Tribute to Charles Newton Cone

Today we are celebrating the 118th anniversary of my grandfather Charles Newton Cone's birth near Worthington, Nobles County, Minnesota. The son of Frederick Naaman and Helen Brown (Newton) Cone, he was their fourth child and second son. Before he was two the family relocated, with his Newton grandparents and his great grandfather John Champion Clarke, to Mapleton, Utah.

Charles Newton Cone circa 1899 from family collection.

The family were Presbyterians in a community that was overwhelmingly Mormon. He said that he often felt ostracized by his neighbors which made both his biological and church family paramount in his youth. In fact, it was through the generosity of the Springville Presbyterian Church that he was able to study at Fairmont College in Wichita, Kansas (now Wichita State University) and earn his bachelor's degree in Chemistry.

Circa 1925 in Seattle, Washington

Working as a research chemist, and business developer was very important to Granddaddy. He worked for several companies, watching them reap the material rewards for patents he developed before he founded his own Pacific Adhesives Company (PACO).

We remember the grandfather who read us stories or carried us piggyback on endless walks through his neighborhood. Each time we visited our Cone grandparents in Oregon, a visit to PACO was included. It was important to him, and our parents, that we know the work that was being done, see his laboratory, offices, and manufacturing plant. It was fascinating, but the glue they produced for the plywood industry was made from blood and hundreds of stacks of 50 pound bags of dried blood do not smell very good. We perfected the ability to follow him on the facility tour without breathing through our noses.

Charles Newton Cone 1898-1988
circa 1987 at home of son Charles Newton Cone, Jr. in  Charlotte, North Carolina.

It is always interesting to know what friends and colleagues thought of our ancestors. They had different relationships with them than we did as family members. Going through some papers recently, my brother found this tribute to our grandfather Charles Newton Cone.

He worked until a month before his death, 27 January 1988. He was a very special man and I think of him often.

Cecily Cone Kelly
6 December 2016

Can you help identify the people in these Cone family photographs?

Recently, Flora Cone Brim's granddaughter Flora, sent me a couple of old family photographs asking for help in identifying people. Both cousin Stephen Zerwas, William Laurence Cone's grandson and I have had some luck but we still need help. Please take a look at the pictures below and see if you can help.

Identified so far... from left Frederick Naaman Cone, Helen Brown Newton Cone,
Row behind second from left, Charles Newton Cone. Date and location is unknown.
Photograph from the personal collection of Flora Long.

My grandfather, Charles Newton Cone, wore his hair in this style while he was in college. He graduated from Fairmont College, now Wichita State University, in 1920. The fir tree in the right background may indicate that it was taken after the family moved to Oregon. They are still in Mapleton, Utah in the 1920 census.

Frederick Cone with wife Helen and daughter Mary E are listed on line 39-41.
"1920 United States Federal Census," Utah County, Utah, population schedule,
Mapleton, ED 197, p 4, penned, dwelling 51, family 51, Frederick Cone: digital images
Ancestry (http//www.ancestry.com: accessed 21 August 2016; from National Archives
microfilm publication T625,

In January 1921, Fred has registered his Ford truck at R 3, Salem, Marion County, Oregon.

The next photograph is taken quite a bit later.

So far identified... from left standing: Bob Brim (?); Tommy and Molly Cone Acheson; Flora Cone Brim;
three unidentified women; Helen Newton Cone; (standing behind) William Laurence Cone holding
daughter Catherine; Helen's husband, Frederick Namen Cone; William's wife, Wauneta Watts Cone; Charles Newton Cone holding son Frederick Allen Cone; and wife Hazel Allen Cone. Seated third from left, Charles Newton Cone, Jr. Photograph from the personal collection of Flora Long.

William Cone's daughter Catherine was born in 1934. My Dad, who is seated, was born in 1927, his brother Fred was born in 1933. Fred appears to be no more than 3 years old in this photograph so perhaps the photograph was taken in 1935-36. It is most probably taken in Oregon.

If you can help, please comment on this post. Thank you for all your help.

Marriage Records for Charles Newton and Hazel (Allen) Cone and Frederick Naaman and Helen (Newton) Cone - Woman's History Month Post #4

Still following Liza Alzo's "Fearless Females Blogging Prompts" alternating between my "Cone Chronicles" and "Letters to My Grandparents" blogs. The 4th prompt asks us to post marriage records for our grandparents and great grandparents.

Above: Cover for Marriage Certificate
Chas N. Cone to Hazel Allen
August 31, 1926
Images were obtained from Shelby County Register of Deeds

My grandparents, Charles Newton Cone and Hazel Bynon Allen, were married Saturday, 4 September 1926 at St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Memphis. They applied for the marriage license the Tuesday before. Their ages are listed as 27. That was true for Charles but Hazel had turned 30 February 5th. She was always sensitive about being older that Charles so we do not know who provided the incorrect age.

