Family Recipe Friday: Mom's October Christmas Tradition

THE FRUIT CAKE LOVED BY ALL

This recipe was originally printed in the Tampa Tribune the year I was born (1952) and was so loved by the readers that the Tribune has continued to reprint it every year since then.  The recipe was a contest entry submitted to the Tribune by Mrs. Lucille Harvey who won $5 when it came in second place. It is the fruit cake my mother would make as gifts for friends and family every year as far back as memory serves. I have never known anyone who didn't love this fruit cake! 

There are several things about the ingredients in this recipe that are different from ordinary fruit cakes. The amount of extract used is one of those differences. No, that is not a typo! You use a whole bottle of each extract! Some of the other differences are: only two fruits are used, there are NO spices (what?), and finally, it calls for quite a bit of butter! No, not your ordinary fruit cake!

1983 Tribune clipping, missing part

The Tribune would post the recipe right after Thanksgiving every year but Mom started her fruit cakes at the end of October so they would have time to "age" before Christmas. I remember helping her when I was young. It would take all day and into the evening to make all those cakes! 

Not included in the original recipe but what I feel is the most important finishing touch, is the final addition of liquor, which I believe is traditional in many family recipes. Mom always poured a couple of ounces of good brandy over each cake after it cooled. She would then wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap with a second wrapping of foil and she would store them in the freezer until a couple of weeks before Christmas when she would move them to the refrigerator to slowly thaw and age. The addition of the brandy always made for an extra moist and flavorful cake. Even those who don't normally like fruit cake, love this recipe! Definitely not for the teetotaler!

Mrs. Harvey's White Fruit Cake

4 cups chopped pecans

1 pound candied cherries

1 pound candied pineapple

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 pound butter

1 cup sugar

Mixed "glace" cherries & pineapple

5 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 and 1/2 ounces vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 ounces lemon extract

[Note: if all you can find are 2 oz bottles of extract...just go for it and use 2 oz. I've heard testimony it's even better that way!]

Chop nuts and fruits into medium sized pieces,

dredge with 1/4 cup of the flour. (Do not use

food processor, it will make fruit gummy.)

Cream butter and sugar together till light and

fluffy. Beat in eggs

Sift together remaining flour and baking powder;

fold into egg and butter mixture.

Add vanilla and lemon extracts; mix well; add

fruits and nuts, blending well.

Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Line with parchment paper,

waxed paper or foil; grease again. Pour batter into

prepared pan. Place in cold oven and bake at 250

degrees for 3 hours.

Or, line 2 9x5x3 inch foil loaf pans, greasing both

pans and liners well. Place in cold oven and bake at

250 degrees for 2 hours. Cool in pan on cake rack.

Makes 5 pounds of fruit cake. 

That's the recipe and original instructions. Mom always made smaller cakes for gifts so here are additional instructions for baking smaller sizes:

In 4 1/2-by-2 1/2-by-1 1/2-inch (baby) loaf pans, bake cake about 1 hour. For 1-pound cakes in 2-pound coffee cans, bake about 2 hours. In 5-ounce custard cups, bake about 1 hour. And in ungreased foil bonbon cups, bake about 30 minutes. 

My mother stopped making the fruit cakes when she sold her home and moved in with my oldest brother. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and cooking became too difficult a task. Now that Mom is gone, I have made a commitment to myself to keep this tradition alive in her honor. She would have liked that!

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Tombstone Tuesday: James Monroe Martin

JAMES MONROE MARTIN  

July 6, 1809 - February 22, 1897

 Woodstock Cemetery, Pulaski Co., Kentucky

James Monroe Martin was my paternal third great grandfather, son of John and Mary Cooper Martin, husband of Susannah Grabeel. He was born in Rose Hill, Lee Co., Virginia and is listed in the Will of his father John Martin, who fought in the Revolutionary War in South Carolina. James and Susannah had 10 children: John, Lucinda Jane, Mary, Catherine, Nancy Eliza, William Franklin, Ursula Ann, Sarah Nelson, Rebecca Frances and James Daniel Sherman.

