Sunday, March 31, 2013

Census Sunday - Double Entry in the 1905 Census

1905 NYS Census Nathan Gardner
Census Sunday! Horray! Happy to see this has been picked up Geneabloggers. This re-post give you an example of a Census Sunday discovery.



Nathaniel Gardner, b 21 July 1882 NY – 7 December 1944 NY, was my maternal grandfather. He was born in New York City where he lived until 1940. My mother was in high school when he died so I never had the opportunity to meet him.

I have found him in old letters he wrote to my grandmother; in faded photographs showing him with my mother’s baby carriage; in city directories, and in census records.

1905 NYS Census Nathaniel Gardner
In the 1905 N.Y.S. Census my grandfather is listed twice. He is listed at East 87th Street in Manhattan with his parents, Louis [Leopold] and Fannie Gardner, and his siblings, Florence, Moses and Albert. This shows Nathan to be 19 years old and a telegrapher. [1905 NYS Census, NY Co, Manhattan, ED 13, AD 30, Block A, Pg8]

He is also listed as living at East 188th Street in the Bronx. He was a boarder with Eugene Archer. He was 23 and a telegraph operator. [1905 NYS Census, NY Co, Bronx, ED 52, AD 25, Page 16]

I believe both of these are my grandfather. His parents were indeed Leopold & Fannie Gardner. The names of his siblings are correct. He was actually 23 years old and a telegraph operator. He was certainly old enough to live on his own, as a boarder. Nathaniel worked in various Western Union offices over the years, sometimes in the Bronx. I think he moved in the days the census takers were collecting information and was counted twice.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Funny - A Genealogy Obstacle


There are many obstacles that come between us and our research: missing documents or census records, archives with limited hours, limits on the time we have to pursue our passion. When it all comes together and you have, at long last, an opportunity to write your family's story there can still be problems. You can see my problem in these photos. I am happy that our cat, Coco, likes to keep me company. Maybe she'd like to be an editor. However, she comes between me & my research when she decides to nap on my sources!

Anyone have tips to get around this kind of genealogy brick wall?



Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Liebster Award


Thanks to Charlie Purvis who gave me the Liebster Award. I enjoy visiting his blog: Carolina Family Roots. We have discovered that we are distant cousins & we met recently! Thanks, cousin! 

Rules: 
1. Thank the blogger who presented you with the Liebster Award, and link back to his or her blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions from the nominator; list 11 random facts about yourself, and create 11 questions for your nominees.
3. Present the Liebster Award to 11 bloggers, who have blogs with 200 followers or less, whom you feel deserve to be noticed. Leave a comment on the blogs letting the owners know they have been chosen.
4. Upload the Liebster Award image to your blog.

Answers to the 11 questions Charlie asked me:

1. What is your most notable achievement, thus far, in life? Professionally that would be receiving the Elizabeth Ann Seton Teacher of the Year Award when I was teaching first grade in a small Catholic school.

2. What part has your education played in this achievement? I have Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education.

3. What was your most “serendipity” moment in your genealogical research? I was visiting Ohio to research my maternal; grandmother’s lines. I went into the Wayne County Library and introduced myself to the librarian explaining what I was looking for. She said I had to meet her husband. He had been researching the Ritter family line for many years. He is my third cousin, once removed. We met that evening and are still in touch.

4. Have you encountered any “brick walls” in your research? If so, were you able to resolve your brick wall? There are always branches where I want to learn more or move further back in time but basically I think I need to educate myself more before I can answer my own questions. If I still can’t learn more that would be a brick wall.

5. Have you ever attended a National Genealogical Society Family History Conference? No. I have only been to one conference, for the Ohio Genealogical Society.

6. Do you do most of your research on-line or do your travel to courthouses and archives to do research? I prefer to travel to archives, courthouses & local libraries but when I cannot travel I use the internet.

7. Is your family research centralized to one location or spread over several states? My family roots spread across several states & countries.

8. How important is the Genealogical Proof Standard in your research and does your database meet that requirement? I’d like to know more about the Genealogical Proof Standard; how it came to be & why this is the form we should use.

