The Spread of the Anabaptists -The Story of the Amish, Mennonites, and Hutterites

Interesting video pertaining to the Amish branch of of my ancestry.  This video was found on youtube.com and was not produced by me or anyone I know. Just copying it here for information purposes.


http://youtu.be/ndKChY0LY7U

This is a very brief overview of the history of the Anabaptist beginning in Zurich in 1525 and tracing their paths to the present.  This was originally prepared for a historical society in Lancaster County, PA, hence it begins talking about Lancaster.

Above is a picture of a book, written by Menno Simmons, who is mentioned in this history video.  It was passed down through my family line. Written in German(?) I am unable to tell exactly what the book has to say. (This book is in my possession).

© copyright 2012, all rights reserved

 Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Margaret Post's Apple Pie

My mother's recipe for Apple Pie....this recipe looks too easy to believe!  I've never made it as the recipe has been in the hands of my sister since our parent's death.  Mom was an excellent cook.  I'll be buying some Granny Smith apples at the grocery store soon!  Margaret Troyer Post was the daughter of Elmer and Mary (Motzko) Troyer, the grand-daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Schrock) Troyer and Philipp and Maria (Fietzek) Motzko, and the great-grand-daughter of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock, John and Elizabeth (Yoder) Troyer, Franz and Francesca (Piechota) Moczko, and Martin and Catherina (Dyga) Fietzek

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Mrs. Troyer's Brown Sugar Cookies

One of my Great-Grandmother Elizabeth (Schrock) Troyer's recipes.  This is an awesome way to use up that brown sugar that always turns hard on you and then is not useable. I can't even begin to count the number of half full boxes of brown sugar I've had to just toss.  Plus they are very easy to make.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren



Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - Part 19 - The Finale

This is the second part of Part 19 and is also THE FINALE on the book of  "Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock"....I am not positive as to when these memories were originally written but I do know it was before 1963 when my grandfather died. 

Nancy Schrock Priser was the eighth child of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock.  She married Benjamin Frank Priser probably between 1875 and 1887. They had three known children John Wesley Priser (born: 11.23.1887), Fred Earl Priser (12.8.1892), and George W. Priser (2.22.1896).

Aunt Nan Priser Memories (Part 2):
(Written by Bessie (Schrock) Sherck)

The family was too large to all go to church in one buggy, so some always had to stay at home.  My father had a sweet tooth and said if they left him home he would eat all the scarps (preserves).

She said she remembered the first binder Grandpa had and how hard they still had to work to get the grain harvested.

Aunt Clara had a little rocking chair and one day as she was rocking her doll, she said "Blessed Jesus allus faln nuner" (Everything falls down).

She remembered when Father and Mother lived with them and the door that separated their part had a big crack under it.  Grandma had asthma and sneezed a lot.  Carrie liked to go to Grandma's too often so she would lie on the floor and listen if they called her.  When Grandma would sneeze she would say "Calling me Grandma? Well I come."

She said when she was 10 years old Grandma told her she would have to knead the bread because she want to make a new dress to go to my Mother and Father's wedding. So she did and was she proud of her nice bread. She told of the big bake oven and how Grandpa used to make the fire and when it was hot enough (they tried tit by putting their hand in to test the heat) he would pull out the fire and it was ready for the bread and pies.  He made a bench to put the pies and bread on until the oven was hot.  The bread went in first then the pies.  She had one iron pan  about 6 inches in diameter which, when the loaf was baked, would be about 10 or 12 inches high.  She said when it was done they used to cut the hot crust off and spread it with fresh butter, Oh, how good it was.

She also told about butchering day. With such a family 6 or 8 hogs had to be butchered.  They put the sides in a large jar and pieces were cut to fit the jar.  They put in one layer of side and one of sausage until the jar was full.  A brine, which bore an egg, was poured over it and when they wanted some buckwheat cakes it would be put to soak the evening before.  She said it was "Oh, so good."  The hams and shoulders were smoked with good old hickory and stored in the upstairs over the summer house.  I can almost smell and taste them now.  She said before they had sausage grinders they chopped the sausage.  She said Uncle Issac was good at that.  He was so active and used to dance around so fast.  Made sort of a a game of it.

The young people in those days did not have so many places to go, so entertained themselves at home.  They had games of hide the thimble, drop the handkerchief, and many others.  They sang a lot too while someone played the organ, but when things would get too lively like:

                                          Krinkly, cranky is the song,
                                          Sing it and dance it all the day long,
                                          From the top and to the toe,
                                          Sing and dance it as you go"

Grandpa would come to the door and say "That's is enough", and it was.

