Saturday Night Fun 29 Aug 2009

Here is your challenge for tonight (or whenever you read this):

1) Write down which of your ancestors that you have met in person (yes, even if you were too young to remember them).

2) Tell us their names, where they lived, and their relationship to you in a blog post, or in comments to this post, or in comments on Facebook.

Clarabelle Inez Secor married Edward Martin Kratochvil 1914 Traverse City; My grandfather died in 1935 and grandma remarried in 1937 to Tom Kirt. I spent alot of time with my grandmother I don't recall Tom being around much but he did get TB and was gone for a long while. She died 6 months, 23 Feb 1964 Traverse City, Michigan, before her sister, Josephine. She is the mother of: Leo, Erma, Katherine Kratochvil mother

Bertha Inez "Birdie" Secor married Arthur J. Kratochvil 1920 Traverse City, Michigan d. in St. Petersburg, Florida and they died in the 90's. They traveled back and forth for many years up to a couple of years before death. I met her once when she was older and it did not register why she felt so familiar. After my mom and I left we were talking and it hit me! She is not just Aunt Birdie Kratochvil.. she was my grandmother's sister (Secor brothers married Kratochvil brothers) and bore a great resemblance and aura that reminded me of my grandmother.

Leona Nemechek Kratochvil, I don't recall much except going to the house and meeting her and sitting in the living room. She lived in East Jordan and boy the questions I could have for her! This was about 1956 or so I was 9-10 years old.

Ella (Elizabeth E.) Secor married Walter D. Garwick who died in 1952 and Ella remarried Elmer J. Braden 1953. Aunt Ella always looked like she walked out of a beauty parlor and maybe she did. Those were the days when many women did go weekly. I always felt like she was a queen (I will post a photo on the blog)

Josephine N. Kratochvil married Angus Forton in 1914 and in my memory she always lived on 11th St as did many of the Kratochvil family. She used to sit in the parlor and play solitaire by the hours as she lived alone after her husband died. She only had one child, Clifford whom was not there when I was. She died in Traverse City, Michigan d. 12 Aug 1964

Leo Kratochvil son of Edward M. Kratochvil and Clarabelle Inez Secor; I have many memories of Uncle Leo even though he died abt age 50. I spent alot of time at his farm on Gonder road and road with him in his Jeep after he worked as the No. 1 Taxi Cab company. He died of heart attack the 30 Dec 1957. It was rather traumatic for me as I was at their home on Garfield when he got so ill. He talked like he was dispatching cabs although he was in bed. He always told me my hair would be curly if I ate my carrots!

Julius E. Kratochvil was in real estate and used to make trips out west to buy cattle. He had an atlas in the RE office that I never got to see and now no one knows where it is. I recall him coming to my cousin Edward Kratochvil's funeral in a long black coat and top hat. He looked like he came out of the movies! He died 23 May 1988

Blanche Kratochvil Never married and I met her in the 70's only one time. She had arthritis and her hands were swollen terribly. She gave me several photos of the Kratochvil Brewery grounds that her father owned. She died 14 Feb 1973. At the same time I met her sister Julia. Now one of these women was blind but at the moment I am drawing a blank on which one. She too had the arthritis that resulted in swelling but in her feet. At the time I wondered if this was hereditary.

I have not had the privilege of meeting many on my father's side. But his sister, Ella born 1898 in Clarissa Minnesota came to visit and couple times and she was always a bit special. As a young child..lol... I remember her always plucking her eyebrows and she died her hair black as it was when she was a child.

My dad's brother, Emil R. Wolfgram (Uncle Sonny) was always jolly; he would play the harmonica and do a jig at the same time. I always thought that was very hard thing to do. I was able to stay at his house a few times but he died when I was about 8 or 9. I knew all of his children; Romayne, LaVern (MD), Emil (retired Navy), Marie, and Lyle.

My dad's last brother, Roy,, actually changed his name to Nelson. When younger he went out West (from MN) and for a time was known as Battlin' Nelson (not the same as the infamous one) he ended up living in Spokane Washington where my family lived for about 8-10 months in 1948. He had a daughter, whom I am not recalling the name... who had dolls and I loved to play with them. She was older than myself.

Now, are we counting phone conversations? As I did talk to a few of them when I started doing research but they lived in Iowa/Mn/Montana etc and I never got to meet them. Also Richard Hultgren of California was a phone conversation but he was the sweetest person and sent me many photographs of the family.

