Same Name

Parents often want to honor someone in their family. My 2^nd great grandfather was named Charles Shoemaker Moore. That name was passed on to his oldest son who passed it on to his oldest son. When my brother was born there was a disagreement about his name. My dad’s sister wanted it to be Charles Shoemaker Moore, but my mom didn’t like Shoemaker for part of his name. On a hot August dinner after some arguing my dad said he would name him Terry after the Philadelphia Phillies manager, Terry Moore. My mom said fine, but little did she know that the next day my brother would be born premature. So, his name was Terry Charles Moore.

Other relatives sharing a name with a child or grandchild would have adjectives added to differentiate. So, there was Big Helen and Little Helen, Big John and Little John, Big Margaretta and Baby Margaretta. My name is a reversal of my mother’s. Hers Millicent Arline and mine Arlene Millicent.

In my husband’s family William is a very common name and not always bestowed on a child but a spouse marrying into the family having William as a name. My husband is William as is his oldest son. His father, both grandfathers and two great grandfathers are all named William. His mother’s brother and his sister’s spouse are Williams. Two cousins and a nephew are named William.

#52 Ancestors, #52 Ancestors 2018, #52 Ancestors Same Name

Going to the Chapel

Bill and I decided to get married while at Annual Training for  the Army National Guard in June of 1981. We picked July 18^th giving us about one month to plan. My parents were probably thrilled I was getting married but I’m sure my mom was a little disappointed that it would not be the wedding she would have like. My parents were married in the home of my dad’s sister, Caroline. It was a simple affair with just a few friends.

We planned a church wedding at the First Methodist Church in Gloucester City, NJ – my home town. We only planned for a matron of honor and a best man. My matron was Letitia Sarracino. We were both teachers at the same high school where we were students just one year apart. My friend Irma Zank was the soloist and we three were active in that church. Jimmy Ridge, a distant cousin played the organ. Bill’s best man was his uncle, Joe Baker.

I had picked a gown that I easily got off the bridal rack at Penney’s. No alterations necessary. The day of the wedding came, and it was a sunny, hot July day. The photographer was someone my dad knew who took the Little League pictures. Our neighbor loaned us his nice car and one of the students from school asked if he could be the driver. We arrived at church, but Bill’s mom wasn’t there. After about a half hour delay she arrived with her sister-in-law and nephew Bill and his family. Nephew Bill couldn’t find his shoes and that held them up. Meanwhile my Bill was the room at the rear of the church not knowing what was happening. He worried I might have changed my mind. The ceremony continued without any other delays.

The reception was in my parents’ back yard. Me, my mom, her friends and mine all helped to make the food. My friend Judy made sure the food was ready to eat and her husband served drinks at a home bar set up in the yard. My mom wanted music and so she got some sheets of plywood laid down in the yard and my brother’s boom box provided the music. Friends, neighbors and relatives were invited. The high school softball team I coached all came too as did some of our army friends. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I had chosen my cake with several pastel colors. Letitia ‘Tish’ was pregnant, and I had told her to pick a dress she like in whatever color she wanted. She chose a peachy, melon color so the cake was planned to go with what ever she picked. Bill and I cut the cake and left the rest to be cut by Judy. When our first anniversary came around I asked if we were supposed to eat a piece of wedding cake. That’s when I found out that the top layers of the cake had slid off and onto the floor due to the high heat. No air conditioning at my mom’s house.

Eventually the day came to an end and Bill and I left for a trip out west. We stayed in a nearby motel that first night and then headed to New Mexico and Arizona for a two-week honeymoon. My mother-in-law took care of Bill’s 4 kids at her home in Cape May until our return.

#52 Ancestors, #52 Ancestors 2018, #Weddings, #Arlene Baker

So Far Away

I grew up with only one set of living grandparents. My dad’s parents died 30 years before I was born. My mon’s parents lived in Tampa, Florida, 1100 miles away from us. In the 50s and 60s most people didn’t travel far very often. I would see my grandparents about once every two years. Sometimes we would go to Florida by car (a 3-day journey before interstate highways), sometimes by bus or train. Sometimes my grandparents would drive up here to NJ. There were letters and phone calls (not too often with those long-distance charges). But those things don’t make up for the loss of close regular contact with grandparents. My grandparents and parents made sure those visits were perfect. I loved and adored them. Of course, as and adult I would see their flaws. I loved them but grieve for not knowing them better and they not knowing me better.

