Growing up in Illinois I was aware that the state laid claim to two presidents: Abraham Lincoln and Ulyssess S. Grant. With a state motto of 'Land of Lincoln' Honest Abe was all around. On the other hand I was a bit confused that Grant's Tomb was in New York! When Ronald Reagan was elected president Illinois could now boost three favorite sons that made it to the White House.
Abraham Lincoln's birthday is February 12th and his life has been well documented. There are also the challenges to his official parentage. As we all know, it is all in the research and the citations. I have posted a link to let you judge for yourselves.
This September the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference will be in Springfield. Attendees will have a chance to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and if you have Illinois ancestors Springfield is a goldmine of records and archives.
If you are interested in exploring the lives of these men or knowing more about Springfield I have listed a number of helpful links.
Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference
http://www.fgs.org/2011conference
Abraham Presidential Library and Museum
http://www.alplm.org/
Illinois State Archives @ Springfield
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/serv_sta.html
Galena State Historic Sites
http://www.granthome.com/
Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home
http://www.ronaldreaganhome.com/
A Challenge To Abraham Lincoln's Ancestry
http://www.genealogytoday.com/us/lincoln/
Friday, February 11, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Using Timelines to Understand Your Ancestor's Lives
My great grandfather, Fred Schwemm, was the oldest surviving son of Joseph and Julia Schwemm. When I first started my research I gathered up information on Fred, his parents, his grandparents George and Sophie Schwemm and his six siblings who survived to adulthood.
During this quest I found the guardianship papers that were drawn up when Joseph and Julia died leaving six minor children. I found marriage records for Fred and his siblings, the birth announcements for their children and eventually obituary and death records for all of them.
What I did not do until I talked to Ruth Schwemm Hardacre, my grandmother's first cousin, was look at all my 'research' as the story of Fred's life. When Ruth made the statement that Fred had 'stole' the farm from his siblings I knew I had to stop and understand Fred's life from his perspective. To do this, I put together a timeline so I could see the sequence of events.
Sometimes in our search for every record and every name we can forget to step back and put our ancestors lives in context to the time period they lived. Timelines can be an extremely helpful tool to do this.
Setting up a timeline is easy - find the first date you have, such as the birth date of an ancestor and then the date that ancestor died. From there start filling in significant family, state and regional events. It may also be helpful to check out an almanac or local newspaper.
If you need a resource for finding a timeline for a particular state check out e-Reference Desk @ http://www.e-referencedesk.com/resources/state-history-timeline/ or just click on the title of this article.
And, in case you are interested, Fred did not steal the farm from anyone but that is another blog posting!
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
The first picture is of Fred and Emma Rethmeier Schwemm my maternal great grandparents. The second picture is of my grandmother Florence and her sister-in-law Anna Pahlke.
During this quest I found the guardianship papers that were drawn up when Joseph and Julia died leaving six minor children. I found marriage records for Fred and his siblings, the birth announcements for their children and eventually obituary and death records for all of them.
What I did not do until I talked to Ruth Schwemm Hardacre, my grandmother's first cousin, was look at all my 'research' as the story of Fred's life. When Ruth made the statement that Fred had 'stole' the farm from his siblings I knew I had to stop and understand Fred's life from his perspective. To do this, I put together a timeline so I could see the sequence of events.
Sometimes in our search for every record and every name we can forget to step back and put our ancestors lives in context to the time period they lived. Timelines can be an extremely helpful tool to do this.
Setting up a timeline is easy - find the first date you have, such as the birth date of an ancestor and then the date that ancestor died. From there start filling in significant family, state and regional events. It may also be helpful to check out an almanac or local newspaper.
If you need a resource for finding a timeline for a particular state check out e-Reference Desk @ http://www.e-referencedesk.com/resources/state-history-timeline/ or just click on the title of this article.
And, in case you are interested, Fred did not steal the farm from anyone but that is another blog posting!
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
The first picture is of Fred and Emma Rethmeier Schwemm my maternal great grandparents. The second picture is of my grandmother Florence and her sister-in-law Anna Pahlke.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Genealogy, eBay and Harvey Hampers
Have you ever used eBay?
I started using eBay years ago to buy bisque, albums, replacement parts for computers, etc. Then one day I was bored and I put in "Barrington Illinois", the town my dad's family migrated to in 1864 from Germany.
My search yielded cookbooks published by various local groups, keepsakes from the town’s Centennial, unknown photos from the turn of the century and a sewing basket made at Harvey Hampers. My mom not only worked at Harvey Hampers when she first moved to Barrington from Michigan but made those sewing baskets. Mom was totally shocked when I told her not only were the sewing baskets for sale on eBay but I had bought one. While mom may not have made the one I bought I can share it with my grand daughter and tell her that Nan used to make them!
While I have not found a family bible or a complete family tree for auction the items I have found helped round out my understanding of Barrington over the years. The added bonus was that the cookbook contained recipes contributed by family members. While I attended the centennial celebration as a child I did not have a souvenir. Thanks to eBay a commemorative plate hangs in my kitchen.
eBay can become addicting but it can also help flesh out your research. Search town names, surnames, counties, etc. and see what you find. Postcards, photos, books, maps and even family bibles are being auctioned daily - you just have to start searching eBay to find them.
