In Plain Sight!

This post is the fourth in a series about my research in solving the two-part history mystery of . . . Who IS Eva; Eva Ramer? Or, Eva PFAFF?  And, who is George PFAFF? You can read the previous posts in the series by clicking any one of the following links: Grandma Isn't Playing Nice; The Grandparents Are Out of Control!; and Grandma, A Little Cooperation . . . PLEASE!!

Well, we “know” from my last post, Grandma, A Little Cooperation . . . PLEASE!, that Eva, is Eva PFAFF.  And, that conclusion was based on A LOT of research and the piecing together of original and derivative sources; records that recorded primary and secondary information based on direct or indirect knowledge.

I noted in my last post, that as I was writing it, I was again re-reviewing my information, documents and sources.  And, that I had made some “discoveries” that I hadn’t noticed in the . . . oh, I don’t know . . . the first 100 times I had read, reviewed, and transcribed; read, reviewed; and then, read and reviewed the documents and sources, yet again!!  Let me just say here, there is no such thing, as going through and over something too many times.  You WILL, always . . .  ALWAYS . . . find something that you’ve missed; misread; didn’t give importance to; gave too much importance to; misinterpreted; failed to appreciate the significance of, etc., etc.

Let me say it again . . .

there is no such thing, as going through and over something too many times.  You WILL, always . . . ALWAYS . . . find something that you’ve missed; misread; didn’t give importance to; gave too much importance to; misinterpreted; failed to appreciate the significance of, etc., etc.

This simply cannot be stressed enough!!!

So . . . as I was writing my last post, I was again reviewing my research, and even though I had browsed page-by-page each of the census records for each of the counties; Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, and Lehigh.  Going through each city / town / borough looking for ALL PFAFF families and noting any young males in those households that fit the approximate age of George – the gentleman named as the “father” of Eva on several documents, I decided yet again, that I would search the census records one more time.  What the heck, probably fruitless, right?!!  After all, I had thrown everything, “but the kitchen sink” into each of my previous searches!!  And, I had gone through all those census records, in all of those counties, in each and every town, borough and city, page-by-page and hadn’t found him!  But, hey, what the heck, I’ll throw in the “kitchen sink” this time!!! 

In the blog post dated, 19 September 2015, The Grandparents are Out of Control!, the marriage announcement, “SQUIRE SNYDER TIES A HYMENEAL KNOT,” which ran in the Allentown Democrat, Wednesday, 8 June 1892, announced the wedding of Eva’s mother, Louisa MILHEIM and a gentleman by the name of Oscar Ramer.  This wedding announcement is NOT announcing the marriage of Eva’s parents.  While Louisa is Eva’s biological mother; Oscar is most certainly not the biological father. We know this because, the wedding between Louisa and Oscar took place a full three years and four months after Eva’s birth.  Eva’s birth certificate records her parents as Louisa MILHEIM and George PFAFF.  The 1900 US Federal Census records Eva PFAFF, age 11, living in her grandparents’ - Charles and Mary MILLHIME - home, located in Hokendauqua Village, Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Eva’s marriage license records her maiden name as Eva PFAFF.  The Allentown Democrat announced, 20 May 1911, the marriage between Eva PFAFF and George E. W.STARR. And, Eva’s death certificate records her father’s name as George PFAFF; Eva’s daughter, Catherine, provided that information.

While I was confident in my conclusion that Eva was NOT Oscar Ramer’s daughter and that our mystery guy, George PFAFF, indeed was Eva’s father, I still didn’t have enough “proof.”  I wasn’t exhausted!  Nor, had I looked I at, or through, every record set or data collection.  I hadn’t gone through every archive; repository; church; cemetery; funeral home or library.  There was still a lot more, A LOT more that I needed to do.  I needed to aspire to that Genealogy Proof Standard (GPS) of a “reasonably exhaustive search.”  Did I think I’d find anything that would alter my conclusion?  No, not really.  However, I needed to be open-minded enough to be open to that possibility – the possibility that I could find something that definitively proved me wrong and take me in a different direction.  I was okay with that.  After all, my goal was, has been, and is, to research my family; my ancestors, and to document their life and lives.  I don’t want to chase after a person or family that isn’t mine. 

So, my next step was to hire a professional genealogist to do “on site” research in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.  While I would have loved to travel home to my home state and the stomping grounds of my youth, my schedule and some other things – life! – simply didn’t permit it.  So, contracting with a professional genealogist in the ancestral geographical area of interest, and requesting additional documents and local archive searches, was the best alternative.  And, I was able to learn and discover some interesting things that both furthered my research and ultimately, supported my conclusions. 

My specific research focus for the professional genealogist was to visit the Lehigh County courthouse and locate the courthouse file and docket reference the fornication and bastardy case for Oscar Ramer; Session: January 1892, page 592, No. 26.  My contract was for five hours of research, plus expenses.  However, he agreed, that if time permitted – that is, the focus of his (my) research was achieved – he’d search the courthouse records for a marriage license for George PFAFF and Louisa MILHIEM.  I believed, IF a marriage took place, it would have been between 1888 and 1889.

The following information was included in the genealogist’s research notes.

“Lehigh County Court of Quarter Sessions Docket Book “J” provided index and file No. 26.  This entry from January Session, 1892, dated 5 January, stated that Oscar Ramer had posted a $500.00 bond to guarantee his appearance at the next criminal court session which would have been in April 1892.  At that time he would have to answer the charges brought against him by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

The genealogist noted that there are two sources of records for these Quarter Court Sessions:

1. The Session Docket Book which included the index of the names of the defendant along with a short entry providing a brief description of the proceedings.
2. The associated paper file that might include actual full transcripts of what occurred in the courtroom

The genealogist noted that Docket book “J” included entries through January 1892.  And, the following Docket book “K” began with entries beginning in January 1895.  He could find no explanation for why this gap of three years existed in these Docket book entries.  In his speaking with the courthouse clerks, he learned this problem had never been previously discovered in these records.

Well, of course not; is anyone surprised that it was in the research of MY family that this “problem” was discovered?  Ugh, I know that I am not the only family genealogist that feels that way when researching their family.  If I am helping a friend or co-worker, all the pieces of the puzzle – err, records – just fall into place; but my family?  Nope, can’t have that!!  What fun would that be?!!

The genealogist did review the microfilm of the original court file papers for January Session 1892 through the January Session 1893.  He noted that the entry for Oscar Ramer, file #26 case should have appeared in April 1892.  Even if it had been continued to a later session, he believed it certainly would have been resolved prior to January 1893.  He found no entries for Ramer, file #26.

