Cousins News from New Zealand, By Eve Taylor and Pat Kinsella Herdeg

Motorcycling Mitch

As the pictures out of Christchurch, New Zealand continue to roll in and we begin to see the devastation caused by their latest earthquake, I worried about our cousin, Mitch.

When last we heard from Mitch Taylor, son of Bryant and Eve Taylor, it was February of 2009. He and his wife, Rhonda, live in Dunedin, New Zealand, and were coming over to visit family in New York. He wondered if he had any motor-cycling cousins.


Mitch and his sister, Pamela

Eve Taylor, his mother, emailed this to Aunt CB yesterday:

“Mitch called yesterday around noon. Dunedin felt the quake, which is unheard of. The destruction as you have seen on TV is terrible, much worse than September’s quake because it was closer to Christchurch and shallower. It also occurred during the day, so lives were lost and people buried.

I was a bit nervous yesterday as Mitch was flying into Christchurch and on to Auckland to see his new grandson. Late last night he texted Pam (Mitch’s sister) who called me that he had arrived safely, but the airport at Christchurch had been bedlam.

I have my second great-grandchild, Heath Eric Little, born to Bernadine ( Mitch’s second daughter). Their girl, Olive, is a 2-year-old. Just like it was when the grand- children were born, I have to ask the date, because of the 18 hour time difference. So Heath was not even born yet according to our time!!!!!!! She had a normal delivery this time, but a 24 hour one. That hospital has the mother immediately taking care of the baby who is in a crib in the room, and she was sent home the next day.

Whew! I am glad those days are over, aren’t you? Rhonda is there for a week to help them.

Mitch and Rhonda are visiting for 2 weeks in late May. That is my exciting part of this year so far!

Love, Eve”

Great to hear this news—Hello to All our New Zealand cousins!

WORLD WAR II YEARS led to—CARD CLUB! By CB Kinsella

Picture One: Esther & Marie Milanette at Oxford St. -Spring blooms of magnolias 1943

Picture Two: Esther T. Lochner 1945 -- 3 Cambridge St, Rochester

It was 1942 and dates were a thing of the past! Ever since Dec. 7, 1941 and the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor which thrust the USA into WWII, men of an age to squire women around were scarcer then hen’s teeth. More and more women were entering the work force, replacing the men, who chose to enlist to gain the service of their choice, rather than be drafted.

Eastman Kodak was a popular place to work and they needed women to fulfill their government war contracts. That gave “the girls” money to spend for stamps and stationary, as everyone wrote to men in the service--brothers, cousins, fiancés, husbands or simply friends. It was the patriotic thing to do.

However, this did not fill their social needs, there was no bright spot in the week to look forward to. Moaning and complaining during break time about this lack of entertainment led to a solution. Anne Hertzel was inspired to suggest that a few of them group together and form a card club so that’s what they did. Ruth McGuire, Bea Fitzgerald, Marie Milanette, Marge Dows, Betty Bauman, Belle Ford and Esther Lochner met every two weeks at one another’s home or apartments and formed two tables for cards--one of Bridge and one of Pinochle.

Originally they met on Wednesday night, the hostess provided a bowl of nuts and another of candy for each table and when card players finished, a splendid lunch was provided. That, of course, was the charger! Here each member was able to show her creativity and they didn’t stint! An entree might be served with a salad and rolls followed by a luscious dessert, no holds barred! Card playing had been assisted by a punch or ginger ale beverage, but the evening finished with coffee or tea.

Picture Three: Marge Sharpe Dows, Esther, Ruth Woolston Mott May 17, 1942

At first, dues had been collected to be used for prizes at each table. Esther was the treasurer. However, as time went on it became an onerous chore to come up with decent gifts and eventually prize money just went into individual envelopes to be used whenever for special lunches or outings by the recipients.

As well as bi-monthly card nights, they sometimes met for weekend visits, not all of them but two or three would gather to go to a show or have a picnic in good weather. Belle Ford’s family had a cottage on Canandaigua lake. Doris, Esther’s sister, was at that time attending R.I.T. (then called Mechanics Institute). Belle invited Ruth McGuire, Esther, and her two sisters, Doris and Lucille to spend an overnight with her at the lake. Lucille, who had just made herself a bathing suit, bused up to Rochester to go with them, tickled pink! However, it was Doris who ended up pink for against all advice she insisted upon lying on the dock to get a “tan”, and got a really bad burn! Ruth had to drive her in to Canandaigua and find a doctor to care for her. He was very vocal about his opinion of her!

