Saint Joseph County, Michigan: My Thoughts and Reflections

As some of you already know, I had a least three branches of ancestral families live in Saint Joseph County. Although, I was probably supposed to write about a town or place, I've decided to write about this county because my ancestors lived in various places in this county and because I have actually visited this county. (Even if it has been a couple years since I visited.)


Saint Joseph County (not the same as the city) is located in the lower Southwestern area of Michigan, and is one of the counties on the border with Indiana. The county is surrounded by the Michigan counties of Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, and Van Buren and the Indiana counties of Elkhart and LaGrange. The village of Centreville has the county court house, and civil records for the county are held there. The only cities in the county are Three Rivers and Sturgis. Although I haven't been to Sturgis, it appears to me that both cities are small cities. Three Rivers was small to me. (Well, at least for someone who spent most of her childhood in Metro-Detroit.) The next, largest, nearby city outside of Three Rivers would be Kalamazoo. To get to Three Rivers, a person living in Kalamazoo would only have to head south on 131. (Or for Grand Rapids for that matter.) If one is traveling from the Detroit area to Three Rivers, the trip will take at least three hours. (Yes, it is a long drive for those who live on the east side of Michigan. Trust me.)

During the time of my ancestors, the county consisted mostly of farms and farmland, and even today, the county is still very rural. Although I didn't travel to every place in the county, most of county outside of Three Rivers consisted of farmland and villages. Many of the roads in the county are two-lane highways. The road between Three Rivers and Centreville is one such road. (The two are only about 5 or 10 miles apart and the drive is only about ten-fifteen minutes from one to the other.)

From reading the above, it may seem as though I don't like area. Actually, that is the farthest from the truth. I like the area, and I think it is beautiful. (Yes, I am big fan of the countryside.) I would love to live in the area if I ever get a chance to do so.
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For sources and information:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mistjose/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph_County,_Michigan

Blogging This Week ...

My blogging for this week might be light, but I'm not completely sure. It'll depend upon how my dog is doing. (He had surgery yesterday and can't move around too much, so I'll be taking care of him for the next week.)

6th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy

The sixth edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy is here! The topic for this carnival was a carousel, so any article relating to Central and Eastern Europe was welcome. This edition will be short as I have only received a few entries for this edition. So, here is this edition:

First off, we have an article from Steve Danko of Steve's Genealogy Blog. In The Polish Village of Dylagowa, Steve writes about the village that his paternal grandparents were from.

Next we have an article from Lisa of 100 Years in America. In A Thousand Words and A Few Pictures, Lisa writes about the frustration she has in reading books on places her ancestors from since they are in languages that she does not read.

Next, we have an article from a new contributor, Saifuddin of Saifuddin. In The Character of the Ottomans, Saifuddin writes about the government of the Ottomans. I think many people forget how much of a role that the Ottoman Empire had in the history of Eastern Europe.

Last but not least, we have an article from Jessica of Jessica's Genejournal. In A History of Hungary ..., Jessica writes a review of a book on an overview of the history of Hungary that is in the English language.

Well, that is it for this edition. The topic for the next edition, in honor of Mother's Day, will be on a female ancestor from Central and/or Eastern Europe. The deadline for the next edition will be May 19th. The edition will be posted on the 20th. You can submit your entries here.

A Summer Challenge: Read Five Non-fiction books ...

I just happened to read Lori's post about the challenge to read five non-fiction books, and I thought I would join the challenge. I love to read, so I am quited interested. I think I will be able to read five books before the summer ends since I have to do a lot of reading up at college. (At least I'll be able to choose the books I want to read. [Ha!])

Either way, I look forward to the challenge!

A History of Hungary ...

Yes, a book on an overview of Hungary's history does exist. Although I haven't finished reading the book yet, I thought I would mention this book anyway. The Hungarians: A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat by Paul Lendvai (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2003) gives an overview of the history of Hungary from the Eighth Century to the present day. Obviously, the book cannot cover ever single detail in Hungary's history, but at least this book does give the reader a general overview of Hungary's past. For those who are researching Hungarian ancestors or doing historical research, this book is one way that those people can get a feel for the history of Hungary. The book does include some pictures and maps, so one can get an idea of the location of places. I should note that the version I have is translated into English. (It appears to have been originally published in German, from looking at the original title listed in the copyright section.) Although the book is to read, I must mention that the book is over 500 pages long.

Either way, it is much more convenient for those who want to learn about Hungary's history to read this book than it is to read multiple books on the same subject. I only hope that this book does help others with their research of Hungary.

A Few More Genealogy Blogs and a History Blog ...

Today I have added several more blogs, of which one is a history blog. The genealogy blogs added are:

• Genealogy Simple & Fun
• Grand Traverse Region Genealogy & History
• Prairie History Blog

The history blog added is:

• American Civil War Stories

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left side of the blog. You can that history blog on the right hand side of the blog. Any suggestions for other history and genealogy blogs are welcome.

Congrats to Lisa!

I forgot to post this earlier in the week, but Lisa at 100 Years in America has posted her 100th post! Congrats, Lisa!

Third Guest Column on Shades Of The Departed Posted!

The third guest column, posted weekly on Shades Of The Departed, has been posted! This week, Laura of The Virtual Dime Museum was the columnist. You can read it here. Enjoy!

Another Thinking Type Quiz ...

A short time ago, I posted on my results for the type of thinker I was, and I decided to do another personality quiz. So here are my results, for my type of thinking style:

Your Dominant Thinking Style: Experimenting

You're all about looking at the facts, and you could always use more of them. You see life as your lab - and you're always trying out new things, people, and ideas. The master of mix and match, you're always coming up with unique combinations. You are good at getting a group to reach consensus.

What's Your Thinking Style?

Some More Genealogy Blogs Added!

It has been a while since I have done one of these posts, but I hadn't had anytime to do one of these posts until today. Today I added several more genealogy blogs, and the blogs added are:

• Blue Bonnet Country Genealogy
• Brenda Dougall Merriman
• Find Your Folks
• Genealogy Buds
• Lord and Lady
• Random Ramblings - Of a Mother and Genealogy Enthusiast
• Tales From Indiana

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left side of the blog. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

Update On The Case of the Missing Family

Earlier today an announcement updating the status of The Case of the Missing Family has been posted. You can read the announcement here.

I Remember That Weekend ...

I just happened to notice Jasia's post on past weather in Michigan. I clearly remember that weekend. I was a freshman in college at that time, and at the time, it was the weekend before finals week at my college. Usually, it does not snow that late in April in Michigan, and I think that was one of the first times in my life that that had occurred. (At least that is the first time that I can remember that occurring.)

