February 29

 Cynthia Jewell Bridges was born 29 February 1952

Leslie Ellis Leeth was born 29 February 1884

February 28

 Sarah Lovada Carter married William Earl Tatum 28 February 1930

Earl and Vada had two children - Elvin and Olla Mae.

Lovada Carter was the daughter of John Martin Carter and Amy Tamsett Carter

John was the brother of Adaline Carter Arnold (my great-great-grandmother).

Amy was the daughter of Sarah Tamsett.

PHOTOS: Adaline Arnold, Sarah Tamsett 

(The original of this photograph had both of these women sitting side by side, but I don't have the original)

Sarah's daughter Amy married Adaline's brother John Carter, and

Sarah's daughter Jessie married Adaline's son George Arnold.

So the Tamsetts were related by marriage to both the Arnold and the Carter branches of the family tree.

(And George Bullard married Josie Tamsett... but let's not get into that particular tangle of the Bullard/Tamsett/Arnold connections today.)

(Oh, and Earl Tatum's half-brother Hershel married George's daughter Opie Arnold...)

February 27

 Fiina Herranen Ford was born 27 February 1905 in Montana

She married Otho Simeon Ford 17 November 1928 in Tijuana, Mexico

Otho was the grandson of Charles McMillan Ford, who was the brother of my great-grandmother Nancy Ford Thomas.

Otho and Fiina had two daughters - Della and Effie

The last I knew Della was still living in Montana. She and my dad had a lively correspondence during the years he was working on the family history. I know my grandmother (Christie Thomas) kept in touch with Fiina and Otho by mail, even though they lived in Montana. I remember hearing their names mentioned from time to time, but I don't think I ever met them.

This picture is only labeled with the names of Effie and Charles Ford (back left). I think the couple kneeling in front may well be Fiina and Otho. Don't know who the other women are -- I wonder if they could be Luttie and Lottie Thomas (just because they are dressed in matching outfits) ???

February 26

Hazel Amy Burford Johnson died 26 February 1967, age 75

Hazel was the 2nd child of Alexander Oscar Burford, Jr. and his first wife Helen Virginia Lockard

PHOTO L-R: Edith, Hazel, Raymond Burford

In this group photo, Raymond is on the far right. George (holding the baby) is Raymond's half-brother - son of Alexander Burford and his 2nd wife Lora Gibson (my great-great-grandmother).

PHOTO: Hazel is on the right. The other woman is Juanita Burford Hombs (half-sister of Hazel) and her two sons Jim and Jerry.

February 25

 Bertha Ann 'Annie' Arnold was born 25 February 1893

John Davidson Arnold was born 25 February 1895

Annie Arnold was my great-grandmother. John was her brother. They were born on the same date 2 years apart. They were the children of John Henry Arnold and Adaline Carter Arnold. Henry and Adaline had three other children - George, Marlie, and Etta (called 'Ettie').

Back: George and Annie. Front: Aunt Peggy Bullard, Adaline holding Etta, John, Henry holding Marlie

(Aunt Peggy and her brother George Bullard raised Henry Arnold. He was their nephew.)

L-R: Marlie, John, Henry, Adaline, Annie, Etta

(George is not in this picture)

L-R: George, Annie, John, Marlie, Etta

February 24

Amos Doyle Arnold was born 24 February 1912

Amos was the son of George Arnold and Jessie Tamsett

*   *   *

Amy Lorene Tamsett Carter was born 24 February 1882

Amy was the wife of John Carter

*   *   *

Odice Hallmark Hicks was born 24 February 1908

Odice was the son of Felix Hicks and Ida Sandefur

*   *   *

Stella Marqueta Reed was born 24 February 1932

Stella was the daughter of Elvin Reed and Wilma Arnold

*   *   *

Vernie Davidson was born 24 February 1915

Vernie was the husband of Obie Arnold

*   *   *

Joanie Colman Treat was born 24 February 1935

Joanie was the wife of Jack Treat

February 23

 Lawrence Alfred Kessler was born 23 February 1927

These are the only two pictures I have of Larry Kessler (my father-in-law).

