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From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage

From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage

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From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage is the story of ten generations of life in America. The relatives featured here represent only a small portion of our family history. Our family includes ancestors born as early as the 1500s whose lives eventually became part of the American story.

Among them were soldiers who fought for independence, patriots who signed public declarations and supported the Revolutionary cause, civic leaders who helped govern their communities, judges who shaped the rule of law, and entrepreneurs who helped establish some of America’s earliest financial institutions.

Cherie Jane Lavin

Cherie Jane Lavin (Sister) As a 5th-grade teacher, one of my favorite topics to study and teach is the Revolutionary War. I am fascinated by the courage, sacrifice, and determination of the men and women who fought for independence. Their stories help bring history to life and remind us that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.

I love teaching the Revolutionary War because it connects students to the founding of our nation. As we learn about key events, important leaders, and the challenges the colonists faced, students begin to understand the principles of freedom, responsibility, and citizenship. The Revolution was more than a series of battles; it was a movement driven by people who believed in their rights and were willing to stand up for those beliefs.

Studying the Revolutionary War helps students understand that history is not just about dates and events. It is about people, choices, and the impact those choices have on future generations. I hope that by sharing my enthusiasm for this important period, my students will develop a lifelong curiosity about history and a greater appreciation for the freedoms they enjoy today.

4th of July Celebrations Fight for Freedom A Family Affair

Josiah Bartlett

Josiah Bartlett (maternal 2nd cousin eight times removed) 21 November 1729 – 19 May 1795, member of New Hampshire colony’s Provincial Assembly, the 2nd person to sign the Declaration of Independence, a physician, member of the Congress in 1776 and 1778, cast the first vote for the proposed Articles of Confederation, elected to the Continental Congress, chief justice of the New Hampshire court of common, chief justice of the state’s supreme court, president (governor) of the state of New Hampshire, and first president of the New Hampshire Medical Society. (Encyclopedia Britannica (n.d.)

Fun fact: Martin Sheen starred in the TV series, The West Wing, as the fictional president of the United States, “Josiah Bartlett”, named after the character’s ancestor, Josiah Bartlett, the first governor of New Hampshire. (FamilySearch, n.d.)

Josiah Barrlett decleration of independence From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage

Joseph Nickles Sr

Joseph Nickles Sr. (maternal 5th great-grandfather), 23 October 1742 – 12 January 1825, served as a Minuteman in Captain Solomon Pollard’s Company of Minutemen, regiment Colonel Ebenezer Green’s Regiment of Middlesex County Militia in 1775. He answered the Lexington alarm.

They assembled on School Street in Carlisle, Massachusetts. They gathered to march to the North Bridge in Concord, MA, on April 19, 1775. (Freedom’s Way Heritage Association, n.d.). Battles of Lexington and Concord . . . Whereas, the causes leading to these battles, and the battles themselves, marked the beginning of our War for Independence, and furnished a chapter in our history of which every true American may well feel proud.” (National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, 1924, p. 23)

The fighting at the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, became one of the most important turning points of the opening day of the American Revolution, part of the broader Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

This is the start of the American Revolution. This is known as “the shot heard around the world.“The Colonists were willing to risk their lives and property to defend liberty and freedom.

Timeline

  • 6:30 PM British patrols are seen on Bay Road leading to Lexington
  • 8:00 PM The British patrol passes through Lexington
  • 9:00 PM, Lexington Militia scouts observe the British patrol
  • 10:00 PM British assemble on Boston Common
  • 10:30 Paul Revere crosses the Charles River
  • 11:00 PM British Regulars crossed the Charles River
  • 12:30 AM Paul Revere and William Dawes are in Lexington
  • 1:00 AM The British patrol captures Paul Revere
  • 1:30 AM Samuel Prescott alarms Concord. The Lexington Militia awaits the Regulars
  • 2:00 AM British troops are on their march to Concord
  • 2:30 AM Paul Revere is set free and returns to Lexington
  • 3:00 AM The British column marches through Menotomy
  • 4:30 AM Word reaches Lexington that the British are approaching. Militia gather on the green.
  • 5:00 AM The first shots on Lexington Green. This was the start of the Revolutionary War.

The British Casualties totaled 273; 73 killed, 174 wounded, 26 missing. The Colonial casualties totaled 95; 49 killed, 41 wounded, and 5 missing. (National Park Service, n.d.)

Other Relatives who served as Minute Men

  • John Nickles Jr. (maternal 5th great-granduncle), 6 April 1745 – 21 November 1803. He served as a private in Captain Solomon Pollard’s company of Billerica. He was wounded in the Battle of Lexington and Concord. (Carlisle 250, n.d.)
  • James Nickles (maternal 5th great-granduncle), 19 June 1739 – 26 October 1804, was a sergeant in Captain Solomon Pollard’s company of militia in Colonel Green’s regiment. He marched on the alarm of April 19th, 1775. (Carlisle 250, n.d.)
NICKLES, Joseph (1742-1825) Carlisle home
Joseph Nickles’ Home
NICKLES, Joseph - Minute Man statue
Minute Man statue
NICKLES, Joseph - Minute Man plaque
Minute Men Plaque
Revolution - Battle Road Carlisle to Lexington
Road Carlisle to Lexington

Isaac Bronson IV

Isaac Bronson IV (maternal 1st cousin seven times removed), 4 October 1736 – 15 April 1826, farmer of Waterbury, Connecticut, and a member of the state legislature. (American Aristocracy, n.d.) The military service in Waterbury, Connecticut, looked like this. Nearly every able-bodied Connecticut man belonged to the militia. Officers were elected or appointed within their towns and were responsible for:

  • Mobilizing men when called by the General Assembly
  • Organizing militia companies
  • Conducting musters and drills
  • Maintaining weapons and equipment
  • Responding to alarms and local emergencies

Doctor Isaac Bronson V

Dr. Isaac Bronson V, 10 March 1760 – 19 May 1838 (maternal 1st cousin 7 times removed) was a Senior Surgeon in the 2nd Regiment, Light Dragoons. Achieved the rank of Colonel. Revolutionary War service from 1779-1783. (Connecticut National Guard, n.d.)

Sheldon’s Horse, The Second Continental Light Dragoons

“Sheldon’s Horse, The Second Continental Light Dragoons was commissioned by Congress under the command of Colonel Elisha Sheldon on December 12 of 1776, at the direct recommendation of General George Washington. From March 1777 until January 1781, the regiment consisted of six troops drawn mostly from Connecticut, but with men from Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. In January 1781, following the reorganization as a legion, there were 4 troops of mounted, 2 troops of dismounted, and 2 companies of Light Infantry. The unit never served as a whole.” (The Second Continental Light Dragoons, n.d.)

Elements of the regiment saw combat at:

  • Woodbridge
  • Brandywine
  • Germantown
  • Kingston
  • Monmouth
  • Morrisania
  • Newtown of Sullivan’s 1779 campaign in southwestern New York
  • The Battles of Saratoga
  • Schoharie, at The Battle of The Flockey
  • Whitemarsh
  • Yorktown (The Second Continental Light Dragoons, n.d.)

Mission

Unlike infantry regiments, the Light Dragoons served as highly mobile cavalry. Their duties included:

  • Reconnaissance and intelligence gathering
  • Delivering dispatches between commanders
  • Escorting General Washington
  • Screening troop movements
  • Conducting raids behind enemy lines
  • Guarding prisoners
  • Pursuing Loyalist raiders
  • Protecting supply routes

Because of these responsibilities, they became known as “Washington’s Eyes” and “Watchdogs of the Highlands.” (The Second Continental Light Dragoons, n.d.)

Revolutionary War Service


On November 14, 1779, he was appointed Surgeon’s Mate in the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons. He served with honor and distinction throughout the American Revolution, caring for wounded soldiers under difficult and dangerous conditions. After the war, Dr. Bronson became one of America’s most respected physicians, bankers, and patriotic citizens.

Service Highlights

  • Appointed Surgeon’s Mate: Nov. 14, 1779
  • Treated wounded cavalrymen after engagements.
  • Cared for soldiers suffering from disease, the leading cause of death during the war.
  • Frequently assumed the duties of the senior regimental surgeon.
  • Attended to British Major John André during his imprisonment following the exposure of Benedict Arnold’s treason.
  • Later petitioned Congress and Washington for pension benefits on behalf of Revolutionary War surgeons’ mates. (The Second Continental Light Dragoons, n.d.)

Life After the Revolution

After peace was secured in 1783, Bronson sailed on commercial voyages, likely serving as a ship’s physician, including voyages to China. Returning with valuable cargo, he entered the financial world just as the new federal government began stabilizing the nation’s economy.

Working alongside fellow Revolutionary veterans, including Alexander Hamilton, Bronson invested in federal securities and eventually became one of America’s wealthiest financiers. He founded the Bridgeport Bank and helped establish the New York Life Insurance and Trust Company and the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company. By 1828, he ranked among New York City’s wealthiest citizens.

Death and Legacy

Dr. Isaac Bronson died on May 19, 1838, at Greenfield Hill, Connecticut. His legacy extends far beyond medicine. He served his country during its fight for independence, advocated for the rights of fellow veterans, helped shape the nation’s early financial system, and left descendants who continue to honor his Revolutionary service nearly 250 years later. (The Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut, n.d.)

Father and Son Duo Serve Side-By-Side

Georg Jurgen Salzmann 22 December 1722 – 9 August 1778 (6th paternal Great-Grandfather) and George or Jurg en Salzmann (5th paternal Great-Granduncle) served in the Revolutionary War Tryon County Militia Rangers with officers Captain Christian Getman; Lieutenants, James Billington, Jacob Sammans.

Georg Jurgen Salzmann and George en Salzmann lived in Palatine, Montgomery, New York, Colony. This is the colony his father, Johann Peter Wagner, settled when arriving in the Colonies with the Palatine Emigration from Germany. (Johann Peter Wagner, n.d.). This valley was key in the Revolutionary War. The location was the primary geographic route connecting the Hudson Valley with the Great Lakes, allowing the flow of troops, food, and fur trade. (National Park Service, 2025).

Revolutionary War Service

“When England’s Parliament said the Americans were cowards and wouldn’t fight. As one settler said, ‘Our fathers and mothers remember their sufferings in the old country, kept ragged and hungry and wretched… all that some baron might have gilding on his carriage and that the elector might enjoy himself in his palace. They were beaten, hanged, robbed of their daughters, worked to death, frozen by the cold in their nakedness, drafted off into the armies to be sold to any prince who could pay for their blood and broken bones. ‘” They were going to protect their land and home from the aristocracy.   