Do I Have Revolutionary War Veteran Ancestors?

I suppose, from reading other genealogy bloggers' posts, that Saturday was Patriots' Day, the day on which Revolutionary War Veterans are honored. To be honest, I don't know if I have any ancestors who were Revolutionary War Veterans. I wish I knew, though. The problem for me is that I have gotten back enough yet to find out. At the moment, I seem to be stuck in the 1820-1830s. Oh well, one day I will find the answer through research.

38th Edition of Carnivalesque Posted!

The 38th edition of Carnivalesque, the Early Modern History carnival, has been posted. You can read it here. The topic for the next edition is on Ancient and Medieval history.

(I realize that I haven't posted on these carnivals before, but since this is a blog on history and genealogy, I thought I would start posting on these carnivals. One of these days I'll get around to submitting an article for one of these history carnivals.)

Another Blog Change ...

I've made another blog change today. This time, I have added a search box (a blogger item being tested) to my blog, so now everyone can search for different articles or information that I have posted on my blog. You can find this search box near the bottom of the page, above the information for the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. Enjoy!

Just A Quick Reminder About the Next Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy

I just wanted to quickly remind everyone that the entries for the next edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy are due on the 27th of this month. The topic for this upcoming edition is a carousel, so entries in any category relating to Central or Eastern Europe are welcome.

A Blog Change ...

As you might have already noticed, I have removed the image of the writing pen with the book, and I have put a new image on my blog. I created a yahoo avatar for myself, and you can find it below the blog post archives. Of course, I don't really look anything like that image. (Although I wish I was that pretty.)

Shades Of The Departed Guest Columnist Two Post Posted!

Terry Thornton's guest column post has been posted on footnoteMaven's Shades Of The Departed. You can read it here.

Also, I forgot to mention last week that Becky's column had been posted. I'm terribly sorry, and you can read it here.

Earthquake? ... Freaky!

I just happened to read Thomas' post about an earthquake that occurred earlier this morning in West Salem, Illinois. I'm about a three-hour car drive northeast of Chicago, so I'm sure someone felt the earthquake in my area. I didn't feel anything, but then, I was sound asleep. (Of course, I woke up at 6:30 this morning, so it is entirely possible that that was woke me up and I didn't realize it.) One of things that I thought about after reading Thomas' post was about the New Madrid fault line that is supposed to be somewhere around the Mississippi River area (and Saint Louis?). Plus, I find it freaky that this is the anniversary for the great 1906 earthquake in San Francisco.

(The last time that I can remember an earthquake reaching Michigan was back around 1998-1999, and at the time I was living in the Metro-Detroit area. I definitely felt that one as it occurred in the afternoon. That earthquake was also at least a 5.0 earthquake, but the earthquake started in Pennsylvania.)

I happened to take a look at Fox News report on the earthquake, and it indicated that people as far as away as 450 miles from West Salem were able to feel the earthquake. The area I am in is definitely well in range for one to feel the earthquake, so it is entirely plausible that someone felt it in my area.

Carnival of Genealogy Posted!

The 46th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy has been posted! (Although the date says the 18th, it was posted early, on today, the 17th). You can read it here. The topic for the next topic is on Ancestral homes. Where did your ancestor live in? Have you ever visited that place? What is the place like, and what is the history of that area? Enjoy!

Another Contest ...

I just took a look at Ancestry Insider's post about genealogy news, and learned that Ancestry and Ford are holding a contest. A person could either win an Ancestry DNA test kit or a 30-day Ancestry subscription.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am interested.

Update at 8:30pm: I just took a look at the terms of the contest, and anyone who works for Ford or has an immediate family member working at Ford is not eligible. I'm definitely not eligible for the contest ...

A Poem In My Pocket ...

Lisa of A Light That Shines Again, 100 Years In America, and Small-leaved Shamrock posted a challenge to other genealogy bloggers to post their favorite poem today, in tribute to April being the National Poetry Month. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of poetry; I'm more of a fan of short stories. (It could be either that the poems I had to read in school were unappealing to me, or it just could be that I like to write short stories.) So, I really don't have a "favorite poem," but I happen to like Psalm 96 (I guess Psalms counts as poems), and used part of it as a beginning to a short story:

Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all people.

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns."
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
they will sing before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his truth. (Psalm 96:1-13 NIV Version)

I'm not exactly sure as to why I like this psalm, but this song does remind me of contemporary Christian songs of today, so maybe that is why. (Anyhow, I only used the first stanza in the story, but that's for another time.) Of course, I have written poems before in school, but I don't believe they are any good. I did write an allegorical and historical poem about the history of Boston (and Massachusetts in general) last year for a class, but it is extremely long. Plus, I feel embarrassed to post it. Either way, this post is long enough as it is.

Another New and Interesting Carnival!

FootnoteMaven has started a new carnival! This carnival is Smile For The Camera, and is deals with family photographs or lost photographs. The theme for the first edition is in time for Mother's Day, and is on "a Mother's Love or a love of a mother." You can find out more information here.

Thanks ...

I just want to thank everyone for their advice and kind comments in response to my "A Bit Annoyed" post. Thanks!

A Bit Annoyed ...

Well, I'm a little bit more upset than I am annoyed, but that's beside the point. Why? Up until this past night (April 14th), I hadn't had very many problems with the comments left on this blog. Of course, I've had to delete a couple of comments before, but that was due to those comments being more spam than anything else. The comment left last night on my "A Sad Day In History" post was a long bizarre rant that included swear words and offense comments against many groups, and I felt that I had to delete the comment. So, as a result, I've changed the settings on the comments, and comments will now be moderated. Also, people will not be able to post anonymously anymore because of what this person posted.

To be honest, I really didn't want to change my settings since I've mainly had positive and constructive comments left on my blog, but I can not just allow someone to hijack the comments column on my blog and use it as a forum for his or her rants. ( That person can just as easily create a blog and post his thoughts there.) I just wanted to let everyone know in case anyone posts a comment on one of my ones, and wonders why it might not be posted right away. More than likely a delay in posting will mostly be due to not having a chance to approve the comment right away.

I realize that this doesn't sound very nice. I'm sorry. (You can tell that I'm not happy about this situation, can't you?)

I must say, though, that I still welcome comments. Any suggestions and comments are still and will always be welcome. Thanks!

A Library Tribute ...

Lori Thornton mentioned that this week is Library Appreciation Week in the United States, and as a way to commemorate this week with posts in tribute to libraries. I thought I would also write a post as a tribute to a library, and one library that I want to write in tribute is the Library of Michigan. Why? The Library of Michigan has a large number of books and records that are very essential and useful for genealogists and researchers, especially for doing Michigan research. (I should also state the the State Archives of Michigan is also a valuable repository for records. Both the library and archives are in the same building, the Michigan Historical Center.)

