Flemings & The Woods

In honor and memorial of Harry Blair Fleming.
July 12, 2003
~~

CLICK HERE TO GO TO A ALTERNATIVE BACKUP SITE.

In dedication to a man I found only respect for in every way I write the following in his memory. I recall nothing about his life, and have found nothing in research, that would indicate anything other than the fact that my grandfather FLEMING deserved no less than respect and honor in every way.

January 26, 2004

UPDATE:

I again pick up the Harry Blair Fleming Story. Since the original story was written it has been my good fortune to hear from someone that indirectly related. This individual is related through David Fleming's wife, Jemima BYERS Henry's mother's side of the family. This individual ran across my many pleas for assistance and even though so far removed was able to give me dates and other information that was not forthcoming from any cousins I have on the Fleming side of the family.

I have no idea why everyone clammed up so when I began to inquire but they did. I assumed at first that it must be because of some deep, dark secret that was to be buried with those Fleming ancestors. In that I now have firm information and have found nothing that would indicate in any way something seamy about any of them other than an arrest notice in the Indiana Messenger on April 27, 1904, for Blair Fleming. Since this is all to be found after an extensive search we can only believe that there may well be something more recent that is deep and dark in the lives of some of my cousins, nieces or nephews. None the less, the memories I have written below has changed concerning some of my kin. The story as I remember it about my admired grand-father Fleming is true to the best of my knowledge. I shall make no changes from here on and leave the drama go on.

Sincerely and regards,

Robert Blair Craig

PS: This URL lists the Fleming Ancestors as I understand them to now be.

Ancestors and Descendants of my Great-Grandfather, David Fleming

He was a woodsman and lived a rough and tumble life by all that I have been able to learn or know from first hand knowledge. Harry Blair visited his daughter, my mother Hannah Jemima FLEMING Craig, quite often. He made the trip alone way into his latter years from Rossiter, PA to Dixonville, PA in an ancient automobile. According to his daughter in-law, ?Penny?, Violet Rose LILLY Fleming, he never drove faster than about 30 miles per hour and would likely have made many travelers agitated in the 40 or so miles from there to Dixonville, PA.

Mom really loved her dad ? it was just something one could feel. He seemed to have a special father child relationship with her as well. He seemed to take some delight in always smoking his cigar around Hannah. I don?t recall ever seeing him without one ? except for the time when the photos shown here were taken. Being a seasoned and crusted old woodsman also provide a colorful language ? cussed a bit like a sailor. He never took God?s name in vain though. I suppose that was in respect for mom. No doubt his rather emphatic use of the slang language would be expressed to the fullest when he would be in the woods or elsewhere.

Harry Blair was born August 24, 1888, and died May 09, 1976. He is buried along side his wife, Madge Alberta Holmes who was born as best as I can tell sometime before 1920 and died at a very young age in June 15, 1945. Her?s was the first funeral I recall.

As far as I am able to recall as of this writing I am the only one having remembrance of Harry Blair that is willing to put into words details of his life. I have tried everything to obtain information from Tina Fleming, daughter of Hayes Warden Fleming [Harry Blair?s youngest sons]. Harry Blair lived his last days with the Hayes Fleming family and Harry Blair would have been in the same household as Tina for the early years of her life. Tina first contacted me some months ago and seemed so anxious to help put information together until she married again. It was then that the contacts ceased. Tina had given me the address of Tooty, Mildred Pearl Holmes [Mildred was a sister to my grand-mother, Madge]. I wrote to Tooty but she has never answered my mail or other attempts to contact her.

There are a number of mysteries concerning the Ancestors of the Fleming family. The following will share as much as this writer can put together or surmise. I am almost of the opinion that there is something in the background of David Fleming, Harry?s father, that the family may not wish to be made known. I am unable to put sense to that theory though because everyone that I know that might have any inkling of the history of the Fleming family has long past died. I would be the oldest and first of the grand-children of Harry Blair and therefore, we have the ?proverbial brick wall.? It doesn?t make sense but we shall try and work through all that we can here.

Again, to the reader or researcher of the FLEMING history -- I wish to express my apology for not being able to place more facts in evidence. I shall do my best here to post E-mails, photos and other information I have gathered. My hold on grammer and spelling, etc., is slipping so I wish you the best as you sort through the things I have placed here. ~ Bob C

Since the earliest days of my childhood [Bob Craig], I recall Blair Fleming and his wife, Madge, living on Bennett's Farm on the outskirts of Indiana, PA. He was employed there as a caretaker & farmer. He raised a large family there and was living there when Madge Fleming died. His love was still for the mountains and woods. He missed the timber work and would soon return to it.