Wordless Wednesday 26 Aug 2009

Tombstone Tuesday 25 Aug 2009

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun 20 Aug 2009

In some research I am doing there is a John Barton b. 1855 Illinois, without parents; married 11 Jan 1878, Muscatine, Iowa, Elizabeth Jane (Eliza) Steckman b. 27 Sep 1854, Wheeling, Ohio Co., Virginia. I am going to search for census as I have none at this time.

This appears to be a correct 1860 census with the link: http://tinyurl.com/m8s4sp. Ancestry is costly but it does have an enormous amount of data!

1860 United States Federal Census
about John Barton

Name:	John Barton
Age in 1860:	5
Birth Year:	abt 1855
Birthplace:	Iowa
Home in 1860:	Drury, Rock Island, Illinois
Gender:	Male
Post Office:	Illinois City
Value of real estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age John Barton 42 Eliza Barton 35 Nicholas Barton 13 Antoine Barton 11 Mary Jane Barton 9 Ely Barton 6 John Barton 5 William Barton 45

This gives me the parents with family of John b. 1855 which agrees with another source. It tells me his father is John was a clergyman born in abt 1818 in England and mother is Eliza b. abt 1835 in Ohio. The children I have born in Illinois.

I have just entered the parents and John's data as do not need siblings at this time. I sourced it:
1860 census for Drury, Rock Island, Illinois; Pg6 Dwelling 47 Lines 27-34 5 June 1860 and printed out 2 copies of the first page of ancestry describing this census and 2 copies of the actual census copies. This puts one in each of John Sr and John Jr's files.

http://my.jetscreenshot.com/demo/20090822-q4ym-68kb screen shot of this family in RootsMagic Software. This image does not reflect the change in John Jr's birth place but knowing this will sure make it easier to find that birth. (see below)

I also have the 1870 census that I will now enter in the same fashion. In comparing the 2 census records ... they both say John was born in Iowa not Illinois. A birth record would help save this day! Thanks Genea-bloggers!

Saturday Night Fun 21 Aug 2009

Water Postcard Carnival 19 Aug 2009

The postcard is postmarked 1910 but the image is older than that. The 'old' library and current Heritage Center is the building in the right hand corner. The ?Grist Mill? in the left hand corner shows a bridge there which is the Union Street Bridge. This area, of course, looks nothing like this now.

Traverse City, Michigan

Our Front Yard - Springtime 1981ish

It was necessary to travel over a creek to get to our home. Almost each spring the creek would flood over. Mike walking near our pond (right hand corner) and where we would have parked our cars.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

1) Tell us your three responses to the questions:

* Three genealogical libraries I frequent
* Three places I've visited on genealogy trips
* Three genealogy societies I belong to (or want to)
* Three websites that help my research
* Three ancestral graves that I've visited
* Three ancestral places I want to visit
* Three brickwall ancestors I want to research more

* Three genealogical libraries I frequent
~Traverse City District Area Library, Grand Traverse Genealogical Society ~Collection
~Family History Center
~Library of Michigan

* Three places I've visited on genealogy trips
~Minnesota
~Ontario
~Illinois

* Three genealogy societies I belong to (or want to)
~Grand Traverse Area Genealogical Society
~Ontario Genealogical Society
~Quebec .. in my areas

* Three websites that help my research
~ancestry.com
~familysearch.org
~PRDH Quebec

* Three ancestral graves that I've visited
~Kratochvil
~Wolfgram
~Secor

* Three ancestral places I want to visit
~Ondrejov, Bohemia
~Montreal Area
~Minnesota again

* Three brickwall ancestors I want to research more
~Wolfgram - Zacharias
~Wolfgram - Zacharias
~Wolfgram - Zacharias

Wordless Wednesday, Ben

This is a current photo but it is definitely cute: My nephew Ben with orphaned raccoon.

Kingsley Wheels

Two ladies from Kingsley, Michigan out for a 'walk' in their high-powered 'wheels'

Hanging Clothes Fun Friday 24th Apr 2009

You have to be a certain age to appreciate this.

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
(if you don't know what clotheslines are, Better skip this)

1. You had to wash the clothes line before hanging any clothes-walk the entire lengths of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.

2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites"; With "whites," and hang them first.

3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail! What Would the neighbors think?

4. Wash day on a Monday! . . . Never hang clothes on the weekend, or Sunday, for Heaven's sake!

5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y'know!)

6. It didn't matter if it was sub zero weather . . . Clothes would "freeze-dry."

7. Always gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left On the lines were "tacky!"

8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did Not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next Washed item.

9. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.

10. IRONED?! Well, that's a whole other subject!

A POEM

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheets"
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths"
With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth
From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way . . .

But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!

Note: If anyone knows who wrote this or where it originated from I would love to give credit. It came in my email. Hope got a smile!

Wordless Wednesday: Birdie Secor & Katherine

The lady is Bertha "Birdie" (Secor) Kratochvil and Katherine Kratochvil dau of Clarabelle Inez (Secor) and Edward Kratochvil. Birdie married Arthur Kratochvil. Katherine married Melvin Hines in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.

Tombstone Tuesday: Carol Newmarch

Baby Carol Newmarch

Somber Sunday Mrs. Brenzinger & Child

The Alton Weekly Courier, Alton, Illnois
Friday 1 October 1852
Frightful Accident

A German woman, Brenzinger, and her child, about three years old, were dangerously injured this morning, about half past nine o'clock, by a Morris and Essex Railroad horse car, at the foot of Centre Street. The horses were going at full gallop in order to drag the car around the curve up the hill, when the woman with the child in her arms attempted to go over on the cross-walk.

Not seeing the approaching car, and probably not understanding the warning which was given her, she walked directly against the horse, which the driver had endeavored to stop in time, but the headway of the car drove them onward, and they knocked the woman down. The child was thrown under the car, and the front truck passed over the lower part of the abdomen and the legs, bruising the former and probably inflicting internal injuries, and laying the latter bare to the bone nearly the whole length, but making no fractures. The woman, it is thought by the bystanders, was not run over, but received her wounds from the horses, and from being dragged on the ground, her dress having caught between the brake and the wheels.

Her injuries consist in the fracture of two of the spinal processes, and of one arm at the elbow, with bruises upon the body, and probably if either can survive, they certainly cannot recover.

Since the above was in type, the little child died. Newark Advertiser

Brenda's Brick Wall - Wolfgram (Saturday Night 28th)

How sad is this? I have my mother's ancestory back to the early 1600's in Bohemia and farther back in Quebec and France. But, here in the USA I cannot find the grandfather of my father. I THINK I know.. but I cannot prove it.

Adding to this blog for the Saturday Night 'Special' of Randy's. ;')

Benhart Benjamin Wolfgram born 1904 d. 1979 is my father. His father is Amel / Emil Wolfgram, supposedly born in Wisconsin abt 1867. I found an Abel in the Dodge County Wisconsin 1870 census with August and Fredericke Wolfgram and going by one cousin's family lore this almost has to be the family. I have ordered every record known to man on this couple and a couple of their sons trying to prove or disprove this family and I cannot do either. Yesterday on Heritage Quest I found an 1880 census that, for some reason, I never hit upon, Oh, I know why! The name is again, spelled Abel and not Amel. But we all know the history of census takers being ever so 'accurate' in their writings! Not!

Amel/Emil ends up in settling down in Todd County, Minnesota and marries Matilda 'Tildee" Zacharias, whom had been married before and brought 2 children to the marriage, and Amel and Tildee have four of their own children. I have land records, vitals and any record I could find on the Minnesota connection but was never to find the connection to Wisconsin. All of his records point to Wisconsin as his birthplace. Abel on the 1870 and 1880 is the ONLY record I have seen that even comes close to Amel. Amel marries in 1884 (from memory) in Minnesota. I would discount this IF there was not a son of August by the name of Frank who became a judge and had a son that was in WWI who died young. Frank donated monies for a room at Weidner University and when Edward died in the military he donated thousands of elite type English books to the room, called the Wolfgram Library. This is a part of the oral stories from a cousin that lived in Minnesota and Iowa and had no way of knowing about Frank unless there was some kind of family connection.

If you are reading this and have any connection to this family please contact me at kingsley@aol.com.

I have all the data from the time Amel hit Minnesota but not his birth record or parents. I know they were of Luthern faith and that is the one thing I have not done is search the church records in Wisconsin.

Now, my commitment for FHC research: I have the 1870 and 1880 census of one person I thought was most likely to be my gr-grandfather so I need to try and disprove or prove this person again with new data I found. The spelling is Abel on the 2 records how likely is it for the census taker to make the same name mistake ten years apart and assumedly not the same worker. I had not found this prior as I thought Abel was a typo for _hopefully_ Amel. So, I need to find out what happened to this Abel.

