Angel Island - West Coast Immigration Station

The majority of my ancestors came to the United States before Ellis Island and Castle Garden were the gateway for European immigrants. While researching topics for the Everyday Genealogy Desk Calendar
I discovered another immigration gateway - Angel Island.


Angel Island

Angel Island was the 'Ellis Island of the West' for Australians, Canadians, Mexicans, Russia, Central and South Americans and in particular Asian immigrants from 1910 to 1940.

Boats would land in San Francisco and the passengers would be processed based on the class of their ticket. Persons holding a first or second class ticket would be processed on the ship. Passengers holding steerage tickets would be sent to Angel Island for processing.

Processing on Angel Island was not handled as efficiently or quickly as Ellis Island due to the Chinese exclusion laws.

The following links will help you research your ancestors that may have passed through Angel Island.

History of Angel Island

Angel Island Association

"Angel Island" 'Guardian of the Western Gate' - Valerie Natale


Books from Amazon:

Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America

Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940

Angel Island : Immigrant Gateway to America

Take Care,
Pattie

Sunday's Obituary - John Lewis Schwemm

John Lewis Schwemm
Born - Jan 13, 1871
Died - August 21, 1947

Barrington Courier-Review
Thursday, August 28, 1947

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the funeral home, 149 West Main Street, Barrington, for John Schwemm, 76, well-known and familiar figure of this community. He died suddenly Thursday, August 21 of heart disease.

Schwemm was born on a farm four miles south of Barrington January 13, 1871 and lost both of his parents before he had reached his 13th birthday. He lived on with his brothers and sisters, doing work on the neighboring farms until 1894, when he and his brother Herman started a farm implement business, which was carried on successfully for 23 years.

When the livery business was discontinued, Schwemm did teaming in Barrington, he and his team being known and loved by local residents. In November of 1946 the team was sold and Schwemm retired.

In 1900 he married Gertrude Meyer of Barrington, and from this union there were two children, Earl Schwemm of this village and Ruth Schwemm Hardarce of Highland Park. His widow and children survive him as well as four grandsons, John, Richard and Robert Schwemm and Phillip Hardacre.

Also surviving are a brother William of Crystal Lake and two sisters, Mrs. William Schnetlage of Barrington and Mrs. William Lyons of Chicago.

Schwemm, who lived at 111 East Liberty Street, had a happy and friendly attitude toward life and people. He found pleasure in simple things, and much of his enjoyment came in doing for others. He was genuine and sincere, and carried a youthful viewpoint throughout his 76 years.

Both Reverends Bertam G. Swaney of the Methodist Church and Christian J. Doenecke, formerly pastor of the Methodist Church presided at the funeral services.

Internment was in the Evergreen cemetery. Emil Schwemm, Clifford Schwemm, Malcom Lyons, Frank Miller, Spencer Boehmer and Russell Smith, nephews of Schwemm, were pallbearers.

My Ancestor Was Born in the State of Franklin!

Minnesota? South Dakota? Wisconsin? Franklin?

One of the most fascinating elements of creating Everyday Genealogy - the Desk Calendar last year was being reminded how our nation was created. Once the original 13 colonies were formed our ancestors headed west and new territories and states were formed. Here are some of the more interesting facts I found

Did you know?

Residents of Wisconsin were enumerated in 1820 in the Indiana Territory census and in the Michigan census in 1830.

South Dakota residents were counted in the census of Wisconsin in 1836, in Iowa in 1840 and in Minnesota in 1850 as the Pembina District.

South Dakota was a part of Minnesota until Minnesota became a state in 1858.

West Virginia seceded from the state of Virginia on May 23 1861 and became a state in its own right in 1863.

Kentucky was annexed by Virginia in 1772 as part of Finscastle County. In 1776 Fincastle County was divided into 3 new counties: Kentucky, Montgomery and Washington.

Franklin?

The state of Franklin, whose capital was first Jonesborough and later Greeneville, was formed in 1784. It was never admitted to the Union. Franklin became part of Tennessee in 1790.

The state of Franklin lives on in Johnson City where there is a bank and main highway are named "State of Franklin". It was also mentioned in as one of the 'ghost states' in a documentery "How the States Got Their Shapes".

BTW - Davy Crockett was born in the state of Franklin 1786.