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
I started using eBay years ago to buy bisque, albums, replacement parts for computers, etc. Then one day I was bored and I put in "Barrington Illinois", the town my dad's family migrated to in 1864 from Germany.
My search yielded cookbooks published by various local groups, keepsakes from the town’s Centennial, unknown photos from the turn of the century and a sewing basket made at Harvey Hampers. My mom not only worked at Harvey Hampers when she first moved to Barrington from Michigan but made those sewing baskets. Mom was totally shocked when I told her not only were the sewing baskets for sale on eBay but I had bought one. While mom may not have made the one I bought I can share it with my grand daughter and tell her that Nan used to make them!
While I have not found a family bible or a complete family tree for auction the items I have found helped round out my understanding of Barrington over the years. The added bonus was that the cookbook contained recipes contributed by family members. While I attended the centennial celebration as a child I did not have a souvenir. Thanks to eBay a commemorative plate hangs in my kitchen.
eBay can become addicting but it can also help flesh out your research. Search town names, surnames, counties, etc. and see what you find. Postcards, photos, books, maps and even family bibles are being auctioned daily - you just have to start searching eBay to find them.
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Sunday's Obituary - Fred Rethmeier
Fred Rethmeier
Born - Nov 8, 1822 - Lippe, Detmold, Germany
Died - April 8, 1910 - Barrington, Cook County, Illinois
DuPage County Register (Wheaton, Bensenville, Itasca, Roselle edition), front page, on Friday, April 15, 1910. The column heading was "Striker Items"
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rethmeier, of Minden, Neb., came to attend the funeral of his father and will spend some time visiting friends before returning to their home.
Mr. Rethmeier was born at Leppe, Detmouldt, Germany, Nov.8, 1822; married Dorothy Dellmeier, Mar. 28, 1854. They sailed for America, April 1 the same year. They lived two months with Mr. Becker, a blacksmith, who was a cousin of Mrs. Rethmeier, and the only relative they had living in America.
Mr. Rethmeier bought a 40-acre farm, now owned by Fred Geiskee, near Mr. Steinmeier's in Schaumburg, where they lived seven years. He sold this farm and bought an 80 acre farm in Barrington, where he lived until his death Thursday night, after a short illness of pneumonia.
He leaves a widow, aged 81 years December 30, one daughter, Mrs. Emma Swemm (Schwemm) of Barrington, two sons, Henry, of Minden, Neb. and John who has always lived on the farm with his parents, and five grandchildren.
In March 1876, they lost six children by diptheria; all were buried in Hoosier Grove cemetery.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Ellerbrake, Sunday. Interment at Hoosier Grove cemetery. Mr. Rethmeier was an industrious, hard-working man, and one of the oldest residents of Barrington.
Born - Nov 8, 1822 - Lippe, Detmold, Germany
Died - April 8, 1910 - Barrington, Cook County, Illinois
DuPage County Register (Wheaton, Bensenville, Itasca, Roselle edition), front page, on Friday, April 15, 1910. The column heading was "Striker Items"
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rethmeier, of Minden, Neb., came to attend the funeral of his father and will spend some time visiting friends before returning to their home.
Mr. Rethmeier was born at Leppe, Detmouldt, Germany, Nov.8, 1822; married Dorothy Dellmeier, Mar. 28, 1854. They sailed for America, April 1 the same year. They lived two months with Mr. Becker, a blacksmith, who was a cousin of Mrs. Rethmeier, and the only relative they had living in America.
Mr. Rethmeier bought a 40-acre farm, now owned by Fred Geiskee, near Mr. Steinmeier's in Schaumburg, where they lived seven years. He sold this farm and bought an 80 acre farm in Barrington, where he lived until his death Thursday night, after a short illness of pneumonia.
He leaves a widow, aged 81 years December 30, one daughter, Mrs. Emma Swemm (Schwemm) of Barrington, two sons, Henry, of Minden, Neb. and John who has always lived on the farm with his parents, and five grandchildren.
In March 1876, they lost six children by diptheria; all were buried in Hoosier Grove cemetery.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Ellerbrake, Sunday. Interment at Hoosier Grove cemetery. Mr. Rethmeier was an industrious, hard-working man, and one of the oldest residents of Barrington.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Las Vegas isn't just for Gambling.... if you have Neveda Ancestors
If you are researching in Neveda there are many sites on the Internet to assist. If you are in Las Vegas and have a little time on your hands because the dealers and the slots are winning, check out the Clark County Library.
I visited the libray in 2009 and spent hours researching various newspapers on microfilm. I also noticed that the library is advertising at the airport when we landed.
If you are planning a trip to Las Vegas to do some research be sure to contact the Clark County Genealogy Society. The supplied me with great information on what was available and places to visit.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nvccngs/
You can also visit the Nevada State Museum:
http://www.museums.nevadaculture.org/index.php?