My earliest recollections are of Madge churning butter, her becoming sick, having to have a foot, then a leg and then gangrene setting in and her death. The funeral was conducted in the home on Bennett's farm in Indiana, PA. They received friends and family and she lay in state in the living room.

One time he told me that he worked in timber above Dixonville, PA, and floated logs down a stream [Dixon Creek] that is at present day only a trickle of a creek. After her passing, Blair spent much time in North Central Pennsylvania working as a lumberman. He lived at the saw mill camp until he retired. After retirement he lived with his son, Hayes Warden Fleming in Rossiter, PA until his death. I will edit this further as information is received. - Bob Craig

HARRY BLAIR FLEMING

Ancestors

Descendants

MY MEMORIES OF OF HARRY BLAIR [done by taking some things I do know and intermingling these facts with a very small amount fictional liberty]

It was a cold and frosty morning as Harry awoke. He slipped through the bear skin door of the camp and walked briskly toward the old gray mule that anxiously awaited his morning rations. There was this special long eared one that Harry had a keen appreciation for. The others, . . . well, they were just mules. This one Harry knew well. The sun was just beginning to appear over the trees on the far hill. Harry knew it wasn't below the freezing mark as yet because there was no ice on the make-shift watering troff. The cold wasn't far off though. He shivered as he stooped down and picked up the sack of grain that his mule friend was nudging him for. He pored out a generous portion of grain this morning. It was going to be a busy day. They needed to repair the breach in the earth works down stream from where they were presently taking timber. That blasted thing, when they weren't having to undo the backup of water that the beavers caused, they were having to rebuild their own so as to float the timber down to the mill.

His father was busy building their own mill and he mused how different things would be once that was finished. Harry was to be a crew chief at the new mill. This would be quite an accomplishment for him. After all he would only be 12 years old. How about that, the turning of the century and becoming 12 years old - all that and he was to have his own crew. For now, though, he was quite satisfied to be in charge of a team of mules. Harry had a rough life according to some, but he really enjoyed all that was happening to and around him. His family had been in the timber business as far back as he could remember and with him, that was just fine.

There was one thing he missed that other kids his age had though and that was schooling. Reckon he would catch up though. His father said something about his being able to catch up on schooling once the new mill was finished. There was just something about the deep timber that appealed to young Harry though. He wasn't at all sure he was ready for a more disciplined life near town. His mom kidded him about there being a lot of nice girls living in the village near where the new Saw Mill was being built. Girls? That was the farthest thing from his young mind at that time. The romance of going into the woods and hauling out timber was the most exciting part of his life and he thoroughly enjoyed everything about the work.

Little did Harry Blair know that, even though he was only 12 years old, and that it was the turn of a century [1900], he would be married and have his own first child by 1907.

As early as October 31, 1906, Harry Blair Fleming, as reported in the Indiana Messenger, was busy building houses in Clymer. ("husteling Company Houses") See related story at this link>

The lumber business was at its peak and would continue at this swift pace as far into the future as anyone could ever dream. There were orders by land owners for lumber to build several many new homes and farms located between Clymer and Idamar - a new large coal mine way up Dixon Creek. They would require a huge order for those 10" X 10" X 8' shoring timbers, flat boards and more. Then, there was the rail road - no telling how many hundreds of rails they would require. New tracks to link the coal mines would really put a rush on things. That reminded Harry that they were to survey a new section of timber just south of Clymer. It was said that they would be able to float the timber down the stream for several miles. Of course, he knew the difficulty there. They would have to back the water up in a couple of places to accomplis that. It would be easier in the spring.

One of the more exciting things to Harry was the travel the work required. There would be one job that would require the entire crew. More men may be required. They would have to lodge in Indiana PA and work the hill West of town. They would be lodging at the West Indiana House Hotel. [See Image shown on this page [West Indiana House]. Note the big Swede 2^nd from the right next to Harry Blair and his team of mules. [CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE] It is thought that the old gentleman with the huge handle-bar mustache and holding the team on the left was David Fleming, Harry Blair's father. I am inclined to believe it is him although there is no supporting evidence.