Picture Four: Esther, CB, Doris, Ruth McGuire standing -- Canandaigua Lake, 1944

Picture Five: Dick and Esther, 1945

As the years went by, the men came home. There were marriages to attend, baby showers to be given; Card Club became a monthly event and Friday was the night. Special times might be with couples, for these women had become close. Some members moved out of town, new ones were invited to attend, but still the hard core stuck together. I was lucky enough, as Esther’s sister, to be allowed to attend, although I am no card player. Somehow I bungled through Pinochle.

Inevitably fewer and fewer were able to play. More and more final goodbyes were said. Ruth McGuire took over Esther’s job which had become a task of notifying members of when and where to meet.

Today, as Ruth and I discuss those years, there are few able to do more than phone one another but the spirit is still there. Seventy years have not erased the love these women shared, nor could death conquer their spirits. These women were SUCCEEDERS!

Valentines, By Pat Kinsella Herdeg

Happy Valentine’s Day on the Cousins Blog! Okay, so it IS a day early--



I got the idea to put up wedding photos when I came across a wonderful picture of Great Uncle Leon’s wedding car.

Great Uncle Leon Taylor’s Wedding Car, 1922. Now THAT is how you decorate a car!

So, here on this day of love and hearts and roses and yes, chocolate candy (one can only hope?), I give you some wedding pictures of our family, old and new ones.

Lloyd and Ethel, Wedding Day, 1915.

Ruth and Tom Maney, Wedding Day, 1942.

Doris and Bud Hawkes, Wedding Day, 1947 With Aunt CB and Ralph ‘Smoke’ Ball. Their son, Charlie, is below.

Charlie and Mary Hawkes, May 1st, 1976.

When I asked Charlie Hawkes for a picture, he sent one that looked very familiar. And, then I saw the date he was married--May 1st, 1976. Many of us helped he and Mary celebrate that important date, just as we had been with each other the day before, on April 30th, 1976 for Aunt Esther’s funeral. So, at Charlie and Mary’s wedding, the Taylor Cheer Tradition began—a loud chant much like the Chilean miners’ soccer chant.

I remember thinking at the time that Mary’s family was good to put up with us, but for a family traveling so quickly from the stark events in life—funeral one day and wedding the next, it seemed like a special bonding element, commemorating both the ones who came before and those who will enter our family. The Cheer continued for many more Taylor Weddings of that era.

Their daughter, Kristyne, is below.

Kristyne and Paul Colley, 2003.

Esther and Dick Lochner, 1946. Below is their daughter, Julie.

Julie and Wes Riber, 1985.

Jack and CB Kinsella, 1949. Below, are some of their children.

Dan and Liz Kinsella, 1994.

Tim and Rose Kinsella, 1976. Below, their daughter Kristin and their son, Paul.

Kristin Kinsella and Tim Walker, 2005

Paul and Angela Kinsella, 2010.

Pat Kinsella and Glenn Herdeg, 1983, with Beth Kinsella and Paul Herdeg. Pat is wearing her mother's wedding dress.

Jim and Jill Kinsella, 1998.

Chris and Jen Kinsella, 1996.

Harold and Barb Taylor, 1950. From Left to Right, Charles Wixom--best man, Harold, Barb, Phyllis Buck--maid of honor, Jack Kinsella, Cliff Buck.

Below is a picture of their daughter, Ann, getting married.

Ann Taylor and Dennis Catherman, 1980. Below is their daugther, Jess.

Jessica Catherman and Erik Rooks, 2008.

On another note, Charlie Hawkes ends his note by writing:
“Things here in Western New York are about normal for this time of year. I must admit, however, I am concerned. Should I be upset about a huge wall of ice coming in from the north with what appears to be a mastodon in it?
...This CAN`T be good.........”

Enjoy this day, and February!

