Sunday, August 31, 2008

Pennsylvanians Move Out~ to Ontario

Quoted:
It was about five o'clock in the morning; the sun was showing red over the tops of the Allegheny Mountains and the date was the first week in April in the year 1794. Four Conestoga wagons, (Photo) two drawn by horses and two drawn by oxen, were loaded to capacity with the household effects of four families about to leave their homes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, for new homes in Canada. The preceding summer two of the men had gone to Canada to spy out the land In the Niagara District, they had found most of the good land had been either allotted or settled upon by earlier arrivals, and so they had traveled around the head of Lake Ontario to York. Here they were told they might get 200 acres as a grant, and that additional land would be available either to rent or for purchase at a low price.

This particular morning there was a quiet spirit of anticipation, for they were leaving good homes to live in a land of virgin forest. In the group there were grandparents as well as parents with small children, responding to an inherited drive to be pioneers in search of a new country where they could continue to live under the British flag and be free of army service and have freedom to practice their religion. The previous evening their friends had met with them to hold a religious service -- they belonged to the Dunkard church -- and to wish them well on their journey. Some of their well-wishers hoped to follow soon, particularly if the reports coming back were good.

The women and small children would ride in the Conestoga wagons, a means of conveyance first made in the Conestoga Valley of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The wagons being used on this trip were made locally out of swamp oak, white oak, hickory, locust, gum or poplar from neighboring woodlands, and ironed by the local blacksmith. All the work was, of course, done by hand. The wagons used on this migration were the farm type, much smaller but built along the same lines as the large transports often drawn by six horses.

The type of wagon was admirably suited to travel over poor roads, for the wagon bed was long and deep, with a considerable sag in the middle, both lengthwise and crosswise, so that, should the load shift, it would settle towards the centre and not press against the end gates. The body resembled a rowboat with square ends, and indeed was sometimes used as such after the interstices were carefully caulked with tar and the wheels removed and placed inside the wagon. Such rivers as the Susquehanna and Niagara could thus be crossed if ferries were not available.

The bows of the wagon followed the line of the ends of the body, and were slanted outwards. A white homespun tentlike cover was spread over the hoops to protect goods and persons riding in the wagon. The driver usually rode the horse on the left hand side, or walked on that side. The drivers of the big transport wagons are given the credit for the fact that traffic in America passes on the right instead of the left, contrary to English custom.

Our calvalcade had a cow tied to the back of each wagon. Her milk was placed in a bucket under the wagon, and the rocking back and forth of the bucket turned the milk into butter. As well as the cows, there were sheep, pigs, and fowl. These were to prove a considerable difficulty on the route, because of their tendency to stray far and the efforts needed to protect them from attack by wild animals. Such livestock were put in the charge of the young men and girls, particularly when streams had to be forded and the animals had to swim.

The Conestoga wagon was usually drawn by the Conestoga horse, bred, it is thought, of Flemish stallions with Virginia mares. It had a short arched neck, full mane, good clean legs, and a weight of fourteen hundred pounds or more. It was powerful and quiet but slow and thus suited for pioneer work. It was popular in Upper Canada until about 1840 when, with improved roads, faster-moving horses were sought. Other breeds, such as Canadian, Clydesdale, and Shires took their place and the Conestoga disappeared.

Although most of the early settlers from Pennsylvania made the trip to Canada by Conestoga wagon, only two of the original wagons are still in existence in Ontario at the present time (1971); on, in Waterloo county, came up in 1807; the other, and older, is in the possession of Amos Baker, Lot 11, Concession 2, Vaughan Township, whose great-great-grandfather, John Baker, drove up from Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in 1796. How well it was made was demonstrated at the centenary of Waterloo County in 1952, when it was driven back over the same route that John Baker had taken in 1796.

There were two routes by which early settlers made their way from Pennsylvania and New York states into Upper Canada. Those Sunbury, Williamsport, Bath, Genesee, and Batavia, cross the Niagara River at Buffalo, and then continued by St. Catharines and Hamilton as far as York. Those from the eastern sections went by way of Reading, Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, Elmira, Canandaigua, and Rochester to Lewiston. From there they followed the same route to Canada as far as Hamilton.

The settlers we are interested in came by way of Harrisburg. It was not unusual for the trip to take six weeks or more. When they arrived in the Niagara area they were almost 'home-free,' for those who had preceded them were always most hospitable and gave them the benefit of their experience. Many such migrations of families were to take place during the next twenty years.

Those who came before 1796 did not receive deeds for their property; sometimes, however, location tickets were given. Hence, those who came into Vaughan township in the early years took up land as squatters. Normally they would put up a barn or some form of protection for the livestock before they built a house. Coming as most of them did in the early summer, the protection could be simple at first until the cold weather came. By that time adequate shelter was unusually completed.

Extraction of the Introduction to the following book:
Book Source:
A History of Vaughan Township
by G. Elmore Reaman
@George C. H. Snider, 1971
Printed: University of Toronto

My children's paternal lines of Keffer, Puterbaugh (main lines) followed the above route.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Data Backup Day

Update: 29 March 2009
Backup Your Data
I have written about this before for inclusion in another carnival. See below the line for my previous plan.

My backup plans are pretty much still the same. Best Buy had 8gig Sandoz flash drives on sale for 19.99 and I purchased 2 of them and put 7.47 of images using just one of them. The 7.47 figure was all it appeared to allow me to upload. Which made me think of a time quite a while ago where the flash drive didn't hold as much as was purported and there was a huge public issue about it. I have alot of photographs to store so need space.

I have updated my other 6 flash drives the 15th of last month. I don't backup on a schedule anymore because I am doing so much work that I backup as I go now. Four of my flash drives are simply 2 each of the same data. I am a non-trusting person when it comes to backups so I create dups of my flash drives. Not to mention that I have the work on CD's except for my last flash drive. I will be doing that in time.

I have not done anything with my external hard drive since I discussed my backup plan the first time. I have to see if it is going to work on Vista.

I do need to make some updated CD's to put in my families homes. So, between my flash drives and CD's and having extras stored at my families I think my plan works pretty well. I am doubly cautious because of a loss years ago on floppy disks. I had backed up duplicates copies of the same data on floppies and several of them were not able to be retrieved. So, double backup didn't work on that one.

As stated below I don't have to worry about flooding and fires I have covered by storing duplicates at my families home.

Brenda
____________________________________________________________________
My Original Backup Plans


A: Backup Plan
Already have a CDs and Hardcopy of most data at brother's house. This new data will have to
be added on a CDs / Flash Drive and given to him as well. There is a CD with images and a CD with gedcom's. Flash drive has gedcom's as well with most of the same images.

They are not in waterproof containers as he lives hundreds and hundreds of feet up on a hill without water around to affect anything. I don't care for online resources so I stash duplicates of data at families house's. I now, have them in my son's safe deposit box (update 16thAug) and they will be in my daughter's fire-proof safe (when she is home in Dec)

B. I did not do this as no where that I have records will there be a flood. I am conscious of fire but not all of us are going to have fires at the same time so the expense seems senseless in my situation.

C. Backup using hard drives and flash drives:
14Aug 2008...... Backed up 248 images on External Hard-drive and 1 flash drive.


D. 15Aug2008......... Backed up Gedcom's on External Hard-drive and 2 flash drives. See master plan. I have CD's at son's and brothers.

E. This is completed by the above events, as I see it.


10 citations - Bronze
20 Silver
30 Gold
40 Diamond
50 Plantinum



Competition Categories: Back up your data! Consider me done!

3. Organize, Part 2 (now complete) 5 tallies?

Today: 16 Aug 2008 after I came back from the beach! I finished up one notebook. It has over 100 sleeves of data within it. I don't understand about meta tags etc on webpages but.. they are labeled with descriptions. So, I am hoping for a gold?
If by Talliles, it means A, B, C etc.. is each one tallie.