Speaking of the Swede . . . He loved to pull pranks on Harry Blair. One day Harry was sitting on the bank of Crooked Creek near Clymer not far from camp. They had been cutting timber nearby and one late Sunday evening Harry was fishing and Swede snuck up behind him and shouted out his loudest bear yell. Harry jumped strait into the swift running stream. They drug him out about a hundred yards down.

[A work in progress and to be continued.]

DAVID FLEMING

David was the father of Harry Blair, of that there is not much doubt. The Sample Run Cemetery includes the graves of Harry and Madge, his wife, right in front of David & Jemima. There is the question of who's were the "11 Fleming Infants" represented by the single tomb stone. There is no date on the marker so it is impossible to tell. It is remarkable, again, to me that the two larger stone markers I seem to recall are no longer there and no one seems to respond to questions I have ask over and over.

About David: All the writer here knows is as a result of a youth, about 13 years old, sitting on the porch at Dixonville, PA, and listening to Harry Blair [grand father] tell of years past. What he talked about that late summer day didn't really sink in until about 53 years later. What he said that day comes flashing back because of that one statement, ". . . I used to float logs down that stream. The stream he was referring to is "Dixon Creek." It begins in the hills above Dixonville [wasn't a town at the time he floated the logs] far up in the farm country and snakes its way down the valley until it joins Crooked Creek in the town of Clymer [not a town at that time].

The reason it sunk in and remained an active memory is Dixon Creek's size. It is but a trickle of water and can be stepped over when the story was told. Today, 53 years later, it is but a ditch. The stip and pit mines have so polluted it that a yellow and orange color makes it a unsightly trickle of water. What he said that day on the porch is most likely true. If the water level of the stream decreased as much from the day Harry actually floated logs till the day he told the story as it has in my life time, it is more than possible.

Another thing grandfather said was, ". . . my family worked the timber on all those hills around what is now Clymer, Penn Run, Dixonville and Holme, PA." By "My family," he must have meant his father [surmised as David] and brothers. Neither grandfather or mother ever talked about any of the Fleming family. It is a mystery to this writer. There was always talk about the Craig ancestors. Why not the Flemings? But, Harry Blair did say that his family were all involved in cutting timber and building saw mills. In reading family stories about other Fleming families there is much said about timber and saw mills. This is the only way one is able to make possible links from earlier generations. Some Flemings settled in Pennsylvania Oil country and made good at that business. Others moved further West in Pennsylvania and settled in the Cookport and Clymer areas. It is these Flemings about whom we are considering. It would appear that the Mentch family were the ones though that had the money. The Holmes intermarried into the Mentch family and it was Madge Alberta Holmes that married Harry Blair Fleming. The Mentch and Holmes family had a large stock in the Indiana Savings and Loan bank and their influence was felt on that bank all the way down to at least the 1950s. Mother, being a descendant of the Mentch, Holmes family was able to barter for a loan that enabled the Robert LeRoy Craig family to purchase a home in Dixonville during a very tough financial time [the late 1940s]. There was a year or more that no payments were made on the home and they were allowed to keep the home by paying the minimal interest on the transaction.

The Hill Above Dixonville

The home in Dixonville was built on a hill that was at about 45 degree slope. The front up-stairs of the house was nearly level with the road that passed by. The same level of the home at the back was a bit more than 3 stories high. The hill continued up and climbing up about 30 yards put one far above the house. At that point a continuation on up the hill would allow one to see for miles. Although the writer was never able to see it, grandfather Fleming spoke of being able to see the dome of the Indiana Court house from the top of the hill. Indian was just about 14 miles through hills and valleys. To think about it seems impossible. But considering today's hazy atmosphere it may well have been possible to see that far years ago.

Moth of MARCH & KITE FLYING

That hill became famous in the 1950s for being up high and above any trees and a place that caught the wind in such a way as to be the perfect place to fly kites. One could go downtown Dixonville and at Sepcaks or the Dime Store buy the kite of choice. The only two choices available were the diamond or box-kite. The hardware store was the best place to get string. Kite flying in Dixonville came to the mind of this writer while watching a short news item showing kites [2002] that cost $100 to as much as $700 and how they could be maneuvered. Robert LeRoy Craig once made a kite for his boys out of some small strips of wood and newsprint paper. It was the best! The early March flying of kites depended much on the snow and temperature. There was no colder place than up on that hill when the wind was blowing and the temperature would be 50 degrees or less. The Industrial Arts class at Commodore High School allowed the making of a kite string winder that permitted a faster way of letting string out or winding it in. We made one that was of dial rods and about 12" from dial to dial. This meant that one could let out 2' of string by one turn of the device. One day we put up a box kite about 200 or so feet and then attached a diamond kite and put it up with about a 20' tail of mixed colors. With a huge amount of string we let them climb until they were out of site. They caught a strong gust of wind, the string broke, and they vanished. We never did locate those kites. It was great fun! We would spend hours flying those kites. It is hard to imagine the youth of the 21st Century enjoying this exercise as we did back then. Oh, yes, they enjoy it. But to spend hours and hours doing it. I doubt it.

