Why don't scientists trust atoms?
Because they make up everything!
**the concept of atoms was around during ancient greece. the first modern evidence of atoms occurred in the early 1800s when John Dalton, a chemist, discovered that chemicals always contain whole number ratios of atoms.
Joannes Baptiste Steyaert was born 7 October 1859 in
Evergen, Belgium—avery small village. He and his wife, Matilda Van
Damme, had a total of eight children, whose birthplaces provide a map of the
family’s journey from Belgium to Arizona.
The three eldest children—Marie Victoria, Emil Johan and
Augustine Bernard--were born in Belgium. The fourth child, Marie
Leona, and the fifth child, Benjamin Paul, arrived in 1890 and 1891 while the
family was living in Winnipeg, Canada. The Steyaerts seem to have
gravitated to heavily forested areas, suggesting occupations associated with
lumber.
By the time the seventh and eighth children, Medard
Tracy and Joseph Julius, were born in 1894 and 1897, the family was in De Pere,
Wisconsin. In the summer of 1897, the Steyaert family left Wisconsin
for Arizona with newborn Joseph. Within just a few weeks of their
arrival, Joannes fell desperately ill. After a protracted bout
with typhoid which exhausted the family’s financial resources, he died on July
21, 1897, and was buried in the Loosley Cemetery. His daughter Marie
Victoria died of pneumonia a few months later, on November 21, 1897, and was
buried in the same cemetery.
This left Matilda Steyaert destitute, with seven children to
support. They ranged from Emil, almost 12, to Joseph, a mere babe in
arms. The local newspaper, the Arizona Republican, appealed to its
readership to assist the family. The Steyaerts were listed
intermittently as indigent between 1898 and 1900.
In time, however, the Steyaert children became old enough to
support themselves. In 1913, the boys built a fine house, designed
by Howard B. Claflin, for their mother at 1021 East Washington. The
ten-room brick bungalow is said to have had screened sleeping porches and much
built-in cabinetry. Owing to the use of an innovative truss, the
front porch offered an unobstructed view of the street.
Ben and Gus Steyaert became locomotive engineers for
the Santa Fe Railway and the Southern Pacific Railroad
respectively. Emil was by turns a miner, prospector and truck driver
for Union Oil. Joseph Julius worked as a heavy equipment
operator. Only Medard and Frank carried on the family tradition of
working with wood. In 1928, Medard was managing a planing mill at
1501 South Central, which made cabinets and office furniture.
With her children grown up, Matilda converted her bungalow
on East Washington into a boarding house and rented rooms to guests regardless
of race. After her death on 27 July 1941, the house was sold to
Golden and Elvira Swindall, who continued Matilda’s legacy of providing
accommodations to African American guests who were not welcome at the
segregated hotels in downtown Phoenix. The Swindall Tourist Inn was
listed in the famous ‘Green Book’ for Negro travelers; Count Basie,
Dizzy Gillespie and Jackie Robinson are believed to have stayed
there. Bought in 1996 to serve as the headquarters for the Desert
Mashies golf club, the house is now on the National Register of Historic
Places.
-by Donna Carr
check out our website at Pioneers' Cemetery Assocation.
Cemeteries are more than just places where we inter our dearly departed; they are serene havens that offer peace and solitude. However, these hallowed grounds weren't always the lush landscapes we've come to know today. During the Victorian era, the concept of cemeteries and their designs underwent a significant transformation, resulting in the emergence of the 'Victorian Garden Cemetery.'
The Victorian era, spanning 1837 to 1901, was a period of
profound change in societal attitudes towards death and mourning. As urban
populations grew, so did the concern over hygiene and space in overcrowded
church graveyards. This led to the development of large, suburban 'garden cemeteries' designed not only for the deceased but also for the living.
The concept of the garden cemetery was not merely a
practical solution to overcrowding. It was an embodiment of the Victorian preoccupation
with death, and the subsequent desire to commemorate and memorialize the
departed in a manner befitting their social status and personal virtues.
