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This is unrelated to my Pittsburgh family as far as I know but I thought I'd share it for anyone searching for information about their ancestor who may have been associated with the Boys' Industrial Home. There is a collection of books published on the University of Pittsburgh's site. This link takes you to the section of the 1946/47 book containing photos (plates) of the students and faculty, for example. A search by author reveals books from the years 1920/21, 1928/29, 1929/30, 1930/31, 1931/32, 1932/33, 1933/34, 19335/36, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1939/40, 1940/41, 1941/42, 1942/43, 1943/44, 1944/45, 1946/47. Perhaps more will be added if they are available. Click here to see these. Their entire site is filled with Pittsburgh's history. Visit http://digital.library.pitt.edu/pittsburgh/ for more. For more free genealogy resources, click here! #pittsburgh #myblog #Pennsylvania #pennsylvania #childlabor

The village blacksmith must have been a pretty popular guy. A blacksmith in colonial times was truly an asset to the settling communities. They extracted metals from ore (rock) by smelting it, or - heating it at high temperatures until all the elements are extracted, leaving only the metal base behind. Smelting was done at a bloomery, where a blast furnace was used to produce pig iron (molten iron), which would later be remelted again. They used the iron to make all kinds of essential tools such as nails, axes, hammers, rakes, hoes, cowbells, plowshares, and horseshoes, as well as pots and pans for cooking, and much more. At least two lines of my ancestry contain iron working men, a fact that gives me a sense that my ancestors actually contributed to the building of this great country. I love visiting old blacksmith shops. At Allaire State Park in Howell, New Jersey, there is a fully operational blacksmith's shop where you can see demonstrations and even take home a souvenier nail. Harry Dickinson, my great-great grandfather, was a hammersmith, who worked in the Steel mills at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, upon arrival in America in the 1870s with his father, John Dickinson. It is documented that both his father and grandfather were also hammersmen, and perhaps there were earlier generations of hammersmen as well. The family came from Sheffield, England, a place reknowned for its silverware manufactory and filled with smiths of all kinds. A hammersmith, or hammersman, made hammers out of forged iron. The Leonard family was one that was active in iron working for several hundred years. My father, for example, knew next to nothing about his Leonard ancestry beyond his grandfather, yet he had been told of a Leonard progenitor who was a blacksmith. We haven't found our connection, if any, to James and Henry Leonard, the reknowned blacksmiths from Pontypool, Wales, who were among the early settlers of New England, but that one clue given to my father suggests a possible connection. The illustration below shows the iron works the Leonards established at Taunton, Massachusetts, in 1652, the first iron works established at Plymouth Colony and "the first successful ironworks in the United States". It was called "Taunton Iron Works" and was also known as "Leonard Iron Works". The business operated for 220 years, until 1876. The forge was located in present-day Raynham, Massachusetts, on the banks of Forge River. Raynam's town seal proudly states: Site of the First Iron Works in America, 1652. (Click here to read more on Wikipedia) For thousands of years, the blacksmith trade was passed from father to son. In colonial times, blacksmiths had to apprentice for a minimum of seven years before they could work on their own. Sadly, today most of their descendants don't know the first thing about how metals are made, like myself. When I stumbled upon this book, "The Metallurgy of the Common Metals, gold, silver, iron, copper, lead, and zinc", it immediately interested me. I'm not familiar with the author, Leonard S. Austin's ancestry, but I'd bet he was a Leonard. He held the trade secrets and knew the techniques for metallurgy and in his 1911 book, he passes on the knowlege. You can get a copy on Amazon at a fair price. You can also read it online free of charge at Archive.org. It features many illustrations and technical drawings. #leonard #dickinson

For those with roots from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, take a look at this page provided by the University of Pittsburgh. It contains a collection of historic photos and you can use the search tool to see if they have images of your ancestors, their homes, neighborhoods, churches, schools, etc. Click here to visit the site. This photograph was not found on their site, although other class photos from the same school are posted there. This is the kindergarten class of my great-grandfather, William Henry Dickinson who was born in Pittsburgh in 1899. He was four years old in this photo, and is marked with a circle. The girl front and center holds a sign that reads: "Osceola Kindergarten 1903". Photo courtesy of James H. Dickinson. For more information about the Dickinson family, see the Dickinson page. #dickinson #pittsburgh #williamhenrydickinson #pennsylvania #Pennsylvania

My Dickinson ancestors came from England and went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the 1870s. They lived at 310 Gross Street when the census was taken in 1900. The home was torn down and the land is now the property of West Penn Hospital. Bloomfield is three miles from downtown Pittsburgh and is sometimes referred to as "Pittsburgh's Little Italy" because of it's large Italian-American population. Every year the neighborhood hosts a large festival celebrating their Italian heritage, appropriately called "Little Italy Days". This old map was found at http://digital.library.pitt.edu/pittsburgh/ and shows the neighborhood called "Bloomfield". Click here to see more about the Dickinson family. #dickinson #pittsburgh #Pennsylvania #pennsylvania #bloomfield #map