9. Do you have an on-line tree? Is it public or private? The trees in my Family Tree Maker are private. Lines that I want to share are on my web site.

10. Do you intend to publish your research at some point in the future? Yes. I have written a book on my paternal grandmother’s family & have begun on another book.

11. Have you participated in any DNA testing to resolve difficult genealogical stumbling blocks? Were the results beneficial to your research? Not yet. I would like to at some time.

11 Random Facts about Me:

1. I plant a vegetable garden with tomatoes, garlic & herbs each year.
2. I don’t have any sisters but I have three brothers.
3. I like to make birthday cards for friends & family.
4. We have three children; no two live in the same state.
5. I am a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts and have been a scout since I was a Brownie.
6. Maeve Binchy & Elizabeth Berg are a couple of my favorite authors.
7. I had walked beaches on both the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans.
8. I’ve been to several islands in the Caribbean and French Polynesia.
9. Quilting, genealogy, photography & reading are favorites of mine.
10. My husband & I take ballroom dance classes.
11. I love my family!


11 Questions for my nominees:

1. 
 Do you have a favorite family branch? Which one? 
2. What location [state or country] have you found easiest to research?
3. What location [state or county] have you found to be very difficult to research?
4. What location, associated with your research, would you like to visit?
5. Is there anyone in your family who may want to become the family’s next genealogist?
6. What message[s] or tip[s] would you give your family’s next genealogist?
7. Who is the best person in your family for sharing stories of the past?
8. Do you have a funny genealogy tale to share?
9. How do you balance genealogy & other hobbies/pastimes?
10. Would you like to write a genealogy book? 
11. Can you see yourself ever 'done' with your genealogy research?

My 11 Nominees:

1. Margel at 2338Washington Blvd.
2. Teri at Genealogy Jottings
3. Bryna O’Sullivan at Explorations in Connecticut Genealogy
4. The Dead Librarian
5. Wendy At Jollett, Etc.
6. Deborah at Help! The Faerie Folk Hid my Ancestors!
7. Jim at GenealogyBlog
8. Kerry at Clue Wagon
9. Lisa at A Light That Shines Again
10. Philip at Blood & Frogs:Jewish Genealogy & More
11. Jacqui at A Family Tapestry

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Fearless Females – Immigration


Originated from The Accidental Genealogist in honor of National Women’s History Month.  March 27 prompt: Do you know the immigration story of one of your female ancestors?


In 1738 Johan Adam Dick [1709 – 1785] & his wife, Anna Ottilla Knack [1711 – 1782], left Germany for the United States. They had three daughters, Elisabeth Margretha [b 1732], Maria Christina [b 1734] and Maria Juliana [b 1736]. They were passengers on the ship Rob & Alice from Rotterdam to Philadelphia. During the voyage a fourth daughter was born. Appollonia Dick [1738 – 1791] was born at sea. Anna must have been a very strong woman to leave her home and family behind in Germany; give birth on board the ship; and set up a new home in the wilderness of Pennsylvania with her four little girls. She had three more children born in Pennsylvania.

Appollonia grew up in Pennsylvania. She married Johan Jonas Wolf in 1761 & they had ten children.


Selected Sources:
·         Wolfe, J. Arthur. Jonas Wolf of Berwick Township, York County, Pennsylvania: A History and Genealogy of a Colonial Ancestor and Some of His Descendants. Privately Published: 1987. Copy of book owned by York County Heritage Trust, 250 East Market Street, York, Pennsylvania.

·         Young, Henry James. Genealogical Reports for The Historical Society of York County: Evidences of the Wolf Families of York County before the Year 1850, 1938. From York County Heritage Trust, 250 East Market Street, York,

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Genealogy Travel: Orangeburg County, South Carolina




I was at the beach in South Carolina for two weeks enjoying the sunrises, walking on the beach, grilling on the deck and relaxing. But I was haunted by the proximity of libraries. My family was here in the early days, before South Carolina was a state.


