Missing a box of family history? West Seattle police officer hoping for help in finding its owner

gina June 14, 2013 (1:49 pm)

Gordon Yancey Jr. helped save a child from drowning in 1963. The Historic Seattle Times gives an address for the boy in the vicinity of 48th and Ledroit Ct. If the family is still in the area, this could be stuff dumped from a burglary.

bswans11 June 14, 2013 (2:26 pm)

(West Seattle Herald Archives) http://wsh.stparchive.com/Archive/WSH/WSH11131969P06.php In the Obit for Mrs. Nick Fasano, it said she had a surviving brother named Gordon Yancy (no e in last name but, who knows, may have been a typo).

candy98126 June 14, 2013 (2:27 pm)

I hope the family see this or friends notify them. Recently I was notified by a stranger(but a co researcher on Ancestry.com) about a 105yo photo of my grandfather on ebay. My daughter bid and won her great grandfathers baby picture. If it weren’t for the thoughtfulness of a stranger a piece of my family’s history would be in someone else possession.
This is marvelous find.

jeunglady June 14, 2013 (2:35 pm)

this is completely a side note, but i marvel at the penmanship back then. Beautiful!

WSB June 14, 2013 (2:40 pm)

Jeunglady – while looking at the docs at the evidence room a few hours ago, I said the same thing over and over again!

bswans11 June 14, 2013 (2:44 pm)

Ms. Nick Fasano (who’s bro was Gordon Yancy – no “e” in the article but, quite a coincidence) had a daughter named Dianne Hermann who was married to Craig Hermann. Maybe related to John Hermann who according to West Seattle Blog “John Hermann, Recreation Coordinator at Alki Community Center, as he retires from Seattle Parks and Recreation after 36 years of service.”

Or maybe I should get back to work and stop playing detective?? :)

Carraig na Splinkeen June 14, 2013 (3:07 pm)

before reading the posts, I was marveling at the penmanship…appears I am not the only one!

Rick June 14, 2013 (3:44 pm)

Is there anyone who writes in cursive anymore? Or even knows what that word means?

Jim P. June 14, 2013 (3:46 pm)

Heck, the stamps alone on some of that may well be fairly valuable.

The penmanship was what you had to do to be considered educated in those times, especially for an attorney or other highly placed person..that and a good fountain pen or even a dip pen as long as it had a good nib instead of a $.25 ink pencil. :)

Alki Resident June 14, 2013 (4:05 pm)

I think the same about the penmanship, simply stunning. It’s ashame they don’t teach cursive in schools anymore. My kids make me read their letters to them from their grandparents.

sc June 14, 2013 (4:06 pm)

I found a Gordon A. Yancey living at the address on the letter in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1912. I believe the obituary below is his son, who is in the cruise picture with wife and daughter

September 10. 2005 12:00AM

Gordon Yancey Jr.

Gordon Allan Yancey Jr., 89, a native of Owesboro, Ky., and resident of Thibodaux,LA died at 4:10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2005.

Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at St. Mary’s Nativity Church Cemetery.

He is survived by one daughter, Brigitta Yancey; and two grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Pierce Yancey; his parents, Gordon Allan Yancey Sr. and Leslie Allan Yancey; and one sister, Marjorie Clark.

He served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force during World War II.

Hope the family is reunited with the wonderful artifacts.

SM June 14, 2013 (4:50 pm)

There is a Yancy street off Avalon.

Gini Johnson June 14, 2013 (5:30 pm)

Oh so sweet that people are making an effort to find the owner. This story warms my heart. People ARE good.

Talaki34 June 14, 2013 (5:46 pm)

OBITUARY – Brigitta Yancey
dyancey1965 (View posts) Posted: 17 Feb 2013 12:54AM GMT
Classification: Obituary
Surnames: Yancey
Brigitta Leslie YANCEY

Was the daughter of Gordon and Frances Yancey. After a
long battle with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, she
is at peace. Brigitta was a graduate of Northeast High
School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl class of 1974. Brigitta
was a vibrant woman. She enriched the lives of those
around her. Being in her presence meant spontaneity
and glee. She is survived by her two sons, Brandon
Yancey of Tustin, CA and David Yancey of Bellevue, WA.
A Funeral Mass with reception to follow will be held
in her honor on Saturday, November 18 @ 1:00 p.m. at
St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Bellevue, WA. In lieu
of flowers, donations may be made to: St. Madeleine
Sophie Church, 4400- 130th place SE, Bellevue, WA
98006-2014.

