I'm Going to RootsTech 2018!!!

I entered a contest to win a 4-day pass to RootsTech 2018 on the Family History Fanatics website. I learned about the site when I took a webinar on Power Scrapbooking with Devon Noel Lee a few weeks back. If you have any interest at all in digital scrapbooking, I encourage you to check out the Power Scrapbooking Boot Camp digital download. Anyway, I entered. I crossed my fingers and....

Sharing My Master Toolbox

I did it!! I made a commitment to post every day for Family History Month and actually achieved it! As my final post this month, I want to share my Master Toolbox with you. Click on the link to open and view.

Several years ago I participated in Thomas MacEntee's Genealogy Do-Over. One of the tasks was to create a "Master Toolbox" of sites that I use frequently. Yes, I could add those sites as bookmarks. Yes, I could organize the bookmarks by category. But, I never do.

Here's a small screenshot:

Truthfully, I haven't added to this list in a while. I probably should review it for sites that have closed and/or changed their links as well. The spreadsheet that resides on my personal computer also contains the username/password combos, which is pretty helpful. The other nice thing is I can share this list with others.

I enjoyed this past month and hope you did too. Pretty certain I won't continue posting every day but I will try to post at least once a month. Now - back to my writing projects!! See you soon!

Genealogy for Kids

I was planning to report on the DNA Webinar I watched today, but the organizer postponed it until November 5. Click on the link if you're interested in registering.

Instead, I will share some points I learned from one of the webinars I viewed during today's My Heritage One-Day Genealogy Seminar. Actually, it was the perfect thing to do on this nasty, rainy day. I watched several of the presentations, but the one that resonated most with me was given by Jessica Taylor. Here is a summary of the points she made in "How to  Pass Your Ancestors' Legacy to Your Grandchildren."

For a good article on sharing genealogy with kids, see “The Stories that Bind Us.” The New York Times.


Ideas for sharing with the very young

• Have conversations - simply chat with the younger children about what your ancestors did or tell family stories. Relate daily tasks to what life was like "in the old days." An example was simply sharing with kids that we used to have wires attached to our phones.
• Create a simple storybook - Jessica provided a really sweet example of a storybook she created. She stapled a few sheets of blank paper together to form a booklet and wrote one simple sentence about the "featured" ancestor at the bottom of each page. The child then illustrated each page by drawing a corresponding picture. 
• Talk about foods and meals - a great way to instill memories of family traditions and the ethnic foods of ancestors.

Ideas for sharing with older kids

• Conversation - see above - conversations with older kids can be in more detail of course. Teenagers, in particular, may connect with stories of obstacles overcome. Resilience (a trait sadly lacking in today's teens, IMHO) is demonstrated as the cyclical nature of families is discussed. VERY simplified example: "We were poor. Then Dad got a great job. We bought a new house. Then Mom got really sick. Mom got better. Dad lost his job. But we made it through...."
• Books - self-published books about ancestors
• Watch shows - Shows such as "Who Do You Think You Are?" and "Finding Your Roots" are great to watch. There is a new web series, "Finding Your Roots: The Seedlings" which is geared to young people. 

Jessica stressed the importance of recording your own story (actually, she kind of begged.)  We often don't think about our stories, but we will become ancestors to our descendants. If we don't memorialize our own stories, we create the same scenario we face today as genealogists desperately trying to recreate the life stories of those we've lost.

All the seminar sessions were recorded and should be available to view by Tuesday on LegacyFamilyTree Webinars. Here are the topics:

• Google for Genealogy: Search Tricks to Tease Out Information
• How to Pass Your Ancestors’ Legacy to Your Grandchildren
• Introduction to the Use of Autosomal DNA Testing
• Advanced Autosomal DNA Techniques Used in Genetic Genealogy
• Filling in the In-Between of the Jewish BMD
• Jewish Family Research Challenges
• Discover Your Family History with MyHeritage’s Unique Technologies

So I'm NOT Irish - A Follow-up

As a follow-up to yesterday's post, I'm sharing the results of my DNA test.

I tested with FamilyTreeDNA way back in 2014. At that point, I was 100% Jewish. Their algorithms have become more refined since then, so now I'm only 98%!! 

Notice the big blue bubble over Europe? I used a red arrow to point it out in case it's not clear that ALL my DNA originates from that area of the world.

Just to be completely sure you understand that I am NOT IRISH, I placed the "NO" symbol over what, sadly, is the country I no longer can claim as part of my heritage. (Yes - I know the shape is over the entire UK as well. It's funnier when the symbol is so huge!)

Guess there will be no more jokes about me being a leprechaun. Yes, I may have blue eyes, freckles, and fair skin. And, yes, I'm only 4' 9" tall. But - NOT IRISH!!! Wonder what sort of tiny creatures they had back in olden Europe. 