The genealogist noted possible reasons why no later appearance of the Ramer court case were found:

1. The original paper file was lost
2. The conflict between the mother and the accused father was resolved out-of-court prior to the scheduled court date in April 1892

Now, for a point of clarification.  I did not suspect that this 1892 court case, for charges of fornication and bastardy had anything to do with Eva and her parentage.  Remember, Eva, was already three years old by January 1892.  What was more likely, the charges were for a more recent event; Louisa MILHEIM’s pregnancy with daughter Mamie, who was born, 25 April 1892, while this court case was still being decided / settled. 

The genealogist suspects, in the absence of a court case, that Oscar Ramer and Louisa MILHEIM negotiated an agreement before the continuance date in April 1892. 

Louisa’s and Oscar’s daughter, Mamie, was born in April 1892 and they were married in June 1892; is there any doubt as to what agreement was reached during the negotiations?

The genealogist then turned his attention to Oscar and Louisa’s marriage license and he noted . . .

“The license application states both Oscar and Louisa were single.  If Louisa had been previously married and widowed or divorced, the application should have listed her as such, not single.”

I noted that the genealogist’s findings supported my conclusions.  Although I had shared with him what records and information I had, and where I had already looked, my conclusions based on my research were purposefully omitted so as not to bias his findings.

“So . . . as I was writing my last post, I was again reviewing my research, and even though I had browsed page-by-page each of the census records for each of the counties; Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, and Lehigh.  Going through each city / town / borough looking for ALL PFAFF families and noting any young males in those households that fit the approximate age of George – the gentleman named as the “father” of Eva on several documents, I decided yet again, that I would search the census records one more time.  What the heck, probably fruitless, right?!!  After all, I had thrown “everything, but the kitchen sink” into each of my previous searches!!  And, I had gone through all those census records, in all of those counties, in each and every town, borough and city, page-by-page and hadn’t found him!  But, hey, what the heck, I’ll throw in the “kitchen sink” this time!!!”

So, what do you think happened?

• 1870 US Federal Census @ Ancestry.com
• Note, David PFAFF, Head of Household is listed on the last line of the previous page and not shown here

Do you see the kitchen sink?!! 

Picture me doing the genealogy dance; accompanied by a hoot and a holler!!  There’s George (!) on the 1870 US Federal Census; recorded on 8 September 1870 living in Slatington, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania with his family.  He’s one.  His parents are David PFAFF and Sally. 

Wait, what?  Hold that thought for a minute; I’ve seen this before.  I’ve seen David’s name before.  Where are my research notes?  My notes record that I found this same family in the 1880 US Federal Census, living in Catasauqua, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.  The Head of Household was recorded as “Dana;” followed by Sally Ann, wife; “Gengrele, son;” and John, son. 

While the enumerator’s handwriting is extremely poor and the transcriber obviously had great difficulty making out the names, I believe, after careful study of the record that “Dana” is DAVID and that “Gengrele” is GEORGE M

• 1880 US Federal Census @ Ancestry.com

I had noted in my research notes that George would have been 21 the year that Eva was born, 1889, making him a candidate for the mysterious “George PFAFF.” A candidate worth looking at further.  Searching the local newspapers of the area; the Allentown Leader published David PFAFF’s obituary in their 9 and 10 June 1908 issues.  And, the Allentown Democrat ran an article, 11 June 1908 honoring his Civil War service; prompting me to search for and subsequently purchase a copy of his Civil War pension file.  I hadn’t found “my George,” but David’s son, George in this 1880 census was a good candidate, not having anything further to go on, I needed this file in my pursuit of researching and reviewing every piece of evidence that could be found to either rule in, or to rule out, any possible George with the PFAFF / PAFF surname that was of the right age, in the right time, and place to be Eva’s father.

While I waited for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to process my request for David’s pension file, I put this research aside and documented Eva’s maternal side; the MILHEIMs.

When I received David’s pension file from NARA, I first read through it – all 69 pages – I then set it aside for just a bit.  When I next came back to it, in a day or so, I transcribed the file in its entirety; word for word.  And, I disappointedly noted at the time, that this wasn’t the PFAFF family I was looking for, there was no record or recording of George anywhere in the file.  So, I filed the record away.  I documented the information it contained and I noted my findings, or lack thereof, in my research notes. This was a case of what the professionals call “negative research;” that, is my research of, and review of the records to this point, yielded negative results.  This “George,” wasn’t “my George.”

When did I review the 1880 US Federal Census?  When did I order, read, review and transcribe the Civil War Pension file for David PFAFF?  I reviewed the 1880 US Federal Census and ordered the pension file in November 2015.  I received,  read, reviewed and transcribed the pension file, January 2016. 

It’s now spring of 2017 and there’s George!  But, this makes no sense.  I looked at this George; this family, a year ago and while on paper it would seem that they were very good candidates for the person and family I was looking for, my subsequent research seemed to indicate otherwise.  So, I don’t get it!  Time for a call to to a good friend in California; we frequently work through research conundrums, issues and strategies together.  I made the call and what she hears on her end is . . .

Holy heck, I found him!

By the way, that’s the “family friendly” version! 

I explained and then said, but, I don’t get it.  I looked at this George!  I looked at this family!  And, while right age, right place; right time fit, it couldn’t be him, because this George wasn’t mentioned in any other record after the 1880 US Federal Census, and David PFAFF, the Civil War soldier, the soldier whose pension file I ordered, didn’t mention George, at all.  So, I had concluded a year ago that this wasn’t THE PFAFFs that I was looking for.

And, my ever patient friend said, “do you still have the pension file?”  Why, yes, yes, I do.  And, we went through it . . . again.  Literally, I read it to her; word for word; line by line.  When I got to . . .

“Have you any children living? If so, please state their names and the dates of their birth.”

And, David listed his children. 

I kept reading.  But, my friend said STOP!  Go back and read that again.  Okay . . .

“Have you any children living? If so, please state their names and the dates of their birth.”

And, David listed his children. 

I kept reading.  Again, my friend says . . . STOP!  Read it again . . .

“Have you any children living? If so, please state their names and the dates of their birth.”

And, David listed his children. 

And, I again, continued reading.  And, my friend says . . . “No!, Tracy, take a minute and think about what that sentence says!  One, one thousand; two, one thousand; three, one thousand; four, . . . Holy . . . he’s DEAD!!! 

Can, you just picture my friend on the other end saying . . . “ding, ding, ding!  And, WE have a winner!!”

Son of a . . . err . . . gun!  That  means I’ve had the answer to who George PFAFF was; who Eva’s father was, for over a year!!  One . . . whole . . . entire year!! 

He WAS in PLAIN SIGHT!!  And, yet . . . I had missed him!! 

This is why we take copious and detailed research notes.  This is why we document both positive and negative research.  This is why we read, review, and transcribe ALL documents. This is why we “collect” all same name persons and families when we are looking to sort out who is who in a genealogy history mystery.  This is why we cite our sources, so that, in the advent we need to retrace our steps to determine why we did or didn’t do something; why we did or didn’t rule out someone, we can retrace our steps to the documents that we used to base our opinions and conclusions on.  Wash, rinse and repeat many, many times.  I cannot stress enough, and I am constantly reminded of this all the time; when researching, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, take the time to periodically go back through your research – your notes, documents, timelines, etc., etc.  from the beginning! – Do NOT SKIP THIS VITAL PROCESS!  Oft times, the “brick walls” we encounter are those of our own making.  Let me remind you . . .

