tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61700944460422746432024-02-08T01:16:19.650-05:00Twisted RootsA family tree can wither if nobody tends it's roots. FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-60976816093120646472021-03-27T10:29:00.000-04:002021-03-27T10:29:20.568-04:00Life Lessons Through the Ages<p>The effects of Covid 19 made its appearance in early 2020. Life interrupted best describes our lives over the past year. During the 'downtime' from what our normal lives I used my free time to dive into solving my dad's maternal line. The research was somewhat troublesome to the extent I referred to them as my quiet Germans. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7DeuWquXMsmwmPvNUS7NZCDIWJRsyi0DaYWORVl00Cnv-UB9uEUnwyuJZLg0_DonIfLKLPXQStDxifOkNF5ubbkt3cy3UqraYhBA203wApWkjSeT2ENWAwdx5i85Oo1ZSuSZdOiRV3sY/s2172/Article_22+Aug+1878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2172" data-original-width="830" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7DeuWquXMsmwmPvNUS7NZCDIWJRsyi0DaYWORVl00Cnv-UB9uEUnwyuJZLg0_DonIfLKLPXQStDxifOkNF5ubbkt3cy3UqraYhBA203wApWkjSeT2ENWAwdx5i85Oo1ZSuSZdOiRV3sY/s320/Article_22+Aug+1878.jpg" /></a>There were days when I could justify my great great grandfather's siblings' lives, and others not so much. Then I began to see pieces of my great great aunt Susanna Monath Loehmeyer's life come alive. I credit my information findings to city directories and Newspapers.com.</p><p></p><p>Susanna and her husband were married in Maryland and eventually moved to Memphis, Tennessee, this learned from city directories. This also justified the birth of their daughter Henrietta, but not why I could not find what happened to Susanna's husband Augustus Loehmeyer. I found Susanna living in Baltimore, Maryland 1880 through 1917 but not her husband. This is where she died and is buried. Even Ancestry.com and Find A Grave had no listing for Augustus. Frustrating for sure!</p><p>City directory entries listed Augustus and his brother William living and working in Memphis but stopped in 1878. I resorted to Newspapers.com with little hope.<br /></p><p>In August of 1878 yellow fever killed thousands of people. Augustus, his brother William and William's wife were victims of this disease and their remains are buried in mass graves around the city. Susanna and Henrietta survived. My search was now completed. (The last entry in the image to the right shows A. Loehmeyer age 47 died of yellow fever. The article came from The Public Ledger, Memphis, Tennessee published 22 August 1878, page 2.)</p><p>However, my point about this is that we endured the effects of Covid 19 much like our ancestors. I wonder what will be written in the decades to come about our losses and survivals experienced throughout our global community that will teach future generations and researchers. </p><p>To learn more about the 1878 epidemic, click this link: <a href="https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/yellow-fever-epidemics/">https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/yellow-fever-epidemics/</a>.</p><p><br /></p>FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-71289483186265530532021-03-07T08:00:00.001-05:002021-03-07T08:00:01.638-05:00Record Losses and Genealogy<p>The words, <b>record losses</b>, are not what a researcher wants to find. </p><p>Fires and natural causes destroy precious historic documents forever. So after days of researching, changing spellings of names, etc. I accidently learned why my hours of research were not providing me information about two ancestors - John Monath and his sister Marie Dorothea Monath.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoKiR7ku1_f9bScZ1HMhz9vPBUNfjmh_YUc7bvLeq2oAdiaFtZgbpxVUqLzuEIWLpdm5CYZhokbKTsQiRyFyF1gaXmCNSKR7B6_Ps5AKtRFPgSnPY6DFd7eaEne-TbC94BifyU2OkfFeG/s800/800px-NYSCapitolPanorama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="800" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoKiR7ku1_f9bScZ1HMhz9vPBUNfjmh_YUc7bvLeq2oAdiaFtZgbpxVUqLzuEIWLpdm5CYZhokbKTsQiRyFyF1gaXmCNSKR7B6_Ps5AKtRFPgSnPY6DFd7eaEne-TbC94BifyU2OkfFeG/w216-h128/800px-NYSCapitolPanorama.jpg" title="The New York State Capitol building is currently the seat of New York's state government, but in 1911 it also housed the State Library. Image via Wikimedia Commons." width="216" /></a></div>In 1911 fire destroyed precious documents and recordings held in the library of the New York Capitol building. The 4 May 2018 blog link, https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/blog/fire-new-york-state-library, details the event. [Image left: <em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">The New York State Capitol building is currently the seat of New York's state government, but in 1911 it also housed the State Library. </span></em><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Image via Wikimedia Commons.</i>] </span></span><p></p><p>Having learned about the fire I had one nugget of information about my Monath family. It is said that one of my great great grandfather's siblings, John Monath, stayed behind in New York after arriving to America in 1852. His youngest sibling, Marie Dorothea, is another story. She was about 4 years old in 1852. The 1860 Maryland U.S. Federal Population Census does not show Marie living with her parents. So I thought that maybe she lived with John in New York. I repeatedly tried to find census reports for both John and Marie. That is when I learned about the record losses. This left me knowing a little about Marie and less of John. I will settle for what I did learn about the Monaths.</p><p>Marie married twice, was widowed once, and lived what seemed to be a comfortable life in Washington, DC until 1895. The life of Marie/Mary/Maria D. Monath prior to marriage will remain a mystery to me. </p>FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-6602054120623826962021-02-28T11:06:00.001-05:002021-02-28T11:06:03.579-05:00Researching Through the Pandemic<p>I am speaking for myself when I say that there is nothing more awesome than to hold a piece of your ancestor's life. </p><p>My first hand experience came at when I worked in Emmitsburg, Maryland where the Daughters of Charity lived and worked. The archivist invited a few of us to visit the archives, showing us several of many historic pieces that once belonged to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seaton. This was my first dive into history to understand the relevance of historic documents a bit and feel the excitement to witness them in person.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTIFU0cqwtzw_hk0eNKiyPMxek7ohWGDAgU4NHOqa_lvKsCZuO_TZCkLL0GoifepT8RthYMLU0TXZkd2XWVnMlNX3LVDz-fgcDumnzY_i4yrjNZBPZhyyJMmCn6DslWzkA6_QjPNk05pQ/s2048/Oath+of+Allegence+1865-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTIFU0cqwtzw_hk0eNKiyPMxek7ohWGDAgU4NHOqa_lvKsCZuO_TZCkLL0GoifepT8RthYMLU0TXZkd2XWVnMlNX3LVDz-fgcDumnzY_i4yrjNZBPZhyyJMmCn6DslWzkA6_QjPNk05pQ/s320/Oath+of+Allegence+1865-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Years later I had the opportunity to visit the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis, Maryland to research my great great grandfather, Christian Monath. His naturalization was granted to him in October 1865 after having lived in the United States for five years and three years in the state of Maryland. <br /><p></p><p>Social media sites offer digital images of original documents, and I am not complaining because I had to rely on these resources for the past year. However, by visiting repositories I have access records that tell a real life story of someone I never met but is a part of me. The resources available are not all found online and it is not the same as touching a piece of history.