FAMILY BACKGROUND

Beginning with some family oral history and family information, branches of my family tree have begun to sprout.  Joining Ancestry.com enabled an in depth research of Federal Census records, cemetery records, death records and marriage records. Plus, other family trees posted on Ancestry.com provided previously unknown family information. These other trees have allowed tracing some of our heritage back through the American Colonies to the “Old World”.  Tracing the family heritage is not yet complete; in fact it may never be completed due to lack of useable, reliable  data.  In essence, there are still missing branches, which are known to exist that have not sprouted.

How to describe the results of the research to date?  A summary of my 4 families seems to be the best way to proceed.  Comments will be included, so assumptions made in forming branches of the family tree can be better understood.  Keeping this chapter manageable, meaningful and important family stories will not be included here and more details will be provided in later chapters. 

Price Family

Based upon Federal Census Data for my Great-Grandfather Price, I believe to have found my Great-Great-Grandfather and Great-Great-Grandmother Price.  What is this evidence that leads me to believe I’ve discovered these Great-Great-Grandparents?  Family records show my Great-Grandfather’s (Robert S. Price) birthdate was 1845 in Kentucky, with several Federal Census Records confirming this birth year.  In addition, these Federal Census Records list Kentucky as the birth state for his parents.

Using this datum, the 1850 Federal Census lists an R.S. Price (born 1816) with wife Theresa Price (born 1825)  in Nelson County, Kentucky.  Thomas (born 1843), Robert (Great-Grandfather Price?) (born 1845), Ann A. (born 1846) and Reason (born 1848) are listed as Price children.  Both parents are listed as born in Kentucky.  Since Robert’s birthdate matches both family and Federal Census Records, it seems a reasonable assumption that R.S and Theresa are my Great-Great-Grandparents.  So far, further searches have not reveled R.S.Price’s first name, a marriage date or Theresa’s maiden name.  Unfortunately, I could not check earlier Census Records because names are not provided, only the number of people in a given age bracket are given.  At this time further research is required to determine if these assumption are correct and these unknowns answered.

However, the 1860 Federal Census has produced an anomaly.  This record list a Ried Price (born 1826) listed with no wife and 7 Price children: Thomas (born 1843), Robert (born 1845), Ann (born 1847), Reason (born 1850), Elizabeth (born 1852). B. (born 1854) and Richd (Richard?) (born 1858).  Obvious questions arise for this record.  Is Ried the first name of R.S. Price in the 1850 Census?  If so, there is a 10 year discrepancy in his birth date.   If it is a new Price relative, who is he and what happened to R.S. and Theresa?  While the birth dates for Thomas and Robert match the 1850 Census, those for Ann and Reason are different.  Birth dates in Census records are always listed as “abt”, or about since the census worker asks for ages on the day of the census. Hence, these birth year could be off by one year.  This fact may explain Ann’s difference in birth year, but Reason’s is off by 2 years, which may depend on who in the family gave the ages of everyone and their knowledge of everyone’s age.  Finally, are Elizabeth, B. and Richd the children of R.S. and Theresa Price?

Without a doubt my Great-Grandfather was Robert S. Price born in Kentucky on 19 Nov 1845.  The reason for this certainty is both family records and is confirmed in the 1920 Federal Census.  Discovering the identity of my Great-Grandmother Price has been a real challenge.  Two family records provide both a ? for her name while another lists a Susan Crow.  These records give Apr 1908 as the date for Great-Grandmother Price’s death, whoever she is. All record searches have failed to discover a Susan Crow, much less one married to Robert S. Price.   So, using the Census Records, other family trees and Price logic, possibly flawed, I believe Great-Grandmother Price was Mary Ann Price, nee Roberts born in Missouri, 25 Nov 1849.  Robert S.Price and Mary Ann Roberts were married on 1 Oct 1868 in De Kalb County, Missouri.

  

How did I reach this conclusion?  Well, Federal Census records for 1870, 1880 and 1900 lists an Robert S. and Mary A. Price family in Missouri and Kansas.  These records list the following children: Sterling, born abt 1869 in Sherman, De Kalb Missouri, Nicholas born abt 1871 in Prairie, Wyandotte, Kansas, Anna M., born abt 1876 in Prairie, Wyandotte, Kansas, Alfred R. born abt 1882 in Prairie, Wyandotte, Kansas, and Lulu P. born abt 1887 in Shannon, Pottawattamie, Kansas.  Okay, what makes me believe this is the correct Price family?  First, the Federal Census for 1910 and 1920 show Prices I know first hand in Pottawattamie County, Kansas. These family members are my Grandfather and Grandmother Price, my Dad, my Uncle and my Aunt.  I do not believe there would be more than one Robert S. Price in Pottawattamie County, Kansas in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  Second, the 1910 Federal Census lists Robert S. Price living with Nicholas and Hallie A. Price family in Blue Valley, Pottawattamie, Kansas and R. S. is listed as widowed.  Third, birthdate and birth state for Alfred R. Price matches those for my Grandfather Robert Alfred Price, plus the 1920 Federal Census listing him with his father, Robert S. Price in Orange, California.  Finally, Mary A. Price and Lulu Pearl Price are buried in the Olsburg Cemetery in Pottawattamie, Kansas.  Mary’s date of death is 19 Apr, 1908 with Lulu’s death on 6 Mar, 1908.  Mary’s date of death matches the year given in my family records for an un-named Great-Grandmother.  So, what happened to Robert S. Price?