The Victorian cemetery was designed to reflect the tranquility and beauty of an idealized landscape. Curvilinear paths wound through a picturesque tableau of rolling hills, meandering rivers, and large, mature trees. Beautiful, ornate mausoleums, chapels, and monuments adorned these scenic locales, creating an atmosphere more akin to a serene park than a burial ground. These spaces were as much about contemplation, remembrance, and public leisure as they were about internment.
The headstones and monuments of Victorian cemeteries were a
testament to the era's intricate and symbolic craftsmanship. Much more than a
means to mark a grave, these stone symphonies served to tell a story about the
individual lying beneath.
From angels denoting innocence and ascension to heavenly
peace, to hands pointing upwards symbolizing the journey of the soul, the
symbols carved on the headstones were replete with meaning. The intricacy of
design varied with social class and wealth, with the affluent commissioning
lavish Gothic Revival or Classical styled mausoleums, while the less wealthy
settled for simpler but no less poignant headstones.
Marble was a common material of choice for these headstones and monuments due to its luminosity and the relative ease of carving it. However, as time passed, the marble's susceptibility to weathering and erosion led to the shift towards more durable materials like granite.
and Not everyone could afford an elaborate headstone, so wood, rock, and inexpensive materials were also used. Unfortunately, these were not always durable. In some cases, a headstone wasn't placed due to costs.
The design of the Victorian cemetery was incomplete without
its complement of carefully selected and strategically placed vegetation. The
Victorians ascribed specific meanings to different plants, and these meanings
were not lost in the design of their cemeteries.
Cypress trees symbolizing mourning, weeping willows
representing sorrow, and rose bushes denoting beauty, love, and respect, were
common features. These, combined with seasonal flowers, created a constantly
changing panorama of colors and scents, contributing to the cemetery's tranquil
ambiance.
The Victorian cemetery represents a vital chapter in the
evolution of burial practices, reflecting the era's attitudes towards death,
remembrance, and public space. Its design elements, from the carefully laid out
landscapes to the symbolic headstones, continue to intrigue and invite
exploration.
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| Lord Duppa - Arizona Archives |
During the Victorian era, mirrors played a significant role in funeral rituals, accompanied by superstitions and beliefs. Covering or turning mirrors to the wall during mourning was a common practice with deep-rooted meaning.
1. Mirrors as Gateways: Victorians believed mirrors held a
spiritual connection, reflecting more than just physical appearances. They were
considered gateways between the living and the deceased, capturing and
reflecting a person's essence.
2. Superstition of Covering Mirrors: To prevent the departed
soul from becoming trapped or haunting the living, mirrors were covered or turned during
mourning in the home. This practice aimed to safeguard against any potential harm to the deceased person's spirit or to the living.
3. A Horrible Realization: It was also believed in some cultures, that if the deceased saw a reflection of themselves in the glass, they would become horrified that they had become a ghost.
4. Mirrors in the Death Chamber: In the room where a person
passed away, mirrors were often covered with a white cloth. This act ensured a
smooth transition for the deceased person's spirit into the afterlife,
preventing any potential entrapment. This may also have included pictures.
Mirrors held great significance in Victorian
funerals and in death, symbolizing the connection between the living and the departed. The
practice of covering mirrors during mourning reflected the superstitions and
beliefs of the era. Understanding these customs provides insight into the
Victorian fascination with the afterlife and their complex views on death and
the supernatural.
Frederick “Fred” was born August 18, 1831 in Jugenheim,
Germany, to Bartholomew Balsz and Phillipine Gerisch. The couple had
eleven children born between 1814 and 1836, several of whom came to the United States. Frederick’s mother Philippine is believed to have died
around 1836 in Germany shortly after the birth of her last child,
David. Bartholomew, a butcher, then immigrated to the United States
with some of their younger children, settling in St. Louis, Missouri.
Young Fred is thought to have married at the age of 17 in
St. Louis and had a son he named Frederick, Jr. The name of Fred’s
first wife is unknown, but she died about 1849.
