Add Paint to Your Genealogy Toolbox

Pam Treme, my genealogy partner, and I speak at societies in the Tampa area under the name 'The Technology Tamers'. Our presentations show how to make your genealogy research easier using technology.

I have seen "Paint" on my Windows based computers for years, but rarely used it. Whenever I did try I would get confused and frustrated. Pam, on the other hand is a Paint genius. After hearing how frustrated I was using Paint Pam decided it was a great topic for the Technology Tamers to tackle.

We recently did a presentation to the Florida Genealogy Society - Tampa entitled "Dipping Your Fingers in Paint". I thought I would share the highlights on this blog.


Why use Paint?

According to the Microsoft website Paint is "a feature in Windows 7 that you can use to create drawings on a blank drawing area or in existing pictures".

While this may be true, it does not describe how I use Paint, now that Pam taught me how to use it!

Webpages

Let's say that I find an obituary online that I want to share with my family. By using the PRINT SCREEN button on my computer I can capture the obituary, paste it into PAINT and then HIGHLIGHT the areas I want my family to read.

If the obituary is split into multiple columns I can COPY the entire obituary into PAINT, open another instance of PAINT and CUT/COPY the various pieces into one document.

Photos

Paint will convert photos from one format to another. You can right click on any photo, open it with Paint and then SAVE the photo in the new format. Always be sure to understand the various formats (Tiff, Jpeg, etc) and under what circumstance to use each format.

Dip Your Fingers into Paint!

These are only two examples of the hundreds of things that you can do with Paint. Check out PAINT on the Microsoft Site or check out Utube.com.

Have fun Painting your Genealogy!

Take Care,
Pattie

Sunday's Obituary - Sophie Dehmlow Schwemm

Mother: Marie Doss
Father: Christian Dehmlow

Married: William David Schwemm - Dec 2, 1893

Crystal Lake Herald - January 3, 1957

Funeral Services for Mrs. Sophie Schwemm, 83, of Crystal Lake, sister-in-law of Mrs. John Schwemm of Liberty Street and Mrs. William Schnetlage of North Avenue, were held on Monday.

She was born March 2, 1873 at Bassendorf, Germany, the daughter of Christian and Marie Doss Dehmlow. The family came to this county and became early settlers in Algonquin when the deceased was nine years old.

In 1893 at Algonquin she married William Schwemm, who died four years ago. They farmed in the Algonquin-Crystal Lake-Cary area. Mrs. Schwemm's interests centered in her home, her family and her lovely garden. She was an earnest church worker and a 'good neighbor'.

Surviving are a daughter, Esther, Crystal Lake; seven sons, Edwin, Alvin, Raymond, Leslie and Howard, Crystal Lakel Emil, Cary and Gordon, Lake Geneva, Wis., and four grandchildren. A son, daughter, two brothers and a sister preceded her in death.

Funeral services were held at the Warner Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. Monday and at 2 p.m. at the Immanuel Lutheran Church with the Rev. Fred Duever officiating. Burial was in the Algonquin Cemetery.

Custer, Canada and Cookbook Tips

This week's tips have a northern flair ranging from Wisconsin to Montana and north to Canada. It is never to late or to soon to start collecting recipes for a Family Cookbook. Look for hints, starting this week.


Sunday June 26
* The Battle of Little Big Horn was fought on this date in 1876
* Looking for a list of 7th Cavalry casualties and wounded at Little Big Horn? Visit: http://www.interment.net/us/mt/bighorn.htm Select -> Custer National Cemetery

Monday June 27
* Looking for Free Genealogy Software? Check out RootsMagic Essentials. Visit: rootsmagic.com

Tuesday June 28
* Searching for a female Canadian Ancestor? Maybe she was a World War I Canadian war bride. Visit: http://ww1warbrides.blogspot.com

Wednesday June 29
* Looking for a researcher in Upper Michgan? Visit: http://www.mtu.edu/library/ Select -> Archives & Historical Collections -> Research Help.
* Be sure to check out the Photo Archives on the MTU website.

Thursday June 30
* Juneau County Wisconsin was created from Adams County in 1857. Visit: www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wijuneau

Friday July 1
* Canada Day
* Getting started in Canadian research? The Library and Archives of Canada is a great place to start. Visit: www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy

Saturday July 2
* Create a Family Recipe Cookbook: To personalize each recipe add a biography of the creator.

Good Luck and Take Care,

Pattie

Automate Your Genealogy

The other day I received an email that sadden me. Hazel Ritt Schwemm, the wife of one of my grandmother's cousins had passed away. The email was not from a relative or fellow researcher, it was from Google.