In August of 1777, “800 British and more than 1,000 Native Americans arrived at Fort Stanwix and demanded its surrender. The fort commander refused. That night, after dinner, they set lines in the river to catch their breakfast. The following morning, they forded the river and then followed a narrow path through the forest. That night, they set up camp along a creek. On the third night, they camped eight miles from Fort Stanwix. At 6:00, they clustered with family and neighbors and ate breakfast. They knew that for many, it would be their last meal on earth.  By 8:00, they rolled their blankets, packed bags, checked flints, and saddled the horses. At 9:00, they began marching. They finally reached the top of a hill, then descended into a ravine. A little brook formed a swamp. A kingfisher flitted among the willows, and bees droned in the hot air.

Suddenly, in the distance, from a scrub oak thicket, the Mohawk cry, “Oonah! Oonah!” was heard. The British and their allies retreated. At 2:00 in the afternoon, eight hours after beginning, the battle was over. 

In Fort Stanwix, the troops raised a Stars and Stripes flag made from a white shirt, a soldier’s blue jacket, and a woman’s red petticoat.

Nobody talked about glory. It didn’t feel like a victory. Over half had died. One quarter of the survivors had to be carried home, and about half of the wounded died en route. Many of the families in the valley had lost all or most of their male members. Women cried for husbands, sons, and fathers. Men struggled to look at the places where their fathers, brothers, and sons once stood. Once, noisy children were quiet, and the churchyards had more new graves than old. 

And the war was just beginning. By its end, two-thirds of the Mohawk, Schoharie, and Upper Hudson Valley lay in waste, and about one-third of the settlers had been captured or killed. It was a hard won war — one that we nearly loss.” (FamilySearch, n.d.)  

Fight for Freedom A Family Affair Fight for Freedom A Family Affair
American Revolutionary War Fight for Freedom A Family Affair
American Revolutionary War Fight for Freedom A Family Affair

Josiah Bronson Defense of New Haven / Defense of the State of Connecticut

Josiah Bronson (6th maternal great uncle) was born on 6 June 1713 in New Haven, Connecticut, British Colonial America, and died on 20 February 1804 in Middlebury, New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Josiah’s military service details are:

  • Enlisted: September 15, 1776
  • Rank: Private
  • Captain: Benjamin Hill
  • Unit: Col. Philip Burr Bradley’s Battalion
  • Purpose: Defense of New Haven / Defense of the State of Connecticut
  • Discharged: December 30, 1776 (Ancestry.com, 2011)

The Battalion was instrumental in the Revolutionary War:

  • Historical records show Bradley’s regiment:
  • was raised in May 1776
  • Marched to New York shortly after organization;
  • Served on the west side of the Hudson River in Bergen County, New Jersey;
  • Helped defend Fort Constitution (later Fort Lee);
  • Supported Washington during the New York campaign.

The regiment experienced difficulties in 1776, serving during the British offensive with the fall of Fort Washington, killing, capturing (28 died while captured, some from smallpox), and going missing during the battle. (Abbott, 2024)

Josiah Bronson's Home From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage

Josiah Bronson’s Home

Josiah’s “house also served as a tavern and hosted several French officers during the Revolutionary War: first in 1781 when Rochambeau’s French army encamped in Middlebury from June 27 to July 1, on its way to the Siege of Yorktown, and again from October 26-28, 1782, during their return journey. One of the officers to stay in the tavern was the Baron de Viomenil, who was second in command to General Rochambeau during the Yorktown Campaign. At these times, Rochambeau himself most likely stayed with Isaac Bronson.”(Historic Buildings of Connecticut, 2010)

Isaac Bronson II (7th maternal great-grandfather), 27 March 1670 – 13 June 1751, built the Josiah Bronson house in 1738, but he died before it was finished. Isaac left the house to Josiah. This home is still standing in Waterbury, CT. (FamilySearch, n.d.) This is the oldest surviving house in Middlebury. (Historic Buildings of Connecticut, n.d.)

Josiah Bronson-pic Fight for Freedom A Family Affair

The Lake Family: Loyalists on the Wrong Side of History

The Revolutionary War was not just a war against the British, but neighbor against neighbor, and it split families. Not everyone was a patriot. Many remained loyal to the Crown. “Historians estimate that roughly 20–30% of colonists remained loyal to Britain during the Revolutionary War.” (Library of Congress, n.d.)

James Lake Jr.

 James Lake Sr. (5th paternal great-grandfather), born 16 August 1760 – 6 August 1839, remained loyal to the Crown. The Lake family was divided in their loyalty. Those in New York were Loyalists, and those in New Jersey were Patriots.

James Lake Joins The Loyal Rangers Service

In 1777, he joined the Loyal Rangers as a private. He served with the British Crown during the American Revolution. His commander, General John Burgoyne, enlisted on July 6, 1777. After 93 days of service, he was taken prisoner at the surrender of British forces at the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777. James was a prisoner of war from 1777 to 1783. (FamilySearch, n.d.)

Lake Family Land Issues

When the war was over, they were left with nothing. Their land deeds were lost when their home was burned during the Revolutionary War. After the war, they were destitute and landless. He left with his wife and 50,000 refugees to Canada as Loyalists; they were not protected or safe in the United States. They previously had struggles with their land before the Revolutionary War.

“John and three of his brothers and a brother-in-law received a land grant of 5,000 acres in New York from King George III in 1761. The family moved from New Jersey to New York and settled on the land. They also obtained a larger tract of 10,000 acres adjacent to their land after they relocated.” (FamilySearch, n.d.) This land went to court when the governor of New Hampshire stated that the land grants overlapped. The court sided with the New York Grants. The New Hampshire land grant owners had to buy their land back from the state of New York. (FamilySearch, n.d.)

“Ethan Allen was very angry with the verdict and organized a band he called the Green Mountain Boys to drive the New Yorkers from what they felt were their New Hampshire land grants. They terrorized settlers and made raids on the lands, burning homes,
barns and haystac.” (FamilySearch, n.d.)

Property & Land Grants in Canada

The Treaty of Paris recognized America’s Independence on April 17, 1783. The British loyalists were provided aid, transportation, land, provisions, etc. by the British Crown. “People who served the Crown were called United Empire (U.E.) Loyalists were
granted land in Canada to help compensate for their losses. Roughly 50,000 refugees left the thirteen colonies and moved to Canada.” (FamilySearch, n.d.) The Loyalists were provided 200 acres. (HISTORY.com Editors, 2025)

A Family of Loyalists

  • Thomas Lake (5th great-granduncle) 1753 – 1852 Served in the Loyal Rangers (FamilySearch, n.d.)
  • Christopher Lake (5th great-granduncle), 18 May 1755 – 6 April 1820, served in the Loyal Rangers
    • General Burgoyne’s company taken prisoner Oct. 7, 1777 (FamilySearch, n.d.)
  • Nicholas Lake Jr (5th great-granduncle) 1750 to 1757 – about 1801 Loyal Rangers (McMillan, 1956) Colonel Peters’ Corps (Johnston, n.d.)
    • Taken prisoner at Saratoga (Johnston, n.d.)
  • James Parrott (husband of my 5th great-grandaunt), November 1746 – 5 May 1821, British Army at Crown Point in November 1776
    • Enlisted as a Lieutenant in Captain Peters’ Corps
  • John N. Lake Jr. (5th great-granduncle) about 1759 – 16 July 1828 British Crown / Loyalist JESOPPs Corps (Johnston, n.d.)
  • All Members received land grants in Canada for their service in the British Army (Johnston, n.d.)
From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage Lake Coat of arm

James Durfee

James Durfee (paternal 6th great-grandfather), 1735 – 5 September 1813 in Tiverton, Newport, Rhode Island, British Colonial America. He was born in the third generation in British Colonial America.

Colonel William Barton’s Light Corps

Colonel William Barton’s Light Corps was a specialized Continental Army command raised during the Rhode Island campaign. Rather than serving as a traditional line regiment, it consisted of selected soldiers chosen for missions requiring speed, mobility, and reconnaissance.

The corps typically performed duties such as:

  • Reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.
  • Screening the movements of the Continental Army.
  • Guarding the army’s advance and rear.
  • Conducting surprise attacks and skirmishes.
  • Protecting strategic positions during the Rhode Island campaign. (Wright, 1983)
Rhode Island 1779

Jacob Schmidt

Jacob Schmidt (6th paternal Great-Grandfather), 20 August 1748 – 3 February 1835, enlisted in Berkeley County, Virginia, in 1777 to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He first served in Captain Porterfield’s Company of Colonel Pendleton’s Virginia Regiment for approximately four months.

Around Christmas 1777, he was transferred to Captain Morrow’s Rifle Company, a unit composed of selected riflemen. He later reenlisted in Virginia for another term of about three months, serving in Captain David May’s Virginia Mounted Rifle Company of the Flying Camp.

During his military service, Jacob Schmidt participated in two skirmishes and fought in the Battle of Guilford Court House, one of the pivotal engagements of the Southern Campaign. Although the British claimed a tactical victory, the heavy casualties they suffered weakened their army and contributed to the eventual American victory later that year. (National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)

“‘I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons.’ Lt. General Charles, Earl Cornwallis. On March 15, 1781, six years into the American Revolution, General Greene and Lord Cornwallis’ troops faced off at a small courthouse community. The battle would change the course of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution.” (National Park Service, n.d.)

Battle of Guilford Court House ChatGPT Image Jul 3, 2026, 01_19_31 PM From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage

 Parker Smith

Parker Smith (5th Paternal great-grandfather) 2 November 1758 – 13 March 1827, born in Stonington, New London, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America. He enrolled and served from February 13 to April 1, 1777. 

He served in Colonel John Douglas’s 21st Regiment of Connecticut Militia, including Major James Gordon’s Voluntown men, who were actively deployed on coastal defense duty along the New England shoreline. 

Militia units operated on short-term rotational enlistments rather than permanent standing deployments. The regiment split its time between active border patrolling and domestic readiness. 

The service included:  

  • Guarding Rhode Island and Point Judith (February – March 1777) 
  • Stationed at coastal lookouts, most notably around Providence and Point Judith, Rhode Island. 
  • They spent the winter standing guard in freezing conditions, fortified against British naval incursions, preventing enemy foraging parties from landing, and protecting local shipping lanes.  (FamilySearch, n.d.)

 “The Purpose: This winter-to-spring rotation allowed the men to return to their families to prepare their farms for the critical spring planting season.” (FamilySearch, n.d.)

Zephaniah Andrews

Zephaniah Andrews1q (maternal 6th great-grandfather) 9 May 1728 – 3 February 1800 served as a Private in Captain Jacob Haskins’s Company, Colonel John Jacobs’s Regiment during the American Revolutionary War. His dates of service June 1778 to January 1779. (FamilySearch, n.d., “The Providence Grenadier Company”)

The British still held Newport by 1778, having occupied it since December 1776. The American strategy focused on:

  • Rhode Island remained a contested “buffer zone”
  • Patriot forces focused on:
    • Fortifying Tiverton and Little Compton
    • Securing ferry crossings and supply routes
    • Preparing for potential amphibious raids

This led to frequent short-term militia mobilizations in the Tiverton-Bristol-Providence defensive corridor. (Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1896–1908).

