Weekly Newsletter Information
Here are the sections with the cumulative information that was delivered weekly via email:
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General Information
Three time blocks on Friday afternnon-evening. Six on Saturday. Two on Sunday. Major activities on Saturday. Tell us what your expectations are and we’ll try to meet them.
Yes, we’re organizing around food – Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks in-between plus late night = six time slots on Saturday; two or three Friday afternoon-evening; two [one] on Sunday morning. We assume many will arrive Friday and leave Sunday, so we have some activities planned for those two “1/2 days”. The “silent auction”, “noisy auction”, and “Grand Drawing” will be in the Saturday dinner time block. Time for visiting before and during food time. Entertainment probably occurs after dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings but may have some after Saturday lunch break. Drawing for various items may be spread throughout. Several “drop-in workshops” have been suggested along with scheduled and spontaneous genealogy sharing times. Because we’ll have a mix of ages and interests there will be opportunities for several choices at the same time.
Memorial Day, 2109
Organizers’ Comments
“I’m really excited to be a part of coordinating this event. Although the site was covered in snow when I visited, it looks like a great spot for a reunion. We expect about 150-200 people — so you won’t want to miss it! It is not too late to reserve a spot. Just call the office (435-) 654- 4049 and let them know you are part of the Huntzinger Reunion.”
Charlotte Huntzinger (801) 979-2478 <charlotte.huntzinger@gmail.com>
“I am looking forward to seeing family and getting to know you better. For those I only know through social media, I am excited to meet you in real life. So many of us have more in common than just our DNA. It’s going to be a fantastic family reunion weekend!”
Laura Peterson (503) 851-8618 <lrpeterson06@gmail.com>
“Plans are coming together for a our Reunion. So far we have: * Activities for those seeking fun and excitement: swimming, hiking, bull whips, wood carving, games, crafts * More relaxed pace (for some of us): genealogy, magic for parents, anxiety-free time in the sun/shade * Evening Excitement: Drawings, Auction, smores and storytelling. Getting your wants and needs satisfied is key. Let us know your expected take-away. Reconnecting and getting acquainted – That’s what a ‘Reunion’ is all about. Looking forward to meeting you.”
Bob Huntzinger (510) 415-1337 <bobhuntzinger@comcast.net>
“Organized with a short planning frame this event is exceeding expectations. We are past 150 people and may reach 200 or more ‘Cousins’. I’m pleased, delighted, and overwhelmed. Besides meeting and catching up on family there will be Genealogy sharing that documents connections. I’m hoping to see you there — even if I can’t remember that many names, Cousin.”
Ralph E. Huntzinger (206) 356-3649 <ralph@magickhappens.com>
Family Group features
- James Myron Huntzinger’s
- Hubert Gilead Huntzinger’s (June 22nd)
- Edgar Huntzinger (May 25th Quiz)
- Ivon Clare Huntzinger’s (March 9th)
- Irene Elizabeth Barton’s (May 11th)
- Sylvia Ione Cade (May 11th)
- Ralph Timothy Huntzinger’s (April 13th)
- Lucille Ida Young’s (March 23rd)
- Esther Marie Nowland’s (April 27th)
- Bert Huntzinger Sibling’s
- Sessions History (June 8th)
Attendee List
Full list of attending people and families is updated as that information becomes available. It has a separate page.
March 2nd — “27 early “groups” confirmed, 4 visiting via technology, 2 offering excuses.” “You are among the 18% – 20% of attendees who are the “early deciders”; thank you for confirming. If you don’t see someone on the list that you think should be coming, contact and convince them to come — share this newsletter and tell them to subscribe, and let us know what you know so we can spread the word. Some are still making plans, others are undecided, and there are families who don’t know the details. The Nowland clan and the Peterson clan have gatherings this summer and many will not be able to schedule two trips for “reunions”.”
Family Quiz Page
Family Quiz Rules, Guidelines, and Comments:
You could win free raffle tickets! We’re giving away Drawing Tickets for correct answers to our FAMILY QUIZ QUESTIONS. Two free tickets every week until August 3 if you’re lucky enough to win one with the correct answer.
We’ll release two questions related to our family history, folklore, gossip. You research, discover, and submit your answer – Laura Peterson will select a winner from the correct answers and that winner receives a free Drawing Ticket.
Email form on Cousins website. Winners and answers will be in next -Newsletter and then in the Reunion section of Cousins website.
Everyone attending the Reunion will receive a Drawing ticket. If you are unable to attend and would like a ticket, please contact Becky Salvador or Laura Peterson and we’ll place one for you in the drawing. You do not have to be attending to win the Grand Prize(s) – although some shipping charges may apply to ship.
Family Group descriptions
James
Sylvia & Alvin Cade’s family
Bob Huntzinger starts with, “This week we review Silver’s life and times. It begins with my Dad, Ivon Huntzinger, who use to tell us stories about his sisters and brothers, from their youth and his frequent visits. I’d listen attentively and then forget. Now I find myself preparing a summary of Sylvia’s life, and wishing I’d listened more closely. I’ve enjoyed reaching out to the Beverly Schiller and her daughter Cheri and others that know the family”. Here’s the capsule version.
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Sylvia Ione Huntzinger was born on the Echo Point Ranch 12 miles from Bowie, Arizona in the summer of 1915, the fifth of eight children. She was four when the family moved to live with their grandparents in Thatcher. In August 1925 the family moved to CA where Silver finished her elementary and secondary education.
