Looking out to Sea

'Tis the Off-Season

The holiday rush of the city really got to us this year, and we wanted to be some place quiet.So for the days leading up to Christmas, we stayed on Cape Cod.






And quiet it was. Turns out Provincetown has chosen this winter to repave its roads and fix its sidewalks, so basically the whole town was dug up and closed to motorised traffic.






But despite the roadwork, many of the businesses remained open, catering to locals and to the occasional visitor.The result was the sort of insular pedestrian small-town atmosphere that has long ceased to exist under normal circumstances. People said hello to each other on the streets. The phrase "How are you?" was interpreted as a question, rather than a greeting, and detailed answers were given. Merely seeing each other walking, or cycling around the town center had created a sense of relaxed familiarity among everyone present, however temporary.






Even in the busiest, most hectic part of summer, what I like about Provincetown is how relaxed and unaggressive it is. Bikes, pedestrians, cars. Tourists, summer people, locals. Gay, straight, undefined. Somehow, all of these categories are simply combined, without being pitted against each other. They are separated by "and" and not "versus." It's a microcosm that does not reflect the reality of life elsewhere. But at least it shows that, in theory, it's possible for people to function like this. And in the off season, with everyone squeezed into the same couple of bars and coffee shops after hours, this became all the more apparent.






Last year I mentioned noticing more incidents of aggressive and inattentive drivers over the winter holidays in Boston, and this time around it seems even worse. First it was the rush of last minute Christmas shopping. Now I guess it's the post-Christmas sales. Soon it will be New Year parties. Whatever it is, drivers on the roads just seem so impatient and angry right now. Sure, they might arrive to their holiday parties smiling, saying all the requisite niceties and exchanging beautifully wrapped gifts. But what's the point, if for entire weeks leading up to this they are filled with such stress, that rage is boiling just beneath the surface? I couldn't even feel annoyed at the woman who laid on her horn and shouted when I took too long making a left turn the other day. Obviously something other than me on my bike must have been the real cause of her anger.So I try to be extra cautious on the roads. And I try to not fall into the stress trap myself. No big plans. No pressure. No stress. That's my plan into the New Year.

Velosteel Coaster Brake Hub

When I decided to build up an ANT Truss Bike as a single speed with a coaster brake, I soon discovered that the only commonly available hub choice was Shimano. I have ridden Shimano coaster brake hubs, and there is nothing wrong with them. But somehow having one on a bike that was otherwise so old-school and classic felt off. So I asked around and learned, via the ever-helpful bikeforums, about a small manufacturer in the Czech Republic called Velosteel.






Velosteel focuses exclusively on producing single speed coasterbrake hubs. As I understand it, they took over the machinery that was used by the former Fichtel & Sachs company to manufacture the original Sachs hubs before SRAM bought them out. Therefore, Velosteel hubs are supposed to be identical to the vintage Sachs single speed coaster brake hubs found on many continental European city bikes made prior to the year 2000 - especially Dutch and German bikes. I have ridden a number of bikes with Sachs hubs in the past and I've always liked them, which made Velosteel an appealing choice.




As of last summer, the way to buy a Velosteel hub was on ebay. I do not remember where I bought mine, but I am told this is a reliable source in the US. I am still not aware of any US bike shops that carry these hubs, but if you are please let me know and I will update this information. I bought the hub, and Jim at Harris Cyclery built me a wheel around it.






While I am not sufficiently knowledgeable to explain why the Velosteel hub is more "old school" in its construction than a currently-produced Shimano hub, suffice to say that its overall form, its finishing, and the way the shell is put together all look distinctly different from modern hubs and distinctly similar to vintage ones.




There is no branding on the hub itself, and the only mark of the manufacturer seems to be on the reaction arm, which is stamped with: "VELOSTEEL MADE IN CZECH REPUBLIC." There may be a serial number stamped somewhere indicating date of manufacture and such, but I have not noticed it.