</p><p>So, am I counting the days and months to return to normal and to have access to leave my home office to that of a repository? Yes!! </p>FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-9915301158907767482021-02-18T10:33:00.001-05:002021-02-18T10:33:37.704-05:00One Brick Wall Conquered<p>Since my last post in 2018 life took a turn from normal to one that stopped us in our tracks. It is now 2021. </p><p>When the pandemic crossed the pond to America in 2020 researching changed from onsight researching in repositories to becoming an 'armchair genealogist'. By that I mean I joined the many others who rely on public family trees for clues, upgraded my basic subscriptions to access German records, and Zoom to continue my genealogy education. </p><p>I finished projects to give as Christmas presents. I broke through several genealogy brick walls, and shared what I learned of my combined families with others. However the biggest achievement was confirmation of my dad's maternal lineage, one that I dubbed the 'quiet German ancestors'-my Monath family.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObFOCaNwayGSxjleHppifRIpfn13vWcUp2o3FzPT6stfOZ24LCKTJb1rbvqLnHYL5e7b0XuiwaYYQAmPMWEr6bBr25RKdkc9S2gwgsjcKqvyc_I9j5K6plE79wTZa-WT6cDS2dbZnOHoW/s2048/fam+list+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObFOCaNwayGSxjleHppifRIpfn13vWcUp2o3FzPT6stfOZ24LCKTJb1rbvqLnHYL5e7b0XuiwaYYQAmPMWEr6bBr25RKdkc9S2gwgsjcKqvyc_I9j5K6plE79wTZa-WT6cDS2dbZnOHoW/s320/fam+list+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My great great grandfather Christian Monath came to America 21 July 1852 with his parents and several siblings. Prior to their arrival several of his siblings sailed the Atlantic Ocean and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. For years I read what others posted to their public trees. I wanted to trust what I read, but the need to be accurate was greater than just putting names into my database. <p></p><p>The image of a German family record to the right is proof that Johann Christoph Monath married Anna Dorothea Weber and proved their children's births and names. One stuck out from the rest and that is Johann Georg Weber. He was born in 1825 in Hergershausen, Darmstadt-Dieburg, Hesse, Germany to Anna Dorothea Weber prior to her marriage to Johann Christoph Monath, which happened in 1829. He was later accepted into the Monath family. BINGO! Now I can continue building my Monath family tree.</p><p>Another treat was meeting a lady online who is the older brother to my gr grandfather George Monath. It is nice to share even if on line with another extended cousin.</p><p>So, as we continue to move away from life in the pandemic and return to a life of more normalcy, I consider my achievements quite satisfying. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><br /><p><br /></p>FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-50861250709330804742018-10-02T12:37:00.000-04:002018-10-02T12:37:54.448-04:00Slippery Slope into the Rabbit HoleIn July my application to join the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) was submitted. As of this post I patiently await to learn if the D.A.R. approves my application for proving a new Patriot, George Jacob Sherman. While waiting my writing and research continues, only to topple into another 'rabbit hole.' You may wonder what I mean by this.<br />
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A 'rabbit hole' is like taking a detour from a determined course of action, or research. My new 'rabbit hole' resulted from a deed search on our small piece of land where I currently live. About a year ago I discovered that the large tract of land, of which our property is a small piece of, was warranted to a Peter Shute in 1738. I had to learn more, so I proceeded to dig out old deeds. This discovery doesn't stop here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rucmEHYOoAP3rqIjKtU2ULWA4NV19a3MSELwHXOdfOBBoL6sAHVc3zw6dmKGU6rCeccqSDKHzcs4JXWy62NVT1A5vfNVAazcssHR5GTskSExIfV-9AplcFn_WAya-Ak7eWC5i7-Cd3eu/s1600/tombstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rucmEHYOoAP3rqIjKtU2ULWA4NV19a3MSELwHXOdfOBBoL6sAHVc3zw6dmKGU6rCeccqSDKHzcs4JXWy62NVT1A5vfNVAazcssHR5GTskSExIfV-9AplcFn_WAya-Ak7eWC5i7-Cd3eu/s200/tombstone.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
In an earlier blog post of July 23, 2018 I shared the story about the writing on our bathroom wall. I learned how our street was named. It is through this research that I found that one of my Wildasin ancestors married a Mummert! Catherine Elizabeth Wildasin married a Peter B. Mummert. My curiosity continued to haunt me and the 'rabbit hole' just got deeper.<br />
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Peter's grandfather William Mummert served in the Revolutionary War and, because of the marriage between Peter and Catherine, I may have discovered another family-related Patriot. This is not earth shattering news, but an example of how our ancestors' lives intertwined, hence Twisted Roots and following the 'rabbit hole' trail.<br />
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The <a href="https://www.dar.org/national-society/become-member/chapter-locations">Colonel Richard Mc Calister Chapter</a> I am waiting to join is an amazing group of women with like minds to continue the D.A.R.'s mission-<i>Historic Preservation, Education, and Patriotism-</i>of those ancestors who contributed in some capacity to serve during the American Revolution.<br />
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-24869242286134320152018-09-01T15:16:00.004-04:002018-09-01T15:16:48.083-04:00Genealogy in the fast laneBack when life was slower and technology was limited to black & white televisions and rotary dial telephones, genealogy research and record keeping was conducted by visiting libraries, digging through musty or moldy documents, and sharing information with relatives and neighbors.<br />
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Today, genealogy research has taken a new twist. Much like our ancestors, we love to share what we find, but on public forums and boards. The future for accuracy and completeness scares me. It is becoming more and more evident on various public family trees. One cannot and <i>should not</i> believe what they find until they do 'due diligence' to find the origin of that information. It can be a daunting task, to say the least, especially when there are several generations of a same given name, regardless of the gender.<br />
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One example is in my Wildasin ancestral line, and it begins with three sons born to Peter Wildeson (1797-1887) and Catherine Sterner (1807-1887) in York County, Pennsylvania.<br />
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<li>Peter Sterner Wildeson (1836-1911) married Margaret Bollinger (1835-1906). One of their children was a daughter named <b>Amanda Ellen Wildeson</b> (19 Mar <b>1864</b>-5 Apr <b>1933</b>) and who married a William John Elder and later a John L. Reily and lived in York County. [<i>Her PA death certificate #40516 confirms: dates of birth and death; parents of Peter and Margaret; location of death and residence at the time of death.</i>]</li>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3OT5wVpIcu_PQgEnN8XayWe_KNVlb76aA04UxvgDvsfqWI4-QFWfbsdEuPP_LQ6V5qMs16MZ2pjU267uKkIoOpPJuAbXJrGCWDHqFwjrpnnyu4IQVNzweKUUyKiX-50QKUXg1-FhvZ2d/s1600/gravemarker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1600" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3OT5wVpIcu_PQgEnN8XayWe_KNVlb76aA04UxvgDvsfqWI4-QFWfbsdEuPP_LQ6V5qMs16MZ2pjU267uKkIoOpPJuAbXJrGCWDHqFwjrpnnyu4IQVNzweKUUyKiX-50QKUXg1-FhvZ2d/s200/gravemarker.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by <br />Mary K. Wildasin-Staub,<br />Lazareth Church, Maryland.</td></tr>