Now to determine what might help me. I will aim for the 1890~ JUST KIDDING~~ okay the 1900 and 1910 and see if I can find this Abel. My Amel married in 1884 in Minnesota so if I find Abel with any of the family it will sort of disprove my _hoped_ theory of the mispelling.

I have check this set of records Index of births -- Monroe County, Wisconsin : 1850 through 1944 but not for Abel. I think this will be my first step. And I will have to send a request to the WI mailing list as the book does not left SLC. I am only seeing the 1905 census for Monroe County WI but I will order that. Will check 1900 on ancestry.com. When I order the 1905 I will order this film: Index to marriages in Monroe County, WI : for registration volumes 1,2, 3, and 4 from 1855 to 1907. This is the only films on vitals that are allowed to leave SLC so will work with this for now.

Thanks Randy, for keeping me on this line! I have exhausted so much that It really getting sad! But,
will start here. Maybe I can get to the library tomorrow if not they are open again Tuesday.

The saga continues

Somber Sunday - Jennie Thompson 1903

Daily Eagle
Traverse City, Michigan
29 Jul 1903 pg 1

Tragedy Near Sarnia
Mother left her baby on the river bank
...and was drowned trying to rescue the little girl
..swift current swept them both downstream
...baby on the bank laughed while other shuddered

Port Huron, Mich, Jul 29.--A distressing drowning occurred a short distance below Sarnia, on the Canadian side yesterday afternoon and Mrs. George Taylor sacrificed her life trying to save little Jennie Thompson of this city from drowning. Both sank from sight before help reached them.

The little Thompson girl was visiting at the home of Mrs. Taylor at Sarnia, and as their home is near the water she wanted to go wading. Mrs. Taylor, taking her little baby in her arms, went to the river back to watch her. The channel bank runs off at a steep incline and, although cautioned, the little girl waded out for some distance.

Suddenly she sank, and when she came to the surface again Mrs. Taylor dropped her baby on the grass and ran into the water to save the drowning girl. The swift current swept them both down stream and out into the deepest water, and although their cries attracted several me, they were too far away to render assistance and the woman and child sank beneath the waves.

The little baby which the unfortunate women left on the bank when she made the sacrifice of her life, crowed and laughed at the approach of the men, unmindful of the awful tragedy that had been enacted there before its eyes.

Fun/Funny Friday: Brenda Buys Candy

One fine day! Brenda, at age four while living at 313 Rose St with my brother, sister and parents must have decided she was hungry for candy. The store was just a short 1/2 block or less, away. She obviously had been there with any part of the family many times as she took off and went after candy without telling anyone. But, Brenda was no dummy she knew she needed money. Where would that come from? Aha~ her brother, Ben, has a coin collection!! She had no clue it was anything but money to buy candy. She didn't realize money stuck in books was any different then coins laying on the table. So, she grabs the money and off she went to buy alot of penny candy. This was about 1950 so there was still penny candy at the time.

Ben never got his money back but I am sure Brenda enjoyed the candy!!!

Wordless Wednesday: 18Mar09 Loggers

Logging Video on Michigan

Tombstone Tuesday: Abigail Seegmiller

Abigail Seegmiller
1883-1934
Evergreen Cemetery, Kingsley, Michigan

Mappy Monday

In keeping with doing a blog writing with the days of the week. I am promoting another day. Monday for doing maps/land records/deeds/ anything to do with maps or the land on a map. Map Tutorials are an option as well. Using land is to widen out the field a bit here. Please join us in Mappy Mondays!

For the first Monday I am going to promote the 1895 State Maps for the United States that Pam Rietsch scanned and put online for folks to use for free. Of course since I am in Michigan chosing Michigan map to be linked to and my county of Grand Traverse. Anyone can link to these maps but please ask permission to use the map online somewhere.

Contact data for Pam: CFC Productions, pam@livgenmi.com

See you next Monday! If you would like to post your map blogpost here please send to: kingsley@aol.com or see me on Face Book! Thanks for joining in.

There is now:
Mappy Mondays
Tombstone Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday
Fun / Funny Friday
Somber Sunday

Wordle Brenda's Surnames

Saturday Night Fun = Wordle
Pretty cool find Randy! You do have the knack!!

Screen shot:

Genealogy Prompt #9

Library of Michigan had a conference last summer that I went to and had a great time. One talk I attended was about the seekingmichigan.org project progress and what they were going to be doing with the web. (wonder if this will happen if Gov. reduces monies for Lib of Mi) Randy is a great speaker injecting humor and knew his topic well. A second topic was on the State Archives and I cannot recall his name but starts with a G ~ He also was a good speaker.

