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.

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.