Circlemending

Singing out 2011 . . . Singing in 2012

2011-12-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

I have been a sporadic blogger for the last part of 2011. I broke my foot just before Thanksgiving and for some reason, that seemed to negatively affect my ability to focus. But I have received permission from the doctor to put weight on the foot (actually, the ankle still hurts worse - I sprained it badly) and now I am trying to catch up with the end of 2011 and get ready for 2012. It is a time for resolutions, I guess . . . though I don't really believe in New Year's Resolutions (if something needs changing, waiting for a calendar page to change is just a form of procrastination and is not likely to lead to true change). However, I do have some plans for 2012.

At the end of this current year, I was elected to the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Genealogists. This comes with some responsibilities, among them being familiar with the APG bylaws, reading the APG Mailing List, and making as many meetings as possible. I have been working on all of these, even though I am a few days away from taking my official position. OK, so that should really read "a few hours."

I am also registered for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, taking the Problem Solving class, the end of January. I am excited about this because the problem I am going to work on is one I have been dealing with for as long as I have been doing genealogy. In September I made a promise to my great-grandmother at her grave (does that sound weird?) that I would find her ancestors, if they are findable, sometime during 2012. Is that a resolution? If so, well I made one, but I started on the project (by collecting all the data I already have) back in October.

After SLIG I will be attending APG meetings, but will miss the other Salt Lake events (the APG Professional Management Conference and RootsTech). I need to be back on the homefront before Groundhog day. Nevertheless, from now until I depart for Utah, I will be rather busy getting prepared for the trip.

As the recently appointed Director of the Corona Family History Center, I will be busy trying to organize some regular instruction in that venue as well as training new staff members. And I continue in my role as the President of the Corona Genealogical Society (those two entities will join together on August 4 to present the 3rd annual Corona Family History seminar . . . we have a great line-up of speakers). And I continue in my role as Southern Calif. Chapter of the APG where I will be involved in pulling off this year's mini-Professional Management Conference on March 31 (we have some very helpful presentations scheduled, dealing with web presence for genealogists, the latest on the technical front, writing for genealogy publication, and tips on public speaking).

I have decided to organize my genealogy and music bookings so that I can more efficiently book future gigs. A spread sheet that details each of the past (and repeating) groups (meeting location, round trip mileage from my home, day and time of meetings/classes, and web page URL) and when I presented which topics. This will help me keep from repeating a program at a single location and assist in advising presentation options. It is looking good and I think it will be one of the most helpful tools I have created.

I will be working closely with the SCGS Jamboree in 2012, working to spearhead the Ask the Experts table to be operated throughout the 3-day conference. I already have some willing helpers and hope that anyone reading this who plans to attend in June and is able to assist as one of the experts will get in touch with me.

Likewise, in the month prior to that, as Secretary for the Genealogical Speakers Guild, I will again be coordinating the introductions for the NGS conference speakers. I hope to have more control over the project than I did last year! I will be setting up the sign-up on line so I don't find myself trying to keep from double-booking things! I'll also be doing a couple of presentations there (in Cincinnati in 2012) and helping with the Youth Genealogy Camp.

I continue my articles for various publications and have one in the works for the Summer issue of APG Quarterly. I am also creating a course for the Institute for Genealogical Studies. The next two issues of Family Chronicle should each contain articles with my byline and my latest articles for NGS Magazine and Crossroads have been well-received (both came out this past autumn). I continue to produce bi-monthly columns for GenWeekly, though I was unable to get a Lost Lexicons piece done for December (it was a broken foot thing).

So my 2012 promises to start (and continue) with a focus on Family History. I will attempt to record some of my experiences on this blog as well. And I hope to return to my investigations of the NARA, Pacific Region, Riverside, microfilms. I have an interesting story to share on my Bohemian ancestors, whose letters were translated early in 2011 by the German girls who stayed with us for a few months. I plan to reprint them here, including an explanation of how they relate to the research process. Of course, I will add a musical post or two as time and material permit. I have a good one about a violin that I want to share, but am trying to get a photo to go with the tale.

I am singing out 2011 in a number of ways. I had a great time in the Gold Rush Country (RVing with a good friend), spending Christmas day with folks at a campground - a potluck where three other folks and I made a lot of music with a banjo, two guitars, and a piano. Of course there will be some music on New Years Eve. In the past, it was WFMT's Midnight Special program out of Chicago, but that does not seem to be accessible to me this year, so I will select something as comparable as possible. And 2012 will be welcomed with music, too - assuming I don't fall asleep before midnight! Well, if I do, I'll catch up somewhere along the line. Meanwhile, I have a number of music programs scheduled for 2012, so it promises to be a great year.

I wish my blog followers, friends, neighbors, family members, and associates in the fields of music, folklore, genealogy, Church, etc. a peaceful and healthy New Year with, especially, a safe evening of celebration.

A little violin music, if you please

2011-11-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

Most recently, my life has been rather hectic. I know, nothing new; and I hardly have a monopoly on that situation! I have taken on some new obligations in the past month and now realize that, however organized I have been in the past, my skills for staying on task and prioritizing are going to be even more important in 2012.

On 16 Oct 2011 I was appointed the new Director of the Corona (CA) Family History Center, meaning that many bucks will be stopping with me when it comes to scheduling (both the hours of operation and staff meetings, as well as training sessions and workshops). I already knew about many of the obligations that come with this job, but have not been fully aware of the budgeting details, supply- and equipment-ordering, etc. But I am fortunate: my predecessor has been called to other duties, not to another location, so he is still around and involved in the Center, as is his wife, who has been instrumental in scheduling holidays, doing the announcement posters, keeping the books balanced, etc. I am so grateful for her willingness to continue in those jobs! And others have their tasks that they have been doing diligently so that means that the delegation is already in place. I love delegation! Especially since I live 15 or more miles from the Center. One of the great changes that makes this job even more doable is the new ordering system for FHL films - we do it all on-line now (in fact, you cannot even order a film at the Center, except via computer). In case you are unaware (and it is not completely obvious from the FamilySearch catalog web page), to order films to be sent and viewed at your local FHC or affiliate, go to www.familysearch.org/films. In California we no longer call in film orders (one less thing for the Director to be concerned about), but films will still be shipped to me. Nevertheless, I can do this job.

I was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Assoc. of Professional Genealogists. Thankfully, I am already doing things that are expected of Board members so there won't be too many adjustments there. I am looking forward to working with some of the movers and shakers in the genealogy community. And I am extra fortunate in that the incoming President, Kenyatta Berry, is also a Southern Calif. resident. I expect we'll be seeing a lot of each other. She's a great lady and I am pleased to be working with her. I can do this job.

Earlier this year I volunteered to be in charge of SCGS Jamboree's Ask the Expert table in 2012. I was disappointed that there was talk of disbanding that element of Jamboree and wanted to have it get one more chance. It is not till June 2012, but I am already painfully aware of how fast the months are slipping past, so I will be working on this project over the next few months. I will need to develop a committee of organizers and volunteers to answer rudimentary questions from the Jamboree attendees. If you want to participate, please let me know! I am excited about this project; I can do this job.

Also earlier this year I was contacted by the Institute for Genealogical Studies to develop a course for their curriculum. This will deal with family folklore and be considered a more advanced course than the beginning fare they offer. I have my rough outline drawn up and hope to have it put together by the end of the year. It promises to be an enjoyable project as it deals with something about which I am passionate. I can do this job.

The Southern Calif. Chapter of the Assoc. of Professional Genealogists, of which I am still President, will be having its mini-PMC (Professional Management Conference) for APG members on 31 March 2012. It's a great chance for the members to get a little more education that targets their professional needs. We've had great reviews on the programs in the past and I have similar hopes for the one coming up. The SCCAPG board is amazing and everyone pitches in (delegation strikes again). I can do this job.

The Corona Family History Seminar (co-sponsored by the Corona Genealogical Society, of which I am still President, and the Corona Family History Center, of which, as I mentioned above, I am now the director) is scheduled for Saturday morning, 4 August 2012. I work with great people in both organizations and know that they will be helpful as we put this together (did I mention I love delegation?) so I have great hopes for the program. I already have an idea for the speaker schedule, so now I just need to stay focused to keep the priorities from slipping through my fingers and brain. But I can do this job.

As individual tasks and positions, all of the above are quite doable, but when I look at the entire list, I feel rather overwhelmed. Yet my genealogy "families" are all capable and dedicated folks and are so supportive. Yes, I may, from time to time, believe that I need to hear a few strains of a violin, playing a little "woe is me" music, but for the most part, I think the music playing in my head will be more along the lines of a full brass band - a marching one, in fact! Full speed ahead.

So if my blogs are infrequent; if my email replies are a little slow in arriving; if my answer to other requests occasionally is "no" (note: that will rarely be the case for speaking engagements, my first love, unless I am already previously booked); if I disappear for a weekend (never when I'm booked, of course) to have a little down time, now you will know why. But while 2012 appears to be a promise of constant projects, I love the work and I love the people. I also enjoy the traveling and the fact that I am never bored. I can do all these jobs . . . with a little help from my friends!

A funny thing happened on the way to the blog . . . AKA Applications for Headstones for US Military Veterans, Part 2 (of 2)

2011-11-08T11:30:00.000-08:00

As my blog followers know, I have been rather lax at keeping my posts even close to up to date. I could give those logical excuses: Lots of writing obligations with stringent deadlines, I had to renew my Certification (BCG - and it was renewed), I have taken on the responsibilities of Director of the Corona Family History Center, I have been elected as an incoming member of the Board of Directors for APG (Assoc. of Professional Genealogists), etc., but that won't explain this latest delay.

I was working on the microfilm reviews regarding military tombstones (see earlier blog post) and I received a very interesting email from my friend and colleague, Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL of Melchiori Research Services, L.L.C. Marie sent me the links to three websites (a couple of these links are brand new - or they were when she emailed me last month!) and it took me until today to visit them (see paragraph above for reasons for that delay, please forgive me, Marie).

In examining the materials at these websites, it seems especially necessary for me to pass along the information to anyone in my reading audience; a quick check of these may eliminate a lot of unnecessary busy work, only to get you to an on-line source for NARA microfilm information you are seeking.

Microfilm Publications and Original Records Digitized by Our Digitization Partners.
This links you directly to the NARA website where it lists the micropublications that appear elsewhere on the Internet in digital form. For example, were I to wish information on some of the military headstone card records (series M1845), I can look on this page to discover that the publication is on-line at Ancestry.com. Clicking the link for the series takes me directly to Ancestry and, if I am doing this at the National Archives, it will bring up the site for NARA's institutional subscription to Ancestry (very convenient for those who do not subscribe to this database). Material from the Information Publication, along with options to search or browse the collection are provided.

Why examine the collection? Headstone cards in this series (covering 1879-1903) include the military unit, cemetery name and location, and date of death associated with the veteran. If you suspect an ancestor served in the military and may be buried with a military headstone to mark the grave (placed at time of burial or later), it may give additional information to lead you to his/her military records.

A similar experience occurs when you use that NARA database to locate a film series that is posted on Fold3 - you are directed to the Fold3 site (if at a National Archives, it will direct you to the institution's subscription site), but the search may be more general (instead of listing just the collection you have selected, it may give you a broader search of all related records).

You may also find it helpful to search just the specific website (Ancestry.com or Fold3) instead of doing it through the NARA site. For Ancestry's "Records from the National Archives" searchable collection, go directly to http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/nara.aspx. For Fold3's "NARA Titles Available on Fold3" index (with links to the respective images), go to http://www.fold3.com/page/285692818_nara_titles_available_on_fold3/. In both cases, a full Table of Contents is provided with the listings given in Film Series numerical order. If you prefer to search by series title, you need to use the listing from the NARA website.

On the NARA website (see link above), you have the option of re-sorting the contents by Film Series titles (alphabetically - Click "NARA Film Titles" once for descending - A through Z - and a second time for ascending - Z through A), film numbers (starting with Film Series "A", then "M," then "T"; or backwards - click heading a second time - for T, M, A order), "Partners" (Ancestry and Fold3 - though one still lists the latter as "Footnote"; that will probably be updated soon), and Record Group (e.g., the Record Group I have been discussing is 92, dealing with military deaths, not necessarily during service, however). In this last option, you can also create an ascending or descending list, as preferred, just by clicking the heading.

Suggestion: check on the NARA list first before taking time searching Series-by-Series on the other two sites. It's just a little more efficient.

So there are some ways to locate the elusive veteran ancestor (among other NARA records). If yours was honorably discharged but did not get a government-issued tombstone or memorial marker, consider making that a good New Year's resolution. As we approach Veterans Day 2011 (11-11-11), it's a good time to look into the particulars. Military.com provides links to the forms and other pertinent information to accomplish this.

Finally, let us take some time to make this Veteran's Day a meaningful one. We spend so much time to decorate and create an atmostphere to make Hallowe'en and other secular holidays fun and memorable, but so little to connect to veterans (both gone and still living) and our service personnel on duty today . . . let 11-11-11 be the year to change that!

Thank you, Marie, for your help in getting me up to snuff on the particulars of these links. It is greatly appreciated.

Where, oh where has that little blog gone . . . yet again!

2011-10-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

Excuses, excuses . . . well, I do have a few, but you probably don't want to hear my tales of woe regarding a house needing cleaning, deadlines for other projects (seminar submissions, articles, etc.) looming, and more bookings than I can stay on top of. It's not that bad . . . as some of my Facebook friends will tell you, I've also spent more time than probably necessary playing Words with Friends. (I believe in that old adage: "all work and no play . . . blah, blah." So, in an effort to avoid dullness, I have been allowing myself some "down" time.)

I will be heading to SLIG in January so have also been working on my project for that (said project being due the end of this month). This will help me, hopefully, tear down a brick wall that was constructed with iron rebar. It has been interesting visiting this part of my family that I have often given up on, only to return to a few years later with new leads, most going nowhere. (Decided, also, that it was time to work on my own family history a bit . . . who knows, I may get an article or presentation out of it!)

In early November I'll be going to Mesa, Arizona to spend the weekend with my daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, granddaughters-in-law, close friends, extended family, and a great-granddaughter, too. I don't have the latest count of attendees, but it should be an amazing weekend with very little sleep, I am sure.

Meanwhile, there have been other exciting things taking my time. All my efforts on my Certification renewal, which I did back in May, have paid off and I have been renewed for another five years. Yay! Articles I have submitted have been accepted for publication (in NGS Magazine, Family Chronicle, and SPEAK!). These have all cut into blogging time. And now, to add to blogging diversions: I have just been called as the new director for the Corona Family History Center. I hope to include more blogs for that facility - most dealing with FamilySearch - so this should actually provide me with more blogging, not less. But, until I get acclimated to the new responsibilities, my blog may feel the pinch. But, be patient. I shall return, and will include more of those NARA films.

I do want to add here that I am also going to be doing some "guest blogging" at the recently assembled SCCAPG (Southern Calif. Chapter of the Assoc. of Professional Genealogist) blog; most posts there will deal with SCCAPG particulars. Everyone is welcome!

So, please be patient with me . . . more will be coming.

NARA Blog: Applications for Headstones for US Military Veterans, Part 1

2011-10-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

When I tell folks that I am posting information about the National Archives and Records Administration website and the microfilms available for viewing at different locations (specifically, the Pacific Region Facility in Riverside County, California), I am asked, "How do you find anything on that website?" I agree, it can be a challenge; but it is said that the things most worthwhile are difficult to attain. At least, that can be the case here, until one gets used to the system.

I have already discussed how to find out what films are located at which facilities (see the first blog in this series), but here I am going to explain how to get more information on the holdings at the Archives as well as articles on much, much more.

From the home page, click on "genealogists" (lower left hand corner under "Information for . . ."). This gives you an information page that is worth getting to know. While many are distracted by the four categories in the middle of the page, look slightly down to the center heading below those four: "Genealogy-Related Articles." Click that link. The list appears limited, but each heading provides a wealth of articles. For purposes of our discussion, click "Headstones."

The first and only article, published in Prologue Magazine, is titled "Honoring Our War Dead: The Evolution of the Government Policy on Headstones for Fallen Soldiers and Sailors." It is six pages of historic information on the metamorphosis from wooden placard markers to marble, granite, or bronze stones/plaques provided by the Veterans Administration to the deceased veterans of various wars. (Note: at the bottom of the article is a link to another Prologue piece dealing with Confederate Headstones.)

The military headstone documents constitute NARA Record Group 92 and, at least in the Riverside location, are found in four film series. To see these, go to the "Resources for Genealogists" page and focus on the fourth of the four topics in the middle of the screen: "Tools for Genealogists." Click on "on-line research tools" and go to "Microfilm Catalog." That takes us to the "ordering" screen, but let's see what we can find.

In the top left of the screen is the "information" box to begin your search, but next to that is the "advanced search" option. Click that. Under "Record Group Number" enter "92" and, if desired, the location for the film (there is a drop down menu titled "Viewing Location"). For the Pacific Region, Riverside (listed in the advanced search as simply "Pacific Region"), there are only four options (entering no location or different locations will yield different results):

Film Series M1845 (1879-1903) - these are on Ancestry.com . . . I'll explain how to see those in a moment
Film Series M1916 (1925-1941)
Film Series M2113A (1941-1949)
Film Series M2113B (1941-1949 . . . continuation of A)

Let's look at M1845 first.

On the Ancestry homepage, scroll down, under the Search box, to the heading "More Collections." Click on "all databases" and, in the search box, enter "headstones" under "keyword." The first option provided (as of the date of this posting) is "Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1879-1903" (AKA NARA Film Series M1845). An alphabetical index (by last name) is provided when you click on that record collection link. Granted, the index is only alphabetized by first initial of the last name, so once in that section (say, the "Ys"), you need to browse; but at least all (well, almost all) of the cards are alphabetically listed (I've found only about five that have been miss-alphabetized . . . but I haven't done a whole lot of searching, so you may need to be creative if you are unable to find someone you know should be there).

As things often are in genealogy, sometimes people don't read the directions or specifications for a collection so it was pleasingly surprising to find my fourth great-granduncle, Jacob Youker (AKA Yuker) in the list. He died on 10 March 1847 in Oppenheim, Fulton, New York but is listed as dying in February 1948 (it is possible that that is when his body was removed to the cemetery location: Mosher Cemetery, AKA Youker-Mosher Cemetery, Lotville, Oppenheim, Fulton, New York). Why would someone who died in 1847-48 (a Revolutionary War veteran who served in the New York Militia) be listed in a compilation of records covering ca. 1879 - ca. 1903? A check of the card explains that the stone was provided by Vermont Marble Company in a contract dated 25 August 1902 (within the time period specified on the records; his stone was obviously obtained long after his death).

Point: Even if your ancestor died before the record group was created, that does not eliminate him/her from the collection. Obviously, if he/she died after 1903, there is little likelihood that his/her name will appear on this listing (I hesitate to say "no chance" because the record collection does indicate "about" 1903), but there are many to follow, so don't give up!

While I am most interested in this earliest series (see my articles on headstone acquisition in Family Chronicle, Jan/Feb 2011, pp. 17-19; and Family Tree Magazine, May 2011, pp. 30-32), I am also interested in more recent wars. Therefore, I will look at some specific entries for World War II burials and headstones in the coming weeks. If you have an ancestor (who is a WWII veteran), let me know and I'll see if a headstone was erected for him/her and listed in the appropriate database (not found on line).

Meanwhile, best wishes in your roots pursuits.

U.S. Postmasters - last of a series: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2011-09-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

My mother was born and raised in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin and we often went back to her "home stomping grounds" from our home in the northern suburbs of Chicago, just south of the Illinois-Wisconsin border. In some ways, Milwaukee was like a second home to me, at least in my younger years. I thought it would be fun to see if any of my Mom's family had been entwined with the Milwaukee Post Office. So here is my final entry for my blog posts on the microfilms of the U. S. Postmasters, held in various National Archives repositories across the country (see earlier blog).

In previous posts, I mentioned that a Postmaster may not be listed as such on the Census (U.S. or State); that if your ancestor was a merchant or clerk in a general store, he/she may have also served as a Postmaster, so checking these films for that possibility is a good idea. Note: If your ancestor is listed on a Census as a "postal clerk," that does not mean he/she was a Postmaster - but that ancestor probably did work in a Post Office (as opposed to a general store). But cases are different, depending on perspective as well as official appointment. Even temporarily appointed Postmasters are listed in the microfilms discussed in these blog posts and it is not uncommon, especially in larger cities, to see Postmaster turnover rather often, particularly in years of turmoil (e.g., during the Civil War years there were three different Postmasters at the helm of the main Milwaukee Post Office over the years).

Why frequent turnover in the larger cities? New Post Offices were established as the communities grew and sometimes a Postmaster would be transferred from one location to another (to help train staff, perhaps?). If you are looking in a large city, remember this: your ancestor may be working in a smaller Post Office or one that is associated with the city but located in a "suburb." Wauwatosa is part of Milwaukee (it was incorporated in 1897), but was considered a separate city (as far as Postmaster appointments are concerned) even before 1897. Within Wauwatosa was located the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Northwestern Branch. In 1876, its own Post Office was established (http://www.linkstothepast.com/milwaukee/soldiershome.php); George W. Barber was the appointed Postmaster. But he is not listed on the pages of the Postmasters for the Milwaukee Post Office because that was not his location; the Milwaukee Post Office for that time period encompasses pages 540-541 (Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971, Record Group no. 28, NARA series M841, film no. 143, "Milwaukee County," ca. 1864-1878, Vol. 31) while the National Home is on page 542 - just a scroll of one more page. (Hint: be assertive in searching for your Postmaster relatives and widen your search in the suspected area if he/she is not located where you originally suspected.)

The first Postmaster for Milwaukee was appointed on 16 March 1835. When you combine the history of a town with the activities of mail distribution, you can formulate a unique perspective of how the town grew (or failed to grow). The history of Milwaukee is one of personal rivalry and competition for population growth that encompassed communities on different sides of the Milwaukee River. Explorer Solomon Juneau (from Canada) and Byron Kilbourn (whose family dates back to the Revolutionary War period) along with the less frequently recognized George H. Walker (American trader and politician) were the entities that competed for most favorable village location. But the first to establish a community recognized by the U.S. government, as far as mail delivery is concerned, was Mr. Juneau, who served first as Milwaukee Postmaster (from 1835 until about July 1843, when Josiah Noonan took over). In 1837, Juneau also created The Milwaukee Sentinel (which has remained the primary newspaper for the community to the present day, though name changes have occurred throughout the years). A Notice in the Postal Bulletin of his position appeared on 13 June 1842 (copies can be found in "the Reference Library of the Post Office Department, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives Building" - per Publication Document, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971, Record Group no. 28, NARA series M841, 1977, p. 2). During his years as Postmaster, Juneau was also a real estate agent, in a manner of speaking, selling parcels of land on his side of the River, beginning in 1835. From 1846 until 1847, Juneau served as Milwaukee's first mayor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Juneau). His was a busy life, to say the least.