In 1935 Sylvia met Alvin Westley Cade. The next year they were married in sunny Tustin, CA. The girls, Marjorie and Beverly were born in the next couple of years. One of Beverly’s favorite childhood memories is being awakened early by her mother with “Get up now girls and let’s go watch the world come alive.” Outside they would go to sit in the grass eating oranges and watching the sun come up. This was a frequent event.
For several years, they lived with Alvin’s parents, while he traveled up and down the California and Oregon coast operating heavy equipment. Silver enjoyed her life as a homemaker.
Occasionally the weather was right, and they lived for months at a time in Newberg, OR where Alvin would work hauling logs. That was before Newberg became part of the greater Portland metropolitan area. A few times Alvin took the girls to see the mountains, but that was dangerous country for little girls. Bunny Bonewitz recalls an adventure, “Uncle Alvin Cade was a pilot and flew Irene, Bunny and Don from LA to Santa Barbara to have a picnic with his family. Silvia and the two girls met the cousins and they had a party. Alvin flew the plane upside down at one point and Irene was ready to strangle him.”
The girls married: Marjorie to Fred Ward in 1956 and Beverly to Lewis Schiller. Marjorie has four children, now all married with six children among them. Beverly has two children. Not counting any children Alvin had from a prior marriage, Sylvia has two daughters, six grandchildren, and eight great grand children.
Marjorie is living in Houston, Delaware with her husband Joe Cotta. Beverly is with her daughter Cheri in Depoe Bay, Oregon.
When Alvin retired from his job as an equipment superintendent for Malcom & Co of LA, in 1988, he and Sylvia moved to the Rogue Valley, OR. In 2003 they moved to Delaware to be near Marjorie and her husband. Sylvia died only seven months after the move. Alvin passed in 2006, three years later. They are both buried in Medford, OR.
Beverly and Cheri will visit the reunion via telephone.
Hubert Huntzinger’s families
(This summary was written by Hubert’s son Alan. Alan & Carol, Alan’s sister Laurie, and Alan’s son Mike and two children will be at the reunion.)
Alan & Carol Huntzinger family (left to right): Todd Hansen, Anna Hansen, Mikey Huntzinger, Desi Huntzinger, Susan Huntzinger, Sue Hansen (daughter), Carol Huntzinger, Alan Huntzinger, Mike Huntzinger (son) Photo: 2012
Hubert Gilead was the first-born child of Martha Louise and Hubert (Bert). His birth in 1906 was registered in Globe, Arizona, rather than Thatcher, maybe he was born in the railroad photo parlor car before the move to the ranch.
Hubert went by Hugh. He left Arizona about 1924 to the big city Of Los Angeles for money to send back to the family. Shortly thereafter he met and fell in love with a lovely Jewish girl, Sophia Perkins. My dad and Sophie had three children before me. She was a very nice lady. Prior children were David, Hugo, and Sonya. David had three children one of whom has died. The two remaining children live somewhere near Las Vegas. Hugo’s adopted Korean children may live near Los Angeles. Sonya had seven children, some of them are around Fresno.
One of Hugh’s early jobs was in the speed control house of Pacific Electric Trolley system, “Big Red”, with hundreds of miles of tracks. One night he fell asleep at the control panel and woke up to a conductor ringing for more power to climb a hill. He thrust the control stick to full on and thought he could hear the wheels spinning on the rails. Pacific Electric was one of the Trolley systems “up graded” by General Motors, Standard Oil, and Firestone tire companies to diesel buses.
About 1940, Hugh and my mother, Maxine Kiefer Reeds, connected and I, Alan Dion, was born in Los Angeles. Sister Laurie Michelle was born in 1949. In the early 40’s we lived in a converted glass front store building on a busy street in Inglewood. I remember hiking through a huge giant bamboo forest. Later my father told me the bamboo was just regular golden bamboo and I was just small. We had some chickens that I was afraid of and a Cocker Spaniel. The dog caused a small infection on my temple that encased in a cyst on my temple that was removed years later, I still remember the terrible odor of ether to knock me out.
World War II caused Hugh to lose his job as a draftsman, so he joined the Army as a teacher (too old to fight, and four children to support). We lived in off base housing in Mississippi and Maryland. One was a big two-story Victorian, and the other was a fold out camping trailer. After the War, my father started to build us a house in Los Angeles. First temporary structure on the lot was a surplus Army hospital tent. After Laurie was born, Hugh was building hydroelectric dams on the Feather River, CA. Parents split at this time.
Hubert married at third time to Frankie Risley.
Carol Ann Mathey and I met in college and married in 1964. We have two children, Michael James and Sue Allyn. Mike has two children, Mikey Pierre and Desi Marie. Sue has a daughter Anna Marie Todd.
I’ve worked all my professional life as a Civil engineer, including two years in the American Samoa restoring the water system to keep the fish canneries open. For hobbies we ride BMW motorcycles, Carol builds beaded jewelry. I also do wood carving.
My sister is Laurie Planesi, in Rocklin. She has three children and four grandchildren. She spends her time as a hair dresser and watching over grandchildren.