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<li>Jacob Sterner Wildeson (1832-1915) married Catherine Yost (1835-1915). One of their daughters was named <b>Lamanda</b> (<b>aka Amanda</b>) <b>Susanna</b> Wildeson (5 Jan <b>1861</b>- 15 Nov <b>1933</b>) and who married a George Monath in York County, PA but died in Maryland. [<i>Proof of this Lamanda comes from several sources: marriage announcement and certificate 28 Sept 1884 at the Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary to George; death certificates for Lamanda (#11007) and George (#03541) both in Maryland; a child's death obituary for George Edward Monath dated 13 May 1899; and Lamanda's father Jacob obituary dated 3 Feb 1915, not to mention a land sale from Jacob Sterner Wildasin to his son-in-law George (ref. Book R, page 3 dated 13 mar 1896</i>).]</li>
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<li>Andrew Sterner Wildeson (1846-1926) married <b>Amanda</b> Sipling (1855-1920). They were smart and did not name their daughters Amanda! [<i>This information was confirmed by reading the death certificates for Andrew (#20494) and for Amanda (death certificate #104753).</i>]</li>
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I suppose you might say that I have way too much time on my hands to spend time digging in old files and driving to out of state repositories like the Maryland State Archives. To me discovering my ancestral roots and proving their lives is all part of the challenge of genealogy.</div>
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Word to the wise ... <i>please</i> be careful in believing what you find. Go the extra mile to find original records, compile a chart to compare your findings, and then make a determination. Later down the road you will appreciate it that you did! </div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Happy researching.</span></i></div>
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P.S. My email is <a href="mailto:patwistedroots@gmail.com">patwistedroots@gmail.com</a> should you want to discuss or share. </div>
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-62771815655644726152018-07-23T15:01:00.001-04:002018-07-23T15:01:27.838-04:00Writing on the Wall What would you do if you discovered a hidden message inside your home and learned that an ancestor was indirectly related to a previous owner of the land on which your house is built? This discovery 31 years ago held more meaning for me than I expected!<br />
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In 1987 my husband and I purchased our second home. The former owners gifted us with a detailed list of all the home renovations complete with contractors' names, and dates of those renovations, and I still have this slip of paper!<br />
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As most new homeowners there were a few rooms that needed to be updated, one being our bathroom. After convincing my husband he conceded, and the project was soon underway.<br />
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Gold shag carpeting that covered the floor was replaced with a vinyl floor and the six colors were reduced to three. Plastic tile that lined the walls was removed, and a huge unframed mirror, 32.5" x 48.5" in size that hung over the vanity, still resides there. Our surprise came when we removed the mirror.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4S9vSyM5aGZeCiKTzqANMik1aABk8_wYVjKpyxImHH0jcYy07YbWfooWx6qZQpmHx740RzBnDdxzjQE-DkgyHbjGKLzhtD6UQHDU0jXnCWpWkbedIUPf44z16zyeYoj-gopz8V8d3BlNe/s1600/Bentzel+signature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4S9vSyM5aGZeCiKTzqANMik1aABk8_wYVjKpyxImHH0jcYy07YbWfooWx6qZQpmHx740RzBnDdxzjQE-DkgyHbjGKLzhtD6UQHDU0jXnCWpWkbedIUPf44z16zyeYoj-gopz8V8d3BlNe/s320/Bentzel+signature.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The previous owner or the builder signed the wall giving us details of when our house was built, by whom, and the name of the first homeowner. This was a thoughtful surprise!<br />
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Jumping ahead to 2018 I took this photograph to preserve the house history in the event someone accidentally paints over it, like I almost did several times. I researched the builder and previous owners of our house. The project is still a work-in-progress and revealed more surprises.<br />
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A deed search proved the ownerships of the house from 1987 to 1960 and of the land back to the 1920s. The small plot of land on which our house is built is part of a much larger piece of land that was surveyed in 1738 by a Philip Shute/Sheetz. His land purchase was part of what was Digges' Choice.<br />
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I often what the reason was in the naming of our street. Research showed that the said land owner's middle name was Ruel, hence Ruel Avenue.<br />
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A surprising discovery was that of the said land owner's relative who married a Wildasin, and just happens to be in our family lineage. Talk about connections!<br />
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As it turns out, the author of this writing on the wall probably did not realize what this means to me. As for the future owners of this home and little piece of land, I plan to share this story with them and hope that they do not paint over the writing on the wall.<br />
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-681302740667864692018-07-05T14:20:00.001-04:002018-07-05T14:20:18.259-04:00Changes are good, right?<br />
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After some soul searching, I decided to revitalize the purpose of this blog. My main reason is to streamline my research findings and experiences, and to write about them in one place. I will occasionally post in one of my other blogs, if I find something extraordinary to share, and link to this blog. However, this will be my main blog going forward.<br />
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The part of Pennsylvania where my ancestors lived is deeply saturated with history and so my decision makes sense. Over the years family members intermarried with neighbors, and, yes, a first cousin once removed, were married. Because the connections within my families and my husband's, it became clear why I needed to make this change. So, because of a recent research project for our home and the land on which it is built I made a discovery about a Wildasin ancestor who married the man who owned the said tract of land. So, the project became more meaningful for me.<br />