Robert S. Price appears in 1920 Federal Census in Orange, Orange County, California.  There is no record of when or why he moved to California. Adding to the mystery is that now he is listed as “divorced”.  Who did he marry after Mary died?  Where did he marry?  Could it have been Susan Crow?  I have no way of knowing since all searches for Susan Crow have revealed nothing.  Robert S. Price died 8 Oct, 1927 in Orange, California.  He is buried in the Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, California.  There is a photo of the cemetery and his headstone.  Family records indicate he died due to heart problems.

Another confusing situation is that the various family trees I have reviewed cite the same Federal Census records I have encountered.  Yet, these other trees vary considerably concerning Robert S. Price’s family.  I believe these other trees contain their family data,or oral history, to augment the census records, which results in different family histories for Price family members.  Another confusion exists as to the death of Mary A. Price.  Her death is listed in Ancestry.om family trees in Kansas in 1905 and in Missouri in 1926. Even though these other family trees provide various Robert S. Price family histories, it is my belief I have made a valid interpretation of the Census Records and Mary A. Price’s cemetery information based on my own family knowledge.

While tracing the Price surname back in time has required considerable research along with some reasoned assumptions.  To chronicle Price family history from this point forward further assumptions are not necessary because family history enters into my life’s memory.  I know for a certainty my Grandfather and Grandmother Price were Robert Alfred Price and Charlotte (Lottie) Estelle Price, nee Huckstadt.  Robert Alfred Price was born 23 Jun 1882 in Prairie, Wyandotte, Kansas, while Charlotte Estelle Huckstadt was born 23 Jul 1881 in Louisville, Kansas. They were married 14 Mar 1905, I assume Shannon, Pottawattamie, Kansas since both were residences of Shannon in 1900.

Robert and Lottie had 3 children:  Walter Herman Price, born 5 Jul 1906 in Olsburg, Kansas, Robert Otto Price (my father), born 7 Apr 1909 in Westmoreland, Kansas and Gladys Mae Price, born 30 Jan 1911 in Westmoreland, Kansas.  Both towns are in Pottawattamie County.  Lottie died on 21 Feb 1911 in Westmoreland due to complications from Gladys’ birth.  Grandmother Charlotte E. Price is buried in the Westmoreland Cemetery.  While there is no photo of Robert and Lottie together, nor one of Robert, there are photos of Robert and the 3 children and one of Lottie. A date on the back of Grandmother Lottie’s photo indicates she was 23 at the time the photo was taken. While there is no date on the family photo, I suspect it is in 1912 based on the assumption that Gladys appears to be about 1+ years old.  There is another photo of them in 1913 in which Gladys appears to have grown since this photo.  

Walter, Gladys, Robert A. and Robert O. Price

Grandmother Charlotte “Lottie” Estelle Price

Sometime after Grandmother Lottie died Granddad Price moved to California.  There is no record of when he moved, but it was prior to 1920.  Granddad Price is listed in the 1920 Federal Census in Orange, California living with his father Robert S. Price.   When Granddad left for California, Great-Grandmother Rosa Huckstadt raised the 3 Grandchildren.  Eventually, all three children became permanent residents of California.  Their travels to California is a multi-stage saga that is too involved to relate here.  Reasons and adventures traveling to California will be described in a later chapter.

Grandfather Price married Opal Claire Stoves prior to 1930, since they are listed in the 1930 Federal Census as husband and wife.  A daughter was born 8 Mar 1932 given the name Betty Lou Price. It is assumed that they were married in Orange, California. Thus, Walter, Robert and Gladys have a half sister.   So,  I guess that means I have a half-aunt and a Step-Grandmother Price, if these are the correct terminologies.

Robert Alfred Price committed suicide on 15 Dec 1935 in Orange, California.  The reason for the suicide is a mystery and the only record in my possession is a letter from my Dad to Great-Grandmother Huckstadt informing her of his death.  He is buried in Fairhaven Memorial Park, the same cemetery as Great-Grandfather Robert S. Price.  There is a headstone photo, discovered on the internet.