So - a negative result regarding what I thought was my heritage. However, the test results may help me break through a long-standing brick wall. I uncovered a clue to the origin of my 5th Great-Grandfather, Moshe Jacob Samuel on the Synagogue Scribes website, which may mean he came from a place called. Aachen. Aachen is a town in Germany. It seems likely that he may have traveled from Germany (by 1795 when his son Lazarus was born) to settle in England. At least it's a crack in the wall I can now explore.

Here's the other problem:

I have 13,145 potential matches. Yeah - not dealing with that. Too overwhelming. I know the system works though because my sister Jeanne tested with FTDNA as well. But, other than her, I really can't figure out the best way to determine which matches I should follow-up. It's been explained to me many, many times. I'm the same with cell phone plans and health insurance policies -  just can't get my head around it. 

I'll be taking viewing a webinar on how to use the GedMatch website later today. I'll let you know if I'm any closer to understanding!

Family History and Me - My Family "Bramblebush"

As Family History Month winds down (Yay! I'm 28 for 28 posts!!) I decided to share why I started doing genealogy.

My family is a little bit complicated. My father divorced my mother when I was 7 and remarried three times. I have three full-sisters from his first marriage, a half-sister from his second marriage, and a step-brother and three adopted siblings from his third. He married wife number four late in life, so no children there. My mother remarried a man who had three children and then, together, they created my half-brother. So, essentially, I have 12 people whom I consider my siblings.

Add to that, my marriage to a man whose father married twice, creating a blended family of seven children and you can understand why I use the term “bramble bush” when describing my family instead of “family tree.”

Another characteristic of my family is that we are “semi-hoarders.” My mom always referred to herself as a “museum curator” to explain why she kept all of our various mementos. In her “collection” were family photographs, papers, and objects belonging to her parents, aunt, and uncle and both sets of grandparents. Everything was stored (and I use the term loosely) in cardboard boxes in her attic. I found these objects really interesting and wanted to learn more about the people who had owned them.

In July of 2007, my father held a family reunion in honor of his 75^th birthday. I suspected he had a hidden agenda behind his wanting to get the family together. As it turned out, two months after the reunion, we received news that Dad was suffering from pancreatic cancer.  Years ago, Dad told me about “Barney the Red” an Irish guy in our family. I always had a love for anything Irish. St. Patrick’s Day was my favorite holiday. I have fair skin and freckles. We named our children Caitlin and Meghan. Now that Dad was getting ill, I thought it best to find out more about his side of the family.

I began searching the websites and found Samuel family going back to 1824 in England. No Irish. The only “Barney” I found was my father’s grandfather, Barnett. He was born in Jamaica, New York in 1882 to John Samuel who had emigrated from Stepney, England in 1857. Not Irish.

In the summer of 2008, I traveled to Toronto to visit my father who, by then, was in hospice. I shared with him the results of my research. He was quite pleased with the work I had accomplished. I asked him about “Barney the Red” and his supposed Irish ancestry. His response? “Oh. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we’re Scottish.”

Ten years later I still have not proven my Irish ancestry. However, I have been able to trace back two more generations of the Samuel family to Moshe Jacob Samuel, the father of Lazarus Samuel (b. 1795 England) and grandfather of John.

Genealogy is the perfect hobby for me. It’s a great match for my personality. I don’t like to go outside. I love possessing little bits of curious information. I get totally invested in finding the solution to a specific problem. I love to write. But most of all, I love that I am making use of my mother’s “museum” and sharing the history of our family.

On This Day

I'm pretty proud that I have, so far, stuck to my commitment to post every day of October -  Family History Month. But, I must admit, I'm running short on ideas! Today, I'm posting a few significant events that happened on this date throughout the years. I ran the "On this Date" report from my RootsMagic genealogy software. There were a lot more entries. I just picked out ones that appealed to me.

Famous Births

1811 - Isaac Singer, American inventor (d. 1875) (I own an antique treadle-operated Singer sewing machine!)

1858 - Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1919)

1873 - Emily Post, American etiquette author (d. 1960) 

1896 - Edith Brown, survivor of the Titanic (d. 1997)

1920 - Nanette Fabray, American actress

1939 - John Cleese, British actor and writer

1940 - John Gotti, American crime boss (d. 2002)

1984 - Kelly Osbourne, English television personality

Famous Deaths

1990 - Xavier Cugat, Spanish-born musician (Born 1900)

1996 - Morey Amsterdam, American actor (Born 1908)

Historical Events

1275 - Traditional founding of the city of Amsterdam. (Interesting because we're traveling there this summer!)

1682 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is founded.

1810 - United States annexes the former Spanish colony of West Florida.

1838 - Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs issues the Extermination Order, which orders all Mormons to leave the state or be exterminated.(Wow! I never knew that!!)

1904 - The first underground New York City Subway line opens; the system becomes the biggest in United States, and one of the biggest in world.

1936 - Mrs Wallis Simpson files for divorce which would eventually allow her to marry King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, thus forcing his abdication from the throne.

