Genealogy in the fast lane

Back 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.

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 should not 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.

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.

• Peter Sterner Wildeson (1836-1911) married Margaret Bollinger (1835-1906). One of their children was a daughter named Amanda Ellen Wildeson (19 Mar 1864-5 Apr 1933) and who married a William John Elder and later a John L. Reily and lived in York County. [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.]

Photo taken by
Mary K. Wildasin-Staub,
Lazareth Church, Maryland.

• Jacob Sterner Wildeson (1832-1915) married Catherine Yost (1835-1915). One of their daughters was named Lamanda (aka Amanda) Susanna Wildeson (5 Jan 1861- 15 Nov 1933) and who married a George Monath in York County, PA but died in Maryland. [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).]

• Andrew Sterner Wildeson (1846-1926) married Amanda Sipling (1855-1920). They were smart and did not name their daughters Amanda! [This information was confirmed by reading the death certificates for Andrew (#20494) and for Amanda (death certificate #104753).]

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.

Word to the wise ... please 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! 

Happy researching.

P.S. My email is patwistedroots@gmail.com should you want to discuss or share. 

Wreaths Across America

 

 

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. 

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 Mount Olivet Cemetery 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. 

Next year, I hope to be able to participate again.  I hope at least one or several of you may do the same. 

  

Small 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, you just never know.  It got to the point where I even got tired of saying this.  But it is true.  If you don't try, how will you ever know?

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 just won't know until you at least check it out.'  So what if it leads you to a dead end...you JUST might learn something new.

While exploring Facebook recently, I stumbled on an open forum group called, If you grew up in Hanover.   The group's vision is, 'Small town with a big heart.  Post memories of growing up and share your stories.' 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 ...

1. How many times have you found family photographs and the only clue was that was in or near to Hanover, PA?
2. You know of a Hanover landmark but wonder what it looked like in the 1800s when your great grandfather was settling in Hanover, PA.   

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.

Another resource for pictures that you may be interested in resides on the Hanover Public School District's web site.  Why, I haven't figured that out yet.  Check out this link, too, for photos of Hanover's past.

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 free and credible resources that one day could solve one of your mysteries. 

Searching for roots beats chasing dust bunnies!

I don't know about anyone else, but the dust bunnies tend to take a backseat to my research.  And because of this, I wanted to share with you two bits of information, in the event any of you are researching ancestors who once lived in Hanover, York County, PA, USA, or McSherrystown, Adams County, PA, USA. 

The first is the John Timon Reily Historical Society.  It is located in McSherrystown, PA.  The Society is small but has a nice collection of family reserch and church historical records. 

Another historic place located just outside of Hanover is The Wildasin Meeting House.  I, being a Wildasin, have never been to The Wildasin Meeting House, but knew of it from visiting it online.  Each year there are one or two church services held at The Wildasin Meeting House.  On Sunday, September 18, 2011, a Lutheran church service will be held at 2 PM in the afternoon.  You may drive back to the site instead of walking, and it is held rain or shine.

The Wildasin Meeting House is located off of Bankert Road, in Manheim Township, York County, Pennsylvania.   Bankert Road is off Rte. 216 (also known as Blooming Grove Road).  Parking is available at coordinates: N 39 47.198, W 076 55.921. A three-quater mile (one way) walk down a closed gravel road to reach the meeting house is required.  This is the best I can do as far as the address is concerned.  You may also contact the Codorus State Park Office for better directions.