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Amanuensis Monday: Obituary of Frank Newby

FRANK NEWBY 

December 10, 1870 - May 7, 1929

About Amanuensis Monday: John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog started a Monday Blog Theme called "Amanuensis Monday". John defines "amanuensis" as "a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

Frank was the son of John Alby and Mary Louisa Grunden Newby and the brother of my maternal great grandfather, Charles Lee Newby. Frank never married. My mother vaguely remembers the funeral of a family member, a man with a long white beard, that died when she was about 5 years old. The only family member that died at that time was Frank. Mom would have been 5 years old in less than a month so it is likely Frank who's funeral she remembers.

Knightstown Banner - May 10, 1929 - pg. 1, column 1

                                     Death of Frank Newby

     Frank Newby, aged 58 years, died at the home of his brother, Ed Newby, in Raysville, Tuesday morning at 1:40 o'clock, following a short illness. Mr. Newby was afflicted with cancer of the stomach. He was the son of John and Mary Grunden Newby, and was born in Henry county. Deceased was well known about Knightstown and had many friends here. 

     Funeral services for Mr. Newby were held at Glencove Chapel, Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Ernest A. Addison, pastor of the Christian Church. Burial was at Glencove cemetery, in charge of Charles F. Baxter.

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World War I Draftees - New Castle, Indiana Courthouse - 1918

World War I Draftees - August 1918

Courthouse - New Castle, Henry Co., Indiana 

My maternal grandfather Lawrence Everett Runyan is the center man in the top row...the one who looks to be glaring off to his left. An additional piece of information written on the back of this photo is that the 2nd man in the 2nd row is Gurney Gray. I don't know if that is the second row from the bottom or the second row from the top and I don't know (yet) who Gurney Gray is. This photo had to have been given to my mother by one of my grandfather's nieces or nephews because they put "Uncle Laurence" on the back. My grandfather was stationed at Camp Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan and Miriam of "Ancestories: The Stories of My Ancestors" has a great article on Camp Custer with links to more information. (See her 2007 blog post here:  Basic Training at Camp Custer). My grandparents named their firstborn Lela "Custer" Runyan after this camp.

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Tombstone Tuesday: George Hartzell & Lucinda Ralston Owen

GEORGE HARTZELL OWEN 1822 - 1884

LUCINDA (RALSTON) OWEN 1828 - 1906

Fairview Cemetery, St. Elmo, Fayette Co., Illinois

George was the son of James and Nancy Ann (Brashears) Owen. George's middle name is from his paternal grandmother, Leah (Hartzell) Owen, wife of Nathan Owen. George was the brother of my paternal great, great grandfather David Brashears Owen. George and Lucinda were original members of Fairview Church in Avena Township established in 1866. They had 11 children: John Wilson, Lawrence (died in infancy), James Franklin, Laura Alice, Mary, Lucy Ellen, Charles Oscar, Sarah Elizabeth, Joseph Brinton, George Ralston, and David William.

Tombstone photo courtesy of Find A Grave contributor Gary Feezel

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Amanuensis Monday: Obituary of John B. Cook 1926

JOHN B. COOK 1841 - 1926

About Amanuensis Monday: John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog started a Monday Blog Theme called "Amanuensis Monday". John defines "amanuensis" as "a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

John B. Cook was the son of Giles and Martha (Brown) Cook and the youngest brother of my maternal third great grandmother, Phoebe Cook Trowbridge.

John was married first to Mary M. Stanley in 1867 and second to Eliza J. Cheek in 1877. He and Eliza had one son, Emory E. Cook. John had a son Charles L. Cook by his first wife Mary.

