I'm sorry to report that Ethel Cramer Archer Upton, the second oldest New Gretna native, passed away yesterday morning, March 15th, in Florida, where she lived with her husband, Jay Upton. She was 98 years old. We had run Blog posts on Sunday, November 30, 2008 and Wednesday, December 3, 2008 regarding the oldest persons from New Gretna. Ethel was mentioned in the comments of the first and in the body of the second.
Ethel Cramer Archer Upton( February 27, 1911 - March 15, 2009)
Ethel was the oldest child of Doughty VanSant and Alberta Cramer Cramer. No, that's not a typo Here we see a Cramer marrying a Cramer. This was not uncommon as the Cramer family was a very large and diverse family in the area.
Doughty and Alberta lived on Allentown Road, now North Maple Avenue.
The Doughty and Alma Cramer house on Allentown Road. (Photo courtesy of Stansbury Cramer.)
Doughty and Alberta lovingly raised five children in this house:
- Ethel B. (born 1911) who married Frank Archer and Jay Upton.
- Margaret "Peg" (born 1914) who married Reuben McAnney.
- Preston (born 1916) who married Pauline Rider.
- Minerva "Ervie" (born 1920) who married Ernest Enslin.
- Almira (born 1922) who married Clarence "Bud" Steele.
The five Cramer children in the front yard of their Allentown Road home: (l-r) Peg, Ervie, Almira, and Preston. Ethel is riding in the carriage driven by her grandfather, Caleb Cramer. (Photo courtesy of Margaret "Peg" Cramer McAnney.)
The Doughty and Alberta Cramer family with the children lined up from the oldest to the youngest: (l-r, standing) Ethel, Peg, Preston, Ervie, and Almira. Doughty and Alberta are seated. (Photo courtesy of Margaret "Peg" Cramer McAnney.)
Doughty and Alma Cramer's house has since been torn down and replaced by the modern home of the Schmidt family.
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A larger, more modern styled house now occupies the Doughty and Alberta Cramer homestead site on North Maple Avenue. (February 1, 2009 photo by Pete Stemmer.)
It's always sad when the last of a families' generation passes away. We are all diminished by the loss. We extend our prayers and sympathy to the family.
Pete S