Sunday, March 18, 2012

Matson Matthew Sigler 16 Aug 1960 - 18 Aug 1960


There was this little boy who had an awesome older brother.  No, that’s a different story.  I’ve told you about all those older brothers.  I was the youngest of one family and the oldest of another.  There was a time when TV’s came in big boxes and they showed only black and white pictures.  Roy Roger’s was on TV and the next show on was my favorite, Sky King.  I wanted to live on a ranch and fly planes!

We lived in a small house in a bad area of Wilmington, California.  We were 200 feet from highway #1 and just about anything could happen in the alley that ran beside our house.  My grandma and grandpa owned the house (I didn’t know it back then) and they lived about 10 miles away.  We lived in the big house, two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and living room.  Across the back yard was two little one room houses (cottages?).  A really nice old lady lived in one and always gave me pie to eat.  The other one housed what would turn out to be life long friends.  How they fit the Mom, Dad, and two kids in that little place I will never know.  The Mom’s name was Shirley and she was not much taller than I (at five years old).  If you look up vertically challenged in the dictionary, I’m sure you will see her picture.  I have to give her the credit for making life great no matter what happened in 1960.

You see, one day Mom and Dad took off on a trip.  Shirley came over and stayed with me and watched my baby brother while my folks were gone.  Mom and Dad were back in a couple days, I remember them saying “Hi Carbine”.  I looked up from Sky King for at least 2 seconds and waved.  I was real busy petting the dog too.

What I didn’t realize, back then, Mom and Dad were on the way to visit the stork and bring home a present for me.  I guess the stork messed up or something?  Because of Shirley, the house just got back to normal, like nothing ever happened.   I don’t remember anyone ever saying anything?  I don’t think there was a funeral or a service of any kind.  I must have overheard something along the way and asked questions.  I remember Mom telling me that Matson had a full head of red hair.  Weighed in at over 11 pounds and almost 24 inches long.  His intestines did not fully form.  The doc’s tried to put him back together but, it wasn’t meant to be.

Fifty years later the genealogist in me wanted to find out what happened and of course there wasn’t anyone left to tell the stories.  I used all my tools.  Spent hours pouring over leads.  I could not find out anything.  Heartbreaking!  The genealogist brick wall.

I was planning a trip to southern California last year and thought I would try to find my little brother.  After a few hours, NOTHING, again.  I looked up all the cemeteries around Wilmington, nothing.  Only half have records on line.  I got the list and started calling.  I am amazed at how helpful people are.  Each and every place I called, spent time looking through their records.  Some had to take time to research and they would actually call me back.  Did God make special people to handle death records?  I got to the end of the list and, , , gave up.  Then I get a call from a very nice lady.  “I am so sorry but, we are unable to locate your brother.”  “What was your father’s name?” . . . . .  “Yes, we have a contract with him in March 1960, could your brother be named Matthew?”  I told her that I thought his middle name might have been Matthew.  “This must be your brother then.”  I explained that I wanted to visit two days later on my way through the area.

Matson had been named after his grand father Matson, and his grand father Matthew.

Two days later I drive through the gates and park.  I went into the office to ask how to find his grave site.  “What is your brothers name?” . . .   “Oh we talked on the phone.  I went out and located you brother first thing this morning.”  “We are so glad you were able to visit, I’ll take you out there right now.”  (This is above and beyond.)  She takes me to this huge area full of little ones that only spent a very short time on earth.  Hundreds!  She left me there and I noticed that someone had taken the time that morning to make sure that everything was perfectly clean and the grass manicured.  (Wow)

My highest recommendation for the All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach California.  No way to ever thank them enough.

Kevin’s Story, Part 32, Proof, Laundry on the Roof


If you know me, I am sure you have heard the story about the window.  I’ve been telling it for as long as I can remember.  You could go back and read Part 25 for a refresher course.  I was not entirely sure this story was real.  When we see and do things at three years old, they tend to turn into hundred pound fish stories at fifty.  So the farthest back this little rememberer could go was about three.  It seemed very real to me.  In retrospect I believe the reason I remember the story is because I was in trouble.  More than that, I now believe that when I climbed off the bed to look out that window, the reason I remember it so well, is that I probably couldn't get back on the bed.  I imagine that’s when I really got in trouble.

So I now have proof.   As most ancestry geeks do, I started scanning old slides.  Amazing what you find out when you look at really old pictures.  I found these old 35 mm slides and didn't realize what it was until I saw the laundry.  The pictures attached do not show the amazing quality.  Why didn’t he get a picture of my Mom actually hanging the laundry? And now, without further ado, my favorite picture.  I have to make this my screen saver I guess.  Should be on a post card.  A poster for Maine?  Visit Maine and get caught in the snow?


The car was called “The Merc”


Can you see the laundry?  My wife thinks we look like hillbillies when I hang laundry in the back yard.  Where is the clothes line?



The view from inside the house, at three, when you are in trouble, priceless.




Do you think they hang the laundry out on the roof today in 2012?  In 1958 this is how it was done.