DONE: A. 20 hard files or ancestral items (books, fabrics, inherited items) into file folders, =PLASTIC SLEEVES

DONE: B. Organize at least 20 digital files into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.

DONE: C. Organize at least 20 photos into photo albums, scrapbooks, collages, protective holders, boxes , etc.

DONE: D. Organize at least 20 digital photos into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.

Done 16Aug2008 E. Create at least or scan 20 photos

Done: New One 16Aug2008 dropped off at brothers. F. Create a master list of your files and notify your family members of where it is stored.

First Photo.. Image 1 - Keffer Book of Records

Second Photo..
Image 2 - Keffer Book of Records shows how I leave blank pages hither and yon! for inserting of a photograph or something with a date close to the page it is near. I try to keep everything chronologically but sometimes things just don't fall into place without a lot of shifting and moving.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Google Books .. What a BOON! Awesome

Hi, I have to share this.. I am so excited. I searched Google Books a long while ago but didn't take the time to learn it better. Miriam has a video on her site and I watched that and it got me motivated. Will get the link at Face Book tomorrow.

I found several books on the Keffer family and a few on the Puterbaugh family.
Source Book: History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario by Adam Mercer.
from the full book online of 26mb or so and is down-loadable.
Page 343:
Peter Keffer, lot 12, concession 3, was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, December 30, 1879. His father, Jacob Keffer, was a native of Germany. The family came to Canada in 1806, and settled on the lot now occupied by the subject of this sketch, where the father lived until his death. Mr. Keffer was married in 1823 to Miss Fisher, by whom he had nine children. They are adherents of the Lutheran Church, and Mr. Keffer, like his father, is a Reformer in politics. He has one son living on the homestead with him, who is married and has one child.

Also page 343:
William Keffer, lot 9, concession 3, was born on the farm where he now resides in the year 1812. He is the youngest living son of the late Michael Keffer, who settled in Vaughan as early as 1806, where he lived until his death in 1852. His family consisted of six sons and three daughters, some members of the family dying very young. Although brought up to the Lutheran faith, he afterwards joined the Church of England, and entered with spirit into all matters undertaken for its future benefit. He gave the land for the first church built, which is still standing, and where services are yet conducted; it is a log building. William Keffer married in 1831 Susanna Burkholder, a daughter of Oldrick Burkholder, of this township; they have six daughters and two sons living. Mr. Keffer has taken an interest in municipal affairs. He is an adherent of the English Church, and a Conservative in politics.

Getting 5 Friends To Join Facebook 1 Tallie

Here are the names and 5 out of 10 is just what I need ;)
Larry - ;(
Brit ;(
Max '(
Ren ;(
Colleen ;(
Caryn ;)
Donna ;)
Caitlin ;)
Ryan ;)
Christian ;)

Now to review what heading they came under!

29 Done: Cite Sources: Total 51, Platinum

To continue with the Citing Your Sources and aiming for 50 to get the Platinum badge, I start will be starting with record:
#22 Isaac Puterbaugh b. 30 Nov 1805 only 2 sources for Isaac:
Passenger & Immigration Lists Index, 1500's-1900's.
Immigration year 1871 age 68yr. b. abt 1803 Ontario, Canada.
Source Bibliography: Index to the 1871 Census of Toronto,
York, Ontario. by Bruce S. Elliott 1992, 154pp; record pg 112.

#23 Isaac Puterbaugh Sr. age 68y. Residence District: York West
Residence Location: Vaughan; Ethnic Origin German; Religion Wesleyan Methodist.
Occupation "Gent"; Listed as head of household
Microfilm Roll C-9967 Page 15 1871 Census. Date not given

#24 Isaac Puterbaugh. Concession 5: Lot 34, 1830, sold by Isaac Gordon to Isaac Puterbaugh.
Gives us the year he bought this land.
Source: (Book I bought Aug2008) A History of Vaughan Township by C. Elmore Reaman, 1971, Printed University of Toronto Press, Canada page 39.

#25 Isaac Puterbaugh. Paragraph on Puterbaugh Family:
"John Puterbaugh came from Pennsylvania to Vaughan Township in 1813. He purchased Lot 13, Concession 5 and received a Crown Deed which is still (1971) preserved by the family. John had a family of thirteen children. The property he purchased was farmed by his son Isaac, grandson Isaac, great-grandson Edgar and great-great grandson Person, who sold the farm in 1962. Percy''s daughters were the sixth generation of the family to live on the farm, which they owned for 149 years. In 1813 John built a log house, and soon after a log barn similiar to the Dalziel barn at Pioneer Vilage. Still in good condition, it was removed in 1963 and the timbers were used at the McMichael Conservation of Art Building at Kleinburg."
Source: (Book I bought Aug2008) A History of Vaughan Township by C. Elmore Reaman, 1971, Printed University of Toronto Press, Canada page 217.

#26 John Puterbaugh see #25 for source, Citation for John that included Isaac.
#27 John Wellein ... Several Sources but missed page numbers at newspaperarchive.com Shows timeline of events.
#29 Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI; 26 Mar 1948 Selling Alfalfa Seed
#30 Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI 18 Dec 1948 John Deere (tractor) for sale
#31 Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI 22 Apr 1950 Selling Caterpillar 22 Orchard Tractor
(married Bessie C. Russell no source 1952)
#32 Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI 2 May 1957 For Sale: Potatoes
#33 Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI; 24 Oct 1957 Home from Fremont Visit
#34 Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI; 25 Feb 1957 Released from Osteopathic Hospital (have photograph of hospital)
#35 Obituary Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI; 6 Mar 1967 (died 5th)
#36 Adolph Wellein Grand Traverse Herald Newspaper, Traverse City, MI; 21 Dec 1903 Bought Land
#37 Adolph Wellein
1930 Paradise Twp Census ED 28-12 SD 4 Sheet 2B Lines 92-93 Dwelling 40-40 Taken 9-12 April
John H. Wellein (Welline) 'Head' age 38 Single b. Michigan Par b. Ontario.
Adolph, father age 68 widowed married at age 25 b. Ontario Parents b. Germany. Speaks German; immigrated 1888 NA both men General farmers
#38 Katie Beck and Adolph Wellein marriage:
22 Dec 1887 Liber 3 pg 002 Kingsley, Grand Traverse, Michigan.
#39 Mary Elizabeth (Lackner) Beck 1900 Census Paradise, Grand Traverse, Michigan. SD 11, ED 37, Sheet #15B Lines 72-74, Dwelling 310 Dwelling Visited 316.
#40 Philip Beck 1910 Federal Census, ED 11 SD 48 Sheet 1A Lines 48-49, Dwelling 13 Dwelling 15 Visited.