Tracing the Price side of my family has taken its history back to 1816.  Unfortunately, there are still some unknowns and anomalies in that history.  What has been discovered is based, I believe, on reasonable logical assumptions.  While further research is required to trace the family further back in time, this research will have to wait for a while.  Stories of my immediate family will be the subject of the next chapter of Reflections.

Graham Family

History of the Graham family was a real mystery to me.  Stories of the past were sparse and not really noteworthy or memorable.  So, beyond knowing home was originally in Aledo, Illinois and some birthdays, knowledge of family history was very limited.  After joining Ancestry.com the Graham branches began to sprout and leaf out.  The primary reason was several other member trees that had been posted really began to pull back the black shroud on the family history.  In fact, I was stunned to discover the following portrait posted with one of the family trees.  

William Niblock Graham

A framed version of this portrait hung in my parent’s home as well as mine for as long as I can remember.  Talk about knocking your socks off---WOW!!  I knew it was my Great-Grandfather Graham, but did not have any clue as to his name.  Now I could attach a name to my Great-Grandfather: William Niblock Graham!!  Further research allowed the tracing of family history as well as forming this part of my family tree.  As in the Price background I’ll start the Graham family background from the earliest years.

John Graham (Great-Great-Great-Grandfather) was born in 1773 somewhere in Ireland. John met Jane Niblock in Mercer County, Pennsylvania where they were married.  Jane was also born in 1773 somewhere in Ireland. Whether they knew one another in Ireland is not known, nor when they arrived in America. Just think of the wild possibilities you can imagine with this information!!  John and Jane had four children: Jane, born 9 Feb 1802, William Niblock (not my Great-Grandfather), born 15 Dec 1805, John P.(Great-Great-Grandfather), born 1807 and Elizabeth (or Mary).  All children were born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.  It seems only John P. Graham married because no spouses have been uncovered for Jane, Elizabeth or William N.  William died in 1819 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania at the age of 46.  Jane lived until 1855 and died in Lawrence, Pennsylvania.

John P. Graham met and married Hannah Pearson, I suspect in Lawrence, Pennsylvania.  Hannah’s family had roots in Pennsylvania from the mid-1700s.  John and Hannah had 8 children: George Pearson (not my Grandfather), born 9 Dec 1832, Sarah Jane, born 1833, William Niblock (Great-Grandfather pictured above) born 15 Dec 1835, Harrison Pearson born 7 May 1837, Elizabeth M. born 10 Nov 1840, Richard Johnson born 1 Feb 1842, Ella or Ellen born in 1844 and Sadie born in 1854.   All of them were born in Lawrence, Pennsylvania.  Based on research to date all of the sons of John P. and Hannah Graham moved to Aledo, Mercer County, Illinois.  I assume they moved from Pennsylvania to Illinois as part of the Western migration.  It is interesting that all the Graham boys settled in Aledo, Illinois rather than different locales.  At this time I have no record as to what happened to the Graham women, either a marriage or where they died.  While William Niblock Graham is my Great-Grandfather, Harrison Pearson Graham (Great-Great-Uncle?) is also of interest to my family history through their sons and Grandchildren.  

William Niblock Graham married Sarah Ann Paxton on 27 Jun 1861, probably in Aledo, Mercer County, Illinois.  Sarah was born in 1844 in Mercer County, Illinois.  William and Sarah had 5 children, probably all born in Aledo.  The children were: John Paxton born in 1862, Eva L. born in 1864, Ralph born in 1866, Fancy or Fanny B. born in 1869 and George Pearson (my Grandfather) born 14 Sep 1871.  Sarah Ann Graham, nee Paxton died 16 Jul 1873 in Aledo, Illinois.  William Niblock Graham re-married Flora Ann Bassett on 23 Dec 1873.  Boy, could you make up some story about this marriage being only 5 months after Sarah Ann died!  William and Flora had 2 daughters: Islea S. born 23 Dec 1874 and Ethel Gertrude born 19 Apr 1880.  Both Islea and Ethel were born in Aledo, Illinois.  William died 16 Aug 1907 in Aledo and Flora died 24 Aug 1925 in Nilles, Berrien, Michigan.

My Grandfather, George Pearson Graham married my Grandmother Minnie A. Clifford in Aledo, Illinois in 1901 in Aledo, Illinois.  Grandmother Minnie was born 8 Jun 1878 in Aledo, Illinois.  My mother Pauline Gwendolyn Graham was born in Aledo on 27 Apr 1910 and was an only child.  So, I have no Aunt or Uncle Graham.  Grandfather George, Grandmother Minnie and Mother Pauline moved to Pomona, California and are recorded there in the 1920 Federal Census, finally settling in Santa Ana, California.  As in the case of my Dad, Uncle Walter and Aunt Gladys, the final settling in Santa Ana will be related later.

