Sunday, October 31, 2010

Mila's Family Tree

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

One of the more unusual blogs I have been following is Mila's Daydreams, by Adele Enersen.  Adele was posting the most creative and heart warming photos of her baby Mila, while Mila was napping.  Adele and her creative photos were a HUGE internet hit.  And, of course, there began the problem.  Photos stolen and reused WITHOUT permission.

We all understand the why of her decision, but, let me tell you her devoted readers sure miss the photos and Adele's brilliant creativity and beautiful photography.

But, Adele has not stopped being creative.

I knew I enjoyed Adele, and missed her posts/photos/Mila.  I knew I really enjoyed her, but, now, she has gone up a notch or two or more here in Reflection's Land.

She has designed a fabric family tree and showed us how she did it.  Go have a lookie see at "How to make a unique family tree". 

Enjoy, my creative family tree researchers and builders.  Thank you Adele!


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Sunday's Stuff, Halloween Version

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

I have been spending some considerable time cleaning up email and the piles and piles of notes and papers and stuff on my desk.  I know many of my genie friends can relate. 

I spent a frustrating day yesterday trying to toss notes (some as small as 2 X 2).  Some need to be just tossed, easy.  Some need for me to start a blog post, leaving it partially written till I want to use it or finish it, sorta easy.  Some need a bit of time spent snooping around on the net, and yesterday, that was an exercise in frustration, as everyone I was trying to find, well, they were hiding.  SIGH

UNTIL - - late last evening.  Stay tuned, I am working on a post on  3 finds on Elusive Ella, 3 hits in less thn 15 minutes.  Boy, that sparked up my evening, and Rebecca's too! 

I am taking most of the afternoon off, as in away from the computer and the PILES, to go pick up all those books for the Lenawee County Family Researchers and to do Halloween with the twins.  I hope you all have a special and spooky BOO day!




*  Clip art courtesy of freeclipartnow.com

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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Sharing a Slice of Life, Costumes, Yorks & Youth

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Sharing a Slice of Life, this week, asks us to share "Costumes".

So, share I shall, costume photos from some favorite yorkies of mine, and, from the youth.  I picked out photos that represent my family, the earliest, the youngest, the youth.


Above, someone you might know and
her brother, clowns.


Son # 1, cute little sailor boy.


Above, Sebastian, our first yorkie,
can you tell, he was not happy getting dressed
up for Halloween?  My yorkie clown.


Son # 2, MMM, ya, a devil!



Son #3, Raggedy Andy.



Yorkie clowns costumes revisited, Abby on left, Tilly on
right.  They were not much happier about this
dressing up thing than Sebastian was in his day.


Twin granddaughters,  first Halloween.

Have a scary, wonderful, fun Halloween!

Trick er Treat!

BOO!



* Nope, could not find a photo of Man in any costume except this one!

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Friday, October 29, 2010

99th Edition Carnival of Genealogy, Religious Rites Can Tell A Life Story

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This Carnival of Genealogy, hosted by Jasia of Creative Gene has a challenge of: 

Baptisms/Christenings, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, church weddings, anointings, ordinations, etc. Organized religion played a large part in many of our family histories. Virtually all religions have their rites/ceremonies. Has your family participated in any of these rites?

In my years of research I have either been elated or deflated at the religious records found for the ancestors of Man and Moi.  For many of my ancestral lines there are few records, there were quite a few Baptists and other Protestants.  Those of you who have ancestors with those religions will agree with me, those religions and their lack of records can be deflating.  Oh, there are records here and there, but for the most part my ancestors are not included in them.  (Hear the huge SIGH of a discouraged Carol?)

On the other hand, many of Man's ancestral lines are of the Lutheran religion. I have to say, I have found the Lutheran's to be extremely family research oriented. I am pretty sure they did not keep those records for the benefit of family researchers (OK, Carol is being a tad bit sarcastic here, LOL), however, this family researcher LOVES Lutheran records!

Using Lutheran records I have been able to trace generations of Man's clan back in Germany, well over 100 years worth of Ruthigs, Molder/Molters, Creutzens, Hirsches, Wagners, Warners, Jungs and many others, all one church.  Using Lutheran records I have been able to track an ancestor's life events, baptism, confirmation, marriage, children, and death and burial. 

Today's images and story concerns one of Man's aunts, and all but one of her life events took place via the same church, Calvary Lutheran Church, Lincoln Park, Wayne County, Michigan, where the Gehrke clan has worshipped, baptized, confirmed, married and buried many family members.


Frieda's baptism took place at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pigeon/Linkville, Huron County, Michigan.  It was written in the Old German handwriting, the translation is loose, but gives us the basic details.