Obituary: Knightstown Banner 23 Jul 1926 pg 4 column 4

John Cook, aged 86 years, died at the Odd Fellows Home, Greensburg, Monday evening at 6 o'clock. He formerly lived at Ogden. Mr. Cook and his wife went to the Home seven years ago, and she died two years ago. In Mr. Cook's father's family there were six children, of whom the deceased was the youngest and last to pass away. One son, Charles Cook, of Whittier, Calif., survives. Funeral services for Mr. Cook were held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 in the chapel at the Home, with burial in the Home cemetery beside his wife.

John was buried in an unmarked grave in the  IOOF Section of South Park Cemetery in Greensburg, Decatur Co., Indiana.

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Sentimental Sunday: Teach A Man To Fish

...And He'll Feed His Family For A Lifetime!

My dad, Robert Leroy Wallen - Circa 1955

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Oliver's Diary: The Death of Sister Sarah

SARAH ELIZABETH WALLEN

January 17, 1879 - January 14, 1905

SHE DIED AS SHE LIVED
TRUSTING IN GOD

Sarah Elizabeth Wallen was one of nine children born to William M. and Serena Susan (Sutton) Wallen. I have often told people that Serena and all her nine children died of Tuberculosis but I can't really prove that beyond all doubt. Surely, Sarah did not show symptoms of the disease in the same way as her brother, my great grandfather Oliver. However, because I have a maternal Aunt who was afflicted with Tuberculosis of the brain at a young age, and considering the rapid onset of symptoms in both women were similar, it is my opinion that Sarah's brain was affected by the disease instead of other organs. It appears that her mother Serena had Tuberculosis before she and William married and likely all Serena's children were born with the disease or acquired it during or shortly after birth. Serena died in 1886, almost exactly one year after giving birth to her ninth child. Serena was 35. All nine children died fairly young from Emiline at age four to Jesse Uriah who died at age 44.

These are the excerpts from Oliver's diary about the illness and subsequent death of his sister Sarah:

Dec. 30 [1904] – Closed my school. I was glad to get through. Sister Sarah took very sick. 

Dec. 31 – Had my sale closed evry thing out but my mare. I will leave her with papa. Sarah is not any better. So ends the year 1904 – 1905 will soon be ushered in.

Jan. 3 [1905] – A very cold day a regular blizzard and we are out of coal. Sarah is not any better but worse.

Jan. 6 – About 6 in. of snow fell last night. It is warm to be so much snow. I got Jim Payne to take Cora Burnette to Langford station. John Thompson promised to come and take her the 3rd but never come so I had to send her. I went to Ben Livesays in the evening and got some milk. Sister is no better. It will only by through the mercies of a good God if she gets able to go with us to Texas. May God bless her.

Jan. 8 – Still very cold but not so bad as yesterday. I went to Ben Livesay’s and got some milk. Sarah is not doing any good but gradually losing ground. 

Jan. 9 – At home. Sarah no better. 

Jan. 10 – Went to the P.O. and to R. L. Brays and got some milk came home and found that Sarah had lost her mind. Poor girl no one but God knows what she has suffered with her head. We have done all we can for her but can’t do much as the Dr. don’t know what is the matter with her. Sister Ella came over and staid all night. 

Jan. 11 – Went to Ben Livesays and got some milk. Sarah is not any better but suffering a gread deal. She knows most evry one but can’t talk intelligently. No one but a good and loving Savior knows what she has suffered. We leave her in the hands of the Lord. He never makes any mistakes. His will be done not mine. Dear Lord have mercy on sister.

Jan. 12, 1905 – Sarah is still very bad don’t know any thing only at times. Ella went home in the evening. I went to R.L. Brays and got some milk. The snow went off last night with a big rain. 

Jan. 13 – Sarah is very bad this morning. It is very rough weather. Began snowing again about 11 A.M. 

