Alta Violet Clinger Heath

Alta Violet Clinger was my Great Grandmother. She was born on April 17, 1882 in Wisconsin. She was the daughter of John Alexander Clinger and Elma J."Ella" McCartney.

She married Charles Henry Heath on March 11, 1897 in Grant County Wisconsin. Her marriage license says her birthplace was Lancaster Wisconsin. It also has her Mother's name as Alma, although I'm pretty sure is was Elma. Other information on the marriage license includes the witness as Dora Oates. And the "person pronouncing marriage" as T.J. Baldwin of Lancaster Wisconsin. 

By the 1900 they were living in Iowa.

I believe that Alta and Charley had 5 children total. The 1900 census lists a child named George. By 1907 there is no record of George. 

The other children were : Archie Ray Heath born in 1899, Clara born in 1902, Albert born in 1905. And Roy, birth year unknown.

December 30, 1907 Alta died. She was only 25. My Aunt Myrtle who was married to Archie "Ray" Heath said that they were living in a house with no windows and she caught cold. I assume she heard this from her husband or his father Charles.

I found this article in the paper that seems to corroborate her story.

I don't have any KNOWN photos of Alta Clinger Heath. I do however have pictures that are unknown, so there is always hope. Two of those photos are on the right.

This is a picture of 3 of Alta and Charley's sons with their wives taken in 1953. On the left is Archie "Ray" Heath and next to him is his wife Myrtle Sprague Heath.  I cannot say for certain who is who with the others

 


 

 Alta is buried in Bellevue Iowa. Some where along the Mississippi River.

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.

A love of Genealogy, Photos, and Grandma

Well, here it is. My first post.
My obsession to learn my about my family's history began almost at birth. I used to sit on my Grandmas floor and look through her old photo albums and wonder who everyone was. Now, am lucky enough to be the owner of most of those same photos.
Thus begins my second obsession, sharing them.

While I can identify most of people in my photos. Alas, some I cannot. I hope that someone will come along, and figure it out. Not just for me, but for all of the people who have never seen a picture of their Great Grandparents.

I am looking forward to sharing some of the fun stuff I've learned, and uploading photos as I identify them. I'm also hoping to write what I know about someone along with their photo. Here's the first.

My Grandma
Clara Belle Heath Crosley
Born in Iowa in 1902
Died in Chicago in 1979 Buried in Lancaster Wisconsin.

Grandma lost her mother Alta Clinger Heath when she was only 5. She was then raised by her Maternal Grandparents Ella McCartney Clinger and John Alexander Clinger.

She never said much about this to me, but did mention her Grandmother in conversation. I didn't know about her loss until I started working on my family tree. Grandma always wore cool cotton dresses, and was "soft" when you hugged her. Just how Grandmas should be.

She always had dinner on the table at 4:30 exactly, and held the phone to her chest when she talked because of her hearing aid. Its funny the stuff you remember. She loved dogs (especially her dog Tiny), and to sew.

She was married twice. The first time to Jack Schaffner, with whom she had 2 sons. And the second to my Grandfather Reuben Thompson Crosley III, to which 2 more sons were born. The youngest being my Dad.