Nicholas Van Zandt Sr

Nicholas Van Zandt Sr (paternal 5th great-grandfather), 25 December 1737 – 1805, served in the militia. Unlike Continental soldiers, militia members answered repeated calls to duty for short periods. This allowed them to continue farming. (Daughters of the American Revolution, n.d.)

“May 15, 1775, marked a transition towards military readiness, with the Congress urging colonies to prepare their militias by organizing able-bodied men aged 16 to 50. Among the significant actions taken was the establishment of a Continental army, with George Washington appointed as commander in chief on June 15, 1775, due to his military experience and moderate political stance.” (EBSCO Research Starters, n.d.)

 James Walworth

 James Walworth (6th paternal great-grandfather), 2 September 1734 – 1795, served in the military, rank captain, Quartermaster, Council of Safety and served with Ethan Allen at Fort Ticonderoga. His responsibilities commonly included:

  • Communicating with state and Continental authorities
  • Organizing local militia
  • Supervising defense preparations
  • Procuring military supplies
  • Enforcing laws enacted by revolutionary governments
  • Maintaining public security
  • Procuring food and rations
  • Issuing clothing and blankets
  • Obtaining wagons and draft animals
  • Managing ammunition and military stores
  • Coordinating transportation
  • Establishing supply depots
  • Supporting troop movements
Eileens Apple Pie Ruths Ice Cream Revolutionary War
Print Pin

Family Apple Pie Recipe

Every family recipe is a slice of history, lovingly baked into the present and shared with the generations yet to come.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple pie, bake, family recipe, Pie, Recipe
Servings 8

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 to 3 lbs Apples Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, BraeburnJonagoldPink Lady
  • ¾ cups Sugar Adjust to taste depending on the sweetness of the apples
  • 3 tbsp Corn Starch
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon Adjust to taste
  • ½ tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 drop Yellow Optional
  • 1 9" Double pie crust See my mom's recipe ing. below
  • 2 ¼ cups Water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) before starting to make the filling
  • Peel, core, and slice the apples into ¼-inch slices.
  • In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Add the apples and lemon juice, tossing until the apples are evenly coated.
  • Spoon the filling into an unbaked 9-inch pie crust, mounding slightly in the center.
  • Dot with 1–2 tablespoons of butter (optional, but recommended for a richer filling).
  • Cover with the top crust or lattice crust. Trim, seal, and crimp the edges. Cut slits in a solid top crust to vent steam.
  • Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 35–45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.Cool for at least 2–3 hours before slicing to allow the filling to set.

Video

Notes

Eileens Apple Pie National Day

Apple Pie Arrives in America

Apple pie has existed in Europe for hundreds of years. The earliest surviving apple pie recipe appears in 1381 in The Forme of Cury, a cookbook compiled by the royal cooks of King Richard II of England.(Pegge, 1780) Rather than the sweet dessert we know today, the medieval recipe combined apples with figs, raisins, pears, and spices inside a sturdy pastry shell.

Apples themselves originated in Central Asia before spreading throughout Europe via trade and cultivation. By the Middle Ages, orchards flourished across England, France, and the Netherlands, making apples an important food crop. (Eschner, 2017)

Apple Pie During the Revolutionary Era

During the American Revolutionary War, homemade pies represented resourcefulness and home. Families often prepared pies with local apples and whatever sweeteners were available, including maple sugar, molasses, or honey when imported sugar was scarce. (Eschner, 2017)

While George Washington and the Continental Army were fighting for independence, families on the home front continued traditions centered around seasonal harvests and baking. Apple pie became associated with comfort, perseverance, and community.

Apple Pie and the Fourth of July

Today, apple pie is one of the most popular desserts served on the Fourth of July because it became culturally associated with American identity, home, and national tradition in the 19th and 20th centuries (Eschner, 2017).

It is often connected to themes such as:

  • The summer harvest
  • Family gatherings
  • Community celebrations
  • America’s agricultural heritage
  • A tradition passed down through generations

For many families, baking an apple pie is as much about remembering ancestors as it is enjoying dessert, reflecting how food traditions often serve as carriers of cultural memory and identity (Roos, 2026).

Food is the great connector, linking us to our ancestors through recipes, memories, traditions, and love. It evokes the warmth of a grandmother’s kitchen and the comforting aromas of something simmering on the stove, speaking a language older than words. With every bite, we remember who we are and carry those stories forward, nourishing the future with the essence of the past.

A Taste of Family History on Our Lifestyle Blog

Ruth Apple custard Pie

Relationships

Relationship to Georg Jurgen Salzmann Fight for Freedom A Family Affair Fight for Freedom A Family Affair
Relationship to Jacob Salzmann Son Fight for Freedom A Family Affair Fight for Freedom A Family Affair
Relationship to Jacob Salzmann Son Fight for Freedom A Family Affair Fight for Freedom A Family Affair
Relationship Dr. Isaac Bronson V Fight for Freedom A Family Affair
Relationship Josiah Bronson-pic Fight for Freedom A Family Affair
From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage Relationship to Nicholas Lake Jr
From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage Relationship to Thomas Lake
From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Relationship Christopher Lake
From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Relastionship John N. Lake jr.
Zephaniah Andrews Relationship From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage
Relationship to Parker Smith From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage
Relationship to Joseph Nickles Sr. My 5th great-grandfather
Relationship to Capt. Isaac Bronson III
Relationship to Parker Smith From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage
Relationship to Parker Smith From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage
From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage Relationship to Nicholas Lake Jr
Relationship to Nicholas Van Zandt Sr From Battlefield to Family Table: 250 Years of Revolutionary Heritage
Relationship to James Walworth

References

Dad's Military Service
Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity

Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity

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Dennis Winger’s history is one of hard work, Hollywood glamour, and scarcity. This contrast is continuity rooted in hard work, shaped by service. This is a story where long days of labor meet the shimmer of Hollywood, and the lessons of scarcity become the foundation for strength, gratitude, and connection across time.

Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity Childhood
Ancil, Bernice, Dennis, and Keith
wedding day mom and dad Mom Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Mom and Dad’s Wedding Day
Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity Returning from Desert storm
Mom and Dad After Desert Store
Sam at Portland Airport Taste of family history Connectivity Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Sam at the Portland Airport

Dennis Ray Winger Hard Working

Dennis Ray Winger (father) was born on October 30th, 1944, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the second son of Ancil Winger and Florence Bernice Wright. The favorite childhood pastime was placing pennies on the train tracks and watching as the passing train flattened them.

In 1955, the family moved to Orem, Utah. He attended Orem High School, where he played football and excelled in shop (Wolf & Wolf, 2025). 

He got a job at Albertson’s, dusting shelves and pulling stock forward to help prevent theft in a high-theft area. One day, a gentleman took a paint can off the shelf and walked out. His boss said, “We cannot stop them from stealing.”  He asked his boss to move him to bagging groceries because he did not enjoy the dusting position.

A simple coin flip with a friend over who would take Eileen Wake to the Welcome Back to School Dance. Denny won. This determined the beginning of his most important relationship, the one that would shape his future. That simple coin flip led to a first date at Brick Oven Pizza, and a school dance with the young woman who would one day become his eternal companion.

In 1964, he moved with his family to Hawaii when his father was transferred. Here he worked with a construction company. He missed Eileen and could not wait to get back to Utah. He returned 6 months later. They continue dating.

Their love grew steadily. After discussing marriage and selecting a ring from Zales Jewelry, the proposal came in the car at an A&W drive-in. A year later, Sep. 9, 1965, they were married in the Salt Lake City Temple, beginning their eternal journey together.

They shared 60 years of marriage and raised seven children before my mother passed away on December 1, 2025. My father lovingly cared for my mother for 10 years after her dementia diagnosis. 

In January 1966, he joined the Army National Guard. He took the Armed Forces Qualification Test. This placed him in the combat medical program. He went to Fort Sam, TX, for medical training after basic training at Fort Ord, CA. He was released back to his Battalion in June 1966. He served 1 1/2 years with the Army Battalion. He was promoted to Private 1st class. 

My dad was offered a job at Hill Air Force Base in 1968, after completing instrument training. He was hired to work on avionics. He worked at Hill  Air Force Base as a civil servant until his retirement.

He was then discharged from the army in January. 2, 1969. He interviewed with Captain Waesche to join the Air Force Reserves. He joined the 945th Air Lift Wing in Jan, 1969. Hill Air Force Base stopped flying C124, thus ending the 945th unit at Hill Air Force Base. 

The unit flew to McCord Air Force Base to check their air evacuation unit. On January 3, 1972, he joined the 40th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. During his two-week tours, he evacuated Vietnam Vets from Japan and the Philippines, bringing them back to the US.

He served 31 years in the reserves. He says, ”I worked every weekend for 4 years.” When he retired, he had been promoted to Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, the highest rank for a non-commissioned officer.-commissioned officer.

This provided endless opportunities, even into retirement, benefiting his family. Provided enough income for my mom to stay home, and in retirement, endless benefits. My parents traveled together, seeing the world. I remember the fun of taking dad to the airport, having the plane fly over our car, and having dinner out on the way home.  

traveling adventuresFirefly_Generate a collage 205070 Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Traveling Adventures
Military Service Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Military Service
Family Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Family

Built on Hard Work and Sacrifice

My father is always a very hard worker. I learned from him to work hard and play even harder. From the beginning, he quietly carried the responsibility of ensuring the bills were paid, the family was secure, and my mother could stay at home. He made many sacrifices to make that happen, but he never complained. His strength was his foresight. He always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done to keep life steady for all of us.

Yet when the work was done, he became the father who gave us adventure. He would load three little kids into the yellow Rambler and set off across the western United States. Those trips were full of fishing, camping, exploring, touching the earth, seeing new places, and learning about the world around us.

One trip took us to the World’s Fair in Spokane. But he didn’t just drive straight there. We traveled through Idaho, stopping along the way to take in the scenery. We crossed into Oregon, drove up through the Columbia River Gorge, and went on to Seaside and Portland. I remember crossing a beautiful green bridge there and saying out loud, “Someday I’m going to live here.” And years later, I did, spending 17 years there raising my own children.

When we finally reached Spokane, the fair felt magical, so much to see, learn, touch, and experience. But his greatest joy was making sure we stood together for a photo in front of the giant Unisphere-Pavilion and the big gold Book of Mormon.