Helen was the daughter of Thomas D. Reese and his wife, Mary V. Rider. She married Arthur Figels in 1950 and was married to him 60 years until his death in 2010. She died last month on January 25, 2016, at the age of 85. Thomas was the first cousin of my great-grandfather, John L. Reese. Thomas' parents were Wesley John Reese and Mary (Rider) Reese. Technically, Helen's relationship to me is 2nd cousin 2x removed. May her soul rest in peace until the day of resurrection. We offer our prayers and send our deepest condolences to her son, daughter, grandchildren, and other surviving friends and family. Click here to see more about the Reese family. #reese #obituary

Elizabeth Reynolds was the daughter of Thomas & Anna Reynolds of who little is known. She moved from England to Pittsburgh with her husband and three children in the 1880s and died there on February 7, 1905, exactly 111 years from today from pneumonia. She was predeceased by her husband 16 years and three months prior, also from pneumonia. Her death certificate was found on familysearch.org. For more see the Dickinson page. #dickinson #reynolds #ElizabethReynolds #portrait #cabinetcard #deathcertificate #deathrecords

This priceless photo was contributed by James H. Dickinson. In it we see four of Charles Decker's children, presumably in Warwick, Orange County, New York, around 1907. Charles and Lydia were married about 1893 and together they had 7 known children: Delaphine (later called "Mary") was born on 19 Jan 1897 in Port Jervis, New York. Iona was born in Nov 1898 and died in Oct 1904. Harry was born abt. 1901. Norman was born abt. 1903. Oscar was born abt. 1905. Theodore was born in 1908. Herbert was born in Feb 1910. Based on this information, we can see the names on the photo are not in the correct order. The oldest boy, at left, was Harry. The youngest boy standing next to him would be Oscar, who was born abt. 1905. Mary stands third in line, and at right is Norman. Assuming Oscar is approximately 2 years old in the photo, it was taken abt. 1907, three years after their sister, Iona, died. The following year, in 1908 their brother Theodore was born and on May 20, 1909 their father died from pneumonia. Lydia was pregnant with his final child, a son she named Herbert, born in February of 1910. This photo of Harry Decker was also contributed by James H. Dickinson: Information about this family can be found on the Decker page. Contributions of photos and information are greatly appreciated! Join the Decker Genealogy Forum and collaborate with us! #decker #mayo #delaphinadecker #lydiamayo

DNA can reveal things about your ancestry that cannot be found in written records. Read more about the project at genographic.nationalgeographic.com. You can order the Ancestry DNA Genetic Testing kit for $99 on Amazon.com - Big savings! ($149+ elsewhere). #DNA #myblog

What Dickinson doesn't love seeing the name on products, colleges, and celebrities? Check out some of these collectible Dickinson memorabilia. Dickinson's Little Buster & Big Buster Popcorn tins Dickinson's Witch Hazel tins and bottles Dickinson, North Dakota signs Click here to learn about my branch of the Dickinson family. #dickinson #relics #memorabilia #collectibles

Growing up on the Jersey shore, I always collected rocks, shells, and sea glass from the beach. One great thing about the ocean is it throws new treasures at the shore every day. Especially after high tide, you never know what you might find. I found this beautiful rock on the beach a week after Tropical Storm Sandy ravaged the Jersey shore. It's probably Quartz (Rock Crystal), but if anyone has any input, it would be appreciated. Characteristics: Weight: abt. 5 oz. Measurements: abt. 3" x 2" x 2" Colorless Conchoidal Fractures No Bubbles Flat Surface cleavage visible on one side. Parralel crystal formations. Translucent Inclusions Glass-like luster (vitreous) A diamond tester does not register it as a diamond. One edge (the right edge in the photo above) looks as if it were scraped by a glacier or tectonic plate. Whatever it is, it is evident that this gem has been through one heck of a journey. Comment below if you can identify this beautiful rock for me! #myblog

Emma Dickinson was born on 20 Dec 1893 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The family moved to Newark, New Jersey, before 1910 and her mother died in May of 1913, when Emma was 19 years old. Rather than marrying, like most girls her age did, Emma stuck around to help her father raise her brothers and sisters. She attended nursing school and was a world traveler. She never married or had children but was very close with her family both in America and back in England. She died in August of 1968 in Glen Ridge, Essex County, New Jersey. Her burial was at the family plot in Cedar Ridge Cemetery in Blairstown, New Jersey. Emma is shown here at left with her family in the early 1920s. In the back row from left to right: Emma and her sisters Rose, Elizabeth, and Ruth. Sitting in front is her brother W.H., father Harry, and other brother, John Dickinson (Photo courtesy of James Dickinson). About 40 years later, the siblings are shown again here: Emma at left with William H., Elizabeth, Ruth, John & Rose Dickinson. The occasion was the wedding of W.H.'s daughter, Ruth Dickinson to Bill Snyder in 1958. (Photo courtesy of James Dickinson). Click here for more on Emma Dickinson. For more on the family, see the Dickinson page. #dickinson #grave #cemetery

