Genealogical Gems

Margaret Flear passed on 21 April 1954. Her Funeral Card was in among some items one of my cousins has but none of us could place her, although the name sounded familiar.  A quick search on Ancestry.com and not only did I find her but I placed her in the family! The first document I found was her death certificate. It revealed that she died in Philadelphia at Memorial Hospital. She lived on Olga Street in Philadelphia with her husband, Charles J. Flear. Her COD (Cause of Death) was "intestinal obstruction" which she suffered from for four days. That was caused by a "carcinoma descending colon metastasis liver mesenteric nodes" which was due to obesity. The death certificate also shows that she had an operation on 12 March 1954 to treat the carcinoma. There was no autopsy, as was normal since she was under a physician's care at the time of death. The attending physician was Mary R. Curcio, MD. The funeral director was William P. Koller and she was to be...

Cellphones are standard today in most homes. Many people do not even have land lines. I came across a postcard recently that made me think about the evolution of the telephone. AT&T - the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. - was incorporated on 3 March 1885 as the long-distance division of American Bell Telephone Company. By the end of 1899, it had become the head of the Bell System. On 25 January 1915 Alexander Graham Bell, who was in New York, dialed up Thomas Augustus Watson in San Francisco in that now famously historic call. The postcard (seen here) depicts Santa on the phone and the front reads: Christmas Shopping Simplified by telephone Use the Bell. It was around the middle of the 20th century that extensions came out and were available to the general household. The back of the above card is not a post card to send friends and family well wishes but rather an advertisement of the extension phone! The back reads: A Christmas Gift that will serve as a p...

  The Pequea Baptist Church was built in 1844. It is located along Old Philadelphia Pike (Route 340) in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County. The Church was formed from the Hephzibah Baptist Church, located in East Fallowfield Township, Chester County.     Wordless Wednesday is a daily GeneaBloggers prompt which centers around a photo or image.   

The National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair began yesterday and it was an awesome opportunity! Talks resume at 10 a.m. ET today. "Great Granny Eunice came from Ireland, Grandpa Fred was in the War, Can Access Archival Databases (AAD) Help Me?" will open things today. The second talk covers World War I Draft Registration Guide. Other sessions today are: Ancestry.com; Finding the Correct Ancestor: Using Civil War and Census Records; Family Search; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; and Federal Land Records at the National Archives. Talks yesterday included an Introduction to Genealogy, Preserving Your Records, When Saying ‘I Do’ Meant Giving Up Your U.S. Citizenship, and Overview of American Indian Records and Resources on the National Archives Website. If you missed them, do not panic! The National Archives will make them available by the end of November. Follow along today and tomorrow on You Tube. Be sure to keep watch on Twitter as well using hashtag #ge...

I found George and his wife Catherine last year in the Woodward Hill Cemetery in Lancaster City. To my knowledge, we share no relation but the stone is beautiful and I just had to share! George Keller was born 4 July 1806 and died on 23 March 1867. His wife E. Catherine was born 8 March 1800 and died 25 August 1876. This is a HUGE stone. It is a little more than twice as tall as my oldest daughter, who was with me that day and stands at 5'5". The second photo she is standing next to tombstone as a size comparison. Tombstone Tuesday is a daily genealogy blogging prompt of GeneaBloggers, in which one depicts a tombstone.  

Genealogy Roadshow filmed in Philadelphia this weekend and I had submitted some info about my family mystery. I did not hear back, not even a "sorry you're family is not exciting enough for television." Nothing. I suppose that may be true. We were not slaves (seems to be the current trend of these shows recently) nor did we (to my knowledge) ever own any or help any escape. We did not mingle with the local Lenape nor did we stand out in any major sort of way locally. My STILL family simply seems to be a small white family of farmers throughout the year. All the same, we do have a mystery and a tale ... My 4th great grandmother (Margaret Still) has always been a bit of a roadblock for me. I have traced most of my other lines back to my immigrant but my STILL line is stuck in Chester County , PA around the time of the Revolutionary War.   The story goes: Margaret got pregnant out of wedlock and her father put her out on a farm away from the family and left her ...

