Our community was greatly shocked Wednesday to hear that one of our old citizens, Robert Arbuckle, had taken his own life by swallowing a dose of strychnine.  The deceased was a widower, and had his home with his son-in-law, Wm Davidson upon the home farm.  This had recently been sold by Mr. Davidson to the Arbuckle boys, and the Davidsons were about to remove to another place.  This removal of his daughter and family it is thought preyed upon the mind of the old gentleman, and together with his intemperate habits probably caused him to commit the rash act in a moment of mental aberration.

On Thursday, Dr. W.N. Morell, the coroner, was summoned, and held an inquest, the following gentlemen acting as a jury: Joe Hocking, M.J. Katzky, A.R. Wiswell, Geo. Green, Sam Dower, S.V. Boyer.  A verdict of suicide that the deceased came to his death by his own hand was rendered.

His relatives have the deep sympathy of the community in this sad bereavement.  The funeral services will be held at the residence this afternoon at 2 o’clock, conducted by Rev. E. Cory.

Wadena Pioneer Journal, 1895 (date unknown)

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Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls, Washington, January 30, 2012. All rights reserved.

Filed under: Arbuckle, Family History, Obituaries ]]> http://susaned1.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/the-death-of-robert-arbuckle-1821-1895/feed/ 0 susan http://susaned1.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/will-the-real-robert-arbuckle-please-stand-up/ http://susaned1.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/will-the-real-robert-arbuckle-please-stand-up/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:07:07 +0000 susaned1 http://susaned1.wordpress.com/?p=2686 Continue reading →]]> Remember the old game show “To Tell the Truth”  popular in the late 1950′s?  The game went something like this:

There are four people trying to correctly identify a described contestant. This contestant is accompanied by two impostors who pretend to be the central character. The panelists question the three contestants; the impostors are allowed to lie but the central character is sworn “to tell the truth”. After questioning, the panel attempts to identify which of the three challengers is telling the truth and thus is the central character.

This picture reminds me of that old game show.  I’m looking for the “truth” of who the couple in the picture really are.  We know that Robert Arbuckle and Jean McNiven were real people, but is this picture of them or of someone else? Obviously the man in the picture can’t stand up and tell us he is or isn’t Robert Arbuckle so we’re left trying other methods to figure out who the dickens he is!

Here’s my attempt:

The photograph is a standard Cabinet Card measuring 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

The Photo is glued to card stock, black in color.

The photographer was R.T. Dodd, 65 Jamaica St., Glasgow.

The man is wearing a three piece suit, the fabric looks like a rough woolen, there is a small chain attached to the vest.  Possibly a watch fob.

His hands appear to be clenched.

The woman looks as if she might be pregnant.

I’d been told by my cousin Margaret Blair who gave me the picture, that it was of Robert Arbuckle and Jean McNiven, my Great-Great-Grandparents who were born in Scotland, emigrated first to Canada and later to Minnesota.  But look!  Here’s another copy of the top half of the picture on which has been written: “Grand Mother and Father Arbuckle,  early 1800′s. The handwriting appears to be from one person and print (early 1800) by someone else.

Does the inscription resolve their identities?  No, not at all.  Whoever wrote on the picture has identified couple the photo as Grand Father and Grand Mother Arbuckle but although they may be Robert and Jean they could as easily be another set of Arbuckle grandparents? If so, who?

So I set up a telephone appointment with Maureen Taylor and even though it didn’t lead to  conclusive evidence Maureen was able to offer several considerations that helped me clarify the possibilities.

The inscription says  the picture was able to taken in the early 1800′s. Robert Arbuckle was born in 1821 so either this is not Robert, or that date is incorrect.

Maureen dated the picture as having been taken in the late 1860′s – 1870′s.  Jean Arbuckle’s last pregnancy was in 1874 when she was 54. This couple looks older, but farming in 1874 was not easy and they may be younger than they look.  If the photo is of Jean McNiven when she was pregnant with her last child, John, it would have been taken in the winter of 1873-1874.  John’s dob: February, 1874.

The Arbuckles were living in Canada in the mid-1850′s yet this picture was taken in Glasgow. Could they have returned to Scotland for a time or was there a Glasgow in Canada or Minnesota?  Indeed there is a Glasgow in Canada, but it’s been confirmed hat the photographer who took this photo did have a studio in Glasgow, Scotland so it seems likely that the photo was taken there rather than in Canada.