Clifford Family

Although the Grandmother Clifford’s family was of extreme interest to me, I basically had no knowledge or information about her background.  The extent of my knowledge was her family surname, where she was born and memories of staying with her and Granddad in Santa Ana.  There is a faint recollection she died while I was very young.  Then 3 years ago I received a letter from a Larry Hardesty in Nebraska inquiring whether I was the son of Robert and Pauline Price.  Responding in the affirmative to his letter, I discovered that the Clifford family is also a branch in his family tree.  Based on information from Larry and further searches on Ancestry.com has enabled me to learn about the Clifford family history.

To fully comprehend the history of the Clifford family it is necessary to begin with the Jones family in South Wales.  Thus, the current day Prices have a definite Welsh connection.  Issac and Ann Jones were both born in New Bridge, Wales early in the 19^th Century.  Issac was born 10 Dec 1814 and Ann was born 22 Dec 1814.  They had 3 daughters born in New Bridge, Wales:  Mary Ann born 10 May 1836, Gwen (Great-Grandmother Clifford) born 18 Apr 1838 and Elizabeth born abt 1840.  The Jones family emigrated to America about 1841.  After arriving in America they had an additional 6 children, for a total of 9!  Interestingly, the first child born in America was born in either South Carolina or Georgia. The 1850 Census lists South Carolina, while the 1860 Census lists Georgia for the same child. The remaining 5 were born in Illinois, presumably in Aledo, Mercer County.  There is no information when they moved from the South to Illinois.

Great-Grandmother Gwen Jones married Edward Clifford on 12 Mar 1862 in Mercer County, Illinois.  Edward Clifford was born in County Alvin, Ireland about 1814.  Great-Grandfather Edward and Great-Grandmother Gwen had 6 children:  John Edward born abt 1863, Carl Issac born abt 1866, Harry born abt 1869, Burton E. born abt 1871, Minnie A. born 8 Jun 1878 and Roy H. born Oct 1874.  All children were born in Mercer County, Illinois and presumably in the town of Aledo.

Spelling for Great-Grandmother Gwen varies in all the census records.  The variations include Gwen, Guin, Guinn and I discovered a Gwendoline in one family tree.  I tend to favor Gwen since Mom’s middle name is Gwendolyn.  Gwen outlived Edward by about 30 years.  Edward died 16 Mar 1886 at the age of 72, while Gwen died 27 Aug 1916.  Both died in Mercer County and are buried in Mercer County’s Sugar Grove Cemetery.  It has been reported that Gwen re-married, but so far there is no evidence to support this claim.  In fact, I have a post card written by Burton to G. J. Clifford which was postmarked 1913.  Since Gwen died in 1916, it seems doubtful she would have re-married at this age.

There is an obituary for Gwen I received from Larry Hardesty.

There is one very old photo of Great-Grandfather Edward Clifford.  He has a very healthy set of sideburns!!

Edward Clifford

Huckstadt Family

Knowledge of the Huckstadt family history has been pretty much like the Cliffords.  I knew about Great-Grandmother Rosa Huckstadt and heard the names of uncles and aunts that were mentioned, but since there was not a face to connect the name to, it was basically meaningless.  Cousin Carol Pappas, nee Price gave me some Price/Huckstadt family information she had obtained from one of my Dad’s cousins, Louise.  After a telephone conversation with Louise, she sent a high school report she composed after talking with Great-Grandmother Rosa Huckstadt.  This paper provided information about Great-Grandmother Rosa Haid’s family.  As it turns out the Huckstadt and Haid  families are the genesis of our Germanic connection.

Great-Great-Grandfather Herman Von Sebastian Huckstadt was born in Mecklenburg, Germany in 1819.  Herman married Louisa Sebastian in Germany.  Louisa had emigrated from France. Herman and Louisa had 2 daughters and one son.  Bertha was born 12 Oct 1844, Ulla born 4 Jan 1848 and Otto George Hartwick (Great-Grandfather Huckstadt) born 4 Jun 1851 in Krakow, Germany.  A safe assumption would be that Bertha and Ulla were also born in Krakow.  The Huckstadt family emigrated to America in 1866.  They first settled in Iowa, then in 1867 they moved to Kansas.  Herman died a year later, in 1868, in Flush, Kansas.  Louisa died 27 Jun 1879, probably in Kansas. There is no information about the deaths of Bertha and Ulla, nor where they died.  

