Marston - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Frances (Marston) (Leighton) Derrington

philipnason70 — 2012-03-29 12:41:09Z

My name is Philip Nason nason.p@att.net I am seeking to secure anyinformation about mygrandmother Frances Marston, She in abt 1897 married Irving Mathias Leighton in Yarmouth, Me, They had two daughters Florence Leighton (b 1898 & (my mother ) Elsie Leighton (b 1900-Yarmouth, Me) Aprox Frances divorce Leighton 1907 ?? married Sgt US Army William W Derrington. in 1911 they had a son Walter H Derrington In 1919 4 of the family (not Florence) moved to Tulsa Ok. Activities there & elsewhere vague. Where did son Walter go to school ? (He enlisted in US Army 3-1930) Florence arrived Tulsa, Oklahoma ?? Moved to Ponca City ?? Elsie & Frances moved to Logan WV, abt 1926 why ? did what ?? Frances ran "boarding house" ! Elsie married Willard Stacy Oct 1927, Divorced Sep 1933 any info welcome, will share Philip nason nason.p@att.net

Almon Marston

philipnason70 — 2012-03-15 00:08:08Z

my name is philip nason nason.p@att.net. I am seeking to obtain 2 pieces of information about my great grandfather Almon Marston, b, apx 1844 West Falmouth, me- home Pownal, Me He began career as seaman in 1860 seeking "Seaman Papers" In apr-May 1861, for $300. he took the place of a "wealthy man's son) who had volunteered in a militia for 90 days. I believe Marston took on the name of the wealth man's son, he fought at, captured at the bridge in the First Battle manasses, 21 Jul 1861, inprisioned in :imfamous Libby Prison" escaped abt 10 monthe later (1862) He volunteered as a seaman in the US Navy in Apr 1864 for one year , was wounded and discharge Apr 1865 There is suppose to have been an article published in the Boston Post newspaper in 1911 1912 1913 sunday issue. Have not been about to locate, due to the unavailabliity to search any Boston Post newspapers. Any source or information welcome will share data if requested philip nason nason.p@att.net

Elizabeth Whitney Marston

philipnason70 — 2012-03-14 23:01:55Z

My name is philip nason nason.p@att.net- I am seeking to locate 3 pieces of date on my great aunt Elizabeth Whitney Marston. She was born around 1888, Pownal Me,-- married in 1909 Clarence Orliff Williams- (a Sgt US Army stationed in Portland, Me area) (Home town; Parsons, Labette Co, Kansas)(1) DIVORCE date-place unk (2) Elizabeth remarried to Chester Campbell (b 1887 Ky ?)between 1911 & 1920 MARRIAGE date-place unk) (3) on death certificate & Obituary notice lists a daughter Madeline Rusell - -Tampe, Fl (Obit dated Jan 5 1978 Charleston W.V. No other information about daughter For some unknown reason in family notes : Elizabeth is refered as "LEONA " or Aunt LEON- Anyone with any information please e-mail I will share my Marston data IF desired Philip Nason nason.p@att.net

Arthur Marston

LouisePullanMarston — 2012-02-27 02:24:47Z

Looking for any family connected to Arthur Henry Marston, b. 1929 d. 1.9.92. (late of NSW, Australia)

Re: Ann Marston - Miss Michigan of 1960

dick_marston33 — 2012-02-25 21:12:31Z

Thank you, sir, for the heads-up. I just now bought a used copy of the book on Amazon.com for $8.95 plus shipping. It will arrive in March.

Re: Ann Marston - Miss Michigan of 1960

cliffgreen11 — 2012-02-25 05:31:22Z

There is a book called Shooting Star written by Alana Paluszewski that I bought from the history book series at either Borders or Barns and Noble. It is the life story of Ann Marston. I bought it because my brother shot in competition with her and said she was beautiful physically, but more beautiful as a person. The book is published by momentum Books L.L.C. 2145 CrookS Road, Suite 208, Troy, Michigan 48084 www.momentumbooks.com. The book is loaded with info about her, her parents and their life both in England and the US. Buy the book you won't be sorry. I say $19.95 well spent.

Re: Re : Lydia Marston, wife of a Mr.Crigger

sybrayer — 2012-02-18 03:12:34Z

Sam, I am interested in the line of John Rhodes and Mary Ann Crigger. Are you in the line of Charles b 1897? my email is sybrayer@cox.net. Would like to hear from you.
Suzanne

Marston: Edgbaston, Warwickshire, UK

DebbieReeve57 — 2012-01-25 21:47:17Z

I'm trying to find more information on Henry Marston; born in Edgbaston, UK in 1799 and died 1856. He was marrield to Martha Brett York. Henry is my G G Grandad, but I have no leads after Henry.