So I tore myself away from the ocean for an afternoon and drove to Orangeburg County for a visit to the library. My Ott branch had lived in the county beginning c 1738. I also planned to look for Brumfields & Browns who lived nearby.

The library is at 510 Louis street. The website says: “Local History & Genealogy. An extensive collection of these materials is available at the Orangeburg County Library. In addition, we also provide access to online tools such as ProQuest's Ancestry.com utility.” I emailed the library to discover which of the library’s branches had these materials. They quickly replied that I wanted to visit the main branch at 510 Louis Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115.

I had no trouble finding the library. Inside the large library there is a glass enclosed area that houses the genealogy & history materials. I spoke to a librarian who gave me a quick tour of the materials there. He also checked on the library’s system to see if there were any books on the Ott family. He said there were not. I found out later that he was wrong.

I settled in and looked through each shelf of books in the room. I checked county histories, cemetery books, books of marriage records, books of pension lists, etc.

I found several useful items for the Brown family:

· 1850 Federal Census Index; Orangeburg County, South Carolina.
· Clemens, William Montgomery. North and south Carolina Marriage Records from the Earliest Colonial Days to the Civil War. New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1927.
· Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Orangeburgh South Carolina Census. High Point, North Carolina: Alligator Creek Publications, 1998.
· Teeples, G. Ronald, Ronald Vern Jackson, and Richard Moore. South Carolina 1800 Census. Provo, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1973.

I found this for the Brumfield family:

· Houston, Martha Lou. Indexes to the County Wills of South Carolina. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1970.

I also found items for the Ott family:
· 1850 Federal Census Index; Orangeburg County, South Carolina.
· Calhoun County Historical Commission, United States Heads of Families of the First Census Taken in 1790. St. Matthews, South Carolina: Orangeburg County Free Library, 1954.
· Clemens, William Montgomery. North and south Carolina Marriage Records from the Earliest Colonial Days to the Civil War. New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1927.
· Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Orangeburgh South Carolina Census. High Point, North Carolina: Alligator Creek Publications, 1998.
· Jarrell, Lawrence E. 1820 Orangeburgh South Carolina Census. High Point, North Carolina: Alligator Creek Publications, 1998.
· Miller, Floyd W., and Peggy Ann Easterling. 1860 South Carolina Census; Orangeburg District.
· Sally, Jr., A. S. The History of Orangeburg County, South Carolina; From Its Settlement to the Close of the Revolutionary War. Orangeburg, S. C. : R. Lewis Berry, Printer, 1898.
· Teeples, G. Ronald, Ronald Vern Jackson, and Richard Moore. South Carolina 1800 Census. Provo, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1973.

I copied many pages of these books to examine closely later. I was getting anxious to get back to the beach but did not want to leave and miss anything important. I scanned the shelves again. The last book I found was:


Ott, Leo E. Us Ott's [sic]: The Search for Our Family. Privately Printed.

This book focuses on my Ott family, beginning in the 1300s. However there are few sources to document anything inside. There are not page numbers, making it difficult to navigate and the order of people mentioned is random. I copied some pages and plan to look at it more carefully. The author would like people with connections with the family to contact him and I would enjoy doing that but no contact information is given.

I’m glad I took the time away from the beach to do some research.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Seth Benner Morrison, b. 24 March 1861

Seth & Margaret Jane Morrison


Seth Benner Morrison was born 24 March 1861 in Pennsylvania, son of William Hiram Morrison & Emily Benner. In 1870 Hiram Morrison & family were living in Medina County, Ohio. Hiram was a shoe maker. Hiram & Emily had sons, Thomas, Seth and Eldrid and daughter, Adalade.

He married Margaret Jane Gruissy, daughter of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Mary Ann Everett, in 1890. In 1900 they rented a home in Sullivan Township in Ashland County, Ohio. Seth was a rail road section laborer. In 1910 they lived in Westfield Township in Medina County, Ohio. Seth was a farmer on general farm that he rented. HE & Margaret Jane were the parents of eight children, all living. Five were living at home: Albert, Flossie, Paul, Pauline and Peter. All the children had been born in Ohio.