Great-Grandfather Otto Huckstadt met and married Rosanna “Rosa” Charlotte Haid in Louisville, Kansas on 23 Sep 1877.  Great-Grandmother Rosa was born 29 Mar 1860 in Flush, Kansas.  Otto and Rosa had had 5 children:  Herman George born 18 Sep 1878 in Louisville, Kansas, Louis Charles born 22 Feb 1880 in Louisville, Kansas, Charlotte “Lottie” Estelle (Grandmother Price) born 23 Jul 1881 in Louisville, Kansas, Bertha Ann born 22 May 1884 somewhere in Kansas and Ora Florence born 26 Oct 1898 in Shannon, Kansas.  Great-Grandfather Huckstadt died on 11 Aug 1908 in Westmoreland, Kansas.  Great-Grandmother Huckstadt died on 4 May 1944 in Garden City, Kansas.  To my knowledge, the Huckstadts and their spouses were farmers.

Since Great-Grandmother Rosa Huckstadt’s maiden name was Haid it is only appropriate to chronicle the Haid family history.  The Haid family also begins in Germany with Great-Great-Great-Grandfather Mathias Haid.  He was born in 1804 in Bavaria, Germany----at least that is the way it is listed.  Probably just Bavaria is more likely.  Mathias married a woman whose maiden name was Frazier.  Family records show only one son: John George (Great-Great- Grandfather Haid)  born 8 Sep 1827 in Wittenburg, Germany.  John emigrated to America in 1849, first landing in New York City with only 5 cents to his name.  Somehow he traveled to Albany, New York and was hired for his first job--picking tomatoes.  During the next 6 years he continued moving West with jobs in Rochester, Syracuse and Seneca, New York and Erie, Pennsylvania.  From Erie he migrated to Michigan for 2 years, finally moving to Leavenworth, Kansas in 1857, where he worked on a farm for one summer.  Here he met Charlotte Peck from Charlton, Lincolnshire, England.  Charlotte was born 17 Jul 1838.  She emigrated to America in 1857, settled in Illinois and moved to Leavenworth, Kansas in 1857.  Although John was attracted to Charlotte, he left Leavenworth and bought 80 acres in Pottawattamie County, Kansas for a yoke of oxen in 1858.  With the help of neighbors he built a house and improved the land and in 1859 returned to Leavenworth to marry Charlotte.  The were married on 20 July 1859 in Leavenworth.  They loaded their belongings onto a wagon and started for his farm.  Unfortunately, a prairie fire totally destroyed his farm house, so they were without any shelter upon their arrival.  Once again the neighbors helped them through this ordeal by providing temporary shelter while a new house was built.  

John and Charlotte Haid had 8 children:  Rosanna “Rosa” Charlotte (Great-Grandmother Huckstadt) born 29 Mar 1860 in Flush, Kansas, Harriet born 28 Aug 1862, Anna Matilda born 29 Dec 1863,  Sarah abt 1864, Stephan born 12 Aug 1865, Henry born 12 Dec 1866, Herbert born 18 Feb 1869 and William Reginald born 22 Mar 1875.  Except for Great-Grandmother Rosa there is no specific location cited for the birth of the other children.  I believe it is safe to assume they were all born in Pottawattamie County.  

Although Pottawattamie County was being settled, it was still a wild country.  Taking crops to a mill for grinding was 80 miles away and several farmers went together for protection from Indian attacks.  Indians would stop by the Haid farm asking for food.  Great-Great-Grandfather Haid always accommodated the request, the best they could, to prevent attacks.  During the Civil War in 1863 Bushwhackers pillaged the town of Leavenworth and Great-Great Grandfather Haid went with the Kansas militia to aid Leavenworth.  This raid occurred just prior to “Price’s Raid”.  This raid was led by Confederate General Sterling Price.  My first thought was “uh oh”   However, General Price was born in Virginia about 1805, so was not related as far as I can tell at this time---Whew!  It would have been rather ironic if the two families had crossed swords during the Civil War.  Great-Great-Grandfather Haid died 29 Jul 1908 in Wamengo, Kansas.  Great- Great-Grandmother Haid died 1 Jul 1927, also in Wamengo, Kansas.

This chapter of Reflections has been like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Bible---a whole lot of begetting going on.  Research cannot be said to be “final”, since there are still some weak branches, which definitely need more watering.  I am sure there will be additions and corrections to the information presented in this chapter.  Even so this research provides some insight as to our family legacy.  While this is valuable information it does not tell us about occupations and stories that can be passed on to later generations.  The stories about Great-Great-Grandfather Haid were made possible because Dad’s cousin had the foresight to ask questions of Great-Grandmother Rosa Huckstadt and then wrote a paper in high school.  Maybe it was an assignment and not foresight, but why does not really matter, does it?  The story is priceless!  The following chapters in Reflections will be devoted to family stories I remember and experienced.