Published in print on 10/31/2006.
Seattle Times

This was on ancestry.com

Looks like it was posted by David Yancy. The website is saying he logged in earlier today. If someone has an account they might be able to send him a message by clicking on dyancey65.

http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.yancey/2312/mb.ashx

The church might have contact info if these are the right people.

kevin June 14, 2013 (6:31 pm)

Just a side note on the MS Starward. The vessel was originally built in 1958 for Norwegian Caribbean Lines (NCL), and was their 2nd ship, the first being the Sunward.
.
http://www.answers.com/topic/ncl
.

sc June 14, 2013 (6:36 pm)

I went on my Ancestry.Com and contacted a person who is working on a Yancey family tree with some of the same names as listed in the story. They asked me to send them the police phone number which I did. Hope these wonderful pictures and letters are reunited with the family!

Jason W. Crews June 14, 2013 (7:30 pm)

Brigitta Leslie YANCEY

Was the daughter of Gordon and Frances Yancey. After a
long battle with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, she
is at peace. Brigitta was a graduate of Northeast High
School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl class of 1974. Brigitta
was a vibrant woman. She enriched the lives of those
around her. Being in her presence meant spontaneity
and glee. She is survived by her two sons, Brandon
Yancey of Tustin, CA and David Yancey of Bellevue, WA.
A Funeral Mass with reception to follow will be held
in her honor on Saturday, November 18 @ 1:00 p.m. at
St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Bellevue, WA. In lieu
of flowers, donations may be made to: St. Madeleine
Sophie Church, 4400- 130th place SE, Bellevue, WA
98006-2014.

Published in print on 10/31/2006.
Seattle Times

I tried to contact the church but it is closed for the evening. (425) 747-6770

J June 14, 2013 (8:46 pm)

I still teach cursive in 3rd grade!

AJP June 14, 2013 (8:57 pm)

History Detectives: West Seattle. Awesome!

ACG June 14, 2013 (9:36 pm)

To all who spent time researching, you guys are wonderful. These stories make me so proud of our community. Please, TR, keep us posted on this story. I hope the contents and the family get reunited.

WSB June 14, 2013 (9:52 pm)

ACG, wouldn’t miss it. And a big shoutout to the officer as well as to his sister-in-law who first let us know about this. I’m sure there are a million stories in the evidence-storage facility but I haven’t heard one quite like this before! – TR

PN June 14, 2013 (10:24 pm)

If this dyancey is not the family of Gordon Yancey please let us know as we will continue our search. As most genealogists know sometime it takes much more effort to solve these mysteries.

Mke June 14, 2013 (11:55 pm)

I always love seeing old hand written stuff. A lost art, people have horrible handwriting now. I still get the ‘you write like a girl’ because my handwriting is actually legible. Wish I could have the skill to write like in the pictures above.

Seacow June 15, 2013 (9:11 am)

I was the one who called the cops, but it was for a different situation. On Monday mid morning I saw two punks walking down my street, sauntering between the street and sidewalk checking car doors and even checking some front doors to our neighbors houses, so I called the cops. The cops found them at roxhill park, of course, but nothing happened. That’s when the officers found the box of letters and personal goods, including many ball caps. So it could be unrelated. I though that the punks found this box in a neighbors car and just tossed it. We live on 32nd ave sw between Roxbury and Barton.

patt June 15, 2013 (11:46 am)

Regardless if these photo were stolen or put out to fend for themselves, this is a great story.

I have dealt with old photographs all my life. I love them.
I have heard stories of people whose family had no room for old photos or people who where at the end of their families, burning, shredding, or tossing in the garbage boxes of this type of old ephemera. That is enough to make me cry.
In my mind it doesn’t matter whether photos are sold of given,
Or whether it is family or a “stranger” that gets these. They should go on.
They are a time capsule, a record of lives and times.
Keep them, sell them, auction them, or donate them even if it is in a basket with a ribbon left on a door step:)

Many hearts to Officer Marc Sagmoen, WSB, and everyone in the searched. This is so cool.

lyndab June 15, 2013 (12:36 pm)

It’s a good thing the weather has been good. Those look in perfect condition!

Gina T June 15, 2013 (12:48 pm)

More from the Seattle Times Historical database. Gordon Yancey graduated from West Seattle High School in 1934. He was city circulation district advisor for The Seattle Times, his daughter Cathy graduated from West Seattle High in 1961, and Cathy married Norman Olson in 1964 at St.John the Baptist Episcopal church.