Re: Ann Marston - Miss Michigan of 1960

marston_manor — 2012-01-02 18:10:22Z

You may be the closest blood relative who has yet responded to my original query about Ann. So far, all I know about her is what I have posted on my genealogy website. There I said, "Ann was Miss Michigan in the Miss America Pageant of 1960. Her talent was archery. She never married and was a resident of Wyandotte, Wayne, MI, when she died." If you would share with us [or me] the names of her parents, her grandparents, and her places of birth and death in Michigan, then I believe that I can connect her the the rest of my MARSTON data. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Ann Marston - seeking info on Miss Michigan of 1960

marstop — 2012-01-02 04:27:00Z

I am a cousin of Ann. Her Mother was my Father's sister.

Re: Ann Marston - seeking info on Miss Michigan of 1960

marstop — 2012-01-02 04:26:45Z

I am a cousin of Ann. Her Mother was my Fathers sister.

Re: Charles Marston/Charles Jordan

JohnMasten49 — 2011-12-21 14:27:49Z

I was wondering if you could shed some light on a few things if we are in-deed some sort of kin. The Jordan Family and Marston family seemed to be close. John Marston married Sallie Jordan in Saint John NB and they both went back to New York, John died in 1830. Anyhthing you can do to help me I sure would appreciate it.

thanks for your time

Re: Charles Marston/Charles Jordan

JohnMasten49 — 2011-12-20 15:42:03Z

*lol*

Wow, ok this is kinda neat . My name is John Gilbert Masten, my g,g, grand father was Charles Thomas Masten, my g,g,g grandfather was also named Charles who married Abigail Curtis of New Brunswick.......one of my ancestors who I am RESEARCHING quite heavy is John Marston ( B. 1748-1830 ), his wife was Sallie Jordan of Saint John NB. I live here in Saint John NB as well. ........I am not sure but I think we may be cousins of sorts...

I am 32 years old and have lived in SJ my whole life. I understand the Marston name was the original surname of Masten, from the lower Hudson area of NY, USA ( Dutchess,Westchester,Ulster )...., Is there a possible chance I am correct that we may be cousins ( of sorts ? LOL )

MERRY CHRISTMAS :)

John

Re: Charles Marston/Charles Jordan

selrock39 — 2011-12-20 12:26:12Z

I'm still here.

Re: Charles Marston/Charles Jordan

JohnMasten49 — 2011-12-20 06:21:45Z

Is this still a valid account ?

Re: Place name MARSTON, Missouri

jn210003 — 2011-10-24 02:41:12Z

Thank you so much. My wife, Helen, has Marston roots and they visted Marston, MO many times, many years ago.

Re: Place name MARSTON, Missouri

lsuepratt55 — 2011-10-24 01:59:11Z

Charles Merlin Barnes was born on July 19, 1873, to Seth S. and Laura Marston Barnes. In 1898 the family founded Marston, Missouri, named for Laura Marston Barnes

Obituary for Emma Jane (Marston) Henderson (1904-1972)

AlexanderRoller — 2011-10-23 23:08:38Z

OBITUARY
May 4, 1972 "Democrat Union"
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
Emma Jane Henderson, 68, of Lawrenceburg died on April 28, 1972. She was a native of Lawrence County and a member of Antioch United Methodist Church. Her parents were Bertram L. and Katherine (Crews) Marston. Funeral services were conducted Sunday at Antioch United Methodist Church with Walter Schaerer officiating. Burial followed in Freemon Cemetery. North Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Survivors include two sons, Joe Littrell of Lawrenceburg and Rev. Onus J. Littrell of Summertown; daughter, Valeria Hansford of Charleston, South Carolina; two brothers, Earl Marston and Jerry Marston, both of Leoma; two sisters, F. F. Wynn of Leoma and Mrs. W. D. Wilburn of Prospect; and eleven grandchildren.

Alex Roller
aroller@opusnet.com

Re: Re : Marston family of Carlisle, Cumberland arr US midwest 1849

psbuck27 — 2011-10-22 17:25:28Z

Sorry - This Thomas Marston born 1812.