ANCESTRAL HERITAGE

America is considered to be a nation of immigrants, with the initial immigrants entering the country about 500 years ago.  In the 17^th through the 19^th Centuries, most immigrants were from various European countries, bringing various cultures and customs with them.  Due to America’s environment of freedom, these “Old World” heritages were shed and blended into a unique American culture. This mixing of cultures and customs has left American families with a widely diverse ancestral heritage.  I believe your family’s ancestral heritage forms the basis of who you are or have become. Perhaps then, tracing your family history is the beginning  of understanding yourself. As a minimum, tracing this heritage aids in answering the key questions: “Who am I?” and “Where did I come from?”

Tracing one’s family ancestries has always intrigued me, especially mine since knowledge of my family’s history was so limited. Tracing family ancestries is intriguing, but becomes very expansive with each generational step into history.   In essence, tracing your ancestry is to create a family tree.  This ancestral tree expands geometrically by a factor of two with each generational step back.  You proceed from two parents to four grandparents to eight great-grandparents and so forth.  In fact, it only takes 20 generations to reach a million ancestors.  Is it possible to trace my family roots back 20 generations?  I’m not really sure, but the goal is to discover in what country my ancestors originated.  All that remains is tracing my family ancestry and gathering information for my family tree.

The seed for my ancestral tree was planted many years ago.  I’m not sure when  the planting occurred, but it was the result of a few family stories and basic family information.  Obviously I knew surnames of my parents, Price and Graham.  Also, I knew the surnames of my grandparents, Price, Huckstadt, Graham and Clifford.  Plus, I was aware of some birthrates and birth places for them. Preliminary knowledge of just these names revealed that  my family heritage probably included traces of Welsh, English, Scotch, Irish and German cultures.  At this point my family tree was like a sapling with buds for branches.  In the late 1990s these buds sprouted a little more when my Cousin Carol provided some additional family data, then I received more family information from one of my Dad’s cousins in Kansas.  At this point, I decided to construct the family tree digitally, or computerize the data.  This process was started about ten years ago, but has essentially lain dormant until recently.  Deciding to write Reflections provided the impetus to begin watering my family tree in earnest.  

My first step in watering the family tree was to consider the origin of family names.  Knowing the origin of a family name could provide some insight into a family’s history.  Of special interest to me was the origin of the Price family, knowing full well that this Price was a conglomerate of a minimum of three other family surnames.  So, my first watering was really a sprinkling that involved internet searches on the four family surnames of my parents and grandparents:  Price, Graham, Huckstadt and Clifford.

The name Price is of Welsh extraction, and was apparently a shortened version of “Ab” Rhys or “Ap” Rhys.   The “a\Ab” or “Ap” meant “son of”, or Son of Rice.  After the English subdued the Welsh, they apparently forced the Welsh to drop the “Ab/Ap” prefix, and replace it with a “P” or “B”.  Therefore, the Welsh name became “Price”, “Pryce”, Bryce”, ”Brice” and even “Rees”, “Rhys”, and so on.  

One branch of the Price family was from the northern area of Wales, which had a Coat of Arms, or a family crest.  The motto at the top of the crest reads, “Vita brev gkiris acterua”, which translates into “Life is short, glory eternal”.  Wow, that sounds like a warrior motto to me.  There are at least two other versions of a Price motto I have found.

While on a trip to England and Scotland in 1990 I discovered Graham was Scottish and had a tartan, or clan cloth.  The Graham clan was first noted around the 12^th Century.  A Graham coat of arms is shown along with a patch of the clan tartan.  The motto Ne Oublie is translated as “Do not forget”.  

Graham Tartan

One often hears about Scot-Irish.  Apparently there was a portion of the Graham clan that were considered  to be outlaws.  If caught they were to be summarily hung.  To avoid being caught and hung this “outlaw” clan would use Maharg as the family name.  It is Graham spelled backward.  This interesting tidbit eventually enters family history in the 20^th Century.  Eventually this subset of the Graham clan emigrated to Ireland.  Records show that Grahams from both Scotland and Ireland emigrated to America beginning in the 17^th Century.  The primary regions of immigration were Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New york.

The Huckstadt surname in my family has a Germanic heritage.  Extensive internet searches failed to discover the origin of the family name.  Besides a Germanic origin, Scandinavia is also a potential origin of the family name.  Although the specific origin of the family is uncertain a Huckstadt coat of arms was discovered. 

There does not seem to be any translation of the “Berthier” name at the bottom of the coat of arms.  