Today is a Happy Dance Day! I found the maiden name of my husband's great grandmother. I knew only her name was Appelina and that she came over from England. She married Charles E. Coursault of Philadelphia and they raised their family there, attending Christ Church. Pennsylvania recently released the Death Certificates from 1906 through 1963 inclusively. I did a broad search for Coursaults in Philadelphia and found a Francis Coursault. Francis is a son of Charles and Appelina. His sister Kathryn, who married George Bonner, was the informant and listed their mother as Apolina Morrill. Happy dance! So of course, off on a virtual side track! Apolina did not come to America all by herself. The 1880 Census shows her, at age 17, working as a button maker and living with her parents Issac and Mary Morrill and four siblings. The Census looks to read Murrill instead of Morrill. The other children are 13 year old Emma, 11 year old Bella, nine year old John, and three year old Mary....

Dolores Haefner Eckman passed this week. Her obituary, as seen on the website of Charles F Snyder Funeral Home , reads:   Dolores A. Eckman, 82, died at her Lancaster home on October 23, 2014. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Joseph A. and Harriet L. Haefner. Dolores was the wife of the late Frank M. Eckman for 61 years.   Surviving are 5 children, Celeste L. Eckman, Mount Joy, Joseph M. Eckman, husband of Kimberly, Elizabethtown, Valerie A., Carroll, wife of Kevin, Morgantown, Stephanie M., Childs wife of Thomas W., Lancaster, and F. Martin Eckman, Jr., husband of Kristyn R. Zaenglein Eckman, Lancaster; 6 grandchildren, Michael T, Jessica L. and Christopher J. Wagner, Ryenne Carroll, Zoe Z. and Sophie Z. Eckman, as well as her great-granddaughter Cambria Creter. In addition to her parents and husband, Dolores was preceded in death by her daughter Michelle L. Eckman.   A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10AM, on Monday, October 2...

My cousin gave me a copy of this picture when I went to visit them (Lorraine & Loretta) recently. I am so grateful. It is the only picture I have of my great grandmother and all her children together. The photo, they told me, was taken at Uncle Leo's wedding. He is the one on the far right. Don't they all look awesome? From left to right then: Uncle Joe, my grandmother Mary, Uncle Gerry looking awesome in his uniform, Uncle Reds (given name was Raymond), my great grandmother Catherine O'Flaherty Welsh, Aunt Loretta, and Uncle Leo. Uncle Leo married Ruth Miller is 1937. They had six children together. Sibling Saturday is a daily genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.

The funeral card of Miriam Wilson McWilliams was found among papers I had bought years ago at a family auction at my Aunt Helen's. The card reveals that Miriam Wilson McWilliams was born on 27 May 1890 in Coatesville. She died on 27 September 1957 in Hephzibah. She was laid to rest in the public non-denominational Fairview Cemetery in Coatesville. Her funeral service, officiated by Rev. Glenn C. Boice, at the S. Paul Roberts Funeral Home in Coatesville. Miriam was the widow of Horace Norman McWilliams (1888 - 1946). It is, to be honest, the McWilliams name that piqued my interest. He was the son of James Monroe McWilliams and Margaret Ann Carson. Horace had eight siblings. James Monroe McWilliams (1859 - 1938) was the son of Samuel Russell McWilliams and Catharine Wagoner. James had five siblings. Catherine died in 1863 and Samuel re-married. James also had four half-siblings. Samuel Russell McWilliams (1823 - 1903) was the son of Robert McWilliams and Ameila Merns. Samu...

Chrispin Pierson Van Horn is buried at the Old Doe Run Cemetery on Strasburg Road in East Fallowfield, Chester County. He is my 3rd great grandfather. Chrispin P Van Horn Born 21 September 1839. Died 9 February 1902. He was the son of George Van Horn and Jane Dudbridge. He was the husband of Maria Rice. Tombstone Tuesday is a daily genealogy blogging prompt of GeneaBloggers, in which one depicts a tombstone.

