Where were your Grandparents in 1893?

[Allan C. Purcell]

My Grandfathers were Joseph Orton and Albert Purcell, both were serving then in the British army. Joseph in India, and Albert in South Africa, and both were not married then. It struck me that your Grandparents could have had the time to visit the " Worlds Columbian Exposition at Cigargo in 1893".

I bought this little souvenir from David Penney over the Christmas holidays, and it has just arrived. A bad time to buy anything in England at the moment, and we all now know about import duties.



Not knowing at the time, I also bought this Illinois pocket watch, for its good appearance, which has a Keystone Rolled Gold watch case.




The spring is broken, and my watch repairman is too busy at the moment, he already has three of mine, roll on Christmas?

Allan

 

[Ethan Lipsig]

Could our grandparents have visited the 1893 Columbian Exposition? That was 130 years ago. If they were new born babies when they were taken to the Exposition, and then waited until 40 to have your parents, your parents would have been born in 1933. The parents of many of us likely were borne before then. So, yes, our grandparents could have visited the 1893 Exposition, but likely only if they were quite young at the time. I doubt that many of our grandparents were born before, for example, 1873.

 

[Tom McIntyre]

My mother was born in 1906 and my father in 1908. My mother's father Tom Boll was born in 1867 and could have gone. My grandmother Lula May Wells was born in 1881. She and Tom had 14 children with 5 still alive when I was born in 1936. My grandfather William Woodford McIntyre was born in 1881 and my grandmother Helen Mull was born in 1884.

I suspect I am one of the older posters here although I think the NAWCC has a number of members in their 90's.

I do spend a lot of time at the 1876 Centennial Exposition, but only in my imagination.

 

[Rick Hufnagel]

My grandparents were not born yet. Even my great grandparents were all born after the turn of the century.

GG grandparents and more likely GGG grandparents could have gone.

 

[PatH]

Alt

My Grandfathers were Joseph Orton and Albert Purcell, both were serving then in the British army. Joseph in India, and Albert in South Africa, and both were not married then. It struck me that your Grandparents could have had the time to visit the " Worlds Columbian Exposition at Cigargo in 1893".

I bought this little souvenir from David Penney over the Christmas holidays, and it has just arrived. A bad time to buy anything in England at the moment, and we all now know about import duties.

View attachment 746285 View attachment 746286

Not knowing at the time, I also bought this Illinois pocket watch, for its good appearance, which has a Keystone Rolled Gold watch case.


View attachment 746287 View attachment 746288 View attachment 746289

The spring is broken, and my watch repairman is too busy at the moment, he already has three of mine, roll on Christmas?

Allan

Although my grandparents weren't born in 1893, like Tom's imaginary visits to the Centennial, I have spent quite a bit of time at the 1893 Columbian Expo. It was a wonderful event for quite a few horological companies. Some didn't attend due to the economic recession or the lack of space, but others were very well-represented.

Congratulations on the opener and attached card! Now you just need to get a copy of the Keystone souvenir booklet from the Expo. Originals of the booklet, as well as a reprint occasionally turn up. It has a great picture of the company's display, as well as advertising verbiage.

They won a medal and diploma at the Fair for their exhibit of "Keystone solid gold, Jas Boss filled, rolled-plate, Leader silver, and Silveroid watch cases, and was also accorded a special award for the Non-pull-out bow, which is used only on this company's cases." (From the November 1893 issue of The Keystone")The exhibit is described and pictured in the October issue of the publication. The November issue also included an ad announcing that C.H. Knight & Co of Chicago had acquired the entire exhibit and would be offering the cases to the trade at special prices on or after November 1, 1893.

 

[Ethan Lipsig]

Anyone interested in the 1893 Columbian Exposition likely should read Erik Larson's Devil in the White City, a nonfiction account of a serial murdered who lurked there. See The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson

 

[LloydB]

It struck me that your Grandparents could have had the time to
visit the " Worlds Columbian Exposition at Cigargo in 1893".
Allan

Allan, I fear it's possible that you've mis-pelled that location.

In the interest of the highest educational standards of this Forum,
I offer that my own Grandmother (born too late to include in your
research) sang , to me, the following:

" A Chicken in the Car, and the Car won't Go;
That's how you spell Chi-Ca-Go! "

(The Ephasis is hers... "how you" may have been
a regional New Jersey variation.) // Lloyd

"A chicken in the car and the car won't go, that's the way to spell Chicago"
is a popular Chicago rhyme that has been cited in print since at least 1926.
The children's rhyme was used in games and activities, such as jump rope
and hopscotch."

The Big Apple: “Chicken in the car and the car won’t go” (Chicago spelling rhyme)

We now return you to our regular programming, in progress.

 

[Allan C. Purcell]

Hi, Lloyd, C-H-I-C-A-G-O- Lesson learned.