Re: Re : Marston family of Carlisle, Cumberland arr US midwest 1849

marston_manor — 2011-10-22 03:38:34Z

Corrected POST from the deleted one I wrote earlier this date:

Nancy,

Since this reply is written more than 12 years after you started this thread, perhaps you are no longer following it anymore yourself. As you may know by now, I have posted a great deal about the descendants of your Thomas on my "Marstons of North America" website. No one on this side of "the pond" has filled in the blanks which are missing from the info about those descendants. I note also, however, that neither has anyone on your side posted any info about the ancestors of your Thomas of Carlisle. Am I missing something? As much as I wish it was otherwise, I also would like the current record to reflect that there is NO connection yet shown between the Marstons of New Hampshire and any Marston born in England outside county Norfolk.
The modern DNA solution to the filling of the missing connection has yet to interest the "right" males on our respective sides of "the pond". Pity!

Re: Re : Marston family of Carlisle, Cumberland arr US midwest 1849

muzzy1022 — 2011-10-21 17:22:47Z

Yes, I think we have a hit. My Thomas Marston was born in Carlisle in 1804 and I believe there was a brother named William. There's more - I will get back to you - remind me if I don't!!

Re: Marston Manor question

marston_manor — 2011-10-07 18:22:17Z

Marie,

Thank you very much, and PLEASE accept my public apology. The information you have just provided is VERY helpful, but, and here's the part for which I'm ashamed, I recall seeing your info before. For the life of me, however, I'm unable to explain why I failed to respond to you. I have also managed to lose the message that I recall seeing.

I definitely want to exchange info with you and to return your help in any way that I can. Please write to me when you are able. The email address that I use for my genealogy data is idnnsb@pacbell.net .

Thanks again!

Re: Marston Manor question

Elarius8 — 2011-10-07 01:54:20Z

My name is Marie Pineda. My maiden name is Hayes. Samuel James Marston was my great-great-grandfather. Here's what I have on Samuel and his descendants. Samuel James Marston was born 7/23/1843. He married Elizabeth Herbert "Lizzie" Marrast on Dec. 5, 1871. They had one child named Charles Augustus Marston (Charley). Charley was born on Dec. 26, 1872. Charley married Regina Goodbrad and had two sons, Samuel James Marston II (b. Apr 2, 1902) and Charles Augustus Marston Jr. (b. Mar. 16, 1903). Sam II died on Sept. 18, 1989. Sam II married Ethyl Cody on Oct. 3, 1931. I don't know if Sam II had children. C A Marston Jr (b. Mar. 16, 1903) married Sarah Elain Hall on Oct. 5, 1934. They had 4 children... C A Marston III (b. Dec 27, 1936), Richard Marston (b. Mar. 5, 1939), George Goodbrad Marston (b. Aug. 9, 1943) and Samuel Joseph Marston (I don't know his birthday). I am in contact with C A Marston III via email though. I can verify some info I have about the children of the above four boys (men now). I have info I'd like to share with you about Samuel James Marston's second wife also (Marie Odile Lanaux). Is there any other way I can give you the info? Are you willing to send me a private message through ancestry.com with an email? I'd be happy to share MY email that way also. I will try to check back her later tonight, in case you get this message, but I want you to know I'll be away from my computer for a few days starting tomorrow (Oct. 7).

Re: Marston Manor question

dick_marston33 — 2011-10-06 23:54:55Z

Thank you. I am VERY interested in any information you may provide in answer to my questions about Samuel and his son, Charley. Also, what is your name, and how are you related to Samuel? He is descended from an as-yet unconnected Marston line from 1600s, what I call the "New York" Marston line.

Re: Marston Manor question

Elarius8 — 2011-10-06 22:22:12Z

Now I know why you haven't responded to me, but I AM a descendant of Samuel James Marston and can answer some questions you have about him on Marston Manor, if you'd like. He WAS married twice and I'm a descendant of his daughter Marie Odile Marston. I also have information about his son Charley (Charles Augustus Marston) and those descendants. If you are interested in what I know, please contact me. If you are not interested, that's ok too.

Re: Marston Manor question

marston_manor — 2011-10-06 17:51:22Z

Thank you, and you are entirely welcome, cousin! I see that our common Marston ancestor is the brewer, Ephraim W. Marston [1654-1742], my 7g grandfather. Since we are both Simi Valley residents, it would be nice to meet you in person some day. Happy hunting!

Dick [idnnsb@pacbell.net]

Re: Marston Manor question

martysplace_1 — 2011-10-06 13:59:43Z

Dick,

Being one of those Marston’s having a maternal connection via Sarah Jane Marston (born 1786 Kennebec Maine – daughter of Theodore Marston & Joannah Ladd), I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate all the work you have given to everyone with Marston Manor. The blog provided through RootsWeb.com makes for an enjoyable way for me to keep in touch with my Marston lineage.

Keep up the great job and again THANKS!