A few years ago I set up an alert on Google for the word 'Schwemm'. I now know when there is an event at the Schwemm Coffee House at Amherst College or when Diane Schwemm publishes a new book. And occasionally there will be a notice about another distant relative. This was the first time I found out about a death in the family.

Clifford and Hazel Ritt Schwemm's Wedding Portrait

Google Alerts

Setting up alerts allows Google to monitor the web without you having to lift a finger.

Start by going to Google Alerts. You will be presented with a variety of parameters, which may be changed once you begin receiving alerts.

Google Alerts lets you choose whether it searches blogs, news, videos or discussions. The email alerts can be sent to you once a day, week or as they happen. And you can choose to see only the best results or all results.

Test your search criteria with the 'Preview' feature to make sure the results are reasonable and useful. The goog thing is that even once the alert is activated you can always 'tweak' the results.

While these alerts will never take the place of 'boots on the ground' research, they can help monitor a family or town that you are researching. If you are planning a research trip you could set up an alert for a local genealogy or historical society you want to visit.

If you are currently using Google Alerts please let me know if you find them helpful. If you set up a Google Alert I would like to hear if it was helpful or not.

Take Care,
Pattie

Sunday's Obituary - Minnie Schwemm Schnetlage

Parents:
Joseph Julia Emme Schwemm

Married:
William Schnetlage: Feb 17 1897 - Chicago, IL

Excerpts from the Obituary - Barrington Courier Review:

Funeral Services for Mrs. Minnie Schnetlage, 84, of 127 North Avenue, wife of William M. Schnetlage, retired painter and decorator, are scheduled for 2:00 pm this Thursday at the Stirlen Funeral Home, 149 West Main Street.

The last rites will be conducted by the Rev. Grant V. Graver, pastor of Salem Evangelical United Brethern Church. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery.

Mrs. Schnetlage died early Tuesday at Sherman Hospital at Elgin where she had been confined since Nov.21 after suffering a stroke at her home. Her condition was critical from the time she was stricken.

A lifelong resident of Barrington, the former Minnie Schwemm was born August 2, 1873 in Barrington, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schwemm.

She was married to Mr. Schnetlage in Chicago, February 17, 1897, and they took occupancy shortly after their marriage of their newly built North Avenue home, where they had resided ever since.

She was a member of the Salem Church and attended service regularly until frail health limited her activities. She belonged to the church's Philathea class and the Woman's Society of World Service.

Minnie kept in contact with the extended Schwemm family during her life. Here are some snippets from the "Local News" column in the Barrington Review over the years.


Barrington Review - June 11, 1914
Mrs. F. Sprung of Grinnell, Iowa, Mrs. L. Pyritz of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Mrs. C. Schwemm and daughter, Miss Mayme, of Chicago spent the weekend at the house of William Schnetlage.

Barrington Review - October 22, 1914 pg 5
Mr. and Mrs. J. Peterson and daughter, Mildred, and sons, Howard and Arthur of Chicago visited at the home of William Schnetlage Sunday.

Barrington Review - September 23, 1915
Mr. and Mrs. William Schnetlage and daughters Nelta and Stella and Mr. and Mrs. William Stockel and daughter Mabel, spent Sunday at Avondale with the Nieland family.

Barrington Review - September 14, 1916 - pg 5
Mrs. William Schnetlage visited Mrs. Edward Peters at the Lakeside hospital, Chicago, Saturday afternoon.

Barrington Review - September 14, 1916 pg 5
Guests at the Schnetlage home over Saturday and Sunday were Misses Emma and Florence Rosenbaum, Mr. Ryerson and Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Peterson and family of Chicago.

Barrington Review - July 28, 1921 pg 5
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Petersen of Detroit, Mich., and J.P. Petersen and daughter, Mildred of Chicago were mid-week visitors at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Schnetlage of North Hawley Street.

Barrington Review - September 8, 1921 pg 5
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Krone and family, Mrs. Thomas and Mr. and Mrs.Theodore Ebner of Chicago were guests the first of the week of Mr. and Mrs. William Schnetlage of North Hawley Street.

Barrington Review - August 13, 1925 pg 5
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Niel and family of Chicago spent the week-end at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Schnetlage of North Avenue.

Barrington Review - June 30, 1927 pg 2
Mrs. Lizzie Pyritz of Indianapolis, Ind., and Miss Mamie Schwemm and Lawrence Woods of Chicago were guests at the home of their cousin, Mrs. Wm. Schnetlage, on Monday and Tuesday of this week.