1944 - World War II: German forces capture Banska Bystrica during Slovak National Uprising thus bringing it to an end.

1953 - British nuclear test Totem 2 is carried out at Emu Field, South Australia.

1954 - Benjamin O. Davis Jr. becomes the first African-American general in the United States Air Force.

1961 - NASA launches the first Saturn I rocket in Mission Saturn-Apollo 1.

1967 - Catholic priest Philip Berrigan and others of the Baltimore Four protest the Vietnam War by pouring blood on Selective Service records. (again - wow)

1973 - The Canon City meteorite, a 1.4 kg chondrite type meteorite, strikes in Fremont County, Colorado.

1988 - Ronald Reagan decides to tear down the new U.S. Embassy in Moscow because of Soviet listening devices in the building structure.

1992 - United States Navy radioman Allen R. Schindler, Jr. is brutally murdered by shipmate Terry M. Helvey for being gay, precipitating first military, then national, debate about gays in the military that resulted in the United States "Don't ask, don't tell" military policy.

1994 - The U.S. prison population tops 1 million for the first time in American history.

1997 - October 27, 1997 mini-crash: Stock markets around the world crash because of fears of a global economic meltdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummets 554.26 points to 7,161.15.

2004 - The Boston Red Sox win the World Series for the first time in 86 years. (Hope my husband, the Yankee fan, doesn't read this!)

Family Events

1918 - Burial: Ralph Samuels (my second cousin - four times removed)

2007 - Death: James A. Hardy - Jim is the father of Matt Hardy, the wonderful man who is married to our eldest daughter, Caitlin. Today, therefore, marks the 10th anniversary of his death. Had I not decided to do this post, I would have had no idea of the importance of this day. Jim died after battling colon cancer. If you want to do something really important today, consider making a donation to cancer research. And - if you're of a "certain age" be sure to make and keep those important preventative test appointments.

On the lighter side -  a fun gift idea would be to use these "On This Day" facts to create 

personalized birthday cards! Here are a few websites with date lists: 

http://www.onthisday.com/

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.historynet.com/today-in-history

Thoughtful Thursday - Is Insanity Hereditary?

The old joke goes, "Is insanity hereditary? Yes- you get it from your kids!" But, truly, mental illness is no joke. So, I tread very carefully when dealing with this difficult issue in my research. What purpose does it serve to expose ancestors' mental health issues? In the case of my current project, the story of Catherine Kenny Seeley [alias Catherine C. Fitzallen], I think it may be helpful. Without the context of a history of mental illness in her family, Catherine's life appears to be a series of criminal acts, committed by a crazy old lady who just wanted to amass as much money for herself as possible. Somehow, at least to me, the possibility that she suffered from an undiagnosed mental illness, makes her a much more sympathetic character.

Research into her family (assuming I am researching the correct family), indicates that Catherine's eldest sister, Rose had been committed to an “insane asylum” in Utica, New York, sometime between 1855 and 1866.  Another sister, Theresa, died quite young, at the age of 26. Theresa married a man named Solomon Shattuck in 1866. They had five children, one of whom was William Henry Shattuck, born in 1870. 

In September, 1893, William was on trial for killing his wife, Sadie Radley, to whom he had been married less than a year. In the course of William’s trial, it was brought out that his mother, Theresa,  had suffered from “violent headaches which rendered her flighty” since the birth of her first child. During her last illness, in 1876, her husband described her as being irrational. William Shattuck’s defense at her murder trial, was that, like his mother and aunt, he was insane.

The insanity defense failed. William was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. On October 5, 1893, a few weeks after entering prison, the Albany Morning Express reported that William had been sent to the prison hospital because he was “mentally unbalanced.” The reporter added, “It is really too bad that the Dannemore [prison] insanity expert was not secured to testify for the defense at the trial.” William died in prison on January 16, 1897. He was 26 years old.

The words used to describe William’s mental condition certainly could apply to Catherine as well. Her behavior over the years most definitely demonstrated “exalted lies, the telling of strange stories…” and “delusions.” The fact that she did “foolish things” can not be denied. Thinking about Catherine as possibly suffering from serious emotional issues sheds a different light on her life story - one that is actually quite heart-breaking.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - My Mother's Purse

My mother, Doris Lichtenthal, passed away on December 2, 2011. Her purse has been sitting, untouched on the floor of my closet since then. I just can't make myself get rid of it. As her executrix, I did go through it after her passing, but it seemed like some sort of violation. Like a sacred shrine, it sits exactly where I put it almost 6 six years ago. ( To my siblings: Of course I looked for the red checkbook!! Nada. To my readers: That's a story for another day.)

Tuesday's Tip - BACK IT UP!!!

I had a little scare on Monday. Upon booting up my 5 year-old laptop I had no internet. Okay. That's happened before - no biggie. But wait - no sound either? The message said the "audio service" was not working. Strange. Also, the button to toggle the wireless adapter on/off didn't respond. Hmmm.