Image of St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Memphis Tennessee
from www.wikipedia.org

Great grandparents, Frederick Naaman Cone and Helen Brown Newton, were married on Wednesday, 29 May 1889 at the Congregational Church in Worthington, Minnesota by her family minister Franklin L. Fisk. Her grandfather, John Champion Clarke, was one of the founding members of the church. Fred was 30 and Helen was only 18.

Original Marriage Certificate is in collection of great granddaughter Cecily Cone Kelly

Photograph of Tenth Street, Worthington with Congregational Church in the background
taken by Edward F. Buchan (1845-1941) about 1890
from Minnesota Digital Library's Minnesota Reflections Collection

Tomorrow I'll cover the 5th prompt, the stories of how they met.

Shared Names: Post 3 for Women's History Month: Flora Maria Cone

Those of you who read my other blog "Letters to my Grandparents", know that I am trying to follow Lisa Alzo's "Back for the Sixth Year: Fearless Females Blogging Prompts" writing about female ancestors to celebrate their lives and National Womens' History Month.  Today we are prompted to write about a female ancestor with whom we share a name. I am named for an ancestor, my mother's father Cecil Oscar Werst. Cecily is the English feminine for Cecil. Writing about that does not seem to be in keeping with the spirit of these prompts. Instead, I thought I would write about a name, Flora, that was passed down on the female Cone side.

From collection of her great niece Flora Lee (Dunlap) Long

Flora Maria Cone was the first child and only daughter of William Warner and Elizabeth "Eliza" Harriet (Utley) Cone. Her parents married 30 November 1854 in Hornellsville, Steuben county, New York. Flora was born there fourteen months later on 7 February 1856. Three years later, the little family was complete with the birth of her brother and my great grandfather Frederick Naaman Cone 29 March 1859.

The family moved to Guilford, Chenango county, New York before 1 July 1863, when William is registered as a brick maker by the local draft authorities. Flora lost her mother before she was ten and according to my grandfather Charles Newton Cone's recollections of his father (Flora's brother Frederick) remembrances became a sort of surrogate mother to her younger brother. The family situation may have been complicated by William's frequent absences during passenger pigeon hunting trips. A large clan of their mother's family, Pratts and Utleys lived nearby, so the children may have been cared for by relatives during William's hunting trips.

On 6 December 1867, 40 year old William married Eliza's younger sister Hannah Utley age 24. This marriage allowed Flora to train as a teacher, a career she pursued until retirement. Most often, as a single teacher, Flora lived with extended family members. In 1875 she is teaching in Masonville, New York and living with her mother's sister Alice Temperance (Utley) Teed's family. By 1880 she is in Worthington, Minnesota teaching school and boarding with John C and Lydia (Hornell) Clarke (the Clarke's granddaughter Helen Brown Newton would eventually become her brother's wife). By 1895, Flora is back in Masonville teaching at the Pleasant Hill Academy and living with her father and step-mother.

Flora never married but family was very important to her. She was an avid genealogist, tracing her heritage back to passengers on the Mayflower. Certainly she was pleased when her brother named his second daughter, born 26 April 1894, Flora Harriet Cone.

Flora Harriet (Cone) Brim
born 26 April 1894 Worthington, MN
died 1 November 1990 Ephrata, WA
photograph from collection of granddaughter Flora Long

Flora Maria Cone also lived long enough to know that Flora (Cone) Brim continued the tradition naming her second daughter Flora Elizabeth Brim.

Flora Elizabeth (Brim) Dunlap
born 23 August 1920 Kirkland, WA
died 12 February 2013 Elmer City, WA
photograph from the collection of Flora Long

The tradition did not end there, as Flora Dunlap named her youngest child Flora Lee.

Certainly Flora Maria Cone would be proud of all the Floras who followed her.


 5 March 2015 Update

Flora Lee Dunlap Long has let me know that in fact there is a 5th Flora. She named her first child Flora Marie. She added that her grandmother Flora Harriet (Cone) Brim gave her a tintype of Flora Maria Cone when she was a young girl. I'm certain the original Flora Cone would be especially pleased to know of all the Floras who followed her.

Searching for Cone Cousins at RootsTech

In a departure of my usual topics about the Cone family and research, today I am fortunate to be attending the world's largest Family History Conference called Roots Tech held at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. More than 20,000 will attend the three day program that this year is being held in conjunction with the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Conference.
Since my grandfather Charles Newton Cone and his siblings grew up about an hour south of here in Mapleton, and his brother William L. Cone lived, worked and raised his family in Salt Lake, I expect I am not the only Cone in attendance. The problem is... how will we find each other? Cousins, if you see this comment on the post and we will figure out how to make contact.

Ebenezer Cone veteran of the French and Indian War

In going through my files, I came across a sheet of paper printed 17 August 2002 from http://www.geocities.com/conereseach/rev_rolls.html. Submitted by researcher Melinda McGibony under the heading Revolutionary War Rolls of 1775-1783. The listing is:

Ebenezer Cone   Serjeant   page 259     List of men detached from Capt. Olmsted's Company of
Roll Box 27 & CT Soldiers, French & Indian War, 1755-1762

More than 13 years after I printed this piece of information, I am a much better researcher who would be asking for a more detailed source citation.  Of course, I tried to access the page again but it is no longer available. However, www.google.com is available. What I found today provides some additional information.