 

[Brad Maisto]

Since we are talking about Chicago (and not Da Bear’s) I will add a piece of the 1933 “Century of Progress” that has been handed down in my family, a walking cane. My maternal grandparents lived in Burlington, IL and took my ~7 year old mother to this exposition. I do not want to detract from the Colombian discussion, but thought this to be relevant, even though not horologically related.
Brad Maisto, KY Floral #44 Secretary

 

[Brad Maisto]

I hope this is appropriate, but I came across this 11 X 14 inch, 351 page book in my possession.? It has an 1894 copyright from the Werner Co. and has some amazing content. Here is a glimpse, Brad Maisto

 

[PatH]

I hope this is appropriate, but I came across this 11 X 14 inch, 351 page book in my possession.? It has an 1894 copyright from the Werner Co. and has some amazing content. Here is a glimpse, Brad Maisto
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I have bought a few prints that likely came from a copy of this book. There is one of Michigan's building that shows the century tower clock, and one of the US government building on which you can see the time-ball. I would have to look back through my Expo stuff to see what other horological sites I have found. The clarity and sheer number of photographic images from this event is amazing. Now I know the name of the book and can keep an eye out for it.

 

[Alan Walker]

My grandparents on Dad's side were not born until the 1920s. Grandparents on Mom's side were born in the 1910s. However, my great grandparents would have been living then. Dad's folks would have been in middle Tennessee and northern Texas. Mom's folks would have been in north central Pennsylvania and western New York. They could certainly have attended the Exposition.

 

[Alan Walker]

One of the largest exhibits at the 1893 Exhibition belonged to the United States Lighthouse Establishment. Inside the main exhibition hall, they had several fresnel lenses with their clockwork drive mechanisms and models on display. Outside the hall was a full size, functional lighthouse.

 

[Brad Maisto]

Continuing my post #11, the moderator has okayed a few more pages to be displayed from the folio I own. I found the page with the “Michigan” house and since there are four “State Homes” per page, the actual pictures are only 3.75 X 4.75 inches in size. I’m including the index pages, “Chicago’s Great Telescope” (now referred to as The Yerkes Telescope, located in Lake Geneva, WI) and the “Krupp Gun Building”. Some of the pictures in this folio are not the best, but the descriptions are fascinating to read. Enjoy, Brad Maisto

 

[RexinMinn]

This is an intriguing thread for me to find as I've just received my great-grandparents' Elgin pocket watch back from being serviced. My great-grandfather's name was Gustav Hamann (pronounced like hominy as in hominy grits) and breeded purebred Holstein cattle in north-central Wisconsin (Medford area in Taylor County). He was gored to death by his prize bull in 1921 after making a deal with the local butcher to sell him. Took him something like three days to die. Back to the watch. It's actually a size 8 pocket watch with a nice gold case. My dad showed me the watch when I was a youngster and always coveted it. I came into the watch as my dad & stepmother's estate was being settled within the last few years. The family story was that it belonged to my grandfather William, but upon further investigation using the serial number I learned the watch was made in 1892, so it's more likely it first belonged to my great-grandmother, Albertina. Perhaps it was then given to William, but this would appear to be a ladies' watch. It is now running well although I'm having a bit of trouble winding the watch without activating the hands; perhaps my technique needs adjusting. Attaching photos.

 

[Roy Gardner]

A bit after 1893, my grandmother got to go for a ride in the first horseless carriage in Stockton, California.

I inherited three Elgin pocket watches from my grandfathers: a 1906 model 7, a 1920 model 3, and a 1923 model 3. Here's the 1923 model 3, a grade 303 with 7 jewels:

 

[Clint Geller]

To answer the OP's question, my four grandparents, or their parents, were all in Poland and neighboring parts of Russia in 1893. America was the land that opened its arms to them when they were seeking a better life and a refuge from oppresion, and I will always be grateful. Alas, none of their watches, if they had any, have come down to me.

 

[Appa69]

Here is an excerpt from an old book concerning my great-great grandparents and great grandpa from that time period.

And here is a watch from my grandfather's estate which I believe belonged to my great-great grandfather around the time he was president of the local Bank.

It is a model 77 B W Raymond from 1894. 15j pendant set. In a 15 year gold filled keystone. I serviced it, replaced the ratchet wheel and now it runs flawlessly.

As far as the exposition, they could have attended, but I can't say for sure either way.

 

[RexinMinn]

Here is an excerpt from an old book concerning my great-great grandparents and great grandpa from that time period.

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And here is a watch from my grandfather's estate which I believe belonged to my great-great grandfather around the time he was president of the local Bank.
View attachment 750346
View attachment 750347
It is a model 77 B W Raymond from 1894. 15j pendant set. In a 15 year gold filled keystone. I serviced it, replaced the ratchet wheel and now it runs flawlessly.

As far as the exposition, they could have attended, but I can't say for sure either way.

That's quite the exposé you've provided for us. I love the whole family history angle and learning about how people left their homes and take risks to start a business of their own, as my great-great grandparents did coming from Germany (the town they were actually from originally was in what is now Poland, my dad actually visited the place just before the Berlin Wall came down; see my entry just above this one) to start their purebred holstein operation. I also love seeing a watch I know is original from beginning to end, with its original case, etc. They are such amazing things of beauty.

 

[Brad Maisto]

One more Chicago -1934 “A Century of Progress” souvenir found while looking for some thing totally different, a “Greetings from ITALIA” metal bookmark. The bookmark features renditions of the “Sky Ride”, Travel and Transport BLDG, Fort Dearborn, Federal Building, and the Science Tower. Both of my great-aunts were teachers, but the green enamel on gold metal looks like it was never used and rarely removed the the paper card. Enjoy, Brad Maisto