Having ridden the ANT over the past several months, I can make some observations about the Velosteel hub. My first impression was that it was too "soft;" I could not lock up the rear wheel without exerting a huge amount of effort. However, I wanted to wait before sharing this impression - thinking that it was possible the hub would "wear in" over time. And it did, after about 40 miles - during which I made it a point to use the brake often. Now the hub can lock up the rear wheel with reasonable effort. It also modulates braking power very nicely, which is something I love about a good coaster brake.I do feel that the Velosteel allows for finer modulation than the currently produced Shimano coaster brake hub.I get into the rhythm of using it, and it makes city cycling feel like such an organic, smooth experience.




Last year I started a discussion about vintage vs modern coaster brakes and the amount of backpedaling "give" they allow before the braking mechanism is engaged. I noted that in my experience, older coaster brakes allow for more give, which I prefer. In the comments others reported this difference as well - but some suggested that it might be a function of the vintage coaster brakes being worn out with age, as opposed to differently designed. Well. My Velosteel hub started out brand new, and it has "give" similar to the old vintage Sachs coaster brakes I've ridden. This is just one piece of anecdotal evidence of course, but I think it's useful to offer it.






Overall I like the Velosteel hub and have a feeling it will only improve with age - somehow, I feel as if it's still wearing in. I would love to get feedback from others who have used it, especially on a bike that's their regular commuter and for a period of several years.




As with everything, I think it is good to have options. The Velosteel hub might be a welcome alternative to Shimano for those who prefer a coaster brake hub with a more classic look and feel. I wish more American bike shops carried Velosteel.

Momma Fox

This is a photo of the latest "friendly fox" that has been hanging around near where I live. A litter of fox were born this year underneath the Catholic Church in Grand Portage, MN and lately the young ones (and mom) have been very active on the grounds surrounding the church. The evening I captured this shot we had spent a total of about an hour and a half watching the foxes. Mom was around most of the time, with the young ones making an appearance every ten minutes or so. When I took this photo Mom was just sitting in the grass about 25 feet away from us, watching us as much as we were watching her. I love the eyes of a fox, they can convey so much emotion. In this photo she just seems to be more curious than anything, and her behavior also led us to believe that at this moment, the only thing on her mind was curiousity. She was probably wondering what these guys were doing pointing these big white camera lenses at her!

Below: One of Momma Fox's babies

Underneath the Pavement

Though it's been a week since the Vermont Fall Classic, I still cannot post a report. My heart is too full; this is a ride that requires some emotional rest and distance before it can be put into words. But privately some of us have been discussing it, rehashing it, testing the accuracy of our own memories by comparing them against the memories of others'. And one topic that's come up is the quality of the dirt. A few of us noticed that it was differed from our local dirt, and different from the dirt we rode in previous events. At the D2R2 in Massachusetts and Southern Vermont, the unpaved roads were a dark brown earthy colour that turned muddy when wet. At the Kearsarge Classic in New Hampshire, the terrain was rocky. The dirt roads in Northern Vermont were a light grayish-tan, almost clay-like in consistency, dusty and tightly packed except for a thin top layer that was soft from the rains of previous days. When it began to rain again, this top layer turned liquid, but not muddy exactly. It was thinner than mud, less viscous. I was certain it was some type of clay. Others thought it was more sand-like. A rider who often cycles in upstate New York then described the dirt roads there, which are reddish clay and leave a pink residue over everything. Fascinated by these nuances, we admitted that we never gave them much thought until now.




All of this makes me realise just how unfamiliar so many of us are with the actual soil we live on. Paved roads have defined and homogenised our landscape for so long, that we hardly consider what lies beneath. Do most of us even know what our local streets would look like unpaved? The streets in the next town over? Can most of us determine what a particular type of soil is by looking at it or feeling it? I was in touch with these things when I lived in the countryside, had a garden, walked in the woods, but living in the city has distanced me from that awareness. Now cycling on dirt through different parts of New England has reminded me just how important it is. I'd like to learn more about our region's terrain, about what lies underneath the pavement. I don't ever want to lose that connection again.

Summer OR...

The journey began today. I don't hope for much from Summer OR and alpine climbing/winter climbing. But I usually get a few surprises.