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My most recent genealogy education endeavors was attending a class at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). For one week I sat in a classroom with 14 adults learning that mastering documentation is both an art and science. Did I master anything? Not quite but I am determined! I have a lot of practicing to do before before considering myself proficient at citing sources.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgl_OpT1V7Ek8HPuwcrhH8RtkP0WklkJs84YXXKDtN-lggHhCweAAa_gaZLrQcq_Ry5wZSf1Eu5rY5pKEjDvQ-rXbWf78k98TpCryViCVwA813K0PKgMDbAFR86H3sU84Wrndhs_bH9LO/s1600/Bentzel+signature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgl_OpT1V7Ek8HPuwcrhH8RtkP0WklkJs84YXXKDtN-lggHhCweAAa_gaZLrQcq_Ry5wZSf1Eu5rY5pKEjDvQ-rXbWf78k98TpCryViCVwA813K0PKgMDbAFR86H3sU84Wrndhs_bH9LO/s320/Bentzel+signature.JPG" width="240" /></a>Our pre-class assignment was to bring a citation to class that we wanted to discuss. Mine was out of the ordinary. It was the image of writing found on our bathroom wall in our present home (2018) and behind the bathroom mirror. I wanted to know how to cite my source correctly because I am including it in my land deed research on our house and of the land on which our house is built.<br />
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I am currently working on my first ever property search and used this image as the spring board of my written report. I can only assume who wrote this on the wall and when. I did prove that Luther Freed was the first owner of our home. The land search is near completion, then the fun writing the citations begins.<br />
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<i>Namaste.</i></div>
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-3322931895801622992015-10-31T13:11:00.000-04:002015-10-31T13:12:04.370-04:00Honoring Our Silent Heroes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Sherman, served two months during the War of 1812.</td></tr>
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When I began researching my family trees, both for my husband's family and then for my own, I created an event allowing me to create a report of all the military veterans in our combined families. <br />
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This morning I compiled the data and was amazed of the 14 pages of information I logged. The<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Smith, aka Johan Carl Schmidt</td></tr>
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military careers were not exceptional, well, Brig. General Conrad Sherman was a big deal, Johan Carl Schmidt, was a big deal. Both served during the American Revolutionary Wars. That says much for our family military history, right?<br />
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<i>To our Military Veterans, thank you for your service to our country. </i></div>
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-17938127336172791892015-04-18T16:12:00.000-04:002015-04-18T16:12:38.372-04:00History from a cemeteryI love cemeteries <em>so much</em> that I now volunteer for one, <a href="http://www.mtolivetcemeteryassociation.org/">Mount Olivet Cemetery</a> in Hanover, Pennsylvania. I have been researching the souls residing within the cemetery and on a recent trip, which have been many, I saw this cute and very old tombstone with a military medal sticking in the ground for Henry Sherman who served during the War of 1812-1814. While it is standing strong and proud, the engraving was not very clear, but I did determine the name and a year. So, began my search!<br />
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I spent an afternoon at the York County Heritage Trust's research library and found a genealogy of Henry Sherman. His service was at the end of the War for two months. He was paid $2 for each month that he served. But the most interesting fact that I learned was that his father was the General Conrad Sherman, Revolutionary War veteran who served between 1776 and 1780. </div>
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Then I remembered that my paternal great grandmother was a Sherman. Could Henry and Conrad be a relation to my paternal grandmother, Amelia Ellen Sherman-Wildasin? She was! Until this discovery, my relatives were generally very quiet folk living in the Pennsylvania-Maryland areas. </div>
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Now the question, do I want to pursue applying to the D.A.R.? </div>
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FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-72609075551652673902014-12-13T14:41:00.002-05:002014-12-13T14:41:25.157-05:00Wreaths Across America<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
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Today, across America, wreaths were placed at the gravesites of the men and women who served our country. Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised by the attendance and of the beautiful ceremony. <br />
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Above is the grave marker for my paternal grandfather's brother George Wildasin, who served in World War I. As I walked across the grounds of the <a href="http://mtolivetcemeteryassociation.org/">Mount Olivet Cemetery</a> back to my car, I stopped to place wreaths, exchanged conversations with several people, and to look at the grave markers for a man who fought in the Revolutionary War and one of a Confederate Soldier. I cannot describe the feelings that I experienced. <br />
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Next year, I hope to be able to participate again. I hope at least one or several of you may do the same. <br />
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FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-51585244540518950612013-08-23T11:04:00.002-04:002013-08-23T11:04:28.672-04:00German History in MarylandJust this week I was re-shelving a book at the <a href="http://www.yorkheritage.org/">York County Heritage Trust</a>, when I noticed that the book was about German church records in Baltimore, Maryland. So I went to the index and found who I have been searching for over the past few years! It was just by chance that I took the time to check the index.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJzitUvLbyi1oblVaF1xQ7qHk6ct7Lc16A6fnmiVfQ5xg4x6BVjTRSGkLWiXK79ic3WYV7dNbSjEiWpbOT1-2bVEBjTZt6KVsL5lcanuX4ay_LHofdyuUYlqQXrSAgiu5k_R1_AqQ0n0c/s1600/old+bay.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJzitUvLbyi1oblVaF1xQ7qHk6ct7Lc16A6fnmiVfQ5xg4x6BVjTRSGkLWiXK79ic3WYV7dNbSjEiWpbOT1-2bVEBjTZt6KVsL5lcanuX4ay_LHofdyuUYlqQXrSAgiu5k_R1_AqQ0n0c/s1600/old+bay.png" height="200" width="170" /></a> This morning, I spent some time researching places in the Baltimore, Maryland area where I can visit and hopefully learn more about my dad's ancestors. While on the German Marylanders' website, I skimmed the timeline and learned the following:<br />
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<em>In 1940, Gustav Brunn, a Frankfurt Germany native developed a spice used for crabs. He had arrived a year earlier in Baltimore from Germany. His spice was sold many years later to McCormick. Brunn invented 'Old Bay'.</em> (courtesy of <span id="goog_569111971"></span><a href="http://www.germanmarylanders.org/timeline-1">German Marylanders<span id="goog_569111972"></span></a>).<br />
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I suppose good old Gustav and I have something in common...he created a blend of spices that today is used widely on our favorite seafood, and I accidentally stumbled on relevant data that I considered to be a treasure into my family's past. <br />
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P.S. If you are interested in learning where the name 'Old Bay' came from, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Bay_Seasoning">read more here</a>.<br />