I like the Library of Michigan primarily because I can access records of different Michigan counties at the same time. I don't have to make multiple trips in the summer to different places for vital records only, or for the 1884 and 1894 state censuses. Plus, I can look up newspapers from different counties in the same place. It is more convenient for me. Of course, I should state that I can't view all the records I need. If I need to look for land or probate records, I need to go to the counties where those records are held. Also, I can't view marriages that occurred before 1867. I would have to go to the county where I believed the marriage occurred. (That is, if that county recorded marriages before 1867. Not all of the counties in Michigan that exist today, existed back in 1867.)

All in all, though, I like doing research at the Library of Michigan. Of course, I should state that I always go with family members, so I always someone to help me look up records, thereby covering more in the time I'm there.

Did Anyone See These Two Articles?

I was just wondering if anyone had seen Ancestry's post on fraudulent websites and Ancestry Insider's post on the article? I find it quite interesting that Ancestry is warning genealogists about fraudulent websites. I don't know how others might feel, but I feel this article was posted more to protect ancestry's image than it was to protect fellow genealogists. (Of course, that is not necessarily wrong, especially if another website is using their copyrighted images.) I guess I just have some mixed feelings about the news that they posted.

Of course, I have to agree with the two comments on Ancestry Insiders' post. Websites with genealogy links are almost always to Ancestry databases, and I think it makes it difficult for genealogists to differentiate between fraudulent and real sites since Ancestry owns most of the genealogy databases that are online.

Either way, I think it is sad that there are people out there who would use fraudulent means and steal images or formats to make money off of the interest in genealogy.

3rd Edition of Where Were You? Carnival Posted!

The third edition of the Where Were You? Carnival has been posted! You can read it here, and read the additional entry here. The topic for this carnival was on where ancestors were during the Civil War. The topic for the next edition is on where people were on the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked. Enjoy!

What Kind of American Am I?

A few days ago, Terry Thornton asked, "Which type of American are you?," and I feel that footnoteMaven's response is very close to what I believe. I don't believe I could write better or more eloquent post than hers. (I too was raised to respect the laws of other nations in addition to the laws of my own country. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for breaking the laws of other nations that one may visit.)

What else can I say, but say, "I love my country."

Things Handed Down: Traits and Characteristics

The topic for this edition of the carnival of genealogy is on family traits. I've written briefly about genetic traits before, but I have not posted very much on this topic. Nor have I posted very much on personality traits of my family members, other than mentioning my grandfather's interest in history. Instead of focusing on both characteristics and genetic traits, I thought I would just focus on genetic traits passed down that I have noticed from photographs of family members and ancestors.

Until I started doing genealogy research, I had not seen very many pictures of my ancestors. I had seen pictures of my great-grandparents and my grandfather in uniform, but outside of that, I really hadn't seen very many old pictures. I was curious as a little girl, but I don't think I was as interested in old family photographs until I began to do genealogy research.

One of the first photographs that I began to notice similar traits between different generations was when I saw my maternal grandparents' wedding pictures. Both my father and I immediately recognized facial features that were similar in both my mother and grandma. (At least it is easier for me to be able to recognize the facial features when looking at the picture.) Since that time, I have seen other old family pictures, and have recognized facial features in family members that came from ancestors.

A few years ago I was able to view some old pictures from my maternal side of my family. My grandma showed me a picture of her maternal grandparents, and I recognized facial features that both my grandma and her grandma shared. Another picture that my grandma showed me was of her parents when they were young. Both of my brother and I looked at the picture and came to the conclusion that I looked very much like my great-grandmother. (Well, I don't look exactly like her, but the resemblance is quite close. Of course, this was not the first time in my life that I heard from a family member that I inherited a certain trait from an ancestor. When I was little, my mom told me that I supposedly had the same hair color as this great-grandmother. Supposedly, the hair color of female ancestors on my mother side of the family skips generations and shows up in every other generation of descendants. For example, if I had a daughter, her hair color would likely be the same or very similar to the hair color of my maternal grandma.) Of course, I did not just inherit all of traits from my mother's side. From my father's side, I inherited my dad's smile with the dimple, and when I looked at a picture of my paternal grandma as a young woman, I realized that both my dad and I inherited our smile from her.

Another instance where I recognized facial features was when one of my distant cousins e-mailed me a few images of old family pictures that she had. One of the pictures appeared to be a Civil War Era photograph of a young woman, of whom my cousin did not know the name of. I noticed that this woman had a long face, and from looking at pictures of other family members that my cousin e-mailed me and that I had (from my great-great-grandfather to my father and uncles), I determined that this woman was probably the wife of my Civil War veteran ancestor. I believe that is who the woman is as several of my paternal relatives and ancestors after the Civil War, have long faces. Could I be wrong? Probably, but this is my best guess as the picture of my paternal great-great-grandmother (e-mailed to me by my cousin) does not resemble the Civil War Era woman.

Of course, I wish I had more old family pictures of ancestors. Most of the old family pictures are of ancestors who lived in the late-1800s and early-1900s, and only increase in number with my great-grandparents. I think that is the case because many of my ancestors were poor and couldn't afford to have their picture taken. Maybe they were able to afford a couple of pictures, but I suspect that those pictures were luxuries and for special occasions. As I stated before, one of my ancestors was a Civil War veteran, and I wish I had a picture of him in his uniform. Maybe another one of his descendants has his picture. I don't know. One thing that I like about viewing old pictures is that the pictures give me an idea what my ancestors looked like and what they wore. I guess viewing these old pictures help satisfy my curiosity over what my ancestors look like.

Another Personality Quiz ...

Since the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be on traits and other genealogy bloggers are posting on personality quizzes, I thought I would do another one. This one is on thinking, and here are my results:

Your Thinking is Abstract and Sequential

You like to do research and collect lots of information. The more facts you have, the easier it is for you to learn. You need to figure things out for yourself and consider all possibilities. You tend to become an expert in the subjects that you study. It's difficult for you to work with people who know less than you do. You aren't a very patient teacher, and you don't like convincing people that you're right.

What Kind of Thinker Are You?

So, what kind of thinker are you? Take the quiz and let me know what your results are!

So, What Punctuation Mark Am I?

Earlier today, Lori Thornton started this quiz meme, and I've decided to take this quiz as well. So here are my results:

You Are a Colon

You are very orderly and fact driven. You aren't concerned much with theories or dreams... only what's true or untrue. You are brilliant and incredibly learned. Anything you know is well researched. You like to make lists and sort through things step by step. You aren't subject to whim or emotions. Your friends see you as a constant source of knowledge and advice. (But they are a little sick of you being right all of the time!) You excel in: Leadership positions You get along best with: The Semi-Colon

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

An Interesting Article On Future Censuses ...