#41
Philip Beck Death 16 May 1917 Liber 3 Page 014 Kingsley, Grand Traverse, Michigan

#42
Bessie C. (Russell) Wellein (not hard to tell I love newspaper research ;*) Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI 19 Feb 1924 Ethel and Mable visit parents
#43 Bessie C. (Russell) Wellein Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI 1 Jan 1958 pg 3 Mrs. John Wellein of Buckley dismissed from Munson Hospital.
#44 Bessie C. (Russell) Wellein Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI 2 Jan 1975 Photograph of Bessie.
#45 Bessie C. (Russell) Wellein Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI Admitted to Osteopathic Hospital.
#46 Bessie C. (Russell) Wellein Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI 30 Sep 1976 Mrs. John Wellein 419 Hamilton St discharged from Osteopathic Hospital
#47 This is a different way of sourcing I do: 14 Aug 2008
In searching for an obit for Bessie using Newspaperarchive.com I did not find the record of an obit. Nor did I find her in the county index. I did find her in the Social Security record showing she did die in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Now I know what I have already done and what options it leaves me to research for her death record.
#48 Switching gears back to Keffer:
Jeremiah Keffer b. 9 Oct 1888, Ontario Canada. Source: Book by Ezra By, Waterloo History (need page number - oops)
#49 Walter Keffer marriage 1 Mar 1887 to Katherine Stumpf, Waterloo County, Canada Source: Berliner Journal Newspaper translated by the staff of the Kitchener Public Library (unproofed draft)
KEFFER Walter 01 Mar 1887 Walter Keffer of Bridgeport and Catharina Stumpf of Elmira were married by Pastor A.R. Schulz of 10 Mar 1887 Newspaper Date

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maryc/water87.htm Waterloo Co., 1887
012297-87 (Waterloo Co) Walter KEFFER, 21 (28?), farmer, York Co., Waterloo Twp, s/o Henry & Susanna married Catharine STUMPF, 19, Woolwich Twp, Waterloo Twp, d/o Daniel STUMPF & Margaret SCHWEITZER, witn: Markham KEFFER of Waterloo Twp & Elizabeth STUMPF of Elmira, 1 March 1887 in Elmira
#50 Walter Keffer 1901 Census, 6 Apr 1901 Pikington, Wellington (Centre), Ontario, Canada, pg 2; District # 124; Sub-District # J2; Family number 24;
#51 Walter Keffer Death: Ontario Canada Deaths 1869-1934, ancestry.com Pg 43 031762
3 Jul 1924, Age 65y7m0d Pernisious Anemia, Sourth St. 13 Elmira, York, Ontario

The end,
GenieBk

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Remembering Nona - Carnival Blog 2 Tallies


This completes the story of a family member and submitting to a Carnival

Carnival Blog
Smile For The Camera *Shades Of The Departed*
Submission: Remembering Nona

My sister was a very special person. I wish I could just write the story that is in Megan's book (See below). She was 14 years older than myself and 8 years older than my brother. Mom had to work to care for us so Nona became the "mom". She stayed home from school if one of us were ill. She cared for us while mom worked. When she graduated high school and was working as a secretary she bought me clothes - I recall one leathery feeling pink jacket at age 10 that I fell in love with. Don't recall what happened to it but I wore it until I outgrew it.

She bought a new car when my brother was 16 and when she drove up in this green convertible she told my brother he could use it when he wanted to. A BRAND NEW car and she just handed him the keys. No, he never broke the trust she put in him. When I was 13 she took me to the local Holiday Inn for Filet Mignon.. Her advice about eating out gets repeated to my grandchildren still. IF you cannot eat all your meal, she would say, then eat the meat as we could get the potatoes at home all the time. Words to the wise was her way.

She was witty and always doing comical things.. One story that will never be forgotten is calling me at home (She went to Grand Rapids to work and would call me) She would say, "This is Digger O'Dell the Undertaker, and I would like to order a coffin!" The first time she did this I went along with it thinking (age 14) it was her but well into the conversation I was having doubts. I said to her, "What size would you like, how long and how big is the person?" and on it on it went. Memories are not many because she died at age 38 of Hodgkins Disease, but the ones my brother and I have, we treasure dearly.

There is a story called "Remembering Nona" in Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak's book, Honoring Your Ancestors" Thanks again, Megan!

About the book:


About the contest:
The word prompt for the 5th Edition of Smile For The Camera is Crowning Glory. Show us those wonderful photographs of hairdos and maybe even a few don'ts. Don't limit yourself to just hair fashion through the ages, got a great photograph of a hat, helmet, bonnet, or some other interesting headgear? Share! Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that is the epitome of Crowning Glory and bring it to the carnival. Admission is free with every photograph! Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Joining A Society:1 Tallie

Well I am disappointed.. i wanted to join the Society for Vaughan Twp, Ontario and this is what I found. It states 47$ a year for OGS and Branch or 19$ for Branch only. Now.. how do I do branch only? I assume this might be what I want. I just want to join one for Vaughan Twp but maybe there is not such a thing. I want to receive newsletters with a subscription. ;(

Ok.. on further research, from what I can gather, I must belong to Ontario Genealogical Society and then join the Branch secondarily. York Ontario Region says: To become a member of the York Region branch, you must also be a member of the Ontario Genealogical Society. OGS membership is $45.00 per year, York Region branch membership is $10.00 per year.

So, since they are _demanding_ I join a Province before I can join a branch, I will just go elsewhere. Too bad I was looking forward to belonging to an area I am doing sooooo much research.

Update:
Aug2008 Joined: Joined the Traverse Area Historical Society. They do lots for our local area so this is now settled.

Accomplished for the contest

3. Organize Your Research!
CHECK A. Organize at least 20 hard files or ancestral items (books, fabrics, inherited items) into file folders, boxes, envelopes, containers, etc.; archival-quality where appropriate.
DONE: B. Organize at least 20 digital files into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.
DONE: C. Organize 20 photos into photo albums, scrapbooks, collages, protective holders, boxes ,
DONE: D. Organize 20 digital photos into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.
DOne....E. Create at least 20 data entries in your database, or scan 20 photos, or scan 20 documents.

DOOOOOOOOO F. Create a master list of your files and notify your family members of where it is stored.
4. Write, Write, Write!
Do you find birth dates, death dates and all the data boring if there's no narrative behind it? Don't you find the stories about ancestors more attractive than cut and dried census data? It takes time to be able to write about your family history and the more you write and the more often you write, the easier it is to bring your family to life for others to see.

DONE WITH NONA A. Write a summary of what your blog is about and post it on your blog – you may not have done this since you started the blog and it is a great way to have new readers learn more about your site.

SUBMITTED PHOTO / Story I Smile
B. Participate in a genealogy or family history related blog carnival. See the AnceStories post "August Is..." for a list of these carnivals and their submission URLs and deadlines.


DID MANY
C. Prepare several posts in draft mode (if possible with your blog platform) and pre-publish.

D. DOOO Write a brief biographical sketch on one of your ancestors.

NOT >>>>>>>>>>>>E. Sign up to host a future carnival: I think I would but not after the fiasco of this contest.

Complete any three tasks - Gold Medal
Complete any four tasks - Diamond Medal
Complete all 5 tasks - Platinum Medal


5. Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!

DONE.
..................A. Comment on a new (to you) genea-blog.

DONE
..................B. Join another genea-blogger’s blog network on Facebook Blog Networks.

DONE with 5 joining.
.................C. Invite other genealogists to join Facebook.

DONE.
.................D. Assist another researcher with a research request or lookup. See AnceStories "Random Acts of Kindness Week" posts for ideas for this item and Item E.

DONE,
several from individuals to societies...................E . Participate in an indexing project.

Done via the local historical society
F. ----Join a genealogical, historical, heritage or lineage society.
Qualifications for "Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!":
Complete five or more tasks - Platinum Medal

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Single Act of Kindness - Contest

Sharon...PRIVACY-- @ localnet.com> Hide
Add to: Blog, To Do, Calendar
To:
Moore, Brenda --- KINGSLEY @ aol.com>
Cc:
Bcc:
Date:
Sat, 10 Aug 2008 9:11 pm
My word Brenda, you are amazing...so much info so quickly....
After looking it all over, I think that the info that you got off of the Leelanau cemetery disc is the info that I have been looking for. When the Inor on Hannah Weigand John lists her father as Frederick. I think this is right on as Jacob and Ida's first born son was named Fredric! I have found that it is very common for the first son to be named after the fathers father and the first daughter to be named after the mother's mother. Also the name Frederick is a very common name in the family right through my generation.

