Genealogical Gems

Glenn and I were married on 22 August 1992. Here he is pictured with his parents - Dorothy Deyoe and Frank Eckman. Both passed away a few years ago - Dad in 1994 and his mom in 1996. The photo just felt fitting today. We were married by Father George Schneider at Our Lady of Consolation (I was Catholic at the time) in Parkesburg, Chester County. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt from GeneaBloggers. (c) Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

My search for potential Still connections continues. On 18 August 1913, the Harrisburg Telegraph announced the wedding of Violet Still. from the 18 August 1913 Harrisburg Telegraph The announcement – as transcribed: Ranck – Still Wedding Special to the Telegraph Sunbury , Pa. , Aug. 18 – William F. Ranck, of Milton, and Miss Violet Still, of Sunbury, were wedded at the First United Brethren Church here. The Rev. C. A. Mutch, the pastor, tied the knot. Following a wedding trip they will live at Milton , Pa. The marriage announcement appeared on page two of the Harrisburg Telegraph . The wedding occurred in Sunbury, which is located in Northumberland County . Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

My search for potential Durkin relatives continues. On 31 January 1871, the Evening Telegraph, based out of Philadelphia , announced the wedding of Ellen Durkin. The announcement – as transcribed: Duffy – Durkin. – At Pottstville, January 28 th , 1871, by the Rev. J. Walsh, Mr. John Duffy, of Ashland , to Miss Ellen Durkin, of Pottsville . The marriage announcement appeared on page five of the Evening Telegraph, a Philadelphia paper. A John and Ellen Duffy appear in the 1880 Census as living in Butler , Schuylkill County . John, a miner, was 35; Ellen was 30. They had five children: Bernard, Thomas, John, Mary and Sarah. The 1900 Census confirms their marriage year as 1871. By then the couple had nine children, all living.   Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

My second great grandmother was born a Durkin. She was born in 1839 in Ireland but I know little else of her before she came to America in 1870. Every so often I do a broad search for Durkins. Here I came across a Margaret Durkin. The announcement – as transcribed: In Hyde Park , on the 8 th inst., by Rev. J.B. Laughlin, Miss Margaret Durkin, to Mr. Patrick Lenehan, all of Pittston. May the happy couple long enjoy The conjugal life with pleasure, And each new year new pleasure bring, As this year brought them together. The marriage announcement appeared on page two of the Pittston Gazette on 16 January 1852. Pittston is located in Luzerne County. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

My second great grandmother was born a Durkin but I know little of her before she came to America . Every so often I do a broad search for Durkins. Here I can across a Phebe Matilda Durkin. The announcement – as transcribed: At Newark , NJ , on the 11 th inst. By the Rev. J. Ayars, Mr. Wm Douglas, formerly of Philadelphia , to Miss Phebe Matilda Durkin. The marriage announcement appeared on page two of the Public Ledger, a Philadelphia paper, on 17 April 1839. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

I recently came across my Uncle Theodore’s marriage certificate. Theodore Ruzchak married Mary Chernecky on 1 February 1941 at my church – the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Church - in Coatesville. The Rev. Hilary H. Wroblewsky officiated. My uncle’s parents (my great grandparents) are Panko Hruszczak and Bessie Matys. Aunt Mary’s parents are Wasyl Chernecky and Tatianna Czapel. They had two children. The church is located in Coatesville, Chester County. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

Alvin Still is my 4 th cousin. I have seen his name spelled Alban and also Alvan. In 1916 he married Catherine Leahy in Coatesville, Chester County. The Coatesville Record (sadly, now defunct) used to run a section, as many papers do, in which it would re-print news from the past. On 5 August 1946, under the “30 years ago” heading, it ran the following: Miss Catherine Leahy and Alvin Still, this city, were united in marriage. Alban is the son of Robert and Albina Williams Still. Robert is the son of my 3 rd great grandparents, George David and Sarah Bing Still. Catherine is the daughter of Henry and Clara Supplee Leahy. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