Earlier today, I happened to notice an article on the 2010 Census posted on The Genetic Genealogist, and I thought it was interesting. The article also explains why we have to wait 72 years before we can view census records.

Also, John wrote a response to this article that you might want to read as well.

One Michigan Family's Civil War Experience - Part Two

In my previous post, I began writing about my ancestors' Civil War experiences. My first post was extremely short as I did not have very much time to write the post, so I decided to break it down into multiple posts. But I digress ...

The Civil War Era ancestors that I am writing about are my ancestors who primarily lived in Saint Joseph County, Michigan (or at least southwest Michigan): the Detwiler and Oswalt families. As I mentioned before, the men in the Stout family did not serve, although the eventually husband of my Stout ancestor's sister-in-law did serve. (Of course, he did not marry the sister-in-law until a couple years after the war ended.) I don't know at the moment why the men did not serve, although that does not mean that they were unpatriotic. It is possible that Reuben Stout might have donated some money for the war effort. (I have to recheck the newspaper article as I accidentally cut off some information when I printed it from the microfilm.)

Either way, it was the men in the Oswalt and Detwiler families who primarily made up the Civil War veterans in my family. Of course, I should state that these men did not sign up all at the same time. Three of the men joined a Michigan infantry in 1862. The rest joined a Michigan regiment in February of 1865. The Michigan men that I hope to write about sometime in the future (and not in any particular order) are:

• Adam Oswalt
• Benjamin Oswalt
• William Oswalt
• John Detwiler
• Joseph Detwiler
• Alexander Detwiler
• George W. Detwiler
• Philip Lang(e)

I must state, though, that I still need to do research on most of these men, so I'll be posting on these men as I learn more information about them. Obviously, this will be an ongoing series of posts.

Carnival of Genealogy Posted!

The 45th Carnival of Genealogy has been posted! You can read it here. The topic for the next carnival is on family traits. Which family traits have you inherited or have been passed down in your family? Enjoy!

A Sad Day In History ...

To be honest, I don't know what to really write for this post. Forty years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered on this day, and I don't know what to say. How does someone write a memorial about a man who greatly influenced the United State's recent past when she was not alive when King was living or lived through the Civil Rights Era? All I know about King and the Civil Rights movement is from textbooks and classes. I did not live during that time period, but I still feel as though I should post something today as King and other Civil Rights activists have influenced most of our post-World War Two history. (Of course, I should also note that there were movements for civil rights before World War Two; one cannot ignore the influence those movements had on the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.) The tragedy and influence of today forty years ago cannot be ignored; it was a day that Americans lost a great leader.

Although I wasn't alive at the time of the Civil Rights movement, I understand that the History Channel will have a two hour show on Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 6th (I think). It looks like it will be an interesting show from the ads on TV.

Records Being Indexed At FamilySearch - An Update

In case anyone is wondering which records are currently being indexed at FamilySearch Indexing, here is a list of a few records:

• 1870 U. S. Census
• 1930 Mexico Census
• State censuses of South Dakota and Wisconsin
• Irish bmds
• Philadelphia marriage indexes

As you can see, several records are being indexed. A few of these records have been indexed for a while. You can find out more information here.

So It's April Fool's Day ...

Yes, this is another one of those random posts. As a child, I always wondered if someone was going to pull off a prank on me on that day, and sometimes, I wonder how my ancestors reacted to this day. Did children pull off pranks on this day, or did my ancestors pay little attention to this day? I'm not sure. It is always interesting to read about how people celebrated certain holidays.

More Genealogy Blogs Added!

Today I have added a few more genealogy blogs. The blogs added are:

• Winging It
• Ahnenforschung Genealogy - My Time In History (Note: auf Deutsch/ in German)
• Genealogy Works & Fun Blog

You can find these and other blogs on the lower left side of the blog. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

A Family Affair: One Michigan Family's Civil War Experience - Part One

One of the few family stories that were passed down was that one of my ancestors was a Civil War veteran. Within the first year or so of doing research, I was able to prove that this family tradition was true. In addition, I discovered that my ancestor's brother-in-laws, wife's uncle and possibly two Oswalt men (living in the same county) that might be his brothers. In short, my ancestor's involvement in the Civil War was just as much of a family affair as it was for almost every other family in the United States at the time of the Civil War. (I say almost because another one of my ancestor's family did not have anyone serve in the Civil War, although they may have contributed to the war effort in other ways. I am still doing research to determine what they may have done.)

One detail I am wondering, though, about my Civil War ancestor is what made him sign up for service when he did. My ancestor did not enlist in a volunteer Michigan infantry regiment until February of 1865. I'm not sure, but hopefully, I will be able to find an answer in future research. In later posts, I'll write more about my Civil War ancestor and other relatives' experiences during the Civil War.

The Automotive Industry: One Family's Connection ...

When I read that the next carnival was on cars, I thought I would write about my family's involvement in the automotive industry instead of writing about cars my family has owned. Why? Well, I'm not sure when my ancestors began to own cars as I have never thought to ask when my family first owned a car. Of course, one could argue that I haven't thought about asking because I've taken cars for granted. (I didn't grow up in a time where owning a car was a luxury.) I realize it may seem strange, but I have mostly been concerned with the occupations of my ancestors, especially since ancestors and family members have worked in jobs connected with the automotive industry for the past four generations. Of course, if it weren't for the people who worked in the automotive industry, we wouldn't be a nation of car lovers.

My family's involvement with the automotive industry began with a few of my ancestors moving to Detroit in the early Twentieth Century, around the same time that the automotive industry was being formed. According to family tradition, my ancestors primarily worked for Ford Motor Company. While I am not completely certain as to the jobs my ancestors held, I do know that these jobs were primarily factory jobs. Since that time, someone in my family has worked in an automotive-related job.

Of course, my family did own cars some time around World War Two (maybe?), but I don't know exactly when. Even then, I think owning a car was more a luxury for my family than it was a necessity. From family stories, I've gathered that most of my ancestors traveled to work by streetcar, so I don't know how much of a need there was for a car. I guess I just assumed that owning a car wasn't necessary for my ancestors living in the early years of the Twentieth Century.

I know even less about the jobs my British ancestors had with the automotive industry, but I did have a few ancestors who worked in the automotive industry. They primarily worked for Vauxhall Motors. I'm not sure exactly when my family members became involved with Vauxhall because I haven't thought to ask. (I should start asking a few questions relating to automotive industry jobs.) In addition to knowing very little about my British ancestors' involvement with the automotive industry, I don't know when they began to own cars or if they did own a car, so I can't truly write about car ownership.