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-29879830951963756502013-08-12T14:53:00.002-04:002013-08-12T14:53:51.353-04:00World War I Hero...Sgt. StubbyMy husband's Staub family sponsors a team each year for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life team. Their team name is the 'Stubby Staubs.' Recently, in a blog post by AncientFaces, I read a story about a dog named Stubby, aka Sgt. Stubby, who was a hero during World War I. <br />
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Below is a glimpse of the Sgt. Stubby's obituary, printed by the New York Times in 1926. Read the full story on <span id="goog_73540112"></span><span id="goog_479480150"></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153093360100277&set=o.96457182807&type=1&theater&utm_source=AncientFaces+List&utm_campaign=dfdbb5ac9d-Newsletter_13_08_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_89c10ff7aa-dfdbb5ac9d-237662969"><span style="color: #cc3300;">Ancient<span id="goog_73540113"></span>Faces</span></a><span id="goog_479480151"></span>.<br />
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<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><em>"The noise and strain that shattered the nerves of many of his comrades did not impair Stubby's spirits. Not because he was unconscious of danger. His angry howl while a battle raged and his mad canter from one part of the lines to another indicated realization."</em> - New York Times Obituary 1926</span></span></div>
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FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-25771479001853721432013-01-14T08:42:00.002-05:002013-01-14T08:43:28.904-05:00TV Worthy I Am Not ...Today I opened my Inbox and read a notification wishing me a happy blogging 2nd anniversary. Apparently I started this blog two years ago. Time sure flies. <br />
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I could claim being busy, and that might be so. There were no 'ah-ha' moments, therefore nothing intriguing and worth while mentioning. However ... <br />
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<li>I uncovered one Staub ancestor's Company information when he served in the Civil War. Just this Christmas I shared this information with a great nephew (that makes me feel old!) who has an interest in Civil War and participated in a re-enactment. I think that I opened another door and made a young historian happy. </li>
<li>Prior to Super Storm Sandy, I visited with an elderly neighbor, taking them a dish of my 4-cheese macaroni casserole. One thing lead to another and I ended up with information about his family and embarked on a journey to help him find his roots. I hit a brick wall, but did find some interesting stuff, AND learned the history of three counties - Baltimore, Frederick, and Carroll. Funny how little details are too darned important. Now I can't wait to share what I found.</li>
<li>Saw the movies Lincoln and Les Miserables. I actually understood the history from it all and enjoyed it. Also, I developed a deepened appreciation for my ancestors who lived during those trying times.</li>
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Guess it is the small stuff that keeps me digging. So, you won't be seeing me on TV anytime soon, right?<br />
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Happy New Year. Blessings to all genealogists. Happy research.FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-84816669658207185432012-10-04T12:38:00.002-04:002012-10-04T12:39:27.007-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ23IPa5SELxV1V7tBwEYj3Y920ww8Cqh6fzmC6jJeScBQU3EWoDHaJ4soga6QWqvga_hXZ384LWqj11xStdQVscNA9Ia5pYGYu7VQbDHDpCo6iWe7QbTDiql9-XrBlhcIVLWFYFa_Y_wn/s1600/Brodbeck+Homestead_Granny+Hoff+and+Uncle+Bill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ23IPa5SELxV1V7tBwEYj3Y920ww8Cqh6fzmC6jJeScBQU3EWoDHaJ4soga6QWqvga_hXZ384LWqj11xStdQVscNA9Ia5pYGYu7VQbDHDpCo6iWe7QbTDiql9-XrBlhcIVLWFYFa_Y_wn/s200/Brodbeck+Homestead_Granny+Hoff+and+Uncle+Bill.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homestead in Brodbecks, PA <br />
of Jesse and Agnes Berkheimer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How many of us baby-boomers grew up knowing little about our family ancestry? I missed out on many opportunities to ask questions. Thankfully, I had an uncle who felt it was important for me to have a framed photograph of my great-great-great grandmother before it got lost in an estate sale. What started as a hobby is now an obsession! And, I am not alone.<br />
<br />
One day while volunteering in our local research library, a lady asked me for help in trying to understand her German ancestors. Her relatives claimed that they were Irish. She was so patient and eventually we found that her German ancestors couldn't sail to America when they wanted to and were offered land to stay in Ireland, thus the German-Irish connection. Proof in hand, she couldn't wait to share this at the next family reunion!<br />
<br />
I knew little about my mother's paternal ancestors, and found bits and pieces about her parents, their divorce, and that I have a step grandmother. Nothing exciting, just a loose end on the family tree. Another find was an article from the Berkheimer family file which revealed that my great, great, great grandfather, Andrew Berkheimer, had a brother, Henry, who had bought a farm shortly after becoming married in the early 1800s in Washington Township, Pennsylvania. Together with his wife Elizabeth, they raised a family and operated a widely known wool mill. Today it is a working farm (<em>sorry but I couldn't find a photograph of this farm, just driving driving directions</em>) listed on the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_and_Elizabeth_Berkheimer_Farm"> National Registry of Historic Buildings</a>. This find won't land me on NBC's show "Who Do You Think You Are?" but to know that a piece of their history is important enough to be registered and still a working farm is pretty cool.<br />
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Over a year ago, I began my family research, and didn't know that I would become so obsessed with history. A quote from Henry Wiencek sums it up for me.<br />
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<div class="quote-inner">
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<em>"Genealogy becomes a mania, an obsessive struggle to penetrate the past and snatch meaning from an infinity of names. At some point the search becomes futile - there is nothing left to find, no meaning to be dredged out of old receipts, newspaper articles, letters, </em><a href="http://blog.gaiam.com/quotes/topics/genealogy#" id="_GPLITA_0" in_rurl="http://i.trkjmp.com/click?v=VVM6MjU5NTA6MjE4OmFjY291bnRzOjk5MTk5OGRjZDIwZWZlMzUyOTI1NGI5YTcwYzYzZGMzOnotMTA5MC0zODMzMjpibG9nLmdhaWFtLmNvbToxNTg2NDpzbWFsbF9zcXVhcmU" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="Click to Continue > by Text-Enhance"><em>accounts</em></a><em> of events that seemed so important fifty or seventy years ago. All that remains is the insane urge to keep looking, insane because the searcher has no idea what he seeks. What will it be? A photograph? A will? A fragment of a letter? The only way to find out is to look at everything, because it is often when the searcher has gone far beyond the border of futility that he finds the object he never knew he was looking for."</em></div>
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<div class="quote-credits">