Conclusion


We all use census records, obituaries, etc. to help us find out which state or country our ancestors were born, married and died. What we have to remember is that they are answering the question from their 18th or 19th century perspective not our 21st century map.

Take Care,
Pattie

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Washington: State, Capital & President

When I was a child we celebrated Lincoln’s Birthday and Washington’s Birthday as two separate holidays. Lincoln’s birthday is still February 12 and Washington’s on the 22 but the holiday is now celebrated is President’s Day. And to make it a convenient three day weekend it is on the third Monday in February. This may be great for planning purposes, but I miss celebrating on the actual birthdates of these two presidents.

Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. is located on 100 acres of land that was donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia in 1791. If you are doing research in either of those states in this time period, your ancestor may have ‘moved’ whether he/she wanted to or not! The first census Washington D.C. participated in was 1800 and the 1810 census like the 1890 census has been lost.

Washington State

The Washington State Archives has a great interactive website with free digital images. There is also a collection of Historic Washington Newspapers available to browse online, one of my favorite things to do on a rainy afternoon. Didn’t find what you were looking for in the historical newspapers? Then you can use the Ask a Librarian link to request FREE obituary lookup and receive a copy via email.

The Washington State Archives make me wish I had a few more ancestors who headed farther west than Iowa!

George Washington

While George Washington was the father of our country, he unfortunately did not have any children. He did raise his wife Martha’s two children from her first marriage and had close relationships with his nephews and step grandchildren. To learn more about our first president or if your family research points you in the direction of being a descendent of one of Washington’s relatives check out the George Washington Foundation

I hope everyone has a great President’s Day.

Take Care,
Pattie

The History Channel Presents Washington the Warrior

Sunday's Obituary - Emma Rethmeier Schwemm

Emma Rethmeier Schwemm
Born: Aug 18, 1872 - Schaumburg,Cook County, Illinois
Died: July 30, 1945 - Elgin, Kane County, Illinois

Mrs. Emma Schwemm, 73 of Dundee Road, died Monday afternoon at Sherman Hospital in Elgin from a skull fracture and other injuries sustained in an automobile accident Sunday afternoon on the Northwest Highway in Barrington, near Plagge Flowers. Services will be held this Thursday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock in the funeral home at 149 West Main Street. The Rev Dore N. Ester of Salem Evangelical church will officiate and burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery.

The accident causing her death occurred about 4:15 Sunday afternoon when a car driven south on the highway by Donald Alvin Tadder collided almost head-on with a car driven by F. C. Sternberg of Rt. 2, Barrington. Mrs. Schwemm was riding with Sternberg, who boards at the countryside home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Buehler; and another passenger was her grandson, William Schwemm 12, also of Barrington

Earl W. Baade, Barrington chief of police claims Tadder fled from the scene of the accident and he signed a complaint against him. Chief Baade said Tadder went through a section of swamp land and made his way to Lake Zurich where he sought medical attention.

Chief Baade learned that he was in a Lake Zurich doctor's office and he returned him to Barrington, later turning Tadder over to Sgt. Don Barnes of the state police who brought the man to Sherman Hospital.


Others injured in the accident were brought to the hospital by ambulance. Mrs. Schwemm was in such severe shock that attending physicians did not believe she would live through the night. She rallied slightly, however, but suffered a relapse in the morning. Her death was due to shock; sever lacerations and possibly other injuries suffered in the collision. Because of her condition when she was admitted to the hospital, no effort was made to examine her for fractures.

Coupons, Samples and Free Research Sites

I love coupons!

I love the adventure of clipping coupons and then planning a trip to Wal-Mart so I can save even more on my grocery bill. Free stuff or coupons / discounts are always better. Cool Savings is an online site where you can find and print coupons.

I love free samples!

I love products from Fresh.com but the free samples you get to pick with each purchase are just delightful!

I love free archives & databases!

GenealogyBuff.com is a site with links to a fabulous array of search tools. The best thing is many of the site are fee!

I subscribe to Ancestry.com and feel that it is worth every penny. BUT, did you know that they have 200 databases that can be accessed FREE?

To access the free Ancestry.com sites and many others visit GenealogyBuff.com
.

While you are there take a minute to explore the other links, you may be pleasantly surprised at who or what you may find.


Happy Researching,
Pattie