My Three Wishes ...

Dear Genea-Santa,

Although there are many things that I wish that my ancestors had left behind for their descendants, here are three things I really wish I had:

1. A photograph of my Civil War ancestor, Adam Oswalt - Although I wish I had pictures of all of my ancestors, I really wish I had a picture of Adam in his Civil War uniform. I have always wondered what he looked like, and have wondered what his experiences were during the Civil War.
2. A memoir written by my grandfather of his service in World War Two and his early childhood. I never got a chance to ask him any questions about his service or his childhood, and thus, I do not very information on what he experienced.
3. A diary kept by one of my ancestors. I just wish one of my ancestors had kept a diary so that I could get an idea of what his or her life was like during the period the diary was kept. As far as I know, no one kept a diary, although that could change in the future by doing further research.

So, those are three items I wish my ancestors had handed down in the family. It would definitely be nice if I could uncover or find just one of those wishes. (Of course, wish number two is likely never going to happen.)

Another Shipwreck Found in Lake Ontario

I just happened to look on Fox News, and learned that another shipwreck has been found in Lake Ontario. You can read more about it here. Enjoy!

A Christmas Song ...

FootnoteMaven has challenged other genea-bloggers to post one of their favorite Christmas carols. So, here are the words to another one of my favorite Christmas carols, and to be honest, I did not even know all of the words to this song until I posted them now:

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen:

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

"Fear not then," said the Angel,"
Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Lyrics courtesy of http://www.carols.org.uk/god_rest_ye_merry_gentlemen.htm

And More On That Mystery Court Case ...

As you may remember, I posted a few weeks ago on a mysterious newspaper article that mentioned that one of my ancestor's brothers was found guilty of assaulting a woman. Well, I decided to see if I could uncover an additional information in the newspapers, but unfortunately, there weren't any other articles on the case. I did notice though, that this newspaper only published the results of the court cases that were heard by that court. (I checked the newspaper for the whole year of 1845.) Apparently, there were other assault and battery cases heard by the court, and the newspaper only bothered to print what the outcome of each case was. So, it looks like the article on my brother's ancestor was typical for that newspaper.

Although I was unable to find any further information on the court case, I did decide to do some other digging to see if I could get an idea as to what the fine would be in today's dollars. In a previous post, I used the historical conversions site to covert prices from the past into today's dollars, and I did that again for the court fine. I discovered that a dollar in 1845 would be worth about $28.58 in today's dollars. Add on top of that, a week's worth of wages was lost as well, and I guess the conviction was quite costly for my ancestor's brother.

Of course, I won't know the details until I am able to obtain a transcript of the court case. Has anyone ever obtained court cases like this before? If so, how much did it cost to obtain a copy of the court's records? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

I Can Finally Start to Breathe ...

I am finally finished with the semester! I finished my last paper much earlier today and turned it in. (I took my last final exams yesterday.) Now I can start to relax, and so I will be getting back to posting new posts. Of course, that will be after I finish packing and go home ...

2nd Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival Posted!

The second edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival has been posted! You can read the article here, and the topic for the next edition will be on:

"Around the Kitchen Table". Does your family have a favourite Canadian recipe? Or perhaps you have the recipe to your Canadian ancestor's favourite dish. Maybe you just like Canadian Maple syrup. Share with us your favourite Canadian recipe and/or food. Deadline is February 8, 2009. Please send your submissions to looking4ancestors@gmail.com

Enjoy!

Does Anyone Want To Host A Carnival?

I'm looking for people who would be willing to host a future edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. Editions are held on a monthly basis, and at the moment, the editions from January 2009 to December 2009 are open for anyone who wants to host the edition on his or her blog. Hosts get to choose the topic of the edition, and the dates for the submission deadline and date the edition is published. If you are interested, please send me an e-mail at jess_history at yahoo dot com with "carnival host" in the subject line. Thanks.

Also, I just want to remind everyone that submissions for this month's edition are due on the 21st. You can read more about the topic here.