I can remember about 4 o'clock every  evening hearing Grandpa call "pe-pe".  It was time to start chores when he called the chickens.

I am very fortunate to be living so close to Aunt Nan in these wonderful last years of her life and have enjoyed helping her collect these memories to be handed down to future generations.  Her wonderful sense of humor and Christian spirit tell more than words of the atmosphere of Grandpa and Grandma's home and the influence of that home is still going on.

(Editor's notes: Again Nan Priser was Yost and Martha Schrock's 8th child. Her memories told to her niece Bessie Schrock Sherck who was Elias and Nancy (Hoover) Schrock's 2nd child. Elias Schrock was Yost and Martha Schrock's 4th child and one of Nan Schrock Priser's older brothers.

Paragraph 3: Clara was the 10th child of  Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock; Paragraph 4: Carrie was  Yost and Martha Schrock's granddaughter via their 2nd son Elias, she was also Bessie's (author of above) sister; Paragraph 6: Issac was second child of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock).

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 19

Nancy Schrock Priser was the eighth child of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock.  She married Benjamin Frank Priser probably between 1875 and 1887. They had three known children John Wesley Priser (born: 11.23.1887), Fred Earl Priser (12.8.1892), and George W. Priser (2.22.1896).

Aunt Nan Priser Memories (Part 1):
(Written by Bessie (Schrock) Sherck)

I invited Aunt Nan to spend a day with us to rehearse the memories of her dear old home.

While we made quilt blocks we talked and laughed as she told many interesting happenings.  I will try to write them as she told them to me.

She said Grandpa had a firey horse named Ben. One day he hitched Ben to the buggy and Grandma, Uncle Will, Aunt Sarah and a big basket of eggs in the buggy and started for town.  Now as they started, Grandma said, "Now do be careful".  "Oh," said Grandpa, "I'll saw him down", and at that he cracked the whip and off started Ben on the run.  The buggy hit a high spot at the side of the lane and spilled them all out, eggs and all.  They had a lot of scrambled eggs.  Aunt Sarah had a broken arm.

One time Aunt Nan went out the north way past the grape vines.  A pig pen was close by. When she came in the house she said, "I found a new nest at the sie sthall (pig pen) in the grass with one oye (egg) in it.  Dutch and English seemed to be mixed up badly in their talk.  Aunt Mary and Aunt Nan went to school together but one day Aunt Mary was not feeling well, so told Aunt Nan if the teacher asked why she did not come to tell her she was too "foul".  Now Aunt Nan knew foul meant rotten in English so she told the teacher she was too rotten.

Here is her recipe for fried cheese which she said Grandma used, which first came from the Weavers'.

• Scald clabbered milk until it can be crumbed between the fingers.  Put into a bowl and mix with 1/2 teaspoon soda to the gallon of milk and a pinch of salt.  Pour in a hot skillet in which butter has been melted.  Stir constantly until the curds are all creamy, being careful not to scrape the bottom of the skillet.  There will be a crust that can be taken out and eaten.

Once when Grandma was frying cheese, Aunt Sarah was standing by to get the crust and Grandma took it out and ran for the orchard and Aunt Sarah after her.  She did not remember which won but I should think they shared it as that was the spirit of the family.

Once Aunt Nan and Uncle Will were playing together in the back barn (Uncle Will always seemed to get the worst end).  Grandpa said they should not open the East door that went to the barnyard below.  Of course, like modern children, they wanted to open the door to see what would happen.  Aunt Nan unhooked the door and down one side went because the one hinge was off.  She told Uncle Will to run down in the barnyard and take the rake and push the door up so she could hook it again.  But instead the other hinge broke and down went the door and broke Uncle Will's collar bone.  When Grandpa came home he did not scold but said, "We'll wait until morning to see how he is".  Of course, by morning they found out it was broken.

Another time they were playing by the bake house.  Things were not going so well so Will called Aunt Nan an Alt Sow (Old Sow).  Grandma heard them and said the next one who said that would get penned up.  So Aunt Nan thought she would try to see what would happen.  Grandma heard her and in she went to the little hall between the bedroom and living room which also was the way to the cellar.  She said she slipped out and ran down the cellar and out the outside way.  She said Grandma let her go which sounds like Grandma.

TO BE CONTINUED LATER THIS WEEK - THE FINALE.

