Friday, February 29, 2008

MARY GENEVIEVE FECHT AND GERALD RICHARD FECHT


Mary Genevieve Fecht - daughter of Mildred and Bill Fecht - Mexico, Missouri - Youngest daughter of Mildred and Bill Fecht. Great grand daughter of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht

Gerald Richard Fecht - son of Mildred and Bill Fecht - Mexico, Missouri - age 6 1/2 months.
Youngest son of Mildred and Bill Fecht. Great grand son of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht

JIMMIE AND BOBBY FECHT


James Louis Fecht as a baby in Mexico, Missouri
Jimmie and his little brother Bobby are the great grandsons of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht.

Robert William Fecht is the second son of Mildred and Bill Fecht

Thursday, February 28, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAMON FECHT


HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAMON
Damon Fecht is the great, great grandson of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht. He lives in the San Fernando Valley's Lake Balboa community. Damon and his mom, Janne are "huge" Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers fans. Tonight, he is celebrating his birthday watching his Lakers at Staples Center. A few weeks ago, Damon and his mom went on a tour of Dodger Stadium, where this picture was taken in front of the dugout. Like everyone in LA, he is very happy that the writers strike is over.

UNEXPECTED TREASURE!


Here's a photograph just sent to this blog by Dr. Dan Sullivan of Mildred and Bill Fecht with their oldest child Dorothy.
My purpose at the onset of this project was to get Jim Fecht's photo albums out to our cyber familly, and to make a cd of the photos as I downsize the bulky (and, falling apart) albums.
This photo of my parents changes things for, since I've never seen this photograph before. Unexpected rewards - thanks Dan.

MILDRED FECHT AND BABY



Dr. Dan Sullivan sent these two photographs of Mildred Fecht and her first child Dorothy.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

DOROTHY FECHT AS A CHILD


The oldest child of Mildred and William T. Fecht is Dorothy. Her mother's fragile health and the rapid arrival of siblings caused Dorothy to become her three brothers and one sister, "big sister" in every measure of those words.
Dorothy has lived a long an productive life and is much loved.

CHILDREN OF JULIA WALSH ALGOE



The older people in the Fecht family referred to the half-sister of Elizabeth Walsh Fecht and Hannah Walsh as Aunt Julia Algoe. She and her family lived in Saint Louis, Missouri. Julia's family dies out after two generations. The Algoe name is important for Walsh family research since it may appear in church records or census data near the names of Walsh, Kelleher, Finn, Hyde, Tudor etc.
Left is Genevieve Algoe who became a Roman Catholic nun, Sister Catherine Marie.
Center is James Algoe who stands to the left of little Kathleen.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

THE HYDE FAMILY

The Hyde Family

There are many unsolved riddles about our family's relationship with Hyde Family of Chicago. Finding our connection with the Hydes may connect big parts of our Irish heritage puzzle.
Patrick Walsh of County Cork, Ireland and Ann Finn of Country Clare, Ireland were, by family tradition, married in New York City. They were Roman Catholics, so there may be marriage records.
The Walsh came to Saint Louis and lived in the Irish neighborhood that is now the Little Italy hill in that city. Ann (Finn) Walsh died and was buried in Calvary Cemetery. Patrick remarried to Ellen Sweeney. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery. A record in Mexico, Missouri has Patrick as a veteran. The names Patrick and Ann and Walsh are very common and there are five or six in Calvary.
Part of our Irish family were the Hydes of Chicago. They were likely related to the Roach family also of Chicago.

MYSTERY PHOTO FROM Dr. DAN SULLIVAN



Dan Sullivan sends this photograph. It appears to be a soldier and woman sharing a magazine, or could it be some spooning? He did not say if the photo had any markings on the back. The only thing I was able to enlarge was the advertisement on the left that says Colgate Tooth Powder.

Monday, February 25, 2008

FECHT FAMILY CHILDREN


L to R: Marjorie Fecht, Genevieve Fecht and Donald Shire
Photograph was likely taken at the farm of Phil and Ann Shire between 1935 - 36.

Bobbie Fecht, sitting on the old woman's lap, called her simply "Glass." She was an elderly woman neighbor who Mildred Fecht, shown above with her son Jimmie, befriended. Mrs. Glass was still living in 1945 when the family of Bill and Mildred Fecht left Missouri for Washington State.