In 1920 Seth and Margaret Jane were living on North Third Street in Rittman, Wayne County, Ohio. Seth was a paper finisher at Ohio Boxboard. Sons, Paul and Peter both worked at Ohio Boxboard also.  In 1930 he still lived in Wayne County. He was a farmer.

In 1945 Seth and Margaret Jane celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. An unknown paper printed this:

Creston - Mr. and Mrs. Seth Morrison on Oct. 24 will have been married 65 years. They feel that their 65 years have been years of planning and sharing and have enjoyed their children and their families. While Oct. 24 was the date of their marriage in 1880, they will not celebrate until Sunday, Oct. 28, when a family gathering and dinner will be held at their home two and one half miles west of Creston. Open house for friends and relatives will be held Sunday 2 to 5 p. m. and 7 to 9 p. m. The Morrisons, retired farmers, came to this community in 1900 and have made many friends. They are also well known in Medina County, having lived in a farming community near LeRoy for 9 years. Mr. Morrison is 84  years and Mrs. Morrison is 83. He was the son of Hiram and Emily Benner Morrison and was born March 1861 at River Styx. His good wife was formerly Margaret Jane Gruissy, daughter of Augustus Gruisys and lived her girlhood at Marshallville. They later moved to Wadsworth where she was married to Mr. Morrison at a small wedding in her parent's home with the Rev. G. Smith officiating. Little sorrow has come into the lives of the Morrisons, they had eight children, all living. They are Mrs. Mona Hurd, of Sonia, Mich., Mrs. Lena Swagler, Wadsworth, Mrs. Gusta Peters, Ithaca, Mich., Albert Morrison of Creston, Paul Morrison of Middletown, Mrs. Pauline Mowrer, Clifford Morrison of Akron, There are 31 grandchildren and 35 great - grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison feel it's a great blessing never to have a break in their family circle. Friends wishing to send cards should address them to Creston, Rt. 1.

Seth died on 18 April 1952. His obituary was printed in the Wooster Daily Record:

Seth Morrison, 91, died this morning at the home of his son, Albert, two miles west of Creston. He was a retired farmer. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Mona Hurd of Iona, Mich., Mrs. Lena Swagler of Wadsworth, Mrs. Florence Boswell of Massillon, and Mrs. Pauline Mowrer of Akron; three sons, Albert Morrison of Creston, Paul Morrison of Middletown, and Clifford Morrison of Barberton; and several grandchildren. The body is at the Murray funeral home in Creston where friends may call. Services will be at the funeral home at 2 p. m. Monday. Rev. Joseph Gingrich of Sterling will officiate. Burial will be in Wadsworth cemetery.



Saturday, March 23, 2013

Alphabetical Ancestors - F


Take a moment to look over these surnames. I post them in hopes of discovering new contacts to expand my knowledge of these names. Some of these surnames are more twigs than branches on my tree. It is time to let them out to get some sunshine & some attention.
If you see some leaves & branches from your trees, let’s share & compare.


F is for these Surnames…


Faulkenberry
This line begins with Jacob Faulkenberry [b c 1715]. His son was John Faulkenberry [ b 1740]. John’s children were born in South Carolina. Some of them changed their surname to Fortenberry.
Fisher
My third great grandmother was Isabell (Fisher) Ritter [1828 OH – 1870 OH] who married Isaac Ritter [1823 – 1880 OH]. Her father was John. Unfortunately, I have no other information on the Fishers.
Flickinger
Bertha (Flickinger) Mark [1904 OH – 2000 OH] married my great grand uncle, Charles Forest Mark [1892 OH – 1967 OH]. About 1965 Bertha wrote a brief history of the Mark family for which I am indebted to her. I am curious about her family.
Fornea
I have a handful of Fornea names. Julius Robert Fornea [b 1922 LA] married Donis Bernelda Ball [b 1925 LA]. They had seven children.
A long list of Fortenberry names, mostly located in southern states, are linked to my trees. They are descendants of Jacob Faulkenberry, mentioned above. My third great grandfather is William Jasper Fortenberry [b c 1772 SC – 1842 MS].
Fravel
          Calvin Ford Fravel [b 1925 VA] married Mary Arline Parker [b 1927 OH]. They had                   two sons.
Fry
My Fry family comes from Ohio. Clarence Fry [b c 1882 OH] married Gertrude Idella Wolf [1884 OH – 1922 OH]. They had five sons.
         