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<span class="author-label">-- Henry Wiencek</span></div>
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-33342113679494654722012-09-11T10:26:00.000-04:002012-09-11T10:26:25.133-04:00True Grit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBVYuSVi_xM-3YY4fJ9V7e-8ybBiWnUKGBYhlsC7had_9RUDq_6etQX0Zol-zSxoqATxF7Z_umXik9lTsrxQ4cW3cd1WFp7EZVNQW2oUoAImQVg6sFqcEVrhgpev6nS6CBAj6okIRL19P/s1600/Newsboy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBVYuSVi_xM-3YY4fJ9V7e-8ybBiWnUKGBYhlsC7had_9RUDq_6etQX0Zol-zSxoqATxF7Z_umXik9lTsrxQ4cW3cd1WFp7EZVNQW2oUoAImQVg6sFqcEVrhgpev6nS6CBAj6okIRL19P/s200/Newsboy1.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>For anyone over the age of 40, you will remember the <a href="http://www.grit.com/grit-history.aspx">Grit newspaper</a>. Today, the Grit paper is no longer in circulation, BUT it is a magazine. <br />
<br />
I am not promoting the magazine by any means (but it is interesting). This is something that I stumbled on when reading my eNewsletters from several of my favorite magazines. <br />
<br />
Growing up, my parents subscribed to this weekly paper. Mike and his siblings peddled the Grit paper, and I can still remember Nell helping the kids with their paper money and bookkeeping. Am I jogging any memories for you? Care to share, anyone? FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-49086668836875554172012-09-08T14:00:00.000-04:002012-09-08T14:00:46.685-04:00Change ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NO5wqrwPxH82Y_7ROa__UrtS4YSED3mjfw30aIul8yBVkl0i4HEeamNzIM_mEDTgYfzIKwC6JZI-I4qq0R5C9YIo5pJKmAQn9p7TM2QHmrTuMzfhBWRTbiN1V-TZd7X98OiV_l9ms4wd/s1600/Tzu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NO5wqrwPxH82Y_7ROa__UrtS4YSED3mjfw30aIul8yBVkl0i4HEeamNzIM_mEDTgYfzIKwC6JZI-I4qq0R5C9YIo5pJKmAQn9p7TM2QHmrTuMzfhBWRTbiN1V-TZd7X98OiV_l9ms4wd/s1600/Tzu.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”</em> <br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2622245.Lao_Tzu">Lao Tzu</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No, the image above is not of an ancestor. Lao Tzu just happened to write about change, and the quote resonated with me. After researching our family heritages, I have been thinking about changing the overall feel of the blog. This decision comes from the connectivity among the family ancestors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I suppose that I fall into a small category of folks who embrace change. To me, it is refreshing and a sense of renewal - like the changing of the seasons. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, when I started to recreate this blog, I only intended to change the title and image. One thing began to led to another, and everything began to click. </div><ul><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The title - based on how our ancestral roots entwine. </div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The subtitle - because if family history is not recorded and shared with relatives, then knowledge could become lost. </div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tree image - wide, supportive, and strong. The little fence that surrounds the tree represents family.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The color - natural, clean and peaceful.</div></li>
</ul>Time is a test of knowledge, so they say. Time will be a test of how this change affects the blog stats and readership. <br />
<br />
Until later ...FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-31949911540386241882012-09-07T07:56:00.000-04:002012-09-07T07:56:35.018-04:00Curiosity killed the cat ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNG6_4erGmFbYHoxDDK3WdN0DW5JMSKJKJ6zwmekhiq6mXEPFGEPUyguV_oaKOZjOZQXxvUquIYokiCWdCTvwEUwYoGxYizj4-YZQT-jPzHj-_tui6WjUHzQVYHWER45p2PCKXaZG2CWDG/s1600/220px-Curious_kitten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNG6_4erGmFbYHoxDDK3WdN0DW5JMSKJKJ6zwmekhiq6mXEPFGEPUyguV_oaKOZjOZQXxvUquIYokiCWdCTvwEUwYoGxYizj4-YZQT-jPzHj-_tui6WjUHzQVYHWER45p2PCKXaZG2CWDG/s200/220px-Curious_kitten.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Shakespeare used a similar quote in his circa 1599 play, <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Much_Ado_About_Nothing" title="Much Ado About Nothing"><span style="color: black;">Much Ado About Nothing</span></a></i><span style="color: black;">:</span><br />
<table class="cquote" style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; margin: auto; width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border: currentColor; color: #b2b7f2; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 35px; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px; text-align: left;" valign="top" width="20"></td><td style="border: currentColor; padding: 4px 10px;" valign="top"><em>"What, courage man! what though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care. </em>”</td></tr>
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For many years I knew that my maternal Grandfather had a 'new lady' in his life, and it wasn't Grandma. This knowledge led me on a journey to find out more.<br />
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My journey began with city directories. I learned where my maternal Grandparents lived, when they stopped living together, and what jobs they held. You might be surprised by what information can be found in these directories.<br />
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Next I made a trip to the York County, PA Archives. It was here that I found the tax records for both my Grandfather and his 'lady.' Still nothing on a second marriage.<br />
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I then visited the York County Courthouse. My first trip was a total bust. I was denied entry because I had my cell phone with me. After parking four blocks away and dealing with rain, I decided to try later. Just a few days ago, I parked, removed from my purse all forms of electronics including my thumb drive, and tried once more. The nice officer let me through.<br />
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My visit wasn't totally fruitless. I learned that Grandma filed for divorce based on indignities and her divorce was granted in 1948. However, there was no marriage for my Grandfather in York County. Could their marriage have been a common law marriage? <br />
<br />
Onward to Adams County. Nada! I wasn't totally disappointed, but realized that now I must navigate the Maryland court system. Was I prepared to pay for this information, or drive to Annapolis or Baltimore?<br />
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So, I went home, poured a glass of wine, booted up the laptop, and Googled once more. Oh, I also sent a message to Grandma in the spirit world that I could use some help! My find was a Maryland Vital Records site that has microfilm records online, and it was free. I skimmed through six years of microfilm data until my goal was accomplished. Thanks, Grandma!<br />
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Long story short ... Grandma and Grandpa Berkheimer divorced in 1948, and he remarried in Maryland in 1960.<br />
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<em>The moral to my very long story. and many of you are not related to the Berkheimer family, is this ... if your parents or grandparents are still living, don't do as I did, do as I say - sit down with them and ask your questions to learn more about <strong>your</strong> family history.</em> <br />