4th of April I will be attending Library of Michigan conference again. Getting quite anxious for this and meeting a Face Book friend that is going to be there.

I really enjoy going to conferences at LOM as much for networking with folks and meeting new people. The trip down and back is very enjoyable getting together with local friends that I don't 'hang' out with so much.

Somber Sunday: Hillman and Payne 1903

Daily Eagle
Traverse City, Michigan
29 May 1903 pg 4
Only obituaries for May

Mrs. Eliza Hillman, wife of Jacob Hillman of Williamsburg, died at 4 0'clock Thursday afternoon of blood poisoning. The deceased was 36 years of age and leaves a one-week-old baby.

*********************

Mrs. Ella Payne, wife of Marshall Payne of Cedar Run, died Wednesday, May 27, at the age of 40 years. The funeral was held today at 1 o'clock from the church at Cedar Run, under the direction of H. L. Curtis of this city.

Brenda's Teeth - Funny Friday

Photo: About 1949 Brenda and father Ben at Bryant Park

Brenda's Two Front Teeth about 1950ish

The day was a fun day! We had company and my brother and I were relegated to sleeping in mom and dad's big bed. It was our time to 'disappear' for the adult world to commence in their fun and it was our bedtime. Who was to know that more fun was to happen to me AFTER I went to sleep. My brother was eight years older than I who was four at the time. Ben began dreaming and tossing and turning due to dreaming of fighting. Then in an abrupt second I was woke up.. and holding my two front teeth in my hand. Benny had elbowed my two front teeth out in one of his 'tosses'. I sat there crying and then laughing and calling to my mom. "Benny knocked my teeth out" Mom went to holler at Benny but I told her he didn't mean to do it. So, in my defense of him in telling her he didn't mean to do it.. she was okay and started laughing too.. By now, Benny was chuckling of course! I don't recall what happened to those teeth but if we had teeth fairies mine would have been worth a mint. To this day, 58 years later we still chuckle about that.

Next Friday: Brenda Buys Candy!

Wordless Wednesday 11Mar2009

Gravel Pit with men loading and hauling gravel
1900's near Kingsley, Michigan

Tombstone Tuesday: Thomas Redbird

Thomas Redbird

Somber Sunday, Obits of 23 Mar 1893 Traverse City

Hello everyone, I thought of starting Somber Sunday just to have a guide for doing something continuous on a given day. The same principal as Tombstone Tuesday and Wordless Wednesday. In doing this I thought Fun / Funny Friday might be a good thing. Today as I begin to post to Somber Sunday I went to newspaperarchive.com to look for something that caught my eye to post. In doing this I thought, why not use Somber Sunday as a day to post all the deaths on a given day from the local newspaper. This is what I have done here. I will continue to do this on Somber Sundays to add more obituaries to the web.

All Deaths in the Grand Traverse Herald Newspaper
Traverse City, Michigan
23 Mar 1893 pg 5

Charles H. Kimball of Fife Lake was killed near Corning, New York on a railroad on which he was working as brakeman. his body was brought to Fife Lake for burial.

*************************

At Beaver Island there recently died Mrs. McDonohugh aged 94 years. She came to the island some thirty years ago and had never left it since.

*************************

Death of Mrs. E. W. Waterbury :
Death of Mrs. E. W. Waterbury died very suddenly at her home on Washington St., on Sunday evening, March 19th.
Mrs. Waterbury had not been ill, excepting that she was suffering from a severe cold. On going to her room about ten 0'clock she complained to her daughter that it was much worse, and was suddenly taken with a severe pain in her chest. Miss. Waterbury made her lie down, and went for remedies, but in a very few minutes she breathed her last.

On Monday evening friends and neighbors gathered for a simple service, mainly of song and prayer, conducted by Rev. D. Cochlin, and early on Tuesday morning her son and daughter took her remains to Polo, Illinois, her former home, for burial.

During the months of her residence in Traverse City, her nearer neighbors has come to know her as a gentle, motherly woman, whose heart was in her home, and whose quiet ministrations made that home a very happy one. Much sympathy is extended to the son and daughter who home happiness has been so suddenly shattered.

Her family in Traverse City consisted of A. E. Waterbury of the firm of A. E. Waterbury & Co., his little daughter Elizabeth and his sister, Miss Minnie Waterbury. Mrs. Waterbury's husbaqnd has been dead for many years; the other near surviving relatives are three daughters, Miss Bessie Waterbury of Polo, Il, Mrs. H. C. Peek, Oregon, IL and Mrs. M. L. Rogers, Exeter, Nebraska. Mrs. Waterbury was about sixty-eight years of age.