Connecticut Historical Society, Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French and Indian War, 1755-1762, Volume 9, Hartford, Connecticut, 1903. Digital images, http://books.google.com, accessed 30 March 2014.

Beginning on page 258 and ending on page 259

CAPT. OLMSTED"S RETURN

[The following appears to be a list of the men detached from the company of Capt. William Olmsted of East Haddam, Aug. 10, 1757]

MILITIA COMPANIES

Joshua Smith                      Uriah Clarke

Deliverance Waters            John Chamberlin Jr.

Asabel Taylor                    Aaron Griswold    impressed

Nathanel Taylor                *Ebenezer Cone         "

*Also called Ebenezer Cone, Jr.

Though this information seems to come from the same page, it does not mention Ebenezer's rank. In fact, it implies that he was impressed into service. Impressment is not like registering for the draft and being called to serve. It is more like being kidnapped from one's everyday life and being forced to be part of the troops. Wikipedia quotes Gary Nash writing in The Urban Crucible, The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 1986, "One of the largest impressment operations occurred in the spring of 1757 in New York City, then still under British colonial rule. Three thousand British soldiers cordoned off the city, and plucked clean the taverns and other gathering places. All kinds of tradesmen and Negroes were hauled in, nearly eight hundred in all. Four hundred of these were "retained in the service."

Given East Haddam's close proximity to New York City it is hard to know if Ebenzer was caught in New York or in Connecticut. The timing of his release from the company of Capt. William Olmsted on 10 August 1757 could indicate that he was picked up during one of the large impressment operations earlier that spring.

This painting of an impressment gang was executed by Luke Clennell
image is from en.wikipedia.org 

It is not difficult to imagine why Ebenezer Cone volunteered to be the Moderator at the first meeting of the citizens of East Haddam held 26 March 1770, "to take into consideration the weighty and dangerous controversy subsisting between the Colonies and Great Britain." Reported by William Whitney Cone in Some Account of the Cone Family in America, Principally the Descendants of Daniel Cone who settled in Haddam, Connecticut in 1662, 1903, page 117 available at books.google.com.

Now the question remains, which Ebenezer Cone is the one who served in Capt. Olmsted's company?

There are three candidates in my family tree.

The first possibility is Ebenezer Cone, Jr. son of Ebenezer and Sarah Olmsted Cone, born about 1698 in East Haddam, Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Willey about 1720 and was the parent of Elijah (1723 - 1793, Ebenezer (1724 - 1804), Hannah (1726 - 1751) who married Shubael Fuller, Jr., Elizabeth (1730 - ?) who married Joseph Warner and Timothy (1735 -1800). In his fifties, he may have been considered too old for service in the militia. However, militia service did include all able bodied men and Ebenezer continued to be active in local affairs into his seventies.

The second is Ebenezer's son Ebenezer who married Mary Brainard 8 January 1746 in East Haddam. He would have been in his early thirties, a prime target for service in the militia.

Ebenezer and Mary Brainard Cone also had a son Ebenezer born 30 January 1748. He was probably too young to have been impressed. Ironically, he lost his life 5 October 1778 with the Continental Army at Upper German Flats, New York. 

This map from en.wikipedia.org show the approximate locations
of Forts Herkimer and Dayton. September 17, 1788 Joseph Brant
attacked the American troops under Colonel Bellinger. It is uncertain
if he was wounded in that raid, the retaliatory raid in early October
or if he died from wounds suffered in the earlier fighting.

This information about his death in the Revolution is unsourced. It comes from several online family trees and the date varies from 5 October 1776 to 1778. I chose to use the 1778 date as it coincides with the operations conducted around German Flats.

A Man Named Daniel

A Man Named Daniel by Joseph Cone, a tenth generation descendant of Daniel Cone of East Haddam, Connecticut, tells the story of the 'Scottish prisoner captured in the bloody last battle of the English Civil Wars and deported to New England in 1653."  Because Daniel became a servant of the Winthrops, a leading Puritan family in New England, Joe was able to discover "enough primary historical documents to construct a dramatic account of Daniel's life in these early years in the American colonies."  Daniel's story comes alive in Joe's rendition. The book is available from www.amazon.com

A Man Called Daniel cover

A descendant of Daniel Cone's youngest son Caleb, Joseph Cone is a writer, editor, documentary film maker and science communication researcher who is the assistant director of the Oregon Sea Grant program at Oregon State University. He was raised in New Haven, Connecticut, earned degrees from Yale and the University of Oregon. He has lived in Oregon since 1975.

Joseph Cone, 10th generation descendant of Daniel Cone
through his youngest son Caleb.

Joe invites questions and comments about A Man Named Daniel. You can email Joseph Cone here.

My family members will quickly understand why I included Joe's photograph in this post. There is definitely a family resemblance between Joe and our grandfather Charles Newton Cone, a descendant of Daniel Cone's
son Ebenezer.