Elvis J. Brassfield with Trumpet in 1937

This one is captioned Elvis John Brassfield, 1937 on the reverse side. It is Elvis in a band uniform with his trumpet. I'm told that the the trumpet was silver and that his oldest son played that same trumpet when he was in high school. After color photography came out, what did the artists that colored all the black and white photos do for a living?

Elvis John Brassfield (1920-2006) was the son of Thelma Sarah (Hunt) and Floyd Gipson Brassfield. He was also my Grandfather.

Stretch Denim Template

For those of you who read the blog via e-mail, this is what you're missing out on. Last night I changed the template to Stretch Denim so iowisbrassfield.blogspot.com has a new look. Not very special, but now it stretches to fill my computer screen instead of just using the middle 1000 pixels. Anyway, have a look, or whatever. There are 175 posts so far, and another 8 in the queue scheduled to be published in the next week or so.

Mary Ada Ross

Dr. Mary Ada Ross-Gillespie

Mary Ada Ross (later Gillespie) (1894-1987) was born in Calhoun County, Iowa  on July 18, 1894 to John Franklin Ross and Mary Hay (Stotler) Ross. She graduated from Lake City High School in 1915. She was briefly a teacher in small rural schools before enrolling in the University of Iowa. She graduated from the University of Iowa School of Medicine July 1, 1922. According to the University of Iowa, Department of Anesthesia's history page, she was the first resident to graduate in the first formal residency training program to be instituted in an American university. Her certificate was dated June 5, 1923.

After her graduation she remained at the University of Iowa as an assistant and associate of Dr. Louis G. Harding. Her obituary described her as an pioneer in the field of anesthesiology. She worked in hospitals in Chicago, Philadelphia and Tulsa, but spent most of her career at Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, CA. She retired in 1965.

At the age of 47, Mary was married to Ward Gillespie on August 31, 1941 in Reno, Washoe County, Nevada until he died in 1978. She died January 6, 1987 at St. Luke's Hospital, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona and was buried January 10, 1987 at Lake Creek Cemetery, Lake Creek Township, Calhoun County, Iowa. There were no surviving children listed in her obituary, but she had at least one step-daughter and step-grandchildren.

The connection to the Brassfield surname is that Mary Ross's sister Clara (Ross) Fowlie is connected to Floyd Gipson Brassfield by the marriage of her daughter to Elvis John Brassfield. Mary Ada (Ross) Gillespie was my great grand aunt. I scanned this photo from my Grandmother's collection. As with most of the photos on this blog, it is not public domain. Please do not reuse without permission.

The Graduate - Elvis

This one is captioned 1939 and shows Elvis John Brassfield with his high school graduation cap and gown. It is another hand colored photo. The original is at least 8x10 and says Duotone etching on the reverse side.

Elvis John Brassfield (1920-2006) was the son of Thelma Sarah (Hunt) and Floyd Gipson Brassfield. He was also my Grandfather.

Elvis Brassfield hand colored senior class photo

This photo dated 1939, with no other caption. It looks like a hand colored senior class photo of Elvis John Brassfield. Many of the images in this collection have been hand colored and that was apparently quite popular in the 1930s.

Elvis John Brassfield (1920-2006) was the son of Thelma Sarah (Hunt) and Floyd Gipson Brassfield. He was also my Grandfather.

Aerial view of Lake View Farm

This one is captioned Mid-October 1948, Farm East of Lake View, IA. This an aerial photo of the farm that Frank and Clara Fowlie lived on. The photo is taken from the east looking west.

Their farm is no longer extant, the only thing that marks its former location is a metal grain bin. It was in the southwest quarter section of section 28 of Coon Valley Township, Sac County, Iowa. I attached a map fro Google at the bottom of this post. Looking at the recent aerial photos, the only thing there is a grain bin, the older USGS topographical images show the buildings that no longer exist.

The connection to the Brassfield surname is that Frank and Clara's daughter married Elvis J. Brassfield.

Wordless Wednesday - Howard Hunt and Basketball Team

Fairfax HS Basketball - 1922

This photo is of the Fairfax High School Basketball team in 1922. Howard Hunt is in the front row, 2nd from the left. The game ball says "FAIRFAX 1922". I am speculating that this is Fairfax, South Dakota based on the fact that Howard's sister Thelma (Hunt) Brassfield lived near Fairfax, SD in the early 1920s (approx 1921-1923). Howard may have lived with them or vice versa.

