Making Family Tree Gifts

At http://www.marthastewart.com/

several wonderful  ideas are given for creating truly lovely family trees perfect for oneself or for gifts.

Giving Tree Family Tree

Flower Family Tree

Birds of a Feather Family Tree

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Happy Thanksgiving from Tangled Trees

The First Thanksgiving

  
For your reading pleasure and to start your Thanksgving holiday in a proper state of mind:

The events of the First Thanksgiving in 1621 at Plymouth as recorded in the two known sources:

Mourt's Relation (Edward Winslow):

"our harvest being gotten in, our governour sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a speciall manner rejoyce together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labours ; they foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three dayes we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine and others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie."

Of Plimoth Plantation (William Bradford):
"They begane now to gather in ye small harvest they had, and to fitte up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health & strenght, and had all things in good plenty; fFor as some were thus imployed in affairs abroad, others were excersised in fishing, aboute codd, & bass, & other fish, of which yey tooke good store, of which every family had their portion. All ye somer ther was no want. And now begane to come in store of foule, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they tooke many, besids venison, &c. Besids, they had about a peck a meale a weeke to a person, or now since harvest, Indean corn to yt proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largly of their plenty hear to their freinds in England, which were not fained, but true reports."

For more interesting information regarding the history of the First Thanksgiving including a list of  the surviving Mayflower Pilgrims present at the first Thanksgiving please see:  http://www.pilgrimhall.org/1stthnks.htm

“The First Thanksgiving Dinner with Portraits of the Pilgrim Fathers” by W. L. Taylor

(http://www.alden.org/pilgrim_lore/thanksgiving.html)

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Mastering the Thanksgiving Day Turkey

  
Be a Champion Chef with the help of Reynolds Wrap!

(click image to enlarge)

Yes - aluminum foil is a must in our kitchen.  And my mother-in-law always, without a doubt, makes the most delicous holiday turkey.

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Remembering the Mayflower

 

The Mayflower left England in September of 1620 with 102 passengers and a crew of 25–30. After a long and ardous journey lasting 66 days they finally arrived in the New World in November of that year. During this journey one child died, one baby was born en route, and a second child was born during the winter of 1620-1621, while wintering aboard ship in Provincetown Harbor.  Many of the passengers were Pilgrims fleeing religious persecution, others were hired hands, servants, or farmers recruited by London merchants.

List of passengers on the Mayflower

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Black Sheep Sunday: Busch's Sadness

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer
1888-02-21

(www.genealogybank.com)

Peter Busch (b: 08 Aug 1869) was the son of our ancestors, John & Catherine Busch, and was, at age 18, still residing with his parents at the time of this article.  The citing of Peter's address in this news item confirmed we had the correct Busch.

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Rauners of Segenthau

We are descendant of Maria (Rauner) Stosz, born 12 Oct 1884, in Segenthau, Austria-Hungary (now Romania), daughter of Georg and  Theresa (Ballner) Rauner who are pictured below. This is followed by his known Rauner ancestry gleaned from the Segenthau Catholic Church records.

 (click image to enlarge)
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Family Recipe Friday: Classic Campbell's

  

Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same
without our favorite Campbell's dish:

Classic Green Bean Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's®  Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Dash ground black pepper
2 cans (about 16 ounces) cut green beans, drained 
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

1. Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

2. Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

3. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

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Index to New Hampshire State Papers

A consolidation of all indexes in the forty volumes of The Provincial and State Papers of New Hampshire that were published between 1867 and 1943 has been compiled and can be found here:
 
Index to New Hampshire State Papers
 
After finding the information in the index that might be helpful, visit
State and Provincial Papers of New Hampshire
to get the details.
 
Happy Hunting!
T.

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Banish That Fat (if you dare...)

***

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Uh...no thanks.  I think I'll pass on this one.

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Holiday Mail for Heroes Program

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have teamed up for the fourth annual Holiday Mail for Heroes program. From now until December 10th you are invited to send holiday cards to American service members, their families, and veterans all over the world. Anyone can send a card and you can send as many as you would like! All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 10th.