So, what could someone gather from my post? Well, I have to admit that I don't always think about how much of an impact that the automotive industry has had on my family. I've understood for a long time that jobs in the automotive industry has put food on my family's table. I'm sure that has been the case for many families that lived in and live in the Detroit area.

More Congrats and Awards ...

Yes, you read that correctly. Three genealogy bloggers have been recognized by the 2008 Artistry of Genealogy Awards, and I want to say, "Congrats!," to Jasia, Miriam and Renee.

I also want to mention that I first learned about these awards from Becky's post. Randy Seaver also wrote a post on these awards.

Congrats to Jasia!

I just read Randy Seaver's article about Jasia's blog being mentioned in Internet Genealogy, and I just want to say, "Congrats Jasia!"

What's My Accent?

I just happened to look at Thomas MacEntee's post on his accent, and I thought I would take the quiz myself. So, here are my results:

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

All I can say is that the quiz results did not surprise me as I have lived in Michigan all of my life; however, I had been thinking about regional accents since I read Terry Snyder's post on regional words and accents.

Why? Well, as I have done census searches of my ancestors and their siblings over the past four or so years, I have come across a few unusual spellings of my surname that I would not have thought of if I had not done a first-name only search in the censuses. A case in point would be the 1880 Census. When I first searched for my ancestors in the 1880 U. S. Census, I could not find the family (except for the youngest child), although I had a fairly good idea of where they were living. To be honest, I had expected from day one of doing research that I would have to look for variations in the spelling of my last name. I am used to it as my last name is misspelled by other people from time to time. It is not unusual for me to find my ancestor's surname spelled as Oswald instead of Oswalt as these surnames are virtually pronounced the same. So, how was their surname misspelled? It was written as Olswath. Yes, even in the image. The census had not been mis-transcribed. Even more unusual about the spelling was that the family was not together; the family was split up and everyone was living in separate households. Yet, the spelling of the surname was almost consistent for the whole family. Since the surname was consistently misspelled, I have a feeling that either my ancestor had an accent or the census taker had an accent. At the moment I am leaning towards the possibility that my ancestor had the accent, but then, I can't say for sure. Either way, accents do influence how one might find an ancestor's name spelled in a record. I don't know how many beginning genealogists keep this in mind when they search for their ancestors, but it is a very good idea for beginners to keep this in mind.

5th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy

The time for the fifth edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy is here! The topic for this edition was on traditional dishes from the regions of central and eastern Europe. Although this edition is smaller than the previous one, we have several interesting posts. So get ready for a mouth-watering experience and read on.

First off, we have an article from Steve Danko of Steve's Genealogy Blog. In W Polskich Restauracjach - In Polish Restaurants, Steve writes about his dinning experience in restaurants of Poland and his search for the best pierogi.

Next, we have an article from Miriam of AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors. In Alaskan Russian Foods, Miriam writes about two Russian dishes that she ate as child growing up in Alaska.

Next, we have an article from Elizabeth O'Neal of Little Bytes of Life. In My Husband's Favorite Slovak Dish, Elizabeth writes about her husband's favorite dish, Pirohy.

Last, but not least, we have an article from Lisa of 100 Years in America. In Easter Traditions: Decorating Eggs and ... Fighting, Lisa writes about the Croatian and Hungarian traditions of decorating Easter eggs and about a Croatian Easter egg game.

And so this ends this edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. The topic for the next carnival will be a carousel. The deadline for submissions of the next edition of the carnival will be April 27. The carnival will be posted on the 28th. You can submit your article here.

Three More Genealogy Blogs Added!

I've added three more genealogy blogs to the list today. The blogs added are:

• ~Shades Of The Departed~ - I learned about this blog from footnoteMaven's announcement
• A Genealogist's Sketchbook
• The Genealogist

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left hand side of this blog. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

New Poll Created!

I have created a new poll. The question for this poll is, "Should I change the deadline of this upcoming carnival?"

I am asking this question as I have not received very many entries for this carnival. Any suggestions for another deadline time are welcome.

Update 3/22: The results for this poll are:

• Yes - 0 votes
• No - 2 votes

To those who voted, thank you!

Happy Easter!

I just want to wish everyone a Good Friday and happy Easter!

Snow ... Again!

Yes, you have read that correctly. Michigan has more snow. Over the past two weeks, the weather where I am at had been warm. Okay, the temperature was probably at the most only in the 40s, but after the weather of this winter, that is warm. Either way it had recently been warm enough that I could wear either my spring jacket or winter coat, until today. Since it was fairly warm, I left my window open overnight, and when I woke up this morning, I discovered that my room was cold. All I had to do was look out the window to see that it was snowing pretty well. When I first I looked out the window, I thought there was only a couple of inches of snow. Well, after getting dinner this evening, I have to say that there is more than two inches on the ground. I'm guessing there is at least three or four inches on the ground. And it is still snowing quite steadily.

Of course, I should not be surprised to see snow. Generally, one cannot say Michigan is free of snow until after the second week of April, although three years ago, it snowed as late as the third or fourth weekend of April. Either way, this winter has been quite harsh. Supposedly this winter is supposed to be either the coldest or most severe that Michigan has experienced in fifty years. (At least that is what my dad heard on the radio.) I can definitely say that I don't believe Michigan has had this much snow since the winter of 1998-1999. Oh, well. Winter isn't over yet.

Carnival Note ....

I just want to remind everyone that submissions for this upcoming Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy are due tonight. The carnival will be posted some time tomorrow.

Carnival of Genealogy Posted!

The carnival of genealogy has been posted. You can read it here. The topic for the next carnival is on cars and the roles they have played in one's family.

(I did not submit a entry for this carnival as I believed I would not have had enough time to write a post. Hopefully, I will be able to contribute to this next carnival.)

Just A Reminder ...

I just want to remind everyone that entries for this upcoming Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy is due on the 21st. The topic for this carnival is on traditional dishes of these areas.

First Anniversary ...

Exactly one year ago, I started this blog. In the space of one year I have posted 368 posts. (This is post 368.) Just this year alone, I have posted over 100 posts. To be honest, I never expected or believed that I would have posted this many posts in one year only. It has been quite a year.

Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture Posted!

The latest edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture has been posted. You can read it here. The topic for the next carnival will be on the Gaelic language, and you can find out more about it here.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Today is supposedly the official Saint Patrick's Day for this year. You can find out more information from Randy's post. Either way, I still consider the 17th as Saint Patrick's Day, but I just want to wish everyone a happy Saint Pat's Day whether it is on the 15th or 17th of this year.