67 Years Ago: A Day of Infamy

Sixty-seven years ago today Pearl Harbor was attacked, and on the next day, the United States entered the Second World War. (Obviously, I was not alive at the time the attack occurred, but some of my ancestors were. I wrote about where they were here.) I just felt that I just had to post something to commemorate that day.

61st Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy Posted!

The 61st edition of the Carnival of Genealogy has been posted! You can read it here. The topic for the next edition will be on:

3 Wishes! This is your chance to write a letter to Genea-Santa*. Make a
list of 3 gifts you would like to receive this holiday season from 3 of your
ancestors. These have to be material things, not clues to your family history
(we're talking gifts here, not miracles!). Do you wish your great grandmother
had gifted you a cameo broach? Or maybe you'd like to have the family bible from
great great grandpa Joe? How about a baby doll that once belonged to your dear
Aunt Sarah? This is a fantasy so you can dream up gift items. They don't have to
be actual items that you know your ancestors owned. However, they do have to be
historically accurate to the time period in which your ancestor lived. Do your
research. No asking for a new computer from your great grand aunt! Genea-Santa
wouldn't like that ;-) The deadline for submissions is December 15th.

Enjoy!

Another Database Added to FamilySearch Lab's Record Search

I just happened to notice that another database has been added to FamilySearch Lab's Record Search. The new database consists of Catholic Church records from the Diocese of Toledo in Ohio. I just thought I would let everyone know. Have fun searching for ancestors! Enjoy!

Found Something On Another One Of My Branches ...

Or at least I believe I have found something on my Russian-German ancestral branch that settled in Detroit. What did I find? Well, I happened to come across a website for Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit through the Detroit and Wayne County Online Death Records website, and I found a three burials listed on the website's cemetery transcriptions (that have been posted so far) that are connected to my Russian-German ancestral family. (I know they are connected because the surname I am researching is a rare surname in the United States.) Now I just have to obtain the death certificates for these three people, and figure out where exactly in the family they connect. (Although I have an idea of where they fit in the puzzle, I cannot make a complete connection without looking at the death records first.) So, needless to say, I will be chasing down a couple new leads on this family over the Christmas break. If you have any ancestors who died in Detroit, I hope the above websites help you in your research. Enjoy!

Google Analytics For November 2008

Well, November has ended, and that means that it is time for another Google Analytics report. So, here are the results for November:

The top ten countries, in number of visits, are:

1. United States - 517 visits
2. United Kingdom - 34 visits
3. Canada - 15 visits
4. Poland - 8 visits
5. Australia - 8 visits
6. Germany - 4 visits
7. Netherlands - 4 visits
8. Israel - 4 visits
9. Spain - 3 visits
10. Thailand - 2 visits

The top ten states in the United States, in number of visits, are:

1. Michigan - 101 visits
2. California - 62 visits
3. Illinois - 60 visits
4. Texas - 39 visits
5. Ohio - 29 visits
6. New York - 24 visits
7. Wisconsin - 15 visits
8. Virginia - 15 visits
9. New Jersey - 13 visits
10. Pennsylvania - 13 visits

The top ten places in Michigan, in number of visits, are:

1. Allendale - 54 visits
2. Kent County - 19 visits
3. Oak Park - 4 visits
4. Redford - 4 visits
5. Southfield - 3 visits
6. Huntington Woods - 2 visits
7. Livonia - 2 visits
8. Roscommon - 1 visit
9. Genesee - 1 visit
10. St. Joseph - 1 visit

The top ten articles, in number of views, are:

1. I Found My Great-Grandpa's WW1 Service Records! - 29 views
2. Eight Things About Me ... - 27 views
3. Tombstone Maker Website - 24 views
4. Who's That Baby? - 24 views
5. 59th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy Posted! - 15 views
6. Fall 2008 Edition of Michigan Genealogist Newsletter Is Available! - 15 views
7. 28th Shades Of The Departed Guest Column Posted! - 11 views
8. 12th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - 9 views
9. A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale That Goes Well With Halloween ... - 9 views
10. Check Out Elizabeth's Post For This Upcoming Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy! - 9 views

Well, that is it for November's statistics, and I cannot believe it is December already! Anyhow, to those who read this blog, I just want to say, "Thank you for reading!"