Sharing By Aunt CB Kinsella

To share is to care! Every family has learned the fine art of sharing or else the wrangling caused by selfishness has driven mother right around the bend! (And perhaps father also!)

In my family, we shared pretty much everything-- beds, clothes, money, food and candy, especially candy! I’ve no idea when it began, I just know that every candy bar we were given, we divided into 8 pieces! (This was not counted for our weekly loot, these were individual pieces that went into the candy box). Hershey bars were especially prized, they were twice the size of today’s and scored to be broken into separate pieces. These were then carefully placed under each upside down plate as we set the table (It didn’t happen very often!). Once Daddy bought a five pound bag of candy corn, and two pieces under our plates went a long way!

Aunt Lil’s girls were also brought up to share, so if we ran short of socks, shorts, etc. while we were visiting, we just used those of the cousin whose clothing fit us. In fact, Aunt Lil made much of the fact that, when Gladys and I were still small babies, (we were only a month apart in age) my mother had left me with her while she visited a friend.

When feeding time came, Mom was not yet back, and I was crying along with Gladys. So she hoisted one baby in each arm, bared her breast, and fed us both! Gladys and I always felt that made us true sisters if not twins!

Thus, when we shared a piece of lemon pie in the church basement, after Aunt Lil’s funeral, we thought nothing of it. Joyce Henderson’s mother, working the food table, saw us and said, “Oh, get another piece, we have plenty of pie,” but we explained that this was our way to grieve together as we’d always shared.

What we did not then know though, because we’d not yet read our Grandmother Kate Youngs Baker’s dairy, was that we were really responding to what was in our genes! The earliest reference to Byron Baker, about a year before their marriage, mentions going to a dance party where she ended up “sharing a plate of food with B”!!

Picture One: Sylva, Ruth, Leona, Esther, Arnon, CB, Doris, Gladys, Phyllis, Harold—Taken 1931
Picture Two: Aunt Lil, Gladys, Esther, Sylva, CB, Leona, Phyllis, Ethel—Taken 1960
Picture Three: Lucille, Gladys
Picture Four: Byron Baker, Taken 1885
Picture Five: Kate Youngs Baker

February Birthdays: Part One

It is February and the snow is falling so fast I can barely see outside. And, with three feet of snow already on the ground, there is NO PLACE to put this latest twenty inches.

But, until it ends, I am here inside, so might as well get cooking--I always think of stews or soups on days like this.

But, Food can also mean Birthday Cakes, and we have LOTS of Great February Birthdays here at the TaylorBaker Blog.

In Harold’s family, both of Ann’s children, Jessica Rose Rooks and Elliot Ryan Catherman, celebrate February Birthdays. Also, Mallory Ann Alberts ( Judy’s daughter), and Abigail Elizabeth Hauf ( Kathy Taylor’s grand-daughter), blow out candles this month.

Picture One: Jess
Picture Two: Elliot
Picture Three: Mallory
Picture Four: Abby

February 2011 Birthdays: Part Two

In Esther Lochner’s family, Julie Ann Riber, Richard John Lochner, and Brian Michael Lochner ( Ted’s son) all celebrate birthdays this month.

In CB Kinsella’s family, Susan Ethel Kinsella turns the big sixty—Congrats Big Sister! Takeshi Sakanishi (Beth Kinsella’s husband), also has a birthday this month.

Picture One: Julie
Picture Two: Rick and daughter Sara
Picture Three: Brian
Picture Four: Susan
Picture Five: Takeshi and P-Chan

February 2011 Birthdays--Part Three

In Ruth Maney’s family, Kathleen Deborah Maney ( Richard’s daughter) is the Birthday Girl.

In Doris Hawkes’ family, Morgan Kate Towlson ( Cindy’s grand-daughter) will blow out candles this month.

In Phyllis’ family, Wendell E. Henderson is celebrated this month.

In the Older Generation’s Group, Delbert Barrows ( Aunt Nell’s husband) and Rexford Floyd Taylor each have February Birthdays.

Picture One: Marlene, Colleen, Kathleen, with their mom, Debbie
Picture Two: Morgan
Picture Three: Wendell

Picture Four: Dell, Merle their son, and Aunt Nell

Picture Five: Eve, Dene and Rex, Summer 2010