One of the coolest things from the outdoor demo were a slick little emergency knife. Chops 11mm rope and any webbing with ease. First time I've seen a knife I'd actually take climbing. And trust me I've seen a few. Slick.......and super easy to carry. Cutting winter rap tat just got easier. Easy enough to take one trad climbing mid summer.






Cord cut at the show this morning in just an hour or two!

It is a awesome piece of kit for what we do in the mtns.




http://eezycut.com/



More to come on this little guy.



For the gadget/handyman guys out there some "silly putty" that hardens into shape and stays flexible

Clothing and pack repairs..cracked water bottles...or a pair of boots that need a field fix?



http://sugru.com/



This stuff might well be the chit we need.



More to come. As I said slim pickings at Summer OR but some cool ideas I'll use summer and winter.



These are good as well :)



www.actionwipes.com



Tomorrow I'll tour the hard goods and see what is new.

Terry's Photo Challenge. . .

Terry Thornton has posted a photo of himself in a funny costume and has issued a Photo Challenge to all Genea-Bloggers. My contribution was taken in the spring of 1965, after the final performance of my Junior Class Play - The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, which was loosely based on the television show of the same name. That's me on the left ;-) portraying Happy Stella Kowalski who was the leader of an all-male band. We had fun. The face of my classmate in the photo has been blocked out, but I'm sure he'd know who it was if he saw the picture.


** Update November 11, ..**
Part of Terry's challenge was to post a costumed photo of yourself as an adult. Now, I realize that a 17 year old High School Junior would not normally be considered an adult. However, I was much older than my years would indicate. I'm much younger now than I was then ;-) there were way too many responsibilities weighing me down back then. If you'd known me then you would also know how "out of character" this was for me. I was extremely shy (still shy but not near as much). I didn't wear makeup (still don't). Participating in the class play was a "defining moment" for me since it was the first time I was recognized for an achievement. It was also the first crack in the wall that I had built around myself.

Variations on Red and Green

Growing up, red was my mother's favourite colour. And my mother was a tirelessly creative woman back then. She sewed, she knitted, she made things. Consequently I was dressed in red sweaters and coats. I slept under a red patchwork quilt. You get the idea. I did not know how to communicate my dislike for this colour. When I was 3 years old, I was gifted a red tricycle and stunned my parents by breaking into tears at the sight of it. I loved riding that trike. But when no one was looking, little by little I began trying to scrape the paint off. My parents grew concerned and eventually got rid of it. They must have thought I was eating the paint.




As a teenager, I gravitated toward all things drab. This was the '90s grunge era, so that was easy enough. Army-navy stores, denim, plaid, combat boots. I rode a matte black bicycle then, and even peeled off its bright decals. When asked what my favourite colour was, I did not have an answer. In college I wore black. I made large charcoal drawings. I took black and white photos.






Sometime in my twenties I saw a weathered old bicycle locked up to a farm gate by the river. It was a lady's bike in the signature English shade of bottle green, and the weak East Anglia sunlight was hitting it just so. The enamel paint had a special quality to it that made it resemble an aged candy wrapper. I saw it and I knew right away that I liked it. As an adult, it was a thrill to learn that I had a favourite colour after all. I began to experiment, to chase after the perfect green. Somewhere between sage, chartreuse and olive, this ideal shade existed and was waiting for me.




After that I relaxed about colour. Blues and lilacs began to sneak their way into my surroundings, mingling nicely with the greens. Accents of pinks and reds appeared.



A couple of summers ago, I was staying in Vienna and looking to buy a vintage racing bike to bring home. A friend found me the perfect one and took me to see it. It was a bright red Moser. I remembered the trike of my childhood and laughed. "I love the bike, but I hate red." I got the Moser anyway and rode it for two years. It wasn't just red, but an unusual shade of strawberry with a subtle golden sheen to it. Everyone complimented the colour, protesting when I revealed my plan to eventually repaint the frame. "But the red is great, and it's so you!" Soon I began to receive red articles of clothing as gifts. I remembered how, as a child, I hated being known as the girl in the red coat, the girl on the red trike. But now it just struck me as funny. I still dislike red, but I guess I no longer think that's important.