Jan. 14 – Sister Sarah died this morning at 3 oclock. Good bye dear sister for a short time. God knows best, but ‘tis hard to give thee up. Oh how you have suffered, no one knows but God. Blessed thought it is all over now. I went to Mt. Vernon and bought a coffin cost $25.00 and a robe $4.00. A very cold day. I liked to froze to death. 

Jan. 15 – We buried Sarah between Mamma and Lucy. Uncle Billy Martin came and conducted the funeral exercise at my home. Death is a very solemn thing, but if we love Jesus when we die we just begin to live.

Sarah Elizabeth Wallen is buried in the Wallen Francisco Cemetery in Wabd, Rockcastle Co., Kentucky.

Rest in peace, great grandaunt Sarah!

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Jesse B. Wallen: Tax Schedule Timeline 1854 - 1875

JESSE B. WALLEN 

1827 - 1877

KENTUCKY
Tax Schedules 1854 through 1875

In my opinion not enough is known about my paternal 3rd great grandfather Jesse B. Wallen. He died in 1877 when my great grandfather, Oliver Morton Wallen, was just 7 years old and, in his diary, Oliver only mentions his grandfather in reference to his tombstone in the family burying ground. 

"Dec. 23, [1904] - ...Jess and I went to Langford station and got nice sawed stone and cut names, birth, and death on them and put to all their graves except grandfather's which had a marbel stone but it had fallen down. I fixed it up this week. We have cleaned the graves off nicely and filled them up well....Jess done the cutting and dressing and most of the work at our family burying ground. Sleep on dear ones and take thy rest, it will not be long until I come to meet thee. O. M. Wallen."

View looking Southeast from the family burying ground "Wallen Francisco Cemetery"

I have the 1830 through the 1870 census information for Jesse, from Hawkins and Hancock Co., Tennessee to Rockcastle Co., Kentucky. I know who all his children were and where they lived, who they married, their escapades out West and who all their children were, etc. And Jesse's wife, Louisa Tyree Wallen, lived to a pretty old age, passing away sometime between 1913 and 1914 in Texas. As "Grandma Wallen" she is mentioned throughout Oliver's diary. I know that Jesse's immediate cause of death was "liver complaint", whatever that means, and I have touched his tombstone, but so far I know very little about the man Jesse B.

Once I collected all the data from the yearly tax schedules, I found I had quite a bit of new and interesting information. It would appear Jesse was a fairly successful farmer on a decent sized farm with horses, mules, cattle, hogs, hay, corn, wheat, and he even tried growing tobacco one year. He was enrolled in the militia from 1860 through 1872 and his nearest neighbor was J. C. Graves. (Boy, have I got some stories about HIM!) 

This is the 21 year Tax Schedule Timeline for Jesse B. Wallen:

1854 -Walden, Jesse  100 ac   Skeggs Crk   $300 land val.- 1 horse $75 - 7 cattle $15 - 18 hogs - $390 total value

1855 - Wallen, Jesse  100 ac  Skeggs Crk  $400 - 1 horse $100 - 13 hogs - $500 total value

1856 - Wallen, Jesse  100 ac  Skeggs Crk $300 - 1 horse $100 - 10 cattle $25 - 1 child bet. 6-18 yrs - 4 hogs - $425 total value

1857 - Wallen, Jesse  100 ac  Skeggs Crk $500 - 2 horses $130 - 6 cattle $10 - 1 child bet 6-18 yrs - 10 hogs - $640 total value

1858 - Wallen, Jesse B.  100 ac Skeggs Crk $400 - 2 horses $150 - 6 cattle $10 - 8 hogs - $560 total value

1859 - Wallen, Jesse B.   100 ac Skeggs Crk $400 - 2 horses $175 - 7 cattle $25 - 2 children bet 6-18 yrs - 12 hogs - 250 bu corn -  49 bu wheat  - $600 total value

1860 - Wallen, Jesse B.  100 ac Skeggs Crk. $400 - 2 horses $200  - 7 cattle $10 - 2 children bet. 6-18 -  8 hogs - enrolled militia - 300 bu corn - 47 bu wheat - $610 total value