One entire year!  Fifty-two weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 , minutes, and 31,536,000 seconds.  And, . . . I had him . . . all along!  He was in plain sight, and . . . I missed him!!

We, genealogists – as a community – could successfully apply for any brick mason’s job.  Experience?  Oh, we have experience!!!

We’re really good at building walls . . . walls that are impenetrable.  Walls that are indestructible; walls that will stand for years, decades and centuries!

Personally, though, as a genealogist, I’d much rather have the skill set of an “explosive technician;” a person that is skilled in construction demolition – you know, bringing down those brick walls. Nope, not one brick at a time; all at once – turning them into sand!!!

So, mystery solved?  Yes.  But, another one surfaces; what happed to George?  Why didn’t anyone beyond my grandmother, Eva’s daughter, know about her father?  They didn’t even know his name? I’ll fill you in; watch for a future post.

This questionnaire, a quarterly payment review,  in the pension file was completed by David PFAFF, 4 May 1898.  Eva was born in January 1889; George PFAFF was still living, at the very least, nine months prior to that!  By the time his father, David, completed this questionnaire in 1898, George was deceased.  Well, that’s a nine year window I now have to work with.

Now, misery loves company, so please tell me that I am not the only one who has missed the obvious.  Have any of your ancestors been hiding in plain sight?  I’d loved to hear your stories and how you ultimately discovered what was there the whole time.

Tracy

Copyright © 2017 Family Preserves; Tracy L Meyers

American Bandstand

Did you know my mom, Carolyn KRIEBEL? 

Were you a 1958 Graduate of Schwenksville High School? 

Or, are you a child or family member of a 1958 graduate?  IF you answered YES to any of these questions . . . I’m interested in YOU!! 

If you are the graduate, I’m interested in your memories of my Mom, Carolyn KRIEBEL.  If you are a child or family member of a graduate, I’m interested in any stories that you might be able to share about your family member’s memories of their high school days and their classmates. 

I, sadly, know nothing about Mom’s school days beyond the bio included with her senior photo in the 1958 Schwenksville High School Lanconian yearbook.  The bio reads . . .

Class President 9; Yearbook Editor 12; A.A. 9, 10, 11, 12; Band 9, 10, 11; Glee Club 10, 11, 12; Combo 10, 11; Basketball, J.V. 10; Varsity 11, 12; Interclass Basketball 9; Interclass Volleyball 9, 10, 11; Tri-Hi-Y President 9; Dancing Club 10, 11; Future Nurses Club 10; Newspaper Club 10. 

The one story she did share, the story that prompted this post, was that during her last year of high school she, and a bus load of classmates went on a school trip to Philadelphia and were the guests of Dick Clark and the AMERICAN BANDSTAND!  And, of course, as the self-appointed family historian and genealogist, I’d love to KNOW MORE!! While Mom has been a “pack rat” of many things; memorabilia or ephemera were not among them.  So, there are no photos; no news clippings; no ticket stubs; no autograph from Dick Clark or from the American Bandstand featured artists . . . nothing!!  The only thing she has ever said, was that she and her classmates were on American Bandstand.

While I’ve  found, on Google and Pinterest, iconic American Bandstand images, such as those you see here; I’ve not found any images of Mom on the show.  I’ve also looked at many YouTube clips of the American Bandstand, a dance show with a rock and roll theme; the dance floor teaming with youth dancing the Bop, the Twist, the Jitterbug, and the Stroll, while listening to a rock-and-roll soundtrack or other popular music of their day.  This doesn’t lend itself to finding a familiar face in the crowd; though I have, on a number of occasions, thought that I saw Mom in the gaggle of youth on the dance floor.  But, in the end, it really is impossible to tell.  Darn, darn, DARN!!!
While looking at these iconic images and YouTube videos I learned of the wall of pennant flags that seem to have been a feature of the show.  The pennants were from the high schools from both the  local Philadelphia and outlying areas; though I was unable to see if the Schwenksville High School pennant was among them.
So, do you remember the day  you and your classmates were the guests of Dick Clark on American Bandstand?  What was the specific date or time of year? Do you have pictures of the day?  Was the Schwenksville High School Class of ‘58 introduced on the show?  Was there a group photo captured; perhaps with the host, Dick Clark? Did Schwenksville High School present a pennant to Dick Clark and the American Bandstand? Were the students introduced individually on the show? Did any of the Schwenksville youth participate in the “Rate a Record” portion of the show?

Mom didn’t keep, as I said, memorabilia or ephemera, so growing up, there there were no yearbooks for me to page through and encourage – err, pester – my Mom to share her stories and memories.  But, I was able to locate copies online of both the 1957 and 1958 Schwenksville High School yearbooks. I now have, never before seen by me, photos of my Mom.  Sadly, still too few.

Here for instance here is Mom’s 1957 Junior Class Photo.

Lillian GRISDALE; Harvey BOSSERT; Tony MILLER; Jack PRESTON; and Colin PARKE are all in the above Junior class photo.  However, they were not among the seniors listed in the 1958 yearbook.

The Class of 1958 Alumni, Schwenksville High School:
Gilbert H AXFORD; Marjorie Ann BARRON; Joan Faye BEAN; George R  BICKERT, Jr.; John Hicks BOGERT; Theodore Harold COLE; Joseph DELUTIS; Ruth Carolyn DUNNING; Donna Jean GEORGE; Elsie Jean GREASER; Christian John Ray HARTLINE; James Ernest HARTMAN; Alice Jane HEIMBACH; David Roger JONES; William KEHRER; Donald Edwin KIRKNER; James Allen KOVACS; John Walter KRATZ; Kay C KRATZ; Glen Brian LANDES; Robert G McCAHAN, Jr.; Carol Ann MENG; Mildred H MEYERS; Anna Jane MILLER; Phebe Mary MONTGOMERY; Stanley RADCLIFF; Janis E RIEGEL; John Albert ROSE; Edward A RUTTER; Dolores Joyce SHELLENBERGER; Rick D SHEPPARD; Carol Ann SMITH; Robert Lee SMITH; Winfield SWARR; Joan Marie SWARTLEY; Jane Faye WACK; Nancy Marie WALKER; Philip Andrew WATKINS; Patricia Ann WINK; Todd Albright YOUNG; William Robert ZIEGLER

A note to fellow family historians and genealogists, IF you are interested in finding yearbooks – Middle School; High School; College and Military – I’ve had good success with this E-Yearbook.com site.  Note, however, that it is a subscription site.