DID THE FLEMING FAMILY ORIGINATE FROM THE STEWARTSVILLE & PARKWOOD AREA AND RELOCATE TO CLYMER & SAMPLE RUN?

It is a thought packed full of mystery and intrigue. As one looks at the RootsWeb and the maps available of Indiana Co that was made and published in the middle 1800s - there is only one Craig owned area to be found and that parcel is not in Stewartsville. There are now Craigs shown in the immediate area now known as Parkwood. However, as you study the map you will find the FLEMINGS owned land all around the area. Over the later half of the 1800s and early 1900s up to about 1960, Parkwood and the Craig name were the same. One would think that as many of them living there they would have named it Craigville rather than Parkwood. Today, 2002, there are few if any Craigs at Parkwood.

WHY WAS STEWARTSVILLE CHANGED TO PARKWOOD?

~~See Anderson Letter Page 1

~~Anderson Letter Page 2

~~Anderson's Map of 1784 Page 1

~~Anderson's Map of Parkwood/Stewartsville Page 2

The FLEMING families seemed to disappear from Armstrong County and move or migrate back East to areas in Green Township like, Cookport, the Learn Settlement and Clymer, PA. The United Methodist Church grave yard in Cookport is made up of mostly Flemings. However, again, there are few Flemings to be found in either area.

THE FLEMING FAMILY

Sometime during the 1940s to 50s something happened to cause a rift of some sort amongst the Fleming boys. They were together while Harry Blair worked the Bennett Farm in Indiana, PA. Not long after the boys began to marry off, HAROLD Blair Fleming moved himself and his family to Erie, PA. Although there are no exact dates for these moves, Charles Fleming, shortly after the war was over moved to California and worked in the timber industry there.

Hannah Jemimah Fleming, this writer's mother, along with the boys paid a visit to Erie and Harold Blair and his family. It wasn't too long after that Harold Blair moved his family back and moved into a huge home in Cherry Tree, PA. He joined the family in running a saw mill near there. In 1950 or 51, Hannah Jemimah and her two boys left on a trip for California on a train. They left the day after school left out and would return just before the start of classes in the fall. Robert Blair Craig had just completed classes at the Dixonville Grade School [8th grade] and was to begin classes at the Green Township High School located in Commodore, PA.

Traveling light [limited clothing, suit cases or food], Hannah had packed up huge amounts of cheese sandwiches and snacks for food, they arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, about 10 or so days later. Phoenix was where John Henry Learn & Hannah Holmes Learn were living and they spent several weeks visiting with them. Hannah Holmes was directly related to Hannah's mother - Sir name of HOLMES. The then left Phoenix and traveled West to California and then directly North to the Red Wood Forest area of Northern California. This is where her brother, Charles Fleming and family, lived. It seems that "Dot" was his wife's name. Hannah and boys spent a couple of weeks with Charles and then left for the trip back home to Dixonville.

BACK HOME IN DIXONVILLE

When Hannah and her boys arrived back home they were surprised to find that dad, Robert LeRoy Craig, had dug and laid pipe about 100 yards down the hill to the spring and installed running water to the house. It was an amazing project. Being that the hill was so steep and the water had to be drawn such a long distance, he had installed the pump half way up the hill and built a shelter for it. He had it hooked up so that water would be drawn half way up - and a return pipe would allow water to fall/drain back down to the spring causing a vacuum. This allowed the pump to have enough force to be able to push the water the rest of the way up to the house. In the 1950s this was a scientific achievement.

