Genealogical Gems

Emma Miller was born in August of 1858 to Coradis and Elizabeth Winters Eckman. The Millers lived in Smithville, Lancaster County, PA. Sadly, her parents have me stumped ... for the moment! She married Aldus John Eckman in 1875 and bore him 10 children. One of whom - Mabel Florence - is the grandmother of my husband. The Eckmans lived in Providence Township, Lancaster County, PA. Their children are: Charles Miller (1875-1876) Jenny Elizabeth (1877-) Anna Mae (1879-) Laura Daisy (1881-) Jesse Hall (1882-1974) Joseph Winters (1887-1960) Mabel Florence (1888-1975) <-- hubby's grandmother Russell Conklin (1890-) Pearl Louisa (1895-1988) Olive Viola (1902-1986) Aldus passed on 16 April 1934. Emma did not join him in death until 24 September 1942. They are buried together at the Clearfield United Methodist Church in Smithville. Emma's obituary was published in the Lancaster Daily Intelligencer Journal. It simply reads: Emma Eckman, eighty three of Providence T...

I could not decide on any one obituary to feature today so instead I Googled "OBITUARY HRUSZCZAK" and this is what I got ... Frederick Hruszczak was born on May 14, 1959 and passed away on Saturday, September 12, 2009. Fredrick was a resident of Oxford, New Jersey. It led me to Ancestry.com where I found: Frederick "Fred" Hruszczak, 50, died Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. He was born May 14, 1959. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, at 2 p.m. at the Flemington Baptist Church. Fred's parents predeceased him as did his sister, Katherine Finnegan. He is survived by two brothers, four sisters and many nieces and nephews. Published in Star-Ledger on September 22, 2009.   That led me to his sister's obituary: FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP -- Katherine Finnigan, 50, died Sunday (April 30, 2006) at her home in Franklin Township, Hunterdon County. Born Oct. 30, 1955 in Elizabeth, daughter of the late Wasyl Hruszczak and Rosalia Sapira Hru...

Sorting Saturday is a day when Geneabloggers ... go figure ... sort ... piled up information, olf files, texts, whatever we have been storing up and putting aside. Today I sat down and tried but my head was just not in the game. I need a sorting day for all the little compartments in my head. It snowed here today and I still had 8 baskets to deliver for my Hospitality Basket. I'm scared to drive in the snow. I had a really bad car accident back on 27 December 1996 and by all rights I should have died that day. I used up all my guardian angels that morning. Today my husband actually left he house and drove me because he knew I was stressing out about the impending weather. It started out good but the snow continued and within only an hour and a half we were slipping and sliding. I sat there and prayed as he drove and he pointed out where others had driven off the road. Not a fun morning. I deliver 50 baskets every month and every month I run til the end and sometimes even ove...

I came across a post today on FaceBook about Irena Sendler and did a little searching to verify that it was a trues story and since it is and since I was moved when I read it, I thought I would share some information about this extraordinary woman. First off the post read: (I did take out the breaks and put in paragraph form to save some space) Look at this lady - Let us never forget! The world hasn't just become wicked...it's always been wicked. The prize doesn't always go to the most deserving. ... Irena Sendler Died 12 May 2008 (aged 98) Warsaw, Poland During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a plumbing/sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive'. She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews (being German). Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids). She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when...

Mary Schermerhorn was born in New York in 1794. She was the daughter of Jacob T (1764 - 1845) and Sarah (1775 - 1846) Shutts Schermerhorn. On 2 April 1820 she married John W Deyoe. To him she has nine children: James, Lucinda, John Walker, Sarah, Christopher E., Hannah, Polly L., and Daniel G. The 1850 Census lists her name as Sarah born 1796. John is head of house in 1850. Living with them at home is Hannah aged 18, Polly aged 15, Daniel ages 12, and Christopher age 10. At the time they were living in Middletown, Delaware County, New York. The 1860 Census has her and John living with their daughter Hannah and her husband Walter George. They were in Lexington, Greene County, New York. She went by Sarah then too. The 1870 and 1880 census though list her as Mary. Both of those census also still have her living with daughter Hannah. The 1880 census however does list her as a widow. She passed on 15 June 1881. She is buried in the Deyoe Family Cemetery. Sadly, all I known of M...

Last week I cleaned a portion - a small portion - of my desk where some files and paperwork had piled up. This week I took a different angle to Sorting Saturday. I organized and cleaned up my labels here on Genealogical Gems. The picture at right is not the greatest but it shows some of the changed labels okay. Cemeteries are now listed as "Cemetery: Name of Cemetery" instead of the individual cemeteries spread all over the labels. I did the same for the surnames (see left). I had realized how many surnames I have been tracing or come across over the years. I am glad I spent Sorting Saturday doing this task ... instead of waiting a few more years! Could you imagine? I am debating if I want to do something similar with townships and cities before I acquire too many more! On the bright side - soon I will have everything sorted and organized and then I can move on to ... another Saturday topic!  

Family history preservation company Houstory has kick-started a new marketing campaign, just in time for the holidays. Its name: “No More Stuff/Preserve. Conserve.” The company hopes the campaign will help people rethink their relationship with the things they buy and own. “I’m sure you know a person (probably more than one) who genuinely appears to have everything they need,” said Mike Hiestand, Houstory founder. “Both sets of my pre-Boomer parents fall into this category. Often, when you ask what they need from Santa, they honestly, sincerely and kindly tell you ‘nothing.’ Because the truth is, we all reach a point — some much sooner than others — where we really don’t need more stuff. But do we listen? No.” Instead, he said, we buy them something they really don’t need, or even want. “Buying gifts is simply one of the ways our culture seeks to express love and other feelings during the holiday season,” Hiestand said. “So, rather than fight that natural desire, we...

The 2013 Family History Conference of the National Genealogical Society (NGS) will be held 8-11 May at the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.   The Conference includes topics of interest for all levels of research. Sessions will feature DNA, migration, methodology, ethnic research, women, and the West, to name a few.    The lecture schedule is available on the NGS website in a searchable format at: http://members.ngsgenealogy.org/Conferences/Program2013.cfm . Over 100 exhibitors will be there Wednesday through Saturday featuring   the latest in gen ealogical software, online research providers, and DNA testing services. Registration is now open for the Conference. NGS members will receive a discounted registration fee. For additional information and to register online, go to http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/attendee_registration .      

Last month - yes I do mean November, can you believe it is December already! - we rearranged our apartment when our oldest daughter moved back in. My things literally got moved in piles and boxes so I have been looking forward to today's Sorting Saturday! First on my stack are the twins' first marking period report cards. Both did really well. I found a flyer from their 6th grade choral concert. I only found one though and they were both in it. I also found a relatively recent immunization record for my oldest daughter. Off they go to their own respective files. I came across a list of four churches in Shenandoah. These are Roman Catholic churches, one of which I am hoping to find information on my Walsh and Keating ancestors. My Keating s - specifically Anna Keating - lived in Ringtown just down the road. At some point the Keatings moved to Shendaoah where she met and married Michael Walsh. We went up to Shendoah last summer and spoke with people  at the Greate...