If you are not in Las Vegas I have listed some links for Neveda and Las Vegas genealogy research.
Take Care,
Pattie
http://www.ancestorhunt.com/nevada-genealogy.htm
http://www.kindredtrails.com/NV_Clark.html
http://digital.lvccld.org/lvage.html
http://ilsweb.lvccld.org/search/X?searchtype=X&searcharg=las+vegas+sun
http://lvccld.org/library/information/index.cfm
http://usgwarchives.net/maps/nevada/
http://nsla.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1705&Itemid=421
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
I visited the libray in 2009 and spent hours researching various newspapers on microfilm. I also noticed that the library is advertising at the airport when we landed.
If you are planning a trip to Las Vegas to do some research be sure to contact the Clark County Genealogy Society. The supplied me with great information on what was available and places to visit.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nvccngs/
You can also visit the Nevada State Museum:
http://www.museums.nevadaculture.org/index.php?
If you are not in Las Vegas I have listed some links for Neveda and Las Vegas genealogy research.
Take Care,
Pattie
http://www.ancestorhunt.com/nevada-genealogy.htm
http://www.kindredtrails.com/NV_Clark.html
http://digital.lvccld.org/lvage.html
http://ilsweb.lvccld.org/search/X?searchtype=X&searcharg=las+vegas+sun
http://lvccld.org/library/information/index.cfm
http://usgwarchives.net/maps/nevada/
http://nsla.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1705&Itemid=421
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
What's in a Surname? Check out National Geographic
National Geographic Feb. 2011 Pages 20-21
This two-page article includes a map of the United States with a distribution of common last names super imposed on the map. The map provides a graphical representation of immigration.
Example:
The prevalence of the names Lablanc and Fonenot in south Louisiana reflect its Acadian heritage. The same holds true for the Southwest with Spanish sounding name like Garcia, Chavez, and Rodriguez. East of the Mississippi, the map is crowded with lots of names, many of which are easily identifiable as being English/Welch/Scottish/Irish in origin. West of the Mississippi, the names become more sparse.
For more information on this project, visit this website: www.worldnames.publicprofiler.org.
You can even "map" your own names.
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
This two-page article includes a map of the United States with a distribution of common last names super imposed on the map. The map provides a graphical representation of immigration.
Example:
The prevalence of the names Lablanc and Fonenot in south Louisiana reflect its Acadian heritage. The same holds true for the Southwest with Spanish sounding name like Garcia, Chavez, and Rodriguez. East of the Mississippi, the map is crowded with lots of names, many of which are easily identifiable as being English/Welch/Scottish/Irish in origin. West of the Mississippi, the names become more sparse.
For more information on this project, visit this website: www.worldnames.publicprofiler.org.
You can even "map" your own names.
Take Care,
Pattie
Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Google Books and Me
Google Books is the most fascinating library I have ever encountered. Whether I am looking up county histories or hoping to find a reference about an ancestor I am always amazed at the number of books available.
The other day I found an article on CNN.com about recipes from the turn of the century. I realized I had never looked up cookbooks on Google Books. Using the filter '19th Century' I was able to find books and magazines that my ancestors may have read.
What did I find?
There were recipes from all regions of the country plus tips on keeping house and raising a family. I also found 'The White House Cookbook' published in 1887. It contains a great photograph of the 'White House Bride - Frances Folsom Cleveland'!
Then I started thinking about the record cold and number of storms we were having this winter. My next search was on the word 'almanac'. I was presented with a list of almanacs that included a World Almanac, another published by the Chicago Dailey News and of course the Farmer's Almanac all from the 19th century! I was quickly downloading these FREE pdf's to my hard drive.
Get the idea?
Click on the title of this article or use this URL: http://books.google.com to start finding your endless list of books on Google!
Once you have read articles from these 19th century publications you will never take frozen food, Doppler Radar and your microwave for granted again!
Now, I just have to load all those PDF's on my eReader!
Take Care,
Pattie
The other day I found an article on CNN.com about recipes from the turn of the century. I realized I had never looked up cookbooks on Google Books. Using the filter '19th Century' I was able to find books and magazines that my ancestors may have read.
What did I find?
There were recipes from all regions of the country plus tips on keeping house and raising a family. I also found 'The White House Cookbook' published in 1887. It contains a great photograph of the 'White House Bride - Frances Folsom Cleveland'!
Then I started thinking about the record cold and number of storms we were having this winter. My next search was on the word 'almanac'. I was presented with a list of almanacs that included a World Almanac, another published by the Chicago Dailey News and of course the Farmer's Almanac all from the 19th century! I was quickly downloading these FREE pdf's to my hard drive.
Get the idea?
Click on the title of this article or use this URL: http://books.google.com to start finding your endless list of books on Google!
Once you have read articles from these 19th century publications you will never take frozen food, Doppler Radar and your microwave for granted again!
Now, I just have to load all those PDF's on my eReader!
Take Care,
Pattie
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