It seems unlikely that the Arbuckle’s were financially positioned to take a return trip to Scotland but we can’t be certain.

Perhaps R.T. Dodd, the Photographer travelled to Canada taking pictures of Scotts settlers there.

Another possibility is that the picture is of a sibling of Robert’s who stayed behind in Scotland.

My own personal, and probably sentimental idea is the unanswered question of why someone saved this particular picture.  And two different people identified the couple as Grandmother and Grandfather Arbuckle.  Margaret Blair verbalized that it was Robert and Jean Arbuckle, her Great-Grandparents.  Could it be?

So Robert and Jean if that’s really you we surely would like to know about it.  No need to stand up……

Note:  For an excellent analysis of this picture visit Patti-Davidson Peters blog: 

http://pdprootsandbranches.blogspot.com/2011/10/arbuckle-quandary.html

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Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls, Washington, January 29, 2012,  All rights reserved.

Pictures are the property of Susan J. Edminster.

Sue

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Susan J. Edminster, January 2, 2012.  All Rights Reserved

This video is the sole property of Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls, Washington

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Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls Washington, November 19, 2011 All Rights Reserved

Picture is the property of Debi Dow Fenimore and is posted with her permission.

Here a two wonderful pictures of the original Lakeville Bank building, the bank started by W.H. and F.A. Samels…. enjoy!

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Building as it looks today.

Many thanks to cousin Pat Vasatka for sharing these pictures.

Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls Washington, February 6, 2011

Lakeville Minnesota History

Note:  This takes you to thumbnails for several historical presentations, the Lakeville Bank is on the second page.

Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls Washington, February 3, 2011

The shoe on the left has a little hole with ribbon strung through so probably they could have been hung as wall art. Perhaps they were meant for my dad’s sister who had died as an infant.  Her name was Susanna (Susie) Shane.

Does anyone know how these little shoes came into being?  I have an idea that one of Susan (Samels) Shane’s brothers might have carved them, but that may be just a fantasy.

My sister owns these now and has them on display in her home.

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Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls Washington, February 2, 2011  All Rights Reserved

resemblance exists between these sisters.

Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls Washington, February 2, 2011, All Rights Reserved

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From the files of Tom Cook, posted with permission

Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls Washington, February 2, 2011 All Rights Reserved

Dominic Samels married (1) Catharina Schott (1796-1837) and their children were Wilhelm,  Franz (Frank), Maria, Jean, Margaretha and Jakob.  Catharina died in Luxembourg and Dominic married (2) Catherine Muller.  Their children were Peter, William, Susanna, Frank, and John.  This repetition of names (wives Catherina and Catherine, children Peter, William/Wilhelm, Franz/Frank) has caused no end of confusion in sorting out the family order but provides an understanding of  the will’s reading “Frank (the oldest)” as the first listed.  Frank was also the executor of the estate.

Here, then is the text of the will.  I attempted to keep the spellings, capitalizations and word order just as they are in the document, hence some items may be incorrect.

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Know all men by these presents that I Domanic Samels of the Town of Aurora Kane County Illinois of the age of about 82 years being of sound mind and memory do hereby make ordain publish and declare this to be my last will and testament: that is to say I give and bequeath to my son Frank (the oldest) One Hundred and fifty Dollars which is in a Note given by my sons William and Peter dated January 14, 1871 together with all interest thereon till paid and also my interest and claim in all cattle, Poultry or other live Stock that I may have on my farm owned by myself and heirs or at any other place, and also my interest and claim that I may have in any personal property or chattels whatever (unreadable) and my real Estate which is Situate in the Town of Blackberry in Kane County Illinois to be disposed of as follows: The entire interest therein to my Son (the oldest) Frank above mentioned by him my said son Frank paying to my oldest son William One Hundred Dollars, my daughter Maria One Hundred Dollars and my daughter Margarethe One Hundred Dollars and hereby make and appoint my said son Frank my executor of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made.  ”……..June 14th 1873″

The above instrument was subscribed and executed in our presence and acknowledged to each of us to be his free act and last will and testament.

Signed:

#1 unreadable

#2 Nikolas Henkels

#3 Michael Sees

This will was suly proven before me by the subscribing witnesses in open courts.  June 30, 1873.  W. D. Barry, Judge.

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Transcript of the will posted with permission of Tom Cook.

Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls, Washington, January 27, 2011, All Rights Reserved