(Editor's notes: Again Nan Priser was Yost and Martha Schrock's 8th child. Her memories told to Bessie Schrock Scherck who was Elias and Nancy (Hoover) Schrock's 2nd child. Elias Schrock was Yost and Martha Schrock's 4th child and one of Nan Schrock Priser's older brothers.)

Sarah is presumed to be Yost Schrock's sister; Will was William Schrock (Yost and Martha Schrock's 9th child); Mary was Mary Jane Schrock (Yost and Martha Schrock's 6th child; Weavers were Levi and Emma Weaver...Emma was Yost and Martha's 5th child).  Hope all this makes sense!)

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 14

Floyd Cripe was the 5th child (3rd birth), to Amos F. Cripe and Mary Jane Schrock.  Floyd married Grace Barthel.  He was the grandson of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock.

Floyd Cripe Memories:

I scarely know just what this is all about.  All the information I received was by telephone.  For my impressions of Grandma Schrock, I can just remember of her funeral, and that funeral procession was as long as the lane.  When the hearse was at the road the buggies were just leaving the yard.  I also remember one time when we were there, I saw a paper addressed to Yost Schrock, and I asked who that was, as I knew him only by Grandpa Schrock.  Of course, most everyone remember his last buggy horse "Ben".

Clara and Charley Berkey lived with him several years, and I worked for them one summer.  I can recall several things that happened that summer, but they were not directly connected with Grandpa Schrock, only as I stayed there.


Milk Churn


Clara had me churning one day out in the old milk house, it was a barrel churn, and the lid came off.  You can guess what a mess that was on the brick floor.  Also I recall having several hard thunder storms.  At home we boys all slept in one room, and down there I was all alone.  She tacked blankets up at the windows, but the lightning still came in so she said I could go down and sleep with grandpa.  When I went in his room, he was on his knees praying and didn't hear me right away.  The experience I will not forget.

Also Charley would ask occasionally to return thanks at the table, (as he ate with us).  Now I could tell you this better than I can write it, as I don't know how to spell in German, but he always began like this  'Naiter Gaiter, and Bun-Hatsic a Fanter'.  I used to have it memorized but just do not recall anymore to make sense out of it.  But I think I have heard it said that he never prayed in public.  I think if you had Grandma's date of death, you would find I was quite young.  However, I do remember when Uncle John Zimmerman's lived there, and I think Clara and Charley followed them after they moved out.

(Editor's notes:  Clara and Charley Berkey - Clara was the daughter of Amos F. Cripe and Mary Jane Schrock. Grand-daughter of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock

Uncle John Zimmerman was the husband of Clara Schrock (daughter of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock)

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

WHEW - this one was confusing as I got mixed up with the two Clara's!

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Treasure Thursday: Hochstetler - Hostetler

I purchased this book on e-bay a few weeks ago...I'm not sure it's even related to my family but I figured for what I paid for it I wasn't really out anything.  I haven't had much of a chance to go through it yet but I found some great treasures inside the book....several newspaper articles, a picture, several postcards, and some other items.  If you will note: on the binding of the book the title is Jacob Hochstetler, the author is Harvey Hostetler....a close enough spelling that the name was probably changed somewhere down the line.

Susan Hostetler was my great-great grandparents, Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock's first son's, Christian Schrock's, wife.  Also in my database there is a Dorene Hostetler who married a Cripe. Two of  Yost and Martha Schrock's daughters married Cripe's.  Whether a link is there or not is yet to be determined.

The book is fairly small print and is almost 1,200 pages, it was printed in 1912 and some of the genealogy lines go back to the 1600s.  I am hoping to look through this book extensively this summer, when I'm off work, and find a link to my ancestors.

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - Part 13

Clayton and Clyde Cripe were the second set of twins born to Amos F. Cripe and Mary Jane Schrock, they were the grandsons of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock.

Clayton Cripe Memories:

First I wish to say I heartily endorse this idea.  Each of us can help to refresh one another's memories.  Those memories are very refreshing when we reach the twilight of our lives.

My one outstanding impression, from my first recollection to the last of their home life, is that it was a well ordered life.  In the home and the farm everything seemed to be shipshape.  Everything indicated an enormous amount of work.  The buildings and fences, orchards, garden and truck patches all showed the results of planning and labor.  When we children were quite small Father and Mother were very busy, too, raising a bunch of 'bronchos' and carving out a home from land covered with trees and rocks.  So we didn't go too often to grandpa's and I can't remember so much of real early life there.  About once a year Bro. Clyde and I would be permitted to go there from school and spend the night and then to school the next day.