Barrington Review - September 29, 1927
Mr. and Mrs. Wm Rosenbaum and daughter Miss Emma, and Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Likut and family of Chicago spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Schnetlage
of North Avenue.

Everyday Genealogy - The Blog and the Calendar

This blog started as a way to promote my calendar Everyday Genealogy and has evolved into its own genealogy blog.

As a way to blend the two I am going to start posting seven tips every week. I will also continue writing the blog based on the tips and my genealogical adventures.

June 20
- West Virginia became a state on this date in 1863
- Researching in West Virginia? Family members born before 1863 may list Virginia, not West Virginia as their birthplace in census records.

June 21
- New Hampshire became a state on this date in 1788.
- “A Very Grave Matter” is a collection of pictures and cemetery records focused on New England, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine cemeteries. Visit: www.gravematter.com

June 22
- Researching or live in New Mexico? Check out the New Mexico Genealogical Society website. Visit: www.nmgs.org/index.htm

June 23
- Looking for an out of print book? Visit: www.Biblio.com

June 24
- Researching you Spanish Heritage? The Spanish Archives Portal offers free research. Visit: http://pares.mcu.es

June 25
- Virginia became a state on this date in 1788
- Library of Virginia has searchable databases ranging from military and newspaper to cohabitation registers. Visit: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/ Select-> Using The Collections

June 26
- The Battle of Little Big Horn was fought on this date in 1876
- Looking for a list of 7th Cavalry casualties and wounded at Little Big Horn? Visit: http://www.interment.net/us/mt/bighorn.htm Select -> Custer National Cemetery

I hope you enjoy it!

Take Care,

Pattie

Sunday's Obituary - Daisy Elizabeth Warren Olson

Father: William Hamilton Warren
Mother: Mary Francenia Startt

Married: Benjamin Otto Olson on August 8, 1899

Kendall County News - October 2, 1940

Daisy Elizabeth Warren was born in Chestertown, Maryland, March 10th 1874 and passed away September 24 at the home where her daughter, Mrs. Fanning was planning to live.

She was married to Benjamin Otto Olson August 8, 1899, at Muskegon, Mich. and then came to Plano where they have resided with the exception of a few years in West Pullman. They were blessed with five children, Clarence, who died in 1911 at the age of 21 years; Walter, Frances and Lila of Plano and Ruth of Aurora, who survives her.

She also leaves five grandchildren. Mrs. Robert Lett, Burdette Olson, Robert LaVoy and Patsy and nnndy Fanning; besides two great grandchildren; Sharon Lynn and Richard Allen Lett. One sister, Mrs. Wm Schultz and three brothers, Ray and Walter Warren of Kankakee and Frank of Peoria, are also left to mourn her loss. A brother, William, and a sister, Mary, preceded her in death.

She was "Ma" to many who knew her, especially the children in the neighborhood. Her whole life centered around her home and children and she will be always remembered as being generous, kind and thoughtful of everyone. She had been in poor health the past few years but was active in her household duties until the time she was stricken, after which the end came quickly.

The many beautiful floral offerings expressed the token of love and esteem in which she was held by all who knew her.

Funeral services were held at the home of her son, Walter of Plano, Thursday afternoon, September 26 at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. E. E. Simms. Mrs. Ray Wiley sang very beautifully, "Some Time We'll Understand" and her son, Clarence's favorite hymn, :Does Jesus Care". The pallbearers were Messrs. Baker, Corneal Johnson, Wm Heller, Harry Usilton, Allen Taxis and Mr. McKirgan.

Those from out of town attending the services were Mr. and Mrs. A. Opp, Mrs. Mary Thomas and Mrs. Clarence Best of Belvidere; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Warren, Walter Warren and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Schultz and daughter, Nellie of Kankakee; Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Schultz, Mrs. Bernard Schultz and Hugh Fanning of Chicago; Dr. and Mrs. F. P. Fanning of Genoa; Dr. and Mrs. Wallace Fanning of Barrington; Mr. and Mrs. Edw Fanning, Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Fanning, Mrs. Chas. Patten and Mrs. Chas. Lett of Sandwich; Mrs. August Westbrook, Mrs. Ollie Tinsley, Mrs. Downey Nestlerod, Mrs. A. Aldia, Mrs. Viola Gordon, Mrs. Wm Gadow, Mrs. Harry Schilts and Mrs. L. H. Burndrett of Aurora and Mrs. Hattie Lightmer of Verona, Ill.