Denniston

Home

DENNISTON
FAMILY

JoAnn
Denniston
(1947-20??)

Reese
Mathew
Denniston
(1918-1989)

Emery
Otis
Denniston
(1880-1965)

John
Mathew
Denniston
(1852-1927)

Samuel
Denniston
Jr.
(1820-1885)

Samuel
Denniston
Sr.
(1771-Aft.1854)

_______

LOFTIN
FAMILY
NAMES

LOFTIN:
 Beatty
 Corzine
 Cranford
 Fisher
 Givens
 Harwell
 Kaiser
 Lanier
 Lomax
 McCorkle
 Rudisill
 Sherrill
 Upright
 Washington
 Work

SETZER:
Aderholdt
Barringer
Bovey
Bushart
Deal
Heavner
Herman
Ikert
Miller
Motz
Rankin
Witherspoon

GOBLE:
Babst/Bobst
Douglas
Faber
Fink
Fulbright
Hefner
Meinhert
Miller
Muller
Pabst/Bobst
Robinson

JOHNSON:
Corzine
Fink
Hamilton
Kaiser
Leslie
Lewis
Moore
Sherrill
Upright
Wilkinson
 

 

Reese Mathew Denniston     Born: 28 May 1918, Grant, Mecosta Co, Michigan Died:23 Nov 1989, Newton, Catawba Co, North Carolina    Reese Mathew Denniston was born 28 May 1918, the son of Emery Otis Denniston (1880-1965) and Helen Doris Earnshaw (Spitzer) (1889-1981).     The 1920 Census shows Emery Otis Denniston, and his wife Helen/Ellen Doris Earnshaw, living in the Grant Township of Mecosta County, Michigan, near his parents, John Mathew Denniston and Caroline Hart Denniston.  Emery and Helen/Ellen have one child, Reese Mathew Denniston (age 1 year and 8 months).    1920 Census for Grant Township, Mecosta County, Michigan   Hse No. Fam No. Name Relation Home Personal Description Birth Place Occup Last First Sex Race Age S/M O/R F/M Self Dad Mom 99 101 Denniston John Head O F M W 66 M Michigan New York New York Farmer     ----- Caroline Wife     F W 71 M Michigan New York New York None     ----- Myrtle Daug     F W 37 S Michigan Michigan Michigan None                               100 102 Denniston Emery Head O M M W 39 M Nebraska Michigan Michigan Farmer     ----- Ellen Wife     F W 21 M Ohio Ohio Ohio None     ----- Reese Son     M W 1 8/12 S Michigan Nebraska Ohio None       Emery Otis Denniston and Helen Doris Earnshaw filed for divorce on 09 Nov 1927 in Allegan County, Michigan. Emery and Helen had two children at the time of the divorce: Reese Mathew Denniston (age 9) and Paul Weldon Denniston (age 5).  This must have been hard on the boys - divorce is always hard on children.  Helen kept custody of the two boys and eventually married Emery's first cousin, Orrin Denniston (the son of Elmer Augustus Denniston) about 1927.        The 1930 Census shows Helen/Ellen and  Orrin Denniston living in the Lee Township in Calhoun County, Michigan.  Orrin is 29, Helen is 31, Reese is 11 years old and Paul is 9.  Usually a Census will the tell the "Relation" of everyone in the home to the "Head" of the family.  Since Orrin is now the "Head" of the family, Reese and Paul should have been listed as step-sons but were instead listed as sons.   1930 Census for Lee Township, Calhoun County, Michigan   Hse No. Fam No Name Relation Home Personal Can Read Write Birth Occu Industry Last First O/R Radio Sex Race Age S/M Age at 1st Md Self Dad Mom 116 116 Denniston Orrin Head O R M W 29 M 26 Yes MI MI MI Farmer Truck     ----- Ellen D. Wife     F W 31 M 18 Yes OH OH OH None       ---- Reese M. Son     M W 11 S   Yes Mi MI OH None       ----- Paul W. Son     M W 9 S   Yes Mi MI OH None         Reese and his brother Paul Denniston         Reese attended Marshall High School in Marshall, Michigan.   Marshall High School Yearbook Photo from 1939       The 1940 Census shows Orrin & Helen Denniston living in the Marshall Township in Calhoun County, Michigan.  He is 39 and she is 41.  Reese is 21 and working as a salesman in wholesale, earning $300. Paul is 19 and working as a Handyman at a Bakery.    1940 Census for Marshall Township, Calhoun County, Michigan   Home Farm Name Relation Personal Grade Birth Occupation Income O/R Last First Sex Race Age S/M Occup Ind R No Denniston Orrin Head M W 39 M HS2 Mich Night Watch Bread 750     ----- Helen D. Wife F W 41 M HS1 Ohio Radio Service Factory 0     ----- Reese Son M W 21 S HS4 Mich Salesman Whole Sale 300     ----- Paul Son M W 19 S HS4 Mich Handyman Bakery 0       Family Cabin in North Michgan       Reese loved cars, motorcycles and airplanes - Here are a few that he owned       On 08 Oct 1940, at the beginning of World War II, Reese enlisted in the Army Air Corps in Calhoun County, Michigan.  