Genealogical Gems

  Many immigrants came over and worked hard labor in coal mines. These men entered the depth of the earth, deep away from any glimmer of sunlight, every day. Many of these men performed this work for years. On 5 June 1919, many of those men, who sought only for a better life for their Wilkes Barre area families, many did not return home that day. Ninety-two men were killed and many more injured that day in an explosion in the Baltimore tunnel of the Delaware and Hudson Coal Company. That incident has become known as the Baltimore Mine Tunnel Disaster. The men were riding a trip of mine cars down to the mine to begin work. The last car contained 12 kegs of blasting powder that they would need for their work. The cars were modern for that time and traveled on a trolley track of sorts. The trolley wire snapped and the sparks set off the kegs of blasting powder, according to a 12 June 1919 article in The Weekly Courier. Resources: "Baltimore Tunnel 2 Mine Disaste...

  Ruth Ann daughter of Michael & Ruth Buckle b 8 January 1954 d 12 January 1954   buried at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery Valley Township, Chester County, PA Tombstone Tuesday is a daily blogging prompt prompted by GeneaBloggers in which an image of a gravestone is featured. It may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor.

New County Down and County Antrim Church of Ireland Records and Belfast Roman Catholic Records Online The Irish Family History Foundation is pleased to announce that it has just added over 16,000 Church of Ireland baptismal records for County Down along with over 8,000 Roman Catholic records for Belfast. The records were transcribed by Dr Brian Trainor, former Director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. The following Churches have been added: Name Denomination Type Years Number Killinchy Church of Ireland Baptisms 1820-77 418 Blaris Church of Ireland Baptisms 1661-1720 7709 Magheralin Church of Ireland Baptisms 1783-1870 6628 Bangor Church of Ireland Baptisms 1803-43 1050 Ballywalter Church of Ireland Baptisms 1845-75 125 Ardkeen Church of Ireland Baptisms 1746-1871 541 St Patrick's Belfast Roman Catholic Baptisms 1924-1931 3823 St Joseph's Belfast Roman Catholic Baptisms 1900-1921 3344 St Jos...

Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, has announced the availability of an index to more than 10 million New York City birth, marriage and death records, spanning 1866-1948, for free online at Ancestry.com/NewYork. The new index, made possible through a relationship with the New York City Department Of Records/Municipal Archives, brings the vast collection of New York records, images and historical documents already on Ancestry.com to nearly 40 million. This will enable people exploring their family history to discover and learn more about their possible New York roots. At the turn of the 20 th century, millions of people from across the world were stepping onto American soil for the first time. New York was a hub for these immigrants, where more than 12 million people came through Ellis Island alone to start a new life for themselves and their families in America’s so-called “melting pot.” Today, tens of millions of people can trace their roots back t...

  Donkewicz Nicholas 1879 - 1954 Anna 1890 - 1969 buried at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery Valley Township, Chester County, PA Tombstone Tuesday is a daily blogging prompt prompted by GeneaBloggers in which an image of a gravestone is featured. It may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor. 

  New Holland (Lancaster County, PA) has several flags honoring those who have served. A particular one honors Leroy Snader who served in the US Army during the Vietnam War Era.   Note: There was a photo originally with this post but at some time it became unavailable.

  Georgianna Donkewicz 3 November 1949 16 February 1950 buried at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery Valley Township, Chester County, PA Tombstone Tuesday is a daily blogging prompt prompted by GeneaBloggers in which an image of a gravestone is featured. It may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor.

John C. Eckman, 80, of Wrightsville, formerly of Lancaster, passed away on Sunday, January 5, 2014 at his home. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Franklin L. and Beatrice (Leibley) Eckman. He was married to the late Violet E. Eckman who passed away in August 2013. John was employed as a truck driver for many years and was involved in the local Teamsters. He volunteered for over 38 years at the ­Southern Manheim Twp. Fire Department. He was an avid N-gauge train collector. John is survived by a son, James R. Eckman, Sr., of Wrightsville; 3 daughters, Brenda J. Sylvester, wife of Loyd Jr., of Columbia, Pamela S. Eckman, Joyce E. Quijano, both of Lancaster. Also surviving are 6 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren; a brother, Ronald L. Eckman, husband of Mildred, of Fredericksburg, VA and a sister, Rev. Dolores E. Smith, wife of William M., of Conestoga. He was preceded in death by 2 brothers (note: one of whom is George ) and a sister. Funeral Services will be at 10...

I came across an article this week title " Jewish Surnames Explained " by Bennett Muraskin and wanted to pass it along today. The article is quite a good reference, not just for those of Jewish descent but all Eastern Europeans. Muraskin explains the evolution of "patronymics" and "matronymics." These are the most common surnames. Place names are the next common group of surnames, then occupational names. The article also covers religious names and personal traits as well as insulting names, animal names, Hebrew and Yiddish names, and made up names. Regardless of your ethnic background, the article is a good read. My husband is part German (big surprise right with Eckman as a last name)! One of his ancestral surnames is Kirchner. Muraskin mentions the name as an occupational name relating to tailoring. Specifically he says: "Futterman/Kirshner/Kushner/Peltz — furrier".  Interesting that when John (yes really Johannes) Kirchner came to Lancas...

  George Donkewicz Tec 5 US Army World War II 1909 - 1988   buried at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery Valley Township, Chester County, PA   George is buried with his wife, Mary.     George ... 15 May 1909 - 29 August 1988 Mary ... 14 January 1919 - 22 February 2008   Tombstone Tuesday is a daily blogging prompt prompted by GeneaBloggers in which an image of a gravestone is featured. It may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor.

Alan F. Kirchner, Sr., 53, of Lancaster, died Monday, September 5, 2005 of malignant melanoma. He was the husband of the late Dorothy E. "Dottie" Brooks Kirchner, who died in 1991. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Edward W. and Mary E. Rampulla Kirchner. He was a graduate of Lancaster Catholic High School, a veteran of the United States Air Force during the Vietnam Era, attaining the rank of Sergeant before being Honorably Discharged. He was a tradesman printer, but also a former bartender with past memberships in several local clubs including the Union Home Association, the Active and Alert Clubs, and the American Legion. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was of the Catholic faith. Those who knew him know he loved his wife and children dearly. Surviving are five children: Alan F. Kirchner, Jr., Francesmary E. Kirchner, Melvin A. Kirchner, Trinda L. Hunter and Harold E. Zeamer, Jr. as well as several grandchildren. Also surviving are five brothers ...

I have huge surname files on people I can not fit in at the moment or obits as I come across them or simply miscellaneous information. Today, I am working through my massive ECKMAN file (I think only my STILL file is bigger!). I did however find a copy of the 1910 census with hubby's paternal grandfather on it. I must have printed it out and not had time to review it before. Turns out ... JOHN CHARLES ECKMAN was living on Fifth Street in Philadelphia already in 1910. He was with his first wife Emma GOEPEL and their 11 month old daughter Margaret K. At that time, John (I have to use names not titles on people I never personally met or I would be soooo confused) was a turner. This is exciting for two reasons: First, Glenn (hubby) had thought/been told that his grandfather (John) had gone down to Philadelphia to be a police officer because Lancaster was not hiring at the time or he could not get a job here for some other reason. (Spoiler: John does become a police officer in ...