Monthly Archives: August 2011

Above is a photo of my father’s mother, Melba, and her childhood friend, Violet (Vie), near Joaquin Miller’s house. I heard they were into Isadora Duncan. Did they meet Miller and his daughter at this age? Joaquin Miller lived in … Continue reading →

William Broderick, the husband of Alice Stuttmeister, was the Vice President of the California Barrel Company that was located in the Dogpatch, south of San Francisco, and Arcate in Humbolt County where the photograph of Melba and her grandfather is … Continue reading →

Since I can recall, Rosemary told me and my brother we descend from Teutonic Knights on our father’s side. Eight years ago I found a Stutenmeister province in Estonia that appears to be named after a Teutonic Knight, who purchased … Continue reading →

Royal Reuben Rosamond wrote an article for The West Coast Magazine titled ‘The Awakening of Ventura. My grandfather mentions the Chautauqua meetings once again. Was he a believer in the Human Be-ins of his day? These Be-in events involved camping, … Continue reading →

The photograph of my grandmother, Mary Magdalene Rosamond, was made into a postcard, as were the photo of she and my grandfather, Royal Rosamond, camping on Anacapa Island. The photo overlooking Ventura by the Sea was also a postcard, and … Continue reading →

The Wieneke cote of arms contains a bunch of grapes. The Wieneke family were Catholic Germans who were forced to flee Germany due to the Kulturkumpf (cultural warfare) waged by Bismark against the Catholic Church. Bismark’s ancestors had come to … Continue reading →

Above are photographs of my grandfather and grandmother camping on Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands off the coast of Los Angeles. After John Fremont and his wife Jessie Benton secured the West Coast for the United States … Continue reading →

With brush and typewriter, my grandfather, and Thomas Hart Benton, rendered a Country Masterpiece that many claim as their own – especially some politians who claim for your vote they will take you back to the good old days. They … Continue reading →

My uncle Vincent Rice became my art patron when I was sixteen. I had given him a seascape I had done, that he had framed and proudly hung over his mantle. Later, he would save a painting I did when … Continue reading →

Nancy Hamren and I went to McCheznie Junior High in Oakland, then Oakland High. Bill Arnold was the love of Nancy’s life. She was the first girl I ever kissed. In 1966 we became roommates on Pine Street, where we … Continue reading →