He took us to so many places: Yellowstone, the hot springs of Idaho, Jackson, Wyoming, and the red rock landscapes of southern Utah. Sometimes he would hitch the trailer to the Rambler so we could camp along the way and stretch the adventure just a little longer. He loved to stop on the side of the road whenever something beautiful caught his eye. For him, the journey was always just as important as the destination.

He worked more than forty hours a week at Hill Air Force Base, driving 70 miles each way. Most weekends, he would travel to Seattle before heading overseas as a medic in the Air Force Reserves. He journeyed to the Philippines, Japan, Korea, served in Desert Storm, the North Pole, and more. The list of places is as long as an atlas. Yet no matter how far he traveled, he always carried his family with him.

When the unit went out to eat, he stayed behind, knowing the meal might cost $40. My dad knew that $40 meant something different; it could feed his children. Therefore, instead of going out, he would order a military lunchbox to go. He saved the lunchbox to bring it home to his children, who raced for the treasure from dad’s journey.

As we journeyed to Phoenix after my mother’s passing, we enjoyed a traditional Christmas dinner with my daughter’s family, and we walked around Little America to see the lights. The air was full of that familiar holiday feeling. We stopped by the North Pole display. That’s when my dad shared something I had never fully understood as a child. He said, “I used to have you write your letters early because I always had a mission near the North Pole. It was important to me to get that stamp on a letter.”

As children, we always wondered why we had to write our Christmas letters so early, and how they ended up with a North Pole postmark. Only now, as an adult, do I understand. While he traveled the world with the military, he was still thinking about us. 

While on our road trip to Phoenix, we stopped at Zion National Park. He picked up some postcards from the gift shop. He mailed these postcards to his children. A tradition he started on his overseas journeys. We always got postcards from my dad’s overseas adventures. These small gestures are his way of staying connected while making sacrifices.

Audrey Hepburn: A Legacy of War, Survival, and Grace

Audrey Hepburn Connectivty A taste of family history Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Audrey Hepburn

 Audrey Kathleen Hepburn-Ruston (Maternal 14th Cousin) was born on 4 May 1929 in Ixelles, Bruxelles-Capitale, Belgium. Her father was a Nazi sympathizer. When her parents divorced, she moved to Holland with her mother to escape the Nazi invasion and continued to study dance. But the following year, the country fell to German rule. As a young girl, she witnessed public executions, trainloads of Jewish families sent to concentration camps, and the shooting of her uncle. 

The Nazis seized her family’s property, jewelry, and bank accounts, leaving them with nothing. Still, they vowed to raise money for the Resistance, so she performed ballet in secret shows. Behind locked doors and covered windows, she danced for silent audiences that did not clap out of fear of being discovered.

Children were less likely to be stopped by Nazis, so she became a messenger for resistance groups and smuggled secret notes in her socks. Meat and gas were scarce. When food ran out, she had to eat tulip bulbs and drink water to keep her stomach full.

Her severe malnutrition led to respiratory problems, jaundice, edema, and later anemia. And then on her 16th birthday, Canadian troops liberated Holland. The war was over, but it left a lasting impact on her. Severe malnutrition had stunted her growth and made it impossible for her to pursue ballet, so she turned to acting instead.

“I was asked to act when I couldn’t act and dance when I couldn’t dance… and do all kinds of things I wasn’t prepared for. Then I tried like mad to cope with it. Auditioning for roles she never got was frustrating. But after several minor roles, she landed her first lead. ‘Roman Holiday’ won her an Oscar for Best Actress. She is one of only 12 artists ever to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards. 

Her iconic style in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ continues to influence high fashion to this day. A UN (United Nations) Ambassador, she later retired from acting to help victims of war all around the world. Quote: ‘As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.’ 

In honor of her humanitarian efforts, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a hybrid tulip was created in her name.” (Goalcast, 2018)

Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993, in Tolochenaz, Switzerland, from appendicular cancer.

Dutch Famine Children Firefly_GeminiFlash_7.5 inches × 2 inches create an image of dutch famine children holding empy plates by 50509 Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Children In Dutch 1944-45 AI-Generated
Chicken Noodle Soup Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Print Pin

Lucy Jane Bronson’s Chicken Noodle Soup W/ Mashed Potatoes

This dish, it may reflect a home-cooking tradition passed down for generations, rather than something with published provenance.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, CHicken Noodle Soup, Food, Noodle, Recipe, soup
Prep Time 1 day 4 hours
Cook Time 4 hours

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5 TBSP Butter
  • 1/2 Medium Onion, diced
  • 2 Stalks Celery, diced
  • 6 Small Carrots, diced
  • 1 Whole Chicken
  • 4 Cups Chicken Broth
  • ⅓ Cup Flour
  • 2 Bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 TSP Fresh thyme (or dried)
  • 2 TSP Dried parsley
  • Homemade pasta (see recipe below) May use premade pasta
  • Mashed Potatoes (see recipe below) May use premade potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

  • 8 Large Russet potatoes or any starchy variety peeled and cubed in quarters
  • ¼ lb Butter
  • ¾ Cup Double Cream (heavy cream) Heavy cream is a great alternative
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Homemade Noodles

  • 2 ⅓ Cup Pasta Flour May use all-purpose flour
  • 3 large Eggs
  • 3 TBSP Water
  • ½ TBSP Salt

Instructions

  • Cooking Chickent/Broth In a large soup pot, add salt and pepper to a pot full of cold water, bay leaf, crushed peppercorns, parsley, and thyme. Watch for grayish foam or bubbles at the top. Use a fine mesh skimmer, spoon, or ladle to gently remove the oil/reminants on the top. Repeat every few minutes until the surface stays mostly clear. Cook chicken until done, remove chicken from the broth, and allow to cool. Strain the broth with cheesecloth/fine mesh strainer, and set aside. When the chicken is cool, remove the bones and skin, and shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a large pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter and add the onion, carrot, and celery, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables have softened, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/3 cup flour with the vegetables, mix well, cooking over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of broth to the flour, blend well until no lumps. Bring soup to a low boil, stirring frequently, until soup thickens. Carefully pour the remaining chicken broth and mix until smooth as you bring it to a simmer on low heat. Cook for 1 to 2 hours on low; it may simmer, but not to a boil. Mound a serving of mashed potatoes onto the top of the chicken soup.

Mashed Potatoes

  • Prepare and boil the potatoes:
    Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters.
    Place them in a large pot with heavily salted cold water, enough to
    cover them completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer
    until the potatoes are fork tender.
  • Dry the potatoes:
    Drain the potatoes well and let them sit in a colander for a few minutes allowing the steam to evaporate. This prevents the mash from becoming watery.
  • Mash the potatoes:
    For the silkiest texture, use a potato ricer or food mill to mash the potatoes into a clean pot. This removes lumps and aerates the potatoes. Avoid a food processor or blender, which can overwork the starches and make the potatoes gluey.
    Add the salt and white pepper to taste, softened butter, and warmed cream to the riced potatoes using a spoon or spatula until the mixture is smooth and luxurious. Keep covered. Add to the soup bowls and serve.

Homemade Noodles

  • Mound pasta flour in the middle of a large cutting board. Form a small indentation in the center (like a volcano). Place the eggs and water into the well. With a fork, slowly incorporate the flour into the eggs until a dough forms.
  • Knead using the heel of your hand until smooth. Cover dough in plastic wrap and rest 30 minutes at room temperature
  • Form noodles, cut the dough into fourths. Flour a large work area and use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to ¼ inch thick (or use a pasta maker). Use a knife to cut the dough into a ¼-inch strip
  • To cook, add noodles to a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 4-8 minutes, or until al dente. Do not drain using tongs; move pasta to the soup. Serve soup immediately

Food Scarcity


Food scarcity, starvation, and the struggle to meet basic needs are not distant tragedies. These are my family’s history. These are the stories carried in quiet glances, in empty plates, in the ingenuity of making something out of almost nothing. They are the legacy I come from, not just of hunger, but of survival.

Tiny buscuits Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Tiny Biscuits
Sego Lily bulb Firefly_GeminiFlash_full colored image of seg lily bulbs 110771 Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Sego Lily Bulbs


Effects of Food Scarcity on the Body

When the body does not receive enough calories or nutrients, it begins to conserve energy and sacrifice long-term health for survival.

  • Sudden and unplanned weight loss.
  • Loss of appetite and interest in food or fluids.
  • Uncharacteristic tiredness or low energy levels.
  • Joint pain, muscle aches, and other bodily ailments. (Action Against Hunger, 2024)
  • Dizziness, poor coordination, and poor concentration.
  • Difficulty keeping warm.
  • Reduced immune function.
  • The body slows metabolism and reduces non-essential functions.

Food Scarcity Through Family History

Palatinate Emigrants (Germany)  1703-1710

Causes:

  • 1701-1714 Spanish War
  • 1707 Hailstorm destroyed crops 
  • 1708 Cattle Plague 

Timeline:

  • 1708-1709 Coldest winter in a millennium Birds froze mid-air (Palatine migration to England, n.d.)
  • 1709 Emigrated to Holland/England, suffered days of fasting 
  • Food scarcity followed them to America (Franzrebjo, 2020)

Pioneer & Frontier (US) 1840–1890

Causes:

  • Isolation
  • Crop failure
  • Harsh winters
  • Limited trade routes

Family Food Traditions: 

  • Tiny biscuits 
  • Stretching food, adding bran to potatoes
  • Sego lily bulbs
  • Foraged greens (ChatGPT, 2026)

Scandinavia Faminae 1867–1869

Causes:

  • Extreme winters and rain, 1866
  • Repeated harvest failures
  • Cattle died of malnutrition 
  • Severe grain shortages and soaring food prices

Families survived eating:

  • Bark bread (made from ground pine bark mixed with flour) 
  • Boiled lichens, thin gruels 
  • The relief laws required labor or moral investigation. (ChatGPT, 2026)

Dutch Famine 1944–1945

Statistic:

  • Affected 4.5 million
  • 22,000 people died
  • In April 1944, rations were reduced from 483 to 268 calories. 
  • Famine resulting in long-term effects on the descendants of the Hongerwinter generation (Föcking, n.d.)

Food Resources:

  • Tulip and sego lily bulbs boiled, baked, or ground into flour
  • Sugar beets
  • Potato peels
  • Grass or weeds
  • Flour made from ground animal fat (ChatGPT, 2026)


Why This Matters for Family History
Food Scarcity Shapes:

  • Many “quirks” in family recipes are adaptive survival behaviors
  • Cooking styles (small portions, simple ingredients)
  • Reservations to waste food
  • Adding potatoes to ground meat dishes to stretch food
  • Saving bacon grease (Grandma Ruth did this)
  • Watering down milk (a practice in my childhood home)
  • Using stale bread in puddings
  • Frugal preservation habits (grandmother used watermelon rinds in her fruit cake)
  • Health outcomes across generations
  • (ChatGPT, 2026)

Family Stories 

Anna Maria Keller and her husband, Johann Martin Seubert

Anna Maria Keller and her husband Johann Martin Seubert (7th paternal great-grandparents), endured decades of food scarcity while living in Vorderweidenthal, Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany, in the early 1700s. War raged, famine spread, crops failed again and again, and food scarcity became a daily reality.