These two distinct memories I have of grandmother.  One was that she was afflicted with quinsy or asthma.  Once, while there, she had to use something she burned and, with her head covered with a cloth, would inhale fumes to open her respiratory organ and breathing would be quite labored.  And another time Clyde and I walked there and picked cherries and in the evening she divided them.  She used a measure and she would say ''des iss irra, des iss dirre' until they were all divided.

Grandfather was quite stern and very fastidious with his work and had a rare sense of humor.  On one occasion he had wheat in the field east of the barn, south of the lane, and north end of the field didn't shock up very heavy.  Father said they hauled out a few shocks so the rest could get some air.  Another thing very vivid in my memory, was the two gates, one at the buildings and one out at the road, that could be opened and closed by driving over a twisted iron connected with rods to the gates.

The hedge fences that were nicely trimmed.  The children in those days were not hauled to and from school, only on very stormy days.  And they didn't have radio and TV to entertain them.  They were taught to work so that they too went out and carved homes out of the wilderness.

Their life was not all physical labor.  It was all interwoven with spirituality.  When you to try to analyze it, their lives have contributed not just in the home or community but to the whole world, and it still goes on and their lives were monumental in comparison to many shallow lives.  Of course, if we want to be critical we might find some inconsistency, but I'll confer it dwarfs my life when compared to theirs.

With great anticipation I'll be waiting to read all the good letters.  A humble grandchild.

***************************

Clyde Cripe Memories:

My earliest memories of my grandparents on my Mother's side were when my twin brother Clayton, and Ira Weaver went after school (at the jug handle school) to stay all night each school year.  Of course, we were very hungry and had to have some of grandma's cookies (Grandma's cookies are always better).

I will never forget how grandfather, after going to bed, would pray a long time in German.  Though we hardly understood a word we knew by the tone of his voice and his devout life that he was having communion with his Lord.  The Bible was about the only reading material in evidence and he read from it's pages daily, especially after supper before retiring.

He was just as industrious as he was devout.  His 160 acre farm was a model with fences and buildings always in good repair.  There was never a weed, thistle or brush, except for a few hazel nuts, on either side of the fence.  We kept 360 rods of hedge fence trimmed regularly as neat as most homes have shrubs in their front yards.  This he continued to do until he sold the farm at a very advanced age.  When grandmother died and he sold the farm he made his home with Ira Weaver's parents.  My grandparents and their children, who reflected their Christian graces, were truly "the salt of the earth and the light of the world".  My memory of them has been an anchor in times of trial and I consider such a heritage my greatest treasure.

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 11

Clara Cripe Dykeman was the daughter of Amos F. Cripe and Mary Jane Schrock, Mary Jane Scrock was the 6h child of Yost and Martha Schrock.

Clara Cripe Dykeman Memories:

My first memories of Grandpa Schrock's were when they got the new organ and Aunt Clara (Schrock) played and the other children sang the old church songs.

It was such a treat to go to Grandpa's !  I know we were like our children of today, as we played games, hide and go-seek, and such.  Then grandma had us four older ones to sit around the old heating stove and have some little treat for us and tell us stories.

The old large wood box had a lid and we sat on the back of the stove and kept quiet for a while.

All the good dinners!

When old enough to go to school, I could go and stay over night once during the term.  It was a great treat to have grandma fix my lunch.  I wonder in years to come, if our children will have pleasant memories of our homes.

We loved to go back to the orchard and climb the trees, and to the old garden and bake oven in back of the house.  So many interesting memories that I never can forget.

I can just hear grandpa praying in dutch.  He looked after his family even after they were married and helped and suggested when needed.  I can understand now, but then it didn't mean so much to me.  Those were what kept the family together.  They were interested in each other.  I think their church came first.  How thankful I am we had that background.

My first school teacher was Uncle Will Schrock and lucky, it was, as we children couldn't speak English and he could help us out.  Aunt Lulu came for the spring term and was my teacher.  She didn't talk dutch and it was a bit hard for her, but she was so patient and we got along some way.  We couldn't help but love her with that smile she always had.

Later, when I was married, grandpa let us move in the old house with him.  Poor man, had to eat my first cooking and baking.  I wonder how he ever did it, as we didn't buy our food ready to eat like we can now.  We just had to eat what we could make but even now, I'm glad we lived when we did, as we have learned to appreciate everything more than the children of today who have most anything they want. We never went hungry and had plenty to be comfortable and best of all had a faith and trust in a great God.

I can remember before Aunt Nan had a family.  I would just love to go home with her for a few days. I can still see the old horse go up and down those hills back west toward Bristol.

