1895-1962
How related to Kieran
Great-great-great aunt (sister of Bertha Hill)
Parents
Thomas Hill Jr. and Anna Place (Hill)
Birth
March 11, 1895
Employment
Homemaker
Marriage
g Chester Bignell (Robert Bignell’s son) on Jan. 12, 1912. Chester was b. Feb. 2, 1885, in Wis.; played a musical instrument in public performances in Porcupine area; nickname was Chet; d. Sept. 26, 1962, in Wis.; he is buried in Porcupine Cemetery, Pepin County, Wis.
Children
g Stella Fannie Bignell (b. June 27, 1912, her gravestone and daughter gives 1912 as birth year, however, while the U.S. Census lists it as 1913; she was named by her grandfather, Thomas Hill, after the steamboat - the "Stella Whipple" - he took from Eau Claire during the Civil War, and for his mother, Fannie; m. Lyle C. Dahlgren, who lived 1914-93, on Jan. 8, 1932; their infant daughter, Rebecca, who who was b. and d. Aug. 19, 1932, is buried Porcupine Cemetery, Pepin County, Wis.; their other children include Dorothy Lee Dahlgren who was b. July 25, 1945, and m. Ray Hilfiker on Aug. 13, 1966, and Patricia (aka Pat) Dahlgren; played part of "Kitty" in play "Yimmy Vonsons Wdding" at Porcupine school in March 1931; Stella d. Dec. 15, 1990, in Eau Claire, Wis., following hip replacement surgery; she suffered for many years from diabetes, type 2, from which she lost lost one leg and the other leg started gangrene, kidney and heart failure; she is buried in Porcupine Cemetery; a number of the Place family and their descendants suffered from diabetes. She also suffered from allergies)
g Idell E. Bignell (b. 1916; nickname was Idell; m. Frank Fitsimons; their children include Corabelle Fitzimmon
g Luella Bignell (m. Leo Walters; their children include: Gregory Walters, Nadine Walters; David Walters; Lisa Walters; Heidi Walters)
g Alice N. Bignell (b. Sept. 23, 1923, in Pepin County; m. Cal Baker (who preceded her in death); their children include Rebecca Baker, m. Dan Ziegler; d. March 15, 2005, in Minneapolis; buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery)
g Vivian A. Bignell (b. 1933, m. Phillip A. Felland, who fought in the Korean War, holding rank of A2C U.S. Air Force,and lived 1931-1983, dying of a heart attack; their children include: Brian Felland, Rosemary Felland and Tammy Felland; Phillip is buried in Porcupine Cemetery, Pepin County, Wis.; Vivian then married Frank Berg and they lived in Eau Claire, Wis. This is NOT the Vivian who is Clarence Bignell’s sister)
Interesting facts
g In photo at upper right, Iva Hill (Bignell) is second from right in back row. She has her hands on Stella Fanny Bignell (Dahlgren)
g The 1920 U.S. Census lists Chester and Iva residing in Pepin County. Living with them are Stella and "Idell". Stella's birth year is listed as 1913, however, in the census.
g Iva was pregnant with Vivian while her daughters Stella was pregnant with Rebecca, the daughter who died at childbirth (and is buried next to Stella at Porcupine Cemetery), while Idell was also pregnant with Corabell. Stella, however, fell on outside steps during a rainstorm and shortly after went into delivery. She went into contractions, and a doctor was summoned, who came late with a horse carriage and was drunk. He laid her on the kitchen table and cut her open with a kitchen knife to deliver the baby. Rebecca died, and mom was in a coma for days. The baby was buried before Stella could regain consciousness. Since Vivian was born about the same time Stella lost her first child, Vivian became my Stella's daughter replacement, for awhile. Stella was told she would never have children because it was believed she would die, but she had Pat by sheer persistence. Then, when she became pregnant with Dorothy, doctors insisted on taking Dorothy so she would live. Stella refused. Dorothy was born but very sick and not expected to live, but has lived into her 60s.