Howard H. Hunt was born November 3, 1907 to John and Jennie (Johnson) Hunt. He died October 12, 1941. He was buried at Coleridge Public Cemetery, Cedar County, Nebraska.

He is connected to the Brassfield surname through his sister, Thelma Sarah Hunt. She married Floyd Gipson Brassfield. This makes Howard Hunt my great grand uncle.

Tombstone Tuesday - Gottlieb Polsfuss

This is the tombstone of Gottlieb Polsfuss located at Westfield East Cemetery, Westfield, Marquette, Wisconsin. He was the father of Alma Marie (Polsfuss) Schauer and he is my 2nd Great Grandfather.

According to my notes, Gottlieb was born 1860 in Posen, Prussia to Christian and Augusta Polsfuss, though I am not 100% confident about the parent's first names. He was naturalized in 1870. He married Hulda A. Schulke July 7, 1885 and they had at least 8 children. He died in 1939 and was buried at Westfield East Cemetery near his son Edward, who died in 1927.

Lake Creek No. 5 School

This photo is captioned School at Center, Lake Creek No. 5, Elta Smith - Teacher. George, Mason, Mary and Clara Ross are in this photo. It says that John Ross Jr. is absent from the photo. The photo is not dated, but George was born in 1890, and John in 1899, so I'm guessing for them to both be in grade school it would be in the vicinity of 1903. This photo is probably the entire K-8 student body at the number five school in Lake Creek Township, Calhoun County, Iowa.

I've cropped the photo to focus on Mary and Clara Ross. I believe that Mary is the third from the left and Clara is the girl just to the right of the center of the photo. I can't recognize the boys in the photo, they may be grouped in classes rather than families and I might have cropped them out to focus on Mary and Clara.

Floyd and Thelma Brassfield

This photo is captioned Dad and Mom Brassfield 194(2/3)? on the reverse. The 2 and 3 are written on top of each other so is is not clear which is the correct date. The photo depicts my great grand parents, Floyd Gipson Brassfield (1898-1961) and Thelma Sarah (Hunt) Brassfield (1898-1976). They were both born in 1898 so they would have been around 45 years old in this photo.

Wordless Wednesday - Howard Hunt

Howard Hunt

This photo is a portrait of Howard Hunt, it is probably his High School graduation photo. He turned 18 in November 1925. The caption on the reverse says "Howard Harold Hunt".

Howard H. Hunt was born November 3, 1907 to John and Jennie (Johnson) Hunt. He died October 12, 1941. He was buried at Coleridge Public Cemetery, Cedar County, Nebraska.

He is connected to the Brassfield surname through his sister, Thelma Sarah Hunt. She married Floyd Gipson Brassfield. This makes Howard Hunt my great grand uncle.

Tombstone Tuesday - Wilhelm and Caroliene Schuelke

This is the tombstone of Wilhelm and Caroliene Schuelke located at Westfield East Cemetery, Westfield, Marquette County, Wisconsin. Most of my other notes spell the last name Schulke.

They are my third great grand parents. They are the parents of Hulda A. Schuelke-Polsfuss, the mother of Alma M. Polsfuss-Schauer, the mother of June Schauer-Parker.

Three images of Nellie Belle Bates

This one is captioned "Nellie Bates." It's an interesting trio of photos. How do you like her hat?

Nellie Belle Bates was the mother of Floyd Gipson Brassfield. That makes her my 2nd great grandmother.

Wordless Wednesday - Nellie Bates Portrait

This photo is captioned Nellie Bates, but it is undated. Nellie Belle Bates was the mother of Floyd Gipson Brassfield. That makes her my 2nd great grandmother.

Tombstone Tuesday - Mackey Cemetery overview

Entrance to Mackey cemetery

These photos are from a June 2007 trip to Mackey Cemetery, Sangamon Township, Piatt County, Illinois. These photos give a bit of an idea about the area. The cemetery is on a little bit of a hill considering the flat terrain of that area. 

William Ross (1856-1869), Rebecca Ross (1861-1862) and Henry Ross (1828-1863) are buried at this cemetery. William and Rebecca were Henry Ross's children. All three were featured here on a previous Tombstone Tuesday.

Mackey cemetery as viewed from the south

As I mentioned before, I have been discussing Brassfields, but there is no direct genetic link for these Ross's to Floyd Gipson Brassfield. The connection is by the marriage of Henry Ross's great grand daughter to a Brassfield.