Spanish troops burned the homes to the ground, forcing families to shelter in the open earth beneath the sky. Hailstorms destroyed what little crops survived, cattle plague spread rapidly, and one of the coldest winters of the millennium further devastated food supplies. Families fasted for days at a time, with no bread or grazing available (Franzrebjo, 2020). 

Amid these extreme conditions, the couple joined an estimated 10,000–15,000 Palatines who fled Germany, traveling first to Holland and then arriving in London, England. “The Palatines, most of whom arrived ill and destitute, camped out at first in parks and yards, in government-provided tents in Blackheath, Camberwell and Greenwich.” (House of Commons against the naturalizing of foreigners, 1693). London lacked sufficient food to sustain the influx of refugees, overwhelming local resources. Authorities ultimately determined that the Palatines should be resettled in the American colonies. 

Approximately 3,000 Palatines, including Anna Maria and Johann, boarded the 3rd ship, Fame, for a 10-13 week journey across the Atlantic. Illness, malnutrition, and starvation continued throughout the voyage. (Jones, 1985). 

The family of 4 arrived in New York on July 14, 1710. They were required to work producing tar and pitch for the British Navy to repay the cost of their passage. Instead of relief, they remained trapped in cycles of food scarcity and poor living conditions, suffering from delays in the rations and ongoing vitamin deficiencies. (Jones, 1985) Anna Maria Keller (Birth 1685– Death 25 November 1789, age 104) and Johann Martin Seubert (c. 1674–16 July 1739) (Jones, 1985) Anna Maria Keller (c. 1685– Death 25 November 1789, age 104) and Johann Martin Seubert (c. 1674–16 July 1739) 

Voyage map Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Voyage map

Lucy Bronson

Lucy Bronson (4th maternal great-grandmother) died from scurvy in Ponca, Nebraska, during the westward migration of the Mormon pioneers. She remained in the area for an extended period while the company prepared to continue west. At that time, there was no access to fresh vegetables or other vitamin-rich foods, conditions that led to prolonged nutritional deficiency. Lucy “suffered the most excruciating pain and distress” (Bronson Boden, 1963, p. 53) as a result of scurvy. She endured the illness for several months before her death. Following her passing, members of the Ponca community removed her bones and laid them in the open, allowing her bones to bleach in the sun, described as being done “as a token of the hatred and animosity to the white people” (Bronson Boden, 1963, p. 53). Her death reflects the extreme hardships faced by pioneer families during periods of food scarcity, illness, and migration. Birth 26 June 1795 – Death 7 February 1847

1-Magdalana Pickle Durfee Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Magdalana Pickle Durfee

Magdalena Pickle

Magdalena Pickle (4th paternal great-grandmother) was born in Palatine, Montgomery, New York, the town where her second maternal great-grandparents settled when arriving in the American Colonies. This community was known for scarcity. Her great-grandparents settled here after emigrating from Germany. In 1850, she was preparing to cross the plains. She passed away before being able to make the trip. (FamilySearch, n.d.)

In the 1850 winter, conditions in Musketol Creek, Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, often left stores depleted by March–May. Food supplies included:

  • Coarse flour
  • Foraged greens
  • Limited meat
  • Some emigrants’ accounts included near-starvation rations. (ChatGPT 2026) Born 6 June 1788 – Death 17 May 1850 (Bennett, 1987, pp. 142–155)
Dorathea 'Dolly' Durfee4 Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Dorathea ‘Dolly’ Durfee4
Paulina Spink bigger-004 Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Paulina Spink

Grandma Dorothea “Dolly” Durfee and Paulina Clarissa Spink

Upon arriving in Utah, Grandma Dorothea “Dolly” Durfee (3rd paternal great-grandmother) and Paulina Clarissa Spink (4th maternal great-grandmother) relied on sego lily bulbs as a source of flour during harsh winters. Spink’s grandchildren recalled that they “would go to the Cold Springs south of Willard, where sego lilies grew as large as onions. They would dig as many as would keep fresh for any length of time. They made bread from them, dried and boiled them, and used the sego lily in many ways for food” (FamilySearch, n.d., KWJG-JHP; FamilySearch, n.d., KWJY-VKK).

Dorothea was known for her biscuits. Her tiny biscuits were made throughout her life and reflected her experiences with starvation. She cut them small and dainty, so that each biscuit was little more than a mouthful for a hungry man, a quiet reminder of the scarcity she had once endured. (FamilySearch, n.d.)

Dorathea “Dolly’ Durfee 8 March 1816 – 14 June 1885. Paulina Clarissa Spink  20 November 1800 – 8 December 1885.

Keturah Eliza Button and her daughter Lovisa Andrews

Keturah Eliza Button and her daughter Lovisa Andrews (3rd and 4th maternal great-grandmothers), endured many hardships on the journey west. The struggles did not end when the journey ended.

 Lovisa’s history states, “She walked the greater part of the way. With her at [SIC] that time were her parents and two younger sisters, Olivia, 14, and Jane, 11. This family endured the hardships and sacrifices for the sheer want of necessities on the long, weary journey, arriving at their destination with the Richards Company in 1847.” (FamilySearch 2013) 

Upon arrival in Salt Lake City, Keturah’s family knew the pangs of hunger. They planted potatoes because they would grow quickly and produce calories needed for survival.

When the potatoes were harvested the next spring, she was crying and singing over the good fortune. She cleaned and cooked the potatoes, then thickened them with bran and plenty of water. For the first time since coming to Utah, the little family sat down and ate to their hearts’ content. (Daughters of Utah Pioneers, n.d.) Lovisa Andrews 19 March 1830 – 17 July 1912. Keturah Eliza Button1 2 December 1810 – 17 December 1889

Dr Carolina Nielson Left Abusive husband when he married 2nd wife George Lawerence's Beef Stew Dennis Winger: Hard Work, Hollywood Glamour & Scarcity
Dr Carolina Nielson

Karna (Caroline) Mikkelson Mortenson

Karna (Caroline) Mikkelson Mortenson (3rd maternal great-grandmother) was born on January 25, 1842, in the small village of Hästad, Malmöhus (Skåne), Sweden. Sweden was experiencing severe hardship during this period. Major crop failures between 1867 and 1869, combined with long winters, short summers, and early frosts, led to widespread famine, malnutrition, and illness that claimed thousands of lives. In desperation, many people turned to moss, lichen, bark bread, and sego lily bulbs for sustenance. Illness was common, particularly among those who consumed bread made from lichen. (FamilySearch, n.d., KWJ8-KTF)

Caroline emigrated to Utah on June 13, 1868, aboard the ship Emerald Isle. Her journey was marked by continued food scarcity and hardship. Despite these challenges, she earned her medical degree after arriving in Utah and served her community with dedication to wellbeing and health. (Forchion, 2025)

Caroline passed away on March 27, 1923 (FamilySearch, n.d.).

Audrey Heburn

Audrey Heburn(14th maternal cousin). A People magazine article, it discusses Hepburn’s early childhood. “Towards the end of the war, Matzen writes, “[Her] once-plump face had grown thin, her eyes dull. Her wrists, knees, and ankles were swollen. She couldn’t sit comfortably, because her buttocks had withered away, and she couldn’t get warm no matter how many blankets she wrapped herself in. These were all signs of acute anemia and edema,” says Matzen. “Many young people in Holland suffered from severe edema, [swelling of the joints] due to lack of nourishment for weeks and months on end. . . Hepburn later described ‘how she and her older brother, Alex, went into the fields to find a few turnips, endives, grass, even tulips.’” (McNeil, 2019)

In the end, these stories, of hard work, glimpses of glamour, and seasons of scarcity, are bound together by something deeper: connection. There is more than recipes; it is resilience on a plate, memory in every bite, and a legacy carried forward, one table, one story, and one meal at a time.

A Taste of Family History on Our Lifestyle Blog

Resources

 A.Goalcast. (2018, January 9). Story by Goalcast [Video]. Facebook and YouTube. https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KPHM-W3W

B. McNeil, L. (2019, April 4). How Audrey Hepburn survived near starvation during WWII: One slice of bread and watery broth. PEOPLE. https://www.people.com/movies/how-audrey-hepburn-survived-world-war-ii-starvation 

C. Action Against Hunger. (2024, March 13). What is malnutrition and what are the effects? 

Retrieved January 19, 2026, from https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/the-hunger-crisis/world-hunger-facts/what-is-hunger/what-is-malnutrition/

D. ChatGPT. (2026). ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) [English] https://chatgpt.com/

E. Bronson Boden, S. (1963, February). Bronson (Unpublished manuscript).

F. FamilySearch. (n.d.). [Karna (Caroline) Mikkelson Mortenson] FamilySearch. Retrieved June 1, 2025, from https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KWJ8-KTF

G. FamilySearch. (n.d.). Memories of Dorothea (Durfee) Garner (KWJG-JHP). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KWJG-JHP

H. FamilySearch. (n.d.). Memories of Paulina Clarissa Spink. Retrieved [May 11, 2025], from https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KWJY-VKK

I. House of Commons against the Naturalizing of Foreigners. (1693). Our Migration Story. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms/palatines-in-exile-german-refugees-on-the-fringes-of-britain?utm_source=chatgpt.com

J. Franzrebjo. (2020, February 8). Pfalzgeschichte. Franzreb Ahnenforschung. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://franzreb-roots.com/pfalzgeschichte

K. Palatine migration to England. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatine_migration_to_England

L. Bennett (1987) discusses continued scarcity and its effects on mortality in the Winter Quarters region (pp. 142–155).

M. Jones, H. Z., Jr. (1985). The Palatine families of New York 1710: A study of the German immigrants who arrived in colonial New York in 1710. Universal City, CA: Henry Z. Jones.

N. FamilySearch. (2013, June 23). History of Lovisa Andrews. Retrieved March 10, 2026, from https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KWNP-YN3

O. Daughters of Utah Pioneers. (n.d.). Keturah Eliza Button. In Pioneer histories (Morgan County DUP Collection). Weber State University Digital Collections.