I talk to lots of people about their fantasy bikes, or bikes they are nostalgic for, or bikes that simply stick in their memory for some reason. Red bikes and green bikes are mentioned more than any other kind. The colours play an important role in the story, but for reasons the story teller cannot clearly express. They will just keep repeating that it was a red bike, or a green bike, stressing the colour as if this information is pertinent to how special the bike was. It's not always a straightforward, cohesive story, just like mine is not. I suspect a lot is left out, possibly the most relevant parts. Of course we could break it down to the basics. Colour, motion, emotion. Excitement, tranquility. Stop, go. Red bikes, green bikes. But who wants to see it like that.

The Tower

The tower of morning glories in my garden, taller than anything, even the bananas. The ladder is shown for scale.























From below:

Outdoor Cafe

I loved the colors I found in this outdoor cafe off of a coffee shop. There was no one there so we took the time to take several photos of the umbrellas, Spanish style table and chairs, ristras, and flowers in their little garden.

Dancing Cranes

Here are a couple of shots from this morning on the Platte River in Central Nebraska. We saw a LOT of cranes this morning, but the lighting was a bit of a challenge. We never did get any nice sunlight, but we saw a lot of incredible crane activity. When we first arrived at the blind the birds were very quiet. Most of them had their heads tucked under and were asleep. Before too long, though, they started waking up one by one and soon their chattering was quite loud. As they wake up they also start to hop and dance around quite a bit. Some of the dancing is to try and impress their mates or potential mates, and some of it is done to warm up before they take their first flight of the day. It was an unforgettable morning and we are hoping that the birds repeat their patterns and performances again tonight and tomorrow morning.

Cute Donkey

This is one of the most unusual of the equines in my model horse collection.

Bicycle Safety: My Perspective

Every so often I am asked to state my views on safety with respect to transportation cycling*. Though reluctant to raise this topic in the past, after more than two years I feel ready to share my perspective. So here it goes, and I ask in advance that you help me keep any ensuing discussion civil:



When it comes to bicycle safety, I draw a categorical distinction between two facets that are often mushed together, but for me areentirely independent: (1) safe behaviour, and (2) protective gear. I believe that safe behaviour is essential and a matter of social responsibility. I believe that protective gear is secondary and a matter of personal choice. This distinction and prioritisation governs (i.e. biases) the views on transportational cycling that are expressed throughout this blog.



To clarify what I mean by "safe behaviour" on a bicycle, here are the points I consider crucial:



Riding a bicycle that is functional and road-ready

Taking reasonable steps to ensure one's bicycle will not fail on the road.This includes making certain that the wheels are secured and that the brakes, lights, and other crucial components are functional. Riding a bike with known mechanical problems, insufficient braking capacity, or any unusual features that make it intentionally difficult to operate, can have disastrous consequences in traffic.



Being in possession of basic bike handling skills

This includes being able to start and stop without faltering, to maintain a line of travel without weaving, to reduce speed when appropriate, and to safely maneuver around obstacles. It helps to ride the type of bike one is comfortable with and in a way they are comfortable with, depending on skill level and personal preference. Those who do not yet possess adequate handling skills should practice on trails and quiet side streets before mixing with traffic.



Adhering to traffic laws

Knowing and following local traffic laws, as they pertain to bicyclists. This includes respecting lane directionality, street lights, stop signs and right of way, signaling turns and intentions to merge, and in general behaving predictably.



Knowing safety maneuvers

Awareness of various crucial safety maneuvers and the ability to execute them. For instance: not positioning oneself in the blind spot of a car that could turn into one's line of travel, not cycling in the door zone of parked cars, and not passing other cyclists on the right.



Being visible

Having sufficient lighting on one's bicycle, so as to be clearly visible to others on the roads in the dark and in inclement weather.