Can't thank you enough. Now I will have to see what I can find about Frederick or Fredric Weigand as according to census records Jacobs father was born in Germany.

Did you hear my loud shout about 10 minutes ago when I read that e-mail? Thanks Sharon

Monday, August 11, 2008

Sourcing A Book: Contest

Hi, I just read about sourcing a book on I Dream of Genea(logy) I made a comment on the site as it got me to thinking about _the rest of the story_, In My Opinion.

When a book is found (not a purchase) in a library, historical society or person... the citation data should include:

The name of library or place; town, state etc on the card; with call number, date of event, surname with page number. If or when you might return to that 'place' (or are seeing the book at a new 'place' elsewhere) you can check your file to see if you have or have not reviewed the book. My file would be 1) Index card file 2) Microsoft Excel. I use Microsoft Excel because I have it but in the future I will be using OpenOffice is a free software with spreadsheet and is not as 'bulky' as MS Office. Plus features just as MS Office. Example follows:

How to source a book: This is using an index card layout:

......................................... Upper right hand corner: Date: 24 July 2008
......................................... Surnames: Keffer, Puterbaugh, Snider
Left hand side:
Title: A History of Vaughan Township
Author: E. Elmore Reaman
Publisher: Vaughan Township Historical Society
George H. Snider, 1971
Printer: University of Toronto Press, Canada
Location: Library of Michigan, Lansing, Ingham, MI
Genealogy Reference Section
Call Number: this was not done because I planned on buying one. You could also describe the physical book and include pages or if there is an index.
5x8, 346pgs, Dustcover Blue & White, Index

On the back of the index card (that you carry with you unless you are using a computer to do this)
Photocopied pages on Puterbaugh: 39, 170, 217, 184, 250, 67, 284, 290 noting the page numbers of photocopies from the book and pages. In case you err by missing a page or a part of a page or the next page. Once I realized the number of copies I would be making I stopped and decided to see if the book was online, at Bookfinder.com. There were several copies, so I was very excited at the thought of being able to own it. Nope not a book crazy bone in my body!!!

IF you do not plan on buying the book, copying the index is another good idea for any future family found in the same location. Going back for a new look will save time and money to find out if they are in the same book, making you happy you took the time for this. Saves a nice long trip to "anywhere" if you have this. One really _must do_ item is copying any coding there might be in the preface or introduction. Nothing is more upsetting than getting your new found data out to study and realize you have a table without headings and no clue what they might mean. Does this sound like the voice of experience talking? hmm!

Another way to use an index card file is to make a card for a book you learn about that you want to review. All the data to find the book, microfiche or reference, when you are at libraries will be right with you. With an index or computer database file it can be at your fingertips. Create a section for books you want to buy. You are limited only by your imagination. Don't forget in spreadsheets you can sort by columns so there are benefits to the different means of doing things. Or both ways in conjunction with one-another. The last decision to make on doing the index cards is: Does one file them alphabetically by family or by the title of the book. Enjoy! GenieBk

Sunday, August 10, 2008

"Acts of Kindness" Documentation Published 10 Aug 2008

Traverse City Record Eagle
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Section: Northern Living, Page 1E & 3E
On Bottom Page 1 of the section "Northern Living" - continue page 3E
Typed Verbatim - Included: A photo with about half the books I donated in the photo.

Northern People Column:
Genealogist digs up family tree roots (heading)

When Brenda Wolfgram-Moore talks about genealogy her passion for the subject
shows up in the way her face lights up.

Wolfgram-Moore (never have hyphenated this), a lifelong resident of the Traverse City
region, who traces her local family tree to the mid 1850s, is not hesitant to help others
find their roots.

The recently named lifetime honorary member of the Grand Traverse Area Genealogical
Society had her interest in family history sparked nearly 30 years ago when her brother, Ben Wolfgram set her on a mission.

"He wanted to know how much land the family owned over the years," said Wolfgram-Moore who took on the challenge that changed her life.

"I went to the land records office and the register of deeds (oops they messed this) and started on page one and just kept going," Wolfgram-Moore said, noting how easy it is to get hooked.

"You can always go back and do more. It is time-consuming, but very rewarding," she said.
With her broad knowledge (see page 3E) ;)

PEOPLE
Genealogist digs up family
tree roots for people

from page 1E
on the subject of everything genealogy, it wasn't long before people started seeking her out for
advice on doing their own research.

"As her name became connected with genealogy, people would contact her and ask questions, sometimes just give her stuff they had collected," said Mary Briggs, president of the Grand Traverse Area Genealogical Society.

Included in the items Wolfgram-Moore collected, both through gifts and purchases, were dozens of books that she has since donated to the Traverse Area District Library's research department.

"She gave more than 80 books that she could have as easily sold or kept," said Briggs, noting that Wolfgram-Moore is as modest about her knowledge as she is generous with it.

Wolfgram-Moore admits that people write to her almost every day asking for information on their family. "I get as excited working on other people's family as my own, because there is more new information to find," she said. "I love to see their face when they see something that I found."

In addition to her interest in family genealogy, Wolfgram-Moore has begun a database of Civil War soldiers from the four county area.

With more than 2,600 names on file, she says she spends at least some time, everyday working on one project or another.

"I'm also hoping to begin a Korean War datbase as a tribute to the area vets," she noted. In an effort to share her projects with the community, she has set up a Web site www.gtregion.blogspot.com that includes images of post cards, newspaper clippings, and a wide variety of photos.

"I have boxes and boxes of items, most of which I can tell you what I have, some I just have no idea," said Wolfgram-Moore.
the end!

Notes:Now online: Northern People: Genealogist digs up roots
NOW>> the item on Korea is error.. I started this site some time ago but she got it reversed! ;)
http://grandtraverseregion.com/grandtraverse/korea_otis.htm

and.. she didn't mention my MIGenWeb: http://grandtraverseregion.com/grandtraverse/index.htm ;(

and .. I won't mention the photo of moi! ;) Even my friends were sad about it. But overall, Lisa did a good job of the interview.
GenieBk

Write, Write, Write - D. done

Part A. of Write, Write, Write has been done in the post, Core Families and saved as a draft. As well as several of the other posts. Which completes Part C. (Prepare several posts in draft mode and pre-publish.)

Done: Wrote about deceased sister and a story about my 3rd GrGrandfather, Frank Kratochvil. D. Write a brief biographical sketch on one of your ancestors.

I cannot imagine me doing E. Sign up to host a future carnival so until I check up on hosting a carnival the best I can aim for in this section is a Diamond.

B. Participate in a genealogy or family history related blog carnival. See the AnceStories post "August Is..." (http://ancestories1.blogspot.com/2008/08/august-is.html) for a list of these carnivals and their submission URLs and deadlines. I signed up for the "I Smile" Carnival but not sure I have that figured out.

Going to dash off to the store for the Sunday to buy several newspapers as "I am in the newspaper today" !!!!! YEHAA>> work recognition without asking! Cannot be a deal like that. Well, I will hold off total judgement until I read the article and see the photo that was taken. 8:47 a.m. EST, GenieBk

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Saving an Online Image: Marriage of Walter Keffer

A sample of how I save online image documents: I have been saving and saving all the marvelous image documents from ancestry.com. This is of a marriage for my children's father's maternal line. After I save the image I open my photo software, PhotoImpact Pro 11 and get the best view I can by darkening/lightening/sharpen and or ...

Then I crop it to the size I want to save it leaving a bit of extra on the outside edges. The reason I did that for this photo is because the image was scanned crooked. I prefer to have my images stand upright ;) Then I use the perspective crop to tilt the image into the upright position. Next I make a final standard crop to remove the excess that is added during the perspective crop which is also removing the extra tidbit I saved around the image. This way when the image is turned upright I don't lose any of the actual document / text itself.
This is a before image:


This is the after image:
Different years look different, it was too much to hope for them all having the same data. grin! The finished copy looks crooked but actually there is black on the side of the image where the page has been worn away.