Above, Frieda's Confirmation certificate, from the Calvary Ev. Luthern Church, Pastor, Walter O. Kleinhaus.  Confirmation for a Lutheran is a major milestone, as it marks the entry into a person's religious adulthood, it is a personal public profession of his or her faith.  It has been celebrated and continues to be.  Many families have parties to celebrate the rite. 




Right, photo of Frieda about the same time, it is my opinion that this photo was taken the day of her confirmation.


Above, Frieda married Emmett Bell on 04 February 1939, note she was married by the same pastor, Walter O. Kleinhaus.  It is not totally clear if they were married in the church building.

In September of 1941 Frieda gave birth to her one and only child, Patricia Mildred Bell.  Patricia was baptized at Calvary reportedly in October 1941, the date has not been verified.

In early October of 1941 Frieda died, her funeral was held at Calvary, and once again Walter O. Klienhaus officiated at this Gehrke family event, as revealed in her obituary, newspaper source unknown:

"Services for Mrs. Frieda Bell, who died Sunday in the Highland Park General Hospital at the age of 26, were held at 1:30 P.M. Wednesday from the Nixon Funeral Chapel, and at 2 P.M. from the Calvary Lutheran Church with the Rev. W.O. Kleinhaus officiating. Burial was in Glen Eden cemetery. Surviving are her husband, Emmett, of Highland Park; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gehrke, of 4040 Agnes Avenue, Lincoln Park; one daughter, Patricia, three weeks; four sisters, Mildred Gehrke and Mrs. Martha Maitland, of Lincoln Park, Mrs. Hilda deHilster, and Mrs. Hedwig Pariseau, of Hazel Park; and a brother, Arthur."

Church records, when found can fill out your family tree.  The trick is, of course, to locate the correct church and verify where those records are held.  I found records for the German Ruthig family through the Latter Day Saints.  The Gehrke clan lived in Lihue Kauai Hawaii for a number of years, the Lihue Lutheran Church records have also been filmed by the LDS.  I found many baptism records there, as well as a few death records.  The pastor from Lihue recorded cause of death and some other interesting tidbits of data that family researchers cherish.  Michigan church records were examined, one church even loaned me a photocopy of the entire set of records - - I had a field day, it was great fun!

Yes, our family did participate in their religious rites, and as you can see, for some ancestors and families that participation is well recorded and tells us much about their life stories.  Now, if we could get some of the Protestant churches to do "do-overs", and create lots and lots of records for me to review.  Ahhh, the dreamer I am!



*Thanks to fM for the poster.

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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Treasure Chest Thursday, Dad's Baby Doll

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This small baby doll complete with it's own cradle belonged to my father.  The cradle measures 8 inches long, 4 inches high and 4 inches wide.  At one time I had engaged the work of an local doll maker to repair the babie's head.  The woman did not get the work done, and after a year or so, confessed that she just could not accomplish it for me, as she was giving up that part of her life.  So, the doll remains as it was when my father gave it to me a number of years ago, with the appearance of much play, and a poor attempt at repair.  Wish I knew the back story on the cracked head (which actually has a hole in the side).




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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wedding Wednesday, Henry Gerth & Emma Koch

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Henrich (Henry) Peter Gerth and Emma Louise Sophie Henriette Koch were married at Sebewaing, Huron County, Michigan on 10 Dec 1903.

The following 2 graphics show their marriage record as found at FamilySearch.Org  (Note, I used the old search labs to obtain the image. I could not  locate it at the Beta version.)  I have edited the image by cutting the record into page 1 and page 2.  I also cut all the other records out of the image, leaving only the headers and our happy couple on the page.  Remember, click on the image for a larger version, click your back button on your browser to return to Reflections.



Photo of the wedding party, from left to right:  witnesses standing, from left to right:  Catherine Gerth; Edward Gerth, unknown, John Gerth (or possibly Peter Gerth); last two unknown.  Identification by family members, I am not certain the identifications are correct.  Emma has 4 younger sisters and 2 brothers, one who is older than she and one who is younger.  The unidentified ladies could easily be her sisters.  Ernest Koch who is a witness is most likely her younger brother, could he be this young gentleman on the far right of the photo?

Seated, are our groom, Henry Gerth and his bride, Emma Koch.


Henry is Man's grand uncle.  Thanks to the family members who provided this wonderfully preserved photo and the identification of at least some of the people represented.