One night while staying at their house, I had a bad dream. I left the cot where I was sleeping, in their room, and got up and slept with them the rest of the night.  Many things, I have long since forgotten, but never these thing that happened in early childhood.

Now that we have our children, I hope we can leave some worth while memories with them.

(Editor's note:

Paragraph 8:  Lulu (Vandersten) was Will Schrock's wife.  William (Will) was the 9th child of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock. 

Paragraph 10: Nan (Priser) was Nancy Schrock (8th child of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock.

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 10

Della Amanda Sherck was the wife of Ira Eugene Weaver, who was the grandson of Yost and Martha Schrock and the son of Emma Schrock and Levi E. Weaver (Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 9)

Della Sherck Weaver Memories:

As I spent one summer at Uncle John Zimmerman's, the year Grandma Schrock died, I have many pleasant memories of both Grandpa and Grandma Schrock.  There were always so pleasant and so happy and contented it was a pleasure to have them around.  The next summer following, Grandpa Schrock had the front rooms and Uncle John the rest of the house.  Grandpa came over in Uncle John's part always to eat and any other time that he cared to.

I enjoyed hearing him in his room reading the Bible, praying and singing once a day ands sometimes more often.

I suppose it was the summer when Uncle John hired Ira to help on the farm that we began to take notice of one another, or maybe it was the cooking, as I have heard the way to a man's heart is thru his stomach.

(Editor's notes: John Zimmerman was Clara Schrock's husband.  Clara Schrock was the 10th child of Yost and Martha Schrock.)

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

 

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 8

Ira Weaver Memories (part 2 - read part 1 here; part 3 coming later this week):

There was an apple tree located at the extreme north west corner of the farm.  Early Harvest by name.  It was next to the road and in season was visited by the Weaver clan and I suppose the Cripes, and Schrocks, all knew it was there.  The large house built to accommodate two families separated by a door that never was locked.  It was well kept and painted white.  A broad lane from the large farm yard ran south.  On the east side of the house yard continuing south past orchard touching the southwest field, thence, to the Christ Pletcher farm, where it joined a lane thru the Pletcher's farm to the south road, Highway Number 20.  This lane was traveled by the Schrock children on way to the Pickrell school.  This orchard was south of the house.  All kinds of apples: Early Harvest, June Sweet, Sheep Nose, Tolpehoken and many others.  The berry patch and truck patch between the house and orchard. All kinds of berries, especially the June berry row.  From the large enclosed porch to the east and to the north east a walk led to the rock pump house, with windmill on top.  Fresh water was pumped in a small tank then thru a milk trough where the food was refrigerated, then on to the farm in a large tank for the live stock.  The floor of the rock building was laid with brick, as I remember.

The walk ran north to the wood house where was kept plenty of dry wood.  A small house known as the fruit drying house.  To the west was the grape vineyard with a number of varieties: Moors Early, Niagara White but mostly Concords.  This vineyard was well kept and provided the family the fine grapes.  Grandfather loved them.  About this time there was a belief that grape and berry seeds were responsible for inflammation of the bowl (bowel)  (now appendicitis).  Grandfather's children were very apprehensive of him eating so many grapes and cause bowl (bowel) trouble.  By the number of places near the vineyard where grandfather sat swallowing the seeds and dropping the hulls on the ground, it indicated that Grandfather ate lots of grapes.

Carrying of wood from the wood house to the large wood box in the house near the stoves was a lot of fun for the grandchildren when they visited grandpa.  The house was large and well furnished.  Even the sleeping rooms up stairs, where the children all slept and from this home went out, at the proper time, to establish homes.  The large bank barn located northeast of the house, a a suitable distance.  A large manure and straw stack yard.  Eastward was a lane running east to reach the east fields.  The farm consisted of 160 acres and was all tillable but a few acres in the northeast corner, quite rough, this was his timber lot.  Source of lumber and wood, and a good mushroom timber.

The farm produced large crops of wheat and corn and the harvesting was done by hand work.  Grandfather always had plenty of clean jokes to tell.  Heard him tell of when he and some other boys came upon a neighbor whose wagon, heavily loaded, mired so the team was not able to move it.  The boys grabbed the wheels but put their power in reverse.  Finally the man stated that the team could not make it.  When Yost said "your team pulls well" and they grabbed the wheels and put it in forward, out they went.

(Editors notes: paragraph 1 Christ Pletcher - unknown (not in family tree); paragraph 2 - 'bowl' referred to twice should be bowel.)