1861 - Wallen, Jesse B.   100 ac Skeggs Crk $500 - 3 horses $225 - 7 cattle $25 - 2 children bet 6-18 yrs - 10 hogs - enrolled militia - 350 bu corn - 10 bu wheat - $750 total value

1862 - Wallen, Jesse  100 ac Skeggs Crk $400 - 3 horses $200 - 6 cattle - 3 children bet 6-18 yrs - 23 hogs - enrolled militia - 250  bu corn - 25 bu wheat - $600 total value

1863 - Wallen, J. B. Jr.  100 ac Skeggs Crk $400 - 4 horses $140 - 7 cattle - 3 children bet 6-18 yrs - 4 hogs - enrolled militia - 400 bu corn - 30 bu wheat - $540 total value

1864 - Walden, J. B.   100 ac Skeggs Crk  $400 - 4 horses $175 - 5 cattle $15 - 3 children bet 6-18 yrs - 3 hogs - enrolled militia - 300 bu corn - 55 bu wheat - $590 total value

1865 - Wallen, Jessee   100 ac Skeggs Crk. $500 - 4 horses $200 - 6 cattle $ - enrolled militia - 4 children bet 6-20 yrs - 7 hogs - 30 bu corn - 20 bu wheat $765 total value

1866 - Wallen, Jesse Jr.  100 ac  Skeggs Crk $500 -  4 horses $200 - 7 cattle $70 - 7 children bet 6-20 - 5 hogs -  350 bu corn - $770 total value

1867 - Wallin, Jesse B. 100 ac  Skeggs Crk $500 - 3 horses $185 - 6 cattle $60 -  enrolled militia - 4 children bet 6-20 yrs - 15 hogs - 400 bu corn - 20 bu wheat - $745 total value

1868 - Wallin, Jesse B.  100 ac  Skeggs Crk $500 - 4 horses $200 - 6 cattle $50 - enrolled militia - 4 children bet 6-20 yrs - 15 hogs - 400 bu corn - 40 bu wheat - $750 total value

1869 - Wallin, Jessee B.  100 ac  Skeggs Crk $500 - 3 horses $180 - 10 cattle $95 - enrolled militia - 6 children bet 6-20 yrs - 9 hogs - 10 pounds of tobacco - 75 bu corn - $775 total value

1869 - Wallin, Jessee B.  $200 - Increased Valuation

1870 - Wallen, Jessee B.  100 ac Skeggs Crk $700 - 3 horses $150 - 7 cattle $65 - enrolled militia - 3 children bet 6-20 yrs - 1 hog - 2 tons of hay - 400 bu corn - 59 bu wheat - $915 total value

1871 - Wallin, Jesse B.  100 ac  Skeggs Crk $700 - 3 horses $150 - 7 cattle $50 - enrolled militia - 3 children bet 6-20 yrs - 9 hogs - 2 tons hay - 500 bu corn - $900 total value

1871 - Wallin, Jessie B. $100 Increased Valuation

1872 - Wallin, Jessee B.  100  Skeggs Crk $800 - 3 horses $150 - 10 cattle $70 - enrolled militia - 2 children bet 6-20 yrs - 10 hogs - 2 tons hay - 400 bu corn - $1020 total value

1873 - Wallin, Jesse  100 ac Skeggs Crk $800 - 3 horses $100 - 1 mule $50 - 10 cattle $70 - 3 children bet 6-20 yrs - 12 hogs - 3 tons hay - 350 bu corn - 73 bu wheat - qualified voter - $1020 total value

1874 - Wallin, Jesse B.  100 ac - NR John Graves - $800 - pct. #1 - 3 horses $175 - 1 mule $75 - 10 cattle $75 -  legal voter - 2 children bet 6-20 yrs - 5 hogs - 3 tons hay - 300 bu corn - $1125 total value