Josiah Noonan was Juneau's successor at the Milwaukee Post Office and served in that capacity off and on from 22 July 1843 until mid-1856 (Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971, Record Group no. 28, NARA series M841, film number 143, "Milwaukee County," 1832-1844, Vol 12B, p. 774; ca. 1845-1855, Vol 18, pp. 220-A-221A; ca. 1855-1865, Vol. 20B, p. 204). Between about May 1849 and April 1853, Noonan is not found on the Postmaster listing, but may have been assisting in other offices. He was still living in Milwaukee in 1850 (according to the U.S. Census for that year), working as an insurance agent. He had been born in New York. Who was he and why had he vacated his job for four years?

Josiah Noonan, like his predecessor in the Post Office, was also a newspaperman. He moved to Milwaukee from Madison where he had successfully published a newspaper (he sold the property to C. C. Sholes) and began a new venture on the shore of Lake Michigan: The Milwaukee Courier (formerly the Milwaukee Advertiser), a decidedly Democratic publication. His takeover of the Postmaster position brought that same focus to his new "office" (we may not recognize how powerful a position a Postmaster could take in a community, but this was his approach to this occupation). His influence in (over) Wisconsin spilled over into more the more visible political world when he left the Post Office to manage the campaign of Henry Dodge (contender for Democratic Senator of Wisconsin). It was a successful venture and, as already noted, Noonan returned to his appointment in the Post Office in 1853, continuing his alignment with Dodge. In 1856 (source states 1857, and the actual attempt for reappointment may have occurred then, but he was already out of the P.O. in about July 1856, succeeded by Fitzgerald G. Slocum), when Noonan sought re-appointment to the Postmaster position, he turned to Dodge for help, but the Senator, in poor health, was unsuccessful in securing it for him. Noonan's unofficial Wisconsin "boss" role ended with that turn of events (http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2538&keyword=sholes). John R. Sharpstein was appointed by the U.S. President to the Postmaster position on 2 April 1857 Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971, Record Group no. 28, NARA series M841, film number 143, "Milwaukee County," 1855-1865, Vol. 20B, p. 204).

In previous examinations of the value of the Postmaster records, we have connected the job of Postmaster to that of a general store clerk (merchant) and lawyer. But here we see the role of Postmaster as being potentially more politically influential in a community and that some Postmasters are also intimately connected with the publication of newspapers. In seeking further information on John R. Sharpstein, I have discovered that, again, politics and law have been comingled with the handling and distribution of the mail. Sharpstein was appointed to the Milwaukee position by President Buchanan in 1857 and, according to some historical accounts, served a term of four years (though the microfilmed records show him serving for only a little more than 14 months) before moving on to publish the Milwaukee Daily News, taking, along the way, some time to assist (unsuccessfully) Stephen A. Douglas in his Presidential Campaign in 1860, serving as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in South Carolina (Oscar T. Shuck, Ed., History of the Bench and Bar of California: Being Biographies of Many Remarkable Men, a Store of Humorous and Pathetic Recollections, Accounts of Important Legislation and Extraordinary Cases, Comprehending the Judicial History of the State, Los Angeles: The Commercial Printing House, 1901, p. 554; Viewed on Google Books, 20 September 2011).

The links that tie politics to the Post Office to the people to the community (represented by newspapers, lawyers, and elected politicians) are fascinating to examine. The role the Postmaster can play in the development of a village (to town to city to metropolis) is powerful. To learn more of that phenomenon, check the PDF publication: "The Post Office in Illinois Politics of the 1950's" [sic] by Don H. Fehrenbacher (incomplete manuscript). If your ancestor was a Postmaster, was he/she also a politician? What role did the person play in the running and ruling of the community? It warrants examination. And I'd love to hear what people discover.

This completes my examination of how this valuable microfilm collection can relate to your own family history. Come on in to the National Archives, Pacific Region, Riverside (or other locations where the films are available - see previous blog) and check it out!

U.S. Postmasters, Part 6 - Early Arizona, Apache County

2011-08-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

My husband (Lynn Alden - Butch - Hibben) comes from early Arizona (and Utah) stock. His mother's family consisted of pioneer Mormons, but his father's family (non-Mormons) also settled Arizona in the early years. His father, Lynn Maxwell Hibben, was born on the Navajo reservation at Hubbell Trading Post where the elder Lynn's grandfather was employed. Known as "Dad Hibben(s)" by the locals, Harry Cobb Hibben was meticulous with the books he managed in the Winslow, Arizona location. He was highly respected by his boss, who seemed to consider him more a father than an employee (Martha Blue, Indian Trader: The Life and Times of J. L. Hubbell, Walnut, CA: Kiva Publishing, Inc., 2000, p. 253). Harry had brought with him the training from his trade as County Recorder from his days in Flagstaff and ended his life selling Indian curios in Hollywood, California (still under the employ of Hubbell) (George C. Hibben, ". . .60 Poles to a Sugar Tree and Thence to the Beginning": A Social History of the Pioneer Hibben Family 1730 to the Early 1900s, Charlestown, MA: Acme Bookbinding, 2003, pp. 318-319).

Let's look at the boss: Lorenzo Hubbell, Jr. was the son of the entrepreneur, J. L. (Juan - AKA John - Lorenzo) Hubbell. Lorenzo, also an entrepreneur, handled much of his father's establishment in Ganado, Arizona. But the area that the trading post serviced stretched almost to Holbrook and Winslow, Arizona, and Gallup, New Mexico. In the middle of the Navajo reservation sits the Hopi reservation; Hubbell provided all with goods and services, running freight and mail to the nearby (to us, if not to them) communities (Indian Trader, pp. xi-xv).

With this history as a spring-board, let us see what the United States government recognized as the postal
service area.

On 15 February 1883, Charles Hubbell was appointed postmaster of the Ganado "Post Office"; it likely was not what we would consider the regulation postal facility, but in the early days of Arizona territory, many buildings were nothing more than tents. Later Hubbell buildings were far more permanent in appearance and purpose (Indian Trader, pp. 43-44). It appears that the Post Office (at least as an official location) was discontinued shortly after that, only to be reestablished on 27 October 1884 with Clinton Cotton as Postmaster. A year later, the mail was rerouted to Keams Canyon. On 18 January 1895, John L. Hubbell (this would be Juan Lorenzo, Sr.) was named Postmaster at the Ganado location. The position was assumed by Charles H. Bierkemper on 10 October 1908. Who were these people and the places referenced?

Charles (AKA Charlie) Hubbell (1856-1919) was the brother of J. L. Hubbell (Indian Trader, pp.xiv-xv) and worked with him in their efforts to establish a successful business with the Native Americans (p. 43). Unfortunately, Charlie did not share his brother's opinion of alcohol. J. L. firmly opposed the use of liquor, stating that it would render a man unable to think effectively (Indian Trader, p.87). It is possible that Charlie's love of booze led to the discontinuation of the Post Office at Ganado so soon after it was established. That is just speculation. It is clear that J. L. relegated his brother to the locations as far from Ganado as possible and suspected that such action was due to his drinking (p. 118).

Clinton (AKA C. N.) Cotton was a friend of J. L. and on 23 September 1884, bought a half-interest in the Trading Post at Ganado. With the new rail line now serving that area of Arizona, a telegraph was a necessity and C. N. arrived a couple of years earlier to run it. He also developed a mail order business for the Trading Post, shipping out Navajo blankets and other items. Perhaps that is why, in October, Cotton took over as the Ganado Postmaster. In 1885, Cotton received a license to trade in Chinle, a short piece north of Ganado (Indian Trader, p. xi). That may be the reason that the Ganado location discontinued service. It's hard to tell for certain as many records are unclear, according to the author of Indian Trader (pp. 82-83).

Keams Canyon is located just inside the Hopi reservation boundary that, as mentioned earlier, was contained in the Navajo reservation (Indian Trader, p. xi). Thomas Keam, owner of the Keams Canyon Trading Post, eventually sold it to Hubbell in 1902. It was there that Lorenzo Hubbell, J. L.'s son and eventual employer of Harry Cobb Hibben, "cut his teeth" on the trading business.

J. L. Hubbell became the Postmaster of Ganado in 1895. Why would this entrepreneur, who has established trading posts all over the territory, employing a number of qualified individuals, elect to take over this responsibility? 1895 was the year in which J. L. Hubbell was focused on building up the Ganado location. Its geographic position made it a perfect "crossroads" for trade going from Gallup to the Indian reservations as well as from Holbrook to those same destinations. And many goods, as mentioned earlier, were shipped out from Ganado to the east and other areas, as well. Also, at this point, the 42-year-old J. L. may have been interested in being more established in one location. He apparently stayed in that role until 1908 (he died in 1930).

The last listed Postmaster for Ganado is Charles H. Bierkemper, who took over on 10 October 1908. Bierkemper actually was a young seminary graduate who showed up at Ganado in 1901 to establish the Ganado Presbyterian Mission on land donated by Hubbell, arranged with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Bierkemper, originally from Pennsylvania, had been recently married and Hubbell provided him with lodging while the chapel and residence were under construction. J. L. apparently took to the young pastor and their relationship continued for ten years, after which the now-seasoned minister was transferred elsewhere. That means that his role as Postmaster was maintained for only about three years. It is clear that he was well-ensconced in the life of the Southwest during his stay in Ganado (Indian Trader, pp. 164-165, 200).

Who took over the Postmaster duties after Bierkemper left in 1911? The records are not clear on this. The microfilms of Postmasters do not always totally clarify all time periods, but they give another glance at the communities that are covered and the lives of those people in charge of handling the area's mail. I have found Barbara H. Goodman, daughter of J. L. Hubbell, living in Ganado and listed as "Postmistress" on the Federal census in 1930 (1930 Federal Census, Ganado, Apache, Arizona; Roll: 55; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 9; Image: 90.0), so maybe the family just handled it as necessary (note: because she is listed as living in Ganado does not mean that she was the Postmistress of the Ganado Post Office . . . she may have commuted to Keams Canyon or another area nearby . . . never assume that the person worked in the town in which he/she lived).

Hubbell Trading Post is a National Historic Site and is open for visitors. Check their website for more information. For researchers interested in the Hubbell, Cotton, and Bierkemper families, the U.S. Postmaster films, available for viewing at a number of National Archives locations (see earlier blog), makes for an interesting expose of their lives, possibly not accessible in any other record collection.

A music break - the Theremin

2011-08-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

Last week I was watching History Detectives (I love that show) and they featured a Theremin. I had had a little exposure to the concept of a Theremin in the past when my husband explained that it is similar in sound to the saw (which he plays so very well). The sound is truly like a saw, but it is an electronic instrument.

I am not really the person to explain this instrument or its operation - check the information on Wikipedia for that. When I read the listing of movies that have made use of the Theremin in the background music, I wonder how many times I was hearing a Theremin when I thought I was listening to a saw. The sound is unique - check that out on YouTube, as played by its inventor, Leon Thermin. There's also a great version of "Over the Rainbow" on the Theremin, played by Peter Pringle . . . my husband loves to play that song on the saw and it sounds very much like the Theremin version. Wonder what they would sound like together? Well, maybe not.

It is a very visual instrument - the player with good technique appears to do a hand-ballet over the components to create the music. Impressive. Of course, now I think we should get a Theremin to make our instrument collection even more complete (no, it will never be finished!). Anyway, if you haven't seen one or heard one, check out those links and others they will take you to so you can add to your musical education!

U.S. Postmasters - Part 5 . . . Early Arizona, Heber/Overgaard

2011-08-11T15:55:00.000-07:00

My husband's family were early settlers of Arizona (all over the place, it seems). So it just seemed natural to do some checking on his ancestry to see if any family members had been Postmasters (see previous posts on this subject). I also was intrigued by the fact that our daughter is a Postmaster at the Heber/Overgaard Post Office, a few hours north of Phoenix. What was the history of that location? I'm pleased to say that it is not one of the POs scheduled to be closed down. People in that area do not get mail delivery; they need to go into the PO to collect their incoming mail.

So in this part of my US Postmaster series, I will examine the history of the Heber/Overgaard PO (for my daughter, of course) and the Post Offices that covered the territory that my husband's family settled. Views of the log book for these are very difficult to read. The paper must be very thin as it is almost as easy to read (backwards) what is written on the other side of the page as it is the page one is reading frontwards. Subsequent entries are also not always clear as one line blends into the next and it is difficult to determine which line a notation refers to. However, I can still get a little picture of the families who settled those areas back when my husband's ancestors were Arizona pioneers.

The first postmaster I find for the Heber (named for Mormon pioneer Heber J. Grant) PO was in 1890, when Arizona was still a territory (Arizona became a state on 14 February, 1912 as the 48th state . . . even I remember when the U.S. had only 48 states, just before Alaska and Hawaii joined us . . . until now, I hadn't realized Arizona was so late in joining the union). The first postmaster was James E. Shelley and he was appointed on 11 September 1890 (this information is collaborated on the history of Heber/Overgaard website). James E. Shelley was one of six men who were accompanied by their wives when they were sent, by the LDS Church, to establish the area in northern Arizona. There is a notation above his name that reads "N.B. 9 Oct." This means that on 9 October there was a notice about this location and, probably, the new postmaster, placed in the Postal Bulletin, "a publication of the Post Office Department. Copies of these publications are in the Reference Library of the Post Office Department, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives Building" ("Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971," M-841, RG 28, Publication Document, Washington, DC: National Archives, 1977).

One can get a feel for this area of the country just by reading the history of the Heber Post Office. On 5 January 1906, it was decided that the mail would be directed to Holbrook (that's about 45 miles away! While in the same county - Navajo - it was hardly an easy commute). That change took effect on 31 January 1906. I located Mr. Shelley, with wife Margaret, in Holbrook in 1930 (he was 78 years old) (Viewed on Ancestry.com: 1930 Federal Census; Holbrook, Navajo, Arizona; Roll: 60; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 7; Image: 702.0). I find James, age 68, is a farmer in St. Joseph, Navajo County (Viewed on Ancestry.com: 1920 Federal Census; St Joseph, Navajo, Arizona; Roll: T625_50; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 91; Image: 271). Joseph City (as it is now called) is only about 11 miles from Holbrook, quite a distance from Heber, but he was no longer the postmaster. (I need to emphasize here that a person's residence may not be in the same town where he/she works, so commuting is possible, just not always practical.)

The Holbrook delivery order was rescinded on 18 May 1907, after Mamie Baca had stepped in to handle things at the Heber location on 26 December 1906. She was officially assigned to the role of postmaster on 25 January 1908. Exactly what the legal situations were is not clear from the information in the Postmaster records and websites on the area are not helpful on this. Mamie was young (about 21) when she took on the responsibilities and she didn't last long in the position. Perhaps she got married. She was living with her father Juan in 1910 and lists no occupation for herself (Viewed on Ancestry.com: 1910 Federal Census, Navajo, Arizona; Roll: T624_41; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 0088; Image: 470; FHL Number: 1374054). It is likely that anyone researching the Baca family would not even be aware that Mamie had been a postmaster for about four years of her life.

Alva Porter took over on 6 December 1909. Alva lived in Heber and was a farmer, by occupation (Viewed on Ancestry.com: 1900 Federal Census, Heber, Navajo, Arizona Territory; Roll: T623_46; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 43), but in 1900, when that information was retrieved, he had not yet taken over the Post Office responsibilities. In 1910, he is listed as a 48-year-old farmer in Pinedale (Viewed on Ancestry.com: 1910 Federal Census, Pinedale, Navajo, Arizona; Roll: T624_41; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0140; Image: 707; FHL Number: 1374054), 23 miles from Heber. It would seem that he was doing his postmaster duties as a part-timer as that commute, in 1910, would be terrible as a daily routine (the roads up there were not paved the way they are today).

Thomas H. Shelley toook over on 18 June 1919 with his commission signed and mailed on 28 July 1919 (he assumed charge on 13 August 1919). Thomas is living in Heber Precinct in 1920 and lists himself as a farmer-merchant (Viewed on Ancestry.com: 1920 Federal Census, Heber, Navajo, Arizona; Roll: T625_50; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 86; Image: 201). (Not sure how he was able to do that . . .the man must never have slept!) In 1930, Thomas H. Shelley, age 44, is listed as merchant (at a general merchandise store) living in Standard Justice Precinct 3, District 19, Navajo County, Arizona ("Heber, Arizona" is written in the margin) (Viewed on Ancestry.com: 1930 Federal Census; Standard Justice Precinct 3, Navajo, Arizona; Roll: 60; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 19; Image: 985.0). As mentioned in an earlier post, the Post Office was often housed within the local general store so someone who was a merchant was likely to also be the postmaster, even though he/she might not list that as "occupation" on the census (after all, more time is spent selling groceries than stamping the post). On 30 June 1953, Thomas retired from his postmaster duties.

As of this writing the Federal Census for 1940 is not yet available and the 1950 one is only a dream away. But some additional family information on the Shelleys is available through this Postmaster resource: Leland H. Shelley (apparently born after 1930) became the acting postmaster of Heber on 27 July 1953. He had assumed charge on 30 June 1953, was confirmed on 22 January 1954, and his commission was signed and mailed on 29 March 1954. In this new official capacity, he assumed charge on 31 March 1954 (I have no idea how they straightened out the pay issues through all that).

Meanwhile, just down the road a piece . . . the Overgaard Post Office was established on 14 October 1938. William T. Shockley was appointed the first postmaster, confirmed on the date of establishment, commission signed 27 October 1938 and resigned (W.O.P. - without pay?) on 12 May 1939. The notation reads "4th Class" - I don't know what that means, either. Whatever the case, he didn't last long (perhaps local newspapers may carry more information on the situation). The position was taken over by Christ Overgaard, for whom the town was named, assumed charge on 26 May 1939 and was appointed acting postmaster on 10 June 1939, receiving his confirmation on 29 September 1939. His commission was signed on 1 November 1939.

But the Overgaard Post Office was discontinued on 31 December 1943 and mail was directed to Heber. The location was reopened on 16 April 1952. Possibly the close-down was attributed to the War, but it was a long time before the PO reopened. Somewhere (probably after 1971) the two were merged. Until then, Overgaard was handled by the following:

Mrs. Carmen Moody: acting postmaster, 14 March 1952; assumed charge, 16 April 1952.
Arthur E. Weech (?): confirmed, 25 May 1953; commission signed, 9 June 1953; assumed charge, 30 June 1953; retired, 30 April 1968.
Mrs. Chinesa V. Hagerman: assumed charge 6 March 1971.

The Postmaster films go back to September 1971, so the more recent information would have to be accessed from the PO itself or maybe local townsfolk or newspapers. I know when my daughter was appointed the new postmaster of Overgaard, a huge article appeared in their local paper with a great photo of her and some information about her family. That was a number of years ago now and whether or not the same building houses the local mail as back in the early days is not something I'm privy to (I imagine my daughter will respond, however, to fill in the gaps).

So this one is for you, Patty. Next entries will deal with Graham and Apache Counties.

When the Past Returns, or, Be Careful What You Write Today . . . It May Visit You Tomorrow

2011-08-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in 1969, I began writing songs. Sometimes I wrote entire lyrics and music; sometimes I adapted my lyrics to other (usually old) tunes; sometimes I made new verses for already established songs.
I still do it. My latest effort is a song set to the old folk tune "Greensleeves," dealing with the Federal Census. Some day (yes, I promise), I will have it as an MP3, downloadable from my website. But this is a story about lyrics written back in 1969.

The magazine Sing Out! (to which I subscribed from about 1963 until about 6 years ago when the politics seemed to overshadow the songs) had a column written by Pete Seeger entitled "Johnny Appleseed, Jr." He would discuss different issues in the Folk Music field, often putting a scholarly slant on it (his father had a doctorate in Folklore and I always thought that was one of the coolest things possible). I responded once to something he had written and he was kind enough to write back. Before too long, we were maintaining a correspondence, however sporadic.

I remember his discussion in the column once about a story of a little boy who was trying to transport things from his aunty's home to his mother, but never could seem to get it right (he brought home butter in his hands and it was all melted by the time he got home . . . his mother told him that to bring home butter he needed to wrap it in cool leaves and carry it carefully home. His aunty gave him a puppy and he nearly smothered the critter by bringing it home all wrapped in cool leaves. His mother said that he should tie a string to a puppy and bring it home by walking it behind him. His aunty gave him a loaf of bread to which he tied a string, dragging it home . . . well, you get the idea). I had a copy of a book that told that story, but my book was written back in the pre-1950's era when people were less sensitive about ethnicity and it was a very racist portrayal of a particular race. I sent copies of the pages from the book to Pete and he wrote me a nice thank you and even mentioned the receipt of it (sans my name) in his next column, along with reports on his receipt of other versions of the story. How the story was adapted to different cultures was of interest to Pete (and to me) and his discussion of what we call "The Folk Process" often cropped up in his columns.

The Folk Process deals with how songs and stories are adapted and changed over time (much like playing the game of "telephone" at a child's birthday party). Pete wrote a column on the great song by Woody Guthrie, "This Land is Your Land" and how it has become almost more well-known than the National Anthem (at least among school children). What was not included in the initial version of the song are three other (slightly more radical) verses Woody wrote that were almost lost to obscurity. But the folksters out there won't let that happen and the lyrics of those "lost verses" have been added to a number of songbooks and are sung at folk gatherings all over. And others have written additional verses, sometimes adapting them to personal or regional circumstances. Pete included a few in that column and I guess I was inspired. I wrote a couple of verses myself and sent them to Pete via US mail (this was long, long before the Internet). He wrote me a nice little note and said, "thank you for two new verses." And that, as they say, was that.