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FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-37261240094551720712012-08-13T19:27:00.000-04:002012-08-13T19:27:17.415-04:00Digging Up Old Dirt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Did you ever wonder why you go digging into some one's past life? What is it worth, anyway? And, what happens when you do find something that is questionable? Do you share it only with the immediate family members for the sake of privacy, or consider it newsworthy since the person is already deceased? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My family ancestors are quite normal, as I have yet to uncover a 'juicy' tidbit of information on anyone. But I asked myself, what <em>would</em> I do? (<em>To all my relatives and family members, don't worry, I will consult the immediate living family members before announcing something embarrassing to the world</em>.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below is an image of a 1980 column written by the infamous Abigail Van Buren, aka <em>Dear Abby</em>. Read Abby's response to 'Knows Too Much.' You may need to enlarge the viewing screen to read Abby's response. Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6ECh0f4g5QDBzUy0Xrh3Hylfe19JwAxmAc8LQ2qyodlVCMCkNVpCAv46ijdnlNIEjDm5MDzq0ZqLo94SwD7vKTkzmSnbrnx_QnKTrVG0szHFCIjitBGHzdrCYdccMCBrhg9xnAm8OYj8/s1600/Dear+Abby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6ECh0f4g5QDBzUy0Xrh3Hylfe19JwAxmAc8LQ2qyodlVCMCkNVpCAv46ijdnlNIEjDm5MDzq0ZqLo94SwD7vKTkzmSnbrnx_QnKTrVG0szHFCIjitBGHzdrCYdccMCBrhg9xnAm8OYj8/s400/Dear+Abby.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-85619897040854874472012-07-13T14:24:00.002-04:002012-07-13T14:24:27.096-04:00Small town with a big heart...As a parent, I often offered words of wisdom to my kids, which sometimes generated a wrinkled face or a critical response. I would often find myself telling them, <em>you just never know</em>. It got to the point where <em>I</em> even got tired of saying this. But it is true. If you don't try, how will you ever know?<br />
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I volunteer in the research library for a local historical society. Every so often I catch myself still sharing those words of wisdom with new researchers. 'You <em>just won't know until you at least check it out.'</em> So what if it leads you to a dead end...you JUST might learn something new.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzA5qYWz9YYQXd3URuRF1KRa0UWePIypEjCYXQQYRT842jdZ-_VnEQCj5W4lNFdN1DdNiCX-etTsN-axL376hiKzmjeSdlBvdCUj6KYnwq2BEv_jS0Gc2LL5Hm8613ssOtjyLFNm-onSpj/s1600/MH+pix2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzA5qYWz9YYQXd3URuRF1KRa0UWePIypEjCYXQQYRT842jdZ-_VnEQCj5W4lNFdN1DdNiCX-etTsN-axL376hiKzmjeSdlBvdCUj6KYnwq2BEv_jS0Gc2LL5Hm8613ssOtjyLFNm-onSpj/s200/MH+pix2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
While exploring Facebook recently, I stumbled on an open forum group called, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/214189871961746/#!/groups/214189871961746/photos/">If you grew up in Hanover</a>. The group's vision is, '<em>Small town with a big heart. Post memories of growing up and share your stories</em>.' As a researcher I am sharing this link with you because it could be of some value to you. How so, you might be thinking? Well ...<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>How many times have you found family photographs and the only clue was that was in or near to Hanover, PA?</li>
<li>You know of a Hanover landmark but wonder what it looked like in the 1800s when your great grandfather was settling in Hanover, PA. </li>
</ol>
In this open forum Facebook group of 2,038 members, you can post your inquiry and hopefully get results. It doesn't hurt to check it out.<br />
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Another resource for pictures that you may be interested in resides on the <a href="http://www.hpsd.k12.pa.us/archives/index.htm">Hanover Public School District's</a> web site. Why, I haven't figured that out yet. Check out this link, too, for photos of Hanover's past.<br />
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These may or may not be significant to you, but perhaps you can share these links with a fellow researcher, or link them to your blog. These are <em>free</em> and <em>credible</em> resources that one day could solve one of your mysteries. <br />
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-71599889044765555732012-07-04T14:02:00.000-04:002012-07-04T14:02:06.927-04:00Sidetracked to On-track<em><strong>Happy Fourth of July, everyone</strong></em>. Our house is just too quiet, as our children relax and celebrate the holiday at their homes. I miss the grandsons and their parents, but we have been fortunate to have celebrated previous holidays with them. So, I am directing my energies elsewhere today. <br />
<br />It has been quite a while since my last post, and there is a very good reason why. <em>I knew it, and</em> <em>I broke the rule</em>. What rule? <em>Research one family at a time</em>. This is difficult to do when the Staub, Smith, Wilt, and Groft families overlap. But then I discovered some of my Wildasin ancestors married one of the aforementioned Staub ancestors. I got sidetracked, and my punishment was three days of sorting, rechecking my database, and filing.<br />
<br />Another rule that I broke I made up myself: <em> all newly found research should be added to my database within 24 hours and not tossed aside</em>. I couldn't read my writing and some papers became mixed with others making it confusing to make sense of it all. After three afternoons, I finally got the mess contained, a new filing system established, and have photographs to scan. <br />
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<em><strong>Be safe this holiday and remember to be ever grateful of our ancestors who fought for our independence. Their sacrifice ensured our freedoms that we enjoy today.</strong></em></div>
<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-21197563520842659702012-06-17T08:08:00.001-04:002012-06-17T08:09:16.790-04:00To Our Dads ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_LFb0El-7QNexsQ84gQslsv-RtKctiPV5j4Xhc8fTAoaeRQQMzaPDMdASTGX5lvrTyhvT4_FNqVPtV0hbknIVu3ggUBiHT1YvoTuT0EB3xyanq68BUNKLAbACTrPnUOzH_zdQxeJIzQZ/s200/Grandpa+Staub+with+Laura.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Raymond Francis Staub Sr." width="192" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raymond Francis Staub, Sr., my father-in-law, <br />
holding Ms. Laura Staub.</td></tr>
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Today is Father's Day. Presents will be opened. Handmade cards proudly presented to dads. Hugs. Perhaps a specially prepared meal prepared and eaten.<br />
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How often I take for granted the fathers before us who paved the way to bring us what we have today. Their bravery, endurance, and hardships. They not only carved out homesteads to raise families in, but created who we are today. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReH5HzVGvRUPA0km4H2xEHKhx4cOSQ2vm4QT0vR2PnaNlxqywARM9pVGTRxz9sGX3C_iJrxrU1SjbACJaZGfL7Pw2SF23dqyYZP-xsHVsKvaJLncbBkvpZ6G7Wfo3JcWL3U2wtp9cRmaj/s1600/Leroy+with+Laura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReH5HzVGvRUPA0km4H2xEHKhx4cOSQ2vm4QT0vR2PnaNlxqywARM9pVGTRxz9sGX3C_iJrxrU1SjbACJaZGfL7Pw2SF23dqyYZP-xsHVsKvaJLncbBkvpZ6G7Wfo3JcWL3U2wtp9cRmaj/s200/Leroy+with+Laura.jpg" title="LeRoy Hugh Wildasin" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LeRoy Hugh Wildasin, my dad, loved his hats <br />