Tracy
Copyright © 2016 Tracy L Meyers; Family Preserves

Grandma isn’t Playing Nice! . . . On Either Side

Okay, here’s the deal, we were all new once . . . right?

When I initially started “collecting” family stories and information in the “dark-ages” before computers and digitization - before I had discretionary funds to send for records or travel to archives - I pretty much knew the present-day and not too distant past stories and details of the living and the recently deceased family members - I had grown up with them, visited them and knew where they lived and worked. 

So, in 2003, when I started tracing their genealogy and family history in earnest, I documented what I knew and started a tree sapling on Ancestry.com.  And, I made the decision early on, that because I had the most information on my mother’s paternal ancestors, I would document what I knew on them, but would not linger - I’d come back to them later.  What I really wanted to get to and discover was the genealogy and family history of my other three grandparents; I didn’t know much beyond them.

I started with the basics, I had birth and death certificates and U.S. Army Discharge papers for my Dad’s Dad; a death certificate for both my mother’s Mom and Grandmother and for her Dad; and, I also had the obituary clipping for my Dad’s Mom.  And, of course, their family stories – the stories I had grown up listening to.  I entered the basic details gleaned from these documents and stories into each one of their profiles and then set about collecting the basic records to document and substantiate their lives and the details that I had.

Reminder . . . this was before I had learned to really focus on each word and line of a document.  Before I had learned the benefits of transcribing a document – even if it was clearly written and easily read – to ensure that I paid attention to every small detail.  Before I knew to create a timeline for each family member so that I could see potential gaps in their lives, the missing vital statistics and details of their lives, and to note any conflicting information.  Before I knew to really focus on what documents I had and which ones were missing.  Before I knew to both pay attention to source information – where that information came from and who provided it – and, to cite – document – the source.  And, before I had discovered the Barefoot Genealogist, Crista Cowan, and her tutorials on the Ancestry YouTube channel and all the tips and tricks I’d learn from her.  Before I learned to document “negative” research – search results that didn’t yield any further information; new information; or that completely debunked the information I had – so that I wouldn’t “climb” the wrong family tree.  Before I learned about blogs and online webinars where I’d continue to learn how to document my family’s history and genealogy.  Before I started blogging and getting my family’s story online and connecting with “cousins.”  And, before the added dividend of really focusing on the details – the facts, ma’am, just the facts – when creating a blog post on the family member or line that I was currently working.

After, creating the online sapling, I used the initial physical documents to record what I knew about each “leaf” and then I started collecting census records, obituaries, birth and death certificates that I didn’t already have for each family member.  Which brings us to today’s post . . .

My maternal Grandmother, Catherine Louise (STARR) Kriebel’s parents were Eva E RAMER and William E STARR Sr.  And, my Great Grandmother, Eva RAMER’s parents were Oscar RAMER and Louisa MILHEIM.  I knew this because . . .

1. My mother and her siblings knew each of them and they knew where each of them lived and worked – they had grown up with them and visited them
2. I knew my Grandmother, Catherine (STARR) Kriebel, I knew her siblings, I knew the house she grew up in.  I visited there often as a child – her brother, Robert STARR lived there with his wife and with his Mother – my Grandmother’s mother – Eva E (RAMER) Starr 
3. I had the physical copy of the obituary for my Grandmother, Catherine STARR; the physical copy of the death certificate for my Great Grandmother, Eva E (RAMER) Starr; the death certificate (found online) for my Great Great Grandmother, Louisa MILHEIM and a copy (found online) of the marriage license for Louisa MILHEIM and Oscar RAMER 
4. I had US Census records for each ancestor and their family unit from their birth through 1940

And, each of of these substantiated what I already knew – names, dates of birth, marriage, death and residence.  Nothing was amiss.  Or . . . was there?

I didn’t have my Grandmother Catherine (STARR) Kriebel’s birth certificate, I ordered it and waited.  Now, I knew that Catherine’s parents were William E STARR and Eva E RAMER, but when I received the copy of her birth certificate via US Postal Service, it was very generic – provided the child’s name, date and place of birth and parent’s names.  The certificate read . . .

Name:  Catherine Louise STARR

Date of Birth: 1 December 1912
Place of Birth:  Allentown, Lehigh, Pennsylvania

Father: William E STARR
Mother: Eva Pfaff

Well, that isn’t right, my Great Grandmother’s name was Eva E RAMER.  Must have received this in error.  Trash!  And, I moved on.  Yes, now, I am hanging my head in shame, but remember, I was just getting started and I hadn’t yet learned.  We’ll return to this in a bit.

Next I spoke to and “interviewed” my Mother’s cousin Marty.  Marty is Robert STARR’s daughter, and Robert is the half-brother of my Grandmother, Catherine, the son of my Great Grandfather William E STARR and his first wife, Ethel Lynda Kline, and the step-grandson of my Great Great Grandparent’s Louisa MILHEIM and Oscar RAMER.  She was able to provide very few additional details, but I did learn when her father, Robert, passed away – my family had been living overseas at the time and we weren’t aware – sadly, after the death of my Grandmother in 1975 and the busyness of daily living, our families didn’t stay in touch. 

I went looking for Robert’s obituary.

Robert’s obituary was published 6 June 1992 in The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) and named his parents . . .

“William E and Eva E (MILHEIM) STARR”

Wait, that isn’t right!  Where did that come from?  Eva E RAMER and William E STARR are the biological parents of my Grandmother, Catherine, but, William E STARR and Ethel Lynda Kline are the parent’s of my Grandmother’s half-brothers, William E STARR, Jr and Robert STARR.  Okay, by this point, I had learned that I needed to “sure-up” my research if there was a discrepancy.  Everything else in the obituary was consistent with what I knew from first-hand knowledge of growing up with my Grand Uncle.  I made note of the discrepancy and did not yet attach the obituary to Robert’s profile.  I next moved to census records, marriage license(s), death certificates, etc. and set about the task of documenting my family – confirming what I knew, but, with the added task of “proving” or “disproving” the names of Robert’s parents.

Locating the marriage license for William E STARR and Ethel Lynda Kline, the census records for William and Ethel  and Ethel’s death certificate, I was able to “prove” to my satisfaction that both William E, Jr and Robert C STARR were the sons of William E STARR and Ethel Lynda Kline.  Eva E RAMER was their step-mother.  And, I moved on. (we’ll take a look at these documents shortly)

Okay, that research was pretty much all completed back in 2003/4.  In the following years I continued to learn how to research; how to organize my notes; how to create a timeline; how to pay close attention to everything, but particularly to the oddities; how to make note of those oddities, discrepancies, outright errors and “negative” search results; how I should transcribe every document, which in turn helps me focus on all the details; how to do F A N Research; how to create a blog; how to document my searches, so that I didn’t keep searching for those records that I had already found, or, didn’t; how to cite my sources; I learned the basic principals of the Genealogical Proof Standards (GPS); and, I learned research strategies – for me, that meant focusing on one family and surname at a time – to doggedly pursue each leaf and branch, locating “low-hanging” fruit – birth, marriage, census and death records – to include obituaries -  and then diving deeper and locating military records, wills and probate records; land deeds, etc. 

