Worship: Were our ancestors Non-Conformists?

 The prompt for this week is "worship." I've already written about the connection between Carl and Ulrika Anderson and the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Allegan, Michigan. Also, the connection George and Malvina Henrickson had with it. I looked at the family tree to see if any other branches had a connection with a church or religion and discovered something interesting.

Mildred Bellinger Strand's maternal grandmother was Harriet Mabbs. Harriet's father William was born in England. William's father was also named William. William, Sr was born March 12, 1791 in Mountnessing, Essex, England. His parents were John Mabbs and Sofia Andrews. 

What is interesting is the book this record was found in. It wasn't found in a record from the Church of England, the official state church at the time. It was found in a separate book.

William, Sr's father was John Mabbs. John's brother was named James. Looking into the life of John and James Mabbs, it seems the Mabbs family has long ties in and around Billericay, Essex. Essex is a county northeast of London, bordered by the North Sea on the east. It was one of the original 7 kingdoms that united to form the Kingdom of England. It was occupied by the Romans and then the Saxons, who created the Kingdom of Essex. It was later occupied by the Vikings.

During the 1600's, England underwent several transitions. The monarchy was overthrown by Oliver Cromwell. Then Oliver was overthrown, and the monarchy returned. When the monarchy returned, the Church of England was reestablished as the official Church of England. All bishops and clergy were required to join. Those who did not wish to join the Church of England were known as Dissenters and Non-Conformists. A "Dissenter" was anyone who did not worship in the Church of England. These included Baptists, Methodists, Quakers, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Catholics among others.

Essex has a history of being a home to Dissenters and Nonconformers. Many of the Puritans who later sailed to America on the Mayflower lived in and around Billericay. I also discovered that the Mabbs were a well-known dissenting family in Billericay. Dissenters in Billericay

While William, Sr's family was involved in practicing freedom of religion, William seems to have been more involved in the free market. William, Sr. left Essex and moved to London where he married and started his soap making business. Later, he moved to America where he made his way to Michigan and farming. His son, William, Jr. farmed, but later he turned back to religion. He was a Methodist minister when consumption took his life at the age of 60, in 1884. 

It's fun to think of our ancestors as being dissenters and nonconformists in the annals of English history.

Radio: Yes or No? Technology in the 1930's

 In the 1930 United States Federal Census a question was asked if respondents had a radio. It was the first time a consumer question had been asked on the census. Radio had been introduced earlier and was increasingly becoming a popular way of obtaining news, entertainment and a way of selling items to consumers. If anyone in the household owned a radio set, an "R" was placed next to the family name in box 9. I decided to look into it and see how many of our ancestors had a radio in 1930.

First up is George and Malvina Henrickson.

From the census record we know that George and Malvina did NOT have a radio set in 1930. In fact, they were like most of their neighbors. Only a few families in their area had a radio set. We also see that Malvina's older brother, Frank Anderson, didn't have a radio set. Malvina's younger sister, Selma, and her husband Andrew, did not have a radio set either. All 3 families lived on a farm. What about George's sister, Amanda, who lived in Illinois? Amanda and George Fahnstrom did not have a radio set either. They also lived on a farm.

I looked up the Henrickson children who weren't living at home in 1930. Sisters Selma, Eulalia, Grace, and Pearl all lived in Allegan, yet none of them had a radio set either. Only sister Ingrid, who lived in Allegan, had a radio set.

What about Carl and Mildred Strand? 

Located at the bottom of the page we see that Carl and Mildred did NOT live on a farm in 1930 and they DID have a radio set. Listening to the radio at night must have been a fun way to pass the evening. Some of the popular radio programs of the 1930's include "Amos 'n' Andy", "The Eddie Cantor Show", "The Adventures of Sam Spade," "The 64,000 Question". What about William and Mary Strandt? They lived on a farm in 1930. Did they have a radio?

Yes! Not only did they live on farm and have a radio set, it looks like most of their neighbors had a radio too.

While William and Mary Strandt had a radio, Mildred's parents, Charles and Elnora did NOT have a radio. They also lived on a farm. William and Mary seem to be the exception to living on a farm and not having a radio. Mildred's sister, Helen, who lived in Glendale, California had a radio, as did her brother, Lynn, who lived in Kalamazoo. I'm not sure of the whereabouts of wandering brother Ray in 1930.

On my paternal side, Albert and Emily Ashley lived on a farm and did not have a radio. Frank and Anna Thompson lived in Allegan and DID have a radio set. 

With the exception of William and Mary Strandt, most of our farming ancestors didn't have a radio in 1930. Radio sets mostly belonged to those living in town. After radio, television was the next big home entertainment. The Federal Census never asked a question about having a television set, but according to my mother, the Ray and Viola Henrickson household acquired their first television in the mid 1950's. Some of the programs watched were "Winky Dink" and "You". Later, "The Mickey Mouse Club" after school. The TV was a Sylvania and they were one of the first to have one. It was fun having moving pictures in the home, and not having to go to the theater in Allegan.

My dad also remembers getting their first television set sometime in the mid 1950's too. His cousin Ross had a television before he did. It was also fun getting to watch television programs at home.

Do you have any memories about new technology coming to your home? Radio, television, Internet? We've come a long way in being entertained at home.