Elvin Reed was born 23 February1913

Elvin Reed was the husband of Wilma Arnold

John Edward Garrett was born 23 February 1920

Ed Garrett was the husband of Verlie Arnold (sister to Wilma Arnold)

February 22

 Ulysses Fillmore Hicks married Bertha Ann Arnold 22 February 1910

This picture was taken in 1910

Photo: Ulys and Annie with Ruby

Ruby was born in May 1912

Their first baby was stillborn in April 1911

Photo: Annie with Ruby, Irene, and Cleffie

Cleffie was born in August 1917

Annie and Ulys had nine living children - Ruby, Irene, Cleffie, Elvin, Evalee, Vernell, Olan, Bernice, and Lowell.

This picture was taken in February 1960 on the occasion of Ulys and Annie's 50th wedding anniversary.

February 21

 Jennie Odelcie Hicks Williams died 21 February 2003

Photo: Jennie Odelcie Hicks

Odelcie was the daughter of Felix Hicks and Ida Lenora Sandefur.

Felix was a brother of my great-grandfather Ulysses Hicks.

Photo: Felix and Ida Hicks with their first 2 children, Rosie and Odice.

Photo: Rosie, Odice, and Odelcie Hicks - children of Felix and Ida Hicks.

Odelcie married Everett Williams

Photo: Everett and Odelcie Hicks Williams, 1976

February 20

 Ralph Edgar Till died 20 February 2017

Ralph was my dad's cousin. He was the son of Leonard and Madge Treat Till.

Madge was a sister of my grandmother Christie Treat Thomas.

Ralph and my dad were very close growing up. Here is a story my dad wrote in his memoirs about Ralph:

OUT OF GAS    

  I don’t remember how old I was when this picture was taken but it reminded me of the time that my cousin Ralph Till and I were coming home one night in the winter time and we ran out of gas about one mile from his house.  I said to Ralph, I guess we are going to walk from here, and Ralph said no, we are going to ride. As he was removing the gasoline cap, I said how do you figure that? Ralph said get up here and pee in this gasoline tank.  Ralph had a 1929 model A Ford. The gasoline tank was above the engine and the gasoline was gravity feed.   Did you know that gasoline is lighter than water? Well it is. Anyway, in the bottom of the gas tank (all gas tanks back then) is a tube that sticks up about 1/4 inch or more, so we knew that we still had some gasoline in the tank.  So... when we peed in the gasoline tank, the gas floated up to the top and the car started and we drove home.  The next day we removed the gasoline line from the bottom of the tank and drained out the water and gasoline and put in new gasoline.   

  I remember having a lot of fun in this Model A, going to South Haven and parking on Main Street in front of the drug store, or as close as we could, and watching the girls go by.  Going down to the beach to go swimming after the movies.  One time when we were swimming off the south pier with Lester Schrantz and Louie Koslink, Louie got caught in the undertow and was sucked into a hole in the side of the pier. Ralph and Lester had to go down and get him. It’s a wonder they found him, let alone get him out.  He had swallowed some water but was all right. We were all scared so we went home, and as far as I know none of us ever told anyone about it. 

Photo L-R: Louie Koslink, Ralph Till, Lester Schrantz, Richard Thomas (my dad)

*   *   *

This story and others from my dad's memoirs are included in my book Secret and Resolute, available on Amazon.

February 19

 George Woodson Sandefur was born 19 February 1871

He was the husband of Nancy Ellen Hicks.

Nancy (called 'Nannie') was a sister of my great-grandfather Ulysses Hicks.

Photo: Annie Hicks (my great-grandmother), Nannie Hicks Sandefur, Ulysses Hicks.

These pictures are George and Nannie with their granddaughter Nora (curly hair) and ... I don't know who the other children are.

February 18

 Gary Keith Carrigan was born 18 February 1954May 1977

He is the father of my two sons.

Christopher, May 1980

Casey, November 1982

(For the record: He's no longer my husband, but he is still their father.)