Fast forward over 40 years to friends of mine, traveling in Virginia, visiting with a gentleman who had received a book from Pete Seeger, autographed to him. My friends were looking through the book and found (on page 144) two "new" verses to "This Land is Your Land," written by "Jean Wilcox from Illinois." They emailed me to ask if I'd ever written verses to that song. At first I started to deny it (it's been 42 years, remember), and then I decided to Google it. Sure enough, in 1999, on the Mudcat Cafe discussion boards, Art Thieme (a Chicagoan that I had known back in the old days of Old Town music and coffee house performances) mentioned one of my verses as having been printed in a magazine or newspaper column by or about Pete Seeger. Well, when I read the lyrics (slightly mis-printed, but not enough to change the meaning), I was taken back in time, remembered the original column, the note Pete had sent to me, etc. Apparently, both verses made it into the book Pete wrote in 1993 (it's on the 3rd Ed. now):

Good thing: it's not already in my library (wouldn't that be embarrassing? to have the book and not even know I'm quoted in it). Bad thing: I have record of only one of the verses I wrote; no knowledge of the lyrics of the second verse (but I've ordered the book and will soon correct that issue). Still not sure how I missed having that book in my collection, but that will be remedied and I look forward to my own little ego trip as well as reading the rest of the material, which sounds to be quite interesting.

Moral: What you write today may pop up somewhere you least expect it tomorrow. And, with the Internet that is even more possible. So, to those asking for those census song lyrics: I have to do some "protection" things before I post them anywhere. I'll get it done soon, I promise.

Where, oh where, has that little blog gone? Again!

2011-08-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

No, I have not forgotten that I am a blogger. No, I have not been ill nor have I fallen off the earth. I have been helping to organize two seminars (one in July, one in August) and have been overwhelmed with the necessary obligations. I have also had to make some other writing deadlines for commitments to paying publications (in the vernacular of the folk musicians: "Never give up a paying gig!"). But I have a little time between now and when I head to Illinois for the FGS conference in Springfield (see my post on their blog). I am excited to again represent the Genealogical Speakers Guild at that venue. So, you can see, my life is not static; nor am I bored (what would that be like, I wonder?).

In answer to the oft-asked question: no, I have not yet recorded my census song. Perhaps when I return from Springfield I will have a chance to do that. It is not from lack of want, but lack of time.

I have been collecting some interesting stories to put into posts that will hopefully be put up here in the near future (waiting for a photo from one). And I have some NARA film stories to post as well. So do stay tuned and know that more is forthcoming . . . possibly later today! Gotta get the ducks in a row and quacking in 4-part harmony.

Stay in tune (or stay tuned . . .)

U.S. Postmasters - continued - Keeping it in the Family

2011-06-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes families maintain a "family business" throughout several generations. This is common for trades such as farming, carpentry, shoemaking, and others (especially craftsmanship types of occupations where children learn from their parents). It is also common when the region in which a family lives supports a particular industry, such as mining or lumbering. I have found a family, the Clintons in Green County, Wisconsin, where the family "business" including working as Postmasters for the United States Post Office.

In 1860, on the Decatur, Green County, Population Schedule of the Federal Census, H. P. Clinton is listed as a 32-year-old lawyer with a wife, Ella (age 31), and children, Don J. (age 8) and Ella J. (age 6). On that same Census we find Chas. Clinton (of Decatur), a 25-year-old merchant. (Note: on the Census it clearly identifies Brodhead as being the location of the Post Office service for Decatur.)

On 1 June 1860, Chas. W. Clinton was appointed Postmaster of the Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin Post Office (most likely located in the store in which he worked as a merchant). But not even a year later (on 19 March 1861), Henry P. (H. P.) Clinton was appointed to that same Post Office (you know, the common occupation of lawyer/postmaster). According to the "books," he remained in that position for almost exactly two years, but just because there is not a newly appointed person on the Postmaster Records, do not assume that the same individual remained in the role (someone else may have substituted for him if he had to be absent for a period of time).

On 6 March 1863, Eleanor H. Clinton of Brodhead was appointed Postmaster for that community. On the 1870 Federal Census for that area, Elanor [someone has corrected the spelling to "Eleanor"] Clinton is listed as head of the household and her occupation as "Postmistress" (the government uses the same, masculine, form for all people in the position of Postmaster, though Eleanor apparently wanted it to be listed as clearly identifying her gender).

Is Eleanor H. Clinton that same "Ella J. Clinton," wife of H. P. on the 1860 Census? It would appear that the task of Postmaster, at least in the Clinton family, was passed on from one member of the clan to another, even if the next in line is a woman. (Many occupations, traditionally held by men, were turned over to the ladies during the Civil War . . . some of those women may have been reluctant to release their roles back to the guys once the veterans came home. Did H. P. go to war? Indeed, he was a Quartermaster in the Wisconsin 7th Infantry, Field and Staff and enlisted on 15 August 1861 and resigned on 11 November 1862 so in his absence from the P.O., someone must have filled in - perhaps his wife? She isn't officially in the role until 1863, but he would likely have been back by then since he left the Army in late 1862. The question remains: What happened to Henry - H.P. - Clinton; lawyer, Postmaster, and veteran?)

There is no indication of Don J. ever taking over for his mother; the next postmaster for Brodhead was appointed on 8 May 1871: Burr Sprague. Burr is listed, on the 1870 Census, as a 34-year-old book merchant from New York with a 30-year-old wife, Vina; the family living in Brodhead. According to the Postmaster listing, he was "Reappointed - by the President and the Senate (noted by 'P & S' on the document, see image above) - on 18 December 1871," no doubt making his appointment official. Or possibly in conjunction with his new profession, lawyer: on the 1880 Census, that is his occupation (we seem to have come full circle).

Part of using these Postmaster Records is to help fill in blanks. Even when a discovery of a family or a person from your line leads to this set of records, do not stop there. Let's check into the history of the Brodhead Post Office. I started that on the website for the Brodhead Historical Society and learned that, initially aligned with Brodhead were the communities of Clarence and Decatur (where the Clintons had lived, though in his military enlistment, H. P. had declared his hometown to be Brodhead, Wisconsin). According to the Historical Society, the communities of Clarence and Old Decatur were in competition for "Most Prosperous Village in the Brodhead Area."

B. J. Tenney established a small store in early Brodhead and, in his home, created the Post Office. At that time (the date is not provided on the website, but here is where our NARA records come into play) the hamlet was called "Tenneyville" but was soon renamed "Clarence." Abijah D. Tenney (appointed 8 February 1849) was the first Postmaster for this make-shift facility. It seems he remained in that position until 2 May 1854 when Alexander S. Dye took over for a short while before 4 October 1854, when the torch was passed to John B. Sawyer. After a few more changes of the guard, the Post Office was discontinued on 13 July 1855.

(Note how Decatur's last date of operation was in 1859, but if we look directly above that date, the dates of the Postmaster positions for Clarence and Dayton are in 1855 . . . each Post Office has listings for its own personnel and one should not expect to find dates corresponding vertically. Below is the continuation for Clarence, going into 1858):

Decatur's original name was "Centreville," but was renamed in the 1840s. Its first homesteader was Ohioan John Moore in 1839 and in 1841-42 he became the first Postmaster. This statement from the Historical Society's website is confirmed by the Postmaster records, stating John Moore as the first Postmaster in Decatur, appointed 16 July 1842. Eventually, on 18 February 1854, James W. Banker was at the helm, but it survived longer than its adversary township, being discontinued on 23 July 1859 with the same man serving as Postmaster. By that time, John B. Sawyer (from the Clarence P.O.) was established as the Postmaster in Brodhead (being their first in that position, beginning on 11 May 1957). The next Postmaster was Edward A. McNair (appointed 19 November 1857) and then the position was taken over by Mr. Clinton, as noted above, in 1860.

Why did the Post Offices in Clarence and Decatur cease operation? Well, let's look at the United States in the late 1850s. The community of Brodhead was overtaking the little townships and soon both Clarence and Decatur were left in the wake of a town that owed its prosperity to the railroad. And at the head of the drive for placing Brodhead on the rail line: E. A. Clinton. So here we see where the Clintons came into the picture and became movers and shakers in this town. Life in Brodhead centered around different elements (store, band-shell, etc.) depending on the time of day. In the evening, when the train arrived, people would meet it, but not so much as to see who was disembarking as to greet the evening mail delivery and follow it to the Post Office where it would be sorted and distributed. By this time, the Post Offices in Decatur and Clarence had closed up shop so people living in those communities would have about a five-mile buggy or horse ride to collect their communications from the outside world.

OK, so what does this have to do with us, as genealogists? Savvy researchers look to town histories to learn how their ancestors lived, whether they had positions of responsibility (or residence in the local hoosegow), etc. Besides learning why the little communities just seemed to shrink from thriving to struggling, we can trace family members. Did your ancestor live in a little village and then seem to just disappear (like H. P. Clinton)? Perhaps his/her village ceased to provide a living. Checking the history of the area might shed light on this and, along with the Postmaster Records, provide information about when villages became consolidated, subsumed, or just extinct. It can also provide ideas for further research about relatives (what happened to the Clintons when Eleanor left the post . . . did she die? retire? become ill? move to wherever her husband was?). OK, so maybe you will end up with more questions, but if you have access to the films of the Record of Appointment of Postmasters at your local NARA facility, check them out (see previous blogs for information on learning where these films are housed across the U.S.).

As you can see by the images above, the filmed pages are not arranged in an easy-to-follow method (e.g., column one being one set of years, column two being the next set, etc.): the lines are filled out consecutively as the Postmasters changed, but if one Postmaster stays in the position for a couple of decades while the community listed just above or below may find its Postmaster job constantly refilled, you will find the 1850s blending into the next decade quite rapidly. There are divisions between the sections to at least help keep the pages from covering too many years in a single line:

However, when each new section begins, the last Postmaster (from the previous section) is listed again, with appointment date, so that the succeeding and preceding names and dates are not misinterpreted (see the first two images above, listing Eleanor Clinton at the end of the first image or section and again at the beginning of the next section, from 1865-1875).

If you decide to check out the Postmaster records, I'd love to hear from you, especially if you have success!

U.S. Postmasters - Part 3, Green County, Wisconsin (cont'd)

2011-06-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in yesterday's blog, I am curious about the Postmasters of Green County, Wisconsin. It seems a perfect place to begin my excursion into this collection of microfilms for a number of reasons: Green County underwent a great number of changes from its creation in 1837 (it was formed from Iowa, so a complete research of this area's Postmasters would have to extend into that state - the microfilm collection of Appointments of Postmasters begins in 1832), and this was the time period that included the Civil War - I wonder if people were dismissed from one Federal appointment to take on another. It is clear that this exploration may involve much deeper research into other forms of records. Let's check some examples:

These are the pages with which I began my journey in Green County (the microfilm collection is more completely explained in my blog back in April):

I know, the images are virtually impossible to read. Well, let me enlarge one of the names on the first of the two graphics above:

The second name listed is Fredolin Egger, who was appointed as the Postmaster for the New Glarus Post Office on 24 May 1856. There was not another Postmaster appointed before the 1860 census, so I checked that Population Schedule to see if he declared himself a Federal employee. Nope. He said he was a "merchant." He was born in Switzerland (no requirement to be a native-born American for a Postmaster position).

Let's check another one - Harry Prior:

Harry was appointed Postmaster of the Morefield Post Office on 13 December 1854. According to the 1860 census, he considered his main source of income to be as a farmer and he lived in Mt. Pleasant. The Morefield Post Office was discontinued on 16 January 1861. Good luck finding any references to this small locale! But if you have an ancestor who declared his/her home was "Morefield," there is a chance that he/she was being quite truthful. Have problems locating the town your forebear came from? Check this microfilm collection!

One more for this post - Alfred Goddard of Monroe, Wisconsin. Monroe was a larger town and had many change outs in the Postmaster position:

Let's get a closer look at Mr. Goddard:

Monroe was the County Seat and housed the courthouse (that's what /c.h./ means) and Mr. Goddard received his assignment on 2 June 1853. He lived in that same community, according to the 1860 census (where he is listed as "A. Goddard") and declared his primary occupation to be "merchant." His successor did not take over until April 1861, so it is very likely that Mr. Goddard was still at his Post Office job (probably in the General Mercantile) just before the Civil War broke out. Something to check from here: an enlistment for Alfred Goddard in the Union Army (my own cursory check revealed nothing, but a more thorough search might be more revealing - however, he was 42 in 1860 so this probably would not pan out).

Well, I hope I've given you some ideas for further research on your ancestors. I'll continue with some other types of examples in the posts to come. Best wishes in your roots pursuits.

U.S. Postmasters - Part 2, Green County, Wisconsin

2011-05-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have family that came from Green County, Wisconsin, and, since it is a rather small area, I thought it might be fun to see if I could trace the Postmasters there in the mid-19th Century. I discovered some interesting things that I am going to share with you in this and future blogs.

First, let's look at what the opening "page" looks like for the listing of Postmasters appointed during this time period (there is some overlap of records so do not expect to have the listings fall neatly into place):

(all images posted here are used with permission of the National Archives, Pacific Region, Riverside County, CA)

Obviously, I will be interested in cross checking information found here with the 1860 Federal Census and, if applicable, any state census schedules that fall within this time frame of 1855-1865.

My normal suggestion is that, if you discover an ancestor lists him/herself on the census as a "Postmaster" or "Postmistress" (or even just working for a Post Office - who knows, a promotion could be just around the corner), you would want to check these records for the information about the appointment and what Post Office was involved (just because a person lived in a given town, say Albany, it does not mean that that is the same town where he/she served as a Postmaster).

As a reminder, these records are defined on my earlier blogpost and directions for finding which Archives houses the referenced microfilms is on a still earlier post. Follow those links for the information and aids in understanding why these records are of value to genealogists.

So I looked up Green County, Wisconsin and discovered that there are 32 towns and townships within that location. Of course, there were significantly fewer back in the mid-19th Century and some of the ones that were there (e.g., Shuey's Mills, Farmer's Grove, and Willet) are not listed on the RootsWeb site (some may have been abandoned while others may have been subsumed by larger communities). When I go through the history of the towns of Green County, I find some of the same names as those listed in the Postmaster pages. Some towns (Shuey's Mills, for example) had, as the first or subsequent Postmaster, the same person for whom the village (hamlet, crossing in the road, etc.) was named. In the case of Shuey, though he was a Postmaster for some period of time in the 1850s, by 1860 he pops up on the County Poorhouse roster in the census, leaving one to believe that being a Postmaster might not necessarily have been a lucrative profession in that time.

In fact, all but one of the Postmasters I traced in the census listed other trades than the USPS as their means of making a living. There were farmers and merchants, for the most part (the latter makes perfect sense as many of the Post Offices were housed in the General Store, making the store-owner also the Postmaster, by default). In one situation, the job of Postmaster seemed to be passed from one family member to the next as folks moved or (apparently) died.

The value of these records is quite interesting, though not particularly obvious, at first. A recording in the Postmaster logs is more likely to have an accurate spelling of a person's name than we find in the census. It also clarifies where that person was working during a fairly specific period of time: while the appointment date is provided, the next recorded date is when the Postmaster's successor was appointed, not when the previous individual left the position . . . it is possible that the position might have been vacant for some length of time. Just because a Postmaster has vacated the position does not mean that the person died; he/she might have moved or been dismissed from the job for some reason or other. Other records that might help clarify the circumstances would be vital records, newspaper articles, historical information from the county (some Post Offices were discontinued because the town ceased to exist or was incorporated into another community), tax records, military records, etc. I presume that my readers are familiar with the various sources for some of these items, but welcome your inquiries if you need some guidance there.

And so now you may have a bit of a lead as to why these records can have significance to genealogists. In future posts I will give some specific examples of how these can be useful and what mysteries can be unearthed (or created) as a result.

Stay tuned . . .

When is a Princess not a Princess?

2011-05-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

When she fails the pea test, of course. (No, not pee . . . pea, like the vegetable.)

I received a phone call from a gentleman who was embroiled in a lawsuit, much of which is irrelevant to my involvement and that I will refrain from detailing here so as to protect his identity, along with the specifics about the other individuals in the case. His main concern was that I might be able to assist him in proving that a person's claim to royalty was nothing more than a fairy tale. With that premise, it was hard to resist my response when the lawyer for the case called and asked me if I knew how to tell whether or not a princess had a rightful claim to such a title. I remembered well the Broadway play "Once upon a Mattress" (my granddaughter played the princess in a college version and was magnificent, but I digress); being a folklorist, I am also well familiar with the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale from which the musical took its plot and simply suggested he try that test - a few mattresses, a pea, and a princess (or not, depending on her narcoleptic tendencies, of course).

(image from: http://www.terratraditions.com/wholesale/Linen/Scrapbooks/Women/Princess_and_the_Pea.html)

The lawyer, at first, was mystified, then he howled and said that I appeared to be the best person for the job . . . I had a sense of humor, which, apparently, was necessary for this task of disproving a royal claim.

Shortly after speaking to the lawyer and my initial contact, I was deluged with documentation about the alleged royal highness's lineage. All I needed to do was sort through it all. No problem: I had four days to prepare! Everything in my life was moved to the back burners (and some things were removed to the outside grill): I had a mission!

Genealogists reading this will tell you that one of the mantras of this profession is "work from the known to the unknown." How many times I recite this when giving presentations, I cannot tell. We start with ourselves and work backwards, cutting through the generational foliage to compile a clean (if possible) tree with branches, limbs, and leaves representing the people who came before. But some people, especially those wishing to claim a root from a particularly rare or unusual plant, will start with the desired "source" and work towards the present. Why is this problematic? Well, one complication comes when the sought-after ancestor left no descendants. What then? Some people are content to just stick in a few to make the line continue (these are things that literally cause shivers down the spines of the real genealogists). Others look for a different origin of self to claim as theirs. And some just keep adding names without verification, often using sources that are suspect, at best, and often repeat frequently quoted, unfounded data that has no evidence to back it up (finding the same information on five different sources, all tracing back to the same, incorrectly researched source, is really just a single citation - quantity is not enough to create proof: quality is of utmost importance).

OK, that said, here I sat with a lineage of a very impressive line, going back into the earliest times of recorded history, with a narrative to explain how it ties together to come to the end result: a member of a royal family, living in our midst in America, with roots so long and so old that they must hold up an impressive tree. At least, that is what it seemed at first glance. With a little research, I unearthed the truth: the foundation of this plant was full of root-rot! Sorting through the hard-to-read paperwork proved to be my first challenge (if you want to impress people, the harder the "facts" are to read, the more accurate they must be, right?). Following the twists and turns of the tree led me into a veritable forest of families, intertwined and connected, often by unrelated vines used to bring the branches closer together - but closer together does not make two separate plants part of the same tree . . . or even in the same genus. Instead, I found different families of different locales mixed together to create an apparent jumble of DNA. A great-grandchild born a number of years before the related great-grandparent; everyone's favorite ancestor ("unknown") married to an unrelated person, grafted into the trunk and added to the mix; and a lack of primary (or a sufficient number of derivative sources) to create a sense of reality.

With the work of a professional genealogist who had traced the family from the present back to the earliest provable data, I was able to determine that the royal blood just might have involved a transfusion. I did not disprove her princess claim - but using the Appeal to Ignorance Fallacy ("if it cannot be proven false it must be true") is not how I proceed in the way I do business - I could only state that the claim could not be advanced using the information proved by HRH (her royal highness). While on the witness stand (which ended up being a week after the initially expected appearance), I made it clear that her claims could neither be proved nor disproved with the data provided. I did consider suggesting the pea test, but having no appropriate vegetables (nor the requisite 20 mattresses) with me, I elected to just give the reminder that genealogy, like any science, involves proof: hypotheses are just that - the information that requires further investigation and numerous tests before moving them into the "conclusion" category. I attempted to completely describe the Genealogical Proof Standard, but was not given ample time for a full explanation. Oh, well . . . let it be known by all present (and those not) that I did try.

So, to my reader friends, this is why I have been rather absent of late. It is not a desire to hide or an illness, breakdown, or other ailment - I've just been tangled in some roots and branches and have been out on a limb trying to find my way back down and out of the forest. Perhaps when I entered it to begin with, like the Haunted Forest in the Wizard of Oz with its "I'd turn back if I were you" warning,

I should have been like the Cowardly Lion and tried to heed the warning . . . but look at all I would have missed. And, with no real proof one way or another, I might have missed that opportunity of being in the presence of royalty, right here in the good old USA.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending: Remembering

2011-05-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

Memorial day is upon us. A good time to remember. I'm at a campout with Songmakers and enjoying all sorts of music throughout the weekend. This morning was the traditional "Songs of Meaning" period where songs ranged through everything from remembering family members to religious upbringings to special times, along with some songs people might not have felt were "meaningful," yet held some sort of meaning to the singer. Many were in tears, remembering loved ones, times gone by, and private things they shared only internally. I sang a song I wrote for two 2st cousins, 3 times removed - both children - buried in a cemetery in New York. A guitarist and fiddler teamed to play one of my favorites: "Music Box Dancer" (I love that song and get a happy feeling when I hear it, but could not explain what it is or why it conjures up such good feelings). In a large circle, people held hands to sing "Will the Circle be Unbroken?" while some musicians accompanied from outside the ring. When people join together to sing a song, the feeling is one of unity. We can share those memories through songs.

With Memorial Day less than 24 hours away, what songs bring back memories for you? Certainly, songs that memorialize our military dead are most appropriate, but so are any songs that take you to a time, a person, a place, or an event long (or short) past. Share it here.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Songs about Endings

2011-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

2 of my amazing grandchildren (FYI, all 24 are amazing, but these 2 have the spotlight today . . .) are graduating with honors from Georgia Tech. This is no easy feat. So while they have much to look forward to (both have been hired for good jobs!! Yay!!), it also marks the ending of 4 years of hard study, some serious play, and a lot of networking on all levels. I am so proud of them! So, in honor of our 2 graduates, Brad & Kati Schmidt, I am proposing that today's Singalong Sunday focus on songs about endings. Endings of childhood, endings of relationships, endings of war, endings of jobs, endings of life, endings of anything. Not all endings are bad, either, as they often mark beginnings. I remember being very happy when my school year was coming to an end and skipped and sang (with many others) all the way home, "School's out, school's out, teachers let the monkeys out!"

So my selection will deal with the end of the Civil War (I'm working hard on this topic for a number of magazines; one to be published a little later this month in GenWeekly - an on-line newsletter - will be an expose on "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"). I figure that is a perfect song about an ending that was bitter sweet (not all Johnnies came home and many who did were forever changed). My GenWeekly article compares the American Johnny at the end of the war to the Irish Johnny, "Johnny I Hardly Knew You," which is decidedly less celebratory.

Check out one version on YouTube. I have also recorded it on my Songs of the War of the Rebellion CD.