P. Dutch famine of 1944–1945. (2026, February 17). In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 10, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_famine_of_1944–1945

Q. FamilySearch. (n.d.). Memories of Dorothea (Durfee) Garner (KWJG-JHP). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KWJG-JHP

R. Föcking, D. (n.d.). Dutch Hunger Winter 1944–45. Environment & Society Portal. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.environmentandsociety.org/tools/keywords/dutch-hunger-winter-1944-45 

S. FamilySearch. (n.d.). [MagdalenaPickle]. FamilySearch. Retrieved March 23, 2026, from FamilySearch Memory Page https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/LBXQ-57W

T. Wolf, P., & Wolf, T. (2025, August 13). The History of Ancil Winger. FamilySearch. https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KWZS-NWV

U. Forchion, T. (2025, June 4). George Lawrence’s beef stew: A taste of family history. 4Chion Lifestyle. https://4chionlifestyle.com/george-lawrences-beef-stew-a-taste-of-family-history/

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Foodie ellie's ice cream ancil meadow gold
Ancil Winger’s Ice Cream: A Taste of Family History

Ancil Winger’s Ice Cream: A Taste of Family History

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When my granddaughter Ellie churned her first batch of homemade ice cream this week, I couldn’t help but think of my grandfather, Ancil Winger, and the magic that poured from his creamery decades ago. Family stories tell how his ice cream was served to the troops training for the atomic bomb mission, cold comfort in a time of tension. As a child, I remember visiting the factory, riding the frightening pull freight elevator to watch in awe as thick, velvety cream transformed into something joyous. We would eat chocolate-covered peanuts and a small cup of vanilla ice cream with a wooden spoon.

Ice cream face Ancil foodie dessert
Reading Ice Cream Face
Ancil's Ice Cream 4th of July Dessert holidy
Clementine Enjoying Ice Cream
Ancil's Ice Cream 4th of July Dessert holidy
Crimson Enjoying Ice Cream
Ancil's Ice Cream 4th of July Dessert holidy
Clementine Enjoying Ice Cream

Today, the tradition continues in new and tender ways. My son reads Ice Cream Face to his little ones and me at bedtime. Clementine, wide-eyed and full of wonder, tells me about her adventure with the neighborhood ice cream truck. Just before the Fourth of July, the girls enjoy Tillamook Ice Cream, a family beach tradition. These may be small moments, but they echo a legacy.

From military mess halls to sticky-fingered summer afternoons, ice cream has always been more than a treat in our family; it is a taste of family history that ties us together. One scoop at a time, we keep Ancil’s spirit alive.

Ancil Winger’s Ice Cream

Ancil Winger (paternal grandfather) lived a life marked by faith, family, and service. Born October 4, 1915, in Preston, Idaho, he was the son of Perry Manford (paternal great-grandfather) and Chole Ann Dixon Winger (paternal great-grandmother).

Young Ancil

Ancil states, “my father worked on the police department at night. Father was a good carpenter and he built a nice home for the family in Preston on a five-acre farm. The family moved in when I was one year old. The home was equipped with plumbing and electric lights. I remember my father would come home in the morning, and I would climb upon his knee while he ate his breakfast. I was four years old when Father died. He died of a ruptured appendix on June 15, 1920.” [f]

When Grandpa Ancil was just thirteen years old, he left home to work for a farmer named Clarence Talbert. He lived with the Talbert family, rose early to do chores, and attended school right alongside their children. Life on the farm was not easy, but Ancil was dependable. Later, he worked for another farmer, Harold Johnson. His days were tending to the animals, milking the cows by hand, and caring for the plants in every season. It built the strength and character we all remember in him.

Ancil's Ice cream
Ancil Making Ice cream
Ancil's Ice Cream World War II Foodie 4chon lifestyle
Ancil’s Ice Cream
Ancil, Bernice, Dennis, and Keith

Ancil Goes to College

“When I finished high school in 1935, I had earned a scholarship from the U.P. Railroad. I went to the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. To help stretch the money, I hitched hiked [sic] to Moscow to go to school. It took me three days to make the trip. One time, I picked up a stranger and we hooked on a freight train, in the dark, at Weiser, Idaho. It was that evening that I learned that it never pays to gamble. I got with the wrong people and I lost almost all of my money. I only had thirty-five cents left. As a result, I went hungry for awhile.[sic]”[f]

Ancil Winger’s Ice Cream- For World War II Soldiers

His first job after college was with Arden Dairy, where he worked for two years. He was deferred from enlistment in World War II, because he was working in food. Ice cream became a necessary treat during the war. There was a ban on liquor for the troops on the ships; ice cream was the replacement. Ice cream shops floated in the water. This boosted morale.

During that time, he met the love of his life at a local dance. Their connection was instant, and they quickly fell deeply in love. Their engagement came soon after, a testament to their strong bond and shared dedication. As they were making plans for their future together, an unexpected change shifted the course of their lives.

Sudden Changes

Ancil got a job offer with Meadow Gold Dairy in Provo, UT. He quickly took the train to Pocatello. He was there to take Bernice (paternal grandmother) to Provo, UT. A 2nd stop was Prescott, ID, for his mother. They stopped in Logan to get the marriage license. The 3rd stop was in Salt Lake City, UT. They married on April 10, 1940, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Chloe was the witness to their marriage. (great-grandmother) [g] Together, they had three children: Dennis Ray, Larry Dean, and Keith A. Winger.

Meadow Gold provided well for my grandfather, Ancil. His success led to promotions that required the family to relocate, including a move to Hawaii. This is a tough opportunity for the family. They returned to the States 6 months later. He became the plant manager in Pocatello, ID. He received various awards for his ice cream.[g] He retired in 1978 from the Meadow Gold plant in Pocatello, ID. He continued as a consultant with Meadow Gold until 1984.

Ice Cream Retirement

They moved to Salt Lake City to care for their son, Keith’s M.S., and be closer to Dennis and Larry. He took care of his wife. She had several illnesses that required help. Keith and Bernice both passed within 20 days of each other in 1992.

Grandpa Ancil’s dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ was unparalleled. He served faithfully in many bishoprics, offering marriage counseling, organizing welfare efforts, and raising funds for church buildings and programs. At one point, there was no bishop’s office available, so he opened his home for interviews. My dad remembers sitting with other members, watching TV in the living room while they waited for their turn. [d] Grandpa Ancil served in the Church in some capacity his entire life, a quiet, steady pillar of faith and service.

He would often say to me, “You are my mother, you remind me so much of her.” I was born on October 19, her birthday, just eleven months after she passed away.

He passed away on February 22, 2006.

Edmund Durfee Ancil's ICe Cream
Edmund Durfee
Morley Settlement Burning

Ancestor Edmund Durfee, Mormon Martyr

Edmund Durfee (paternal 4th great-grandfather) was born on October 3, 1788, in Tiverton—a small coastal town in the late 1700s known for its farming, fishing, and shipbuilding. Many families in the area, including the Durfees, were part of the colonial and early American fabric since 1660 when Thomas Durfee immigrated to America from England.

Marriage and Family

He met Magdalena Pickle, and they married in 1810. They settled in Montgomery, New York. The 6 children were born here. In 1822, the family moved to Amboy, New York. He bought some land, built a home, and had a wonderful garden filled with maple trees. The 6 more children were born here.

The family moved west to Ohio, selling their home in Amboy, in 1830. Here was baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1831. In December of that year, he left for a mission for the church. He moved his family to Far West, Missouri. They were excited to join the saints. The dream was temple work and being eternally sealed together. Here, the temple site was dedicated, but never completed.

Expulsion of the Church Members

They moved once again in 1835 to Kirkland, Ohio. The Kirkland temple was completed, and Edmund was one of the few who placed the cornerstone. The last child, Nephi, was born here. They moved from Ohio as tensions rose around Mormons.

Therefore, they settled in Caldwell, Missouri. This was a dedicated county for the LDS church members. Tension grew when the church members went to vote. The governor soon ordered the expulsion of the church members.

They were driven out by violent mobs who invaded their homes, committed atrocities against women, and killed 17 men. All weapons—even household items like kitchen knives—were confiscated. Fearing for their lives and with no means to defend themselves, they fled in a state of panic.

Peaceful Living in Yelrom, IL

Therefore, in November 1838, Edmund moved to Yelrom, IL. Soon they enjoyed peaceful living and their religion for a few years. President Joseph Smith was martyred in 1844, bringing new uprisings and tensions between local communities and church members.

Murdered for A Gallon of Whiskey

“In September 1845, mobs ransacked and burned his home, barn, and grain, forcing him to escape with his family to nearby Nauvoo. A month later, Edmund joined other displaced Mormons to recover their crops in Morley’s Settlement.
The property of Solomon Hancock became the central location for that effort. Sometime near midnight on November 15, 1845, a mob set fire to one of Hancock’s haystacks. Edmund and others rushed out to fight the fire and save a nearby barn from burning. A whistle was heard and the ambush began. The mobsters emerged from the darkness and began firing. Edmund was shot and immediately died.
Apparently, the ambush was a form of sport for the mobsters; a gallon of whiskey was awarded to the first one who could kill a Mormon. After Edmund fell, the attackers melted back into the darkness of the night.”[h]

This family would suffer another loss when their mother passed May 17, 1850, at Council Bluffs, waiting to walk to Utah.[i]

Durfee’s Maternal and Paternal Connection

Ida Pauline Nicholas (My 2nd maternal great-grand aunt) married Henry Dennison Durfee. The connections to Ida are: William Jones (2nd maternal great-grandfather on my grandmother’s side) married Ida’s sister, Mary Ann Nicholas. George Ward (2nd maternal great-uncle on my grandfather’s side) married Ida’s sister, Eunice Alice Nicholas. On my paternal side, Edmund (paternal 4th great-grandfather) and his daughter Dolly Durfee (paternal 3rd great-grandmother) connect the paternal side. The maternal and paternal families are related through Thomas Durfee (9th paternal Great-grandfather).

All Roads To Thomas Durfee

Thomas was born in 1643 in Exeter, Devonshire, England. Immigrating to America, settling in Rhode Island as an indentured servant. He is contracted with Peter Tallsman. He has several run-ins with the law. One incident, “he was convicted of a breach of contract with his employer, Peter Tallman, and, later that year, of participating in a scandalous relationship with Ann Hill Tallman, a woman 10 years his senior and the wife of his employer.” [e]

Ann (9th paternal great-grandmother) refused to return to her husband, Peter Tallman, “he was known to be a disagreeable and volatile man. When Ann told the court that she would rather die than return to her husband, the court granted Peter Tallman a bill of divorce.”[e]

Ann and Thomas live in a common-law marriage and have 5 more children; Peter and his 2nd wife raised their first child. “Thomas and Ann were convicted of fornication and were sentenced to either lashes with a whip or a monetary fine. Thomas paid the fines.”[e] He was admitted a freeman of the town of Portsmouth, I.I., May 6, 1673.

