adirondack area. Here they often lived in a tent, heated with a pot bellied stove, until the other workers had time to throw up a shack for their use. A picture shows them sitting in front of the home, Nell with arms folded across her chest, as I remember her sitting so well.

She cooked for “the team” as the men were called and an excellent cook she was. Adept at frying and stewing squirrels and ground hogs as well as all wild game, she could make them taste like chicken with never a strong taste (so they said!). I can vouch for her baking. Her doughnuts were mouth watering. Her cookies, sugar and molasses, were big, fat, toothsome confections with a big seeded sultana (raisin) smack plum in the center of the top.

Dell also worked on road construction in Dansville, NY. We have another snapshot of his house there, taken in 1913--a very simple unpainted box-like square (maybe 12 feet by 12 feet?), one step up from the ground and perched on corner posts. Nell, here, sits on a keg as does Dell, with 14 year old Merle standing between them, arms folded, just as his mother always did! In the back of the house shows a tent, where perhaps the rest of “the team” slept.

Adin Baker’s letters (Nell’s nephew) speak of working as a brakeman on the dirt train there for awhile in 1913, working 280 hours a month, unless the rain held them up, and being paid $2.20 per day. He and a friend boarded with Aunt Nell, so I assume they slept in the tent also. Maybe they all did and just used the house for living and eating.

Their only child, Merle, was born twelve years after my mother. He was a very smart boy, mechanically and electronically inclined and was as opinionated as his father, but in a quieter way, like his mother. He married Viola Jackson, a large, loud and good-hearted woman, but one who was narrow minded and boastful. Now maybe that’s unfair. She was no better educated than Dell and because they both spoke out on any subject, it seemed as though they were narrow minded because they were usually misinformed. However, it may be that they were merely unaware of another viewpoint and it was impossible to get another one across to them. They were not dumb, nor were Merle and Aunt Nell. The latter were just quieter.

Nell and Dell, as well as Merle and Viola, at some point, settled down for what they thought was their lifetime in Manningville, a small cluster of homes down a road which led off Route #79, halfway between Center Lisle and Lisle. This area was known as “the flats” because it lay in a level spot alongside a small creek, Dudley Creek, which fed into the Otselic River near the town of Lisle.

Merle had a garage where he did all kinds of metal work, had a forge and according to Arnon could fix almost any mechanical problem. He also took up well drilling. Merle, during these years, wired his Aunt Kate’s house for electricity (the Baker home on Caldwell Hill road).

Sometime in the late 1920's Nell and Dell, for whatever reason, perhaps “too many cooks in the kitchen’”, bought a small house in Center Lisle behind Lil and Elmer’s store. This was also on the same creek, but on somewhat higher ground. In the summer of 1935, that little creek overflowed its banks in a disastrous flood. Lil’s store had water in it as did Nell’s home. In fact, big old Uncle Dell had to hoist little old Aunt Nell up on his back carrying her “piggy back” up the street to Lil’s house which was on the side of a hill and therefore dry.

Their house, although filled with mud and water which ruined most of their furniture, (there was an 18 inch mark on its walls) stayed put. Dell’s barn and wood shed in the rear of the property were moved completely off their cement base and split into two pieces. Merle and Viola, still in the lowland in Manningville were not so lucky. They got out but lost everything.

I can remember going down there with my parents and wondering where the house, whose wooden sides lay about in confusion, minus the roof, which was long gone down the river, had stood as I watched Merle in his hip waders, pointing a long metal crowbar into the black muck, trying to locate his forge! He did eventually and moved to Pitcher, NY (near Cincinnatus) where he built up a new and successful business. Merle eventually died of lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). He and Viola never had any children.

The magnitude of this flood and the number of deaths attributable to it as well as homes lost, convinced the Federal government that something must be done. The Army Corps of Engineers came in and after much consultation, built a dam near Upper Lisle on the river and straightened the course of Dudley Creek. This solved the flooding problem.

Nell and Dell’s house was directly across the road from the back of Lil’s store, or across what had once been a road before they built a new bridge (because of the flood) and moved Rt. #79 to what became the front of the store. So now, the “main street” of Center Lisle (I use the term loosely) was dead ended right there at their house. It was a lovely little old home with a porch across its full front which was glassed in so it was useable at least six months of the year.