Ralph & Cecile Huntzinger’s family
(By Terry (Huntzinger) Webb with her siblings)
LaVar, Terry, Tammy, Curtis, Linda. Bradley, Ralph, Brett, Cecile. (1965)
Ralph Timothy was child number six, just before Lucille. He was the last son born to Bert and Martha Louise Huntzinger and was born on the homestead at the foot of the Dos Cabezas mountains in 1917. There are stories of the older children putting him, two years old, on the back of the (half wild) pig and the pig killing rattlesnakes. We will have to ask Ivon Huntzinger’s children if they know the story. Ralph was just four when his father died.
After the family moved to the LA area, he had a paper route to contribute to family finances. When he first started, he didn’t think he would ever be able to remember the route/subscribers – large offices filled with desks, some getting the paper, some not. But, he said he caught on pretty fast and then it was easy. When older, he had a car he was very proud of, and liked to drive fast. He told many variations (her version is usually different) of meeting and courting Cecile (Cy) Jenkins. He stated frequently that marrying her was the best thing he ever did for his children. They were married in LA in December, 1940. They had seven children – Linda Gail, Ralph LaVar, Tamera Kay, Terry Jean, Curtis Ivan, Bradley J., and Brett Allen. Ralph died in 2013 at the age of 96. Cecile died in 2016, happy to go and be with Ralph.
He had learned welding and other skills, in school and through working in the CCC camps (Civilian Conservation Corps), and was working as a journeyman welder in the Long Beach ship yards when the war started. Linda was two years old when he enlisted in the Seabees/Navy. He was sent back East for underwater construction and welding training. Most of his time during the war was spent building in the Philippines. After the war, they moved to Farmington, New Mexico; In 1967 they moved to Hayward CA; and then, in their 80’s, made a move to Fallon, Nevada, to be nearer some children. Ralph was always a hard worker and did whatever jobs were necessary to provide for his family. He was a fun dad – lots of camping/fishing trips.
The children: Linda married Charles Petersen and they have eight children, and have lived in CO, AZ and UT. They are now divorced, and Linda lives in Springville UT. LaVar married Judy Hightower, they have six children and have lived in lots of places, East Coast to Hawaii. They might be getting ready to retire and settle down in Utah soon. Tammy married Ron Layton, they have five children. They are retired in AZ now, after quite some time in Kentucky and assorted western states. Terry married Dan Webb, they have six children and are now retired in Colorado Springs. His Air Force service and contractor work took him to various places, with multiple years in Germany. Curtis married Ruth Layton (yes, Tammy’s husband’s sister – we like that family!). They have two children. Curtis has had health problems and we are so happy he is still with us and thankful for modern medicine. Brad is married to Kendal Hall and they have three children and are still in the Bay Area. They win for the youngest of Ralph and Cecile’s grandchildren – their youngest is 2. Brett married Rowena Santos and they live in Fallon, NV. Rowena is from the Philippines and she and Brett have made several great trips back to visit her family there.
The majority of the grandchildren, live in Utah and we hope that many will be able to attend the reunion. Terry and a couple of her children—Emily Allen and Kim Webb will attend; Linda, hopefully with some of her children; and Judy and LaVar, with Charlotte and Tyler Huntzinger (their son). Perhaps others, we just don’t have the info yet.
Edgar Bruce Huntzinger
This is the only photo that has survived with Eddie in it. He was born (1908) with Hydrocephalus and his parents decided to get away from the hustle and bustle of community life in order for Eddie to be more comfortable. The family moved to the ranch when Eddie was probably a year old (before Ivon was born in 1910). Depending on who the youngest child on the burro happens to be (Irene age 3?) this photo was taken somewhere between 1915? – 1917 ?. Eddie died in 1919.
This photo taken in the 1970’s is labeled “Eddie’s Grave”. One of the trips taken by Ivon Huntzinger to the homestead. They were told to bury him in an obscure place on the property so no one would know where it was. They were afraid someone would come and steal the body to use in scientific research since not much was known about Hydrocephalus at that time. The neighbor’s son helped Bert dig a grave on the side of the knoll on the homestead.
“In his hand I placed the only flowers we had, three little weed blossoms, two small wild asters (blue) and a two-inch spike of “slippery-elm” (scarlet). He died the early A.M. of 19th November 1919 – buried 21st November 1919. Even though our voices broke, Hubert, Bert and I sang Hymns, we prayed and sang again. Bert and I carried the coffin to the buckboard, the horses standing hitched. We covered it with a quilt and drove to the graveside. There in the rain, we together laid our son away. Absolutely no one came to be with us.” — Journal entry of Martha Louise Sessions Huntzinger
Lucille & Marcel Young’s family
(by Stephanie Young)
Lucille was the seventh child out of eight and born on the Echo Point homestead. Lucille’s earliest memory is of her father, and it is her only memory of her father. She was walking along a patio deck without a railing. She explained that in her mind the deck was high up which she could easily fall off. She remembered his legs walking along with her, preventing her from falling off the deck. She also remembered her mom thinking this was dangerous and he laughing nonchalantly about the activity the two of them were doing.
Lucille met Marcel Young and they were engaged in 1940. She designed and made her wedding dress. They lived in California for a few years and then moved to Utah. They had eight children. Franklin Marcel, John Raymond, George Edgar, Sarah Dee Ann, Ivon Ralph, Lucia Marie, Eloise Kaye, and Charlie Irvin. Lucille and Marcel were divorced in 1989. Lucille passed away in Utah in 2013; Marcel died in 2009.
