Vital Signs - Image Search Results

The image to the right is a copy of the death cert for one of our ancestors:

Stephen Welcheck b. 14 Sept 1865 Bohemia d. 8 Feb 1941 Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio

I located this image on the FamilySearch Record Search pilot site (see link below). Included on the webpage along with an image of the original document is a full transcription. I like to read how documents are transcribed by different individuals - especially the hard to read ones.

Although I already have a copy of this particular death certificate, I was interested in this transcription because I found it very hard to read his mother's maiden name. I had interpreted it as Katrina Plumpky. Here the transcriber read it as Katrina Plumphy. Both of these versions do not google well as surnames and, staring at the cryptic handwriting, another thought lead me to thinking her name might actually be Plumsky. This googles as a viable surname so I will note it in my records and try researching along those lines.

Give the link below a try and see what family records you can uncover - Enjoy!

http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#start

Wordless Wednesday - Airline Momento

Tombstone Tuesday - Andrew & Anna Bauman

Andrew Bauman b.29 Jan 1901 B. Oszlop, Veszprem, Hungary;
Son of Ferenc Bauman & Zsuzsanna Grosz

m. 16 Oct 1937 in Manhattan, NYC, NY

Anna Stosz b. 16 Nov. 1910 Segenthau, Temes, Romania;
Daughter of Anton Stosz & Maria Rauner

Buried in St. Peters Cemetery in New Brunswick, Middlesex, NJ

Ohio Casteel Clan - 1943

Back row: Marilyn & Larry Casteel, Dorothy Bartos Casteel, James Casteel and father Creed Casteel
Front row: Mrs. Jannsen (Marilyn's mother) with Billy Bartos (Dorothy's son), Rose Welcheck Casteel, mother & wife of Creed, Lavern Casteel and peeking in from the side is Mr. Jannsen.

The picture was taken in front of the Jannsen's home on the square in Burton, OH, 23 May 1943. Larry is in his uniform and young Billy, his nephew, dons his hat.

World Malaria Day

Malaria kills around 1 million people every year, mostly children and mostly in Africa.

Many campaigns have been created in recent years to purchase and distribute Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), which can be very effective against malaria if used properly and in conjunction with other malaria control interventions. You can learn more, donate and spread the word about some of these campaigns by visiting their sites below.
Madness Against Malaria
World Swim Against Malaria
Nothing But Nets
Malaria No More
Sweat for Nets

Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada

Gare, Hôtel Grand Union, bureau de poste et Edifice Tourigny en 1892

Today I thought I'd try Randy Seaver's Easter Egg Hunt idea ... http://www.geneamusings.com/2009/04/my-genealogy-easter-egg-hunt.html

The town I chose was Victoriaville, Canada; the birthplace of Marie Anne Turgeon shown in http://tangledtrees.blogspot.com/2009/04/nearly-wordless-wednesday-lovely-couple.html

I have not looked into this place at all so this would be new...

Okay - what I quickly learned is that Victoriaville is located in Quebec & I had better brush up on my French because the local genealogy society website for that area is in French: Société d'histoire et de généalogiede Victoriaville. It will take a little slow & persistant work to eke out some family information from there but for now I am enjoying the 'album photos' on their website. Here are just a few:

Les débuts de l'éducation à Ste-Victoire.


Moulin à scie et usine électrique d’Achille Gagnon 1897.

L’Union des Cantons de l’Est au début du siècledernier.

Procession de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste de 1897. Au piedde l’hôtel Prince of Wales.

Mapping History

Announcement from HSP:

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania's PhilaPlace will hold two teacher workshops in May. PhilaPlace is a multiethnic Web-based resource that connects stories to places across time in specific Philadelphia neighborhoods. The Web site will launch in September 2009 and will include photographs, audio and video clips, historical maps and documents, podcast tours, and stories from ordinary people.
Workshops are free, but teachers must register at events@hsp.org.

Mapping Our History - Wednesday, May 20 from 4:30-6:30 P.M.
Mapping projects allow students to connect with local history as they gather, analyze, and interpret information about their neighborhood. This workshop will suggest approaches for developing local history mapping lessons and discuss ways to incorporate immigration and oral history into such projects.