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Goshen Indiana

At a family get-together a couple of months ago my cousin gave me these pictures to scan.  Our mother's grew up in Goshen Indiana, their father (my grandfather) Elmer Troyer was from Middlebury Indiana, which is a short distance from Goshen.


Goshen High School, Goshen Indiana



The high school on the right is where my mother (Margaret Troyer Post) graduated from in 1927.  Her sister (Dorothy Troyer Haines) graduated from Goshen High School about 3-4 years later.

My great-great grandparents Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock settled in the Middlebury Indiana area in approximately 1850-1851.  They purchased 160 acres of land 1 mile west of Middlebury.

These pictures were taken by my cousin in approximately 1992 while visiting the area.  One of these days I would like to travel to Goshen, Middlebury, and Elkhart Indiana to visit where my mother grew up and to see the area where Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock settled and raised their family.

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 7

Ira Eugene Weaver was the was the son of Levi Weaver and Emma Schrock, and grandson of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock.  He wrote several type written pages of memories so this will come in several postings.  This is part 1 of 3-4 postings.

Ira Weaver Memories:

Perhaps the first recollection I have of this home was when Mother Weaver and a few of the Weaver children would cross-cut across the Weaver farm, the Noah Simmons farm and the west central field which led us into the back yard to be met by Grandpa, Grandma and Aunt Sade, as we called her, there was no uncertainty as to our welcome.  And this was also true with the many visitors that frequented this good old home. Grandfather usually had a joke or two to inject into the conversation.

This homestead was the talk of the Middlebury community.  Yost Schrock was born near Smithville, Ohio, March 28 1827..  Martha Plank was from near Wooster, Ohio.  After their marriage they lived in Ohio three years then moved to Middlebury, Indiana and purchased the 160 acres, one mile west of Middlebury.  Two children were born in Ohio and ten were born on the old homestead.  Here the family lived, labored, loved and prospered.

Two children died in infancy. Aunt Sade died at the age of 32.  She never married.  The rest of the nine child married and established homes, most of them in the community at one time or another. Seven from the Schrock home attended school at the Pickrell School more than a mile by short cut across the fields.  Mother Weaver often spoke of their little army going to and from school.  They all received a good education and Mother Weaver could out spell any of her children.

The labors of Grandfather and Grandmother, together with the boys and girls, made possible the development of this successful home.  I head grandpa relate how a neighbor reported that when the Schrock boys husked corn there was an ear flying continuously.  I remember dropping corn three to the hill and three droppers and three to cover.  I was being followed by Uncle Will and did he make me step.  At the end of the field (80 rods) thru some argument, Uncle Will said he would throw me over the the rail fence.  I said he couldn't.  He did.

The old home was well kept, seemingly larger farm than any of the children acquired.  There was a heap of living in this home.  The buildings were located a little west of the center of the farm.  A lane one half mile long to the north led to the road.  This lane, as well as the north side of the farm was bound by  osage hedge fence which was always well trimmed and kept so as to control it's growth and beauty.  The home was wide open to the children of the community and the grandchildren and everyone, even the beggar along the way.

The grandchildren, who were many, seemed to visit the home in regular relays.  What was the experience of Clayton Cripe, Clyde Cripe and Ira Weaver, was true of all ages of grandchildren.  It was a happy occasion when the time came for this group to cross the field from the Pickrell School with dinner pails in hand to report at grandpa's for an evening of fun.  I think we visited every place of interest, even to filling the huge wood box with sufficient fuel for days.  The the call to come and get ready for supper.  With the offering of thanks by grandpa in German, came the finest supper consisting of plenty of whipped potatoes, space will not permit listing all the foods.  Always plenty of potatoes left over for potato patties for breakfast.  Our dinner pails were filled with plenty of cookies, pie, pickles, fruity.  Off across the field for the Pickrell school with a hearty invitation to return again.

TO BE CONTINUED

(Editor's notes: Mother Weaver referred to in paragraph 2 is Emma Schrock Weaver, 5th child of Yost and Martha Schrock and Ira Weaver's mother.  Noah Simmons and Aunt Sade are unknown.  Aunt Sade must have been one of the 10 children of Yost and Martha Schrock because of references made, but I find no one who meets her description among the 10 children I have listed in my genealogy program.  Most likely Sade was a nickname.

Paragraph 4: Uncle Will is most probably William Schrock, 9th child of Yost and Martha Schrock.