When Lucille’s son, Ivon, was 17 or 18 he called Lucille “mom” instead of “mother” and she became angry and felt disrespected. After the word lashing he received, he hugged her and said, “I love you, mom.” After that, all the kids were able to call her mom if they wanted to.
Lucille was artistically talented – she painted, sewed, designed clothing, crocheted, knitted and loved to garden. She loved roses and irises. She always wanted to read and learn new things. She would often serve quietly without fanfare or recognition – serving when and where she was needed whenever she was asked. Lucille was also a bit of a conspiracy theorist.
According to Ivon Young Sr., a little about the siblings: “Frank can do ANYTHING and everything. He is a perfectionist and an engineer. When he does something, he does it extremely well. From woodwork to delicate ornaments, and he has even designed an elevator in a home! He married Betty and they have two living children. John is a hunter and a fisherman, and ties flies. He loves fishing so much he travels to Alaska and travels to Nevada to catch and release all day long. He married Ann and they have two living children. George was a geologist. He was a little famous. When he did his master’s degree, he studied the mountains around the Spanish Fork canyon and predicted that the hills were unstable. 20 years later they gave way! He married Rebecca and they have four children. (He passed away in 2014.) Sarah has lived most of her married life in Arizona. She married Wilson and they have 12 children. I have been impressed with every child I have met – they are happy and have strong family ties. Me, Ivon is next in line, and I retired in Oregon after 25 years in the Navy. I don’t like to toot my own horn, but the best grandfather award goes to me. I’m fat, dumb and very happily retired. I have six Saturdays and a Sunday for every week. I married Nancy and we have six children. Lucia has lived in the Layton area most of her married life. She was the primary caregiver of our mother in her later years and did a great job. She married Jerrie and they have nine living children. Eloise is our philosopher, historian, and our go-to person about anything that has to do with family. She has lived in CA, AZ, NM, OK and settled in Utah. She was a conspirest with mom. Charlie was born prematurely in the day that the incubators didn’t do a good job. The incubator damaged eyesight and damage hearing. He lived a hard life and stayed in the Orem/Pleasant Grove area until he passed away in 2013.”
You’ll see Lucille’s sons and daughter in laws, Frank and Betty, John and Ann, maybe Lucia and Eloise; her granddaughter Stephanie Young; granddaughter and family, Laura and Larry Peterson & sons; maybe some other of her grandchildren; and great-grandson and his wife, Laird and Raya Peterson at the reunion. Others are still checking their schedules.
Ivon & Evelyn Huntzinger family
“Ronnie!, Richie!, Robbie!, Ralphie!, and (pause for breath) Martha! (emphasis) Louise!!!!” When Evelyn Schutz Huntzinger yelled that string of names we knew someone was in trouble. Five kids, two older boys, two younger boys, and Marty in the middle. We also knew someone was special; Mom clarified they were, “The one who needs me the most.” Our family often included our only maternal cousin, Connie Daniels, in the core group.
Dad always felt keeping family connected was essential and his genes were passed on to we three “wise old opinionated men” who are kibitzing from the balcony with barbed tongues.
Ron & Carol had four boys and four girls — 28 grandchildren: Craig & Cami plus kids and Becky & Mike with kids will surjourn from Logan, other Logan family still undecided; Kim is in the South but has a habit of unexpectedly popping in; Danna & JD with three kids in Germany will electronically visit; even when married the twins always do their own thing; and Brent & Lesli will bring kids from Colorado. Richard died 2011, however Jolene plans to attend; Jason is coming from Helper, Jared is undecided in TX with Debbie and their two daughters. Marty will attend but Randal is sweltering in some Iowa cornfield [he decided to attend] and his two daughters probably won’t make it from Virginia. Bob and ej will scoot in from CA, Maryanne & Bruce with daughters swooping in from TX, Lizzy herding some kids from CA, and Paul & Alissia with their two daughter and son will pop up from Provo. Great Uncle Ralph is booked for an appearance although Brenda may not be released from the University. Connie is in Florida while her son and family are in Georgia. A famly friend or two will drop by.
Esther & Ted Nowland’s family
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Esther Marie Huntzinger was born just about 6 months before her father, Hubert, passed away from liver cancer. He never met her as he was in CA seeking treatment and she was born in Arizona. When she was five years old the family moved to CA. When Esther was a young teen her brother Ralph was dating a girl that was also named Esther. There were many times that Ralph was talking about his girlfriend and said, “Esther did…” Esther Marie would respond with, “I did not!” Ralph got tired of the confusion and said to Esther Marie, “We are going to call YOU Suzie! She was known to most as Suzie for over 50 years until her husband passed away and she went back to Esther.
In the early part of the 1940’s her brother Ralph was working on a ranch/farm in Alturas, CA and he showed Esther a photo of someone he was working with that he thought she should marry. She did end up courting him and she married Edwin Dal Nowland, known as Ted, in 1941 in the St. George, UT temple. They camped out on their honeymoon at Duck Creek near Panguitch, UT Her mother, Martha Louise, was on their honeymoon with them as that was how she was able to go to the wedding with her daughter. Martha Louise made the dress for the wedding and Kathy also wore that dress for her wedding.