Catherine Stumpf and Walter Keffer! Click on the image to enlarge.
GenieBk

Note: Published 7 draft copies of posts 5:35 fulfilling part C. of Write, Write, Write in the Genea-Bloggers Contest.

Organizing Your Research

Completed one 3" notebook with newspaper articles that I had saved about the town and people into acid free sleeves and into notebook. Completed one 4" notebook as well. TAKE PHOTOS>>>... This has much more then 20 sleeves..

Created, and filed papers into over 40 hard copy file folders on the same day.

Organized 45 digital photographs taken when camping in 8July 2008 from Kodak Digital Software then put images into individual folders for scrapbooking and printing.

Organized digital photographs taken on trip to Lansing for conference and to Thunder Bay, Ontario for same purpose July 2008.

Organized digital 10 of BMX racing and Lawnmower (County Fair) photographs of grandson Aug 2008.

12 Aug Organized 5 photographs taken at a work bee for our Genealogy Society

YEHA>>> I still have floppie disks from my first digital that took photos on floppies. I had removed them all, put them on the computer and then on CD's last November as I was working on a Christmas project. I had a few that said they would not work. I have another computer with Vista that I was scanning on and thought, I will try those old floppies.. and GOSH DARN... I got images off 4 of them. From the years 2000 and 2002, holiday photos. Was I happy or what??? I still have 2 that won't work for me. If anyone reads this and knows of a source/way to do this please let me know. I have about 35 images on one that I want real bad ;)

Continued Education

July 24-27th 2008
Library of Michigan Conference

This was a very fun time as I went with an aquaintance, Janis. George Schweitzer was there and I had not seen him before. He is not only smart as a whip! but entertaining with his costumes.

We were able to have some time to research and two naturalization records were found for a friend. Also, found a book on Vaughan Twp, Ontario in the stacks and was able to find one online to purchase for the family library as there are, at the least, about 40+ pages with Keffer and Puterbaugh. It arrived in the postal mail yesterday with a loose obit in the book unfortunately for us not a family member, yet!

Citing Your Sources

Today for "Citing Your Sources" I have added vital records of Ontario to my children's paternal side. Because I have been getting them online I source them as: All records from ancestry.com (normally adding the URL) and saving all images (see below).

1) Death Certificate:
Example for Mary Ann Peterman wife of Valentine Keffer
Ancestry.com: Ontario, Canada Deaths, 1869-1934; Page: Page 36 #28 017959 - Quality: Primary

Other vital records might have home descriptions to add:
2) Michael Keffer 7 Jul 1852; Lot 10, Concession 3, Vaughan Township, York County, Ontario, CANADA

Also found for Michael Keffer at this link:
3) http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pacquema/mil1789.htm questions on his military so I include this with his data to check out later when time allows.

4) Source Census Records: Henry Keffer
1900 United States Federal Census 13 Apr 1900
SD 11 ED 37 Sheet 6B Lines 82-84 Household 100-101
Paradise, Grand Traverse, Michigan
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Spouse's Name: Louisiana
Immigration Year: 1889
Name: Henry Keffer Age: 69 abt 1831 Ontario parents b. PA farmer
5) Louisiana Keffer 69 abt 1831-- Susannah b. Canada parents b. PA
Allen Keffer 26 abt 1874 b. Canada parents b. PA Log Scaler

6) George Peterman
Records found and sourced same as Henry Keffer.
1851 Census; 1871 Census (note to self: check the new online 1881 census now) Death just days after census was taken.

7) Jeremiah Keffer: A book edited Ezra Eby on "Waterloo History" was found at http://www.ezraeby. Something to check out further and sourced by title of book and editor in case the link is down when I return. Until proven this book is considered Questionable.

8) Susannah Keffer: Running out of time to save the images found so I sourced it by adding her birthdate and location with link:
http://www.kinghorn.ca/family/fam/fam03435.html
Has Susanna birth as 11 Nov 1831;
Also Located: 1871 census for her

Note to self:
I can see now, where days and days are going to be spent in the Ontario records at ancestry.com .. A GOOD THING considering not only am I obtaining data but the images are here as well as being saved in a file under Surname then.. example:
Folder: Surname Keffer >Surname, Given Name.. + in the end it would appear:
Keffer>bir_walter_wife-katherine_so_Henry (so=son of) bir = birth; mar= marriage and so on.

9) Found the burial place for Hannah Catherin Schiedel bu: 18 Feb 1842 at Breslau Mennonite, Cemetery, Breslau, Woolwich Twp (was Waterloo Twp) Ontario, Canada. I was not able to get a plot / lot numbers so this will need to be done in the future.

Since I am new to Ontario research and Woolrich Twp was unfamiliar to me I did a Google.com search and found out it used to be Waterloo Twp. NOW this.. I knew was in my area. I had thought they moved but only the name of the township changed.

Switching gears for awhile to the Beck family as all the Keffer's started to look alike.

10) Philip Beck was found in the 1871 Ontario census as well, again sourced as above. I was also able to find and source him in the 1900 and 1910 Grand Traverse County census. From the 1900 I was able to get the immigration date of 1854 so will be able to search for immigration records more easily now. A death record was located and sourced as:

11) When I get the actual record I will record the record number as well as what information is gleaned from this record.
Philip Beck Death Record
Traverse City, Grand Traverse County MI
Liber 3 Page 014 noted as Primary Source.

12) I decided to search Newspaperarchives.com and found in the local news: "Mayfield Local News: August Gran and family attended a family reunion of the Beck family at the home of Mrs. Gran's father, Philip Beck, Christmas day."
This gives me the name of Mrs. Gran, hmmm, wonder which daughter she was. But a new name!!
Sourced as: Traverse City, MI; Grand Traverse Herald, 9 Jan 1908 pg 3 (should have the column and item number in the column) but .. hey! I'm not purrrfect!

newspaperarchives.com also gave me the following on John Beck: using source style above for newspapers.
13) 9Apr1903 Nominee for Treasurer of Kingsley Twp
14) 10Apr1913: Overseer of Highways, North District
15) 13 Jul 1926: Kingsley News: John Beck has re-shingled his barn

For his daughter Emma Beck:
16)16Jan1913: Miss Emma Beck is working for Mrs. Ruby Nelson, East Paradise

For a 2nd Dau Ella Beck:
17)27Sep1946 Admitted Munson Hospital
18)04Nov1946 Discharged Munson Hospital (Search for: who might know why?)
19)11Jul1960 Signed petition for Special Assessment regarding education.
20)28Jul1962 Admitted Munson: 709 S. Garfield (GREAT a physical home address)
21)4Aug1962 Discharged Munson Hospital: 709 S. Garfield.

Done for now!
Geniebk

Review A Blog _ 1 Tallie

Because of the contest I have viewed a blog, Genea-Musings, I have not read before. I have been looking at some of the numerous blogs trying to decide which one to review and this one was a 'hit' in my book. With a variety in topics and useful instructions I put this blog, Genea-Musings in my favorites. Using screen shots in his explanations is
the best in any instructions. Go Randall! Keep up the Awesome Work!
Geniebk

Friday, August 8, 2008

Indexing & Acts of Kindness

This is a hard thing to 'toot' one's own horn!
See an Post that is the response from one gal during this contest that I helped.