The migration of Germans to America began as early as the Jamestown settlement.  Germans form the largest numbers of immigrants besides the English.  This immigration reached its peak during the 19^th Century.  Emigration from Germany was due both  for religious freedom and economic reasons.  Germans settled in all sections of America, but concentrated in the farming regions.  These pioneers were one of the major ethnic groups that led the migration West.

The Clifford family originated in the Nottingham region of England.   A literal meaning of the name is “by the cliff”. The family was granted land by Duke William of Normandy for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in  1066 A.D.  Their coat of arms, or family crest, carries the motto “Semper paratus” which translated means “ Always prepared”.  Sort of like the Boy Scout motto of “Be Prepared”.

Some of the first Clifford settlers arrived in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Massachusetts in the 17^th Century and continued into the 19^th Century.

As the family tree grows there will be new surname origins to investigate.  This effort will be left to the future for now, but will be added as necessary to complete the family picture.  So far, the results from watering the tree has exceeded expectations.  In fact, some branches have leaves.  Joining Ancestry.com has aided immensely the tracing the family genealogy.

 Tracing my family’s background and history has been rewarding, challenging, confusing and frustrating.  Rewarding because of the ability to discover countries of origin for the Grahams, Huckstadts and Cliffords.  Challenging due to incomplete and incorrect information.  Confusing since multiple Ancestry.com family trees used the same source datum to construct their trees which differed in names, places and dates.  Frustrating because the Price family origin has been stopped in the in the early 19^th century.  The next chapter of Reflections will summarize what the watering has produced so far, based on research to date.

INTRODUCTION

How to tell the story of one’s life?  How do you relate nearly 8 decades of events, experiences, decisions, thoughts and feelings in a meaningful and insightful way?  Telling one’s life story in chronological order seems logical, but after cogitating on structuring my story, only certain portions of my life could be coherently told in a historical context.   As I turned various stories over in my mind it became clear that most parts of my life’s story did not easily lend itself to a strict historical view point. While there were portions that could be told chronologically, I concluded that sequencing through events in my life could not adequately describe who and what shaped me as a person. Nor does this approach provide a meaningful oral history.   I believe your life story is a summation of many stories. Some stories are singular while others cover many years.  As a consequence, after mulling over how to best tell about my life, it seemed best to include both chronological and stories on specific topics.  

Reflections will consider my family background and my early childhood in a typical historical manner.  My early childhood can mostly be told in a historical manner because your world consists mostly of just your family.  How do you define your early childhood?  At this time, my early childhood will cover the first 10 plus years of my life, or maybe a little less.  However, I’m sure there will be topical stories with events that happened during these early years, which are melded with events happening years later.  

What is a topic, or subject?  I believe any event, or series  of events, that result in increased knowledge, changed opinion, required a decision or necessitated some action are to be discussed in light of how they add to your persona.  What are these potential topics to be included in Reflections?    While I have some in mind at this time, others will come to the fore as I proceed.  Certainly, obvious ones include family, education, friends,work and travel.  Which will be discussed first and subsequently?  I have no specific plan on what story to relate first, the order will probably depend upon what memories flash across my mind at any given time.  Even so, the family background, including ancestral history, needs to be discussed first, since it forms the basis for most all that follows.

In that regard, it is my observation that for most people, history begins when they are born.  This observation goes to the very heart of the two newspaper articles mentioned in the Preface.  My own life also demonstrates this same fact.  I was not curious enough about my folks’ history and did not realize how not knowing about their lives would affect my own journey.  Yes, I heard some stories about their lives, but sadly these stories did not generate enough curiosity to ask questions and find out more about them.  Nor was there any thoughts of self introspection as to why, or how, my life was impacted by them.  Since I can no longer ask them questions, all that remains are memories and what is stored in an aging memory bank.

I always took great pride in my memory.  In fact, I believe my memory played a large part in earning college degrees.  Through the years I believed my memory was such that I could easily recall things that happened many decades ago with absolute clarity.  My sister, Roberta, recently told me that our Granddad Graham told her my memory was “photographic”.  My memory is good, but it never reached that level.  While I still believe my memory about events, past and present, remains good, some doubt as to how good has arisen.  There are times when my synapses misfire, or don’t fire, which results in a ”Senior Moment”.  I was absolutely sure that a distant cousin playing for the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles)  in 1949 hit 34 home runs that year.  I would have placed lots of money on this number.  To my chagrin after recently  looking up his record, he hit 24 home runs.  I carried this incorrect fact with me for over 60 years, which illustrates how easily your memory of the past can be faulty.  I mention this story as a caveat to what you read in Reflections.  There will be stories in which you have no knowledge, yet others where you have some recollection.  When our memories differ, it is not because one of us is wrong.  The differences are due to another interpretation or another perception.  We just remember the events differently.  After all, eye witness stories usually are at odds.  All of this to say, keep an open mind for different interpretations and do not be concerned about having different remembrances.