Now it's your turn - any songs of endings come to mind?

Where, oh where, has that little blog gone?

2011-04-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

I know, I know . . . I have been lax in posting on the blog. Let me explain briefly: On Wednesday I got a phone call to serve as an expert genealogy witness (after all, I am a Board Certified genealogist, and one of very in the Southern Calif. area) in an upcoming trial. As you can well imagine, I have been up to my neck in materials to prepare for this unique experience; so much so that I have not even been able to sing a song or two! (OK, I did sing one on Monday night.) But this should all be behind me in a few days and I hope to get back into the swing of things. I promise that I will continue the NARA Postmaster lists in the weeks ahead, as well as enter some music experiences. Meanwhile, wish me luck (and, yes, I'll tell more about it once this episode of my life is behind me).

And while you're waiting, I have 2 articles that have been published in the latest Family Chronicle: One on doing genealogy with the aid of RV travel and the other on The Engineers of the Civil War. Check them out if you get a chance.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Palm Sunday

2011-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today is Palm Sunday. Its religious significance in the Christian community is sacred and special. I remember, as a child, recreating the Bible story of the events of the day. Of course, I grew up in Illinois and had never seen a palm tree nor understood the types of leaves (fronds) that came from them (other than what I saw in pictures). When I first visited California and saw the tall, tall trees with the umbrella-type leaves that gave little shade since they were so far off the ground, I almost thought they were fake - how could such a plant grow like that?! Today I live in Southern California and think nothing of the towering trees all around me and laugh when visitors express awe when they see them for the first time.

So as spring coaxes leaves back to the trees in the yards of those in the eastern US, what about songs dealing with trees? There are so many (until you try to think of one). One of my favorites is a very sad one, dealing with the tragic disease, Alzheimer's. It was written by Susan Graham White and Tom Paxton and is a song that will likely bring sad memories of someone most of us knew at some time (I think of my grand aunt, Mary Eva - Aunt Mamie - Hollander) who lost all recollection of who her sisters and other family members were. She had been a lover of nature and I would suspect that the lyrics of this song would describe her circumstances perfectly.

The song deals with a man who is suffering from the disease, but has not yet disappeared completely into the mists of the affliction:

"There are days when he'll recall the forest in the fall,
When we can walk for hours together, and he's fine
There are precious days like that when he can name them all;
The ash, the elm, the beech, the oak, the pine.
He's forgotten the names of trees . . ."

Do you have a favorite tree song? Share it - the lyrics, the title, a link to an MP3 or YouTube video. Maybe if we sing enough tree songs today we can help sing away the snows that are still visiting my friends in Minnesota and other northern areas.

NARA microfilms: Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971

2011-04-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

In the past we've examined microfilm documents from the Letters of Application and Recommendation for the different Presidential Administrations. My daughter, the Postmaster for the Heber-Overgaard Post Office in Arizona, commented that she wondered what information NARA microfilms had about her. So I decided to check - at least in general.

I hit pay-dirt, with the help of Kerry Bartels of the Pacific Region of the National Archives in Riverside County, California, that is. Here is the title of the next microfilm collection I will be examining:
"Record of Apppointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971." There are 145 rolls of film and the Record Group (RG) number is 28. The publication is number M841 with a publication date of 1977.

These films are available for viewing in the following regional Archives:
Pacific Alaska Region (Anchorage)
Pacific Region (Riverside County, CA)
Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA)
Rocky Mountain Region (Denver, CO)
Southeast Region (Atlanta, GA)
Great Lakes Region (Chicago, IL)
Northeast Region (Pittsfield, MA)
Northeast Region (Boston, MA)
Kansas City
Northeast Region (New York City, NY)
Mid-Atlantic Region (Philadelphia, PA)
Southwest Region (Fort Worth, TX)
Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle, WA)
and, of course,
National Archives I (Washington, DC)

Before heading to the local NARA facility (listed above) to view these, remember to check the "Finding Aid" (the PDF Information Document) that is linked on the descriptive page from the catalog (follow earlier instructions on how to access the microfilm catalog, then enter "M841" in the Search box; click on the link for the publication that appears in the results). This publication information tells us that the collection here is just a part of Records of the Post Office Department, RG 28 (yup, there's even more):
"This record was prepared in the office of the Junior Assistant to the Postmaster General from 1832 to January 2, 1835; Second Assistant Postmaster General from July 2, 1836, to 1851; First Assistant Postmaster General from 1851 to 1950; and the Bureau of Post Office Operations from 1950 to September 30, 1971" (Publication Number: M-841, Washington, DC: NARA, 1977, page 1).

There are a number of factors that make this collection potentially useful to genealogists:

1) If your ancestor served as a Postmaster (or was rumored to have been such) his/her service dates and location(s) of service can easily be tracked.

2) Because Post Offices were not static, sometimes facilities closed down, were subsumed by others, or had their territory expanded. These changes are noted on the filmed documents and may help with tracking ancestors in those various areas.

3) Specific information regarding other aspects of the people, offices, and regions are often included, adding historical perspective to the lives of those living within the various boundaries and the cities, towns, and outposts listed.

More specifics on how the records are organized can be found on the seven-page document referenced above. That document also contains a list of abbreviations or notations commonly found on the filmed records. I would recommend printing that out to have available for reference when viewing the films or you might miss the significance of "C.H." (Courthouse - county seat), "Dis" (discontinued), or "P" (Appointed by the President). (Note: those abbreviations are also provided at the beginning of each film but can be cumbersome to reference when the researcher is viewing the end of the film.)

Pages three through seven of the PDF Finding Aid lists the rolls of film (beginning with "Alabana; Autauga - Dale" and ending with "Wyoming; Albany - Yellowstone National Park"). Because there was U.S. Postal Service to areas other than the contiguous United States, some unexpected regions include:
Caroline Islands
Guam
Marshall Islands
Samoa
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
Cuba
and more (see the Finding Aid for a complete list).

So if your ancestors were from any of those areas and may have worked for the Post Office (as a Postmaster, even on temporary assignment as such), these would certainly be documents to check. Even if ancestors did not work for the Post Office, if they came from, say, Cuba, this record collection might shed light on some of the history of the area (I'll illustrate this in a future blog on this topic).

So there's the preliminary information on this unusual collection. Your "homework," for those who wish to follow up or further research the potential of these films, is to go to the link given above and follow the directions to pull up the PDF of the "Publication Details" (AKA the "Finding Aid" or "Information Document") and check it for yourself. Oh, and share this information with others - let's not keep this collection a secret any longer!

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending: Rodents

2011-04-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

OK, I know this sounds like an odd theme, but it comes to mind after watching repeated trailers for the movie Hop. I have to say that it looks like a cute movie - after all, it's about a cute bunny. Bunnies are automatically cute, right? Well, where we live, rabbits are rodents. (Why is it that the word "rabbit" conjures up positive connotations while the word "rodent" brings up negative ones?) Anyway, out in my territory, the properties are ravaged by bunny-rabbits every day, eating everything (except weeds), including garden growth, flowers, grasses, and even small trees. But because we live in the country, we are also host to other rodents, including squirrels, rats, and mice. Most efforts are focused on keeping the rats out of the house and intimidating the mice to keep them from making as few home visits as possible. Anyone who has left dog or cat food out, has horses, feeds the birds, or has a garbage can is subject to rodent visits. We actually get sort of used to it and when we get together as neighbors the talk often turns to "the best rat story."

So I started thinking about songs dealing with some of these furry creatures (some cute, some a little less than that). I can come up with probably a half dozen rabbit songs, but will leave those to others. Instead, let me share my favorite mouse song - from deep in the deepest recessed of my childhood:

M - I - C K - E - Y M - O - U - S -E (everybody sing!)
Mickey Mouse (Donald Duck), Mickey Mouse (Donald Duck)
Forever let us hold our banner high (high, high, high)
M - I - C K - E - Y M - O - U - S -E

See - not every rodent is an unwelcome home invader!

When I was about 5 we got our first television (1956). Every day after kindergarten, my best friend, Liz Thompson, and I would sit in front of the TV to watch the Mickey Mouse Club. We had our favorites (mine were Karen & Cubby) and cartoons we thought were dumb and ones we enjoyed. But we liked the singing part best, when Jimmy Dodd would take out his Mickey Mouse guitar and sing songs that carried special lessons. (No, I did not decide at that time to play guitar; that decision was made about 4 years later.) And then was the sad part when they would all sing (and appear so sad and almost ready to cry):

Now it's time to say good-bye to all our family
M - I - C (see you real soon) K - E - Y (Why? Because we like you!) M - O - U - S -E

To keep the Mickey Mouse Club alive in my life from one day to the next I had a Mickey Mouse tee-shirt. I even got to see the Club live at the 4th of July Fireworks Program at Dyche Stadium in Evanston, Illinois one year (my grandfather took me). It was a memorable experience, to say the least.

So there's my rodent song and why it is special to me. Got a rodent song? Share it here - the lyrics, MP3 or YouTube on-line, or just the title. And does it have a special meaning to you?

Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877, Microfilm Collection, NARA Riverside-Gallaudet

2011-04-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

In 1864, Edward Miner Gallaudet (1837-1917) formed the first school for the "deaf and dumb," named "Gallaudet University," in honor of his father, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. Both father and son were instrumental in advancing communication means for those who could not hear or speak and the University continues today to educate those afflicted in these manners. The University, located in the District of Columbia, is still operational and is the product of much research. The elder Gallaudet traveled all over the world to gain knowledge in order to properly serve those who needed his help. Besides educating at the college level, Gallaudet School for the Deaf also has elementary and high school level courses, teaching the hearing impaired life skills as well as the basics in education.

Edward began his teaching experiences in Washington, D.C. and was instrumental in organizing educational opportunities for the deaf in that location. This brings us to the relevance of that information to the next (and last) post re: the Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant. In 1873, in preparation for the Vienna World Exposition (mentioned briefly in a previous blog), it was hoped that all aspects of American Culture would be properly represented; this would include the advancements in the education of the deaf. After letters were sent on his behalf, Gallaudet the younger did attend the Exposition. But, while the history of the father and the son can be located on many Internet sites, the actual letters that clarified Edward's eligibility to represent the US are not. Those can be located on microfilm at a number of different National Archives facilities, including the one at 23123 Cajalco Rd. in Riverside County. Here's what the researcher can view there:

(From Edward A. Fry, Acting Priest, to the Secretary of State)

(The same, addressed to the President)

If you are a descendant of this distinguished family, a member of the deaf community, interested in the history of specialized schools in America, researching the history of the Vienna Exposition, or interested in the Grant administration, these letters would be of particular value.

There is more in the Pacific Region (Riverside) National Archives than just records of California, Arizona, and parts of Nevada. Check out the catalog (mentioned in earlier blogs) and see if something you are studying just may be lurking in the holdings there.

This concludes my series on the Letters of Application and Recommendation . . . my next topic will deal with Postmasters of the United States. Check back soon to learn about these folks.

Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877, Microfilm Collection, NARA Riverside, continued

2011-03-29T09:20:00.003-07:00

I guess you would call this "part 5" of a (length to be determined) blog series on using the NARA catalog and, specifically, finding lesser-known microfilm publications at the Pacific Region (Riverside) facility. This blog, then, is a follow-up of previous ones:

February 25 about how to navigate the NARA on-line microfilm catalog (applicable to researchers in all geographic areas)
March 22 about the information documents for the NARA holdings (applicable to researchers in all geographic areas)
March 23 an overview of the Letters of Application and Recommendation during the Grant Administration
March 24 an example of one file in the Grant Administration collection

Our last examination was of a letter recommending Herman Haupt for a government position. Today we will look at a file for a lesser-known applicant, but one who might happen to be related to you (who knows?). If you have WENDT in your family tree, this may be of particular interest:

Unfortunately, as we so often find in micro-productions, the 2 other papers that were with this were illegible. One was the "jacket" or "cover" for this document (giving just the name and date) and the other was a picture of the file folder that holds the original paperwork. Neither is crucial to the use of this letter and it is good to see that the document itself is in remarkably good (and legible) condition. Another downside of most of these letters is that they don't follow up on what happened next.

Did Mr. Wendt get the appointment in Vienna? If so, did he ever return to the United States? Did his family go with him? But consider this: If this WENDT is yours and you "lost" him around 1874 (whether or not you were able to locate him later), this might explain where he went and give further clues of places to search for more information! If he did not get the appointment, it still mentions to his native city (Vienna) and may give a researcher a valuable clue in locating baptismal and immigration records. This one letter could knock down a few significant WENDT walls.

So the question is this: is there a relative of yours that made application or wrote a letter to a presidential administration, or for whom a letter of recommendation was written? (Yes, I've checked for my ancestors, just in case . . . of course, there are none that I've located so far, but if you hit "pay dirt" I'd love to know!)

Reminder, how to search the catalog for information in this collection can be found at my earlier blog on March 22.

Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877, Examples from NARA, Riverside

2011-03-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

In the last two blogs I discussed the value and contents of the "Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877." Now let's look at an example of a rather noteworthy individual. Of course, if you are not related to this person, the letter might not hold much interest, but if you are or if you are working on the history of one of the organizations that he was associated with, it would certainly be of interest.

Let's look at the Civil War and the time period at its beginning when architect and bridge designer Herman Haupt found a place in history with his amazing trestles:

(National Archives photo)

The former officer resigned from the military early in the War but, according to this letter, he sought reconnection to the political scene a few years after the War ended:

In the near future we will look at a less well-known individual and his interest in making an application to work for the U.S. Government.

Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877, Microfilm Collection, NARA Riverside

2011-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

In two previous blogs I have introduced my readers to
1) How to navigate the microfilm collections at the National Archives and Records Administration, Pacific Region (Riverside) and
2) What the "Letters of Application and Recommendation During Presidential Administrations, 1797-1877" is and how to access the information on which NARA facilities have the various collections available for customer viewing.

In this posting I want to share some of the findings in the collection of "Letters" of the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant (to help you save a little time, just click on the link "Ulysses S. Grant" and you can easily follow along on the Information Document - also called the "Descriptive Pamphlet," "Publication Details," and the "Finding Aid" - it's a PDF document that explains the history behind the collection and provides - in most cases - an Index to all the organizations and people about which the Letters and Applications are written).

Seven NARA facilities have this particular collection: Pacific Region (Riverside County, CA), Archives I (Washington, D.C.), Southeast Region (Atlanta, GA), Great Lakes Region (Chicago, IL), Archives II (College Park, MD), Southwest Region (Ft. Worth, TX), and Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle, WA).

There are 69 rolls of film in the collection and the Record Group (RG) is 59 ("General Records of the Department of State"). This Record Group also contains "other documents relating to appointments to public office, including oaths of office, attested copies of confirmations and rejections by the Senate, copies of commissions, and resignations and declinations of appointments" (Publication Number M-968, Washington, DC: NARA, 1975, p. 2).

Within the document (we're not into the films yet, just checking the PDF "View Important Publication Details" at this time), you can learn the history of the Grant Administration, a hint of the types of documents you will find on the films (applications of Union Army veterans, African Americans, those already holding government positions, and civilians seeking political and other appointments, etc.). It is estimated that, during the early part of his administration, about 400 people approached Grant, and his appointees, for consideration for Federal positions (many having served under Grant in the War).

In the cases where an applicant might have had another name or a letter also involved another consideration, a cross-reference is provided in the Index: e.g., "Carlisle, John S., Mar. 10-May 11, 1869 (6). See also Campbell, Archibald W." So if you are looking for Archibald W. Campbell (for whom there are an associated 22 documents), in the same index you will find his listing but no cross reference to John S. Carlisle (for whom there are an associated six documents), plus the date range given is "Apr. 26-Nov. 1, 1869." It would behoove the researcher to investigate both of these document collections (Carlisle and Campbell) (pp. 15-16). As it turns out, both Campbell and Carlisle letters are located on the same film roll (#10, Cab-Cas) (p. 104). (Note: it is most likely that the Campbell material includes some Carlisle material, but only within the date range given under "Carlisle.")

I hope that clarifies how the Information Document works and how it can be used before you visit your local archives. Knowing the film number(s) (in this case, Series M968, roll 10) will help you find your information faster when you arrive at the facility. As mentioned before, if you have a number of films to view, call or email in advance so they can be pulled for you; Pacific Region email for this purpose is riverside.archives@nara.gov.

The next couple of blogs will give some examples of the letters received by the Grant Administration: 3 for well-known individuals and 1 for a lesser-known person (but possibly your ancestor?).

Letters of Application and Recommendation During Presidential Administrations, 1797-1877, Microfilm Collection, NARA Riverside

2011-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Did your ancestor have a government position or apply for one? Or perhaps was recommended for such a career. Are you aware that letters to the government have been separated by administration (e.g., "Lincoln administration," etc.) and then further organized alphabetically by the subject (not necessarily author) of the letter?

In other words, if Sam Smith* wrote a letter to President James Monroe, or other government official during the Monroe administration, recommending Peter Adams* for a position as a government appointee, the letter would be filed under the "Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of James Monroe, 1817-1825" (Part of Record Group 59, "General Records of the Department of State"; series M439 - 19 rolls).

Within that collection listing online (see earlier blog about how to find microfilm collections at the Pacific Region Archives), the PDF Information Document lists all the people who were subjects of the letters, so that particular letter would be listed under "Adams, Peter" and, following his name, there would be a number in parentheses (e.g., (8)) representing the number of documents (a single letter might be 4 pages long but if that is the only document in the file for Peter Adams, then there would be a (1) after his listing).

Once I identify the subject person in the name index, in that same PDF document, at the very end, is a listing of the microfilms in the collection and which rolls contain which surnames or organizations, so the Peter Adams item would probably be on roll number 1 - the listing looking something like this (for example only)*:

Aar - Bad - 1 (meaning film series M 439, roll 1)
Bae - Cre - 2 (etc.)

or like this:

Roll Index Range

1 A-Ba
2 Be-Bo (etc.)

To read the Peter Adams letter by Sam Smith, I would fill out the film requisition form at the archives and then the NARA employee would pull the film(s) I requested so I could view it (them).

*(This example is for information purposes only - there is not an actual letter by Sam Smith on behalf of Peter Adams, that I know of. In the next blog we will examine some real examples of what one might find within these films.)

There is a wealth of information in the documents on these films and most people are unaware of their existence. Checking through the indexes on the Information Documents takes only a few minutes and can be done at home (see earlier blog) before going over to the Archives. If you find your ancestor, or someone you think might be your ancestor, in one of those documents, you owe it to yourself to dig a little deeper. The employees and volunteers at the Archives are there to help you: 23123 Cajalco Rd., Perris (actually just off the I-215 at Cajalco Expy in Riverside County), CA 92570.

Note: if you wish a number of films to be pulled, it is advisable to call in advance with that request: 951-956-2000.

For those non-Southern Californians who are reading this, there are around a dozen other facilities across the country that house these films. To see if the archives near you has the film collection you seek, follow the directions in the aforementioned blog (but substitute your regional archives location for "Pacific Region" under "advanced search"), then (when you are in the catalog list for your selected archives), click on the "Publication Title" heading (this will give you an alphabetized listing of collection titles) and scroll to "Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administration of _____" (pick the desired Presidential administration). (Note: Expect the title to be over half-way through the title listing.)

See below for a complete listing of the Presidential Administrations and their Film Series numbers to assist in making your selection.

M406 - 3 rolls - John Adams, 1797-1801
M418 - 12 rolls - Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809
M438 - 8 rolls - James Madison, 1809-1817
M439 - 19 rolls - James Monroe, 1817-1825
M531 - 8 rolls - John Quincy Adams, 1825-1829
M639 - 27 rolls - Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837
M687 - 35 rolls - Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and John Tyler, 1837-1845
M873 - 98 rolls - James Polk, Zachary Taylor, and Millard Fillmore, 1845-1853
M967 - 50 rolls - Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan, 1853-1861
M650 - 53 rolls - Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, 1861-1869
M968 - 69 rolls - Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877

So now you have some information to get you locating that elusive ancestor who allegedly worked for the government or was a White House employee, etc. Please let me know how this works for you! And let others know about this amazing resource (in the next couple of blogs I'll show you some of the actual findings).

And the band played on

2011-03-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

We are returning from a great weekend at the Glendale, AZ folk & heritage festival where we did some workshops, a short concert, and jamming. I spent time relaxing with the dogs by the camper and reading while listening to music all around me. What a peaceful experience.

At night we camped at Barbara & Chuck's and enjoyed a more intimate music setting. We have found that festival days really wear us out & end up heading to bed around 8pm these days! (Quite a contrast from years past at Songmaker campouts where we were still playing at midnight.) But going to sleep with the music surrounding us is a very comforting experience, for me, at least. Those bands (often formed right on the spot) with fiddles, autoharps, banjos, guitars, mandolins, and even various kinds of drums just played on and on (still going at 2am on Sat. night, I hear). Reminds me of the song of the same name. But the music lovers don't play the tunes just during the good times . . .

While watching a History Channel program about the sinking of the Titanic, I was struck by the legendary event of the band on board. As most everyone knows, that band played on and on as well. The doom was obvious and imminent, but the musicians fulfilled two purposes in their playing on and on:

1 - As any died in the wool musician will tell you, holding, caressing, and playing his/her instrument gives one amazing comfort and pleasure. No doubt the musicians found more security and peace holding their beloved tools of the trade. Clinging to their instruments gave them more a sense of purpose than attempting to cling to the rails, poles, lines, or other apparati available.

(Above, John T. McCutcheon political cartoon; click image for blog of Robert Paterson or here for information on the artist)

2 - The band members were hired to provide entertainment and civility to the passengers. We seek music for many reasons: enjoyment, worship, solace, and more. No doubt the passengers associated the music on the voyage with community and normalcy (for those nervous about being on the water, I would wager that the music helped them reduce the stress . . . ironic since there was much to be stressed about that, initially, they could probably not have imagined). The band members, though they would never cash their paychecks, were still "on duty" and maintained the role of "calming agent" - as much as possible - in those very last moments on board the Titanic. Brave souls, yes, but what else could they do?

And so the bands play on.

(Above: The Big Band finale at Glendale, AZ, 20 March 2011)

Again, I bemoan the fact that this phenomenon is becoming less and less commonplace in our schools. Who will play the dance music on the cruise ships? Who will entertain at the weddings? Who will play the marches at the parades? It may be up to the private citizens to keep the bands playing by encouraging children to take music lessons, form the garage bands, entertain in family bands at nursing homes and family reunions. Don't let the music die! Most of us who play in concert with others will never have to "go down with the ship," but that is what's happening to music in the schools. Help keep it playing!