A Man of Honor: Thomas Durfee

Above all, he became a man of honor and nobility in the community; Thomas was the town deputy. The Durfees were highly respected in the early colonies of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. “Numerous of Thomas and Ann’s descendants fought in the Revolutionary War, one of whom, Col. Joseph Durfee, was an officer in the Continental Army. Joseph served under General George Washington in battles against British General William Howe. Over the years, Durfee served on various town councils and in the state legislature. Two were prominent judges, including one who served on the Rhode Island State Supreme Court.”[l]

Ann Durfee's Story Ancil WInger's Ice Cream
Ann Durfee’s Story [h]

Thomas Marries

On August 2, 1698, it is mentioned that Thomas has a wife, Deliverance Tripp. They had 2 daughters. Thomas passed on July 12, 1712. His will stated, “To wife Deliverance, and two daughters, rest of land; to wife, all movable estate. A Negro slave called Jack for life and at her death value of said slave shall be equally divided between 2 daughters.”[j]

“It was a common practice for slaves to adopt the surname of their owners, hence Jack was known as Jack Durfee. Wills and estates inventories of early residents list slaves, bequeathed to the heirs of the deceased, along with other property. Slavery was abolished in Rhode Island in 1783.”[k] Rhode Island had the highest proportion of slaveholding households in New England. [chatGPT] Today, this term is considered outdated and offensive. We include it here only as a historical reference while acknowledging Jack’s full humanity and the injustices.

Ruth's Ice Cream Ingredents Ancil
Ice Cream Ingredients
Making Ice Cream Ancil dessert summer treat
Making Ice Cream Ancil dessert summer treat Dessert
Making Ice Cream Ancil dessert summer treat
Making Ice Cream
Ancil's Ice Cream Yummy 2
Ancil’s Ice Cream
Ruth's Ice Cream Recipe Ancil
Ruth’s Ice Cream Recipe

Ancil's Ice Cream Yummy 2
Print Pin

Ruth’s Ice Cream

Ruth loved ice cream—it was always a special treat in a cone when we visited. This homemade recipe captures the sweetness of those summer evenings and the joy she shared in every scoop.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword dessert, family recipe, ice cream, Vanilla ice cream
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Servings 8

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 Eggs beaten light and fluffy
  • 2 Cups sugar
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 3 Cups heavy whipping cream do not whip
  • 1 TBSP Vanilla white vanilla is a good option
  • 2 QRTS Whole Milk

Instructions

  • Beat eggs until light and fluffy.
  • Gradually add sugar and salt. Beat the mixture well.
  • Then add heavy cream and vanilla. Do not whip the cream before adding.
  • Add milk last.
  • Mix well. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
  • Using a dasher (an addition to a Kitchen Aid mixer or ice cream maker, follow the manufacturer’s directions.
  • You may add additions after 15 minutes.
  • Freeze the ice cream 2 ½ hours before serving.

Video

Tracy General Store, Almo, Idaho

At the heart of Almo, Idaho, stands the Tracy General Store, where a cherished tradition lives on—homemade ice cream, made in small batches right on site. Serving ice cream is more than a product; it is part of the Durfees’ legacy of hospitality. Reviews highlight homemade scoops as the store’s standout attraction.

Whether it is vanilla custard-style, chocolate, or seasonal fruit swirls, each batch connects visitors to generations past, when treats were crafted, not processed; shared, not shelved. It is more than dessert—it is heritage you can hold in a cone.

The Tracy General Store is one of the oldest continuously operating general stores in the United States. Located in Almo, residents have relied on the old-timey store since it opened in 1894[c]. A store visited often by Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Lawrence. This ia a stop for a snack and ice cream when visiting Almo for funerals.

Longtime resident Jake Bruesch recalled in a 1974 interview that, “circa 1920 Albert Tracy brought in a herd of Wisconsin cows, Holstein cows, . . . and a bunch of us bought ’em — five or ten or fifteen each . . . and started to milk ’em and bought separators and separated milk and sold the cream for a good many years.”[a].

The current owners, Kent and Janis Durfee, have continued the ice cream tradition with vanilla, chocolate, and the occasional seasonal flavors.

Vanilla Bean History

“The vanilla plant was flourishing in Mexico, and by the late 18th century, a few plants were sent to Paris, London, Europe, and Asia, in hopes of producing the bean in other areas. Although the vine would grow and flower, it would not produce any beans. French colonists brought vanilla beans to Réunion around 1820.

Beaumont had been teaching young Edmond how to tend to the various plants on his estate. He taught him how to hand-pollinate a watermelon plant. Beaumont had previously planted vanilla beans, and had just one vine growing for over twenty years, but was also unable to produce any beans on the vine. Young Edmond began to study the plant and made a discovery. He carefully probed the plant and found the part of the flower that produced the pollen. Edmond then discovered the stigma, the part of the plant that needed to be dusted with the pollen to produce the bean. He used a blade of grass to separate the two flaps and properly fertilized the plant.

Shortly afterwards, while walking through the gardens, Beaumont noticed two packs of vanilla beans flourishing on the vine and was astonished when young Edmond told him that he was responsible for the pollination.”[m] Edmond was 12 when he made this discovery. He would teach other plantations on pollination. He was awarded his freedom. He was never paid for his discovery; he did reach out to the governor regarding payment, but never received a response.

Vanilla Ice Cream and Segregation

In the Jim Crow era (late 1800s–mid 1900s), racial segregation laws extended beyond schools, transportation, and public facilities — they often shaped access to leisure, dining, and even specific foods.

Southern social customs forbade Black people from being served vanilla ice cream, except on Independence Day (July 4th).

  • On other days, they might be limited to chocolate or fruit flavors instead.
  • This wasn’t a formal law everywhere, but rather a widespread racial custom and form of humiliation.

The restriction was symbolic — vanilla was associated with purity and whiteness, and denying it to Black people reinforced racist social hierarchies. [chatGPT]

“People in Stamps used to say that the whites in our town were so prejudiced that a Negro couldn’t buy vanilla ice cream except on the Fourth of July.”[n]

Ice Cream Through History

  • 200 BCE: China early versions of frozen desserts were made from a mixture of milk and rice packed in snow.
  • 800-1300 AD: The Arab world introduced milk-based frozen desserts, including early forms of sherbet.
  • 1686: England, ice cream was served at royal banquets. “Icy creams” became fashionable among the elite.
  • 1744: USA ice cream came to America. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were fans; Jefferson had an 18-step vanilla recipe.
  • 1843: Nancy Johnson (USA) patented the hand-cranked ice cream freezer — democratizing ice cream for home use.
  • 1850: On July 4, 1850, President Taylor attended Independence Day festivities at the Washington Monument grounds. He reportedly consumed:
    • Chilled milk
    • Iced water
    • Fresh fruits, possibly cherries
    • A large quantity of ice cream

He returned to the White House and soon fell seriously ill with severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. He passed away five days later. Ice Cream took the blame, but there was no cause of death.

Ice Cream Food Facts

  • Lait – Milk
  • A la mode – pie served with ice cream
  • Ice – to cool by adding ice or surrounding it with ice
  • Cream – to beat fat and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. The fat content of milk
  • Milch cows are female cows kept primarily for producing milk.
  • Churning – can be an attachment to your KitchenAid Mixer or an old-fashioned ice cream maker that uses ice and rock salt. [d]

French Ice Cream is custard-based. Milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cream 20%. Scald milk in a double broiler made with hot milk, stirring constantly. Cook in a double boiler until it coats a spoon. Strain and cool before churning. Churn and freeze. Creamy velvety scoopable ice cream. [d]

Philadelphia-style vanilla. Cream, milk, and sugar—no eggs. Lighter, sometimes icier, Cleaner, and more delicate (ideal for fruit or fresh flavors or vanilla). The base is uncooked, making it faster and easier. Quick to make [chatGPT]

Food is the great connector, linking us to our ancestors through recipes, memories, traditions, and love. It evokes the warmth of a grandmother’s kitchen and the comforting aromas of something simmering on the stove, speaking a language older than words. With every bite, we remember who we are and carry those stories forward, nourishing the future with the essence of the past.

What is your favorite family food or ice cream memory? Share here using #4chionstyle #4chionfoodie

A Taste of Family History on Our Lifestyle Blog

Reference

  1. 166 Ibid., p. 7; Elba Ward, Cassia Stake, Historical Records and Minutes, 1881-1904, Manuscript #LR2566 23, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Historical Department, Salt Lake City, Utah; B. Ward, “History of Almo, n.p.; Jake and Ida Bruesch, interviewed by AW. Dawson, Oral History #180, p. 16. Accessed here https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/ciro/hrs2n.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  2. World Atlas. (n.d.). 7 Old-timey general stores in Idaho. Retrieved June 14, 2025, from https://www.worldatlas.com/places/7-old-timey-general-stores-in-idaho.html
  3. Visit Southern Idaho. (n.d.). Tracy General Store. Visit Southern Idaho. Retrieved June 18, 2025, from https://www.visitsouthidaho.com/adventure/tracy-general-store/
  4. Wenzel, G. L. (1979). Wenzel’s menu maker (2nd ed.). John L. Wenzel and Sons. © 1979 by George L. Wenzel.FamilySearch. (n.d.).
  5. Thomas Durfee—Spawning a Noble Family from Trouble and Scandal [Memory]. FamilySearch. Retrieved June 22, 2025  https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/27J3-NQ2
  6. Winger, A. (1994). The life story of Ancil Winger: As dictated by Ancil Winger (P. Wolf & T. Wolf, Eds.). Ancil Winger Family.
  7. Winger, D. (2025, June 14). Grandpa meets Grandma [Oral history recording]. Ancil Winger Family Oral History Collection.
  8. FamilySearch. (2025, March 4). No title. Retrieved July 4, 2025    FamilySearch. https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/LB8D-H4D
  9. FamilySearch. (n.d.). [Untitled memory about Magdalena Pickle (1788–1850)] [Memory]. FamilySearch. Retrieved June 22, 2025 https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/LBXQ-57W
  10. FamilySearch. (n.d.). Thomas Durfee’s will [Digital image of historical document]. FamilySearch khttps://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/27J3-NQ2
  11. River Historical Society. (1781). Continental service payroll record for Capt. John Smith’s Company [Manuscript]. Manuscript Collection. https://fallriverhistorical.org/collections/manuscripts
  12. FamilySearch. (n.d.). Thomas Durfee—Spawning a Noble Family from Trouble and Scandal Memory]. FamilySearch. Retrieved July 2, 2025
    https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/27J3-NQ2
  13. Black Past. (Sep. 13, 2020). [Edmond Albius (1829-1880)] Retrieved Aug. 30, 2025 https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/edmond-albius-1829-1880/
  14. Angelou, M. (1969). (pg. 25) I know why the caged bird sings. Random House.