Other ‘F’ Surnames in my tree: Fegan, Felker, Gerguson, Finn, Fitchtner, Flood, Foss, Frantz & Fussell

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Vintage Photograph: a Michigan Pic


left to right:
Willis Nichols b 1869 OH
his wife, Rephenia (Gruissy) Nichols 1870 OH - 1943 MI
They were married c 1891.

Thomas Kenneth Mark 1879 OH - 1975 OH

Thomas was visiting them in Michigan.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Genealogy Travel: York Co., South Carolina


138 E Black St, Rock Hill SC

Travel has become my middle name since I have retired from teaching and since my children have all moved to different states. Recently I drove to South Carolina, visiting one of our daughters and our son along the way. I was very excited to see ‘the kids’.

As I looked at maps and the calendar my thoughts turned to genealogy. My father’s family has southern roots. As long as I was there, I was sure I could fit in some time for research. Between my son’s place in North Carolina and my destination in South Carolina, I would be driving through York County, SC where my Brumfield ancestors lived.

John& Margaret (Kelly) Brumfield were married in Wake, North Carolina in 1788. Eleven of their thirteen children were born in York County, South Carolina between 1790 – 1811. I checked on line & found the York County Library at 138 East Black Street, Rock Hill, SC not far off Interstate 77.

The York Co. Library
website lists these resources:

§ Indexes of 1790 - 1870 census
§ Microfilm of 1790 - 1930 census
§ Soundex microfilm of 1880 and 1900 - 1930 census
§ Soundex reference guide
§ Family histories (published and manuscripts)
§ Church, cemetery, land, military, will, and estate records of York County residents
§ Index of tomb information for some area church and family cemeteries
§ Marriage and death notices (indexed from local newspapers, 1823 - 1918)
§ Local newspapers on microfilm
§ Rock Hill city and telephone directories
§ Catawba Indian Nation information

I easily found the library and the reference librarian showed me materials that might be helpful. There were no family histories for the Brumfield family. I looked through many materials. In The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research did find a reference to Charles Brumfield in Oct 1802. However I did books on the history of the county which is always helpful in understanding the lives of our ancestors.

· Shankman, Arnold, E. Thomas Crowson, C. Jack Tucker, and Joel Nichols. York County South Carolina; Its People and Its Heritage. Norfolk, Virginia: The Donning Company, 1983.

· Wilkerson, John S. York County Yesterday & Today 1500 to 2005.

I copied pages about the years that relate to my Brumfields.

Browsing the shelves, I found history books from other SC counties. In those books I did find my family: The Ott family from Orangeburgh.

· Culler, Daniel Marchant. Orangeburgh District 1768 - 1868; History and Records. Spartanburg, South Carolina: The Reprint Company Publishers, 1995.

· Salley, Jr., A. S. The History of Orangeburg County, South Carolina; From Its Settlement to the Close of the Revolutionary War. Reprint. Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1994.


In general, my stop at the York County Library was good. I  did find the history of the area the Brumfields lived and I did find my Ott family. The library was pleasant with a 15 cent per page photocopier and a helpful librarian.



Sunday, March 17, 2013

St. Patrick’s Day



St Patrick, Clonmel, Ireland
On St. Patrick’s Day I proudly wear green: green clothes, green beads and maybe a green hat. You don’t have to talk to me to discover that some of my roots are in Irish soil. Just look at my red hair and my freckles. When I visited Ireland I felt like I fit right in. And, each March, I get gifts wrapped in green paper and a green cake. Yes, St. Patrick’s Day is also my birthday. This year’s birthday is a big one. You’ll find me at a beach house in South Carolina with my family, watching the Charleston parade and having a special dinner with those I love most.