Henry Ross (1828-1863) was the father of John Franklin Ross (1859-1943), father of Clara Bernice Ross (1897-1994). Clara's daughter married Elvis J. Brassfield and that's the connection to the Brassfield surname.

Census Saturday - John F Ross (Sr.)

John Ross c.1862

John F. Ross (Sr.) (1859-1934) was my 2nd Great Grandfather and this is a summary of what I found about him from the US Census and from my notes.

John Franklin Ross was born August 2, 1859 in Mansfield, Piatt County, Illinois to Henry and Elizabeth (Cowan) Ross. They were both from Pennsylvania.

On July 7, 1860 the 1860 census was taken and John was living in Sangamon Township, Piatt County, Illinois with his family. According to the census taker, Henry Ross, age 30 of Pennsylvania was the head of household. His mother, Elizabeth Ross, age 30 was listed second. John was recorded as age 1. He had two older siblings, William H. Ross, age 4 and Laura E. Ross, age 3. Also living at the same residence was Catharine Cowan, age 60, mother of Elizabeth and grandmother of John. A 21 year old farm laborer named Stephen Largo was also living with them.

The 1860s were a difficult time for the Ross family. John's sister, Rebecca Jane Ross was born in March 1861 and died just under a year later in March 1862. His father Henry died at the end of June 1863. John's oldest brother William dies in June 1869, possibly by drowning, according to my notes. Henry, William and Rebecca were all buried at Mackey Cemetery, Sangamon Township, Piatt County, Illinois. A photo of their tombstones was featured in this blog a few months ago. I lived very close to this area when I lived in Mahomet, Illinois.

Nellie and Clarence Brassfield

This photo is captioned "Nellie Brassfield & baby Clarence Brassfield & aunt Roses dog."

Nellie Belle (Bates) Brassfield's oldest son was Clarence Dixon Brassfield. She had an older sister known as Rose, (Rosa on some of the census documents) so that's who owned the dog. As to the date, Clarence was born January 7, 1895 and Floyd was born in 1898, so it was in that time period. Nellie was born in November 1873, so she was in her early 20's in this photo. Clarence was born in Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury County, Iowa, but this photo says "Brown & Silver Hawarden, Iowa" on the bottom border. Maybe that's where the photo was copied or reprinted rather than the original photographer.

Nellie (Bates) Brassfield was the mother of Floyd Gipson Brassfield. She is my 2nd Great Grandmother.

Wiley and Elizabeth Brassfield

This picture is captioned "Grandpa and Grama Brassfield." Then in different handwriting below it someone wrote "Great", then scribbled it out, then wrote Grandfather and Grandmother of Floyd G. Brassfield. Based on this information, this is most likely Elizabeth (Fansler) Brassfield (1831-1900) and Wiley D. Brassfield (1827-1902). According to my notes, they were both born in North Carolina. Wiley was living in Mahaska County, Iowa in 1850, his mother was head of household, no father listed. Wiley married Elizabeth Fansler in Wapello County, Iowa in April 1851. Wiley served in the Civil War as I mentioned in this post. Both are buried in Woodbury Township Cemetery, Woodbury, Iowa.

They are the parents of Elvis H. Brassfield, born in 1870, grandparents of Floyd Gipson Brassfield, born in 1898, great grandparents of Elvis J. Brassfield, born in 1920 and they were my third great grandparents.

Wordless Wednesday - John F. Ross tintype

This is captioned John F. Ross (Sr.) age 3 from a tintype. John was born in 1859, so this portrait dates to around 1862. According to wikipedia, tintypes are actually made of iron, no tin was used. The technique apparently dates to the early 1850s and photographers traveled with fairs or carnivals, perhaps this one was taken at a fair near Piatt County, Illinois where he was raised. Before I scanned the photo I didn't notice that the object on the left was someone's hand. Is it just me or does that hand look just a little bit creepy?

John F. Ross was the father of Clara (Ross) Fowlie. The connection to the Brassfield surname is that Clara's daughter married a Brassfield.

John F. Ross Sr. is my 2nd great grandfather.

Tombstone Tuesday - Arnold and Alma Schauer

Sorry about the photo, but the stone was highly reflective. This is the tombstone of Arnold Carl Schauer and Alma Marie (Polsfuss) Schauer located at Westfield East Cemetery, Westfield, Wisconsin.

The tombstone of their daughter Twyla (Schauer)Schultz is located nearby and is of a similar design.

The connection to the Brassfield surname is that Alma and Arnold Schauer's grand daughter married a Brassfield. They are my great grand parents.