Lake County Ohio GenWeb
Contributed by Pamela Greenwood, great-granddaughter of Timothy W. and Nellie Cashel Morgan 18 July 2004.
Nellie Cashel, born and raised and died in Painesville: Nellie was very industrious, always bustling and always busy. After the birth of her daughter, Nellie turned her home at 207 Phelps Street into a boarding house so that the family could afford to send Katherine to private school.
She was a great baker of pies, a prodigious ironer and was constantly seen in a full apron doing endless chores about the house. Shortly after her son in law returned from World War I (1921) she and her husband TW went in with their daughter and her husband to buy the house at 521 Mentor Avenue in Painesville. They then used the home as a boarding house as well as a family dwelling. It had a barn which became the office for Ross's veterinarian business and a shed in the back which TW used for his blacksmithing business. They had a chicken coop and kennels for animals which were boarded over. And there was a stable for Static, Morgan's horse.
They had a large garden in the back in which they grew huge quantities of tomatoes in the summer. Nellie and Katherine spent the summer canning tomatoes as well as other vegetables for winter use. There was a mangle in the basement for ironing sheets and Nellie was an expert with the large and cumbersome machine. She could even iron babies dresses on this contraption. She did needle point and quilted. This house sits immediately adjacent to Lake Erie College for Girls. In later years the family added screens to a side porch to the house and this was the place the family gathered in the late afternoon hours for a daily gin and tonic and visit with friends and neighbors. During the teenage years of grandsons Morgan and Doug a number of girls from the college would join the family (because smoking cigarettes was allowed and the company was good for these coeds) -- Doug would marry one of these Lake Erie coeds -- a music major named Nancy Duff.
But all was not blissful in this bucolic setting. Two women in a house turned out to be one too many and mother Nellie and daughter Katherine came to loggerheads with the daily running of the house. Nellie took to practicing her Christian Scientist religion by living with other elderly or sick members of the church shortly after the move to 521 Mentor Avenue. She would return to Mentor Avenue for holidays and vacations. Her husband TW remained in the family homestead with his daughter and her family.
She was known to frequently repeat the axiom "It is better to be single than to wish you were." It is assumed that her marriage was not a particularly happy one since she did not live with her husband for many years prior to their death. They did not divorce, however. Another saying she had was "A rolling stone gather no moss, but it certainly gains a certain polish."
Letter written by Nellie Cashel to her Grandson Morgan and his new wife Barbara on July 20, 1943 from Cleveland:
" My Darlings,
" I am ashamed of myself for not writing to you and thanking you for my pretty hankies. They are very nice and always so useful.
" But I have been so awful busy, came in off a case Saturday, dashed over to P'ville Sunday, and went out again Monday eve. But I love my work, but some times wish wish there wasn't quite so much of it.
" I remember something Morgan said to me when he was about fourteen. I was working in the garden -- I didn't have to but just wanted to and that smiling kid came out and said " Nanny, if you had my brains with your ambition wouldn't you get somewhere". I often laugh now when I think of that, and other things those boys said and done when they were small, or should I say young, because they were always big lads, especially Morgan."
" I found everything fine in P'ville Sunday. Ross has a wonderful garden, and about sixty chickens and he is working pretty hard but I guess feeling fairly good although he has lost weight.
" Daddy Tim was so pleased with his birthday gifts he has the card in the mirror. So I will thank you for him as he is as punk as I am when it comes to writing.
" I was hoping you could come home this summer, and am yet. How I would love to see you and Doug.
" This war is awful but sounds as tho it is going pretty well for us just now.
"I am living with my sister now, her address is 1437 East 90th Street, altho the Barker number is all right.
" Well I must get to work, my patient is sleeping and I am taking time out to write you. My love and every good wish to you both, Nanny"
Obituary from the Painesville Telegraph about November 10, 1956:
" City Deaths: Mrs. Timothy Morgan: Mrs. Nellie C. Morgan, 84, of 521 Mentor Avenue died Tuesday night at Lake County Memorial Hospital of a cerebral Hemmorage. She had been in the hospital for four days. Mrs. Morgan was born June 19, 1871 in Painesville. She has spent al of her life here.
On May 8, 1883 she married the late Timothy W. Morgan who died December 21, 1955. Mrs. Morgan was a practical nurse and a member of the Urania Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Ross Greenwood; three sisters Mrs. P.W. Stanton of Chagrin Falls, Mrs. Martin Niemeyer of Cleveland and Mrs. A.P. Brady of Painesville and three grandchildren.
Services will be held 2 PM Friday at the Nixon Funeral Home, Rev. Dayton Wright, rector of St. James Episcopal Church will officiate. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. Calling hours will be 7 to 9 tonight and 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 Thursday at the funeral home.
Contributions are asked to be sent to the heart fund in memory of Mrs. Morgan."
See Morgan and Greenwood family photos here.
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Last updated 21 Jul 2004 |
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