My Tree

Deeply Rooted

Thomas, Helen J.

Source 134 – Personal Letter by Martin Hoorn

by

Author: Martin Hoorn
Title: Letter to Helen J. (Thomas) Hoorn
Date: unknown
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note:

Mom, So Sorry I made you blue!! You took them as orders and I did mean them that way.

Reasons – I wanted to find out if you would quit if I told you too.
Reason for Cancellation – I promised you that you could work until May 30 no later.. and I try not to go back on my word. If you make up your mind to quit before it is entirely up to you for if you did it would be nice to have you home. I remain yours. N.Y. correspondent, pop

Source 003 – Personal Letter Regarding Branch/Lawton Genealogy by Dorothy Lawton

by

Author: Dorothy Lawton
Title: Letter to Helen J. (Thomas) Hoorn regarding Branch/Lawton Genealogy
Date: 09 June 1982
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note: Sent from Mayer, AZ, to Grand Rapids, MI

09 June 1982
Grand Rapids, MI

Dear Helen:
This is the darnedest letter. First I’m not seeing so good. Second its a darnedest mix up trying to write about the family. and then I’m such a poor writer. But Frank says if you really study the papers in the last box, you’ll probably be able to figure it out for yourself. And then you can write and ask anything you don’t understand. So here goes:

Valeria L Nelson’s sister Helen E. Nelson – who married Elam Branch, Frank’s grandfather. There was three children: EE Branch (Uncle Elam), Jesse Branch (died in early life, was married and had two children. He died up in the thumb area of typhoid pneumonia and we lost track of his children. And Amanda Branch – Frank’s mother. After Elam died Helen E Branch later married Lyman Cooper (your [Helen’s] grandfather). But Helen was both yours and Franks grandmother.

After Helen and Lyman Cooper were married they had one daughter, Iva May Cooper – your mother.

Valeria L Nelson, sister of Helen E Nelson maried Elam Branch. They had 3 children: EE Branch, Jesse Branch, and Amanda Branch. After Elam Branch died Helen E Branch later maried Lyman Cooper. Had one dawter: Iva May Cooper. You asked if Aunt Valeria had been maried. She maried William Nelson. I do not know if he was a cousin or not. Grandmother Branch-Cooper buried in Hillside Cemetery, Lawrence, MI

Helen Branch-Cooper, Valeria Nelson, and Frank H Lawton and Amanda B. Lawton are all buried on the same large lot. If you were to go to the Lawrence Cemetery and look up the large lot and maybe look up the manager and he’ll tell you about who buried there.

Does Martin belong to the Mason’s? You remember Uncle Elam was a 32 (?) mason and we have a couple of rituals
My goodness I was going to copy this out a little better, but didn’t get it done.

My sister Vera and her husband (Clark William Hill) are having their 50th anniversary at their sons in Owosso next month. Hope you have a nice time sorting this out.
Love,
Lawtons (Frank and Dorothy), Mayer AZ

Source 086 – Personal Letter by Dorothy Lawton

by

Author: Dorothy Lawton of Mayer, AZ
Title: Letter to Helen Hoorn
Date: 6 May 1982
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note: this letter was included in the box of ancestor photo albums

Dear Folks: Sorry I haven’t written sooner, but seems that time gets away. I’m going to start answering some of your questions right off. Great Aunt Valeria was a sister to your grandmother Cooper. As for the pictures, the small album has most of the pictures named.

About the Indians. Aunt Valeria wrote about them in of all places the cookbook which we are sending to you. We’re getting to the age that we’d better get things done. However, we’re both quite well. We both have to be very careful of our eats. We have birthdays this month. Frank’s 77, my 76. But we’re hoping for many more. Frank is having a terrible time boxing your albums. Couldn’t get the right boxes so far he hasn’t said any bad words. I have a church cook book that I should send to Dorothy. It’s from people all about the territory. That is if she still is working out of Boyne City. I’m wondering if they still have the ferry across the lake to Irontan or if its been bridged. We still have some very good friends around the territory. Frank has your package about ready, so will close for now. Why don’t you come out this way sometime. But we do have hot weather so because of Mr. it should be early spring or late fall. We do have hot weather (110) but we have refrigeration both in house and car. Love, Dot.

Source 082 – Personal Letter by Helen J. Hoorn

by

Author: Helen J. (Thomas) Hoorn
Title: Letter to Frank and Dorothy [Lawton]
Date: 15 May 1959
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note:

May 15, 1959
Dear Frank & Dorothy
Finally, I’m getting around to send these pictures. Such a busy time. I find you are busier when they start to grow up than when they are little. There is always one going some where.
Janice will graduate June 11. She has had a wonderful senior year. She is very popular so that means she goes to everything. She went to two proms. We have some nice slides of her so when you come to Grand Rapids we will show them to you.
I would love to talk my husband into coming out to see you but he isn’t a traveler. Maybe some day. He has a slide camera and loves to take pictures.
Jim graduates from 8th grade. He will soon be bigger than his Dad. Right now he has a broken finger from playing baseball.
How is work out there? It seems to be booming here right now. Mart, of course, always works. He is going to take some extra time off this summer for a rest. He has his sixth house almost done. Write
Love, Helen

Source 127 – Personal Letter by Amanda Lawton

by

Author: Amanda (Branch) Lawton
Title: Letter to Helen (Thomas) Hoorn
Date: 10 April 1952
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note:

Dear Niece and all your fine family.

Just a few lines to let you know I remember you and hope you are all well and will have a very happy Easter.

Dorothy L. told me you are looking for another addition to your family [Dianna was born 19 April 1952]. If its twins again hope it will be girls to even the family up. There was a pair of twins in our line I forgot about. My great grandma Nelson [Dorothy Comstock] had 13 children among them a pair of twin boys that died in infancy [John and Alexander]. Great grandmothers name was Dorothy. Great grandfather [Moses Nelson] had a short revolutionary war record so if you want to join the D.A.R., I have the record.

It is getting dusk and I can’t see to follow the lines very well so I will close with love and best wishes for all. Aunt Amanda [Ellsworth, Mich]