I knew what to do - RESET!! Nope - didn't fix the issue. I started to get nervous. Next I did a hard reboot - power off, AC adapter out, take out battery, press power button for 30 seconds. Reverse steps to power back back on. Nope. No go. More nervous.

I wasn't too upset about my data as I follow the 3-2-1 back up plan espoused by Thomas MacEntee. The 3-2-1 strategy means having at least 3 copies of your data, 2 of which are local but are on different devices or mediums and at least 1 copy offsite.

Copy 1 is actually my original data which I back up once a month to my external drive - copy 2. Just to be extra safe, I also copy my most important files to my Google drive. I also have automatic backups to the cloud using the iDrive service. (More about that later.)

So , again, not too concerned about my data. But - I really was in no position be dropping $400 for a new laptop (yeah, yeah, I know - get a Mac.....) and I certainly was in no mood to deal with all the transfer of data required with a new machine. What to do.....

Last ditch effort - I did a system restore. Crossed my fingers and left the house so I wouldn't be tempted to mess with the restore until it was finished.

Came home an hour later. Voila!!! Back in business!! Dodged that bullet!! So, for now, all is well. If you haven't taken the time to back up your data, DO IT NOW! Yes, it does take some time. But it takes way less time (and money) than what you'll be dealing with if you don't.

By the way - if you're interested in an offsite backup service, I've been happy with iDrive. You can use it with ALL your devices so that's pretty cool. I don't have any connection with them (financially that is), but if you want to try it for one year for 90% off  ($6.95) you can take advantage of the deal offered through Thomas MacEntee's Genealogy Bargains website.

Good luck!

Memento Monday - My Great-Grandfather's Juice Goblet

I really don't know much about this object. There are actually two of these goblets. Unfortunately, the glass insert for the other one broke. (So why am I keeping it??) Although the goblet appears to be made of silver, it is actually silver-plated, maybe over brass, as it is very heavy. Thanks to my husband, this heirloom, and several others are kept well- polished.

My mother told me this belonged to her paternal grandfather, Sigmund Lichtenthal. Mom said he drank his orange juice from it every day. My guess is that it dates from the early 1900s. Certainly, it was by the 1930s, as that was when my mother would have observed her grandfather having breakfast in their home in Vienna.

There are only a few days left in Family History Month. Don't forget to record a few stories about your important heirlooms.

Census Sunday - Found 'Em (Or Not???)

A few days ago, I posted two census images, hoping to use the power of "crowd-sourcing" to untangle a riddle. Alas, no one commented. I even posted my dilemma on the Facebook page of the Random Acts of Genealogy Kindness (RAOGK) group. Usually, I get at least 2-3 good ideas from the RAOGK folks. This time - nada. Ah well....maybe in time. That's the beauty of the Internet. Once you post it, it's there forever!!

Anyway, since I posted the original images of the Kenney family in Albany, it has been bothering that I never could find them in the 1860 US Census. It makes no sense that a family would be enumerated in both the 1855 and 1865 NY Censuses, but not  be counted in 1860. Maybe if there were only a couple people, I could understand it - they might be easily missed. But a family of ten??

The most likely reason could be a transcription error. I've seen some pretty crazy ones. My favorite so far is that of my mother. I couldn't find her in the 1940 census and I knew she was there! She was there alright - instead of Doris, her first name was transcribed as Dong. Really?

So, with that thought in mind, I decided to browse the 1860 US census for the Kenneys. They lived in the 8th Ward in both the 1855 and 1865 NY censuses, so I figured I'd start there. Hmmmm... 202 images to go through. When I got to image 75 and still found nothing, I started to doubt my plan. Then I thought of all the genealogists who had to do research the "old-fashioned" way - microfilm and a hand-crank. If they managed to stick with it, I certainly could. Image 90 - still nothing.....Then - Eureka! I hit paydirt on image 101. Not too bad!!

I started to compare the information. Parents' names and ages matched up. Good. The first four children matched up to ages and the span between them. The 5th child, Catherine was no longer listed in 1860. That would be correct as she married by then. But - what? The 6th child listed in 1855 - Frances - female - age13 was now listed as being 18 - that would be right. BUT her name is spelled Francis and she's listed as being male! I'd chalk that up to a mistake, but there is also an occupation listed - plasterer's apprentice. Now, I can't be 100% certain, but I'm fairly sure a woman would not be working as a plasterer's apprentice in 1860.

This family is making me crazy! I'm putting this out there a second time - anyone care to comment on whether or not these three censuses reflect the same family?

 New York, State Census, 1855 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. 

New York, State Census, 1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Society Saturday - Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut (JGSCT)

I belong to one genealogy society - the Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut (JGSCT.) I'm not much of a joiner. I like to do research and I love to learn new things, but I'm pretty reluctant to do so if it involves getting off my couch. (Just ask my husband!)