He was 22 at the time of his enlistment.  He was single, weighed 122 lbs. and was 64 inches tall (or 5 ft 4 in).  His enlistment was for the Panama Canal Department.  In 1940 the US still held partial custody of the canal which connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  Reese was released from the military on 06 Feb 1942.   He was turned down the first time because he was too short.  He went home and stretched himself (hanging from a doorway) for a month and went back a second time to register.       Reese met Winifred "Wini" Irene Gardner as he went to register for the military and they started dating.     Wini (right) and Peggy     (Left) Wini and a friend, (Right) Wini       Reese Denniston          Reese with Mike, Walt and Paul - Thanksgiving 1940      Reese (right) with friend, Eldon, on his 1940 Indian "4"     Two of Reese's friends, Ralph Yoder and Alton Osmun          While in the military, Reese was assigned to work in Anchorage, Alaska.  He was not allowed to tell Winnie where he was during his correspondence.  There could be no references to the weather or landscape so that someone could guess his location either.  He taught instrument flying.      The boat Reese took to Alaska in 1941   This is what Reese wrote on the back of the following photo:   Pilot House on the Boat to Alaska (Reese is not in this photo)   Air Corps Male Chorus at Elmerdor Field, Alaska - Sept 1941 - Reese top center of photo     Reese in his uniform           Reese with his brother Paul       Reese married Winifred Irene Gardner on 08 Apr 1941.  Both Reese and Winifred were 22 at the time of their marriage in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Winifred was the daughter of Joseph I. Gardner (1892 - 1987) and Clara Hameister (1895 - 1930).  She was born 23 Feb 1919 in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan.     Reese was an avid writer - keeping journals for many years of his life.  He even encouraged daughters Linda, Jo and Sharon to keep a journal.     Reese's Wedding Day Journal Entry with Photo of Wini in the Same Location   April 7 8 April     Tuesday   This was the most wonderful day of my life so far.         Reese was sent to Anchorage, Alaska, on 16 July 1941.  The following is his journal entry.   Journal Entry for July 16 & 17, 1941   July 16 17 July   Landed at Seward today. It was foggy and couldn't see very far but what we could see was beautiful.    The train ride from Seward to Anchorage was slow.  We arrived about 4:30 in the afternoon and didn't have a thing to eat all day.  Saw some beautiful scenery and a glacier.   P.S. The draftees had sandwiches packed for them.   The sun sets about 10 p.m. and rises about 2 a.m.         We are living in tents and the light comes thru them making it hard to sleep.    The ground is going up and down.  Once in a while it moves sideways too it seems.         Winnie was teaching elementary school in Jackson, Michigan, while Reese was in Alaska.  The following is Reese's journal entry on 7 & 8 Dec 1941 after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.     Reese's Journal Entry About Japan Bombing Pearl Harbor and World War II   December 7 8 December   Sunday  Japan bombed P.I. and Hawian Islands this morning.  They afterwards stated that war had begun as of dawn.     Monday   War was officially declared against Japan today.   Was married 8 mo. ago today (08 Apr 1941).     Military photo from Reese's collection       To see the letters that Reese wrote to Wini when he was in the military CLICK HERE       Reese hurt his back while in the service and thus received an early release from the military.     Reese and Winifred's marriage produced three children, all girls.   Children of Reese Mathew Denniston and Winifred Irene Gardner Name Birth Death Spouse Linda Louise Denniston 1945 Michigan   Clarence Bonnett Riggs III m. Feb 1967 Broward, FL JoAnn Denniston 1947 Detroit, MI   Worthington Frederick Seese, Jr. m. 05 May 1967 Broward, FL Sharon Sue Denniston 1963 Miami Beach, FL   Kevin Crubaugh m. 27 Mar 1999       Linda and JoAnn in the 1950s          Reese, Wini and the family lived in  Berkley, Michigan (a suburb of  Detroit) where Reese had an insurance agency.  