One Lovely Blog Award - From one and spread to others

2011-03-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

I'm honored to have been awarded the One Lovely Blog award from Polly Fitzgerald Kimmitt who writes the Pollyblog (I love that name)!

The rules of acceptance are :

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who granted the award and their blog link.

2. Pass the award on to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered or just love so much.

3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award. (This may take me awhile.)

Here are the lovely blogs I have selected . . . I have decided to reach outside the genealogy community for this award as there is much to explore in the name of this honor that is uplifting and inspirational. Please take a minute to browse through them!

1 - Bobby Dobbins Title - Hot Coffee & Cool Jazz (a dear friend whose observations on life touch the heart and funny bone, sometimes simultaneously)

2 - Amy Lynn Pitterle Foster - Foster Features (my granddaughter, a new mother, shares her thoughts, experiences, and great photos of this adventure in her life)

3 - Jack Rushton - It's Good to be Alive (the blog of one of my mentors from my early days in college and LDS institute, now a quadriplegic, Jack shares the good things in life - and there are a bunch!)

4 - Storycorps blog (I love Story Corps and this blog explains why)

5 - RV Travel blog (good for RVers - maybe not "lovely" per se, but definitely helpful)

6 - Caroline Rober - My Journey with ALS (Caroline passed away last month, but her blog journal is still on line and is an inspiration to those who have read it)

7 - Patty Ann Pitterle - Pitterle Postings (my daughter's inspirational observations)

8 - Mike & Cherie Tait - Taits in Tonga (friends on a mission in Fiji and their interesting experiences)

9 - Stefanie Eskander - StefStyle (a dear photographer/artist friend who shares art techniques, discoveries around her, and more)

10 - Dimitre Descardyin - The Ripple Effect (my grandson's self-observations that are profound discoveries for him and others)

11 - The Folk Alley Blog (hosted by the on-line "radio" station "Folk Alley" - great music and a venue that frequently features new artists "on the scene")

12 - Indiana University Press Blog (great source for the latest in Folklore)

13 - National Archives & Records Administration - NARAtions (Blog of the National Archives)

14 - Evan Morris - The Word Detective (not as much blog as Q/A from one of the country's best wordsmiths . . . love etymology? You're going to love this site!)

15 - Jean Hibben - Riverside Folk Song Society (I have to give this to myself and my "other" blog if for no other reason than to motivate me to do more with it for our local folk community)

And so there are my selections - some are music- and folklore-related, some are church-related, some are scholastic in nature, and some are produced by my family (and there's overlap in all of the above). Maybe one or two will make it to your "favorites" list.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending: Time

2011-03-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's spring! If you live in the parts of the country where Daylight Savings Time returns every spring, then last night (unless you forgot), you made the clock spring forward and lost an hour of sleep. But you will be rewarded with an extra hour of daylight every evening for the next few months. I love this time of year! I love the extra hour of daylight at night because, as most people who know me are well aware, I am NOT a morning person! TIME is a commodity that I do not take lightly and I wish my TIME to be spent without artificial light as much as possible (I love to open the curtains, and windows if weather permits, and let the sun shine in to brighten the whole house). So this is the TIME of year that I celebrate. I may have suggested this topic in the past, but for today's Singalong, I propose the songs about TIME that have been meaningful to you. Whether or not the song mentions TIME with that exact word or it just references the concept, share your TIME-related song, an MP3 or YouTube version of it.

I can think of so many, that it is hard to choose. Yesterday I blogged about Phil Ochs and the movie about his life, so I think a Phil Ochs song would be most appropriate here. One of my favorites is "When I'm Gone" (link is to Allison Crowe version):

Oh, there's no place in this world where I'll belong, When I'm gone;
And I won't know the right from the wrong, When I'm gone;
And you won't find me singing on this song, When I'm gone;
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here.

Good words of wisdom for us all, don't you think?

The Phil Ochs Movie: "There but for Fortune"

2011-03-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I attended the movie on the late folksinger, Phil Ochs: his life, music, and tragic death. Phil was one of my early examples of a singer-songwriter and his music techniques were amazing (my father, an accomplished musician, often remarked on how intricate and professional Phil's orchestrations were). Watching the movie brought back some emotional memories of growing up in suburban Chicago. I found it to be a good expose of both an artist and a time period in history when much was in turmoil. Many of us grew from the experiences; Phil was not as fortunate and he took his own life when his depression overpowered his artist-side.

Another interesting thing I noticed was before the movie: A number of advertisements were playing, promoting local (Pasadena) events and other theatrical productions at the theater. All of these were played sans music in the background. It was very odd to have something up on the screen with no noise . . . there were 20 of us in the theater and we were all very quiet and polite as the same advertisements were displayed on the screen over and over. No one talked. What a strange experience it was . . . not even background music in the theater. We are very much a "noisy" society and when there is no noise, immediately people look around to see why not! As you go throughout your daily lives, check out how many tasks (shopping, worshipping, attending sports events, etc.) are accompanied by music in one form or another.

Well, there are a few music thoughts for today and, if you grew up listening to the folk music of the '60s and you can find this movie playing anywhere near you, check it out (click the image above for the link) - a little trip down memory lane can sometimes be a good thing (Tom Paxton says it's OK to experience nostalgia and look back, just don't stare!).

National Archives, Pacific Region, Riverside County, CA - How to Find Microfilms in the Facility

2011-02-25T09:17:00.001-08:00

I am beginning a new series of blogs, dealing with the microfilm holdings at the Pacific Region of the National Archives in Riverside, California, located near Perris at 23123 Cajalco Road. There are a number of microfilms (many with material that would be helpful for genealogists) housed at that location, but people are not aware of them. Here I will discuss some of them in detail, but first, let's look at how to find them.

Step One - Log onto the NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) website. The new home page looks like this:
Scroll down on the page to the bottom:

And click on "Genealogists" in the far left column. That will take you to:

From that screen, go to the lower right panel:

And click on "Online Research Tools."
That will take you to:

And you want to click on "Microfilm Catalog" (misspelling above may be fixed soon). The top of the resulting page looks like:

And you want to click on "Advanced Search" to get to:

Click on the "Viewing Location" and you get this drop-down menu:

Select the Pacific Region:

And click on "Search" at the right of the page:

The 1143 listed microfilm groups are provided with a number of ways to have them listed (by record number, record group number, or alphabetical by title). (Note: not all the microfilms available at the Pacific Region have been added to the list, so if you have any questions about a particular film, contacting the facility directly is recommended.)

Select the film you are interested in and click on it to get to this page:

On the right-hand side, is this window:
Notice that the film under consideration is at the NARA Pacific Region (Riverside):

Before running to the archives to view it, click on the "Finding Aid" - a PDF information document that explains about the film:

That will lead you to a document that explains the microfilms (note: there are 2 films for this particular selection):

The document gives a background of the organization and/or circumstances about the existence of the film(s):

And also includes the Contents of the films (note: for films listing people, the Contents will identify what people are on what film, e.g., Abel - Collins, film 1, etc.)

With this basic information, locating the films on the archives site should be fairly easy. In future weeks we will look at the specifics about some of these films.

Countdown to St. George Family History Expo - 0 weeks/0 days

2011-02-25T09:14:00.000-08:00

We are here! I am spending time at the Blog House with other Bloggers of Honor, sharing the virtues and joys of blogging with those who have questions or are otherwise interested in this peculiar form of networking.

If you are at the St. George Family History Expo, come by and say hi. It's going to be a great weekend!

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Presidents' Day

2011-02-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Presidents' Day! OK, it isn't until tomorrow, but Lincoln's birthday is already passed and Washington's is on the horizon. Let me guess: You don't know many songs about Lincoln or Washington, right? Hmm, that is a shame.

Of course, with my studies of the Civil War, I have learned a number of songs that mention, directly or indirectly, the President of the time. I won't mention them here, leaving them for others to suggest. But let's open it up a little further: how about all the Presidents? I know, I can really be opening things up for some negative stuff as many protest songs have been written about various Presidents (especially during particular time periods), so I am going to request that we remember the purpose of Presents' Day: to honor our Commander in Chief (believe me, I could come up with about 2 dozen negative Presidents' songs). So, now that I have really taxed your brains, let me share one that I have on a 45-rpm record that I have never forgotten. It was written in about 1959 for the campaign of John F. Kennedy, sung by Frank Sinatra (there are actually 2 songs on the record, but I'll just put in my favorite here): "Everyone wants to back Jack, Jack is on the right track, 'cause he has high hopes, high hopes . . ." Check the YouTube version with slides of campaign ribbons, etc.

What do you remember of a song that promotes or honors a President?

I've got them "Virus in my Computer" blues

2011-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have spent the month of February in a virtual limbo. It began with my email deciding to take a vacation. After much fiddling and trying plans B, C, D, etc., my dear husband finally figured out that my computer and the latest version of Thunderbird were not happy together. He reloaded the prior version and all my emails miraculously returned. But, in the interim, I had been reading (and trying to answer) them on my Evo - Sprint Android phone, which was quite unsatisfactory. And because my husband was experimenting with the phenomenon on various household computers, my email was getting downloaded on the desktop computer, his netbook, and my backup laptop, which rarely goes on line. Now I had emails spread throughout the house. I am sure I missed some, though we did try to get them all rounded up (yee-haw, get along little emails!). If I missed something from you, please forgive me an resend. I did find that Facebook made a rather efficient backup system, though archiving the emails is much less convenient.

Once the emails were back up and I was on the road, I contracted a mean, nasty virus. And I mean one with fangs! Good thing: I have a habit of backing up my materials on a regular basis so all my latest things were safely tucked away on an external hard drive in case we needed to have the laptop wiped clean. Yay, that wasn't necessary, but my "baby" had to spend a week at Staples being disinfected. And boy did they do an amazing job (and for a more than reasonable price . . . glad I wasn't paying them by the hour). The laptop is home again. I run a virus scan on it more often than ever, and I am being extra careful. I am sure I opened something that let the bug lose in my machine, and it could have been at any time (some of them have "time bombs" so that when they are released, it is days or weeks past the time they were initially downloaded).

So, after about a month of singing the "I've got them virus in my computer blues," I am now singing a happier song, but working on more lyrics for something to unveil at a later date. I hope my friends in cyber-land proceed into the rest of this year virus-free and backing up their data over and over on various forms of media and in various locations (if your house catches on fire and takes your computer and all the backups with it, where are you then?). I use 2 external hard drives, flash drives, and an off-site service.

Tomorrow: I shall share an old campaign song.

Countdown to St. George Family History Expo - 1 Week

2011-02-18T10:50:00.000-08:00

In a week, I will be nestled in with the bloggers at the Blog House in St. George. I wonder what I will have to share from there. I know that I will be asking a bunch of questions as I am still in a quandary about how to use Twitter in my business and personal life. I also look forward to sharing ideas with the other bloggers, most of whom have blogs dealing with genealogy. This is a wonderful way to share information on genealogy tips, finds, warnings, etc. And, guess what: IT'S FREE! (Yes, I did mean to shout.) These amazing people are interested in helping other genealogists (even the earliest of beginners) set up their own blogs to further their research on contact with others. So if you plan to attend the Expo in St. George, come to the Blog House for blogging hints & helps.

Now, if you want to attend the event but are not interested in the classes (hard to believe, but some people wish to network and shop), the entire exhibit hall is FREE! (That's my favorite price.) And some other experiences there will also be without cost. Here, for those who share my love of free, are some examples:

RootsMagic will be there demonstrating all their products and running "mini-classes" in the exhibit hall (no charge). The staff there will also do one-on-one help if you are having any problems with your RM program. A more helpful group you will not find anywhere, plus the products are absolutely amazing! Come learn.

FamilySearch will be there with many computers that you can personally access and get one-on-one assistance to learn all the latest and greatest from that FREE resource. If you have not been on FS in over a month, I promise you that you have many exciting surprises awaiting you.

Ask the Pros will again be available - a chance for you to get individual help for your particular genealogy problems. Stop by their booth to see what times the various experts will be available to assist you . . . for . . . FREE!

Confused about how DNA figures into your family history research? Come check the DNA Consultants booth and ask your questions. This could be just the way to go to break through the brick wall. Of course testing costs, but asking questions of their experts is FREE!

Many local and regional genealogical and historical societies will also be on hand to acquaint you with their organizations (another great way to network is to join these groups).

How about organizing and displaying your family history? Are you confused about how you might go about that? No problem! Just check the many options there in the exhibit hall (in order to avoid missing any of these, I will just suggest you click on the image above and then go to the exhibit hall listing). There are so many options to choose from and here you have a chance to compare them virtually side-by-side, and ask questions as you do so (something that could take hours or even days if you relied on going to Internet sites and emailing your inquiries). Here you can do it in a fraction of the time and all for . . . F*R*E*E!

Other exhibitors are going to be on hand to show you their services and products. Suggestion: while advice and consultations are free, those wares are not, so be sure to figure your budget in advance! For me, it's like being a kid in a candy store!

And don't forget to stop by and say "hi" to me . . . I'll be at the Blog House a lot!

St. George Family History Expo Countdown - 2 weeks

2011-02-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

Only 2 weeks and genealogists from all over the country will be converging on St. George for the Family History Expo. As at the Mesa Expo last month, I will be accompanied by a couple of friends who are expert at translating German (current or from centuries ago) and they will be there to assist people in understanding documents, letters, or other German records.While they can only do short things at the Expo for free, they will be able to take longer documents with them to do later and then email them to folks wishing their service. Their rates are reasonable and their skill and thoroughness is amazing! If they aren't at the "ask the pros" table, find us over at the Blog House.

Links for the Expo are on previous blogs (my computer, with all my graphics, etc, is at the computer hospital so I am writing this on my husband's baby computer with its keyboard that is missing three keys - good thing I learned the "touch system" in typing class in Junior High).

Hope to see you in St. George and tell your friends!

Countdown to St. George Family History Expo - 3 Weeks

2011-02-04T11:19:00.001-08:00

My turn. A little self-promotion never hurts. Today I want to cover what I will be presenting at the St. George Family History Expo on Jan. 21-22. On Friday, I'll be discussing Music and Our Ancestors and On Saturday I will be presenting Clue to Clue and Who is That? Here are the details:

Friday, 4:30-5:30pm, Class #50, Sunbrook C -
How the Music and Instruments of Your Ancestors are Relevant to Family History Research

Most people don't think of the entertainment activities of their ancestors as being relevant in genealogical research, but it certainly is for those who want to delve into family history - learning the various aspects of the family dynamics. Just as music is important in our lives today, so it was for our multi-great-grandparents. What music was common in certain regions? What types of instruments were played and songs were sung? How does one find out about these things? Is there a way to learn about your ancestor's music life even if no artifacts remain (i.e., no instruments have survived)? This program will answer some, if not all, of these questions; give the researcher new things to search and look for; and shed some light on that other part of the ancestors' lives. Researchers of all levels are welcome.

Saturday, 11:00am-noon, Class #81, Sunbrook C -
Who is That? Why Did Your Ancestor Associate with Apparent Strangers?

I examine those "other" people who seem to appear on records with our ancestors. This includes people on census reports who live in the same home as our forebears, people who sign as witnesses on various documents, and people who are buried in our family plots. Why are they there? Were they related? Friends? Or just people who ended up associating with our families? We will consider different ways to research these people and learn how/if they are connected. These research processes can often shed light on other family members. Good for most levels of research, especially if this has not been a method you have used before.

Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, Class #91, Sunbrook C -
Clue to Clue: Tracking a Family Across Time and Miles

I examine the step-by-step process of researching a single family as they moved from place to place throughout their lives, from 1828 through 1893, and covering 1500 miles in their moves from New York to Michigan to Iowa to Tennessee to Texas. Using a variety of records, including census schedules (Federal and State), city directories, church documents, interviews, land records, cemetery records and tombstones, newspaper articles, County websites, and more, those in attendance should go away with some new research ideas, even if their ancestors did not live in any of those states. This is good for beginning to intermediate researchers. We have a lot of laughs as we look at the different records, comparing them to family stories, etc.

So there you have it - my offerings for this special event. Click on the icon above to access the full schedule of all there is to learn. In the next weeks we'll look at what the exhibit hall will include and some specifics about some other presentations.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Songs to Celebrate Special People

2011-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

Every year, sometime before the end of January and the beginning of February, I open my home to fans of Pernell Roberts. We visit, learn about each other, watch videos of our favorite actor, and eat way too much. It is a merry time. This year we have felt the loss of this talented thespian: he passed away just over one year ago. While tears have been shed, we have spent more time celebrating his life, enjoying the fact that he left such a wealth of television and movie appearances from the mid-1950s till the end of the 1990s, many of which are now on DVD.

Missing a loved one is not something unique - most of us can identify with the feelings of loss, often mixed with the feelings of being blessed for having that person (or those persons) in our lives. It is important to celebrate those special people who have touched us. These people might be ancestors, close relatives, friends, or even people in celebrity status.

So here's the Singalong Challenge: A song that reminds you of someone no longer living, but that reminds you of that person in a positive way. And share why it is a special song in that way.

Since I am currently sitting here with fellow Pernell Roberts admirers, I would have to select a song that reminds me of him. An old English ballad called "Early One Morning" was one he sang on Bonanza as well as in a brief scene on Diagnosis Murder and recorded on a Bonanza cast album. In one of our last visits, we sang it together, giving me a lasting memory of a special time. To hear this song, check the YouTube recording of our local high school chorus - the Corona High School Madrigals - as they performed it in 2008.

Your turn - a song that reminds you of a special person, no longer living. It can be a listing of the lyrics, a link to the lyrics, an MP3, or a YouTube recording.

Countdown to St. George Family History Expo - 4 Weeks

2011-01-28T20:04:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that only 4 weeks from now I will be rejoining many of my genealogy pals in St. George, Utah for the 5th year (of their 7 years doing this). The new website for the organization can be enjoyed by clicking the logo above.

To learn what is happening throughout the event, click on the logo below, but for those who are accompanying their genealogist family members but are not interested in family history research themselves, see further down for some ideas of what to do in the St. George area.

Inside the Dixie Convention Center is a most amazing museum! The address of the conference center is 1835 Convention Center Dr., St. George, Utah 84790. The Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum gives us all a reminder of the fragile nature of our world. As you walk through the museum it is as though you will be experiencing the different parts of nature first hand. An interactive children's section will be of particular interest to the young people in your family. There is also a wonderful gift shop where books, photos, games, and other educational items can be purchased to allow the experience of the Rosenbruch museum to continue long after the weekend is over.

For those looking for a change of scenery, a hike, or an opportunity to get away from the city, Zion National Park is about 40 miles from St. George. The weather may be a little cold yet there, but the park is a great place to enjoy nature, no matter what the climate.

Check with the St. George Visitors' Website to find more things to keep people busy even if they are not genealogists. So bring the family with you, enjoy the atmosphere and the less harsh winter weather than much of the country will be experiencing, and experience a fabulous genealogical event. More on that last in the weeks to come.

Family History Expos!

2011-01-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

At the Mesa Family History Expo right now. Great classes. Great music (yup). Great people. Great fun. It has met expectations. But already we are counting down to the St. George, Utah Expo the end of February - 5 weeks from this weekend. Are you planning to attend? As with all the Expos, there are lots of exciting events, exhibits, and speakers planned. In the coming weeks, I'll give more details on what is scheduled, other things to do in the St. George area, a set of classes for beginning genealogists, and a run-down on the presentations I'll be doing. Meanwhile, if you are nearby or able to travel, it's well worth the time and money to attend!

Countdown to Mesa Family History Expo - 1 Week

2011-01-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

One week from today I will be enjoying the company of genealogists from all over at the Mesa Family History Expo. What an exciting event. I love going to Arizona because it means I get to see family, but besides that, at least for people in other parts of the country, the weather is amazing and the opportunity to get out of the snow, even for just a couple of days, is not to be missed.

So what am I looking forward to, besides the things I mentioned in previous posts? Well, there are many classes I would like to attend, but I know I will also be spending a bunch of time in the exhibit hall, hanging out with some of my blogging buddies (Booth 321). I will also be checking out what's new with RootsMagic (Booths 201, 203, 300, 302). Of course I want to get the latest from FamilySearch (Booths 101, 103, 105, 200, 202, 204) on all the changes going on over there and check in with Lisa Louise Cooke and all she's up to with Genealogy Gems (Booth 205).

There are also a number of vendors there to introduce us to different ways of displaying, sharing, and maintaining our family history information, experiences, and treasures. If you are looking for help in organizing your genealogical finds, you are likely to find a number of options to make your task less overwhelming.

I'll be hanging out with those bloggers and the Ask the Pros (Booth 317) much of the time (as well as doing the classes I mentioned a couple of weeks ago). If you are there, please come by to say "hi"! I would love to meet all my blog readers (eventually). And for all who are traveling in from faraway, safe travels! See you in Mesa.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Beginnings

2011-01-09T17:46:00.000-08:00

I am well aware that we are over a week into the new year . . . I am almost used to writing 2011 on things. However, it still feels as if the year has just begun. Beginnings are part of all aspects of life. We begin new adventures - classes, jobs, hobbies, trips, etc. And our lives also include less public beginnings - embracing new philosophies, starting a new book (writing or reading), diets, etc. Then there are the beginnings that we don't realize have been part of our lives until we've passed the beginning stage (I once mounted a few pictures in a creative way and before I knew it, I was a scrapbooker!).

So, how about a song about beginnings (starting something, the initiation of an activity, etc.). Use your imagination. It can be an older song, but it can also be something more contemporary.

How about the beginning of the end? I love Bob Gibson and Dave North's song "Let the Band Play Dixie." It talks about the new beginning the US experienced when the Civil War came to an end. President Lincoln devised an ingenious way of starting the mending process and it is immortalized in this song. Here is a YouTube recording of Bob Gibson (1931-1996) singing this song that was written for the play The Courtship of Carl Sandburg. Check it out!

Your turn - a song about a beginning of something, etc. Just the title is enough, but a link to lyrics or MP3 or YouTube also works. Let's start the year with lots of music!

Countdown to Mesa Family History Expo - 2 Weeks

2011-01-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

It can certainly be difficult to break through brick walls that involve foreign languages. I know people who have tried to learn Italian or Polish or Spanish just to find out who their ancestors are. Are you one of those? It certainly can be frustrating, can't it? Well, if your brick wall, or maybe just minor missing details, involves a language you can't read, it certainly puts up a barrier.