The Genetic Genealogist Offers New Ebook

The Genetic Genealogist is offering a new and e-book on how to interpret your DNA test results. It is free, and you can find out more here. Enjoy!

Rootsweb To Be Hosted on Ancestry's Domain

Within the past few days, Ancestry has announced that it is moving rootswb.com to its address domain. I first noticed Ancestry's announcement on its Weekly Journal blog. From what I have read on other blog articles, some genealogists are not happy with this move. The primary concerns these genealogists have is with the length of the URL and with the possibility that Ancestry will resell the data on websites hosted by rootsweb.

To be honest, I am not thrilled by Ancestry's move. I am still wary of Ancestry's actions since the internet biography debacle of last year. I am a bit suspicious of Ancestry's motives for moving rootsweb; I still feel as though there are other motives not mentioned in that announcement. I'm probably not the only one who feels this way. To be honest, I did not have a problem with Ancestry's placement of advertisements on rootsweb, if that was a way for Ancestry to keep rootsweb information free. What I am worried is that Ancestry might one day decide not to keep rootsweb free by claiming the volunteer-donated information as their data and thereby justifying charging for that data.

Other genealogists have written articles with their feelings, and you can read them here:

• Randy Seaver's Post
• Ancestry Insider's Post
• Dear Myrtle's Post

Another History Blog Added!

Today I have added another history blog. The blog added is:

• This Day ... In Jewish History

I first learned about this blog from Schelly Dardashti's post. You can find this and other history blogs on the lower right side. Any suggestions for other genealogy or history blogs are welcome.

Regrets and Actions To Be Proud Of ...

For the past few days genealogy bloggers have been blogging about their research regrets and successes. These posts were started when Randy wrote about his regrets (and then later successes) and footnoteMaven including her successes with her regrets. After reading several of the posts, I've decided to write about my regrets and successes.

So, what are my three regrets? Well ...

1. Not interviewing my maternal grandpa - This is my biggest regret, as I never really asked about his side of the family, his childhood or military service during World War Two. I think the best time to have asked him questions would have been when I was between 8 and 11 years old. (I had to do a family tree project when I was 11. I should have asked more questions then.) He has now passed away, so I can't ask him now.
2. Visiting cemeteries before going to the library - The first time I went to do research in Saint Joseph County, I wasted about three hours of research time searching for the burial places of my ancestors. I was with my grandparents, and we were trying to find the cemeteries that my grandparents had visited about twenty years before with my grandfather's aunt. Obviously, we were not successful with our search at that time. We ended up arriving at the library in Three Rivers with only having enough time to do research for an hour. If we had gone to the library first, we probably would have been able to find the graves much sooner.
3. I have a few other regrets, but compared to the two above regrets, they are fairly minor, and I can still find the information. (These regrets primarily have to do with not paying attention to the details at the time I read my day's research.)

My three greatest successes are:

1. Reading a how-to-do genealogy book first - My greatest success is probably having read how to genealogy research first, before I actually even attempted to start digging for answers. I think this action has saved me from making many major mistakes that can befall a novice genealogist.
2. Interviewing my three surviving grandparents - I think asking my other three grandparents what they knew or remembered about our family's history was one of the best steps I could have taken. Many of my first "leads" came from interviewing my grandparents.
3. Citing my sources from the beginning - I think keeping or writing notes on where I found a record has been a great success. There have been a couple of times that writing done the location of a source has helped me in double-checking my notes. (A couple times, I mistranscribed a record.)

Well, those are my regrets and successes. I really don't have that many in either category as I have only been doing research now for about four-and-a-half years.

Second Edition of Where Were You? Carnival Posted!

The second edition of the Where Were You? Carnival has been posted. You can read it here. The topic for the next edition is Where Were You (ie. ancestors) in the Civil War?

And Some More Genealogy Blogs Added!

I have added some more genealogy blogs today. The blogs added are:

• Arlene H Eakle's Genealogy Blog
• Arlene Eakle's Virginia Genealogy Blog
• The Guilford Genealogist Blog
• Twigs and Branches
• Fra Norge til Minnesota ...

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left side of the page. Any suggestions of other history and genealogy blogs are welcome.

Technology Lessons Learned ...

Yesterday, I happened to read one of the quick tips on Ancestry's blog. Of course, I did not read this article without a little bitterness? Why? Well, my computer crashed yesterday afternoon. I did not lose any files except for a few computer programs, but the worst part about this incident was that my computer was new. (I just got this laptop for Christmas.) I'm not sure what exactly caused the crash, but I was finally able to fix it after 8 and half hours. Unfortunately, I had not backed my computer up, so I could not use the roll back option on my computer. (Actually there are two different back-up programs on my computer: one with windows and the other with the company that made the laptop.) So, what did I have to do? I had to go back to the factory settings of my computer and reset it. Needless to say, after fixing my computer, I backed it up.

So, what did I learn? Well, always back-up your computer, even if it is new. I hadn't backed up my laptop because it was new, and that was my mistake. It could have been worse for me. I did not lose files because I already keep my school work and other files on flash drives, so I did not lose those. (Of course, it is always a good idea to back up those files to a CD.) So, please learn from my mistake and to take the time to back up your computer.

Baby Names ...

Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings has challenged other genealogy bloggers to a baby names meme. Specifically he asked, "If you had a chance to name your children again, what names would you choose to honor your ancestors?" Well, I can't write from the vantage of renaming children as I have never had children, but I guess I could do it from the vantage point of, if I might ever have children.

So, if had to choose possible names, these would be my favorite names from the list of my ancestors and their siblings:

• Benjamin - (I have to be careful with one, as I've named my dog, Ben. I don't want my child to feel as though he was named after my dog, but I really do like the name.)
• John - (A common name, I realize, but it is the name of a few of my ancestors and their brothers.)
• William
• Samuel
• Henry
• Adam
• Peter
• Anna
• Emma

Okay, I realize I didn't list as many names for girls. To be honest, I haven't really thought about naming children as I am young. I'm not sure if I would name any of my children after any of my ancestors. The only name that I really like from the list is Benjamin; the other names are just okay, as they are common. I'm not sure what I would name my children. Maybe, I should come up with a list of names I would not give to my children. How about a meme spin-off of this meme? Do you have a list of names that you would never give your children?

Results of This Past Month ...