Charles Eckman has been found! Years ago shortly after we married, I attended a genealogy fair and saw a book titled "Genealogical Record of Rev. Hans Herr and His Direct Lineal Descendants" by Theodore Herr. I glanced through it and saw several names I recognized as being in my husband's family. I found my husband's grandfather, John C Eckman (b. 25 April 1883). John was listed as #10577. He was the son of Charles Eckman (6867) and Rosa T Kerchner. That entry led me to Charles and a mystery I have been searching for the last 20 years. His entry showed he is the son of Catherine K Cresswell (2949) and John Eckman. The numbers, by the way, were assigned to the descendants, with the first of course being the Rev. Hans Herr. Charles entry read: 6867. Charles, Lancaster, Pa., b. Feb. 1, 1860; d. Aug. 26, 1888; m. Aug. 24, 1881, Rosa T. Kerchner, b. Sept. 4, 1859; dau. John Kerchner and Barbara Kuhn. Since then I have been trying to find out where he was buried....

Leo Francis Welsh is my grandmother's brother. He lived with my grandparents in Kennett Square, Chester County. His obituary reads: Leo F. Welsh, 59, of 503 Magnolia Street, Kennett Square, died yesterday at Presbyterian Hospital, Philadelphia, after a lengthy illness. Born in Phoenixville, he was a son of the late Martin J. and Catherine O'Flaherty Welsh. He had been employed by the Kennett Square School District custodial department for the past five years. He was a member of St. Patrick's Church, Kennett Square and a social member of the Italian American Club and VFW of Kennett Square. Mr. Welsh is survived by three daughters: Colleen, wife of James Donahue of Kennett Square; Mrs. Theresa Nemuth of Cleveland, Ohio; and Michaela, wife of Donald Gideon, of Orangedale, Calif.; two sons: Maj. Leo F. Welsh Jr. of Hawaii and Kenneth Welsh of Los Angeles, and 14 grandchildren. Also, two sisters and three brothers survive: Mrs. Mary Still of Kennett Square; Mrs. ...

Today Lancaster City Mayor Rick Gray will proclaim it is Lancaster History Day. His proclamation will officially be presented to Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County President Lisa Horst at 10 a.m. The presentation will be made by City Council Member James Reichenbach at the Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House at 123 North Prince Street .  Click HERE to read the full article as it appeared on Examiner.com this morning.

Long before George Clooney read the script for The Monuments Men, we - as a people - were fascinated by monuments. We were hooked even before President Theodore Roosevelt named Devil's Tower, a natural geological wonder in Wyoming, the nation's first National Monument in 1906. Like all states, Pennsylvania proudly displays its fair share of monuments as well. Everyone loves firemen. This monument (at left) is the Volunteer Fireman's Monument in Reading, PA. It was dedicated on 2 September 1901. The inscriptions recognize all those firemen who served since for over 100 years. In Lehigh County, there is a 12 foot tall monument called Fireman's Drinking Fountain. The fireman stands atop the fountain and is holding a lantern in one hand and a child in the other. Many monuments pay tribute to those who have served in some war or conflict or civil service. Gettysburg has countless monuments remembering those who fought - on both sides - at that great battle of t...

I never knew my Aunt. Her name is Dorothy Helen Still. She was born 17 February 1913 to my great grandparents: Pierson Still and Mary Kilpatrick. I am sure her family was excited to receive her and felt blessed, having lost their first daughter just three years before. She joined my Uncle Jim (James Franklin Still) in this small family. Sadly though, she died less than a month later on 8 March 1913 of Pertussis. Pertussis is also known as Whooping Cough, an infection best known for its tell-tale coughing spells that end with an almost dramatic whooping gasp for breath. She was buried the following day at the Old Doe Run Cemetery. The Cemetery is across the street from the Old Doe Run Presbyterian Church on Strasburg Road, in East Fallowfield, Chester County. She shares a plot with her parents and siblings, with the exception of my grandfather (who is buried with his wife/my grandmother elsewhere). There is one other child - a stillborn - who was buried wit...

As I research various postcards and the historical images they present, I often stumble upon some gems - usual sites or information that may have a bearing down the road on my genealogical quests. Today, while searching for information on the timeline of the State Normal School in West Chester, Chester County, I found a timeline for West Chester itself. Lots of great facts here that may help in searches at some point. For example, the Daily Local News was founded in 1872. I'm sure I probably knew that at some point but the reminder is nice! I also listened to some videos from the National Genealogical Society while I was typing. Donna Valley Russell, fasg, was being interviewed and said one standard documentation concerns bible records. She says the first thing she looks for is the publication date of the bible. Things entered before that date have simply been copied in and cannot count as documentation. Switching tracks ... I did some research today for a client whose...