Yes, you can take the letter or document to the fine folks at the Family History Library in Salt Lake, and they will translate the material for free, but only up to a point. I had close to a dozen letters, written in German, telling all about the family that had remained behind in Bohemia in the mid- to late-1800s. I could read some names and dates, but not the specifics (who did what on a given date). Various translators either could not read the old Gothic script or charged me a fortune to decipher (all well worth it, I must add). Then I met Julia and Gina Raddatz - two young German natives who could read the script, translate the information, and help place the data into historical context! I think I have died and gone to Heaven. I have added a couple of people to my family tree plus gone back another generation and learned the death date for my g-g-g-grandfather (along with the specifics of his last day on Earth).

If you are coming to the Mesa, AZ Family History Expo and would like some German to English (or English to German) translation help, these two young ladies (who work together to come up with their translations, sometimes doing it "double blind" for accuracy) will be at the "Ask the Pros" booth to assist for free. And you don't even have to pay for the Expo experience to enlist their help. If a translation job is longer than they can do at the time, they will provide you with contact information so you can get the work done (for a fee) at a later date (they will have a scanner set-up there for the convenience of scanning documents to translate after the Expo).

So bring your German documents, letters, cards, etc. to learn what really happened with your family in the Old Country! And plan to have a great time in Mesa.

Countdown to Mesa Family History Expo - 4 weeks

2010-12-24T19:10:00.000-08:00

The Mesa Family History Expo is only 4 weeks away. Here we are on Christmas eve and celebrating the birth of our Savior. We are also planning for the trips in the New Year, as well as resolutions for the next 12 months. Is one of your resolutions to work on your genealogy? Here is the perfect start of 2011: a place to get your genealogy resolutions off the ground while rubbing elbows with some of the best in the business. All that and a FREE exhibit hall (more on that next week) with lots of opportunities to improve your family history research. Check out Family History Expos for more on this event.

Treasure Chest Thursday - The Hibben Home Creche

2010-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

My creche is mostly composed of my wolf figurines with my mother's family's nativity set (which she had in our home while I was growing up). It gives me a peaceful feeling to see the old with the new and know that traditions from my childhood and my mother's live on in my home.

Tombstone Tuesday - 21 December 2010 - Helen Lorentzen Clayton

2010-12-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Helen LORENTZEN CLAYTON, the sister-in-law of my great-granduncle, Heinrich (Henry) Ignatz TRAPSCHUH, born 15 July 1864 (probably in Canada) and died 22 December 1892 (108 years ago tomorrow) in Wisconsin, buried in Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Hoping that posting this may connect me to my relations from that branch of the family. Henry and his wife, Margaretha (May) LORENTZEN TRAPSCHUH, divorced after having 2 children. Henry moved to Minnesota and remarried. Margaretha stayed in Milwaukee. I know nothing of their relationship.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Songs of the Season - The Birth of our Savior

2010-12-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

It is the last Sunday of Advent. This coming Friday night is Christmas eve, when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. There are so many songs, hymns, and carols that celebrate that event. Surely you have many favorites, so share one here.

One of my favorites is "Infant Holy" - it's a simple song and I love the version on the recording "Twas on a Night Like This" (discussed a couple of weeks ago. But here is a YouTube version with a lovely background video, the song performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Enjoy the experience.

So now it's your turn: Share the lyrics, title, or link to a favorite song that speaks to the birth of our Savior, the reason we celebrate this time of year. Let us not forget the Reason for the Season.

Merry Christmas to all my followers, and to anyone who just stumbles on this post.

Mesa Family History Expo Countdown - 5 weeks

2010-12-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Only 5 weeks until genealogists from all over the country will converge on Mesa, Arizona to enjoy the Family History Expo and learn new ways of researching their family trees. Last week I discussed the various things people can do while visiting the Phoenix area. Today I want to suggest a schedule for those who are beginning genealogists. Now, these are not the only choices for beginners; in fact, if you have some specific areas of concern (ethnic genealogy research, software interests, etc.), then I wouldn't suggest this list. But if you are new to genealogy and have no idea what to "take," this schedule might be helpful:

Friday
10:00 am - Putting the Flesh on the Bones - Ron Arons
11:30 am - Juicy Family History: 25 Ways to Write Compelling True
Stories - M. Bridget Cook
1:30 pm - Who is That? Why Did Your Ancestor Associate with Apparent Strangers? - Jean Wilcox Hibben
3:00 pm - In the Beginning – Just Getting Started - Betsy Frith Gottsponor
4:30 pm - 7 Habits of Highly Successful Genealogists - DearMyrtle

Saturday
8:00 am - State and Territorial Censuses & Substitutes, Additional Names for U.S. Genealogical Research - Leland Meitzler
9:30 am - I LOVE Libraries: Using Libraries for Your Genealogy - Gena Philibert Ortega
11:00 am - United States Immigration Overview - Jason Harrison
1:00 pm - Little Known Facts About the U.S. Census - Shirley Gage Hodges
2:30 pm - Keeping Your Genealogy Computer File Clean - Janet Hovorka

Treasure Chest Thursday - Holiday Books

2010-12-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

My Christmas book display - many of these have been in my family for generations. I appreciate that my ancestors hung onto them.

Happy holidays.

Monday "Mum-along" with Circlemending

2010-12-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Since I was busy yesterday (Sunday) dealing with computer email problems, I never got the Singalong blog posted, so today I will suggest a Mum-along. The Mummers were the folks who took holiday music to the street when Cromwell banned it from the Church (1600s). While many mumming songs have become our regular Christmas carols (from the French carole meaning "ring" - songs that would accompany dancing, usually those performed in a circle, or ring), I thought it would be interesting to see if others like mumming songs as I do. Sometimes they are songs sung as rounds (another form of ring), sometimes they are songs that simply express the joy of the season. One verse resembles the previous, with just simple changes, encouraging people to sing along.

While the mummers usually did their plays and music in disguise (possibly so that Cromwell's people would not recognize them, saving them from the stocks), we sing them around the piano, fireplace, or even going door-to-door. They often wish happiness and health to the household they visit, suggesting a prosperous New Year. They also often ask the householder to give them some food, drink, or even money in exchange for those wishes.

One of my personal favorites of the mumming songs is named for the punch - wassail - that is also part of the holiday (read more about that at Wikipedia, and check the companion article on wassailing, the focus of the song I include here).

Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wandering, so fair to be seen,
Love and joy come to you, and a Merry Christmas too,
And God Bless you and send you a happy New Year,
And God send you a happy New Year.

(See the full set of lyrics here). On YouTube, there is a wonderful instrumental by The Canadian Brass and a vocal by the Strathroy Chorale, among others.

One of my favorite renditions is on the Caroline & Sandy Paton recording "'Twas on a Night Like This" available from Folk-Legacy.

I recorded a version a couple of years back that can be heard or purchased (as a CD of Holiday Songs) from CDBaby.

So what songs on this type of theme are your favorite of the season? Share lyrics, links, or just titles here . . . and maybe sing a few to add some merriment to the holidays.

Mesa Family History Expo Countdown - 6 weeks

2010-12-10T11:57:00.001-08:00

It's time again to start counting down to a Family History Expo. This one is taking place in Mesa, Arizona. It's the third time they have held one there and I'm proud to have been asked to present at all three. I am looking forward to being involved again, not only because it is an honor, but because it is my husband's home state. He was raised in Tempe, a descendant of some of the first settlers of the region. Every time we go back, he tells me where the city "used to" end and what had been in place of the freeways and sky-scrapers when he was growing up! I've heard it all so many times that I think I can run a tour now. Speaking of that, I thought I would let you know what other sights await if you plan to attend the Expo.

I don't know how many times I visited the Phoenix area before we finally took a trip to the zoo. What a great place! This is especially nice if you are a genealogist with family members who don't care to spend their day learning how to dig up the dead. They can leave you at the convention center and head over to the Phoenix Zoo, one of the 5 most kid-friendly zoos in the country. Take the Safari Train around the grounds to get the lay of the land, then exit wherever you want to focus some time (this zoo is too large to properly visit in just one day).

A few years ago we had a family reunion in Papago Park. What a great place! Providing the weather is being nicer than it was last year, this is a wonderful location for a picnic, hike, and visit to the botanical garden. Read some park reviews here.

Every year we attend a folk festival in March, held at Sahuaro Ranch Park Historic Area in Glendale (just outside Phoenix). The grounds are amazing - sort of a pioneer town with all sorts of exhibits and historical information. This is a kid-friendly place that is bound to be interesting (with all sorts of birds wandering around the orange groves that surround the property). Visiting is free. Check here for information and exact location.

If you are into shopping, Scottsdale is a wonderful place to just wander and browse (but watch your pocket-book, some prices are steep). There are some art galleries there that have some incredible pieces, especially featuring Southwestern art. Frank Lloyd Wright wintered in Scottsdale, so you can bet there is some of his work to view. Check this site for more information.

What if the weather is "normal" for January (rainy, cool, blah). No problem, there are other options. Since you are at the base of the Superstition Mountains, why not learn about the history of that area. It is not recommended that you take off for a hike in those mountains, unless you are an experienced hiker, but the next best thing is the Superstition Mountain and Lost Dutchman Mine Museum. Learn about the early legends of the area for a very minimal charge and no danger of falling or getting lost.

More Arizona Museum links can be found here: youth-oriented exhibits, natural history displays, modern marvels museums, etc. Even if the weather is a bummer, your visit to the Phoenix area need not be.

Hungry? Well, that happens. This is a college town, you know, so there are plenty of fast food joints, bistros, health food eateries, and specialty cuisine restaurants. Over the years we have found ourselves drawn to some of the same locations repeatedly. My husband's favorite (and it was his favorite when he was a child growing up), is Bill Johnson's Big Apple (if you see us at the Expo, be sure to ask him the stories behind it). There are now 5 locations in the Phoenix area so there's bound to be one near where you are staying! We also have come to enjoy Monti's La Casa Vieja Steakhouse in Tempe - the food is not cheap, but they give you a ton of it. Plus, you can split a meal and, if you pay $5 extra, they'll provide you with a second soup/salad, side dish, and bread serving for the second person - that is a good idea that I wish more restaurants would adopt!

So join us at the Arizona Family History Expo - click on the image below - and find out about "Old Dogs Learning New Tricks"!

Tombstone Tuesday - 7 December 2010 - Cleveland H. Sherman

2010-12-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Cleveland H. SHERMAN, born: 11 July 1884, died: December 1974
Buried: Spokane, Spokane, Washington

He was married to my 1st cousin, twice removed (Florence Luella TRAPSCHUH, daughter of my great-granduncle).

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Songs of the Season - Snow

2010-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

OK, I am reading Facebook posts by friends all over who are dealing with snow (some say they are enjoying it). I moved to So. Cal. to escape the snow of the Midwest, but I still appreciate snow - in photos. And in songs of this winter season. Many of our most well-known Christmas songs don't mention Christmas or even Santa, but they focus on the weather - the snow and/or cold.

One of my absolute favorites is called "Dark December" (click the title to access the full song lyrics) by Graeme Miles and some of the lines dealing specifically with the weather are:

Should we curse the winter, for being e're so dark?
When the sun is late in rising, but early to depart.
When the bitter northern winter winds freeze our very hearts.

cho) Oh, should we curse the winter? (3X)
And December most of all.

It's an old and obscure song with a haunting melody (I have recorded it, as have a handful of others). Just singing it makes me feel cold!

Any songs about the weather of the season? Share them here (some lyrics, link to lyrics, link to an MP3 or YouTube video, or just the title).

Your turn.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Thanksgiving, Part 2

2010-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I suggested songs that expressed gratitude in the lyrics. This week, let's consider songs about things for which you are thankful. There are many things in our lives for which we are grateful (I've been reading about such things on Facebook throughout this month and have been moved by many of the things that evoke feelings of gratitude in people).

I can think of a multitude of songs that deal with elements (ethereal and concrete) for which I am thankful. But probably the things that is a blessing constantly are the freedom and liberty we enjoy in America. It hasn't always been that way in our country and still is not in other countries. But even today we hear about people who have been brought to America as slaves - human trafficking. It seems inconceivable that such behaviors are back on these shores. It reminds me of a song from the Civil Rights movement but dating back to pre-Civil War days of slavery. I used this song as an example back in July, but will suggest a different YouTube version this time:

Alfred Street Baptist Church, Male Chorus, singing "Oh, Freedom."

Tombstone Tuesday - 23 November 2010 - Bayhnum Brooks Wilcox

2010-11-23T12:45:00.001-08:00

Bayhnum Brooks Wilcox, wife of my granduncle, Roy Edward Wilcox. Buried in Oakland Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.
Bayhnum was born 9 June 1886 and died 21 November 1978 (32 years ago Sunday). I never met her or her husband, though my grandfather idolized his older brother and was heartsick when he died (in 1965). They had no children. My father was named for Roy, who is buried next to his wife.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Thanksgiving, Part 1

2010-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

We are entering Thanksgiving week so I want to use that as the theme inspiration for this week and next. To start with, how about a song that expresses gratitude?

In 1968, I wrote a song for my friend, Pernell Roberts, which I was honored to sing for him twice in his life (once in 1969 and again in 2008). It expresses what his influence in my life did for me. I did record this on a CD a number of years ago (it is no longer available) and am planning to record it again in the coming year. Meanwhile, here are the words:

FOR YOU

For you, for always being there; for you, because you always care;
For you, you always understand; you are, to me, a special man;

chorus) Thank you for just being you; no one else could ever do,
What you've done for me; can't you see? Because of you, I'm a better me.

When I'm alone I see your smiles, I hear your voice across the miles;
I haven't seen you for a long, long time, but the mem'ry keeps me feelin' fine (chorus)

For you, every night I pray; I think about you ev'ry day;
You are to me a special friend; I know some day I will see you again (chorus)

copyright 1968, Jean M. Wilcox

Your turn. Share a song; lyrics (some or all, as applicable); a link to an MP3 file or YouTube video or the printed words. Let start the Thanksgiving week with a musical reminder!
(Next week: songs about things for which you are thankful.)

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Songs to make us feel better

2010-11-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

This week has been one of organizing and cleaning for us. Putting things in order can be a somewhat therapeutic activity for me. And while I was doing much of the work, I was playing music (not personally, I mean on the player). It occurred to me that perhaps I didn't needed to clean up to make me feel better . . . all I needed was to play some music. Of course, my office would still be a mess!

So, what songs make you feel better? There are so many songs that fit that description for me, but I can only choose one, so I'll select "Golden Slippers." I love the topic, but also the upbeat manner in which most people perform it. I found this version on YouTube that reflects these elements.

Is there a song or a tune that makes you feel better? Share some lyrics, a link to a YouTube or MP3, or just tell us the title - what song will help bring you up when you are feeling down? Or just keep a good mood going?

Treasure Chest Thursday - Veteran's Day Thanks and Remembrances

2010-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

My great-grandfather's GAR medal. He served in the Civil War from 1862-1865.

Thanks to all who served and are serving.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - The 5 Senses - Taste/Smell

2010-11-05T13:27:00.001-07:00

For this week's singalong, I thought I'd put two senses together: taste and smell (they often occur together, anyway). The sense of smell is the one most connected to our memory, so songs about smell are likely to have to do with remembering something.

At this time of year, when smells and tastes are so connected to the holidays, I thought it might be fun to see if folks would like to stretch their minds to see if they can identify songs dealing with these 2 senses. It took me a while, so I won't be surprised if the offerings here are limited.

Our friend Mark Witman, wrote a song - "Seven Thousand Feet" - dealing with the seasonal memories, including these lines:

"But here inside the house the smell of cinnamon and clove
Drifts from the apple cider out there steaming on the stove.
And the ponderosa kindling is just a-nibbling at the oak,
Flavoring the valley with the smoke." (c) 1991, Mark C. Witman

The imagery is perfect for a cold winter day.

So, as you start planning the smells and flavors for your holiday meals, see if you can remember a song that talks of such things. Then share it here (the lyrics or all or part of the song, a link to them or to an MP3 or YouTube video).

Response to Poetry/Song Challenge of Bill West

2010-11-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

My blogger friend Bill West, whose music and family stories tastes seem to run right along with mine, has challenged his readers to find poetry or song lyrics that are ancestrally related. Here are his rules and my responses to them:

1. Find a poem by a local poet, famous or obscure, from the region one of your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local animal.Or if you prefer, post the lyrics of a song or a link to a video of someone performing the song.

I love the option of "obscure," because that is exactly what this poet was. She was my grandmother and, even during the time I knew her (my early childhood) I think "obscure" would have been the perfect label. Her poetry usually was religious, but she often wrote poems to honor a friend, family member, or well known person. However, she had a humorous side to her and that would come out in odd ways in her poetry. Because this challenge is asking that the poem be about an event, person, or place, etc., I think that this particular piece (though not stated as being autobiographical, obviously was) fits perfectly.

2. Post the poem or song to your blog (remembering to cite the source where you found it.)

The poet, about four years before she penned this piece

Among my grandmother's effects were all of her writings. I took on the chore of transcribing all of her English works (I have yet to tackle the many written in German). So the citation is as follows:

Author: Pauline Elizabeth Miller
Title: "Going Home at Night"
Date: November 13, 1899
Location: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Source: Papers of Pauline Elizabeth Miller Wilcox in possession of Jean Wilcox Hibben, Riverside County, California

Oh, how many aching feet
Can be found at night,
When the street car is so full
And we're packed so tight.

Don't you talk about a seat,
Such a thing is rare,
As there's hardly standing-room
For the people there.

Some of them have stood all day,
And their feet do ache,
But to stand and hold a strap
That just takes the cake.

And the straps are up so high
That it is no snap
For a girl who's naturally short
To hang on a strap.

But the worst of all is this:
If some heavy form
Comes along and plants his foot
Right upon your corn.

Oh, what dreadful agony
We do have to bear.
But we're just compelled to pay
The same five cent fare.

3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's home or life.

Pauline Elizabeth Miller met my grandfather about ten years after writing this poem. Prior to their meeting at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, my grandmother lived in Chicago and had to take the street car to get to work (she was a stenographer). Her reliance on public transportation obviously was not always enjoyed, but her sense of humor, plus the need for her income to augment what little the family had, surely saw her through the worst of it.

During her adult, single life, she cared for her mother and helped to put her younger brother through school. She was a devout Baptist, besides attending Moody, in later years she worked for Paul Rader at the famous Chicago Tabernacle, doing secretarial work for him, still commuting by street car and, later, buses.

Pauline Miller Wilcox, in the early 1900s, Chicago, Illinois

Pauline was a short woman who had suffered from whooping cough as a young child. For some reason, her doctor had her wear a body cast and then the physician just disappeared (he may have died; no one is certain), leaving her body in the cast for many months, causing an unusual spine curvature which resulted in her small stature that probably would not have been her lot had the cast been removed in a timely matter.

Pauline (on the left) with her older sister Ottillie (they were only two years
apart in age and Pauline was about four in this photo, being after she
was out of the cast, but the damage was done).
Photo ca. 1883, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Throughout her unmarried adult life, Pauline wore shoes that were fashionable, in spite of the pain they caused her feet. As a result, she was plagued with foot problems so severe that, in later life, the podiatrist would make house calls. She always told me to "wear shoes for comfort, not fashion," and I have followed her advice throughout my life. These various details of her life are all expressed in this poem, making me believe that it is autobiographical.

Lee Alfred Wilcox, my grandfather, and Pauline, 1955, Wilmette, Cook, Illinois
(notice Pauline's stature)

4.Submit your post's link here to me by November 18th and I'll publish all the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 25th!

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - The Senses - Touch

2010-10-31T15:10:00.000-07:00

After a week + with a cold and bronchitis, I finally am back among the living. Just in time for the Sunday Singalong. Continuing on the subject of the senses, it occurs to me that there are a large number of songs dealing with touch. Whether it is a loving touch, a hug, or touching something, rather than someone, we are constantly using our sense of touch. And singing about it.

I have loved the old song "Bold Soldier" that can be found in some obscure music books (it's in an ancient Burl Ives pocket-book of songs that I have had since I was a young teen). The phrase, implying touch, "Hold your hand," is repeated a couple of times. It actually means to stop a moment, but sounds as if one is being physically held back. Of course, the song also involves a physical altercation - another type of touch. The Burl Ives version of the lyrics can be found here. But my preferred version is sung by Pernell Roberts and a YouTube of his photos, with "Bold Soldier" playing in the background, has been posted on the Internet.

Your song need not include all the lyrics - just the one about touch. Or make it a link to an MP3 file or YouTube video. Or just a title. Do tell why the song is one that you like. Remember, my grandkids have access to this blog, so keep it clean, folks!

Your turn.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - The 5 Senses - Hearing

2010-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we looked at songs that used references to sight or eyes (tackling the 5 senses over the next few weeks). How about hearing? I can think of a lot of songs that emphasize sounds - what about you? They don't have to be songs that our ancestors sang, but that's always a nice idea, reminding us that many of our songs have been part of our families' lives for many, many years.

A number of years ago Phil Ochs took the poem "Bells" by Edgar Allen Poe and put it to music. You can hear his singing of it on YouTube (though it is taken from the recording, not video of a live performance).

How about you . . . can you think of a song that emphasizes sound? I know there are a lot of Christmas songs that include that theme (just to give you a hint). Post the lyrics, just a verse and/or chorus, the title, or a link to lyrics or a performance of the song in MP3 form or on YouTube.

Have fun with this!

Treasure Chest Thursday - Dominoes

2010-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

We still use this set of dominoes . . . but have transferred them to another container to preserve the box. I love the graphics from this set, which has been in the family for close to 100 years!

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - The 5 Senses - Sight

2010-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I got another idea for a theme from listening to The Village on XM Radio on Friday: Songs about the Five Senses (to go on for the next few weeks). We will start this week with the sense of sight (references to seeing things, watching, or eyes). The older the song, the better (considering what our ancestors sang), but more contemporary pieces will work as well.

Share some of the lyrics, a link to the lyrics, just the title, or a link to an MP3 or YouTube.

My offering is found on the Traditional & Folk Songs site (with a MIDI file): "Copper Kettle" by Frank Beddoe. The chorus includes the phrase "Watch them jugs a-fillin', in the pale moonlight." I have fond memories of singing this song with friends and, while I am a definite non-drinker, I find the lyrics and melody to be soothing. Some of the history of the song and its meanings, along with links to recordings of it, can be found on Wikipedia.

Your turn.

Ancestral folklore challenge - are you game?