Wordless Wednesday - Casteel Coat of Arms

Tombstone Tuesday - Casteel / Welcheck

Buried in Newbury Center Cemetery in Newbury, Ohio.

Creed Clayton Casteel
b. 6 March 1893 in Hettick, Macoupin Co. Illinois; son of James P. Casteel and Arra Amanda Bacon; d.18 July 1959 in Texas

Married 04 Nov 1918

Rose Treasa Welcheck
b. 18 July 1897 in Barberton, Summit Co., Ohio; daughter of Stephen Welcheck and Margaret Busch; d. 23 Jan 1994

Seabee Buzz

Steven Hack - U.S. Navy Seabee WWII

Born Istvan Hack on 21 August 1907 in Porva, Hungary.
Was a shoemaker in Budepest then worked as a lumberjack in Canada before immigrating to the U.S.
Married Theresa Stosz in Feb. 1938.
Steven Hack died on 7 January 2007 and is buried in Whiting Memorial Park in Whiting, Manchester Township, NJ.

Seabees - Naval Construction Battalions
Construimus, Batuimus - "We Build, We Fight."

The first Seabees voluntarily enlisted. Emphasis in recruiting was based on experience and skill. The age range for enlistment was 18-50, but after the formation of the initial battalions, it was discovered that several men past 60 had managed to enlist. Because of the emphasis on experience and skill rather than physical standards, the average age of Seabees during the early days of the war was 37. Voluntary enlistments were halted in December 1942; as a result the average age of Seabees was much younger and they entered the service with only basic skills.

During the Second World War, the Seabees performed numerous tasks in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of Operation including building major airstrips, bridges, roads, gasoline storage tanks, and Quonset huts for warehouses, hospitals, and housing.

Need More Time Please - Saturday Night Genealogy Fun on Sunday

Haiku is an interesting form of poetry I became familiar with while helping my son with his homework. Here is my poem for Randy Seaver's SNGF challenge... btw- today is Sunday

Early morning thoughts
Sunlight bends into starlight
So much more to do

....

In Current NASA News....

Reported on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report", astronaut Sunita Williams announced that NASA would not name a node after Stephen Colbert, but will instead name a treadmill used for exercising in space after Colbert.
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) often names things using acronyms.

The result: Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT)

Sophisticated treadmills are an important part of living in space for extended periods of time. These help the astronauts stay fit and keep their muscles and bones from losing strength. According to NASA Spokesman, Mike Curie, the COLBERT treadmill is a new version that will be operational in August.

Official patch for "COLBERT," the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. (Credit: NASA)

Day in History - Good News for Apollo 13

17 April 1970 - Following an explosion in space, the Apollo 13 spacecraft returns safely to Earth.








The crew: James A. Lovell Jr., John L. Swigert Jr. and Fred W. Haise Jr.

I so remember this - the entire nation praying for them. The whole ordeal still amazes me.

Vital Signs - Proof of Marriage

This form was in a packet of papers that my G-Aunt kept with her old family photos. She immigrated to the states from Romania with her mother, Maria (Rauner) Stosz, in Jan 1930. Amoung those immigration papers is this document of marriage between my Great-Grandparents,

Maria Rauner and Anton Stosz. I am so blessed that my G-Aunt Theresa kept all her papers.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday - A Lovely Couple

Marie Anne Turgeon & Horace Lefebvre

20 April 1914

Joseph Vital Horace Lefebvre - b. 10 Nov. 1872 in Manchester, New Hampshire, son of Joseph Lefebvre and Julia Louise Lambert; married Marie Anne Turgeon - b. 1887 in Victoriaville, Canada, daughter of Francois Xavier Turgeon and Celina Meunier.

Tombstone Tuesday - Full Disclosure - 2

Again we see the maiden name nicely included on this monument for Jeremiah Bacon (1824 TN-1868 IL) and his wife, Susan (King) Bacon (1825 TN-1904 IL), located in Miller Cemetery, Macoupin Co., IL.

Simple Pleasures

Happy Easter

The Rewards of Utilizing Message Boards

In trying to find more information on a picture of my grandfather, I posted a query on the Rootsweb/Ancestry Hungary message board and included a link to my April 9th blog post . Within 24hrs I received this detailed reply to my query in regards to translating the written portion on the backside.