1875 - Wallin, Jesse B.   100 ac  NR  J.C. Graves $800

           Wallin, Jesse B.      40 ac  NR  J.C. Graves  $85  - 4 horses $175 - 2 mules $100 - 8 cattle $50 -  legal voter - 2 children bet 6-20 yrs - 5 hogs - 2 tons hay - 500 bu corn - 25 bu wheat - $1210 total value

Page from the Rockcastle Co. tax schedule

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Wisdom Wednesday: "A Loan" By Janet E. Runyan

~Short poem written by my mother - Age 17~

Janet E. Runyan circa 1941

Poem published in the "National Road Traveler" newspaper on December 18, 1941. This local newspaper covered the sections of  Rush and Henry counties in Indiana that border the historic National Road.  I discovered this gem last week while browsing this newspaper on Ancestry.com. What I wouldn't give to have found this clipping while Mom was still with us! She would have been delighted!

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Tombstone Tuesday: Lewis & Mary Ann (Patterson) Townsend

LEWIS TOWNSEND June 9, 1837 - July 24, 1927

MARY ANN PATTERSON - January 31, 1843 - January 15, 1936

Old Liberty Cemetery, Sefton Twp., Fayette Co., Illinois

Lewis was son of Joseph Ludlam and Christiana (Wheaton) Townsend and Mary Ann was the daughter of Robert and Mary (Root) Patterson. They were married in Fayette Co., Illinois on October 18, 1863. Lewis and Mary Ann were my paternal great, great grandparents.

Lewis and Mary Ann Townsend Circa 1910

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Amanuensis Monday: Obituary(s) of Ida May Newby

IDA MAY (TROWBRIDGE) NEWBY

November 5, 1873 - October 24, 1939

My maternal great grandmother
Henry Co., Indiana Circa 1939

These obituaries are from clippings found in my mother's photo albums and are likely from the Knightstown Banner. The photo above is one of the last photos taken of Ida May.

Mrs. Ida Mae Newby

Widow of Charles Newby Dies at Knightstown.

By Special Correspondent.

DUNREITH, Oct. 24 - Mrs. Ida Mae Newby, 62, died at 9:50 o'clock this morning at her home in Knightstown of a heart attack. She was the widow of Charles Newby, who died two years ago, and had been in poor health for about three years. They had lived on a farm south of Spiceland.  Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Fern Runyan of east of Dunreith; a son, Morris Newby, of Lowell, Ind.; and four grandchildren.  Funeral arrangements have not been made. Burial is to be at Knightstown.

Heart Attack Proves Fatal

Mrs. Ida Mae Newby, age 65, died at her home on North Adams street shortly before the noon hour Tuesday morning, after suffering a heart attack. She had been in poor health for the past five years. Mrs. Newby was the daughter of John and Phoebe Trowbridge and was born November 5, 1873, southeast of Knightstown in Rush county, and was married to Charles Newby on May 27, 1892.  Survivors are one daughter, Mrs. Fern Runyan, of east of Dunreith, and one son, Morris Newby, a teacher in the schools at Lowell, Ind.  She is also survived by four grandchildren, Janet and Lee [sic] Runyan, and Neil and Jackie Boyer.  Mr. Newby passed away May 7, 1937, and her duaghter Margaret died last April.  The funeral services were held from her late home on Thursday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, with Rev. E. A. Addison, pastor of the Christian Church, officiating. Burial was made in Glen Cove cemetery; O. M. Wilson, funeral director.

Newby Rites.

By Special Correspondent.

KNIGHTSTOWN, Oct. 25 - Final rites for Mrs. Ida Mae Newby, 62, who died at her home here Tuesday morning, will be held at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon at the home. Burial will be at Glencove cemetery. O. M. Wilson funeral establishment will have charge of the services.

Glen Cove Cemetery, Knightstown, Henry Co., Indiana

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