Hannah & LeRoy did everything possible to bring up their boys with a good work ethic. The boys were responsible for making sure there was water at the sink for mother and that there was plenty of wood for the cook stove and at the heater in the front room. It was some years after they moved to Dixonville that running water was installed. Prior to that water was drawn from a hand pump located just off the front porch of the house. Usually two 3 gallon buckets of water would do the job - unless, of course, it was Tuesday. On Monday evening a huge tub in the basement would need to be filled and a 10 gallon boiler on top of the stove would be filled for wash day. Tuesday was the day of choice for Wash Day because work wasn't allowed on Sunday.

Not long after Hannah and the boys returned back from their trip to see Uncle Charles in California, he pulled up and moved back and settled near the family. All the Harry Blair family having been brought back together once again they worked together to build and operate a saw mill not far from Cherry Tree, PA. The writer here has not idea, and would make no suggestion that Hannah was the drawing force that brought Harold Blair back from Erie, PA, or, brought back Uncle Charles from California. All that is sure, it wasn't long after these visits that they did return.

MADGE ALBERTA HOLMES

In 1901, Harry Blair Fleming married Madge Alberta Holmes. Madge was the daughter of Dorcie Dolphus Holmes and Mary Catherine Mentch of Penn Run, PA. Madge had "sugar" - was diabetic, and after injuring her foot blood poisining set in. Operations, starting with a toe, then the romoval of her foot, then the leg and finally up as high on the hip as possible - all efforts were defeated in stopping the gangerine that finally took her life. She died June 15, 1945. It wasn't long after this that Harry Blair returned to his profession as a lumberman. It was never said if it was Madge that prevented Harry from working in timber. One would assume so in that this is what he did as a young boy and this is what he did as long as he was able to work.

After Harry Blair Fleming left Bennett farm and moved to Cherry Tree, PA, timber was all he worked at. Just before retiring Harry did work timber in Clearfield County, PA, for a time. The writer knows nothing of the reasons for this - or if the Fleming sons were with him while he worked in Clearfield, PA.

We are left today to believe that Harry Blair's father was David Fleming. There seems to be no one alive at this writing to establish anything different. His tomb stone lies directly behind Harry Blair's so we must assume that David was my great, great grandfather. It would be so nice to have something solid - a simple question, or an entry in a family Bible - anything . . . There are decedents of slaves that know more about where they came from than we Flemings do. So sad, but it is true. I could have ask my mother. So many times we sat together and as a youth I had no foresight to ask some really interesting questions. Gone is the opportunity. . . gone forever. Our Family Web Page is the opportunity we can cease upon here at "http://www.craigsflemings.net or MyFamily.Com," "Family Tree Maker," "TribalPages.com" and of course, this Web Site named "Harry_Blair_Fleming_Story.html." Young people . . . just ASK! Mothers and fathers . . . engage your children. I just know that there are exciting things that can add to OUR STORY. They are out there. Not as many stories as there could have been. But, I just know we can do more.

Please take an active role in preserving our heritage. It is worth it, if not to you, to all those who are to follow. Nothing is insignificant. Everything is important. Add to our history buy putting it down. You are important, and your family stories are important. We may never again meet in this life, but we can be sure that someday someone will be setting as I do now and wondering how it all came to be. God bless. Bob C

Frank & Delsie Fleming celebrated a 50th Wedding Anniversary. Retired from Coal Mining in the Dixonville, PA area. A deacon in Calvary Baptist Church, Buck Run, PA - Frank & Delsie lived in Lovejoy, Green Twp., Indiana Co., PA for years then purchased a home in Commodore, PA. Uncle Frank and Aunt Delsie took Frank's sister's children and raised them. Philis was the last to leave home [No Photo Available]. See PDF file attached.

---

This Fleming Bible is in very fragile condidion and
rarely ever gets opened. It is now in the care of Linda Fleming.

My fascination with this page has directed me to extensive research. It is quite a puzzling entry. If you will click on the picture here you will be able to see that the entries are not quite what one would expect. It lists Harry Blair Fleming and Madge Alberta HOLMES Fleming correctly dated. Then the listing goes on to note Dorcey D. Holmes with no dates. [Dorcie Dolphus Holmes, b. 1866, Penn Run, PA, I have no date of death for him]. It lists Mary Catherine Mentch and gives all the details for her. What I find mystifying in this entry is "They are not my [entries made must be for Hannah Jemima] great grandparents. I would have expected the entry to have been: David Fleming, b. 1845, d. 1928 in Clymer/Sample Run, PA, buried in Sample Run Protestant Cemetery, Clymer PA. David Fleming married Jemima Henry, b. 1845, d. 1924, buried next to David at Sample Run. Photo on this page shows the headstone of Harry Blair and Madge Alberta and that of David and Jemima Henry directly behind.