Sincerely,
Marston Dudley Robertson, Simi Valley

Re: Marston Manor question

marston_manor — 2011-10-06 01:19:34Z

Thank you, Susan. I guess my "cover" has been blown. For all of you out there who thought that creating and maintaining a web site reachable by using Google was a threat to your personal privacy, forget it! Elarius8, who has chosen to remain "anonymous" with RootsWeb.com, shows a better way to protect privacy. As most of you already know, the focus of "Marston Manor", as well as that of "Marstons of North America", is upon those persons born with the Marston surname. The descendants and ancestors of the female spouses of a Marston male are followed only if they eventually lead back or forward to another male Marston. That's Rule #1. I allow you the privilege and task of researching the connected maternal lines, hence a possible reason that Elarius8 has had no response from me [rude as that may unfortunately be].

Dick Marston
Simi Valley, CA

Marston Manor: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dickmarsto...
Marstons of North America: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=marston_m...
Marston Family yDNA Project: http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?code=B22634&...
Hampton, N.H. Area Genealogy: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=hampton-n...

Re: Marston Manor question

marston_manor — 2011-10-06 01:19:29Z

Re: Marston Manor question

susan5704 — 2011-10-06 00:05:47Z

Dick's website is http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dickmarsto...

Marston Manor question

Elarius8 — 2011-10-05 20:31:04Z

Has anyone here seen a website called "Marston Manor"? Apparently a man named Dick Marston set it up. Is there any way I can reach him? I've tried email, but didn't get a response. I have some Marston information about Samuel James Marston and his descendants (I'm one of them). Please contact me here or send an email through ancestry.com if you can help me find Dick Marston. Thanks.

Re: Re : Marston family of Carlisle, Cumberland arr US midwest 1849

psbuck27 — 2011-09-20 19:58:49Z

I have Thomas Marston and brother William Marston both born in 1812 somewhere in England. Thomas went to Ireland and died there in 1839. Does any of this tie in anywhere?

Re: Help needed

ShirleyNewby — 2011-09-07 10:04:52Z

Thanks for that, the dates are near Vernon & Elsie so maybe the ships manifesto did get the names wrong.

Re: Help needed

marston_manor — 2011-09-06 19:20:02Z

Good questions about Nell and John, but, unfortunately, I have no answers. Those names do not appear among the six children with Harry E. and Fanny in Birmingham in 1901. I'm assuming there is somewhere a Canadian census for the year 1891 [not, however, on Ancestry.com], but the departure that year from New York makes it possible that the family missed being counted in Canada. It is also possible that the ship's manifest got the children's names wrong. Nell may have died or married before 1901, and John may have died or have moved out of his parents' household before then. Too many unknowns to be sure of anything other than what I have reported.

Re: Help needed

ShirleyNewby — 2011-09-06 14:20:11Z

Harry Edwin was my Gt grandfathers younger brother I am decended from James born 1845,Harry Edwin died in 1935 and his son Vernon reported the death.
I am interested in the 2 children who returned with him in 1891 the only 2 I have born before 1891 are Vernon born 1884 & Elsie born c 1886, so who are Nell & John

Re: Help needed

vickydibba04 — 2011-09-06 07:59:58Z

Thanks for that infoo, that makes it alot easier as I know my Harry died in 1938 in England, (the one of 2 facts I do know about him!)

Re: Help needed

marston_manor — 2011-09-05 22:30:09Z

The Harry MARSTON, born about 1894 as the son of Harry E. and Fanny MARSTON, did not die in England.

Shirley's g. grandfather, Harry E. MARSTON, was born about 1860 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, the son of Alfred and Hannah MARSTON. Harry then had an older brother [by 4 years], Thomas. Harry was single and living with his parents in Birmingham in 1871 and 1881. In 1888, at the age of 28, he sailed from Liverpool aboard the ship, "Polynesian" and arrived in Quebec, Canada, on Sept. 9th of that year. He returned to Liverpool from New York City in May 1891 aboard the ship, "City of Berlin" with a wife [Mrs., sic, Harry E.] and 2 children, "Nell", 6, and "John", 4. By their indicated ages, both apparently born in England.

Harry and Fanny [no "r"] were living in Birmingham at the time of the 1901 Census, then with 6 children. That Census lists the birth place of all 6 children as Birmingham. The oldest two, Vernon and Elsie, were then ages 16 and 14. Both were apparently born before their father had sailed for Canada.

One of the six children was Harry A. MARSTON, age 7. He married Lena Clara MILLS on April 30, 1911, in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. His middle name was "Alfred", and his mother's maiden name, all according to his marriage certificate, was TAYLOR. That certificate also provides Lena's parents' names as James and Susan [VANDERLIP] MILLS.
Harry A., age 31, and Lena crossed the U.S./Canadian border at Detroit, MI, on 21 Jan 1924, and he became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. in Detroit on 28 May 1947.