Being vigilant

Paying attention while cycling; being cautious and attentive to what goes on in one's peripheral vision while resisting distractions. This includes not being engrossed in conversation with fellow cyclists, not chatting on one's mobile phone or texting, and otherwise not engaging in activities thatdetract from an awareness of one's surroundings.



You might not agree with me on some aspects of these points, but I believe in them and try to adhere to them to the best of my ability. In my view, this makes me a conservative and safe cyclist.



As for protective gear (helmets, knee pads, steel-toed boots, padded vests, pre-emptive neck and back braces, etc), these things are simply not relevant to the safe operation of a bicycle. We all have the right to expect safe behaviour from each other, when the behaviour impacts other road users. But we do not have the right to decide what each other's personal comfort levels ought to be, when this comfort has no effect on us.



In addition, I think that protective gear - whether we believe it to be useful or not - is secondary to safe behaviour to such an extent, that to stress it above the other stuff (as I feel is routinely done in safety campaigns) is misguided and even, dare I say, dangerous. As I write this, out of the window I can see a helmeted cyclist making a left turn onto a one way street against traffic, riding a bicycle with no handbrakes and no lights. I think this sort of thing is a direct result of promoting protective gear instead of safe behaviour, and I think it's evidence that we have our priorities backwards.I do not find that my views on this matter are radical, although sometimes I am made to feel as if they are. Whether you agree or not is entirely up to you.



--

*a small group of us (Dave from Portlandize, Matt from Bicycles, Books and Bowties, and myself) are working on a transportation cycling brochure, where the topic of safety will be covered. However, I am not the person who is writing that particular section, and the opinions expressed here - though congruent with those in the brochure - are my own.

Rutland Water anticlockwise on the bike

With Harry - very hot weather, lots of drink stops. 14.5 miles for me. I see that I ride more quickly on the road.




Very hot, slathered in sun cream, two good drink stops - greatly enjoyed the ride, and the breeze. An odd artificial drink at Whitwell cafe, and a delicious pint of lemonade with ice at the Horse and Jockey in Manton.

A well- earned rest. Harry looking pensive.

Excursion to Park City

Yesterday turned out to be another beautiful day for a break from research. Carol's husband, aka Man, keeps an eye on the weather for us and if a “good” day appears on the horizon we take advantage of it. He picked another winner. Even though high winds were forecast (up to 60 mph, which never developed – at least not in Park City) we ventured forth.



Park City is a beautiful town nestled in a valley high up in the mountains (about 7,000 feet in elevation, I think). We walked and we talked and we visited shops and had a very good time.





I have no idea of the story behind them, but Park City has shoe trees. Not quite as full as the one in Nevada that is no more, but lots of shoes all the same.







A wide variety of wearing apparel in these trees.



And the city has sculptures everywhere. Carol with a friend.



He was a big fella.



Man found a friend too. Man was very patient while waiting for Carol and me when we were stopping very frequently to take pictures.





I loved the Moose. All decked out in jeans, a straw hat and cowboy boots!



And those eyes! Simply Precious.



We drove up to the top of the mountain, as far as the road was open. Beautiful houses and lots of condominiums.





Narrow, winding roads and snow. Some drifts looked to be at least six feet deep.



As beautiful as it is, I don't think I'd want to live there.



Oh, and did I mention that it is “spring time” in Park City? And they have flowers? And they were absolutely gorgeous!

Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs

Since most of the roads in Yellowstone National Park are closed in the winter, you are pretty limited when it comes to what part of the park can be explored. The only road within Yellowstone that is open year-round is the road from Gardiner, Montana to Cooke City, Montana. Gardiner is known as the "North Entrance" to Yellowstone National Park.



Above: I saw this old SUV just outside the entrance to the park. I couldn't resist the shot, with the " No parking here to end of street" sign. Also notice the license plate... it says "FAST SUV". I don't know about you, but to me this SUV looks like it is anything but fast!

I arrived in Gardiner in the early afternoon, with enough time to make the drive from Gardiner to Cooke City. I was hoping to see some wildlife (mostly Elk), but all I saw were a few Bison that were way off in the distance in a field. Oh well, it was still an interesting and beautiful drive. The scenery in Yellowstone certainly is worth the drive. The Lamar Valley in particular is especially pretty.