The ancestors of Jemima HENRY Fleming is quite extensive beginning with her parents: Johannes Daniel Henry, b. July 21, 1813 in Heuchelheim, Hessen, Germany, d. October 29, 1883 in Cherryhill Township, Indiana County, PA, buried at the Sample Run Cemetery, Clymer, Indiana Co., PA. Johannes Henry's wife: Sarah Byers was b. 1816 Schuylkill Co., PA, d. 1908 in Cherryhill Twp., Indiana Co., PA and buried at Harmony Cemetery, Cherryhill Twp, PA. For a complete Henry Family Tree click here for a PDF File.

Left to Right: Thomas 'Tommy' Fleming, the son of Harold Blair Fleming born 1939. My [center Bob Craig] guess is that he is my closest Fleming cousin. The last I have heard is that he lives somewhere between Cookport and Chrry Tree, PA. Harry Styles is the son of Mildred Pearl Holmes and Peter Styles. Both of his parents died early and I believe he was raised in a foster home.

He has four siblings: Janet, Phillis N, Catherine and Tootie. Tootie is the oldest and if she is still living would be a tremendous help in providing further details of all the Flemings. She has not responded to several letters I have sent. [July 15, 2003]

Aunt Bertha was one of my favorite relatives. I think everyone that knew her loved her. She lived a difficult life and finished raising three boys after a difficult divorce. Correcting something I wrote earlier I believe that Fred Kunkle shown in this photo would have been closer my age that Tommy Fleming. I show him born in 1939. He worked for MiGill Motors in Indiana, PA and I understand he later came to own the company and runs his own auto dealership now.

I haven't heard or seen Catherine in years. If I recall correctly it would have been in the early 1950's at some event in Rossiter, PA at Hayes Warden 'Tiney' Flemings home.







Hayes was always called Tiney. He was a huge 6'4" man weighing over 220 pounds. While in the service it is my understanding that he was but one match away from boxing the 'Champ.' He served in WW 2 and was home based at Cherry Point, NC where he met and married his wife "Penny."

Charles also served in WW 2. He was also a huge man. However, his nick name was "Fat." When he returned to Rossiter, PA from California he was emmensly over weight. I shall not hazzard a guess at how much . . .

Other Photos I have scanned from the Scrap Book. CLICK ON EACH to load a larger image [200x1]. These will be identified in greater length as soon as possible.

Full Page Scrap Book Scans

~ Click on Map to Enlarge.

Listed here are some FLEMING Family Trees in PDF format. Instructions for obtaining software to open them are listed on the PDF main page. CLICK HERE!
There is a lot of duplicate material in these files.

My Mother, Hannah Jemima FLEMING Ancestry

Lawrence Kunkle Ancestors

Dorcie D Holmes Ancestry

Fred Elkin Kunkle

Hannah Holmes Note:

John Learn

Madge Alberta HOLMES Fleming

Mary Catherine Mentch

Ward Uncapher

James Calhoon & Henderson Connection

JJonas_Malcolm_Fleming_Family_Group_Sheet

Dorcy Dolphus Holmes Descendants

Adam Mentch/Mensch Descendants

David Fleming and Jemima Henry Family Group Sheet

Sample Run Cemetery and Fleming related head stones.

Other related Ancestry and Descendants PDF Files

Gus T Learn's History in Verse ~ 1941

HAROLD BLAIR FLEMING

Visits by the LeRoy Craig family to the big house of Uncle Harold were frequent. The boys loved to play with Harold's five boys and Harold would cut LeRoy, Bob & Ken's hair. The relationship was really great between Hannah and her brother Harold. Some time passed and the day that Harold became sick

caused
the relationship to change. Harold had developed a brain tumor and had several operations in an attempt to save his life. It was about this time that Hannah, never having been a bad girl, non-the-less, she found religion in a big way. One might put it all together and believe that the pending loss of her brother, Harold, had a life changing effect on her. Harold, having been sick for a time, had to quit the lumber business and he purchased a Exxon Service Station at Cherry Tree, PA, and made an effort to provide a living doing that. Hannah and her family made several trips to Cherry Tree while Harold was sick and it is recalled one time when she may have gone at the wrong time. Harold told Hannah, sitting in the car at the service station, to come and visit any time. She would be welcome. "But, please, when you come to visit, leave your religion at home!" There was no mistaking this and it is as if the writer lived it just yesterday. Memories of Uncle Harold cease at this point.