George W Still is my 3 rd great uncle. He was one of six children of George David Still and Sarah Bing. In 1874 he married Rebecca Jane Wilson, the daughter of John Wilson and Rebecca Speakman. The announcement – as transcribed: Still-Wilson – In Downingtown, at the residence of B.F. Lewis, on March 19 th 1874, by the Rev. Francis J. Collier, Mr. George W. Still, of West Marlborough township, to Miss Rebecca Jane Wilson, of New Garden township, Chester County . The B.F. Lewis mentioned in the announcement is George’s brother-in-law. B.F. Lewis was married to George’s sister Jane. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

Some of the greatest discoveries come when you are not even looking for them! I was searching for information on my Uncle Gerry the other day and came across his sister’s (my grandmother) wedding announcement. 23 October 1939 Pottstown Mercury The announcement – as transcribed: Miss Mary Rose Welsh, daughter of Katherine Welsh, 413 Vanderslice Street , Phoenixville, and Lloyd Pierson Still, son of Pierson Still, Steamboat Still, Colo. , were united in marriage in St. Mary’s rectory, Phoenixville, with the Rev. William Geary officiating Saturday morning at 10 o’clock. Attendants were Morgan Clark, Unionville, and Miss Laretta Welsh, sister of the bride. A reception followed in the home of the bride. After returning from a honeymoon trip to Canada , the couple will reside temporarily with the bride’s mother and later at Unionville. The bride is an employe of Schuykill Valley mills, Spring City . Still is employed by Logan Still, Unionville, as a painter and paper ha...

Sue Eckman and Clay Acheson, both of Southern Lancaster County, were married on 19 January 1915 at the Faith Reformed Church in Lancaster . Rev. D. G. Glass, the pastor of the church, performed the unattended ceremony. Susan Mabel Eckman is the daughter of Christopher Columbus Eckman, Sr. and Mary Ann Knight. Susan’s great grandmother, Elizabeth Winter Eckman Miller, is my husband’s 2x great grandmother! Sources Harrisburg Daily Independent. ( Harrisburg , PA ), 20 January 1915. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

I have not yet connected the Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Matys to my Matys line. However, some surnames do not show up all that often and when they do, I pay attention! The wedding announcement of Edmund Matys popped up in a newspaper search for Matys.   The announcement reads: Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Olszewski, 217 Chestnut Street , Dupont, announce the marriage of their daughter, Miss Valeria Olszewski, to Dr. Edmund V. Matys, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Matys, 1136 Spring Street, Avoca. The ceremony took place July 3, 1939, in the Holy Family Church , Sugar Notch. Rev. Chester Kolakowski officiated.   Miss Virginia Olsewski and Henry Matys were the attendants.   Mrs. Matys is a graduate of Pittston High School , East Stroudsburg State Teacher’s College and is now a member of the Dupont faculty.   Dr. Matys is a graduate of Duryea High School , Pennsylvania State College, Jefferson Medical College and has attended the MacKenie Post G...

Sue Eckman and Clay Acheson were married on 19 January 1915. They were married by the Rev. D. G. Glass, pastor of the Faith Reformed Church in Lancaster .   Source: The Star-independent. ( Harrisburg , Pa. ), 20 Jan. 1915. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Lib. of Congress.     Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Today would have been my grandmother’s birthday so it seems only fitting that on this Wedding Wednesday she and my grandfather are remembered. Baba – Anna Kurenda – married Joseph Ruczhak on 16 July 1939. They were married at the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Coatesville, Chester County. Side note: The church is now Ukrainian Orthodox. The parish voted to change in 1940.     Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

I came across this marriage certificate while working on a research project. It is dated 20 February 1840 but gives no indication where the union took place.    It reads: Marriage Certificate “It is not good for man to be alone.” – Bible To all whom it may concern: - This certifies that John Entrehin (sp?) and Elizabeth Conrey (sp?) were, according to the ordinance of God, on the twentieth day of February A.D. 1840 united in the bonds of holy matrimony. Whom, therefore, God hath joined together, let no man ever put asunder. A.G. Morrison, Minister of the Gospel    The paper was in among various random items from estate auctions. There is no writing on the back.     Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

  With This Ring I Thee Wed   Mr. and Mrs. Leo P. Bugan request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Carol to Mr. Harry Binder on Saturday, the twenty-eighth of January Nineteen hundred and sixty-seven at two o'clock Ascension of Our Lord Church "F" and Westmoreland Streets Philadelphia, Pennsylvania     Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.  