Since most of the roads in Yellowstone are closed and open only to over-the-snow travel, some companies do operate shuttle vehicles that run on tracks instead of tires. Using tracks gives the vehicles greater flotation so they can drive on top of the snow.



Above: This picture of the moon off the top of a mountain peak was taken just outside of Cooke City.



I spent the night in Gardiner, and after my drive to Cooke City and back I got a bite to eat then went back out to try shooting some of the Mammoth Hot Springs in the moonlight. It certainly was pretty cool to see the bubbling and steaming hot springs at night. The steam takes on a whole different mood at night than it does during the day. I also found a nice viewpoint which gave me a wonderful view of the valley and the "town" of Mammoth (which is basically a town where all the park service employees live). It was a very chilly night (I think the low that night was around 15 degrees), so I kinda froze my rear off but it was worth it!



The next morning I woke well before sunrise so I could go back to the park and photograph the hot springs in the morning light. Right after I passed the park entrance I finally got my Elk wish... there were half a dozen Elk right in the middle of the road! As I inched my car closer and closer to them all of them walked off the road except for one. The one that stayed stood his ground right in the middle of the road, and as I got alongside him I rolled down my window and took this picture of him. He just stared at me as I inched past him. I think if I leaned out the window, he was close enough that I could have pet him! What a great start to the day :-)



After my encounter with the Elk I drove the few miles up to Mammoth Hot Springs, gathered my gear and went off down the boardwalk to shoot the hot springs again, this time in the morning light. Once the sunlight hit the steam from the hot springs, it just glowed. Since it was still only about 15 to 20 degrees outside, and the warm air escaping from the hot springs was now being hit directly by warm sunlight, there was a lot more steam than there was last night.





Below: I used my "little" camera to take this self-portrait of me with my "big" camera. Look at all that steam in the background! Even though most of Yellowstone is 'closed' this time of year, there is still plenty to see and do!

One Switzer Family in Columbiana County - - Mine!

As stated in They were Shouting “Hey! What About Me? I had put research on the Switzer family on the back burner for many years. They just seemed too complicated. After all, there were three men named Jacob Switzer residing near each other in Columbiana County, Ohio at the same time. And two of them were about the same age and both had a wife named Catherine! And the resources for figuring them out simply were not available at that time.



There was some information on “my” Switzer family from a biography of Jacob Yarian and one of his son Jonathan Yarian. The full text of the biographies, including sources, can be read in the post mentioned above. Was it all true? Or were just parts of it valid? Below I've abstracted the basic information (shown in blue bold type) and what I've discovered (a combination of new info found in June at the Family History Library and old stuff) will be in normal black type.



One biography stated that Elizabeth Switzer was born near Lisbon in Columbiana County on September 23, 1815. The other one stated she was born September 24, 1815 in Columbiana County, Ohio.

Jacob and Elizabeth Yarian are buried in Randolph Hillside Cemetery in Portage County, Ohio. Their gravemarker shows that Elizabeth was born September 24, 1815 and died July 3, 1894. Jacob was born December 24, 1812 and died March 26. 1895.



As far as where she was born, I haven't yet determined where exactly the family was living but it was in either Salem or Fairfield townships both of which are just north of Centre township. The town of Lisbon, is in Centre township.

She married Jacob Yarian on April 2, 1835 in Columbiana County.

Their marriage is recorded in Columbiana County Marriage book 3 page 48, and they indeed were married on April 2, 1835.

The marriage record of Jacob Yarian and Elizabeth Switzer. Cropped portion of image downloaded from FamilySearch database "Ohio, County Marriages" on May 28, ...

Her parents were Jacob and Mary C. Switzer. Elizabeth was the oldest of their seven daughters.