It has been a month since I signed up for Google Analytics' tracking of this blog. So, what did I learn? Well, I learned that many people from around the world read my blog. The top ten (there many more countries that visitors are from) countries of where readers had visited - in order from highest to lowest, - are:

1. United States
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Israel
5. Australia
6. India
7. Colombia
8. Poland
9. Finland
10. Ireland

The top ten states in the United States that visitors have come from are:

1. Michigan
2. California
3. New York
4. Mississippi
5. Illinois
6. Indiana
7. Ohio
8. Massachusetts
9. New Jersey
10. Texas

Well, those are the top ten. Again, there were many more states and countries that visitors came from, but I only chose to list the top ten in the list. To all of my readers, I just want to say thank you for reading my blog.

Places On My Bucket List ...

Over the past few days, a meme started by Larry Lehmer of Passing It On has been going around the genealogy blogs. In his post, Larry asked, "What places do you want to visit before dying?"

So, what three places do I want to visit before I die? Well, here are three ancestral areas that I want to visit:

1. Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania - Well, I want to be able to visit and do research in that county as my ancestors lived there. (Of course, I don't know how long and in all of the townships which they lived.)
2. United Kingdom and Ireland (Great Britain) - I'd actually like to visit, so that I can do research this time and remember the visit. (Yes, I visited, but I was a baby at that time.) As my ancestors lived in various places in Great Britain, it is easier for me to just list the names of the countries.
3. Germany - I have been to Germany before (and I remember this trip!), but I haven't been to the locations where my ancestors lived. As I don't know all of the locations where my ancestors lived in Germany, I can only list Germany at the moment.

Well, those are my three places. I would list more, but I was only supposed to list three places for this meme. (Of course, there are other places I would like to visit that are not related to my genealogy.)

Another Genealogy Blog Added!

Today I have added another genealogy blog. The blog added is:

• Haplogroup H

I learned about this blog from Jasia's post. You can find this and other genealogy blogs on the lower left side of the page. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

A Few More Genealogy Blogs Added!

Today I have added a few more genealogy blogs. The blogs added are:

• My New Mexico Ancestors and Favorite Recipes
• The Meeks Genealogy
• DNA Ancestry Blog

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left side of the page. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

More on Genealogy Tech ...

A couple of days ago, FootnoteMaven left a question on my recent Carnival of Genealogy post asking about backing up files that are on flash drives. To be honest, when I wrote the post, I didn't think about the possibility for the failure of a flash drive. I have backed up photos on my flash drives to CDs in the past, and it is probably a very good idea to create CDs that back up one's files. Of course, I also keep paper copies of my research in case of a failure. I think it is a good idea to keep in mind, though, that flash drives can fail. Speaking of losing files, I almost thought I lost some of my files on one of my flash drives recently. Needless to say, I did a back up of those files in case something did happen.

Did Anyone Notice This Article?

Did anyone happen to notice yesterday that a photo of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan was found? You can read the article here.

Note About the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy

Miriam left me comment, asking if I was still going to do this month's edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. I still intend to this edition, but I think I won't have the fifth edition posted until late-April, early-May.

Carnival of Genealogy Posted!

The carnival of genealogy has been posted! You can read it here. The topic for the next carnival is on writing a tribute to a women who has influenced your life.

Note About Genealogy and History Thoughts Columns ...

I have to temporarily stop posting the Genealogy and History Thoughts Columns. You can read why here. I will start posting the columns again back in May.

More On Light Blogging ...

I realize that I said earlier last week that I would not be posting much, but I have to extend that as I won't be posting as frequently as I have lately. I probably won't be back to posting until early May, because I am entering the last few weeks of the semester and will be spending my time on school work.

Another Silly Quiz ...

I decided to go to Blogthings and take another one of their silly quizzes just in time for Saint Patrick's Day. Here is the results from the only quiz that I believe was appropriate for all ages:

Your Irish Name Is...

Jade Boyle

What's your Irish Name?

More Genealogy Blogs Added!

Today, I have added several more genealogy blogs. The blogs added are:

• Ancestor.ie's Genealogy Discussion Blog
• Genealogy Addiction and Future Parenthood
• Genealogy and History Fan
• Parishmouse
• TNGenWeb - Blount County, Tennessee

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left hand side of the page. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

This Date ...

You won't see this date again for another four years! Okay, I realize this statement is a bit corny, but I couldn't resist. I was just tempted to post something on this date as this is a leap year.

Speaking of leap years, when a person is born on this day, how do families celebrate that person's birthday in non-leap years, and how does the government determine when that person is legally an adult? What does the government do, as this date only comes once every four years? I'm just curious. I've always wondered what people do in a situation such as this one.

Congrats to FootnoteMaven!

I just noticed that FootnoteMaven has announced that she has been blogging for a year. I just want to say, "Congrats!"

Light Blogging?

As many of you might have noticed, I have not posted as many posts this week. I am not sure if the next few days or next week will be similar to this week. At the moment, I feel as though I am going through a writer's block, and I can't come up with very many ideas for topics to post on at the moment.

More Genealogy Blogs Added!

Today, I have added a couple more genealogy blogs. The blogs added are:

• Chris Staat's Genealogical Musings
• International Association of Amateur Genealogists (IAAGEN)

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left side of the page. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

Thoughts On A Quote ...

Yesterday, I happened to read a quote that was posted on GenLady's blog. After reading the quote, I thought about it for a long time. Would my ancestors be proud of me? I don't know. For one, I am more educated than many of my ancestors were or ever hoped to become. Undoubtedly, most of my ancestors would be proud of me for that alone. Of course, I am only guessing as I do not know what their thoughts were.

Re-added a History Blog!

I've re-added a history blog to my history list that got deleted from my blog by accident. The blog is:

• WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier

You can find this blog and other history blogs on the lower right hand side of the page. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

Have You Looked At These Sites?

I was just wondering if anyone had noticed these two websites:

• Behind the Name - the Etymology and History of First Names
• Behind the Name - the Etymology and History of Surnames

Obviously, from the titles of the websites these websites deal with the meaning of first names and surnames. Both sites appear to be very informative. My only problem is that most of the surnames of my ancestors did not show up when I typed them. I don't know when the websites are updated, so it could be very possible that the owner is still updating the surname database. So, what do you think about these two websites?

Added Another History Blog!

Today I have added another history blog. The blog added is:

• World History Blog

You can find this and other history blogs on the lower right hand of the page. Any suggestions for other genealogy or history blogs are welcome.

More Genealogy Blogs Added!

Today, I have added a few more genealogy blogs. The blogs added are:

• Caddo - My Home Town
• OneGreatFamily Blog
• The Polish Pioneers of Calumet, Michigan
• Why My Family Genealogy Would Make A Great Western

You can find these and other genealogy blogs on the lower left hand side of the page. Any suggestions for other history or genealogy blogs are welcome.