In all honesty, I am still learning about record collections that I haven’t yet explored – why I continue to watch Crista Cowan and other genealogy webinars and why I read a number of blogs.  There is a lot, A LOT of information and educational materials* out there – I cannot encourage you enough to avail yourself of it.  And, most of it, if not all, is in easy to understand (read NOT collegiate) language.  And, that is PERFECT for me.

*To learn more about F A N Research, Citing your Sources and the Genealogical Proof Standards (GPS), click on the hyperlinks (red print).

Since 2004 I have been focused on documenting the BEARSELL, LEARN and LINDSEY - my Dad’s paternal line - families with occasional short forays into the collateral lines, using the F A N Research strategy to help find and document the elusive direct-line ancestors.  Until . . . recently.

Over the past year, the State of Pennsylvania and Ancestry.com have worked together and have recently digitized Pennsylvania’s 1906 – 1963 death certificates.  In doing so, a lot of “shaky leaf” hints have been appearing and distracting my attention.  I’m usually able to stay focused, I don’t, as a rule, tend to get distracted for long.  If my focus on the family / line that I am working on is diverted, it is usually only a brief distraction – one long enough to review the hint and decide whether it is something to keep or can be discarded.  I then refocus my attention to the name / line that I had previously been working.  However . . .

Two weeks ago, a “shaky leaf” hint appeared for my Great Grandmother, Eva E RAMER – the Pennsylvania death certificate.  Okay, I’ll take a look, I don’t expect to find any new information, I’ll just verify that it is her death certificate and I’ll review – in depth - all her source documents when I focus on the RAMER line.  But, wait!  . . .

1. That doesn’t look like the hard-copy certificate I have
2. Her parents are listed as George MILHEIM and Louisa PFAFF

Well, that isn’t right.  Eva’s parents were Oscar RAMER and Louisa MILHEIM. 

MILHEIM is right, but it was Eva’s Mother’s maiden name. Who’s George? My Great Great Grandmother’s – Louisa – Father’s name was Charles MILHEIM.  And, PFAFF?  Wait!  PFAFF?  I’ve seen that before.  Oh, I remember, the copy of the birth certificate for my Grandmother – Catherine Louise STARR – that I initially ordered and subsequently threw away, had Eva PFAFF listed as the Mother of my Grandmother.  And, did I mention, that I had on another occasion attempted to obtain another copy of my Grandmother’s birth certificate?  Yes, and when it arrived, it had the same – I assumed – error and . . . you guessed it, I threw it away too. Nope, I hadn’t yet learned.

But, this time, PFAFF had my attention.  Everything else on my Great Grandmother’s death certificate was correct - home address; city and state; date and place of birth; date and place of death; and spouse’s name.  The informant?  My Grandmother, Catherine Louise (STARR) Kriebel and her physical address was also correct.

I knew this information to be correct because I knew my Grandmother and where she lived – I visited her there often – and while I didn’t know either of my Great Grandparents, I did know where they had lived and died – my Grand Uncle Bob (Robert E STARR) and his wife, Ann, lived there – and I visited them often.  So, back to my original question, where did George MILHEIM and Eva PFAFF come from? 

It’s 2015 and by now I had learned the lessons mentioned above.  So much for briefly looking over the hint and “storing” it for when I began work in earnest on the RAMERs.  I couldn’t just put it aside, I needed to, at the very least, research why the PFAFF surname kept appearing – three times is more than a coincidence.  What was I missing?

I went back and looked at the document I had on Eva’s death – remember, I thought, or, perhaps more accurately, assumed, it was a copy of her death certificate.  When I looked at it, I now realized it was a copy of the Local Registrar’s Certification of Death.¹  And, it did not include the names of her parent’s.  Nor did it note her maiden name.

The document provides my Great      Grandmother’s name as Eva Elizabeth STARR and the place of death as 548 Noble Street, Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  It also provides her date of birth, 24 January 1889 and her date of death as, 5 January 1959.  This is all accurate.  Eva’s step-son and my Grandmother Catherine’s half-brother, Robert and his wife lived in the home he was raised in.  The home, for which the address is provided on the certification of death.  And, as I’ve said, I visited there many times.

 

The death certificate² provides the place of death and the deceased’s usual residence (where deceased lived) as 548 Noble Street, Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  The document also provided Eva’s . . .

• Full Name:  Eva Elizabeth STARR
• Full Name of Spouse:  William E STARR
• Date of Birth: 24 January 1889
• Date of Death: 5 January 1959
• Father’s Name: Geo MILHEIM
• Mother’s Maiden Name: Louisa PFAFF
• Informant:  Mrs. Wilmer KRIEBEL of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania

Mrs. Wilmer KRIEBEL is my Grandmother, Catherine STARR.  She was married to Wilmer, my Grandfather.

Hmm, Grandma isn’t playing nice!

Next I looked at the marriage license³ for my Great Great Grandparents Louisa MILHEIM  and Oscar RAMER.  It provides the . . .  

• Man’s Name: Oscar REMER (variant of RAMER)
• Woman’s Name: Louisa MILHEIM
• Age of Man: 23
• Age of Woman: 23
• Residence of Man: Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
• Residence of Woman: Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
• Parents’ Name – Man: Eli REMER
• Parents’ Name – Woman: Charles MILHEIM

Nothing amiss here; all what I had grown up hearing around the dinner table.

What I initially find made me realize that I’d need to employ the F A N (Family / Friends, Associates, and Neighbors) research method and go through both the 1880 and 1900 US Federal Census for Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.  I will need to document the RAMERs, MILHEIMs, and PFAFFs prior to Eva’s birth.  What this means is, I will need to “collect” all families with these surnames and save them in my ancestry “shoebox” and then, I’ll need to go through ALL of the townships and enumeration districts within the county, page by page.  I know that I’ll have to compare each individual within a family and each family in order to sort this out.  And, I also know that I’ll have to pay close attention to the neighbors as well.  And, too, I need to go back over the census records that I had previously saved back in 2003/4.

And, collecting all instances of these surnames within the townships and enumeration districts of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania is what I have been doing, as time permitted, these past two weeks. For statistical purposes, the 1880 US Federal Census for Lehigh County, Pennsylvania had 31 townships, 56 enumeration districts and 1,385 images.  And, the 1900 US Federal Census for Lehigh County, Pennsylvania had 36 townships, 67 enumeration districts and 1,920 images.  FUN!!

Having gone through all 3,305 images of the 1880 and 1900 US Federal Census records for Lehigh County, Pennsylvania and collecting all instances of the RAMER, MILHEIM and PFAFF surnames – including variant spellings – I am now ready to review and dissect each and figure this mystery out.  Thanks Grandma!!