So, why did I join the JGSCT? Pretty much because I'm 100% Ashkenazi Jewish, and I figured if any group could help me with my research, it would be these folks. I don't even remember when I joined JGSCT. I do know it was before 2010 because my mom used to attend meetings with me. I think one of the first meetings we attended was a presentation called "Getting Started in Jewish Genealogy." (A similar series is being held in November and December, by the way.)  After my mom passed away in 2011, I continued to attend meetings. Everyone was so welcoming and helpful. I learned about resources like JewishGen and the annual conference held by the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS.)

At some point, the President, Doris Nabel, suggested I join the board as a member-at-large. She said I didn't have to do anything except attend the monthly meetings. I felt a little weird because I wasn't "observant" (of the religion and customs) but Doris assured me that the society was about genealogy, not the religion so much. So - I agreed. I am still on the board. I'm a tad more involved now, as the co-editor of QUEST, our society newsletter.  I have also attended three IAJGS conferences - Boston (2013), Salt Lake City (2014) and Seattle (2016.) It's been a great experience. I've met some terrific people, made some great connections, and improved my "networking" skills.

Have you been thinking of getting involved in a genealogy society? The mission of the JGSCT lists three things societies will assist you with:

• Promoting genealogical research
• Providing instruction in the use of research methodology and adherence to standards of accuracy 
• Fostering careful documentation and scholarly genealogical writing and publication

Need more reasons? Kathleen W. Hinckley, CGRS, on www.genealogy.com lists TEN great reasons to join a society.

As I write this, I'm thinking maybe I should practice what I preach. I've been toying with joining the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. It's time.

Fun Fact Friday

Here are some fun family facts!

• Today would have been the 142nd birthday of my great-grandfather, Sigmund Lichtenthal.
• The most common surname in my RootsMagic genealogy software is SAMUEL, with 59 people. The earliest occurrence of the SAMUEL surname is in 1789.
• There are 1001 people in my database.
• The oldest person in my database died at age 105. Joseph Spiegel, my two times great-grandfather, was born in Poland in 1803. He died in Iasi, Romania in 1908.
• The average age of death for people in my database is 66.98 (That's a bit concerning!!)
• The average marriages per person are 1.05. The maximum marriages any person had is 4. (Care to guess who that was??)
• I am related (sort of) to Albert Einstein.

Throwback Thursday - October 19, 1903

Today would have been my maternal grandmother's 114th birthday. Rose Spiegel Lichtenthal was born on October 19, 1903 in Java (Indonesia) to Herman Spiegel and Sophie Weiss. Here are a few pictures her descendants (other than me!) have never seen.

Rose (right) and her mother, Sophie - The Haag - 1921

Rose (left), sister Claire Theresa, and brother Emile Gerritt
(Emile changed his last name to Speeger in years later.)

Rose - undated - possibly 1930
This could be an engagement picture. I have never found a wedding picture.

Rose and daughter Doris May - Vienna - 1936

Rose and husband, Paul Lichtenthal - 1937

Opinions Wanted!!

What do you think? I'm "crowd-sourcing" for an answer! I know what I think, but I may be just seeing what I want to see. Compare these two NY censuses. Do you think these are the same family? Both censuses are for the city of Albany in New York. Unfortunately (and strangely) I haven't located a similar family in the 1860 US Census. Note: although the last name is written "KINNEY" it is really "KENNY" - this was verified by looking for KINNEYS in Albany city directories

Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1855 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Now - here is Part Two of my question: I am trying to recreate Catherine's early life. I have NO BIRTH CERTIFICATE, immigration information (if she even was born in Ireland as she occasionally said) nor a marriage certificate. She lied on pretty much every form she completed as as adult, so her death certificate is really of little use. The question is: Do you think the Catherine in the 1855 census above is my Catherine?

Here's what I do know:

• Catherine was probably born between 1834-1840
• Catherine's mother was named Mary Allen.
• Catherine's father had the last name Kenney.
• Catherine married in 1860 so she would not be in the family home in 1865.
• Catherine had a sister named Frances (Information verified from a letter she wrote). 
• Mary (Catherine's mother) had a "William" listed on her probate papers as "next-of-kin" 
• Mary named her daughters in her will: Teresa, Maria and Catherine.Frances was her executrix.

Post your opinions in the comments. I'm interested to see if I can finally solve this riddle with the help of my genealogy friends!!

Tombstone Tuesday- Rosehill Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois

If you have spent more than two minutes with me lately, you are most likely aware of my current project - the fascinating story of my husband's great-grandmother, Catherine Seeley FitzAllen.

Every time I think I found all that can be found, I am proven wrong. I recently became aware of a new blog: Chicago and Cook County Cemeteries. Fascinating place! Even Catherine's final resting place has a story attached to it!

By Thshriver (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The recent post, Elevator in a Cemetery described the uniqueness of this cemetery located in Chicago, Illinois. Apparently, back in the early days of this cemetry (mid- to late 1800s), the most common ways to get to Rosehill was by horse-drawn hearse of a local funeral train.