WILLIAM THOMAS FECHT


William Thomas Fecht between 1917 and 1919
Bill's World War I Horse "Pal".

Sunday, February 24, 2008

JULIA FECHT HOGAN


The youngest girl of the Family of Elizabeth Ann (Walsh) and William Charles Fecht, Julia was loved intensely by her brothers and sisters. She was a fragile child, "full of Irish mischief and adventure." As a young adult, Julia became a telephone operator, a very sophisticated job in her time. She and her cousin Beatrice Fecht were considered among the "belles" of Mexico, Missouri.
Julia married an Iowa farmer Hugh Hogan. They had no children.
Bill Fecht in Cable House - World War I - 1918 - Hoquiem, Washington


Private Bill Fecht is the 4th "bloke" from the right. Note the soldier-woodsmen are balancing on huge floating logs.

A Cook Car and a Bunk Car
Cooks were essential to Grass Valley Camp in 1918. They worked in one car and slept in the other.


These cooks attached to the Army Air Corps at Aberdeen, Washington in 1918, grew old and died. Only one World War I American soldier now survives. Bill Fecht's note on back of this picture says, "Camp Cook Defends His Cooking." Pictures such as these show that those who lived generations ago had the same need to make light of their work as their descendants.


Bill Fecht wisely made good friends among the camp's cooks.

Bill Fecht's Army Buddies -
This photograph was included in this collection because the building in the background was the command center. This structure would have likely survived possibly to this day. It would have been in Aderdeen or Hoquiam, Washington.


Bill Fecht at a Cable House. There was little effort made by camp directors for safety measures. Men lost limbs and on occasion their lives in such places.

Bill Fecht's friends at Steam Donkey Shed.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY - WYATT ANDREW STAFFENHAGEN

Wyatt Andrew Staffenhagen was born on February 22nd, 2008. He is the son of Melissa and Thomas Staffenhagen. He was born at home in Lake Stevens, Washington. Wyatt was 19 inches in length and weighed 8 pounds and 8 ounces.

Wyatt Staffenhagen is the great, great, great, great grandson of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht. He is the descendent of William Charles Fecht, William Thomas Fecht and Mary Genevieve and Owen Rebbe.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY ADAM THOMPSON Jr.



Our new kinsman Adam Matthias Thompson Jr. was born on Sunday, February 3, 2008. His parents are Krystal and Adam M. Thompson Sr. Our Adam is being held by his maternal grandmother Kathleen Cass.
Adam is the great, great, great, great grand son of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht. He is a descendent of the families of Willaim Charles Fecht and William Thomas Fecht.

Please note that maiden names are not used without permission for identity privacy purposes.

KARMYN NIMAN


Karmyn Christine Niman - age 6 in 2008
Karmyn is the great, great, great, great grand daughter of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht. She descends from the families of William Charles Fecht and William Thomas Fecht.
According to Karmyn's grand mother Kathleen, she is "smart, pretty important, curious, loved absolutely and absolutely loving."

LOGGING PHOTOS 1918



(top) U.S. Army Air Corps soldiers - 1918 near Aberdeen, Washington. The fellow in the slouched hat to the far left is Wiliam Fecht.
(bottom) "Skid Road" incline lined with smaller logs, used when watered down to pull heavy logs to mill transportation. Often these makeshift roads led to water. The skid road area in Seattle, Washington about this time became notorious for its flop houses, cheap bars etc., hence the term's inclusion as Skid Row in modern slang. This photo was taken in 1918 near Aberdeen, Washington.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

DAN SULLIVAN THINKS THESE PICTURES ARE OF JERRY FECHT



Dr. Dan Sullivan believes that these two pictures may be of me (Jerry Fecht). They could be, but I have never seen them before. The farm house in the background may be a clue.

Friday, February 15, 2008

MORE WASHINGTON STATE AND BILL FECHT'S HISTORY

"STEAM DONKEY" used to pull logs onto "skids" or troughs leading toward the water. The steam donkey could also help load logs onto trucks or railroad cars.

Repaired photograph of William T. Fecht - Taken in 1918 - repaired 2008

These images are for both our family and for historical groups.

Damon Fecht is very happy that the writers' strike is over. He ought to be back to work at his editor job in a couple of weeks.
You can check out Damon's film and television work by going to http://www.imdb.com
When you reach the site, type in Damon Fecht in the search window.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

LOGGERS 1918


William Fecht is the 5th man from the left on the top of the giant log.