After getting married they lived in Inglewood, CA while Ted worked at Lockheed Aircraft. In 1943 Ted and a very pregnant Suzie moved to Blythe, CA to work for Ted’s father farming. Their twins were born in July of 1943. They were born 7 weeks early and the hospital was closed soon after their birth because it was too hot! They brought the twins home to a tent that was on a raised platform to keep the rattle snakes out! No running water, no electricity, no phone and 125 degrees.
In 1946 they purchased their farm in Blythe where they lived the rest of their life. That was a very bad year for the family as another baby was born but had the cord wrapped around her neck and Gloria died during birth. Soon after Ted was in a horrible crash when a truck ran into him while he was driving a small tractor down the highway.
Bill was born in 1950 and four other boys, George, Melvin, David and James, followed about every two years.
When the twins went away to college Ted started working for the irrigation district and leased the farm. Suzie had been taking classes at the junior college in Blythe and when the family went to Utah at Christmas in 1961 Suzie decided to stay with the children and attend classes at BYU so she could get her teaching credential. She graduated Cum Laude from BYU and went back to Blythe where she taught elementary school until her retirement.
Kitty married Richard Young and had 7 children they were later divorced. She now lives with her son Steven in Sedona, AZ. She has 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Kathy married Rulon Hatch and they have 4 children. Their oldest daughter, Marie, lives in Saratoga Springs, UT and will be attending the reunion. Kathy and Rulon have 16 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Kathy and Rulon live in Bloomfield, NM. Bill never married and still lives on the family farm. George married Debbie and they have 5 children living in five states and 23 grandchildren. Two of their children will be attending. George and Debbie live in Rocklin, CA. Melvin never married and lives on the family farm with Bill. David never married and passed away from complications of diabetes in 1999. Carin married James and they live in Camarillo, California.
Irene Barton’s family
[Editor’s note: This summary is gathered from Bob & Ralph’s memories and conversations with Bunny and Donald. My favorite aunts were Lucille in childhood and Irene was an adult]
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Irene Elizabeth was the first of four of the children born at the Echo Point Ranch with a mid-wife in attendance (Dec 7, 1912), contrary to the story she told her daughter that she had been found in a snowbank. Irene recalled her father called her “his little girl” and cried when the kids moved away to Thatcher AZ.
First girl, her mother kept her home from school to help with the younger children. When the school district insisted there be twelve children for the one room school to legally qualify as a certified school, it was agreed Irene would attend once a week to satisfy the requirement. On the days Irene attended, the children would take a buggy pulled by the burro. Otherwise, the three boys would just ride the burro. That arrangement lasted two or three years, until they left the ranch. She attended school on a regular basis for a few years in Thatcher, so she was up to grade level when the family moved to LA.
Irene married Everett Darrel “Bud” Bonewitz (1932) when she was nineteen and had two children, Bernice (Bunny) born early in the marriage (1933) and Donald in 1937. One of the ventures Bud and Irene had was “the longest sidewalk fireworks stands in the world”, stretching three blocks along Atlantic Blvd, Los Angeles. Though the parents divorced in 1943, Bud continued in the kid’s lives and they knew him well, Bud died in 1977. Irene raised the kids as a single mother until 1946 when she married Arlo Barton and moved her family to the ranch in El Dorado County, CA. Arlo died in 1978.
Donald recalls being told “Irene liked to sketch when in High School. So, the interest in art was there. Her first job was for a hat company. She would sketch the hats during her breaks. The management liked her work and developed their first catalog using her art work. One of her next jobs was working for the premier children’s photographer in the LA area. She would color tint the B&W photos. She enjoyed tinting and would bring the work home in the evening. After that, she began her oil painting.” She and grandmother Luez were the most prolific (non-commercial) artists in the family. “She painted 50 or 60 pieces and I’ve many sketches and unfinished works- in- progress. We always had art on the wall and now if I have a blank wall, I paint something to fill it.”
Arlo enjoyed fishing. He would find the day’s fishing spot and Irene would go along and paint or sketch. At home again, she would finish the work; “Robinson Lake” on the Cousin’s website is an example of this. She had a keen memory sense for color.
As grandparents, Irene & Arlo occasionally helped raise Taia (“Scooter”), she has memories of cold mornings on bearskin rug as wood-stove warmed room and Arlo sipped coffee after chores. They provided a home for Grandmother Luez for years – Bob & I fondly remember the small house at the ranch where Linda & Marty studied art with grandma for a summer. We stayed at the ranch for a week and I discovered the stored weekly science kits that Bunny & Donald had as children, took them home as a gift and reveled for several years. When Irene moved to Placerville a small bungalow was occupied by Luez; Lucille’s family folded Luez into their family in the last years of her life.
I had great fun visiting Irene as a wandering “one of the blackest sheep” adult – she was a kindred spirit; and became ten years younger after her heart surgery. She became a fixture in the artist scene in Placerville involved with Taia’s ballet and theatrical activities, a foundation of the historical and art societies and museums. She died in 1999. Bunny has a daughter, Taia who is an expert knitter and (with Paul Fussel) active line dancers. Bunny lives in Sacramento CA. Taia has two boys, Gavin and Declan from her marriage with Jerry Reiser. Taia and Paul live in Portland OR, Gavin is in Silicon Valley area and Declan is going to school in Portland.