I am so blessed to spend frequent time with my grandchildren. I hope that they will have many fond memories and feel they’ve been short changed with quality grandparent time.

#52 Ancestors, #52 Ancestors 2018, #Grandparents

BRISTOL FAMILY ASSOCIATION

The Bristol Family Association is an organization for descendants of Henry Bristol who was one of the early settlers of Connecticut. The association meets once a year in Connecticut. They have published a genealogy of the Bristol family and two newsletters each year. For information contact abak50@comcast.net

#Bristol, #Bristol Family Association, #Early Connecticut Settlers, #Bristol genealogy

Cemetery

Cemeteries are places of mourning and also elation over genealogy discoveries. Too often when searching my ancestors’ graves, I find cemeteries that have been abandoned. My great grandfather, Charles Shoemaker Moore was a Civil War veteran and is buried in Old Camden, NJ cemetery. It is in a run down and dangerous part of town. Only a few headstones remain and sadly not one for my ancestor. I know the general area where he is buried. My husband said if we came there again it would be on the coldest day in the winter because most of the criminals would not be out. My grandparents, Margaretta and Charles Moore and three of their children are buried in another Camden cemetery – New Camden Cemetery. This is almost as bad. But just across the street is still another abandoned cemetery. Evergreen Cemetery is disgraceful. Broken headstones abound. The former owners used pieces of headstones to make curbs alone the roads which did nothing to prevent the roads from migrating over graves. I can’t locate my father’s siblings grave as I think one of these roads is now over that grave. My baby cousins’ grave also can’t be located since head stones in that are gone. He is buried on top of a Civil War soldier who was unrelated.  Apparently, you could sell the space over a family member for burial. Nearby there was a headstone that told the story of a couple who were visiting from Germany and were hit by a train. Sometimes the city or county will bring in prisoners to cut the grass in these cemeteries a couple times a year.

Many of my maternal ancestors are buried in and around Batavia, NY. Those cemeteries are lovely. They have been maintained. One even has a booklet of newspaper obituaries for the people buried in that cemetery. One of the collateral ancestors have three small headstones with a heartbreaking story in that booklet. Parents took their small child to be buried there and when they returned home their second small child had died. A few days after that child was buried a third child died and was buried.

Cemeteries give us a connection to our ancestors. My maternial great grandparents were both cremated and their ashes spread in Tampa Bay. They feel so disconnected. I want to be able to see where they lay and see a headstone.

Sometimes cemeteries give us a connection to non-relatives. Around my parents’ graves are friends and familiar people. Flora Jamieson my seventh-grade teacher and later fellow faculty member and friend; her sister and brother-in-law; Charlie Ritz who was one my father’s fellow police officers are all buried there.

Cemeteries are so much a part of our lives. They give us connections and a sense of who we are.

#52 Ancestors 2018, #52 Ancestors, #Cemeteries

Stormy Weather

Some of my most memorable weather events are tied to RVing. The first night we spent in our first motorhome was in Wisconsin. Around 9pm a big storm came up with threats of tornadoes. The RV shook with lightning striking nearby. The Sean and Travis were young. One slept through it and ones was terrified. All I could think of was “Who usually dies in a tornado? People in trailers”. Not much sleeping that night.

The second storm happened in Kansas. A huge storm came up. Water was leaking into to the RV everywhere. We put pots under leaks and the cooler under a large leak under the air conditioner. The next morning, I opened the door to dump the cooler outside and the sight that faced me was we were in knee-deep water. Around us those who had been tent camping were returning from their escape to motels. They were pairing up to wring sleeping bags out. I unplugged the electric cord to the RV standing in knee high water. After getting everything together we pulled out of the camp ground and stopped at a convenience store just up the road. I went in to buy some buns and donuts. I asked the clerk if they had bad storms like that very often. The woman looked at me like I was crazy and said “Honey, this is Kansas.” Shades of “The Wizard of Oz”.

Arlene Baker

#52 Ancestors, #Storms, #Camping

My Most Memorable Mother’s Day

My Most Memorable Mothers' Day

When my children were small my Aunt Bonnie had a family reunion on Mother’s Day. My Aunt Connie was visiting from Florida. As I was getting my children, Sean age 3 and Travis 3 months ready to go my husband announced he wasn’t going as his foot hurt. I was upset because he didn’t like visiting relatives and I didn’t believe his foot story. As I would learn later he had a sore foot due to gout. Anyway, the boys and I went to my aunt’s house. We were all having a good time and I was giving Travis a bottle. He had a habit of throwing up most bottles and he didn’t disappoint. Both he and I were a mess. I always brought several outfits with me and so he looked great after a change. I on the other hand looked kind of messy. In the meantime, everyone was eating. Now I could eat except before I got to the buffet Sean came in full of “mud” from head to toe. My cousin was laughing too hard for it to be simple “mud”. He then explained it was actually overflow from the cesspool. So now Sean went in the tub and all his clothes and shoes went in the washer with bleach. I had packed extra clothes for Sean. It was a new outfit – a camouflage shirt and pants just like his soldier father wore. But it was a little too big, so a hunk of clothes line was just the thing to hold up the pants. Now shoes though as I didn’t anticipate quite this big of a disaster. Once again, I wiped myself off as best as possible and went in search of food. Most of the relatives were just about done eating. I was balancing Travis on my lap when I looked down and lo and behold he had diarrhea that came out of the diaper all over him and me. Of course, I had another spare outfit for him and he was soon cleaned and dressed. But I was beyond cleaning up. My Aunt Bonnie insisted I put on one of her outfits. Now was a good eight inches shorter than me so I now sported pants that looked like pedal pushers or capris. When I finally was able to get a plate of food it was being put away. I asked my mom to hold the baby. To which her friend said "Who had that baby - you or your mother." He thought that was a funny comment. I tried to remember that he had never had any children of his own. In the end it was a memorable day with some challenges but one not to be forgotten.

#52 Ancestors 2018, #52 Ancestors, #Mothers' Day

Sarah Wiedrich Suffers a Loss

Often people suffer misfortune because of natural events, house fires or political events but Sarah suffered hers at the hand of her son-in-law. After her husband died Sarah had difficulty meeting financial obligations. After all she was a woman born in 1868 and she is now almost 80-yrs-old. Her large house went up for sheriff’s sale and she may have harbored some hope when her son-in-law, Neal bought the house. But while Neal would allow her to continue to live in the house she bedroom would be a small room under the stairs. Any of her treasures and family heirlooms would have to fit in her bedroom. Neal then proceeded to take everything else to the town dump. Years later he would regret doing this because he said he could have received lots of money for those antiques. Never mind that he threw out portraits of her ancestors that were over 100 years old. In the small pallor she had her chair where she would be squeezed between the front door and the wall. Even in death Sarah would suffer the loss of her heritage when her granddaughter would throw out letters written to her from mother Matilda. The granddaughter would say she didn’t know any Matilda.

#52 Ancestors 2018

52 Ancestors: A Woman of Strength - Hazel Bristol Wiedrich

52 Ancestors: A Woman of Strength – Hazel Bristol Wiedrich

My grandmother was the strongest woman I ever knew. Hazel Bristol Wiedrich faced adversity her entire life. Her father was a man who came from a family who thought of themselves as cut above the rest. Her mother, Mattie was the proverbial woman from the other side of the tracks. When she was three her father died of cancerous tumors that necessitated amputating his arm at the elbow. Her father’s sister wanted to raise Hazel, but her mother declined. This was a little bit confusing since Mattie was somewhat mean spirited to her and inserted herself in all of Hazel’s friendships. Her mother did wash and had boarders and would eventually marry one of them, John Isaac. As a small child Hazel injured her shin which never would heal. She would under go more than a dozen operations before a surgery where her incision would be left open for a “fresh air treatment”. This caused the bone to disintegrate to the point that amputation was necessary. The doctors could not convince her mother that what her daughter had was different than her husband. The leg only needed to be amputated below the knee, but Mattie insisted on the amputation at the top of the thigh. This was before WWI and medicine was not as it is today. Many people didn’t survive amputation and so they complied. They also required her beautiful auburn waist length hair be shorn. Some believed long hair sapped your strength and so off went her hair. She survived the amputation but in photos taken at that time her appearance shows the toll it took. Her mother told her she needed to have a trade since no man would ever marry her. She learned haberdashery. Then one day my grandfather, Edward Wiedrich delivered ice to their home and a romance began. She married at the age of 25 and her mother continued to insert herself by going on the honeymoon with the couple. The next year found Hazel pregnant with her first child. Mattie went to the police station to insist her son-in-law be arrested for getting her daughter pregnant. Her daughter’s brother-in-law was a police officer present at this event and said all in the station had a good laugh. Eventually Hazel had four daughters. Money was always tight. They lost a home and later a farm. When they moved to New Jersey things were no better. They lived in a truck. My poor one-legged grandmother had to climb up into her home where there was no running water or electric. They lived like this for 5 years. But like always she not only made do but never complained and saw only the brighter side of life. This was during WWII when life was difficult for everyone and my grandfather only made it worse. He left for a year to be a merchant sailor. He sent no money home for the family and when he returned brought no money back. Fortunately, the oldest daughter worked as did my 12-yr-old mother to help support them during those difficult years. Then my grandfather decided that life was better in Florida and moved my grandmother and two of the daughters to Tampa. There they still had the truck to live in until they moved into a small cabin in DeSoto Park. A few years later they finally had a house. All the while Hazel always looked on the bright side, never complaining. She also lived with several physical problems. She had cataracts, became deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other, and developed diabetes all in her twenties. She used crutches until her later years when she was forced to go in a wheel chair. She was the strongest woman I know and the most outstanding person who saw the positive side of life whatever the circumstances.

#Hazel Wiedrich, #52 Ancestors Strength, #51 Ancestors 2018

52 Ancestors 2018 -Lucky John Wiedrich

I wish I had a lucky story of someone winning the lottery, but my lucky story is of surviving an accident. My grandfather, Edward Wiedrich and his father John Wiedrich would go to the woods to cut wood to earn some money. John always wore a raggy sweater and my grandfather would warn him that is was dangerous when operating a chain saw. Sure enough, on one of their outings the sweater got caught in the saw and severed John arm. My grandfather made a tourniquet with his belt and was able to get him to a hospital in time to save his life. John was resilient and still found ways to get tasks done. When working in his garden he would tie a garden tool to his arm and dig or hoe or rake.

#52 Ancestors, #52 Ancestors 2018, #52 Ancestors 2018 Lucky, #John Wiedrich, #Wiedrich genealogy, 

Family Heirlooms

Those family heirlooms. Perhaps they are just a little old. They were your parents’ precious possessions. Maybe they are generations or centuries old. You may know little or nothing of the original owner, just that it was something passed down through those lines to you. The value may be great or have no monetary worth. But now they are yours or at least yours as a curator of those heirlooms. With that responsibility comes the difficult decisions to which descendants will receive these precious objects. Let’s face it, you received these heirlooms because your siblings aren’t interested, may sell them on-line or toss them in the damp cellar.

I’ve been a curator for most of my family’s heirlooms. A plate with a dog and dog house on it supposedly came with my second great grandparents from Germany. It appears to be a rustic plate made of stein material. My mother’s grandmother gave it to my father. She always called him “her big boy” even though that relationship was only through marriage. Cut glass pieces belonged to my mom, my dad’s sister, and his parents. Unfortunately, I don’t know who’s whose was whose. My grandfather’s shaving mug with his name in gold letters that would have been at his barber’s shop sits in my china closet. There is a musical photo album that was a wedding gift to my grandmother from her mother. Many more treasures are in my “museum”. People don’t use doilies any longer but there are quite a few in a drawer because they were something my mother, grandmother and great grandmother created. Photographs abound too. Those I am trying to digitize and give electronic copies in case disaster strikes and copies will still exist.

But why are all these things with me? My parents had siblings. Did they get family heirlooms? I know some did and still have them. Others received objects but didn’t keep them. Still others never had something passed to them. Their parents knew better than to trust them with an heirloom. Thank you, family, for your confidence in me to care for them but it is getting a little crowded at my house.

#52 Ancestors Heirlooms, #Heirlooms

Be My Valentine

Valentine’s Day has such a myriad of memories. My childhood ones are of making cards in school. Construction paper, paper doilies and crayons. Other times it was the packages of funny cards bought at the store. Then on Valentine’s Day everyone in the class had a paper bag that we decorated and had our name. We put our cards in everyone’s bags, shared candy and looked the cards we received.

At home I remember the special Valentine my dad would give my mom. It would be a large decorated heart candy box. Often on the top was a fancy doll. I would get a candy box too.

My maternal grandmother, Hazel Wiedrich was born on Valentine’s Day. One year I made a red ceramic double heart candy dish for her. After she died it was given back to me. Two years after she passed I was pregnant with my son Travis and my due date was February 14^th. He was going to be delivered by C-section and I was excited he would be born on my grandmother’s birthday. But it was not to be. Valentine’s Day fell on Saturday that year and the doctor wouldn’t operate on a Saturday. Now I celebrate the day with my grandchildren.

#52 Ancestors 2018, #Valentine's Day, #Hazel Wiedrich, #Moore family

My Favorite Ancestor Name

The very first favorite name that comes to mind is Sarah Angeline Corset Wiedrich. I love Sarah Angeline. It’s such a sweet name and it doesn’t hurt that I knew and loved her. My great grandmother was born in 1868 and was probably named Sarah after her maternal grandmother, Sarah Norton. I don’t know where the Angeline came from. I don’t know her father Edward Corset’s ancestry, but his surname suggests French.

Another name that appeals is Andrew “AJ” Moore. I don’t think of initial nicknames for those who lived mid nineteenth century but there are those Civil War generals like US Grant. The other part of the appeal is his tragic death at the Battle of Little Big Horn.

Then there are the not so appealing names. My maternal grandmother was named Hazel. Such an unattractive name for such a lovely person. She disliked her name and said she’d return to haunt anyone who name their child Hazel. Even worse is Elephalet, my Connecticut ancestor. When I first heard it, I thought it a misspelling of Elephant.

We are all at the mercy of being named by our parents. My grandmother, Hazel named her daughters: Yvonne, Bonalyn, Millicent and Constance. Her desire was to give them beautiful names. I received my mother’s name reversed, Arlene Millicent. My brother, Terry was named for a baseball player when there was family dispute the night before he was born. They did agree to a middle name after his grandfather, Charles.

My son, Sean was named after John Wayne’s character in the movie The Quiet Man with another Irish name, Patrick for a middle name. We were sure the next child would be a girl, so our plan was to name her Mary Kate after Maureen O’Hara’s character in that movie. We got a surprise when instead of a girl a little boy arrived. Bill named him Travis after the commander of the Alamo. And for a middle name it was my dad’s, Earl.

And when you find yourself a grandparent you have to rein yourself in and lets the kids do their own naming. You’ve had your turn and no matter the name it’s soon the one that rolls easily off your lips to brag to one and all.

#52 Ancestors 2018, #Favorite Names, #Moore genealogy, #Baker genealogy, #Wiedrich genealogy

Your Invited – RSVP To Your Great Granddaughter

One of the prompts for the 52 Ancestors (2018) was “Which one of your ancestors would you like to invite to dinner?” Who would it be? Perhaps an ancestor I was privileged to know but failed to ask all the questions that I now want answers for. Perhaps it would be an ancestor that’s a brick wall. Maybe the dinner should be a reunion with them all. But a reunion could not be long enough get all the answers. Maybe just a small dinner party with just the brick wall ancestors but that would just push the wall back a few generations.

Charles McMechen would have to come clean about the tall tales he told about his brick wall parents. And what about changing your name several times. Did you leave a wife in Baltimore before coming to Philadelphia and marrying there? Why did you separate from that wife? And in what political riot did your dad die. 

Mary Hayes Mackin (McMechen) why did you sometimes us the name Bridget? Where in Ireland were your parents born?

John Moore, where were you born? Tell me about your parents and when did your ancestors come to America.

Ann Moore, was your maiden name Shoemaker and if not, where did it come from? You lost so many children who died before you. How did you cope?

Andrew Moore, you saw so much of the country before most people traveled very far from there home. You met Gen. Phil Sheridan and Buffalo Bill Cody. You served under George Custer. What were they like? What were you feeling during those two days in June 1876 at Little Big Horn? I want to thank you for serving your country and the sacrifice of your life.

Fanny Elizabeth (Reed) Moore, you died too young. I’m sorry you lost Charles after just a few years of marriage. To have to put your children in a home and later your oldest son in the home of your second husband’s parents because you couldn’t care for them had to be so hard. Then to lose your baby daughter. Is the unidentified picture of a young woman with a baby in her arms you? I think it is.

Edward Corsett, I want to know about your family. Did you meet Matilda in Michigan? How did your families get to Michigan?

For my ancestors that I actually knew, forgive me for not asking more questions about you. What was it like the first time you voted, rode in a car, what did you like to do, and so many more questions? I want to know all about you but then there may be some things that I may be sorry I found out.

I exist because of you. I stand on your shoulders. Thank you

#52 Ancestors Invitation to Dinner, #52 Ancestors 2018

Sarah Angeline Corsett

1868-1968

Sarah Angeline Corsett was born on 20 June 1868 (although the 1900 census lists her birth year as 1867) to Edmond or Edward and Matilda or Mathilda (Norton) Corsett in Pembroke, NY. According to the 1880 census she was attending school. She worked as a hired girl for Samuel and Harriet Walworth. When Harriet died it wasn’t considered proper for an unmarried woman to live in the same house with a man to whom she wasn’t married. One month after Samuel’s wife died on 23 June 1892, Sarah married Samuel who was 77 at that time. It was always said that it was a marriage in name only but Sarah would be the only one who knew that. Samuel died on 11 February 1895. He left Sarah 188 acres in Indian Falls, NY. Sarah eventually deeded a piece of that land to the Tonawanda Creek Indian Reservation, home of the Tonawanda Seneca Indians. Part of their burial ground was on that piece of land. The family was friendly with that tribe and wanted to give them the land to preserve that sacred land for them. She married John Wiedrich on 8 March 1896 in Alabama, NY. She was 27 and John was 38. It was said in the family that he was a bit of a drinker and proceeded to drink away her inheritance from Samuel Walworth. By 1910 she was living in Pembroke, Genesee County, NY. Her children were Edward (McKinley?) b.27 Sep 1896, Lydia Ursula b. 07 Aug 1898, Helen Matilda b. 18 Aug 1900, Chester John b. 17 Jul 1902, Bertha May b. 11 Sep 1905, James Alfred b. 23 Feb 1908, John Henry b. 26 Apr 1913. By 1918 she was living at 1 Pearl St., Batavia, NY. Her husband, John died on 23 Jun 1942 in their home on Pearl St. By this time, she was 74 years-old. Her house eventually was up for sheriff’s sale for being behind on taxes. Her daughter Lydia’s husband, Neal Smock bought the house. Sarah continued to live there but now had as her bedroom a small room off of the entryway and under the stairs. All of her worldly possessions had to fit in that room. Neal took everything else that didn’t fit to the dump including paintings of her family in gilt frames. Years later he regretted this saying he could have got money for those frames (no regrets about the paintings). After Sarah died Lydia’s daughter, Dorothy trashed letters from Sarah’s mother, Matilda (Mathilda). She didn’t know who her great grandmother was and didn’t care. Everyone said Sarah had a great sense of humor and enjoyed life. She liked being with her son, Edward and daughter-in-law, Hazel and would visit them even after

they moved to NJ and then to Tampa, Fla. Edward’s birth had never been registered so when he applied for Social Security around 1965, Sarah went with him to swear to his birth and to register for Social Security herself. She also loved to visit with her son, Chuck (Chester) and his wife Ernestine. She was a little woman and was referred to as Little Grandma. She always had a large garden in the back yard on Pearl St. with lots of vegetables and flowers. Later she would garden with Lydia and Neal in that same yard. She was an avid reader, especially the newspaper which she read from cover to cover. She also was up on current events and ideas. She was not embarrassed to talk about abortion in her 90s. Amazing for someone born just after the Civil War. I remember her sitting in her chair out of the way in the entry way turned living room on Pearl St. It was behind the front door, next to the window and hemmed in by the couch. In her 90s she was still drying the dishes and ironing flat items like tea towels. She had cataracts taken off at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in her 80s. She had never been more than 30 miles from home until her 70s. She also never saw Niagara Falls (about 50 miles from her home) until her 80s when she went there with us (Midge, Earl and Arlene). When she went to Florida in her 80s she wore a 2 piece bathing suit (again amazing for a woman born just after the Civil War). I remember her talking about her little pony and cart. She said that every time she passed a certain spot the pony would get skiterich and be

difficult to handle. She also told me about the fact she didn’t wear a bra or as she would say a brassiere thing. Not surprising since she would have been in her 50s when they were invented. She wore an undershirt. She called my dad, Earl (her grandson-in-law) my big boy. She gave him her plate that had a dog on it. She said it came from Germany with her husband’s family. We visited her for a week every summer.

            Sarah died on 24 July 1968 at 8am in her home at 1 Pearl St., Batavia, NY. She was buried two days later in Maple Lawn Cemetery in Elba, NY. 

#52 Ancestors Challenge Week 2 Favorite Photo

Picking a favorite photo was a difficult choice to make. There are so many photos that I like. This photo was my mom’s favorite so since she has passed away feel a connection. That’s me on the left, my mom, Millicent (Wiedrich) Moore with the shovel and my grandmother, Hazel (Bristol) Wiedrich with the crutches. They spent all day burying car batteries upside down to make a walkway to their home. Environmentalists are gasping today but this was about 1953 in DeSoto Park Trailer Park in Tampa, Florida. Hazel lost her leg as a teenager, but she never thought of herself as handicapped and could do just about everything.

This picture is my favorite. It’s my mom and me on the front steps of our house in Gloucester City, NJ.  The picture below is my grandfather, Edward Wiedrich, my mom and her sisters about 1931 in Genesee County, NY. They were so poor it reminds me to be thankful for the many blessing I have.  

Thanks Mr. McQuillan

Thanks Mr. Bob McQuillan

The first time I thought about starting my family tree was in 8^th grade history. My teacher, Bob McQuillan gave us the assignment to chart our family tree. My parents had always talked about family and ancestors, but nothing was written down. So, with my mom we worked on the assignment. It’s not that we knew a lot, just a few generations. Better than names were family stories. Both my parents knew their grandparents and some great-grandparents, where they lived and if they were born in the US. So, the chart was done.

Years later mom and I started to be more serious and do some research on her line instead of relying on word of mouth. Not that we discovered a lot of new things but now we had some documentation. My dad’s side was a different story. My dad was orphaned at 6 and his dad at about the same age. Although they still had family connections all the stories didn’t passed down. My dad would have been delighted with the information I discovered about his paternal line after he died. But his maternal line was a mess. Both of his maternal grandparents passed down fictionalized accounts of their ancestors.

So, Mr. McQuillan, thank you for starting me on the path to genealogy. My family tree differs a great deal from that assignment you gave in 8^th grade. Since that time, I’ve been able to spend many hours with ancestors I’ve never met but have come to cherish. And I’ve come to feel that the most important history is my own personal family history

#52Ancestors,  #52Ancestors 2018, #Bob Mcquillan, #52Ancestors 2018 Start