The images which are the sources for this information may be viewed online at Ancestry.com .

Re: Help needed

vickydibba04 — 2011-09-05 11:04:30Z

It gives me a new lead thanks

Re: Help needed

ShirleyNewby — 2011-09-05 09:46:06Z

I have a Harry Marston in my tree born c 1893 Birmingham he is on the 1901 census with his family at 59 Washington St Birmiangham age 7. His parents are Harry E & Franny (Frances) Harry Edwin was my Gt grandfathers younger brother.
Hope this helps

Help needed

vickydibba04 — 2011-09-04 20:59:46Z

Hi, I'm trying to break through a brick wall in my family tree. I know my Great Grandad was a Harry Marston, born late 1890's ish Birmingham or Shropshire and died in 1938 in Birmingham, but this is all I have I don't know who his parents were or anything. Is there any one who could help shed some light.

Re: Re : Roswell Marston

whiteroseart — 2011-08-08 18:29:37Z

Faith,

Hi I Know that Evelyn Pierce is Lucindas great great granddaughter, her and her husband Donald live in Gresham, Or. I am looking for them as Evelyn came into the Gresham Kinkos in 2008 and I helped her make photocopies of Lena Lucinda Berry, her great great grandmother,its A photo taken of her on her wedding day. She let me have a copy of the photo and I made a painting of it. I gave them a copy of the painting on canvas but have since lost contact with them. I am showing the piece in The Gresham Visual Arts Gallery right now and was hoping she or any family member would come to the reception on Aug. 16 from 5:30 to 7:00 as we will have a photographer there who will be doing interviews and run it on public broadcasting television. I would love to talk about the family if I may. No I am not related, the photo of Lucinda was just so beautiful and touching that I wanted to paint her. Let me know if you know anyone or can pass this info to a relative that might be interested. Thank you Lisa

George Chase Marston and Jennie Salls

lostyankee261 — 2011-07-24 16:36:40Z

George and Jennie have a son named George Hazen Marston. The middle name "Hazen" was passed thru 2 more generations. Does anyone have any idea where it came from? What family connection this might be?

Charles Augustus Marston b. 1874? Canada?

mikedawn177 — 2011-05-21 21:36:50Z

Hello. My GG Grandfather is Charles Augustus Marston. He married Agnes Austin based on the birth records of his 6 children.

I can't find anything confirming the birth or death of Charles. One of there daughters, Ida May, married Guy G. Oldenburg. I would love to chat with someone that is also researching the Marston family.

My email address is mikedawn@hotmail.com

Dawn

Robert Marston - Pittsburgh

magjen20071 — 2011-05-20 15:12:38Z

Article from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette mentioning Robert Marston, Maurice Connors, Michael Shanahan, George Fredericks.

Robert Marston, 18, from Manchester, N.H., was killed under a tree near Pressley Street on the North Side. Men inside the Cedar Avenue Elks Lodge saw him go down. They took him to Allegheny General Hospital, but he was dead, killed by lightning.

A mile or so and seconds away, a bolt of lightning crashed into the top of an oil storage tank at the Atlantic Refining Co. along Butler Street in Lawrenceville. It was a little before 2 p.m., Friday, June 15, 1923. The bolt ripped through the top of the steel tank spewing thousands of gallons of Pennsylvania crude to the ground while bursting into flames.

The refinery gate guard ran to firebox 547 at the corner of 57th and Butler. The first drops of rain began to fall just as Pittsburgh's worst oil fire got under way.

Tank 83 was a big tank, much larger than the typical Lawrenceville house. Already the column of thick black smoke was the tallest structure between New York and Chicago.

Their jobs going up in smoke'

The Atlantic refinery manufactured all sorts of petroleum products, a long list of lubricants, as well as kerosene and gasoline.

In the decades following Drake's discovery of Titusville oil, Pittsburgh became the center of the U.S. oil industry. Pittsburgh was home to more than 50 refineries and produced the country's drilling tools and tank cars. By the mid 1920s Pennsylvania was still producing 7-plus million barrels of oil annually.

Maurice Connors had been a refinery fireman for 12 years. His job was to keep water sprayed on taps leading to and from storage tanks. Friction caused by fluid in motion would often lead to flare-ups. Workers were thrown in all directions when lightning struck Tank 83. By the time Maurice regained his feet and nozzle, the fire and spill was the worst thing he had ever seen.
An 1891 Irish immigrant, my grandfather Maurice had seen his share of hellish situations at the Isabella Blast Furnace and at Armstrong Cork. In 1913, with his wife Delia six months pregnant, he had sat at the bedside of an 8-year-old son as he died of a heart ailment. Maurice had lived in constant fear of his children's health throughout the influenza of 1917. Now he was living with the abomination known as the 18th Amendment -- Prohibition.