I will return soon and share what I’ve learned.

COMING SOON . . .

Will my real Great Grandmother, Eva E. . . RAMER. . . MILHEIM . . . PFAFF please stand up!

PS:  I hope that I am not the only one that learns the hard way.

PPS: And, my paternal Grandma?  Well, she isn’t playing nice either!  She was the informant on her brother’s death certificate and, she said that he was married.  Ummm, no he wasn’t. . . NEVER!  Sigh, that will have to wait until I’ve sorted through this.

Tracy

Copyright © 2015 Tracy L Meyers

________________________________________________________

Sources:

¹Norristown, Pennsylvania, Certification of Death, no. 545557 (1959), Eva Elizabeth Starr; Norristown Local Registrar of Vital Statistics, Cherry Street

²Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health, Death Certificate 6852 (1959), Eva Elizabeth Starr; ancestry.com, online

³Pennsylvania County Marriages 1855 - 1950 Index and Images (Family Search), "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885 - 1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VF43-NG5 :, Date License acquired: 31 May 1892 / Date of Marriage: 31 May 1892. FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VF4V-782).

Crap!

Mmm hmm, that about sums it up.

I have found myself saying that all too often these past few days.  Let me explain. . .

Background:  Edith, my paternal grandmother made every effort to conceal her history.  However, I learned a good portion of what I know about my grandparents while perched on her lap. 

As a child, knee-high to a grasshopper, I would travel with my grandparents to their summer home in Tioga County, Pennsylvania; a five hour drive from where we lived in Montgomery County.  I would often fall asleep listening to my grandparents reminisce about their life and days gone by.  Gram thought I was too young to understand or remember, so she felt safe in holding an open discussion with my grandfather.  It is where I learned that my Great Grandmother had died when Gram was two; where I learned that Gram had been married three times; where I learned that my Great Grandfather was something of a renowned rugby player; where I learned that my father was actually the son of Gram’s third husband.  I intuitively knew that the stories I heard were not to be discussed and nor should I ask questions.  The opportunity to do both would come in my late teens and early adulthood.

When I gave birth to my oldest son in 1988, I realized I was serious about documenting the genealogy of our family, I wanted my children to know of their Great Grandparents and their stories.  Without going into the sordid details here, my personal decision was not to document my adopted siblings.  So, initially I was only going to document my direct line.  But as I listened to the stories and information that my Uncle Art and Dad shared with me, I realized that they both held the man who raised them as his own in their hearts with much love, affection, respect and esteem, that I – because of my love for them – had to document the man they called Dad; I grew up calling him Pop-Pop.

Brief Biography:  Pop-Pop was known by his family – that is, my Grandmother, my Dad, my Uncle and my Aunt - as Edward P COSTELLO.  His parents were Pierce COSTELLO and Nora(h) KENNEDY.  He had three siblings, Mary was born in Ireland, June 1886.  Date of death is currently unknown.  Henry was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 12 January1889 and died 27 June 1889; Joseph, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 July 1890.  Date of death is currently unknown.

A year or so ago, my Dad gave me Pop-Pop’s birth certificate [1].  Notice anything amiss? 

The child’s given name – Pierce COSTELLO.  No middle name or initial on the document.  Not really a big deal; we knew Pop-pop, as I said, as Edward P(ierce) COSTELLO and it was believed that he was named after his father.  But then . . .

Research:  The 1900 US Federal Census [2]

Crap!  Percy?  Everything else matches, but . . . Percy?  And, still no middle name or initial.  Okay, Google, what do you have for me?  While I did not find anything definitive, I did find that Percy could be a nickname for Pierce.  So is Percy COSTELLO, Pierce / Edward COSTELLO?  The parents match.  The siblings match.  His date of and location of birth match.  But . . .

Wanting to be sure, I decided to stop there and do a little more research on his parents, Pierce and Nora(h) and his siblings.  First, I located Henry’s death certificate [3]

and, I located both a death certificate [4] and obituary for Nora(h) [5]

Norah (KENNEDY) COSTELLO, date of birth: 8 June 1852*, date of death: 7 May 1912.  The informant listed on the death certificate was her son, Joseph K. COSTELLO. 

* The death certificate provides her date of birth, as noted above as 8 June 1852 and her age as 49 years, 10 months and 4 days.  This however, was in direct conflict with the information I had - the 1900 U.S. Federal census enumerates her birth as August 1862.  Using the Family Tree Maker 2014 Date Calculator Tool, I entered in the date of the ‘Known Event;’ the date of Death and Norah’s ‘age at the time of the event;’ 49 years, 10 months and 4 days.  The date calculator calculated Norah’s date of birth as 3 July 1862.  I believe the birth year on the death certificate (1852) is in error.  It should be 1862.  June / July – I’ll not quibble over a month.

Transcription:  COSTELLO – 7th inst. Norah K COSTELLO widow of Pierce COSTELLO relatives and friends invited to funeral Friday 8:30 a.m. residence, 1725 N 29th Street High Mass at church of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord.  10 a.m. Interment private, Holy Cross

and an obituary for Pierce. [6]

Transcription:  COSTELLO – On December 17, 1910, Pierce COSTELLO, beloved husband of Norah COSTELLO.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral, on Wednesday morning, at 8:30 o’clock, from his late residence 2044 N 29th Street.  High requiem mass in the church of the Most Precious Blood at 10 o’clock precisely.  Internment in Holy Cross Cemetery.

The Holy Cross cemetery, where both Pierce and Norah are buried is located in Yeadon, Delaware County, PA.  On 2 December 2013, I wrote a letter to the cemetery and inquired after any information / records they may have on both Pierce and Norah COSTELLO. 

And, on 12 December 2013 the Cemetery replied.[7]  Pierce was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Delaware County, Pennsylvania on 2 December 1910 in Section Q; range 8; lot 32; grave 4; 8.  Norah was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Delaware County, Pennsylvania on 8 May 1912, in Section Q; range 8; lot 32; grave 4; 6.  Neither Pierce or Norah have a headstone or marker.

 

Crap!  No further information and the Lot List from Holy Cross Cemetery  lists Pierce’s internment as 2 December 1910, however, the 20 December 1910 Philadelphia Inquirer obituary records his date of death as 17 December 1910.  I need to find the death certificate! 

Noting that both obituaries indicated that a High Requiem Mass would be held in the church of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord, consulted Google and learned that the church was formerly located at 28th and Diamond Streets, Philadelphia, PA.  It was in operation from 1907 – 1993.  And, that its spiritual records are kept at Saint Martin de Porres Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On 2 December I wrote to Saint Martin de Porres Church and inquired about the possibility of obtaining copies of spiritual records that they might hold on Pierce, Norah and the COSTELLO family.  This past Monday, 20 January, I received a letter from Elaine, Secretery, Saint Martin de Porres.  The opening sentence . . .