Acts of Kindness:
Grand Traverse Michigan Sites with indexing done:
Vitals Grand Traverse (rest of the site under construction)

Many links here: MIGenWeb Grand Traverse with indexed data

I am a member of the Grand Traverse Area Genealogical Society and we have been walked Leelanau County and recorded the headstones. Then walked Grand Traverse rural cemeteries. The chair of the cemetery committee inputs the thousands and thousands of people into Excel. We then take each person and research to include in the records the following if found: birth, marriage, death dates and places, parents, military, occupations, spouses and ? whatever basic information like that is found. So research is something that, for me, is on a daily basis for one thing or another.

Also, I am volunteer for the "Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness" raogk@raogk.com. If fact, I was the instigator of getting the RAOGK on the Roots Television site: RAOGK Blog

Spent from about 10-5 on day last week extracting data from online death records and reading them to the cemetery chairperson, Kathi Farley, to update our cemetery database.

One full day and 2 partial days researching Aug: Gottlieb Pilz / Piltz Family (helping for a talk our Cemetery Chairperson is going to give, Aug 21st)

Walked the cemetery for over 6 hours searching for Gottlieb Pilz headstones. Well, actually we walked 2 cemeteries in Leelanau county as well. Forgot about those! He was a marble stone cutter and one of the things he did was headstones. This man does not even have a headstone -grinning- and that he could have done himself. minus the death date of course. ;)

Individual "Acts of Kindness"
The end of July 2008 I went on a road trip to Thunder Bay, Ontario with a friend to find her gr-grandfather. WHAT A BLAST! She was researching the newspapers in the attempts to
find more articles about the ship her grandfather was the captain of at the the time of his death in 1923. She was a happy 'camper' to be able to visit the city where all of this occurred. There were 2 newspapers for the area at that time so we each took a microfilm reader with the individual newspapers and BOTH of us found articles AND an obituary. What a DAY that was! The scenery was awesome of Lake Superior being in view so much of the time on the way from Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

18Aug2008 Found and obtained microfilm copies of naturalizations at Library of Michigan for several other folks and my children's father's line.

Who keeps track of the daily emails with questions? I guess a journal is needed.
GenieBk

Categories Joined

The following categories I will participate in:
1
. Go Back and Cite Your Sources!
2. Back Up Your Data!
3. Organize Your Research!
4. Write, Write, Write!
5. Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wencil Kratochvil, 1st First Funeral in the C.S.P.S. Lodge, Traverse City, MI - Tallie?

Article from C.S.P.S. Magazine:

Wencil Kratochvil, Story of the First Funeral in the C.S.P.S. Lodge, Traverse City, MI

SOURCE: The following article, C.S.P.S.- The first Funeral Services, originally written in Czech, was translated by W. E. Votruba from "Official Papers of the Bohemian-Slovonic Benevolent Societies of The United States and Canada", Vol XXVI, Issue #4, April 1918. (National Organization of the Brotherhood of C. S. P. S.) Mr. Votruba gave this brief statement concerning his translation:

Due to Czech sentence structure and the Old Country vocabulary it was difficult to put the true meaning of many Czech words in English. This is therefore a (free) translation given as accurately and completely as I could. W. E. Votruba.

article begins here:

Traverse City, Michigan - April 7 1918
Brother and Sister readers!

I take the first pen (opportunity) to write to you, to our organization, because I feel that whatever is written or brought out, is important to all of us. Lodge Michigan #34 C.S.P. S. (of Traverse City) was formed on the 22nd of February 1879, and here is one of the oldest lodges in our beloved organization. However, just as the years of our organization increase, so too are our older members leaving (departing) because of their years, and, though we are glad to encourage - welcome young members, they do not, cannot have the early experience, enthusiasm, desire to belong, of the older members. Yes - it is seldom they take a prominent part, show devotion, show interest, that we hear of these new beginners. They are a second generation, they do not know the homeland. For this reason they do not attend regularly. They do not reply to letters giving orders, requests or desires of the club. One after another they pick up and leave and never return.

On Sunday the 31st of March we said good-bye for the last time to one of our oldest brothers, Vaclav (Wencil) Kratochvil. He was one of our faithful workers, a pure genuine Czech, a real free thinker - a patriot.

Brother Kratochvil was born in Bohemia in the town of Ondrejov, the 26th of Sept, 1835, and lived therewith his parents in that region until they (the family) came to New York the 25th of December 1854. For a short time, approximately six months, they stayed there, then left for Chicago where they stayed about four months. They did not like Chicago so they left for Traverse City. (Another story) Here the young Vaclav started work in the lumber mill of Hannah and Lay Co. Later he was able to buy a farm where he made his home permanently. Because one locality appealed to him above all, he picked out this beautiful village. His home was in Garfield Township, a short distance of but four miles. He was a good neighbor and made friendly calls and visits, and so he became much in favor and loved by all.

Before his death he requested that his funeral be conducted by the members of the C.S.P.S. Lodge and requested that certain members, that is, the oldest of the brothers, act as pallbearers. It is to be recorded, marked down, that he was the first of our brother members to request the funeral service to be performed at our lodge rooms at the C.S.P.S. hall.

Page 2:

For this reason all our brothers turned out to show their respect and love for this departed brother. Not only did the members come but also the sisters of the lodge who came in large numbers to give honor and respect to this great Traverse City Czech (Bohemian).

At the home of the deceased many people came to say good-bye. Here there were caretakers and relatives where, at the request of the family, a short service in English was performed. A great number of his neighbors were present as well as members of his large family, due to his married daughters, and because of this conversations in English were very noticeable. Automobiles took the mourners from the saddened home to our lodge rooms where many of his friends had gathered before the service.

Members of the lodge eulogized Vaclav and by them was performed a beautiful service for this one of our greatest brothers. Highest lodge officers spoke both in English and Czech and between these spoken words there were beautiful songs. The service was very touching and soulful and many eyes were dimmed with tears at the loss of the loss of the greatly respected Czech. He was never ashamed that he was a Czech and was always on the spot - ready to help - whenever there was a call for assistance, or where anything was happening he would help. He was industrious and helpful throughout his whole life and he was so esteemed by not only those Czech (Bohemian) people but by all in the region who knew him, for in our estimation more than 1200 attended the service and sixty-five automobiles were in the procession.

After the last farewell and the last fond touches to the cheeks of this honest man the members left the lodge and departed for burial riding in the automobiles. the Traverse City band playing sad tunes preceded them. It took twelve city blocks to take care of these cars as we proceeded to this sad spot, the Oakwood Cemetery.

Before the burial speech, brother after brother proceeded past the grave ad placed a flower on the casket, the flowers furnished by the lodge. And this was the final farewell to our greatly loved brother. Even though our lodge has many good members, through lack of study and knowledge of the ritual on their part, none could stride forward, none could direct or conduct the work so well, the loss of this brother was deplored.

Brothers bind yourselves together that you may direct the progress of your organization. In our hears will always be the member of this stalwart member, the cornerstone of this membership who entered into this membership the 5th of October 1879, and died March 27th, 1918. It is with great pride that we remember our great brother Vaclav Kratochvil. [end]


Note: Wencil is the great-grandfather of Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore. My mother being Erma Josephine Kratochvil Wolfgram and her father, Edward Martin Kratochvil (mother, Clarabelle Inez Secor). For further information email Brenda at kingsleyATaol.com

Note: In December? of 2003, Julius Petertyl had his 100th birthday. Traverse City Record Eagle had a 2 part story on him and one of Julius's memories was this funeral! After all this time! Made my heart feel good that great-grandfather was remembered from 1918 by someone other than family 85 years ago by a young man who was 17 at the time of the event. Julius also worked with my father, Ben Wolfgram Sr. One job Julius and Dad did was to remove all the decorative trim from the top of the Milliken Building on Front Street in Traverse City. Souce: Brenda

A BUMPY RIDE - Across the Ocean

On October 25, 1854, a group of Bohemian emigrants left their hometown of [Andrejov], Bohemia, headed for the New World.