*************************

Newspaper continues: Page 6

Death of A. M. S. Holmes

Mr. A. M. S. Holmes, father of O. V. Holmes, died at his son's residence at Walton, February 16, 1893, aged 78 years. Mr. Holmes was born in Ontario, but for thrity years or more had lived in New York state until about two years ago, when he came to Walton to make his home with is son.
He was married at the age of 21 and there have been four boys and two girls in the family, and the father's death is the first to break the family circle. Mrs. Holmes survives to mourn the death of a faithful and loving companion with whom she had shared the joys and cares of life for fifty-seven long years.

Mr. Holmes united with the Presbyterian Church when 18 years old and always remained a faithful member, taking an active interest especially in the temperance cause, gaining the name of the "war-horse," for his stout advocacy of temperance reform. Mrs. Holmes remains in the family of her son at Walton.

*************************

Another Pioneer Gone

Grandma Thomas, of Northport peacefully passed away on March 12th after a week's serious struggle with a bad cold or la grippe.

The deceased was born on the 8th of October 1819 at Deftford, Kent Co., England. She was married there on the 8th of February 1845; was the mother of 8 children, six sons and two daughters--one daughter died four years ago last October.

The deceased came to this country from England in 1848 and settled in [Lamaqua], Schulkkyl County, Pennsylvania, and moved from there to Ashton, Carbon Co., in the same state. From Carbon she came to Northport in 1856 when the country was new. She had united with the Congregational Church in High St, Deftford, England. Rev. J. Pallen was pastor at the time. Being one of the pioneers of the district and having her letter from England, Grandma Thomas became one of the charter members of the Congregational Church of Northport.

For a number of years she has been very much afflicted. She bore her affliction with remarkable patience and christian fortitude. She is now at rest with that Savior whom she loved so well and served so faithfully. I have had some delightful conversations with her from a Christian point of view. In my visits I was very much impressed by her strong faith in Christ, with a patient hopeful spirit and bright expectation of a kindly welcome by her Savior as well as by her perfect resignation to the will of her Heavenly Father.

The funeral services were conducted on Tuesday at the Congregational Church, by the pastor, assisted by Rev. J. Burdge, after which the remains were interred in the Northport Cemetery.
M. C. Dixon, Pastor.

*************************

Obituary

George H. Bregg, son of George and Harriet Bregg, was born in Steuben Co., New York, June 14, 1860. He came with his parents to Michigan in 1872 and settled in Grand Traverse County, on Feb. 17, 1884, he was united in marriage to Miss Helena, daughter of Robert and Isabella Dixon, with whom he lived in loving concord until Feb. 27, 1893, when he quietly closed his eyes to all earthy scenes, aged 32 years, 8 months and 13 days.

He knew the hardships of pioneer life and braved manfully the privations incident to those early times. His educational advantages were only such as the common schools of the neighborhood afforded, but he improved his opportunities to such a degree as to qualigy himself for intelligent citizenship. Turning aside from the allurements of the city he gave his attention to the cultivation of the soil and found in the flowers of the field a rarer beauty than in the tinseled show of the metropolis. The song of wild bird and the lowing of his cattle was sweeter music to his ear than the rattle of drums of the blare of cornets.

While not a professor of religion, he cherished a profound regard for those who exemplified it in their lives.

His domestic life, sweetened by the presence of an affectionate wife and and loving boy, made his paradise on earth; and was the strongest tie that bound him to this world.

In March, 1891, he went with his family to the Pacific coast and settled in Washington, but the climate was unfavorable to his health and in December of 1892 he returned to his old home in Michigan. He sought medical aid, but Death had marked him for prey, and on the morning of Feb. 27 as his friends were standing around his bed they realized that George H. Bregg had "gone all the way of all the earth." (Com)

True Confessions of Genie Junkie

Randy Seaver: gave this assignment: Answer these questions about your genealogy life (mine are in parentheses):

1. When did you start genealogy research? 1979

2. Why did you start doing research? My brother wondered how much land the family owned in our hometown

3. What was your first big success in research? Getting the French-Canadian line traced back to France all zillion of them!

4. What is your biggest genealogy regret? Not getting over shyness enough to interview the old-timers

5. What are you best known for in the genealogy world? Knowledge of my hometown area

6. What is your professional status in genealogy? In the past I had a genealogy research business for 3 years but now I spent most my time doing volunteer webs online and helping others. No degrees just experience! ;) Although I did have 6 semesters of genealogy classes at our local college.