Donald married Terry Santos in 1962 (divorced 1977) and has a daughter Dawn Marie who was born in the Sacramento with Irene in attendance. One of Marie’s older step-brothers lives in Northern TX and the other died in 1989. Don married Cristi McCormick in 1977 and they live in Fairfield CA.
Bunny lives in Sacramento, CA and her eye sight is slowly retreating with macular degeneration. She lives in a senior high-rise and is surrounded by friends and activities. She plans to visit with us by video at the Reunion. At 86, Bunny is the oldest of her generation. Both Don and Cristi have health issues which they have learned to-live-with or are learning-to-live-with. Will not be at the reunion. Living in Fairfield, CA. Don will be 82 on June 2, making him the second oldest of his generation of Huntzinger descendants.
Other Huntzingers
Huntzinger painstakingly researched and drafted this summary.]
Caroline (Sessions) Allen wrote about the Sessions in a recent reunion newsletter. Consequently, we saw how little we knew about the Sessions children, except perhaps Martha Louise (Sessions) Huntzinger. Life has gotten in the way and we don’t know our many cousins on that side of the family. Well, the same thing has happened on the Huntzinger side of the equation. George W and Ida (Thatcher) Huntzinger had eight children. For all we know, their offspring may be our neighbors. We don’t know how they’ve done in last 100 years, how many of them there are, where they, what they’re doing.
Most of us are descendants of just the oldest one of those eight children, Bert. Like Bert, three of his siblings had sizable posterity, Rose, Harry and Bob. The other four, Pink, Lotte, Don and Daisy all married, but their descendants were few.
Starting in 1875, seven of the eight Huntzinger children were Kansas born; Bob, the youngest, was born in Missouri. Eighteen years later, 1893, the family lived in Pueblo, Colorado and in 1901 the family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
I’m not sure to call them the “lost, misplaced, or forgotten Huntzingers”; however, they get their short summaries here, in order of birth. Excuse only showing two photos, we hope more photos will be found and shared.
Hubert George (Bert) Huntzinger – We all know him as Bert. Stories about his children have filled recent reunion newsletters.
Ida Marian (Pink) Huntzinger was George and Ida’s second born, 1876. She married Clifford C Perrine and they had only one son, Charles. When Rose, Pink’s younger sister, visited the family with her two oldest children, Bob and Tommy, “they tangled with Pink’s children, bloodied their noses, and pushed them down a long flight of steps. That must have been a visit to end all visits!”
The son Charles and his wife Lois Godard had two children. Linda and Lauranell. Both Charles and Lois were killed in an automobile accident near Otello, Washington in 1960. We know Linda subsequently married three times. But we’ve lost track of Lauranell or any grandchildren on this branch of our tree.
Charlotte (Lotte, pronounced Lottie) Huntzinger was born in 1878. She married DeWitt Coombs Bushby in 1899 at the age of 21. Sometime after a divorce, she married Jesse V Robinson and with him lived in Prescott, AZ until her death in 1951. “Uncle Jess, said one of Lotte’s cousins, “was a mule skinner from Silverton, Colorado.”
We have limited information about Lotte’s family. Her son, Don Maitland Bushby married Hattie Lee Blair and their son Dean doesn’t appear to have any children. Don Maitland Bushby, after a five-year stint in the military during WWI was discharged with the rank of Lieutenant, became an educator in Arizona, deemed the “Arizona Desert Poet,” and publishing numerous books of verse. His international acclaim included honorary recognition in Mexico, the United Kingdom and France.
Playford Peter (Don) Huntzinger was born 21 January 1880. His father whipped him so hard he ran away from home when he was thirteen. He married Cora Ethal Lucas in 1906. Don was a writer, contributing to many historical publication concerning US states, statesmen and businessmen. Later in life he joined with Ada Thatcher Huntzinger (young brother Bob’s wife) in ranching and real estate. At the age of 102 he died in San Bernardino, California.
“[At a 1935 Albuquerque Christmas, Don had sent walnuts as a present.] I couldn’t understand the joke when everyone at the dinner table laughed when someone mentioned the gift. They took it as ‘Nuts!’ from Uncle Don.”
Don had only one daughter, Marion Lois. She and her first husband, John King Sutherland, had two children, a son and a daughter (who lived only one day). That grandson, Alan Richard “Rick” Sutherland, lived with his grandfather, Don, during his teenage years and they became great friends. From his grandmother, Cora, he was drawn to the keyboard as he watched her play the piano.
Rick became an accomplished rock, blues and R&B musician, performing professionally as “Rick Allen” across the US and in concert venues including New York’s Madison Square Gardens. Eloise Young, Lucille’s daughter, keeps in touch with Rick.
Daisy Juanita Huntzinger was the fifth child. She married Ward Mills in 1909. Daisy was teaching at Pajarito, a small community about twelve miles south of Albuquerque and lived at the Hubbell home on the Hubbell Ranch, one of the biggest sheep ranches in New Mexico. Ward Mills was principal.
They moved to Los Angeles, and both taught in the city school system. They had two children: Helen, who died before 1974, and Douglas, who lived in Beverly Hills in 1974 and worked for a nursery. Daisy divorced Ward and taught until retirement.
We don’t know of any children for Helen, but Douglas was married twice and had one child that lived beyond the age of 6. Once again, we don’t know about grandchildren.