  WELSH Leo 1915 - 1975 Maureen 1949 - 1957   Uncle Leo (my grandmother's brother) and his daughter Maureen are buried together at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Kennett Square, Chester County, PA.     Tombstone Tuesday is a daily genealogy blogging prompt of GeneaBloggers, in which one depicts a tombstone.

Genealogy has been a hobby of mine for as long as I can recall. Since I got interested early on, I knew some of my great aunts who were great at telling family stories! I found it easier to write them then schedule a time and travel to them (even the ones who were close). Catherine Rothermal was one of those great aunts. Catherine was the daughter of my great grandmother's brother and she knew her! This meant I was able to ask (and receive) personal information. I did however have to remember that Catherine knew her as a child and we do tend to see things differently as children. I wrote her once asking what she recalled of my great grandmother, Bessie Matys. She wrote: 18 September 1986 Dear Jeanne, I enjoyed hearing from you. It's great that you want to know more about the family tree. I'm afraid I won't be too much of help. My father Frank, who was your great grandmother's brother, told us he was born in Galicia. The family name was Matys. There were ...

Dennis O'Flaherty was born in Ireland around 1839. He immigrated to America however nothing is known of his parents or birthplace. Once here he settled in Phoenixville and, at some point before 1868, married Martha Durkin, said to be from County Mayo in Ireland. Tracing them through the Census Records offers a little insight into the family. Dennis and Martha had eight children. In March 1868 Martha gave birth to twins: James and Mary. A son Hugh was born in 1869. The 1870 Census The 1870 Census shows only Mary and Hugh with their parents. Hence, James passed before 16 July 1880 (the day the census was taken). Martha's name is listed as Hattie, which would simply be a nickname. Dennis worked in the Rolling Mill. A laborer named Patrick Hannigan lived with them as well. The census confirmed that both Dennis and Martha were born in Ireland. It also revealed that neither of them could write and that Martha could not read! The 1880 Census Dennis is working at the Iron W...

h Hugh O'Flaherty was born 31 May 1869 in Phoenixville to Dennis and Martha Durkin O'Flaherty. He is the brother of my great grandmother Catherine O'Flaherty. Hugh married Katherine Dee (daughter of James Dee and Mary Sommers) on 4 November 1903. Together they had five children: Julia, Catherine, Martha, Dennis, and Hugh. They also lost one child, a stillborn child. He was a laborer throughout his life. He worked at the Iron Mill in Phoenixville as well as various odd jobs. He passed away on 24 March 1947. He was predeceased by his wife (Katherine passed in 1922) and all of his children except Dennis. Funeral Card Friday is a d aily blogging prompt prompted by GeneaBloggers in which the main focus of the prompt is a funeral card.

Maybe because there are two of them. Maybe because I feel guilty I cannot afford one big thing so they get lots of little things. Somehow somewhere along the way Happy Birthday to my twins, Anna & Zorina (turned 16 on Tuesday), turned into Happy Birthday Week! Tuesday morning they got their presents. I was so excited to find two little Matryoshka key chains for Anna and an owl necklace/watch for Zorina. That night we celebrated their birthday - just the four of us here at home - with a simple dinner and cake! They asked for baked macaroni and cheese and pierogies. Not a combination everyone would choose but it worked for us! Wednesday (yesterday) the girls got new phones - Windows phones. Tonight we are having dinner out with my Daddy and sister. Our oldest (Mary - that's her at left with the girls) and our nephew (who lives with Mary) are joining us. Friday the girls are having their friends over. They both work Saturday but Sunday the four of us are spending the day ...

I love this picture of my cousin Loretta. It was taken at a family reunion back in 1981 (we really need another one!). The child she is holding is her first grandchild, Nick. Wordless Wednesday is a daily genealogy prompt from GeneaBloggers that encourages a post with the main focus being a photograph or image.

Today my babies turn Sweet Sixteen! Happy birthday, Anna & Zorina!       Above: my Baba holding the girls! My Daddy is the back and I'm next to Baba and the girls.  

