Happy Blogoversary to Me!

Well, I started this blog four years ago today. Wow! Time flies. I wrote a lot at first, but then over the last three years, I kind of slacked off, only writing about once a month or so. I am trying very hard this year to get back on the wagon and post twice weekly. So far, so good! Thanks to all my readers for your support over the years!

Another exciting thing is that I now share my blogoversary with my cousin Brynnlee's birthday! She is two years old today. Happy Birthday, Brynnlee!

Photo courtesy of Cousin Paige

Census Sunday: PEMBERTON in 1920

1920 U.S. census, St. Clair County, Michigan, population schedule, city of St. Clair (Ward 1), enumeration district (ED) 131, sheet 9B, dwelling 234, family 234, C. Lovell Pemberton household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2005); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 795.

Continuing in the Census Sunday post series, we find my great-great-grandparents, Lovell and Alvina (Lesperance) Pemberton, living at 700 N. Vine St. in St. Clair, St. Clair, Michigan. Lovell was listed as a 41-year-old blacksmith in a factory. Alvina was age 36. Both were listed as born in Michigan.

All children who survived to adulthood were living at home:

Nellie, age 14
John, age 12 (my great-grandfather)
Madaline, age 8
Lovell, age 4
Eva, age 3
Alvina, age 9 months

Sadly, Lovell and Alvina lost four children between 1910 and 1920. Only six of their thirteen children lived to adulthood.

Their fourth child, Charlotte Agnus Pemberton, died 25 Sep 1910 in Mount Clemens, Macomb, Michigan. She was just four months old and died from cholera. 

Their oldest child, Gilbert Lowell Pemberton, died 21 Jun 1913 in Mount Clemens. He died from acute endocarditis at the age of ten. Acute endocarditis is the inflammation of the inner layer of the heart. Rheumatic fever is not listed as a contributory cause of death on his death certificate, but according to Wikipedia, it is the cause of many cases of endocarditis. The death certificate gives his length of illness as six days.

Their sixth child, Myrtie Elva Pemberton, died 15 Sep 1914 in Mount Clemens from intestinal and stomach indigestion. Interestingly, the contributory cause of death was listed as "bottle-fed infant." Did formula in the early 1900s cause the deaths of infants? I need to do some research about the invention of baby formula. Like baby Charlotte four years earlier, she was only four months old when she died. 

Their ninth child, Orville Joseph Pemberton, died 23 Mar 1919 in Marine City, St. Clair, Michigan, from spinal meningitis. He was 11 months old. 

After the 1920 census, Alvina and Lovell lost three more children. 

Their 11th and 12th children were twin boys, James and Joseph, born 22 Mar 1921 in St. Clair. James died immediately on the same day that he was born. His cause of death is given as general anasaica. I'm not sure if the death certificate should have read "anasarca" instead, as I can't find a definition of "anasaica." Anasarca is a swelling of the skin due to an effusion of fluid into the extracellular space. It's usually caused by kidney or liver failure. Joseph died at the age of two on 14 Aug 1923 in Marysville, St. Clair, Michigan, from pneumonia. 

Their 13th child, Adele Christine Pemberton, died at the age of five on 28 Dec 1928 in Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan. Strep throat is given as her cause of death, but some family notes that I obtained from my uncle several years ago state that a man named Dr. Burch gave her the wrong dose of drugs. I need to look into that a little further. 

Treasure Chest Thursday: John Peter Pemberton Separation Qualification Record

ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES

SEPARATION QUALIFICATION RECORD

Name: John P. Pemberton
Army serial no: AF16 194 223
Grade: Sgt
Social security no.: Unknown
Permanent mailing address: 729-12 St., Port Huron, Mich.
Date of entry into active service: 28 Sep 1946
Date of separation: 28 Jun 1949
Date of birth: 18 Nov 1928
Place of separation: Separation Center, Camp Stoneman, Calif.
Military Occupational Assignments:
Months: 2
Grade: Pvt
Military occupational specialty: AF Basic 521
Months: 2
Grade: Pvt
Military occupational specialty: Student 629
Months: 24
Grade: Sgt
Military occupational specialty: Automotive mechanic 2nd echelon 014
Summary of military occupations:
Automotive mechanic second echelon --- Was stationed in Japan with an airforce unit as a[n] automotive mechanic second echelon. Inspected and performed first and second echelon orginization maintenance service and repairs on gasoline powered military motor vehicles.
Military education:
Airforce School 10 weeks automotive mechanic course Lowry Field, Colorado.
Civilian education:
Highest grade completed: 11th grade
Degrees or diplomas: none
Year left school: 1946
Name and address of last school attended: St. Stephen High School, Port Huron, Mich.
Major courses of study: Academic
Other training or schooling: None
Civilian occupations:
Student High School --- Attended St. Stephaen High School at Port Huron, Michigan
Studied history, English, mathematics, Civics, and Biology. 1943 to 1946.
Additional information:
Completed high school levl 25 May 1948