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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday, Fall in Franklin

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence




*Franklin Cemetery, Franklin Township, Lenawee County, Michigan

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Monday, October 25, 2010

Tell Me About Yourself, Clues Inscribed In Stone

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

The Graveyard Rabbits carnival for November 2010 has a theme of "Genealogy On The Tombstone", the challenge continues:

"Does the tombstone tell a family history? Have we found some genealogy clues embedded in stone? Is there a brick wall breaker located in the cemetery? Show us the genealogy."

Thank you Diane Wright for suggesting this theme/challenge.  Diane writes several blogs including The Grave Yard Rabbit Travels Wright.

I know that all serious graveyard rabbits/cemetery visitors have seen literally hundreds of headstones, monuments and memorials with tidbits of clues.  Marriage dates inscribed in a heart in the middle of the stone.  Children's names.  It is quite common to find an inscription which includes the wife's maiden name, as well as the name of her husband. 

Here are three, all of these from my data base, therefore, kin of some sort of mine or Man's.


Above:  Lina L. Cameron
Daughter of
Wm. A. & Nancy D. Lassiter
April 20, 1892
Oct 24, 1964
Buried at:  Cedar Hill Cemetery
Suffolk, Virginia.

(Note:  I have no idea why I chose this stone in include in this post, because until I started writing this post, I had NO idea who Mr. Cameron was.  I decided to try a search at FamilySeach.Org.   Typed in Lina Wright (I knew she was married previously to a Otis Wright) and Cameron for the spouse's name, received 45,851 hits, but the first one, the VERY first one was for my gal.  I just love when this happens!  WAHHOO!  Now, I can do some research on John Maccullay Cameron, born 1878 in Canada.  I even have his parents names!  BINGO!  So, if you believe in fate, it was fate that I chose THIS stone to include in this post.  I created a memorial for Lina at Find A Grave in August 2010.)


Mother
Elzina S. Lashbrook
Aug 1, 1874
Jan 12, 1944
Father
Chester C. Lashbrook
Oct 22, 1871
Mar 14, 1954
Parents of Goldie Herbert
Farmers of this community for 50 years.
Buried at: Parker Cemetery,
Arkansas City, Cowley County, Kansas

Chester and "Zina" were married in Cowley County, Kansas.  They appear on the census in 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 in either Cowley County, Kansas or Kay County Oklahoma (which lies just south of Cowley County).  Chester's parents, Elzina's parents and Chester's brother are all buried in the Parker Cemetery.  I love how this stone gives their daughter's married name.  If I had not known who she was, it would be a great hint.  Chester has a memorial at Find A Grave, which I have been honored to maintain, thanks to Judy Mayfield for creating it and adding great photos.  (Note:  THIS photo is one I took, the photo on Find A Grave is one that Judy took.) There are links on his memorial to that of his wife and their parents.


Holsinger Cemetery
David From Germany
Michael Died 1819 Married Barbara in Germany
Peter Died 1855 in his 83rd Year  His Wife Elizabeth
Acres from Valentine Sevier
Aug 15, 1773
Blessed Are
The Pure
In Heart
Holsinger Family Farm
Holsinger Springs, Rockingham County, Virginia

This may be my favorite, as it is loaded with clues, err, data. I wrote about this cemetery before, as 4 generations of my ancestors are probably buried here.  This small cemetery is found on a quiet hill top with cattle grazing around.  This memorial stone, erected many years after the last burial here, tells us that the family was from Germany, and purchased the farm from Valentine Sevier*, and outlines the first 3 generations of Holsingers in America.  Great information to start researching with.  The Holsinger Family Cemetery can also be found at Find A Grave, I have added photos where I had them. One of the memorials added to the cemetery listing I have no information on, I see more research questions calling my name.

Yes, our genealogy can be and is carved in stone, and with any luck it is more than dates. 

See ya in a cemetery soon, I'll be looking for inscribed hints, won't you?


* Fun Note:  Valentine Sevier is reportedly the son of John Sevier, who would serve as the first governor of the state of Tennessee.

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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Victorian Halloween, Walker Tavern, Cambridge Junction, Michigan

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Walker Tavern, which I have written about before, is packed full of history and they run great programs during the spring, summer and fall.  Man and I have taken the twins, L & M, there on several occasions, they have attended a Victorian Tea, a Pioneer Cooking Day, and several other activities.  The staff does an outstanding job, teaching, hands on, real life stuff.  Reasonably priced, this is a gramma and grampa saver and education all rolled into one.  Win-Win.

Over the weekend, Man and I took the girls to the Victorian Halloween celebration at Walker, rain threatened, but never damped, the temps were quite moderate and we had a great day, visiting each and every single display and partaking of all.