Soon thereafter, Fred left his son with family and went west
with his brother David, who would have been 13 years old. The
brothers drove a team of oxen along the California Trail to Sacramento, where
they found work as butchers. They remained there until Fred eloped
with his second wife, Mercedes Gonzales, around 1860. The couple had
three boys and one girl before Mercedes died about 1867. Shortly
after, Fred married Eliza Tapia who was about 16 years of age on November 12,
1867. She bore him five more children before her death in 1878.
By this time, Fred’s younger brother David had opened a
slaughterhouse north of Phoenix in the Arizona Territory, so Fred moved his
family there. Between Fred the butcher and David the cattleman, they had the
perfect vertical business model.
Fred married his fourth wife, Sotela Bracamonte, on October
29, 1879 in Phoenix. She was about 17 years old; he was
48. Fred and Sotela would add at least ten more children to the
family. Between Fred’s family and David’s family, they had enough
children to open their own school--Balsz School—which still exists today in
Phoenix.
Fred continued to work as a butcher, going into business for
a short time with Frank D. Wells in Phoenix. That partnership was
dissolved in 1884, by which time Fred’s sons were in business with him.
Sotela died February 8, 1899, in Phoenix of heart disease
and was buried in the family plot in the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. Fred did not remarry this time, but he had plenty of
children to care for him in his final years. The number of children
he fathered fluctuates by different accounts, but in 1906 he said he had had 19
children by his four wives.
Fred died at the home of his son Joseph on June 13,
1910. He had suffered a bout of pneumonia the year prior and never
fully recovered. He was buried next to Sotela.
© 2020 by Patty Gault. Last revised June 28, 2020
To obtain a copy of the sources used for this article, please contact the PCA to make a suggested donation. azhistcemeteries.org
In the 1800s, the language of flowers, also known as "floriography," held profound significance, and this symbolism extended to funeral flowers as well. These floral arrangements were not just displays of condolence, but rather, carefully chosen collections that expressed certain emotions, sentiments, or messages about the deceased. White lilies, known to symbolize the restored innocence of the soul of the deceased, were commonly used. Red roses signified respect, love, and courage, while pink roses indicated grace, happiness, and gentleness. Calla lilies, symbolizing beauty and marriage, were often used in the funerals of younger people, suggesting the tragic cut-off of a life in its prime.
Funeral flowers during this era were also chosen based on the
relationship with the deceased. For instance, chrysanthemums were associated
with death and were often used in funerals and graves in many European
countries. Forget-me-nots, symbolizing true love and memories, were presented
by someone who had a close, personal relationship with the deceased. In
contrast, the amaranth flower, symbolizing immortality, was used to express the
belief that the deceased's spirit would live on. these
carefully curated funeral flower arrangements provided a unique, though silent,
form of communication, conveying deep messages of loss, remembrance, and
enduring connection.
check out the PCA website at azhistcemeteries.org
"WANTED, AT ONCE—Two fluent and well-learned persons, male or female, to answer the questions of a little girl of three and a boy of four; each to take four hours per day and rest the parents of said children."
Toaster's Handbook
Jokes, Stories, and Quotations 1916
Immigrant Heritage Month, celebrated annually in June, is a
time to honor the immense contributions, sacrifices, and cultural richness that
immigrants bring to the United States. This observance provides an opportunity
for everyone to reflect on the United States' heritage as a nation of
immigrants, and the important role immigrants have played, and continue to
play, in shaping the culture, economy, and social fabric of the nation. It is a
time to celebrate diversity, share personal narratives of immigrant families,
and understand the importance of upholding the rights and dignity of all
immigrants.
Throughout the month, communities and individuals across the
nation participate in various activities, events, and initiatives that
highlight the immigrant experience. This includes sharing and listening to
compelling immigrant stories, attending cultural festivals, participating in educational
seminars, or taking part in advocacy work. Immigrant Heritage Month also
encourages the exploration of personal histories, providing an excellent
opportunity for individuals to delve into their own backgrounds and better
understand their roots. Above all, this observance fosters a greater
appreciation for the vibrancy and resilience that define the immigrant
communities, reminding us that every person's story adds a unique thread to the
diverse and beautiful tapestry that is America.
Here on this Blog, we will be highlighting Immigrants in the PMMP that made Phoenix what it is today.