Please send all cards to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD
20791-5456

The Family of James P. & Arra A. Casteel

 

This treasured c.1894 photo shows:

James Polk Casteel ( b.09 Aug 1854)

  Arra Amanda (Bacon) Casteel (b.Feb 1860)

& Children:

 Gertrude May  b: 11 Dec 1879
 Burton Lafayette b: 07 Jan 1882
Grace Susan  b: Jan 1884
Orien Grover  b: 12 Mar 1888
Charles Arvole  b: 25 May 1891
 Creed Clayton  b: 06 Mar 1893

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The Two Tombstones of Jeremiah Bacon

Two cemetery markers of

Jeremiah Bacon

located in  Miller Cemetery in Barr Township, Macoupin County, Illinois.

(Click on the above marker to read inscription)

His wife, Susan (King) Bacon is included on the more recent gravestone.

Recommendation: 7 years transportation

A segment from:  
Prisoners convicted on the Lent Home Circuit in 1793, reprieved on 'favourable Circumstances' and recommended for mercy on the conditions set against their names:
Kent Assizes at Maidstone, 11 March:

"John Wellard, for stealing goods and money, value £4:11:2, property of Benjamin Briggs, goods, value 23/-, property of William Dean, and goods, value 6/3 property of James Dean, from the dwelling house of William Dean senior.  Recommendation: 7 years transportation."

In this case, found on TNA, our ancestors were listed as the victims.
Source: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Transportation was where convicted criminals were sent to the colonies to serve their sentence and was part of the penal system in early eighteenth century England. Prisoners were assigned to convict ships going to the American colonies and later to Australia, and persons who received a transportation sentence were not normally allowed to return to England. It is thought that many of the convicts did very well after being transported, serving only a short time confined or labouring before being released on licence.

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Honoring the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.)

Commemorating the November 1865 event of the same name, the Pennsylvania Grand Review is set to honor the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) from 25 states who were not permitted to participate in the Grand Review of the Armies, a military procession and celebration held May 23-24, 1865 in Washington, D.C., following the end of the Civil War.

(source: HouseDivided.Dickenson.edu)

For more information about this event and additional links click here.

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Wednesday's Child: Eva Bell Casteel - Age 2

Eva Bell Casteel

daughter of James P. & Arra A. Casteel

Born: 22 May 1877

Death: 02 May 1880 in Macoupin Co., Illinois

Age:: 2yrs, 11mos, 11days

(photo source)

Burial: 03 May 1880 Hickory Grove/Joiner Cemetery, Bird Township, Macoupin Co., Illinois 

From the  U.S. Federal Mortality Census Schedules, 1850-1880
(viewed on ancestry.com):

(click image to enlarge)

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Battle of Horseshoe Bend - War of 1812

Abednego Casteel (son of Abednego & Sarah; married Agnes Hensley) was a Private in the 2nd Reg't Mounted Gunmen - Brown's East Tennessee Volunteers Jan 1814 - May 1814 The Battle of Horseshoe Bend Col. J Brown commanded two separate regiments at different times during the war. The East Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunman was the second regiment that he commanded. With just over 200 volunteers in the unit, they were used primarily as guards for the supply wagons traveling through Creek territory. As part of Doherty's brigade, they were put under the command of Gen John Coffee at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (27 March 1814) where they participated in the fighting. Their line of march took them from East TN through Lookout Mountain, Fort Strother, Fort Williams and Fort Jackson. In Mar 1814 - The East Tennessee Mounted Gunmen answered the call of General Andrew Jackson for a full-scale campaign against the Creek Indians. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought during the War of 1812 in central Alabama. On March 27th, 1814, United States forces and Indian allies under General Andrew Jackson defeated the Red Sticks, a part of the Creek Indian tribe inspired by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, effectively ending the Creek War. Although having nothing to do with the British or Canadians, the battle is considered part of the War of 1812. More specifically, it was the major battle of the Creek War, in which Andrew Jackson sought to "clear" Alabama for American settlement. After leaving Fort Williams in the spring of 1814, Jackson's army cut its way through the forest to within 6 miles (10 km) of Chief Menawa's Red Stick camp near a bend in the Tallapoosa River, called "Horseshoe Bend," in central Alabama, 12 miles east of what is now Alexander City. Jackson sent General John Coffee with the mounted infantry and the Indian allies south across the river to surround the Red Sticks camp, while Jackson stayed with the rest of the 2,000 infantry north of the camp. On the morning of March 27th, Coffee's Cherokees and cavalry began crossing the river and fought the Red Sticks on their rear.

Sources:
War of 1812 Service Record; Roll Box 36, Roll Exct: 602
TNGenNet - Tennesseans in the war of 1812
http://www.tngenweb.org/1812war/muster.htm

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