Dennis O'Flaherty and Martha Durkin were both born in Ireland and met here in America. The first I have found them here was married together living in Phoenixville, Chester County in 1870. In searching for their information, I am working on all the children hoping to find something, anything. The Chester County Archives has many resources online. One of which is the Marriage Records from 1885 to 1930. There are two O'Flaherty boys listed: Hugh and Michael. Both are my great grandmother (Catherine O'Flaherty Welsh)'s brothers. Hugh (b. 31 May 1869) married Kathryn Dee on 4 November 1903. Michael P. (b. 20 August 1871) married Margaret McQuade on 29 January 1902. There were also two O'Flaherty girls. One was my great grandmother Catherine (b. 2 October 1885) showing she married Martin Welsh on 27 April 1910. That same day, a Margaret O'Flaherty (b. 29 June 1870) married a Thomas Graham. While Catherine and the boys did have a sister Margaret, she lived only a...

Twenty two years ago Friday (22 August) will be our (Glenn and I) anniversary. Today, being GeneaBloggers' Wedding Wednesday, I thought I would share some images from that day. My mom (Barbara Still Ruczhak), me, Glenn, my Daddy (Joseph Ruczhak) at Our Lady Of Consolation RC Church, Parkesburg, Chester County, PA Receiving line after the wedding: Frank Eckman, Sr. (Glenn's dad), my sister Noreen (my maid of honor), Glenn's best friend Rick Wilkey (his nest man), Dorothy Deyoe Eckman (Glenn's mom), my mom, Daddy, me and Glenn.   Me & Daddy Glenn and his mom.  

Today, I thought I would introduce readers to a resource: Pennsylvania Marriages Prior to 1790. This text was compiled by John B. Linn and William H. Engle. It was published by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. out of Baltimore, Maryland. I am, to be honest, not sure it includes ALL marriages before 1790 and I say this only because I found no Eckmans listed and I have other (church) records indicating several were in fact married before then. That said, I did find several Van Horn family members. The text offers simply the raw basics. It provides, in alpha order, the year, month, day and names of the couple. So for example, in 1776 Jacob Van Horn married Lydia Moode. The text offers the following: "1776, Feb. 1. Vanhorn, Jacob, and Lydia Moode." It does not tell me who married them, if it was a civil service or in a church, or even what city or county in which the marriage occurred. The text also does not offer the parents of the couple or even the couple's ag...

Uncle Pete (Ruczhak) and Aunt Marianne (Sherman) were married in February 1956. Their wedding announcement ran in the Coatesville Record on 16 February that year. The announcement read: St. Cecilia's R.C. Church was the scene Saturday afternoon at three o'clock of the wedding of Miss Marianne Sherman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Sherman of Coatesville, to Mr. Peter Ruczhak, son of Mr. and Mrs. Panko Ruczhak, also of Coatesville. Mixed bouquets adorned the main and side altars for the double ring ceremony performed by the Rev. Joseph F. Curtin, assistant rector. Wedding music was played by Mrs. Edward Rissel, of Coatesville, at the organ, and sung by Mrs. Robert Doan, also of this city. The couple left for New York following a dinner and reception at the VFW home. They will reside at 617 East Lincoln Highway. Mr. and Mrs. Ruczhak were graduated from Coatesville High School with the class of 1950. Mr. Ruczhak is employed at the By-Products division of Lukens S...

Uncle Nick and Aunt Ann were married in 26 June 1948 in Coatesville. Their wedding announcement was published in the Coatesville Record on 7 July 1948 and it read: Miss Ann Petro, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Metrofan Gromotovesh of Coatesville RD3, and Mr. Nicholas Ruczhak, son of Mr. and Mrs. Panko Ruczhak, of this city, were married during a ceremony performed at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Saturday afternoon, June 26, at 4 o'clock. Rev. John Morozoff officiated during the double ring ceremony.