The other boys, Hayes & Charles and their families finally settled near Rossiter, PA. They continued working..... [A work in progress 3/5/2002]

Harry FlemingSS#: 190-03-4387
Issued in: Pennsylvania
Birth date: Aug 24, 1888
Death date: May 1976

Residence code: Pennsylvania
ZIP Code of last known residence: 15772
Primary location associated with this ZIP Code:

Rossiter, Pennsylvania
Harry Craig of Rossiter, PA

Harold Blair Fleming*

38, Cherry Tree, a son of Harry Blair and the late Madge (Holmes) Fleming, died on Sunday, May 22, at Spangler Hospital. Surviving are his wife, Alberta (Anderson) Fleming; five sons, Thomas, Jerry, Richard, Jack and Rodger, all at home; his father, Harry Blair Fleming of Rossiter; two sister, Mrs. Robert LeRoy (Hannah Jemimah) Craig of Dixonville; Mrs. Carl (Bertha) Kunkle of Indiana RD 3; three brothers, Frank of Dixonville; Charles and Hayes, both of Rossiter. Friends will be received at the McCracken Funeral Home in Cherry Tree at 7:00 p.m. today and until time of services which will be held Wednesday, May 25 at 2:30 p.m. (DST) from the funeral home. The Reverend Raymond Yeater will officiate. Interment will follow in the Cherry Tree I. O. O. F. Cemetery. 5-23-55

The source for these two obituaries is:
Genealogical Collection of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, FHL Film #517258

*****

* Italic: My additions and corrections, Robert Blair Craig

********

Indiana Gazette

Madge Alberta Fleming

Of Indiana R.D. 4, passed away Friday, June 15th, 1945 in the Indiana Hospital. She was born September 21st 1890 in Green Township, Indiana County, a daughter of Dorsey and Mary Mentch Holmes. Her early life was lived in Green Township, later moving to Clymer. Her church affiliations were with the Clymer Christian Church. She is survived by her widower, Harry. Blair Fleming; her mother, Mrs. Dorsey Holmes of Phoenix, Ariz; four sons, Frank M., Lovejoy; Harold B., Erie, Pfc. Charles W., U.S. Army in Europe; S. Sergeant, Hayes W. U. S. Marines, Cherry Point, N.C.; two daughters: Mrs Leroy (Hannah Jemimah) Craig, Kent and Mrs Carl (Bertha) Kunkle, Indiana R.D. 3. Sixteen grandchildren and two sisters, Mrs. John H. (Hannah) Learn, Phoenix, Ariz., and Mrs. Ward (Vira) Uncapher, Heilwood, also survive. Friends will be received in the family home from noon Sunday until Monday morning when friends will be received at the Robinson (Lyle) Funeral Home after the noon hour. Funeral services will be conducted in the Funeral home Monday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock. Reverend Clayton Straw will officiate. Interment in Sample Run Cemetery. 1945

The source for these two obituaries is:

Genealogical Collection of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, FHL Film #517258.

* Italic: My additions and corrections, Robert Blair Craig

WHY WAS STEWARTSVILLE CHANGED TO PARKWOOD?

Why no early Craigs at Stewartsville - Flemings to the north.

Did the Flemings move from North of Parkwood to Clymer, Sample Run? Or as some reports have it, did they move from Cookport to Clymer, PA?

One of the more discouraging things I have encountered on this trail of trying to track down the Fleming family is shown in the above image. At the very start of this journey of tracing ancestors it was my effort to do a "Screen Capture" of all census images and other documents shown in image form. If one was to print out everything out there it would take a complete room or library to keep all the data in.

One day I came across this William Fleming family that mostly were settled around Oil City, PA. I didn't think much would come of the effort but I browsed down the list of names. I began to do 'captures' each time familiar FLEMING names would show up. I must have spent about 6 hours that evening into the early morning doing just that.

The next day I started off in review of what I had scanned the previous night. It was page 8 of this history that I began to see some VERY familiar names. There was a 'Thomas' Hicks Fleming, a 'Charles' Fleming (4-6 in the tree) who had children named 'Harry' and 'Thomas'. . . Then the next name (1-7-2 in the tree) 'Harry' Fleming born May 21, 1875! I began to retrace the names and I highlighted in yellow each similar names in the list. When I came back to the 'Harry' born May 21, 1875, I thought to myself, this time could well match our Harry Blair Fleming, my grandfather!

