Mystery Solved!

Back in January I wrote a post about some pictures I found of my Fathers family.

I was wondering if anyone could identify their location.

Well after many hours scouring the Internet, I found it!

The Troutdale Hotel

From the Jefferson County Colorado Official Website:

Started in the late 1800s as a group of log cabins and a one-story hotel. In 1920 Harry Sidles, a Nebraska businessman, opened a new four-story luxury hotel with pond, pool and golf course. Through the 20s and 30s Troutdale was one of the most popular and fashionable resorts of the west. World War II forced closings and several later owners tried to restore it to its former glory, but it was razed in 1994. It was at times been called Troutdale In The Pines. Name source unknown

Once I found out the name of the hotel, I was able to to find more pictures of it.

This one is from the Denver Public Library Digital Collections

In this one you can even see the rock wall along the road that they were sitting on

for the photograph!

I'm not sure that any of this will help with my research, but I love solving a mystery!

Where do you think they are?

Well, as I have stated before, I inherited most the pictures on my Fathers side long after my Grandmother Clara passed. So I've had to piece together some of the names and places.

Here are a few that I find especially intriguing. 

These seem to be taken on a family trip, possibly the 1920's. When I found the pictures they were all together and all were large pictures (6" X 10").

The first one above, seems to be the hotel. I have no idea where it could be, but think it may be Colorado.  If anyone recognizes anything, I'd love to know. I am basing this on Jesse Walker Crosley and his wife Elizabeth Wire Atkinson moving to Colorado in the early part of the 20th Century.

 Picture two is a group of people. I believe they are: Cora Belle Crosley, Unknown Man (he appears to be with Cora, so I think he may be a husband. I'm not sure which, since I don't know the year). Unknown Woman, Harriet Crosley Baumgartner, Unknown Woman, And I think the Man holding the child is My Grandfather Reuben Thompson Crosley III. 

Bottom row left to right: Ruth Crosley Bennett, Mabel Crosley Baumgartner, Elizabeth Atkinson Crosley

and Cora Belle Crosley. Back row left to right: Reuben Thompson Crosley III, Jesse Walker Crosley and Unknown man. 

The woman in the car looks like Cora Belle Crosley, I'm not sure who the men are.

The same happy group, left to right:

Unknown man Cora Belle Crosley, Unknown woman, Unknown woman, Unknown man with child, and I think Harriet Crosley

I'd love to learn more about these pictures, so any help would be appreciated!

Jesse Walker Crosley

Jesse was born in Wisconsin in Beetown Grant County Wisconsin on May 16, 1859. He was the son of Reuben Thompson Crosley and Minerva Ellie Bass.
Just as a side note, I think Jesse "might" have been named after the Methodist Circuit Preacher Jesse Walker. Minerva's Grandmother Susan Zumwalt met him in St. Charles Missouri.

On March 11, 1880 he married Elizabeth Wire Atkinson.

Jesse Walker Crosley & Elizabeth Wire Atkinson Crosley

To this marriage 8 children were born:

Cora Belle b. 1881
Burton Roscoe b. 1884
William Glade b. 1887
Mabel Florence b. 1891
David Elijah b. 1893
ReubenThompson b. 1896
Harriet M. b. 1898
Ruth Gertrude b. 1903 

Jesse and Elizabeth moved around quite a bit. The census shows them going back and forth from Wisconsin to Colorado.





Jesse Walker Crosley died on April 15, 1938 in Lancaster Wisconsin

Here is the obituary:

Wisconsin State Journal
Madison Wisconsin
April 20, 1938
Crosley Services Held at Lancaster
Lancaster - Funeral services for Jesse W. Crosley were held at the Hoskins funeral home Tuesday. Mr. Crosley, a retired farmer, died at his home April 15, at the age of 78. He was born in Beetown May 16, 1859, the son of Reuben and Minerva Bass Crosley. He is survived by two sons, Bert, of California: Reuben, of Lancaster: and two daughters, Mrs. Beryl Bennett, Lancaster: and Mrs. Bert Healy, Chicago. Burial will be at Hillside.

Charles Henry Heath

Charles Henry Heath was my Grandmother's Father. He was born in Woodbine Township, JoDaviess County IL in March 1873.
His Mother died shortly after. 
He is the son of George Heath And Harriet Sutton
He and his siblings, along with their father are in the 1880 census living in Iowa with his Maternal Grandparents, Elihu Sutton and Carline Call Sutton.


 Bertha Heath Bentley, Charles Henry Heath, Caroline Heath LaFayette

Charles had an older half-sister Arminda Savage Putman. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of Arminda.


In 1897 he married my Great Grandmother Alta Clinger in Grant County Wisconsin, and they had 5 children, 4 boys and 1 girl, my Grandmother.


In 1907 his wife, my Great Grandmother passed at only 25 years old, leaving him with his 4 surviving children. By this time there is no mention of their son George, I am hoping to find out what happened to him.

From the Bellevue Herald Leader

Their Children were: Albert, Roy, Archie (Ray), and Clara.
After their Mothers death the children were separated,  Albert and Roy went to live with James Clinger their Uncle and Roy and Clara went to live with their Grandparents John and Alma Clinger.



 Archie Ray Heath Clara Heath Crosley, Albert or Roy Heath & Charles Henry Heath



Sometime before 1918 he remarried to Rosa Handy. 

Eugene Walter Crosley, Charles Heath, Bertha Bentley Heath,
Clara Heath Crosley, Archie Ray Heath, Myrtle Sprague Heath

According to my Mother he was a grounds keeper at a cemetery in Mt. Hope Wisconsin. And she also says that he is buried at Hillside Cemetery in Lancaster. She says that she had been to the grave site with my Grandmother, and that near the south east fence, but there is no grave marker. I have searched and not found any sign of his grave. Charley died in 1949.

Reuben Thompson Crosley III

I never knew my Grandpa Crosley, he died when I was 9 months old.

I have always been interested in what his life was like.

He was born in Colorado on April 2, 1896. His parents, my Great Grandparents Jesse Walker Crosley and Elizabeth Wire Atkinson seemed to go back and forth from Colorado to Wisconsin. I'm not sure why this was.

At times the family was also in Nebraska.

Grandpa Crosley fought in WWI. After his death, my Grandma Crosley received this document signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

 

                   My Grandparents did not marry until the early 1930's
              They had 2 sons. My Uncle, George Fay born July 11, 1934.

George Fay Crosley

                    And my Dad, Eugene Walter born February 7, 1936


Eugene Walter Crosley

   I don't have too many pictures of my Grandpa Crosley. I think this may have been one of the last ones taken before his death in September 1964.

This is a picture from a family gathering on my Dads side.

I think it was taken in Wisconsin around 1940.

I still haven't been able to find out who everyone is in this picture, but here's what I know. From left to right around the table.. Reuben Thompson Crosley III, he is holding Eugene Walter Crosley, Unknown female (perhaps a Clinger, McCartney or Cook?) Unknown female (same names), Unknown man standing (Same names), Clara Heath Crosley, Charles Henry Heath, Unknown Man standing. Children seated, Kermitt Schaffner, Elinor (Tyke) Heath, George Crosley, Milda Knebel Heath (standing), Delores Heath, Archie Ray Heath, and Myrtle Sprague Heath (sitting). So it seems to be a Heath family gathering. Just a note, if you look closely people are likely to be looking at 2 separate cameras. Half the people are looking one way, and half are looking the other way. Any help would be great.