Chasing Down Etta and Ella

You would think Etta and Ella might be sisters - twins even. But one of them is my relative and the other a relative of Bud's. And I had reason to track both of them back on our family trees the past few days.

I called brother Ron last week to tell him about our brother-in-law Gene's heart attack which required the placement of one stent. Gene is doing fine - life flighted to a Des Moines hospital Wednesday and home here on Friday. He is as cheerful and upbeat as ever.

Back to my story - Ron asked me if I knew who Etta Mauderly was. He had found a photo, circa mid 1930's, of our mother, Ruth, and another young woman. On the back was written "Ruth and Etta Mauderly". I thought about it and told him I could not think of any Mauderly girls around the same age as Mom. I decided they would have to be the daughter of one of the Mauderly boys, but which one? I told Ron I would research and call him back if I was able to locate her.

I remembered names of three male Mauderly's, Joseph, Jerome and Corwin. I knew Joseph was Great-grandma Kate's brother. I thought Jerome was his son and I was right. But it took me awhile to find the right Jerome because if you just Google 'Jerome Mauderly' you get all kinds of stories about Jerome "Jerry" Mauderly and how he shot and killed an escaped inmate who had broken into the Mauderly's farm home as they slept and then held him and his wife hostage - until Jerry managed to get his shotgun. Jerry is the son of Jerome's son Corwin. And by the way, I like the name Jerome and love the name Corwin.

Jerome and Zoa Mauderly had four daughters in addition to son Corwin. One of the girls was the Etta of the photo my brother had.

She and husband Sterling Wisecup lived in Black Hawk County, Iowa. I found this photo of her with her obituary. She died in 2019, aged 94. 

I called my brother back and told him I found Etta Mauderly. Now I really want to see the photo he has of our mother and Etta together.

He wasn't surprised I found her. I said I love doing this kind of genealogical sleuthing. He said: "I know you do." 

Which brings us to Ella. Bud's cousin, Terry Plowman, died Saturday. I asked him how they were related and he wasn't sure, just that it was on his Dad's side. So I found Terry's mother's obituary and followed her lineage back. Hazel Plowman's mother was Ella Schaffer Moore. Ella was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Schaffer and William Franklin Schaffer was their son. i.e. Ella and Bill were brother and sister. Bill Schaffer was LaVerne Schaffer, Sr.'s dad - Bud's grandfather. And Ella was Terry's grandmother, making them first cousins. So Bud and Terry would be second cousins.

Just to further muddy the waters - Terry's wife, Ronda, and I are first cousins - our mothers were sisters. Oh what tangled webs we weave when we chase the genealogical rabbit. 🐰😊 (But for me, it is so much fun.) 💞