Here we spent hours, sitting with Aunt Nell in one of her rocking chairs, basking in her unconditional love. She never made us feel awkward.. We knew she was fervently interested in our every word, or at least we thought so. Behind that porch and across the front of the house was a small living room and a smaller bedroom, both of which opened into a tiny dining room and a larger kitchen. The sink was served with a pump and hot water was heated on the cast iron stove in a big kettle. Nevertheless we had wonderful meals there, chicken and biscuit (the chicken having been roaming the backyard shortly before) and more of her marvelous cookies. She also made a grand parsnip stew. She would take a few slices of salt pork, dice them and fry them up crisp, add onion, sliced parsnips and diced potatoes, a little water to cover and cook until soft. Then drain partially, add a little milk, butter, salt and pepper and voila! It was a dish fit for royalty.

There is a story about Uncle Dell, who was a prodigious eater, and pancakes. It seems that Nell stood at the stove, baking pancake after pancake for some time until Dell, as he pushed back his chair, said, “that’s enough, Nellie, turn off the griddle!” completely oblivious to the fact that she’d not eaten a morsel yet! This was not a deliberate slight, he was a good man and good to Aunt Nell, just thoughtless and had very little patience.

Leona tells of the time that she, sixteen years old, went deer hunting with Uncle Dell and some of his cronies from around town. One of them had an old house on a farm near Speculator (in the Adirondacks up above Northville). His wife came along and did the cooking. Leona soon found out why she was included, as she did most of the deer driving (walking behind the deer to make them go in the direction towards the shooters) but she says it was worth it to hear the tales they told around the stove each night.

Going out of the back door of the kitchen you turned left in a covered walkway to reach the two steps to the ground and the garden. Turning to the right in the same walkway brought you to a woodshed and then the privy, or outhouse. It was a two-holer as I remember and boasted the usual catalog, newspaper or corn cobs. I never liked corn cobs!

In later years they used to drive to Geneva to visit us, usually in the muskmelon season. Dell used to love to eat them. The last time I saw them was in August of 1955. Grandma Baker (Kate Youngs Baker) had died and I went to her funeral. The service was held in the Congregational Church next to Lil’s store and across from where Nell lived. She was too ill herself to attend but Dell did and I remember well his sotto voice (like a huge bell tolling) “whispering” some bit of gossip to the one next to him during the service, too deaf to realize that the minister was praying. Grandma would have been provoked and said, “the old fool” but Nellie would have just smiled; she knew her Dell.

Afterwards I went over to see Aunt Nell, lost as she was in the big bed which took up most of the bed room. She was as quietly glad to see me as she had always been. Tim was due to be born that November, and she was pleased to note that I was again “carrying” as she termed it. Within two months she too had died at 92 and joined her sister-in-law, Kate, (who died at 91) her brother, Byron, and their parents Leonard and Nancy in the cementary on the hill behind Florence Young Leet’s house. Two years later Dell followed her. I like to go and sit in that quiet little spot midst the family buried there.

An added commentary—I found Nell listed as Olive C. Baker in the census notes. Interestingly, I never heard her called such.

Gail Wood Kinney, daughter of Gladys, grand-daughter of Lillian, great-grandneice of Nell, adds this picture taken in 1955 on the joint birthdays of Nell, aged 92, and Gail, aged two. She writes, “I love this picture, I just know something sweet is in the bag.” Gail also keeps many of the hankies that were Aunt Nell’s, and she has been using them for years and “the tradition is going on to another generation, because my granddaughter is a hanky person so we share.”

Picture One: Dansville, NY 1913
Nellie, Dell and Merle Barrows

Picture Two: Northern NY 1915?,
Nell and Dell

Picture Three: Nell 22 in 1885

Picture Four: Nell 27 in 1890

Picture Five: 1955, Nell age 92 and Gail Wood Kinney

More Taylor Reunion Pictures!

Picture One: Eating Great Food

Picture Two: More Great Food

Picture Three: Great-Grandma CB Kinsella and Cameron Walker (son of Kristin, daughter of Tim)

Picture Four: Uncle Harold, of course!

Picture Five: Perfect End to the Reunion

Look for the Family Reunion Group Photos AFTER this Saturday's Story about Aunt Nell. AND, if you are asking 'WHO is Aunt Nell?', then tune in on her 145 th Birthday, September 27th. You'll see a picture of her from 1955, along with other great pictures of her earlier life, and read SOME of her life story.

Cheers!

Cousin Pat