There are other articles about the family, every one of them is about something positive, or some hardship that they successfully overcame!

Gina T June 15, 2013 (4:39 pm)

Hopefully one of these Gordon Yanceys will lead to someone that wants the letters. Are they all cousins? Unrelated? I’m curious.

Bill June 15, 2013 (7:20 pm)

Name seems to ring a bell — I seem to remember that there was a Yancy (Yancey?)real estate office in WS — back in the late 50’s and 60’s — when the Real Estate business was all local.

Cory Hanson June 15, 2013 (11:19 pm)

Contact Norwegian Caribbean Lines. I used to work for a cruise line, and we kept records of every passenger back for over a hundred years. We occasionally had people contact us with photos or memorabilia from the cruises, and we could find out which cruise it was from, and even find out some info about passengers. If Norwegian is like the line I worked for, they may be able to find more info.

miws June 16, 2013 (1:24 pm)

Bill, I don’t recall a “Yancy” Realty, but for many years there was a Yantis Realty in WS.

.

Mike

Tesla June 17, 2013 (4:38 pm)

Here is some information about the Kentucky attorney who wrote the letter to his Dear Sallie in such amazing handwriting…
M. G. Stirman, attorney, was born in Owensboro, April 28, 1858.
His parents, Dr. W. D. and R. A. (Wall) Stirman, are residents
of this city. M. G. was the second of four sons. He first attended
the private school of H. P. Hart, and at the age of eleven or
twelve entered the common schools, graduating at the high school
in 1874; he completed his education at the. State University of
Indiana in 1879. He was admitted to the Kentucky bar in March,
1882, and has since followed his profession. In 1882 he was elected
County Superintendent, and still retains that office.
———
He was also a school principal:

Principals of the Second Ward School. — S. T. Lowry, 1871-‘2;
P. A. Pointer, 1872-‘3; Mrs. M. E. Klinger, 1873; “W. M Fisher,
1874-‘5; Mrs. M. E. Kinger, 1875-‘9; M. G. Stirman, 1879-’80;
————–
His brother and father were physicians. His father His father, James H.; a native of Virginia, was a Captain in
the war of 1812. He received three gun-shot wounds at the battle
of the Thames, and fell within twenty-six or thirty-six feet of where
Tecamseh fell…AMAZING!

Tecumseh (/tɛˈkʌmsə/; March 1768 – October 5, 1813) was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy (known as Tecumseh’s Confederacy) which opposed the United States during Tecumseh’s War and the War of 1812. Tecumseh has become an iconic folk hero in American, Aboriginal and Canadian history.[1]

I am looking for Sallie…

main link:
http://archive.org/stream/cu31924028845787/cu31924028845787_djvu.txt

sc June 17, 2013 (8:14 pm)

Today through Ancestry.Com I asked dyancey what was happening and this was their reply:

I have contacted the Seattle Police.

THANK YOU.

:-)

Maybe WSB can follow up with the police officer?

WSB June 17, 2013 (8:19 pm)

Thanks, sc! I was planning to check tomorrow anyway since, while there was no obvious DING DING DING immediate solution, I figured something/someone might percolate through the system!

Cathy Yancey-Olson June 17, 2013 (9:03 pm)

\My father, Gordon Alexander Yancey was born 9/25/14 in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. His parents Stanley and Cleo Lane Yancey were originally from Spokane, WA. After his parents divorced, his mother Cleo moved her 3 children to West Seatte. Gordon grew up in the Admiral District in Seattle. He had 2 sisters, Virginia Lane and Yvonne Patricia. They all graduated from WS High School. Gordon married Alice A. Rebman in 1939. They had 3 children: Suzanne L. Yancey, Catherine L. Yancey and Gordon A. Yancey, Jr. Gordon and Alice lived in WS until 1969 when they moved to Port Townsend, WA. Gordon A. Yancey died on 7-25-81. His sisters preceded him death. Virginia Lane Hostetter had two sons: Gene Hostetter and Lane Hostetter.
Yvonne Yancey Fasano had 2 children: Gary Lane Fasano and Diane Lane Fasano Hermann. All cousins grew up and graduated from West Seattle HS

It will be interesting to see the contents of the “shoebox” from Barton St. We have a wonderful history to our Yancey ancestors. It will be great to learn more information. Thanks WS Police for your diligence in trying to find the owners of the Yancey Shoebox!