Rose Elizabeth Huntzinger, the sixth child and fourth daughter, was born in 1885. She was sixteen when her mother moved the family to New Mexico. In 1906 she met and married Thomas Hughes Jr, son of a prominent Albuquerque banker. Their home became a meeting place for the extended family gatherings.
Rose and Thomas had five children, which expanded to 13 grandchildren as they married, and these 13 had 29 children of their own. By 1989 these 29 grandchildren provided Rose and Thomas with five 2g-grandchildren.
By now, the Hughes branches of the tree are numerous. Extrapolating the numbers (mixed with questionable assumptions), Rose’s descendants accumulate 200 additions to the tree. Add another 200 for the spouses. None of these people will be at the reunion; our loss.
Harry Homo Huntzinger has descendants who will be at the Reunion. He and his wife Florence J Reese married in 1909 and had four children: George Sr, Patricia, William, and Michael. George’s daughter, that’s Don’s granddaughter, Patricia Cheron (Huntzinger) Gannon was the first person to respond they would be at the August gathering. Both she and her daughter Jennifer (Gannon) Longmore have been regular contributors on the Huntzinger FaceBook group. Jennifer’s cousin, Dustin Huntzinger, will also be with us. Dustin’s father, George Jr, is Patricia’s brother. Pat and Dustin will have lots to tell us about their families.
Robert Leo (Bob) Huntzinger has one g grand-daughter, Jennifer Lake-Wright, participating in the Huntzinger Facebook page. How do we get from Bob to Jennifer?
Bob moved to Albuquerque in 1901 and was living with his married sister Ida (Huntzinger) Perrine in Pueblo, Co, in 1910. He married Luna Ada Thatcher in 1914. She went by her middle name, Ada. As she was heiress to a considerable inheritance, she and Bob had quite “refined tastes.” In 1920 they lived in Greenwich Conn with a nurse, cook and chauffeur. Divorcing in the ’30s, Ada and their three daughters moved to the Pasadena, CA, and Bob settled in Cincinnati, OH, where he was a prominent publisher of religious and educational music. Ada continued in many California business ventures, endowed the building of the Thatcher Medical Center in Pasadena and was a patron of the arts until her death in 1968.
Bob and his sister Rose were very close, and they visited often. He lived well and had exquisite taste. Upon his death, Rose received among other objects, a magnificent tapestry and a marble topped setting room table. Like his brother Bert, Bob was diagnosed with cancer and following surgery in El Paso lived on champagne – all he could keep on his stomach. He died in Cincinnati soon after in 1955.
At his death, Bob had 13 grandchildren. His daughters are Dorothy Jane (Huntzinger) Patrick, Ruth Marian (Huntzinger) Szalay and Elizabeth Ann (Huntzinger) Ensign. Jennifer Lake-Wright, introduced early in Bob’s narrative, is Elizabeth’s granddaughter.
Sessions’ History
[Editor’s note: This review is written by Carolyn Sessions Allen (Edgar> Ben> Dwight> daughter). Several Session families were early settlers in Heber and Bountiful UT. ]
Carolyn’s family in the picture are L-R—Wayne Russell Allen, Paul Bentley Allen, Scott Daniel Allen, Jack (recovering from shoulder replacement), me, Michelle Diane Merrill, Jennifer Joy Adams.]
The Sessions “half” of the Huntzinger/Sessions Family has dwindled measurably over the many years since Edgar Sessions and Sylvia Louise Bentley Lucas Sessions were married in 1883, 136 years ago, in Los Angeles, California. Sylvia Louise was a 29-year-old widow with two children, four-year-old Blanche and one-year-old Ralph (she had already buried her first husband, Edward Lucas, and two daughters, Eloise and Dora) when she met 40-year-old Edgar Sessions.
A year later, Sylvia Louise and Edgar had their first child, Taylor Bentley Sessions, born in Santa Monica, California. Shortly after his birth, five-year-old Blanche died. Next born to Edgar and Sylvia Louise was a daughter, Martha Louise, in 1887. Another daughter, Cecilia Olive, was born three years later and three years after that, a son, Alma Preston was born.
Their growing up years in Santa Monica were filled with many adventures in the sun and surf and roaming the hills of Santa Monica. However, after some financial reverses, they decided to join Edgar’s family in Arizona, which was still a territory at the time.
After moving to Arizona in 1895, Cecilia died at age five. Edgar and Sylvia Louise raised their remaining four children to adulthood. Ralph Lucas married and had no children. However, it is from his meticulous journals that we have much of the history of the rest of the family, so he left a great legacy for us as well.
The oldest son of Edgar and Sylvia Louise, Taylor Bentley, known as Ben, married Edna Messinger and had four sons. The oldest, Dwight Bentley Sessions, was my father. He had two daughters, one who died childless and me with five children and a posterity of 18 grands and 16 greats to date. I wasn’t given a middle name so I would always use my maiden name which I have done in my professional writing and photography. Our middle son was given the middle name of Bentley (Paul Bentley Allen) and he passed it along to his oldest son as a middle name, Jacob Bentley Allen.
Taylor Bentley Sessions and Edna Messinger Sessions second son, Taylor Kenneth Sessions, had two sons and one daughter. It is his daughter, Pearl Louise Sessions Porter who painstakingly compiled the four volumes that are the “Green Books” of The Sessions History. I am hopeful that one of her sons, Todd Hurst, may attend the Reunion in Heber. [Editor: a Xerox copy of the “Green Books” will be in the auction.]