Clonmel, Tipperary
As a little girl I thought the parades and fuss were all for me. 







My great grandfather, Michael Coyle [b 1870], also loved St. Patrick’s Day. He would open all the windows of their New York City apartment. Then he’d play Irish songs on the piano and sing loudly. When his wife, Mary Josephine Mullane [1867 – 1927], would complain he’d say, “I want everyone to know we are Irish.” She replied. “I think they already know.”

Whether you are Irish or just Irish at heart, enjoy your day!


Saturday, March 16, 2013

Ellzey


I am connected to an assortment of Ellzey family members through Benjamin Franklin Ellzey. He was married twice, to sisters Nancy & Emily Holmes. His children were born in Mississippi. 



1 Benjamin Franklin Ellzey b: 10 Sep 1826,MS,  d: 20 Nov 1904, MS
... + Nancy Jane Holmes
......2 Ivanson M. Ellzey b: Abt. 1853 MS
......2 Salina Ellzey Walker b: Abt. 1855 MS
......2 William S. Ellzey b: 01 May 1857 MS, d: 09 Jul 1946 MS
...... + Amanda Adarene Fortenberry b: 02 Jul 1865 MS, m: Abt. 1883, d: 10 Jul 1949 MS
.........3 William Franklin Ellzey b: 27 Feb 1888
......... + Kittie Smith Ellzey
.........3 Sibley Ellzey Ginn
......... + Dean Ginn
.........3 Irene Elizabeth Ellzey b: 14 Jul 1891
......... + Cullen Simmons
.........3 Charles Spurgeon Ellzey b: 10 Jan 1894 MS
......... + Mae McMillan Ellzey
.........3 Earnest T. Ellzey b: 12 Feb 1896 MS
......... + Irene Holmes Ellzey
.........3 Lillian Pearl Ellzey b: 03 Apr 1899 MS
.........3 Alva Edwin Ellzey b: 23 Oct 1900 MS
......... + Blanche Alford Ellzey
.........3 Hettie Muriel Ellzey b: 02 Jun 1903 MS
......... + Emmitt Gulledge
.........3 Mary Thelma Ellzey b: 22 Feb 1906 MS, d: Jan 1974 Magnolia, Pike, MS
......... + Roy J Brown b: 8 Mar 1902 Osyka, Pike, MS, d: 12 May 1956 Magnolia, Pike, MS
......... + Crawley
......... + Denny H Smith b: 3 Mar 1892 in Tylertown, Walthall, MS, d: 18 Mar 1966 MS
.........3 Ayleen Ellzey Fortenberry b: 14 Apr 1908 MS
......... + Seab Fortenberry
... + Emily Holmes Ellzey b: Jan 1836 MS, d: Aft. 1900
......2 Theodore Ellzey b: Abt. 1861 MS
......2 Josephine Ellzey b: 25 Apr 1862 MS, d: 13 Jul 1907
...... + Richard A. Fortenberry
......2 Nannie J. Ellzey b: Abt. 1866 MS
...... + Webster Fortenberry
......2 Samuel J. Ellzey b: 26 Jul 1867, d: 08 Jul 1902
......2 Mollie C. Ellzey b: Jan 1870 MS
...... + Ellis Schilling b: May 1868
.........3 Barla Schilling b: Mar 1892 LA
.........3 Annie Schilling b: Feb 1894 LA
.........3 Mae Schilling b: May 1896 LA
......2 Annie I. Ellzey b: Jan 1870 LA
......2 John H. Ellzey b: Abt. 1871 LA
......2 Hettie F. Ellzey b: Abt. 1872 MS
......2 Margaret W. Ellzey b: Abt. 1874 MS
......2 Ida Ellzey Kirk

A few Ellzey Resources:
·         1860 US Census, Pike, Holmesville, page 41. B F Ellzey family
·         1880 US Census, MS, Pike; SD 3, ED 37, Page 12. B Frank Ellzey family
·         1900 US Census, MS, Pike, Beat 1; SD 7, ED 104, Sheet 18. Benjamin Ellzey family
·         G. K. Fortinberry, ABSTRACT HISTORY OF THE FORTINBERRY FAMILY; 1795-1940's; Family History Center Microfilm #1036152

Friday, March 15, 2013

Fearless Females – Memoir


From the Accidental Genealogist in honor of National Women’s History Month. March 15 Prompt: Write a six word memoir to one of your female ancestors.

