Baseball - A Family Pastime

Fritz & Frank Newhouse, 1906

This picture is one of my favorite family pictures. A father and a son with the father showing his love of baseball.  The father is my grandfather Fritz Valentine Newhouse (1880-1923); he is holding his oldest child, my father, Frank George Newhouse (1906-1972).

In 1906, when this picture was taken, some of the national baseball figures were Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Rube Waddell, and Joe McGinnity.  The American League champion was the Chicago White Sox, the National League champion was the Chicago Cubs, and the World Series Winner was the Chicago White Sox. 

Baseball was recognized as the official national sport of America by the late 19th century. It was being played in villages, small towns, and large cities. It was being played in Pine Island, Minnesota, where my grandfather and father were born. In 1900, the population of Pine Island was 832 – a 51 percent increase over the 1890 population; and, it is situated 17 miles northwest of Rochester, Minnesota, in southeastern Minnesota.

Fritz played baseball with a team made up of friends and relatives in Pine Island. In the picture below, the 1900 team is shown in calico uniforms which were made by mothers and wives. However, by 1906, apparently the team had official uniforms as the picture of my father and grandfather shows them both in standard uniforms. Of the ten men pictured below, at least six, counting Fritz, were related in some way:

· Art Rueber (Charles Arthur Rueber, 1883- ) – nephew of Ada Huntsinger Rueber (1859-1942), Fritz’ 1st cousin
· Bill McCutcheon (William Charles McCutcheon, 1879-927) – husband of Iva May Rueber (1882-1969), Ada’s     daughter
· Jack Newhouse (John Leon Newhouse, 1882-1932) – Fritz’ brother
· Frank Shay (Francis Shay, 1840-1923) – husband of Mary Elizabeth Huntsinger (1874-1930), Fritz’ first cousin
· R. K. Irish (Riley Kirkwood Irish, 1871-1944) – husband of Fritz’ sister Edna May Newhouse (1865-1909)
· Fritz Newhouse (self)

It would appear from both pictures that baseball was important to Fritz, and it became important to my father. I assume my father, like his father, played baseball in his youth. I do know, however, that he was a rabid baseball fan, especially when the Minnesota Twins came to Minnesota in 1961.

Ah, baseball – the harbinger of spring. The sport that fans wait for all winter. What is more American that than the sport of baseball. Jacques Barzun, a historian, once said, “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball.” 

Settlers in a New State

Orris Oliver

Orris Loyal Oliver (1818-1887) was born in the extreme northeast corner in the state of New York in Champlain, Clinton County, New York. He married Martha Hallowell Forbes (1823-1897) on October 28, 1838. Martha was born in Montréal, Quebec, Canada.

In 1858, sold his farm in Champlain, and with his wife and eight children, traveled by covered wagon to Minnesota. Minnesota had just become a state at that time, and the state was still widely inhabited by various Indian tribes, who were not only at war with each other and also with the white settlers. They would have two more children after their arrival in Minnesota. In fact, their first child born in Minnesota was a girl; and wanting to give her an appropriate name, they named her Minnesota Oliver (1860-1930); she was known by her nicknames "Minne" and "Sota."

Orris and his family settled in Wabasha County where he farmed. In 1863, his application for a

Martha Forbes Oliver

Homestead describes his home and property as follows: "I have built a house thereon 16 by 20 feet and 10 feet high, two board floors, shakes for the roof and 4 doors, 4 windows and is a comfortable house to live in; I have 100 acres fenced, barn 36 by 36 feet, corn crib and wagon house.”

About 1878, a small band of Native Americans passed through the Oliver farm on their way to a large tribal gathering in Wisconsin. It was a cold, snowy evening and one of the members of the band approached the house to seek shelter from the approaching storm. Apparently, the Chief's daughter was in intense labor. Permission was granted to used the barn. Several hours passed and there was  again commotion at the front door. A Native American was speaking excitedly and pointing to the barn. Orris, not knowing what was wrong, summoned Martha to come with him. Arriving at the barn, Martha could tell that the situation was not good. There were several elderly tribal women hovering around the young mother-to-be, chanting and waving smoke

An Indian Travois from Pin Interest

over her.  Martha saw blood everywhere and soon assessed that the maiden was in grave danger of losing the child and probably dying herself - especially if they didn't get the baby out. Martha had assisted many times in difficult births for their farm animals and has also become a midwife in the area. So, she went to work. A short time later, the child was born; the mother, exhausted and weak from the loss of blood, seemed to be okay. The next day, there was a beautiful blanket placed on the front steps, a token of the chief's appreciation for saving his daughter and grandson. They had left, making a travois for the mother and baby. The blanket remained in the family for many years.

Orris died in 1887 of congestive heart failure. He left $5.00 to each of his children and to three grandchildren – the equivalent of $125 per person today. He left all of his real and personal property to his wife, Martha. In total, he left an estate of $459.00 – the equivalent of $11,438. 

Martha died November 28, 1897. In her obituary, The Graphic Sentinel described her as ". . . a tender, loving mother, a kind neighbor. . . ."

Gillford Cemetery, Wabasha County, Minnesota