This emigration was brought about by a Brazil nut. A traveler from the Americas had returned to [Andrejov] and told the residents there about the great New World where you could have all the coconuts you wanted just by picking them and where Brazil nuts grew free for everyone It was the Brazil nut that decided them and sent them packing their little bundles for the long trip across the ocean in a two-mast sailing vessel.

In that group were several names destined to become well known in Traverse City and the Grand Traverse region, among them being Frantisek Kratochvil (Erma's gr-grandfather), Anton Svoboda, Joseph Knizek, Joseph Lada, Alois Kafka, Joseph Wilhelm, Franc Pohoral and Joseph Kyselka.

After almost two months of stormy Atlantic weather, the ship, the Gross Herzogin von Alderberg, landed in New York and for the first time the party found it was going to North, not South America. In New York, the party broke up, a large number of them going to Chicago, reached after a week's train trip.

In the party was the ten-year-old son of Joseph Kyselka, a lad named Prokop, in later years destined to become one of Traverse City's leading businessmen and citizens.

The Kyselka family landed in Chicago on Christmas day with no friends, no money and no work. Three families, the Kyselkas, Wilhelms and Bartaks, moved into a tenement The men finally found work and young Prokop alternately went to school and worked in various factories.

Finally the family scraped together $100.00 and the Bohemian colony sent a committee consisting of Frank Kratochvil, Joseph Shalda and Gotlieb Greilick to Michigan to see what sort of country it was as a prospective home. Joseph Shalda selected Good Harbor, Mr. Greilick choose what is now Greilickville and Mr. Kratochvil preferred Traverse City.

In 1920, a few years before his death, Prokop Kyselka wrote the story of his life, one of the most interesting we have read, so, in the absence of The Observer, who is on vacation, we are going to run serially a portion of Mr. Kyselka's story.

The 24th, day of June 1844, is my birthday. I was born in a small city in Bohemia called Ondrejov (Andrew) on the estate of a well-to-do farmer named John Shalda. For this gentleman my mother and father worked many years.

My mother's maiden name was Barbara Venclik and father's name was Joseph Kyselka.

My parents worked for John Shalda for many years for very poor wages, barely enough to make a poor living. It had been the same with most Bohemians. Under the Austrian government it was serfdom, almost slavery. Everybody belonged to some nobleman and had to do a certain amount of work for him for nothing.

Even the well-to-do farmers had to furnish a man, a span of horses, wagon, plow and drag the year around. So, for laborers like my parents, it was almost impossible to get anything more than a mere living. General dissatisfaction with conditions led to a revolution in 1848 in Austria and the serfdom was abolished. But even under the new rule it was slow improvement. So desire for greater improvement grew from day to day and talk of emigration was heard day and night. Men and women began to meet nights to hear America discussed with its liberty of speech, religion and its easy living.

Through ignorance we were listening to the history of a South American republic, Brazil. We heard of the beauties of this land described as a Garden of Eden where coconuts and Brazil nuts grow in such quantities that anyone could gather all they want free of charge. It was an easy place to make a living.

As a result, a great fever developed, in rich and poor alike, to emigrate to this Promised Land. In one of these meetings the man who was reading the description of this beautiful country had a Brazil nut and he passed it around so all present could feel and see what, in a short time, they could pick off the bushes. This nut made more emigrants than anything that was read or said, although we thought Brazil was in the United States.

In May, in the spring of 1854, there was quite a crowd of [Andrejov] citizens started on the long journey to a new home, promising to let those who stayed behind know how things were in the new country. They soon wrote us favorable letters from New York and, in October of that fall; another group was getting ready for emigration. My parents were among them.

All those who desired to try their luck sold what they could at a sacrifice price and gave away what they could not sell or take with them. On October 25, 1854, the party was ready to leave. As far as I can remember, these were the families, which bought tickets to New York on the two-masted Herzogin van Aldenburg of Germany.

Anton Wilhelm, Frantisek Kratochvil, Anton Svoboda, Joseph Shalda, Joseph Knizek, Alois Kafka, Joseph Wilhelm, Sr., and Joseph Wilhelm, Jr., Franc Pohoral, Joseph Kyselka (my father), all from Ondrejov, and Franc Lada, Franc Sultz, Podhola and Moravec, all from Lencedle. I don't know the first names of Podhola and Moravec. They were the richest emigrants in the lot.

In the twelve years of my parents' married life to that time they had saved just about enough to get to New York.

At midnight on October 25, we left Andrejov for Prague, a beautiful city in the mountains with the river Vltava flowing through it. In the early days Prague was surrounded by high walls for protection in time of war.

Our preparation to start was very simple. We took little clothing, two feather beds and a very small amount of eatables. We left Ondrejov at midnight to keep crowds of onlookers from demanding where we were going and insisting that we write them about how things were in the New World.

We reached Prague in the night and went on to Bremen with very few stops. The trip to Bremen took three days. Bremen was the first large city we saw since we left Prague. Its streets were laid out irregularly and crooked and its market place was filled with fish.

After two days in Bremen we took a sailboat and were towed down the river to a place called Prague, the ocean port. Here we had to wait for the boat, which was to take us across the ocean.

In Prague we had the pleasure of seeing the skeleton of a big whale and to me it looked as big as a house. It was set up so people could walk inside of it.

Here we also saw our first tide. We went to the docks in the morning and saw a good size fish boat in the mud. We wondered how in the world they would get it in the water. To our surprise the tide came in and floated it and before long it was rocking in the waves.

Bremer Haven is a few miles from Prague to the north, and our boat was anchored halfway between Prague and Bremer Haven. We had to reach it by yawl boats. The day we received orders to board the ship we turned into acrobats, men and women and children. We had to crawl up ladders fastened on the outside of the boat from the yawls. There were 120 of us.

The Herzogin was a two-master about the size of Columbus' Pinta. We all made it to the big boat except one man who fell in the water while climbing the ladder. He was fished out and aside from being wet and roasted by the others he was all right.

The Herzogin was not an up-to-date passenger boat. It cared for very few cabin passengers and the rest of us were put down in the hull. The bunks were in tiers of three, each above the other and the middle of the boat served as kitchen, sitting room and parlor.

The young captain gave orders to lift the anchor and, with a favorable wind, we put out to sea. In two and one half days the land disappeared and we were told we were on the high seas and Europe had gone, for many of us forever. It was the cradle of our childhood.

The first Friday aboard we were treated by our German cook to salted herring. We knew nothing of herring. We did not know that the confounded fish wanted to swim after being eaten. They wanted fresh water and our supply was limited. Some tried ocean water and some tried rum, the fish were so salty, but could not quench their thirst. There were no more salted herring for us after this.

By this time we were well out on the ocean. The boat began to rock more and many of us felt queer about the stomach.

The further we got from Europe the worse it was and all of us fed the fish. Many kept this up for three days but gradually we became used to our situation.

A great storm came up and the sailors covered up the hatchways. This lasted for six hours and then we were allowed some fresh air again.

To pass away the time there was considerable praying and lots of music and dancing. During the big storm we offered prayers to the Virgin Mary to represent us at the throne of God and quiet the storm. Most of those on board were Roman Catholics.

Some would say there is always a calm after a storm and others that our prayers were answered. You may take your choice. But it grew so still our sails weren't even filled.

We had exceptionally warm weather until three days out of New York. Then it was cold. One day we went through a vast amount of sea grass which looked like thousands of acres of prairies. It took us several hours to get through this great sight and into clear water.

As I mentioned before, our principal occupation was dancing and music and I was too young for either so I had to keep out and look on. The time passed fast enough. One day three flying fish landed on our deck and the second mate picked them up. The mate put one on a hook and threw it overboard. He walked aft with the line and before he reached the stern he had a porpoise. It was estimated that it weighed a hundred pounds and we had a feast from it. Thousands and thousands of porpoise followed the boat.