The final settlement document in the estate file for Jacob Switzer (packet number 4962 dated November 7, 1859) named his heirs: his widow, Leathy Switzer; Jacob Yarian & wife; Jacob Monanack & wife; Peter Buckecker & wife, Daniel Deemer & wife. Marriage records of Columbiana County provided the first names of the Switzer daughters: Elizabeth married Jacob Yarian, Barbara married Jacob Manaweck, Rebecca married Peter Buckecker and Susan married Daniel Deemer. The names of the other three daughters, if there were that many, remain a mystery.



Leathy was Jacob's second wife. Columbiana County marriage book 38 page 168 shows that on March 10, 1853 Jacob Switzer was married to Leathy Bricker.



In Columbiana County marriage book 1 page 95 we find the record of the marriage of Jacob Switzer and Caty Brinker on February 26, 1811.



Confirmation that Caty Brinker was the mother of Elizabeth was found in a deed dated August 11, 1849 in which the heirs of Catherine Sweitzer were selling land that had been given to her by her father Andrew Brinker. (More on that discovery in a future post!)



The families of the four Switzer daughters have been found in census records through 1870 and it seems that Barbara was the oldest, being a year or two older than Elizabeth.

One biography states that Jacob Sweitzer was born in Switzerland. He was reared in that country and at the age of 27 came to America, locating in Columbiana County where he secured a tract of timbered land and literally hewed a farm from the wilderness. The other biography says that Jacob and Mary C. Switzer were natives of Pennsylvania.

The 1850 census of Salem Township, Columbiana County (p280) shows Jacob Switzer and Catherine A. Switzer, both age 65 and both born in Pennsylvania. I'm fairly certain that this is “my” Switzer family since Daniel Deemer and his wife Susanna are listed immediately after Jacob and Catherine.

Jacob and his wife survived to be old people. He passed away at the age of 87 and she at the age of 83.

According to Columbiana County Cemetery Inscriptions Volume 13, Jacob and Catharine are buried in the English Lutheran Cemetery in Salem Township. The transcription for Catharine says she was the wife of Jacob and that she died March 6, 1852 ae 64y 8m 17d. However, this puzzles me just a bit for two reason. First, Catherine was 65 years old in the 1850 census so either the census is wrong or the stone was difficult to read and mis-transcribed. Could the 4 in her age really be a 7? And second, the heirs of Catharine Switzer sold 213 acres of land on August 11, 1849 that had been deeded to her. Perhaps they were selling it on her behalf and simply releasing their claim to the land since it was sold for just $1 (one dollar) to Thomas McCoy. I have not yet researched to see if he is somehow related to them.

The cemetery transcription for Jacob Swettzer shows that he died November 2, 1859 ae 71y 9m 29d. As a side note, Jacob's second wife Leathy was also buried in the same cemetery. She died January 17, 1859 ae 79y 11m 25d.

Since I am approaching the age of 64 I can't really say that 64 is old ;-) but 79, yeah, I guess that's old. But neither Elizabeth nor Jacob reached the age of 83 or 87 as recorded in the biography.

Jacob Sweitzer and Ephraim Holloway were brothers-in-law of Martin Hoke. They entered section 25 about the year 1804.

This is not “my” Jacob Switzer. A deed record dated January 20, 1832 shows Jacob Switzer and Elizabeth his wife selling 156 acres in the NE ¼ of S 25 T15 R3 to Daniel Switzer for $1500 and other considerations. This land was granted to Jacob Switzer by Patent. (Again, more on this Jacob and this transaction in a future post.)

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

As with most family biographies published in county history books in the late 1800s and early 1900s there is some good/accurate information and some bad/inaccurate information. It is up to us, the family history researchers, to determine which is which!

Spongy black fungus

What the heck is that thing?



I don't know, but it sure looks weird.



Back home at the computer, it's Tom Volk to the rescue again.

This is a specialized type of Sooty mold, Scorias spongiosa, that appears only on Beech trees.

Here's another page about it.

I first learned about sooty mold when I took the Master Gardener course. Certain plant-sucking insects excrete honeydew, a delightful name for what really amounts to sugary poop. The sooty mold lives off of it, and that's the black stuff you see on leaves (and other things).

I hadn't realized they came in such specialized varieties, though.