The handwriting is an address, assuming in Budapest:
Bajnok utca = Champion street
30 I m = House number 30, First floor
Bognár Lászlo = name, in Hungarian last name goes first amerika

You can find Bajnok Street on this Map of Budapest at the left side between L and M sections where TEREZVAROS is written = Teresia Town (Budapest Zone VI/6):

http://www.fsz.bme.hu/hungary/budapest/tkp/b23_200.jpg

The printed text is the photographers name and address:
"OPAL" FENYKEPESZETI MUTEREM = Opal Fotography Studio
BUDAPEST VII = Zone 7, KEREPESI UT = Road
You can find KEREPESI UT, the main Road at the lower middle of the same map.

Another mystery solved.

It's coming.....

The 2010 census - can you believe it - 2010! Not that long ago it would have seemed so far in the future, but now it is coming upon us.
April 1, 2010 is Census Day.

Taken from the U.S. Census Bureau website - Did you know: In 1790, the first census was taken by U.S. marshals on horseback and counted 3.9 million people.

The last census taken in the year 2000 counted more than 281 million people.

The census, taken every 10 yrs, is mandated by the U.S. Constitution.

Purpose (other than genealogy) : Census data are used to distribute Congressional seats to states, to make decisions about what community services to provide, and to distribute $300 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year.
And what we all want to know the most: The April 1st, 1940 census will be released on Sun, April 1st, 2012.

Need Assistance re: Hungarian Army

This photo was taken in Budapest of my Grandfather, Andrew Bauman, before he immigrated to Canada in 1926. He was born in Veszprem, Hungary, Jan 1901. I have included a copy of the back side of this picture postcard - perhaps someone can translate. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who can provide some historical insight to this photograph.

Wordless Wednesday - An Easter Moment

Above is my grandfather, Alexander Kolbush, with his 3 sons, Ralph, George, and Richie.
This picture was taken in their front yard in Jamesburg, NJ, on Easter Sunday.

Anton & Maria Stosz

(Click photo to enlarge)

Great-Grandparents: Anton Stosz b. 25 Oct 1886 in Segethau, Austria-Hungary (now Sagul, Romania), son of Michael Stoss & Anna Wild, married Maria Rauner, daughter of George Rauner and Theresa Ballner, on 25 Jan 1910, and had two daughters, Anna and Theresa.

Maria and Anton Stosz are buried in St. Peter's Cemetery, New Brunswick, Middlesex, NJ

Monument Monday - John Catlin

John Catlin was born 1643 in Connecticut, son of John Catlin and Isabelle Ward. He married Mary Baldwin in Sept. 1662, and they had several children including our ancestor, Mary Catlin. John died in the Deerfield Massachusetts Massacre on 24 Feb 1704.


This monument, erected in his honor in 1911, is located on the corner of Broad and Commerce Streets in Newark, NJ., and reads:

On this Site
John Catlin
Newark's first schoolmaster
opened his School in 1676, holding
it in his home as was the custom
in those days. By vote of the
town's men he was engaged to
"Do his faithful honest and true endeavour
to teach the children or servants of those
as have subscribed...English and also
arethmetick...as much as they are capable
to learn and he capable to teach them."

He was a man of mark in the
community, serving as town's attorney
and later as town's man.
In 1683 he became one of the early
permanent settlers of Deerfield, Mass.
where his services gained for him
the honorable title of "Mr."
He was killed Feb. 29, 1704, in the
defence of his home against an
attack of French and Indians.

He was a guide of youth
and a leader of men

Erected by the Newark Schoolmen's Club
Newark Day, Nov. 6, 1911

My Little Nook of the House - Sat. Night Fun - Genealogy Space

***Genea-Musings Saturday Night Genealogy Fun Challenge - Show us your Genealogy Space***

Okay - I can do that.

This is where you'll find me when I am in the Genealogy Zone. I have found it useful to use two computers simultaneously (the desktop and the laptop to my right) so I can browse the internet on one and key in information on the other without switching back and forth between screen views. I then back up on a jump drive and on both computers to have three current copies of my data in case I have an 'oops' or other traumatic event on one computer.