As Pittsburgh city firemen from across the East End pulled from their stations, all could see their destination. Draught horses knew which way to go. There were still many a horse on the fire department payroll.

Engine Company 24 sped along Butler Street right into the path of a streetcar near the 46th Street car barn, injuring both drivers.

Engine Company 32, 6 and 25 were among some of the first to arrive on the scene, as was Pittsburgh fire Chief Michael Shanahan. Fire trucks lined Butler Street, spraying all the storage tanks they could reach while refinery firemen attacked the flame of Tank 83 from several different directions.

Freight trains along the Pennsylvania Railroad's Conemaugh tracks increased their speed to get by the fire -- a dangerous maneuver for westbound freight entering Downtown Pittsburgh. There were scarcely a half-dozen larger cities in the country.

Passenger and commuter rail was rerouted through the North Side. Freight traffic was soon stopped in its tracks when the railroad sent its own firemen. The 75 men on the fire train ran their hoses directly into the Allegheny River. The railroad wasn't being benevolent, though the refinery was a large customer: four sets of east-west track vital to commerce were in jeopardy.

Chaotic scenes occurred along Butler Street. Police, clubs in hand, were trying to establish a perimeter. Off-duty refinery workers literally seeing their jobs going up in smoke were determined to get by them. All along, rain continued to fall.

The still gathering crowd, including refinery workers' relatives, already numbered in the thousands. The police struggled to push the crowd back behind homes being forcibly evacuated, though few residents needed much persuading. Onlookers and evacuees carrying what possessions they could were herded onto Sunnyside Hill.

They strained to see through noxious thick black smoke as flames leapt into the air. Not only did spectators lose sight of firemen, groups of firemen would lose sight of each other. One hose company after another would spray in the direction of those lost from view, in hope of providing cover for retreat.

This practice achieved mixed results. At times, it was a life-saving measure. In other incidents it accomplished nothing -- or worse, it would knock fellow firemen into ankle-deep hot oil.

It was impossible to hear over the roar of the flames. Shouts went unheeded. Screams went unheard. Oil being oil, gloves slid off of hands. Helmets slid off or were otherwise discarded. Clothing smoldered, hair burned.
'A sea of liquid fire'

That very morning Pittsburgh Mayor William Magee had vetoed a council bill to increase fire department salaries.

Ambulance-loads of nurses from St. Francis and St. Margaret hospitals attended to the injured. Priests from St. Mary and St. Joseph, along with Red Cross workers, provided what comfort they could. Father Angel of St. Kiernan helped drag burned firemen through a hole cut into the refinery fence. Many from Engine Co. 9 were from his congregation, as was Maurice's family.

Firemen tried to reach the valve at the bottom of Tank 83 which, prior to the lightning, was filled to capacity with 30,000 barrels of crude oil.

The hope was to open the valve to drain oil onto the refinery ground. Using wooden walls of storage sheds as shields, they tried to approach the valve but the heat was too intense.

Hundreds of refinery workers dug trenches like doughboys. They cut channels in the compacted ground leading away from the "hogbacks" -- underground tanks containing hundreds of thousands of gallons of the refinery's most volatile product, gasoline. It was enough to burn the city of Pittsburgh to the ground.

After burning for five hours Tank 83 melted, sending what The Pittsburgh Press called "a sea of liquid fire" throughout much of the 26-acre refinery. Flames appeared along the exterior walls of the refinery garage. Workers were able to drive most of the trucks out on to Butler Street. Some in for repairs were lost; the majority were out on deliveries.

Rumors swirled like thick black smoke amongst onlookers on rain-soaked Sunnyside Hill. First 20 firemen were dead; then word was 50.

The heat became so extreme that Storage Tank 81 burst, the immense round roof hitting the sidewall. It splashed hot oil in all directions for a two-block radius.

Dozens were splashed on Sunnyside Hill, including children of refinery employees attending Mount Albion summer school where windows were breaking from the heat. The contents of Tank 81, an additional 30,000 barrels of crude, sent firemen and laborers running for their lives.

The fire train retreated toward Downtown as creasoted railroad ties caught fire. All four sets of railroad track bent and twisted from the heat of flaming oil.

A Pittsburgh Gazette reporter wrote he "thought his last moment had come. Everybody running, yelling, screaming. A dozen blocks away families hurried their household goods into the street."