7. What is your biggest genealogy achievement? Getting my Kratochvil family researched in Bohemia back to mid 1600's and photographs of the immigrant homes there.

8. What is the most FUN you've had doing genealogy? Doing a fully French catered luncheon and seminar with the group I founded, French-Canadian Heritage Traverse City Chapter

9. What is your favorite genealogy how-to book? My newest: Maureen Taylors Photograph book

10. What notable genealogist would you like to meet someday? Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak. I get to meet Maureen Taylor when she will be giving a talk about 40 miles from me in Sept. 09 - Cannot wait!

There you are - talk about yourself for a change! Go forth and blog about your True Confessions of a Genealogy Junkie! Or write a comment to this post.

Brenda

Funny Friday, A Narrow Escape

I was doing Somber Sunday and just had to post this Funny Friday early!

Grand Traverse Herald
Traverse City Michigan
23 Mar 1893 pg 6

A Narrow Escape
Harbor Springs Republican

Mrs. J. L. Morrice, residing a short distance north of town, visited her henery one evening last week to gather some eggs, and as she thrust her hand into one of the nestings she felt something soft and warm. She seized hold of what proved to be a live animal of some kind.

Fortunately she had caught hold of its tail--she carried it to her house which is some distance away, and then to a neighbor's house across the street. Her neighbors soon informed her that the animal she had so courageously tackled and which she had in her possesion, was nothing less than a sharp-eyed, pretty black and white polecat. Mrs. Morrice did not faint away by any means, and escaped without any damage. The animal was shot then and there.

Fun/Funny Friday: MISPLACED CONFIDENCE

MISPLACED CONFIDENCE

Morning Record, Tuesday, 16 May 1897

Experience of Enoch Kratochvil and John Cutler

The is a story of misplaced confidence; The victims were John Cutler and Enoch Kratochvil.

Enjoy!! Prove is in the puddin' what makes the guy swoon as they used to say!!

Enoch and John took a rig and started for the farm of Jesse Wells with a cow which was to be put out to pasture. The cow was led behind, part of the way. Shortly after leaving the city Enoch and John overtook a couple of women whom they had thought to be footsore and weary as Enoch and John were to learn a short time afterwards. But the women were not tired as Enoch and John are tender hearted; and seeing the women trudging along through the dusty road they bethought them to proffer a little aid. Said Enoch to John, “Suppose we get out and walk along and let the ladies ride, while we lead the critter behind?” Said John to Enoch, “Suppose we do.” And they did. The ladies were grateful for the kindness displayed towards them and they said, “Thanks, with all the graciousness necessary at that time. But when they had become comfortably settled in the buggy it was different. They became bold.

So bold were these weary ladies that they whipped up the horse, waved their handkerchiefs merrily to Enoch and John, and with a jolly “ta ta, boys!” away they drove like the wind. This performance made Enoch and John very wrathy (sic), but they hurried along hoping to overtake the ladies again but the cow was not able to keep the pace, and the women soon drove out of sight. However, after disposing of the cow they continued on at a rapid pace towards Fife Lake, but the girls drove to fast for them and continued along happily and had a lot of fun at the expense of the men. After a while the men copied the girls driving around a hill. Knowing that the road led nearly around it, they skipped around the other way and the first thing the girls knew they ran their horse almost upon the anxious Enoch and John. The latter invited the ladies to get out and walk, which they did, without un-necessary observation. But as they had all the fun they wanted and had nearly reached their destination they had the laugh on the boys, and so has everyone else who has heard about it. (A short story here while a whole column in the newspaper)

Wordless Wednesday 4Mar2009

Tombstone Tuesday: Civil War E. W. Trumbull

Leelanau County Marriage Records on http://labs.familysearch.org gives us the following information on Edmond W. [Trumbell]

Age 52 years b. abt 1819 in NY and married Elizabeth Roben age 44 years b. abt 1827 London England. They married in Glen Arbor, Leelanau, Michigan on 18th October 1871. There are not any parents listed and it states they were not married before.

The 1880 census shows him living in Glen Arbor with Elizabeth. His parents are shown as being born in Vermont. The 1900 census shows Elizabeth living on South Manitou Island, Leelanau county. It also gives us July 1828 and England as a birthdate and birthplace with her father being born in France and her mother in England. She is the widowed mother-in-law in the home of Richard Dumbrill. Eliabeth had 3 children and 3 children living and immigrated to the U.S. in 1869.