We made decorated bags for our candy, we painted pumpkins, made dolls from corn husks, tried to catch an apple dangling from a rope (no using of one's hands allowed), had our fortunes told, had popcorn that was popped over an open fire, colored and cut out these really curly snakes and listened to some scary stories.  See:





The way I remember the symbols: 
Water = travel; flower = good luck;
ring = marriage; cross = service as nun or priest;
penny = fortune.

Is this story lore or lies??

Man's snake has "different" eyes, eh??

Trick er Treat ?


Happy Halloween!



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Happy Birthday Mr. B

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Dear hubby of Wild One Anne is celebrating today. 

Make it a great day!



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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Sharing a Birthday With Those in My Database

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

We are playing grandparents this weekend, so, this is gonna be quick and dirty, LOL

Randy from Genea-Musings, posted this challenge, my response in red:

Hey there, Genealogy Jedis - it's Saturday Night - time for more Genealogy Fun!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) Is there a person in your genealogy database that has the same birth date that you do? If so, tell us about him or her - what do you know, and how is s/he related to you?

I have 23 others in my data base that share my birthday, including my uncle Charles.  Sorry, I don't have the time to chat about all 23, and truthfully, there are some that I have very little information about, and a few of these I cannot guarantee 100% that the date is correct.

2) For bonus points, how did you determine this? What feature or process did you use in your software to work this problem out? I think the Calendar feature probably does it, but perhaps you have a trick to make this work outside of the calendar function.

There is a very simple way to do this in RootsMagic (I currently am still using version 3.xxx)  If you use RM you can follow these simple words/commands, again, I am not going to chat this out in bloody details!  (Ya, I know, not my usual stuff!  Remember, granddaughters!!  LOL)


Search (person list)
Find
Pull down to choose Birth Date, Equals, then input date you are interested in.
Click OK
Results will show, if you suspect there may be more than one hit, click Next. Continue till RM tells you there are no more hits/results.

I use this method all the time.  Very handy.

Back to the granddaughters, have a great weekend. 

BOO!!


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Happy Anniverary, Cousin Rebecca & Lowell

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Some one is having a celebration today!!!


50 years, a wonderful accomplishment.  Since Man and I cannot be with you today, I thought I would wish you the very best here at Reflections!  Have a WONDERFUL day, and many more blessed years.


Hugs, and buckets of fairy dust accompany our best wishes.




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Friday, October 22, 2010

ET Call Home, Reflections Needs A Back Story

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Found in a large pile of photos from Man's Mother, she had all the boy's school photos, as well as a few oddities, in one box.  Sorting and scanning those that I did not have, I found one of Son # 3 at one week of age, I did not have a copy of it, to my knowledge it is the FIRST photo of Son # 3.  (By the way, he loved it, it has been scanned, emailed to him, and his bride, and linked to my data base.)
 
Also found these three, Polaroids, dated, April 5, 1983.  Other than that, I have NO idea, and neither does Man.
 

Call home ET, Mom really wants to know the back story on this!



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Thursday, October 21, 2010

Sharing a Slice of Life, Treat, It's Not About the Beer, Tis All About the "Bro's"

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This weeks challenge at Sharing a Slice of Life is about "Treat", "write about the treats" of our lives.  

There are lots of treats I could share, like the memory of my Grandmother, Minnie, rocking me when I was but a wee bit of a child.  That surely was a treat for me.

But, I kept going back to this beer and the "Bro's" memory.  Let me say, first up, the story is not really about the beer, the beer is just one example of the "Bro's" relationship and what their relationship means to me, their Mom (and their dad, Man).

Yep, the "Bro's" are our three sons, Son # 1, Son # 2 and Son # 3.

Some of my readers may remember that Son # 3 got married this summer.  It was a beautiful summer garden wedding, simple but oooo, so elegant, and just what the bride and groom wanted.  Doesn't get any better.

OK, so, this beer thing, Carol, what is that all about, you my faithful readers ask??

Son # 3 wanted brewed beer as part of his wedding meal/drinks.  The "Bros" all enjoy beer.  "Usually," Mom, says snickering, "expensive beer".  Somewhere along the line, the "Bro's" started brewing their own, experimenting, I hear the current brew is double chocolate something or other.  Hmmmm, that sounds interesting.

So, back to that wedding.  Son # 3 wanted a Belgian wheat (with orange peal and some other ingredients to give it a different kick, errr, taste).  So, as part of the preparations for the wedding, the "Bro's" gathered one morning several weeks before the wedding, and Belgian wheat beer with orange peal they did brew.