“Dear Tracy, I was not able to locate any sacrament records for your family members . . .

Crap!  Nothing!  Nada!  Zip!  Zilch!  Zero!  On the COSTELLO family.  But, wait!  Elaine goes on to say . . .

“Most Precious Blood of Our Lord opened a couple years before Pierce’s funeral, 1907, it was not open during the time the children would have been baptized.”

“The family may have been attending Mass at Saint Columba’s for a time before Most Precious Blood of Our Lord was open, it was an ‘Irish’ ethnic parish.  Saint Columba opened in 1895, too late for the children’s baptisms to have been done at that church, but long enough to have been their parish.”

A glimmer of hope . . . maybe?  So back to Google . . .

Crap!  Saint Columba Parish is currently known in Philadelphia as Saint Martin de Porres.  Again, we are back to no family records; no information!

But wait!  The Registration of Deaths in the city of Philadelphia [8] recorded that Henry was buried at Saint Mary’s.

 

Okay, I am beginning to feel that searching Google is like playing and trying to win the lottery; they are both a crap shoot.  Google brought me to Find a Grave; here is what I learned about Saint Mary’s. [9]

St. Mary's Cemetery was located at 11th and Moore Streets in South Philadelphia. According to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's website, this cemetery was loosely associated with Old Saint Mary's Church, located at 4th and Spruce Streets in Olde City, although the majority of the people buried in this cemetery were residents of South Philadelphia and not necessarily members of the parish. 

In May 1899, St. Mary's Cemetery (located at 13th and Budd {now Spruce} Streets), a second cemetery belonging to the aforementioned church, was sold and bodies that were not claimed were then moved to the New Saint Mary's Cemetery at 11th and Moore. This cemetery was active from the 1840s until the 1880s. By 1910, the cemetery was neglected and a fire (date unknown) destroyed the cemetery records. The bodies in Saint Mary's were re-interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Delaware County, PA in a mass grave.  In the 1950's, St. Maria Goretti High School for Girls (now Neumann-Goretti Catholic High School) was built on the site. 

Handwritten transcriptions from tombstones were transcribed into a copybook, which can be found at the Archdiocesan Historical Research Center in Wynnewood, Delaware County, PA. Also, some burial records from the years 1844-1850, 1851-1859 and 1859-1878 survived. [8]

Crap!  The cemetery was neglected; a fire destroyed the cemetery records; the bodies were re-interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in a mass grave.  Stymied again.

Crap!  Crap!  Crap!  Cr . . .!  While I am reasonably sure that Pierce COSTELLO; aka Percy COSTELLO; aka Edward P COSTELLO are one and the same, I was hoping to find something a bit more tangible to ‘hang my hat’ on.  What are your thoughts on this? 

This hasn’t been an exhaustive search; but, I’m exhausted.  Finding information, documents, records, stories, etc. are what give you the adrenalin rush.  When you don’t find those things; when your research is foiled by fires and church closures . . . it’s draining – emotionally / physically. 

Is it odd that I am so invested?  I would love to hear your stories; how do you deal with the research disappointments?

_______________________________________________

Sources:

1. Pennsylvania, Department of Public Health, Birth Certificate, Division of Vital Statistics, Philadelphia
2. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, 1900 U.S. Census, Population Schedule, Digital, Images, familysearch.org, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12124-140298-2?cc=1325221&wc=M94B-KQX:1561426785 : 1900
3. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, Images, familysearch.org, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11599-10383-67?cc=1320976&wc=MMRX-2GM:n1001805491 : 1803 - 1915
4. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Philadelphia City Death Certificate, Images, familysearch.org, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11060-121073-64?cc=1320976&wc=MMRX-K85:1030069461 : 1803 – 1915
5. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Inquirer, Volume 166, Issue 129, Page 17, Images, genealogybank.com, http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/newspapers/doc/v2:110C9BFA1F116650@GBNEWS-115C644BE278C0B8@2419531-115C644F76685070@18-115C64597A7721F0@/?search_terms=Costello%7CNorah&s_dlid=DL0114012313371811906&s_ecproduct=SUB-Y-6995-R.IO-30&s_ecprodtype=RENEW-A-R&s_trackval=&s_siteloc=&s_referrer=&s_subterm=Subscription%20until%3A%2004%2F12%2F2014&s_docsbal=%20&s_subexpires=04%2F12%2F2014&s_docstart=&s_docsleft=&s_docsread=&s_username=themeyers4@cox.net&s_accountid=AC0112031318192710064&s_upgradeable=no : Wednesday, 8 May 1912
6. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Inquirer, Volume 163, Issue 173, page 7, Images, genealogybank.com, http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/newspapers/doc/v2:110C9BFA1F116650@GBNEWS-1128F9A1F20B18A0@2419026-1128F9A4D9017188@6-1128F9ADA4AB6BB0@/?search_terms=Costello%7CPierce&s_dlid=DL0114012313482315917&s_ecproduct=SUB-Y-6995-R.IO-30&s_ecprodtype=RENEW-A-R&s_trackval=&s_siteloc=&s_referrer=&s_subterm=Subscription%20until%3A%2004%2F12%2F2014&s_docsbal=%20&s_subexpires=04%2F12%2F2014&s_docstart=&s_docsleft=&s_docsread=&s_username=themeyers4@cox.net&s_accountid=AC0112031318192710064&s_upgradeable=no : Tuesday, 20 December 1910
7. Holy Cross Cemetery Office (Yeadon, Pennsylvania) to Tracy L Meyers. Lot Inquiry List. 2013
8. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803 – 1915, Index and Images, Family Search, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12896-159494-4?cc=1320976&wc=MMRX-V5W:n923836804
9. Find A Grave, Cemetery Lookup, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2288414 : 22 January 2014

Wishful Wednesday - Everyone and Not One More than the Other

What ancestor do you wish you could have met?  What day, event in your ancestor's life do you wish you could have been a part of?  This Geneabloggers Daily Blog Prompt got me to pondering; the answer that immediately came to mind, is ALL of them.  There isn't one that I'd single out over another.  Hmmm, this might have to be a series of posts, where I highlight each of them.

Today, my Grandmother, Catherine Louise [nee STARR] KRIEBEL (1 December 1912 - 11 November 1975). 

I only knew her for a short few years; I was 12 when she passed away, but I have some very fond memories of her . . .

