Vacation Day 8

We are in Centerville, Ohio with my brother, Jeff. It's Tuesday, July 14th. Got up and ate a small breakfast, because today is genealogy day! (Or as Jeff calls it, The Wake the Dead Tour) :)

Got in the van with Jeff in tow and drove over to Hamilton, Ohio so we could pick up route 128 and drive to Cleves. I become more familiar with the route when we get to Ross, Ohio. Used to drive through there a lot when we went to church in Hamilton. Jeff pointed out the Teddy Bear Roller Coaster at the Stricker's Grove which is now on Route 128, but used to be near College Hill. We went there for my dad's company picnics. (The Teddy Bear is from Coney Island).

From there we went to New Haven, a small town to the west. Unfortunately, we drove for about two miles behind a paint truck, but lucked out when he had to change the number of lines he was painting and quickly went around him. My great uncle and aunt, Ivan and Carrie, are buried in the New Haven Cemetery. Last year Jeff and I turned the wrong way and missed it, but this time I knew exactly where it was. Only I didn't know where they were in the cemetery. It's not too terribly big, and after walking it a couple of times, we found them. Uncle Ivan was my Grandma Elsie's brother. They were very close, as they were only a year apart in age. Uncle Ivan and I had an article once in the Western Hills Press because we were both born on Friday the 13th!

Bruce found some interesting markers in this cemetery and I recorded a couple of them for findagrave.com. Thank goodness I'm married to someone that shares this interest with me!!

I called my cousin, Mike, who was meeting us in Miamitown at the Wendy's so we could go around the area together.

We quickly got in the car and took off for Miamitown. I didn't get to see Mike last year, so I was happy to see not only him, but his wife, Linda, too. We all went to the same high school, so I've known her since I was probably a sophomore! I really love them and were glad to be able to spend some time with them.

In my research, I found that my great grandma, Augusta Bertrand Schneider, had a brother who died in a horrible train accident while working for the railroads. His name was Louis Bertrand. This happened in 1945, and I think Grandma probably made sure he was buried close to where they lived. I had no idea all this time that he was in that cemetery. Since a fellow findagrave person had located his grave, it didn't take me long to find him and his wife, Lauretta.

From this cemetery, we went to Krogers so I could get some flowers for the graves in Maple Grove Cemetery in Cleves. I always put fresh flowers on the graves and flags for my grandpas. I had already bought the flags this year, and I got some pretty bouquets at Krogers.

In Maple Grove, both sets of grandparents are buried, and two sets of great grandparents, the Stonekings and the Hackers. This time we decided to walk around the cemetery and look at some of the markers. As I was doing this, someone rolled down their window and said, "I knew I'd find my crazy cousin out here!" It was Cosetta, my grandma's cousin!!! I had invited her to meet us for lunch, and was thrilled that she could come out early and meet us.

She, Bruce, and Jeff, talked by the cars while I walked through the back section of the cemetery. It's so eerie to walk through and recognize so many people that you knew. Teachers, bus drivers, superintendents, neighbors, etc. Even some people that you went to school with that died way too young.

So Mike and Linda took off for Lawrenceburg, with plans to meet all of us at the Skyline in Cleves. We had Cosetta follow us in her car so we could drop it off at Skyline, and take her with us to see the Stoneking farm on Brower Road. I always go by there, as my Daddy as well as my grandpa Clyde were born there.

Then we took our annual drive over Cliff Road. I just love that place!!!! It goes along the edge of the hill and overlooks the Ohio River. How I would love to live there!!!



It was probably a good thing Bruce was driving, as I love to speed up and down the hills, and Jeff about has a fit!! :)

Next, I had Bruce turn down Rittenhouse Road, which cuts back across Mt. Nebo (hill we are on). Last year we discovered a new subdivision with way expensive homes, but luckily, you could see over to the old Mt. Nebo school, where my grandpa went in the early 1900's!! It's a private home now, but I really wanted to get a better picture, which I did!!



Then we drove back down Cliff Road, past "Cliffview" which was a favorite restaurant of the locals back in the 1930's. At one time it was a fried chicken restaurant owned by my great grandparents, James and Lucy Baker Stoneking. I even have some inside pictures of it. It burned, and now there is just the sign and a rebuilt home, but I love the location of it. We also drove past William Henry Harrison's tomb, the president, and my high school, Taylor High.

Went back to Skyline to have lunch with Mike, Linda, Cosetta, and my friend, Patti Detmer!! I haven't seen her in forever!!! She was my sister's friend in high school, and then we did church cheerleading together, and she went with Bruce and I and another guy to the Pageant in Palmyra in 1975 when Bruce and I were dating. It was great to see her!!

I had my favorite Skyline meal-------one cheese coney, and a small three-way, dry (no liquid). It was wonderful!! We had a great time talking and just passing the time.

Left side:me, Linda, Mike, Bruce. Right side: Cosetta, Patti, Jeff

We said good-bye to Patti and Cosetta, and met Mike and Linda up at the Regina Bakery in Miami Heights, where I grew up. This Bakery has been in existence for awhile and we go there every year to get those items we remember Grandma Mehring buying, in particular RYE BREAD!!!! They also have a cherry coffee cake to die for!!! Spent some time talking and taking pictures with Mike and Linda. They were headed back to see the high school.

We said good-bye (I wish I lived closer to my relatives), and we drove down Zion Road. I took a picture on the way of the Aaron Burr house. When I was in elementary school, I was in Girl Scouts with the girls who lived there. I remember going in the basement, because the underground railroad really did go underground here and there was a tunnel that came up from the Ohio River into their basement!! I just remember that you could see at the top of the wall that it was a wide open space.

I don't think my kids knew much about Aaron Burr until the "Got Milk" commercials in the early 90's!

I also took a picture of the school where my mom and my uncle Lee went to school. It's a private residence, but it was the Old Burr School. They walked a couple of miles through the woods to get here!





At the Zion Road Cemetery, I got out to record a few more graves. This is the site of the old church, Zion Evangelical United Brethern Church, that I went to from the time I was little until 1963, so probably 7 or 8 years. Only the stairs are left now. I remember it was yellow brick and had a huge vestibule where they rang the bell. There was a basement where we had many dinners. I sang in the children's choir when I was only in first grade. I still remember going to a practice and the kids saying, "Did you see all the confetti on the steps outside?" I told them "My uncle married my aunt over the weekend." Which was true!! My Grandpa Mehring's brother married my Grandpa Clyde's sister, Lewis and Millie Stoneking Mehring. Second marriages for both, but I remember it distinctly. I also remember going to one of my mom's friend's weddings, when I was about 3 or 4. When she came down the aisle, I was singing, "Here comes the bride, all fat and wide!" (I don't know why!)




I record a few graves each year.

Steps to the old church.

After we left the cemetery, we went for a ride down Zion Hill. Jeff and I told Bruce how we would push our bikes all the way up the road, ride around the new church parking lot, then coast all the way home (over a half mile!)

Down 5 hills!!

Next we went to visit my dear friend, Lil and her husband George. I've known her since 1974 when we worked together at Union Central Life Insurance. I left there in January of 1976 to get married, but we've kept in touch all these years. They have a really nice new home in White Oak and it was great to see them!!




When we left, we drove up I-71 so Jeff could show me the new ride at Kings Island,
DIAMONDBACK!!
We got in a little sampling of the rush hour in east Cincinnati. No thanks!!!





After a nice drive through the countryside again, we ended up at the China Dynasty restaurant in Centerville. Love their crab rangoon!!! The sweet and sour chicken was super!!!

Sat and talked to Jeff, look at more pics, and finally went to bed. Starting for home tomorrow!!