The problem was that the railroad tracks and the cemetery station platform were above grade. As a result, moving the casket from the funeral train to the ground-level cemetery was quite a problem. Rather than having pallbearers manuever the casket down a steep set of stairs , an elevator was built. The manually operated elevator was in a separate building next to the railroad tracks. Once the casket was lowered to ground-level, it could then be loaded on to a horse and wagon for the procession to the gravesite.

The funeral train and elevator are no longer used, but the elevator still remains. I have no idea if the elevaor was still in use when Catherine died in 1916, but I suspect it certainly could have been. I wouldn't be surprised in the least. Everything about her has been a surprise!!

I don't have a picture of Catherine's grave nor that of her daughter Ida, who is also buried there. I plan to post a photo request on FindAGrave - maybe I'll get lucky!!

To learn about some of the fascinating headstones and memorials at Rosehill, click here and here.

Why I Go To Genealogy Presentations

Today's presentation at the JGSCT (Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut) was given by Ron Arons. I have heard Ron speak no less than five times and every time I come away with a new idea. The presentation, "Sex, Lies, and Genealogical Tape", was an updated version of a talk Ron gave a few years back. Even though I already knew the story he was telling, this talk focused more on the strategies and resources he used to determine if his relative was, in fact, the same person he had located on a variety of documents, using a variety of names.

Not unlike the story of my husband's great-grandmother, Catherine Seeley FitzAllen, that I am struggling to untangle. I've been stumped (ok - stalled) by the lack of some vital records for Catherine; namely birth, immigration, and marriage. I'm okay without the marriage record, as the lack of that information doesn't really affect the story. But I can't accurately recreate Catherine's early years without the birth and immigration information.

So, in hopes of getting a new idea, I attended today's presentation. Here are a few things I hadn't thought of. Maybe some of these ideas will help you find some obscure information you've been searching for.

1. Search the records of the siblings. (I have done this, but not as thoroughly as I should.)
2. Track down the living relatives. They may have the information you're looking for.
3. Use maps. I might be able to use the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps to determine the square footage of the Kansas City home Catherine lived in. That would give me an idea of the size of the home and thereby wealth of the family. Maps can also provide a picture of how close in proximity people lived to other family members.
4. School records can provide verification of birthdates and maybe even list parents and siblings.
5. Property records can help verify residence.
6. IRS Tax Assessment records can help verify occupation and residence.

The biggest tip Ron gave was to make that phone call and be persistent! Emails go answered and snail mail may not make its way to the correct person. I really need to work on that - it is perhaps my weakest research technique.

Oh - and it didn't hurt to hear that Ron has been researching his particular ancestor for 20 years. I've only been tracking Catherine for two years! So, I'm feelin' pretty good!!

Oh! That's Why We Have a Census?

I was wondering what I would post about today. (Have you noticed I've kept my promise so far - a post every day this month?) An article in the local paper provided me with inspiration.

The article was about impending issues with the upcoming 2020 US Census, which could become a national debacle. Apparently, the department is underfunded, understaffed and behind on deadlines. The Census Department wants to conduct at least half of the census online, which could result in extreme under-reporting due to concerns about cyber-security and immigration issues. (Thanks for telling us where you are, Mr. and Mrs. Immigrant - now get out!!)

Now - I don't think much about WHY we have a national census. As a genealogist,  it provides me with much needed  (albeit sometimes incorrect) information regarding my ancestors. The clues can point me in the right direction or verify facts found elsewhere. But, surprise of surprises, our founding fathers were NOT thinking of genealogy when they mandated a decennial (every 10 years) census in the US Constitution, beginning in 1790. You can read about the history the of the US Census here.

So, what is the true purpose of the Census? The census was originally mandated to assist in determining congressional districts. The census tracks the population changes, and shifts in congressional districts can be redrawn accordingly. The census numbers also help the government to determine funding allocations for highway construction, energy assistance, healthcare and food assistance, and more.

Two quick facts:

1. The US census is released to the public 72 years after it is taken, due to privacy issues. So, the most recent census we have available for our use is the 1940 census, which was released in 2012.

2. Most of the 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire in 1921. You can read about what little is available here and here. Twenty years is a huge gap for our families' histories. You can get some ideas on using substitutes for the 1890 census here.

So, thank you, Founding Fathers! You had no idea 227 years ago how helpful your decision to enumerate the population would be to us! And to you, my readers, when the Census worker comes knocking on your door (or your technology device) in 2020 - please participate!!!

JGSCT Presentation - Sunday Oct. 15 - "Sex, Lies, and Genealogical Tape"

I am really looking forward to Sunday's talk at the JGSCT (Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut.) Ron Arons will be giving his talk "Sex, Lies, and Genealogical Tape. Ron tours the country giving educational and entertaining presentations on Jewish criminals and Jewish genealogy. (I stole that description straight from his website.)