With the aid of paddy wagons, police pushed the Butler Street crowd all the way back to 47th Street, the rear of the crowd found themselves with their backs to the wrecked streetcar, still partially blocking Butler. The rain continued, and "explosion after explosion rocked the district."

Fire chief Shanahan -- burned, cut and bruised -- called a "general alarm." All firemen and equipment from throughout the city was ordered to respond.

Burning oil rolled through the railroad bed, taking various tanks and sheds along with it. Flames two stories tall flowed down the Allegheny River. Sharpsburg and Etna police closed the 62nd Street Bridge to traffic. They watched in disbelief as flame traveled upriver against the current of the rain-swollen Allegheny. Day turned into night.

Hours went by. Firemen sprayed water on flames and nearby homes. Refinery laborers built earthen breastworks between themselves and storage tanks 84, 86 and 87.

Quoting the Pittsburgh Press, "they fought in the shadows of blazing tanks, emissaries of death sending forth their flaming breath to the night sky."

The Brushed Steel Company along with The United Engineering and Foundry Company caught fire to the east of the refinery. The loom shed at M.B. Suydain burned to the west.

Behind the crowd on Sunnyside Hill another fire appeared, near the playground on North Millvale Street. This one was quite intentional. Thirty police were dispatched.

Roughly 150 men in white robes fled in autos as the first police arrived. Patrolman Harry Sweeny and Ben Damatroski both suffered burns pulling down the flaming cross, built from 1-inch iron pipe and ignited with kerosene-soaked rags. Just another message from the Ku Klux Klan to local Catholics.

5.5 million gallons in 28 hours

As night gave way to morning, Pittsburgh's newspapers found it difficult to keep up with the fire's development. Flaming oil after all was a fluid situation.

The fire burned through Saturday morning and most of the afternoon. A full 28 hours after the lightning struck, fire chief Shanahan proclaimed the fire was under control.

At least 100,000 barrels (5.5 million gallons) of oil was gone. Burned or swept away -- roughly half the size of the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989. In 28 hours. In Pittsburgh.

Along with tanks 83, 81 and 85, tanks 121 and 122 were gone. Tanks 52 and 71 containing 600 barrels of napthia had also melted away.

At least 50 spectators had been injured by hot oil. Dozens of firemen were sickened by smoke and fumes. Some were hospitalized for exhaustion or shock, many had sustained burns.

City fireman George Fredricks took a hot spark in the eye. Refinery fireman Michael Schauder lost two fingers on his left hand, severed by a dropped oily nozzle under pressure.

Miraculously, no one was killed. No homes were lost. In addition to the tanks, the refinery lost several large buildings.

Various fire companies packed up and headed home. On the way back to their station, Engine Company 16's truck caught on fire; they put themselves out.

Railroad workers immediately got to work rebuilding the Conemaugh tracks. Atlantic Refinery officials vowed to rebuild at once. Consumers were advised that they would see a slight increase in prices.

Maurice: the epilogue

Maurice had punched in at 5 a.m. on Friday. He punched out after 5 p.m. on Saturday. He caught a ride with a Red Cross wagon to a temporary shelter at the Union Steel Casting Company near the 62nd Street Bridge.

There he bathed his burnt and oil-encrusted body and pulled on a fresh set of clothes. He drank a tall glass of complimentary whiskey from one of the many nearby speakeasys. He declined an offer of cantaloupe. Didn't care for melons, neither fruit nor bankers.

Maurice returned to the refinery a couple days later. But the job he had fought so hard to preserve now frightened him. His mustache would grow back, but he never fully regained his strength.

He was fired for being sick in 1926. It was tough for Delia and the eight living children, seven by birth and a second daughter Mary that the family had "taken in" when her own mother died. They got by on the wages of son John, who worked at Hubbard's Shovel Factory.

Maurice died in October 1927 while Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the rest of the Yankees' Murderers' Row were killing the Pirates in Oakland. His kids ranged in age from 5 to 24.

The day after the Atlantic Refinery fire, a Millvale friend identified the lifeless lightning-struck body at the morgue as Robert Marston.
Michael Connors is a local historian living in Chalfant. He is former vice president of the Lawrenceville Historical Society (lhs15201.org).