Paragraph 6: Clayton Cripe and Clyde Cripe were the twin sons of Amos F. Cripe and Mary Jane Schrock, 6th child of  Yost and Martha Schrock)

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 6

Jasper Sherck Memories

I can't think of very much that went on there.  I remember being there at an oyster supper.  I remember when Clara Zimmerman said supper was ready and the oldest boy should bring his girl.  Harvey went first, then Willis, then Henry Krack, then Edd. then myself.  That was the first time mama and I ate together.  I remember we had a wonderful time.

I remember threshing at your place one time.  It was very warm and us boys took our shirts off.  Grandpa was standing by and he said if you are going to take anymore off let me know.
(editor's note: oysters were a tradition in my family on Christmas Eve.  Mom said it was an old family tradition and I'm fairly sure this is where it came from. 

Jasper Sherck was the husband of Clara Adaline Weaver (daughter of Levi Weaver and Emma Schrock, grand-daughter of Yost and Martha Schrock.  I do not know last names or relationships of Harvey, Willis, or Edd mentioned in paragraph 1 nor do I have a Henry Krack listed in my genealogy program.  Clara Zimmerman was born Clara Schrock, 10th child of Yost and Martha Schrock)
Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Memories of Yost and Martha Schrock - part 5

Bessie Schrock Sherck was the first daughter of Elias and Nancy (Hoover) Schrock.  She was born on October 18, 1883.

Bessie Sherck Memories:

As I remember grandpa and grandma's home I think of an ideal Christian home.

A home where the grandchildren were always made welcome.  Many times I remember as I walked up the lane to the front gate grandmother would be there to meet me.  I remember staying there one week to help out while Aunt Sarah went on a vacation.  Each evening we had family worship.  I still can hear grandpa pray in Dutch, although I could not understand many words.  I knew he was sincere by the way he prayed and lived after he prayed.

I remember, too, the big cantelopes they had and it was there I learned to eat them cut up with sugar and cream.  And the old milk house where the good fried cheese and fresh butter were kept.  The long trip she had to take to get them.  I remember the old orchard with the snow apples and I can still see grandmother quilting for the children and grandchildren.  I can almost hear grandpa coming up the road humming gospel hymns as he drove the old horse.  All in all, it is their ideal Christian home that has been a highlight in my life.

(Editors Note:  I am not positive but I think 'Aunt Sarah' is Yost Schrock's sister born September 10, 1834.  The only other Sarah I could find in my genealogy program is Sarah (Miller) Schrock who was Yost Schrock's mother and therefore Bessie's great-grandmother.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2011, all rights reserved, Mary Post Warren

Who Is Searching and What are They Searching For?

I'm a nosy little body who has to know EVERYTHING!  Just ask my kids!  One thing I'm very curious about is who is reading my blog, why, and when.  So I attached a 'site-meter' to my blog and it tells me how many times you've logged in, how long you were browsing my blog, and what search term in google you used to access my blog.  And you thought you were safe from being spied upon
It's not quite as easy as I make it look above to figure out who is looking but I can get a pretty good idea...as 'site-meter' tells me the city you from, which search words you used to find my blog, where you went when you logged out. It also tells me the length of time you were on.   I have to put on my Sherlock Holmes gear to figure things out  but I know for a fact that my daughter who lives in the same city I do logs on at certain times of every day - one of my loyal readers.  Can't help but love that gal!

If you don't know a person's blog address or maybe you are just searching for a relative of yours (who also MAY be my relative, and I've written about him/her)  If you put into Google that you want to search all Warren's you may eventually end up at my blog depending on how much tenacity you have to get through all the Warrens in google. 

Using Google Analytics I've put together the 10 top search words that people use when all of a sudden - PLUNK - they're  smack dab in the middle of my blog!

• 'Motzko' (my maternal side surname).

• Mary Motzko (my grandmothers maiden name).

• Veterans Day 2010 thanks (3 different searches).

• Veterans Day 2010 pictures to share on facebook.

• Veterans Day 2010 for everyone who served.

• Thanks to everyone who supported the veterans.

• Schrock-Troyer -my maternal grandfather & ancestors.

• Every family's got one.

• Gchowitz-poland - where my maternal great grandparents immigrated from.

• Margaret Elizabeth Troyer - my mother's maiden name.

I can't help but wonder why some of these names/phrases were used in search terms on google.  Specifically 1, 2, 7, 9, 10.

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved

What Did They Do?

My challenge this week from "Sharing a Slice of Life" is to research and show our ancestors occupations.    So here goes..........


Ever wonder what your grandparents did to make a living?  Or what their parents did to support their families?


