Ancestry Saturday: Length of Lives

Today would have been my Dad's 72nd birthday had he lived this long.

Cancer took him at age 61, but his Platt bloodline was more often likely to live longer.

In fact, only one of the Platt men in his past back to his third great grandfather James Platt lived less.

James Platt was 80 years old in the 1830 Census and one source, the History of Oklahoma, says he lived until age 104.

His son, George lived until 1861 and 75 years. Amos made it to age 83.

It was Royal Platt who died the youngest at 58.

My grandfather, Richard, lived until 76.

The passing of generations, it seems, does not always bring longer lives.

Ancestry Saturday: Yes, Grandpa Lived Under a Roller Coaster

A photo from http://idorapark.tripod.com/

Last week in this column, I recited my hunt for my fourth great grandmother's house, which I found is still around.  This week, it's closer generations but no less a mystery in the hunt for an ancestral house.

My great grandfather, Royal Platt, was part owner and general manager of the amusement park Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio.  There's a debate about his time of service, but he clearly spent some time there from 1906 to 1929.  He was likely park manager from 1911 to, at least, 1921.

He owned a roller coaster, a carousel, a big band hall, and concessions.  He made his biggest fortune on popcorn, of all things.  He was a 24/7 guy when the Park was open.

And, apparently, he and his small family lived right there at the Park some summers--right under the roller coaster!

I know this factoid because my grandfather was interviewed in 1984 as part of research for a book on Idora Park.  He said, "[My Dad] had this two-room shack there that was painted real nice." My grandpa Dick described living underneath the Firefly roller coaster.

The Firefly would, later, be replaced by the Wildcat.

Some photos from 1999 on the fan website for Idora Park show a house fitting his description, right under the Wildcat.

Could this have been the house in which my grandfather and his parents lived?  Probably.  After all, how many people want to live under a roller coaster?



A photo from http://idorapark.tripod.com/

A photo from http://idorapark.tripod.com/

 

Ancestry Saturday: Royal and Grace

Time for some more ancestry sharing. It's Saturday.

Grace (Smith) Platt gave this post card of her and Royal Platt to their only child, Richard.  He put it with his memoirs that ended up in his son's things.  I uncovered it last weekend.

I was looking for something else, but this find will do just fine.

Richard Platt was my grandfather.  Grace and Royal were my great grandparents.

Their 38-year life story together has some intrigue. It includes stops in places from Youngstown (a boom town when they moved there) to Beverly Hills. My great grandfather's 20+ year career at Idora Park as GM and part owner left a long-lasting legacy in Youngstown too.

Nice find.