William Wellington Norton & Jennie Belle Lewis Marriage

I know that part of being a genealogist is locating original records.  But all my past attempts have met with silence on the part of the governmental unit contacted.  This time I went through the internet and found the record in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota!  For $9 this is what I got:

Many things fascinate me about this marriage license -
1.  It is certified!
2.  It lists William's father as Reverend A.W. Norton and a licensed minister.  A.W. is also listed as having an address in St Paul.  Though I knew A.W. was a professor and college president.  I was unaware that he was actually an ordained minister.  I also thought of him as living in the Dakotas, not Minnesota.  Not sure when the move happened.
3.  It leaves the mystery of how William and Jennie Belle met.  I believe that William Wellington was a student at the University of Minnesota.  I would love to know the real story.

The Traveling Shell!

Not all family heirlooms are art or handmade.  One of the Palmer memories involves a conch shell.  Here's the story:
This Fighting Conch shell was given to Nelson Palmer by his long time friend Mac Heron (wife of Bill Heron)  in the 1950s. It was kept on the mantle at Nelson'sSilver Lake cottage for decades. Dianne Palmer Wetjen got shell when the cottage was being sold in the late 70s. It was in her New York house until they moved to Marco Island in 1994. Mac also lived here and had introduced Dianne to Marco years earlier.   When Mac saw the shell at Dianne's Marco Island home, she said it had come home.  Mac had picked it up in front of the Marriott on the island.  Dianne kindly gave it to Phil and me for our new Marco Island home!

Artistic talents of Ruth Autry Brooks

My paternal grandmother, known to me as Nanya, was an accomplished artist.  Sadly, this talent did not pass to me. But I do see it in some of my children.  Rosey has quite the flair for drawing.  Danielle uses makeup as her paint palette.  I have several of her paintings in my home.  But I just learned of some other items that my cousin, Mariruth, has in her home.  I was surprised at the variety, especially the casserole dish.  These are pictures that she recently took.  I'll put up the ones from my home soon!  These were done early in the 20th century.  The dish is dated 1910.

And her art palette, beautifully displayed with Indian Corn: