Inspired by the important journal written by my great-grandmother Dora Jane (WILEY) KEY, I began to research my own family genealogy. I used Dora’s journal as a guide. Beginning in 1978, I designed pedigree and family charts to record her information. After many month I discovered there were pre-printed charts available and began to meet other people who were tracing their roots.
In 1989 I mentioned to a friend that my great-grandmother’s journal mentioned that I have and ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War. She being an active member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution challenged me to prove it. I did the necessary research, found some great proof of service for Samuel (WILEY), PA. I was inducted into the New Connecticut Chapter (Ohio) of that great organization in the year 1990. I have continued to research my other family lines and have found several other ancestors who provided service to the Revolutionary cause. I have not completed proof of their service as of this date, but hope to in the future. Many times during my searches I have felt that “Grandma Key” has been leading me and helping me find the exact information that I need. I have been able to find “proof” to back up the writings in her journal. Because I feel that the information I have acquired should be shared, I am writing this, my journal, for my descendants and for the use of anyone who is connected to my family.
I, Marlene Jan McDerment, was born at Booth Memorial Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio on September 16, 1943. My parents brought me home to 26378 Oriole Avenue in Euclid, Ohio. When our home was built in 1941 there were only two other homes on the street and I remember woods all around us. I can remember one farmhouse but not the other house. My mother often spoke about the snakes that crawled into her basket when she was hanging out the laundry. People came from Cleveland to their summer cottages that were scattered throughout the area due to the proximity to Lake Erie. I remained at that home 1966 until, after my father’s death, my mother sold the home and moved into an apartment. I attended Upson Elementary School through 6th grade, then Shore Junior High through 9th grade, and graduated from Euclid Senior High. When I started kindergarten I went to the church at the corner of E. 260th and Oriole. Upson School was starting to get crowded because of the large number of “war babies” (WWII) so there was no room in the school for the kindergarten class. Two wings were added to the building to accommodate the growth of the community and the population. My brother, Keith, attended Forest Park Junior High that had been built due to the population explosion. Euclid was a village when I was small. I was in elementary school when the Village of Euclid became the City of Euclid. I was probably about 5 or 6 years old when I was first aware of landmarks in Euclid. My family shopped for groceries at a Fisher Food store that was located at the corner of Lakeshore Blvd. and E. 266th Street. My grandfather, Gilbert Newman BYRAM, built the building that housed Fisher Foods as well as the original six stores Mr. FISHER opened. My mother and father introduced the clerk at that store to our dentist, Dr. MICHLER. They married and moved to West Virginia where they opened a general store. The nearest dry goods store was at Waterloo Road in the Cleveland five-points area. This is where we purchased clothing and household items. I recall riding walking with my mother to Lakeshore and E. 222nd Street where we took a bus to Euclid Beach. From there we rode a streetcar to downtown Cleveland. We seldom went to downtown Cleveland. I can remember walking westward towards E. 222nd to catch the bus and being able to see long distances through the grape vineyards that were numerous in the area.
Keith McDERMENT, son of Edmund Marley and Doris Janet (BYRAM) McDERMENT was born 21 Nov 1946 at Booth Memorial Hospital in Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH. He was raised in the family’s Oriole Avenue home in Euclid, OH. After his graduation from Euclid High School in 1964, he worked briefly for Zagar Tool Company and then for the National Acme Company who had employed his father until his death. On 23 July 1966 he married Susan Shirley TAYLOR, daughter of Katherine TAYLOR of Kentucky. They were divorced and had no children. During this period, Keith pursued carpentry as an occupation, following in the footsteps of his Uncle Gilbert BYRAM, his grandfather Gilbert Newman BYRAM., and his great-grandfather Henry John BYRAM. He obtained status of Journeyman Carpenter and purchased a house in Willoughby Hills. On 8 Apr 1972 he married Bonita Caroline BROOKS, daughter of Kenneth and Patricia (HALL) BROOKS of Willoughby, OH, originally from PA. Keith had sold his Willoughby house and purchased a farm on US Route 322 in Colebrook, Ashtabula County, OH. They returned from their honeymoon to the Colebrook house. They took delivery of 65 head of Black Angus cattle and began the life of farming. Keith continued working in carpentry for several years. On 7 Feb 1977 their first son, Brian Marley McDERMENT was born. On 21 Sep 1979, their second son, Kirt Elliot McDERMENT was born at Euclid General Hospital in Euclid, OH. Keith opened Ohio Wide Services a property maintenance company.
Keith was a typical boy when growing up. He was very interested in automobiles even when a small boy. He knew the name and year of every car he saw. When he was a teen he purchased an old car and modified it into a hot rod with high horsepower. He and his friends and my father spend many hours in the garage at our Oriole Avenue home working on cars. Many of his friends had no fathers at home and thought a great deal of our father. When our father passed away in 1964 these young men were the pall bearers, a most touching sight, and their expression of love for the man who was a father to many of them.
Keith purchased a cottage on the Grand River near where our grandparents Gil and Lily BYRAM and great aunt and uncle Mary and Harvey FOWLE had a cottage when we were young.