As I stated earlier, the beer is not the important part of my "Treat" story.  What is important is that they did it together, like so many other things they share, camping, family outings, family celebrations, carrying their grandmother to the grave, three brothers (the "Bro's"), getting along, sharing, laughing, crying together.  Don't get me wrong, they don't get along all the time, they disagree about things, issues.  But, when it really counts, they band together, stand together.  This means more to Man and I than I can describe, our three sons, the "Bro's", not at odds with each other, but supportive of each other, friends.

You see, it is that GETTING ALONG thing that is such a treat to Man and I.  Our three sons, the "Bro's" sharing a slice of life, and now and then, a glass of home brewed beer.



*Graphic courtesy of http://clker.com/

**My apologies to my readers who do not partake, and please note, it is NOT about the drink, it is about the "Bro's".

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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Wedding Wednesday, The Photo

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

 
Mildred Louise Gehrke and Arthur Norman Stevens, Jr.
May 24, 1947
Lincoln Park, Wayne County, Michigan
 


*While contemplating Wedding Wednesday, I realized I have no photos of Man and I on our wedding day (eloped).  None of my parents (eloped, I believe).  None of  my mother's parents (eloped, yep, train ride to Maryland).   None of my father's parents (eloped, and she did not even tell for months!).  Do we see a pattern here??  Of course, there may be photos undiscovered - - hope springs eternal.  But, I guarantee, none of Man and I.  LOL

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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tuesday’s Tip, How I Keep My TMI Within My Comfort Zone

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Lori E from Family Trees May Contain Nuts wrote a thought provoking post on Monday, titled, Privacy Issues Here And In Facebook.  As of Monday early evening she had 8 thought provoking comments.

I thought I would share with you today a few of the things I do to reduce the TMI issues.  I do these to put up a bit of a boundary between you, my valued readers, and Moi.  A privacy boundary, if you will.

I do not use my full name here on my blog.  I am forced to use it at Facebook, or I would not.  My name at Find A Grave is just Carol.

I don't use the name of my home town here or on Facebook.  Here on my blog I do mention the name of the county I live in, sometimes.  I also say we live in "SE Michigan".

No birthdate on Facebook is shown.

I don't use the names of my hubby, sons, wives of sons, or grandchildren here.  They are Man, Son # 1, Son #2, Son #3, Wife of Son #1, Wife of Son #2, and for the twins granddaughters, L & M.

I shy away from using photos that show their faces full front, especially recent photos.  Yes, I do use some full front face type photos of Man and I from times "not so recent", as I did this week with my Sharing a Slice of Life, Trick post.  But, I try to limit the recent full face photos.  This also is the one place I where I tend to break my own rule. (Sigh).

I do not link TO my Facebook account FROM my blog.

I do not have, nor would I link to it, a GenealogyWise account, ditto Twitter.

I don't have a link TO my Find A Grave account, I have posted links to memorials I have created however.

I do post links on Facebook to my blog posts, but, NOT every day.

I, recently, had to incorporate Comment Moderation here at Reflections.

I do not use face recognition/name tagging in programs like Picasa, where your name is attached to likenesses of you in photos you post. 

I use a variety of avatars.  Facebook, Find A Grave and my blog all have different avatars.  Only the ID photo here on my blog is an actual photo of me, Facebook and Find A Grave and other web sites that I use have other kinds of images.

I don't post personal family issues, if Man and I have an issue, I may tell my closest friends, but, I am not going to post it on Facebook, or here on my blog. 

I will continue to chat about our travels and trips.  It is a bit hard to tell you about a 6 month Tana and Big Butt tour after the fact.  I do hire a party to cut the lawn, my neighbor drives over the new fallen snow, I have a party that checks my house (not telling you when or how often tho, sorry), and believe me, the State Police know we are gone, who is watching what, how to contact us and our children in case of an emergency.  And, I have insurance.

I use these procedures to provide some boundaries between you and Moi.  Actually, not beween you, as in my readers and friends, but, as in them, the nasty snarly idiots that want to steal what is mine.  I attempt to limit the info, try to never give away TMI and maintain some boundaries. 

As I write a post here or a status line on Facebook, if I feel my comfort zone is compromised, I back off, delete, re-write or just don't post.  My advice, find what works for you, discover and honor your own comfort zone, and friends, don't post things on Facebook that contain TMI (please, keep it to yourselves, I really don't want to know that stuff).

So, even tho, I feel I am careful, I don't feel I am over the top paranoid careful.  I mean, a gal has to have a life, eh??



*Graphic courtesy of Clker.com

** T M I = Too Much Information (for Barbara)

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