2010-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

What a great idea: locate poetry or music - the literature of our ancestors - that was from the geographic area of the forebear of your choice. Where is this contest to be found? On the blog of Bill West. I'm in for it (now to select the ancestor and the geographic location). We have until mid-November to find the entry, but let's not procrastinate. I can't wait to see what people come up with.

Let the hunt begin!

Treasure Chest Thursday - Card Carried by Charles Lindbergh

2010-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Miss M. Hollander" was my grand-aunt, Mary (Maria) Eva (AKA Mamie) Hollander.
What the circumstances were behind the acquisition of this card, I have no idea. It was among the Hollander estate items that ended up filtering down to me.

Treasure Chest Thursday - Froggy the Gremlin

2010-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you remember Froggy Gremlin, and the opening phrase "Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!"? My husband and I have argued about whether it is Froggy Gremlin or Froggy THE Gremlin, but, according to what I'm finding on the Internet, my husband is correct with his addition of the article and THE wins out (I hate when that happens).

When we were kids, my brother and I obtained this rubber Froggy toy (located at a rummage sale, where the large abundance of our toys originated). Problem: my mother bought it and gave it to her 2 children, 6 years apart in age (Bob is the older). When we were children living in the same household, this was not a problem, but when we grew up we needed to determine ownership (of this as well as a large number of books, records, and toys). The books were fairly easily "divvied up"; ownership of most of the stuffed animals was also fairly easy to assess (one or the other of us was usually given the animal originally and though we had "traded" stuffed animals throughout our childhood, we decided that original ownership would be the determining factor); most of the records had been purchased for my brother, so he got those, with the understanding that all would be recorded and we would each have recordings of everything; but Froggy was a problem. He had literally been given to both of us. So we decided he would make the journey between Illinois and California on an annual basis, taking the trip each Christmas. We'd each have custody for a year, then he'd get to move to the other household.

In about 1978, my brother sent Froggy to me with a note that he could no longer handle the travel stress and that he was to stay with me. By this time, his rubber body was feeling the wear and tear and was rotting in places, most notably, his left foot. So I got him a little protective "display case" and there he stays, enjoying a spot of honor in our "frog room."

An interesting addition to this story: in 1979, my brother came to California and visited me. We went to a swap meet and there we found, low and behold, a king-sized Froggy Gremlin (at least twice the size of the little rubber guy I had). My husband (who loves to barter) bargained the seller down to $25 to get the toy for my brother. Now we each have a Froggy and many great memories of the TV show and how we used to watch it together.

Were you a member of the Buster Brown Gang (radio & TV) or Andy's Gang (TV)? Well, then, "Hiya, kids; Hiya, Hiya!"

(Note: all links provided above are to different bits and pieces of Froggy the Gremlin history, for those desiring to wallow in nostalgia.)

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Place Songs

2010-10-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

Another week has sped by! I was pleased to be a featured speaker at the Chula Vista Family History Seminar yesterday, Oct. 2 (see Randy Seaver's blog for a full report on the lectures presented - mine and others).

On the way home from the seminar I listened to The Village (on XM radio) and a themed program of songs about places. I thought that would be a great idea for a theme for my own Sunday Singalong, so I am suggesting that you consider the many songs of geographic locations that you have learned over the years. Songs about places are not new - our ancestors wrote about the places they loved just as many do today (consider "Home on the Range"). The subject can be about a town, a state, or a general area (including a country or continent).

Most of us have a soft spot in our heart for a location that means "home" to us. I am from Wilmette, Illinois and was raised there from the ages of 1 to 20. No matter where I go, when I think of "home," I think back to those tree-lines streets (which were brick, back when I was growing up). But your selection need not be about your hometown (to the best of my knowledge, "Wilmette" figures into only one song - a piece by Chicago musician Steve Goodman, author of "City of New Orleans," who snuck it into the chorus of a song called "Lincoln Park Pirates" - well, there are 2 place names, though the former refers to a train, not the city).

Is there a song about a place that sticks in your mind? If so, share the lyrics here, or maybe just a verse and chorus, or just the title; or you can provide a link to an MP3, on-line set of lyrics, or a YouTube recording. But do tell why the song is special to you.

So here's one of my absolute favorites, which covers them all. It's by Lou & Peter Berryman who are known for their humorous songs that touch on subjects that most of us are familiar with but that we would never expect to find put to music. It is called "Your State's Name Here." I have been unable to locate a YouTube recording of it, but if you click on their website link here or Google them, you can find a number of other YouTube recordings they have done. Sure to make you smile, and that's one reason I love their material!

Your turn.

California Family History Expo Countdown - 1 week and counting

2010-10-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is it . . . the last week before we gather in Pleasanton at the Alameda County Fairgrounds to network, learn, share, and have a fabulous time addressing the topic of Family History. An entire two days of this . . . what more could we ask?

In the last couple of weeks, I have discussed the topics of things to see between So. Calif. and the Expo, what is free for those not interested in attending classes, what I will be doing there, and what topics will be good choices for beginners. Today I want to share some of the things that will be included in the exhibit hall. To read everything, check out the link on the image below, but to get my recommendations of exhibits to visit, scroll down further here . . .

FamilySearch: Need I say more? But there is so much . . . there are so many changes happening and about to happen at FamilySearch that this booth is a must if you want to understand all that is going on. Of course, they will also be sponsoring lectures on their resources, always available for free to the public. And there are always FREEBIES at the booth, so you must stop by this one!

Ancestry.com: Another booth and company that has a reputation that should not require additional explanation. Its recent acquisition of Footnote.com will surely be explained, especially for those of us with subscriptions to both. And did you know that Ancestry has a website with more to search than just census records? I just found an ancestor's passport application on Ancestry. How can anyone get very far in their research without Ancestry? And, of course, their representatives will also be giving presentations to help you navigate their website. (They also usually have some fun FREEBIES at their booth, so check that out, too.)

RootsMagic: This is my personal favorite software when it comes to organizing my ancestors in an easy-to-use method. Bruce Buzbee provides personal attention to RM users. He will walk you through one-on-one or instruct you in the lectures he will present . . . either way, there is no excuse for not becoming a self-sufficient RM user in short order. (Check out his FREEBIES, too . . . there's usually something fun that he passes along.)

While those are my favorite ones, there are so many others that will help you manage your family trees, network with other researchers, and add to your genealogy education that I cannot possibly list them all here. I will be spending some time in the Exhibit Hall, helping at the Southern California Genealogical Society booth and doing music (during lunch) in the concession area. Also, my CDs will be available for purchase at the Family History Expo booth, so be sure to check them out too (they have some marvelous t-shirts, genealogy-oriented stamps, and other fun goodies to tell people "I am a genealogist").

And don't forget to check on the door prizes that are always part of the Expos . . . watch for your name to be drawn!

Lots to see, lots to learn, lots to buy . . . see you in Pleasanton where my next blog in this series should originate!

Tombstone Tuesday - 28 September 2010 - Rosannah Stuyvesant Wilcox

2010-09-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

Rosanna M. Stuyvesant Wilcox, b: 11 November 1832, Watertown, Jefferson, New York; d: 30 September 1894 (116 years ago this week), Decatur, Van Buren, Michigan. Buried: Prospect Hill Cemetery, Paw Paw, Van Buren, Michigan.

Married to my great-great-grandfather's brother, Calvin Wilcox, on 26 October 1851, Watertown, Jefferson, New York.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - waterways

2010-09-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

It is time to share a song. I am listening to some sea chanteys while I write this so my mind immediately goes to that as a theme. Sometimes sea or waterway songs can give a person a sense of peace; sometimes the story is one of stormy seas and peace is hardly an aspect.

I have a fondness for Bill Staines's song "River" - it makes me want to find the closest river and just sit on the bank with my feet in the cool water, feeling the smooth rocks, and watch the sun go down. Do you know it? It's on YouTube (of course): Aileen & Elkin Thomas (one of my favorite musical couples) performed it with him at the 1987 Philadelphia Folk Festival (how I would have loved to have been there).

Or just read the lyrics.

Do you have a favorite waterway song? Share the title, some lyrics, or link to an MP3 or YouTube performance. Don't forget to tell us why it is a special song to you.

Music: the passion that holds our family together

2010-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I enjoy reading Orson Scott Card's weekly column in Mormon Times. Some people will be familiar with Mr. Card's writings in the field of Science Fiction and his award-winning Ender's Game, a great series, particularly designed for youth. I am not a big Science Fiction fan, but Mr. Card's work is not limited to that genre and his inspiring column often gets me thinking. Such it was this past week.

The column of which I speak is titled "Who are we as a family?" (Sept. 11, 2010). In it he addresses the issue of how families distinguish themselves from one another through various characteristics unique to them. He mentions his own family's love of the theater and involvement on both sides of the stage; all the children are active in some aspect of the field of drama. Mr. Card mentions another family he knows that has the same preoccupation with sports, and yet another whose members are all involved with video gaming.

I can think of families whose uniqueness is defined by their love of travel, boating, fishing, mountain climbing, etc. But it didn't take me even a half second to identify what our family's passion is: music (you thought something else?). But instead of looking at who is under our roof right now (that would be two adults and two dogs), I can look at each of our "kids" (all adults now, of course) and most of their children as well.

Our oldest daughter, Patty, and her daughter Miracle are heavily involved in a local choral group where they have weekly rehearsals and frequent performances. It binds them together as mother and daughter while challenging them in their singing. Miracle also plays the flute, has played the piano, and just announced that she also wants to learn guitar (Grandma is so very proud!!). But Miracle's younger sisters are also musical and when the three girls sing together it surely must make the angels stop to take notice. One of the girls plays piano and the other is about to begin learning violin. Patty herself has been involved in music probably since she began to talk. She instilled that love of music into her children (she also has six children from her first marriage plus two step-children). All of those kids were involved in singing at church, but two of them - Emily and Amy - attended a performance-based high school so singing, instrument-playing, and drama were a major part of their adolescence. The oldest of the Patty's offspring, Kirbi, was accomplished on the violin and then graduated to the viola when she was growing up. After leaving her school years behind, she continues in her musical interests, often being asked to sing in church. It is no surprise that she met her husband on a stage and his profession - a professor of music and drama - brings music into the household virtually daily (we visited them in August and were treated to Joe's wonderful piano playing, but missed hearing a song from Kirbi). When the two perform together you know that they are bound by a deep love of music. What a blessing. Patty's other children also enjoy music, but have not pursued it to quite that same degree - they have other, just as valid, passions.

Our son Quentin learned to play guitar when he was young, but he discontinued that when he went into the Navy. But he never quit his love for music - it has only grown and changed. His music tastes touch on everything from hard rock (or whatever it is called now) to classical. But, when he met his lovely wife Mary Jane, he was introduced to Country music (about which, in the past, he had been less than complimentary). Now it is just as likely that a C/W song will be playing in his home as a classical piece. (Well, with two young boys, it's most likely that the songs on the stereo will be from Sesame Street! And Quentin, who has an amazing voice, will probably be singing right along!) Quentin's older children, now adults, also are music lovers. Jenifer played oboe when she was growing up and became quite proficient at it.

Sandi, our daughter in Georgia, brought lovely music into our home when she took up residence with us when she was in high school and continues to do so in her home near Atlanta. She married a music lover, too, who enjoys playing guitar and banjo, accompanying Sandi and their children for some family music time. Sandi's children all sing (a year ago when they were here for Christmas they made a family holiday CD - the "children" - two will be graduating college this next year - have grown up harmonizing together). Three of Sandi's children have been in competitive choirs and her daughter Kati has been involved in an a cappella choir in college. They are all natural performers. I cannot imagine what there house would be like if music was banned from the earth.

Our youngest son, Max, has taken his love of music into a completely different direction. As a child he sang in the school choirs and often was featured as a soloist. But as an adult he let his interests take him into the world of providing music for others as a DJ. He is getting known in Austin, where he lives, and is frequently booked to do weddings and private parties. He is as comfortable with music from the 1980s as he is with that from today or his father's childhood. His is another home where music is often heard. His young step-son, Zack (age 5), is already showing a musical talent and enjoys singing and dancing.

So it appears that I am correct in saying that the passion that binds our family members together is music. But it can also be traced back to those whose legacy we carry on. My husband, Butch, has nurtured his enjoyment of music, having been taught to appreciate it at the knee of his grandmother. How far back in his line the music gene goes, I am not sure. Of course, my kids are all my step-kids, but how much is nature and how much is nurture? My music roots extend into both branches of my family. My mother's maternal grandmother had been raised in a household where musical performances were frequently part of the evening's events and the family had a conservatory in the house (in Bohemia) where entertainment was commonplace. My father's maternal grandfather was a musician and he passed that talent on to my father, who was truly a genius on the piano and organ (and any other instrument he elected to pick up). He had perfect pitch and was very particular about the sound that was emitted by whatever was being played. It made performing in his presence somewhat intimidating, but, looking back, that was not necessarily a bad thing. Unfortunately, my mother was tone deaf, though she loved music and even tried to sing along (until my dad would ask her to stop). Nevertheless, our family get-togethers almost always included some music time (and, yes, much of it was recorded).

Now in our home, with two adults and two dogs, music is just a natural part of most events. Whenever we have a gathering, music is generally at the center. I like it that way, though some may see it as strange. When we celebrated our 30th anniversary, Patty and her family were here, along with about 25 or 30 of our closest friends, and after about two or three hours of music (we sat in a group on the porch taking turns singing and playing folk music), my granddaughter Mikayla crawled into her dad's lap, sitting next to me, and said that she finally figured it out: "This is a music party!" (I think she was waiting for some other part of the party to start!) I told her it was the only party we knew how to have and she nodded and agreed that she liked it.

Thank you, Orson Scott Card, for reminding me of the passion that has been in my family long before I came along and that I have taken the responsibility of passing on to the next generation and the one after that. Is there a passion that has bound your family together from one generation to the next and the next?

California Family History Expo Countdown - 2 weeks and counting

2010-09-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that there are only 2 weeks left before we have our genealogy reunion in Pleasanton, CA. That's one of the things I like the most: getting together with friends and cousins to network, reminisce, learn, and create new memories. I truly love this group of folks and am honored to be in their midst.

But what if you are new to genealogy? Will you feel out of place? Will there be anything for you? I know that sometimes there is an assumption that everyone knows the basics and some of the speakers can approach topics as if everyone knows that an "M" on a census record may stand for "Male," "Married," or "Mulatto," depending on which column it is in. Sometimes, as speakers, we forget to be clear. Please, if that happens and you are confused, ask for clarification (ideally, wait until the end of the presentation, but if it's something that will make the presentation meaningless until it's clarified, speak up, especially if the presentation is advertised as being for "beginners").

That said, let me make some suggestions for beginning researchers to "fill your bill" of genealogy presentations:

Friday, 10 am - "Genealogy for the First Time" - Laura Best

Friday, 11:30 am - "Google Search" - Lisa Louise Cooke

Friday, 1:30 pm - "Best Strategies for Searching Ancestry.com" - Ancestry.com Staff

Friday, 3:00 pm - "FamilySearch 2010 and Beyond" - Gordon J. Clarke

Friday, 4:30 pm - "What Can I Learn from the United States Census?" - Debbe Hagner, AG

Saturday, 8:00 am - "Clue to Clue: Tracking a Family across Time and Miles" - Jean Hibben, CG

Saturday, 9:30 am - "How to Use Your Family Tree to Improve Your Health" - Jordanna Joaquina

Saturday, 11:00 am - "Facebook for Genealogists" - Thomas MacEntee

Saturday, 1:00 pm - "Using Timelines and Historic Maps in Genealogy Research" - Laura Best

Saturday, 2:30 pm - "How to Find Your Ancestors on Ship Passenger Lists" - Debbe Hagner, AG

Saturday, 4:00 pm - "Kiss Those Brick Walls Goodbye! Research Success Stories" - Holly Hansen

Please note: these are general ideas for beginners. If you are particularly interested in working with FamilySearch, then I would recommend you attend more of their programs; if you are working on finding an ancestor from a particular culture (Irish, Scottish, German, etc.), check out the offerings for those beginning ethnic research endeavors. Click on the image above to access the full schedule of the event to select what is perfect for you.

Next week I'll talk a little more about the blogging that will be part of the expo.

Treasure Chest Thursday - Iron dogs

2010-09-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you have one of these doorstops? I know that no self-respecting door would ever dare to close with one of these standing in the way. How did I end up with two? Well, they may have been separated at birth, but they were reunited out here in California about 15 years ago.

The first one (the one closest to the camera) is the one I grew up with - he stood in the cottage where my mother's family stayed in the summer. It was on the shore of Beaver Lake and I have fond memories of "playing" with this pup (good thing the floor was very solid). He used to have a leather collar but soon after I inherited him, it just rotted off (maybe it couldn't handle the change of climate from the humid midwest to the arid state of California).

Soon after moving to California I found myself spending most holidays with my first cousin, once removed (my dad's cousin) and her family in Riverside. There, at her fireplace hearth, stood an iron dog. I remarked about how similar it was to the one I had inherited from my mother's side of the family and when my cousin moved to Oklahoma, she called me aside and gave me the dog.

So now I have 2 iron dogs (neither one is relegated to door stop duty - they both stand guard on my hearth), one from each side of the family. Two more things to dust. Two more things to remind me of loved ones who have gone on to the next life. Two cherished pups.

Wordless Wednesday - 22 September 2010, Knoetgen/Strasser family

2010-09-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

Strasser Brothers

Julius

Andreas

Photos taken in early 1900s or late 1890s, Teplitz, Bohemia.
My first cousins, 3 times removed, related through the Knoetgen family of Teplitz and Bilin, Bohemia.

Their mother:
Fani Knoetgen Strasser, my great-great-grandaunt, died between 1896 and 1899 in Teplitz.

Would love to find living relatives.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - weather

2010-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

The seasons are changing. Or so they tell me (living in Southern Calif., the seasonal differences are not as pronounced as in the area where I grew up in Illinois). Nonetheless, we know that we are moving into fall just because our temps have dipped below 100 degrees!

Do you know a song that speaks of weather (changing seasons, specific weather conditions, a discussion of all types of climatic situations, etc.)? Share the lyrics or maybe just a verse and chorus; or provide a link to the lyrics on line (or maybe an MP3 or YouTube video). But don't forget to share why the song is significant to you (or why you zeroed in on that particular one).

My offering:

While I enjoy fall, I hate to say goodbye to summer. I love how summer days go into the evening (I hate to say goodbye to Daylight Savings Time). It reminds me of the blues song "Summertime." My husband loves to play saw to that song and it lends itself to that instrument. George Gershwin's lyrics can be found at this site, where you can make it a ring for your cell phone. Or check out Ella Fitzgerald's version on YouTube.

When I Googled the song, I was amazed how many different people have recorded this song - and in so many styles! I guess the feeling is essentially universal - "Summertime, and the living is easy." Ah, summer, I shall miss you.

Your turn.

"America's Heart and Soul" - Disney movie

2010-09-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

When you think of the "heart and soul" of America, what comes to mind? Some will mention jobs, others will bring up values, family, religion, freedom, etc. I think that some people will consider the vast differences in geography as one travels from one end of the country to the other. In fact, when we made our most recent trek across country, I paid special attention to the changes in weather and terrain as we went from west to east and back again. We could start a day in the desert and end in the plains of Texas; we went from mountains to flatlands in the space of a few hours. There was a lot of constant in the temperature (most days were over 100 degrees), but the change in humidity was dramatic from the beginning days of the trip to those in the middle.

However, how many of us think of the different types of music that are prevalent in the different geographic areas? Last week I saw an amazing movie (sort of by accident - just channel surfed and there it was): "America's Heart and Soul" (released in 2004). If you require your movies to have a clear plot and segues, this one won't be your cup of tea, but if you are interested in variety, types of people, a look into lifestyles, and (here is where I was hooked) a glimpse at different musical styles, this is just the film that you should see. No, it's not for everyone: there is no sex or violence or offensive language (can we really see an entire movie without any of that? What a shock!). For those of us who want to get a break from all that "normal stuff" we are bombarded with every day, then check this one out. This video can be purchased from Amazon.com (there's even a classroom version).

Why I liked it: the music. From New Orleans jazz to family and friends gathering after a hard day's work to swap fiddle tunes. The message that I took from it is that music is part of a normal life; it may not be the main focus of people's lives, but it has a role in making the hard stuff easier to take and the good times that much more enjoyable. And people don't have to play the instruments to enjoy them. So it continues to promote what I've been saying all along: music and families (those alive as well as those who have gone on before) are connected.

A less than complimentary, but very comprehensive review, can be read here.

California Family History Expo Countdown - 3 weeks and counting

2010-09-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

I think it's time to promote what I will be doing at the Family History Expo in Pleasanton in 3 weeks (Oct. 8-9). I will be teaching 3 classes, 2 on Friday and 1 on Saturday:

# 3 - 10am Friday - County Websites: An Overlooked Resource

Here we will examine some of the information available on the websites set up for genealogical research within the different County sites as well as how to determine what county a city is in (and was in) and how to find the sites themselves.

#33 - 4:30pm Friday - Shaking the Myth: Proving/Disproving Family Stories

Here we will discuss a method by which anyone can get an upper hand on determining the truth or falsehood of a family legend. It's both fun and educational.

#38 - 8:00am Saturday - Clue to Clue: Tracking a Family Across Time and Miles

This is one of my most popular programs; it is a case study of a family with descriptions of the methods I used to find them as they went from state to state over a period of about 50 years. There's a lot of humor in this one.

Plus, Butch and I will be doing period music (and maybe a few original pieces) during the lunch hour in the exhibit hall. Our CDs will be available for purchase from the Family History Expos Booth (#67-69). So come to the event, say "hi," and have a great time! (Click the logo below to get to the event website.)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Lotto game and story playing cards

2010-09-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Lotto game from my family's game collection. One person pulls the numbers and people put the little glass squares over the numbers that match. What makes this game particularly interesting are the playing cards (there are enough for at least 12 players). Question: Can you figure out what story is being told on each card? (Note: the stories are irrelevant to the game itself, but the graphics are great & the tales are timeless, thanks to the Brothers Grimm.)

1 -
2 -
3 -

4 -
5 -
6 -

Good luck!

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Home Sweet Home

2010-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

There's no place like home, right? On this 9th anniversary of the attacks on our "home" (9/11/01), we may feel even more connected to whatever represents home and security to us.