Well let's see - on my mom's side of the family

Margaret Troyer Post (1909-1987) - a newspaper reporter for the Culver City News (Culver City, California) and before that the Goshen News Democrat (Goshen, Indiana).  She gave up her job to become a SAHM (Stay-at-Home-Mother, in 2010 language). Raised 5 children.

Elmer David Troyer (1884-1963) - carpenter in Goshen, Indiana and in California

Mary Motzko Troyer (1883-1953) - full time wife, homemaker, and raised 2 children.

Phillipp Motzko (1852-1910) - laborer and farmed his own land

Maria Fietzek Motzko (1857-1927) - full time wife, homemaker, and raised 10 children 

Joseph J. Troyer (1849-1915) - had a large family farm, passed down from his father John and his grandfather Yost, where he cultivated the crops and sold them to make money.

Elizabeth Schrock Troyer (1853-1938) -

John Troyer (1805-1889) - had a large family farm, passed down from his father Yost, where he helped cultivate the crops and sold them to make money.

Elizabeth Yoder Troyer (1811-1883) -

On my dad's side of the family:

Hays Coulter Post (1913-1987) - printer, first with Rogers-McDonald in Los Angeles, California and then with Avery Label in Monrovia, California.  He was a very active in the Printers Union.

Orvey Jermain Post (1886-1947) - actor under the name Jermain(e) Post.

Bess Coulter Post (1883-1945) - a seamstress, working for Sam Goldwyn Studios and MGM Studios in Hollywood, California.  Also raised 3 children (two of which died in childhood, one of which is unconfirmed)

William H Coulter (?) - 

Lucy Hays Coulter (1861-1936) - a seamstress and then in charge of the wardrobe department at Sam Goldwyn Studios and MGM Studios.  Prior to that she raised 4 children while traveling with various live theater groups and working as a seamstress for them.

Jermain E. Post (1851-1894) - Lawyer in Salt Lake City, Utah

Elizabeth Clayton Post (1857-1929) - Librarian; Wife, Homemaker, Raised 2 children

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved

Elizabeth Schrock

Elizabeth Schrock (9/20/1853 to 1938)  was the third child and first daughter of Yost Y Schrock and Martha Plank.  Elizabeth was my maternal great grandmother on my grandfather's side.  She married Joseph J. Troyer (1849-1915) on March 17, 1872.


Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved

Happy Mother's Day

The following was written by Erma Bombeck and originally published in her Mother’s Day column - May 12, 1974

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, 
He was into his sixth day of “overtime”
when an angel appeared and said, 
“You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.” 


And the Lord said,
“Have you read the specs on this order?

She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; 
Have 180 movable parts... all replaceable; 
Run on black coffee and leftovers;  
Have a lap that disappears when she stands up; 
A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to 
a disappointed love affair; 
And six pairs of hands.”

The angel shook her head slowly and said, 
“Six pairs of hands... no way.”

“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. 
“It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”

“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. “One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, 
’What are you kids doing in there?’ when she already knows. 
Another here in the back of her head that sees what she
shouldn’t but what she has to know, 
and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child 
when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without 
so much as uttering a word.”

“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “Go to bed. Tomorrow...”

“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. 
Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick... 
can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger... 
and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower.”

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.

“But she’s tough!” said the Lord excitedly. 
“You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”

“Can it think?”

“Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromise,” said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. 
“There’s a leak,” she pronounced. 
“I told You You were trying to push too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”

“What’s it for?”

“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.”

“You are a genius,” said the angel.

The Lord looked somber. “I didn’t put it there,” He said.

I feel blessed that through my genealogy work that I have connected with so many mothers....my mother, my mother-in-law, my grandmothers (whom I knew for such a short time and don't have any memories of), my great grandmothers (all four of whom I have or will be doing posts on) and my great-great grandmothers (some of whom I have information on but still some with research to be done on) ... Don't forget all the mother's in your life this Mother's Day.  

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved

Thankful Thursday - Unidentified Pictures

Several weeks ago I posted a picture from my collection that is heavily damaged.  I e-mailed it also to a 2nd cousin for his collection, as well as another damaged picture I have.  He played with them in PhotoShop and did an awesome job on restoring them.  Click on the link above to see the damaged picture.  Now take a look at this one!  Hard to believe that it's really damaged in 'real life'.

This is the other unidentified picture he 'played with' which I had not posted previously. 

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to my 2nd cousin Greg for his AWESOME work on these.  Now if someone could help us identify the people in these photos.  I suspect they may be Troyers or Schrocks (in which case Greg would not be related to them).

(a side note: Greg and I found each other on Ancestry.com).

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved