The Why

We all begin our genealogy adventure for different reasons. Perhaps a family member gave you the gift of a DNA kit, and now you're inspired to learn more. Or maybe you heard all the family stories as you grew, and wanted to uncover secrets from long ago. For some, there were no stories, only questions, and a deep sense of needing to find where they come from and where they belong. Each adventurer's quest into the past is different and has unique meaning to the individual. In short, we all have a different "why".

Research can be tedious and time consuming. And yet, when you find the one elusive record you've been after...somehow time melts away and it was all worthwhile. Thoughts of genealogy and ancestors may fill you mind...as you go about your day...or maddeningly, as you try to fall asleep. You may find yourself in front of the computer in the middle of the night searching for clues. How many times have you thought "just one more search" or "I'll stop after one more record"? The search for your ancestors (and their many descendants) has become a part of you. Over time, our individual "why" may change and grow into something much deeper, more personal and harder to quantify,

The following two blog posts resonated with me this week. Resonated isn't really an adequate word....they spoke to me would be more accurate. They capture "the why". Summarizing them would be an injustice. If you have a few minutes to spare, they're both well worth the read (or at least a bookmark for a later time).

The Ghost in Your DNA: Why You Feel Connected to Ancestors You’ve Never Met 
From GenealogyExplained, by Marc McDermott 

Walk with Your Ancestors: Peace, Light and Healing in an Abandoned Medieval Village
From DNAeXplained by Roberta Estes 

For those of us who discover we have a true passion for family history, the journey may take on a much deeper meaning. The past intricately intertwines and becomes a part of our present. Our ancestors whisper in our minds. We talk to them, and in turn, they walk with us, and in us, as we eagerly accept the responsibility of bringing them back to life, and ensuring they are not forgotten.

Image by akbaranifsolo from Pixabay

Palatines to America German Genealogical Society

Recently, I discovered when my 5th great-grandfather, Freiderich Zearfoss arrived in Pennsylvania! Even with an unusual name, researching this ancestor isn't as easy as you might think. His surname isn't one you see all the time, but I'm finding it spelled almost a dozen different ways. Born around 1724 in the Palatinate region of Germany (a historical region in south-western Germany), he arrived on the ship Edinburgh on September 15, 1749 at the age of 25. The ship sailed from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and since I don't see any others with the same surname in the record of immigrants, it's quite possible he may have come alone on the voyage. He married after he arrived in America. His information is a springboard for another quest I've been on.

I've been looking for where my Shelly line came to America. There have been some confusing (uncited) details in many trees claiming the Shelly's were of English descent but moved to Holland, ultimately coming to America to avoid religious persecution. But once here, the Shelly's settled and lived in the German communities in Pennsylvania. My Ancestry ethnicity results show I have 21% Germanic Europe from my paternal side, likely an area of French & German Switzerland. Switzerland was directly adjacent to the historical Palatinate area of Germany. It seems possible the Shelly's may have originated in much the same area.

I'm hopeful finding where Freiderich was from will help me find more details on the Shelly family origins. While I was doing some preliminary research, I stumbled on a website called Palatines to America German Genealogical Society. While full access to the site does require membership, there are plenty of resources available for free. I've already been able to find Zerfass (one of the many surname spellings), Shelly and Snavely (another branch of my tree from Pennsylvania) surnames in the Ancestor Chart Project. It remains to be seen if any of the ancestors listed are my ancestors. They also have a robust list of links to external resources, but be prepared, some of them will require translation to English (your browser should prompt you to translate). Membership is $40 per year for US members, and their membership year starts in October. If you're interested in joining, it may be wise to take this into account to maximize your membership (especially if you're only interested in a one time membership.) 

For now, I'm going to take advantage of the free resources the site offers and do additional research on sites where I already have subscriptions. I haven't yet started pursing this Palatinate angle on Ancestry, and MyHeritage certainly has a wealth of European records. But I've added Palatines to America German Genealogical Society to my Genealogy Toolbox under Historical Societies so I'll have it handy when I need it. If you have ancestors from the Palatinate region, I'd be interested to hear if this site helps you in your own research.

Edna James, Female Pilot WWII: Remembering the Unrelated

As you sift through your numerous hints, trying to discern the bits and pieces of your ancestor's lives, do you take time to really read the details you know are not related to your family? Do you truly notice the unrelated? Or do you just ignore and move on? Occasionally, a hint for someone not in your tree may offer an interesting glimpse into a part of history you might otherwise overlook.

I admit, I'm usually focused on the person I'm working on. Does the hint seem to match? Yes or no. Sometimes, it takes a little digging...ok, sometimes a lot...but other times it's a simple no. Regardless of why I ignore a hint, I add a brief note how/why I came to the conclusion, just in case I need to re-evaluate in the future. But occasionally, as I'm reviewing, something will pique my interest and I'll read on, even thought I know it's not about someone in my family tree.

Today, I was researching Edna Varnes (1898-1973). She had 3 husbands, one of whom was my 2nd cousin 2x removed (David Reuben James). They were married in 1935. I stumbled on an indexed hint from the U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, for an Edna James who enlisted in the Women's Army Corps, Inactive Reserves, as an Aviation Cadet on October 24, 1942. It's slightly unusual to find a woman enlisting for flight training and I was intrigued. I really wanted her to be my Edna James! Alas, she was single and had completed 4 years of college, ruling her out.

But the Edna James in the hint seemed interesting. At 63" (5'3") tall and just 118 lbs, she was just a little slip of a thing. Imagine her learning to fly an airplane! In WWII, women served an important role in aviation. They were part of the Women's Air Force (WAF), Women's Air Corp (WAC) and Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) While they weren't involved in active combat, they did fly missions here at home. They moved planes from one area to another, transported cargo, assisted with training flights and most importantly at the time, freed up male pilots for combat missions. Wikipedia has a nice synopsis on these brave, adventurous and important women who flew in WWII. 

I wasn't able to find much about Edna James. I know she was born around 1898. She completed 4 years of college and had a "professional occupation". In 1942, at the age of 44, she was single and felt the calling to both support her country and embark on an interesting future. She hailed from Ohio, and enlisted there. Her service number was A-501308. A quick Google ties this service number back to the Women's Air Corp (WAC). While I wasn't able to pinpoint who her parents were, or anything else about her life, I feel compelled to say "Thank you for your service Edna James.  You helped pave the way for women of the future."

Image by Vlad Min from Pixabay

Share Your Journey This Independence Day

I wish everyone a very Happy 4th of July! 

On this day when many are gathering with family and friends to celebrate the holiday, take time to share about your genealogy journey. Yes, yes, I know - some eyes may glaze over as you speak, but don't give up! Talk to the children and regale them with interesting stories you've discovered. Show them pictures from times gone by. Listen, so the older generations might share their stories with you. Record them if possible or take notes so you can write their recollections down for future generations. One day, you'll be very glad you did. Share new discoveries with your elders. They may be thrilled to hear the stories. And, it may spark memories you've never heard before.

This is a day to celebrate our country, our independence and most of all, our family journeys. Many of us have traced far enough back in our lines to discover ancestors who fought for independence. We owe these ancestors a great debt of gratitude. Other families immigrated to a this country later, leaving all they knew behind. It doesn't matter from where your ancestors came, or when they came, today we celebrate together!

Remember all those who've bravely served their country. If possible, thank them for their service. For those no longer with us, say a silent thank you to honor their memory and the sacrifices made to ensure the independence we enjoy today.

Today is a day to be grateful for all who came before. It's a day to be thankful for all the resources available so we can uncover and discover our ancestors. Today, I'm deeply thankful I embarked on my genealogy journey and for all the wonderful discoveries I've made (and have yet to make). Happy Independence Day!

Image by free stock photos from www.picjumbo.com from Pixabay

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Many (if not most) of the people in our trees are "everyday people". Folks who were born, lived their lives, likely worked very hard, perhaps raised a family and ultimately died. I must admit, the vast majority of people in my tree are a bit...non-descript...perhaps even boring. 

Don't get me wrong! There are exceptions and they're usually the ones destined for a biographical sketch. Some of my ancestors led very interesting lives. A few made great contributions to their community. Several were savvy business owners. Many served their country bravely in the military. A smattering died in unusual or unexpected ways. I do my best to bring each and every person in my tree back to life as much as I can with the information available to me. But sometimes, there just isn't a whole lot to tell.

Now wouldn't it be interesting to find someone with a slightly checkered past? Perhaps something long hidden no one in the family talked about? Maybe an ancestor who was in prison or an insane asylum? Go back far enough and one might even find a pirate, an outlaw, a witch or an execution. But where do you look for records of this type?

Blacksheep Ancestors could potentially be the site to help unlock long hidden secrets! You'll find links for the United States, Canada and the UK. By far, the United States seems to have the largest number of links on the site. You'll find the following types of records:

• Prison and convict records
• Court records
• Executions
• Insane asylum records
• Bios of famous outlaws, criminals & pirates 
• And more!

You're not going to find all the secrets of your ancestors by using this site...but you might find a hidden gem you didn't expect! Especially if you hit a brick wall where a person seems to disappear, consider whether they might have run afoul of the law or been sent away to a hospital. Blacksheep Ancestors might just give you a nudge towards a record you hadn't considered or perhaps to a website you've not contemplated searching before.

This is one of those "down the rabbit hole" sites for me. Sometimes it's fun to simply poke around, even if it isn't about my specific ancestors. It makes me wonder, are any of my family members somewhere in these records? Some of the biographical stories are fascinating to read. If you have an ancestor who just disappeared, do a quick search at Blacksheep Ancestors. You might just uncover something unexpected.

Image by Hans from Pixabay

Plague Doctors and Pandemics

As I'm coming off my second time with COVID-19, I was thinking about pandemics throughout history. Pandemics, epidemics and plagues have been around since at least 1350 BC (the plague of Megiddo, unknown number of casualties). And while COVID-19 has certainly ravaged the world as we know it and changed how we live (probably forever), it's hard to imagine how those who came before us must have felt in the face of even greater suffering and devastation.

I have to be honest, plague doctors fascinate me. I love the whole creepy mask thing they had going on. But they were often far from being any kind of  healer (and most were nothing more than snake oil salesmen making money off fear). They offered no cures for the sick and essentially became death trackers, compiling records of the dead. What I wonder most is how many plague doctors died? The only count I've come across was from Venice, where 18 plague doctors were hired. In 1348, only one was left. 5 died and 12 fled. Despite being unscrupulous characters in history, their image has become iconic, especially in the genre of steampunk. 

But getting back to pandemics...an estimated 75-200 million lives were lost to the Black Death (1346-1353), 17-100 million to the Spanish Flu (1918-1920), and the list goes on. Read the Wikipedia on this subject and it's terrifying just how many illnesses have devastated the world many times over. The sheer magnitude of these events is mind blowing. We live in a time were many will see one, maybe two, such catastrophic events in their lifetime. But look at the 16th-19th centuries and it seems like the list is never ending....one after another emerging and decimating vast populations (large and small) around the world. Our ancestors had to cope as best as they could. Isolation (if they were lucky enough not to live in a city) was likely the best hope of survival. For those who lived in crowded and unsanitary conditions, the outcome was certainly grim. I can only imagine the horror of being surrounded by the dead and dying in such horrifically dismal conditions.

Imagine when there was no social media, no internet, no tv, no radio, and few printed/written materials. Word of mouth depended on someone living long enough to pass information along to the next person. We're fortunate to live in a time when we benefit from advancements in medicine. Ongoing research, vaccines and the simple ability to communicate quickly to the masses are all critical to stemming the death toll. But just like our ancestors, we would all be wise to understand nature is still stronger and smarter than us. We will always be at least a step behind. Viruses, bacteria and the smallest living organisms will continue to morph and evolve and new threats will always be on the horizon. The most we can hope for is to learn from the past, and keep our eyes on the future.

Image by Sabrina Belle from Pixabay

All the Unknown Babies

 

Babies are such precious little bundles of joy. I'm always terribly saddened when I'm working on census records or obituaries and find clues to children who presumably died as infants or young children. I make it a point to add every unknown child to my tree, even when I know I'll likely never find any further information on them. I believe they deserve to be remembered.

Times were different in centuries past There was a much higher incidence of infant mortality. In the 1800's the infant mortality rate for children under 5 years of age was as high as 46%. That's almost 1/2 of all children born! By the 1900's this was down to about 25%. Today, thankfully, it's less than 1%. Before good recordkeeping on births and deaths, many of these tiny souls were never recorded. They may have been unnamed if they died at, or within a few days of, birth. While many were likely buried, it can be difficult to locate where. If there is a headstone, it may simply say "infant" or "baby". It may be impossible to determine if the child was a boy or a girl. Too many of these precious angels have long been forgotten. 

Before the 1900's it may be difficult, or even impossible, to ascertain how many children a given family may have lost. I've been lucky enough to find well kept church parish records from the 1800's in England on baptisms and burials, shedding light on some children in my tree. Thankfully, the 1900 and 1910 census gives us a glimpse of some these innocent souls. The questions about how many children were born to a mother, and how many children were still living as of the record date may help identify those who passed away too soon. Especially if you've done detailed analysis of the children who lived to adulthood, you'll likely be able to work out how many unidentified children there may be, or potentially determine if a child previously enumerated passed away in the decade between the censuses. Sometimes family histories written at the time will say how many children were born, but only name those who survived. Occasionally, an obituary of a parent or sibling might reference the death of a child, but often they go unmentioned. There are rare occasions where I've found an obituary for an infant or very young child, but it's the exception.

I also marvel at how the parents of these children carried on. I can't imagine the horrible pain of losing one child, let alone the families who lost several. In one case, I read about a family who lost all their children to illnesses within a very short span of time. The pain those parents felt must have been immense. But, since many likely had other children to take care of, they had to carry on. I wonder how often they thought of the children they lost? Did they lock the painful memories away in a corner of their heart? Did they remember them everyday? Or possibly, in a time when the death of children was tragically almost commonplace, was the outlook simply different? Was it just one less mouth to feed? Whatever the case, I choose to memorialize the children who died young, never having had the chance to live their lives. They are not forgotten.

Image by Andreas Wohlfahrt from Pixabay