Ben and Edna’s third son, Henry, had no children, and their fourth son, James Clyde, had one daughter who was born after Clyde was killed in the crash of his Army training bomber in Idyllwild, California in 1940.
Ben and Edna married in Thatcher, Arizona Territory in 1905 and moved to Bisbee where Ben went to work in the mines. Ben, who was a very handy carpenter, built their first house in what was called “Moon Canyon.” Dwight Bentley, my father, was born in the Copper Queen Hospital in Lowell, Arizona, in 1906. Edna, worried about the dangers of working in the mines, convinced Ben they should move back to the Gila Valley and try farming. Their second son, Taylor Kenneth, was born there at a place known as “Lizard Bump” in 1909 although his official birthplace is listed as Bryce, Arizona.
Farming didn’t work out and to support their growing family, they moved back to Bisbee where Ben returned to the mines. Two more sons were born, Henry Messinger Sessions and James Clyde Sessions. Ben built a second house in Warren where the boys were raised. (Both houses are still standing, and we visited them this past October along with Todd Hurst and his wife, Toni.)
Ben was blessed musically and sang in a barbershop quartet that entertained often in the community. There are several newspaper clippings from Bisbee where he and his quartet are mentioned. He and Edna often sang at funerals as well. Apparently, his younger brother, Alma Preston, was also a talented singer and Martha Louise wrote that some of her fondest memories were of listening to their mother, Sylvia Louise, sing and play the piano. My father, Dwight, loved to sing also, and some of my favorite memories are of riding in the car with my parents and listening to them singing together.
Unfortunately, Ben’s life ended suddenly on October 13, 1921 when he was killed instantly by a falling timber in the mine. (In the “Green Books,” the date is noted in several places as “Black Friday, the 13th,” but in looking up the date, I found that the 13th was a Thursday.) My father was 15 years old; Clyde was only three.
My father quit school and was given a job running the elevator in the mines. As soon as he could, his brother, Kenneth, followed him into the mines and they supported their mother and younger brothers.
Determined to not spend his life as a miner, my father started studying for an exam to become a Railroad Postal Deliveryman as well as to get his high school diploma. By this time, he had met my mother, Audrey Elizabeth Wolcott who also grew up in Bisbee, and they were planning to be married.
Shortly after their marriage in 1928, they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where my sister, Betty LaVon Sessions was born in 1930. My father worked on the Albuquerque to Los Angeles “Mail Run.” In 1939, he got a transfer to Salt Lake City where I was born and worked on the Ogden to Butte, Montana Mail Run. In the meantime, my father’s brother, Kenneth, known as “TK” had followed him into the Railway Mail Service and was working on the Los Angeles to Albuquerque Run, living in Southern California. When living in Salt Lake City with the high elevation became a health issue for my father, my uncle Kenneth traded “Runs” with him and in 1944, we moved to California. My father died in 1948 when I was nine years old and my sister was 18.
One of my father’s passions was genealogy and he left me with a desire to know my Sessions progenitors. He also inspired his niece, Louise Sessions Porter, when she was quite young, and she devoted much of her life to this passion.
Subsequently, Martha Louise Sessions married Hubert G. Huntzinger and had eight children, from whom most of the people who will be at the reunion are descended.
The youngest son of Edgar and Sylvia Louise, Alma Preston and his wife, Rosalind, had two sons and two daughters. Since my parents’ deaths and the death of Louise Sessions Porter, I’ve lost touch with most of this branch of the family.
Just recently, I’ve found Sandra Lea Sessions Koernke who is the daughter of James Clyde Sessions. She is the only living cousin of my generation. In talking to her on the phone, she seemed interested to renew a relationship.
I’ve also been working to reestablish a relationship with Dee Dee (Denise Marie) and Robert Roy Sessions who are the surviving son and daughter of Robert Warren Sessions and Joan Marie Shirley. An older brother, Mark Warren Sessions, died in 1987. Dee Dee has a grown son and I believe Robert has several grown children. Their mother, Joan, died recently.
I maintain some contact with my first cousin, Louise Sessions Porter’s seven children through her son, Todd. My other cousin, Taylor Kenneth Sessions, Jr., I sporadically connect with his four children and 15 grandchildren. My husband of 59 years, our five children, 18 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren keep me occupied!
Activities & Schedule
What would you like to do at reunion? – give us an idea of your expectations, desires, and activities plus what you’d like to add. This is your reunion.
We’ll have a bullwhip “contest” among other competitions, swimming trip, fishing, ice-cream parlor visit, historical graveyard visit, photo family tree, who-lives-where map, genealogy sharing, leisure time for just talking, sharing contact information, catch up on happenings and gossip. Perhaps 5K run, yoga, Park City visit, completing website “family group”, copying & downloading documents & photos, et cetera.
Drawing/Auction(s)
Original Martha Louise painting, relic from the Homestead, Linda Huntzinger art, David Huntzinger art, Xerox copy of the 4 volume “Sessions Family History”, and more. Donations desired.
Archive of Family Reunion Newsletters
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March 2, 2019 Bi-Monthly
March 9, 2019 Weekly
[soon]
Future newsletters
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