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11135/1146432-109-0.stm

any info on a percey marston from maine

glensfallsdem — 2011-05-11 16:15:52Z

If you have any info on a percy marston from maine I would like to hear from you. My mother was a Marston and born in maine in 1911. I know very little about her family and would like any info you could share. my email is hicpip@aol.com

Re: Floyd Marston m. Hazel M. Charlesworth of WI

DaveKearney54 — 2011-05-11 03:02:33Z

I DELETED my recent reply to KMandsager6000's original post in this thread, because Dick Marston's identification of the Floyd Marston in the wedding column as Floyd Frank Marston, makes clear he's not the William Floyd Marston in our family, as I previously thought might be the case. :-) (PLUS, in rechecking my information, I found that I had mistakenly identified our own fellow's first name as Henry when it is, in fact, William.)

Dick has our William Floyd Marston listed on his website at http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&d.... Thanks, Dick, for setting me straight once again!!

Re: Floyd Marston m. Hazel M. Charlesworth of WI

marston_manor — 2011-05-10 01:51:34Z

Thanks for this post. Until I read it Floyd was not yet included in my database for Marstons of North America. I have been able to locate several on-line sources related to members of Floyd's immediate family. Here is the link to my current info starting with Floyd's son, Henry F. Marston

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&d...

Floyd Marston m. Hazel M. Charlesworth of WI

KMandsager6000 — 2011-05-07 23:25:47Z

Sat., Oct. 28, 1911 - The Stevens Point Journal, Stevens Point, Portage County, WI; front page:

EARLY MORNING WEDDING.

Floyd Marston of Kilbourn and Hazel Charlesworth of this City.

A very quiet and simple wedding took place in St. Agnes chapel in the Church of the Intercession at 6:30 Friday morning, when Miss Hazel M. Charlesworth and Floyd Marston of Kilbourn were joined in wedlock, by Rev. E. M. Thompson. The bride was attended by Miss Mina Combs and the groom by Arthur Charlesworth, a brother of the bride. The only guests present were the immediate relatives. After the ceremony the bridal couple took the 7 o'clock train on the Green Bay & Western for New London, where they will spend a few days, going from there to points in the southern part of the state.

Mrs. Marston is the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Charlesworth, 812 Normal avenue, and is well known in this city, where she has a large circle of intimate friends. She was formerly emloyed in the book and stationery department of H. D. McCulloch's store.

Mr. Marston is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Marston of Kilbourn, and is employed as a fireman on the St. Paul railroad, with headquarters in Kilbourn, which city they will make their home. He is a nephew of Dr. F. A. Norton of this city.

marston family history

tsands9173 — 2011-03-31 02:44:36Z

I am trying to do my family tree on my moms side but Im stuck all I have is this: my mother was adopted as a baby to by the Bible family in Bolitmore, Md
her birth parents was:
James Franklin Rexroad B 1/14/1914 D 8/1986
Mary M. Marston B 4/16/1921 D 1979
Mary was born in Cumberland, MD.

They Had Three kids total:
Rosemary (my mom) B 7/1/1943
Richard B ?
Charlet B ?
Who are still living

James was born in Rockingham County, VA.
He had no sibbling that I know of
His mother was Lusy(Miller)Rexroad B/D ?
father is unknown was told he was born out of wedlock

Mary's parents was (g-grandparents)
Richard Franklin Marston B/D unknown
Lilly (Evens) Marston D 1936

They had 3 girls total
Pearl Moser B 4/16/19? D 1990
NellyMay Mccollie B ? D 1979
Claira Miller B ? D 1958

I do know that Claira way killed by her husband and the other sisters had heart failure like their mom and g-grandmother. At this time I am lost and at a dead end If anyone can help me with more information please email me at t_sands1973@live.com

Thank You
Theresa

marston family history

tsands9173 — 2011-03-31 02:44:28Z

I am trying to do my family tree on my moms side but Im stuck all I have is this: my mother was adopted as a baby to by the Bible family in Bolitmore, Md
her birth parents was:
James Franklin Rexroad B 1/14/1914 D 8/1986
Mary M. Marston B 4/16/1921 D 1979
Mary was born in Cumberland, MD.

They Had Three kids total:
Rosemary (my mom) B 7/1/1943
Richard B ?
Charlet B ?
Who are still living

James was born in Rockingham County, VA.
He had no sibbling that I know of
His mother was Lusy(Miller)Rexroad B/D ?
father is unknown was told he was born out of wedlock

Mary's parents was (g-grandparents)
Richard Franklin Marston B/D unknown
Lilly (Evens) Marston D 1936

They had 3 girls total
Pearl Moser B 4/16/19? D 1990
NellyMay Mccollie B ? D 1979
Claira Miller B ? D 1958

I do know that Claira way killed by her husband and the other sisters had heart failure like their mom and g-grandmother. At this time I am lost and at a dead end If anyone can help me with more information lease email me at t_sands1973@live.com

Thank You
Theresa