and found a new place to hang this one - on Ms. Laura's head.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In searching for photographs for another project, I found these two wonderful dads and granddads. It is these moments caught on film that make me thankful for what they provided us with - <em>love</em>, <em>family</em>, and <em>security</em>.<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><strong>Thanks my two wonderful dads!</strong></span></div>
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<em>Happy Father's Day to those who may be reading. May your lives be filled with love and memories, each and every day.</em></div>
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<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-3634214591252202792012-06-01T12:30:00.002-04:002012-06-01T18:30:51.148-04:00I wish I would 'a .......... I am positive that I am not alone in saying, <em>'I wish that I could turn back time to talk to my parents and grandparents about their lives.'</em> Right? Now, instead, I sometimes feel like I am walking in circles or into a dead end. Fortunately, I think that one dead end may have turned into a discovery. <br />
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Many years ago, my dad's brother gave to me a picture of a beautiful, young lady who he said came from Bavaria, Germany. Uncle told me that I was named after her, and as was my grandmother. I am a third Mary Catherine, spellings have changed slightly over the decades, but still the same sentimentality.<br />
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I am Mary Kathryn. My grandmother was named Mary Catherine. Her father, George, was born in America, but his father, Christian, immigrated to America in 1852 on the Orleans with his parents and two additional siblings.<br />
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Since I neglected to ask my dad about all of this, at least dad cut out newspaper articles and pictures, and stuck them in a photograph album. The date and the ship that they arrived on was what I was finding in passenger lists. However, a mystery had yet to be solved about the lovely, young lady who resides on my hallway wall.<br />
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Just last week I was digging further into the life of Christian, my great-great grandfather. He had two wives. The first wife I only knew as Marie, until I read an account that her middle name was Catharine, and that she was born in Bavaria. <em>It was then that I had an, 'Ah-ha,' moment</em>.<br />
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I had another clue. The picture is a daguerreotype. According to the birth and death dates of my mystery lady and the time period in which daguerreotypes were popular, I am fairly certain that this is my great-great grandmother.<br />
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Uncle was right, and I am ever thankful that he shared that with me. However, why, dad, didn't you tell me this story? Anyway, I feel now that this family has come to life for me.<br />
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I am a grandmother now with four grandsons. So far no granddaughters are in the future and that is ok. I will find someone to take care of my great-great grandmother's picture, and to learn the legacy of our family.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycY7FZjOhYeyevozETBxEeVqGk273E2st5QyQ63-efdLkWyu2UUnsUp8kgrK0b7cbARvCkz1kGygXLhIetSwYR4KNVKPowfoO_MbtEqimk0gPclSVVV_jX8To3zFj3GRqoexLHythzIi3/s1600/laura.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycY7FZjOhYeyevozETBxEeVqGk273E2st5QyQ63-efdLkWyu2UUnsUp8kgrK0b7cbARvCkz1kGygXLhIetSwYR4KNVKPowfoO_MbtEqimk0gPclSVVV_jX8To3zFj3GRqoexLHythzIi3/s200/laura.bmp" width="138" /></a>Currently, I am near completing the story about our daughter, Laura, who died from cancer 10 years ago, June 5, 2002. Her birthday was just a few days ago, May 30. She would have been 35 years old. Our grandsons will learn about who she was, what she meant to her brothers and friends while she was living, about her faith and hope, and what meant most to her when she was living.<br />
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Call me Nana, the storyteller.<br />
<br />FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-25581189087783554722012-05-24T09:50:00.000-04:002012-05-24T09:50:20.739-04:00New Sightings ...... Not of the alien kind, though. Sorry if I disappointed anyone. Although, the alien kind could be more interesting!<br />
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I am always searching (<em>and searching</em>) for a missing link in my family tree. This morning I happened to run across one and wonder how many researchers may have heard of it and about credibility. The website is <a href="http://www.ancientfaces.com/">http://www.ancientfaces.com</a>. I found quite a few of possible relatives and will spend the weekend researching each of them. Oh, this sounds like fun, right? <br />
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Would you care to share your favorite genealogy research sites, books, places with me and others? I subscribe to Ancestry.com and have been on more sites that I can count on one hand. <br />
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On the brighter side, and this is amazing for me. I connected with a German relation who shared with me the German ancestry of the one family I am researching. Now to share with her. This is the reason why it has been months since my last post. <br />
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Happy Memorial Day and happy searching! </div>FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170094446042274643.post-76595269789777595352012-02-14T11:52:00.000-05:002012-02-14T11:52:13.270-05:00Loving Sentiments<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">"There is a language, little known,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Lovers claim it as their own.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Its symbols smile upon the land.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Wrought by Nature's wondrous hand; </span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">And in their silent beauty speak,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Of life and joy, to those who seek</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">For Love Divine and sunny hours</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">In the language of the flowers."</span></em></div>
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<em>--J. S. H., from The Language of Flowers, London, 1875</em></div>
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The poem is taken from the book, <em>A Heritage of Herbs, History, Early Gardening, and Old Recipes.</em> On this day when people young and old celebrate their love for each other, it proved to be even stronger. Eleven years ago on this day our daughter Laura was told that she had cancer. She took it like a trooper, but in desperate need of having her love, Ian, with her. And as fate would have it, Ian walked in just moments after the doctors left us, surprising her with his love, support, and red roses for his love. </div>
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Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!</div>FamLegacyCreatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781178977921329687noreply@blogger.com0