What you do not see is the bookshelf and cabinet full of notebooks and papers of genealogy quests gathered from pre-internet times to present. I have made good progress in organizing much of my loose papers this past year by creating a drawer of hanging file folders all labeled with a surname or region of study. Over time I go through the papers one by one. If the data has been entered into my genealogy program (I use The Master Genealogist) then I put a green highlighter check on it and file it away. I have the usual 'to do' pile and a 'need follow-up on' pile, and a 'someday I'll get to this' pile; plus a cabinet full of stuff not yet assigned to a pile. This is definitely a long term project - but then again so is genealogy!

Remembering Those That Gave It All

Martin Joseph Wetzel

Pilot, U.S. Army Air Forces
Royal Air Force Ferry Command
Entered the Service from: New Jersey

Died: 14-Aug-41

Buried at: Plot G Row 3 Grave 156
Cambridge American Cemetery
Cambridge, England

Martin wanted to join the fight in WWII before the United States was officially involved and gave his life before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We recognize his sacrifice and call to serve.

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial is one of 14 American WWII military cemeteries erected on foreign soil. It began as a temporary cemetery in 1943 on land donated to the United States by Cambridge University. Buried there are over 3800 American servicemen and women who died during WWII. Included in the memorials in this cemetery is the jazz band leader, Glenn Miller, who died Dec 15, 1944, on his way to Paris to set up a Christmas program. The cemetery is maintained by the American Battlements Monuments Commission.

This Day in History - Edward is Crowned

On this day, April 3rd, 1043, Edward, the youngest son of King Ethelred the Unready and his second wife, Emma of Normandy, is crowned at Winchester Cathedral. Known as Edward the Confessor, he was born c.1003 in Islip, Oxfordshire, and was the last King of the house of Wessex to rule England. The founder of Westminster Abbey, the place of coronation and burials of the Kings and Queens of England, it was finished and consecrated just before his death at the age of 62 in 1066.
He was canonized in 1161 by Pope Alexander the Third and in 1163, the newly sainted king's remains were enshrined in Westminster Abbey with solemnities presided over by Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Today he remains the patron saint of the royal family.

From Just a Name to a Whole Family

When I first began researching our family history my first brick wall was my own grandfather. Both my mother and her brother knew nothing about him other than he came from Hungary and had a least one brother. They did not know their grandparents names or the names of his siblings. Andrew Bauman came to the United States in 1929 through Canada, started his family here, and never talked of his past to his children. My first bit of success came when I received a copy of his marriage application from New York City. On it he revealed his parents. This was the first time my mother heard the names of her paternal grandparents:
Frank Bauman and Susanna Grosz.
The second bit of luck came when I located a copy of his Passport application. Here he discloses the town of his birth.

B. Oszlop, Hungary, also known as Bakonyoszlop in the county of Veszprem, Hungary.
Bakonyoszlop is a village located in the Bakony Mountains in Hungary.

Being fairly new to genealogy I can tell you I was quite excited.
It was at this time that I made my first visit to a local Family History Center. There I found a volunteer who was familiar with Hungary and the records available. It was also there that I learned the ways of the microfilm reader, practiced patience, developed a sore shoulder, and learned to decipher what I thought was unreadable handwriting. It all paid off. The LDS had microfilmed the church records for Bakonyoszlop, and a I was able to put together Andrew Bauman's whole family and then some. This was my first big project in researching my family history and the feeling I got when accomplishing this was indescribable. I've have had many other aha moments since then, but the first is always the most memorable ;-)

Wordless Wednesday - Visiting Family

I was asked to give a bit of background on this photo... so here it is: The woman in the photo is Theresa Stosz Hack ( http://tangledtrees.blogspot.com/2009/03/theresa-stosz-of-segenthau-romania.html) With her is her husband, Steve Hack, and his two nephews whom they always referred to as "the twins". I do not know their names. They were always 'the twins'. The picture was taken at a German airport on one of their visits.

In the past people dressed up when travelling by plane or train. Women wore dresses & heels; nothing like the pajamas I saw on one woman that last time I traveled by air. Eeke! I'm all for comfort but that's just wrong!