Monday, June 8, 2009

Ancestor Spotlight - Elizabeth Mae (Krise) Hott


ELIZABETH MAE KRISE HOTT

By Daughter Eleanor Hott Kinnan
Read by Granddaughter Nan Tinsmith

Each reunion we honor a member of the clan. This past year Nan Tinsmith honored her grandmother.
Elizabeth Mae Krise was born in Johnstown, PA, on May 22, 1907, the daughter of Warren Samuel Padget Krise and Ella Genora Hammer. She was the third daughter and eighth child of a family of eleven children, four girls and six boys. When Elizabeth was born, she was born feet first. This was a sign, even at birth, that she was roaring to go, and she never stopped doing things till the day she died. Elizabeth also considered 22—the date of her birth—to be her lucky number.
She was anxiously engaged in tracing her family roots. One winter during the 1950’s, though she was teaching school, she traced the 50 generations back on the Ross line. Unfortunately, there was erroneous lineage, but she accepted the tradition and used that information. When Sylvia Coleman was compiling the Barefoot book, she came to Eleanor Kinnan’s house to get Mrs. Hott’s genealogy and had to bring a copy machine to get the records which Elizabeth Hott had gathered on the Barefoots, Hammers, and Rosses.
As a child, Elizabeth attended the Roxbury Grade School, Roxbury, PA. In second grade she was double-promoted to fourth grade, which she attended for one-half a year and was passed on to fifth grade. When she was graduated from Johnstown High School in January 1924 at the age of sixteen, she then attended Indiana Normal School (now Indiana University of PA), taking the three-year course, and at the age of nineteen, she was graduated from Indiana.


Elizabeth was a flapper girl who loved to show off her pretty legs. She went to Indiana Normal School to become a teacher, and she really loved to teach!


Elizabeth was a fifth generation teacher. She taught grades six through eight at the Daisytown School in Johnstown during 1926-27. Then she taught at Hudson Street School from 1927-29. While rearing her 9 children, she home-schooled handicapped children. After her own children were reared, she returned to teaching at Vinco/Mundys Corner in the Central Cambria School District, from which she retired. One of her children, Sylvia Sonneborn, followed in her profession and became a sixth generation teacher in the Eastern York School District.


Coy and Elizabeth had nine children - 3 boys and 6 girls.The Hotts lived on a farm in an area of Ebensburg, PA, which was called Winterset. Coy farmed, and Elizabeth organized the harvesting and canning of foods for the family.

Elizabeth was active in other occupations and organizations. She had once worked in the jewelry department at Macy’s in New York City as a saleslady prior to her marriage. She also worked as a cashier, a census enumerator in the office of Recorder of Vital Statistics, a committeewoman for Board of Elections, and a salesperson in Haden’s Grocery Store in Ebensburg, PA. She acted as adviser for Girl Reserves and camp counselor for the Johnstown YMCA. She was also a member of the Business and Professional Club. In addition, she taught herself to play the piano and often played for church services. She was an excellent seamstress and often sewed dresses for her six daughters.

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Coy Elga Hott ofr Slanesville, West Virginia, when he was courting Elizabeth Mae Krise of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Elizabeth married Coy Elga Hott of West Virginia on August 25, 1928, and reared a family of three boys and six girls in Winterset R. D. #1. The Hott children include Fred Warren, Gerald Robert or “Bob,” Clark Earl or “Bud,” Eleanor Lee, Betsy Jo, Sylvia Lou, Mary Lois, Gail Anne, and Nancy Lynne. On the farm, the family butchered, milked their own cows, churned butter, picked wild berries, raised a garden and fruit trees, canned, and froze food under their mother’s direction. Elizabeth was an excellent cook who was noted for her big meals and abundant desserts, such as fruit pies, sponge cake, poppy seed rolls, and homemade ice cream.
Elizabeth served her church as the Relief Society President for many years while her husband was the Branch President in the local Mormon Church.




After retiring from teaching, Elizabeth and her husband Coy served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving 18 months in British Columbia.
In her own words, this is what Elizabeth thought of family history, “I am at present engaged in the most compelling work that I have ever encountered. I am doing genealogical work, and there is a force driving me on that will not let me rest. It is the most fulfilling work that I have ever done and a work that is endless. I pray that this great work will be carried on by some member or members of my family. God has blessed this home and family. He has wrought a great miracle. We have a great obligation to be paid. May these children help to repay it by doing their genealogical work and living lives of righteousness.”
Elizabeth passed away at the age of 72 in Pittsburgh, PA, with acute leukemia. Her wish for her family to do genealogical work is being fulfilled by her children, the late Eleanor Kinnan, and Betsy and Sylvia at the present time. Her grandchildren Vicki Erdley and Mark Hott are involved in family history.
Elizabeth was always engaged in doing something productive. She adapted well to her surroundings, and if life threw her a lemon, she made lemonade. She had an avid interest in learning, and she enjoyed reading, particularly history and geography, which she taught during her career.
She also loved the Barefoot Clan and served for many years as the corresponding secretary. Her job was to print and mail the postcards to announce the reunion. Her daughter Eleanor served as the president of the reunion as well as her granddaughter Vicki Erdley. Her daughters Betsy and Gail have served as recording secretary as well as her granddaughter Roberta Woodley. Her daughter Sylvia is treasurer and newsletter editor. Her grandson Eric and wife Maryanne Hott have run the auction. Heather Lamer, her granddaughter, is corresponding secretary. Her interest in Barefoots has been passed on to her descendants by this remarkable woman.

2 comments:

  1. Wandered over from google blogger search - surname HOTT got my attention. Mine are from Hampshire County WV. You can see my blog at http://genealogybycindy.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. We are descended from the same George Hott, also Shanholtzers.

    ReplyDelete