Relationships

Relationship Ancil Winger
Relationship Ancil Winger
Edmund Durfee Relationship
Edmund Durfee Relationship
Thomas Durfee relationship Ancil's Ice Cream Food Family History Connectivity
Thomas Durfee relationship
Ida Pauline Nicholas Relationship
Ida Pauline Nicholas’ Relationship
William Jones Relationship
William Jones was married to Mary Ann Nicholas, who is Ida’s
sister, she married Henry Dennison Durfee Jr.
Relastioship to George Ward Ancil Winger's Ice Cream
George Ward was married to Eunice Alice Nicholas, who is Ida’s
sister, she married Henry Dennison Durfee Jr.
Durfee Connection Maternal Side
Durfee Connection Maternal Side

Ruths-Banana-Bread-Connectivity-Recipe-Book
Ruth’s Banana Bread: The Secert Is Out

Ruth’s Banana Bread: The Secert Is Out

By |

Ruth’s Banana Bread fills my home with memories of my maternal grandmother as it bakes. As a child, this was a summer treat, paired with Lipton iced tea, sitting by the lilac bush in a squeaky metal chair. I was not allowed to drink tea, per the Mormon faith (sorry, Grandma, the secret is out). Sipping the tea felt sophisticated with the earthy, woody flavors. This leads me to believe it is why my tea choices are green or Earl Grey. I love steeping my tea in my Rae Dunn mug from my daughter. Ruth’s Banana Bread wasn’t just a recipe but a quiet act of rebellion, a bond, and a moment out of time, being an adult with my grandmother.

Ruth Ilene Wake

Reading her journal from 1996, not long after my grandfather Lawrence’s passing, she writes, “I have saved these articles and I will put them in this book and hope someone will read them one day.” As I read this journal, she discusses driverless cars, writing, “Cars will drive themselves, you’ll simply select your destination (edited later as pen color is different, always the perfectionist) and relax until you get there. This must have interested my grandmother, as she never had a driver’s license or drove a car. What freedom that would have offered her.

My daughter and I rode in a driverless car after the P!nk concert. We had no luck with Uber or Lyft. Hours after the concert, men were walking around with “Uber” signs and cars, which looked like a kidnapping waiting to happen. It was a pleasant ride with Waymo, and the best option to get home at 2 AM. We enjoyed a cup of nighttimete and went to bed.

Olivia and I Pink Concert Driverless cars 4chion lifestyle Ruth's Banana Bread: A Taste of Family History
Olivia and me at the Pink Concert
Pink Concert 4chion lifestyle foodie connectivity Ruth's Banana Bread: A Taste of Family History
Pink Concert
Grandma Ruth Olivia Eileen A Taste of Family History on Our Lifestyle Blog
Grandma Ruth Ilene & Olivia Eileen

Ruth’s Story

Grandma Ruth (maternal grandmother) was born August 17, 1916, in Almo, Idaho, to Ernest Dennis Jones and her mother, Lucy Jane Bronson. She married George Lawrence Wake on April 7, 1934, in Burley, Idaho. They moved to Portland, Oregon, during World War II. Lawrence was a welder in the shipyards.

As a child traveling through the Pacific Northwest, I looked out the window and told my dad, “I’m going to move to the town with the green bridge.” At 23, I made that move to Portland, Oregon, unknowingly following a promise my younger self had made, or knowing my grandmother once lived here.

They moved to Hailey, where Grandma Eileen was born, and her twin brother. She moved from Hailey in 1953 to Orem, where she lived out her life. She was a devoted mother and wife.

Ruth Ilene Jones Grandmother Maternal Side 4chion lifestyle food ancestor Ruth's Banana Bread: A Taste of Family History
Ruth Ilene Jones

She passed from Lung cancer after living with my grandfather’s smoking for 60 years, on June 28, 2004, in Taylorsville, Utah, at 87. She is buried in Sunny Cedar Rest Cemetery, Almo, Idaho.

Miscellaneous

Her quote, ” Be organized, setting up daily routines lightens the load on your memory and frees it up for more important tasks.”

Food memories were vivid with Grandma Ruth; her precision in cooking made her an excellent cook, especially in baking. Saturday nights was dinner at her home. We would have hamburgers or KFC. We would watch Hee Haw and Lawrence Welk with my grandparents. My grandfather always wore a white tank top. He would try to get a rise out of my grandmother. As a result of no response from Grandma, he would leave (we did not know where he was going, learned later it was the local bar). While pulling out of the driveway, she would wave not goodbye, but she was shooing the flies away.

Ruth Banana Bread A Taste of Family History food 4chion lifestyle 4chionstyle
Print Pin

Ruth’s Banana Bread

A slice of comfort in every bite, Grandma Ruth’s banana bread is more than a recipe—it’s a legacy. Made with ripe bananas, a touch of vanilla, and just the right balance of sweetness, this bread filled her kitchen with warmth and laughter for generations.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword bake, banana bread, family recipe, Food, Hertiage
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 Cube Margarine 1/2 cup can subsitute for butter
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 3 or 4 Crushed bananas
  • 1 TSP Soda
  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 1/4 cup Nut meat an old-fashioned term for chopped nuts

Instructions

Directions:

  • Crush bananas and whip very light, cream margarine and sugar, add eggs, then flour soda, and nuts. Add bananas to a well-greased pan. Bake 350 one hour.
    Muffins bake time 25 min, prep time 20 min.

Glaze:

  • This was served with a glazed icing recipe not included:
    1 cup powdered sugar
    1 TBSP butter
    2-4 TBSP milk, add 1 TBSP at a time
    1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    Mix well, glaze banana bread while slightly warm.

Notes

Ruth Banana Bread A Taste of Family History food 4chion lifestyle 4chionstyle
Ruth's Banana Bread Connectivity 4Chion Lifestyle Ruth's Banana Bread: A Taste of Family History
Ruth’s Banana Bread
Grandma Ruth and Tammy 4chion lifestyle foodie ancestor history recipe Ruth's Banana Bread: A Taste of Family History
Grandma Ruth and Tammy

Food History

Food scarcity, starvation, and the struggle to meet basic needs are not distant tragedies—these are my family’s history. These are the stories carried in quiet glances, in empty plates, in the ingenuity of making something out of almost nothing. They are the legacy I come from, not just of hunger, but of survival.

Many pioneer ancestors left Nauvoo with very little in the dead of winter in 1846. They traveled 1,246 miles with very few provisions. The Ute people shared vital knowledge with the pioneers. They taught them how to gather, process, grind, and store the bulbs of the native sego lily.

When getting to Utah, Grandma Dorathea “Dolly’ Durfee (3rd great-grandmother) and Grandma Paulina Clarissa Spink (4th maternal great-grandmother) relied on the sego lily bulbs for flour during hard winters. Spink’s grandchildren, “Would go to the Cold Springs south of Willard where sego grew as large as onions and they would dig as many of them as would keep fresh for any length of time. They made bread of them, dried and boiled them and used the sego in many numerous ways for food.”****

Dorathea 'Dolly' Durfee 4 Family history ancestor pioneer 4chion lifestyle
Dorathea ‘Dolly’ Durfee

Grandma Dorathea

Grandma Dorathea, in November 1845, “Edmund (her father) and others returned to harvest crops. One midnight they rushed to put out a straw stack fire. Suddenly two whistles were heard and six shots were fired from the darkness. Edmund died from a rifle ball just above the heart.”*

They departed Council Bluffs on June 5, 1850, when traveling west to Zion. The children walked the trail barefoot, and as a result, they bound their bleeding feet with rags to avoid leaving bloodstained tracks for the Indians to follow.***

Grandma Dorathea’s children took the straw from their beds to feed their livestock. Many of the livestock still died from the cold and starvation. When settling in Utah, a brick and rock home was built in North Ogden. They raised livestock, sheep, and had a large orchard. Her husband built a reservoir to irrigate the crops. She was a tireless worker and an immaculate housekeeper.** Her biscuits were made throughout her life, reflecting her experiences with starvation. They were light, dainty, each biscuit was not much more than a mouthful.

Sego Lilly foodie flour ancestors 4chion lifestyle utah food foodie heritage Ruth's Banana Bread: A Taste of Family History

Banana Bread

Banana bread and muffins are readily available in any store. They are popular choices for snacks and breakfast. Food preservation was key for many of our ancestors during various times. Banana bread grew in popularity during the Great Depression, when Grandma Ruth lived in a chicken coop. This bread was a way to preserve the fruit in another form. First appeared in the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook (a family favorite cookbook). Bananas were cheap, and nothing went to waste. (Facts generated by ChatGPT)

Wheat Fun Food Facts

Wheat Flour Nutritional Facts

Grandma Eileen (mother) is renowned for her culinary expertise. She had monthly cooking classes with a few sisters in the ward. She shared her in-depth cooking techniques and fascinating food facts. She distributed a flyer detailing information about wheat.

  • Wheat stored on the counter nutrition lasts 5-7 days
  • Wheat sitting in the fridge last 2-3 months
  • Wheat in the Freezer 1 year (always wondered why Grandma Ruth’s flour was in the freezer)
  • Wheat is enriched to restore nutrients that are lost during the refining process
Wheat flour storing facts 4chion lifestyle food
Horse drawn plow farming foodie 4chion lifestyle
Horse drawn plow
Horse Drawn sulky plow 1850s. 4chion lifestyle foodie farming wheat
Horse-Drawn sulky plow

Wheat Flour Fun Facts

  • Watering in the late 1800s in Cassia County was primitive canal systems or small diversion ditches from the Snake River or nearby creeks.
  • Most work was done manually or horse-drawn, using plows, harrows, and seed drills.
  • Harvesting wheat would involve binders and threshing machines, often shared communally or rented.
  • The wheat they grew was Turkey Red Wheat
  • To get ½ cup of flour, it takes
    • 1/3 cup of wheat berries
    • 5,300 individual wheat berries
    • 30 wheat plants
    • 1′ x 1′ area to grow wheat for 1/2 cup of flour
    • 22 gallons of water to grow 1/2 cup of flour
    • Harvest time
      • Spring Wheat 90 to 120 days
      • Winter Wheat 7–8 months
  • 1/2 cup of wheat flour makes 1 hamburger bun (facts generated by ChatGPT)

Food is the great connector, linking us to our ancestors not only through recipes but also through memories, traditions, and love. It evokes the warmth of a grandmother’s kitchen and the comforting aromas of something simmering on the stove, speaking a language older than words. With every bite, we remember who we are and carry those stories forward, nourishing the future with the essence of the past.

What is your favorite family food memory? Share here using #4chionstyle #4chionfoodie

A Taste of Family History on Our Lifestyle Blog

History genealogy mother family food ancestor
Mother
History genealogy grandmother family food ancestor
Grandma Ruth
History genealogy grandmother family food ancestor
Dorathea Durfee Garner
History genealogy grandmother family food ancestor
Paulina Clarissa Spink

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