Namesake Day~

Laura Smith tapped me as a follower on Twitter. In going to her site I came across this excercise of Namesake Day. It led me to want to write about my namesake.

In this case, it is not so much _who_ I was named after but who named me! I am the youngest of 3 children. Sort of the 'after the fact' child. My sister is fourteen years older then me. It is pretty evident she read the Sunday comics as my name Brenda came from Brenda Starr the girl reporter. I am very proud of my name and have never wished to have another. I consider the name Brenda a gift from my sister who passed away in 1971 at age 38 years.

whitepages.com says: Brenda is the # 63 ranked first name in the United States. Although when I got the name in 1946 it was not near as popular. If I recall right there were only 3 of us in my 3 grades of high school.

Others with the name Brenda found in 3 pages of google.com
Brenda Pacewicz at the Met Life Data Center
Brenda Blethyn, Date of Birth: N/A
find Brenda Jenkin
Candidate’s Name: Brenda Howerton ...
Brenda Song. Home / People / Artists. Brenda Song (birth name Brenda Xiong)
wink.com/name/Brenda-Brown
actress Brenda Lee Strong,
Of course, Brenda Lee singer
and, Brenda Merriman, Genealogy Researcher
Brenda from the Sarcoidosis Illness chat

This Brenda says:
Brenda is a female name (good beginning for me!). This is a name with origins Gaelic, Irish, Norse, Scottish, Teutonic, Germanic (none of which I have that I am aware of yet~) Brenda says: According to each origin the name Brenda has a different meaning. "Sword, Torch, Unforgettable Brand, Little Raven, Beacon on the Hill. (http://brendaguarisma.spaces.live.com)

This Brenda (moi) found that the name is derived from Brendan and male Irish name. Behind The Name site has this to say: Possibly a feminine form of Old Norse name meaning Brandr, meaning sword which was brought to Britain in the Middle Ages.

Thanks for the opportunity to write about this.

Somber Sunday Obituaries

"Somber Sunday" is going to be posts in which I add obituaries or a sad story situation to my blog. Any genea-bloggers that wish to join in are welcome. I will also be doing Fun/Funny Friday and these will be done on Friday and Sunday after the initial post.

Traverse City Record Eagle
2 Aug 1989

Mt. Pleasant--Clifford L. Forton, 73, of Mt. Pleasant, died Wednesday at Central Michigan Community Hospital, Mt. Pleasant.

He was a native of Traverse City and had lived in Mt. Pleasant for 43 years. A member of Sacred Heart Parish and the Ushers Club. Clifford was employed by Kroeger's Store as a manager and was owner/operator of Fortons Supermarket and Witbeck's IGA in Clare. He was a veteran of the World War II in the Army.

Born, January 28, 1916, in Traverse City, he was the son of Angus L. and Josephine N. (Kratochvil) Forton. On September 29, 1951, in Mt. Pleasant, he married the former Rose Ann Scully, who survives.

He is also survived by four daughters, Mary Jo Kennedy, Kathryn Anne Lemanek and Toni Raymond, all of Saginaw and Karen S. Gumbert of Grand Rapids; three sons, Robert of Decatur, Alabama, Richard J. of Dewitt and Thomas J. of East Lansing; nine grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Church, Mt. Pleasant. The Rev. Richard Jozwiak will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemtery, Mt. Pleasant.
Friends may call until 9 p.m. and the rosary will be recited on 7;30 p.m. today at the Lux Funeral Home, 503 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant.

Memorials may be directed to the Sacred Heart Academy Foundation of the chairty of one's choise.

Wordless Wednesday 25Feb2009 Leo

Leo Edward Kratochvil and Trixie
Traverse City, Grand Traverse, Michigan

Click on photo to enlarge

Tombstone Tuesday: Civil War Philip Host

Philip Host a Civil War Veteran b. abt 1833 Germany. Married to Emily J. in the 1880 census for East Bay Twp, Grand Traverse County. Living with him is Carrie Freeman age 5 an adopted daughter and William N. Tibbits age 17 listed as son.

Phillip was in the Co.'s K and A; 9 Regt U. S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry, Union volunteers. He enlisted as a private and mustered out as a private.

Wordless Wednesday 11Feb09

Winter hanging out clothes!
Mrs. Frank Kratochvil, I just need to check my database for which one she is. I used to hang clothes out in the winter on occasion but nothing setup like this AND I am glad of it!