g Here's a recipe from Iva's kitchen: Iva Bignell's Beans. She made these beans for every family get-together. Notice how they're similar to Bertha Hill (Bignell)'s bean recipe, suggesting it's a family recipe passed down through the Hill family:
n 1 lb. navy beans or Great Northern
n 3/4 to 1 cup sugar
n 2 tsp. molasses
n 2 heaping tsp dry mustard (or prepared mustard)
n 1 1/2 tsp salt and a sprinkle of pepper
n Add bacon
n 1/2 onion chopped
n Boil beans with cream of tartar and baking soda for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain off water.
n Put into casserole. Add about 3 to 4 cups water. Bake at 275 degrees for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or 300 degrees for 3 hours until fork tender but not mushy - still crispy.
g Ida made these doughnuts for a restaurant in Durand. They would be kept in a big glass jar on the counter. Diners loved them with their morning coffee:
n 5 cups flour
n 2 cups sugar
n 3 eggs
n 1 cup cream
n 1 cup buttermilk
n 1 tsp soda
n 3 tsp baking powder
n 1 tsp vanilla
n 1 tsp salt
n Mix together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Beat eggs until light. Add cream, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir all together. Turn out on floured board and knead well. Cut with doughnut cutter or round glass & add small hole in middle and let rise 40 to 60 minutes in a warm place. Fry in deep fat (lard)
g Here's a recipe from daughter Idell Bignell (Fitzimmons) - Molasses Sugar Cookies:
n 3/4 C. Shortening
n 1 C. sugar
n 1/4 molasses
n 1 egg
n 2 tsp baking soda
n 2 C flour
n 1/2 tsp cloves
n 1/2 tsp ginger
n 1 tsp cinnamon
n 1/2 tsp salt
n Melt shortening over low heat, let cool. Add sugar, molasses and egg; beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Chill (overnight is best). Form in balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes
g A cheesecake recipe from Louella Bignell (Walters):
n Grahan cracker crumbs
n 1 lb small curd cottage cheese
n 2 (8 os.) pakg cram chesse softened
n 1 1/2 ccups sugar
n 4 eggs slightly beaten
n 1/3 cup corn starch
n 2 T lemon juice
n 1 tsp vanilla
n 1/2 c butter melted
n 1 pint sour half and half (to sour, add T vinegar - I add less)
n Can be made in 9" tube pan or 9x13 cake pan. Grease pan and dust with graham cracker crumbs. Sieve cottage cheese into large mixing bowl. Add cream cheese. Beat at high speed with mixer until well blended and creamy. Add sugar, then eggs and beat at high speed. Reduce speed to low and add cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla. Beat until blended. Add melted butter and sour cream Blend on low speed. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until firm around the edges. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in over 2 hours. Remove and cool completely. Chill. Remove from pan. Makes about 12 servings. Serve with cherries, raspberry or strawberries if desired. Cheese cake may be frozen.
g A story about Iva's daughter, Stella: When Stella's daughter, Lee, would ask her dad (Lyle) why he married mom, he would always say, "I married her because I loved her warm chocolate pudding." Here's the recipe for Stella's Chocolate Pudding:
n Pour 2/3 of quart of milk (2 & scant 3/4 cups) into pan.
n Add 1/2 cup of sugar and a dash of salt. Heat on medium, don't boil
n Add 4 tablespoons corn starch
n Mix 3 tablespoons Hershey's cocoa with milk to form a thin paste and add into pan of milk
n Stir all the time it cooks till it comes to a boil.
n Remove from stove and add a teaspoon of vanilla.
g Finally, a recipe from Alice Bignell (Baker) - Three Bean Salad:
n 1 can yellow beans
n 1 can green beans
n 1 can kidney beans
n Green pepper, onion rings, diced celery
n Cook just to warm: 1/3 C oil, 2/3 C vinegar, 3/4 C sugar, Salt and pepper
n Pour sauce over beans.
g Sometimes Pearl D. Bignell is erroneously listed in records as Iva's daughter but he is Chester's brother and called "Uncle Pearl" (b. 1892; “Miss Flossie HILL is working for Mrs. Pearl Bignell in Plum City,” according to the June 9, 1925, Lake City Graphic-Republican; d. 1957; buried in Porcupine Cemetery)
Died
Sept. 26, 1962, in Wis.; buried in Porcupine Cemetery
Photo album
Click on picture for slideshow:
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| Iva Hill (Bignell) |
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