Three days out of New York it was so cold we did not venture on deck but stayed below. It took us three days after we sighted America before we landed. We had been on the ocean 52 days when we landed in New York.

About this time there was an agent named Sekwence boarded our ship. He had the names of everybody in the party and knew how much money each had. We wondered how he got his information but we found out later that the news had gone ahead of us by steamer.

Our boat had on board several well-to-do families, including the Podholas and Moravecs.

After giving us a hearty reception, Mr. Sekwence offered to take us to a certain hotel which was good, cheap and honest and all on board accepted. We went to the hotel and everything went well until we went to pay our bill and then the rumpus began. The hotelkeeper locked the doors so nobody could get out and then demanded twice as much as was agreed upon at first. As a result there was a general fight. Nobody was killed but there was some bloodshed.

Upon the advice of John Wilhelm, who had been in New York for three years, we saw the police who arrested the landlord. He was fined and had to pay back what he had overcharged and put up a bond for $3,000.00 that he would never overcharge emigrants again. Thus we were welcomed to this great Promised Land of America.

After this, our party scattered. Some stayed in New York and some went to Chicago. My parents decided to go to Chicago so we went as third rate passengers and in one week arrived in Chicago on Christmas Day with no money, no friends.

My father had borrowed twelve dollars from Podhola and thirteen from Moravec. Shortly after we arrived in Chicago they left for Wisconsin and it was agreed that, after they found some farmland, my father would work for them until the debt was paid. So they took our two feather beds with them as security, leaving us without bedding.

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Across the street from us was a house in which all seven people who lived there died of Cholera. Chicago was very unsanitary at that time and where there are nice homes there were mud puddles covered with green scum.

About this time our folks took the notion that they wanted to live on some land. So several Bohemian families clubbed together and each gave five dollars and selected a committee to investigate the best place for people with small means to find a farm. We had small means but we had brave hearts, strong hands and will power.

The committee consisted of Frank Kratochvil, Joseph Shalda and Gotleib Greilick. They came north to Michigan and Joseph Shalda selected Good Harbor or North Unity, as it is sometimes called, in Leelanau County. Lots of Bohemians have settled there since, Masopust, Musil, Nemeskal, Pospisil, Viskochil, Svoboda and others.

There were thousands of acres of land to select from, all timbered with maple, beech, hemlock and basswood. This timber was in the way. The head of each family could preempt 160 acres. A good many took up these claims and went to work, men, women and children, to make their homes in this wilderness.

In order to prove up on their claims they had to do a certain amount of improvements each year and the rest of the time they had to work out to earn the bare necessities of life. It took them years to clear enough land to make a living, but most of them stuck to it and made a success. This land in 1856 could be bought for 50 cents an acre so some took advantage of this and bought 40 or 80 acres.

My parents selected a spot they thought was a very nice location on the plat. They paid taxes on it for several years and finally father went to see it one day and found most of it was in the bay. He was not much of a fisherman so he dropped it.

I knew the original settlers personally but from year to year many more came. After years of hard work they are all doing well. The land is suitable for almost anything, rye, wheat, corn, potatoes, peas, beans and all kinds of vegetables.

Frank Kratochvil and Gotleib Greilick left the North Unity and traveled south toward Traverse City. They were attracted by the beauty of the west shore of West Grand Traverse Bay. It was all beautiful but when they reached what is now Greilickville, Mr. Greilick's heart stopped beating, he was so much taken up with the view. He decided to stop right there and build himself a sawmill, which he did as quickly as he could.

He was a skilled mechanic and could make almost anything out of wood or iron. So here he built a steam sawmill and it was operated for many years and he cut millions of feet of lumber and shipped it to Chicago and Milwaukee. He had his own schooner, the E.C.L.

When Mr. Greilick's four strapping sons grew up they ran the mill while the father built other mills for people. At one of these he was driving piling and he was struck on the head by the falling hammer of the pile driver and killed instantly and Grand Traverse lost one of the best men it ever had. His sons continued to operate the mill as long as there was any timber left in the community.

So, of the three committeemen selected in Chicago, two of them have made their selections, John Shalda at North Unity and Gotleib Greilick on the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay.

This left only Frank Kratochvil of the original three sent out by the Bohemian colony in Chicago to select land upon which our emigrant families could settle and make their homes.

Mr. Frank Kratochvil selected Traverse City at the head of Grand Traverse West Bay because here was a sawmill, operated by Hannah & Lay, in which our emigrant families could settle and make their homes.

Bartak and Wilhelm settled on the south end of Boardman Lake. It was poor land but the men could walk to work in Traverse City and they lived there several years. The Hannah & Lay boarding house was located on the corner of Bay and Union Streets and it accommodated from 75 to 100 men. Tom Cutler had a hotel at the corner of Union and Front Streets.

Outside of Hannah & Lay's three teams there was one ox team in Traverse City, owned by Henry Rutherford. There was no wagon in the city so he did his hauling summer and winter on a sled.

At first the settlers took land near Traverse City because they did not know that the better land was further out but later they corrected this and moved to the good land further from the city.

On November 16, 1856, our family arrived in Traverse City on a boat named the Telegraph. It was a sailboat and it took us six days from Chicago to Traverse City. We stopped at the Beaver Islands from which the Mormons had been driven two years earlier. We finally docked at the west end of Traverse City in what was called Slab City because the houses were all made of slabs.

My father bought 40 acres of land about three miles south of Traverse City, all timber land, for $100.00. It was covered with maple, beech, elm, and basswood, the most beautiful timber which ever grew outdoors. There was also curly birch and birds-eye maple. But we had to chop them down and burn them in piles to clear one or two acres a year so we could plant crops for our living.

Everything grew fine. There were no potato pugs to bother us and the potatoes we grew were Peach Blows and Blue Mashanic. We had a lot of sugar maples and all it was necessary to do, we thought, was to go to a tree, knock a chunk off and you had sugar. But it turned out differently.

A sugar maple is the hardest tree in Michigan and to get syrup and sugar from it is hard work.

We had the land but no house on it because of coming so late in the year, so we lived with Frank Lada, our neighbor, for several weeks until our own mansion was finished. This was built out of round logs, 20 feet long, 14 feet wide and ten feet high. The space between the logs was chinked with plaster and clay. The roof was covered with split shingles and the gable ends with lumber we carried from Traverse City board by board as there was no other way to get it there.

Story continued here: http://grandtraverseregion.com/grandtraverse/fam-kyselka.htm
Source: Typed manuscript found at the Traverse City Public Library, 6th St. Traverse City, Michigan. Vertical Files (Now on Traverse Area District Library, Woodmere Ave)

The Core Families - Kratochvil & Secor / Keffer - Puterbaugh

While the blog thought was Erma's maternal family, Kratochvil, it has not so subtly changed to having my children's father's family here. Erma's immigrant ancestrs have been in the Grand Traverse County Michigan area since 1855 when the there was a decision to settle here. Her maternal family, Secor, came from the Province of Quebec with the name of Sicard. The trick was realizing the name change to Secor when settling in Grand Traverse county whether by spelling the name as others had done or doing it themselves we will never know. But Secor it became and remained.

Thankfully the flag represents Ontario and USA (as well as Bohemia) so the Beck-Keffer-Putterbaugh families fit in there. With the introduction of Ontario birth, marriage and death records on ancestry this has made life a joy. They have the 1871 and 1891 Ontario census while Library and Archives Canada web has the 1881. What more can a genie ask for? Well, we won't go there but!!
It certainly is a wealth of information at ones' fingertips. GenieBk