• Oreo cookies.  Grandmom always kept some on hand, stored in a Tupperware container.  Oreos with water was my favorite snack.  Yes, there was much teasing about that one.  I didn't / don't like milk, BLEH!  And, this surely didn't win me any points with my Uncle, a dairy farmer.  LOL!  Today, if given an Oreo that has been stored in a Tupperware / Rubbermaid container, the 'unique' taste - you know, the taste that only plastic can give to food stored within - floods my mind with fond memories of enjoying the cookies and a glass of water at Grandmom's.
• Sitting at the piano with my Grandmother as she played her favorite music and hymns; attempting to sing and play along.
• Sitting around the dining room table with my Grandparents, enjoying the meal and lingering after to listen to 'grown up' talk.
• Picnicking at Green Lane Park on Sunday afternoons; listening to the local bands play 'big band' music to entertain the families.  For FREE - imagine!

These are just a few of my memories; but, recently, on a trip to Pennsylvania, to celebrate my Uncle's (Catherine's son) and Aunt's 50th wedding anniversary, I was given a cherished gift of my own.  Another Aunt (Catherine's youngest daughter) had recently discovered some old family scrapbooks that my Grandmom had put together - one of her family and one of my Grandfather's.  Both contained photos, several posted here, that showed a glimpse of my Grandmother's personality when she was younger.  And, I learned a few things about her that I never knew.  For instance, she had a flair for the dramatic and was a budding and enthusiastic thespian in high school.  You can see that spirit in both the pictures of her and in the captions she wrote on each of the photos in the scrapbook.  This wit, spirit, and passion for drama even carried over into the menu for her wedding reception.  The menu was thespian inspired and the added bonus?  It was signed, autograph style, by each member (it is presumed) of the wedding party.  (see picture below)  A special thank you to my Aunt Gerri for sharing these scrapbooks with me.

The Officer's of the "KRIEBEL and STARR Construction Co." - July 4th 1937

My Grandfather, Wilmer KRIEBEL and Grandmother, Catherine STARR, building their home in Schwenksville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

"Under the beach umbrella"

 

 

Character in "The Story of Queen Esther" - 1928



 

So, what do I wish?  I wish I had known my Grandmother longer.  I wish I could have seen the thespian side of her; the mischievous and playful side of her.  In these photos, she looks like she is having fun and enjoying life.  I wish, in the near future, to encourage my mom, aunts and uncle to share some of their memories of 'this side' of their mom - my Grandmother.

My Grandmother passed away 38 years ago and I still miss her terribly; she and the other ancestors are why I am so passionate about genealogy and family history.  My deep desire is for my children to KNOW each of them; the only thing that could have been better, is if they could have KNOWN each of them.

Menu for Wedding Reception



Travel Tuesday - Research Trip; a Cost Comparison

Cost Comparison between ‘Physical’ Research Trip and On-line research . . .

I have been a paid subscriber to an on-line genealogy site since 2003; however I didn’t really get involved in my research until about two years ago.  My boys are now grown; my husband and I have an ‘empty nest’ and so I have more time and energy to devote to the wonderful hobby of researching and preserving our family history.  Until recently, I had not physically traveled to conduct family research.  This past November we went on our ‘maiden’ research trip.  It was a small four-day trip and truth be told probably didn’t need to be taken, I could have done the majority, if not all, of the research from the comfort of my home.  But, we were traveling to western Pennsylvania to celebrate Thanksgiving with our eldest son and daughter-in-law, so we decided to take a few extra days and visit eastern Pennsylvania to visit cemeteries, the Courthouse at City Hall, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Schwenksfelder Library and Museum located in Pennsburg. 

I frequently see queries on-line from a subscription site asking how they are doing?  OR, would you recommend their site to friends and family?  And, without fail there are numerous complaints about the cost of membership.  On one such query recently, I suggested that a cost comparison be posted showing the costs associated with on-line membership and research vs. traditional - 'old school' research that involved travel to an ancestral location.  After some thought, I decided to take on my own challenge; I’ve reviewed my checkbook ledger and bank statement and below you will find the cost(s) associated with our November research trip to eastern Pennsylvania (table 1) and what it would have cost if we had chosen to do the same research from our PC at home in Virginia (table 2)

As I stated I have a World Explorer Membership, $299.00 per annum *, which works out to be approximately $0.80 per day (24 hour), unlimited access.  On those nights that the ancestors keep me awake (insomnia), I can be on the computer researching into the wee hours of the morning.  I don’t have to worry about operating hours, pull times, copy fees, what I can and cannot bring into the research area, etc., etc.  I don’t have to get in and out of buses, taxis, or trains.  I don’t have to coordinate my schedule with my husband’s or anyone else.  I call the shots.  This isn’t true for research trips.  First my husband and I had to plan the time off; make hotel reservations; make kennel reservations for our dog (read an additional 'hotel fee', becasue that is what it is); plan what we wanted to accomplish and what places, record repositories, etc. that we needed and/or wanted to visit.  We did an initial check-in with these places prior to our trip – the cost(s) of those phone calls are not included in the tables below – but each of them stressed the importance of coordinating with them further when we arrived in Pennsylvania.

Our goals for this trip were to visit six cemeteries; determine the final resting place of our ancestors – 3 cemeteries (husband’s family) and 3 cemeteries (my family).  We wanted to pay our respects, get tombstone pictures and copies of the cemetery maps with plot and lot locations.  We also wanted to visit the Free Library of Philadelphia; we wanted to locate obituaries and city directory pages for our ancestors.  And the Schwenksfelder Library and Museum located in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Table 1

Table 2

 

*Currently the on-line subscriber site is offering their World Explorer Membership for $34.95 per month; $419.40 per annum; $1.16 per day (24 hour),  unlimited access.  Using these figures Table 1’s total cost would now be $908.40** and Table 2’s total cost would be $28.09.

** Please note that when creating this table I forgot to factor in the the kennel fee for our dog; kennel fees per day are $50.00 x 4 days = $200.00.  That brings our total costs for our four day research trip to $1108.40.

Our membership fee was considered in both tables; as a daily fee is assessed for membership whether I choose to do my research at home OR in tandem with a physical research trip.  Clearly, my membership, with unlimited 24 hour access, the ability to review and save vital records and other source documents to my tree and print unlimited (if I choose) copies without additional cost(s), the ability to connect with other members, the ability to connect with subject matter experts within the genealogical community, access to resources such as the Red Book and The Source and YouTube Tutorials and webinars, and much more, pays for itself.  And, is by far cheaper in the end.

 

Now, no one said, that an on-line subscription or any other on-line genealogical site has ALL the records in the universe digitized and available to the family historian.  They never will; there are just too many documents out there.  So, I will have to make a number of other research trips, but, BUT, where tracing your family tree sometimes would take a person’s life time to just make a dent in the research of just one person on a family tree; it is now possible to get so much further in our climb (quest) than ever before was possible and at a vastly cheaper cost than ever before.  THIS IS what makes the cost of yearly membership worth it to me.  And, there is NOTHING like sitting at the computer searching for my ancestors in my pajamas with a cup of joe nearby.

I will be taking another trip to Pennsylvania – this time to Columbia County – in a few weeks for research, I’ll post cost comparison on my return.  I see this as an on-going project.

 

T