Helen F (Coyle) Gardner


My maternal grandmother, 
Helen F (Coyle) Gardner

Independent
Resourceful
Intelligent
Creative
Funny
Loving

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Fearless Females – Working Women


From the Accidental Genealogist in honor of National Women’s History Month. March 12 Prompt: Did one of your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do?
Helen F, (Coyle) Gardner

My maternal grandmother, Helen F (Coyle) Gardner [1897 – 1965] was the oldest of seven children. She worked in the home taking care of her siblings. Each day before going to school she worked in her father’s bakery. She mixed the bread dough by hand. Her father bragged to friends that he did not need to buy a mixer because he had Helen. After she mixed the dough she would make deliveries on her way to school.

After graduating from school Helen worked for The Western Union Telegraph Company in New York City. While she was working there she met her future husband, NathanielGardner, who was a boss. Helen continued to work until their daughter was born.

Years later, after the family had moved from New York City to the country and Nathaniel died, Helen went to work again to support their daughter and herself.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Alphabetical Ancestors - E


Take a moment to look over these surnames. I post them in hopes of discovering new contacts to expand my knowledge of these names. Some of these surnames are more twigs than branches on my tree. It is time to let them out to get some sunshine & some attention. 

If you see some leaves & branches from your trees, let’s share & compare.



E is for these Surnames…

Edelstein
My great grandmother was Fannie Edelstein [1860 Austria – 1908 NY]. Her father was Adolph. She married Lepold Gartner [1860 Austria – 1948 NY]. I have not done any Austria research as yet.
Ellzey
My second great grandfather was Frank B Ellzey [1826 – 1904] who married Nancy Jane Holmes. Their son, William S Ellzey [1857 MS – 1946 MS] married Amanda A Fortenberry [1865 MS – 1949 MS]. They had ten children. The Ellzeys expand from there.
English
Brigid English was my second great grandmother. She was b c 1848 in Ireland and d 1920 in Ireland. She married Daniel Mullane [b c 1838 Ireland – 1930 Ireland]. They had eleven children. Brigid’s father was martin English, a carpenter.
Everett
Augustus Ceaser Gruissy [1840 OH – 1915 OH] was my 2nd great grandfather. He was married three times. His first wife was Mary Ann Everett. At this time I had no other information on Mary Ann.
Ezell
          Leonard M Ezell [1919 – 1966] married Rava Nell Ball [1923 LA – 2006]. They had five children.
         

Other ‘E’ Surnames in my files: Edwards, Ellis, Eschleman & Evans

Friday, March 8, 2013

Fearless Females – Autograph Book


From the Accidental Genealogist in honor of National Women’s History Month. March 8 Prompt: Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.

 


Autograph Book owned by Lillian A. Coyle






Lillian A. Coyle [1911 - 1987] had a 1927 Autograph Book page signed by her Mother, Mary Jo (Mullane) Coyle

"May God direct you with Holy Happiness in the path of Life."

She had the autograph book when she was a young woman in New York City. I was given some pages from that book, signed by her mother, sisters & brother in law. It is wonderful to have the signatures!



1927 Autograph Book page signed by her brother in law, Nathaniel Gardner

"Ha Ha Ha it Makes me laugh to write in Lillian's Autograph"






1927 Autograph Book page signed by her oldest sister, Helen (Coyle) Gardner

"When all your friends forsake you Pray! DO not seek another But go to the friend who loves you, Your only friend, your Mother. Sis, Helen"