One my favorites was on Mind Mapping - using a graphic organizer to help solve complex problems. Using this tool, I was able to untangle a really complicated scenario. Yup - of course - my current project, my husband's great-grandmother! (Seriously - her life story is addictive!)

To the left of the mind map are the questions I needed to answer.
The right side lists all the aliases Catherine used and the censuses she appeared in

This mind map helped me to compare the information from some of the many newspaper articles I found about Catherine.

On Sunday, Ron will present a case study where the subject lies on pretty much every document on which he was listed. Now I'm not saying Catherine purposely lied, but I would have to say she played fast and loose with the truth. As a result, trying to recreate an accurate chronology of her life has been a tad tricky. 

I'm looking forward to finding out how Ron finally untangled his ancestor's story.

By the way, the JGSCT meeting is free and open to the public. (I probably should have posted this earlier!!) 

For more information on the JGSCT and to get information on the time and location, click here.

Then and Now - Virtual Field Trips!

Today's post is inspired by Marian Burk Wood. Yesterday on her blog, Climbing My Family Tree, Marian suggested taking "virtual field trips. " Using Google Maps, this is pretty easy. Of course, you do need to have an idea of where your ancestor lived. Below are then (1938-ish) and now shots of the apartment house my mother, her parents, and her grandmother lived. The address is 43 Silbergasse in Vienna, Austria. It's pretty cool to have the original photo to compare to. This is especially thrilling to me because I am planning to visit Vienna this coming summer!! The roof lines look a little different and there looks to be some changes to the balconies. The basic footprint seems to be the same though.

"Silbergasse 43". 2017. Silbergasse 43. Accessed October 12 2017. https://www.google.com/maps/

Another website to check out is "What Was There?" This website is tied to Google Maps, so you can locate current places. But, if you're lucky, someone may have also uploaded pictures of the places you're looking for as they appeared throughout the years. I haven't had much success finding specific addresses I'm researching, but I have been able to sense of the history of a certain area through this website.

Have fun on your virtual trips!!

My "Golden Rules of Genealogy"

In January 2015, I decided to participate in the Genealogy Do-Over sponsored by Thomas MacEntee. (Info on the 2017 version here.)

One of the first assignments was to create our own "Golden Rules of Genealogy." Here's my list:

* PICKHOLTZ' RULES: "...to prevent jumping to conclusions, when you don't have full documentation....

even when you are sure you know, don't record it until you have one more piece of evidence." – Israel Pickholtz 

It's been almost 3 years since I created this list, the purpose of which is to help me establish and maintain good practices. I've stuck to most of my "Golden Rules" pretty well. Here's where I'm still struggling:

#1:  I haven't really scheduled specific times to work. That's tricky to do when I pretty much am always working on my projects!

#2: Um- I forgot what I meant by this one!! Maybe I meant to choose one way of naming files and stick with it? Let's go with that - because I am doing it!

#3: Because I try to follow #8, I often revisit documents for verification purposes. After I get clarification on the information, I put the document back where it came from. (most of the time!)

#4: I was so good about this at the beginning! Then it seemed cumbersome. Now I'm suffering for my laziness because I have information scattered about and I have to check and recheck to be sure I have included all my findings in my current project.

#5: I'm doing it. It's annoying. But crucial.

#6: I have only thing on my To-Do list right now: finish the final draft of my current project!!!

#7: Almost blew this one last week. I have been so focused on the details of the story I am writing, I overlooked a crucial piece of information. Only took me two years to realize it!!

#8: This could also be called " How to Paralyze a Genealogist." I haven't been able to find birth and marriage records for the main subject of my current project.  I don't want to present inaccurate information. As a result, I allowed myself to stall the project. Luckily, I got great advice from Lisa Alzo during the Genealogy Writing Intensive I enrolled in. She helped me realize that, while having all the information is, of course, ideal, I might never find the vital records and in that case, the story might never be told! So - I included an explanation of what was missing and resumed writing!!

#9: I don't get tired. Only kidding - no more working into the early morning hours for me. My eyes wear out and my fingers start type things that are completely unintelligible.

#10: Um - that's why I'm posting every day this month!! In the event someone actually asks for my help or for some information, I'm thrilled to share. (Ask my friends and family - it's hard to stop me right,?)

#11: I have gotten soooo much better at this. While it is thrilling to discover the information on your own, sometimes it's just faster (and cost-efficient) to ask for help. Perhaps that will be a future post - helpful resources.

Writing about my current status regarding my "Golden Rules" has re-energized me. I'll do better now. Really.

Wordless Wednesday - Our Family Tree

Teaser: Soon to be Finished Story - "Slick Swindler or Sweet Grandma?"*

Yesterday I mentioned that I was very busy working on a project about my husband's great-grandmother, Catherine Seeley FitzAllen. Here is a teaser, from the first paragraphs of the book:

~   

     “She had an inordinate desire to be prominent in society,” testified Catherine’s soon-to-be ex-husband, William Seeley, “and my limited salary was not sufficient to permit her to assume the role her ambition prompted.”