Where I've Been ...

As you may have noticed, I did not post very much over this past week. This is primarily due to the fact that I have been busy working on a paper over the Thanksgiving break. Of course, I did celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, but outside of the holiday, I have spent my time doing schoolwork. So, that is why I did not post on the 13th edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy on the day that it was posted.

Of course, I still have a couple of weeks of school left, so I will be busy, and therefore, blogging will be light until mid-December or so. I hope to do a little blogging, but I do not know how much I will be able to post until after I get out of school. Anyway, I thought I would let everyone know.

Another Database Added to FamilySearch Lab's Record Search

I just happened to notice earlier today that FamilySearch Lab's Record Search has added Cook County, Illinois marriage records from 1871-1920 on their site. If you have any ancestors living in Cook County, I wish you luck in finding records. Enjoy!

13th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy Posted!

The 13th edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy has been posted! You can read the article here. The topic for the next edition is on Christmas Traditions of Central and Eastern Europe. (Hanukkah traditions will also be accepted. I forgot to mention this when I gave Elizabeth the topic for the next edition.) You do not have to have Central or Eastern European ancestry. You can submit articles on a tradition that you have read or learned about as well. The deadline for the submissions will be December 21, and the edition will be posted here on the 23rd. You can submit your article here.

Also, if you are interested in hosting a future edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy, you can read more about it here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just want to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Enjoy!

Here's An Interesting Article: Another Shipwreck Found ...

I just happened to notice this article on yahoo, and I thought I would share the link to the article. Apparently, a shipwreck of a slave ship has been found in the Caribbean. (This article caught my interest because one of my history classes deals with slavery and emancipation in Latin America.)

10th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture Posted!

The tenth edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture has been posted! You can read the edition here. The topic for the next edition is on: "My key to Ireland. This edition will be dedicated to the stories of genealogists tracing their Irish family trees." You can find out more information here.

Eight Things About Me ...

I've been tagged by both Apple and Tex for the "8 things about me" meme. The rules for this meme are:

1. Each player starts with eight random fact/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. A the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their name.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.

I do not believe I have participated in this meme before, so here are eight facts about me:

1. Besides doing genealogy, I also like to read (Something you have probably figured out by now.), write stories, draw, paint, knit, crochet and play the piano.
2. I also love to learn about other cultures, countries, religions and languages.
3. I have studied German for almost five years. I had two years in high school, and almost three years in college.
4. After I finish my bachelor's degree, I plan on continuing onto graduate school, and hopefully, I will eventually obtain a PhD in history. (It looks like I will be in school for a long time.)
5. I also like to play computer games, and my favorite computer game at the moment is Age of Empires 3. (It's not exactly a historically accurate game, but the historical theme and strategy are what interests me the most about this game.)
6. I hope to write a book someday and have it published.
7. The historical topics and eras that I am interested in span from the Middle Ages to the present. (Yes, I realize I have a broad interest in history.)
8. I would like to travel the world some day.

And now, I am supposed to tag eight other people. The eight people I am tagging are:

• Harold of Midwestern Microhistory
• Wendy of All My Branches
• Nancy of Fermazin Family Genealogy
• Cathy of In Deeds
• Machie Family Genealogy
• Milwaukee Germans
• Gray Roots Are Showing
• Sheri of Twig Talk

So, that is eight things about me that you now know. I hope you find them interesting. Enjoy!

Submissions for this Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy Are Due Today!

Submissions for this upcoming edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy are due today! The topic for this edition is on, "What research resources are you thankful for?" You do not have to have Central or Eastern European ancestry to participate, and you can submit your article here. Thanks!