Close up image of Bill Fecht with slouch hat.

Bill's buddy Private William J. McCane at a log that he and Bill had cut down. In the background is a "steam donkey."

GREAT ADVENTURES FOR A MONTANA HOMESTEADER


Camp A.3 at Grass Valley had its own flag pole. Imagine the fun those long ago soldiers had when they discovered a bear cub at its top. Fortunately, someone remembered that where there are bear cubs, there is often a bear mama. This little guy was coaxed to make his way down to his worried mother, and Bill Fecht got a photograph to capture the adventure.


Bill Fecht is the soldier, second from the left. He and his companions were standing on an eroded path created by high tide waves from the Pacific Ocean. 1918.

MORE OF BILL FECHT'S DAYS AS A LUMBERJACK.



Bill Fecht marked his image in this photograph with a black dot. The photo is the official Camp A.3 picture. The tents pictured here gave very little protection from the incessant rains of Washington Rain Forest. They were particularly sad when filled with sick and dying men during the influenza epidemic of 1918.
Being in the rain forest also held many wonderful memories for Bill. He loved the smell of the fir trees, and the splendor of the little trillium flowers among the mosses and dense ferns. On clear days the sight of the Olympic mountains was breath-taking. He loved his salmon fishing experience, and was awed by the Pacific Ocean. Bill Fecht loved Washington. He dreamed of returning there someday, and he did.
Bill and Mildred Fecht spent much of their retirement years in a snug little cabin at Lake Stevens, Washington. He and his wife are buried in the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery in Snohomish, Washington. From the cemetery one can see the snow capped Cascades, the bending Snohomish River and relish as Bill did in life, the smell of the surrounding forest.

CAMP A.3. WASHINGTON STATE 1918



Private "Bill" William T. Fecht is the first man in the second row left, behind the officer. The Army Air Corps soldiers are in work clothing in the Washington rain forest.
It was vital to the transportation of logs to the milling operations to be situated near a river. Strong currents propelled the logs down stream. Standards of construction in 1918 weren't exactly stringent.

Monday, February 11, 2008

BILL FECHT'S WWI ARMY BUDDIES

Spring Board - Cutting the Rain Forest 1918
Bill's Fecht's Army Buddies 1918

Cutting the great spruce and hemlock trees in the Washington rain forest was very dangerous work. Tree trunks were penetrated about 10 feet above the ground. Timber jacks stood on narrow platforms. Timing was a matter of life and death. My dad, William Fecht believed that the small face at the bottom right corner was his.

Giant logs were hauled down "skids", pulled by mules or steam donkeys.
"The work was really hard, but the food was better than my homestead's," said Bill Fecht.

BILL FECHT IN WASHINGTON STATE

Bill Fecht is second from left
Bill Fecht is seated at the left
William Thomas Fecht enlisted in the United States Army at the outbreak of WWI. He was sent to Washington State to a logging unit, chopping spruce trees. Spruce is a very light wood, used in WWI for the making of airplanes. He was assigned to the Army Air Corps in Aberdeen - Hoquiam, Washington.
The rain forest of Washington State had never been lumbered before, and the woods were so dense that the soldiers were ordered not to go alone into the wilderness. It was dangerous work and when coupled with the influenza outbreak, some of Bill's comrades died there.
These two photographs were in the Fecht family's album.

FAMILY OF DAN AND FLORENCE SULLIVAN


One nice thing about a photoshop program is the ability to enlarge pictures. This photo of the Iowa Sullivans is just a couple of inches. Here, blown up, we can get a closer image of some of Dan and Florence Sullivan's family when their son Bernard was home on leave.
left to right:
Dan and Florence Sullivan, and four of their children: Helen Doris, Patricia and Bernard. The little boy, then called Maurice, is Dan Sullivan.
The Sullivan kids are the great grandchildren of Margaret (Bost) and Jacob Fecht.

Friday, February 8, 2008

ROSEMARY CANDY


Rosemary Candy, daughter of Ann Fecht Candy Shire and Harry Candy. The Catholic priest in this photo is Father Gavin, when he was young. Rosemary is the second girl in the back row from the right. The two boys in the back (in suits) and girls with long veils are likely candidates for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The three boys in cassocks are altar boys. The four little girls in the front row with flower crowns are likely First Communion candidates. St. Brendan Church, Mexico, Missouri.