Thoughts About Irish Heritage in America ...

Whenever I think of writing a post on Irish ancestry, I hesitate as I am not completely sure if my ancestors who married in Ireland are actually Irish. The problem is that the surname for my ancestor is supposed to be Scottish and not Irish, or so information that I have read on the surname says. (Of course, it is entirely possible that my ancestors were descended from Scots that settled in Ireland.) Of course, when I was little girl, I did not know that I had ancestors that were born in Ireland, and I think that was also true for my family members. It was not until I began researching my family history that I learned I had ancestors born in Ireland.

So, why am I writing this? Well, when I was in elementary school, students were expected to wear green on Saint Patrick's Day. This was, of course, primarily a peer pressure expectation from fellow classmates. I realize that wearing green on Saint Patrick's Day is probably expected almost everywhere in the United States, but there was also another rumor that was told in my elementary school that I am unsure if it has been heard anywhere else in the United States. Supposedly, according to this rumor, on Saint Patrick's Day, one could see leprechauns but only if one was Irish (or, apparently, of Irish ancestry). Silly and unbelievable? Yes, but when one is five, six or seven years old, it can be believable. Or it was when I was that age. Of course, that was the time of my life when I was enthralled by fairy tales. And among those fairy tales were stories of leprechauns and pots of gold at the end of the rainbow, especially with cartoon shows of fairy tales. Undoubtedly, the leprechaun with a pot of gold is a stereotype, albeit one that seems to be friendly. And, one could argue, that the Lucky Charms cereal reinforces that stereotype. If one thinks about cartoon shows and cereal that deal with Irish stories, one could argue that the Irish immigrants who came to the United States did influence our culture, even if that influence is subtle.

My Grandparent's Names

Earlier today, Randy Seaver posted about the names he gave his grandparents and then challenged other genealogy bloggers to post about the names they gave their grandparents.

So, what names do I give to my grandparents? I call my grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa. If I happen to be talking to a family member about one of my grandparents, I might specify with the surname of my grandparent. For example, I would say, "Grandma [Surname]." I can't say for sure, but I think it was the same way for my parents as well. In referring to my grandparents, my parents call them "Mom and Dad," even if they are not their parents, but their in-laws. (As far as I know, I don't believe my parents' calling each other's parents, "Mom and Dad," has ever caused problems, although I did have a high school teacher who got upset that his married daughter called her father-in-law, "Dad.")

Speaking of parents, I have only called my parents either, "Mom and Dad," or, "Mommy and Daddy" when I was younger. I have never been allowed to call my parents by their first names, although I understand that there are some parents who do allow their children to call them by their first names. If I ever have children, I don't believe I would allow them to call me by my first name. I guess I'm just too traditional to allow that to happen.

Some Useful Technology For Genealogy?

"What technology do you most rely on for your genealogy and family history research?" Well, that happens to be the question for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, and I'll confess, it is not a question that I can easily answer. I could only choose three items, one each from the categories of hardware, software and website. So, which three items did I choose? Here's my choices:

Hardware: For the hardware category, I would have to say that a ubs 2.0 flash drive has been one of the items I have relied the most on. (I couldn't choose my computer.) I have a flash drive that I use to store my genealogy software and family tree. Of course, I must state that this flash drive is also password protected. I would not put my family tree on a flash drive that did not have a password-protected component to it. There are many different ubs drives out there at different prices and storage capacities. The flash drive that I use for my genealogy has 256 MB of space on it. I keep my genealogy files and genealogy software on this flash drive. (I must state that I have other flash drives that I use for school.)

Software: For the software category, I would have to nominate the genealogy program that I use. I use Family Trees Quick and Easy, version 5. How did I come to choose this program? Well, a few years ago, my college's bookstore was selling some computer programs for five dollars or less, and I happened to notice that one of the programs was a family tree program. Since I already knew what the price for other family trees programs were being sold at, I bought the program because it was such a bargain. Even though I have tried some other free and demo versions of family trees, I have never been impressed by those programs. I like the program that I use, and I am happy with the program.

Website: For me, this category was the most difficult for me to make a decision. For the moment, I think I'll have to go with Rootsweb's message boards. As there are many different categories and topics for queries, I think many novice genealogist could find a lot of information on how to do genealogy research or where to find records. (I had a hard time coming up with this answer as there are many websites and blogs that I visit, and this was best I could do at the moment.)

So there are my three choices. Do you agree or disagree with me? As always you can leave a comment.

Some Interesting Articles ...

I've wanted to mention some articles that I found interesting over the past week or so, but I never got around to mentioning them. So here are some articles that I have found interesting:

• "Copyright Issues: Photographs" at GeneaBlogie
• "Age of Consent vs Age of Majority Explained" at Olive Tree Genealogy Blog
• "If These Walls Could Speak: A German Häuserchronik" at What's Past is Prologue
• "Building a Better Blog" at the same blog as above
• "What is Blogging? Why Would I Want to do it?" at Kinexxions
• "What's Next? European Genealogy & Social Networking" at 100 Years in America
• "European Genealogy Resources Online" at the same blog as above
• "Nagyon Köszönöm! The National Archives of Hungary in English" at the same blog as above
• "British WW1 Medal Cards on Ancestry" at Anglo-Celtic Connections
• "New Genealogy Guide for Finland Research" at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors

I realize that I have listed a large number of articles, but I thought these articles were interesting. Enjoy!

Update at 2:30 p.m.: I added the links to the articles for Anglo-Celtic and AnceStories, and more post labels.

More on Kosovo and Serbia ...

A few days ago I mentioned that Kosovo had declared its independence. I've been watching the news, and I forgot to mention that the United States (along with some other countries) has recognized Kosovo as an independent country within the past couple of days. Now today, earlier this afternoon, I learned that protests were held in Belgrade. Some were peaceful but other protests were violent. And the U.S. embassy was attacked by those violent protesters. You can read more here and here.

I usually do not post on politics on this blog because I have another blog for that purpose, but I did so in this case as I thought my readers might have been interested in reading about the recent events with Kosovo. I realize that the issues surrounding Kosovo's declaration have long roots in history that are connected with strong emotions, but I don't have any sympathy for the Serbs who attacked the embassy of my country. I can't speak for my fellow countrymen, but I don't believe attacking another country's embassy will garner very much sympathy from the citizens of the attacked embassy. Especially when one remembers that Serbs attacked the Albanians in Kosovo back in 1999, I don't believe the average American will be very sympathetic to the Serbs. I could be wrong, but then, I can only speak for myself. I guess the best thing one can do is pray that this difficult and intense situation does not erupt into violence or war.