Wini helped part time at the office and they hired a housekeeper, cook, babysitter they called Grandma Fagg even though she was not related. Reese had a good friend who was a Chiropractor who encouraged him to pursue it as a career since he had been healed from a back injury by this form of medicine.     Reese and Wini's first house in Berkley, Michigan, with details below         Reese & Wini's second house - in Colombia, Berkley, Michigan     Linda and JoAnn at the Berkley, Michigan house       The 1948 City Directory for Royal Oak, Michigan, shows that Reese is selling automobile insurance.   1948 Royal Oak Michigan City Directory       The 1950 City Directory shows Reese & Winifred still living in Royal Oaks, Michigan, on 1721 Columbia Rd B and was working as a "slsmn" or "salesman.   1950 Royal Oak Michigan City Directory       Reese and Wini with Professional Foods in Cedar Rapids, Iowa       Reese decided to choose chiropractic as his career so he moved the family to Chicago where they lived in married student dorms. Reese graduated from the Nation College of Chiropractice in 1953.   Graduation photo of Reese in 1953 - He was 35     Reese and Wini       Reese and Wini researched on where they wanted to settle. They narrowed it down to South Florida and Bowling Green Kentucky and finally settled in Plantation, Florida.   To learn more about Plantation, CLICK HERE     Reese & Wini's first Florida home at East Acre, Plantation, Florida, Home - 1954   Linda and JoAnn   Wini with Linda and JoAnn   Back side of the Plantation, Florida, home       Reese in the 1950s         Reese and Wini enjoy a Florida vacation       Reese's love of cars continues       The 1960 City Directory shows Reese & Winifred living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 208 Bayberry Dr.  He was working as a Chiropractor at 35 SW 40th in the Westgate Clinic.   The same 1960 City Directory shows Reese's mother, Helen, and step-dad, Orrin, also living on Bayberry Dr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida.   1960 Fort Lauderdale, Florida City Directory     Reese, Wini, Linda & JoAnn clean up around the house on Bayberry Drive after a hurricane       Reese in the 1960s     Reese learned how to fly and even owned several small airplanes.  Wini, on the other hand, had a great fear of heights and hated to fly - even on commercial airliners.     Reese with one of his airplanes           Helen and Orrin Denniston (Reese's mother) moved to Baker's Mountain, Catawba County, NC.     Eventually Reese and Winifred moved their family to Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina.   Reese Mathew Denniston died 23 Nov 1989 in Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina at the age of 71.  Wini died 19 Sep 1999 in Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina at the age of 80.         CHILDREN       Linda Louise Denniston - 1963 High School Graduation       Plantation Collegian Sings in "Horn" Chorus      Boone, N.C. - Linda Denniston of Plantation (Florida) sings in the chorus in Kermit Hunter's "Horn in the West," Outdoor Drama playing nightly (except Mondays) through Aug. 19.      The production, portraying the story of Daniel Boone and the pioneers' westward movement, is presented in the 2,500-seat, under-the-stars Daniel Boone Theatre atop the Blue Ridge Mountains.      Miss Denniston is a sophomore at Florida State University where she is majoring in choral music education.   She has appeared at Florida State in the Junior Theater productions of "Kismet", "Flower Drum Song", "Down in the Valley" and "South Pacific", and in the Florida State Opera Guild productions of "Carmen" and "My Fair Lady".     Clarence Bonnett Riggs III and Linda Denniston Riggs with Christopher, Curtis and Carl   Linda Denniston Riggs visiting with sister JoAnn in Hickory, NC               Daughter's Sharon (left) and JoAnn (right) with Sharon's children, Skyler, Matthew and Amandalyn from 2008           SOURCES   Thanks to JoAnn Denniston Seese for her help with the various branches of her family