Before the next essay is posted think how you would tell of your life’s journey.  What are the important events that have occurred which impacted you in some meaningful way?  What question, or questions, could you ask your elders, or contemporaries,  that you are really curious about?  I believe the only stupid question is the question not asked and I’ve experienced plenty of those.

PREFACE

Reflecting on My Life

Royal Burton Price

Does anyone really know who we are as a person?    Does one even know one’s self?  Probably not, since each one of us is the sum of our family background, memories, experiences and decisions.  These parts of our life form a story that defines us.  As the years pass, new chapters are added to the story.  Do these new chapters re-define who we are?  To some extent yes, but our basic core self remains.  Our own individual story is like a jigsaw puzzle that needs assembly. 

I would say most of us are not really well known beyond our family, friends and acquaintances. Even so, it is safe to say our life’s stories are a mystery to most.  I expect even those of our extended family do not know our complete history.  For the most part our history is an oral one.  Every family has an oral history that has been related by family members and friends as short, unconnected, stories. These stores usually occur under all types of situations, ranging from casual to serious. It is rare that most of these stories are passed onto others, much less the next generation.  Of course these stores are as varied as the individuals in the family.  Not only does everyone have a different story, everyone’s memories and remembrances are not the same.  I believe family oral history is very important.  It defines not only ourselves, but forms an important ingredient in the development of all family members.

I believe our family and early childhood forms the real foundation of who we are. Our parents raise us to a point, after that it is up to us.  Still, I believe our parents provide the basis for who we become.  My parents are gone, my Dad died in 1976 and my Mom in 1990.  I still miss them.  Especially since I did not tell them of my love for them and did not thank them for their love, care and guidance. Perhaps they understood, but it is sad not to have told them my feelings.  I missed the opportunity of a lifetime by not having any real dialog with them while they were alive.  A great opportunity was missed by not asking questions of them to learn more about them.their parents and grandparents, who they were and what were the major events in their lives. Now I have only the stories they related to me, at least as best as memory allows.  As a result, there is so much I do not know of their family history.  Rather than lamenting over missed opportunities, I have decided to review my life by writing of my memories, experiences and decisions. 

To be sure, my life’s experiences are not earth shaking nor profound.   Perhaps Reflecting will generate memories of your own, or elicit “I didn’t know that”, or “so that’s why he is that way”, or “I’ll not make that mistake” and so many other similar thoughts.  Why now write of these memories and things?  Well,  two newspaper articles in late 2011 and early 2012 prompted me to reflect on events and decisions in my life and prompted me to begin writing my story.    

The first article was an October, 2011 op-ed in the Jackson Hole Daily written by David Brooks of the New York Times.  His op-ed was titled “Looking to Learn from the Life Reports of Our Elders”.  Basically, Brooks wanted people over 70 to write short essays, or evaluations, on their lives to date: to relate your achievements and failures.  It was requested these essays be e-mailed to him by Thanksgiving for a future column.  He opined that there is no formal rite in which people relate their life experiences in any meaningful way, much less at all, so that the younger generations can learn how life and families develop and change.  I liked his idea and began considering responding.  However, as I mulled it over a short essay seemed inappropriate.  How can you relate a lifetime of achievements or failures in a short essay?  Seventy-seven years covers so many events, memories, decisions and loads of thoughts that a short essay would not allow me to relate my life’s events in any meaningful manner.  Plus, Thanksgiving was only 6 weeks away and there were too many other things that needed my attention.  So, I began to think about reflecting on my life and whether to prepare it, how to prepare it and finally who would be my audience.  At this point, the subject was placed into the back recesses of my mind, especially around Christmas when our lives took another turn requiring a trip to Salt Lake City.

Then, while Norma and I were in Salt Lake City for her radiation treatments, the lead article in USA Today newspaper further jogged my thoughts about writing this rumination of my life.  The article was titled “We Must ‘Find a Cure’ to Save Memories”.  This article discussed the need to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.  Alzheimer’s destroys memories and a person’s ability to communicate and strikes at the very heart of what David Brooks’ concern for providing younger generations valuable life experiences, as well as memories of the way things were and how we were influenced by them.  It was this USA Today article that helped me to decide now was the time to write Reflecting on My Life.

This Preface was initially prepared about a year ago and has lain dormant since then.  There just seemed to be too many other activities requiring attention. My story was not forgotten, just postponed.  Then on Christmas Eve 2012 I was ask a question, which after answering it, I reflected on why the question was ask. It became clear that our family’s oral history needed to be told.  My story is certainly not the whole family history, but at least its a start on one portion of our family’s history.

March 16, 2013