I don't know why it took me so long to see it, but the very next name on the list, as you can see in the image above is that of our "HARRY BLAIR FLEMING!" Wow! Here is the answer down on paper of who my great grandfather is! I was elated and immediately, after verifying that all the information matched what I had, sent an E-mail to the author of the "William Fleming Family History."

I looked and checked and no reply. The first thing next morning I re-checked and there was still no reply. Well, I though, the author may have deceased and no longer active. With that thought in mind I went back to the area where I had recovered the information. To my utter amazement it was gone! There was no HINT THAT there ever was a Harry Blair Fleming (1-7-2 in the tree) of the William Fleming Family. In that I had found the data through the search on the "Roots Web" site I queried of them as to what could have happened and how it was that data could be changed like that over night! As you review the image above play close attention to the (1-7-2) and other numbers before and after Harry Blair. We have a (1-7-2), a (1-7-3) ~ our Harry Blair, and after him, a (1-7-4), and after that, a (1-7-4-1) and finally on page -8-, a (1-7-5). I have never felt so disappointed and confused over anything I have found in the two years I've been doing this.

Again . . . I wonder and ponder so many things in my heart. What is the trouble with this family name? Did someone rob a bank, got to prison or jail? Did someone molest a child or murder his wife? Why in the world would someone like cousin Tina become so silent when I began to get leads. She got re-married and since then there has been nothing but silence an occasional request for prayer, etc., new husband has some health problems. I have written to Tooty Styles and she who always seemed so nice and showed nothing but family love to us every time we came together nothing. No answer or anything. I have run a family tree of David Fleming's wife, Jemima Henry back to Europe fame with great results. When it comes to the ACTUAL FOR CERTAIN proof that David Fleming is Harry Blair Fleming's father, all I get is silence . . . even from total strangers! If I sound agitated well, I just am! However, CLICK HERE to see the headsones of the Fleming Family at Sample Run Protestsnt Cemetery, Clymer, PA

There are 11 Fleming infants buried to the right at the edge of the cemetery behind Harry Blair and David Fleming. As a child I seem to recall that there were 11 little mounds representative of where the 11 infants were buried. Now there is only a single stone marking the fact that God had given them to someone. Who? I stood for the longest time at that little stone and looked at amazement at an area that used to be marked as a family site with a little flat stone wall all around the 11 mounds and there was more! I recall at least two large head-stones directly behind them. Now there is nothing there but well kept grass on a flat surface. Where there used to be a Fleming plot clearly marked was now nothing but flat ground between the little headstone marking the existence of who knows who's 11 Fleming Infants. What could have happened to them? I recall often asking mother (Hannah Jemima) as a child and she said something about some disease that had taken their lives. I was too young then to know what to ask or what to remember. Now, with these words, likely the subject will be lost for ever. It is doubtful anyone now lives that has the answer to my troubled mind and heart over this mystery . . . or anyone that cares.

If by chance someone out on in CyberAge should come across this and have the answer please link it to this site. I may by then be gone myself . . . but someone like myself may care.

July 15, 2003, ~~Bob Craig

PS: To this story I must add: In my brother's home near Hillsdaile, PA (Purchase Line), in his attic . . . packed away, are all the photographs and other items our mother had collected over the years. In that box or boxes there may well be an answer to our mistery. Last year Myrna, Ken's wife, and I had communicated by E-mail and as well one of his daughters. I have given up on that. There are likely some answers there as well as some great photographs that are all but lost to the dust of history. I have given up and lost hope. Most likely it is so far back in the dark that anything there will never see the light of day -- or has already been discarded.

How did Robert LeRoy Craig meet up with Hannah Jemimah Fleming?

How did Harry Blair meet Madge Alberta Holmes?

Either Harry Blair had to travel all the way to Cookport PA from between Stewartsville and Shelocta to meet Madge or the Holmes for some reason were visiting the Parkwood area?

The given names are so similar in families, IE., Harry Blair Fleming, Harold Blair, his son, Robert Blair Craig, Harry Blair Fleming's first grandson. Blairsville? It is a fact that Hannah Jemimah was raised on a farm up over high hill from Clymer. How much of a town was Clymer at that time.

Recount the story of Hannah climbing the forbidden huge, house size rock on the way from the farm to Clymer to sell eggs.

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