Here is a strange coincidence from 85 years ago. I was searching for the obituary of my grandmother, Margaret (Dickinson) Reese, when I stumbled upon this newspaper. It was the December 5, 1930 edition of The Genoa Tribune, printed ten months after she was born. Her father - my maternal great-grandfather, Rev. W. H. Dickinson, is mentioned in the column on the right. William H. Dickinson and his family helped establish Assembly of God churches throughout New York and New Jersey and lived in Genoa briefly from 1930-1933. They had moved from Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Margaret was just a baby when they moved to Lansing and the following year, her future-husband, Lloyd N. Reese was born in Groton, within 11 miles of Margaret's home at the time. Lloyd's family actually became acquainted with Margaret's family during this time, due to their mutual involvement with the church, but both Margaret and Lloyd were babies and when she was three years old, the Dickinsons left Lansing, moving 209 miles east to Glens Falls and subsequently to Asbury Park, New Jersey and elsewhere. In 1950, when William's daughter, Margaret, was in her last year of college at New England Bible Institute in Framingham, Massachusetts, she met and captured the heart of Lloyd and the couple were married in 1952. Their only daughter was born in 1953, and then, tragically, Margaret died from cancer in 1954. Fast forward seventeen years to 1971 and Margaret's daughter married a grandson of Albert Leonard. What's so strange about that? Well, Albert Leonard is also mentioned in the news clipping below from 1930. In summary, this one newspaper article from 1930 contains two separate stories about two of my great-grandfathers - one paternal and one maternal. Interesting? For more on these families, see the Leonard page, Dickinson page, or Reese page. Search free newspapers online for your ancestors in the news! Click here. #reese #dickinson #leonard

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!! #meme #happynewyear

#Jesus #Christian #Christmas #Messiah #Prophecy #inspirational

This beautiful nativity set has been passed down to the daughter of Ruth (Dickinson) Lindsey. Thankfully she shared a photo so we can all see it. In the early 1900s, when there were no televisions, movies, or smart phones, decorations like these were treasured because they were often the only way to visualize the scene of Christ's birth, depicted in Luke 2, the origins of Christmas. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2:8-20 Click here to find one on Amazon.com. See the Dickinson page for more on this family. #dickinson #Christmas #tradition #nativity #familyheirloom #heirloom

In memory of Cheryl DeJesus, daughter, aunt, cousin, niece, sister, mother, grandmother and friend to many. She loved the Lord above all. #reese #dickinson #cemetery #grave

Here's a spot in Allentown, Pennsylvania, I'd like to know more about. Along the Lehigh River on a road that runs parallel with it for about a mile, there's a fountain on the side of the road, shooting water coming from springs from what I believe is Lehigh Mountain. The masonry is intriguing with the keystone wedged on top. It looks like a subterranean building but it may just be a stone face. As you can see, vandals have no respect for antiquity. They spray painted graffiti on the face of the stones. Down below is a single train track and across the river is the D&L Trail - Lehigh Canal (South) and a train yard: Here's the location on Google Maps. The fountain is on Constitution Drive, a long wooded road that runs along the base of the mountain: The Moravians purchased large amounts of land from the sons of William Penn in nearby Fountain Hill. Was this fountain built by the Moravians? If so, when? If anyone knows anything about this, please comment! #pennsylvania #allentown

A photograph of my great grand uncle, John Dickinson (1904-1989), is labeled "World Fair 1930s NYC" (courtesy of Marge Quick). I did a google search to find out what he saw there and I found a list of when and where the World's Fair was held. The only one I found in the 1930s that we held in New York City was in 1939-1940. I also found a great video on youtube showing vintage footage of the fair in New York City. Thank you to HuntleyFilmArchives on Youtube for sharing! Watch below: For more on the Dickinson family, see the Dickinson page. #dickinson #NewYork

This tragic story was printed in the Evening Independent, St. Petersburg, Florida, Oct. 20, 1962. Rest in peace Francoise de Moriere. Other names mentioned: Robert Swingle of Farmington, Connecticut, Charles Mack of Springfield, Mass., Thomas Hawkins, Kathy Lacey of Washington, Harold Gould of Alexandria, Virginia. For more historical news from the past, see the Notable News page. #notablenews

These images were created in memory of Rev. James I. Dickinson, who took these photos in his travels over the course of his life. It seems like he always had the perfect perspective and a positive outlook, befitting of the famous motivational quotes that I've added. Enjoy! And don't forget to "Heart" and share your favorite one(s). Click here to browse these beautiful photos and inspiring quotes. View the slideshow videos on YouTube. For more information about the Dickinson family, see the Dickinson page. #dickinson #meme #memes #inspirational #JIDphotos

Quote by Vincent van Gogh: I would rather die of passion than of boredom. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Winston Churchill: If you're going through hell, keep going. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Farrah Gray: Build your own dreams or someone else will hire you to build theirs. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Anais Nin: Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Rosa Parks: I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Christopher Columbus: You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to leave the shore. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Norman Vaughan: Dream big and dare to fail. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by Maya Angelou: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos

Quote by T.S. Eliot: Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. Photo by the late Rev. James I. Dickinson (1927-2003) Click here to see more! #famousquotes #quotes #motivation #inspirational #JIDPhotos