     After nearly 30 years of marriage, William was done. In March 1889, he filed for a divorce from his wife, the former Catherine Kenney. He loved his daughters, Ida Mae and Katherine Pearl, and while he didn’t want to bring disgrace upon the family, William was beginning to fear for his life.

     He was sitting at their dining room table, in their well-appointed home on Quality Hill, a prestigious neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri when Catherine appeared in the doorway with one arm under the other. “What’s the matter, Ma?”, William asked. “Carrying your arm in a sling?” Catherine said nothing but began purring over him. “What are you hugging me for?”, he asked. At that, Catherine pulled back William’s coat, shoved a pistol under his arm and snapped it. The gun didn’t go off. Catherine ran from the room, uttered a loud scream and locked herself in her bedroom.

     William left the house, found his daughter Ida sitting on the lawn and informed her that her mother had shot at him. 

      Ida was nearly 30. She was certainly of an age to be independent of her parents. But Katherine, nicknamed Kitty, was only 15. What would become of her if William broke up the family?

~

I have been researching Catherine for well over two years. Every time I think I'm finished another surprising piece of the story surfaces. I'm pretty sure I'm ready to call the current rewrite the "final version." I hope so - I have so many other projects to finish!!

* A friend of mine suggested I call the story "Bad Grandma!" Certainly, a more catchy title - but not so sure relatives will appreciate it. 😏 Hopefully, a better title will emerge as I work through the final draft!

Don't Kick Us Out of the SAR! (Sons of the American Revolution)

Yesterday I attended a presentation given by the local DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution.) No - not for my family - the furthest back this 100% Ashkenazi Jew goes in America is 1859 when Aaron Samuel arrived in Hoboken, NJ from England, with his wife and 9 children.

I was there with a friend of mine who really is a full-blown, descendant of an American Patriot. I did, however, have an agenda. In 1951 my husband's uncle, John Winchester Holman, Jr., applied for and obtained membership in the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR.) Now, mind you, I have no particular interest in becoming a card-carrying member of a lineage society. But I do love a challenge. I especially love challenging incorrect material and faulty conclusions.

Carrying On a Family Tradition - Peach and Plum Cake

Almost every year from 1963 through 2011, my mother made our fall favorite: Peach and Plum cakes. There were two versions - one rectangular, with a thin crust. The other, made in a springform pan with a thicker crust. I'm a thicker crust kind of girl.

The images to the left and right are from Mom's cookbook. She added the date every year when she made our cakes. Some years, grandchildren helped her and their names are included with the dates.

The photo above shows a half-eaten thin crust. Those are my hands!! This was probably taken sometime in the 90s.

Mom passed away in 2011, but the tradition continues. This year, my youngest daughter, my niece and my granddaughter ( the fourth generation!)  carried on "Omi's Legacy." Amazing to think these cakes have been baked in that very same kitchen for 54 years!

I thought about cropping myself out of this but
it's THREE GENERATIONS!!!

What "foodie" family traditions are observed in your family? Have you documented the stories behind them?

Sharing - My Project List

Yesterday, I posted about the importance of sharing versus "hoarding" the results of our research. In the interest of full disclosure here's a list of my completed, in-progress, and future family history projects:

"Who We Are and How We Got This Way - Volume 1: Alan Samuel" (my dad)

"Who We Are and How We Got This Way - Volume 2: Doris Lichtenthal" (my mom)

 Volumes 1 and 2 have been in draft form since at least 2014. Hopefully, I can return to them once I complete my current project.

"Who We Are and How We Got This Way - Volume 3: The Sixth Family"
This volume will share the story of me and my siblings.

"Reparations" 

Still in "the hopper" is the story of my grandfather, Paul Lichtenthal, who was imprisoned in Dachau and Buchenwald. I successfully obtained some reparations for my mother, the culmination of a lifetime effort by Paul and his father, Sigmund Lichtenthal.

"You Can't Fall Off the Floor - and Other Musings"
Not necessarily a typical family history, this book idea is inspired by something my Dad once told me.

"Our Archipelago - newly edited edition" 
In 2016, my sister-in-law and I published a new edition of our father-in-law's family history book, originally written in 1976.

"Letters Home"
In 2015, I published a volume of letters written by my mother. I found them in a shoebox after her passing in 2011. The letters, written home to her mother, chronicle the two years she spent as a young wife and new mom in Japan, 1955-1956.

"Mom, Minis, and Me"
Almost ready to print!! A short history of the miniatures hobby shared by my mom and myself.

"Sweet Grandmother or Slick Swindler?"
This story has consumed me for at least two years. A chance finding of a newspaper article while working on "Our Archipelago" led me on a fascinating journey into the life of my husband's great-grandmother. Known to the family as "a sweet, gentle, almost frail woman", she apparently spent years running con games throughout Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri during the late 1890s and early 1900s. The book is in its final edit and I can't wait to share the finished product!