Many of my Still family members are buried at Doe Run Cemetery, across from Doe Run Presbyterian Church in East Fallowfield on Strasburg Road. In randomly searching PA Death Certificates for Stills of Chester County, I found a John S. Still who I have never heard of before and cannot find much information on so of course he is my mystery subject today! The Death Certificate reveals that he died at the Chester County Home in Embreeville in West Bradford Township. His birthdate was unknown but he was believed to be 78. The informant, a hospital administrator no doubt, did not know who John's parents were but did indicate they had both been born in the state. Born in Pennsylvania, he had been a laborer. He was a widower. The physician had tended to John since 13 June 1905. One could surmise then that John had been in the hospital since that time. He died 6 May 1910 from "exhaustion of senility" at 6 p.m. "Exhaustion of senility" is an archaic medical term. ...

I desperately searching for information on a Michael Walsh who came from Ireland and settled in Shenandoah, PA. He is very elusive, so I am casting a wider net and am collecting information on any Walsh/Welsh families from Shenandoah. This morning, a wide search found this obituary:   Michael J. Walsh, 52, of 309 Virginia Ave., Shenandoah, died Monday at Schuylkill Medical Center-East Norwegian Street. Born in Shenandoah, Oct. 14, 1959, he was a son of Marie Savitsky Walsh and the late Joseph Walsh, who died in 1994. A 1977 graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School, he was president of AFCSME for PennDOT employees. He was a member of Annunciation BVM Roman Catholic Church, Shenandoah, and Shenandoah Fish & Game Club. Surviving are his wife of 26 years, Cindee Selvocki Walsh; a son, Colin Walsh, Shenandoah; a daughter, Meghan Walsh, Bethlehem; two sisters, Patricia Popalis and her husband, Andrew, and Mary Ann Walsh, both of Shenandoah Heights; nieces and nephews; aunts ...

  Today I actually have a specific goal for Sorting Saturday! On Monday I am meeting up with two cousins on my Walsh/Welsh side. I am so very excited and yet I find myself nervous. So today's goal is to gather up and organize info (and of course print out some things for them, assuming my stupid printer doesn't pull an attitude with me) on our shared lines. Those lines are: Walsh/Welsh O'Flaherty From the Walsh side, there is also Keating. From the O'Flaherty side, there is also Durkin and Murphy (Murphy! Aren't I lucky!). My files above look very organized and for the most part they are ... however I have a wicker basket with surname folders in it. Everything gets thrown in there! If I do not know exactly where a person fits, he or she lands in there. If I simply do not have time to put a document in the appropriate folder, it goes in there. If I come across a tip or a resource, I write a reminder note to myself. Guess where that note lands! Toda...

Mr. Shrom was one of my neighbors growing up. Sweet man. He and his wife moved in across the street from us in Sadsbury Township shortly after us. His funeral card had a light picture of a country scene on the front. Inside on the left was the poem Footprints. On the right, it read: In Memory of Leonard F. Shrom July 21, 1910 December 25, 1990 Services Saturday, December 29, 1990 Latta Memorial Presbyterian Church 23 Green Street Christiana, PA   11 a.m. Clergy Rev. George L Wilson Rev. William B. Lester Internment Bellevue Presbyterian Cemetery Gap, PA Mr. Shrom was a retired railway postal clerk. He had retired shortly before he and Mrs. Shrom (Grace Province Shrom) moved up across the street. Like us, he was originally from Coatesville but they moved up from Delaware County. He left behind, in addition to his wife, a son and two daughters. I do not recall ever meeting the girls but Paul, his son, was more local and often visited. Funeral Card Fri...

Poor Patrick Welsh. In 1918 Chester County was hit hard by pneumonia and influenza. Patrick's young family saw more death than any family should. He buried his wife and two young children. Poor little Catherine was the first to succumb. She was just seven months old. It appears she died at home (235 Hall Street). Her listed Cause of Death is whooping cough. She died 31 August 1918 and was buried two days later at St. Mary's in Phoenixville. St. Mary's of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish under the Philadelphia Archdiocese. Not all the dates match up quite right so I can only surmised that Patrick, who was the informant on all three certificates, was simply and understandably devastated. Catherine's certificate above shows her birthdate as 29 January 1918. That seems plausible ... except her brother William was supposedly born 17 June 1918. That's less than five months. Too long to be twins. Too close to be a second pregnancy. William J. Welsh die...