Having recently returned from a cross country trip, I recognize the comfort of having "home" to return to. Meanwhile, some of those reading this may have lost their homes - storms in the Central US, fires in the Rockies, and other disasters can take away that home and place of sanctuary in the blink of an eye. My heart goes out to them.

While we were traveling with our "home on wheels," we experienced a bit of homelessness when our vehicle broke down. This meant that our mobile comforts were temporarily lodged at a Chevrolet dealer in Nashville, while we had to find other accommodations. How wonderful that our dear friend Betty Joe Gentry opened her home to us to give us sanctuary until we could get our own "digs" back. The warmth of her bungalow in Tennessee was a perfect example of Southern Hospitality. We felt that comfort even while we were in our own distress, with various issues confronting us; home, no matter whose it is, can be balm to soothe the stressed soul.

Maybe when you hear the word "home" you think of the place where you grew up; perhaps you focus on the building or the group of family that makes up your current homeplace; or possibly you think in a broader sense: the city, state, or country that you call "home" or your ancestors considered their "home." Whatever the word "home" means to you, here is a chance for you to share a song that represents that concept.

The "rules": write a comment/post that includes a verse and/or chorus of the song, the entire lyrics, or just the title; or give us a link to an MP3, YouTube video, or lyrics of the song. But also state why the song is your choice for this week's Sunday Singalong.

My offering: "Who Will Watch the Home Place" by Kate Long. Many attribute the haunting lyrics to Laurie Lewis, whose recording is the best known, but Kate wrote these words that express the emptiness that is prompted when one has to sell the family home. There was a time when I was unable to sing it, having just cleaned out and sold the house I grew up in in Wilmette, Illinois;

but I have been able to reach beyond the emotional reaction and now enjoy sharing this song at various gatherings. It seems that, as we get older, the inevitability of having to experience this heartbreaking activity becomes more and more likely and many who listen to the lyrics nod and even shed some tears as they think of what is to come, or remember what they have, or a loved one has, gone through. Click on the title, above, to read the lyrics, or the house photo to hear Laurie Lewis's rendition of it.

Your turn.

A beloved uncle, a war, and a Dobro

2010-09-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

(Links embedded in the text below give the reader more information about the Dobro as an instrument and a piece of history.)

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Once upon a time, a young man fell in love with a young woman and they planned to marry.

This love story was interrupted by WWII, changing the course of history in general, and those young lives in particular. That young man, Curtis Lee Hudgins, is buried in Normandy.

But just before he left for his tour of duty that took his life, his beloved Dorothy gave him an instrument - a Dobro - that he cherished and played before he went overseas.

Curtis's niece, my friend Betty Joe Gentry, told me that the Dobro had been part of her family's household for as long as she could remember: her mother, Ila Hudgins Gentry, ended up with the instrument following the death of her brother Curtis. Betty Joe's "Uncle Curtis" was memorialized in their home because that instrument remained a constant reminder of his existence and the family's love of the fallen soldier.

Curtis was remembered in other ways, as well. Ila named her only son after her beloved brother (sadly, Curtis Gentry died just a few years ago and, like his uncle, left a grieving family behind).
And the United States government also acknowledged Private Hudgins's ultimate sacrifice:

I first met Betty Joe in 1973 when we both lived in or near Chicago. I was invited to her family's home in South Wilmington, Illinois (not far from Chicago, near the Indiana border) where I immediately noticed the Dobro, a 1935 collector's item, and asked who played it. Ila told me that, though she had played with it at one time, no one used the instrument any more; that it remained on display in the home in memory of her brother. I told her that if she ever decided to sell it, to let me know. She assured me that that would never happen.

Betty Joe and I lost touch after I moved to California and she left Chicago for other areas before settling in South Wilmington, where she was on hand to assist her mother when Ila needed help in her old age.

Through the wonders of the Internet, Betty Joe and I found each other again, about 25 years after our last visit. One of the first things I asked was whether her mother still had, and cherished, the Dobro. I was assured that it was still a fixture in her home (and she still was not interested in selling it). There it stayed until Ila was done with her journey on this earth, leaving Betty Joe and her sister to settle the estate. I got the call: Did I still want the Dobro? I assured my friend that the instrument would have a special home in my house where I would restore it and play it in my genealogy music programs. And so it has become one of my cherished instruments.

I have a tendency to "name" all my instruments; this particular one is no exception. Its name: "Curtis," of course.

But Betty Joe has not forgotten her uncle, or his namesake. She has a special memorial in her yard, with stones for all of her family members whose graves are not local to her new home in Cookeville, Tennessee (where she moved after her mother's passing). I spent a few days with her this summer and got photos of that memorial:

And Private Curtis Lee Hudgins's marker in particular:

Our ancestors (and many of their possessions) do not die when their bodies do . . . they continue to be part of the legacy which makes up our heritage.

(To hear the Dobro's unique sound, check these YouTube videos: Jerry Douglas, Martin Gross, and Ivan Rosenberg. These three musicians demonstrate completely different styles - blues, "old timey," and bluegrass, respectively. Enjoy.)

California Family History Expo Countdown - 4 weeks and counting

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

FREE STUFF:

In four weeks, we'll be up in Alameda County, reconnecting with a number of "old" friends and making new ones. For those who are interested in blogging in the field of genealogy, this is a great place to get tips, instruction, and information on why a blog may be something you should consider. (See booth #66 in the Exhibit Hall.)

Another special opportunity at this event is to get some special one-on-one help in breaking through one of your brick walls. (See booth #39 in the Exhibit Hall - email your request in advance to CaliforniaConsultation@fhexpos.com.)

My husband, Butch, & I will also be doing some musical entertainment in the Exhibit Hall during the lunch periods on both Friday and Saturday.

While I encourage folks to come and support the Expo (it's only with the financial support that these events are able to continue and spread throughout the country - the next after California will be in Atlanta in November), I have to add that the Exhibit Hall does not require Expo registration to enter; all the events, displays, access to vendors, etc. are FREE.

Also FREE is the keynote address, which will be given by Beau Sharbrough (title: "Let Your Light Shine"). Check out the rest of the schedule, registration information, and the many exhibitors by clicking the logo below.

In the upcoming posts I'll discuss some of the presenters and some of the exhibitors. Hope to see some of my blog readers up in Pleasanton next month!

Treasure Chest Thursday - the Toy Shelf

2010-09-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Remember any of these? These sit on the shelf in the "frog room" (the kids' room) at our house - nice and high and away from little fingers. Ah, memories.

Sunday Singalong with Circlemending - Work Songs for Labor Day

2010-09-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

For our Sunday Singalong this week (and I apologize for the omission of the last couple of weeks . . . we were on the road & I just had no energy to do much blogging), I thought we should recognize the holiday weekend: Labor is our theme. Know any work songs? Or songs about particular professions? Or just about working in general?

Share a song about this topic - a verse and chorus, all the lyrics, a link to lyrics, MP3, or download, or just tell us the title and reason it is a special song in your mind. Our ancestors sang about their jobs a great deal, even when some of those jobs were pretty rough and one would think they would prefer to forget them after a long day's work. I can think of songs about railroading, farming, whaling, and others. Personally, I have a fondness for songs about mining, and a particular appreciation for the song "Sully's Pail," about a coal miner who gave his life for his friend and work companion. It was written by Dick Gibbons (originally incorrectly written as Dick Giddons) and was recorded by Tom Paxton back in the 1960s on his album Ain't That News (now available on CD). I sing it as he did: a capella. It is one of those songs that, when you hear it, it sticks with you.

The lyrics, along with the updates re: author, background, and terminology, are provided at To hear it sung, with Tom Paxton's tune, by ThreeLegsoman, check Youtube:

Or check Tom's recording of it at (purchasable download).

An interesting thread about this song, its misinterpretations, and past wrongs being righted is detailed at Mudcat Cafe:

Your turn! Celebrate Labor Day by sharing a song of labor!

California Family History Expo Countdown - 5 weeks and counting

2010-09-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe I have not attended a Family History Expo in over 6 months . . . no wonder I feel withdrawal symptoms! I missed the summer events because of other obligations and distance, but I'm ready for this next one - and here, in our own state! California will have its own Family History Expo on October 8-9. For those of us in Southern California, the drive to Pleasanton (don't you love that name?) in Alameda County may seem like a bit of a trek, but the summer heat will be gone by then (at least I'm counting on it!) and the heavy traffic of the holidays will not yet have begun. From our house it's just over 400 miles (hey, we drove more than that in a day coming home from back east), and there are a lot of diversions that can break up the drive (enough to make it a 2-day trip, for those who want to venture off the I-5 and maybe go into the Gold Rush Country to check out that gorgeous part of the state . . . lots of really cool cemeteries to visit there . . . better add a third travel day if you plan to do that).

The actual location of the expo is 4501 Pleasanton Avenue, Pleasanton, CA and it is located just north of San Jose (ah - the Winchester Mystery House - another favorite of mine) and across the bay from San Francisco (the wharf, cable cars, and so much more). The expo is being held at the fairgrounds, which I think is a wonderful idea since fairgrounds have their own RV parks with full hookups (yay!) so you know where we will be staying!

So here is my first hype for the upcoming Family History Expo in Alameda County, California, just over a month away. If you have not yet registered, do so ASAP (unfortunately, it is too late to still get in on "early registration" - that ended on Aug 31, I am sorry to say). Check out the schedule, the exhibitor information, etc. at the link below. Hope to see you there!

Check back each week and I'll be filling you in on things to do in the area as well as what to expect at this amazing event.

Treasure Chest Thursday - Insignia for the USS Holland

2010-09-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

My husband turns 72 years old today. He designed this for the USS Holland, a submarine tender, back in his Navy days. We have it on our wall (the larger version is somewhere else . . . Butch was part of the commissioning crew for the Holland; his son Quentin was part of the de-commissioning crew for the same vessel so who knows where the plaque would be now!).

Happy birthday, Butch.

Music, music, everywhere!

2010-08-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

The genealogy conference in Knoxville, TN was a wonderful experience . . . I did a lot of networking, I met many wonderful friends (some of which were already "friends" via Facebook), and learned some helpful hints to further my business of being a genealogist, speaker, writer, storyteller, educator, and troubadour. Now to find the hours to put it all together. My husband Butch and I have had much to discuss as we have driven across the miles in our now-smooth-running truck-camper (see earlier blogs). My first task when I get home: set up a working schedule for my various projects so that I will not find that a whole day has passed and all I have accomplished is facebooking (is that a verb?).

While I was at the conference I made a special note of how music was a part of the conference. Earlier I blogged about Sheila Kay Adams and her marvelous performance, but there was much, much more. I attended two breakfasts, hosted by FamilySearch, and in at least one (probably both) presentation(s) given, the PowerPoint slides were augmented by (you'll guess this): music! In one program, they showed differences in research repositories in different states, so the music changed to match the venue discussed (we associate music with geographic locations).

The keynote address included music - and the audience got to sing along with the television themes for "Daniel Boone" (representing Kentucky) and "Davey Crockett" (representing Tennessee).

Of course, the use of music was prevalent in both evening events (I attended only one of these, as already mentioned, but my roommate told me about the other and showed me the photos she'd taken of musicians at the museum they visited).

There was music in elevators.

When I went to dinner with some genealogy companions, we were entertained by a busker (street musician) before we walked back to the hotel.

Music was everywhere! (And I am sure that there was a lot I didn't hear - on iPods and MP3 players with earbuds plugging the ears of the listeners.)

My point: music was also a part of the lives of our ancestors. They had their street musicians to entertain them. And music in the parlor when the day was done. And I would venture to guess that a number of them followed the admonition of the 7 dwarfs and whistled while they worked! It just seems that messages are clearer, tasks are less arduous, leisure time is more fulfilling, and getting from one place to the next is made more pleasant by the addition of music. (Of course, if you work in an office, you might want to keep that work whistling to a minimum!)

So here's a challenge: listen to the music you hear in a given day and make note of how many times (or how many different tunes) and places where you are exposed to songs and/or instrumental pieces. I'd love to "hear" what you discover!

Treasure Chest Thursday - Uncle Wiggily

2010-08-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

On the road again. I've been rather quiet because of the travel and visiting schedule, but we are spending the night in our newly re-engined RV in a WalMart in Mississippi. Quiet, peaceful. Time to think of a Treasure from my collection back home, to which we are heading after we visit our son in Texas. So here is just such a treasure, a favorite character from my childhood.

FGS conference, Knoxville, and Sheila Kay Adams - keeping the tradition alive

2010-08-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have been a fan of Sheila Kay Adams for many, many years (we met at a Summer Solstice Folk Music, Dance, and Storytelling Festival sponsored by the California Traditional Music Society back in the 1990s). What a pleasant surprise to find that she was the entertainment for last night's program, "Come and Sit a Spell," at the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Knoxville, Tennessee. Not only have the years been good to her (she looks as if time has not touched her since we last saw each other), her delivery is as spot-on as it ever was. This woman has a way with words that is amazing: she can tell a story with a straight face, acting as if it is just as common as anything for her son to also be her (distant) cousin. Sheila shares her stories of her hometown of Sodom in such a way that her listeners feel her experiences and get to know her many relatives (and it does seem that all residents of her village are related). Of course, we can dwell on the stereotypes of the hill people, but Sheila reminds us that these are people of strong stock and solid beliefs (many, many of them, in fact). We got to visit, with her songs and stories, the pioneers of this country that have helped to preserve the oral traditions and tales that bind us together in this generation. You may not have a family from the south, but the elements that connect Sheila's family (value systems, traditions, music, stories, shared history, etc.) are the same ones that tie our family circles together. Check out Sheila Kay Adams at her website, view her YouTube interview with David Holt, or hear her sing "Little Margaret" on YouTube. Get a sense of the mountain people and their traditions that remain alive even today, and hopefully tomorrow, too.

Treasure Chest Thursday - Trik-E-Shot

2010-08-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Wireless "video" game.
Hours of fun and no batteries to wear down!

The update of the incredible truck saga

2010-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, the trip continues. Blessings have been liberally sprinkled over the stressful events of the past few days.

As is told in my blog of yesterday, the memorial celebration of my g-g-grandfather was a ray of sunshine in a very gloomy trip (see earlier blog on the adventure on I-40 out of Nashville). But we set up something of a schedule for ourselves and now have plan B well in operation.

First blessing: our daughter Sandi and sons who helped make the memorial a successful event and one we will always cherish. It was she who secured a shade for us (105 degree temps and blistering sun were unrelenting . . . I still think it was preferable to rain), chairs for those in attendance, and water on ice for everyone! Afterwards, she helped us get all the food out of the RV and into an ice chest or in her car to take back to Atlanta where she would keep the frozen items for us to pick up next week (the cemetery was 2 miles from where the RV was awaiting service). Then she made sure her father and I had food (both of us were suffering from heat exhaustion) - having her sons (what troopers) take turns babysitting the dogs while we ate(what we could) in an air conditioned restaurant. What an amazing woman she is! Then we headed off to a friend's home.

Second blessing: my dear, dear friend from so many years ago I dare not say - Betty Joe (we were introduced by Pernell Roberts and his wife back in 1973). A woman who loves animals, and particularly our dog Buddy. She not only put us up, but our 2 pups as well, and then went beyond the call of duty by providing us with tons of food and then volunteering to dogsit while we ran errands over the next 2 days. She's in Cookeville, midway between where the truck sits in Nashville and where I am attending a genealogy conference in Knoxville.

Third blessing: a new friend, a Pernell Roberts/Trapper John fan (thank you Facebook) who invited us to come visit them when we finished up necessary business in Nashville on Monday, then took us out to a wonderful dinner and uplifting conversation. Nothing like food & friends to get one's mind off troubles.

Fourth blessing: my Ohio friend whose mutual love of Bonanza and Pernell Roberts brought us together many years ago. She is attending the same conference I am and when I called her, was told she had space in her room and I didn't even need to bring an air mattress! So I went from staying in a campground to being bunked at the Hilton. OK, not a bad blessing!

Fifth blessing: the Chevy service manager (who has never seen such an engine breakdown) assures us that the dealership will bring Butch back from returning our rental car to the airport, whenever that happens.

Sixth blessing: the many friends & family members who have kept up with our trials on this entire trip, making the pain of the news re: our Chevy truck just a little less painful.

The verdict is in: our Chevy Duramax Diesel (the engine that lasts forever and is more powerful than a locomotive) needs a new long block (translation: essentially the entire engine!). Now, this would make sense if we had 200,000 miles on it, perhaps (though these engines are supposed to make that with ease), but the 2004 vehicle has just about 120,000 miles on it PLUS we had the engine replaced at 68,000 miles! So this puppy has less than 60,000 miles to its credit. Now the first engine replacement cost us nothing since it was still under warranty; but there is no warranty on a failure of a replacement engine. This one's on us! (Oh, we do get the new engine warrantied ... for 5 years ... wanna bet we won't have it another 5 years? I mean, gluttons for punishment we ain't.) How much is a new long block? Ah, pocket change (for Donald Trump): $11,000+ !

Positive part: we may have the vehicle back by the weekend or certainly the first of next week.

Meanwhile, I am at the Hilton and Butch is at Betty Joe's place with the dogs. I even laughed about it today (or was I delirious?). I owe a big thank you to my Bonanza and Pernell Roberts fans "family" - they have nursed us through this from start to finish. And my genealogy friends who have provided many shoulders for crying upon. And an amazing family, willing to travel many miles just to make sure we are OK. And all those around the world who offered prayers for our safety, etc. (again, thank you Facebook).

More blessings: we are safe. Dogs are safe. Life is going on. There must be a reason for the trial, but I'll blog about that when I figure it out (note: may not be in this lifetime!).

Have a great day, all.

Tombstone Tuesday - 17 August 2010 - Remembering a forgotten grave, Nathan W. Wilcox

2010-08-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

A slightly different "Tombstone Tuesday" - about a tombstone that has been a long time in being placed and properly adorned.

Once upon a time, a Yankee, born in Oswego, New York and relocated to Jefferson County, New York, married the girl next door. That Yankee, Nathan W. Wilcox, son of Peter C. Wilcox and Mary Youker, moved with his bride, and later joined by the rest of his family, to Van Buren County, Michigan, where he commenced to work at his trade, the same one his father taught him many years before: carpenter, joiner, and architect. Michigan provided a wonderful frontier for his efforts, but this Yankee soon wanted a wider territory, where there was a great need for people with his skills. He moved his little family (wife and 2 children) to New London, Henry County, Iowa. There 2 more children were born, though one was buried almost as soon as she came into the world. And, within a couple of years, another child was on the way. Also on the way: the splitting of a nation! So Nathan W. Wilcox went to see the recruiting officer who came to New London and signed up, at the ripe old age of 33, to be an engineer in Lincoln's army. He also recruited about 20 additional men, though probably not all experienced builders. He sent the recruits on ahead while he awaited the birth of his latest daughter, bade goodbye to his young family, and joined the troops in St. Louis, MO - Nathan W. Wilcox became 2nd Lt. Wilcox of Col. Bissell's Engineering Regiment of the West out of Missouri.

In the regiment, Nathan distinguished himself as being one of the few who really knew his trade. He often was sent to other companies to teach and help the men in their efforts to build bridges, railroads, and roads; and then, when the battle was over, destroy those same transportation options to thwart the enemy's advances. (Meanwhile, back home in Iowa, another of Nathan's children died - only three remained of his five babies.) Nathan was advanced to 1st Lt. after the successful building of the canal to advance Union troops around New Madrid, Missouri and Island #10.

Nathan continued to be effective in his duties as an engineer and soon was promoted to Captain. But the war was nearing a crucial point and the Engineering Regiment was joining up with an Infantry regiment, meaning that the engineers would see more battle action and there would soon be a surplus of higher officers. Nathan requested discharge and it was granted, largely due to his poor health from the canal building (causing the men to stand in waist high swamp water at all hours of the day and night).

Nathan was in Nashville, Tennessee when he was discharged and he promptly went to work under contract to the government, doing surveying work. He drew battle lines for the upcoming Battle of Nashville and, later, he relocated to Knoxville where he helped to rebuild the university campus, virtually destroyed during the war (his brother came down from Michigan to help, too).

This is how a New York Yankee became a Tennessee resident. He sent for his family. Lost another child (to cholera symptoms) and fathered another. He designed homes. He helped rebuild the south, but not as a carpetbagger; as a member of the community. He lived in Nashville, Clarksville, Knoxville, and all over Franklin County. His youngest son followed in his father's footsteps, being involved in various aspects of building, and took him in during the Captain's old age. Nathan W. Wilcox died in Nashville in September 1891; he was buried in the "single graves" area of Mt. Olivet Cemetery where whatever grave marker he received disappeared a long time ago.

Enter me, ready to give this man, my g-g-grandfather, the recognition he deserves. On Aug. 14, 2010, with a small group of dedicated folks (it was about 105 degrees that day), we celebrated the life of Nathan W. Wilcox. His tombstone was provided by the Veterans' Administration and the good people at the cemetery placed the stone earlier in the summer so that we could gather around it and dedicate the grave.

In attendance: Capt. Wilcox's g-g-g-granddaughter, Sandra Dodge; his g-g-g-g-grandsons, Tyler Dodge and Brad and Drew Schmidt; his g-g-grandson-in-law, Lynn Hibben; me (his g-g-granddaughter); Abraham Lincoln (portrayed by Dennis Boggs); Kraig McNutt, a local historian who blogged about the event; historian Jim Swan; and, from Ft. Donelson Camp #62, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, bugler Chad Gray and Cpl. Nelson Hughes .

We began with the presentation of colors and flag salute by boy scout Tyler Dodge and, after an opening prayer, learned about the man we honored, sang "Tenting on the Old Campground,"

placed the GAR marker and flag by the stone (thanks to the Ft. Donelson Camp #62 SUVCW and Cpl. Hughes, above with me),

heard some moving remarks by Pres. Lincoln, and witnessed the grave dedication by Lynn Hibben, followed by the playing of taps, courtesy of Chad Gray. It was a moving experience and I am grateful to all those who came to honor my great-great-grandfather.

Sam Gant, of the Ft. Donelson Camp #62, SUVCW, sent me this email:

"Dr. Hibben planned and presented an excellent program for her ancestor, and, in doing so, remembered and honored a soldier of the Grand Army of the Republic whom we of the Fort Donelson Camp # 62 have pledged to perpetuate his memory. Capt. Nathan's basic military information and burial location shall be entered in the SUVCW Graves Registry."

All I can add is "Wow"!

(photos courtesy of Jim Swan & Kraig McNutt)